Chapter 4: The Order of Drake

Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore sat silent after hearing the story told to them. They were lost on what to make of it, like parts were missing.

But no doubt Hermione had also felt that way, since the story flowed well from part to part.

"So, you infiltrated a manor with a dungeon, Got Lucius to help you find and free his son Draco from certain death by this Nox." Snape recapped quickly, " Why?"

"So I could get home, it wasn't like I knew where I was professor. I had Malfoy tell me so that I could leave." She explained, "Portkeys need two places to work."

"And where, Hermione, were you?" Albus asked kindly.

"Nice, in France." She replied.

Both of the exchanged an alarmed look.

"That will be all Ms. Granger," Snape dismissed her, and turned to speak with Dumbledore.

However they just stared at each other until the door was closed and wards were placed up.

She huffed again and headed to her room.

She after all had what she needed from the library.

When she arrived, Ron and Harry were sitting on her bed, and looked up when she entered.

"Not now, leave, later." She ordered. They nodded and left.

She opened the old volume on her bed, and inhaled the sweet smell of old paper and ink.

She found the section she wanted.

'Draconis Draconis Draconis. A spell given to the kings of Lower France, in their alliance with the Dragons in 1300, forming what is known at the order of Drake. Saying the words while wearing proof of heritage, will give the user temporary magical powers from the ancient dragon races. Such as protection, or aide.'

It read.

Hermione took the ring from her pocket.

Why had Draco given her something that was proof of kingship?

Was he perhaps one of the lost kings?

And why give her something so powerful?

Then it hit her.

A weregild.

She had saved his life, he was paying her back with the ring.

She re-read the passage.

And turned to the part about the order of Drake.

In short it was an alliance between wizards and dragons, for the survival of the dragons from muggles that had been hunting them.

It was also the start of the separation between the magical world and the muggle.

The family of Ill Faith was the Malfoy family Male as in evil, and Foi as in faith. The Malfoys were one of the royal families included in the Order. But in the book it was spelled 'Male'foi.'

"No wonder they hate muggles, their ancestors had to fight them constantly!" Hermione breathed.

Once she had read enough to know that Draco probably was heir to this now symbolic rule and that he was part of a murder plot set up by the current king, his uncle Nox Male'foi, she returned the book to the library and retreated to her room again.

She knew that she would need to face Harry and Ron eventually, but she just wanted to put it off for as long as she could.

Silence graced the days that passed until the day of September first. Then the noise, as if rose from a slumber, came in full force.

"Ginny, how many times must I tell you! Its leggings books shirts around valuables!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, "Harry dear, do comb your hair!"

The twins, Harry and Ron were all playing exploding snap, and weren't paying attention to the matriarch; this caused her to become louder.

"WE LEAVE IN TEN MINUTES!" she shouted, her voice magically altered.

"Molly, I'm trying to do some work here, please keep it down." Remus called from the basement.

"We'll be gone soon Remus." She called back. "Hermione! Get these boys of yours in line!"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione called down from her room, where she had just shut her own trunk.

Hermione wasn't head girl this year. Not that she really had wanted to be, she just decided to be a prefect again, and let some other girl take the role. She much preferred to be left alone to study. The responsibilities of a Head girl were far to much for her, despite the honor it would bring her.

"Ron, Harry, are either of you packed?"

"Ummm," came Harry's reply.

"Nearly," Ron blushed.

"Then I suggest you PACK!" she pointed her wand to the open door and both boys flew from the room. "Harry has magic to help, do try to get done fast!" she called up after them.

Grumbles reached her ears.

She smiled, that was so much fun.

"Ms. Granger." A voice called, Professor Snape.

"Yes, professor?" she turned to see the most feared teacher of Hogwarts standing behind her.

"Follow me please." He turned, his capes bellowing behind him like clouds. Hermione sighed; did he have to act so high and mighty?

Once they reached their destination, Hermione found herself in the chambers once again.

"What is it sir?" she asked.

"Obliviate!" He pointed his wand at her; the bright blue beam met her eyes, the second the ring in her pocket reached her fingers.

"Ms. Granger, why are you bothering me, everyone is leaving without you." Snape snapped, knowing full and well it would be odd for her to be down here for his sake.

"Sorry professor, I'll leave." Hermione muttered, confused.

Snape had just cast the memory altering charm, yet all her memories were in tact, there were no fuzzy outlines, no missing holes.

And she still remembered everything from the night she had saved Draco, which she supposed was what he had wanted to erase.

Odd.

Severus Snape watched the girl leave. He hated having to alter the memories of brilliant people; it often hurt their understanding of most complicated ideas.

"Hermione?" Harry asked once they were on the platform, "Ron and I are going to meet the rest of the team for a start of year strategic session." Harry the newly appointed Gryffindor Quidditch team captain, was certainly well focused.

She smiled and nodded, "I'll see you at the feast then." And waved and they ran off to the compartment filled with Gryffindor boys and girls who were all famed for being devotees of the sport.

She laughed and made her way over to and empty compartment, letting Crookshanks out she grabbed a book entitled "The prince" and began to read.

The cart lady had come and gone, and Hermione had ordered a chocolate frog, and went back to reading.

About a half an hour later, the world outside was dark, and Hermione had changed her robes, and was about to sit down when the compartment door slid open.

"Granger." A voice drawled, amused.

"Hello Malfoy, how was break?"

"Decent, until the situation you happened upon occurred, then after the pretty boring, I had professor Snape attempting to enter my mansion, pray know why?" he took the seat in front of her, eyes glaring.

She didn't know how to answer. She didn't know whether Draco was a death eater or not and if he was, she could have their only spy killed for her careless ness.

"No I don't." she lied, the words falling from her tongue naturally. "And everyone believes my memory has been altered, so try not to bring up the fact that I do know what happened that night to anyone."

"Believes?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Your ring," she touched her left pocket on her skirt under her robe. "Protected me when someone obliviated me. So naturally, I still hold the memories they wanted gone."

"I see." He leaned back, "So how was your break?"

"Uneventful except for the known escapade to Southern France." She replied, still reading her book.

Malfoy took the white covered novel from her, "Listen Granger, I owe you, I owe you big, don't pretend I don't."

"You don't owe me anymore, the ring is compensation enough." Hermione explained, wishing he would just leave, once they reached school she wouldn't have the time she liked to read, and she wanted to finish the book.

"In there lies the problem." He began, "My uncle, I'm sure you have figured out the entire story, put a tracking charm on that ring. I gave it to you, to through him off my trail; he probably has already guessed that I gave it away. Now I need it back, since I can't hide in my mansion any more. Do you understand, Granger?"

She folded her arms and watched him.

"I still owe you as I need the ring, or my uncle can come and kill me at anytime."

"What if I made a copy? I could keep the original, and if your uncle saw you wearing a ring that resembled the original, he wouldn't try anything, because I'm sure he understands the properties of it."

"No good." He whispered, "I would never do that to you."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Copies of that ring have been made a million times over, for the queens marrying into the family, Granger, if we 'both' held a ring like the original, we would be betrothed." He glared at her, "And I do not under any circumstances, want to marry you."

"I see." Hermione though for a second, "A calling charm." She suggested.

"What would that do?" Draco demanded.

"Convoco means to summon, the spell causes whatever you are summoning to just appear in your hand, much more efficient than 'Accio' but also more advanced."

"The ring only lets its owner cal it." Draco pointed out.

"Then we'll just have to inform it, that it now has two owners."

Draco though for a moment, "That just might work, and since you have access to it.. .."

"Your debt to me would be paid and you will still be safe."

"I like it, now take out the ring." He nodded at her pocket.

Hermione reached into her pocket, and held the ring out, palm up.

"Its called, foi, Granger," Draco informed her, "That's the name you use to summon it," he took out his wand and pointed it at his hand, "Convoco Foi!" the ring vanished from Hermione's hand and appeared in Malfoy's.

Hermione smirked, and snapped her fingers twice, "Convoco Foi!" the ring appeared in her hand. "This spell requires you to have your wand on you, that's all." She informed the shocked Malfoy.

"I see, well I need to go bother Potter and Weasley now, or they might think I'm dead." He stood and was about to leave when Hermione called after him "They are discussing Quidditch!"

He smirked, "All the better for me." And left, shutting the door.

Three minutes later, and five minutes from Hogwarts, Hermione was putting her thing away, when she felt the ring vanish from her pocket.

She smiled, and petted Crookshanks, "I did try to warn him." She informed the ball of orange fur, which meowed back sleepily.