Chapter VI: Hunter
.
Hermione was scared. She hasn't been this scared for a long time and it that made her fears envelop her like a heavy cloak of unwanted memories.
"Where to now?" Luna asked as they paused for a breather. Pain gripped Hermione for the loss of Liam. Despite his eccentricity, Liam was sweet and kind. And something about him was familiar to her but she could not place it. It was a moment before Luna's question registered into her brain.
"Liam... Liam said something about a screaming house," Hermione fought the tears that were threatening to flow. This was not the time for her to mourn for Liam. She could do that later, when they're safe.
"Screaming house?" Luna asked incredulously but then brightened when she understood. Hermione understood as well and both set out towards their old hideout.
The Shrieking Shack.
*
"Coffee. Extra Strong," came a voice in the darkness. A magical flask obeyed and filled with the hot liquid the man required. Taking a deep breath, he then emptied its contents with one swig. Grimacing at its bitterness, the man coughed and took his time.
Looking at the darkness he felt every creatures stir and smiled when the area was clear.
"Water, extremely cold," the flask refilled itself and the man dumped its contents over him. Feeling relieved, refreshed and downright cold he was thankful for these signs that he was alive.
"I don't get why she reacted the way she did," the man said and disappeared into the shadows.
*
Wands drawn, Luna and Hermione slowly entered the shack after defusing the Whomping Willow. And what they found inside surprised them.
Everything was neat and tidy as if the place had been lived in for years. There were some furniture, a sofa, a bed and a table really but they knew that it was being used.
Someone lived there and could be back.
"Who do you think lives here?" Luna asked Hermione's unspoken question. Was he a friend or foe? Can he help them or not? These are the other questions in Hermione's head. But one kept popping up. Was this a trap?
Luna looked at the table and found everything orderly. Nothing was out of place except for a sealed envelope with the word MISTRESSES written in a very beautiful handwriting.
"What's that?" Hermione asked as she came closer.
"Let's find out," Luna opened the envelope but found that there was nothing there but a small ruby.
"Mistress safe. Yes? Yes?" Hermione almost cried when she heard his voice and as she turned, she found Liam standing behind them.
"LIAM!" Hermione cried out as she ran to hug him but she only went right through him. Confused, the girls looked at Liam, or rather his image.
"He's a ghost?" Luna asked but Hermione, crestfallen, waved her hand through 'Liam' and the image fazed.
"It's a hologram," Hermione felt the disappointment in her heart crash like a ton of bricks. So this was not Liam. She tried to control her tears but failed. One or two drops exited the dam that she had erected. Luna felt her friend's sorrow and despite his eccentricities, Liam had made an impact to Hermione.
"It's probably from the envelope," Luna said softly. "A spell perhaps. A message only activated by us?"
"Probably," Hermione sighed. "Were fine, Liam." Liam's image smiled as he looked at her.
"Liam grateful to elders, Yes. Yes," Liam nodded vigorously as he paced. "But Liam have message. Liam is part of ruby and ruby carries Liam. Yes. Yes."
"I don't follow," Luna frowned as she looked at the gem in her palm.
"This must be like the portraits at Hogwarts but only in 3D," Hermione had her emotions all in check and Luna was not sure to be grateful or worried. At one side, Hermione was happy to see Liam even like this and the other, she wanted to grieve.
"Very useful. Yes. Yes," Liam said as he nodded. "Take me anywhere. Yes, Yes. Liam guide. Yes, Yes."
"So? What now?" Hermione asked.
"Mistresses go to tower of the golden lion. Yes. Yes," Liam smiled as he nodded. "Follow Liam. Yes, Yes."
"Where?" Hermione asked. And when Liam answered, His voice was dark and sullen but kept a little warmth that Luna suspected that was reserved just of Hermione.
"It has been your home away from home for seven years," he simply said in a straight voice that surprised them. Liam bowed and led the way towards the secret tunnel towards Hogwarts.
Confused but eager to discover what the hell was going on, the ladies followed.
"Luna, may I have the ruby?" Hermione asked. Luna was surprised at her request but did so anyway. Hermione clutched the ruby tightly and then pocketed it. At least she has something of Liam to remember him by.
"What's in Gryffindor Tower?" Hermione asked as she solved the little riddle. Liam turned as he seemed to float backwards and smiled.
"Secret," he smiled and turned to face the pathway.
They were silent on the rest of the way and Luna was beginning to wonder why Liam had brought them back to their school. As they walked the halls, they were careful not to wake to portraits. Finally, they came to the Portrait of the Fat Lady. Since it was in the middle of the summer break, no one was supposed to be there. But the door quietly opened without the Fat Lady even waking.
Hermione and Luna looked at the obvious invitation curiously and shrugged. Liam led them to the common room where a fire was brewing and goblets of drinks sat on a nearby table.
"Liam leave now," Liam said as he disappeared. Before any of them spoke, a calm and pleasant voice caught their attention.
"It's good for you to finally join me, My Ladies," from behind one of the chairs, a figure rose. Shadowed by the fire, they couldn't see who it was but as he had gotten closer, Hermione gasped as she recognized him.
Black vest, black pants with an air of grace and determination when he walks.
It was the man she saw at Hog's Head.
"Pleasure to meet you," he smiled. "My name is Jäger."
.
Hermione was scared. She hasn't been this scared for a long time and it that made her fears envelop her like a heavy cloak of unwanted memories.
"Where to now?" Luna asked as they paused for a breather. Pain gripped Hermione for the loss of Liam. Despite his eccentricity, Liam was sweet and kind. And something about him was familiar to her but she could not place it. It was a moment before Luna's question registered into her brain.
"Liam... Liam said something about a screaming house," Hermione fought the tears that were threatening to flow. This was not the time for her to mourn for Liam. She could do that later, when they're safe.
"Screaming house?" Luna asked incredulously but then brightened when she understood. Hermione understood as well and both set out towards their old hideout.
The Shrieking Shack.
*
"Coffee. Extra Strong," came a voice in the darkness. A magical flask obeyed and filled with the hot liquid the man required. Taking a deep breath, he then emptied its contents with one swig. Grimacing at its bitterness, the man coughed and took his time.
Looking at the darkness he felt every creatures stir and smiled when the area was clear.
"Water, extremely cold," the flask refilled itself and the man dumped its contents over him. Feeling relieved, refreshed and downright cold he was thankful for these signs that he was alive.
"I don't get why she reacted the way she did," the man said and disappeared into the shadows.
*
Wands drawn, Luna and Hermione slowly entered the shack after defusing the Whomping Willow. And what they found inside surprised them.
Everything was neat and tidy as if the place had been lived in for years. There were some furniture, a sofa, a bed and a table really but they knew that it was being used.
Someone lived there and could be back.
"Who do you think lives here?" Luna asked Hermione's unspoken question. Was he a friend or foe? Can he help them or not? These are the other questions in Hermione's head. But one kept popping up. Was this a trap?
Luna looked at the table and found everything orderly. Nothing was out of place except for a sealed envelope with the word MISTRESSES written in a very beautiful handwriting.
"What's that?" Hermione asked as she came closer.
"Let's find out," Luna opened the envelope but found that there was nothing there but a small ruby.
"Mistress safe. Yes? Yes?" Hermione almost cried when she heard his voice and as she turned, she found Liam standing behind them.
"LIAM!" Hermione cried out as she ran to hug him but she only went right through him. Confused, the girls looked at Liam, or rather his image.
"He's a ghost?" Luna asked but Hermione, crestfallen, waved her hand through 'Liam' and the image fazed.
"It's a hologram," Hermione felt the disappointment in her heart crash like a ton of bricks. So this was not Liam. She tried to control her tears but failed. One or two drops exited the dam that she had erected. Luna felt her friend's sorrow and despite his eccentricities, Liam had made an impact to Hermione.
"It's probably from the envelope," Luna said softly. "A spell perhaps. A message only activated by us?"
"Probably," Hermione sighed. "Were fine, Liam." Liam's image smiled as he looked at her.
"Liam grateful to elders, Yes. Yes," Liam nodded vigorously as he paced. "But Liam have message. Liam is part of ruby and ruby carries Liam. Yes. Yes."
"I don't follow," Luna frowned as she looked at the gem in her palm.
"This must be like the portraits at Hogwarts but only in 3D," Hermione had her emotions all in check and Luna was not sure to be grateful or worried. At one side, Hermione was happy to see Liam even like this and the other, she wanted to grieve.
"Very useful. Yes. Yes," Liam said as he nodded. "Take me anywhere. Yes, Yes. Liam guide. Yes, Yes."
"So? What now?" Hermione asked.
"Mistresses go to tower of the golden lion. Yes. Yes," Liam smiled as he nodded. "Follow Liam. Yes, Yes."
"Where?" Hermione asked. And when Liam answered, His voice was dark and sullen but kept a little warmth that Luna suspected that was reserved just of Hermione.
"It has been your home away from home for seven years," he simply said in a straight voice that surprised them. Liam bowed and led the way towards the secret tunnel towards Hogwarts.
Confused but eager to discover what the hell was going on, the ladies followed.
"Luna, may I have the ruby?" Hermione asked. Luna was surprised at her request but did so anyway. Hermione clutched the ruby tightly and then pocketed it. At least she has something of Liam to remember him by.
"What's in Gryffindor Tower?" Hermione asked as she solved the little riddle. Liam turned as he seemed to float backwards and smiled.
"Secret," he smiled and turned to face the pathway.
They were silent on the rest of the way and Luna was beginning to wonder why Liam had brought them back to their school. As they walked the halls, they were careful not to wake to portraits. Finally, they came to the Portrait of the Fat Lady. Since it was in the middle of the summer break, no one was supposed to be there. But the door quietly opened without the Fat Lady even waking.
Hermione and Luna looked at the obvious invitation curiously and shrugged. Liam led them to the common room where a fire was brewing and goblets of drinks sat on a nearby table.
"Liam leave now," Liam said as he disappeared. Before any of them spoke, a calm and pleasant voice caught their attention.
"It's good for you to finally join me, My Ladies," from behind one of the chairs, a figure rose. Shadowed by the fire, they couldn't see who it was but as he had gotten closer, Hermione gasped as she recognized him.
Black vest, black pants with an air of grace and determination when he walks.
It was the man she saw at Hog's Head.
"Pleasure to meet you," he smiled. "My name is Jäger."
