Chapter XII: Lament of the Lost
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Jäger heard the loud contact of a palm to a cheek. Immediately he reacted not giving a confused Hermione any explanation. When he entered the common room, he relaxed as he saw a very miffed Luna and a rather humbled Harry.
Jäger sighed and smirked. "And I thought you guys needed time alone for something else," he felt Hermione's scowl which made his hair stand up on end. To release her from it, he took her hand and guided her towards the dormitories.
"Shouldn't you step out for a moment?" he heard Harry asked but he couldn't help himself say;
"It'd be more interesting if we went upstairs."
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked in whisper. Leaning towards her, he whispered in her ear. "We can't hear them out there," he said. Hermione understood and followed him.
He opened the first door he saw and entered the room. He left the door slightly ajar as he guided Hermione to one of the beds.
"What are they doing?" she asked. Jäger closed his eyes in concentration.
"She's angry at him for leaving her," he said as Hermione intently listened. "He said he's sorry, which I do not doubt. I think she's crying." Hermione was about to go to her friend when Jäger held her firmly by the arm. "This is something they must resolve by themselves."
Hermione knew he was right and that infuriated her. She was used to caring for Luna for both of them were in a fragile mental state when the wars ended. They had lost something very dear to them and today, Luna found hers.
"Let them be," Hermione sighed as she stood to close the door. Jäger opened his eyes and blinked at the sudden seriousness of her tone.
"As you wish," he said. Hermione was surprise at HIS tone. Back was the cold calculating tone that he used earlier. She didn't know what had set him off but she had an idea. "Since we are... shall we say... together, we should start the interview. But that could wait another time. The sun is rising."
"What did I say to offend you?" Hermione asked as she watched him pace the room. "Did you want to know the conclusion of their argument that bad?"
Jäger sighed and smiled as he faced her. She really cannot comprehend his demeanor. It was like predicting the future using Madame Trelawney's methods.
"A little childish I know, I am sorry to have been impolite," he bowed and looked at the rising sun once again. With a final sigh, he shut the drapes and darkness filled the room. It was probably her imagination but he looked better in the darkness rather than the light.
"I suggest you get some rest," he said as he walked towards the door. "You had a terrifying night and it would be better if we conduct this interview when all is rested and calm."
"Do you always have to be commanding?" Hermione asked amused when he stopped and looked at her in curiousness.
"Always have been," he said with a small smile. "Have a pleasant rest, Lady Granger."
"One question," she said. Suddenly, the grief of losing Liam earlier threatened to emerge. She did not know him but the eccentric man gave his life to save theirs. And no one who gave such sacrifice deserved such censure as what Jäger gave him. "Do you really hate Liam?"
The Hunter looked at her steadily for a long time before answering. It was like he was really thinking about the subject as if he really cared what would her reaction be to his answer. Deep inside, he was afraid to shock her with his words.
But he did anyway.
"Liam is not who he is," he said as he turned away. "He says one thing but does another. Strangely, when he met you ladies, he changed. Liam is deceitful and cunning. Underestimate him and you will find yourself with a dagger imbedded in your back. He always takes to drink if the situation dictated it or not. If you say he protected you, he had a reason."
"And what reason is that?" Hermione asked but wondered why he had spoken of Liam in the present tense. That question momentarily left her when Jäger gave her a sullen but sweet smile.
"He did that because he likes you," he opened the door and nodded to the person who was about to enter it. "Lady Lovegood, Lady Granger. Sleep well," with that, he left the room.
"What was that all about?" Luna asked as she watched him leave.
"I don't know," she said as she slumped on the bed.
"His soul dwells in darkness, turning away from the light, His soul is restless and still continues to fight," Luna said as she slowly closed the door. "A man like him his enemies never met, for he is eternal with the soul of Death."
"You are wrong, Luna. He is not death," Hermione said as she remembered the harshness of his eyes and the coldness of his soul.
"Then who is he?" Luna asked but Hermione had no answer.
...
Harry Potter soaked in the Prefect's bathtub and enjoyed its pure bliss. His weary body had forgotten how good it felt being clean. And it also had forgotten how warm Luna felt in his arms.
Dark had his dreams become of late. Nightmares of unending torment. Torment of unending sorrow.
But for a moment in her arms, it all vanished.
"Thinking of our Lois Lane back there?" a cold voice said making Harry jump out of his thoughts. He had never gotten used to his stealth. In the years that he had known him, he still was surprised by his sudden appearance.
"Lois Lane?" Harry asked as he faced the Hunter. Jäger leaned on the wall looking at him. The brim of his hat was lowered to cover his eyes and a long staff was tucked in his arms. The Hunter was rarely without that staff and Harry knew that he could use it with deadly efficiency.
"If you had taken this much needed bath earlier, I doubt we would be seeing you two until tomorrow night," Jäger said with a slight tone of tease. Harry glared at him but he knew it wouldn't have mattered. The devil would have glared at the Hunter but it would not made any difference.
"We are just friends," Harry said indifferently as he closed his eyes and tried to ignore him.
But it was pretty damned impossible.
"Friends make the best lovers," Jäger said making Harry open his eyes and glare at him but he only glared at nothing. He found himself alone again in the room.
...
"This is one strange assignment, Luna," Hermione sighed as they prepared for the day. They had slept for hours and did not know what the hour was. Their rest had been refreshing and strangely eventful. Not after the events of the past night.
"The path we walk is covered this thorns," Luna agreed as she tucked her wand behind her ear. "It will not do us good if we scorn." Hermione blinked at Luna as she smiled. She had missed this part of her friend for a long time.
"You are rhyming again," she said much to Luna's confusion.
"I always rhyme, have been for a long time," she said. Hermione shook her head and hugged her friend.
"You haven't rhymed one of your whimsical tunes in ages," she said as she released her. "You rhyme when you are happy."
"Could it be true that I have come out of my blue?" Luna realized that Hermione was correct. It felt good to be in Harry's arms again. It was like all evil was expelled out of the world and all sorrow had vanished with it.
"Albeit a little too happy," Hermione sighed. "But I can't stop thinking Harry's change will be the end of him."
"Harry will be Harry," Luna sighed. "We all went through a dismal time in that war. We never realized that the effects are permanent."
"We still try to change," Hermione agreed. "How was Harry?" Luna blushed for some reason Hermione couldn't understand.
"He's fine as he can be. It's hard to imagine the things he went through. If Jäger's story is to be believed, he went through hell and back."
"I just wish we could all go back to the way it were," Hermione said as she opened the door it the stairs and suddenly shrieked in surprise.
Leaning calmly on the opposite wall with a staff tucked between his folded arms was the Hunter patiently waiting for them to emerged.
"I gather you had a pleasant rest, My Ladies?" he asked as he fixed his hat.
"Very well, thank you," Hermione sighed as her heart stopped trembling. "That hat ..."
"What about it?" he asked as his back straightened.
"It makes you look a little Action Heroish, don't you think?" she said. Luna giggled from behind her as he smiled warmly and tipped his hat.
"Come, let us break our fast," he offered his arm and Hermione, although confused, took it. He then offered Luna the other arm who shyly took it after a moment's hesitation.
"Where is Harry?" Luna asked as they walked towards the common room.
"He still smelled like the decomposed so I sent him back to bath with lemons," Jäger said coldly as his nose twitched.
"Lemons?" Luna asked.
"They fight the smell," he sighed. "Used it so many times I planted a lemon tree at my back yard. Mr. Potter swims in crud thus the smell. I think he enjoys his job too much."
"You two don't get along well," Hermione said more of a statement than a question.
"No," he said without emotion that Hermione felt his skin cool. Hermione knew when a subject was best left for another time.
"So, tell me how you started with this vampire hunting business. I know you wanted to hunt vampires for vengeance but how did you become a team?" Hermione asked in attempt to change the subject.
"They warned me about you," Jäger gave her a sidelong glance before he sighed. "They said you have the tendency to be... annoying." With that, Luna laughed.
"An understatement," Luna mumbled.
"Probably," Jäger smirked as he saw Hermione's blush. "We officially started working as a team about a year ago. Since then we have become an international organization dedicated in destroying the evil that plagues this world."
"You're kidding," Hermione looked at him disbelievingly.
"Of course," he huffed. "Off the record we have only two actives and three sleepers." He paused as he guided them into the common room where a small breakfast table was ready for them. He then guided them towards their seats and began serving them breakfast. Bread, bacon, ham, eggs and juice were served.
"If you need anything, just ask. Now where was I?"
"Your members," Hermione said as she buttered her toast.
"Most of this is off the record. We'll sort your story later" he said firmly and the ladies got the implications. Protective they are of the secret of their members for the knowledge might endanger them. "I, as you know, am the Hunter. Harry is the Archer. To understand us more, I supposed I should give you an overview of each member.
"Archer is the designation of our sniper. Don't ask me why or how but Harry's the best shot I had ever seen. A great improvement when I first saw him. His bow was made of the woodland elves especially for him. And great secrets lie in it. I won't divulge the secrets so do not give me that disappointed look, Lady Hermione.
"Harry kills with such efficiency that I'm afraid to say, he hasn't missed his mark. I also taught him of the ways of the elven tracker as well at their ways of fighting. All in all, the only ones who could outsmart him out in the field are the elves and myself."
"What are sleepers?" Hermione asked as she drank some juice.
"Sleepers are inactive agents placed in certain key areas so that information will flow," Luna said much to the other's surprise. "What?" she shrugged. "I'm sure there are Death Eaters in the Ministry. But no one would believe me."
"Just as they thought that Jack the Ripper could not come from one of the nobles," Jäger sighed. "Almost got me booted out the Bow Street Runners for that comment."
"Bow Street Runners?" Hermione asked. She knew the Runners existed during the Regency era but how could he be one of them? They existed nearly a century and a half ago. Jäger cleared his throat and continued.
"If we have injured, we call on Healer. She is the best medic in both realms. No sickness is not worth her time. If it can be cured she would and if not, she'd try anyway. I believe she joined our team because of her aversion to the Death Eaters. As I had understood, her boyfriend was killed during her fifth year in Hogwarts by Voldemort. Real tragic.
"Then there is our Belle, the Charmer. Both in person and magic I tell you. Got her from France. I saved her sister once but she had this thing about paying debts and she said she owed. Tracked me down and almost gotten her killed in the process. Since then she had made a life oath to serve me. And I do not know if it is her life or mine we were talking about. Should she serve me in her lifetime or mine? We never had gotten that clear. Good Morning Mr. Potter." Harry entered rather refreshed from his bath and confused at the scene before him.
"What did I miss?" he asked as he sat on an empty chair by the table. Not before giving Luna a bright smile. Blushing, Luna turned towards Jäger to hear the rest of the story.
"Then there is Breaker," Jäger said as he looked at Harry. "Breaker works for the bank. Best man I know who could keep his cool under pressure. Unlike SOME that I know."
"I keep my anxiety to a minimum," Harry growled making the ladies flinch. They work together but the couldn't stand each other? This was getting to be a mystery.
"In any case," Jäger looked at the ladies. "Breaker lost his sister during the war and his brother went mad with grief. He keeps to himself lately.
"Everyone had lost something during that war. Good people with extraordinary talents. I just gave them the reason to live on."
"Not much of a reason," Harry said softly but there were steel in his voice. A sharp edged steel directed towards the Hunter. But when he looked at Jäger's face, he was taken back by the calmness of his features. Harry had learned to read people's moves and emotions to be able to fight them. But Jäger...
Jäger was cold, calculating and deadly. He knew this the moment he saw him.
Death was always in his eyes and his aura radiates fear to those near him. But somehow, only Harry was affected by such coldness. The ladies were confused.
"It is a reason, Harry Potter," he said in a cold voice. A voice he had never heard before. A voice that came deep within an abyss. "I fight because I do not want others to fight. I suffer because I do not want anyone to suffer. I would die so that others would live," he glanced at Hermione and Luna but without steel. He gave them warmth when he returned to Harry and gave him ice.
"You fight for vengeance and vengeance is a path towards destruction. Nothing you would do would bring Virginia Weasley back from the dead. No amount of suffering and pain will give her life. No amount of spilled blood would beat her heart.
"Let her go so she may rest. Can you not live for others?" he asked mostly in mockery
"No, you could not," Jäger said, his eyes were voids that shown the deepest and darkest soul he had ever seen. "You could not let go of her, Harry Potter. Because the boy-who-lived is a selfish bastard."
Everything went by like a blur. Harry drew out a dagger from his belt and lunged toward the Hunter who just stood and waited.
Hermione suddenly stood and blocked Harry who could not stop his hand from plunging his dagger into her heart.
...
An: Do not get mad before you read the next chapter. Can you guess where i got the action heroish bit?
