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CHAPTER THREE
OF ANCIENT RUNES
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A few minutes of silence ensued. It was only broken when a very rushing Professor Esther entered the office.
"Miss Granger? Mr. Malfoy? Mr. Nott? Well, well!" With this somewhat queer exclamation, Professor Esther dropped down the books she was carrying on Professor McGonagall's table.
"I have been looking over your essays on Ancient World and Magic (1000 – 500 B.C.), and I have to say that you two have done a pretty good job. It shows how well you like the subject.
"Lately, there have been some excavations of great importance in a site at Hogsmeade. I have reasons to believe that they might be of great importance. But I am afraid that I cannot attend to the whole job myself for I have my teaching duties. Therefore I set on the essay to judge the most eligible students to help me with the job – students who were good at History of Magic as well."
"Yes," said Professor McGonagall, "Looking over your performances, we have decided that you two are best for this work. Therefore, you both will be working together with Professor Esther on this job.
"Presently, we are not in mind to make the excavations public. But only after sufficient research will we do so.
"Considering that the site is in Hogsmeade, Professor Dumbledore has given you the liberty to visit Hogsmeade at any time at your will."
A strange mixture of feelings filled Hermione. On one hand she was beside herself with joy at the prospect of doing something this important. But – to work with Malfoy and Nott – the two Slytherins to the core! How was she supposed to ignore Malfoy if she would be doing one of the most important works in her life with him!
Malfoy was apparently thinking along the same lines, for he said, "But... need Granger help, Professor? I mean Theodore and I can manage very well on our own. We won't need her help."
"That's right, Professor," said Nott.
"Mr. Malfoy, I am not asking Miss Granger to help you or you to help her. I am ordering you to work together. Moreover, being the Captain of Slytherin Quidditch team, I doubt if you will be able to give full attendance to this work. Therefore, it is all for the best that you and Mr. Nott work together with Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall grimly.
All three understood why Professor Esther had asked Professor McGonagall to talk to them as well. On their own, they would have been able to convince her that they could never work together. But McGonagall wasn't the one whom they could deal with so easily.
"I hope you have understood the task assigned. And here I might mention that I'll have my eye on you two – I do not want any bad language, shouting matches or hexing. You will keep that in your mind! Or you might just be suspended from the job. I think that you might shake on it in front of me right now... Well, what are you waiting for now?"
Swallowing hard, Hermione turned to Malfoy, whose face was paler than ever – with cold fury in each bit of his handsome face. She extended a very reluctant and slightly shaking hand to him.
He stared angrily at it. He was obviously in a great dilemma – did he love this promising job enough to overcome his hatred of the Mudblood?
"Mr. Malfoy, I do not have all my life to wait for you to make up your mind. Do I take it that you want to quit?" said McGonagall angrily.
Malfoy extended a firm cold hand towards Hermione and let go as soon as it touched hers.
Nott merely let their fingers brush each other before pulling back his hand, repulsed.
"Well, that's settled then," said McGonagall with forbidding anger in her voice. "You will be expected in the Runes classroom after classes."
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As Hermione closed the door of McGonagall's office behind her, she noticed that Malfoy had not bothered to wait and shout at her or jinx her more probably, for that was what she had been expecting after looking at his livid face. He just went away at his swiftest pace.
Nott, on the other hand, was leaning against the wall.
"Granger."
She stopped, but did not turn back.
"This project is very important to me. It would be better if you did not push in too much and mess up everything. I am warning you."
Hermione stiffened, her anger reaching beyond its acme. She turned back to snap at him, but he was already moving along the same way Malfoy had.
She was irate and annoyed to be working with two Slytherins. While she didn't like the immense House rivalry in the school, the insults they heaped upon her at every turn aggravated her. They had to work together, and that could not be avoided. But it wasn't as if she would have to be with them for a long time. It was just for the few hours after classes. All she required was to concentrate on her work and not on Malfoy or Nott. Though how easy that would be was something she could hardly fathom out.
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"Malfoy's good at Ancient Runes?"
"I thought Nott was just a stupid little Malfoy sycophant."
"And he'll be working on something that important with you?"
"He's good at History of Magic?"
"You are allowed to go to Hogsmeade whenever you want?"
"Honestly, has McGonagall gone nuts?"
"He's the Head Boy and intelligent enough to be working on some stupid old things?"
Harry, Ron and Ginny fired questions at Hermione without even waiting for answers.
"Yes, and now I have to go down to meet Professor Esther about the work," said Hermione wearily.
"Then you can still convince her to kick out Malfoy?" asked Ginny hopefully. Hermione shook her headed and recounted what Professor McGonagall's warnings.
"It'll be a good chance to jinx him if you are alone with him some time, right?" said Ron. "Hell, you are so good you can jinx both of them at one go!"
"I can't go around jinxing people for nothing, Ron."
"It won't be for nothing, Hermione. That git deserves it!"
"That does not mean I will fall to his level. Now I must go. I don't want to be late on the first meeting."
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Hermione had sat waiting for Malfoy and Nott with Professor Esther for almost half an hour.
"I had counted upon Mr. Boot being your partner along with Mr. Nott, Miss Granger. But unfortunately he had to leave. I presume Mr. Malfoy is not very prompt and punctual, is he? What about Mr. Nott? I know Mr. Boot would have done better," said Professor Esther impatiently.
Hermione sighed. To think that Malfoy had replaced Terry in so many places! She had almost started liking Terry Boot and felt that he liked her too. They would have gone along so well. But Malfoy – the hated Malfoy had substituted him. The difference almost made her cry.
Just then there was a knock on the door and Malfoy entered with his hair and robes very much dishevelled. "Mr. Malfoy, you are late – and why are you in such a state?"
"Sorry, Professor – Quidditch practice," muttered Malfoy sitting down next to Hermione.
Hermione flinched slightly. He was a little too close. But Malfoy seemed to be oblivious of it as he was wiping blood from a deep cut in his arm. He groaned a little.
"What is it, Mr. Malfoy?" barked Esther, already irritated at his lack of punctuality.
Malfoy pointed at the cut in his arm. "Fell down ten feet!" he muttered.
"I thought that was normal for Quidditch players. Though if it bothers you so much, go down to the Hospital Wing."
"No, its okay, Professor. I'll bear it until you have finished."
Hermione rolled her eyes as Professor Esther turned her back on them. Malfoy scowled at her.
Just then the door opened again without warning and Nott came in, breathing hard.
"And what is your excuse?"
Nott leaned against the wall to catch his breath, gasping out something that none of them could understand. Esther let it pass.
"Well, I hope you two will not be so irregular from now on. I must impress the fact on you that deciphering Ancient Runes and researching information in relation with History is no easy or brief job. You'll have to assiduously devote your time and brains to it.
"That said, come with me. I'll show you what was found at the site." Professor Esther took out a silver key from a drawer and gestured them to follow her.
She opened a low door to a room still further in. Hermione had never noticed this room to have been here before. Not even when she had come to this classroom this evening.
It was a small room with shelves of books rowing its walls. There was a casement overlooking the Hogwarts grounds. At one end of the room, neatly placed on a table was a strange assortment of things.
There was a large tablet with writings carved on it. Next to it were five huge piles of yellow-brown parchment – hardly legible. Three small wooden, carved boxes were kept near the tablet. There were also two daggers and what looked like the remains of a wand near the piles of parchment. Four cushioned chairs lined the wall opposite the table.
"You will be using the liquid I will give you to carefully make those parchments readable first. Then we will start on their translation. I'll get the solution. Meanwhile, Mr. Malfoy, you can make a quick trip to Hospital Wing."
Hermione went over to the table and leaned over to examine the tablet. She tried to discern what was written on the tablet, but found it was unlike any script she had studied before.
She felt Nott come up next to her.
"It doesn't look as old as the essay which was assigned."
Overcoming the shock that he was actually talking civilly to her, she replied, "Maybe magic influenced it."
"We'll need reference from these parchments, I think," she heard Professor Esther behind her.
Both of them turned to look at her.
"Even I don't recognize that script – it is completely different from any in our knowledge. That's why I feel we should go through the parchments first. Maybe we will find something we understand there.
"Well, here's the Liquid Amikono – a very recent discovery, but incredibly successful. I'll show you how you do it."
"Er... Professor, shall we wait for Malfoy?" said Nott.
"What? Oh, well, we'll have to. But if he does not turn up within..."
But Malfoy appeared just then.
"Alright, I'll show you two how to use this liquid to make these parchments legible."
Esther rolled up her sleeves and carefully put the basin with the blue-grey liquid, and also a small brush, on the table. Malfoy drew nearer to the table, an interested expression on his usually pale smirking, cold face. Hermione edged away, which was a wrong move, considering that she backed into Nott. The latter remained still, his light blue eyes turned towards the basin.
"Watch carefully." Esther took a parchment from top of a pile and dusted it very gently with the brush. Then she tapped the surface of the liquid with her wand and murmured, "Lucidious!" The contents of the basin whirled a little and then became glisteningly transparent. Hermione thought that it looked rather lovely. Did a pensive look like this?
Esther immersed the parchment in the liquid and kept it in for a few seconds, after which period she slowly pulled it up.
Hermione gasped, while Malfoy and Nott only stared at it with awe.
The parchment looked as good as new – even better, if it could be! The writing had turned to a sparkling azure.
They drew up to Esther to have a closer look at the parchment. Malfoy's body pressed slightly against Hermione's. He turned to say something angry to her, but bit his lip, perhaps remembering McGonagall's angry face. He contended himself with scowling at her. Hermione backed away. She would rather not get a close view of the parchment than touch Malfoy. Nott, obviously more interested in the parchment rather than anything else, did not push her away or move back.
"Well, there is something in this," said Professor Esther, excitedly, "Though different, I am sure it is the ancient Rhin-zla – the language of the secret guards of East who came to Britain almost two thousand years ago!"
"Then these must have been buried really long ago!" said Malfoy, "Do you think they'll prove very important? I mean they might just be a bundle of nonsense like rituals and prayers, and such stuff."
Both, Hermione and Esther, looked at him with an offended look on their faces. "Mr. Malfoy, I do not suppose you know who these guards were?" said Esther in a low voice.
"Of course I do, Professor. They were a bunch of strange Eastern wizards who claimed to possess eccentric innate powers."
"You make it sound as if they were a bunch of jokers, Malfoy!"
Malfoy shrugged. "I mean, whoever can have the power of living without food, speaking with spirits, being able to make oneself invisible without magic and such stuff?"
"Malfoy," said Hermione in a pained voice, "they laid the foundation for some of the very useful basic spells. They were extremely innovative and were skilled in fighting against the Dark Arts."
"You forget that what you say is a very controversial point, Granger," said Malfoy coolly.
"Many people still believe that it was them who laid the foundation of the worst of the Dark Arts," remarked Nott.
"But these might be very, very precious!" said Hermione, pointing to the table.
"When did anyone say they weren't? I just put forward my doubts," said Malfoy.
"Well, well, we can leave off arguing. You know how to use Liquid Amisono. So you can start off with this work. Be very gentle and patient. You will need to make this liquid clear after every fifty parchments. Meanwhile, I will keep these other things in the cupboard.
"By the way, you three can alternately take charge of these keys to this room as well as the cupboard. And don't lose them because Alohomora doesn't work on these locks."
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Malfoy pulled up a chair and reached for the brush at the same time as Hermione.
"Leave it!" he hissed at her.
"I touched it first," said Hermione, mulishly.
"I said, leave it!"
"I won't!"
Nott rolled his eyes and sat down.
"Take another brush, Granger. What's the point in fighting about… this?"
Hermione glared at him. As her attention wandered away from Malfoy, he pulled the brush towards himself.
"Here," said Nott, passing her another one. "For Merlin's sake, Granger, it's just a brush!"
They sat for some time without quarrelling.
Then the liquid had to be cleared.
"Clear it!" Malfoy said with a sneer.
"Why don't you?"
"I think I have forgotten how to," smirked Malfoy, tilting his chair back languidly.
"How thick are you, Malfoy?" retorted Hermione, knowing only too well that Malfoy wasn't so thick and all he wanted was to make her do it.
Nott, behaving uncharacteristically, pulled out his wand and murmured, "Lucidious!"
"So, Granger, are your little boyfriends ready to lick Slytherins" boots this Saturday?" he said in his usual drawling voice.
Hermione resolved that she would not fall for Malfoy's taunts, so she continued her work in silence. She didn't want to be an easy bait.
Malfoy was a little bristled. "Hasn't Red-Weasel lost his nerve yet? He seemed to go all stupid at yesterday's practice. Oh wait, you weren't there? Why not though? Have you been trying your love potion on someone again?" sneered Malfoy.
Hermione bit her lip, but didn't reply. "Did Wonder-boy kiss you too hard last night, Granger? Because you seem so unable to speak!"
"Eat dung, Malfoy!" exclaimed Hermione, fuming.
"THAT'S IT!" yelled Nott, banging down his brush. "IF YOU TWO DON'T SHUT UP, I AM GOING TO MCGONAGALL RIGHT NOW!"
Hermione and Draco stared at Theodore, shell-shocked. Theodore Nott was sarcastic, annoying, insulting but he NEVER shouted.
"Go on bantering like this," he hissed, "and I will hex you into the next millennium even if they put me into Azkaban for it!"
"Theo…"
"Even you, Draco," threatened Theo.
Hermione put down her brush and got up.
"I've got to go… I, too, can't work like this."
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please review if you are reading the story. The more reviews I get, the faster I update. No reviews or almost no reviews tend to discourage me from writing and I usually give up on such stories.
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