Hermione lay beside Ron, trying to listen to the conversations still going on in the camp. Charlie and Lorelei talked long and low, in strained tones.

"Obviously, they know something they're not telling." Thought Hermione.

Harry and Neville were talking about the relative merits of Muggle public transportation. Neville was pitching hard for a short ride on a bus or train or taxicab. Harry was just shaking his head, repeating "No" after every suggestion.

Ron snuggled in closer. "Mione, try to get some sleep. You get to be brilliant again in a couple of hours."

Hermione smiled. "Ok Won Won."

"I hate that!" Ron growled as she giggled into his sleeve.

Several hours later, the camp began to rustle with activity again. Lorelei had set out her cauldron over the fire and was chopping some odd looking ingredients.

"Need any help?" Hermione asked she walked up.

"Actually, I think I want to start you on another project." Lorelei said, abandoning her potion making. She dug through her backpack and pulled out a book no bigger then the palm of her hand. "Magnamo!" Lorelei lunged under the weight of the fully realized book. "I always forget how heavy this thing is…" She said with a laugh.

Hermione looked quizzically at the book. "What exactly do you want me to do with it?"

"What do you normally do with a book?" Lorelei raised an eyebrow.

Hermione blushed. "I meant, what is the purpose of the book in my 'project'?"

Lorelei laughed. "I heard rumour that you were pretty good at Ancient Runes."

"Oh I love Ancient Runes!" Hermione nodded brightly.

"Well, what I'm asking you to do is decode these Mesopotamian runes. I haven't gotten to them yet and I think they might be helpful at some point."

"If these are Mesopotamian, they're not really Runes, are they? Runes are typically Saxon in origin." Said Hermione.

Lorelei gave her an amused smile. "They told me you were smart, but this is ridiculous. Of course, you're right. But many civilizations had mysteries. These are called 'Krei cenere' in their native tongue, for 'secret' or 'riddle'. I like riddle better because I fantasize about beating a Riddle with a riddle. If you need any help, you could probably have Luna look at it."

"Luna?" Hermione snorted. "I think I'd as soon show it to Ron for the help Luna would be."

Lorelei gave her a hard look. "Don't judge like that, dear. With runes, sometimes having a different perspective on the subject is the key to understanding. Would you wish to miss the thrill of discovery because you're an intellectual snob?" Hermione looked duly chastised. "And when you're through with that one, I've got a couple more." Lorelei concluded as she thumped the book and turned back to her cutting board.

"Allo deary." Charlie said jovially. "What would you have me do?" He asked Lorelei.

Lorelei tilted her head and smiled at him. "I suppose you could start Harry and Ron on those curses we discussed earlier. And send Neville over here. I've got some things I need him to do for me."

"That's no fair!" Hermione pouted from behind her book. "Why do Harry and Ron get to learn useful things and I'm stuck with this disintegrating old tome?"

"Let's just say I'm playing to your strengths." Lorelei answered, fishing out the thimble sized ceramic pots. "Besides, we're all the same team and it'll all come to the same end."

Hermione just huffed and went back to her reading.

Neville walked up looking highly disheveled. "Need some time to get yourself together, Neville?" Lorelei asked with a chuckle. Neville looked himself up and down. "No, not really."

Hermione looked up from her book again. "Boys are a different breed all together." She said shaking her head. Lorelei let out a hearty laugh and Neville looked confused.

"Never mind, Neville. Here's your project. I hear high praise from Professor Sprout about your way with magical plants." Neville's ear went slightly pink. "So I'd like you to be caretaker of some of the ingredients I'm going to need for my potions later on. When you've planted and watered them, just tap the pot and say 'Soleil Lumière!' and we'll put them back in the rucksack." She looked at him. "Do you understand?"

Neville was shifting through the seed envelopes she'd given him. "Some of these I've never worked with. And I'm pretty sure Crowing Black Redskin has been banned by the Ministry."

"Neville, we cannot always play by the rules." Lorelei said quickly. "And there's a book in the backpack for the care of the others."

In the background, Harry shouted "Pattini Rossi" and Ron began dancing wildly.

"Hey mate! Make it stop!" He screamed as his feet took his body into an awkward jig.

"Um, I don't know how." Harry responded.

Charlie stood by, laughing. "Calme Fuego." Ron fell to the ground. "As amusing as I'm sure that was…" Ron said, rubbing his feet. Charlie and Harry were doubled over in laughter. "Let's never do that one again." Harry helped him to his feet.

Charlie and Harry laughed. "Agreed."

"Sorry about that mate. It was pretty funny though." Harry conceded.

"Shall we try something else?" Charlie asked.

Ron eyed Charlie wearily. "Only if I get to go first this time."

They continued sparring for another hour and only stopped because Ron's tummy was rumbling again. The cauldron, pots and massive book had to be shrunk and put away before they could eat a quick supper and be on their way.

The group practices their Telemetry again as they walked. In the middle of the question "Why do Muggles use vacuums?" a sound like nails on a chalkboard emanated from Charlie's backpack.

"Incoming!" Charlie said as he dug a mirror out of the pocket.

Tonk's face shone back at him and the group moved closer to hear what she had to say. "How's it going?" She asked.

"Pretty well, so far." Charlie answered.

"Well it's about to get a little hairy. We have a report that there's a gang of Death Eaters making their way towards you. Probably about half a day behind. The general consensus here is to let them pass you up. Don't confront them. We want you to stay out of trouble and please don't annoy the bad guys." Tonks finished with a finger wag.

"Whatever you say, pretty lady." Lorelei chirped as Tonks face faded from the mirror.

Harry was visibly upset. "Why can't we kill a few Death Eaters. Just to teach them not to mess with us." Harry whined. "We'd have had to fight them anyway, if we hadn't gotten the warning."

"Because it's better strategy for us not to let them find us. If we don't fight them today, they can't assess out strengths and weaknesses for future battles. In other words, if we don't fight, we don't show our cards. It's really the best thing all around." Lorelei finished, walking slightly faster.

"What are you looking for?" Hermione asked.

"Well a cave would be better protection then a wooded area. But it doesn't look like we have much choice." Lorelei replied grimily.

"How about we do a camouflage spell?" Charlie offered. "It takes a little preparation but it might be all we need."

"That sounds good. Let's find a spot." Lorelei said.

"What exactly is a camouflage spell?" Hermione queried as she trotted after Lorelei.

"Basically, it's an enchantment that, if properly done, makes an area look completely empty, even though it may be crawling with a hundred men. It takes some time and effort and you all will have to stay still as stone, but if Charlie and I do this right, they should only pause for a second." Explained Lorelei. She started arranging the young people in a circle around the clearing. "If we don't do it right…well then, wands at the ready."

She placed Hermione by a bush, Harry by a tree, Ron by a boulder. Charlie walked around the clearing placed blue tongued flames of fire around the circle. They met in the middle of the clearing and turned their back to each other. The young wizards stared at them, as they closed their eyes and chanted the ancient incantation. As the chant came out faster and harder the fiery tongues grew higher and spread. They formed a full circle around the hollow, joining together to become a wall of blue flame. The wall grew and grew until it formed a dome over the occupants. Charlie and Lorelei finished chanting and the fiery dome popped like a soap bubble.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Hermione whispered.

Lorelei came to sit beside her. "Yeah…the blue fire dome would have been a bit of a tip-off to our location." She laughingly said. "You guys can move around a little but try to limit your movement so you won't be tempted to twitch about when they're upon us."

They waited for a good forty-five minutes before they saw hide or hair of Death Eaters. Four black hooded figures moved into the clearing. The obvious leader smelled the air.

"This place has known magic." He growled lowly. The other three started searching the glen. One stepped on Neville's foot and he turned purple in an attempt not to scream in pain.

"They must be gone." The female said. "Let's go or we'll lose their trail." The Death Eaters exited the clearing. When they were sure the hooligans were gone, the group let out a collective breathe.

"Wow. That was close." Harry said, helping Neville to his feet. The latter hobbled about, trying to walk off his injury.

"Anything broken Neville? I can fix it in a snap." Luna said.

Neville threw her an odd look. "Nope, I'm good. Just a bruise." He replied, shaking his foot.

Charlie walked back around the circle and collected up the tongues of flame. "Well we can't go that way now." He said, staring in the direction the Death Eaters had disappeared.

"Can we go around somehow?" Harry asked anxiously. They'd just set out. He didn't think he could handle this journey if the setbacks were already starting.

"Um…I guess we could go visit Dowling-on-the-Green." Lorelei suggested.

"A Muggle town!" Ron looked shocked. "Have you gone mental?"

"But it's got Actu Alley…one of the newest magical strips in Britain." Charlie said. "I've been wanting to visit since I got back from Romania."

"How good would a butterbeer feel right about now?" Lorelei asked.

"Forget butterbeer." Ron said. "I'm gonna need a shot or two of firewhiskey after that encounter."