PadfootsLuvr – Thank you very much, again it was a chapter I was terribly nervous about! I was worried that people wouldn't enjoy the idea that Narcissa could be far more conniving than we all know.
Elbereth Gilthoniel – lol I can relate with the internet problem. Until recently I have been forced to deal with dialup as I live out in the country. Thankfully we got Satellite highspeed which makes things so much better! Btw I agree…Yay they kissed!
dancing in rain – lol yes I'm cruel and evil! I warned you! Hee hee. Just let me know if I ever go too far though! As to the Cabal name, it means Power. Fitting eh? Thanks again for all your great thoughts and reviews!
sporty12gd4u – heh yeah I think I enjoy sneaky Remus! Thanks a bunch for your review! I'm so glad that you are enjoying the story so far.
moonyNZ – Yes muggles can be awfully stupid at times! I love Remus, he is really one of my favourite characters in the books. I fell in love with him and how kind he was to Harry so I enjoy giving him a stealthy side. :)
Ok I was REALLY nervous about my last chapter…I thought chapter 21 was bad, my stomach was literally feeling sick the moment I posted Chapter 22. lol I'm really glad I got some great reviews so shortly after I posted though. It really helped to settle my unsettled belly. Thanks again all!
Merlin had been called by one of his men announcing that they had captured a new wizard and so he made his way back to the underground base. He had been working his mind around some potential situations he could put Hermione through in the future, but this interruption was important for him to deal with.
He walked down the hallway to his room within the base and quietly entered. Merlin wanted Hermione to go with him to see the new wizard. Flint was no where to be found at the moment, and they needed an ID to know who they had captured upon their list. She was obviously upstairs and he figured she couldn't resist the thought of sleeping within a proper bed for the evening.
Opening the door quietly he slipped into the room and looked around. The soft chords of Enya filled the room and Merlin couldn't help but smirk when he saw the camera covered in the corner. Very cunning he thought to himself as he looked at the sleeping form.
Merlin moved forward and paused when he saw the dog's head suddenly raise. Their eyes locked on one another and Merlin could have sworn the dog was wary and even angry at his entrance to the bedroom. He moved forward again and looked down on the sleeping face of Hermione.
She looked innocent and peaceful and the way her arm was raised over her head gave him a good view of her chest. He started to reach down to touch her until he heard the low growl of the dog beside her. Merlin looked at the dog and quietly spoke, "You are lucky she loves you so much." He had to shake his head because he wondered if he actually saw the dog smile in response.
"Dammit I hate these late night captures. Hermione, Hermione wake up." He said this time grabbing her arm and nudging her gently.
"Hmmm?" She said in a groggy tone and opened her eyes slowly to look up at him. She had a soft smile on her face as if waking from a pleasant dream and Merlin felt an unfamiliar tug in his chest from the sight. He frowned down at her and then she duplicated the frown when she realized who she was looking at.
"What? Is it morning?" She asked in a husky tone.
"No. Get up, I need you to come with me." He stated.
She regarded him silently and then nodded and pushed the blankets aside, letting her long legs slip out over the edge of the bed. He watched her for a moment as she walked over to the chair where her outfit from the night lay and she turned to look at him.
"Are you staying to watch?" She asked.
"No, Sorry." He mumbled and left the room.
Hermione glanced over at Sirius and raised her brow. "I wonder what is going on." She said softly and then proceeded to get herself dressed, blushing lightly as she could feel Sirius's gaze on her the whole time.
When she was finished she gave him an exasperated look. "Enjoy the show did you?" She asked and couldn't help but chuckle softly as the dog's mouth opened and his tongue lolled out.
Hermione shook her head and slipped on the sandals before leaving the room with Sirius following close by her side. They both walked down the stairs and she looked at Merlin who was staring into the fire.
"What is this about Merlin?" She asked curiously.
"You will see. Follow me. You can bring him along if you wish." He replied.
The group left the room and walked down the long hallway to the elevator, but stopped at a doorway just before it. Merlin opened the door and held it open, indicating that Hermione should walk through first. When she entered the room she looked around at the large medical facility. From the hallway no one would ever guess that this was here, but here it was and when her eyes drifted to the unconscious figure on the table she couldn't help but react.
"Remus." She said softly.
"Ah Remus Lupin it is then." Merlin purred and walked farther into the room. Hermione followed and stopped a foot away from the table with the body on it. He was still breathing thankfully but the sight of the collar on his neck saddened her.
Merlin bustled around talking with the guards in the room along with the medical personnel while Hermione's eyes never left Lupin's body. The silver collar around his neck caused a pain in her chest for just a moment before she started to contemplate a thought that just hit her.
Either the collars were not made of pure silver, or that was not Remus on the table in front of her. Immediately her eyes flickered to the men that were talking with Merlin. She saw the eyes of one of them staring directly at her and then flickering down to Sirius and her eyes widened with comprehension.
Hermione spoke up suddenly. "Why have you brought me here Merlin? It can't have been just to ID him."
"No it was not for that alone." He took a few steps towards her and his hand raised so that his finger traced gently down her cheek. "It is to show you that we can capture any one of you, and that we will until we have you all under our yoke. Now, with that knowledge in mind, it is up to you to decide whether you want to make your tenure with us a pleasant one, or unpleasant."
He walked around her so that his chest pressed up against her back and his voice spoke gently into her ear. "You don't have to be a prisoner here Hermione. If you but consider joining me, you and I could become a very powerful force within this world."
His hands slid down her arms and she fought the shudder of revulsion that suddenly hit her. She wanted to convince this man that she was tempted by the power he offered to her, not let him know how much she hated him. Her eyes lifted to the one guard and she could see a barely controlled rage hidden behind them and knew right then that Remus was not on the table in front of her.
"I will consider it." She stated quietly.
Merlin chuckled softly in her ear. "To show you that I mean what I say I will allow you some privacy that you seek. My men have been ordered to clear your bedroom and bathroom of all security devices. If you choose to hide out in these rooms though, I will be forced to have them put back into place. Do you understand this?"
"Yes, thank you very much." Hermione said not having to fake the gratefulness of her tone.
"Good." He replied.
"May I ask a favour of you Merlin?" Hermione asked softly, turning her head so that her mouth was close to Merlin's.
"Depends what you ask of me." He said softly.
"My dog, he has not been let out since we left the cell. I'm afraid that he has been very good up to now, but he is in sore need of a tree I believe." Hermione stated in a soft pleading tone.
Merlin looked into her eyes and it was as if he couldn't resist the big brown doe eyes that she gave him while looking at him. "One of my men will take him, I need you to come with me though." He stated.
Hermione's eyes drifted to the guards and one stepped forward. "I can take him for you Sir."
Merlin nodded and Hermione pulled away from him, leading Sirius to the man that volunteered. "Thank you very much. He answers to Snuffles."
The guard nodded silently and looked down at the dog while Hermione knelt down beside him. "Now Snuffles, this man is going to take you outside. I want you to be nice ok?"
Sirius whined softly, not wanting to leave Hermione behind but he could smell Remus and if the two of them could talk they could perhaps make some plans as to how to bust them all out of the hellhole they were living in.
"He will be fine with you now." She said with a sad smile before facing Merlin. "I'm ready."
Merlin nodded with a smile. "Good, then it is time that we go have a visit with your friends below."
"Where do you feel him now Potter?" Severus barked impatiently.
"Severus, please. You know that we can't move until the beacon is stationary. I think they are close though because he hasn't moved in the last twenty minutes." Harry replied.
Ron was glancing anxiously between his old potions professor and Harry. "Where are they then Harry?" he inquired.
"Hold on." Harry said before he mumbled a spell and flicked his wand. The air shimmered for a moment before them until an image of the world floated in front of them all. A bright glowing dot pulsed somewhere in Europe so Harry had the map focus in on the location. It soon became clear that they were somewhere in France and Harry continued to zoom in until they realized the location was just outside of Paris.
"I think this is where they must be." Harry said.
"Can't we just go in now?" Ron inquired impatiently.
"For once I agree with the boy." Severus stated between clenched teeth. Ron gave Snape a look of horror and wondered if there had been a sudden cold spell down in hell.
Harry contemplated for a few moments and then spoke up. "Let us go, but instead of here.." He indicated an area of the map where Remus was located. "We will apparate here. This should give us a good viewing distance and keep us far away enough so that we are undetected." Harry stated.
Harry looked at his best friend and Severus and the two of them nodded. "We must inform Albus of our plans, we need backup just in case and there could be a need for the ministry to deal with mass Obliviations." Harry continued.
"Agreed, now lets go." Severus ground out.
Without another word, the three men floo'd out of Grimmauld to Hogwarts.