Disclaimer: The usual not owning bit.

chapter eleven:

Hermione woke up the next morning at about six. It was just beginning to get light. While I've been putting this off for long enough, she thought as she found a quill and a fresh piece of parchment.

Dear Harry and Ron,
As you have probably realized by now, I'm not at Hogwarts. I can't tell you where I am or what I'm doing exactly, but professor Lupin is with me. Obviously I wish I could tell you more. Maybe I will be able to soon. Please keep me updated on everything that happens at Hogwarts, and take care of Crookshanks (Ron, do not make a face.) I'll write again soon,
Hermione

Well that's over with. I wonder if I can apperate to the window. With a pop she was there. She traced her finger over the glass, Russia, . . . , I'm going to Russia. I wouldn't want to be a muggle in Russia right now, . . . I wonder what it's like to be a wizard there. There was a brisk knock on the door.

You've ten minutes to be down to the same room we were in yesterday. And ten minutes means ten minutes, not half an hour.

OK, you're lucky I'm not Lavender Brown. She be screaming at you for the mere suggestion that a person could be ready in ten minutes. Hermione followed this with a sniff.

Remus permitted himself a smile.
~

So today in addition to apperating longer distances, you're going to start learning the simplest of the concealment charms, one that works on objects not people and only for a short time, said Lupin, ignoring his toast and stirring an appalling amount of sugar into his tea.

Is it very difficult? I know you learn a few types in seventh year, but those only fool muggles. How can you drink that stuff?

Lupin took a big sip of his tea. I like it. And the first couple of these charms are not difficult but they are a little draining. You'll see soon enough. I think it'd be best if we left for France this morning. There's a small wizard village near Calais that has a Quidditch pitch we can work on.

How will we get there?

Details, details, by portkey. Which we will be catching soon.

~

At ten o'clock that night Remus and Hermione were sprawled out in armchairs in front of a fire at a grubby wizard's inn. They were both tired and Hermione had a nasty black eye from a miscalculated apperation attempt (neither of them, felt confident enough of their first aid skills to attempt to fix it, and well less than attractive, it wasn't lethal) But all in all it had been a good day. Hermione had moved from concealing quills and buttons to books and rolls of parchments.

So now, the council, prodded Hermione.

Yes, the council.

Who do you suspect is also a member?

You won't like it.

Hermione thought a moment then, It's Snape isn't it, she wasn't asking a question, but her eyes implored him to say no.

I don't like it much either for what that's worth. But the man is brilliant at potions in spite of his less endearing attributes, and the runes don't lie. I suspected and now know that Snape is the keeper of the Runes of Alexandria. Dumbledore owled me this morning.

Well that's just grand Hermione was savagely throwing bits of parchment into the fire.

Oh come on it's not as if you even have to take potions anymore and besides, he flashed a grin worthy of Fred and George, You are the leader of the council. He'll have to defer to you.

As do you.

Drat, I'd hoped you wouldn't get there so quickly.

Yeah, and I hope Snape brings me flowers. Besides I can't even do any of the things I'm supposedly able to yet, so, your still safe to wake me up at God awful hours of the morning and watch me crash into things and turn books orange.

Do you ever take anything seriously?

Only when I have to.

Well, its late. Let's see you apperate upstairs.

~

a/n: so, another chapter done. Is the direction I'm going okay? Sorry for making it Snape. Harry was my original pick, but I went on a binge of Snape/Herm fics, and it just happened. Oh and in case anyone cared/wondered, I've decided this fic starts in November. Review bitte.