"Ready?" Hermione asked Larry, who was standing nervously nearby. Larry nodded. His hands were opening and closing, trying to expel the extra energy. Hermione began to concentrate on the address of the missing house. It only took a moment before it began to grow before them, everything else adjusting to fit its presence. Hermione had done this before. The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, the most powerful group opposing Lord Voldemort, was hidden using the same charm.
Once it had fully materialized, Hermione marched up to the front door and banged on it. There was silence from inside. Hermione knocked again, louder this time. She could hear footsteps approaching. When they paused, Hermione rapped a third and final time. The door opened and Hermione was face to face with Nikka Fowling, disguised in the body of Amita.
"You!" Amita hissed. "I knew you were a witch. I knew the first time I saw you."
Hermione smiled. "We recognized each other. Petrificus Totalis... not bad."
"Well," Amita spat, "what do you want?"
"I want what you want and I've brought an offering." Hermione indicated Larry, who was standing very still and lifeless.
Amita gasped. "Are you mad? You brought a muggle here?"
"Don't worry about it. He's under the Imperius Curse," Hermione said, referring to the curse that allowed the user to control the actions of their victim. "Plus, I'm quite good at memory charms. He won't remember a thing. But he will tell us what we want to know."
Amita held up her wand for Hermione to see. "Is there a reason I shouldn't put a curse on you right now?"
Hermione raised the sleeve of her left arm. Etched in her skin was the Dark Mark, the sign of the Death Eaters, a skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth. It was not authentic; Ron had just placed it there a few moments ago, but hopefully it would be good enough.
Amita looked quite pleased with the situation, but Hermione remained guarded. Amita allowed them to enter the house. Larry followed obediently.
"Now!" Ron yelled and sprinted to the door. Amita pointed her wand at it and it began to slam shut, but Ron wedged his body in between the door and frame. The door trapped him there, squeezing him tight as it tried to shut.
Amita raised her wand, but Hermione was too quick. Blue light shot from her wand and the curse hit Amita from behind. She staggered forward with a grunt of pain.
Ron was still struggling against the bewitched door, which threatened to crush him. Charlie, who had been trying to follow him inside, vainly tried to wrench it open with his hands.
Amita spun around and shot a hex at Hermione. Hermione ducked and sprinted across the room trying to dive behind a piece of furniture. Before she could make it, another curse hit her square in the chest. Momentarily, her feet left the ground and then she slammed to the floor and lay there, unmoving. Larry panicked and took up temporary refuge behind a couch.
Ron managed to work the counter-curse for the door and it flew open with a bang. He clenched his wand and stormed inside, his eyes alive with rage.
He pointed his wand at Amita and uttered an incantation. Amita ducked and the curse hit the wall behind where Amita had been standing. She dashed along the back wall of the room. The magic blew a whole through the wall into the next room. Larry gasped at the power Ron wielded.
Amita spat out another spell, but a shot of light flew from Ron's wand, canceling it out. Again, Amita tried to attack, moving steadily around the room. Ron tracked her from his vantage point by the door. He easily countered it. Larry got the distinct impression that Ron was just playing around with her, making her pay for what she had done to Hermione. Larry wondered if Hermione were dead.
Purple flame shot from Ron's wand and this time it made contact with Amita. She was thrown backwards, slamming her against the back wall. The drywall cracked from the force of impact.
Amita slid down to the floor. Ron waited patiently until she had recovered. Once she stood up again, Ron hurled another curse at her. Once more, she was tossed about like a doll. This time, the impact caused the wand to become dislodged from her fist.
"Accio, wand!" Ron called and it sailed over to him dutifully.
Amita began to back towards the hallway, trying to retreat. Ron advanced on her. She turned and dashed down the hall.
Ron raised his wand over his head and a flaming rope shot out. Ron moved his wand back and forth, and the fire whipped near the ceiling. Ron threw it forward and it flew down the hall, wrapping around Amita. She struggled but the magical bindings were too strong.
With Amita incapacitated, Ron rushed to Hermione. Larry and Charlie cautiously came out from their hiding place to join them. Hermione turned her head and smiled at him. "Dumbledore would be proud," she said. Larry sighed with relief that she was talking.
"Will she be okay?" Charlie asked.
"She'll be fine," Ron replied, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I just need to get her to St. Mungos." He looked up into their confused faces. "It's a magical hospital. They can help her."
"So, where's the real Amita?" Charlie asked.
"That's a good question," Ron answered. Larry helped Hermione over to the couch. Ron crossed to the ensnared Amita. "Are you going to tell me?" But she couldn't answer. She began to sputter and cough.
"What's going on?" Charlie demanded, his eyes wide. Although he knew this was not the Amita he had feelings for, it was still difficult to see her form in agony.
"The potion is wearing off," Ron said. He turned his attention to the couch. "You got her?" he asked Hermione. She nodded. She was regaining her strength already.
"Come on," he said to Charlie, leading him down the hall.
Muffled shouts led them to a small bedroom in the back. Charlie hurried inside and there was the real Amita, bound and gagged in a chair. Her eyes were wild with fear. Charlie tore the bindings from her body and pulled her up to a standing position, bearing all of her weight. She clutched at his back, sobbing into his shoulder. Charlie just held her tight, rocking her gently from side to side.
After a few minutes, the crying tapered off and she pulled away, smoothing her hair and clothes. "It's okay," Charlie whispered. "It's over." She allowed him to lead her into the family room.
Instead of Amita's form wrapped in an enchanted rope, there was a completely different woman. She had pale skin, bright blue eyes, and waist length hair that was so blonde it was almost white. Ron approached her, placing his face right in front of hers. "Hullo, Nikka," he hissed.
Hermione had managed to get off the couch and was now standing. In her hand was Amita's CalSci travel mug. "Polyjuice Potion," she said and then added for Larry and Charlie's benefit, "it enables the drinker to take on the form of another person."
"Right, then," said Ron, picking up a physics textbook that had been tossed casually aside. "Shall we take a quick trip to the Ministry of Magic?"
"What?" Charlie exclaimed, still holding Amita.
"We've got to bring Nikka here to justice," Ron explained. "I'll need you to testify."
"But," Charlie protested, "Amita..."
Larry put an arm around her shoulder, drawing her away from Charlie. "I'll take care of her until you get back."
--
"Porticus!" Ron announced, pointing his wand at the book. He grabbed Nikka's hand and held it firmly against it.
Hermione also touched it lightly. "It's a portkey," she said, as if that explained anything. "You just need to touch it. Even a finger will do."
Charlie glanced back once more at Amita. He didn't want to leave her, but he had to do his duty. He decided he wasn't leaving without finally settling some unfinished business. In a moment of uncharacteristic bravado, Charlie grabbed Amita around her waist and pulled her to him. He planted a long, hard kiss on her soft lips. She didn't resist, and even began to kiss him back. When she did pull away, she touched her fingers to her lips in surprise and delight. "I'll be right back," he promised and Amita nodded.
He tentatively laid a finger against the textbook and immediately it was as if a hook had grabbed him behind his navel. He felt his feet lift off the ground and he was flying. His finger felt glued to the book. The trip seemed to take forever but finally they began their descent.
Charlie's legs gave out as soon as they touched land. He felt his body crash into the black marble floor, not from the force of impact, but from their inability to carry his weight. The room was spinning and he felt his stomach heave.
Hermione knelt down next to him. "Portkeys really aren't meant for these types of distances," she said. "Here. It will help."
She handed him a vial of a black liquid that seemed to shine with some sort of green pearl-essence. She encouraged him to take a sip. Charlie was in no position to argue. He lifted it to his lips. It felt like he was swallowing small ball bearings that seemed to explode inside his stomach. They released a warm feeling that rose up until it filled his whole body. The nausea and dizziness subsided.
Charlie got to his feet. "What was that?" he asked.
"Potion of Recovery. An old friend made some for us. Usually we would fly on brooms, but it was out of the question given the circumstances."
"He alright?" Ron asked and Hermione nodded. "See you in a bit, then," he said, pecking her on the cheek. He led Nikka to a smooth piece of wall and waved his wand. A door appeared in from of him with the words "Aurors Only" written above it. Ron led Nikka through the door and it disappeared behind him.
"Come on," Hermione urged Charlie, leading him to the far end of the hall. As they walked, Charlie marveled at his surroundings. Fireplaces lined both sides of the hallway. Witches and wizards seemed to be using them as some sort of transportation device.
They approached a guard standing next to a metal contraption. "Wand?" the guard barked. Hermione handed hers over and the guard placed it on the machine. A small piece of paper was spit out. "Fifteen inches, vine, dragon heartstring core, in use for twelve years. That right?"
"Yeah," Hermione affirmed and the guard returned her wand. He turned to Charlie. "He's a muggle," she explained. "Auror Ron Weasley is raising an immediate Wizengamot. He's here to provide testimony."
The guard nodded. "All appropriate memory charms will be applied?"
"Of course," affirmed Hermione. Charlie wondered what, exactly, was involved with a memory charm, and how much of his memory he would lose. There was a very recent memory that he would very much like to hold on to.
The guard pulled two small badges from a slot in the machine and handed them to Hermione and Charlie. "Wear these," he ordered. Both badges identified them as Visitors, but Charlie's was much larger and bright yellow, marking him, in no uncertain terms, as a muggle. "An escort will be here shortly," the guard said and moved on to a couple of wizards who had just appeared behind them.
After a few moments, a witch with bright blue hair approached them. "Tonks!" Hermione exclaimed happily.
"Hermione!" she replied, hugging her old friend. "Come on. They've sent me to escort you to the Wizengamot. Is it true Ron's got Nikka Fowling? It's all over the Auror's office. He's in line for a promotion for this one."
Hermione suppressed a smile behind her hand as they scurried behind Tonks. She led them onto an elevator that began to descend into the ground. Tonks continued off the elevator to a large oaken door. "Good luck," she said, giving Hermione another reassuring hug. Charlie noticed that most witches and wizards liked to act as if he weren't in the room. It was as if they regarded him as a pet instead of a person.
Hermione opened the doors and Charlie gasped. There were about 50 witches and wizards seated behind long benches, staring at them. Nikka's magical bindings were gone and she was incarcerated in a large, steel cage. Next to her was a second cage, but it was empty. Her eyes were fixed, not on the inquisition in front of her, but on a creature hovering near the door. It wore a long shroud, so that Charlie could not see its face. Something about the being gave Charlie chills.
"Dementors," whispered Hermione, following Charlie's line of vision. "Nasty creatures." Charlie turned and met her eyes. "They guard the wizarding prison. The less you know about them, the better."
Charlie was speechless. Could he really allow this woman to be condemned to such an awful place? He had never really wanted to meet a prison guard in a dark alley, but at least they were human beings, capable of empathy and sympathy. This hollow shell, Charlie was quite sure, possessed the capacity for neither.
Charlie took a deep breath and conjured up the image of Amita tied to a chair, fear bulging out of her eyes. The rage welled inside of him. He had to do this. He had to get justice, for Amita's sake.
The trial began. One of the older wizards, who seemed to serve as both judge and jury, read the list of charges and then Ron had his say. Charlie was surprised at how long Ron talked, presenting evidence that stretched back years. The things that had transpired at CalSci were just the tip of the iceberg.
Charlie also discovered he was not the only witness. The empty cage next to Nikka was filled on two different occasions with current prisoners, come to testify about Nikka's past. Each one seemed almost frantic to tell what they knew, grasping at any chance they might be released from the icy grasp of the Dementors.
When they finally got to the present, the council all turned to Charlie. He did his best, recounting the events that had occurred only hours before, but now felt so long ago.
Once he was done, the council dismissed him and Hermione while they deliberated. Tonks, the blue-haired witch was still waiting for them. "Well?" she asked expectantly.
Hermione cocked her head back towards the courtroom. "I guess we'll know in a bit. It actually went quite well, I think."
"Fingers crossed, then," Tonks said. "No sense in hovering about here. Arthur wants to meet the muggle." Tonks looked quite amused as she said the last sentence.
"You're in for it now," Hermione warned Charlie, her eyes dancing with mischief.
