"Miss goes. Speaks to wizards. Comes back." Treacle was far bossier than Snitch but also seemed to be reassuring her. They were sleeping. It was only seven but the boys had been going all day. They had been outside three times and eaten every couple hours. Sometimes less. Two long baths and reading books together.
Now she had to talk to Harry. Who had owled and said he would be coming alone. She didn't know what that meant and there hadn't been anything official about the letter.
Halfway down the stairs, the elf popped in.
"Master Blaise be trying to floo." It said and she flicked her wand and then with a twist the apparition ward would allow a single magical signature through. Snitch nodded and popped away. She kept going and found Blaise exiting the travel room.
"Alright?" He asked her seriously and she nodded. Then he followed her into the kitchen and she stood there.
"Want a wine?" She asked him and got a nod then watched him ease himself onto the stool.
"Harry is coming by. He said just him and it wasn't Ministry letterhead." She didn't want to say this. She wanted to ask how he was but he needed to know and he looked up at her then.
"Where are they?" He asked her and she finished pouring the second glass then leaned against the counter.
"Sleeping. In my room. Treacle is there. Probably Snitch too but he came to tell me you were trying to get through." She said. His eyes closed in a long blink and then he looked into his glass.
"I don't know what they did." He said quietly and she could only wait. He hadn't had much time.
"I moved two appointments so I only had the one I was ten minutes late for. I can't find anything and I combed their records. Everything I could find or even steal on their trials and about them. Trying to understand. I found nothing about the boys." He said quietly and she wasn't surprised.
"I've been thinking about it. During the second bath they had today I gave them squirt guns I had from Teddy visiting last summer. They had a blast and I just watched them. That no one knew, you didn't and you've seen and spoken to everyone who didn't end up in Azkaban that might know. Even the ones who were there, how did it not leak? So no one knew even during the war. A lot of Unbreakable vows were used and more imperious variations than we have names for." She spoke quietly and his head came up then. His eyes intent on her.
"The Ministry hushed up a lot. During and then after. Whole sections of records are missing. Those who got married somehow in the last two years had to submit magical contracts to prove it. Just one example. I didn't work in records but I did hear a lot. Small things mostly. It didn't get much better really. So much is sealed still that I couldn't deal. You know some of this. Anyways the only hypothesis I've got is that it was a secret during the war. Breeding maybe? Like forcing purebloods together. Where are their mothers? Who are they?" She said quietly and could see the emotions play across his face as he listened and thought.
"Dead. They have to be dead." He said quietly but without emotion. Thinking now.
"I agree. I can't think of anyone not accounted for though." She admitted and he was looking directly at her then.
"No one knows how many muggles." He said slowly.
"Revels." He said quietly and she nearly dropped her glass. Breathing through her nose kept the vomit from showing.
"Imperioused at revels." Blaise said and his eyes were out of focus and then the glass in his hand shattered and she threw up silencing spells around them.
"Death eaters too? Not just the entertainment, muggle or magical." She clarified, so he would understand that she knew a fair bit.
"Yes. It happened twice during sixth year. Snape sent them home." He said quietly and she vanished the glass shards and pulled another one down from the cupboard. Taking the moments to try and calm down. It was finished. It was over and she was sorry. Sorry for everyone. It was overwhelming, how awful and heartbreaking everything was. How broken everyone was too. Everyone. It didn't matter who you were or if you were on a side. If you had been in it, felt the flames lick at your feet, the terror and fear. If you had really been there then it had broken you. Whether you healed well or not seemed to be up to the individual. Most had, somewhat.
"It doesn't matter. Whatever sordid or tragic way they came to be. They are here now." She said and then turned around.
"They said they were four. Turned four before the bright lights went up on my house." She said. Wanting to give them something to figure out. To focus on. Needing it.
"When did you put up your Christmas lights?" Blaise asked her and accepted the new glass. His eyes were direct now. No mention made of his outburst.
"The first. This was the first year I had them. Part of my living plan." She answered and he nodded his understanding.
"February." She answered him when she could see him trying to do the math. She had already done it.
"That fits. Alright. You are right and it doesn't matter really. Not right now. To how fucked up my friends might be yes. To the boys and how to protect them now, it can wait." He looked down and she gave him some time to compose his thoughts. Watching the liquid swirl around the edges.
"I wrote the letters but wanted to talk to you first. Their lawyers, both of them should have something there. These are sons, first sons, so scions to their houses. The bank? How did the goblins not know and what does their silence mean?" He asked her seriously and she nodded.
"Those laws are old and complicated. Dumbledore kept Harry though. Never even got a letter from the bank until the war was over." She asserted and he scoffed. Then stood. His long strides eating up the space she could see. That he could see her in while he walked.
"This is fucked up." He snarled and she could only wait and nod her agreement. It was. So twisted and unbelievable that she didn't understand it. Not the how or even the why. Why hide them?
"What do you think we do?" He asked her and she was surprised. Every other time she had dealt with him he asked what she wanted and then told her how they would get there.
"I don't know. That's why I called you. Part of why. I was glad in that moment that you were my lawyer or I couldn't have called you at all. It's only those laws that made it alright. Legally anyways." She answered honestly and when he just walked and sipped with his eyes on her she kept going.
"I don't know what to do. Harry knows so it's in the Aurors offices. What that means I don't know either. How far they will go or even how far the Magics already in play go. I have no idea how you hide a scion from elves. Usually you ask me what I want to have happen and then tell me how to get there." The last was nearly a chastisement and he barked an unamused laugh.
"You want to keep them and free them. Until Drake and Theo get out." He said as if she was slow and she nodded easily.
"That covers it." She admitted.
"I don't know how to do that. Custody can be won, if they let you fight for it. What if they just take them somehow? Could we find them again? I don't know Granger." He stopped walking and met her eyes. Hermione could see the fear in his. Frustration too and anger. Blaise truly didn't know. Wasn't sure it mattered if legal custody could be won.
"What do you think we should do? Give me your honest answer. For them." She demanded and walked toward him. Putting her glass down on the way. Until she stood two feet from the taller man and could see his face.
"What they would want to have happen?" He seemed to be checking. Now he was demanding of her too. Did she really want to know. Apprehension flickered but she nodded firmly.
"In this situation. With everything you have thought of. That we know and don't know right now. We have them though. If I found them and then told you. Now I know and their best friend does. Who I don't doubt they would have wanted to know and expected you to do everything you could. Regardless of what they would expect me to do." Her heart was pounding and Blaise had his arms crossed and feet planted.
As she watched him, his wand came into his hand from the holster she couldn't see. In reaction hers did too. Not that she thought he would cast at her but the tension was mounting as he held her gaze.
"Disappear Granger. We will find a bonder and put me under Unbreakable vow or find another way that I can come and go from England without risk to any of you. Then we fight legally and see if it all happens to work out." He held her gaze and she didn't let her surprise show.
"Right now? I had vague thoughts of if the worst happened then something like that." She admitted and waited. His arms dropped and he leaned against the counter beside her. She sat on the table behind her and faced him.
"The worst has happened." He said quietly and all the challenge and tension that had remained dissipated. They held eyes. His brown ones far darker than hers and she thought about it.
"Harry's coming tonight. Unless he brings word and maybe proof." Her mind was flicking through possibilities. "I'd rather not take two underage wizards I don't have legal custody of out of the country." It was an admittance but she would do it if she had to and he understood that. Then she remembered something and a slow smile spread across her face.
"I've got a place though. I've never been but the letter said it was tight and unplottable. I didn't get the letter until after the war or I would have used it while we hid." She could see the question and had one of her own.
"Vault to vault transfers of deeds, they transfer the wards too right?" She asked and he nodded. The vaults were blood wards so that transfer should be possible. Head tilted now. Before she could answer Snitch popped in.
"Snitch thinks it be's Master Potter." He didn't sound sure and she thought about it. Then looked to Blaise who was watching her. Can you follow my magic to properties warded to it? Even if you aren't my elf." A slow nod and the elf looked to Blaise. He shrugged and she spoke again.
"If I tell you to go then you are to take both boys and Blaise to the property that feels different. I only have four. A flat, this one, the house in London and the one I mean. You take them there and do as Blaise says." She waited and got a nervous nod. Wand in hand, she flicked it and performed the magic to let the wizard in when they reached the door.
"I hate just spinning until you let me in." Harry said as he stepped out but his face wasn't the usual grumble. He looked livid and she stepped back toward the door and felt Blaise against her back. It was Harry, it didn't feel like a friend coming though.
"Zabini." He growled and then his shoulders dropped.
"I've been at it all day and spent the last couple hours in records. Here is your summons." He waved the letter but didn't hand it to her and his look was grim.
"They summoned me?" She asked. Incredulous.
"Who?" She whispered and Blaise had a hand around her arm now. Her heart was pounding and she didn't know what to do.
"Records and the DMLE. Abducting a Ministry ward." He sounded as disbelieving as she felt. Then her wand came out and she held Harry's eyes as her tightest wards went up and a barrier separated them from him. His wand was down though and she could see his apprehension, he was shaking his head.
"You can floo out or you can take the time to break them Harry. I love you." She said and did smile then. "I'll send a patronus alright? I'll get yours too." He didn't nod but watched her as she stepped back and Blaise let her close the door. Then she warded that again and looked up at the Italian.
"Come on." She said and then ran to the stairs and up to her room. She warded them in there and then looked at the two elves who each had a hand hovering above their charge.
"If you would take us there. To that property. I would appreciate it. Let me pack first. She summoned a tote bag she had done a similar charm as her trusty beaded bag had and then things began pouring into it. The rest of papers could stay. All of her academic work was in the two way safe and she could retrieve it from here. Blaise watched her and the bag and then when it stopped he held a hand out and met her eyes.
"Are you coming then?" She asked quietly and he nodded.
"Alright. Can each of you take your boy and one of us?" She asked. Her mind was spinning and she didn't know if she needed anything else.
"Yes Miss." Treacle said firmly and then her wrist had an elf hand tight around it and without feeling the movement she was standing in a dark room.