Recap: Hermione took Circe's hand, and Circe brought them to a field of standing grain. In the center of it was a clearing with a white temple in its midst. Circe nodded at her Granddaughter, and entered the temple to sit on the great throne within. "You may begin, child," she said, as her own clothing shifted into an elegantly folded gown of light green, and her arms were wrapped with vines and flowers. She suddenly looked every inch the Goddess.
Hermione knelt in front of the temple, and held the Key in her right hand, with the tanzanite stone pointed toward her heart. Hermione then laid her wand on the ground in front of her. Keeping both hands open, in offering, Hermione addressed her Grandmother. At first she wondered what she was supposed to say, but even as the doubt began to form, she found herself speaking. "Goddess of the Harvest, I hold your Key. It is yours alone to take or give, what is your wish?" Hermione began.
"My Key is for the Child of my Child. My Grandchild alone can control it, and with it garner my help." Circe's voice had become a whisper rippling through the wheat field, bending the grasses around the two women. It carried a hint of the power that the Goddess controlled, and was almost unrecognizable as the loving voice of Hermione's Grandmother, as she had always known her.
"I am such a Child. It is my mother who carries your blood, and it runs in my veins as well." Hermione continued. She had never been taught the ceremony and was surprised to find the words she was expected to say. Hermione had always thought that Circe would consecrate the Key, while Hermione simply accepted the gift. That is how the rite had been described in her cousin's book. I suppose that the ceremony is different for each Bearer.
"Then the Key is yours to wield, Daughter of my Daughter," Circe stood from the throne and walked toward Hermione. She picked three stalks of wheat, and rested the heads in Hermione's open left hand, while the Key lay in her right. "The first fruits of each stalk is the tithe the world gives me. The first, and smallest head of wheat is my covenant to you that what Power I have, you will now receive a part." With that the smallest head of grain gained a luster, and became bronze. The stalk wrapped itself around Hermione's hand, and then around her wrist.
"Power is the least significant of my gifts to you. Power is easily obtained, Flesh of my Flesh, but it is by Discernment that Power becomes a blessing, not the Power itself. The second of my gifts to you is the insight to use your Power to bless the earth with your first fruits, be they of your body or of your mind. Use it well, and know what is good and what causes harm. Even winter has its purpose in the death it symbolizes, for while the earth sleeps in death, new life is harbored, to burst forth in Spring, when the earth re-awakens." At this the mid-sized stalk became silver, and the stalk bound itself around Hermione's wrist, wrapping itself around the bronze band.
"Discernment is also a lesser gift, for you already have the ability to see Light and Darkness, and you have shown the strength to do only what is best. To augment this, I make a covenant with you that the earth shall forever guard you and those you claim as your own. I now become your Guardian, and through me, the earth itself will sustain your life, even when it hangs in the balance. Use this covenant wisely, so that the earth will guard only those who most need and deserve it." This time, the largest of the heads began to produce a bright light, which Hermione had to close her eyes against. When the light faded, she found that the three stalks had braided themselves together around her wrist, and there was a gold head of grain in her hand, with bronze and silver grains of wheat alternating in it. The head of wheat was no longer attached to the stalks.
"As my blood runs in your veins, so blood alone can bind the Key, which is the last of my gifts. The Key will be the instrument through which you will access my gifts of Power, Discernment, and the Guardian Earth. No other can use it; none can wield it, yet if they try, it will strike them back. Just as your blood is a part of your body, so the Key of Circe becomes part of you." With this statement, Circe took the Key from Hermione's hand, and placed it next to the head of wheat. Closing her hand around both, Hermione gasped to find that the wheat had become sharp, cutting into her palm and drawing blood. The Key and Wheat emitted a golden light that encompassed the clearing around the Goddess and her Grandchild.
The light subsided as quickly as it formed, and Hermione was surprised to find her wand grasped in her fist. Circe, who was once again the Grandmother Hermione knew, laughed. "It seems, my dear, that your magic has decided that it too wants to bind the Key to itself. This is new, but I like it." Hermione was confused until she opened her hand to find that the Key was now acting as the handle of her wand. Inlayed in the deep blue lapis lazuli was the head of wheat. Circe laughed at the shocked look Hermione was giving her.
"Oh, it's all right, luv. Now no one can use your wand against you… or anyone else. Now, you need to get back to Hogwarts. The binding has already taken effect, but it won't be active until dawn. Hogsmead should be about three miles to the north of us. Can you get there yourself, dear?" Circe asked, "I need to get back home. Aries and Artemis were arguing loudly when I left, and I don't want to miss the rest of the fight. Half the time, I think they agree with each other, but they are too stubborn to admit it!"
Hermione laughed at the image of the twin god and goddess, probably both fingering their bows, but nodded, "Yes, Grandmother. It's not too far to walk." With that, Circe kissed the top of Hermione's head, and was suddenly covered in leaves and grass, which then sank into the ground until there was no hint of her passing. Hermione set off in the direction of the Wizarding village.
What neither Goddess or Grandchild noticed was the two men crouching in the tall grain…
OK, ok, I know, cliffhanger. I'm posting the next chapter within a few hours, so give me a break!