Hermione sat as primly as she could, with her back ramrod straight and her hands folded neatly in her lap as Lady Grindelwald surveyed her. She had been sitting like this for several minutes already, watching her matriarch watch her.
'We will need to get you a proper wand of course. It is customary to wait until the school letter arrives, but I think that considering the circumstances...' Hermione jumped at the sudden conversation, then forced herself still again. 'We will visit Gregorovitch this afternoon.'
Hermione hid a grin. She'd been looking forwards to getting her wand since Gellert had received his and was relieved to be getting it with her wizarding family rather than her true parents. It had seemed like the kind of experience that her parents just wouldn't understand. The way that she had felt Gellert's magic flow through the tool during their magic practice after he had gotten his had been incomparable and she couldn't wait to see what they could do if they were both together with wands.
Of course, that would have to wait. This duel was significantly more pressing and she suspected there would be little time for experimentation in the near future. Even as she thought on her potential new wand, Lady Grindelwald was outlining her new schedule. She would continue with her sword fighting lessons but ethics, occlumency and ancient magic had all been dropped in favour of duelling. She would be receiving lessons one on one every day, from both Lady Grindelwald, Anneken and to her surprise, several other members of the coven had volunteered to spend time with her.
She waved all this off, knowing that her elf would be provided with a timetable which she could annotate at length later. In the meantime, she was about to get her own wand, made solely for her.
She was changed in less than five minutes and and shifted around with such excitement that Flighty walloped her with her hairbrush as the elf tried to fix the Grindelwald family comb into her hair. She met Lady Grindelwald down at the floo room as fast as her slippery formal shoes would let her run down the stairs and found the older witch already waiting. She was met with the usual impassive expression but she grinned up at her matriarch anyway and eagerly scooped floo powder from the enamelled bowl.
She still found the Unterhalb fascinating but she restrained herself and tried to discretely peer into the barrels outside the apothecary. She recognised most of the ingredients outside as rather common and had used most of hem during potion classes before Gellert had left. It was not her strongest subject but even she knew that those stoat livers were shrivelled and dried; she was certain that Berg, with his near encyclopaedic knowledge of potion ingredients would be able to tell her exactly which potions would benefit from the aged condition of the ingredient, but she wasn't sure if they were friends anymore.
When Lady Grindelwald swooped out of the fire she left the apothecary and trailed her matriarch down to the small back alley that led to Gregorovitch's workshop.
The wandmaker was already there, seated at his brightly lit desk with wood chips mounded around him. He bowed a greeting as he brushed himself off, sending twinkling shavings to the dark floor beyond the workbench. A dustpan and brush whizzed out from a corner and swept up the dirt, then shoo itself into a bin and neatly tucked itself away again.
'Lady Grindelwald, Miss Hermione - I've heard about the duel of course.' Lady Grindelwald gave an irritable sigh.
'I suppose everyone between here and Egypt has by now.'
'I imagine so... The young Tunninger was such a promising witch as well.' Gregorovitch sighed forlornly.
'Such faith. Perhaps she will win and it will be Hermione who must withdraw from society.' Lady Grindelwald pointed out but there was an amused tone to her voice that suggested she believed that was about as likely as pigs flying... although, Hermione reflected, pigs might actually fly in the wizarding world so perhaps that wasn't the best comparison. The derisive scoff from Gregorovitch let both women know exactly what he thought of Alice Tunninger's chances.
'When dragons learn to write.' The wandmaker scoffed. 'Now, jump up on the stool if you would.'
Hermione obeyed, stepping up onto the wooden stool as Gregorovitch circled her and a little tape measure began to take measurements.
'Any elemental preferences?' The wandmaker asked as the tape measure disappeared up Hermione's skirt and began measuring the length of her inner thigh. She shifted uncomfortably and was glad the Lady Grindelwald answered for her - Hermione really had no idea what her elemental preference might be.
'Fire, I suspect, but I have seen some manifestations as wind.'
Hermione was handed a long, thin stick, carved with intricate runes. It tugged at her magic and a moment later silvery fire began to pour out of the end.
'No, no, no!' Gregorovitch cried, snatching it back. 'Don't direct it, let the runes do the casting.'
Chastened, Hermione nodded and this time when she received the stick she tried to keep her mind completely blank. The wand remained unresponsive and the wandmaker tutted, shaking his head and scowling at Lady Grindelwald.
'You've already taught her occlumency?' He demanded. Lady Grindelwald looked uneasy.
'That won't be a problem?'
'No but we'll need to do this the long way. Please, come with me.'
He led them through a gloomy doorway that was nestled between the laden shelves. He asked Lady Grindelwald to shut the door behind them and she did as asked. It shut with a heavy, metallic clang and a spark of light flared through a rune carved into dark metal. The room that they had entered was empty except for a pair of concentric circles on the floor. Gregorovitch conjured a pair of thick cushions inside the inner circle and gracefully folded down to sit on it. He gestured for Hermione to take the other one.
'Is this a particularly dangerous procedure?' Lady Grindelwald asked, inspecting the rune that glowed on the door.
'No, no.' Gregorovitch answered breezily, 'I use this room for the more dangerous ingredients but it serves this purpose well enough. Now, Hermione, I want you to join hands with me, yes, like that. Now, stay calm, I'm going to touch your magic.'
His magic was oily but bright silver, more viscous feeling than Anneken's liquid silver and much... less. There was no real way to describe it better than that. Hermione's own magic was like a ball of white fire and she felt him trying to coax it into doing... something. It wasn't like when Gellert manipulated her magic; then she instinctively seemed to know hat he was trying to achieve but with this she really had no idea. She let him keep trying for a little bit, then offered up a little slice of her magic to his. He took it and prodded it into several different forms, one was perhaps a transfiguration, the other a charm of some sort, he definitely set fire to something and then poked at it some more. Finally, he pulled back and their hands disconnected. Hermione opened her eyes.
'Very interesting. I think dragon heartstring, but the species is the question. I'd like something to balance the flamboyant characteristics, perhaps something more serious. There is no inclination toward the arcane though, so an Asian type dragon just wouldn't do... lets see...' The two witches trailed the muttering wand maker back through the warded door and into the front of the shop again. He stood before the wall of wand cores where several jars sat on the shelf, each filled with something slimy and snakelike.
'Nidhogg, perhaps? It's rare, but I should have some somewhere.' The wandmaker rummaged among the jars, sending them clinking together as he reached towards the back. He pulled out a larger jar that looked like it was filled with thick black worms. He tucked it under his arm and crossed over to the woods, muttering about light woods. He beckoned her over, and handed her the jar. She took it, hefting the large jar and leaning back to counterbalance it. There was a loud clatter of wood, but with her vision obstructed by the ornate lid of the jar, all she could see was Gregorovitch bending down and picking something off the floor with a happy exclamation. A moment later she was relieved of the jar and the wandmaker hurried towards the workbench with it. He carried a long about as wide as her wrist in the other hand and he dropped both onto the table.
'This one will take a while, I think. Perhaps you should get something to eat and come back in an hour or so?' The wandmaker suggested, already sketching excitedly in a notebook with a piece of charcoal.
Hermione looked to her matriarch who didn't seem concerned in the slightest and instead simply nodded and left. Hermione hurried after her into the lantern-lit street. It was still far too early in the morning for lunch and Lady Grindelwald was not a believer in morning tea, elevenses or smoko. Hermione was unsurprised when they turned away from the busy main alleyways and began striding purposefully down a wide street full of much darker looking shops. They passed another apothecary - but this one sold fingernails and tears of sorrow, there was an artefact shop that sold cursed necklaces and dancing shoes, a dingy place with silver skulls in the window and an exotic pet shop that had heavy cages packed with miserable looking pixies and a very sick three-headed puppy.
Lady Grindelwald strode past all of this with Hermione hurrying at her hem. They had reached the very edge of the massive cavern that made up the Unterhalb, and the massive building at the end of the street jutted out from the wall like the bow of a ghost ship. Huge blocks of purplish-black stone were hung with ghostly silver banners, each bearing an ensign of two crossed wands. Large double doors were open and the room beyond was busy with witches and wizards in a dazzling variety of coloured robes. The air practically hummed with the protective enchantments on their clothes and she noticed a significant number of people carried swords and bows.
Lady Grindelwald cut through the crowd which for once didn't part for them - the gathered wixen more interested in trying to get at what looked like sheets of parchment pinned to the towering pillars.
She reached a desk where a harried looking clerk was trying to explain to an angry looking wizard with a black eye to match his purple robes that he needed to fill out a certain form. The wizard kept puffing out his chest and was banging his wand against his thigh with every point he made and gold sparks kept shooting out and singing the witch behind him. She seemed to not notice because she too was arguing furiously over some form and kept batting her adult son over the head with a large green fan.
Lady Grindelwald cut past both of these people and a man in gold livery bowed them through a small gilt side door. The corridor beyond was a breath of blessed silence after the chaos of the foyer.
'We are at the duelling circuit.' Lady Grindelwald informed her before Hermione could even draw breath. Her mouth snapped shut. 'We will spectate a couple of matches and perhaps you will learn something from them.'
They emerged a moment later into a large viewing balcony. There was only one other person - a tall witch in forest green duelling robes. She sat on one of the cushioned benches and leaned forwards eagerly to watch the proceedings below. When they entered she nodded to them, but quickly turned back to look over the balcony. The room was long and curving with a long opening down one side that looked out into a massive arena. She couldn't see the floor from here, but she could hear the spells zinging around and the occasional bright flash lit the ceiling.
A thunderous drumming of skin against stone rolled up from the arena floor as a gold flash lit the room. A fiery name scrolled out across the far wall in elegant cursive. Hermione hurried forwards to peer over the balustrade and down to where a green robed wizard wearing a serpentine mask was bowing and flourishing his wand dramatically. Another wizard, this one in red with a white line down his mask's nose clapped the green robed wizard on the back and made his way out of the arena.
'The duelling circuit is slightly different to a formal duel - the standings have no lasting consequences outside of this room, unlike a traditional duel. As you can see they wear masks to protect their identities and reputations. There is no magical contract, and there are a number of safeguards in place to protect participants.' Lady Grindelwald explained as a second pair of duellists stepped out into the arena. The woman at the other end of the room gave an undignified snort; one wore all black and his robes swirled mysteriously like smoke around his feet. His mask was bone white, like a skull. The other wore more sensible grey and the deep shadow beneath his cowl suggested a simple glamour.
"Acheron vs. Alphantom." The fiery words spelled out across the far wall. The volume of the crowd swelled to a roar as the two opponents walked to a pair of inlaid golden stars in the centre of the floor. The two combatants bowed to one another, then seemed to just watch each other for a moment. With both of them wearing masks, she couldn't see their lips but she was fairly certain they were talking, then when they shook hands, a silver glow lit their clothing briefly.
'You will follow a similar procedure.' Lady Grindelwald commentated from beside her. The older witch wore a somewhat derisive sneer on her face as she looked down. 'Traditional duels have less ceremony beforehand as most of the terms have already been agreed to. You will however reiterate your oath, which should protect you from any magic that was not agreed upon.'
As she spoke, the two duellists below turned and stepped out along a line of golden moons along the floor. They took six steps each, until they stood upon another star, then they turned back to face on another. They bowed again, then each assumed a position that was somewhat similar to fencing, with their wands brandished like swords. The gold star in the middle of the room flashed red twice, then flashed green. Two violet spells flew across the space and collided in the middle of the room. A silvery mist poured out of the hand of the grey robed wizard as his wand wove confidently in the other. The black cloaked one was wielding some kind of portable magical shield in his off hand and sending spells back at the other with his wand.
'See the was he deflects rather than eliminated spells?' Her matriarch pointed out as a spell zinged their way and splashed against an invisible boundary between them and the duel. The grey wizard was almost obscured by his mist now and the other was trying to move it away with a powerful wind charm that buffeted his robes.
'Of course, he should be casting a revealing spell instead of worrying about that mist. Duelling pitches are always flat, so you only need to be concerned with your opponent.'
The dark wizard was succeeding in dispersing the mist, then there was a roar as a gold spell glanced off his upper arm. His arm dropped limply and his wand flicked a red spell in the direction of the origin of the gold one. A shout suggested he had been close, and a flare of blue marked a hastily cast shield charm. A murder of crows shot out from the vicinity of the shield charm and were hastily incinerated by a flaming whip, which then coiled to strike at the grey wizard, burning away the last of the mist. The grey wizard ducked and rolled beneath the tongue, then splashed water in a fine jet. The whip blinked out and he scrambled to his feet and fired off six quick pinkish spells.
'Creativity is key, skill and deflection will outlast brute strength.'
The black duellist was fending off a barrage of silver jets that flew from both of the grey wizard's hands. The wands were a blur, the defender somehow erected a dome shaped shield and returned to the offensive with a huge shockwave that physically knocked the remaining spells off course where they flashed against the far wall. The shield charm warped and sucked inwards at the base like a balloon. Yellow gas filled the space and a small bubble appeared around the back wizards head. The grey wizard was using both hand and wand to control the hijacked shield, then seemed to deem it finished because he cast a simple spark. The shield disappeared and the gas ignited with a whoosh.
A slightly charred black wizard dropped his wand and bowed in defeat.
'Very complex magic, taking control of someone else's spell. I imagine you would actually be rather good at it with the way you wield Gellert's magic.' Lady Grindelwald commented. A small bowl of fruit had appeared at some point during the duel and the lady helped herself to a grape. Hermione was too excited to sit, let alone eat. She'd never seen something as exciting as that duel before.