Driven by Challenges
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 16
The classes came easy to Hermione, as they normally did. With that being said. She was faced with a challenge. That challenge came to DADA with a Slytherin partner. That partner happened to be Avrey.
He looked twisted, even with his ugly pureblood face. His eyes lit up with glee. The kind that told her that he wanted to serve pain towards her person.
Hermione was not pleased with the DADA hands on dueling. Not with a supposed Death Eater in school. She just hoped that he hadn't signed up yet. A junior want-a-be Death Eater was going to be hard enough.
"I want clean dueling, or you'll find yourself killed out of Hogwarts," their DADA teacher had voiced out. "Start!"
Avery threw a spell towards Hermione. Only for her to send a shield up.
"Mr. Avery, if you want to be expelled." The teacher fired a tripping hex at him. "Just test me!"
"Aguamenti," cried Hermione, as the water rushed at Avery. Causing a title wave to hit it to the far wall. Knocking him out. Ending their match.
"Miss Hermione Dumbledore, you have earned yourself five points to Gryffindor. Along with another ten for not casting anything remotely dark!" The teacher glanced at his notes. "Lyra Dumbledore and Corban Yaxley."
Hermione glanced at Lyra. She became fearful for her. After hearing things about the guy in the future. He was a ruthless fighter. Caused a lot of trouble for the Order of the Phoenix.
She had even heard that he caused a lot of dark influence in the Law Enforcement area of the Ministry. Enough to make the aurors run in circles.
Lyra stepped into the dueling circle with regal confidence. Only to see a sneak to come across Yaxley's face.
"Ascendio," the teenage boy cried out. Causing Lyra to be rushed into the air.
"Immobulus," Lyra had her wand on her. Before directing another spell onto Yaxley. "Petrificus Totalus," before he fell onto the floor.
"Another five points awarded to Gryffindor. Miss Lyra Dumbledore, great rapid fire of spells, while thinking on the move." He then turned to the class. "If this was a real battle, you would need to think at least three spells ahead of your appointment. You never know what spells they could battle with."
He then glanced at his papers again. "Sirius Black and Severus Snape."
Once Lyra was done on the ground again. She stood next to Hermione. Only to feel Lyra grabbing her hand.
As predicted, Sirius was full on battle mode. While Severus had easily deflected the spells away from him. Before, Severus had managed to fire a stunner on Sirius's right shoulder.
"Tarantallegra," Sirius fired back at Severus's feet. Only to cause him to dance.
But instead of Severus's prevention of performing a spell. He hadanaged to fire one at Sirius. "Confundo!" Only to cause Sirius to become delirious.
The teacher called out, "Draw!"
"How is that a draw," called out James.
"Easy," the teacher had huffed. "Normally, when Tarantallegra is used, no one can concentrate to cast any more spells. But Mr. Snape had, very effectively. Rendering the two from performing any more spells."
The rest of the class didn't argue with him further. Only to have Lily Evans against a female Slytherin that Hermione hadn't known before. Corban Yaxley's sister, Emma Yaxley.
Hermione had seen Emma looking uneasy about the duel. But saw the angry face on Corban. Only to see his lips say, "Take her out, or else."
She hadn't paid that much attention to Emma Yaxley. But only enough to notice that she only did the bare minimum in classes. File her nails until they are sharpened. With her abundance of time in front of a mirror.
Hermione noticed the pain and sorrow in Emma's eyes. She looked conflicted but scared. Scared of what her brother would do to her. If she didn't fight against Lily well.
'Emma Yaxley, I am going to see if I can make her switch sides. She doesn't look very comfortable with her brother glaring at her.'
Hermione saw that Emma did give it her all, unlike her other classes. Before Lily had disarmed her. Just as Emma was about to walk away. Hermione came and grabbed her, before her brother had tried.
"Professor, I think Miss Yaxley needs to see the nurse. She is bleeding."
"Yes," the teacher nodded. "Go and take her to the Hospital Wing, Miss Hermione Dumbledore."
Hermione nodded and then led Emma out of the class. "What are you…?"
"Listen," hissed Hermione. "I am saving you from your brother. He was working up a massive storm. What is his deal?"
Emma looked around them as they talked. "He's changed, ever since summer. After meeting a man that father wanted him to get close to."
Hermione turned towards her with worried eyes. "Do you know this man?"
"Yes," Emma glanced down. "My parents are trying to work a deal with my marriage, to one of his supporters. Tiernan Higgs, he graduated about a year ago. A ruthless man that my brother has been working with."
Hermione gaped at her. "That's awful!"
Emma turned and glanced towards her. "A low pureblood like me, as grown up around society. We learn to become a pureblood wife, to have pureblood children. It is the way. But not something that I had wished for."
"What if I told you, I can stop them. Would you help," asked Hermione.
Emma sighed, "If it were possible. Then yes, I would help."
The two had reached the Hospital Wing. Only to find that Emma had stressed her knuckles from holding her wand tight. Causing the skin at the knuckles to rip open. Madam Promfry had cleaned her hand and sealed the cuts. Before giving her something to calm her.
Then the two made their way to the Great Hall for lunch. "How can I reach you," asked Emma.
Hermione gave her a thought. "I will reach out during Hogsmeade. I should have some kind of communication capability by then."
Emma nodded before she sped up to cross the doors into the Great Hall. Then made her way to the Slytherin table. Where Hermione saw her sitting next to Regulus Black.
Hermione then focused on getting to her own table. Where her friends had surrounded her.
"She is alright," asked Lily, with a hint of worry in her voice.
"Yeah, she just over stressed her hand, was all." Hermione then dug into her food. She had no idea that she was hungry.
Peter was at the table. Being oddly quiet. Which worried Hermione, as she noticed him glancing at the Slytherin table. Only to see Avery looking back at him. She saw a slight nod.
'I need to follow Pettigrew, soon.'