She had to hurry. Madame Adler expected her in an hour to prepare her for her introduction, but after McGonagall's visit, one idea, that had already been at the back of her mind was bugging her and she just couldn't let it go. But to get it started she needed help. Specific help to be exact. It was perhaps not the best inkling, but it was a start. The Ministry obviously was under the control of people who wanted to return the magical world into the middle ages. She hadn't been here since it had been destroyed.
"Hermione." A hoarse female voice greeted her, and she stopped in her tracks. Luna was standing barefoot before in the garden her in a dark brown overall. Her long blond hair was dishevelled and unkempt.
"My goodness, Luna." She murmured carefully stepping closer resisting the urge to hug her. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, of course, I am." She answered more airily than usual. Hermione's gaze was drawn to the ruin behind the garden. The outer foundations seemed to be partially intact, but the rest of the house was still missing. Debris, consisting of loose bricks, clay some parts of the wooden struts were scattered around the overgrown garden. On her left, under a tree, she could spot an old weathered tent. Two battered wooden chairs in front of it. Hermione frowned at
"You are probably wondering why the house hasn't been rebuilt yet." Luna stated following Hermione's worried gaze.
"We haven't been able to repair the house yet, magic, unfortunately, doesn't react to the debris and Gringott's has frozen father's accounts for the time being." She explained seeing Hermione's questioning look. "The quibbler is being investigated for its involvement with the Deatheaters during Voldemort's second rule."
"What!?" Hermione exploded anger swelling in her chest, Luna took a step back at her outburst. "The Quibbler is investigated? Seriously?!"
"I'm afraid so." Luna's father emerged from the tent situated in a corner of their garden, unkempt, unshaven and untidy with dark bags under his eyes.
"The Quibbler is investigated, but the Daily Prophet is not. What the hell!" Hermione shook her head and hissed under her breath. "This just keeps getting better and better."
"Hermione, it's ok. We will be ok. The truth will come out and justice prevail." Her blond friend told her trying to reassure her, but it seemed that even Luna didn't really mean it. It must have been her mantra that she repeated more to herself.
"I admire your optimism, Luna, but I'm afraid this time it's different. Everything is getting more restrictive and oppressive and optimism alone won't help. And you are forced to live in a tent."
"It's not as bad as it looks." Luna told her. "It has one or two holes, but otherwise it's fine. We do have wands. But you came here because you wanted something, if I'm not mistaken."
"Well, I just had an idea and wanted to enlist you to fight against the Ministry and had hoped that we could do this with the Quibbler as it has worked before."
"That's impossible." Mr Lovegood cut in bitterly wringing his hands. "The press is destroyed. There won't be any Quibbler for quite some time, I'm afraid." He whispered. "but it's alright. My daughter is alive and well. And that's the most important thing."
Hermione smiled at the two and gulped thinking about her own parents. She had to catch herself and take a deep breath. She missed them. Her mother's oriental floral perfume which combined floral, woody, warm, spicy and sweet accords to create a light, fresh and warm aromatic profile, that she had loved to smell each time she had embraced her in a warm hug. Her father usually had joined them in the hug, so that Hermione would have been sandwiched between her parents. It had always given her a strong feeling of being loved and protected.
She shook herself out of her musings. The Lovegoods couldn't stay here. Both looked unhealthily thin, pale and tired and the heavy autumn storms would soon be upon them. They couldn't stay here like this. They needed help as well.
"Perhaps we can still help each other." She pondered. "Pack whatever you want to take with you. You're coming with me to the Burrow."
"That is very considerate Ms Granger, but we'll manage." Luna's father answered with an unsure voice. "With all due respect, Mr Lovegood, but you both look like you haven't properly eaten in days. Molly would murder me if she found out that I let you suffer alone under these conditions that the new ministry set in place without bringing you to the Burrow. It may not look like much, but it is big enough to accommodate two more individuals."
"We ate a few raspberries" Luna murmured more to herself. "Yesterday."
"No arguments. You are coming with me. It was my idea to visit you during Voldemort's reign. So, I'm partially responsible for the state of your house." She argued omitting that she had warned Luna's father that he had an Erumpent horn. "And as it is unlikely, that anyone will go openly against the empi…" she shook her head correcting herself "ahm … Ministry, it is very unlikely that you will get any loan in time."
Luna's father nodded with an air of sadness and defeat.
"There was one person willing to grant me a loan, but I couldn't agree to the terms." Mr Lovegood ground out flexing his hands. His eyes had become haunted again as they turned to his daughter. No amount of money is worth my daughter."
Hermione's breath hitched and fury was creeping up her spine. Had her employer tried to get her claws onto Luna? That was unforgivable. She could handle herself. But her innocent friend was another thing. How many others had she captured this way?
"That person willing to grant you a loan, wouldn't be a certain female director of a specific Wizarding Employment agency situated in Diagon Alley?" she asked acidly.
He jumped and then shook his head in confusion. "The Lady was the director of a new Wizarding Matchmaking Agency in Diagon Alley. She wanted me to sign Luna over to her Agency to be trained in 'wifely duties and then she would find her a… a… a 'suitable husband.'"
"Was that before or after you found out that you didn't get your loan from Gringotts and that the Ministry was investigating the Quibbler?" Hermione asked processing the new information her hand trembling as she was holding back her simmering rage.
"After I was informed about the investigation." He rasped fighting with emotions as well. He was holding back tears.
No, she couldn't let this slide. She had not fought for the freedom of the Wizarding world, only to let it be in vain. Just because some inbred purebloods clung to the old ways and wanted to restrict their rights. If she didn't fight back, then Voldemort would have won. He, himself was dead, but unfortunately his ideas of supremacy lived on. It seemed that her instinct of not relaxing and continuing her training had been spot on. Something needed to be done and the Lovegoods were just another of the casualties that they were willing to silence. It told Hermione that his paper did have some sway in public opinion, or they wouldn't try to silence him.
"It's high time that we helped each other then. You're coming with me to the Burrow." Hermione ordered in a strict tone. Having them in the Burrow could have some other advantages for what she had in mind. But first, she had to go through with her new job.
"You are late!" Madame Adler admonished her with her hands on her hips and blazing eyes. "We are one a tight schedule. Follow me!" She snapped her fingers. But Hermione refused to be intimidated by her (even though she mentally was) and responded calmly: "By five minutes. I had to help another unfortunate family that you tried to ensnare into your fine establishment. Luckily Mr. Lovegood loves his daughter enough to protect her from harm."
Surprised, the elder lady spun around and locked her eyes with her. "How do you know about that?!"
Hermione grinned and crossed her hands defiantly but kept her stance. Don't show her how you feel! "I didn't. It was an educated guess. But thank you for confirming it." Madame Adler ground her teeth and took a deep breath; her eyes were blazing.
"So, you are selling the muggle-borns and half-bloods as escorts and play matchmaker for the pure-bloods. Seems that you are either an opportunist of the current climate in the Ministry or you are influencing it to your advantage."
"I'm neither confirming nor denying it, young lady." The hostess responded calmly after having obviously caught herself again. A half-smirk working itself on her face.
"I'd like to say my contract now." Hermione told her. That woman was screwing her over and she had no desire to be trapped forever serving every whim of some pureblood brat.
"As I said we are on a tight schedule. You can see the contract later after the introduction ceremony." The other woman told her seemingly unfazed a smile growing on her pale face.
"Well, then the clients will have to wait a bit. I'll be fashionably late. Should add to the mystery. After all, weren't you the one who said that men loved mystery? I won't budge until I've had an opportunity to read my contract. And I brought this." Hermione showed her the vial she had brought with her. "Veritaserum, as I promised."
Madam Adler bellowed out an amused laugh, slowly turned back and pranced around Hermione before she stopped behind her, sneaked her arm possessively around Hermione's waist and whispered into her ear.
"Ms. Granger. You are no position to make demands. We payed for your last year in Hogwarts that is about to start, and you owe us." She pulled her towards her and Hermione could feel her back colliding with her boss. "Should you decide to be difficult and not go through with this as we've agreed orally, then we will retract the money and publicly brand you an enemy of state. A few floo calls should suffice. You wouldn't be safe anywhere, would live out the rest of your life in Azkaban. Due process is not something the current Wizarding World believes in."
"In other words, you'd pull a Sirius Black on me. Why am I not surprised?" Hermione quickly stepped forward turned swiftly out of her grasp, locking eyes with the other witch.
Always keep your enemies in front of you where you can see them Hermione remembered. Advice that her father had imparted on her when she was little during one of his good-night stories. Stories of "our" people, he had called it. But the stories clearly had been made up. But they did have tons of advice. Back then she had found them amusing and thrilling, but now she understood the instructions.
"Ah, well, Sirius. He had stamina. He was a frequent visitor to our fine establishment until his imprisonment. He was a favourite of my girls. It didn't take a genius to know that he was innocent of betraying his friends. Rather, it seemed that there were certain people, who wanted to keep him locked away. Like him, you are clearly not Slytherin material. Too straightforward. Too predictable."
"Now, you can see the contract. But after your presentation. At the same time as our clients get their contracts. Until then the contract can still change, depending on how much interest our clients have in you."
"Das't" Hermione cursed loudly trying to find a way around it.
"So, you have two options right now. Turn around and walk out and we will retract the fee we have paid for Hogwarts. Good luck in finding enough money in three days until Hogwarts starts or finding a job. The second option is a clever one. You follow my instructions; show your best behaviour and you can read through the contract afterwards. Then you go through with the prima nocte. You can go to Hogwarts and get a good placement in the Ministry afterwards. There is no use fighting against an established political system. But you can learn how to navigate it." Madame Adler smirked with raised eyebrows.
Well, in that case, she decided to play the system. But the long game. Hermione put her hands behind her back, squared her shoulders and kept firm eye contact with her current boss. A close-lipped smile was working itself on her face. "In that case, I will choose the 'clever' option, as you put it," she answered orotund swearing that she would prevail and shake the system from within. Just another hard fight. But she was used to fighting and to prevail.
"A wise choice." Her boss answered her honeyed and gestured her to follow her.
A a few hours later.
She paced uncomfortably behind the two doors, checking if her mask was in place and the white Greek styled dress was in place. The last few hours where the most demeaning of her life. She had been examined by a female gynaecologist from St. Mungos, who occasionally still worked as an escort for this agency, she had learned, while Madame Adler had stood beside the woman. They had even discussed the starting price; Madame Adler could use for just Hermione's body. She had felt like peace of meat and had wanted to flee, but she couldn't. The threat of not being able to finish her education was real. They had then proceeded to discuss a certain diet for the next day so that "her juices" would have a certain taste. Hermione had been completely mortified listening to their discussion and much of what they spoke off sounded just like absolute nonsense.
Now she was pacing and walking a hole in the ground. Well, as much as she could with her feet bare. Her skin was tingling from all the different bath types she had been dunked in and brushed and prepared. Her hair was falling down her back in loose curls and she was wearing a wreath made of laurel, ear of corn, ivy and grape vine. Madam Adler had assured her that this was just a tradition, but Hermione's uneasiness grew knowing which ancient gods and goddesses were associated with these plants. What if this became some sort of ancient ritual? Two of the associated gods was understandable. The third didn't bode well for her. She wished she could consult the Hogwarts library beforehand. But that was unfortunately out of the question. The room she had to wait was cold and she shivered. Madame Adler had told her that she would be presented with Goosebumps as their clients could misinterpret that as her interest in them and as she was completely naked under her dress, the outlines of her nipples would show more prominently when she was cold. She however hated that, and it frustrated her that she couldn't hear how the lady of the house presented her. She took a deep breath. She needed to stay calm. Her thoughts were drawn to her father's memory to yet another good night story that he had told her. She had always loved it when her father had told her this time and time again:
We are … (One of the house-elves guarding her, sneezed interrupting her memory.) We are warriors. Always in control. Strong, United. ….
The house elves prepared themselves. Her heart was racing. In a few moments she would have to step through the door and make her way down the stairs without falling over. She had to survive walking along Madame Adler and conversing with her potential clients without them recognizing her. Hermione desperately hoped that there was nobody in the audience that she knew personally, or this would get awkward pretty soon. She wished that she could hear how Madame Adler said about her. But unfortunately, the house elves had strengthened the wards, so that she wouldn't be able to overhear it.
"Gentlemen, welcome back to our fine establishment. And most especially, for such a joyous occasion. As you know we have the rare occasion of offering you the chance of defloration and prima nocte of a dare I say very rare gem." Madame Adler greeted her guests from the middle of the stairs leading into the Ballroom. She mentally cheered seeing all those eager male clients from all over the world who only wanted one thing. And she had pocketed them all. Men were predictable. So predictable. Even some interested parties from the vampire covens had come, although they had claimed that they weren't interested. Apparently, some were. And they were loaded, she knew. Lucius had serious competition, it seemed.
"In a few minutes she will step down these stairs and you all get the possibility to get to know her personally before you decide on entering the auction tomorrow. She is a young beautiful witch, who is highly educated, fluent in several languages: English, French and Spanish at last count. Quite talented in magic and with a fascinating family history. One side of the family goes back to a very old Wizarding family, that only ever had one son and heir for generations. Unfortunately, for them their line died out when a female squib was born instead of a son. Generations later our dear Thea Athena was born a witch. Her other side of the family can be traced back to several royal courts around Europe. She is able to play the piano. Her body is firm, strong and … tight as she follows a strict fitness routine. So, for those of you with high endurance, she can quite possibly keep up with several rounds." She winked conspiratorially taking in the growing tension and excitement that was palpable in the air. Men were just too predictable.
"So, now, without any further ado. I present to you our newest addition. Our little Goddess Thea Athena herself."
The house elf gestured her to prepare herself and Hermione took a deep breath mentally repeating the words, her father had taught her. But this time it was different. The words gave her strength which seemed to spread through her entire body filling her every fibre with strong awareness. She straightened her stance, squared her shoulders and confidently stepped through the double doors opening towards the ballroom. Her breath hitched when she saw how many men were hungrily staring at her. A few ghostly pale individuals kept to the back of the room. She could detect the warning signs. They were vampires. She took another deep breath and confidently glided down the stairs and stopped next to Madame Adler who made a gesture with her hand and the men formed a small alley among them. She knew that she had to walk through this, so that they could all see her more closely.
She held her head high and passed the first men gawking at her while she made sure to smile at most of them. Madame Adler had told her that she should play shy, but that wasn't her. If she looked to the ground, she could not assess the potential clients, so, she had no desire to play the shy young virgin. They wanted her body. They should pay for it.
So, far no familiar faces she mused, but had to reset her indicial impression when she spotted a familiar muscular man with dark short hair, friendly warm dark eyes and sallow skin. He warmly smiled at her and she locked eyes with him returning a heart-felt, genuine smile. Well, she could definitely live with him being her first one. It wasn't as if she hadn't actually imagined it a couple of times already. When she glided past the vampires, she could hear them audibly sniffing the air and tensed. A vampire was potentially the worst outcome she could imagine. She walked past another row of people, back towards the direction of Madame Adler. Just a split second before she reached the staircases again, she tensed seeing yet another familiar face. Two to be exact. Their silver-blond hair giving away their identity. She mentally growled. Had she actually thought that the vampires were the worst available option? No, with the two Malfoys in the mix her chances had just become worse. The younger Malfoy was assessing her from head to toe, with an appreciative grin on his face. The elder Malfoy licked his lips and gulped when she locked eyes with him. No, those two wouldn't get any smile from her. She rose her chin up and strutted past them until she reached her boss again who narrowed her eyes in suspicion for a second.
"Well, do you think she is a worthy price?" she asked the crowd challengingly and was greeted with loud appreciative cheers. Hermione continued to hold her head high.
A few moments later they were allowed to speak with her in the presence of Madame Adler and she had to do a double-take as the normally well-behaved crowd was shuffling and jostling each other so that they could speak with her personally. The next minutes, which trickled into hours Hermione tried to be her most charming self while keeping her identity hidden and still portray self-confidence. She had lowered her voice slightly to the astonishment of Madame Adler, who had blinked in confusion when she had answered the first potential client.
Now, the vampires were almost surrounding them, and Hermione's neck hair rose sensing the dangerous predators so close to her.
"You do smell absolutely divine." one deathly pale vampire with shoulder long dark brown hair and hypnotising ice-blue eyes told her smiling at her intensely stated taking a deep breath which was mimicked by the others around him. Some strong invisible force was pushed against her mind, but Hermione took a deep breath and mentally pushed back. She had only read about vampire compulsion, but she had no desire to succumb to it. His eyes widened in surprise.
She inclined her head and answered velvety. "I thank you for your kind words. But, I can't take credit for my smell. Especially, not after Mrs. Adler tried to drown me in no less than fifteen different bubble baths." A quick glance told her that her boss tried to hide her surprise behind a cough, while their leader, at least she assumed that he was the leader, and the other vampires chuckled creepily displaying their fangs.
"No, we are able to discern the natural body scent from all sorts of concoctions that are used in the bubble bath that your hostess so graciously provides for her … friends. Your aroma is different…not quite human." He specified and Hermione chortled. "Well, I'm a witch. I assume that the only difference of being a witch and a muggle lies in one active gene or a combination of genes that are passed through the generations. It explains the existence of Squibs and also of Muggle-borns. It could also explain the different smell."
He continued to stare into her eyes and grinned predatorily. "You are correct, but your scent suggests that you are at least partially, something else." He explained clipped. "Something, that in my over eight hundred years, I haven't tasted before." He licked his lips and Hermione shivered.
Hermione frowned and bit her lips. "Well, if I were something else then I guess I'd find out someday."
"I'm sure you will." He grinned and inclined his head. With a nod they moved on and made way for Victor who confidently stepped closer. He put his head to the side and mustered her. Hermione gulped and hoped that he wouldn't recognize her.
"Well, I'm glad that I took this invitation." He said and made her acutely aware that he must have had vocal training, as most of his charming accent had disappeared. It had been a suggestion of hers, when he had written her once that many people had difficulties understanding him.
"Thank you for being here, Mr. Krum." She said hoarsely, before she could catch herself. "It is much appreciated."
He nodded gazing deep into her eyes, yet remained uncomfortably silent and Hermione wondered if she should initiate another conversation. His eyes narrowed and he asked winking. "Are you a fan of quidditch?"
Hermione let out a genuine laugh and answered back playfully. "Well,…( She paused. She couldn't give too much away or he would know.) I'm afraid that I do not know much about quidditch. I do enjoy watching a good game, know a few quidditch players personally, but they usually get annoyed by my lack of knowledge about the game."
He bellowed out a laugh and caught her eyes again, glanced suspiciously to the side to Madame Adler and back at her. "Do you love reading?"
Hermione's breath hitched. Did he suspect her? She ground her teeth for a second, took another breath and answered. "Sometimes."
He grinned and inclined his head and thanked her for her honesty, which confused Hermione. Had he recognized her? She really hoped not. But she wouldn't put it past him. He was quite intelligent after all. Constantly underestimated by other people.
For the next two hours she continued to be her most charming and witty self, but it had become somewhat strenuous being friendly to all those leering men. Especially, when she realized that the vampires still lingered in the back of the room gawking at her the entire time.
Her gaze fell back to the last pair of men and her mood dropped even more. Two Malfoys at once. That was way too much. But she couldn't show their irritation and her fear, or they would recognize her.
"Thea Athena." The elder Malfoy drawled mustering her from head to toe, clearly appreciating her outlines as he wet his lips a few times with his lips. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." She just hoped that he wouldn't be the one to buy her. That couldn't end well. His son mimicked Malfoy Sr's behaviour and she had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. After all this time, he still wanted to please his father? After all he had put him through. Well, it seemed that way. She realized that she had yet to answer and Madame Adler was tapping her fingers onto her dress.
"The pleasure is all mine, Sir." She answered with honeyed voice. The meet and greet was almost over. She would survive this.
"Thea Athena." He said again scrutinizing her. "You chose a rather unusual name. The other women usually love to name themselves after fertility goddesses, muses and …fairies. Why did you name yourself after the Pallas Athena, the goddess of Athens?" She had to be careful. If she appeared too bossy or lecturing, then the younger Malfoy might figure out who she really was. She would not give any quarter and he clearly tried to make her uncomfortable.
She locked her gaze with him and made sure that he saw the creepy grin that she tried to put on her face. "Well, the name Mávri Chíra seemed more fitting for my character, but I was informed that this name was not available." She casually dropped her voice a bit and it seemed to have some effect on the younger Malfoy, who took a step back from her. So, Draco Malfoy could understand koine Greek. That was interesting information. Malfoy Sr. however gazed at her unfazed. "In that case we are looking forward to seeing you again soon."
Hermione inclined her head and mentally gagged. No, she didn't want to imagine him or his son getting her, but if rumours were true, then they had accumulated more than enough money.
Please Viktor, don't let me down!
"Well, that went well." Lucius strode into her office and she huffed. "Even the vampires seemed interested again. Didn't you say that they wouldn't take part in the auction?
"They don't take part. They just were interested in meeting her personally." Irene responded darkly. "You should be thankful they didn't. They would have easily bested you in the auction."
He shrugged. "Well, it would hardly be fair if the entire coven put their finances into the auction anyway."
Irene leaned back in her chair and mustered Lucius. "You don't know who that was, who talked to her, don't you?"
"It was a very intense and haughty vampire. That's all I could see and care about." Lucius answered.
"That wasn't just some vampire, Lucius." Irene told him gravelly. "That was Kraven. He is Regent of the Old World Coven, which is the oldest Coven in Europe. He came all this way from Budapest, just to see Ms. Granger for himself. He insinuated that she wasn't entirely human. At least, according to him she doesn't smell entirely human." She brushed her hand through her now loose hair.
"Any indication what she might be?" Lucius inquired. "Adriana did examine her, didn't she?"
"She did, but there was absolutely no indication of her being any other creature than a human witch, with a strong grip, excellent hearing and a very fast healing factor." She answered. "And she seemed genuinely surprised when Kraven suggested this."
"Perhaps she is a changeling." Lucius suggested but Irene shook her head. "No, she isn't. They don't have either of these characteristics."
"Nymph perhaps." But Irene shook her head again. If she were a Nymph, we would have found out. I wouldn't have let her come back here. I believe if we could find out anything about her father, we might uncover what she is. In the meantime, I…"
"Oh, no Irene. I will not be deterred from having her moaning my name tomorrow." He interrupted her.
She rolled her eyes. "What if your son bests your bid? Can you watch him enjoying her? Or Krum?"
He gripped his cane tighter at her suggestion and growled. "My son's allowance is still limited, and Krum might be a wealthy Quidditch player, but even he won't be able to best me." He gulped and wetted his lips. "She will be mine."
"We'll see. You might be a Croesus here in Britain, but you're not the only contender. We have a few more contenders from overseas." Irene informed him haughtily. "I've had enough of your antiques and you are dangerously obsessed with the girl. I believe it is only fair, if I won't rig the auction. Give the girl a fair chance."
"I'm your partner and an owner of the establishment." Lucius challenged her leaning forward, but he knew that threats did not work on her.
"And I'm running this establishment. I have for a long time. Quite well I might add. My girls know that I protect them, and our clients are happy because our girls are content, well-trained and most especially without any STD's. Granger is a possibility of being a long-term investment and I will not compromise that because you couldn't keep your calm." She stabbed her index finger towards him. "She is currently dissecting the contract in the next room."
"Under observation, I hope," Lucius added and was pleased when Irene nodded. "Of course. She won't have any choice but to sign the contract. After all she is already heavily indebted to us. I'm just waiting for her to blow up on me when she reads the contract."
"How much money did you gather with the entry fee for her auction?" Lucius was curious. After all the ball room had been packed.
Irene smirked conspiratorially. "Seven hundred thousand five hundred Galleons just for the entry fee. Of course, I won't tell her that or she might get ideas. But we do know that this is our money. She still has to earn hers tomorrow with the auction. Make sure that you are presentable, after all the losers of the auction want something to see, should you win her."
"I always look presentable," Lucius stated in mock outrage.
Irene shook her head. "That's debatable."
Both jumped when they heard an livid cry of anger from the room next door. "Das't! What the fuck!"
"And that is my cue." Irene stated dismissing Lucius.