Disclaimer: Everything you recorgnize is JKR and everything you don't, is mine.
Chapter Six.
Hermione's face was grim. The aurors and the enchantresses stood on a cliff not far from Mryddin's cave.
The thestral next her, shifted his weight, making Hermione sooth him gently.
"If we're ready," Constantia said calmly, "I'll cloak our presence and we can leave."
Everybody nodded.
The elderly woman hit her staff and before their very eyes, everybody slowly got covered in cloud like figures.
"Keep your daggers and wands at the ready!" Ron's voice sounded to her left. "Mount your brooms!"
Hermione quickly got on her thestral, refusing a broom from the out set.
"And take off in 3…2…1" He called again.
In unison the clouds lifted and slowly followed the two clouds in front of them.
The wind was bitterly cold and only got colder and they moved over Loch Trridan.
If the situation was different, Hermione would've admired the pretty landscape.
The clouds stopped, high enough not to attract attention but low enough to see the cave opening without it being obscured.
Hermione kept her eyes on the cave but as the hours dragged by, so her attention span and her thestral started to flatter.
It was only once it had started to get dark did they retreat back to their original meeting spot.
Hermione groaned as she slid off the thestral.
"What happened? Why didn't he arrive?" Naledi asked, frowned.
"He's always arrived there, like clockwork, every afternoon, always around 3pm." Ron shook his head.
"Is there any way he could've found out about the plan?" Hermione asked frowning.
Harry shook his head, "None at all."
"Let's reconvene tomorrow in the meeting room." Hermione said sighing.
Numerous people nodded.
Ron walked over to her, "Take out for dinner?"
She nodded, "I just need to pop past the office to grab some books I left there this morning."
§§§§§§§
Hermione appeared in her reception, dark and empty, she sighed in frustration.
She turned the lights on with a wave of her hand as she slowly made her upstairs.
Stepping into her office, she paused at the man sitting in one of her arm chairs.
"Good evening, Enchantress." The man smiled her.
Unlike in her dream, he wasn't balding but had a good head of hair and was dressed in the latest robes.
"Good evening Mryddin." She said calmly to him, "Would you like some wine?"
She made her way to pour two glasses from a cabinet by her door and levitated it to him.
Slowly she sat in the arm chair across from him.
"What can I do for you?"
"Ah now that's a very good question." He said sipping his wine, his voice oddly deep.
Hermione saw a very slight resemblance to Sirius.
"The more appropriate question you should be asking is what I can do for you." He said smirking.
"Oh is that so?" she said, gripping her wand in her free hand.
"Whatever you wish, I can give you."
"In exchange for?"
At this, he smiled broadly, "A favor."
Hermione nodded, "That seems reasonable but I've come to learn that favors from people like you, come at a price that I'm unwilling to pay."
"People like me?" he sneered.
She nodded, "Yes, murdering bastards typically don't want a bottle of firewhiskey as a favor."
Her hands were trembling slightly.
Mryddin laughed, unlike Voldemort, his laugh held humor in it.
"I see you've done your research."
"Of course. Although I am curious…How did you know we were coming today and how did you get out of Morgana's weave?" She said, feeling braver than she was.
"The people of this generation have forgotten what true power and knowledge can do. Only those that have been blessed by magic are closed off to me. I knew they were watching me from the minute they appeared on their little floating sticks and it was even easier for me to read their minds." He boasted proudly. "And escaping that weave? Well it took a while but the blast from Tom Riddle to bring down the Hogwarts wards, triggered my own to come down too. I walked out while your beloved Harry Potter was finishing off the little Riddle."
"Handy trick that and good timing for you." She said nodding in understanding.
"Yes very." He said smugly, "And now, my favor."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "I never said I'd agree."
"Oh but you will. I have more knowledge than anybody who has ever lived and enough power to make it happen." His eyes were so dark, they looked almost black, glinted.
"And I have everything I could ever want but let's hear this favor of yours."
He smirked and stood.
Before he could say anything, Hermione stood spelling the dagger directly at his throat, which he deflected with a flick of his hand, smiling.
Laughing he vanished before her very eyes leaving a small trail of ash on the floor.
§§§§§§§
Hermione sat in the dining room of Dove Cottage waiting for the Enchantresses, Harrys and Ron's arrival.
A glass of firewhiskey in front of her, shaking violently.
"Hermione?" Ron said walking into the room, "Are you okay? You're pale."
"MFine." She said still shaking.
"What happened?" he asked, rushing to her side.
"I'd rather say this once, so let's wait for the others to get here." She said, downing her glass and pouring another.
"Hermi-"Ron started to say but was interrupted by the arrival of the enchantresses and the floo network going off with Harry arriving.
Numerous people started talking at the same time but Hermione simply sipped her firewhiskey and held her hand up.
"I'm going to show you what happened." She said softly.
With a flick of her hand, a projection showed on the wall with her interaction with Myrddin.
Seraphina and Constantia gasped while Ron clenched his jaw.
The projection stopped with Myrddin disappearing away.
"Why didn't you leave as soon as you saw him?" Ron said to her, as the enchantresses settled around the table.
She shrugged. "I'm not too sure. I was terrified but I knew his purpose wasn't to hurt me."
"Hermione, this man sucks a person's life essence out of them and Morgana's book clearly states he has a fixation on us!" Seraphina said sternly, "That was an unnecessary risk you took."
"I didn't exactly invite him to lunch, Phina." She rolled her eyes at her mentor.
"It's completely unlike you," Harry said frustrated, pulling on his hair, "You're usually so logically."
"Can we just focus on the information we now have?" She said, "We now know the reason why our ambush wasn't an ambush at all and that he can read basically anybody's mind."
Constantia nodded, "Which means the auror department may no longer be of any assistance."
"But-" Harry started to say.
"No Buts, Harry," Hermione said softly, "You can finally take some leave and spend the time with the twins and Gin."
Both men started to protest but nobody listened to them.
"I'm going to take a temporary leave of absence and get my teeth into the research." Hermione said ignoring them.
§§§§§§§
"Hermione, I haven't seen your hair in this state since you wrote OWLs," Ginny said stepping into the attic of Grimmauld Place.
The enchantress covered in dust, sat on the floor, surrounded by old books that were moved from the library when the new parents renovated the townhouse.
"You need to take a break, you've been holed up here for the last week." Ginny stepped further into the dark attic.
"I'll take a break when this is done." She mumbled, her eyes not leaving the page.
"I'm going to send in Constantia." Ginny said sternly.
"Can't. She and the others are at the Malfoy's." she mumbled again.
Ginny sighed and left quietly, no doubt wanting to avoid the sleeping twins.
It was some hours later that Hermione appeared in the library of Malfoy Manor, holding a thick tome in her hands, her hair covered in dust mites.
"I think we've found it." She said, putting the large book down the table in front of Constantia, who read quickly.
"Can't it really be that simple?" the old enchantress asked, after reading it quickly.
The other enchantresses passed the book around while Hermione sat down at one of the open seats.
"It's simply evil." Seraphina said, shuddering.
"We'd have to ask Magic's blessing before we do this…It goes completely against our oath." Natalya said, rubbing her forehead.
"Then we ask." Hermione said, "At this point, we don't really have an option."
§§§§§§
It was barely a day later were the seven enchantresses gathered not far from Hermione's cottage, standing in a circle close to the edge of the cliffs.
The women stood with their feet together and arms spread open, their heads titled towards the sky, their eyes closed, with the setting sun upon them.
Nobody moved, or swayed or faulted as the minutes ticked by.
Each enchantress prayed silently, hoping for a positive outcome.
As the last rays of sun lit their faces, they were simultaneously lifted a few inches of the ground, a soft white glow enveloping them before gently setting them on their feet again.
The seven women breathed a sigh of relief, magic had blessed them with her permission to be the undoing of Merlin himself.
§§§§§§§
"Percy, I understand your frustration with my absence but I need you to finish those two bills before the end of the month." She said to him in her kitchen, "I can't tell you what's going on right now or why the other enchantresses haven't left yet but once we've accomplished what we need to do, I promise you will be among the first to know."
The ginger man sighed, "And what must I tell the press in the meantime? Rita Skeeter has been more of a nightmare than usual and the public and the wizemgamot are in titters over you not seeing anyone."
She nodded, "I understand, we'll do damage control once I return to the office but unfortunately, it's just not an option right now."
"This isn't what I signed up for Hermione." Percy said.
"You signed up to help people, Percy." Hermione said, equally frustrated, "This is helping people. You and Padma drafting those two Bills will go a long way in achieving that. The Equality Act and Lupin's Bill would do more good in the next 50 years than anything else we may possibly do. With the only possible act coming close would be the amendments to the National Health Act."
He nodded. "I'm just tired of pushing papers, it's part of the reason why I left the ministry."
Hermione nodded, "I know and after those two Bills are passed, you and Padma are going to take a short vacation to energize yourselves again."
"And you can't tell me anything?" he pushed, eyebrows raised.
She shook her head.
It was only when Percy had left did Ron come out.
"I know how he's feeling." He said, "It's not fun being left out of the loop."
Hermione sighed, a headache forming, "You know why I can't you or Harry anything. If he catches wind of it, it would be a disaster and there'd be no other course of action open for us."
"Both Harry and I know basic occlumency," Ron said, his face going red, "You can trust us."
"Of course I trust you, Ronald." She said her voice raising, "But its him I don't trust. He's worse than Voldemort, he's cold, calculating and meticulous. Without the hatred that Voldemort had which clouded his vision."
"All the more reason for us to help you." His voice rose a notch to match Hermione's.
"Stop it." She growled at him, "You know why you can't help."
They were now facing each other, less than a foot apart.
"Oh bugger it." Ron mumbled and grabbed her waist, pulling her to him.
Before Hermione could even squeak, Ron's mouth was on hers.
Kissing her soundly.
It took Hermione less than a moment to get over her shock before eagerly responding, her own hands going up around his neck.
It was only when her tongue gently probed his, did Ron pull away, gently putting his forehead against her own.
"I'd apologize but I'm not sorry." He said quietly.
"Neither am i." she said smiling slightly, her heart beating so wildly, she worried Ron would be able to hear it.
They made dinner together that night, Ron stealing kisses every so often until Hermione laughingly swatted him away with a kitchen towel, "I'll burn those chops if you don't stop doing that and neither one of us likes burnt food."
Ron winked, "I wouldn't mind burnt food if it burnt because you were too busy kissing me."
At this Hermione blushed bright red.
"So it's obvious I like you, have for a while," Ron said, chopping some parsley, "When did it start for you?"
Hermione paused, "Sometime in third year I think, on and off for the duration of our schooling career. And you?"
"About fourth I think but I didn't realize it until I heard about yours and Cormac McLaggen's date to the Slug Club party." He said unashamedly.
"And after I was gone ?" she asked quietly.
Ron shrugged, "The highlight of my weeks were getting your letters." He smiled, "But it wasn't as if I was waiting for you to comeback either, I dated around a little bit. Dated someone for almost a year before it ended."
"Susan Bones." Hermione smiled, "Ginny told me."
"Yeah well…yeah. What about you?"
Hermione shrugged. "Phina and I moved around a lot. We were in isolated area's often and when we weren't, we stayed for such a short period that it was difficult to really date but I did have a date or two with a wizard in Moscow. He was nice but we left not long after."
"What sad sorts are we?" He joked with her, making her giggle slightly.
"Hey I'm not sad!" she defended, "Just busy."
"Yeah yeah." He sighed, "Listen I'm sorry I blew up like that. It's just frustrating you know?"
Hermione nodded. "Im hoping its over sooner rather than later and then we can go back to normal and not worry about any more dark wizards in this lifetime."
Ron nodded, " A dark wizard for every generation, it seems. Just this one has come back from many generations ago."
"But anyway-"
They spoke until late into the night, Ron politely leaving Hermione with a toe-curling kiss at her door before making his way to his own room, a different type of frustrated.
§§§§§§§
The next few days were manic for Hermione and to a lesser extent, Ron as well with an assignment to find a magical creatures' smuggler that had imperioused a few witches from the Department of Sentient and Magical Creatures.
The enchantresses had taken up residence in the Malfoy's library with one of their house elves bring them refreshments.
"So how do we draw him out without him knowing it's a trap." Naledi said, "Other than taking a notice out in the Daily Prophet."
"Maybe we should," Marigold said, "Take out an advert in the Daily Prophet from Hermione saying he must meet her in a certain place at a certain time."
"But how would we know he'd arrive ?" Sasha asked.
"Or keep all the bystanders who'd arrive away?" Natalya added.
"We could enchant the area to keep those uninvited away." Naledi said, "It would be slightly complex and whoever did it wouldn't be able to contribute to any fight that might break out."
"If everything goes according to plan, there shouldn't be a fight." Constantia said solemnly.
Hermione nodded. "So we get him to the Stone Hedge, Seraphina freezes him and I do the spell and then she spells the daggers at him. Once one of the daggers hits him, Constantia will ignite fiendfyre while Sasha, Marigold and Natalya restrict the fires movement. Naledi will enact and hold the wards from unwanted visitors."
The woman nodded.
"Great." Hermione said, "I'll get Percy to put the ad in the paper."
§§§§§§§
"Where you going to tell me about this ?" Ron said, storming into her office in Diagon Alley.
Janice and Padma trailing behind him.
He held up the Daily Prophet, gesturing wildly to the front page with the advert of her inviting Mryddin to the Stone Hedge.
Hermione waved away the two women.
"Yes, Ronald, I was going to. I didn't realize it would be in todays paper, I had thought it was going in tomorrow." She said calmly.
"And you're serious about this?" he asked, eyebrows raised, his face red with anger, "You're actually going to go meet him?"
Hermione nodded slowly, knowing she'd have to lie to the ginger, "Yes Ronald. I have a number of things to discuss with him on Saturday."
"But Hermione, you know what he's capable of." He said, shocked.
"And he doesn't know what I'm capable of, should he pose a threat during this meeting, I'm certain that I'd be able to hold , my own and leave without getting injured. " Hermione snapped, "I am an enchantress that been blessed by magic."
Ron opened and closed his mouth like a fish, before throwing the paper on the ground and leaving her office.
"I have to say, he's not the only one who isn't thrilled with the plan of you meeting with him." Percy said from the doorway, "What do you want to discuss with him anyway?"
"Never you mind." Hermione grumbled, "Is that the Equality Act ?"
He nodded, walking over to hand her the thick file. "We're going over the final aspects of Lupin's Bill. You should have it by tomorrow. "
"Great," Hermione said, forcing cheer into her voice, "We can present it before the Wizengamot on Friday and let them stew over it over the weekend."
"That way, if he kills you, the Bills will be more likely to get passed."
Hermione rolled her eyes at him, "Don't be ridiculous. I just need to ask him for something. Its totally harmless."
"Hermione-" he started.
"Enchantress, Mrs. Elliott is here about the cursed well in Ireland." Janice said, sticking her head through the door.
"Send her in." she smiled at her, "That will be all Percy."
The man shook his head on the way out.
§§§§§§§
Hermione arrived home that evening to a dark house, with only the outside light on.
Sighing she stepped inside, smelling the soup Winky must've made earlier that day.
She sat on her heated patio, with a cup of tea in hand and a book on her lap, wind tearing at her wards, when Ron arrived with a blue eye and what seemed to be a broken nose.
"What happened?" she jumped up, stepping close to him.
"Caught my smuggler." He grumbled, "He gave me an elbow to the face after I disarmed him."
"Sit down," she commanded, "I'll heal it for you."
"You don't ha-"
"Nonsense." She said sternly. "Don't move."
Hermione put her right hand on the side of his face, her glowed slightly golden and slowly the bruised eye and the broken nose returned to what was normal.
"That didn't even hurt." Ron said surprised as she drew her hand away and sat back in her chair.
She shrugged, "Healing doesn't have to hurt. We get taught to block the pain, otherwise a lot of our healing methods would be excruciatingly painful."
He nodded, "Makes sense."
The pair sat in silence for a while until Ron said, "I'm not going to apologize, I still think its absolute madness you're meeting with a murder but I will apologize to Padma and Janice for disrupting their workday."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.
"Fine, I'm sorry for disrupting your workday too but I won't apologize for the content of the disruption."
"And its delivery?"
"Yes and its delivery."
"Thank you for your apology Ronald."
He shivered.
"Are you okay?" she asked concerned, the patio wasn't cold enough to shiver, not with the heating charms.
He nodded, going slightly red. "You're the only person that calls me Ronald and well, it does…certain things to me."
Hermione blushed at his words, "Would you prefer I stick to Ron?"
Ron grinned and leaned over, "Nah…I happen to like those things."
He kissed her before she could say anything else.
Hermione sighed into the kiss happily.
The young pair broke apart laughing when Ron's stomach growled loudly.
"Ruled by your stomach, are you?" she teased him.
"Always." He winked at her.
§§§§§§§
A/N : Im so sorry this update took so long.
Between exams and work and being a parent, everything got just a tad much but as promised, this fic will be completed.
I think we've got around three maybe four chapters left before its done.
I want to sincerely thank you for the favorites, reviews and follows, it really does make me smile, even on the greyest days.
Be kind to one another, stay safe and WEAR A MASK.
Love,
BlondeTyche.