After a whole night of reading, Hermione came to the conclusion that Quis Zolydck. was not the sanest sort of fellow. No matter, Hermione wasn't either. In fact, she decided that assassinating others for money would be the perfect kind of job for her. It would just be a step up from actually doing the deed.
Actually, she made a list of reasons why she would be the perfect contract killer.
She was smart, very smart, she could scheme plots, make the assassinations look like accidents and remain completely innocent.
She has little (no) friends. There wasn't anybody to rat her out to the aurors
She didn't mind killing which seemed important for this whole business
Randomly turning to a page, she immediately came face with a section that stuck out to her.
When having a new client, make sure you get a magical vow from them so that they will not tell or write to anyone about your business transactions. This is important. Without one you are essentially, throwing out evidence and begging the aurors to catch you.. Also when taking out a person, make sure to make the job seem as accidental as possible. Unconventional use of wandless magic is best for this. For example, dust. Reinforce the dust and it can penetrate the lungs. Most wizards ignore the mundane way, I believe this ignorance will continue for centuries. If you are smart, you will start learning more about the inner workings of a body.
After that, potions. While not as subtle does the job well enough, one or two drops in a drink, and you'll be all set with no magical signature needed to remove. However a good enough potions master can sense it a mile away. Don't be deterred, in a generation there are at most 1 to 2 masters if any that can sense a colourless and odourless potion. While most masters are able to infer the poison used based on the symptoms, your job will already be completed a long time before. This also gives you ample time to apparate away from the scene, so that you can establish an alibi.
After a whole night of reading, Hermione came to the conclusion that Quis Zolydck. was not the sanest sort of fellow. No matter, Hermione wasn't either. In fact, she decided that assassinating others for money would be the perfect kind of job for her. It would just be a step up from actually doing the deed.
Actually, she made a list of reasons why she would be the perfect contract killer.
She was smart, very smart, she could scheme plots, make the assassinations look like accidents and remain completely innocent.
She has little (no) friends. There wasn't anybody to rat her out to the aurors
She didn't mind killing which seemed important for this whole business
If before, Hermoine was merely intrigued, she was now a starved bear craving for knowledge. The book was informative, not some garbage advice, there were facts that made sense. She felt that the job was for a lack of other words, worthy of her intellect, much like the title of the minister of magic. She immediately flipped to the first page.
The first page was a notice. Saying to throw out any preconceived notions about assaination and to finish the book before attempting any of the actions in the book. Hermoine thought it was fair, it would be foolish to rush headfirst into it, without at least a basic idea of what it was all about. She also doubted the credibility of the assassins shown in movies.
The first chapter mentioned understanding the people around her. The potential back stabbers, potential client, potential informants.
The next few chapters gave an in depth description on body language, a brief coverage of human psychology.
Followed by the recommended ways to take out somebody, how to start, how to maintain the business, the mark and signature of an assassin and many other things.
Now that we have covered the basics, we can move onto the more difficult part.
How to establish business. First, know your demographic. Figuring out who to kill and why you kill them is a good start. Make sure to understand your bottom line, so that you won't be pushed around and become a hired murderer. This will be important both for your clients and you.
Start out with the more vulnerable, pretend to be a helpful ear, make some 'harmless comments' and when they bring up the idea on their own, say that you can do it and then you've gotten your first job! Note when completing the job, make sure you add some sort of mystique (for a more indepth example, refer to chapter 19). It'll make them feel as though they accomplished something and will be even more inclined to keep your secrets. The magical vow will keep them quiet on the subject, but this gives them some initiative Finally, make sure you ask for a referral to save yourself the hassle of finding new clients on your own. After, watch as clients flock to you.
Well the demographic was easy. She already knew who she was going to target, all the stuck up, wealthy, pureblood parents that had scarcely a quarter of her magical prowess. Besides, they couldn't bother her for her impure blood if they were dead. As soon as she dominated her field and got enough experience, she would go after The Minister and that sycophant of his Lucius Malfoy. It was only a matter of time.
Pulling herself out of her mini molouge, Hermione decided to focus on the next part. The book made it seem easier than it was in real life. First, the astounding lack of people with murderable pureblood parents. Actually that was the only hurdle she had.
She couldn't walk up to Daphne and Astoria Greengrass and say "Hey you, want me to murder your parents for 375G,". Could she? She could always obliviate them afterwards if the plan failed.
The Greengrass siblings were not chosen randomly. It was well known that the older sibling Daphne, despite being on slytherin was shunned by her parents for being homosexual. While, the younger sister, Astoria, was treated terribly due to her being in Gryffindor and breaking the long line of slytherin. Both were on horrible terms with their parents, to put it lightly. The stand-offish behavior of their parents that were bordering neglect, did not help to elevate the tension between them and their daughters.
Lost in her thoughts, Hermione had forgotten that it was a morning, and that she had to get to class. Still in her clothes from the previous day, she quickly cast a cleaning spell on herself and sprinted to the common room, with the black book in hand. In her rush, she accidentally knocked over a human body.
"Hello Hermione!" Potter said standing up, far too brightly for a Monday morning. He reminded her of a puppy wagging his tail. "How are you today?"
"Good Potter, listen I've got to run, but I'll see you in Potions, correct?" she stated.
His smile got less bright at the mention of potions, "Yeah, I'll see you there!"
She nodded, and sprinted off again, muttering the password, "Gurdyroot", and rushed up the stairs to her room.
A perk of being a Head Girl was that she had the privacy of her own room and bathroom. This would be very useful for when she had to brew death inducing potions for her ahem extracurricular activities. She wasn't particularly interested in thinking up ways to use her magic as she knew that her magic could be traced by her wand. She decided that she would have to learn to cast endlessly before even attempting to use magic to kill. She would have to make-do with potions for the time being.
A drawback was that she could not be late. While this was an unofficial aspect, it was unbecoming to do so especially considering her reputation for being at least 5 minutes early to class. She did not want to raise any suspicion by being just on time or god forbid, late. Even if there was a very very informative book. She could not have any slip ups. Biting back a curse, she hurried her footsteps.
Hermoine arrived at transfiguration with a few seconds to spare.
With a raised eyebrow Professor Mcgonagal continued "We will continue from the previous theory lesson. Do remember that conjuration is very complex NEWT level magic, and I expect you all to obtain a small conjuration by next week. For example, a pebble. During NEWTs you will be asked to conjure something larger, like a book, or a painting, but minuscule rocks will do for now. Begin!"
Hermione rushed to the next seat available, coincidentally, the one next to Daphne's seat. Daphne and Hermione were fairly good acquaintances (not friends, Hermione didn't have the emotions needed to maintain friends) because of the horrendous slug club. It was a great opportunity to start the business.
"Greengrass," She whispered as Daphne turned her head
"What Granger," Daphne said, as though tired of some mythical antics
"I need to talk to you and your sister about something important. Meet me in the alcove on the 5th floor next to the tapestry of horses during the free period before dinner."
"Oddly specific, but neither of us have Quidditch practice at that time so we shall be there." she said in a pompous manner
Ugh, purebloods, sometimes it was easy to forget that the Greengrass sisters weren't raised in the magical equivalent of Victorian England, until they opened their mouths.
'It'll be something I change when I become Minister of Magic.' she thought to herself.
"See you then!" Hermione said to Daphne, and continued working on her conjuration.
"15 points to Gryffindor for that conjuration Ms. Granger"
Hermione nodded and proceeded to think about the upcoming meeting that afternoon.
Waiting in the alcove on the 5th floor, Hermione wasn't feeling nervous(she literally couldn't), but her body was. Idly tapping her foot on the floor, Hermione contemplated the different scenarios of how her chat with the Greengrass sisters would go. As she pondered upon what she was going to say, the duo approached her. She quickly cast silencing charms as Astoria spoke.
"So, Granger, what do you want?"
"What my sister is so delicately trying to say is, why did you ask us here?" Daphne corrected
"Well, before that, I'm going to need a magical oath from the two of you saying that you will not tell anyone about what we are talking about today,".
"Why would we do that?"
"Trust me, you're going to want to hear this."
The sisters looked at each other, almost as if they were communicating inside their heads. They probably could just like those prankster weasley twins who graduated two years earlier "Alright Granger, you seem smart enough not to trick us, we'll do it."
"Here this is the vow." Hermoine passed them a slip of parchment containing the vow she wanted them to take.
"I Astoria Ebess Greengrass solemnly swear to not reveal this conversation to anyone but those present unless given express permission by Hermoine Jean Granger, so mote it be."
"I Daphne Roqora Greengrass solemnly swear eveal this conversation to anyone but those present unless given express permission by Hermoine Jean Granger, so mote it be."
As two flashes of golden light appeared, Hermione continued "Now, it's an open secret that you two don't get along with your parents," she wasn't going to ask the million gallon question just yet.
Astoria's eyes narrowed "Yeah, so what?"
"Well it could have been a faulty rumour (it wasn't, Pansy Parkinson was such a gossip)(Thank Merlin that the imperius limits all that pointless chatter), but I heard from a little owl that you two might be disowned from the family due to your... qualities.
"Merlin, Granger if you don't get to the bloody point then I'm going to kill you and your muggle family, you hear?"
Ah there it was, the mention of blood status . Not surprised at the choice of words, Hermione proposed "Well, what if there was a way I could help"
"No offense Granger, but what could a mud, ahem, muggleborn like you do to go against two members of The Ancient and Most Noble House of Greengrass" Daphne said with her nose tilted up. Hermione supposed that it was some sort of 'purebloods are superior'™ thing ingrained in her from birth.
Rolling her eyes inwardly, she retorted "I could take out the two of them, I suppose, for a price."
As soon as those words left her mouth, Astoria started giggling, then full out laughing hysterically in the span of a second. Hermione was thankful that she had the foresight to put up silencing charms.
"You're serious?" Meeting Hermione's blank face, she continued "Oh my, you're actually serious? Do you have no shame? You do realize what you're offering right?"
"The chance to escape your parents' clutches? The chance to live the rest of your lifes pleasantly? An average wizard has a lifespan of 137.5, that's about 120 more years. The decision seems fairly simple to me."
Astoria shook her head, it was wrong. There was no way she was going to allow such a thing. Surely, her older sister wouldn't agree to either. A brief glance at her contemplating expression proved her wrong.
"Daphne, no! These are our parents. We can't just ask someone to kill them!"
"You mean, the same parents who called me a dyke and used Furnunculus on you when they found where you were sorted? And ignored you for two weeks until they finally gave you a boil-cure potion? I say good riddance."
Reminded by that event, Astoria was shaken. They didn't act like parents but it wasn't something to kill them for. Was it? They were a tad bit cruel, but they brought them into this world!
Astoria was in tears "I mean yes, they're terrible people, but they are our parents!"
Daphne didn't understand, their 'parents' treated her sister even worse than her. Yet, she was defending them? Even strangers would try to help another stranger, much more so their own daughter. But they just ignored her, her anguish, her tears. The only way to get peace was to remove them. Killing them was justice. For their cold hearts, the suffering they've been through. Why couldn't she see that?
"So? I never got any parenting from them, and I'm sure you didn't either."
Astoria was losing her ground, Daphne made sense. Her older sister always did. But, their parents! She looked away, only to catch sight of brown hair. Brown hair?
Each doing a double take, they realized that there was another person in the room, they turned to the bushy-haired girl calmly reading Wuthering Heights as though two others weren't arguing about contracting her to murder their parents.
"Granger! What would this preposition entail?"
"Daphne!" Astoria protested, but she knew it was a lost cause.
"So?" she said, looking at Hermione with challenging eyes, as if sizing her up.
"Call me Hermione, death does bring people closer together after all. I have two requests. One, after I bring you the results, you'll transfer 375G to my Gringotts account."
"Very well, Hermione." Daphne agreed, before Astoria could say anything, not even blinking an eye at the gigantic amount. "And the second?"
"After the job is complete, you provide a referral for another potential client. I know that in all the Houses, Slytherin has the most parents worth murdering."
"You don't have to be so uncouth about it you know, fine, I agree to those two concessions. I just have one last question. How are you planning on doing this?"
Passing an envelope, she answered " the details are in here. Remember not to open it before your parents death. There is a magical seal on it, it will turn green when the deed is done"
Taking the envelope, she said "Good. I believe our business is over, we shan't see each other outside of class." Not waiting for an answer, she promptly grabbed her sister by the hand and swiftly exited the alcove.
Collecting herself, Hermione picked her satchel off the floor and proceeded to the Great Hall for dinner. Usually she was very aware of her surroundings, but was so lost in the success of her endeavors that she did not see the familiar red and orange colors of a Phoenix, with eyes that seemed to be following her every move.