CHAPTER 1
COMING HOME
Hermione's heart was racing and no matter how many breaths she took, she couldn't get herself to calm down. A feeling of panic spread through her body as if someone had inserted it directly into her veins, fogging up her mind and constricting her chest. Instinctively, Hermione reached for the golden chain that hung around her neck.
Hermione, calm down, she told herself now taking large gulps of air as if she had just exited the cold, heavy water of the Black Lake after the second Triwizard Challenge . It's okay, she told herself, but doubt niggled in her mind. What's okay? She didn't know. She couldn't distinguish her emotions. She was deeply worried…and scared. But those were feelings that never really went away. Oh no, the sunlight is gone.
She was tired from the lack of sleep. Hermione tried to turn her thoughts away but a nervous anger seemed to be coursing through her veins. Outside the window, fields continue to pass by; their monotony unnerving; little houses doting the expanse of green. Is that fog? Even the rhythm of the train gliding on the train tracks couldn't soothe her frayed nerves. She noticed a dull throb had developed in the deep recesses of her head. Please stop, she tried telling her brain. I feel sick.
Suddenly, the fog outside the window disappeared and the sunlight starts streaming through again, surprising her with the intensity of the golden light. A longing for her childhood was setting in: one that was deeply personal and difficult for her to explain. Even the things she hated as a child were coming back to her like mirages in desert. A deeper longing set it: the clinical smell of a dentist's clinic; the clinking sound of medical instruments on a metal tray; the neighbourhood children singing a hurried, unsynchronised happy birthday to her for the promise of chocolate cake. Then the things she adored: the smell of autumn, which followed a refreshing chill in the air; the sweet, cinnamony smell of her mother's famous apple pie; the rustling of the pages of a book; loud raucous laughter at the Hogwarts' Christmas feast.
She sighed, closed her eyes and leaned back against her seat. She felt like this without fail, every year, at this time of the year. Holiday season….her marriage anniversary…
Heroine's eyes shot open. She quickly looked over the two boys splayed over her lap and the two seats either sides, making sure they were there and okay. She pulled the golden, knitted shawl, which was falling off the boy on her right, back over his tiny shoulders. She ran her hands through the hair of the boy on her left, pulling them off his face. When they were asleep, they looked like her, but awake, they were exactly like their father. Their dead father. She lifted her hand and wrapped it around the chain on her neck. Then she slowly lifted it to her lips and whispered, "for them". Then she nestled back into the seat, trying to stay awake as she watched the scenery pass. Soon, she would be home.
A couple of hours later, Hermione descended onto the bustling platform in Cardiff holding on tightly to the two boys. She had charmed their appearances so she wasn't afraid of getting recognised. Besides, a bustling station was good cover. It helped that she was quite sure no one would expect her to have children with her. What she was really afraid of was that the reason why she was there would not be a success? It had taken months of research, hiding, plotting and waiting to ensure maximum success, but with two children, it hadn't been easy. She couldn't possibly afford start the whole process again.
Hermione squared her shoulders, took a deep breathe and guided her two sleepy children with her towards the exit. They were being unusually quiet, partly because they had just woken up from a long nap, and partly because they knew how much rested on this mission. A feeling of deep sadness evolved in her chest momentarily as she thought about their childhood — or lack of thereof — but then she pushed it away: she needed to concentrate.
They walked out of the station, walking for 20 minutes to a predetermined taxi stand. She walked over to the first taxi in line.
"Hiya, do you do long distances?" She asked the driver pleasantly. A jovial looking fellow looked back at her, smiling as he noticed her sons.
"Where to?"
"Awre. Bit of an emergency, I'm afraid," she said frowning and looking sadly at her two children.
"It's a bit far…" he said slowly. "Alright, hop in." They all looked at him hopefully. The man seemed to consider it. He twisted over his seat to open the back door for Hermione and the kids.
"Starting the metre, now," he said as Hermione settled in, indicating to her that he would charge her according to the calculations of the machine. She nodded absentmindedly.
"How long will it take, mummy?" Her son asked her.
"An hour-ish," she told him and looked up at the driver who corroborated it with a nod.
"First time going to Awre?" the driver asked conversationally.
"Oh no," replied Hermione, trying to keep her answer as nonchalant as possible. "My mother lives there. She's suddenly taken ill, so we're making a last minute trip."
"Nothing serious, I hope?"
"Oh no, at least I hope not. The usual ails and ailments. But she lives alone, so I thought it best to go check in on her as quickly as possible." Hermione said, hoping she wasn't going too far with her explanations.
"Absolutely right, that," the driver said nodding vigorously. She let out a small sigh of relief. The journey passed relatively quietly and the driver refrained from making too much conservation, possibly because he thought Hermione was worrying about her mother as she looked broodingly out the window. In reality, Hermione's stomach was filled with knots as she thought about what they were moving towards.
Her sons were rousing from their lethargy and becoming impatient. She pointed out routes and trees and interesting facts about the area to keep them occupied. Soon they were entering the village of Awre.
"Where does your mum live?" The driver asked.
"Actually, could you drop us off near the market, I wanted to get some groceries before we go over."
Hermione and her kids quickly hopped out of the car when they reached. It was colder here, closer to the forest and far away from the bustling city. The sky was quickly growing darker. Hermione paid the driver, waved to him and then waited as he drove out of sight. There weren't very many people out on the streets.
"Come on guys," Hermione told her kids, making her way in the opposite direction of the market to a break in the road: a route she knew would take them to their final destination. The tension Hermione felt was palpable, even to her young sons. They followed their mother quietly, much to her relief, taking a narrow trail that led into the forest. As they slowly made their way, the route got rougher and their view of the sky was obscured by the thicket. Hermione had pulled out her wand and was holding it in front of her, straining her ears for any unusual sounds.
"Kids," she almost whispered, "Stay close to me. Remember what I told you, don't leave my side." They nodded, wide-eyed. They made their way though the trees for what seemed like forever. In reality, they had been walking for about thirty minutes. Her kids were young and Hermione knew they must be getting tired. The last of the light was gone and for all intents and purposes, it appeared to be night time now.
As they were nearing a clearing in the trees, Hermione heard shuffling. She stopped, splaying her arms in front of the boys to stop them from moving. She held her breathe and listened. For a moment it seemed like she had overreacted because all was quiet again. Then, she saw movement. Hermione's breathe hitched. Fear and panic spread through her body. What had she done? What if she was caught? How could she have been so stupid? Her sons! She grabbed the two boys and pulled them close, her wand arm still out in front of them. They waited with bated breath.
Then, she saw the shadows. "Lumos," one of them whispered and their faces were illuminated in a dull, white light. What she saw, sent a relief through Hermione's body, but she waited, weighing her options.
Turning to her sons, she gestured at them to wait in the shadows. They looked like they were about to complain, their small mouths widening in protest. But, Hermione's eyes flashed and that silenced them. After making sure the boys were completely hidden, she stepped into the light, making sure not to make any sudden movements.
Suddenly, two pairs of eyes, one hidden behind glasses, and two wands moved in her direction. She kept her own wand pointed at them.
"Hermione?" Ron whispered incredulously.