Chapter 8 Operation Loney One

And now the MC starts earning that description of machiavellian. Enjoy.

I twirled one of the wands from the ROR in my hand. I had sat in the same spot on a park bench for what seemed like hours. The smell of fresh cut grass was everywhere. I could hear dogs barking in the background. All in all a peaceful day.

"Huh. Where am I? Who ar…."

"Confundo"

Where are they? They are usually here by now.

That's when I spotted them. It was a man and a woman with their daughter. Just some parents taking their child out for a day at the park. Nothing out of the ordinary except one thing. The daughter was a witch.

"Confundo" I cast again but this time I used visualization and intent to make him think attacking the girl made sense.

It wasn't hard as this was Nathaniel Ericson, her grade school bully. I had Bernard keep an eye out on her to find just such a person for this, as it would be easier. Easier still since he was muggle.

Confundus had effects that could be very similar to the Imperius curse, but you know less one way life sentence inducing. The difference is you couldn't make someone under Confundus go against their base desires. Like I couldn't make Nataniel here kill himself or his family, probably not even the girl as it goes against him fundamentally.

Getting him to do this though, well it was in his nature anyway.

When the parents left to talk to the other parents was when he struck.

"If it isn't they know it all bookworm."

"Please leave me alone Nathaniel." She said, turning away from him.

"What is little miss perfect too good for me?" He said picking up sand from the nearby sandbox and slinging it at her.

It hit her in the face and caused her to drop the book she had been reading.

He picked it up and opened it before she could retrieve. He then smirked and ripped a chunk of pages from it.

"No please don't. It's the libraries."

"Even better little miss perfect will get in trouble." He said laughing hysterically.

That's when I grabbed his wrist. I had been steadily "Sneaking" up on him which would have been impossible had Nathaniel not been confounded. The girl kept giving me away as she was looking back and forth between him and me. Anyone else would have instinctively looked where she was looking.

"That's enough. Give me the book." I said looking angry.

"Or what?" He said shaking but trying to sound tough.

"Or I'll put my foot up your ass." I said smiling. I was a good half a foot taller than him as I was older by 3 years.

He shuttered, gave me the book, then turned around and left but not before leaving a comment.

"I'll see you later, bookworm." He was smirking as he left.

I looked back to see a crying girl trying to wipe the sand out of her eyes.

"You ok?"

"I think so. Just have sand in my eyes is all." She said using the corner of her eyes with her shirt.

I helped her to her feet.

"Oh thank you, for you know…." She said stammering and blushing as she now saw how handsome her savior was.

"Your welcome. I'm Cedric by the way."

"Oh my manners. I'm Hermoine."

"Hermoine? Isn't that from Shakespear?"

"Yes. You've read Winter's Tale?" She said surprised

"Yep." I said dusting off the book "Well Hermoine, I believe this is your's." I handed her the book.

She took it and immediately opened to see what kind of damage the bully

had done.

"Wait, he tore out pages. I know I saw him tear out pages…."

She looked at me and I grinned.

"Magic"

She just stared, then huffed. "I must have imagined it."

"Anyway it was nice to meet you Hermoine but I gotta get going."

"Wait! You're leaving just like that? We just met. How about we play together?" She said shyly

"I'm sorry but I have other beautiful damsels to rescue. I'm sure fate will deem us meet again milady." I said kissing her knuckles.

I have never seen such a shade of red on a face.

"Hermoine is everything alright?" Her father asked, having apparently finally shrugged off the confundus that made him ignore his daughter, you know getting bullied.

"Yea dad just got some sand in my eyes. Meet my new friend Cedric I just met him." She said smiling

"Hello Cedric. I'm Dan and that's my wife Emma over there." He frowned as he looked at Emma. She was looking back and forth as if confused as to where to look. "We are Hermione's parents."

"Nice to meet you Sir but like I was just telling your daughter, unfortunately I have to go. It was nice to meet you both." I said waving goodbye as I turned to leave.

I heard a "What a polite young man" and a feminine umph as I left.

Phase One of Lonely One Complete