A/N: Short chapter, I know, but we're about to get into some action and it was either make the next chapter outrageously long or split it up and ending here made the most sense. But hey! Just hit the 100,000 word mark whooooo! And we're like, not even halfway done! Jesus Christ, this is going to take me forever to finish. As always, thank you for reading and thank you especially for reviewing. Every time I read a review it really makes me unimaginably happy.
oOo
"Fabian and Gideon are here," Sirius announced when the trio had made their way downstairs, "I can feel them requesting access through the wards."
Interesting bit of magic, that.
"Excellent," McGonagall's green floating head spoke from the fireplace, "I'll begin when you're all here."
A moment later the front door creaked open, "Honey, we're home!" Hermione wasn't completely sure whose voice that was, but based on her few experiences with the Prewett twins, she assumed it was Fabian.
The witch scowled at the memories of her last encounter with that particular twin. She wasn't sure she trusted him and she had little doubt that he didn't trust her.
I mean, honestly, that's probably a mark of good sense, I'd have reservations about trusting me as well all things considered.
The twins entered the front room and Hermione noted the small smile Gideon hesitantly flashed at Remus. Instinctively the witch moved closer to her friend, linking arms with him. During their rousing game of truth or truth the night before, Remus hadn't admitted why things had ended poorly with him and Gideon, but Hermione didn't need those details; knowing Gideon had hurt Remus was enough.
Stay away from my werewolf, you ginger bastard.
Gideon looked down, smile gone, and moved to stand beside his brother. The five of them made a half moon around the fireplace; Hermione in the middle, Remus and Sirius to one side of her and Fabian then Gideon on the other.
"Right, well," Fabian clapped his hands together, "what's this all about then?"
"Thank you for coming over on such short notice," McGonagall began,"I didn't want to waste time repeating myself. I've received information that indicates the item Gideon and Fabian have been tracking is being moved from the manor tonight."
The twins exchanged glances.
"Classic stake-out then, eh?" Fabian nodded, "We're on it. Gideon and I will-"
"Yes, you will be on it," Minerva's green head nodded in the flames, "all four of you."
"Four?" Gideon asked slowly, holding up as many fingers.
"Minerva," Fabian frowned, "Gideon and I can handle this."
"My decision has nothing to do with my confidence in your capabilities, gentlemen, rest assured I am very much aware of how suited for the task you are, but this is simply too important an opportunity to send just the two of you."
"Wait," Sirius cut in, looking around the green firelit faces, "Minerva, there's five of us."
"Astute observation, Mister Black," McGonagall agreed, "you won't be going."
"Thank the gods for small miracles," Fabian muttered to himself so low Hermione barely heard him.
"What! Minerva, you can't be serious?" Sirius almost growled, "If it's so important why just send the four of them? Why not me as well?"
"I'm sorry, Sirius," McGonagall apologized, "but you are working tonight and you cannot be spared from your Auror duties. Especially with Gideon and Fabian on an Order mission, Kingsley will need you."
"But, Minerva, I-"
"I'm sorry, Sirius, but this is not up for debate," McGonagall's tone brokered no further argument. The wizard balled his fists and Hermione could tell he was struggling to keep himself in check.
The younger witch frowned, but she trusted McGonagall, if Sirius was needed elsewhere then he was needed elsewhere.
"So Sirius you will go to work as normal," McGonagall continued, "and the rest of you will be watching the manor. The information I obtained-"
From who? Hermione wondered, the imagine of a dour and hook nosed wizard crossing her mind.
"- stated that it is to be either Corban Yaxley or Antonin Dolohov who comes to retrieve the item."
Hermione's torso burned at the sound of that name.
Dolohov.
The witch tightened her grip on Remus's arm and the werewolf looked down at her, confused. Hermione shook her head.
"Nothing," she mouthed, attempting to turn her attention back to McGonagall.
Calm down, Granger, this Dolohov hasn't maimed you or killed Remus. Hermione bit down on the inside of her cheek. But he's done other things deserving of a trip to Azkaban no doubt.
Hermione could hear the sound of her feet slamming against the polished Ministry floor. The feel of the silencio slip past her fingers and through her wand. The searing pain of Dolohov's unnamed curse as it tore through her.
Hermione could see Professor Lupin's body on the broken ground of Hogwarts- pale and unmoving. The father Teddy would never know. The friend they all had lost.
I'm going to end you, Antonin Dolohov.
"That's why I need the four of you to intercept them after they've left Malfoy Manor," McGonagall's voice snapped Hermione back to the present, "If we don't get the item tonight, rumor is they'll be taking it out of the country. You must retrieve that book."
The five of them nodded.
"We're on it, Minerva," Fabian confirmed, all traces of his usual convivial lilt gone.
Once McGonagall ended the call, a silence descended upon the four wizards and witch. Hermione felt Remus shift uncomfortably beside her.
"Well," he said stiffly, "seeing as this is not my area of expertise, would one of the aurors in the room tell me exactly what the plan is?"
Gideon glanced down at his watch, "Sunset's not for awhile, I doubt they'll make any moves before then."
"Yes," Hermione agreed, "they do prefer the cover of darkness."
"I can't bloody believe I'm not going with you," Sirius grumbled, arms folded stubbornly across his chest.
"What time did you say it was, Gideon?" Hermione asked before Sirius had a chance to complain further
"About half past noon," Gideon responded.
"Right, what time should we reconvene then? Seven? I'm still in my pajamas and we've got to prepare." Hermione motioned to her and Remus.
The twins nodded, "That should give us plenty of time to get there and settle in before they make any moves." Gideon acknowledged.
The Prewetts agreed to return to Grimmauld Place later that evening, after which the four of them would apparate to Wiltshire, before traveling on foot to the edge of the Malfoy wards. Remus and Hermione spent the remainder of their day mostly in silent preparation, while Sirius mostly whinged. When the twins returned that evening, Hermione had her backpack slung across one shoulder and her wand in a holster around her thigh.
"The bag necessary?" Fabian inquired, shaking floo dust off his black denim jacket. "We're not planning on camping out."
"Always necessary," Hermione replied.
Sirius sighed with disgust, "I'll be off to put my robes on then," he turned to leave but then suddenly grabbed Remus's shoulder. "Don't go until I'm done, I'll be down in a moment."
Remus and Hermione nodded.
"We'll wait," the witch replied. Sirius gave a tight smile and quickly hurried to the stairs.
"Don't take your bloody time, Black!" Fabian called after him.
"Fuck you, Prewett!" Sirius yelled, already halfway up the stairs.
With Sirius gone for the moment, the remaining four Order members shifted about, a stiff silence between them.
This is going to be a long night.
"Well, if I'm remembering correctly, Malfoy Manor is visible to the magical eye, but expertly warded," Hermione commented and then turned to the twins, "have either of you been close enough to establish a safe spying distance or are we starting from scratch?"
The most peculiar expression crossed Fabian's face and briefly Hermione wondered if she'd let too much of her own knowledge slip, explaining how she'd been close enough to Malfoy Manor to know about the wards would be difficult. But with equal speed, Fabian's features morphed back to what Hermione suspected was an amiable mask.
How much of you is just a front, Fabian?
"We've been there before," Fabian confirmed with a shrug, "we've had to watch the manor a few times. Actually," the red haired wizard looked at Gideon and then back at Hermione, "it'll probably be best if we split up when we get there. Two in the front and two in the back."
Hermione nodded, "Makes sense. You and Gideon pick which side you want and Remus and I'll take the other."
"I think, Gideon and I should split up."
What are you playing at Prewett? Hermione narrowed her eyes, "Why? You two are partners, right? You'll work best together."
"The two of us," Fabian motioned between himself and his brother, "have done this many times before, it makes more sense for us, the aurors that we are, to partner up with the novices."
Novices? Hermione snorted, "Don't worry your pretty little head, Fabian, I can handle myself- Remus and I'll be just fine."
"Even if that's so, Gideon and I are trained aurors and you two are not," Fabian pointed out. "Hunting dark wizards isn't a skill you're born with, it's learned."
Really? Tell that to my obnoxiously stubborn best friend.
Hermione bit back the caustic response that danced right at the edge of her tongue. It would do no good to inform Fabian that she was, in fact, an extremely well trained auror that had already survived this war once before. As far as the twins knew, Hermione was a well-informed and talented witch, but not one of the top aurors in her department.
Their department. Well, eventually their department.
Hermione clenched her jaw, but didn't argue, "Fine, it'll probably do well for Remus and I to be paired with one of you seeing as you also know where the Malfoy wards end," Hermione turned to the quieter twin, "Gideon, should you and I take the back or front?"
Gideon opened his mouth to speak, but his brother beat him to it.
"You'll be with me, Granger. Remus and Gideon can take the back, we'll take the front."
"What?" Remus and Gideon exclaimed.
"No, I'll go with Hermione," Gideon insisted, placing a hand on his twin's shoulder.
"Yes," Remus growled his agreement, "I think that's best."
Fabian shook his head and the brothers exchanged looks that gave Hermione the impression they were somehow talking without talking. Fred and George used to do the same thing.
"Hermione'll come with me," Fabian finally said and after another long look, Gideon nodded.
"No, you don't get to make a unilateral decision," Hermione said, "McGonagall didn't put you in charge."
"What's wrong, Granger?" Fabian smiled, taking a step towards the witch, "Don't you want to spend an evening with me? Many witches would." The wizard wiggled his ginger eyebrows.
"Oh for Circe's sake," Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'm sure any witch would be lucky to be paired with you," she drawled.
"Good, then it's decided," Fabian said, rubbing his hands together happily.
Hermione sneered, "No, it's not-"
Remus placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder, "It's fine, no use in arguing about it," he said dryly.
Hermione frowned, searching her friend's face. "Alright," she said after a moment, "fine, Fabian and I will take the front."
Just then Sirius came stampeding back down the stairs, clad in his maroon auror robes.
"Prewetts, in the hallway," he snapped, "I need a moment with my friends."
Fabian snorted but he and Gideon headed to the hallway all the same, "We leave in five minutes, be quick."
"Yea yea, be gone," Sirius waved them off and then turned to Hermione and Remus. He put a hand on each of their shoulders and pulled them into a small circle. "Be so safe tonight," he almost whispered, "don't do anything I would do."
"Ha!" Remus scoffed, "Don't worry, Pads, that's basically how I live my entire life."
"Hilarious," Sirius deadpanned. "But I'm being serious, you two have got to have each other's backs, I mean, I know you will. But really, you have to stay safe."
Hermione looked at Remus, but the werewolf gave the barest shake of his head.
He's right, best Sirius not know how we've been partnered up, he and the twins don't seem to get along. Especially Fabian.
"If-if anything happens to either of you, I will come immediately," Sirius tightened his grip for a moment and then released them. "Also, be careful with those two prats- I mean, Prewetts of course."
"We heard that, Black!" Fabian called from the hallway. "Are you two ready?"
"Yes, yes we're ready," Hermione answered, grabbing Remus's hand and squeezing it reassuringly, "We've already beaten a hydra," she said quietly to him, "what's a few death eaters, hmm?"