A/N: Babajide Akingbade is the name of the current Supreme Mugwump of the ICW per the Harry Potter Fandom page.
I'm excited about the feedback the prologue has been getting.
So, I decided to write chapter one...
Looking forward to hearing more from you.
For those readers who never read a work of mine before, I recommend you try out my completed works.
Blind No More and Seducing Hermione will cater to those who prefer comedy stories.
Incomplete has a lot of drama like this story. Although My Cheating Heart is guaranteed to even be more dramatic than the other.
As always, I appreciate your faves, follows, and reviews.
My Cheating Heart
By: tweety-src-clt9
Chapter One: The Chief Saves The Day
"Chief?", the deputy of the ICW Medical Research Department, Abimbola Omenuko entered her office.
"Good morning, Abim. What can I do for you?", Hermione greeted with a smile.
"Chief, remember the epidemic in Britain? It has worsened. There are now fifteen young witches and wizards with the unknown disease. The Supreme Mugwump has asked me and you to attend an emergency meeting. I just got the notice five minutes ago. The meeting is about to start in ten minutes", the forty-three-year-old African man informed her. Abimbola Omenuko was expected to be the new chief of the medical research department but Abim has always made it known that he does not possess the resolve to be a leader. So, he made a promise to be a very supportive deputy to whoever will be elected since he's always seen himself in a supportive role. Hermione is very grateful for Abim's support and experience. The man has always been very kind and willing to share his expertise in diseases from magical creatures and rare potions. While her expertise lies in the Dark Arts, vile curses, hexes, and surgery, Abim's expertise complements her talents; and together, they make an excellent team.
"Accio emergency kit! Lead the way to Mr. Akingbade's office, Abim", she stated as soon as her emergency kit floated into her hands. Together, they sprinted towards the office of the Supreme Mugwump, Babajide Akingbade.
"Good morning, Mr. Akingbade!", Hermione and Abim chorused as they panted upon entering the large office.
"I wish it were a good morning, Granger, Omenuko. Have a seat", the Supreme Mugwump gestured. Since Hermione's eyes were focused on the Supreme Mugwump, she did not notice the two gentlemen sitting around the large oval desk. As she took a seat beside her deputy, she gasped.
"Mr. Akingbade, before we have this meeting, would you mind if I conduct a test on the gentleman beside Lord Potter, please?", her voice was filled with worry.
"Of course, Ms. Granger. But for you to do that, I would have to ask, why?", Mr. Akingbade asked.
"Bulging eyes, red pigments on the face, and excessive dandruff. I have a feeling that Lord Potter's company has been cursed with the Akil allahm", she explained. Seeing the look on her face, Abim immediately grabbed her emergency kit and nodded.
"Sir, what's your name? Have you been hit by a golden curse that shined bright once but after that you felt nothing was wrong? And then after twenty-four hours, you were starting to get itchy and the red pigments appeared?", she ran to the gentleman beside Harry and asked a series of questions.
"How did you know that? Oh! And my name is Karl Richards, I'm one of the aurors working under Head Auror Potter", the man explained.
"When were you cursed?", she demanded as her wand was busy pointing at the man and conducting diagnostic tests.
"Seven days ago. I only took potions for the itchiness but they don't work. I never visited a healer since it was just an itch", Auror Richards shrugged.
"Shit! Where were you hit?", she asked calmly but she hoped for the best. The Akil allahm was a vile deadly curse. The only way to survive it is to have the flesh-eating parasite removed at once. If he was cursed near the stomach, chest, or on the head, it could be too late for this man.
"I got hit on the left leg, ma'am", the man was now scared since her face was contorted with worry.
"Take your pants off and lie on the desk. Now!", she yelled. The man was aghast but hurriedly complied.
"Underwear off too. We're not sure how far along the curse has spread", she gave the blushing man a pointed look. The man blushed but complied. Abim immediately conjured a blanket and placed it over the man's crotch to preserve his modesty.
"Mr. Akingbade, we have to conduct the operation right here and right now. Because if we don't, any moment we waste will prove to be too late. This curse will be fatal for this man. It is a wonder that he is still alive despite having this curse for seven days in his body. Granted that he was hit on the leg and there are no vital organs there, but if the flesh-eating parasites spread to his groin or worse, his stomach, he can die a most painful death", she explained.
"What does this curse do?", Harry Potter finally snapped out of it and asked. She saw him leave his seat as he stood beside the confused Supreme Mugwump.
"It's an ancient Egyptian curse used by a syndicate that's been smuggling goods all over Europe. I read about it years ago and have operated on five ICW special agents who became victims of the akil allahm, most likely from the same syndicate group that cursed your comrade", she explained as she transfigured her clothes into a smock. Abim did the same. Since surgeries were her expertise, Abim would assume the support function.
"Mr. Akingbade do you know your blood type?", she addressed the leader of the ICW.
"I'm a type O, Ms. Granger", the man replied.
"Damn it! Richards is an AB. He will be needing blood as soon as I remove the parasite out. I'm the only AB in the room. Abim, you know what to do. As soon as I take the parasite out, make a cut on my left ankle and via the blood transfusion tube, ingest as much as you can on Richards and then dose him with blood replenishing potions. Is that understood?", she addressed her very ready and capable deputy.
"Yes, chief!"
"Pepper-up potions, please", she told Abim and the man handed her the potion which was taken from her emergency kit. She opened the vial and drank the potion. If she was going to successfully operate on this man, and donate some of her blood to him, then she surely could use an energy boost.
"Cast a mild stupefy on him, Abim. Afterward, open his mouth and have him drink pain-relieving and numbing potions. You've helped me with this sort of operation twice, and you know it's going to hurt the patient. Mr. Akingbade, Lord Potter, this is not a sight you will enjoy. It can be a very gruesome operation. So, I suggest you leave if you can't take the blood", she addressed everyone in a formal tone.
"I am curious to see this for myself, Granger. I've heard of your talent and this is my chance", Mr. Akingbade gave her a reassuring smile and she nodded.
"Richards is my teammate. I will not abandon a comrade", Harry looked into her eyes and she just nodded.
"Abim, now", she focused all her attention on the patient as her deputy stunned the half-naked man. She gently forced the man's mouth to open while her deputy slowly poured two potions that will help for the operation. After closing the man's mouth, she moved towards the man's left leg. She muttered a diagnostic spell and found the area of infection. She exhaled with a sigh of relief when she discovered that the flesh-eating parasite didn't penetrate the man's groin yet.
"I have identified the spot where the parasite has been feeding on. Abim, please conjure restraints on the patient's upper torso and one for his right leg. The parasite is now at ten centimeters and is steadily moving towards the groin area. We have to take it out as soon as we can. Please bring the scalpels out", she ordered. She conjured surgical gloves for her self and Abim followed. When she gave a firm nod, Abim handed her the scalpel after the restraints were in place.
She made an incision on the area of infection and the patient started to writhe in pain. As the cut got deeper, she could now see the fat black worm-like parasite brought about by the dark curse. Since the parasite has been in the body for a week, a lot of blood and flesh has already been consumed. She petrified the parasite and scooped it from the leg it was munching on. She conjured a metal bowl and placed the nasty worm on it. She cast healing spells on the wound to close the incision she made. Abim handed her some murtlap and dittany to help expedite the formation of new skin on the fresh wound.
"I'll diagnose the northern parts of the leg to check if the parasite has not done some damage there. Once it's clear, I'll Avada the parasite since there's no other way to kill it. When that's done, I want you to make an incision on my ankle and start the blood transfusion. We need one bag of blood to save the patient. Is that clear, Abim?", she instructed.
"Clear, Chief!"
Hermione lifted the blanket that covered the patient's modesty and cast some diagnostic spells on the area surrounding his crotch. Seeing that the parasite did not do any damage there yet, she covered the man again. She nodded to her deputy and the man immediately summoned the tube and other paraphernalia for the emergency blood transfusion.
Hermione took a deep breath and focused her magic. She looked at the petrified parasite with a look of disgust before she yelled, "Avada Kedavra!" There was a flash of green light and the parasite died. She vanished the remains of the parasite as well as the conjured bowl.
"Now, Abim!", she took a seat beside the patient's prone body and lifted one of her legs on the desk. Abim moved toward her and made a deep incision on her left ankle. She winced in pain but held it in. She must save this man's life! Abim inserted the tube into the incision and her blood flowed up the tube. The right wrist of the patient was cut and the other end of the tube was inserted. Her blood started to flow into Richards' body.
"Five ML, Ten ML, Twenty ML, Fifty ML", Abim was keeping track of the blood ingested. They needed to transfer 450 milliliters of blood to expedite the patient's recovery.
When the transfusion neared its end, Hermione felt herself start to get dizzy. The last thing she heard was someone screaming her name before she lost all consciousness.
Harry Potter was pacing back and forth outside a private office in the ICW's medical research department. He was outraged, amazed, and in shock of the events that he just saw. He arrived in Switzerland, with Auror Richards, as representatives of the British Ministry of Magic who is requesting for clemency. The healers in Britain recently informed the Minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, that there were now fifteen young victims of the epidemic that has spread all over Britain. Furthermore, they are at a loss on how to save the children's lives. So, he was asked to appeal to the ICW, and he brought Richards along even if the man was not feeling well. Given that this mission was just meeting the Supreme Mugwump, he just shook his head and accepted the dedicated young auror's participation. He could relate to Richards' enthusiasm for work since he was also like that when he was still starting his career as a junior auror.
When Hermione and her deputy came into the Office of the Supreme Mugwump, he was surprised to see how much she has changed. Sure, she was still bushy-haired but her curly brown locks gracefully fell behind her shoulders. She didn't grow, still at her petite height of five foot four, but the curves of her body were now more pronounced with age. The thing that changed the most, is the way her face now showed confidence and determination. Something that was never there when she was still his young, penitent, and meek wife. She entered the office and didn't even notice him, which was very astounding. He seemed to recall that he was always the center of her world. Hermione Jean Granger always noticed Harry James Potter for as long as he could remember.
Things immediately went downhill as soon as Hermione realized their presence in the room. She had a shocked look on her face which she hurriedly covered and then she started interrogating Richards about her suspicions on the curse. Merlin! If only I wasn't worried for the sake of my comrade, I would admit that it was such a big turn on to see Hermione take charge of a situation...
He was amazed at the raw power and brilliance that Hermione displayed during the emergency operation. It was very clear that she really did deserve her position and she commanded the much older healer very effectively. He went pale as he recalled the way she was used to seeing much blood around her. And then he nearly interrupted the operation when she cast the killing curse on that disgusting worm-like creature she removed from Richards' leg. My god! Who knew seeing someone cast the killing curse could look so hot? Voldemort would have orgasmed in his pants if he saw the way she displayed her raw power and slain the parasite.
The thing that scared him the most was when she ordered her deputy to perform the blood transfusion to save their patient. As soon as the cut on her ankle was made and the tube started to extract her blood, it scared him that she seemed to not care that she was in pain. She only cared about saving her patient's life as she controlled the pain she was feeling as she focused on her deputy's counting. Before the transfusion ended, she collapsed. He went ape shit crazy as he ran to her, but the deputy stopped him. As soon as the transfusion ended, the African man removed the tube from Richards and healed the wrist wound. He then did the same to Hermione's ankle. While still unconscious, the male healer gently opened Hermione's mouth and gave her blood replenishing potions. Afterward, he finally got the order that he should take Hermione to her private office in the medical research department.
The deputy informed them that he would take Richards to a private room so the patient could rest. Harry carefully cradled Hermione in his arms and carried her to her private office. The Supreme Mugwump showed him the way to her office which turned out to be at the opposite end of the ICW Headquarters. He remembered the brief conversation he had with the leader of the ICW as they walked the halls...
"Lord Potter, how soon do your healers need the support from the Medical Research Department?", Mr. Akingbade asked.
"We need help as soon as possible, sir. Fifteen victims have been brought to the high-security wing of St. Mungo's and there is still no lead on how to cure those poor children", he answered.
"I'll ask Ms. Granger and Mr. Omenuko to form a team that could be dispatched to Britain in around forty-eight hours. Seeing them work together today is amazing! Ms. Granger deserves her new position", the man glanced at the woman he was cradling in his arms with a big smile.
"Indeed, sir! I have never seen her act like that and that's saying something, considering the problems we encountered together", he looked at the unconscious woman he was carrying and could not believe that she was able to pull through that stunt awhile ago.
"Ah, yes! I heard rumors that she was the ace in your sleeve behind the whole Voldemort operation", the older man chuckled.
"That is true, sir. I could not have done it without her. The most I did was to end Voldemort. Everything else, the planning, the research, and looking for clues, it was all her", he had a fond smile on his face.
"Well if that is the case, then I wonder how your marriage could have ended Lord Potter? Forgive me for saying so", the man shrugged.
"It seems so hazy now, sir. We were young. She made mistakes. I made my own. Our child died and she handed me the divorce papers", he admitted.
"So, what was written in that article for The Wizard Times is all true then? She, for the lack of a better word, tricked you into marrying her?", the man was shocked.
"In a way, what she said was all true, sir. However, she made it look like I was the victim and she was the villain. In truth, I do believe she suffered in the marriage more than I ever did. She just doesn't want people to think ill of me so she made it seem like I was the aggrieved party", he said sadly.
"I don't know what happened to you and Ms. Granger here, Lord Potter. But if I may be so bold? I believe that you still have feelings for her", the Supreme Mugwump said knowingly.
"I'm not going to lie, sir. I am not even sure of how I feel. Maybe it's guilt or shame for what I did to her. Or maybe I just miss my best friend. I don't know", he sighed.
"Oh, here we are!", the man said as they arrived in front of an office that says 'Chief of Medical Research'.
"I'll just get her settled on that bed over there, sir", he gestured to a single hospital bed that was slightly exposed since the curtain covering was only closed halfway. When the Supreme Mugwump nodded, he gently placed Hermione on the bed and closed the curtains. They both left her office together.
"If you want her back, Lord Potter, I cannot blame you. But if you do, please don't take my chief away from the ICW. The world needs her", Mr. Babajide Akingbade left him in the standing in the hallway with a thoughtful look on his face...
His musings were interrupted when he heard noise coming from Hermione's office. Since he was worried about her, he immediately entered the room without knocking.
"Get out! Out!", she yelled angrily as she covered her bra-clad chest by placing the bloody smock over it.
"Sorry! I didn't know you were changing", he muttered as he looked away.
"Get out! I'll call you back in when I'm decent", she yelled.
"Fine!", he obeyed and walked to the door. Before leaving the room he playfully added, "I don't know why you're so shy. It's not like I haven't seen them before". He quickly dodged a book that she threw at him in anger. He laughed as he closed the door. Chief Medical Researcher or not, Lady Potter still has the same horrible temper. Some things just don't ever change…
A/N: Abimbola Omenuko is a character I just made up.