Christmas Eve
Hermione spent the next several weeks after her birthday bouncing between her classes, student help, school activities and reading the book that she had bought. Hermione had confirmed that it was, indeed a journal. She had chuckled one night, thinking she'd know what Harry would have said, "Ugh… another journal," he would have told her, "Didn't we learn enough from the last journal we came across not to trust them?"
But Hermione was intrigued by this one. Whoever this person was who wrote this particular journal, had kept intricate notes about ancient spells, magic and other wizarding techniques. What amazed Hermione the most, was that she was unable to find anything in the book anywhere in the Hogwarts Library.
On one of her many visits to the library, she had gone into the Restricted Section to see if she could discover more information. She had exhausted all of the resources in the rest of the library, and this was the only place she hadn't checked. After receiving a cocked eyebrow of curiosity in response to the request, Hermione was allowed in and began an intensive study of the books to find any mention of the spells. After three long hours and only twenty-five books later she was still no closer to finding any information.
She slammed the book closed that she had been reading and cursed loudly in frustration. This outburst of course elicited an immediate "Quiet!" from Madame Pince and Hermione sat back heavily in her chair in frustration. She gave a quick snarl of frustration and disgust as she put the book back on the shelf.
"Well that doesn't sound good," came a humor filled voice from behind her.
She jumped startled and smiled at Valdore, "Oh, you scared me."
"Sorry," he said, holding up his hands apologetically, "I have a really bad habit of not making any sound when I walk."
He entered the Restricted Section and looked around, "So what has you so consumed that you've missed dinner?"
"It's dinner time?" Hermione said in surprise, looking at her watch.
"After dinner actually," Valdore replied, studying the lettering on a book on the shelf closest to him.
Hermione leaned against the bookcase and closed her eyes with a groan. She had lost all track of time in the library and didn't even realize the time. This was of course hardly surprising to Hermione. Harry and Ron used to complain about this habit of hers when they were students as she practically lived in the library when not in classes. Ron had even gone so far as to suggest moving her bed and things in there for the convenience factor.
"I'm sorry," she said rubbing her tired eyes before she went to pack up her things, "I'm sure I can ask one of the elves to bring me something."
"I'm sure they will and certainly Dobby and Winky wouldn't let you starve," Valdore replied, still standing in the doorway, "But you still haven't answered the question about what was so engrossing?"
Hermione hesitated and wondered if she should mention it to him. It's not like she didn't trust him, but there was something about the journal that made her hesitate to answer him.
"Oh, it's nothing," she finally said, closing her bag.
"You're a lousy liar," he chuckled in reply, "But hey… I won't take offense if you don't tell me."
Before she could answer, Luna came around the corner.
"Did you find… oh there you are," she said when she saw her friend, "You missed dinner and we went to find you, she looked at Valdore, "Did you ask why she was here?"
He nodded, "I did."
Luna raised an inquiring eyebrow, "And did she answer?"
"We were just coming to that," he replied and looked at Hermione.
They both looked at her, questioning, and Hermione suddenly felt a little trapped. It was a sensation she hadn't felt in many years. Usually, she was the one confronting Harry, especially when he was being evasive like she was being now. The light went off in her head at that moment, and she understood what he felt like when she did it him. She felt a bit remorseful, agreeing that it was not a good sensation.
After a few moments of considering her options, she sighed and reached into her bag, pulling out the journal, "Luna may remember, but I bought a book several weeks ago in Hogsmeade. I was just trying to find out more information about who the author might be and some of the spells inside."
Luna and Valdore approached her and looked at the journal. Valdore took it carefully from her hands and looked at the outside cover, "It must be ancient," he whispered as his curiosity grabbed ahold of him.
Hermione nodded, "It was written in 1639."
"And you don't know who the author is?" Luna asked looking at over Valdore's shoulder.
Hermione shook her head, "I can't read the writing on the first page aside from the date. However, the author must be magical based on the information on those pages."
Valdore had been scanning the first few pages of the book and looked up at Hermione, "I don't recognize any of these spells," he looked back down, "Are they even real?"
Hermione shrugged, "They must be, but they probably haven't been spoken in hundreds of years," she replied, "And if they even do work, I wouldn't know yet as I haven't had a chance to try any of them out.""
"Probably a good idea not too," Valdore said, "There's a lot of old spells out there that can wreak havoc because they have not been used in centuries. Who knows what might happen."
Her two companions looked at the journal for a few more moments before Luna spoke, "Well I can certainly see why this would grab your attention."
Valdore nodded while she spoke, "Yes, plus the reason for coming to the Restricted Section. It's probably the best place to go to research something this old," he carefully closed the journal and handed it back to Hermione, "Do you need help?"
Hermione blinked in surprise, looking back and forth between the two. They stood there patiently waiting for her answer.
"No, it's okay. I…," she began.
"I wouldn't be offering if I didn't want to help," Valdore cut her off with Luna nodding in agreement.
"Um, sure," she said finally, "If you're willing of course."
Valdore shrugged, "Well, it's almost Christmas break and I certainly have nothing else to do now," he turned to Luna, "What about you?"
Lune looked from him back to Hermione, "I'm willing to help," she smiled at Hermione, "Daddy's away visiting his sister and I was going to stay with Hermione anyways."
Hermione smiled nodded, "Thank you"
"We can start tomorrow, and you can tell us where you left off and what's the best way to go about this," Valdore said, but held up a finger, "But first… you need supper."
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It wasn't until Christmas Eve that the three friends finally made a breakthrough. They had been doing a lot of research over the last couple of days and now with the students gone, they could concentrate entirely on their endeavor.
Hermione was sifting through another volume of ancient spells when a triumphant shout from Valdore was heard coming from a dark corner of the Restricted Section.
"Ha!" he exclaimed from a dark corner of the room, "I found one!"
He came rushing over to the center table and put an old book down as Hermione and Luna came on either side of him, looking at the page he pointed towards.
"It's just a mention," he said excitedly, "But it's something."
He reached over, and pulling the journal over closer to himself, opened to a page and pointed to it.
"Cruciamen," he said, "Now the journal states this spell casts a potent disabling spell upon the recipient," he pushed the journal aside, "This book shows it here…"
He pointed to the entry and began to read, "Cruciamen is a spell designed and intended to render the receiver disabled by the use of pain or extreme discomfort. It's one of the oldest spells utilized and created exclusively for wandless magicians or wizards."
Hermione looked at the two of them in shock, "Cruciamen… oh Merlin… could this be the original Cruciatus Curse?"
"Hold on…," Valdore's brows knitted together and he adjusted the book to shine more light on the page, "There's a faint note scribbled here in the margin…" he looked at it carefully and began to read, "Changed to crucio in 1632, but the original form mentioned here…," he paused and looked at Hermione in shock, "… is the most powerful."
Hermione looked at the journal with equal shock and surprise, then placed it on the table carefully like it would explode, "Why would someone write it in a journal?"
Luna looked at the page Valdore had opened and back to Hermione, "Perhaps whoever wrote this journal wanted to retain the original spells for posterity?"
"Or to use them," Valdore said with no mirth in his voice, "I'm beginning to wonder what this journal of yours is."
Hermione had to agree. She paced in front of them trying to think and failing.
"Wait," Luna said and leaned down closer to the book. She then grabbed the journal and placed next to the handwritten note. She spent a moment looking between the two. She then stood up and looked at Valdore, "What do you think?"
Valdore understood what Luna was asking and bent over, and like Luna, inspected both the journal and the book. He stood nodding his head slowly, "I agree. It's pretty close."
"I think it's the same handwriting," she declared looking at Hermione, "The handwriting in the margin and in the journal. I think it's the same."
Hermione stopped pacing, her stomach dropping and her heart leaping at the same time. Finally, a clue to follow, but she didn't like where it might lead. What if this journal was a diary of every evil spell invented?
She walked back around to them, "We might be able to narrow down the person who wrote it in here," she continued, "Every book in this section has always been here and never left this castle."
"So Madame Pince may have a record of who took this book out and when," Valdore finished her thought.
"It's worth a try," Luna said and immediately went to get the librarian.
In the meantime, Valdore made a note in their research book about the spell he'd found with the book title and page. Hermione sat down, and putting her head in her hands, tried to think about their next steps.
After a few moments Luna returned with Madame Pince in tow. The librarian practically pushed Valdore aside and regarded the book before her. She took out her wand and with a flick of her wrist produced a large box and set it down. She opened it and began magically sorting through the cards. After a minute a card leapt out of the box and was suspended above it.
"Ah here it is," Madame Pince said, "I have to keep the box of sign-outs for the Restricted Section hidden, but here is this book's listing."
She handed the card to Valdore, "It's quite a lengthy list," she continued, "Are you looking for anyone specifically?"
Hermione stood and walked over to look over Valdore's shoulder, "We don't know who yet."
Madame Pince pursed her lips in annoyance, "Well, then I'm not sure how much this can help you then."
Valdore was scanning the list, "Do you have any earlier records for this book? The list here seems incomplete."
Madame Pince looked at Valdore with an expression of annoyance and replied testily, "My records go back as far as the book has been in this library, Professor."
Valdore immediately picked up the witch's tone and cleared his throat knowing he'd just stepped in it, "Ah… well… that's not what I meant," he began and cleared his throat before continuing, "I just meant that we're interested in the earliest records."
He winced in embarrassment as the librarian looked at the book, "I can see when this book was listed in the records."
"That would be very much appreciated Madam Pince," Hermione said with some relief in her voice, "Thank you."
Madam Pince nodded once to Hermione, "I'll pull the file and give it to you tomorrow."
And with one more glare at Valdore, who tried to look apologetic, she turned and exited the room. Hermione, turning, saw Luna had returned to the passage in the big volume and was re-reading it. She waited patiently until her friend was done reading.
"Hermione," Luna said after a moment, "Why does this say 'utilized and created exclusively for wandless magicians or wizards' when the current form requires a wand?"
"That is odd," Valdore said with a quizzical expression, "Could it be then that the original spells were meant for more powerful wizards?"
"It's possible," Hermione said thinking, "The use of wandless magic is really rare. I've only ever seen a couple of people perform wandless magic, and that's because they were either really powerful or very skilled."
"I've seen Dumbledore do it," Valdore said, "But that's the limit of my experience. Who else have you seen?"
"McGonagall, Harry, Voldemort, Alastor Moody," Hermione said immediately.
"And you," Luna said with a small smile at her friend.
Valdore's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, "Really?" he said, very impressed.
Hermione tried to shake it off as not a big deal, "Only a couple of spells."
"Well regardless, that still doesn't rule out my theory," Valdore countered, "After all not all of us are as powerful a witch or wizard as you or say McGonagall are."
"However, I wouldn't call myself a powerful witch," Hermione said again trying to downplay the skill, "I'm not nearly on the same level as McGonagall and nobody was in the same league as Harry, except maybe Dumbledore."
"Maybe," Luna replied, "But you and I know that out of the three of us here, you've had far more practical experience with using magic to date than most ever use in their lifetimes."
Hermione shrugged at the comment trying to lessen the importance. However, Hermione couldn't deny the truth of what Luna said. She has learned and used more magic between the age of 11 and 17 than most wizards use in their lifetimes. And not just the simple spells like lumos or wingardium leviosa, but more powerful and complex spells as well. However, her ability not use her wand was not as strong as it was when she was younger. Like with many things, if you don't use something routinely then it gets lost. However, she still could do it if she concentrated and tried hard enough.
"Well being a part of Harry Potter's life has its advantages I suppose," she replied with no real humor in her voice.
Valdore looked at her and saw the shadow fall across her face, as did Luna.
"Well," he cleared his throat and returned to his study of the book, "There's nothing more for us here until Madam Pince returns with the information on the book."
Hermione sat down with a heavy sigh and regarded her two companions. Valdore and Luna were again looking at the book and the journal, debating the possibilities of the author of the journal. She smiled inside at the thought of the two of them together, heads almost touching and working with one another in ease.
"Maybe Luna does like him after all," she thought to herself, "It's certainly been enough time since Ron's death for her to heal and move on."
She stopped her thought process when the clocks chime softly sounded from the next room. She glanced outside and saw the day had turned into evening and a sudden panic came upon her. She had almost forgotten! She'd never forgive herself if she had. She'd been so wrapped up in her researching, which was not an excuse she knew, but still! She was cursing at herself as she quickly stood and packed up her things.
"I have to go for a while, but I'll be back tonight," she said putting her bag on her shoulder and raced out the door shouting from the other room, "Don't wait up for me to eat!"
Luna and Valdore watched the brown-haired blur race pass them, and before they could reply to her, she was gone.
Valdore looked down into Luna's face, "You know… I am suddenly hungry. Dinner?"
Luna nodded with a bright smile and the two cleaned up the room and left the library.
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A half hour later she walked through a long hallway towards her destination almost automatically. She had walked this path so many times before she knew every step like it was the back of her hand.
Everyone knew her and she knew them. They didn't even need to ask why she was here anymore, but each greeted her warmly. She smiled at each of them in turn as she unconsciously proceeded to her destination, not really taking in her surroundings. Along the way she passed by many rooms and heard voices speaking, some in comfort and joy, others in pain and despair. She stopped at the top of the fourth floor, opened a magically locked door, and entered a long, brightly lit hallway. The hallway was decorated with Christmas decorations as the workers on this floor were trying to be a cheerful as possible. Well cheerful as possible as they could in this place... and a sad place this was. Her footsteps echoed as she walked passed rooms with names on their doors that will be forever engraved on the room's signs…
Lockhart…
Bode…
Longbottom…
She didn't look into any of the rooms as she passed them, and soon stopped in front of the closed door to the last room, taking a deep breath to gather herself. She opened the door and entered the all too familiar room. She knew every inch of the simply adorned square room from her many hours and days spent here. The white walls were bare and the window curtains had been drawn for the night. The presence of freshly picked flowers was the only signal that someone else was there.
Hermione smiled at the older witch with reddish hair. Molly Weasley also smiled at Hermione's entrance and quickly rose to give her a hug in greeting.
"Hello my dear," Molly said and pulled away from her usual bone-crunching hug, "You look well."
"I am," Hermione replied and looked at the other still occupant in the room, "How is he today?"
The older witch looked down at the man in the bed and smiled sadly, "No change I'm afraid," she sighed and looked back at her trying to have an encouraging tone in her voice, "But we're still hoping for the best."
Knowing that Hermione wanted to be left alone, Molly gave the young woman a comforting squeeze on the arm, "I best be going, my dear. I left Arthur and the twins in charge of cooking dinner and getting ready for tomorrow. They've probably burnt half the Burrow down by now."
Hermione let out a quiet chuckle and then Molly asked, "We're still seeing you tomorrow night, right?"
Hermione smiled and nodded, "Of course!"
"Excellent!" the older witch smiled happy to know Hermione would be there, "I know everyone is excited to see you and keen to hear how things are going with your teaching. Oh and don't forget to bring Luna."
"I won't. She's excited to come," Hermione said and after a moment's pause she continued, "Thank you for looking in on him."
Mrs. Weasley looked back at the man in the bed and her eyes teared up, "I'm only happy to, my dear," she whispered and looked back at the young woman she was so proud to call a daughter. She reached out and held Hermione's hands, "He's family, just as you are."
Hermione smiled at Molly and gave the witch's hands a squeeze as she nodded her thanks. Molly quickly wiped a tear away and grabbing her things left the room. Hermione, still looking at the man in the bed, heard the door close behind her. She walked around the bed and took off her cloak, laying it on the back of the chair and sat down next to the bed. She looked at him for several minutes, studying his face for the millionth time before she reached out and held his hand. She gave it a squeeze, knowing it would never be squeezed in returned, as a tear fell from her cheek and she tried to hold back the sorrow that she held.
She gathered her emotions, kissed the back of his hand softly and then with her face full of love, smiled at him, "Happy Christmas Harry."
