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Chapter 24: A Little Shopping
After spending more than an hour hashing out details on the containment charms, and taking a few tries with Bill there to correct them if they did it wrong, Hermione felt confident they were ready to take on the Horcrux. She and Ron would work together to cast and hold up the containment shield as their combined effort would make the shield stronger and less likely to waver.
Over the past few days Harry had been practicing the spell needed to denature the locket, so now they only had to decide where to do it. Several locations had been considered and rejected from the Forbidden Forest near school grounds, to the Weasley paddock, to Stone Henge. It had to be somewhere they wouldn't be happened upon accidentally, it needed to be large enough to contain any possible backlash and . . . The list of requirements was so long the three of them hadn't been able to agree on a single location.
After Flooing back to Mrs. Figg's fireplace, the three of them headed back to the tent. "So now we just need to figure out where," Ron said.
"Any new ideas?" Hermione asked, mentally thumbing through the possibilities again.
"Maybe." Harry ran a hand through his unruly hair, but said nothing more.
Hermione eyed him up and down, waited for him to speak, then grew irritated when they reached the tent and he still hadn't said anything. "Where is it?"
"I'm not sure. I mean, I haven't seen it, so I don't know if it will fit the bill or not, but I guess it's mine, so we could do as we pleased if it fits the criteria." He muttered under his breath, moving around the living room, running his fingers over the binding of the scrap book of his parents' pictures that Hagrid put together for Harry during his first year at Hogwarts. "It might not work at all—it depends."
"What is it?" Ron asked with a huff of irritation.
"We were going to go there anyway. It'll just be a matter of moving the time up a bit, and not all that much either. If not, we can always look at other places."
Though he was still speaking to himself, muttering in a barely understandable volume, Hermione thought she knew what he had in mind and appreciated the poetic justice. But as they had no idea what the place looked like, it would be best to take a look around before making any firm decisions. "Do you know where it is, what the boundaries are, or should we ask Remus to take us out?"
"Better get Remus to take us for a quick jaunt. Just a friendly visit, mind—to get some closure, take a look around. If we're going to do it there, we'll want to go back alone." Harry sat in an overstuffed chair and ran a finger over his scar. "And it might not be suitable at all. We'll have to see."
Ron looked back and forth between them as if waiting for one of them to clue him in. "Did I miss something? Where are you talking about?"
"Godric's Hollow." Harry stood and walked over to the ice box, pulled out a bottle of butterbeer and returned to his seat. "I guess we'll need to write to Remus and see if he's available."
"The full moon is past, so we should be able to get him to take us fairly soon." Hermione grabbed her own bottle of butterbeer and one for Ron, tossing it to him.
"The sooner the better, I say. It gives me the screaming abdabs just knowing Harry's carrying a bit of that ruddy git's soul in his pocket." Ron twisted off the cap and took a long draw from the bottle.
"Tell me about it." Harry sat up when Hermione brought him a parchment and quill to write to Remus with.
"Then get to it."
* * *
It was the next morning before they received a written response from Remus. He didn't have time to spare before Bill and Fleur's wedding, but promised to take them out the day after. He set the time for one in the afternoon, and Harry was quick to write back that it would work great for them, even though all three would rather get it over before then.
"Well, since we won't be heading out there today, how about a trip to Diagon Alley? I have a few things I need to pick up." Hermione's suggestion was met with enthusiastic approval from the boys, who were anxious to get out of their scheduled study time and stretch their legs in the wizarding world.
When breakfast was cleaned up and Hermione had made Harry and Ron help her straighten things up around the tent a bit, she grabbed her list of potion ingredients and they headed out to Mrs. Figg's to Floo over. Hermione cast Disillusionment Charms on them before they left the tent, not wanting an entourage of Aurors following them along.
When they reached Mrs. Figg's back door, Hermione was grateful to find the old woman gone, probably out buying more cat food. She tapped her wand on the back door and chanted the password to open the door, then led the boys in. When she was sure the door had sealed behind them, Hermione led them to the Floo, and then to the Leaky Cauldron.
Despite the waves of fear that had flowed through the magical community after the attack at Hogwarts, there were still plenty of people walking through Diagon Alley. Fewer than usual, but it wasn't deserted. Pedestrians kept close watch on their surroundings and traveled in groups of two or more now instead of single people wandering around for a casual afternoon of shopping, but they didn't stay holed up in their homes like Hermione had feared.
Before making a trip to Gringott's for funds, Hermione allowed the boys to drag her to the nearby broom store to look at the newest models and check out the latest Quidditch gear. Hermione kept a close eye on the boys, noticing what each of them exclaimed over, making mental notes for future birthday and Christmas presents.
This mental note taking was the only thing that kept her from getting bored in under two minutes. Still, she was ready to leave the store at least ten minutes before she could drag Ron and Harry out. She figured it would be more than compensated for when they reached the apothecary and she began picking out potion ingredients.
Speaking of which. "Hey," she began when they were once again on their way toward Gringott's and there was some space between themselves and others along the street. "I've been working on details for this Potions project." She stopped when they both groaned aloud.
"Come on, it's bad enough we're stuck making healing potions while everyone else is in meetings without doing more in our spare time. How is studying Potions going to prepare us for battle?" Ron rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, it's a waste of our time, that's what."
Glaring at the two of them, Hermione let out a huff of irritation. "Well, in case you've forgotten, Ron, it was a potion that kept the two of us, and Ginny, Neville and Luna from being hurt or even killed in that battle at the school."
Harry stopped and turned to look at Hermione, disbelief on his face mingled with admiration. "You're going to try and make—"
"Not so loud, will you?" Hermione interrupted him.
Ron stepped up so they were in a little huddle on the side of the street. "You're gonna make Felix Felicis? But I thought that was supposed to be bloody difficult."
"And dangerous, yes," Hermione answered, wondering what kind of spectacle they were making for everyone who could see them. "But then Polyjuice was about three years too advanced for us in second year and it turned out fine. I need to do a tiny bit more research." Asking her Potions-expert husband could be considered research, right? "And we have to find somewhere to make it where it won't be interrupted. I would say Headquarters, but there are far too many people running in and out of there. Unless we can find a place where no one else goes." She nudged them both and they began walking again.
"That could be a trick." Harry stuffed his hands back in his pockets as they walked up the steps to the bank and got into line.
By mutual silent consent, they didn't speak of the potion any more while they were waiting for their turn on the roller coaster-like carts. There were still a couple people ahead of them in line when Bill hailed them from the side. "Ron, Harry, Hermione, you didn't mention you were heading into town."
The three of them turned and looked, smiling as Bill approached. Hermione noticed a woman flinch when she looked at Bill's once-handsome face, which now had several long scars running diagonally across it. Inured to the look of his scars now, Hermione only smiled and greeted him back.
"Hadn't planned on it. Just decided spur of the moment this morning," Harry said, clasping Bill's hand.
Bill gave them each a serious look. "Give your watchers the slip, or did they follow you here?" He glanced around the cavernous building nonchalantly, and Hermione knew he was looking for their guards.
Busted.
Hermione shrugged. "I don't know where they are, but we Flooed straight to Diagon Alley from Mrs. Figg's, and we'll return the same way without leaving the area. We'll be perfectly safe."
Bill nodded but he didn't look convinced. "I hope you're keeping an eye out. Following Moody's creed."
"Constant vigilance!" Ron said in a low, but firm voice.
"Hey, Griphook." Bill looked up and called to one of the goblins, who came over, looking the three teens up and down, a sour expression on his face. Then again, Hermione mused, she didn't recall seeing a goblin look any other way. When the goblin arrived, Bill leaned in, lowering his voice. "Hey, can you help my kid brother and his friends. I hate to ask you to move them up in line, but they need to get back home where it's safe. Soon." He eyed them all seriously. "And come get me when they're done before they leave the building."
Hermione felt a bit guilty again and a bit irritated. They weren't children anymore, and while she appreciated everyone's concern for her, she didn't like being coddled. Then she paused and turned back to Bill, read the stoney-faced expression on his face and realized his plans. "Oh, no, you aren't sending for our babysitters."
Bill gave her a dark, angry look. "You're not walking around out there alone."
"We're not alone, there's three of us," Ron pointed out. "And we're adults."
Fuming, Bill grabbed the two boy's arms and pulled them closer to Hermione, lowering his voice to barely more than a hiss. "One of you isn't, and might I remind you, he's the bloody Boy Who Lived. The biggest target Voldemort has."
"Gee, thanks, I hadn't cottoned on to that fact." Harry shook his arm out of Bill's grasp. Bill let his arm go, but didn't back off any.
"You can't go haring off anywhere you please without backup. You're still damned kids."
"Kids who managed to defeat a troll when we'd been at Hogwarts barely two months," Hermione whispered. "And we can't have an Auror or three following us around. We've purchases to make, and Kingsley or whoever will feel it their responsibility to pry."
"What kind of purchases?"
Hermione debated answering him for a long moment. "Potion ingredients."
"Well, hell, I'll pick up whatever you need tonight before I go home from work."
"No. I have to pick them out myself. You know Potions was never your strongest subject." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Hermione wished them back. Severus had been the one to tell her that.
Bill's eyes narrowed. "How did you know that? Never mind, it's beside the point."
"Fine. If you don't let us take care of this today, we'll just sneak out another time. We can't have everyone knowing our business." This time it was Ron.
Bill grimaced. "Look, I'll meet you all after you get back up here, take you down to get your ingredients with my back to you and facing the door. Then we can meet up with some backup for the rest of your shopping. Can you live with that? I already know some of your secrets. I hardly think one more will make much difference, especially since I'm so lousy at Potions. Thanks for the reminder." He shot a comparatively mild glare at Hermione with that one.
It was with some difficulty that Hermione managed to keep her smile to herself. She wouldn't have to speak the names of all the ingredients anyway, as they were written down. This may work reasonably well as a compromise. At least Bill wouldn't feel it necessary to alert the authorities if an ingredient was mildly shady. "That sounds doable. Harry, Ron, what do you think?"
Harry ran a hand through his hair, then looked self conscious and patted it back into place. He had been doing that a lot lately. "That sounds okay."
"I can live with it, I guess." Ron rolled his eyes.
"Done." Bill backed away from their little scrum and nodded to Griphook, who stood impatiently to the side. "Let me know when you get back with them."
Griphook nodded, then led them to the carts heading down to the vaults.
Ten nauseating minutes later, the cart came to a halt outside Harry's vault. Hermione stood uncertainly from the cart and held her stomach, grateful when Harry offered an arm in support. She had always hated that ride.
When the vault opened, Harry stood blinking at the huge stacks of gold that filled the vault to the ceiling. "Is it bigger then it used to be?"
Griphook nodded. "Had to do some enlarging to include the Black vault into yours. Then you've had an extra deposit or two. I'll give you a list when we reach the main floor if you like."
"Bloody hell, Harry. How much do you have in there?" Ron stood in open mouthed shock.
"No idea." Harry shook his head, then began gathering fistfuls of galleons and stuffing them into the money bag he'd brought along. "How much are ingredients going to cost, Hermione?"
"Um, I brought some money, I don't have a lot, but I figured it would be enough for a first batch."
"Sirius would want his money to be used to," he slid a sideways glance at Griphook, "accomplish our objectives. How much?"
Hermione calculated the total for the ten batches she thought she would need to make, then told him. Ron gasped in shock. Harry simply grabbed a few more fists full of galleons before pulling the drawstring closed on his bag, stuffing it back in his pocket.
A hellacious ride back to the main level and Hermione exited the cart, her knees felt weak and her stomach churned. She was glad Harry had grabbed so much money, she didn't want to do that trip again anytime soon.
"We'd better get some changed to pounds to buy food with." Harry led the way to the changing counter, and Hermione forced her rubber legs to make her follow.
Then she realized part of why she felt like she had heartburn. The tug of the wards she put on the diary had been working on her since partway through the ride back up from the vault. Plus, her husband was very angry about something. Noticing the line was plenty long, she pulled the diary from her back pocket and grabbed the Muggle pen she carried around with it.
She flipped it around to the most recent page and lifted her eyebrows at his venom.
Bloody hell, what do you think you're doing running around Diagon Alley unescorted. Even I heard about it in a matter of minutes. Get somewhere safe.
Aren't you going to answer me?
These last words arrived as she read the ones above.
I was on the goblin cart and just barely cracked open the diary. Everything's fine. We're all safe.
Stupid woman, don't you know how many people are out to get that boy, and yet you run around as though you haven't a care in the world. How am I supposed to protect you? At least in that flimsy tent you're just inside the protection ward and you have a guard. But going around without your guard is just plain stupid.
I believe you mentioned the stupid part more than once. And we're not going to wander off alone. There are three of us. She couldn't help baiting him. He irritated her with his nasty disposition. Besides they already had Bill breathing down their necks without having to deal with her husband in a snit.
Do I need to send a note to tip off Mad-Eye Moody about you three? He and Molly Weasley will have you so firmly affixed to Headquarters you won't get out again for ten years.
Which will allow the Dark Lord to grow stronger and stronger and will undoubtedly kill you and me. Don't worry, Bill Weasley is being every bit as protective as you. He won't let us leave the bank without him, and as soon as I finish my one important stop, he'll make sure the Aurors are there to baby-sit us through the rest of the trip.
That reminds me, which is the best place to buy potion ingredients?
What are you making?
A little of this, a little of that. None of the ingredients are absolutely controlled. She added that last bit just to irritate him.
What are you making, wife?
You really don't want to know. And if I don't find somewhere secure to make the stuff, I won't be brewing anything. Any ideas of where I can make something where others won't get into it? The tent in the Dursleys' back yard is definitely out.
We will be discussing your illegal potion brewing when next we meet face to face.
She could feel him seething. Though she considered needling him some more, she decided she didn't have a death wish, so she relented. It's not illegal, but I did want to discuss some techniques and things with you before I begin brewing anyway.
That seemed to placate him a bit, but he was still seething when he put plume to parchment again. I need to see you again. Immediately, if possible. I can put on my glamour and meet you somewhere.
I have errands to run today, things to do. I want to see you, of course, but I need to get things done as well. Starting with potion ingredients. You never said where the best place to shop is.
Burton and Barton. It's only a few doors down from those Weasley twits' place. Don't go to the little shop everyone takes their children to buy ingredients for school. The man has no discretion. If there is anything telling about the particular items you are buying, the whole wizarding world will know by nightfall—including the Dark Lord. Besides, Burton's stock is superior, and he tends to keep some of the more legality-skimming ingredients on hand. Though I don't believe he stocks anything that's absolutely illegal either. If you need anything like that, I'll have to pick the items up for you since you aren't going into Knockturn Alley—baby-sitters or no. But then you'd have to justify your reason for making such a potion, if that were the case.
So it's near Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes?
Yes, I imagine you're going there anyway, aren't you?
While I'm with Harry and Ron, how can I not? I'm also hoping for a trip to the book store.
Fine, you will not go anywhere in Diagon Alley without a competent adult wizard by your side today. You are my wife. You may not have chosen that state, but you will follow my orders when they are for your own good.
Why, Severus, I never knew you cared.
There are bits of you I would miss if you were killed, my pet.
Her eyes narrowed when she read that, and she all but stabbed at the paper with her pen in her fury. How dare he use that term with her? How dare he! I promise I will personally give you a full frontal lobotomy if you ever call me that awful name in our diary again. It is only for the Dark Lord, and I refuse to be belittled that way when it isn't for his benefit.
There was a bit of a pause. I think I believe you. You can be a raging harridan when you want to be, my dear.
Hermione would have taken offense, but then she realized she felt little shoots of amusement and—was that lust—coming through their bond. Had her comment actually excited him?
Now I definitely have to see you. Expect to run into me in Flourish and Blotts. Shake your babysitter for a few minutes if you can, and come find me. I'll be waiting for you.
Hermione felt a shiver of anticipation run down her spine, then knowing he had closed his diary, she closed her own and looked up to where Harry was making his money exchange. Thank goodness they would be leaving soon.
She couldn't wait to slide into her husband's arms.
Chapter 25: Scenting the Truth
When they emerged into the sunshine a few minutes later, Hermione was glad to see both Ron and Harry keep their wands in hand. Though with Harry only days from turning seventeen, she hoped he wouldn't have need to use it in public, as that was just one more headache for them to deal with. Severus seemed to think they'd be relatively safe in Bill's company, but Hermione wasn't about to be taken by surprise.
Bill began leading them toward the nearest Apothecary, but Hermione redirected him. "Not there. Burton and Barton, close by your brothers' shop."
"That's a lot further away. Besides, this one has most anything you could need."
Time to hedge. "I've been told not only are Burton and Barton's ingredients superior to this Apothecary, but that their discretion is far better. And since you wouldn't want your mum to find out you took us to a shop to buy some, er, difficult to acquire ingredients. . . ."
Groaning, Bill glowered at her. "Difficult to acquire? You don't mean illegal, do you?"
"There's nothing absolutely illegal about anything I'm getting." It was the truth, but the more she hesitated in telling him the whole truth the fewer questions he was likely to ask—out of self preservation if nothing else. "Just one or two things are more unusual. The Aurors won't haul me off to Azkaban, just question me a bit if they find out. But I'd really rather not go there at all." Hermione finished her whispered discussion.
Bill closed his eye in resignation again. "Now I'm wishing I just let you go shopping on your own. I didn't need to know even that much about your activities. I hope this doesn't blow up in my face." But he led the way down the street toward WWW, and Hermione smiled at the boys, following along.
Harry looked a bit surprised and concerned about her revelations, but Ron only grinned. Part way down the street, Harry leaned in and whispered to her. "You weren't serious about some of the ingredients being dodgy, were you?"
"Dodgy? Who said they were dodgy? No, just more rare. If there were illegal ingredients in here, do you think Slughorn would have waved the vial of elixir in front of the whole class? Honestly." Not that she wouldn't have been willing to get some items that were slightly over the legal line if she needed them, but it was a lot nicer knowing even the Aurors wouldn't bother her over anything she was buying. Okay, so maybe Tonks or Kinglsey would since they knew her. Tonks seemed willing to get involved wherever she saw a need.
Another good reason they had lost their trackers for a while.
When they entered Burton and Barton Apothecaries ten minutes later, Bill still hadn't spoken to the trio. Not that Hermione minded. She knew Bill had gotten in over his head, especially as he wasn't being invited into their secrets. She couldn't blame him for being wary considering what little he knew about their activities. In his place she would be more than a little concerned.
The shop smelled like part herbalist, part chemist with the acrid scent of preserved bug and animal bits permeating the dried plant matter. Hermione was excited by it and wished she had time to really browse the shelves. A stooping man with graying hair but an expensive taste in clothes came out of a back room when the bell rang on the door and took a look at the four of them. "Hello, I'm Mr. Barton."
With a smile, Hermione stepped forward and pulled out her parchment. "I have a number of items I need to pick up, if you could assist me." Unrolling the page, she made a couple of quick reductions on amounts and then handed the paper over. She would only buy enough for four batches today, at least when it came to the rarer and more expensive ingredients.
To give him credit, he didn't so much as lift an eyebrow when he saw the list. Lowering her voice, Hermione leaned over the counter, "You came highly recommended by someone who has done a large bulk of shopping here over the years. Not only because your quality and, shall we say, variety, of ingredients is superior to many other shops, but because you are known for discretion."
He met her eye, studied her as if considering her. Then he glanced at her male companions, lingering on both Bill and Harry, and nodded. "Of course, Miss. We take great pride in our superior service. I'll be the soul of discretion. Give me a few minutes, would you?"
Hermione nodded and turned around to face the boys. Bill was determinedly turned away, facing the door, his wand drawn. Harry and Ron alternately watched her, the man collecting ingredients, and the strange items on the shelves. Despite their apparent distraction, neither of them put away their wands.
As Mr. Barton added items to the front counter, Hermione checked them for quality and freshness. Most of the items she approved of, but there were a couple things she set aside to ask him about, and when she finished reviewing everything, she turned to his expectant face. "Don't you have any Welsh Green dragon scales that are fresher than these? They look a bit old, and I wouldn't want to spend so much for items that might have lost some potency, as they are very important to my project. Also the lacewing needs to be in larger pieces than this for the particular potion I'm working on. And I'm not certain what this stuff is," She tipped a tube of white powder toward him, "But it's definitely not ground bicorn horn. Or at least not unadulterated." She pinned him with a glare that would do her husband proud.
To her surprise the man perked up and chuckled. "You do know your way around a cauldron, then." He pulled another tube of white powder, definitely bicorn horn this time, from a coat pocket and placed it on the counter. "I had intended to give you the correct ingredients, but I wondered how easily you could be fooled. The dragon scales will work fine, but they may have lost a bit of potency. With what I expect you intend to create, I suppose that small loss may make a minimal difference."
He moved around, collecting the new scales and larger lacewing pieces for her. When he returned to the counter, Hermione inspected the ingredients and nodded. "I had a very good Potions master, you know, and I'm one of the best in my class."
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "So I've heard. Miss Granger, isn't it?"
Hermione blinked. "Er, yeah." She fingered her wand, putting it at ready access. How did he know who she was? Ron appeared at her side, his wand pulled out and at the ready. He didn't lift it threateningly, but its visibility was a low-level threat as it was.
"I do read the Daily Prophet, and I doubt anyone in the wizarding world wouldn't recognize your companion." He nodded to Harry. "Which makes this young man Ron Weasley, right?"
"Yeah," Ron's answer was wary, and he didn't return the store-owner's smile.
Hermione stayed poised for any attack on his part. Severus said the man was trustworthy, but he may not know everything in this case.
"Looks like we've got company," Bill said from the front door, swearing low. "Do you have a back exit? Or can we use your Floo?"
Hermione turned and saw a gaggle of reporters crowding around the shop doors. This was one of the reasons they hadn't gone out in the wizarding world much. It was bad enough dealing with owls from all of the magazines and newspapers without having to put up with them in person. Perhaps they should have camouflaged themselves before leaving the bank. Too late now.
"Of course. Ward the door until we're through, would you?" Mr. Barton returned to adding up the cost of everything and quoted a price.
Harry turned and stared at Hermione. "I thought you needed more than that?"
"I'm only buying enough for a few attempts right now. I'll get more in a couple months when I need them. It's best not to let some of the ingredients get too old as they have a short shelf life."
"She's right, of course." The man took the money from Harry and returned their change to him. "There's Floo powder on the mantle. Would you like me to deliver these items, or would you prefer to take them along?"
Hermione considered her options. The bags were fairly bulky, but then she wasn't entirely certain he wouldn't substitute the old dragon scales given half a chance. She cast a charm on the package to turn any bags inside stiff so her lacewings wouldn't be crushed before she could get them home. "We'll take them along. Thank you, and I hope to be returning again soon."
"Any time, young lady." The man patted her on the arm, then motioned toward the Floo. "It's nice to do business with one who knows their potion ingredients.
A moment later Hermione was spat out of the fireplace at the Weasley shop, greatly relieved to be away from the reporters and to have the ingredients in her possession. If the store owner was trustworthy, it might take a while before the reporters found them at the joke store.
"Hermione." Fred pulled her to her feet and cast a cleansing charm to remove the black and gray smudges form her face, hair and clothing. "What are you doing here?"
Harry came through the connection, followed shortly by Ron and Bill before they could explain. "Just decided to go out to do some shopping," Hermione said when everyone had arrived. "We couldn't leave Diagon Alley without visiting your store, though."
Bill grunted and touched a scrape on his elbow where he must have bumped it in the Floo. "You three stay here until Kingsley arrives to escort you wherever else you're going. Promise me." He held his wand in a semi-threatening manner.
Though Hermione wasn't the least concerned that he would hurt them, she didn't doubt he would tie them up in magical cords until the Aurors could arrive if he thought they wouldn't comply willingly. "We'll stay here. You have my word of honor." She glanced at the boys, who were already too absorbed in the contents of the shelves to have heard the request. "I wouldn't be able to drag them out of here in under thirty minutes anyway."
That, at least, brought a twitch to the side of his mouth. "I'd like to take a good look around myself, but I've already wasted most of my lunch break with you lot, so it'll have to wait. I'm counting on you to be the level-headed one, despite what you said about their bad influence gaining hold on you. Please, be careful."
"I'll do my best. You aren't the only one nagging at me to be vigilant. If I have to put them in a body bind, none of us will leave the premises without our babysitters."
He eyed Ron, and a mischievous light entered his eye. "We've already paid for Ron's dress robes for the wedding, and it would be a shame for them to go to waste if he didn't survive that long." His words may have been cold, but there was a hint of fondness in his voice that belied them. With a nod, Bill headed back for the Floo, grabbed a pinch of powder from the pot and called out, "Gringotts." Then he whirled away in a flash of green flame while Ron protested his brother's comment.
Harry came over after a few minutes, tugging Ron along with him. "I think we need to enlist some help with our search," Harry said when the customer near them moved on to the next aisle. "I've been thinking about this for a while. At the rate we're going it could take us years to figure out what else and where. The way the twins are doing financially, it would be believable if they decided to start collecting things. They might be able to get information we can't—in the interest of Hogwarts antiquities, of course. Anyone who really knows them won't buy it for a second, but if they worked things right, they could learn some useful things."
"We're going to have to start asking discreet questions anyway, and they might be able to get more information than we can without lifting too many eyebrows." Hermione thought it a smashing idea, if anyone could pull it off, it was the twins. And that would be one more bit of responsibility off their own shoulders. Not that they wouldn't continue to search, but knowing they weren't the only ones taking care of this aspect would certainly ease the stress some.
Of course, at the current rate, half the Order would be in on some aspect of their plans before this was all over. But as they individually promised to keep their parts to themselves, their full plans should be safe enough.
"Okay, mate. Sounds good. I'd like to get it over with myself," Ron said. "You gonna ask?"
"Let me," Hermione said. "I've already scanned most of the shelves, you two will want at least twenty more minutes, and no one will think it strange if I melt into the background."
"Fine." Harry wandered off again, Ron following behind.
Kingsley didn't arrive alone ten minutes after the trio's arrival–Remus was by his side. They stood by the front door and kept track of everyone coming and going while Harry and Ron continued to inspect the merchandise. Hermione felt and caught Remus's gaze on her several times and noticed he seemed to be glaring at her. Surely he wasn't that mad just because she'd spent the night with her soul mate. The others had been a bit shocked, but they didn't continually glower in her direction over it. She hated that he was so disappointed in her, but could hardly change the situation and wouldn't even if she could.
When Fred came within reach of Hermione, she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him into the back room. "What? You aren't going to hex me more, are you?" he asked. "I mean, I can live with the spots for a while, when you show us how to do it we can call it advertising for our newest product, but–"
"Oh shut up, will you? I'm not going to hex you again. At least not unless you've been passing out more of those soul mate chocolates." Hermione lifted an eyebrow, and Fred shook his head, clearly frightened of her. "Fine then. We—Harry, Ron and I—wondered if you could put out a few feelers—very subtle feelers—for something we've been looking for. If you can get your hands on it, great, if not, just get us whatever information you can and we'll deal with it from there. We're not sure exactly what we want—something of significance to the Four Founders of Hogwarts. Probably metal, but it wouldn't have to be. Though not much else would have survived after all these years."
Fred's brow furrowed. "You don't know what it is, just an artifact from one of the Four Founders? Do you care what it is?"
"Yes. It needs to be very significant, it need to be something—well, I better not say that much. It's highly confidential. You can bring George into it, as I can't imagine you keeping a secret from him for anything, and you may need to work together for this. It's part of our quest, but that's all I can tell you, and you have to swear not to bring too much attention to yourselves. No one can know Harry wants this kind of thing. In fact," she went on to explain Harry's idea of the twins pretending an interest in antiquities.
Fred perked up at the idea and got one of those devious looks on his face that were so distinct to the identical Weasleys. "You can count on us, Hermione. The Order mostly has us making protective gear and stuff. We don't get any of the interesting jobs. This could actually be fun."
Hermione nodded, then slipped back into the front of the store. Fred followed a minute later, his arms laden with package. "Oi, Ronnikins, you think I could get a hand over here?"
Ron glowered at the nickname, but headed over. When he spoke, his tone was belligerent. "Yeah, what do you want?"
Hermione headed to the other side of the shop to check out the few shelves she hadn't seen before. Some of the things were truly ingenious, she had to admit to herself. The twins still stocked the Peruvian darkness powder, but now there was a large disclaimer above the shelf saying they reserved the right to refuse sales to anyone, at anytime. She grimaced, remembering how Malfoy had used it against Ron and Ginny at the school.
Finally, the boys were ready to leave, Harry with a few items stuffed in his pockets, Ron with a huge grin on his face. Kingsley Disillusioned the three of them before they stepped out into the street, and they huddled together, elbows bumping so they didn't get too far apart when they couldn't see each other.
In a low voice, Ron spoke to his two friends, his voice bursting with excitement, "So Fred said they need some extra help at the shop and want me to come in sometimes. I'll actually have my own money." Hermione knew if Ron's face could be seen his eyes would be glowing. There was little her friend hated more than not having any money of his own.
The London heat was stifling, so Hermione was glad they had become individually invisible instead of trying to cram all three of them under Harry's invisibility cloak as they had the previous summer when they followed Draco to Borgin and Burke's.
When they reached Flourish and Blotts a few minutes later, Hermione could feel Severus's presence radiating through the building. She couldn't quite summon the strength to be disgusted by the feeling of butterflies pounding against her stomach walls. It hadn't been more than a few days since she had seen him last, how could she feel almost giddy about his presence?
Once Kingsley had made them visible again, she split off from the boys, wandering down the aisles as if she had no specific end point, but heading ever closer to Severus with each move.
Then he came into view, his glamour from their movie date in place. Hermione glanced around her, then stepped into his open arms, planting kisses against his jaw.
He let out a low groan. "I've missed you. I've missed this." Then he took her lips with his and backed into a niche in the wall so they would be less visible to passersby.
Hermione speared her fingers through his hair, wishing it was his own long locks, while his hands made a slow, possessive glide down her back from shoulders to hips, pulling her even closer. She shuddered when his lips left hers and slid down to the underside of her neck. She panted, trying to catch her breath even while his tongue, swirling against the sensitive flesh below her chin, drove all thought from her head. Fervently, she wished they were at the cottage in privacy instead of sequestered in a corner of a public place.
"Back away, Hermione." Remus's voice behind her was little more than a growl.
"Bugger off, Remus," Hermione didn't turn to face him, but she refused to let go of Severus, even if he had tensed up and stopped his ministrations on her neck. She was sick of Remus's attitude since he learned about her soul mate and wasn't about to end her kissing just because he had a bug up his rear end. This was none of his business.
"No way am I letting you continue your relationship with that traitor, Hermione. You might have been duped by him, but it's not going to continue." His voice was thankfully low so as not to attract any attention from those in nearby aisles.
Oh, shite, how did he find out it was Severus?