A/N: Again apologiesfor the long wait between updates. I've started two new jobs since September so things have been a bit hectic. Hopefully you won't need to wait much longer for the last few chapters. I do appreciate everyone who is continuing to read and also the reviews. This chapter focuses mainly on Hermione and Bilius Weasley. The next chapter deals with the rescue plan.
Muggle Bound Chapter 24 All That Glitters Is Not Gold
As the after effects of the powerful mist cleared, Hermione's brain began to kick into its customary high gear. Now quite comfortable with Ron's uncle, her questioning mind demanded some answers.
They were sharing a rather bleak meal at the makeshift table. The dishes had been shoved through the small hatch. There had been no other sign of her captors, which she and Bilius Weasley thought augured well. After all, feeding her, no matter what the quality and quantity of the food, must mean that they still wanted her alive.
Clearing her throat and swallowing the last morsel of dry bread they had divided, Hermione asked hesitantly, "Commander Weasley, can you tell me what happened to you? I think it might help to examine it. We think-that is-Ron, Ginny and I- that there might have been a spy on your Ministry team."
Bilius Weasley sighed. "First of all, dispense with the formalities, my dear. It's Bilius or Uncle Bilius, if you would prefer. It sounds like you are an adopted daughter to Molly and Arthur so you may as well be my adopted niece."
Hermione blushed, thinking about another possible reason for her to call him, "Uncle."
Bilius smiled at her and continued. "Secondly, I had already suspected that there was a traitor in our ranks. There was, however, no conclusive proof and I really didn't want to believe one of the team was guilty. We were such a close-knit group having lived together during our mission for almost two years. I guess the first place to start is with the night of my capture."
Slowly he recounted the events of that long ago evening including those Ron had previously told Hermione. The last piece of information needed. Bilius's new owl animagus. The team's dissent over his mission. Andromeda Black's absence.
Hermione noted that his eyes dropped and a slight tremor shook his words as he finished the first part of his narrative.
"It was-," he swallowed, "- difficult to leave them. But it was necessary."
Hermione's breath now caught in her throat. Knowing that Bilius Weasley and her beloved Professor had been engaged was one thing. But seeing the expression on Bilius Weasley's face as he remembered the night he had lost his fiancée was altogether different. She thought of Ron and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Bilius's face tightened as his eyes stared into the distance, pondering and recalling the events now etched indelibly in his mind.
"I had no trouble entering the Dark Lord's lair. He was expecting the delivery of the Daily Prophet. I dropped it on his desk and flew out of the house into the barn where we knew he held his strategy sessions. No one suspected anything. It was time for my piece de resistance."
"But how did they capture you if no one suspected and you were hidden in the barn?" Hermione queried quivering with anticipation, as she knew that she would be the first person to hear what had really happened that fateful night.
"By being too clever by half, my dear. Molly always told Arthur that I was too arrogant and she was right. A grand girl, Molly Prewett. Just right for Arthur. But I digress. You see, unknown to the rest of the team, I had been practicing a further modification to my animagus. I had been working out a spell sequence whereby I could change from my own animagus form – a Great Horned Owl to a similar form as a Barn Owl. But I didn't stop there. A further incantation transfigured the owl form to a completely different bird species- that of a small songbird."
Fascinated by the thought of such complex magic, especially in the light of her recent lessons with Professor McGonagall, Hermione's eyes shone with excitement.
"The nightingale-you changed your owl to the nightingale!"
"Yes,"Bilius agreed ruefully, "and that nightingale was my eventual undoing. What I had not realized was through each change of the animagus form, my essential magical energy weakened. It was with great ease that Voldemort hit me with a strong Imperius curse, a curse that I have been prey to ever since."
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Ron was living in a private nightmare overflowing with recriminations. Lips moved, words were spoken, people busied themselves around him but he was oblivious to all.
One thought played through his brain. He had failed the girl he loved. He knew from the beginning it was a mistake separating her from he and Harry. This never would have happened of he'd stood firm that day at the hospital. At the very least, he could have done something last night after their phone call. Something- Apparated to Great Aunt M's. Been there with her this morning. Something.
"Ron, mate," Harry's voice broke through the cycle of Ron's guilty thoughts. Ron looked up at Harry's face, which was taut with tension and alarmingly pale.
"Ron, this is not your fault," Harry announced with conviction. "It's mine-it's always been mine. If you and Hermione weren't my two best friends, this could never have happened."
A second voice interrupted urgently. "But you are Harry's best friends and it has happened and no amount of beating yourselves up is going to get her back! So get off your arses and help the rest of us plan the rescue mission. We need you!" An angry Ginny Weasley was almost as frightening as her mother. Ron and Harry both looked up to see Ginny's eyes blazing with fury.
"If anyone has the right to feel guilty about this, it's me. I was right here-I had just spoken with her. We had an argument about her hanging up on you last night, Ron. I was the one that left her alone. But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that every second we spend in feeling guilty is a second wasted in finding her."
Ron gazed at his younger sister in wonder. She continued to glare at her brother until a slight gasp caused her to turn to Harry who was now keeled over and holding his scar. Quickly she crossed to him and took his hand, murmuring words of comfort.
That settled things for Ron. He stood and moved towards them. A sense of resolve filled him. He would get Hermione back and he would not let anyone or anything stop him.Harry needed both of them and Ron needed Hermione. Clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder and smiling his thanks to his sister, Ron spoke determination ringing in his voice.
"Let's go, then. Operation-uh-Operation 'Witch Hazel' awaits." He finished as he remembered Hermione telling him of the yellow-blossomed shrub with special healing properties. Telling him that while they were under attack from Death Eaters.
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As twilight approached, Professor McGonagall crept quietly from her hiding place and reconnoitered along the side of the mansion. She noticed some barred windows but closer investigation proved that the windows were boarded from the inside and inaccessible in her present feline form. As she neared what appeared to be a back entrance to the dwelling, she heard raised voices from within. A door opened spilling light into the now dark back garden. The Professor silently hugged the wall closest to her, which was hidden in the shadows. She twitched her ears and listened intently. An argument was evidently in progress.
"And I say we should separate the prisoners! What if they come up with a way to escape?" a voice whined.
"For Merlin's sake! The old man's weak and we dictate his animagus form. The girl isn't even qualified yet and she does not have her wand. The cell has a double-locking goblin charm on it and no one is able to Apparate or Disapparate in this stone mausoleum. Escape is impossible! Now I am leaving. I trust you'll be able to manage while I make my report to our Master." This Death Eater uttered the words in scornful tones that the Professor immediately recognized as belonging to Lucius Malfoy.
"Yes, of course," replied the other Death Eater grumpily. Then in a more differential tone of voice he added, " Be sure to let him know that we have followed all his instructions just as he asked. No need to make mention of my suggestion."
"No, of course not," Malfoy said sarcastically. "The time has come to spring the trap. With the Granger mud-blood here, the arrogant Mr. Potter and the bumbling Mr. Weasley are sure to leap to the rescue and we will be ready."
With that, Lucius Malfoy paused as he stepped out on the back stoop and Disapparated with a quiet pop, the light briefly catching his cruel expression.
Minerva McGonagall blessed the argument she'd just witnessed. Not only did she now know who the prisoner was but also Hermione Granger's whereabouts and the fact that she was not alone as a prisoner. Best of all the diffused light had revealed a disused coal chute covered presently in thick cobwebs. After the remaining Death Eater had shut the back door, she approached the chute carefully and began to clear the cobwebs with a practiced paw. Here now was her opportunity.
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In the cellar prison below, Hermione was bringing her adopted "uncle" up to speed with the happenings of the last week and a summary of her, Ron's and Harry's friendship.
Bilius smiled sadly, "I am so glad that Herodotus told you our story -at least now the others will be forewarned. It is obvious, however, now why you are here. To capture Harry Potter is the Dark Lord's prime objective. You, my dear, are certainly the bait."
Hermione replied worriedly," If only we could find a way to warn them not to take the bait-to keep them from falling into the trap."
"Hermione," Bilius said gently, "They will guess that it is a trap but they will come regardless. From what you've told me, Harry and my nephew Ron would never abandon you. It's how they plan their strategy that will really count and how we plan ours."
Hermione's brow furrowed and she bit her lip, a sure sign of intense thought process that Ron and Harry would have recognized immediately. Bilius waited patiently. Another witch he knew and who he had purposely been refraining asking about had a very similar expression.
Finally Hermione looked up and spoke. "So you can control your animagus form even though the Death Eaters think that they control it?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes, the Imperius spell has weakened over the last months and I can now transform for short periods of time on my own." Bilius answered wondering where his companion was going with this.
Hermione now drew the tips of her fingers together and asked her next question. "And the hatch-it is merely bolted on the other side?"
"Yes, but it is not under the double-locking charm. I believe "Alohomara" might work although I have not been able to accomplish it in my weakened state and without a wand." Bilius explained a now thoughtful expression on his face.
Eagerly, Hermione arose and stood immediately opposite the round hatch. Concentrating with all her will, she thought the spell.
Nothing.
Bilius stood beside her. "Try again," he said quietly.
Hermione focused and this time she felt a faint glimmer as another's magic joined her own. The glimmer became stronger until an explosion of light filled the dim cell and the hatch burst open. Bilius Weasley laughed heartily, something he had not done in many a long year. Hermione laughed with him, feeling a new hope swell within her.
" Excellent, excellent, my dear!" Then unable to resist teasing his new magical partner, he said, "I do hope my nephew appreciates how lucky he is."
Hermione coloured but only smiled, feeling that her plan was now a possibility and she might be seeing said nephew quite soon.
"There is one more thing I haven't told you which is necessary to our escape plan." she announced a little nervously.
Bilius Weasley cocked one eyebrow; an action so reminiscent of Ron that Hermione almost lost her train of thought. However, she took a deep breath and described the rest of her plan. He nodded as she finished.
"Yes, it's risky but I can help you with the finer points. You will need to go first and then I will follow. After we are out of the hatch, we'll reverse our positions and I will lead us out of the house and you follow me." Bilius now assumed his Commander position with ease.
Hermione agreed and did a mental check on everything that Professor McGonagall had taught her.
"Shall we begin?" Bilius Weasley asked a distinct gleam in his deep blue eyes.