A/N: Welcome back, guys. Without further ado...
CHAPTER 1: The life I should've had
Present, 5 years later, London
Interior, Top floor, IMA Facility (Institution of Magical Advancement) - Night
The entire hall was packed, filled with witches and wizards dressed in the finest attire money could buy and sitting around round tables covered in white. Not a seat was left unoccupied. Light music was being played at the front left corner near the stage, orchestrated by an elderly elf. The music was enchanting but not distracting.
A large stage covered the entire front wall. Made entirely out of glass and glowing a blue haze the stage contrasted celestially with the white marble floor. It also complimented brilliantly to the ceiling that modelled a starry night sky with three half-moons floating in the middle shining a pale blue light.
Chandleries dangled low from edges of all three moons, made entirely out of gold.
Near the back of the hall was a long rectangular table, filled with the most mouth-watering spread of continental cuisine. Behind the table standing with their hands behind their backs were young witches and wizards dressed formerly in all black with a hint of white underneath. A pin was attached on each of their coats right below their left shoulder. A logo with the design of a fork intersecting a knife marked the pin.
Everyone seemed totally at ease and enjoying themselves, despite it being a formal, social event. Though the champagne may have something to do with that as every glass was filled with the yellow and orange liquid. After every sip the glasses would fill back to the brim and by the look of all the flushed faces and giggling it seemed everyone had their first sip a long time ago.
Suddenly, everyone's eyes locked on to the stage as the music stopped playing.
A few seconds later the sound of footsteps filled the hall before a figure came into view. A man, dressed handsomely, approached the podium. A large round of applause went around the hall, mixed in with a few cheers.
He smirked and placed his hands on the podium, his entire profile exuded confidence. He was wearing a purple shirt tucked inside black slacks. He wore a green with a mix of white waist cost and a matching robe that hung loosely around his broad frame. His attire was completed by pointed black leather shoes. He was well over six feet tall and sported a goatee that had wisps of white hair spread across the black. He had slicked back brown hair with low fade.
"Welcome, everyone" His amplified voice sounded across the hall. "It's an absolute honor to have you all join us here today on this remarkable occasion. I don't think there is any need for introductions, you all know who I am and if you don't...get the fuck out of my building" The entire place erupted in laughter. "But, just in case some of you have been living under a rock, let me introduce myself. My name is Rowan Kyle, the CEO of IMA" Another loud round of applause followed.
His eyes roamed across the hall before settling on the table right at the front and center. His smirk widened when his gaze landed on a woman sitting in the middle of the table. She was dressed in a red, strapless gown that hung to her body like a second skin. She had light make up on that complimented her porcelain skin, and a deep red lipstick spread over her plump lips. Her brown trusses were elegantly contorted in a complex updo, that had lots of intermingling threads interconnecting with one another. She didn't wear any jewelry except a locket that ended right above her cleavage.
Aside from her the table was filled with three elderly couples. The couple to her right were anywhere between their late 50s to early 60s. Dressed amicably in burgundy robes the man had a pin strapped over his breast pocket with the letter 'M' carved on it. It was gold plated. The woman wore a friendly smile and was wearing light blue robes. They both wore matching wedding bands.
To her left sat another couple. A woman who bore much of her facial features, but with added lines, compliments of old age. To the woman's left was a man, who was going bald with only a handful of white hair on his head. They also wore identical matching bands, though much simpler.
Lastly, the remaining couple sat facing each other on opposite sides. The woman had vibrant red hair that flowed down her back. She was wearing a long, high neck, green dress that fanned out at the waist. The hem covered her shoes. The colour matched her eyes. The man was dressed in plain black robes with a bow tie. He wore squared glasses and had straight, salt and pepper hair, brushed to the side. The rings on their finger were twice the size of the other two couples with diamonds adorning the sides.
Locking eyes with Rowan, the woman in red smirked right back at him.
He broke his gaze and shook his head as a chuckle escaped his lips before looking back at her. "Before we get on with things let me entertain you all with a story. A story about a pig headed, entitled, arrogant, lazy, pureblood boy and a determined, strong, brave, caring, bold, loving, muggleborn girl" His smile widened as the woman rolled her eyes at him but her smile turned even more affectionate.
A few tables across from hers, a wizard with white blond hair swept to the side rolled his eyes, exasperatedly.
"Oh, spare me the sap story" he drawled. A scoff from his left made him turn his head.
"As if he'd let this moment go by" spoke the red-haired wizard.
"Yeah right," he agreed, before turning his gaze back at the stage.
"They met on their first ever train ride to Hogwarts, and the entire ride they couldn't stop arguing." Rowan continued. "And I swear I'm not making this up when I tell you that the boy hated that little girl with every part of his being and wanted to rip out her front two teeth. She was a bucktooth you see" He added, and the audience burst into hysterics.
"That hatred lasted for two entire weeks..." He lifted his index and middle finger. "Because that little girl had such a special ability even at that age to make everyone see her side, and it didn't matter to her that you agreed with her or not. She didn't give a shit about that. She just wanted you to respect her opinion. To not be prejudiced as just another muggleborn who didn't know our ways and couldn't fit in.
But of course, when we're young we don't understand all these things, and neither did that boy. It took a far more visceral experience for him to finally come around." He locked eyes again with the woman who had unshed tears behind her eyes. She sniffled and dabbed at her eyes as her mother gripped her hand and squeezed it for support.
"Oh, spare me the dramatics" whined the pale, blue eyed wizard, again.
"Draco!" the woman sitting to his right hissed, her eyes trained forward. She wore a similar wedding band as him. It was made entirely out of gold. She had glowing red hair and freckles adorning her face, much like the red-haired wizard.
"What"
"Will you shut up!" she turned around in her seat and glared at him. "This is a big day for her and as her friend you need to be happy for her and not moaning and whining like a five-year-old" she huffed, a tuft of her hair frizzing with energy.
He jumped a little in his seat at her outburst before leaning forward and putting his hand on her arm. "Honey, I am happy. Of course, I'm happy. You know I am. I just hate that phony bastard and have for the past 25 years and nothing's going to change that. You know that baby" He rubbed her arm soothingly which helped her calm down.
The red-haired man was trying to hide his laughter behind his hand but failed miserably.
"Find it funny, did you" his friend growled at him.
He dropped his hand and wiped at his eyes before nodding his head. "Best bit of comedy I've seen all night. Just made up for the boring event"
"Ron!"
"What?" he turned to the woman on his left.
"Can you be any louder" hissed the blonde-haired woman. "The last thing Hermione needs right now is to hear you nitwits arguing. I suggest you put a zip to it if you value your life and no, I won't be saving you this time. I have the exclusive coming up with her next week"
"But I didn't even do anything" whispered Ron. "I just laughed, surely she can't get angry at me for laughing. She probably thinks I'm laughing at one of the dumb jokes coming out of the dicksplash's mouth."
"Honey, I've seen her get mad at you for far less than laughing and no, she would never believe, even for a second, that you would accidentally chuckle let alone laugh at anything Rowan says, unless you're doing it to aggravate him or worse laugh at him" she finished before turning her gaze back towards the stage.
Ron turned to his friend who was sniggering behind his hand and rolled his eyes. "Piss off mate"
"...and that ladies and gentleman is how I escaped my first ever detention and it was all thanks to that little girl who continued to save my sorry arse throughout our time at Hogwarts, and frankly still does to this day." He cleared his throat before continuing. "She keeps me in check, stops me from going overboard, and over the rail as my temper sometimes tends to get. I'm sure some of you have been the recipient of that over the years. Apologies, once again." He chuckled, as did the audience, except a few.
"But enough of that. Today we are here to celebrate the extraordinary life and accomplishments of one, the only... Hermione Jane Granger." A booming reception followed as people hollered and cheered and whistled.
The witch in question ducked her head in embarrassment as a blush rose over her cheeks. Hermione looked up and mouthed 'Thank you' to Rowan, who blew her a kiss in return.
"Hermione Granger...the world's leading healer. Her breakthroughs have changed our entire society, and for the better I might add. I still remember when I first approached Hermione twelve years ago to lead the medical branch at IMA. She was skeptical at first, not sure if she would be able to handle such a massive project. At the time she was working at St Mungo's, where she had been chaperoned by none other than her mother-in-law, Lily Potter"
A huge round of applause filled the hall. The woman with the bright red hair stood up and gave an elegant bow, turning the claps into laughter. She winked at Hermione as she sat down.
"I remember Hermione telling me that she wasn't sure, that she loved her job, loved the people she worked with and envisioned, hopefully, that some day when Lily retired, she would be the head healer. But see, as Hermione's talents lie in...well pretty much everything" the audience laughed as he continued. "Mine lies in making people see their full potential and then helping them by giving them a platform to achieve it. I wouldn't be lying if I said that I was also trying to save my dying expenditure.
Many of you know that at the time IMA wasn't the major global corporation it is now. Most of the people thought it was a gimmick, a failed experiment. Institution of Magical Advancement...creating different branches to make our lives easier in all aspects of life...and not just for humans but all magical beings...Phh!" he scoffed. "Everyone thought I was nuts. No one was willing to join, the risk factor of leaving their secured jobs and working on creating something that may never even come to fruition because it was all about discovery was too high. The reason behind IMA was to discover new things. Whether it be spells to help us in our day to day lives or to help the magical law enforcement. Creating new devices, like the revolutionary Pensive 2.0, old magic, digging deep into our roots in Seville, and learning more about it.
But, most importantly, healing. Can we cure cancer, a Venomous Tentacula's bite, Amnesia, spells gone wrong, lycanthropy, dragon pox and the list goes on and on. I knew I had to make an impact and who better than the smartest witch of her age, or any age. No one ever topped her. So, with dying hope I went to my friend and even though she didn't accept my offer, I knew my job was done.
You see, when you've known someone as long as I've known Hermione, over time your brain stores every little detail about them, and you start to pick up on small nuances. You can't describe them, but you just know, and I just knew. I knew that I had broken through her curiosity barrier and once you've managed to do that there's no stopping her.
So, a week later, she apparated right into my house and said...yes, and the rest is history as they say. But seriously, I have never seen anyone work harder than she did during those first couple of years. Switching back and forth between Mungo's and then spending her weekends at the labs at IMA to come with new cures. She changed medicine, forever. And you want to know the most astonishing part...I wasn't astonished, wasn't shocked every time she came running into my office and jumping in my arms and yelling 'We did it'. It never surprised me, why, because I knew. I always knew" He emphasized the last sentence.
"I knew because I know her, better than herself, her parents, and I'm saying that when they are sitting right in front of me" He pointed at the couple. Hermione's father tipped his champagne glass with a nod. "Her daughter, and might I even say, her husband...and I say that without shitting my pants" The crowd that had been intently listening to every word coming out of his mouth with rapt attention erupted in laughter. Hermione shook her head at him but couldn't stop a small chuckle from escaping her lips.
"I've been told that he's not here, so I might survive until tomorrow. I mean I don't want to dig a bigger hole for myself but where is he? What could be more important than attending one of the most important days in your wife's life. I mean seriously, even the minister of magic is here and I can assure you he is ten times busier than him"
He pointed at the gentleman sitting on Hermione's left with the 'M' pin strapped on his robe. The minister gave a little wave to the crowd as the laughter slowly subsided.
"Anyway" continued Rowan. "I better stop before he really does show up and plasters me through the wall. My date would be terribly pissed as I promised to make her see stars with her eyes closed tonight"
He ducked himself behind the podium as the crowd went 'Oooooo', followed by shocked laughter. Hermione's mouth was hanging open and she stared at him in disbelief when he peeked his head up before standing up.
"Alright, that was pretty funny" drawled Draco.
His wife looked at him over her shoulder and arched an eyebrow. "Why am I not surprised" she shook her head.
"Don't act surprised, baby. I make you see stars all the time, too."
"Malfoy, I swear-"
"Just a joke, mate'
"Good, cause I don't want to hear what you and my sister-"
"Not"
"That's it!"
Ron picked up Draco's glass of champagne and dumped the drink all over him. Shocked, Draco stared at him incredulously.
"Alright, that's enough!" Draco turned to his wife as she got up before pulling him and her brother up by their collars and dragging them towards the feast. The little commotion caused some disturbance as they bumped into several tables along the way.
"Ow! Ginny, slow down" exclaimed Ron.
"Shut up" growled Ginny. She looked around and saw that nearly everyone was now staring at them. She caught Hermione's eye and mouthed 'sorry'. Hermione simply rolled her eyes and didn't seem perturbed at all as if she knew something like this would happen.
She stopped when they reached the long table and turned around. She pulled out her wand and with a flick of her wand dried her husband's clothes. "Now, stay here and stuff your face as much as you want but..." she lifted her finger and shot them a deadly glare. "If I so much as hear a peep, I swear on my two beautiful children I will end you both!" she finished in a whisper.
Draco and Ron turned to each other at the same time before looking back at her. "Fine by me" they said unison.
"Good" she cleared her throat and smoothed down her pale blue dress before walking back to her table.
Draco's eyes lingered on her before he felt a nudge against his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Ron staring at him with a neutral expression, which slowly formed into an ear-splitting grin. His mouth curled up into a smirk as well as they fist bumped each other.
"Still got it," said Ron.
"You bet we do" agreed Draco, before they turned around and hungrily gazed at the incredible spread.
"Now, where to begin..." murmured Ron.
"...now please put your hands together for, the one, the only, my best friend...Hermione Granger!"
They both turned back around as everyone stood up and started clapping.
They watched Hermione hug her parents and in-laws before making her way towards the stage. Rowan came up and helped her climb the stairs. He put his arm around her.
"Yay Hermione!" shouted Ron.
"Hermione! Hermione! Hermione!" Draco started chanting before Ron joined him. She reached the podium and Rowan dropped his arm. He kissed her cheek before snapping his fingers and a second later a plaque, made entirely out of gold was hanging in midair between them.
He inclined his head at her and she grabbed the plaque before leaning over and kissing his cheek. Rowan backed away a few steps to the side.
Hermione swiped a hand across her forehead and turned to face the hall. Her eyes caught Ron and Draco jumping and hollering near the back and shook her head with a wry smile.
"Thank you" Her voice boomed around the hall. She waited until everyone was back in their seats and the clapping had stopped before continuing. "Wow...first of all I would just like to say that it's an absolute honor that you all have taken time out of your busy schedule to come to this event. I must say I was completely flabbergasted by how many people showed up. I thought this was just going to be a small affair. At least I told it was going to be" She turned her head to the side at Rowan who shrugged his shoulders. "You'd think I would've learnt my lesson after knowing this man since I was 11." She took a deep breath before continuing.
"Working at IMA was a passion project for me. I've always been keen on learning. My earliest memory is of my mum taking me to the local library and my love from books just grew from there. They became my safe haven. Even when I came to Hogwarts, the library was where I spent most of my time...much to some people's irritation."
Rowan jogged over to her and said "I assent that"
A soft laughter went around the hall.
Hermione pointed her hand at him before continuing "I rest my case"
She swiped back a loose tendril that had fallen over her face. "That passion for learning and quest for knowledge is what attracted me to IMA. To research, to theorize, to plan, to test, to monitor, and then keep repeating it till we got it right...it was a children's playground for me. And even though I'm the one who's standing up here tonight, and it's my name on the forefront...that is simply not the case. I won't be here tonight if it wasn't for the incredible team we've built in the past twelve years. And I'm grateful for them all."
She cleared her throat and took a small pause. "I want to thank my dear friend, Rowan" She turned her head towards him. "You've supported me all throughout my life, believed in me, had faith in me, even when I didn't, so I thank you for that. I love you, and I agree that you know me better than myself-"
"Correction. I said I know you better than everyone" He interrupted her.
Hermione rolled her eyes before shrugging her shoulder. "Well...maybe" she sighed, her eyes downcast before she turned around and stared at the table she had been sitting at. Her mother was beaming at her through her tears. "I want to thank my family. None of this wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for them. All my friends, you know who you are. Your support means the world to me. My parents...I-" Her voice broke. She sniffled and took a deep breath. "Mum and dad... I love you so much... and...yeah...Lily, James" she turned to the other couple. "Same...your undying support in me have always given me strength and I will never forget that"
She wiped at her eyes and turned her gaze downcast at the podium for a few seconds before looking back up. "And lastly, my daughter. Rosy…. She's my life, my purpose….my….."She cleared her throat and turned her gaze back down at the podium. A few tears leaked down her cheeks which she wiped away with the back of her hand. A few seconds passed before she looked back up.
"Thank you" she did a little bow before turning around.
Draco turned to Ron and let out a low whistle. Ron arched an eyebrow at him.
"Well, I'm glad the main man wasn't here for that" said Draco, as he popped a cherry into his mouth.
"I wish I wasn't here for that" said Ron, as he swallowed a piece of turkey. "That ending was brutal"
"You think everyone'll think she simply forgot"
Ron starts choking and Draco summoned a glass of water before thrusting it into his hand. "Yeah, right" scoffed Ron, after he gulped down the entire glass. "With him, they simply wait for the next big gossip to burn him to the ground, and she just gave it to them"
"And that ladies and gentleman, concludes the ceremony. Please enjoy the incredible feast the people at Gilleo's restaurant have prepared for you." shouted Rowan. Everyone stood up and started moving in different directions. Some made their way towards the narrow corridor near the west wall that leads to the toilets, while others move towards the feast table and start loading up their plates.
"C'mon, let's get out of here" Draco motioned with his head. They filled their plates with little bit of everything and levitated their glasses before leaving.
They reach the end of the table and maneuver around a group of women before heading towards the glass doors next to the concrete pillar on the east wall.
"Where do you think you two are going"
They whirl around to see Hermione walking over to them with a stern look, but there is hint of mischief in her eyes. She stops when she reaches them, the plaque held firmly in her hands. She arches an eyebrow.
"Listen Hermione, about that little stint...it wasn't our attention to disrupt-" began Ron but stopped when Hermione started giggling. "Oh, bloody hell. I should've known" he shook his head and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh Ron, I'm sorry" she wiped at her eyes before leaning up on her toes and kissing his cheek. "I just couldn't pass the opportunity"
"Yeah, I guess I deserved that" he shrugged his shoulders as she moved towards Draco and repeated the gesture.
"Well, you have pulled countless pranks on me so I guess that yes you did" she grinned, making Ron roll his eyes.
"And she got you good too" interjected Draco.
"Whatever" grunted Ron.
"So" Draco looks at the plaque before lifting his gaze towards her. "That's it huh"
"Yeah" Hermione hands it to him. "It was the only way to stop Rowan build a statue." she shook her head in exasperation. "Still can't believe he wanted to do that."
Draco hands it back to her. "Well, he sure got the money to do anything he wants"
"Hmm" she rubbed the back of her neck and stretched it to the side. "Fuck, my neck's been killing me the past few days"
"Work" asks Ron.
"No, it just my sleeping habbit."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I think it's changed now. Whenever I wake up, I'm on my side whereas before I use to wake up on my back"
"Why do you think that's it"
She shot him a deadpan look before shaking her head. "Really Ron, you're losing your touch. I can literally see the drool coming out of your mouth. Go, I don't want Luna to blame me for husband's death because I held him too long and he couldn't get the perfectly roasted piece of rib in his mouth in time. Actually, that does look delicious" she grabbed the fork and cut a healthy piece of the rib before putting it in her mouth. "Mmm" she moaned and closeed her eyes in pleasure. "That's so delicious"
"Take it. I can get another" Ron offered.
She chewed it quickly and swallowed before saying "Really"
"Yeah" he handed her the plate.
"Thanks. I haven't eaten anything since lunch" she dumped the mashed potatoes on his tray. "I never liked the combo of mashed potatoes with meat"
"Mrs. Granger" they all turned their heads towards the voice and saw a man in his late 70s walk over to them.
"Mr. Witherfield" greeted Hermione, while Draco and Ron nodded their head.
"I just wanted to come and give you a personal congratulations. You're truly a remarkable woman."
"Thank you, sir" she blushed.
"No wonder, Mr. Potter fell in love with you. If anyone can stand shoulder to shoulder with him, it's you. You too are the power couple, as the kids nowadays say" he chuckled.
Hermione ducked her head and looked around awkwardly.
"But he truly is a great man. We'll forever be indebted to him. Well, I certainly would. I don't know about others. I still remember when I awarded him with the order of Merlin, first class"
She lifted her gaze and smiled politely. "I'm sure he'll be very grateful to hear you say that"
"And you make sure to tell him that"
"Certainly"
He leaned his head forward. "Seems a little weird doesn't it that he isn't here today to celebrate with you"
"Umm…. you know what I would love to continue talking to you, but I think my mother is beckoning me" Hermione tried to move away but he stepped in her way.
"Or is he still on holiday. What's it been now, 6 months since the Rubnok case, that the ministry released the statement that he was taking a break. I mean if anyone deserves it it's him, but it seems he's relaxing being locked inside the house. I mean there has been no sighting of him, but you still make appearances and continue to work your regular hours. Don't tell me he went on the holiday alone. I mean now was the time wasn't it, for you two to be on a couple's honeymoon, relive the old days when your girl is at Hogwarts. Who knows when you will get another chance."
"Excuse me but I really should-"
"But…..I heard something that troubled me." He paused, eyes boring into Hermione, whose jaw was slacked and her expression conveyed that she'd rather be anywhere except in her current situation. "I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised to know that I still have some sources inside and they have told me that things aren't as rainbow and shiny as they may appear. Apparently, there is a rumour going on that Mr. Potter was asked to step down. I assume it has something to do with the Rubnok case, though I can't be sure.
Let me tell you something, if that's true than shame on the man who made that decision. And we all know there is only one who can make that decision. I mean can you believe what the public would do if this got out. There would be riots. The saviour of our world asked to step down. That too after bringing another dark wizard down" He scoffed, shaking his head in disgust.
"I can assure you Mr. Witherfield that's not the case." said Draco. "So, I suggest you don't pay that rubbish any mind"
"Well, don't all rumours have some semblance of truth" Witherfield arched an eyebrow.
Draco subtly gave a nod to Hermione as Witherfield turned his body towards him. She mouthed 'thank you' and turned to walk away. She only took couple of steps before Witherfield stopped her again.
"Mrs. Granger" he put his hand on her shoulder as she turned around. "Tell Mr. Potter that there are still those who stand by him and will always do"
She nodded her head before taking off.
She walked briskly before someone grabbed her forearm. She whipped her head to see Lily and breathed a sigh of relief.
"You look tired"
"I feel tired"
"I know." she put an arm around her shoulder and guided her to the right. "Witherfield can be a pain in the ass"
"You don't have to tell me." A frown came over her face as she tilted her head to the side. "I didn't think he was running for election"
"He isn't"
"He sure seems to be. Taking digs at Locke. Everyone knows the bad blood between them"
"That's just it."
Hermione arched an eyebrow. Lily sighed before continuing. "He simply doesn't want Locke to retain the position and, in his mind, the best way to make that happen is by manipulating other influential people and make them join his side. And none is more influential than the savior of the wizarding world."
"But he didn't try to do that during the previous elections. At least not with us"
Lily shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Don't forget that he only just came out of his closet"
Hermione's frown deepened before she opened her mouth. "Yeah, why do you think that is. Never heard or saw him since he lost the job to Martin back in 2004 and now suddenly, he keeps popping up at all these events"
"Divorce will do that to you. The shackles no longer bound him, and when a dog becomes stray, he hunts. Exactly what is it he is hunting, only he knows" Lily said. "Plus, he didn't lose, in fact he was winning. He just backed away. No one knows the reason to this day. Everyone's got their theories and speculations though"
"Yeah, I remember. What's your theory"
Lily shoots her a tired look before smiling wryly. "Honey, I never theorize about politics. If I did, I would go bats in a few days. Plus, I find it terribly boring"
Hermione snorts before saying "Well, as long as he stays away from me, I don't care what he does"
"You'd have to be more aware for that. Keep looking over your shoulder every few minutes because otherwise he's going to stick to you like a pest."
"But why me. I'm not even the one he's after"
"Because you're his ticket and without the ticket he can't board the train" She sighed, seeing Hermione's forehead scrunch in confusion. "Honey, everyone knows Harry's reputation. You know that better than anyone. And no one in their right mind is going to approach him head on. A rejection would be the least of their worry. A man like Witherfield does his research. Gathering information about people for him is like you brewing a Polyjuice potion. It doesn't take any effort. He's only trying to butter you up and hoping that by doing so you'll put in a good word for him"
A scoff escaped Hermione's mouth as she ducked her head. "Yeah...if only he knew" she muttered, as her gaze bore a hole in the ground.
…...
Meanwhile
Interior, somewhere in Madrid, Spain
A flash of jet blue light flew across the dimly lit room before it collided with the timber wall and blew it into smithereens.
"Boyle! Forget it. It's lost. Just apparate" a man with dirty blond hair standing near an open window shouted at his friend who was crouching behind the counter across the room. He watched his friend stick his arm out and shoot another spell, this time a red beam of light.
His eyes went wide as a huge fire lit up the entire corridor.
"Boyle! That's enough. We need to leave now!"
"No! I'm not letting our 2 years of hard work mean for nothing. That's our life, John, and I'm not letting that son of a bitch take it all from us"
A huge wave of water suddenly appeared out of nowhere, consumed the fire and evaporated it in a matter of seconds.
Boyle let out an animalistic yell before he shot up and drew his wand, but before he could take action, he dropped to the ground, and didn't move.
"BOYLE!"
A second later John's mouth was trapped beneath a gloved hand, his eyes wide with fear as he stared up at a pair of bright emerald pools, glinting down at him.
"Shush" The man replaced his hand with his finger. John's face turned pale with terror when the man swiped back his long raven locks that had fallen over his eyes and a lightning bolt scar etched on the right side of his forehead came into view.
He was dressed in a pair of brown trousers, white shirt and a long, red trench coat that had gold embodied patterns on it. An 'A' was printed over his chest. Black leather shoes completed his outfit. He wore round spectacles, had shoulder length wavy locks and also sported a thick beard.
John lowered his gaze and his eyes landed on Boyle.
The man looked over his shoulder before turning back to John. "Don't worry, he's just taking a long nap." His voice was deep and had a little growl in it. "I suggest you be more cooperative unless you wish to join him. I wouldn't recommend it though" he leant forward until his mouth his was hovering over John's ear. "I heard they examine your body quite thoroughly at Azkaban before dumping you in one of the cells." He leant back with a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. "I don't know about you but I would like to be conscious if someone put their fingers up my ass. You know...just in case they get a little frisky" he winked.
John nodded, then sucked a long gulp of air into his lungs. "Please sir...I don't want to go to Azkaban. I'll testify anything you want me to-"
"Shush" He grabbed him by the shoulder before walking over to Boyle. He crouched down and grabbed Boyle's hand. A second later he disapparated them out of sight. They reappeared into another room of the building.
It was twice the size of the one they just exited. Also, unlike the other room which was empty, this one was packed. Cupboard and shelves lined across all four sides of the wall, filled with flask bottles, cauldrons, stacks of closed boxes. Small vials bubbling with different types of colours were lined across the left wall. A large wooden table sat right in the middle. Three large crates were resting upon it, each filled with small vials of a purple potion. There must have been over hundred in each box.
Bodies, bloodied and bruised, over a two dozen, were piled up in a heap in the corner. Blood was smeared across the floor, and some even scattered over the walls. He dragged Boyle's body over the heap before turning around and looking at John, who hadn't moved an inch since his feet hit the floor.
He appeared shell shocked as he kept staring at the pile of human flesh with a hollow gaze. He broke out of his stupor with a start when the man snapped his fingers. He started walking over to him when he beckoned him with his fingers.
"Lie down"
John gulped as he shifted his gaze down. He flinched when his eyes caught sight of a man's arm bended backwards and a bone popping out from his elbow.
"You should count yourself lucky." The man moved till he was standing behind John and put both his hands on his shoulders. "You get to be on top" with that he pushed him on top of the heap.
John whimpered and started crying, shifting until he was in a fetal position. The man arched an eyebrow as his lips tugged upwards. He inclined his head to the side and said 'Well...everyone's got their kinks. No judgement here, mate"
He took out a small black device out of his pocket. It was a small, round metallic ball that fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. It had a small button in the middle. He pressed the button and the device started flashing a blue light. He threw it over the pile and the moment the device made contact the blue light turned red and stopped flashing. The light started spreading until it covered all the bodies and formed a globe around them.
A moment later all the bodies vanished into thin air. He walked over and picked up the metallic ball from the ground and put it back in his pocket. He took out another device from his coat pocket.
It was rectangular in shape, thin as a paper and made entirely out of glass. His face reflected back at him until he pressed his thumb at the bottom.
The screen turned silver and a line appeared in the middle of the glass, separating the two halves.
Two words were written on either side of the line.
Work, was written above the line and below, Personal.
He clicked on work.
The line disappeared and the screen changed to white. A single green button appeared in the middle and he pressed it. The screen turned back to glass. A few seconds later a voice came out of the device.
"Badge number" a soft female voice spoke.
"007"
"A moment please"
He pocketed the device back in his pocket and waved his wand over the blood smeared across the floor, cleaning it with movement of his wand. He repeated the same motion on the walls until not a spot of blood remained in the room.
He disapprated before appearing in the corridor on the upper floor.
He pointed his wand at the wall to his right that had a huge hole in it. Slowly, all the broken pieces of timber flew back to their original place and a few seconds later the wall was good as new.
"Yes, illegal manufacturing and importing of multiple potions including Zathor. Destination, Madrid. Is that correct?"
"Correct"
The ministry has received 25 individuals."
"Good"
"Has the operation been neutralized"
"Yes"
"Any exposure"
"No, the place is isolated. It's underground in the middle of a farm. There is no one around."
There was a brief pause before "The forensic team has been notified of the location and will arrive in the next few minutes."
"Hmm"
"White room or hospital"
"White room"
"You can apparate straight to the white room. I've given you the clearance."
"Hmm"
"Oh, and sir..." there was a slight hesitation in the voice.
"Hmm"
Another pause. "It's good to have you back"
He stopped walking as the corner of his mouth tugged upwards.
"Thank you, Julie" he said, before disapparating.
Interior, The White Room, Level 5, Ministry of Magic - Night
He apparated into the room and rolled his neck in a stretch.
The room, as per its name, was pristine white with not a speck of dust in place and empty except a single leather chair sitting in the middle.
He walked over to it and sat down.
"Name" a female voice sounded. It seemed monotonous, almost automated. It came from all around the room.
He ran a hand through his hair. "Harry Potter"
"Your mission duration was 1 hour and 17 minutes. Is that correct."
"The hour was prep work and planning, executing it took 15 minutes and the cleanup 2"
"Injuries detained"
"1"
"Description"
"Slash curse under the chest. Not deep. Just a flesh wound"
"Evaluate"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know...6 months out of field, I guess."
"Place your wand on the table"
He took out his wand from his leg holster as a table appeared in front of him. He placed it on the table before leaning back in his seat. A light glow formed over his wand for several seconds before it disappeared.
"The spells produced by your wand in the last hour were mostly category 4"
"Hmm"
"Please place the memory in the pensive" A round, silver basin filled with water appeared in the next second, levitating above the table.
He sighed before reaching for his wand. He pointed it at the side of his head and closed his eyes, a small frown forming on his forehead. "Extrecio" he whispered.
Long silvery threads attach to the tip of his wand as he pulls it back. He moves his wand over the basin and snaps his wrist. The threads leave the wand and fall into the water.
He waits for a few seconds before the voice comes back.
"After reviewing your memory, I have come to the conclusion that your harsh use of spells wasn't warranted. You could have been more professional. Your usage of the spell, sectumsempra, seemed highly passionate and not calculative. You used it when your opponent attacked you from the behind in a moment of passion. A simple jinxing charm would have been sufficed"
A few seconds of silence passed before the voice said "Any comments"
"No"
"Let's move on to mental health"
"Great" he rubbed his temples.
"Do you feel tired?"
"Not really"
"Do you feel nervous?"
"No"
"Are you feeling anxious?"
"No"
"Do you feel hopeless?"
A pause.
"No"
"Do you feel restless?"
"Yes"
"During the mission, how often did you feel that everything was an effort?"
"Never"
"During the mission, did anything you saw cause you a trauma"
"No"
"Overall, how would you rate your physical health"
"Good"
"Overall, how would you rate your mental health"
"Good"
"Are you physically able to carry out another mission if need asked be"
"God yes"
"Are you mentally able to carry out another mission if need asked be"
"Yes"
"Lastly, when was the last time you were happy"
No response. He stared down at the floor and closed his fists.
"I repeat the question, when was the last time you were happy"
His knuckles turned white from the grip and his knees start shaking.
"Mr. Potter"
He whipped his head up as his breathing turned ragged.
"When was the last time you were happy"
He shut his eyes for a brief moment before opening them.
"4 years, 153 days, 17 hours, 21 minutes, 1,2,3...seconds ago" he trailed off, turning his gaze back at the ground.
"After evaluating your performance, I've come to the conclusion that your performance was a...step up your game or you will soon find yourself cheering from the bench"
He gets up and heads towards the door. "Trust me, there'll be no cheering" he says, before walking out.
…...
IMA Facility
Balcony, Top Floor - Night
Hermione was standing near the railing; she had her right elbow resting over her left arm as she took a small sip from her wine glass. Her plaque was resting on top of the concrete balustrade.
She looked over her shoulder when she heard the door open and smiled as Rowan walked through. He smiled back as he approached her.
"Hey goofy" he said
"Hey snoopy" she replied.
He inhaled a long breath through his nose as he stopped next to her, eyes roaming across the Thames River.
"Beautiful isn't it" she said.
"Yeah" he said, before facing her. "But not as beautiful as someone I know"
"I swear if you say that someone is you, which by the way sense doesn't even make any sense, I will shove you off the building" she warns, though there is a little playfulness in her eyes.
"I think you'd had a little too much to drink"
"Maybe" she chuckled before a burp escapes her mouth and they both burst out laughing.
"Oh man..." Rowan wiped at his eyes before shaking his head. He looks back at her as she pushes back her loose tendrils. "You had fun"
She turns to him and smiles warmly. "Yes. Thank you. I know I said I didn't want it, but it was lovely. Seriously"
"I'm glad"
Silence envelops them like the cold as the wind picks up. Hermione put her arms around her as a shiver runs through her body.
"C'mon let's get inside" He grabbed her hand.
"I think I'm gonna head home now"
"But it's still early"
She arched a brow and he rolls his eyes. "C'mon, remember when we used to stay up well past midnight back at Hogwarts"
"Yes, I remember...but we're not kids anymore"
"Speak for yourself" he quipped, making her giggle. "C'mon..." he whined. "It's been so long since it was just the two of us"
"But-"
"No buts, with Rose coming back next week I know you're not going to leave her side."
She sighed. "But, what will we do"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Just like old times. See where the night takes us"
Her mouth curled into a smile as she replied. "Alright"
…...
Interior, somewhere in London - Night
"AAAH!" screamed the man hanging upside down in air. He was only wearing his skin, and even that had come loose in some parts. His face was covered with a paper bag. The room was dark, the only light coming from the street lamp through the window and the dim glow of the moon hiding behind the clouds.
The room was a mess. Rickety, old, worn out. Walls were printed with a white wallpaper, which was covered in what looked like claw marks. Water was leaking from a hole in the ceiling. The floor was damp, the smell musky. It had a highly ramshackle atmosphere which coincided with the dreary aura surrounding it.
"Please, no-no more"
A gut-wrenching clawing sound filled the room. A pale white hand scratched a long vertical stripe into the wallpaper facing the hanging man. The nails scraped into the plaster as blood seeped through them.
A wicked smile formed over the mouth of the man wearing a metallic mask as he started tapping the torn paper with the edge of his forefinger.
"123...321...C'mon pet, tell me why are you so...wet" a low cackle emitted from his lips but it gradually got louder and long before he was laughing maniacally.
He stopped abruptly; the room once again filled with the pain whimpering from the mouth of the bagged victim.
"Oh Sebastian, oh Sebastian..." The masked man got up from the floor and walked over to the bare man. He crouched low and whipped the bag from his face, revealing the face of Sebastian Witherfield.
The old man coughed and wheezed as he took in huge gulps of air.
"Please...water..." he gasped.
"Oh sure" He pointed his wand at Sebastian's face. "Aguamenti" a jet of sparkling, clean water shot out of his wand and square into Sebastian's face, who started gagging roughly.
A wicked smile curled his mouth upwards as he watched Sebastian flail his arms and turn his face to the side.
"Mr. Whiterfield!" he exclaimed, seeming affronted, though his eyes betrayed his tone. "That's a waste of water. You should be ashamed. There are entire countries dying of thirst and here are you, squandering it away like- you know what I can't."
He pointed his wand at Sebastian's torso that had a large a round cut around it. It stretched over his ribs and went as low as his pubic bone.
"NO PLEASE! -AAAH!"
A large gash opened his stomach in half. Blood starts oozing down his body, covering his face in red.
"This is for the life I could've had!" he growled, sticking his wand in the wound and penetrating it deep.
"This is for the life I would've had!" he thrust deeper, his wand halfway in his gut.
"This is for the life I should've had!" He pushed his wand all the way in, rendering Witherfield speechless.
…...
Godric's Hollow - Night
A large brick mansion stood alone, perched on a small hill and surrounded by trees that were more than 20-feet tall and grassy fields as far as the eye can see. A rectangular hedge fence covered the perimeter of the boundary.
The gravel driveway ran around a large, three-tiered stone fountain with water dribbling from the nuzzle down the basin.
The driveway merged with the stone road that curved and sloped down the hill.
Suddenly, two figures appeared out of thin air with a little popping sound. They stood on the edge of the driveway.
"Well, here we are...Mars" sighed Rowan, staring at the large word written on the front wall below the second-floor windows. The two-foot-long letters glimmered yellow in the night sky and had a cursive font to it.
"I still don't understand why you chose to name your house after a planet." he turned to Hermione, who was hugging her plaque to her chest.
She shot him a lazy smile. "And you never will"
He wrinkled his nose and narrowed his eyes. "I will figure it out, don't you worry"
"Ha!" she scoffed, swaying slightly on her feet. "Fat chance of that ever happening"
"Easy there, Brickle bee" he put his hands on her shoulders.
"Don't call me that!" she snapped. "I hate that filthy creature"
He chuckled, before guiding her towards the door.
"I told you I shouldn't have had that last drink" she grumbled.
"You said that before having your first drink and then had 7 after" he smirked, as she glared at him.
"Yea well...no more from now. Oh god, I'm gonna have a terrible headache in the morning"
"You'll live" he rolled his eyes. "Plus, today was a special day for you"
They stopped when they reached the ornate door. A head of a lion was carved in the middle.
"What's your excuse" she turned to him.
A sly grin came over his lips before he said "Every day is a special day for me"
"Oh please..." she moaned, rubbing her temples. "That was so bad"
He shrugged his shoulders "Hey, what you expect. My brain stopped working two hours ago"
Her face frowned in worry. "How are you going to apparate?"
"Don't worry. I'll-"
"You can use the floo. Come inside" she cut him off and pressed her palm on the door. It glowed blue for a second before she pushed it open.
"Ooh, inviting a man into your house. Do you do this often" he smirked.
She looked over her shoulder and rolled her. "Shut up and get inside. You're in no condition to apparate"
"Hey" he protested. "I got you here didn't I"
"Yea well that took out whatever remaining energy you had left. Plus, I'm going to kill you tomorrow for risking my life" she snipped, before pulling him inside.
They walked down the hallway that turned left at the end.
It was fairly dark inside, except light coming from further down the corridor.
They reached the end and walked into a large square hall. The sheer size of it was overwhelming, with 4 large concrete pillars supporting the upper level that was 30 feet high. The room was beautifully lit in an orange hue by floating candles slowly moving in the air.
A large, spiral, glacier, Asfour crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. It glimmering blue orbs created a shimmering atmosphere.
Three large sofas sat in the middle, surrounding a glass table.
A spiral staircase in the corner on the right led to upper floor.
Hermione headed towards the tall fireplace, which had dying embers crackling as the few remaining twigs took their last breaths before turning into ash.
Picture frames, some moving, others still, sat upon the shelf above it. On the opposite wall, across the room perched upon the wall was a 100-inch black screen. There was another chimney under it but this one was far smaller. But unlike the other it was blazing with intensity and basked the room in its warmth.
Hermione picked up a small purple pouch dangling from the corner of the shelf and grabbed a handful of floo powder. She placed her hand over Rowan's open palm when the sound of footsteps made them turn their heads just in time to see Harry walk in from an open passage on the other side of the room.
He stopped when his eyes landed on them.
He was topless, still wearing his work trousers. He was holding a bowl in one hand and an ice pack in his other which was pressed to the cut under his chest. It ran diagonally and stopped just above the waistband of his trouser.
Even though the blood had dried down the cut still seemed fresh.
"Potter" Rowan nodded his head.
Harry replied with a subtle nod. His eyes lingering briefly on their hands which were almost touching before snapping up to Hermione. The contact lasted for less than a second before he broke it and made his way toward the couch and sat down with his back to them.
"Uhm..." Rowan cleared his throat, breaking Hermione from her stupor.
"Oh sorry" she opened her fist and dropped the powder in his palm before standing on her tip toes and kissing his cheek. "Bye"
"Bye" he smiled. "Rest well and don't do anything I wouldn't do"
She rolled her eyes and nudged him gently. "Go, you dolt"
"Alright" he chuckled, stepping inside the chimney. "Later, Potter"
Harry's reply came in the sound of a slurp as he continued to ravish his soup. Rowan raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders while Hermione ran a hand through her hair and avoided eye contact with him.
"Kyle Manor" he said loudly before throwing the powder. Green flames roared to life and surrounded him for several seconds before evaporating into thin air, leaving the chimney empty.
Hermione turned her gaze down before lifting it to the side towards Harry. She did a double take when she saw a huge blue mark over his upper back. The bruise contrasted with his pale white skin.
Her face hardened instantly as her gaze remained intact.
The room was completely silent except the tinkling noise every time the spoon made contact with the ceramic bowl.
Hermione turned her head forward and walked towards the staircase. She climbed it quickly, the drunken haze of the alcohol completely gone.
…...
Interior, bathroom, master bedroom - Night
She stepped out of the shower and grabbed her wand from the sink. Casting a quick drying charm on herself she placed it back. She stepped in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection. She looked up and down at her five-foot seven-inch frame. Despite her nearing her forties, she was still in a phenomenal shape, with curves in all the right places.
Her eyes roamed down her neck before stopping at her chest. Her gaze roamed over her well-endowed pair of breasts before she brought a hand over her left breast, covering the rosy tip. She gave the soft flesh a little squeeze.
A frown creased her forehead as she brought her hand down her belly and rested it on the little pooch. It was almost nonexistent and if one didn't look closely or wasn't running their hands over it like she was doing right now, they wouldn't know. She moved her hand to the side and pinched the flesh.
Turning sideways she looked at her arse. She swiped her hand over her left ass cheek when the door opened and she whipped her head towards it.
Harry was staring at her hand that was still on her backside before snapping his gaze back to hers for a brief moment. It lasted less than a second before he was heading towards the sink. She moved out of the way as he opened the cupboard below the sink and took out a small bottle. She read the title. Rupko's Healing Balm.
He closed the cupboard and walked out, closing the door behind him.
She stared at the door before looking back at the mirror, boring a hole in it.
"What are you doing" demanded Hermione, hands on her hips.
Harry looked up and arched an eyebrow. "Umm…..." He looked down at his right hand that was smeared with the blue paste. "Applying the balm" he said slowly.
"Why?" she tapped her foot.
He gave her an odd look, like he wasn't sure if she was serious or simply, taking a piss. "Cause my back hurts"
"I meant why are you applying it?"
His mouth formed an 'O' as realization dawned over his face.
"You were busy on the phone with your mum"
"So? You do know I'm a witch, right?"
"Brightest of her age" he grinned.
"Precisely. So, you also know that I could've levitated the phone or even easier, put it on speaker"
"Well- I didn't think-"
"Exactly, you didn't think" she snatched the bottle from the table and motioned him to make room for her. "You never do." She continued, as she climbed the sofa and shifted behind him, sitting on the edge. "You know this is my job"
He chuckled "Yes, mam"
She blinked her eyes and stared at her face, letting out a long sigh. She dressed quickly in a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt that almost reached the hem of her shorts before walking out of the door.
She walked over to the dressing table and placed her wand on it before applying a black coloured cream on her skin.
She scrubbed it all over her face, making it look glowing and soft. She opened the top drawer and stared down at a small red box. She opened it and took out a simple, bronze plated, wedding ring.
She placed a quick kiss on it before placing it back inside the box and closing the drawer.
She walked towards the left side of the bed and lifted the blanket before getting under it. She turned her head towards Harry who had his back towards her.
She watched him for several beats before mimicking his position and closing her eyes.
A/N: As always guys post your comments below and let me know your thoughts and I'll catch you on the flip side.