August 2010
Hermione poured the hot water over the tea leaves, the gentle aroma of the fresh Earl Grey tea drifting up causing her to sigh gently. Hearing the sharp rap of the door knocker, she placed the lid on the teapot to allow the tea to brew as she moved through the cottage to open the door.
"Theo," she smiled as she pulled the door open, watching him tuck his tall frame under the thick oak beam as he ducked into the lounge, waiting while Hermione closed the door.
He followed her through the cottage into the kitchen, seating himself at her large oak farmhouse table as she finished preparing the tea, bringing it over as he unclasped his briefcase. Pulling out the files, he waited while she poured the tea before getting down to business.
"As you know, Hermione, it is time for me to prepare the annual statements for the Ministry," Theo began as Hermione lifted the teacup to her lips, sipping as she listened. "I have spent the last couple of weeks going through the accounts and financially you are doing well," he informed her, as he pushed the financial summary sheet towards her.
Hermione placed her cup it's saucer, taking the sheet, eyes scanning the document as Theo continued. "As you can see your most generous benefactor has made his annual donation bringing your current balance to 50,000 galleons." Hermione hummed thoughtfully.
"I would like to find out who this mystery benefactor, 'M' is," Hermione told him, glancing up as Theo shook his head.
"We have been over this, Hermione," Theo sighed as Hermione rolled her eyes. "The donations are anonymous. Whoever it is, they do not want you to know their identity."
Hermione twisted around in her seat. "But Theo, whoever it is should see what is being done with their money."
Theo handed her a sheet of parchment. "They already do, dear, they see one of these every year," he told her. Hermione glared as the slight condescension in his tone.
"That's not what I mean," she scoffed, waving the paper away. "It's not about how I spend their money. I want them to see what sort of legacy they have created here."
Theo grinned, opening his briefcase once more. "They know, Hermione," he told her, handing her a copy of the morning edition of The Prophet. Hermione narrowed her eyes once more as she read.
"Have you ever wondered if maybe you need glasses," Theo quipped, causing Hermione to smack his arm somewhat playfully as she read the article.
"Ow!" Theo complained, rubbing his arm. "All I am saying is that if you have to narrow your eyes like that every time you read, you might want to consider glasses," he grinned as Hermione finished reading the article, pointedly ignoring his remark. She handed him back the newspaper sighing. "That is just a report on the first intake," she shrugged.
"And you don't think 'M' will be pleased to see that out of the five children you provided a home for, three are set to embark upon internships with the Ministry, one is off to teach at Beauxbatons and the fifth has just arrived in Romania to work with Charlie Weasley?" Theo asked, one eyebrow quirked questioningly at her.
Hermione sighed, gesturing with her hands. "You don't understand!" Hermione cried, exasperated. "It's not just those five children. It's all the children. Toby, Hester, Sophia, Gabrielle, and Marc are the tip of the iceberg." Hermione shook her head, growing quiet as footsteps sounded down the stairs, a young boy of eleven coming through the door to the kitchen.
"Morning, Miss Granger," he greeted Hermione quietly, gazing curiously at Theo.
Hermione rose from her seat. "Good morning, Stefan," Hermione replied warmly. "Would you like toast or cereal for breakfast?" she inquired, moving to the pantry.
"Toast please, Miss Granger," Stefan replied, glancing once more at Theo as he shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
Hermione stepped out of the pantry, loaf in hand. "Why don't you go and set up the dining room while Miss Bones wakes the others," Hermione suggested kindly as she placed two slices of bread in the toaster.
"You know," Theo began, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
"Don't," Hermione warned, knowing exactly what Theo was about to say.
"I'm just saying," Theo chuckled, his face cracking into a wide smile. "Things around here could run a bit smoother…" His words trailed off as Hermione spun around, brandishing a dinner knife smeared with butter menacingly at him.
"Things around here run plenty smooth enough!" Hermione cried, eyes flashing with passion.
Theo smirked, enjoying the way she reacted to his teasing.
"You know how I feel about house elves," Hermione sighed turning back to her toast, chastising herself inwardly for rising to his baiting. She spread the butter moodily, her cheeks flushing as Theo continued to grin, returning his attention to the papers.
With a flick of her wand, she levitated the breakfast through to the dining room before settling back into her chair. "Stefan was eight when I found out about him," she told Theo somberly. "The lists you provide me with of children the Ministry are aware of are invaluable but there are always one or two who slip through the cracks, unnoticed and unheard of," she explained, pouring them both a fresh cup of tea from the pot. "When I first came up with this," she gestured vaguely with her hand as Theo lifted his cup to his lips. "I found some information in the archives about a young man called Credence Barebone."
Theo raised an eyebrow curiously. "He had such potential for greatness," she whispered, a touch of awe in her voice. "Do you know what an obscurus is?" she asked, glancing at Theo. He shook his head. "I've heard the term once or twice but I confess I do not know exactly what one is," he told her as Hermione set her cup to one side.
"An obscurus is the manifestation of repressed energy in a magical child," she quietly explained, checking over her shoulder as the children bundled past into the dining room, Susan Bones' dulcet tones reminding them gently to sit prettily. Hermione smiled to herself as she listened to the animated chatter drifting through to the kitchen as Susan shut the door.
"Sadly Credence lost control of his magic and transformed completely, before going on the rampage in New York," she told him with a sigh. "Had I not found Stefan when I did, he could have met the same fate."
Theo sat back, stunned.
"I just.." Hermione began, reaching for her cup before looking up, her warm honey eyes meeting Theo's wide-eyed gaze. "I think 'M' should know, you know," she shrugged simply as she lifted the cup to her lips, wetting them slightly as she hovered the cup meer millimeters from them. She glanced at Theo over the edge of her cup catching the slight flicker of something across his eyes. Indecisiveness? Is that what it was? But before Hermione could figure it out, he shuttered it away, schooling his features.
"Typical Slytherin," she thought to herself. It was as if that house trained its students until stoicism was a reflex attitude, she considered wryly as she sipped thoughtfully.
Theo watched her intently before sighing as he looked away. "I can't tell you, Hermione. The Ministry has strict rules about anonymous donations," he told her, sorting through his papers in an effort to avoid her curious eyes.
"So, it's a former Death Eater then?" she asked carefully. Theo snapped his head up at her words, his eyes meeting hers. He made no reply but the look on his face told her what she needed to know. "The Ministry has been keeping a close eye on the finances of every former Death Eater since the end of the second war in a bid to stop corruption. They keep records of every donation made over 10,000 galleons," Hermione told him, placing her cup down once more.
"You've done your homework," Theo quipped causing Hermione to flash him a knowing smile. "Don't I always?" she grinned. "I also know that there is no such thing as a truly anonymous donation when the source is a former Death Eater," she told him, leaning forward slightly. "So, are you going to tell me who 'M' is? I know that you know." Hermione gave him a pointed look as Theo matched the intensity of her look. "No, Hermione. I could lose my job," he told her seriously, before flashing her a grin. "And then what would you do without me and my sparkling personality?"
"I'm sure I would survive," she retorted mockingly, laughing as he feigned offence, his hand covering his heart.
"Oh how you wound me," he sighed dramatically.
"Funny," Hermione quipped sarcastically as she cleared away their empty cups and teapot.
"Have you spoken to Potter recently?" he asked casually, scrutinising her reaction carefully.
Hermione continued clearing away the remnants of their tea. "We had our usual monthly dinner last week, and as usual, it was tense," she muttered, closing the cupboard door wearily.
"You would think they would have got over it by now," Theo commented as Hermione turned, leaning against the counter. She shrugged, a sad look washing over her face.
"Ginny just doesn't see this as a betrayal," she gestured vaguely. "She doesn't understand that the whole reason for this is to stop children becoming like Tom or Credence; to stop children going through what we went through," she muttered, her right hand brushing absently over her left forearm. "Harry understands a bit better, but naturally he wants to support his wife and I can't exactly blame him for that," she sighed, hugging her arms to her chest as she tried to keep her emotions in check. "I think she's also a bit bitter about how things fell apart with Ron. She had all her hopes pinned on me becoming her sister."
"You cannot live your life according to the expectations of others," Theo told her, the sincerity in his voice resonating deeply with Hermione as she chuckled wryly. "I'm not sure I know how to live another way," she confessed.
Theo tilted his head to one side as he considered her words. "Well you have managed alright these last ten years," he commented, giving her a pointed look. She looked up at his words and he could see the emotions swimming in them. "Have I?" she asked quietly, tears pricking at the corners. Theo rose from his chair, crossing the room, coaxing her into his arms.
"I'm just so lonely, Theo," Hermione confessed as she allowed him to push her head against his shoulder. His fingers found their way into hair as he felt his Oxford dampen slightly.
"You won't always be lonely," he prophesied, pulling back enough to tilt her chin up to look in her eyes. "And in the meantime, you have me," he told her, wiggling his eyebrows at her in mock seduction.
"Oh stop it," she chastised playfully as she smacked his chest lightly. "You know what I mean and while I love you dearly, that isn't what I meant," she told him, giving him a meaningful look.
Theo's jaw dropped. "You wound me again? Pray tell, what have I done to deserve that you wound me thusly?"
"Oh stop with the amateur dramatics," she chastised, brushing away the stray tears that had tracked down her cheeks unchecked. "I am sure that Blaise would have a thing or two to say if you decided to shack up with me in this little cottage."
Theo glanced around the cottage. "I don't know," he casually replied, "Blaise rather has designs on this little cottage. He was most infuriated that you beat him to the punch when it came to purchasing this humble abode. I don't think he would object too strongly to shacking up with us here," he caught her eye, and for a moment Hermione wasn't entirely sure he wasn't propositioning her on behalf of his lover. Seeing the humour in his eyes, she burst out laughing just before he did, the pair struggling to breathe as Susan came into the kitchen.
"Care to share the joke?" she smiled, as she crossed the kitchen making a beeline for the kettle.
"You don't want to know," Hermione told her, her eyes never leaving Theo's as the pair struggled to maintain composure.
Susan glanced around as she filled the kettle at the tap, looking from Hermione to Theo and back again. "You know what, I think you're right: no, I don't think I do want to know after all," she grinned.
"Right, I must be off, ladies," Theo informed them, placing the paperwork back into his briefcase. "Hermione, do not forget you need to come to the Ministry on Monday to sign the paperwork for the new intake. You have a meeting with Minerva up at the school on Friday, correct?" he glanced up at Hermione who nodded her confirmation.
"And no digging into what we discussed," he told her cryptically, as they shared a look. "Look who I am talking to," he muttered as he shook his head. "Or if you do, try not to get yourself in trouble. Or me sacked for that matter," he sighed as he stood, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to her hair.
"Look after yourself," he murmured into her hair, as Susan offered to see him out. Theo followed her out to the front door silently, before turning to her and leaning down slightly. "Look out for her, Susan. I'm worried about her," he told her sincerely as Susan's eyes widened.
"Of course, Theo," she replied, shocked by his concern, watching as he turned and made his way down the little footpath to apparate back to the Ministry, wondering if she should be as concerned as Theo quite clearly was.