A/N: Thank you as always for the lovely reviews! I've had great fun world-building the next few chapters. Hopefully it reads well... :)
The wards shifted at precisely five minutes to nine as Filius' ascended the staircase toward the Head's office.
The door opened before him immediately and he strode in, feeling the thin tendrils of anxiety wane upon seeing Minerva standing at the ready. As usual, the graceful witch appeared confident and at ease. He greeted her warmly and had to chuckle a moment later at recognizing the source of her slightly stiff posture.
"I take it the purple is a bit of an adjustment, then?" Filius inquired, peering up into clear green eyes that were glancing over his own robes with a hint of distaste.
"Quite," Minerva replied stiffly and Filius chuckled.
They were both wearing the official set of ICW robes - a rather pleasant shade of deep violet in Filius' opinion, with a rather nice sheen of indigo when one moved. The robes were more structured than either of them tended to wear on the daily, with a reasonably high collar edged in gold brocade, and a series of elegant closures down the front of the chest.
From Minerva's careful expression, it was clear that she detested them silently. They are more befitting of someone like Albus, Filius thought with a smile. However as he gave his friend another once over, he couldn't help but think it was a rather becoming shade for her.
"It brings out your eyes," he commented lightly and smiled inwardly as Minerva's cheeks flushed lightly at the compliment.
"Thank you," she replied softly, before stepping back. Reaching into one pocket Minerva drew out a chipped teacup as Filius fished for his own tin soup can. They moved to the center of the room, leaving a bit of space between them as the initial entrance into the Central Agora would likely demand a few minutes of individual security checks.
"One last, if I may, Filius," Minerva stated, her voice casual in a way that Filius' ears perked up in curiosity. A swift glance at the grandfather clock indicated they had about thirty seconds before the Portkeys took effect.
"I ask that you keep an eye out for a rather robust wizard from Northern Africa. If memory serves, he bears a rather distinctive set of gold tattoos on the backs of his hands. I have a dear friend who speaks of him fondly… I should like to meet him," she finished, plucking an invisible hair from one sleeve.
Filius' quick mind immediately deduced that Minerva was building a memory for them...
... Something so minute that it would be overlooked, but beneath it, a clue… Filius wasn't sure what to make of the odd request, but he nodded his understanding thoughtfully as any friend might, even as a wave of concern washed through him. What tangled web awaits us now, my good friend?
"I shall keep an eye out," he replied lightly as Minerva responded with a gracious nod. They had but a few moments. Fourteen… thirteen… twelve...
A few rays from the chilly November morning filtered in from the windows behind Minerva and for a moment, the witch was framed in a halo of light, giving her an ethereal, almost otherworldly glow. She was gazing down at the portkey in her hand with a slight tilt of her head, face open and patient, with eyes as clear as polished emeralds… nine… eight…
Bizarrely, Filius felt a swell of emotion rise through him as he looked at his friend, who simply waited quietly for the pull of well-crafted magic to draw them away.
She seemed noble... almost holy even, standing there in the symbolic violet robes that drew back many centuries through time as a shade befitting only the highest of sorcerers. Five… four… three….
And in the split second before the Portkey whisked them away to the island of Atlantis, Filius would recall many years later, this exact image of Minerva McGonagall: An elegant, statuesque, and powerful witch to be sure… but with an aura of righteousness and benevolence so pure... it surrounded her like a circle of golden light.
Hermione woke with a groan as her wand buzzed noisily on the windowsill near her bed. Blearily, she waved a hand and managed to knock it to the floor where it continued to roll about, the buzzing growing louder as it echoed beneath her bed.
"Ughhh!" She tumbled out of her covers with a start and held out a hand, her wand snapping into place immediately with a tickle before she canceled the alarm. Placing a palm to her pounding head, Hermione knelt with one arm still thrown over the mattress as she squinted an eye and cast a tempus. 06:03.
"Bloody hell," she muttered under her breath, before rising and padding gingerly to the bathroom. Her body ached from a combination of sore muscles and lack of sleep. Where's Master Kallas and how do I get one of those magic potions from yesterday?
Once glance at her reflection told her there was little to be done about the rat's nest serving in place of her hair, so she simply swirled her wand and pulled the tangles into a messy braid. Whatever.
Tiredly, Hermione managed to complete her morning ablutions rather quickly before deciding that her sluggish mind and body were going to need a better wake-up call before simply settling in at her desk and forming a new schedule for the coming weeks.
Against her better judgment, she summoned a random bathing suit from her wardrobe and quickly pulled it on without looking - frowning in irritation as she snapped off a tag that poked her in the ribs, before grabbing a towel from behind the bathroom door. A moment later, she marched out of her room, still blinking sleep from her eyes.
It barely registered that Master Kallas was already sitting at the informal table, attending to her correspondence as usual with a steaming cup of coffee.
"Kaliméra," Hermione mumbled, yawning as she breezed through the kitchen. Had she been paying attention, she might have caught the widening of light seafoam eyes and the nearly imperceptible sound of her master nearly choking on her coffee.
A moment later, however, Hermione was trotting down to the sea - towel slung over one shoulder and eyes squinting as her bare feet picked over the stone steps leading downward to the azure waves. It was a chilly day with a cool breeze, but the sun was warm on her arms and Hermione found herself perking up slightly as the fresh air greeted her lungs.
The sea would be cold, she knew… but with all the things lying ahead of her, perhaps it would jolt her into work mode.
She paused a moment where the path diverged. Typically, she continued to the right and descended toward the private Kefalas beach where the water was a bit calmer and she could swim with less diverted effort. But today was different.
Hermione scanned the shoreline and considered the many tasks awaiting her back at the villa. She had a new schedule to make for herself… new meetings and lessons to attend with Master Kallas, Stelios, Yiayia, and possibly Ana. Plenty of hours in the library, that was much was certain. Plus, she still wanted to adhere to her training as best she could.
Her thoughts felt muddied and slightly dull, as if she could close her eyes and immediately fall back into the restful darkness of sleep regardless of where she was at the moment. But even in her exhaustion, Hermione drew a deep breath and changed her course.
Today required a wake-up call.
Picking her way over the rocks, Hermione made her way to the left where the rocks began to rise and jut outward to create a natural point over deeper waters. The drop at the end wasn't terribly high - about six or seven meters, but Hermione had only tried it once during her whole time on Naxos, and that had been after Eleni's cajoling.
Strong, tanned feet and hands began working to help her ascend toward the point over roughened sea rocks. The action brought forth a few twinges along the muscles of her back and through her legs, reminding her that the last few days were only the beginning. There's probably a lot more where that came from...
The rocks evened out slightly and Hermione brought herself up to standing - arms held out like a acrobat as she slowly made her way forward and toward the edge of the small cliff. She felt a small bubble of anticipation work its way through her body even as her eyes carefully scanned the bright cerulean waters...
A moment later, her toes reached the edge of the rock...
And without an ounce of hesitation, Hermione dropped her towel and jumped - feeling a rush of wild laughter overtake her even as the cold waters sprang upwards her from below.
Minerva's robes skirted around her legs a manner she found irritating and constricting.
She and Filius were walking down a stretch of bright white marble that had been polished into such a brilliant gloss, Minerva felt she needed a Shield Charm to block its sharp reflection. Their aide walked slightly before them - a stern little witch named Emmeline who had greeted them after the security checks and given them their itinerary ledgers and a small informational map of the city.
They had arrived to the Central Agora of Aetherion along with a host of others in violet robes. They had each been petrified and silenced immediately upon appearing - each one of them suspended above the ground by a bright column of magic as Security Wizards in teams of three quickly attended to each individual and registered their entry into Atlantis. Their wands had been taken, imprinted, and recorded; robes scanned and patted down; voices measured, and health charts recorded...
Shortly thereafter, she and Filius had each been issued a series of small pins that were now affixed to their respective collars - the official gold emblem of the ICW General Assembly, a flag from the United Kingdom to indicate their country of affiliation, and the Hogwarts emblem as a nod to their seats on the Educational Council.
Emmeline had quickly appeared soon-after, introducing herself with a quick bow, and then leading them off - speaking in clipped tones that indicated she had delivered similar welcomes many times before.
"- should you need medical attention, please tell the map clearly and it will direct you to the Aesclepion on the south side of the Agora along Auster." Minerva half-listened as Emmeline continued narrating the many rules and important points of the convocation.
The witch's golden robes glistened in the bright light which filtered in from behind puffy white clouds, and Minerva took a deep inhale of island air, appreciating the almost-familiar scents of fresh flowers and pine.
She could just make out the peaks of Helios and Eleuthera in the distance as they passed beneath the tall pillars of the stoa surrounding the Agora.
Absently, Minerva realized just how much she had missed the Mediterranean ambiance.
"- Assembly members are not permitted to journey to the north of the island during this conference. Should you wish to recess off-island during the break, please ensure that you take your Portkey with you and it will return you promptly to the north side of the Agora- "
Filius shot her a subtle look and Minerva responded with the barest of smiles.
Despite his affable nature, Filius was not one for useless prattling. Emmeline vaguely reminded Minerva of someone, though she couldn't put a finger on whom. The young witch was slightly bossy and she spoke with a subtle accent, perhaps from Spain or Italy. Her dark hair was pulled into a severe bun rivaling Minerva's and it gleamed to perfection as she led them toward the Acropolis at a brisk walk.
The first convocation was to be held within the General Assembly Hall at ten, giving them a good amount of time to peruse the thick ledger that held the formal schedule, addendums, and relevant reports. Minerva had immediately shrunk the ledger and tucked it into her pocket, giving her ease to gaze about and observe the city around her.
The Corinthian columns they were walking through were nearly transparent at the bottom, giving one the ability to look through the stone and appreciate the beauty of the Agora whose clean walkway was lined by lush grasses and fragrant blooms. The open walkway was full of people in gold robes, clearly indicating their affiliation to the ICW's general Secretariat. Here and there a street vendor could be seen selling fresh food or flowers.
Across the way, the Office of Underwater Peculiarities appeared to have been recently renovated. The black stone building was tilted on its side by a forty-five degree angle, supported by a large iridescent sculpture of a wave that twinkled and undulated in the light. Minerva saw people descending from the tilted steps at an equally bizarre angle and quickly materializing into the Agora with no issue. She raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Clever," Minerva heard Filius mutter approvingly as he followed her gaze. Emmeline shot them a reproachful look and they hurried to follow as she drew them out from beneath the covered walkway and toward a diagonal path that began leading them through a series of ascending gardens toward Acropolis.
They passed rolling berms covered in flowered bushes and a few carefully pruned olive trees and as Emmeline's robes whipped around a corner, Minerva looked upward… and kept looking upward...
"Merlin's beard," Filius breathed. Silently, Minerva had to agree with the smaller wizard's expression of awe, forgetting momentarily that it had been many years since her friend had set foot upon the island.
"Since its renovation a decade ago, Acropolis of Aetherion had become a noted achievement amongst architectural circles across the globe. As you can see, the new Architect elected to infuse a bit of whimsy into the design. The renovations took two years to complete."
Minerva suppressed a smile at glancing to one side and seeing Filius mutter varied spells and charms to himself as he surveyed the structure with a careful squint, likely attempting to deduce the warding and the various enchantments utilized to maintain the impressive sight.
As they approached the end of the path, the large hill they had been ascending opened into a broad slate-gray plaza whose stones described the Golden Ratio. The spaces in between the stones pulsed like a heartbeat - sending bolts of gentle light across the plaza floor a pleasant visual display.
The Acropolis itself was entirely suspended in the air… floating ten meters above the plaza, and the entire structure drifted lightly, as though it ebbed and flowed with an invisible tide. The temple itself appeared as just that - a large Greek temple, with a strange sort of translucency to it that made its outlines appear clear, if somewhat opalescent… while the substance of the structure itself allowed one to view the surrounding sky and landscape with ease.
The surreal sight always gave Minerva a pleasant feeling, as though she were looking an entire building enchanted to be a cousin of Hogwart's Great Hall ceiling.
They passed into the shadow of the Acropolis, she looked up to see the underside of the temple that was meant to appear like living blueprint. The entire base was made of semi-transparent dark blue glass; glowing footsteps could be seen wherever people walked above them, and she could just make out borders of walls, doors, stairs.
"Who was the Architect?" Filius asked curiously as they began making their way across the plaza.
"The Architect requested to remain anonymous," Emmeline replied crisply, appearing to move them toward a specific spot upon the Golden Ratio.
As they walked, Minerva appreciated the Architect's subtle play on light. Between the dark surface upon which they walked, the shadow of the Acropolis itself, and the darker ceiling that the temple's floor provided, the surrounding landscape in their visual field appeared clear and bright in contrast... like one large panoramic photo.
Looking to the right, the Halls of Justice and Defense seemed like postcard photos from Ancient Greece, while to their left, Minerva could see the surreal stoa surrounding the Agora, beyond it the telltale outline of the noble Educational Office, and the five mountains to the north, looking especially clear on the bright morning.
"In a moment we shall cross up," Emmeline called over one shoulder. They took a few more steps before vanishing from the plaza with the pleasant sensation of being immersed in cool liquid, reappearing in another open-air walkway beneath tall pillars - this one brightly lit in tasteful shades of ivory and gold.
Minerva glanced to her right and looked out over the broad expanse of water that lay at the bottom of stone steps. The smooth liquid surrounded the temple on all sides before dropping away into nothingness. She looked beyond the infinity pool's edge and out toward the linear landscape below.
The Agora was just visible beyond the water, while Minerva's eyes traced the western avenue of Favonius as it extended long toward the coast before quirking at an angle and cutting directly across the island's folded landscape toward the dark silhouette of Mount Kyryptos. The northwest avenue of Corus made a similar path directly toward craggy Astrae, and perhaps if she squinted Minerva could barely discern the breathy shimmer of Hecate's Falls.
"This is the corridor outside of the General Assembly Hall. Any of the gold doors to your left will take you into the chambers. Please listen to your pins once inside and they will instruct you where to sit. It has been a pleasure serving you, I hope you enjoy your stay on Atlantis." Emmeline rattled off the information with rehearsed speed before quickly spinning on a heel, descending the outer stairs and vanishing into the water.
Filius merely raised an eyebrow at the witch's abrupt departure while Minerva sighed her relief.
"Curious method... most curious," Filius muttered to himself as he watched another two wizards in gold robes approach the infinity pool and swiftly disappear.
Minerva sniffed at the unique means of transportation. The tell of magic had long seemed familiar to her but she still couldn't place the unique enchantment's creator. A pleasant mystery for another day...
She gestured toward the aforementioned doors, mind already outlining a list of questions and points she wanted to remember during the Assembly.
"Shall we?" Minerva offered politely. Filius bowed gallantly and indicated that she should go first. They strode toward the golden doors and joined in the growing throng of violet-robed witches and wizards, more of whom were popping into the corridor with harried aides in gold robes.
Already they could hear the low murmur of many voices from within and Minerva steeled herself for what promised to be a very long and very trying morning.