Quoth the Raven
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames are not.
Chapter 22: Eagerly I Wished the Morrow
Christmas break was fast approaching. John couldn't wait to see Hermione! He missed her terribly and was counting the days until they could be together again. The Grangers were planning to close their practice early the day she was to arrive on the Express.
The day finally arrived and the Grangers, along with John, Ben and Maggie stood waiting for Hermione to arrive at King's Cross. Of course, they were standing on the Muggle side of the platform, so as not to give away the fact they knew about magic.
John was eagerly craning his neck to see over the crowds of arrivals when he heard a familiar voice, "John! Over here, John!"
A madly waving arm gave him a target."Hermione!"
John stepped forward and opened his arms as a bushy-haired torpedo rammed into him. The adults exchanged amused looks at they stood around the two. It had been hard on them, watching John moping for his friend, and now all they could do was smile indulgently at the two young people lost in an enthusiastic embrace.
Once their initial greetings were finished Hermione talked and talked as they were ushered out the station. John nodded or made agreeable sounds to show that he was listening. He was too involved with simply watching her to even try to get a word in. She finally ran out of things to say just before the dessert course at dinner and stared happily at her best friend.
John smiled at her. She looked back at him with an impatient gaze and said with a huff, "Well? Aren't you going to tell me about what you did?"
He grinned and shrugged, glad that his Hermione hadn't changed. "I studied and I trained. Wolf took me a few places. Oh, by the way, I have an invitation to a Christmas party at the Palace," he deadpanned. "I'm allowed to take a friend - want to go?"
Hermione blinked, for once caught speechless, then squealed as she lunged over and hugged him. "Yes!"
She knew he was a Royal Ward, after all, and that as such he would sometimes get Royal Invitations to various events. He usually went alone, or with his guardians. This would be the first time he had invited her to accompany him and she was beyond excited.
"Hermione! Show some decorum!" Emma Granger chided, glancing around.
"Sorry, Mum," she said, returning to her seat with a bright blush staining her cheeks.
"Yes, John, I would love to go with you," she said as she demurely replaced her napkin. "Will it be formal? Wait, of course it will. Mum! I have nothing to wear!"
Emma rolled her eyes at her daughters' panicked exclamation.
0o0o0o0
In Hogwarts castle, the Headmaster sat in his office looking at a blackened trinket that had once monitored the blood wards he created around Petunia Dursley's home. How did it end like this? Where had he gone wrong?
He was taking a lot of heat from the Ministry as to how and why this had happened. On his desk was a stack of files and newspaper clippings from the Muggle Liasion Office. They told a sobering tale of child neglect and abuse, as well as misappropriation of trust funds. They ended with the child,
and all records pertaining to him, being buried in the Muggle legal system. All leads and information were sealed. No amount of magic or bribery had been able to unseal them.
Harry Potter was lost to the Wizarding World. Albus Dumbledore hung his head and wept.
0o0o0o0
Down in the dungeons of Hogwarts a lone figure sat in front of a blazing fire. It was Yule. Severus hurriedly gathered the things he needed for tonight's ritual. He needed to get his gifts for the goddess to the clearing on time. He prayed his petition would be heard. If not, it was going to make his vow to a dead woman very hard to keep and he knew that oath-breakers were not treated gently by Her.
He stood and swept out of his rooms and the castle. He didn't stop until he came to a small clearing just inside the Forbidden Forest. There he quickly drew forth a silver dagger and traced a circle in the light snow. He then brought out four fat ritual candles.
He placed them on small flat stones at the four quarters and lit them. Then he laid his offerings - a blackthorn blossom, a small red garnet and a small silver dagger - together within the center of the circle.
Severus Snape watched, his breath a plume of white, as the moon rose and the snowy clearing was bathed in its ethereal light.
He invoked a summoning ritual and asked for his patron goddess to appear, never noticing as the night-time sounds and wind died away.
When he finished the invocation, the wind started to stir. A raven cawed in the distance. The candles flared and a woman stepped out of a shaft moonlight.
He just hoped the Morrigan was in an agreeable mood.
"You called to me, my dark one," she said in a cool, musical voice.
0o0o0o0
John stood vigil in his room this year. Queen Anne and Aunt Maggie had been teaching him proper respect and etiquette in dealing with his goddess. Even though he was only eleven and still a child, it never hurt to learn. The Morrigan was a harsh goddess and She took offense if slighted. Both the spirit and witch didn't want to see John get on the wrong side of Her, even if he was Her chosen avatar.
In the shaft of moonlight that filtered into his room, he laid his gift. A hand-carved raven from clay, a small red stone he had found on one of his trips with Wolf, and a snow flower. He wished it was blackthorn, but he hadn't been able to find any.
He knelt just outside a spot of moonlight and waited. She came when she wished, and would not be rushed. As he waited patiently with his gifts, a woman's slippered foot stepped into the pool of moonlight, followed by a shimmering swirl of fabric.
"Blessed be, my little raven," she said as she knelt and accepted his offerings.
"Blessed be, Lady," John said with a loving smile.
0o0o0o0
The Royal Staff Christmas party was in full swing. Children's laughter echoed in the Hall, as a lovely counterpoint to Christmas music. All the children present were waiting for Father Christmas to appear.
John and Hermione stood close by Ben and Maggie. She looked lovely in her formal gown. John looked dashing in his black jacket and tie. Maggie had tried to get his fly-away messy hair to lie flat, but had failed yet again.
Hermione was impressed with how John carried himself. He was the proper English lord. Some of his manners were a bit dated, but that didn't stop him from being a polite, courteous young man. Her Majesty spoke with John for several minutes before turning her attention to his friend. Hermione gulped as she made her curtsey before her sovereign. She was so nervous! After all, it wasn't everyday one was presented to the Queen! Both John and Hermione, as well as every child in attendance, received a small personal present from Her Majesty.
0o0o0
On Christmas morning, John gave Hermione another silver pendant for her necklace. It was in the shape of a quill. The protections that the Goddess had placed on this charm were designed to protect Hermione's mind from invasion. Anyone trying to read her mind would only see what they wanted to see - a very studious girl who had her head in books and research.
Hermione gave John a new planner and a box of chocolates from a place called Honeydukes.
0o0o0o0
Albus was having a very depressed and confused Christmas. His plans to give Harry his father's cloak went up in smoke when he couldn't find the item, or the boy it was supposed to go to.
What he didn't know was that the Goblins had recalled all items of importance belonging to the Potter's years ago to guard against theft from one of their oldest clients. Also, they were in contact with Amanda Kensington who was the official liaison to Lord Potter and his Royal Patron. Her Majesty had called for a reckoning and the Goblins, ever efficient in their jobs, did just that with a vengeance.
So Albus' plans to test young Harry, to see if the child was up to the task before him, went bust. The Mirror was sent to the third floor corridor and the security measures were strengthened. It was highly unlikely any students would be attempting his test this year.
Quirrell worried Albus. The headmaster wasn't sure about his loyalty to the Light. The DADA Instructor had a definite dark aura. Albus would have to keep an eye on the man.
0o0o0o0
Severus Snape held in his hand a gift from the Morrigan, a raven's feather from Her cloak. In time, she will require him to perform a duty for her.
Her words: "Be at peace for now" echoed in his mind, giving him hope and comfort. His vows would be fulfilled in the fullness of time.
0o0o0o0
As Hermione packed to return to Hogwarts, she didn't want to go. The Christmas hols went by too fast. She had been far too busy with John and all the Christmas cheer to notice how fast time was slipping away from her. She had barely managed to get her homework done, but it wasn't up to her usual standards. When she mentioned this to Wolf and John, Wolf gasped and clutched his heart.
"Hermione Granger, unable to do proper justice to her homework! The world is coming to an end!" John mock-fainted only to be thumped soundly with several pillows.
So when it came time for her to leave, she really didn't want to go. She would miss John just as much as she did in first term, but she couldn't deny that she did enjoy being a witch.
Such was life.
0o0o0o0o0
The NaNoWrMo is over and I was able to get 40+ chapters written. Now all that is needed is for Frau and Phil to edit and Brit-proof.
Unitl next time. -GF and Frau
