Author's Note: Hey, loves! As I said last chapter, we're getting close to the end. I've already started writing chapter thirteen and I plan on trying to write a chapter a day until I finish this… Well, that's my goal. It probably won't happen. Even if it did, I'll still space the chapters out a bit. Anyway, after this, only three to go. I hope you're still enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it! I adore this series. As always, thank you for the feedback!
Thank you to GaeilgeRua for beta reading! I adore you! Much love, xxDustNight
Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to J.K. Rowling, BBC, or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.
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Nights in 221B
Rated: M
Pairing: Hermione/Sherlock
Summary: When Hermione leaves the wizarding world behind, choosing to aid Sherlock in his desperate search for Moriarty, she learns much more about the consulting detective than she ever thought possible. *Sequel to Nights in Diagon Alley*
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Chapter Twelve
"Adults are not supposed to become obscurus."
"I'm well aware of that, Draco," Hermione said, pinching the bridge of her nose. As the night faded, she was becoming less and less patient. Draco was doing his very best to drive her insane, but she needed to keep it together for a little while longer so they could figure out their next move.
They were all back at 221B, aside from John, who had gone with the ambulance to the hospital. Mary's body was being examined by Molly as they spoke. While the immediate cause of death was clearly Moriarty's obscurus form, she still wanted to ensure that there was nothing else done to her prior to her death. John was there to separate himself from them, his anger too volatile right now to be with the rest of them. Molly was good at calming people; plus, she would ensure that their current predicament was kept under wraps.
Draco was standing by the windows, his arms crossed and looking paler than usual. "How are we supposed to handle this? An adult who can seemingly control his obscurus form? That's insane."
"I'm just as lost as you are," Hermione said, standing from where she was currently sitting in Sherlock's chair. Harry was sitting in hers, his glasses set aside and his face in his hands. "If we thought Moriarty was dangerous before, that was nothing compared to this."
"You said he's trying to start a war between the Muggles the wizards?" Draco prompted, never taking his eyes off of her.
As she stoked the fire, warming them all, she sighed. "Essentially, yes. He wants to expose the wizarding world, which will inevitably cause a war between us all. I don't see the Muggles being so forthcoming, especially after all these deaths."
"Mass chaos," Sherlock intoned, finally speaking up from where he stood stoically in the kitchen. When all eyes were on him, he stepped fully into the living area and met Hermione's gaze. "Moriarty is hoping to illicit mass chaos upon London. We have to stop him before this escalates even further."
"No shit, Sherlock," Draco mumbled under his breath as he pushed himself away from the window to stride forward. When he was toe-t0-toe with the detective, he gave him a once over before adding, "And are we to assume you have a plan on how to catch this madman?"
Sherlock merely quirked one elegant eyebrow at Draco's obvious challenge. Smirking, he said, "Indeed, I do. However, none of you will like what I believe we have to do in order to catch Moriarty." Sliding his gaze to Hermione's worried one, he added, "I can't say that I like it myself."
As Hermione stared back at her lover, she felt a chill run down her spine. She had a sneaking suspicion she already knew what he was going to suggest and she agreed, she hated it too. Deciding it was probably better if they put off this discussion until they rested and had something to eat, she said, "Before we talk about a plan, I want to talk this out."
"Talk what out?" Draco asked, practically whining. "The longer we spend here bullshitting around, the more likely this monster is out there plotting his next victim!"
"You need to calm down," Harry said with a sigh as he finally lifted his head and returned his glasses to his face. "I too would like to talk about this before we rush into some half-cocked plan." Gesturing to Hermione, he prompted her to continue. "What do you have to say, Hermione?"
"Thank you, Harry," she said and then placed her hands on her hips. "So we all know that obscurus tend to be children or young teenagers. What we're experiencing is someone who not only is far older than the typical person afflicted by this, but also seems to have the ability to control the obscurus."
"Yes," Harry said, pushing into the conversation. "Which from my brief understanding of this monster, makes it far more dangerous than that of a child."
"Exactly." Hermione ran a hand through her curls and began to pace. "What I want to know is how did Moriarty go without being identified as a wizard? It's obvious his magic wasn't suppressed, but rather he was just never made aware of it."
"That accounts for his ability to control the obscurus at least," Draco muttered, annoyed by the entire situation.
"I agree." Hermione looked to Sherlock, who appeared to be taking all this information in and storing it away for later. "My guess is that he learned about his heritage while at the orphanage with Tom Riddle."
"He's too young to have truly known Riddle," Harry pointed out with a sigh. "From my research, into the orphanage, it appears that Riddle may have paid visits to the place sometime before his first demise in '81."
"So Moriarty probably learned of his magic from Riddle, who sensed what he was right away, no doubt. That makes more sense unless Moriarty got his hands on the Philosopher's stone," Hermione wryly pointed out.
"I don't think so," Harry said, biting back a grin in this grim situation. "Remember, Riddle couldn't even find it and it was right under his nose in my pocket."
"You're probably right," she said, glad that some of the tension had broken from their little exchange. They were quiet a spell, all lost in their thoughts as to what could have helped create Moriarty's obscurus.
"You mentioned once before that Moriarty may have had to hide away his powers," Sherlock said, drawing everyone's attention back to himself. "It was when we realized we were searching for the same man."
Realization dawned on Hermione's face. She'd been so caught up in Sherlock and leaving Diagon Alley, that she'd forgotten all about that conversation. Letting out a low whistle, she said, "Yes, I recall that now. At the time, I thought he was just seeking vengeance for Riddle, but now…"
"Now, we know the truth," Draco interjected, slamming a fist against the palm of his other hand. "The bastard has his own agenda. I knew it couldn't be connected to the Dark Lord."
"It's been twenty bloody years, Draco," Harry groused, moving to stand and head to the kitchen. "I think you can call Voldemort by his given name by now."
"Or Tom Riddle as Moriarty knew him," Hermione pointed out with a grim grin. When Harry nodded, leaving them to make a cup of tea, she sat back down in Sherlock's chair and tried to get her thoughts back together.
"It matters not what we call that man," Sherlock said. "What matters now is tracking him down and ending this once and for all."
"I hate that I agree with you right now," Draco groaned, his trademark sneer upon his face.
Sherlock merely smirked. He didn't have time to go at it with the blond. He knew the wizard was just putting up a front anyway. His heart no longer beat for Hermione. Instead, he was currently falling in love with Molly, who was probably ridiculously infatuated with him as well. They'd spent enough time together over the past few weeks… Shaking himself, Sherlock managed to avoid getting off topic in his own mind so that he could focus on the problem at hand.
"Are we quite finished with the history of the matter and ready to formulate a working plan to catch Moriarty?" he inquired, rolling his eyes and trying his very best not to snap. He wasn't used to all this sitting around and talking when the game was afoot. Especially, seeing as how important this case was to all of them.
"Sure," Hermione supplied. She felt a sense of foreboding at what was to come, but was ready to hear about it nonetheless. "What do you think we should do?"
"Okay then," Draco said smugly, hitting Sherlock with his most pretentious stare. "What is your genius plan to catch this monster?"
"It's simple," Sherlock replied, sliding his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "Moriarty is after Muggles and Muggleborns." Meeting Hermione's worried stare with a nod, he felt his heart thump once, then twice before he finished. Despite not understanding the human emotion, Sherlock had somehow fallen in love with the witch. This was going to hurt. "We use Hermione as bait."
In the kitchen, Harry dropped his mug of tea; the sound of it shattering as it hit the floor the only response to Sherlock's words.
