Summary: There are many alternate universes that branched off from each other, differing in many different ways. The most powerful enchanters and enchantresses of which there is only one in all of these universe holds the seat of Chrestomanci. Hermione is about to find out that that she is destined to hold the power to maintain the balance in all of these universes.

The Next Chrestomanci

Machinations

Even though they were poor, Shen-rou was born with luck on her side. She was a beautiful and talented young enchantress that caught the attention of many, both with her beauty and her talents. But not even the best of her friends could ever say that she was kind despite her outwardly efforts to feign such. Despite that or perhaps because of that, Shen-rou thrived in her world, one filled with magic. She was a stereotypical heroine in novels, both poor, beautiful and talented. She expects only the best in life.

Then, there was her schoolmate, young awkward even if unconventionally handsome Kenji Yamamoto. Kenji came from a clan of powerful enchanters. But nobody knew why his magical abilities is often haywired and why his spells barely work. Still, his family is rich and influential and he attended the school that many young wizards and witches aspired to be in. Yet, for his advantages, he did not expect much out of life, as disappointed as he was with his lack of visible talents.

It was magic when the two met, Kenji fell in love with her at first sight, forgetting the crush he held for his childhood friend, the beautiful Kaori who joined him to study abroad. Too bad, his magic got worse whenever he's with Shen-rou. Now, he couldn't even get anything right.

He was slavish in her devotion to Shen-rou; for years before and during their relationship, he carried her things, did her homework, he drove her around, massaged her tired aching hands after charms classes. H would sigh with affection and would feel sadness whenever she paid attention to someoone else, he showed her the life his family's money could give her and she gloried in it. If Shen-rou wanted something, Kenji made it possible. A round of expensive coffees for her friends? Kenji has it covered. A new dress? Jewelry? He got it. Her friends commented she was lucky with her devoted "puppy" even if he lacked magical talents, at least he was handsome. Shen-rou was angry at that fault of his and was known to nag him to improve his magic. His friends thought that his abilities improved whenever she wasn't around and figured it was because of her that his magic floundered. Of course, he defended her.

Her family found him to be gift-sent (or was it that new fangled contraption called a refrigerator he sent them that was gift-sent?) but his family found her oddious. His mother thought Shen-rou was a gold digger, but her son, through his inheritance from his grandparents have enough means to ignore his parents' wanted to propose to Shen-rou after they graduate from high school.

His mother almost had a heart attack but his father was more pragmatic than his mother. He told Kenji to take a vacation, just him and his friends, and not to bring Shen-rou along. His mother prayed he'd meet a girl, anyone that would distract him from Shen-rou who through the years they've grown to despise more for her capricious and uncaring ways.

Dear reader, you must understand, the Yamamotos are not elitist nor snobbish, they are like any other parents. They just want someone who would love their son for himself and not for his wealth. They would have liked Shen-rou given her charms and her manners, despite of her background, but anyone could see how she abused Kenji's slavish worship of her. It was obvious to everyone, but Kenji himself that Shen-rou did not love him.

It was on that vacation that changed everything for Kenji Yamamoto. He and his friends rode a magical bus to the alps, but through a weather mishap the bus collided with one of the high points of the treacherous peaks. Everyone on that bus died.

During the time of Eric Chant, he created a scrying mirror that alerts the Chrestomanci Castle if a nine life wizard dies, seeing how nobody knew he was a nine lifed enchanter until his sister Gwen almost finished up his life reserves. He wanted to be ahead of anyone who tried to use this to their advantage and to prevent any more life loss for the next Chrestomancis to be. He teleported where his scrying mirror sent him after he sent a message to his predecessor and uncle, Christopher Chant that he'd just found another nine-lifed enchanter.

It only took a few days of observing Kenji Yamamoto when Eric Chant figured out what was Kenji's weakness. He told this to Kenji and his ever supportive parents. Kenji refused to back down, told the Chrestomanci he was even planning to marry Shen-rou. His parents weren't really shocked when he chose Shen-rou over his apprenticeship with Chrestomanci. Still, Eric was adamant. After class, Kenji is to train with him, even if he has to teleport to this world more frequently. He figured it's not as taxing as the means of travel of his predecessors by any chance.

Everyone in that world were elated that the next Chrestomanci of the parallel worlds came from theirs, finally one of the own! Parades were thrown, parties were held. It was of course different from other worlds seeing that magic is a dominant part of theirs. Instead of feeling joyful for her devoted lover, Shen-rou was jealous of the attention and fame he found.

Almost twenty passed, even with magic everyone else in that world aged, including Shen-rou, while Kenji hardly changed at all. He remained devoted to her but couldn't marry her given how marriage to her would mean a magic bond that Eric Chant felt could severely damage his magical core. To add salt to the wound, beautiful Shen-rou was barren. She was devastated, given how she dreamt on having powerful kids especially with their father as a nine-lifed enchanter. She grew older, a beautiful woman in her later 30s while he remained the teenage boy he always was. Even though she didn't know that Kenji knew, Shen-rou took on lovers. Men her age, men whom she did not feel much different from, men who didn't make her feel inferior. Kenji was hurt, broken hearted but he understood what he couldn't give her.

By the time she reached her mid to late fifties, he still looked the same. She finally broke when a steward from a commercial flight they flew in asked if she and her son would like some champagne. In her vanity, she broke up with him.

Devastated and yet still understanding of her situation, Kenji Yamamoto went to live in Chrestomanci Castle but left her a sizeable amount of his fortune from his world. But Shen-rou's vanity grew, her thirst for power fueling the desire to achieve her dreams. She had heard Kenji mention an evil enchanter, one Neville Spiderman who supposedly lived around the time of the first Chrestomanci which was a good ten thousand years or more ago. It was said that he made an evil spell to make him a nine-lifed or even a ten-lifed enchanter. He also created spells that extended his life that could rival those of his opponents, the succession of Chrestomancis.

Young Eric Chant and Tonino Montana may have been aware that he intended to steal their lives, particularly that of Eric Chant, whom he thankful did not recognize. But it wasn't the worst of his deeds. He didn't just steal lives, he stole souls; the essence, memories and emotions of the person from whom they came from. In their youth, Eric did not know of these particulars but he had forewarned Kenji, his apprentice of this vile magic.

Call it evolution of humanity or maybe Shen-rou was just plain smarter, but she was and is more ruthless than the simpleton Neville Spiderman and began to hunt down the oldest living former Chrestomancis, ensuring they won't be missed and used them to build her powers up.