Beta love to CarbConnoisseur.
"Mya!" Cassie called, bouncing up to her. She paused to look around expectantly when she reached her. "We're duelling in a corridor?"
Laughing, Hermione shook her head. "No, we're not."
"I hate to break it to you," Lily laughed, "But there's nothing else here!"
"There will be soon," Hermione smirked.
"What?" Lily frowned at her. "I don't understand."
With a slight huff of laughter, Hermione began walking in front of the tapestry, much to everyone else's confusion.
"Is that a door?" Cassie demanded.
"In you go," Hermione directed, gesturing her forward.
The girls' eyes were wide. None of them moved as they stared at her disbelievingly. With a loud exhale, Alice squared her shoulders and stepped forward. "Oh my gods," she breathed as she stuck her head through the door. "Is this always here?"
"It is if you know how to ask," Hermione shrugged, watching as Lily and Cassie followed their friend warily.
"You're going to teach us how to ask, right?" Cassie demanded, stepping back out of the room.
"I will the first time you cast a corporeal Patronus," Hermione nodded, ignoring Scrimgeour's snort of laughter.
"We'll be learning that first then," Cassie muttered, darting back into the room to explore.
Several minutes later they had all arrived, most of them looking around the room with something akin to awe.
"Amelia Bones," a petite redheaded witch, who bore a startling resemblance to her niece, introduced herself. "I've got you tomorrow morning."
Hermione smiled, nodding. "Indeed you have. Who did you piss off to be allocated that timeslot?"
Amelia snorted. "I think I'm the only one likely to be awake consistently."
"Ah," Hermione grinned. "Sorry about that then."
"It's fine," Amelia waved her off. "I'm going to have the elves leave coffee."
Hearing her, Lily groaned. "Why didn't I think of that!"
Several people laughed. "You can't be brilliant all the time Evans!" James shouted, gazing at her adoringly.
Lily rolled her eyes and focused her attention pointedly on Hermione.
"Right. I've asked some people for a list of things you want to be covered. It's on that board." Hermione gestured to a replica of the board they'd used for the D.A. She'd already listed the suggestions she'd been given. "Professor Scrimgeour has agreed to help for the foreseeable future. We're going to start with first year spells all the way through the curriculum so we can judge where you need work. After that, we'll get started on that list."
Sirius scoffed. "Who needs a first year spell?
"Wingardium Leviosa on a person could send them over a cliff," Hermione shrugged. "Or send something crashing onto their head. Did you know that a troll can be knocked out with their own club using that spell?"
His jaw dropped. "You're… you're not serious?"
"Of course I am," she dismissed.
"Why do I get the impression you speak from experience, Miss Moody?" Rufus muttered.
He noticed the sad way she smiled back at him. "Because I do," she agreed softly.
"You've actually knocked out a troll?" James demanded.
"Ah well… no. I didn't. I just saw it happen."
"And that's both a happy and a sad memory?" Cassie queried, sounding bewildered.
Hermione forced herself out of the toilet with three obscenely young Gryffindors and back into the present. "Yes," she agreed softly. "I acquired two best friends that day."
"And they died," Lily finished gently, understanding washing over her face.
"And they died," Hermione agreed.
"From the troll?" Sirius asked with unusual concern.
Hermione shook her head, swallowing visibly. "No, not from the troll. Now," she waved her wand at the training dummies, casting the charm that she'd found while they were on the run to show how powerful a spell was. "That little charm will tell us if you need more work. Pick a dummy."
There was utter silence as they moved to comply.
"Start with the knockback jinx, then go straight to flippendo maxima," she instructed, watching them closely, correcting several stances as she went.
She took them through both charms and Defense curriculum up to what she'd been told this year included before she had them stop. Thankfully, the terms from after Christmas to exam time was revision, so none of it was new
"Right then," she sent parchments towards them. "Those are your lists of spells that need work. Who wants to duel?"
There were several grins around the room. "How many do you think you could take at once?"
Hermione's eyebrows drew up sharply as she whirled to look at Scrimgeour. "Pardon?"
"There's nine of them," Rufus shrugged. "Think between the two of us we could take them?"
"Merlin, you're insane," she gasped.
"Not at all," he dismissed impishly. "Let's see how good your training has been."
Hermione froze, weighing it up before she took Nuri off her neck and dropped her down onto a cushion that had appeared for her. Hoping the room had heeded her request to keep the dragon safe, she walked back to the centre of the room.
"Sentimental value Miss Moody?" Rufus teased.
"Unspeakable experiment, actual tiny dragon," she shot back
"Actual… Mother of Merlin." His eyes shot to the still sleeping Nuri. "Right, of bloody course it is," he muttered.
"Come on then Professor," Hermione chided. "Pay attention. I don't like losing."
"You're actually going to duel us all?" James' eyes widened. "If Uncle Charlus hears…"
"Well we'll need to make sure he doesn't," Hermione replied pointedly. "No formalities, in a real duel you're not bowing to anyone. No unforgivables, nothing irreversible, nothing that can kill us if you please. And as challenging as I imagine it is, do try and work together." She looked pointedly between Snape and Sirius. "In an actual duel, allies can come from the strangest of places. I'll give you five minutes to discuss strategy."
"Our strategy, Miss Moody?" Scrimgeour asked with amusement.
"Take out Snape first. He's the strongest. Cassie next based on her performance tonight," Hermione suggested.
He nodded thoughtfully. "Then Frank, Alice… Remus?"
She nodded her agreement. "James, Sirius, Lily, and then Amelia. Reassess if that changes during the duel."
He hummed. "Shield and cast?"
"For Snape," she agreed. "Everyone else, dodge."
"You think that that will work with so many?" he checked curiously.
"The room will give you what you ask for," she replied with a sudden grin. "Focus on it and it will appear. I suggest we begin disillusioned."
"You really don't like to lose," he laughed.
"If I'm losing to school children after having been trained by my father something has gone wrong," she retorted.
"Several school children at once," he corrected.
She shrugged. "I've had worse odds." He opened his mouth to ask her to clarify when she called out "Time! On three!"
"Three!" Rufus shouted the moment she'd finished speaking, casting a shield around them both, as Hermione disillusioned them. There was momentary panic on everyone else's faces before the spells started.
"I see they've gone for brute force," Rufus mused directly into her ear, making Hermione laugh quietly.
"I'll attempt to go around the back," she murmured, not waiting for his response. Amelia's head turned sharply as she went to pass her, causing Hermione to freeze and hold her breath. After a beat, she seemed to decide she was imagining things, which gave Hermione the perfect opportunity to take Severus out. She caught Cassie in a similar manner before the others caught on, turning towards her so they could redirect their spells. Rufus caught Frank and Alice before they caught on that they'd separated. Taking far longer than Hermione had anticipated, Remus finally cast a finite, ending their disillusionment. She smirked, catching him with a stupefy while Rufus caught Sirius.
With wide eyes Lily, James, and Amelia moved back to back, finally attempting to work together. They were all down five minutes later.
Rufus sighed. "Well… let's consider the positives shall we?" He looked down at the newly revived students. "Mr. Lupin remembered that finite incantatum existed. Miss Bones noticed Miss Moody before she took out Mr. Snape. Of course, she ignored that instinct, but still, she was the only one to notice. The people left finally realised that someone was behind them. Unfortunately, that meant that you forgot about the opponent in front of you, and at the very end you managed to work together. Although you did box yourself in and allow us to take you out."
"Those were the positives?" Cassie checked.
"Unfortunately," Hermione shrugged. "Finite should have been the first spell you tried, you should have scattered rather than remaining in a group. If you need someone to watch your back, then stay in twos or threes but if you'd spread out we would have struggled to keep eyes on you all. Amelia has good instincts, but she ignored them. None of the rest of you realised I'd moved! And once you did, you forgot that you'd quite literally identified an opponent in front of you. If you'd divided and conquered you'd have had better odds. Remaining as one group in the middle just let us pick you off one by one. Even moving as a group if you desperately didn't want to be on your own would have been better. You stayed still!"
"Ugh. For fucks sake," Sirius muttered. "Why are we only now realising we suck?"
"Because Defense at Hogwarts is the worst class in terms of continuity?" Hermione shrugged. "Aunt Min said you have a new teacher every year. It's fine. We'll work on it. Tomorrow. And maybe Professor Scrimgeour needs to have you working as more than just one on one."
"Fine," Sirius sighed, as Rufus dipped his head in acknowledgement of her point.
"Next week we'll try and work in half an hour of individual work." She turned to Lily. "Next Monday?"
"So much for my long lie," she groused. "But fine. I'll remember the coffee next week."
"How exactly are you proposing that works?" Severus drawled, still looking distinctly put out.
"By next week I'll know how much work I require in each subject. If I don't need much then that time will be spent individually, otherwise we'll need to discuss working something out."
"How many classes have you managed to drop?" Remus asked with a smirk.
"Just history of magic," Hermione replied. "You said another couple of weeks on creatures. James and Sirius are splitting a lesson so we're only a quarter of the way through the curriculum. I'll see what tomorrow brings, but Herbology is not my strong suit. Arithmancy is never harmed by practice and I have no idea what Snape has planned for potions. I imagine how much he expects me to brew will answer that.
"And runes?" Alice asked curiously
Hermione shrugged self-consciously. "I'm reasonably good with runes. I once spent a long time translating a story. And I'd begun working them into protective wards."
"Of course you did," James muttered.
"Yeah, I don't think runes are going to be an issue," Alice muttered before she perked up. "Although that just means more time practising for me."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Quite."
"How come I get three days?" Dorcas demanded.
"Because if you manage more than twenty minutes the first day I'll be amazed," Hermione shot back.
"What have you got Cassie doing?" Remus asked curiously
"Running," she grinned.
"Why?" Amelia asked.
"Because Dad insists it's necessary and I hate it. Feel free to join us."
"Why is it necessary?"
"For stamina, which in turn helps duelling."
"Oh." Amelia appeared to mull that over. "It's at stupid o'clock isn't it?"
"Before breakfast Wednesday through Friday," Hermione agreed.
"Gods," Amelia groaned. "I'll try."
Alice and Frank shared a look. "Us too. I can't promise every day but we both want to become Aurors, so if it will help, we should probably at least try."
Hermione nodded. "They put you through a fitness test, so it should."
"Do they?" Sirius asked, startled.
"Well, what use is an Auror out of breath during a raid because they're sedentary?"
He looked uncommonly serious. "I hate that you make a good point," he muttered. "Not that I'm joining you. Gods, if I have to run it'll be at a much more civilised time."
"Fair enough," she agreed, before turning to Scrimgeour. "Do you think we should set up an obstacle course?"
"Of what kind?" he asked looking amused.
"A cross between a magical aptitude one and a fitness one?" she hedged, thinking back to her third year defence exam.
"Definitely," he grinned as the rest groaned.
"You're going to kill us," Lily muttered.
"Not deliberately," she replied blithely. "Right, I had better get home before Aunt Min thinks I'm moving in." Slowly they began to trudge out of the room, freezing when she called for Sirius casually over her shoulder.
He groaned audibly. "That humiliation wasn't enough?"
"Not even close," she retorted, firing a stupify at him. Surprising her, he dodged, a look of clear panic on his face. She sent back several reasonably easy spells allowing him to fall into a rhythm and get just cocky enough that he became overconfident. He had just sent a toenail growing hex at her when she sent out flames, trapping him in a ring. His eyes widened as he froze.
"Miss… Miss Moody. Hermione… I… I don't want to be cooked," he stammered.
"Oh?" she arched a brow, calling for his wand.
"Right… I get it. I do…" he nodded emphatically. "Now please put out your flames. It's really, really, really warm in here and I don't like it."
Hermione hummed, trying something she'd been desperate to do since she'd read it in the book earlier that morning, twisting her hand slightly as she focused on making them hotter. He squeaked, looking so terrified she relented and twisted the other way until they were hopefully cold.
Sirius frowned at her. "It's not hot anymore."
"Oh good, it worked," she mumbled, waving her hand to vanish them. Sirius let out an audible sigh of relief.
"I swear I'll never piss you off again," he promised.
Coming back to herself she snorted. "I find that very hard to believe. Thanks for being my guinea pig."
"Guinea pig?" James frowned.
"Oh. Muggle phrase ah… tester?"
"You'd never done that before?" Sirius demanded, his voice higher than normal.
"The flames, yes… the temperature control? Ah, not so much."
He squeaked. "Please choose another guinea pig next time. I'm too pretty to die!"
Hermione rolled her eyes before she scoffed. "Don't be absurd. I'd hardly kill you. I'd at least keep you alive to practise on."
Sirius' jaw dropped and stunned silence fell around the room before Cassie began to laugh, the rest of the girls joining her seconds later. "What's funny?" Sirius demanded.
"Your face!" Cassie shot back. "Honestly! If Mya was going to murder you she'd hardly do it with an audience. She was just proving a point, right Mya?"
Hermione smirked, turning to look at Sirius. "Tell me what you'll think of next time you want to wind me up like you did at lunch?"
Sirius sighed, rolling his eyes, inclining his head towards her. "Well played, Hermione," he muttered.
She dimpled at him. "I like to think so."
With a disbelieving laugh, James hooked his arm through Sirius'. "Let's go before she changes her mind, mate."
Hermione let out a soft huff of laughter as they filtered out.
"Miss Moody, might I have a word?"
She arched her brow questioningly at Snape. "Yes?"
"Perhaps time after dinner, if it suits you? I fully intend to have you brew the entire curriculum."
She snorted as she caught on to what he meant. "Of course you do. Very well. Tuesday after dinner."
He watched as she moved over to pick Nuri up. "Is that truly a real dragon?"
"Oh, yes. Her name's Nuri."
"My fire?" he asked incredulously. "A bit on the nose is it not?"
I like it," she replied defensively wondering how on earth he'd spent enough time studying names that he knew that as she stroked the dragon that was beginning to wake. "Have you any idea how hard it is to come up with a name for something you weren't expecting to keep?"
"Mother of Merlin," he muttered as Nuri yawned, unconsciously reaching out a timid hand to stroke her. His face morphed into a look of utter awe as she rubbed against his fingers like a particularly reptilian cat, letting out a small happy croon. "Where on earth did you get her?"
"Oh, the Department of Mysteries. She sort of refused to let me leave without her."
He looked at her incredulously. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," she replied with a wry smile.
Neither of them commented when he escorted her to Minerva's rooms, Nuri nestled on his shoulder.
"Hermione!" Janet beamed at her as she stepped out of the floo.
"Gran," she greeted warily, accepting the hug. Her grandmother looked like a toddler on caffeine and it was more than a little alarming. Robert smirked, clearly reading the unease on her face.
"Mo Sholas," he murmured as he hugged her, whispering, "She's nervous, she'll calm down," into her ear.
"Come and meet Perenelle, lass," Janet commanded when he let her go.
Shooting her grandfather a look that made him snort, she allowed her grandmother to usher her towards the living room.
Her first thought on seeing the renowned Perenelle Flamel was that despite being over six hundred years old, she didn't look a day over seventy. The woman was tiny, shorter than her own 5ft 3, and carried herself with a grace she immediately envied given the lectures she'd had from her godmother. Her robes were current, and her hair, while completely white, was still thick hanging down in uniform waves to her mid back. Had she not been able to feel the magic surrounding the woman she'd have believed her to be harmless.
Amused blue eyes met hers and she flushed, remembering all too late that Perenelle Flamel was well known for her skill as a legilimens. Disconcertingly, her smile only widened. "So you are the granddaughter I have been hearing about?" she voiced softly, traces of a French accent apparent despite her fluency.
"Yes," Hermione agreed, not at all sure how to behave around this woman who she was sure could destroy her without having to do more than twitch her wrist.
"I could," Perenelle agreed. "But I won't." Feeling her cheeks burn, Hermione shut her eyes and groaned. "Your thoughts are rather loud, dear. We really will need to do something about that."
Hermione let out a long slow breath. "I've read the theory, but unless I'm actively concentrating, I struggle with the practice. Even then it's rudimentary at best."
"Well, then we start there. I gather your timetable is currently rather full. However, I'm sure we can work something out."
"We definitely should," Saul's voice came from behind them. "I should have considered it before now. Madam Flamel," he smiled. "You look as enchanting as ever."
"Flatterer!" Perenelle laughed. "You never change! Now dear, what exactly does your week look like?"
"I ah… I'm at Hogwarts Mondays and Tuesdays, although it doesn't need to be full days. I'm obviously working around other people's timetables though. After that, it's not set in stone. I'm going through laws with Uncle Charlus and Saul wants me in the Department of Mysteries at some point so they can inspect my dragon."
"And get you started on several projects," Saul muttered. "I spoke to your godfather today, after this week we have agreed that I can have the mornings Wednesday and Thursday and he'll take the afternoons, he did graciously offer you a Friday off but your father insisted on claiming the afternoon for training and I gather you see the young Weasleys in the morning."
"Full schedule indeed, "Perenelle muttered, "Hogwarts is important?"
"I don't know how much you know," Hermione hedged.
"Everything," Perenelle replied pointedly.
Hermione sighed. "I have a… friend who is a Seer. She believes that fostering the relationships there is one of the most important things I can do."
"I see. Do you agree?"
"I don't know," Hermione replied truthfully. "Her argument made sense, but I worry that I'm wasting time with that when I should be focusing on ending things as quickly as possible."
Perenelle hummed thoughtfully. "I see. Can you not do both? Is that not, in fact, exactly what you're doing?"
"Is it?" Hermione asked. "I don't feel like I'm doing much of anything."
Perenelle smiled gently. "So impatient," she murmured. "So ready to sacrifice yourself if it means this ends." She ignored the way both Janet and Robert blanched. "But, tell me what happens if we rush this? Tell me what it means to be rid of Tom Riddle but being unable to catch his followers? Do you think the war would die with him?"
Hermione groaned. "No," she admitted.
"Quite. So, in the meantime, you are preventing people from joining him, keeping people alive, ensuring they are strong enough to fight, learning new magic that I gather you did not have before, making allies with people you've never had access to, and, I imagine, collecting that tiara living in Hogwarts that is so preoccupying your thoughts."
Saul sniggered at the way Hermione's eyes widened. "Feel free to bring it to me," he agreed. "I know we were going to wait, but it doesn't actually matter. It might help us locate the rest."
"Oh?"
"Why did you think I was having you learn ritual magic?" he asked pointedly. "There's power there."
Hermione blinked. "And his followers?"
"We need to create something to prove or disprove the imperius," Saul mused thoughtfully.
"Oh. So no pressure then?" Hermione asked sarcastically.
"You have a team this time, Hermione," Saul reminded her. "You're not on your own with two teenage boys in a tent. No one is expecting you to solve this alone, any more than we're expecting it of me or Albus or even Perenelle. It is going to take the combined efforts of many. This war is not yours alone."
Hermine blew out a breath, attempting not to cry. "I don't know how to get out of that mindset," she admitted. "It was on us for such a long time. And the boys… well, they never were fans of research."
"So it was your job," Perenelle concluded, "Of all Albus' sins this may be his greatest one. Leaving the fate of the world on the shoulders of teenagers. It should never have happened. Now, as we've established that it's a team effort this time around, let me discuss a few proposed additions to your schedule. I will meet you in Minerva's office to practise occlumency on Monday. Do you have time in the morning?"
"Yes. I meet Lily before breakfast, and then Remus just before lunch."
"Wonderful, then the time in between you are with me. On Wednesday night we will work at harnessing your gift. I have some others to introduce you to who can help. We routinely meet once a month, and rituals are planned around those meetings based on the cycle of the moon. We practise at the very least at the new and full moon. The more we work together, the greater the magics we can achieve. I will eventually expect you at these meetings. Don't worry, we won't expect anything other than you to follow along. Your grandmother and the women I intend to introduce you to will help."
"I ah… thank you," Hermione stammered, utterly overwhelmed.
"You're welcome. It's been many years since we've had one affiliated with fire. I look forward to the balance being restored to our Coven. Now, I believe we were promised dinner. Do eat up, dear. You'll need the sustenance."
With that horrifying pronouncement, Perenelle followed Janet through to the dining room, leaving an amused Robert to usher Hermione through behind them.
"Now," Perenelle smiled, once dinner was finished. "I have robes for you. I understand you're not at the skyclad stage."
Feeling the heat on her cheeks, Hermione nodded. "Not yet."
"It'll come," Perenelle dismissed. "It is not unusual. Tonight I thought we would attempt a balancing ritual."
"A what?" Hermione groaned.
"You have undergone great change. You have quite literally changed the fabric of time," Perenelle explained gently. "A balancing ritual will set to rights anything that is off kilter. I will stand as North and Saul as South, with your grandfather as West and your grandmother as East. You will be in the middle. As counterintuitive as it is, I am going to ask you not to overthink, but to allow each of the elements, and therefore us, to help bring balance back to you. If it goes well, you'll feel our magic. Do not worry if you do not. I do this with every new member. More often than not, we have to do it more than once until they are able to call magic to them."
Hermione nodded slowly. "Right, is there… a specific way to ask?"
"Whatever comes naturally," Perenelle smirked. "We use prescribed words so often that we forget that magic is in all of us, just waiting to be called. It doesn't need words. It is, as always, about intent. As old as I am, I can remember when wands were not commonplace and standardised incantations were still in their infancy. We have lost the ability to harness magic without relying on tools. Fortunately for you, those with elemental affinities tend to grasp that concept more quickly."
Twenty minutes later, cleansed and robed, Hermione found herself inside the ritual circle once again, feeling less sure than she had before. Perenelle had smudged the circle, leaving the runes glowing gold as they were supposed to. "Now, begin as is traditional," Perenelle chivved her.
Taking a deep breath in the hopes of centering herself, Hermione attempted to block out her audience.
"Spirits of the North, guardians of the earth, I ask you to ground this magic and nurture our purpose," she began. She noted Perenelle's encouraging smile as she faced her and lit the candle in the other woman's hands. Green vapour rose as it had before, swirling around their ankles. "Spirits of the East, guardians of Air, I ask you to guide my understanding and allow this magic to flow," she called, smiling slightly at her grandmother as the flame burst into life and yellow joined green.
"Spirits of the South, guardians of fire, I ask you to fuel this magic and light the way so I may stay true to magic's purpose." She barely registered Saul's wide eyed surprise when the red mist rose and the runes flashed with blue flames as they had before. The candle flame formed a rope that curled up her arm, wrapping around her body. Hermione finally allowed herself to relax as their comforting heat sunk into her skin.
"Spirits of the West, guardians of water, I ask that you help keep magic moving to prevent stagnation and feed growth." Blue hued vapour joined the others. Each of the colours swirled around the other in constant movement.
"I close this circle. May magic bless our purpose," she whispered, moving back towards the centre.
She stood still for several minutes, knowing instinctively that she didn't have the right words yet. Around the circle, the others watch with fascination as the mists swirled around her, seeming to wrap her in splashes of colour before finally receding.
"I call upon the guardians to help restore what was taken, return that which was lost," Hermione murmured, startling when she felt something soothing yet heavy flow through her, filling her with a feeling of belonging. "Roots," she mumbled, not realising that the green vapour had surrounded her feet, wrapping its way up her calves like vines.
An overwhelming feeling of love wrapped around her next, yellow mist curling around her torso, reminding her that she was where she was meant to be. "Belonging," she sighed without meaning to.
Next came a feeling of questions, followed by a clear visual path of next steps, as the red swirled around her head. "Understanding," she whispered, the fire surrounding her glowing brighter for several seconds.
The last feeling almost brought her to her knees as she felt a sense of comfort that she had long since accepted she'd never have again. She saw visions of a tiny girl wrapped in the arms of the people who loved her in both lives, followed by flashes of the highlights of her Hogwarts years, culminating in images of her as she was now, surrounded by family, ending with the feeling of her grandfather's hug. Blue hued mist meandered around her, filling in all the gaps the others had missed. "Acceptance."
As all four feelings swelled around her, Hermione did the only thing she could and surrendered to them, allowing them to fill the gaps she'd long since learned to live with, giving in to the almost overwhelming pressure as the magic chorused through her accompanied by Nuri's happy little tune.
She almost stumbled as they left her, the mists disappearing and the runes extinguishing leaving her standing alone in the darkness with four tiny flames reminding her that she wasn't alone, even as her own fire attempted to drown out their light.
"I open this circle. May magic bless our purpose," Perenelle called, slashing her wand over the boundary lines as the candles suddenly extinguished. "Well, Miss Moody," she began before blowing out a breath and turning to Janet. "I apologise for doubting you. Let's reconvene somewhere more comfortable. Might I suggest you ah… extinguish yourself?"
Hermione blushed, calling her flames back until they were carried in the palm of her hand.
"Fascinating," Perenelle murmured, watching her closely.
"Well," Perenelle began again once they were seated, looking unsure of how to continue, "That was… unexpected."
"In what way?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
"In all my days I have never attended a ritual where the runes changed colour," Perenelle responded bluntly. "And your flames… they seem almost sentient. I've never seen elemental fire that colour."
"And that's… a bad thing?"
"Oh, absolutely not!" Perenelle corrected. "It's absolutely fascinating! Don't you see? We have no idea what the implications are! I don't know if I called the ritual whether your presence would be enough to change things. It might mean nothing, although I do not believe that to be the case. Can it make things stronger? Will it appear during certain rituals? Will it work for others as it does for you? What else can those flames do? What happens if you were to embody the South? Or any other point for that matter! Will your affinity mean it works against the other elements?"
Hermione blinked stupidly at the rapid-fire questions coming from the older woman. Taking pity on her, Perenelle took a deep breath, slowing her speech. "I apologise. As old as I am it's rare to see something truly new. Now, based on the fact I could see your lips moving I assume you felt something? The colours were certainly clear enough."
"Yes," Hermione agreed.
"And how do you feel?"
"I…" Hermione paused, attempting to find the words. "Less… lost? Stranded?"
Perenelle hummed, nodding. "You do not have to but can you describe it? We could not hear the words you spoke."
"Oh. I… ah. Roots, I think, was first. It felt calming, almost. Belonging was next. It felt… like being surrounded by love," she paused. "I don't know how else to describe it."
"Not surprising given that East was your grandmother," Perenelle pointed out.
"Ah. I hadn't thought of it like that. Understanding was next, I think. It… highlighted some things I need to do."
"Such as?" Perenelle asked with interest.
"Um. Meeting Marlene McKinnon is the right way to go. I ah, need to spend more time with Snape. Regulus can be reached through him and Narcissa. I need you for Narcissa though. Umbridge needs to be dealt with. And the twins and Caradoc need to be told the truth before summer."
"Bloody hell," Saul muttered.
"It was your wisdom," she pointed out.
He gaped for several seconds before he laughed. "I suppose it was, or my magic, anyway."
"And West?" Perenelle prompted.
"Felt like a hug," she murmured. "I saw… before, when I was tiny, and then little snippets of the good times at school and then people here. Acceptance, I suppose."
Perenelle nodded, watching with a slightly fond smile as Robert wrapped an arm around her, looking suspiciously glassy-eyed. "It was uncommonly strong," she commented. "I'll be honest, I had expected to have to repeat this several times. To be blunt, you are untrained and have grown up away from our traditions. For the ritual to have gone as it did is astounding. It leaves me to conclude that something higher is guiding you."
"Fate," Hermione whispered.
"Pardon?" Perenelle asked sharply.
"I… the friend I mentioned, the Seer. She… said something about this having always been my fate, that I needed to be broken to become who I was meant to be."
"I see," Perenelle murmured. "I think I'd like to meet this friend of yours. Her insights might be vital."
"I'm seeing her tomorrow. I had already planned on discussing some things with her at Saul's request."
"If you can, bring her on Monday. If Albus notices, I'll inform him it's a coven induction. That should prevent too many questions once I remind him that both your grandmother and your godmother are members. He might disapprove, but he's not stupid enough to argue with me, nor so idiotic as to accuse me of being dark."
"I'll ask," Hermione agreed.
"Wonderful," Perenelle smiled. "You've given me rather a lot to consider. Now, I can meet you here or at home on Wednesday evening?"
"Wherever is easiest," Hermione offered.
"Just come here lass. If nothing else we have the circle already in place," Janet offered, sounding uncharacteristically subdued. "Perhaps after that, we'll consider the induction to the Ross site your great-grandmother wanted."
"Alright," Hermione agreed, eyeing her worriedly.
"Then I shall see you here on Wednesday night," Perenelle nodded, standing up. "Janet, if it is alright, I shall owl if I intend to add others. I am unsure as to the best course of action currently. "
"Of course," Janet agreed. "I'll see you out."
Saul blew out a breath the moment they left, looking at her with amusement. "Never a dull moment with you now is there?"
Hermione groaned, thumping her head down onto her grandfather's shoulder, earning herself an annoyed squeak from Nuri.
"Good morning," Hermione squinted at an all too perky Amelia Bones and wondered if she could convince her to reschedule for next week. She was utterly exhausted following the previous night's ritual and the subsequent debrief. Her grandparents had been unusually clingy and her father had had to come looking for her, which he had, far, far later than she would have liked. On top of that, she had Pandora to see, two Longbottoms, and Snape. It was shaping up to be a horrible day and she'd only been awake for half an hour.
"You look raring to go this morning."
"Tell me you got the coffee," Hermione mumbled, slumping into the seat next to her.
"Yes," Amelia replied, clearly amused as she shoved the coffee pot towards her.
"I think you might be my new favourite," Hermione yawned, pouring herself a cup with barely opened eyes.
"What on earth were you doing last night that you look like this?" Amelia flushed as she realised how that sounded. "I mean… you weren't this exhausted when you left here!"
"My grandmother is inducting me into her coven," Hermione mumbled, taking a large gulp from her cup. "I met her High Priestess last night."
"Oh! Oh, that's fascinating! The Bones are generally part of Circe's coven, but my mother refuses to allow me to induct properly until I've left school."
Hermione brightened slightly at that. "That's the one my grandmother is part of."
"You met Madam Flamel?" Amelia looked surprised. "She's doing your induction herself?"
"Yes," Hermione whined. "Something to do with my proclivity for setting myself on fire."
Amelia gaped at her for several seconds. "Pardon?"
"Ugh, fire. I make fire do strange things. Like hug me."
"You make fire that hugs you?" Amelia asked flatly.
Sighing, Hermione held out her hand, allowing the flames to appear before focusing on instructing them, hoping it worked. Slowly the flames trailed in a flickering little line up her forearm, coiling like a snake around her torso.
"Fire that hugs you," Amelia repeated breathily. "Mother of Morganna and the baby nifflers." She reached out tentatively, stroking down a flame that sat on Hermione's shoulder. "That's… it doesn't burn… It's… that's the stuff you used on Sirius yesterday! He said it was hot! It… the heat it was throwing out felt hot!"
"It can burn," Hermione admitted. "I have to ask it not to."
"You have to ask it not to….."
"What in the name of Merlin are you doing!" a voice sounded from the door. Their eyes snapped up to meet the wide ones of Severus Snape.
"Fuck," Hermione muttered, her promise to Remus suddenly rushing back. "Um… experimenting?" she tried
"You're covered in fire!" he shouted.
"Yes," Hermione agreed. "But it doesn't burn." Silently she called it back to her palm. If possible his eyes grew even bigger on his pale face.
"Thats… that's… fuck." He sat down abruptly, staring at her in horrified fascination.
Amelia and Hermione shared a look, before looking back at him.
"I ah… thought potions was later," Hermione ventured, attempting to rouse him out of his stupor.
"It is," he mumbled.
"Ok." She drew the word out, before continuing hesitantly. "Is there… something we can help you with?"
With an audible exhale and a visible shake, Severus seemed to come back to himself. "I wanted to see if I could convince Bones to help with my arithmancy."
Hermione slid her eyes to the side, watching Amelia's face. She looked stunned, then thoughtful. "Sure," she shrugged. "More eyes is never a bad thing."
"Right," he mumbled, a faint flush creeping over his cheeks. "Thanks."
"No problem, "Amelia replied cheerfully. "Now. I ah… maybe let's not set ourselves on fire anymore and let's start at the beginning."
"Why were you on fire?" Severus asked abruptly, clearly ignoring her.
"Oh. I was proving to Amelia that fire can give you a hug," Hermine replied guilelessly.
"Of course you were," he muttered, before forcibly turning his attention back to Amelia. He lasted all of ten seconds much to Hermione's amusement. "No, tell me you're going to explain that!"
"I have an affinity with fire," she began.
He frowned. "That's a thing? Those flames you used on Black weren't just a clever illusion spell?"
"Yes. It's a thing I don't know much about, but I gather that there are people with skills related to all elements."
"Like being able to control water," he murmured.
"Pardon?"
"I… water. I've always been particularly skilled with water," he muttered, looking at her defiantly as if expecting her to contradict him.
"Huh. And… no one's ever commented?"
"I was told it wasn't the done thing to flaunt it," he muttered. "It was suggested I should forget it was something I was even capable of."
"By who?" Hermione demanded.
"Dumbledore… after an incident in fifth year."
Hermione frowned before understanding crashed through her. "That absolute arsehole," she growled.
Both Severus and Amelia turned to stare at her in shock. "What?" Severus squeaked.
"Utter fucking wanker," she muttered, ignoring him. "Honestly! Not the done thing my arse."
"Ah… Hermione?" Amelia uttered hesitantly. "Your hair is sparking."
"My hair…." Hermione's eyes widened when she saw little sparks mixed in with her curls. "Shit, that's new."
As if unable to help himself, Severus snorted before he began to laugh properly. Amelia and Hermione joined him after several surprised beats. "Gods, I needed that," he muttered. "Is anything about you normal?"
"I'd like to say yes," she admitted. "But I'm beginning to accept that perhaps not."
Beside her, Amelia laughed. "Well, as long as you accept it," she patted her shoulder. "I'm sure that's half the battle. At least your hair has stopped trying to set you alight. That's something."
"I might let it set Dumbledore alight," she muttered.
"I'd like to see that," Severus admitted. "Am I to assume he was wrong?"
"Of course he was! I understand not flaunting it and I admit I don't know much. My abilities weren't… picked up on before, but I can find out because, if nothing else, if you have a strength you should damn well be able to use it. Forget about it my arse."
"Hear hear," Amelia called with a laugh. "Now… before McGonagall has my head, Arithmancy?"