Beta love to CarbConnoisseur.
"Good day so far?" Charlus asked with a smile as Hermione breezed into his office.
"Saul let me loose in the library and I met Marlene McKinnon for lunch." Hermione smiled as she got Nuri settled, silently vowing to find a muggle pet shop soon.
"I see. I'm impressed you managed to pry yourself away. I hear the Unspeakable's library is beyond the imagination."
"Ugh, yes! I'm getting to borrow books though, which helps." Hermione sighed wistfully. "I think it would take me several lifetimes to read everything there, but I might try anyway."
Charlus laughed, relieved beyond measure to see her looking happier than she had the day before. "How are you getting on with those werewolf laws?
"I'm less than halfway through," she admitted. "But I think we need to consider safety concerns before modifying anything."
"Such as?" he probed, settling back in his seat to give her his full attention.
"Warded areas for lycanthropes to go during the full moon. Once Damocles Belby gets himself organised, we should look at funding wolfsbane. I imagine both concepts will be unpopular, but I don't see any laws being loosened until we can offer proof that we can make the full moon safe."
Charlus hummed, nodding. "And those on the fringes of society?"
"What if… what if we arranged to provide a means for the Packs to support themselves?" With a frown, Charlus gestured for her to continue. "Well… Weres don't have to want to join us, although eventually I'd like them to have the option, but what if we could make their lives less hard?"
"I'm listening."
"I don't know exactly. I imagine we'd need to speak to the Packs to find out what they'd prefer, but I was thinking something self-sustaining. There must be places that aren't being used anymore that we could commandeer–set up ways to make food available, give them somewhere to sleep–it might make things less… fraught between the Packs and our world."
"Interesting," Charlus mused. "Maybe we need to get the DRCMC involved. They'll have contacts with the Packs."
"Will they?" she asked sceptically.
"Leonard Johnston is currently the head of the Werewolf registry. His views aren't so dissimilar to yours, despite him being one of the only ones," Charlus commented mildly.
Still not looking convinced, Hermione nodded. "Let's speak to him then."
"I'll set something up. Why not spend the rest of the day working on what you think you'd like in an ideal world. You're right about needing to speak to the Packs, but it would give you a starting point. Maybe also have a list for those who want integration?"
Hermione hummed, already scribbling on the parchment in front of her, making Charlus shake his head fondly.
He cleared his throat several hours later, waiting until she raised her head to look at him. "Time for dinner before your Aunt hunts us down."
Hermione snorted, not putting it past her godmother to do just that. "Did you warn her about my new accessory?" Hermione asked, inclining her head towards a snoozing Nuri.
"Ah, no." Charlus shifted, making her laugh.
"Merlin, she's going to avada you! We'll need to stop somewhere for mutton then. It's nearing her dinner time."
He hummed. "Or we could send the elves."
"I had wondered about getting her some toys," Hermione mused as if he hadn't spoken.
"Oh?"
"She needs something less destructible than my origami," Hermione muttered, eyeing the destroyed bird littering the desk.
"And you can't just transfigure some things?"
"Maybe," Hermione agreed, not wanting to admit she'd hadn't considered that.
"So… no shopping," he replied hopefully." We'll ask the elves and your Aunt won't murder us for being late."
Glancing at the time, Hermione laughed. "Fine, you can help me transfigure some things then!"
They stepped out of the floo and Hermione was immediately swept into a hug, Alex's voice hissing in her ear, "I've missed you but I'm bloody furious! Baby Weasleys, Hermione!"
She let him go with a laugh, finding Izzah at his side. The woman narrowed her eyes. "I'm going to put you in a shade of green so ugly they'll be talking about it for years after our wedding."
Arching a brow, Hermione stared back at her. "Don't be absurd. You'd ruin the pictures."
Behind them, Dorea laughed. "Hello Darling. Your Uncle has been utterly insufferable."
"In my defence, we didn't go to see him," Hermione protested. "And how was I supposed to know he was harbouring secret longings for grandchildren!"
"No, you went to see the Aurors Prewett," Izzah mused with a slightly wicked smirk. "Tell me, how is the lovely Fabian these days?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes as she flushed. "He's fine," she muttered.
Izzah hummed as Alex's face went through a series of expressions. "What happened to the other one?" he demanded.
"What other one?" Hermione frowned, just as Nuri yawned, moving from her place around her neck to her shoulder, stretching as she went. Everyone froze.
"Your necklace just moved, darling," Dorea informed her faintly.
"Ah, yes. She does that," Hermione agreed. "I don't suppose you have mutton to hand? She's rather particular in what she'll eat."
Dorea blinked before years of training took over. "Dotty!"
"Yes, Mistress.
"Do we have mutton?"
The elf frowned. "Dotty thinks so," she replied hesitantly, scrunching her brows as if thinking hard.
"Might I trouble you for some, Dotty?" Hermione asked politely. "Nuri's a bit spoiled."
"A bit," Charlus scoffed.
"Hermione… Hermione, is that real?" Alex spluttered with wide eyes that were glued to the dragon on her shoulder.
"Ah, yes." Hermione nodded, fidgeting under their scrutiny.
"Holy mother of Morganna," he breathed. "How in the name of Merlin's saggy left tit did you end up with… what? A shrunken down dragon?"
"Saul," Hermione replied succinctly as if it explained everything; as far as she was concerned it did. The man was a law unto himself.
Alex let out a slightly hysterical burst of laughter. "Holy fuck."
"Right… shall we… ah… sit down?" Dorea stammered, her eyes also on the dragon on her goddaughter's shoulder.
Silently, Hermione followed her through to the sitting room, pulling a piece of parchment from her bag before tearing it into quarters, transfiguring a rope, a facsimile of a snitch, a ball, and a frisbee.
"What are you doing?" Izzah asked, sounding bewildered.
"She needs toys, but I'm not entirely sure what since I've never owned a dragon before."
Izzah gave a disbelieving laugh as Hermione set Nuri on the coffee table and sent the snitch flying above her head. They all watched in varying states of astonishment as the tiny dragon bounded over the table, snapping at its new toy.
"You're going to explain now right?" Alex asked faintly.
"Um. She's technically an unspeakable experiment and I happened to be in the right place at the right time?" Hermione offered.
"How… how did you happen to be in the right place to come home with a dragon?" he demanded.
"Why?" She grinned impishly. "Want one?"
"Yes!" he exclaimed, making her laugh.
"Unfortunately, unless you're immune to fire, you might have issues."
Alex froze. "You're immune to fire?"
"Ah… well, sort of? Almost… ah… maybe?" she stammered, taking in the look on his face.
He blinked. "Make sense!" he demanded, as understanding flooded Dorea's face.
"You're who Perenelle was talking about!"
"Um, maybe?" Hermione hedged, watching her godmother's eyebrow rise.
"Specialised tuition, occlumency training, and I believe she intends to find you a… group within the coven."
"I see," Hemione replied slowly, suspecting what was coming before she asked. "Did she mention what sort of group?"
"Elements, usually, where possible balance for each other," Dorea replied, sounding amused, letting Hermione know she knew exactly what was going on. "Fire isn't something we've had a lot of. As I'm sure she mentioned, it's one of the harder ones to control. It often… consumes its caster before they've mastered the control of it. The fact that Hogwarts doesn't teach elemental magic doesn't help in the slightest. We've lost five fire elementals in the last decade because they had no idea how to contain it and those are only the ones we're aware of, the are likely more."
"Good Gods," Hermione muttered. "She didn't mention that bit."
Dorea hummed. "Any element can consume you. Fire just happens to be the most likely."
Hermione's face paled. "Does Dumbledore know that?"
"I assume so. Why?"
"He told someone to pretend they didn't have elemental magic. To not show off."
"Does Perenelle know?"Dorea asked, looking nauseated.
"Yes. She wants to meet him."
"Good."
"Can we go back to the bit where you were explaining you were immune to bloody fire?" Alex blurted," his arms crossed over his chest tightly, a pinched look on his face.
With a sigh, Hermione held out her palm, allowing the flames to collect before she sent them coiling up her arm. Alex and Izzah watched her intently, both of them seeming to hold their breaths as she sent the flame out, winding down one of Alex's arms in the same manner they'd moved up hers when he dropped them to his sidein shock.
"Holy mother of Circe," he squeaked, his eyes going impossibly wide as she made the temperature rise slightly. "Point made!"
With a huff of laughter, Hermione drew them back just as Dotty arrived with Nuri's dinner. "Want to feed her?"
"Yes!" Alex shouted despite his still shocked face.
Smiling, Hermione cancelled the charm on the snitch, catching it before Nuri could and scooping her up from the table. "It's dinner time, sweetheart," she cooed, nuzzling the dragon with her nose. Nuri gave an adorable little squeak, followed by a note that made Hermione feel warm and loved.
"Aww!" Izzah breathed quietly, watching her intently as Hermione deposited Nuri onto Alex's lap.
"You can touch her." Hermione smiled seeing the indecision on her face.
Cautious fingers reached out to stroke down Nuri's back, the dragon arching up into it. "She's bloody adorable."
"And she knows it," Hermione muttered, handing her the bowl.
"I thought I was getting it!" Alex pouted.
"I'm sure you can share," Hermione replied drily, watching Nuri jump to catch the meat from Izzah's hand.
Dinner was lively. Alex teased her about how hectic things had become, demanding to be booked into her diary at regular intervals and lamenting the fact she was too important to bother with him now. He continued until she threw Nuri's ball at him making Dorea scold them.
"Honestly! How old are you both?" she demanded, trying to hide the smile that wanted to break free at the sight of them.
"Sorry," they chorused like children, making the other three snort.
"My god," Izzah muttered. "I don't think I'll survive children if they're anything like you."
"Oi!" Alex protested. "We're not children!"
"That makes it worse!" Izzah shot back.
"Do you have something you'd like to tell us?" Hermione asked innocently, dodging when Izzah threw a roll at her.
"Remind me why I like you?" the witch demanded.
"Truthfully?" Hermione shrugged. "I have no idea. Apparently, I'm insufferable."
Izzah rolled her eyes as Dorea muttered a defeated, "I give up," making Charlus laugh.
"Don't pretend this isn't everything you've ever wanted," he whispered as the three supposed adults continued to bicker and tease each other across from them.
Doreas lips twitching as she tried not to smile gave him all the answer he needed.
Several hours later, after promising to book Alex in for lunch and being conned into a shopping trip by Izzah, Hermione stumbled through the floo. She barely called out a goodnight to her father before she shifted into her otter form, curling around Crookshanks with Nuri settling herself in the warm fluff of the kitten's stomach, all three of them falling asleep as soon as their heads hit the mattress.
"Hermione, you're back!" Charlie screeched, barreling into her legs.
"Ooft!"
"Charlie, be careful!" Molly scolded.
"Did you bring Nuri?" he demanded, ignoring his mother.
"Yes," Hermione admitted. "But if you want to play with her you'll need to go and sit down at the table and behave."
Seconds later, Charlie was back at the table looking at her with an angelic expression of expectation. "Gods, you're going to be so much trouble," Hermione muttered as Bill came sauntering down the stairs. He paused at the sight of them, his eyes scanning her.
With an amused quirk to her lips, she took Nuri off her neck knowing what he was looking for.
"She's awake!" he exclaimed.
"Yes. If you sit with your brother you can play with her. She'll be due a snack shortly too."
Marginally more sedately than Charlie, looking very much like he was trying not to run, Bill headed for the table.
"Who knew the secret to small boys was a dragon," she muttered, making Pandora laugh.
"Not something the rest of us can replicate," Molly replied wryly, handing over Percy to Pandora before donning her cloak.
"Enjoy your tea, Molly!" Pandra beamed, cooing at Percy as she ushered his mother towards the floo.
Hermione eyed both Bill and Charlie as the floo roared, indicating her departure. "Right. We have a modified snitch, a ball, and a frisbee."
"A fanged one?" Charlie asked with wide eyes.
"Sadly no." Hermione laughed. "Just a transfigured one. If you throw it she'll try and chase it. It's the same if you roll or throw the ball. The snitch does it all by itself. Oh, and I have the rope too. She'll tug on it, but she's still a bit little for it, so you need to be gentle."
"Cool," Charlie breathed, gazing up at her with something close to adoration before picking up the ball and rolling it to Bill, both of them giggling when Nuri chased after it like a tiny reptilian dog, making happy little noises accompanied by the occasional plume of smoke.
When the boys had finally tired out Nuri and fed her a snack, Pandora coerced them into a game involving bricks and quidditch figures with rules Hermione couldn't follow, but the boys at least understood, giving the impression that this was a common occurrence.
Hermione watched them indulgently. She had found herself with a sleepy Percy curled up on her lap. It was… nice, this strange snuggly version of the boy who had been her idol in first year, as long as she didn't think too hard. Opening a worn copy of Babbity Rabbity, Hermione began reading, noticing with amusement that he fought hard when his eyes began to droop.
Lulled by his soft breathing after he had finally lost the fight, Hermione visibly startled when she felt the sofa dip next to her, a small body curling into her side.
"Hermione?" Charlie whispered, idly stroking one of Percy's tiny sock-clad feet in an utterly adorable way.
"Uhuh?"
"Do you think when I'm big I'll actually get to work with dragons?"
Hermione frowned at how unsure he looked. "I think you can do anything you decide you want to do," she answered finally. "Why? Has someone said something?"
"Auntie Muriel," he muttered, a scowl marring his face.
"Oh?"
"She said I shouldn't want to and that Mummy will make me work at the Ministry like Dad. She said dragons were stupid beasts and I told her about Nuri and how she's not stupid! And she said that working with dragons was useless." He turned to look at her pleadingly. "It's not Hermione, is it?"
Hermione shifted Percy so she could wrap an arm around his brother. "Of course it's not, Charlie. We need dragons for lots of things and they're definitely not stupid. Nuri has everyone she meets doing exactly what she wants."
Charlie giggled. "She makes people feel things so they do things for her," he agreed.
"That she does. But even bigger dragons aren't stupid, are they? They can be taken thousands of miles from their home and still find it again."
"Uhuh. Auntie Muriel couldn't do that, could she?"
"Probably not," Hermione agreed, her own memories of Muriel Prewett not overly pleasant.
"Hermione, why do they hurt people?"
"Who, dragons?" Hermione frowned when Charlie nodded. "Well they don't really, unless people get too close. And they only do it to protect themselves. And that's important because lots of people want to hurt them to use them for their scales or their blood."
"Or their hearts," Charlie murmured, looking pensive. "Dad said Olivander uses dragon heartstrings."
She hummed. "He does. But my wand has a dragon heartstring core and I asked Olivander once where he got them from. Do you know what he told me?" Charlie shook his head. "He told me that he never uses heartstrings from hunted dragons, only from old or poorly ones. He says that the magic knows, and wands with heartstring cores that have been taken before they should have been never work well because it makes magic cross."
"Oh," Charlie breathed, relaxing again.
"Don't you listen to your Auntie Muriel when she's being silly. If you want to work with dragons you should. You're very good with Nuri. Maybe I can ask Director Croaker very nicely if he'll let you visit when the others hatch."
Charlie's eyes lit up. "Will you Hermione?"
"I'll ask," she agreed, smiling as he bounced off the sofa in the direction of his brother.
"I think you might just have ensured you'll forever be his favourite person." Pandora laughed, coming to sit beside her now both boys were reabsorbed in their game.
Hermione shrugged. "He used to be one of mine," she whispered, feeling Pandora squeeze her hand. "And anyway, who better to meet baby dragons than a future dragon tamer. How much do you think Molly would hate me if he ended up with a new pet?"
Pandora snorted but didn't comment. Neither of them needed her to say that Molly would not be pleased.
After leaving the Burrow, Hermione apparated to Diagon Alley, spotting her cousin waiting outside of Gringotts.
"How are you?" Callum murmured into her ear, wrapping her in a hug.
"Good," Hermione replied. "Nervous."
"Don't be. Saul will be here soon. You'll be fine." His eyes drifted to Nuri. "I was hearing about this wee beastie."
Hermione grinned, stroking the sleeping dragon's head. "She's adorable and manipulative. She needs to be awake for you to get the full effect though."
Callum snorted. "A manipulative dragon…." he muttered. "Only you. The kids were asking for you if you happen to be free soon?"
"Yes," Hermione agreed immediately. "Merlin knows Isla's questions must have reached epic proportions."
Callum still had an amused smirk on his face when Saul appeared. "Do I want to ask?" he hedged.
"Nope." Hermione shook her head.
"Shall we then?" He gestured forward with his arm.
Hermione blew out a nervous breath and squared her shoulders, taking Callum's proffered arm as he led her up the steps to the bank and to the counter.
The goblin eyed her, surprise widening his eyes briefly as she inclined her head quickly in a short sharp bow. "Hermione Moody to see Ragnock."
"I am Ragnock," he replied cautiously.
Hermione hummed, reaching into her pocket to pull out a goblin forged athame Alastor had liberated from the vault. "Then I return this to your keeping."
"Do you indeed?" Ragnock mused thoughtfully. "And in return?"
She shook her head. "Its return is not contingent on anything else."
"But?" Ragnock prompted, now looking amused.
"If you could spare the time I have information that would be… profitable for you and beneficial for me."
"I see," Ragnock murmured, stroking a long finger over his lips. "Very well, Miss Moody. Consider me intrigued. Come with me."
Hermione let out a breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding as she followed Ragnock away from the main area of the bank and into a marble-lined room.
"Have a seat." He gestured to the plush seats in front of the desk. "Now Miss Moody, your proposal."
Taking a deep breath, Hermione began talking. "We wanted to request assistance gaining access to Hogwarts."
"And how would the Goblin nation manage that?" Ragnock asked idly.
"We need you to lie."
Ragnock blinked. "You need us to lie," he repeated slowly.
"Yes. I was… sent forward when I was a toddler. I have lived through the second wizarding war. It was all… everything was lost."
Ragnock blinked. "An interesting claim Miss Moody," he murmured, barely above a whisper.
"There is a basilisk under the school in the Chamber of Secrets. Salazar Slytherin's basilisk. We need it," she continued, unable to decipher his look.
"Why?"
"Because Tom Riddle has Horcruxes. One of them is in your bank or it will be. I'm… not entirely sure on timelines."
"Horcruxes plural?" Ragnock hissed, finally looking as if he was taking her seriously.
"Five," Hermione replied hesitantly. "Just now anyway. It will be seven if we don't stop him."
"Which vault?" Ragnock demanded.
"Lestrange," she admitted. "In my time it was given to Bellatrix. I have no idea when though. If you find it there, I'd ask you to leave it until we have all our plans in place. It wouldn't do to tip them off."
Ragnock frowned, holding out an imperious hand. "Your hand, Miss Moody," he demanded.
Hesitantly she put her hand in his, grimacing when he sliced it, rubbing the blade over a sheet of parchment. He set his palm over the blood, chanting in a language Hermione didn't understand. Lifting the hand his eyes widened, racing over the words in front of him.
"Not possible," he hissed before he straightened. "What do you intend to do?"
"In regards to?" Hermione asked cautiously.
"The Horcruxes."
"Kill them," Hermione replied, looking Ragnock dead in the eye.
Ragnock nodded slowly. "What do we get for lying?"
"Half the basilisk," Hermione replied promptly.
Ragnock blinked, his eyes drifting to Saul. "Someone has trained you well. Very well. A contingent will join you to gain access to the chamber. I assume your cousin is to have found something in a recently unsealed vault?"
Hermione nodded. "Thank you," she whispered as Nuri yawned.
"Is that a dragon?" Ragnock demanded.
"Ah yes. Nuri," Hermione murmured, taking the dragon from her neck.
"You are an unusual witch, Hermione Moody," Ragnock mused, eyeing Nuri covetously. "Our endeavours should prove interesting."
Hermione nodded. "May your gold multiply and your enemies bleed."
Ragnock gave a sharp grin. "Indeed, Miss Moody, indeed. I shall be in touch."
"Well done," Callum murmured once they were out. "He was impressed."
With a snort, Hermione turned to glare at Saul. "You had me scared half to death!" she scolded. "All those possible scenarios…."
With a shrug, Saul cut her off. "And now you're prepared for any of them."
Hermione huffed as he walked away with a smirk, disappearing back to the Ministry.
"Lunch, cousin?" Callum asked, attempting to smother his amusement.
"Why not." Hermione sighed, still cursing Saul internally for scaring her so badly.
"Wonderful. I've had some ideas I'd like to run past you."
"Oh?"
"Come and get lunch first or we'll never make it," he replied, taking her by her shoulders to guide her in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. "Here or muggle London?"
"Um, how badly would it go if we were overheard?"
"We'd be fine," Callum soothed.
"Then the Leaky? I've really missed their stew."
With an indulgent eye-roll, Callum led her inside to find a table cocooned at the back. "I'll be back. Stew and butterbeer?"
"Thank you." She sighed as she sunk into the seat that clearly had a cushioning charm on it. She didn't remember Tom being so thoughtful in her time, but she was grateful nonetheless. Now that the nerves were gone she was exhausted, which made her all the more determined that Saul would pay for making her so damn frightened in the first place. "If you could also get Nuri some lamb or mutton she won't make you want to cry and put you off your lunch."
Callum laughed, clearly not believing her. "Fine. No one wants that!"
"You laugh, but I'm serious," she called after his retreating back.
"It'll be a few minutes and I ordered your beastie's meat," he informed her as he slunk into the seat in front of her.
"Thanks. She really is ridiculous." Nuri gave a disapproving squeak, waiting until she'd placed her onto the table to nip at her fingers. "Stop it beastie!"
Nuri let out an apologetic croon making Callum's eyes blow wide. "I felt… that's…"
"I told you," Hermione retorted smugly, pulling the snitch out of her bag and setting it to fly over the dragon. "Now, what was it you wanted to speak to me about?"
"I had wondered what you thought of organising a summer school for incoming muggleborns," Callum answered finally, having been distracted watching the dragon happily gambolling about the table, her wings beginning to attempt to flap despite remaining stubbornly flightless.
Hermione blinked, her eyebrows rose slightly. "I see," she mused thoughtfully. "And how would it be funded?"
Callum snorted. "Well Madam Wizengamot, the first sessions would be funded in the same manner as Hogwarts."
"Why would we want to do that?" Hermione asked in her snootiest voice. Callum's lips twitched as he fought a smile.
"Because it integrates them into our world and preserves traditions while preparing them for Hogwarts and the expectations there," he replied in the same tone.
"I see, and who would teach?"
"We could ask for teachers. It is, after all, a non-academic topic and I wouldn't expect the professors to give up their summers."
Hermione hummed, dropping the act with a slightly wistful sigh. "It sounds lovely, but truly, Callum, why would they approve it?"
"I honestly don't know that they will. Our other option is fundraising. Some of the older society ladies are bored, and while there are obviously some who wouldn't be caught dead teaching muggleborns, others like great-grandmother would."
Hermione snorted. "You wish to inflict Great Grandmother on unsuspecting 11 year old muggleborns?"
Callum laughed. "Yes, well, your Aunt Dorea might be another one, and Euphemia Potter. Augusta Longbottom was apparently looking for a new cause."
"I see," Hermione murmured thoughtfully. "I think they'll be less likely to refuse if they're not paying for it."
"I know," he groaned. "But they should bloody pay for it."
"Yes, but right now they won't. It gives us… scope for expansion though."
"In what way?" he asked curiously.
"Well, if this helps, perhaps we expand the curriculum and it takes two years, not one. And then when things… settle, we keep expanding. The age gets lower and really, it only makes sense to consider looking at a school rather than an unmonitored side project for bored society ladies."
Callum looked at her with something close to approval. "I see. How are we monitoring its effects?"
"Performance at Hogwarts and feedback from teachers. Do you have any idea how long they spend orienting students in those first weeks? And how long they spend teaching most students how to write a coherent essay? If all of them had a standard of baseline understanding it would cut down on the extra time spent. Of course, if muggleborns had those skills and those from families already in this world did not… so much the better.
"How?" He frowned. "Surely it would just annoy them?"
"Or it could be grounds to demand an education for all children not based on their family finances or their parents' competence."
"I see." He nodded. "You think they'd want to be involved if their children were falling behind."
"Some, not all," Hermione agreed. "It's worth a try, no?"
"Yes," Callum agreed thoughtfully. "We'll need to speak to someone affiliated with the Wizengamot."
"Uncle Charlus has a seat. I think Dad does too for all he doesn't use it. I'll find out."
Callum nodded silently as Tom put down their lunches.
"You'll let me know?"
Of course," she agreed.
"Good. Now, tell me what you've been up to?"
"You mean other than acquiring miniaturised dragons?" she asked wryly, making him laugh.
They spent the next hour catching up before Callum muttered something about vaults and goblins and promising to be home at a reasonable hour and headed back to the bank.
Hermione grimaced as she checked her watch once he had left. Her father was going to murder her for being late.
"How nice of you to join us." Alastor arched a brow at her.
"In my defence, Callum had a proposition and I actually ate lunch." She shrugged.
Alastor's eyes narrowed. "Fine. You're against McNabb."
Hermione's eyes travelled to the Auror who had stepped forward. He was clearly one of the old guard. "Fine." She sighed, handing him Nuri before moving to the duelling platform.
"I want to say I'll go easy on you," he grinned, "but Shacklebolt mentioned that you got one over on him, so I can only imagine you're tougher than you look."
"Let's hope so," she murmured. "Oh, actually, I just need to check a rule."
Alastor looked at her in confusion as she approached. "What is it? You know the damn rules!"
"What about fire?" she whispered.
"Fire… Oh." His face twisted into a mask of indecision before it cleared. "You're already carrying about a dragon. And it's not… unheard of to be able to control fire without being an elemental. Maybe keep it orange, aye?"
"I'll try," she muttered.
"Can you?"
"I ah… I'm not entirely sure," Hermione admitted.
"For the love of…" Alastor cast his eyes up, ignoring the Aurors watching the conversation with interest. "You need to practise using it in a duel. I don't think I like it, but ultimately you only have the advantage once and when you meet the members of the Coven you'll be mixing with all sorts. It won't be a secret long. Just don't… don't cook the man. He's one of our best."
"Sure." She smirked, sending a slight jolt of fear down a watching Fabian's spine. He had no idea what they were saying, but he'd seen that look before.
"Alright. Apologies, Auror McNabb."
The man nodded. "On three then."
One of the junior Aurors counted them in and then all Hermione saw was the man in front of her. He was good, better than good truth be told, but her training was paying off. She kept him at bay for several minutes, trying out some of the spells her father had been coaching her on with a different opponent. Some landed, but some she knew she'd need to practise with someone other than Alastor. They weren't as effective as she'd like with a new partner. When the Auror landed a slicing hex to her ribs, she made a decision on her flames. With a quick flick of her wrist she sent them out, wrapping them around the man like a rope before she called his wand. He struggled to release himself until she stunned him. From an academic perspective, it was useful to know that the flames appeared to be resistant to a finite but she wasn't sure how to take the stunned silence that surrounded her.
Her father, thankfully, looked somewhat amused. "Well then. What can we learn from that?" he demanded before turning to her. "Put the man out, lass."
"Oh!" she flushed, calling the flames back and reviving the Auror at her feet.
"Merlin's beard girlie!" he muttered as the Aurors hesitantly began to answer Alastor's question. "Where the bloody hell did you learn to do that!"
"Ah… technically the technique can be accredited to Madam Flamel," she replied finally.
"Of fucking course," he muttered, getting to his feet and holding out his hand. "Well done. It's not often that someone surprises me. Go and get yourself put back together. It wouldn't do to beat me only to bleed to death."
With a huff of laughter at him, Hermione headed over to Alastor, muttering the incantation to stitch her skin back together.
"Right, Gupta against Desmond," Alastor called, sending the next two Aurors forward. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Auror McNabb answered with a wink before Hermione could. "Vicious little witch you've got their Alastor. I imagine you're incredibly proud."
Alastor laughed. "Aye. Although I wonder when she'll snap and murder me in my sleep."
"Don't be absurd. I'd persuade Lolly to poison your tea while I was out. Plausible deniability."
Auror McNabb let out a loud laugh. "Merlin, girlie. If my girl was like you I don't think I'd sleep again."
"Maisie is hardly a defenceless pixie," Alastor retorted.
"No, but she's never yet threatened to poison me," McNabb shot back, making the other man snort.
They turned back towards the duelling arena when the Aurors were counted in. It was fascinating to watch. Auror Gupta looked to have a slight edge in terms of ability, but Auror Desmond had an air of determination that led Hermione to believe he'd lost to the witch before. They were both quick and brutal, using spells Hermione made a mental note to ask her father about. Several of the wand movements were unrecognisable. When Auror Gupta finally had Desmond incapacitated, the watching Aurors burst into teasing jeers, making the man flush despite the resigned acceptance on his face.
"One day he'll beat that witch," Auror McNabb mused. "Not one day soon but one day."
Alastor looked amused but refrained from comment. "Right. Auror Prewett has requested Hermione, so off you go."
Hermione groaned. "Wonderful."
She was surprised though, when it was Gideon, not Fabian, that stepped up in front of her. "My brother lost a bet on the last duel, so he was forced to give up his place to me," Gideon smiled winningly, immediately setting her on edge.
When a gust of wind almost knocked her off her feet as soon as they were counted in, Hermione realised she was right to be. It didn't feel like a Ventus, which confused her for several beats before realisation hit her and she sent flames in the shape of an eagle flying at him. He confirmed she was right in her assumptions when he smirked.
Thinking quickly as he began to hover, manipulating the air in the room, she sent out several streams of flames, boxing him in. The arsehole had the audacity to look amused until she focused on making the flames so cold she could see his breath. She captured his wand when the coughing started. Clearly realising what she was planning, he shook off his surprise and manoeuvred over the flames, hurling winds at her that she barely managed to avoid.
It was brutal, neither of them willing to concede. She got lucky when she dodged a blast of icy air and managed to capture his ankle with a well-placed incarcerous, yanking him to the floor. She had him stunned before his head hit it, dropping to her knees where she stood, trying to control her racing heart.
"Fuck I need to run more," she gasped when Alstor hurried over to her.
He let out an incredulous laugh. "What the fuck was that?"
"I think Gideon might have a slight affinity for air," she wheezed.
"You think?" he exclaimed before turning to look at a shocked Fabian. "Oi! Other Prewett, remove this one so the next duel can begin. Can you stand, lass?"
"In a minute," she whined.
He snorted. "It'll be worse the longer you leave it." With a groan, Hermione clambered to her feet unsteadily. She'd never felt so exhausted in her life. "No more duels for you this afternoon. The amount of magic you two just used…."
"Yes, well... it's one way to practise," she muttered, taking his arm gratefully to walk back to the viewing area before sinking into a seat an amused Auror McNabb had conjured for her.
"That was some flashy magic," he muttered.
"Wasn't it just," Fabian mused, as he came up beside her, Gideon, looking in better shape than she felt, behind him.
"Well done," he offered. "Don't get used to it."
She snorted. "We'll see." She turned when Alastor handed Nuri back over, cuddling her close.
"Can I see it?" Gidon asked softly, his eyes on the dragon.
"Her," Hermione corrected. "And yes, she likes to be warm though so…"
"Is that why you learned fire spells," he asked idly, taking the proffered dragon carefully.
"I ah… not quite," she settled on.
"Oh?" he arched an amused brow.
"Arse," she muttered. "You know damn fine well…"
"Yes, I do," he interrupted. "But it's nice to have my suspicions confirmed. Who have you got as balancers?"
"Balancers?" Hermione frowned, thinking that she understood, but wanting to be clear given that it wasn't the term Perenelle had used.
"It's traditional for a group to act as balancers to each other when elements are involved," he explained.
"Ah, who are yours?"
"I don't have any," he admitted with a shrug. "No one's magic has quite fit. It's said to be… well, they say you know."
"Interesting," Hermione murmured, thinking of Severus.
"Would you be willing to try working together rather than against each other?" he asked, sounding slightly hesitant.
"We can try," Hermione nodded, Pandora's words about needing him coming back to her suddenly. "I think… there's one other that I think is a good fit."
"Oh? Someone we know?"
"Probably not. He's still at Hogwarts."
"I see," Gideon mused thoughtfully as Fabian watched the easy conversation with something close to jealousy. "What element?"
"Water."
Gideon hummed. "Next week? I've got Thursday night?"
Hermione paused, running through her schedule in her head. "I have a meeting with the DRCMC that I don't know the time of, but assuming it's not too late, that should be fine. Uncle Charlus expected to hear by Monday."
"Let me know if it changes then, but otherwise, here at five?"
"Sounds like a plan," she sighed, wanting nothing more than to sleep.
"You look like you're about to fall off that chair," Fabian smirked, sensing an opening.
"Ugh, I might. I'm still getting used to what I can do, and quite frankly I feel like I could sleep for a week."
"I can't promise it tastes nice, but the coffee here is effective if you'd like some?"
"Gods yes," she groaned, making him laugh. He returned five minutes later with a questionable-looking cup of coffee, but even Hermione could admit that she felt less like the living dead after she'd drunk it.
"You still owe me that duel, witch," Fabian whispered when she finally put the cup down.
"Are you going to try and blow me away too?" she muttered wryly.
"Only with my stunning personality and good looks, Miss Moody," he shot back, making her laugh loudly enough that Alastor turned to glower at them.
"Now, things have been reasonably quiet," Albus announced, looking around his roomful of chosen. "Benjy has been trailing the Malfoys. Abraxas seems to disappear frequently, but we have not yet been able to determine what he is up to. Lucius is less conspicuous, but he frequents the Ministry regularly, which is a concern."
"There has been an increase in missing muggles," Marlene interjected. "And while it might not be linked, we currently believe it is, although we cannot figure out why."
"What about the DMLE, Charlus, Alastor?"
"Not much to report," Charlus admitted. "Muggle baiting is on the rise. There have been a few strange disappearances."
"Aye, Lennox Fairbairn and Alice Morrison were surprises. There's been nothing heard of either of them and given their departments…" he trailed off as several Order members winced.
"That is unfortunate," Albus mused. "Lennox was relatively high up in the Department of International Cooperation, was he not?"
"Assistant Director," Alastor sighed. "He was promoted last month and went missing a week later."
"The Director of the Department of Magical Transportation is a strange choice."
"Is it Albus? The witch had all the secrets for monitoring all forms of travel!" Charlus retorted.
Albus inclined his head in acknowledgement before sighing. "We really do need to do something about recruitment."
Alastor and Charlus froze. "Did you have people in mind?"
"The Weasleys," Albus replied thoughtfully, looking at the Prewett twins.
"Molly won't," Fabian replied immediately, "not with the twins being due and the boys being so young. I don't know if Arthur would consider it, but we can ask."
"Please do. I have my eye on several promising seventh years. Perhaps you could offer some insights, Charlus?"
"Who?"
"James, naturally. Sirius, Remus, Lily Evans, Dorcas Meddowes perhaps. Mr Longbottom and his paramour, perhaps Miss Bones."
"I see," Charlus murmured.
"And of course, Miss Moody. I trust she's settling in, Alastor?"
Choosing his words carefully, Alastor shrugged. "She's better than she was, but there's no point in pretending it's not difficult. And in all honesty Albus, I don't want her anywhere near this war. I thought my daughter was dead for fifteen years. That's enough."
"Come now!" Albus chided. "I hear she's a rather gifted dualist. We need all the wands we can get. You cannot keep the girl wrapped in a bubble charm!"
"And I don't," he retorted. "But I also have no plans to push her into the forefront of this war! Fifteen years Albus! And the state she was in," Alastor shuddered, not having to exaggerate the grief on his face. "You didn't see her. I will not sit at my daughter's bedside wondering if she'll live ever again. Because she almost didn't. So no, Albus."
Albus' eyes narrowed, but it was Kingsley who spoke. "Is that why she was so thin when I met her?"
"Aye, and that was after a significant period of healing. Can you imagine what she was like before that?"
Kingsley looked vaguely horrified. "I don't think I want to," he muttered.
"She was that ill?"
"Yes," Alastor replied emphatically. Wisely, Albus shut his mouth.
"Very well," he murmured, privately vowing to speak to the girl himself. Across the table, the Prewett twins and Caradoc shared a look, none of them liking the contemplative expression on the headmaster's face. "What of the rest of them, Charlus?"
He shrugged slightly, looking at Alastor. He began slowly, as if he were thinking as he spoke, "Lupin's involvement will be up to Croaker. Hermione put in a word for the boy so it'll depend on what he has planned."
"She did?" Albus asked sharply.
"Aye," Alastor answered with a slight smirk. "Got all affronted by the lack of acceptable choices given his… condition. They get on surprisingly well from what I can see."
"I see," Albus murmured, not at all sure what to do with that information. This girl had appeared from nowhere and was changing the board. He didn't like it. "And everyone else?"
"James, Sirius, Alice Fawley, and Frank Longbottom are all applying to the Aurory," he began slowly. "They'll need at least six months to a year of training before they'll be able to join anything. We've stepped up training in light of the current situation. Putting them on missions during their induction would be both dangerous and stupid."
Albus' face darkened. "Isn't stopping this war a priority?"
"Of course it is!" Charlus barked. "But I'd like my recruits to be alive and not just wand fodder!"
Backing down as he saw the dark expressions on several faces, Albus sighed. "We need bodies," he reiterated.
"If we're relying on teenagers, perhaps we're going wrong somewhere," Edgar Bones muttered. "We need experienced bodies, not children straight out of school! Amelia won't be joining any time soon, Albus. My sister has an internship with the legal side of the DMLE lined up."
"She has?" Charlus frowned.
"Under an Izzah Shafiq," Edgar nodded.
"That's Izzah's apprentice?" he exclaimed, "Mother of Merlin, if everything Hermiones said is true my life's about to get more chaotic."
Edgar smirked. "She was rather impressed with the girl. If her letters are accurate, I believe they're about to begin practising? Was it this week it started?"
Alastor choked on a laugh. "Aye, she and Rufus took them all out in under five minutes the first time. She said your sister has good instincts. She just needs to learn to listen to them."
Edgar smirked proudly. "Good. Hopefully, this little club of theirs will help with that."
"From your mouth to Merlin's ears," Charlus muttered.
"Does anyone have any other recommendations?" Albus cut in sharply, looking supremely put out.
"We'll think about it," Dorea murmured.
"Please do," he shot back. "We cannot hope to win with such small numbers."
Dorea hummed. "Are we any further forward on identifying who this self-proclaimed Lord is?"
"Nowhere," Albus murmured, as they watched him with interest.
"I'd heard he was Tom Riddle," Dorea mused. "He was at school the same time I was. Younger, of course, Slytherin."
Albus paled. "Oh?"
"Tom Riddle…" Someone else mused. "Not a name I recognise."
"No. It's just a rumour of course, but he was a half-blood orphan if I remember correctly. Claimed to be descended from the Gaunts and therefore Slytherin himself."
"Merlin," Alastor snorted, playing along. "I wonder if all those sacred 28 know they're following a demented half-blood."
Charlus smirked at the look on Dumbledore's face. It was almost funny, or it would have been if the man wasn't lying to them.
"You knew," Dedalus Diggle murmured in horror, looking at Albus' face. "This isn't news to you."
"What?" Edgar Bones muttered. "Really? Why didn't you just tell us then?"
Albus frowned. "I had no proof."
"Neither do they!" Morag McKinnon gestured to Dorea. "But they're sharing rumours so we have somewhere to start! Why won't you do the same?"
There were general murmurings of agreement. "If you cannot be honest with us Albus," Murdo McKinnon began hotly, "then what in the name of Morganna is the point of these meetings!"
Albus bit back a groan and attempted to do some damage control as Dorea smiled smugly.