Chapter 27
Since getting her Acceptance Letter from Hogwarts at 11 years old, Hermione Granger had somehow managed to find herself in all manner of strange and dangerous situations. Sometimes, they were more strange than dangerous, like the year Minerva McGonagall had given her a time-turner, to take on the fullest load of classes possible. But often, they were more dangerous than strange, like any time Harry Potter had any kind of a plan forming in his head that Ron and Herself would end up a part of. But now, at 18 years old, she found herself in the strangest, and possibly most dangerous, situation she had ever been in. She could never have pictured herself hiking through the Forbidden Forest- With Draco Malfoy of all people! - Or searching for the Resurrection stone, or rubbing elbows with Centaurs, who coincidentally happened to have saved them from The Forbidden Forest's resident Acromantula colony. In her own mind's eye, she saw how bizarre and misplaced the situation was, but that didn't stop it from being any less real.
Now, she was riding on the back of Bremelle again, with Draco propped up in front of her. She really wished he would wake up, as it had been nearly two hours since his head had hit that tree.
"There is a beast dwelling in the Forest now, left over from your kinds of games and tricks." Cepheus told her, walking beside them, and holding a bow and arrow. "We believe her to be in possession of the stone."
"She stalks this place as if it is her rightful home." Volan said, distaste coloring his voice. Hermione shuddered. "I have seen those dark men from the Castle bring a child in here to speak with her, and when the child displeased her, she tore him apart and ate him. We moved to rid the Forest of her then but were unable. She has some kind of ancient magic about her that our arrows cannot pierce."
"What is it-she?" Hermione asked, her mind conjuring up a menagerie of horrible creatures. Before any of them could answer, Draco started to stir in front of her.
"Granger?" Draco said, voice groggy and thick. His back straightened as he regained consciousness.
"Draco, here," she said. He craned his head to look at her, and then blanched.
"What-? Are we-? What's going on?" he asked, voice rising as he realized they were riding a Centaur, and were surrounded by others who were armed with bows and arrows.
"Shh, relax," she said, grabbing one of his hands. "They rescued us from the spiders. They want to help us. They hate the Death eaters," She explained quickly, as Draco's face relaxed.
"Thank you for rescuing us from the disgusting spiders," Draco said raggedly, as his breath started steadying.
"We did it for ourselves, as much for you," Firenze answered back simply. Watching the sky as he spoke.
"You alright?" Draco asked, turning his body a bit to face Hermione.
"Yes, although a bit annoyed with the way our Forest Holiday is going," She replied cheekily, cracking a smile.
"Ah, well, you get what you pay for," Draco responded, his worried expression breaking into a crooked smile.
"We believe she resides in the southern part of the Forest." Cepheus said, ignoring Draco and Hermione's human banter.
"Who?" Draco asked Hermione over his shoulder.
"Who they believe has the Resurrection Stone," She answered. Draco said nothing, only gave her a puzzled look over his shoulder.
They continued to move through the night slowly, the Centaurs around them occasionally raising a bow at a random noise coming from the trees, but otherwise they faced no incidents or opposition. Hermione wondered how much the Death Eaters bothered with the Forest, and all its residents.
"She is prone to trickery and lies," Volan told them, from his position in front of them. "I would be weary of anything she says."
"She sounds lovely," Draco mumbled. Then Draco's back went straight and he frantically started patting down his robes. "Granger, my wand is missing!" He hissed, his movements growing more desperate.
"I have it," Hermione chuckled, passing it up to him.
"Oh, thank Merlin. Thought I was going to have to steal yours there for a minute." He replied, grinning over his shoulder at her.
Suddenly the Centaurs slowed to a halt, and tension rose tight and cold in Hermione's throat.
"Of the many trails the steps of life hath, I cannot understand why I must always cross the Centaur's path," A purring, throaty voice said. Suddenly, a giant lion's paw came into view between two looming oaks in front of them. The moonlight caught on the sharp claws, and then another giant paw came into view. The breath hitched in Hermione's throat. The rest of the body attached to those paws came into view and Hermione saw that it was a sphinx. She shuddered. Wait...was this the same sphinx from the Triwizard tournament. It is! Hermione thought. Merlin, how did she get here? Was she released after the tournament was over?
"We have brought before you someone who is looking for something." Firenze said, his bow drawn taught, aiming at the Sphinx.
"In all the universe's mysteries that forge fate's chain-links, who here would wish to seek out the great golden sphinx?" The sphinx asked, stepping forward to tower over the Centaurs.
"We believe you have something that this girl is looking for," Cepheus said, drawing her bow as well. The Sphinx finally swept her gaze across Draco and Hermione, cocking her head to the side in the process.
"How could I imagine the tides to turn without a hitch, my folly to not expect this set of wizard and witch," She purred, her eye's zeroing in on Draco's face.
"Do you-do you have the Resurrection stone?" Hermione gathered all her courage, and asked, willing her voice to sound as strong and confident as she did not feel.
"I see you both as a fair player, so if you like for the stone I will wager," She purred, her eyes flashing with excitement.
"We will," Hermione said at once, and Draco spun his body to regard her.
"Granger, what If I don't want to solve a riddle?" He hissed at her, squinting his eyes.
Hermione hadn't thought to discuss with Draco before deciding, and she felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry..." She whispered back, unsure of how to proceed.
"Just ask me next time before you make my decisions for me," He snapped at her.
The Sphinx had walked up to them and was now sitting on the ground in front of them. The Centaurs had made room and stood sentient in the background. Bremelle leaned forward to let them off.
I'll wager you a game if you want what I have hidden.
two riddles I'll ask, here in the Forest that's Forbidden.
One for the witch, who's hands are shaking,
and one for the wizard, whose loyalties he's staking.
Should you both succeed, you shall get this powerful prize.
should one of you fail, the other one dies.
If you both fail, it will be both of your demise.
For my claws are sharp, and my ears are wise.
And for my riddles there are no second tries."
The Sphinx said to them, in a melodic voice, staring intently at them.
"Ok," Hermione said. "I'll go first."
"Despised I am by knave and liar.
After me the wise inquire
I rise above all death and fire.
What am I?"
The sphinx asked, leaning her head down low to the ground to stare up at Hermione.
Despised by knave and liar? But what do they despise? Justice? After me the wise inquire...would the wise inquire about Justice? I think they would. I rise above all death and fire. But Justice wouldn't rise above death...would it? Hermione looked down at the ground while she thought. If she was wrong, she would die. But why would a liar hate justice? Lying isn't against the law... A liar would hate...truth? Err, truth and ...honesty? But honesty wouldn't rise above death...truth would, though, I think? Around her, the sky started to lighten, signaling the rise of the sun. In the back of her head, she registered how tired and achy her body was, and how empty her stomach was. But as it was, she didn't have time to pay attention to those things. Do or die, she thought to herself.
"Is it...the truth?" Hermione rasped, her voice bone-dry. The air around her was tense.
"a knave and liar, the truth do despise
the wise inquire about truth as honesty dies.
though death and fire rage and ravage
truth itself is the ultimate savage."
The sphinx answered, her tail flicking behind her. Hermione allowed herself a moment of pride, before stiffening back up. "Now the wizard, an answer must find, as I tell my tale and bare my mind." She said, turning her head towards Draco. He seemed to pale under her intent gaze.
"Er...alright," He finally said, his voice quiet and pinched.
"The beginning of eternity
the end of time and space
the beginnings of every end
the end of every place
What am I?"
The Sphinx purred to Draco, her head inching closer to him with every word. Hermione reached her hand out and squeezed Draco's. She wasn't sure what compelled her to do that, but she was too tired to self-reflect right now, so she just went with it. He squeezed his hand back but continued to stare at the Sphinx.
Draco exhaled slowly and started wringing his hands together. The sun was now starting to peak up on the horizon, Hermione could see it through a break in the dense line of trees surrounding them. A long time passed, with the Centaurs standing statue still around them, and Hermione hearing all the birds chirping and bugs buzzing around them.
Draco squeezed Hermione's hand so hard that she felt it in her bones.
"Is it...the letter E?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.
The Sphinx hissed and backed up a step, causing Hermione to pull her wand.
"The letter E is quite a friend,
Beginning every Eternity
and starting every End
ending time and closing space
and being the finish of every place"
The Sphinx said, instead of attacking as Hermione was gearing up for. The Sphinx sent a deafening roar out into the morning air, and Hermione saw something glint in the moon light as it got tossed over to her. She caught it, and when she opened her hand, a small, black stone was gleaming there.
The Sphinx was starting to back up, but it paused and cast a long look at Draco.
"In paths where shadows tightly cling,
Choose the right side, though hardships bring.
Through challenges, let virtue sing,
For the world's fate, on noble hearts does swing."
Draco stared at the Sphinx, who then turned her regal head towards Hermione.
"In sacrifice, a seed we sow,
Through trials faced, our virtues grow.
For every choice, a ripples flow,
A world redeemed, a brighter glow.
In selflessness, our strength will show,
A salvation earned; we all bestow."
The words cut a cold schism in Hermione's heart.