It soon became obvious to Hermione that the ambush was definitely not meant to be a compliment. In fact, it all rather felt like an insult, instead. After all, the woman had to try extremely hard not to act on her increasing irritation as the agent, who was not nearly as subtle and clever as he thought, purposely blocked her path as he continued to speak about his organization.
"Our main areas of interest are strange powers and supernatural abilities," he intoned and Hermione could not help but to wonder how witches and wizards fit into that description...and what the JMoM thought of the GPM...before he continued. "And, of course, the non-humans who could harm the human world."
Unfortunately, this bloke sounded a lot like the bigots who had been in charge of her department back at the MoM when it had still been the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Beasts and Beings before Kingsley's less prejudiced administration took over and Hermione started to work there herself in order to help it evolve into the current cooperative cross-species organization that made the witch so proud at the present time. That comparison certainly did nothing to endear the agent to her, though – especially as he continued to explain all of the ways that non-humans were supposedly a danger to the human world in a patronizing and pedantic matter as if he was speaking to an especially dense child.
Hermione listened to his monologue as patiently as she could, however. She was even magnanimous enough to admit that he actually made a couple of valid points. However, beyond that, his argument was entirely one-sided and poorly reasoned. Nevertheless, it was also obvious that he felt he had truth and righteousness on his side by the way he continued to drone on...and on...and on.
In the meanwhile, Hermione did her best to hold her temper in check...and she thought she did a fair job of it...at least until the agent finally finished describing the "non-human threat" and thrust an envelope out to her.
"It's a purchase offer...for the building and the land it sits on," he informed her bluntly. "Considering your position as a foreign national, it is a fair enough deal."
The woman finally opened her mouth to speak, possibly to tell him exactly where to stick his envelope and the fair enough deal that came in it, but the agent just smirked as if he thought he had anticipated her question.
"You may have misunderstood the term offer," he stated baldly. "However, let me assure you that you actually have no say in this matter."
What a rude condescending man! Hermione thought to herself. In fact, Rindo was practically Prince Charming compared to this one.
However, she was saved from the immediate need to respond to him when her mobile rang. After she checked the Caller ID, she held up one finger (but not the one she had first considered – mainly because it would not have conveyed the same message in Japan, anyway) to tell the indignant agent to wait a moment. Then she casually took the call while she gleefully watched the man in front of her fume from her lack of attention.
As suspected, it was Harry who had contacted her in order to give an update on the information she had asked him and Ginny to research for her. First of all, her best friend had checked and found out for certain that Great Uncle Souan was not listed on any register of wizards – either in France or Japan or anywhere else. That made it highly unlikely that he was magical, after all. Since Hermione had already come to that conclusion herself, though, she was not very surprised.
However, Harry's next bit of information really did surprise her...but it pleased her even more.
"So, we decided it was best to check directly with our ambassador with the JMoM," he said, "and she told us that a long time ago they had such an influx of non-humans crossing the thin barriers between worlds there, both accidentally and on purpose, that they ended up creating a completely separate department just to deal with the situation."
"The GPM," Hermione guessed aloud...and the agent who stood in front of her made a face when she said the name of his organization before he also reached for her phone. However, almost despite himself, he paused when he saw the warning glare she shot at him. He did not know it, of course, but it was the exact same look she had given Draco Malfoy when they were just third years...right before she punched the boy!
"Yep!" Harry replied cheerfully, completely unaware of the power struggle that was happening at the other end of the call. "Apparently, that Rindo bloke you asked about is a high ranking Section Chief for them, so you were right again. That's how he knew about you. However, back when it all started, the GPM department consisted of mainly wizards and witches. Over time, though, the JMoM apparently decided it was tired of doing all of the work by itself, so it joined forces with the regular Japanese Ministry to help monitor the barriers. After all, there were far more nonmagical citizens to protect than magical ones. Eventually, that evolved into the current situation where most of the GPM agents are now nonmagicals...including Rindo. It is also suspected that the low-ranking agents do not even know anything at all about the magical world in the first place...even though it is supposed to be a mandatory part of their training."
"I see," Hermione noted, and nodded her head slowly. She knew that Harry could not see her, so she mainly did it to further irritate the agent in front of her.
"Here's the kicker, though, that affects your situation," Harry continued. "Since the department was originally created by the JMoM to monitor non-humans specifically, the GPM has absolutely no authority over human wizards and witches! In fact, they have gotten into some serious trouble in the past for trying to stick their nose in magical business. So the good news is that it boils down to the fact that 1. You're a witch, 2. You're a registered guest of the JMoM, and 3. You're the current owner of a Japanese property that is considered to be magical because it carries protective wards. Therefore, if it becomes your residence with the time limit allowed for bequests, that means that you, the building, and all of its contents...including the Gate...will be considered by the GPM to be..." here he paused, but Hermione happily finished the statement for him.
"Untouchable!" she exclaimed as she flashed a grin of almost feral triumph at the agent who involuntarily took a step back in momentary surprise. "Thanks, Harry! After all, that was exactly what I needed to know. Now if you will excuse me, I have a bit of a situation to handle right here in front of me...but since you have given me all the ammunition I will need...it shouldn't be too much of a bloodbath...if they cooperate, of course."
Harry cleared his throat before he answered her. "Hermione, I seriously hope you are speaking hypothetically or metaphorically or whatever right now. I mean, I know you wouldn't actually kill somebody unless you absolutely had to, but I still don't even want to consider what you would do to them if they were just being really annoying..."
"Don't worry, Harry," she interrupted him, which ironically did not reassure him at all. After all, Hermione was infamous for her temper – especially when provoked. "I'll be sure to call you and Ginny tonight and let you know how everything goes," she promised. Before her best friend could protest any further, Hermione disconnected. She then refocused her attention on the agent who was about to blow his stack in front of her for being forced to wait...multiple times...while she took a personal call...of all things...right in the middle of his intimidation techniques.
"So, where were we?" Hermione asked the man in a purposely casual tone that belied her true feelings. "Oh, yes. You had just insulted me and my property. Guess what, though? According to my sources, which are apparently far more thorough and reliable than your own, it turns out that you don't actually have any authority here. Now, I know that sounds confusing, but if you do not understand why that is, then I suggest that you go back to your headquarters and speak to a superior. Not that Rindo guy, either...but somebody who is actually competent at what they do and knows what is really going on. At any rate, I ask that you peacefully leave the premises now or I cannot be held responsible for what will happen next."
With that friendly bit of advice, she tore up the envelope...and the fair enough offer in it...before she walked over a few feet and tossed it into the nearest waste bin. She would have thrown the rubbish straight into the agent's face, but she did not want to break any of Japan's strict littering laws in the process.
"W...why you...!" The currently red-faced agent actually stuttered in anger, however, before he raised his hand to hit her.
"Wrong choice, Mister Agent," she acknowledged right before the appendage was intercepted in mid-air by a much larger one.
"Halt!" Canus, the owner of that second hand, commanded as he and the other three non-humans...who had apparently exited the café completely unnoticed at some point during the standoff...stepped forward to protect Hermione, as well.
A quick terse conversation then followed. However, the agent not only refused to listen to any of their logic and reason and back down quietly, but he actually summoned his reinforcements from the surrounding vehicles, instead.
Hermione simply sighed. After all, she had somehow known that it was going to come to this from the very beginning.
Her worst fears were even confirmed in the next moment when the agent and his fellow minions pulled out their weapons - ones that were normally banned in both England and Japan.
"We will be taking this café by force, then," the agent in charge informed them almost gleefully.
Hermione just stared at the weaponry pointed at her while Misyr, Il, and Canus tried to reassure her and soothe her fears.
"Thank you, but I'm not scared," she informed them curtly. "I'm just really brassed off at these idiots!" She then turned towards the agents.
"Guns? Especially modified ones? Are you stupid?" Hermione cried out as she turned the full force of her anger on them. "There are civilians here." She gestured to an elderly woman and a young child on the edge of the perimeter before she turned to look at a couple of agents who were nearest to them. "You lot," she shouted out to get their attention. "Before we get started, get them to safety." The two agents just looked increduously at the woman. "Now!" she practically growled out the command again as her lively hair also seemed to spark with the power of her ire.
Almost despite themselves, those agents then gave into their survival instinct as they quickly scurried off to do what she asked and escort the onlookers away.
In the background, somebody actually snickered. Hermione suspected that it was Misyr.
Nevertheless, the witch then took that opportunity to make a show out of pulling her wand out of its disillusioned holster. Not only would it create a memorable visual learning aid for the underinformed agents, but it would also be useful for the extra little bit of power and control it would lend to the spells that she was sure she would have to cast soon. Plus, nobody present needed to know that she could fight almost as well without it...if she needed to. It would be her little secret that might just come in handy one day.
The agent in front of her did indeed eye the carved piece of wood suspiciously, but he obviously did not know what it was.
"You really need to do your homework!" she told him in no uncertain terms since she was completely exasperated at his apparent lack of training and critical thinking skills.
Unfortunately, he dismissed her disdain and just snarled as he leveled his gun at her. "This is your final warning. I order you to stop resisting and..."
The cocky agent never got to finish his statement because that was when all hell broke loose. Ignis changed into his intermediate fiery form and started melting guns and throwing agents around. Canus seemingly pulled a sword out of thin air and stepped in between Hermione and the agent in order to deflect the bullets that came their way with it while Misyr plucked the tiny missiles right out of the air between himself and Il with his bare fingers.
The fight continued and the agents became more and more desperate as they finally realized exactly what they were up against. That was especially true after Ignis knocked Canus's helmet...the one he had apparently donned again before exiting the café...right off the knight's shoulders when the firewolf accidentally sent an agent flying in his direction. However, the knight continued to fight on - seemingly without his head.
Hermione used the short shocked pause from the human agents that followed that event to strengthen her magical barrier, but she still waited before she actively joined in on the fight. After all, Ignis and Canus seemed to be handling things well, so Hermione decided to keep her powers in reserve as their secret weapon – just in case.
However, when the agents started to advance on Il after the leader clearly said that such a dangerous creature as a fallen angel could not be left alone or under the control of a helpless girl, Hermione finally saw red...and her hair actually crackled with her fury.
"That is enough!" she shouted. After all, for some reason, she had discovered that she also felt the need to protect the baby bird. "Leave him alone!"
Then she gathered her power and unleashed it all at once with a Stupify Maximus that completely knocked out all of the agents who had somehow stayed far enough away from Ignis and Canus that they had still been standing by that time. Then she followed that spell with an Incarcerus Maximus that left them all trussed up like Christmas fowl in a butcher shop window.
All except for one...the agent who had approached her first on her own property, tried to intimidate her, tried to physically assault her, pulled a gun on her and ordered his minions to do so, as well. He alone had been allowed to remain standing in front of Hermione and the others. Apparently, he had also finally realized just how outmatched he actually was because...now that he had easily been disarmed with an Expelliarmus by the small woman in front of him...he trembled from head to toe in fear.
"Helpless girl, huh?" Misyr asked him...and the amusement was clear in the demon's tone. The agent did not pay him any attention, though.
"Who...who are you?" he murmured in shock, instead, as he spoke to Hermione. "You're one of them, aren't you? You're a non-human, too!"
"Nope," Hermione answered calmly. "I'm human, born to a human mum and dad and all that. However, this is not about humans and non-humans. This is about you. You say the non-humans are dangerous and need to be controlled. However, they are the ones who showed dignity, restraint, and common sense today." She pointed out Il, Misyr, and Canus individually for each of those points. "They are also the ones who only acted in self-defense and to defend others," she added as she pointed to Ignis. "They were not the ones who invaded private property without permission, refused to leave when asked to do so, resorted to intimidation and physical assault, and attacked with deadly weapons without provocation. They are not the ones who put unarmed civilians in danger. You are the one who did all of that. So tell me again, who is the one who actually needs to be controlled here?"
"But they're monsters!" the man proclaimed in desperation.
"Maybe," Hermione shrugged before she continued to answer with all seriousness. "But I don't think so. After all, I've met real monsters before. In fact, they were the ones that gave me this scar when I was just sixteen years old in an attempt to eviscerate me." She yanked her top up beneath her breasts to showcase the long, dark, and ugly purple mass of puckered flesh that diagonally bisected her abdomen.
"Then, two years later, I received this permanent little beauty after being hunted, captured, and tortured." Hermione pulled her left sleeve up to show the word that had been carved in her arm there against her will. At that moment, she thought she actually heard an angry growl come from Ignis's direction, but she ignored it for the moment in order to focus on the agent, instead.
"And you know what, Mister Agent?" she asked. "The ones who did all of this to me were humans, too – just like you and me. These guys, though," she nodded back to Misyr and the others, "these so-called dangerous, monstrous, non-humans...do you know what they did to me when I, the helpless girl, was alone with them all morning and under their power?" At his sudden look of disgust, she shook her head angrily...but the emotion was directed at him and his apparent dirty thoughts. "No, you pervert! They actually threw me a garden party in order to welcome me to both the café and to Japan and to learn more about me. Now, think about the difference of treatment there and tell me...which group would you really classify as monsters?"
The man opened his mouth to say something, but promptly closed it again.
"Good. You're learning, Mister Agent. That's what you should have been doing from the beginning, because you messed up big time today and you obviously bit off far more than you could chew. I'm guessing that you will find out exactly how much so when you show up to your debriefing to explain all of this..." She paused to wave to the destruction around them, "and you are hit with a few cold hard facts from your superiors-in-the-know in return. They were facts that I actually tried to share with you, but your overinflated ego would not allow you to shut up and listen to them. All of this could have been avoided if you had done so...and now you will have to face the consequences of your actions. Plus, even worse, I am technically supposed to be on holiday, but I will now have to go out of my way to take steps to make sure that this doesn't happen again."
She paused to think about that obvious inconvenience with considerable irritation before she shook her head and continued. "However, if there is any lesson that I want for you to learn about what happened today, is that there is both good and bad in every group, and that includes both humans and non-humans. But the question is, Mister Agent...which one have you shown yourself to be today?"
"What about you?" the agent finally found his voice and spat out. "What about what you did?" He pointed to his people all over the ground.
"Me? I didn't do anything but get them to calm the hell down. They're not even hurt. They're just asleep, so they'll be fine. After all, to neutralize and detain in order to avoid a bigger tragedy is not a crime in my world. In fact, it's usually seen as quite commendable."
"Your world? But you said..." the agent was obviously confused.
"I did...and I meant it, too. I'm a human and my world is the human world. However, you need to ask yourself one question to understand what I really mean. You work for the GPM, but for whom does the GPM work? Who had the power to found such a department to begin with?"
The man did not have a chance to reply, though, because at that moment, a sports car came barreling up and neatly inserted itself between the agent and Hermione who stood with the non-humans. Hermione just sighed as she recognized the car and the man who stepped out of it.
"Oh no!" The newcomer exclaimed as he looked around at the chaos. "I tried to talk them out of this. I really did." He turned to look at the Demon King. "Misyr, I'm really sorry about my people here. It looks like they got a little too greedy today."
The non-humans only glared at him before Misyr finally spoke. "It's not me to whom you should be apologizing." He gestured over at Hermione, who had already crossed her arms over her chest in anticipatory irritation.
"Ah, Hermione Granger...so we meet again."
"Yes...unfortunately," she replied curtly before she realized what his presence must really mean. "Oh, no! Don't tell me that he's really the one?" She looked beseechingly over at Il, who nodded anyway.
"Oh, yes!" he replied lightly. "That would be him. Rindo is the other Enchanté regular that I spoke of earlier during the tea party...and I believe Misyr mentioned him last night, as well. Do you know him?"
"In a way...after all, he just happened to cross my path this morning as I walked from the hotel. Then, he either tried to seduce me...or intimidate me...I'm not sure which. It might have even been a bit of both. Either way, it turned out to be a very ineffective technique to get what he wanted in the first place...whether he was after me or Enchanté or even both of those things."
When they heard that, the non-humans all turned to glare at the agent. Canus pulled his sword again while Misyr threatened to turn the man into a pile of dust and Ignis promised to give him a quick death just so that he could bring him back and kill him again. All the while, however, Rindo smiled uneasily at the reception that he was receiving from the others before he refocused his attention on Hermione.
"Ah...yes...well...that may have been a misunderstanding this morning. At any rate, I know I introduced myself earlier, but I guess I didn't tell you where I worked. My job at the GPM is to protect sweet girls like you from the big and scary non-humans. After all, listen to how they threaten me and look at what they can do." He gestured around at the devastation before he prodded an unconscious and tied-up agent with his shoe. "Hmm? This is a new technique that I haven't seen you use before, Misyr...or is this Il's work? Either way, it's obviously neat, efficient, and non-lethal. Therefore, I'm very impressed."
However, it was the lone agent that Hermione had so thoroughly chastised earlier who answered him as he pointed a shaky finger towards the woman.
"It...it was her!" he exclaimed. "She did it."
Ignis was the one who chuckled this time at the look on Rindo's face as he turned around to stare at Hermione again in surprise.
She just shook her head in disappointment, though. "Even after meeting me this morning...and not getting what you wanted...you still didn't do your bloody homework, either, did you? Now, I know exactly who trained this one!" she gestured irritably towards the other agent before she turned her anger back towards Rindo. "Did it not occur to you that your intelligence could have been incomplete? Didn't the gaps in the file that I am sure you have on me concern you? Didn't you try to fill in the blanks? Where did you get your information from, anyway? The Ministry?"
Rindo looked between Hermione, the non-humans, and the remaining agent with concern. "What do you mean?" he asked in a quieter tone that showed he was finally starting to understand the problem. "We obviously missed something, but what was it?"
"Well, for starters, you should have done what I did and checked with the other side of the Ministry. After all, that's how I now know for certain that the GPM has absolutely no jurisdiction over me or mine! And make no mistake about it, Enchanté is mine...and all of this has definitely helped me to decide for certain that it's going to stay that way!"
Rindo considered her words for a moment until realization hit him and the quizzical look on his face morphed into one of almost horrified understanding. The sight must have been comical because she could hear it when Misyr's anger gave way to amusement again beside her.
"Oh!" the high-ranking GPM agent paid no attention to the laughing demon when he spoke in a quiet and serious tone. "Oh, I see! So, you're actually..."
Hermione did not give him a chance to finish. "I'm glad to see that you are finally beginning to get it! Now, you will have to figure out a way to fix the problem that your negligence in duty has caused. Meanwhile," she paused and turned to the mess around them. "I don't know about the ones who ran afoul of Ignis and Canus. In fact, they might need medical attention since they quite clearly had their arses handed to them when they picked a fight they could not possibly win. However, the agents that I put out of commission will be coming back around soon and they should have nothing more than a headache for their troubles. Therefore, you...and your ill-informed colleague there...need to take care of the lot of them and get this mess cleaned up. After all, I will be sending a bill to the GPM...through the JMoM...for any damages that are left on my property."
With that, Hermione turned and stepped over a few prone agents until she made it to a relatively clear space. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some business that I obviously need to handle myself...right now...to insure that we do not have this problem ever again." She then completely ignored the two humans as she turned her attention towards the non-humans, instead. "'I'm sorry to leave you all so suddenly...and with such a mess on our hands, too...but I don't think this should wait. I promise that I will be back as soon as possible, though. Therefore, I would appreciate it if you would wait for me at the café...or at least stop back by tonight so we can get things settled." She waited for their nods of acknowledgment before she thanked them all kindly with a tired smile. Then, with just one more glare at the human agents, she turned on her heel and apparated away.
The six males watched her go with various emotions.
"Wow!" Rindo was the first to speak, and the combination of confusion, embarrassment, and the newfound admiration that he felt was clear on his face. "And I thought she was interesting before!" He paused to sigh and rub his chin thoughtfully as he added to nobody in particular, "She's right, though. We certainly screwed this one up!"
Misyr just laughed again at the agent's obvious consternation as he clapped him on the back in an unexpected show of understanding. "You completely underestimated that one, didn't you?" he asked the man. "I think that we might have done so, as well," he admitted in a more serious tone as he thought about all of the unexpected things they had learned about the woman that day.
"Lady Hermione is quite impressive," Canus added.
"That she is," Il replied with quiet pride.
Ignis just grunted in response, but his eyes continued to stare in the direction that the witch had disappeared.
The other agent, however, just turned towards Rindo and squared his shoulders as he anticipated the severe reprimand that he was about to receive. His chastisement at the hands of that woman had made it clear...even to him...that even though he had thought he was in the right...and merely doing his job...he obviously did not know some vital piece of information that made his actions seem incredibly ill-conceived and poorly executed. After all, the woman had just disappeared into thin air! That had to be important.
Therefore, to his credit, he had already decided that he would accept his punishment in a honorable fashion and try to move forward to become a better agent in the long run. He would also write an extensive letter of apology to the cafe's new owner.
Otherwise, he was actually quite afraid of what she might do to him if they ever met again.