Separated
Lucy opened her eyes to a bright light, the golden glow piercing her head like hot iron and making her already terrible headache twice worse.
- What the hell happened, she muttered...
- Lucyyyyy you're heavy! came a muffled voice from under her.
She realized she was lying on her back, crushing poor Happy under her weight. She rolled over, every single muscle in her body hurting as they used to do after a major battle, and she found herself struggling to even breathe properly.
She let the Exceed out of the bag, finally, and he crawled on the floor in pain.
- Lucyyyy, he complained.
She stuck her right hand in her pocket and breath of relief at the cold touch of the stolen medallion.
She quickly studied her surroundings and for a second, she thought they were back in the glade where they used to practice, but understood her mistake. They were in a different forest, in a different place she had never seen.
- Lucy? squared the cat.
- What Happy?
He pointed a something in front of him.
Hermione was on all fours, sobbing, frantically searching into her bag, her arm deep in it up to her shoulder.
- Lucy! she squeaked between two sobs. I can't find the dictane! Please help...
Much to her horror, the mage discovered the body of Ron, covered in blood, dirtied by mud and leaves. He was seemingly knocked out but moaning and crying in pain still.
Half of his body seemed like it had been carved out with a knife.
- DO SOMETHING! yelled Hermione in despair.
Catching her spirit, Hermione grabbed the keys at her and raised the lion-headed one into the air.
- HIRAKE! SHISHIKYU NO TOBIRA.
A second later, soaked in golden lights, appeared Loki, followed by Gray, Wendy and Natsu.
- Aha! Here we are! Point us to the enemy, Lucy, roared Natsu with a grin.
Ignoring him, Lucy grabbed Wendy's hand and dragged her to Ron.
- Wendy! Help him!
Without a word or a question, Wendy kneeled next to him and raised her hand a few centimeters above his body. A dim, warm light shone from her palms and slowly, but surely, Ron's skin started to patch itself up.
- What happened, asked Gray, visibly concerned, while Natsu was still goofily running around in pursuit of invisible enemies.
- Spl.. He got splinched...
Hermione's voice was shaking, cut with sobs, and Lucy had to put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.
- Splinched, she repeated. Happens when you don't do the Apparition properly. He could have lost an arm... He could have died.
Her voice cracked once more, and Lucy hid her sobs by hugging her and wedging the witch's face against her chest.
- He's okay, Hermione. Wendy's got it. He's going to be alright. Just give her a minute and you'll see.
The blue-haired girl yelled loudly at Natsu, who was still running around after absent threats, ordering him to keep quiet so she could focus and threatening him of things most terrible if he did not.
- Hermione, tell us what happened, ordered Gray, taking charge in the absence of Erza. Where are we? Where's Erza?
The witch took a second to collect herself and get her sobs and breath under control.
-We're... I don't know where this is exactly. Some years ago we were here to watch the Quidditch World Cup... Some wizard sport. It's the first place I thought about.
- Why?
Gray's voice was as cold as his magic. Methodical. Emotionless.
- When we received Ron's warning, the coin, we went ahead with the plan. Blew up some shops front windows, Erza cut down some signs. All as planned. But Aurors reacted way faster than anticipated and we had a hard time losing them. Not without cutting them to ribbons at least. Then some Death Eaters showed up. We managed to Disapparate but one of them grabbed my robes and... And he saw Sirius House.
She stopped as if it was enough explanations.
- So? pressed Gray. Why does it matter?
- Gray give her a break, pleaded Lucy. She just went through a lot.
- Erza's gone, Lucy! Don't have no time for playing around people's feelings.
- Gray!
- No it's okay, cut Hermione. He's right. The Black House was a safe headquarters for us because its location and entrance were protected by powerful, old magic. When he apparated with me, it was like I invited him into the secret. Into the magic. It's not safe anymore.
- You mean now he can tell his dark little minion friends... We can't go there anymore?
Hermione sighed, winning a hard thought and a battle against a new sob rising in her throat.
- Probably not. No. I'm sorry.
- What about Erza?
She shook her head.
- I don't know. When we appeared, I shook him loose with a spell. I just saw Lucy and Ron, I grabbed them and took us here.
- So you left her there. With them.
It wasn't a question, nor an accusation. It was a statement.
- She's not alone, answered Hermione with the tiniest voice she had trying to convince herself more than the others. She's with Sirius... I'm sure they managed to get away.
- Where are we, Sirius?
The cold, wet air of the sea slapped Erza in the face. It smelled nice she took a second to appreciate it, and let it appease the anger she felt inside.
- The north coast, he answered. It's the first place I saw after I escaped Azkaban. Took us here by reflex, it's the first thing I thought of.
- Why didn't you take us to Hermione and the others?
- Because I have absolutely no idea where they went. You saw it just like I did. Hermione brought back this bastard with us. She kicked him down, grabbed Ron and pouf, gone. Didn't have the time to exchange addresses!
- I still don't understand why she did that!
It was a lie, she did understand, after Sirius explained the Fidelius Charm to her at least twice.
- I'm just as frustrated as you are, Erza. There's nothing we can do about it for now.
- You can't send them a message? I thought your magic allowed this kind of thing!
- It's not that easy. I don't really have a good grip on the Patronus Charm, using it as a messenger is not a skill I possess. I maybe managed it a couple of times in my life. And even if I knew how, I wouldn't know where to send it. Absolutely no clue, it would take days, maybe weeks to find them and I'd be dead of exhaustion long before that.
- What about those owls of yours?! Can't they send a message?
Sirius sighed deeply.
- They could, I suppose. But do you see any owls around here? To get one would be a task in itself, without being seen, an even harder one. And owls can be followed, we'd send the Death Eaters straight to our friends.
- Only if they knew what and where to look for. As you said we don't have an owl. So we don't know where and when we will find one. So how could they?
Sirius smiled and shook his head.
- Do you have a better plan? she asked.
- I guess I don't.
- So that's our plan. We secure shelter first. Then we secure food. Then an owl. That's a plan. Until we get a better one.
The blade of her bisento cut through trees like a hot knife through butter. They had to move away from the cliff where they were sitting ducks, and more problematic, where there was absolutely nothing to build a shelter with.
- DIFFINDO!
Three more trees collapsed at Sirius's spell. He looked at her with a cocky grin and she shook her head.
- If you want to turn this into a competition, the forest will be out of trees in a few minutes and we'll be just as noticeable as before. So stop playing and make yourself useful. Cut those into boards. I'll make ourselves a hut.
Sirius could have told her that a few waves of his wand would be enough to build it, but there was something beautiful, something captivating in seeing Erza build this with her own hands. No doubts experts, as those hands had rebuilt the Fairy Tail HQ more than once.
He sighed and shook his head, almost ashamed of himself.
On the second day, he left Erza alone to finish it, and went exploring as Padfoot, with the hope to find food. Even if the Fairy Tail warrior didn't say a thing, he knew she was starving as much as he was. Somedays he hated the Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. The good thing was that if Muggles paid attention to the massive black dog wandering their village, they would never have made the connection with the break-in of one of the estates. Sirirus apparated back to the hut, now completed with a roof and small fireplace, and even beds made of branches and leaves, arms full of ham, cheese, bread, and more importantly, a bottle of Irish whisky.
- And, aha, Natsu found himself in a girl swimsuit with a pink swimming ring around his waist! And the only one bothered was Lucy!
Erza wiped a tear from her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. Sirius was sharing the laugh genuinely. There seemed to be something quite special about the way the Fairy Tail mages shared their adventures that reminded him of the Marauders in his younger years. The happy years. He had shared as many stories about his friends in the past hour as Erza had about hers, and the bottle was now close to being empty. The fire was dying, and not the reason why Ezra's cheeks were slightly red. Not anymore.
He started to tell the story of this one time they hid Professor Flitwick's wand in his own classroom. However, when he barked a laugh at the memory, he realized that Erza's face had gone serious. Almost dark.
- What's the matter? he asked.
As the only answer, she moved her chin and pointed her gaze toward his hand, which had made its way onto her thigh.
Quickly recognizing his mistake, he pulled it out immediately, stuttering his apologies.
- I'm so sorry. I didn't realize, I was just talking and...
- If you want to put your hands on me, she slowly declared, her voice shard and cold as her blades, you will have to beg for it.
He looked at her, frozen.
- I'm sorry, I... what?
- I said, beg for it.
He could swear there was a very thin, mischievous smile on her lips, but maybe this was the alcohol speaking. Still, he had drunk as much as she did, so that's probably why he slowly got to his knees, his face close to her legs, crossed in front of her.
- Please, Erza. I'm begging you.
- I am Titania. The Fairy Queen. If you are to beg, at least do it properly.
He lowered his head, his nose touching the ground almost.
- Titania, queen of the Fairies. Please let me touch you.
She uncrossed her legs and gave a full view of her thighs underneath her blue skirt. Sirius swallowed hard.
- This needs progress, but I guess this is enough to allow you to take off my boots.
She lent her right leg, presenting the leather to him.
Sirius had never seen boots that impressive before, knee-high was not a fashion in the witch's world, and he had no clue how to properly untie them.
Yet, using magic didn't once cross his mind. Slowly, steadily, he untied the laces, painfully aware of the bare skin of her thighs just above. Of the heat that irradiated out of them.
He didn't know how long he took, every second he grew more scared that Erza would pull her leg back, bored of his clumsiness. But she did not. She waited, unfaltering. He finally managed and let her leg down gently, enjoying the touch of her skin under his finger so much it was burning him. He moved on to the second.
As he let her feet gently resting down he dry leaves, done and heartbroken his task was over, he didn't dare look back up.
- Hum, she wondered. Is this all?
The only word that managed to escape his lips was :
- Please.
She raised her leg slightly higher, making her intention clear.
With dedication, devotion even, he pressed his lips against the shin.
Once. Twice. Three times. Going upward every time. He reached her thigh and his heart beat louder, thinking of what was above.
But she took it away. She presented her other leg instead. He repeated his task, diligently. He felt a fire burning him like never before. The great frigging fire of London. Il Vesuvio.
- That's enough for today, she finally claimed, pulling away. Maybe next time you'll do better.
Without as much as a look to him, she turned away and lay down on her make-up bed, leaving him to his flames, delightfully torturing his soul, and to the certainty that "next time" would never come soon enough.
Sirius woke up cold and wet, and for a second he thought himself back in Azkaban. It took just a few seconds to realize he was instead back being a fugitive with no home. But at least he wasn't alone, he thought.
Or was he? Erza's bed was empty, the fire turned to dark embers. He quickly cast a warming charm and went looking for her.
She was not far outside, back in her armour, boots on. She moved in a flash, her sword slicing the air with a distinctive sound, then disappearing in a flash of light and replaced by her bisento. She jumped in the air with a smooth movement, bringing it crashing back down with a gust of wind lifting dead leaves all around, the blade now turning into a long spear.
She continued her dance, eyes closed, perfectly mastered after thousands of practice, changing from one weapon to another.
Sirius felt that, despite the beauty of the spectacle, there was something deeply disturbing and chilling in this dance of death. He knew that this one time he had challenged her, he would have been turned to bloody ribbons if she had wished to. It was like being face-to-face with a god. Incredible, mind-blowing, but also terrifying and a reminder of how little he was.
The silver lining, he thought, was that the Order of the Phoenix might have a chance against the Dark Lord. How could such a warrior ever lose?
When she finally stopped and acknowledged his presence, she gave him a warm smile that completely contradicted the persona she had shown him the previous night.
- Hey Erza! How are you feeling? Slept well?
She shrugged.
- I've had worst. I've had better. I guess so do you.
He smiled and nodded, then, more seriously.
- Listen. About last night...
He almost expected her to raise a finger to his lips, or maybe her blade, to make him shut up. Perhaps he should have brought up this topic when she didn't have a sword in her hands.
But she just tilted her head to the side, waiting for her to continue.
- I'm, ahem, not sure what to think about it.
She looked a him, confused, her scarlet hair moving in the wind and covering half her face.
- What do you mean? Didn't you enjoy it?
- Yes I did, very much.
- So did I. If you want to do this again sometime, I'm open to the idea. If not, all good by me. After all... You know how to ask properly now.
- But isn't there supposed to be some kind of... I dunno, rules?
She looked thoughtful, with a finger to her lips.
- Hum, I guess you're right. Better to talk this out now. As far as I'm concerned, this can only happen when we're alone, never while we're on a mission, and no one can know.
Sirius scoffed.
- Well if that's all.
She raised an eyebrow.
- Is there a problem?
His smile didn't disappear.
- Not really. I don't usually do rules, but I can make an exception for these. I'm just surprised I had to bring up the topic, and then you dropped those on me. They're maybe not big asks, but they're still important ones it seems to me.
She shrugged.
- I won't pretend I'm well versed in this. Jellal and I didn't talk about rules, we just ... felt them. I apologize for making this shortcut.
Sirius felt almost embarrassed and really wanted to either kiss her or move on. He chose the latter.
- All good, Erza. All good. Now maybe we should get to work. That owl ain't gonna find itself.
Natsu knew heat. He was the Dragon Slayer of Fire. He could eat flames for literal breakfast, and yet, this warmth was almost unbearable. Lucy bit him on the shoulder to keep her moan down on her throat, as the tree against which Natsu was carrying her grazed her skin.
The fire in Natsu grew ever stronger until he couldn't keep his own growl under control, and as if she was reading his mind, she let go of him, kneeled at his feet and took him in her mouth when the raging fire exploded.
- Fuck that was good, he said with a smile.
She smiled at him and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
- Come on, we gotta hurry up. The others will wake up soon.
She turned back but he grabbed her by the wrist.
- Hey Lucy wait... I'm sorry. You know, that you couldn't enjoy it.
- It's okay. I did, Natsu. We'll have more time next time. You'll make it up to me.
Back at the camp, Hermione and Wendy were already up, heating a breakfast soup in a cauldron over a fire.
- Hi guys! Where were you? asked Wendy innocently.
- Just patrolling around, lied Lucy without a blink. I couldn't sleep anymore and Natsu joined me.
- Be careful not to go too far, said Hermione without a look at them. If you go past the protection, you will not be able to find us back.
- What do you mean? wondered Natsu. I always know where you are, I can smell you.
Hermione paused a second, and shrugged before going back to stirring the soup, still without a look.
Empathetic, Lucy kneeled next to her and put a hand on her knee.
- He's not doing better?
The witch stopped her stirring, her hand shaking despite her best effort.
- No, he hasn't... I don't know what's wrong.
Wendy looked displeased.
- Can you please all trust that I know what I'm doing? He's healed, and he needs to rest. I put his life force to use to help mend the tears, he just needs to sleep. He'll be up by tomorrow, now just patience.
As sweet and gentle as Wendy always was, she could be a bit touchy when it came to her job as the group's medic.
- Come on, tried to cheer Natsu. Once Icehead is up, we'll try to blow up the medallion, and then I'll hunt us some food. Ron will need something good when he wakes up.
- Any luck contacting Sirius? asked Lucy, hoping to change the subject.
She felt like crying.
- I can't even get my Patronus up... So no, there's no freaking luck contacting Sirius. Sorry for being fucking useless!
She burst into tears and ran back into her tent, leaving the three mages stumped and out of words.
Things didn't go as planned. Ron woke up the next day, grumpy and hungry, but also proud and happy about his success. The first night after his awakening, he told the story of the break-in with a lot more details than Lucy ever added, most of them maybe, likely, probably, invented or exaggerated. She just smiled, and laughed with the rest of them, sometimes playing into his game. That was a good night. It was the last.
The next day was spent under the sign of frustration. The whole gang piled up on the medallion, using every single bit of spells the wizards now, impaling it with Gray's ice magic, melting it into Natsu's flaming fist, and dropping it from a kilometer above ground with Wendy's. And yet. it remained unscathed. Not a scratch, not a burn mark, nothing.
- I don't get it, despaired Natsu, facing for the first time in his life something he could not destroy. I could try a dragon breath maybe?
- And burn the whole first down? countered Lucy. I think not. Maybe when we find another place.
- We should have expected it, sighed Hermione. No chance You-Know-Who would have left that silly little thing around without all kinds of curses, spells and protections on it. All my researches point toward extremely rare, extremely dangerous magic to be powerful enough to destroy that thing.
- My magic is rare and dangerous, pestered Natsu.
- Well, not dangerous enough, she cut.
After that, and despite his nose, Natsu had a harder time bringing food. Until the day he brought only a few fish. He got hungry and grumpy. So did Happy. Then Ron. His pride had now turned into exasperation, which turned to true, unaltered anger. Against Fairy Tail, for their failed promises. They didn't get the medallion, he did! They couldn't even destroy it! Against Hermione, for not packing enough food. For Splinching him. Against himself, for bringing back the medallion. For not being powerful enough. For not protecting Harry.
For having met Harry.
As days melted into one another, just aimlessly wandering about, changing spots only in the hope of finding more food, morale was as low as it ever was, even for Fairy Tail. They had realized that the medallion had an undeniable effect on whoever was carrying it, even Wendy, usually so calm and gentle, and swapping it around several times a day barely helped. It just made everyone more frustrated and angry in front of their inability to destroy it.
They lost track of time. Maybe it had been a week or two, maybe more. They were still as clueless about the next step as they were about Sirius and Erza's whereabouts or how to destroy that damned thing.
- Guys, hailed Natsu. There's someone around.
All faces rose with a mix of interest and worry. It was the first thing to happen in days.
- Probably just some random hikers like last time, shrugged Ron.
- No. There are five people I think. Two of them smell like nothing I've encountered before. Not human. But one of them is familiar. A bit. I'm not sure where from. Come, they are this way.
Just a few meters from the limits of their protections, sitting by the river bank, was a sitting an uncommon group of creatures.
Protected by the magic veil hiding their presence, mages and wizards kneeled behind a bush and listened.
- I guess there should be salmons in this river, said a man with a tired voice. Accio Salmons.
A few fishes jumped out of the water and flew directly into his hands, no matter the fight they tried to put on. Natsu looked at Ron and Hermione with an accusatory look, wondering why they couldn't do that themselves. Ron just shrugged.
- Griphook, Gornuk. Catch.
- Thank you, answered two growling voices in unison.
Hermione looked a her friends and formed the word "Gobelin" with her lips.
- So how long you've been running, Dirk, asked the other man.
- Hard to say, answered the fisherman. Maybe six weeks? Met Griphook after a couple of weeks, and Gornuk joined us not so long after. Gotta say it's nice to have some company. What about you Ted?
Now Hermione recognized the voice, and Natsu the scent: Ted Tonks, father of Nymphadora and in-law of Remus. Although Natsu had never met the guy, Erza had carried his scent over when she had joined the Weasley's after crashing down in his garden.
- More or less when they decided to create that Muggleborn commission. I knew they'd come looking for me sooner or later. Then I met Dean a few days ago.
- Yeah.
Hermione and Ron turned and looked at each other in shock when the last human showed his face. It was obvious to everyone that this Dean was just a teenager, and Lucy immediately suspected that he had to be a classmate of her unfortunate friends.
- You're Muggleborn, aren't ya? asked Dirk.
Dean just shrugged.
- I'm not sure. Never knew my dad, so I got no idea if he was a wizard or not. He had no way of proving it if he was, anyway.
They kept talking a bit, around the firecamp they lit up, above which the fishes were now grilling, filling the air with a roasted smell that made everyone drool.
- Say, finally asked Ted to the Gobelins. Why are you folks here? I thought goblins tend to side more with, well, You-Know-Who.
The eldest of the two shook his bony head.
- This is a wizard's war. We want no part in it and take no side. That being said, the Dark Wizard and his partisans have the terrible habit of thinking of us at their service and treating us no better than they do House Elves. So, no, we're not on his side.
- But why are you running then?
- Because I told them to shove it where the sun doesn't shine.
Ted scoffed.
- Well I guess they didn't take it with a smile. But why would you do that?
- They brought the Sword of Gryffindor back to the bank and asked us to store it in our vault. This is a gobelin masterpiece which we have been trying to get back for centuries. To say that I didn't want to help wizards keep their grasp on it is to put it mildly.
- Wait, asked Dean, the real sword of Gryffindor?
Griphook nodded.
- Yes, young man. The real one. As far as I could tell, some kids tried to steal it from Severus Snape's office. Bill Weasley's little sister, and some friends of hers.
Ron turned ashen and his knuckles bone white.
- Bless those kids, whispered Ted. But what did they want to do with that? Use it against Snape?
The goblin shrugged.
- How should I know? All I can say is that they were severely punished. From what Bill Weasley said, they were still alive, but I bet they wish they weren't.
A heavy silence fell onto the group, as they kept eating without a word.
Legs and knees started to hurt heavily, but no one dared to move from their hiding spot, afraid they might get spotted or miss more information.
But there was nothing more to miss. The wanderers quickly killed their fire, and moved away from the witch's protections, back further into the forest.
- Quick! ordered Hermione. Back at camp!
She took the lead, running almost.
- Hermione, begged Ron. My sister!
- I know!
- And the friends were probably Luna! And Neville!
- I know!
- We have to do something!
- I KNOW! Damit Ron! Stop crying and let's hurry!
Dazzled, the Fairy Tail gang followed closely and watched Hermione dive into her tent and frenziedly rummage through her purse, her arm shoulder-deep into it.
- Merlin, where is it... Here!
She pulled out an empty painting out of the purse.
- I took this at Sirius', she explained. It's some ancestors of his. Professor Black? Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black?
A shape appeared in the empty decor of the painting.
- Obscuro! invoked the witch with a flick of her wand.
- Hey! By Merlin's beard take this out! You are destroying an invaluable piece of art!
- I'm sorry, Professor, I really am. I have no choice.
- Hum. Isn't that the voice of the public enemy number one Mrs Granger? I remember you came only once to the Headmaster's office, but I never forget a voice!
Phineas Nigellus Black, face obscured with a dark cloud on his traits, leaving only an old-style goatee and dark green robes to be seen.
- What does the little Muggleborn want with me?
- Hey! Watch your tone, intervened Ron.
- We need your help, Headmaster. Please.
- I guess proper politeness needs rewarding. What do you require?
- We need to know about the sword of Gryffindor.
- Oh! The very same that this little idiot tried to steal!
- Don't talk about my sister like that! barked Ron again. And she wasn't stealing!
- The sword belongs to Hogwarts and its headmaster, Severus Snape! Now why am I here, aside from being insulted?
Ron sighed and took a breath.
- Do you know what happened to her?
- Oh, I heard she was punished severely! Sent in the dungeons with no food or water for a week! That set quite the example, let me tell you!
Hermione paled and Ron's knuckles got so white they could have been transparent.
- Would you have any idea why they wanted the sword?
Phineas Nigellus shrugged.
- Nothing good probably, but what else could we expect? But, no, they were not discussing this in front of my portrait.
Hermione shook her head, looking like her brain was going overdrive.
- Sir, maybe you would know would took it out previously? Maybe to clean it, or something else.
A mocking grunt escaped the portrait.
- Silly Muggleborn. But again, what else could we expect? The sword is Gobelin Steel, which does not require cleaning of any kind. Ever. It repels dust, and only absorbs what makes it stronger!
- But you have seen someone using it, haven't you?
The former Headmaster sighed.
- Yes, I have seen Albus Dumbledore use it to destroy a ring a year or two ago. As silly as it sounds.
Ron's heart skipped a beat and Hermione mindlessly grabbed his hand.
- What happened to the sword, after the failed attempt?
- As far as I can tell, Headmaster Snape had it sent to Gringotts. And now if that's all, I will be heading back! Adieu!
He disappeared from the canvas, leaving nought but the grey-brown background.
No one spoke for a few seconds.
- Anyone can explain what the hell was that all about, asked Natsu finally.
But Hermione ignored him.
- The sword. It's powerful enough to destroy a Horcrux! Maybe it's the Basilic's venom! From when Harry killed it with the sword, all those years back.
Ron stood up, letting go of her hand. Without a word, without a glance, he went to his bunk and grabbed his stuff in a single sweep before moving back out.
- Ron? Ron, where are you going?
- To Hogwarts, he finally answered. I'm going to get my sister out of there.
Everyone looked at him puzzled.
- But, Ron, stuttered Hermione. No, you can't. You can't. You can't go in. And we need to go to Gringotts! We need the sword!
- I don't care, he growled, low. I got more chances going into the school rather than this stupid bank. I'm done. Can't keep going through all that nonsense, not when they are TORTURING my sister! So I'm ou...
Before he could end his sentence and walk out of the perimeter, he found himself pinned to the ground.
Natsu was holding his face against the dirt with a single hand, as strong as ten men in each finger, and sitting on his back.
- Happy, he said without even paying attention to Ron as if he didn't exist. An owl is flying around, for five minutes. He's looking. Searching. He's got some paper on him. Get it in.
- Aye Aye sir!
Five minutes ago, Happy was flying back through the veil with a very pissed-off-looking owl, who unceremoniously dropped a letter into Hermione's shocked lap.
She opened it with shaking hands.
" Meet where your friend sleeps with my friend.
Padfoot & Titania"