Chapter 41, Connections

"Perhaps Greok and Leaf worked some sort of magic elsewhere in the forest that caused the brief anomaly," Ballan speculated.

"I'd like that," Hydra said. "Then we wouldn't have to go to my parents and tell them what happened."

"You said they were aware," Ballan said, glancing away pensively.

Hydra grinned. "I said they were aware of my feelings for you and that I planned to have you. They approved of that. They were not aware that I planned to have you here, now, like this. It shall just be embarrassing having to explain it to them. Not that Loughness and I haven't walked in on enough compromising positions, mind you," she grumbled. Ballan's eyes widened and he choked. "Not actual shagging," Hydra assured with a sigh. "They were even still dressed, but nonetheless. Seeing Daddy Kreacher wrapped around Daddy Regulus like some barnacle is enough to honestly give one nightmares."

Ballan snickered. "We should look for Greok and Leaf," he said, rising to his feet and taking Hydra's hand.

"They may still be here. It is a large forest, after all. But if they aren't, don't be surprised," Hydra said. "I asked Leaf to help a girl out earlier."

"To what?" Ballan paused to give her an odd look, before continuing to walk through the trees.

"I told her I wished to be alone with you. She was supportive." She chuckled, remembering Leaf's unbridled glee. It had been contagious, strengthening Hydra's own resolve in the matter.

"So they know we were," Ballan spluttered.

"They know, or at least Leaf knows that I wanted to be alone with you. I did not mention my hopes for intense physical gratification." Hydra paused to pull Ballan into her arms for a sound kiss that he enthusiastically returned before they began to walk again. "Why? Were you wanting to keep it a secret," Hydra teased. Considering that he knew that her parents knew, there were no secrets on the matter.

"Well no, but there is not hiding a thing, and then there is telling everyone before Ballan is aware."

Hydra giggled. "Only my school friends, and there are only three of those, my parents and my brother. Oh and Mag knows and Wulfric and probably Severus, but I don't know, and maybe Graven."

"Graven?" Ballan stopped walking, and turned to stare at Hydra. "Graven is Greok's sister's name."

"OOH," Hydra said. She didn't think there was more than one goblin named Graven. It just did not seem likely. "Wow. I mean she's kind of rough around the edges and all, but she's a good sort, trustworthy and very talented. Did you know she made the sword that killed Delphini? Grindelwald was the one who insisted that he thought she could, but she did it!"

Ballan nodded. "Yes, I knew. It is her, then."

"Have you met?"

Ballan shook his head. "Greok experienced her refusing to speak to him when they were both with their family on the holidays, and I refused to be present though he did repeatedly invite me." He made a face. "I do not hate myself, nor do I inflict self torture, so there was no way that was going to happen."

"Does this mean you will refuse to spend the holidays with me," Hydra asked. "Because if you do, I shall have to get creative."

Ballan cringed. "I can only imagine. Then again, perhaps I should better not."

"Does that mean we're good for the holidays, then," Hydra pressed.

"You are aware that it would make me extremely uncomfortable," he warned, and she kissed him before they began to walk again. Several seconds passed before another thought struck her.

"Graven always seemed to like my daddies as much as she likes anyone. Daddy Kreacher helped her transfigure to look human that first year she was spying and met Wulfric!"

"What?" Ballan was clearly confused. Hydra was giving too much information and complicating the matter due to thinking aloud. "Nothing. All that doesn't matter. It's just to say that Graven did not seem to mind vampires when she was taking help from Daddy Kreacher or hanging out at my manor." She scowled. "I suppose I'm hurt. And angry."

"It may not be about vampires so much as her brother being one," Ballan suggested. "Hell I don't know. I would say that I don't understand goblins, but I don't really understand anyone, and nor do I particularly care to. Avoiding social entanglements made that far easier," he grumbled.

"They aren't at all bad as long as you're selective," Hydra told him. "I used to think I wanted more friends, but I've come to see that a choice few are better and more than enough when it's the right people. Speaking of, we aren't going to wander this entire forest looking for them, are we?"

Ballan shook his head. "I've been mentally searching for Greok, or signs of life in general, and am coming up with nothing. I suggest we try the flat I share with Greok next."

Hydra's heart gave a leap. She was about to learn where Ballan lived! "Sure," she said casually. Ballan took her hand and Apparated. It was an odd magical adjustment, leaving the forest behind, like Hydra could feel the air tightening as it settled around her skin. That wasn't quite right, but she had no better way of describing it. They stood in the middle of a small sitting room. Greok sprawled in one of the room's two armchairs. Hydra could hear the sounds of someone who she presumed to be Leaf, rustling about in the kitchen.

"Well hello," Greok greeted pleasantly. He wore an expression of quizzical amusement that made Hydra certain that Leaf had told him. She hadn't asked her not to, so she didn't mind.

"Did either of you perform any sort of magic in the forest," Ballan asked.

Greok arched his brows, shifting slightly in the chair. "Does Apparating out count?" Ballan shook his head. "Then no.""

"Why," Leaf called. "And would Hydra like some tea?"

"Sure," Hydra replied. "Thank you. And because..." Telling Leaf would not be a problem, but speaking of it in front of Greok felt suddenly uncomfortable and embarrassing. "Because we could see the stars for a brief time, so we wondered what could have caused it."

"The temperature did not change, so the shield did not truly open, but the stars did become visible until they gradually faded again," Ballan said. There, Hydra thought, sliding a glance in his direction. They'd managed to explain the situation without getting into the shagging.

"So what were Hydra and Ballan doing when the stars came out," Leaf asked, skipping in with a small China cup of tea in each hand.

"We were," Ballan said carefully.

"OOh, Greok," Leaf squealed before bursting into giggles as she thrust a tea cup at Hydra. Greok straightened fully in his chair to turn the full force of his pleased grin on Ballan. Ballan scowled back. As Greok's grin widened, Ballan's scowl deepened.

"Why don't you have a seat, Hydra," Leaf invited, shooting a pointed look at Greok as if gently attempting to remind him of his manners.

"Thanks," Hydra said, glancing around and only finding the other armchair that she presumed to be Ballan's. Taking his hand, she walked over to the chair. Pushing him down into it, she perched on his lap before taking a sip of her tea. It was green tea laced with honey and nutmeg. "This is quite good," she told Leaf.

"Thank you," Leaf replied with a pleased smile as she perched on the arm of Greok's chair before sipping from her own cup.

"So what now," Ballan asked Hydra.

She sighed. "I guess we have to talk to my parents. We can begin by asking if they have ever seen the stars come out in the forest, then go from there depending on their answer."

"This is going to be an uncomfortable conversation to say the least," Ballan said. "And I haven't even fed yet."

"It probably will be quite embarrassing," Hydra had to agree. "Perhaps they will already be aware of whatever the stars are doing, though, and then we won't have to go into it. One can hope. If you'd like to go and feed, I can wait for you here."

He nodded. "Sounds good. Thanks. I won't take long."

Greok stood. "I'll go with you. I haven't fed yet either. At that, Leaf's face brightened. Clearly she was eager to have all the details from Hydra, and with Ballan and Greok off getting dinner, she would get her chance. Hydra rose to her feet so that Ballan could get out of the chair. Leaf waited until the door had shut behind the two vampires before whispering, "Tell me everything!"

Hydra's cheeks heated in embarrassment, but, she knew were she in Leaf's shoes, she would've been just as curious. "It was amazing!" Leaf squealed. "And before anything happened I even got him talking and laughing. I'm not really sure how that bit happened, because I didn't even try," Hydra admitted. "He has many sides to him really. He's tough and dangerous, but also funny and smart, and uncertain socially. I suppose I knew most of that already, but experiencing it in action was magic fire! I just want to spend more time with him, but I have to return to stupid Hogwarts eventually," she realized.

"Leaf is happy that Ballan was smart enough to see that he should not reject Hydra. She thought it would work out, because Hydra is so pretty and smart, but with Ballan, one never knows."

"He is so very exciting," Hydra couldn't help but gush. "All that raw power and anger and toughness turned on me for other things was just as wild and intoxicating as I knew it would be."

It was Leaf's turn to blush as she hid her face behind her cup of tea. "Did he hurt Hydra at all?"

"Oh no," Hydra assured. "I never thought he would. It's about switching modes. If he's in kill mode, it isn't about someone he would not wish to hurt or kill. Other forms of physical contact allow that energy to be channeled in different ways is all. He was very intense, just as I'd hoped he would be, but he did not hurt me at all." She sighed happily.

"Leaf thinks she would find such intensity frightening nonetheless, so she is glad that her Greok is not quite so... intense." The little elf paused to sip daintily at her tea before asking, "Is Hydra worried for the defenses of the forest?"

Hydra considered for a moment, then slowly shook her head. "I could be wrong, but currently no. I did not feel any changes. It was a strange anomaly, but perhaps it is somehow a natural reaction to... to what we were doing, though I have no idea why. I felt no alarms go off, and the shields still appeared to be in place. As I truly know nothing of the construction of the forest or the reasoning behind it, though, I cannot know for sure. Hopefully my parents will be able to help shed more light on the situation."

Though approaching them about it if she had to mention the fact that she'd been shagging in the Elf Wood was going to be severely embarrassing, she thought with an inner sigh.

"Leaf would be interested to know whatever Hydra ends up finding out," Leaf said.

Hydra nodded. "Of course. I will write you with any updates on the situation." What did you think of the forest anyway? Sorry, with so much going on, I forgot to ask."

Leaf's face broke into a smile, and her round blue eyes shown with wonder. "It was so big! And important! And powerful! It really made Leaf feel how powerful elves once were." She ducked her head, a small flush creeping over her cheeks. "Well we still are, but so many have forgotten, including Leaf herself at times, she supposes."

"Not forgotten, but been made to forget," Hydra corrected gently. She sighed. "I don't even know if it is even forgetting as much as not being allowed to think of it in the proper way due to the blasted slave curse." And how are they going to overcome a curse if they aren't even aware of it? Most elves don't even know that it is a curse, and I bet some would not believe it if they did. This could be due to the very manner in which the curse operates, or it could be the simple psychology of being suppressed for centuries. At any rate, I hope that more elves open their eyes to what we once were and what we should be again when they see the forest."

"Yes," Leaf murmured. "Leaf hopes her people can grow strong again. With this new freedom, it sickens her to look back and see what we had to endure for so long. Many more elves than we know likely had it harder like Ballan. They were not all as fortunate as Kreacher or Leaf."

Hydra nodded. "It angers me to know what Ballan suffered, more so than I can even put into words," she admitted. "I grew up around elves who were treated well and allowed their own freedom of expression. I saw the Lestrange family elves, and Mira, my friend Sortia's family elf, and though each was different in personality, they were all respected by the families with whom they live.

I don't know Grindelwald's elf, but I hear him speak of Bramble plenty, and that elf is far more in charge of things than Grindelwald himself." She chuckled. "Bramble is the Zabini elf," she clarified and Leaf nodded in silent understanding. "I would like to get some elves together, you know into a social group or something," Hydra said suddenly. "Does that sound too odd?""

"Not at all," Leaf said brightly. "Leaf does not know many elves herself, so she thinks it is a lovely idea."

"I mean people can come too if they want," Hydra added. "I don't want it to become segregated. Just because it's for elves, I don't want it to seem that others aren't welcome. Unless we end up doing something just for elf magic that humans or goblins wouldn't understand or something, but that would be different. Just if elves are shy to come alone, but would come with a human or goblin friend or something, allowing whoever wants to come might make things less awkward or forced or you know weird," Hydra concluded.

Leaf nodded. "That makes sense. Leaf thinks that Hydra is wise."

Hydra smiled. "Thanks. Sometimes I think so too, then at others, I am not so sure." She shrugged. "Which is normal, I suppose."

"Are we certain that it is a curse that made the elves slaves," Leaf asked hesitantly.

"Not entirely, but it makes the most sense, and my parents have done a lot of research on the matter," Hydra said. "So much information and elf history is just gone, which is a worrying indication on its own. That and the mere fact that no one so much more powerful than wizards as are elves would serve willingly."

"That makes sense," Leaf said. The door to the flat burst open then, and Ballan and Greok hurried inside. "Ballan is not covered in blood," Leaf marveled.

"I said I wouldn't take long, didn't I," Ballan said.

"Well you were gone a bit longer than expected to be honest," Leaf said, gazing questioningly at Greok.

Greok shrugged. "You know, we had to have bro talk."

"He mostly talked. As in asking too many questions," Ballan said gruffly. "Ready to go," he asked as he approached Hydra's chair. It was then that the idea struck her.

"How do you feel about avoiding the awkward conversation with my parents by having my brother talk to them for us? I could write and ask him to meet us here. We could explain the situation."

Ballan gave her an incredulous look. "He would do that for us?"

"I don't see why not," Hydra said excitedly. If Loughness had any reservations, she was more than willing to bribe him.

"Very well then," Ballan said, a grin flickering over his face. "I'm all up for avoiding embarrassment and discomfort today."

"Great," Hydra said excitedly. "What's this address?"

"Gringotts, fifteenth floor," Greok said. "But just tell him we'll meet him outside if he is coming over else he'll get lost. They always get lost. The first time Ballan came here without me, he got lost."