Chapter 26: Reds & Blues!
Malfoy Manor, 11th November 2010, 1200 GMT
The whole Order of Phoenix with Adena, Athena and Veena, except Harry and Molly, settled down in the Drawing Room. All of them embraced each other in a giant group hug.
Hermione greeted Erwina, Chelsea, Natalie, Narcissa, Patrick and wordlessly, all the visible and invisible guards manning the Malfoy Manor. She asked Patrick for a special Italian Feast from Artichokes and Olives Salad to Triple Chocolate Mousse. She then profusely thanked Natalie, Chelsea and Narcissa for their end of keeping up the Mission.
As Patrick prepared lunch, she asked the others to relax with ice cold orange crushers and called in Neville's attention.
Neville walked up to Hermione and gave her a shy smile, "Hi Hermione."
Hermione smiled back, "Well done Neville. Veena updated me about your role in neutralizing the nuclear weapon threat, which got unexpectedly activated with our entry. I always had more faith in your powers than your own self. I clearly remember when you tried to stop Harry, Ron and Me in our first year and I had to hex you. You were as brave then as you are now. However, there is something else."
Neville looked up and squeaked, "What is it, Hermione?". Hermione enveloped him in a giant hug and loving embrace and tears welled up in his eyes.
Hermione replied,"You were talking to Veena and I had special powers of hearing audio conversations of all our team for the purpose of this Mission. You told her that you consider me to be on a higher pedestal than yourself and all other team mates. I have no special kindness or never undertook any special effort to make you feel worthwhile. You are with us because your unique talents deserve a place in my team. Even back in Hogwarts, I stood up for you because I needed to be the mirror who reflected your grandeur back to yourself. My Universal Philosophy is that every living being is special and shares the same Creative Intelligence in the Infinite Here & Now. I respect every being because they are part of my extended being. You can consider me superior to you and I will never impose my opinion on others, but I am just about as special as every living being in this Multiverse. It is an added fact that despite being Muggle born, I am now the Minister of Magic. My life is a living proof that if one has gratitude and appreciation to both their gifts and their dreams, the Universe bends over to grant you the dreams as well as the team necessary to perpetuate it."
Neville shed tears and shook her hand. "That is the pure modesty that has defined true greats like Athena and now you. I have always looked up to women as my role models. Their ego never clouds out their higher purpose, contribution, impact and true legacy. Needless to say, in my personal life, you are on the highest pedestal. My life has been extremely enriched, having you in it. Harry always thanks you and I take this chance to appreciate and truly treasure what you as an ideal, mean to me."
Hermione embraced Neville again and the two then walked back to the central living room, paced underneath an antique giant crystal chandelier built in 15th Century Renaissance Italy. Draco and she had picked this up herself after getting news from private collectors about the most exclusive drawing room decor. She was glad that many rooms in this Palatial Estate, now reflected her tastes. Narcissa occupied the East Wing of Ground Floor with 8 rooms, leaving the family of 4 with 2 upper floors which included 6 rooms exclusive to Hermione and 4 exclusive to Draco. There were also 50 guest rooms, Presidential Suite occupied by Draco and Hermione, 3 giant oak panel Libraries, 6 kitchens, 3 Indoor Swimming Pools, Temperature Controlled Sports Rooms, Outdoor 36 Hole Golf Course, Tennis Lawns, Owlery, Pet Quarters, Guard Rooms for visible/invisible security command and staff living quarters occupying top 3 floors. All bedrooms had attached bathrooms framed in Brass and Gold. The vegetables and fruits were home produced and 200 Hectares were thickly wooded with various trees as well as landscaped waterfalls and flowering gardens. The whole property was a miracle in terms of Antique Luxury, with self generated perennial renewable power and trusted food vendors. There was a team of dedicated Property Managers, managing all aspects of this giant property and providing maximum comfort, security and inspiration to all its occupants. Hermione, Aurelian and Erwina had magically enhanced rooms with clear view of the stars, galaxies and comets on their ceilings. They also had side walls with real life outside weather, analogous to Hogwarts.
The whole group eagerly awaited the Return of Harry, Molly and the precious stolen cups laden with their DNA. As 10 minutes turned into 35, the group started becoming jittery. Harry was not supposed to take this long. Harry at last entered the living room, looking haggard and defeated. He had neither the yellow container nor Molly with him.
All of them sat up and greeted Harry but Hermione went ahead and embraced him warmly. Others smiled at him but then questioned him with their pointed gaze.
Harry sighed, "I am sorry Hermione. Molly and the Yellow Box are under their control. I decided to Apparate to the locality opposite to the Safe House and check if there were any irregularities. As I popped out, I met a desperate old beggar whose hand and feet were severely burned. He asked for alms and I happily obliged, being in a good mood. I then walked into the Safe House and found Molly waiting for me. As we both were preparing to Apparate away here, a loud sonic boom shook us.
"Harry Potter and Molly Weasely, both of you are too kind for your own good. Our Agents were disguised as beggars and they attached monitoring devices to your person and the box, which only we have the discretion to deactivate. The mosquito bite type pain that you felt was actually our experts inserting the device into your diaphragm. You can never remove them but we can. 50 Agents have now surrounded your property. We give you the option to surrender and return the box."
Harry continued, "We were in a fix. We knew that we were protected by the strongest property wards but only one person could exit the property secretly. Molly and I argued and she convinced me that it was better to be me. The Yellow Box was useless to them now so there was no point surrendering it. Molly is safe as long as she is within the property. Essentially, she is now under House Arrest. We discussed that after I leave, she can also leave the property. Yet, there is a massive risk. If no human is detected within the property, the already agitated Dark Side can launch a full war and we are not ready yet. I agreed with her logic, transported the best of food, drinks, Muggle and Wizard Entertainment and Apparated back here. They will know that the property has just one human and that I am here. Having Molly there gives them a mental edge because they presume that Molly is a weaker person, though nothing is further from truth. Our initial mission was fully a success, but now this latest development is a setback."
Hermione glowered at Harry, "Setback Harry?! Really? The real setback is not this development. These circumstances were already in my calculation because I knew I was dealing with both power, bravery and intelligence. If Natalie is the type of their standard recruits, their standards are already very high. (Natalie gave a grateful smile). A person of our group getting captured was always in my radar. The real setback is your attitude, Harry. You will never stop taking the self-sacrificial route and always keep giving me pain. You know that Ministry and other details hardly matter to me before being there for my best friend."
Harry shook his head as he looked at Hermione's tears, "I was purely being tactical. I knew that if I so much as sent you a message, you would have dropped the whole Universe and rushed to my aid, being my best friend. Had things come to that, I would have taken that step. At this moment, things are not that bad. It is Molly for Natalie. You deserve this professional and personal success of being the Minister of Magic, Hermione. It is the reward for years of effort and selfless dedication. All of us look up to you and have committed ourselves to upholding your prestige. So, the point is, unless absolutely essential, we and in this case Me, will never put your position and planning in jeopardy. You don't need to tell what you would do because as best friends, we know each other to the core. At this moment, we just need to get our heads together and see what to do next."
Hermione smiled and embraced Harry, apologizing to him for not trusting his instincts. All other members there, including Athena, Veena and Adena assured complete support to Hermione, assuring her that she deserved this power and honor and all of them would ensure that she kept it. It got a bit overwhelming for Hermione and she looked away to shed a few tears.
Fred spoke up, "Can't we exchange places so that one of us are always in that house by turns instead of letting Mom be in constant home arrest?"
Harry replied, "Fred, your emotions are clouding your memory. The monitoring device is attached to both the box as well as Molly. Neither can exit the Safe House."
Fred nodded gloomily.
Their day of adventure was not over. It was just beginning.
Harold rushed in as did Z Agents under Malcom.
"All Muggles in this group are under the threat. The younger, immature Dark Youth wants instant revenge by attacking our Muggle members. The Dursleys, Sarah and Family as well as Grangers are in danger. We need to relocate them immediately. Question is where?"
Celia replied, "USA and G20 have an ultra secret Research Facility near the Pacific Mariana Trench. It has a capacity for 1600 residents but it currently operates at a tenth of that. I grew a duplicate heart from stem cells out there and successfully saved a veteran. I will give you my secret code and you can accommodate all of them there."
Natalie also replied, "I am aware of this venue from my own Muggle Medicine research. I will authorize half the Muggles and so will Celia."
Celia gratefully looked at Natalie. Once they both gave their secret codes to Harold, the whole transfer took just 7 minutes, including explaining them the Rationale for this move. All members admired the intelligence of Celia and Natalie.
Hermione had a heavy feeling that more foreboding news was to come and her instincts were absolutely spot on. That day was to prove one of their longest ever in their entire life.