Happy Saturday, my freaky darlings! I hope you are all well. As the last chapter ended on a rather cruel cliffie, I won't drag this out. Enjoy!
Chapter 38 Midnight Ride
Hermione felt the air change and turned towards the trees. Three lithe figures emerged, one leading a large black stallion. The Morrigan, Midir, and she assumed Mannan was leading Enbarr. "Are you prepared?" the Morrigan asked in a bored voice.
"Of course she is," Midir stepped closer. He gestured to Hermione's necklace. "Lovely stones of protection. What a splendid token. "A gift for the day?"
She briefly touched the heirloom. She had intended to remove it, but had forgotten the easy weight in the excitement of the day, "An heirloom from my grandfather's family."
"How appropriate." He repeated her gesture, just a brush of the fingertips before he turned. "Come, let us begin."
Mannan brought Enbarr forward. The Morrigan spoke again, "To earn my boon you will ride from dusk to dawn. Should you wish to end the ride pull on the reins and dismount. If you are unhorsed the ride also ends."
Hermione smiled over her shoulder at the others, "See you in the morning." She turned her attention to Enbarr. The onyx mount pawed the ground and tossed his head. She gave him her scent and took the reins. "Hello, boy, I understand. I'm not your rider and you're not my mount. But tonight it's you and me, let's enjoy yourselves yeah?" The horse pawed the ground again. "I know you have your doubts, but you'll see."
She put her foot in the stirrup and swung into the saddle. Once her other foot settled in the stirrup Enbarr took off like a shot. She steadied herself with her knees and relaxed. Much like with Stormbringer she saw no reason to attempt to direct him. He would ignore her anyway. He raced across the countryside, galloping at full speed. She laughed, enjoying the wild chaos of it all. The sound seemed to spurn the horse on. The world around them blurred and they emerged on a shore. Enbarr took off over the water. She cast the bubble head charm just in case he took it into his head to run under the waves. Not that she knew if she could. But better safe than sorry. She imagined the exhilaration she felt running over the water, the sea foam breaking over them to be how the boys felt flying. The sea gave way to a faerie mountainside. Enbarr easily traversed the rocky terrain without faltering. From there they entered a fiery domain. Every step, every exhilarating moment she held tight and honestly enjoyed every second. She could have done without the cliff paths and sheer drops. It did nothing to alleviate her fear of heights. Not that she would have admitted any of it to the worried people waiting for her.
The changes in environment made determining the passage of time difficult. Fatigue burned in her arms and legs. She drooped in the saddle, feeling bone-weary exhaustion. It felt as if she had been riding for hours, but still had hours to go. Her thoughts drifted to the parties she had missed, the ones she was missing, and the ones she would miss. The sacrifices never ended and the gratitude was always fleeting. "Why do I keep doing this? No one cares. No one appreciates it." The thought triggered answering images to flash through her mind. Harry laughing despite the weight on his shoulders. Draco's apathetic desperation, the hopelessness on the faces of Marcus, Theo, and Felix. And last the terror of Dahlia and Jasper as they ran. Exhaustion turned to rage. Rage at the injustices fueled her determination. No one ever promised any of this would be easy. Quite the opposite, in fact. Hard work never stopped her before. These were her responsibilities. She chose them. She would not be walking away now.
As if sensing the return of her commitment, Enbarr doubled down. His speed increased. The terrain became rougher, the climates less hospitable. She continuously bubble head and warming, and shield charms. But with that chaos came the rush of excitement. The thrill of the ride. The only thing missing was something to chase.
A growling bark sounded behind them. Glancing back she saw a massive gray canine baring his teeth. He made as if he intended to run after them. "I don't think so. Come, my new friend, let us show this monster who is the prey and who is the predator." Careful not to pull back on the reins, she signaled for the stallion to turn. Enbarr reared back and changed directions. They charged straight at him. Startled by the sudden aggression the lone animal paused. The lighting strike at his haunches made him yelp and flee. The mount and rider were of one mind, teach this bully a lesson. When he ran whimpering and crying into his den they broke off pursuit. Enbarr whirled and headed back in the direction they came from and the previous run resumed.
Noticing the rubble of a fallen stone bridge and forgetting Enbarr's abilities, Hermione cast repairo on it, restoring the massive archways and pillars to their former glory. They thundered across and through the meadows beyond. Eventually, Enbarr returned to the mortal realm. She noticed the lightening of the sky signaling the approach of dawn. The Ramble came into view. The group waiting for her return had grown in her absence.
Along with the Flints, Theo, Sirius, and Remus now Luna and the Hunt waited. As Enbarr slowed to a walk Midir, the Morrigan, and Mannan appeared. The riders of the Hunt looked proud, Midir smug, and the Morrigan surprised. The rest looked relieved. The horse halted in front of them. Hermione slipped from the saddle.
The Morrigan moved in front of her, "You completed the task."
"I did." She looked over her shoulder. "And quite enjoyed myself. Thank you." The horse whinnied and nuzzled her in response.
"Why did you pursue the wolf lord?" Midir asked.
She shrugged, "I am the hunter, not the quarry. I will not be chased in such a manner. He needed to be taught that."
"Why did you repair the bridge?" questioned the Morrigan. "Enbarr could cross the river."
She shrugged, "I wanted to. And that is the only reason I need for just about anything."
The Morrigan scrutinized her closely, "You have earned my dagger. It will destroy the soul fragment without damaging the vessel." She handed Hermione a dull ebony colored dagger in a leather sheath.
"Thank you," Hermione bowed her head as she accepted it. The riders nodded approvingly and followed the royalty as they took their leave. She raised a hand in acknowledgment. She looked down at the knife in her hands. It felt surreal despite the weight in her hand. She looked up at Marcus and smiled, "I'm home."
"You are, little witch." He stepped up to her and grinned down at her. She swayed. "Are you okay?"
"I am unharmed, just suddenly so tired." She tucked the dagger away for safekeeping. She braced herself with a hand on his chest. "Very tired."
Marcus swept her up in his arms, "Let's get you to bed, little witch. We can talk later."
"Okay, good night," she snuggled into him. Her armor shimmered into a soft nightgown.
Sirius looked around considering the matter, "I don't want to floo or apparate with her in this state. Could I impose further and ask you to let her sleep here?"
Linus looked at his son cradling his girlfriend watching him hopefully. "That is not an imposition. I would have insisted if you hadn't asked. We will notify you when she wakes. Though anyone wishing to remain may, of course."
"Thank you," replied Sirius, " but I need to let Harry and Neville know she's back. When she wakes have her bring you to Grimmauld for whatever meal is then."
"We will."
Luna looked about, "I appreciate the offer, but may I accompany you, Mr. Black?"
"First, call me Sirius. Mr. Black was my father and he was an arse. Second, of course, you may."
Those leaving departed. Marcus took Hermione up to his bed and tucked her in. He laid on top of the blankets, wrapping an arm around her. She stayed fast asleep as the rest of the household settled in.
Hermione slept soundly and dreamless, feeling safe and surrounded by comfort. She woke in the late afternoon. Marcus sat next to her, his back braced against the headboard, idly playing with her curls. "Hello," he said softly.
"Hi," she sat up. "Did you change my clothes?"
"No, you did."
"Well, good for me, then."
He climbed to his feet. "I should tell everyone you're awake."
"I'll visit the loo and change."
He kissed her lightly, "Meet you downstairs."
Kreacher served dinner as soon as everyone assembled in the formal dining room. He threw a wobbly at the idea of serving The Wise One's guests in the kitchen. Sirius gave in to keep the peace. Hermione ate an entire plate before speaking. "The knife from the Morrigan will destroy the magic without damaging the vessel."
Harry spoke, "Which is good because Riddle seems to have been obsessed with desecrating items of historical value."
"What was that part about hunting a wolf?" asked Dahlia.
"The wolf lord," corrected Hermione. "He acted like he intended to chase us and it aggravated me. So, we chased him to his den. I am of the Wild Hunt, we are not prey. And I don't like bullies. He knew we were not food, he chased us just to do it."
"You repaired a bridge?" questioned Remus.
"I forgot Enbarr can run on water and repaired it. But I didn't want to admit that to the fae." The table chuckled. "I'm not sure if the doubtful thoughts were my own or influenced by outside forces. But they strengthened my resolve. Every choice that led me to this point has been my own. I made them based on my convictions. I want justice, but not at the cost of compassion. I want goodness and light but acknowledge the world is shades of gray. That not everyone has the ability to see the out and take it. That darkness does not play fair. I will help everyone who asks for it. I am the light. I shine more brightly because of the surrounding dark."
"Without darkness, there is no light," said Theo quietly.
"Poetically put," smiled Luna. She patted his hand and looked at Hermione. "I stand with you as I know you will stand for me."
"Thank you, Luna. I knew that, but it is nice to hear."
"How much will you tell Dumbledore's people?" asked Felix.
"That we know how to destroy dark artifacts. None of them need to know more than that."
"We're not going to ask more than you've said, either," declared Linus. "There's no pressure on myself or Gwennie to join at this point. They want the boys as foot soldiers and access to Hermione."
Suddenly alarmed she looked to the others, concerned they had been harassed more. Theo shook his head. "No one wants to accidentally anger you by pushing us that way. When it was suggested Snape shut it down citing your well documented temper."
"Good," she glowered at unseen foes.
"Professor Snape worked with us over the summer on occulmency," added Felix.
"Even better."
"On to bleaker news," said Theo, "Mavis is pregnant. She's declaring the baby the next Nott heir. She's due in March. She's redecorating the nursery in blues. She refuses to even consider the baby may be a girl."
A prickle of fear crawled up Hermione's neck. "Instruct the house elves to watch her when the baby comes. She will neglect the girl and be tempted to kill her."
"Oh," Luna's eyes filled with tears. "She will, won't she? That monster!"
Dahlia patted her hand, "Don't worry. Theo will stop her. He's good people, and will be an even better big brother."
"I know because Hermione trusts him."
Hermione tried to help clean up after dinner. Kreacher appeared and glared. Gwendolyn shooed her away," Don't be absurd, you did the impossible last night. You need to keep resting."
Sirius agreed, "You need to let Kreacher fuss over you. Lila, too, I expect."
"I'm fine," she protested. Sirius just looked at her, "I am."
Marcus took her hand, "Intellectually we know that. Emotionally we need you to take things easy. Like you would if it was any of us. We know how strong you are, but this is incomprehensible to us. Please do it, we care about you. I care about you."
She huffed out a breath, "You play dirty, Slytherin. Fine. I'll go rest."
He brushed his lips over her forehead, "As dirty as I have to." He chuckled when she pouted. "I'll talk to you later."
"You better." She allowed Sirius to usher her upstairs. She took things easy until Christmas Eve. She instructed Lila to decorate the first floor tastefully for the party while Kreacher baked and cooked dinner.
Sirius drew the line at trimming the tree. "That's family time."
"Should we invite Tonks?" asked Harry innocently.
"Yes," said Sirius.
At the same time, Remus replied, "No."
"She's working so she can be here tonight, "Hermione said in a distracted tone.
"There you go," smiled Remus triumphantly. He went to return the mugs of cocoa to the kitchen whistling.
"The twins have been appraised of the situation and will be bringing enchanted mistletoe. While I may regret this later, I helped them iron out the kinks in the location charm. Every time Tonks and Remus are near each other the mistletoe will lock onto one of them."
"Should they use it on you, we thank you for your service and sacrifice," Sirius patted her shoulder. "Know it is all for the cause." She rolled her eyes at his antics.
The Longbottoms arrived just as Marcus exited the floo. "Ah, young Mr. Flint," greeted Augusta, "let me introduce my son, Frank, and his wife, Alice. Frank, Alice, this is Marcus Flint, Linus, and Gwendolyn's second son."
"Sir, ma'am," Marcus greeted politely.
"Nice to meet you, young man," said Frank. "You know our son, Neville?"
"Of course. Good to see you, Longbottom."
"Flint nodded to the Gryffindor. "Happy Christmas."
"You, too." They were saved from more banal chit-chat by the arrival of Hermione.
"Hello, Longbottom. Hello, handsome. Happy Yule."
"Happy Yule, little witch." Marcus hugged her.
"Season's greetings, wise one," said Frank.
Hermione stepped back, "Well, let's get out of the way. The party's in the front parlor. She lead the way, holding her boyfriend's hand. Sirius greeted his guests warmly. Order of Phoenix members, ministry workers, and assorted friends of the household. The Weasleys arrived not long after the Longbottoms. Bill escorted Fleur, who sported a new engagement ring, and Lavender accompanied Ron. Molly could be seen looking at both couples with expressions of varying levels of displeasure.
"Molly still not happy about Bill and Fleur?" Sirius asked Tonks.
"Mum thinks Molly's concerned about her Veela heritage causing Bill to move too fast. She's too young to be settling down and will change her mind leaving Bill brokenhearted," Tonks informed them.
Remus looked pensive, "Didn't she and Arthur get married after dating for months? Right after graduation?"
"Yeah, and Bill was born seven months after the wedding," replied Sirius. "Make of that what you will. No claimed she's being fair or rational."
"Can't blame her in regards to Ron's little friend, though," admitted Tonks. "I'd be horrified if my child behaved in such a manner, or allowed someone to behave like that." She shuddered.
Sirius nudged Remus as the twins released another mistletoe sprig. It whizzed across the room to hover above Ron. He groaned, "Not again." The Marauders and auror watched with amusement as the two made multiple attempts to determine what would release Ron. It turned out the answer was for Lavender to move across the room.
"Ingenious!" exclaimed Remus. "I wonder if they can set it or if the targets and effects are random?"
"Both." They turned and found Fred and George standing behind them grinning madly.
"Utterly brilliant, boys," praised Sirius.
"Coming from you that means everything," George told him.
"Thanks for that," Fred added. "The only flaw in them is they refuse to target Hermione or Marcus."
Remus chuckled, "Have you considered she might be the cause of that?"
The twins looked at one another, "We did not."
"And we should have," said the other. "Sneaky witch." They both looked in her direction fondly.
"You realize, twin of mine, we cannot let this challenge go unanswered?"
"We cannot."
Remus parred their arms, "Good luck, you're going to need it."
"Oh, she'll make us work for it, but that's half the fun." They departed scheming.
"And watching this go down is the other half," Tonks shook her head laughing.
"Probably won't be tonight," remarked Sirius. He looked down at his empty glass. "If I was them I would plan and wait until her guard was down."
"If her guard ever goes down," joked Tonks. "Her constant vigilance makes Moody proud."
"Harry's too," Sirius said. "They make me proud, too."
"Oi, Padfoot, no getting morose. I just placed the Repeal It on the twins. We need to put the Chaperone on Ron. Fifteen minutes later Fred and George flew apart. Every time they tried to get close to one another they were flung apart. Then every time Ron tried to be physically romantic with Lavender a screech pierced the air causing the two to leap apart every time. Whenever this occurred Marcus took perverse pleasure in kissing Hermione, on her cheek, forehead, or top of her head. He kept an arm around her, almost mocking Ron's inability to touch his own girlfriend.
"I mean, I was, but he couldn't prove it," laughed Marcus the next day to Felix.
The Marauders had not been the only pranksters to strike in that moment. Fred placed a mistletoe on Remus that only Tonks could release. It required an increasing intimate contact to trigger. By the end of the night the two were practically snogging, something that amused Sirius to no end.