A Shadowy End

Two weeks later found the girls plotting their kidnapping. They had chosen Alexander Ramsey. He was high in ranking, head of training the recruits and one of the few not confined to the hideout. The girls had been shadowing him for the past couple of weeks learning his quirks and habits. He went about his days normally as an export and import clerk at the Ministry and then in the evenings he went to a local brothel in Knockturn Alley for two hours before returning to his manor.

This is where the girls decided to capture him. The brothel was a small establishment located down a small dank alley. It was called ‘Naughty & Nice.’

They had agreed that Hermione would go in undercover as a prostitute who would seduce him to a room and knock him out there before portkeying him to a location Dumbledore had selected. As soon as Hermione arrived she would alert Ginny to their status and Ginny would portkey in as back up. The girls were a little unsure but proceeded anyway knowing many lives were at stake.

* * * *

“Where are the girls,” Harry asked.

“I don’t know, Hermione said something about a girls night.”

“Well I need help with my potions homework, do you think she’d be willing to help me out?” Harry replied.

“Please mate, it’s Hermione we’re talking about. She’d probably kiss you for suggesting a study session.” Ron said.

“Right, well let’s go up and ask her.” Harry got up and led the way up to the Head Girl’s room.

“What’s the password?” The portrait of a lioness asked.

“We don’t know, but can you ask her if we can come in? We need help studying.” Ron asked.

The lioness purred, “I’m sorry but she’s not in at the moment.”

“But it’s after curfew! She has to be in there, she doesn’t have rounds tonight.” Harry said.

“As I said before she’s not in there. Would you like to leave a message?”

“What I would like you to do is to open the damn door!” Ron yelled.

“I’m sorry but without the password, you cannot enter.” The lioness growled, her white fangs glistening.

Harry and Ron turned their backs on the portrait.

“Well shit, where could she be?” Ron said scratching his head.

“I don’t know. Where would you go to have a girls night?”

“Hey mate, I know! We’ll use the Marauder’s Map to show us where they are.”

“Brilliant.” The boys sped off n the direction of their room.

* * * *

“How do I look?”

“Classy but begging for it.” Gin replied.

“Thanks Gin that makes me feel heaps better.”

“Alright, ready to rock n’ roll?” Gin asked.

“Where did you pick that up?” Hermione said smiling.

“From Dad, he’s in a phase where he is using muggle phrases all the time,” Ginny said giggling. “He’s not making sense half the time but back to the task at hand. You look great. Totally fuckable.” Ginny gave her a thumbs up, “I’d do you.”

“If I remember correctly, you did last night,” Hermione gave her a sultry look.

“Now don’t start that, we need to get this done and then afterwards we’ll have sex.”

“Fine,” Hermione pouted her reply.

“Now get going, the sooner this is done, the sooner I’ll get you home.” Ginny pushed in the direction of the brother and slapped her playfully on the ass a she departed.

Hermione walked down the alley towards the brothel, still getting used to her dress. She was wearing a deep green dress that had a tight bodice that pushed up her breasts and had a slit up the side of her right leg to her thigh. Her appearance had changed dramatically. She was now tan, blonde and had piercing blue eyes. After following Ramsey for the past week, they discovered that he preferred blondes. Hermione only had on a touch of make up and wore only eyeliner to accentuate her eyes and a little bit of tinted lip-gloss to pout up her lips.

Hermione stepped into the brothel and made her way to the bar to order a drink. Several men came over to proposition her but she turned them down saying her price was too high for them to afford. They all left disheartened while Hermione felt sick to her stomach.

Hermione waited there for half an hour before Ramsey showed up. As he walked in Hermione gave him a sultry smile, which beckoned him over.

“May I buy you a drink?” He asked while running his fingers lightly over her arm.

Hermione felt like she was going to throw up but she smiled, “yes, that would be lovely. Thank you.”

“Bartender, get this lady a drink on me.” Ramsey gestured him over. “What would you like?”

“An apple martini please.” She turned to Ramsey, “thank you kind sir.”

“Please, I am Alexander Ramsey. And you are?”

Hermione held out her hand, “Elena. Thank you again Lord Ramsey.”

“Alex, please call me Alex.”

“As you wish…Alex.” Hermione let his name roll off her tongue like a soft purr.

Ramsey shuddered slightly and peered at Hermione marvelled at how even her voice affected him. He could almost quiver with excitement.

“Is something wrong, Alex?”

“No, not at all. I was wondering how much a classy girl like you went for?”

“Three hundred galleons,” Ramsey raised his eyebrows, “but for you, I think we could work out some sort of deal. You after all have treated me so kindly.” Hermione could see that dangerous glint in his eye and she knew then that she had him.

“Would you like to get a room with me?” Ramsey asked.

“I think that’s a marvellous idea,” Hermione got up from her chair and held out her hand, “we can talk more privately upstairs.”

“Bartender, a room for the two of us.”

“Of course, room thirteen is free.” The bartender handed him the key.

“We’ll take it.” Ramsey took Hermione’s hand and led her up the stairs. The quickly arrived at the room and entered both smirking at the other’s misfortune.

* * * *

“How come they’re not showing up on the map?” Ron asked.

“It means they’re not in the castle.”

“But if they’re not here, where are they?” Ron looked at Harry with worry.

“Should we alert Dumbledore?” Harry asked.

“I think so, let’s go.”

The boys made there way to the Headmaster’s office knowing he would be up due to the fact they had just seen him pacing in his office moments ago on the map. They went up the main hallway and reached the gargoyle statue in front of the Headmaster’s staircase. They looked at each other realising neither of them had the password.

“Well now what do we do?” Ron asked.

“You can tell me what two mischievous Gryffindors are doing out of bed after curfew.” The boys turned around to be confronted by Professor Snape.

“Hermione and Ginny are not in the castle sir. We’ve come to alert the Headmaster.” Harry replied confidently.

“Well then,” Severus turned to the gargoyle and scowled, “twinkle twinkle little star,” he sighed heavily. “How I wonder what you are.” Damn Albus and his humour.

The gargoyle jumped back and the staircase began to rotate upwards.

“After you Potter,” Severus motioned for the boys to get on the stairs.

They all rode the stairs together and entered the Headmaster’s office.

“Harry? Mr. Weasley? Is something wrong?” The Headmaster looked up from his pacing, “did you have another dream?”

“No sir, Hermione and Ginny are missing.”

“It would seem as though they are not in the castle.” Severus said to the Headmaster.

“Oh.” The Headmaster sat down at his desk while racking his brain for a logical excuse.

“The girls said they were have a girls’ night.” Ron interjected.

“Ah yes, that’s right. I remember Miss Granger telling me about that this morning. She’s exercising her right as Head Girl to go into town at night. No need to fear Harry. I placed a tracking spell on them both and right about now, the both of them are at Rosemarta’s having some tea.”

Severus scowled knowing full well that there was no such rule but kept quiet wondering what the old coot was up to.

“Besides, I ordered those two out tonight. The both need to relax.”

“OK sir, we were just worried they may have been taken by Voldemort.” Ron said.

“Oh no Mr. Weasley. I would have alerted you both straight away on any such development. Go back to you rooms and sleep, there is nothing to worry about. They will be returning shortly.” The Headmaster smiled at them and gestured for them to leave.

“Thank you sir, goodnight.” The boys left the room.

Severus continued to scowl at the Headmaster, “there is no such rule Albus. Where are they?”

“It’s none of your concern my dear boy. They are safe and that’s all I’m going to tell you.” The Headmaster stared at him with dull eyes.

“Fine, it’s not like I care what happens to them. Goodnight Albus,” Severus left through the floo.

* * * *

Hermione turned around to face Ramsey but instead was flung to the floor by a hard backhanded swing. Hermione looked up at him in surprise and watched as a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.

“I hope you don’t mind but I like things rough.”

“Rough costs 350 galleons so I can buy the necessary potions to fix myself.”

“Done.”

Hermione looked at him and now knew they had picked the right guy although he was going to be troublesome.

“Stupefy.” Hermione pointed her hand at him using her wand that was transfigured into a ring on her right hand.

“What the---?” Ramsey fell to the floor and glared up at her. Hermione put him in a full body bind with some magical ropes that couldn’t be undone unless by the person who tied them.

“You’ve been a naughty boy Alex.” Hermione put an anti-tracking spell on them both before reaching out and grabbing Ramsey by the arm and portkeying ti their destination.

They arrived in a dank small cellar that was almost too dark to see. There was a cell in front, which Hermione threw Ramsey in making sure to knock his head against the bars as she did so.

There was a deep laugh from across the room. Hermione shut the door and turned around. A man was sitting in a high back chair next to the fire, which sent shadowy light dancing across his face. He was a tall man and built with what looked like 20 pounds of sheer muscle on his shoulders. He was dressed in camouflage cargo pants and a white wife beater.

“I’m Travis and you must be Hermione.” Travis looked at her inquisitively.

“Yep. Before we start though let me tell my partner to come.” Hermione pulled out her two-way mirror. “Panther come in Panther. It’s safe to come through. White Tiger out.”

“White Tiger?” Travis asked.

“My animagus form.”

“Oh. Why don’t you use you real name?”

“Just in case someone overhears us, that way if they do, all they hear are code names.”

“Clever but a bit James Bond for me.” Travis said smiling.

“You know James Bond?”

“Yeah, my parents are muggles.”

“Huh, mine too.”

Ginny popped into the room carrying a bag full of Hermione’s work clothes. “Hey sweetie, everything go ok?”

“Yep, all except when he clocked me one when I wasn’t looking.”

“Yes well, he looks like a right bastard,” Ginny looked over at the cage.

“I’m Travis,” he held out his hand.

“Ginny,” she took his hand, “it’s a pleasure.” She looked at Hermione and smiled. “Let’s get you back to your true form, shall we?”

“Oh yes please. Did you bring my clothes?”

“All here,” Ginny waved her wand over her and the glamour disappeared. Hermione turned to Travis.

“Do you have a room where I could change?”

“Um no I’m afraid but I’ll stand here with my back turned. I promise I won’t peek.”

Hermione went over to the fire and pulled off her dress. She threw it in the fire along with her shoes and everything she was wearing. This way nothing could be traced to her in case she by accident left something behind.

“Incendio.” Ginny pointed her wand at the clothes while she handed Hermione the back with her change of clothes.

Hermione changed quickly and began to braid her hair before telling Travis he could turn around.

“Wow, you look different. Are you wearing guns?”

“Yeah,” Ginny answered although she didn’t elaborate.

“So Travis, how long have you been working this job?”

“About an hour.” Both girls looked at him sharply. “Generally I work as a chief investigator at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. I know torture methods that will curl our toes.”

“OK, we’ll take your word for it.” Hermione said.

“How long have you been in the kidnapping business?”

“Two weeks.”

“Well it looks like we’ll be learning a lot from each other then.” Travis poured them all a glass of port and toasted the occasion. “To the blood and gore.

The girls looked at each other and shrugged; when in Rome so to speak.

“To the blood and gore,” the girls clinked glasses.


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A/N: This will be a Severus/Hermione fic but not till later on. I'm just setting up the characters and the emotions. So bare with me for a little while longer. Thanks and please review.