Lendoren

Disclaimer: everything you recognise belongs to Jo

Story by kelokelo, chapter translated by septentrion and beta’ed by Tanit (what would I do without her?)

Chapter 33. The Attack Begins.

It was a nice spring day with the holidays due to begin in two weeks. Ginny and her friends were coming from the greenhouses, where they had had their Herbology class, when Ginny felt like being alone. She slowed her pace down and let them go ahead of her. Without realising it, she was heading for Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Actually, she wasn’t aware of anything but for the feeling it was essential that she went there.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were working in the library when Harry noticed the Gryffindors sixth year coming, but without Ginny. He asked them where she was, but all they could say was that Ginny was behind them while coming back to the castle. When they saw that she wasn’t at dinner either, Hermione and Harry went to Gryffindor tower; they were so sure to find her there. Obviously, they were wrong. They went back to the Great Hall, but Ginny hadn’t come there either. Hermione decided then to contact her companion: perhaps he would have information from the teachers? Perhaps she had a detention to serve?

“Erwin?” she asked softly.

“What are you looking for, my dear, instead of eating?”

“Ginny. Nobody seems to know where she is. I thought you might know something from the other teachers. Her last class was Herbology with Professor Sprout.”

She didn’t hear any answer, but she saw him leaning toward the Herbology Professor who shook her head.

“She left the class for the castle with her friends as usual, Hermione, and she doesn’t have a detention. Madam Pomfrey hadn’t seen her either. She didn’t fight with Harry, did she?”

“No, not really, Erwin. There were no signs of a fight this morning, and I’ve been with Harry all day. Ginny was at lunch as well and everything was fine then.”

“Where has Harry gone?” Severus was starting to be worried. He didn’t know why, but he felt uneasy.

“To fetch the Maraudeur’s Map to look for her.”

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Harry sighed with relief when he saw the label “Ginny Weasley” on the Map. What was she doing in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom? She didn’t seem to be moving. He decided to go and see her. They could find Ron and Hermione later. When he arrived in the bathroom, there was no sign of Ginny, but her bag was there. He decided to take it before he went back to Gryffindor tower. Why did the Map mislead him?

When he grabbed the bag, he felt like being taken by an invisible hook in his belly; Ginny’s bag had been made into a Portkey.

When the meal was finished, Ron and Hermione traded glances: they were more amused than worried. Harry and Ginny were certainly exasperating, but they thought that the couple was together and was taking advantage of Hermione’s spare bedroom.

All of a sudden, Hermione felt a great cold taking hold of her and she shivered brutally. Ron was looking at her with astonishment. Without knowing, she’d taken her Lendoren appearance, and she couldn’t take her “normal” appearance again.

“Hermione,” Erwin said in a peremptory voice, “the defences are going down, you must back them up. Where is Potter?”

Gryffin also had felt the defences crumpling. It was the day before the spring equinox, they had to wait for midnight, when Hermione would receive all her powers. Until then, they’d have to survive, while trying to avoid … well, everyone.

“I … I don’t know, Erwin! I can’t change back to my normal appearance, and the Gryffindors have begun to ask questions.”

“Go and fetch the Maraudeur’s Map with Ron, and before you go anywhere, tell me what you see on it. Hurry!”

“But, what about the defences?”

“Too late, the cold is the proof that the Dictator is already here. He’ll seek me first, then you if he knows about your existence. He mustn’t find us before midnight. Go, now!”

He wasn’t very articulated at that moment, but he couldn’t lose time.

While she was running in Hogwarts corridors with Ron, she tried to carry on her conversation with Erwin.

“Why midnight?”

“Because tomorrow is the spring equinox, Hermione.” He was getting impatient. “Only then will you possess all your powers. We must avoid him until that moment.”

“But … Harry? Ginny?»

«I don’t know, Hermione, but I think he has them. They’re bait, but unfortunately, we can’t go to free them yet. Well, that map?”

“We’re not arrived yet.”

“Hurry!”

“Will we be alone?”

“No, the Community’s arrived, and the Order of the Phoenix as well. I doubt the Dictator has come alone. Voldemort will be there with the Death Eaters.”

“It happens tonight?” Hermione started to panic.

“Tonight, Hermione.” Severus’ tone was scathing. “You mustn’t reveal yourself before midnight. There are only two exceptions: if my or Harry’s lives are in danger. We need Harry to kill Voldemort, and you need me to vanquish the Dictator. Don’t use your Lendoren magic as long as you can so that he won’t be able to locate you.”

Ron didn’t know about the conversation of course, but he noticed Hermione had become paler and paler. She was distraught by the time they came to Gryffindor tower. She grabbed his arm and whispered, “It’s for tonight, Ron. Voldemort, the Dictator, and all that jazz.”

Ron’s eyes took the form of saucepans. He was sure he’d landed in a nightmare, which wasn’t that far from reality.

“The Map, Hermione,” Severus screamed. “Where are they?”

“Quick, Ron, the Map!”

They found it in Harry’s trunk, with his Invisibility cloak. Ron put the cloak in one of his big pockets, just in case.

They saw the two labels of Harry and Ginny above Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom; they weren’t moving. Hermione told it to Erwin, who forbade them to go there.

Hermione was thinking quickly. If the Dictator was there to catch Erwin, he would want to find him before midnight, and her as well, if he knew about her existence. Like Harry had told her during the holidays, what they needed to do now was to bluff and spoil all the strategists’ plans. In this case, it meant going to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Her face took a determined look, and she dragged Ron with her.

“Where are you going?” Ron stammered.

“To Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom,” she answered in a determined voice.

“But … Erwin …”

“Can’t forbid me anything. We must go.”

Her mental shield was at its most potency; in spite of the intense cold, she was recovering part of her power. They weren’t far from the bathroom when they had to hide. A Lendoren couple was guarding the door. Severus knew them, and she wasn’t answering him anymore; he was going to try and prevent them from entering.

Ron took Harry’s cloak from his pocket. Hermione cast him a grateful look, and they both slipped under it. They had grown up a lot and had to stoop to walk under it, but they went past the Lendoren couple without a hitch. However, they nearly gave themselves away when they heard Severus’ voice.

“Any sign of them?”

“None, Erwin. Perhaps you worry for nothing. She’s probably sulking in some corner out of frustration.”

“Oh, no,” Severus answered. “I’m pretty sure that they’re trying to go in there. They’ve been getting around prohibitions under my nose for years. But as soon as I get hold of her, I’ll give her a piece of my mind! I’m persuaded that they have some asset at their disposal that I don’t know about yet.”

He was furious and worried; Hermione could clearly feel it. But she couldn’t reassure him. He was scanning the corridor, and though his eyes were set on the placer where they were standing, he didn’t seem to have seen them. He ran to another corridor, thus giving them a free way to the bathroom door.


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