Harvest Moon

Hermione walked out of the library just in time to hear Lucius tell Harry that it was really none of his bloody business whom she chose to see on any level.

“It does when she happens to be a friend of mine,” Harry snarled, catching sight of her before Lucius did.

“From what I can gather you’ve not been a very good friend to her these last ten years, Potter,” Lucius said between clenched teeth. “I’d hardly think you could muster yourself to be concerned now.”

Hermione sighed as both men’s wands were drawn after that statement. She shook her head. She really didn’t want to get between those two if they were both angry enough to pull a wand on the other man but she would if she had to. She frowned as he gaze went to Harry. His stance was all wrong for some reason. She had known him long enough to know how he stood when threatened. Had been in the DA with him, been taught by him and knew how he held a wand. Her eyes narrowed when she looked at the wand itself. Something was very wrong here, she surmised. She was moving, putting a hand out to move Lucius from harm’s way and opening her mouth to warn him something wasn’t right when the wand in Harry’s hand flicked to her.

“Petrificus totalis,” he said almost lazily before whipping the wand back around at Lucius and using the same spell.

Lucius and Hermione both struggled to break the bonds of the hex to no avail, suddenly realizing the danger they were both in from the person with Harry Potter’s face. The Harry imposter twirled the wand between his fingers, smiling down at both of them.

“Too bad. You’ve ruined my fun for the day. Though I might have known you’d figure it out, dear lady. Your reputation does precede you after all.” He crouched down next to her, smiling all the while. “I’ll wager you’re wondering how I managed to get hold of Mr. Potter’s hair for the transformation. Well, I’ll not tell you that just yet. Perhaps later after you’re begging me for mercy.” He laughed and stood up.

“Hmm. Where to start? Where to start?” he said, moving around first Lucius then Hermione. Finally coming to a halt next to Hermione. “I think I’ll begin with you, shall I. It will be so much fun to torture you before Lucius’ eyes in his own home.” He smiled nastily and sat down on Hermione’s stomach, being none to gentle about it. He moved a piece of her hair away from her face with the wand. “Hmm. Not a very pretty little thing, are we?” he tsked. “Really, Lucius, I thought you had better taste than this. At least the little muggle bitch you’ve been playing with is lovely and elegant. But this . . . I’d never have believed you’d sink so low, little brother.”

Lucius’ fingers were twitching as he was trying to fight off the effects of the spell. He had to get free of it, had to help Hermione somehow.

“Just keep doing that, little brother. It’s vastly entertaining to watch you struggle.”

He was distracted when the library door flew open and Ara came out demanding to know what was going on.

The false Potter pointed the wand at Ara, “Imperio.” She stopped walking and smiled a little, a dreamy expression coming onto her face.

Lucius started fighting harder to break the spell. Hermione at least knew how spells in the Wizarding world worked and could probably counter anything herself, he just had to buy them some time. Ara, on the other hand, would be more vulnerable because she’d never been trained in defensive magick from his world.

“Ah, Lucius, how lucky can I be today? All three of the people I need to cause pain under the same roof.”