The Prime Princess

Lucius shoved some branches off his face as he strode in woods with Moretius at his heel. His wet robes were ripped from few places and his long hair was a mess but he didn’t care of his appearance. He only cared of his fiancé.

Moretius stomped in his tale with a grim look on his face and cursed under his breath. He was mad like hell. They both had their wands drawn, as they got closer to Darkmore. The mansion had appeared from nowhere but Moretius had got a trace of its magic and had hunted it down.

“Stop,” hissed Moretius and grabbed at Lucius’ shoulder to halt him. “Any more closer and the damn thing runs off.”

“I know,” whispered Lucius as dark haired wizard stood next to him.

One fair and one dark, so they stood in the pouring rain and stared at Darkmore towering over them with glowing windows.

“FIAT NARKE!!!” roared Lucius and cast an immobilizing curse on the castle, breaking the barriers it had. Darkmore shuddered under the curse but didn’t vanish.

“Come on!” yelled Moretius and ran.
***
Hermione yanked her wrists but made it all worse. Ropes bruised her skin and draw blood but she was too mad to notice. She just couldn’t understand why her two best friends had her tied up with no explanation. It just seemed too odd and when things looked odd, then there was magic – Imperius!

“Pansy, let me go, please,” she whined and tried to look sad.

“I can’t do that, honey,” said Pansy and added some new components to her brew. It had started to turn yellow which was a good sign. Soon it was done.

Blaise came into the kitchen with a hurry.

“They have us grounded!” he yelled and tried to calm his panic attack.

“I knew it! Lucius will come and rescue me!”

“You don’t need him to rescue you!” snarled Blaise. He was furious that the diamond ring’s magic turned her into a damn fairytale princess who believed in the power of love. In a wrong way at that.

“You need to be rescued from him,” he hissed and wished he had a manual for the castle to make it disappear again.

“No, you are crazy. Why would I need that?”

“He made you…” Blaise stopped and searched the right words because he himself still doubted but for long, “Love him.”

“No, I loved him a long time ago before this!”

“The magic makes you think so,” he said with a sad note in his voice and turned away. He didn’t want to see her that way – obsessed with love that didn’t exist.
***
“Alohomora!” yelled Moretius and the heavy doors of the castle burst open. Lucius stormed into the lobby and looked around in suspicion, waiting for an attack. Nothing. So far.

“Where is she?”

“Come on, this way,” showed Moretius as his wand had pointed at the right direction.
***
“Almost done,” said Pansy as her potion turned into gold. It only needed to cool off a bit for drinking.

“Fabulous,” murmured Blaise in the middle of alarm spells blaring and reporting of intruders. “We still have to get out of here!”

“Yes-yes!” hollered Pansy and poured the golden mixture into three bottles and corked them. Blaise untied Hermione and to prevent her from escaping, he pointed his wand at her.

“Stupefy!”

Hermione fell limp between his hands and Blaise only got to smirk before the castle got over the curse it was under and took off.
***
Ron stared at the Burrow from distance. It was a shack but it was his home. Harry didn’t seem to be bothered by Draco’s comments on it but Ron really wished he’d have a presentable wizarding home.

“Darkmore should be here soon,” said Harry looking at his map again and taking a glance around the village. He knew the place well and knew the plan how to get Hermione if she came at sight.

“Here it comes!” shouted Draco as the castle fell from the sky and landed roughly on the ground. The whole ground shook from the impact.

Draco got to his feet and stormed at the castle throwing curses and hexes at it. Harry and Ron came after him.
***
Blaise stumbled out of the kitchen’s back door and waited a second for Pansy. Hermione was heaved limply over his shoulder as Blaise looked over the village and searched for something out of place.

“I can’t believe we have to…”

“Sorry, but he is the best in ancient knickknacks,” told Pansy and found the Burrow hiding on the edge of the village.

“We even don’t know if he’s there!”

“It’s winter holiday, all Weasleys are there,” said Pansy matter-of-factly and strode down the hill, hurrying Blaise to move faster.
***
Dust settled on Moretius’ black dress robes as he lay on the floor. Lucius was already up and storming around, shouting and calling for Hermione.

From distance he heard hexes crackle and the floor underneath him started to vibrate. Soon the damn castle would change places again and so Moretius jumped up.

“Lucius! She’s not here anymore!” he yelled after checking his wand that pointed out of one wide window towards the village.
***
Pansy rushed to Blaise’s side and ordered him to put Hermione down for a moment. Her brew was enough cooled to drink.

Blaise sat down behind a hedge and settled Hermione across his lap. Pansy took out one bottle filled with liquid gold and uncorked it. She made Hermione drink it.

“No…” moaned Hermione groggily and rolled herself off of Blaise’s lap. Getting on all fours, she looked around with a dazed look. She was so dizzy that she barely stood.

“I think I already should use this,” told Blaise, taking out a little green pouch.

“No, definitely not. She’s still under the first ring’s influence,” said Pansy but Blaise didn’t stop. While they were arguing, Hermione got to her feet and staggered off.

She didn’t find the place familiar. Small houses with yards littered the street on both sides. She walked to the end of one block, and then looked back and found Pansy and Blaise still arguing, and turned left with a spurt. The more she ran, the more she felt life coming back.

Getting to next parallel street, she looked around the corner and heard Blaise calling her. From another direction she heard the love of her life calling her name. She wanted to run to him but her feet ran at the other direction.

And then she noticed Blaise running right at her and she had no time to outrun them both. She bumped into Blaise and fell to the ground. Blaise got hold of her and as he struggled with her, he managed to grab her hand and force a diamond ring on her finger.

On the next second Lucius arrived and Blaise let Hermione go.

“She’s mine now,” declared Blaise triumphantly and Lucius watched Hermione who didn’t know what to say or do. She felt sorry for Lucius. She wanted to apologize, to say lot of things but she didn’t find her voice.

Lucius just stood there, white as snow and breathed hard. Few moments later Moretius was at his side and getting the picture, he put a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

And then fury returned.

“Zabini, I’ll take this to Wizengamot if I have to!” threatened Lucius.