Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter 56: The Dark Mark

Hermione heard a clap of what at first she thought to be thunder. Her mind told her otherwise and she was startled from her thoughts. She was lying on the bed and quickly sent a concerned imagine to Severus.

“What is happening?” she asked him in her mind.

Severus replied quickly, his voice ringing with amusement, ”Ah, I see the cavalry has arrived.”

Severus, Tolmie and Peter were getting ready to leave Hogwarts. Tonight was the night when they would be rescuing Hermione, and they all were in the midst of putting on their thick travelling cloaks.

At Hermione’s feelings of confusion, he quickly added, ”Go look out the window.”

Hermione hastily tumbled off the bed knocking her knee on the side table. She was rubbing the said appendage as she peered out of the glass and what she saw took her breathe away. She let out a loud squeak of surprise, as she gazed out to the sprawling lawns, valleys and hills below.

Standing on the lawns of the Minister’s mansion were literally hundreds of magically beings. It was probably the most frightening yet breathtaking scene Hermione had ever encountered. If she hadn’t had known that Severus was somehow mixed up in this, she would have had, quite literally, a heart attack.

Hermione took in the sight before her, a look of open amazement clearly showing on her face. She tried to identify all of the creatures, as her brain was want to do, and she was pleasantly surprised when she named them all.

She saw Manticores, Chimeras, Unicorns, Centaurs, a couple of Demiguises, Diricawls, trolls, a Graphorn, a few Erumpets, Satyrs and even an army of Doxys.

They were all waiting in formation, as if under some powerful spell. Side by side, they stood in organised lines. Creatures that didn’t get on inside or outside the magical world normally were there magically as if they co-existed in complete harmony.

The Centaurs stood proudly displaying their spears in their right hands. Hermione knew that this was a magical spear, like the wizards held wands so too the centaurs held onto their magical javelin like tool. The tip of each spear held a pointed silver arrowhead and around the staff there were various feathers and bits of leather.

Although wizarding kind knew an ample amount of information about magical creatures and their various social orders, there was still plenty of material that they didn’t know. Magical beings, in general, were very secretive and protective over their clans. So not having every little detail written down in books, where Hermione got most of her information from, was rather distressing to her.

Care of Magical Creatures had been a real eye-opener when she had first arrived at Hogwarts. She thought back fondly to Hagrid and of the half-giant's love of all magical beings; however, she had never seen most of these life forms this close and she figured that she would probably never have this experience again. So being the avid pupil that she was, her mind memorised each and every one of them in loving detail.

Her gaze focused on the skies as her peripheral vision caught sight of a shadow passing over the mansion. A Griffon came to hover right outside her window, beating its wings as it inspected with close scrutiny its surroundings.

Hermione tore her eyes away from the Griffon after a couple of seconds as she investigated the rest of the skies. She saw a Thunderbird and a handful of Hippogriffs, as well as the most beautiful of all birds, the Fwooper.

She knew of the Fwoopers’ ability to sing, its song driving the listener to insanity. She had thought the creature to be extinct and almost wished that Luna Lovegood were here to see what she was seeing now, Luna would have been in her element.

She was admiring the Fwooper when her line of sight was suddenly disturbed. The full moon was momentarily blocked by the largest dragon she had ever seen in her life. A Hebridean Black, her frazzled brain told her, as she watched the massive creature give a thunderous roar and blow fire out of its mouth and nostrils as it lit up the night sky.

The flames licked at the roof of the mansion, doing little to them, but leaving a couple of charred tiles.

Snapped out of her close analysis of the creatures, she sent a message to Severus.

”It’s absolutely breathtaking, Severus; you have to see this.” She spoke to him in a shaky voice, using their forced link. The adrenaline pumping through her veins was hard to manage, even for the level-headed young woman that she was, and she felt quite light-headed and disbelieving of her own two eyes.

Hermione’s heart was hammering in her chest and it filled her ears with it fast paced beat. She rubbed her eyes before returning to gaze out the window.

”I shall be there momentarily; just hold tight and I shall see you shortly,” Severus replied, laughing at the sound of awe in her voice.

Hermione only managed to nod her head faintly as it looked as though the formations were moving forward in their advance.

The first line was indeed advancing and the wards surrounding the house gave way as the creatures stepped through them as though they weren’t there at all.

In the next seconds, she saw a fireball hit the front line and gasped out in horror as some Centaurs fell. The others kept on advancing, walking over their fallen comrades with steely determination.

The night sky was ablaze with blue, white and red sparks and spells; it looked to Hermione as though fireworks were going off, but she knew that this was just a precaution that the Minister had added to his house. It was indeed the mansion's own defences, a way of self-preservation, to keep itself whole.

Hermione was momentarily blinded as a huge orange fireball shot from the house. She blinked, trying to regain her sight, as she saw the fireball make its way into the distance, narrowly missing the Hebridean Black as the dragon roared out its protest and shot a beam of flames at the mansion's impenetrable defences.

Hermione watched on with admiration, as the magical creatures just kept on coming. There was no concern for their own safety, and the number of fallen were steadily rising. It seemed that the wards did nothing to prevent their assault and her smirk grew into a beaming smile as she realised that the Minister was not expecting an attack of this magnitude, especially from the creatures that showed their absolute distaste for involving themselves in anything that concerned wizarding kind.

A solitary Erumpet, which Hermione thought looked a lot like a rhinoceros, had made it through the armaments of spells coming from the mansion and to the front door. It was now rushing headlong at the entrance. Although Hermione couldn’t see its progress, as the door was out of her line of sight, she could undeniably perceive the effects it was having on the mansion itself as she could feel the place shudder with each attack on the heavy oak door.

***

Dark spells and potions were called Dark for a reason. One could never tell what was going to be the outcome of performing this spell or concocting that potion.

Fortunately for Severus and Hermione, the particular potion that the Potions Master had used to locate Hermione Granger had only linked their hearts and souls irreversibly together.

It could have been much worse.

Tolmie had felt through his Empathic link the first time he had laid eyes on Severus that he was a lonely soul, searching but never quite grasping at happiness.

Wasn’t it true that everyone deserved a little happiness in their life? Tolmie could tell that Severus could most definitely use some.

Besides, how bad could it be to be linked to someone? If the two people involved in linking were not suited, then they wouldn’t fall in love. True, they would never fall as deeply in love with anyone else, or even find true happiness, as that was the way with this particular potion; however, they could live out a comfortable life with someone they cared for deeply.

Tolmie had thought that Severus would have known about these consequences. Hell, he wore the Dark Mark on his left forearm, though Tolmie had never seen it. He could feel its presence hovering on the surface of his psyche like a bad smell.

Tolmie had deliberated on the fact that the dark-haired Potions Master had been fighting within himself, though outside he wore his cool exterior to the world, he was lacking something and ready to give up totally, though he knew from the way that he held himself together that he would fight to the death for the ones that he loved and for the few things that he believed in.

***

Severus stood in front of Tolmie on the darkening grounds of Hogwarts. He was at a total a loss for words as his mind reeled with the implications of Tolmie’s declaration. His brain was trying to process everything the older Potions Master had told him.

He should have known. He should have realised when he had made the potion to locate Hermione that there would be consequences to his actions; however, he had never thought to check, to ask the older man about the potion. Instead he had rushed headfirst into brewing it, never once stopping to think about the long-term outcome, only of his goal which was to locate Hermione and bring her back to Hogwarts with him.

It was totally out of character for Severus not to ask questions and to get all of the facts before rushing into something -- especially a potion. He was usually so methodical in his life, never leaving anything to chance, he had to be.

’Once a spy always a spy, he thought bitterly to himself.

He was snapped out of the abyss of his own self loathing by the gentle voice of the older man in front of him.

“Severus,” Tolmie half-whispered, trying to get the dark-haired man standing before him to snap out of his reverie. Severus was staring off in the distance and his eyes were unfocused. They needed all their wits about them if they were to fulfil their mission.

“We need to get going now,” Tolmie persisted. Severus’ face had been a pattern of conflicting emotions just moments ago, but it once more became the cold mask that Tolmie was used to seeing as he pulled his slumped shoulders back and stood to full height.

The younger Potions Master started to walk briskly towards the Apparation site, not caring if the two wizards were following or not.

He growled out his frustration at the imminent trip that was as unavoidable as the sun’s rising, but spoke no other words as he made it to the site.

Tolmie thought of Severus' histrionics and reflected he was being a little childish; however, he quickly dismissed this notion as he would probably feel the same way had he been in the younger man's position. It was true that he could be rather prickly, but if he had seen as much as Severus had, he would probably be where the dark-haired man was right now.

’We two are not as unlike as you would like to believe, Severus,’ Tolmie thought as he struggled to keep pace with the younger mans longer legs.

Severus whirled around to face the two wizards, his thick travel cloak doing its best to catch the wind and billow like his normal robes, but failing. He raised one eyebrow and plastered a sneer firmly in place; it clearly spoke volumes of the impatient man that he was, and the two wizards almost bolted up to his side as they felt the rather distinct feeling of leaving Hogwarts wards behind them.

They were standing within the Apparation site, which was clearly marked out by the huge rock lying to the left. The foreboding trees of the Forbidden Forest were also in front of them.

Peter shivered nervously as he withdrew his wand and held it out in front of him.

Severus looked down to the wand that Peter held in his hand. Obviously he must have missed the little exchange between the Headmaster and the rat as it had never even crossed his mind that Pettigrew would have his wand back.

He sighed internally at that thought. What else had he missed in the last week?

Well, now was not the time to think about that; he had a mission to carry out. A very important mission that could mean he would either spend the rest of his life happy or shorten his miserable existence greatly. He hoped it would be the former, and that when Hermione found out about the potion, she too would still feel the same way.

With that thought in mind, he lifted his wand up and as one all three wizards Apparated to the point just outside of the wards at the Minister's mansion.

***

Hermione felt Severus’ presence on the property and looked around frantically for him.

”Severus?” she asked in an excited voice, using their link.

”Hush, woman,” Severus replied in a tone that brooked no argument.

The three wizards took in the sight of the various magical creatures advancing before them.

Peter looked at Tolmie, his eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open. Tolmie just gave him a flash of a smile as if to say ‘so what,’ and looked back to skies.

Tolmie was pleased to see that the creatures had kept up their side of the bargain and, although he knew that this was not an insignificant event, now was not the time for gawking whilst they still had the element of surprise on their side.

Tolmie lifted up his wand and muttered a Disillusionment Charm over himself and the other two wizards. The difference with this charm was the fact that the three wizards could still see each other although no one else could see them. All three blended into the shrubbery, long grass and darkness together.

They looked on as the creatures were battling against the extensive house, which they all knew to be the Minister’s mansion.

Using his ‘mind speak’ with the creatures, Tolmie sent an image to them. They all changed formation and clustered into groups of five. The Centaurs gave a piercing battle cry as they converged head first upon the house and started firing off their own spells using their magical spears.

Swooping down upon the mansion's roof, the dragon started tearing away at the tiles with its sharp and deadly claws, leaving a gaping hole.

The Griffons were next in the line of assault as they attacked with a ferocious relentlessness that would have amazed any spectators, had anyone been watching.

”Stand away from the windows and door and go somewhere safe.” Severus, using the link, said to Hermione in a concerned voice.

Hermione tore herself away from the glass at Severus’ request and went to sit on the floor next to the bed, as far away as she could from the window.

She was just in time as she heard another piercing clap of thunder, presumably from the Thunderbird, and all the windows shattered.

The magical creatures were wearing the mansion's defences down, and they were starting to see its effects on the place. The three wizards could see the enormous hole in the roof, credited to the dragon, and the glass in the windows was now missing.

Now was the perfect time to strike, as Severus moved into position between the wards and the surrounding hills. He lifted up his wand as the two wizards came to join him, their wands drawn and pointed towards the wards that were surrounding the manor.

It took them almost two minutes to finally break a hole into the wards just large enough for them to slip through without being detected. Once through Peter collapsed against the ground, his chest was heaving as he tried to suck as much oxygen in as possible.

“What are you doing?” Severus hissed at him dangerously.

“Just catching my breath,” Peter replied while still gulping down lungful of air.

“Well, do it in your own time; you are not here to relax,” Severus spat back at him as he jabbed him in the ribs with his boot.

Peter moaned, but made his way to his feet, careful not to look at the dark-haired wizards face whilst doing so.

Tolmie looked over to the two wizards. He knew Severus disliked the man; well dislike might be a bit too soft of a word for Severus’ vocabulary, but he used it nonetheless. However, they needed Peter if they were going to get Miss Hermione Granger out of this in one piece.

“Ready,” Tolmie simply stated. The two men just nodded their heads in unison as they looked over to where Tolmie stood by a huge maple-like tree.

All of a sudden Peter clutched his left forearm and gave a terrible cry of agony as he fell to the floor. Severus had a different reaction although Tolmie could just make out the pain and confusion on his face as he too grasped his forearm and hissed out in pain.

It all happened so fast that Tolmie had to rub his eyes disbelievingly. One second they were about to embark on the manor and the next the two men before him disappeared.

***

So, what do you think of Tolmie’s mission? Please let me know if you had even an inkling of what would happen.

Sorry, all, but my vengeful streak is back and looking for blood. Who shall I kill off next? Hmm, decisions, decisions… Well, Fudge is a given, but who else? I shall leave it up to you, my faithful followers, although I have got a couple of deaths planned.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter your response was overwhelming! I do so very much appreciate it. Thank you to the regular reviewers; you warm the cockles of this hardened heart and I love you all.

To my wonderful beta, LariLee, what can I say except thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking by me though this journey. I love you and hope you get better soon.

Well, I booked my trip to Egypt for Christmas time, yippee! I shall be going there with my twin sister, Jenny, and we shall be doing all of the tourist stuff ( i.e. cruising the Nile, riding the donkeys and the camels). I can’t wait. I will still be heading over to New Orleans next May for Phoenix Rising. Oh and don’t worry, I’m not rich, it’s just that I’d rather be young and broke, than old and rich.

Disclaimer: The usual. Don’t own any of the characters that you recognize.