Prologue
The day dawned clear and bright sunlight cascaded over the tops of the snow-covered mountains making them sparkle like diamonds. Hermione Granger however was not very happy. For the week of Christmas brake her parents had dragged her along on a ski trip to Eagle Mountain, Colorado. As they rounded the corner in the road Hermione could see the Eagle Mountain Lodge an old log hotel that was nestled into the side of the mountain. It was a nice place but still Hermione wished that she could be with her friends. Harry had disappeared to some secret vacation spot and Ron was probably at the burrow stuffing his face with his mothers delicious cooking.
Hermione sighed as she climbed out of the car and stepped into the snow she was wearing a Lavender purple ski outfit that was very becoming. She hoisted her skis to her shoulder and walked up to the rack on the front porch of the lodge where she deposited them. Then wiping her feet off she went inside. The lady that owned and operated the lodge was a spry sixty year-old lady named Margaret Wilson and she was the type person that you couldn't help but take a liking to.
"Welcome, Welcome to Eagle Mountain Lodge she said as she shook each one of their hands."
"Thank you Mrs. Wilson," said Hermione.
"Young Lady," she said, "Mrs. Wilson was my mother, you can call me Aunt Maggie Just like everybody else does." After being invited to make themselves at home Hermione's parents went to their room to rest from their long trip and Hermione sat cuddled up in a big armchair near the fireplace with her favorite muggle book. After reading for a while she stopped, leaned back and closed her eyes. She was almost asleep when a man who was looking out the window suddenly shouted.
"Look, skiing down the mountain, it's that good for nothing skunk Dan Jannigan!"
"The poacher that the whole park service has been after?" asked another man excitedly.
"Yeah," said the first man, " Him and those two no account side-kicks, Sikes and Mole, and they're running for all they're worth!"
"And no wonder either, Zeke" said the second man pointing out the window and up the slope, "Look who they've got breathing down their necks it's captain Nate Williams and the Lieutenant." Hermione who had walked over to window to see what all the excitement was about looked out Just in time to see two men in green skiing outfits overtake and tackle three men with rifles strapped on their backs. Two men jumped up and charged one of the green suited men. The man turned slightly and stepped on the curled up end of one of the skis that was lying there it popped up into his hand and he swung it knocking both of them out. Then he walked over to them and handcuffed them just as the other green suited man finished cuffing the one he had caught.
"Woo-hoo," said Zeke, "those two should have known better than to charge the Lieutenant." The two men jerked their prisoners to their feet and turned them over to the transport that pulled up right about then. Then the taller one clapped the other one on the back and they turned and started up the stairs to the front door. The door opened and they stepped inside shaking the snow off of themselves.
"Well, Nathan," said Maggie with a chuckle as she came in from the kitchen, "where have you been it's been two weeks since you've hauled that sorry hide of yours through my door."
The taller one took of his helmet
"Well, Maggie," he said with a laugh, " a guy's got to do his paper work sometime." Nathan William was a handsome young man of a bout 25 years he had brown hair and eyes and stood about 6'2"
"You and the Lieutenant go change and wash up dinner will be ready in a minute." Said Maggie. Nathan and the Lieutenant walked past Hermione toward the massive wooden staircase that wound its way behind the front desk and up to the second floor. Hermione saw the Lieutenant take off his helmet as he walked up the stairs. The Lieutenant's hair was raven black.
TBC
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