Chapter 31 - Anger and Lust
Standing just outside Ron Weasley's room, Didler was very excited about how the day was unfolding. There was still so much work to be done but if all went as planned, the second set of murders using Cardinal curses was going to be completed in less than twelve hours.
The sense of urgency was due to the serious implication of being discovered before the seventh murder. Didler had realized a long time ago that being an outcast and an outlaw was not an acceptable fate. Death would be preferable. It was imperative that the seventh murder occur before the Cardinal's identity was unmasked.
Currently, Granger was inside the room performing the healing spell. Weasley would have probably awoken already if not for the reverse spells Didler did to prevent a highly compromising situation. While it was Didler's every desire to let Weasley live, somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, he knew who the Cardinal was. There was a big risk that Granger would be able to pick at his altered memory to see what happened at her apartment that night Dorner was murdered. It was better for Weasley to remain in a coma until Granger was either in Azkaban or dead.
Plotting nefarious activities sure required full time commitment! Crucial to the success of the plan was for Granger and Potter to not be able to confer with one another. Granger and Tilly had definitely profited from Potter's return. They were going nowhere in their investigation until he returned. It was only common sense that they not be allowed to discuss the case further. Granger had not realized it yet but her phone was no longer in her possession and was now confunded to puzzle anyone trying to take advantage of its tracking charm. She would not see Potter until it was his turn to be cursed.
It was difficult to arrange and stage on such a short notice but all was good. Number six was primed and would be ready when they met in an hour. Granger was about to receive an invitation to watch.
Yes. The friend was going to be a better specimen than Malfoy. After all, it would be more devastating for Granger to lose a friend than an enemy, even if that meant Didler would lose a friend too.
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Just inside Ron's room, Hermione was finished with the morning healing session. Before she started, she talked to him for a bit. She wasn't sure if he could hear her but just in case, she thought it might please him to know that she had sorted things out with Harry. She felt him squeeze her hand as she held it and hoped that was not just her imagination.
A couple of Healers were talking about the Gomez murder on her way in. Hermione was quite disturbed about the fact that the Cardinal was indeed capable of killing family, which could only mean anyone was fair game. Also, there seemed to be a rush to complete the second set of murders and her concern was that Harry had yet to learn one single counter-curse.
The one good thing about the latest murder was that Scrimgeour had cut his vacation short and was being briefed by Kingsley about recent events. Harry was back in her life, they were close to finding the Cardinal's identity and the Ministry was, in all likelihood, going to be on their side. Things were beginning to look up.
She heard someone come into the room and glanced over towards the door. Putting her wand away, she said, "Thank you for coming on such short notice."
"I'm glad to help. How is he?" the individual Hermione didn't know was Didler responded in an earnest caring voice.
"I felt him squeeze my hand," Hermione shared the experience.
"That's great news," Didler replied. "You said you wanted to ask me something."
"Yes, about Hogwarts. We found Didler's name in a logbook listing students requiring financial assistance."
"You did?" a surprised but seemingly less positive response than Hermione thought it would be.
"Yes, and there's a huge possibility that Didler attended Hogwarts under a pseudonym and is from your first year class. Do you know of anyone who might be capable of all this?"
"In my class? I can't imagine who it could be."
Hermione was looking at reactions that were subtly incongruent to what she thought they would be as she half listened to Didler talk about possible suspects from the first year class.
"There was Jeffers, he always seemed to get into trouble…"
Bonham was a common last name but since Hogwarts, she had always meant to ask the Hufflepuff whether or not there was a relation to St. Mungo Bonham, founder of St. Mungo's. Harry did mention reading from Gomez' notes that Didler's mother, Elise Kline, was a descendant of the famous Healer.
"It could be Slayer, she was such an outcast I wouldn't be surprised…"
During the course of her Lumos research as she was putting together her list of enabled, she found Didler's name in the Ministry archive; a one-liner, stating that the eight year old's mother died to protect her child. They knew Didler was in the Muggle foster care system until that name disappeared from Muggle records at age 11 in 1994, presumably because of a change in name to the Hogwarts alias. The meeting between Gomez, Professor Dumbledore, and Fudge happened a few days after Voldemort got his body back following the Triwizard Tournament.
"We can always ask Flint about his fellow Slytherins…"
Was it all a coincidence or was it because Didler was indeed Voldemort's child? The fact that Didler was an anagram for Riddle and the timing of Professor Dumbledore's meeting with the Ministry about the child seemed to suggest strongly that there was a Voldemort connection. If so, Gomez probably helped set that up using a Muggle charity, most likely to protect Didler, so there would be no direct link to a specific witch or wizard in the magical world for Voldemort or any of the Death Eaters to find.
"It might be helpful if I looked at our class list to refresh my memory…"
From the Gomez files and the Muggle records it was evident that the Saint Lamb Homes Foundation was created around the same time Dumbledore met with Gomez. The charity was definitely vital to finding Didler. She first heard of the name of the charity late last night and how it was named after some Muggle do-gooder, a non-Church sanctioned saint, Theresa Lane. Lamb Lane. St. Lamb. St. Lamb Homes. Or was it Saint Lamb? Saint Lamb Homes. Her heart started beating faster as an insight suddenly hit her about the person she was talking to.
Saint Lamb Homes! Once she missed the 'Didler' anagram she wouldn't have missed this had she looked closer at the charity's name!
"…though it is clear that you don't need my help after all."
Hermione's hand moved quickly over to her concealed wand but she was too late! A curse hit her squarely on the chest and the last person she saw before blacking out was the Cardinal, Melissa Bonham, Ron's Melissa, formerly T.M.Didler!
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Over at the safe house, both Harry and Ritchie stared at the name that was displayed in the air; Didler's Hogwarts name and current pseudonym, with a first initial.
T MELISSA BONHAM
Harry found it still difficult to believe that Melissa was Didler and was the Cardinal. She can't be.
"That small face on the Gomez picture looks like her at eleven but it's so faded, we could just be grasping at straws here. I wouldn't even think that was her until you put it right next to her old Hogwarts picture. You don't think this could be coincidence, do you?" Ritchie asked him.
Harry couldn't think it was, "There's way too much coincidence. It is her. What do we know about the Cardinal that fits?"
Ritchie started. "Hogwarts. She knows Jane, but more so Ron. The Cardinal seemed to almost always be a step ahead of us. That would also mean easier access to her wand. And her Ministry connection; she would have been able to influence the Aurors not investigate the Muggle murders."
It was Harry's turn. "She's close to Ginny, the twins, and, I'm sure, Dean, too," thinking of that day after Hermione escaped, when Ginny and Melissa talked about how much Melissa spoiled the twins, "No problems at all to imperiuse him."
"Blonde hair, about the right height and you might not notice breasts under a cloak," Ritchie chimed in, assuming the person he saw enter the Foundation last night was Melissa.
"That night, at Hermione's apartment," Harry remembered his dream about a woman screaming, Ron's surprised expression, that scream actually sounded more angry than concerned, "Ron must have recognized her."
"If Lyle knew her as Didler, she definitely had to get rid of him."
"When Dean was arrested, Tonks made her alter the lawyer's memory, and she would have had the chance to look at what Dean said about the Cardinal. She had the means and opportunity to destroy Dean's appointment book," Harry theorized.
"And she comes from a family of Healers," Ritchie wondered if there was anything else she did to him aside from fixing him, "Healer Frances would have definitely worked with Elise Kline. She might look like her mother."
"What do we know that doesn't quite fit?"
"There's the oft quoted statistic that most serial killers are male. And she's Ron's girlfriend," Ritchie answered. "She seems like a caring person to me. There's just nothing about her that makes me think 'murderous lunatic'."
"I know what you mean," thinking about how devastated Ron would be, "But if what we suspect is true, we are dealing with Voldemort's daughter."
Voldemort did fool a lot of people about his intentions. There was nothing else they could think of. The conclusion was so obvious it was hard to ignore.
"Bonham," Ritchie repeated, "A good choice for a name considering it's so common. When you introduced us yesterday, you never said her last name."
Harry knew that somehow his and Ron's unkind act would come back to haunt them.
"Until seeing her Hogwarts picture with her name on it, I've always only remembered her as Melissa, the Fainting One," Harry didn't think that would be a good way to introduce her to him and was as miffed at himself for having thought about her as just that.
He should have paid more attention to Hermione when she was rattling off Melissa's bio just before that catastrophic date at Hogwarts but he and Ron were not taking all that too seriously. They were more interested in coming up with colourful titles for his dates. There was Kyla the Manly One, Penelope the Emotional One, Jessie the One with the Big Ones. And unfortunately, Melissa was the Fainting One.
Harry was trying Hermione on the phone again. Still there was to answer. She was now at the Burrow. He had a bad feeling that something was about to come down. Ritchie was as visibly worried as he was.
"Her next victim will be a friend," Ritchie pointed out, "Do you think it's Jane?"
Harry shook his head, "She wants Hermione to be around for the seventh murder."
Then he just realized something that made his stomach churn.
"We should start searching for any known close acquaintances," Ritchie suggested what he had just quickly done.
"We don't need to," Harry replied, quite unhappy about the conclusion he arrived at. They had to hurry. "I'll take you to the Ministry. Tell only Kingsley and Tonks. They will know what to do."
"Wait, who's the friend?"
"The last two curses are anger and lust."
"Yes."
"The other night, Malfoy fought off the anger curse."
Ritchie swore as he came to the same conclusion. "Didler found a replacement that same night!"
"It's going to be Ginny. Her seeing those portraits of Hermione was not accidental after all. Didler staged it to make her angry. I just hope Hermione finds Ginny before Didler does," Harry thought Hermione might be waiting for her at the Burrow and knowing Ginny, Hermione would likely need his help trying to convince her that the Dean affair was not true.
"You'll call me when you find Jane, right?" Ritchie asked him.
Harry didn't blink when he answered, "Of course I will."
They quickly gathered all the evidence they had and Harry took Ritchie to the Ministry Atrium by side-along Apparition, giving him directions on how to find the Auror Office. He wasted no time Disapparating to the Burrow to find Hermione and hopefully, Ginny.
He contemplated Ritchie's request about calling him. Technically, he wasn't lying. Not yet. Depending on where she was and who she was with, Harry wasn't sure if he would want Ritchie to come, and Harry would not be able to prevent that once Ritchie knew where to go. There was no point involving a Muggle in the magical confrontation that was bound to happen and Harry needed the peace of mind that if things didn't go well for him, being that he was already tagged as victim for murder number seven, Hermione would have someone left alive and able to help her go through it.
If it came to that Harry trusted Ritchie knowing he was able to do it successfully once before.
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Somewhere in St. Mungo's, Hermione was awoken from a not so restful slumber. She felt like she just got hit on the chest with a hundred mile per hour tennis serve. Didler. Recalling what transpired just before she blacked out, Hermione looked around to assess the situation.
She was inside the same secure room she was a prisoner of just a few days ago, on the floor. Around her was a purplish cube of mist, and as she got up and tried to move she couldn't get any part of her past the bubble, as if she was in an immovable, solid glass encasement. It was a conjured cell measuring roughly six feet high and about six feet wide all around. In purple, of all colors.
"Welcome back," Didler's cold grey eyes met hers. "It's a confinement jinx, non-Ministry issue and there's an Anti-Disapparition spell covering the area, so don't get any ideas."
Hermione just looked at her and did not answer. She was scanning the perimeter for her wand. The clank of wood on wood interrupted her and she looked down on the table just outside her cell. So, that was why she couldn't find it.
In front of her, broken in half, was her wand. Now she was really pissed off. She loved that piece of vine wood.
"I guess you can try and break the spell, but I'm afraid I may have damaged your wand," Didler deadpanned. "You won't need one after today, not where you're going."
She chose not to say anything. Sadly enough, since getting her magic back, she had been looking forward to this second meeting with the Cardinal but never did she envision she would be without use of her wand just like the first time. Without magic, her current fall back plan was to prevent the other murders and not to get killed unless she could take Didler with her. How exactly she would accomplish that she didn't know yet.
Why did Didler bring her here? Hermione knew she wasn't on the Cardinal list. What is she up to?
"I understand if you're at a loss for words. This must all be a shock for you. And you're probably wondering why you're here and what's next."
There were many unpleasant things Hermione was willing to do rather than admit to Didler that she was right.
"If you're about to tell me how what you've done is not your fault and that you are a victim yourself, just spare me. Save the sob story for someone who'll sob," Hermione said acerbically.
Didler pursed her lips and clenched her jaw. As Hermione suspected, Didler craved for understanding and validation. Hermione would not give her that satisfaction, not unless it served some other purpose.
"No. I just thought I'd invite you to watch the last two murders," Didler waved her wand and the mirror in front of her turned transparent. She could now see the adjacent observation room. A chair had also appeared inside her confined space. "Front row seat and the show is about to start any second now. I don't know if you've heard, but the next one is a friend. My friend and your friend."
A friend. Not Ron, not Harry.
Ginny.
As Hermione realized this, an absolute frustration jarred her. This evil woman, whose eyes were now shining with delight at her reaction, knew exactly what to do to hurt her the most. She racked her mind for a plan but barely had time to come up with something as she saw the red head walk into the adjacent room looking very distraught.
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Ginny had not slept much since that night she last spoke with Dean. That night, after she stomped back to the house, she searched every inch of their abode for evidence of treachery and found it in the basement. She did not believe it but there it was, so seemingly out of place it was actually obvious.
Tucked away behind a stack of empty paint pails, seemingly left there in a haphazard way, was a shoebox; a ladies shoebox. It did not belong to her. She recognized that it was from a popular Muggle store that Herm…, no she couldn't even think 'her' name anymore, much less say it, that 'she' frequently bought 'hers' from.
She walked towards it, picked it up and set it on one of the tables. Somewhat afraid of what she would find, she tugged at the piece of parchment jutting out of from under its lid. The lid opened slightly and allowed the rest of the parchment to reveal itself.
It was a letter undated, unaddressed and unsigned, unmistakably written by 'her'. Ginny sat down, her hands shaking as she read it.
I sense that Ginny knows. I'm afraid that I won't be able to lie about us. I hope she doesn't ask.
There were other letters, dozens of them, in her handwriting, on parchment with her scent.
I keep telling myself I'm over you but who am I kidding? I see you everywhere I go. I see you in everything I do. I can't sleep because I know you will be in my dreams. I'm even writing you when I am not supposed to. I can't help wondering how you are. I hope you're over the guilt of what we did so you can come back to me.
And Ginny read every one of them. Notes with no dates and no names, most of them tear stained, some unfinished as if it was too painful to continue to write.
I thought I'd celebrate. It's our anniversary. My living room, lit fire, the difference is that in your place is this incessant pulsating pain in my chest. The firewhiskey makes the throbbing worse and I find comfort that it does. I love you and the second I don't feel anguish, I know I have stopped.
It seemed they ended it on Dean's request but 'she' could not let go and 'she' kept sending him letters. It did not seem that he replied. Instead, he painted. She could not help but be livid at 'her'. How could 'she'?
Thankfully Melissa had come the following day to calm her down. Her friend suggested going away, even for just a day, to be by herself and think about what to do. Ginny took that advice. And now back with a clearer understanding of how she felt, she knew what she had to do.
Ginny received word from Melissa that she found something of interest about Dean and 'her'. Melissa insisted they meet the moment she got back. She just got there, deciding to go straight to work rather than drop by the Burrow first to see the twins. It just seemed odd that Melissa chose to meet at St. Mungo's and in the now empty interrogation room beside the cell where 'she' was held a few days ago. Melissa wasn't there yet, and as she sat down at the end of the table, she noticed a blue screen come up next to a Pensieve and a scene play out before her.
She recognized the Screeching Moon, Tom the barkeep serving drinks to Dean and 'her' as they were seated beside each other at the bar. They were talking and laughing. Then Ginny saw him touch 'her' face, 'she' took his hand, held it, then put it on 'her' chest. Soon after, 'she' pulled a confused Dean towards 'her' and kissed him openly on the mouth. He kissed 'her' back.
Ginny couldn't help the tears as her entire being shook, seething with rage.
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Observing everything through the glass partition, Hermione was feeling the same way.
"That never happened!" Hermione screamed at Didler, instantly regretting that she did as a gratified smirk appeared on Didler's face.
"It's amazing what damage an altered memory can do," Didler explained, "Of course, the harder part was putting that seed in her mind and allowing it time to grow. Thank goodness Ron didn't destroy the mushy letters you wrote Harry like you asked him to because no amount of imagination could have had the same effect. A few of them were quite handy to make the whole thing more believable to her."
"Ginny is your friend," Hermione had to try something, "She never did anything to you but be your friend. She doesn't deserve this!"
"I was never enough of a friend for her!" Didler revealed, "She was constantly worried about you. About how you never went to the Burrow anymore or how you were avoiding her, thinking she had done something wrong. It was tiring listening to her go on and on about how things had changed with you and how she had to fix it!"
"Think of the twins! Think of Ron!" Hermione appealed, hoping that Didler had one drop of civility left in her.
But Didler ignored her and just said, "Enjoy the show."
As Didler left the room, Hermione could only wish as hard as she could that Neville's list had come and that Harry or Ritchie had figured this all out. Then hopefully, though she could not think how, they would know to go to St. Mungo's with the Aurors.
Harry. Find me. I'm down here.
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Back at the Ministry, Ritchie had no difficulty finding Kingsley's office but neither Kingsley nor Tonks were there. In fact, the only Aurors he could find were a deaf oldtimer named Lars and a muscular wizard who was very interested in what he had to say.
It was true what Ron said about Harry. He was a terrible liar, even when he was just contemplating about lying. Ritchie could tell that he did not want him involved in what was going to happen. Leaving all the evidence in Kingsley's office and trusting Lars to find the Head Auror, he left with the other Auror to help look for Jane.
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Meanwhile, Harry had been on a wild goose chase trying to find Hermione through the tracking charm on their phones. For sure there was something amiss. She should have called him or Ritchie by now. He finally abandoned his search method and went to St. Mungo's to see if Ginny had reported back so he could at least warn her about Didler. Then he had to continue looking for Hermione. He was worried that Didler had her already to get to him.
Just as he arrived, the image of Hermione in the holding cell in the bowels of St. Mungo's suddenly interrupted his thoughts. He would check there next.
A few short minutes later, his fears had multiplied a hundred fold. Ginny had been spotted in the hospital but was now late for her shift. Didler must have Ginny. He was about to Disapparate to the basement when a familiar unpleasant voice rang out from a distance.
"Potter, stop right there!"
Aimes. He had his wand drawn out and Ritchie was with him, with a look of surprise. Did he not say Kingsley or Tonks only? He didn't have time for this.
The Stunner he sent Aimes' way found its mark sending the other wizard up and back about ten feet down the very public hallway. Screaming witches and shouts of caution filled the air. He had been itching to do that since the first time they met. At least he had a more valid reason for jinxing him. The commotion that would ensue was sure to bring in reinforcements, which would be a good thing if Didler was indeed in the building.
"What the hell did you that for? He was the only Auror available to help!" Ritchie was quite irate at Harry.
Harry had no time to explain, "He's a complete git. We are better off without him."
They Disapparated side-along to the bottom of the stairs five levels down and Harry could sense Hermione close by. They heard a loud noise from down the dark corridor leading to the secure area. Glass shattering. He turned to Ritchie.
"Listen, she told me everything, and I can't thank you enough for what you did for her," Harry said to him gravely.
"You can thank me later and for the rest of your life," Ritchie replied, drawing out his gun to be ready for what they were about to face. "But just to be clear, the next time you jinx me, I'll have to shoot you."
"We all have to do what we have to do," and Harry believed he had to. "I'm so sorry."
Without further warning, Harry Petrified Ritchie and moved him to a dark corner. Over Ritchie's piercing rage, he explained, "Guns are useless in there and I can't risk you getting killed. She'll need you again if things don't work out. I hope you understand."
Then he cautiously headed to the interrogation room. He had every intention to make things work out, even if that meant he was going to be shot.
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A short while ago in the interrogation after Didler left her, Hermione was trying to gain control of Ginny's willow with dragonheart string core wand. It seemed that the confinement jinx was interfering with her ability to have complete mental access to it.
"I know, Hermione shouldn't have," Didler said in a sombre voice as Ginny continued to weep.
It's not true!
"I have to go to work, Melissa," Ginny finally said, trying to stop the crying and wiping off the tears from her face. "I'll deal with her when I see her."
You should know me better than think this!
"Take your wand out, Ginny. You're not going to work today," Didler said to Ginny as she drew hers out.
Hermione wished Didler would take her time. She tried Ginny's wand again, this time with more desperation.
"What's going on?" Ginny was perplexed, "I'm late for my shift already; I need the job."
Willow and dragonheart string! I've done this before!
"You won't need the job."
"You're acting really strange, you're scaring me."
"Imperio!"
Hermione cried out Ginny's name just as she saw Ginny take her wand out on Didler's command. Willow and dragonheart string!
Crash!!!
Finally, Hermione succeeded! The glass partition between the two rooms broke into a million pieces, and the two women in the other room turned to Hermione almost simultaneously!
"You!" Ginny addressed her with so much rage in her eyes, the elation she felt about getting Ginny's attention quickly dissipated.
The disturbance must have broken up the Imperius curse Didler had on her! There was so much to say and likely not enough time to say it. It was going to be difficult to convince Ginny but she had to try.
"Don't believe a word she says! I could never do that! You know this! She only wants you to be angry because she's the…"
Hermione's mouth kept moving but she lost her voice. Didler had obviously performed a silencing charm on her. Ginny was still looking at her.
She's the Cardinal and she wants to kill you! Just remember the twins and how patient you have been with them, how patient you have to be with them! Concentrate on patience, Gin! I'll try to help you!
Ginny now had a very confused expression Hermione wasn't sure if she got the message.
"Utile Ira!"
As the dreadful green light from Didler's wand hit Ginny, Hermione concentrated with all her might.
Contra Ira!
She spoke as clearly as she could with her lips and in her mind, using Ginny's wand to try and disengage Ginny from the curse. Hermione did not know if it would work considering, not only had she never actually performed the counter curse, she could not do the proper wand motion. She and Ginny had lost eye contact.
"Utile Ira!"
Contra Ira!
Hermione did the counter curse again hoping Ginny's patience was intense enough to hold off Didler's anger curse. She could sense some annoyance on Didler's part that she had to curse Ginny twice. However, Hermione's optimism was waning fast as she saw Ginny's face now contort with expressions of rage! It seemed hopeless! Ginny was going to die and it was her fault!
Finite Incantatem!
The moment she regained her voice, she said the counter curse out loud, praying it would be more effective.
"Contra Ira!"
Just then, something exploded from within the interrogation room. A few curses flew towards Didler, missing her but knocking her down to the ground. Hermione strained for a closer look and saw Harry make his way towards Ginny's now limp figure slumped on the floor. Unfriendly spells were coming off from Didler's wand and Harry was doing his best to dodge and repel them.
Using Ginny's wand that was now on the floor beside them, Hermione sent the Pensieve careening towards Didler to distract her.
"How is she?" she asked Harry anxiously as he got to Ginny's side and pulled her behind a post, propped her up against the corner for cover.
"She's still breathing. Are you okay?" Harry replied as Didler parried the object with the Reductor spell.
He aimed a few more curses at Didler which were easily disposed of.
"I'm fine," she was, except for the fact that she couldn't move beyond her purple bubble.
Hermione levitated and charmed the chairs in the room, sending them to Didler. The charmed chairs were doing their annoying best to keep Didler busy, helping shield Harry and Ginny. If not for the confinement jinx, she would have summoned Ginny's wand by now and would have been able to help Harry hex Didler; and perhaps, even take advantage of this brief window that they had to capture her. Without the wand in her hand, she could not achieve precise wand control and there were just some spells she could not use or risk using.
As Harry had not learned the curses and counter-curses yet, they were at a great disadvantage if they continued with this confrontation with Didler. The wiser decision was to get everybody out, to live and fight another day. Once Harry and Ginny were out safely, she could start working on breaking the confinement jinx. They didn't have much time.
"Harry, you can't Disapparate but you need to take Ginny out of here!"
"I'm not leaving without you!"
Of course not. How could she even think he would? But it was not a good time to argue.
"I can't right now. I'm sort of stuck," she looked him in the eye and pleaded for him to just do as she asked. Confinement jinx. I need Ginny's wand, the bitch broke mine. I'll cover you so you can make your way out through the door you came in.
We'll wait!
Hermione couldn't tell him there was a good chance she might not be able to break it.
No. There is no time. I promise you, I'll go as soon as I figure this out. Leave now before…"
Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw that Didler was now rid of the pesky charmed chairs and turned on the grey field around her, the one that Hermione saw two weeks ago. It was the shield charm from Dark Wizard heaven as Ron had christened it. Harry was still undecided.
"Harry, now!" Hermione said as she put a spell on the table, transforming it into a protected path from where Harry and Ginny were, to the exit.
But they were too late.
"Colloportus!"
Didler had sealed the door that Harry blasted into. There was no way out.
With a flick of her wand, Didler demolished the remaining furniture in the interrogation room. There was now nothing that stood between them and the villain save for the post Ginny was leaning on.
Harry's subsequent curse merely bounced off Didler and ricocheted across the space, crossed the now broken window into the adjacent room, and barely missed Hermione, as it got through the conjured walls she was in, pulverizing a piece of the ceiling. It made sense that while she couldn't move outside of her cell physically, there should be no problem at all hitting her with a hex while she was in it.
The dust settled. There was complete silence save for the humming sound of Didler's grey shield and the pounding in her chest.
Harry looked over and asked her a question.
Now what?
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A/N. The final chapter is up next…