A/N. Had lots of trouble with the Humptail scene and then got carried away trying to tie things up with the kids. It's rather lengthy so pace yourselves. Do enjoy.
And today is July 31, 2010. Happy Birthday, Harry! Thanks to Bill4728 for pointing that out :)
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Chapter 60 - Stone vs. Stone
"I'm really glad you could make it. Thanks," Hugo said to his friends.
They had come and found him just as he was leaving the village elder's hut. Warren said it was okay to invite them for the party and so he did. He really needed to see them.
"No problem," Isa answered, "How are you holding up?"
"He's fine. He's alive and talking, isn't he?" Spencer blurted out impatiently, "Come on. Spill it. We heard the news of the Seer's tent burning down. Tell us everything about your encounter with Malvado."
"You saw Malvado?" Isa was horrified.
"Yes."
"And Malvado tried to kill him," Spencer told the story, "But his dad was there and saved the day."
"There's really nothing more to tell. How did you find out about that?" Hugo asked.
"My super hearing picked it up as we walked through the village," Spencer replied, "Everyone's talking about it."
"Great," Hugo groaned.
"Don't worry. They still think you're the one. So all is good."
Smack!
Isa slapped Spencer on the arm, startling all of them. Isa was not normally prone to physical violence.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"For being an idiot! It's not good at all!"
"What do you mean? Hugo's the man!"
"Hugo is not the man!" Isa proclaimed and concerned about what he believed turned to him, "You are not the man!"
Spencer in his usual way was not worried and brushed it off.
"It doesn't matter. Malvado thinks he's the man. That makes him the man. It's better if Hugo accepts that he is the man that way he can prepare himself for battle."
"There will be no battle. Did you water down your suppression potion again?"
"Of course not. What makes you think I did?"
"Your beastly instincts are more annoying than usual."
Something was very wrong. Isa wasn't usually mean, particularly not about Spencer's condition.
"Really?" Spencer retorted, "You didn't use to find my beastly instincts annoying at all."
"Actually I always have."
"Please, stop," Hugo couldn't stand the bickering anymore and interrupted, "What's up with you two? You've been at each other's throats since the start of the year. What happened over the summer?"
"Nothing," Isa glared at Spencer.
"We should tell Hugo," Spencer caved.
"Absolutely not," she glared at Spencer even more.
"Tell me what?" he looked from one friend to the other.
"It was nothing," Isa was firm, "Nothing happened."
Spencer didn't agree, "We were doing a project one night and she was acting funny, suddenly doe eyed. Then she jumped me."
Hugo wasn't quite prepared for it to be about that.
Isa was quick to refute Spencer's claim, "I didn't jump you! You were flirting all week and you made the first move!"
"Hugo. You know that's not true. I never make the first move. That's my mantra - 'ladies first'."
Isa was livid, "This is why I didn't want us to talk about this. I was sure you'd somehow make it worse than it was and I was right."
Why couldn't it be about something else?
He was their friend and he was obliged to ask, "So what happened? Wait I don't think I really want to know this."
Isa concurred, "I don't want to hear it either."
Spencer was not going to stop, "Why? Because I'm right and you're wrong?"
"Ugh!"
Isa stomped off in a huff. Hugo turned to his friend and gave him a look of disapproval. Spencer melted under his scrutiny.
"Fine. So I did make the first move, and the next. We were kissing and you know touching, then things got a bit too fast and hazy and next thing I know she's fighting me off. She kneed me in the balls man. Talk about pain - geez!"
"Why is she so upset?"
"She said she was telling me to stop and I wasn't listening."
"Isa wouldn't lie about that."
"I guess I didn't hear her."
Hugo shook his head in disapproval, "Spence, this is not good. And if you didn't look so miserable right now I would have hexed you already."
"I tried apologizing. I told her somebody must have watered down my potion again. She didn't buy that."
"You think?" Spencer could be such a big ass sometimes, "So, how serious is this for you?"
"I was just curious," his friend admitted, "She's changed over the summer. Did you see her? Did you notice her rack? They kind of scream out, do you know what I mean?"
Hugo didn't want to think about it but now that Spencer mentioned it, Hugo did notice the change. At thirteen Hugo wasn't totally oblivious to girls. That was very difficult to accomplish around Spencer. He had even snogged a few older ones at the school, set up by his best friend. Spencer taught him how to admire and appraise and at that moment, that was exactly what they were doing to Isa. When he realised that he got angry.
"Cut it out, Spence," he chastised.
"And for a first timer she was really good. Do you think she'll forgive me if I tell her that?"
"Really, cut it out," he repeated emphatically, "I think you should just apologize, and I mean, apologize sincerely without excuses. She isn't just some girl, Spence. It's Isa. She's like family. Thinking about her that way just isn't right."
"Okay, okay. I'll try my best, but you know. I can't help the animal in me. Being around girls it like sets me off."
"Lame excuse Spence. Stay away from my sister," he told him straight then said, "Aren't wolves supposed to be monogamous or something?"
"Hell no! Tell me you're making that up!"
Hugo just shook his head. He had to find Isa. He hoped Isa wasn't serious about Spencer either.
XXXXXXXXXX
At the Ministry of Magic…
Hermione saw the fountain of green shoot out from Humptail's wand, splaying out in multiple directions, leaving everything it touched grey and decayed. It was the Fission curse, the intention, to shower a broad area with continuous compact doses of ionizing radiation, not instantly lethal but nonetheless injurious and damaging on contact. She could easily protect herself but she couldn't let any of it reach the other Wizengamot members who were beginning to scatter, taking cover where they could.
Humptail continued on the shortest path to his escape through her. Coming here they had planned for the worst case scenario that they would have to convince the Wizengamot that Humptail was working with Malvado. Hermione was certain now that Harry's attendance took Humptail completely by surprise and threw him off, causing him to make blunders that eventually exposed his true intentions. Harry had definitely made things easier for them. All they had to do now was contain Humptail and having Harry there to help was a definite plus.
She had both her wands out when her eye caught Harry's who was to her left. It took less than a split second for them to decide what to do.
With the better vantage point, Harry conjured a massive conversion screen just past the leading edge of the toxic spell and rolled it into a fencelike structure over and around Humptail. The blue mud-like neutral by-product slid from Harry's shield and flooded the inside of the containment sphere, forcing the Deputy Minister to stop.
With Humptail knee deep in goo and unable to exit Harry's temporarily created cell, Hermione surged forward with wands ablaze, attacking with a combination of paralyzing spells. Humptail with little effort blocked most of them, instantly countered the effects of those that landed and then retaliated, putting her on the defensive.
His impressive wand combat skills weren't a complete surprise. She had studied Humptail's moves and maneuvers well and while the jerk had always been more of a pencil pushing prick not known to be a stellar dueller, he wouldn't have become Head Auror without being one. And since that night she found out Humptail and Malvado were in some kind of a cooperative partnership she had a theory about the Deputy Minister she was aching to prove but had yet to figure out how.
Humptail began pushing back Harry's magic. The spherical wall expanded and burst, sending Harry on his back from the sheer force of the blast. Free once again, Humptail marched on. She did her best getting in between him and the exit, holding her ground. A Humptail-Malvado reunion would be a set-back and she would try to prevent that at all cost.
Harry moved in, drawing Humptail's attention. She scanned the situation quickly and found Boris clearing the room of civilians and non-combatants with Gummy, just as they planned. They must have already disposed of the three Humptail bodyguards.
All of sudden, a flash of light appeared in her peripheral vision. One of Harry's men was to her right and hexing her. She instinctively blocked the succession of curses, making every effort not to hurt the Auror.
"Watch out!" Harry warned shortly after, diverting a Humptail hex inches from it finding her and he almost paid for it.
Annoyed that her ineptitude was causing a distraction, she parried off another attack but got clipped by a hail of wand fire that came from behind. She rolled with the hit, gritting her teeth as pain from the curse radiated from her left shoulder to the tip of her hand. She lost her grip, her second wand flew off somewhere and she landed awkwardly amongst the potted plants in the corner. Her attackers, the Aurors Harry came in with, were under Humptail's mind control and were going for the kill.
Boris and Gummy came into the picture and bailed her out, engaging them while she regained her bearings. She Stunned Gummy's unwary opponent while Boris took out the other. Both Aurors got up slowly, too slowly. They dropped their wands, raised their arms in surrender but still in obvious confusion, which meant that Humptail let them go. Hermione Petrified Harry's men, a sinking feeling in her gut that Humptail had moved on to someone else.
"Gummy!" Boris screamed, confirming her fears.
She saw what Humptail was making Gummy do and conjured a protective spell for Harry. Without a choice, she immobilized the Hit Wizard too.
"We have to get him out, Boris! Those two too! And I need you to keep everyone else away! We can't afford any more surprises!"
The Russian disapproved of the plan and made it clear to her. They did anticipate it would be complicated to contain Humptail but not this complicated.
"Five minutes, then you let him go!" Boris yelled over Gummy's muffled protest and over the loud skirmish between Harry and Humptail in the background.
"Five minutes!" she repeated.
"I don't believe you!"
"I'm not arguing with you!"
Boris swore loudly but did as she asked. She would seal the courtroom shut from the inside as soon everyone was out. She and Harry would ultimately wear Humptail down. They would have to. This was their one chance to fight Humptail in isolation. She had high hopes Humptail's arrest would help them figure out their problem with Malvado. And if she and Harry couldn't do it, she doubted anyone else could.
After helping Boris get to the exit with the three men, she warded off the entire Wizengamot courtroom from the outside world. By then things had disconcertingly quieted down. She turned to look through the haze of destruction before her. The furniture previously at the centre of the courtroom had either been pushed up against the walls or vaporized by the toxic and damaging curses. Harry and Humptail were staring each other down, loading up for the next round.
Hermione joined Harry's side.
Humptail said to her snidely,. "Not smart, Granger. You just made your death as inevitable as my escape."
"Lame, empty, unoriginal; heard that one before," Hermione replied dismissively of the verbal threat, "Weren't you the one trying to leave to get your Sugar Daddy? It's pretty obvious you're afraid to fight me on your own."
Humptail flinched at her insult, "I wanted to prevent unnecessary casualties. Your deaths, on the other hand, won't be unnecessary. Salazar will be thankful."
Harry retorted, "To kiss his ass and make up for your fuck ups, got it. Let's get this over with. I have other work to do."
"Two against one? That's hardly fair."
Harry walked closer and stood right beside her to confer in private, the both of them keeping a close watch on Humptail as they did.
"He owes me. Do you mind?"
"I don't," she replied even though Humptail owed her too, but she had to warn him, "You should know. He isn't exactly who you think he is."
She sensed Harry frown as he asked, "What do you mean?"
"It's easier if I show you."
"Don't take too long."
"I'm waiting. Flip a knut or something," Humptail suggested, pacing impatiently with his hands behind him.
Hermione and Harry parted to get into position, then she spoke to Humptail, "I do think it's unfair but the way I see it, it's two of us against at least three of you."
That stopped Humptail in his tracks and wiped the smugness off his face. She had his attention and followed it up.
"What are you afraid of, Hosiah? Or should I call you Hector? That's what Malvado calls you, right? At first I thought he must just not care about names but then it occurred to me that Hosiah Humptail had no talent in suggestive spells. He was never bright enough to pull off what you did to Leo and what you tried to do here. Malvado knows you as someone else from someplace else, doesn't he? And we know each other from someplace else too."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Humptail denied it as she expected he would.
"The last time was St. Petersburg fourteen years ago. I don't blame you for not bringing it up. The memory of it must be embarrassing considering I did send you back into the deep dark hole from which you came from. As you can see the Exanguine laced dagger didn't quite do me in. Is Morpheus totally gone now or is there a shell of him left in there? What about Humptail?"
By the reaction she got Hermione knew she had been right. Harry wasn't as happy as she was about that.
"Any other details I should know about?" he asked just for her to hear.
She cringed as she answered truthfully, "There could be one other tiny thing."
Humptail didn't allow her to share further information. He attacked. She put up a quick shield, absorbing the impact the same time Harry countered and hit him with a Stunner. The hex sent him soaring five rows up into the Wizengamot gallery.
They pounced on him, only to both get knocked off their feet in order to avoid a retaliatory curse. They landed very close to where they had started. Humptail was already on his feet and on the offensive again.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!!"
A battle cry pierced the air from behind. Ron's figure zoomed past between them like a blur. Humptail was stunned by his appearance from out of nowhere. She and Harry were shocked too.
"Get-your-fat-asses-off-the-floor-and-help-me-with-this-git!!!" Ron yelled at them both, peppering Humptail with a burst of Stunners to counter the Interim Minister's curses.
They didn't have to be told twice. They were both up on their feet. Hermione summoned her other wand and conjured bindings around Humptail's ankles while Harry went for the wrists. They were shoulder to shoulder, Harry on her right, Ron on her left, the latter taking cheap pot shots at Humptail.
"How did you -? What are you doing here?!" she bit Ron's head off as Harry wrestled with Humptail to keep him from aiming his wand properly.
"What does it bloody look like I'm doing?!" Ron argued, completely forgetting about Humptail, "And you're bloody welcome! I saved your ass, I saved his ass, while both of you just left me in a bloody cell to rot!"
She groaned internally. Not that again. The memory suppression charm Ron got after the POTH meeting was driving her insane.
"I told you to watch Malvado's men!"
"I'm an Auror, not a Dementor!"
"That's debatable," Hermione muttered to herself, unable to resist.
"Ha, ha, very funny," Ron replied dryly, "And why would you even think I'd listen to you ever again?"
"Because bad things happen when you don't!"
"I single-handedly put Humptail on his heels!" he took full credit, pointing over to where Harry was securing Humptail's wrist binds, "I must say that was not only good but bloody amazing!"
If her eyeballs could roll off the top of her head they would have. Ron could sometimes be so full of it.
"And this is exactly what I've had to deal with all my life; compete with the boy-who-could-do nothing-and-still-be-fucking-amazing-just-by-breathing! I do all the work, he gets the credit!"
"There was never a competition! This is all in your head!"
"And do you really think I would stay behind for a security detail and let this fucking asshole be hero again?!"
"The profanity and insults are uncalled for!"
"How sweet, defending the traitorous bastard yet again!"
"Oh, grow up, Ron!"
"You're telling me to grow up?! I wasn't the one holding a torch for a married man while I made vows to marry another! I wasn't the one sleeping with him behind my best friend's back! And you got what in the end?! Nothing! You have nothing!"
She was furious. She wanted to say she did get something out of it. She wanted to say that even if it was brief, she was able to spend a part of her life with the love of her life, more time than many others who die never having done that at all. That and she had Hugo. Thinking through it calmed her down.
But Ron wasn't done, "He turned his back on you! Why you still even talk to him is beyond me! I never figured you for a closet hero worshipper! Thought you were much better than that!"
Hermione realized then that Ron's words weren't really meant for her but to incite some reaction from Harry. Harry finally did react. He hit the Interim Minister with a sleep inducing spell and pushed Ron back to get him off her case.
"Seriously! Must you do this and right now?!"
"Who asked you?! I'm not talking to you! Does it sound like I'm talking to you?!"
"Ron!" she admonished.
"Actually, it's quite clear that you are talking to me," Harry put simply, evidently pissed at Ron, "Why don't you call me asshole to my face? I'll show you what kind of an asshole I really am!"
"Harry!"
Ron backed down somewhat, "Well I wasn't talking to you! As far as I'm concerned, you forfeited your right to speak unless spoken to!"
"You're doing it again," Harry pointed out, infuriating Ron even more.
"I'm not!" Ron denied. "I was talking to her!"
"That wasn't talking! That was you and a version of your nobody-cares-about-me-enough speech! Poor me! Woe is me!" Harry mimicked Ron, "I'm always second best, second in line, second whatever!"
She thought the imitation, as childish as it was, amusing. Ron's behaviour was predictable but she always thought Harry would take the high road. So much for that thought.
Humptail stirred. She hexed him with another Sleeper and rechecked that the magical chains were secure. She wished Ron and Harry wouldn't argue anymore. They really had to decide what to do about Humptail and soon.
"Stay out of this!" Ron screeched at Harry, "It's none of your business!"
"Well, I'm making it my business! You always make everything to be about you! This is not about you and you have no right to make her feel guilty!"
"I have every right to say whatever and make her feel however I want!"
"I'm not going to let you hurt her!"
It was definitely not the time or place to be feeling great about Harry standing up to Ron for her but she couldn't help herself.
"Harry, it's fine, really -"
"I am not hurting her!" he turned to her and asked, "Am I hurting you?"
Most of his rant was out of ignorance and it was nothing she had not heard before. Ron's short sightedness was more annoying than hurtful.
She answered honestly, "No, actually, you're not."
"See?! She's immune to my insults! This -" Ron gesticulated, pointing his finger back and forth between them, "- is our thing! You do not interrupt us when we're doing our thing! I never interrupt you two when you do your thing!"
"What thing?!" Harry didn't know what Ron was talking about.
"What do you mean 'what thing'?! You know exactly 'what thing'!"
Hermione suddenly felt a wave of something unpleasant coming towards her fast.
"Harry!"
They glanced at each other; he felt it too. Ron noticed and brightened up, triumphant over his winning the point of their argument.
"That thing! That bloody thing!"
"Ron! Block everything out!" she screamed.
She put up as much mental self-defence as she could but she was a split second too late. Excruciating, bone deep bodily pain caused all three of them to crumple onto the floor, writhing in agony. Humptail had managed to get into their heads, paralyzing and disorienting them with a Mental Cruciatus, tricking their pain sensory nerves to fire indiscriminately. On her knees, she saw Humptail gingerly picking himself up, wand in hand.
Harry saw him too and sprang forward, crashing against him. The momentum took them onto the stage. Both slowly got up and began fighting.
Hermione saw that Ron still lay beside her in agony. She fought through the crippling pain and oriented herself, finding a wand close by, crawling on all fours towards it. As she reached the wand she turned to where Harry and Humptail were. Humptail was jeering, holding a weakened Harry up by the collar with one hand, pointing a wand to his chest with the other. She heard Humptail's taunt.
"You have a lovely family, especially that little girl of yours," a disgusting grin formed on the creep's face, "I'll take care of her when you're gone."
Without warning, Harry lunged, his forehead smacking into and instantly breaking Humptail's nose. Blood gushed down the older wizard's mouth and angered him more. That broke the mind spell and dulled her pain somewhat, enough for her to focus. She was on her feet, steadying herself, aiming Harry's wand at Humptail. Humptail was too focused at Harry that he didn't notice her.
He hissed, "Who's going to save you now?!"
Harry smirked as he replied, "She will."
Humptail turned in her general direction, his eyes widening at the recognition of the spell that was about to hit him and the realization that there was no way to avoid it. The curse found the centre of Humptail's ugly face and exploded, cleaving his head into several unequal parts, soft gray matter scattered in the air behind him. His limp body fell backwards and landed on the floor with a heavy thud.
She tried to catch her breath, summoning all loose wands as she did, something she should have really done before. When she got hers she gave a silent Harry his wand back, then Petrified Humptail's remains.
Ron came up beside them. The two men exchanged perturbed looks, speechless. She forgot that neither Harry nor Ron had ever seen her do something like that.
"Was that too much?" she asked, trying to make light of the matter
"A bit," Harry answered, clearing his throat, "Unorthodox."
"Sorry about the mess," she apologized, "I wanted to prove a point."
Ron's timepiece sounded an alarm. He absentmindedly hit the snooze button to shut the ringing off.
"By blowing up the Interim Minister's head and scattering his brains all over the Wizengamot courtroom?" her ex-husband summarized, quite distressed, "Bloody hell! Point taken! I am not going to piss you off again!"
"Not that point. This point."
Hermione directed their attention back to the body. Pieces of Humptail's brain reconstructed itself into his skull. The Deputy Minister opened his eyes. They were murderous red and directed at her.
"You're going to pay for that!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Hugo left Spencer and found Isa walking with purpose down the tree-lined path going back to the centre of the village.
"Isa, wait up!" he ran to where she had stopped, evidently still seething from the argument with Spencer.
"I did not start it! I swear!"
"He admitted he did. And he told me what happened. He's a prick. You know that about him. I know that about him," he said to her and knowing that he knew the truth calmed her down.
She sat on a nearby boulder and covered her face with her hands. She was sniffling. He sat quietly beside her, worried but unsure about what to do. Shortly after her head came up and she was more composed.
He asked her, "Are you okay?"
Isa brushed the wetness under her eyes, "Aside from a bruised ego and being pissed at myself for even considering it, I'm fine."
"Do you like him, I mean that way?"
She vigorous shook her head, "It was a curiosity. I was wondering what all the hype was about."
"And?"
"It was a disappointment. Curiosity satisfied," she declared with certainty, "I am not in love with him or anything like that, if that's what you're asking. And I know it's the same for him."
Phew!
"Can you forgive him for being an idiot?"
"I wouldn't be talking to him if I hadn't. So just tell him to forget it happened and to stop acting like an ass about it."
"This is Spencer we are talking about. He will always be an ass even if he tries not to be."
"True. Remind me again why I hang out with him."
Hugo did, "Because he's your friend and you're one of the few who can be kind to him in spite of himself. He needs you to keep him straight."
That brought a smile to Isa's face.
She asked, "How's your Mum?
"Better."
"And you?"
"I'm okay. Listen, I need your help."
She was a step ahead of him, "I hope you're not thinking of going after Malvado yourself. Your Mum, your Dad, Warren, they're going to take care of it. You know that right?"
He cringed at her mention of 'Dad' but decided not to correct her.
"I know but I need your help to be prepared anyway."
Hugo told Isa about the prophecy in the detail that Warren did.
"Of age," she repeated thoughtfully, "Does that mean it won't happen until you turn seventeen?"
"I can't think Malvado will wait that long."
"I agree," she frowned, "And of age in these parts is not a firm number. You think the Hallows are key?"
"I can't think of any other way. I need help finding them. Warren said Mum and the POTH hid them well. I should know where they are. I should at least have ideas but I don't. Was there anything in your readings to suggest where that would be?"
"I don't think so but I'll read through my notes again. I think the easiest way is to ask your Mum," she suggested.
"I already did that."
"And?"
"She said the Hallows, particularly the wand, should be destroyed."
Hugo told her about their long talk at Godric's Hallow, about his father and about his sister.
"I told you you were wrong about being unwanted."
He disagreed, "They didn't plan on having me. I just happened."
"Most pregnancies are unplanned but that doesn't mean they're all unwanted. Your parents loved each other. If your Mum didn't want you she could have chosen not to have you. And you were wrong about your father. He cares about your Mum."
"He left her for Aunt Ginny. He chose Aunt Ginny over her."
"Sounds like he stayed with your Aunt Ginny because he was trying to do the responsible thing," Isa shared her opinion, "As romantic a notion it is, leaving his wife and kids to be with your Mum would have made him a loser. My father did that - he's a loser. At least your Dad isn't."
"Sorry for bringing that up."
She shrugged, "How do you feel about your father now?"
"I guess he's okay. He's trying, maybe too hard."
"I bet you he's glad that you exist. You should talk to him. Tell him how you feel."
"Right."
He couldn't imagine having that conversation with him.
"Seriously. If only to tell him not to try too hard cause it's freaking you out."
Hugo was silent. Isa made it sound so simple. If it was just to tell him that, then it didn't seem so unimaginable.
"And you should also ask him about the Hallows. You said the Hag told him how to find them. Maybe he wants to and will be more open about it than your Mum. Just promise me you're not going to go looking for Malvado once you have them."
"I think I'm smarter than that."
At least he wouldn't do something that stupid right away. On the one hand he couldn't lose them but on the other hand he couldn't play not to lose. He'll have to make a decision once he had that decision to make.
"You'll also have problems with the POTH once you get them," Isa reminded him, "The POTH will want them back."
She was right, of course. This Hallows business was complicated.
"Unless-" she had an idea.
"Unless what?"
"You do what your Mum did."
"Get them to think they still have it?"
He doubted very much that he could pull that off.
"Well, it's an option."
XXXXXXXXXX
Back at the Ministry…
"Looking forward to it," was Hermione's reply to Humptail's threat.
Harry heard Ron swear again.
Hermione conjured a prohibitive magical ward around Humptail's head, to protect them from further mental attacks. That would prevent them from looking into his thoughts too but Harry figured that risk wasn't worth taking anyway. Humptail was, after all, part Morpheus Gaunt and it was best not to underestimate the mind games he was capable of.
"He has a stone too?" Harry had to confirm.
"That was the other thing I wanted to tell you. I wasn't certain until now."
"Whoa! Back up a bit! What the fuck is going on?!"
Harry answered his question, "Humptail's body was taken over by a Being with an Invincibility stone."
"A what?!"
"An invincibility stone," Humptail calmly added, "Can't break me. Can't kill me. You should be afraid. Malvado has one too."
Ron's alarm rang again; he abruptly turned it off again.
"That's just not right," Ron relayed the obvious, "What are you waiting for? Take it from him."
"It's not that easy," Hermione told him.
Humptail laughed out loud.
He said to Ron, "I'll give it to you if you make an Unbreakable Vow to ingest it Interested in eternal life?"
"No thanks," Ron declined, "I gave up eating stones a while back."
"Pity. What about you, Potter? Want to save that bastard son of yours? You'll need my stone to go up against Salazar's."
Harry didn't dignify the question with an answer.
"You're no fun, Potter. Tell you what, Granger," Humptail proposed, "You show me yours, I'll show you mine, baby."
Hermione surprisingly wanted to play. She dug into her cloak pocket with her left hand and pulled out a worn out Snitch. Harry could only think it was THE worn out Snitch Neville found and eventually lost, and that the stone Humptail was referring to as hers, the Resurrection stone, was inside it.
"Open it," Humptail urged, "I want to see."
"You show me yours, I'll show you mine," Hermione reminded him.
"Under my shirt," he smiled haughtily.
Harry stepped in for her, "Let me."
He tore Humptail's top off. Their eyes immediately came upon the transparent skin over his chest. Just behind his beating heart, in a small anterior pouch within the food pipe, was a circular object the size of a chestnut.
Humptail ended the show, turning his skin back to normal and demanded, "You've ogled enough. Your turn."
Hermione made a show of effort to break the Snitch in half and then told Humptail, "Oh right. I remember now. I can't open it. Sorry."
"Dammit, I keep forgetting you play dirty. Is the stone even inside it?"
Hermione jiggled the Snitch and something in it rattled.
Humptail was unconvinced, "I still think it's a decoy. But you do have the Hallows somewhere on you. You've had them all along. Curious, you're not using the wand and I don't sense the cloak. Salazar and I are completely baffled how you hide them so well. Are the Hallows a part of you now just like the stones are a part of us? Where on you do you keep them? I imagine a few places on you I wouldn't mind feeling my way around in."
There was obvious mischief going on in his head just to rile up both Ron and Harry and he succeeded. Ron was unable to control himself. He conjured a magical boot to kick Humptail in his thawed out bits.
"Keep your filthy mind to yourself, asshole!"
"Oomph!"
"Excellent theory, though," Hermione complimented him.
"Thank you," Humptail squeaked, unable to relieve the pain of Ron's curse.
Harry didn't like it that Hermione was leading Humptail to believe she still had use of all three. He'd have to talk to her about that.
"What do we do with him now?" Ron asked Hermione.
"The Ministry will have to deal with him."
Her answer to that took him and Ron by surprise.
Humptail didn't expect it either, "Nice bluff. You expect me to believe that you would actually trust someone else to do the right thing with me?"
"I trust the Ministry," she said, looking Harry in the eye as she did, "At least until it finds a replacement for the Interim Minister."
Hermione just made Harry realize that the Interim Minister was now him.
Humptail scoffed, "No Ministry can keep me locked up, especially not one run by a 12 year old kid."
"Then you have nothing to be worried about," Ron reasoned, "So shut the fuck up!"
"Twelve year old Minister and his 12 year old side kick. Hilarious - "
Ron silenced him and laughed as Humptail got angry.
"No, this is hilarious."
Ron had simple pleasures. Hermione was looking on as amused and he could tell she was thinking the same thing.
"I have to go," she told him, out of Humptail's and Ron's earshot, "The interrogation needs to be official and by the book. You can't lose him on a technicality."
Harry understood. She wasn't on the case and he sensed she preferred not to be officially on it.
"Malvado's assassins will collaborate that Humptail works with Malvado. They will also give information about what this is about."
"I'll need a statement from you at some point."
He didn't really. He could make one up and tell her he did. He wasn't exactly sure why he told her that.
"You know how to find me."
That was through Warren.
"Not like I used to."
"Careful. You're beginning to sound like Ron."
"I'm beginning to feel like him," he said before he could vet the thought. He instantly regretted saying it, "Sorry. Totally inappropriate."
Hermione got sidetracked by his comment.
"Um, where was I?" she paused, shut her eyes and shook her head to refocus, "We have to um- find out who this character in Humptail is and how he's connected to Malvado. You'll need help during interrogation, to summon informers from the remote past."
She held out the Snitch in her hand, replicated it and put the duplicate in her cloak pocket.
"It's a loaner," she made clear as he took the original, "You can't open it."
"Not even at the close? That's disappointing," he deadpanned, "Can the Keeper open it?"
"I don't know."
She was telling the truth about that.
"But you can still use it," she informed him, "The only power the Snitch suppresses is its magical bond with the rest."
"So, even if someone had all three, the Snitch will prevent complete unification of the Hallows."
"That was its main purpose."
"Good to know."
"My preference is to keep the stone's use off the record. It would look really bad on me if some people were to realize I don't have it."
"I'll find a way," he assured her, "When do you need it back?"
"As soon as you're done with it."
Curious about her evident discomfort, he tested, "How much trouble will I get into if I unite the Hallows?"
"Not in any more trouble than you would have to be to decide to unite them."
Their eyes locked, his probing and hers asking him not ask her any more questions. Her replies remained to be cryptic and indirect but while she strongly discouraged Warren to go after the Hallows here she was 'lending' one to him for use. He also didn't get any indication from her not to look for the rest. Did she want him to find them?
The Hag had suggested to read the book.
Ron's alarm sounded off in the background again. His friend muttered something harsh about being kept out of the loop. They both ignored it but Harry lost another opportunity to ask her about the book.
"I'll see you later," she said to him.
He nodded thinking that later wasn't soon enough.
XXXXXXXXXX
Al sat in the shadows with a few male being friends he had made in the day that he had spent in Pag-asa. A few seats down the long table he caught a glimpse of Isa who was hanging out with Rosie and the local girls. His heart thumped loudly against his chest in a slow cadence, bothered by how much he sucked during their first meeting and thinking about the many different ways to make up for it. He had never had to impress a girl before and he really didn't know how.
The village centre had been transformed. Upbeat music blared from all around them it was amazing they could still keep a conversation going. He was quite impressed that many of them spoke English well enough and they were eager to not make him or Rosie feel left out.
It was dusk and they were waiting for the feast to begin. The boys were talking about their wands and bragging about the cool things they could do with it. The girls, from what he could hear (not that he was eavesdropping), were talking about movies and the losers, um, actors, who acted in them. There was the usually giggling involved but he noticed, not that he was watching her, not Isa. Isa didn't giggle, at least not like the others. She smiled, she laughed demurely, she made comments and suggestions. Her voice was just sweet, not fake sweet, not overly sweet, just the right amount of sweetness that spoke to him of an innate kindness and mellowness he had not noticed in any other girl or woman before.
One of the beings, Marco, said to him, "Okay man. I can't stand it anymore. Which chick is it?"
"What?"
"You're drooling all over the place, man, ruining my borrowed barong. Unless it's a medical condition, it's got to be some chick."
"Her," he motioned over to where Isa was seated then looking away as if he did something bad.
"Ew!" Marco reacted, "What's wrong with your eyes man? Of all the girls in the village, you get the hots for the butt ugliest one."
"Hope it's not true love," Juan chimed in.
"What?" he looked up abruptly and saw that a half giant sat right beside Isa. He had to clarify, "No, no, not her. Her."
"Okay, there's no one there but Caridad. The heat must have gotten to you."
Tomas, who was beside him, helped out, "You dimwits. He means the girl behind Caridad. I heard her name is Isa."
"Oh that girl," Marco was relieved, "Now we're talking!"
"I like her too," Juan admitted.
Marco cut him off, "You're out of control man. You like everyone. She goes to school, she's too smart, she's way out of our league. But Al here, has a great chance."
Al got very hopeful, "How do you figure that?"
"Local chicks dig white boys," Marco said knowingly.
"Really?"
"Of course they do."
"It'll be a lock."
"Trust us on this, man. We know local chicks."
"Okay," Al took their word for it.
"So, what are you waiting for? Go!"
"Go where?"
"Talk to her. Show her your 'love'", Marco said the last part like it meant something else to them.
The boys laughed and gave each other high fives.
Juan added, "Then she can show you her 'love'."
More boisterous amusement and high fives followed. Al took a big breath in and out, and decided to take a leap at the risk of losing his cool factor.
"Need help with that. I've never really had to talk to a girl that way before," he confessed, holding his breath.
There was absolute silence as they stared at him like he had three heads, then another burst of laughter.
"You got us there, man!"
"Seriously funny!"
"Never talked to a girl before!"
Al groaned. They didn't believe him.
"Seriously guys. I haven't felt anything like this," he had to talk louder and then softer when he saw that they were now drawing the curiosity of the girls on the other end of the table.
When the boys realized he was not kidding they quieted down a bit but gave him a hard time.
"How could you not, man?"
"All the girls in your school ugly, or something?"
Marco, the leader of the bunch, reined the other two in.
"Come on guys. The man is in obvious agony here. Have a little sympathy. We all had our firsts and remember how bad it was for us."
"Barely," Juan was still joshing, "It was so long ago."
"Shut up," Marco scolded him good naturedly, "Al needs our help. And we will help him. First, let's see what we're working with."
They were all looking at him again, making him very uncomfortable.
"How serious are you about getting her to like you?" Marco asked.
"Very."
Tomas' turn, "More important than losing your pride and dignity?"
Thinking about what he was doing presently, assessed, "I think I already lost both."
"Excellent! We can do a full blown traditional 1900s courtship! No girl nowadays can refuse someone who does that."
Al swallowed the lump in his throat.
"What exactly does this entail?" he asked.
"A harana," Marco laid it out for him.
"A ha-ra-na?"
Tomas interpreted, "A serenade. I have a guitar. Got any good love songs in mind?"
"I don't sing very well."
Juan reassured him, "Doesn't matter. It's the attempt that counts."
Marco continued, "Is there binalaybay tonight?"
"There is, actually. Great idea!"
Al was getting nervous.
Tomas explained, "That's a public rendition of personally composed poetry professing how one feels. You do it later tonight during the program."
"Best if you say it in our language. It will impress her more. Write down what you want to say and Tomas here will take care of the rest."
"I'm not a very confident public speaker."
Juan patted him on the back, "A couple of swigs of Red Thestral will take care of that."
They rattled off.
"You're going to offer to carry stuff for her at every opportunity."
"Fetch stuff for her."
"Do stuff for her."
"Do stuff for her family."
"Do stuff for her friends."
"Like carry her one hundred fifty pound best friend across a field full of carabao shit because her friend said so," Juan offered bitterly, "Sorry. Bad example."
"You give her gifts, flowers are the best."
"If she's not allergic to them."
"You can conjure flowers."
"She's a Squib, you ass. She'll think he's a show off."
"No conjuring anything," Juan took his previous advice back.
"In other words do everything to show her, her friends and her folks what a helpful, nice young man you are."
"So they'll trust you."
"So she'll trust you."
"Then you get her 'love'".
There was sniggering again. It was only a matter of time really.
"But there is one thing that you should never do and it's the hardest thing to do," Marco said gravely.
"What's that?" Al was curious.
"Do not touch any part of her without her expressed consent."
Tomas emphasized, "No touching, no kissing, no brushing against any part of her."
Juan warned, "And try not to raise the bamboo until she's ready. I made that mistake."
Al's head was spinning. His insides were swirling.
"I don't know if I can do this, guys."
"You want the local intellectual chick in a bad way, don't you?" Marco confirmed.
"Well, yes, but -"
"Well this is what it'll take."
"Trust us."
"No guts, no glory."
He took a breath in and nodded bravely.
"Great!" Marco announced, "But first thing's first. Juan, scout."
Juan edged over to the girls' side of the table and whispered something to the elf seated closest to them. The girl whispered to the next girl and the next, and down the table until it got to Isa. Isa shook her head, saying something back to the person beside her, who whispered it back to the next and the next. Juan got the message and, with a wide grin, gave them the thumbs up sign.
"We're a go," Tomas slapped him on the back again, "She's available."
XXXXXXXXXX
A/N. Hope everybody is having a great summer.