Lumos

Chapter Fifty-Seven: "Inheritance" (II)

Why didn't his armor clank and rattle?

"Sorry," he whispered. "Only here for a minute." He eyed her messed apron with a twinkling smile. His silver wand flashed, and the batter wicked away.

"Gable," Hermione rasped.

Gable's smile broke into a grin. "Golden girl." His throat bobbed.

"You came," Hermione whispered. "When we were captured, you—"

Rats—rats, she was going to cry.

Gable's cheeks flushed a bit. He exhaled a hushed rush of laughter, then jumped up.

It was a catapult of a hug. Hermione stumbled against the counter but wrapped her arms snug around him in return.

A volley of footsteps echoed in the corridor, and George appeared in pyjamas and a checkered housecoat. His alarm faded after a moment of assessment, and he leaned back into the wall, mastering his breath.

Gable jumped down and whistled a low clip of sound. Two hex nuts spun down the hall and out of sight.

"Thank you so much," Hermione managed.

"Course, course," Gable said. "There is a word in Goblinik." He made a low whistle that eased into a hum. "Means 'to stand,' but it's more than that. More like, 'to remain.'" Gable eyed her. "There's a kind of defiance to it."

"Gable," Hermione tried again, but her voice croaked.

"We stand together." His tone was gentle. Then: "And actually," he said, a bit shy. "It's King Gable."

"Been promoted, have we? Aren't you a bit young for that, Your Majesty?" George drawled with a wink, crossing to Hermione's side. He was affecting an air of ease, but when he crossed the sink, he glanced over her head at the soapy water filling the basin. His stride faltered, then stiffened.

Gable laughed and rested an envelope into Hermione's hands. "Aye. But the clans gathered to swear their fealty anyway," he said.

The envelop had her name on it.

"From Aberforth," Gable said, tapping it with his wand. "Encoded." He glanced over his shoulder, then uttered a short flurry of whistles. A metallic measuring tape sprang out, then danced over Hermione, lining her arms, legs, and torso.

"What's—"

She paused. If they were fighting in his forces, he'd likely want them wearing the same uniforms. Optics were important, as was functionality. It seemed odd that a King would go so far out of his way to obtain the measurements, though. Surely they could've owled with Bill's assistance, or sent word through a secure line.

"Wish I had time to chat, but I'm already late," Gable said, summoning the tape back. It coiled into his palm and disappeared in a small pop. "I hear you'll be doing a bit of travel soon, so you have that to be looking forward to."

What?

Gable didn't expand on the thought. Instead, he rolled his shoulders back and beamed. "Keep up with the sleeping and eating. Getting strong."

George faltered. "I—there's a baby, Gable." He glanced uneasily at the envelope. "Things might be more complicated now."

Gable nodded. "I saw on the watch, I did." He lifted his brows. "Weasley-Grangers, your house will be protected as best we can manage, on my word as King." His merry lilt was absent, though the long "e" in his "my" brought back flickers of the boisterous apprentice from months before, singing a train into life.

George rubbed the back of his neck. "Right."

He wouldn't quit worrying.

A creak sounded behind them. Bill and Arthur faltered at the group. Both wore freshly laundered and mended robes in deep blue, and both had little glints of silver resting in their palms.