LUST | dramione

24 | Colloportus

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C H A P T E R  T W E N T Y - F O U R | Colloportus

spell. Locks doors.

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HERMIONE FINDS THE LAVISH APARTMENT TORN APART.

The glass coffee table has been shattered, golden sunlight floods the room, making the shards of glass sparkle like diamonds on the plush white carpet. A flurry of feathers has erupted from the sofa cushions, dusting the floor like freshly fallen snow. After further searching, she finds that she is alone in the apartment.

At least there isn't blood, she thinks to herself morbidly. Then, she heads back in her room and locks the door with a dozen or so charms to make the room impenetrable. Once secure, she finds a duffel bag and stuffs a few of Theo's clothes from the closet inside; pants that are surely too long, a few shirts of varying color, as well as a thick, black cloak. She doesn't know when she'll be able to return to her dorm or the new house in Hogsmeade.

Then, she sneaks out of the building through the winding staircases. In the alley, she DisApparates to the Magical Congress of the United States, where she hopes she can acquire some real help. With Theo missing or even possibly dead, she will require even more aid to bring down the werewolves and save Draco.

The MACUSA building is enormous, made of white marble and iron inlay. Swarms of witches and wizards come and go from the mouth of the structure and Hermione is forced to push her way through. After asking the secretary if she may speak with President Samuel G. Quahog, she finds an empty seat to occupy while she waits. Above her is a four-faced clock pointing out the magical threat levels, but it seems content with stating the danger only lies at moderate.

If only they knew, she retorts bitterly. She tries to keep her thoughts calm, but she is worried about too many people and situations to ignore the menacing commentary that plays in her mind like a broken record, but after fifteen minutes, someone calls for her.

Hermione approaches a raven-haired man with slim dark eyes and an alluring smirk. He towers over her at a height that makes her feel like a child.

"President Quahog," Hermione says with a grin, extending her hand, but the man interrupts her.

"My apologies, Miss Granger. President Quahog was called to Texas - Mongrats are plaguing the Rio Grande and causing quite a stir. However, I am the Vice President of the MACUSA and I am forever in your service. My name is Syril Septimus, and if you'll follow me, we can see if we can resolve this little problem of yours."

They step into the lift, where they rise above the expansive first floor and up to the other levels. The lift stops just before the final floor.

Syril's office is just as ornate and lavish as any of the rooms Hermione has seen since she arrived in America, however it is darker than what she's grown used to. Instead of light carpets, the floor is a sheet of black tiles, spreading from one wall to another like a dark sea. Heavy, thick curtains hang in front of the expansive windows, cutting out all of the daylight. The only light permeates from a low-hanging chandelier in the center of the room.

After tea is poured and the lone staff member has retreated, Syril addresses Hermione's complaints about Y'Zara and the troublesome werewolves.

"This is the first that I am hearing of this. Does the Ministry know? Y'Zara is in our records, but we had heard claims that she had died during the war." He bridges his thin fingers together, forming a steeple.

"I have not told the Ministry, sir. I came to America on - on personal business and woke this morning to discover my friend missing and his housing all but destroyed. I couldn't think of anywhere else to go and I know that I cannot fight this alone. I was hoping that the MACUSA and the Ministry could end this war before it begins."

"This is very alarming, Miss Granger," Syril says, shaking his head. "I'm afraid that we'll need to get over to the Ministry as soon as possible. Come, we can use the Floo Network to travel there now."

He rises from behind the desk and just as he does, the light hits him in a way that makes his hair seem a shade lighter than the raven-color that she was positive that he had. He marches toward the fireplace behind his desk and he turns to Hermione.

"Are you ready?" His hand is large and thick with flesh.

Looking at his face, Hermione realizes that it has transformed into one of vague familiarity. Her mind races to the night she was sent to Malfoy Manor in disguise, the same face stared back at her from one of the expensive sofas. She is then able to identify the impostor as Ignatio, one of the brother's from Y'Zara's horde.

She attempts to run, searching for her wand eagerly in her pocket, but she detects movement by the door. Blocking her exit is the other brother, Dmitri, and he has a bloodthirsty grin spread across his grimy face. Hermione extends her arm and flicks her wrist.

"Stupefy!"

From behind her, Ignatio screams a curse.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Hermione's heart pounds as she dodges the bolt at the last moment, a blast of lime-green streaks across her vision as it strikes Dmitri in the center of his broad chest. He drops to the ground like a sack of potatoes just as Hermione flees into the lift. The doors slam shut behind her and she shouts to the enchanted lift, "Ground level, please!"

She falls at a quicker speed than she came up in, making her stop abrupt and a bit jolting. She sprints across the marble floors, slowly garnering attention from the curious onlookers, but she makes it into the street untouched. There, she makes her escape to Malfoy Manor.

Astoria opens the door. Hermione pushes past her and begins placing a series of locking charms around the front entrance. She demands to know what is going on, but Hermione refuses to speak with her until she is positive that the house is properly secured. At last, she turns her eyes on the blonde, fear chokes her and the words come out in staccato form.

"Where's Draco? I need his help. The Vukovi found me in America. They have Theo and I need Draco to help me rescue him. Please tell me he is upstairs or something." She heads into the formal sitting room, finds that it's empty and decides to search the next room. Before she can make it too much further, Astoria stops her in her tracks.

"He's not here," she says in a melodic voice. "I can take you to him though. He's in a safe house with Narcissa. That's probably where you should be, too, I suppose."

Hermione inhales a ragged breath before nodding.

"Thank you," she says as she turns to approach Astoria.

"No, thank you, Hermione. For making my job easy."

From the corner of her vision, she can see Astoria's wand glisten under the chandelier light as she extracts the weapon from her pocket. Hermione is too slow to block the attack before she falls to the ground, her vision now swirling into blackness.

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