Chapter Text
~ Time skip~
Thankfully the majority of the student population knew better than to test the patients of a certain Transfiguration Mistress. Her first class consisted of star struck First Years and luckily went smoothly enough. However, her resolve was about to be tested by a few Fourth Years. They made the mistake of passing the article about before class. This led to a heated discussion, to which she heard every single word from behind the door. After a very tense class, she doubled their assignments and took thirty points apiece, Hermione was more than ready for lunch and her meeting with the Headmistress.
Once the last student left, Hermione fell back into her chair and massaged her temples. As she was about to bang her head on her desk, she heard, "Are they always that difficult? I have to say you handled that rather well."
"No, they usually have more tact than that," Hermione replied as she felt the Auror step out from the shadows. Waiting for her guard to be closer, she said, "The students are usually more respectful, and tend to behave in the presence of the Golden Girl. However, that damn article seems to have stirred something up. I hope neither of you is finding this too tedious Scottie. Tell me, has Bailey had any trouble maintaining focus? I know she is by the door at the moment; I can feel her disillusionment charm from here."
Scottie chuckled at that. With a shake of her head replied, "This is all a bit entertaining. I for one am amazed at how well you do your job. Everyone thinks being an Auror is difficult, but they have never experienced a day as a professor. You know, the way you can tell when someone is up to no good, or when someone is hiding is a bit scary. People talk about your brilliance all the time, but they have never experienced it upfront. How do you do it?"
She took a moment to gather her things before looking back and smirked, "Magic." Taking pity on the Auror's shocked face, she added, "I'll tell you all about it on our way to the Headmistress's office. You should count yourself lucky that I am going to share my little secret. Only one other person knows this, and he is sworn to secrecy."
~Page break~
The trio made their way towards the Headmistress's office quickly, and thankfully uninterrupted. As they transcended that spiral staircase, Scottie looked over her shoulder and asked, "Are you even planning on sharing your secret Jedi magic?"
Hermione openly laughed at the muggle reference but said nothing. Before she opened the door, she replied, "Tell no one what you are about to hear in this office. Second, reach out with your magic, not just your senses. Don't be discouraged when you start, it is quite difficult. Perhaps tonight, you can practice while meditating. But I should warn you, if you push yourself too hard, you will quickly become exhausted, just like a First Year."
Bailey was bringing up the rear and only heard bits and pieces of their conversation. With her head still feeling as if it was in the clouds and tangled up with her confusing thoughts of this strange magic her partner mentioned, she said, "Wait, what?"
Both women were openly laughing at her confusion, and Hermione stated, "If we have time later, I'll walk you through what I'm talking about." The odd trio made their way into Minerva's office in varying degrees of confusion and laughter. Minerva was startled by their transformation as it appeared to be headed towards friendship. Seeing her friend and mentor's raised brow, Hermione snorted as she waved off the unasked question. Once she was able to reign in her amusement, she said, "Good afternoon, Headmistress. I hope the first day hasn't been too trying thus far."
Minerva saw right through her apprentices' deflection and knew how difficult today has been for her. While placing her glasses on the desk, she replied, "Things certainly have been interesting over the last few days Professor. I can't tell you the last time I've had so many visits from Ministry Officials." The young professor tensed slightly, so her mentor went on to say, "Nothing to worry about though. Tell me, how have your classes gone so far Hermione? How are you adjusting to teaching the older students?"
Deciding to use the Headmistress's words against her, she replied, "Interesting to say the least. Thankfully they haven't noticed my guard. Would you happen to have time to go over the Animagus transformation? I know you have a lot on your desk at the moment, and truly don't want to add to it."
What she meant was that she didn't want to continue to be the reason behind her heavy burden. Minerva softened her features and leaned over her desk as she gently replied, "You are not a burden my dear, so stop with the nonsense. And stop trying to distract me. We both know that you are beyond ready for your transformation. Anything else you want to cover?"
Hermione deflated slightly at being caught with her deflection. She should have known better than to try and get one past her former Head of House. "I had some trouble with my last class, but they quickly learned from their mistake… hopefully. We shall see what the rest of the day has in store."
Minerva sat back, looking triumphant. With a tiny twitch of her lips, she said, "You never could lie to me, even when you were a student. I always knew when you and Potter were up to no good. Now then, based on your earlier question, I am going to assume that you are ready to attempt such an advanced feat. I'm sure your nervous, but you need to stop overthinking. I have never had the privilege to mentor someone as talented as you. Stop worrying; everything will be as it should be."
"I simply want to ensure that I am prepared, and you know that," Hermione replied while shifting in her seat. "You and Harry have dispensed with many jokes at my expense. It’s almost time for lunch, and you have this insane rule that the staff must attend all meals during the first day of classes. In the hopes that you would allow me to miss supper, what can you tell me of the search?"
The Auror's ears perked up slightly, and Minerva was on them like a hippogriff is to a dead ferret. "Knowing Professor Granger as I do, I can only assume she has already sworn you both to secrecy. Anything you hear while in this office remains here. Do I make myself clear?" Watching the two gulp nervously, she continued, "It will take some time to find him Hermione. I don't want you to be disappointed. However, one of my contacts may have found a promising lead and will be getting back to me soon. If this leads to a dead-end, perhaps you know of two Aurors who would be willing to lend a hand with finding Draco." Unnoticed by Hermione, Scottie gave her partner a look from the corner of her eye before letting Minerva know they were in with a small nod.
~Page break/ time jump~
By the time morning classes were over, the rumors and accusations had spread like a fierydryl. The Daily Prophet, or should we say a particular beetle sparked the fire and forced a very delicate relationship into the open. Following the masses towards the Great Hall, Narcissa kept quiet while surveying her surroundings. When a hex bounced off her shield, she turned to address the offender but found no one there. Something wasn't sitting right. Even though that blasted article set the rumor mill alight, no student would ever think about attacking a Professor.
Making sure her shield was as strong as ever, she clutched her wand tightly and kept it hidden from view. Keeping her head held high, she went to continue towards the Great Hall. Suddenly she heard someone arguing. Ducking into a hidden alcove, she quickly disillusioned herself for extra coverage. Unfortunately, the bickering was now just below a whisper, and she couldn't make any of it out. Eventually, the sounds faded away to nothing. Waiting for a few minutes, Narcissa cautiously made her way back to the main hallway. Cautiously sticking her head out, she saw that it was empty. When she was fully standing in the hallway, she saw Harry walking towards her. Canceling her charm, she said, "Good afternoon Professor Potter. How has your day been so far?"
The retired Auror felt her presence well before he saw her, and it set his nerves on edge. Harry did his best to school his features, he replied, "It was a bit tiresome getting any student to focus really. How about yourself? Did you run into any problems?" His first worry came from that blasted article. However, his paranoia increased when he found her disillusioned, and with her shield at full strength.
Narcissa did her best to wave off his concerns by saying, "Nothing I couldn't handle." She saw his raised brow and chose to ignore his "I know your lying" expression. They walked in silence most of the way. Before they walked into the Great Hall, she leaned down and whispered, "Before lunch ends, we need to meet." Before Harry could even formulate a reply, she was already walking into the Great Hall, and immediately began to scan the head table. Greeting Fleur as she passed by, she took her seat and began to build her lunch methodically.
Noticing the Pureblood's unease, Fleur carefully leaned over and asked, "Are you alright?" All Narcissa did was shake her head. Realizing that she wasn't going to get anything else, Fleur tried to change tactics and asked, "How were your classes?"
However, the Potion Mistress remained silent as she picked at her lunch. Someone wanted revenge, but against who? Narcissa could easily compile several rolls of parchment on those who would wish her harm. But she couldn't help but feel that she wasn't the intended target. No, whoever was behind this wanted Hermione to suffer. The question was why? When they figured out the why, that is when they would learn of the who.
Narcissa remained absorbed amidst her thoughts, and she nearly jumped from her chair with her wand at the ready when someone touched her. Looking up, she saw the concern in Hermione's eyes that equally shone through in her tone as she asked, "Are you alright?" Not waiting for her reply, Hermione pulled Narcissa out of her chair and towards the hall. Thankfully, no one followed. Once they were alone, Hermione asked once more, "Are you alright? Did something happen?"
Unable to keep her mask in place, Narcissa let Hermione wrap her up tightly. The tension easily bled away as she inhaled deeply. Once she was able to calm her nerves slightly, she said, "Something isn't right. Someone tried to hex me on the way to lunch. But the truth is, I began to feel uneasy after my first class. Due to the war…"
"The hairs stand up on the back of your neck when something is amiss." Hermione softly finished. Pulling back so that she could see Narcissa's face and asked, "What were you thinking about during lunch?"
"I don't think I'm the intended target. Whoever is behind all of this wants you to suffer. They want to utterly destroy you, and I was trying to compile a list of possible enemies." Narcissa carefully replied. "It could be a Pureblood, someone who wants revenge for what they have lost. I know I mentioned Lucius, but the more I think about this, the less sure I am of him as a suspect." Suddenly feeling constricted, Narcissa pulled away and began to pace as her mind continued to churn. As Narcissa continued to move, she said, "That article has caused more harm, much to the delight of this mastermind. After someone tried to attack me, I heard two people arguing. Unfortunately, I was unable to make out what they were saying. Whoever is behind this, will use me as the ultimate way to get to you."
Realizing just how quickly this was getting out of control, Hermione took a giant step forward and grabbed Narcissa's arm. "Cissa, slow down. It will be okay. We will figure all of this out. If you are worried about your safety, then we can certainly ask one of my guards to follow you. I should have thought of this beforehand. If what you say is true, then we also need to protect you." Pausing to put a finger to Narcissa's lips to stop her protests, she went on to say, "I have finally found you, so forgive me for wanting to protect you. We will get through this, I promise you. Just don't push me away. I couldn't stand losing you."
Seeing Hermione's fears lurking deep within her eyes, Narcissa went to reassure the young witch that she wasn't going anywhere, but was interrupted when a large stag Patronus appeared and asked them to take down the wards so that they could come in. With a wave of her wand, Hermione's wards dropped as Narcissa cupped the side of her face and said, "As I have already told you, I'm not going anywhere. There isn't much time left for lunch, and you should eat. We can address all of this later."
Harry and Fleur slowly made their way in and were followed by an aggravated Headmistress. Her eyes narrowed, and lips thinned as she said, "Why does it always seem to be difficult to have one ordinary meal when the two of you are in this castle? Does someone want to tell me what the bloody hell is going on?"
Pushing Hermione towards the desk, Narcissa murmured to her, "You still need to eat." Thankfully, the younger witch kept her comments to herself and allowed the Potions Mistress to handle the irritated Headmistress. "This is partially my fault, and I had planned to speak to you after my last class. As we were approaching the end of the first class, I began to feel uneasy. I took some precautions, but as I was walking towards the Great Hall, someone tried to hex me. It still feels as if someone is watching me. While I was sitting at the head table, I began to analyze all that has happened over the last few days. Whoever is behind this is after Professor Granger. The more I think about everything, the further my ex-husband falls behind as a suspect in my mind. Whoever is behind this works at the Ministry. It is because of that blasted article, I am a target."
"Why do you say that?"
"To make Hermione suffer." Narcissa replied while turning her gaze towards the witch in question. "The first move would be against me, to cause her the most pain possible, and hopefully break her. Then, they would go after her." Her eyes never left Hermione's, who also mirrored the same concern. "You should have never offered me this position Minerva."
"Nonsense. You are quite qualified, and I have no intention of allowing others to dictate how I run my school. I should have realized what I was getting myself into when I hired Mr. Potter." Minerva replied as she looked around the room. "The Golden Duo has graced these hallow halls, and trouble follows them once more. I should have at least been prepared for this. I need to head back to the Great Hall for what is left of lunch." With a shake of her head, Minerva began to make her way towards the door. Before exiting, she turned back and said, "I will alert the Minister of the recent developments. I know this isn't ideal, but you will also be needing personal guards. Auror Bailey, Auror Scott, if one of you would be so kind as to assist Professor Black, I would greatly appreciate it. If anything else develops, send word."
An eerie silence filled the room once the Headmistress left. Hermione had pushed her barely touched meal away, and Fleur put a comforting hand on Narcissa's shoulders. Harry was talking with the Aurors about this new change. Taking a deep breath, Narcissa asked, "Why do I have this feeling that Minerva had asked you something similar when you were students?" Harry shrugged his shoulders, silently conveying a more than you know, and Hermione's shoulders shook with silent giggles as a playful smirk danced across her lips. Surprisingly her heart skipped a beat as she saw the twinkle flitter through her eyes. Feeling a headache beginning to form behind her eyes, her hand floated up and pinched the bridge of her nose. Turning to the Aurors, she said, "I have only one class left for the day; and have a few things I must attend to in order to prepare for it. Will one of you be joining me?" The last thing she wanted was a babysitter, but still felt uneasy and knew that Hermione would worry.
Bailey and Scott began to finalize their plans as Hermione made her way over. "I'm sorry that you got dragged into this mess. How are you holding up? If any of this becomes too much, I won't blame you for telling me to leave. Someone could leak it to the Prophet, and once that story ran, you'd be safe."
Hermione's eyes started to sting during her confession before her gaze dropped to the floor. Putting a finger under her chin, Narcissa guided her face back up and replied, "None of this is your fault. We will get through this, and whoever is behind this will be dealt with." Thankfully Hermione gave her a nod instead of arguing with her. Pulling her in for a fierce hug, she lowered her head and softly murmured, "I have never backed down from a challenge, and neither have you. Let's not start now." Her heart gave a little thump, as a tiny smile formed on Hermione's lips. Pulling her closer as she tightened her embrace, Narcissa lowered her head and rested it beside Hermione's ear to whisper, "Don't think I have forgotten about this morning… I won't be the only one screaming to Merlin and Morgana."
Warmth began to pool in Hermione's lower abdomen and flooded her panties. A shiver ran down her spine and left her speechless. As she watched Narcissa glide away with Auror Bailey, she could have sworn that the blonde purposely exaggerated the way her hips swayed.
~ Time skip~
Time seemed to slowly tick by as everyone finished their first day. Thankfully the rest of the day was relatively easy, and the students were somewhat behaved. However, Narcissa was still uneasy, and the hairs on her neck were still raised. Once the last student had left, she pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes for a moment before restoring order to her workspace. After her last sweep, she began to gather the things she needed and called for her elf to take everything to her quarters as Auror Bailey came over. Checking the time, she said, "I just need to grab something from my office. Did you need to check in with Auror Scott? I hope this isn't too redundant for you."
Auror Bailey tapped her watch with her wand twice and replied, "Please, Lady Black, call me Rachel, and I just did. Scottie would have alerted me to any issues. Honestly, I prefer Potions or Charms to Transfiguration." With her wand in hand, she followed the Potion Mistress out. Before Narcissa could touch the door, she said, "I need to check for any surprises. What ward scheme is this? I have never seen anything so complicated."
With a chuckle, Narcissa replied, "One of my creations. No witch or Wizard should have gotten past them." Dismantling them quickly, the door opened on its own, and just as she was about to take a step inside, she was pulled back and tackled to the ground by the young Auror as something exploded, sending tons of shrapnel everywhere. Once the smoke began to clear, she tried to speak, but the words stuck in her throat from all the smoke.
Auror Bailey rolled off Narcissa as the smoke cleared and jumped up to a crouch while asking, "Are you alright? Did anything strike you?" Scanning the area, she helped the shaken witch to a sitting position and leaned her against the wall.
The Headmistress was the first to arrive and let out a gasp as she saw the smoke billowing out of the office. Running over to her Professor's side, she asked, "What happened? Are either of you injured?"
Before either could reply, Harry, Fleur, and two other Aurors came charging down the hall. Once everyone was close enough, Narcissa replied, "I took down my wards, and once the door was open, Auror Bailey pulled me back while tackling me to the ground. She acted as my shield. No Witch or Wizard should have gotten past. Those wards were ironclad, and still intact." During this explanation, Harry and Fleur split off, and as Harry pulled the other Aurors to one side, Fleur came to her. "I believe we are both alright, and that is all due to Auror Bailey."
As Harry and the Aurors were examining the office, Fleur was running a quick field triage. As she worked, she said, "Did you hit your head? It looks as if you have a gash on the side of your head and some smoke inhalation. I know Poppy will do a more thorough exam, but I wanted to make sure there was nothing serious going on." Seeing Harry walking over, she asked, "Can I help Narcissa to the Infirmary?"
"That's fine. But I need to get Hermione." Harry replied, watching Narcissa closely as she tried to steady her hands. Switching his gaze to the Headmistress, he said, "Hermione needs to know. How do you want me to handle this?"
"I'll have her come to my office. From there, you two can use my private Floo connection and go directly to the hospital wing." Minerva replied as she analyzed the destruction. Something wasn't sitting right with her. Narcissa showed her that ward scheme and knew that she was correct. No Witch or Wizard would have been able to get past them. Plus, as the Headmistress, the wards that surrounded Hogwarts would have informed her of a possible intruder, even in the Animagus form. "Tell me, was it this bad during the trials?"
Harry sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Outside of Sirius’s house, yes. But the home is still under the Fidelius and has been made unplottable on top of that. We all needed a safe place to be ourselves." He paused to help Fleur get Narcissa off the floor, then said, "I know Hermione was going to attempt her transformation tonight. Perhaps we should postpone everything. I'm worried…"
"You will do no such thing." Narcissa interrupted with her raspy voice. "She uses her quest for knowledge as a distraction. I'm willing to bet this will be a very trying time for her and can guarantee that this will trigger several things. I will also tell you that this is going to be a very long night for her." The group had to pause for a few minutes to allow Narcissa to catch her breath. "I wish there was a way to keep all this from her."
As they rounded a corner, it suddenly felt as if her throat was closing, and something was crushing her chest. Blindly reaching out, she grabbed the closest shoulder. Despite being scrawny, Harry quickly scooped her up and began running down the hall. "Go find Hermione and Auror Bailey should also be examined. I think we missed something."
Minerva grabbed Fleur's arm to stop her from following while sending her Patronus charging towards the Aurors. "Hold on tight Professor. I'll take us directly to Professor Granger's office." Within a blink of an eye, the Headmistress apparated Fleur to the empty room across from Hermione's office. Thankfully the transition was smooth, and the two were able to swiftly make their way across the hall. Taking a deep breath, Minerva knocked on the door and mentally prepared herself for the potential shite storm they were going to be kicking up.
"It's open!"
No point in turning back now, Minerva opened the door and ushered Fleur inside. Seeing the young witch being to stand, Minerva motioned for her to remain seated. "No matter what you may hear Hermione, I want your word that you will remain calm." Not the best way to start this conversation, but there simply wasn't a better way to begin. Hermione jumped to her feet and rushed around the desk… directly into Fleur's arms. Waiting for her young protégé to be seated, she took the seat beside her and said, "There has been a small accident. While Narcissa and Auror Bailey were making their way to her office, there was an explosion. Auror Bailey acted quickly and most likely saved both of their lives by tackling Narcissa to the ground and acting as a human shield. Harry brought her to the Hospital Wing, and I sent for Auror Bailey to join us there. Originally we thought Narcissa had some smoke inhalation, but we now suspect that there was something else in the package."
The tremors turned into uncontrollable shaking, and all the color drained from her face. All that has happened is her fault. How could it not be? "I have to see her. I need to know that she is okay."
"None of this is your fault 'Ermione, so you need to stop those thoughts. We will take you as long as you promise one thing… do not push any of us away, and do not try to run." Fleur softly said, voice full of compassion. Pulling her friend up and into a warm embrace, she added, "Just take a deep breath for me, and then we will go meet Harry and check on Narcissa." Tightening her hold, Fleur looked over to Minerva and gave her a small nod.
While Fleur was comforting Hermione, Minerva called for her house elf and had her take Auror Scott ahead of them. Once she was gone, Minerva returned to Hermione's side and asked, "Would you rather walk or have me apparate us."
"I just need to be there."
"It will be alright dear, just hold on tight."