Climb Ev’ry Mountain

6 - Climb Ev'ry Mountain

There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

Albert Einstein

The magic was back for now, the blasted helicopters gone, but Hermione had no doubt this first disabling of magic was only the beginning. She walked slowly back towards the house. The rain had finally stopped, and there were more puddles on the uneven ground than she could count, each one offering ideal conditions for scrying.

Hermione chose one body of water...the size of a large cooking pot...and bent down, carefully avoiding the cold, wet ground. "Show me," she whispered, then remembered, ashamed, to give proper thanks and bless the work space. She stared at the water and first saw Minerva arrive safely in Avalon. "Thank goodness you're safe." She never thinks of her own wellbeing. Or perhaps she knows that she's protected wherever she goes.

Pink, hideous pink, suddenly flecked the surface of the puddle, and a figure slowly emerged. "Certainly, sir. I can arrange for that, although I do have a price," a voice Hermione would recognise anywhere said, a saccharine-laden, insincere, simpering voice. The shape of a man now began to show, obviously a Muggle, wearing an expensive suit and a distasteful expression.

"Name it then, witch!" he demanded with a measure of scorn that beat any Malfoy or Snape sneer she'd ever seen.

Said witch appeared entirely unfazed by his demeanour. "If you catch Potter or Granger, I want to be the one to interrogate them. With no restrictions and with unhindered use of magic."

The Muggle laughed. "That's not a problem. Our electro-magnetic radiation allows for precise pinpointing. It makes no difference whether we disable magic over a square mile's radius or a square inch's. How do we find those two?"

"I will provide you with photographs and their addresses. Neither goes out much, so it should be a fairly easy catch even if some waiting is involved. And ensure the magic is disabled in their respective surroundings." Her face contorted into another cold smile, making Hermione shudder, and then the water was once more clear and dark, with just light ripples from the mild breeze, the vision gone.

Hermione slowly rose and returned to the house, her mind whirling. As she walked past the kitchen door, it opened, revealing Narcissa.

"Hermione! Are you all right?" the witch asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I..." Exhaustion washed over her, and Hermione was grateful as Narcissa steered her firmly into the kitchen and onto the nearest chair.

"What happened?" Turning to the dark wizard who was now rising from his seat at the table, she said, "Severus, please make some tea."

"After I saw Minerva off," Hermione started and relayed her decision to utilise one of the rain puddles to do some scrying and what emerged. "I have no idea what the Muggle asked of Umbridge, but I don't think it matters much."

Narcissa stared into the fire and, after a long silence, said, "No. He wanted locations. Which means they probably start with wizarding villages to disable the magic. Are there ways to protect our homes? The manor is well warded, but if they can disable the magic with means of Muggle technology, I don't hold much hope." She looked enquiringly at the younger witch.

Hermione gratefully lifted the steaming mug Severus put in front of her. "Thank you." The heat felt good in her cold hands, and the scent the tea emitted lifted her spirits. She took a few deep breaths inhaling it before replying, "Yes. We can create at least a modicum of protection for any space. There are rituals, some simple, some more complicated. Most require one or three women, so we'll have no problems protecting your manor or this residence." She turned to Severus, who was now sitting on the other side of Narcissa. "Minerva ensured this home is protected when she visited tonight."

Severus nodded. "She mentioned something..." His head flew back to the witch on his other side. "Narcissa, arrange with Hermione to protect the manor. We need to take precautions, and it's likely to become more difficult for her to travel, since her picture is already spreading across the Muggle media."

Narcissa glanced at Hermione. "What do you need?"

Hermione drank the rest of the tea, then said, "You, myself, and we can ask Louisa to join; she is old enough. A broom, some salt. I'll use my own athame." A small smile played around her lips. "And intent of course."

Narcissa returned the smile hesitantly. "Of course." She rose. "I better get back home. It's late."

Hermione, in an automatic gesture for someone with troubles, stretched her hand out in blessing the older witch, then bade Severus good night and fled to her room.

It wasn't early by anyone's standards, but she'd slept most of the day away and was anything but sleepy, if worn. Besides, there were many things to think about, so she lit a fire and sat down on the rug in front of the hearth, reflecting on the recent events until her attention focussed on the day ahead. I'll have to enter Malfoy Manor... Goddess, help me be strong... Spending a few hours on the manor's grounds was one thing, but the thought of physically entering the manor made her shudder.

Calm down, a gentle but firm voice instructed her mind. The Gods will not allow the despicable plans of a few to come to fruition, and that manor holds no threat for you.

Hermione felt somewhat calmer. She didn't recognise the voice, but knowing it came from the isle sufficed, and she relaxed deeper into the thick, woollen rug, her shawl still pulled tightly around her, as if to ward off the cold, which had long since dissipated with the lively fire.

Staring into the flames, she soon felt a pull and was not surprised to see her body still on the hearth rug when she glanced back. She exited the house...and found herself not in the large garden but on the shore of an ocean in broad daylight.

"And again we've survived the downfall of a world," he said. He wasn't Severus, but his eyes were, as was his voice, smooth, silky, his words delivered in a regretful timbre.

"So we have. And will again," she offered and was grateful he was by her side, his arm around her shoulder as they watched the ashes of Mu fall into the ocean.

"Yes, again and again. Until... My love, there will come a time when we'll rise triumphant and overcome the evil that has befallen our beloved planet."

She nodded slowly. "May this day arrive soon." She noticed, looking around, it was almost barren land. Too much sand on the ground, no growth save a few cacti...prickly like his current personality, she thought with a hint of amusement.

"When we are together again and visit this place once more, know the time has arrived, my love." With a last nod, his hand stretched out over her head in blessing, he faded, and so did the scenery.

Next, she found herself in an icescape. A piercing blue sky and bright white land penetrated her eyes as the cold did her body, making her shiver.

"And yet another continent has sunken." His voice sounded regretful, and her heart went out to him as she observed his features. This wasn't Severus either, though his voice was the same. "One day, we'll meet and work together and succeed in banishing the forces of destruction," he continued as he embraced her, and she felt at home in his arms.

Hermione felt herself fade until the landscape changed again, this time to one she was familiar with.

"I'm so glad we've had a reprieve," he said, his eyes still pitch-black, his voice still silky. "There are hard times ahead of us, my love. Not in this life, but in future ones..."

"Yes," she agreed. "It's been good to have a break here in Avalon, even if the future does look gloomy." Her eyes met his as his arm wrapped around her. "Oh, my love. I wish we could be done here and simply be at peace." Her head lay on his shoulder, and she was engulfed in comfort.

It lasted all but a second, for she was catapulted rather violently back into her body in front of the now dying embers.

"Did I do something to upset you?" asked Severus, looming over her with a concerned face.

Hermione pulled the shawl closer around her, feeling cold. "No, you never. I... I felt unwell."

"Are you certain it is not because of... other reasons?" he asked, though his voice held no bite.

Please go away... "No... sir. I have no reason to hide anything." She was unable to meet his eyes.

He sat down next to her. "Why do you suddenly prefer such a formal address... when we've been on familiar terms for quite some time, Hermione?" He threw a couple of logs onto the embers and used his wand to kindle the fire.

To avoid more familiarity... Warmth infused her, though she was sure it did not come from the burning wood. "I don't know what you mean..." She managed...barely...to avoid adding sir.

"Did or did you not just remember several past lives, Hermione?" His voice held a heightened air of interest.

Hermione averted her eyes. "I did." It was barely a whisper.

"Look at me." He moved his hand to her chin and tilted her head.

"Hermione."

The expression on his face made her gasp. "Oh..." In a moment of complete darkness, she blurted, "I thought you were interested in Narcissa."

He laughed, but stopped abruptly when her expression changed to...was it relief? "What?" It sounded incredulous.

She blushed and looked away and hoped he'd just leave. No. Please stay... His presence unsettled and calmed her all the same.

"Hermione. Look at me." His tone wasn't demanding by any means, but she could not help obeying his words and met his eyes again. He held her glance before continuing to speak, his tone soft now. "If anyone had ever believed you and Potter were together, what would you have thought?"

She laughed then. "Harry is like a brother. That's just... ew." Her eyes widened at his smirk. "Oh..." She looked away, feeling silly.

"Foolish girl," he said softly. "Both Narcissa and Lucius have been friends since my teenage days at Hogwarts, oftentimes my only friends, but when Hermann entered their lives, Narcissa needed some support, for Lucius was not keen on the boy, and I needed help because I had no idea how to raise children." Her eyes met his again, and her breath hitched when his hand rested on her chin and then tilted her face towards his own as he bent down.

His lips met hers. So soft, she thought in wonder and was overcome with a sense of acute loss when he moved.

"When you first came here, I realised how much you've changed since your Hogwarts days. Of course, everyone grows up; some sooner than others, but there was something about you..." He was holding her now like some treasure, his chin lightly resting on her shoulder. "And then the dreams started. Not really dreams, I figured; it was more as if my soul travelled to times past, and you were in each one..."

"You, too?" she asked. "I don't remember any dreams, but just now, before you turned up, I saw us in many lifetimes."

He nodded. "Narcissa suggested my dreams were memories from previous lives..." He turned to face her, and his head lowered once more until their lips met, and then his tongue slipped between her lips.

There were fireworks suddenly, in her head and in her stomach and somewhere else, some place deep inside she was unable to define.

When they finally parted, Severus whispered, "I didn't know I was missing something in my life, but I think I've found it."

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