Iuga Sortis II

Four

He ran his silver hand through his hair in frustration.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are . . ." he sang as he searched the maps. Modeled after the Marauder's Map, these were of entire cities and countries of Europe, pinpointing every known witch and wizard to their location. It was a powerful map; it could even find witches and wizards under the Fidelius Charm and their Secret-Keepers. This was without a doubt one of the most powerful weapons in their arsenal.

And that old bat Dumbledore hasn't a clue we have it.

As it was, he wasn't looking for Harry Potter as he should; he was looking for her. The girl. Only problem was he had no idea who she was; he could only feel her presence stronger than it had been all summer.

He had to find her and soon.

He exhaled harshly and looked at the map of England again. He didn't know why, but his eyes kept drifting to V. Weasley.

He frowned in confusion. It can't be her . . . can it?

"Wormy!"

He sighed and rolled his eyes. Duty calls . . .

"I will be there shortly, my lord." He rolled up the maps and shrank them to fit in his pocket before he made his audience with Voldemort.

Voldemort the Unhinged.

Ever since inhabiting Potter's body three months ago, Voldemort had been a rambling idiot, all the more obsessed with killing Potter and taking control over the wizarding world. It was enough to drive Pettigrew insane.

"Wormy, I have the most brilliant of plans!" he exclaimed as Wormtail entered.

"Yes, my lord?"

Voldemort halted a bit. "Are my Death Eaters out of Azkaban?"

"Yes, my lord. They await your orders even as we speak."

Voldemort smiled his lipless smile, and Pettigrew suppressed a shudder.

"We will summon them soon . . . but I've found my key; I can't believe it's taken me so long to realize it . . ."

"My lord?"

"Virginia."

Wormtail frowned. "Virginia?"

"Yes! Don't you see? Potter has affection for the girl! He proved it when he saved her from the Chamber four years ago . . ."

"The Chamber?"

"The Chamber of my ancestor, Salazar Slytherin. Only one as worthy as she could unlock the secret of the diary and use it."

Pettigrew frowned. "Didn't Potter use the diary as well?"

Voldemort growled, but it came out more as a squeal. "So?"

"But he won . . ."

Voldemort's red eyes narrowed into ominous slits. "Crucio!"

Pettigrew dodged the curse and heard it crash into the wall behind him.

"You dare to avoid your punishment?" he all but screeched.

"If I wanted, I could put you under the Cruciatus Curse, but that would ruin my plans."

Voldemort's red, pupil-less eyes grew wide at Pettigrew's boldness.

"Avada Ked--"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I know some things you don't know which will help you get control of the wizarding world."

The curse on Voldemort's tongue died as quickly as it'd been born. "You know something?"

"I know a lot of things."

"You've changed, Wormy. Ever since last Christmas, you've grown a backbone."

"Why do you think you tried to get the Weasley girl in the first place? She's full of ancient magic!"

"I know that!"

"No, you don't."

Voldemort's mouth opened in a state of shock. "You have the audacity to tell me I don't know something?"

"Yes. You don't."

"Why you little--"

"Don't speak, Voldemort. You are in no position to talk."

Voldemort sputtered, clearly speechless.

"Sit."

Pettigrew watched in amusement as the Dark Lord took orders from his subordinate.

Game on.

"I'm going to tell you a story, and you're going to be quiet. Is that understood?"

Voldemort nodded his consent.

"You are a pawn. You only have the power because I chose you to have this power. I saw you when you were a student at Hogwarts, and you were powerful even then. I knew you'd be the most powerful wizard the age has ever seen, and I haven't been proven wrong. Dumbledore is of no consequence--he can only do so much. But you, you can give me what I want--what we want. You can have your wizarding world. All I want is her and none of those pesky Muggles in my way . . ."

"Wormy?"

"Shhh . . ." Pettigrew put his forefinger to his lips to still Voldemort's words. "Didn't I tell you not to speak?"

Voldemort nodded.

Pettigrew sighed and continued. "The events you currently find yourself in have been in motion since the beginning of time. I was to rule, but no. That brother of mine had to be born. He got everything--the power, the glory, her . . .Isis . . ."

Pettigrew could see the question in Voldemort's eyes, and he nodded.

"Yes. The most powerful magician who ever lived--witch or wizard. Whoever had her had the power, and Osiris, my brother, had her. He also took my wife, Nephthys. Greedy sonofabitch he was . . ."

"You are Set!"

"That I am. And you are my servant. You answer to me . . ."

It was then that Voldemort let out a laugh so jubilant Pettigrew was sure hell had frozen over.

"Oh Wormy! Surely you have lost your mind! That can be the only explanation as to why you risk certain death by insulting me."

"The only person who will die is you if you do not heed my words. Now listen to me and listen well--leave Potter alone this year."

"WHAT?!"

Voldemort's anger rose to new heights, but Pettigrew remained undeterred.

"Your problem, my lord, is you're too hasty. You're so obsessed with killing the boy and taking over the wizarding that you can't do either! So, now that I'm back, I will help you get what you want, but it will be done on my terms and my way, or so help me, Potter will be the last person of your concern."

"And what makes you think I'll listen to you?"

"Because . . . the last time you didn't listen to me, you ended up dead."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"What is wrong with you? You've been staring at them ever since we came here!"

"Not now! I have to make sure he keeps his hands off of her . . ."

"What does it matter anyway? She's dating Dean!"

"No. She isn't. I owled Dean about it, and he wrote back saying he knew nothing of the sort. But then the git said he wouldn't mind dating her. I promised him a good hex if he ever touched my sister . . ."

"Oh Ron . . ."

"No, Hermione! She made it up, and now it's time to find out why. I personally think something's going on between them. Look at him! Harry can't keep his eyes off her!"

"Ginny is a beautiful girl, Ron. Of course there would be boys who fancy her."

"Over my dead body!"

"I personally like it alive, myself. I especially like it when your ears turn all red like they are now . . ."

Ron sputtered and wrenched his attention from the couple playing Exploding Snap in the living room. He didn't care that there was water all over the countertops and floor from his "washing dishes."

"My ears do not turn red!"

Hermione sighed, took the long-abandoned plate from his hands and washed it. She set it in the drying rack and turned to face him again. "Oh yes, they do. Right here . . ." She reached out and fingered the tips; his eyes fluttered.

Apparently, there's a nerve there that connects to another part of my anatomy . . . damn it all to hell.

"Are you all right, Ron?" she asked as she rubbed his ears.

He frowned. "I am most certainly not all right! Your touch drives me mad, woman!"

"Fine then, I'll stop." She began to move her hands away, but Ron snatched them into his. "Ron, let go."

"Tut, tut! I told you in the hospital wing I wasn't letting you go." He grinned. He saw her blush, and his grin grew larger.

"Surely you didn't mean in the literal sense . . ."

"Admit it. You like it when I touch you, when I hold you, when I kiss you . . ."

The rest of his sentence drifted away as his lips matched his words. Her lips were so soft under his, like rose petals.

"Oi! None of this . . . kissing my best friend in my presence!"

Hermione giggled at Harry's familiar exclamation. Ron groaned before pulling Hermione closer to him and kissing her fully. Choking sounds could be heard, and Ron made a vulgar gesture with his fingers in their direction.

Slowly Ron ended the kiss and framed her face with his hands. Her face was red as a rose, and she was breathless.

She made him breathless.

"Merlin, you're beautiful . . ."

She became even redder and hid her face in the crook of his neck. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"You two are sickeningly sweet. I think I have a toothache!"

"Don't get any ideas, Potter! I have my eye on you . . ."

"What for? Hermione not pretty enough for you?"

"Shut up, Gin!"

"I'm just saying . . ."

"Well, don't say anything!"

"Don't yell at me, Ron! I'll tell Mum!"

"What are we, three now?" Harry interjected.

Ron was getting a headache, and it was all because his best friend and sister were acting as chaperones while his parents were out.

"I'm a man! I don't need a bloody chaperone . . ." he muttered.

"I don't know about the man part, but you are the oldest," Hermione said into his neck before placing a soft kiss to it. Ron shivered, and he felt her smile against his skin.

This woman will be the death of me . . . and what a sweet, wonderful death it will be . . .

"What? Not old enough for you? Maybe someone like Krum is more your cup of tea!"

"And maybe someone like Fleur is more yours!"

Ron rolled his eyes. Why did she always have to bring her up?

"Fleur is part veela! What's your excuse for your infatuation?"

"I don't know . . . maybe he noticed me when someone else was too thick to do so!"

It amazed Ron how little it took to instigate an argument between them. First they were kissing, now Hermione stood before him with her hands on her hips and eyes narrowed, insinuating he thought her ugly.

She couldn't be ugly even if she tried.

"He's the Seeker! Of course he'd notice you!"

Ron knew immediately he'd said the wrong thing when her ears drew back in indignation.

"Was I really that elusive? Was I really that hard to spot? That hard to catch? I know I'm not as shapely as Lavender or Pansy, but dear goodness, I thought I had some feminine characteristics that would clue you in to the fact I was a girl!"

His eyes flitted across her body entirely on their own volition. If Ron couldn't spot the characteristics two years ago, he could definitely spot them now. While not as voluptuous as Pansy or Lavender, there was no possible way for anyone to confuse Hermione with anything but a woman.

His woman, to be more precise.

"Look in my eyes when I'm talking to you! And wipe that grin off your face! Honestly!"

"I just wanted you to know that I noticed you're a woman now!"

"Yes. And all it took was for me to grow some breasts."

"And what a lovely pair they are . . ."

"Ron! You did not just say that!"

"Well, it's true! Best pair I've seen yet!"

Hermione gasped and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ron!"

"If I had a pair as lovely as yours, I wouldn't be ashamed of it!"

"If you had a pair as lovely as Hermione's, I'd check you into St. Mungo's stat!" Harry piped up. Ron and Hermione turned in their direction and noticed Harry and Ginny watching them with rapt attention.

"Why are you just looking at us?" Hermione asked.

"This is far more entertaining than any game of Exploding Snap!" Ginny smirked.

"Why are you looking at my girlfriend's pair?!" Ron asked, anger rising in him as he glared at Harry.

"Have you been watching ER again, Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry wisely chose to answer Hermione's question. "What's that?"

Ron frowned as he watched her roll her eyes at Harry's comment. "You aren't the least bit concerned Harry's noticed your chest?" He was appalled.

She has the nerve be upset with me for noticing her . . .femininity and all Harry gets is a question about some ER?

"No. Because he didn't need them to distinguish me as a feminine form of our species."

"I didn't need them either! I just think they're nice additions to an already perfect form."

"Save it, Ron. You're already in trouble."

"But I mean it!"

"And I mean it too! Don't talk to me until you think with the head above the belt!" And with that, she spun on her heel and stomped up the stairs that creaked in protest. A door slammed hard.

Ginny groaned and began to follow her.

"Gin, wait!"

"I'll go talk with her," Harry said and went upstairs.

Ron sighed and turned to his sister. She had Molly Weasley's glare down to a tee.

"Gin--"

"I swear to Merlin if you weren't my brother and I didn't have this no-magic ban hanging over my head, I'd hex you good!" Ginny seethed.

"Thank Merlin for both, then," he said sheepishly.

Ginny's eyes narrowed into slits. "Is that all you can say? You practically treated Hermione as if she were a piece of meat! Don't you think there's something wrong with that?"

Ron frowned. "I didn't intend for it to be that way! I just wanted to prove that I did notice she was a girl!"

"Do you know I'm a girl, Ron?"

Ron that was the stupidest question she'd ever asked. "Of course, Gin!"

"Did that require you to look at my breasts?"

"Ginny! How could you ask me a thing like that?!" He was sure he was turning red with embarrassment and green with disgust.

"Well?" She put her hands on her hips and looked at him expectantly.

Ron knew she wouldn't let the question go, and he hated her for it. "Of course it didn't require me to look! You're my sister! That automatically makes you a girl!"

"So! If Hermione was your sister, you'd know she was a girl?"

Ron shuddered. "She's not my bloody sister, thank you very much! And no! I knew Hermione was a girl! I just never considered her as a girl . . ."

"That's basically what you told Hermione! That you didn't notice anything feminine about her until puberty hit!"

"But I didn't mean . . ."

"Doesn't matter if you did or you didn't. The point is it happened, and now Hermione probably thinks the only reason why you're with her is because she has two nice additions! You can be such a prat sometimes!"

"Well, I've been noticing Harry check out your 'additions'!"

Ginny gasped and sputtered. "How dare you!"

Ron scowled. "How dare I what? Call you out on your relationship with Dean?"

He made air quotes with his fingers when he said "relationship." Ginny gasped again, but this time there was fear in her eyes.

"How--how do you--"

"I owled Dean as soon as we got back from school. He told me you two weren't dating. I was just waiting to see if I caught you and Harry in the act . . ."

"Me and Harry?"

"Yes, you and Harry! Why couldn't you tell me you two were dating in the first place?"

"But we're not dating, Ron--"

Ron kept ranting, not bothering to listen. "That wasn't very nice of you to use Dean like that. The very least you could've done was let him know he'd be a scapegoat for my wrath!"

"For your wrath?" she echoed, amusement laced through her voice.

"Yes, my wrath! You don't want to trifle with me! I'm a Weasley!"

"And so am I!"

"But you're the baby!"

"Do I look like a baby to you, Ron?"

He pouted, not wanting to concede his sister's point but knowing he had no choice. "You're not a baby."

"Then stop treating me as such! I'm a big girl now, able to make my own decisions--and that includes who I date!"

"I hear you . . ."

"And hear this--don't EVER say anything like you did to Hermione again! To any girl!"

"Yes, Mum!"

"Don't get sarcastic with me, Ronald Alan Weasley!"

He groaned. What was it with the women in his life calling him by his full name?

"Yes, Ginny! I understand, and I won't do it anymore."

"Do what anymore?"

Ron groaned again. "Mention women's additions."

"And?"

"Pester you about some bloke you're dating!"

Ginny reverted back to the sweet, innocent little sister he'd lived with until he was eleven, and he sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Ronniekins. Now go make up with your girlfriend. I wouldn't fancy being at the end of a wand held by an angry Hermione!"

"You and me both, sister dear," Ron said, and he went to find Hermione. He went to his sister's room and knocked hesitantly.

"Who is it?" she called.

Ron gulped. "It's--it's me!" he squeaked. He shook his head and cleared his throat. "It's me, Ron."

There was no reply, but shuffling could be heard. Suddenly the door opened, and Ron jumped in surprise.

"How is she, Harry?"

He looked back in the room and pulled the door closed before answering. "She's right angry with you, Ron. But I think she's more hurt than anything else. You better fix this. I don't fancy having you two arguing all year! You're prefects, liable to take your anger out on the whole of Gryffindor Tower!"

"We wouldn't do that, mate . . ."

"Oh yes, you would. Maybe not intentionally, but you would, just to try to one up each other. So please, for every Gryffindor's sanity, make up with her!"

"You mean apologize," Ron scowled.

"You have to admit that was kind of cruddy of you to say that."

"You noticed!"

"Yeah, but I had the good sense not to say that in front of her! Besides, I'm not the one dating her!"

"But you are dating Ginny!"

"What?"

"Don't deny it Harry! You fancy my sister!"

"You're off your rocker!"

"No I'm not! You've been staring at her and sitting close to her ever since you got here!"

Harry's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, and his cheeks turned red. Ron smirked in triumph.

"Well, I do think she's pretty . . ."

"Aha! So you fancy her!"

"No! Well . . . I wouldn't say no if she asked me to Hogsmeade, but we're not dating."

"What is with this 'if she asked?' You're the man! You ask!"

"She'd say no," Harry muttered and leaned against the doorframe.

"Why would she say no? You're the Boy Who Lived! She's had a crush on you ever since she could speak!"

"Not anymore. She fancies someone else."

Ron saw red. "Who?"

Harry instinctively pressed closer to the frame. "You're going to have to ask her yourself, mate."

"I thought we were best mates! You should tell me what kind of bloke dares to catch my sister's interest."

"No, thank you. No need to be the cause of you going to Azkaban for murder. Hermione would kill me!"

"Would I like this bloke?"

Harry was silent, as if judging his words. "He's not for you to like . . ."

"Wrong answer!" Ron growled, and he pinned Harry against the wall. "Who is he?"

"Ron! Get off of him now!"

"I knew you'd react this way! And I haven't even told you his name!" Harry gasped.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Peachy," he answered sarcastically.

"Dear Merlin, man! If this is the way you act about your sister, I pray you never have daughters!" Harry half-joked.

"Ronald! Come here!" Hermione said as she dragged him into the room. "What is wrong with you?"

"Some wanker thinks he can date my sister! I'm not having it!" Ron answered angrily.

"What does this boy have to do with you?"

"He could make her into some scarlet woman!"

"And why would he do that?"

Ron looked at her as if she'd grown another head. "Hermione! You said it yourself! Boys our age only think with one head--the one below the belt. I don't want my sister to be caught up in one of its stupid ideas!"

"Oh, but it's okay for me to be caught up?"

Ron frowned. "What are you on about, woman?"

Hermione sighed and plopped down on the bed. "I'm seeing you, aren't I? You're a boy your age, obviously. And clearly you think with the head below the belt. So am I a scarlet woman? Won't be the first time you've called me such."

Ron felt his face grow red. "No, Hermione! You're nothing like that! You're the best girl any bloke could want!"

"And shouldn't you give your sister that same courtesy? She's not stupid, Ron. She knows if a boy is good for her or not. You should really trust her judgment."

Ron sighed and sat next to her. There was silence before Ron nodded and gently took her hand in his. "You're right, 'Mione. I should honor my word and stop treating her like a child. It's just that . . . she's my baby sister, the only girl. I'm supposed to be her protector."

"And you are, Ron! But you can't protect her from life. It's going to happen sooner or later; when she meets The One, and she'll get married and have kids. What are you going to do? Have a stakeout across from the hotel on her wedding night?"

"That's not a bad idea, 'Mione . . ." He rubbed his chin in thought.

"Ron!"

"I'm just kidding."

"Good."

"And I'm sorry for objectifying you earlier."

Hermione blinked and frowned, and he worried he'd said the wrong thing.

"Ron?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know what objectifying means?"

Ron's mouth dropped open in indignation, and he almost missed the glint in her eyes.

She was teasing him.

"Come here, you little minx!" he demanded. Hermione squealed and ran from the room, Ron following in hot pursuit.