Assassins

Chapter Two

"Have you gone completely nutters?" Ginny shrieked, gaping at her brother. Ron's gaze was unwavering as he waited for her answer. She took several deep breaths as she tried to calm herself down. It didn't help that Pansy Parkinson was standing beside Ron's chair, her arm draped possessively across the back of his seat, with her eyes focused on Ginny as well. She definitely felt as though she was being interrogated.

"No one is forcing you to do anything," he said quietly, his expression closed off. Ginny's heart twisted as she watched her brother. He looked older than his years; older than any twenty six year old ought to look. "Dumbledore chose you. I don't know why, but he must have had his reasons." Lines appeared on Ginny's forehead, and her eyes narrowed as though this statement went deeper than Ron realized. Almost as soon as the look appeared, it was gone, and Ron chose to ignore it.

"How many others?"

"Besides you? Four."

Ginny took a moment to absorb this information. "Harry's one of them, isn't he?"

"We're not authorized to reveal the identity of the other possible participants. If you agree to undertake what we're asking of you, then you will meet the others when you start your training."

"This is too much," she said, rubbing her eyes. "Too much, too fast. How much time do I have to think about it?" Ron glanced down at his watch.

"About five minutes."

"You've got to be kidding me," she said disbelievingly. "I have five minutes to make a decision that could affect the rest of my life - or even end my life?"

"No, now you have less than five minutes, kitten," Pansy said, arching an eyebrow.

"Why are you here, anyway? What purpose do you serve?" Ginny folded her arms over her chest.

"Why, moral support, of course," Pansy said, a healthy smirk plastered across her face. Ginny's frown deepened.

"Have you made a decision yet?" Ron asked, watching the different emotions flashing rapidly across his sister's face.

"Do Mum and Dad know?"

"Of course not, Gin," he said, frustrated. "You know they don't, or Mum would've had kittens by now! Neither one of us would be here - she'd have us locked up in the house and thrown away the key! Besides, no one else knows, apart from a select few that Dumbledore trusts - and us."

Ginny gave him a weak smile. "How long is the training?"

"I'm not sure yet. It all depends on the team's progress and how quickly you all pick up the training. It could be anywhere from six months to a year - possibly longer."

"A year?" Ginny's eyes widened. "Longer? I don't know, Ron, I-"

"You have exactly one minute left," Pansy interjected, her eyes glittering.

"What would I tell Holyhead?" Ginny asked desperately. "I can't just up and leave them without a Keeper, Ron!"

"Is no your answer, then?"

"Oh, sod it all!" she swore, throwing her hands up in the air. "Fine, I'll do it!" Ron smiled grimly to himself. One down, four to go.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

He had no sooner stepped foot inside the door of his flat when Hermione entered the room, her eyes blazing and her cheeks flushed scarlet. He sighed. He'd been right; since she'd left him earlier that evening, she'd worked herself into a right state. Normally on nights like these, he would acquiesce to her and apologize, even if he felt he hadn't done anything wrong.

Tonight, however, he was in no mood to back down.

"Where have you been, Ron?"

"At the office. Where else would I have been, Hermione?" he asked, removing his tie and slinging it over the back of the sofa. Hermione pursed her lips; she hated anything being out of place, and he knew it.

"You've been at the Ministry all night, have you?"

"Actually, yes, I have," he said calmly, flopping down exhaustedly on the sofa. "If you don't believe me, you can ask Ginny. She was there with me."

"And I'd be willing to bet that that tart Pansy Parkinson wasn't far behind, either." She folded her arms over her chest.

Ron pinched the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut. "I already told you, Hermione. She's my assistant, nothing more."

"I don't trust her, Ron. That woman has claws and fangs! She's like a -" Hermione paused as she searched for the right words. "Like a wild animal, waiting to devour her prey!" Ron snorted and shook his head.

"You've got an incredibly active imagination, Hermione. What in Merlin's name do you think Parkinson would want with me?" Hermione sank down onto the sofa next to Ron and took his hand in hers.

"I'm serious, Ron. If she senses any sort of weakness, you know she'll be all over you." Ron jerked his hand away and glared at her.

"How many times do I have to tell you that she's just my assistant before you'll actually believe me? Give me the benefit of the doubt for once, Hermione. When have I ever lied to you?"

"You haven't," she said softly, her shoulders drooping a bit. Confusion washed over Ron. It wasn't like Hermione to speak so softly when she was angry, and it wasn't like her to admit that he'd done nothing to deserve one of her tirades.

"If you know that there's nothing going on between me and Pansy, why are you still so upset? What else is bothering you?" Hermione dropped her face into her hands, and Ron watched helplessly as her body began to shake with her sobs.

"I wasn't on the list," she cried. He blinked in surprise.

"You're upset because your name wasn't on the list?"

She looked up at him through wet lashes. "I thought that when we spoke to Professor Dumbledore about this the first time that I'd be involved! Now even Pansy Parkinson is involved, and I'm not doing anything!"

"Hermione, there's something I haven't told you," Ron said, clearing his throat. "You're not on that list because I requested you not to be."

"What?" Hermione gasped. "B-but - I don't understand! Why would you do such a thing?"

"I need you to do something else," he said quietly. "Something infinitely more important than being a member of the team."

"So help me, Ron, if you say stay home and guard it -"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I didn't want to ask you to do this, but the truth is that you're the only one I trust to do it, and do it right."

"What is it?" she asked hesitantly.

"I need you to train the recruits for me." Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him.

"Train them? You mean just with spells, right?"

"No." He shook his head slowly, and she paled. "Everything you thought of when we were planning this- that would be useful to them, the Muggle training as well."

"Ron, I can't do any of the other things that they need to learn! Spells and potions are easy, but the physical training - I just can't do it! Besides, most of the people on the list are way more athletic than me!"

"I can't believe what I'm hearing." He shook his head, and wrapped his arms around her, gathering her close. "Remember all of the planning you did last summer? I wasn't big on the idea at first, but you convinced me. The only way we can really be successful is if we incorporate everything you deemed necessary into the training. Who else did you think would be training them?"

He watched as her face changed and the realization flashed in her eyes. He could almost hear her thoughts. 'Well of course. He's right. No one but me would be able to teach them everything.' He tried not to chuckle at the obvious defeat her next question implied.

"Are you sure you want me to do this? It would mean my seclusion from you for an undetermined amount of time."

"I don't trust anyone else to do it right," he reaffirmed. "I need you to do this, Hermione. Please. For me."

"All right," she whispered, burying her face in the front of his shirt. "I'll do it."

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"Were you followed?" The hooded man's head turned left, then right, looking for any signs of movement in the trees.

"No," a gruff voice replied. The figure pulled its hat low to mask its face. "I wasn't followed - I made sure of it."

"You'd better have," the hooded man said coldly. "What news do you have for me?"

"Dumbledore's signed off on his little project."

"Has he? It's taken long enough for him to do it. Who are the recruits?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" the hooded man asked angrily. "It's your job to know! How are we to know who to eliminate if we don't have names?"

"I feel sure that one of them is Harry Potter." The hooded figure snorted derisively.

"Do you take me for a fool? Don't you think that I already know Potter is going to be among the recruits? Idiot!"

"Why don't you just seek him out now and kill him?"

"The plans that have been made don't involve killing him just yet. His death is imminent, but it won't happen before it's time. Where are they being sent?"

"I don't know that, either."

"What are you good for? A spy who doesn't spy. Brilliant!" The hooded man reached out and closed a hand around the other figure's throat. "The next time you send for me, you'd better be sure that you have all the information that I want. If we meet again and you do not tell me what I want to know, there will be consequences." He dropped the figure and disapparated.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Hermione climbed the steps to Harry's flat with no small amount of trepidation. Why did I volunteer to tell Harry? I can't remember now. She paused just outside his front door, and smoothed out the front of her sensible skirt. She raised her hand to knock on his door, but just before her hand made contact, the door flew open.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, wrapping her in a tight hug. "How've you been?" He pulled away and gestured her inside, and then closed the door behind them.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked, puzzled.

"I just knew," he said, shrugging. She blinked. He's got wards around the flat, you ninny, she chided herself silently. "Can I get you something? Tea, chocolate, or juice?" He was already heading towards the kitchen.

"No, thank you, Harry," she said softly. "I'm not actually here for a friendly visit." Harry froze mid-step, then slowly turned to face her again.

"Then what are you here for?"

"You might want to sit down," she said, pointing towards the sofa. When Harry didn't budge, she moved to it and sat down. "I might want to sit down."

"What's going on?"

"About eight months ago, Ron and I approached Professor Dumbledore with an idea. It was risky, but I knew that certain-er-controversial- measures had to be taken if we ever want this war to end. It would also put you into a position where you could really prepare yourself, Harry, for- well, you know." Harry had told Ron and Hermione about the prophesy years ago, but it was still a topic that they didn't discuss unless it was absolutely necessary. Hermione cleared her throat before she continued. "I had every confidence that the plan would work, should Dumbledore decide to do it."

Harry gave her a blank look, forcing her to continue.

"Well, it's taken some time- Dumbledore wasn't too keen on the idea at first-" she cleared her throat again nervously. "But yesterday afternoon, he finally signed off on the papers to authorize the project."

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked cautiously.

"Part of the deal was that Dumbledore alone would decide who would participate in the project. He was adamant that Ron would be in charge, obviously, and he made a list of the people he'd like to recruit to work with Ron on the project. Your name was at the top of the list, Harry."

"What sort of project is it?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Basically, it's a -" she fumbled for an easy way to tell him. "Essentially, you'd be-"

"Get on with it, Hermione."

"You'd be trained as an assassin." The words hung heavy and thick in the air between them, and she shifted nervously in her seat. Harry's face was set in hard lines, and she was terrified that he might erupt into one of the rampages that he was currently so famous for. Therefore she was startled when he calmly took a seat beside her on the sofa.

"You mean like an Auror?"

"Not exactly," she said, shaking her head. "You'd be trained in combat, both physical and with spells. You'd be in a very secluded training area with four other people and your trainer, and you'd be there anywhere from six months to a year, and maybe longer than that."

"Four others? Who?"

"I can't tell you that, Harry. I haven't been authorized to give any more information than what's necessary. You'll be seeing the other four people if you decide to go."

"What's the objective?"

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously you had a goal in mind when you put this band of assassins together. What is it?"

She shook her head 'no' in response to that question as well. She couldn't tell anyone that yet. She doubted if even Ron understood the real complexity of it all.

"So basically you want me to put my life in your hands, without even the teensiest hint as to what I'll be doing?" He grinned.

"Yeah...." Her lips curved up into a weak smile.

"Sounds like old times."