Romance Americana

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Harry and Hermione ran down the halls of Hogwarts; they were late for a meeting with Professor McGonagall. Kate had called Harry and Ron up to the roof and told them the same story she told her. Their jaws had dropped as well, as Kate spun a story so out there that even students of one of the worlds most eccentric wizarding schools couldn't believe it. She told them a story of a prophecy, and eight people meant to stop it.

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Flashback to 3 hours ago

"Alright, Kate, why'd you call us up here?"

"To talk to you."

"I, for one, am impressed. You and Hermione are up here together and I see no blood. Good for you."

"Shut up, Ron. This is serious."

Harry looked her in the eye. "Why? What's so serious?"

Kate wouldn't meet anyone's eye; Hermione took it upon herself to explain. She started the way Kate had started with her. "We've been accepted to Americana. But there are certain conditions of us being accepted."

Harry and Ron's eyes flashed; they were not willing to agree to terms before they heard everything. Harry took a wild guess and looked to his girlfriend.

"Did Kate already tell you all about these conditions, Hermione?"

"Yes."

"Did you agree to them?"

"Yes."

"Hermione, you dug us into a hole then. Kate knows that we aren't going to say no if you've already said yes..."

"Harry..."

"Hermione, she's using you to get us to go to her school! She's using you!"

"I resent that! I have never just used anybody!"

"Harry, you know that I want to go to this school more than anything!"

"But agreeing to whatever terms they set down is not the way to get in!"

"Harry, just hear her out, please! Listen to what she has to say; it has to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named..."

She had is full attention. Kate took over for her.

"Let's start from the beginning. Do you know who will take over for Voldemort, in the event that he dies?"

The Trio looked at each other; Harry was silently agreed to answer for all.

"Lucius Malfoy."

"Correct in one. Now, tell me, what would happen if the elder Malfoy died? Who would take over then?"

"The next highest Death Eater?"

Kate shook her head. "I hate such high hopes for you to, Harry, but you're wrong. Lucius' eldest child would take over."

"Malfoy? DRACO Malfoy would take over?"

"Yes, our darling Draco. They pass the position down father to son. Lucius' father held it, then he died, so it's been passed to him; Draco's next."

Ron looked alarmed. "My sister's dating him!"

"Which brings me to the second part of the prophecy."

"What the hell do you mean by 'second part' of the 'prophecy'?"

Kate didn't look too sure of herself at this part. Her mind was racing; how upset would they be to hear this?

"Think stereotypes; in a normal prophecy, there's the evil takes over, then..."

"Then evil children being born."

"Okay, so far, so good. Now, how would typically be the mother of said Spawn of Satan?"

"Um... someone tragic... a friend of the hero, someone who loves him, but has been scorned by him as well."

"Fit the description of anyone you know, Harry?"

Harry looked confused. "Not that I know..."

"My sister." Ron had gone pale, and was sweating. "That would fit my sister."

Kate nodded. "Yes, Ron, your sister fits the description pretty damn well. Harry, while she did love you, she doesn't anymore; history has begun to prove the prophecy. Little Ginny Weasley has fallen in love with the enemy. But, surely, we won't just let this happen. Come on, you three; tell me what else needs to happen. And cheesy Hollywood type endings are allowed."

"There's a group set out to stop them..."

Hermione picked up Ron's lead. "... people we wouldn't expect..."

Harry finished. "... people right under our noses."

Kate smiled a strange smile, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a silver ring. A red ruby glinted at them, with the words "Defensores de la Paz" inscribed around it. On one side was a hawk, and on the other was a broadsword, with three stars on either side surrounded by olive leaves. If they hadn't looked closely at it, Harry, Hermione and Ron would have thought it nothing more than an ordinary class ring.

"May I see it?" Kate handed Hermione her ring. "Defensores de la Paz... defenders of the peace?"

Kate smiled an approving smile. "Very good. Do you speak Spanish?"

"No, but I know a little bit of French. One Latin based language isn't that far off from the other. What is this ring for?"

"Well, let's just say that you'll see about 40 of these rings on the hands of visiting students..."

Harry, how had taken the ring from Hermione, looked up at the American. "You're telling us that Americana students are the ones responsible for keeping Voldemort at bay?"

"A select few, yes."

"We're doomed."

"Ronald Weasley, I don't think having three British teenagers standing between me and Voldemort would make me comfortable. You three haven't been trained; at Americana, they select us by ability and potential to learn. Then we're grouped by our specialties. Some excel at languages; they're placed in the International branch. Some are better with numbers, so they calculate data for our special ops agents. There are eight that excel at all of the areas. They call them the Elite Eight."

"Are they here?"

"What do you think, Harry?"

"Yes."

"And why do you think that?" Kate had adapted a patronizing tone. Harry played along.

"Because Voldemort is involved. Who are they?"

"Well, figure it out for yourself. I'll help you; how many Americana students are in each house?"

"Ten."

"Okay. Now, I'll tell you that there're two in each house."

"Fine, Kate, but who the bloody hell are they?!" Ron was getting frustrated.

"Guess. You've met all of them. Shannon and I talked about them at the welcoming feast."

They all rolled their eyes. No way in hell could they remember that far back. Well, except for Hermione.

"Um... Nikola?"

"Yes."

"Lauren?"

"Two for two."

"Dani?"

"Sí, señorita. Keep going."

"Jarrod, Matt, and... Benny?"

"Very good. But you're missing two."

Harry piped up. "Lauren and Benny are in Slytherin..."

"... Jarrod and Matt are in Ravenclaw..." Ron mentioned.

"... And Dani and Nikola are in Hufflepuff." Hermione seemed puzzled.

"That means we're missing the Gryffindors."

"Good job, Harry. Now, who on earth could they be?"

The Trio glanced at each other; none of them knew.

"Jesus Christ, I feel like I'm on Sesame Street. Do I really need to spell it out for you three? Hermione, what did you say I have that pissed you off?"

"Too much general knowledge..." Her eyes lit up. "Oh Lord, that's it, isn't it? You're one of them..."

"Yes I am. I'm just adding to the too perfect image, aren't I?"

Hermione smiled at the allusion to their earlier conversation. "Yes, you are. But who is the other one?"

"Well... Ron's well acquainted with her..."

"SHANNON?!?!?! Sweet, innocent little Shannon is involved with this?"

"She has a knack with numbers, and the French language."

"Oh." Hermione wasn't that shocked; in fact, none of them were. Kate wasn't surprised. Hermione looked back up at her, a question in her eyes. "Is that why the school wants their students to study a foreign language?"

Kate laughed. "Yes, they do it to test our aptitude for language arts. 75% of the school doesn't know about the organization."

Harry cleared his throat. "Are those the terms?"

"Hmm?"

"Joining this organization. Are those the terms of attending the school?"

"Yes." Kate saw a weird look on all three faces. "You will be fighting evil, namely Voldemort and the Death Eaters. And you'll get paid, with full room and board. Will you accept?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, and then answered one at a time.

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Very well. Let's take this inside. I'll gather the others and we'll get you caught up."

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