When Magic is Useless

When Magic is Useless

By Indus

"Alexander!" Hermione's scream woke the house up for the third night running. Next to her Ron, who had been unable to sleep deeply for as many nights, shot up and looked wildly around the room for trouble, simultaneously reaching for his wand. He realized what had happened after a few seconds and took his wife into his arms. "Sh, love, it's all right."

"No, no it isn't all right. Our baby has been kidnapped," she sobbed, holding on to him as if she would never let go. He rocked her and murmured meaningless words in a placating voice. Hearing the door open, he looked over Hermione's shoulder and stared straight into the eyes of his sister and his best friend, both of whom had been staying at their house. Ginny helped care for the children while Harry was working with Ron and Hermione to find Alexander. Their own children were being taken care of by their spouses, Draco and a wonderful squib woman Harry had met through the Dursleys, strangely enough.

Ginny looked far from beautiful at that time of the night. Lack of sleep and grief had reddened her eyes to a color that was remarkably similar to her hair. Next to her, Harry looked little better. His own children Lily and James would always come first, but Ron and Hermione's children meant more to him than those of Ginny and her other brothers or their friends. They were more than his best friends' progeny, they were also the product of a tumultuous relationship between the first two people who had risked everything because they loved and believed in him after his parents. Alexander's disappearance had hurt him more than Ron had realized until now.

Ron smiled crookedly, signifying his gratitude for their presence as well as his capacity to care for his wife. They left, and he held her until they both fell asleep.

*

Far away, a twelve-year old boy curled into a fetal position against a dirty, slimy wall. He closed his nose to the disgustingly cloying smell of rotten fruit that permeated the air as he tried to sleep. It had been three days, and he was exhausted but fright kept him awake. The first night, squeamishness had not let him relax, but by now his childish belief that Mum and Dad would find him and save him before it was too late had vanished and he had come to tolerate his cold, wet and filthy prison as long as the Muggle was not there to share it with him. Alexander had nothing against Muggles, especially his maternal grandparents, but all he knew of the man keeping him prisoner was that he was a Muggle, and he was evil, just in a different way from Voldemort.

He heard a noise. It sounded like footsteps, and he cringed and pressed into the wall, hoping he would be able to hide. In the beginning, Alexander had tried to shout, hoping that the person approaching would save his life, but it had always been the man who made the boy regret every noise he had made.

It was him, as Alexander had feared. His hair was dark and long, hanging raggedly about his head. The red-haired boy was suddenly struck by the resemblance to a picture of the man he considered a third grandfather soon after the latter had escaped from Azkaban. Any desire he may have had to laugh was cut short as the Muggle came closer, and Alexander recognized the gleam in his eye. He swallowed and closed his eyes, retreating into a corner of his mind where he could recite his favorite spells and the ingredients to Snape's potions, ignoring what was happening to him in the physical world.

*

Hermione threw down her wand as she slumped down at her kitchen table after setting the spell to wash her dishes. That spell gave her comfort since it reminded her of a Disney cartoon about Merlin and Arthur, called The Sword and the Stone. As a carefree, content little girl that had been her favorite animated film until Beauty and the Beast.

She needed the comfort. It had been three days since that horrible evening. It had started out normally, and she had taken the children to watch the sixth Star Wars film. To commemorate the recent death of one of the actors, theaters around the world were once more showing the entire series, one film at a time and Hermione had introduced her children, nieces and nephews to the American Muggle cult icon. They had all instantly loved it, and it became a tradition for her to take the children as soon as each film was re-released. Later, their mothers and fathers, who were even greater fans, would take the children for a second viewing, but the first time was always with Hermione. There were so many Weasley children that Hermione always had them make a chain. That evening, Alexander was one of the last links. In the parking lot, either Arthur or Rowena set off some explosive device that threw the entire group into chaos. When Hermione had calmed down and was loading the children into the enlarged Weasley van, she realized that her son was missing.

At first, she was not very worried, but after a few minutes of calling her son had not yet appeared. Trying to be unobtrusive, she took out her wand and said a locating spell. Although they were not allowed to use magic away from school, all the Hogwarts-age children had their wands attuned to their parents so that they could be found if they were missing. Unfortunately, it had not taken time for Arthur, Percy's eldest, to learn the counter-spell and teach it to the younger Weasleys, so if Alexander really wanted to hide his parents would have to use more conventional methods to locate him. However, she found his signal very quickly, and followed it to in between the cars near where the children had played their prank.

The wand was in pieces. Someone or something had broken it.

Hermione's blood chilled. For a few minutes she had worried that her son might have run away, and Alexander's resourcefulness warned her that if he chose to disappear, it would be very difficult to locate him. Her eldest son had been troublesome that summer. His jealousy of his younger brother coupled with his insecurity stemming from his friendships with the hilarious prankster Arthur and a naturally brilliant wizard like Lily and his inability to shine despite his famous parents had caused him to spend more and more time alone studying alone in his room that winter.

Hermione winced as she realized that her son's behavior had been remarkably similar to that of his father during Ron's fourth year at Hogwarts. Adolescence was so difficult, and it was made doubly so when one felt that he was not as special as the people around him. Instead of seeing that and trying to comfort and reassure her son, she had busied herself with making sure Rowena did not burn the house down and taking care of her new baby, Phillip.

Yes, she made little mistakes, but they had never bothered her unduly since she and Ron made it a point to tell their children that they loved them and were proud of them often. This too would have blown over as she adjusted to having a third child and her second developing into a master prankster, but at that point things were still unsettled.

But what would she do if Alexander died before he was reassured as to his status as a very important member of his family?

The door slammed. Hermione rushed out of the kitchen, while Rowena ran downstairs, followed by her grandmother Alice who was carrying Phillip. Jack Granger came into the hallway from the lounge and they all looked at Ron with anxious expressions. One look at his face and they knew, but Hermione still had to ask. "Is there any news?"

"No," Ron answered simply. He went into the kitchen, stiff-shouldered and without a kind or loving gesture to his other children or wife. Hermione looked at the others, at a loss for once in her life.

"Go to him," her father said, understanding a father's emotions as Hermione could not.

And so she put away her pain for a minute and went to comfort her husband as he had been doing for her every night.

"What happened?"

Ron turned to her, tears bright in his eyes. "We were all sitting there after you left for home to give Ro and Phil lunch, and then Harry just said I should go too. That was all he said, and I got up because I knew what he wasn't saying."

"That there was nothing you could do, so you might as well spend time with the children who are at home." She looked at him steadily, the strength to say those harsh words shining through her. He had never loved her so much as at that moment. He adored all his children equally, but Alexander was something special not only for being the first but also for the ways in which he was Hermione's son. Looking at her, he wondered if their marriage could survive if they lost Alexander. Would he survive losing his son?

Ron also felt guilty for how alone Alexander had been feeling before his disappearance. He had yelled at him the day of the fateful Star Wars viewing. Phillip had run up to his older brother and clung to Alexander's legs. Alexander, in a fit of anger over an argument he was having with his mother, pushed his little brother off, and although the push had not been very hard, Phillip fell onto his little bottom and began to wail. Ron, coming to comfort his toddler, told his eldest son off, and that was the last time he spoke to Alexander.

"I'm a wizard, Hermione, and I know how to fight wizard things. But what do I do when it's a Muggle problem?"

She shook her head. "What would you do if it was a Magical problem?"

"Look for wizards who have a grudge against my family. But this is different. Seamus and Harry sat me down and talked to me about why Muggles kidnap children."

Her eyes fell. She had known, or suspected, but been unable to imagine her son in such a situation, and did not have the heart to tell Ron. "What did they tell you?"

"That they sometimes give children to other people, but that's usually if they are younger, and that happens in wizarding communities too. Then there are the ransom cases, and revenge cases, which are also possible where I grew up. But... then there are the people who want children for reasons more evil than any connived by Death Eaters. Merlin, Hermione, the most important task I was ever given was to protect my children, and I failed at it."

"We, because I am an Auror as much as you and I was there, but I could not save him." She broke down then, and he reached out, holding her and taking comfort as much as he gave it.

They remained like that for a few minutes, until they heard the door open. "Mum? Dad?"

Hermione stepped back and wiped her eyes. "Yes, Ro? Is something wrong?"

Ro looked at her parents, her lip trembling as she realized the seriousness of her brother's disappearance. She was responsible for the prank that had made it easy for someone to take her brother, and she felt horribly guilty. But more than that, she was afraid for Alexander. Three years was not a very great distance between their ages, and although they seldom got along, when they were younger they had played together. He was her brother and she did love him, after all. "Can't you use magic to find him?"

"It's very difficult to find someone in London. We have the Muggle police and Aurors looking for him, love." Hermione wanted to reassure her daughter, but she could not lie about the seriousness of the situation.

"But he's a wizard. Can't you just locate wizards?"

"He lost his wand, remember?"

Ro nodded, but persisted. "I remember, but what about wandless magic? I don't have a wand, but when I got angry at Alexander last week I managed to make his tie fly up and hit his face. Can't you keep an eye out for that?"

"We have been, and we are investigating all incidents of magical activity that took place in non-magical homes or unusual places and any strange, unexplained phenomenon that Muggles report. The clock has been steady on 'Mortal Peril,' and there isn't much more we can do." Ron's eyes were on the clock as he spoke, thanking the stars that the hand was not pointing to anything worse, and hating the fact that he felt relief knowing his little man was in peril. *Oh Merlin, I will never let a day go by without telling him I love him and am proud of him if I just get him home safe and sound*.

*

Alexander had fallen into a light stupor, thinking of his Grandmother Molly's food and the family reunions that were always so chaotic. He often felt like Art and Lily's shadow, but lying alone in some sort of cellar had given him time to think and realize what an idiot he had been to doubt his parents' love and devotion for him. They had shown it in a million ways, and he was too smart to not know that a great part of loving a child was making sure that he/she was well brought-up.

Hearing a noise that did not sound quite human, Alexander raised himself slightly. His hands were tied together and to a ring in the wall, and his feet were also tied, so he was unable to move very far. But he liked mice; they were good wizarding pets although his father's experience with Peter Pettigrew had ensured that none of his or Harry's children had one.

So he talked to it for a few minutes, and pretended that he could understand its squeaks. "I wish you were Peter Pettigrew, because then you would be an Animagi and you could help me. I think you would since this has nothing to do with Voldemort. But even though you're a normal mouse, I'm glad you are here. It's nice to have some company. I haven't spoken to anyone but that Muggle for days, and I think I am going a little mad."

"I never thought about it before, but the scrabbling sound you make when you move is a little comforting. I wish I could move about. He only unties me when he comes, and even then he guards me while he talks to me, and does other things. He likes to scare me, but I don't care what he says. He can tell me he will kill me all he likes, as long as he doesn't do anything. I don't like what he does. I'm not a baby, and I know what it is, and I know that it is wrong. I am wrong, and bad, like he says. I know that because my parents are good people, and I still fight with them. Arthur is my best friend as well as my cousin, and I think bad things about him sometimes because I am jealous. Lily is the second of my best friends, and I almost hate her when she does some magic without working the slightest bit, but I can't do it and I've studied all week."

His musings were cut short by a cackling laugh. "Talking to mice now are you, my boy?"

"What's so strange about that?" He sat up again as much as he could, and the presence of another creature to defend gave him the strength to be angry. Since the mind numbing fear he had felt on his first day, which had somehow made it impossible for the man to tie a gag on his mouth, he had become too apathetic to try to do any wandless magic. Anyway, he was far too young to be able to control wandless magic, and he knew that he could only achieve it if he was angry or frightened enough. He did not want to feel fear as he had that first day, or he would drown in it. But after the man had stolen his innocence, and made him feel dirty and ashamed, it had been difficult to drum up anger. It was strange that a mouse was helping him now.

"Don't back answer me, boy!" The Muggle's voice was rising, and Alexander knew from previous experience that his temper was destructive. Still, he could not back down now.

"Or what?"

Instead of striking Alexander, as the boy had hoped he would do, the Muggle spun and, with a roar, brought his foot down hard on the little mouse. Hearing the squeal of pain, Alexander felt a white-hot flame of anger rise deep within him. Proving that there was a great deal of his father in him, Alexander lost his temper violently for the first time in his life.

He did not even realize that his hands had suddenly come untied, or that he was on his feet. All he knew was that he wanted to destroy this Muggle as he had destroyed the poor, innocent little mouse. Without touching him, he somehow sent his captor flying back to crash into some kegs of the alcoholic beverage that Alexander had smelt for the past three days.

Although he had not stood for three days, Alexander could not feel any stiffness as he looked for a door. He ran around the tall stack of kegs, and stopped for a second. He could not see any doors. In fact, he could see little of anything since it was completely dark. The one dim light bulb close to where he was imprisoned did not seem to reach here.

There! That looked like a beam of light just around the corner. Putting on a burst of speed, Alexander ran to the edge of what appeared to be a wall of kegs. Keeping an eye on the beam of light, he forgot to look up, and slammed into a hard, strong body. Bouncing off, Alexander fell on his back and blinked up. Even with little illumination, he recognized the silhouette as that of his captor.

Oh, stupid, stupid mistake! Alexander berated himself as he realized that his disorientation had led him to return to where he had been imprisoned. As the angry, dirty man bent towards him, something in Alexander broke. The hot, fetid breath of the man was all he could smell, and then feel as the Muggle gave him a bruising, punishing kiss. Feeling the bloated, thick body settle over him, Alexander gave up. I'm sorry mother, father. I'm so sorry. I tried, for so long, but I can't hold on anymore.

*

Hermione sat up with a jerk. The quill she was using to take notes while she read through books about locating spells and charms fell from her suddenly numb fingers to splash blue ink all over the old, yellowing pages. In front of her, Ron dropped his coffee mug as he ceased watching Harry's television for any news updates. She looked into his eyes and saw a reflection of the truth that had suddenly come to her from nowhere. Dimly she heard Harry asking desperately what the matter was, and from the corner of eye she caught Ginny rising from the chair in fear.

But none of that mattered. All she could think of was what some magic born from love and the protection spells countless Weasleys and Marauders and their progeny had placed on her firstborn told her.

She would never see her little boy again.

A few minutes away, her daughter collapsed into tears as the hand on the clock moved from "Mortal Peril" to "Death."