The Anti-Heroine || A Harry Potter Fanfiction

CHAPTER LXXXIII

CHAPTER LXXXIII:

Hermione's POV:

"On a scale of all the stupid things that we– and by we, I mostly mean you– have done over the years, just how high up do you think tonight rates?" Blaise mused. His voice was light and seemingly careless, but Hermione could hear the undertones of strain and understood the question for how serious as it was.

The three of them, her, Blaise and Luna, were making their way along one of the ancient stone corridors of Čachtice Castle that by appearance alone resembled that of Hogwarts, yet felt entire worlds removed from their school castle. Čachtice Castle was eerily silent; event at night, Hogwarts was never quiet– there was always an owl screeching, the odd ghosts chattering, snoring portraits, the clinking of the empty suits of armour shifting on their plinths, even Argus mumbling to Mrs Norris– but Čachtice Castle was dead silent, the only sounds those of their footsteps scraping against the stone, and the soft puffs of their breathing.

"It's not the stupidest decision I've ever made," Hermione answered Blaise's faux-casual question, "maybe the third stupidest, though."

The previous evening, Lady Somlyó had suggested they perform one of the old rituals of the noble family of Bathóry, and make an offering to the fey in return for a boon. In this instance, the boon would be answers to the questions they had, about the interest the fey had in Harry's life. Hermione was far from confident of the wisdom of Lady Somlyó's idea, but the old witch wasn't wrong that the ones who'd know the most about the fey and their interest in Harry were the fey themselves. And Blaise and Luna had both refused to let her undergo the ritual alone, something which filled Hermione's chest with warmth and apprehension both.

"I'd like to be shocked that you believe you've made stupider decisions then to willingly involve yourself with the fey, but somehow I'm just... not." Blaise muttered. He looked more resigned then anything and Luna patted his arm in comfort.

"The flittering flutteroos spring sprightly," she told him, which was apparently some kind of consolation because Blaise smiled warmly at her, his teeth very white in the dim light of the corridor.

"Thanks, Lu," he said, reaching out to gently grasp her hand with his own. Hermione turned away slightly to hide her smile.

"Where did you say you thought the secret passage might be?" she asked, reminding them both of their original purpose for being there. Blaise had mentioned that Čachtice Castle's most infamous owner, Erzsébet Bathóry, the Changeling daughter of the fey Szépasszony of the Winter Court*, had a secret chamber in the castle that was hidden by magic from the muggles who'd searched for it. His mother and great-great-grandmother had always refused to tell him where it was, but by process of elimination he'd determined the most likely places in the castle. Or at least, that's what he'd told them that morning and they'd decided to go try find it as a means of distraction from the trepidation and hunger they were all feeling– fasting was the first step required for the ritual Lady Somlyó had described to them.

Trailing her fingers along the castle's stone walls, Hermione felt the magic within the walls hum in response, eager and greedy; it reminded her of a starving animal, sharp-toothed and hungry, ready to rip and tear her to pieces if she showed her vulnerable throat or belly, but still desperate for any scrap of affection she showed it. She thought Blaise was probably right in his guess about Erzsébet Bathóry's secret chamber, because the further down he led them, the hungrier and more predatory the magic felt.

"Stop," she said suddenly, feeling a shift in the magic, dark and heavy, like a funeral shroud. Blaise sucked in a breath, and Luna shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.