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Ring A Ring O' Roses	By : Gallivant Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 16636 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Confused and frightened by recent events, Hermione resolves to get some answers… but where is Draco? Her investigations lead to a surprising discovery.

18. Arcana

The Ministry Tribunal was cancelled.

Hermione could hardly believe her eyes.

She glared with rising fury and frustration at the Ministry missive, stamped with its florid, golden 'MoM' crest, which had been delivered that morning by owl.

She had left Draco in a perilous situation and dashed back to England to prepare for this damned Tribunal, assuming this was a make-or-break moment for her career at the Department for Magical Law Enforcement.

But instead, she had been 'suspended pending further investigations.'

A second message soon arrived from Padma.

'Hermione,

I speak for everyone in our office – we can't believe you've been suspended! It's that evil Mr Jinks!

He's taken to sitting at YOUR desk, by the way, while you've been on leave, watching us all like a wizened old bird, waiting for us to slip up.

Hope you can come back soon!'

'What does Padma have to say about all this?' Ron asked. He sat next to Hermione on their worn, brown sofa and tugged Padma's note towards him. He quickly scanned the note, his frown deepening.

'She blames Mr Jinks,' Hermione said, 'and I don't blame her – although I can't help but worry if Mr Jinks has another agenda.'

'Seems obvious to me,' Ron sniffed peevishly. 'Jeroboam’s spies know you’re involved in investigating him… Jeroboam's got friends in high places - including the Ministry. I bet Jinks is his poodle.'

'Perhaps,' Hermione said in a low, soft voice, although, privately, she wasn't sure if Jeroboam was as big and bad an enemy as she’d first feared.

Yet something about Miguel's dying words had certainly struck a chord…

The circumstances of Miguel’s death also puzzled her greatly. She’d assumed that Senor Asusto was working for Jeroboam; after all, it was his modified memory which lured them to Patagonia. But If Draco was right, then it was Senor Asusto who had murdered Miguel!

That didn’t make sense if Miguel was working for Jeroboam too…

Ron remained convinced that Jeroboam continued to orchestrate events to his own liking.

'These Rojos sound like right bloody bastarsd if you ask me,' he remonstrated.' They shot Draco and offed that Sheriff guy and the potions man. And then you saw them steal the bodies of those Dark Flux victims from that morgue.'

Hermione nodded glumly. It was undeniably true.

'Well… there you have it!' Ron bellowed. 'They wanted the bodies to extract this Dark Flux matter! This Jonas chap was in their way, so they finished him off.'

'And Miguel?'

Ron sighed deeply. 'Look Hermione, I know you liked the guy, but he was clearly Jeroboam's patsy. Don't believe a word he told you!'

But Hermione was unconvinced. She was still haunted by Miguel's last gasp revelation that the man from London, Jeroboam's fixer – whoever he was – had claimed it was already 'too late.' What had he meant by this?

Then there was Henrik Thyssen's dour conclusion, after many years of investigations, that these Dark Flux deaths were the result of a serial killer – or killers – which would mean, Hermione realized, that Dark Flux had ALREADY been weaponised.

XXX

The weekend passed in quietly anxious domesticity. Hermione hoped to hear from Draco, but his weighty silence sent dark premonitory shivers trembling through her. By the time Monday arrived, Hermione was feeling decidedly perturbed.

She was due to spend the day alone at home. Having been named Chief Investigating Auror on what was fast becoming an international Quidditch corruption scandal, Ron had a mountain of work to get through, and was stuck at the Ministry. Rose and Hugo were at school.

She was suffering a ferocious headache and had the inklings of a cold, worsened by the distinctly wintry temperatures of a British December. She'd got too used to the summer sun of South America.

She gazed disconsolately out of her kitchen window at dank grey skies overhead, promising rain.

Had Draco found a mediwizard? This was one of her predominant concerns, constantly rumbling through her head. If only she could return to Argentina to help Draco track down Senor Asusto.

But this was impossible. Ron was due to head off to Slovenia that same evening to interview potential witnesses in his Quidditch investigation.

And Rose and Hugo had missed her terribly.

But nothing could silence the nagging worries raging through her.

XXX

Unable to sit at home fretting for a minute longer, Hermione walked into the village of Ottery St Catchpole to telephone the Alvear Palace Hotel using Draco's mobile phone, to see if Draco had returned to Buenos Aires. She had tried to dial from home, but the plethora of magical energies swirling through Wisteria Cottage negated the usage of any electrical or telecommunication devices.

Standing outside St Botolph's Primary School, buffeted by a strong, chill wind, Hermione finally found a decent signal and was able to track down a number for the hotel. She eventually spoke to the rather snooty receptionist Draco and she had first encountered at check-in. He clearly recalled Senor Malfoy, and informed her that Senor Malfoy had checked out of the hotel on Saturday morning.

So had he already been to Patagonia? If so, why hadn't she heard from him? Had something happened or was he just avoiding her?

She glanced at the school building where her children were currently in class. If she squinted hard enough at one of the windows, she even fancied she could see the shady outline of her daughter's voluminous auburn hair, seated at the front of a classroom. She smiled proudly. Rose was rapidly turning into a model student – much as she herself had been. Odd, really - even though she had only been away from home for a few short days, Hermione couldn't help but notice an incipient maturity in her eldest child: a quiet, gracious demeanour which actually reminded Hermione of her own mother.

Mother…, she thought. But of course… Draco might have made contact with Narcissa!

Hermione sped home to dispatch an owl to Malfoy Manor asking Narcissa if she had received any news about Draco, making sure that her missive sounded like a professional enquiry.

Narcissa sent a prompt reply, urging Hermione to come and have tea with her! As for Draco, he was working abroad, but she had no idea where…. But maybe Ephraim could help? After all, he was Draco's boss.

XXX

Ephraim Golowitz was at a business meeting, his rather prim secretary at Arcana’s London office said, with a slight sneer.

'Any idea when he'll be back?' Hermione asked.

The secretary eyed Hermione suspiciously over half-moon spectacles. 'And what did you say your name was?'

'Hermione. Hermione Weasley,' Hermione said irritably. They'd already covered this.

The secretary sighed. 'I'll tell Mr Golowitz you visited. How can he reach you?'

Hermione jotted down her address in Ottery St Catchpole on a slip of paper and handed it to the secretary. The secretary gave her an oblique look, adjusted her spectacles, and studied the note. 'Have you got a contact number?'

'Oh. Yes. But of course,' Hermione said hastily. Ephraim's secretary clearly thought she was a Muggle. She quickly navigated the menu on Draco's mobile phone, finally tracing its number which she then gave to the secretary. The secretary jotted this down, promising to inform Mr Golowitz of her visit.

Hermione dawdled along a corridor heading back towards the front entrance to Arcana, which was situated in a modern, commercial district of Muggle London not too far from the Ministry of Magic.

'If it's more convenient, you can always Floo from my office,' came a familiar voice.

It was Anthony Goldstein.

'Tony!' Hermione exclaimed. 'Thanks for that, but I was thinking of visiting my folks. I can catch a bus from here.'

Tony furrowed his brow in confusion.

'They're Muggles, remember?' Hermione said in lowered tones. 'It might look a bit odd if I suddenly sprung out of the fireplace!'

Tony nodded. 'Yeah, I forgot.' He paused, seemingly stuck for words. 'Last time we met – you seemed a little upset,' he said eventually.

Hermione coloured. But of course. He’d been with her that fateful night at 'Le Bonheur.' Lord knows what she'd said to him!

'Merlin, Tony! I'm so sorry about that…'

Tony shrugged it off with a good-natured smile. 'I was worried about you, that was all.'

'I was very stressed,' she explained.

'Things better now?' Tony asked, seemingly genuine in his concern for her, which surprised Hermione. There was something about the strange glint in his eye which also intrigued her.

She couldn’t help but wonder if Tony knew anything about the identity of Miguel's 'Red Star' liaison in London? After all, he had been working at Arcana throughout this entire period, and Arcana had been Jeroboam's only remaining London outpost.

'Things are… complicated,' Hermione said slowly, holding his gaze with her own. 'I was due to represent myself at a Ministry Tribunal… you might have heard…'

Tony nodded vigorously.

'… Well, I've been suspended, instead… pending departmental investigations.'

'Yes,' Tony muttered. 'Padma said.' He shook his head mournfully. 'It's not fair.'

Hermione sighed. 'How's Padma coping?'

Tony pulled a face. 'She's not. I shouldn't tell you this, but she's applied for a job elsewhere.'

'Oh. Really?' Hermione said, her heart sinking. 'Where?'

Tony folded his arms a little defensively. 'Sorry Hermione. But I'm honour-bound!' He glanced towards a door leading away from the public foyer. 'Look, do you fancy a cup of tea?'

XXX

Tony Goldstein's lab was markedly different to the clinical 'Muggle' style laboratory she first passed through. This was clearly an enclave of magic hidden deep inside the otherwise modern Arcana building. The room was comparatively dark and the walls were adorned with heavily decorated wooden paneling. On closer inspection, Hermione could see a number of magical symbols carved into the wood. She recognised most of them from her study of runes at Hogwarts, as markers of magical protection.

Whatever was being developed in this room was clearly of a very secretive nature.

Tony's desk was laden with a stack of well-worn books. Alongside this, was a range of shiny silver instruments and a small glass vial containing a spoonful of glowing blue liquid.

Hermione instantly winced. She recognised that blue… it was the type of blue she had seen embodied in the burning blue ball unleashed by Los Rojos in the morgue at Santa Maria and was similar to the skin colouring of Dark Flux victims. Its lurid glow also resembled the blue inside Draco’s wound… the thought of this made her stomach lurch in anxiety.

Tony shot her a panicky glance. 'It's nothing to be scared of,' he assured her, realising she was staring, wide-eyed, at the blue liquid.

'What is it?' she hissed suspiciously.

'That's a distillation containing Gimlott's Disease,' Tony said in matter-of-fact tones. He picked the glass vial up, holding it between two fingers. The liquid smouldered and rolled within its glass container, illuminating Tony's face and his immediate surroundings with a ghostly blue light. Tony's face looked oddly pointed and saturnine, Hermione thought, his spectacles blazing bright.

'You know that Gimlott's is my speciality, don't you?' Tony said. ‘I’m the world’s leading authority.’

Hermione nodded dumbly. Now that she thought of it, yes, she could vaguely recall this.

Another memory – even more recent – now occurred to her.

In Santa Maria, Dolores had said that the blue colour associated with Dark Flux victims reminded her of her mother-in-law, who had died from Gimlott's Disease.

'I know very little about Gimlott's,' Hermione said. She watched Tony as he returned the glass vial to his desk and set about preparing a pot of steaming hot tea for them with the aid of his wand. He Accio-ed a tin of teabags from the desk of his neighbouring worker.

'You have to try this!' he smirked, brandishing a small grey teabag. 'It's a bush tea that my colleague, Binta, has introduced me to.' He grinned enthusiastically. 'It's phenomenal.'

'She won't mind?'

'Not at all,' Tony said.

Tony was right about the tea, Hermione thought. It was subtly flavoured and had a warm, soothing quality, yet was also remarkably refreshing.

Hermione instantly felt a lot more cheery. For a few, short minutes, the fear and panic constantly clawing at her insides, slightly ebbed.

'I guess you've never had reason to know much about Gimlott's,' Tony said. 'It doesn't affect witches like you.'

'Oh, yes. Half-bloods only,' Hermione said.

'Not just ANY half-bloods, Hermione,' Tony said, nodding sagely as he spoke. 'EPSILON half-bloods. Those half-bloods considered the most powerful in our society. Indeed, there is mounting evidence that Epsilon half-bloods are more powerful, even than the most powerful purebloods! Which remains a great embarrassment for the pureblood community,' Tony added with a sickly grin.

Hermione barely repressed a sneer. How she hated all this blood-talk…

'Of course, Gimlott's is pretty rare… but as it affects some of our most famous witches and wizards, there's been a fair amount of galleons chucked at it over the years… desperate competition to find a cure!'

'And are YOU going to be the first to find one?' Hermione asked, sharply aware of the faint tone of triumph which had snuck into Tony's voice. His eyes were shining with a peculiar brightness which she instantly recognised as boastful pride. Indeed, she had often worried that she herself had projected that same gloating look.

Tony shook his head. 'I can't tell you that, Hermione. As you know, this business has just been bought out by Gilgad Inc…'

'Ephraim Golowitz.'

Tony nodded. 'Some matters still need resolution… For now, this lab’s in limbo.’

'So are you still working on Gimlott's Disease?'

'Of course. It's my life's work. But I'm also researching blood types… magical genomes… you're participating in the project yourself, remember?'

'Yes, that's right,' Hermione mumbled, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable that she was assisting such a project at all. She'd had her doubts, but had been talked out of them.

'I have to say, Tony,' she said hastily. 'I don't think I know anyone who's had Gimlott's.'

Tony laughed. 'Oh I bet you do! It's just that most sufferers tend to hide their symptoms…'

'Why's that?'

'Because they're often purebloods who didn't know they were actually half-bloods… or they've been lying about their true blood heritage all along.'

'You can't be serious!'

'It's true!' Tony said. 'There's often great shame associated with Gimlott's.' He leant closer to Hermione, lowering his voice. 'There's a pretty well-founded rumour that Lucius Malfoy has Gimlott's, for example.'

'Lucius! But the Malfoys are one of the most famous pureblood families in Britain!'

Tony sniggered into his tea, his face alive with malicious amusement. 'Yes… a fitting irony, don't you think?'

Hermione's heart was beating ever faster. 'What makes you think Lucius has Gimlott's?'

'He's been a recluse for some years now, but before he disappeared from public life, he had developed a bit of a reputation for having lapses.'

'Lapses? Whatever do you mean?' Hermione asked, burning with curiosity.

'Magical lapses… his magical abilities were clearly degenerating… there was huge speculation at the time, which must have been about seven or eight years ago. I'm amazed you never heard about it,' Tony said. He took a deep gulp of his bush tea, steaming up his spectacles as he drank.

'No, I – I generally ignore Malfoy news,' Hermione said, unable to suppress an inner pang.

Poor Draco, she thought. Just a week ago, she would have been jubilant to hear that Draco's life, his entire identity, bound up with all that arrogant family honour and self-satisfied snobbishness, was a sham. But now, all she could feel was genuine pity.

'So tell me Tony, when does Gimlott's usually manifest itself? What happens?'

'Gradual deterioration of magical faculties leading to an inability to perform basic magical tasks, a weakened immune system, huge fatigue, and madness,' Tony said in clinical tones. 'Usually in later life…'

'Is this condition amplified by using magic?' Hermione asking, recalling how Draco had been sick after casting a Healing Charm on her when they had been flying to Buenos Aires. But then, there had been his use of wandless magic at the Alvear Palace Hotel? The two things didn't tally.

'Oh yeah, for sure. There's a definite correlation between magic expended and symptoms, which is why Gimlotts is often associated with DARKER wizards.'

'You mean, dark magic is more depleting?'

'Pretty much,' Tony agreed. 'Ironically, though, Healers are also typical sufferers, because they have to constantly use powerful magic in their work.'

'How tragic,' Hermione muttered.

'You bet it is. I mean, it seems kind of fair that some old bastard like Lucius Malfoy should have a slow, lingering death…'

'So if you feel like this, Tony, why have you spent so much time and energy looking for a cure?' Hermione asked, barely able to disguise her irritation at Tony's rank hypocrisy.

A broad grin erupted onto Tony's face. 'The usual. Money. Finding a cure for Gimlott's has attracted very wealthy backers.'

'Including Saul Jeroboam.’

Tony nodded enthusiastically. 'For sure. Gimlott's is very much part of his pioneering research into the Epsilon allele. Jeroboam's been working in that area for a very long time. Over thirty years, I believe…'

'Is that when he was working with the Geneva Group?' Hermione asked, a little smug at having some 'inside track' on Jeroboam's past. She recalled Draco's account of how Jeroboam had once worked with Ephraim Golowitz – although that had been investigating Dark Flux…

Even as she thought this, she had the curious sensation that something at the back of her mind was falling into place… she could feel the jagged pieces of a puzzle gradually piecing together, but couldn't yet discern the whole picture.

'The Geneva Group?' Tony said. 'Yes, of course. Jeroboam was the founding member.'

'And the Geneva Group was studying Dark Flux, wasn't it?' Hermione continued, unable to suppress the hectoring tone in her voice. 'And Gimlott's is related to Dark Flux, isn't it, Tony?'

Tony supped his tea in quiet consternation, eyeing her thoughtfully over the brim of his tea-cup.

'In the sense that Gimlott's appears to be a condition whereby excessive magical force is gradually sapping the life of its victim…' he eventually said in slow, deliberate tones, picking his words carefully, 'then, YES, there is a similarity… but Dark Flux is a sudden, traumatic event. Gimlott's takes years to kill.'

'How many?'

'It varies,' he said, nursing his cup of tea. 'In Lucius Malfoy's case,' he said a little more pointedly, focusing his be-spectacled gaze on her face, 'I doubt he can last much longer. It's amazing how long he's held out already, although he's had the benefit of cutting edge experimental drug therapies - courtesy of his friends at Gilgad Inc,' he added snidely.

Of course, Hermione thought. Gilgad Inc was competing in the same market as Red Star and Arcana. As a particularly close friend to the Malfoys, Ephraim Golowitz must have proved invaluable.

'As for Draco,' Tony said suddenly, his gaze hardening as he spoke, prompting Hermione to blush heatedly, 'he's not in danger – not yet, anyway. As long as he steers clear of dark magic, he might even avoid his father's fate.'

Hermione swallowed hard, unable to tear her eyes away from Tony's incisive, intelligent face.

'But then again,' Tony continued blithely, 'the shame of knowing he wasn't actually a PUREBLOOD - or even a Malfoy - would be particularly aggravating for Draco, don't you think?' Tony snorted with sudden derisive laughter. 'Probably as bad as contracting Gimlott's, actually!'

Hermione could feel her heart sinking like a stone inside of her. Poor Draco.

Everything about his behavior: his reluctance to use magic, his flinching when she mentioned his grandfather Abraxas that time when they were in Patagonia… suddenly it all made much more sense. If indeed there was some 'dirty family secret', then Draco would feel it acutely.

'So, if you figured you might get Gimlott's Disease,' she said, 'it might be better to avoid using magic altogether?'

Tony nodded. 'It's been known.' He flashed her another disarmingly bright grin.

He was enjoying this far too much, Hermione thought. He'd hated Draco at school, and clearly still did.

Hermione hastily gulped back her tea.

'I'd better get going,' she gabbled.

'Of course,' Tony said, placing his now-empty cup on his desk.

They exited Tony's office and headed back towards the main lobby of Arcana, passing through the brightly lit Muggle labs. Tony seemed deep in thought.

'Actually, Hermione,' he said, just as she was about to leave, 'I hope you don't mind my asking this, but why did you come here?'

'To Arcana?'

'Yes.'

'I wanted to speak to Ephraim Golowitz.'

'I see.' His eyes flicked upwards, to a point beyond Hermione's shoulder. 'Well, it looks like you're in luck, then.'

Fast approaching was Ephraim Golowitz, tall, burly and handsome, flanked by Auror Tom Bennet, and a slight-looking, pale fellow with sleek black hair. Dawdling behind them was a tall, gangly woman with a lightly freckled face, cropped brown hair and, the moment she saw Hermione, a beaming smile. It was Tana McLaughlin – Ron's new partner.

In any other circumstance, Hermione would have been delighted to see her, but her priority was asking Ephraim if he had heard from Draco, which she realized she'd rather do without this particular audience in tow.

'Mrs Weasley!' Ephraim guffawed, slapping a large hand on her shoulder. 'What a pleasant surprise!'

He glanced towards Tony, a slightly quizzical expression on his face.

'Ah! I see you're here on a friendly visit.'

'Yes,' she said quickly, 'I came to see YOU, actually.'

Ephraim raised his eyebrows. 'Well, I have a little bit of business to finish up,' he said, casting a sidelong glance at Aurors Bennet and McLaughlin. 'A nasty case of suspected industrial espionage, I'm afraid – really, you can't trust anyone these days – but once I'm done, then it would be splendid to meet for a chat.'

Hermione smiled. 'It was just a few words I wanted, really… no big deal.'

Ephraim turned to the sleek young man standing beside him. 'Maybe Torquil here can help you instead?'

The sleek young man fixed Hermione with a dark, beady-eyed stare and extended his hand towards her in greeting. Hermione tentatively placed her hand in his. His grip was cold and slightly clammy.

'Torquil Haast,' he said in clipped tones. 'It's a great pleasure to finally meet you properly, Mrs Weasley.'

'I was wondering if you'd had any news,' Hermione said in hushed tones. 'About a mutual friend of ours,' she said, leaning towards him.

Torquil steered her away from Ephraim and the Aurors who were heading deeper into the building. 'Not a dickie bird,' he said in worried tones. 'I was rather hoping YOU had news actually.'

Hermione shook her head vigorously. 'He was heading back to Patagonia when I last saw him.'

Torquil frowned. 'Why the hell did he do that?' he asked.

Hermione opened her mouth to explain more, but then thought better of it. There was something about the eager, inquisitive look on Torquil Haast's face which she found hard to trust.

Hermione shrugged. 'I don't really know,' she muttered. 'One of his whims…'

As she spoke, she could feel the penetrating gaze of Tony Goldstein burning into her, almost as though he was trying to lip-read.

'Well, Mrs Weasley,' Torquil said, prompting her from her momentary reverie. 'Here's my card. Please contact me the instant you hear from him.' He leaned closer. 'We're getting a little bit worried about him actually,' he said in deep, lugubrious tones. 'Rather fearing he might have met a sticky end.'

A frisson of fear careened through Hermione.

'Of course,' she said, fingering Torquil's card. 'I'm sure he'll show up soon enough,' she added with a bright smile.

'Let's hope so, Mrs Weasley,' Torquil said, an earnest expression on his face. 'Let's hope so.’

***

CHAPTER TRACKS: THE ORANGE THEME (Moonmans OJ Mix) by CYGNUS X

&

SYMPHONY No.7 in A MAJOR– 2^nd MOVEMENT (Allegretto) by BEETHOVEN

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original characters.

Many thanks to Apurva & Lou.
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