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A Looping of the Scales ~ COMPLETED	By : Ms_Figg Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 98445 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own HP and am making no $$$ from this fanfic

Chapter List
- 77
- 78
- 79
Chapter 77 ~ Arriving at Boleskine House

The group departed the rail in Inverness, the capital of the
northern Highlands, then transferred to the Farraline Park Bus Station where
they caught a local rural bus to Boleskine parish. There were quite a few people
about, tourists mostly and the young wizards and witches blended in fine since
none of them wore traditional robes. They didn�t want to attract undue Muggle
attention. Snape was dressed in boots, black trousers, a white dress shirt and a
long, black, but light-weight summer coat, the closest he could get to wearing a
robe. He could have passed for a character out of the movie, the Matrix.

Draco and Blaise wore nearly the same garments, but with sports jackets. Ron,
Harry, Ginny and Hermione were casually dressed in comfortable shirts, jeans and
trainers. Susan wore a nice floral blouse, dress pants and very comfortable
shoes.

The ride to Loch Ness was nice, the bus heading up the West
bank of Loch Lomond, over the Rannoch Moor and through the rather spooky Glen
Coe area. The scenery was remarkable and changed constantly. There were a number
of little stops along the way and people from all parts of the world could be
seen congregating there.

�Look! There�s the cemetery!� Hermione exclaimed as the bus slowed. Everyone
gathered up their things and exited the bus, followed by several other tourists,
who immediately entered the cemetery, led by a guide.

Snape slowly crossed the road, followed by the others. They
stopped in front of the closed black wrought iron gates of Boleskine House. Each
post was topped by an impressive golden eagle. Inside the gates, at the entrance
of the gravel road that led to the main house, was the Gate Lodge or Gatehouse.

The Gatehouse was in good condition, but seemed to be uninhabited. It was
constructed of stone and had a slate roof. It featured a large, covered porch
with double storm doors. There was a rock garden in front with evergreen shrubs
and a large amount of flowers.

�That�s lovely,� Susan breathed, looking at the garden and the surrounding
greenery.

Only about half of the front of Boleskin House could be seen
from where they stood. The drive went down to the house, then swept around
behind it. They could make out a terraced lawn and flower borders. The house
itself was of a pinkish tint with a gray slate roof.

�I don�t feel anything sinister,� Harry said as they looked through the gates.
Snape looked behind him toward the graveyard. The tourists were entering a small
wooden building and not paying any attention to them. He drew his wand and
pointed it at the gate.

�Alohamora,� he said softly, and it opened slightly.

�We�re in,� he said, pushing the gate wider and entering. He let everyone in,
then warded the gate securely, Hermione watching him.

�What about the groundskeeper?� she asked him.

�We�ll deal with that when it becomes an issue,� Snape replied. Ron, Harry,
Ginny and Susan were already walking up the gravel road, followed by Blaise and
Draco. Blaise was looking at the gate house with some interest.

The grounds were well-maintained. There were Douglas Firs, Cedar and Cypress
trees sheltering the house on the north side and the beautiful lawn and flower
borders was quite impressive. In front of the house was a very handsome
sandstone porch that led to a pair of double storm doors. There was a teardrop
lamp post by the front doors, and the front of the house was quite long with bow
windows. It seemed a very pleasant residence.

Boxes upon boxes rested on the porch. Snape�s things. They would have to be
brought in. But the weather looked fine and there was no reason to rush. They
could look about first and get the lay of the house.

�Are you sure there�s demons here, Snape? Doesn�t look like
the kind of place they�d hang about in. Too cheery,� Ron said.

�No, I�m not sure,� Snape said, pulling out a key ring, then unlocking the storm
doors, then the interior doors. �But, we�ll find out soon enough.�

He pushed the doors open, then stepped back, looking at Hermione and gesturing
for her to enter. She gave him a smile, hesitated, then hurried through,
followed by the others.

Snape was the last to enter.

************************************

Inside Boleskin House, something was happening. An excitement filled the empty
halls, the vacant rooms. It was nothing tangible�nothing that could be perceived
by natural means. A slight shifting of the ethers. A minute change in
atmosphere. But it was there, aware and waiting. Voices were heard coming from
the outside and inaudible whispers began, only to be shushed quickly as the
doors to Boleskin House opened and a curly-haired, excited young woman appeared
in the doorway.

Youths.

Yes. Young and impressionable, already prepared. Look�

Hermione quickly entered the entrance hall, looking about and
smiling.

That one has Pride.

Yes.

Harry appeared next.

Pride and Fear.

Yes.

Ginny followed Harry.

This one has been touched by Evil, taken by it. Vulnerable.

Yesss.

Ron followed Harry.

Gluttony.

Different, but still useful.

Susan entered, and there was a slight ripple of displeasure.

She�s pure.

A pity, but a challenge. Challenge can be interesting.

Draco entered.

Much fear�and sloth. Pampered. Privileged Uncertain.

Yes.

Blaise entered, and there was a perceptible, almost joyous indelible
response to his presence.

This one is full Lust, Anger and Covetousness. Ah, I�ve
missed that.

Perfect. Perfect.

Snape followed Blaise in, and there was another pregnant
pause.

This one, there is Darkness, the kind of Darkness born
of Evil, but yet�there is no Evil. It is as if he�s been�purged. Absolved.

These are not connected to the Faith. Absolution is only given to those of the
Faith.

Still, he has the stench of the Reborn. The Resurrected. He bears watching.

Let us retire and consider this.

Suddenly, the presences�were gone.

**************************************

The entrance hall went straight through the house and had
doors leading off. First there was the Drawing room that had a huge bay window
and a beautiful southern, western and northern view of Loch Ness. It was
complete with recessed bookshelves, an open fireplace that housed a solid fuel
stove with a tiled hearth. The wooden mantle surrounding it was carved with
flowers, fruit and gargoyles.

Next was a family room that was tiled and had steps that led to the cellar.

Susan took to the kitchen immediately, declaring herself house cook. No one
objected. It was a lovely, modern facility, with a tiled floor, dishwasher,
electric cooker, double stainless steel sink, two ovens, an airing cupboard, a
double storage cupboard and access to the attic. All manner of pots, pans and
kitchen utensils were artfully hung on racks which could be lowered for easy
reach. There was an island in the center where she could prepare food and double
as a kitchen table if necessary.

There was a rear porch with its own bathroom, a utility room
with a washer and dryer that also had a back door that led to the parking area
and gardens.

The dining room had a French window that opened on the gardens and a bay window
with views similar to that of the drawing room. It also had two recessed, one
shelved and one with built-in drawers.

There were five bedrooms, three with en suite bathrooms and two without. The
couples took the bedrooms with the baths and Draco and Blaise took the other two
bedrooms. They would have to use the common bathroom but it was quite nice and
they had no problem with that.

Ron was relieved to see that the refrigerator and cupboards were fully stocked
and as soon as Susan put her things away, she changed clothes and set about
making a late lunch for everyone. She had to yell at Ron a couple of times as he
fiddled with the stove and dishwasher, which both ran on electricity, and
finally Harry came and got him to explore the grounds.

Hermione corralled both Draco and Blaise in the drawing room to debrief them on
the history of the house and what they could be facing. Draco listened intently,
but Blaise seemed bored as he leaned against the wall next to the fireplace with
his arms crossed. His eyes flicked to Ginny occasionally. She was there
listening, too. She found Crowley�s story and the possibilities concerning the
demons fascinating. She didn�t look back at Blaise, but knew he kept looking at
her. She might have called him on it, but decided she�d better just keep the
peace. It wasn�t against the law to look, after all.

Snape was examining the cellar. There were a few root vegetables down there, but
it was spacious, cool and airy. The perfect place for his lab. His black eyes
shifted about. He could feel no evil presences at all.

Maybe the demons were a myth after all. Still, he was glad his friends were with
him. They could still enjoy the house even without demons to banish.

*******************************

Ron and Harry couldn�t begin to cover the forty-seven acres that Boleskine
covered. They found a boathouse, but no boat and another, older gatehouse on the
grounds. There was a pond with a number of newts in it, and flowers everywhere.
They also found a workshop with gardening supplies in it, and a small duck pond.

A hillside covered in rhododendrons made a dramatic backdrop,
and there were a number of trees all about that added even more to the
landscape. A barn and pony paddocks abounded. There was a lot of space here and
it was really a beautiful place.

�I tell you, Snape�s got it good. Look at this place, Harry,� Ron said as they
headed back toward the house. �He�s set.�

�Yeah,� Harry agreed. �I don�t think there�s anything evil here. It�s too
beautiful. Demons like dark, dismal haunts as far as I know.�

On the back porch, two invisible presences watched as Harry and Ron approached.
So, they knew about them, did they? The whispering began again, and once again
the presences shushed them with the admonition.

Patience. Subtlety is everything. Let them feel�secure.
Safe.

And then?

Then, we will influence them. All except one. One, we can begin now. Come.

************************************

Hermione finished her debriefing with Draco and Blaise, and Draco walked out of
the drawing room with her, asking a few more questions. Ginny started to follow,
but for some reason paused. Blaise was still leaning against the fireplace wall,
looking at her.

�I suppose you�re still angry about the hair hex,� she said to
the wizard, who simply stared back at her, not answering at first, his brown
eyes purposely moving down her body and up again so she would see it.

Then he said, �Not a very Gryffindor thing to do. A Slytherin? Yes. But a
Gryffindor? No.�

�No one�s perfect,� Ginny replied with a slight smirk.

Blaise didn�t return it.

�No one except your boyfriend,� he responded. �I imagine you worship him. The
famous Harry Potter.�

Ginny frowned at him.

�I don�t worship him. That�s ridiculous. Harry and I are on equal footing. We
have a normal relationship,� she informed him.

�I wonder how that is?� Blaise said.

�How what is?�

�How it is to be with him now that Voldemort�s dead and there�s no excitement or
danger anymore.�

�It�s fine. Wonderful, in fact.�

�Is it?� Blaise asked her.

�Yes.�

Blaise straightened, then slowly walked toward Ginny, his eyes
resting on her face, his expression slightly disdainful. He stopped in front of
her.

�Do you ever get bored?� he asked her.

�Bored?�

�Yes, bored. With him?�

�What? No! Harry is a lot of fun,� Ginny responded.

�Only fun?�

�What are you trying to say, Blaise?�

The wizard smirked slightly.

�What makes you think I�m trying to say anything? I just asked you a couple of
questions.�

�They�re personal questions.�

�No one twisted your arm to make you answer them,� the Slytherin told her. �You
answered them because you wanted to answer them. Why are you so�defensive?�

�I�m not.�

�People get defensive when they are trying to protect
something that�s vulnerable. What�s vulnerable with you, Ginny Weasley? What are
you trying to protect?�

�Nothing!�

�Defensive.�

�Nothing!�

Blaise shook his head, still smirking at her.

�Slytherins are far more honest than Gryffindors when it comes to unpleasant
realities. You need to find out what yours are,� he said softly, then walked
past her, very closely and exited the drawing room, Ginny looking after him,
confused.

What had just happened here?

The two invisible presences watched as Ginny slowly left the drawing room after
Blaise.

He�s good.

Yes. Yes, he is. She was easy to make hesitate.

Yes. Whatever touched her, touched her deeply.

****************************************

A/N: Well, I hope this chapter came out all right. I wanted to move through it
quickly and get them situated and the initial conflicts in place. I decided to
make these �forces� very smooth and insidious rather than outright horrifying.
But smooth and insidious CAN be horrifying if presented properly. Ginny�s being
touched by evil refers to her being under Tom Riddle�s influence in Chamber of
Secrets. They can sense it and possibly use it. Anyway, Thanks for reading. And a shoutout to my girl J*. Thanks for the cigs. :))
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A Looping of the Scales ~ COMPLETED