August | Hermione Granger x OFC

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Order of the Phoenix

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She was on her feet in seconds and was about to take out her wand, but Nadir held up his own and threw it to her feet.

"Not a threat. Don't worry, mate."

"What- what's happening?" she stammered. She was nervous. Yes, her mother was the one who had brought her here, and yes, in the back of her mind she remembered Nadir had refused to be a Death Eater, but, still, he was her father's brother, and that's all she could think about at the moment.

"Don't worry," he repeated with a careful smile. "You're safe here."

"Where?"

"We're in Luskentyre."

She crossed her arms defensively. "Forgive me, my geography's not great."

"Isle of Harris."

"Still lost."

"Outer Hebrides?"

"Getting warmer."

"Hebrides."

"You just took off a word."

"Highlands and islands. Specifically the islands part."

"Okay. How far away from Kent?"

"'Bout 700 miles," he shrugged.

Her jaw hung open dumbly. That...wasn't quite what she had expected.

"Hogwarts is about 150 miles from here, roughly. The important thing is, you're safe."

She looked around, assessing. It was deserted. "You know, I feel inclined to believe you since there's literally no one around to make me feel otherwise."

"Good...I think," he nodded slowly. "We spent a while picking out where to stay, and we heard you like the beach, so..."

What?

"Who's we? And who told you that?"

"Your mother, Dumbledore, and me. Dumbledore said you like the beach."

"Dumbledore?"

How on Earth did he know that? It was true, but she didn't remember telling him anything of the sort. Maybe he had used Legilimens when she wasn't paying attention.

"Yes- wait, how much do you know?"

She threw her hands out with a frustrated laugh. "Er, nothing! I was only home for about two seconds before I was sent here. I have no idea what's going on."

"Oh," he said, scratching his head like he was thinking, "I thought she was going to tell you—"

"My father was on his way home, is what she said."

"Right," he said stiffly, then gestured for her to follow him. "Want to see the house?"

"I suppose?" she shrugged. What else could she do?

She threw his wand back which he used to shrink her trunk and then he began walking. It was as he turned away from her that she realised she had seen him before – in a vision. The one she had had when she, Olivia, and Luna had been spying outside Gryffindor common room. The one where Dumbledore had been talking to a mysterious-now-not-so-mysterious man about a prophecy.

Interesting.

She caught up with him in a hurry.

"So...why are we so far away from, you know, civilisation?" she asked as they walked.