Rewrite: Kind but Scary

Chapter 6: The Pull of the Forest

Chapter 6: The Pull of the Forest

Outside the sanctuary of the Potter Manor, the deep, damp woods of Forks whispered with secrets.

For the first time since their arrival in Washington, a strange, persistent pressure settled behind Jasmine's eyes. It was a rhythmic, magical tugging—a soul-deep pull that vibrated along her magical core, pointing directly into the darkest, most isolated depths of the Olympic National Forest.

"I feel it too, Jasmine," Hermione murmured, her brown eyes dark with sudden, fierce determination. "It's a pull of magic, but it feels... wounded. Desperate."

"Mione, wait—we don't know what's out there," Jasmine warned, her hand reaching out to catch her sister's sleeve. "The magic is erratic. It could be a trap."

"I have to go," Hermione insisted, her chin lifting with the same stubborn bravery that had carried her through the Second Wizarding War. "You made sure we are protected. I'm not going unprepared. I'll be back before you can even pace the floor."

Without waiting for further protest, Hermione broke into a run, her boots eating up the damp forest floor. The pull grew louder, sharper, translating into a physical weight in the air. As she drew closer to a hidden clearing, the metallic scent of venom and the crackle of rogue magic hit her senses.

She burst through the treeline and stopped dead.

Two bruised, badly dismembered vampires lay on the forest floor, their grey, stone-like skin cracked and bleeding venom. Hovering over them were a hostile group of rogue newborns, flanked by two dark wizards casting vicious, binding curses to keep the fallen vampires from piecing themselves back together. Nearby lay a cracked, glowing pocket watch—a discarded, malfunctioning Portkey.

Hermione didn't hesitate. She drew her wand with practiced speed. "Depulso!" she shouted, sending one of the rogue wizards flying into a towering pine tree.

The newborns hissed, turning their red eyes toward the new intruder. Hermione moved with lethal grace, combining physical agility with non-verbal shielding. "Diffindo! Incendio!" She slashed her wand, severing the limbs of the attacking vampires and immediately igniting them before they could reattach. The remaining wizard, seeing the tide turn so rapidly, snatched the glowing Portkey from the ground and vanished in a sudden, desperate spin of light.

Panting, Hermione surveyed the clearing. The hostile threat was neutralized, leaving only the scent of ash and the two agonizingly injured vampires on the forest floor. She rushed over, kneeling beside them. Around their necks hung a heavy, polished silver "V" crest.

The Volturi, Hermione thought, her mind racing. The royal guard. How did they end up in Forks?

"Drink this," Hermione urged softly, pulling a glowing, blue potion from her pocket. She gently lifted the head of the dark-haired vampire, cradling him on her lap as she tipped the healing draft past his cold lips. "It is a specialized skeletal-repair and strength-replenishing potion. I am a witch. I'm here to help."

The vampire, Demetri, swallowed the sweet, burning liquid. Almost instantly, the agonizing fire in his throat and shattered limbs began to dull into a manageable ache. Beside him, the massive, burly vampire—Felix—groaned in relief as Hermione administered a second vial to him.

With a silent, intricate wave of her wand, Hermione levitated their severed limbs, aligning them perfectly with their bodies so the venom could begin the natural process of reattaching the stone-like flesh. Realizing she needed assistance to move them safely, she sent a patronus message soaring through the trees.

Minutes later, a soft rustle of leaves announced the arrival of Carlisle and Esme Cullen, who had been patrolling the nearby boundary.

"Demetri? Felix?" Carlisle asked, his golden eyes widening in shock as he took in the scene.