Bloodlust

Chapter XXXIX

Kingsley halted mid-stride, his sharp gaze catching a figure he'd been looking for. Without hesitation, he changed course, heading towards Hermione who had just appeared in the hallway.

"Miss Granger," he called firmly, "You decided on this on your own?"

"That's right," Hermione replied with a respectful nod.

Kingsley dragged a long, frustrated breath, pointing at her, "These people are busy with their duties, Miss Granger. Meetings are scheduled for a reason."

"I understand. That's why this is an emergency meeting."

"What emergency are you talking about?" Kingsley's patience was thinning from the sound of his voice.

"We'll discuss that in the office. Excuse me."

She walked past Kingsley, the sooner she caught sight of Theodore entering the office with Pansy, if her eyes lied to her. Her heart skipped as hope blossomed within. Following them, she quickly scanned the room - Ginny was with her siblings, and Moody, whom she hadn't seen earlier, was there too. Fleur sat nearby with Tonks, Neville, Luna, and the quiet, bleary-eyed Madame Pomfrey.

Hermione did not want to count, but her mind had already acted independently. Based on the attendance, she already had a mental list of who survived and who didn't. She shook her head, trying to erase the memory, and proceeded to the centre, her legs trembling and her palm cold.

Ron held her gaze as her sight wandered. His lips stretched into a thin yet reassuring curve. Her smile faded as the door revealed Kingsley, Snape, and the person she'd been scanning the room for.

Disappointment clung to her expression and hid it behind a faint smile, not too much but sure was enough to show gladness of meeting the Order again. Her tongue tasted bitter the moment she remembered the purpose of the meeting. She couldn't help but wonder if it would be a tad better if he were there.

"Hello. It's nice to see you all again. I honestly thought this day would come. I apologise for the urgent notice, but there is something I want to tell all of you, and I know you deserve to know this."

"So, you're here?" Pansy began and scoffed, "This better be worth my time, Granger. Why the hell would the mothermark summon me in the middle of an important raid?"

"Pans," Theodore uttered and gave Hermione an encouraging nod to continue.

"The experimental pills," Hermione's throat felt tight as she started, "The pills being used in the infirmary and what's sold in the black market are mine," she paused, reading the faces surrounding her.

"I created them." If silence could kill, the whole room would be dead from the stillness that reigned after those words.

"The pills are being sold on the black market as we speak. The death toll is skyrocketing due to illegal access. People are considering it as the easy way out and taking them into captivity," she cleared her throat, feeling the acid starting to burn in the back of her tongue. "It reached Hogwarts, and the students are being closely watched because of the alarming suicide cases. I don't want to think that it's too late to ask for your help to put an end to this, but I'd like to try."

"And how exactly do you think we can put an end to this? The pills are already out on the black market. What you want to happen is like asking hawks to stop flying, Miss Granger. Unless we have a clue that would point the seller to us," Moody replied.

"I'm hoping we can find the source and start there."

"So, you're saying we start with you?" Pansy responded.

"Pansy. Stop it." Theodore's tone was sharp.

"She said she fucking made those pills? We don't have to look far for the seller. The creator is standing in front of us."