Maelstrom of Destiny

Chapter 8: Shipwreck in a Bottle

Harry was disturbed. He and Dumbledore had destroyed almost every horcrux, and it had been easy.

Almost too easy.

Whenever he thought about this mission, Harry always pictured something drawn-out and dramatic, like a 600-page camping memoir with a heart-warming Disney-esque ending. Instead, they were already down to just two remaining horcruxes; Voldemort’s snake, Nagini, and something Dumbledore wasn’t ready to reveal just yet.

Harry blamed the pirates.

To be honest, they hadn’t been any help in the fight against the Dark Lord at all. They lounged around Grimmauld Place, getting drunk and annoying the other Order members. None of them were magical, except for the monkey, and really, what help was that? Harry’s trust in Dumbledore’s instinct was fading fast.

Harry sighed, glancing down at Jack. “What was he thinking?”

The monkey shrugged, picking a bug off its fur and eating it. He reminded Harry of a smaller, furrier Ron.

Harry’s scar prickled uncomfortably, and he rubbed it absent-mindedly. ***

“So me and me mates were talking, see, and we’ve unanimously decided we want to go home. The sooner the better, savvy?”

Dumbledore smiled kindly at the pirate captain. 

“I understand, but the Department of Mysteries hasn’t been fully repaired yet, and the Unspeakables are exerting all their efforts trying to Trace Lord Voldemort.”

Jack Sparrow scowled. “You know, I’m really getting tired of this bloke and I haven’t even met him. I’ll tell you what, though, he can’t be worse than Davy Jones…those tentacles…ugh!” He shuddered.

Dumbledore chuckled. “We are very close to having him in a position where Harry can defeat him.”

Jack frowned. “And another thing, mate, where’s my ship?”

Dumbledore beamed, eyes twinkling. “Oh, it’s safe, Captain Sparrow, have no fear.” He gestured toward the fireplace mantle. Jack cocked his head.

There, in a delicate glass bottle, was the Black Pearl. The pirate shook his head.

“How the bloody hell am I supposed to get it out?”***

Hermione stared in the mirror at her messy curls. She looked the same, but she felt different. After that night with Jack Sparrow…Hermione frowned.

She was certainly NOT the type of girl who did things like that, and certainly NOT with alcoholic pirates from alternate universes. But Jack was just so intriguing, so dashing, so…tall, dark and handsome. Hermione had read a great deal of muggle romance novels, and Jack could give Fabio a run for his money. Those eyes…that body…that roguish smile…it was enough to almost make her forget she had homework to do.

Almost.