Tweak

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Tweak says, "Twinkle twinkle little earth.."

Aidan M. Chambers (aidans) wrote in veritaserum_rp,
@ 2008-08-30 19:36:00

Entry tags:

aidan chambers, hermione granger

Tag to Hermione Granger
Who: Hermione Granger & Aidan Chambers.
Where: Starts out at Flourish & Blotts, then Muggle London.
When: 5 o'clock.
What: Planning to revive 'Dumbledore's Army' (and quite possibly questioning their sanity while they're at it).

It certainly felt like the moment Aidan came back to London, trouble seemed to find him. The Irishman had truly believed that all those things he'd been so afraid of back as a schoolboy had by now passed into the realm of 'stories of old' that the children rolled their eyes at, wishing to talk of more important things like the next Quidditch match or such. However, it seemed like they had no such luck and instead of getting better, things seemed to turn dark again. Upon realizing that fact it was only a small step to involve the infamous Trio.

Aidan arrived punctually at Flourish and Blotts, shoved his hands into his pockets nervously and tried his best to keep from fidgeting as his eyes searched the street for anyone who looked remotely Granger-shaped. She would either whack him over the head and tell him he was a paranoid fool, Aidan thought, or – and that was the frightening possibility – she would agree and the resistance would start again. The last time they had been children, incapable of influencing much. This time, however, they were adults and it fell to them to do something to keep things from getting worse. Aidan bit his bottom lip nervously and decided that perhaps school time hadn't been that bad after all.

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mione_jane
2008-08-31 06:06 pm UTC (link)

Glad to see she'd chosen the right person, Hermione smiled. "Yes, fancy that." She responded, and as he kept talking her eyebrows raised slightly. "Ah..thank you." Hermione let out a small laugh, unsure why he was acting so nervous. Yes, it was a serious topic and would be a huge step to take for all involved, but right now they would just be talking.

"Perhaps it might be better to Apparate to Muggle London?" She suggested, giving a small glance around. "Less chance of being overheard by unwelcome ears and all."

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aidans
2008-09-01 02:58 pm UTC (link)

"Sounds good," Aidan nodded and gestured toward a a quiet corner from which they could Apparate. "Let's go and then we can meet at the Wellington Arch in a few minutes?"

Things were suddenly becoming so much more real. Like allowing a mere, feeble idea that had but existed faintly in his head to come alive by speaking about it. It was a rush and Aidan tried to concentrate on the adrenaline and not on the fear and bad memories it brought.

"See you in a few moments." He smiled at Hermione and Apparated.

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mione_jane
2008-09-01 06:30 pm UTC (link)

Hermione nodded. "Fine by me," she said with a smile.

Whatever was going to happen today, whatever they were going to talk about, Hermione had a gut feeling it was going to be big.

"See you soon." Hermione replied, watching him go. Pausing for a moment, Hermione took a deep breath and considered how fast things had changed since everything started, and how quickly it could become worse. Shaking her head clear, Hermione followed Aidan and apparated.

Upon reaching Wellington Arch, Hermione found herself once again at Aidan's side. "Right." She said, adjusting her jacket slightly. "Where would you like to walk to?" She was going to let Aidan start this conversation instead of badgering him with a thousand questions.

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aidans
2008-09-02 05:32 am UTC (link)

"Being random is perfectly fine with me," Aidan replied and set off at a leisurely pace that led them toward the lake. For all means, they looked like a couple taking a stroll and that was just what Aidan intended them to look: harmless and unassuming.

"You see." He started quietly. "From what I can tell things are reminding me far too much of the way they were before You-Know-Who came to power the last time around and from what I can tell the Ministry is acting as ignorant as ever." Aidan scoffed. So much for learning from past mistakes.

"We – that is Terry Boot and I – have been mulling things over and we thought it might be good to get a bit more...attentive." He shrugged. "I'm just so very sick of being a victim, so this time around I'd like to be prepared. And avoid a situation where it's up to a coupe of teenagers to clean up the mess the adults didn't get a grip on." Aidan added with a small smile at Hermione.

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mione_jane
2008-09-02 10:42 am UTC (link)

Hermione nodded and followed as she and Aidan casually made their way from the Arch near a lake.

"Yes, I've started noticing the similarities as well." She replied, a somber look on her face. "The Ministry is once again failing to do it's job, and I'm afraid a full out war may break out. It might be between Renegades and the Ministry or the Renegades and another group, but I don't know. I feel like something, possible a drastic something, is going to happen. Soon."

Terry Boot? It took Hermione a moment, but she put a name to a face. "I think we're all sick of being the victims, especially when this sort of thing could have possibly been prevented." Hermione shook her head. "Alright, so you want to put together a group, or rather reform Dumbledore's Army. What's your plan? How are you going to approach it? What will the group do, how will it work? Where will they meet?" She may have sounded harsh, but before she was going to consider participating in anything, she needed to know that all questions were answered, or close to be answered. Reforming Dumbledore's Army would be a big step, and it needed to be done right.

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aidans
2008-09-02 02:24 pm UTC (link)

"A full war?" Aidan asked, frowning. He had hoped things hadn't gotten quite that bad but if Hermione thought so, then it was definitely within the realm of possibility. He made a small unhappy noise, suddenly not feeling brave anymore. In fact, the Ravenclaw had the almost irrepressible urge to hide. And perhaps whimper. Instead he settled for a long, heart-felt sigh.

Curiously enough, though, Hermione's brisk way of asking about concrete problems helped him focus and Aidan forced his mind onto the matter at hand. "We thought about contacting a few people but first we need to make sure that it's safe to contact them." Here he thought of the Patils with a pang of regret but the Malfoy connection was a risk. Something that, if things came down to it, could even endanger lives. Aidan sighed again, this time regretfully. He really liked the Patils.

"We're also scouting for a location where we can meet and set up a headquarter of sorts. Preferably in a Muggle area. The thing will be made safe – I'm sort of counting on your help there though Terry doubtlessly knows some good Charms, too – and then we'll take a look at what we have at our disposal. What kind of people and the skills and connections they bring." Aidan rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly tired. He wasn't supposed to do stuff like this. He didn't feel like a leader-type of person. They needed Hermione. "Then we can start hunting for information and plan our next moves." And hope they would survive the experience.

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mione_jane
2008-09-02 05:38 pm UTC (link)

"Something like that; I have reason to believe something is brewing." Saying it out loud sent chills through Hermione's spine and she pulled her jacket closer.

Hermione's brow furrowed slightly as she simultaneously listened to Aidan and thought through his plans. "Who did you have in mind to contact?"

Headquarters in a muggle area? Not a bad idea, Hermione mused. "Not too close to any residential muggle areas, right?" An eyebrow rose slightly at the mention of her helping to make it safe. Were they really counting on her to commit that much? "It's a start." She stated, perhaps not necessarily to Aidan. "So, and correct me if I'm wrong, the objective of the group would be to prepare people for whatever happens and form a retaliation against the Renegades?"

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aidans
2008-09-03 05:17 am UTC (link)

"You." Aidan shrugged and grinned. "Well, and Ron and Harry, of course and the Weasleys." He paused for a moment, frowning. "I'd like us to get in contact with the old members of the DA but I'm afraid we'll have to be careful there. Perhaps it's better if we talk to people individually, see if they're still...you know, suitable for the thing with no conflicting loyalties and that..." Aidan trailed off, unsure how to put things, though he suspected that Hermione caught his meaning well enough. Things weren't as easy or as black-and-white as they used to be in school.

He remained silent for a moment and pushed his hands into the pockets of his jacket thoughtfully. "I'd prefer it if we remained as passive as possible." Aidan finally admitted quietly. "But I'm afraid that won't be possible. But for now, yes, gathering information and preparing ourselves for a possible confrontation that will hopefully never happen would be the subjective. Unless you have another idea?"

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mione_jane
2008-09-03 08:27 am UTC (link)

Hermione smiled. "Hmm. Well, I'll talk to Ron and Harry and see what they think." She nodded in agreement; she understood where Aidan was coming from. "That's good thinking; we should approach people one at a time after making sure we know where they stand and all that. People can change without anyone knowing, so it's best to tread with caution."

"I would prefer to remain passive as well." Hermione commented, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. "Though you never know. I suppose we'll have to see what happens. And no, I don't have another idea. The course you're taking is actually what I would suggest if you were planning something else. Preparation and knowledge are the key first steps to take, I'd say."

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aidans
2008-09-03 02:12 pm UTC (link)

Aidan nodded and they turned a corner that led them closer to the lake. He looked around Muggle London and suddenly - with a frightening intensity - felt that he would do anything to keep these innocent people safe. It wasn't fair that they - unsuspecting Muggles with children who might or might not turn out to be magical - would have to live under the constant threat of attack from the Renegades or whatever else the Death Eaters decided to call themselves these days.

His clenched jaw was the only display of his temper and Aidan took a deep breath to calm himself. His unpredictable temper had always been a problem and he would have to do some extra meditations later to get a grip on it. "I wanted to know what you think first and foremost. You've always been the brains of the operation and no, that's not a compliment. It's a fact."

Aidan sighed. "If we hope to survive this then we need all the brains we can get. And all the information." He turned to Hermione. "How would you suggest we get that information? Beside reading the papers in hopes for little snippets of information?" He was afraid that in the end things were bound to involve a bit more activity than he liked to. At least concerning reconnaissance missions.

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mione_jane
2008-09-03 03:17 pm UTC (link)

Hermione felt her cheeks heat up slightly. "Well, either way I take it as a compliment that you value my opinion so highly." She gave Aidan a small smile. "Thank you." Hermione paused. "I think..." Her eyes fell on the lake, which they were slowly getting closer to. "I think it's wise and could do a whole lot of good, as long as things are done right. So, yes. I want to help."

Now that she had decided and stated she wanted to be a part of this, Hermione's brain went into work mode. "You'd be surprised what you can find in a library, if you look in the right places." Hermione gave a knowing look. "Aside from that there's the Ministry. As a Junior Member of the Wizengamot and the Law Enforcement Department in general, I could most likely gain access to any files concerning known Death Eaters who are on the run."

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aidans
2008-09-04 06:01 am UTC (link)

"You survived, didn't you?" Aidan replied with a small smile. "Merlin knows, you got into some serious scrapes and anybody's luck would have run out at some point, so your surviving must have something to do with your skills."

Aidan's smile grew a little as his words sunk in and he realized that he honestly believed them. Perhaps things would turn out all right in the end. "So this sounds like we've got a volunteer at the library and I believe Ron is an Auror, right? He's got access to information and you do as well."

Slowly but surely things were getting into shape, Aidan realized with a hopeful smile. They could do this. Of course, they had no other choice.

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mione_jane
2008-09-04 09:37 am UTC (link)

"Yes, well, Harry and Ron did a lot as well." Hermione added. "We worked together."

Hermione nodded. "I suppose the library really is my area. And yes, Ron is an Auror, so there's the two of us. I'll have to talk to him and see if he's interested. That is, if I can find him." She half joked. Ron had been working almost literally all the time lately. "But I can let you know what he says as soon I know."

A small sigh escaped Hermione. "I didn't think I'd have to deal with this sort of thing again. It's too bad."

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aidans
2008-09-04 01:49 pm UTC (link)

Again Aidan smiled sadly. "Happily ever after turned out to last a little shorter than expected, huh?" He asked sympathetically, then gave her a curious look when she mentioned Ron's lack of presence. He hadn't known that Aurors had to work quite that much (of course, in retrospect the Irishman shouldn't have been surprised) and was doubly grateful that the pair were willing to sacrifice what little private time they had to help Terry and him.

"Hey," Aidan said gently. "We go and kick the bad guys collective behinds and then we get our 'happily ever afters' back. Promise."

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mione_jane
2008-09-04 04:54 pm UTC (link)

"I think happily ever after ends only if you really let it. Sort of out of character for such a rationalist, but oh well." She gave a small laugh. "But it's just with everything going on. He doesn't like to just sit back without having something to do. Can't really blame him, can you?" She smiled back at Aidan. "But it's alright. It's not like I never see him. We both just have busy schedules." She shrugged, though still smiling. "It's true though- distance makes the heart grow fonder."

An eyebrow raised and Hermione's lips pursed slightly. "Oh, just you wait. If I ever get my hands on Rodolphus Lestrange, or any of his followers..." She gave a small, frustrated sigh. "I don't know if I'd be responsible for my actions."

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aidans
2008-09-05 05:08 am UTC (link)

Aidan shook his head immediately. "No. Just the opposite, actually. I'm glad we got people like Ron because people like me are certainly too lazy to act if we're not pushed. So if we had no Ron-like people then nothing would ever get done."

They walked a few moments in silence before Aidan spoke again. "Perhaps it would be a good idea to make files on known Death Eaters and known members of the Renegades. A bit of an 'know thy enemy' approach..." He trailed off, feeling that they had now reached a point where the most important parts had been discussed and now found his thoughts trailing off into a different direction.

"Have you heard from Neville lately?" Aidan asked, completely out of the blue. The Ravenclaw had witnessed what Neville could do if pushed back in school and he wanted him back on their side.

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mione_jane
2008-09-05 10:04 am UTC (link)

Hermione laughed. "Well, that's certainly one way to put it."

"Yes, knowing these people, where they stand in the Death Eater chain of command and what they're capable of is absolutely necessary. Merlin forbid an altercation ever occur, but if it does I don't want anyone caught off guard." Hermione started to bite her bottom lip slightly. "We can get all those files from the Ministry."

"No, I haven't. I believe he's on an expedition to find a rare plant, though. Sometimes I see his notes in the Herbology Journal they publish. It's very interesting work."

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aidans
2008-09-05 11:29 am UTC (link)

"That would be great." Aidan agreed, then stopped and looked earnestly at Hermione. "But - and I'm serious here - please don't take any unnecessary risks. We both lost too many friends to this war already and..and I couldn't live knowing I have you or Ron on my conscience. If it's too dangerous, then please stay away from it."

He looked a moment longer at Hermione, hoping that neither she nor Ron would indulge any crazy, reckless Gryffindor-y behaviour, then broke the eye contact and changed the subject.

"Science and politics." Aidan scrunched up his nose. "Does it make me paranoid if I say that the combination makes me nervous?"

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mione_jane
2008-09-05 08:26 pm UTC (link)

"You're starting to sound like Ron." Hermione said, eyebrow raised. "This whole thing is dangerous, but no matter what we'll do what we can. Safety is necessary and will be a top priority but we can't stay away from everything dangerous is it needs to be dealt with. Not that I'll just go running into danger, but I assume you get my point. And don't forget you need to be careful too."

She shook her head. "No, it makes me nervous as well. A search for the flower of youth funded by the Ministry certainly makes me uncomfortable. Imagine what they could be trying to do?" Pausing, Hermione considered going on. "Which brings me to something else. Do you think the Renegades could have an insider in the Ministry? It's...a thought. A feeling. I'm not sure, I have no concrete evidence or much to go on, but it's happened before and I wouldn't be surprised if it happened again."

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aidans
2008-09-06 03:45 am UTC (link)

"Ron might have a point." Aidan said mildly. "All I'm saying is that we can't take any unnecessary risks. We've got enough necessary risks as it is. Speaking of minimising risks – once we've found a place where we can set the thing up: how good are you with Concealment Charms and this Secret Keeper thing?" For unfortunately Aidan's magical skills were rather limited unless it came to medical magic. Lately he was starting to worry about that.

And then he found something else to worry about. "An insider?" Hell, that made sense. Far too much for comfort, actually. "Yes, that's possible."
Aidan bit his bottom lip. This meeting was supposed to reassure him – not make him worry even more but nevertheless they had no choice but to face the truth. And that included them sliding into a whole world of trouble.

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mione_jane
2008-09-06 11:04 am UTC (link)

"Yes, unnecessary risks should be avoided. Neither of us will be doing anything unnecessary." Hermione paused. "I know a good deal about both. Are you asking if I can make a place, like a building, disappear from unwelcome eyes?"

Hermione nodded. "I have a feeling, and it wouldn't surprise me. But there's nothing concrete, I'm just going to try to keep my eyes and ears open for anything worth knowing though." Her eyes glanced up at the sky as it started getting darker.

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