\u201cWhen we mentioned the Dementors yesterday, I had an idea\u201d, she whispered in his ear as they lay intertwined in bed.<\/p>\n
\u201c?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey multiplied in the dark years. There\u2019s much more of them than there used to be, and it\u2019s a problem. Of the kind that\u2019s our job to solve, now.\u201d She kissed his earlobe.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince I don\u2019t think you mean going to all the dark places and blasting them with the Patronus charm, forcing them to relocate to a different dark place, I assume you have a better idea\u201d, he whispered back, smiling.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they are not multiple entities. They are connected in a mesh of sorts. Each individual Dementor feels more like a node in a network, or a tear in space, than a being. That\u2019s why they can\u2019t be killed\u201d, she mused.<\/p>\n
He kissed her nose. \u201cInteresting. And if they are all connected, something that kills one could spread across the entire mesh, wiping out all the nodes. And I have something you might find interesting. Since we\u2019re together, like, really together, I never had to use the Patronus charm. It\u2019s like it\u2019s always on. You\u2019re my Patronus without even needing a spell.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m the Mistress of Fear\u201d, she nodded. \u201cAnd I\u2019m always yours. That would do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can see you have a theory, I just don\u2019t see what it is.\u201d He kissed her temple.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe make a new spell. You and I together, like this. Perfectly happy. Perfectly home. Nowhere to go. Nothing to do. No fear. Death is irrelevant because it would change nothing, we would be in the same place just without the bodies. No threat. Fulfilment. You breathe me in. I breathe you in.\u201d She closed her eyes, and worked something with her finger, as if weaving. He felt deep magic stirring. She whispered a word: \u201cExalto!\u201d and made a fist. Light exploded in his soul with such power that he put his head on her breasts and wept.<\/p>\n
It took him minutes to get his bearings. \u201cWhat did you do to me? This was absolutely wonderful. It felt like our concentrated love, but not just that \u2013 also the memories of my parents, of Dumbledore, of the King\u2019s Cross station representation of Heaven, the moment when I realised that I loved you more than anything, the moment you said \u2018yes\u2019, our first kiss, all the times we had sex and came together, all in one moment. My heart exploded\u201d, he whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried it on you first\u201d, she smiled. \u201cI\u2019m glad it works as intended\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWow\u201d, he managed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go to work; we have a captured Dementor there\u201d. She pulled him out of bed.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
They got all the permissions and went together into the enclosure. The Dementor hissed at them, but there was no reaction. Both of them had permanent and complete immunity. She closed her eyes and pointed her finger at the Dementor. \u201cExalto!\u201d, she whispered.<\/p>\n
The Dementor shivered, exploded with light where there used to be a dark, shrouded appearance, stayed like that as tiny wires of light expanded from it everywhere through space\u2026 and the dark fissure in space closed. Everywhere.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t even need a wand\u201d, Hermione was incredulous.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need a wand any more\u201d, Lyra explained. \u201cHumans are naturally only partially magical. We need a conduit, something that is between ourselves and the magical layer of the world beneath the visible. Something that harmonises us with it, allows us to touch it. I first learned to do it without spells, and then I learned that I don\u2019t need the wand if my mind is in the right state. I can tug at the layer of pure magic with my naked mind, without intermediaries\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s just incredible\u201d, Hermione whispered. \u201cThe house Elves can do it that way, I knew that already. Humans can do wandless magic sometimes. Other magical species don\u2019t use wands at all. But I don\u2019t know if any human ever achieved this before. Can you show me? Both the wandless spellcasting, and that new spell? Please?\u201d Hermione cuddled with Lyra, mock-begging with a wide smile.<\/p>\n
Lyra smiled back and ruffled her hair. \u201cOK, but be warned: this will be emotionally intense. Really intense.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWill it be bad?\u201d Hermione raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. It will be the opposite of bad, but so powerful, that I wouldn\u2019t do it outside a private environment because it will leave you completely exposed and vulnerable for a while\u201d, she warned.<\/p>\n
Hermione thought about it. \u201cI trust you. Do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyra closed her eyes, smiled, touched Hermione\u2019s heart and whispered \u201cExalto!\u201d.<\/p>\n
It took Hermione fifteen minutes to stop crying. Then she hugged Lyra and whispered \u201cI love you so much\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know, sweetheart. I know. I love you too\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were right. I wouldn\u2019t want to feel this outside an intimate setting. I don\u2019t know what God is supposed to feel like, but it can\u2019t be better than this\u201d, Hermione sobbed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWhen we mentioned the Dementors yesterday, I had an idea\u201d, she whispered in his ear as they lay intertwined in bed. \u201c?\u201d \u201cThey multiplied in the dark years. There\u2019s much more of them than there used to be, and it\u2019s … Continue reading