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[ Of course the first thing Hermione does is pop over and pat the horse's side and coo at it - because she has to say hello to the lovely thing too. When she turns back to Harry she nods, ushering for him to sit down beside her. ]

I'll make us some sandwiches while you talk, then. At least this doesn't require me cooking.

[ While Harry pulls out their lunch, the horse snuffles about and does the usual sort of contented horse things that Harry's typist has no actual idea about. ]

If you need a knife, I've brought one.

[ It's a simple lunch, but it'll do. There's an extra apple for Whistle, the horse. ]

Before I get going, I need you to know that what I'm going to say can get us both killed or worse. It's deep, terrible stuff, things about the war and the world that the monarchs don't want us hearing.

Why does everyone here have knives? Don't they know it's dangerous?

[ She goes and starts to make the food before her eyes flicker over at Harry, her face paling a little. She swallows, nodding her head. ]

Alright. Secrecy, then? No telling anyone?

They tend to come in hand when trying to cut cheese.

[ Harry makes a bit of a silly face as he pulls up a seat near her and starts to uncork and pour a jug of lemonade. ]

I trust you to know who to tell and how much. I don't know your friends there that well, but this is the sort of thing that needs discretion and a lot of it. If it leaks, it's not just our lives on the line, but everyone. The monarchs might decide we're not worth the risk and wipe us all out.

I'll keep my mouth shut unless it's something vital, then. You and I both know I can keep a secret or two.

[ She nudges him, trying to lighten the tone ever so slightly. ]

Go ahead. I'm listening.

Here we go.

[ Harry takes a deep breath and then, just to be safe, casts a spell to make sure they're not overheard. Yes, they're in the middle of nowhere, at the side of a road, but he is not taking any chances. ]

There's two main things, first there's a secret group of people here, former shardbearers, who're working to keep the courts in balance. If either wins, it's a disaster, and right now, your Queen is deathly ill. Remember when those stars fell? She needs as many of them as possible. I've brought mine, so you can give it to her.

The stars - you mean the ones people kept?

[ And, suddenly, Hermione feels a wave of guilt. She still has hers, after all, and she hesitates before she nods her head. ]

I'll take it to her as soon as they're letting us see them again. I - I had no idea that she was that poorly.

I'm going to try and get a few more from the other Unseelie, but I can't promise too many.

[ Maybe Waver? Alice? Faolan? But beyond that, who can he safely approach? ]

This secret group, the Covenant, they're also planning a few other things. One of them is to hire shardhunters to kill Unseelie and give our shards to your court.

I'll hand over as many as you want, really. I'll do whatever I can for her.

[ She shakes her head, leaning a little closer, food forgotten. ]

But that's barbaric! How do they decide who gets to kill who? And, I mean, you're proof that not all the Unseelie are bad. They can't just go around killing people.

And if the Seelie were winning the war, they'd sent the hunters on you and yours. I don't know the details, but I'm fairly sure it's going to be a general bounty.

[ He's already had some time to digest this, but it's not a message he ever wanted to pass on. ]

So no matter what we do there are going to be people coming to try and kill the shardbearers to help even things out?

[ It sends fear running down her spine and, for a moment, she is beyond terrified. ]

No, not if we can balance the war. So long as it's balanced, we've got a shot.

[ Harry doesn't have the heart to tell her that even if the Covenant doesn't want to balance things, there are plenty of others who'll collect shards for their power. ]

So we have to try and balance things out. [ She purses her lips before she shakes her head, looking over at Harry with a raised eyebrow. ] About as simple as finding Horcruxes, right?

...which brings us to the second thing.

[ Harry shrugs and does his best to look sheepish. They're going to have to save the world.

Again. ]

[ She raises an eyebrow. ]

... What second thing?

The Sundered Courts. There used to be more than two courts and there was talk that we could raise one of them, and they'd help balance the war - a tripod is more stable, right?

But then they got to talking about what's needed: a place of power, a pile of shards, and all the sigils. I thought about who had those things.

[ click. click. ]

Please don't tell me this Reynard the Fox is trying to make a third court, Harry.

That what I said, and they told me that was impossible. That no one knew where the sigils where, that something so magically powerful couldn't be easily hidden.

[ See where he's going with this? ]

And by right of the Midnight Court, by the way she was challenged and ...and killed, everything that was Alyosha's is now Reynard's if he can take it.

Except for somewhere where magic doesn't work. Because of blood granite.

[ Hermione's heart is beating wildly, now, from fear, and she reaches out to grip Harry's hand. ]

No, we can't - we can't let that happen, surely. There has to be something we can do to keep him away from here, so that he can't take her things.

There is and I'm working on part of it, but I need your help. Reynard has a host of men, over a thousand strong, and we can hold them off for a time. There's also a matching force being gathered to fight him, but we need time.

[ Harry holds her hand tight, and leans in to support her. ]

And more than time, we need your brilliant mind and the Seelie library. Instead of finding horcruxes, we need to hide them. As many as possible. As deep as possible.

Of course, I'll do everything I can to help.

[ She swallows back her nerves, leaning close. ]

Like, actual Horcruxes? Or - or shards or something different? Tell me what to do and I'll figure it out.

They're fragments of the world before the big shard broke and shattered. Powerful, strange, and hard to hide.

For now, we can move them surrounded by blood granite, but we'll need something new and stronger before long. They've been hidden for centuries and can't stay here any more.

So you want me to do some reading, see what I can dig up to try and build something that'll hide them, right?

[ She shifts, moving a little closer to Harry, basking in his closeness to soothe her. ]

I can do that. I can definitely do that.

Several somethings. It won't be safe to rely on one trick. Although, the Mirror of Erised was a good one.

[ He moves to wrap an arm around her, holding her close. ]

I know you can, but you don't have to do this alone. I've a friend at my court, I want you to meet him. He's brilliant, a great researcher, and between the two of you, you'll be unstoppable.

Is this something I need to keep quiet from the Queen? I mean, does she know that all this is going on?

[ She nestles a little closer, breathing out hard. ]

That sounds good. I'll do everything I can, Harry. I promise. Even if I have to make another Mirror, I'll do it.

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