A/N- Okay, so I realize it's been months but I did leave a note on my Author's Profile about my current Original Fiction project (which is going extremely well, by the way). I apologize for the lack of chapters and I hope I haven't offended anyone. It's just that, when you're writing an OF, you have to heed your mental need. My inspiration has literally not stopped for four months and I had to keep going lest I blow the plotline...so, that's my explanation. Anyhoo, I hope this chappie makes up for it.

Chapter 7: Roman Blunder

The trio flashed through a tunnel of soot, firebox after firebox rocketing past as they steadily made their way towards Rome. Draco's body pressed up against Granger's back, her wild hair whipping him in the face. Bryce was beside them, his bulky frame compressing the already tight channel. The trip was taking considerable time- Draco hadn't the chance to think things through before executing their escape. Between his father's vengeful admissions and the Paladins exploding into the Manor, the only thing that occurred to him was flight.

And ensuring the safety of the codex.

Presently, the ancient text was tucked tightly beneath his right arm and he flexed his bicep to ensure it stayed there. His left arm was wrapped around Granger, secured across the front of her chest. He could feel her heart beating erratically. It matched her breathing, which also stuttered frequently in irregularity. She was obviously shaken up.

He couldn't blame her.

Lucius Malfoy had a way of getting under anyone's skin, but his threats were enough to bring you to your knees. As a young man, Draco had experienced Lucius' wrath just once. He had foolishly wandered into his father's study after a particularly messy episode with the Dark Lord. Draco had never thought it possible for his father to use dark magic against him. However, the culmination of failure and the Dark Lord's continued mocking of his family had been too much for the elder Malfoy to handle and he'd snapped.

There was something about the torture curse that set it apart from the other Unforgivables. The Imperious provided total psychosomatic power over its subject while the Avada Kedavra provided total physical power, respectively. The Crucio was different. Through controlled pain, it gave the caster power over both the psychosomatic and the physical. Of all the curses, it was the only one that could break a person's spirit and, of the three, Draco considered it the most sinister. But nothing could compare to suffering the affects of the curse at the hands of your own father.

Nothing.

His mother had stumbled into the room shortly after the incident, discovering Draco curled under his father's desk. He had tried to downplay his haggard appearance, but Narcissa Malfoy was exceptionally sharp. She immediately noticed Draco's wan and shaky countenance, demanding an explanation. Draco hadn't the heart to tell her and Lucius had avoided her prodding with the typical Malfoy indifference. It was only after the war had ended that she'd finally learned the truth. Not only had it widened the chasm between the Malfoy men but it had also caused considerable strife in his parent's marriage. Narcissa loved her husband but she also loved her son and, although Lucius had begged their forgiveness, both Draco and Narcissa had found it difficult to concede. Draco could understand the pressures of living a life of derided servitude, but it didn't make up for his father's lack of control.

The incident had, indeed, caused a fatal turn in their relationship but what had finally severed the connection between father and son had been the elder Malfoy's continued bigotry. Even after suffering the consequences of a brutal war, one that had proven the futility of their baseless pride, Lucius Malfoy was still unable to see reason. It infuriated Draco and he'd found that separation from the stubborn man provided the solace he desperately needed. Although he knew what leaving would do to his mother, and how the public estimation would affect his already sullied reputation, he fled Wiltshire and embraced the freedom only the world could offer him. He had happily seceded from dysfunction, albeit with slight regret, freeing himself from the bonds of a threatening patriarch.

In that order, Granger had done surprisingly well. She had stood her ground against Lucius, aware of her probable disadvantage. Draco was still reeling from the shock- the woman had surprised him at every turn during their short re-acquaintance, a fact he would never willingly admit aloud.

That aside, what had shocked him most of all was the protective stance Bryce had taken on her behalf. He shifted his gaze toward his partner- the man's face was twisted in an awful grimace, his eyes squeezed tight in discomfort. Draco wondered if it were the strange sensation of the Floo or the extremely compact tunnel that bothered the otherwise intrepid wizard.

The idea that Bryce was interested in Granger was unsettling, to say the least. Draco couldn't understand it. Sure, she was intelligent and she had certainly become an attractive young woman but there were plenty of girls who exhibited identical, if not similar, qualities. What made Granger so special? He supposed it could be her immense power- Bryce had a way of becoming infatuated with the more potent subjects he encountered- however, the picky Australian had shown interest in the little witch well before he experienced the full brunt of her ability. If her magical prowess did factor into his partner's attraction, it likely only fueled a fire that had already begun to burn.

Draco frowned. Bryce had never acted this way toward any of the girls he'd fancied before- this sudden disparity was irritating. The pair had always held to a silent pact: never get serious with a woman you date. Hell, even the term 'date' was too liberally applied to the birds they typically took out. Draco quickly closed his eyes as one of Granger's rogue curls slapped him in the face. Not only was the blasted swot practically blinding him, she was also threatening a partnership that enabled his promiscuity.

Bloody wench…she just had to come along and ruin everything- as usual. Scowling, Draco mulled over these new, disconcerting circumstances, ignoring the fact that he had practically dragged her along. He was also annoyed with Bryce- this was not exactly the best time to be chasing a skirt- especially a skirt that contained Hermione Granger. Besides, the damn thing was completely matronly and covered with at least three inches of thick robes. How could you possibly appreciate a body like hers when you couldn't make out a thing under the frumpy article?

Draco paused. What the hell am I doing? He kicked himself in the arse for putting so much thought into the dynamic between Bryce and Granger…and her blasted skirt. What did he care? Bryce could date whomever he liked. Draco shouldn't be upset that the wizard was interested in his enemy…former enemy…whatever Granger was. He had suspicions that she was corporeal karma- a stunning dark angel sent from the depths of hell to torment him.

He started as the object of his thoughts shifted in his arms. The scent of lavender enveloped him as her wild mane whipped him in the face once again. Draco gritted his teeth- lavender was his favorite flower. He was beginning to lose it and, by Merlin, if the damn Floo didn't end soon he was going to have a conniption. The idea that someone he despised so much could evoke such avid reactions boggled his mind. It also muddled his perception of who he thought she was. Admittedly, Draco had written Granger off as an uptight, prudish bint whose academic overzealousness proved a deep self-loathing. He'd never imagined that she was actually a confidant, agile, and witty swot who was more than just a go to girl for Harry sodding Potter and his bumbling, ginger subordinate.

Dammit! Why am I thinking about Granger when I should be thinking about the Codex?! Draco shook his head swiftly. He should have been focusing on the Codex. Not to mention, the charm they had all been subjected to. He began to worry about the Paladins finding them in Rome and whether his family had suffered at the hands of a crew of magical Muggles.

Sighing, he inadvertently tightened his grip on the witch under his arm. She gasped in surprise.

"Sorry," he muttered. His lips brushed against her ear and she stiffened.

He rolled his eyes. "Relax, Granger. You're going to give yourself a coronary…and I, for one, am in no mood to Floo with a corpse- so lighten up."

She huffed indignantly and crossed her arms.

A smirk tugged at his lips. Only Hermione Granger could successfully sulk during an International Floo.

"Mate," Bryce suddenly gasped, "how much longer is this ride going to last?"

Draco took in Bryce's weary, ashen features and flinched. He shifted away from the wizard involuntarily and lost his grip on Granger in the process. She flew toward Bryce, shrieking as her head knocked soundly against his chin. Hissing, Draco reached out to grasp her robes, hoping to pull her out of the line of fire. Instead, he unintentionally gripped her messy coif.

"Ow! Malfoy, let go of my hair!" she yelped.

Draco dropped his hand, pinching at her lower back in an effort to get a grip on her robes instead of the mammoth bush covering most of her back.

"Ugh!" Bryce suddenly lurched forward and threw a hand over his mouth. Granger flinched away from him just as Draco made to grab her robes. Instead, he got a handful of her arse.

She yelped again and threw the dirtiest of dirty looks over her shoulder. "Get your hands off of me, Malfoy!"

"Oh please, like I'd really grab your bum on purp- aaaaaaccccckkkkkk," Draco began to choke as a gust of wind blew Granger's unkempt coif into his open mouth.

Thankfully, he didn't have to worry about meeting his maker at the hands of a sodding Gryffindork. Seconds later, the trio tumbled out of an elaborate firebox and landed in a heap of tangled of limbs.

Bryce clutched at his stomach and groaned in relief. "Thank Merlin that's over!" he gasped.

Draco looked around warily. The trio was sprawled on a shiny wood floor littered with expensive furnishings and priceless antiques. Lavish, contemporary art hung on the walls around them. Draco turned his head quickly, detecting movement out of the corner of his eye. On a small, mahogany side table a magical portrait depicted Draco, seated on the stern of a yacht, a number of bikini-clad, young women dancing around him as they celebrated his first lucrative bounty.

He grinned wickedly. That had been one hell of a night.

"Malfoy, you ruddy twit, get off of me!" Granger's muffled voice rang out from beneath him and he scrambled rapidly off of the witch.

She sat up, her previously tidy appearance now completely defunct. Her wild hair was sticking out at all angles, resembling the Muggle afro Draco had seen on a man in Tanzania. Her robes, once neat and smooth, were twisted and her collar had come apart at the stitching. Her bare arms and the apple of her left cheek were covered in ashy residue and the fingers of her left hand were completely black. Draco took one look at her and burst into hysterics.

Granger narrowed her eyes. "You don't look so hot yourself, Malfoy."

Draco's amusement quickly ebbed. Frowning, he stood up to survey his reflecton in the gilded mirror that hung over his fireplace.

He grimaced.

Granger was right- he was a complete mess. His normally perfect, blond locks were tussled and dirty, his pale face, caked with ash, and his perfect three-piece suit, totally disheveled. His tie was askew, his collar bent and broken, and several buttons on the front of his coat had gone missing. He was also acutely aware of the fact that he smelled like a fire pit and, looking down at his hands, he noted that they were also as black as Granger's.

"Uh, Draco," Bryce murmured behind him. He spun around to face his still peaked partner, brows raised in expectation.

Bryce held up the codex gingerly. On impulse, Draco's hand flew to the now unoccupied crook of his right arm. Concerned, he launched himself forward, brushing his hands on the front of his suit. He snatched the ancient text from between the Australian's thick fingers and inspected it closely for any physical damage.

Granger watched the exchange with subtle interest before heaving herself off the Floor. "Alright," she began briskly and rubbed the back of her neck. "I've had about as much as I can bloody well take. We need to figure out how these damned Paladins keep showing up." She began to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace, her little hands clasped tightly behind her back. "This doesn't make any sense…how in hell do they keep finding us wherever we go?" She looked up at Draco and quirked a brow. "Or, should I say, wherever you go."

Draco sneered at the pretty witch. "You're blaming me? For all we know, they can sense the power of the codex!" He was a little miffed that Granger was suddenly pointing fingers. She did have a point- every time he started to relax, those maniacal Muggles and there bright blue spheres would suddenly show up to ruin the party- but that didn't mean that he was the reason.

"True…but didn't you mention something about one of your workers? I mean, isn't it possible that you were…" Granger trailed off as she rounded the couch and came to a halt in front of a large portrait of Narcissa Malfoy. She looked up at it, nibbling on the pad of her bottom lip thoughtfully. Draco smiled at his mother's picture- she looked lovely, as usual. A pair of hunter green robes hugged her figure and a lustrous platinum pendant hung around her neck. Her long, blonde hair was piled on top of her head and a tight smile graced her elegant features.

Suddenly, Granger spun around, a look of recognition dawning on her face. "Metal!" she practically shouted.

"What?" Ludeck asked, clearly puzzled.

Granger grinned and slapped her forehead. "I am such a daft bint!" she exclaimed.

"I'll second that one," Draco cut in, holding up a hand.

She shot him a murderous glare and then turned to the Australian. "Bryce," she said breathlessly, the excitement clear on her face. "You said you were unable to detect the Paladins, right?"

He nodded and Granger's smile widened even more. Draco noted that she had the most perfect teeth he had ever seen- dazzling white and straight as an arrow. He smirked inwardly, silently patting himself on the back for hitting her with the Densaugeo charm in fourth year. It had worked wonders.

"I think I might know why," she replied, her eyes dancing as she turned back towards Draco. "But first…" A slow, methodical grin crept over her features as she looked at him. Draco frowned as her eyes traveled the length of his body and, just when he was going to ask what in bloody hell she was looking at, she spoke. "Alright Malfoy…strip."

Draco's eyes widen. "Excuse me?" he replied, completely bemused.

"I said, take your clothes off," she demanded.

He nearly choked. "I, uh, don't think I quite understand what you're asking me."

"And here I thought you were intelligent, Malfoy," she countered, pursing her lips. "I'm quite certain that when a woman tells you to remove your clothing, you have a good idea of what she's asking."

Draco was speechless and, from the looks of it, so was Bryce. Draco also noted the utter envy etched into the man's features and, for some reason, he found it oddly satisfying.

"Granger," he finally managed to squeak out, "I'm flattered but there's no way in hell that I'd ever-"

"Malfoy! I am not asking you to do this because I want to see you naked!" She wrinkled her nose. "I'm asking because we need to determine whether or not you've been marked." She took out her wand and looked at him expectantly.

Realization slowly dawned on him. Granger thought he had been subjected to a Vestigium Charm! He quickly began to disrobe, pulling off his suit jacket and slipping out of his boots.

Bryce looked at Granger questioningly. "A Vestigium Charm?" he asked. "I assure you I would have sensed it."

Granger looked at the wizard kindly. "Actually, I have a hunch…if you could just bear with me, I think I might know why the Paladins are undetectable…and why a certain cranky Slytherin is a constant blip on their radar," she replied.

Draco scowled and slowly began to undo the buttons on his oxford shirt, annoyed that the cuff of his right sleeve was covered in ash. He removed his pants and stood proudly in the middle of the floor. He wore a pair of finely milled, emerald boxers…and nothing else. Granger's dark eyes roved his taut body with what looked like obligatory appreciation.

Draco smirked. Well, well…it seems even Granger is susceptible to my charms…

As if sensing his thoughts, she rolled her eyes and then pressed the tip of her wand against his chest. He felt a strange heat flood through him and he looked at her hesitantly. She ignored his questioning gaze and closed her eyes.

"Astiktos Apamphiazo," she whispered. Draco immediately recognized the language as Greek.

He frowned when nothing happened. "Well, it looks like this hunch of yours is a miss, Granger."

Suddenly, a strange light encircled his upper body and began streaming a fiery trail over his skin. It worked its way around his chest, spiraling into a sphere at the nape of his neck, and then slowly turned into a bright, cobalt blue- Paladin blue.

The sphere began to grow cold and Draco swatted at it instinctively. "Get it off me!" he shouted.

Granger placed a hand on his bare shoulder and he flinched- the contrast of her warm skin and the frosty sphere was substantial. "Habrotes Anapono!" she said firmly and the bright sphere immediately began to crystallize. Draco felt an odd sensation as the icy orb lifted out of his skin. It rose into the air and Hermione pointed her wand at it.

"Reducto!" she shouted and the sphere exploded into hundreds of tiny shards, raining down on them like fine sleet. They melted as they hit the floor and impromptu woe over the expensive hardwood briefly flitted through Draco's mind.

"It was a Vestigium charm!" Bryce cried in disbelief. "And a nasty one at that. I've never seen one crystallize before."

Draco ran a hand through his hair. "It's actually the most complex of the marking charms," he piped up. "By using the body's natural waters, the charms remains imbedded in the individual. The only way to get rid of it is to freeze it out."

Granger nodded in agreement. "That's right."

Bryce leapt on Granger, lifted her up into the air and spun her around. "How on earth did you figure that out?" he laughed.

Granger blushed as he placed her back onto the floor. "Well, I had this crazy hunch. I remembered something from our NEWTS when I saw this portrait of Mrs. Malfoy," she said, gesturing to the large canvas behind her. "The Worldwide History of Magic section in the Hogwarts library made reference to Greco-Roman magic and, being a big fan of Greco-Roman mythology, I decided to read up on it. It seems that the Greeks originally fashioned their wands from stones or metals." She looked back and forth between the two men in front of her.

"So?" Draco said, not quite sure where she was going with this.

"Malfoy, wood isn't the only natural element with magical properties, metals also have extensive mystical traits- cobalt being one of them." She looked at him shrewdly and he nearly smacked himself in the forehead for not catching on sooner.

"The rings," he breathed and Granger nodded.

"Exactly. I can't believe I didn't catch on to it before now, especially since the Paladins are clearly related to the Orphic sect," she said, shaking her head. "Everything associated with that codex has hinged on what we all believed to be the mythological but now I'm beginning to think that the sect may have been the real deal." She twisted a long curl around her black finger. "The most interesting thing is their use of Cobalt. It has cloaking properties."

"Cloaking?" Byce wondered aloud. "So that's why I can't sense them then?"

"I believe so, yes. From what I remember about Cobalt, it is a transition metal with specific refracting properties. Not only is it a shield maker and strengthener, but it also produces very specific, deeply hypnotic emanations that can both cloak and transform the person who uses it."

Draco had to admit it- he was impressed. Damn know-it-all is actually going to come in handy! He glanced at Ludeck and noticed that he was practically drooling over her as she continued to speak. Draco knitted his brows- he would have to have a little chat with his partner before the day was through.

"Granger, how the hell did you figure out the incantations?" Draco asked suddenly, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"Well, honestly, that was just a shot in the dark," she admitted. "I figured that, because the properties of magic are unalterable, I could tap into the spell using my magical knowledge paired with their Greek incantation. My theory was, because we all use our own natural ability to harness the earth's magical properties, we could draw on each other's magic as long as we have the key to do so. Based on our short history with the Paladin's, the only thing I had figured out was that they were Greek. So, I decided to give it a go- and it worked."

"So it did," Ludeck stated proudly. "Have I ever told you that you're brilliant?"

Granger blushed again and Draco blew out a loud breath. "There's still one thing I don't get- if the Paladins are magical too, why do they hate wizards?"

At this, she grinned widely. "Think about it, Malfoy. If someone had mistaken you for a Gryffindor back at Hogwarts, would you have been angry?"

Draco sneered. "No one would have mistaken me for a bloody Gryffindor, thank you very much."

Granger smirked. "Exactly, because to you, Slytherin was the best."

"Naturally," he agreed. "But what's your point?"

"My point is, maybe the Paladins think that they're the best," she rejoined smartly. "These are people who have obviously been trained to revile wizardry and their use of deflection and cloaking only supports my theory. Evidently, the Paladins want to remain undetectable to other magical people."

"But why?"

"I suppose they believe it is to their advantage. We are dealing with the followers of someone who likely despised Merlin and this person could have well been the very man who caused the split in the Orphic religion."

"Defrim Ramadani?"

"Could be," she replied and then glanced out the window at the darkening sky. "Um, Malfoy, I really think I need to owl Ron and let him know where I am."

"Ron?" Bryce cut in.

Draco grinned smugly. "That'd be her fiancé, mate." He paused, practically wincing at the satisfied quality to his tone. What the hell was going on with him?

Ludeck frowned. "Oh, right."

Granger cleared her throat uncomfortably and then shot Draco an expectant look.

"Study's down the hall, last door on the right," he said. "Open the window and my owl will find you."

Granger nodded and headed down the hallway.

Draco turned to Ludeck, who was watching the girl disappear down the long corridor. "Get a grip, mate," he said irritably. "She's engaged."

"Engaged, but not married," Bryce replied, a sly grin on his face. "Draco, how is it that you've never mentioned her? What a dish..."

Draco grimaced noticeabley. "You are mad. That is by far the most insufferable witch that has ever walked the planet."

Ludeck smirked. "Insufferable because she'd never give you the time of day?"

"Remember who you work for," Draco shot back complacently.

Ludeck's smile faltered and he furrowed his brows. "Can't take a joke when it comes to that one, eh?" he prodded. "Tell me Draco, why is it that you two never hooked up? I mean, you can't deny the girl's a catch- that body…and that face!" Bryce whistled in appreciation. "And damn, that hair! Phew, what I wouldn't give to grab hold of those soft, dark curls." He waggled his brows.

Draco was nauseated. "You're really starting to bug me."

Ludeck continued as if he hadn't heard a word Draco said. "And talk about brilliant- the chick is a walking textbook! Damn, mate, she's one hell of a bird." The Australian was clearly smitten.

Huffing, Draco stalked over to the couch and slumped onto the cushions. Ludeck wandered over and sat next to him. "So, what she was like back at Hogwarts? More importantly, how'd she look in the uniform?"

Draco looked at him like he had grown another head. "Look Bryce, Granger and I never have and probably never will be friends. I didn't hang out with her back at Hogwarts because, honestly, we played on different teams. She was a good guy and I was a…well, I guess you could say I was a bad guy."

"I'm sure you weren't all that bad, Draco," the darker man countered.

Draco rubbed his eyes, flashes of memory abruptly assuaging him. Granger was crying while he stood by, laughing and heckling her. Potter was yelling at him and Weasley had his wand drawn. Crabbe and Goyle looked on too, also laughing at the sweet, petite girl. She looked so young and innocent- what ever had possessed him to treat her so horribly? Why was he such a vile human being? Draco began to berate himself, angry that he'd allowed such age old prejudices to drive him in his youth. He didn't realize that he was mumbling aloud until Bryce gripped his shoulder.

He looked up. Granger was standing in front of him, her eyes wide in disbelief. She seemed unable to speak, she just held out a piece of parchment for him to take. He looked down at it- it bore his personal seal.

"This was delivered with your owl," she whispered.

Draco was a little worried about what he had been muttering. Shite, did I call her a Mudblood or something?

He took the parchment from her hand and she swallowed thickly. "Thank you for letting me use your owl," she said hesitantly. "I think I'll do a little research on Ramadani now." She turned and moved toward the heap of books in front of the fireplace.

He raised his brows. "You're staying?"

She threw a glance over her shoulder. "Remember, we've all been subjected to a spell- we need to try and figure it out."

Draco had completely forgotten about the codex's charm! He nodded at her, watching as she began to stack the books one on top of the other. Ludeck strolled over to help her and she smiled at him tentatively.

"Thanks," she said softly.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled seductively. "Anytime, Hermione."

Draco sneered at the exchange but his displeasure was cut off as the firebox suddenly flamed to life. Startled, the trio flinched as a large, ginger-haired bloke stumbled out of the hearth in a pillar of emerald flames. He held a wand in one hand and a scrunched up piece of parchment in the other. Draco couldn't help but notice the irate expression on his freckled face.

"Ron!" Granger cried, obviously surprised.