Chapter Thirteen – Consequences
"Well we could smash it; that would get rid of the soul fragment." Hermione said.
"You can't destroy it, that's the Diadem of your Great Grandmother, it's said to contain eons of knowledge, and it's priceless." Luna told her.
"Okay then, we'll do it another way" and before anyone could stop her, she picked it up and put it on her head.
"NO!" Harry shouted, but it was too late.
As soon as the metal circlet touched her head, Hermione's body stiffened, at first she smiled as the Ravenclaw knowledge transferred to her mind. Without warning however, she suddenly screwed up her eyes as a dark formless cloud appeared around her. Her face took the expression of intense pain, and she threw her head back and screamed a blood curdling scream, that chilled the bones of all stood around her. As her face came back into view everyone was shocked to see her eyes had turned bright red and an evil sneer was present on her face. Harry ran to her but was thrown back by an invisible force. Hermione's face once more screwed up and when she opened her eyes again, they were back to the normal chocolate brown. She looked at Harry with a frightened look and then, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, she collapsed. Harry rushed to her, and this time he was allowed to approach her. He tried to remove the Diadem, but it was stuck to her head like glue. Her body was twitching and convulsing, her eyes rolled back into her head. Occasionally her eyes would come into view and they would alternate between red and brown.
"What's happening to her?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"She's fighting for her soul, Riddle is trying to gain control of her body and only Hermione can stop him." Luna replied in her singsong voice.
"Come on Mione, fight the bastard!" Harry whispered to her.
As he held her hand, she suddenly went limp, and she just stopped. Harry looked at the two other women frantically, as the headmistress felt for a pulse in Hermione's neck. After a few seconds she looked over at Harry and just shook her head.
"That's not possible; she is immortal...isn't she?" Harry asked desperately.
No one knew what to say to the distraught man.
Inside Hermione's mind.
As soon as she put the Diadem on, Hermione knew that it was a stupid thing to do. She was initially pleasantly surprised by the transfer of knowledge that begun. It seemed that the original design of the Diadem had not been destroyed, and it was trying to complete its original design task. Quickly this stopped and Hermione felt pain like she had never felt before. She could feel Voldemort's essence enter her mind and invade her very body. As her body began to shut down, she retreated to her mind and prepared to fight for her very soul and existence.
Slowly she opened her eyes and was not that surprised to find herself in a large ornate looking library. The floor was made of polished interlocking brick of wood, and the shelves of books seemed to lead off in all directions, with no visible end to the structure. The room had that undeniable smell of old leather bound books and polish, and Heroine immediately felt calmer and more at home.
As she stood she became aware of an alien presence in her mind. Turning around she saw the slowly forming shape of a man wearing dark green robes. His face finally formed into that of a gaunt looking man with odd snake like glowing red eyes. His features were more human that the more recent Voldemort, as this was his original body, but the expression was the same, that of intense arrogance and disdain for all other that himself.
"Well ,well Mudblood. I never thought that you would be so stupid as to put it on, you silly little bitch. I never wanted a female form, but I guess it will do for now. Would you kindly let me kill you and be done with it or do you wish to put up some pathetic resistance and then I will kill you?" Voldemort sneered.
Hermione looked at the figure dispassionately. She knew that she could beat the shade, but she would have to be clever. Without a word she fired a cutting curse at him and smiled as he only just managed to dodge it.
"Fucking Bitch, you will pay for that...AVEDA KEDAVERA!" Voldemort roared as the green curse shot towards Hermione, who knew she could not dodge it in time. Instead she gambled everything on something and allowed the curse to hit her. It hurt, it hurt a lot but the energy of the curse finally dissipated and left her stood there, panting slightly due to the pain.
"Idiot! And they say that you are the best there is. We are not in the real world Tommy-Boy; a killing curse cannot work here."
Voldemort snarled at her and let lease a barrage of spells and curses. "Well if that won't work, then I will have to kill you the old fashioned way. More fun this way anyway!"
Hermione was dodging the curses and using shield spells to help. She was surprised by the ferocity of Voldemort's attack, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. She called upon the elemental magic and sent wave upon wave of fire and ice at him. The first wave he managed to avoid, but the second wave hit him square on. Voldemort screamed in pain and surprise as the fire burnt his skin and clothes. With a sharp 'pop' he vanished and Hermione stopped her attack. Sensing that it wasn't over yet, she maintained her shield as she walked over to the spot he had occupied. All of a sudden she was hit from behind by a cutting curse that shattered her shield, and then another that cut deeply into her. The third severed her arm from her body. She screamed in pain and anguish as her arm fell, causing her body to slump to the ground. She slowly managed to turn herself around and quickly she spotted Voldemort, looking totally unharmed behind her.
"Foolish child! Did you really think that your powers would be a match for mine? I must admit to been impressed by your elemental magic. That will be useful when I have control of this body." He seemed to concentrate a little and then smiled. "What's this? Immortality...oh that is fantastic. I will rule to world with this body, just as soon as I have tortured and killed all your friends and ... parents...yes! You tried to hind them from me, but like all before you, you have failed. I shall enjoy killing them with your form, watching the anguish and sorrow in their eyes." He cast another cutting curse and Hermione weakly tried to cast a shield. This shattered and the cutting curse hit her across the chest, cutting deeply into her breasts. She cried in pain and her head slumped in defeat.
Voldemort laughed at her and slowly walked to his fallen foe. "Weak child, you cannot hope to beat me. Do you have any last words before I destroy you and take your body?"
As he walked he had come close to Hermione and he had knelt down in front of her. This is what she had been waiting for, the severed arm that lay a few feet away, vanished and reappeared on her arm. The cuts and gashes on her body disappeared and with a growl her hand shot up and grabbed the man by the throat.
"Yes, actually Tom, Get the fuck out of my head!" and she squeezed her hand tight. Voldemort looked amazed at her and tried casting curses at her to make her stop. Nothing seemed to work as the curses seemed to bounce of her. By now she was stood and her hair was flying around in a magical wind, her eyes glowed silver and magic was crackling around her.
"Who are you?" Voldemort managed to croak, "What are you?"
"You never stood a chance Tommy, I have more power than you could possibly dream of, I am Lady Hermione Jean Ravenclaw-Emrys-Potter, and I am immortal. You are nothing but a shade, a pathetic ghost of an even more pathetic man. Now be-gone!" and with that she snapped his neck with a jerk of her hand. The light in Voldemort's eyes faded and with a gentle sigh the body faded away.
Hermione let her and fall and with a smile wiped it against her cloak. It was time to go back, but as she was about to leave, she felt the Diadem continue its knowledge transfer. As she stood she could feel the magic work and a long line of book appeared in the library. She giggled as the new information was feed into her brain and her powers grew even more.
In the real world.
Harry was knelt next to his wife, her heart had stopped and she was silent as the grave. Luna and Professor McGonagall were knelt next to him. No one spoke as they all looked at the apparently dead women. Suddenly a dark mist rose from her body, taking the form of a face before screaming in agony as it faded from view, the scream echoing around the room. The diadem glowed once and fell from Hermione's head, with a gasp Hermione sat up, causing Luna and Professor McGonagall to scream in surprise.
"Mione! Are you, you?" Harry asked her in trepidation.
Hermione opened her eyes and to everyone's relief they were her normal chocolate brown colour. "Hello husband, yes it's me. He never stood a chance, not when I have you to come back to."
With a cry Harry took her in his arms, the tears rolling down his face as he hugged his wife. After a while he gently punched her on the arm.
"Do you know what a stupid thing that was to do Mione?" he admonished.
"Yeah, NOW I do, but hey at least the diadem is still intact." she replied, picking up the circlet and swirling it around her finger.
"I'll take that Mrs Potter, do you know how valuable it is for you to be playing with it like that?" the headmistress asked.
"Well, actually it belongs to me, as the Lady Ravenclaw, but I will allow you to take it and place it in the school somewhere. Everyone should have the option to look at it, but don't bother putting it on, the knowledge it contained has already been transferred...to me."
"Ah, I'm sorry Lady Ravenclaw, I forgot about your heritage. The school would be honoured to house the Diadem. Are you sure that it's free from the evil that tainted it?"
"Oh it's free alright, that's another Horcrux down, only two to go!" she said with a smile.
Luna smiled at her but then her eyes rolled back into her head.
"The sixth is in the possession of great evil, the Lord and Lady of the night protect it. The ones that control the Bank know where you need to go but beware the soul eater, he seeks it too." With a sigh, she collapsed, only been caught by Harry's Seeker reflexes. He gently lowered her to the ground, and looked over at Hermione.
"Well, that's clear. We need to go to Gringotts as soon as possible. Who are the Lord and Lady?"
"Not sure Harry, it rings a bell but I cannot be sure. Whoever they are you can be sure that they won't be friendly. We need to go back to the Cottage first, Luna needs to rest and I may need to face my parents." She said with a grimace.
Harry smiled at her, "Don't worry Mione, I will be with you every step of the way. If anyone should be worried, it's me. I've married their daughter, got her killed a few times and that's only for starters."
"Well at least my Dad cannot kill you, well at least not permanently." She replied with a relieved smile.
By now Luna had come around but was very sleepy and tired. Harry lifted her up bridal style and stood to face the headmistress.
"Minerva, thank you for all your help. We will be back soon to see Charlotte and for Hermione to meet with her Grandmother, but if you don't mind we need to get this little one to bed."
Professor McGonagall smiled and nodded at the immortal pair.
"Good luck you two, and we will see you before you go after the next Horcrux? We will be having a Quidditch match and I know that the Gryffindor team will want to see the best Seeker they ever had."
"Off course, till then." Harry replied, and the three of them faded away, leaving the Headmistress on her own.
"Amazing!" she muttered before beginning the return journey to her office.
I.Y. I.Y. I.Y.
Bellatrix Lestrange apparated back to the Malfoy manor, her mission accomplished. As she arrived she was joined by Wormtail.
"The Master wants to speak to you now, he is most displeased by your lateness." He told her with a degree of glee.
Bella shuddered as she contemplated the pain she would soon be feeling, but daren't not obey the order. She slowly made her way to the dining room that the master had made his throne room and silently opened the door.
"Bella! You have returned, but you are late...Crucio!"
Bellatrix screamed as the curse hit her and fell to her knees. The master kept the curse on her for a full minute before releasing her. He gave her a few seconds to compose herself.
"Report!"
"M-m-my Lord, the cup is safe with the Lord and Lady; they swear to look after it and thank you for your gift."
"Ah yes, did they enjoy Yaxley and McNair?"
"They seem to find them both very...tasty my Lord." Bella replied with a grin.
"Good, their sacrifice will be remembered. Did they kill them or..."
"They killed them my Lord; they didn't want to add them to their ranks. It might have had something to do with the screaming and cursing that they did before hand."
Voldemort laughed a dead laugh before turning back to his most trusted slave.
"Good, they were always too vocal anyway. Now all I need to do is to kill that Potter brat and the world will be mine."
"And you're other artefacts?" Bella asked.
"How dare you question me? They are none of your concern...Crucio!" and once more Bella was screaming. Unknown to the writhing witch, Voldemort was aware of the destruction of yet another of his anchors and the knowledge scared him. He was sure that the remaining two were safe, after all the Lord and Lady were not likely to give the cup up and the last one, well no one would ever guess it's location.
I.Y. I.Y. I.Y.
Harry, Hermione and Luna appeared in the main entrance hallway to the cottage. The cottage was quite but Harry and Hermione could sense the presence of the Weasleys and Xeno immediately. There was also the presence of others in the cottage. Hermione gulped and paled at the thought.
"Dobby!" Harry called and the house elf appeared in front of him.
"Master Harry, how may Dobby serve you today?" Dobby asked in a much more normal voice.
"Dobby, could you take Luna to her room and allow her to rest, she may need some food and drink." Harry asked him. Dobby looked at the sleepy girl in Harry's arms and with a click of his fingers he moved her to her bedroom before vanishing himself.
"Winky!" Hermione called out. Her Elf arrived silently and looked at her mistress.
"Mistress Hermione, it is good to see you." She said with a smile.
"Winky it's good to see you too. How are things in the cottage?" Hermione asked her.
"The Weasleys are well; Mistress Ginny has fully recovered and is currently helping her mother with some baking. Mr Weasley, the twins and Master Charlie are in the study talking. Master Bill returned home with his wife. Master Lovegood is walking the grounds looking for a Wrackspurt, but I am unsure on what one of those is. Oh and Mistress, your parents arrived this morning, they are not happy at all and demanded to see you just as soon as you arrived. I have left them in the main reception room."
"How are they Winky?" Hermione asked in a nervous voice.
"They appear well but very angry and confused. They wanted me to take them to you right away but I managed to persuade them to wait here. They were very tired and were talking about something called 'Jetlag' but I do not know of this aliment. I gave them a mild pepper-up potion and this seemed to cure them. I hope I have done well Mistress?"
"You have done fantastic Winky. Could you keep them in the lounge for a little while longer whilst we go see Molly and Ginny? I need to build myself up to facing them for what I have done to them."
"Off course Mistress. Once thing I can tell, even though they are very angry with you, they both still love you a great deal; they are just cross and a little afraid of why these things happened to them." The House Elf told her.
A single tear rolled down Hermione's cheek as she listened to the diminutive House Elf, prompting Harry to hold her in a tight embrace.
"It will be fine Mione, I will be with you every step of the way." He told her in her ear, causing her to shiver at the sound of his words.
They took each other's hands and walked to the kitchen, opening the door they both looked in at the scene that was presented to them. Molly Weasley was covered in flour and was chasing Ginny around the wooden kitchen table. Ginny was struggling to run as she was laughing so much. Her hair was streaked with flour and the kitchen was a mess. There was a haze of flour in the air and the floor was covered in it. Molly was screeching at her youngest, but both Harry and Hermione could see the smile on her face as she chased Ginny with a handful of the white powder.
"Ginevra Weasley, how dare you use a flour bomb on your poor mother, just you wait until I get you!" she screeched, laughing as she chased the young girl around the table, throwing handfuls of flour as she did.
"Ahem!" Harry announced from the door, just as Molly through the remainder of the flour. Both women crashed to a halt, allowing the flour to rain down on them as she turned to the door. Both women had tears running down their eyes from laughing, but they also now had blushes creeping up their faces as they realised that they had been caught red-handed.
"Harry!" Ginny yelled. "You're back!"
"Yes, and it seems not a moment too soon! You two look like you're having fun!" he smiled at the now sheepish looking pair
"Harry dear, sorry about the mess. We were baking bread and well...things got out of hand. It was just so nice to be able to have some fun with Ginny after...well you know." She had taken out her wand and had already performed a cleaning charm on both the kitchen and herself and Ginny.
Now struggling not to laugh Harry told the pair that it was fine and that it was nice to hear them both laugh after the recent tragedies.
"Hermione, your parents are here, they are not very happy with you." Molly told the young woman.
"I know; I'm building up to seeing them. How are you both doing?"
"Good, considering. I still have bad moment when I think about Percy or Ron, but having Ginny better is helping. We had grown apart over the years but we are now closer than before. I owe you both an apology. I was becoming obsessed with the idea of Ginny marrying you Harry, obsessed to the point of that I had considered using a love potion on the pair of you. I dismissed it as wrong, but I feel ashamed that I even considered it. Ginny told me about your conversation with her and the consequences of your immortality. I was shocked at first, but I am now happy for you both. Please forgive me."
"Molly, there is nothing to forgive, you only wanted the best for your daughter. You didn't use the potion and had already dismissed the idea. We both love you and your family and want you in our lives for as long as possible. "
With a low cry, the Weasley matriarch rushed to the pair and embraced them. "Thank you both. We or our descendants will be in your lives for as long as you allow us."
"Thank you Molly. How are other things?" Harry asked in an emotional voice.
Molly suddenly looked sombre. "The Burrow is gone." She announced. "Arthur had removed all of our furniture and belongings, but when he checked this morning, it had been razed to the ground. He doesn't know if Deatheaters did it or that thing did it, but our home is gone." She said with tears in her eyes.
"No it hasn't. Your home is more than bricks and mortar. It's the people, the love and your heart that makes the home. The physical home may be gone, but that can be rebuilt, and I promise you that when all this is over I will have your home rebuilt to whatever specification you want." Harry told the now crying woman.
"Thank you Harry, I needed to be told that. Now do you two want any bread, we have made quite a bit."
"I would love to Molly, but I have put this off long enough. I need to go speak to my parents." Hermione told her. "Coming Harry?"
"Off course, let's go face the music and my new in-laws!" he said with a pale complexion.
With an encouraging smile from both Molly and Ginny, the pair left and walked to the living room door. They both stopped at the door and took each other's hand. Steeling themselves they took a deep breath and opened the door.
"HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO US?" came the shout from Hermione's mother.
The pair entered the room and shut the door behind them. Looking at the tanned pair in front of them Hermione quietly said "Hello Mum, Dad."
"Don't you 'Hello' me young lady. What do you think you have been doing to us? We are both having a great time in Australia, thinking we were cafe owners in a small town near Brisbane. We were happy and in love with each other. We had friends and little cares in the world, when all of a sudden a few days ago we both pass out. When we wake up we can remember another life, we were not the Wilkins but the Grangers, we have a daughter who is a witch and we are bloody dentists living in sodding England. We can remember you doing something to us and then we don't remember anything other than the Wilkins. I liked the Wilkins, I liked Australia and been a cafe owner, I hated been a sodding dentist, all those smelly mouths and grumpy patients. And to top it all off Monica Wilkins just found out she was sodding pregnant. So I hope you have a good explanation for us, and who is this boy with you?" Hermione's mother had managed to get all that out with barely a breath, and Harry immediately knew where his wife got her ability to ask multiple questions from. Her father had said nothing so far, but was looking very pissed off and was glaring at Harry, and that he was holding his daughters hand.
With a deep sigh Hermione looked at both her parents startled by the news that her mother was expecting a child, and then back at Harry. "Well first things first, introductions. Harry, these are my parents, Emma and Dan Granger. Mum, Dad this is Harry Potter, my husband..."
"WHAT! You're married! Young lady you had better explain" Dan shouted at her, looking at Harry as if he wanted to kill him.
Hermione sat down, prompting the rest to do so. "Mum, Dad I apologise for removing your memories but I had to protect you both."
"You were protecting us? How does removing our memories and carting us off to the other side of the world protect us?" Emma asked still very annoyed.
"Mum, you remember me telling you about Voldemort and how he killed Harry's parents when we only one year old and how everyone thought that he was dead. Well what I didn't tell you is that he wasn't dead, even though everyone thought that he was. He survived sort off and three years ago he re-created his body. The Wizarding world is at war and at the moment the side for good is losing. Voldemort wants to kill all Magicals born to muggles and all half-bloods leaving only purebloods left. He wants to kill me and all like me, not because of anything I've done, but just because I exist. He then wants to rule the world, both magical and Muggle. He will stop at nothing to achieve this and only Harry can stop him."
"Why Harry, what's so special about him?" Dan asked glaring at the boy.
"There was a prophecy, only Harry can kill Voldemort, only one can live whilst the other dies. Harry has no choice."
"Then why remove our memories darling?" Emma asked, her tone slightly warming.
"Because Voldemort knows that I will be with Harry, I cannot leave him and I will help him with every breath I possess. Voldemort knows this and because of that fact it paints a large target on my back and that of everyone dear to me. You have no way of protecting yourself against him or his minions, so I had to get you away from the fight. You would have not gone willingly, and even if you did there are ways in which Magicals can read your mind. If they found out who you were they would have either killed you where you stood or even worse, used you to get to me or Harry."
"Why must you help Harry? If this is so dangerous, leave him "Emma said, seemingly oblivious that the boy of which she was speaking was stood right in front of her.
"Mum, I cannot leave Harry, nor will I. I love him with all my being and as I told you earlier, we are married – at least in the magical world. We made our magical vows to each other and the magic accepted them, and there more: - When we went to the Wizarding bank I found out that I have titles. My full name now is the Lady Hermione Jean Ravenclaw-Emrys-Potter. Mum, you may not have magic yourself, but it is in our family and has been for generations. I have met my ultimate grandmother and she looks just like you. Dad, your family is related to the oldest magical family in the country, Merlin. You passed down the genes to me making me as powerful as I am. This is who I am, this is what I must do, and this is what you must accept if you love me."
There was a long silence as both parents considered her words. Emma had tears in her eyes and Dan was unsure on what he was supposed to be feeling.
"Tell me Princess, is this what you want?" Dan asked her
"Well do I want a blood thirst megalomaniac trying to kill me and all I hold dear in the world, not to mention my husband? Then the answer is no. Do I love Harry and intent to spend all eternity with him? Then the answer is yes. Was I forced into this? No of course not, we both knew that we loved each other and wanted to be with each other. In fact it was me who prompted the wedding vows, not Harry."
"You're a Lady?" Emma asked in awe
"Yes Mum and Harry is a Lord with a few more titles that I have. We are also stupidly, obscenely rich and if we chose would not have to work for a very long time before we spent it all. We are also very powerful, more so than any other magical...but we are not experienced and that is why we have not killed Voldemort yet, but we will."
"If you are so powerful, how come the memory spell failed?" Dan asked.
Hermione had hoped that they would not ask that question just yet, but as they did, and after she felt Harry squeeze her shoulder, she felt she could not refuse to answer the question.
"Well it failed because the spell caster was killed and died." She said in a quiet voice.
"What? That doesn't make sense, you cast the spell... I don't understand?" Emma said; confusion evident on her face.
"Mum, a few days ago, Harry and I were betrayed by what we thought was a friend of ours. It turned out that this so called friend was in fact a demon that was inhabiting Ron's body. He was trying to manipulate us into a world that would mean we would never be happy and he was planning on feeding on our unhappiness. When Harry and I got together, that all changed and the demon got mad. He burst in on us and killed us...we both died."
Both parents gaped at her and Harry, unconsciously backing away from them.
"Mum, Dad it's okay. We are both alive and not ghosts or anything like that." As she spoke she had moved across to her mother and had knelt in front of her, taking her hand in her own. "Feel my hand, look its warm, flesh and blood like you, I have a pulse like you. We both survived because some cosmic power needed us alive. We were not supposed to die that day, as we both had a job to do. We were both brought back but something had changed..."
"What?" Emma breathed, now really afraid.
"Mum, you know you said you wanted your daughter to live a long life when you heard that I was a witch. Well you sorta got your way. Both Harry and I are now immortal. We will never age, nor will we ever die, except for a few ways. We are destined to be together forever. Your little girl will live forever Mum, but I will always be your little girl." Hermione told her in a small voice, there were tears trailing down her cheek that her mother wiped away with a finger.
"Oh my Hermione, my little Hermione!" Emma cried as she embraced her now crying daughter. "What have they done to you?"
"Mum, it's okay. I will have Harry, and you will have generation of children that will know all about you and Dad."
By now Dan and knelt next to his daughter and the three of them were all holding each other. Harry's eyes stung a little as he watched the family scene playing out in front on him, and a small part of him was very jealous that he had no family to turn to. As he watched he silently let himself out and left the Grangers to their sorrow, shock and happiness. Now crying he blindly walked away until he found himself sat on the stairs in the main entrance hall. Unseen by him, Molly Weasley had found him and guessing the problem, sat next to him and put an arm around his shoulder.
"It's hard Harry, but I am here for you. I know I'm not your mother but for a second you could pretend that I was."
Harry looked up at her and with a low cry, the Boy who Lived - the Chosen one - The Immortal cried like a small child into a mothers breast, as Molly wrapped her arms around him.
Chapter Fourteen – A brief respite
The Lady Hermione Jean Ravenclaw-Emrys-Potter suddenly looked up from the embrace she was currently in. Her mother and father had recently come back from Australia after the memory charm she had performed on them broke. They had been very annoyed with their only child (at the moment), and soon that annoyance moved to her new husband. However they had now reconciled as Hermione had explained why she had done what she had done and thus her current embrace. Something was wrong though, her husband was in emotional pain.
"What's the matter love?" Dan asked his daughter.
"Harry's in pain, he's upset. I must go to him." She stated.
"How do you know that love?" her mother asked her.
"Because we share a life essence, our souls are basically entwined and what he feels, I feel. Right now he is very sad, sad about hurting you both, sad about having no family of his own and most off all sad because you both rejected him!"The last statement was said with some anger at her parents.
"We rejected him? How?" Emma asked.
"Mum, you basically told me to leave him. How could you do that?"
"Well I'm sorry but your safety is off greater importance to us..." she would have continued but Hermione interrupted her. She told her parents a little of Harry's history, how he was treated by the Dursleys. She told them that when she hugged him for the first time; that it was the first ever hug he had ever received. She told them about his parents and the sacrifice they had both made for him and the Wizarding world. Lastly she told them about the encounters that they had both had with Voldemort and why they had to fight him. As she spoke both Emma and Dan grew more and more horrified and ashamed that they had dismissed Harry before learning the facts. Emma had tears running down her face and Dan was pale. When Hermione finally finished speaking, they both looked at each other with appalled expressions on their faces.
"Oh Hermione, I am so sorry. Harry sounds like a fantastic person and we both owe him an apology. Where is he?"
"He's sat outside on the stairs. Molly Weasley is with him." as she spoke she had stood and made her way to the door.
Harry was still sat with his head resting against Molly's ample chest. The tears had run their course and he had his eyes closed. Molly looked up as she heard the door open and saw Hermione moving towards them. With a smile she transferred her charge to his wife and stood to leave.
"Molly...thank you for been here for him. I know he really appreciated it." Hermione told the older woman.
Hermione now transferred her attention to Harry, who was worryingly quite.
"Harry? Harry are you okay? I could feel your distress." She asked him
Harry took a long while to answer her, he was trying to sort his thoughts out in his head, and he was a little embarrassed that he had broken down like he had. Finally he spoke.
"I'm fine Mione, it's just after your parents rejected me, I felt all the years of rejection bearing down on me and I needed to let it out. I feel better now. I will let you and your parents reconnect, and wait for you in the kitchen."
"Oh no you don't Mr Potter!" Emma stated as she watched the pair. Harry almost jumped to his feet when he heard Emma speak.
"Harry, I owe you an apology, a big apology. I was wrong to say what I did; you are the best thing that ever happened to our daughter. You brought her friendship when she had none, and now love, when she only had us. You are a fine young man, and I am honoured, very honoured to have you as a son-in-law."
Harry was amazed to hear the words coming from someone he thought had rejected him. He looked up at her and could see the sincerity in her voice. Dan was stood next to her with his arm around his wife, also looking rather contrite and ashamed of himself. Harry slowly disentangled himself from Hermione's hold and stood to face the older couple.
"Thank you Mrs Granger, that means a lot to me." He told her.
"Harry that will not do at all. It's Emma, now come here!" and she took him in a light embrace, before releasing him. Dan then stuck out his hand which Harry took.
"Welcome to the family, son!" he told him before briefly hugging him around the shoulders. Hermione was beaming as her parents finally accepted her husband.
"Shall we all go back to the lounge? We have a lot to speak about. And Mum, pregnant?"
As they walked back to the lounge, Hermione arm in arm with Harry, Emma laughed and blushed.
"Yeah, we found out a few weeks ago. I'm only four months and only just beginning to show. We weren't really trying but we are both very happy to be having a baby. After you were born, we did want another but with the dental practice just starting and then when you started to show your magic, even if at the time we didn't know what it was, we just decided not to try. When you removed our memories and we became then Wilkins, well things were different."
"Do you know what sex the baby is?" Hermione asked shyly.
"Yes, you are going to have a baby sister. I wonder if she will be a witch." Emma asked herself.
Hermione was delighted she was going to have a sister, even if the age difference was quite big. As she looked at her mother, she accessed some of her new Ravenclaw knowledge, and activated her new ability to see magical auras. Harry's was plain to see, a solid white, almost silver, second skin covering him. Her parents had auras as well, although they were much smaller and fainter. She guessed that even though they had no magic themselves; the genes they carried must be responsible for the auras. As she looked her mother's stomach was glowing a bright golden colour, it was small but very bright.
"Yes Mum, she will be magical, very powerful as well if I am reading this correctly."
"How? how do you know that?" Emma asked surprised, but pleased all the same.
"Well, as I told you, Harry and I are the heirs to the Founders of Hogwarts; we also have the knowledge of the Founders in our heads. I used some of that knowledge to allow me to see magical auras. Both Harry and I have a solid one, due to our immortality, but the baby has a golden one, meaning that she will be magical."
Dan had to ask at this point. "About this immortality thing, can you tell us more? I must admit to been a little confused and scared by it. Do you mean that you both will live forever?"
"Yes Dad, We cannot die, except by decapitation or the killing curse. Earlier today, Harry was killed by been burnt to death, his body was covered in burns and he was quite dead." The two Grangers were very shocked to hear this and had both looked at the young man sat calmly with their daughter.
"I felt him die, mum! It hurt like hell, but a few seconds later, his body healed and he was re-born, as good as new."
"My God! And neither of you will age?" Dan asked.
"Well I guess we may age until we reach our maturity and then we will stop."
"That's just amazing, but are you both aware of the downside, all your friends, family, children growing old and dying whilst you two carry on?"
"Yes Dad, we are aware of that, and if it was just me on my own, I'm not sure I could cope, but with Harry by my side, we will cope together. I guess it will be losing our children that will hurt the most, but that's not enough to stop us from wanting kids."
"That's good, I always wanted to be a grandmother, but not too soon you two, been a mother once more is enough for the moment."
"What are your plans now Mr and Mrs Granger?" Harry asked.
"Dan and Emma please, but were not sure. As I said earlier, I have grown to hate been a dentist over the years and I know that Dan feels the same."
"Mum, you cannot go home at the moment, it's not safe. We are attacked when we were at our house a few days ago, and I know that the Death Eaters are watching the house. That's why I had Dobby bring you here when you got home."
"Yes what was that little creature? He sure seemed a lively one." Dan asked, with a faint smile on his face.
"Dobby is my House Elf; he is bonded to me and his mate Winky is bonded to Mione. They are both very loyal and powerful in their own way. They will try to do anything for us."
"Bonded, as in slave?" Emma asked with an odd tone to her voice.
"No Mum, I used to think that, but it seems that House Elves need to be bonded to a witch or a wizard to stay alive. Winky was dying until she bonded with me. They are not slaves and we are paying them."
"Good, not sure I was keen on you two owning slaves."
"So mum, what are you going to do?" Hermione asked.
"Well, we still own the cafe in Aus, and we really liked our life out there. I think the Wilkins will be making a return to Australia I just wish it wasn't so far away from you two."
Harry looked over at Hermione and frowned. "Do you think..."
"Not sure..."
"It's a long ..."
"It sure is..."
"We know we have the power..."
"But can it be done?"
"What are you tow on about, and how come you keep talking like that?" Dan asked exasperated with the pair.
"Well Dan, Mione and I were just thinking if we could apparate to Australia with you both."
Dan gasped, "Hermione had told us about apperation, but I thought you could only apparate few hundred miles or so?" he asked.
"Well normally that's true, but Mione and I are much more powerful that most. I think we could do it. That means we can take you both home and keep in touch with you both. We can also come and visit you when the baby is born." Harry told them.
"Are you both sure?" Emma asked.
"Well sorta. The only problem we can come up with is that neither of us knows where in Australia you were living. We need to be able to see the location in our minds to be able to do this."
"Harry, what if Mum and Dad hold the image in their minds and we use that to apparate us there?" Hermione asked in an excited voice.
"That might work, Mione. When do you wish to try?"
"What about now?" Hermione said. "We can take them to Aus and then return to see to the rest. I would be happier with Mum and Dad safe in Australia. We can do the memory spell again..."
"OH NO! Going back to the cafe is one thing but we are not losing you both again. Not this time. Is there nothing else you can do to keep us and you safe?" Dan told them.
Hermione thought for a bit, pacing back and forth as she did so. Suddenly she looked up and smiled. She walked to her father and with a reassuring smile placed her hands on his head. She closed her eyes and concentrated, both father and daughter glowed for a brief second before she moved to her mother and repeated the procedure.
"What have you done now Hermione?" her mother asked.
"Well I have first taken the knowledge of the location of your home in Australia, and then I have shielded your minds from anyone trying to read them."
Everyone seemed pleased with Hermione's solution and quickly her parents had gathered up there few belongings. They had been so eager to get back to the UK that they had left nearly all of their other stuff back in Australia. Everyone linked hands ready for the trip. Harry and Hermione concentrated, Hermione held the image of their destination in her mind, and with a 'pop' they vanished.
Moments later they reappeared in a small but nice living room. It was early in the morning, and the sun was just coming over the horizon. The air was warm and the noise of the sea could be heard. Emma let go of the pair and opened the patio doors that led to a large patio area and garden.
"Welcome to Australia, and welcome to our home." Emma told them, pleased to be back in what she considered to be more her home than the UK was.
"Mum, it's lovely, but we cannot stay. We have work to do back home, but we will come by very soon, now that we know where you live. I want to see everything and have a meal at your cafe."
"Do you really have to go Pumpkin?" Dan asked.
"Pumpkin?" Harry mouthed to Hermione, a smile playing across his lips.
"Don't even think about it Potter!" Hermione warned before turning to her father. "Yes Dad, Harry and I have a great deal to do and now knowing you are both safe makes it a lot easier for me."
After a lot of embraces, kisses and some tears Harry and Hermione finally managed to apparate away; re-appearing back in the cottage. By now it was getting very late, and after sending a message to Griphook via Dobby asking for a meeting in the morning, the pair retired to bed.
I.Y. I.Y. I.Y.
Lord Voldemort was ecstatic, he was over the moon. In fact if could be said that he was happy, if he indeed knew what the alien emotion felt like. The reason for this good mood was he had finally finished questioning Snape about his run from Hogwarts. When Snape and the young Malfoy had arrived earlier the previous day, he had not spoken to either of them, but just placed them both under the Cruciatus curse. After all they had both failed him, so why not? It had taken Snape hours to recover from the torture, but he had finally been ready to speak. Voldemort had grown angry with the potion masters tale as he told his master of his failure at the school, but when Snape told him about Potter falling to his death from the Astronomy tower, that was the catalyst for the outpouring of emotion. As Snape described the sight of the crater with the broken body of his nemesis lying in the centre, Voldemort was so pleased that he even allowed Snape to leave with no further punishment. In fact when he leant that it was Draco who has cast the spell that flung the young Potter off the parapet he had magically restored the last of the Malfoy's tongue, allowing him to speak once more.
"It's done! Potter is dead, and I can rule the world as is my right." He said to himself, ignoring the pangs of worry regarding the recent demise of yet another of his Horcrux's. He knew that the remaining two were safe and out of reach of any of the dregs of Dumbledore's so called army of Light.
"Bella! Where are you?" he yelled
Bellatrix came in, now aware of her master's good mood. "Yes my lord?" she purred.
"Come in here and remove your clothes, I am in need of some entertainment" he said as he stood to disrobe.
I.Y. I.Y. I.Y.
Harry woke to the feeling of his beloved wife naked body resting on his. Despite their tiredness they had made passionate love the night before. It had only been the one time but, nevertheless it had been a fantastic experience. Never before had he felt such contentment as he had, when they both released there climaxes at the same time. He didn't think it was possible to love another as much as he loved Hermione. As he lay there he could sense his wife begin to waken. As she moved her hand moved south and grasped his morning wood. With a content sigh, Hermione began to move her hand up and down as she felt Harry's hand move to her moist core. As he began his ministrations she began to groan loudly as he also kissed her neck and jaw line. Before long they both climaxed, and with a quick Scourgify both were clean again.
"Morning love!" Hermione smiled at him.
"Morning...Pumpkin!" Harry said with a laugh.
"Oi! you cheeky..." she began as Harry moved to tickle her. "Harry, let go...Oi Potter!" she called as Harry sprung up and ran to the bathroom, naked. She leapt up and followed him conjuring a glass of cold water as she did.
"MIONE!" came the shout as she flung it at her husband, before they both entered the shower together.
It was a clean Harry and Hermione that finally made it down to breakfast. Molly and Ginny were cooking breakfast and Arthur and the twins were sat chatting.
"Morning you two, breakfast?" Molly asked them.
"Yes please." Harry replied for the two of them.
"Where are your parents Hermione, I would of thought they would have been up by now." She asked.
"Well, they may be but they will be going to bed soon. We took them back to Australia last night, as they wanted to live there."Hermione told her.
"What? How did you get them back, it's a long way to Australia" Molly said, Arthur also now paying attention to the conversation.
"We apparated them both, they were happy there and wanted to stay. This was we can visit them whenever we wish."
"You apparated them all the way around the world? That's impossible, no one can do that." Arthur stated.
"Er, not for us, we might if mentioned it but we a touch more powerful than we were before." Harry said
"How much of a touch?" Fred asked
"A lot more, if you must know; we both carry the knowledge of the four Founders as well as some of Merlin's." Harry said faintly.
"Wow, you are related to the Founders?" George asked.
"Yes, Harry to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff and me by Ravenclaw. We are both also related to Merlin." Hermione told him.
"What are your full names?" Arthur asked
"Harry is Lord Harry James Hufflepuff-Griffindor-Slytherin-Emrys-Potter and I am the Lady Hermione Jean Ravenclaw-Emrys-Potter." She said proudly.
"Slytherin? You didn't mention Harry been related to Slytherin." Fred said, looking a little worried.
"I'm not. But since I have beaten old Voldyshorts more than three times I am now the heir of Slytherin by conquest." Harry told him.
"Oh my! Does that mean you both own Hogwarts?" Molly asked as she put the names together.
"No, they don't, you cannot own a living thing, they are the guardians of the castle and the Lady Hogwarts thinks of them as her parents." came a new voice form the doorway.
"Luna! How are you this morning" Harry shouted at her, pleased to see her up and about.
"Well, thank you Harry. I'm a little confused as to how I got here though." came the reply.
"Well yesterday was a long day and at the end you made a prediction. You then fainted and we brought you back here." Harry told her.
"Oh, was it a good prediction?" Luna asked him.
"Well it told us where to go next, so I guess so. That reminds me...Dobby!" he shouted
With a pop with the faithful creature arrived, practically bouncing around the room. "Master calls Dobby, what can Dobby do for Master Harry?" he asked
"Dobby, please can we drop the Master bit, it's just Harry."
"Master wants Dobby to call Master 'Harry'? Can Dobby do that?" Dobby asked himself.
"Yes Dobby you can, and please stop bouncing around, you're making me dizzy." Harry said with a smile. "Dobby, what did Griphook say?"
"Griphook says to meet him this morning at eleven, they are looking forward to your visit Ma...Harry, sir" Dobby told him.
"Good, can you also go to see Professor McGonagall? We need to go to visit this afternoon, I promised that I would go and speak to Charlotte and Mione needs to speak to Helena."
"Dobby will go Harry Sir!" and with a pop he was gone.
"Well, at least he's dropped the 'Master' bit love." Hermione said with a smile. Everyone was smiling as Luna took her place and started to eat her breakfast. As they all ate, Xeno made an appearance and was given breakfast. Luna was happy to see her father, and for a while the two talked about animals and creatures that no one else had heard off.
As they ate, there was another 'pop' as Winky arrived. However she wasn't alone; in her arms she was carrying a large ginger ball of fur that was hissing and spitting.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione shouted. As soon as the half Kneazle heard his mistress voice, he shot out of the arms of Winky and repositioned himself on Hermione's lap. She began to pet him and soon the room was filled with the loud sound of purring.
"Crooks, where have you been? You were supposed to stay at Hogwarts until I could come back." She told the cat.
"I is finding the cat wandering around the forest outside the cottage. He was looking for you, but couldn't get past the wards Ma'am" Winky told her.
"Thank you Winky. Did lovely little Crooks miss his mistress then?" she asked the cat in a silly voice. Crookshanks continued to purr, even if he did look a little affronted by the tone Hermione was taking. After a while he jumped down, walked past Harry, rubbing himself against his legs as he did and then looked at Winky with an expectant look.
"Ok cat, come on then, let's find you some food" Winky stated and the two wandered off to the kitchen. Breakfast continued and then everyone left the dining room to get ready for the day. Harry and Hermione were going to apparate to Diagon Alley, near to the bank. Luna stated that she wished to come with them. The Weasleys were going to Hogwarts to see Professor McGonagall about re-enrolling Ginny for the remainder of the years now that the school was safer than before.
Soon Harry and Hermione were stood in the main entrance hall waiting for Luna to get ready.
"Where is she? It's nearly eleven already." Harry grumbled.
"Stop moaning, one thing you will have to learn is that it takes women a little longer to get ready than you blokes. You're lucky that I am a morning person or else you would be waiting for two of us." As she spoke they saw Luna coming down the stairs. She was wearing a nice dress under her robes, and her hair was in a French plat, running down her back.
"Sorry you two, but Dad needed me to chase away some Wrackspurts that were infesting his room." She said with a small smile.
"Wrackspurts? Never mind, come on lets go otherwise we will be late, and keeping Goblins waiting is not a good idea." Harry said, extending his hand for Luna. She took it and Hermione took the other one, and they blinked away.
I.Y. I.Y. I.Y.
Deep in the part of Romania better known as Transylvania the creature known as Ron was creeping through the forests. It was early morning and Ron was hungry. His last meal was a couple of walkers he had chanced across as he flew through the forests a few days ago. He's landed the broomstick and captured the pair. Feeding on the woman first he had repeated the actions that had now become his trademark. Raping her whilst her partner watched and then slitting her throat. This time however he had also cut open her belly and ripped out her innards before the light left her eyes. Laughing he then killed the man, but he was still hungry. As he crept through the dense forest he sent out his mind, looking for prey but all he could sense back was the dead creatures that inhabited this part of the forest. Never mind, when he found the lair he would kill his brethren and take the cup. Then he could control Voldemort and force him to help conquer the world for him.
As he crept, he was unaware that he was been watched by some of the creatures. As soon as he was spotted entering their territory, word was sent to the Lord and Lady that company was coming.
I.Y. I.Y. I.Y.
With an almost silent 'pop' the trio arrived in a darkened corner of Diagon Alley. Once more the sense of fear and anxiety permeated the air, and the trio quickly walked to the white steps leading to the bank, heads bowed and hoods up. As they mounted the steps, Harry briefly raised his head and moved the hood back, exposing his face. The guards snapped to attention and saluted.
"Lord Potter, Griphook told us to expect you." One said politely, well as polite as a Goblin ever is. The other opened the door and the trio rushed into the bank. As soon as they were inside they removed there hoods and looked around. Silverfang was rushing towards them.
"Lord Potter, Lady Potter, Miss Lovegood, my father is expecting you; If you would like to follow me." He asked them. He led them to an ornate looking office that contained a desk and three chairs. On the desk was a tray of drinks and Griphook was sat at the other side.
"Harry! Come in, good to see you. You too Hermione. Miss Lovegood, I'm not sure if we have met. Senior accountant Griphook at your service. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Luna greeted the Goblin and they all took their seats. Griphook took out a large folder of paper and looked at the trio.
"Now, Harry. We have located where the witch Bellatrix took the cup. It's not good news I'm afraid." He said with a grimace.
"Why, where did she take it?" Harry asked in a worried voice.
"Well she took it to a forest in central Romania and left it there with some allies of Riddle." Griphook told them.
"That doesn't sound so bad, why the worried look Griphook?"
"Well, the area of Romania that she took it too used to be called Transylvania. But the main problem is who Lestrange left it with. She left it with two creatures that people call the Lord and Lady and that is the problem. You see the Lord and Lady are Vampires, but not just any vampires, they are the King and Queen of all the vampires." He said in a gloomy voice.
"Shit!" Harry said.
"Yes quite, it won't be an easy job to retrieve the item from them."
"Okay, we will have to go and get it, but I think this will need some planning first. Was there anything else Griphook?" Harry asked
At this Griphook showed his teeth, a sure sign to tell that a Goblin is smiling. "Well yes, and this is slightly better news. We heard of the death of the wand-smith Ollivander. His replacement has already been to see us, a distant nephew, and had claimed his inheritance from us. However Ollivander updated his will recently, using magic whilst staying at your cottage. Both you and Lady Potter were mentioned. He left you Lady Hermione, the wand that rested on the purple cushion in the shop front. It has been there for centuries and everyone thought it was a fake, but we have had it tested. It turns out that it was the wand of your ancestor, Rowena Ravenclaw." As he spoke he pulled out an old looking wand and handed it to Hermione. As soon as she touched the wand, sparks flew out of the end and both she and the wand glowed briefly.
"Wow, that's a very powerful wand, and it recognises me as its true owner. This is an amazing gift, I will treasure it." She said.
"And for you Harry, he left a staff. We do not know how he came into its possession but it seems genuine." He pulled out a gnarled looking staff with a large crystal on one end. As soon as Harry took it he gasped and his eyes rolled back into his head. He fell back into the chair and began to shake. After a few seconds he opened his eyes and they were glowing a golden colour before they faded to their normal green.
"Are you okay Harry?" Hermione asked in a concerned voice.
"Yes, that was a bit of a rush. I not sure if I believe it, but this staff belonged to none other than Merlin. It wants you to touch it Mione."
With a cautious look at Harry she tentatively reached across and touched her ancestor's staff. Once more her eyes glowed gold and her hair whipped around in an invisible wind. After a few seconds the wind faded and her eyes returned to their normal colour. She looked at Harry in awe.
#Harry, that was amazing!#
#I know Mione, and have you noticed, we are talking without moving our lips. In fact I think we are talking in our heads.#
#Oh sweet Merlin, how is this possible?#
#Well I'm not certain, but I think it's the staff that did it.#
Luna was looking at the pair with a grin on her face. This was just as she had predicted, the pair had become even closer and the time was approaching for her fate.
With a few final words the trio left the bank and quickly apparated to the gates of Hogwarts.