Summer changes by broomstick flyer Books
Fifth year summer brings some real changes to the lives of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Changes that lead to a different life and future to the canon fifth year.
» Harry Potter Rated: T, English, Romance, Harry P., Hermione G., Words: 30k+, Favs: 1k+, Follows: 1k+, Published: Jun 13, 2011Updated: Jan 15, 2012
Chapter 1
Disclaimer. As usual I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters, things, or animals, that are mentioned in the Harry Potter books, I do how ever own the plot in this little venture into the Potter verse.
Harry James Potter was getting angry as the owls kept delivering messages and yet none said why there were Dementors in Little Whinging, or what was happening. Taking the letter from the latest owl to arrive he read Sirius's message 'Arthur has just told us what's happened. Don't leave the house again whatever you do.'
Harry stared at the letter in total disbelief; he found this such an inadequate response to everything that had happened to him, and now his temper was rising. Wasn't anybody going to say well done for fighting off two Dementors and saving Dudley?
Both Mr Weasley and Sirius were acting as though he had misbehaved and were saving their telling off until they could ascertain how much damage had been done. Vernon was still yelling something but Harry wasn't listening as thoughts about how he had been treated all summer raced through his mind. The thought that Ron was shacked up somewhere with his Hermione, probably snogging and …things, sent his anger into overdrive.
Privet Drive, three days after the Dementor attack.
That night of the attack Harry had sent Hedwig his owl off with three notes asking what was going on and when he could leave the Dursleys, but now it was three days later and Hedwig had not returned. He could only guess that someone probably Dumbledore was holding her prisoner or she would have returned just a few hours after leaving to deliver those notes. Staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom his anger grew to the point where he was having trouble controlling his magic. How could they be so cruel and hateful keeping his only friend from him, surely they should have at least set her free even if they kept him a prisoner never knowing what was going on and kept in the dark like some naughty five year old.
After storming down stairs and finding just his Aunt in the house he asked if she had heard any more after the howler that had been sent. Petunia had simply stuck her nose in the air and sneered at him as though he stunk like something she might have stepped in, and that was the last straw. Harry James Potter had had enough being treated as if he was a freak or a child, a nobody who did not matter to anyone. The girl he thought of as his girlfriend was with the one who had been his best friend until the Tri-Wizard tournament. His supposed mentor was keeping everything from him and apparently holding his familiar prisoner and his so called godfather and the others could not even be bothered to ask if he had been hurt in the attack by the Dementors, in fact no one had asked or been to see if he was ok.
Racing up stairs Harry quickly lifted the loose floorboard under his bed and pulled out his prized possessions and shoved them into his ancient knapsack. Grabbing a small piece of parchment he quickly scribbled a note.
To Dumbledore and his little group of sycophants
'Seeing as not one of you could be bothered to ask how I was after the dementor attack it seems you don't give a damn about me or my welfare, so you can all go get stuffed.
Tell my Hermione thanks for betraying me for that dumb red haired tosser who couldn't even apologise properly to her over that bloody rat or the shit he caused over my broom and the ruddy Yule ball or to apologise properly to me for calling me a liar for half the term, if she wants him she can bloody well have the dumb food disposal slob.
Oh be sure to thank her and the rest of your motley crew for the letters of support I never got, no never mind she was to busy being with that back stabbing bastard to write to me herself to find out how I was doing after witnessing Cedric killed in cold blood.
You can tell that so called godfather I think he is a waste of space, when I needed him as a baby he preferred chasing after the rat, and now he again seems uninterested in my welfare. Well you can all piss off. Enough is enough and this boy has had enough of being everyone's punch bag, and being treated like a ruddy mushroom.
Up yours and your little club Dumbledore you inbred cretin…
Mr H Potter. Formerly of the cupboard under the stairs in the prison on privet drive.
Harry pushed his aunt aside as she tried to stop him leaving as he opened the front door. He turned to her and with ice cold anger in his voice he said "You know Mrs Dursley, you are a real miserable freak of a bitch and one of these days I'll be paying you and your disgusting freak family back for all your kindness, and that I can guarantee, where ever you go I will find you and you will regret the day you decided to treat a wizard the way you did.
I no longer accept that you are the sister of my mother; I know my grandparents would never have had scum child abusers like you in the family. So you can tell Dumbledore and his little army you are no longer my aunt, I reject any family or blood connection to something disgusting and abnormal like you and that fat criminal whale you call Dudley, you are both no longer members of the Evans family, as chosen by default, I as head of the Evans family formally disown you both." He then stepped from the house and slammed the door closed.
Harry had no idea where he was going to go but he was certain he would live no where near the magical world. He was not as stupid as Dumbledore and the rest seemed to think, he knew that Voldemort would have far more problems trying to find him if he was living in the Muggle world. After getting past a drunken Mundungus Fletcher a bus ride and a short visit to Gringotts to almost empty his trust vault and convert his galleons into pounds Harry made his way to a bus station and caught a bus heading west.
4 Privet Drive, four days after the Dementor attack.
It was Harry's fifteenth birthday and Dumbledore had sent members of his Order of the Phoenix to collect Harry from his home as was usual. Remus Lupin picked up the note from Harry's bed and as he read the short note his shoulders sagged. He had half expected something like this, he had tried to tell Dumbledore and Sirius that Harry would not be happy if they tried to keep things from him. What he had not expected was for Harry to think that Hermione had betrayed him. He knew Harry had deep feelings for the girl, feelings that went far beyond friendship, but then as he thought about it he began to see Harry's point of view.
Ron and Hermione had only sent the one short joint note allowed by Dumbledore to Harry saying they could tell him nothing. That would make it seem they were together and gloating, unwilling to tell him what they were doing. And they had been together for at least a month since then without writing so it would seem to Harry that they had become far more than being together as just friends. Folding the note and placing it in his pocket he joined the crowd of witches and wizards who had been sent to collect the boy. "It's too late, Harry's gone. I tried to tell Albus but he just won't listen to anyone, he always thinks he knows best."
Remus and the others returned to their head quarters, a place called Black manor at number 12 Grimmauld place in London. Having conjured a copy of Harry's note and passed the original to Albus Dumbledore, leader of the order of the Phoenix. Remus Lupin made his way upstairs to talk to the teenagers who were staying at the house.
Entering the boy's room where he found both Ron and Hermione along with Ron's younger sister Ginny. The two girls were sitting on the bed that would be Harry's if they ever found him. Feeling a sadness and anger, that the three teens were having a good time being together while they had let Harry down so badly he couldn't bring himself to speak right away in case he lost his temper, taking a deep breath he silently passed the note to Hermione.
Hermione read the note out, not quite believing that Harry could think she was betraying him, Harry wasn't even her boyfriend and she loudly declared it as she jumped to her feet and almost demanded that they go and find the raven haired boy right then.
Remus was about to say something when Ron almost shouted "Bloody Potter, I bet he's just after more fame by being 'the-boy-who-ran-away…'" that was all he managed to say before Remus stood to his full height grabbed Ron by the front of his robes and yanked him to his feet then glared at the red haired boy having lost his temper he growled at the red head idiot
"Weasley, if all you can ever do is argue and say completely stupid things then keep your bloody mouth shut or I'll rip your treacherous back stabbing tongue out and shove it up your ruddy arse. Now sit and keep quiet you gormless waste of space!" Remus disgusted by Ron's reaction turned to Hermione "You, you chose that totally disgusting filthy food slobbering idiot over Harry; I suggest you go see the mind healers because you really need help. Was it fun sending Harry that joint note letting him know you were here having a good time with your single brain celled walking Weasel food stain collector. Was it a good feeling doing that to him when you knew he was being kept prisoner in an abusive environment, did it turn you on for you to keep Harry's oldest friend Hedwig away from him and locked in your room?"
Hermione dropped back onto the bed shocked that the warm caring and friendly ex-professor had spoken to her the way he had. She was trying to think things through when Ron started again.
"Hermione what the hell have you been doing with Harry…" that was as far as he got before he was silenced by a spell from his sister.
"You know Ron, Remus is right, all that you do is shove food in that hole in your face and regurgitate a load of rubbish, you should keep it shut until the day your brain finally wakes up. Now Hermione what are we going to do about your boyfriend thinking you are two timing him with mighty mouth here?" Ginny said as she turned from cursing her brother and facing the older girl.
Hermione still shocked about what was happening eventually stopped acting like a fish and finally managed to say "Harry and I are not together."
Ginny looked at her as if she was mad and had grown an extra head to help spread the madness. "Well it seems you are the only one apart from the disgusting gormo slob here who thinks that. What was all that last year, you were the only one who did not turn on Harry, you spent every waking moment with him, then you kissed him goodbye on the platform. Every one at school thinks you two are together, every member of the order does too, and according to that note seems that Harry thought that as well."
Hermione was going to argue but as she thought back over their past year when she had been the only one who believed and helped Harry through that stupid tournament. She remembered how she had been unable to resist going to see him in the tent before the dragon task started, and the tight hug she had given him. She thought of all the late nights she had had with him through the year as she tried to find spells and charms that would help to keep him alive. And that kiss at the station as they parted for the summer, as she thought it all over she began to realise that she and Harry had indeed become a couple, had been since they rode together on Buckbeak it was no wonder everyone knew it except Ron, who had not got the emotional capacity of a very immature two year old. She put her own lack of noticing down to her being far to worried about him to think of such things before.
She actually started to think that she had betrayed Harry by enjoying being here at Grimmauld with Ron while Harry was being mistreated by his relatives and fighting off Dementors. She then looked at the ceiling thinking about the beautiful owl locked in a cage in her bedroom on the floor above. They had even kept Hedwig from Harry even though they knew how much his owl meant to him. Tears began to fall as she stood up and headed for the door.
Ginny followed Hermione knowing that the older girl had come to her senses and would soon have a plan to find Harry. She knew that her best girl friend could not ignore the fact that Harry was on his own and probably needed her help.
Harry was feeling lonely and he was missing Hermione so much he spent most of his days dreaming about her and then trying to rid him self of the lump in his throat afterward. He had been in the small seaside town for the past week and had been unable to decide what to do next. Walking along the beach he looked enviously at other young men and women as they strolled hand in hand or boys as they played about in the surf with their girlfriends. Even watching the older couples with children made him feel a little jealous, and even a little lonelier than he was before.
He was angry at the ministry and it's stupid under age rules, and the threats of a trial. He was furious with Dumbledore for forcing him into the stupid predicament in the first place, if the daft old man had not interfered so much in his life he might have grown up happy, so what if there was a mad wizard trying to kill him, it did not mean he could not have a life. It might take Voldemort another ten years to find him again, even longer if he was to stay here in the muggle world. Looking up at the seagulls that flew about he made his mind up. It was time he started to change things, first thing was to go and buy himself some proper clothing to celebrate his birthday and his freedom.
Three hours later he was sitting in his room at the small hotel he was booked into and looking at the money he had collected from Gringotts. He had just over 150,000 pounds with which to somehow buy himself somewhere to live. He had just one small problem to solve, how was he a fifteen year old going to buy a house? The answer to his problem came to him the following day as he went about his day doing his shopping; a large advertisement in one of the arcade windows announced a face painting competition beginning at mid day at the local recreation centre.
Harry stood in the crowd as they watched two dozen competitors whittled down to just three. When the judges asked for some volunteers from the audience to have their faces painted he stepped forward.
He was sat in a chair facing the audience and a young woman finalist was partnered with him. Smiling at the pretty woman as she studied his face wondering what to do to him he bet her five pounds she could not turn him in to a believable looking old man. It was well worth the five pounds he handed over to the young woman after she received her prize for first place. Then chuckling Harry asked that he be allowed to keep his new face to show his family, chuckling at her surprised look he then imitated an ancient old man as he hobbled away, the make up still on his face.
Just four hours later Harry James Potter looking about seventy years old paid out 85,000 pounds in cash to a young couple who were emigrating and were in need of a quick sale for their house. Harry was happy having got him self a great bargain, the house had been on the market for a quite a while at 145,000 with no offers made and time had run out for the young married couple who were ready to start their new life in a new land.
The house, a small three bedroom detached one that sat at the base of a sixty foot cliff and overlooked the estuary of the Mawddach river and the small resort of Barmouth. It needed quite a lot of cosmetic work done having been unoccupied for some time but was basically in good condition. The small front and rather large tiered rear gardens were both neglected and overgrown, but to Harry it was simply another challenge, only this one he had picked for him self this time.
Harry smiled as he took a seat on one of the few pieces of furniture that he had been left. The house had belonged to the woman's parents who were now both dead, and she had decided it would be better and cheaper to let Harry have the furniture than to call someone in to have it removed to the local rubbish tip. It was a happier young man who fell asleep in the old but truly comfortable armchair in front of the fire place. Pleasant dreams of Hermione Granger filled his night.
Chapter 2
Disclaimer. As usual I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters, things, or animals, that are mentioned in the Harry Potter books, I do how ever own the plot in this little venture into the Potter verse.
A/Note, I am quite surprised by the number of people who have asked me about Hermione not contacting Harry and making comments as if it was my idea about not telling him anything, (it was in the JKR book). As for those commenting on Harry blowing his top being OOC 'it's in the book' just in a different scene. I have to wonder, are there really so many readers out there who have no idea what is in the original books and only seem to accept what was in the movies?.
To those people I would like to point out that in most of the movies there is very little that is actual canon. The movie makers have put their own twist on the Potter stories and oddly left out some of the most important parts about the characters of Harry, Hermione, and of Ron Weasley.
For those of you who did not like the portrayal of Remus in the last chapter, I saw him as a man angry at himself who was at the same time struggling not to loose his temper with what he saw as thoughtless teens, and only barely managing it.
OH yeah as usual no one seemed to foresee which way the tale would go. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 2
Albus Dumbledore sat at the kitchen table in Grimmauld place, a look of sad dejection on his face. For the order members waiting for him to speak he looked like he had just been let down badly by someone. He looked like he was really very disappointed with some one for some reason. What he was actually feeling was a deep sense of anger, accompanied by an odd sense of failure. These feelings kept alternating with the feeling of being embarrassed because he had been taken for a fool by a slightly below average child, and then not being able to blame the boy for rebelling after the life he had led so far. There was one thing he was certain of and that was, he Albus Dumbledore would not allow his private little world be ruined by losing control of his feelings, or some uppity child who could not accept things the way they were and do what he was supposed to do. Which was to die at the correct time. Harry Potter could not be allowed to become independent under any circumstances, in case he found out he had a reason not to be a martyr.
Ten minutes after having received the note from Remus Dumbledore was giving out orders to every one to begin a search to find the wayward pawn, er… boy Harry Potter. Even though Potters best friends were here at Grimmauld place, two order members were assigned to each of the homes of all Potters friends. Their orders were to follow any of the friends who left their home in case they left to meet up with the boy.
Once the meeting was over Dumbledore had an argument with Sirius about what they were going to do with Harry once he was caught. Sirius wanted him brought to Grimmauld place and not to be allowed to ever live at Privet Drive again, saying here he can be kept safely away from everyone. Sirius argument with Dumbledore was forgotten when he was faced with Remus who was angry that they had stopped all communication to Harry, and that they had even failed to check up on him after he had been attacked. He was furious with Sirius for siding with Dumbledore about telling Harry nothing, even their pathetic letter to the boy after what had to have been a traumatic experience was written with the intent of leaving him in the dark.
Remus had left the kitchen to do some serious thinking about being a member of the order, his loyalty lay with helping Harry, and as far as he could see everyone else seemed to be opposed to doing that, preferring to support what he saw as Dumbledore's flawed ideas of keeping Harry practically a helpless prisoner with no idea of why he was locked up.
In Little Whinging Petunia Dursley was pacing her kitchen, fear and worry was written all over her face as she kept remembering her nephews threat of revenge. She knew perfectly well what a magical person was capable of doing and seeing Harry's face as he left had made her realise just how stupid she and her husband had been in treating him the way they had.
In the next street Arabella Figg had come to a decision, she had waited quite patiently for Dumbledore to contact her about what had happened, but the old fool had not turned up. Thinking that the old man was once again ignoring her letter as he had always ignored her reports about the treatment Harry received, she threw some floo powder into her fireplace and a few seconds later she stepped out of a fireplace in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic.
Hermione entered her room followed by her room mate and friend Ginny, both of them were determined to help Harry in anyway they could despite the old man and the order of grumpy old chickens. The first thing Hermione did when she entered the room was to offer an owl treat to Hedwig, but Hedwig was as unhappy about being kept locked up as Harry was. She turned her back to Hermione and went about ignoring the human mate of her familiar.
Sniffing back tears Hermione sat down at the desk they used to do their homework on, she pulled out a piece of parchment and began to write. It took her several minutes to finish the letter and when she was finished she let Hedwig out of her cage. "Hedwig I want you to take this letter to that fool man of ours, now don't you go letting anyone but Harry take it from you ok." After Hedwig had bowed her head as if to say she understood, Hermione opened the window and Hedwig was gone as fast as she could fly heading for her human.
"What did you write, what did you say to him?" Ginny asked while watching the door. Before Hermione could answer Ginny put her finger to her lips letting Hermione know she should remain silent. Ginny then snatched open the door to find Ron come tumbling into the room smacking his ear hard on the wooden floor. As Ron managed to lift himself into a sitting position he was hit by Ginny's favourite spell, cast not by his sister but by Hermione and it was quite a number of times more powerful than any spell Ginny had ever cast.
"Get your filthy disgusting body out of our room you disgusting peeping tom," Hermione screamed at the top of her voice, the words carrying down into the kitchen quite easily.
A very red faced Ron was left in the corridor trying to explain to the adults why he was looking through the key hole of the girls' room. No one would believe it when he said he had simply bent down a little to listen for a moment and see if it was safe to knock. Ginny did not help her brother when she described him falling into the room when she opened the door, then added "If he was just listening why not just use that ear thingy the twins invented."
Ron was carted off by Molly who dragged him by his good ear into the boys' room. Remus having calmed a little smiled at Ginny as he cast a locking charm unknown by Molly on the boys door. Ron would be getting to know what it was like going without food for a few days if Remus John Lupin had anything to do with it. Sitting in the kitchen and listening to the supposed elite fighting force the order of the phoenix discussing the Weasley boy, who out of seven kids had been the only one who had missed out in the brain department, and had the manners of a wild untrained hog when at the table, with a short fuse that was so short it was invisible amused Remus and cheered him just a little allowing him to fight down his anger to its usual levels.
Molly had to listen as well while the glaring faults of her youngest son were laid bare by her friends. Making her finally realised that the boy was disliked for being such a disgustingly greedy cry baby by almost everyone who knew him. She also learned that day that when she fed Ron he should be fed separate from everyone else because his table manners or lack there of made so many feel ill when they saw him eat.
Remus had some real trouble not bursting in to laughter as they all expressed their views on Ron and peeping toms. For a few moments he wondered if he should point out that in a magical home there was no need for locks on the internal doors when a simple spell would do the job at no cost, therefore there were no keyholes for him to peep through. He could have also added that the fool boy would not have fallen sideways and given him self a thick ear if he were looking through a keyhole. Instead of speaking up he just sat back and enjoyed him self.
On the day Harry left Little Whinging, in London at the ministry of magic in courtroom ten, Cornelius Fudge the minister of magic thinking he was about to be rid of the Potter brat who was spreading outlandish stories about the return of the dark lord. Stories he felt would topple his government because of all the cuts that had been made to the security forces, was smiling and happy as he declared that Harry Potter would be found guilty by not showing up for his trial. Before he could finish his prewritten speech both Amelia Bones and Augusta Longbottom stood up and demanded to speak.
Left with no choice Fudge had to let them have their say. Madam Longbottom was the first to speak. "Minister Fudge, first I would like verification and proof from you that Mr Potter was informed in ample time to get here. Because of the change of time and place for this farce of a trial, I for one only received ten minutes notification of the change of time and location and only just made it in time, and I was actually in the building. If you can not give me that verification and proof I shall be calling on the Wizengamot to apply the rules and regulations that are in force to prevent a mistrial. I shall also call into force the laws for a wrongful summons that will render you guilty of a serious crime and liable to some rather hefty fines."
Amelia Bones smiled at her friend Augusta as she sat down again, before she took her turn to speak. "Members of the Wizengamot, I would like to bring to your attention the small fact that this court can not charge an 'adult' with the very minor crime of underage magic. This government having declared Mr Potter an adult last year can not retract that declaration. Harry James Potter is legally an adult and were he here I would be advising him to bring charges against the minister for this obvious attempt to illegally incarcerate him.
Fudge jumped to his feet blustering that Harry Potter was nothing but a mere child and that the government had never declared the boy emancipated.
Madam Bones was grinning as she spoke again. "A senior member of this government last year ordered that Mr Potter was under a legally binding magical contract and had to participate in the Tri Wizard cup. The Tri Wizard cup competition on the orders of this very government was officially made a competition for of age wizards and witches. Due to that order and Mr Potters forced participation by this government he was legally declared of age. To be of age and to be legally allowed to take part in a magical contract Mr Potter needed to be emancipated, I as head of the DMLE personally signed the emancipation papers to make him legally able to take part in the tournament.
Members of the Wizengamot I call up on you to call this a no trial with all the false charges against Mr Potter dismissed, and I ask that all member expenses be paid by the minister out of his own personal funds for wasting our time. Oh and I ask that this venerable assembly to begin an investigation as to why these false charges were brought against Mr Potter."
Minister Fudge was far from happy when the vast majority of the members agreed with Madam Bones, he was even less happy when several members began to pass their expense forms to him and demanding immediate payment.
It was as the minister was being mobbed by members after their money that Albus Dumbledore rushed into the courtroom and declared he was there to represent Mr Potter and to plead for leniency for the boy. He joined the minister in being unhappy with the way things were going when he was told there was no trial because Mr Potter was emancipated the day he was entered into the tournament.
Furious with yet another of his plans seeming to fall apart Dumbledore left the ministry and disapparated to a quiet place he knew of where he could finally let off some steam and hopefully unload some of the anger he had been suppressing. Even after several screaming yells of anger and frustration Dumbledore still felt as bad as he had before.
Harry was quite overjoyed when Hedwig found him and delivered a letter from Hermione. He opened the letter and began to read. As he read he did not know whether to be happy or angry, to laugh or to cry.
'Harry James Potter, I am beginning to wonder what kind of boyfriend I have, when he accuses me of fancying a brain dead food disposal unit. How on earth could you possibly think I could ever be with some one like Ronald Weasley. First he is lacking in any form of intelligence and his emotional capability only just exceeds that of a Flobberworm. You should also know that to sit across from him at meal times is asking for a quick visit to the toilet to deposit any food you might have managed to eat, so how on earth could anyone go out for dinner with him. Now that I have pointed out Ron's better side I wonder if you will retract your statement placed in your note to the whisker factory. I wont ask you to apologise because I can actually see how you might think I was about to break up with you, but I can assure you I will never let you get away, you are my boyfriend no matter how it might seem right now, but I solemnly swear I am Not up to Any Thing no good here. I miss you, see you soon.
Love, Your Hermione.'
Harry read the letter and for a few seconds after finishing it he wondered what ever had come over Hermione, the letter was nothing like her normal letters, it might even have been written by some air head like Lavender Brown, it was filled with stuff that just was not like the Hermione he knew. As he was about to read it again to see if he could make more sense of it he noticed the last line and a huge smile broke out on his face. Placing his wand on the parchment and saying "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." the writing on the page vanished and was then replaced by more writing.
Harry,
I am missing you so much. I hate it here; it has been like a hard labour prison camp with Molly as the jailer, ever since I arrived. I was practically kidnapped and brought here, after Dumbledore told my parents it was very important for me to be with the Weasleys for my safety this summer and not bothering to wait to see if I wanted to be here.
The Wizengamot declared a 'No Trial' due to you having been emancipated by your forced entry into last year's tournament, both Fudge and Dumbledore are under investigation to find out why the whole thing was not cancelled. Apparently one of the major laws of the Tri Wizard was broken, the one that stipulates that there can only be three contestants, seems it was written in so that a champion could not back out and be replaced by a stand in. No forth person was allowed to take part, that also includes someone from a different school.
There is also an investigation underway to find out why there were Dementors in Little Whinging, from what I could over hear it seems that Mrs Figg went to visit the head of the DMLE, Susan Bones aunt to complain, and she gave her testimony under Veritaserum.
Tomorrow whether Dumbledore likes it or not I am going home to be with my parents. At least at home they do not read my letters before I am allowed to send them off and I am not forced to say only what Dumbledore allows us to say. There is something really fishy about what our dear headmaster has been up to over the past few months.
As I said I am really missing you, I wish I could see you if only to make sure you are ok. I am so worried that you will not be returning to Hogwarts and I don't wish to be there if you are not there. Please find some way to contact me to let me know what you intend to do.
I will be asking Dobby to take me home in the morning; after suffering listening to Ron and putting up with the Weasley matriarch I can now understand a little of how you feel stuck with those awful people in the summer break. I too would rather live with the risk of a death eater attack than be locked up all the time in this house. If you reply to this it would be wise for you to call Dobby and ask for his help.
Take care of your self my Harry. Write to me soon.
I am missing you so much, hoping to see you soon.
I never told you before but 'I love you'.
Your Hermione.
Harry smiled as he read how worried she was and yet like him she would rather live her life than be a prisoner of Dumbledore's paranoia. He decided he would write to her in the morning. Tonight he could go to bed much happier knowing that she was still his Hermione.
Good to her word Hermione had told Dumbledore he could stick his prison like safe house because like it or not she was not going to stay away from her parents any longer. He had argued that it was safer to remain at head quarters for her and she countered with, her family was not allowed here to be kept safe and she would rather be with her family and share the same risk they did. She then called Dobby and with the old headmaster giving her one of his looks designed to make children feel guilty she asked the elf to take her home to her family. She was gone before he could do anything to stop her, looking around and seeing he had an audience he knew he could not force her to return. Another of his plans seemed to be falling apart and he was not a happy chappy.
Hermione had only been home with her parents for a day, yet she went to bed that night feeling a little sad having heard nothing from Harry. As soon as she turned out the light in her bedroom Dobby appeared holding a letter. Passing the letter to her Dobby whispered "Old swivel eye do be watching the mistress's house to stop the owls, but he be gone as soon as she be in bed. Master Harry did send you this letter."
Hermione thanked the elf and wished him a good night, as soon as he had gone she took a torch from her bedside cabinet and tucked under her duvet she read the letter.
Hermione
Thanks for your letter, you had me thinking you had changed into Lavender or something until I read that last line and worked out what was needed. I am missing you so much and I feel so alone with out you. I have done a lot of thinking since I left privet drive, I have not been very happy about my conclusions and what it all means. I so need to speak to you and get your advice about things. I was hoping that maybe you and your parents could come and visit me because there are things I need the advice of adults for.
If you can convince your mum and dad to bring you to me, I am hiding in Wales, there is a place on the cliffs above Barmouth in Wales, if you could meet me there around mid-day tomorrow, I will be able to tell if you are being followed by any of Dumbledore's lackeys and I could get you secretly to my new home without them noticing. Take a walk up to visit 'Dinas Oleu' above the town taking the foot path to the top. I look forward to being with you again.
All my love and a thousand kisses.
Harry…
Hermione after getting up to go down stairs and talking with her mum and dad could not wait for the morning and a visit to Wales; she had never been to that part of Wales and was quite sure it was not to far from Harlech castle, a place she had always wanted to visit since she was a little girl with romantic ideas about castles and knights in shining armour. And tomorrow she would be with her knight, even if his armour did not shine and was a little dented she felt so happy she was almost crying. She fell asleep holding Harry's letter and dreamt of being with him again.
Down stairs her parents Richard and Helen happy that their only child had decided to spend time with them, and not with people from the world that seemed to be taking her away from them, made the few preparations they would need to make an early start to what was a rather long journey. With a route planned out and the car checked over they retired for the night, both wondering what the real Harry Potter who their daughter was obviously in love with, was like.
A/Note, For those of you who seem to think that Hermione sent off her letter before the trial, the trial was held the day Harry left. I don't see either Fudge or Umbridge allowing the Potter brat any time to build a defence so they would hold the trial as soon as they could muster enough Wizengamot members. Oh wonder why none of you commenting on the time line seem to have noticed that at the trial there was no mention of an attack by Dementors, Madam Bones only discovered about that from Mrs Figg after Harry had left the Dursleys.
Chapter 3
The Grangers made a very early start the next morning and arrived in Barmouth with plenty of time to spare, hoping to shake any one they had following them they walked in and out of just about every shop and arcade they found. Then at eleven thirty they found a small sign post identifying their required direction to 'Dinas Oleu'and started the walk up to the top of the cliff. Each of the Grangers were silently wondering why Harry would want them climbing to the top of the cliffs, they would find out well before they reached halfway up the path.
As the Grangers walked they were being followed by three people, two of them were together and had no idea that they them selves were being followed. Before they had reached halfway up the path a small elf, invisible to all, cast a rare and difficult illusion spell that was known only to a few elves. The two people he was pointing at continued to follow the supposed Granger family up to the top of the cliff and on along the path that followed the coast to Harlech. Several times they asked each other where the Grangers got the energy from, neither of them knowing they were following an illusion. Had they turned around to look behind them they would have seen the same illusion but heading back down the path. Three hours after the start at the bottom of the cliff they were still following the small family toward Harlech regretting having been assigned this job and wishing they were back at home.
Somewhere between a quarter and half way up the path Hermione felt a tiny hand tap her and a whispering voice told her to gather her parents close and to take hold of their hands but to do it in a way that did not seem suspicious. Hermione did as asked without any hesitation. Turning to her mum and dad she hooked her arms through theirs so they were standing either side of her, to those following her it seemed just the thing a young girl would do when faced with the climb in front of them. Thanks to Dobby's spell, unseen by the two order members following them the three Grangers simply vanished for a micro second before they started back up the path.
In the living room of a house overlooking the Mawddach estuary the real Granger family suddenly appeared, two of them wondering how they got there, two minutes later as the Grangers were getting over their initial shock of being transported so quickly from one place to another, the front door opened and Harry walked in folding his invisibility cloak and shoving it into his large inside pocket. He had barely closed the door when he was tackled by Hermione as she grabbed him in a tight hug which quickly changed into a tender kiss as Harry gave into temptation and lowered his lips to hers.
The two oddly dressed people tiredly followed the illusion that they thought to be the Grangers all the way to Harlech and then they lost them as they boarded a train taking them further north up the coast. They had no idea Dobby's spell had just ended. Later that day the two oddly dressed and very tired and weary order members reported to Albus Dumbledore that the Grangers had simply been on a tour of the North Wales coast and showed no sign at all of looking for Harry Potter.
Three Grangers were shown around the house that Harry had bought and all three said he had bought him self a real bargain. Richard suggested that maybe they could stay for a while to help out if Harry allowed them. A rather passionate kiss from Hermione instantly caused both of the teens to blush when Helen gave a cough. Harry had to agree that the idea of them staying was a splendid one, especially as it saved him from asking the parents if Hermione could stay with him for a while.
That evening Harry told the three people sitting listening attentively to his every word, all about his life at number four privet drive first, and then he began to tell them about his suspicions about Dumbledore and the things that had happened at the school. The stupidity of having a valuable artefact like the Flamel's stone at a school, and how the things hiding it were all set out perfect for the three first years who went to save the stone.
Or the second year when the supposed most powerful wizard in Britain did not know there was a huge gigantic snake roaming the school, even though a young thirteen year old witch had been able to figure it out.
Then the third year when the head of the Wizarding government supposedly had no say about the most evil beings in the world running all over the school grounds.
The fourth year when a tournament that cost the life of Cedric Diggory was the idea of the great Albus Dumbledore to hold after two hundred years of being discontinued due to the amount of deaths that had happened in the past.
Each of the stupid tasks of which only one could be watched by an audience were the ideas from the idiotic mind of the same Dumbledore that had Harry isolated in his own personal prison each summer, where the jailors had permission to beat and starve their prisoner.
When Harry had finished Hermione and her parents were seeing Albus Dumbledore in a different light. To them he was no longer a good man who had made some mistakes; he was a vile criminal that was as bad as any other dark wizard. As they were talking about things between them, Harry slowly removed his shirt and then waited for them to notice.
It took but a few seconds before Hermione noticed her boyfriend had his shirt off and was displaying a part of himself she had never seen before, when her parents noticed her staring, they turned to look and they also saw Harry's thin yet muscular and nude chest. As the three Grangers stared at him wondering why he had removed his shirt, Harry slowly turned around until his back was facing them; he knew they had seen what he wanted them to see when he heard them all gasp. Hermione had a look of horror on her face and tears began to fall down her cheeks.
She quickly stood up and threw herself at him and was sobbing on his shoulder before he had time to wrap his arms around her. "He knew didn't he, he had to know, madam Pomfrey would have reported it to him. How can he be so cold and inhuman?" She said as she held him tight.
Harry looked at Hermione's parents and quietly spoke to them, "Yes Dumbledore knew, he knew even before I ever got to Hogwarts. I have never understood why he seems to have so much say in my life, aunt Petunia would never answer even the simplest of questions so it would be a waste of time asking her about it. Dumbledore seems to go to great lengths to keep me under his control," Harry told them as they all stared at his scarred back again.
After spending the rest of the day discussing and debating what Harry should do it was finally decided that as they had closed their business for the summer intending to spend more time with their only child, they would all spend the rest of the summer in Harry's new house and help him to do all the work and redecorating. Hermione and her mum even volunteered them selves to refurnish the entire house for him while he and Richard did the dirty jobs, like fixing a few broken roof slates, cracked windows and what ever else needed to be done.
It was by far the best summer Harry had ever had. Helen was an excellent cook and she made sure that they all had good and nutritious food. Harry was also fed a special nutrient drink every night just before they went to bed. He and Hermione occasionally with the elder Grangers for company spent many days going down into the little resort town to enjoy days as normal teenage couples did. They spent time wandering, visiting the shops cafés and pubs, as well as walking hand in hand along the long clean beach.
As the summer days passed Harry and Hermione became much closer, kissed more and more often, became slightly more adventurous with each other. As the summer ended Harry, Hermione, and the Grangers became close as a happy family of four. With the work on the house completed the Grangers started work on the plan to keep Harry out of Dumbledore's control and hopefully get him away from Voldemort and his minions. The two older Grangers started on their plans on how to ensure that the Dursleys paid the price for what they had done to Harry.
Toward the end of the summer acting as though everything was normal in their lives, Hermione and her parents made their way to Diagon Alley and after shopping for her books and other school supplies. Making the day seem like it was their usual pre-term shopping trip the three of them made their way to Gringotts bank. Inside the bank Hermione quietly asked to speak to an advisor. After explaining in private that she was there to represent Mr Harry Potter and wished to visit his vault she and her parents were then led to the office of the Potter vault keeper.
With the introductions over, a note from Harry passed on, the Goblin in charge of the Potter affairs, speaking in a pronounced Welsh accent asked Hermione for a drop of blood to verify her identity. Reaching across the desk Hermione allowed the Goblin to pierce her left ring finger and take a few drops of blood to place on a charmed parchment.
As Hermione watched the Goblin she was surprised when his eyes shot wide open, he then gave her a shocked look and exclaimed "O ach eiddo gwraig , ach Mrs Chrochenydd."
"Pardon, I'm afraid I didn't understand what you said, I don't speak the Goblin language," Hermione said quietly.
The Goblin named Grabfang cleared his throat a little before speaking "My apologies Mrs Potter, what I said was in Welsh, you see the Potter's main lands were and are Welsh and I usually spend the majority of my time speaking with the Welsh speaking Wizards and farmers, so in my surprise I slipped into speaking Welsh again, not that I'm all that good at it, what I said was that you are Mr Potters wife."
"Wife? What exactly do you mean Hermione is his wife?" Hermione's dad Richard asked feeling but trying not to sound angry with the Goblin. Oddly Richard Granger was not angry with Harry or Hermione, but he was furious that judging from his daughter's reaction the two teens seemed to know nothing about it, there was far more going on with young Harry and Hermione's lives than any of them knew or had expected.
Grabfang looked at the Grangers and then passed the charmed parchment to Hermione and waited for her reaction. According to the parchment she had made her marriage vows the day after Harry's name had come out of the Goblet of Fire the year before. She remembered the day and the vow she had made as clear as if it had just happened, she immediately realised that the vow she had made to him that day about being with him to the end had been accepted as a magical marriage vow one that Harry had accepted and returned.
Grabfang not quite understanding asked why Hermione had not known about it, "Surely you were given married quarters at Hogwarts, it is the law after all, Dumbledore himself should have seen to everything. Being accepted in that tournament for 'of age' students changed Harry's status in the Wizarding world, making him emancipated. Harry was registered with the ministry as an adult which in turn allowed him to get married without needing anyone's permission, you were accepted as his bride because as a muggle born you do not have a magical guardian to require the permission from. The school head would have been aware of this as soon as it happened as it registers in the student rolls. This is most unusual." The Goblin said sounding more than a little angry.
Grabfang then picked up a folder that had just appeared on his desk and after reading the contents he seemed to snarl a little before he put the folder away and looked up at Hermione. "Right… Mrs Potter might I suggest you withdraw sufficient monies from your family vault to allow you and your husband to take an extended holiday, maybe at Potter valley over in Eire. Perhaps it would be wise to take your parents as well. It seems rather obvious from what little I now know of the happenings at Hogwarts it may be that you are as much a target of that old fool Dumbledore as your husband is. I can have a portkey ready for you when you have concluded your visit to your vault. We will arrange another meeting, one to take place in our Dublin branch with Mr Potter present."
Hermione looked from the angry Goblin to see her parents looking equally angry though she suspected that they might be angry for a different reason. Quickly she made up her mind. "Mr Grabfang sir, would it be possible for you to provide me with a marriage certificate, I am afraid that without one I might have some trouble convincing my… er 'husband' about our changed relationship. My husband will also require a passport for future use as will I."
Grabfang promised to have everything ready when she returned from the vaults and with a sincere thank you Hermione and her parents followed one of the Goblins to the carts that were to take them down to the Potter family vault. Having never needed to visit a vault before Hermione was amazed at the breath taking thrilling ride in a small mining cart that was so close to being on a wild ride at an amusement park.
As soon as the three humans had left his office Grabfang pressed a button on his wall behind him, it was just several seconds later when a young Goblin entered the room. "Ah Longtooth, send young Flitwick to fetch his uncle from that damnable school, there are words to be spoken. Gold to be retrieved, and some human blood to be spilled. A family by the name of Dursley have been stealing from the Potter vault."
Having handed her key given by Grabfang, to the Goblin who said his name was Griphook, Hermione and her parents stood and stared at the contents of the huge cavernous vault filled with dozens if not hundreds of books, artefacts, and a huge fortune in gold in front of them. Having managed to get over the initial shock Hermione walked into the vault and after a very quick look around she took an offered 'always light' money bag from Griphook and filled it with galleons. With what she hoped was enough money to last them for quite some time she led her mum and dad back out to the cart and they returned to the bank foyer. Harry and Hermione Potter were far wealthier than Harry had ever known.
Hermione visited the money exchange desk and changed enough galleons to receive ten thousand pounds sterling. Moments after finishing her business at the exchange counter, Hermione was handed a file folder with all the paperwork that she and Harry would require along with three different portkeys for three of the Potter properties. Four hours later Harry opened the door to let the Grangers into the house and then went about making a pot of tea; to Harry it looked like they were all in need of one.
Richard whose initial response to hearing his fifteen almost sixteen year old daughter was married, was anger. He had quickly realised that it was not the fault of the two teens, the blame rested firmly on their stupid headmaster and what passed as a government and the laws of the Wizarding world and that was where he focused his anger. He thanked Harry for the tea and then in a gentle voice he asked Harry to take a seat next to him.
"Harry son, it seems that the world of magic is a far stranger place than any of us thought. Now what I have to say before my dear daughter blows a fuse might upset you, though I sincerely hope it does not and has the exact opposite result. We discovered from the Goblins that you are our son in law, yes according to wizard law, you and Hermione are married. Now before you say anything I want you to know that we, Helen and I are both ok with this. We know how close you two are and we will not be interfering… well in as much as is possible, what with you now having a mother in law." Richard said smiling before he took hold of his wife's hand and led her out for a walk, giving Harry and Hermione time to talk in private.
Richard knew that he and his wife also needed to have a serious talk about the new development in Hermione's life. Try as he might he could not place him self in the angry father role. He really liked Harry, over the summer the boy had become almost the son they had never had. Getting angry at the lad was just about the last thing he was going to do; he was going to offer all the support his new son in law needed to live a happy life with Hermione.
After explaining his feelings to Helen he was not at all surprised that she felt the same way. What ever had happened was obviously not the two children's fault. She sighed as she wondered out loud why the old whiskered teacher interfered so much in the life of her son in law. "Well love at least we don't have to worry about whether Harry can support our little girl do we, I have never in all my life seen such wealth in one place."
As soon as her parents had left the house Hermione gave the shocked Harry their copy of their marriage certificate, she then leaned back and watched as Harry read the piece of parchment. She was truly pleased when she saw the small smile that gradually spread across Harry's face and became a full on beaming smile that might have split a lesser persons face in two.
"Hermione we have to go shopping, we'll need some cash and our coats and we should get your mum and dad, and, and, and… well come on we need to hurry up." Harry said excitedly as he pulled on Hermione's hand.
"Harry love, relax a little, what on earth has come over you, are you okay?" she asked pulling him back into his seat.
"But Hermione we're married, don't you see? We need to buy you a wedding ring." He answered still excited "Who ever would have thought that little old me would have the smartest most beautiful wife in the world eh?"
Harry's slightly over the top reaction left Hermione in no doubt that she had no need to worry about Harry rejecting her. All her usual insecurities vanished in an instant. There was no doubt that her Harry was happy about it. Nodding to her self and silently agreeing that it would be nice to have a wedding ring, she stood up and pulled her 'husband' into a kiss. "Come on then husband of mine lets go find mum and dad, then we can go down into town and take a look at the jewellery shop. We can chat while we walk, and I can tell you what happened at Gringotts."
As the family of four walked down to the town they told the excited Harry what had happened from their arrival at the bank until they arrived home. Harry beamed when Hermione had said home and mentioned to her that it made him feel good. Her reply that her home was where ever was home to her husband gave him a warm feeling and he knew for certain that they would be together as long as they lived.