Chapter 17, Meeting the Parents
The lorry pulled over parking on the side of the road. The driver looked at the numbers on the house before checking his clipboard to verify that what his GPS was telling him was in fact the right address. The thing was buggy as shite and half the time he ended up on the wrong side of the island for his deliveries.
"Alright. Right place this time." He stated to his partner who nodded and exited the truck. He unbelted himself and joined his companion looking over the clipboard at the strange set of instructions for this delivery. His eyes darted to the empty carport and then to the described vase. It didn't take but a moment for him to walk over to it and find the key his instructions said was there, nor to find the hidden box the key fit. Once it was open he could see the garage door opener hidden within and pulled it free. By the time he clicked the little device and the garage door started to retract his partner was lowering the freight box that was their delivery on the hydraulic platform on the back of their rig.
"I don't know about this Will. I feel funny about dropping this off when there's no one to sign for it."
Will looked over to his laborer of the day. "You didn't have a problem taking your half of the thousand pound tip."
"Yeah but there's no one to sign for the delivery, it's against policy."
Will shrugged. "The tip was to cover that and they left detailed instructions for drop off. The sender signed the waiver so the Company won't be liable for anything as long as the crate is undamaged. Come on, we still go eight more deliveries before we can call it a day. I'd like to get home at a decent hour tonight."
He waited for the man to walk the dolly into the opened garage and together they set the crate down on its side and began unstrapping it. It didn't take them long to cut the metal straps and to pop the top off the crate. Inside cushioned in packing hay was a very old and ornate steamer trunk. Carefully they lifted the trunk free and set it aside. Following the instructions listed they put all the packing hay back in the crate, closed it back up and left both items inside. Will lowered the garage door returning the device to its hidden lock box as well as returning the key to its hidden place.
"Where to next?"
Will signed off on his paperwork before checking the next one. "Back to London."
"Think we can get a bite on the way?"
Unbeknownst to either delivery men, inside the garage on the front of trunk they had just delivered something moved. Slowly a split appeared in the middle of the once flawless opal. The sides peeled aside revealing the hidden cat's eye that moved to the left, then right before the opal closed again. A moment later a sound of multiple locks unlatching sounded in the dark confines of the garage. Voices could be heard when the trunk lid opened up of its own accord.
"…you it would work." A male voice sounded from inside the trunk.
A head of short straight brown hair poked up to look around. The tips in the front were longer than the back with one resting in a wave that almost obscured the young woman's right eye. "I never said it wouldn't. I am still going to check to make sure they put the keys back."
After she managed to climb out Harry followed looking around as well. His own hair had grown longer. He had to bring one of his hands up to clear his vision. "Wouldn't hurt but with the tip we gave them I don't see them lifting anything of your parents. We were listening in the whole time and neither of them did more than drop us off and leave. Whoever had this trunk designed really went all out on the extras. I wonder who it was and where they traveled too…"
Hermione didn't reply as she moved to the door to let them in the house. It was locked when she tried it but she heard the click of it unlocking and turned to see a slight wild magic mist fading from Harry's form. "You know, when we get to Hogwarts you're not going to be able to get away with that if you don't want anyone to know about what we learned."
Harry smirked at his beloved. "Yeah, but we're not at Hogwarts yet sexy." He ignored the roll of her eyes as she turned and entered the house.
Harry heard her voice while she raided her parent's fridge. "Do you think Professor Moody managed to convince the Headmaster to our terms?"
"I hope so. Tomorrow is September 1st and his answer is supposed to be in the Daily today." Harry raised up his hands and concentrated. Between them a sphere of wild magic began to manifest. Runes, equations, and other bits ghosted about inside while he focused intently at what it was telling him. He vaguely heard the hiss and pop of Hermione opening a can of soda and her returning steps.
"So, was I right about the wards?"
Harry shook his head still concentrating. "Not really actually. No monitoring wards right now but there's a ghost of an impression of one left on the scheme. It was recently removed. All that is left and active is a structural integrity ward, fire resistance, and something on the windows to make them stronger. Basic home package just about anyone knowledgeable in runes could do. There is a passive one that triggers if any of the wards are breached or tampered with. Make sense they would want to know if anyone messed with them."
Harry released the sphere allowing it to fade away and accepted the cold can of coke Hermione handed to him. He enjoyed the beverage but preferred Pepsi when it was available. "That's hopeful. Mum and Dad won't be home from Surgery until four so we have a few hours. If Dad is still keeping to old habits he would have left the Daily in the sitting room when he read it this morning. We can see if Professor Moody succeeded in convincing the Headmaster to let us attend."
Harry nodded while pushing his glasses back up his nose. "Clever of you to convince the Professor that charm actually worked."
Hermione led Harry into the house heading toward their sitting room. "The theory is very sound and I have been working on it a while. If he ran a diagnostic on the spell he will see all the components are there, I just haven't been able to develop a receiver for it yet."
"Still, clever of you love. Where does it go if there's no way for us to receive it?"
"Honestly I don't know. I think it just randomly broadcasts. I'm still working on what went wrong with that part of it."
Harry sat down on Hermione's parents' chesterfield while picking up the paper her Dad left on the table. "Hope the Professor didn't find a lady friend before he removed the spell. That could get awkward. Better some random stranger than us for that though."
"Ewww Harry. Too much information."
Harry chuckled at Hermione's reaction while his eyes scanned the classifieds, specifically the notices. By the time Hermione returned from checking if the delivery people returned the keys to their places Harry had found what he was looking for.
"They leave the keys?" Harry asked her as she walked back into the sitting room.
"Yes yes o wise one they did, and I am thankful. Professor Moody post the message?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah it's there. Whether or not Dumbledore found some way around the vow or not I don't know but the message is there. With the monitoring ward gone I am hopeful that means he did take the vow. We won't know for sure unless we talk to the Professor. Even then unless we give him Veritaserum we won't know for sure."
Hermione nodded to Harry's points looking around her parents sitting room. "It's so strange to be back. It all looks the same but so different."
The sitting room had a very welcoming feel. Soft colors complemented the absolute dedication of her parents to capture on film what looked like every single moment of Hermione's childhood. "You worried about what your parents are going to say aren't you?"
"Well, aren't you? It's not like I did a runner for three months and then I show up out of the blue with my boyfriend whom I ran with. My sexually active boyfriend. That will not go well though I think Mum will not be surprised. We've talked about it before you and I started that part of our relationship and she knew I was doing research on the topic. I want so much to reconnect with my parents Harry and for them to accept you but I am not going to give up our sleeping arrangements."
Harry raised an eyebrow at the thought Hermione had talked to her mother about that part of them. Harry agreed with her about not wanting to give up sleeping together but he was willing to be separated from her while they were here for her sake. He decided to not comment on it though. "It's only been three months for them, but for us we've been gone almost five years. Do you think we should tell them about our time in Magnadane?"
Hermione was still looking around at the house that she grew up in. It was exactly like every detail in her mind but so much different though her eyes now. She didn't know if it had anything to do with their time away, or if it was the soul bond she shared with Harry making her see things differently as if filtered through Harry's experiences. "We can try to explain it but I am not sure they will understand. Like you said, for them it's only been three months since we ran away. How do we explain over four years inside a magical land that is not a part of the planet they know? The part that will be the hardest to explain will be our bond. If we explain it."
Harry shrugged. "Well, we got a couple of hours to figure it out. Do you think your parents would mind if I cook dinner tonight? It'd give you and them some alone time while keeping me busy and out of the way."
"No love, I don't think they will mind. Thank you for understanding how much this means to me."
Harry reached up to take her hand tugging lightly until she sat in his lap. He held her for a few moments while he played with a strand of her hair. "Anything for you love. Did you really have to cut your hair? I liked it long."
Hermione playfully looked into her lover's eyes. "You just miss having something to hold on to."
He chuckled. "I really liked your hair long Hermione. It's always been you. You're beautiful now but you were always gorgeous. You didn't have to cut your hair."
Hermione leaned in to quickly give him a peck on the nose. "You're sweet. I just wanted a change. It's much more manageable this way and it doesn't get in the way as much."
"Then I can cut my hair back again?" He asked hopefully.
"Nope. You are going to let it grow out. I think you would look very handsome with longer hair. You're do for a change as well."
"Damn it." Harry pouted.
Several hours later they had managed to clean the entire house, get all the dishes done and Harry was practically done with making dinner. Magic had sped everything up enormously. They didn't even have to go to town for anything as Harry had everything they needed in the chill box in their trunk. At the moment Hermione sat at the kitchen island with their spell book open in front of her going over a couple of the ward schemes they had learned while training under Raze. He knew she was trying freshen up on how to apply them since she wanted to leave behind a good set for her parents. Harry was on the other side running the lettuce for their salad under the cold tap. Music played over the sound system in the sitting room and both nodded along to the beat of the music.
Harry had missed having access to the radio during their time away. He knew their time in Razes world had almost driven her spare for that same reason. At the moment both teens nodded along to ACDC as 'You Shook Me All Night Long'.
Harry smirked at Hermione while hand shredding the lettuce noticing the lyrics had not gone unnoticed by her either judging by the slight smirk on her face. He had just finished the his task and checked to make sure the chicken was baking correctly when there was in interruption to their afternoon. One they had expected but had momentarily forgotten about.
"HERMIONE!" Both teens jumped only to see her parents staring slack jawed at them. Both still wearing scrubs and had only just arrived home from their practice. The radio continued to play to its unknown shocked audience.
With a quick flick of his fingers Harry turned off the radio leaving the four of them staring at each other in an incredibly awkward silence. His eyes darted to Hermione to see she had recovered somewhat and but had yet to move. He could feel her confusion, uncertainty, and longing. He gave her arm a nudge and pushed through their bond acceptance, love, and understanding. She flashed him a grateful smile before catapulting herself into her waiting parents embrace.
Harry looked on smiling. Before their bond he imagined the scene before them would have hurt a great deal, they always did before. But feeling her happiness, and seeing the relief, joy, and happiness of her parents negated any ill feeling he would have normally felt. He knew he might regret coming back later when her parents focused on him, but at this moment he didn't. Hermione was happy and that meant everything to him. Harry took a deep breath and invoked a notice-me-not charm around himself until Hermione and her parents moved into the sitting room. Once they all sat together on the chesterfield he allowed it to fade and continued with the preparations for their dinner giving them the space they needed to reconnect. He knew a great deal from sharing memories with Hermione how close she was with her parents.
By the time the rolls came out of the oven and dinner was ready he felt enough time had passed for the potentially ugly aspect of the night to start. He caught her eyes and shared with her a picture of the counter and all the done food. He felt her resignation and agreement to his conclusion. Harry took a deep breath and walked around the counter and into the sitting room.
"Dinner's done love." Harry shared for the benefit of her parents. Mr. Granger's eyes were burning holes through him. He was hopeful things might not escalate to the worst case scenario by the fact Ms. Granger eyes just assessed him without anger. Harry knew very well aside from the moment he used the Notice-Me-Not charm they knew exactly where he was and that his presence had not been forgotten the entire time they had reconnected with Hermione.
Hermione stood up and tucked herself into Harry's side making it clear to both parents her position. "Mum, Dad. This is Harry Potter, my boyfriend."
"We'll see…" Mr. Granger started.
"Jake." Ms. Granger's voice sounded firm interrupting what he was going to say. Harry knew that tone. Hermione used the same one on him to shut him up. Mr. Granger's mouth closed and sat silently after the rebuke. I wonder if my face looks like that when Hermione does that to me?
He gulped when Ms. Granger turned her gaze from Mr. Granger to him. "Harry. Thank you for cooking dinner. I have many questions I would like to discuss with you. And there is much to discuss. Jake," here she returned her eyes to her husband. "…will be civil. But there are many things I know he would like to discuss with you as well Harry."
Harry nodded. So far it was going better than he hoped it would. He felt Hermione's pleasure at the way things were going and an image of the dining room table in his mind. "Well, it's all done so maybe we should go to the dining room?"
The Granger's and Harry walked into the room and sat themselves at the table while Harry waved his arm. Purplish blue-black mist burst for a moment from his form. Plates, silverware, and cups all flew and set themselves about the table. A soft piano tune began playing about them startling Harry into looking around.
"Too much Harry." Hermione stated.
"Might have been a surge. It shouldn't last long if it is, they normally don't. I didn't put anymore into it than I normally do."
"I hated those surges when we were practicing it. Too chaotic, way too random. Half the time the spells didn't even work when there was a surge. That is why I was telling you not to rely on it. It's too wooly."
Harry concentrated and injected a bit less of the wild magic into his next summoning spell. He watched satisfied when the rolls, bowls, and platters all floated in perfectly and set themselves about the table with no unintended side effects. "You were right, too much. I've noticed the more I use it the less I need to use. You know what Raze said, we need to practice with it a lot before either of us get proficient with true Wyarding."
"No thank you. You are far better with it than I will ever be. I know enough that if I need to use it I know what to do." Harry didn't comment but sat himself down with the others at the table. It was an old argument that even now they couldn't do anything more than agree to disagree.
The entire time Hermione's parents remained watchful but didn't comment. It was honestly their first experience with magic outside of the time McGonagall showed up to explain about their daughter being a witch. "Won't you get in trouble for using magic?" Ms. Granger asked.
Hermione shook her head. "We haven't yet. Harry's not using traditional magic anyways, but Wild Magic. Something we picked up in the States. I don't think the magical monitors can tell it's Magic. We've been here for hours and Harry's been using it loads but no letters yet. If he was going to get into trouble for it, he should have been after the first time."
Mr. Granger remained silent while Ms. Granger made his plate. "I see. You don't like it though?"
"It can have unintended side effects. Like the piano music playing right now. Harry didn't intend for it to happen but it did. He could have just as easily conjured butterfly's, or snakes. An anvil could have fallen through the roof or switched all our clothes."
Harry looked up from setting Hermione's plate down before her. "Hey, that anvil thing only happened once, and it landed on that bandit that was going to feather our wagon master."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at his rebuttal. "It could have just as easily have landed on the wagon master. Or us Harry. It was a random drop and wouldn't have even landed on the bandit if he hadn't taken a setback to line up his shot."
Harry raised his hands in surrender which made her smile. She was never going to let him live that down. Harry chuckled to himself. He was almost positive it was because the side of the anvil was stamped with the word 'ACME'. "Okay okay, but it was not my spell that did the clothes switching thing."
Hermione lowered her head blushing a bit while taking a drink of water. "Yes well, that was uncomfortable and still proves my point about the unreliability of Wild Magic."
"It seems you two have had a few adventures this summer." Ms. Granger stated. Harry cleared his throat and started in on his own plate. He was a bit worried that Mr. Granger was not eating but just glaring at him with his arms folded. "Tell me Harry, about your motorcycle wreck. I think that would be a good place to start."
Right to the point and direct. Harry nodded while chewing. Once he cleared his mouth and took sip of water he explained. "We were found by two Hit Wizards. There are two kinds of Hit Wizards, those who are in the employ of a country and freelance. Usually country sponsored Hit Wizards teams are put under Auror command during missions but freelance Hit Wizards work on bounties. The two that found us were the later, and not very concerned with taking us in one piece. We were running from them when the brakes failed along with the throttle on the motorcycle I was driving. We went off a cliff we didn't know was there and I don't remember anything until I woke up a few days later."
"And WHY perchance, was there two Hit Wizards hunting you? I find I am very curious why there was any kind of bounty on your head at all young man." Asked Mr. Granger for the first time.
Harry answered honestly. "Because Albus Dumbledore believes in a Prophecy that only I can defeat Voldemort. He wanted me back in the country and under his control so he could force me into a fight I can't win, on terms only Dumbledore knows. I would imagine he thinks I will somehow win, and he is looking for the right time to throw me at my 'destiny'. Hard to do that when your sacrificial lamb is on the run."
He felt Hermione's concern and anger at her father for asking that question but Harry sent her reassurance. It would be better if they just got this over with. Ms. Granger gave her husband a strong look before returning to Harry. "Is there such a Prophecy?"
"Yes."
"I take it by your tone you don't believe in it?"
Harry took another drink of the water. "No I believe it. Or at least, I believe that Dumbledore and Voldemort believe in it. Since they do, the outcome of the prophecy is almost self-fulfilling. Sooner or later Voldemort or Dumbledore will find a way to engineer a way to create the confrontation that the prophecy mentions. In doing so, the issue is forced and that is that. Just like what happened a few months ago at the Ministry."
Hermione picked up the story. "Voldemort only knows part of the prophecy. He tricked Harry into going to the Ministry and while there Harry retrieved it not knowing better. A fight broke out and it was ages before any help came. It wasn't until it was obvious that Harry wouldn't win against Voldemort Dumbledore stepped in and fought him to a draw."
Mr. Granger cut his eyes to his daughter. "That's where you got hurt?"
Hermione kept her eyes even and lifted her chin defiantly. "Yes. I made a mistake and paid for it."
Harry drew their attention back to himself when he started talking. "We had no business being there in the first place. There were many factors that could have stopped us from falling into that trap. The fact is, I did fall for it. Hermione was hurt, and I realized what exactly we were all up against. I'd been really lucky up to this point in all the things that had happened to us over the years. Far luckier than I have any right to boast about. I knew after the Ministry Battle something had to change. My luck can only hold out so long."
"That's when you decided to do a runner." Stated Ms. Granger.
"Not exactly. The fact you were going to withdraw Hermione from Hogwarts pushed the issue. I had planned originally on studying my bum off all summer. Really give advanced education a chance and keep in contact with Hermione by any means I could. My hope at the time was to get into the Auror Corps Training Program after graduation. When she told me you were going to withdraw her and she wasn't allowed to contact me I brought the idea to her then. Hermione is everything to me. Had she told me she wouldn't run with me, I would have respected it and tried to find her after we were both over the age of Majority. Trusting you two would protect her until I could find her again. I would have run regardless."
"Why?"
"With no Hermione in the magical world I had no reason to be there. In the last five years of attending Hogwarts I've killed one man, a basilisk, almost had my mind wiped once, almost lost my soul to dementors, I've been attacked by werewolves, crazy evil witches and wizards, dragons, merfolk and other nasty's, I've been tortured twice, and I've seen one fellow classmate and my godfather killed. I'd have run two years ago if not for the thought of Hermione having to go through all that alone. Everyone expects me to fight this war. The entire wizarding world expects me to just walk up like some kind of hero and kill Voldemort for them. Here's my reply to that. Why should I?"
Harry took another sip of his water. "I thought long and hard about these things while waiting on Hermione's answer that day. I had no reason to fight for any of them. I spent all last year being vilified in the Daily Prophet as an attention seeking delusional Dark Wizard. I couldn't even convince more than a few handfuls of my classmates of the truth. I had no reason to fight for any of them. My best mate Ron and his family, I would have fought for them and truth be told I had. I've saved his sister, him, his Father, and managed to give two of his brothers the starting capital to get their business off the ground. All my classmates either want to be my mates or hate me based on the gossip of the day. My only other friends are Neville and Luna, and as purebloods they're really not in danger of being targeted. Besides, fact was I was the one being targeted. Voldemort wants me dead, not them. With me out of the way, they were about as safe as it gets."
"I needed a reason to fight this war that was my own and not simply because everyone expects me to or because of some stupid Prophecy I didn't even believe in. Divination is rubbish anyways, good for a laugh now and then, but rubbish. That was not something I was going to get attending Hogwarts. Up until that point, Hermione was my only reason. Take her out of the equation, and I had nothing. The only other viable reason to fight was because Voldemort was going to hunt me no matter what, so fight or die. I choose option C. Run like hell until I could be with Hermione again, sort out the rest then."
"Hermione did choose you though." Mr. Granger stated bitterly.
"If there was ever any doubt of what my choice was Dad, it was yours. Had you asked Mum's opinion before you started ranting in the Hospital Wing after you talked to Dumbledore you would have known differently." Hermione firmly stated. Mr. Granger's reply was silenced by his wife's look.
Harry nodded across the table from the older man before him. "I have been humbled by her choice for the last five years. I wasn't fast enough, strong enough to protect her that day at the Ministry. When she chose to run with me I knew the direction I wanted to go. I wanted to learn to be stronger so I could protect her. So, with this goal in mind we started our tour of the world looking for anything that would give us the edge we needed to survive the coming war. When the Hit Wizards found us, we hadn't gotten very far. There was this Runic Master that was in retirement up in Michigan we wanted to learn from and we were making our way there when we had the accident in upper New York. By the time we recovered that was no longer an option and a better opportunity presented itself."
Ms. Granger put down her cup after her drink. "As hard as it is to believe, Hermione mentioned you spent some time in a place called 'Magnadane.' Years she said."
"Yes. I couldn't even begin to explain how Raze did it but best as we can tell we spent a little over four and a half years in there even though only a day or so passed here. We learned a lot in there, though we didn't realize how much until we came back."
Ms. Granger tuned to look at the conflicted face of her husband. "Jake. She might look sixteen, but she's almost twenty-one now. More than old enough to make her own decisions."
"We're just supposed to take their word for it Ellen?"
"Can you honestly say you can't hear the truth in their voices? Harry we don't know very well but have you ever talked to a sixteen year old like him? We do however know our daughter. Aside from the fact she has never outright lied to us, tell me you can't hear how different or how much more mature her speech is."
"Hermione has always been more mature than her age."
Ellen shook her head. "I don't like it any more than you do. But if you need to console yourself with anything Jake, make it this. We have only lost three months. If not for this Narnia'n experience they've had, we could have lost the next four years or so before she decided to come home."
Jake Granger looked to his wife and daughter before he turned his eyes on Harry. He slumped in his chair before swallowing thickly. "You're sleeping with my daughter aren't you?"
"DAD! That is none of your business!" Hermione shouted.
Harry didn't know if Hermione anticipated this moment but Harry did. His wince at the question was all the answer Mr. Granger needed to know the truth. Even expecting it was going to happen Harry found himself surprised when it was asked. Jake groaned while putting his face in his hands.
"Jake, really now!"
"I've a right to ask Ellen. I don't care if she's the equivalent of a thirty year old, she looks sixteen!"
"Yes, Hermione and I are intimate." Harry broke in.
"Harry!" Hermione's shocked voice rang at him this time.
Harry pushed his apology through their bond. "I told you I wouldn't lie to them if asked a direct question Hermione. I want you to reconnect with your parents, and you have never outright lied to them, ever. How can I and expect to be a part of your family if I lie to them? We agreed honesty, no matter how uncomfortable the topic was the only way to know if you could reclaim your relationship, and for me to have one with them."
Hermione hid her mortified face in her hands. "Someone shoot me now…"
Jake looked at the young man in front of him. "How long?"
Harry ignored the feelings of mortification coming from Hermione and answered trying to keep his own voice even. "S…since about mid-term last year."
Hermione's father's eyes bulged slightly before turning to look at his daughter. Hermione raised her head defiantly though her skin still burned brightly on her face. His defeated face turned to look once more at Harry. "I hate you so much Harry Potter. You're dangerous. You're central in a war that by your own admission is dangerous beyond my ability to comprehend. There's a maniac out there looking to kill you, and has already tried several times to do so. He has the most dangerous people in your world following him, and they would love nothing more than to have anything they could use to get to you, and my daughter loves you enough to give herself to you."
"Ellen is right, I know my daughter well. She wouldn't have given herself to you if she didn't love you with every fiber of her being. My daughter is not so irresponsible to run away from home for anything less than the man of her dreams. She's just too smart to give herself to anyone who didn't treat her well or love her with the same intensity she loved him. And that person turns out to be you. A young man whose fought fantastic monsters the likes of which I can only imagine, has faced more danger in his sixteen years than I have seen in my forty, and has acquired more blood on his hands than I did during my years in the Royal Navy. You are going to get yourself killed and more than likely Hermione as well. I hate you so much for that Harry Potter. And the sad thing is, as I sit here watching you two, and listening to what you've been through, what you plan to face I know that there is absolutely nothing I can do about any of it. I can't protect her from mad wizards or fantasy beasts. All of my hopes for her survival fall on the same person who is responsible for her being in danger in the first place."
The defeated form of Jake Granger rose from his chair leaving his untouched dinner behind him when as he walked out of the room. Only the sound of his heavy steps told them he was headed up the stairs.
Ellen turned to them once they could no longer hear him. "That could have gone a lot better, but a lot worse as well." She too rose from her place. "Your room is as it always is. Just… I would rather not hear anything coming from there tonight if you please. We can talk more in the morning before we take you to the station."
Minutes passed by while Harry moved the food on his plate around without interest. "Harry…" He looked up from his plate to see Hermione looking at him compassionately. "I love you."
He smiled slightly. "I love you too Hermione. I wish… well, I wish things could be different with your parents."
"I know Harry. Maybe over time they will come around. I honestly didn't expect them to take any of this well or to be very forgiving at our first reunion. Maybe in time we can rebuild some bridges with them."
"Your Dad's right though. We talked about this before. Odds of me surviving this are maybe one in three. You, even less. He just doesn't want you to get hurt. I know the feeling, I don't want you to get hurt either."
Hermione reached over and stroke the side of his face. "I love you Harry. Dad was also right that I will follow you anywhere, and there will be no danger you face without me beside you. You and me, Always and Forever. No matter how much or how little time we have until the end."
Chapter 18, September 1st
Her daughter lay completely naked on her side in her bed. Her short hair tousled about her pillow with only a thin sheet covering her from the waist down. Ellen tried her best to see her as more than her sixteen year old baby girl, and failed. She stood in the frame of her bedroom door just watching her sleep as she had done a few times in the past for a long time. For the last three months this room had been heartbreakingly empty, but even with her there now, something was drastically different. She even looked different and not just because she had cut her hair. Ellen was under no delusions that Hermione had cut her hair as a message to her and Jake. They never let her get more than a trim or slight thinning before. The message was crystal clear the second they saw her in the kitchen when they came home from their practice yesterday. Hermione was her own woman now and their opinions were just that. Ellen sighed quietly to herself as she slowly closed the door to Hermione's bedroom. Her young man was thankfully not in there when she checked. Ellen was just not ready for that scene yet.
The question of where he happened to be was answered as she walked into the kitchen. Harry Potter sat on their chesterfield drinking tea from a tea service she didn't recognize reading from a very strange book. She watched for a while as he would mumble to himself taking notes on the tablet next to the book while occasionally sipping from his tea.
"Earl Grey, no sweet, splash of milk yes?" His voice shocked her out of her assessments and thoughts.
She gathered herself quickly from her surprise at him noticing her watching him. "I didn't realize you knew I was here. Tea would be lovely Harry."
Harry nodded while fixing her cup apparently unbothered in the slightest with her actions. Once she sat on the settee and accepted her tea she fixed the young man before her in her gaze. "What are you doing?"
Harry put his tea cup down to fix himself another one. "Atonement I guess you could call it. I'm not actually sure I can get it to work without Hermione's help but I'm trying to make arrangements for her to be able to come here on weekends. I've taken more than my share of her time from you. Least I can do is try to help you get some of it back. Pretty sure it's going to be against the rules to do this but it wouldn't be the first set of rules I've broken."
Ellen raised an eyebrow at his comment. "That is very considerate of you. I for one would welcome the chance to see Hermione more regularly this year. It has always been hard on us to only receive post and one or two holiday visits." Ellen took a long sip of the tea and found it perfect, and couldn't help but slightly hate the boy for it. He had no right to be so considerate. Ellen sighed deeply. "I'm trying Harry. I really am."
Harry nodded to her. His downcast expression was poorly hidden behind a neutral mask. "I know and I appreciate it. Hermione said you would. She never wanted to be estranged from you or Mr. Granger. I can't really do much to help the situation but I am trying as well."
Ellen nodded. "Did Hermione ever tell you how Jake and I got married?" Harry shook his head. She sighed looking down into the dark liquid of her tea losing herself in old memories. "I was sixteen myself at the time. My mother did not approve of Jake but I was so besotted with him. We had been seeing each other romantically for a couple of years when we decided to advance our relationship to a more intimate level. So in love with each other neither of us gave much thought to the consequences or how it would affect our future."
Ellen took a sip of her tea. "Mother was so furious when I told her I was pregnant. She forbade me from ever seeing Jake again and informed me that I would be giving the child up for adoption as soon as it was delivered. By this time Father had already gone looking for Jake with a few of my brothers and uncles. I sat in my parent's sitting room full of shame, wracked with guilt, scared of my future and worried my father would find Jake, who didn't even know yet. My Jake however proved to be difficult to catch. When my father confronted him at his parents' house he slipped out the back, gotten into his auto and drove to my house before the argument between his parents and my father had become very heated. I was in my room crying when his face appeared in my window."
Ellen smiled at the memory of his concerned face and the reunion. "He asked me to marry him right there, half hanging out of my bedroom window. He'd saved up some money from odd jobs and such and asked me to run with him. He had a widowed grandmother in Scotland he said would take us in until we could figure out what we were going to do. I remember how fast I agreed to his plan. Anything to be with Jake. And so, we eloped that night. It was over a decade before either of us tried to reconnect with our parents in any fashion. A few days later when Jake turned sixteen he enrolled in the Royal Navy with his Grandmother's permission. With help from our friends and his grandmother we managed afford a very small flat in Blackpool for me to live while Jake settled into service. I suffered a miscarriage six months later while Jake was at sea."
"I am very sorry to hear that Ms. Granger." Harry's sympathetic voice reached out to her. Ellen nodded letting him know she heard him.
"It's an old wound. The pain never really goes away, but you learn to live with it. I didn't find out until much later but it seems it was something in my family that happened sometimes. The doctors told me I afterward I would never be able to conceive again. Jake… he took it well. Devastated we'd lost the baby but whatever he was going through he pushed aside to help me get through it. His Officer was very understanding and did his best to keep Jake close to home as much as he could that first year and I had a lot of support from our friends and Hermione, Jake's Grandmother. Jake served for four years before he resigned. Both of us had long ago decided to attend University to get our medical degrees. We worked hard, graduated with honors and began our careers dreaming of the day we could open our own practice. It was just after the new year in 79' when a miracle happened. I was pregnant."
Ellen couldn't help but chuckle remembering Jake's antics. "I swear that man treated me as if I was made of glass during the entire pregnancy. No complications and Hermione was born alive, well, and completely healthy the following September. You see Harry, Hermione is not just our daughter but the greatest gift we have ever received. I wasn't supposed to be able to have any more children and I haven't been able to get pregnant since. No doctor has been able to explain how we were able to conceive. You cannot imagine the tests I had to go through all during my pregnancy or the ones taken after."
"I understand Hermione's commitment to you having gone through it myself in my own way. I don't like it, and I hate to say it but I understand my Mother a lot more than I thought I ever would. Jake understands but he can't accept it yet. Hermione is our little miracle child. To be honest, we were not really surprised to learn she was magical when she turned eleven. But from that day forward we have had to deal with her being in a world outside of our understanding. Among my sisters and brothers or Jake's we can't say anything, we can't boast of her accomplishments from your world. When they ask, we have to make things up or just vaguely say she is well. We lose her for nine months a year to that school and as she has gotten older more and more of the holidays. Last year she left us during Yule vacation to go to you Harry, and she didn't even come home for Spring break. The year before that, she didn't even bother coming home for either. And this last summer she has been traipsing with you all over the world getting hurt and doing only you know what. So Harry, I am trying to be understanding. I am trying very hard to be accepting. But Lord help me I am struggling. I want you know Harry, I agree with what Jake said to you last night. He could have said it differently but I can't deny I feel the same way."
Harry busied himself with fixing them both another cup of tea. "I can only imagine how hard the last three months have been for you and Mr. Granger. Honestly, I can give you loads of rationale for our running. I can describe in vivid detail all the things we were caught up in before it came to this but really, it's only going to make you hate me more, if that's even possible. Thank you for trying Ms. Granger, it's far more than I feel I deserve. Even if it's only for Hermione's sake you are trying, I appreciate it."
They sat in silence for some time sipping from their tea and not looking at each other. In the end Ellen decided to broach a topic that had been on her mind for some time now. "The way Hermione's letters read you two were well off. Harry, why come back at all? Why now?"
Harry sat looking down at his shoes and shrugged one shoulder. "Honestly, mostly for you and Mr. Granger. My parents were pretty well off when they died and we've been living off that for the most part. Yeah, we could have stayed gone for a long time if we wanted to. Years maybe if we managed it right. But, you are here and I know very well how much the run was hurting Hermione. She'd never say it and she was really good about keeping it hidden but I know how much it was hurting her. The other reasons… well, they're a lot less straightforward."
"Something to do with this wizarding war I take it."
Harry nodded. "Voldemort has to be stopped sooner or later. When the Prophecy was made Voldemort was on a rise to power that nothing was going to stop. People were dying in spades all over the country. His people were very close to taking the Ministry and the common witch and wizard was terrified of crossing them. Fear was rampant and the resistance was little more than a handful of like minded holdouts who had resigned themselves to death for the most part. There were only two people the Prophecy could have been meant for and he had just enough of it to figure out whom. He targeted my family first and killed my parents. He hit me here," Harry raised his head and pointed to the scar on his forehead. "With what is known as the Killing curse. There is no defense to it. My Mother did something and sacrificed herself to fuel an old bit of magic that somehow forced the spell to rebound and kill Voldemort instead. I was one when this happened."
Harry took a long drink of his tea. "He'd done something himself to safeguard himself from death. Immortality was his greatest achievement and that day it was put to the test. It worked and his spirit stayed here in the world while his body was broken. End of fourth year he kidnapped me and used my blood to bring himself back to a body. Would have killed me then but for a freak bit of unknown magic that saved me. He's more focused on killing me now than ever while at the same time once again rising to power and trying to take over the Ministry and cowing the populous into inaction."
"I can't win against him. Even if we went back into Magnadane and lived there for the next hundred years, I'll never be able to beat him because we don't know how he became immortal. Because the Prophecy has been outed and now everyone knows it existed no one will ever try. A month ago while at Arx Tutela we found a recent Daily Prophet. They're calling me the 'Chosen One' now. It all plays right into Voldemort's hands because now everyone is under the belief that only I can defeat him so no one will even try. Dumbledore is probably the strongest wizard on our side but since the prophecy he's never seriously tried to take on Voldemort. He's been our side's greatest champion against him in both wars but when you look at the histories you see a subtle change right before Voldemort killed my Parents but right after the time the Prophecy was made. It doesn't matter how good I get, I can't kill that which won't die. The way I figure it Dumbledore has a plan; he might even know how Voldemort attained his Immortality. If so we need to go to Hogwarts to find out."
"Hermione and I had a hard look at the Prophecy since it doesn't matter how much I don't believe in it, everyone else does. So we broke it down and looked over every possible outcome that it presented figuring the odds. There is a one in three chance Voldemort will win outright. According to the Prophecy if I can't beat him no one will ever be able to. Because people believe in it, it gives it power so instead of being a hint to the future it's almost writing it for us. So if I can't beat him, no one will ever challenge him again and he will rule undisputed for all time. There is a one in three chance I will win and defeat him, which is of course the preferable outcome. Then the last part, a one in three both of us will be killed in the final confrontation. If you look at this from Dumbledore's perspective, two out of three to see the end of Voldemort and peace return to our world. More than enough reason to do what he's done to me over the years."
"The way the Prophecy reads the most likely outcome is we are going to end up killing each other. There's this one line, 'And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ...' It's had us both up nights and that's the truth. That's the line that makes us uncertain. In one, he wins, I die, in another I win he dies. Finally either could mean both of us have to kill each other which has had us thinking we do something that maybe backlashes and takes us both out. I don't know how, maybe something my mother did is still lingering around or something. Our wands did this freaky connecting thing the first time we fought. Maybe that's what kills us. The horrible part of this is before this can even happen we have to figure out how he attained immortality, and shut that down."
"I take it by the fact you are here and going back that you found your reason to fight."
Harry nodded solemnly. "When we ran I thought I was doing it to keep us safe from you, Dumbledore and Voldemort. It wasn't until we were in Virginia I started to see things differently. At Arlington things became so much clearer but the feeling wasn't something I could put into words until about halfway through our stay in Magnadane. I wasn't running to be free; I was running because I was scared to be free."
"When you are chained by a situation like mine the load is heavy and can easily bring you to your knees. When you are running from that same situation, the load isn't any lighter; it just takes you longer to realize it's still there. It will crush you just the same. It will just take longer to do it. To be truly free of Dumbledore, Voldemort, everything, to be truly free, I was going to have to settle this. That meant I had to accept my role in this war. If I really wanted my Freedom, I was going to have to fight for it. I realized that would mean I would have to work with Dumbledore at some point. We are making the choice to work with him, not for him because if there is even the slightest possibility we can survive this war, we are going to grab for it. Hermione has you here; we both have friends who will need us this year. Our lives have always been in the isles. If we allowed you, Dumbledore or Voldemort to drive us from our home then our freedom is an illusion because we allowed you to dictate the terms of how our lives are lived. To be truly free, a person stands or falls by their own choices and merits, not the choices of others. This is my life, my home, my freedom at stake. Whether I die in this war is immaterial. Only how I live will matter. I chose to live free. If need be, I will die that way."
After Harry finished talking Ms. Granger left him alone for the rest of the morning until it was time to make for Kings Cross. Hermione woke up early and joined him at his research and together they added their own alarm ward to let them know if anyone breached the wards at her parents' house. The rest of the morning she spent with her parents answering questions and talking. Harry stayed clear letting them have their privacy and making sure they had all their things ready for the trip. He figured they would have to find a way to Diagon Alley at some point but he wasn't too worried about it. It was highly unlikely any of the teachers would give them something they didn't already know so there was plenty of time to work on booklists.
The trip to Kings Cross was awkwardly silent. With only the saddlebags to worry about Harry once again gave them some space to say their goodbyes until the weekend when Hermione promised to visit. All too soon side by side they walked through the portal and onto the platform of 9 ¾.
Harry stood looking around taking in the familiar scene of his peers rushing about, saying their goodbyes till holidays to their families, and the reunions with old friends. "This is weird."
"I know. I went through it yesterday when we got to Mum and Dads."
Still working as one they started walking toward the train. "I suppose we should get a compartment."
Hermione sighed still trying to get used to the idea of going back to school. "Yes I suppose. I wonder who is going to be our Defense Teacher this year…"
"Knowing Dumbledore, it's going to be Snape. Look at the edges of the Platform. Every able bodied wand in the Ministry is over there keeping watch. I doubt he could have gotten say, Tonks or Kingsley to do it now. He's always struggled with keeping someone in the position. I bet it would be loads easier to get a Potion Professor than a Defense one. Especially since we've had one death, one mind wiped, one sacked for lycanthropy, and one imprisoned for a year in a trunk. The only reason we had one last year was Fudge pushed that 'Educational Decree' through and she got attacked by a herd of Centaurs and had to be rescued by Dumbledore in the end. You ever wonder what happened to the ones before we started school? Madam Pomfrey said the curse on the job went back as far as 75' or something."
Hermione led the way down the hall looking for a spare and free compartment. "I looked it up once. If you think what happened to our last five was bad, you should have read what I did on the stretch of them between 82' and 89'. It was brutal. I think the last one is still in St. Mungo's Mental Ward in a straitjacket gibbering like an idiot."
"Here's one. It's amazing Dumbledore could hold onto his job with all that going on." Harry stated as he opened the door to the empty compartment. "It's pretty scary to think about really. It's no wonder Voldemort gets away with so much. Look on the bright side though love, if Snape does get the job we'll be shot of him by the end of the year. Maybe one of Luna's creatures will bite his ear off or something. I'd love to see him explain to Voldemort how he got his ear bit off by a Nargle."
Hermione hummed while closing the drapes over the compartment window. She turned around after Harry had closed the door and pushed him into one of the seats.
"You Mr. Potter are going to fulfill one of my naughty's. I always wanted to have my way with you on the train…"
As she straddled his lap and right before she fused her mouth to his she heard him groan. "By all that is good and decent in this world please do so…"
XxXDaRXxX
"There they are. I told you he'd be here."
Moody kept his normal eye on the Potter and Granger while letting his magical eye spin around looking for threats. At each of his sides stood the Aurors Tonks and Jones. Both women turned when he spoke to look through the crowd at the two kids they had been so concerned about all summer.
"Blimey! Harry looks good. Hermione better be as good as you said Mad-Eye, she's going to have her hands full with the witches at Hogwarts this year." Tonks commented.
"Harry's going to have problems too. I don't know if they dressed that way on purpose but there is no doubt that Hermione is growing into an attractive young woman."
He barely caught Tonks giving Jones a knowing wink and the answering blush before Alastor chucked evilly at their comments. "Albus'll have his handful with those two back. When you get to Hogwarts Tonks make sure Poppy's got plenty of supplies on hand. I don't think she needs to worry about Potter staying with her this year but I can guarantee he's going to be responsible for half her beds being full. I've no doubt Granger will fill the others."
"You are taking way too much enjoyment out of this Mad-Eye." Jones wryly commented.
His amusement grew from a chuckle to an outright laugh. "O, Aye. I can't wait for the reports from Tonk's. I don't care what Albus thinks, I got my money on Voldemort marking the Death Eater's kids this year. His ranks are not what they once were in the last war. He'll need the resources. Despite his year head start he's not gained as much ground as he could have now that people believe he's back. That prank Potter kicked it all off with set people on their ears. We've had four attacks in muggle areas stopped because instead of running in fear your common wizard through his lot in. Granted none of these attacks actually had Voldemort in them, but still, it's more than we expected. I don't know how long it's going to last but people have hope, and that is something we didn't have the last round. That is all thanks to those two kids. "
"Not to mention the failed attack on Amelia and her promotion to Minister." Tonks chimed in.
"Exactly! By Merlin does it feel good to have a competent Minister for once in my lifetime. Voldemort still got some werewolves, giants and Dementor's on his side and a good number of fighters but it's not as bleak as it could be. WE got Potter and Granger! I like our odds better. You don't believe me; pick a fight with those two. Tell me when you do. I want pictures."
"They can't be as good as you claim they are Moody." Jones scoffed. She liked the kids, for what little she knew of them, but Moody was just taking things too far.
"You don't think so eh? Look at them. Their eyes haven't stopped moving since they came onto the platform. Ten coins say they have spotted every Auror stationed here, picked out every possible threat and noted the distance to themselves. See how they move? Potter's got that bag of his over his shoulder, they came light. No weighty trunks to slow them down, no big packs to make fast movement awkward. Pay attention to how they walk. It's smooth, easy and balanced. Look there, Granger's top heavy but keeps her weight even on the balls of her feet. Potter's got that bag on his shoulder but notice how it's sitting so he only has to shift his weight slightly to drop it. Look! You can barely see where their wands are stowed but both have them in quick draw range. Vigilant those two are."
Moody's eye caught the fact many in the crowd had taken note of Potter and Granger as well. Some covertly watched while others openly stared. Reactions were mixed but he was pleased overall with what he saw. People, he knew, subconsciously reacted no differently than any animal on the planet when you broke it down to brass tax. Everyone was fundamentally either a predator, or prey. A person with a weathered eye could easily tell who was which by their reactions. There were many in the crowd who took note of the kids and very slightly shifted their body weight away. A subtle response to the subconscious recognition of two people a lot higher up on the food chain than they themselves were.
Others, and there was only a few of these, looked hungrily at them. Mad-Eye took note of these comparing the faces to profiles of suspected Death Eaters and found most matched up. With his magical eye he caught Granger closing the window draping of the compartment they had chosen.
"I was really skeptical when Albus started preaching about how important Harry was last year. At the time I couldn't understand what Albus was playing at with the boy's role in this war, Prophecy or no. But I've had my chance to test the kids and let me tell you something Jones, anytime you want to find out how good those two are be my guest. I'll bring you something to read while you recover in hospital."
Moody turned to look at Tonks. "Better get into position Tonks. You're still riding the train as a Seventh Year Hufflepuff yeah?"
Tonks nodded changing her features to match her assigned disguise. She shed her Auror Robe handing it to Hestia revealing the fact she was already dressed in the appropriate attire. "Yup. Gives me an excuse to wear this thing outside of my apartment for the first time since I graduated."
XxXDaRXxX
He looked around the crowded station but couldn't see them anymore. "I'm telling you Susan I saw them just over here."
Susan Bones looked around but didn't see them either. Neville had come running to get her saying that Harry and Hermione were here but when they got to where he saw them they were gone. "I'm not saying you didn't Neville but there not here now. Do you think they got a compartment?"
Neville nodded. "I bet they did. Harry's never been fond of crowds. Come on, if their on the train we can find them." The train had become crowded as students went down and back looking for friends or trying to find free space. They searched the entire train but couldn't find them anywhere in any of the open compartments until they arrived at one almost to the back. The curtains were closed but the door was unlocked. Neither of the teens was prepared for what they heard or saw as they walked in.
The sound of a young woman panting and a suckling sound reached his ear before the sight of what was before him registered. A young woman was straddling someone. She was completely bare to the world from her waist up and Neville could just see top of her bum from her loosened pants. Someone had their head buried in her chest where she was holding him with both hands. The person she was straddling was holding her bare back steady while she slightly bucked against him. There was so much skin…
At the sound of the door opening both occupants suddenly realized they were no longer alone earning an 'Eep!' from the girl. She threw herself into the man's chest fisting his shirt and looking like she was trying to burrow into him. The action pushed them both prone on the long seats.
"Bloody Hell Harry, you didn't lock the door?" came a very familiar muffled voice. "Of all the stupid… Please tell me it's not Draco at least?"
A familiar face and one he had been looking for came up from her shoulder while his arms tried to cover as much of her body as they could. "… I didn't know you were going to attack me the second we got in here Hermione. Not that I am complaining mind you…"
Suddenly a hand was blocking his vision. Without realizing it his own hand came up to remove the obstruction. "Move that hand any higher Longbottom and you will not like where my hand goes next." Susan warned him.
Realization hit him suddenly and he shut his eyes tightly while dropping his hand. It didn't do any good to block the images he had already seen as they seemed to be burned into his retinas. So much skin…
"Hey guys, can you give us a moment to get decent?"
He heard Susan reply while he felt her firmly pull him out of the compartment. "Of course Harry."
Once back in the safety of the hallway Neville stood looking anywhere but at the compartment. Both of them could hear the scramble from inside as they got dressed or fixed their clothes. He could feel the burning blush all over his face and knew from a side glance at Susan she too was embarrassed by what they had witnessed.
"Well. We found them." Neville mumbled to Susan.
"I could have done without finding them like that to be Honest. And do not get any ideas Neville. We have not been dating nearly long enough." Susan stated firmly.
Neville couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as he imagined Susan and him doing something like that. The only thing that rang in his head until the glass was tapped letting them know the two inside were decent was that she said nearly long enough. That meant she would do things like that with him in time. The opening of the compartment door broke him from the imagery and brought out of his imagination.
Both teens walked in, this time to two fully clothed friends. Hermione was sitting on the seat with her arms crossed over her rumpled shirt while glaring at Harry. All four teens were red faced.
Harry broke the silence first. "So… Hi!"
Laughter broke the tension and even Hermione chuckled while shaking her head at Harry's attempt to break the ice. "It's good to see you guys again, how was your summer?"
Susan raised an eyebrow looking knowing at Harry. "I lot less interesting than yours apparently. We," Susan indicated both herself and Neville, "did not go on the run, send a countrywide prank, and whatever else only you know what."
Neville chuckled before he finally pushed the last few moments out of his mind. "That's not to say we have not had our own adventures though. Susan got attacked a month ago."
The joking mood died while Harry and Hermione turned to look at Susan in concern. She shrugged her shoulder in response. "Auntie and I got lucky. You Know Who himself came for her. We still don't know what happened but just before they breached the wards, they left unexpectedly. It was almost twenty minutes later before anyone showed up to check on us. Auntie took me to stay at Neville's for the rest of the summer.
"Bloody Hell that's a close one. Ranks right up there with me getting out of the Graveyard. You guys okay though yeah?" Harry asked.
Susan nodded with a slight smile. "Auntie got elected Minister a few weeks ago. I think our escape had a lot to do with it. She thinks that was why she was targeted in the first place. You Know Who knew she would never join him, so wanted her killed to stop her from getting the Minister's seat. I haven't seen her much since then though."
Neville nodded along with Susan's points. "Grans been real busy too. Minister Bones has been rallying people to the Ministry like a Valkyrie. Grans has been pulling in her share of the 'Old Dames' to help out in the Wizengamot to get measures through. Speaking of Gran and Minister Bones, have you talked to anyone since you got back?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, we only got back yesterday and we've been at my Parents house. They don't even take the Prophet since I canceled our subscription last year."
Neville blinked. "Then you don't know…"
"Know what mate?" Harry asked.
The compartment door slid open before Neville could say anything. "Wotcher guys!"
The brunette seventh year Hufflepuff greeted them as she stepped in.
"Tonks!" Susan, Harry and Hermione greeted back almost immediately. Neville looked around confused since he didn't recognize her.
The girl they called Tonks looked around sniffing for a moment. "Smells like sex in here." She stated before eying each of them up critically. Neville's eyes widened while he noticed Harry smirked.
Hermione's blush turned even redder before she leaned over to hide her face in Harry's arm. Susan also blushed looking uncomfortable. After the strange girl looked at each of them she raised her shirt a bit to sniff that. "Wow, I need to wash this thing once in a while. That could actually be me…"
Harry raised his head and laughed at the girls antics. Getting a grin of appreciation in return. She flopped down next to Susan with a wide smile on her face.
"Good to see you back in the country young man. You have any idea how much trouble you caused this summer?"
"Loads Professor Moody said. Glad we could spice up your holiday." Harry easily returned. "What are you doing here Tonks? Dumbledore got you on guard duty already? I've only been back a day."
Tonks pifft'ed. "The world does not revolve around your ego Mr. Potter." Tonks stated in a poor but recognizable imitation of Snape causing all four to smile. "I am actually on duty. Supposed to be guarding the train but thought I would check in on Hermione. With only you for company for the last three months it's had to be hard on the poor girl."
Hermione finally brought her face out from Harry's arm and gave Tonks a knowing smirk. "O it's definitely been hard Tonks. I've survived and look forward to surviving more."
The innuendo was not lost on the metamorph who smiled wickedly. "O I love the new you Hermione. I can see Harry's been rubbing off on you…"
"O yes, but I quite enjoy it, truth be told."
Tonks slapped her knee gawfled uncontrollably at her remark. Harry coughed uncomfortably and changed the conversation. Hermione had gotten really good at innuendo over the time on the run. "So, Neville, you mentioned something happened while we were gone?"
For his part Neville looked back and forth confused by the conversation for the most part knowing he was missing something but focused when Harry started talking to him. "Huh? Yeah. You need to talk to McGonagall alone when you get time once we are at Hogwarts."
Harry asked, "Whys that mate? This have something to do with course lists or something?"
Neville shook his head. "No. While you were gone and after the attacks on Susan's McGonagall came to see Gran. You were named as the principal inheritor in Sirius Black's will and she was concerned you didn't know about it. Gran looked into it and they came up with a plan to help out."
Susan picked up the story when Neville stopped. "Dame Longbottom floo called Auntie at work and let her know what was going on. Between the three of them they hatched a plan to keep both You Know Who and Professor Dumbledore from getting your inheritance. They weren't going to do anything until we heard what was going on and started badgering them to do something."
Neville nodded. "We had to tell them a lot Harry to convince them to help. They didn't seem to know any of the stuff we'd been through, and even less about you. Gran did research and told McGonagall what to do and who to contact. Minister Bones wasn't Minister yet but we figured there was a chance that something would happen and it would end up going through the DMLE in some fashion. She took care of things from that end."
"Professor McGonagall talked to your account manager and he allowed her to go into your family vault on the sly once she convinced him of what was happening. She's got everything from the Black and Potter vaults in this little chest thing. Auntie did what she could within the law to see you were able to claim your inheritance and now you are head of both the House of Black and the House of Potter. You're emancipated but Dumbledore is your Stewart until you turn seventeen, he technically still controls your houses. Not that it matters since everything you own is with Professor McGonagall."
Harry looked flabbergasted at the two teens. "Guys… wow. I hadn't even thought about since we decided to let it go. You didn't have to. Thank you guys so much. I don't even know how to pay you back for that."
Hermione smiled happily at him while rubbing his arm. Neville waved off his comment. "Harry, you've done a lot for us with the D.A. last year and everything. You taught us a lot and both of us got solid 'E's on our O.W.L.s in Defense. We weren't going to let you get buggered if we could stop it."
Susan smiled. "It was our pleasure Harry. If by chance you decided to continue the D.A. however, I would be appreciative."
Neville watched as Harry and Hermione looked at each other for a moment appearing to be lost in thought. A few moments passed before Harry smiled widely and turned his attention back to them. "Done. I think we'll call it the Defense Association though, I'm not Dumbledore's man anymore."
Their conversation was halted for a moment when the Express whistle blew and the carriage jerked signaling that the Hogwarts Express was on its way to Scotland.