Author Note
Hello all. I am breaking the wall here to thank you for the reviews and hopefully clarify a couple questions. Yes I am hoping this goes more Robert Ludlum than not but I'll see when we get there. By putting the divergence point for the AU canon will be bent, mangled and melted quite a bit but there may be a few echos. No Lavender will not be part of a harem and Luna will be a close friend but this is Harry and Hermione's story with their new family. I am going with the idea that Hogwarts is not the only magical school and as such students are more able to know each other (After all Lily had to have more friends than just the Marauders and Snape) and interact. Plus I went to a high school with a graduating class of 105. Smaller than my wifes who had a class of closer to 200. And I still remember some of the things we got up to and dealt with way back then. Oh and yes I am aware that in Canon she is McGonnAgal but in my verse shes McGonnegal. Thanks.
Eventually they realized they had talked long into the night when Ginny fell asleep on Harry's legs. Harry was still excited hearing talk about his parents and his family. The Brown's had provided potion components, farm supplies, and all sorts of business deals with the potter family estate for several generations. It was no surprise that Lavender was Harry's 23rd cousin or something like that. Levitating Ginny up the stairs and helping tuck her in Amanda smiled at Hermione and Harry who was standing in the doorway watching her.
"You two are so much like James and Lily. And Lavender is right you two will be great parents."
Harry and Hermione blushed at having a responsible adult that wasn't Hermione's mom or dad tell them that.
Amanda said good night and left them watching Ginny sleep. Harry's hand found Hermione's and they held on. Hermione leaning into Harry's chest. "Lavender said we where really forming a familial bond with Ginny. And each other. I like that idea Harry."
Harry kissed Hermione's head as she leaned against him. "I like that too. I never felt what a family was before. If this is what it feels like to have one then I'm really glad to be part of it. I never want it to end or stop."
Hermione yawned and said, "Well I better get to bed Harry. Ginny has the right idea."
Kissing Hermione good night he headed down to the den and the pull out. Daniel was in there putting the yearbooks away with Emma and quietly talking. "Oh hey Harry. The Browns are really nice people. For a bit there we where worried that everyone in the wizarding world was either crazy or evil." Dan tried to joke.
Emma gave Harry a gentle hug, "It was nice of them to tell you about your parents and your family. I'm sorry we weren't able to help you more last year."
"That's ok Mrs Granger. Dumbledore interfered. I don't blame you."
"Emma dear. You're Hermione's husband. According to your professor. That makes you our son in law. Which means you can call me Emma , or mom. Although from the stories it sounds like you had a great one already."
"And speaking of being Hermione's husband. Aren't you in the wrong room if you're getting ready for bed?" Daniel was grinning.
Harry stood there confused and with his mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out.
Emma cleared her throat. "Harry, Daniel and I understand you and Hermione are too young to be thinking about sex or anything major. But you two are by your laws and society married. It may not be the way we grew up or the way we where expecting things to happen. But a husband usually sleeps , and I do mean sleeps, with his wife. Understand?"
Harry just nodded then he shook his head, then he shrugged. He was confused but not sure how to explain it so he just stopped.
Daniel took him by the arm and the three of them started walking upstairs. "Well its a little bit late to give the angry dad hurt my daughter they'll never find your body speech. Besides after seeing you around her and Ginny I think we can give that one a waiver."
Harry grimaced at the thought of the sharp Victorian dental tools Daniel had in a frame on his wall in the den being taken down. He wasn't sure what some of them did but he definitely was sure he didn't want to find out.
Daniel had steered him to Hermione's room where he knocked on it. "So we'll just say the welcome to the family and let's keep Ginny the only grand-kid for several years speech. Ok?"
Hermione opened the door in her pajamas and looked at her dad with his arm around harry with her mom standing behind them smiling at her. "Whats going on is everything ok?"
Daniel took his arm off of Harry and put Harry's hand in Hermione's. "Yeah your husband just got a little bit confused as to where he was supposed to be sleeping. A husband usually sleeps with his wife you know."
Hermione was jolted awake by her dad's words. That her mother was standing there smiling at her made her pinch herself to make sure she was awake. "Dad?, Mom? Are you sure?"
"Look we made a promise that no matter what when you got that letter we would never stop loving you, doing all we could for you and being your family. That we would take anything strange, weird or magical in stride and deal with it." Daniel began
Emma took a breath and picked it up, "A magical marriage oath and all the rest of this is pushing the boundaries but then to find out there has been a conspiracy keeping you apart and mind wiping people and what they did to that girl in there. We just cannot see keeping any amount of happiness away from the two of you."
"So um. Your mother and I will be going to bed. We trust the both of you and um. Uh. If things do um get um well um well uh we trust there are magical ways to make sure that nothing um unplanned results right?" Daniel said awkwardly running his hand through his hair as he tried to approach a delicate subject as obliqely as he could.
Hermione was blushing so bad she should have lit up the room. In a soft voice she said, "Yeah dad. Lavender and I talked about that with her mom. She's a nice lady. And a midwife healer."
"Right yeah. She mentioned that at dinner you know."
"Right."
"Ok well good night." Hugs where exchanged and the Grangers headed for their bedroom while Harry slowly made his way into the room he was sharing with Hermione now.
Hermione held his hand as they walked to the bed. "Harry I'm not ready to do anything beyond cuddle. I hope you're ok with that."
Relief flooded through Harry. "Yeah me either. I'm still getting used to everything going on."
Hermione turned back the blankets. Neither having slept with another person before it took a bit to figure out the most comfortable way to sleep together but eventually they did falling sound asleep.
Waking up Harry was very confused. He had a soft warm weight pressed up against him. His nose being tickled by fuzzy brown hair. His brain suddenly snapped back into focus with the realization that he was cuddled up against Hermione Granger, no technically she was Hermione Potter his wife. That only a couple of days ago he was trying to figure out which would be better to go face the basilisk again or stay at the Dursley's. Now he had a wife, a daughter, a potentially happy life ahead of him with a family that wanted and loved him and no more Dursleys. Yeah it seemed like his headmaster had some kind of weird alternative agenda, his friend wasn't really his friend and his daughter was actually his friend's sister who had been mind wiped and brain damaged was a bit of a cloud to that silver lining. Laying here with his arm around the sleeping form of Hermione though he was willing to face the Basilisk with a toothpick to protect and keep them safe. To stay with them.
Hermione woke up with a strange feeling of a warm body pressed against her back with an arm over her waist. The fact that something was poking into her backside gave her a bit of strange tingle, especially when she remembered that the body behind her was Harry Potter. Her husband. She liked the feel of that thought. She might not have been the biggest fan girl in the school but she was definitely his after the troll in the bathroom and had only been growing closer ever since then. Her mom and dad definitely approved since they where the ones who had practically thrown him at her last night. Harry being so shy he hadn't even thought about doing it himself. She even had a daughter now. Which while not arriving in the usual way she had grown to love just as much. The fact that her mind had been hurt and broken was aggravating to Hermione and if she ever found out who it was and could do something to punish them she would be more than willing to do so. For right now though she was content to lay in her loving husband's arms.
Harry felt her shift and sigh which made him very aware of a physical reaction he was having. Puberty had happened and it was causing a very strong surge in his anatomy at the moment. Especially since Hermione had wiggled herself a little bit closer backwards into him. He tried to shift backwards without waking her which caused her to giggle.
"Good morning Harry. You're poking me."
"Good morning. Sorry about that." He stammered.
"Don't be its a common healthy physical reaction for teenage males."
"Uh yeah. I know. Just um. Its awkward right now."
Hermione rolled over to face him. "Well mom and dad obviously didn't think you would violate my virtue so I'm not going to worry. Besides according to Professor McGonnegal we're married. So its okay. Didn't anyone ever talk to you about this?"
Harry blushed furiously, "The Dursleys didn't like to talk to me under normal circumstances. This was not something I would ever get told by them anything about. And I never asked anyone at the school. So I kinda read and heard things."
Hermione sighed deeply. "Well I know mom and dad are dentists but they still had to have a medical education so when I got the talk I got the full details on both boys and girls. With charts and graphs. So if you want to talk to me about this I can."
Harry's shocked face made Hermione dissolve into giggles burying her face in his chest. "Oh Harry I'm sorry I just. Your face right now. I love you." And she kissed him on the lips to emphasize her words. The fact he started kissing her back showed he did understand certain aspects of things.
They where interrupted though by a soft knocking on the door. Breaking apart Hermione grabbed her bathrobe and opened the door. Ginny was standing there in her pajamas clutching her stuffed cat. She had been crying it was obvious so Hermione grabbed her in a hug and pulled her into the room. Harry was sitting up and putting his glasses on.
"Whats wrong sweetie? What happened?" Hermione was brushing the hair out of Ginny's face as she sat her on the bed.
"I had a bad dream." Ginny said leaning into Hermione's hug.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Hermione asked rubbing Ginny's back.
Ginny took a deep breath and started talking about how the rat came to her and bit her in her privates and that the clown was standing there laughing at her. And the wicked witch was laughing at her and did nothing. While father Christmas made her drink the potions that made her all fuzzy. And no body wanted her. They where going to throw her away.
Harry was breathing hard trying to control his anger as he recognized who she was talking about except the rat. He had no idea who the rat was or if it was real but the way she described things it was sounding more like real memories and not just a bad dream. Hermione looked back at him and gave him a look that made him calm himself down and come around on Ginny's other side putting his arm around her.
Harry and Hermione calmed her down and reassured her that they wanted her. That her gramma and grampa wanted her. That she was safe and loved. They missed breakfast so Emma checked on them and when she heard about the bad dream she got on her knees in front of Ginny and held her too. The outpouring of love managed to get Ginny calmed down and back to a more balanced mental state. Hermione said she was going to go call Amanda Brown.
She had managed to catch Amanda before she went to the clinic. She came right over and talked to Ginny. Helping get her calmed down even more. Amanda helped Hermione contact Lucksley who came over and talked to Ginny. It turned out Lucksley and Dulmer where assigned to the child abuse division so they where more than ready and willing to understand and recognize traumatic memories. They contacted Healer Masterson who set up a weekly counseling session for Ginny and her new parents.
It was the middle of August before the Weasley's returned to the Burrow. Harry had not received anything from them on his birthday, which he barely noticed as the Grangers had given him a birthday party that was amazing. The fact that Hermione and Ginny where there with him was the best gift but Lavender, Luna and even Professor McGonnegal had all come by. Ginny was not having as many bad dreams and was doing a bit better. She was still not aware she could do magic yet nor had she given up on Hermione and Harry being mom and dad. If anything that had become more solidified in her mind. She started calling herself Ginny Potter sometimes as if practicing. The counsellors agreed it was not entirely harmful but it was a sign that she had attached herself to them. Hermione had, at least in the documents and such in the wizarding world, started using the last name Potter as well. She said that she didn't hyphenate her last name as while some husbands might not be worth totally taking their name she felt harry certainly was.
Dan and Emma watched their family grow up but tried to make sure they still had a lot of fun as kids their age should. Board games and weekend trips where definitely part of the plans. They did not have the time to go to France like they had wanted but the building up of the family and getting Ginny stable was much more important.
Professor McGonnegal had been promoted Headmaster as Dumbledore was voted out due to gross negligence according to the board. The fact that he did not respond to the summons to appear before the board did not help his case. She told harry and Hermione about the Hogsmeade weekends and that since they where emancipated they did not need to have a guardian sign their permission slips. This made Harry happy.
The way Harry and Hermione found out about the Weasley's was when Lucksley came to the house to visit them one morning. "Mr and Mrs Potter? May I have a moment?"
Harry opened the door and let the auror in. "Yeah sure is everything ok?"
Raising her eyebrow the Auburn haired auror shrugged, "That depends on your point of view. The Weasley's returned to the Burrow. We spoke with them as part of the investigation and discovered a few things. Could you and your family come to the office with me to clarify a few things as well as I'm going to need Ginny to try and identify a couple of people."
Hermione held Ginny's hand but nodded, "Let us just leave a note for my parents."
Lucksley smiled and nodded, "No problem. Harry and I will wait outside."
Stepping onto the enclosed back patio Lucksley asked Harry, "How is Ginny doing?"
Harry considered, "She's doing ok. She hasn't had any really bad dreams. She keeps having one of the people laughing at her and throwing her away but she's dealing with it. Counseling has been really helping."
Lucksley smiled letting out her breath, "Good now how about you and Hermione how are you holding up."
Harry smiled, "We're adjusting. Its still kinda weird having someone your own age calling you mom and dad but its not bad And again the counseling has helped us too."
Hermione and Ginny came out at that point. Lucksley nodded and turned a rock from the garden into a portkey.
Arriving at the Ministry they got taken through the security section into the offices of the DMLE. They where ushered into the office of a tall stern looking woman that vaguely resembled one of their classmates.
"Good morning. I am Madam Bones. I believe you know my niece Susan?"
Hermione recognized the name and nodded, "Oh she's in Hufflepuff. We have herbology with her. She's nice."
Harry chuckled, "I think Neville has a bit of a crush on her."
Madam Bones smiled at that little tidbit she might pass along. The Longbottoms where not a bad family to be associated with. Not that she would meddle too heavily in her niece's love life but still there where worse people she could consider so maybe a hint or two would not be too unwise.
"Well be that as it may. We need to discus the situation we find ourselves in today. We interviewed the Weasley's and discovered they had been tampered with, except for the youngest. He had no obliviations or compulsions on him but still denied he had a sister. We found this disturbing and unusual so we took the step of questioning him under veritaserum. We also discovered something rather unpleasant that may be related to Ginny's dreams."
Ginny bit her lip and held Hermione's hand. Harry put his hand on her arm and tried to comfort her.
Pulling an ornate metallic bowl out of a cabinet Madam Bones asked, "Have you ever heard of a pensieve?"
Hermione of course answered, "Yes ma'am its a way of examining your own or other people's memories. They are not entirely common nor are they sufficient evidence to convict or exonerate a person on as memories can be tampered with or a person delude themselves into believing something. They are considered in the same category as eyewitness testimony."
Chuckling Madam Bones nodded, "Yes. I see what Susan means now too. You are rather bright."
Hermione blushed at the compliment but Ginny smiled, "Yeah I'm glad she's my mom."
Madam Bones glanced sadly at the young redhead. "Yes so am I. Now please place a finger into the bowl and relax. There will be a moment of disorientation as you enter."
Everyone did so and Ginny's reaction was immediate, "Whoa that was weird."
Madam Bones chuckled, "Yes it can be a bit of a rush."
Looking around they saw they where in an interview room. Not much different than the crime dramas that Emma Granger liked to watch. There was a chubby, dirty ugly man standing on the other side of the table. He was dressed in a nasty out of date style suit. His hair was unkempt and long tangled.
"Do any of you recognize this man?"
Harry, Hermione and Ginny studied him. Ginny was hanging back and shivering. "Ginny sweetie do you know this man?"
"He's the rat. He's the rat. He bites my privates." She closed her eyes and buried her face in Harry's chest. He hugged her and turned her around away from the man.
"Yes he is a rat animagus. His name is Peter Pettigrew. He was hiding as Ron Weasley's pet rat Scabbers. Where any of you aware of that?"
Harry shook his head, "No but nobody liked that rat. It was always getting out of its cage and being a rat. Getting into stuff."
Hermione frowned, "We occasionally found it over on the girl's dorm side. Until Parvati found a charm to prevent rodents entering the room."
"So you've never heard the name Peter Pettigrew before." Madam Bones questioned.
Harry thought then remembered Amanda and Charles mentioning him as one of his dad's friends. "Yeah wait a minute. Charles Brown, Lavender's dad, came over and talked about my dad. Pettigrew was one of his friends. Part of his high school gang."
Madam Bones sighed, "Yes he was. He was also the person who betrayed your parents to Lord Voldemort, among a great many other crimes. Some of a very ...personal nature to girls."
Harry growled in his chest which made Ginny whimper for a moment before he regained his composure. "So what happens now?"
Madam Bones pursed her lips, "Well we have the statements of Ginny and the doctors and we are taking other's statements so his trial will not be a happy one for him. He was interviewed under enough veritaserum to tell me what he had for breakfast when he was at Hogwarts first year. His sheet will see him kissed at best or tossed through the veil at worst."
As Harry had no idea what either of those where but figured they where not good. Even though Ginny was crying she still made the comment, "Who would want to kiss someone as ugly as him."
Madam Bones patted her on the back, "This kiss is not a happy one but more of a bad thing for him. As in the kiss of oblivion."
Ginny just nodded, "oh. So he's going to be punished."
"I will personally see to it." madam Bones promised. Ginny nodded in satisfaction.
"On better news Mr Potter this does lead to the high probability of your godfather being freed within the next month or two."
Harry blinked rapidly, "Can you explain?"
"Yes but lets get out of here. Follow me." She said as she gave a sort of not leap leap and the next thing they where back in the room pulling their fingers out of the bowl.
"Ok, Mr Potter. Apparently your parents pulled a prank on the world by making everyone think that your godfather, Sirius Black, was their secret keeper. This is part of a ritual that protects a location under a spell called a Fidelus Charm. Once a location is protected by that spell anyone who has not been told the location either in direct verbal form, or a personally handwritten note, by the secret keeper themselves, they cannot know where that place is. Even if they had lived there all their lives. Do you follow me so far?"
Harry nodded and saw the gleam of new knowledge in Hermione's eyes as she nodded.
"Well your parents where hiding under a Fidelus Charm for the months before that night. They allowed everyone to think and actually encouraged it, that Sirius was their secret keeper. So when Voldemort came and attacked them it was understood that somehow Sirius Black had betrayed them to Voldemort. So when he was captured after having allegedly killed Peter Pettigrew and 12 muggles they placed him in Azkaban under wartime emergency orders. Unfortunately that meant there was no investigation or a trial, merely on the word of the Chief of the Wizengamut and leader of a vigilante group called the order of the Phoenix. Someone you know quite well." madam Bones prompted.
Harry's mouth dropped open while Hermione spat out, "Professor Dumbledore did that?"
Madam Bones nodded slowly. Taking a deep breath she continued, "Yes he did. I have taken steps since we interviewed Pettigrew to have him brought here for an interview and to determine for certain he is innocent. I cannot just have him released with no confirmation of that as there would be far too many questions raised I hope you can understand."
Harry closed his mouth and swallowed. "Yeah if he can be found innocent that's a lot better. It means there wouldn't be any way for any one to just send him back or something bad."
"Exactly. I'm glad you can see that. Now I am sorry for this next one. I need Ginny to identify the person in this memory. You will already know him. I suppose. We will discus the ramifications of this interview afterwards."
Harry and Hermione nodded while they comforted Ginny..Madam Bones pulled the previous memory out and placed it back in a labeled vial after making some notes that she had Harry, Hermione and Ginny sign. She then placed another memory in the penseive and nodded at everyone to join in.
Arriving in the memory Ginny was more subdued until she saw the person sitting in the interview chair. She started laughing. "Hey its my...the clown. He makes me laugh."
"Do you know his name?" Madam bones asked.
Ginny stared at him before shaking her head. "No Ma'am all I know is he's a big clown and always making me laugh. He tickles me something fierce sometimes too."
"So he's your friend."
"I guess. I don't know for sure. I mean I think so." Ginny looked at Hermione who just smiled at her and rubbed her arm, "Its ok. Madam Bones just needs to know who he is to help you."
"We're trying to tell the good guys from the bad guys like on the show Gramma watches? Like Barnaby does?"
"Exactly Ginny. So is this a good guy or a bad guy?" Madam Bones smiled at the girl.
Ginny turned and put her hands on her hips and stared at her brother Ron. She shook her head. "I don't think he's a bad guy. I don't remember him hurting me. He's nice and funny."
"Ok thank you Ginny. Hermione could you and Ginny step out. I want to show this one to Harry alone and he can tell you about it."
Hermione looked at Harry who shrugged but nodded. Ginny and Hermione did the leap without leaping thing and where gone. Madam Bones turned to him and asked. "I know you recognize Ronald Weasley. Can you tell me how well you know him?"
Harry thought, "I guess I know him ok. I mean I met him 2 years ago on the train for the first time. No wait I met him on the platform. His mom Molly was talking about muggles and asking for the number of the platform and stuff and I followed them because Hagrid just left me standing in the station with no idea how to get to the platform."
"Molly Weasley was talking about muggles in a crowded train station?"
"Yes ma'am. Rather loudly to get all the kids together."
Madam Bones was frowning.
"Is there something wrong ma'am?"
"Yes. Molly Weasley has 7 children. She herself went to Hogwarts for 7 years. She should have been well aware of the location of the platform. As it has not changed since they built the thing in the 1800s."
Harry just went "oh"
Taking a deep breath. "Ok well then lets observe this memory and I want to apologize before hand."
Harry just nodded in confusion but turned his attention to the memory. It was obviously of Madam Bones sitting on one side of the table with Ron on the other. He was looking very sullen and upset as he was obviously confined to the chair. There was an unknown witch standing next to him and two more by the door. On Madam Bone's right was a witch in a muggle suit.
"Madam Bones questioning Ronald Billius Weasley. Minor. Involved in the investigation of abuse of Ginevra Weasley his sister. Potential collaboration with criminal Peter Pettigrew. Potential collaboration with other criminals. Parents not present due to their being in custody for investigation as well. Child advocate Rebecca Martine present in place of parental representation. Please administer the veritaserum."
The unknown witch took a dropper and placed the veritaserum under Ron's tongue. He did not look like he was happy about it but then the potion kicked in and he got a slack jawed vacant expression.
"Ronald Weasley what is your full name and date of birth?"
"Ronald Billius Weasley March 1st 1980"
"Do you have a sister named Ginerva Molly Weasley?"
"Yes."
"Do you have a rat named Scabbers."
"Yes"
"Do you know if the rat named Scabbers is an animagus."
"Yes"
"Do you know the name of the animagus?"
"Yes"
"How do you know the name?"
"He told me."
Harry watched as Madam Bones led the questioning down the path to things she wanted to know. Harry though was sickened as he heard Ron talk about catching Peter molesting his sister in the summer after Ron's first year and he did nothing. How he had talked to Peter about learning spells to alter people's memories and force them to do things. How he had tested those spells on his sister. Making her do his chores. How he had convinced his brothers to come rescue Harry from the Dursley's after he had been told about Hermione's rescue attempt of Harry by his mother. How he was paid by Dumbledore to spy on Harry and Hermione and report if they got close. To try and keep them apart. How after his sister came home and was crying and upset after the Basilisk he cast several Obliviates or rather tried to as he was not quite proficient with them, not knowing that his mother had also given her the potions or that Dumbledore had obliviated her too. When it broke her mind he tried to fix it only causing more problems, not being a healer. When he called Dumbledore to tell him what happened she escaped. Dumbledore showed up and obliviated his family in front of him rather than help look for her. When he was asked if Dumbledore knew about Peter Pettigrew Ron's eyes rolled back in his head and he started drooling and having a seizure. Madam Bones called for medics but by the time they arrived Ron was dead.
"Apparently that tripped an unbreakable vow he had made with Dumbledore. He was dead within seconds."
Harry stood there staring at the body of his friend. A friend who had been paid to keep him and Hermione apart. A friend who had secretly hurt his own sister and then contributed to her mental breakdown.
"What about the rest of the Weasley's are they ok?"
Madam Bones rubbed the bridge of her nose. "No I'm sorry but they are not. Mrs Weasley is dead. She also had an unbreakable placed on her by Dumbledore. We are not entirely certain as the first question we asked her about Dumbledore's actions tripped it.
Harry was close to crying, "What about Arthur and the twins or Percy?"
Raising her eyebrow "The rest of the Weasley's are currently in protective custody. They are recovering from multiple mental tampering and personality modifications. Apparently only Ronald and his mother where aware of the secret that Dumbledore wanted kept so badly he would murder someone over."
"Do they remember Ginny?"
"Arthur does but only barely. The twins and Percy do not. They where all dosed with high levels of the Waters of Lethe along with memory alteration and obliviate charms. As where their family members. It took a great deal of power and effort to remove the memory of her from them."
"So now what for her?"
"Do you and Hermione still wish to adopt her?" Madam Bones pressed.
"Yes of course. Lets go ask her right now."
"I must warn you. There is potentially something inside her head that Dumbledore does not want revealed. Something he has already gone to great lengths to prevent leaking out. If you adopt her it could increase your problems."
"Hermione and I cannot just let her go into an orphanage or get lost in the shuffle or worse who knows what. We love her and want to take care of her."
"very well. I will leave it to you what you tell Hermione and Ginny about what you saw but I do ask that you do not tell anyone else please."
"I understand."