Why, Evan?" she asked.
Harry and Hermione parted reluctantly and Harry grabbed the cart that held his luggage. "I'll explain when we get to the car. It's a little complicated and not something we should talk about in public."
Dan took the cart from Harry and Hermione latched onto his hand. He looked down at her hand and smiled at her.
"We're over this way, Evan," Dan said, then he started off with Harry and Hermione following. Emma followed the two teens with a satisfied smile. It was clear to her that they were on the cusp of forming a relationship. It hadn't happened yet, and still might take a while, but it was growing before her eyes.
Emma was thrilled for Hermione. Despite his rocky upbringing, Harry was unfailingly polite, and usually very soft spoken. He obviously cared about Hermione a lot. Emma felt privileged to be able to witness this. Had Hermione formed a relationship at school it would have been an accomplished fact before she got home. With Harry's insistence that her parents come along whenever possible, she had a front row seat on what Hermione and Harry were going through.
Once they were in the car, Harry rubbed his face tiredly. "In my trunk is a portable door. Remus will be arriving soon and he'll help me install it. It's much more convenient than a portkey, but they're very expensive. Porkeying between here and Fiji takes too long and is dizzying, as I found out at Easter. The doors are custom made in the far east. That's why you don't see them around very much. Sirius had to pull some strings to get them made for us.
"In order to keep customs records straight, I'll be flying home on the 30th of July. On the 31st, you, your parents and Remus will step through the door and come out in our living room in Fiji. I'll be there the next day. The door will be left at your home and we'll use that to go back and forth, rather than unbelievably long flights or sickening portkeys."
"But, Harry, you'll miss your own birthday!" protested Hermione.
Harry shrugged. "It's always been just another day for me. I never even knew when my birthday was until I entered primary school. I learned a lot about..."
He stopped and looked out the window. They were coming too close to subjects he didn't want to talk about. It was common knowledge that life with the Dursleys had been hard for him. Even with that, he didn't like talking about it.
Hermione reached out and gripped his hand, gently squeezing it for support.
"So, do you have any idea what you'd like to do while you're here, Harry?" asked Dan.
He looked forward again. "Yes, sir, I'm thinking that first I'll help Hermione finish off her homework. Once that's done, we'll have more free time. I have a set of exercises to teach her for her focus ring and I need to transfigure a stick to look like her wand. Beyond that, I was hoping that maybe we could visit London and take in some of the sights? I've lived in Britain all my life but except for trips to the store to carry packages and my trips to Diagon Alley and Hogwarts, I've never seen the country."
Dan and Emma exchanged a grin. "Shakespeare walking tour?" she asked excitedly.
"Absolutely!" he replied with a grin.
Harry tried to hide a yawn, but it was too much for him.
"I think someone needs a dose and off to bed," Emma said, watching him carefully.
He nodded. "I could use a bite first, then I've got a potion that should put me out until tomorrow." He glanced at his watch, noting it was nearly five in the afternoon. "I've brought some gifts that I think you'll really like, but I think they'll wait until tomorrow when I'm more awake."
"Well, then, how about some Chinese take away?" offered Dan.
"As long as it's not sushi," Harry said with a shudder. "Sirius tricked me into trying the stuff after I was released from the hospital in Tokyo. Hideous stuff! Give me something that's cooked any day of the week."
"I never thought you were a picky eater, Harry," Hermione replied softly. She liked sushi!
"Generally, I'm not. But sushi reminds me too much of the Dursleys. Aunt Petunia used to give me raw chop meat instead of what she was cooking for dinner. It didn't happen often, but it was enough," he replied quietly.
"That's called a learned response," Emma offered. "It wouldn't be easy, but you could over come it. However, for tonight, we'll have Chinese take away and we'll make sure yours is cooked."
Harry nodded and smiled sheepishly.
Two hours later, Hermione came back downstairs where her parents were sitting in the living room.
"Is he sleeping?" asked Emma.
"Out like a light. He took that dose and was asleep before his head hit the pillow," she replied. "I'm not sure he even needed the potion, he was that tired."
"I can't help thinking about all the things he's missed out on. Then I wonder how he managed to turn out the way he did," mused Dan.
"He's not that bad," Hermione said with a frown.
"No one is saying he is, dear," replied Emma. "But even you have noticed how little self esteem he has at times. He's working on it, that much is obvious, but he still has a way to go."
"He's a good lad. He'll get there. And did you see the muscles he's wearing now? I think that PE course of his is really helping," Dan said
Hermione blushed to the tips of her ears. The changes in Harry hadn't been lost on her. He didn't have a body builder physique, thankfully. She'd never been interested in bulging muscles. Instead he was toned and tanned. When she'd met him at the airport, she'd hugged him and couldn't believe the changes. He was a little taller, which she expected, but he felt like iron. He'd always been a little thin, but he'd put on a bit of weight, and built up some muscle mass. He'd never be brawny, but he looked much better than he had before he left Hogwarts.
Being away from the Dursleys, surrounded by a family who obviously loved and cared for him, certainly agreed with him.
Emma chuckled. "Judging by that blush, I'd say that our daughter has noticed those muscles, too."
Hermione stood. "I don't have to stay here and take this abuse. I'm going to go work on my homework," she said with a sniff. Her blush deepened and she retreated to the sound of her parent's laughter.
Hermione's home, Oxford, England, Jun 26th 1995...
Harry reached to open the door when it was suddenly flung open and he was pulled inside with a surprised squeak.
Hermione glared at him. "Where have you been?" she asked, her eyes flashing and her hands on her hips.
"Out running? I told you about this. I get up at five and run every morning," he replied mildly.
Her expression softened and she motioned for him to enter. "Mum and Dad are just getting up. If you want, you can use the bath in the garage for a shower. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until they're done with it. They're going to spend the next few days at work, catching up on paperwork, until I'm done with my assignments."
"Right. I'll run up to my room and grab some clothes to change into after I shower."
An hour later, Harry sat down to the kitchen table with a small package. The Granger's eyed him curiously.
"Good morning, Harry. Did you sleep well?" asked Emma.
"Yes, thank you. I know you and Mr. Granger are going to work today, but I brought a few magical gifts I thought you'd like to look at."
He opened the package and pulled out what looked to be a pane of window glass. He passed it to Dan. "Thats a natural aquarium window for your study. You hang it on the wall and it shows you a scene of a coral reef just off the coast of Fiji, along with fish and occasionally someone swimming by," he explained. "The really nice thing about it is you don't have to feed the fish."
Harry reached out and touched the window, then muttered something Dan couldn't quite catch. The glass flared to life.
"Astounding!" marveled Dan. "But won't I need to hide this?"
"No. It's charmed so only wizards,or people who know about magic can see it. Muggles will only see a still image, like a photograph."
He reached into the box and pulled out two smaller boxes, handing one to Hermione and one to Emma.
Each opened a box to find a finely wrought gold chain with several polished seashells attached to it. Harry looked briefly uncomfortable and unsure of himself. Maybe these gifts were too personal?
Hermione could feel the magic in the chain and she looked at Harry curiously.
"The old lady that sold me the chains said they were for women only and you'd understand what they do after a month or so. When I tried to get her to explain, she refused. I bought them because they were pretty and I knew they wouldn't hurt you. Sirius managed to get an explanation, but the old lady said I was too young to know."
Hermione frowned, reluctant to put the chain on.
"The old woman said they have their own magic, so even a muggle can use them," Harry offered.
Emma's eyes lit up she loved all things magic and suspected what this might be related to. She undid the clasp and handed it to Dan, then she lifted the her hair from her neck. Dan closed the clasp and she shivered for a moment. Then, with a sigh, she leaned over and whispered something to Hermione.
"Really?" Hermione asked.
Emma nodded.
"That's useful," she said as she passed the chain to Harry. Lifting her hair, she smiled at him. "Will you put it on, please?".
He fumbled with the clasp but finally managed to open the little lock and put it on. He resisted the temptation to kiss her neck. Hermione fluffed out the back of her hair and then turned to smile at him.
"Do you know what it does, Mrs. Granger?" asked Harry.
Emma looked at Harry for a moment, then smiled. "I do, but I think it's best that you don't know for now. You bought them because they're pretty and I thank you for that. It was a very thoughtful gift."
Harry wanted to protest, but settled for a frown instead. He was beginning to feel like the old woman had swindled him somehow.
Dan leaned over and winked. "Harry, if there's one lesson to learn, it's that women aren't meant to be understood all the time. They have this little secret club, you see. If a man gets too close to it, they kill him."
"Dan!" Emma said warningly.
"Dad!" shouted Hermione, her face flushed.
Harry tried not to laugh."I guess it doesn't matter. I didn't buy them for the magic, after all. I knew they were charmed and Sirius said it was safe. I was just curious, that's all. If Mrs. Granger and Hermione say they're alright, I'll go along with it."
He turned back to his package, pulled out three books and gave them to Hermione. "One of these is a new book about using your focus ring. The other two cover advanced transfiguration theory and ancient runes, which we'll be taking next month back in Waivunu."
"Do you use your wand at all any more?" asked Emma.
He nodded. "Sirius and Remus insisted on it. I can do things so much better with my ring, but they want me to continue using the wand. This way, no one will know about the ring. Speaking of that," he said, turning to Hermione, "have you been keeping up your practices?"
Hermione gestured and the tea pot floated across the room and refilled her cup. She looked at Harry and grinned broadly when he laughed.
He was pleased to see she had kept up with her ring work. It was sufficiently different that it could almost be classified as a different type of magic than wanded work.
Dan looked at his watch. "We're going to be late if we don't get a move on," he said to Emma.
They both stood and headed for the door. "We'll be home by five. I'll call later to see what we're doing for dinner," Emma called over her shoulder. A few minutes later the two teens were alone with the breakfast dishes.
Harry stood and looked at the table. "I'll clean up here. Why don't you bring your homework down and work at the table? I'll sit with you and either help or work on my own studies."
She nodded and rushed upstairs for her things.
Harry turned back to the table and raised a hand. All of the dirty dishes lifted off the table and floated into the kitchen. With a twirl of his fingers they washed themselves, one by one, and landed in the drying rack.
"You're handy to have around, Mr. Potter," she said from the doorway. Her arms were loaded with books and parchment.
He grinned. "If that impresses you, you should taste my soufflé."
"You can cook? I never would have realized after seeing you in potions class," she teased.
He frowned. "I do much better in that subject now. I guess it's because I don't have an overgrown bat hovering over me. Do you need any help with your homework?"
She looked at him, arching an eyebrow.
"Er, right!" he said, feeling a bit foolish. "I'll just be over here working on my meditation exercises."
He sat down and closed his eyes. Eton had originally taught him the technique, but several of his tutors had wanted him to continue using it to reach out to his core. The process of touching his core helped strengthen his connection to his magic. Remus and his defense tutor wanted to see if he'd be able to hold a continuous shield by touching his core and attaching it directly to the shield.
"Harry? Harry!"
He opened his eyes and looked up at Hermione. She was leaning over him, looking worried. "Sorry about that. Did you say something?"
She straightened up and looked at him in exasperation. "I've been trying to wake you for twenty minutes. You've been sitting there silently for hours, but every so often you'd... Well, you'd glow and levitate off the chair!"
He chuckled, then stood up and stretched. "Relax, Hermione. Meditation is one of the things I'm going to try to teach you this month. Using it, you can touch your core and strengthen your connection to your magic. Are you done with your homework already?"
She shook her head. "I've completed several essays, but it's nearly four and my parents will be home soon."
"Why don't you give them a call and tell them we'll cook dinner for them tonight? I'll run up to my room and grab my wallet, then we can walk to the store to get what we need."
"Are you sure you can cook?" she asked with some suspicion.
He grinned. "Why do I get the impression that you have problems with cooking?" he asked.
"I'm not answering that," she muttered darkly, as she turned away and picked up the phone.
They ate outside around a picnic table in the Granger's backyard. Harry had cooked a chicken breast over rice dish and had included a number of tropical fruits. The meal was sweet, with a small bite of tartness and well received by the adult Grangers and Hermione.
Dan was surprised to find Harry turning down the offer of a Guinness stout. When pressed, he replied that his tutors had told him that he should avoid mind altering drinks and drugs. Eton's take was a simple, "I teach you to defend your mind and you weaken it with drink?"
Sirius had been extremely disappointed by Eton's attitude, and even more so by the fact that Harry agreed to abide by it. Remus, on the other hand, applauded the decision. Remus rarely drank, it was too easy for the raging wolf to break free when he was drunk.
"So, three of the horcruxes have been destroyed, Harry?" asked Emma.
He nodded and gestured, placing a privacy charm in place. "Yes. The diary, Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup. There's still a ring out there that was once owned by Slytherin and a brooch owned by Ravenclaw. The last one is the difficult one; Nagini."
"Why is that the hard one?" asked Emma. "And what about Voldemort? Isn't he still around?"
Harry leaned forward. "The snake itself isn't the horcrux, but there is something inside it that contains the horcrux. From what I've been able to figure out, the horcrux should be pouring out enough dark magic to change Nagini. She's a very large snake, and most likely she's poisonous. Adding the horcrux to that will enhance her darker features. If she's like other snakes I've talked with, she's also very intelligent."
He took a drink from his glass, then tilted his head in thought. "So, we have a horcrux that moves and can inflict dangerous, perhaps lethal, bites. Remus showed me pictures of several snakes since I had the vision of Nagini and Voldemort last year. He hoped to identify it. The closest we could find was a Black Mamba, which is the second largest poisonous snake in Africa and one of the deadliest snakes in the world.
"Remus thinks Nagini might have started out as a Black Mamba, but that the Horcrux has twisted her beyond that."
Emma shivered. "Do you have any idea where Nagini is now?"
He shook his head. "No, but we're planning to search for her once the other horcruxes have been destroyed. I should be able to get a handle on her fairly quickly, if I can get the snakes to cooperate."
At their confused looks, he was forced to explain. "I can talk to snakes. It's called Parseltongue. British Wizarding society considers it an evil talent."
"That'll be handy," murmured Dan.
"Nagini's a magical creature, but she won't have the ability to cast spells, even if Voldemort's consciousness bled through to her. She'd have to go find another parseltongue, or another snake that does have some abilities to help her," Hermione mused.
Harry turned to stare at her. "Hermione! That's brilliant!"
She blinked at him. "What?"
"She'll go to the one snake she knows has powers and should be willing to help her. The problem is, she doesn't know it's dead!"
"The Basilisk?"
Harry nodded. "What happened in the chamber never became public knowledge. And I think it might be safe to say that Lucius Malfoy never had the chance to tell Voldemort that he willingly gave one of his precious Horcruxes to an eleven year old girl. It may be nothing, but I think it's worth looking into."
"And what about Voldemort, Harry?" asked Emma again.
He twirled his glass around on the table for a moment, then looked up at her. "We're not sure, but Remus thinks that with the destruction of a Horcrux, something interesting will happen. Voldemort's spirit could become disembodied, but with the close proximity of Nagini and her horcrux, he thinks Voldemort's spirit will be absorbed into that horcrux. So, killing Nagini means killing both a horcrux and the excess spirit."
"Of course," murmured Hermione, turning to Harry. "The pull of the horcrux on the spirit fragment would be irresistible." Her eyes widened. "But that would make Nagini..."
"A double horcrux," Harry said, completing her thought.
Everyone fell silent for a few minutes to consider the implications and the atmosphere grew uncomfortably heavy.
"How goes the homework?" asked Dan, trying to change the subject.
"I got about a third of it done, while Harry slept most of the day," she said dryly.
"I wasn't sleeping," Harry protested. "I was meditating."
"Alright, call it what you want," teased Hermione. "I'm just glad you didn't snore."
Looking offended, he bent down to finish his dessert, ignoring the laughter of the three Grangers. He knew when he was out numbered.
Later that evening, Dan and Emma held a private conversation in their bedroom.
"So, what does the necklace do?" Dan asked. He had been dying of curiosity all day.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
He nodded.
"Well, our guest brought them because they are pretty. What he didn't know is they were apparently designed for a specific purpose. I put mine on this morning and my cramps faded away to nothing in seconds. You know that aspirin only takes the edge off. This made them disappear."
Dan suddenly looked squeamish. "Oh."
She glanced at him, amused. "Yes, 'oh'. I think Harry would be embarrassed to know what they do. But you know both Hermione and I have bad cramps every month. This solves the problem and, like he said, it's pretty."
"I think he'd die if he knew. Does Hermione know?"
Emma nodded. "She's actually looking forward to experiencing the necklace for herself. But she's of two minds about it. Like Harry, she's embarrassed, but she's also thrilled. It's the first piece of real jewelry anyone besides us has given her. Add to that the fact that it came from a boy she likes very much."
"She does, doesn't she?" asked Dan unhappily.
Emma looked at him sharply. "What are you upset about?"
"She's still my little girl!" he replied mulishly.
"She always will be, Dan. But she's growing up. When Sirius and Remus talked about Harry's father and grandfather, I thought they were pulling our legs. Now, I'm not so sure."
"You think they are getting too attached?" Dan asked worriedly.
Emma sat on the edge of the bed and thought about his question for a while. "Yes... and no. What I see them doing is starting a relationship in slow motion," she said softly, then she looked at him. "What I mean is that they're going to take things very slowly. Hermione has a good head on her shoulders, and so does Harry. I think this summer we'll see a lot of hand holding and some hugs and kisses from them, and that's about it.
"They'll probably move ahead a bit more next summer, but I don't think you have anything to worry about until we're closer to graduation. Harry's focusing on his education, and making sure Hermione is kept safe. He wouldn't do anything she doesn't want him to do."
"You could tell all that just from today?" he asked incredulously.
She grinned smugly. "I know my daughter and I think I know Harry well enough by now. All I ask is you give him a chance to prove himself to you."
He nodded uncertainly. "I can do that, Em. I'm not trying to be unreasonable."
"I know. Now turn off the lights and come to bed. We have to get up early again tomorrow."
Hermione's home, Oxford, England, July 3rd 1995...
Over the course of the next week Harry and Hermione held mostly to the same routine of study. The only difference was, in the afternoon, they moved into the backyard. He swam in the pool, while she continued to work on her essays.
Now, nearly a week after Harry arrived, she rolled up her last parchment and smiled to herself. Harry had helped when and where he could. He made sure she had something to drink and basically left her to the job. It was quite a change from working in the common room, or even working with Neville and Ginny, where there was always some sort of conversation going on.
They had plenty to talk about, it was just that Harry gave her the solitude she craved to really concentrate on her homework. He seemed to know what she needed and didn't feel as if he had to fill the long silences with pointless conversation.
She placed the last roll in her school bag and used her focus ring to send the entire bag back into the house. With a pleased sigh, she leaned back on her chair and watched Harry swim laps in the pool. She frowned, seeing he was wearing a shirt again.
Standing, she walked over to the edge of the pool, sat down and dangled her legs in the cool water. He looked up and smiled at her. He let himself drift for a moment, then reached for the pool edge and pulled himself out of the water to sit beside her.
"All done?"
She nodded. "It went faster than usual."
"Would you like to learn a new exercise for your ring, then?"
She took a deep breath and almost changed her mind, sure the question she wanted to ask wouldn't be something he'd want to talk about. "I know we talked about this using the journals, but I'd like to know why you always wear a shirt when you're swimming. You have tanned arms and legs, and your face and neck. Why is that?"
Harry's expression altered and he looked down. "I have places on my back that don't tan. It would look weird."
When she remained silent, he glanced up at her. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he sighed, peeled off his shirt and turned away from her. On his back were nearly thirty marble sized scars of irregular shape.
"What happened?" she whispered. Her hand reached out and touched one and he shivered under her touch.
"Dudley," he replied. "It was the only time I ever saw Aunt Petunia really mad at him. He was having a tantrum and he threw a pot of boiling water at me. I ducked, but I was still splashed with it. My plastic surgeon said he could fix some of them, but that there were too many and even a skin graft wouldn't help much because the scars are so old.
"Sirius and Remus know about the scars, but I haven't told them what caused it. I don't like talking about that time," he said, reaching for his shirt so he could put it on.
"Don't," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "They're part of you Harry. You don't need to feel ashamed about them. Believe me when I say it doesn't change a thing about how I feel about you."
He blushed and looked at his feet dangling in the water. "Thank you," he replied softly.
She picked up his shirt, wrung it out and spread it out to dry. Her parents were cosmopolitan enough that her only body modesty came from her own self image and not from others. "Now you were going to show me a new focus ring exercise?"
He grinned at her and held out his hand. A globule of water detached itself from the pool and lifted up to hover over his hand. "This is part exercise and part game. Watch carefully."
The hovering blob of water suddenly seemed to solidify. "It's not really solid. There's a paper thin layer of ice containing the water. Now, the purpose of this, to start, is to make the ball of water hover higher and higher without touching it. If you get really good, you can start playing a form of catch with it. But there's a penalty. If the ball touches you, anywhere, it will shatter and hit you with ice cold water."
Hermione watched him carefully as he lifted the ball twenty feet above his head, then let it free fall. Just when she thought it would hit him and shatter, a puff of wind caught it and hurled it upwards.
He played with the ball for a moment longer, then he let it fall back into the pool and turned to her. "This is where things start to get different from wand use. Hold your hand out, palm up and concentrate on what you want the magic to do. There's no movement, no incantation. Command the magic and let the ring be your focus."
Hermione nodded and held her hand out. A moment later a stream of water hit her, soaking her thoroughly. She glared at Harry, who rolled over on his side, laughing.
"Well?" she asked archly.
He regained control and turned back to her, then averted his eyes. "Hermione, go change into something you don't mind getting wet!" he exclaimed in a strangled voice.
She glanced down at the white t-shirt that was now molded to her frame like a second skin and blushed brightly. It was obvious that she found the water cold. She bounced to her feet and ran back into the house. Ten minutes later, she came back out wearing her bathing suit and muttering to herself.
"I'm sorry," he told her.
She looked at him strangely. "For what?"
"For looking at you when you were like that."
She grinned. "Well, at least you know I'm a girl now."
He grunted and muttered something she couldn't hear.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
"No, you said something. What was it?"
He looked up at her and knew from her expression that she wasn't about to let it drop. He sighed and knew he had backed himself into a proverbial corner. "I said that I was well aware that you were a girl."
She grinned smugly at him. "So, is this what your tutor complained about when he said I was a distraction?"
He thought for a moment, then stood and motioned her over to the table. "I think we should talk," he said softly.
She tensed, wondering what had just happened. Why had he become so serious? She moved to sit at the picnic table and watched him as he joined her there. Her stomach was churning with worry. Reluctantly she took a seat across the table from him.
"I've been told I have a tendency to rush into some things without considering the circumstances and I guess that's true. I'm going to say something and it's going to have an impact on us, Hermione. This last year with Sirius and Remus has been an eye opener for me. But even more of an eye opener was this last year without you in my life."
He looked at her intently. "Believe me when I say I'm well aware that you're a girl. I think you're beautiful and I often wonder what it would be like to kiss you."
She opened her mouth to speak, but he waved her to silence.
"I would like to know what it would be like. But, to be truthful, I'm scared. I'm afraid that if I make that kind of move, I'll risk losing the best friendship I've ever known. Part of me wants more and another part isn't willing to gamble what I have now."
She stared at him for several minutes. He had said things she had always hoped he would say, and then explained why he didn't act on them. It was confusing and annoying, especially since she knew he'd do nothing without any clear signal from her.
Finally, he ran a hand through his hair and let out an explosive breath. "I knew I would mess this up," he muttered in an anguished tone.
She blinked and shook her head vigorously. "No! You haven't messed anything up, Harry," she replied quickly, then she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "I was surprised to hear you voicing the same worries I had. And no one has ever called me beautiful before," she ended in a whisper.
"Well, they should have," he blurted, then looked away quickly.
She looked down at her hands, studying them carefully and trying to control the blush she felt creeping up her face. "So, where does that leave us?" she asked, still staring at her hands.
"Would you like to be my girlfriend?" he asked, then closed his eyes and nearly groaned. Oh, God! Did I just blurt that out? Merlin, did that sound as lame as I think? he asked himself. I'm dead. She's going to kill me. Or hate me. How could I be so stupid? My life is over. Just kill me and bury the body Hermione!
She looked up to see him turning red. Despite his obvious discomfort, however, his gaze captured hers.
"I think I'd like that," she replied, then she did something she rarely did. She giggled as a sudden thought came to mind.
"What?"
"I just had this vision of Parvati and Lavender going ape when they hear that Evan is my boyfriend."
She laughed again and he smiled. He knew from her journal entries that Lavender and Parvati were dying to find out more information about Evan.
As her laughter died away, he mustered his courage, leaned across the table and kissed her, quickly. It caught her by surprise and she stared at him in shock.
He leaned back and sat down again. "We're going to have to try that again when we have more time. Now, do you want to know why you got soaked when you tried to summon the water?"
She nodded, unable to fathom if she was nodding in response to his comment about kissing again, or about the spell. Finally she held up a hand and shook her head, trying to clear it.
"You kissed me!" she exclaimed finally.
"I did. Weren't you listening when I said I wanted to kiss you?"
"I did, but..."
"But you didn't really believe it?" He sighed and shook his head when she reluctantly nodded. "What a pair we make. I was convinced I wasn't good enough for someone like you and you're convinced I shouldn't be interested in you."
She smiled wanly and reached across the table, taking his hand in hers. "It will take us both a while to get used to it. In the meantime, why don't you tell me what I did wrong?"
"Alright, but don't be surprised if I kiss you again sometime."
"I'm counting on it."
He grinned, then pointed at the pool. With a simple gesture, he had a frozen orb of water in his hand. "Your first mistake was that you tried to use your ring like a wand. In an emergency it can fill in for that particular job, but it highlights the limitations of wands and formalized spells."
He turned back to her, still floating the ball of ice water. "When you attempted to summon the water, you used the Accio spell in your mind, didn't you?"
She nodded.
He leaned back on the bench. "The accio is a wand spell, Hermione. Think outside the wand. Sure, you can do the summoning spell with the ring, but it's not exactly what you wanted to do."
He gestured and the orb of water vanished. Next, he conjured a sheet of parchment and laid it flat on the table. "Use your ring to fold the parchment in half."
She frowned. "I don't know a spell for that."
"I know. You don't need one. That's what I'm trying to tell you. Concentrate on what you want your magic to do, then let the ring tap into your magic to make it happen. I know you can do this. You've told me you've been doing the exercises to touch your core.
"Your desire can power your magic without the need for a formal incantation and wand movement. That's what I'm trying to teach you."
She stared at the parchment for a long while. It quivered a few times, then suddenly rolled itself up.
He grinned and unrolled the parchment. "Not quite what I had in mind, but that was good. Let's try it again. This time, make it into a roll instead of folding it. That first time was an accident, but let's see if you can repeat it. Command the magic."
Three minutes later the parchment was neatly rolled again and she let out an explosive breath of relief. "This is hard," she said in complaint.
"It isn't, really. What's hard is forgetting what you've learned. That's why you have so much trouble."
She looked at him, confused. "I don't understand."
"You like the structure of wand magic because you like order. Order is comforting to you. But ring magic is unstructured. There's no spell, no movement, no incantation. You envision what you want your magic to do and the ring helps focus your magic to make it happen. Maybe I made a mistake by telling you a ring could perform as a wand. You took that to mean it works the same way. when it doesn't."
He unrolled the parchment and laid it flat again. "Now, try it again."
She grimaced, but in less than a minute the paper was rolled up. "That time it came easier."
He grinned. "I think that, until you have it down pat, you should practice by doing things which you don't know corresponding wand spells."
Quibbler Headline Article, July 15th, 1995...
Harry Potter Prevents Ward Decay!
Despite his muggle nature, our reluctant hero has once again made his presence felt when he suggested to the International Association of Professional Warders that adding fluoride to their warding ceremonies would help prevent ward decay.
As you recall, Ward Decay was the principle cause of the Muggle stock market crash back in 1929. The Ministry denies this possibility, but they also deny any involvement in the coming Heliotrope revolution or the rise of Voldemort.
Potter, age 14, swooped down on the IAPW meeting in his patented bat suit and announced his findings. He then swooped away before the stunned audience could muster any form of reply. It was only after the incident that Melon Frumpberger, IAPW president and poster child, denied vehemently that it had happened.
Obviously, Frumpberger is lying. We have it from multiple eyewitnesses that Potter appeared to be an expert at swooping. How would so many eye witnesses know this unless it really happened?
This publication can't help but wonder what other mischief Potter will get into. Will he prevent the mass migration of Nargles through Naples? Or will he endanger our world by proving Stubby Boardman is not really Sirius Black using polyjuice?
We strongly suggest that the Ministry find Mr. Potter and stop him before he contacts brain eating aliens from planet Six!
Daily Prophet Article, July 15th 1995...
Wizengamot Narrowly Defeats Harry Potter Day Proclamation.
In a narrow vote, the movement to declare Harry Potter's birthday a national holiday was once again overturned. The Ministry was firmly against the idea, stating that the Wizarding world does not honor muggles by naming holidays after them.
What came as a complete surprise, however, was the fact that Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, came out openly opposing the proposal. Mr. Black is quoted as saying,"Harry does not want the wizarding world to name any holiday after him. He left our world, discouraged and unhappy with the way he was treated. Naming a holiday after him would be a grave disservice to a boy who made the ultimate sacrifice for us."
Walden McNair, Ministry department head and Wizengamot member, led the effort to create the new holiday. "Of course, we're disappointed, and by no means have we seen the last of this effort. However, for now, we abide by the wishes of the Wizengamot. Perhaps we'll try again next year," he said.
In other business, the Wizengamot voted 78 to 22 to declare it illegal to sell medicinal potions to muggles who are not already aware of the Wizarding world. The Wizengamot also approved a proposal by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to create a special unit capable of handling undercover operations in the muggle world.
Hogwarts, office of the Headmistress...
Minerva McGonagall finished the last of the official letters she needed to write to the Governors explaining the past year and the results of the Triwizard Tournament. The board had not been pleased with the outcome and accusations had flown fast and furious against Miss Delacour.
Some claimed she had used her Veela abilities unfairly to confound the other two champions. However, in examining the magical traces recorded during the final minutes of the competition, it was discovered that she hadn't used any magic at all. Krum and Diggory had fallen for a much older and more potent magic than Veela magic. They had fallen for a pretty girl and started fighting over her.
Madame Maxime was understandably upset by the accusations as was the Triwizard Champion, Miss Delacour. Instead of waiting for the facts, several board members made public statements that had resulted in Minerva being forced to write letters of apology on behalf of Hogwarts and the board of Governors.
"Excuse me, Professor?"
Minerva looked up, surprised, but relaxed when she saw the house elf standing in the room, holding a box. A Hogwarts elf would be the only creature capable of entering her office without her approval.
"Yes, Tinky? What can I do for you?"
"Professor, this box contains things left over from Master Albus. Some of them are magical and are still working."
Minerva frowned. She had ordered the elves to clean out the man's possessions when she assumed his position. She sighed. With Dumbledore dead, she might as well try to figure out what to do with his possessions.
"Put the box on the floor, Tinky, and we'll go through it. I certainly don't want you rooting through anything that might contain dark magic. Merlin knows I wouldn't put it past that man," she replied.
The little elf placed the box on the floor next to McGonagall, who leaned down and opened the box. The first item, a foe detector, she placed on the desk. She also found the Puter Outer and several charmed snow globes. Gryffindor's sword was in the box, as was what looked to be an early copy of the Marauder's map. Near the bottom she found a small saucer shaped silver object that spun and emitted puffs of green smoke.
"Well, hello. And what are you?" she asked the object. She placed it on the desk and stared at it. "I've always wondered what you were for."
"It's a tracker, Professor," Tinky said softly. She wasn't used to the new Headmistress yet. Before the changeover, she had been Dumbledore's personal elf.
"A tracker?" Minerva said, looking at her.
"Yes, ma'am. Professor Dumbledore said it tracks his most important student and tells him how he is doing."
Minerva sucked in a breath. "Tinky, do you know the name of that student?"
The little elf trembled in fear, but nodded.
Minerva frowned. She hadn't meant to frighten the creature. "I'm sorry, Tinky. I'm not angry at you. But would you please tell me the name of the student?"
"Harry Potter, Professor."
Minerva sat back on her chair, thinking hard. The device was clearly still operating, but it should have ceased tracking Harry when he lost his magic. She opened the lid on the device and saw a small crystal vial of blood contained within.
It's tracking on his blood? Shouldn't that have stopped when he lost his magic? I don't understand this. she thought. Maybe I could ask Ollivander. He knows about such devices.
She waved her wand and all of the magical objects, except for the tracker, returned to the box. She leaned forward and rubbed her forehead.
Harry's leaving was only one of several odd things that happened last year. What about Miss Granger? she mused. The girl returned from holiday practically ecstatic. Before the break, she had been depressed and her grades had started to slip. But that all changed when she came back. Why?
She considered the rumors that had been circulating near the end of the year about Miss Granger having met a boy on a tropical island. She had dismissed them at the time because she knew the girl wasn't likely to fall that hard for someone she had just met. But what if it was someone she knew very well? Someone she had thought she had lost? That might account for her change in attitude.
She pulled a piece of blank parchment out to write a note to Ollivander. She had a suspicion now and she'd probably know better after she talked with the wand maker.
Hermione's home, Oxford England, Jun 16th 1995...
"Sirius! Remus!" Harry shouted from the pool. He swam to the edge and lifted himself out so he could greet his guardians.
Hermione, floating on an air-mattress, waved and went back to practicing her ring exercises. It had taken her a while, but she had finally made the connection between desire to perform magic and commanding it. Right now she was summoning her orb of semi-frozen water.
"Hey, Cub!" Remus said, flashing him a quick grin before waving to Hermione.
"Harry," Sirius said, then he glanced over at Hermione and grinned slyly. "So, you're checking out Hermione in her bikini, eh?"
Harry blushed and stopped dead in his tracks. What Sirius said was true, but he wasn't about to admit it! He was sure Hermione knew, but neither of them spoke about it.
A second later Sirius was soaking wet and shivering from the now broken ball of semi-frozen water. "I don't mind Harry ogling me. But you're too old, Sirius Black," Hermione said with a sniff of mock disdain. Using her ring, she propelled the air mattress to the shallow end of the pool and climbed out of the pool.
"Old? Me?" Sirius said, aghast.
"Yes, old," agreed Emma from the door of the house. "Now, if you're interested, I happen to know a very nice woman who would probably enjoy knowing you. She's a muggle, a doctor, and probably just up your alley, considering how much she enjoys immature pranks and potty humor."
"Oh, Merlin," muttered Remus. "A female version of Sirius? I'd never survive it!"
Sirius, on the other hand, looked intrigued. "A doctor? Really? Maybe I should meet her!"
The two older men walked to the picnic table and their expressions tightened, becoming more serious.
"Harry, can we talk?" asked Remus.
Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked back at him inquisitively. He shrugged, then joined the two men at the table.
Remus leaned forward and looked at him intently. When he saw Hermione watching them, he waved her over to join them.
"You know I've been hunting for the horcruxes," Remus said as Hermione sat down.
The two teens nodded and Harry reached for Hermione's hand. Something about Remus' attitude seemed off and he was afraid he was about to get some bad news.
Sirius, spotting the two holding hands, raised an eyebrow and grinned, but said nothing.
"A few days ago I searched the ancestral home of the Gaunt family. Gaunt was the maiden name of Voldemort's mother. The Gaunts are all dead, so the building is falling into ruin, but I did discover a few interesting and disturbing things.
"First off, I found Slytherin's Ring. It was heavily warded, hidden under the floor of the sitting room. However, Voldemort never considered that someone might try breaking in from the basement, which was unprotected."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a large gold ring with a green stone and placed it on the table.
Harry looked at the ring with revulsion. When Hermione tried to reach for it, and he snatched her hand away. "Don't," he said, shuddering in revulsion. "It's vile. I can feel it from here." He tore his eyes from the ring and looked at Remus. "Why haven't you destroyed it?"
"There are some spells on the ring that weren't put there by Voldemort," Sirius said. "We think we'll have to break those enchantments before we can destroy the ring. I'll be taking it to the States the day after tomorrow. My friend at the Department of Magic has offered the services of their curse breakers. They don't know what we're destroying, but they recognize that we're searching out dark artifacts and destroying them. They agree the items need to be destroyed and are willing to help."
Remus' expression turned grim. "Harry, we found something else at the Gaunt home. We found Wormtail."
Harry's expression lit up and he looked eager. "Great! When is his trial?"
Remus shook his head. "No, you don't understand. Peter was dead. From the looks of things, he was bitten by a snake, most likely Nagini. From the state of the body, we think he's been dead for at least eight months."
"That would put it right around the start of the Triwizard tournament," Hermione said softly.
"Yes, that was our thought," Remus agreed. "We found a newspaper spread out on the floor with the article that announced you and Voldemort had both lost your magic."
"There were signs all over the place that a snake had spent the winter there," offered Sirius.
Harry nodded and he bowed his head. The news wasn't completely unexpected, but he'd always hoped that someday he'd be the one to give Wormtail the justice he deserved.
"Harry?" Remus said softly.
He looked up, his eyes troubled. "I'm sorry. I know he was once your friend, but I always hoped I'd be there when he paid for his crimes."
"He's paying for his crimes," Sirius said, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "He hurt all of us; you most of all. But never think he isn't paying the price for his actions."
Hermione leaned against him, trying to offer what comfort she could. He took a deep shuddering breath and fought off the welter of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. When he opened his eyes, they were bright, clear and determined.
"Hermione and I have a theory about what Nagini might do," he said.
The two older men looked interested and Hermione outlined their ideas about Nagini.
"Very good," Remus approved, impressed by both of them.
Emma watched from the kitchen window for a moment longer. She knew she would find out later what had happened. What ever it was had a profound effect on Harry. She made note of the fact that he'd accepted comfort from Hermione without question or embarrassment.
The teens had announced to Dan and Emma that they were now officially dating. So far, that meant two trips to the movies, one night when Harry treated the whole family to dinner and dancing, and lots of walks around the neighborhood. They hugged more often and held hands a lot, and even occasionally shared a chaste kiss.
It made Emma want to pull her hair out! She had tried to talk to Hermione, hoping to find out if they were more romantic in private, but her daughter wasn't talking. Emma had come to understand that their fear that their friendship could be ruined had put the entire relationship into slow motion. The pair were exercising a remarkable amount of self control for their age and she was proud of them.
Emma chuckled watching them now. Hermione wasn't entirely above the whole hormone issue. Her choice of bathing suit proved that. Emma had bought her a skimpy blue bikini. She and Hermione had fought over it before Harry arrived, but she still wore it despite the fact that she owned more modest swim suits. She and Dan had taken Hermione several times to Nice, in Southern France, for holiday and she hadn't had a problem until she hit her teen years and became self conscious about her appearance. Now, for the first time, she was starting to gain confidence in herself, thanks to Harry's reactions.
Harry, for his part, nearly swallowed his tongue when he first saw her in her bikini. Emma wasn't sure if the boy would faint, or bolt from the backyard. It took all of her willpower to keep from laughing. Hermione was practically preening from Harry's reaction. And Harry... well, CPR might have been needed had he not snapped out of his shock.
Dan, on the whole, was relieved by Harry's attitude. In fact, Harry often looked to Dan as a guide for how he should behave towards Hermione. He felt much better about the fact that his daughter was dating now that he saw them together.
Emma looked out the window again and smiled. All four were laughing now. Coming to a decision, she reached for the phone, wondering if Cindy could get off work for a small BBQ.
Back at the picnic table, the course of the conversation had altered radically.
"And so I told them that unless they were planning on holding a parade and putting up a statue of you, I couldn't possibly support such a measure," Sirius said haughtily.
Harry groaned and buried his face in his hands.
Hermione looked at him worriedly, then turned to Sirius. "Please, tell me you're joking! You didn't really say that, did you?" she asked.
Sirius nodded. He was actually quite proud of how he had outmaneuvered Walden McNair. He didn't trust the man at all. He was rumored to be a Death Eater, but that had never been proven. His attitudes were definitely leaning towards Malfoy and his crowd, except that the arrogant pure blood was now in prison and useless to those who'd once tried to curry his favor.
Hermione gestured with her hand and a Daily Prophet appeared in it. "I know I saw it here the other day," she muttered. "Ah! Here it is among the letters to the editor. It's from the chairwoman of the International Harry Potter Foundation."
Harry looked up and stared at her, thunderstruck. "I have a foundation?"
"He has a foundation?" asked Remus in astonishment.
"I didn't know you had a foundation," Sirius said, staring at his godson in admiration.
"Oh, Merlin's bloody balls!" groaned Harry, then he buried his face in his hands again.
"Language, Harry," chided Hermione, then she began to read.
"The recent proposed legislation which failed to ratify in the Wizengamot doesn't go far enough in the opinion of the IHPF. We have spoken with the sponsor of original bill and plan to work on bringing a new bill before the Wizengamot when it reopens for session in September.
"We understand one of the major shortfalls of the original bill was a lack of proper recognition for Harry Potter. Declaring a day in his memory is just not enough. Our improved version of the bill will result in a boon for businesses, as well as providing a draw to the Wizarding public. The parade and candle light vigil are sure to be quite popular."
She paused, hearing a strangling sound coming from Harry, who was glaring at Sirius.
The older man wisely decided to beat a hasty retreat. Unfortunately for him, he strayed too close to the pool.
Harry launched himself over the table and leaped, crashing into Sirius and taking him, and himself, into the pool.
Hermione stared, while Remus doubled over with laughter. Sirius stood up, and held Harry under the water.
"Ha! Now who has who?" he gloated. He lifted Harry out of the water by his hair.
"Do you say uncle?" he asked.
Harry sputtered and jabbered something at him. Sirius turned to Remus. "I told you we shouldn't let him learn Arabic. Now he curses at us and we have no idea what he's saying!" He dunked Harry again.
Harry waved a hand and a fin broke the surface of the pool. A large dark shape swam around them and Sirius' eyes bulged. With a shriek, he apparated out of the pool. Harry fell back, laughing and sputtered.
Sirius reappeared next to the picnic table. Harry stood and picked up the inflatable shark he had charmed to act like a real one. Sirius bared his teeth and growled at him.
Hermione, watching Sirius, shook her head. "You know, that's much more effective when you're in your other form," she informed him.
Before he could reply, the door to the house opened and Emma stepped out. She was followed by a tall brunette carrying a platter of chicken. Dan was behind them and made a beeline for the grill.
"Sirius, Remus, Evan? I'd like you to meet my friend, Cindy," Emma said, trying to ignore Hermione's smirk. Smiling, she took the platter from Cindy and walked over to the grill.
Cindy eyed Sirius, who was standing next to the table, dripping wet and wearing a somewhat dumbstruck expression.
Harry quickly canceled the spell on the inflatable shark and climbed out of the pool.
Sirius, finally remembering he was wet and rather bedraggled, shook himself. "Er... I think I'll just pop inside and get into something dry."
"I have some of your clothes in my trunk, Sirius," Harry offered. He had a towel around his neck and was busy rubbing his hair dry. He didn't really have any of Sirius' clothes, but he gave Sirius the excuse he needed to get inside where he could perform a drying charm and a quick transfiguration on his clothing.
Remus snorted and tried not laugh as Sirius beat a hasty retreat. Harry picked up a t-shirt and walked over to Cindy. "I'm Evan, a friend of Hermione's," he said, offering his hand.
"Cindy Adams," she replied. Her eyes took in Harry, noting the scars that spotted his body, including the tell tale signs of plastic surgery on his forehead. She held her tongue. After all, it really wasn't her business.
Remus leaned across the table. "Remus Lupin, one of Evan's guardians."
"Sirius should be down in a few minutes. He went for an involuntary swim," Harry said, then his eyes widened for a brief moment. He had spotted the Daily Prophet on the table in front of Hermione. "Emma must be a prophet. She mentioned you earlier and now you're here," he said lamely, hoping Hermione would catch on.
Hermione looked up at the mention of the word prophet, then paled. She couldn't use her wand. She gestured with her hand and the paper vanished, while Cindy's attention was on Harry.
Fortunately for all, Sirius returned at that point, exiting the house loudly and further distracting the new arrival.
Relaxing, Harry sat down next to Hermione. He leaned against her, watching and enjoying a warm summer evening and, more importantly, Sirius making a fool of himself in front of a woman.
Harry's home, Waivunu Fiji, Aug 1st 1995...
Sirius pulled the land cruiser into the garage and shut off the motor. He turned around in his seat to see why it had gotten so quiet in the back of the car. Emma sat next to one window, and she held up a finger, motioning him to be silent.
Harry leaned against Hermione, who had slipped one arm around his shoulders. He was sound asleep, his head resting on her shoulder.
"Well, that explains the lack of conversation on the way back," Sirius said softly.
"He's exhausted," Emma said softly. "Open the door on his side and we'll wake him up and get him in bed."
Sirius grinned. "Are you sure? Hermione looks quite comfortable at the moment."
Hermione blushed and then she did something incredibly mature for her age. She stuck her tongue out at him, causing him to laugh quietly.
Sirius exited the car and walked around to Harry's side, where he opened the door and levitated him out. Hermione flexed her shoulder in relief. She had enjoyed cuddling with Harry, but her shoulder and arm had fallen asleep. She climbed out after Harry and used her ring to open the doors for Sirius.
Emma walked behind them, smiling at the strange sight they made.
Remus and Dan stood in alarm. They'd been waiting for them to get home for the past hour. Emma motioned them to be quiet. She sat down on the couch, then she tugged on Dan's shirt, making him sit as well.
"There's nothing wrong, Harry fell asleep on the way home, that's all," she explained.
Relieved, Remus sat down and blew out a breath. "Good. I was worried," he said, glancing towards Harry's room. "I think Harry's one of those people who simply cannot sleep on a plane."
"Well, he won't need to take the plane anymore, so that shouldn't be a problem," Dan offered. They had installed the door back in Oxford and the houses were now connected. All someone needed to do was step across the threshold and they were transported thousands of miles in an instant.
"No, it's still something he'll need to know in case he has to travel muggle style in the future," Sirius said as he entered the room "If he has to make this trip by plane again, it might not be a bad idea to schedule a layover someplace like New Delhi."
He flicked his wand and drinks appeared for each of them. He stretched, then sat down near Remus.
"So, he's asleep? And where's Hermione?" Dan asked him.
"She'll be along. She wanted to put a charm on Harry to warn her if he wakes."
"So, Sirius," Emma began. "Cindy tells me you two are becoming an item."
Sirius made a face. "Yeah, maybe." He met her eyes. "You know, I was always a bit jealous of what James and Lily had. Now, for the first time, I find myself experiencing that and I'm not sure what to do about it."
Remus stared at him in surprise. "You've fallen in love already?" he exclaimed.
Sirius shook his head. "No. Yes. Maybe.
"Well, as long as you're sure," Remus quipped.
"Blast I don't know!" Sirius exclaimed, glaring at his best friend. "I can definitely see the potential for it, though. I never thought it would happen to me, especially after Azkaban, but Cindy is different."
"So what's the problem?" asked Emma. She was ecstatic to discover that her little foray into match making seemed to work this time.
"She's a muggle!" Sirius said. A frown wrinkled his brow. "No, I don't mean it in a bad way. It's just that I have to tell her about our world. And then there's the whole lifespan thing."
"Lifespan thing?" asked Dan.
"You know that we live longer than muggles, right?" asked Remus.
Hermione walked in and sat down next to her mother and Dan and Emma nodded to Remus.
"It works like this, our lifespans are tied to our magic. Sirius is fairly powerful, so he should live to be about a hundred and forty, maybe one fifty. Harry, despite his age, is even more powerful. It's very possible that he could live to two hundred, or more.
"When a weaker magic user marries a stronger one, the stronger partner's magic extends the weaker partner's life span to approximate his or hers. For example, Hermione could normally expect to live about a hundred and fifty years or so. Should she stay with Harry and marry him, her life span would increase accordingly."
Hermione chewed her lip and looked down at her feet. She was way to young to be thinking seriously of marriage, but she had considered it already. What she and Harry had could easily go that way.
Sirius grinned at her discomfort.
"Now, in the case of Sirius and Cindy, Sirius' magic would try to extend her lifespan to match his, but because she has no magic of her own, so it will only partially succeed. In the end, it will mean a reduction in Sirius' life span as his magic increases hers."
"What my learned and wordy friend is trying to say is that a permanent relationship with Cindy would extend her life by nearly forty years, while cutting mine by the same. That doesn't really bother me as much as having to explain that to her, along with the fact that there is no divorce from a magical marriage," Sirius said.
Emma frowned. "So, explaining this to her is what bothers you? Or are you just worried about her reaction?"
"A little of both," Sirius said. "I've never had to explain our world to a muggle before. And that's another problem. She's a doctor, a trained, very intelligent specialist in muggle science. There are some diseases that muggles get that Wizards never have to worry about. That works in reverse, of course. Our world has it's share of diseases that seem to ignore muggles. If she had a cold, she'd reach for aspirin or something and I'd be offering her a pepper up potion.
"Those potions would be available for her own personal use, and for any family, but she would not be allowed to use them legally on her patients. Think how she'd feel knowing that there's a cure for a dying patient and she's prevented from using it?"
"What will you do?" Hermione asked quietly.
Sirius shrugged. "I'll keep seeing Cindy for now. If things continue the way they are, however, I'll have to explain our world to her soon. Perhaps I'll invite her here for Christmas."
"Oh, that will go over well," Remus remarked, trying hard not to laugh. "What will you do? Stun her and push her through the door in Oxford?"
Sirius grinned. "You know..."
"No," Emma said firmly. "Before that happens, you'll invite her to our house and we'll help you explain it to her."
Sirius blushed and looked both surprised and relieved. "You'd do that?"
"In a heartbeat," Dan answered for his wife. "I'm going to say something here that will embarrass my daughter, but it needs to be said. I didn't like the idea that Harry was interested in her. She's my baby girl, but I cannot deny the fact that Harry has done more to bring her out than even knowing she was a witch. Emma and I know he's saved her life on more than one occasion, and he's continuing to work to see that she's protected.
"That focus ring business is a prime example. But more than anything else, I've watched them together this past month in Oxford and they fit together like Emma and I fit together. We owe Harry and you and we'll do what we can to help where we can. Even if that means helping you break the news to Cindy about magic."
"Daddy," Hermione murmured, her eyes glistening brightly.
He turned to look at her. "It's true, princess. When you thought you'd lost Harry last year you were depressed. Your letters home were flat, almost emotionless. It was as though someone had sucked all the joy out of your life. Your Mum and I were terrified. You were retreating back into the shell you used to hide behind before you met Harry. Why do you think we took an extra vacation to come visit with Harry? We hoped that bringing him back into your life would bring you back to us. I don't think you'll ever know how much we missed you!"
"It's true," Emma agreed. "When Remus approached us and delivered Harry's letter, we were overjoyed to know that he wasn't gone forever. You two might not be ready to tell each other how you feel, but anyone who knows you both can see that there's love there." She turned to face Sirius. "And that's why we're willing to help you. Like Harry, you deserve something good in your life. Cindy's always been a bit of a cynic where men are concerned, but I know she's very interested. You intrigue her."
"Well, she's interesting and a lot of fun to be around," Sirius replied.
"You would say that, especially after she got you with the dribble cup," Remus said with a laugh.
Sirius ignored the barb. "I'll take you up on the offer, if things continue the way they're going," he told the Grangers. Leaning back, he was relieved to know he'd have help in breaking the news to Cindy. He could only hope that she didn't panic or think them all insane.
"So, what have you got planned for this week?" asked Remus.
Grateful for the topic change, Sirius went on to describe a relaxing week that included a day of deep sea fishing for the men, while the women went shopping in Nadi, one of the largest cities on the island. Sirius would leave Fiji with Hermione's parents after a week. His role in the Wizengamot and the wizarding world was expanding. Remus would stay behind to supervise the two teens and their tutors for the remaining three weeks.
Hermione was looking forward to the extra classes and privately grateful that she wouldn't have to participate in Harry's physical training. That particular tutor had been asked to prepare a gentler regime for her that she could continue, even while going to Hogwarts.
She leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes. It was good to be back in Fiji.
TBC.
Author's Notes:
Well, we're back and we are actually doing author's notes for this story.
First thing we want to do is offer our tanks to Keith and Dorothy for giving this file an extra pair of eyes. We appreciate it no matter what Alyx says. I'd send them a box of donuts, but if I had a box, I'd save them for myself. HA!
Hopefully this chapter will clarify a few points from the prologue. Yeah I didn't call it a prologue, but hey, you people don't pay me enough to do something fancy like a prologue.
We had a few nasty reviews, to those people we bare our behinds and remind you for the millionth time, if you don't like it, don't read it. No one is forcing you and your not paying for it. So your opinion means as much as the donuts I'm allowed to eat (which is none).
This is going to be largely a personality driven story. Unlike our other stories, there won't be a lot of magic and or action. It's a romance wrapped around a horcrux hunt with some magic thrown in because it's Harry Potter.
We've always wanted to write a story where Sirius survived, and this is it. It's also a salute to canon by tossing most of it out the window. You will find elements from books four, five and six in this story. But pieces only.
For those that are tired of bad Dumbledore, well I can't see that going away in this story. But I will say, Dumbledore is gone, I wanted him gone and out of the picture so I could concentrate on more important issues.
One word of caution. Pay CLOSE attention to section headings in this story. They will identify a lot about each section. If you ignore them, do so at your own peril because we'll publicly chastise you if you complain about something we clearly marked in a section heading. (Points to Alyx who has the BBQ pits already fired up)
All those that were convinced the first chapter could have stood by itself, you're right. In fact I first handed it to Alyx as a stand alone one shot and she passed it back saying it was too short. So there you have it. How a 6.6K word story is now pushing more than 50k words and will probably top out around 80k to 100K. Blame Alyx, I blame her for everything.
For all the Weasley bashers out there, sorry, but Ron bashing isn't really going to happen here. Ron will be a git for a few chapters, and then wise up. Sadly however the golden trio is permanent dissolved.