Chapter 7
The Granger Home, June 11th 1997, Oxford England...
Harry woke early, despite getting to sleep very late. His first impression was one of confusion until he realized he was in his room at the Grangers. His second impression was of a very warm and soft Hermione curled up against him, her head on his chest, sleeping soundly.
He glanced over at the clock, but he was too late to join the Grangers for breakfast. They'd already left for work.
"Mum's already been here and gone," Hermione said sleepily. "Now go back to sleep, Harry."
He ran his fingers through her hair and she sighed and snuggled closer. His last thought was that he'd never get back to sleep.
Two hours later he awoke to feel Hermione giggling against him.
"Hermione?"
"You have very sensitive skin," she murmured.
"What?"
She ran her fingertips very lightly along his ribs, barely touching the skin and he shivered from the sensation. She giggled at his reaction and he sighed before he reached up to cup her cheek.
"I'm glad you're having fun," he said dryly.
She giggled again and rested her head against his chest. "So, what now? You're done with school, but you can't use a wand here, not until your birthday."
"We'll work on your homework. That means you'll do it and I'll be here to help, though you won't need it. But no matter. I do have some reading material of my own, as well as some equipment to look over."
"Are you going to explain now about this reserve position you spoke about?"
"It's not all that complicated. Sirius, Remus and I have been played for fools, to an extent. We might have fooled the British Ministry, but the Americans and the Pacific Rim knew who I was shortly after I arrived in Fiji. My defense instructor, Professor Murphy, is a trainer of senior level hit wizards. He was assigned to be my instructor by the United States Department of Magic. It seems that a good many of the other countries have been angry with Britain and their attitude, especially where it concerned Voldemort and myself.
"Officially, I am a reserve, unpaid Auror, attached to the Pacific Rim Ministry. I have an open invitation to their academy, but they wanted me to take this position so that I could legally rely on their resources while I hunt for Nagini.
"They know I may not want to be an Auror, but they were really frothing at the mouth to get me to sign on. All I have to do is agree to attend their academy and they'll issue me a hit wizard license when I complete an accelerated set of classes. It's nice to know I have these options, but I'm not really set on doing that for the rest of my life."
He paused and took a deep breath.
"So what do you want to do?" she asked softly.
"I don't know, but I'd hate to think that fighting was my sole talent."
She sat up on the bed, letting the sheets slip from her body. He sucked in a breath, seeing how thin and nearly translucent her nightgown was.
"You pulled full marks in Transfiguration, Languages, Charms and Runes. Defense is not your only talent, Harry." She looked around, frowning. "But you're right. I have a lot of homework to do, so let's talk about this later."
He nodded and resisted the urge to pull her down into the bed for some serious exploration without bookspace applying limits on them.
An hour later, Hermione set up on the picnic table in the back to do her homework, but found herself watching Harry, rather than working.
Not far away, Harry fussed around with a small tent. Once he had gotten it erect, he crawled into the tent and vanished. The tent shimmered for a moment, then it, too, faded from sight.
Alarmed, she stood up. "Harry?" she called loudly.
There was a sound of rustling canvas and then his head appeared, floating a couple feet above the ground. "You've got to see this," he exclaimed. "It's like a small apartment in here. There's even a small library!" He frowned. "The topics are pretty limited though; Defense, Healing and Law, mostly. A smattering of other things related to survival."
When she looked down at her stack of books, then longingly at the tent opening, he knew what she was thinking. "Hermione, do your work. The tent isn't going anywhere. I'll grab a few of the books and come sit with you and read."
She smiled and turned back to her own books. Harry vanished for a moment, then reappeared. When he exited the tent, it became visible. He sat next to her, reading a text on advanced curse detection and breaking, skills every investigative Auror should have.
Every so often, he'd curse a coin he had placed on the table, then test a few spells on it, observing their results. Hermione would pause to watch, and then she'd turn back to her essay, never noticing that Harry would stop his work to watch her, as well.
Without realizing it, they had set the pattern for the next two weeks. They'd study during the day, and to his surprise, she would ask for his advice and opinions on her Defense and Transfiguration homework. At night, they'd retire to his bed, where they would lie talking and lightly cuddling until sleep took them. They were still going slowly with the physical aspects of their relationship, but without the limitations of bookspace, they were enjoying a more pleasurable time together.
Hermione's parents weren't oblivious to what was going on, but Dan, who had the most objections, seemed resigned to it. Emma, on the other hand, walked around with a smug grin on her face.
Varied Locations in Britain, June 25th 1997...
Harry looked up from the skillet he was using to cook an omelette when Remus and Tonks walked into the room from the back door. He blinked at them in confusion – he hadn't expected them to show up today – then turned and moved the omelette to Hermione's plate.
"Good morning, you two," he said, setting up to cook another omelette. "I wasn't expecting you today. What happened to Sirius?"
Remus shuffled his feet and looked uncomfortable. "Right. About that, Harry..."
Harry turned off the stove and turned to face Remus. "He's all right, isn't he?"
"He's fine, he's just... Well, I know he promised to come along with us, but like yourself, he hasn't been back there since that night. He lost his nerve this morning. Cindy is with him, but he was hitting the firewhiskey pretty hard," Remus said sadly.
Harry sighed and nodded unhappily. "I think we should stop by Sirius' place before we go, then. He needs to know that I understand and don't blame him."
"All right. Finish your breakfast and then we'll swing by Sirius' place," Remus said.
Harry nodded absently and turned back to making his breakfast. "Have either of you eaten yet?"
"We're good. I made us something to eat before we left," Tonks said, then she frowned. "Although I will admit I'm not nearly as good a cook as you or Remus."
Harry shrugged. He was a decent cook, thanks to the Dursleys, but he wasn't always comfortable with it.
Hermione, meanwhile, was watching and surprisingly, wolfing down her omelette. In her mind, Harry was a wonderful cook, far better than she was, and her mother had made sure she knew her way around the kitchen.
"I do all right, I suppose," he admitted. Then he grinned wryly. "If nothing else, I could be a cook or a landscaper if push came to shove."
He levitated his omelette from the pan onto a plate and moved to the table to sit. Remus poured a cup of tea for himself and for Tonks, then joined them at the table.
Harry grinned weakly at Hermione when he spotted her clean plate. She made it perfectly clear that she loved his cooking.
"I was hungry," she mumbled, suddenly feeling awkward.
"Good. I like cooking for you," he said.
It was a simple admission, but it still touched her. This day wasn't turning out like she thought it would. Already there were uncomfortable emotions rising to the surface and they hadn't even left Oxford!
An hour later, the four of them walked into the foyer of Grimmauld Place. Harry looked around in amusement, Sirius had always called the place a dump, but it looked far from that these days. Polished dark wood floors and cheery lights gave the place a happy contrast. Harry knew most of this was the work of Dobby, who was only working for Sirius until Harry could move into his own house.
Dobby appeared in the foyer and bowed slightly. Sirius had asked Dobby to wear a miniature uniform and Harry had to admit, he made an interesting looking Beefeater. Dobby had his choice of uniforms and Harry was never sure what he'd be wearing on a day when he arrived.
"Master Padfeet and Miss Cindy are in the sitting room," Dobby announced.
"Thank you, Dobby," Harry replied, then he turned and opened the door to the main sitting room.
Cindy sat uncomfortably on one end of the couch. Sirius lay stretched out with his head in her lap. It was obvious that he had been crying shortly before they arrived.
"Sirius?" Harry asked worriedly.
He opened his eyes and looked up at Harry miserably. "I'm sorry. I've failed you like I failed your parents."
Cindy moved to caress him again, but Harry stepped closer and grabbed onto of one Sirius' ears. Sirius' eyes widened and he turned to face Harry.
Harry could tell Sirius had been drinking. He knew he'd need to be forceful to get through to the man. He pulled Sirius into a sitting position.
Once he was sitting up, Harry released him. Sirius rubbed his ear and looked at him with a pained expression.
"You only fail them, and me, when you refuse to live, Sirius Black," Harry said angrily. "You saved me from Dumbledore and the Dursleys. It is not a failure if you can't visit my parents' graves with me. Remus will show us the way, and we'll go another day when you feel up to it. But it is a failure to give up like this and admit defeat."
As he spoke, tears rolled down his cheeks. He loved his parents, of course. After all, they'd given him life. But the truth was, he didn't remember them. The man before him, however, was his father in all the ways that really mattered.
Sirius looked up into Harry's eyes, startled by the intensity of emotion he felt from him. Around him, the others seem stunned into silence, watching a drama that was intimate and personal and yet so much a part of what they were all involved in.
"But I convinced James to switch to Peter. If that wasn't bad enough, I gave you to Hagrid so I could chase after the bastard! I can't even work up the courage to face their graves!" Sirius protested brokenly.
Harry kneeled in front of Sirius and leaned back on his heels. "You did. You made some mistakes and as soon as you could, you fixed them. I don't blame you for what I went through with the Dursleys, Sirius. I don't blame you for the death of my parents. You were just one small cog in a machine built by Dumbledore and Voldemort.
"Dumbledore is dead and together, Sirius, we will kill Voldemort so that our family will survive. You saw to that by stepping in and derailing Dumbledore's plan.
"You fixed things as soon as you could. If it weren't for you, I'd still be with those Muggles, or worse. I know. Moony told me how you convinced him that Dumbledore wasn't being truthful and that it was your plan to pull that stunt, faking my loss of magic. Don't you see? You corrected the errors the way my parents expected you would. They know that and I know it."
Sirius shed silent tears listening to Harry.
Harry ran a nervous hand through his hair and looked away. He was suddenly aware that he was crying in front of his family.
Sirius wiped his face and heaved a sigh. "How did you ever get so smart?" he asked.
Harry choked on a laugh. "My mother, I think. Or maybe from Remus' side of the family. Can't be from your side; you're too stupid."
There was a moment of shocked silence, then Tonks started to giggle, while Remus preened and looked proud. Sirius looked at Harry for a moment longer, then he barked out a laugh in that strange style of his.
Sirius started to stand up, but Cindy placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him in place. "Sirius, relax," she said. "Harry said he doesn't need for you to accompany him."
Harry stood and patted him on the shoulder. "Someday, Sirius, when you're ready, we'll go and sit by their graves and tell them about our adventures on Fiji. Today, Remus will take us."
Harry walked to Remus as Sirius moved into Cindy's embrace.
Remus held out the portkey for the others. Tonks, Hermione and Harry reached for it and they all vanished.
Sirius looked at the spot where they had stood a moment before, then turned to Cindy. "I've made a right fool of myself today, haven't I?"
She patted his cheek fondly. "Yes, but you had a good reason for it. And while you might have made a fool of yourself, most of it came from a bottle. Do have any idea what just happened here, Siri?"
He nodded slowly. "Yes, my pup is growing up."
"He's grown into a fine man, Siri. You and Remus should be proud of that. You both made it happen, despite his rough start. His parents would be so proud of him, and you for what you've done for him."
He nodded sadly. "I just wish it hadn't been necessary."
"We all do. Now, let's get up and be about our business. We have a wedding in four days and I still haven't bought my nightgown for our wedding night."
Sirius' expression brightened. "Do I get to help with that?"
She laughed and hugged his arm. "Maybe, if you help me finish the seating chart the caterer needs."
Godric's Hallow, June 25th 1997...
Harry looked around curiously once he had recovered his footing. He would have preferred another method, but he was the only one who knew that way of traveling yet. Since Remus was the only one who had been here before, a portkey was the preferred method of travel.
They were on a footpath at the bottom of a gentle slope. Around them were thick woods that blocked and dimmed the sunlight.
"It's at the top of the hill," Remus said, then he took Tonks' hand and started walking up the path.
Harry reached for Hermione's hand and followed the pair in silence. He was grateful that Hermione was here, but right now he didn't need to talk. She knew that he would speak when he was ready.
After a short walk they came out on top of a small hill. The path wound its way towards a small cemetery. The cemetery was built around a small chapel, and around the entire area was a wrought iron fence. The gate was marked with the names of Gryffindor, Finch, Stevens and Potter, each name marking a cadet branch that at one time carried the title of Heir of Gryffindor.
Harry turned to Remus, who glanced at the gate, then shrugged. "Each family made its mark here. Your family is the sole surviving line of Gryffindor. The other branches have all died out now."
He paused and looked at the gate again. The names represented many people, perhaps hundreds, now gone. He reached out and touched the gate, testing its reality. This is my family, he thought. No, this was my family. Sirius, Remus, Cindy, Hermione and the others are my family. This is my history and I am their legacy.
He pushed against the gate and it swung open noiselessly. He glanced at Remus who smiled. "I've visited here several times each year since that... day. It doesn't take much to refresh the charms on the place."
Harry nodded and smiled his thanks. Gripping Hermione's hand he walked through the gate. He looked at the small chapel for a moment, but turned away, looking for a specific spot.
"It's this way, Harry," Remus said, pointing. He led them around the side of the chapel. There, under a huge oak tree, lay a simple stone marker.
Harry sped up, crossing the other graves with barely a glance until he reached the marker under the tree. There, he knelt next to the stone, examining it as if it held the answers he sought.
James Potter
27 March 1960 - 31 October 1981
Lily Potter
30 January 1960 - 31 October 1981
Beloved Parents, Faithful Friends
Truly missed
CERVUS LACESSITUS LEO
Remus and Tonks moved to sit at a nearby bench, leaving Harry and Hermione alone at the grave.
He ran a hand over the cool marble, then he conjured a handful of flowers, which he laid at the base of the headstone.
He looked up at Hermione, who stood nearby nibbling her lip worriedly. "I always thought that visiting this place would mean a lot to me. I mean, when I was growing up in my cupboard, I used to dream that my parents would show up one say and say 'We're sorry, it was a terrible mistake, we're here to take you home'. But that never happened."
He sighed and his shoulders drooped a little. "I thought I would feel remorse, but I don't. I mean, I feel the hole they left behind when they left me, but it's been a part of me for so long, and Remus, Sirius and you have filled so much of it. I'm sad, in a way, that I couldn't be with them. But how can I miss what I don't remember? I can't miss what I never had, can I? Does this make me a bad person, Hermione?"
She smiled sadly at him and moved to stand closer. Her own heart was breaking for him and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "No, it doesn't make you a bad person. It just means you're human. They were taken from you so long ago you don't remember them."
He nodded slowly and turned back to the headstones. "I'm sorry," he said simply to the cold stone. "We could have had so much and it was taken away from us. You probably already know it, but Remus and Sirius have been taking care of me."
He stood and placed a hand on the stone. "I hope that I'm good enough. I try to live up to what I think you'd like me to be. You were my parents, but I don't remember you, except for some nightmares. I don't remember you at all, and for that, I'm sorry."
He reached for Hermione's hand, the pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"This is my Hermione," he said to the stone. "Someday, after I kill Voldemort, I'm going to marry her and we'll build a family of our own. I'll do my best to be the type of parent I know you would have been."
She turned into his chest and bit her lip. It had dawned on her that he wasn't mourning his parents; they were strangers to him. He was mourning a concept of parents and family that had been denied to him for most of his life.
She looked at the stone again. "Cervus lacessitus leo," she whispered.
Harry smiled. "Appropriate, don't you think? It suits me and my father. I wonder if it was the family motto or just his?"
Seeing her confusion, his grin widened. "Cervus lacessitus leo: The stag at bay becomes a lion," he translated. Her knowledge of Latin was limited to her spell vocabulary, while Harry had picked up the language on a lark. It annoyed Sirius when Harry spoke to him in Latin, and anything that annoyed Sirius was well worth the effort.
She smiled up at him, comprehending. It was appropriate, considering his connection with stags and the Gryffindor line.
He wrapped his other arm around her, holding her tightly and laid his head against the top of hers.
"Are you all right?" she asked softly.
He kissed the top of her head. "Never better. I can't be upset when I'm holding you."
They stood like that for several minutes before he released her and they walked over to the bench were Remus and Tonks sat, talking softly.
The two adults smiled at the teens approach. "All right there, Harry?" asked Tonks.
"Fine," Harry replied.
Seeing both Remus and Tonks frown at him, he grinned. "Really, I'm just fine. I needed to visit this place to understand."
"Understand?" echoed Remus in confusion.
Harry nodded and waved a hand towards the graves. "These were my family, people who lived their lives and, through them, allowed me to be born. I am their legacy, but they're not my real family, they're my history. My family, the people I can reach out and touch right now, who alter my life by being a part of it, are you and Tonks, Sirius and Cindy, Hermione and her parents. That's my family now. Family is people you love and who love you. Blood is part of it, but the love is even more important.
"James Potter was my father, but you and Sirius earned the title of Dad."
Remus stood and walked over to Harry, then clapped a hand on his shoulder. His eyes were suspiciously bright. Tonks sniffled on the bench. She was a late comer to the group and after a few welcoming pranks, had been accepted by all with open arms.
Harry's right, she thought. We are a family. It was a difficult concept for her. She had parents who loved her, but Sirius, Remus and the others accepted her for what she was. Acceptance was a rare commodity for the young metamorph.
"It'll be fine, Remus," Harry said. He had rarely seen the older werewolf so touched before.
"You know it will, cub," replied Remus.
Harry looked around. "Remus, who owns all this? Besides yourself, who keeps it up? The lawns look freshly cut and raked. Is there a caretaker?"
"You own the land," Remus said quietly. "Magic does most of the upkeep, but like I said, I come here every few months to refresh the charms."
He pointed south, towards a thick picket of trees. "That way lies Potter Manor, and your parents' cottage. A little further south of the cottage is the village. The cottage is just a burned down shell. No one wanted to touch it. I'm not sure if it was in memory of your parents, or fear that the ground had been cursed."
Harry nodded grimly. He would do something about that. Perhaps rebuild the cottage. But not today. He wouldn't worry about that until he officially came of age in Britain in another month.
He looked at Remus. "Thank you, for what you've done here for them, and for me."
"We're family," Remus replied, testing the word out for himself and liking it. He always thought of it like that, but it wasn't always easy to say so.
"Shall we apparate back to Hermione's place?" Harry asked.
"If you don't mind, I think I'd like to show Tonks around a bit more."
He nodded and watched them walk over to another pair of graves. Harry had spotted them on the way in. They marked the resting place of his grandparents, killed before his father had married his mother.
"Harry, I'm not sure I can apparate that far," Hermione said uncertainly.
He tore his eyes away from Remus and Tonks and looked at her. "I think you're underestimating your abilities, sweetheart. But no matter. Do you trust me?"
"You know I do," she said.
He gathered her into his arms, holding her tightly. "Close your eyes," he whispered.
She leaned against him, her eyes shut tightly. There was a brief sensation of motion, and then he tilted her chin up and kissed her lingeringly. When the kiss finally ended, she sighed happily against his chest.
"You can open your eyes," he whispered.
She looked around in astonishment. They were in her room!
"What was that?" she asked in a shocked voice.
"That," he said smugly, "was an International Auror Teleport. It's banned here in the U.K., but I'm going to teach you how to do it tomorrow. An average wizard has a range of nearly two thousand miles with it, instead of the usual one hundred to two hundred miles of an apparate."
"Why is it banned here?"
Harry sighed. "Because it's untraceable and there are no wards preventing it. Aurors outside of Britain learn it in their last year at their academies. It's not taught to the general public, but I have permission to teach it to my family, as long as I get an oath that you won't show it to others and will only use it when you know you won't be seen. It's not a perfect spell, though. Never open your eyes while teleporting. Trust me on that."
Hermione nodded absently and moved to sit on her bed.
He watched her for a moment, worriedly. "What's wrong?"
"Aren't you worried that with all the help you've been given by the Pacific Rim that you'll feel obligated to go back there?"
Harry leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, looking at her. "I suppose that's a possibility, but would it really be all that bad? I've been invited to attend the Mitsumi, to study. Their Ministry wants me, in particular their Magical Law Enforcement, but they aren't the only Department interested. I'm not saying I will go that route, but it's nice to know I have options."
"But what do you want to do?" she pressed, then laughed when he wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Besides that!" she exclaimed. Their sex life was steadily improving, even if they were still both technically virgins. Between them, body modesty had already vanished.
"There are no magical universities in Britain or Europe, Hermione. If you want to go for your Mastery here, you need to accept an Apprenticeship under a Master, and that Master can keep you up to seven years. I know you want to continue working for a Mastery in Arithmancy and maybe Runes. We could do that elsewhere."
She leaned back against the headboard, thinking. She did want a Mastery in Runes and Arithmancy, as they were prerequisites for getting into spell crafting. "So I could go to a school in Japan and get a Mastery there without an Apprenticeship?"
He nodded and tried not to grin. He could see she was weakening. The Apprenticeship system in Britain was downright feudal in nature. The Master had control over the apprentice and was allowed to do nearly anything he or she wanted to. It was the primary reason why so few people went on to obtain a Mastery in any subject.
"I don't speak Japanese," she noted.
"There are translation spells which you can use until you learn. It's not an easy language to learn, but it's worth the effort. Besides, we're not limited to Japan. There's a whole world out there waiting for us. And there are a lot of places that speak English."
"And what would you do?"
He shrugged. "Same as you, only different subjects. Transfiguration and Charms."
She shook her head. "It's so far from home, though."
"And I would buy a portal door to wherever we stay. Look, sweetie, you don't need to decide today. I haven't made a decision myself. But I want you to promise me that you'll at least consider it. I don't think either of us want to stay in Britain afterwards."
Hermione frowned and got off the bed. She paced in front of Harry a few times before turning to him. "I don't understand this. Why are we the ones who are so backward? Portals are a prime example of that. Illegal in Britain and barely used in Europe, but they are everywhere else!"
"You know the answer to that already," he replied calmly.
When she turned away to begin pacing once more, he came away from the wall and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "We've talked about this before. Wizarding Britain is behind most of the rest of the world, except for the European nations that seem eager to follow us. Meanwhile, our society has a moral system that more closely resembles Imperial Britannia at the height of Queen Victoria, than it does modern Muggle Britain.
"You saw Molly last year. She didn't like the idea that other countries were ignoring British law. And she didn't like that I was so assertive with her. Britain and the continent are so conservative, it's remarkable that they even allow new spell development.
"Madam Bones is working hard on fixing that, and Sirius is helping, but I don't expect she'll make any major changes anytime soon. Look at Sirius' equality bill, it was passed, grudgingly, but is rarely enforced. The Minister is stuck trying to implement slow changes because sweeping reforms would spark a revolt among the purebloods.
"Look at the Yanks, or the Pacific Rim. Both Ministries are working to integrate themselves with the Muggle governments. They are openly embracing the newer Muggle technologies. The Yanks are even working on something called technomancy, which combines technology and magic together. If you don't believe me, ask Remus what your chances are of landing a Ministry job."
She frowned at him and sat at her desk. "So you think we should abandon Britain altogether? Our home?"
Harry scowled back at her. "Now, I didn't say that and you know it. All I'm saying is that there is little either of us can do as fresh graduates. I have a Mastery under my belt, but it's not the one I really want. I'm willing to spend the five years of schooling to obtain Masteries in Charms and Transfiguration, and then maybe spend a few more years outside of Britain, getting experience before coming back to help move things forward.
"This is my home," he said firmly. "But I can't do anything about it until I have some real life experience under my belt. You're in the same boat, sweetie, like it or not."
She leaned back on her chair, thinking. It was a bold move, but she was already aware of the difficulty she'd face trying to get a Ministry job, considering her background. Having a Mastery would make that so much easier. Even a Muggleborn was respected when she has a Mastery in a subject. The Mastery opened doors that her heritage slammed shut.
Slowly she nodded. "All right, I'll consider it. In the meantime, I want to see the book you learned the Auror Teleport spell from."
Harry nodded and summoned the book to his hand, then gave it to her with a broad grin. It wasn't exactly the same book he had learned from. His book was more practical in nature. The one he gave her was an in-depth examination of the process, including the theory behind it.
She turned and took a seat at her desk, opening the book.
"Call me when you're ready to try it," he said, kissing the side of her head. She was already engrossed in the book.
"Uh huh," she mumbled.
He chuckled and walked from her room.
The Granger Home, June 29th 1997, Oxford England...
Harry walked out into the backyard holding a tray of drinks. Emma followed him a moment later carrying another tray with snacks on it. He placed the tray on the table and sat down next to Hermione, exhausted from the day and, for the first time in hours, comfortable.
Hermione opened a butterbeer and passed it to him before taking one for herself. "Well, that was fun," she murmured tiredly.
Harry kicked off his shoes and banished his socks to his room, then he sighed, brushing his bare feet in the cool grass. Hermione grinned and echoed his actions a moment later. They both had spent a good deal of the evening dancing and their feet were sore.
Remus and Tonks appeared at the apparation point with loud pops and spotted the trio sitting at the table in the dark. They angled over to join them.
"Why are we sitting in the dark?" asked Tonks.
"It's quiet and not so bright," Hermione replied. She was leaning up against Harry.
As if to belie that statement, the yard lights switched on. Harry flinched and blinked under their harsh glare.
"Drink too much, cub?" Remus asked in amusement.
He shook his head. "No, just that one champagne toast. I just wasn't expecting Dan to switch on the lights."
The back door opened and Dan stepped out into the yard. He joined them at the table. "There's just something about weddings and receptions that exhausts me," he complained as he sat down.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Did Sirius and Cindy get off all right?" asked Emma.
"I don't know. We'd have had to stick around to find that out," answered Tonks with a snort and a laugh.
A complete and shocked silence fell on the table for a moment before Harry began to laugh. A moment later everyone joined him.
When the laughter finally died down, Remus replied to Emma's question. "They left for the airport just fine. I'm surprised that Cindy convinced Sirius to use Muggle transportation."
"Come on, Remus. Not everyone likes international portkeys," Harry said sourly. His hatred of them was legendary. "Besides, a flight to the States is a lot shorter than a flight to Nadi."
"Cindy convinced Sirius to travel as a Muggle for this trip. He has his wand with him, but he's promised to keep the magic to a minimum," Emma commented.
"I have to admit I was surprised that the ceremony was so... ordinary. I expected that sometime after the service there would be some sort of magical ceremony," Dan said quietly.
Emma nodded in agreement. "Yes, what about the whole lifespan and magic merging thing?"
Tonks shrugged her shoulders and glanced at Remus, who could only shrug in return. "I don't really know. My mum told me about the magic merging when she gave me the talk, but she never told me the exact details. She said it was something the couple learned closer to their wedding. The Ministry didn't want people merging magic during a casual encounter."
"Sirius explained it to me," Harry said softly. "When he gave me the talk, he was already thinking about marrying Cindy and had looked up the information. It's another case of the Ministry being pigheaded, if you ask me. It's not something that can happen accidentally."
Dan turned to him. "So, how is it done?"
Harry blushed and was thankful that, even with the yard lights, his blush wasn't that obvious. "Well, the merging isn't something that happens instantly. It can take up to a year or more, depending on the strength of the people involved.
"There's a short ritual that starts the merging. That's usually done by the couple, in private. Did you know that failure to perform the ritual, or if the ritual fails, you have the only acceptable grounds for annulment by the Ministry?"
Dan leaned closer. "But how is it done?" he pressed.
"Ah..." Harry said, looking very uncomfortable. "I'd rather not say. It's private."
"Harry?" Hermione said.
"Later," he replied in a strangled tone. He was reluctant to explain to the parents of his girlfriend what was entailed in the ritual. It was a private matter between the couple and not something you normally spoke of with future in-laws. Dan was just getting used to them sleeping in the same bed; he wasn't ready to entertain the idea that they might have sex. And he certainly wasn't ready to hear about a ceremony that involved certain bodily fluids.
Hermione sat back and huffed. She hated not knowing something and this was clearly magical, so it had not come up when her Mother gave her The Talk.
"Don't worry, Hermione," Tonks said easily. "It's listed in several common books, and if you really wanted to know you could always ask someone, like that red head's mother."
Harry choked on his drink and coughed loudly. Ask Molly Weasley? Oh, Merlin, can I get the pensieve memory of that conversation to see? he thought.
Remus pounded on Harry's back and grinned. He knew of the ritual, and while he never thought he'd ever perform it, both Sirius and James had explained it to him. Unlike Harry, however, he knew when to keep his mouth shut.
Hermione glared at Harry and he winced, knowing full well that she would be demanding an explanation in private.
"So, what's this about you talking to the press, Harry? Do you know how dangerous that was?" Remus asked.
Harry shrugged. "Evan spoke to the press, and he wouldn't have done so, but it seemed the best man was too busy ogling the pretty blond in the front row on the groom's side."
Remus blushed and looked away from Harry's gaze. "I guess I deserved that."
"Be thankful, Remus. I was half tempted to tell that reporter from the Prophet that the Quibbler had the story right all along."
Hermione started to choke on her drink. She sputtered for a moment, then glared at him. "Don't do that! It's bad enough that Luna knows about you without you fanning the fire."
He grinned. He'd never tell the Prophet any such thing, but he could dream, couldn't he?
Disney Contemporary Hotel, Disney World, Orlando Florida, June 30th 1997...
Cindy breathed a sigh of relief when Sirius closed the door after the bellhop left. Their flight had arrived barely an hour ago and it was very early in the morning.
Sirius pulled off his tie and smiled tiredly at her. "I never knew sitting could be so tiring," he said. "I've flown enough times now, you'd think I'd be used to it."
She laughed. "We have some flights that will be a lot worse, love. That flight from Los Angeles to Sydney will seem like forever."
"I'm not going to worry about it," he said bravely. "Right now, it's four in the morning and I think we need to get some sleep."
She nodded and walked into the bedroom with Sirius close on her heels. She opened the large steamer trunk they were using and wondered why the wizards seemed so enamored of steamer trunks. With a mental shrug, she pulled out her nightgown and headed into the bathroom.
Sirius looked out at the panoramic view of the Magic Kingdom and chuckled to himself. Magic? If they only knew, he mused. Despite the late hour, the park was lit up, as was the edge of the man-made lake. They were in one of the many executive suites, which included nearly every luxury one could possibly imagine.
Shaking his head in amusement at his own thoughts, he moved away from the window and started to strip down.
From the bathroom he could hear Cindy getting ready and he grinned. He had seen her nightgown, but hadn't seen it on her yet. That was something he was looking forward to with anticipation.
By the time he was down to his boxers, she stepped out of the bathroom wearing a light robe over her nightgown. "Your turn," she told him.
He grinned and headed into the bathroom, pausing only long enough to kiss her cheek.
Cindy smiled to herself and marveled at the changes in her life. Sirius had appeared on the horizon, thanks to her friends, and he quickly filled a place she didn't even know was empty. Their romance blossomed so quickly that it had at first worried her that it was an infatuation.
That worry dropped away as Sirius started showing her more and more aspects of his personality and his world. He was eager to show her the magical world; the good along with the bad. She knew that despite his fears, he would make a wonderful father. It was obvious from the way he treated Harry.
Sirius was a complex man who hid much behind a mask of practical jokes and a happy-go-lucky nature. But she had seen beyond the mask and held him when he wept for friends lost and years wasted in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
She thought herself to be extremely lucky to be loved by such a man and would have been surprised to know that Sirius thought the same thing about her.
Sirius stepped from the bathroom and turned off the bathroom light. He grinned and approached Cindy, who stood waiting for him. She smiled softly and then she turned and shut off the lamp near the bed. The room fell into darkness with the only light coming from the illumination of the park in the distance.
She turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Finally, this day is over and I have you where I want you," she whispered.
He leaned down a little and kissed her while his hands undid the belt holding her robe closed. "My mother wouldn't have approved, but I am so happy you're now Mrs. Black," he replied after breaking their kiss.
She stepped out of his arms and let her robe slip to the floor, where it pooled at her feet. Sirius gasped; she looked almost like an angel in her nightgown. For a brief moment, he recalled a conversation he once had with Harry about there being two types of nightwear for women; the type that keeps them warm and the type that makes them hot. This was definitely one of the latter category.
She put a hand on her hip and twisted slightly, posing for him. "I take it you like what you see?"
He nodded dumbly, unable to find the words.
She smiled to herself then stepped close enough to reach down and caress his erection through his boxers.
He moaned slightly and his boxers exploded.
Literally.
There was a sharp snap and pieces of cotton flew everywhere. She jumped back in alarm and his pelvic region suddenly lit up like someone had turned a spotlight on it.
"What the...," Sirius gasped in alarm.
Two eyes appeared and blinked at him. He blinked back and looked back at Little Sirius, who was giving new meaning to the words 'get head'. His erection twisted and bent so that there was a ninety degree angle in the middle. The head swiveled until it spotted Cindy who, by now, was sitting on the floor, staring at Sirius' suddenly sentient penis in awe. One eye deliberately winked at her and she blinked in surprise, then, to Sirius' consternation, she started to giggle.
His erection wolf whistled at her, twice, and she blushed heavily.
"Hey now! That's my wife..." Sirius trailed off and wondered just who he was arguing with. After all, he wanted to use that particular organ on her.
The head twisted for a moment and glared up at Sirius before turning back to Cindy. It winked again and then began to sing.
I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts
There they are all standing in a row
Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head
Give them a twist a flick of the wrist
That's what the showman said
I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts
Every ball you throw will make me rich
There stands my wife, the idol of me life
Singing roll a bowl a ball a penny a pitch
Roll a bowl a ball a penny a pitch
Sirius groaned and buried his face in his hands, while Cindy howled with laughter.
"Now you stop that!" shouted Sirius, which only caused Cindy to laugh even harder.
His erection twisted again and looked up at him and quite clearly blew a raspberry in his direction. Sirius stumbled backwards and fell into a chair. His erection changed songs.
Day-o, day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home...
Sirius groaned and grabbed at the singing penis, which made a strangled noise.
"Help me!" shouted his penis. "No, wait, do that again!"
Cindy peeked her head around the edge of the bed to see Sirius trying to strangle the little crooner and she started laughing again. Sirius let go of himself and shot her a sour look. He didn't know who was responsible, but someone was going to pay for this!
Daily Prophet Headline, June 30th 1997...
Sirius Orion Black Marries Muggle!
Yesterday, in a small private service consisting of mostly Muggles and a few wizards, Sirius Orion Black, age 36, wed Cynthia Patricia Adams, age 34. The ceremony took place in the famous chapel of St. Mary's, in Oxford.
Black has been long listed as one of Britain's most eligible bachelors, topping out that list at number eight for the past three years. He is most famous for his role in Harry Potter's life and as such, his wedding resulted in more press present than actual participants of the service. It had been hoped that Black's marriage would have resulted in a public appearance by Harry Potter, but that wasn't the case.
Potter, age 16, heroically sacrificed his magic so that we may live happily without the threat of You-Know-Who. Although there have been numerous sightings of Mr. Potter over the past three years, none have been confirmed.
Evan Black, a cousin of Mr. Black, offered a statement to the press following the service. "Mr. Black appreciates the interest his wedding has generated, but he asks your indulgence as he and his new bride desire nothing more than to have their privacy while on their honeymoon."
When pressed, Evan Black admitted that Mr. Potter regretted his inability to attend his godfather's wedding, but that he was not in the country and had other obligations. Mr Black refused to divulge any further information concerning Harry Potter.
Sirius Black is a current member of the Wizengamot and one of the Ministry's strongest supporters. Currently, he holds the only Ambassador-at-Large position, standing in for the Ministry in several recent international conferences. Prior to that, he spent twelve years in Azkaban prison, wrongly accused and never tried for the crime he was accused of.
Mr. Black escaped from prison for the express purpose of coming to the aid of his godson, Harry Potter. He spent an uncomfortable year on the run from Ministry Aurors until his name was cleared in the scandals that followed the fall of Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic.
It was rumored that he played a key role in the downfall of Minister Fudge, and in the disappearance of Harry Potter. Efforts to locate the missing hero have failed because the Ministry does not track Muggles.
Mr Black was attended by long time friend and known werewolf, Remus John Lupin, and his younger cousin, Evan Black.
Ms. Adams was attended by Emma Granger, Muggle, and her daughter Hermione, a seventh year student at Hogwarts. It is rumored that the Grangers were instrumental in arranging for Ms. Adams to meet Mr. Black.
Ms. Adams is a doctor of some sort, a respected job among the Muggles.
Quibbler headline, June 30th, 1997...
Stubby Boardman Marries Duck!
In a move that surprised no one, Stubby Boardman, former lead singer of the Hobgoblins, married long time sweetheart and known reversemagus, Doris Purkiss.
Ms. Purkiss is famous for claiming that Stubby Boardman really was Sirius Black. She is also the only known duck capable of changing herself into a witch.
The ceremony was attended by friends of Mr. Boardman's and Ms. Purkiss' paddling. We were unable to attend the party that followed the service, but we were told by reliable sources that guests were served cheese and quackers.
See photos page 6 and 9.
Coming next week. Harry Potter invades Antarctica! Claims the continent for Cyprus, then challenges Canada to an arm wrestling match.
Little Whinging, Surrey, July 20th 1997...
"Are you sure about this, dear?" asked Emma as she pulled out onto the motorway.
"Do you think I shouldn't?"
"I'm not saying that, Hermione. I just want to make sure you're absolutely certain why you're doing this."
Hermione sighed and looked out the window for a moment, trying to order her thoughts before replying. "I told you that he's told me that when I graduate from Hogwarts, he'll ask me to marry him, officially, ring and all?"
Emma resisted the urge to let go of the steering wheel and hug her daughter, opting instead to grin broadly. She couldn't help but marvel at the thought of her daughter in love. Before Harry, she thought Hermione would never get her nose out of her books to discover the world. "Yes, I think I recall you mentioning that before. I'm not surprised that he'd mention it before he actually asks you. Your father did the same thing."
"He even intends to ask you and Dad for permission sometime after I return to school," Hermione added.
"How do you feel about it?" Emma asked calmly.
"I love him, Mum. I want to marry him and I don't want to wait for us to get married. I'd marry him tomorrow, if I thought I could get away with it."
Emma nodded. Her daughter had just confirmed that they hadn't been fully intimate yet. It was information she was interested in. She'd never admit it to Hermione, but she was downright nosy about her daughter's love life. She and Dan had a wonderful relationship and she wanted Hermione to be as lucky as she was.
"I love him, but despite all the good in him and the things I love about him, there is still a part of him that isn't quite... complete. Those people made him that way and I will spend the rest of my life trying to correct that."
"You've read that literature then?"
"I did, and for the most part, he is not that way. I've seen him with small children and in every argument we've had he has not ever been violent. His... damage lies in another area."
Emma frowned. She had been concerned that Harry was still having problems from his experience with the Dursleys. It was commonly known that children who are abused while growing up often become abusers, thus continuing the cycle.
"Oh?"
Hermione sighed. "He lacks confidence in himself and us. He won't let us get too intimate because deep down I think he's still convinced he isn't worthy of my love. I think he's afraid that someday I'll leave him and he's keeping us from taking that last step because it," she replied, then her voice dropped lower. "I think he's scared he won't be able to please me physically or emotionally."
Emma nodded. "And how does your cursing the Dursleys help that?"
"It doesn't," Hermione said firmly, "except that it lets me vent some of the anger I've felt. I'm not angry at Harry, so it isn't fair to vent it at him. They have had no punishment for their crimes. Harry is going to force them to start paying to live in Privet Drive, but that's not enough."
Emma nodded slowly. "Yes, I can agree with that, but won't you get into trouble with what you have planned?"
Hermione's grin sharpened and her eyes narrowed. "No. If I cursed the Dursleys directly, I could be arrested, but I'm not going to do that. I'm going to set some one time wards that will vanish once they're triggered. They'll make the Dursley's think they are having a particularly nasty string of bad luck. The effects will, for the most part, be subtle and difficult to attribute to a spell. Besides, I won't cast with my wand, so it can't be traced back to me."
"But you won't hurt them?" Emma asked again.
Hermione shook her head. "No. Like Harry, I have no intention of hurting them. Now, if they hurt themselves, that's another matter."
Emma glanced at her daughter. "Hermione," she said warningly.
"Oh, honestly, Mum Do you really think I'd hurt anyone? As much as the Dursleys deserve it, I have no intention of hurting anyone. What happens when the Dursleys react to the problems as they arise is their problem," she replied in a patient tone.
Satisfied, Emma stopped her line of questioning and went back to a subject she wanted to know more about. "So, he's going to ask you to marry him?"
Hermione nodded a bit dreamily. It was something she was looking forward to. Harry had spoken with her on a number of occasions about the future and the one thing he stressed over and over were the options. The world would be there for them to explore after she left Hogwarts and she wanted do that with him.
"Yes, and he intends to ask you and Dad for permission," she replied softly. It was old fashioned and not necessary, but Harry wanted their approval.
"Well, I think your father is ready for that news, if not being asked. It is a bit old fashioned though."
"It's a lot less old fashioned than what normally happens in the wizarding world. During the seventh year, many parents negotiate arranged unions for their children."
Emma scowled. "Are we going to have someone asking about you, then?"
Hermione shook her head. "I doubt it. I've made it plainly clear over the last two years that I am with Evan. Besides, I'm Muggleborn, therefore beneath notice of most pure blood wizards. I would be shocked if someone approached you, but even if they did, I have the right to say no."
Emma shuddered. "Arranged marriages? In this day and age?"
Hermione shrugged. "I know. But like Harry keeps saying, think Britain at the height of East India Trading Company in the nineteenth century. Arrogant and prideful, they even looked down on white Europe. It's not really a problem, Mum. If necessary, you could even tell someone that you already have an agreement with Sirius, for Evan and myself."
Emma nodded, relieved to know there was an easy way out. She pulled out of the far lane heading toward the Little Whinging exit. She drove into the small township, slowing considerably. "How do you want to do this?"
"You just need to drive by the places I tell you. I can lay the spells from the car if it isn't going too fast."
"All right, where to first?"
"There's a small park off Wisteria Walk," Hermione replied, as she consulted a map. "That's the fourth left from our location."
"Who is this spell aimed at?"
"Dudley."
Emma nodded. She had heard the stories from Sirius and Remus about Dudley and the rest of the Dursleys. Harry didn't talk much about that time, except with Hermione, and rarely he'd have terrible nightmares about being locked in a cupboard. He's lucky he's not claustrophobic, she thought. She shivered involuntarily. She could recall twice Harry having severe nightmares that woke everyone up. The look on his face was something she'd never forget.
She spotted her turn and took it. After traveling several blocks, they came upon a small playground that looked like it had seen better days. There were signs posted stating that the park closed at dusk and trespassers after closing hours would be prosecuted. Despite the signs, the park showed signs of heavy vandalism. It seemed out of place in this neat and tidy village.
Emma spotted a place to pull into and she brought the car to a stop.
"This is the place," Hermione said softly, while rolling down her window. "Harry said his cousin often destroyed the playground equipment when they couldn't find a victim to pick on."
Hermione mumbled a Latin incantation under her breath and her hand glowed briefly in the bright sunshine, then the glow faded away.
"What did you do?" asked Emma.
"It's a punishment spell, keyed on Dudley Dursley only."
Emma frowned. Sometimes Hermione was very reticent with her information. "Which does what?" she asked in that commanding tone mother's often used.
"It will help teach Dudley not to hurt others. Every time he tries to hurt anyone, he'll have a violent physical reaction. A small experiment in continuing Doctor Pavlov's work."
"I thought you said you wouldn't hurt anyone!"
Hermione sighed. "It's not going to hurt anyone, Mum; embarrass maybe, but not hurt. Dudley will experience a bad reaction every time he tries to hurt someone. It's not going to hurt him, except perhaps to force him to change his ways while he still can. I harbor no such hope for the other Dursleys.
"Each spell will trigger on the worst of their behavior and inflict a punishment accordingly. Petunia's worst trait is pride. Vernon's is anger. Dudley is a spoiled bully. For Petunia and Vernon, the spells will do little more than exacerbate their traits. What happens as a result of that is up to them.
"Dudley is a little different. His spell will attempt to make him change his ways. A reasonably minded person would learn from the experiences and move on. What Dudley does is another matter entirely."
Emma nodded unhappily. She couldn't fault her daughter's logic.
Within an hour they were back on the motorway heading toward Oxford.
Little Whinging, Surrey, July 22nd, 1997...
It had been raining for two days and Vernon Dursley was in a foul mood when he left the house. Grunnings had posted a loss in the last quarter and auditors from the corporate offices of the parent company had arrived to look over the books and the facility in the hopes of finding ways of cutting costs.
Rumors were rampant about layoffs and other cost cutting measures. Being one of the executives, Vernon wasn't too worried. It was the little guy that got laid off in times like this. But he was concerned that this could cost him his company car. That would be a disaster beyond the two hundred jobs they expected to trim from the company.
He grumbled and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Had that Potter boy still been with them, he would have blamed him for losing that large Chinese account to the Italians. As it stood, he wasn't sure that those freaks weren't somehow involved anyway. They were everywhere and he knew it, even if no one else did.
Up ahead a traffic light turned red. Unknown to Uncle Vernon, all the conditions for Hermione's curse were coming into play. It was rather specific, requiring a rainy day, and a very special vehicle stopped at the red light in front of him.
Without thinking, he moved his foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator and pushed down. Hermione had been very specific with her curse and Vernon accelerated through to nearly fifteen miles per hour in the short distance before slamming into the back of the stopped police car.
His airbag fired, pinning him painfully into his seat and his head smashed against the headrest causing pain to flare in his skull. His rage climbed to uncontrollable proportions.
Constable Shelly Parks looked in her rear view mirror and growled in the back of her throat. Her pants were soaked in hot tea and this was going to require a mountain of paperwork!
"A32, I've been rear ended at the intersection of Piston and Peterborough. Requesting a senior constable and backup," she spoke into her radio, then she opened her door. At least the rain will cool me off, she thought sourly.
"A32, affirmative, backup and supervisor en route," said a voice over the speaker.
She stepped from the car just in time to see Vernon boil from his vehicle.
"You bitch! What arsehole taught you to drive?" he shouted. The vein in his forehead throbbed noticeably.
He marched up to her, and she took a step backwards in surprise. Normally, people who hit police cars tend to be rather polite and a bit afraid. This whale of a man was neither and acted like he wanted to hurt her.
"Sir," she said in a calm voice. "If you will just calm down we can get through this with as little fuss as possible." She reached for her nightstick, just in case. She knew help was on its way, but the man considerably out massed her. If he started swinging, she'd be in trouble. She needed to keep him calm until help arrived!
Vernon was not in a mood to calm down. If anything, he saw her attitude as a way of patronizing him. He closed the distance, getting into her face. "Don't tell me what to do, dearie," he snapped. "I pay your salary. This is your fault! Look what you did to my car!"
"Sir, if you don't calm down, I'll be forced to arrest you," cautioned Constable Parks, feeling her own anger begin to rise.
Vernon turned purple and raised his arm. He wasn't really thinking and Constable Parks wasn't about to take the chance that he was merely gesturing. She tried to step back only to discover he had backed her up against her car. A moment later, several burly constables who had just arrived on the scene swarmed over Vernon.
He screamed incoherently and swung wildly, hitting Constable Parks in the cheek. She slammed into her patrol car, hitting her head. Dazed, she slid to the ground. All around Little Whinging, sirens sounded as the call for assistance was sent out by the supervisor on the scene.
Within minutes, Vernon was handcuffed and thrown into the back of a police car. It would be three days before he could be bailed out of jail and his solicitor would eventually plea bargain his sentence down to time served, a fine, fifty hours of community service, a driver refresher course and a course on anger management. The fine would make a serious dent in their savings.
North of Carlisle in Cumbria, England, July 30th, 1997...
If it wasn't for the cooling charm, he would have collapsed from the heat hours ago. He was dressed in heavy denim, with high top boots and a heavy flannel shirt. In one hand he held a staff, which he used occasionally to pry up a deadfall. There was nothing magical about the staff except that he had used magic to create it. Other than that, it was merely a long walking stick.
Emma had taken Hermione out shopping and he had been told he couldn't come along since this was a girls' shopping trip. He grinned and told Hermione and her mother that he'd use the time to scout out an area north of Little Hangleton.
There was a lot of agriculture in this area of England, with small patches of forest tucked in among the fields. Between the fields were hedgerows of bushes and trees. It was one of these hedgerows that he was poking through at the moment. This was his eighth hedgerow and he had been at this most of the day.
Harry pulled his canteen from his belt and took a drink of cool water, then he stopped and tensed. He had the distinct feeling that someone or something was watching him.
He turned slowly, his eyes scanning the area, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He couldn't see any people or detect any magic. Looking at the ground, he noted an old rotted log nearby and walked over to it.
"Come closer and I will bite you," said a voice.
Harry stopped and smiled. After hours of looking, he had finally found what he was looking for.
"Hello. I mean you no harm," he replied in parseltongue.
A flat, black head poked out from under the log. "A speaker. It has been a long time since there were rumors of a speaker."
A moment later the snake came out from under the log and slithered onto it. It was barely two feet in length, and poisonous. The common European viper was the only poisonous snake indigenous to Britain, and while it could inflict a painful bite, it was rarely lethal.
"I'm looking for a snake," Harry said.
The snake eyed him for a moment and he suddenly had a feeling that the snake was considering calling him stupid.
"Do I look like the food that flies?" replied the snake dryly.
Yup, it's official. It thinks I'm stupid, he thought sourly. He was sure if the snake could laugh, it would. "I know, but you're not the snake I'm looking for. This one would be much larger than you."
The viper raised it's head and nodded slowly. "Larger than me? I am very large for my kind and my bite is fierce. One female even admired my scales last mating season. Silly thing, she was lucky I didn't bite her."
Mating among snakes is dangerous! he thought. Hermione nibbles, but I'm glad she doesn't bite!
"Yes you are very large, but have you heard of the snake I'm looking for? It would be much larger and very dangerous."
"All snakes are dangerous. I might have heard of the one you speak of. What is it worth to you?"
Harry paused, dumbfounded. What did he have that might interest a snake? It wasn't like he could offer to give the snake a few galleons. Then it hit him. He gestured with one hand and a moment later a squealing rat flew across the field, stopping to hover near Harry.
The snake reared up, it's head flattening slightly and eyed the rat carefully before turning back to Harry. "Not only a speaker, but a worker of magic?"
"I am," Harry replied. "I would offer you this meal if you can help me. Help me and I will give you this gift, plus I will make your nest warm for the coming winter."
The snake turned to the rat, which continued to squeal unhappily. It knew the rat would keep it fed for at least a month. Here was food, easily obtained and fresh.
The snake turned back to Harry and curled its body around until it could rest its head on the coils.
"I will help you, speaker," the snake hissed. "Rumor has it of a great visitor from a land far away that has been freed. I have not seen the visitor, but I have been told that she feeds on any who cross her path and she carries a taste of sickness about her, even though she doesn't appear ill."
Harry sat on the ground a few feet from the viper. He knew he was safe the moment the snake agreed to help him. This sounds like Nagini, he thought. The sickness could be the snakes sensing the horcrux inside her.
"What do these rumors say she is doing?"
"She moves towards the cold, which is most unusual for our kind. I do not like the cold, it makes me slow and sleepy."
"Can you spread a message to your kind and other snakes?"
"Perhaps."
"Would you tell the others that a speaker seeks this visitor from another land and I will be looking for news of her? I will be asking other snakes."
"After I eat this fine meal, I will pass your message. Others will know of your need and speak to you."
Harry nodded and looked at the rotting log. With a wave of his hand the log glowed briefly. "Your home will always be warm for you now."
"I thank you, speaker."
With a gesture Harry moved the rat to a spot in front of the snake, then released it. The rat stared up at the black onyx eyes and quivered. With a blinding thrust, the snake had the rat in its jaws, and its coils looped around the prey while it waited for the venom to take effect.
Harry stood slowly so as to not alarm the snake, then he backed away. He shimmered for a moment and vanished from sight without a sound.
Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry Building, London, July 30th 1997...
"Are you sure about this?" asked Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Yes. We received the information and a confirmation of it this morning," replied Director Hammer.
Kingsley looked down at the parchment detailing the information again.
"Assemble your team, Kingsley. If we do this right, we can roll up the entire cult."
He stood and rolled up the parchment. "Yes, Ma'am. I'll take two troops, plus a technical squad and a forensics group."
"Very well. I'll have one troop assembled as a ready reserve if you need them. And I'll alert the medical staff," Director Hammer said calmly. "Good luck, Kingsley, and bring my Aurors back safely."
"I'll try, Director, Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare a briefing for later. I'll do a surprise recall. That will keep the possibility of the news leaking to a minimum."
Connie Hammer nodded and waved a dismissal.
Kingsley turned and left the room, determined to succeed. As he walked out, his mind was already whirling with possible plans. It would not be an easy job.
The Granger Home, late afternoon, July 30th 1997, Oxford England...
Harry faded back into view to the sound of someone shrieking. He immediately ducked and rolled to one side. His hand flared with magic, and he looked around wildly for the threat.
"Harry James Potter! Don't do that!" shouted Emma. She had been lying on a lounger, catching some sun, and his arrival had startled her. One moment she was alone and had untied the strap to her bikini top to even out her tan on her back and the next minute he was there. Fortunately, she had been lying on her stomach. While she didn't mind an even tan on her back, she had almost never gone topless, except when she was alone with Dan, long before Hermione had been born.
Realizing she had been sunbathing, he blushed and quickly averted his gaze. It didn't help matters that Hermione was sitting on the grass not far from the back door, holding her sides and laughing at both of them. Hermione had just exited the house when he arrived.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Granger," Harry mumbled. "I expected you'd still be out shopping with Hermione."
Emma sat up and adjusted her bikini top, then looked around for the book she had thrown in her fright. "You can turn around now," she said, then shot him a glare. Her book was in the pool, on the bottom.
Following her gaze, he spotted the book and summoned it. After he applied a quick drying charm, he handed it to her. She took the book, then looked sourly at her daughter, who was still chuckling.
"Will you do something with him?" she demanded. "Teach him to make a noise like that popping thing you do when you apparate."
Hermione stood and brushed off her shorts. "Honestly, Mum, his apparation is nearly silent anyway. I suppose we could put a bell around his neck."
"Maybe some kind of siren or alarm of some kind?" Emma countered.
"I'm right here, you know," Harry said, feeling a bit put out.
"Yes, dear, we know. How did your trip go?" asked Emma calmly. Now that the crisis was done with, it was time to gently tease her daughter's boyfriend.
Harry moved over to sit at the picnic table. "It was hot, and the snake I found wasn't interested in cooperating until I fed him."
Hermione sat next to him at the table. "So, what did he say?"
"Nagini is moving north, like we suspected. The snakes call her the great visitor from another land. It makes sense, I suppose. After all, her species isn't native to Britain. He also said that she's a big predator and I got the distinct feeling that he didn't want to meet up with her.
"He agreed to pass along a message that I am searching for her and would be seeking out other snakes to ask for information," he finished, then he paused and frowned. "Although I suspect I'll have to feed each snake before I get my information."
"Feed them?"
He nodded to Emma. "I had to pay for my information with a freshly caught rat."
She gulped and looked a little woozy.
"Where are Remus and Tonks? I thought they would be here today."
Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Apparently Tonks has discovered my father's love of all things Doctor Who, including his library of video tapes. They're inside right now watching one and arguing over whether the Doctor used a space enlarging charm on the Tardis or some alien technology."
The back door opened and Remus walked out into the yard and joined them at the table.
"Where's Tonks?" asked Emma. "Isn't she joining us?"
"She had to go. That watch of hers started buzzing. She said it was signaling an emergency recall," he replied, then he turned to Harry. "How did it go today?"
Harry grinned broadly. "Much better than I expected. It took some bargaining, but I found a talkative snake that was willing to help. It's a little difficult dealing with them; they don't think the way we do."
Emma leaned forward. "Oh? How so?"
Harry shrugged. "They see things differently. For example, they don't use names. They give appellations to some things, the great visitor, a speaker and so on. Most snakes lead a solitary existence, so individual names aren't necessary. Had I asked for Nagini, he wouldn't have known what I was talking about.
"As far as the snake was concerned, I was a speaker and a user of magic. If I said I was Harry it wouldn't have understood at all. That's a strange way of looking at things, going about the world not giving names to things, or to yourself."
Harry turned to Hermione. "Did you get all your shopping done?"
Hermione shot her Mum a glance, then nodded. "Yes, it's all taken care of, now."