Chapter 21 - Winds of Change
Albus sat calmly in his ministerial chair, prominently placed within the Wizengamot Chamber, while chaos reigned supreme all around him. After yesterday's events, there was always going to be an emergency meeting called for today. The reason for the chaos however was the deliberately provocative article on the font page of today's Prophet.
While the main headline, 'Dark Lord Dead' - and accompanying photograph of a sheet-covered dead dark lord - was certainly cause for countrywide celebrations to commence, it was the secondary front page article below that iconic headline which had the Wizengamot members riled up with anger.
It was now obvious to Albus that Miss Skeeter must have witnessed his conversation with the soldier who had finally ended Lord Voldemort's life. As such, the official statement of what had taken place yesterday must have been immediately consigned to the wastepaper bin in the offices of the Daily Prophet. In hindsight, approaching and mentioning awards to someone who had just battled inferi, dementors and then tore Voldemort into so many pieces the body was eventually carted away in buckets, was not Albus' finest moment.
'Minister Told by Ungrateful Hero to Stick Any Award up his A**E'
If that was all that had been said, some of the Wizengamot members might actually be having an irreverent chuckle at their Intern Minister of Magic's public embarrassment, but that was not the case. Rita's article then proceeded to deliberately provoke discord and disorder over this ungrateful muggle-born's ridiculous response, in her own inimitable shit-stirring style, before then printing Ian's answer verbatim. It was Ian's righteous rant that was responsible for the furore currently surrounding Albus. The Wizengamot members outrage focusing on someone who had dared to publicly criticise them - and the society they led.
'Over a decade ago, magical Britain made it abundantly clear to a teenage muggle-born that he would always be an outsider in 'their' society. The best that I could ever hope for was to be tolerated, while being looked down upon and lorded over by the self-proclaimed pure-blood elite. A brief return to this world is more than enough for me to see that things haven't changed - and don't show any signs of altering in the near future.
You've had years to deal with these problems and haven't, because all Voldemort's supporters were pure-bloods - and doing anything constructive would mean punishing these so-called respectable witches and wizards. That's not something your Ministry of Magic was prepared to even contemplate, far less consider implementing.
Her Majesty ordered this problem dealt with, her innocent subjects being murdered by dementors was never something that would be acceptable to her - it shouldn't be acceptable to your society either. Today, her government and armed forces carried out those orders that you clearly couldn't or wouldn't.
Yes I killed Voldemort today - that was the entire purpose of us being stationed in Hogsmeade Village. We protected the villagers and visiting students, killing the bastard after he tried to murder Harry by cursing the lad while his back was turned. Harry's betrothed shielded him, then I took care of the problem.
I don't see these events changing much though, it didn't the last time. A heroic pair of parents gave their lives so their son, Harry, could live - not so things could just return to what you consider normal with murdering animals simply granted forgiveness out of hand. Think on this - who's going to clean up your next mess?
Take your award and stick it up your arse, I want nothing more to do with you people. I will never return to a society where the circumstances of my birth sees me treated as a second class person. With our task now over, I would expect to be rejoining my old unit. Goodbye and, if I have anything to do with it, we will never meet again.'
Albus couldn't really fault the young man, or what he said. A conversation Albus had joined later simply reinforced his own views that things in magical Britain really now had to change. He approached Harry's friends, looking for any information they might have on Harry's current whereabouts. What he discovered though was nothing short of life-changing for the old wizard. Unlike Archimedes, when Albus had his Eureka moment he was not in a bath - and it wasn't a pleasant experience either.
Justin Finch-Fletchley was describing to the ever-growing group around him exactly what equipment the soldiers had used, that equipment's capabilities and the tactics employed for the entire battle. Albus just had to ask the clearly very knowledgeable student where he acquired such valuable information.
"My family are all military, and that would have been my choice of career too - before I got my Hogwarts letter. Now I'm stuck here until I sit my O.W.L.S. I intend to leave straight after sitting them and return to the muggle world. If I study like crazy, I should still be able to join the forces for officer training after my eighteenth birthday."
One of the crowd that had gathered to listen couldn't help but ask the obvious question. "You would leave Magic behind?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Justin gave the only answer he could. "I want a career where, if I have the ability and work hard, I could see myself pushing toward a good position. My Grandfather was a General, my father is a colonel. My uncle's in the Royal Navy, a ship's captain. No matter how talented or how hard I work, all the top positions within the Ministry would always be closed to me - simply because I'm a muggle-born. That's not something I can change or ever accept, what other option do I have?"
Trying to deflect attention away from Justin's conclusions, Albus asked in all seriousness if he would be joining the men who fought here today. That surprisingly had the Hufflepuff laughing at him.
Justin finally got himself under control and corrected the Minister's obvious misconception. Looking around at those who were listening, he could see they had all thought the same as Dumbledore.
"These men today are no more than a unit, probably put together specifically for this job. The British Army has over a hundred thousand serving soldiers, and tens of thousand more held in reserve - but available for instant call-up if needed. When you include the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, there are easily far more people in the British Armed Forces than there are witches and wizards living in the UK. I don't know if they were using special ammunition today but the weapons I saw were pretty standard, and nowhere near all they have available to wage war. If they wanted to, the entire village of Hogsmeade could have been wiped out in a matter of seconds - and from a couple of miles away. The first time you would know anything about it would be when your house exploded all around you."
Knowing that all the Ministry's Aurors were currently present in Hogsmeade, along with most of the Order and Kingsley's Phoenix Force, Albus had erroneously assumed what he had witnessed was a major part of the muggle's fighting force. Discovering that an infinitesimal percentage of their resources had just achieved what the combined forces of magical Britain could not was a real shock to the system - one Albus still really hadn't recovered from today.
When cries began to be heard about dragging this upstart solider before the Wizengamot, Albus stood and waited on silence so he could be heard.
"I think it's time for some facts to be heard in this chamber, rather than hearsay and the loud rantings of the uninformed."
This set off some grumblings but no one was prepared to challenge Albus Dumbledore, allowing the intern minister to continue.
"We had every magical resource available to us in Hogsmeade yesterday yet, without the muggle army, we may have been defeated. At best, we could have held off the dementors. Splitting our force to tackle the unexpected hoard of inferi would have seen us stretched to a point where failure wouldn't just have been an option, it would have become a real possibility. Let's not forget the only plan we had for dealing with Voldemort was throwing a fourteen year old boy at him…"
"But there was a prophecy…"
"Yes there was a prophecy, but Harry wasn't mentioned specifically by name. That prophecy has been fulfilled, the sphere is no longer active, and the only certainty is that Voldemort is now totally gone - he will never be coming back. Yesterday I watched as an incredibly small proportion of the British Army dealt with all three problems at once, and made it look easy. Now, my question is this - why would you deliberately antagonise these people by trying to drag one of their soldiers in front of a body that he and they don't recognise as having any authority over them?"
Pointing out their lack of authority was never going to go down well with this group, Wizengamot members prided themselves on their own importance. Albus let them rant and rave for a few minutes before once more taking control of the chamber. He let a little of his own anger out to play. That Albus' anger was directed at the members in the chamber soon brought them to heel.
"Yes we have magic! Could that magic kill an inferi, yes. Could it kill a dementor, no. Could it kill Voldemort - it didn't before. The muggles are masters of destruction, their armies, navy's and air forces could slaughter us before we even knew we were in trouble. No magical shield or ward could hope to stand up to the destruction I witnessed yesterday, and I'm very reliably informed that was nowhere near their full capabilities they showed us. They have weapons so powerful, entire cities can be destroyed by using them. They also have the capability to destroy the entire Ministry of Magic building with a single device. They have items called smart bombs. These are so clever, neither deception charms, wards nor shields would be able to protect us. Whoever the next Minister of Magic is, they will have to take that into account."
Taking a calming breath before he continued, Albus didn't want to say the next part in anger. "The young soldier who finished Voldemort yesterday is not the first muggle-born to think he had no other option but to leave our magical society. Sadder still is the fact that this is still going on today…"
"If they want to leave, good riddance…"
Spotting who had called out that nonsense, Albus pinned the fool with his gaze. "Right now, we have some of Hogwarts best students considering whether it's worth continuing their magical education, knowing they will already be leaving it as soon as they are able. You might say good riddance now, but when news breaks that Harry Potter has left us - our ministry will become the laughing stock of Europe."
This news almost started a riot, with all sorts of nonsense being called out. Albus decided to head most of it off at the pass. "All a student has to do is pass O.W.L.s and they can legally leave Hogwarts. Mr Potter and his betrothed, Miss Granger, could easily pass those exams in a number of subjects right now. There is also no stipulation that they have to sit those exams in Hogwarts, or even Britain."
It was Arthur who then asked a sensible question. "Do you know this for sure, Albus?"
"They left yesterday before I could speak with them but that is now the outcome I expect. Voldemort murdered Harry's parents, Death Eaters murdered Hermione's father - and let's not forget our former Minister of Magic wanted Harry transferred straight to Azkaban for defending himself against those murdering Death Eaters. Apart from their friends - who we both know they'll keep in touch with - our society has absolutely nothing to offer them."
Hearing these truths, in a Wizengamot chamber that was packed with press and public visitors too, proved too much for one member. Standing, he made a proposal to the chamber. "We may not have the authority to pull this soldier before us, we certainly have the means and the laws to do that for Potter. I propose we do that very thing. Let's get the boy here in front of us…"
This drew loud derisory laughter, and immediately had all eyes focused on the source - Arthur Weasley. It wasn't intentional on Arthur's part but he began destroying the image of him being mild-mannered and easy-going for everyone who was in that chamber.
"And how do you propose we do this? My department is stretched to its limits at the moment. Most of our best aurors now work for someone else…"
This was immediately seized upon by the member who had made the ridiculous proposal. "Employ the Phoenix Force to hunt him down and drag him here. That's what they do, wands for hire…"
Staring at the wizard, Arthur summed up the situation in one sentence. "You are a bloody imbecile! First, the Phoenix Force are not wands for hire, they work for a specific person. Lord Black pays the salaries of the force. He had no faith in a Ministry of Magic that threw him in Azkaban without even a trial, and tried to do the same to his godson. Sirius wanted a competent band of witches and wizards to help his godson, Harry Potter, take the fight to Voldemort. Every single member of that force was at Hogsmeade yesterday and, to a man, that same force would back Lord Black against any illegal moves by the Ministry of Magic against his godson. Let's not forget, most of these people were forced to resign from an incompetent Ministry - before being offered this lifeline by Lord Black. They, like Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, owe us nothing."
Looking around the chamber, Arthur asked a question that left the vast majority of the Wizengamot members squirming.
"How many of you were in Hogsmeade yesterday? There were six Weasleys standing beside Harry Potter, including four of my sons and my wife. So was Emma Granger, The muggle mother of Hermione's betrothed, and someone who already considers Harry her son. This woman took part in the ritual inside Gringotts that put Voldemort into a coma, her feelings toward Harry more than making up for her lack of magic. She was instrumental in the introduction of the communications systems we used yesterday and, not only works with Albus as a liaison, she is an employee of the Phoenix Force while working directly with the muggle Prime Minister too. Woe betide anyone who tries to arrest Harry Potter on some manufactured charges. Doing something that stupid could literally see our Ministry fall - something neither Voldemort or Grindelwald managed to achieve."
There were cries questioning Arthur's sanity after those remarks but, when he held his hands up for silence, the Head of the D.M.L.E. got it.
"Year after year, our society sees talented people leaving it. These people, be they squibs, muggle-born or otherwise, take that talent into the muggle world. That's who ended the threat of the inferi, dementors and Voldemort yesterday. Not only that, they snuffed-out all three of these major threats and, as Albus just said, they made it look easy. This was a mere fraction of the people we chase away from our society, yet my entire department couldn't protect the Ministry if that small group who battled yesterday turned their weapons in our direction. It therefore goes without saying that we wouldn't have an earthly chance if their full might was ever focused against us."
The member who had stood first to make his proposal was left looking for answers, because he clearly had none himself. "Are we just supposed to sit here and do nothing?"
Albus wasn't the only one who had an epiphany yesterday, Arthur had thought of nothing else since. He decided now was as good a time as any to air his thoughts on the matter. "No, doing nothing is the one option certainly not open to us. As a society, we have to change. We need to evolve in order to cope with the world that surrounds us - rather than sit on our arses and expect tide and time to accept our commands to stop moving - simply because we have magic."
The Head of the D.M.L.E. called for the chamber's pensive to be brought forward and asked Albus to deposit his memory of yesterday's battle into the basin. It was compulsive viewing for an audience who understood just how deadly each of the triple threats faced yesterday were. As the memory ended, every member now agreed with Albus and Arthur on at least one point, the army had made it look easy.
As the memory ended and the silence dragged on inside the chamber, Arthur had an idea of how to reinforce his case calling on their need to change. Acting on that idea, Arthur took out his mobile and hit the speed dial for Emma before putting the phone on speaker. It took a moment to connect and Emma's voice sounded slightly metallic but it was clearly heard in a still silent chamber.
"Hello Arthur, is something wrong? Sirius assured us everyone was fine after yesterday."
"Everyone is fine here, Emma. You're also on speaker in the middle of the Wizengamot Chamber. How are Harry and Hermione?"
"Oh, you know the Ministry's wards will fry that phone in a few minutes? They're both currently walking along the beach, their injuries mean it will be a few days before their skin can take them swimming in the sea. Tonks and Ian are here too, bodyguards to those two. Hold on, Sirius wants a word..Take care, Arthur, and pass on our best wishes to your family."
A new voice was now coming from the device. "Arthur, I'm assuming you're doing this to demonstrate a point to the Wizengamot?"
"Yes, Sirius. I'm trying to show them we no longer live in Queen Victoria's reign."
"Fair enough, just pass on this message. My godson and Miss Granger will take time to recover from yesterday, then we'll sit down as a family and discuss what happens next. We won't accept anyone from outside our family trying to influence that decision."
Albus had made his way over to Arthur so they could watch the Wizengamot member's reactions while viewing his memory of yesterday being projected by the pensieve. He leaned over and spoke into the phone. "Sirius, give them both our thanks and best wishes. All I ask is to be kept informed, whatever decision you all reach."
Sirius barely had time to acknowledge that before the phone started to crackle and then die.
"In testing we have found that heavily warded places, like the Ministry and Hogwarts, really affect the electronics inside these devices. As Emma said, I knew that before contacting her. As I suspected, they are currently on Lord Black's tropical island, thousands of miles away from here. My four youngest holidayed there during the summer and were able to call home, using these devices that are becoming commonplace in muggle society. During this last conflict, I certainly slept safer knowing that, should my home be attacked, I could contact the Phoenix Force and have their officers responding in under a minute. Compare that to tying a note to an owl's leg…"
Giving that comparison a moment to sink in, Albus then fully endorsed everything Arthur had just said, before adding his own portion of drama to today's production.
"It's no secret that I took on this position solely in the hope I could hand over a 'Voldemort free' country to the next minister. Since that has been achieved, I now intend to step down - effective immediately. I shall spend my final days at Hogwarts, trying to prepare our young people for life in our world. This chamber will determine what that world will be, and how many of them will be welcomed there. That's a job I'm not afraid to say I'm too old - and too set in my ways - to do anymore. My last action within this chamber will be to nominate who I think would be the best person to take our society forward. I nominate Arthur Weasley for the post of Minister of Magic."
With that, Albus walked out of the once again silent chamber with his head held high.
-oOoOo-
A much more cordial, though a lot less public, meeting was also taking place in Downing Street. The Colonel knew he'd done a good job, but the Prime Minister actually personally serving him a glass of exceptional single malt really emphasised that point. He couldn't help but think the politician was after something, and Prime Ministers usually got what they wanted. The Colonel decided to play along and see where this led, there wasn't really another option available to him at the moment.
"Can you give me your honest appraisal of how the battle played out?"
Taking a sip of the best whiskey he'd ever tasted, the Colonel proceeded to lay out his thoughts. He'd been expecting that question since before he'd walked in the door. "Our dementor solution went pretty much to plan, which in itself was rather gratifying. Those zombies turning up proved no opposition for our troops, though our press would have had a field day if they ever got wind of them. All our troops had standing orders to engage Voldemort, engage and destroy with extreme prejudice. That I would say was the only part of the operation where we got lucky."
Even the experienced soldier needed another sip of his whiskey before he could continue. Their carefully crafted mission had almost come apart while victory was not only within their grasp, it was prematurely being celebrated. Losing either of the teens who had been targeted and attacked would have placed an entirely different slant on the day.
"Potter and the Granger ladies had helped us so much with this mission, the troops were looking on them almost as if they were part of the unit. Between the ground troops and air support, we had every part of that village covered. Voldemort waited until the streets were full of people celebrating before springing his attack. Those two kids getting knocked to the ground while defending themselves was the only thing that gave us a clean shot at the bastard. Voldemort was never leaving that village alive, that he was the only one that perished in the final attack was the real bonus - and where we rode our luck."
The Prime Minister raised his own glass to that. He too personally knew both Harry and Hermione, while Emma actually worked for him. Had Voldemort succeeded in murdering either of those teens before being terminated, this would now be an entirely different meeting. He pushed on though with his new agenda.
"Can you give me an assessment of these magical's abilities, and any threat they pose to the country?"
"Some of their abilities, and equipment, are nothing short of incredible. Being able to show a group of people an actual memory is simply mind-blowing, as is the ability to shrink and then enlarge major pieces of equipment. I could go on all day but you already know most of that stuff. Using the choppers should instal a bit of respect into whoever takes over as their next Minister, it certainly was a massive shock to those troops they had on the ground. Their Ministry of Magic is too divisive and disorganised to ever really pose a serious risk to us, they couldn't even get their shit together to deal with the problems they already had. It's the prospect of another magical splinter group forming, and then targeting us, that will cause any sleepless nights we have."
It was time for another sip of whiskey while he put his thoughts in order over this threat. "We passed this entire thing off to the press and public as a terrorist group who had managed to get their hands on a chemical weapon. We would currently have no defence against a real magical terrorist group setting out to deliberately do us harm. We are talking about people who have the ability to pop past all of our security, make themselves invisible and can cast spells on me or you that will place us completely under their control. Now that should frighten more than me."
That was exactly what the Prime Minister wanted to hear from this very capable officer, it matched his own analysis perfectly. Now to see if he could do something proactive about those very real threats, rather than having to sit back and wait on being contacted by the Ministry of Magic next time there was a problem.
"I think you would need to be insane not to be frightened by the potential threats any such group could pose - that, and our current lack of any defence against it. But for Emma Granger, things would have been so very different. The magicals were sitting in this very office, informing me we had a problem but couldn't do anything about it. Emma rubbished that notion, and your unit more than proved a point yesterday. We now know they couldn't have dealt with those dementors anyway, yet we wiped them out. The million pound question though is what do we do next time? Can we honestly say they're won't be a next time?"
The Colonel immediately worked out where the Prime Minister was going with this, and really wanted in. This latest mission fulfilled one of the main reasons for him joining the forces in the first place, to protect people from very real danger. "If you are proposing a unit to monitor and deal with any threats from the magical world then I would certainly like to be part of that. We could also see this unit crossing over into mainstream use for special situations. Her Majesty and your bodyguard detail could certainly benefit from having someone who would not only recognise a magical threat but be able to respond properly to it. Supplying Her Majesty with a voice-activated portkey would mean she could be instantly whisked from any potentially dangerous situation to a place of safety. Hostage situations is another use I can think of straight off the bat. Invisibility and then one of those portkey contraptions could have any potential hostages safe before terrorists even knew they were gone."
The Prime Minister didn't even attempt to hide his smile. "I not only want to set up such a unit, I want you to lead it. Draw up what you need, personnel- equipment - facilities - the works. I also want a list of potential or perceived threats, and what your unit's response to them will be. I hope we can convince Emma Granger to maintain her position, though mainly working for you and liaising between us. Whether the new Minister of Magic wishes to keep her position open will be up to them. Harry and Hermione get whatever they want, whether that's training, university places or even jobs within the unit. Their country owes them and I intend to see that debt paid - and so does Her Majesty. You and the Sargent who finished Voldemort can expect to be hearing from her too."
The Colonel had no problem with any of that, having already established a good working relationship with Emma. She also had contacts within the magical world that would become an invaluable source of information. He had been privileged enough to witness one of Harry and Hermione's magical training sessions. The determination and dedication they brought to that session, not to mention their amazing magical powers and abilities to think outside the box, impressed the hell out of him. He would be delighted to find a pace for both in his new unit, though suspected they would be a good bit older before either even considered that option.
It was rare for both parties to leave a meeting thinking they had gotten exactly what they wanted, that though was the case here. They happily shook hands before the Colonel left Downing Street through a door no press photographer even knew existed.
-oOoOo-
The five who now considered themselves a family were sitting on the porch of what appeared from the outside to be a beach hut, the inside was totally different though. Emma was thinking for at least the thousandth time that she really loved magic. They were relaxing after a wonderful meal, sitting chatting while watching the tropical sunset. Life was good, and they had definitely eared this break, but - sooner or later - they would have to return to the real world.
Watching Hermione snuggle into Harry, as both of them shared a wicker armchair, brought a smile to Emma's face. She didn't think these two could have gotten any closer, Voldemort's attack on the young couple last week had proved Emma wrong. After almost losing one another, they were constantly seeking assurance that the other was alright. Holding hands, cuddling - they were rarely out of physical contact. Emma didn't blame them one bit, she found herself hugging both of them for some simple reassurance of her own. Knowing this discussion had to happen however, Emma just threw the first question out there.
"This break has been lovely, amazing actually, but what do we do next?"
Sirius' wide smile robbed his words of any malice, though he was most certainly making a serious point. "Whatever the hell we want to!"
Hermione's head was resting on Harry's shoulder while she lounged on his lap with her legs dangling over the arm of their shared chair. She was first to throw an opinion out there. "Even though Dumbledore has resigned all his positions, except Headmaster, I don't want to risk putting us back into Hogwarts to find out if he has actually changed. He's spent a long lifetime manipulating people and events to get what he wants. Dumbledore may say he wants to change but how do we know if he can?"
They were all well aquatinted with what was happening back in Britain, both the magical and mundane sides. Emma and Ian had to keep in constant touch with their superiors, while Shack also kept Sirius up to date on at least a daily basis. Their week's break away on the island hopefully giving things time to settle back down in Britain.
Holding Hermione closer, Harry added his opinion to the melting pot that would be stirred and carefully seasoned before a final family decision was served up.
"With Arthur as the new Minister of Magic, it should be safe enough for us to return to Britain. Like Hermione, I think I'm finished with Hogwarts too - and not just because of Dumbledore. Learning from tutors suited us both, and is something we would like to continue. The offer from the Prime Minister is an unbelievable one - and certainly something Hermione and I are considering. I was toying with the idea of becoming an auror, until seeng the way the Ministry almost deliberately got Tonks killed."
Hermione then seamlessly took over, letting the three adults know this was something they had certainly discussed in detail amongst themselves. "We've gotten to enjoy training and really enjoyed helping Ian's unit - no one can dispute that help made a great difference to what happened in the Hogsmeade battle. As well as training though, they're offering to let us study whatever - and wherever - we want. Adding that to the very real possibility of someday making a difference with our lives is a pretty irresistible combination. As an added bonus, there is also the protection angle to consider too. Should someone from the Ministry ever try to throw either of us in Azkaban again, we know for certain our new department would tear those prison walls down to get us out. Just look what they did to the Dursleys..."
This saw Harry slowly sit up straight, taking a now blushing Hermione with him, since this was the first he had heard about anything happening to his rather obnoxious relatives. With the other four now looking at each other, Sirius nodded for Emma to take the lead in this as Hermione just cuddled tighter into her betrothed.
"It wasn't anything we said or did, Harry, but somehow the government discovered how the Dursleys had treated you. They put that family under an intense investigation, and things didn't go too well for them. They were quickly found guilty of child abandonment for leaving you in London, which also cost Vernon his job. There were tax irregularities too, which saw them being forced to sell their house to pay their debts. Last I heard Vernon was packing shelves in a supermarket while Petunia pulled pints in a pub."
Hermione could feel Harry beginning to shake. That had her worried until he couldn't hold his laughter in any longer and all the tension left the group with Harry's chuckles. After getting himself under control, a stray thought soon had Harry laughing again. It took a couple of moments before he could articulate that thought to the rest of the group. "I was just thinking how much Vernon would hate his wife being chatted up every night by drunk men. Aunt Petunia will certainly hate it too."
Sirius and Remus were howling with laughter at that, while Hermione tried rather unsuccessfully to convince Harry that was rather unkind of him. Her own giggles of amusement though were rendering those efforts particularly ineffectual. A smiling Emma then delivered the coup de grace.
"They were also sentenced to a couple of hundred hours of community service - each. They have to fit working with the homeless into their busy schedules too. That was the only thing that saved them from a custodial sentence, and they are also monitored by social services so they don't mistreat your cousin either. That is the Dursley family's new normal..."
"While Harry's is to enjoy this wonderful tropical island with his family." Hermione punctuated that statement with a quick kiss for her betrothed.
Harry sat back once more, and again taking Hermione with him. "I had honestly forgotten all about them. They didn't want me and I was glad to be rid of them. I have to say though, as punishments go, that was poetic justice. It's up there with Noah Allen not graduating as an auror, while Amanda not only graduated - she got a mMinisterial Award for bravery too."
This had his betrothed chuckling again. "After the Prophet printed what Ian said, they really had to find someone to give an award to. Noah was certainly a prick though, and should never get to wear an auror uniform. Three times we put him down during their training, and he claimed we cheated every time."
Moony threw another question out there. "Has Ian asked Tonks yet?"
This time both teens were left wondered what was happening, before Emma filled them in. "They're recruiting for the new unit, looking to get a few more magical troops on board. Tonks name was very high on the list of people they wanted, and Ian's been tasked with recruiting her."
Sirius' loud laugh reverberated around the porch once more. "I've been impressed with the people you work for, Emma. Getting Ian to ask her is a master stroke. They are currently walking arm in arm along the beach, and enjoying this wonderful sunset together. I can't see Tonks saying no to Ian tonight, no matter what he asks her."
Although blushing at Sirius' rather suggestive remark, Hermione made their intentions known. She and Harry had even talked tentatively about going to university together, and joining this new unit would make all of that happen."If Tonks and Ian are going to be in this unit too, then we certainly want to be a part of that. I don't know how I would take to having mum as one of our bosses though..."
Hermione had the giggles again, while her mother simply smiled at her. "I'll be working more in administration, not barking orders at you two - unless I need to."
This drew smiles from both teens, so she gave them what she knew they'd both consider bad news. "There are also awards coming our way, and you can't tell Her Majesty no - far less go as far as Ian did with Dumbledore. It will all be kept low key though. The Colonel doesn't want members of his new unit to have their pictures plastered all over the news and daily papers. He wants the unit and its members to be kept as much of a secret as possible."
It was time to give them the good news Emma had just heard earlier today. "Arthur still intends to keep me on as a direct liaison between the Minister of Magic and the Prime Minister, which has really lessened any fears our government has. They also know that governments change though, hence the formation of the new unit."
Into this pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, Hermione dropped what both teens considered to be a bombshell. "I know I said I would destroy the Elder Wand when this was all over, but I now think it would be wrong to do so. That wand saved Harry's life, it probably saved both our lives, it just feels wrong to destroy something that we might need again some day. I have no intention of using it, or even carrying it around with me, so we thought of locking it away somewhere safe."
They expected an argument, instead they received two nods of agreement and a hug from Emma. Sirius then offered a suggestion. "We're all rather frightened by the power this wand can wield, and worried it could have an affect in its owner. If you want to lock it away, can I suggest placing it in my vault - with a family meeting requiring all of us to agree before it ever gets removed and used again?"
That suggestion met with total agreement from everyone there. As the wand's master, only Hermione could wield it. Since she would now need the agreement of the other four before it could be removed from Sirius' vault, Hermione was more than happy with that compromise. Remus though had one final suggestion, one that showed why he was a marauder.
"Of course, we'll tell Albus - and anyone else who knows Hermione has it - that it was destroyed. Only we five will ever know the truth."
With everything now more or less settled, the finer details could be worked out later, they all went back to enjoying their well-earned break. Sirius' suggestion that their break was so well-earned, they should make it last at least another week was instantly agreed on by all.
A/N A short epilogue should see 'Coward's Grave' joining my other stories and being marked as complete. Will attempt to write that next, before returning to work on 'Proud Parents'. As usual for me, I don't have one word of anything else written when I post a chapter. Hope to have the epilogue with you soon - certainly within weeks rather than months. Real life has been crazy recently but things are gradually getting back to normal now. There is only so much celebrating a body as old as mine can take...
Chapter 22 - Ripples and Reflections
Looking out from his office window, as his students headed down to Hogsmeade in the warm summer sunshine to catch the express home, Albus thought it was much more than the last Weasley leaving Hogwarts that signified the end of an era. His eyes were drawn to today's issue of the Prophet, laying on his desk.
Arthur, as Minister of Magic, had been a special guest at yesterday's leaving feast, and was pictured on the front page with his arm around Ginny. His daughter's Head Girl and Quidditch Captain badges were prominently displayed on the soon to be eighteen year old witch's Gryffindor robes. The accompanying article was also quick to point out that Ginny had played a big part in her house retaining both the Quidditch and House cups, and that she had just signed a professional quidditch contract with the Holyhead Harpies.
A picture of Arthur appearing in the Prophet was hardly a surprise, it happened at least a couple of times every week, but Albus couldn't think of any other previously published picture where the current Minister of Magic had looked so proud.
When Albus had recommended Arthur as his replacement for the vacant position of Minister, he'd expected the newly encumbered wizard to not only be grateful, but also constantly seeking him out - desperately looking for his advice and wisdom. Instead, both the Ministry and the Wizengamot had taken his rather anecdotal resigning remarks about him being 'too old and set in his ways' as a statement of complete retirement - certainly not what he had intended at the time. Albus now needed to read the Prophet in order to discover what was happening in a country he'd previously practically presided over.
Albus had repeatedly attempted to 'talk shop' with the Minister of Magic last night, on every occasion Arthur had held tightly onto the official ministerial line that he was attending Hogwarts simply as a very proud father. With no more Weasleys inside the castle, Albus had lost his last legitimate reason for contacting the family that had once almost worshipped the ground he walked upon.
It wasn't just the Weasley family though that had, very politely but firmly nonetheless, deliberately frozen Albus out. Other than the occasional picture in the press, Albus had never set eyes on Harry or Hermione since that fateful day in Hogsmeade. He wasn't even invited to their wedding, and Severus was - that was a black day for Albus Dumbledore. Again it was only when he, like the rest of the country, saw their pictures and read the details in the Quibbler that Albus actually knew they had gotten married.
They'd held the ceremony on Lord Black's private island, with the current Minister of Magic performing the wedding ceremony. The pictures taken by Colin Creevey, and the article written by Luna Lovegood, were the only coverage of the wedding - both Colin and Luna being invited guests.
Having his picture published marrying the young couple was an unbelievable coup for Arthur, especially as there were some serious grumblings about changes he was trying to push through the Wizengamot at the time. Here was indisputable proof though that Harry Potter backed their current Minister of Magic, and both Harry and Hermione were shrewd enough to understand exactly the message they were putting out there by releasing this picture for publication.
Unfortunately for Albus, him not being there also sent out a powerful message, an entirely different one to that of Arthur's oh so positive inclusion. Albus of course knew there were trust issues between him and the young couple, he thought seeing Voldemort finally defeated would resolve all of those issues. By them not returning to Hogwarts, they very publicly and clearly showed that was not the case. That message of mistrust was reinforced a hundredfold when Minerva, Poppy, Hagrid and Severus were all invited to their wedding - and Albus wasn't.
Albus had spent the last few years thinking things were slipping away from him, even within the very walls of Hogwarts. Breakfast time was simply unrecognisable compared to what it was even in Ginny Weasley's first year. Now it was becoming rarer and rarer to see an owl delivering a letter from home. Owls were still in use for packages and newspaper deliveries but the entire hall appeared to have been taken over by those blasted mobile phones. Since this was the usual time Hogwarts students read communications from their families, Albus couldn't really object when the muggle-born started using phones to carry out that task. Being able to instantly talk with your parents soon caught on, with pure-bloods not wanting their children disadvantaged.
Arthur had pushed for these devices, and others like them, to be available for use not only within the Ministry, but by witches and wizards throughout the country. With the Minister of Magic lighting a large fire under their backsides, it didn't take too long for the Ministry's researchers to solve the problem. It would be hard to dispute the discovery of a runes scheme that could be used to protect the delicate parts of these muggle devices had caused a technological revolution within magical Britain. Since the addition of protection runes merely allowed these muggle devices to operate normally within areas of high magical concentration, they didn't break any Ministerial Laws currently in place - unlike the current Minister's old flying car experiment.
They were simply working exactly as they had been designed to do, and therefore posed no danger to the Statute of Secrecy should one of these protected phones fall into the hands of a muggle. By placing another complex set of runes on the batteries, a simple spell could now almost instantly recharge these devices - really kickstarting the revolution. These new runes worked not only on mobile phones, and more items were being added to an ever growing catalog of electronic devices now available to witches and wizards.
Sensing the revolution that was clearly coming, Lord Black opened a business in Diagon Alley that was soon right at the very forefront of these changes - with Remus actually running the store. The muggle-born could have protective and charging runes carved into their current phones or other devices, for a charge, or buy a new one already converted to work within Hogwarts. The first morning they had been used in the great hall almost started a riot, with over half the people sitting there never having seen one of these devices before. Albus turned to complain to Minerva, only to find she was using her own mobile phone and currently describing to Remus exactly what was happening.
Minerva then stood and laid out the new Hogwarts policy on the use of these devices within the castle. They could be used at breakfast time, not lunch nor dinner. Other than that, these devices could only be used within their respective common rooms or dorms - but again restricted to not after lights out. Minerva's stern gaze travelled the hall as she announced anyone using a phone in the corridors, or even taking it with them into a classroom or the library, would see that phone being confiscated for a set period of time. More rules would follow if necessary, though students were asked to use a common sense approach while the school got to grips with this new technology.
When the Minister of Magic's children had these devices, and were using them to keep in touch with the rest of their family, Albus knew the writing was on the wall. The need for a new 'Muggle Studies' course and professor couldn't have been more graphically illustrated than that first morning when the phones made an appearance.
The person who Albus had hired for the post highlighted the need for the course to be constantly evolving, as technology changed at an unbelievable rate. Albus had nodded in agreement, silently thinking he would be long gone before any other changes would need to be made. He was already doubting that assumption.
Watching as Minerva would take out her device after breakfast, decide who she wanted to talk to, then speak to that person as she drank her morning tea left Albus rather jealous. Kneeling in a fireplace to talk with someone was becoming so old hat, at least he hoped that was the reason people weren't returning his floocalls.
Albus was well aware all it would take for him to acquire one of these devices was a trip to Diagon Alley but there was a rather good reason that was stopping him doing so. He well remembered Emma Granger introducing these devices to the Order, and one thing had stuck in his mind. To talk with someone, you needed their number to call. Outside of the castle, he couldn't think of one person who would want Albus Dumbledore to call them - and would therefore give him their number.
While he had seen some students from different houses talking to each other using these devices while both were in the great hall for breakfast, he didn't want to purchase one just to chat with Minerva or Severus at the staff table.
As the last students left the castle, Albus sat back down at his desk. As bad as things were for him personally, he couldn't see them improving any time soon. It had been made abundantly clear to Albus there was no place left for him in the governing of their country as they embraced a different future. It was also becoming clearer every year that there was really nothing for him to do at Hogwarts either.
He'd spent years leaving the running of the school to Minerva, and she was very good at it, so there was now nothing left for him to do. The defence curse seemed to have died with Voldemort so there was no new staff needing recruited this summer. Albus sat and picked up the paper again, hoping to discover something he's missed the first time he'd read it. Popping a lemon drop in his mouth, Albus was left thinking that even the last day of term had become just another day to him. Another day filled with banality and boredom, with a large helping of tedium on the side.
He glanced at the envelope sitting on his desk, waiting to be opened, and smiled for the first time today. While Albus hadn't purchased a phone from the store in Diagon Alley, he was the proud owner of the rather large and shiny boombox that took up the space once occupied by the instruments he previously used to monitor Harry and the wards on Privet Drive.
Albus now had music in his life, particularly loving those songs that told a story. If there was a moral to that story too, then he tended to like it even more. It was easy to see then how he became fascinated with country music. The envelope on his desk was Albus' window into that world, and the reason there were now racks of CD's in his office too. It contained a catalogue of the latest music available for him to buy, and his music club membership only required him to purchase a few CD's annually - something Albus did practically every month the catalogue was delivered.
He was saving opening the envelope until lunchtime, where Severus and Minerva could get a look at this month's latest offerings too. He was expecting Filius to once again petition for Hogwarts to have a music department, he'd done so every month since Albus had joined the music club. Pressing the play button on his beloved box, he hummed along to one of his favourite artists. Albus couldn't help but sing along when the chorus was reached.
'If you're gonna play the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right
You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run...'
Something he'd missed in the paper suddenly emphasised to Albus how much their world had changed, and the words he'd just sang focused his mind on what had kicked off every one of those changes.
Lucius Malfoy had gambled that taking Miss Granger to his master would see Lady Luck once more smile down upon him. Instead he found himself facing an opponent he didn't even know was there, one who didn't care about his wealth, position or supposed purity of his blood. Harry Potter had ended Lucius' life without even announcing his presence, letting the spell he'd just cast do that for him. That was not the reason for all the changes though, it was actually another Malfoy who was responsible for that.
Draco wanted to follow in his father's footsteps so badly, he very deliberately murdered a muggle in cold blood while still only fifteen years old. That this muggle was Hermione Granger's father, and Harry Potter was present at the time, meant Draco immediately got his greatest wish granted. He followed in his father's footsteps by being face down dead on the grass mere seconds later. It may be ironic that the death of a muggle man ultimately lead to all the changes currently occurring in their world. Ironic or not though, that strange but true fact was indisputable.
There was no doubt in Albus' mind that incident alone was responsible for the change in Harry's attitude, an attitude that began to be adopted by just about everyone Harry spoke with. The battle on the quay that night might not have included Harry but his new attitude was certainly prevalent in the Order members who were there that evening. Fully embracing that new attitude saw the Order unbelievably hand Voldemort his biggest ever defeat. After a stunning success like that, Albus found himself helpless to stop the juggernaut of optimism these tactics had provided. He used to think that love was the most powerful force in the world, but Albus now conceded hope should be placed right up there too when any comparisons were being made. Giving hope to those who didn't think there was any caused a transformation in people he hadn't seen before or since.
As the song was reaching the end, Albus found an ace he could keep.
'You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done'
Too many people, himself included, thought they were in control of the game, only to discover when the cards fell they had been outplayed. Unlike the Malfoys, Voldemort, Fudge and Umbridge however, he had at least lived to tell the tale.
-oOoOo-
It was a couple of years later before a picture of Arthur appeared in the Prophet where the Minister of Magic looked even prouder than on Ginny's graduation day. The picture might not have made the front page this time buy Arthur wasn't too bothered abut that, he already had that particular picture fitted in a frame and sitting on his desk. It was a picture he loved, and Arthur wasn't even looking at the camera when it was taken.
The reason for that though was in the picture with him, cradled in the crook of his arm, little Edgar Arthur Weasley. With Ron and Susan as parents, the little tyke was always going to have red hair but already possessed a smile that could melt hearts. That Ron was standing beside him in the picture, resplendent in his auror robes, just added to Arthur's pride - and love of the picture.
Of all his offspring, Ron was the one Arthur had worried most about. All that worry had been for naught however as, thanks to his friends and the wonderful woman who was on Arthur's other side in the picture, Susan Weasley, Ron had finally discovered something he was really good at. When hard work was required, Ron would now be the first one to buckle down and get the task done - which was already earning him plaudits in his chosen career. He'd blitzed his way through Amelia's auror academy, finishing so far ahead of everyone else the fact that he was the Minister of Magic's son - or married to Amelia's niece - wasn't even mentioned when Ron received the award as top cadet.
The twins were also hard workers, having the same friends demonstrate the benefits that could be achieved from embracing such a trait. Fred and George might have embraced that trait in a different direction but the hard work was there nonetheless. This had led Arthur to giving his blessing for both leaving Hogwarts before their NEWTs and opening their dream shop. They had the unit next to Remus in Diagon Alley and there was always good-natured bantering between both these establishments about who was the busiest.
While there was room for debate over that, there was absolutely no doubt that these two shops were easily the busiest in Diagon Alley. Arthur suspected that either Sirius or Harry had provided the start-up cash for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Whoever it was though had spotted a potential in his sons that hadn't been visible to either of their parents. Possibly years spent dealing with the mayhem their twins had caused growing up had blinded Molly and him to any fun or financial gains to be made from their antics.
With Ginny, Percy, Charlie and Bill all also excelling in their chosen professions - and Fleur about to present them with another grandchild, things were looking good for the Weasley family. It was also only eighteen months ago Arthur had stood unopposed for re-election, that no one even considered running against him a sure sign of just how popular a Minister of Magic he'd become. It hadn't been all plain sailing however.
Some of the Death Eaters who left the country before Voldemort was finally defeated had soon began trickling back into Britain. That trickle soon came to an abrupt halt though when these people found themselves being arrested and questioned under truth serum about their past crimes. A few of the clever ones though had played the long game - waiting until their sons were of age to return and attempting to act as an unmarked 'proxy' for their families.
These sons however soon found magical Britain was an entirely different place under this Minister of Magic. In attempting to take any family seats on the Wizengamot, they were now faced with having to take a magical oath designed to prevent any support for potential future Dark Lords. They also discovered their family name and blood status offered no guarantee whatsoever of a position within the Ministry. Strict new guidelines would swing into place when any vacancies or promotions were available. These positions would now be filled solely based on the successful candidate's abilities, and suitability for the role.
This was where Arthur had faced the most resistance but, eventually, everyone could see the Ministry was running more effectively than any time before. Wizards and witches weren't slow to pick up on the fact that these new rules meant the top positions would now be open to everyone, rather than an elite few. Arthur's popularity as Minister of Magic had grown in direct proportion to the number of people who realised this wasn't just the latest piece of rhetoric from a new Minister. Their Minister not only meant what he said but put it into practice too. Arthur thought it was rather ironic that, as the Minister who'd introduced compulsory elections for that position every five years, he'd then stood unopposed when that time for re-election was reached.
He thought those musings would be worth mentioning to Emma at their monthly meeting, after they had brought each other up to date on what was happening with their families of course. With Harry and Hermione attending university there was usually plenty to catch up on, and Arthur suspected they were working for the muggle government between their studies too. He'd heard whispers Harry had been involved in foiling a kidnap attempt on the Queen's eldest son last year.
Theodore Nott, Vincent Crabbe and Marcus Flint were all young men who had fled the country with their parents, only to return years later and discover everything within magical Britain had changed. With neither their family names nor bloodlines opening any doors for them, the three wizards had soon gravitated toward each other's company. They had quickly reached the conclusion that the only avenue left open to them to make their fortunes was skulduggery - and that muggles were the easiest targets around. They then began hatching what was an incredibly stupid plan. The trio apparated into Highgrove House and were promptly struck down. They were each sentenced to thirty years in Azkaban, and would be in their fifties before leaving that island.
Arthur was left smiling with the pleasant thought that he was sure to be seeing Harry and Hermione soon, both were of course named as godparents to Edgar Arthur Weasley. This would further cement the ties between their families, something they were all pleased about.
-oOoOo-
It was a beautiful summer's day as Emma made her way down a well-worn and extremely familiar garden path. Reaching the garden bench that had become a permanent fixture in the garden, and had been for over a decade now, she found a bouquet of flowers waiting on her there.
"Thanks guys, you really are the best."
Emma wasn't just thanking Dobby, Winky and Kreature for the flowers, the area around Dan's headstone was kept immaculate by the family's elves. It was any combination of those three elves that were responsible for placing the stone bench here too, and applying permanent cushioning and heating charms to it. Lifting the flowers, Emma placed them on her husband's grave. She completed her normal ritual by kissing the tips of her fingers and then resting her hand on Dan's headstone. She spent a few quiet moments kneeling there before sitting on the bench, it was now time to bring Dan up to date with the happenings in their family.
"Sorry it's been a while, love. Life has been pretty hectic recently. I also don't like to impose on Sirius and Hestia too much, though both would have a fit if they heard me saying that. They give Remus a hard enough time because he now stays in the flat above their shop more nights than he does here. I spend some time at my flat, though I mostly stay with the kids. Even when staying at the flat however, the elves still look after me - I simply find my mug of coffee waiting on me when I want one.
I need to tell you something important. Dan, - there's now another man in my life, and his name's Daniel too. I only met him two days ago but already I know I'm going to love him for the rest of my life. He has Harry's green eyes but brown hair just like you and Hermione, and both his parents are over the moon with his arrival. I always knew they would make great parents, you just have to watch them with their godsons - Teddy MacLean and Eddie Weasley.
They'll all be by later to introduce your grandson to you, he woke them up a few times last night so were still sleeping when I left. I couldn't wait to bring you Daniel's picture, and spend the day with you.
Twelve years ago today you were cruelty taken from us, a day I thought that my life had ended too. Harry said at the time you would have gladly given your life to protect Hermione and me, I remember feeling so angry and guilty then. I was angry that you had been taken yet felt terribly guilty that I had survived.
I've thrown myself into supporting our children, even working for Prime Ministers came second to that. As we both suspected very early on, Hermione and Harry are just made for each other. They also seem to grow closer all the time - which I didn't think was possible. Watching their journey from teens to adulthood has slowly erased those negative feelings, holding little Daniel in my arms for the first time banished the last of them. While Sirius and Remus will certainly be considered by everyone as honorary grandfathers, Daniel is going to be raised with his grandmother in close attendance.
They may have married young but our two had their heads screwed on the right way. Both are still incredibly driven and waited until they were ready before starting their family. Harry's used his family money to open his own law practice, dealing with both sides of the magical divide. Hermione too just completed her healer training, adding it to the medical degree she already has. With the connections they are making through their involvement in the unit, absolutely nothing is outwith their grasp or ambitions.
They actually got a card from The Queen, congratulating them on the birth of their son. I could see she was impressed with Hermione and Harry when we met for our awards all those years ago, and their part in foiling that kidnap attempt on Prince Charles didn't do them any harm either. It's amazing to think Her Majesty has kept in touch with their lives. When Her Majesty is keeping her eye on your careers and family, only good things can come of it."
Emma sat and chatted away, casually lifting the cup of coffee that appeared on the bench beside her just as she'd wanted one.
-oOoOo-
Harry and Hermione were of course acutely aware of the significance of today's date. That Daniel had been born exactly twelve years after his parents had shared their first kiss in King's Cross station brought back some happy memories. The downside to that was her father being murdered a mere two days later. They were getting Daniel ready for travelling to Grimmauld Place, where they would introduce him to his late grandfather for the first time.
If today followed the usual pattern for this anniversary, and they saw no reason to suggest otherwise, the rest of their extended family would be there at some point. Sirius, Hestia and Remus would certainly be there - since it was their home. Ron, Susan, Ginny the twins, Tonks and Ian were also certain to turn up sometime today, jobs and real life permitting. There was also a very good chance some of the Hogwarts teaching contingent might visit today too, since school had just finished for the summer.
Harry had sent Minerva a picture of their newborn son to her phone but was certain she would take this opportunity to see Daniel in person, and of course hold the baby in her arms. All their friends and family knew where they would be today, and there was no danger of them being pulled away for anything else. Both were on stand-down from the unit, Hermione for at least six months. They would still train though, Hermione as soon as she felt up to it.
The unit had a designated base and full time staff. There was the protection unit, providing cover to some of the country's top targets, but most operatives - after passing the initial training - returned to their units and were merely on call if required until their next training rotation. Harry mainly worked in intelligence gathering and threat recognition while Hermione had become the unit's healer/doctor. That intel, and Harry's instincts, had been instrumental in foiling a plot to kidnap Prince Charles.
While the unit's involvement was known to very few, those three morons had been under observation from almost the minute they had started planning to break the law. Their careers in crime were very short-lived, all three were downed within seconds of them apparating into Prince Charles' home. That story hadn't made the muggle press, but featured heavily in the magical side. The terrible trio were plastered over the front page of the Prophet for attempting to kidnap one of the most prominent muggles in the country. It also laid another marker down that you don't mess with the muggles, they were no longer being considered easy targets by the magical community within Britain.
Harry had gotten himself ready while Hermione dealt with Daniel, they were still absolute beginners at this parenting lark. She now passed their son off to his father so Hermione could go and get herself prepared to face the day. They weren't planning anything elaborate today so slipping into a little summer frock didn't take too long. She came back into their living room to find Harry cradling their son in his arms, and staring at him in something resembling awe.
"I always thought you were perfect and I have the proof right here in my arms. Only someone who was as perfect as you could produce our beautiful little wonder here."
"I'll remind you of that in the middle of the night when our son wants changed and fed. I have to agree, he is gorgeous though - just like his daddy. I had intended we would be up earlier, rather than letting mum go by herself."
"She's been bubbling with excitement ever since her grandson here made an appearance. For some strange reason, I now feel closer to my parents too - simply by holding Daniel. I understand better now why my parents did what they did that Halloween, I would do the same for Daniel in an instant."
"Love, our work with the unit ensures days like that will never happen again."
"Holding our son, today of all days, has me remembering something too. The night the Malfoys came for you, your father saw me curse Lucius an instant before Draco cast at him. Our eyes met for a fraction of a second but, having our own child, I now recognise what he was trying to convey. I was to protect those he loved, you and your mother."
Hermione wrapped both her men in a loving embrace. "You have nothing to worry about then, because mum and I think you're still doing a fantastic job of that."
Harry kissed his wife, before gently kissing his son's forehead. "Three of our parents faced death with honour, their only thoughts were of their loved ones. The Malfoys lived their lives as cowards, using their money and power to destroy those who stood against them, and died the same way - as cowards."
"Harry, today of all days, this would not be the time to mention any of this to mum."
"I'll never be mentioning it again, love, to anyone. That's in the past, a past we worked bloody hard to ensure will never be repeated. This little one here is the future, a future where he'll grow up loved by our crazy extended family."
Kissing her husband once more, Hermione then took Daniel into her arms. "Go get the car ready. If things get too crazy at Sirius', and half the world shows up to meet Daniel, we can just spend the night there."
Harry hadn't left before there was a pop beside Hermione. "Dobby can take little Master to Dogfather's house. Dobby would be so gentle, little Master wouldn't even wake."
"I know, Dobby, but taking this little one for a drive in the car is something we've been looking forward to for months. We want Daniel to grow up and go to school with other muggle five year olds, so we need to behave with him as normal as possible right from the start. We'll see you at Sirius' and will definitely need your help if we decide to stay there."
This brought a wide smile to the elf's face. "Dobby will have all little master's things in your room waiting on you."
As Dobby popped away, Hermione walked out the door to find some of their neighbours desperate to see their new baby. Staying in a muggle neighbourhood definitely had advantages, and what new parents were going to object if their friendly neighbours wanted to tell them how beautiful their new baby was. Both had a feeling they were going to have to get used to this reaction today, but that was hardly a burden.
Today was a day for family and friends to be together and support one another, tomorrow would take care of itself.
The End