Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling

Chapter 1 - Damage Assessments


Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling, and various other affiliates. No profit is intended in the publication of this story.


April 23, 1998: Seven days after the final battle and the destruction of Lord Voldemort.

He stood silently in the door of his hut looking toward the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; a faint pall of fog or smoke, he could not tell which, clung to the ground and gave the buildings a ghostlike appearance in the evening twilight. The Great Hall and other remaining buildings looked out of place and not at all like the survivors of a battle; most of the collapsed structures had fallen into the vast cavern which had once been known as the Chamber of Secrets. The gaping emptiness that had once held the east and west wings made the entire school look more like a incomplete medieval cathedral than the ruins of the finest wizarding school ever known.

This man's face bore the look of a father who had just seen his dead beloved son. However, this time he would not weep. Tonight he would retire for the day, safe in the knowledge that the magnificent devastation before him was nothing and meant nothing; he had just learned that, once again, his friend would live.

"C'mon Fang, let's go an' see what's troublin' Fluffy."

* * *

Cornelius Fudge sat at his new desk, in his new office, in a new job, and thought about old things. Now the Assistant Secretary for Muggle Relations – a position of questionable importance in a world that discouraged any contact with Muggles - Fudge had the distinct impression that this was one of those jobs that would soon have its budget cut and its employees released, including himself. What a fall it was, from Minister of Magic to Assistant Secretary, still Fudge thought he should be grateful for being alive and having a job; many of his friends could boast neither.

* * *

The new Prime Minister had seen little of the real world over the past few weeks, and little of what he saw made him think of the campaign and the slim victory he thought he had earned. In short, his world was crashing down around him and, of course, it was his fault. Well, not really his fault, more the fault of the office itself that required a shallow and rickety foundation to make it appear that he, or anyone in the office, could perform miracles. His predecessor had proven that with his totally inadequate handling of the murderous rampages over the past six months.

Prime Minister Brian Thompson knew and respected his predecessor, but God in heaven, how could he just sit there saying that it would all work out? Hundreds and hundreds dead, others…he shuddered when he remembered the pictures and stories. Absolute lunacy!

However, tonight, for the seventh consecutive day in twenty-five weeks, the countryside was silent, though not yet calm - that would have been asking too much. So for a celebration of sorts Thompson called his predecessor to thank him again for a good campaign and, again, have a go at setting up a transition meeting. With the events of the past weeks it had simply been impossible to arrange and schedule, but tonight, he would make the gesture and get on with the business of running the country.

Prime Minister Thompson placed the call himself, he usually did when making personal calls. It was one of the many little idiosyncrasies which he exhibited that endeared his aids and the public to him: that personal touch. The former Prime Minister answered the phone himself, he too appreciated the human touch and all it offered to enhance his degraded status; unfortunately no one of consequence would ever note this particular gesture.

A somber "Hello" greeted the caller.

"Yes, Anthony, hello, this is Brian. How are you this evening?"

"Mr. Prime Minister, I must speak to you immediately," he said, after a brief pause to choose the correct words and tone.

"Yes, yes, of course, Anthony, I did call you, remember?" The Prime Minister chuckled lightly. "It's high time we got together."

"May I come over now, Minister?"

He always was ready to jump in, as it were, the Prime Minister mused to himself. "Anthony, it's past my bedtime. You sound a trifle jumpy. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Minister, I'm lovely." Sarcasm edging into his already clipped tone.

The Prime Minister, a bit more wary now, continued. "Well, yes, Anthony, let's talk first thing in the morning, I'll ring you at…"

"No, Thompson, that won't do." The Prime Minister noted, curiously, that Anthony had used his surname. The only other time he had done that was when… "I must speak with you in person. I'll be there at 8am, sharp."

"Very well, Anth…" CLICK! The Prime Minister stopped; he had just been told-off, and then hung-up on.

"Bugger! And I thought things were getting better," he said absently and to no one in particular. And no one answered.

* * *

Liam and Tiernan Keane had never been particularly close as brothers, though they did get along quite well at family gatherings; weddings, funerals, and other such things. Liam looked upon these reunions as more of a duty than enjoyable family events. This may have troubled him a bit if he had given it much thought, but he seldom gave it any thought.

As the eldest of seven children born to Liam (Senior) and Bridget McKennedy, Liam (Junior) had often felt burdened by the job of helping raise his siblings, and of all the children, Tiernan was not the easiest brother to bring up. Tiernan would pester him for hours at a time, sometimes begging and sometimes threatening, to stay home with the family and not "run off," as he would call it, to college. But Liam had decided to pursue engineering and architecture and once he had it in his head what he wanted to do there was nothing to change his mind.

Shortly before his departure for Cambridge, when Tiernan was 11 and Liam was 18, Tiernan was mysteriously whisked away overnight by his parents. The day after Tiernan's disappearance, the parents called a family meeting and told everyone that Tiernan would be going to a boarding school "up north" and return only at the Christmas and summer holidays.

While a couple of the children wailed their regrets, begging the parents to bring Tiernan home, the parents were resolute that this was the best thing for him. The rest of the family secretly agreed, including Liam, for their brother had become quite incorrigible and difficult in recent months. Later that same day Liam tried to pry more information about the mysterious institution that Tiernan would attend, but the parents were utterly close-mouthed about the entire situation.

With his college education, which Liam took seriously, then a job, then a family, and a fair distance now separating him from his roots, the years passed and he became something of a stranger to his old home in Dublin. Important opportunities had elevated him into an elite group of international architects and one success after another followed. Three months ago Liam had earned a well deserved commission, with his partner Michael Jason, to design a new Parliament building. Part of the old building had collapsed due to some unknown and unforeseen structural defect. Thus enjoying a successful career, family, and life in general, Liam decided to take a six month sabbatical and work on the election campaign of a friend running for local office.

For his youngest sister's wedding a few days ago, he had left his own family at home in Bath and attended the services by himself, an action that caused a good amount of discord with his parents and siblings. But all in all, everything went fine and Liam even promised to bring his family up for a visit the following summer – though only after he had been administered a healthy dose of guilt.

Tiernan had been at the wedding, too, and this was the first time the entire family had been together in many years.

When the brothers met they embraced hesitantly, but Liam was quick to notice the change in his younger brother's demeanor and saw that he had grown into a fine adult. Asking about his life, all that Liam could get out of Tiernan was that he worked for the "Ministry of Education" in London. If he pressed further, Tiernan would simply smile and charm Liam with a vague answer that left the elder brother both satisfied and feeling a bit like his pocket had been picked.

* * *

A tall, thin man in a long gray coat and an empty look on his face walked down the towpath of the Grand Union Canal in Central England, near Northampton. He carried but a small backpack and the only distinguishing feature that might draw attention to him was a striking copper-red beard and moustache. The solitary figure walked his slow cadence, never looking back and never greeting the tourists on their narrowboats. If he were followed for the day he might be seen to stop in at a pub or two where just a bowl of soup and a glass of water seemed to satisfy him. He never spoke and he never stayed in any location for more than a few hours. His exile was both self-inflicted and well deserved, he thought.

* * *

In a small clearing within a densely wooded area a mother knelt, weeping, in front of two headstones. The recently filled graves had earth piled upon them and gnawed at her like raw wounds upon her heart. Tormented, she refused all comfort. Every day she brought fresh flowers from her garden to each grave and laid them on the obscene piles of dirt, watering them with her tears. Some days, beside her, stood a man with prematurely gray hair and slumped shoulders. At times he also could be seen weeping, but more recently he just went to sit and keep his wife company in her agony.

* * *

Two Muggles read and reread the latest letter from their daughter. They had rejoiced in the news she had conveyed earlier in the week about a victory over the wizard who once had nearly ended all their lives. But the world of magic was still as much a mystery today as it was seven years ago when they received an unusual letter, delivered by an owl no less. This more recent letter spoke of death and despair, and sounded darker that they expected.

Her school's advancement ceremony was only a few weeks away and at the age of eighteen their daughter was ready to be on her own, they believed. The trip to the ceremony would be arranged, the letter also informed them, after they had arrived at King's Cross Station on such-and-such a date. A school representative in black robes would meet them and escort the friends and relatives to a special train for the journey north. They should also be prepared to be gone three nights.

Their daughter neglected to mention anything about walking through a wall.

* * *

A very short witch, wearing grubby gloves and a stained apron, turned at the sound of a door opening. The boy, a young man really, entered slowly and looked about but did not detect her. This was not much of a surprise; she was quite short and her hair could easily be mistaken for shrubbery.

The witch, seeking solitude and supposing the boy wished the same, exited quietly through the rear door. The visitor proceeded to walk about and touch a plant here and there as if he were comforting them, or perhaps, seeking comfort from them. As he reached the far wall he turned around and leaned back, sliding down into a sitting position. The only sound heard for the next hour was that of the young man weeping.

* * *

The celebrations and funerals had finally abated and the ministers, along with their employees started heading back to work. The empty positions were numerous and getting everyone to return before the funerals were complete was pointless. The Minister of Magic had sent messages to all ministry departments declaring a week long recess from work; he was careful not to call it a holiday. That break had now ended and heads from every department were noting vacancies and requesting replacements.

* * *

In a cavernous room far under the Ministry of Magic buildings in London, the stench of stagnant water and old books assaulted the senses of every worker. The spells to keep the hall dry continually failed so their work was all the more urgent. Cart after cart of books moved from the main hall to the document processing area where every book was recorded and indexed, with careful attention paid to those books written in runes, their most fragile treasure.

After the cataloging was complete the carts of books were transported to a new facility in Dover buried far into the chalk cliffs, here they would be safe and dry for many centuries. The urgency of this move was tempered somewhat today, the losses suffered by the staff were many, and it was a small, tightly knit team.

The facility director was a normally cheerful old wizard by the name of Keric Albemarle, but today, instead of his typically happy face and light whit, Albemarle stole through offices removing the personal effects and official documents of his dead employees. There were five offices to clear out, four of them from the Rune Translations team alone. All friends of his, all whom he had know socially and had visited his house for dinner on many occasions.

After performing that last duty, Albemarle sat at his desk and let his body heave a sad sigh of relief. Then he drafted a letter to the Minister asking for additional help, emphasizing his needs for employees with rune translation experience. He knew it was a long shot, runes were a difficult area of expertise, but maybe he would get lucky.

It had taken four years to put his last team together.

* * *

In a dirty room, filthy, actually, a dark robed figure sat unmoving. His pasty-white hands were all that could be seen from under the robes and they gripped the chair handles tightly. He had sat there for seven days, seldom moving, deep in thought and deeper still in pain. Everything was ruined, everything was gone, and his few friends were dead. Yet the seemingly despondent nature of this man's mind held a very small speck of happiness. Everything he had done for the past eighteen years had atoned for his sins and he was now free.

But where could he go to start over? Who would accept a pardoned criminal?

* * *

A red-haired adolescent lay in a private hospital room sleeping soundly, his chest, abdomen, and legs bandaged heavily, blood stains showing the pattern of many flesh wounds. Next to his bed stood three chairs occupied by two more red-haired men, twins actually, and a dirtied and scraped-up teenage girl holding her head in her hands. The twins had recently arrived but the girl had been there for a week.

The clock in the hallway chimed eleven PM and startled the girl. Trying to blink the perpetual weariness from her eyes she stood up, stretched, and walked over to the bed where she took the injured boy's hand, stroking it gently with her own. She then set it back down and leaned over, tears dripping off her eyelashes onto his face, kissed him softly on the forehead, and returned to her seat.

One twin looked at the other and winked, his counterpart returning a brief, sad smile. Then they both looked down and returned to their thoughts.

* * *

Nearby a thin, sandy-haired man sat on a sofa and held the hands of a much younger woman with jet black hair that pointed out in every direction, much like a porcupine. He had two small bandages on his right cheek and some blood stains on his worn out shirt, but the blood was not his own. The woman was silent except for an occasional comment to the man. The two could be mistaken for parents awaiting word about a critically injured child. Hardly breathing, the man would look up every so often, then stand and walk over to the observation window. After a few minutes he would return to his vigil and hold his wife's hands.

* * *

There were always exceptions to the rules, every rule, everywhere. Tonight the rule against visitors would be broken and not an attendant on duty, not a healer from the Director on down to the lowliest intern would bat an eye or raise a protest if they looked into the dimly lit ward. Tonight of all nights, nobody anywhere would make a change or think things out of place. He was breathing deeply and silently, like a child secure in its mother's arms; no one realized that his sleep was far deeper than any child's peaceful slumber.

The bandages that covered his battered body showed only traces of the wounds to his flesh, but no bandages could repair the damage to his mind and his soul and his heart, none but one. This one small dressing had appeared and placed itself where it would do the most good and perform its vital work the quickest. Overflowing with the only real cure, drawing from the most ancient magic known, it was secured around his shattered body. Only the hands of this unique healer would work and it would only work for Harry Potter.

Chapter 2 - Awakening

Weariness, too deep to feel any longer, enveloped Ginny Weasley. The tears had stopped days ago, and now she was empty, worn, more drained and tired that she ever thought a person could be. But the worst part of it was the real possibility that all her help had been for nothing. This emptiness pressed down upon her heart; her constitution reeling from the events of the past weeks. She gasped for breath, wondering when the next attack of anxiety or fear would wrack her body and mind. Many times over the past week the Healers and her family - those remaining of her family - tried to take Ginny away from Harry’s side. Even the gentlest of prods earned them a wrath they had never before experienced. No words were spoken and no threats made, but the look in her fiery eyes said everything. She would only allow the medicines to be administered a few times a day when she took a quick trip to the loo, but even these were becoming less frequent.

By the fourth day after the battle, the Healers had done everything they could do and it was plain to all present that the two would either recover together or die together; there simply was no way to understand what was happening to them. Harry made no response to any stimuli, though his flesh was clearly healing; Ginny consciously refused any attempts to aid her, and she was clearly dying.

By the sixth day the situation had become so desperate that Fred and George Weasley had gone home to summon their parents. Ginny appeared to have slipped into a coma; her breathing was erratic, her skin cold and clammy. She hadn’t eaten in days and her cheeks were becoming hollow, but her long flaming red hair shrouded the two with colour amid their white sheets and pale skin.

On the morning of the seventh day, Arthur Weasley had managed to drag Molly from their son’s graves and bring her to the hospital. He felt guilty forcing her, but also knew that if Ginny died without Molly seeing her one last time, his wife would crack, and be lost forever. The news from the Healer that day was guarded; there was no change in Harry, but Ginny had seemed calmer overnight. What the Healer had not told the parents was that this reflexive behavior was a body’s sign that in just hours, perhaps even minutes, the end would come. The Healer encouraged Arthur and Molly to go to the bed and speak with the two teens. He hoped that the words themselves would comfort the parents; Harry and Ginny were now beyond his powers.

After talking with the Weasleys, the Healer told Remus Lupin and Tonks the entire prognosis. Remus thanked the Healer and looked into his wife’s eyes. If he was looking for strength and comfort he found none, only pain and sadness, deeper than any he had seen in a long time.

Fred and George spent most of their time with Ron and Hermione. Ron, however, was clearly on the mend so Hermione thought it was just the fact that they could not handle the stress in Harry and Ginny’s ward. Her suspicions were confirmed when she returned to the room after a break one day and found both Fred and George red-eyed and sniffling, speaking about their sister and friend in the past tense.

* * *

Harry Potter was indeed alive, but struggling within himself, trapped inside a mind unable to break through to consciousness. He had no physical sensation whatsoever, but some part of his brain told him that he might not be dead. Harry took this with a grain of salt; perhaps this maddening sensory deprivation was his body’s only way to cope with the terrible curses he had absorbed to ensure victory. The spells and curses of wizards ordinarily die with them, but Voldemort was no ordinary wizard and the lasting proof of this was Harry’s inability to return to a conscious state. It seemed to Harry that Voldemort might have had the last laugh after all.

At some point, shortly after the last battle when he had passed out, Harry became aware of something else. What he was experiencing was an awareness of an influence to his mind, it was dragging him, pulling him, to a place he was not certain he wanted to go. But he did go, slowly at first, very, very slowly. Harry had no way of knowing how much time had passed since the battle, but he had become accustomed to the pull and even found it comforting in a way since it was absolutely the only awareness he had experienced outside his own thoughts. In this suspended existence Harry did not think he could just give up and die since he was not completely confident, yet, if he was alive.

Finally, Harry resolved to stop fighting the mysterious pull and just let go to see what would happen; after all, if he was going to die he might see Sirius and his parents, perhaps even Dumbledore. At this thought he instantly felt, for the first time really felt, something happening. Harry was being pulled through the barrier that had been keeping him trapped. A painful sensation that his mind was being squeezed through a portal from oblivion back to awareness was only tempered by the force pulling him back to life. That same, vaguely familiar pull. When his senses finally began to return he knew a wall had finally been broken down and he felt he was becoming himself again. Then Harry started to dream.

His mother was calling him, and his father, too. Harry, Harry, can you hear us? We’re here with you.

Harry, we’re here. Please Harry, the whole family is here, Ginny’s here with you, too.

Ginny? Another, stronger feeling registered with that name. What was Ginny doing here? His mind was spinning and for one panic filled moment Harry thought he had died along with her but she could not be dead! These conflicting realities frightened and comforted him at the same time.

NO! His mind screamed, but this time he had heard himself. With a nauseating rush that left him dizzy and confused, Harry started to struggle. Now he knew he was alive, he could not only hear himself, he felt his bruised arms and legs thrash about, and he felt the warm bed where he lay, and he saw shapes moving in a fog of blurred vision, the awful taste of potions in his mouth, and finally, with an almost comic relief, Harry could smell himself and logically associate it with the feel of an unwashed body. He was lying on his side, in a rather uncomfortable position, there were arms wrapped around him and a face coming closer. If he was really dead he hoped it would be his mother’s face; it somehow came as no surprise to him that the first face he saw looked like that of Molly Weasley, eyes blood-shot, with deep, dark bags under them and tears streaming out. Yes, it was most certainly Mrs. Weasley smiling down at him.

The only thing Harry could utter, after all he had thought about was, “Ginny?�

Molly Weasley, through her tears, could only nod her head and say, “Yes, dear, she’s right here with you.� And with that, Harry smiled and slipped from consciousness into a truly peaceful slumber, and dreamed things far more pleasant than he thought possible.

The next morning the ward was filled with people that Harry knew, even though he was still sleeping and could not know they were there. Ron was awake and continuing his recovery, though his physical injuries were far more serious than Harry’s. Remus Lupin had come into Ron’s room when Harry started to regain consciousness the previous night and gave the three Weasleys and Hermione the good news. Hermione gave Ron a quick squeeze on his hand before dashing out with Fred and George, then stopping, she looked back to Ron, and in the sternest look and voice she could muster, told him to “stay put.� Ron did stay and thought about how happy Hermione looked, and that Harry was going to be ok.

Adding to the amazement of the Healers, Ginny, too, had awakened that morning, asking weakly for her mother. When Harry started to stir, though weak herself, Ginny insisted on staying until Harry could talk and tell her that he was truly back. Ginny thought she had heard Harry ask for her the night before, but she had to know it was not just a dream. Finally, Harry turned and smiled at Ginny, with a sigh of relief she let Tonks and Hermione help her from the bed to a chair,. When she asked for something to eat Fred ran over to her and held her arm up cheering: “A true Weasley if ever there was one. Bring the wench some food!� Everyone broke into a cries of acutely needed laughter, except his mother who tried to look reprovingly at him, but could barely keep a straight face.

Outside the ward door, Harry’s Healer was staring, speechless; not only had the unlikely happened, but the impossible had happened. However, his astonishment did not last long, there were dozens of other victims of Voldemort and his Death Eaters still needing care. After one more quick look into the room, where he met Molly Weasley’s grateful eyes, he returned to his rounds.

As Molly looked from the Healer back to the room, her eyes met everyone there, one at a time, and for the first time in many, many days, she had only tears of joy for everyone to see.

* * *

Shortly before 8 o’clock the next morning, the former Prime Minister Anthony Linden, walked into the reception area next to his old outer office. Now it was the office of his successor, Brian Thompson. Thompson’s person secretary and chief of personnel greeted the former Prime Minister, and then watched with amazement as he proceeded to walk past them, ignore them, actually, open the outer office door, close it, lock it, and shortly thereafter they heard the opening and banging shut of the inner office door. The secretary started for the phone but the chief of personnel got to the intercom first and pressed the talk button, only to hear his new boss tell him to “bugger off�, and that he would call if he needed anything.

Inside the office, Prime Minister Thompson watched Anthony enter, slam the door shut, and lock it. It was rather comical, Thompson thought, he was going to get a tongue lashing for some silly comment or another he had made in the campaign. As Anthony locked the door he steadied himself and turned to the Prime Minister.

“Well? Has he dropped in on you yet, Brian? And don’t give me that look, you know bloody well who I’m talking about.� Staring at the Prime Minster’s puzzled face, Anthony’s expression turned to annoyance and he collapsed into one of his old chairs. “Bugger.� Was all the Prime Minister heard, quite a few times, actually.

“Anthony, I’m afraid you’re not making much sense. Has who dropped in on me?�

Smirking at his old opponent, Anthony stood up, and walked over to a corner of the office where hung a rather small painting of a balding man with a large nose. Turning back to the Prime Minister, Anthony said sarcastically, “Nice painting, Brian, how long have you had this little bugger?�

“I’m quite certain I don’t know, Anthony. Now what’s all this about?�

“Just watch and listen.� Anthony said, his voice ripe with triumph. Turning back to the portrait he said in an officious voice: “Fudge, I want Fudge.�

The Prime Minister rose and walked over to the same corner and looked at the picture, then turned back to his guest. “You know, Anthony, I have had a few minor problems to deal with, left over, don’t you know, from the previous administration. I haven’t really had time to work on redecorating the office…and if you’d like a sweet we can walk over to the pantry.�

Annoyed with both the portrait and the Prime Minister, Linden tried another approach. “Ah, yes, Prime Minister, then would you kindly do me the favor of removing this picture?�

“Anthony, get a grip on yourself,� the Prime Minister replied, now a little annoyed.

“Please, Brian, humor an old friend for a moment. Just…take it off the wall. A simple procedure.�

“Very well, Anthony, here.� the Prime Minister walked the final step to the small frame and reaching out with one arm tried to move the painting. After a small tug or two, and then a heftier one, the Prime Minister gave up. “Well, it appears to be stuck, Anthony. What shall I do now, rearrange some furniture?�

Anthony again smirked at the Prime Minister and replied simply, “No, no, that won’t be necessary. Let’s look at this together, shall we.� Pointing at the picture, “Here, Brian, come a bit closer, would you? That’s good, look at this fellow’s eyes, odd, aren’t they? And that hideous mouth! Needed to have his teeth fixed, I’d wager. And did you ever see such a nose? Oh, and look, his head is way too shiny, that’s quite a bald spot, wouldn’t you say?�

The Prime Minister looked closely at the painting for a moment then, shaking his head as if to clear it he backed off. “Oh get a grip, Anthony, I don’t have time for this. It’s just an ugly painting of an ugly man. I’m going to call for some tea and I want to know your real reason for being here. No more of this poppycock.�

The Prime Minister started walking back to his desk, annoyed, and a bit concerned about his old friend.

“Who are you calling ugly?� An angry voice retorted.

The Prime Minister stopped and turned around, the voice sounded nothing like Anthony’s. Was there someone else here? This really was becoming silly. When he looked back, Anthony was wearing a self-satisfied grin and then turned back to the portrait and said simply, “That was the Prime Minister. Now, I want Fudge.�

“Bloody Muggles.� The voice spat back, though the Prime Minister thought he heard something like “buddy nuffles.�

“Yes, yes, thank you, sorry for that comment about your nose.� Again, the former Prime Minister was speaking to the portrait.

Thompson walked back to the corner and looked at Anthony, who just smirked again and dipped his head toward the wall and said amusingly, “Ah, good show, Brian, please take a look at our little friend now.� When the Prime Minister looked at the portrait he was astounded to see that the little man with the buck teeth, long pointy nose, and bald head was no longer there. “Sensitive old bloke, wouldn’t you say, Brian?�

The Prime Minister was not quite sure of what was going on, he certainly heard something, and the portrait was now empty, but this still seemed a bit like a colossal prank. Hoping that it really was a prank he eyed his friend suspiciously and again started back to his desk.

“Oh, no, Brian. You’ll miss all the fun.� Taking the Prime Minister’s arm, Anthony led him, not back to the desk, but to the opposite side of the room where the oversized fireplace sat empty and cold. “Yes, this should do, let’s sit here for a bit, would you like some tea?� Sitting down in a stiff-backed old chair the Prime Minister looked at his friend.

“Anthony, what’s so bloody special about sitting here?� Real annoyance now creeping into his question.

“Yes, yes, I know, I’ve taken up a lot of your precious time, but this really is quite a spectacle. Watch the fireplace, Brian. That’s a good fellow.� Standing beside the seated Prime Minister and a half step back, the former Prime Minister stood patiently for a few seconds when Thompson started to turn around. “Patience, Brian, you really don’t want to miss this. That’s right, just watch the fireplace.�

The man’s lost it, the Prime Minister thought to himself. And I’m just as bad, sitting here waiting for a sodding Santa to pop out of the fireplace. For another long moment nothing happened and this time the Prime Minister was not going to listen to his friend, he had had enough. Standing up abruptly and swiping Anthony aside with his arm he had taken just a few steps back to the desk when he thought he’d heard a whooshing sound and felt a flash of warmth on the back of his neck. He paused for just a second and continued his trip.

“Come now, Brian, you’ve missed the best part. Here, let me introduce you to an…acquaintance of mine.�

“Hello, Prime Minister,� a distinctly new voice had said, “Cornelius Fudge.�

The Prime Minister stopped this time. Turning around with a mixture of annoyance and apprehension the Prime Minister saw, standing next to Anthony, a short, slightly overweight middle-aged man wearing emerald green robes with a matching hat, and an annoyed look on his face. “Fudge?� was all he could think to say. With a start he remembered Anthony’s earlier comment and glanced to the portrait seeing that the man had returned to his original spot and was pointing toward the fireplace.

“Well, there’s Fudge, just like you asked.�

Thompson felt weak-kneed but managed to walk toward the visitor and extend his hand, albeit hesitantly. “Brian Thompson. And, uh, are you Fudge?�

“Yes, yes, that’s me.� Fudge exclaimed lightly, then looked over to the former Prime Minister. “You know, Anthony, you really are not supposed to summon me like that. The new Minister is most unhappy when we have to…interact with the Muggles. I hope this is important.�

“Yes, Fudge, you know bloody well it is. Where the deuce have you been these past two years?� Anthony appeared to the Prime Minister as if he were going to erupt; his usual pink face had turned a distressing shade of scarlet.

“Yes, well, that change of jobs we spoke about and the war…�

War? What war? The Prime Minister thought warily. “Now just hang on there a moment, Fudge. And you too, Anthony.� The Prime Minister could not decide whom to question first. Looking back to Fudge, Thompson asked just one of the many questions racing through his head. “Where did you come from?�

“Ah, yes, sorry about that Prime Minister, I came by the floo network, but I don’t suppose Scrimgeour or Linden here have spoken to you about that, have they? Anthony, this must be something of a shock to your friend here, why don’t we sit and have some tea and sort this out?�

With a quick motion of his arm, Fudge pulled out what Thompson thought was a stick. Waving it in the air for a flash he thought he saw a chair come out the end, a chair to match the other two in front of the fireplace. Then Fudge tapped the small table and an entire tea service appeared and the aroma of Earl Grey instantly filled the air. This had all happened so fast that Thompson was a bit dizzy and he shook his head hoping the entire day was a dream.

Anthony stood to the side this entire time entertaining a smug smile, as if he had pulled off the entire trick himself. But as soon as the chair and tea appeared he sat and looked to Fudge.

“I say you owe us an explanation, Fudge. You may not like to interact with us but that Voltmeter fellow has caused quite a stir.� Then Anthony sat back into the chair and eyed Fudge.

“Voldemort, Anthony, Voldemort. Yes, well, the most important thing now is that he is finally destroyed. Yes, let’s focus on the positive side of this, shall we?�

“NO WE BLOODY WELL SHAN’T. YOU TWO BETTER START MAKING SOME SENSE. AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THAT STICK?� Now it was the Prime Ministers turn to erupt. As angry as he had ever been, the Prime Minister was also becoming worried. War? Things appearing out of nowhere? “WHAT IS GOING ON? I WANT ANSWERS, AND NOW!�

“Ah, yes, Brian, you see Fudge here is a wizard.� Anthony’s voice was a little too calm for the Prime Minister who was looking back and forth at the two as if…

“A wizard, Anthony?� The Prime Minister said in his most sarcastic voice. “Oh, yes, that WOULD explain everything, how convenient.� Thompson spat out in disgust. “And when will Merlin appear with King Arthur?�

“Mr. Thompson, will you kindly refrain from using Merlin’s name in vain?� Fudge looked affronted and peeved.

“I’m warning you two, for the last time, who are you?...� pointing to Fudge, “…and what is this poppycock about?� Thompson glared at Anthony.

“Please sit down, Brian.� Anthony tried to calm him a bit. Remembering back to the first time he met Fudge, Anthony made a suggestion. “Fudge, why don’t you convince the Prime Minister here? Perhaps the same way you convinced me a while back.�

“Oh, very well, I suppose so. Prime Minister, would you please pick up your tea cup?� Fudge asked politely.

“No, I bloody well will not!� Brian was becoming petulant.

“Please, sir, indulge me for a moment and I will answer any questions I can.� Fudge offered. The Prime Minister looked suspiciously at the man in green and then picked up his empty tea cup, his index finger dangling the cup by its handle. “There, thank you. Now would you mind holding it in the palm of your hand, and upside down?�

Why not? The Prime Minister thought, shaking his head, I’ve gone this far…in for a penny in for a pound, eh? Turning the cup over and placing it in his palm, the Prime Minister saw Fudge remove the stick from his robes again and point it at the cup. Fudge looked nervously at Anthony with a mild look of surprise on his face.

“So sorry there, Minister, haven’t done this one in a long time.� Fudge smiled sheepishly, looking embarrassed, and waved his wand again. This time a soft purple light shot from the end of Fudge’s wand and struck the teacup. As if in a slow motion the Prime Minister watched the cup turn into a gray mouse. Too startled to move, he looked up at Fudge and tried to say something but nothing seemed quite adequate enough to describe his thoughts. He sat back into the chair, still holding the mouse in his hand. Fudge again waved his wand and the mouse turned back into a teacup.

“There now, that’s better. How about some tea, Minister?� Fudge said cheerfully, waving his wand and this time the teapot poured three cups of steaming tea and then returned to the server. Fudge helped himself to a lump of sugar. Anthony, who had been watching Brian the past couple minutes, now smiled and picked up his cup, sipping the tea and watching his friend over the rim.

“No! I don’t know what’s going on here but there are no wizards waving bloody sticks and turning teacups into mice.� Standing up again, Thompson looked toward the door and started to head that way. After a step or two he stopped, his back to his guests and appeared to be thinking. After another moment he walked to his desk and pressed the “Speak� button on the intercom.

“Jane, please cancel all my appointments for the rest of the morning and notify Scotland Yard that I will need to speak with them later today.� Without waiting for a reply the Prime Minister turned back to his guests and spoke.

“Alright, suppose this is true and I’m not dead or demented, two possibilities I am still seriously entertaining. If you…Fudge…are really a wizard why is the whole world in such a bloody mess? Why haven’t you fixed things up? And why has no one heard of you before Anthony and I?�

Looking somewhat annoyed, Fudge stood and replied: “Prime Minister, for sixteen hundred years the wizarding world and the Muggle world have co-existed, usually in harmony, almost never in conflict. I’m sorry to say that the past few years have been one of those times when our worlds have met and the consequences, though not through faults of my own, have been horrendous. Let me finish…� Fudge held up his hand and said quickly when he saw Thompson about to speak. “…this entire conversation would have been utterly impossible as recently as the early 1990’s. Until then we had strict laws in place to keep us apart, as we had been for centuries, and these were good laws.�

“Gentlemen, the wizarding world is…different than yours. What we believe and what we practice would never be accepted in your society. Your very questions prove this point. You asked me why we haven’t done anything to ‘fix up your world.’ Prime Minister, what would you have us do? You yourselves have everything you need to exist in harmony with one another, just as we do. Your tools are simply different than ours.�

Fudge stood and walked over behind Linden’s chair. “Our world suffered grievous losses in your Second World War; that was the last time we tried to work surreptitiously for your good. Two entire blood lines were exterminated and two others nearly so. So please don’t think we are not entwined with this world of yours, we are most deeply involved, we are, after all, humans also. We just understand the forces of life differently and recognize that they need to be separate.�

“Fudge, why don’t you tell him about…Volde-whatever? He really does have a right to know.� the former Prime Minister asked reasonably.

“Anthony, you may think you are entitled to know facts and events occurring in our world, but please remember, Voldemort was a unique case that we hope will never again be repeated, much like that Hitler fellow you had to deal with.�
Seeing the two men were not to be dissuaded, Fudge sighed and continued. “Prime Minister, Anthony, many years ago an immensely powerful wizard reappeared in our world, we believed…well, we hoped he had been destroyed in 1981, but that’s another story. We came to realize a few years ago that he had not died. He was, in fact, growing in power until he was finally able to return to his body; that was, oh, about 1994. He then spent the next three years calling back his old followers and gaining allies.�

Turning to the tea service, Fudge poured himself another cup. As he walked about, Thompson glanced at Linden with a “You knew all this?� look on his face.

Fudge continued his story between sips of tea. “ It was during these years, ending only a few days ago, that his path of destruction bled over to your world, if you will…ah…forgive the pun. Voldemort knew from a prophecy made in 1980 that only one person could destroy him. His assaults on the non-magical world, your world, were part of his quest to draw this boy out into the open and destroy him so he would have free reign everywhere.�

“A boy did you say?� Thompson interjected.

“Yes, one rather unique child by the name of Harry Potter.�

“Wait a minute, I seem to have heard that name recently, or is that just another hallucination, too?�

“No, you may very well have heard his name in public, there has been a great deal of celebration the past few days. You see, Potter was able to destroy Voldemort just last Sunday, once and for all. So we wizards have had a great deal to be celebrating about. Sometimes the wizarding community gets a bit out of hand and, well, you know what happens at large parties.�

“So thanks to this Potter fellow we’re safe again?� This time it was Anthony’s question. “And everything will be back to…normal?�

“Yes, we believe so…we hope so. Voldemort’s death made the control of his servants much easier. There may be a small problem here and there with rounding up the last of his followers, but mostly we shall return to our world and leave you be.�

“Now Prime Minister, and you too,� Fudge looked at Linden, “I must make this perfectly clear. I was given special permission to speak with you today and you should not expect me to answer another summons. In fact, Minister Scrimgeour, he’s our equivalent of a Muggle Prime Minister, has forbidden me from meeting with you again, and I must agree with him. Your world, and our world of magic, cannot be rejoined. And now I bid you good day, gentlemen.�

Before either man could protest, Fudge sprang to his feet and walked with decision to the fireplace and threw what looked like a hand full of dirt down at his feet. They heard him say “Ministry of Magic,� and in a flash of green smoke he was gone.

“So, Brian, you wanted to speak with me about the transition, I believe. Let’s go and check your calendar.� The Prime Minister just nodded and walked shakily to his desk, with a couple looks over his shoulder at the fireplace along the way. An hour later Anthony Linden exited the office and bid good day to the staff. Huddled around the outer office door they just stared as he walked by. Yes, Linden thought to himself, let’s see how he handles himself now.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall sat in the Great Hall at Hogwarts finishing some of the daily correspondences. Her office in the east wing had been destroyed and she was using the head table as a temporary desk until Filch could arrange a suitable office for her. The note this morning from Remus Lupin about Harry’s recovery pleased her greatly. For all her stern exhortations to Harry over the years, Minerva was really quite fond of the boy, and hearing of Harry’s recovery helped quell some of her uneasiness with taking over the job of Headmistress of Hogwarts. Only a few weeks remained in the term and McGonagall did not want to close the school down in spite of its terrible damage.

The other wizarding schools around the world offered spots for the students but few had accepted the offers. Her preference would be to finish the year as best they could and then move to a temporary location while Hogwarts under went repairs. The Board of Governors seemed to think this was the best route, also.

Next order of business, Leavers Day. A few weeks before, the seventh years had voted for Harry to offer the welcome address and Hermione Granger the closing remarks. She knew Harry disliked public speaking but the vote was more than an affirmation of his character, it was a vote for his life. There were few dissenting votes, and they all came from Slytherin. This greatly disappointed the headmistress; she was hoping the school would, once and for all, bind together against a common foe.

Of the many students at Hogwarts almost one hundred would not be present for the Leavers Day. Some had been withdrawn from school when things got bad a few weeks earlier, but many of the missing students had died at the hands of Voldemort’s Death Eaters that last terrible day. McGonagall knew all the murdered students and had contacted the families of each, but she refused to dwell on the loss, lest it distract her from her more vital job of running the school. She scribbled a few notes about Leavers Day and then called for her owl, Ailenn, to take the message to the House staff.

Next, where to house the students for the final few weeks? All the dormitories had been destroyed and almost all the remaining areas in the North and South wings were classrooms.

And what about the N.E.W.T. exams? Should they be postponed school-wide?

Filch’s request to exorcise Peeves was a perennial issue. Albus has left it alone but…come to think of it, she had neither seen nor heard from Peeves all week. Thank the stars for small miracles.

The house elves, the reconstruction, the Ministry investigators, a note from Neville Longbottom… the list went on and on and on…and where the devil is Filch with my new office?

* * *

Liam Keane woke from a deep sleep to the sound of a telephone ringing. Groaning and turning over in his bed, trying not to disturb his wife, Liam looked at the clock. Three-thirty in the morning! “Hello, this better be good.� He croaked out. It took him a moment to recognize the voice he had not heard over a phone in, well, in a very long time.

“Liam, so sorry for waking you. Liam, are you there? This is Tiernan…your brother.�

“Tiernan, what the devil…is everything alright? Mum and Dad?� A twinge of apprehension woke Liam up quickly.

“Yes, all’s well in Dublin. Say, Liam, I know this is dreadfully inconvenient, but can I pop in for a moment? I have a rather delicate thing to discuss with you.�

“And I can assume that it can’t wait till morning?� Was the older brother’s grumpy reply.

“Well, no, not really.�

Looking at the caller ID on his phone Liam saw that his brother was calling from London. “Will you catch the first flight this morning? If you can get to Heathrow by 5 AM I can pick you up at the airport.�

“No, I wouldn’t want to trouble you. How about in twenty minutes, will that give you time to wake up?�

“Well, yes, twenty minutes would be fine, but…�

“See you then.� Click. The connection was broken. Liam looked at the phone, was the caller ID wrong? It clearly showed a London city code.

Twenty minutes later Liam heard a gentle knock on his front door. Surprised now, more than annoyed, Liam opened the door to see his brother carrying a small briefcase and wearing what looked to be some retro-1890’s barrister robes.

“Good morning, brother, how are you today?� Tiernan greeted his brother with far too happy a tone at this hour. Rubbing his eyes for the umpteenth time since the phone call, Liam stepped aside and jerked his thumb toward the kitchen where he had been fixing coffee.

“Come on in, coffee or tea?�

“Nothing, thank you, I’m working the graveyard shift and it’s almost time to go home to bed. Don’t want anything keeping me up.�

“Yes, what an unusual idea, brother.� Liam muttered under his breath. “I hope you don’t mind if I have another.�

“No, please go right ahead.�

“Tiernan, you’re far too cheery to be here announcing a death or divorce, what’s going on?�

“Ah, yes, that’s right, let’s get right to the point. Liam, do you know where mum and dad sent me when I was eleven?�

Oh god, why is he bringing this up? Liam had quite forgotten about it over the past twenty years. “Well, no, Tiernan, mum would never tell…�

“Good, good, smart woman she is, our mother. Liam, I went away to a school for, well, for people with special abilities, as it were.� Tiernan tried to smile off his fumbled words, smiling at his brother. His brother just stared. “That is to say, it was a school for kids with magical abilities.� Another embarrassed smile.

“Mum and dad sent you to a clown school?� Liam knew it was a lame comment, though his brother’s garments did seem to fit the appraisal.

“No, Liam, they sent me to a school for wizards.� THERE, I’ve said it, now let’s move on.

“Sorry there, a magicians school then?� Liam was clearly not completely awake.

“Liam, I know it’s early but please don’t be dense.�

Liam though he might just punch his brother, and he had not done that in over 20 years, so he just continued to stare blankly, letting his brother make a fool of himself. Maybe I’ll get a laugh out of this before I throw him out. “Now Liam, please listen carefully, I am not a clown or a magician, I am a wizard. Look, I have a wand and everything, see?� Tiernan drew his wand out of a deep pocket in his robe and showed it to Liam.

Liam sat at the table, took a sip of coffee, and considered his brother’s comment. “May I see that, Tiernan?�

“Well…we’re really not supposed to, but, I guess it wouldn’t hurt. Here you are.� Tiernan handed the wand to his brother.

Standing, Liam took the wand from his brother’s hand. He looked at it for a minute and tossed it on the kitchen table. He then looked his brother in the eyes and said: “Please leave, I’m going back to bed. Come back this evening if you want to have dinner and make some bloody sense.� With that, Liam put his arm around his brother, hoisted him off the chair, and gently pushed him out the door, closing and locking it.

BANG! “That was not polite, Liam.� A voice from behind him said. Whirling around, started by the voice, Liam was even more startled to see his brother. Looking back to the door and his brother twice more he saw Tiernan hold out his arm and say: “Accio wand.� The wand on the table flew into Tiernan’s hand and he said gently, “Well, brother, shall we try this again?�

Liam eyed his brother suspiciously but nodded all right, and sat back down. “Ok, you got my attention, Obi Wan, what’s going on?�

“There, now! That wasn’t so bad, was it? Just needed a bit of convincing, eh?� Tiernan joked lightly and smiled at his brother across the table. Then in a more serious tone.

“Let’s try again, Liam. I’m a wizard and the Ministry of Magic has a job offer for you.�

* * *

The figure on the towpath walked wearily forward. I am so tired, he thought, so bloody tired. It was late evening and time to find a spot to lie down for the night. With no money and no desire for human contact he turned off the towpath and moved toward a small outcrop of stones that would shield him from a northern wind. Huddling down on his haunches he removed a worn blanket from his pack and threw it on the ground. Then, watching carefully for any people, he took a wand out of his coat and waved it over the blanket. Putting the wand away the man lay down and fell asleep, another day lost was all he could think. Another day lost. But his life, and a few others, was about to get worse.

As the man slept two young boys from a nearby village came across the stranger with worn clothes and a bad odor. Dramatically, one of the boys, only nine years old, held his nose and tip-toed toward the vagrant. He opened the front of the tramp’s coat and looked for anything interesting, but the only thing he saw was a beautiful piece of wood with a shiny tip. Grabbing the stick the boy held it up in triumph and ran off with his friend.

Chapter 3 - The Lonely Hill

Authors Note: The leavers day ceremony which appears about half way through this chapter is not common in the British educational system. However, due to the significance of what has happened to the School over the past few years, this ceremony would very likely have occurred to honor those who played a vital role in the defeat of Voldemort.


It had been named the Lonely Hill at some point in the school's past, but even Hermione could not find a reference to it in Hogwarts: A History. Sitting atop the grassy hill on the far side of the lake, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione sat together, in silence, waiting for the sunrise. The predictable morning mist had filled the lowlands around the mountains making them appear as islands above an ocean of pale water; the grass around them wet with morning dew.

As dawn approached, silence abounded; not the oppressive silence you experiences in a cave or tunnel, rather a comfortable silence that wraps you in its arms and comforts by drawing close to you the souls of your friends. The Lonely Hill blanketed these four friends in this silence, and here and there, many more small groups of two or three or four could be seen huddled together in the cool morning air also awaiting the dawn.

On this, their last day together as students, they were lost in thoughts and memories of the past seven years. In the past, departing seventh year students shared the hill with only their classmates and friends; this year, however, almost the entire student body was present, including a number of teachers and staff. No one took offence at this, everyone was subdued and thoughtful, thinking over the events of their years at Hogwarts, and more so of the events the past few months.

It seemed impossible, but the Board of Governors had voted down the schools reconstruction until their annual finance meeting at the end of the month. Logically they understood the rationale; emotionally this awareness was tearing their hearts out. Seven years of their lives had been spent at Hogwarts, for all but Ginny, and she was just a year behind. The friends, the enemies, the joys and sorrows were blending together and saturating their senses to a breaking point. Yet through the confusion and pain and joy one thing remained constant, the friendship they shared which had become a rock-solid foundation that far too few people ever enjoy.

In the orange glow that preceded the dawn, Harry saw Hagrid in the distance sitting with McGonagall, both appeared to be lost in their thoughts, silently watching for the approaching sun. Further down the hill, a short distance away, Neville sat alone. Harry had worried about Neville ever since the final battle and the loss of his grandmother; they also shared another more personal link: both were now true orphans. Harry thought he should invite Neville up to join them, but the sun had just started to peek above the eastern horizon and everyone was momentarily frozen as they watched the spectacle.

Ginny remained quietly at Harry's side, gently holding his arm with one hand, the other around his back; her head leaning against his shoulder. She could tell that he was struggling with his thoughts and emotions. Heck, everyone was this morning. But Ginny could feel it in Harry. She herself was almost numb. The idea for not returning to Hogwarts seemed impossible: Where will I go? This is my life! No one had heard anything from the Board of Governors since they announced the closure, nothing at all. Ginny had sent her father an owl pleading with him to ask around the office, but her father replied that he could not contact anyone because everyone was in meetings and "still trying to put things back together." In frustration all Ginny could think was: What should I do?

Ron sat next to his sister, and occasionally patted or rubbed her back. He was aware that his sister's pain was far greater than his own; she was leaving Hogwarts and the man she loved. He looked over to Hermione, and when she looked back at him, there were tears streaming down her face. Ron wrapped Hermione in his arms and buried his face in her hair and shoulder to comfort them both.

Hermione was realizing once again, that when she got emotional like this, no amount of education or logic, no number of O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s could rescue her and calm her instinctive reactions. Perhaps she would be able to, some day, revel in emotion without a feeling of embarrassment. It was a struggle for her and Ron to be close, but she was determined to change; she desperately desired to feel more and rationalize less. Her close relationship with Ron over the past two years had blossomed into her first real love in the last few weeks, but Hermione still had to convince herself that what she felt was really love and not the anticipation of Ron's absence from her daily life.

Ron's recovery in the hospital, her daily vigil, helping in therapy, and tutoring him for the N.E.W.T.s had brought them side-by-side and face-to-face daily. She would dismiss holding his hand, telling herself that that was what he needed to recover faster, and nothing more. It wasn't until just two weeks ago when she spontaneously kissed him (and a real kiss too!) that she knew. Secretly she had dreaded Ron grabbing and pawing at her in fumbled passionate kisses, but when he gently returned the kiss and asked her if she meant it, she was hooked.

Holding Ron as the sun rose gave Hermione another piece to the puzzle that was their relationship. Looking up to the breaking dawn, Hermione held the man whom she had finally come to love.

Harry felt an odd combination of numbness and elation. As the last days approached, the reality of leaving the only home he ever truly knew depressed him and he sometimes withdrew into himself. Ginny tried to cheer him up but with N.E.W.T.s to study for, he really didn't have much time for sulking anyway. Harry also had mixed feelings about where to go after leaving Hogwarts. Since the start of the term, he, Ron, and Hermione had talked about renting a house in Hogsmeade for a year as they decided careers. But with the situation at Hogwarts, Harry didn't know where Ginny would be going and he wanted to be near her; the Hogsmeade plans didn't look promising.

In the last few days, their plans reversed themselves again and all three suddenly found themselves with a new selection of choices. They had wanted to put off career decisions until after exams, except Hermione; she had decided to apply for an internship in the Ancient Document Restoration Department of the Ministry of Historical Records. She told Ron and Harry that although she'd taken only a couple courses in Rune Translation the subject was fun, and she needed a break from any fulltime employment after the past few months. Ron and Harry found this amusing, Hermione take a break from anything? So Hermione was still game for the Hogsmeade house, or "Hog House" as Ron liked to call it.

Harry struggled with his decision to put off Auror training for a year. McGonagall had reminded him that her offer to work with him still stood, but Harry's heart just wasn't in it like it had once been. He wasn't sure if it was because of Ginny or the final struggles with Voldemort or something subconscious, he just didn't feel that was the way to go right now. He still liked the idea of working with Remus who, along with Tonks, had become something of a big brother/sister combination. Harry felt completely relaxed around them and could see why Sirius had been Remus's friend. One possible avenue Harry had looked into was trying out for a professional Quidditch team with Ron, (who had become an outstanding keeper his last two years.) They both knew scouts visited Hogwarts every year, but so far nothing had come of it.

The Tuesday before the leavers ceremony, Ron came into the temporary Gryffindor common room with wide eyes and a wacky smile. Seeing him, Ginny asked what was going on and he told her that he'd been offered a tryout for the second string keeper on the Chudley Cannons, his favourite professional Quidditch team; "it was a miracle," he said, "he couldn't believe it." When Harry heard the news, he whooped and gave Ron a bear hug and reminded him that it was he, Harry, who kept him in the game when Ron thought he was so terrible. Ron agreed and gave Harry a sincere and heartfelt thanks.

With that easy decision, Ron had become the second occupant of Hog House, though he told Harry and Hermione that his mother would never let him share a place with Hermione without Harry there. Hermione laughed and wrote Mrs. Weasley a long mysterious letter and a couple days later she sent a note to Ron "suggesting" that he get the house with Hermione, though still hinting that Harry would be a good housemate, too.

Harry was getting worried about his post-Hogwarts plans, he still didn't have anything concrete and there wasn't much time left. He wasn't too worried about money; he still had his parent's inheritance, but he did not want to just sit idly by while his best friends moved on; Harry knew it would drive him crazy.

Neville told Harry that he had been offered a job by Professor Sprout in the school's greenhouses, in preparation for moving the school's collection of flora to a temporary location if the school closed. Harry could tell Neville was pleased, and even mentioned Hog House as a possible option for Neville, but he was planning to stay at Hogwarts, if Filch could ever get his act together and find him a small room. Harry could tell that he just wasn't ready to leave, yet. Neville had not wholly recovered from his Grandmother's passing and he was moody and sulked too much. Harry reminded him at every opportunity that Ron and Hermione would be living in Hogsmeade for the next year and that seemed to give him some comfort.

Finally, the day before the leavers ceremony, as Harry was working on his introductory address, he received an owl from the Ministry of Sports and Games notifying him that there was a position available, possibly, for a seeker on the British National Team, and if Harry was interested he should plan to spend a month with the team in Glasgow, Scotland, for training and evaluation. With that note, Harry knew what he would do. He loved Quidditch and flying and it was time for a long break from anything serious, (except Ginny). As soon as he made the decision he felt better and wrote a quick acceptance note to the coach.

The next morning Harry told Ginny of his decision when he got her alone for a moment, after watching the sunrise. She seemed genuinely happy for him, but blasé overall. When Harry ran into Hermione a couple hours later, on the way to the leavers ceremony, he mentioned this to her.

"Well, Harry, how would you expect her to feel? You two have been attached at the hip for weeks and you just told her you would be gone a month!"

Cringing, Harry admitted to Hermione that this was a good point, and then mentally whacked himself for not catching on quicker. Hermione read his thoughts exactly and laughed. "Yes, Harry, you better knock yourself around a bit, then maybe Ginny won't be too hard on you." But the time had come for the ceremony and Harry made a mental note to speak with Ginny about this, first-thing after the day's activities were over.

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The Daily Prophet
Friday, June 19, 1998

Hogwarts to Advance Final Class Today?
School Governors Weighing Options
Commencement Address by Minister Scrimgeour, page 2.
Harry Potter to Open Leavers Ceremony, page 3.
Head Girl, Hermione Granger, Closing Remarks, page 3.
Headmistress McGonagall to Retire, page 4.
Birmingham Bombers Bombed Again, Now 0-6, page 8.
Clean Sweep Files for Bankruptcy after recall of all model 20.04 brooms. Business Section, page 1.

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Harry looked at the huge crowd that had gathered on the south lawn, the butterflies in his stomach made him feel like it was his first Quidditch game seven years ago; Ginny called it his "Quidditch butterflies." His knees were shaking, too. Harry asked himself why he ever consented doing the Introduction. I hate crowds, I hate crowds, I hate crowds… was the only thought going through Harry's mind until Ginny walked up behind him, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You'll do fine, Harry, just don't be sick in front of everyone."

"Oh, thanks!" Harry responded, but the humour had worked, he was distracted for a moment and calmer now watching Ginny run back to her seat with the other students. As he turned his eyes forward, Harry noticed that Hermione looked a bit ill, too. Reaching over Ron, who appeared to be in some sort of daze, Harry took Hermione's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Her quick, jerky motions and wide eyes seemed to settle for a moment.

In short order Professor McGonagall stepped up to the platform and waited for the crowd to quiet, signalling the start of the ceremony.

"Ladies and gentlemen, witches and wizards, welcome to this years' Leavers Ceremony. We are happy, and yet at the same time saddened to see the departure of the class of 1998." After the applause died down the headmistress continued.

"Everyone here knows what this day means to our leavers and our school; a beginning and an end." Harry could tell that McGonagall had barely gulped out the word "end" and was struggling with her composure, but the professional teacher took over and she continued. "I would now like to invite Mr. Harry Potter on stage for the opening address. Mr. Potter?"

Climbing up the four steps from the lawn to the stage, Harry walked forward and shook McGonagall's hand and then surprised her by giving her a kiss on the cheek. For her part, McGonagall blushed so brightly that the students sitting up front who could see what happened clapped and whistled for her.

Then Harry began.

"Fellow students, parents, family and friends, teachers and distinguished guests; welcome. It's difficult to imagine myself seven years ago thinking I could be standing up here addressing you today. Those I know and those who know me see a person very different from the scared eleven year old child asking a Muggle Guard where platform 9¾ was located." Hearing laughter and clapping eased Harry's nerves even more.

"At that time I'd only known for a month that I was a wizard, and while that revelation had answered some of my question about why strange things happened to me, it presented me then, and more so later, with many more unanswered questions."

"Today I know the answers to those questions of my past, and now I am facing a number of new ones. I look forward to a future of questions and mysteries, assured that, having survived the past seven years, I will again survive, with the assistance of those I call my friends, and with the education I've received."


"Thank you."

Harry stood for a moment, gathering his notes, which he didn't really use, and headed to the edge of the stage. He was breathing hard and it took a second for the applause to register. Approaching the stairs leading back down to the lawn Harry paused for a moment and looked out to the sea of people, all clapping and some cheering. Looking over his shoulder to the school staff he saw Hagrid standing and cheering as loudly as everyone else. Then, near the end of the row of staff, stood Severus Snape wearing his same scowl and his perpetual look of disgust with Harry. But even Snape was clapping. Their eyes met for a moment and Harry turned to leave the stage.


The presentation of awards and certificates ended after what seemed like hours to some, but it went all too fast for others. Of course Hermione won the Peak Achiever award in every subject but two. Harry and Ron would roll their eyes at each other with each award, and after Hermione's fourth trip up to the stage Professor McGonagall said to her "Ms. Granger, why don't you just stay up here?" Hermione blushed, but the crowd loved it, Ron most of all.

When presented with the potions award, Snape actually congratulated Hermione, though Ron swore that he did it through gritted teeth. Then Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout awarded the medal in Herbology to Neville, who solemnly walked forward to accept.

After Neville, and to no one's surprise, the award for Defence Against the Dark Arts was awarded to Harry. Minister Scrimgeour gave Harry the prize and, after a few words about Harry to the audience which made him feel very ill at ease, Scrimgeour opened a large flat box he'd taken with him to the podium and announced that Harry had been awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class.

Harry instantly knew why he had had no forewarning about the award, he would never have accepted it. Now he was stuck up on stage with the Minister of Magic and a few thousand people watching and cheering, standing, waving previously concealed signs and banners, and expected to say a few words.

"Uh, Minister Scrimgeour…thank you for this award. I guess, well I had some incentive to destroy (he still avoided the word kill) Voldemort, since it was either him or me."

Not intending it to come out as a joke, the crowd felt otherwise and cheered and applauded again. Harry's Quidditch butterflies had returned and he just wanted to get off the stage.

"But I do appreciate this honor and, well, there are a lot of others here who made important contributions to our victory, also, and they should be recognized." Thinking quickly, do I know the names of everyone in the DA? "I would like to ask all the members of Dumbledore's Army to rise." Harry wished Fudge and Umbridge were present to acknowledge those who had played such a vital role in Voldemort's defeat. The members, some a little annoyed with him for being dragging into this, stood and a few waved acknowledgement to the cheers. They all quickly sat down when the applause stopped.

"I would also like to acknowledge Professor Hagrid, Professor Flitwick and…" Harry knew he had to do this, though it made him sick, "…Professor Snape for their critical roles in the final battle. Thank you." Harry tried to exit, but Scrimgeour stopped Harry and positioned him at the front of the stage for pictures. Harry felt like vanishing but he had to stand there for an eternity while the press and then some students took picture after picture. Finally, Scrimgeour again thanked Harry and relinquished the proceedings back to McGonagall and Harry made a hasty departure, stage right.

Finally, it was nearly over, and Harry noticed that Ron was getting worried as the time approached for Hermione's final address.

Standing at the signal from McGonagall, Hermione clenched her fists as she walked to the stage using the same stairs Harry had used earlier. Her walk was slow and her eyes searching as she glanced from the stage to the audience. Positioning herself at the podium, Hermione took a few deep calming breaths and began.

"F-fellow students, faculty, friends, family, Professor McGonagall. Good afternoon. My classmates and I stand before you with thanks for the many sacrifices you have made to bring us to this day. In particular, we thank the many who gave their lives so that we might have the opportunity to be here at all. And I would like to thank the class of 1998 for the honor of selecting me to address you today."

"This morning, as I sat with so many of you watching the sunrise, I had to fight back a feeling of emptiness that threatened to overwhelm me. I know many of you felt the same way today as we watched our last day at Hogwarts begin, or perhaps over the years when you'd lost someone you loved dearly. This is a natural reaction to loss and it is a part of life. We might ask ourselves why we have to feel so empty, or lonely, or abandoned; it's a question I've faced many times, but the answer has eluded me…until just recently."

"I believe that this emptiness is there because we need to make way for something new and better. Maybe it's a friend, or a new love. Maybe it's something concrete that we need or desire. Perhaps it's a new school…" Hermione let this thought hang for a few seconds.

"We seventh years may be feeling the keenest sense of loss of all the students today, but maybe that's because we have to make room for so much more in our lives."

"Where do we look to fill emptiness such as this? What can we do to fill emptiness such as this? I believe the answer is much simpler than we sometimes think; I truly believe we just have to look around ourselves, and see it in the people we know as friends. I'd ask all you who are feeling this pain to embrace someone and maybe, just a little bit, the pain will ease, and you'll find the strength to go forward to another day."

"Over the past few years everyone here has been a part of the terrible tragedies cause by the person who called himself Lord Voldemort…" Hermione could see some students cringe, still, at his name. "…my best...one of my best friends lost two brothers, a loss we should all hope to avoid. When I see his parents I look into the eyes of emptiness and pain beyond words. To them I can only offer hope that the killing is finally over and ask that they accept me, in a small way, as part of their extended family so that I may help fill that seemingly endless void."

Hermione ventured a quick look to Ron who was staring into nothing with a sad look on his face.

"My fellow seventh year students, there will be no job and no opportunity you will face for the rest of your life that is more important than this one: to become a part of your wider community by sharing of yourself and becoming an active part in the lives of those around you."

"Traditionally, this closing address is a long pep-talk about careers and life in the future. If the events of the past few years offer us any lessons, let it be that our future is now, and everything else we do in our lives depends completely on how we address the present."

"Finally, on behalf of my classmates, I wish to thank Headmistress McGonagall and the wonderful staff of Hogwarts for a unique educational experience. I will always look back on these years with memories of life, and happiness, and f-friendship, and love.

"Thank you."

As Hermione collected her notes she felt a hand on her shoulder that seemed to startle her. Turning, she saw Minerva McGonagall, her typically stern face having been replaced with the loving look of a proud mother. Quietly she said, "Thank you, Hermione, dear."

Then, approaching the podium, and waiting for Hermione to exit the stage, she spoke one last line. "This ceremony is complete, good luck class of 1998."

* * *

Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat together as the rest of their class moved around to find their families and guests. Hermione took Ron and Harry's hand and held them, perhaps shaking a little, but with no tears this time. Ginny had stepped away knowing that the three friends needed one last moment together. "The Trio", Ginny smile inwardly at the name they'd earned; her brother, the boy she loved, and her best friend.

Finally Hermione spoke. "Ron, Harry, I just wanted to say…um…" But she looked lost for words and seeing her apparent discomfort Ron stepped in.

"We know, Hermione, it's been a bloody insane seven years and we've been through so much. I know…we started off on the wrong foot but we…you know, it's gotten better and…um…I feel a lot…uh" Ron was getting tongue-tied and he looked to Harry who rolled his eyes and took over where Ron had left off.

"Yeah, Hermione, it's been really brilliant knowing you and being your friend. Um, all the homework you helped us with. Um, like Ron was saying…"

But Ron and Harry had noticed Hermione smiling and shaking her head. Then she pointed at each of them and burst out laughing. "You two are a pair! All I was going to say was thank you for saving me from that troll in our first year." And wrapping her arms around Ron and Harry's neck she gave them each a kiss on the cheek.

"Let's go!" Hermione said with genuine excitement, standing and pulling them by their hands into the mob of people surrounding their classmates.

* * *

Severus Snape stood on the stage after the ceremony ended, alone. A number of Slytherin students had come up to speak with him, some others waved from the lawn, but only a few students from the other houses even looked his way. Snape seethed at Potter's words, all fluffy and full of love and friendship. It was disgusting…and he got that award. After a few minutes, and with the crowd heading to the Great Hall for refreshments, Professor Flitwick walked up to him.

"Well, Severus, why are you looking so glum today? You finally have Potter out of your hair, eh?" Getting no reply other than his usual "go away" stare, Flitwick lit into Snape.

"Look Snape, you might imagine that Potter hates you, or this whole world hates you, I don't care. And if you are happy in your misery, I don't care. But if you can't get over a twenty year-old schoolboy grudge, you will be miserable the rest of your life."

"What concern is my happiness to you?" Snape shot back.

"More than you might imagine. We've worked together for years and the blackness on your soul and in your heart disgusts me. A man with your talents could do anything, but you choose to torment children. Albus Dumbledore should never have invited you to Hogwarts; it was the worse decision he ever made. If Hogwarts does return I hope the new headmaster fixes that situation. Good luck finding happiness with this misery you inflict on yourself. I for one am most happy that we are no longer working together. Good day."

Snape stood there for a few more minutes thinking about Flitwick's remarks. Then with a grunt, started toward the school to write a letter.

* * *

"Who's Fudge, Tiernan? And why do I have to see him? According to you he's not even in the industry." Liam Keane was hoping that the entire conversation, no, the entire week had been a bad dream and he would wake up laughing. But that didn't happen.

"Liam, he's the only person at the Ministry who has Scrimgeour's permission to negotiate with Muggles."

"Stop calling me that, it's offensive." Liam snarled.

"Please, brother, it's not a derogatory name, it just means non-magical." Liam swore that his head hurt more every time his brother said the word "magic or magical."

"Now, Fudge would like you to meet him in London tomorrow, so why don't you tell Marge that you have to go out of town for the day. I'm sure she won't mind."

As if on cue, Liam's wife, walked into the kitchen. "Hi Tiernan, back again? Did I hear you say something about going to London?"

"Err, yes dear, Tiernan wants me to speak to his boss about a possible contract."

"That's wonderful. Are you going?"

"Haven't made up my mind yet." Liam glared at his brother the leaned back into his chair.

"Of course he has, Marge. This is a once in a lifetime chance at riches, fame, and glory." Tiernan said dramatically, followed by a little laugh which Marge emulated as she left the kitchen.

"Oh, please Tiernan, if she knew a little more about the job she wouldn't be so happy." Tiernan's face gave his brother a stern warning but Liam would not have gone further.

"Very well, should we meet at the airport at 9am?"

Looking to see if Marge was out of earshot, Tiernan said quietly: "No need, I'll be here at 9:45, see you then." With that Tiernan disappeared out the front door and Liam heard the same CRACK he'd heard the other day when his brother appeared in his kitchen after being thrown out.

Why do I feel funny about being in London for a 10 AM meeting and leaving the house at 9:45?" Shaking his head Liam went off to have a bite to eat, and think about something that didn't give him a headache. Maybe I should brush up on my Calculus, was the first thought he had. That would relax me!

At 9:40 the next morning Liam was dressed in his best suit and ready to "go" where ever his brother had planned. He felt a little silly, and was thinking there might be a hidden camera someplace in the house with a bunch of strange people, probably dressed like Tiernan, ready to jump out and yell "Gotcha." But right on time Liam heard Tiernan's knock. Opening the door, Liam made a fuss about looking around for a helicopter exclaiming sardonically. "Tiernan, where's the lift? We only have 13 minutes to get to London." Tiernan resisted the desire to hex his brother and stepped into the house.

"Oh, we have plenty of time, want a stick?" Holding out a pack of pink colored gum to Liam, he took a piece hesitantly, and suddenly felt like he was being squashed and re-inflated at the same time, everything went totally black for an instant and when his eyes focused he had no idea where he was, except that there was a door in front of him with a sign saying:



Room 1313
Ministry of Magic
Office of Muggle Relations
Hon. William Battleworth, Secretary
Cornelius Fudge, Asst. Secretary


"Tiernan, what the devil just happened? That was far worse than the new roller coaster at Seaside. And where am I?" Trying to keep some sense of his dignity, Liam set his briefcase down and started to straighten his clothing.

"We could have taken the Floo Network, but it's so hard to get permission, and it's dirtier, too. I am sorry for the deception, but most Muggles don't care for Portkeys, and we couldn't keep Fudge waiting, could we? Oh, and here's your pass." Tiernan's smile was getting to him, no one should be allowed to be that happy all the time.

"No, of course not." Liam responded absently. Liam thought for a moment he should ask what the "flew network" was but in the end determined he probably didn't want to know. And what the bloody hell is a "porky."

"So, we're here a bit early, brother, let's go in and have a seat while we wait for Fudge." Walking into the outer office they sat. Tiernan picked up a newspaper that reminded Liam of a tabloid, he couldn't see the whole title but it ended with "…ibbler". Looking for something else to read, Liam found a paper called The Daily Prophet. When he picked up the paper the first thing he noticed was that the pictures moved. Tiernan saw his brother looking on both sides of the front page and guessed what he was doing.

"Liam, the pictures in our world are more like your videos or motion pictures. You'll see many other…new…things today, just assume anything unusual is magical." Tiernan beamed at his older brother, enjoying the chance to one-up him. Liam just stared at his brother. A few seconds later a paper airplane soared by his head and around a corner.

"Inter-office mail." Tiernan announced and Liam just shook his head in growing wonder and amazement.

A few minutes later, after Liam had given up understanding the news in the Daily Prophet, an office door opened and a portly, well dressed man called for the brothers to enter.

"Well, Tiernan, this is your brother I assume?"

"Yes minister, I mean, secretary. Cornelius Fudge, Liam Keane of Bath." He watched his brother warily shake Fudge's hand as they all sat.

"Mr. Keane, I know your brother has told you a little bit about our world, first let me assure you that everything is safe now, there are hardly any Death Eaters remaining." Fudge was beaming as if he'd captured them all himself.

Liam, on the other hand, looked to his brother and yelled: "WHAT? What's a Death Eater, a cannibal?"

"So sorry, Liam. Mr. Fudge, Liam has not been cleared to be informed about all the recent…events."

"Ah, yes, I see. Well let me tell you a little about…"

Over the next thirty minutes, Fudge gave Liam a whirlwind rundown with some key names, places, and events of the past few years. Most of it went in one ear and out the other, the distractions in Fudge's office teased Liam to no end, especially a painting on his wall of an ugly old man with a big nose that would wave at him every few minutes. What he did gather is that the British magical community, not terribly large to begin with, had no experienced architects and engineers remaining after their losses in a recent "war."

"Well, Mr. Fudge, wh…"

"Please, call me Fudge, everyone else does." Another fawning smile.

"Very well…Fudge…But why me? There are many more prominent architects in England." Liam asked suspiciously.

"Well, Liam, may I call you Liam? Well, that is true but Minister Scrimgeour, he's the equivalent of your Prime Minister, he believes that since you have a brother as a wizard that you may be more…sensitive…to our peculiar situation."

"I see, and you are, of course, referring to magic, Fudge?" Liam thought that if this entire conversation wasn't so unbelievable it might be funny.

"Well, as I mentioned, the last battle of our war took place in a large cavern underneath our school for wizards and witches, Hogwarts is its name. When V-voldemort was destroyed there was some sort of explosion and the cave ceiling was seriously weakened. We were able to evacuate the school in time so no students were injured, but the east and west wings collapsed shortly thereafter into the cavern and we're left with this mess. So I've been authorized to see if we can employ someone with your skills to survey the site, recommend a course of action, and supervise reconstruction."

This much Liam could understand. "Very well, Fudge, I accept your offer pending an inspection of the site. Shall I have my office draw up a contract?"

"Heavens, no!" Fudge chuckled, "Your contracts are not binding in our world. Take a look here." Fudge removed a single sheet of white paper with just a few lines of writing. "This is our contract. Why don't you read it over and let me know what you think."

Liam could already tell he didn't like much about the contract. "What is this? Other punishment as deemed suitable"

"Not to worry yourself, Liam," Fudge replied, "those are penalties that apply to the wizarding world, not yours. Now, what do you say we go see…"

"Hang on a mo, let's talk about this 'sum to be determined'. Who determines that?"

"Why, Liam, you do, of course. We will be happy to pay a reasonable rate and exchange the funds at Gringott's…ah, haven't heard of that either, I take it? Gringotts is our bank, and we use gold and silver a lot more than in your world. I hope you don't feel put out by receiving wages in gold, do you, Liam?"

Hardly believing what Fudge had said, Liam shook his head like a greedy child. "No, gold is just fine, Fudge."

"Good, good. Now, let's go over and look at the project, shall we?" Fudge was heading for the fireplace, Tiernan saw.

"Secretary, I think Liam may be more comfortable with a Portkey, if that's alright with you."

"Certainly, let me see here. Ah, here we are." Fudge pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it to the page marked "H" then pointed to a spot on the page; Liam gritted his teeth in anticipation…

As the three men walked the grounds on the north side of Hogwarts Liam was amazed by the beauty and complexity of the Great Hall and north wing. He felt as if he were a child again, in a candy store. In front of his eyes were centuries of architectural styles he'd never seen close up. Some looked vaguely recognizable and some were totally unfamiliar. Here and there he noticed parts of the buildings appeared to be held up by nothing at all. Remembering his brother's comments about seeing the impossible, Liam thought it likely that his observation were true; magic again.

Circling the grounds, counter-clockwise towards the west wing, or the remains of it, Liam felt deep sadness for the loss he was observing, though he knew he would never appreciate the buildings as his companions did, both having attended the school. Virtually all the debris of the destroyed structures had fallen inward and down to a point about three meters below the ground level. Looking across the chasm toward the ruins of the east wing, he saw similar destruction. But what staggered Liam the most was the sheer magnitude of the work that needed to be done. Then he had an idea.

"Fudge, will I be able to use magic in helping with the assessment? Pardon me, not 'me' use magic, but may I have assistance from some of your construction workers?"

"Certainly, there will be some assistance from the guilds. The real problem there is that we simply do not have many skilled architects. We can lift and move adequately, but to actually rebuild takes skill and the artistic touch, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, I see your point. Well, let's worry about that when we get to it, I'll do the assessment first."

The tour continued for three more hours with a long break for lunch on the south lawn. Over an excellent steak and kidney pie Liam noticed Hogsmeade in the distance and asked his brother about it. Tiernan looked to Fudge who nodded ascent and he filled his brother in on the history of the village.

"Yes, yes, Tiernan, some of the greatest wizards of the past thousand years have lived in Hogsmeade, the Potter boy lives there now with some friends, I've heard." Fudge added, pleased with Liam's apparent ease in this unusual arrangement.

Liam had heard the name Potter earlier in the day, but not with the "boy" attached. He asked Tiernan and Fudge a few more questions then they set off to the school archives, the records repository of the school's original "blueprints" as well as changes and additions made to the school throughout the centuries. Liam was pleased that the records were well kept; he had dreaded the possibility of having nothing to work from.

As their business ended for the day all seemed content with the progress, and Liam had filled the better part of a new pad with notes, ideas, and names of assistants his brother could contact. Fudge bid Liam a good afternoon and Apparated directly back to his office. Liam lingered a bit with his brother on the north lawn asking questions about the school and his time there. As they talked on, Liam warmed to the idea of working at Hogwarts. The history, the majesty, and the magic held a strange appeal on him and gave him a feeling of satisfaction. But what gave him a jolt was how easily he had come to accept his brother's world, his seemingly incorrigible little brother had not been a pain all those years ago because he was a git, he was that way because he was coming to realize he really was very different. As Tiernan prepared to use the Portkey to take his brother home, he saw a warm smile on Liam's face and he knew his brother had finally accepted him for what he was.

Back in Bath, the brothers shook hands, and said goodnight. Before leaving Tiernan, Liam asked how long the work would take to repair Hogwarts.

"Oh, eighteen to twenty-four months minimum, if we have good weather and there is no significant damage to the foundation. Why?"

"Well, you see, Fudge was hoping to have it ready for the next term, in about nine weeks." Tiernan answered a little uncomfortably.

Liam shook his head at the joke and laughed, then caught himself thinking: It would take a magician to meet that goal.

Chapter 4 - Opportunities

Two days after finishing at Hogwarts, Hermione Ganger found herself in the Ministry of Magic, waiting for an appointment with a pleasant wizard by the name of Keric Albemarle. She was wearing her mother’s best suit, not knowing how to dress for an interview. The suit fit well, and Hermione looked striking, particularly to the employees, as she walked with Albemarle to his office. She noticed at least a couple heads peer around office doors or cubicle walls as she went by. Never having the pleasure of this sort of attention, Hermione found it oddly stimulating and annoying at the same time. Refocusing on her reason for being there she sat in the office and listened to the wizard.

Albemarle explained the situation in his office, with the deceased co-workers, and the need to get a new team up to speed as soon as possible. No, she would not be doing actual restorations. No, she would not be transporting the runes from building to building. No… Hermione suddenly realized that she had started to interview Albemarle, and in an embarrassed fluster apologized for talking too much.

“No, no, not at all!� exclaimed the wizard, “it shows interest.�

Could she start in two weeks? Three days a week, six hours a day, regular pay scale, no benefits, yet. The entire interview lasted just fifteen minutes and Hermione found the pace stimulating. Afterwards, Albemarle took her on a tour of the current facility and then the new one. He introduced Hermione to her new supervisor, Justin Laymen, a 50-ish, serious looking fellow, whose face appeared kinder than his tone of voice. Then it was off to personnel for some paperwork. When finished, Hermione shook Albemarle’s hand, thanking him for to opportunity.

“It's my pleasure.� Albemarle startled Hermione with his quick response. “I think we owe you a great deal for what you and some friends of yours have done for of us.� With a polite half-bow, the wizard disappeared.

* * *

Hermione Apparated home and changed. Her parents were just sitting down for dinner, and were pleased to see she was back in time to join the meal. Telling them about her day, Hermione expressed some annoyance with Albemarle and his parting comment. She thought that she earned the internship on merit, not because she was Harry’s friend. But her parents, knowing her as they did, assured Hermione that it was indeed her achievements that got her the spot and that her acquaintance with Harry was incidental. After thinking about it for a while, Hermione agreed and thanked them for their support, and her mother for the dress.

Later that evening, Hermione walked through the house looking for her mother. They almost knocked each other over at the doorway to the study.

“Can I talk to you?� Hermione asked quietly.

Hermione’s mother could read an uneasiness in her daughter’s face and took her arm, leading her back into the study, closing the door. In the Granger home a closed door was a Do Not Disturb sign.

“What’s on your mind, Maya?� Jeannie Granger asked.

Hermione had never told anyone about the pet name her parents had given her many years before. It eased her anxiety a bit for the topic she needed to address.

“Mum, we talked about this a little bit in January, but I need to tell you about some complications.� She hated that word, especially in this situation but it had to do. “Harry, Ron, and I were hoping to rent a house together in Hogsmeade for a year while we decided on careers.�

Hermione paused to watch her mother’s reaction to this statement. Neither her father nor mother were thrilled about their eighteen year old daughter’s wish to move in with two other (male) teens. They had argued about it a couple times the last Christmas holiday, but nothing was decided. At the time, they honestly did not know if they would even be alive in June. But that was then; now Hermione’s mother’s face was not revealing anything to her so she continued.

“Mum, I know the reservations you and daddy have about this but we’ve been friends for seven years and we just want to try it.� This is NOT going well, Hermione thought. There is no way I can tell them about Ron and me. Merlin, I hate being deceitful. “What can I say to convince you that it is good for me? If the ministry gets Hogwarts rebuilt I’ll have Ginny nearby, and I can always Apparate back here. Ron and Harry both have owls and the town’s medical facilities are really good. I’m earning my own way now…�

“Maya, calm down.� Jeannie Granger told her daughter, gently. “Your father and I discussed this on Leaver’s Day, and we decided that it would be best for you to live with your friends. Why the look?�

Hermione could not believe it, it might really happen! Still, her dishonesty troubled her and she thought for a moment about the complication she had brought up with her mother.

“What was the complication you mentioned, dear? Worried about living with two messy men?� Her mother’s joke only made Hermione feel guiltier, but she continued the lie by smiling at her mother. “Well, you are going to be busy the next few weeks. I received a letter from Molly Weasley asking if you could spend a month with them. The situation there is terrible, with Bill and Charlie dead and Percy missing. I was so glad to hear they were continuing their summer tradition.�

“Well, I won’t be able to stay too long. I just got here and I have to start work on July 13th. Maybe I should pass this year.� Hermione’s guilt was growing and she tried to assuage it by giving up something she really loved.

“Why don’t you take a couple days to rest and think about it? The Weasley’s would like it very much if you could spend some time, especially after what you said to them at the ceremony.�

“Ok, thanks, Mum. I can’t believe how fast everything is happening.�

“It is called growing up, Maya.� And with a hug, and a kiss on top of Herrmione’s head, Jeannie Granger went off to bed.

What am I doing? Was all Hermione could think as she sat alone in the study.

* * *

The next day, Ron told Harry about Hermione and they both decided to go into Hogsmeade to start looking for houses. Ron wanted to Apparate in, but Harry said he was going to Floo directly to Zonko’s to get something for Ginny. Ron thought it was a brilliant idea so they set off together.

The house-hunting task was actually easy; it was the reason for the ease of the task that was painful. Most of the houses were vacant do to losses in the war.

There were four houses in their price range that were available in early July, and they visited them all. None were extraordinary but they settled on a furnished house with two rooms and a bath on the main floor and one room with a bath on the second. Hermione had given them a detailed list of do’s and don’ts, and this house seemed to have all the do’s. After meeting with the property agent, who immediately recognized Harry, they signed a few papers and were handed the keys, along with a bill for two month’s rent, in advance.

“Bloody hell, Harry, I forgot about that. Can you, ah, lend me the rent until I get my first cheque? I have enough for my share of the first month now, I wasn’t thinking about that security deposit. What a stupid git.� Harry saw that Ron was taking this way too hard and told him not to worry, this time!

“Thanks, mate. Let’s go back to the Burrow and owl Hermione.�

Telling Ron to go on ahead to the Burrow, Harry walked down the street towards the Hogwarts gate. As he approached the Shrieking Shack he stopped and looked at it with nostalgia. That was the past, Harry, move on. But it was hard to turn away, he felt like he was saying goodbye to Sirius again, but he did not want to.

Ginny called them his “demons,� these occasional depressing thoughts of Sirius and sometimes his parents. Harry knew what she meant, but still, he stood there feeling the familiar pangs of inadequacy and loneliness. What was that Hermione had said on Leaver’s Day? Look to others for comfort? But Harry was quickly being sucked into the pit again, the emptiness, she had called it. It was painful, but so easy to do...

He saw a couple walking his way out of the corner of his eye and silently cursed them for disturbing his thoughts.

“Harry?� A gentle voice said as a hand gripped his shoulder, “You ok?�

Remus? For a few seconds Harry could not turn or respond; but another voice spoke.

“Wotcher, Harry. Let’s go get some ice cream.� This time it was Tonks’ voice.

Harry turned with surprise at hearing both voices. “I didn’t know you were back already, you just left yesterday, what happened?� Something was not right, he could tell, he could feel it. Harry’s expression told Lupin what he was thinking.

“Harry, you’re right, but calm down, this time it’s good…I think!� Seeing the smile on Remus’s face and Tonks’ happy expression took a load off of Harry’s mind. He was so quick to jump the gun; seven years of learned reactions would have to be unlearned.

“What is it Remus?� Now Harry was just plain curious.

“Well, Tonks hadn’t been feeling well and...�

“Bloody bone head of a husband here got me pregnant, Harry. Whatcha think about them apples?� Tonks was beaming.

His emptiness and depression instantly gone, Harry whooped and grabbed his friends in a hug. Suddenly everything was ok, and he did not want to let go. “Let’s go get some ice cream for the lady, eh?� Remus suggested. Walking off together, his fears forgotten, Harry had once again dodged his demons.

* * *

Back at the Burrow a bit later, Remus and Tonks told Molly about their encounter with Harry. “You guessed it, Molly, he was standing right in front of the shack. How did you know?�

“Mother’s intuition, Remus…and Ginny told me he had mentioned it yesterday. Where’s Harry now?�

“He was heading to buy some more Floo powder, said he had used almost all of yours. I think he’s ok now.�

Ron came into the kitchen, followed shortly by Ginny, and sat heavily on a chair, grabbing three cookies out of the jar on the table. As his sister walked behind him she whispered �Pig� in his ear and joined the conversation.

“Mum, has Dad heard anything else about Hogwarts?� Strain from not knowing her future was apparent on Ginny’s face.

“Not really, dear, it will be a few days before…�

“I can’t stand this! What’s so hard about rebuilding the school?� Remus and Molly both started to answer Ginny’s question.

“Ginny, it’s more a question of space and safety. The school has enough room, that entire East Wing was just used for storage, but there’s also the foundations. No one’s had a chance to examine it, at least that is what your father says.�

“Your mother is right, Ginny, these things just take time and the resources are not avail…�

“Resource? Time? I’m supposed to finish in a year and I don’t even have a school to attend! Ron and Harry and Hermione will be living in Hogsmeade and I’ll be stuck h-here!� Running out of the kitchen, Ginny ran to her room and slammed the door shut.

“Want me to talk to her?� Tonks asked Molly.

Ron, oblivious to his sister’s distress, grabbed another cookie. “Mum, have you heard back from the Grangers about Hermione coming?� Molly Weasley, her mind still on her daughter, said absently: “Oh yes, Ron, she will be here in a few days but can only stay a couple weeks, her new job starts in…� And her voice trailed off as she disappeared up the stairs.

“Blimey! I guess she got the job. Wow, I can’t believe this is happening.� Ron mumbled to no one in particular.

“Ron, how much does your mother know about you and Hermione?� Lupin asked this more as a joke than as an accusation, but the subtlety of the inference was lost on Ron who gave him a dirty look.

“Ron, does your mother know you and Hermione are dating?� This time it was Tonks asking, and she made no pretence of hiding her accusation. “You can’t be dishonest with them, Ron, I think they will ultimately give you their blessing, but this…�

“Look you two,� Ron road over Tonks, his neck was rapidly turning red with the ears close behind, a sure sign of an attack of obstinacy in Ron. “I’m eighteen years old and the rest of the Wizarding World recognizes me as an adult, why shouldn’t she, or you?� Ron glared at them and left the room, leaving Remus and Tonks to their thoughts, mostly about having a teenage child some day.

* * *

Molly Weasley tapped gently on her daughter’s bedroom door and pushed it open. Ginny was lying on her bed, looking through a book when she saw her mother come in. She slammed it shut and folded her hands over the cover.

“What are you reading, dear?� Molly knew the signs of a forbidden book, especially after having raised Fred and George.

Realizing there was no hope of deflecting her mother, Ginny went on the offensive. “Don’t worry, mother, here, look.� She turned on her side and tossed the thick book over. For the next few seconds she watched her mother’s face go from curiosity to frustration.

“Ginny, do we need to talk about something?� Molly said as she handed the copy of “Human Sexual Response� back to her daughter. Sitting on the end of her bed, Molly tried to hide her awkwardness by commenting. “Well, you’re definitely your mother’s daughter, no question there.�

Ginny tried to hold back a smile, then buried her face in the bedcovers to hide her embarrassment. “Dear, is this about you or Harry?� Then realizing she had one other option: “Or both of you?�

“No, Mum, not both of us, just me.� Ginny’s face was still buried in the covers. “I needed to understand some of my feelings and I thought this could help. When I’m with Harry it is like I’m in a different world, it’s magical…I mean…unreal. I feel like I’m half Harry and half myself. Is that the description of love?�

A little calmer now, Molly smiled at Ginny, and trying not to lecture, continued. “Ginny, I think that is more a description of being in love, than just love.�

“Mum, I want to be with him all the time. Even having to stay home today made me feel empty. What will I do when he’s off training?� Ginny had sat up on her bed; Molly could tell her daughter was already anticipating the separation.

“Dear, I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you, except that I have no question about your love for Harry or his love for you. When your father and I saw you two together in the hospital we both commented about how we felt we were looking at a single soul. It was quite a sight and a shock, Ginny, to see our sixteen-year-old daughter holding a seventeen-year-old boy as if both their lives depended on it. But it was not because of anything… inappropriate, it was magic deeper than anything we’d seen. The Healers could not explain it, but everyone there saw you two as one. It was frightening and extraordinary at the same time.�

Ginny sat staring, dumbfounded, as her mother told her of the events on the last day before Harry woke up. No one had ever really talked about it with her, not even Harry. She had been in an otherworldly state for two or three days at that point and her only memory, now vague and blurred, was that of pulling Harry out of a pit; just constant, endless pulling. Then she was awake. Everyone’s joy at their recovery had made the reasons for the recovery obsolete.

“Mum, is it ok for me to want to marry Harry?�

Where did THAT come from? Molly asked herself, trying to hide her surprise. But she quickly realized Ginny’s question was not driven by anything but hope and longing and love. Reaching over to Ginny and pulling her close and looking into her eyes, the only possible answer Molly could give, partly to herself, but mostly to her daughter was “Oh yes, Ginny. It’s very ‘ok.’�

* * *

Percy Weasley woke the next morning after a night filled with dreams of him becoming a Squib. Even though there had been only a few cases of such a thing happening, Percy dismissed the silly dream and started to get up. After rolling up his blanket he reached for his wand to clean up and froze when he found his wand pocket empty. I know that is where I left it, it must have dropped out in my sleep.

Searching the pine needles and loose dirt underneath the spot he had slept, he began to panic when he did not find it. He unwrapped his blanket, emptied the backpack item by item, searched his clothing three more times each then sat on the ground and thought. Rising to search the area a little better he saw a young boy, thirteen or fourteen, sitting on top of the rocks he had slept beside that night. Annoyed that someone was witnessing him look so intensely for a missing item, he noticed, after a moment, the smile on the boy’s face. Percy stopped his search, placed his hands on his hips, and asked the boy what he was smiling about.

“Nuthin’. Looking for something?�

“Maybe. Did you find something?�

“Maybe. Did you lose something?�

“Look, I really have to find my…my baton.� Percy was trying to imagine something a Muggle would think of if they saw a wand.

Sniggering the boy pointed behind himself. “If you’re looking for a baton, Stinky, you better go look over there.�

“Why, what is over…did you call me ‘Stinky?’� Even though Percy knew full well he deserved the name it bothered him that a boy much younger was poking fun at him.

“Yeah, Stinky, and if you’re looking for a ‘baton’, you need to see the dance lessons at school. But…� the boy leaned forward to a point where he was just out of Percy’s reach, and directly above him. “if you were looking for a magic wand I might be able to help you.�

Then reaching behind his back the boy produced Percy’s wand. “My git of a little brother brought it home late last night, said he found it by the rocks next to some dead guy. I asked him how he knew you was dead and he said ‘because it stank so much.’ So there you have it, Stinky!�

Percy was relieved to see the boy had some common sense. Now to talk the boy out of it. “Well, if it is all the same to you, I would like my…wand back. Can’t do any tricks without it. What‘s your name?�

“I’ll give it to you if you promise to show me some tricks, Stinky.�

“And I’ll show you some tricks if you stop calling me ‘Stinky,’ how’s that?�

“Ok, here it is. And my name is Peter, what is yours?"

“Percy, Percy Weasley.�

Chapter 5 - Steak Knives and Shotguns

The warm June days were almost over when Harry, Ron, and Hermione paid the first month’s rent and officially moved into their house. Two days prior, Molly Weasley had sneaked out of the Burrow and persuaded the landlord to allow her entrance to clean and stock some essentials. As she went from room to room making notes and casting anti-dust charms, the arrangement became more agreeable to her standards. Hermione would have her privacy and her own bath on the second Floor. The boys' rooms, connected by the bath, were off the living room and also provided them with privacy. The kitchen was small but clean and in good working order, and the living room was just large enough to comfortably fit a stone fireplace. Molly inquired about hooking it up to the Floo network but was informed that Harry had already done so. A few bits and bobs of shopping were left on the kitchen counter, along with a card from Molly and Arthur welcoming them to their new home. All appeared ready for the new occupants.

On the morning of June 26, the trio met at the estate agents and obtained the occupancy documents, giving them legal access to the property for one year, with an option to renew the contract. Leaving the building, the three walked to the house and found the welcome card and items from the Weasleys'. Hermione cooed over them but Ron could only complain about the brand of toilet tissue his mother had bought. Harry walked from room to room as though he were conducting an inspection or looking for an intruder. After Ron had poked around in the basement and back yard, and Hermione finished putting together a list of necessities, they went looking for Harry, who had ended his survey by sitting on the front step.

“Well, mate, what do you think?� Ron asked Harry. Hermione was a little miffed in being left out of the question and offered an unsolicited answer.

“Well, Ron, WE think it's splendid, right, Harry?�

“The bee’s knees, Hermione. I was just sitting here thinking that this is the first real home I have had outside of Hogwarts, and I’m glad you two are here with me.�

After a while they went back inside and added a few items to Hermione’s list, very few things actually, and set out to make purchases. Pooling their money, not a very large sum to begin with, they found that they should have gone to the grocer first if they wanted to eat. By the time they had arrived almost no money was left.

“Well, we can eat at the Burrow tonight,� Ron offered.

“Ron, we can’t just invite ourselves in like that, we’re supposed to be independent.�

“Come on, Hermione, we…�

Harry could smell a fight brewing. “Look you two, I was planning on treating us to dinner tonight as a celebration.�

Hermione stood, waving off Harry’s offer. “Thank you, Harry, that’s really generous but you can’t do that every night. We need to budget better. Since it looks like we underestimated our expenses…what is it, Ron?�

Ron was shaking his head and smiling at Harry. “Some things never change, eh?�

Harry placed himself between Ron and Hermione and with a gentle push on both their backs, led them off to dinner. “Ok, I go for any place except Madam Puddifoot’s.�

* * *

The next morning was the start of the summer holiday at the Burrow. Molly Weasley was looking forward to a distraction from the nagging guilt she was feeling for not having visited Bill and Charlie’s grave the day before. The weather was turning dreadfully hot and humid, but as guests started to arrive, no one complained; the company was an antidote and cheered everyone up. Besides the Weasleys', Harry, Hermione, Remus, and Tonks were house guests, and Molly told them to expect others dropping in over the next few weeks.

After a big Weasley dinner that evening, Fred and George treated their family and friends to a decent show of fireworks which ended the day with shouts and cheers. When the display ended Arthur stood and said he had an announcement. “Even though this only affects one of us here directly, I thought everyone would be happy to know that The Hogwarts Board of Governors have approved a contract to…� But the rest of his statement was disrupted by Ginny, running through the guests seated on the lawn, howling in delight, and wrapping herself around her father.

“…I think my daughter guesses the rest of my announcement! Hogwarts will be rebuilt and should be ready for the next school term.� Everyone cheered, and Ginny jumped on Harry, knocking him over, and giving him a kiss that earned a comment from George.

“Look, more fireworks!�

The fun and camaraderie of the following days helped everyone forget the oppressive heat. Neville stopped in for a few days and seemed happier than he had been in a long time. The old brooms were brought out, and small-sided games of Quidditch ran late into the night. Lawn games and big dinners every evening, long walks and cleaning up from the previous night filled the mornings. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, though Harry noticed Mrs. Weasley looking at the clock in the parlour and pondering the two missing hands, and a third, Percy’s, pointing to “Lost.�

One afternoon, about a week after the start of the holiday, Molly Weasley announced that everyone would be going to “the kids' place,� as she called Ron, Harry, and Hermione’s house. Ron and Harry gave each other an inquisitive look but Hermione told them that they had planned a house warming party.

Ron commented that the “temperature outside made it warm enough.� (Harry wasn’t quite sure if Ron was intentionally being thick.) When the Weasleys' were not looking, Hermione gave him a quick kiss on the mouth and told him to “shut up.� Ron just mumbled his consent. Harry thought Hermione’s kiss could have mucked up the whole arrangement if Mr. or Mrs. Weasley had seen them, and Hermione’s quick glance after the kiss confirmed Harry’s suspicion that neither had notified their parents of their feelings toward each other. He could only hope that everything would work out.

Hermione’s parents could not make it to the house warming party but it went well and everyone had a good time. Neville, Seamus, and a couple girls Ginny knew in their sixth year stopped in; Oliver Wood stopped by also. Harry and Ron, who would likely run into him during the Quidditch season, traded insults but enjoyed the unexpected reunion. But the talk of the house later that evening shifted after the news Professor Grubbly-Plank brought with her. She first told everyone that neither the house ghosts nor Peeves had been seen since the final battle. No one really cared about Peeves, though Fred and George might have, if they thought about it twice; but the absence of the other spooky personalities would be missed to some degrees.

The most interesting story was the change in staff. Gone were Flitwick, McGonagall (which they already knew,) and Snape; silence echoed when Grubbly-Plank mentioned his name and many glances were exchanged. Harry had mixed feelings, especially after the role he heard Snape had played in the final battle, but he was happy for Ginny and the students who would not have to endure him. There was not much word about replacements, though rumours abounded that Mad-Eye Moody may take the Defence Against the Dark Arts post, in person this time.

As the evening wore on and most of the guests departed, Fred, George, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Neville sat in the living room talking about old times. Some of the stories had Ginny laughing so hard she cried, especially those from the year before she attended Hogwarts. Her favourite was how Neville broke his wrist in his first year flying lesson (Neville just looked embarrassed through the story, but Hermione sat next to him for comfort).

After midnight, everyone was tired but wanted to hang on to the magic of their friends a little longer. Fred suggested a pint at Bellies-Up but Neville resisted, saying he had to be in London early and Ginny had a midnight curfew which she had already missed. Hermione offered to go back with her in case her parents gave her a hard time. The Weasley men found this very amusing…just what was Hermione going to do? They laughed as the girls Floo’d to the Burrow. Finally Harry said he was going to bed and the party broke up. He and Ron ended up talking back at the Burrow until four in the morning, and paid for it the next day when Mrs. Weasley sent them to clean up their house at 8 am.

* * *

The sweltering heat continued day after day with little relief in sight. For a country unaccustomed to this weather, and for this length of time, everyone was trying to think up ways to stay cool. At dinner one evening Arthur Weasley informed everyone that the Fairlings, a Muggle family down the road with whom he often spoke, offered him the use of their small spring-fed pond on the edge of the two properties while they were on holiday in the Canary Islands. The table seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and talked about picnicking there the next day. Molly Weasley made certain that everyone knew the rules about having a partner when swimming. Harry, who’d never learned to swim, was happy at the prospect of having time to sit back and relax or read.

Over the next few days the temperature finally moderated a little, but the pond continued to draw most of the Burrow’s guests, and even Mrs. Weasley once or twice. Harry was catching up on some good fiction stories and getting plenty of rest; in fact, he felt as though he had never really rested until this point. Like everyone else, the sun was giving Harry a light tan, another novelty.

Between the sun, and the total relaxation, and watching Ginny play around in the water, Harry thought that staying here for the rest of his life would be a brilliant idea. Sometimes he would wade in to the water, which was far colder than he expected, and splash around with the others. Ginny tried to teach Harry to swim but he was not interested, although having Ginny hold him when she was teaching him to float was not altogether unpleasant. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were there every day. Others popped in a few times as well as Remus; Tonks refused but did sit with Harry a couple times and joined him in reading.

As the time drew nearer for Hermione to leave, Ron and Harry discussed returning to Hog House together so she would not be alone for the week between her arrival and the date Ron and Harry were originally planning to arrive, July 14th. But Hermione would not hear of it and insisted they stay that last week at the Burrow. Besides, she could drop in after work and on Tuesday and Thursday.

July 13th, the day before Ron and Harry would head to Hogsmeade, the two slept in then came down to the kitchen together finding Ron’s mother busy with some kitchen cores.

“Morning, Mrs. Weasley,� Harry croaked.

“Good morning, sleepy heads.�

“Oh, yeah, sorry, Mum, good morning. Where is everyone today?�

“Your father is at the office, Fred and George had to inventory some mishandled goods from one of their suppliers, Hermione popped in earlier, she and Ginny went for a walk about an hour ago. I prepared a basket for the four of you, would you mind taking it with you if you go to the pond?�

“Sure, Mum. Harry…you want…to head…over now…or wait…a bit?� Ron muttered between bites of food.

“And, Harry, dear, when you and Ron are living together, please try to break him of that habit. I never had much luck.�

“Ok, Mum.� Harry answered; it was the first time he had ever called Molly “Mum.� He thought it was an accident but then decided it was appropriate and did not correct himself.

As for Molly, she froze for a second in shock. She thought back to Hermione’s words at Leaver’s Day and accepting her as part of their extended family. Harry was…different. In Molly’s mind he had almost always been her son, but she also understood why he kept his distance by using the more formal “Mrs. Weasley.� Between Harry’s utterance and her talk with Ginny she felt a deep sense of satisfaction and success.

When Ron and Harry had left for the pond, Molly sat and thought again about what Harry had caller her. She knew Harry, as much as she loved him, would never be able to replace Bill or Charlie, but that was not what she was looking for. Bill and Charlie would always be Bill and Charlie, but Harry was a part of the family now and it was helping fill that horrible emptiness in her heart. By the time Molly stopped thinking about Harry, it was nearly noon and she realized, for the first time in almost three months, the crushing emptiness of her son’s deaths had been forgotten.

Harry and Ron walked silently the half-mile to the Fairling’s pond. It looked like there would be a storm soon, so the picnic might have to be brought short, but the rains usually brought cooler weather, so it was a fair trade. As they came around a corner in the road they heard Hermione and Ginny splashing and shouting in the pond. Ron handed Harry the basket of food, kicked off his shoes and ran through the dense pine and boxwoods that surrounded the pond and let out a yell to surprise the girls as he jumped in the water. Harry thought this was a brilliant idea and followed Ron through the undergrowth, but stopped at the edge of the pond.

Ron was standing, frozen, facing Harry with an expression on his face somewhere between surprise and dismay. Harry thought Ron might have landed on a rock and twisted his ankle until he looked behind him and saw two very quiet young ladies. Ginny was apparently sitting (the water was only about one meter deep at that spot), with her back to him and Ron, her head twisted far to the left and watching them out of the corner of her eye. Hermione was facing them, crouched down, but with her hands folded across her chest, flushed-face, and wearing a look of utter horror. Harry’s brain took a moment to process the scene before he realised what was wrong: neither Ginny nor Hermione were wearing their bathing suits. Ron had probably got an eye-full before the girls had a chance to cover up. His calculating expression was changing from surprise and dismay to surprise and delight. It was comical to see the gears churning in Ron’s head, but Harry knew what he had to do.

“Er – Ron, why don’t we head back to the house, it looks like a storm is coming.� Ron frowned and started to follow Harry’s advice, then stopped.

“I don’t see a storm, Harry. Look, how often do we find ourselves with this opportunity? Maybe we should...� he started to say quietly.

“No, Ron, now.� And without another word he helped Ron out of the water, pushing him reluctantly behind the bushes to collect his shoes and the basket. Shortly thereafter they heard one of the girls say something and then sounds of them frantically wading to the shore.

“Blimey, Harry, do you think we will get in trouble for…� But Ron stopped and thought it through. They most certainly would not get in trouble. There was absolutely no chance Ginny or Hermione would ever mention this to anyone. It would be their little secret.

Walking back to the house, Ron was silent but Harry finally asked Ron what he had been thinking. “Ron, er, what exactly DID you see back there?� He felt a little embarrassed for asking.

“Uh, just saw Ginny’s bum, she was facing away. But Hermione…� Ron smiled to himself and stopped talking, leaving Harry wondering about his unfinished observations.

* * *

The rain started at noon and lasted for the rest of the day. By mid-afternoon Hermione had returned to Hogsmeade, and Harry and Ron were packing as Ginny sat on Harry’s bed with a look of abandonment. The next day, July 14th, Harry and Ron were ready to go. Ginny was in tears, but Harry did not know what to tell her to cheer her up. Even when she turned seventeen in a few weeks they both knew there was no chance whatsoever her parents would allow her to visit Harry without a chaperone, no matter how much they trusted him. Arthur had actually taken Harry aside a few days back and had a “father to son� talk with him; Harry could tell that Mr. Weasley was terribly uncomfortable; he suspected Mrs. Weasley had put him up to it.

At lunch the three were quiet and did not eat much, though with Ron ’not eating much’ was relative. Harry and Ron lingered for a while afterwards but knew they had to leave soon. At around one-thirty, after sitting silently in the living room while Mrs. Weasley worked in the kitchen, Ginny got up quietly and took Harry’s hand, leading him up the stairs while Ron sat behind with an inquisitive grin on his face.

As they reached the top of the stairs Ginny threw herself at Harry kissing him feverishly. Harry could tell she was upset and he tried to just hold and comfort her, but Ginny would pull away and start kissing again. Harry’s heart was not into anything passionate, but he let Ginny think he was, not wanting to cause any further pain for her. After a couple minutes, and no interruptions from her mother, Ginny mouthed to Harry, “Follow me,� and taking his hand, led him to Bill’s old room. Closing the door, Ginny again threw herself at Harry and tried to manoeuvre him to the bed.

Harry was becoming apprehensive about the whole situation and tried to tell Ginny to calm down and stop, but she kept after him. Finally she stepped back from Harry with a completely unreadable look on her face, and in one swift motion removed her shirt. But this action seemed to wake Ginny up to what she was doing; Harry thought the flabbergasted look on his face probably helped a lot, too. Ginny stood there awkwardly, her face slowly falling with the realisation of what she had done – not embarrassment, just shame.

Harry wondered how she could be so beautiful and so miserable at the same time. Under her shirt she wore a gray athletic bra and Harry could see the beautiful shape of her body from the waist up. There was just a hint of ‘baby fat’ remaining on her hips, her abdomen almost athletic in contour, with a diamond-shaped patch of tan skin that matched her bathing suit. Harry glanced further up, seeing the marvelous statement of her approaching adulthood; beautiful in shape if not ample in size. Ginny’s muscular shoulders and arms had been toned and sculpted over the past month by the daily swims and Quidditch games.

Standing there, they both seemed to have the same thought…not this way. With an ashamed look on her face, Ginny put her shirt back on, then Harry wrapped her in his arms and spoke softly into her ear, “Someday, Gin, someday.�

Downstairs they could hear Mrs. Weasley yelling at Ron.

Sitting on the bed and holding each other, a soft knock on the door was followed by Molly Weasley’s head poking into the room and telling Harry it was time to go; she did not look pleased. Harry kissed Ginny on the top of her head but as he tried to embrace her again she broke away and ran to her room. Feeling rotten and lonely, even though Ginny was just a few feet away, Harry said good bye to Molly and headed off to his new home.

Ron and Harry moved the trunks to their respective rooms and started to unpack. After a while they looked around and noticed a few improvements Hermione had made in the house. The walls and trim in some rooms had been painted and a new picture hung on the living room wall above the fireplace. It was a Muggle picture, however, and Ron commented about how boring it was just sitting there, not moving. There were fresh flowers in every room and a note on the kitchen counter telling them to not start dinner. Opening the fridge, Harry saw that it had been supplied with a number of items including bottles of butter beer and water. Taking a drink for himself and tossing a water to Ron, they sat down to wait for Hermione.

* * *

After about an hour the wait was becoming old; Ron and Harry had played a game of chess and looked at some newspaper stories about Quidditch teams. Harry was anxious to get to tryouts and meet the coaches, hoping it would take his mind and heart off of Ginny. As he was about to leave and scribble a note to Ginny the front door opened and Hermione called in, “hello, anyone home? We have company.� Harry thought it was good idea she said this because Ron had his “I’m going to snog Hermione� look on his face. It turned out Hermione’s comment was particularly important because their guests were her parents. Ron changed his eager sprint to the front door into a gentlemanly effort at helping Hermione with the bags she was carrying.

“Hello, Ron, Harry,� hailed Mr. Granger “Jeannie and I are so sorry we couldn’t make the house-warming party so we thought we’d make it up to you by treating you three to a home-made dinner.� Tom Granger set the bags on the kitchen counter and shook Harry and Ron’s hand.

“We got in a few hours ago and found our daughter redecorating here and there. Having my first place was a big thing for me at Maya’s age; I’m sure you’re all terribly excited.� While Jeannie Granger was talking and unpacking various items Harry and Ron looked at each other and mouthed, “Maya?� Then Ron followed Hermione out to the front where she had left a bag; “Here, Maya, let me get that for you, Maya.� Ron sniggered, but Hermione ignored him and carried the bag in by herself.

Jeannie sent Ron and Harry to work preparing vegetables while Tom got a small grill they had brought with them, and lit it for cooking. Hermione set the table and prepared a salad. It occurred to Harry that Ron had probably never seen a meal prepared by hand. He kept going back and forth between the kitchen and grill with an amazed look plastered on his face. In fact, Harry realized that Ron looked just like his father when he was clucking over a Muggle gadget. His suspicions were confirmed when he announced: “This is great, I have to tell Dad about this stuff!�

The meal was prepared expertly by Hermione’s parents and soon they were all seated around the kitchen table, ready to eat. Just as Ron was about to grab a piece of corn, Tom cleared his voice and looked at him.

“Ron, Harry, Maya, we know this is not a Wizarding custom but we think it proper to thank God for our food before meals.� Then, folding his hands and bowing his head, he continued: “Heavenly Father, we ask for your blessing on this food, that it may nourish our bodies as you do our hearts. Please look over and protect your three children living here that they may find your way and your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.�

Hermione and her parents were the only ones to say “amen,� and for a couple seconds there was a very awkward silence. Then Hermione said, “Let’s eat,� and the dishes were passed around.

* * *

“Pardon me, Ron?�

“Yes, Mr. Granger?�

“Would you please not use that at the table, son?�

“What? My wand? How am I supposed to cut the meat?�

Harry stopped what he was doing to watch Ron. He and Hermione had always used their forks and knives for cutting, unlike most of their Hogwarts classmates, including Ron, who had used a simple tableside cutting charm.

“Well, Ron, instead of using magic why don’t you try this.� Tom Granger held up a steak knife.

“Uh, that looks sharp, sir.�

“Right, that’s how you cut your meat, with a sharp knife.�

Harry could tell that Mr. Granger was enjoying himself, at Ron’s expense, of course. He suspected Hermione was trying to stifle a laugh, too. And as if on cue, Hermione snorted back a laugh and set her silverware down to help Ron.

“Here you go, Ron. Hold the knife in your right hand like this…RIGHT hand, Ron. There, now hold your steak in place with the fork. No, not there, right where you want to cut. Good, now turn your knife over so the serrated side…the rough side, Ron, faces the meat…and…saw back and forth. Well, you’ll get the hang of it.�

Harry was about to split his side trying not to laugh at Ron when he saw Hermione give Ron’s left hand a little squeeze and then lean toward him, apparently whispering something in his ear. Whatever she said made Ron’s eyes open wide and he cracked up. But as he started laughing the hand holding the cut of meat so firmly against the plate slipped and sent his bite of steak, fork still embedded, sailing across the table into Tom Granger’s plate. Harry exploded with laughter and was shortly joined by the rest of the table, all except Ron; he recovered his food with an embarrassed apology to Tom and was diligently working on the next piece when Hermione commented, “When Ron’s hungry enough he’ll do anything right to eat.�

The rest of the meal was filled with family chatter, Hermione’s old schoolmates and what they were doing, and Harry and Ron’s imminent departure to camp. After dinner was finished, and the table and kitchen cleaned, the Grangers announced that it was time for them to leave. Harry, followed by Ron and Mr. Granger, walked out the front door, thanking Hermione’s parents for the meal and steak knives. Jeannie Granger, with her arm around her daughter, brought up the rear.

Stopping suddenly just outside the door, Tom Granger put his arm around Ron’s shoulder and asked in an easygoing voice, and with a smile. “Ron, do you know what a ‘shotgun wedding’ is?� Harry knew exactly what a ‘shotgun wedding’ was, and froze in his tracks.

Hermione face went from a smile to a frown and she blurted, “Daddy, what’s that supposed to mean?� Mrs. Granger seemed a little taken aback, too, but was playing along.

“Ron, if you’re going to date our daughter you must play by the rules.� Harry could only imagine what was brewing in Ron’s head after that revelation. He looked to Hermione and her expression went from anger to horror.

“You knew, Daddy? You knew? Mother, how did you know?� Then realizing that she was in a very precarious position, and in the wrong to boot, she said simply. “I’m sorry. Mum, Daddy, I never intended to deceive you. Ron and I only started going out…� Then looking to her mother. “When we talked a few weeks ago, this was the complication I meant to tell you about, but I didn’t want to ruin it for Harry and Ron…and myself. I’m so sorry.�

An awkward silence was followed by the gentle voice of Hermione’s mother. “Maya, you’re an adult now, both you and Ron have proved that to us, and your father and I have to let you live your life. Just remember, though, that having that freedom also means accepting the responsibility for your actions.� Jeannie Granger took her daughter in her arms and spoke softly into her ear. “Maya, we’ve known for a long time, since Leaver’s Day; we may have been the only ones, but we heard your mistake when you talked about Ron’s family. From that point on it was quite easy to see, really.�

This whole time Tom Granger was watching his wife but also keeping a firm hand on Ron’s shoulder. Ron just looked sick; Harry thought if he had to say something he might lose his dinner and making the flying fork embarrassment seem trivial.

“Ron,� Hermione’s father continued, “don’t start a relationship off with a lie. Now take care of my daughter.� After patting Ron on the back, then shaking his hand, the conversation was over. Ron and Hermione were off the hook, ashamed, but thankful.

A little while later the three sat in the living room and talked about what had happened. It was funnier now, but Hermione spoiled the mood by looking seriously at Ron and saying “Now, I’m off to bed and we need to tell your parents, soon!�

Ron looked stricken, but realized Hermione was right. “Ok, first thing tomorrow…Maya.�

* * *

The next day Harry took off to the trials and Hermione to her job; Harry was excited but Ron looked sick, again. Hermione gave him a kiss and told him to wait for her to get back in the evening and they would talk to his parents together. Then she wished Harry luck, and Apparated to work.

“Well, mate, good luck and have fun. It’ll be lonely around here without you.� Ron looked dejected but Harry suspected he would not be too lonely and reminded him that he was leaving in a few days also. “Yeah, Harry, you’re right.� But Ron was already getting nervous about having to talk to his parents.

Later that evening, Ron and Hermione returned to the house after their talk with Ron’s parents. Again the parents, this time Ron’s, already knew that they were in a relationship. Molly was uneasy about the situation but Arthur continually eased her fears by insisting that they had already been living together for seven years. Hermione did not think his logic very sound, they had been “together� only in that they lived under the same roof, but she kept quiet and appreciated the backing. A tense dinner that included Remus and Professor Flitwick followed. Ron did not look his mother in the eyes, but Lupin looked pleased throughout the meal and Ron thought his parents had probably told him about their talk earlier. Later, after returning to Hog House, Hermione kissed Ron goodnight and the two went to their separate rooms.

* * *

The Chudley Cannons camp began a few days later, and after a week Ron was wondering what he had landed himself into. Every day he came home with bruises and the occasional bloody nose. Hermione was worried but Ron insisted that the team was just more physical, and the Quaffle seemed to go twice as fast than at Hogwarts. Overall, Ron’s confidence was high, though he knew it would be a long time before he made it off the bench.

July 31st was Harry’s eighteenth birthday, and Ron expected him in late that afternoon. When he heard the front door, however, he thought it sounded more like Hermione.

“Maya? Is that you?� Ron had started using Hermione’s parents' nick-name and she seemed to like it.

“Hi, Ron, how was your day?�

“Bloody painful, but otherwise ok. That Chaser from Sherington is pretty good.�

“Did you fall again, or just general bumps and bruises?�

“Well, I fell, but not from the broom. Chad and I were hanging decorations for Ashley’s birthday and I fell into a pile of unfolded chairs. I’m hurting in places I didn’t know could hurt.�

“Ohhh, poor baby!� Hermione pronounced baby like “Bay-Bee�, pouting at Ron.

“Want me to work out some of the kinks?� She asked, putting her arms around Ron’s waist and her chin on his shoulder; Hermione had to stand on her toes to do that. “Whew, Ron, did you take a shower after practice?�

“Nah, was going to come home and rinse off then but I got distracted studying the playbook.� Ron laughed and turned to Hermione, touching her face gently.

“Want to help me get rinsed off?� This was a new “joke� between the two, and Hermione gave him the standard answer.

“No thanks, I have had better offers.� Giving Ron a quick peck on the lips, Hermione went off to change and relax.

Running up the stairs after Hermione, Ron pushed her bedroom door open, intentionally slowly, and asked “You sure?�

“Go away, Ron, flee, get yourself cleaned up and then ask me to do something with you.�

Well, Ron thought, that’s something.

Heading down to take his shower Ron thought about Hermione’s constant struggle with anything physical in their relationship. It was starting to annoy him and he was wondering how (or if) it would eventually work out. They held hands, hugged, and kissed like any other couple, but his few tentative attempts to touch Hermione more intimately had failed, and miserably; a couple hard slaps and then one punch which almost ended their relationship. But, no, Ron thought, it was just part of who Hermione was, and in a way, it was strangely exciting…forbidden desires and that sort of rubbish. Ron went off to the shower and scrubbed the sweat and dirt off himself, letting the hot water massage his new bruises. After a few minutes he heard Harry call, “hello� into the bathroom.

“Hi, Harry, how’s the big leagues?�

Harry stuck his head into the room and replied: “Not what I expected, there won’t be much happening until next month so it’s pretty much just ‘study the playbook’ rubbish and some working out. Hey, leave some hot water, ok?� Harry felt a hand on his shoulder trying to tactfully push him out of the doorway.

“Hi, Harry, Happy Birthday! Pardon me.� Hermione greeted Harry cheerfully, pushing the bathroom door open. “I have to talk to Ron.�

“Hi, Hermione, ah, see you guys later.�

“Hermione!� Ron yelled. “Can’t I take a shower in peace?� Beating a quick exit, Harry headed to the living room to relax.

“Ron, listen to this.� Hermione called back, ignoring Ron’s protest. Looking at the counter to find a place to sit, she started moving a couple things around, then grabbing a damp hand towel she contemplated cleaning off a spot but gave up. “Ron, have you EVER cleaned this room?� Hermione said while giving the hand towel a suspicious sniff.

After a pause, “No. Why?�

Hermione shook her head and continued. “Look, Ron, I found an interesting story about the cycles of female fertility and how they are detected…�

“HERMIONE! Get OUT!� Ron bellowed furiously. Hearing the door slam shut, Ron found it amusing that Hermione was not interested in messing around but she had no problem walking in on him while showering. Shaking his head, Ron grabbed his towel, dried, and dressed before Hermione could barge back in. Women!

Harry jumped up when Ron came into the living room, ready to head to the shower, but seeing the look on Ron’s face he decided to venture a question. “Everything ok there, Ron? Hermione looked bloody annoyed after that long conversation she had with you.�

Harry’s attempt at calming Ron with humour failed.

“Harry, honest to God, I do not understand that woman. First I ask her to take a shower with me, then she says ‘no,’ then she barges in and tries to give me sex education while complaining about how dirty our loo is.� Obviously irritated, Ron did not realize he was voicing some personal tidbits. Harry had suspected as much but never heard him actually admit to any.

“You asked Hermione to take a shower with you, Ron?� Harry asked, half amused and half incredulous.

Finally realizing that he had revealed a little more than he planned, Ron tried to backtrack. “Well, I fell today and was really sore, so I asked…What are you laughing at?�

But Harry could not help himself, Ron might as well ask him to quit playing Quidditch. “Look, Ron, no worries, I promise not to tell Fred and George.� Harry was trying really hard not to crack-up, so in a more serious tone he continued: “Ron, you know how Hermione is, she probably heard that chances of having a baby girl were…5% higher during full moons. I’m sure she just read it and wants to share some interesting…� but Harry was REALLY having a hard time being serious. “…statistic about gerbil reproduction.� Smiling at Ron. he clapped him on the back and headed to the shower. Ron watched Harry walk down the hall and go into the loo. After thinking for a minute he followed.

Coming to the door, he knocked and called for Harry.

“Ron, I’m in the shower. Can it wait?�

“Oh, sure, Harry, sorry.� Retreating back to the living room couch Ron tried to make himself comfortable while listening to Hermione banging things around upstairs. Then the banging stopped and Hermione started down. Trying to act as if nothing had happened, Ron greeted her with a smile and asked if she wanted to run down the street and have a drink with him.

“Ronald Weasley, I…� Uh oh, Ron thought, this was going to be a bad one. She never calls me Ronald unless she is properly angry. “…no, not now, maybe after dinner, ok?� Waving to Ron she trotted down the hall and left the house. Ron sat there for a minute wondering what had just happened; in a split second Hermione had gone from “bad-news� to “sunny-day�. Ugh, what am I missing?

Hermione was far from “sunny-day,� in fact, she was far from “bad-news;� she was livid. For three weeks she had been trying to talk to Ron about their future, now she was wondering if there would be a future together. How could that insensitive clod throw me out? Was sex the only thing he had on his pea-sized brain?

Leaving the house and walking down the street as calmly as she could, Hermione headed towards Hogwarts before she realized what she was doing. No one there to talk to except Hagrid, and I don’t think I’m ready to talk to him about this. Stopping and turning into the Blueberry Inn, she sat for a while at the bar and sipped a glass of white wine. After calming down a bit, Hermione ask Kate, the innkeeper, if she could please borrow her fireplace for a quick trip. Kate happily waved her to the common area. Around the corner, and taking a hand full of Floo Powder, she threw it onto the hearth and said “The Burrow.�

* * *

Later, Ron and Harry went to the Weasleys' for Harry's birthday. Hermione came down from Ginny's room with a gift for Harry but few words for Ron. The evening turned out fairly quiet and the tension between Ron and Hermione was obvious. But Harry enjoyed the time with Ginny, his first in two weeks, and she did not seem as lonely when Harry left later in the evening.

The next day, Ron returned to the Cannons' summer training camp. Hermione was cool but ended up giving him a warm kiss good bye. Unlike Harry, Ron would be back about every other day so he looked forward to spending more time, alone, with Hermione and figuring out what she was after.

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 6 – When You Play With Fire…

Please R&R, it makes for better stories! Thank you.


The summer days flew by for Ron, Harry, and Hermione, all three being fully occupied in their pursuits. When Ron was away Hermione would work longer and on her days off. Her job was going well but it easily became repetitive and Hermione took to working with a team that was cataloging the contents of the archive’s oldest documents. She was challenged to learn more early English, Latin, and an obscure language that appeared with many of the rune documents. For this reason Hermione was becoming far happier when she was not putting in regular hours. Her supervisor, Justin, allowed her to work in the other areas when she had the time and even mentioned Hermione’s initiative to Albemarle.

With Hermione’s days filled with work, in the evening she usually paid a visit to Kate at the Blueberry Inn and shared a glass or two of wine with her. Although the two were not close friends, they both enjoyed the company and talking about life in Hogsmeade, their childhoods (Kate was a squibb,) and changes in the wizarding community.

Ginny would write to Hermione almost every day and Hermione loved receiving the letters, always returning at least a quickly scribbled note about Ron or her job. Over the past two years, and principally the past five months, the two had grow quite close, each being the sister the other never had. For Ginny this regular communication was one of the few things that helped her stay sane while Harry was gone. She would pour out her longings to Hermione and exhort her to write Harry telling him to “please write soon.� Hermione knew far better than Ginny that Harry was a poor letter writer but she also learned that when letters did arrive they were long and full of passion and happiness. This made Hermione very happy for Harry who was finally becoming a “normal� wizard with a “normal� life.

The friendship between the girls also made the Weasley’s rethink their ban on Ginny visiting Hog House. Eventually the ban was nominally lifted, but only when Harry was not there. Ginny would come into Hogsmeade and hang around the house, window shop in the town, and even go to Hermione’s office a couple times, though she thought the work tedious. At night she slept downstairs in Harry’s room, even though Hermione had twin beds upstairs, and dreamt of Harry coming back home and being around for her last year at Hogwarts. At Ginny’s first two visits she was startled by her mother making a “surprise� visit under the pretense of wanting to drop off some cookies for the two girls. Ginny just stood and set her jaw, waiting for her mother to leave; she had obviously planned the surprise visit to be sure Harry was not there. One time she had even pushed Fred into her spy business but he just said “hi,� told Ginny what was going on, and apparated back to the shop. In a way it was comical and she knew it would not last. Soon she would be seventeen and an “adult.�


_____

Aerodynamics

Harry was having the time of his life. Nothing could be better than this, he thought, except if Ginny were in the stadium cheering for him. The mornings were long and filled with lectures on strategy, tactics, and even aerodynamics. Most of it Harry found repetitive and boring but he also learned a great deal about simple things such as barrel-rolls to avoid bludgers and Immelman’s, a move to reverse direction and gain altitude without losing too much speed. The afternoons were all flying and practical applications for the things he had learned in the morning. There were only five other prospects at the camp that summer, the rest of the team were veterans, so they all received individual instructions a few times every day.

There was one other seeker at the camp, Angela Bright, a petite brunette with an evil eye for Harry. She had not attended Hogwarts, rather she was home schooled through an independent co-op of witches and wizards in Devon. However, her seeker skills were legendary at the semi-pro level; like Harry, she almost never failed to catch the snitch. From day one Harry knew he had his work cut out for himself if he was going to earn the number one spot, and he was determined to do just that. At times Harry felt far behind the learning curve, especially when he saw Angie fly past him in a complex maneuver, she was simple unbelievable in the air – and they all used the same model, Firebolt 5’s. Harry spent time studying Angie’s moves and tactics to find her keys to success and her weaknesses. One thing Harry knew from his first observations was that Angie’s smaller body shape reduced her aerodynamic drag far more than Harry would be able to, he could not shrink and Angie was full grown. As hard as Harry tried, his attempts to become more aerodynamic failed to the point where his coach had to point out to Harry that he could not possibly see the snitch with his nose jammed into the broomstick. Harry talked to the coach about his concerns but he just laughed at Harry and told him to �just watch her more, she definitely has weaknesses.�

As the camp progressed Harry eased up and started to rely more on his natural flying instincts than the textbook lessons. Within a few days Harry found himself frequently beating Angie. After one drill where Harry had left Angie in the dust, the same coach Harry had talked to a few days earlier called him aside and asked him what he thought he was doing right. Harry told him that he was playing by instinct and Angie was playing by the textbook. Smiling, the coach told him that all of the textbook learning in the world would never replace natural ability, but it could enhance it. From that point forward Harry played the game instinctively and used the textbook strategies to hone his rough areas. The result was an early end to the tryouts and Harry earning the number one spot.

After the meeting between Harry, Angie, and the head coach informing them of his decision, the two seekers walked out to the field together. After a short and uncomfortable silence Angie finally spoke and told Harry that she was happy for him and that he had earned the top spot. Harry thanked her and gave Angie just one piece of advice: �Loosen up and play the game like you love it.� Shaking hands they went their separate ways until October.

After turning in his equipment and signing out his playbook, Harry went back to the dorms and packed his things. August 9th, just in time, Harry thought. Harry wrote a quick note to Mr. & Mrs. Weasley with his news and asked for their permission to take Ginny out to dinner at a Muggle restaurant for her birthday. Hedwig took Harry’s letter and returned a few hours later with their reply:


Dear Harry,

Arthur and I are so happy for you and your success. We will not tell anyone so it can be your surprise.

About dinner. We had planned a family meal and are expecting the Lupin’s and some others to join us so we will have to spoil your thoughtful offer. If you are interested, George and Fred said they would be happy to treat you and Ginny to ice cream at Zonko’s after dinner.

Love,

Molly and Arthur


_____

A feeling of worthlessness

The absence of any heavy construction equipment made Liam feel awkward; he was used to loud machines and sweating laborers, not old men with wands doing months of work in a few days, or hours. It had taken less than a week for his “help� to remove the remains of the east and west wing and stack, in neatly numbered piles, the salvageable materials. What remained would be dumped back into the cavity below.

But before that could happen, a team of wizards and witches from the Ministry of Magic – what branch Liam could not determine – descended into the pit and for two days appeared to be searching for something. When they finally left the scene Liam asked them if they had found what they were looking for.

“Oh, yes, we found it all right. See?� And the wizard held up a clear bag that held what seem to be a very large raisin.

“What is it?�

“Why, the proof that the dark lord was destroyed, his heart.�

Not desiring more details or “proof� Liam bid them good day and finished his final inspections with a number of wizards. This inspection was a formality, previous work had shown Liam that the next steps were ready to begin; even the foundation and soil compaction was top quality. Liam instructed a number of guild Masters to start their plumbing and electrical work and went to lunch in the Great Hall. About thirty minutes later the Senior Master returned, reporting that they had finished their work, if he cared to check. Nothing should surprise you, Liam. He thought to himself, but just 30 minutes? So he could not resist a little humor.

“Thirty minutes? What took you so bloody long?�

“We are dreadfully sorry, Mr. Keane, but we did not want to interrupt your dinner.’ The nervous man replied.

“What do you mean?� Liam asked, though he supposed he already knew the answer.

“Well, Mr. Keane, we finished in five minutes but thought you would want a little more time to eat. You’ve been working so hard here…�

Laughing at himself, Keane dismissed the man and sat there in wonder. And this is the world my brother lives in? No wonder the contract did not have any early completion bonuses!
The next step, a full nine months ahead of his target date, was filling in the vast twelve meter deep hole. Unrecoverable wreckage from the buildings would account for most of the fill, and it took his workers all of two hours to push the material in place, compact it, and inspect the work. The remaining three meter depression would remain as part of the new structure. But having come this far so fast, Liam was stuck.

His basic plans for the building structures had been submitted only three days ago and he was still waiting for approval. Usually these approvals took months since there were always revisions and re-drafts to complete. He felt good about his drafts and even thought they would add a little to the overall picture of the school. Adapting some of the designs he had used for the new Parliament building, Liam added more rounded corners that flared outward to the north side of the east wing and the south side of the west wing. From the air it would look something like the blades of a blender. The turrets were gone – he expected resistance there; the new dormitories still centered on the common rooms of each house, but they were now spread further apart. The axis of the four wings would be an enormous glass and masonry dome, reaching far above the heights of the four wings, and connected by wide, winding stone stairs which merged at the mezzanine then split out again toward each wing.

One area which Liam knew he would be challenged was in his plans for bringing the school up to code in fire prevention. Tiernan had assured him that it was not an issue but did not go into much detail. The plans would include the alterations, Liam told his brother, and if the board wanted to omit them that was their business and their responsibility.

At the end of the day, as every day, Tiernan appeared at the school to return his brother to Bath. The routine gave the two men time to talk and they both enjoyed reacquainting themselves with each other. Marge always asked her brother-in-law in for dinner, but both men were wary of her persistent questions about the secrecy of this big job. Not wanting to be rude, Tiernan would accept once or twice a week, but usually excused himself shortly after dinner. After a few weeks, however, his desire to stay and play with the children or just relax with his brother’s family finally got the better of Tiernan. Gradually, and always under Liam’s eye, he started to hang around more and quickly became the “favorite� Uncle Tiernan to his nieces and nephew.

One evening, after a long visit from Tiernan, Marge asked her husband where Tiernan was living. Not knowing himself, Liam opined that it “must be close.� Trying to end the conversation, Liam kissed his wife goodnight and turned over; but Marge persisted.

“Liam, you’re not telling me something. If it is about work I understand but you watch over your brother whenever he plays with the children. Should I have some reason to be worried?�

“No, dear, really. It is just nice to have him back in my life.�

“Liam, the children adore him. Are you certain?�

“Yes, Marge…good night.� Liam put a little emphasis on “good night� trying to signal his desire to end the conversation.

“Ok, hon, I just had to be sure. Tiernan asked me if he could take Rudy to the shore with him this weekend. Do you think that would be fine?� Now Liam was stuck. If he said “no� Marge would know he was hiding something and if he said “yes� then he would be uncomfortable with Rudy hanging out with a wizard. “…Yeah, sure Marge…� Liam finally replied, and hoped for the best.

“All right, good night Liam.� Marge kissed he husband’s cheek and turned over. But after an hour she was still awake, wondering even more about her children’s favorite uncle.


_____

Misunderstood intentions

Percy was wracking his brain trying to remember tricks that would interest Peter without using real magic. He new one good card trick but did not have a deck of cards. Thinking that perhaps a memory charm might get him out of his promise…he rejected that idea as silly, not to mention dishonest. Ok, Percival, what should you do? Then he had an idea. “Peter, do you know the story of Merlin and King Arthur?�

“Sure, everyone does? Why?�

“Well, Merlin has a lot to do with magic, you know. I though that instead of doing silly magic tricks I could tell you about…�

“No way, stinky, you promised to show me some tricks.�

“Yes, yes, I did Peter. And you promised to stop calling me ‘Stinky,’ remember?� This was not starting well, Percy realized. “Ok, Peter, sit over here.� Percy offered, pointing to a spot on the ground next to him.

“No way, you stink, and you might be a pervert, too.�

“Peter, if you want to see magic come on down. Look, you can even hold my magic wand.� Just wanting to get it over with, Percy did not realize the trouble he had just made for himself. The expression on Peter’s face surprised Percy, but his words stung worse.

“NO WAY, STINKY, I’M NOT TOUCHING YOUR FILTHY 'MAGIC WAND.’� Peter jumped up and ran away into the woods yelling “Pervert, there's a pervert in the woods…�

Startled, Percy new he had to disappear quickly. It had been months since he had apparated and he closed his eyes and focused on the first familiar place he could think of. By the time Percy realized the location, it was too late, but it did solve one problem: getting Peter to believe him.

Running home, Peter looked behind to make sure the pervert was not following when two strong arms caught him. A voice said “Slow down, Peter, it’s all right.�

But in his panicked state he just blurted out: “Mister, help me, there's a weirdo back there who wants me to touch…ahhhh.� Peter had looked up and seen Percy. Thinking it not wise to smile, Percy let Peter go, his hands open and raised above his head and speaking quickly. “Peter, look, I am NOT a pervert. And I believe I have just shown you the magic I promised.�

Still startled by running into the man he had just run away from, Peter was slowly walking backwards. “How? How did you get over here, you were just over there…� pointing to a spot a couple hundred meters away. “…are all PERVERTS that fast?�

“PETER, I am NOT a pervert.� But the boy was now not only frightened but confused.

“Peter, here, let me show you.� Bugger, I did it again!

“NO!�

Percy apparated to a spot about 20 feet further away from Peter and gave him a satisfied “I told you so� look. Peter stopped walking backwards and pointed at Percy. He appeared to be trying to say something but no sound came out of his mouth.

“Peter? I am not a pervert, please believe me.�

Peter was still standing there, still pointing, but he looked like he was thinking again. After a long staring contest Peter said, genuinely curious now, “How did you do that? That was BLOODY BRILLIANT! Wait till my brother hears about this. Can you do any other tricks?�

Both relieved that he was no longer being called a ‘pervert’ and annoyed that his apparition was considered a ‘trick,’ Percy pulled off his hat and sat on the trunk of a fallen tree. He could not count the number of rules and laws he had just broken, but he knew he was in serious trouble. On top of that, the magic he just performed in front of a Muggle was one of the many that the Ministry was able to track so his self-imposed exile was about to end. In fact, he expected an owl any second, probably followed by a couple Aurors. Percy, you can't do much right, can you?

Peter was still standing away from Percy, hoping to see him disappear and reappear again, but he was disappointed. “Hey Stinky…I mean, Perty, can you do that again?�

“PERCY, Peter, PERCY…And YES, I can do it as much as I want, but I don't feel like doing it now. Sorry.�

“Why? You’re brilliant at it, really.�

“Thank you, Peter.� what should I do now? Percy had given up, resigned to prison for a stupid “trick� he had not intended to perform.

“Are you ok, Percy? I can get you something if you have a headache.�

“Thank you, Peter, no. In a few minutes I will be in prison and you will have your memory erased and this little accident will never have happened.� Peter was now walking up to Percy with a concerned look. “Why will you go to prison? You didn't do anything bad, or did you?� Again suspicion flashed in Peter’s eyes.

“Kid, I have done plenty of bad things, but none to land me in Azkaban, until now.� Well, it wasn't much of a lie.

“Ash-cab-in? What is that?�

“Az-Ka-Ban, Peter, it is our prison, wizard’s prison.� Percy answered, without thinking.

Then Peter seemed to suddenly accept Percy for what he said he was…or at least what Peter thought Percy said he was. “Yeah, right, ok. So did you go to that magician school in London? I have seen some of the tricks they do on TV, they’re amazing.�

“Peter, I am not a magician. I am a wizard, my whole family is, in fact. At least those who are left.�

“Same difference, right?�

“No, not at all. A magician performs tricks to make you THINK something has happened. A wizard actually makes it happen.�

“Oh, right, Percy, so you actually beamed from there to there.� Peter said with a hint of sarcasm while pointing from one spot to another.

“I do not beam, Peter. That is fantasy, this is reality.� Percy then apparated to a spot about 10 feet from where he had been sitting. “Would you like to see it again?�

Peter did not answer, but Percy could tell that he was shaken. He did not know if Peter was convinced at this point; Percy really did not care about himself so he made a suggestion. “Peter, I can see that you still do not believe me, would you allow me to apparate you somewhere so you can see it yourself?�

“Is that what you call it, ‘apparate?’�

“Yes. I will stand here. If you would like me to take you someplace you will have to hold my arm tightly.� Percy noticed a look of suspicion return to Peter’s face, but he stood there. If Peter wanted to believe him he would come over. If he did not there was no harm.

“Ok, but don't try anything.� And he started to walk toward Percy. In a few seconds he was standing in front of Percy with his nose wrinkled, but he grabbed Percy’s arm and closed his eyes in expectation.

“Peter, you can open your eyes. Where would you like to go?�

“Can you take me to my house? It is a few hundred meters that way.�

“Um, I forgot Peter, this may be a problem. I have apparate to a place I am familiar with. Can you think of something around here?�

“How about the canal museum, it is right down…�

“Yes, Peter, I saw it yesterday. Just a moment.� Percy started looking around.

“What are you doing?�

“Two things, actually. First I am making myself familiar with this place so I can return easily. Second, I am looking to make sure no one else sees us vanish. Ready?�

“Ok.� Peter said with a slight shake in his voice.

CRACK!


“Wow! We did it. Wow! Can we do it again? Please, Percy, that was WICKED!� Peter was jumping up and down and a family on a nearby narrowboat were starting to look around to see what was so exciting.�

“We should go back now, um, maybe we should move out of sight over here.�

“Sure, Percy. I can't wait to tell my friends about this.� POP They were back in the woods where they started.

“Peter, you can't tell anyone about this, I'm afraid. For one thing, everyone would think you were crazy.� Percy felt bad for putting Peter down like that but he had no choice. “Also, I would probably be attacked on sight.�

“Why Percy? You can make them believe.�

“Peter, it's not that simple. Look, do you know how many wizards there are in England? Real wizards.�

“A couple, maybe?� Peter’s voice, however, told Percy that he had no clue, as was to be expected.

“Today there are about fourty thousand wizards in the country.�

“FOURTY THOUSAND? Where are they?�

“Almost all of them are smarter than me and do not reveal themselves to Muggles…that's you, a non-magical person. We're a different, well, were human, but…it's hard to explain. I believe we would cause panic if we revealed our existance to the general public. When I asked you about Merlin a while back I was going to tell you the story of how magic started, but you were not interested.� Percy said, as if he were chiding Peter, except he had a smile on his face.

“Would you tell me now, Percy? I'd really like to know.� Peter’s face showed an eagerness he had not seen in a First Year student. But no, Peter is not a wizard and I'm not at Hogwarts.

“Well, firsty, it's a very long story and there are still parts that we wizards do not know.�

“I don't care. Please, Percy?�

This kid’s enthusiasm is refreshing. “Ok, Peter. Make yourself comfortable.� Percy thought he would just fill the time, before he was captured, with the ancient story. Percy took his wand out (and noticed that Peter now looked at it with awe) and touched it to the side of his head. As he pulled it away a long silvery filament trailed the wand’s tip. Percy then leaned toward Peter and touched the wand to his temple.

“Close your eyes, Peter, this is "The Story in the Runes.�


A/N: Liam & Marge’s children are Rudy, 10, Margaret, 7, and Mary, 5. A fourth child miscarried in mid-April. Marge is 8 years younger than Liam and it is her second marriage, but all the children are hers and Liam’s

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 7 – Strong Drink Giveth The Desire But Taketh Away The Ability. Wm. Shakespeare

Please Read & Review, it makes for better stories! Thank you.


Homecoming

Returning to an empty Hog House late on August 9th, Harry started to unpack when he heard a loud bang on the front door and Hermione yell: “Ronny, please!� Jumping up to open the door he got there just as Hermione and Ron fell into the front hall in a heap, laughing - though the laughing was mostly by Ron. One look at the two and Harry knew they were drunk, and not just a little drunk.

“Hi Ron, Hermione, celebrating something?�

“Oh, hi Ron, I mean Harry…� Hermione was completely looped and looked a little green. “…I was jus' helping Harry 'ere uptoRon’s room. Wanna joinus?�

Harry laughed and helped the two untangle. Telling Hermione to sit there and wait for him to return, Harry lugged Ron to his room. As he set him down on his bed Ron finally spoke.

“Harry, I'm gonna to be sick. Where’s my pillow?�

“No you don't, Ron.� And pulling his friend to his feet led him to the bathroom and left him on the floor, hoping he could find the toilet. Returning to the hall he saw Hermione had left. He looked through the still open front door but then heard something crash in the kitchen. Closing the door he headed towards the noise and found Hermione sitting on the floor with a broken flowerpot next to her.

“I'll get it…Harry…after I barf…again� And Hermione turned to her right and… When she was finished Harry helped her up to her room and got her into to bed. Then, bringing in a bucket from the loo, Harry put it next to Hermione and told her to use it, not the floor, if she still felt ill.

“Aw, Harryyou’reannnaaangle. Help meget ready for bed, Harry, he he he, canyou take my clothes off forme? He he he he he…my pajamas are in there.� But Hermione was pointing to the stairs.

“Here, let me just loosen…something up a bit, Hermione…� Trying to figure out what he could loosen without having to face Hermione's wrath the next day, Harry started helping her out of her sweater but could not tell if she wore anything under it, so he stopped. Hermione was babbling something about Ron likes that, too. Harry was cheesed off with Hermione but he did find it amusing, seeing her this far out of character.

“Harrrrry, where are you, Harrrry?� Hermione was now wobbling and if Harry’s guess was correct she was about to… He got the bucket up just in time. As Harry was about to leave she grabbed him around the neck and babbled something incoherent that ended with “…almost as much as Ronny. He he he.� Then she turned around and was sick, again.

A nice welcome home, Harry thought to himself as he went to clean up Hermione’s messes.

A while later, with both his friends sleeping – or passed-out – Harry found a letter on the dining room table congratulating Ron as the new Chudley Canon’s keeper, second string. Question answered, Harry went off to bed.


The next day Hermione was still vomiting and Ron still acted drunk, but he was able to cast two anti-hangover spells before he went back to bed and that seemed to help both of them. Harry berated himself for not thinking of that, but he had plans for the day and left the house to pick out Ginny’s birthday present.

August 11th was Ginny’s birthday and Harry had been waiting in anticipation of this day. Today was the day, Harry thought, just a couple things to do. Before heading to the Burrow with Ron and Hermione – neither of whom looked completely recovered - Harry walked into town and picked up his other gift for Ginny, then he headed back to the house and found Ron alone in the living room.

“Hermione ready to go?� Harry asked.

“Uh, no Harry, she’s still not feeling well and now she’s ranting at me for getting her drunk.� Ron looked dejected; they had both been looking forward to Ginny’s party. “I'll stay here with her and you go on. Here, please give Ginny these from Hermione and me.�

“No, Ron, you’re her brother. And don't let Hermione boss you around; she got drunk on her own and should not spoil your evening.� Harry was angry with both of them, but mostly at Hermione whom he usually considered to be above this behavior. “I'll go up and tell her you’re going.�

When Harry got to Hermione’s room she was curled up in bed and looked rotten. Harry told Hermione that Ron was going to dinner with him and that she should not expect him to pay for her mistakes. Besides, Harry said, “I want you two there tonight.�

His words seemed to rouse Hermione and she sat up in bed; trying to sound serious she asked Harry what had happened the other night…between them. Still angry with her, Harry really laid it on with a shovel. “Not too much, Maya, you just couldn’t keep your hands off me, and you did not seem to mind when I…�

Hermione looked like she was going to be sick again, or maybe cry, and possibly both. But Harry started laughing and Hermione slowly shook her head saying: “I guess I deserved that.� Yes, you certainly did.

Returning to the living room, Harry told Ron what had happened and then took the floo network to the Burrow. About five minutes later Ron and a very unsteady Hermione arrived; she said a quick hi to everyone and then headed off to the loo.

_____

Harry & Ginny

Minerva McGonagall was in the family room dressed more casually than Harry had ever seen. Without the stern glare and formal robes she looked like any other grandmother, laughing and talking freely with everyone at the party. Harry caught her eye she smiled a warm genuine smile, and walked over to him. “Harry, how lovely to see you. You look wonderful. Is camp going well?

“Thank you, professor, it went great and I feel great.� McGonagall’s smile told Harry that she believed him and was happy for the good times he was finally having.

“Professor, what are your plans now that Hogwarts is reopening?�

“Harry, I'm no longer a teacher and have no plans to return to Hogwarts as the headmistress so please call me ‘Minerva.’� Harry could tell by the look on her face that retirement was working out well for her.

“Well, it won't be the same without you, profess…Minerva.� Using her first name would take a lot of getting used to. Harry and McGonagall chatted for a few minutes as other guests arrived. While speaking about the British National Quidditch Team camp she pointed out to Harry, “And there's the newest teacher at Hogwarts!�

Harry turned and was delighted to see the broad smile on the face of Neville Longbottom. Excusing himself from McGonagall, Harry went up to Neville to offer his congratulations, but he had to wait his turn. While standing there Harry though about how happy Neville must be, he was no longer an orphan, he was now part of the Hogwarts family. This was a fitting reward for Neville who had earned top honors in Herbology.

Watching Neville graciously accept congratulations and hugs and handshakes, Harry thought back to their first year at Hogwarts and Neville’s complete and total apprehension of…everything. The toad, Trevor, who would always go missing, the fear of Snape, fear of flying – which was so instrumental in Harry’s Quidditch career - his abysmal memory for passwords…then Harry remembered the ten points he won for Gryffindor that led to the house cup victory over Slytherin at the end of term feast. Neville always seemed to turn out all right.

Ginny appeared a few minutes later, walking down the stairs smiling and looking absolutely radiant, Harry thought (but he had a biased opinion.) She wore a lightweight navy blue blouse that tied at her waist with a white-laced camisole beneath; the three buttons down the front of her blouse matched the flaming red hue of her hair and a short (but not too short) white skirt. Harry stared at her, unable to look away, mesmerized by her magical mixture of adolescence and adulthood; she looked…perfect.

Walking to her through the crowd, and then reaching her, their eyes met and Harry melted when he saw her smile; sweeping her into his arms and kissing her as if he had not seen her in a fortnight, which was exactly the case. Expecting the usual cat-calls and wolf-whistles from Fred and George, Harry found that he had no eyes or ears for anyone but Ginny. The “beast� roared again, over and over, and Harry found he could not break away even though he knew he had to.

Finally, after what seemed forever and not long enough, they separated lips then pulled each other into an embrace, clinging and enjoying the touch of their love. They whispered welcomes and other words of love, as lovers do. Harry could feel an exciting anticipation in Ginny, which he knew was for him alone; it gave him a feeling of completeness and meaning.

After another long minute, Mrs. Weasley came up and greeted Harry, trying to tactfully separate the two. Harry acquiesced, albeit reluctantly, giving Ginny a last brush on her lips with his, as if saying I will be back.

The rest of the evening was a wonderful celebration of family and friends. Remus and Tonks were there as well as George and Fred. Mad Eye and Kingsley Shacklebolt made a brief appearance but could not stay, they had received a tip about a Death Eater whom had been tracking and were headed to Zanzibar. This serious topic stifled the cheer of the party but it returned after the two aurors departed. Harry saw Ginny looking at him, observing how he reacted to the visitor’s news, but he just smiled and went back to his conversation with Fred. Nothing was going to spoil his evening.

Hermione was looking and sounding better, and then she disappeared, giggling, with Ginny for a few minutes. When Ginny returned she was wearing beautiful new earrings that looked like stylized British flags; Harry knew they were the symbols of the British National Quidditch Team. When Hermione returned he gave her a sincere “thank you� from himself. The birthday dinner lasted until eight pm and Molly had outdone herself, which is saying a lot, with every dish. Ginny’s favorite spice cake and treacle tart ended the meal.

After everyone finished eating and while they were still seated, Harry asked Mr. Weasley if he could say something to everyone. Already knowing the news, Arthur was happy to call attention to Harry. The announcement was short and for once Harry did not feel shy about telling everyone his news. Saying it was a dream come true, Harry, while looking at Ginny, told everyone that he had made the team, first string. The room erupted in cheers and clapping; Ginny ran from her spot opposite Harry and kissed him again, it reminded him of how she looked that night one year ago when he first kissed her. But Harry had one more thing to say.

“Ginny, stay here for a sec, would you?� Not waiting for an answer, Harry looked around the table and spoke.

“I have thought of all you as friends over the years, and recently as the family I never had…� Harry was finding this harder than he had planned. “..and I want to thank all of you. I would also like to take this chance to say how much your love means to me and how much I treasure it.� Ginny was listening but could not tell where this was going.

“Something has happened in my life that…I never expected...or planned for, but I am faced with it and I am going to need your help getting through.� Harry paused and looked at the silent table with its concerned faces. Then looking directly at Molly and Arthur as they sat watching him, Harry smiled and continued.

“Mom and dad, I would like your permission to…� Everyone suddenly knew what the next words would be. “…marry your daughter.� While Harry had transfixed everyone’s eyes with his comments, his hand had reached into his coat pocket and brought out a small box. Turning to Ginny after seeing an unambiguous “Yes� on her parents’ faces, Harry opened the box and said, simply, and quietly, “Gin, I love you more than life itself, will you marry me?�

But even before the question formed in Harry’s mouth, or before he had shown her the ring, Ginny answered it with a kiss. Around the table everyone cheered and got up to congratulate Harry and Ginny. After his fiancé, the first person Harry saw was Ron, with glazed eyes he brought his long arms around Ginny and Harry, holding them tightly and shouting over the noise into their ears, “Well done, you two, brilliant!, brilliant! I love you both."

Molly and Arthur wanted to keep the new couple there for the evening but Fred and George protested, saying they had already planned an evening for their “little sister.� Eventually Fred and George won out, principally because Harry asked them to give him and Ginny some time away to talk and plan. Molly looked apprehensive but finally smiled and said “Off you go, and Ginny, you may be legal now but I want you back at a reasonable hour.�

“So, you two, where are we headed?� Harry asked after they had said their goodbyes for the evening.

“Well, Fred and I were talking and made a minor change in plans after your announcement.� Both the twins wore absolutely straight faces, which was ALWAYS a bad sign. “So if you two would please hold onto our arms we will take you to the perfect place for newly engaged couples.�

And with Harry taking Fred’s arm, and Ginny taking George’s, they all disappeared into the night.


“Fred, George, what is this?� Ginny asked with a little annoyance in her voice. They had landed in a room with a dirty floor and a musty smell. And it was pitch dark.

“Ah, well, we thought, given the circumstances,� Fred started.

“You two getting married and what not…� George continued.

“We felt you would like some time to yourselves, to well…� Fred stuttered.

“Yeah, for you to have a little time on your own...

“Away.�

“...from everyone.�

“So you have two hours.�

“That is about all the time we can manage, before�

“Before Ginny has to be home.�

“Bye.� One of the twins disapperated.

“Bye.� The other was now gone and Harry and Ginny still did not know where they were.

Harry took out his wand, but before he could say “lumos� Ginny heard him sniffing the air, then laughing. “I know where we are. Stay here, Gin.� Harry walked off into the darkness and in a few seconds turned on a light. Harry and Ginny were standing in the basement of their house in Hogsmeade. “As soon as I recognized the smell of Ron’s tennies I knew where we were. Shall we?� And Harry pointed up the basement stairs.

Later, Harry sat on the floor leaning against the couch. He had changed out of his dress clothes into some of Ginny’s father’s old PJ bottoms and a Chudley Canons t-shirt Ron had given him. His arm around Ginny shoulders; he could think of nothing else he wanted right then but to be with her and hold her. He looked at her left hand and the ring he had given her; two rubies and a diamond, it was a perfect combination for a perfect woman.

As the silence lengthened Harry decided to tell Ginny about the national team and his adventures during tryouts. He went on for a while as she was snuggling up close to him. Then, hearing her deep, slow breaths, Harry asked if he was boring her. Ginny sat up and told him no, but also mentioned that there was only so much Quidditch that even she could consume in one evening. She was thankful that Harry had readily accepted this and changed the subject. The subject he changed to immediately yanked her out of her haze.

“Gin, remember our conversation last year about having kids?�

“Um-hm, well, vaguely�

“Do you want to start a family right away?� As soon as the words had left his mouth Harry realized what he said and finished: “…I mean, of course, a-after the wedding!�

“I know perfectly well what you meant, Mr. Potter. And yes, I think so. How ‘bout you?�

“Sure, Gin, I think we should have at least a dozen.� He replied, sitting up and looking into her eyes with a mischievous smile on his face. Harry got the reaction from her that he was looking for as she took a swat at his arm and asked him if he thought he was up to the task twelve times. Turning to see Harry’s reddening face, she grabbed his midsection and started to tickle him and draw him down towards herself.

Needing no encouragement, the two reclined on the soft carpet in front of the fireplace and began to snog and giggle like two kids, which in many ways they still were. Just seventeen and eighteen they had both lived through the experiences and joys of a lifetime, as well as sorrows and pains too deep for any teenager to ever have to know. Perhaps their knowledge of this incited what happened next.

Their soft and tender kisses soon gave way to the deep passion of a couple profoundly in love, in heart, and in soul, and body. As tender young lovers they craved the magical rush of hormones that set them afire and clouded their minds with pleasure. Harry’s lips kissed Ginny’s forehead and her temple, only stopping at her ear to gently blow into it. Her body went rigid in his arms and then she gasped loudly into the fire-lit room, arching her spine and exposing her neck to Harry’s mouth.

Around her neck, kissing and licking and nibbling the tender skin. Harry started up the other side of her face when Ginny suddenly pulled away, took Harry’s head in her hands, her face flushed with passion and said forcefully, “love, you’re going in the wrong direction!� Harry smiled and went back to work on her neck, descending this time.

_
___
_


Harry tried to comfort Ginny, but seeing the wild look in her eyes scared him and he let her go. She sat next to him, crying and trying to cover herself, she looked and saw her camisole far on the other side of Harry but did not want to reach for it and touch him accidentally. Finding her blouse half stuffed under the couch she put it on and tried to button it but her hands shook so badly she just wrapped her top around herself as best she could. Trying to say something, Ginny turned to Harry but he would not look back. Then jumping up to go...just go away, she ran smack into Hermione who had, in just the last second, apparated into the living room.

Hermione had felt sick again as she apparated back to the house and sicker still when something plowed into her. It never occurred to her that Harry and Ginny would be there, much less…Oh my god! Ginny was falling backwards, trying to grab the couch for support, her blouse open, exposing herself, and crying. Looking around the room she saw Harry sitting on the floor, knees drawn up with his arms around them, immobile. Hermione was not even sure Harry knew she was there.

Reaching out to help Ginny up she saw the distraught look in her face and said kindly “Let us go upstairs, Gin.� A few minutes later, after Ginny had calmed down some, Hermione was able to get some information out of her about what happened. Poor Ginny, Hermione thought, not a good start. It was almost midnight and Hermione knew Mrs. Weasley was expecting Ginny home soon. Running down the stairs she saw Harry still sitting.

“Harry, Ginny’s okay, don't worry, I'll talk to you tomorrow.� Turning to Hermione, Harry had a “where did you come from� look on his face, he said thanks but stayed where he was.

As Hermione headed upstairs and back to Ginny she heard Ron apparate into the living room and start a conversation with Harry. Going to her desk, Hermione quickly wrote out two brief notes, the first to Molly Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley,

Ginny has fallen asleep here and I don't want to wake her. Can she spend the night with me? Harry and Ron are out somewhere with Fred and George.

Hermione


The second note, addressed to Fred or George said:

Fred and George, DO NOT GO TO YOUR PARENTS’ HOUSE TONIGHT. If anyone asks, you both went out with Ron and Harry all night. I will explain later.

Hermione


Calling for Hedwig, Hermione attached the notes to her leg and instructed her to deliver the note for Fred and George first, and as quickly as possible. Hoping she had defused the situation, Hermione ran downstairs again and told the guys to go to bed, she had everything under control. Ron looked puzzled but that was normal for him. Hermione started back to Ginny, but not before she noticed a familiar look in Harry’s face.

Staying up with Ginny for another hour, Hermione was able to piece together all that had happened. No, Gin, you did not…No, these feelings are common…It’s natural when you do that…You probably just were not ready...Yes, what you described sounds completely natural…Yes, Harry is hard to understand, sometimes, you have to shock him into reality…Ginny, you two love each other to much for this to change things. Slowly the older friend helped the younger understand what had happened, but more importantly, what did not happen. By the end of their conversation Ginny felt immature and foolish about how much she did not know. Now, more embarrassed than anything else, Ginny got up, putting herself back together, hugged Hermione long and hard and went quietly down the stairs into Harry’s room.

Harry had heard someone walking down and hoped it was not Ginny, he did not want to face her until he had sorted out what had happened himself. He’d tried to talk to Ron about it but he refused. So much for a best friend…well, she was his sister.

Harry’s bedroom door opened and he could tell Ginny had come in. He thought about feigning sleep but knew it would not work.

“Harry, are you asleep?� Ginny’s voice was the same soft sound that he loved to hear.

“No, Gin, I'm still up.�

“Harry, I'm so sorry. I…I don't know what happened…I mean, what was happening. Then…I looked in your eyes and just got scared.� Ginny was not crying, Harry noticed, he was happy about that at least. Lying silent for a few seconds Harry took his hand from under the covers and touched Ginny’s arm gently.

“Gin, I know what you mean, this is new for me, too…and…I didn’t understand…� Then Harry paused, apologizing, “I wanted this day to be so special for you. Your birthday…our engagement, I'm sorry I wasn't…�

Ginny gently put her hand on Harry’s mouth. “Shh, no more apologies. We'll get it worked out, love.�

Harry and Ginny sat there without speaking for a long time, each engaged in their own thoughts of their ignorance and what had almost happened. Finally, Ginny moved Harry’s arm and lay down on the bed next to him, sharing the pillow, faces just inches apart. Comforted by the presence of each other they were both asleep in minutes.

When Ron got up the next morning he found a lacey white camisole on the floor.

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 8 - ...You Sometimes Get Burned

Please Read & Review, it makes for better stories! Thank you.


Ron & Hermione

A few days later, the August heat was turning Hog House into an oven, but nothing was going to ruin Harry’s day. He and Ginny had planned a picnic on the school grounds, by the lake, where they first sat as a couple one year before – a year that had seemed a lifetime ago. Harry heard someone walk down the stairs and into the living room where a familiar face peered down at him.

“Hi, Gin, what’s happening?�

Harry was relaxing on the couch, feet up on the pillows, with his shoes on. Hermione hated when he did that, but it was not Ginny’s concern. Not sure if she should cry, or yell, or both, Ginny started speaking but did not get too far, never having to do this before.

“Harry, its Hermione,� she ventured tentatively.

“She still sick? I can take her up to Healer Vince, he’s open late today, I think.�

“Ah, no, Harry, she doesn’t need a doctor.� Harry, please don’t act as dense as Ron today! Ginny said to herself. Don’t make me say this!

“Oh, ok then.� Harry went back to his magazine.

Ok, try it again, this is going nowhere fast. “Harry?�

“Hmm?�

Oh, forget it! “Harry, Hermione’s pregnant.� Ginny finally spat out.

“Ok…thanks. WHAT?�

Harry jumped up as if he had sat on a nail. “Pregnant? Like baby pregnant?�

“Yes, Harry, what other kind of ‘pregnant’ do you know about?�

Ginny was taking her anger out on Harry and it was showing by the sarcasm in her voice.

“And don’t you DARE ask me ‘how did that happen?’� Ginny made, “how did that happen,“ sound like the voice of one of those animated characters on Muggle TV.

“Jeez, Gin. Bugger! Where’s Ron? Does he know?�

“I agree, I don’t know, and No.� At least I got through to him, the guy never curses.

Harry’s mind was reeling. Hermione pregnant? She’s only eighteen, her parents will KILL her. And I’m going to kill Ron, that bloody idiot. “I’m going to find Ron,� Harry finally said.

“I might as well go with you.�

“Oh, thanks for the company. Just leave your wand here, you can have at him after I get through.�

Just as the two started down the hallway, Ron came in the front door. “Hi Harry, hi Gin…what's wrong? You two look mad. Have a fight?�

“Not yet, Ron, come on in and make yourself comfortable,� Harry replied, trying to keep his temper. As Ron walked by them, giving Harry a questioning look, Harry thought it wise to put his arm out in front of Ginny to keep her from lunging at him. Ron sat backwards on a kitchen chair, still with an innocent and questioning look on his face.

“Well, balls-up, Ronny, bloody balls-up,� Ginny screamed, then expelled a string of unusually vile words that had Harry momentarily distracted.

“WHAT?� Ron appeared completely confused and Harry was becoming a little curious about his reaction. Obviously Ron HAD to know that he and Hermione had... Was he really so dense that their behavior towards him did not trigger something in his head? Well, Gin probably thinks so.

Shaking his head, Harry said, “Ginny, can I talk to Ron…alone? Please?�

Ginny was seething, Harry had never seen her this angry, he could actually feel the heat from her flushed-red face radiating out. Get this under control, Potter, fast.

“Please, Gin.� It came out like a plea. Ginny turned around and stomped out of the room and up the stairs, rather immaturely for her age, but Harry ignored it.

“Harry, what’s wrong? I thought Ginny was going to punch you!�

“Ron, I am afraid it’s you she was going to punch, not me.�

“Me? What did I do?�

Ron really doesn’t have a clue, well this should be interesting. “Ron, Hermione’s pregnant.� The words did not even appear to register, at least not on his face. A few seconds passed and Harry asked, “Ron, did you hear me?�

“Yeah, Harry, I heard you.� Ron appeared frozen; the only part of him moving was his eyes darting back and forth, almost like he was a trapped animal looking for an escape. Harry was not sure if he was even breathing.

“Ron, Wha…�

“Harry, it is impossible, Hermione can’t be pregnant, she just can’t be. I mean, she CAN’T be.�

Ron’s voice fell to almost a whisper and Harry could see tears welling up in his eyes. “Hey mate, it's ok.� Ron was beginning to shake and Harry could tell he was on the verge of bawling.

“Let’s go for a walk, I’ll get my invisibility cloak and we can slip out of town unseen. Okay?�

Ron whispered a “yes,� and at the same time continued to shake his head “no.�

Neither said anything under the cloak, which barely covered them any more. Harry was certain Ron’s feet and ankles were showing. Twice Harry heard Ron trying to stop himself from sobbing. Otherwise, they just walked the four blocks to the edge of town and removed the cloak as they came to the edge of a small wooded park.

“Come on, Ron, let’s sit over here.�

“Ron, you two didn’t…you know, mess around when I was gone last month, did you?� Harry asked as soon as they sat.

No reply.

“Ron, when you don’t say something, you say a lot. What have you left out?�

“Harry, Hermione can’t be pregnant, she can’t be!�

“Yes, Ron, so you told me, but she is. What are you not telling me?�

The two friends sat there, unspeaking for a long time, the sun was beginning to set over the hills, and they were getting nowhere. Just as Harry was about to prod Ron again, he spoke.

“Harry, uh, I didn’t think it was possible, but maybe it is.� Ron seemed to settle down once he said that, but he needed to say more.

“Ok, Ron, tell me what happened.�

“Harry, it was my fault, I’ve been pushing Hermione for months, all I wanted was to…�

Ron had blurted out the first part then stopped there, and Harry was relieved, he had never had this sort of conversation before and his “Quidditch butterflies� were flying full speed in his gut.

“…Harry, what we did wouldn’t, I mean, couldn’t…aw bugger me. Harry, we got carried away a little…well, a lot…


_____

After hearing Ron’s confession Harry thought, I REALLY didn’t want to know all this detail. He felt himself getting physically sick at the entire story and Ron’s utter ignorance about male physiology. Then he remembered himself not long ago. “All right, look, Ron…�

“Harry, it was just one time. BUGGER!�

‘Bugger’ is right. Ok, I AM going to kick his arse, or Hermione’s.

“It doesn’t matter, Harry, I’m totally shagged. Hermione’s parents are going to kill me, then my parents are going to kill me. Ginny will probably get in a hit somewhere, too.� Ron was shaking his bowed head.

“I guess so, and you forgot about me killing you, mate.�

Harry tried to end the conversation with a little wit, he was not sure it worked. Well, at least I have Ron’s version of the story, Harry thought. I can’t wait to hear Hermione’s side. Harry was developing a distinct distaste for the idea of sex already; how could it be this problematic? But they had to work this through. Focus on Ron, not yourself, Potter. Harry still felt that Ron and Hermione were made for each other, but there was something about this whole conversation Harry did not understand.

“Ok, mate, let us go home.� Silently, and in plain view, the two friends walked home.

Arriving back at the house as the sun was setting, Harry and Ron walked into the kitchen to see Ginny and Hermione sitting over their uneaten dinner. No one said anything for a very long two minutes. Harry got himself a butter beer and threw a bottle of water to Ron who was trying to look at his sister for some sympathy. Big mistake. He got the dirtiest looks she could produce without using magic. Harry swore he could see Ginny mouth “Bat Bogey� at Ron at least twice. Harry offered a water to Ginny who ignored him and walked over to the cabinet and took a bottle of Fire Whiskey that Fred and George had given him as an advancement present. Harry grabbed it out of her hands before she opened it; he was getting annoyed with Ginny, too, for her immaturity.

“Hermione, I need to talk to you.� Harry said, trying to make his voice sound insistent and sympathetic at the same time, it did not work too well.

“Harry, I do not want to talk to you…or Ron. Just go away. �

“No, Hermione, This situation is not going to ‘just go away,’ and I’m not going to ‘just go away.’ Come on out with me. Now!�

Something in Harry’s tone of voice must have registered is time; Hermione gave him an ugly look and stood. Without waiting for anything or anyone, she walked past Harry, down the hallway, and out the front door. Since she did not slam the door shut Harry thought that it was an invitation, of sorts, and followed her.

About six blocks later, on the other side of Hogsmeade from where he and Ron had talked, Harry had had enough of Hermione’s attitude. He jogged up behind her and grabbed her arm, turning her around. Knowing Hermione’s temper, Harry was prepared for her hand as she took a swing, trying to slap him.

“Hermione, cut it out, you’re acting childish,� Harry said, a little too forcibly.

“Well, Harry, I’d say my condition proves I’m not a child, wouldn’t you?�

Hermione was…Harry could not read her. Mad, obviously, but there was something else he could not quite make out.

“Child-ish, Hermione, not child-like.� Harry spat back at her. It also was unlike Hermione to miss the nuances in the meanings of those two words. He turned his body to face hers and held on to her shoulders.

“Hermione, look, it is me, Harry. I just want to find out what happened and help you and Ron through this. Ron and I had a long talk and I’ve heard his side of the story. Would you tell me yours? Please?�

Without missing a beat, Hermione lit into Harry. “You want to hear the details from me too? Maybe compare notes? What do you know about this anyway? Ginny says you two haven’t even…you didn’t …�

Hermione could not continue. She realized what she had just said, and in addition to the tone she had used to intentionally hurt Harry, she had also betrayed a confidence of someone who trusted her completely. Her face showed much of this hurt and confusion. Harry quickly looked around for a bench. Seeing one half a street down he led Hermione over to it and sat down with her.

“Look, Hermione, you’re right, I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. The last time I counseled anyone was when I told Hagrid to get rid of Norbert. That one worked, but it was dumb luck. I’m not trying to be your mother or your doctor, but there is something about what happened with you two that I think you’re keeping from me. Hermione, Ron’s bloody awful at hiding things and you’re no pro either. He told me what happened, well, in so many words, so I have just one question for you. Can I ask it without getting punched?�

“Ask, I’ll try to answer.� Hermione offered.

“Hermione, did you intentionally let Ron get you pregnant by telling him not to worry about, ah, you know, what you did?� This is far worse with a woman, Harry thought.

Hermione did not answer for a moment. Harry nudged her a little. “I know you know how to get pregnant, Hermione, you have been throwing those fertility stories at Ron almost daily.� And I used to think it was funny. Still no answer from Hermione, which, Harry guessed, was the answer; she had intentionally let herself get pregnant.

“Why Hermione? Why would you do that to your best friend?� Now she was shaking her head and starting to lose her composure, Harry tried to think quickly for something to say but Hermione got there first.

“No, Harry, I didn’t let myself get pregnant, that was NEVER my intention. You do not know me Harry, we’ve been friends for seven years, but there is a part of me you could never know. I think Ginny might understand because she’s a lot more like that part of me.�

“Er, I am not really following this, Hermione. What are you trying to tell me?� Harry was really confused now, not that it surprised him.

“Harry, you and Ginny and Ron and almost everyone else tiptoe around, pretending passion and…� Harry could tell Hermione was having a difficult time talking about these personal subjects. “…arousal…only happen in the bed of a married couple when all the lights are out. I thought that way, Harry, but Ron and I got carried away and it just happened. I don’t know how else to explain it without going into the details, I just lost control, and I’m not used to that. Ron was out of control from the first kiss and I thought I could handle that, but I didn’t...expect my own reactions...and together, it just…�

Hermione could not continue; she was reliving something that should have been wonderful but had turned into a disaster. Harry knew that feeling, but this was a far more personal conversation than he had ever had with someone, even Ginny after their little debacle. Harry was becoming uncomfortable to the point of feeling ill again, and wanted to stop talking, but he knew he could not, just yet.

“Have you talked to your mother about any of these feelings?� He did not know what else to say, and he certainly did not want to hear more.

“Harry, don’t be a clod, of course not. You saw my father when he told Ron he knew we were dating. How do you think he would like this?�

Harry was starting to realize all that had happened and how it snowballed out of control. But knowing what and why was not going to answer the real question: Where do they go now?

“Ok, Hermione, let’s go back to Hog…to the house and take it from there.� Harry stood and held out his hand for Hermione. After a moment she took it and they started back.

A few streets later Harry asked, “How long have you known, about being pregnant, I mean?�

“I missed my last period, if you must know. And I haven’t missed one since I was eleven. You can set a clock by my cycle.� It was a poor attempt at humor but Harry was glad to see some progress.

“How about Ginny, have you talked with her about it?�

“Not really, when I told her she got so angry with Ron I was more concerned for him than myself.� Hermione smiled at Harry, both knew Ginny’s temper.

That was the first time Harry had heard her say something positive about Ron in hours. Hoping he could help it continue he tried to push a little. “Hermione, you and Ron need to talk, tonight. And you need to do it calmly and honestly. I know you two love each other and Ron feels terrible and guilty, too. Please give it a go, Hermione.� She just nodded her head and kept walking.


The next morning when Harry was prodded awake by Ginny he asked her if she had seen Ron or Hermione, while he looked for his glasses.

“No, but I haven’t looked, either. Harry, mom doesn’t know I’m here. I have to go soon.

“Ok, let me hit the loo and we’ll look for trouble together.� Harry headed for the bathroom and noticed Ginny following him.

“Gin, can I take a leak, please?� Trying to be comical, he waved “bye-bye� as he pushed the door shut. When he was finished, he washed and started to brush his teeth; the bathroom door opened and Ginny stuck her head in.

“Harry, do you really feel like looking for trouble?�

“Nah, but we need to.�

“Ron’s not in his room and his bed hasn’t been slept in, at least I don’t think it has, it’s hard to tell.� Hermione and Ginny’s continual nagging about their cleanliness was a never-ending irritation, but Harry took the news in silence.

Walking to Ron’s room, Harry looked in, not really wanting to believe he was not there. Seeing it empty, Ginny gave him a, “you didn’t believe me?� look, and pointed upstairs. Harry got the message and they started walking quietly up. About half-way up Harry stopped and turned to Ginny, chuckling quietly.

“Ron’s up here, I can hear him snoring.�

“Wonderful.�

“Let me look, Gin, I’ll be back in a minute.� Harry started to move then looked back with a devilish grin, “If Hermione’s naked I might be a bit longer.� Harry quickly resumed his climb but almost yelped when Ginny smacked his bum, hard.

Hermione’s door was open and Harry could see inside to her bed. Ron and Hermione were both sound asleep, and next to each other. Hermione was on her back with her head toward Ron and Ron was on his left side with his right hand on Hermione’s abdomen. Both wore the clothes they had on yesterday. The sight was both moving and beautiful to Harry, he suspected that they would be alright. When he told Ginny, she walked up the stairs and returned with the same opinion, adding that the situation would probably get a lot worse before it got better.

Harry silently agreed.


A/N: This section was originally more explicit but I toned it down to a teen level for two reasons. First, I did not want a distracting sex scene that would heighten the rating. Second, I hope it gives my teenaged readers something important to ponder, particularly Hermione’s comments to Harry about her difficulty with self-control. The title of this chapter says it all.

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 9 – Percy’s Memory

Please R&R, it makes for better stories! Thank you.


The Boy In The Woods

“Percy? Where are we? Did we just Apparate again?�

“No, we haven’t moved Peter, you are now living a memory from my mind, I’ve just transferred it directly to you. Now, let me tell you about this memory. When I was a child my mother read me – and all my siblings actually - stories from a book called ‘Merlin and The Story in the Runes.’ It’s a very old story, actually a collection of stories, which had been handed down for more than sixteen hundred years. Because there were no books back then and parchment was quite expensive, many of the stories were passed down orally from family to family. So by the time paper replaced parchment and printing became widely used, the stories had become more like legends and few people believed they were true.�

“Did you think they were true, Percy?�

“Yes, but it wasn’t because I knew them to be true, it was because I didn’t know them to be false. Does that make sense to you?�

“I think so, sort of like Santa Claus?�

“Yes, I’d say that was a fair comparison. So, by the time the stories had reached me they had been modified for one reason or another, it may have been accidental or intentional, we just don’t know. The one thing we do know about the stories is that from about 1500 until today they have not substantially changed. Do you know why?�

“Umm, no…wait. No, I guess not.�

Percy was enjoying the lesson in history and Peter’s company. He had been without social contact for over four months and a non-threatening child was a safe place to go for conversation.

“Well, Peter, that was when stories, and many of the subjects you study in school, started to be put into books. You see, once it was written it was much harder to change.

“I see. What does that have to do with this forest?�

“Well, this forest it the setting for the first of the twelve stories. It takes place about the year 305, almost 1700 years ago. What I’m going to do now is start walking through the story. You will see me and yourself and the characters in the story, just as I remember them, but no one will be able to see or hear us, they are not real, just memories. Are you ready?�

“Ok, let’s go, Percy.�

Percy and Peter started to walk along a path leading into a dense forest. The scenery was amazing, so real that Peter wanted to reach out and touch it, but he was afraid. Soon after they reached the edge of the forest Peter started noticing giant spiders with enormous webs in the trees and huge snakes and alligators. Noticing his discomfort with the surroundings, Percy told Peter, “Don’t worry, nothing here is real. In fact, much of this wasn’t in the story, I added it out of my childhood fear of dark forests. Let’s keep walking.�

After walking a short distance further they came to a clearing in the woods where a few dozen houses could be seen in a generally circular pattern. The center of the area was clear except for a tree stump where sat a boy, not more than eight or nine years old, but with long snowy white hair. He appeared to be talking to a small group of children and adults, seventeen or eighteen people in total. Percy and Peter approached and listened to him talk.

“…No one is mightier than he. He walks in light and dispels darkness. He is light, he is power, he is love, he is God. He promises to bring us to paradise if we follow him and live as he lives…�

“Percy,� Peter was tugging on his arm, “he sounds like a preacher on TV. Who is he?�

“Listen to the boy, Peter.�

“…pay attention to me. I speak for the one that comes to save you. He says to you: ‘Listen to my servant Merlin, he has my words.’�

The boy stopped talking and appeared to be resting. The people watched for another few seconds then dispersed. A teenage boy and a man that looked like his father walked by Peter and Percy and they were able to hear them say: “…every day, the same thing. No wonder no one listens to him. At sunset he’ll start talking about showing you his powers, but that’s all he does, talk, talk, talk.� The two figures then disappeared in a flash of light and smoke. The same sequence occurred two more times, except different fathers and sons vanished after ignoring the boy. Finally, as the fourth sequence was running, the father and son talked about returning to hear Merlin again and how interesting he was. These two were seen to walk away without harm. Then Peter and Percy were back in the woods by Peter’s house.

“Peter, that was all from the first story, a very short one called “The Boy In The Woods� and it introduces us to the person we know as Merlin. Now, do you know what a fable is, Peter?�

“It’s a kind of story, right?�

“Yes, but more than just a story, it’s a story with a lesson behind it, usually a lesson in morality. “The Boy in the Woods� is a fable, albeit a short one and the morality is questionable. We can only guess how it was originally told because it was over a thousand years after this event when it was first written down. That’s a very long time for a story to be remembered intact. Can you guess what point this story is trying to make?�

“I dunno, maybe that we need to listen to the kid, Merlin, I mean.�

“Almost, Peter. The lesson is that those who listen to Merlin will live and those that don’t will die.�

“Ok, but he sounded like he was a preacher, I mean, he never said ‘Jesus’ but that’s what it sounded like he was preaching about.�

“Perhaps. There are distinct similarities between Merlin’s early sermons, if you want to use that word, and the early Christian views of Jesus. But as the stories progress they diverge, I mean, move away from the fundamental Christian view of life through Jesus. In fact, in all the stories only one other even sounds remotely like this one.�

“Why does it change?�

“Well, Peter, that’s one of the unanswered questions I mentioned.�

“Can I see another story, Percy?�

“No, Peter, that’s enough for today. You better get home.�

“Can I come back tomorrow?�

Percy sat and thought about that question. Where were the Aurors? I really should move on so I do not attract attention. Well…

“Peter, I’ll stay one more day, but you have to promise me you will not tell anyone about me or this story. Can you make that promise?�

“Sure, Percy.� But his words didn’t convince the storyteller.

“Peter, we wizards have a special promise we make called an unbreakable vow. If we break this promise do you know what happens to us? We lose our powers. I need you to make an unbreakable vow to me. Can you do that?�

“But I don’t have any powers to lose. What if I lie?�

“Then you lose your honesty. How about it, Peter?�

“Ok, Percy, I promise. See you tomorrow."

“Goodbye, Peter.�

It had been a long day, but for the first time in many months Percy felt like it had not been completely wasted. Returning to the spot he slept the night before, he sat and thought about the Story in the Runes and what it meant to him.


_____

“Fudge!� Scrimgeour bellowed. Through his open office door Cornelius Fudge entered the room. “Fudge, do you know what I have in front of me? I have the July report on Muggle meetings. This bloody report says we’ve had thirty meetings with Muggles that month, is this correct?�

“Minister, many…�

“And half of them were with a Liam Keane of Bath. Who the blazes is Liam Keane?�

"Sir, Keane is the…�

“And Arabella Figg? YOU met with her eight times. This administration has staked its reputation on REDUCING interaction with Muggles. WHAT’S GOING ON?�

“Minister, please let me explain. Keane is the Muggle architect YOU approved for the reconstruction of Hogwarts.� Scrimgeour’s eyes were squinting at Fudge as if he had been accused of a vile crime. “The, ahh, eight meetings with Figg, I don’t understand, sir. Figg is a Squib.�

“WHAT? I thought we had them removed from this report years ago, why is she back on?�

“Minister, I can’t tell you, that’s not my department.�

“Fine, Fudge, what about the other…ahh, seven?�

“Sir, Mr. Keane’s brother is in our employ, and a wizard. He has reestablished contacts with his Muggle relatives and is just visiting them. I’m sure it’s completely innocent.�

Scrimgeour was working his jaw and appeared to be deciding if he would accept Fudge’s stories. “Will there be any surprises in August?�

“I certainly hope not, sir.� Breathing a sigh of relief, Fudge left the office after a curt dismissal from the Minister of Magic.


_____

Later that day, Fudge sat across the table from the Keane brothers and tried for the third or fourth time, he couldn’t keep track, to explain their problem to the elder. “Liam, please understand, this entire project is much too important to end here. If you would just allow use to…�

“Fudge, I appreciate your offer, but there is simply no challenge in this work. Outside of my plans and a couple other minor items anyone could have done this job. I’m finished almost two years ahead of schedule and I’m bored. Why should I think the work in London would be any different?�

Tiernan, looking to Fudge for acknowledgement, spoke up for the first time. “Liam, your points are certainly valid and we understand your interests in the Muggle world, but would it hurt to at least visit the site and see if there is some…challenge?� Tiernan hated swatting at the Minister's gnats but Scrimgeour was the boss. “Can we talk about it over dinner tonight, you and me? Maybe…�

Frustrated with Fudge and Tiernan, Liam was beginning to think that going to London may be the only way to get Fudge off his back. Thinking for a moment, Liam held his right hand up, as if to stop their constant talking AT him. “Alright, alright, Tiernan, I will do it for you, but only because you’re my brother, but it will be a waste of time. However, if I need to waste a few hours to get you off my back…� Liam was staring at Fudge now, “I will. When?�

“Excellent, Liam, thank you. Fudge, would next Monday be good?�

“Yes, that will be fine, give you some time back with the family, eh? And that fine son of yours. I believe Tiernan told me his birthday is tomorrow, and you’ll be getting…�

“Ahem, excuse me Fudge, but we must be off. Next week then.� Tiernan jumped up and hurried his brother out of the Great Hall and into the north lawn. Fudge looked surprised and annoyed for being cut off and Liam was wondering what Tiernan was telling anyone about his son.

“Tiernan, let go. What the devil was that all about?�

“Oh, I just didn’t want Fudge to start, you know, rambling on. You know how he is.� But the younger brother was not very good at deception and the older persisted while starting to resist his brother pushing him.

“STOP IT, Tiernan. What was Fudge talking about? What does Rudy have to do with any of this?� Liam was furious now, and took his brother by his coat collar and lifted him off his feet. Seldom had Liam ever experienced anger such as this, but now, protecting his son that he had entrusted to his brother, the fury pent inside him was about to be released on Tiernan.

“Liam, put your brother down.� Looking around Tiernan he saw Fudge on the school steps pointing his wand at him. “Put him down, Liam. Now. Your anger needs to be controlled before your brother will talk to you.�

Throwing Tiernan into a heap on the ground Liam walked toward Fudge screaming. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LEAVE MY SON OUT OF THIS.�

“Please, Liam, stop. Fudge, it’s all right. Liam, listen to me, please.� Tiernan was still on the ground, pleading. Liam had stopped and was trying to decide whom to attack first. Something was going on between them and all he knew was that it involved Rudy and he had to stop it.

Fudge put his wand down, looking at Tiernan and saying, “You should have told him sooner.� And with that meaningless comment Fudge disappeared.

“Take me home, NOW� Still seething, Liam just wanted to leave and be rid of his brother and his bizarre world.

“All right, Liam, certainly.� Standing and straightening his coat and robes, Tiernan held out his arm to his brother who took hold with powerful hands that caused his brother to wince. The next moment they stood in front of Liam’s house in Bath. Throwing his brothers arm away from him in disgust, Liam went to the front door. Before entering he spun around and spoke to his brother. “You are not welcome here again. And if I ever find that you’ve been near my children I will kill you.�

The look in Liam’s eyes told Tiernan that his magical abilities probably could not save him from his brother’s wrath. But there was one last thing he had to do. Reaching inside his robes he removed an envelope and threw it on the ground between him and his brother. With eyes saddened by the loss he was witnessing he said, “All right, Liam. Please give this card to Rudy on his birthday. I was hoping to do it myself but…� And Tiernan disappeared.

Trying to calm himself, Liam waited outside a few minutes, picking up the birthday card to Rudy he walked into the hall. Hanging up his coat and hat, Rudy came running up to him exclaiming “Hi, dad, did you bring Uncle Tiernan home with you tonight?�

Ignoring his son’s question, Liam walked into the kitchen where his wife greeted him with a kiss and a similar question.

“Rudy, please go out and play until dinner, thank you, son,� Liam said in a voice he was still having difficulty controlling.

“Liam, what’s wrong?� Marge asked as soon as Rudy was out of earshot. “Is something wrong with Tiernan?� With delicacy, Liam described parts of the events of the last half-hour with his wife. It was not easy trying to talk about things you could not talk about and still make sense, but the last thing he needed now was to have to explain to his wife how he’d spent eight weeks working for a bunch of crazy wizards. Marge tried to dig deeper but she knew from experience that when Liam was closed-mouth about something it was a waste of time trying to find out what it was. Liam finally got up, tore up the card from Tiernan to Rudy, called the children in for dinner, but went to his study and did not join them for the meal.

Later that evening Liam still had not come out and Marge went to check on him. Through the locked door Liam proclaimed that he was fine and would be up for bed at his regular time. Returning to the kitchen, Marge cleaned up the last of the mess from dinner and took the trash out. As she put the bag of trash into the can the torn envelope Liam had thrown out earlier fell to the ground through a rip in the bag.

Marge leaned over to pick up the envelope, quite like nothing she had ever seen before. Picking it up she recognized the material as parchment, not paper, and her son’s name and address in gold ink on the front. Curiosity won over her better judgment and removing the torn letter from each side of the ripped envelope she went back into the kitchen to read its contents.

“Dear Rudy, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…�

The next morning Marge sat in the kitchen waiting for Liam. She had stayed up late the night before trying to figure out who would play such a rude joke on them, and suspected that Tiernan had something to do with it. Liam came in to the kitchen carrying a small pile of phone messages concerning approaching deadlines on a couple “normal� projects he was working. After kissing Marge he got himself a cup of tea and sat down to read his notes.

“Liam, before you start that would you please look at this and tell me who would write such a stupid thing?�

Puzzled as Marge passed him the letter, Liam started reading and stopped shortly after reading the first two lines.

“Marge, have you told anyone about this? It’s very important that I know.�
Laughing, Marge shook her head, “I can’t see why? These silly things go on all the time.�

Then Liam suddenly remembered a story from Tiernan. “Where did you get this?�

“It fell out of the trash last night and I opened it. Why?�

This can’t be happening, Liam thought, It can’t be happening!

“Liam, what’s wrong, dear?�

“Tiernan…it came from Tiernan.�

“Why would he do something like this? It’s very cruel to Rudy.�

“No it isn’t Marge.� Liam thought out loud.

“Well why not? Were you in on this, too?� But Marge had misread her husband’s reactions. What she saw as complicity was merely Liam trying to understand how he could have been so blind. We already have one wizard in the family, why would this be so odd? But even more than this, Liam was now understanding what had happened yesterday with Fudge and Tiernan. His brother was trying to break the news to him gently about Rudy.

“Marge, I have to go to London, right away. I have to find Tiernan.�

“LIAM, WHAT IS GOING ON? Tell me what’s going on, please. Is Rudy in some sort of danger? Wait, you said Tiernan lives here in Bath.�

Thinking for a moment, Liam replied, no, Rudy was in no danger and that Tiernan does live in London and that he’d explain everything when he returned that evening.

An hour later, Liam returned home and startled his wife with the unexpected arrival.

“Um, Marge, I was about to board the express when I realized I had no way of finding Tiernan in London. His office isn’t listed.� Liam was becoming annoyed, and mostly with himself. He guessed, now, that the letter was in the card Tiernan had thrown down on the walk last night before leaving.

“Marge, where is Rudy?�

“Out back, I think, why?�

“Would you please ask him to come into my office, I need to talk with him.�

Thinking her husband was going to explain why Tiernan could not visit any more, Marge brought Rudy into the study and started to leave. “No, Marge, you need to be here, too.� Then gathering his thoughts on how to best approach the subject he decided to play detective.

“Rudy, I just have a couple questions about Uncle Tiernan.�

“Ok, dad.�

“Son, have you ever been alone with Uncle Tiernan for any length of time?�

Thinking for a moment, Rudy finally answered. “Well, dad, last week we walked down to the park after dinner. Remember, you told us to be back by 9 PM so we could see the new Mr. Bean episode. Uncle Tiernan loves Mr. Bean.�

“Yes, that’s right. Good. Now, what did you talk about with your uncle?�

“Just stuff. He told me about the castle you were rebuilding and Gran’s house in Dublin. He showed me some cool magic tricks and then we came home.�

Magic tricks? Liam smiled, Cor! “Rudy, what kind of magic tricks did he show you?� Liam, avoiding the look his wife was giving him, pressed on a little further.

“He showed me this really cool one and taught me how to do it. Wanna see?�

“I’d love to, Rudy. Marge, why don’t you come watch, too.� Looking at his wife, Liam tried to tell her with his eyes and expression, watch Rudy closely, please.. Marge shrugged her shoulders but watched anyway.

“Ok, dad, mom, see this coin?� Rudy had pulled a large bronze coin out of his pocket and showed it to Marge and Liam. “Uncle Tiernan gave this to me, he called it a ‘nut.’ I use it for my magic tricks.� To the side, Liam was watching silently as Rudy placed the knut in the palm of his hand. “Ok, now watch this.� Rudy slapped both hands together and when he spread them apart the ‘nut’ was gone. Holding up his hands for his parents to see, Marge clapped and started to congratulate Rudy until she saw Liam.

“Rudy, can you do that trick for me a few times?�

“No! You want to see how it’s done and copy it.�

“Rudy, I’ll never be able to do that trick. How about just a couple more times for mom?� Then turning to Marge, Liam said, “Watch his mouth, not his hands, when he claps.� Marge looked at her husband like he was loosing it. “Please, hon, just do it.� Marge nodded.

“Ok, you guys ready?� Rudy had taken another ‘nut’ from his pocket and performed the same trick again.

“Great, Rudy. Just one more time, can you do that?�

“Ok, dad, but Uncle Tiernan says I shouldn’t do it too many times.�

“Why’s that?� Marge asked.

“He says I’m too young to do real magic.�

“Ok Rudy, just once more,� Liam prodded.

After the last trick Liam asked his son if he could borrow the ‘nut’ for a few minutes. Rudy was not thrilled but his father promised he’d get it back in a short time. Then Rudy left the room.

“Liam, what is going on?�

“Did you watch Rudy’s mouth during the trick? Did you?�

“Yes, he was saying something but I couldn’t hear it because of the clap.�

“Rudy said ‘evenesco,’ it’s a…trick I saw at that job I worked on for Tiernan; the workers would show it to the children in the town next to the castle. Here, you try it.� Liam handed Marge the coin.

“You’re joking, right?� He wasn’t. “Oh, for Pete’s sake….evenesco,� CLAP “see, nothing happened.�

“That’s right. Here, watch me.� Taking the coin back Liam did the same, with the same result.�

“Liam, so what?�

“We can’t do the trick, Rudy can.�

Marge sat there thinking about Rudy doing the trick. She closed her eyes and saw his hands clap…the coin was gone, or it seemed like it. “Liam, what’s going on?�

“My dear, the reason Rudy could perform that trick, as we call it, is because it wasn’t a trick at all. When Rudy claps his hands and says ‘evenesco’ that coin really does disappear. In fact, it goes right back to his pocket.�

“Your kidding, right?�

“Marge, I need to tell you something.� Liam was finding the last eighteen hours insane, and now he was dragging his wife into it.

“Liam?�

“Marge, Rudy is a wizard.� The words came out easily but didn’t seem to register on his wife until she started laughing. “Marge, I’m not joking. The job I did for Tiernan was not any old castle, it was at the school for British wizards…and witches. It’s two hundred miles north of here and every morning for the past eight weeks Tiernan came and used something called a ‘port key’ to take me up there instantly. That coin Rudy has isn’t a ‘nut’, it’s called a ‘knut’ and it’s part of the wizard currency system. They have bronze knuts, sickles – they’re silver, and galleons…�

Through Liam’s confession his wife sat there silently but she refused to believe it. Cutting Liam off she said forcefully, “Liam, there are no such things as witches, wizard, and magic! Stop this.�

“I’m afraid you’re quite wrong, Marge,� Tiernan said from a corner of the room.

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 10 – Many Changes



Harry and Ginny were sitting on the rocking loveseat in front of the Burrow on the last day of August. The persistent summer heat had turned into a gloomy, misty rain over the past few days and reflected Ginny’s mood. School started tomorrow and her daily visits from Harry would have to end. She was not going to take the train this year, instead she would go to Hog House on the first of September, from there, Harry and Ron would take her things up to school. Ginny had to plead with her mother to do it this way, but once again her father dug in his heals for Ginny and Molly consented.

The last week of August, outside of the weather, had been a wonderful time for Harry and Ginny. They took long walks and did not care if they got soaked in the rain. Sometimes they talked about nothing, sometimes they did not talk at all, and once they brought up what happened the night they were engaged. Harry was, as usual, reluctant to talk about his feelings and was still embarrassed by the entire fiasco. But Ginny approached it more clinically and shared with Harry some “facts� she had discovered. (She did not tell him that most of them came from Hermione.) Harry listened and went through the motions of understanding everything Ginny was saying, but he had detached his hearing from his brain and let the subject drop when he thought Ginny was through. Wedding plans and ideas seemed to interest Harry more and he enjoyed seeing Ginny so completely in her element – and happy.

Location, invitations, reception, music, dress, gowns, colours, menus, everything had to be decided except the best man and maid of honor. That subject was not even brought up because they both knew who they would be. Harry did take some enjoyment teasing Ginny, with Ron’s assistance, about asking Michael Corner to be best man, but unable to keep a straight face, Ron gave the joke away after only a few seconds.

The date chosen, 14 October 1999, as well as the location, Hogwarts, were quickly confirmed by an owl to the School’s business office. The school would be in recess that weekend and the weather in October was typically cool and sunny. The service would be in the Great Hall followed by the reception. Ron would have to miss a game that Saturday but “he did not care, he had his priorities straight,� Harry joked Hermione.

The details went on and on. Hermione was always popping in and out with one idea or another, and Harry though he had never see two people get along this well again.

Hermione’s “condition� was going to be a problem, and soon. The families had not been notified and only the four of them knew she was pregnant. Ron thought Hermione might be in denial and Harry was inclined to believe him. But despite the pregnancy being only two months along, Harry could tell that her body was changing. She had put on weight, mainly in her chest and hips, but those were easy to hide. What was not so easily hidden was her face, which had become, for lack of a better word, plump - and rose-tinted. Hermione had also stopped traveling to anyplace outside of her office and Hog House after Ron mentioned the changes in her face. She was getting tired easily and was still plagued by morning sickness that often became all-day sickness.

The previous Wednesday evening, as the three of them were eating dinner, Harry decided to bring up another issue that he had not been able to approach with Ron or Hermione individually; marriage. Thinking he had a brainstorm, Harry tried out his plan.

“Say, what do you two think about switching rooms? I can move upstairs and that way you and Ron can be together down here.�

Harry had tried to make the comment sound very off-the-cuff, but Hermione did not bite. In a very Hermione-ish tone she remarked, “Thank you, Harry, that won’t be necessary. Ron and I are not sleeping together and we are not getting married so I do not see any real need.�

“Oh, um, ok, Maya.� Harry had accidentally let “Maya� slip out, even though he liked the name better than Hermione.

“Hermione, Harry.�

“What’s that?�

“My name is Hermione, Harry, not Maya.�

“Sorry.� Harry was watching Ron during this brief exchange; he had not said anything but he was obviously shaken with Hermione’s comment about not getting married. Harry saw this and suggested to Ron that he do something, fast.

The following weekend both of them disappeared early Saturday, leaving only a note saying they would return Sunday evening.

Late Sunday night, after seeing Ron and Hermione give each other a loving good night hug and kiss, Ron shared with Harry what had happened. They had spent the weekend away from all distractions, talking seriously about their feelings and futures. When it was all over they had decided to get married. “Maya’s happy because I told her I wanted to be with her the rest of my life. It just slipped out that way, and when she said the same thing I asked her to marry me. I could not believe it all happened in just a few seconds.� But Harry could now see something in Ron and Hermione’s face that he had never seen before: fulfillment, they had found themselves in each other...it took a bloody long time, but it had happened.

Another decision they had to make, Ron said, was whether they eloped or had a formal wedding. Ron had also confessed to Harry that whichever way they decided, they would almost certainly have to move out of the House. Harry thought about the idea of not being with two of his best and closest friends and it was not attractive to him. But Hermione thought, given her condition, her parents might not even let her marry Ron, reminding them both of her parents’ comments the night they had dinner together. So Hermione was leaning toward eloping.

Finally, on the first of September, as Harry and Ron were carrying Ginny’s things to school, Ron told Harry “We decided to elope, would you be my best man…next Friday night?� Any response that Harry would have made was pointless because at that moment Ginny came running from the house yelling that something was wrong with Hermione.


_____

Dropping Ginny’s trunk, Harry and Ron ran back to the house to find Hermione, pale and obviously in paid, lying on the couch, the front of her dress stained with streaks of blood. Ron went to her and calmly told her she would be all right and that he would take her to Healer Vince. With his face intensely serious and concerned, Ron and Hermione disapperated; the spot on the couch where she had lain was soaked with blood.

Shaking off his shock, Harry turned to Ginny. “What happened?�

“I don’t know, one second she was standing, talking to me and the next she had doubled over in pain. I though she was having another bout of morning sickness, but when she walked to the couch I saw the blood on her dress, that is when I came to get you.�

Harry saw Ron appear with Hermione up the street next to the Healer’s Office and disappear into the door. The entire scene lasted just a few seconds but it was staggering and sucked Harry back to the events of the previous months and years. Hermione can’t die! Hermione, held limp in Ron’s arms, covered with blood… … don’t die on us, Hermione… But it was an unreasonable wish and something Harry had no control over. People were still going to die, his friends were still going to die, even Gin would die someday… The rage Harry felt at his helplessness exploded and he yelled out in frustration. Ginny cringed in surprise and tried to get Harry’s attention but was distracted by the appearance of her parents in the fireplace.

Stepping into the living room, it took Arthur and Molly a second to take in what they saw. A distraught expression on Harry’s face, Ginny looking pale and frightened, but above all, the blood - all over the couch and floor. Molly froze but Arthur looked at his daughter and asked, “Ron or Hermione?�

Ginny choked out, “Hermione, Ron has her at,� covering her mouth with one hand as if not saying the words would make the reality of the situation disappear. She pointed up the street, which was all her father needed to know.

Turning to his wife, Arthur said, “Molly, stay here and find out what happened, I will go and see if Hermione will…� He was going to say “live,� but like Harry the idea of another loved one dying was not in his thought process. Then Harry pushed Mr. Weasley out of the way and ran out of the house and up the street toward his friends. Ginny was so surprised she did not even have time to say stop.

Reaching the Healer’s office in seconds, Harry opened the door and saw the trail of blood leading into the examination room. Ron was standing by the door to the examining room with his head leaned against his arm on the door frame. Turning to see who had entered, Harry saw Ron’s face was streaked with Hermione’s blood, as was most of the front of his clothes. The sheer amount of blood Harry had seen made his heart drop again, but he walked over to Ron and put his arm around him to show his support. He did not know what to say because anything he said would be inadequate. A few seconds later Mr. Weasley ran into the office and saw the scene of blood and his shaken son holding on to Harry. Walking over to Ron, Mr. Weasley put his hand on Ron’s shoulder and waited.

Fifteen minutes had passed. Molly and Ginny had not shown up and no one had come out of the room. Arthur was about to ask Ron what had happened, now that he was calm, when the examination room door opened and Vince came out wearing an apron and gloves covered with blood. Ron and Harry sprang to their feet.

“Who’s the husband?� He asked simply.

For a second no one responded, but then Ron replied that he was. “What’s happening?� In a concerned voice, but without panic. “There was so much blood…� Eyes wide, Ron was shaking a little as the diagnosis approached..

“Well, blood’s like that,� the healer replied calmly, “it always looks like much more than it is, your wife probably did not lose more than a liter, if that. But I do have some bad news, I am afraid…� Here it comes Ron and Harry thought. But Arthur realized that a mortal diagnosis was not what the Healer was leading up to. Harry’s eyes were closed and his hand was still on Ron’s shoulder.

Looking to Ron and placing his hand on Ron’s other shoulder he told him, “Your wife will be fine, but I am afraid there was no way to save the child. I am sorry. You’ll be able to see her in a little bit, she’s just getting cleaned-up. After spending a day or two at St. Mungo’s she will be good as new.� Then returning to the examination room, Healer Vince was gone.

Harry and Arthur were looking at the door shut and failed to notice Ron had fallen to the floor until they heard the thump. He had not passed out, but the quick trip from despair to relief was overpowering and Ron just sat there with his head turned up, eyes closed, and a thankful look on his face.

Two hours later Harry was back in the house with Ron’s parents. Ginny had just returned from Hogwarts where she had found Professor Sprout and told her that she would be late for the start of term feast. When Sprout heard the story she told Ginny not to worry, she would ask Hagrid to bring her things to the school, and she would inform the headmaster. It was not until Ginny was half way back to Hogsmeade that she realized SHE did not know who the new headmaster was, but that information was not very important to her at the time.

Molly had cleaned up the blood and was trying to busy herself to keep her thoughts off of the growing anger with her son. Arthur was sitting and trying to make small talk with Harry, but failing miserably. A couple minutes after Ginny returned, and after a couple very long minutes of silence, Ron came in, still bloody but looking better.

“Maya’s asleep, but I was able to talk to her for a few minutes.� Ron’s voice held little emotion and it was obvious to all that he had been scared to death by the incident. He still shook a little and looked very pale, especially against the bright red blood stains all over his clothes. But he was handling himself well.

_____

Talent & Personality

“Harry, why don’t you walk Ginny to school, didn’t you say you have something to do there tonight? I need to talk to my parents.� Ron’s statement, and it is decisiveness, impressed Harry. Ron then turned to his sister, and with a weak smile kissed her cheek and said, “Good luck, Gin, see you soon.� Harry took Ginny’s hand and walked outside, but she was looking back to her parents, wondering what they were about to say to Ron.

Harry had forgotten all about the meeting he was supposed to have with the new headmaster and the appointment time had long since passed.
Hand-in-hand, down the street toward the gate into Hogwarts’ grounds, silence was all Harry and Ginny could share. The day had been emotional enough before Hermione had miscarried, but now, between school and the day’s drama, both were worn out mentally and physically. As they entered the school grounds, both seemed to perk up with the sights and smells of the school. Walking away from the entrance a short distance, they stood for a few minutes admiring the ‘new’ Hogwarts. There was just enough of the old still standing to give the buildings majesty and history and a sense of “home�, and just enough of the new to add a modern flare for the next millennium.

In the distance Harry and Ginny could see Hagrid leading the new first year students – and a rather small class this year, they observed – toward them and the Great Hall. Harry returned Hagrid’s wave and enjoyed the brief rush of fond memories Hagrid and Hogwarts stirred in him. When Harry and Ginny finally walked up the front stairs to the Great Hall, they could hear the voices of the hundreds of other students who had returned, all waiting in the Hall for the start of term feast. The wonderful smell of the House Elves’ cooking filled the air and made Harry’s mouth water; he had not eaten anything since breakfast.

Ginny stopped Harry before reaching the Hall doors, not wanting to be seen by her classmates, yet; Harry could tell she was struggling to let go of him. But before either could say anything a familiar voice called out.

“Potter, I see that advancement has not stopped your interminable disregard for rules.� Turning, both saw Snape approaching. “And Ms. Weasley, we’re happy you could make it. Are you trying to break Mr. Potter’s record from two years ago by starting your house more than 50 points down?�

“Professor Snape…� Ginny did not believe it, Grubbly-Plank told them that he had resigned. “What are you doing here, ah, sir? We heard…�

“Yes, Ms. Weasley, I am sure you heard I had resigned. I did. I will no longer be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts.� Snape let the statement hang, frustrating Ginny with it is incompleteness.�

“Then what are you doing here…sir?� Ginny persisted.

Ignoring the question, Snape snapped at Harry. “Potter, did you receive my letter?� Snape’s malevolence toward Harry had not changed a bit, Ginny thought.

“Yes Headmaster.� Harry answered simply.

“HEADMASTER? WHAT DO YOU…� Ginny started to say, rather loudly, too. Looking between the two men, Ginny was completely confused and felt out of the loop about something. Then Harry spoke up.

“With your permission, headmaster?� Looking to Snape and seeing him nod his head, Harry continued. “Ginny, Professor Snape has accepted the position of Headmaster. I found out late yesterday. You’ll find out about the other staffing changes after the feast. I should go now.�

“No, tell her now, Potter.� Snape spat.

Harry paused and with a very small smile on his face said, “The headmaster has offered me a part-time position here, to help with the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes.�

“Harry... What?...Why?� Then turning to Snape in almost comical disbelief “But you two HATE each other!�

Harry thought he might actually have seen a slight smile on Snape’s face.

“Mr. Potter has displayed some marginal talent in this area. I thought he may be able to impart some of his limited knowledge upon the students.� Snape finished, emphasizing the words a “marginal� and “limited.�

Ginny still could not believe what she was hearing and stood there with her mouth open.

“Ms. Weasley, please close your mouth and go to your table, now.� Ginny looked at Harry who was wearing an odd smile. Giving him a quick kiss goodbye she started walking to the Hall.

“Ms. Weasley, one moment. I understand that Ms. Granger had some problems today. Will she recover?�

This is a dream, Ginny thought, Snape asking about Hermione’s welfare? “Um, yes sir. She will be fine.�

“Very well, on your way.�

Harry watched the exchange between Snape and Ginny with a mixture of interest and apprehension and decided to venture a question.

“Headmaster, Ginny’s right, why the job offer?�

“Don’t confuse appreciation of talent with appreciation of personality, Potter. Besides, I thought this might make me look good to the Board, and…� Then resuming his usual Snape-ish sarcasm “maybe I’ll get an Order of Merlin some day.� Turning to go into the Hall, Snape took a few steps, stopped, and looked back to Harry “Potter! Are you joining us for dinner this evening? You are on the faculty now and have earned the right.�

Again, turning away with a swish of his robes, Snape walked into the Great Hall, and in a few seconds Harry followed after his new boss and saw another surprise waiting for him at the Head Table.

_____

The following day Harry visited Hermione who had been transported to St. Mungo’s where she needed another day to recover and regain strength. Arriving at Hermione’s ward Harry knocked on the door and heard her invitation to enter.

“Hi Maya, how’re you feeling today?� Harry said as cheerfully as he could and bringing out a beautiful bunch of flowers.

“Hi, Harry, I am better, and thank you, these are beautiful.� But Harry could tell she was struggling with her emotions.

“Maya, you know what happened, don’t you?� Harry said “happened� hoping he would not have to break the news to Hermione. But she nodded her head and said “Yes� very quietly.

“I am sorry, Maya, I…� But Harry could not think of anything to say.

“Harry,� Hermione reached her hand out and Harry took it, sitting on the edge of the bed. �Do not worry, Harry, it was not your fault in any way. In fact, the Healer told me that as many as 10% of all pregnancies end in miscarriages, it is the body’s natural way of eliminating defective embryos.� Hermione was trying to be logical about what had happened, but Harry saw her eyes go watery and she turned away for a moment.

“I am sure he’s right, Maya.� Was all Harry could say.

“I was just getting used to the idea of being a mother. He also told me that apparating during pregnancy was not safe for the…. Harry, I didn’t…know…� And Hermione, who had been hanging in there with her logic, finally broke down and gave into her emotions. Harry held her as he had a month ago when she found out she was pregnant. Even after she stopped crying, Harry held her to let her know he was there for her.

“Maya, what are you and Ron going to do now?� Harry saw that Hermione was about to say something but he wanted to finish his thought. “I wish you could have seen him yesterday, he rose to the task, you should be very proud of him.�

“Harry, Ron and I are still getting married.�

“Ron loves you very much, Maya. You know that, do not you?� Harry was trying so hard to finish his entire thought he completely missed what Hermione had said.

“Earth to Harry…are you in there Harry? Ron and I are still getting married.� Hermione said with genuine happiness in her voice.

“Oh, OH, okay. That is brilliant…Um, you just told me that a moment ago, did not you? Sorry.� Both broke out in laughter. Harry hoped Hermione could get through this quickly.

“My parents still don’t know about this, Harry, Ron made his parents swear they would not tell and I had to tell the hospital that Ron was my husband so they wouldn’t track my parents down. I’m getting used to being Mrs. Weasley.�

The smile that Harry saw on his friend’s face told him everything he had to know. With his questions answered they spent the next hour talking about Ron and how he had changed the past two months, Ginny and what happened outside the Great Hall the night before, and his conversation with Snape.

“Oh, Harry, I am so happy for you. Still, trying to imagine Snape being nice to anyone is so hard to believe.�

“And having the real Moody as the DA teacher will be wicked. I think Remus wanted the job again but there is just too much animosity between him and Snape to ever heal.�

Then looking at the clock, Harry sighed. “Well, Mrs. Weasley, I have to head back to Hogwarts, wouldn’t want to be late for my first lesson, would I?�

“Indeed not, and please send my love to Severus!�

Harry kissed Hermione goodbye and left the room laughing and feeling wonderful; wonderful for himself, but more so for Ron and Hermione. Walking down the hospital corridor Harry found himself looking forward to going back to Hogwarts, this time as a teacher.

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 11 –Theology

Please Read & Review, it makes for better stories! Thank you.


A/N: An important note: There is a dialogue toward the end of the chapter dealing with Christian vs. Wizarding “Theology�. Please remember as you read it that this is fiction. No insults were intended.


Tiernan’s apology

Marge jumped when Tiernan spoke, but she was not sure if her surprise was due to her brother-in-law’s sudden appearance or his statement. She chose the former, the latter was just too fantastic to believe, and maybe Tiernan had snuck in without her noticing. Yes, that was it. But her own thoughts did not offer much comfort. Looking to her husband Marge remembered his words to Tiernan the night before, but Liam did not look angry. In fact, Liam had a pensive look, hard to read but definitely not anger. Then he got up and walked over to Tiernan and embraced his brother.

“Tiernan, I’m so sorry. I should have caught on to what you were trying to tell me yesterday.�

“No, Liam, but thank you, it was all my responsibility. I kept putting off the news, thinking you’d realize what was happening with Rudy and me. But I’d forgotten the lesson of my own youth, when no one would understand me for what I was.�

Then turning to Marge, Liam asked her, “What can we do to convince you? This is not a bad situation. Rudy is extraordinarily lucky.�

Marge was still having trouble taking this all in, and stared at the two men, feeling outnumbered.

“Marge, I’m so sorry for the deception the past two months. The wizarding world tries to keep itself separate from your world wherever possible. When one of my co-workers told me they had seen my nephew’s name on the first year class list for Hogwarts I was elated, but I didn’t know how to approach you two. In circumstances such as these, where the parents of a wizard are Muggles...�

“Muggles are non-magical people, like you and me, dear.� Liam added, watching his terribly confused wife.

“Yes, in these situations the Ministry of Magic allows one witch or wizard to orient the family to the situation. I offered as soon as I had confirmed it was Rudy.�

Marge sat back down in her chair and looked like she was processing the information, unsuccessfully processing it, Tiernan determined.

“Marge, I am allowed, as part of the orientation process, to offer you proof of what appears to be an impossible claim. May I give you that proof?�

Marge was wondering what sort of proof Tiernan could offer to convince her of something so totally fantastic and different. So she asked him. “What could you do to prove this? Surely not another coin trick?�

“No, Marge, though I did receive a warning for showing Rudy that spell. May I offer you some tea?� Tiernan took out his wand and pointed to Liam’s desk, and with a faint light shooting from the wand to the desk, a small silver tea service appeared. As if to add something else to the bizarre situation, Tiernan offered, “You might be surprised to know that this same tea service was used to convince your new Prime Minister of our existence just a few months ago. I hope it works for you, too.�

Marge was sure she was dreaming; one of those terribly realistic dreams that leaves you wondering, after waking, if it was real or just in your mind. Looking to her husband with an expression of complete bewilderment, Marge could find no words to speak.

“Marge, it’s alright. It took me a little getting used to when Tiernan first told me about this. In fact, I threw him out of the house.� Looking to his brother they both laughed, remembering that morning. “Tiernan, why don’t you show Hogwarts to Marge, that may help?�

“Yes, splendid idea, brother. Marge, why not grab a slicker and we will pop up to the school? While we’re there I can show you the work Liam did.�

“Go ahead, Marge,� Liam urged again, “I’ll watch the children. Take as much time as you need.� The bewildered woman simply nodded and left to, presumably, retrieve her raincoat. After a few seconds she reappeared, no less confused, but seeming resigned.

Liam went up to her and gave his wife a kiss goodbye. Then Tiernan pulled the same gum trick on Marge he had used on Liam three months prior, and the two disappeared with a POP.


The cool, misty morning light of Northern England shone on Hogwarts as Tiernan and Marge appeared on the north lawn. Dropping the stick of gum and looked around in wonder and awe at a place so completely foreign to her, Marge thought she could feel the magic she had been denying. Beyond the pale sunrise, beyond the towering mountains, beyond the forests and the dreamlike appearance that the fog had created in her mind, the sight of the castle took Marge’s breath away. If all this is true, if there really are wizards and witches, they would be here. Then the sound of a man’s voice brought her out of her dream-like daze and back to reality.

“Marge, are you alright?� Placing his hand on her shoulder, Tiernan knew her thoughts. “You look the way I did when I first saw Hogwarts. It is almost magical in itself.�

“Tiernan, did you know how much Liam loved medieval and gothic architecture when you asked him to work on this?�

“Not at all, he was selected because of his reputation and because he had a wizard in the family who could guide him through the...environment he would be working in.�

Trying to make sense of her feelings, Marge temporized, “He’s only a child, Tiernan. He just turned eleven. How can he...what will he do.� Faltering for words, Marge gave up trying to set up obstacles for her brother-in-law to remove. “You went here?�
“Yes, the most wonderful and educational years of my life. I was lost until that point because I didn’t understand what I was. Hogwarts helped me answer that, as well as who I was. Rudy is a far better adjusted child than I was, and far more secure, for his age. Here he will be with others like himself, taught by teachers who have centuries of experience.�

“I don’t know, Tiernan, this is all so...surreal. I want the best for him, but magic?�

“Would you like a tour of the school?�

Marge felt breathless, almost light headed and dizzy with the proof she was seeing, and feeling, and realizing. “Yes, can Rudy and Liam join us?�

“Certainly, would you like to wait here while I fetch them?� Seeing Marge finally smiling, Tiernan knew that she would consent. Now he just had to make her feel happy about the decision.

“Yes, I will be right here.�

And as she started to sit on the grass Tiernan transformed a small branch on the lawn into a wicker chair. “Try this, you will find it much more comfortable.� And then he was gone.


_____

The Man in the Forest

Percy awoke to cool morning dew and a soggy feeling in his clothes. Outside of the constant annoyance caused by fleas and ticks, it was this daily aggravation that bothered Percy the most; the humid morning air that penetrated everything he owned. Still, he accepted these chastisements and sat up for his usual morning routine. After some stretching and a trip to the pub for a cup of tea Percy headed back to the rocks to wait for Peter. As he approached, seeing Peter in the distance, he had to smile at his awe and wonder of things so commonplace to himself.

Peter was waiting for Percy, sitting atop the outcrop as he had the day before; but this time there was no fear or suspicion on his face. When he saw Percy he waved a friendly, cheering wave, not one the usual grumbled greetings he very seldom received on the canal. For the first time in a long time Percy realized that someone was happy to see him and this gave him a feeling of worth he had not felt in many months.

“Hi Percy.�

“Good morning, Peter, you’re up early for a fellow your age. When I was fourteen I slept in as late as I could.� Thinking back to his fourth year at Hogwarts, as a prefect, Percy revised his statement. “Well, maybe not.�

“I brought you some stuff, Percy. Some granola bars, a bottle of water, and some soap.� Peter looked a little embarrassed by offer the soap but Percy smiled and said,

“Thank you, Peter. Actually, I can clean myself any time I chose; watch.� Setting his tea down, Percy took his wand out and pointing it back toward himself saying “scourgify.� In a matter of seconds Percy, and all he was wearing, were cleansed. His hair, still wet, was combed neatly back, his beard trimmed, coat cleaned and pressed – as was his trousers, and the dirt on his face and hands had vanished. He also smelled clean, Peter was happy to notice. “There, is that better my friend?�

“Wicked! If I could do that I would not have to take a shower any more!�

Laughing at Peter’s youthful declaration, Percy set down his tea and opened a granola bar. “Well, firsty, what shall we see today?�

“Percy, you called me that yesterday, what’s a ‘firsty?’�

“A ‘firsty’ is what the upperclassmen call the first year students at my old school.�

“The wizard school? Where you learned all this magic?� Again, the wonder in Peter’s eyes that gave Percy a good feeling.

“Yes, at my wizard school. It is called Hogwarts. And no, the school did not teach me magic, it brought it out of me and focused it. A person could attend school there for a lifetime, but if they’re not a wizard or witch they will never be able to do the simplest spells.� Percy noticed the drop in Peter’s face.

“So I could never learn to do magic like you?�

“No, Peter. Wizards can become Muggles, but Muggles cannot become wizards, I am afraid.� Then trying to distract the boy from his sadness, Percy suggested, “Peter, would you like to hear the next story?�

“Oh, ok, sure. Hang on.� Percy could tell that Peter was disappointed by his revelation, but there was nothing he could do except lead Peter through the story as a distraction. Hopping down from the rocks Peter sat on the log next to Percy and waited.

“Peter, today you’re going to see three more parts to The Story In The Runes. But unlike the first story, these are very incomplete and there are long gaps in the tale. Some of these gaps are probably not important, but some of them certainly are. It’s because of these gaps that we have never truly understood what happened between the time Marlin was a boy, like you saw him yesterday, and when he became a man, as you are about to see him. I will try to help you through these gaps, but my understanding of what happened may be very different from reality. Ready?�

Excitement again in his eyes, Peter smiled. “All right, ready.�

With that, Percy placed the tip of his wand to his own temple, just as he did yesterday, and copied the memory for Peter to see. Touching the want to Peter’s temple all went black.

As Peter and Percy began to see recognizable objects, trees, grass, even bugs in the air, Peter could tell that the realism he had experienced yesterday was no longer there. “Peter, this is a part of the story that is deduced rather than known. We are expecting to see Merlin in the forest like yesterday so the modern story writers assumed that we are entering the woods from a non-wooded area. See the path over there; that’s our trail to the story.

Walking along the path and into the woods, Peter noticed many of the same frightening creatures he saw yesterday, but being better prepared today he was not as nervous. The woods were also far less dense than what he saw yesterday, so when he and Percy approached a clearing it was easy to anticipate. The break in the forest was not remarkable, almost like a dell, with no old tree stumps. But there were many people, maybe fifty or sixty, and all but a couple were men or boys. Walking through the crown the two visitors came to the front of the circle of people and saw Merlin seated in the very center.

Merlin was older now, probably in his late teens, though it was difficult to say with certainty. His hair was still long and white and he also had wisps of facial hair that was trying to pass for a beard and mustache. His clothes were off-white, possibly due to the dirt he was forever sitting in. Peter and Percy sat down at the front of the circle and waited.

“People!� Merlin shouted suddenly, startling Peter, “People! What way do you choose today? Will it be the easy path or the difficult path? You must choose, you, the choices you make will define who you are. Who will you follow now?� And everything stopped, froze in place, then the people faded away.

Percy reminded Peter about this being a fragment of the story and how the abrupt finish was the end of the story dealing with a young Merlin. “Everything you see from this point forward will be about Merlin as a magician or miracle worker, but claiming the power to himself, not attributing it to God.�

The people then started to fade back into the memory, as well as Merlin. But now Merlin was older, perhaps as old as thirty. He had the same long white hair, and the same tunic, though dirtier and more worn. Then Merlin spoke, confident, almost cocky in his tone.

“Have you come to see a seer? Have you come to see a sorcerer? Have you come to see a magician? You shall see all these and spread my word.� Then Merlin pointed his hand at a nearby bush and yelled �incendio�. Percy was not impressed, he never had been. A weak, broad jet of light issued from Merlin’s hand, striking the bush and causing it to smolder for a couple minutes.

“This was the first recorded use of verbal spells in the wizarding world, Peter. Pretty pathetic, eh?� Peter just nodded. “Before Osiris Olivander there were no wands. We’re not sure how it happened, but sometime during their time together the use of wands started. We use wands for many things, one of them is to focus our magic. If Merlin had used a wand that bush would be in flames now, not just smoldering.�

Then pointing to a spot near Merlin’s feet, Percy said, “See that, Peter, that is Merlin’s book, I will come back to that after we are done, but it is important. Now keep watching.�

Turning back to Merlin, Peter heard, “Friends, bring me your sick and I will heal them bring me your animals and I will bless them with health and abundance.� Again the scene shifted to Merlin touching sheep and goats, pigs, cattle. Many of the animals showed no change, some had wounds healed, but others appeared to change into an entirely different creature; a horse became a unicorn, a boy became a satyr, a bear turns into a troll. On and on the wizard created magical creatures or helped the common ones.

“Peter, as you watch this you will see Merlin creating an entirely new world from these creatures, the world of wizards. Much of this is derived, the actual story only tells us about a few of the magical creatures, we just assume that the rest sprung from the whim of Merlin. Now, this part of the story is almost over.�

Finally finished, Merlin spreads out his arms over the mass of humans and other animals and tells them, “Go, return to the places you came from and live in harmony with nature and each other. When I call for you to join me, you will know what to do.�

Then Peter found himself back with Percy by the rocks. “That was kind-of weird, Percy, it didn’t make much sense.� Peter had a skeptical look plastered on his face, as if he had been cheated out of something. “Do you believe in all those creatures he created?�

“Peter, not only do I believe in them, I’ve seen many of them. They are a part of our world. Did you like the dragons?�

“They were awesome; I would like to see one of those!�

“There aren’t many left in the world, and they are carefully protected in a few preserves far from Muggles. My brother Charlie worked with dragons in Romania until he died.� Percy paused for a moment, remembering his jealousy at Charlie for having the courage to face dragons.

“What happened to your brother, Percy? Did a dragon kill him?�

“No, Peter, he died in a battle last April.�

“Like a war?�

Thinking for a moment whether he should let Peter in on this story, Percy hung his head for a long minute and decided to say the truth. “Yes, Peter, we were in a terrible war against a very evil wizard. We won in the end, but I lost two brothers and many, many other friends, including a girl I loved. That is why I am out here now…�

Percy had never talked to anyone about this but he found the word just flowed out of his mouth. “...I had a job to protect Charlie, and another brother, Bill. I froze with fear instead of helping them. They were under attack from a large number of Death…of the enemy. They could only protect themselves so much, I was supposed to shield them, but I failed and they died. Even today I don’t know how I survived, or why. But I never had the courage to go home to my remaining three brothers and sister, and forget my parents…�

Percy found himself shaking and tears welling up in his eyes. Even though he had relived the events of that day a thousand times he had never told anyone the story, being too ashamed at his performance. Sitting silently for a minute he was touched by Peter’s concern and self-control. Most boys his age would talk and ask questions, Peter let him grieve, but finally he said, “My older brother died last year in a wreck on the M1, he was really stupid and was drinking. He killed himself and four people in another car, an entire family. I was mad at him for making me and my little brother sad; mom cried for weeks. But it’s better now.�

“I am sorry, Peter.� Patting him on the back, and then trying to drop the subject of dead brothers, Percy started talking about the stories again.

“Anyway, that is all we have for the first four stories. They’re very inadequate and many people wonder why they were even included with the other eight stories.�

“Why were they?�

“Probably because it is the only written record of Merlin’s early life. It shows he first appeared as a child gifted in speech. The other three fragments deal with his creation of magical creatures, the exhortation to live peacefully together, and his insistence that people choose him or something easier. Now, what is missing from these last three fragments that were in the first one?�

Peter looked thoughtful and after a moment gave Percy the answer: “In the first story Merlin sounded like he was working for God, in the last three he sounded like he was God.�

“Pretty good, Peter. But you need to understand, and this is very important, we wizards have never believed Merlin was like the Christian Jesus, a God. This is a delicate area for Wizarding Theology because displaying power as Merlin’s implies supernatural authority. Until Merlin, the world was divided into only two basic types of religion: monotheistic, like the Jewish and Christian faiths, monotheistic means one God; and polytheistic which means many gods. Those are like the Roman and Greek gods and most of the eastern religions. Merlin did not really fit into either.�

Standing to stretch his legs, Percy thought for a moment then continued. “He obviously wasn’t a god because he died and was never seen again, but the powers he had, and the world he created couldn’t have been created by any ordinary human. So when Merlin appears we have a dilemma; he’s either god-like or not, and we do not like to believe that second possibility.�

“You think he got his powers from the devil?� Peter asked.

How many times have I heard that question? Percy thought before answering. “Peter, our belief is, no, Merlin was not created by the devil, or given his powers from the devil.� How can I explain this? “Do you see the dilemma Wizarding Theology faces, Peter? Let me show it to you like this.� Taking a tattered pad of paper from his backpack, Percy magically expanded it and started writing with his wand.

“First, we believe, as do the Christian and Jewish and Muslim faiths, in the one God and a counterpart know as Satan, the devil. We also believe that Merlin is not God, but that he had god-like powers. Also, when Merlin first appeared he made appeals to follow Jesus, or his teachings, but later changed. We also believe that Merlin did ‘bad’ things, such as killing those who did not believe in his word or later, altering humans. But the final belief that defined us then, and defines us now, is that the powers Merlin exhibited originated from a time in his life when he proclaimed Jesus as God; the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths believe Merlin gained his powers after renouncing Jesus, in other words, he gained the powers from a non-Divine, or even demonic source. Until it can be proven that our powers come from the one God it will always be thought to have come from someone or something other than God, and reconciliation will be impossible.�

Seeing the look on Peter’s face, Percy asked, “Now, have I completely confused you?�

Peter was trying to absorb this “theology� and not look stupid to Percy, but he had so many questions he did not know where to start. “I guess it makes some sense, but I am glad it won’t be a subject in my school. What are the other eight stories about? Are they better than these?�

“Well, the next four are much longer and easier to follow; they are true tales spanning years and historic events, like King Arthur. They deal with Merlin as an adult with a family; his children play a pivotal role the history of magic. I forget their names but I can look them up if you like. The last story of these four, story 8, tells about the breakup of Merlin’s family and his death around 459 A.D.� Watching Peter for a reaction, and getting it, Percy was again impressed with the boy’s intelligence.

“He was over one hundred and fifty years old? Well, I guess that could be, some of those people in the bible lived to be six hundred years old.�

“Well, I think it’s unlikely that either is true, though wizards do live much longer than Muggles, usually about fifty years longer.�

“Is it because of their magic?�

“Not directly, it’s due more to the way we administer preventive health care and deal with emergencies. For example, our healers can repair a shattered bone without surgery, or stop an infection before it spreads. We’ve been able to do that almost since the time of Merlin. It took our wizard leaders almost fifteen hundred years to share with Muggles the secrets of penicillin. It is rather a disgraceful story, to be honest, and has more to do with trying to keep Muggles weak and non-threatening, they – you – outnumber us almost a thousand to one. I am not a healer, but there are always rumors about other powerful cures or inoculations we could share with Muggles, but none of them seem to ever come through.�

“And finally, the last four books in The Story In The Runes are a collection of spells, potions, curses, that sort of thing; more a reference guide than actual stories.� Percy had talked more today than he had in months and was ready for a lighter subject. “Peter, I’m ready for a break. Are you getting hungry?�

“I am always hungry, Percy�

“Alright then, head off to the pub, shall we? My treat.�

“Sure, and they might even let you in now that you do not stink.� Both laughed, and headed off to the pub.


_____

“Arthur, I must see you immediately.� Kingsley Shacklebolt’s face was a dark green image in Arthur Weasley’s fireplace and his deep, rich voice resonated in the office.

“Certainly, come right up.� Arthur was hoping it was not another Death Eater spotting, and even if it was why would Shacklebolt want to tell me about it?

Less than a minute later, Shacklebolt walked into Arthur’s office and closed the door behind him. “Arthur, sit down...we think we’ve located Percy.�


_____

Harry found a brief note in his office mail box Wednesday.


Dear Harry,

Sorry I have not been by to see your place.

Just wanted to let you know that Fluffy died. Me and Fang buried him near Aragog.

Yours,

Hagrid

Warning: This chapter deals with issues of teen alcoholism and contains some mild sexual references.


Orientation

Ginny Weasley woke up early on her first day of class in her last year at Hogwarts. The furnishings and facilities of the new east wing were amazing and everyone in her house, and likely all the other houses, had stayed up late exploring. It did not have the feel of an old castle any longer, and gone was the musty smell and cold stone floors she was used to, but as Ginny went through her morning routine she did appreciate the hot shower water (that did not run out) and the extra privacy built into the dormitories. Unable to decide if it was a fair trade she stopped trying and relaxed in the common room with a cup of tea and her class schedule, which she had not checked the previous night. The first thing she had noticed last night was that the common rooms were larger. They still had the stone fireplaces that would warm the rooms on chilly days and the new furniture smelled like new furniture, and the end tables and desks were missing years of water and tea stains, but it was home for the next nine months.

Potions, first thing. As she sipped her sweet tea Ginny thought, At least it is not with Snape. Slughorn’s odd but not rude and vindictive; transfiguration, lunch, Care of Magical Creatures, and Charms. Not a bad start. The rest of the week was much the same, though Ginny was not pleased to see that it would be Thursday before she had Defense Against the Dark Arts and a chance to see Harry. Setting her tea and schedule onto the end table, she curled up in the soft chair and watched the fire blaze, thinking of her fiancé. The fire’s warm heat and soft light were enchanting and soon she was getting drowsy, but just as she was nodding off an annoyingly loud bell sounded, the wake-up bell, Snape had called it last night, and Ginny could soon hear movement and voices from the dorms. Stretching out in the chair and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Ginny was ready for the day.

In the Gryffindor boy’s dormitory, Rudy Keane woke with a start when the bell sounded. Not being a morning person he tried to go back to sleep until prefect Colin Creevy walked by his bed and pulled his covers off, and then shook him till he got up. Stumbling to the toilet amid other new students, and then off to his new morning schedule, Rudy tried to remember all the things he was told last night, but it had been too much information, too fast. At last dressed, Rudy made his way down to the common room, more by following the crowd than by his knowledge of where to go, and plopped down into one of the many overstuffed chairs. He recognized a few faces but could not remember names, except Colin’s and a few of the teachers. Looking at his class schedule, Rudy began to panic a little with the strange class names: Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, History of Magic? And that was just today! Sighing in frustration Rudy looked across the common room and saw the red-haired girl he had sat next to at dinner the night before. If I follow her I should be able to get to breakfast, at least. Rudy thought hopefully.

At seven forty-five another short bell rang and most of the students stood and headed down a hall where they jammed-up, waiting to exit through the single door. Rudy tried to maneuver his way to the red-haired girl but found he had to push through several knots of students who were talking and trading summer holiday stories. Almost there, Rudy managed to step on the foot of a hulking boy a head taller than he and with an unfriendly look on his face; this earned him a push into the back of Ginny Weasley.

“Hey watch it!� Ginny yelped. Turning around she saw the familiar face from dinner the night before. “In a hurry?�

“Yeah, sorry about that, I was trying to follow you to the dining room, I am lost in this place.�

Ginny smiled at him remembering Harry’s story about how he and Ron got so lost their first day at school they came into Transfiguration late. “Well, you could follow any of your housemates, but you will find everything soon enough. You’re Rudy, right?�

“Yeah, Rudy Keane.�

“Hi Rudy, I’m Ginny Weasley.� Ginny offered her hand. “Are you Irish?�

“Well, my da is, he’s from Dublin and my mum is English; we live in Bath. How did you remember my name? There must be hundreds of people here.�

“Well, I’ve been going to school with most of these guys for six years, so I only have to remember the new students.� Walking through the door, Ginny waited for Rudy to pop through with the flow of students, then she continued walking with him. “Rudy, do you have your schedule? Can I see it?�

“Uh, yeah, here it is. How will I find all these places? There must be a million rooms here.�

Laughing at Rudy’s comment, Ginny had thought exactly the same thing her first year. If she had not had her brother’s help... “Well, after breakfast you have to be in Charms, that’s just above my first class. Why don’t I leave you off on my way to Potions?�

“Thanks, Ginny!� Rudy felt a little silly for accepting the help from a girl, but was thankful nonetheless. As they walked into the Great Hall for breakfast Ginny told Rudy she would come over after breakfast, and went off to sit with some of her friends.

Rudy sat with a group of boys he knew were, like him, first year students. He noticed that some were very talkative while others were quiet. Maybe the ones talking had other wizards in their family. Then he noticed Colin Creevy coming up the row between the long house tables, stopping every so often and talking to the students. When he got near Rudy’s spot he leaned over, the piece of toast in his mouth dropping crumbs all around, and introduced himself again and had the students tell each other their names.

Rudy told everyone his name and where he was from. With the ice broken he felt better about jumping into the conversations. When breakfast was over some of Rudy’s house-mates found him and started dragging him to Charms, claiming they new where it was. As they were about to leave the hall Ginny walked up and asked, “Leaving without me, Rudy?�

“Oh, blimey, Ginny, I forgot, sorry. I was just going with the guys to class. Is that alright?�

Ginny looked at the group of three boys and two girls waiting for Rudy and noticed more than one of them looked astonished that an upper classman would be talking to him, let alone a female upper classmen, let alone a very pretty female upper classmen. Appreciating the importance of the friendships Rudy was making she told him to go ahead and just ask any time you’re lost.

Rudy ran back to his new friends, his status noticeably enhanced, and set off together for Charms. Ginny watched the group of kids walk away and laughed when she noticed that they were headed in the wrong direction.

“Hey Rudy, how do you know Ginny Weasley?� A classmate named Brian Whittle asked. “Do you know who she is?�

“I just know her from dinner last night and she helped me find the Hall. Why, who is she?�

Another boy, whose name Rudy could not recall, said, “She’s Ron Weasley’s sister, he was the Gryffindor Quidditch team keeper the past three years and plays for the Chudley Canons. He’s also Harry Potter’s best mate. They live together in Hogsmeade.�

Rudy just smiled, rather feebly, and mumbled, “Oh, yeah, right.� He had no idea who Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were, and he had never heard of Hogsmeade. He figured Quidditch must be like football if it needed a keeper. The seven first years walked on and by five minutes after nine they had found the Charms classroom.

Late in the day, after classes and dinner, Rudy came across Ginny reading in the Gryffindor common room. Going up to her he asked shyly, “How was your day, Ginny?�

“Oh, Hi Rudy. It went well, now that Professor Snape is not teaching Potions. How ‘bout you? Make it to all your classes on time?� Smiling, Ginny suspected that he had been late for at least one class.

“Oh, well, sort-of. I guess it takes wizards a while to catch on.�

“Witches, too, Rudy. If I didn’t have four brothers here my first year I may still be looking for the Transfiguration classroom; I was fifteen minutes late and Professor McGonagall had the whole class do extra homework. I wasn’t terribly popular to start with.� Rudy laughed with Ginny, feeling far less homesick than his first night.

“Hey Ginny, some of the guys asked me if I knew who you are. Are you famous?�

Not wanting to get into the events of her sixth year she just said, “Well, I’m certainly not famous, but my fiancé is pretty well known. He’s Harry Potter.� Off Rudy’s blank look Ginny asked him, “Do you know who Harry Potter is?�

Rudy was embarrassed, but said no.

“Rudy, are your parents Muggles?� Seeing his face, Ginny realized why Rudy did not know much about Hogwarts or its history. “Here you go, Rudy.� Ginny moved her books from the seat next to her and invited Rudy to sit down.

“When new students are Muggle born, you know, their parents aren’t wizards and witches, they have some catching up to do on the history of magic and Hogwarts. Let me tell you about Harry, my brother Ron, and Ron’s fiancé, Hermione Granger.�

At eleven o’clock Ginny was still telling stories to Rudy and at least two dozen other first years, and not a few second through sixth years also. Seeing that some of them were beginning to nod-off Ginny stopped and said, “Off to bed, the lot of you, I’ll tell you more another day.� Motioning for Rudy to wait, after all the others had left Ginny said, “Good night, Rudy. Feeling better?�

“Loads, Ginny, thanks. I can’t wait to meet your brother and Mr. Potter.�

“Just call him Harry.�


_____

On Thursday September 3rd Hermione was released form St. Mungo’s and apparated back to Hogsmeade. She knew Ron was away at practice but he had left flowers and a note:

Dear Maya,

Sorry I could not be there for you today. Enjoy the flowers. See you Friday night.

All my love,

Ron

Looking around the empty house and remembering all that had happened in the past few days brought a pall of loneliness down on Hermione. She knew there were many jobs she had to attend to, not the least of which was contacting her boss about needing the rest of the week off. She had promised Ginny to help with the wedding invitation design; her room was a disaster, there was not much to eat in the house, and she was pretty much broke. Ron was at camp until Friday night and she did not know where Harry was.

It drove her mad that she had all these things to do but could not get up the desire or motivation to do any of them. She missed her mother but did not want to see her until she had lost the weight she had gained when pregnant. And above all else, she hated being deceitful with her parents. This one fault, above all the others, gnawed at her sense of self worth and drove her to despair. Finally, Hermione just sat on the couch and cried.

After a few minutes she got up and scribbled out a business-like apology to Keric Albemarle, thanking him for understanding her situation (which he really did not know) and asking for Friday off to finish her recovery. Sending the note off with Hedwig she then wrote a short one to Ron and Harry, went up to her room, packed a few things, and apparated to her parent’s house determined to find some consolation.


_____

Since Harry’s talk with Snape earlier in the week, he found the prospect of teaching the DADA amusing. Wednesday he had met with Mad-Eye to talk about what he wanted done in class and was astonished to see that Moody had not started a single lesson plan or even a syllabus for the term. Moody kept taking sips from his flask and making faces like he was drinking vinegar or maybe petrol. The meeting started out to be more of a party for Moody who kept offering Harry a drink from his flask to the point where he felt he had to accept or be rude.

Whatever was in the flask was vile and Harry had to struggle to keep from being sick as he swallowed. Moody just laughed and said, “Potter, you will never find a better drink than distilled mandrake piss.� And with this revelation Harry jumped up ran to the window, just barely getting there in time.

Moody laughed harder, but then said in a clear, sober voice, “Harry, the mind is a mighty force to reckon with. You just puked out the finest brandy in England, all because of your preconceived ideas about what it was…and a few little suggestions from me.� Laughing again, he called Harry over and threw a spell that Harry had never heard before; Harry instantly felt fine and the foul taste in his mouth and throat was gone.

Setting his flask down and leaning towards Harry, Moody turned suddenly very serious. “Now listen to me, Harry. If we truly want to train these kids we have to convince them that the death of Voldemort and his followers is only the first step. Don’t let them become complacent, there’s still much wickedness in the world and these kids will have to face it with our training. What do you think?�

Harry though it was more than he had ever heard Moody say in one day, but that it was an important idea. Dumbledore fought two terrible wizards in his lifetime; the chances are very good that there will be at least one more In Harry’s. The curriculum for the 1998-1999 school year had reduced the Defense classes by thirty percent, so he and Moody would have to use their limited time wisely. Then, agreeing with Moody, Harry again asked what he was supposed to do in class.

Moody sat up with a serious look on his face and began ticking off items with astonishing clarity. “First, Harry, I want every upper classmen in this school to be able to produce a Patronus, there are still hundreds of Dementors around and they’ll have to be able to defend themselves, and whoever they’re with.�

“Second, make sure the young ones know the basic disarming spells and can do them quickly. I lost my leg because I was not quick enough to disarm a bad wizard.�

“Third, see if you can get some of those friends of yours in here to help out once in a while. These kids think of you as legends and we should use that to impress upon them how important this class is. Well, what do you think?�

Harry was astonished at the change in Moody and the way he made his point. Much more relaxed, Harry sat down and asked for another drink. This time it actually tasted good.


Thursday morning was Harry’s first class in his new job. Running from nine in the morning to ten-thirty, the class consisted of upperclassmen, six and seventh year students, and of course Ginny was there. Moody introduced himself and Harry, but did not mention their achievements over the past six months. Still, Harry had to smile at all the familiar faces, and at himself, in a position he never though about; Harry felt wonderful, at least until Snape entered the room.

Moody lectured about the dark arts for the first ten minutes telling the class that this period would be spent evaluating their skills and areas needing improvement. But before the evaluations started, and to Harry’s surprise, Mad-Eye asked Snape if he wanted to say a few words. Barely acknowledging Moody’s invitation, Snape came to the front of the class to speak.

“Mr. Moody and Mr. Potter are your instructors this year, and if they manage to break the jinx of this position they may be here next year, also.� Pausing, and with an inscrutable expression, Snape quickly turned up his sleeve and revealed the scar from his dark mark. A collective gasp from the students told Snape that they knew what the mark meant.

“I see you know what this is. Do not let the appearance of peace lull your feeble minds into thinking that the last of these marks stands before you.� And with a wave of his hand, Snape began to walk out saying, “Potter try to show them something useful before the term ends.� Then he exited the room.

After class Harry and Ginny talked for a moment, but she had to be in Potions shortly so she gave Harry a quick kiss and ran off to third period.

Harry was about to return home to something he was not expecting.


_____

Home again

Hermione appeared in her old bedroom of her parent’s house, dreading the next few hours. Setting her bag on the bed she walked downstairs and called out to see if anyone was home; with luck it would only be her mother. “I am in the study, Maya.� Trying to steady her nerves and decide what she was going to say, Hermione walked into the study and greeted her mother who was doing some bookkeeping on a computer.

“Hi mom.� She knew it sounded flat, but it was all she could muster in the way of a greeting.

Continuing her work on the PC, Jeannie said, “Be with you in a moment, what brings you home?�

“I needed to talk.� Hermione started crying and sat in a chair, drawing her knees up and burying her face. Seeing that this was not going to be a simple, friendly day-trip home, Jeannie Granger stopped her work and swiveled the chair toward her daughter. Observing for a minute while she was crying, Jeannie asked if she and Ron were having difficulties.

Hermione shook her head no but could not speak.

“Maya, are you pregnant?� Jeannie thought this was the problem, though she was hoping otherwise. Her first question about Ron was just wishful thinking. But she had noticed her daughter’s weight gain and feared the worst. To her initial delight Hermione said “no.� But within Hermione’s mind a lifetime of success and discipline was crashing down and exposing a terrible character flaw. After a few seconds Hermione calmed herself and turned to her mother. “No, mom, I’m not pregnant,� then in barely a whisper, “not any more. I lost the baby…a miscarriage.�

Jeannie Granger froze. For her, this was the ultimate disgrace. Where had her child gone wrong? Certainly not with the firm and generous upbringing she and Tom had given freely. Raised, nurtured, fed, clothed, provided with the best of everything. The baby crawling on the floor, the toddler with Mickey Mouse ears, the first grade trouble-maker and tom-boy, a second grade stand out in all subjects, an inquisitive third grade princess, a fourth grade national scholar finalist, the flirting fifth grader with budding breasts becoming interested in boys; they shut that down fast! Then the owl bringing that remarkable letter; and Hermione’s seven-year education at an invisible school.

What would her father say? Jeannie was dreading giving him the news. His “Maya,� named Hermione after Tom’s mother but never used after the death of their first child from leukemia just a year after Hermione was born. May was gone and Hermione became Maya. Jeannie tried to tell herself that her daughter was being honest, she was showing courage, she was good by not having an abortion; she tried to give her credit for these qualities. But she could not do it. Part of her wanted to hold her daughter and comfort her and say everything was going to be fine, but a larger part hated her for what she did, for what she let Ron do to her, for the disgrace she had brought upon herself, and for her weakness; something she had not shown until now. And magic, what good was it if it could not prevent a pregnancy? So she sat there, still in the chair, a desk separating her from her only child.

And nowhere in these thoughts did the word “love� have a home.

Hermione looked up after a couple minutes and saw her mother watching her and for the first time in her life she truly understood how Harry felt much of HIS life: abandoned, neglected, and unloved. For whatever reason, good or bad, she knew what this meant. Her mother’s reaction did not surprise her, she was stern and religious and the real surprise was that she and her father had let her live with Ron. Accepting her mother’s behavior as punishment, Hermione stood up and walked to her room where she collected some personal items and apparated back to Hogsmeade hoping she would never return home.


_____

“Hello! Hermione, you home?� Harry called as he entered the house. Walking into the kitchen he saw Ron’s flowers and the open note. Guessing that Hermione was upstairs resting Harry climbed the stairs quietly so as to not disturb her sleep. Her door was open and Harry saw a bag on the floor and what looked like a large stuffed animal. He could see Hermione’s feet first, and as he climbed the last few steps he saw her lying in bed, propped up by pillows, looking around the room. She was partly under the sheet, but Harry could tell that the sheet was just about the only thing she was wearing. But that did not disturb him as much as his nearly empty bottle of Fire Whiskey in her hand.

Not again.

“Hi Harry, wannadrink? Isssgood.� It looked like Hermione was trying to lift the bottle up to show Harry, but did not have the strength.

Harry walked over and took the bottle then sat down on the other bed. Looking at Hermione he thought, Well, I just might need a drink to get through this day. swallowing the last of the amber fluid. “Hermione, what happened?� After asking the question Harry realized that it was a waste of time, Hermione was at least as drunk as a few weeks ago, which means that she would just spend the night…oh no! And Harry ran to get a bucket.

“YoursweetHarry. NowIwontpukeonthefloor. Yeah Iamgonnapukeagain.� Turning toward Harry, and thankfully the bucket, Hermione emptied her stomach. Then she turned over and started talking as if nothing had happened. “Where’sRon? Washeattheparty?�

“No Maya, there was no party.� It was only two thirty and Ron was not going to be home until five...TOMORROW! Strike one, Hermione. Harry thought. “Don’t callmeMayaHarry. MymomcallsmeMaya andIHHHHATEher.�

Uh oh Harry was tempted to run back to Hogwarts and get Ginny to help him; Hermione’s sheets were hanging precariously to a couple strategic spots on her body. One way or another, he was going to have to rearrange the sheet and get her dressed, or at least in a nightshirt. Rummaging through Hermione’s dresser he finally found what could be a passable nightgown and went back to the bed.

“Harrywhere’sRonny? Ineedthebucketaga…�

Just made it. This is the LAST time, Hermione. “Hermione, I need to get you dressed. I, uh, will try to look the other way as much as I can. Ok?�

“SurewhateveryouwantRonny.�

Hermione passed out about half way through his attempt to get her dressed with his eyes closed. A few minutes later, when he thought he was done Harry ventured a quick glance and wished he had just pulled the sheet up. Hermione had one arm in one sleeve and her head and other arm in the hole for the neck, and she was not quite covered up enough. Giving up trying to dress Hermione blind again, Harry found he could get a shirt on her in ten seconds if he watched what he was doing. Then she got sick again down the front of herself.

Harry started over.

Two hours, five shirts - the last two being Ron’s - and two sheets later Harry finally realized that if he just sat in bed next to Hermione and held the bucket in front of her, life would be a lot simpler.

At a few minutes past five Harry heard Ron come home. He was not supposed to be home until tomorrow but Harry was not complaining. “Ron, get your bloody arse up to Hermione’s room!� Harry hollered, and then heard Ron drop a few heavy sounding items and run up the stairs.

The picture that greeted Ron was not pretty, and neither was the smell. A large pile of sheets, shirts, and towels were on the floor next to Hermione’s bed. They all looked to be damp with varying shades of green and yellow liquids. Harry was in Hermione’s bed, her head was being held up by Harry’s hand across the forehead; something that matched one of the colours on the linens was running down the corner of her mouth. �Bloody hell, Harry, what happened?�

Harry got Ron over to the other side of Hermione, telling him how to hold her so she would not get sick all over everything. He explained the sheets, towels, and shirts – pointing out the two that were his – told him how he had found her, and said if he ever had to do this again he would call Rita Skeeter. Ron looked completely dumbfounded.

“Ron, I don’t know what happened today but you need to find out.� Harry was angry as heck with Hermione and he felt bad about taking it out on Ron, so he added, “And you owe me a new bottle of Fire Whiskey, Hermione drank the one Fred and George gave me. I am going to take a shower.�

“Thanks Harry.� Ron called out as his friend walked down the stairs.

“Yeahthanksssarry, arrggggg…� splat


The next morning Harry was trying to work the kinks out of his neck and shoulder he had earned from holding Hermione. Ron left a note that he had be back at five this evening. “Hermione finally stopped puking and went to sleep around two, but I have to be at camp by six. I will talk to you tonight.� Making tea and toast around eight, Harry heard Hermione walking down the stairs...well, not actually walking, it sounded like she was sitting and taking one step at a time. Taking out his wand, Harry cast the same spell Moody had used on him the other day, but he intentionally let her remain in her partially soiled clothes.

“Harry.� Hermione sounds terrible, good. “Harry, I’m sorry.� That was about all she could get out before stumbling to the couch and laying down.

“Hermione, what happened?� Harry had never been able to get her to tell him what was going on, though he knew it had something to do with her mother. Over the next hour Hermione told Harry what had transpired Thursday, and then she went back upstairs. Harry called out, “I have to teach today, Hermione, will you be all right?� but she just waved for Harry to go.


Harry’s second day in DADA was similar to the first, except these were first years. Moody talked for a few minutes, Snape appeared and made more rude remarks about Harry, then Harry started to teach the class wand holding and storing techniques. No spells were taught and after the previous night he was glad. When class was over, a red haired first year approached Harry and introduced himself as Rudy Keane. “I met your fiancé, Ginny, the other day and she told me some wicked stories about you and her brother. Are they true?�

Harry knew he would have to face this at some point, but he also did not want the younger students distracted so he played down what he had done. “Nah, it wasn’t all that much, and I had lots of help from my friends. You best be off to your next class now, Rudy, thanks for saying hello.�

Coming back into the house around three, Harry (again) called for Hermione, he (again) received no response, he (again) climbed the stairs, and (again) found Hermione laying in her bed drinking, though she did not appear as drunk as the night before and she was clothed. Oh, this is great, just effing brilliant. “Hermione, what the bloody hell is going on?�

“Piss-off, Potter, you’re a party-pooper.� Was Hermione’s frank reply.

Harry might have thought this was pretty funny, Hermione bitching at him because she was drunk, but he was quickly becoming concerned with her behavior. He saw the partially empty bottle of fire whiskey on her nightstand and walked over to get it, but when Hermione saw what he was doing she grabbed the bottle and refused to give it to him. “Come on, Hermione, this isn’t like you; let me have the bottle and we can talk.�

“You don’t want the bottle, Harry, do you?� Hermione was trying not to giggle.

Backing up to the door, Harry hoped his retreat would coax Hermione into placing the bottle back on the table. If she did that, Harry was sure he could get it with a simple “accio bottle.� The problem was that Hermione was not co-operating.

“Harry, come here.� She patted a spot on the bed next to her. Oh jeez, Hermione, what now? Harry approached Hermione and was happy to notice she had not been vomiting. Hopefully she learned at least that lesson last night? “Ok, Hermione.� Harry replied, sitting on the spare bed.

“Good boyyyarry. Now wait there, I have someping for you.� Hermione put the bottle down and walked into the loo.

Harry grabbed the bottle and stuffed it into his shirt solving one problem. After a minute he heard Hermione come back to the room and was nearly knocked out when Hermione jumped on his back and dragged him to the floor, all the while giggling like a loon. Harry’s glasses were knocked off and he knew he would have an egg-sized bump on his forehead in a little while. Thankfully the bottle in his shirt did not break. When Harry tried to get off his stomach, Hermione, still giggling, would make no effort to help him up. Woozy from the bump and the exceedingly strange behavior from his friend, Harry was about to find things becoming much stranger.

“Come on, Harry, let’s party!� More giggles from above as Harry felt around for his glasses. Just as he found them and tried to get a hold, Hermione rolled over and off his back knocking the glasses out of his reach again.

“HERMIONE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

“Here Harry, try this.� Wrenching Harry’s neck, Hermione turned his head toward her and gave him a big kiss on the lips. Though too surprised to move for a second, Harry had no intention of returning the kiss and brought his hands down from over his head and pushed Hermione away then scrambled up from between the beds, and jumped to the far side of one.

“HERMIONE, STOP! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?� Harry was almost in shock, but more offended and upset by what Hermione had just done than anything else. Looking under the bed again, Harry found his glasses and grabbed the bed cover. He put on his glasses and tried to pick up Hermione, who was still laughing on the floor. Then, none too gently, Harry pushed her into the loo, slamming the door shut and standing next to it so Hermione could not get out.

“Get yourself together, Hermione.� Harry yelled through the door, then he took out his wand and threw the same spell Moody had used on him hoping it would have some effect through the closed door. Finally, Harry walked to the stairs and sat on the top step, Hermione’s bedroom door closed, and waited for her to come out.

After a couple minutes Harry heard Hermione come out and get into bed. Now what to do? Knocking gently on the door, Harry would try again.

“Yes.�

“I’m coming back in.� Opening the door and peaking at Hermione’s bed, Harry was happy to see Hermione looking a little more sober.

“Come in Harry, I’ll be completely sober soon. Lucky me.�

So Harry tried again, sitting on the spare bed and watching Hermione. After a few minutes Harry saw tears running down Hermione’s cheek and he knew she had sobered up enough to realize what she had done, and what she had tried to do.

“Look, Hermione, this has to stop, I’m not kidding. If this happens again I’ll leave the house permanently; I can stay at Hogwarts now, I might be happier there anyway.�

“No Harry. Please don’t go.� Hermione’s voice was almost a whisper and she was very red in the face. Starting to cry again, Harry had a hard time understanding some of her words.

“Please, Harry, I am so lonely without Ron or Ginny around…I can’t stand this…I lost the baby…I lost my parents…I’m driving you away…I can’t believe what I did.� Harry got up and sat next to Hermione, he put his arm around her and waited for Ron to get back.


Later that afternoon Hermione could hear Harry downstairs. “Ron,

Neville told Harry and Ginny he had received an urgent owl from the hospital only a couple hours before requesting his presence immediately. Expecting one of his parents to be on their death bed, he fainted from shock when his mother greeted him at the ward door.

“Even after I woke up,� Neville admitted, “it took them a while to convince me I was alive.� Harry and Ginny, as well as the rest of the Weasley’s and Hermione, were astonished when they heard the news. Arthur took Molly, who had just woken, to see Alice hoping that this might lift her spirits, and it did. The Weasley’s and Longbottom’s had been friends for many years before the first rise of Voldemort and only Percy’s condition could dampen Molly’s delight.

An hour later, Neville explained, his father had also revived. Neville had been watching him closely, hoping that his mother’s miracle would repeat itself, and it did. When all three were together, ten years of suppressed emotions and memories were released and the Longbottom’s, as well as a few other families in the ward, spent much of that night holding their loved ones and weeping for joy, but usually just holding them. For the first time in a decade the three of them felt whole.

The next day, when word of the events spread to Hogwarts, Professor Sprout and Snape granted Neville a two-week leave of absence to become reacquainted with his parents. It was a dramatic and touching reunion for a family that had suffered so long.

The story of the Longbottom’s recovery made the front page of the Prophet, twice, along with a number of other similar stories. The hospital staff was at a complete loss for medical explanations about the miraculous recoveries. The best and most widely held theory was that the cases of insanity, such as the Longbottom’s, were not caused by organic maladies as first thought, rather by dark magic which made the injuries appear organic. But even this theory had holes, not that it mattered to the victims or their families one bit; they we delighted for whatever reason. Neville’s only regret was that his grandmother hadn’t lived to see her son and daughter-in-law wholly alive again.

From throughout the wizarding world, not just England, reports came into the Ministry of Magic describing dozens of unusual and unexpected events. By far the most dramatic was the situation with the Werewolves. Within forty-eight hours of Saturday night all known Werewolves in communication with wizards or their families had reported that their expected transformation had not happened, or like Remus, had started but quickly stopped. This, in addition to cases like the Longbottom’s, were just some of the numerous other magic-induced maladies had cleared up in minutes.

By far, the greatest number of oddities reported were the changes thousands had experienced in the effectiveness of spells they used daily. It was this last item that had brought so many people to St. Mungo’s the previous Saturday, and Harry was going to experience this first hand in a few days.


_____

The Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were progressing well at all levels and Harry was enjoying working with Mad-Eye far more than he thought possible. By the end of September all the students had been evaluated and Harry showed Moody the results. They decided to split the classes between themselves for the next two months; Moody taking the older students and Harry the younger. Mad-Eye knew that he was irritating Harry with this decision, but he felt Harry would work better with the younger students. �I don’t have the patience for these kids.� Moody griped, and Harry had to agree. Ginny was not happy with this arrangement but she still met Harry down at Hagrid’s a couple times a week and this kept her morale up.

One Wednesday during the first week of October Harry was starting to teach the first years some basic disarming spells. The students were delighted to be doing something other than evaluations or learning to flick their wrists properly. All of them wanted to be first to try the Expelliarmus spell that Harry had talked so much about. Harry showed them the proper stance and aim to get them started but of the twenty-eight students in the room, the first twenty-seven could barely cause a twitch of Harry’s wand. The last student to attempt the spell was Rudy Keane who had placed himself at the back of the line hoping class would end before his turn arrived. Harry had gotten to know Rudy through Ginny, who was regarding him as sort of a younger brother. Ginny had also told Harry that Rudy’s wand skills were woefully lacking and he may need extra help. Trying to keep Rudy’s spirits up, Harry had Rudy aim for his chest, not his wand, hoping the larger target would give him confidence.

Two hours later Harry awoke in the infirmary.

“I can’t get rid of you, Mr. Potter,� Madam Pomfrey joked cheerfully, “and this time you’re going to have to pay attention to me. You don’t have all your friends around to cause distractions. Well, almost none.�

“What happened?� Was all Harry could think to say, his last memory was a short countdown for Rudy’s spell. He was beginning to notice aches all over his back, head and left shoulder. Ginny’s face come into focus and explained.

“It looks like Rudy has some skill with wands after all, love. From what he and the other students tell us, his disarming spell hit you so hard you were slammed against the wall, received a nice concussion, bruised ribs, and partially dislocated your left shoulder. You’ve been unconscious for two hours and we were beginning to think you would have to go to St. Mungo’s.�

Knowing he was heavily medicated for pain, Harry just nodded, as best he could with an immobilized neck, and thought about what this meant to Rudy. The Expelliarmus spell should not have any effect on flesh, yet it had knocked him back into the wall hard enough to do a fair amount of damage. Then Harry remembered that this spell originated from...uh oh, that’s not good.

Harry instantly tried to focus his mind to make himself coherent, asking Ginny to write a note to Mad-Eye requesting he come by as soon as he could, but he would not tell Ginnyr why.

In mid-afternoon, when classes had recessed for the day, Rudy appeared in the infirmary and joined Ginny who was still talking with Harry. “Sorry, Professor Potter,� Rudy said in his shy voice. “I didn’t know I could do that.� Ginny had never heard Harry called “Professor� before, all the students in her DADA classes had always known him as just “Harry� and that was how they addressed him.

“Don’t worry, Rudy, Harry needs to be humbled sometimes, it keeps his head from swelling.� Ginny delivered the cliché for Rudy’s benefit and when Harry agreed with Ginny’s comment he felt better.

“Sit down Rudy,� Harry urged “tell me about your first year so far. Oh, and please call me ‘Harry.’� Making himself comfortable, Rudy related the story of how he met Ginny, the friends he was making with the kids in his dorm, and the hazing he received for being Ginny’s “little friend.� He blushed when telling that story.

“But mostly I feel completely lost here. I mean, I’m not homesick any more, the guys are great...and even the girls, too.� He added, remembering Ginny’s contribution to his sense of belonging. Ginny laughed and gave him a good boy, Rudy look.

“The whole idea of magic is so weird, and I don’t think my parents, or at least my mum, are comfortable about it. My uncle Tiernan is the wizard in the family and he told my da about Hogwarts and how he was going to rebuild the school...�

Harry interrupted, “Your father is the Muggle architect that redesigned and rebuilt the school?� he asked in amazement. Ginny was surprised, too; she knew that the school had been repaired by someone named Keane, but she had never made the connection and it had not been announced at the start of term feast.

“Yes sir, I mean Harry. Mum says he loved the job and the school, but he was bored by how little he actually had to do. The guildsmen, that’s what da called them, did all the work and he says he just got in the way.�

“Well Rudy, I think your father did a great job, I wish I had the dorms you have. Ours were cold and drafty and smelled like dirty socks.�

“Harry, that was just the boys dorms, the girls dorms smelled just fine, thank you.� Ginny added, scowling.

“Rudy, I’ll tell you what. Ginny told me that you don’t know a lot about the wizarding world so how about this? Next weekend is the first trip to Hogsmeade; you know what Hogsmeade is, don’t you? Ok. Since first and second year students aren’t allowed into town, I’ll have Ginny bring you over for dinner next Saturday. Then after dinner we can show you around. How does that sound?�

Ginny was giving Harry a how are you going to get that approved by Snape? look; so he added, “I’ll even get the Headmaster’s approval. In fact, why not bring a couple friends along? Just give me their names by next Tuesday and I’ll see what I can do. I think you’d best be off to your books now. Thanks for stopping by, and no hard feelings about this, right?�

The smile that lit Rudy’s face was all Harry had to see. The two shook hands and as Rudy ran down the hall toward the infirmary doors he turned back to Ginny saying “Bye, sis.�

“I see you’ve made a new boyfriend, Gin. Do I have to worry about competition?� Between the Potions and Rudy’s visit Harry was feeling much better. He tried to sit up but his shoulder protested and he got a little light-headed.

“You stay there; Madam Pomfrey said you can get up tomorrow after her Potions have had a day to work.� Then picking up her books to go study, Ginny kissed Harry and walked out the infirmary doors. Harry watched her leave, but the infirmary door reopened a second later and Ginny stuck her head in teasing, “Maybe I do have a new boyfriend, he got the better of you, didn’t he?�


Late that same afternoon Moody entered the ward and walked over to Harry’s bed. Speaking in a Snape-like manner, he told Madam Pomfrey to leave the room for a few minutes. Then he checked around the infirmary to be certain no one was lurking about. “Well Harry, what’s this about?�

“Professor, you do know what happened today in my class room, don’t you?� Off of Moody’s affirmative nod Harry continued. “Did you hear which spell was used?� This time it was a “no� and Harry realized he had to deliver the news. “Sir, the boy, Rudy Keane, used ‘Expelliarmus’ and did all this against me. What should we do?�

Moody sat in a chair and looked intensely thoughtful for a minute, then rose and addressed Harry. “I’ll watch the Keane boy closely, Harry. He has a lot going in his favor with being sorted to Gryffindor, perhaps the other characteristics will not advance. I’ll take a personal interest in Mr. Keane’s situation. And you, Professor Potter, know better than to have anyone aim a disarming spell at your torso. Get well soon, you’re doing fine work.�


_____

In the weeks after Percy’s return no one knew quite how to act at the Burrow. Molly was developing dual personalities trying to deal with the tragedy of Percy’s condition and the joy of Ron and Hermione’s wedding. Her days consisted of breakfast, a trip to the hospital, lunch, another trip to the hospital, dinner, working with Hermione on plans, then one last brief trip to see Percy. She was becoming run-down and had lost a noticeable amount of weight. Fred and George tried taking turns helping their mother, but they were experiencing problems of their own. The number of items returned to Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes was steadily rising; the most common complaint: the item failed to perform as advertised.

Ron was preparing for the start of the Quidditch season and was almost never at Hog House with Hermione and Harry, a situation that Harry felt put pressure on him to play babysitter. Ron had asked for the help and Harry agreed, but the last thing he wanted was to deal with was an inebriated brunette, particularly one who fancied making moves on him. Harry strongly suspected that Hermione had not told Ron what happened the last time she got drunk, and the strain this was placing on their friendship bothered Harry. He even tried to speak with Hermione about it but she refused to listen saying she was fine and reminding Harry that she had promised it would never happen again. Harry was hopeful, but also wary.

Hermione’s work schedule had changed overnight; she was now working full-time, five days a week and usually eight hours a day. Albemarle has requested Hermione’s internship be converted to a full-time position, and with the lack of qualified personnel in the Historic Document department Albemarle knew his request would be approved. By mid-September Hermione had bid farewell to Layman and her other co-workers and started working with a squib named Hypatia Lee. Hermione immediately made friends with Lee, noting that “she was the only person I’ve met outside of Hogwarts who works as much as I do.�

Both Hypatia, or Patty as she preferred to be called, and Hermione started the new job by taking an intensive two-week course in Rune Translations, the basic prerequisite for advancement in the department. Patty was the only remaining member of the previous team still working, the other four having died in a Death-Eater attack shortly before the end of the war. Albemarle had brought in two temporary assistants during the summer, but desperately needed more full-time employees, thus his requisition for Hermione Granger.

The classes were intense and difficult but both women worked well together and enjoyed the challenge, usually ending the day at a London Pub with a glass of wine or a mug of beer. When the class ended in early October both were fast friends and eager to jump into the work they had been assigned. The promises of additional help over the next few weeks gave Hermione hope that she and Patty would not be overworked; and Hermione had a wedding to plan, too.

Ron and Hermione’s love and friendship had deepened over the past few weeks, both by their more frequent visits and because of the effort both were making to shape their future together. Hermione would often visit Ron on Friday evenings in Chudley, spending the night with the seeker on Ron’s team, Ashley Bickers. Hermione knew Ashley, mainly by reputation, she had been a seeker for Hufflepuff, completing her seventh year during Hermione’s first. She wasn’t the best seeker, but her talent for disrupting plays by the other team more than made up for any other shortcomings. In fact, it was Ashley who played a large role in Ron’s first game, forcing two long shots on the goals which Ron had so easily stopped.

The relationship Ron and Hermione had built in the prior seven years had been started by the incident with the troll. That pushed them together, what kept them together was certainly not love, at least at the start, but it had later developed into a combination of friendship and admiration. Ron’s role in the final battle had shown Hermione a side of him she had never really seen. The awkward, insecure, confrontational boy she once knew had become a couragous man, defending her and almost dying for it. She thought about the many scars on Ron’s chest, legs, and abdomen; he’d taken them for her. The single time they had made love both had looked at each others body without feeling shy or ashamed, and Hermione traced each of the scars, fourteen in all, and realized that each was a sign of love and valor.

Fred had told her, while Ron was recovering, about the final moments before Voldemorts destruction. �You’d been knocked unconscious by those three Death Eaters. Neville had run off after Lestrange and didn’t get back soon enough to prevent the worse injuries. Ron stood in front of you taking one slashing spell after another until Neville returned. When the battle ended a few seconds later, Ron went to check on you but couldn’t move; the quadracept muscles in both legs had been complete severed and he had to hold his intestines in with one hand because of a deep gash to his abdomen. He was in terrible pain but insisted that Neville, George and I take care of you first.�

This story of selfless heroics, one that Hermione fully believed, made the move from friendship to love inevitable.

Now, months later, and still recovering from the depression caused by losing her baby, Hermione thought she was ready for the committment of marriage. Whenever Ron brought up the subject it envigorated her and soothed the deficiency she felt from losing the respect of her parents. Although Hermione had grown up wanting a big church wedding, that fairy-tale version of her life had ended with the pain of the past six months. A simple ceremony with those they loved the most was all either of them desired.

Ron and Hermione returned to Hog House the same day Harry got out of the infirmary. They had not been together since the night Percy was found two weeks ago and they all felt an estrangement. Harry and Ginny were going one way with their lives, Ron and Hermione another. But after a while, talking and trading stories over butterbeers, the three had become “the trio� again. Harry had to laugh; Ron and Hermione even got into an argument, just like the old days. But Harry had consciously left the word “good� out of that thought.


_____

Fudge found himself buried behind a pile of paperwork, trying to keep track of the ever-increasing memory charms needed to cover for misfiring spells. He fully expected to be called before Scrimgeour again, but there was nothing he could do except continue addressing the problems as they arose. Three times over the past week Fudge had to ask other departments for assistance handling the cases. He hoped that as people became accustomed to their lesser or greater abilities these problems would start to reduce, but he had seen nothing to indicate this as of yet.

Preparing to leave the office a week after the problems started, Fudge received an inter-office memo from Scrimgeour telling him to participate in an emergency meeting investigating “the phenomena.� The meeting was scheduled for first thing the next morning so Fudge sat down to prepare his contribution to the investigation, pulling out a bottle of Red Current Rum and pouring a small glass.

The next day, with only a few hours of sleep, Fudge entered the conference room and sat among eight other wizards and five witches. Promptly at 9 o’clock, Scrimgeour entered the room and called the meeting to order. His point was made quickly: find the problem and fix it, there was little ambiguity in his requirement. Fudge felt lost and out of place, his only immediate contributions were statistics.

The meeting broke into two teams, one to track the source of the problem and one to address containment; Fudge was in the first group. As this first team started to look at the graphs and statistics Fudge had provided, and cross referenced them with reports form St. Mungo’s and other hospitals around the world, a pattern quickly emerged pointing to the exact time when the phenomena began: 7:28 Saturday evening, Greenwich time. The werewolf statistics were off a bit due to the time that the moon rose that night at different locations, but otherwise the starting point had been established.

Next, Fudge’s group began the review of all recorded magic around 7:28. They knew finding something here was a long shot in the dark, but they kept working until the second week when Scrimgeour suddenly pulled Fudge off the team and dragged him into his office. “It appears that we have a problem brewing outside of Northampton.� Scrimgeour informed Fudge. “A Muggle boy went missing a few weeks ago and the entire community is out looking for him. The Prime Minister has even stepped in to lend morale support. I want you to ask around and see if any of our people know anything.�

This was the sort of activity Fudge expected from the new job, he had not expected it to interfere with an official ministry investigation. Heading back to his office, Fudge called in two assistants and sent them out to contact some of the transients that occasioned the area where this boy, Peter Martin, had disappeared. After making some notes, Fudge returned to his working group and continued checking logs and reports, a tedious task that disheartened the former Minister of Magic by its sheer banality.

A few days later, and with no leads from the field, Fudge took a break in the dining hall where he encountered Prunella Pitt. Prunella was a well known witch within the Ministry’s Department of Weights and Measurements, her efforts at standardizing the quality of numerous Potion ingredients had earned her international recognition. She was also the mother of Darcy Pitt, a young lady whom Fudge knew had been dating Percy Weasley until her death near the end of the war. Fudge invited Prunella to sit with him for lunch and they talked through the hour, updating each other on their families and jobs. As their lunch ended, and Prunella was droning on about Darcy and her death, Fudge nearly missed a comment about her late daughter’s fiancé.

“I read that Percy Weasley is in St. Mungo’s, Cornelius, and that he’s not doing well.�

“Yes, Arthur told me last week, what a tragedy.� Then hoping to deflect Prunella from returning to her stories of death, Fudge sought out some details about Percy that he had heard rumored. “Do they know exactly what happened, Prunella?�

“Oh, yes. I spoke with my Healer the other day and he was there when Percy and the other boy were brought in.�

Fudge hadn’t heard about this so he continued to prod. “Yes, um, this is excellent pudding. What did your friend say?�

“Oh, he says that Percy and this other boy, Peter Marvin, or Marlin, no, Martin, that’s it. Peter Martin. They should both be…my heavens, Cornelius, what’s wrong?�

�Pardon me, Prunella, I, err, just remembered I have a meeting with the Minister.� Fudge jumped up and walked back to his office where he immediately sent Scrimgeour an inter-office memo informing him that the missing Muggle boy had probably been found at St. Mungo’s. He then returned to the working group and looked for the box of records from the hospital. After an hour of sifting through hastily scribbled notes and forms, Fudge found what he was looking for:

Admitted to Hospital:
1. Percy Weasley
2. Unknown adolescent male

Injury
Unknown head injury

Then a later addition in a different handwriting under “Injury�:
Memory transfer break.

And an attached note gave the information about the “Unknown boy:�
Peter Martin, (Muggle) Approximate age 15.

The remainder of the forms gave answers to standard questions with additional scribbling from various Healers and nurses. Noting the date and time of the injury, Fudge tossed the record into the appropriate pile for further investigation. An hour later an inter-office memo found Fudge, who noted that the memo was marked “urgent.�

Fudge, you are authorized to contact the Muggle Prime Minister for the sole purpose of informing him that Perter Martin has been found. However, since his condition suggests a type of magic induced coma, you should insist that the boy remain under our care until fis final disposition is determined.

Scrimgeour
Minister of Magic


_____

October was the start of Quidditch season and Ron was eager to get on the pitch. He knew his chances of playing were slim, but entering the stadium and hearing the crowd’s roar gave him a feeling of personal victory. As the team flew around the stadium doing warm-ups and practicing, Ron looked for Hermione and Harry; he was expecting both of them. A few minutes before the game started Ron saw them sitting together in the seats he had obtained. Sitting just a few rows behind Harry and Hermione, Ron saw Fred and his father cheering him, and the Canons, to victory.

The first game was a sloppy show for two professional teams, but Ron had a chance to play when the first string keeper was knocked-out by a bludger. Nevertheless, his playing time was limited; The Canons’ seeker caught the golden snitch and the play ended. Unfortunately, even the one hundred and fifty points earned for the capture were not enough to make up for the huge deficit; the Canons lost, 310 to 160. After cleaning up Ron met his guests and treated them to an early dinner at a local Pub.

“Well, it wasn’t a win but it felt great to play.� Ron was being modest; his goal tending was perfect, stopping all of four shots.

Hermione leaned over and kissed Ron on the cheek. “You keep playing that way and you’ll be first team soon, you were great.�

“Yeah, mate, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you play better.� Harry added.

Harry and Hermione’s words made Ron display the traditional Weasley blush, but he accepted the compliments and offered a toast: “To Hogwarts, the school that taught me everything I know about Quidditch.�

“Shhh, Ron, this is a Muggle pub.� Hermione said, pulling Ron’s arm down and causing him to spill some of his beer on her head. Through her giggling, Harry thought he could hear Hermione say something to Ron about him helping wash it out later. In fact, Harry was quite sure that was what she said as Ron’s red face and ears turned a shade darker.


_____

Remus Lupin felt like he had been through every test possible. For two weeks he and another werewolf, who he knew vaguely, had been subjected to prodding and spells and even some Muggle-like blood letting. After returning negative results on all the tests both were released but asked to come back a day before the next full moon.

Returning to 12 Grimmauld Place, Remus found Tonks lying on a couch with her legs elevated and looking like she would give birth any day. In reality she still had a month remaining before her due date, but Remus found the entire cycle of life amazing. Tonks had to remind him that being pregnant in the summer, especially this past summer, was not fun. Remus’ indifferent reply, which came out as a grunt, earned him a pillow to the back of his head as he left the room.

In the late October chill of Northern England, the Quidditch season was in full swing. Having given up her chaser position to concentrate on studies and prepare for Hermione’s wedding, (but mostly prepare for the wedding,) Ginny Weasley sat in the stands with Harry Potter cheering for the Gryffindor team. This week Harry’s former house team was playing Ravenclaw; unfortunately they were playing in name only, after fifteen minutes the game began to get ugly and Gryffindor ended up losing by three hundred points. A nice, even 320 to 20. With the departure of most of the starters after last season, the organization, training, and talent on the team had evaporated.

The new team captain, Marcie Briar, a third year second string chaser, had tried to drag Harry into the locker room before the game to give a pep talk, but Harry begged off, promising to speak before a vaguely specified future-dated game. Ginny had called him a coward, and he almost reconsidered when he saw Minerva McGonagall giving him an evil look after overhearing the conversation. Harry tried to redeem himself by giving his former Transfiguration teacher a friendly hug and kiss, but it was a futile attempt and he made a quick escape with Ginny in tow.

This Saturday was also the first Hogsmeade weekend and to the amazement of Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and himself, Harry received permission from Snape for Rudy and two of his friends to spend the evening at Hog House. Snape, who must have been in a good mood from the 480-40 pounding Slytherin had inflicted on Gryffindor the previous weekend, merely signed the release and told Harry to be sure he didn’t, “let Longbottom do any of the cooking.� Harry muttered his thanks and left the new Headmaster’s office before Snape changed his mind.

At 5 o’clock, Ginny met Rudy at the south entrance to the school where he informed her that his two friends were on the way. The fall twilight was casting long shadows on the grounds and the wind was picking up an icy breeze that penetrated even their heavy coats and hats. After fifteen minutes Ginny saw two unidentifiable figures walk up and stand with her and Rudy. The two were so completely bundled up against the bitter evening zephyr that Ginny could not see their faces.

“Well, that’s it, sis. We’ll follow you.� Rudy was acting strangely elusive about the company so Ginny stopped after a few steps.

“Rudy, are you going to introduce me to your friends?�

“Oh, sure sis, sorry. Um, this is…� and pointing to one of the two bundles he dug into the scarf and announced “…this is Carol, and that other lump is Lisa.� With the “lump� comment, the second girl pulled Rudy’s hat down over his head and both girls giggled like most eleven year old girls do.

Ginny stood there for a second before she introduced herself, then with a friendly “follow me,� they all headed off to Hogsmeade.

A bit later, with Rudy walking beside Ginny and the two girls trailing a few meters behind, Ginny asked Rudy in a quiet voice, “Rudy, what’s with the two girls? Guys your age usually don’t like to be seen with girls your age.�

Rudy smiled in reply, “I know, but they’re both from my da’s old neighborhood in Dublin. Turns out their parents and my grandparents go to church together. Small world, eh sis?�

Thinking back a few weeks to the first day of school, Ginny remembered the three boy and two girls Rudy had left the Hall with on the way to class. “I remember them, Rudy, aren’t they twins?�

“Yeah, and they’ve really been helping me with my books.�

Turning to the twins, Ginny called out, “Hurry up you two, you don’t want to get lost around here at night.�

Both girls stopped their giggling and ran up to Rudy. “Sooooo-ry!� Both girls said at the same time. All Ginny could think about was Fred and George. This should be a fun dinner.


Harry and Ron had outdone themselves getting the house ready for their guests. Of course, Hermione had put together a list of chores which Ron had promptly “lost.� However, even Ron had to admit that the guest loo was in sorry shape, but after a half-hour of scrubbing he had reappeared smelling of pine and looking faint from the cleaning fumes. Harry took a quick spy into the room and congratulated Ron for his outstanding work. Even Hermione congratulated him, and then encouraged him to keep it up every week.

At 5:30 Neville showed up with a bottle of Muggle Champaign which his parents had given him and a large box of Bertie Bott’s Peanut mix. Not completely convinced that it was a normal peanut mix, Ron volunteered to try a handful; then he insisted on trying a second “just to be certain.� Putting the “bubbly� in the icebox, the mix in a bowl, and finishing touches on the table, Hermione excused herself to pick up a last minute item from the store.

Shortly after Hermione left, Ginny, Rudy, Carol, and Lisa arrived at Hog House. Harry and Ron took their coats and introductions were made. Harry noted that he and Neville were the only ones there without red hair and that he felt like they were at a Weasley family reunion. With the pleasantries complete, Harry showed the guests into the parlor and they all sat down while Ron brought out bottles of butterbeer. For the three first years it was their initiation into the famous amber-gold liquid that was so famous in the wizarding world. Neville told the “kids,� as he liked to call them, that only house-elves could get drunk off the liquid so they should not feel apprehensive about drinking “beer.�

By six-fifteen Ron was getting worried about Hermione and told Ginny that he was running up to the store to hurry her along. Ginny stopped Ron in the front hall before he left and told him that she had seen her walking into the Blueberry Inn as they arrived. Trying to suppress a feeling of dread, Ron headed out, without his coat or hat, for the two block walk to the Inn.

Approaching the Inn, Ron saw Hermione leaving the front entrance, waving good by to someone, presumably Kate, the innkeeper. Stopping for a moment when she saw her fiancé, Hermione walked up and asked Ron what he was doing.

“I was looking for you, Hermione. Do you know what time it is?�

Ron’s voice was accusatory and Hermione let him know she did not appreciate being followed. Hermione continued back to the house and Ron watched her walk away as if nothing was wrong. Ron’s Weasley temper kicked in, and running up to Hermione he demanded to know what she had been doing.

“Ronald, get a grip. I was off having an affair with Colin Creevy like I do every night at this hour.� However, seeing that her attempt to defuse the situation with a bad joke had failed, she apologized and gave Ron a brief kiss on the mouth.

“Ron, I was just feeling up tight and wanted to talk with Kate. I’m sorry.�

Harry saw Hermione and Ron come in and could tell they had had a row, even though Hermione acted perfectly normal and had a wonderful time with the guests. Dinner was a pot roast that Molly Weasley had sent over with cooking directions, an assortment of vegetables and a home-baked apple cobbler that Hermione had made earlier in the day. After dishes were cleared and desert served, Hermione brought out the bottle of Champaign and paper cups for everyone to have a small drink. This seemed to irk Ron further, but Harry did not see any harm with the kids having a very small taste.

When everything was cleaned up, and the guests were talking in front of a roaring fire, Harry asked if they would like a tour of Hogsmeade before they returned to the school. Rudy, Carol, and Lisa jumped up and accepted the offer, knowing that it would be two years before they could go as students. Neville excused himself from the tour; he had to return to school to prepare lessons for the following week. As the rest of the party were about to go, Ron pulled Harry aside and told him that he and Hermione were going to stay behind to talk about wedding plans. Thinking nothing of it, Harry accepted Ron’s excuse and the remaining group of five left for a tour of the town.

After a half an hour walking in the bitter wind, Harry and Ginny took their guests to Honeydukes. Upon entering the shop, and before anyone suggested a sweet, Ginny spoke up and warned “anything BUT ice cream.� Purchasing samples of a number of different sweets, Harry also bought a very large box of taffy to take back to the common room and share with their house mates. Everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves until Rudy opened a chocolate frog and received a “Dumbledore Card� which he showed to Harry, not understanding the significance of the card. Ginny saw him turn away and walk to an unoccupied part of the store. Rudy was left wondering what he had done wrong. The twins were exploring the soda fountain and ogling over packs of Blubber Gum in two hundred different flavors and missed the entire scene.

“Rudy, you didn’t do anything wrong. Dumbledore was like a father to Harry and, well, I’ll explain it to you when we get back tonight.� Ginny patted him on the back and walked over to Harry.

“You all right, love?�

It took Harry a moment to compose himself but he finally answered, “Yeah, sometimes these things just sneak up on me, almost like it happened yesterday.�

The two stood there for a couple more minutes then called to Rudy, Carol, and Lisa that it was time to be heading back to school. The walk back to Hogwarts was quiet and cold. The first years were talking quietly about the sweet store and Ginny was holding Harry’s hand, but not speaking. She had a strong feeling of deja-vous watching Rudy and the twins, almost as if they were her children, but she did not share this with Harry.

When they reached the school entrance Filch was standing there with his usual suspicious look; Mrs. Norris sat at his feet hissing at Harry. Harry shook the hands of the three “firsties� as they thanked Harry for the evening out. Then giving a brief kiss to Ginny, Harry headed back to town. Ginny suspected that his mind was off in another direction, probably toward the white tomb near the lake.

When Ginny and her guests reached the common room they set the box of candy out with a sign for everyone to help themselves, complements of Harry Potter. The twins thanked Ginny again and ran off to the girls dorm to share their “adventure� with their roommates. Rudy stood, waiting until they had left, then turned to Ginny and asked �Why was Harry so upset, Ginny?�

“Rudy, take your coat off and let’s get comfortable. If I told you the whole story we’d be here until Monday morning, so I’ll just give you the highlights.�


_____

Harry arrived back at Hog House about an hour and a half after leaving. On entering he was glad to hear nothing but the crackle of the dying fire; he did not want anything disrupting his thoughts. But sitting down and relaxing by himself only made him feel worse. His mind kept flying back and forth between Dumbledore and Sirius. He had wanted to show the kids the shrieking shack after Honeydukes, but Ginny had sensed his emotions and steered him clear of the old wreck. Just as well. His demons were struggling to resurface and Harry was in a losing battle against them.

“Harry, can I talk to you?� Startled by Ron’s voice, Harry jumped, but when he settled down he was relieved that he had been distracted from his growing depression.

“Hey, Ron, what’s up?� Harry knew he did not sound particularly cheerful, but it was the best he could do. Ron sat across from Harry and he noticed Ron’s eyes were red, almost like he had been crying.

“Harry, I think Hermione’s drinking again.� Ron admitted quietly.

As much as he did not want to do it, Harry told Ron: “Grab a coat, let’s walk around a bit. We can stay close to the house if it makes you feel better.� Bundling up as best they could, Ron called up to Hermione that he and Harry would be back in a few minutes. There was no reply.

“Merlin it’s cold out here.� Harry said, as they walked into the chilling night wind. Ron mumbled something that sounded like “it’s cold inside, too.� Not knowing if he was up to anything emotionally heavy, Harry still prodded Ron for information.

“Why do you think Hermione’s drinking, Ron?�

“Harry, when she went out earlier this evening she was at the Blueberry Inn, not picking up something from the store. Ginny told me she had seen her walking into the Inn, so I ran over right before dinner and found her just leaving, waving goodbye to someone. When I asked her what she was doing Hermione said she had been talking with Kate, you know her, the Innkeeper. Then she made a joke about it and kissed me, but she smelled like wine. I know this is not a lot to go on, but, well, I’m worried. What do you think I should do?�

Harry stopped and thought for a minute. “Ron, have you tried talking to Hermione about this?�

“Yeah, a while ago, when you were out. She just avoided the issue and said I was paranoid.�

Continuing their walk Harry made a suggestion. “Ron, I think you should do two things. First, talk to Kate and tell her your suspicion. If Hermione really was just talking to her, as she said, then there may not be a problem. I also think you should talk to Jack Vince and let him know your concerns. He may have some suggestions.� Ron seemed receptive to these ideas and thanked Harry.

“I think I’ll go over to the Inn and talk to Kate before heading back. Thanks Harry.�

“Sure, Rom. I’m going to talk with Hermione.�

Returning home after parting with Ron, Harry put his coat and hat away and called up the stairs to Hermione.

“I’m up here Harry, come on up.�

Remembering what happened the last time he went into Hermione’s room, Harry was reluctant to continue, but he pushed on, hoping for the best.

“Hi Harry!� The cheerful reply Harry received when he entered the room told him he did not have to worry about a repeat of the scene from last month. Upon entering the room he saw Hermione was reclined on her bed reading one of her Runes Translations text books. She wore green pajamas with a warm robe on top and furry slippers against the drafty attic cold.

“Hi, can we talk for a minute?� Harry asked as he came into the room.

Hermione set her book down and invited Harry to sit on the other bed. She had a look on her face which Harry had come to know well over the past seven years. It was the look she wore when deeply into a homework assignment. She even had a pad next to her and had been making notations about something. Seeing Hermione like this, Harry seriously doubted that she’d been drinking so he decided to try to start a conversation and see if something else was causing the friction between her and Ron.

“You look like you’re enjoying the book. Wow, Rune Translation Techniques. Why do you need a ‘technique’ to study runes?�

Hermione gave Harry another familiar look, the one that says yes, I’d love to share this with you. “Well, this new job deals with the cataloging of ancient texts and you have to understand the meaning of the text in order to catalog it properly. Look here.�

Hermione handed Harry he text book, it was opened to a page containing a few lines of runes on the left page and what appeared to be two translations on the right. Harry read the two translations, they were similar but not the same. When Harry mentioned this, Hermione asked him why he thought the translations might be so different. “Look at the three lines on the left, Harry.� Doing so, all he saw was three simple rows of verticle and horizontal lines, some crossing others parallel, dots here and there, no curves as you might see in cursive script.

“Now look at the translations.�

This is an example
of two translations
of the same text

This example is
two translations
of the same text

“Both these translations are correct. We see this all the time in translating ancient texts. Now, Harry, please turn to the page marked with the yellow scrap. Look at these.� Hermione leaned over and pointed at the runes.

Again Harry saw the same type of lines, just more of then. He thought he could tell a few minor differences such as the dots appearing near the top of some symbols, not just at the bottom. There were some symbols that looked like a Roman “V� and a few others with hints of curves. But the most significant change was in the layout of the lines of text. Harry confirmed his suspicion when he looked over to the single translation on the right hand page. Like last time there were two translations, but now one was imbedded within the other and read like this:


This is an example
of pattern text
And it has
no meaning
This is an example
of pattern text


Noting the confused look on Harry’s face, Hermione continued her explanation.

“Harry, this is a very simple example of what we call ‘Pattern Text,’ which means nothing more than one ‘pattern’ of text surrounding another ‘pattern’ of text. In this case it’s just a simple rectangle within two other rectangles. Two lines on top, the message in the center, and two lines at the bottom. If you could read this type of rune you’d probably see the two patterns immediately.�

“Now look here.� Hermione got up and moved to the other bed to sit next to Harry. Turning the pages further to a bookmark with the number “1� on it, Hermione pointed to the next set of translations. “See here, this is another similar pattern, same message as the previous one, but here the outer ‘pattern’ completely surrounds the inner ‘pattern.’� Harry was having difficulty following the subtle changes in the runes text, but the translation showed him what Hermione was speaking about.


This is an example
Of And it has Patte
rn no meaning text
This is an example
Of And it has Patte
rn no meaning text
This is an example



“Hermione, is this what you do all day?� Harry thought that if he had to do this all day he might start drinking.

“Well, Harry, these are really just the very first lessons in runes. Almost all of the texts we have use variations on these patterns, but are a lot more complex. When you get to entire pages with a hundred rows and columns the patterns become much more difficult to pick out.�

“Yeah, I guess.� Harry found the subject interesting, but only from an observers point of view. Also, he had let himself get completely sidetracked from his original reason for visiting with Hermione. As Hermione was moving to the number “2� bookmark Harry heard Ron come in and called down to him. “Hey Ron, we’re up here.� Then turning back to Hermione, Harry made an offer. “How about you and Ron coming to class with me next week? I can always use help with the firsties.�

“Sure, Harry, that sounds fun. When is your next class?�

“How about 3 o’clock Friday, if you can fit us into your busy schedule?�

“Ok, I know Ron is home this Friday, so that should work.�

“Great, well, I’m going down to play a game of chess with Ron.� As Harry got up to leave he could tell that Hermione was disappointed he was leaving so he quickly added, “Why don’t you come down and we can raid the icebox.�

“No thank you, Harry, I still have a lot of reading.� Her tone sounded friendly but Harry thought she was put out with him leaving.


Coming down to the kitchen, he met Ron who had the same idea as Harry; raid the icebox. They both cut chunks of meat and put them on bread for a sandwich. After putting the leftovers back in the icebox Ron asked Harry,

“What do you think, was I right?�

“Well, she was certainly not impaired, the things she was showing me required a sober mind. But I think she had been drinking. How much? Who knows. Did you talk to Kate?� Harry asked, hoping to hear a more useful answer than his own.

“Yeah, I talked to her. She said that Hermione comes over almost every day and they sit around the bar and talk, usually with a half liter of wine.� This revelation seemed to depress Ron but Harry did not see any harm as long as she was controlling the amount she drank.

“Ron, why don’t you talk to Vince next week? I’m sure he knows more about this then either of us.� Then to cheer Ron up, Harry asked him if he wanted to play a game of wizard chess, which for Ron was an easy win.


_____

“You there! I can hear you, stop ignoring me.�

For the third time in an hour Prime Minister Thompson forced himself to pay no heed to the man calling him from the corner portrait. The past six months had been “normal,� and as far as he was concerned, no news from the fellow with the pointed nose was good news. But now the voice was singing an annoyingly stupid song.

You can’t ignore me all day long
Whatever you do you’ll hear my song
And if you have guests who ask you why
You sat there ignoring that funny guy
The excuses you give will do more harm
They’ll take you away to the funny farm

“ALL RIGHT, will you please SHUT UP?� Slamming down his pen, unable to listen to another verse, Thompson resigned himself to speak with the portrait. Rolling his chair back, the Prime Minister rose and walked over to the corner and saw the ugly man waving at him with an obsequious smile.

“WELL? What do you want?�

“I don’t want anything.� The man paused just long enough to see Thompson’s face turn redder, then stated, “It’s Fudge who wants to talk with you, not me.�

“Very well, I shall expect him, do you think it will be soon? I’d so love to have my lunch spoiled by another one of his visits.� Sarcasm dripped off of every word, it was the only thing that made the Prime Minister feel better.

CRACK

“This shouldn’t take long at all.� A voice said immediately after the loud noise. Thompson, who thought he had seen everything on Fudge’s last visit, was turning to look at the fireplace expecting the usual entrance; he saw, to his further surprise, Fudge appear out of thin air. “Please, do sit down, this will only take a moment.� Smiling, Fudge walked to Thompson and escorted him back to the chair.

“I have some information for you, Minister, about that missing boy.�

This was the first thing Thompson had heard in the past hour that made any sense to him. “Yes?� was his suspicious answer.

“The boy, Peter Martin, is at one of our hospitals. He was injured during a bungled arrest of one of our wizards. I’m sad to report that his condition is not good, and may, in fact, be hopeless. I believe you’re medical term for it is ‘brain dead.’� Fudge’s voice was showing emotion appropriate to the news, and he continued. “The situation we’re in requires us to keep the boy under observation until we can find a treatment, or until he dies.�

“What? YOU have Peter, you’ve injured him, and he can’t even go back to his family to die with dignity?� Thompson knew the Martin family personally and, though he had never met Peter, his father had spoken highly about him. “This really is intolerable, Fudge, what should I tell the family? That a mental wizard has the boy locked away. That will not go over well!�

“No, we knew it wouldn’t. I’ve spoken to the Minister of Magic and requested permission to bring the boy’s parents to see him so that they can feel more comfortable and know he’s being well cared for. You will be welcome, too, we feel it may lend weight to the solution we offer.�

“Fudge, you’ve offered no solution, only trickery. What can you do, let the mother or father in any time they want to see the poor lad? I don’t think your Minister would be open to that, do you?�

Fudge was expecting this but also had no other choices. “Minister, Scrimgeour has accepted my suggestion, but that is all we can or will offer.�

Both stared at the other, neither being able to change their stance. Finally Thompson acquiesced. “I will contact the parents. Do you have a date in mind?�

“We are at your disposal, just speak with Pimpleton over there,� Fudge indicated the painting on the wall, “and we will make the arrangements. I don’t think I need to tell you how delicate this situation is. I strongly recommend that you bring the boy’s parents here with no mention of magic or wizards.�

“Very well, Fudge. Please, do not consider my lack of enthusiasm a lack of appreciation.� Thompson held out his hand and Fudge nodded, giving him a brief handshake.

“I shall await your message, Minister. Good Day.�

And the same loud CRACK that had announced Fudge’s appearance, now announced his departure.


_____

By mid November the approaching Christmas holidays were near enough to distract most students from their daily routines. Hallway pranks kept Filch chasing after the latest class of trouble-makers and eventually Snape had to threaten the students with detention after an evening meal. No one wanted to cross Snape so the shenanigans slowed down some by months end. At the Gryffindor table, Lisa and Carol were telling Rudy how they had helped Brian Whittle put a colour charm on a kilo of indigo die, making it look like regular laundry soap, then sneak it into the Slytherin laundry room. Pranks such as this, which Rudy regularly shared with Ginny in the Gryffindor common room, were giving Ginny a welcome mental break from the piles of homework she was constantly facing in preparation for her N.E.W.T.S..

Ginny and Harry continued to meet at Hagrid’s once or twice a week. When she cooked for the two men they would tease her about how she was practicing for married life, but then they helped with the dishes and generally pamper her the rest of the evening. She though it was a fair trade. Ginny was also enjoying getting to know Hagrid personally. Up to this point he had always been just another teacher, though she knew he was much more to Harry. Ron had told her about some of the adventures he, Harry, and Hermione had had with the half-giant, but hearing them from Hagrid made it much more real. Some evenings she would leave and ask Harry if they really did all that stuff. Of course Harry would just laugh or say that Hagrid was exaggerating, but Ginny was learning Harry’s nonverbal cues and she could usually tell when he was trying to hide something.

The Friday after Rudy and the twins had dinner at Hog House, Ron and Hermione attended Harry’s Friday afternoon Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Harry met them outside the door to the room but then escorted them to the Great Hall. Upon entering the hall they saw that the tables and chairs had been removed and about two hundred students were waiting for them.

“Harry!� Hermione exclaimed through clenched teeth, “what are all these people doing here?� But before he could answer some of the students recognized Ron from the Chudley Canons and ran up to him asking for an autograph. This pleased Ron immensely and he made a big scene, telling the students how he had played so well this season. Harry was watching Hermione and suspected she was about to announce that he had only played in one game, but she kept quiet. After a few minutes Harry called the students to order and had the first-year students prepared to work with Ron and Hermione on a few basic defensive spells.

The class was progressing well and for the first hour and Harry was impressed with how much Ron and Hermione had improved without having used the spells since the final battle. Mad-Eye came hopping into the hall for the final thirty minutes to observe Harry, which he tried to do at least once a week. This was fine with Harry, but then Snape entered and stood lording over the last fifteen minutes of class.

When the class was almost over Snape interrupted Harry’s final comments and asked to see a demonstration of what the first years had learned. Moody and Harry traded a look and Harry asked Rudy to demonstrate his disarming spell on Snape.

“Look Rudy, Snape is excellent in duels but I don’t think he knows how good you are with ‘Expelliarmus.’ When I count to three, fire the spell at his wand, NOT his torso. Ok?� Rudy nodded, and even though he looked a little green having to face the Headmaster he prepared for the duel.

Snape walked up to Rudy and asked if he understood the rules of dueling. Seeing him nod yes the two turned their backs and counted off ten paces. Then Snape counted.

“One�

“Two�

“STOP!� Snape screamed loudly as he turned around with a look of fury on his face. “POTTER! MOODY! AND YOU,� pointing to a wide-eyed and shaking Rudy, “in my office, immediately! Everyone else, back to…whatever you were doing.�

Harry looked at Moody, then to Ron and Hermione hoping they might have seen whatever it was that set Snape off, but they just returned his questioning look. Then he heard Moody call for him and he hurried off to Snape’s office with Moody thumping along beside him and Rudy following, completely bewildered.

When they arrived at the door to the Headmasters office, Harry let Mad-Eye and Rudy catch their breath, but said nothing. He then knocked on the door and it was opened immediately by Snape.

“Come in and sit.� Snape told them, pointing to three chairs in front of his desk. After they entered the room and sat, Snape went behind his desk and brought out a small vile of clear liquid and showed it to Moody.

“Do you know what this is, Moody?� Snape asked without malice, but in a serious tone.

“I suspect it’s Veritaserum.�

“And do you know why I’m asking you to approve it’s use with Mr. Keane?�

“I have a good suspicion but I expect you really don’t want me to say.�

“Very good, Moody. Mr. Potter, I’m going to administer this to Mr. Keane and you are not to say a word when I question him, do you understand?�

Harry did not have the slightest idea what Snape and Moody were talking about, but he did not have any choice so he just nodded his acceptance.

“Mr. Keane, this is a truth Potion called Veritaserum, I brewed it myself thirty-two days ago which means it is at its peak potency. I’m forbidden from administering this to any student without their consent, I would like to use it on you. Do you know why?�

Rudy was shaking and had no idea what was going on, but he also knew he had done nothing wrong so he mumbled, “No sir, but I’ll take it if you need me to.�

Harry was watching Snape when Rudy gave his answer and he noticed that Snape’s expression change from anger to surprise. He then walked to a table near the office door and poured half of a glass of water. Returning it to his desk he made certain everyone could see him place a single drop into the glass and hand it to Rudy. Rudy’s hands were shaking so badly he almost spilled the liquid but he held on until Snape pointed at him. “Now drink it all.�

When Rudy had swallowed the liquid he set the glass down on Snape’s desk.

“Mr. Keane, I want you to close your eyes and listen very carefully to my questions. You are to answer each of them immediately and with a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ unless I say otherwise. Do you understand me?�

Rudy had calmed down during Snape’s instructions and look almost as if he were asleep in his chair, but he was able to say a fully audible “Yes, sir,� and Snape began his questioning.

“Is your name Rudy Keane?�

“Yes.�

“Is your mother’s name Albus Dumbledore?�

“No.�

“Do you know what Occlumency is?�

Harry almost said something when Snape asked this question. He thought he knew where this line of questioning was going.

“No.�

“Have you ever been trained in ANY mind blocking techniques.�

“No.�

“That is all, you may wake now.� Snape’s face looked deeply puzzled as he released Rudy from the Potion. After Rudy opened his eyes Snape told him that he was excused, and to Harry’s amazement actually apologized for “wasting your time.�

Snape sat back in his chair when Rudy had left the office and for a moment almost looked like a regular professor to Harry. Then he started questioning Moody.

“How long have you known?�

Mad-Eye was silent for two or three seconds but finally answered. “Potter and I suspected last month, but now I’m sure.�

“Potter, do you know what happened over the past thirty minutes?� Snape sneered at Harry as if he knew Harry was hiding something.

“Not completely. I believe Professor Moody is referring to Rudy’s ability to use the ‘Expelliarmus’ spell with such force, and that it has it’s roots in Slytherin.�

“Well Potter, you do appear to have a brain, or at least half of one. Why was I using Veritaserum to question Mr. Keane?�

Harry did not know, and admitted as much.

“Not up on your Potions, are you Potter? Veritaserum is the only Potion that can open an Occlumen’s mind to probing questions. Even more, at it’s full potency there is no recorded instance in sixteen hundred years of an Occlumen being able to resist it.�

“And that’s why you used it on Rudy? You thought he was using occlumency to hide something?�

“Potter, think it through. Why did I stop the duel?�

“You were trying to read Rudy’s mind and discover the spell he was about to use.� It came out more like a guess than a statement.

“Correct, but there’s more.� Snape sat, peering at Harry, waiting for an answer he could not find. “When I gave him the Veritaserum and asked the questions, Mr. Keane was telling the truth, he has no knowledge of occlumency. He also does not realize what this natural ability…�

Harry suddenly saw where this was going and jumped up. “No, sir! It can’t be, his parents are both Muggles, and he’s not even that good in most of his other classes. He was sorted into Gryffindor and…�

“SIT DOWN POTTER!� Snape roared, but it was Moody who finished the thought.

“Harry, Rudy was telling the truth, he has no knowledge of occlumency, none at all. When Snape asked his questions his shield was not up. But he does have the ability, and it is so powerful that Snape here, who’s an excellent legilimens, was not able to penetrate into Rudy’s mind. Possibly the only other wizard who might have been able to get through was Dumbledore. Is my evaluation correct, Severus?�

Snape looked ill, but nodded in agreement.

“Harry, I expect that Rudy has other abilities like these, let’s hope we don’t end up killing ourselves as we try to discover them.�

Snape spoke up, looking even more ill, “Moody, I believe we shall find that the thread of spells we have to investigate will only be those derived from Salazar Slytherin.� Then in a voice that sounded like it was death itself, Snape filled in the last piece of the puzzle that Harry was missing.

“Even the Dark Lord didn’t have this sort of natural ability.�

“What should we do?� Harry asked, more as a statement than a question, but it hung in the air; all three men were asking themselves the same thing. Moody was leaning back in his chair deep in thought; his magical eye unmoving and focused forward. Snape had a look on his face Harry had seldom seen: the look of frustration. After a long silence Snape spoke.

“Potter, is Ms. Granger still in the hallway?�

Harry had no idea, having left the dining hall with Moody right after Snape.

“I’ll check.� Getting up and walking to the door, Harry pulled it open and saw Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Rudy standing in the hallway. Rudy looked pale with fear and Ginny was trying to comfort him, but Ron and Hermione immediately started pelting Harry with questions.

Ignoring them, Harry pointed to Hermione, “Hermione, please come in.� Both disappeared into Snape’s office.

“Take a seat, Ms. Granger.� Snape instructed as soon as Hermione entered. “I would like you to find Professors Slughorn and Gerrianne and do some research for me...please.�

Then Snape took a few minutes to fill Hermione in on the situation. “I need you, and Gerrianne to immediately start investigating the history of Occlumency, particularly natural Occlumens. Slughorn should address the history of, and relationship between, Veritaserum and Occlumency. If either of them have a problem with your instructions please come to me at once. Also, please be prepared to report your initial findings back here at 8 o’clock this evening. You may go, Ms. Granger.�

Did Snape say “please?� Realizing the importance of the issue, Hermione acknowledged Snape’s request and left the office. Finding Ron in the hallway with Ginny and Rudy, she simply said, “Come with me, Ron.� And taking his hand they disappeared in the direction of the library.

“Mr. Potter, please take Mr. Keane and learn all you can about his family and any wizards or witches to whom he is related. I don’t expect anything remarkable, but make the effort; he has surprised us twice all ready.� Then turning to Mad-Eye, Snape finished, “Moody, please schedule time with Mr. Keane for private lessons beginning next week. I want you to pay careful attention to the times he uses Occlumency, perhaps there is a pattern that will shed some light on this. We shall meet back here at eight this evening to review anything you might have found. You may both go now.�

Leaving the Headmaster’s office, Harry approached Ginny and Rudy, both of whom looked deeply concerned; Rudy was near tears. Harry was trying to think of the best way to approach this problem and not frighten him. In the background they could hear Moody thumping his wooden leg down the hallway, muttering something to himself.

“Rudy, Ginny, let’s go back to the common room.� Hoping the familiar setting and Ginny’s presence would help Rudy calm down, the three made their way silently to the new east wing.

Upon reaching the Gryffindor common room Harry pointed to an empty corner where two sofas and some chairs sat, unoccupied. Next he called out, “Dobby, are you available?� Dobby appeared instantly in front of him.

“Yes, Mr. Harry Potter, sir. What can Dobby do for the great Harry Potter today?�

“Dobby, please have dinner served up here tonight for five, and before you head to the kitchen, please let Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley know that they should join us for the meal. Thank you Dobby.� With a smile and a snap of his fingers Dobby disappeared.

There were few students in the common room, but Harry pulled the seats closer together, so no loud talking would be required, and cast a silencing charm, just to be sure. He then had Ginny and Rudy sit on the sofa and seated himself on a chair opposite of them. Beginning with the conversation in Snape’s office, but without mention of the connections to Voldemort, Harry weaved around the parts of the conversation that would cause Rudy more anxiety. However, making a coherent story was difficult and he expected the lost looks he was seeing in Rudy’s face. After a half hour Harry finished and asked Rudy if he had any questions.

Rudy, throughout Harry’s explanation, became less fearful and more confused. Now with the opportunity to speak, Rudy started asking so many questions at once Harry had to slow him down. “Rudy, sit back and think for a minute, what concerns you most about what just happened?�

For the next hour Harry addressed every one of Rudy’s questions and asked a few of his own; but it was clear to him that Rudy was either an outstanding liar or truly had no clue about his magical abilities other than what he’d learned at Hogwarts. The last question Harry had for Rudy was concerning his family. The only known witch or wizard in his family was an uncle in the Ministry of Magical Education, Rudy informed Harry. Taking down the uncle’s name, Harry sent Rudy off for a break and talked with Ginny.

“Harry, what’s going on? Rudy was scared to death and told me that Snape had given him a truth Potion.� Harry felt he was being bombarded all over again. Ginny’s concern for the boy was apparent in her voice but Harry cut in and tried to calm her.

“Ginny, have you had the lessons on ‘Threads’ in the History of Magic yet?� Ginny shook her head and Harry continued, “’Threads’ is the name given to the spells, hexes, curses, and Potions that the four founders of Hogwarts each developed and perfected. Each of the founders created or taught their own particular thread of magic. Prior to this, all the know magic came from the last four chapters of The Story In The Runes, the ones Merlin handed down. Each spell that is not contained in The Story In The Runes has the signature of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, or Gryffindor, and the witch or wizard who has natural abilities in one of these spells is believed to be an heir to its founder.�

Harry let the meaning of this story sink into Ginny. After a moment she asked, “Harry, what was it Rudy did that made Snape so angry?�

“Remember last month when I was injured by Rudy’s spell? The spell he used was ‘Expelliarmus.’�

�Which thread?� By the tone of Ginny’s voice she already suspected the answer.

“Slytherin.�

“And today?�

“Occlumency, also Slytherin. But that’s not the whole story. When Snape was about to duel he tried to read Rudy’s mind and detect which spell he was preparing; when he couldn’t he knew Rudy was an Occlumen. Tonight in Snape’s office Rudy agreed to take the truth Potion and passed; he doesn’t even know he’s an Occlumen. Snape has Hermione researching this with Gerrianne and Slughorn. We’re meeting again this evening at eight to share what we have found.�

“Harry, if Rudy has these natural abilities that derive from Slytherin, why was he sorted to Griffindor?�

A very good question. “We don’t know. The sorting hat was damaged when the east wing collapsed, and the start of this term was the first time it was used since then. Maybe there’s something wrong with it, but...� Harry’s words did not even convince himself, Ginny’s face showed doubt, also.

“One other thing you need to know, and it’s not a good idea to spread this around. Natural Occlumens are unique; the only other know one was Salazar Slytherin himself. Snape’s fear is that Rudy’s abilities may make him more powerful than even Riddle.�

As soon as Harry said this he saw tears forming in Ginny’s eyes. “Harry, he CAN’T be, it’s impossible. I know the boy, Rudy’s not like that, and no evil witch or wizard has ever come from Gryffindor.�

“I know, Gin, I know.� Or have the rules just changed?


Shortly after six, Ron and Hermione joined Harry, Ginny, and Rudy in the Gryffindor common room for dinner. Hermione ate little, talked less, and left quickly, eager to return to the library. Ron stayed behind to talk with Harry for a few minutes; the Canons had a game the next morning and Ron was required to report in the night before. After being updated, and told not to spread around any of the days events, Ron walked to Hog House, gathered his gear, and Apparated to Chudley.

At 8 o’clock that evening Harry and Ginny waited outside Snape’s office. When the door opened, Snape looked up and down the hallway, presumably for Hermione and Moody. Then he motioned for Harry to come in.

“Headmaster, Ginny may be able to help answer any questions you might have about Rudy, she knows him well and…� But before Harry could finish Snape had already motioned for Ginny to enter also. Never having been in Snape’s office, Ginny felt intimidated; the odd collection of preserved flora and fauna gave the office an uncomfortable air of death; it was nothing at all like Dumbledore’s old office.

Harry pulled another chair up next to his own for Ginny and they sat.

“We shall start without Ms. Granger. What have you found?�

“Very little, sir. Rudy is completely bewildered by this entire situation. I honestly believe he has no notion of the implications of his abilities. I did try one very short probe when he was relaxed and eating dinner, just to see if his shield was up.�

Harry stopped here to gather his thoughts, but Snape’s impatience caused him to continue before he was ready. “Sir, I’m not sure what I sensed. I know from experience what a strong Occlumens shield is like,� Harry was referring here to his dealings with Voldemort and Snape, “but this wasn’t the same. There was resistance but I think that if I had probed harder I could have gotten through.�

“And why did you not probe harder?� Snape’s question was Harry’s question, also.

“I felt that I might hurt him, but it’s very hard to explain, sorry.�

Snape sat silently listening to Harry then made an unexpected statement. “I would like you try to use Legilimancy to read my thoughts.�

This statement was so odd that Harry looked at Ginny as if to say, did he say what I think he said? But Snape anticipated Harry’s confusion and added, “I would like you to try to recreate with me the same probe you used with the boy.�

Nodding, Harry closed his eyes to relax and focus, then he started.

“That’s enough Mr. Potter.� Snape said, almost immediately; Ginny though he was stopping the probe before it had even started. “Have you been working on your Legilimancy skills?�

“No sir. Why?�

Snape ignored Harry’s question. “Mr. Potter, may I attempt to probe you? I would like you to use all your skills to stop me.�

“Sure, but you know my Occlumency skills are nothing compared with yours.�

“Yes, still, I would like to try, if you will allow it.�

Harry nodded and prepared for the probe. However, nothing happened. After ten or fifteen seconds Harry looked up at Snape. “Sir, are you going to try now?� Snape’s only reply was a snort, and then there was a knock on the door.

“Come in, Ms. Granger.� Snape called. Hermione entered the room with a couple scrolls and a tablet of paper. “Please sit down and tell me what has been keeping you.�

“Sorry sir, I was deeply involved and lost track of the time.�

“Very well, you have not missed much. Is Professor Moody coming?�

“I passed him on the way sir, he was finishing a conversation with Professor Slughorn. He should be here any…� and they were again interrupted by a knock.

“Come in Moody.� Snape called. When Moody had limped over to the last empty seat Snape addressed him. “Potter and I have just completed an interesting experiment and Ms. Granger was about to tell us everything we didn’t know. But would you care to start off?� Snape’s sarcasm irritated Harry, and he was sure it had done the same to Hermione, but she did not seem flustered.

“Slughorn and I were comparing theories, and I’ll be happy to share it with you, but may I hear Hermione’s report first?� Snape said nothing, but looked toward Hermione as if he expected her to reply, so she did.

“Professor Gerrianne and I were able to record some good references for further research, but the school library contain none of the original source material, only copies, and copies of copies, many generations worth. I do have a suggestion, Professor Snape. If you would request from Minister Scrimgeour permission for me to look at some of the original texts I might be able to find more information.� Hermione could tell, even before she had finished her suggestion, that Snape was not happy with it.

“Why Scrimgeour? And why you?�

“Sir, I need the minister’s permission to view any original texts, that’s a ministry regulation. The only reason I suggested myself was because I’m here and there isn’t anyone else in the immediate area who can read runes except one of my coworkers. I wouldn’t be doing any significant translations, only surveys of the text’s topics.�

“These will all be in runes, can you read them well enough to be useful?�

“I believe so. I’m at level two which allows me to catalog.�

Snape accepted Hermione’s part of the plan, but he clearly did not want to involve Scrimgeour. “Very well, I will be sending a sufficiently vague request to the Minister as you suggested, but under the pretense of researching the school’s history for the continuing celebration of Hogwart’s one thousandth jubilee. I will rely on your proven resourcefulness to handle any questions that come your way; and for the time being I would prefer that this stay ‘in house.’� Hermione nodded her agreement.

“Now, back to my experiment with Mr. Potter. You should all be aware of the events last month and the ongoing investigation into their cause.� Snape was referring to the changes in Werewolves, magic induced maladies, and the general increase or decrease in spell effectiveness that had effected almost the entire wizarding world. “A few minutes ago I asked Potter if he would probe my mind, then I asked him to allow me to probe his. In the first test, Mr. Potter entered my mind with no difficulty. I stopped the test immediately because I do not think even he understood what he had done. Am I correct?�

Harry was confused and asked his own question, rather than answer Snape’s. “Why didn’t I see anything, sir?�

“Am I correct Potter?�

“Yes sir, I had no indication at all that I had entered your thoughts.�

“I believe, for whatever reason, that Mr. Potter’s Legilimancy skills have increased significantly, possibly due to the same phenomena that I just spoke about. As for your question, Mr. Potter, it is very common for people with strong Legilimancy skills to not realize they’ve entered another persons mind, simply because it is so easy. I stopped you before you had an opportunity to probe further. In the second experiment, where I attempted to read Potter’s thoughts, I stopped because I had come across the same resistance I have always felt with Mr. Potter, that is to say, very little.� Harry was sure Snape had phrased his comment that way as an insult, but he did not care, he was more concerned with Rudy.

Moody started speaking next. �Severus, Legilimancy comes from Ravenclaw, but Potter was a Gryffindor. I’m not sure that we should assume the boy is…� here Moody chose his words carefully, “…necessarily destined to follow Tom Riddle’s path. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern to the phenomena, at least when comparing Keane and Potter’s cases. Slughorn suspected as much, but lacking any proof he was unable to confirm his hypothesis. It looks like you and Harry have provided us with that proof, or some of it.�

“You may be correct, still, I believe we should inform the Ministry about these two cases, and I caution you both to control your classes. I will speak to the student body tomorrow and warn them against practicing untaught spells. Meanwhile, let’s see what Ms. Granger finds perhaps it will shed new light onto this problem.�


Walking with Ginny and Hermione to the library a few minutes later, Harry was steamed that Snape referred to his Legilimancy skills like they were a ‘problem.’ Ginny agreed. “You should think Snape would be happy for the extra talent in the faculty.�

“Oh, right. Since when has Snape been happy about anything concerning me? Especially something I might do better than him.�

Reaching the library, Hermione returned to her table and picked up a reference titled The Lost Magic of Godric Gryffindor. “Look here; I had just started to explore this when I had to go down to Snape’s office.� Then, showing a page to Harry, “Remember the pattern text I told you about? This is one of them.� The book showed a photograph of a piece of parchment upon which were thousands of rune characters. Hermione observed that Harry had brought the picture close to try and see the pattern, but with no luck. “Don’t feel bad, Harry, we had a similar text to catalog for our final exam. When the professor gave us four hours for the exam we thought it would be a waste of time. Shortly after starting the exam I realized that the pattern was like none I’d ever seen and it took me three hours to determine exactly how it formed. Once that was done, I could translate enough of the document to catalog it properly. Harry, it’s really all just a matter of experience and determination. Muggles have supercomputers for deciphering this stuff, but I’ll take this one any day.� Hermione was tapping her head with the blunt end of a pencil.

“Why are you looking at this particular book, Hermione?� Ginny was no more interested in runes than Harry, but how it might apply to Rudy was a concern to her.

“I’m trying to verify that spells in the Gryffindor thread had never been used prior to 953 A.D.; that’s about the time that the four founders of Hogwarts were born.� The implication was clear, if any of the spells not in the The Story In The Runes were being used before the births of Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin, then the entire concept of threads might be bogus.

Ginny was skeptical about this theory and said so. “Look Hermione, don’t you think that someone has looked at this already? Overlooking something of that magnitude would have serious consequences.�

“I know, Ginny, but everything I’ve found has no mention of when the later spells were created. I know it’s been a thousand years, but there should be something. That’s why I need to see the original source documents.� Hermione was starting to pack her things and Ginny gave her a hand; then the three walked back to the Gryffindor common room, looking for Rudy. After they had found him and said their goodbyes for the evening Harry and Hermione started back to Hogsmeade, talking about runes and the history of magic and how things were changing.

The next morning Hermione went to see Ron’s game and then to the Burrow to help Molly Weasley prepare dinner.


_____

Not far from Fudge’s office, in the Ministry of Magical Education, Tiernan Keane was reading a disturbing letter from Harry Potter concerning his nephew. Taking a quill and parchment, he wrote a brief reply and suggested a time to meet. He then fastened the note to Hedwig’s leg and sent her back.


_____

Hermione and Ron Apparated into the Burrow Saturday afternoon following the Canon’s Quidditch game. The Canons had lost again, though the score was closer than the first week, 300-210. Ron did not play but the team’s first string keeper was performing so poorly Hermione told him that it was just a matter of time. Trying to cheer Ron up further, Hermione suggested that they drop off their bags and go into town for dinner where it would be �nice and quiet, just the two of us.� Ron was all for it, not relishing the idea of another evening with a lot of family. As they walked from the parlor to the kitchen they saw Remus sitting at the table and greeted him. However, when he turned his head they could tell something had happened.

“Remus, is something wrong?� Hermione asked, sitting on the chair next to him.

“Yeah, you look like you saw a ghost; what’s up?� Ron added.

“Tonks is in labor upstairs with Molly and Mrs. Fairling. Deborah was over here visiting Molly when Tonks’ water broke. I have a feeling she’s going to be shocked when she sees Molly use magic. I can’t find Daisy Tomlinson, our midwife...� Remus was interrupted by a cry from the next Floor; it sounded like Tonks. Remus froze, but Hermione jumped back up, gave Remus a hug, and told Ron to “take care of him while I go help.� Then she rushed up the stairs to see what she could do.

Ron sat down where Hermione had been sitting seconds before and put a hand on Remus’ shoulder, trying to offer comfort. Unfortunately for Remus, Ron was far more anxious about what was happening. Every minute or so they would hear Tonks scream again until it seemed that she was emitting one continuous wail. Finally Remus pulled out his wand and cast a silencing charm around the kitchen. It helped Ron immensely and he went off to find Pig and send a message to Harry.

Upstairs, Hermione walked into Bill’s old room to see Tonks on the bed with Mrs. Fairling up by her head, looking like she was coaching her to breath a certain way. Molly Weasley was down at the business end of the activity, her wand set out on the bed, but not being used.

“Mrs. Weasley, what can I do?� Hermione asked as soon as she got to her.

“Well, dear, first stay away from Nymphadora’s right fist, I’ve already met it once.� Molly turned to show Hermione a swollen purple ring around her right eye. Then whispering to Hermione, “I don’t want to let Deborah see me use magic unless it’s absolutely necessary.� Trying to determine what could be more necessary than this confounded Hermione, but she stood and watched.

“I can Apparate into town and see if I can find a doctor.�

“No, no, don’t bother; see, here comes the baby’s head.� Hermione looked toward Tonks and she heard Deborah Fairling say “Take a big breath, hold it, and push for my count of ten. Now! One, two, three, four, you’re doing wonderfully.� Tonks’ face was red and had a look Hermione had never seen on another person, but then she looked down at Molly’s hands and saw the head of a baby slowly exiting the birth canal. “Seven, eight, nine, t…� Then another scream from Tonks startled Hermione. Gasping for breath, the woman who was about to become a mother looked over at Hermione. “Hey, kid, wait till it’s your turn.� Then Tonks’ eyes rolled up and back as Deborah started the count over again. When she had reached seven, Hermione saw the most amazing sight; Tonks’ swollen abdomen suddenly shrank and the baby slid out of the mother into Molly Weasley’s waiting hands, filling the room with the cry of a newborn child.

Hermione was frozen in place by what she saw. In the two minutes she had been in the room, Tonks had gone from screams of agony, to cracking a joke, to a mother with a smile no one could possibly describe. She was asking for the baby, trying to sit up and see the newborn. Molly was cleaning the child and had given up trying to place a clothespin on the umbilical cord; she took her wand and said something that sounded foreign and a perfectly cauterized separation was made.

“Well dear, do you have a name for your new son?� Then holding the baby up wrapped in the blanket, Molly set the boy on his mother’s chest and in his mother’s arms. Suddenly Hermione found herself crying with an emotion she had never experienced. There was a lump in her throat and she felt quite the opposite of having lost a loved one; it was certainly not a feeling of sadness. Molly and Mrs. Fairling crying, too. Then she realized that her tears were for the joy of birth and life; it was something she had always equated to God alone.

Suddenly Daisy Tomlinson burst into the room and after surveying the scene said, “You hardly needed me at all!� Then she went to take care of the afterbirth and check for hemorrhaging, but everything was fine.

Hermione was standing, watching Tonks and the baby, thinking about the child she had lost; but that feeling of loss had just been turned into a feeling of longing; her emptiness was gone.

Tonks had pulled her jumper up exposing her breast to the infant, and with no encouragement, he turned toward it and found the nipple, latched on, and started nursing. Tonks was completely entranced with the child but looked up after a minute. “Where’s Remus?�

All four women attending Tonks looked at each other with an oh my heavens! expression, but it was Hermione who ran out and called down the stairs for Remus and Ron. Not hearing a reply she dashed to the kitchen and told them to come upstairs. As Remus left Arthur came in the house and Hermione told him in on what was happening. He had been visiting with Gerry Fairling the past few hours and missed all the excitement. Then throwing her arms around Ron, who did not look terribly thrilled with the idea of seeing a two minute old baby, she kissed him. “Ron, you won’t believe what just happened, you have to see this!� And dragging him up the stairs Hermione pushed him into the room, following closely behind.

A few minutes later, Daisy chased the growing crowd out of the room for a few minutes so Remus and Tonks could be alone. While waiting in the hallway, a smiling Deborah Fairling walked over to Molly Weasley, “Molly, why on earth didn’t you use one of those magic spells of yours to help her with the birth? I’m certain you know more than the one you used to cauterize the cord.�

Molly’s mouth opened like a trunk and she stammered, “Y-y-you knew? How did you know?�

“Molly, we’ve lived next to you for over twenty years. But I think we started to becoming suspicious when Arthur showed Gerry his collection of electric plugs and used batteries. Also, the twins buzzing our house on brooms was a good tip. But don’t worry, your secret is safe with us.�

When the door to Bill’s old room opened again, Remus walked out with his new son to formally introduce him to his family. “Well, this has certainly been an eventful year. I would like you all to meet our new son, James William Lupin.�


_____

How the devil can they stand wearing these clothes all the time? Cornelius Fudge adjusted his tie and jacket for the tenth time causing Kingsley Shacklebolt to suppress another laugh. As an Auror, Shacklebolt had to blend in with Muggles so he was used to typical Muggle garb. Fudge, on the other hand...

The two men arrived outside Peter Martin’s house, ready to take them to 10 Downing Street for a brief meeting with Prime Minister Thompson, before heading to St. Mungo’s. Ringing the front door bell, Fudge prepared himself.

“Good morning. My name is Cornelius Fudge, my colleague is Kingsley Shacklebolt, we’re here at the request of Prime Minister Thompson. This concerns your son; may we step in for just a minute?

Terry Martin opened the front door and called out for her husband, Tom. Then inviting Fudge and Shacklebolt into the parlor the two parents started inquiring about Thompson and why he had sent them. “Well, you know, the Prime Minister is interested in your case. He has asked us to come by and bring you to Downing Street; he has some news for you. Would you be able to leave in a few minutes?�

“Have you found Peter?� The boy’s mother asked first. “Is he ok?�

“Yes Mrs. Martin, we have found Peter, he’s in a local hospital. Could you come with us, please?�

“Certainly, I’ll grab the coats.� This time it was Mr. Martin speaking.


Thirty minutes later, Fudge, Shacklebolt and the Martins exited a cab outside of 10 Downing Street. Fudge handed a note to the guard and in a few seconds the door opened and they were invited into the residence. After a short interval where they removed their coats and passed through a security checkpoint, the four were escorted to the lobby of the Prime Minister’s suite. When they were all present, the secretary called Thompson and told him that his guests were ready. Then the outer office doors opened.

“Mrs. Martin, a pleasure to meet you. Tom, good to see you again. Please come in and have a seat.�

“Brian, what’s this all about? Your two men wouldn’t say anything about this development.� This time Tom Martin was speaking. “Where is Peter?�

“Please have a seat. We’ve had Peter in a local hospital for quite a while, but he was carrying no ID so we weren’t certain who he was. We found his identity quite by accident. I’m sure you’d like to see him as soon as practical.�

“Yes Mr. Prime Minister. And why are you so involved?�

Fudge answered the question for Thompson. “Mr. Martin, I have a story to tell you that will take a few minutes. Your son was injured when...�


A half hour later, both of Peter’s parents were wondering if the last few weeks had been a dream. If it had not been for the Prime Minister’s involvement and a few demonstrations by Fudge, Tom and Terry may have left to find the police. Fudge’s promise to take them to their son finally calmed them down enough to proceed, but Fudge gave them a stern warning: “You must understand the situation this puts us in. When today is over you may not visit with your son again until he recovers or...well, is this understood? Good. In addition, you understand that you have promised secrecy? Very well then, let us proceed.�

The five stood up and followed Fudge to the center of the room where he took out his wand, and pointing to a chair said “Portus.� The chair glowed brightly for a few seconds, and then Shacklebolt touched it and disappeared. The Martin’s were instructed to do the same thing, along with the Prime Minister, finally ending the procession with Fudge.

As the Martin’s eyes focused on the large building in front of them, Fudge appeared and instructed them to follow. A few minutes later they were in the ward with Peter and Percy. Tom Martin stood at the foot of his son’s bed while his wife held her son’s head crying, and trying to speak with him. Fudge and Shacklebolt left the room and Thompson followed them a few minutes later.

After about a half hour Tom Martin motioned for the three men outside the room to come in. “Who is this other person in the room? He looks like he is in the same condition as Peter.�

“He is. In fact, this is the young wizard who was sharing a memory with Peter when the accident happened. His name is Percy Weasley, and I’m afraid his chances for recover are nil. In fact, had your son been a wizard he would have been in the same state. We are still considering other treatments for Peter but I must be honest with you, his prospects for a full recovery are not promising. I’m truly sorry.�

After sitting with their son another hour, the Martin’s told Fudge that they were ready to go. “Thank you for showing us this. You will inform us should there be any change?�

“Yes, of course, and we will hope for the best.� Fudge tried to sound upbeat, but he also knew he did not succeed. The boy’s parents walked away, both weeping now; Fudge wondered if letting them know their son’s fate had been wise.

_____

In the office of the Master Healer at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, an elderly woman named Olga Windshine sat reading a memo from the Healer who was working on the Weasley/Martin case. Reading the memo she muttered, “Reckless, dangerous and reckless...� But she had to admit that no other idea was as promising.



A/N: About Molly Weasley’s black eye: Labor occurs in three stages. The first is contractions and dialation of the cervix, the second is the birth of the child, and the third is the delivery of the placenta. The last part of stage 1 is called “Transition.� During transition the mother’s cervix completes dilation; this part is also very intense and some women lash out, physically, if someone interrupts their concentration.

Chapter 19 – Preparations

Football is a winter sport, not Quidditch. Harry thought as he dove for the Snitch, Angie Bright just centimeters behind him. Even with the new goggles Harry was using, the tears were blurring his vision and distracting him from a quick end to this drill. Just a few more meters... The Snitch turned and made a sharp dive toward the ground, then reversed its direction on Harry and Angie. Taking his coaches advice, Harry performed a quick barrel-roll and captured the Snitch as it tried to sneak beneath the two seekers. Harry triumphantly held the Snitch up and did another roll before landing next to the coaches, Angie just a few seconds behind.

“Nice roll, Harry, you looked great out there.� Angie smiled and slapped his back. The coaches did not need to say anything about the capture, Angie had said it all.

Harry knew the capture was perfect, but he had almost lost to Angie an hour earlier. During the first drill, her speed and ability to anticipate a maneuver allowed her to get in front of him. She had just missed the Snitch that time and Harry lucked into it while Angie tried to regain altitude. His personal trainer said much the same thing as they headed back to the classroom. Rubbing his arms and cheeks to restore circulation, Harry wondered if he should purchase a broom heater. It would certainly make him more comfortable, but it was expensive and would just slow him down more. Harry decided against it, hoping for a simpler solution, like capturing the Snitch sooner.

The autumn camp marked the beginning of Harry’s three month rotation among all the professional British teams. Running from early December through February, all British National Quidditch Team players not affiliated with a pro team would take turns practicing with them. Three days a week for eleven weeks the two National Team players selected, and their backups, visited various teams to keep their skills up. Fortunately, Harry was able to arrange his schedule so he could continue teaching at Hogwarts, something he was enjoying almost as much as Quidditch.

The camp had been difficult on Harry, but not due to any problems with his skills. Simply put, Harry was missing Ginny, Remus, Tonks, and the baby. Since James’ birth, Harry had spent all his free time at Grimmauld Place, cooking, cleaning, doing chores that Remus and Tonks were unable or too tired to do. James was wonderful his first two days, sleeping through the night, but starting day three he was up every two or three hours to eat or demand his diaper be changed. Seeing the Lupin’s after a week of this, Harry simply moved in and took over wherever he could. Ginny Floo’d in every so often, but school work and preparations for Ron & Hermione’s wedding took up almost all of her free time. Harry knew that a cousin of Tonks’ was going to come to assist after the first of the year, but that was still a few weeks away and he was glad to spend the time with the new family.

Remus had a good laugh seeing Harry walk around with James strapped to his chest in a “Snuggly,� he said it made Harry look “domestic.� Harry was experiencing feelings he had never imagined, it brought out his paternal instincts, Ginny told him. But Harry’s greatest satisfaction came from watching Hermione. After James was born, she had snapped out of her depression and regained all of the spirit she had lost with the miscarriage. She had a look of determination when talking about work; an appearance of confidence when looking after James; and the glow of love whenever she and Ron were together.


_____

The December 26th wedding was quickly approaching and Molly Weasley had the entire family organized to accommodate the guests and help at the house. George or Fred spent more time at “home� than they cared to, but were helpful in their own unique way. Arthur had tried to get extra time off from the Ministry, but had only been partially successful. Deborah Fairling also helped out when she could, running errands and answering mail concerning the event. She found owl post particularly amusing and thoroughly enjoyed Hedwig and Pig’s company. Ginny was stretched thin between school work and helping at the Lupin’s, but she still managed to get the invitations out and tally the confirmations and regrets.

More than once a day just about everyone found themselves thanking Ron and Hermione for planning a small wedding.

In the final weeks before the ceremony the only real difficulty was a scrap Hermione had with Molly about inviting her parents. Hermione had had no contact with them in over four months and made it clear to Molly that she felt them lost forever, �and if I don’t regret it I wish you wouldn’t either.� Molly hoped that at some point her future daughter-in-law would reconcile with Tom and Jeannie Granger, but she eventually gave up the idea of it happening by December 26th.

As for the practical part of marriage, Ron and Hermione had put off a search for housing until the last minute, but it worked out well in the end. Harry knew they were feeling guilty about bailing out of Hog House so he interrupted them – intentionally – in the midst of some heavy snogging one afternoon.

“Look you two, just keep the house until the lease is up. I can live at Hogwarts and you will have more time to decide where you want to live. It’s not that expensive here and you won’t have to move...and you can invite me over to dinner easily.� They both agreed and Harry left them to finish their snogging. Heading over to Hogwarts to register for a room, Harry found himself relieved by this change. Harry and Hermione’s friendship had deteriorated to the point of hostility after her August pass at Harry. He knew he was being pigheaded, but he didn’t dare talk about it with Ginny or Ron, so true to form, he buried his feelings and let them fester. On the way to Hogwarts, Harry realized that Molly was not going to be happy about him living so close to Ginny, but at that point he did not care.

Oddly, Harry’s secret feud with Hermione had strengthened his friendship with Ron. As the big day got closer, Ron kept telling Harry that he did not know how he would live without him around. Harry, in turn, told Ron to �worry more about living with Hermione than not living with me.� Then, as a joke, Harry told Ron that he would be too busy with kids before he knew what was happening. Ron’s smile at this comment made him look like a kid in a candy store, with an unlimited budget.

“Yeah, Harry, YEAH! Wow, I forgot about that!� Ron exclaimed, and both laughed themselves silly. From that point on, Harry swore that every time he mentioned the wedding Ron’s eyes would open a little wider and his grin became a little broader.


_____

The Canons final Autumn game was scheduled for December 19th, just a week before the wedding. Fortunately for Ron, after this game the team was on break until the end of January. Forty-five minutes into the game the Canons were again behind, 100-20; calling a time-out, the Canon coach told Ron to play keeper for a while. Mounting his broom, Ron flew up to his position in front of the three goals and prepared for the game to resume.

Following the game, the locker room of the Chudley Canons was again quiet, the players disappointed with another loss. Ron showered and changed quickly and found Hermione waiting for him at the front gate.

“Well, Maya, another loss, at least I got to play more.�

“Ron, you played very well, this is a team sport and you can’t blame yourself for every defeat.�

“Oh, I know, I was just blaming myself for this one.�

“That’s not fair, Ronald. Whichever team got the Snitch was going to win, you were able to keep the game close enough for that.� Hermione turned Ron to face her and put her arms around his waist, pulling him close and looking at his face. “Let’s go back to the Burrow, drop your gear off, and go into town for a while. I don’t think anyone else is about to have a baby and disrupt our plans this time.� Hermione kissed Ron then took is equipment bag. “C’mon, I’ll even carry your books.�

Apparating to the Burrow the two quietly set Ron’s bag in his room and headed down the stairs for their walk into town. This time, as Hermione had correctly predicted, no one was going into labor; but they saw a note from Molly saying she would be back at noon after visiting Percy. Seeing that it was almost noon, Ron and Hermione made a quick exit and ran down the road, hand in hand, until they were out of view from the Burrow.

“Can you believe it’s only one more week, Maya?�

Hermione said nothing, but she pulled Ron closer to her and held his arm with both hands, clinging to the man she loved. “I’m glad we planned the wedding like this. I had always wanted a big Muggle wedding, but now, well, this is perfect. Thank you, Ron.�

“For what, Maya?�

“For everything. Loving me, saving my life, putting up with me after I lost the baby. I did some really stupid things.�

“I don’t know, Maya, you taught me well and stuck by my side a few times when I didn’t deserve it. I’d have to be mental not to love you.� Ron looked down at his future wife and kissed her tenderly. “You know, next week at this time you’ll be Mrs. Hermione Weasley.�

“I know, and a few hours later we can take up where we left off in July.� Ron thought for a few seconds, trying to remember what had happened in July.

“Oy, Maya, that’s right. Maybe I’ll get it right this time.� An embarrassed smile crossed Ron’s face.

“I’d say you did pretty well the first time.� Hermione’s face was turning red. “Practice makes perfect, remember that, Ron!�

Resuming their walk into town, after a few minutes Hermione stopped and held both of Ron’s hands. “I’m so happy that we can learn how… I mean… how…� Ron was wondering what had Hermione so flustered. “You know, how our bodies work together.� Ron suspected she was blushing, but the cold wind had already reddened her cheeks.

“Maybe we should practice our silencing charms, do you think?� Hermione suggested, her face now obviously reddening.

Ron guffawed and stopped walking again, “We can practice as much as you like; how about now?� Taking her hand, Ron led an astonished Hermione into the woods, pulled her close, kissing her again, this time with more passion. Hermione responded immediately, returning the passion and parting her lips, offering her mouth to Ron. It did not take long for their excitement to awaken them to where this was leading, but neither was ready to stop, yet. Ron’s hands found their way under Hermione’s coat and to her chest, seeking both the warmth and pleasure it offered him.

“Ahhh, your hands...are frrreeeezing.�

“I can tell you’re cold.�

“Ron, you GIT, stop that!� Hermione’s giggles and kisses hardly indicated that she wanted to “stop� at all.

“NAG! Tell me to stop again and I will.�

Hermione could not believe how playful Ron acted at times. “Let’s go...on...to…town.� Between her kissing and laughing, Hermione could barely talk.

“Tell me to stop, Maya.� Seeing a pile of fallen leaves, Ron pulled Hermione down on them, but they both missing the soft pile and landing solidly on their side.

“Ouch! Ron, that hurt. The ground is hard.�

“Mmmm, yeah, that’s not the only thing that’s...�

“RONALD WEASLEY!� Still giggling, Hermione was truly tempted, but having lost control one other time with Ron had brought about a disaster, so she tried the most reliable distraction she knew. “Come on, love, I’m hungry, let’s get lunch.�

“Oh right, Maya, lure me away with food.� Both laughed at the old joke, but Ron did stop, slipping his hands from her chest to her back and pulling Hermione into an embrace, kissing her one last time. “Yeah, you’re right, but I really don’t want to move my hands, they’re quite warm here.�

The two broke apart, laughing. Ron reluctantly removed his hands and they starting out again for town.


_____

The next day Hermione planned to meet with Ginny and finalize some of the plans for the ceremony, but before that she wanted to pin Harry down and talk to him about something she had been avoiding. By noon, Hermione was certain that Harry was dodging her, not that she would blame him; her behavior since August had been reprehensible. Finally she grabbed both their coats and cornered Harry in the kitchen. Harry was washing his hands and Ginny was next to him trying to do some dishes.

“Harry!� Hermione said it so loudly that Harry jumped and the pan Ginny was washing shot out of her hands and landed on the Floor, throwing water and soap all over the three of them.

“Hermione, what…� Ginny started, but before she could say anything else Hermione had dragged Harry half way to the back door.

“Gin, Harry and I will be back in a few minutes. Sorry about the pan.� Harry disappeared through the door being pulled by his hand.

“Maya, what are you doing? Give me my coat, it’s freezing out here.� Taking the coat and quickly donning it, Harry walked down the pasture road with Hermione while trying to figure out what was going on.

After a minute, Hermione put her arm around Harry’s back and started to talk. “Harry, sorry about that abrupt exit. I know you’ve been avoiding me for weeks, well, months really. I can’t say that I blame you. I want to apologize to you, when I’m not drunk or hung over. I was in really bad shape after losing the baby and…�

Tired of thinking about how others felt instead of how he felt, Harry just wanted to pile it on someone else and he vented four months of frustration and anger. “Hermione, you were in bad shape BEFORE losing the baby. Why did you do that to me? Did you ever stop and think what would have become of us if your had gotten your wish? Damn you, Hermione, love isn’t a game, and neither is our friendship.� Harry immediately regretted the tone he used and was surprised at his own loss of control, but he was also furious with Hermione for almost destroying their friendship.

Hermione stopped and listened to every word Harry said. When he was done all she could say was, “I know.�

It was such an unbelievably inadequate answer Harry had to turn away to keep from yelling again.

Hermione started to put her hand on Harry’s shoulder but stopped just before touching him. “Harry, I don’t know what else to say. I AM terribly sorry.� The full impact of Harry’s words were now hitting Hermione, at least the ones she could recall. Sitting on the frozen ground, not far from where she and Ron had lay together the day before, tears came in spite of how much she tried to hold them in. It was difficult to speak through her sobs, but Hermione knew she had to finish. “Harry, please! I love you more than anyone in this world except Ron. I don’t have a reason for my behavior and I don’t have anything I can say except ‘I’m sorry. I swear it will never happen again.’�

Harry was beginning to feel childish for his outburst and causing Hermione so much pain. However, he also knew that what he said, though perhaps not the way he had said it, was something she needed to hear. Turning and sitting on the ground next to Hermione, Harry put his arm around her and gently pulled her into an embrace. “Maya, I’m sorry for saying it that way, I shouldn’t have…�

“No, Harry, I deserved it.� Taking a moment to regain control, Hermione asked Harry a question that she thought may have been the cause of her behavior since July. “Harry, did you ever think of us, I mean, you and me, as a couple?�

Harry had a suspicion that this was at the heart of Hermione’s behavior toward him after losing the baby, so it was not much of a surprise. Thinking for just a second, for Harry wanted to word this correctly, he gave her the truth.

“Hermione, no, I don’t believe I did, at least not in any proper sense. I find you very attractive, you’re brilliant, warm, loving, caring, you’re going to make a wonderful wife and mother; but no. I think if something romantic had happened between us it would have just ruined our friendship. In spite of everything I just yelled at you, I do love you very much. You and Ron are my closest friends outside of Ginny and in some ways you two are closer to me than she is, with all we’ve been through. What scares me is losing you two after we’re all married. Ron told me the other day that he wasn’t sure how to live without me in his life almost daily; I feel the same about both of you.�

Then Harry did something he had never done with Hermione, Ron, or Ginny. He pulled her in close, and closing his eyes he whispered “Ligilimens� and looked into his friend’s mind, consciously using the skills Snape had dismissed so flippantly. The first thing Harry experienced was Hermione’s consciousness. He mentally “embraced� it to let Hermione know he was there and felt her body shudder slightly; but she did not pull away. Harry knew that Hermione had just welcomed him. Then Harry looked deeper and found for what he knew Hermione needed to see. Returning to her conscious mind, Harry opened up the barrier that Hermione’s pain, fear, and sorrow had created.

Harry showed Hermione exactly where her heart lay.

He instantly knew she had seen it, and as fast as he had entered her mind he exited.

A second passed, then another. Harry opened his eyes and saw in front of him Hermione’s smile, a smile he had not seen in years. “Harry, that was…incredible. How did you do that? I…I can’t believe how easy it was, like it had been before me all these months but I couldn’t see it.�

It did not happen very often, Harry thought, but Hermione was giving an amazing display of being speechless and talking at the same time.

Standing, then helping Hermione up, Harry had one more thing to do. He reached over to her face and held it up tenderly with one hand, with the other he set a finger on her lips as if the silence her from saying something. Then Harry brought his head forward and kissed Hermione’s lips, not with passion, but with love. Pulling back a little, he let their foreheads touch. “There, you got your wish. Now let’s get back inside, my bum is frozen.�

Their walk back to the Burrow was like one they might have taken at Hogwarts in years past; Hermione jabbered on about the wedding and Harry ignored most of what she was saying.

Chapter 20 – Madam Tumult’s Story


Fudge had spent a difficult day fighting off a swarm of memos from Scrimgeour. He had been at work since 8 o’clock, it was 4 in the afternoon now, and the Investigation Board was scheduled to meet in one hour. That meeting will run late into the evening. The frustration the entire board felt was weighing heavily on all the members, and there was a growing sentiment within the wizarding community, and especially from the former Werewolves, that nothing at all should be done. Few could blame them, given the shunned life they had led. Remus Lupin had written to the board, as had many other Werewolves, expressing their opinion that the phenomena was good and that the board was just “rocking the boat.� Or as another former Werewolf expressed: “It ain’t broken so don’t go trying to fix it.�

Taking a short break from work before the investigation board met, Fudge purchased a calorie-laden sweet and walked around the hallways for a few minutes. There were still many empty cubes, cubes that had been filled the year before. So many dead. How many did my actions cause? Arthur Weasley walked by him, on his way home, I’ll wager. The nod he gave Fudge was perfunctory, at best. Losing two sons in the war and a third from an inexperienced Auror’s tragic mistake had been tough on Arthur. Fudge suspected Arthur blamed his own initial lack of support of Dumbledore for Bill and Charlie’s deaths. And maybe he is right.

Entering the meeting room a short while later, Fudge saw the usual members standing and talking among themselves. Kingsley Shacklebolt was standing at the far end of the room; noticing Fudge walk in he approached and handed him a letter-sized envelope telling Fudge to examine the contents before the meeting got underway. Then the tall, black Auror departed.

Fudge was immediately curious about what would cause Shacklebolt to be so mysterious and then leave with no explanation. After greeting a few of the members, Fudge sat, opened the envelope, and found a letter paper-clipped to a thin stack of plain white paper.


Mr. Shacklebolt & Mr. Fudge,

We thought you might like to see these photocopies. A few days ago, when we were cleaning out Peter’s room, we came across a journal he was keeping as part of a holiday assignment. Tom and I read the book together, but when we reached the last few entries we saw a familiar name, Percy Weasley.

Apparently Peter had been meeting Weasley in the woods and was being told a story about magicians and magic. You will see for yourself, Peter did not really understand what he was learning. A number of times he makes reference to a story in runes, whatever that means. He also mentions a few times about wands, silver threads, and memories about Merlin.

I don’t know if this will help you, but here it is.

Gerry and Tom Martin


Fudge took a few minutes, even as the meeting was starting, to glance through the copied pages of Peter’s journal. As the stenographer was reading back some notes from the prior meeting, Fudge interrupted and asked the Chairman’s permission to speak.

“Excuse me, Bob, but I have just been handed a note and pages from a young man’s journal that may help us.� Fudge motioned for the committee to wait a moment as he looked over to the box of records from St. Mungo’s. After a brief search, Fudge found what he was looking for.

“I want to show you three things that could be of significance. First is this letter from the parents of a Muggle lad who is at St. Mungo’s. The boy was critically injured the evening of September 19th when an Auror hit him with a disarming spell. The Auror had failed to recognize a memory transfer taking place between the boy and a former aid of mine, Percy Weasley.�

“That’s Arthur’s son, isn’t it Cornelius?� An elderly wizard asked.

“Yes, he is. He is also at St. Mungo’s, with this other lad.�

“In the hospital? They should both be dead!� This time it was a woman about Fudge’s age asking the question.

“Yes, precisely. There has never been a recorded case where a memory transfer was interrupted and the two wizards lived. Both boys are in extremely critical condition and require twenty-four hour care. But as I mentioned a moment ago, the boy is a Muggle, this may be part of the reason he...Peter...has survived.�

“When Peter’s parents went through his belongings a few days ago they found a journal Peter had kept; they copied a few pages and sent them to me. A few of the later pages mention Percy Weasley transfering to Peter memories about the story of Merlin, known to us as ‘The Story In The Runes.’�

“Good grief, Cornelius, That hasn’t happened in centuries, perhaps even since Merlin’s time.�

Fudge knew his face showed confusion, he had no knowledge of the history of memory transfers other than not to interrupt them. “I don’t follow you, Marvin.�

But instead of Marvin answering Fudge’s question, a short, plump witch with abnormally curly hair raised her hand to speak. “Madame Tumult?� The Chairman from Oxford, Robert Matthews, pointed his gavel at the witch. “Do you have something to add?�

“Yes, Mr. Chairman. First, I would like to ask Mr. Fudge if he has a record of when this accident occurred.�

Fudge looked at the notes from St. Mungo’s. “It appears that the accident was first recorded on the evening of September 19, at seven thirty-one. And here, the initial examination and interview with the Aurors involved says the incident occurred about three minutes before they arrived at the hospital, that would make it seven twenty-eight.� Fudge suddenly realized why the witch was so interested in the time records.

“Mr. Fudge, Mr. Chairperson, if I may.� The witch stood, walked to a blackboard, and waved her wand. A timeline appeared on the board; it ran from 300 to 500 A.D., with many small notes pointing to different years. “I hope my idea is correct, it has been many years since I had tried to prove this theory.�

“About seventy-five years ago, when I had just finished at Hogwarts, a small group of my classmates and I took part in an internship in the Ministry of Magic’s Historical Archives. A number of us had a desire to proceed with further education in Runes and Ancient Texts. You see, the History of Magic instructor at Hogwarts was a lively and energetic wizard who impressed upon us to “always look for the source of every legend, until you could prove it or disprove it.� So we wanted to be where the stories and legends began; with Merlin.�

Tapping the board with her wand, the first box of text expanded so that all could read it. “You see here? This is where our famous ‘Story In The Runes’ begins, about 305 A. D. The scraps of texts which remain identify Merlin as a young boy: ‘The Boy In The Woods.’ I’m sure you all remember this from your childhood bedtime stories.�

“The next three stories,� the witch again tapped the board and the next box expanded while the first shrank, “deal with Merlin becoming a man and starting the creation of the world of magic. Much of the forth story, if I remember correctly, dealt with Merlin trying to recruit people for his world, luring them into it with exotic animals and dragons, those such things.� Fudge saw a number of heads bobbing up and down. Taking his seat again, he also listened to more of Tumult’s story.

“Book five was the first to have any substantial primary sources to back up its claims, so the four of us decided to search for information regarding the fragments from the first four stories. At that time all the archived texts and runes were kept here, in the Ministry building, in that cold, damp room at the base of this building. The conditions for storing delicate parchment and papyrus were abysmal; many of the documents had rotted or become covered with molds. It was a disgrace.�

“Amalyn Tumult, my second cousin, came to the ministry at my request to try to fix the terrible conditions in our basement. Amalyn studied up in the work and performed a number of spells to close cracks in the walls and dry out the rooms. She even tried to clean some of the texts thought to be ruined with mildew. Her efforts met with little success, but she was given a parchment rune document and two Latin scrolls, believed to be of little historical consequence, so she could continue her restoration research.�

“A few years later, long after my friends and I had finished a fruitless search into Merlin’s past, my cousin contacted me by owl. She had been living in Egypt for three years and said she had never given up on her attempts to clean the ruined documents; in fact, she had been able to clean off one of the parchments using a temporal process she learned from an Egyptian wizard.�

“Plato Sumar?� The Chairperson had jumped up with an amazed look on his face. “She met Plato Sumar in Egypt?�

“Yes. She had met him while studying curses in the pyramids of Giza.�

Before Tumult could continue, the Chairman spoke up again. “You all must have heard about Plato Sumar, Tumult and I can’t be the only ones who know what he did!�

“No, Matthews, the story was not widespread and was actually suppressed in the 1920’s. In fact, how do you know about it?�

“I worked in the Department of Magical Mysteries until a few years ago.� Matthews answered, “I was even allowed to study one of the last remaining time turners. Remarkable devices they were, but I suppose it is better that they are now all gone.�

While Tumult and Matthews were talking, Fudge was wondering how this all fit into the letter from the Martin’s. “Excuse me, Madam Tumult, I don’t wish to be rude, but how does all this fit together?�

“Yes, I do apologize Cornelius. It has been a long time since I was excited about this subject. Let me go back to my story, it will help you, all of you, understand.�

“As I was saying, my cousin met Sumar and one of his friends in Giza. At the time Sumar was studying trace magic, the science of recognizing the presence of magic long after it had been used. Since most of you don’t know who Sumar was, you probably don’t know who was with him in Egypt.� The blank looks on all their faces, except Matthews’, told the witch she was correct. “Sumar’s friend was the late Albus Dumbledore. Albus, God rest his soul, had been doing parallel research into trace magic when he quite literally ran into Sumar in Cairo, around 1921, I believe it was. They had known each other by reputation so recognition was not a problem. After a few days together the two became fast friends and spent the next two years collaborating in their research.�

“The two men traveled around the Middle East before stumbling upon an ancient reference to a hermit who lived in a mountain on the Sinai Peninsula. Out of simple curiosity they traveled to the mountain and, following a lengthy search, came across a well hidden cave that had been lived in many thousands of years ago. While they had started on this trip as an adventure, they both immediately knew that they had stumbled upon what they had spent years looking for: an identifiable bit of trace magic.�

“The cave they discovered radiated magic. There were ancient curses that had almost faded, and it was a good thing, too. Many of them were terrible, terrible curses that would slowly eat your body and mind over years. Both men feared what they had found so much that they seriously discussed destroying the cave and any remaining curses it held. Albus almost left Sumar over Sumar’s insistence on keeping the cave and its wards intact. How else could they find another such site?�

“As the two of them became attuned to the remnants of the cave’s magic they came to realize that the being that had inhabited the cave must have had extraordinary powers, and lived for a very long time. Not hundreds of years, most likely thousands of years. Again Albus pleaded with Sumar to consider abandoning his search, and again Albus gave in to his friend. But he did extract a promise from Sumar to leave the mountain within a month.�

“By the time the two wizards had left the peninsula, Samar and Albus were both accomplished at sensing trace magic, or at least very powerful trace magic. They traveled back toward Cairo, following what appeared to be the path of the being from the cave. They followed it through Cairo, Alexandria, down to Luxor, Aswan, and finally to Abu Sunbul where the trail ended as if the being had fallen from the sky. The traces, however, did not show a single spot of origin but rather a large area of diffuse traces. And this is where their journey together ended. Albus was interested in returning to England and Sumar was going to remain in Abu Sunbul. The friends parted on good terms but never saw each other again. Sumar passed away in 1934, but not before he spent time with my cousin Amalyn.�

“Amalyn, like Albus Dumbledore, met Sumar by accident, but neither had heard of the other. While studying some ancient curses in the pyramids at Giza, Amalyn made an off-hand comment about how she wished she could see what the hieroglyphs looked like when first carved. Sumar was working nearby and when he heard the comment struck up a conversation with her. One thing led to another and they were soon sharing stories about their adventures. Sumar had immediately recognized Amalyn as a witch and she pestered Sumar to tell her how he knew, and he did, partially divulging his secrets of trace magic.�

“After a few months at the pyramids, Amalyn was planning to travel to Qum to do a comparative study on some ancient symbols that had recently been unearthed. At their parting dinner, Amalyn casually mentioned to Sumar her frustration with that same parchment I talked about a while ago.�

Tumult stopped here for a moment to see if she was putting anyone to sleep. She really had not intended the story to carry on like this but everyone’s eyes were clear and seemed to be eager to find out how the stories fit together.

“Well, Sumar asked to see a sample of the damaged documents so Amalyn pulled it out and showed it to the old wizard. Sumar handed it back and told my cousin that he could help her after dinner. When the meal ended they went back to Sumar’s office where he took the parchment and laid it on his desk. Amalyn told me this next part in great detail because she didn’t understand its significance at the time. She said Sumar went into a double locked cabinet and removed a bowl of sand about the size of a child’s toy pail. He then took a handful of the sand and sprinkled it over the parchment as evenly as he could. After this he took out his watch and waited for thirty seconds. When the time was up, he took the paper, partially folding it unto a ‘U’ shape, and poured the sand back into the bowl and returned it to the locked cabinet. Holding the parchment up to Amalyn she saw that whatever Sumar had done had completely restored the parchment.�

“Now Matthews, do you know what Sumar did?�

An expression of amazement was on the Chairman’s face; he looked like the answer he had been searching for had been revealed, for indeed it had. “Sumar discovered the secret of time. The sand must be the same sand that we had in our time turners. But do you know where he found it?� Matthews’ eager expression quickly faded when he saw Madam Tumult’s face.

“No, I’m afraid Sumar shared that little secret with no one. It was the last time my cousin saw Sumar even though they both spent the rest of their lives in the same area. Personally I do have a theory. I believe there is a link to that village in Egypt, Abu Sunbul, and the sand. It was the spot where the cave being originated thousands of years before. It seems logical to me, but I never had the desire to pursue that theory.�

“So, finally I have returned to that old moldy document and why I started this story. Amalyn owled me a copy of that parchment and I spent a good number of years trying to find what it meant. It was written in runes and I had long forgotten how to translate them. I searched through the Ministry, off and on, for a few months before running into a wonderful gentleman by the name of Keric Albemarle. Keric had studied runes for years and was able to show me why I could not decipher the bloody thing. The runes were arranged in a most unusual pattern and unless we could find the key, or the starting point in the document, we might look at it for years and see nothing but rubbish.�

“A few years later, having long given up on translating the parchment, I received an owl from Albemarle stating that he had found the key and would I be interested in seeing the translation. I must admit, after all these years I had again lost interest. But I also thought that if the translation contained something of importance Albemarle would have announced his findings. Still, I owed than pleasant old man the courtesy of hearing his story. I owled back and informed him that I would make myself available whenever he had time; a few days later I was again in his office looking over the translation.�

“The text carried no immediate indication that it was anything other than a rambling account of how oral tradition passed stories from one generation to the next. There were a few scattered references to magic, but it was all vanilla. The parchment itself had been dated at approximately fifteen hundred years old and the runes bore out this age. Please keep this in mind, it has an important link to a later part of this story. After thanking Keric for his persistence I kept a copy of the translation and placed it in a file, and that’s where it sits today.�

As she prepared to resume she noticed that Minister Scrimgeour enter and seat himself at the back of the room. Madam Tumult sat in her chair and looked around the room again; she knew the members were waiting for the reason she had shared the story. Wanting to make her thoughts clear, Tumult asked for their indulgence as she gathered her thoughts. After a brief pause, the witch excused herself and walked to the first secretary desk she saw and sent an owl to her husband with a request. Returning to the nearly silent room she added the last part of her story.

“Today, when Cornelius told me about Percy Weasley and the Muggle boy, I remembered a portion of that parchment. I’ve just owled my husband asking him to find the translation and send it here express. While I’m waiting for that, let me tell you what I can recall.�

“A small section of the story on the parchment dealt with a memory charm and what methods were used to help people memorize stories. The author also spoke of ‘transfering memories’ and conflicts of some sort.�

A ministry owl landed at the desk where Tumult had recently sent her husband the note. The secretary removed the note and took it to the room, handing it toTumult. “Ah! Here it is, thank heavens Homer was not asleep. Let me look at this for a momnet, please.� Scanning the translation, the witch was seen to nod her head a few times; then setting the translation down she continued.

“Please listen to these passages, I believe they might shed some light on our research.� Leaving the paper on the conference table, Tumult found the first passage she was looking for and began reading.

“...looking for the missing books, the elders approached the wizard to see if he knew anything. His refusal to speak was disturbing and the elders forbade the people from taking the charm.�

“Then, near the end of the page, I found what I was looking for.�

“The wizard again tried to force himself upon many villagers but this only turned more against him. He pleaded with them and offered great rewards, but the elders knew his promises were empty and again forbid the people from leaving. In his rage, the wizard sent out strings of gold, capturing many and forcing them to his will. The warrior, Galen, went to his father and threw him on the ground, breaking the bindings and killing the old wizard. Those who had been captured were thought to be dead, and many were. Others had fallen into a deep sleep and Galen was the only one who could bring them back.�

Tumult removed her half-glasses and set them on the table. “A few weeks after I found out about this translation I approached the Ministry and ask permission to begin a formal investigation of this document. I presented my theories and I believed I had given sufficient information to warrant a more professional and thorough look into its meaning. But my proposal was rejected, twice, actually.�

The Chairman again broke in, “Why is this the first we’ve heard of any of this, Tumult?�

“Because it was deemed to be sacrilegious.� Scrimgeour’s voice echoed from the back of the room. All eyes turned to the Minister, almost no one had heard or seen him enter. “Madam Tumult, you will bring that document and come to my office immediately. The committed is adjourned for the day and you are all cautioned to forget what you just heard.�


_____

Fudge lingered in the conference room after all the other members had departed. He picked up the copied journal entries and finished reading the last two entries.


Thursday, 17 September 1998
Percy was upset today, he told me about why his brothers
died and how he was too scared to help them. I told him it
was ok but he said that he could not face his family and that
he was a coward. He listened to me when I talked about
Jack dying, it was hard to talk about that but I felt better
afterwards.

Friday, 18 September 1998
School stinks, I can’t wait to see Percy tomorrow, he
Promised to tell me more of the runes story.


The next day, Fudge recalled, was when the phenomena started, and Tumult had an idea that there was some sort of link between her translation and the events of 9/19. The timing was exact, though there were a few other records of magic occurring at 7:28. What was that last part about golden threads and a son killing his father?

Fudge remained seated, thinking, for another quarter-hour. There was one mystery solved by the journal that he believed he should convey. Returning to his office, Fudge wrote a brief note to Arthur Weasley asking for a few minutes to speak about some information he had come across concerning Percy. Not knowing if this was the sort of information he should deliver, Fudge considered the note for a few minute but ultimately decided that he was correct in sending it. Folding the memo he tapped it with his wand and sent it on its way with the address, “Arthur Weasley, office 291.� A minute later Fudge received an auto-reply stating: “I will be out of the office until 28 December. Please contact Jason Freely if you have an urgent issue.�

Chapter 21 – Another Piece of the Puzzle

“Months? You didn’t talk for months. You’re mental, that’s what you are.� Peter stood, waving his hands and gesturing at the old man. “You said I could go home after you told me the story. I’m going home.�

“Peter, I haven’t finished the story, you are free to go anywhere you like in this world until the story is complete.�

Seeing that he was getting nowhere, Peter walked a few meters and sat on the grass, his back to the man. He did not know what to feel now, he was angry, he was scared, (though he did not want to admit it to himself,) he was beginning to feel lonely and concerned for Percy. Most of all, however, Peter was intrigued by the man who he had just met a few minutes ago and said that it was really months. His father used to tell him, when he became angry, “count to ten, slowly, when you finish the anger will be gone.� The advice seemed silly but Peter was willing to try anything.

Ten seconds later Peter was no longer angry, but he was still scared and lonely. Don’t have a cure for those, do you, dad? Eventually Peter calmed himself and wondered if he had just lost another few months of his life. He stood and looked at the old man. “What’s the date?�

“December 3rd. Would you care to hear more of my story now?�

“Why does time pass faster here?�

“Time passes at the rate needed.�

“What do you mean by that?� Peter spat back, again, becoming annoyed with the man.

“Peter, where do you think you are?�

“Percy said I was in his memory.�

The old man rose and walked toward Peter. He could have been any old man on the street, but there were no streets and no other people. “Peter, you are in more than a memory, you are in my world.�

“Yeah, you said that, but it looks like my world. Those rocks over there, I’ve seen them lots of times. Are you sure I’m not dead or in a dream?�

Smiling, the old man motioned to the ground at Peter’s feet. “Peter, you are not dead, you are in my world and you are certainly not in a dream. Please sit and listen to my story, it may help you understand.�

Remaining seated, Peter continued questioning the man called “Merlin.� “If I’ve been here for months, why didn’t I get hungry or have to pee or see the sun rise and set a bunch of times?�

“You are thinking in terms of your world, Peter. It may look like yours, but it is very different. Please, sit and listen. You asked to hear the story.�

Peter looked at the man, just two meters away. He really did not have any choices that he could see, but he did not want to just give up. He tried one more time to bargain with the old man.

“Ok, I’ll listen to your bloody story, but does it have to take so long? I don’t want to spend my life here.�

“Peter, sit. The story will take as long as it takes. When it is finished you will understand.�

Peter glared at the old man, but finally resigned himself. “Well, get started.�

“Good. Now, listen.�


“I had been in this land for forty-two years and seen the Romans invade, but they didn’t stay. I talked with many of the soldiers that the people here captured and they told me of the ways of Rome. I remember having visited the city many years before, but now it sounded like so much more and I resolved to travel one last time. Over the next three years I wandered through Gaul, seeing the advancements the Romans had brought with them and I marveled at their resourcefulness. When I eventually arrived in Rome I found a magnificent city, one like no other. I spoke with the citizens and slaves to find out all I could about the empire. The Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero had been in power for a number of years and I learned that the Romans had taken over my old land of Egypt. I thought seeing my homeland one more time might be nice so I set out. My trip went quickly; the roads and protection the empire provided were nothing like any other empire I had seen.�

“When I reached Egypt I saw that the Romans had done nothing more than paint a corpse. The living conditions were almost as bad as they had been four thousand years earlier. Some of the larger cities enjoyed improvements but otherwise the empire was bleeding the country to death. I discontinued my journey to the south and left as quickly as I could, heartbroken.�

“A few weeks later I arrived in the city of Jerusalem, one of the few cities in the area that I had never visited. The Romans had occupied the area and the indigenous people, known as Jews, were being harshly oppressed. Still looking young I was able to fit in well with the squalid masses that flowed in and out of the city each day. I became familiar with a few of the outlying towns and found the spirit of these Jews refreshing. I decided to remain for a while and learn about their history and their unique religion.�

“Monotheism was unheard of in every place I had visited, but in the land of the Jews it had been practiced for centuries. I was impressed with the awe and respect the people had for their God and I enjoyed learning about their prophets. The stories amazed me and I found here something I had never found in all my journeys: true faith. Though subjugated by the harsh Romans, the people believed that their God would send a savior, or messiah, as they called him, to free the people and rule over the earth.�

“I ended up spending a number of years in or near Jerusalem but eventually had to leave, again due to my never changing appearance. Before my departure I was determined to see if the rumors about this messiah were true; there had been more talk among the Jews recently of his appearance. I mentioned this to one of my friends in the palace and he laughed. Walking me over to a local temple, pushing aside the protesting priests, he showed me a number of scrolls saying that each one had proclaimed a ‘messiah.’ I understood his skepticism but resolved to meet this man, the latest messiah, before leaving the area. My only problem was how to find him.�

“Weeks went by as I traveled into the nearby towns and listened for word of the man. Finally, I heard a small group of men speaking about ‘Joshua’s miracles’ and I lingered to hear more. The excitement with which these men spoke of Joshua reminded me of many Jewish stories dealing with their ancient heroes. Following the group, which soon turned into a small crowd, I detected many levels of belief in this man, Joshua. As we walked through the village, other men, women, and children joined that initial small knot of men who were going to meet the miracle worker outside of the village.�

“I was becoming excited by the possibility of meeting this Joshua who could attract so many people so easily; I recall wishing that I might be able to do the same some day. Not paying careful attention to where I was walking, as I thought about meeting Joshua, I ran into the back of one of the young men I first saw in the village. He tried to send me away but a voice stopped the man.�

“I can’t explain what it was about Joshua’s voice that startled me most, that first time I heard it; his sincerity or the way his voice touched my soul. As the man moved away, allowing me to approach Joshua along with the other children, I felt something I had never felt before: belonging. Over the course of the past four millennia I had experiences a range of emotions, but never the feeling that I belonged with someone. As Joshua spoke with the other children – there were about fifteen or twenty – I could tell that they gained strength from each other. Standing behind the other children I hoped to observe this ‘Messiah’ but not interact with him. If I were honest with my feelings I would have to say that I was worried he would see something in me that would change my life. How? I had no idea.�

“When Joshua finished speaking with the children and some of their parents he stood up to leave; I did not expect him to notice me, though I should have. He turned and stared at me; and he knew me. The eyes of this man singled me out, for just a few seconds, but I had no explanation for this. I had sensed others in my own experiences with people, but never in return. When he turned away I was left with two distinct impressions upon my mind. The first was that this man was indeed the Jew’s Messiah. I could not explain this for He had none of the mannerisms of a great warrior, but I KNEW it.�

“The second realization was far more disturbing and required me to do a good amount of self-discovery to understand it. Joshua knew not only who I was, he knew what I was.�

“Since my earliest recollections, four thousand years ago, I knew only that I was different from those around me. I bled when cut; I cried when hurt; I ran when afraid; but I never changed from the child’s body in which I dwelt. Joshua had, in the instant we met, given me an answer I would never have found on my own. He also gave me something in that revelation that shook me deeply. By showing me what I was, he had shown me what I was not.�

“My place in the world in which I found myself was not an act of God, neither was it an act of the evil one whom the Jews called Satan. I was of the earth, created by nature, and as such I was bound to my place of origin or risk evaporating into eternity like a drop of water spilt from a jug on parched soil. I had powers others had not, but these powers had to conform to the laws of the universe. I was not a god and I was certainly not God. I could not create life, but as I later learned, I could change life.�

“I tested this the next day, as I was running from what Joshua had shown me. I passed a dead donkey on the side of the road and commanded it to come back to life. Nothing happened. Surely a being with as much power as I could bring back a simple mule, but it was not so. I had heard of the story of Joshua bringing his dead friend to life; I wanted to be able to do that but I could not.�

“I ran for two days until I reached the Middle Sea. Stopping and forcing myself to think had never been easy to me. My mind would never be still and the lack of control frightened me; but I had to think. For many days I sat near the sea thinking of Joshua and out brief encounter. By the sixth day I found something wonderful had happened to me. The voices in my head and the barrage of thoughts that assaulted me endlessly had stopped. In an instant I realized that the four thousand years in which I had been conscious were nothing but waste and rubble under my feet. Even my powers, which I had seldom used, no longer seemed important. All that mattered now was the answers that Joshua provided and the peace it gave my mind.�

“Another part of myself that I had to deal with, as I came to follow the ways of Joshua, was: How could I use my powers to help Him? Was I expected to, as I had heard him teach, leave everything to follow him? Surely, as a unique creature, I was expected to do more with my powers rather than less. So I resolved to return to the Jerusalem area, find Joshua, and ask him what I could do with him. If he needed weapons, I could provide them. If he needed soldiers, I could draw them in. If he needed to confuse the enemy, I had many ways to do that. The idea of fighting for something good had consumed me and I soon envisioned myself as Joshua’s lieutenant. I stayed near the shore for a few more days, planning and practicing the skills I might need in battle, but it was difficult for a person of my size to wield a sword. I had to find other ways to fight for Joshua.�

“I left the coast thirteen days after arriving. The trip back to Jerusalem was interesting, and I passed many people talking about Joshua and his miracles. On the second night of my journey I stopped at an inn for shelter against the cold. While at dinner, I heard two men talking about Joshua; he was dead, killed by the same Jews that had loved him so much. I was devastated, my entire plan for working with Joshua was gone and I had no idea what I should do.�

Merlin stopped here and took a drink of water from a bladder he carried over his shoulder, then offered one to Peter. Accepting hesitantly, Peter took a drink and asked, “Did you REALLY meet Jesus?�

“Yes, Peter, but his name translated to Joshua at the time.�

“Did you see him again?�

“Yes. A few days later I reached Jerusalem and started asking about the man Joshua. I eventually came across another group of people who seemed to know him. Speaking with them I learned that Joshua had come back to life, so I went to search for him. After another week of searching I gave up and left the city; that is when I saw him again.�

“To this day I’m not certain if I had seen him as a dream or as a real person. However, I do remember him approaching me and standing a few meters away. This is what I recall of the conversation:�

“Joshua?�

�Yes, my brother.�

“Are you the ‘Messiah,’ the one to set the Jews free?�

“Yes, I am.�

“What should I do now? I was going to go to battle with you.�

“My place on earth was never to fight wars, it was to change the hearts of those who would listen to me. Have I succeeded with you?�

“I knew and I sensed and I felt he had asked this question with full knowledge of my answer. When I told Him ‘Yes’ He looked into my soul again and I felt ashamed. He knew I wanted to fight, not to bring peace.�

“You can’t change the world by force, you must live a life that shows by example. You are unique in my Father’s creation, therefore much more is expected of you. The power that each person has, including you, must be pointed in the correct direction or it is wasted.�

“I had so many questions to ask him, but I was speechless, and as soon as he finished speaking he vanished. I have not, since that day, seen Joshua; all I had were a few comments and one conversation to remember him by. With a feeling of abandonment I started out on my trip home, hoping I would some day understand the meaning of his words.�

“Peter, this part of my life, everything you have heard me talk about was recorded in this book.� Merlin pointed to a book in his hand, the same one Percy had pointed out to him a few days (months?) ago.

“You were so committed to Jesus, I mean Joshua. Why did you change?�

“That is coming up next, Peter. It was a long and complicated story to put in writing. But I finally managed to give it a fair description. For now, to answer your next question, it is January 14, 1999 in your world, and I believe someone is looking for you.�

Merlin pointed to a spot behind Peter. Jumping up, hoping to see Percy, Peter was disappointed to see that it was another man, older and with a severe scowl on his face.

Please R&R, it makes for better stories!


Warning: PG-13 or R rating, depending on your point of view. This chapter contains adult situations and mild to moderate sexual references. Please close your eyes if you think you will be offended, or skip to Chapter 23. S.



Ron and Hermione began their wedding day, at three minutes past midnight, with Molly Weasley “interrupting� them.

Everything had been prepared for the day, but the preparations had frayed Molly’s nerves and she could not sleep. Walking down the stairs she heard muffled noises, the cracking and popping of green wood in the fireplace, and the familiar sounds of the parlor sofa squeaking as if someone was moving around on it. Turning the corner at the bottom of the stairs and following the noise, Molly saw Hermione, in the faintly lit parlor, tickling someone hidden by the back of the sofa. She presumed that it was Ron. Watching for a few seconds, Molly debated whether to interrupt them or not; Hermione was obviously still clothed, (at least from the waist up,) and judging by the sounds of the other person, whom she could now identify (thankfully) as Ron, the two appeared to be enjoying themselves and letting off tension before the ceremony. Molly thought back to her wedding day; she smiled and remembered her and Arthur doing much the same thing.

Though it took a long time, Molly had finally set aside her anger at Ron for getting Hermione pregnant. The main reason for this was that Ron had changed into a confident and loving man, more than he ever was. As she watched them play together, her memories drifted back to Charlie and a couple girlfiends he had brought back to that very sofa. Just like Charlie, Ron was now removing her...Merlin! For a second Molly seriously considered just walking quietly away, but that was just too much out of character for her. She did, however, retreat to the kitchen and make some deliberate noises before walking heavily back to the parlor.

“Oh! You two are still up?� Molly was not sure if her voice held enough surprise to get away with the comment, but she noticed that Hermione was, again, clothed and sitting next to Ron rather than straddling him.

“Hi mom!� Hermione replied, eyes wide, cheeks red, and breathing heavily.

Ron’s head appeared above the back of the couch, turned ninety degrees right, and he had a faint gloss of sweat on his forehead. “Yeah, wow, it must be late, maybe we should get to bed, Maya.� Looking down at himself, Ron snorted a laugh, and turned back to his mother. “Well, in a couple minutes.�

Hermione completely cracked up, understanding the reason for Ron’s last comment.

“Two minutes. You both have a long day ahead of you.� With that, Molly departed for another attempt at sleep. Walking up the stairs and turning down the hallway to her bedroom, Molly stopped at Ginny’s door and listened for a few seconds, then proceeded on her way.


“Shhhhh, Harry, mom’s coming up the stairs!� Ginny knew that Harry’s attempt to hide was absurd, her mother would see the obvious lump under her bed covers. Ugh! She would flay Harry alive...

Hearing her mother stop, and then continue down the hallway to her bedroom, Ginny jumped up and straightened her night gown. “Harry! Get up, Hermione will be here any second.� But the urgency in her voice came out more like a giggle as she pulled the covers off of Harry and started to pull him out of her bed.

“Foiled again!� Harry moaned, making sure his pajama top was buttoned correctly. Then jumping out of bed he took Ginny in his arms. “That was a lot better than our first try.�

Ginny lowered her face in embarrassment, remembering her birthday.

Taking his hands out of Ginny’s, Harry held her face and lightly kissed her. “I had no idea I could feel that way. Er—did you, um…�

Ginny’s face looked like a sepia photograph in the diffused moon light, but Harry could tell she was blushing. “I don’t know. It felt wonderful, but I don’t think so.� Then looking up, Ginny put a devilish look on her face and suggested, “I’ll ask Hermione. I’m sure she would know.�

But Harry wasn’t flustered. “Good idea, I’ll talk to Ron to see if he can give me a suggestion, or two.�

“HARRY! Don’t you dare.� Just then the two heard the bedroom door open. Hermione slipped in, she stuck her head back out the door for a few seconds, and then came back in. Fully closing the door this time, she sighed “I can’t wait for tonight.� But it came out more like a moan, then she leaned against the door frame, all the while not realizing she had an audience.

Harry crept quietly behind her and tugged on the elastic waist band of the pajama bottoms. “You know, Maya, it’s a sure give-away when you put the bottoms on backwards.�

Gasping in surprise, Hermione turned around and slapped Harry’s hand away, but she did so playfully and both Harry and Ginny saw a dreamy look on her face. Trying not to ruin Hermione’s obvious “emotional� state, Harry turned back to Ginny. “Yeah, Gin, I’d say Hermione would know the answer.� Then he gently moved her away from the door and slipped out.

“The answer to what, Gin?� Hermione said after a few seconds. Ginny just stood there, partly jealous and partly curious, not sure which emotion would win. Finally one did and she sat on her bed.

Hermione, how do I know when I’ve...�


_____

Harry was dreading going back to Ron’s room but he was exhausted from the events of the day and an hour of heavy snogging with his fiancé, so he just plunged in. Ron was lying in his bed, wide awake, but making no comments to Harry about his little sister. Slipping into bed, Harry said goodnight to Ron and turned on his side to sleep.

“Hey Harry?�

“Yeah, Ron.�

“Hermione told me something earlier tonight about you two.�

Bugger! “What’s that, Ron?�

“She said she made a pass at you.�

Harry knew this was going to come out at some point. “Yeah Ron, she did. That Friday night after she lost the baby.�

“Ok, thanks, mate. Good night.�

WHAT? “Ron, Hermione told you everything, didn’t she?�

“Sure, she said you were a perfect gentleman and chewed her arse out two or three times.�

“Yeah, I did. Was kinda’ rough the last time; I really lit into her.�

“That’s what she said. Thanks, she needs that sometimes. Harry, do I have anything to worry about?�

“Not from me, or anyone I know about, Ron. Did Hermione tell you what I did to her last Sunday?�

“No, what?�

“After I chewed her out I, um, I used Legilimancy on her.�

“You did what?� Ron sounded more surprised than annoyed.

“Hang on, mate, she was really upset about what had happened in August between us and I had to show her what her focus was. I mean, I just made sure she knew where her heart lay; with you, mate, it’s completely with you.�

“Thanks, Harry. What’s it like to see someone like that?�

“It’s hard to explain. That was the first and only time I did it with someone I cared about. I think Hermione’s feelings of trust for me made it easier. When you first become aware you are in another person’s thoughts the sensation is almost physical. It’s like watching a movie that’s real emotional, you can feel it as well as see it. I don’t know if that makes sense.�

“I guess. I’m going to have to try it sometime.�

“Do it with Maya, it will probably be a lot easier.�

“Yeah, I’ll do that.�

“Um, Ron?�

“Yeah Harry?�

“There is one other thing I think you should know.�

“You mean about you kissing Maya?�

“She told you?�

“Yeah, she said that next to sex it was the most sensual thing she had ever experienced.�

“RON, I DID NOT..." Harry heard Ron laughing and knew he had been teased.

“You wanker, I’ll get you!�

“Aw, Harry, I just couldn’t resist. Sorry, mate.�

“It’s ok.�

“You ready to take the plunge?�

“Yes, I am. The ceremony seems so superficial. In some ways I feel like we’ve been married for months, but without the ‘fringe benefits.’�

Harry chuckled at Ron’s reference. “Yeah, that’s something that Ginny and I have talked about, too.�

“Just talked about? I seem to remember seeing your bed empty when I came up here.�

“Ron?�

“Yes Harry, you have something to tell me?�

“No, get your mind out of the gutter. I was going to tell you that I would never do anything to hurt Ginny.�

“Yeah, Harry, I know.�

“Was it hard for you to accept me as Ginny’s boyfriend?�

“Not as Ginny Weasley’s boyfriend. As my little sister’s boyfriend, yeah, a little, at the start. But Maya put me in my place real quick.�

“She’s good at that.�

“Tell me about it.�

A long pause.

“Harry?�

“Uh, what is it Ron?�

“I don’t want to sound mushy or anything, but, well, I really appreciate your friendship and love.�

“Wow, Ron, does this mean we’re going steady?�

“Git!�

A short pause.

“Thanks, Ron. I know what you mean. Ginny and Sirius were the only two people I could have said that about until recently. I feet the same; it’s just hard to say. Now shut up and go to sleep.�

“Good night, Harry.�

“Good night, Ron.�


_____

“No, Gin, I don’t think so. Not that I’m an expert on it.�

“But I thought that...since you and Ron...didn’t you?�

Pause.

“Ginny, I’m not comfortable talking about this, it’s really personal. I mean, not that I don’t trust you, but, arrgggg. Look...�

“No, no, it’s ok. Sorry.�

“I should be the one saying ‘I’m sorry,’ Ginny.�

Pause.

“Look, Gin, it’s very different for a female. With a guy it’s obvious when it happens, but, ahhh, here, remember when you, no, forget that.� Merlin! “I guess the best way to describe it is that you’ll know when it happens. Yeah, that’s probably an accurate description.�

“Oh, ok, thanks.�

Pause.

“That wasn’t much help, was it?�

“Not really, no.�

“Ok, let’s try it this way. What you described to me would make me think that if you and Harry had continued a little longer you would have...you know...�

“We would have had sex?�

“No Ginny! Sex and, um, that, uhh, feeling, do not go hand-in-hand. In fact, only about twenty percent of female can have it with intercourse.�

“What? How else am I supposed to?�

Oh, Merlin, help me! “Ginny, didn’t your mother ever tell you...? No, I guess not.�

“I’m sorry, Maya, I can see this is making you really uncomfortable. Look, I’ll ask Madam Pomfrey when I get back to school. Or maybe Harry knows.�

“Ginny, if Harry knew I don’t think you’d be asking me.�

“I guess not.�

“Gin, you’ll know when it happens, seriously. If you don’t, have Harry talk to Fred or George, they claim they can make any woman...oh, never mind.�

Ginny then got out of bed and went over to Hermione and gave her a hug. “Thanks, Maya, I’m really going to miss you next week. But I don’t think you will miss me.�

Laughing, Hermione held Ginny for a long time, then kissed her cheek. “I love you, Ginny. I’m so glad you and Harry are part of our life.�

“I love you, too, Maya. You know, that was the first time I’ve ever heard you refer to you and Ron as ‘us.’ Well, good night.�

“Ginny?�

“Um-hm.�

“I need to tell you something.�

“Sure, what is it.�

“Back in August, right after I lost the baby and was drinking a lot. I, um, I made a pass at Harry.�

“Yeah, he told me.�

“He did? I’m sorry, Gin. I was really messed up. Harry was a perfect gentleman. Even the night before.�

“What happened the night before?�

“Oh, he didn’t tell you?�

“No!�

Hermione mumbles under her breath, “I guess there is such a thing as too much honesty.�

“That Thursday I came back from my parents, I got really plastered, I mean, completely pissed. I drank Harry’s entire bottle of Fire Whiskey. Merlin, was I sick.�

“Yeah, I guess so.�

“Well, um, I knew Ron wasn’t coming home so I thought that if...I’m really sorry about this, Ginny, I took my clothes off and waited in bed for Harry to come home.�

“Yes?� Ginny’s tone was more cautious now.

“But by the time Harry got home I started getting sick, frequently and violently. I don’t remember much except that Harry tried to dress me, and at one point I had my head and arm through the neck of a shirt. Ron told me later that Harry had to change me five times because I kept getting sick on everything.�

“Lucky Harry.� Said Ginny, coolly.

“Uh, yeah. Anyway, my plan obviously did not work. Ron came home to surprise me and took over for Harry. The next day I heard Harry yelling at Ron about me. It was humiliating.�

“I’ll bet. Hermione, did Harry do anything with you?�

“NO! At least I don’t think so. I think I would have remembered it if he had. I know he got an eyeful. Sorry, Gin.�

A long pause.

“Good night, Hermione.�

“Gin?�

“Good night, Hermione.�

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 23 – Commitments and Smiles

Please R&R, it makes for better stories!


Dawn, on the day of Ron and Hermione’s wedding, was clear and chilly. A high temperature of 7 degrees was expected and little or no wind. Arthur was up at 5 o’clock checking the tents and starting the heaters. Molly came down to the kitchen shortly after that and started breakfast. By six-thirty the entire house was up, even the four “kids� - all dragging and looking bushed. Molly set a variety of Potions on the table; Hang-over Helper, Pepper-up, and two others Harry had never seen. While trying to focus on the label of one, through his bleary eyes, Harry got as far as C-O-N-T-R…. before Molly walked by and took it out of his hand.

“Sorry, dear, wrong one.� She handed it to Hermione.

Ron was pouring hot chocolate for everyone when Fred and George burst into the kitchen. Looking like they were going hunting, but wearing only swim trunks, the twins started pulling Harry and Ron out of their chairs.

“Come on Harry.� Fred sang as he pulled Harry.

“Come on, ickle Ronni-kins� George “sang,� though clearly he did not have the vocal talent in the family.

“Oh nooo, what now?� Ron managed to moan.

“We’re off to the Fairling’s pond. No, no, mother, don’t worry. We spoke with the head man yesterday and he gave us his approval.�

“Approval? Approval for what?� Their mother asked, jaw clenched and face scowling.

Fred and George released their charges and sang together, “The Polar Bear Club.�

Fred continued the explanation. “It’s a quirky Yank tradition. You get up one winter morning and take a dip in a local water hole. But we’re luckier than most, the Fairling’s pond is spring fed so it remains a constant twenty-one degrees.�

“Absolutely NOT, I forbid it. You’ll all catch your death.�

Just then everyone heard Mr. Weasley pounce down the stairs. He was wearing trainers and his green and red robe. “Nonsense, Molly, I set up a tent with a heater, and Gerry will be joining us, too.�

“There, mum, see. We’ll be all snug with dad.�

Harry and Ron, who were usually game for this sort of activity, started dragging themselves back to the table.

“Ohhh, no you don’t Harry. If you’re going to marry my daughter then you’re going to have to join the family tradition.� Arthur proclaimed.

“What ‘family tradition,’ Arthur?�

“Well, dear, it’s new, actually.�

Harry looked over to Ginny. “Sorry Gin, the wedding’s off.� And he plopped back into his chair, followed by Ron.

Fred, George, and Arthur faced Molly, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione; it did not look good for the Polar Bear Club that morning. Just as they was about to give up a knock came from the back door and the perpetual squeak of the door’s hinges announced the entry of Remus Lupin. “Hey, what’s going on? Arthur, you said 7 o’clock, right?�

“Yes, Remus, but we have a bunch of party-poopers here.�

“I see.� Remus paused for a moment. “I didn’t want to do this. Ron, Harry, come with me.�

Remus walked toward the parlor; after exchanging glances, Ron and Harry followed after him. When the three of them had moved to the far side of the room Remus told them his secret.

“Harry? Ron? Go get your suits or I’ll have to speak the Arthur and Molly about your recent intimate activities.� Remus stood there with an evil grin on his face.

“What? That’s no fair, Remus, I’m getting married today, what does it matter if Hermione and I got a little head start?� Seeing that Lupin had not changed his expression, Ron looked to Harry.

“Yeah, Ron, but I’m not getting married today. Let’s get changed. Hey Remus, how did you know?� Again, no answer. The two dejected friends walked out of the parlor. Remus could tell when they reached the stairs, Fred and George started cheering. My, my, Lupin. You are GOOD!

A couple minutes later they returned with towels and waved goodbye to the women. But Arthur stopped everyone. “Say, Molly, why don’t you and the girls join us? It’ll be fun.�

“Ahem.�

“Yes Fred?�

“Dad, the Polar Bear Club swims in the buff.�

“IT DOES? Oh, that’s right. Well…�

“Hermione can join us.�

“George, I’m going to hex you into next year. Where’s my wand?�

“Sorry, GinGin…you can come, too.�

“No, I don’t think so, George.�

“OUT.� Molly yelled. “And be back soon!�


Harry found the cold, still morning air was actually refreshing, it certainly cleared his head. How the devil did Remus know? He could have seen Ron and Hermione through the windows, but not Ginny and me. About half way to the pond Harry motioned for Ron to drop back with him.

Remus, who was taking up the rear to prevent defections, was looking at Ron and Harry mischeviously.

“Ok, Remus, how did you know?� Asked Harry.

“Know what?� Remus put on an innocent face.

“Know that me and Ginny were…�

“Hmmm? What’s that, Harry?� Remus’ face remained the same.

Suddenly Ron started laughing at Harry, he had just figured out exactly how Remus “knew� what they had done. “REMUS, YOU WANKER!

“Something wrong, Ron?�

“You knew because we told you.� Ron started laughing again, but Harry had no idea what was going on.

“Harry,� Ron finally stopped laughing and filled him in, “Remus never saw anything. I suspect, though, that from HIS OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE he had an idea what I was doing.� Remus had a sly smile spreading across his face. “You just helped him along with that admission of yours.� Ron was shaking his head and started laughing again.

“Moony, is Ron right?�

Remus just continued smiling and picked up his pace.

“I have seen the enemy, and he is us.� Harry muttered to himself.


_____

By noon the guests had all arrived. The ceremony tent, the largest of the three, was warm and full of the cheerful sounds of celebration. Harry stood at the back of the tent with Ron, Fred, and George, waiting for the signal from Ron’s parents to begin. Leaning over to Harry, Ron asked, “Remember what we were doing twelve hours ago?�

Harry kept a straight face and replied, “Ron, I thought you’d be thinking of what you will be doing twelve hours from now.�

Ron cracked up, laughing so loudly some of the guests near them turned to see what was so amusing. Then hearing a muffled laugh, Harry looked behind him, he forgot Fred and George were behind him. There they stood, about to burst out in laughter.

Harry finally saw the signal from Molly and elbowed Ron; they both walked up the center aisle and faced the crowd, which had become completely silent. As the wizarding tradition required, Harry, as the best man, turned to Ron and held his hand out. Ron turned and handed Harry his wand which he placed in his robe pocket.

Of all the marriage traditions in the wizarding world, this was the only one Hermione had insisted upon. The legends of Merlin and the first wizards said that the man taking a bride must do so without the use of magic, and be able to defend her without his wand during the ceremony. It was believed that this tradition dated back to the times when the wizarding world and the Muggle world were one, and intermarriage was common. Ron scoffed at it in Harry’s presence, but Harry found it interesting that this tradition had survived all the rifts between the two worlds.

With the wand ceremony complete, Fred nodded to the classical guitarist, the only source of music in the ceremony, and he began a formal number.

George opened the canopy doors and Ginny entered the tent first. This was the first time Harry had seen her since breakfast and she took his breath away, literally. Harry knew there was a Muggle tradition that the maid or matron of honor should not outshine the bride, but Harry was wondering what could surpass his fiancé. “Close you mouth, Harry.� Ron whispered. Indeed, Harry’s jaw had dropped and Ginny had seen him, her smile becoming even brighter.

Following Ginny was Fred, George, and Patty Lee, Hermione’s friend from work. The Muggle tradition of a bridesmaid for each groom’s man was not typically used in the wizarding world. Molly had questioned Hermione about this but she only wanted Ginny and Patty.

After Fred and George, Molly walked slowly up the aisle and stopped half way up. Then Arthur Weasley escorted Hermione in and the crowd stood. Any worries Harry might have had about Ginny outshining Hermione were instantly dashed. Not only did Hermione look beautiful, she looked resplendent. Harry heard Ron utter the same gasp he had moments before with Ginny. The combination of a traditional white gown, and Hermione’s brown eyes and hair unhidden by a hat or veil, and the natural blush in her cheeks was stunning. Harry thought it might have been the only time in his life he saw someone more beautiful than Ginny, but then he remembered, Hermione wasn’t more beautiful, just different. As Arthur and Hermione walked up the aisle to Molly, Harry took hold of Ron’s arm. He did not need to say anything, the touch all he needed to convey a “well done!�

As the father-in-law to be met his wife, the three stood there and waited as Ron walked down the aisle to meet them. Traditionally, this was the spot where the bride’s parents “gave� their daughter to the groom, but under Hermione’s circumstances Molly and Arthur performed the duty. Giving Ron’s parents each a kiss, she turned to Ron and took his arm to approach the front of the tent.

The rest of the ceremony was complete a few minutes later and Harry walked to the center of the platform, followed by Ginny, to make the traditional closing statements.

“On behalf of Ron and Hermione, I would like to thank you for sharing in their celebration. Ginny?�

“This is not the end of a ceremony, it’s the beginning of a celebration. Please join me in welcoming, for the first time, Ron and Hermione Weasley.�

Harry and Ginny stepped aside to let Ron and Hermione walk forward. As they reached the front of the platform, the wedding party began clapping and was joined by the rest of the guests. Then Ron took his new wife’s hand and led her down the aisle. Harry and Ginny stood side-by-side, clapping. As the newlyweds reached the back of the tent, the remainder of the wedding party followed. Finally, Ginny took Harry’s hand and they walked toward the back of the tent.

“Think you can wait ten more months?� She asked Harry.

“Ten minutes seems difficult right now, Gin.� Reaching the rear of the tent, Harry placed his arm around Ginny and began directing the guests to the reception.


Late that afternoon, Harry walked with Ron from the tent to the Burrow. The two friends were silent, exhausted, and thrilled by the day’s events. Harry’s mind was jumping from one thought to another; Ron, Hermione, Ginny, school, his own wedding. But Ron appears fairly well focused. Harry observed amusedly.

“Well, Ron, this is it, eh?�

“Yeah, Harry. We’ll see you and Ginny next Saturday night for dinner, right?�

“Sure. Look, Ginny and I will be at the house tomorrow, cleaning and stuff...�

“’And stuff?’� Ron stopped and smiled at Harry’s slip of the tongue.

“Yeah, and stuff, Ron. Look, I’ll leave the lease on the kitchen table, you and Maya will have to sign it and send it back to Higgins & Bratt. Anything else we can do for you?�

Ron’s head was down for a moment, thinking; when he looked up he had a silly look on his face. “Nah, I think we’re all set. Pig can find us if there’s an emergency.� They both knew there would be no emergency.

“Sure you don’t want to let us know where you’re headed to?� The fact that Ron and Hermione had kept their honeymoon location a secret for so long was becoming an overnight legend at the Burrow.

“You joking, Harry? With Fred and George as brothers? I made Maya swear not to tell anyone.� Both friends laughed. Finally, Ron held his hand out for Harry who took it with both of his, then pulled Ron into an embrace. “Harry, there is one thing you could do for me.�

“Sure, what is it?�

“Hermione told me that she and Ginny had a talk last night, I mean this morning, about what happened between you two last August. I guess Ginny’s pretty angry with her. Could you talk to her?�

“Sure, Ron. I wouldn’t worry about it, they looked fine together all day.�

“Ok, mate. Well, we’re off.�

“See you.� Harry watched Ron walk into the house and turned to go back to the party.


As Ron and Harry were saying their good byes, the girls were in Bill’s old room checking to see that Hermione had everything. The day had started off with a chill between the two friends, but Ginny put aside her irritation at Hermione, until now.

“Look, Hermione, about last night. I’m sorry I brushed you...�

“Ginny, stop it. It was my fault completely. Did Harry tell you what he did to me Sunday when we went for that walk?�

“What do you mean ‘what he did to you?’�

“It’s not like that, Gin. Harry used legilimency to look inside my very messed-up head.�

“What? I...� But Ginny couldn’t find the right words to say.

“Ginny, Harry did it to show me where Ron stood in my life. There is nothing, absolutely nothing inappropriate between Harry and me. What I did back in August was a cry for help, not an attempt on Harry. Pleased believe me.�

Ginny did believe Hermione, but hesitated before answering. “Yeah, ok, I believe you. Thank you for telling me that.� Then, as if nothing had happened, Ginny hugged Hermione, kissed her cheek, and ushered her out the door. “I’ll see you next week, Maya. Have a wonderful time.� And Hermione went off to find Ron.


Late that evening, the remaining Weasley’s, the Fairlings, and Harry sat in the parlor. Over the past half hour everyone except Gerry and Deborah Fairling has changed back in to comfortable clothes. There was little talk, mostly everyone was tired. The noise from the kitchen, however, was causing Molly to jump every so often. Dobby and Winky had insisted that they clean up and Arthur insisted that Molly let them.

Once, Molly had looked into the kitchen and instantly wished she had not. There were piles of plates, some two meters high and leaning precariously against a cabinet or chair. The sink was overflowing an enormous mountain of suds; Winky’s legs could be seen entering them, but that was all. Every so ofter a plate would come flying out of the suds and Dobby would grab it, wipe it off, and place it into a stack of clean dishes.

“Molly, dear, let them do the work.� Arthur said, soothingly rubbing Molly’s shoulders and leding her back into the parlor.

“I say, Molly,� Gerry Fairling spoke up to distract her from the noises in the other room, “those two kids made a lovely couple, didn’t they?�

“Oh yes, Gerry, I can’t believe our youngest son is the first married.� Molly was dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

“Yes, Fred and George are lively ones, but they’ll settle down, I’m sure.� Then looking over to Arthur, who had picked up something to read. “What’s that you have there Art?�

ART? You could tell all the Weasley’s present had never heard Arthur called that.

After a few seconds, Arthur turned the paper over as if he were expecting, or hoping, that there was something on the other side. “Ger, it’s a copy of something Cornileus Fudge, a, uh, coworker of mine, gave me yesterday.�

“Dear! WHAT did that man want coming here?� Molly exclained, instantly defensive; her face had changed its expression from concern (about the dishes) to anger.

“Well, it seams that Peter Martin, that boy injured with Percy, kept a journal. Fudge got hold of a couple pages of it and gave it to me.�

“What does it say, Arthur?� Molly was not sure if she wanted to know, especially after seeing her husband’s face.

“Ah, maybe we should go. This looks like a family matter. Art, Molly, Thank...�

“Sit down, Gerry. You two don’t know about our older sons.�

“You have more sons? What, when?...� Deborah looked totally surprised, as did Gerry.

“Yes, we do, or rather we did.� Molly said, solemnly.

Harry saw a tear run down the side of Mr. Weasley’s face. Then Arthur turned to Harry and asked him to read the two short paragraphs.

“Oh, no.� Was the only thing Harry could say after reading it. The others jumped up and took the paper from Harry, each reading it quietly to themself.

“I’m so sorry, Molly,� Arthur said, looking at his stricken wife, “I had no idea it would be something like this.� Then he turned to Gerry and Deborah and started telling them about Charlie, Bill, and Percy. Ginny left the room almost immediately, but Harry stayed behind; there were many details of the final battle he had never been told, and the two oldest Weasley’s role was part of them.

When Arthur finished the story, with some of the missing pieces now filled in, courtesy of Peter Martin, Gerry got up and walked over to Arthur and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Art.� Deborah had already done the same thing with Molly. Fred and George just looked grim. Harry got up and left the room, heading upstairs.

“Mom, dad, I think Fred and I will head home now. We will be back in the morning to help clean up.� The twins stood up, and as a courtesy to the Fairling’s, left the room before apparating to their flat.

Molly looked at the three remaining adults. “Arthur, would you walk me to Bill and Charlie’s grave?� With a sad look on his face, Arthur crossed the room to his wife and led her to the back door. The Fairling’s followed at a proper distance. All four visited the site for a few minutes; Molly looked empty and drained, but she wasn’t crying. After a while the Fairling’s excused themselves and headed home, the Weasley’s following shortly thereafter.

Re-entering the kitchen, Molly saw that the mess from earlier was completely cleaned up, Dobby was just finishing wiping off the counter. “Arthur, I’m going to bed now.�

“Certainly, dear, I’ll go up with you.� Walking up the steps together, Molly tapped on Ginny’s door to say “good night,� but received no reply. Opening the door she looked inside and saw the room empty.

“Arthur, would you go up to Ron’s room and tell Ginny to go to bed?�

Arthur though for a second, sighed, and whispered, “No, dear, let them be together tonight.� Then he led his wife off to their room. Molly didn’t protest, this one time.

An hour later, Ginny woke up in Ron’s bed and noticed Harry sleeping in the chair. Waking him, she led him to his bed, kissed him good night, and left Ron’s room for her own.


_____

By 4 o’clock Sunday morning, Ron and Hermione had fallen asleep in each other’s arms. Sleeping in until almost eleven, Hermione woke up first and went to the loo, then to the kitchenette in their room. Pushing a button on the coffee maker, as the directions indicated, the machine started gurgling and spitting out coffee. The noise was loud enough to wake Ron.

“Sorry, Ron. I didn’t know it was going to be so loud.�

“No worries, Maya.� Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Ron smiled as he looked at Hermione. “When did you get that outfit? It looks great on you.�

Hermione walked back to the bed, leaned over and kissed Ron. “I’ve had it on all my life.�

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 24 – Snape’s Mistakes

Please R&R, it makes for better stories!


A/N: For those of you who didn’t like my characterization of Snape before, you’re really going to hate it (me) now. (My wife is still nagging me about making him Headmaster.) But don’t despair, keep the main plot thread in mind.


Sunday evening at the Burrow found Harry and Ginny on the sofa in the parlor, leaning against each other, asleep. Since early morning everyone had been busy taking down the tents, folding the chairs and tables, returning borrowed or leased items, picking up trash, and trying to regain some of the previous days cheer. Molly and Arthur had left early to visit Percy, but did not stay away long. Upon their return, Arthur went outside to help the family and Molly disappeared into the house until she rang the bell for lunch a few hours later.

The afternoon was much of the same, but by dinner the fields were clear and everything looked in order once again. Harry and Ginny had spent a couple hours getting Hog House ready for Ron and Hermione’s return. There was not a great deal to do except some general cleaning, changing the twin bed in Ron’s room to a queen size, and setting up Harry’s old room as a den. When they returned to the Burrow, Arthur broke out an old bottle of fire whiskey and gave everyone a shot, including Ginny. (Fred and George helped themselves to another when their mother was not looking.) Harry regretted the single shot he had; already tired, the alcohol was putting him to sleep. Dinner was leftovers from the reception, and Molly sent home a week’s worth of food with Fred and George.

By 7 o’clock only Molly and Arthur remained standing, watching their daughter and “son� nap on the sofa. “Arthur, they remind me of that last day Harry was unconscious at the hospital. I still wonder what was going on between them that week.� She did not need to say more; the only word anyone could use to describe it was “magic,� and that was inadequate. “Dear, why wouldn’t you go up to Ron’s room last night?� Molly asked this with a tenor of curiosity, not anger or reprehension.

“Mol, they needed each other then, just like they did in April. I don’t think Ginny realizes how much she’s carrying around inside her. She never mourned for Bill and Charlie, and Percy is almost a non-entity to her. You saw her leave last night when I started telling Deb and Gerry about, about...� But Arthur couldn’t continue, it was just too much in too short of a time for them to absorb.

“Well, Harry has to get back to Hogwarts, do you want to wake them? I’m heading upstairs.� Molly kissed her husband and touched both of her children’s heads lightly as she left the room.

Arthur remained a few more minutes, just watching and wondering about their future, then gently woke Harry. “I think Ginny’s out for the night. Would you carry her up to her room, please?� �Out for the night.� I used to say that about her when she was a child.

Harry nodded and picked Ginny up, carrying her up the stairs with ease. Arthur opened the bedroom door then pulled the covers back on Ginny’s bed where Harry set her down a few seconds later. Waiting at the door for Harry, Arthur watched him remove Ginny’s shoes and socks and loosen her belt and the top button of both her jeans and blouse. Then, for a moment, Harry seemed to just hover over Ginny, watching her, making sure she was safe. With a tender kiss on her lips, Harry left the room with Arthur’s arm around his shoulder.


_____

Monday morning at his room in Hogwarts, Harry found reality crashing back in around him. In one week the students would return, he had lessons to plan, a meeting with Rudy’s parents and uncle to conduct, and another meeting with Snape and Moody about the progress of their students. On Wednesday night he was dining with Remus, Tonks, and James. That was something he was looking forward to! Tonks was not able to go to the wedding, the baby was sick and she had been fighting a bad head cold. Harry knew she was heartbroken over missing the event, so he planned to bring pictures to fill in where Remus could not.

The school grounds felt empty and Harry found himself wondering down to Hagrid’s hut almost every day. But even this daily retreat did little for his sinking spirits, Hagrid had not been the same since Dumbledore’s death, and more so since the final battle. He seemed to be getting grayer and he was in obvious pain from arthritis in his knees. Harry knew Hagrid was at least sixty, and he made a mental note to look up the life span of giants. If Hermione was here I could ask... No, Harry realized, I have to do this myself.


Tuesday, while walking around the grounds, Harry came across Snape standing behind a large pine tree near the lake. He did not notice his former Potions teacher until they were only a few meters apart. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you,� Harry apologized, starting to back to the school. Snape, who had never flinched, motioned with his left hand for Harry to approach.

“Mr. Potter. Do you see something out near the center of the lake?�

Harry looked, but could not see anything unusual. “No, sir.�

“Nevertheless, something is happening. Would you be interested in taking a little swim?� Snape turned toward Harry and held out a handful of Gillyweed. “I believe you’re familiar with the use of this. Are you up it?�

Harry smiled very weakly and nodded. Stripping down to his pants, Harry took the disgusting plant and ate it; it tasted like eating raw rat tails. Walking into the frigid water shot waves of pain, like icy needles, into his legs, then stomach, and finally his head. Waiting for the gillyweed to finish his transformation, Harry noticed that the water warmed as his gills began to appear. After a minute or so, when Harry was breathing through the gills and no longer cold, he started off to the center of the lake.

With the webbed hands and feet it did not take long to reach the center of the lake, but twice he had to surface and look for Snape to point out the right direction. When he arrived at the location Harry did see something unusual happening. The water seemed to be filled with bubbles, thousands of them, millions, perhaps, and they were coming from the deepest part of the lake. Staying clear of the bubbles, Harry dove and swam to the bottom of the lake where he knew the Mervillage was located.

The bubbles appeared to be coming from a large depression just outside of the village. As Harry swam closer he saw a few mermen and mermaids standing around the edge of this depression. Approaching cautiously, Harry tapped one of the mermen on his shoulder. The head slowly turned toward Harry and he saw an old, sad face looking back at him. Startled, Harry left quickly and swam around a bit more. After making a complete circuit of the depression, Harry noticed that all the mercreatures were old and had a sad look on their faces.

Harry next looked around the village but found no activity whatsoever. With his time running out, Harry returned to the surface and swam to the shore near Snape. Sitting in shallow water for the last few minutes, Harry exited the lake when he felt the icy sensation return. Exiting the lake, Snape threw a drying spell on Harry while he rushed to put clothes back on. When finished, Snape motioned for Harry to follow him.

“Did you see anything unusual, Harry?�

“Yeah, a number of...� Harry stopped talking and froze in his place. Snape took a couple more steps then also stopped, turning back to look at Harry.

“Headmaster?�

Snape looked his usual self, same scowl, same long crooked nose, and same greasy hair; however, Harry had distinctly heard Snape address him as “Harry.� Snape did not say anything for a few seconds, he seemed to have noticed what he had said, also. Then, to Harry’s further surprise, Snape asked Harry the same thing Harry was asking himself. “Did I just call you ‘Harry,’ Potter? Never mind, if I did it was an accident. What did you find?�

Harry gathered his thoughts and continued his report. “I saw few merpeople, and all the ones I saw were old and looked sad, like they were in mourning. The village...sir, why did you call me ‘Harry?’�

Snape stopped again and looked at Harry as if he were an annoyance. “I don’t know, Potter. But don’t worry, it won’t happen again. Continue.�

GIT! “Um, the village was empty and looked sort-of dead.�

“’Sort-of dead,’ Potter? A very professional observation. Do you know what happens to a merperson when they die?� Harry had no idea and shook his head. “They turn into foam if they die on the surface, if under water, into millions of bubbles. I performed a number of tests on the lake water today and there is nothing wrong with it; however, our observations say otherwise.� Snape paused again, looking at Harry, almost as if he were trying to read his mind. “Harry, something is very wrong, please let Moody know that I wish for both of you to dine with me tonight.� Then Snape turned away and headed quickly back to the school.

Harry stood there, stunned. Twice in a minute Snape had used his given name, and he was quite sure that it was not a slip of the tongue. What’s going on? Indeed!


“No, Harry, I don’t believe it was an accident, but it’s very curious. I’ve been seeing reports, informal, scattered, and with no obvious pattern, about this type of personality change, but the reports started well before 9/19. They have to be connected and I suspect that they are happening only in our world. Muggles would have seen this in their kind long ago. Harry had walked straight from the lake to Mad-Eye’s office and told him about Snape’s two “mistakes.�

“Until I started noticing these,� Moody pointed to the small stack of personal and unofficial looking memos, “I thought the 9/19 event was isolated to that day, to spells and to the things we’ve seen, like with Rudy Keane. Changes in personality are well outside the realm of magic, unless there is a mass Imperious Curse, which seems highly unlikely. This worries me, Harry. Something is very wrong, somewhere.�

“Yeah, Snape said the exact same thing.�

“Harry, you need to address Snape as ‘Headmaster’ or ‘professor.’ This is common courtesy with school staff.�

Sheesh, Moody sounds just like Dumbledore. “Ok, it’s just hard to break a seven year-old habit. Did you notice any patterns in the people affected?�

“Not really. Some became more irritable, some less, some showed symptoms like Severus.�

“What about common threads? I know we can’t tell with students from other schools, but were the ones from Hogwarts all from one house or another?�

Moody looked stunned for a moment; he had not even considered this possibility. “Damn good, Harry! I hadn’t thought about that sort of classification.� Moody drummed his fingers on his desk and looked deeply thoughtful. “I’ll have one of the office secretaries check the records and see if there is any commonalities like that. Good idea, Harry.�

“Have you heard anything about the Ministry’s investigation?�

“No, I’ve heard rumors of something happening at their last meeting in early November, but nothing concrete, and they haven’t met since then. Why not pop over to the Ministry and talk to Fudge? I’d do it but I think you would behave in a more civil manner than me.�

Harry had no desire to meet with Fudge, especially after what he had shown Mr. Weasley, but Moody was the boss. “Ok, I’ll get changed and see if he has some time today. And Snape wants us to sit with him at dinner tonight.�

“Thank you Mr. Potter.� Mad-Eye spat out Harry’s name in a perfect imitation of Snape, then looked up to see a startled expression on Harry’s face. “Don’t worry, Harry, I DID say that on purpose.�


_____

The Ministry of Magic was quiet this time of the day; most of the witches and wizards being off to lunch. Harry walked down a couple aisles just to see if he recognized any names, but nothing looked familiar. Walking back to the information desk, Harry asked for directions to Fudge’s office. After more hallways, an elevator, and another hallway, Harry found himself outside the office of the Assistant Secretary for Muggle Relations, Cornelius Fudge. Harry could hear someone writing inside the office and knew it had to be Fudge. Trying to suppress his lingering anger with Fudge, Harry knocked on the door.

“Yes, come in.� Fudges voice had not changed much, but he did sound irritated and anxious.

“Good afternoon, sir.�

“Harry Potter! What a surprise, come in, come in. Have a seat. How are you, my boy?� Fudge was turning on his charm, in all flavours.

“I’m well, sir. Do you have a few minutes?�

Fudge had an odd expression on his face, and looked out his door before answering Harry. “Certainly, Harry, anything for you. What’s on your mind? Looking for a job in the Ministry?�

You’ve got to be kidding! “No sir, actually I came to see if you can give me any additional information on the 9/19 events.�

Fudge had never referred to the “phenomena� as the “9/19 event� and it took him a moment to make the connection. Then his expression was not one Harry expected.

“Harry, it’s lunch time, let’s go out for a bite, eh? My treat.� Before Harry could answer, Fudge took his Muggle coat and hat, leaving his formal Ministry robes behind, and dragged Harry out of the office. He did not say a word until they were well away from the building and into the crowds of Muggle London.

“What was that about?� Harry asked, and none too politely.

“Harry, walk with me to the park and I’ll fill you in. For now, just act and speak like we were old friends. I’m glad you stopped in.�

Harry had no intention to speak with Fudge like he was an old friend. Of all people, he could have done the most to help Dumbledore when he was Minister of Magic. Instead he chose to ignore reality and it had cost the lives of many good people. Walking a few blocks, Fudge pointed at a sidewalk cafe. “They have excellent Bangers and Mash, shall I buy two?� Before Harry had a chance to turn down the offer, Fudge had already placed the order.

Watching the Muggle pedestrians walk by seemed so odd. Harry had become used to the relatively quite life at Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and the Burrow; here there were simply too many people.

“Here you are, Harry. Let’s walk to that park there.� Harry followed Fudge, carrying his bag of food and the water bottle Fudge had purchased for him. After nearly being run over by a taxi, Fudge led Harry over to an unoccupied bench and started to open his lunch. “Eat up Harry, I want it to look like we’re just talking.�

“Pardon me, but we are just talking.� The paper bag remained closed on the bench next to Harry, but he did open the bottle for a drink.

“Harry, something is going on...with Scrimgeour, or with another higher-up in the...Ministry. Eat.� Between chewing his food, Fudge’s tone indicated urgency, so Harry slowly started opening the bag. “Harry, do...not repeat this...to anyone you do...not completely trust. Do you...understand?�

“Mr. Secretary, I really don’t want to talk to you about this, or anything for that matter. I’m here at the request of Alastor Moody. We’re trying to see if there’s a connection to the widespread events of 9/19 and some other things we’ve noticed.�

Setting his food down, Fudge went directly to his point. “Harry, at our last meeting we started discovering a connection between Percy Weasley and the “events,� as you call them. One of the board members, Elvira Tumult, was walking us through some remarkable discoveries she had made many years ago. But before she could finish, Scrimgeour cut her off and dismissed the committee.�

“Dismissed it? For how long? Why?�

“We received a notice that we were to meet again next week. This time without Madam Tumult, the witch seems to have opened a can of worms and Scrimgeour wants it shut.�

“Do you think the Minister was trying to cover something up?�

“Oh yes, he certainly was doing that. But the only reference he made to Tumult’s comments was that ‘her work was sacrilegious.’�

“Can you tell me what she was talking about at the meeting?�

“I can do better than that. Here, take this.� Fudge reached into his trouser pocket, spilling part of his lunch as he did, and handed Harry a small round stone about the size of a marble. “Harry, that’s my memory from the meeting. It’s only good for a single use and you should dispose of it when you are finished. Use it just as you would a pensieve. I’ve added a few personal observations at the end. Eat, Harry. Or at least pretend you’re eating.�

Still not opening the food, Harry challenged Fudge. “You just happened to have this ready for me?� Sarcasm and mistrust were clearly evident in Harry’s question.

“Harry, Scrimgeour is trying to squash the committee’s work, and as far as I knew, we were the only group doing any investigation. It may be nothing at all, then again, it may be significant. I can’t do much looking when I’m right under the Minister’s nose. When you mentioned 9/19, I was happy to find another group investigating this mess; that’s why you have that memory.�

Fudge turned away from Harry and started eating the remains of his lunch. Harry eventually joined him, taking a few bites of sausage, but his mind was on the stone he now held. A few more minutes went by, and Fudge finished eating. Collecting his things, the Secretary offered his hand to Harry as he said good bye. “Harry, it was good to see you again. Please be very careful about who you talk to.� Fudge paused for a moment when Harry refused his hand and added. “Harry, I’m sorry about the things I did, or didn’t do, in the war; especially the people I hurt. I may have been a fool, but I never meant anyone harm.� Then he walked away.

Harry ate a few more bites of his lunch and then threw the rest into the rubbish bin as he walked out of the park. Fudge has always been dramatic, Harry remembered. What’s so special about this memory? Otherwise, Harry felt like he had wasted a couple hours, though Fudge’s apology did sound sincere.


_____

Dear Gin,

We knew this would happen so I’m not really surprised I couldn’t get back to the Burrow this week. I’ve seen Hagrid a couple times and he is slowing down more. Even Fang can tell something is wrong; he just rests at Hagrid’s feet looking sadder than usual, if that’s possible.

Ginny, something is going on here and at the Ministry; I hardly know where to start. Moody and I have talked about this, but please don’t tell anyone. Earlier today Snape called me “Harry,� twice. He seemed annoyed at himself, but Mad-Eye thinks something is happening to him related to the 9/19 events, or even before then. He sent me off to see Fudge and I had a very odd meeting. Fudge has become very secretive on the subject of the Ministry’s investigation. He gave me a memory to read, saying it might help me understand some of the committee’s problems. Now I feel like a spy receiving stolen plans. I’m going to speak with Snape and Moody tonight at dinner about it.

Tomorrow I’m having dinner with the Lupin’s. I wish you could join us but I’ll be seeing you on Saturday. With Ron, Hermione, and you gone it gets lonely here and I don’t think Snape has improved his ‘appreciation of my personality’ enough for me to have a drink with him!

Off to dinner now, I can’t wait to see you.

All my love,

Harry

_____

Snape and Mad-Eye had no problems eating roast chicken at dinner. Harry, on the other hand, found his appetite lacking. Snape appeared to be his old self again; rude and hateful, though Harry wondered if he was forcing himself to act in that fashion as a way to hide whatever was affecting him. Eventually Harry had something to eat, but he still finished long before Snape.

“Potter, when will Ms. Granger, pardon me, Mrs. Weasley, be back?�

“She returns this Saturday.�

“Good. Please ask her to contact me as soon as she can. Moody, any new news?�

“Only what I showed you earlier, Severus. Harry has some more information, I believe.� Snape snorted, acting like Harry’s “news� was of no importance.

“Sir, you yourself said ‘something was very wrong,’ have you changed your mind?�

Snape dropped his fork and looked up slowly to answer Harry. “No. I can’t deny it. You were not the only person who noticed a...vocabulary slip, Potter. I am puzzled, however, by the lack of change I feel within myself. When I used your given name I did so with no forethought, it was just as natural as calling dung ‘dung.’�

“I see you haven’t lost your sense of humor, Severus.� Moody thought Snape’s choice of words funny, Harry did not, and vented his anger at Mad-Eye.

“Yeah, very funny, Mad-Eye. But you haven’t had to put up with him� Harry pointed his finger at Snape, “for eight years.� The words were out of Harry’s mouth before he realized what he had said. Unlike Snape, however, Harry knew it was his frustration talking, not a personality change that caused the remark. Moody’s smile disappeared with Harry’s remark and he tried to distract Snape’s imminent wrath by correcting Harry himself.

“MR. POTTER, whatever personal feelings you have toward the Headmaster you will remember his position deserves and requires your respect. Am I clear?� Moody was either very serious, or a very good actor, Harry was not sure which. Turning to Snape, Harry apologized.

“Never mind, Potter. I was not completely undeserving of that comment.� Snape just stared at Harry, as if waiting for another apology.

“Professor Moody is right, Headmaster, regardless of my personal feelings, you do not deserve my rudeness.� While Harry no longer felt the hatred towards Snape that had consumed him for years, it was still difficult to ignore his blatant impoliteness. The tension in the room was palpable and Moody was intrigued by the change in Snape, but it was also distracting them from the reason for their meeting.

“Severus, let’s talk about 9/19. Did Mrs. Weasley find anything before she left?�

Snape gave Moody a particularly nasty look but nodded his head. “Yes, let’s get back on topic. Mrs. Weasley wrote me a report of her investigations shortly before she left for holiday. Her efforts had not turned up anything of consequence. I fear that she may be in over her head; there may simply be too much material to review. Unfortunately we don’t have the luxury of a multitude of researchers hunting for our ‘needle in the haystack.’�

Harry still had not told Snape or Moody about his conversation with Fudge, but this seemed the appropriate time. “Um, I think I might have an idea why Hermione is not finding anything.� This did get the attention of the other two men. “When I spoke with Fudge this afternoon he mentioned that there might be an organized effort to suppress any information about what happened on 9/19. Fudge said this included a document used to make a connection between some events around 450 A.D. and the 9/19 events. He also said the witch who presented this information was dismissed from the committee by Scrimgeour and all the members were told to forget what they heard because it was sacrilegious.�

Both Moody and Snape were watching Harry very closely and listening to his report. However, it was Snape who appeared most impressed with the information. “When did Fudge give you this information?�

“About noon today. He wanted to speak with me outside of the office; he was acting paranoid about the entire situation.�

“Well, apparently he had reason to be paranoid.� Snape shot back. Then with a look of resignation he finished his news. “Cornelius Fudge ‘retired’ from the Ministry about an hour ago. Scrimgeour sent out the news, praising Fudge for his hard work during the war which had led to an emotional breakdown. He’s retired to Darbin, the bulletin said.� Snape finished, but the look on his face begged a question from Harry.

“Where’s Darbin? We can still talk with him if we need more information.�

“There is no Darbin, Potter. That name was used for years during Grindelwald’s reign of terror in the early 1940’s. The Ministry, particularly the Department of Magical Research, often referred to this non-existent place as the location where they held Grindelwald’s followers. After Dumbledore’s defeat of Grindelwald in ’45, everyone assumed the prisoners were moved to Azkaban, but few ever were.�

“What happened to them?�

“Potter, what do you think happened to them? They ‘disappeared.’ Darbin never existed, it was more of a death sentence than a location.�

“Nice, but why was the Department of Magical Research so involved with this place?� Harry asked.

Moody answered this one. “Harry, Aurors used to be under the Department of Magical Research, until about 1960, I believe it was. No one wanted the Aurors, even good Aurors, under the direct control of the Minister of Magic. They felt it gave him too much power.�

“Excellent, Alastor. But you left out one piece of information.� Snape acted as if he had been brushing up on his History of Magic.

Moody thought back almost forty years to his first years as an Auror. I graduated from Auror school in ’59...first job a few weeks later...reorganizations started in ’60...attended the International Association of Aurors in late ’60...the convention was... “Scrimgeour! He was the one responsible for the reorganization. I remember him addressing the IAA convention in 1960. I’ll be sha...�

“That’s right, Alastor.� Snape broke in. “Very good. However, I don’t believe that the Minister’s actions are as obvious as that. He’s shown a willingness to wait forty years to have control of the Aurors. He may simply be power-happy. What could be in that document he’s trying to suppress?�

Harry had been listening to Moody and Snape go back and forth. When Snape asked his last question Harry remembered Fudge’s memory and he jumped up, a little to eagerly. The table was partly upset and Moody’s plate was dumped in his lap. “Sorry. Sorry, Moody!� Harry dug into his pocket and pulled out the marble-shaped object. “Here. Fudge gave this to me at lunch today, he said it was his memory of the last meeting of the Ministry Investigation Committee.� Harry sat down; the consequences of his meeting with Fudge had just registered. “He must have known something was going to happen. He told me he was waiting to find anyone outside of the Ministry committee who might be looking at the same information. Fudge got me out of the building as fast as he could and was acting very strange, very paranoid. I guess he had a reason.�

Suddenly Harry felt like he was back in the war all over again. He disliked Fudge for his actions, thought him a buffoon and coward, but he did not deserve to “disappear.� Moody and Snape were speechless, then started to talk between themselves, ignoring Harry. Quietly excusing himself from the table, Harry left Moody and Snape to decide the next actions by themselves. Heading back to his room, Harry made it just in time; he ran to his toilet and emptied his stomach.


_____

Wednesday morning Remus Lupin was planning to visit a Pediatric Healer with Tonks and James. His wife’s cold had cleared up but the baby still had a deep cough and was cranky. Probably due to lack of sleep. I can identify with that. The day was cool but not cold or windy so the parents decided to walk the short distance to the office, located behind a Muggle Asian grocer. After arriving, Tonks sat in the waiting room and tried nursing James to sleep; Remus went up to the desk to fill out some paperwork. After finishing the forms he returned the clipboard, pen, and three sheets to the receptionist and took a seat next to Tonks.

A few minutes later an aid called for “James Lupin� and Tonks took the baby into the examination area while Remus dozed in his chair.


“Mr. Lupin, Mr. Lupin. Please wake up.�

Remus had fallen asleep and was dreaming of sleeping; a real good nights sleep was his most active fantasy these days. Now there was an aid above him shaking him. Where are Tonks and James?

“Yeah, yeah. I’m awake.�

“Would you please follow me? The Healer on duty would like to speak with you and your wife.�

Too tired and sleepy to care about much of anything, Remus just followed the woman through a couple doors and down a long hallway. “In here, please.� Remus saw Tonks sitting, holding James. But the expression on her face woke him up instantly.�

“What’s wrong? Is James alright?�

“I wouldn’t know. I waited for an hour in here before that idiot of a Healer came in and said he wouldn’t look at James.� Tonks was near tears, something that almost never happened. Her hair had turned fire red and looked like she had put her finger in an electric socket.

“He ‘wouldn’t’ or ‘couldn’t’ see James?�

“Remus, he refuses to treat James because his father is a werewolf.�

“I’m not a werewolf. Where is this git?�

“He said he would return shortly, of course that was twenty minutes ago.�

“Let’s give him five more minutes.� Sitting down next to Tonks, Remus tried to calm himself, but he did not have the opportunity. The Healer walked in, without knocking, just as Remus sat.

“Mr. Lupin, your wife asked me to explain to you why we can’t treat your child. This practice can’t expose itself and it’s patients to a possible infection from a werewolf or any of their immediate family members...�

Remus was boiling inside from the first moment the Healer walked into the room. He had not offered his hand, even a gloved hand. The more the man said, the more infuriated Remus became.

“I am NOT a werewolf, and haven’t been for over three months. Whatever was in me that transformed me is now gone. My son has shown no signs whatsoever of infection, either. How can you stand there refusing us on these grounds?�

“I’m sorry, there is nothing I can do. I have to ask you and your family to leave this facility immediately and not return. If you do not, I will be forced to notify the authorities.� With that the Healer turned and left the office.


_____

Wednesday morning Harry woke with a headache that reminded him of his worse days fighting Voldemort. The pain was not coming from his scar, but that did not matter. He wished Ginny were lying with him, if for no other reason that to distract him from his lingering thoughts generated by yesterday’s dinner meeting. Dragging himself out of bed and to the loo, Harry found he had to force himself to do every little action. As his mind started clearing, Harry went through his schedule for the day. Moody at eight for plans; Snape at ten to arrange a special Potions lesson for the seventh year DADA students; a quick trip to visit Hagrid before lunch; lunch; meet with Rudy’s father and uncle, probably a waste of time; Dinner at Grimmauld Place. At least the day will end pleasantly.

Harry started to leave his room when he heard a tap on his window. Looking back he saw Pig pecking the window with his beak and grasping a large envelope with his small talons. Opening the window, Pig fell into the room leaving the envelope on the window stool, he then hopped up to Hedwig’s cage where the two owls started jabbering. Examining up the envelope, Harry noticed immediately it was heavily padded with something rigid inside. Turning it over he saw his name in Ginny’s handwriting. Ok, the day is getting better. Harry sat on the bed and carefully opened the top flap, then shook out a wrapped gift and a letter.


Dear Harry,

I miss you, too, and I’m counting the hours till Saturday. I’ll be on the express so I should arrive about four. I was so surprised by your letter, I knew you must be lonely with nobody there except Snape and Moody (And Filch.) But you sound like you have your hands full. You can tell me all about it in three days. Your comment about Snape is REALLY odd.

Mom took me to Diagon Alley after I received your letter and suggested that this gift might help you pass the time a little easier. I hope you enjoy it. Dad and I are heading to Muggle London later to buy me some new blue jeans, I’ll never understand why we don’t carry them in Diagon Alley.

Well, my love, be good and don’t let Snape get under your skin. I live for the time we can be together all day – and night.

Your Gin

Harry noticed that the letter smelled flowery, like Ginny’s hair, and for a moment he forgot every care and worry. Eventually, curiosity about the gift brought Harry out of the self-induced trance and he started to open it.

The gold-framed picture of Ginny, wearing the same clothes she wore for her seventeenth birthday, melted Harry’s heart and he did nothing for the next ten minutes but look at his fiancé. It was not a wizard photograph, like the one he kept of his parents, but the artistry of the picture was superb. Setting it on his night stand, Harry went off to breakfast feeling considerably better than he had a half-hour before.


Harry’s morning meetings went quickly and painlessly, or at least as painless as a meeting can go with Snape. Leaving the building in a light rain late morning, Harry threw a rain repelling spell above himself to keep from becoming drenched. He reached Hagrid’s hut but did not even have the chance to knock; Hagrid, knowing he was coming, had been waiting for him, and opened the door just as Harry raised his arm to knock.

“Hello ’arry. ‘ow are yer today?� Pulling him into an embrace, Hagrid rubbed his knuckles on the top of Harry’s head just as he always did.

“Hi Hagrid, how are the knees today?�

“Oh, yeh know. I can tell I’m alive every day because of the pain in my knees, but I’m not complainin’.�

Chatting for a while, Harry thought Hagrid looked better today, but he did notice something else about him that concerned him deeply. Hagrid had lost weight, perhaps not a lot of it, but a noticeable amount. He hid much of it with his bulky clothes, but Harry knew something was wrong. Unfortunately, Harry did not have the time today to bring it up with Hagrid and left with only twenty minutes remaining before his next meeting.


_____

“Hello, Rudy, good to see you again! You must be Rudy’s father.� Harry introduced himself, “and please, everybody call me ‘Harry.’�

“Liam Keane, a pleasure to finally meet you. My brother told a great deal about you. Tiernan?�

Harry looked suspiciously at the man standing a half step behind Rudy’s father.

“Hello Harry, Tiernan Keane, class of ’76. Good to see you...again.�

Huh? “I’m sorry, not trying to be rude, but have we met?�

“Well, it was more me meeting you than us meeting each other. I was in the emergency room at St. Mungo’s when you were first brought in. I was volunteering there at the end of the war. I made the very serious mistake of trying to move a lovely red-haired girl away from you so the Healers could get to work.� Turning his head, Tiernan pointed to a faint scar. “I even have the proof.� Tiernan was obviously not concerned with the event, he laughed it off as if it were a joke.

“Well, you get points for bravery, Tiernan.�

“Harry, was that Ginny?� Asked Rudy quietly.

“Yes, Rudy, and she asked me to tell you ‘hello’ and that we would all get together next month for dinner with Ron and Hermione. You still hanging around with Lisa and Carol?�

Rudy instantly blushed and mumbled something sounding like “Oh, sure.�

Liam was delighted to see Rudy had an excellent rapport with Harry. He also knew of Ron and Hermione from Tiernan’s stories months back. “Well, you two sound like old friends. Who’s this Ginny?�

“Rudy! You didn’t tell your father about your new girlfriend?� Harry was enjoying the joke but quickly let Rudy off the hook. Turning to Liam he explained. “Ginny Weasley is my fiancé, Liam, she’s in her seventh year.�

Tiernan had not heard of this, either. “This should be an interesting story.� Rudy’s uncle was looking directly at him, but he also had a smile on his face. “Say Harry, are you related to James Potter?�

The unexpected question shocked Harry. “Oh, um, yeah James is, was my father.� Then seeing Liam’s curious expression, Harry finished his explanation. “James was my father. Both he and my mother were murdered by Voldemort when I was a year old.�

“I’m sorry, Harry. I knew James my last two years here and forgot that he died. Then Lily Evans must have been your mother?�

Harry just nodded, but then realized something. How could Tiernan know about Lily? She did not start seeing his father until a couple years after Tiernan had left Hogwarts. But Harry’s face must have shown his question because Tiernan explained further. “Harry, I knew Lily about a year before your parents started at Hogwarts. I babysat for her and her sister off and on one summer; it must have been between my second and third year. Your mother was a delightful girl, but her sister could put a sour face on a lemon. She had a flowery name, too, didn’t she?�

“Uh, yeah, Aunt Petunia.�

“That’s right, Petunia. Well, enough of this reminiscing. Are you ready to start interrogating my nephew?� Everyone laughed except Rudy who just looked a little scared.

“Nah, no worries, Rudy. This is really just a formality. Whenever a student injures a teacher we have to do an interview and write a report that no one ever reads.�

“Sounds like my job.� Tiernan joked.

“Oh, one other item before we begin. Liam, I want to compliment you on the work you did here. Everyone loves the design and especially the warmth in cooler weather. The old dorms were about as much fun as an outside tent in the dead of winter.�

“Thank you, Harry; it certainly was an interesting job.�

“So, shall we go into the Hall and find ourselves a table?�

Harry led the three Keane’s into the Great Hall where a single table had been placed, with five chairs around. As they approached, Harry saw Dobby waving at him and he delivered a cart with tea and cakes for a snack.

“Alright Rudy. Let’s talk about what happened that day.�


“And that’s it. Rudy, would you please read over this and make sure it’s factually correct? Then I’ll send it off to never land.� Harry removed the enchantment from the pen so it would stop recording their conversation and slid the parchment to Rudy.

“May I interest anyone in tea?� Tiernan stood to get a cup and waved Harry down when he started to stand to help. Liam joined them after Tiernan and Harry had gotten their cups.

“Say Harry, I have two daughters younger than Rudy. Margaret is 8 and Mary 6. Is there any way to know if they will have magical abilities?

“Sometimes, Liam. Just observe them; if they have natural magical abilities you’ll see and hear of strange things happening to them. I used to grow my hair back right after my aunt had it cut.�

After tea and a brief walk around the building, the Keanes departed. Harry stopped by Snape’s office to give him a verbal report on his meeting, then returned to his room to wash up and change for dinner.


_____

“Harry! Come in, why are you knocking? This is as much your house as ours.� Remus took Harry’s cloak and after hanging it up, walked him to the first Floor parlor where Tonks was feeding James.

“Hi Harry!� Tonks called out cheerfully.

“Hey, Tonks. How’s my favorite nephew?�

“He’s doing much better this evening. He had a cough the past few days but it seems better now. Wanna burp him?�

Not quite sure what he had to do, Harry accepted. “Um, sure. What do I do?�

Tonks reached under the blanket she had across her shoulder and chest, apparently fiddling with something, then she took the blanket off and Harry saw James wide awake, looking at his mother. “Ok, Harry. Remus, give Harry one of those cloth diapers, will you?� Remus handed him a clean but worn cotton diaper.

“Harry, you don’t hold the diaper with your hand. Put it over your shoulder.� Remus showed Harry how to prepare for “burping.� There, now take James...that’s good. Support his head, now put him over your shoulder. No, not that much. There, perfect. Now comes the fun part. You want to pat him on the back until he burps or vomits, either one works.�

Tonks was greatly amused by Harry’s lack of experience, but he seemed to be having a good time. After a minute or so, she heard Remus. “Uh oh, Harry. I don’t suppose you have another shirt with you?�

“Why? Oh! Um, I guess he didn’t burp.� Harry handed James back to Tonks and looked to his left shoulder where he saw a fair amount of thick, yellow-white liquid running off the diaper and down his back.

“Here you go, Harry.� Remus took the diaper and pulling out his wand said “Scourgify,� and Harry’s shirt was instantly cleaned.

“Thanks, Remus.�

“Say Harry, Remus told me about the trick he played on you and Ron before the wedding. I thought it was priceless.�

Harry blushed, both for his part in playing the fool and because both Remus and Tonks obviously knew that he and Ginny had been doing a little more than snogging. “Uh, yeah, Ron and I were, um, thrilled, too.�

“Don’t worry, Harry,� Tonks said, looking at Remus, “Passion is a hard thing to fight, sometimes. Eh Remus?�

“No idea what you’re talking about, dear.� Both Harry and Tonks noticed Remus getting a bit red, too.

“Sure, Remus, dear. I know. Say Harry, have you and Ginny started making wedding plans yet?�

“Just a little, we’ve booked the Great Hall at Hogwarts and the front grounds, but besides that we won’t be starting the details until next month.�

“Wow, Hogwarts in October is beautiful. I can’t wait.� Tonks noticed that Harry had an “I can’t wait� look on his face, also.

“Well, shall we continue this over dinner?� Remus said, handing James to Tonks. “I’ve been working on this all afternoon.�


“He said what? Exclaimed Harry loudly. Remus had just finished telling Harry about their trip to the Healer that morning, and he was glad he had waited until after dinner, too. Harry was obviously upset and did not eat when he was upset.

“Yeah, pretty sad, isn’t it?� Tonks added with a frown. “Remus has all ready written a couple nasty letters. In the meantime, we will just take James to our usual Healer. He’s never had scruples about who he associated with.�

The rest of the evening was more pleasant except when he told Remus and Tonks about Fudge. Remus seemed skeptical about Snape’s Durban comments, but Tonks looked a little worried. Trying to change the subject, Harry started talking about Ron and Hermione’s wedding and passed around pictures, telling stories about this and that happening. Tonks loved Harry’s thoughtfulness but frequently sounded irritated about not being able to attend.

“This bloody war has messed up so much; Remus and I only had a few people at our wedding, though I suppose...oh, I don’t know. Look Harry, I have to get James and myself to bed. You’re welcome to hang around and talk to Remus.� Getting up, Tonks walked over to Harry and kissed his cheek, then let Harry kiss James. As the mother and son walked away, Tonks was holding James’ arm and waving “bye-bye� with it.

“Well, Remus, I think I’ll be heading back. Thanks loads for the great dinner.� The two men shook hands and embraced.

“Harry, hang on a mo. When is your next holiday from school? Around Easter?�

“Yeah, I think so. Why?�

“I want you to plan to take that week off. You look tired and overworked. I know preparing for Hermione and Ron’s wedding kept you from having much of a Christmas break, and you really do need to work on your personal maintenance.�

“Do you have something in mind?�

“Yes. Ever been to the beach? Not the ones around here, real beaches, like the beaches in the United States, or the Caribbean?�

“No, never been overseas, but I think I’d like the idea of warm sand and all that.�

“Ok, leave it to me. Tonks and I will plan a five day vacation for you and that will still leave you time to prepare for the final quarter when you return.� Then grinning broadly, Remus asked, “Shall I make arrangements for Ginny to join you?�

“Right, Moony, and how are you going to do that? It would be wonderful, but...�

“Well, leave that part to me. I know Molly Weasley well enough. Think about it. I don’t want to push you and Ginny into something awkward.�

“Yeah, ok Remus. I’ll let you know.�

“Ok, we can work the details out later. See you, son.� Remus and Harry embraced again and Harry Floo’d back to Hogwarts.


_____

By Friday afternoon most of the school staff had returned to Hogwarts and Harry was finished with his class schedules and lesson plans. Earlier, he had taken a trip over to Ron & Hermione’s house. (Harry knew the title Hog House would never last now that he was not there to support it with Ron.) He checked for anything he and Ginny had missed on Sunday. On the way he stopped at the flower shop and purchased two bunches of flowers, one for the dining room and the other for the bedroom. Checking the ice box, and finding it empty except for a piece of very moldy cheese, Harry made a quick run to the grocer for a few items. When he was finished at the store he had purchased much more than he had planned, but thought the items would be appreciated. There was just one last thing he wanted to do. Stopping at Zonko’s, Harry purchased a large “Welcome Home� sign and hung it in the parlor. Everything looked ready.

Lunch on Friday was much noisier that it had been during the week. There were about three dozen teachers and staff seated around the hall and head table, but Snape was missing. When Harry walked into the Hall he immediately saw Moody motion for him to come up. Taking the seat next to Mad-Eye, Harry listened to Moody’s news.

“Harry, Snape is meeting at one o’clock this afternoon with someone from St. Mungo’s and the Headmaster asks that we attend. And, uh...� Moody leaned closer to Harry, “Snape’s taken a ‘turn for the worse,’ if you know what I mean.� Moody was trying to sound serious but was clearly amused. Harry just shook his head.

At one o’clock Harry met Moody as he was hobbling toward Snape’s office. “Harry, I spoke with Snape a few minutes ago and he’s in a foul mood.� Then smiling he added, “Just wanted to be sure you knew.�

Rounding the last corner before the Headmaster’s office, Harry and Moody saw an elderly witch waiting in the corridor. “Do you know who she is, Mad-Eye?� But Moody shook his head.

Approaching Snape’s office door, the witch turned to Moody and Harry. “Hello there, Olga Windshine from St. Mungo’s. I know you, Mr. Potter, but I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting your colleague.�

Harry suppressed his deep-seated annoyance of people who knew him, and whom he did not know, and introduced Moody. “Hi, this is Alastor Moody, and yes, I’m Harry Potter, but please, call me Harry.�

“Harry. It is wonderful to see you again. I looked in on you a number of times last April. I’m glad to see you’re well on the road to recovery. You must have that young lady friend of yours speak with me, she is the reason you’re alive; but I’m sure you know that already.� The witches voice was soft but penetrating, almost like a...but Harry could not put a finger on it. He also noticed two things she said that surprised him greatly and he made a mental note to ask her about them. As the introductions finished, the door to Snape’s office opened and he invited his guests inside.

Harry noticed that after everyone was in the room Snape had locked his office door. He also cast at least three spells; the only one which Harry recognized was a silencing charm. Walking behind his desk, Snape addressed them. “Please have a seat. Before we begin I must impress upon you the gravity of this meeting and the need for absolute confidentiality. I can’t stress this enough. It is very likely that one, and possibly two persons, have run into serious trouble because of what we are about to discuss. Do I have everyone’s agreement? Olga? Thank you. Alastor? Good. H...Potter? Thank you.�

Snape had obviously caught himself before he finished saying Harry’s given name, and they all noticed it, but it was Windshine who immediately spoke up. “Severus, that is exactly what we talked about. How long?�

Snape was clearly uncomfortable but answered truthfully. “It’s been building since May, but we can address it later. The purpose of this meeting concerns a suggestion made by the Healer attending Percy Weasley. It is his belief that his case may not be hopeless. That is why Madam Windshine is here, she wishes to discuss a treatment.�

Harry wondered how he or Moody could have anything to do with healing Percy.

“A number of weeks ago, Weasley’s attending Healer made a suggestion to Olga about a possible course of treatment. Olga, would you please speak to this?�

Harry saw that Moody was still watching Snape closely, even when Windshine began to speak.

“As you all know, I’m sure, broken memory transfers have never been treatable. This is due, primarily, to the fact that both wizards have died immediately. We have no recorded memory transfer in the sixteen hundred year history of Wizarding where this has not been true. However, as you also know, both Percy and Peter Martin, the Muggle boy affected by this tragedy, are still alive.�

“I must be very honest with you, we have no idea why either are alive, with the possible exception of the fact that Peter is a Muggle. However, with memory transfers, the magic is not in the body of the recipient or donor, it is within the memory itself. So this possibility seems very remote.�

“Percy’s Healer came up with another theory. It holds less weight than the first, but I eventually thought it worth exploring. His theory is based on the actions of the two Healers who first attended Percy and Peter. Arriving only seconds after the break, one of the men immediately saw that Percy’s wand was still expelling the memory. By chance, or quick thinking, or even luck, he immediately took the wand and placed it to Percy’s temple where, over the next few hours, the threads appeared to re-embed themselves into Mr. Weasley’s mind.�

“When I first heard about this I was appalled. I’ve studied a great deal of Muggle medicine and it appeared to me that all he had done was restarted the heart of a brain-dead patient. But the Healer was able to convince me that there was a slight possibility that it was these returning memories that had prevented Percy from dying. And further, if they were keeping him alive might there not be a chance for recovery?�

Even though Harry had little affection for Percy, it was difficult to hear Windshine speak of him so casually. As he was thinking this thought, he noticed Windshine turn her head slightly in his direction, but she continued her story.

“Yesterday, when Severus visited me, I shared with him this idea and he volunteered to be part of an experiment. What is not common knowledge, and what Severus demonstrated to me, is that he is among the top legilimen in the world. As such, he would be an excellent choice to probe Percy’s mind and discover if there is anything to recover.�

The room was dead silent for a moment as Windshine finished. Snape’s face was completely expressionless but Moody’s was not.

“You sure as hell will do no such thing, Severus.� Moody yelled at Snape. But Snape returned with as much force.

“I will do what needs to be done.� Then more softly, “Besides Alastor, if something happens to me, YOU get to be Headmaster in this madhouse. Why do you think I brought you here today?�

Moody was completely speechless, looking back and forth between Snape and Windshine for support. Harry asked the next question. “Why is there so much concern about the Headmaster’s safety?�

Windshine answered this one. “Harry, intelligent wizards do not go probing brain-dead minds. It tends to make them ‘brain-dead’ also. This IS a documented outcome of an untrained Healer’s rash action. There will be enormous risks. If there is no brain activity, Severus will die. This is a certainty. But if, like the Healer proposes, Percy is only locked away in a corner of his mind, unable to get out, Severus may be able to assist him. Harry, do you understand why you are here now?�

“Partially. Do you think that this was what happened to me in my battle with Voldemort, and Ginny was able to get me out?� The witch looked at Harry intensely and without realizing it he knew the answer. “You’re a legilimen, aren’t you?�

“Yes Harry, and she’s the best there is. That’s how she was able to confirm my abilities.� Snape explained.

“Severus, you’re slipping again.� Windshine teased Snape for having called Harry, ‘Harry.’ Snape closed his eyes and looked like he was trying to refocus himself. Windshine made a suggestion. “Severus, stop fighting it, when you find the answer to your other problem you can return to calling him ‘Potter’ again.�

Harry had to hold back a laugh at Snape’s obvious discomfort, but he realized that Snape also needed to be focused on something other than himself to help Percy. “Professor Snape, please, just call me ‘Harry’ until this is over. Olga’s probably correct; it will just be a distraction otherwise.� Snape looked like he was about to explode at Harry, but he calmed down quickly.

“Severus, when are you going to attempt this insane exercise?� Moody was still not at all happy with Snape’s offer to help.

“Sunday. And Potter, I will need the Weasley’s permission. I would like you and Ms. Weasley to accompany me to her parent’s home Sunday afternoon. After that meeting I will head to St. Mungo’s. Alastor, would you care to come along and watch?�

Moody finally exploded. “I bloody well would NOT. You should be relieved from your job for STUPIDITY!.� Getting up, Moody threw a report he was going to give on the Floor, then he nearly tripped and fell as he limped out the door, slamming it behind him.



A/N: Does anyone know why Harry stayed clear of the bubbles in the lake? Ten house points for a correct answer!

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 25 – What Was That About?

Please R&R, it makes for better stories!.


“Harry, are you certain you wouldn’t rather do this at St. Mungo’s? Sometimes the walls have ears.� Asked Olga Windshine for the third and last time. During the meeting in Snape’s office, she had come to realize that Harry could not recollect anything about the final battle other than what he had been told. The reasons why had become obvious to her a short while later; outside of his conscious efforts to suppress the bad memories, Harry was still suffering from many of the curses he had absorbed. While not actively injuring him now, they had blocked off parts of his memories. Now Harry was asking Olga to remove the curses so he could remember everything.

The Healer and the patient continued their slow walk to the hospital wing where Olga had, reluctantly, agreed to try and remove the curses this evening. Maybe this will appeal to him more and give me the opportunity to observe her skills. “Harry, wait a moment, I have an idea. If we can schedule this for next weekend, would you like Ms. Weasley to perform the work?�

Harry turned and was about to protest but Olga was prepared. “I know your reservation, but Ms. Weasley would be in no danger at all. I don’t believe she realizes the skill she has and I will be able to help her along. The most important reason, though, is your relationship with her. That bond will prevent you from causing her any harm and make the entire procedure easier.�

“I’m not worried about me causing harm, it’s the curses in my mind I’m worried about.�

“Nonsense Harry, you know better than that. An inflicted curse can’t be transferred to another person; they are not contagious. If Ms. Weasley can find them I can dispel them. If she cannot, then no harm is done and I’ll try. In addition, these types of probes are actually very therapeutic among close friends. Ah...yes, I see you already know that.�

Harry instantly knew that Olga detected his use of Legilimancy on Hermione. Merlin, that woman is amazing!

“Thank you for that thought, Harry, but sometimes it is a curse. I have more trouble blocking thoughts than reading them; it makes for a lonely life. Crowds can be very...noisy.�

“Yeah, I didn’t think of it that way. I guess if you’re there and Ginny wants to try it we can give it a go.�

“I believe this would be the best choice. Shall we try for next Saturday? Wonderful, I’ll owl you with the confirmation.�

“You know, almost the entire day of the last battle has been an empty hole in my memory. Hardly anyone ever talks about it, I think I understand why, but I’d like to know what happened.�

“If you’re certain. Have you ever heard of the cliché: ‘be careful what you ask for, you might get it’?�

Harry understood her question perfectly.


_____

Waiting at the train station for a half hour, hoping the Hogwarts Express would be early, Harry paced back and forth. It never was early, but... On the walk to the station, Harry noticed from a distance the lights on at Ron and Hermione’s house. They’re back! Harry couldn’t wait to see them, almost as much as Ginny.

Shortly before four, Harry heard a distant whistle blow, and in another minute the engine’s slow, steady chugging became audible. Returning to the station house, Harry picked up the flowers for Ginny and a small gift he had purchased. Waiting inside the warm station, so the cold air would not damage the flowers, Harry watched the purple engine appear a few hundred meters down the track as it came around the last curve. Suppressing the desire to run out on the platform and look for Ginny, Harry recalled a day eight years ago when he’d seen her running after the train at King’s Cross Station waving at her brothers.

Come on, Potter. A watched pot never boils! Perhaps, but Harry definitely felt something boiling inside him, flipping his stomach around and making his hands shake slightly. Standing at the window of the station, Harry watched every car as it rolled slowly by...1...2...3...4...5. He almost missed her, Harry was looking in the car windows, but Ginny was standing in the door at the end of the fifth car, waving and calling his name. It seemed like an eternity before the train stopped rolling.

“Go get her, Harry. I’ll hold those for you.�

Turning around at the sound, there were Ron and Hermione standing behind him, holding hands and smiling. “Thanks!� Harry exclaimed and almost dropped the flowers as he tried to hand them backwards and walk forward at the same time. Ron and Hermione caught them, amused at Harry’s eagerness.

By the time Harry reached the sixth car he could see that Ginny had already stepped onto the platform; she was waving and running towards him. A strong sense of deja vous hit Harry; he could see Ginny running toward him after the Quidditch match, then their first kiss; today felt was just as wonderful. Stopping just a couple meters away from each other, both sets of eyes locked. Harry then closed the distance in three rapid steps and pulled Ginny to himself, first kissing her then crushing her body against his. The single week had seemed like a year, but the wait was now over.

“You two just going to stand there all night?� Ron asked, trying to get their attention, without much success. Finally Ginny removed one arm from Harry and pulled her brother into the embrace. Ron was shocked to find his sister’s face wet with tears; well, perhaps not so greatly shocked. All three stood there, with scores of other students, some talking, some walking, and some whistling at them, but they didn’t care.

Ginny felt a small, unfamiliar hand on her back and looked to see Rudy walk by with Carol and Lisa giggling behind him. She smiled and winked back.

Finally Harry broke away, and with an arm around each of their shoulders, walked Ginny and Ron back to the station. When they arrived, Hermione was standing, watching them enter. Her face was glowing and her smile was striking. She first went to Ginny and held her, crying together as Ron and Harry rolled their eyes and shook their heads. Then Hermione turned to Harry. “’Welcome Home,’ that was lovely, Harry. Ron and I missed you two.�

“But not too much, I imagine.� Harry replied, just as he had done a week before. They all laughed and stood together, almost speechless. At last Harry said, “Let me get your bag, Gin...oh, and these are for you.� Harry took the flowers Hermione had handed to him, along with the gift, and gave them to Ginny, adding a kiss as he ran out to get her things.

Ginny opened the gift and found a gold-framed picture of Harry. The frame was a perfect match with the one she had sent him earlier in the week, and the picture, like hers, was a Muggle photo of Harry standing, holding his broom, with Hogwarts in the background. Returning a minute later Ginny kissed Harry and thanked him for the gifts. Again, they both found it difficult to break apart.

“Oy, come on you two, let’s get back to the house. It’s drafty here and I’m...�

“HUNGRY! All three said at the same time. Ginny walked to Ron and held her brother’s arm, starting back to Hogsmeade. Harry looked at Hermione and noticed she was hesitant to approach him so he took her hand and led her on, following Ginny and Ron.

“I have some interesting things to tell you about, Maya. We’re going to be busy the next few weeks. In fact, are you and Ron available next Saturday morning.�

“I think so, Harry. Why?�

“I’ll fill you all in at dinner. Did you make your famous apple cobbler?�

“Yes, Harry. The apples in the ice box were not a very subtle a hint.�


_____

“RONALD! Watch out! I have a few juicy stories I can share, too. Just remember that.� When they saw the expression on Ron’s face, Harry and Ginny laughed so hard they had to hold onto each other to keep from falling off their chair. Harry felt he had not had this much fun in years. The company, the food, the wine, and the stories were the perfect mixture.

Wiping tears from his eyes, Harry looked at Hermione’s flushed red face. “Aw Maya, I didn’t think you had it in you.�

Ron put his arm around Harry. “What do you mean, Harry? You don’t remember last summer at the Fairling’s pond?�

Laughing again at Hermione’s embarrassment, Harry asked, “How did you know no one would be around?�

Hermione was doing her best to be very “matter-of-fact� about the whole story. “Well, Harry, when Ron suggested it, and I do have SOME modesty, I told him we could try it the next day. So that afternoon I did a little exploring and found a nice isolated cove where no one could see us.�

Harry looked at Ginny, who was still recovering from the last laughing fit. “Hmmm, Gin, I knew Maya was brilliant but never thought she’d use her analytical skills to find a place to go skinny dipping.� Harry and Ginny started giggling like kids again. Hermione was trying to remain composed, but she was turning so red that she wet her napkin and dabbed her face. Ron just sat there, staring at Hermione, with a dreamy look on his face and Harry could see that Hermione was trying hard to hold back laughing herself.

“All right. It was fun, I have to admit that.�

“Yeah, Harry, it was so much fun we spent the rest of the week there.� This time all three looked at Hermione until she could not help herself. Laughing as hard as the others, she pointed at Harry and reminded him about something she told him in August. “Don’t forget what I said, Potter. Ginny is much more like that side of me.� Hermione was now enjoying Harry and Ginny’s discomfort. Ron just looked puzzled.

After the four had calmed down some Hermione and Ron started clearing the plates. Harry and Ginny heard Ron say quietly, “Hey, Maya, you’re not mad, are you?� After a pause – Harry could picture Hermione thinking up a response - “No, love. In fact I liked it so much I think we should find a nice place around here that we can use. Maybe Harry and Ginny can join us.�

Ron’s eyes went wide, but he immediately got a devilish grin. “Hey, we could use the Fairling’s pond!�

“No, it’s too cold, Ron.�

Walking back into the dining area, Ron wrapped Hermione in his arms. “I know, but you’re so cute when you’re cold...and I can keep you warm.�

“Ewww, Ron, please!� Ginny was covering her face for a moment and then looked at her brother. “Harry, yes; Hermione, maybe; you, no!�


When everything was cleaned and the two couples were relaxing in front of the fireplace, Harry brought up his idea for the following Saturday. “Um, Ron, Hermione. I would like to borrow your parlor for a while next Saturday, if I could.� Ginny gave Harry an “oh, really?� look. “Sorry, Gin. I need you here, but not for that.�

Ron started cracking up again but Hermione was curious as to why Harry had turned serious. “What’s the event, Harry?�

“Well, it’s a long story, but to make it short, I asked Olga Windshine, she’s the Director of St. Mungo’s and probably the best Legilimen in the world, uh, to help me with something. I met her yesterday in a meeting with Snape and Moody. Afterwards we talked about some things at the final battle that are still locked away up here,� Harry tapped his head, “and I wanted to find out what they are.�

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione instantly sat up and looked gravely at each other. They all knew what Harry was talking about. “Harry, there’s a very good reason you were never told those things.� Said Hermione, aggressively trying to change Harry’s mind. “Please don’t do this. Ron, Ginny, and I were there, we know what happened.�

Harry did not understand their resistance since he had no clue what had happened. “But I don’t know. Olga and I talked about this a long time. She feels I can’t heal completely with this big empty spot in my memory. She is also certain that the reason I can’t remember is because of some lingering curses.�

This was news to the other three. Until now they thought Harry’s memory had just been wiped clear of the events, and they were happy with that. If Harry really knew what happened but could not recall it, that was different. Still, all of them were unsure of Harry’s proposal.

“Harry, do you really feel strongly about this?� Ginny asked, hesitantly.

“Yes, I do, and I want Ron and Hermione to be there to help either of us if something, well, I don’t know. I just felt it was better for them to be here.�

“And me, Harry?�

“Um, well, if you are willing, Olga thinks it best if you do the probing.� Harry heard Hermione let out a small gasp and Ginny immediately started to tear.

“Harry, I can’t help you with this. I was there and saw what happened. I don’t want to relive it again.�

“Ginny, you won’t be reliving it, in fact, Olga will be working with you, helping identify the curses she will remove.�

“But I don’t know anything about Legilimancy, I’ve never even tried it!�

Harry thought back to Olga’s comment about Ginny’s ability. “Are you sure?�

“Harry! What do you mean, ‘am I sure,’ I think I would know.� Harry didn’t press it further because Hermione had stood up, and she did not look happy with Harry.

“Ron, Ginny, can I speak with you for a moment?� The three immediately left the parlor and went into the bedroom, closing the doors. A few minutes later they returned and sat in their old places.

“Harry,� Hermione’s face was unreadable. “Ron and Ginny are completely against this, and I would be too if you and I hadn’t, um, I mean, if you hadn’t done something like this to me. I understand, first hand, what’s happening, they don’t.�

Looking Ginny in the eyes, Harry tried one more time. “Gin, I need you to do this for me. Please try. If at any point you experience something uncomfortable Olga will come out with you. Please, Gin.�

“Harry, I just don’t know. I have to think about it.� That was the last of that subject Harry could get out of Ginny.


_____

Walking Ginny back to Hogwarts, Harry told her about Snape’s plan to try to see if Percy could be treated. He immediately knew he had brought up the wrong topic. “Harry! What is it with you? A mind probed here, a little digging there. Can’t you just leave it?�

“Ginny, he’s your brother, and mine, sort-of.�

“Oh, shut up, Harry.� Again Ginny ended the conversation, and again Harry didn’t get the response he was expecting.

Walking up to the Gryffindor common room, Harry handed Ginny her bag and the flowers. “I slipped the picture into the side pouch of your bag. Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, Gin.� Harry was hesitant to kiss Ginny after the last out burst, and she was just standing with her head down, not making a move, one way or the other. “Hey, GinGin, what’s wrong?�

Ginny did not say anything for a few seconds, then, “Harry, wait her for a few minutes, would you?� Without waiting for an answer she gave the password and ran into the common room. Before the doors closed Harry heard a number of people greet Ginny, but there was no response from her. About five minutes later, Ginny came back through the common room door in her pajamas and robe.

“Hi, well good night. See you at breakfast.� Leaning down to kiss Ginny, Harry was stopped by her hand to his chest.

“Come on, Harry.�

“Where?�

“Your room, I want to spend the night.� Ginny’s tone was completely wrong for the suggestion she was making, or the suggestion Harry thought she was making.

“Gin, you’re kidding, right? If you get caught anywhere near my room wearing that, you’ll be expelled and I’ll be sacked. Then your mother will kill us both. What’s going on?�

“Harry, don’t worry, I don’t want sex, I just want to be with you. I’ll sleep on the sofa. Let’s go.� Taking off down the hallway, pulling Harry by the hand, they only got about thirty meters when Snape rounded the corner ahead.

“Ms. Weasley, welcome back. Mr. Potter, did you speak with your friend about tomorrow?�

“Uh, Yes sir, what time are we leaving?�

“Right after breakfast. Where are you two headed, Ms. Weasley?�

Please, Ginny, don’t say it, please, please…

“To Harry’s room, I was lonely and wanted to spend the night…on the sofa, of course.�

Merlin, Ginny. Why?

“I see.� Snape stood there, looking at Ginny who was staring at him in return.

Ginny, I’m going to kill you!

“Mr. Potter, what did you tell Ms. Weasley about her idea?�

“I quoted the rules, sir.�

Harry knew he was sunk, but Ginny just stood there, then said, “Headmaster, Harry wants to meet with Olga something-or-another so she can show him what happened in the last battle.� Harry had though it could not get any worse, but it just had.

Snape stood there, still looking. “Ginny, go to your dorm. I’ll see you in my office at seven tomorrow morning.� Then turning to Harry, “Good night, Harry. I wouldn’t expect any company tonight, if I were you.�

Harry could not believe his ears. Was this Severus Snape? Then Harry was distracted from any further amusement when Ginny let go of his hand and ran back to the Gryffindor common room.

“Potter, your friend has a very good reason for trying to stop you. I would seriously reconsider your plans for next Saturday.�

Snape started to turn away, but Harry had finally had enough of the riddles. He ran around in front of Snape and stopped, trying to block his path. “Professor Snape, what is going on? I’ve been getting this for the last hour from Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and now you.�

“I see, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wanted to spend the night with you, also? On the sofa, too, I presume.�

“What did you just say?� Harry really did not understand what he had just heard. The words “joke� and “Snape� were never used in the same sentence, as far as Harry was concerned.

“Potter, listen to me. If it was a curse from the Dark Lord that kept those things hidden from you, you may want to make it the one action you could thank him for. Please, do not go there.� Snape looked deeply into Harry’s eyes. Harry had the idea he was trying to convey the seriousness of his statement, but he was not sure of anything right now.

“I’ll consider your suggestion, sir. Good night.� Harry turned and walked to his room, wondering what was so awfully secret and scary about the final battle. How could it be worse than the previous seven years?


_____

Later that evening, while getting ready for bed, Ron saw Hermione standing, just staring at a wall like she does when she is thinking. “Hey love, what’s on your mind?�

“Harry, what else? Ron I’m worried that Harry will go spare if he sees what happened. I know I would if it were me.�

“Yeah, but Harry is different, we’ve always known that. I talked about this with Fred and George in the hospital. They think he can handle it, but they also said he might need help, like counseling.�

Hermione turned to Ron and hugged him; then holding him gently finished her thought. “Well, everyone has their breaking point, Ron. Sometimes I think Harry is well past his.�

Standing together a few more minutes, Ron kissed Hermione gently on her cheek then lay down on the bed. Hermione made a trip to the loo and then snuggled next to Ron, who had started reading his team playbook. It was getting late and both were tired from a lack of sleep, but not too tired.

Hermione turned to Ron and whispered into his ear, “Ron, feel up to breaking in the new bed?�

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 26 – Into The Corners Of The Mind

Please Read & Review, it makes for better stories!



Harry got little sleep that night, trying to guess why Ginny was acting so unusual. Thinking of her words to Snape, “…to Harry’s room, I wanted to spend the night…� he had lost count of the number of times he cringed hearing it replayed in his mind. Those sort of words should have a different effect! Her actions seemed almost intentionally provocative. Twice Harry had started to the Gryffindor common room under his invisibility cloak, hoping to find someone who would bring her down to talk. Finally, and in disgust, Harry took a mild sleeping Potion and waited. Somewhere between three and four in the morning he finally fell asleep, but he woke again at six forty-five in a sweat from a bad dream he could not recall. Remembering that Ginny had a seven o’clock appointment with Snape, Harry dressed and sprinted to Snape’s office, but was too late. The office door had just closed. Cursing, Harry returned to his room.

“Ms. Weasley, I spoke with Mr. Potter last night after you left us. We both know him well, and we both know that if he wants to have this procedure we have no right to stop him. Even if we did have a right, he would very likely proceed in spite of our wishes. If Madam Windshine is correct, and I’m certain she is, Potter will ultimately be better off knowing the truth.� Snape stopped for a moment, watching Ginny for a reaction that was not coming. “Yes, I spoke with Madam Windshine late last night and expressed our mutual concern. She informed me of her wish that you perform the probe. I think her suggestion is a wise one. When…Harry…comes out of the probe he has to make a conscious choice to accept these memories or leave them be. I know he will accept; with you there I believe his recovery will be easier.�

“RECOVERY? I thought there wasn’t going to be any injuries.�

“There will be no physical injuries, but knowing…Harry, he will blame himself for what happened. We both know what happens when he does that.�

Ginny abruptly stood up and started for the door, but stopped half way and turned back to Snape. “Professor Snape, stop cringing every time you say ‘Harry,’ like it’s a foul word, we ALL owe him our lives, not just…the…� She could not finish, and did not care; storming out of Snape’s office and slamming the door behind her. Snape knows bloody well what I mean.

Harry and Ginny met at the head table after breakfast. Neither had eaten nor seen the other that morning and he could tell that Ginny was, if anything, madder than she had been the night before. Snape looked at both of them. “Harry, please Apparate with Ms. Weasley to her parent’s house. They are expecting us, I will join you shortly.�

Turning, Ginny walked out of the hall, through the south entrance, and down the lawn to Hogsmeade. As she passed different areas of the lawn, she remembered the battle and those who had fallen at each spot. The idea of Harry having to know what happened was just too much to stomach. Hearing Harry walking silently behind her, Ginny wondered if this was her last week with him. How can I convince him not to do this?

Reaching the gate that separated Hogwarts from Hogsmeade, Ginny stopped and kept her back to Harry. When he arrived a few seconds later he just held out his arm for her to hold.

_____

Appearing outside the back entrance to the Burrow, Ginny pushed Harry’s arm away and went inside without a word. Following a moment later, Harry found Molly and Arthur in the kitchen looking up the stairs Ginny had just climbed.

“Harry, what’s wrong?� Molly and Arthur said together.

“I wish I knew. She’s been acting like since last night, and I though she was going to take my arm off when I Apparated her here.� Harry sat down at the table. He wanted to go after Ginny but realized it was useless until he understood what he had done to infuriate her.

“Well, when we saw her off yesterday she was fine; she couldn’t wait to see you. Did something happen on the train?�

“No, she arrived and seemed fine. We went to Ron and Hermione’s place for dinner and then sat around talking. I told her about a treatment I’m having at St, Mungo’s next weekend; it did upset her and Ron and Hermione, but I didn’t think it was this serious. On the way back to school she got angry when I asked about the final battle and from that point it just got worse.� Harry was sitting with his head between his hands and still trying to make sense of everything.

Molly looked at Arthur, and then excused herself, heading up the stairs. Arthur tried to see if he knew what was happening. “Harry, what’s this about the final battle?�

“Nothing, I had spoken to the Director of St. Mungo’s about my missing memories of the battle. She’s a top-notch Legilimen and offered to help me remember what happened. She also suggested that Ginny do the actual procedure under her supervision. But when I asked her to do it, she, Ron, and Hermione started acting strange, trying to talk me out of it.�

“Ok, son, I know what’s wrong, I think Molly does, too. Harry, was the person you spoke with Olga Windshine? I thought so. We all knew that at some point you might have recollections of what happened, but we hoped that the memory had been erased. Can I assume that Olga told you it was intact, but probably blocked?�

“Yeah, that’s exactly what she said.� Harry saw Arthur’s face fall. “Not you too. What is this, a conspiracy?�

“Yes, Harry, it is, but not like you think. Harry, whatever you chose to do, Molly and I will support you, but I suggest that you forget about Ginny helping.� Arthur looked at Harry and hoped he would accept what he had said. Neither said anything, the house was quiet for a few more minutes until Snape appeared outside the door.

“Arthur? Molly?�

“In the kitchen, Severus, come in.� Then calling up the stairs, “Molly, Severus is here, please come down.�

Entering the kitchen, Snape saw that Harry and Arthur had been talking. When Harry was not paying attention, Arthur caught Snape’s eyes and shook his head “no.�

Molly and Ginny walked down the stairs and joined the others at the table. Harry was relieved that Ginny sat next to him and briefly squeezed his hand under the table.

In a somber voice Snape began. “I’ve been informed that you, Molly and Arthur, are willing to let me attempt a probe into Percy’s mind. Is this correct?� When Ginny’s parents said “yes,� Snape wrote something on a piece of parchment. “Very well. Before I go I need to make a personal request to both of you. This procedure has some risk.�

“Yes, Severus, we know.� Arthur answered.

“If something should happen to me it is my wish that neither of you feel responsible for my actions. I chose to do this knowing the dangers. I’ve left some instructions at the school. Alastor Moody will fill my position until the board can find a permanent replacement. I have also recommended that Remus Lupin be assigned the spot Moody vacates. They were both informed of this a short while ago.�

Harry, who had been following the conversation closely, felt his heart leap at the prospect of working with Remus. After thinking about his elation, though, Harry felt guilty; the only way this would happen is if Snape died.

“Arthur, Molly, I want to…� Snape could not, or would not continue. Harry suspected that the possible result of this action was finally hitting him. “I must go now. I hope to see you after the procedure. Will you be joining me?�

“No, Severus.� Arthur said, solemnly. Molly walked over and took Snape’s hand. “Thank you, Severus. Thank you for everything.�

Nodding, Snape turned then to Harry. “Would you care to join me?�

“Sure, I’ll be right there. Are you doing this in Percy’s room?�

Snape nodded, then left the Burrow.

“Harry dear, would you come by here after it’s over?�

“Sure, mom. Uh, bye Gin.� Harry did not even try to kiss her good bye, but she did take his hand for a second, and then walked back up the stairs.


_____

Everything was ready, just one final perfunctory question before starting. “Are you certain, Severus?�

Harry watched Snape from the other side of the room. Ever since the brief meeting at the Burrow, Harry had a sense of foreboding. In the two minutes Snape was there he had made it perfectly clear that he did not expect to return alive. Watching Percy and Snape, all Harry could wonder was why is he doing this for Percy?

“Yes. I’m starting now.�

Snape’s eyes closed and he sat motionless for a moment. Inside his mind, Severus Snape was tumbling into nothingness and he knew immediately that his life was lost.


_____

Throughout the experience he felt nothing at all; time had no meaning; memories were lost moments that appeared and vanished in an instant; heat and cold were opposite ends of a lost sensation. Life had become a total lack of anything and everything, until they merged in a dark corner of his mind.

“Peter, is that you?�

Silence.

“Peter, are you all right? It’s me, Percy.�

Silence.

“Something must have happened, Peter. Please answer me.�

“Weasley?�

“YES! Peter, thank Merlin you’re all right.�

“I’m not Peter. And I wouldn’t start thanking anyone just yet.�

Silence.

“Snape?�

“Yes, I believe I am, or was.�

“What are you doing here?�

“I was trying to find you.�

“What do you mean?�

Snape was experiencing the same nothingness as Percy, but at least he had an understanding of what had happened. “Percy, do you know where you are and what happened?�

“No idea. Is Peter all right?�

“I don’t know for sure. Percy, you were transferring a memory to Peter when an Auror hit you with a disarming spell. Do you know what that means?�

There was a long pause as Percy absorbed this revelation. “We’re dead, aren’t we?�

“I’m not sure, Percy, my guess is no; however, we are in serious trouble.� Snape explained to Percy why he was there and what he had tried to do. Again, there was a long “silence� as Percy tried to process what Snape had just revealed.

“How long have I been here?�

“Almost four months.�

“What? It seems like it just happened.�


_____

Olga Windshine watched with Harry as Snape entered Percy’s mind. Harry was leaning against the wall; bad memories and good ones were confusing his emotions, but his overall feeling was sadness at the failure of Snape’s attempt.

“Severus knew there were risks, Harry. You need to remember this, what he did was the greatest gift anyone could give another. It was this very special type of love that you have experienced, too, when you were a baby. You may find yourself facing this again some day, be certain you acknowledge the sacrifice AND remember it was that person’s conscious choice.�

Harry just nodded, though he was having trouble equating the type of love his mother had shown him with anything Snap could have done. Looking up, Harry saw the attendants preparing to remove Snape’s body.

“Please, wait. Are you certain he’s dead? We thought Percy and Peter were dead but they aren’t. Please! Olga, ask them to stop.�

“Harry, Severus is dead. I know when the soul has departed from its host.�

Harry shook his head and sighed, feeling far sadder than he thought he would. “Well then, I better go tell the Weasley’s. Thanks for being here, er, I guess I’ll see you Saturday, but I don’t think Ginny will be there. She’s furious at me for doing this.�


_____

“Four months? It seems like it just happened. What should we do?�

“I don’t know, let me think for a bit.� Snape found that if he concentrated he was able to access much of his mind, almost as if he were meditating. He then had an idea.

“Percy, I want to try something. I believe we are both alive in a part of your mind. Everything I’m experiencing is much like a deep mind probe. I want you to concentrate on one thing, and only this one thing. Move your left forefinger, now.�

Both tried to access a finger that was disconnected from their minds. Snape could sense that his own concentration was much greater than Percy’s, but neither had any idea if Snape’s idea worked.


_____

Harry saw something, but thought it was his imagination. “What’s that?� Harry exclaimed, pointing to Percy’s right hand. Olga looked back just in time to see the finger twitch. Walking to Percy she took his hand, but no further movements could be seen or felt. She would have found more success trying to sense Percy’s mind, but her attention was on Harry.

“It may have just been a muscle spasm. Do you care to watch with me a few more minutes, Harry?�

“Sure, I’m not relishing the idea of going back to the Weasley’s.�


_____

“I don’t believe this is the right way to proceed. This is like nothing I’ve experienced, let me think a moment.�

Trying to gather all the random thoughts from his mind, that no longer had his brain to physically organize them, proved difficult. Doing it with another person may be impossible. Frustration and failure seemed like they were closing in on Snape so he tried a different approach. Routing our minds to the part of the brain controlling motor skills might have been too complicated. What if we try for a more basic and instinctive physical response?

Weasley, play tic-tac-toe with me.�

“What? And how will we do that?�

“A three by three grid. The letters ‘A’ through ‘I’ tell me your move. ‘A’ is in the upper left corner, ‘D’ middle left, ‘G’ in the lower left. Now play, you go first.�

“Why?�

“JUST DO IT, NOW!

“All right, um, ‘D,’ no, ‘E.’�

“’A.’�

“’C.’�

“’G.’�

“Um, ‘D.’�

“’F.’�

“’H.’�

“Good, no winner. Play it again. I go first this time.� The game continued for a few more rounds before Snape would let Percy stop. “Good, now we play checkers, a simple game requiring a lot more memory. Red or Black?�

After a while, and a few mistakes by both players, the two prisoners had “gotten the hang of it� and found it easy. Next level.

“Chess, Weasley, now chess. Black or white?�

Percy thought he had an advantage here, having played a great deal with Ron. Being able to picture the board helped and he found that he had to assist Snape occasionally. The games continued. After Chess they played various card games, sometimes one had to teach the other how to play, but both found the games stimulating. Then casino games that required them to use enormous amounts of…memory.

After they had played thousands of games, Snape suggested one more game. “Now, Percy, now we play roulette.�

“We can’t do that, the ball is so random, and the bounces it takes before settling, and the spin of the wheel…�

“Stop the excuses. Everything in the game is predictable if you account for all the variables.�

“There’s millions of them, are you crazy?�

“Perhaps I am. Percy, what have we been doing?�

“Playing games.�

“Yes, yes, but how have we played them?� Not receiving an answer, Snape continued. “With our minds, Weasley, with our minds. You and me, two different minds trapped in a single brain. Unless I’m mistaken, you have not experienced anything like this in the past four months, have you?�

“No, it’s like I just got here when you showed up.�

“Good, now how long have we been playing?�

“I don’t know, at least days, maybe…good god, I recognize time passing now. But I still don’t know how much.�

“No, me either. The human brain is capable of much greater speed than most people realize. What slows the brain down is its interface with our body’s ways of communicating the thoughts; Speech is very slow compared to thought. But let’s continue further and see if some other awareness returns.�


_____

Olga held Percy’s hand for a few minutes but felt nothing. Turning to Harry she shook her head “no� and returned the hand to the bed. “I was hoping for better results, Harry. Severus had a troubled soul; I hope he’s in peace now. Lord how I hate failure, Harry.� Leaning over Percy’s nearly lifeless body, she kissed his forehead like a mother might kiss her son’s good night. On her lips she felt a faint sheen of perspiration.

Wordlessly, Olga walked over to Percy’s Healer who had been quietly present the entire time. The two talked in whispers for a minute, and then consulted Percy’s records. After more conversation with Windshine, the Healer took a number of Percy’s vital signs then showed the results to the Director. When Olga turned to Harry she had a smile on her face.

“Harry, Severus’s probe may not have been completely in vane. When I kissed Percy I noticed his forehead was slightly damp with perspiration. Since the injury Percy’s metabolism has been amazingly slow. His heart rate was just under one beat every two minutes; his respiration was shallow and almost as slow; we haven’t had to shave him once since he arrived. If these things had remained constant tonight, Percy should not be perspiring. But he is! Respiration is about two per minute, heart rate up to four per minute. Something Severus did has triggered something inside Percy. I have no idea what it is, but we will monitor this very closely.�

“But Snape is still gone, isn’t he?�

“I’m afraid so, Harry. Why don’t you go to the Weasley’s and tell them the good and bad news, and thank you for coming today.�

“Yeah, sure.� Harry found it hard to concentrate on the Burrow in his first attempt. More death…


_____

Harry stood in the kitchen of the Burrow an hour later. Molly, Arthur, Fred, and George had just left for St. Mungo’s, leaving Ginny and Harry to go back to Hogwarts and notify Moody of the events that morning. Harry had tried to push Ginny to go with her family, but she stubbornly refused and would not give Harry a reason. When her family had left, she walked to Harry and pulled him to her, hugged him hard, and then started to cry.

“Ginny, you have to tell me what’s going on. Is this all about the last battle?�

Ginny did not say anything, but nodded her head.

“Gin, please give me more than that.�

“Harry,� Ginny pulled away, and with tears running down her face told him her fear. “I’m afraid of losing you. I know how you think and when you learn what happened…I don’t…know if you…will be the same.�

“Ok, Gin.� Pulling Ginny back to him, Harry made a promise. “I will never leave you. I need you in my life and no memory, no matter how awful, is going to change that.�

Oh, Harry, if you only knew what you are saying.


_____

Percy’s Healer greeted the Weasley’s when they arrived. “Molly, Arthur, Percy is still in a deep coma, if you can call it that. But his vital signs continue to strengthen.�

“Should we try talking to him?� Fred asked, trying to find something useful to do.

“Yeah, if he can hear us we could tell him some bad jokes. He might wake up just to punch us.� George suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

“I’ll punch YOU, George Weasley, if you don’t shut up!� Molly looked like she was about to hit George with her handbag.

“No, Fred, George, not yet. We’re much more hopeful now; however, he still has a long way to go before regaining consciousness.�

“Arthur, why don’t you go back home, I’ll stay with him for a while. Fred, George, I’ll contact you if anything happens.�

“All right, dear, are you sure?�

“Yeah, mom, we can stay if you want.� Molly’s look told them all to leave.

The Healer went to Percy and started taking his vital signs again. Making some notes, he updated the chart and returned to his chair for another fifteen minutes.


_____

“That bloody fool.� Mad-Eye Moody looked furious. “Why he did it is beyond me. All right, Harry, that git always gave me the willies anyway. I hope his sacrifice can help Percy in some way; his family has suffered enough. Damn!�

“I’ll Floo over to let Remus know, if you like. Want me to bring him here?�

“Yeah, Harry, thanks. I’ll write the Board and get the word out. After you return I will need a written account of this entire mess. Have one of the secretaries take dictation for you, if it helps; those dicta-quills don’t always work. Go on now.�

Harry returned to his room and found Ginny lying on his sofa, asleep. He placed a spare blanket over her and then Floo’d to Grimmauld Place. When he told Remus and Tonks about Snape both were shocked. Then Harry told Remus about Snape’s recommendation and Remus stood there in amazement; Harry had a grin in his face and Tonks hugged Remus.

“You’ve always wanted that position back, haven’t you?� Harry asked.

“Wow, I can’t believe this. But Snape! He was a pain in the arse, I wish it hadn’t happened this way. Are you going to stay on, Harry?�

“Yes!�

“Fantastic, let’s hope the Board approves this. I’m not too concerned about me, I do have doubts about Moody’s position. Well, let’s hope for the best.�

“Remus, Mad-Eye wants to see you as soon as possible. He’s still in his office.�

“Ok, Harry.� Remus said, and then turning to Tonks, “I guess I should go.� Tonks looked happier that Harry had seen her since James’ birth. She gave Remus a kiss and left the parlor with him to get ready. “Thanks Harry!�

Returning to his room, Harry found Ginny still asleep. He picked her up and set her in his bed, then lay down next to her for a nap. Things are just going to be much busier the next few days.


_____

Tuesday afternoon, in the cold January air, the students of Hogwarts, Ministry officials, and hundreds of other guests had gathered on the North lawn of the school for Severus Snape’s memorial service. Before dismissing the crowd and ending the service, the Minister of Magic made one final announcement. Harry had not expected it, but found that he was happy for Snape in this one, final gesture.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Magic, I would like to present Severus Snape with the Order of Merlin, First Class. The citation reads as follows:�


“For displaying the highest regard for a fellow wizard;
For facing a difficult decision with courage;
And for selflessly giving his life that another might benefit;
The Ministry of Magic Awards to
Severus Snape
The Order of Merlin – First Class�

After the ceremony, Snape’s ashes were scattered by the cold winter winds from atop the Lonely Hill. Harry watched this final action wondering if Snape would now be able to make peace with his father and Sirius.


A/N: There, you are, you Snape haters! Next chapter covers the final battle.

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
A “Fan Fiction� Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 27 – What Lay Hidden Beneath

Please Read & Review, it makes for better stories!


A/N: Rated “PG-13� for violence, a bit of gore, and character deaths.


“Ah, I see you haven’t convinced them yet, have you Harry? You know what Harry’s asking and your reservations are directed at preventing Harry more pain. That is a commendable sentiment, but not what’s needed. You three are Harry’s closest friends, particularly you, Ms. Weasley. Why do you deny him the peace he seeks?�

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione stood, stunned by Windshine’s words; it was as if she had read their minds, which is exactly what had just happened. The elderly lady was standing in the hallway, speaking casually while shaking some snow off of her arms, and removing her coat. Harry stood behind her, just inside the front door of Ron and Hermione’s house. A bitter cold wind blew down the hall giving everyone shivers; but Ginny had been shaking long before this and had not noticed the icy breeze at all.

Hermione, standing next to Ginny, was holding her arm, trying to give her comfort. This was not having the desired effect; Hermione was almost as anxious as Ginny. Ron had been talking to Hermione all week about this day and he looked pale and fearful for his best friend.

Closing the door behind him, Harry shed his coat and escorted Olga to the parlor where he made the formal introductions to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Ginny refused to shake the Olga’s hand, but Harry thought it was more because she was staring at the Floor than outright rudeness. After this, Ron invited everyone to sit.

“Ron, I would like to sit in the love seat with Harry, if that’s alright with you.� Olga asked.

“No� Ginny said in a quiet voice. “I want to do it, or at least I’ll try. But I don’t know anything about Legilimancy.� When Ginny sat next to Harry, Ron and Hermione sat on the opposing sofa, holding hands and looking apprehensive.

“Gin, are you certain?� Harry asked. Seeing her nod “yes,� Harry looked at Olga. “Ok, I guess we’re ready.�

Olga had been watching Ginny as she changed her mind and asked her gently, “Ginny, may I speak with you for a moment, in private?�

Hermione offered the den for their use and they left the parlor together.

“Ginny, dear, are you certain about this? I can tell that you have serious reservations.� The question was posed with the utmost tenderness and earnestness, but Windshine’s efforts at calming Ginny were wasted.

“How dare you do this to Harry! Hasn’t he been through enough? Why make him relive that day? Do you realize it might kill him to see what really happened? That’s the only reason I said I would help, so I could be with him.� Ginny was seething, but keeping her voice down so the others couldn’t hear.

“Ginny, Harry will not die. I know he won’t, but it won’t be easy for him…�

Before Olga could continue, Ginny drew her wand and threw a silencing spell on the small room. “HOW CAN YOU BE SURE? HAVE YOU LIVED WITH HIM LIKE I HAVE, DO YOU LOVE HIM LIKE I DO? DO YOU KNOW WHAT SURVIVING THAT HORRIBLE DAY MEANT TO HARRY AND ME? FOR THE FIRST TIME WE COULD BE TOGETHER WITHOUT FEAR. WE COULD LOVE EACH OTHER WITHOUT HAVING TO WATCH OVER OUR SHOULDERS TO SEE WHO WAS ABOUT TO KILL US.� Lowering her voice, but not her passion, Ginny kept up her assault. “You saw me at the hospital with Harry. We would have died together...�

“But you didn’t, Ginny, because you rescued Harry...�

Ginny wasn’t listening to Windshine. “Let’s get this over with, and I hope I never see you again.�

The words came out of Ginny’s mouth with a devotion Olga had seldom seen in her experiences. She needed Ginny calm for the procedure and tried to calm her again. “Gin, please stop.�

Hearing Olga address her as Harry did stunned Ginny into immobility, and before she could turn on Windshine she felt something stop her. “Ginny, everything you said is true. I do not know for a fact that Harry can survive this on his own, but I do know for a fact that you both can survive it together. Think, Ginny; remember being with Harry in the hospital? You two were one, as you are about to be again. If everything the Dark Lord threw at Harry didn’t kill him, this will not kill him either.� Windshine released the gentle holding spell she had cast on Ginny and let her leave the room.


Walking back into the parlor, Olga saw Ginny sitting next to Harry, eyes red and puffy, but full of determination. Sitting on a chair facing Ginny and Harry, she met Ginny’s eyes. You will both be fine, I promise. Ginny turned and looked away.

Forcing herself to ignore Ginny’s obstinacy, Olga began. “Let’s start. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, this will take only a few minutes. Harry, please make yourself comfortable and let me know when you are ready to begin.�

Harry shifted a little, leaning slightly against the arm of the sofa, and then he indicated that he was ready. The Healer touched Harry’s forehead, holding her fingers there for two seconds, and then turned to Ginny. “Harry is in a light sleep now but can hear us, correct Harry?�

“Yes.�

“And he can obviously respond. Ginny, before we begin I must tell you that by accepting this role you will be strengthening an already solid bond between you and Harry. I don’t think I really need to ask you this, but is that acceptable to you?�

Ginny nodded her head.

“Good. This is what I want you to do, Ginny. Think of Harry as you saw him when the battle was over. Get a good mental picture of that time. Severus had just used a Portkey to send the three of you to St. Mungo’s and placed Harry on a gurney.�

Ginny closed her eyes and Olga placed her had on Ginny’s shoulder but felt it tense up under her touch. Hermione was watching, but Ron had turned away, reliving his own terrible pain at that moment. Ginny picked her hands up off of her lap and placed her hands on Harry’s chest, but could not get quite the position she was looking for.

“Harry, it’s me, love. Turn your body to the left and lean back against me.� Harry did what Ginny asked and Hermione instantly knew why. Ginny had wrapped her arms around Harry’s chest; it looked exactly like what she had done to Harry at the hospital. Olga looked over to Hermione and smiled. She too recognized their posture from eight months ago.

“Good Ginny. Relax and listen to me. I want you to keep your eyes closed and...�

Ginny interrupted the Healer. “I can see.� Ginny’s comment startled Olga a little; she obviously was not expecting Ginny to ‘contact’ Harry so quickly or easily.

“Very good, Ginny. Now...�

Then Harry’s torso moved, like it was shivering, this time it was Hermione that knew what had happened. “She’s in! That’s what I did when Harry touched my mind and I recognized him.� Hermione’s eyes were wide with amazement.

“Good. Ginny, listen to me. Do not do or touch anything you see in Harry’s mind, or say anything to Harry except what I tell you to say. Understand?� Ginny nodded her head.

Do you recognize anything? You may need to look around a bit.� Again Ginny nodded, but this time she had a smile on her face.

“You are doing wonderfully. You have entered a part of Harry’s mind that you are most familiar with; it’s the part of him that controls his most common movements, mannerisms, non-verbal queues; all the manifestation of his love for you is right here before it turns physical. Ginny, Harry, I want both of you to find each other here.�

Both drew in a sharp breath simultaneously. They had obviously made contact on a level of intimacy they were unfamiliar with.

“Good, it’s nice, isn’t it?� Both just smiled. Olga had hoped this would further calm Ginny for the next steps. “Now Ginny, we need to move you from Harry’s consciousness to his unconscious mind. You should be able to do this easily. Look around; do you notice a darkness that almost looks like a hole? You might have to look quickly, it likes to hide, but once you spot it you should be able too keep it in your sight.�

“Yes, I see.�

“Good. Now move toward it. Take as much time as you need.�

“I can’t.�

“Why not?�

“Every time I move it shifts out of my sight. It’s like it doesn’t want me there.�

“That was an astute evaluation, Ms. Weasley.� Olga smiled, turning to Ron and Hermione. “This young lady is very good.� Turning back, Olga continued. “Ginny, I want you to stop and locate the darkness again. Please let me know when you see it again.�

“Yes, I have it now.�

“Good. What you are seeing is a curse, almost certainly the Gatekeeper curse. It does just what its name implies; it keeps things in or out. In our case, it’s keeping you out and probably part of Harry’s memories in. Almost all dark curses that are aimed at the mind have the Gatekeeper incantation as part of the spell.� Olga placed her other hand on the top of Harry’s head and whispered something nearly imperceptible.

“Ginny?�

“Yes.�

“Try moving again and let me know what happens.�

After a short pause Ginny responded. “I’m in.�

“Wonderful. I dispelled that curse. Now Ginny, I need you look around and think as you are looking. Does any of this seem familiar to you?�

“It’s all dark, every where.�

“No Ginny, it isn’t. Look again, but don’t try to rely on your eyes, they could never see what your mind can see. Look with your mind, go very slowly. Good…don’t forget that you are in a three dimensional world. There’s an up and down here, too.�

Ginny did not respond for a minute and Ron started to pace.

“Ron, everything is fine. I see everything your sister sees and it looks normal. We are dealing with advanced magic and it’s not always easy to find what you need.�

“I see it!� Ginny exclaimed right after Olga finished speaking. “I’ve been here. This is where I found Harry...I thought...I thought I was dreaming.� Her voice was filled with excitement and wonder.

The Healer nodded her head. “Yes Ginny, I see. Those days you were with Harry, you thought that you had dreamt this.�

“Yes! I almost feel like I lived here.�

“You did, my dear, for an entire week. Now, I need you to focus on what you are seeing. I’m going to see exactly what it is and dispel it.�

For a half minute or so no one said or did anything. Ron and Hermione were sharing a concerned look and Ron was beginning to fidget again.

“Very good, Ginny. Keep it up, I’m almost finished. There was some…very advanced...very dark…magic here. There. Now listen to me Ginny. Can you hear me?�

“Yes.�

“And Harry, can you hear me?�

“Yes.�

“Ginny, do not do anything until I say so. To break the connection all you need do is open your eyes and release Harry. Now wait for me to give Harry instructions.�

Turning to Ron, Olga said in a hushed voice, “Ron, would you please get a pail? Harry may get sick, I know I might, too. Ginny, I see why you didn’t tell him what you saw. I’m so sorry, but once this is out Harry will be finished with it and can truly recover. He has, like most people, parts of his memories hidden from others. In Harry’s case he never had the chance to make a conscious choice to face or repress all this.�

The Healer sat quietly, waiting for Ron to return. When he had set the pail in front of Harry, the Healer spoke again. “Harry, listen very carefully. When I tell Ginny to leave you, all the memories those curses suppressed will move to your conscious mind. I have seen many of your memories and they are indeed terrible. I’ve told Ginny that I understand why she didn’t want to tell you what happened in the battle. However, I still believe you need to face this if you are ever to complete your healing.�

“Harry, it’s your choice to repress these memories, but you can only choose once. If you repress them now, they will stay with you the rest of your life, buried in your subconscious mind. You may not even notice they are there, but if you release them you will be able to face them at your leisure. After a time your own mind will learn to deal with them and render them benign. Do you understand what I’m saying?�

“Yeah, I think so.�

“Are you ready for Ginny to leave?�

There was a pause. Harry’s body shifted slightly and Ginny seemed to be holding Harry tighter. Windshine smiled and turned to Ron and Hermione, but addressed Harry. “Harry, Ginny, that’s not something you want to do with others watching.�

“WHAT?� Hermione and Ron both exclaimed.

Olga laughed and told them, “I think I’ll let Harry or Ginny explain that one to you.�

“Ok, let’s try it.� Harry said in a resigned tone.

“Alright, Ginny, it’s time to come back. Now.�

Leaning away from Harry and opening her eyes, Ginny broke contact and stood up, looking through slightly blurred vision to find Ron and Hermione. They both stepped toward her and held her. She was shaking but quickly calmed down.

“Harry? Do you know what you want to do now?�

Harry did not answer, but when he nodded “yes� tears were already falling off his face. Then he opened his eyes and remembered.


_____

Everyone was nearby, those who would die and those who would live, and everyone was on one side or the other. As the darkness which held Harry’s memories buried since April 16 receded, all the details of the final battle became painfully revealed. Harry was with the students, teachers, the DA members, Aurors, and Order members on the South lawn, completely surrounded by almost two thousand Death Eaters; mostly adults, but a hundred or so were Hogwarts students from Slytherin - Voldemort’s Army.

Furious with everyone, Harry was being held back and protected by the more experienced wizards and witches. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Remus, Tonks, Ginny, Fred, George, Percy, Bill, and Charlie were in the center of this large circle with him, unable to easily throw spells; they also were there to protect Harry at all costs. Much of the student body was here, too; but many others were dead on the south lawn, the very first victims of this last battle.

Snape was nowhere to be seen.

Voldemort would show himself, laughing, taunting, trying to draw Harry out. Sometime he would walk in the front of his army, whenever someone threw a spell at him he conjured a silver shield and it would fly off into the sky, or sometime back into the crowd, The Death Eaters were whittling the defenders down, but also paying a high price. It had become a battle of attrition, but the Death Eaters had the numbers.

Harry was momentarily encouraged when he saw Hagrid and Grawp come thundering out of the forest, with the three-headed dog, Fluffy, running along side, attacking the rear of the Death Eaters. Their sortie did not last long, however, Grawp was soon killed by Riddle, who, after throwing the killing curse, continued to send slashing spells at the dead giant’s body. Hagrid, in a rage, ran toward the evil wizard, throwing an enormous tree trunk he carried. Then he was hit by dozens of spells, none of which seemed to have an effect, (Hagrid’s thick half-giant hide protected him, but no killing spells had been thrown, either.) Riddle leapt out of the way and the trunk tore a hole in the line, knocking out or killing at least twenty Death Eaters. Fluffy bore down on Riddle who laughed and threw a spell causing Fluffy stop and turn against Hagrid who now had to fight off Fluffy until an explosive spell knocked both of them unconscious.

Then part of the Death Eaters’ line began to falter. Harry heard something and looked to the south, towards Hogsmeade. More than two hundred wizards, some bloodied and limping, were apparating just outside the gate to Hogsmeade, running to help. At their front, charging, and screaming like a madman, was Viktor Krum, leading the relief from other European Wizarding schools. Harry saw him kill Lucius Malfoy and two other Death eaters. Turning back to find out if Hagrid was alright, Harry saw the giant was still down, alive, but in pain.

Ron screamed out, “Don’t look!� and Harry instantly knew what had happened. Turning again to the south, Viktor Krum was lying dead on the ground, blood covering his torn body. Ron was holding Hermione, but she was not crying. Harry saw something in her eyes she had never shown before: pure rage and hatred. Pushing her way out of the inner circle she charged Voldemort’s followers, screaming like Krum, casting spells and taking down ten or more of the distracted enemy before they knew what hit them. The students then started to break out of their protective ring of wizards and witches and followed her lead, pouring into the breech her attack had made in the enemy lines; but just like Hagrid, she was blown backwards with an explosive spell and lay on the lawn, stunned. Ron reached her and stood over her, protecting her while Madam Pomfrey ran to help.

But Hermione’s actions did have an effect, there was chaos in the enemy lines as their cohesion broke down completely. The Durmstrang group, Harry saw, was being reinforced by wizards from other schools. They were rolling the Death Eater’s line up one way and the growing group of wizards and witches who had followed Hermione’s lead were pushing in the other direction. The attackers had now become the prey, most being cornered against the side of the school. Another smaller group of Death Eaters ran around to the west. Harry watched this group; Riddle was in the center, still screaming madly and casting spells. Harry yelled for people to follow him, but only the inner circle and a few others heard and stayed with him.

Chasing after Riddle, to the north entrance, Harry had an idea what he was doing. The Death Eaters entered the north wing and ran to the girls’ toilet that would lead them to the Chamber of Secrets. Harry heard voices behind him, yelling, screaming for him to stop. Hesitating, he looked behind and saw that he had outpaced everyone except Ginny and Bill Weasley. Catching his breath, Harry motioned for the others to move into the Great Hall. He was soon glad he had waited. They had followed sixty or seventy Death Eaters and there were less than twenty of them. If they had gone into the Chamber like this they would all be dead.

Bill, puffing to catch his breath, told Harry, “The other battle is almost over. Wait for more help, Harry. If Voldemort’s in the Chamber, he’s trapped.� Harry was glad for the brief respite, he took a drink of water from a bottle being passed around, but what really refreshed him was seeing Ron and Hermione run into the hall. Hermione was banged up and limping a little, but had not been seriously injured. Ron, Harry noticed, was standing guard over her like a body guard, one hand on her shoulder.

“All right there, Ron, Hermione?� Harry asked. Both nodded.

“Harry, this is it.� Ginny said this so quietly Harry almost missed it. Looking down he saw fear in her eyes. He wanted to sweep her into his arms and run away, but he knew that would be a disaster. Instead, Harry called out, “This is it, we end it here.� It echoed in the hall and he saw everyone focus on him, nodding, grim expressions on their faces. As Harry was about to start toward the Chamber entrance another voice spoke.

“Potter! Come here, quickly�

It was Snape! Silence now filled the hall that had just echoed with Harry’s voice. Instantly sobered, Harry walked to the potions professor. The crowd watched the two talk and saw Snape hand something to Harry. Harry put it in his robe but seemed to be arguing with Snape. Taking his wand out, Snape walked away from Harry and joined the crowd which had now swelled to more than two hundred. Harry saw Molly Weasley limping in the north entrance, supported by her husband. Both had grave but determined looks on their faces. Harry made eye contact and they seemed relieved to see him.

Looking over to Snape, Harry waited for his nod, but before that, Snape’s voice boomed through the silence. “All is ready, you know what you must do.� It was so un-Snape like Harry thought he actually heard some laughs, but the seriousness of the moment was quickly recaptured when Harry told everyone the plan.

“I’ll open the Chamber and enter first. There’s a long slide down to the bottom, so when you land, get out of the way quickly. If you have a leg injury, don’t cripple the rest of us by landing at the bottom and blocking the passage.� Harry was looking at Molly Weasley as he said this and saw Arthur give her a kiss and stride forward. Molly had a look of horror on her face and started weeping quietly, one hand over her mouth. Arthur walked up to Harry and waited. Looking around one last time, lingering for a moment on Ginny, Harry ran out of the hall toward the final battle.


Meeting no resistance, Harry arrived at Myrtle’s toilet and ordered the Chamber opened. He peered down, then leapt into the darkness. Harry’s mind reached back to the last time he had been there; all he could think about was Ginny. Then he landed and rolled out of the way. A bolt of yellow light came his way and just missed Ginny, the second person down, as she slid into the passageway. Harry ducked and stunned the Death Eater who had stuck his head out too far while trying to see if he had hit anything. In a few minutes over a hundred people had slid down with more arriving ever few seconds. Harry noticed Snape organizing some of them, but he could not tell what he was saying or why. It did not matter. It was time. Harry ignored Ginny’s touch on his arm, focusing on what he had to do.

As Harry started off, Snape’s voice boomed out. “Potter! By your hand!�

Ron mumbled something about Snape’s parentage as Harry started moving again, leading the force down the narrow tunnel. It was the last humorous thing Harry would hear for a long time.

The battle Harry expected did not happen the way he expected. He had felt they might have to fight their way out of the tunnels, but no one was there. Fearing a trap, he stopped every minute to listen for sounds of Riddle or the remaining Death Eaters. Finally, he came to the end of the tunnel that led to the main chamber. His first thought was of Dumbledore, then his parents; he said a quick prayer for the courage he was about to need, and stepped into the Chamber with his wand ready.

Standing up straight, Harry walked forward as his fellow students and friends filed in around him. About a hundred meters away, on the other side of the Chamber, stood Riddle and the remaining enemy, all that stood between Harry and the peace everyone so desperately sought.

Riddle and Harry walked toward each other until they were just fifteen or twenty meters apart, each side’s supporters behind their leader. Riddle was shaking his head, then started to laugh again.

“Harry Potter, the boy who lived - now THE BOY WHO DIES!� And with that, both sides started battling; everyone except Harry and Riddle. Harry knew that people were dying around him, probably dozens, maybe a hundred. He saw in the corner of his eye Bill, Charlie, and Percy run after a group of Death Eaters that tried to escape. Then Ron, Hermione, and Neville ran the other way chasing another group. Harry felt like he was standing alone.

The explosive spells that had been used on Hagrid and Hermione were flying into the attackers, sometimes knocking a few down. Usually they bounced off shields that people were using, exploding in the air or against the chamber’s walls and ceiling.

And then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped. All the Death Eaters were dead or stunned. All except Riddle who still stood in front of Harry, smiling. Harry’s supporters, the few score remaining, started to file in around him so that he was standing at the vertex of a narrow “V�.

“Potter, you think I’m afraid of you, outnumbered a hundred to one?� Riddle merely looked to his right and two students fell dead, their bodies cut almost in two. Riddle laughed again but Harry stared him down. “This is it, Harry Potter. “Avada Kedavra� .

As the green light shot from Riddle’s wand, a young witch Harry had never met jumped out of the line and took the killing curse, falling dead. Harry gasped, but immediately refocused on Riddle.

“Avada Kedavra�. This time a second year Harry knew from the DA sacrificed his life. Harry was stunned again.

A third time: “Avada Kedavra�. Now a scruffy old wizard with far more agility than Harry thought possible, leapt into the beam and fell dead. Harry was lost, unable to move, watching these people die...for him?

“Avada Kedavra�. Another blast. This one was so close that Harry felt the heat wash over him. Riddle was no longer laughing, but still carried a confident look.

“Avada Kedavra�. Again.

“Avada Kedavra�. Again.

“Avada Kedavra�. “NOOO!� Harry screamed as Arthur Weasley jumped out. But another student was faster and took the hit, falling on Arthur and knocking him unconscious.

Harry heard more and more people filing in behind him. More deaths for Riddle. Harry finally realized what was happening and why Snape had given him the object he held in his pocket. But this is insane!

“Avada Kedavra�. Dennis Creevey lay dead and Ginny screamed, “No, Snape, let me go!� Ignoring the scream, Harry lowered his wand and prepared to step forward. He heard Snape’s voice behind him, speaking to Ginny, “Shhh, Ms. Weasley. It’s almost time.�

“Avada Kedavra�. Cho Chang lay dead, Harry cried out, tears he could not stop were filling his eyes. He heard Ginny sobbing behind him, giving him strength to go on, to protect her.

Harry knew this was the time to move, he could not stand to see anyone else die. Tearing his feet from the Chamber Floor, Harry forced himself to approach Riddle, wand at the ready. Riddle stopped casting spells, though still sneering, still arrogant. With lightning speed, Riddle lifted his wand to point at Harry’s chest, now only two meters away.

“Avada Kedavra�. The tip of Riddle’s wand shot the tell-tail green jet directly into Harry’s chest -- and it had no effect at all.

Harry thought he understood now why Snape had pulled him aside, but it was not until Riddle had thrown the killing curse that he was certain. He felt nothing at all. No burn, no pressure, and most importantly, no fear any longer. There was just one more thing for him to do. ...either must die at the hand of the other... Yes, he was certain. Riddle had grown so powerful that he could not be killed magically, Harry had to do it, and it had to be done by hand.

Riddle stepped back when the killing curse failed, but he threw another, then another, then, in rapid sequence, so many curses and hexes no one present could keep count. Harry was just centimeters away now and dropped his wand, when Riddle saw this Harry perceived fear in his face for the first time. In the next instant, Harry pulled the long curved blade that Snape had given him from his robe, but hesitated.

Can I kill a man by hand?

His answer was given to him when he heard Ginny pleading with Snape to release her.

Riddle lifted his wand behind his head and began to cast another spell, but Harry’s arm flew out, and in one lightning motion cut nearly all the way through Riddle’s neck. Blood shot out everywhere, covering Harry. The dark wizard’s wand, now in motion forward, touched Harry’s forehead, knocking him backwards. But whatever magic the wand had held mattered not; Riddle was dead before he hit the ground.

Harry stood frozen, along with the crowd of others, then collapsed to his knees; he was still conscious but could tell that something Riddle had done was causing him to black out. Pools of blood were everywhere, steaming in the cool air of the Chamber. Snape pushed Ginny aside, picked Harry up, and then told those still standing to retrieve the bodies of the dead and injured. Ginny was running beside Harry and Snape and she could tell something was terribly wrong with Harry but Snape was screaming for everyone to get to the back of the Chamber. He pulled out two daggers, one red and one blue, and instructed everyone to touch one of the Portkeys. “The red will take you to St. Mungo’s, the blue to the school’s north lawn.�

The battle was finally over.

_____

Harry sat silent on the couch next to Ginny. Olga Windshine was holding his hand, tears in her eyes, also.

“Harry, that’s what you had hidden. When Voldemort’s wand touched your head he nearly did kill you. He had tried to start a memory transfer, but died before he succeeded. Those curses he threw right at the end? Some of them got through the shield your friends had provided you by their sacrifice.�

Harry bowed his head, the tears starting again. “They gave their life for me? That’s what Snape was telling them at the end. Oh my God, Ginny, that’s why Snape was holding you back.� And Harry completely broke down. It was like nothing he had ever experienced, it was a feeling of profound and utter sadness, far worse than Dumbledore or Sirius’ death. Ginny held him as best she could but Harry was shaking so badly Hermione was becoming concerned.

Olga then spoke to Ron, who had tears streaming down his face, “Harry will need a lot of help getting through this. You’re his best friend, I saw it in him. It will take a while, but soon he will be better.�

Looking at Ginny, Olga saw the sadness in her eyes. “Ginny, there is something you can do for Harry.� Olga touched her hands. “When Harry needs you, sit with him and hold him like you just did. If you like, I would be honored to help you learn other techniques, but for now, just holding Harry will be enough.� Ginny didn’t respond, but the overt hostility toward the Healer was no longer evident.

“I’m leaving two dreamless sleep Potions in case Harry has trouble sleeping. Don’t hesitate to use them, or to Floo me if something concerns you.� Standing and walking down the Hallway to the front door, Ron retrieved her coat and she bid them good day.

Snow had fallen while everyone was in the house and showed the well-defined foot prints leading back to Hogwarts as Olga Windshine departed.


_____

Harry had calmed down a short time later. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all sat next to him as best they could on the small loveseat. After a few more minutes, Hermione fetched some chocolate and gave everyone a large piece. Harry had a few bites of his then gave the rest to Ron. Feeling better, he still had a few questions.

“Thanks for being here. So, you all knew what happened in the Chamber a while back?�

“No, Harry, I was the only one here who knew the whole story. Ron and Hermione had left with Neville to capture Bellatrix Lestrange and a couple other Death Eaters.�

“Yeah, Harry. Fred and George told Hermione and me when I was in the hospital. Sorry, mate, it just sounded too shocking to tell you what had happened. Especially with Cho.�

“Ronald, you prat, leave her out of this.� Hermione pushed Ron off the edge of the loveseat where he had been sitting.

“It’s ok, Hermione, she was just one of many.� Harry’s voice drifted off and his eyes started watering again. They sat silently on the loveseat, except Ron, who had made himself comfortable on the Floor, leaning against Hermione’s leg.

Following a few minutes of silence, Ron tried to lighten things up. "Say, Harry. What did Olga mean when she said ‘Harry and Ginny can tell you later?’�

“RONALD! Shut up!

“What? What did I say?�

Ginny saw a row coming on and tried to think of a diversion, but she was spared by a timely knock on the front door. “Ron, go answer the door.� Hermione told him crossly. In a few seconds they all heard the voice of Remus Lupin speaking with Ron.

“We’re in here, Moony� Hermione called out. “but please leave Ron out front.�

Remus laughed as he came down the hallway, Ron trailing behind with a sour look on his face.

“Hello! I just had an interesting conversation with Mad-Eye. Something about Harry’s memories of the last battle.� Seeing Hermione and Ginny’s serious looks, and Harry’s red eyes, Remus easily made the connection. “Ah, I see Harry’s already been told.�

“Not told, Remus, that lady from St. Mungo’s, Olga Windsock, or whatever her name is, removed some curses remaining up here,� Ginny tapped Harry’s head, “and it let Harry remember everything.�

“I see,� kneeling on one knee in front of Harry, Remus asked, “Harry, how you doing, son?�

Harry nodded. “Ok, better now that I’ve had some time to think about it. Did I see everything or are there more things buried?�

“Harry, you and I were the only ones here who saw the same thing.� Ginny then went on to walk Harry through everything she remembered, but without the details which she intentionally omitted.

“Thanks, Gin. That’s pretty much what I saw. I do have a couple questions.� Turning to Remus, “Where was Snape at the start of the battle? The first time I saw him that day he was in the Great Hall giving me the knife.� At the word “knife,� Harry’s voice faltered.

“Harry, it took some time for me to get Snape to tell me what happened. I confronted him one day, oh, about a month after the battle, up in McGonagall’s office. I think with Minerva’s pressure he felt he had to explain himself.� All eyes were on Remus as he told a part of the story that none of them had heard.

“Snape was talking with Dumbledore, or rather, with Dumbledore’s portrait.�

“WHAT?� All four of them said together, then Harry continued, “McGonagall said Dumbledore didn’t want a portrait.�

“Yes, I knew about that. But there was a very good reason that little piece of disinformation was spread around. The portrait was delivered to Minerva about two months after Albus died. His actual instructions were that Minerva be certain she was the first person to see it animated. When she first had that opportunity, about a week after it’s delivery, Albus made her, Snape, and Flitwick swear and unbreakable vow that you, Harry, would never know it’s existence. In accepting this vow, they had also knowingly sealed the knowledge from everyone else.�

“Why?� Ron asked, sitting on the sofa.

Hermione looked at Ron. “Honestly, Ron, didn’t you take any logic or probability classes? They knew that every additional person who knew the secret would increase the likelihood of it eventually leaking out to everyone. Having three people knowing about the portrait was a risk itself, but they needed three for the vow to bind.�

“So what was the reason?� Harry asked sourly to Remus, expecting an evasive answer.

“Simply this, Harry. Albus wanted you to develop your skills without his influence. He had already made some serious mistakes, which I know he’s told you about. His plan was to make the portrait known after you defeated Voldemort. And Harry, Albus never thought you couldn’t defeat him, he simply did not want to distract you.�

Harry thought about this for a while, then went back to the original subject. “Ok, so where does Snape fit in?�

“Snape had an indication, early on the day of the last battle, that something was about to happen. I don’t know what that tip was, but he immediately found Minerva and consulted with Albus. Up until that day we had been quite sure that the attack was going to take place at Hogwarts and we had been led to believe it would happen on Leaver’s day. Apparently something changed, or maybe Voldemort was following a whim, perhaps they figured there would be less opposition if they chose a Hogsmeade weekend, but I don’t think we’ll ever know.�

“This put us in a bad position. Minerva sent out the alarm and did something extraordinary, she removed the apparition wards from Hogwarts so everyone could get here faster. After the Order members and Aurors had gathered in the Great Hall she reestablished them, just in time, it seems. This was about ten in the morning as the first group of students was heading to Hogsmeade. While Snape was consulting with Albus, and Minerva was issuing the alert, everyone forgot to get the students out of danger.�

“Harry, and the rest of you,� Lupin made certain they all heard this. “It’s important that your know how this lapse affected Severus and Minerva. After the attack was over and the situation stabilized, Snape disappeared for a few weeks and there was speculation he had taken his own life. I thought so myself. Minerva went into a deep depression and resigned, I know she seems happy now, but she was devastated by her mistake. I’m sure she will carry that with her the rest of her life.�

Lupin paused for a minute, then walked to get a drink from the kitchen. The others sat silently with there thoughts.

“Albus and Snape had debated for many months about how Harry would destroy Voldemort. It was not a heated debate, but they had so many things to consider. Ultimately they decided that two pieces of evidence would force Harry to kill Voldemort by hand. The first, which you probably know, was the prophecy. ‘either must die at the hand of the other.� They took this to mean, literally, that magic would not work against the other; a fatal injury to one or the other...or both, would be necessary.�

“The second piece of evidence was the knife Harry used. That knife belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself, but Albus had been in possession of the knife for over a hundred years. About three years ago Albus noticed a dramatic increase of interest in Slytherin artifacts. Most of this he attributed to Voldemort’s return. However, he noticed an inordinate amount of interest in a knife with a description exactly like the one he owned. He and Snape talked about this and came to the conclusion that the knife was being sought after by Voldemort, and if he wanted it so badly, why? I believe that’s when they realized the knife’s role.�

“The morning of the attack, Dumbledore told Snape where the knife was located. It took Snape almost an hour to find it and get back to Hogwarts. By that time the attacks had started and that idiot Umbridge had ordered the students out of the school to help fight the Death Eaters. Of course, she didn’t follow them. The results were near disaster. With the extra five hundred people to protect we were forced to ‘circle the wagons’ around the students and give up our strong defensive positions within the castle. Umbridge hasn’t been seen since then, but I hope it’s me that finds her.�

Remus’ story had been going on now for a half hour but everyone’s attention was glued to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

“Albus gave Snape one other set of instructions, even though the battle was now raging below. Snape was told that Harry would probably not be able to use the knife unless he was enraged by Voldemort. Also, Harry had to be told that magic would not work against Voldemort, a key piece of information that we were sure Voldemort himself was unaware of. And this is where Harry’s memory picks up, if I recall correctly. Harry?�

“Yeah, Remus. I saw Snape in the Great Hall as I was about to go into the Chamber. I told him I wasn’t going to use the knife but he forced me to keep it with me, ‘just in case.’ He was trying to tell me about the prophecy but I wasn’t listening. I guess when I saw what was happening at the end of the battle, with all those people giving their life for me, I did what Dumbledore thought I would do.� Harry hung his head down again.

“Remember, Harry, Snape and Dumbledore were not certain the knife was the way to go. They had a lot of confidence, but Snape insisted that they have another plan in case you couldn’t use the knife. That’s what all those people were part of, Snape’s backup plan. While you were organizing the assault into the Chamber, Snape told the group staying behind about what might be needed. Although it didn’t work out as he planned, the deaths of those people did enraged you to the point where you could attack with the knife.�

“Harry, we’ll probably never know what effect those deaths had on you, but their sacrifices were probably what moved you to use the knife. Am I right?�

Harry didn’t move, but answered quietly. “Yes. I think it was just their deaths that pushed me into what I did. Either way, Riddle’s dead. I guess that’s something.�


_____

Remus and Ginny walked back to Hogwarts with Harry after they all had lunch. Harry was quiet but not as depressed and he had been when he first saw the memory; and he was viewing the south lawn completely differently now, knowing what had happened there.

Approaching the building, Ginny realized that there was still one big unanswered question. “Remus, what happened to Dumbledore’s portrait?�

Harry was shocked, he had not thought of that and he waited anxiously for Remus’ reply.

“The painting, along with most of the other Headmaster portraits, was badly damaged when the Chamber collapsed. Alastor has the remains of it, I believe. Do you want to go check?�

“No, not now, Remus. Thanks. I think I’ll go lay down for a while.�

Giving Ginny a quick kiss, and embracing Remus, Harry headed off to his room.

After Harry disappeared around a corner, Remus suggested, “Ginny, why don’t you go with Harry, he could probably use you now. I’ll send Dobby up later with dinner if you two want to eat alone.�

Surprised, Ginny hugged Remus, kissed his cheek, and ran off after Harry.

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 28 – More Changes

Please Read & Review, it makes for better stories!



“I’ll miss you.�

“I’ll miss you more.�

“Shut up, Ron. At least you get to travel while I’m stuck in the ‘White Cliffs of Dover’ reading about Merlin’s bathing habits.� Seeing the hurt look on Ron’s face, Hermione apologized. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t very kind of me.�

“No worries, just kiss me good bye again. Mmmm. That’s better. Gotta run now, let me know how Harry’s doing, ok?�

Ron stepped out of the front door and prepared to Apparate to Chudley for a two week camp, most of which would be spent in Salem, Massachusetts, and Melbourne, Australia. Looking at Hermione standing in the door with an expression somewhere between unhappy and annoyed, Ron mouthed, “I love you� one more time, then disappeared.

Hermione closed the door and ran to the parlor sofa where she could warm her feet by the fire. I hate it when Ron has to leave early. The orange and yellow flames of the fire enchanted her as they danced across the logs. Soon she found herself losing a battle against her two heavy eyelids and drifted off to sleep.

Squeak-Clank, Squeak-Clank Two hours later Hermione woke to the sound of the front door knocker. Jumping up, she wrapped her robe around herself in preparation for the icy wind that would fly through the door when opened. Looking out the kitchen window she saw that her guest was Ginny, she was stamping her feet to stay warm as the wind whipped snow all around her. Running to the door, Hermione opened it and quickly dragged Ginny into the house.

“Hi Gin! What brings you into town this early on a Sunday? Did you need Ron? He left for Camp a couple hours ago.�

Shaking the snow out of her hair and rubbing her arms to warm up, Ginny smiled at Hermione’s outfit. “No, just visiting...don’t you look like the original housewife now?�

“Oh, right, very funny. Married two weeks and I’m over the hill.� Laughing, the girls headed back to the warmth of the parlor where Hermione put more logs on the fire.

“How’s Harry feeling today, or haven’t you seen him?� asked Hermione, sitting down and curling her legs under herself to stay warm.

“Ok, I guess. He had a couple rough spots yesterday afternoon and I made him take a Potion last night. He woke once, but just to visit the loo. He said he was hungry this morning, I guess that’s a good sign.� Ginny started fiddling with an earring that refused to stay on.

Hermione was watching Ginny struggle and started laughing. “Here, let me help you.� Between the two of them they managed to break the earring’s stem, so Ginny gave up and took the other one off. Returning to the sofa, Hermione watched Ginny for a while. She seemed unusually serene. Feeling relieved that Harry seemed to be coping, Hermione turned her attention back to Ginny and asked. “Gin, you’re acting different this morning. What’s up?�

“Different, how so?�

“You just seem really calm. You were so upset yesterday; it just surprises me, that’s all.�

“Oh, I wasn’t that upset.� Ginny did not pull the fib off very well, but it did not matter, Hermione already knew the truth. “Not upset? When you and Olga went into the den I bet you used a silencing charm, didn’t you?�

Ginny’s face had a puzzled expression. “Well, yes, but why…how did you know?�

“Did you use ‘Silencio’?� Seeing Ginny nod her head “yes,� Hermione told her a little secret. “Gin, ‘Silencio’’ doesn’t work in other people’s houses, that’s one of the little things they don’t teach students here. Ron, Harry, and I were out here listening to you chew-out Olga. You did a good job, too�

Both girls laughed and then spent the next hour sipping hot chocolate and talking about school and wedding plans. Finally, Ginny started to get up, claiming she had to head back to school to catch up on some work. As she was about to leave the house Hermione stepped in front of the door. “You and Harry can come by for dinner, if you like. It won’t be anything exciting, but I could use the company.�

“Um, I don’t think it will work tonight, Hermione. Harry has to meet with Moody about this week’s lessons and finish bringing Remus up to date on the students’ progress. How about another time?�

“Ok, sure. I might see you later; I have to meet with Moody about something I was working on for Snape. Well, bye, thanks for stopping in.�

An hour later Hermione started out for Hogwarts to speak with Mad-eye. Passing the Blueberry Inn, she stopped in to say hello to Katie.


_____

Monday morning found Hermione back in Dover, meeting with Keric Albemarle and Patty Lee in a small conference room. She arrived early to tell Patty about the honeymoon and married life; neither noticed Keric when he walked in the door at eight o’clock sharp.

“Well, Mrs. Weasley, welcome back. Good morning, Patty. Ready for some interesting work now?� Keric knew that the work both had been doing prior to Christmas was boring, but he had made it so intentionally. To the surprise of Hermione and Patty, Keric closed the conference room door and cast a silencing charm. “Hermione, I’ve told Patty about the work you were doing for Severus Snape and she’ll be working with you three days a week. I have hired two more full time positions back in London and I’ll be working with them to ensure your regular work is covered. Hermione, did you speak with Alastor Moody yesterday?�

“Yes, he brought me up to speed on the events of the last few weeks, including the disappearance of Fudge and Tumult. He also told me I’d be working here full-time, per your request.�

“Excellent. Did he mention to you about a copy of a document I translated a number of years ago for…a friend?�

“Yes sir.�

“Wonderful. Patty, I want you and Hermione to look at this translation and study it carefully. Alastor Moody believes that this is what got Tumult and Fudge in trouble, so all notes, translations, and documents directly related to this one are classified. Absolutely no one other than the three of us and Alastor sees or hears anything about this. Do you both understand?� Patty and Hermione nodded “yes� at the gravity of Keric’s comments.

“Very well. Here are my notes on the translation, including the keys used, and a copy of the original parchment. When you think you’re familiar with the patterns I’ll give you some additional documents to work on.� Albemarle set a thick folder and two notebooks on the table, they looked old and worn.

“Keric?� Hermione asked before Albemarle left the room. “These documents you’re going to give us. Hasn’t anyone worked with them before?�

“Certainly, but no one else had the keys; that’s my little contribution to this effort. Good luck, I’ll stop by this afternoon but don’t hesitate to call if you have a problem.� Albemarle left the room and Hermione recast the silencing charm.

“Well, Patty, let’s see what this is about.� Hermione pulled her chair over, next to Patty, and started looking at Keric’s notes about the keys used. It did not take long for both of them to groan at the complexity of the ciphers.


_____

“Snape, how long are we going to keep this up?� Percy wined after their third game at roulette. “It seems like we’ve been doing this for months.�

“Yes, but we are making progress. You last statement proves that; you now have a consistent feel for the passage of time, and your frustration is something new, also. Let’s try something different.� Snape thought for a while as Percy waited.

“Percy, tell me about Peter, and please call me Severus. If we’re going to be stuck here we should at least try to be civil.� Snape thought he sensed humor in Percy, another change.

Percy told Snape everything he knew about Peter, which was not much, then started relating how he was sharing The Story In The Runes with him.

“Percy, wait.� Snape thought for a moment and then asked, “Percy, is this the memory you were sharing with Peter when you were hit?�

“Yes, I believe so.�

“Interesting.� Snape paused again and tried to recall some of his knowledge about The Story, but it was too long ago for him to remember any details.

“Percy, I would like you to try something. I have no idea if this will work but it might answer some questions either way. I want you to transfer your memory of The Story to me.�

“How? I don’t have a wand. I don’t even have a body.�

“I’m hoping that you don’t really need a wand, and you do have a body, just no control over it. Since out minds seem to be intermingled in some way, you may not have to do anything other that consciously desire it to happen.�

“Ok, I guess it’s worth a try. What part of the story do you want to see?�

“Can you show me what you were showing Peter when you were attacked?�

“I don’t know if I can recall exactly where I was. Let me think.� Percy tried to recall the sequence of The Story. Once he had that established, he worked through each part until he could not remember showing Peter the section. “Ok, Snape, uh, Severus, I have it. I was about to show him story number 5. Ready to try?�

“Very well, if nothing else, this should be an interesting experiment.�

And it was.


_____

Peter was hoping that his eyes were deceiving him and that this person really was Percy. He slowly approached the hooded man, stopping every couple meters and tried to see if he could recognize the person, but the closer he came to the figure the more he realized the apparition was not completely there. The man would fade in and out; sometimes appearing like a normal person, other times like a faint ghost. Except for a small hand movement, the visitor made no other movement before he disappeared.

Merlin remained behind, watching the interaction between Peter and the specter. When the figure finally disappeared Peter returned asking if Merlin knew anything about what he had just seen.

“Peter, that was something I have never seen before, but I have an idea what it may be. Let me tell you more of the story, it may help.�

Peter groaned, “Not more. Ok, ok, let me get comfortable.�


_____

“Excuse me, Director, I wanted to give you an update on the Weasley/Martin case before we finish.�

The daily staff meeting was almost over and few of the staff Healers were interested in extending the meeting. Olga Windshine smiled at the seven men and nine women around the table. “Certainly, but we don’t need to keep everyone else. You may go.� When everyone was gone except Windshine and Percy’s Healer, Olga nodded.

“Three hours ago we witnessed another change in Weasley and Martin. Peter still appears the stronger of the two but Percy is improving rapidly. There is still no recognition, but reflexes are showing signs of returning; pupils are just beginning to show reaction to light; heart and respiration stand at about forty percent of normal for Percy and about seventy-five percent for Peter.�

“Is this a continuation of the earlier improvement or something else?�

“Definitely something else, Olga, similar in pattern to the first improvement but stronger. Let’s hope this continues.�

“Yes, please keep me posted. If Peter recovers we will need to bring his parents in again and I will have to get approval.�


_____

“Are you all right, Severus?�

“Yes, I think so.�

“Did you see anything?�

“Yes, I believe I saw your young friend, Peter, but I could not communicate with him. I was not completely there, I was more like a ghost. He couldn’t understand my words, I tried to speak but didn’t have enough control to move your mouth. This is very unusual.�

“Well, it sounds like a good start. We got further that you expected, didn’t we?�

“Yes, but there is something odd about this. If I was viewing your memory why could Peter see me?�

Snape thought for a while then decided to continue the exercises. “Ok, Percy, another game, but this time let’s see if we can do something requiring movement.�


_____

“Harry, come quickly!� Remus had stuck his head into Harry’s office as he issued the brief summons. “Moody wants to see us immediately.� Dropping the paper he was grading, Harry jumped up and followed Remus.

“Any idea what this is about?� Harry asked, trying to keep up with Lupin’s fast pace.

“None, but Moody looked more confused than angry, so we probably don’t have to worry about our jobs.� Remus smiled before leaving the office.

Harry was having a wonderful time working with Lupin, as he expected he would. Completely comfortable in each other’s presence, they made an excellent team, whether teaching together or individually. They thought the same way and both were comfortable teaching any level, whether the student was first or seventh year. Harry especially liked that, it gave him more chances to see Ginny during the week.

On the other hand, Harry saw that Mad-Eye was having a difficult time as the Headmaster, and he didn’t expect him to be approved by the school board. Remus agreed. Moody was not particularly concerned by this; he never wanted the Headmaster position, and even returning to the Defense job was something you didn’t bring up unless you wanted to be chewed out. Besides, Harry thought, he had been talking of retirement since November.

Arriving at Moody’s office was different than arriving at Snape’s, McGonagall’s, or even Dumbledore’s. The first thing you noticed was that his door was almost always open. Moody called it an “Open Door Policy� and hoped it would encourage more direct communications with the staff and students. In the first week Harry thought it was working quite well; among the students and staff alike Harry had heard positive comments.

“Come in you two, Harry, please close the door. Remus would you throw a couple of those old silencing charms the Order used, please.� Remus drew his wand and cast two spells Harry had never heard before. Off his look, Remus told Harry he would teach them when they had some time together.

“Ok, Harry, Remus, it looks like whatever happened on 9/19 has happened again, or started up again, I don’t know which.� Harry immediately looked at Lupin, as did Moody. Remus was leaning forward, obviously waiting to hear what manifestations this event would exhibit.

“Remus, I’m sure it will be ok.� Harry tried to reassure his friend. “Mad-Eye, I mean, Headmaster, are there and indications of things reversing, you know, like...�

“No Harry, and stop calling me ‘Headmaster.’ Remus, someone’s at the door. Blast, I forgot I told Longbottom to join us.� Remus got up and unlocked the door, letting Neville into the room.

Harry greeted Neville, who was quite dirty and looked like he had just taught a class. “Mad-Eye, how did you know Neville was there?� Harry asked.

“Have Lupin teach you the charm, it’s handy when you don’t want to answer the door.� Shuffling around at his desk, Moody looked uncomfortable for a moment then made a statement. “Look you three, if I’m not relieved before then, I’m retiring at the end of this year.� Neville was the only one who showed much surprise. Mad-Eye looked directly at Harry and barked out, “Not much of a shock to you, Potter? Didn’t think I could do the job, eh?�

Harry laughed. Over the past five months he’d learned to tell when Moody was joking. Neville looked petrified at Harry’s laughter so Harry filled him in on his secret. “Look, Neville, whenever Moody is joking, or lying, his magical eye spins to the back.�

Moody laughed. “Yeah, that may well be. It never happened before that arse Crouch used it.� Everyone had a laugh with Moody before they returned to business.

“All right. Remus, I haven’t heard anything about Werewolves, but there are some serious things happening. First, spell effectiveness is fluctuating again, so warn all your students. Second, invisibility spells are failing, but not across the board, only here and there. I’ve already had the school checked so were safe here. Third, there is some sort of...something affecting magical plants. Longbottom, fill us in on what you discovered.�

“Yes, sir. I mean, Alastor.�

“Don’t call me that! It’s Mad-Eye or Moody.�

“S-s-sorry, Moody. Professor Sprout and I discovered that all our mandrakes had died overnight. This doesn’t directly affect us, we can use other plants for class. The only other flora we found dead was a small box of gillyweed Professor Sprout had in her apartment. That’s all, Moody.�

“The merpeople here have all died, do you think it’s related?� Harry asked Moody.

“How the blazes should I know, Harry? Snape never told us anything when he was around, but yeah, they’re probably related. Ok, the last thing that’s been reported may be left over from 9/19 but just taken this long to be recognized. It looks like the registration of newborn wizards and witches has fallen...dramatically.� Moody remained hunched over his notes, but looked up at Harry, Remus, and Neville.

“Uh, Moody, how much of a drop?� Remus asked.

“Well, roughly twenty-five percent.� Moody had to stop for a moment as all three of his guests started asking questions. “Be quiet. Yeah, good news, but here’s one other possible clue, this last event appears to have begun last April, about the time of the final battle. It may be a coincidence, only time will let us in on its secret.�

For the next few minutes the four sat around brainstorming ideas until they heard a knock on one of Moody’s windows. Neville jumped up and opened the window so a tan owl could enter. She flew across the room and landed on Lupin’s knee, holding out a claw with a message. Remus removed the letter and after the owl flew off he opened it.

Remus, please come home as soon as you can, there are Muggles all over our yard. Tonks

Moody told Remus and Harry to go to Grimmauld place right away and dismissed Neville; then he looked at a report he had requested weeks ago about the wizards and witches affected by the 9/19 events. The report showed him what he and Harry had suspected. Almost every person or every spell thread affected was somehow related to Slytherin – at first – now it was across the four houses.


_____

Harry and Remus Floo’d to Ron & Hermione’s house then Apparated directly to 12 Grimmauld Place. Tonks was holding a sleeping James and pointed to a window with a nod of her head. Looking outside, Harry and Remus saw people all over the yard, as many as thirty of them. A Muggle fire truck was parked out front as were three official looking cars with yellow lights flashing.

“They started knocking a few minutes ago, Remus. I yelled for them to go away but they keep coming back.� Tonks was obviously worried and her hair had turned pea green.

“Ok, dear. Go upstairs and pack everything you can as quickly as you can. Harry, please help; I’ll see if I can talk to them.� As Tonks and Harry ran up the stairs Remus went to the front door. He could see at least two figures, distorted through the glass in the door. Looking for a distraction, Remus threw a stink spell just outside the door and listened as the people gathering around the front of the house dispersed. Then dispelling the odor, Remus stepped out on to the front porch.

“Can I help you people?� Remus asked the Muggles.

A man standing far away, near the front gate, yelled back. “Yes, you can tell us where this bloody house came from. It wasn’t here yesterday.�

Remus couldn’t resist teasing the man with his reply. Looking back over each shoulder to the house, then back again to the man, Remus asked, “What do you mean it wasn’t here. It’s been here for ages. What have you been drinking?� Remus chuckle. The man shut up but a middle-aged woman didn’t. “I say it wasn’t here, too, and I’ve lived there,� She pointed to the house next to Lupin’s, “for twenty-two years.�

But Remus didn’t want to stop yet. “Well my good lady. You have me beat, I’ve only been here for two years, it was left to me in a will by� Here Remus almost slipped up, if he had said “Black.� The Muggle police might have been able to make a connection between him and Sirius, who was still wanted in the Muggle world. “...by a good friend of mine. I’ve been in and out of this house every day for over a year.�

Remus went back and forth with this lady and a few others until an officer approached and started asking more difficult questions, like who holds the mortgage and who is the insurer. Simply trying to buy more time for Harry and Tonks, Remus was quickly running out of options. Excusing himself from the crowd, which had quickly swarmed to nearly than two hundred, under the pretense of looking for some documents Remus went back in and locked the door, mechanically, and magically.

Remus was not surprised to see Arthur Weasley appear on the steps, with others from his office, all carrying things. “Remus, we have to get you all out of here as soon as possible. The invisibility spells on this house are gone and we cannot re-engage them.�

“Ok, Arthur, can you take our things to my room at Hogwarts? Tonks and I will figure things out from there.�

“Remus, there really isn’t anything to ‘figure out’ with the house. When everything is out we will have to burn it down, completely.

The next day Harry covered for Remus while he and Tonks looked for a new place. There were no surprise spells as there had been after 9/19, but all the teachers were being far more careful, too. In fact, the only first-hand experience Harry had with any new changes was Grimmauld place. Arthur Weasley had burned it to the ground late the night before, much to the frustration of the fire brigade; Arthur had cast a water repelling spell, and in spite of all their efforts, the fire burned until nothing remained.


_____

Very late Tuesday evening, in the Gryffindor common room, Rudy, Carol, Lisa, and Brian sat on the Floor near the large fireplace finishing up the last of their transfiguration homework. The snow that had started falling Saturday had continued and the school grounds were covered in a half-meter thick blanket. The four first years decided to play in the drifts before doing their homework and they were paying for their play time now. As usual, Rudy needed help so Lisa worked with him while Carol and Brian argued over a game Brian was trying to have them play.

“Yes it will, I tried it. And Jade Kafee showed me, too.�

“Brian, I can’t believe you tried one of her spells. All those idiots in Slytherin ever do is sell you candy that tastes like dung and spells that backfire. That dumb thing will never work.�

“Will too!�

“Will not!�

“I’ll prove it. Watch.� Reaching into his pocket, Brian pulled out a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavoured Jelly Beans. Opening it, he took a blue one out and set it on a table. When Brian went for his wand, Carol ran to hide behind a sofa with Rudy and Lisa. Brian was laughing at them and then said, “Omnis Coloro.� Everyone heard a soft “Puff.� Carol peaked around the side of the sofa and saw Brian picking up a yellow jelly bean. He tasted it and made a face.

“Well, did it work?� Rudy asked.

“YES! Brian yelled. “Excellent!�

“Oh, please you guys, go to bed. Rudy, what are you all doing up so late.�

Rudy, Carol, Lisa, and Brian froze in their spots and had a look of horror on their faces. They had all heard the voice but saw nothing. Rudy thought the voice was familiar. “Ginny, is that you?�

“Of course it’s me Rudy…oh, sorry.� Suddenly Ginny appeared to the other four students. She was carrying books in one arm and the other was holding a shimmering silver cloak; she looked exhausted. “I’m sorry, guys. I forgot I was wearing this.� Ginny dropped her books on a chair then sat on the Floor next to them. Rudy walked over and pushed Harry’s invisibility cloak with his toe.

“Blimey, sis, what’s that?� Rudy said exactly what the other kids were thinking.

“It’s called an invisibility cloak, it’s Harry’s. I fell asleep in his room and he let me use it so Filch wouldn’t catch me.�

Rudy’s eyes were wide open with amazement. “Wow, you get to sleep in Harry’s room?�

No, Rudy! I just fell asleep there tonight. Harry was helping me with a charms essay.�

“Sure, studying charms, I’ll bet they were practicing charms on each other.� Brian whispered to Carol. The next thing Brian knew he was doubled over on the Floor.

“Watch your mouth, Whittle, I don’t know how you were ever sorted into Gryffindor, you’re as sleazy as the Slytherins.� Carol looked like she was thinking about hitting him again, but she just walked over to Rudy and Lisa. “Sorry, Ginny, he can be such a prat.�

“Don’t worry. So, why are you guys up this late on a school night?�

Rudy told Ginny about their poor decision making after dinner while Brian caught his breath and rejoined the other first years. “And I’m making up a game, wanna play? It’s a quick game.�

“Oh sure, why not. Then you all get to bed.� Ginny crawled to her feet. “So, what do we do?�

Brian was delighted to find someone interested in trying the game. “Ok, I take one Jelly Bean and place it on the table. Everyone puts their wand away. On the count of three, we all draw our wands and cast the spell on the Bean. The first one to hit it gets to choose who eats it.� Brian was beaming about his “game.�

“So, Brian, maybe you should show us this spell?� Ginny suggested.

“Oh, yeah. The spell is “Omnis Coloro.�

“Ok, what flavour will it change the bean to?�

“Um, I haven’t figured that out yet, but it does always change it.�

“Yes, Brian, but you had to buy that stupid spell from Jade Kafee. It’s probably a delayed-action hex.� Carol was still hesitant to fool with the spell.

“No, Carol, it’s ok. You’ll learn ‘Omnis Coloro’ in your second year. Ok, one round then I’m going to bed.�

Everyone moved around the table while Brian took a green spotted bean out and set it on a plate. “Ok, everyone ready?� Looking at the other four players, Brian started counting. “One, two, three.�

PUFF The bean had changed to brown and moved toward Lisa indicating her spell had been cast first. Picking it up and eyeing it closely, she turned to Rudy and gave it to him. Rudy took the bean and gave Lisa a nasty stare. When he put it between his teeth and cringed, everyone laughed.

“Hey, chocolate marshmallow! Wicked! Let’s do it again.�

In the second round Ginny won and made Brian eat a sickly green jelly bean. When he bit into it he told them, “Green apple, at least I think that’s what it was.�

Round three went to Lisa again and she again chose Rudy to eat a bright yellow one. “Lemon!� Rudy said cheerfully, then his mouth puckered up and he added, “but very sour.�

Round four went to Brian. He gave the tan bean to Ginny who gave him an evil stare in return. “Hmmm, I think it’s butterscotch pudding.�

After a few more minutes everyone had won at least once except Rudy, but he had a determined look on his face. Brian called out: “One, two, three!�

BANG

Everyone was thrown on their rear and the room instantly filled with a cloud of red smoke. Ginny climbed up, using a chair to help support her, asking, “Is everyone ok?� One by one the other four students answered that they were fine, but the common room was filled with a thick red smoke. Fortunately it wasn’t noxious, but it was hard to see anything. Ginny felt her way to a window; throwing it open she cast a spell to blow the air out and the room slowly cleared.

A few students came running down the stairs to see what had happened. As they entered the common room most could be heard exclaiming one form of a blessed expletive or another; a few were laughing. With the smoke quickly clearing out, Ginny saw the reason for the various comments. Every inch of the common room had been turned red. Reaching over to a table, Ginny ran her finger across the surface in the hope the color was due to a fine powder. It was not.

“WHAT’S GOING ON IN HERE?� Everyone turned to the common room door and saw Professor Gerrianne standing in her gold robe and red slippers. Her face was almost as red as everything else in the room. Then there was the sound of footsteps running behind Gerrianne and Harry appeared behind her. The Gryffindor house head turned to Harry, “Thank you for your concern, Harry, but I’ll take it from here.�

Harry acknowledged Gerrianne and started to leave the room, then looked back at Ginny. His face held an expression of astonishment. “Ginny?� He ventured.

“Yes, Harry, what’s wrong? Who else would I be.� Harry blinked, then snorted, whispering something into Gerrianne’s ear. An evil smile came across the witches face as she appeared to thank Harry. Waving good bye to Ginny, Harry turned and left.

“You five, come here.� Gerrianne had calmed down a bit, in fact she almost looked amused. Neither Ginny nor the other four understood her reaction.

“I don’t want to know, so don’t tell me. You four,� Pointing to Rudy, Lisa, Carol, and Brian, “Detention for the rest of the week. Your parents will be notified about this and will be expected to reimburse the school for damages. Get to your beds, IMMEDIATELY!� Watching the four first years walk over to gather their books then go to their dorms, Ginny was wondering what fate would befall her.

“Ms. Weasley, follow me.� Gerrianne led Ginny out of the common room and to her private quarters. “Sit, no, don’t sit. Stand.� The contradiction of orders made Ginny realize that she probably had the red coloring all over her and Gerrianne didn’t want it to ruin the furniture.

“Ms. Weasley, what happened?� It only took Ginny a couple minutes to explain the game. She had left out her reason for being awake at that hour.

“First, I expect you and the other upperclassmen to set examples and use your heads. The next time you see a group of firsties up at this hour you will chase them to bed. Do you understand me?� Ginny was barely able to squeak out “yes.�

“Second, what caused the explosion?� Ginny retold Gerrianne about the game but still didn’t know what had caused the mess. Then she remembered how Carol told Brian not to buy spells from Slytherin, but she felt it beneath herself to try and lay blame elsewhere.

“Very well, by the look on all your faces I could tell this was an accident. I’ll allow one this year, don’t let it happen again.� Ginny was barely able to apologize.

“Finally, Ms. Weasley, I want your word that you will have Rudy, Lisa, Carol, and Brian at breakfast tomorrow morning at eight o’clock sharp. No excuses. Do you understand me? Oh, and you also have detention the remainder of the week. Now get back to bed.�

Walking back to the dorms, Ginny accepted the punishment, but she had no idea why she was responsible for having the other kids at breakfast. Gathering her red-stained books and Harry’s cloak, now colored red, also, Ginny headed up to her dorm. Having set her books on the bed, she went to the loo and for the first time realized why Gerrianne had told her to bring the other four kids to breakfast.

At eight o’clock sharp, five students with every part of their exposed body colored bright red, walked sullenly into the Great Hall for breakfast. The hall rang with laughter for ten minutes. Harry excused himself early and walked over to Ginny near the end of breakfast, saying hello and slipping a piece of paper to her. After he left, Ginny read the note:

Grapefruit juice will remove the stain. I asked Dobby to deliver some to you and the others. Harry


_____

“Well, Harry, did you have your little fun with Ginny this morning?�

“Cut it out, Remus, I tried to get Gerrianne to let them use it last night, but she thought this was better. Still, it was a sight.� Laughing, both Remus and Harry hoped all the stain would come off their skin easily.

“Look, Harry. Instead of talking about classes this morning I want to, er, talk to you about something that, well, um, I think we need to talk about.� The serious look on Lupin’s face surprised Harry, but whenever an adult brought up “talking� the way Remus did, it meant something to do with either money or sex.

“Harry, are you and Ginny, um, I mean, is Ginny spending the night with you?�

“WHAT? Of course not. What gave you that idea?�

“Ok, Harry. Um, it’s not like I don’t want you, I mean, just don’t get caught. You’ll lose your job and Ginny will be expelled.�

“Remus, we’re not, um, you know...� Now it was Harry’s turn to be tongue-tied, “We didn’t do that. Sometimes she just falls asleep with me. REALLY!�

“Harry, it’s ok. I’m not your father. I’ll say nothing else about the subject. Have you given any more thought to that Easter vacation I spoke about?�

“Sure, it sounds great, but Ginny won’t be there...I don’t care how good you are, Remus, we both know Molly would never allow it.� Harry just stared at Remus.

“Hmmm. Ok, if she won’t let you two go alone, how about a chaperone taking you?�

�What? Who?� Not that Harry really wanted someone hanging around with Ginny and he.

“How about Ron and Hermione?� Remus suggested.

“Impossible. Ron has games all through March and April, and Hermione’s already used her vacation for the entire year. Just forget it, Remus. I mean, thanks, but maybe next year.�

“Alright, Harry.� Remus thought for a moment. “Harry, why don’t you and Ginny go out on a date?�

“What? We do stuff all the time.�

“I know, but try doing something with just the two of you. Take her to London, go to a show. You two certainly love each other, but you never really dated, and it’s an important part of growing together in love. Killing Voldemort isn’t why Ginny loves you, it’s because you are you. Just go and enjoy each others company and show her more of yourself.�

Harry thought about what Remus said. He had never had the chance to experience a normal adolescence; sure, he had friends, friends good enough to die for him, but not many friends outside of the Weasley’s. “Yeah, ok, Remus. I’ll do that. Thanks.�


_____

The following Saturday morning found Harry and Ginny walking the south bank of the Thames, holding hands and watching the city come to life. The cold, damp wind and the early hour kept the tourists inside, and except for the occasional couple bundled up on a park bench, they had the promenade to themselves. Walking past the H.M.S. Belfast they next approached the London Eye, then proceeded to cross the Thames on the Westminster bridge.

Big Ben struck eight times as they passed the Parliament Building on the way to Westminster Abbey. Turning back onto Smith Street and crossing Birdcage Walk, they saw the signs to the Cabinet War Rooms and then proceeded on Smith until they came to Downing Street.

“They have guards there all the time, don’t they, Harry?� Ginny had puller herself up close to Harry, trying to gain a little warmth from his arm.

“I guess so, we couldn’t have done this a year ago, with Voldemort loose...�

“Shhh, Harry, they might hear you.�

“I don’t care, Ginny. I really don’t care any more.� Then more soberly, “But I guess I have to care. I’m just so bloody tired of hiding.� Over the past two weeks this had become a common theme with Harry. He was feeling cooped-up and limited at Hogwarts. After a long talk with Remus and Ginny, Harry came to the conclusion he needed to relax more, (as Lupin suggested,) get out more, (as Lupin suggested,) spend more time out with Ginny, (as Lupin suggested,) and see some of the country other than Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, (this was Ginny’s suggestion.) This day trip to London was Harry’s first time back to the city since he had left St. Mungo’s nine months earlier.

“Does Kingsley still work for the Prime Minister?� Ginny asked.

“Last I heard, yes. But I imagine he won’t be needed anymore, with Riddle gone.�

“Why not?� A deep bass voice boomed behind Harry and Ginny, causing them to jump, nearly into Smith Street.

“Kingsley! Hello.� Harry exclaimed, shaking his hand. “You’re not still looking out for me, are you?�

“Oh, no, Harry, not any more. Ginny Weasley, how are you. The last time I saw you was on your seventeenth birthday. You’re both looking well, and I understand congratulations are in order.� Kinglsey wore the hat and overcoat of the British Secret Service, answering their questions about his current place of employment

“Thanks, Kingsley. Are you going on duty?� Harry asked.

“Actually, I’ve been here since seven o’clock. The Prime Minister takes a morning walk every Saturday so I’m checking out for trouble. He’ll be along shortly. Would you like to meet him?�

Harry and Ginny had heard about the Prime Minister’s excellent rapport with the people; there was never a lack of stories about him visiting a factory or hospital in a surprise visit. Even among wizards he was well respected. “Well, he probably doesn’t have time for us, Kingsley.� Ginny said.

“Yeah, he probably wants to get inside and thaw out a bit.�

“Oh, no, I love London on a cold winter morning.� Shacklebolt had watched the Prime Minister and his other Secret Service guards approaching from behind Harry and Ginny. When they heard his voice and saw Shacklebolt’s grin they both knew he had intentionally distracted them.

“Er, hi, um, I’m, I mean, uh, this is...� Harry found himself completely Tongue-tied; Ginny just stood there with her mouth open. Fortunately, Shacklebolt was used to this and made the introductions.

“Prime Minister Thompson, these are two friends of mine, Harry and Ginny.� Shacklebolt prodded Harry’s right arm.

“Uh, sorry sir, I mean, Prime Minister. Kingsley set us up, we weren’t expecting you.� While shaking the Prime Minister’s hand, Harry regained some of his senses, but Ginny’s mouth was still hanging open. Harry, turned to her and closed her mouth. “Sorry, sir, she’s, um, I mean, she’s just surprised, too.�

The Prime Minister smiled, then laughed as he took Ginny’s hand. Harry instantly saw why he was so popular with the people. His smile was warm and genuine, without a trace of condescension. “Would you two like to warm up to a cup of tea with me? Come on.� Thompson took the two teens by the shoulder and led them across Smith then over to Downing Street.

“You know, Harry is it? You know, Harry, most politicians dread ‘pressing the flesh’ with the public. I find it absolutely invigorating.�

Behind them Harry and Ginny heard a guard say, “Right, sir, and it makes our lives exciting.� All the guards, including Kingsley, and Thompson laughed at the remark. “Yes, that is a common complaint among my men.�

Leading Harry and Ginny up the stairs and into the front door of number 10 Downing Street, Thompson stopped in the foyer. You two will need to go through security over there.� The PM pointed to a metal detector being operated by a bored looking security guard. “I’ll meet you in the parlor, I’d like you to meet my kids.�

Ginny spun around to face Shacklebolt. “Kingsley, get us out of here. What if he asks me what I’m studying?� Shacklebolt calmed her and Harry down. “Don’t worry, he’ll be more interested in what teens are doing these days than anything else. Here, give me your coats.� Whispering into their ears, “Keep your wands, if you like, just don’t take them out.� Unfortunately, they both had their wands stored in an inside pocket of their coats.

Walking down a narrow corridor, Kingsley escorted them to a small parlor, nothing like they had expected. “Harry,� Ginny was whispering, “I thought this place would be huge. It looks like Moody’s office.�

“All right there? What’s the big secret?� Thompson had come into the parlor sans his winter walking gear. “Sit down, please.�

“Oh, sorry, sir. We’ve never seen anything like this.� Harry stumbled through the lie.

“What? You’ve never been in a parlor before?� The Prime Minister laughed at his own little joke.

“No sir, I mean, yes sir. I’ve, we’ve been in many. I was just expecting...something else.� Harry had almost said “something nicer.�

“Well, most people don’t realize that 10 Downing is just another house, but we like it here, and I love the job.

Ginny had finally calmed down enough to say something intelligent. “Sir, you have children, you said?�

“Yes, twin boys, Tom and Al, they’re twelve. And Rebecca, she’s nine; I image that’s who’s running down the stairs right now. The boys are out to a football game, I’ve been told.� As Thompson finished talking, Harry and Ginny saw a short girl with curly auburn hair ran into the room and jumped on her father’s lap. She didn’t say anything, but clung to her father who was kissing her neck and face over and over, in a silly and playful manner.

Ginny and Harry looked at each other, but Harry was startled to see tears in Ginny’s eyes and a sad look on her face. Mouthing “What?� to her, Harry was completely lost. Then Ginny got off the chair and sat on the Floor next to the Prime Minister, and took Rebecca’s hand.

“Hello, Becca, my name is Ginny.� Ginny had said her name so softly and lovingly that Rebecca immediately turned, took both of Ginny’s hands, and climbed into her lap. Ginny, who was trying not to lose control, kissed Rebecca on the cheek and looked at the girl’s father. Thompson was in complete awe from what had happened. Harry was about to ask what was going on when Kingsley spoke up.

“I see you have a new friend, Ms. Rebecca.� Then to Harry, “Rebecca is extremely shy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen here take to someone so quickly.�

“No, Shacklebolt, it’s amazing. Ginny, do you work with children?�

Ginny could not resist giving her answer. “Oh, no sir. But I have three older brothers, and Harry here; they can be just as challenging.�

Thompson roared out in laughter. Ginny knew she had scored big.

“So, Harry, where do you know Shacklebolt from? You’re too young to have been in the service together.�

Here it is, time to start lying. Harry thought. “Well, our father’s were friends in the first war.� Ops! Harry saw Shacklebolt, who was standing slightly behind the Prime Minister, look directly at Harry and shake his head ever so slightly. Fortunately, he was better at cover-ups than Harry.

“Harry, we don’t call it that anymore. We refer to it as the Fawklands War.� Pulled your chestnuts out of that fire Potter. Kingsley’s face made the message clear. Watch what you say.

“Ah, good show. Where do your parents live, Harry?�

“Uh, they’re up in...� Harry was desperately searching for any northern city he could remember. “Glasgow, sir.�

“Oh, you’re Scottish, then? Don’t have the accent, though, do you?�

“No sir, I’m English, dad’s working there for a while. We’re really from Cambridge.� Harry was proud of his instant lie, until he saw Kingsley close his eyes and shake his head.

“CAMBRIDGE! That’s my home town. What part of the city?�

Harry was beginning to sweat now. The only thing he knew about Cambridge was that it was home to a famous university, the Cam river runs through it, and it has a copy of the Magna Charta displayed in a church. “We live on the Cam, sir, near the college.�

“Ah, which of the colleges? There’s thirty-one of them, you know.� Fortunately for Harry, Thompson was watching Ginny play with Rebecca and didn’t see the panic on Harry’s face.

Again trying to rescue Harry, Kingsley cut in. “Christ College, wasn’t it, Harry? You had...� Kingsley emphasized the word “had,� “that nice Tudor on Dean Street, didn’t you?�

“Uh, yeah, Kingsley, that’s right. Then we moved to...� try another city, Potter, “Bath, near the, uh, baths.� Harry was near panic, and Kingsley was close behind, now trying to think of a way to get them out of the house. Unfortunately Ginny was making the prospects of a short stay disappear by the second.

“Yes, I love the Roman influence there.� Thompson commented.

Ginny was playing with Rebecca, bouncing the girl on her knee. Harry, trying to find some way to stop the Prime Minister from asking questions, got down on the Floor with Ginny and tried to play with Rebecca, too.

“Aw, you can play with Harry, Becca. He’s a nice guy.� Harry’s tactic seemed to have worked. The Prime Minister had stood and walked to the tea service. Harry held his hands out and tried to sound sweet like Ginny, but it just came out sounding stupid. Ginny told Harry to move back some so he scooted back a couple meters.

“Harry, now hold out your hands, she might come to you.� Pointing to Harry, Ginny was talking softly to Rebecca, trying to coax her to Harry, and Harry decided to help.

“Come here, sweetheart, come to Mr. Potter.� The child laughed and ran over to Harry, throwing her arms around his neck. Ginny could see that Harry was thrilled by the huge smile on his face, and then Rebecca ran back to Ginny. Up to this point, Thompson had stood watching his child with the two adolescents. When Harry mentioned his name, however, the Prime Minister remembered something from months before.

“Shacklebolt, please excuse us for a moment, I’d like to talk to these kids alone.� At once Kingsley’s eyes widened. He could not possible leave them alone with his charge. Thompson persisted. “I’ll be fine. If I need anything, I’ll call.� Kingsley shot a warning glance at Harry and left the room with the doors open. “Shacklebolt, the doors.� The Prime Minister called out. Two long arms reached in and pulled the doors closed.

Harry and Ginny had noticed the exchange and the concerned look on Kingsley’s face. “Maybe we should be going, sir. I’m sure you have a busy day planned.� Harry rose and tried to help Ginny up, but Rebecca was clinging to her again.

“Nonsense. Ginny, you have a way with children. To be honest, I’ve never seen Rebecca take to someone this way. If I may, how old are you?�

“I’m seventeen, sir. Your daughter is adorable. Is it Down Syndrome?� Thompson was taken aback by Ginny’s question, even though he had long since determined that Ginny knew his daughter was handicapped. He just nodded.

“What’s ‘Down Syndrome,’ Gin?� Harry had realized that there was something wrong with the child, but it had been eight years since he had spent any amount of time in the Muggle world and birth defects were unheard of in the wizarding world.

“It’s a disorder that includes a combination of birth defects, some degree of mental retardation, and characteristic facial features. There are some other symptoms, but it’s been a couple years since I read about it.�

“Is that why she’s so small for a nine year old?�

Ginny looked to the Prime Minister and saw him nod. “Yeah, Harry, it’s one of the symptoms.�

For a long time no one spoke, Harry and the Prime Minister were mesmerized by Ginny’s complete sense of comfort with the child. Finally, Rebecca ran off to another room.

“I wish my wife could have seen that. Where are you in school, Ginny? Is it around London? I would like to speak with Mary about this, but would you be interested in helping out here, maybe one or two days a week?�

Ginny looked uncomfortably at Harry. “I-I don’t know if that would work, sir. I’m in school up north and…� Ginny did not have to finish; Thompson was already nodding his head indicating that he understood.

“Ginny, would you mind terribly if I spoke with Harry in private for a moment?�

Again, Ginny and Harry exchanged concerned looks, but she rose and started toward the door through which Shacklebolt had departed. When the doors had closed Thompson pointed to an empty chair. “Have a seat, Harry.� Harry sat and Thompson sat down across from him, looking – almost staring at Harry.

“Is Ginny your girlfriend, Harry?�

“Er, we’re engaged, sir.�

“You’re a little young for that, aren’t you?� Thompson’s questions were unusually personal, but his personality and personability put Harry at ease.

“Well, maybe a little. Ginny and I have know each other for eight years.�

“Does she know?�

“Know what, sir?�

Thompson “knew,� but had to be sure. “How is Cornelius Fudge these days?� The Prime Minister knew instantly that his guess was correct. Harry’s expression, one of total astonishment How does he know Fudge? said it all.

“It’s ok, Harry…Potter. I met Fudge about nine months ago and he mentioned your name a few times in reference to a rather nasty wizard. You are THAT Harry Potter, aren’t you?� Thompson’s smile told Harry that he already knew the answer.

“Oh, yes sir.�

“Does your fiancé know you’re a wizard?�

“Oh, well, yeah, she’s one, too. Or a witch, actually.�

“I see. Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, both. From what Fudge told me we all owe you a lot.�

“Don’t worry about it, sir, I try to down play all that rubbish.� Extending his arm, Thompson shook Harry’s hand and led him out. They had forgotten to have tea.


“Harry, can you believe it? We met the Muggle Prime Minister!� Ginny had no idea that Thompson knew who they were; she was just excited about the encounter and meeting their daughter. “And Rebecca was so cute. Oh, I wish I could work for them.� Ginny was clinging to Harry’s arm, dreamy-eyed. Harry was wondering if he would get in trouble for associating with the Muggle Prime Minister. Their thoughts were along altogether divergent paths.

“Well, you feel like having a bite?� Harry asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

“No, thanks, Harry. I’m ok.� Ginny just wanted to think.

“Er, how ‘bout we walk through St. James Park?� What does she want to do?

“Hm, that’s fine.� Harry, be quiet, I’m thinking.

“I bet this place is nice in the summer, with all the flowers.� I’ll talk about flowers, girls like that kind of stuff.

“Probably.� Shut up, Harry.

“We’ll come back this summer; let’s go sit over in that gazebo.� A nice feminine pink trim, too.

“Ok.� Harry, you know I hate pink. Or do you?

“Just a mo, Ginny, let me clean the seat off.� Good, Potter, very chivalrous.

“Never mind, it’s fine.� For Merlin’s sake, Harry, just sit.

“Oh, ok. Sure you don’t want some tea?� She’s got to be freezing.

“NO, Harry, I’m fine. Just sit here.� He’s worse than Padma Patil.

“Ok, Gin.� What’s wrong with her now? Why isn’t she saying anything? Is she mad at me? Does my breath smell? Did she see me look at that girl over there? What time is it? I wonder if she’s hungry yet. I wish she’d say something. Merlin it’s cold. Come on, Gin, my arse is frozen to this seat.


_____

Remus Lupin was sitting on a chair he had levitated from his office to the south entrance of the school. There was just enough over hang to prevent snow from piling up, and there was enough depth to the entryway to keep the swirling winds away. Wrapped in blankets and sipping on a large mug of hot tea, he thought this was the way to spend a winter: enjoying the scenery and relaxing in the cold mountain air.

“I HATE you, Potter, just leave me alone.� Ginny Weasley came storming around the west side of the building, her face crimson and her jaw set just like her mother’s when angry. Stomping up the stairs, Ginny paused when she saw Lupin. �And I hate you, too. Stay out of my business.� Remus sat there, his mug half way up to his lips, waiting to find out what the Bat Boogey Hex felt like. Instead, he heard the door slam shut. A few seconds later Harry walked slowly around the same corner. Other than a bright red hand-shaped imprint on Harry’s left cheek, Harry just looked…confused.

“Hi there, Harry. Have a good time in London?� Remus put on a huge grin. Harry walked up to Remus and drew his wand, pointing it at him. “Harry, wait…� In his scrambling to get out of the way of Harry’s spell he upset the tea mug and scalded his leg. Then he tripped and fell in a small drift of snow; fortunately the blankets broke his fall. The mug was not as lucky. By the time he untangled himself from the blankets, Remus saw Harry sitting in a chair he had conjured, next to his own.

“That’s the last time I listen to you, Moony.� Harry’s face was set and he didn’t bother to help Lupin back into his chair.

“Harry, what happened?� This time the sincerity in his voice had a better effect.

“That girl drives me crazy, Remus. The day started out so nice…� Harry went on for an hour telling Lupin all the had done. “Somewhere around mid morning she just started being crabby and nothing I did was good enough for her.� Harry was obviously confused and agitated. “I’m going to see Hermione.� With that abrupt excuse, Harry jumped up and ran down the south lawn towards Hogsmeade.


“Hi Harry, what’s going on? Ginny with you?� Harry gave Hermione an exasperated look and invited himself in.

“Can we talk, Hermione?�

“Yeah, sure. I just got the fire going, come on in.� Harry left his coat, hat, gloves, and boots in the front hall and went into the kitchen.

“Mind if I have an ale?� He had already taken one out and opened it.

“No, help yourself. Come see what I’ve done.�

Walking into the parlor, Harry saw that Hermione had been doing some serious rearranging. The love seat was gone and the sofa sat in the middle of the room, facing the fireplace. On the wood Floor, between the sofa and fireplace, she had placed a large animal skin of some kind, but it looked warm. The sofa also had a number of overstuffed pillows.

“Wow, what a change. What was the inspiration?�

“Here, sit down, I’ll show you.� Placing the large pillows on the rug, Hermione lay on her back, head resting on the pillows and feet just a meter from the fire. “Perfect for reading and keeping my feet warm. Like it?�

Harry joined Hermione on the Floor and after maneuvering a couple pillows found his cold feet and wet socks quickly warming. “Ah, Hermione, this is great. Have you heard from Ron?�

“Yeah, they’re leaving the States tomorrow and using one of the Muggle airplanes to travel to Australia. He said it would take too long by broom. Hey, enough about Ron. Why did Ginny hit you?�

“That obvious?�

“Have you looked in the mirror?�

Harry put his hand to his cheek and winced. “Yeah, I guess it’s that obvious.�

“What did you do to get her angry? You’re lucky she didn’t hex you.�

“We were in London, Muggle London. The day started off great…� Harry proceeded to tell Hermione the story he just told Remus.

“Wow, you met Thompson? I’ve read that he’s very popular.�

“He’s amazing, almost like a wizard. He puts you at ease with no trouble, just by talking.�

“I’ve read that there are a lot of Muggles like that, but it’s not magic, just their personality.�

“So, any ideas about Ginny?� Harry turned on his side to face Hermione, who was already facing him.

“Yeah, but I won’t tell you unless you feel like hearing a sex-ed talk.�

“What? What does sex have to do with it?� Harry was feeling uncomfortable using that word with Hermione next to him.

“Not that, Harry, sex, as in gender. You remember that stuff, don’t you?� Hermione was giving Harry one of those “You should have paid more attention in class� looks.

“Yeah, I think, what did I miss this time?� Harry was afraid to ask.

“Harry, do you remember anything about a woman’s menstrual cycle? No, I didn’t think so. Look Harry, wait a sec.� Hermione got up and ran to the bedroom, returning a minute later with a book. “Here, take this and read it. I’m too embarrassed to read it to you. Isn’t that a kick? I’ve dog-eared the chapter you need to read. Try to have it back by next week, Ron’s getting home and may need a refresher.�

Laughing, Harry started looking through the book but closed it when he got to some pages that were “explicit.� Hermione was watching him and laughed at his embarrassment. “Don’t worry, Harry. Once you and Ginny start, I mean, once you’re married a lot of these things work themselves out naturally. Before Ron and I were, ah, active, if you know what I mean, I thought I knew everything. Heavens, was I wrong. Poor Ginny would ask me all sorts of things, thinking I’d know all about this or that. I really should talk to her and correct some of those errors I passed on to her.�

Hermione was babbling away, but this time Harry was paying attention. He did not know Ginny had been going to Hermione for advice. “Say, Hermione, exactly what kind of advice was she asking for?�

“Don’t worry, Harry, it wasn’t about you, it was about herself. You know, girls stuff, feelings.�

“Have I done something wrong?�

“No, not that I can tell. Maybe on her birthday, but don’t worry about that, it was more a matter of you two not being aware of your, uh, bodies, you know and wow they respond when you, uh, mess around. Believe me, Ginny wasn’t mad at you, just confused.�

“Ok, thanks, I guess.�

Trying to change the subject, Harry asked about Ron. Hermione instantly got serious. “Harry, I miss him so much.� Harry saw tears forming in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. Hermione paused for a minute, all the while looking like she was about to say something. “Harry, last week I had a drink over at the Inn, with Katie. It was the first time I had anything to drink since last August and I felt terrible. This may sound stupid, but I felt like I was committing adultery. Ron trusts me so much but I feel I let him down.� Hermione buried her face in the huge pillow and Harry could tell she was crying.

“Nah, Hermione, have you had anything to drink since then?� Harry was relieved to see her head shake no. “Look, you know where Ginny and I are, come over if you need to be with someone. I mean it. With Snape gone, you could probably get a free meal, too.�

“Ok, Harry, thanks. I’ll do that.� Hermione took a few minutes to calm herself while Harry made small talk about school and their mutual friends. Before long, Hermione was her same old self and Harry was starting to think he should go and talk to Ginny.

“Say, are you hungry? I have some leftover salad and chicken.�

“Nah, thanks, I better get back and talk to Ginny. Thanks for listening.�

“Sure. You should probably read that chapter first, it will help you understand women better.� As Hermione got up she put a hand to Harry’s cheek and smiled. “You’re a good man, Harry Potter. Now get out of here.�

Harry Potter and The Story In The Runes
Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 29 – Fudge Returns

Please Read & Review, it makes for better stories!


“Over the next few years I slowly made my way back to my new home. It was a lonely, unhappy journey, I had hoped for more from my meeting with Joshua. His messages cheered me, his devotion inspired me, but the passion he held for his destiny puzzled me, and his ability to see inside me was unsettling. Every day I thought he might appear on the road ahead and tell me why I existed and what my purpose was. It never happened. Much later I learned that my understanding of him was not unique.�

“As the years passed I heard rumors and stories about Joshua. Truthfully, none of them were new; most were embellishments of themes I had already heard. Silly stories would appear every so often and I wondered how people could believe them. I always had to remember that my existence was unique and my understanding of life was very different than an average person who might live for thirty or forty years. This was a constant struggle for me and I had to exert a great deal of patience to restrain myself from lashing out at their stupidity and ignorance.�

“Returning to Britannia, about ten years after meeting Joshua, I resolved to take time analyzing myself and my relationship with the world in which I existed. Joshua’s comment about ‘being of this world’ gave me a passion to understand where I would go in my life. Searching for a new home, perhaps in some hills where the locals would be afraid of me and leave me be, I sought solitude and quiet. I found such a place a few months later, in a cave overlooking the ocean. I had the seclusion of a hermit’s life and my cave opened to the sea; its steady, unending rhythm was a source of comfort and stability. There I began to find myself.�

“As I started to explore my mind I chose to put everything into writing. I had no trouble remembering what my own words were, but future beings like myself, or even a common peasant may not have they ability to remember as I do. I knew how to write, but finding parchment was difficult and expensive. I taught myself to print very small and be concise in my wording; still, I needed much more parchment than I could find. Turning to the Roman occupiers, I purchased papyrus and used that for a while, but after a few years I found that papyrus would fall apart in the salt laden sea air and I was forced to return to parchment. The inks I used went through similar tests, it was an altogether frustrating start for me and it took years for me to find the correct combinations of ink and parchment.�

“My first important intellectual action was to organize my powers and label them. I had seldom used these gifts and in many ways they frightened me. If I lost control I would cause terrible things to take place, but I had never focused on understanding what had happened before that point. Thinking back to my first years of existence, I knew that my powers were channeled through the curses I inflicted. Some came from my mouth and some from my mind; verbal and non-verbal. The different strengths of my curses amazed me. When spoken, the same curse could be mild or destructive, so I made groups and names for each. The detail of my work appealed to my meticulous nature.�

“Years went by before I had recorded everything I knew. Many of the curses were trite, or insignificant, but I wrote them all down. Nearly one hundred years after my encounter with Joshua I had finally finished. My cave had protected me from the prying eyes of locals and provided me with the solitude I needed to understand my powers better. I tied the thick pile of parchment with hemp rope and thought, this is for Joshua.�

Peter remained seated, digesting the story and how it corresponded with what Percy had told him. “Do you still have those parchments?�

“No, they were lost long ago when I was chased out of your world, but not until I had made another copy. I put those on paper I made with my own hands.� Merlin patted the large, thick book he always carried with him.

Looking at the youth, Merlin stood and beckoned Peter to walk with him. “Things are happening, Peter, in your world and in mine. I worry sometimes about what I’ve done with my life and how I might have done things differently. When I die there may be no more like me; I’ve never run across anyone or anything even remotely like myself, except Joshua.�

As Merlin walked and spoke of Joshua, Peter could sense his unease. There was a tone of fear in his voice, not overt fear, just something about it that made him sad.

“Merlin, you lived so long as a child, why are you old now?�

Merlin turned to Peter, smiling. “Peter, something happened many years ago that turned my passion for life into a passion for…� Peter was sure Merlin was about to say “death,� but the old man let the sentence dangle while he searched for a word.

“I think the word I’m looking for is fulfillment. In spite of all that I had, and all that I could do, I was empty; but that is another part of the story.� Merlin again patted the book. This time, however, it was Peter who asked to hear more and a smile spread across the old man’s face.

“The Roman Empire was at its height for the next three hundred years in Britannia. There were wars and native uprisings, but the land usually remained firmly in Rome’s grasp. After I had finished writing about my curses I traveled to London where I lived for a brief time. London was a small town that had started as a Roman military fort. As the occupation wore on, London grew as a center of trade and attracted more people, but it was a dirty, disease-ridden place. In the countryside you could find small communities of Romans that were far more pleasant to interact with, so I left the city.�

“That’s where I lived another hundred years or so, near a village twenty miles north of London. I stayed far enough away from the village to remain a nonentity and close enough to watch the happenings of the world. The followers of Joshua, who now called themselves Christians, first came to my area as wandering clerics during this time. Although they did not establish a permanent presence anywhere in Britannia for another hundred years, I enjoyed watching their comings and goings. Sometimes I would listen to them, seeing if the words Joshua spoke to me were still being proclaimed.�

“On occasion, one cleric or another would speak with me, but I always felt that I drove them away with my breath of knowledge. If I merely listened, acting more like a child, I was treated as one and simply told to ‘be good.’ I came to realize that my fascination with Joshua was connected to my devotion to him; the teachings of the clerics seemed to agree with this, and set me off on another path that forever changed my life. It is also the start of the story which will answer your question.�


_____

Before Harry approached Ginny that same evening, he decided to read what Hermione had given him. Making himself comfortable on the bed in his room and playing a selection of Muggle music he had come to fancy, Harry thought he was well prepared to understand women in thirty pages, or so. After a few pages Harry discovered that there were so many terms he did not understand that it would be better to read the book cover to cover and forget about shortcuts.

Rubbing his eyes a few hours later, Harry realized he had read through dinner, midnight was approaching, and he still had not talked to Ginny. On the other hand, he felt more confused about female anatomy and physiology now than he did hours ago. Putting the book down, Harry noticed that at his current rate, it would be a few more days before he finished; but he might get to the section Hermione had showed him tomorrow.

A soft knock on his suite door startled Harry; almost no one would be up at this time unless there was something wrong. Hurrying to the door Harry suddenly wondered if it might be Ginny. He opened the door and greeted his visitor. “Oh, hi Remus, what do you want?�

Lupin was surprised at the total lack of enthusiasm in Harry’s voice; well, maybe not totally surprised.

“Hi Harry, can I come in?� Opening the door, Harry grunted something that sounded like “sure.�

“Sorry to bother you so late like this. I was just wondering if things were ok?� Standing awkwardly in the den, Remus was trying to appear apologetic and concerned. “I didn’t see you at dinner tonight and I wanted to be sure you were well. I feel bad that your day with Ginny ended the way it did. Can I sit down?�

“Sure, Remus. Thanks for coming by. Didn’t mean to sound like I was unhappy to see you. I was hoping, er, that it was Ginny.� Harry did not look up while he spoke.

“Yeah, I can understand that. I think I’d rather see Tonks than you at midnight.� This brought out a laugh and smile from him.

Harry was about to tell Remus about Hermione’s book when there was another knock on the door. Remus mouthed to Harry, “It’s probably Ginny this time,� and rose to get the door. Opening it a few centimeters, Harry heard Remus chuckle and Hermione walked into the room. “Hi Harry. What are you doing here, Remus?�

Remus answered, “I think that you need a better answer to that question than I do.� Harry and Remus laughed, but Hermione stayed composed. “I stopped by to see if Harry would walk me home. I lost track of the time in the library.�

“Oh, that excuse again!� Remus winked at Harry. “How many times did your parents fall for that one?� Remus saw immediately that he had said something wrong, but he had no idea what. Then he remembered that Hermione’s parents were not at the wedding. “Um, I think I put my foot in my mouth. Whatever it is, Hermione, I apologize.�

Hermione was trying to blink away tears, still standing and holding her books. Remus pulled a handkerchief out and apologized again as he offered it to her.

“It’s ok, Remus, thanks for the kerchief.� The three stood there, awkwardly for a few seconds then heard still another knock on the door. Hermione reached behind herself and opened the door without even looking to see who it was.

“Harry? Am I missing a party?� Ginny stuck her head in, looking at the people gathered. While she was looking at Harry, Remus, and Hermione, they were looking back; no one noticed Mrs. Norris slip into Harry’s room and hide behind the desk.

“Ginny, get in here, you’re not supposed to be out this late, and definitely not here!� Remus had grabbed her hand and pulled the third arrival into the den, which was starting to become crowded.

Harry was finding this amusing. “Did everyone bring their jammies and blanket? Some of you will have to sleep on the Floor.� That comment got everyone laughing. Ginny was standing opposite Harry as they all explained what was going on.

“Harry, I’ll walk Hermione home. It’s a full moon tonight and I love walking under them.� Taking Hermione’s books, Remus was about to leave when there were three loud bangs on the door and Filch’s voice yelling out.

“Open up, Potter, I know she’s in there. The Headmaster’s on the way. Open up, I have a key, you know.� The unmistakable sound of a large circular metal key ring jingling was heard. Now all four people in the den looked at each other, no one quite sure how to handle the situation. Then they heard another voice outside the door.

“FILCH! What the BLOODY HELL are you doing?� The key ring stopped jingling.

“She’s in here, Headmaster. And Potter’s got Mrs. Norris, too.� The key ring started up again. “Here, I’ll prove it.�

BANG BANG BANG “Potter, it’s me, Moody. Open up this damn door.�

Harry walked over to the door and opened it. “Hi Mad-Eye. Wanna join us?� Harry opened the door all the way so Moody could see who was there. Moody looked for a second, snorted, snorted again, and then kicked at something with his peg-leg. Mrs. Norris let out a pained “meow� as she ran back out the door and down the hallway.

Turning his back to Harry, Moody stated very clearly, “Filch, I don’t know what sort of arrangement Dumbledore and the rest of the faculty here had with you. AndI DON’T CARE. If you wake be up one more time because two kids are doing what they’re supposed to be doing, you’re out. GOT IT? O-U-T OUT!

Moody stuck his head back into Harry’s room. “Lupin, aren’t you a little old for these girls?� Laughing at his own joke, the Headmaster turned and hobbled back to his room.

“Ah, yes, Hermione, I’ll walk you home now. Goodnight Harry, Ginny.� Taking Hermione’s elbow, Remus made a quick exit.

Harry and Ginny remained standing, not really looking at each other. Finally Ginny spoke first. “Harry, I’m sorry about today.�

“It’s ok, Gin.� Harry still felt uncomfortable, wondering if Filch would reappear. “I, er, went and talked to Hermione for a while.�

“Yeah, she told me. She came by after dinner to see if I was ok. Did you read that stuff she gave you?�

“Well, I started to but I didn’t understand it, you know, picking it up in the middle. So I began again from the beginning. It’s, um, sort of, different.�

Ginny was standing with her hands clasped behind her, balanced on her left foot, the right foot pointed, toes only on the ground. She was facing down and her hair had fallen over her face. Harry thought she looked eleven or twelve again. He felt that way sometimes, too.

“Ginny, I wonder, sometimes about us.� This brought Ginny’s head snapping up. “Not like that. I’m just so lost sometimes. I feel like there’s an eighteen year void in my life where a normal guy should have grown.� Harry’s voice spoke of his pain, but he kept his eyes on Ginny’s face.

“Lost?� Harry nodded. “This morning at Downing street I felt so alive, almost like I was supposed to be there. Here I feel like I’m just going through motions, N.E.W.T.s mean nothing to me. You know, when I got back this afternoon I went to my room and started packing. I wanted to leave Hogwarts and never see it again.� Ginny was getting choked up as she told Harry of all her fears. “Every time I walk out the south lawn…I see death, David, Cho, Victor, they’re all still there, I mean, I feel them. It’s like I’m walking through a creepy cemetery with dementors watching my every move. I hate it.�

“Yeah, I know what you mean. I hated being so uncomfortable with the Prime Minister. I didn’t tell anyone, but he knew I was a wizard.�

“WHAT? How did he know, Harry?�

“I don’t know, but he knew my name and he knew who Fudge was.� Harry paused, watching Ginny’s face. How can I love her so much and feel so bloody rotten? “For just a moment, when we were talking with Kingsley and he was telling us how the Prime Minister liked to get out and meet the people, I thought of how brilliant that would be. He doesn’t have to hide himself from the rest of the world.� Harry walked over to Ginny and pulled her close to him, nestling his face in her hair and shoulder, smelling the flowery fragrance from her shampoo. “Why did you stop packing?�

“I don’t know. I mean, I do know, I couldn’t go without you.�

“Ask me next time you start packing. I just might go with you. No, I would go with you. I realized a while ago that being here just made me feel…empty. You’re the only reason I stay.�

Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry and held him tight. I just might do that some day, Harry Potter. Thinking back to meeting the Prime Minister, Ginny asked, “Do you think Kingsley got in trouble with the Ministry?�

“No, Scrimgeour has too many problems with all this other stuff going on.�

“Yeah, I guess so.� Another long period of silence lay between. “Harry, will you take me to see Percy tomorrow?�

“You feel up to it?� Harry could not imagine that being in a hospital and seeing Percy in his condition would help her.

“Yes, I think I need to say good bye to him. I never did it with Bill and Charlie.� Ginny was no longer crying, but her voice had become lifeless.

“Right then, first thing after breakfast?� Harry could feel Ginny’s nod on his chest. “Ok, let me walk you back to the dorm, it’s been a long day.�

Ginny Stopped Harry, “Do I have to go?� She sounded like a child asking if she could stay up past her bed time. For that reason alone, Harry knew she had to leave.

“Tonight, yes, but let’s see how tomorrow goes.�


_____

“Yes sir?�

“I thought I heard you out there. Why are you still here? Your shift ended hours ago�

“Just catching up on some things, sir.�

“I see. Say, which unit did you and Harry’s father serve in?� Thompson was staring into Shacklebolt’s eyes. Kingsley had seen him do this before and it made him wonder if he was a wizard.

“Yes, I thought so. I take it that since you know Harry you also know what he is?�

Kingsley seldom found himself at a loss for words, but this was one of those times. His mouth opened, quite widely, but no sounds came out.

“I see. Very interesting. He’s a pleasant young man, and that girl of his is a magician with Rebecca, wouldn’t you say, Kingsley?� Still no sound from the secret service officer. “And shall I assume that you are…as we say, ‘birds of a feather’?�

“Yes, sir.� Shacklebolt knew his cover was blown. “Though technically speaking, we don’t refer to ourselves as magicians.�


_____

“Yes sir?�

“Are you certain it was Potter that he gave it to?�

The one man nodded and showed the other three Muggle photographs.

“Scare him away, but be careful, he’s too popular to just ‘disappear,’ understand?�

“I do, sir. I have a little plan all set.�

“Wonderful, now get out, you smell like a morgue.�


_____

Late Sunday morning, while Harry and Ginny were at St. Mungo’s, Rudy was finishing up an essay for his Defense class. The essay was for extra credit; while Rudy’s grades had improved in the past two months, he had to make up for a number of early term failures. Harry had proposed a series of essays to earn the credits and improve his final grade. As he finished, he heard Lisa and Carol come into the Gryffindor common room and call out to him.

“Hi, I’m just finishing up this essay. What are you doing?�

“We were going exploring, we haven’t seen any of the old north tower, want to come with us?� The twins walked over to the table Rudy was working at.

“Yeah, sounds great. I just have to drop this off at Harry’s office.� Running to his dorm to put away his books, paper, and quill, Rudy returned and grabbed his essay. Running out of the common room, the three made their way down to Harry’s office.

“His door's open, he must be in there,� observed Lisa.

“Or he’s airing the place out. It smells worse than the boy’s dorm.� Carol joked.

Rudy knocked on the partially opened door. “Harry? It’s me, Rudy.� Hearing no answer, Rudy looked back to the twins wondering what to do. Lisa nudged Rudy aside and pushed the door open all the way.

“Yuck, it really stinks in here. Put the essay on his desk and let’s go, I think I’m going to be sick.� Lisa ran out of Harry’s office, waiting with Carol on the far side of the hallway.

After a second they heard Rudy coughing, then he came out of the office, eyes watering and skin was pale.

“There’s a dead person in there.�