Prologue
Amos smiled to himself as he signed the piece of parchment that lay under his fingers. He knew that they were making the right choice. It was tradition in the Diggory family, after all, to have their betrothed chosen when they were young. And since Amos had seen Cedric's name next to the girl's name in the Ministry, he knew they would be a good match.
Soul mates. Who could have known? It helped that the Diggory's knew the family. The Newark's had been family friends for so long. In fact, since Amos had showed them the truth that their daughter, Hermione, was to be soul mates with his son, they agreed that signing this would just...speed along the process. With Voldemort out there, they never knew when they would be next.
Amelia Newark held the little baby in her arms. Hermione had just turned two, compared to Cedric's four. Her and her husband, Kevin, believed that they were setting her future. It was why they were fighting in the war after all. To set a peaceful future for their daughter to live in. She bid Kevin to sign the document to make it legal; both patriarchs had to sign it in blood to do so.
Amos looked over at his own wife, who held their four year old son in her arms. He hadn't a clue about what was going on, but Amos promised himself that he would tell Cedric when there was a dire need for it. He was very proud of his boy, and he knew that Hermione would make a fine match for him.
"So how does this go, Amos?" Kevin asked as he finished signing the document that sealed the fate of the two youngest in the room. "Surely, they'll be able to date other people until they happen to find themselves?"
"That is correct," Amos said, blowing on the parchment to dry the blood. "However, they will be drawn to each other like moths to a flame when they meet. I haven't the foggiest what year they will meet in, but my boy will be a complete gentlemen."
Amelia smiled. "If he's anything like you, Amos, then I'm sure we have nothing to worry about. After all, we'll finally be able to combine our families. Our families have been allianced together for centuries, and I think it's about time to become one."
Amos nodded and gently rolled up the parchment. "Quite right you are, Amelia. I hope you both don't mind that for all intents and purposes, your daughter is now, and most likely forever will be, a Diggory." He said, stamping the seal closed on the document.
Amelia and Kevin smiled as they looked down at their sleeping daughter. "We don't mind at all, Amos. Through her, we are now family." Kevin said, pulling the man into a hug and slapping him on the back.
"I think Cedric is waking, Amos," Olivia Diggory said quietly as his attention turned to her. "Shall I take him back up to bed?"
"Go on dear. I'm sure he'll be much happier up there. I'll be up there in a moment." Amos said, smiling at his wife. She nodded and gave a smile to Kevin and Amelia. "Have a good night, both of you."
Amos watched her retreat back upstairs after leaving the study before he turned back to the Newarks with a nod. "Be careful while walking home. I know you live just right next door, but still. It's dangerous out there." He said.
Amelia nodded. Normally, any witch or wizard would apparate, but she wouldn't take that chance with her daughter. "Thank you, Amos. I look forward to seeing our children grow up together. I'm sure Cedric will be the best protector for Hermione." She gave Amos a kiss on the cheek before she left the study, heading for the front door.
Kevin made to follow his wife, but Amos grabbed his arm. "Listen old friend," Amos said quietly, his eyes skirting over to the door before they returned to Kevin's face. "When you get a chance, go down to the Ministry. There's a prophecy you should know about."
"About Hermione?" Kevin whispered, appalled. The last thing he wanted was attention drawn to his family due to a prophecy that was probably a load of crock anyway. "What's it about?"
"I don't know," Amos whispered, shaking his head. "But I've already sent an owl to one of my confidents. I'm sure to receive the news soon, if not later tonight. I will head over when I have the information. I know you want to tell your wife, but do not. Not yet. I don't want her or Olivia to worry about it."
"Are you thinking that any prophecy that involves my daughter would most likely involve your son?" Kevin asked grimly as Amos nodded. "And that's why Olivia and Amelia would freak."
"Be careful my friend," Amos said, letting go of Kevin's arm as he heard Amelia calling for the man. Kevin nodded and slipped out the door. Amos slumped down in his study chair. He listened to the clock tick before he got up and paced in the room. The document lay on his desk, sealed, and Amos grabbed it.
He hid it in a secret compartment in his desk before he waved his hand at the light in the study. It went out as he left the room and headed upstairs to his bedroom. Olivia was sleeping when he entered it, and he peered out the window to the Newark house just a few yards from his.
He smiled as he thought about his son and future daughter-in-law. No doubt, Hermione would have her mother's smarts, along with her father's famous intuition and curiosity. His own son would be a strapping boy, a gentlemen, and kind to those he saw.
He turned from the window to get ready for bed before an earth-shattering explosion rocked the house. Amos whirled back to the window just as Olivia was sitting up in the bed. The Newark house was in flames, and Amos feared they were next.
"Olivia, grab Cedric," Amos said, apparating out into his yard. Smoke and fire lay across the lawn, and he conjured up water to put it out everywhere he went. "Kevin! Amelia!" He made his way to the house before several simultaneous 'pops' rang out into the night.
"Amos! What happened?" One of the officials asked, approaching the man.
Amos shook his head as he watched the fire burn the house. Other Ministry members were putting out the fire, but he knew that the Newark family was dead. The wind moved through his hair as he closed his eyes. "Kevin and Amelia had just gone home with Hermione," he said softly. "A few minutes later, the house exploded."
"It's got to be You-Know-Who!" Someone called.
"Are you stupid, Jones?" Another snarled. "The Potter boy just took him out."
"What?" Amos asked, feeling out of the loop. "What do you mean the Potter boy took him out?"
"Happy Halloween Amos," Jones said, shaking his head. "You-Know-Who went to the Potter house tonight. Killed James and Lily, but Harry took him out. One year old Harry Potter. Can you imagine it?"
"Why didn't we hear about this? Surely you should be on alert for Death Eater's wanting to exact revenge." Amos said, rather harshly to the Ministry official.
"Sure," Jones said, crossing his arms. "But the men we sent to guard here are dead. And now when the world is celebrating, well..." He gestured to the now smoking house. "They were good people. We'll always remember them."
-O-O-O-O-
Miles away, a man smiled as he held the baby in his arms. She had the brown hair of her mother, the hazel-brown eyes of her father. "Hermione Newark," he whispered to the small girl in his arms. "Not anymore."
He peered at the house of the Muggles he had chosen before he left her on the doorstep. She was charmed to stay asleep until the next morning, and he knocked on the door. A light turned on in the bedroom, and he smiled at the sleeping girl.
"Enjoy your Muggle life, Hermione. Hogwarts has no place for those who muddle in my plans." The man said, apparating away as the door opened.
