Holiday of Surprises (01)
Hermione Ann Granger sat in her window seat surveying her bedroom. It was painted yellow and there was a yellow rag rug on the bare floorboards, the bright June sunlight shining through the tan blinds. One of the walls was covered in both muggle and magical books and at the far end of the room was her desk, covered in spell books, potions equipment and, most importantly, there sat her wand. At almost sixteen years old, Hermione was well on her way to becoming a fully qualified witch. She had changed a lot since that young eleven year old who had got her letter and gone off to Hogwarts so desperate to make friends. She had made friends, there was Ron. And Harry. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought of Harry Potter, her best friend, the boy who lived, the defeater of Voldemort, the Mage Lord, the most powerful wizard of all time, the best Quidditch player ever to come to Hogwarts, the orphan and, she could hardly believe herself when she added this last bit, her boyfriend, aka her one true love.
A sound of tapping on glass drew Hermione from her reverie. She turned from her position of comfort to face the window. Seeing the owl that was outside, Hermione hastily opened the window to let Hedwig in. Hedwig was Harry's owl, and she wondered what had happened to make Harry send her and owl so early in the holidays. To her surprise, Hedwig only stayed long enough for Hermione to pick up the small package she, Hedwig, had dropped before flying out of the still open window. Bemused, Hermione opened the small parcel to receive in her cupped hands a small pebble. She only noticed this for a small amount of time, for the spinning of the room before her eyes and a sharp tug in her navel convinced her that it was a portkey.
When the world stopped spinning, Hermione picked herself up and looked around. Her natural intuition told her that she was in the grounds of a very prestigious manor or castle. She knew this because the very expensive and extensive grounds she had found herself in were obviously not open for the public. She also knew that the owners of the estate were magical, this was obvious from the number of plants that Hermione remembered from her Herbology lessons and the fact that she saw a Quidditch pitch in the not to distant environs. She saw that she was on a winding path way and her Gryffindor instincts overrode her careful nature and she walked down the path.
As Hermione reached the end of the path, she found herself standing in front of a pair of intimidating twelve foot oak front doors. Pushing them open, she found herself in a large airy entrance hall. In fact, large was the understatement of the millennium. It was the size of four Quidditch pitches and ten times as high. She wondered where she was and why Harry had brought her here; for she was certain that this wasn't the Dursley's.
As she sat pondering the question of her whereabouts, she heard a whooshing sound. Looking up, Hermione saw a red robed figure streaking down towards her from the high ceiling. In about twenty seconds, Harry Potter was standing smugly on the floor, with a grin on his face that would have made a Cheshire cat jealous. Trying to look reproving, Hermione turned on her boyfriend, to find him convulsed in what was obviously a fit of hysterics. "Harry James Potter, what on earth am I doing here? Where the hell am I? And what exactly was the point of that childish display?" She said in her
best Professor McGonnagel voice.
Harry was trying to look repentant, but seemed to be having a great deal of difficulty maintaining the expression. At that moment he looked like he had just realised he was eating a Canary cream. Then, just as Harry was about to explain what was happening, there were two thuds from an adjoining chamber. Harry swore, "Crap, this is the hard bit, this is when I have to explain to Sirius and Remus why they are in a place they haven't been in for about seventeen years. Wish me luck." And with that comment and a swish of his robes Harry strode off towards the room where his godfather and favourite teacher had appeared.
Wondering what was going on, Hermione followed him and stood at the door listening through the crack. For some time, she could only hear Harry talking quietly, quietly enough that she could not hear what he was saying, just the rich melody of his voice. Soon however, he stopped and the voices became much more audible, and it was obvious that not just Harry was speaking. "Harry, it can't be them, it just can't" Hermione guessed that this was Professor Lupin, "Why not? There bodies were never found, the only evidence that they are dead is the fact that they weren't here" This was Harry "Harry, I've spent fifteen years trying to get over their deaths, I've only just come to terms with the fact that they are dead." This was Sirius now his voice pleading and desperate "Sirius, I never knew my parents, I had to grow up with the Dursleys, I spent my entire childhood hoping and dreaming that someone would come and take me away from them? Nobody cared about me till I was eleven. I am also finding this very hard. I had come to terms with my parents being dead. But it might be them. In fact I firmly believe that it is they. I even made Veritaserum, it's them. I am also coming to believe that they never died." Harry's voice became higher and higher pitched as he talked. "What do you mean they never died?" it was Professor Lupin again, his voice tight and his tone urgent. " I mean that they had me one year into their marriage, when they were both seventeen. And now, as I am almost sixteen, they are both around thirty- three, which suggests that they can't have been dead for fourteen odd years." Said Harry calmly " Harry, who else have you sent messages to?" asked Sirius " Well Hermione is outside, listening at the door. Oh! Do come in Mione. I have also sent portkeys to Professors Dumbledore, McGonnagel, Snape and Ron Weasley." Said Harry calmly. As Sirius started sputtering over Harry inviting Snape, I slid, embarrassed through the door. Harry interrupted Sirius' sputtering to say; "Well now, if you have been convinced, can I ask them to join us?"
However, Harry was doomed to never find out the answer to that question,
as three bemused Professors and one Ron Weasley landed with four separate
bumps on the wooden floor. Dusting themselves off, they looked around
with puzzlement until Snape asked; " What the devil are we doing here Potter?" "I think that can easily be explained" said Harry quietly,
With this comment, he headed for a small door in the side of the room.
Opening this, he beckoned to people they couldn't see. To their multiple
amazement, out of there walked people most of them thought they would
never see again. At the sight of them, Professor McGonnagel fainted dead
away, Snape went white as a sheet, Sirius seemed to be swaying on his
feet, Professor Lupin looked on the verge of tears, Hermione herself was
shocked and even Dumbledore looked astonished.
Hermione Ann Granger sat in her window seat surveying her bedroom. It was painted yellow and there was a yellow rag rug on the bare floorboards, the bright June sunlight shining through the tan blinds. One of the walls was covered in both muggle and magical books and at the far end of the room was her desk, covered in spell books, potions equipment and, most importantly, there sat her wand. At almost sixteen years old, Hermione was well on her way to becoming a fully qualified witch. She had changed a lot since that young eleven year old who had got her letter and gone off to Hogwarts so desperate to make friends. She had made friends, there was Ron. And Harry. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought of Harry Potter, her best friend, the boy who lived, the defeater of Voldemort, the Mage Lord, the most powerful wizard of all time, the best Quidditch player ever to come to Hogwarts, the orphan and, she could hardly believe herself when she added this last bit, her boyfriend, aka her one true love.
A sound of tapping on glass drew Hermione from her reverie. She turned from her position of comfort to face the window. Seeing the owl that was outside, Hermione hastily opened the window to let Hedwig in. Hedwig was Harry's owl, and she wondered what had happened to make Harry send her and owl so early in the holidays. To her surprise, Hedwig only stayed long enough for Hermione to pick up the small package she, Hedwig, had dropped before flying out of the still open window. Bemused, Hermione opened the small parcel to receive in her cupped hands a small pebble. She only noticed this for a small amount of time, for the spinning of the room before her eyes and a sharp tug in her navel convinced her that it was a portkey.
When the world stopped spinning, Hermione picked herself up and looked around. Her natural intuition told her that she was in the grounds of a very prestigious manor or castle. She knew this because the very expensive and extensive grounds she had found herself in were obviously not open for the public. She also knew that the owners of the estate were magical, this was obvious from the number of plants that Hermione remembered from her Herbology lessons and the fact that she saw a Quidditch pitch in the not to distant environs. She saw that she was on a winding path way and her Gryffindor instincts overrode her careful nature and she walked down the path.
As Hermione reached the end of the path, she found herself standing in front of a pair of intimidating twelve foot oak front doors. Pushing them open, she found herself in a large airy entrance hall. In fact, large was the understatement of the millennium. It was the size of four Quidditch pitches and ten times as high. She wondered where she was and why Harry had brought her here; for she was certain that this wasn't the Dursley's.
As she sat pondering the question of her whereabouts, she heard a whooshing sound. Looking up, Hermione saw a red robed figure streaking down towards her from the high ceiling. In about twenty seconds, Harry Potter was standing smugly on the floor, with a grin on his face that would have made a Cheshire cat jealous. Trying to look reproving, Hermione turned on her boyfriend, to find him convulsed in what was obviously a fit of hysterics. "Harry James Potter, what on earth am I doing here? Where the hell am I? And what exactly was the point of that childish display?" She said in her
best Professor McGonnagel voice.
Harry was trying to look repentant, but seemed to be having a great deal of difficulty maintaining the expression. At that moment he looked like he had just realised he was eating a Canary cream. Then, just as Harry was about to explain what was happening, there were two thuds from an adjoining chamber. Harry swore, "Crap, this is the hard bit, this is when I have to explain to Sirius and Remus why they are in a place they haven't been in for about seventeen years. Wish me luck." And with that comment and a swish of his robes Harry strode off towards the room where his godfather and favourite teacher had appeared.
Wondering what was going on, Hermione followed him and stood at the door listening through the crack. For some time, she could only hear Harry talking quietly, quietly enough that she could not hear what he was saying, just the rich melody of his voice. Soon however, he stopped and the voices became much more audible, and it was obvious that not just Harry was speaking. "Harry, it can't be them, it just can't" Hermione guessed that this was Professor Lupin, "Why not? There bodies were never found, the only evidence that they are dead is the fact that they weren't here" This was Harry "Harry, I've spent fifteen years trying to get over their deaths, I've only just come to terms with the fact that they are dead." This was Sirius now his voice pleading and desperate "Sirius, I never knew my parents, I had to grow up with the Dursleys, I spent my entire childhood hoping and dreaming that someone would come and take me away from them? Nobody cared about me till I was eleven. I am also finding this very hard. I had come to terms with my parents being dead. But it might be them. In fact I firmly believe that it is they. I even made Veritaserum, it's them. I am also coming to believe that they never died." Harry's voice became higher and higher pitched as he talked. "What do you mean they never died?" it was Professor Lupin again, his voice tight and his tone urgent. " I mean that they had me one year into their marriage, when they were both seventeen. And now, as I am almost sixteen, they are both around thirty- three, which suggests that they can't have been dead for fourteen odd years." Said Harry calmly " Harry, who else have you sent messages to?" asked Sirius " Well Hermione is outside, listening at the door. Oh! Do come in Mione. I have also sent portkeys to Professors Dumbledore, McGonnagel, Snape and Ron Weasley." Said Harry calmly. As Sirius started sputtering over Harry inviting Snape, I slid, embarrassed through the door. Harry interrupted Sirius' sputtering to say; "Well now, if you have been convinced, can I ask them to join us?"
However, Harry was doomed to never find out the answer to that question,
as three bemused Professors and one Ron Weasley landed with four separate
bumps on the wooden floor. Dusting themselves off, they looked around
with puzzlement until Snape asked; " What the devil are we doing here Potter?" "I think that can easily be explained" said Harry quietly,
With this comment, he headed for a small door in the side of the room.
Opening this, he beckoned to people they couldn't see. To their multiple
amazement, out of there walked people most of them thought they would
never see again. At the sight of them, Professor McGonnagel fainted dead
away, Snape went white as a sheet, Sirius seemed to be swaying on his
feet, Professor Lupin looked on the verge of tears, Hermione herself was
shocked and even Dumbledore looked astonished.