Hello it is Astig here , I know it has probably been down way too many times but this is my take on things. This is not HBP or DH compliant. This story is in their 7th year but Hermione is 18 (b-day being 19th of September). This is my first HP fan fiction so please let me know if I have something wrong in the Potter-verse. Speaking about the potter-verse…. The Potter-verse is not mine. The idea for this story comes from a close friend who is expecting their 1st child this month – Oct 2008 – a test tube baby… So lets get on with this magical test-tube baby story hope you enjoy….Astig

Cauldron Babies

Chapter One: History 101

"I am sorry Ron and Harry; I can't be late for potions. I don't to be in trouble before class even starts" Hermione stated as she finished breakfast.

"That's alright 'Mione, but I doubt it will get you out of Snape's black book - I still don't know what you did last year to get all those detentions, swear he must take bitter pills breakfast, lunch and dinner" Harry joked.

Ron, still focused on his breakfast mumbled "don't know how you can stand it, two hours of the Git and Ferret… although," he said as he looked up and smiled "better you than me".

"Ha! Ha! Very funny" Hermione smiled as she got up and left the table to head down to the dungeons for potions she thought about everything the three of them had been though during the past six and a half years. She found it hard to believe that she was in her last semester at Hogwarts. She smiled at how innocent and naive they were during their first few years there, and all the trouble they had gotten themselves into (although to be fare it normally found them she thought with a smile). Nothing had been the same since they had entered the Chamber of Secrets which resulted in the Ministry of Magic finally acknowledging that you-know-who was actually back. She still wanted to know what had happened to the toad (a.k.a. Professor Umbridge). The official record stated that she had been kidnapped by Death Eaters that night in the forbidden forest. But, if she had, Professor Snape had never heard about it.

The summer between her 5th and 6th year she had done some serious thinking about Professor Snape, and come to the conclusion that no matter how many 'bitter pills' he appeared to take a day (according to Ron) she did trust him. Hermione had still not forgive herself that she had forgotten that Professor Snape was a member of the Order, that she should have gone to him – she knew that Ron and Harry would not have wanted to, but honestly, Hermione had respected him for all the work that he had done. He was not nice, but he is good.

She smiled to herself as she sat down in potions class, at the difference this new found knowledge was during her 6th year. After Hermione's first potions class she had made an appointment with Professor Snape for latter that night to talk with him. She had apologized again and again to him before he had threatened to take points off her. Thinking back, she thought Professor Snape may have taken two bitter pills that night with dinner. :)

It was during Hermione's 6th year she gained a greater knowledge of Professor Snape. (And for the first time in six years she gave him a Christmas present – an I.O.U. booklet. She hoped he would like it – and he did. At least he had a smirk on his face the first time he gave her an I.O.U. coupon stating that she would not put her hand up once in class).

With the M.O.M. and wizarding world now knowing that Voldemort and his Death Eaters were back and active their attacks were more often and on slightly larger scale, coming to head a week before school finished (Hermione had felt a little guilty that she was grateful it was the year between her O.W.L.s and her N.E.W.T.s, that it was not a major exam year). As it turned out a new wave of fighting started the night of the last exams. Professor Snape had been summoned at the beginning of dinner, causing Hermione to worry about him (who wouldn't worry – something major had happened at the end of each year while the Golden Trio had been in attendance at Hogwarts). She had seen the signs that Professor Snape had been summoned over the last year as she had worked on the odd occasion in the potions labs with him (explained to Ron, Harry and everybody else as detentions). Over her 6th year she had gained a much greater respect for the professor, she knew of the danger he was putting himself into and didn't want him to die, and thought he deserved every happiness. He always looked so tired during her 6th year.

The night the exams had finished the M.O.M. was stormed, causing very few deaths but destroying the Auror's base. As the morning newspaper arrived at Hogwarts with the news of the ministry the Death Eaters were attacking Diagon Alley causing death and chaos. Fortunately for the Light Side the majority of people were able to get out of Diagon Alley and head for other areas of strength – with a lot of families heading to Hogwarts.

Hogwarts was an organized state of chaos. The extra people were both a strength and a weakness at Hogwarts, while it meant an increase in help it required additional planning for the final battle.

The result of the planning went as following:

All students year 1 – 5 were to stay in the castle.

6 – 7 year students had the choice of staying in the castle with the other students or to be out on the grounds of Hogwarts.

The mothers used the olde magic to help strength the wards of Hogwarts.

The fathers patrolled the Hogwarts boundaries with the 6 – 7 year students who volunteered to stay.

The Auror's and Order were stationed at Hogsmead and Hogwarts along with the teachers.

Luckily Professor Snape had been able to warn the Order of the impeding attack of Hogwarts and they had been able to station themselves there before the attack in the dark of night. He latter informed the Order that Hogsmead had been chosen as a target because Voldemort thought that they would have caught the wizarding world in surprise, that they would not have time to prepare due to the attacks of both the M.O.M. and Diagon Alley. The idea was that it would be easy to attack the town at dawn. This would provide a safe and easy evaporating point for the Death Eaters to attack Hogwarts.

The battle went according to all the plans they had made – the Orders plans that is, having Professor Snape on the inside had been a blessing for the wizarding world. It was amazing to see the organization. As Professor Snape knew of the death eaters planned attack they were able to get a lot of help for the order. The Ministry of Magic had organized a quiddich training meeting – meaning that most of the U.K. teams were in London for the battle. In the Battle their team leaders were Fred and George. Hermione smiled as she remembered how much fun they had had during the final battle during a prize giving they had been given the Order of Merlin 2nd class and joked that they normally lost points for the pranks they did at Hogwarts – not gain rewards. She remembered how much of a help they were. The death eaters on the ground were attacked from the air and ground. The light side was also aided by the 'tutela superne' spell, which prevented their own side from getting hit from the air.

Magically they had won. The death eaters had not gotten anywhere near Hogwarts (much to the relief to those there as they were not trained to fight). Without the benefit of a surprise attack, and with the anti-apparition charms going up once they arrived the death eaters were outnumbered and were unable to withstand both the aerial and ground attacks. They decided to fight to the death for the most part.

Hermione continued to daydream while sitting in class – she really did leave too early for it once again – she frowned as she remembered where she was during the final battle. As always she and Ron were with Harry. And as always, they were in the middle of everything, along with a poly-juiced Professor Snape (as a student) and other principle members of the Order. She was amazed at the speed of the fighting, very thankful for all the extra training they had gotten that year from other order members. When it came down to the end of it Voldemort was outnumbered, circled by his enemy, believing that his horcruxes would allow him to come back he was over confident and cocky. She remembered Voldemort's final words…

"Potter you are just a child, your parents were worthless, your order and friends are useless. Give it up boy, you will always be nothing… say hello to mummy and daddy for me boy".

As a response Voldemort was hit by a mixture of curses by the Order, Ron and herself while Harry hit him with Avada Kavada. It turned out the power the dark Lord knew not was friendship.

After the last six years of on-going troubles, problems and missions for the Golden Trio Hermione had been looking forward to a peaceful 7th year at Hogwarts – their last as students. She felt so happy to find out the school had not been damaged and was looking forward to her N.E.W.T.S..

During the first part of the year it was a real blessing not to see the signs of war inside the castle. Very few students had died – only losing those who had joined the death eaters – few other students had actually seen any fighting. Draco had returned to Hogwarts on probation, it turned out that he had been under the Imperial curse since 3rd year (proved by pensieves coming from himself and his mother who was currently in Azkaban). While he was a lot quieter and a little more mature he was still a Slytherin to the core.

Hermione remembered how excited she was when she found out she had made Head Girl. It had been a dream of hers since her 1st year at Hogwarts, but due to the amount of trouble the three of them had gotten into over the years she was not sure she would qualify for the role. She had cried tears of joy when her yearly letter from Hogwarts arrived by owl with the badge in it.

So far this year had been much more relaxing than any other year put together as she was able to concentrate on just her schooling and Head Girl duties. As she contemplated this year and the Christmas holidays she started to think again about her choice of carrier. Professor Dumbledore had offered her an apprentice placement after graduation at Hogwarts – she could decide what she wanted to do and ask the professor if she could be their apprentice. She had decided no to go to university but to instead take an apprenticeship as she could complete the tasks at her own advanced rate.

Hermione looked back up at the clock, all the other students were now in class. Advanced potions normally took the top 10 students in potions, but now, in the last semester of the year they were down to only 7 in the class. Hermione was the only Griffindor in the class, there were no Hufflepuffs. Draco and Blaise wee the only two Slytherins and the other four in the class were Ravenclaws Padma Patil; Lisa Turpin; Mandy Brocklehurst and Terry Boot the head boy.

Hermione reflected on how great potions class was, being only the top students in potions they all knew what they were doing, meaning she was able to concentrate on her own potions for a change. She loved…." Hermione flinched as she heard the door slam against the wall…

"Everyone sit down and put your text books away!"