Chapter Three:

Clothes, Potions...and Bribes?

Disclaimer: *Insert typical not owning disclaimer here* Thanks to absolutely everyone who reviewed! Reviews make me want to sit down and write out fifty chapters for you guys! Sorry for the wait. I would have updated sooner but I just got back Sunday from a Model United Nations conference and have been very exhausted. I still am, but I wanted to go ahead and post this for you guys! :) Again, thanks to the most wonderful PhilosopherStone909, who is my unofficial Beta!

As Hermione awoke she smiled at the warmth and comfort that the body beside her emanated. 'Ron.' She thought to herself smiling even wider now. She was curled up beside him with her head on his chest, half nuzzled into his neck and her left hand resting lightly on his chest. She felt safe with Ron's left arm wrapped protectively around her waist, and snuggled closer to him as he pulled her body even tighter to his. His right hand, which held Hermione's left, gave a light squeeze and he kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek on it.

Harry woke up just as happy. Of course, he always woke up happy when he woke up snuggled next to Ginny. She had such a delicate body that he just wanted to hold onto and never let go of. With his left arm he pulled his wife closer to him and he smiled as she nuzzled her head even closer into the crook of his neck. He tilted his head and kissed her head softly before giving her hand a squeeze.

"I love you." He muttered to her through his sleep.

"I love you too, Ron." She whispered, also half asleep.

But when Harry heard her say Ron, and Hermione belatedly realized that Ron had not been the one to speak, both bodies stiffened.

"Harry?" Hermione said hesitantly.

"'Mione?" Harry squeaked out. Hermione's head shot up to look at Harry, and in an instant both of them wrenched their bodies away from the other and accidentally rolled off opposite sides of the bed. Harry groaned and Hermione yelped as they hit the floor. Hard. They both rolled over onto their backs and looked across at each other from under the bed. They both blushed and quickly looked away.

"Ron is going to die when he hears about this." She laughed awkwardly. But Harry's face paled. Ron was possessive of Hermione. Not in a bad way, he just seemed to always think that one day she would wake up and think that she could do better; despite both Hermione and Harry's protest.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Harry spoke with some trepidation. Hermione looked under the bed toward him, but he continued to look up at the ceiling.

"Why?" Then it dawned on her. "Harry I think he will understand. We woke up with someone else in the bed. It's only reasonable that we would expect it to be our spouse. After all, I did call you Ron." She smirked.

"Good point." He smiled, but it didn't need to be said out loud that what had just transpired, would never be mentioned again. Hermione got up and walked over to Harry's side and helped him up. She clapped him on the back and he wrapped his arm sideways around her neck, pulling her to him in a playful hug. "You are so short!" He teased.

Hermione huffed. "I'm just shorter than you, Harry. And you should be taller. I need to use the restroom and shower." She pulled away from him. Harry smirked and Hermione looked confused before a wicked grin took shape on her face. They pulled away from each other quickly in order to be the first to reach the bathroom. Harry, being as athletic as he was, used the bed to launch himself toward the door with ease while Hermione tried to race around the bed, using one of the corner poles to help her increase speed. Harry naturally made it there first. The door closed just as Hermione reached it and she planted her fist against it roughly.

"Harry!" She called out. "I'm a lady! You should let me go first. I really have to go."

She frowned as she heard Harry laugh from the other side. "Yeah but you are also my best friend, so it doesn't count. I treat you like a sister. Ever hear of sibling rivalry?" She could almost hear the smirk in his voice. She rolled her eyes, but smiled at his words. Ever since that night in sixth year when Harry found her crying after she had witnessed Ron snogging Lavender, they had slowly grown closer than before. After that, they had mutually, and without discussion, agreed to seek comfort in each other when they were truly upset. Harry went to Hermione when he was upset about Ginny, and Hermione went to Harry when Ron upset her. By the end of sixth year they were siblings in all but blood and name. Harry was very protective of her, and Hermione would be lying if she said she didn't love every bit the relationship they had between them. He was the one who began calling her 'Mione.' Ron never used the nickname, but Ginny would on occasion. She heard the toilet flush and the shower being turned on. She huffed again before turning on her heels, making her way to the sitting area.

But she got bored. She had set her clothes out, skimmed the bookshelf, and looked out off of the balcony. She huffed as she walked over to the bathroom door. The shower was still going and a faint tune could be heard. She stifled a laugh at the thought of Harry singing in the shower. Pulling her wand out, Hermione muttered a quiet spell. The bedroom filled with song. Harry was crooning out an old Muggle song that she had heard before, and thought it pretty ridiculous to hear. She laughed loudly when he hit the chorus to, "Ice Ice Baby." Harry didn't have a bad voice, she knew this from Ginny. But now, hearing him sing in his hormonal teenage voice, was priceless.

"I'll make you think ice…" She said a small spell and heard Harry yelp from inside the bathroom. "How's the water Harry?" She asked innocently through the door.

"P-p-perfect!" He stuttered back loudly, through the ice cold water. Her eyebrow's pulled together as she glared at the door. Of course he wouldn't giver he the satisfaction of winning.

It had been a total of fifteen minutes before Hermione could take it no longer. She rolled her eyes, pulled out her wand and muttered yet another spell. If it worked, Harry's shower water would now be a mix of green and silver. At first, she hadn't thought he had noticed, but when he yelled, "Ha Ha very funny, Hermione!" she smirked as she sat down in the sitting area.

Five minutes later Harry exited the bathroom in a towel the tshirt he had from the night before. He walked over to the wardrobe, whistling the same tune from before. Hermione grabbed her clothes off the bed, making her way to the bathroom for a nice, and very welcomed shower. Harry yawned as he entered the small dining portion of the room that was in the sitting area. The shoulders of his shirt was soaked from dripping hair; sometimes, if he let it air dry, than it wouldn't dry so crazily. He yawned and put his head in his hands.

Harry woke with a start at the light pressure that was placed on his back. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. Hermione slid into the seat across from him; fully dressed with dry hair.

"Tired Harry?" She inquired as plates of breakfast appeared on the table. "It's a little after noon. We got some decent sleep."

Harry nodded, as he was to busy inhaling his food to speak. He felt starved; which probably wasn't too far from true considering his current physical state. He needed to put weight on before the school year started. It was the year of the TriWizard Tournament and chances were, he wasn't getting out of it.

After breakfast Hermione banished their dishes back to the kitchens while Harry summoned a quill, ink, and parchment.

"Okay," he began. "Horcruexe's." He wrote at the top of the page. Hermione winced at the misspelling. Boys...

"Tom's diary." Hermione supplied. Harry nodded and wrote it down. "Slytherin's Locket." She continued. He scribbled down on the paper. Hermione scowled at how increasingly sloppy the list was getting. "Harry, stop!" He looked up at her confused. "No one is going to be able to read that." She leaned over the table, taking the materials from him. She quickly wrote the list out.

Horcrux's

Toms Diary
Slytherin's Locket
Marvolo's Ring
Hufflepuff's Cup.
Ravenclaw's Diadem.
Nagini

She didn't write the last one. And Harry didn't comment on it.

"Okay," Harry began again. "Diary, destroyed." After Hermione scratched it off the list, Harry continued.

"Slytherin's locket is at Grimmauld place. I suspect we will have to wait until next year to retrieve it. Marvolo's ring is at Gaunt Shack. I've seen the memory of it, but I can't remember the location, so I'll look into that. Hufflepuff's cup..." Harry grimaced, as did Hermione.

"Bellatrix LeStrange's vault." She finished for him. How they would ever pull that off again Harry didn't know; but hoped to do it before Bellatrix was freed...that's it!

"Hermione, what do you know about Wizarding Heirloom laws?" He asked in a rushed voice.

"What do you mean?" Confusion clear on her face.

"Well I was just thinking, if Bellatrix's vault is her personal vault, it would be a Black vault, right?"

"I imagine so." Hermione said slowly, still not quite understanding.

"One that, if we can prove Sirius' innocence before Bellatrix is broken out of Azkaban, Sirius would have access to. If she is in Azkaban, than she can't be the primary owner of her vault, because prisoners legallyown no possessions. The vault would go to the next benefactor, which would be Sirius, as he is a male Black heir, right?" He drew out, waiting for her to catch on. Her eyes widened dramatically.

"With Sirius's innocence proven, he can claim his and Bellatrix's belongings." She exclaimed.

"Exactly." Harry sat back satisfied. Hermione grinned. That would work out perfectly. 'If Sirius could take all of her possessions and fortune, Voldemort might not even have much of a need for her. We would just need Sirius...' Hermione gasped as another thought occurred to her.

"Harry! If Bellatrix can't control her own vaults, and Sirius can't either, even though he isn't in the governments custody, then who controls their vaults now?" She asked gravely. Harry's eyes widened at the implication.

"Well, I'm Sirius' godson right? So wouldn't that mean..." Hermione was already shaking her head no.

"You are a minor still. It would have to go to an adult."

"But when Sirius died it all went to me!" He protested. Hermione sighed.

"That's different, Harry. The possessions then belonged to you. In this case they are merely controlled by another person. And I highly doubt that the Ministry is going to give a fourteen year old wizard, especially Harry Potter, control over Sirius Black's vault."

"Why not?" Harry argued. he knew he was being ridiculous, but all these limitations were getting to him.

"Because Sirius is an evil guilty man who betrayed the Potter's, remember?" Hermione rolled her eyes at the idea of Sirius being anything but an overgrown teenager. "We need to prove Sirius' innocence. And to do that we will need to-"

"To prove that Peter is still alive. Right. Got it." Harry dipped his head.

"We would have to do that while you are in the graveyard." Hermione said hesitantly. Harry smirked.

"Obviously a memory isn't going to satisfy the Minister, we'll need hard evidence. We need Peter Pettigrew's blood. And that is where you and Ron come in." He opened his mouth to continue, but was cut off.

"Mine and Ron's help? Harry, how do you suspect we will pull that off?" She said disbelievingly.

"Well, we need to figure out a way for you and Ron to slip out the front gates of Hogwarts during the third trial, and then you two can apperate to the graveyard. While Voldemort is busy fighting me, or while he is talking to his followers, the two of you can get to Wormtail and, I don't know, cut his throat for all I care, just get a vial of his blood." Hermione shook her head disapprovingly at Harry's words, but he just rolled his eyes, she knew what he meant by it, and continued with what he was saying. "But after you do that, slip out of there as fast as possible and get back to Hogwarts. I'll come out the next day and say that I have proof that Peter is alive and that he helped Voldemort get his body back. They won't believe that Voldemort is back, but with proof they will believe that Peter is still alive. Perhaps I could word everything so that they believe that Peter did something to me and...well that I am not thinking straight. I just need Sirius' free of all charges. I'm not going to fight with them on Voldemort's return. Not this time. If they don't believe me, then fine."

"Harry, you are just going to happen to have a vial on you during the trial?" Hermione began poking holes in his stoy, though this was just one of many.

"No, it will be a transfigured button. I'll rip a button from my outfit before the task and give it to you." He answered, expecting the question.

"I don't know Harry. You would have to come up with a pretty different story to explain how you got close enough to get some of his blood. And what if Ron and I get caught. Even if Professor Dumbledore is lenient and glad that we did what we did, he is going to be awful suspicious!" She loved the idea, but the details are what worried her.

"Well," Harry began, "If that happens then I guess we'll have to tell him the truth. Or at least part of it, but I doubt that will happen. I think you underestimate yourself, Hermione. I have no doubt that you and Ron could successfully leave the grounds and return undetected. Use the Shrieking Shack." He suggested, and Hermione's face brightened as she began to see how the plan might actually work.

"Harry, I actually think we can do this." She grinned.

"I know. I am rather pleased with myself." He smirked. "I know that we can get the diadem within the first week or so of school. And I can slip into the Chamber to get a basilisk fang." He supplied. "And as for Nagini, well, we will deal with that when the time comes." They stared down at Hermione's neatly written list.

Hermione sighed. "Really, the cup will be the hardest one. It rides on what happens in the Graveyard, and if that doesn't work, then I really have no idea what we can do about it. And Nagini, that will be difficult." She said as an afterthought.

"What about me?" Harry asked in a quiet voice, looking down fixedly at the list. Hermione paled.

"What about Harry?" She repeated silently. Something occurred to her.

"Harry, when you woke up last time, how strong were you?" She asked curiously. He looked up at her.

"I don't really remember. Why?"

Hermione bit her lip. Should she really say what she was thinking? Harry read her face. "Hermione just tell me."

She let out a breath and spoke quickly. "Okay. Well I was just thinking, you said Voldemort wanted to kill you in the graveyard, so what do you think would happen if..." She trailed off, looking embarrassed by the idea. Harry's eyes widened.

"Do you think that would work?" He asked half enthusiastically.

"Well I'm not sure. I mean he would be the one that made the strike, so technically, yes that would work. But I just worry about afterwards." She avoided making eye contact, not believing that they were actually having this conversation, and even more so that she brought it up.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "Afterwards?"

"Well, yes. Your body would be laying defenseless while you were in, whatever that place you described was. And you'd be surrounded by Death Eaters, and Voldemort would be there. What if they set your body on fire? Or did something horrible to it and you woke up in a worse place then when you died? What if he doesn't have you carried to Hogwarts to show you off? What if he decapitated you and used your head as a trophy?" Her voice was growing louder in panic. Harry's face remained blank; purposefully hiding what he felt. Hermione's plan was brilliant, and would more than likely work; it just had a few bugs that needed to be worked out.

"It'll be fine, Hermione. We'll figure it all out later. I'm not sure of the time differences, if there was one at all, between earth and where I was. I spent, well I don't know how long I spent in the limbo type place, but when I woke up, I think only seconds, a minute at most, had passed. Besides, it doesn't have to be done that way, but I do think it is the best plan of action to take." He smiled at her, hoping she would calm down. She did, somewhat.

"I know, I know. You're right. I think I'm just still a little rattled by the situation." She gave him an apologetic smile. "And I wish Ron was here with us."

"What, I'm not good enough company?" He showed mock hurt. She chuckled.

"You know what I mean."

Harry sighed. "At least you have your Ron from our time. All my memories with Ginny are just mine now. I can't talk to Ginny like my wife of twenty years. I have to start all over."

"You can create new memories Harry. And in a few years you can tell her the truth and show her your memories." She suggested.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Harry tried to drop the subject. Hermione stood up to stretch.

"I think we should go back to Knockturn Alley." Harry said suddenly. Hermione froze mid yawn and stretch before she dropped her arms. She gave him an incredulous look.

"Harry, you can't be serious!"

"Why can't I? Yesterday was great. You got a handful of useful potion ingriedients, which by the way we need to pick up the rest of our school supplies, and we got the last time-turner there and we got the cursed necklace. Speaking of, what are we going to do with those objects?"

"Yes but Harry, what else could possibly be there that we would need?" She didn't even want to think about the necklace in their possession. It was still wrapped up in the bag it came in.

Harry thought for a moment. "I remember seeing a Dark Arts bookshop. What if they have writings on Horcrux's?"

Hermione bit her lip. "I guess that is a good point. It just seems so...forbidden. Things bought there are illegal, and it just feels weird being an agent of the light actually shopping there." She confessed.

"Well it's not like we can get into the Restricted Section at Hogwarts to search. Besides, we don't plan on using it for dark reasons. It truly is educational purposes. You could even say that we are doing a service. Getting the books away from people who would use them." He stated, hoping that the educational aspect at least would draw her in. Hermione finally consented.

"Okay, well let's go get it over with. We can get our school supplies first." She headed into the bedroom to get the money pouch. They disguised themselves once more as someone new and headed out.

~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~()~

"So, I was thinking," Harry began thoughtfully. Hermione sighed dramatically.

"This can't possibly end well." She teased. He elbowed her playfully.

"I'm serious 'Mione." He whined.

"Okay, okay, I'm listening Harry. What's on your mind?" She smiled and stepped closer to him so that they couldn't be overheard.

"I don't think I want to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the remainder of the summer, and all the summers until I graduate."

Hermione frowned slightly. "Then what do you suggest?"

Harry took a deep breath. "I think I should purchase or rent a house, or perhaps a flat. I can stay there during the summer. If I were to purchase a house with some land, then we could do things outside. I can't be limited to that small two-room space and Diagon Alley. It just isn't going to happen." He sounded as if his mind were already made up.

"I don't know, Harry. You're an underage wizard, and not just any underage wizard, you're Harry Potter." She whispered. "How do you plan on pulling that off?" They quietly entered Knockturn Alley and swiftly made their way to the Dark Arts bookshop. Once inside Harry spoke.

"Well I'm sure I can find a way around that." He picked up a book off the shelf. 'A Hundred Deadly Ways to Use Icklebug.'

"Oh really? Do enlighten me." She scowled at a copy of, 'The Mudblood and It's Hazard to Wizarding Society.'

"Well, I could use who I am to my advantage. Who would refuse the-"

"That wouldn't work, Harry." Hermione cut him off. He stepped away from her so he could look at her face to face.

"Why not?" He asked defensively.

"For the reason you just said. You're Harry Potter!" She hissed quietly. "Do you honestly think that the Minister if Magic would let the Boy-Who-Lived move into a place by himself at the age of fourteen? And even if he did agree to it, can you seriously see Professor Dumbledore allowing you to live alone, especially when he doesn't think that Tom is gone for good? If you are dead set on doing this Harry, than you are going to have to find a quiet way to go about it. Stay under the radar." She was gripping his upper arms as if she could squeeze her point into him. He winced slightly and nodded.

"Yes. Yes of course you are right. I'm just not used to having all these restrictions. And I'm not use to having someone have more of a say in my actions than I do." He huffed and looked away with a scowl.

Hermione looked sympathetic. "I understand, Harry. I really do. But the goods outweigh the bad. We have Sirius, and Remus and Tonks!"

"Oh and how could I possibly forget Professor-"

"Snape." Harry finished. Hermione's was taken aback. Snape? Why would Harry think she was talking about Snape?

"Professor Snape? Why do you bring him up?"

"It's not right Hermione. Snape is an ultimately good man, and he deserved better than what he got." Harry finished. He had thought a lot about Snape since the night he died. He watched Snape's memories many times; he knew them word for word and had memorized every detail of them. Snape had been best friends with his mum, Lily, and she had turned her back on him. Of course what Snape had called her was wrong, but he obviously felt bad about it. They had grown up together, his mother had to have known about Snape's home life. She couldn't forgive him for what he said? Hell, she had practically pushed Snape right into the hands of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. He sighed audibly and Hermione stared at him with worried eyes.

"Harry, are you okay?" She asked him softly. His eyes drifted over to hers.

"I will be once I see things fixed. A lot of things need to change." He led her down another isle that contained books on dark creatures.

"You do know that I meant Professor Dumbledore, right?" She said quietly, picking up a book on werewolves and the 'Ancient Hidden Powers They Possess.' She turned it over in her hands before placing it under her arm.

"I know." Harry bit out.

"Talk to me Harry." Hermione said knowingly. Harry sighed again. Darn all this teenage angst.

"I don't know what to think. He was a good man, but he knew that I was a Horcrux and he knew that the only way to get rid of it would be if Voldemort killed me himself. And when I found out, I just accepted it. I grew up not knowing love, and therefor had no family to hold me back." Hermione stiffened; it hurt her heart to hear him say that he had no one to hold him back. Interpreting her thoughts correctly, he went on quickly. "I don't mean like that, Hermione. I mean like a mum or dad, or even siblings. He played off my belief that anyone I associated with ended up hurt. He made me think that my sacrifice would save my friends. He's a wise old fool who knows how to get what he wants. He's on the side of good, but sometimes, what he thinks doesn't need to be shared, does in fact need to be shared. And sometimes, what he thinks is best, really isn't what's best. But it will be different this time. I know everything I need to know, and he can't use me. He can help me and be honest with me, but not use me. I know he care's a great deal about me, and I do think highly of him. I just think he needs to be open with me."

"You're right Harry. There were times when Professor Dumbledore made bad choices. But he was...is still a good person."

"I know that of course. I just won't let it happen again. And I won't let him die." He grabbed a random book off the shelf. 'The Soul and its Uses.' He flipped through it before roughly re-shelving it.

Hermione nodded. "Okay, so new housing arrangements. Any other ideas on how?"

"Griphook. If Goblins don't play into wizarding politics and I can convince him to do this for me under the radar, than that should work." He turned to her, "Right?"

Hermione nodded slowly. "Yes, that's true. But then you would be on a land monitored by the Ministry. It would still be registered and any magic done there would register as underage magic. At least at the Leaky Cauldron it's a public place, so our magic isn't caught." She sighed and walked over to the Dark Spells section. This place really wasn't proving helpful. In fact, it was just putting her in a foul mood.

Harry sighed in defeat. Of course Hermione was right, she always was. Living on a wizarding property would eliminate their option to use magic, which wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that they would be living in a wizarding community. Harry's eyes lit up as he turned to Hermione, but he was suddenly cut off by a large body blocking his way.

"Hello," Came a sickeningly silky voice and Harry cautiously looked up at the man's face. Fenrir Greyback. After the initial shock, Harry quickly schooled his features and stood up straighter.

"Sir," Harry inclined his head.

"What's a young tyke like you doing alone in a place like this? Surely your father has taught you better than to wonder the streets alone. Don't know what sorts of people are lurkin' about." He leaned in slightly and inhaled deeply. His eyes glinted in a wolf-like way; Harry couldn't suppress an audible gulp. He remained as he was and summoned his Gryffindor courage, along with his Slytherin traits, and spoke.

"My father taught me how to protect myself and my sister. We are here on his orders. So if you'll excuse me," Harry went to go around him; not at all liking the fact that the werewolf separated Hermione from him. Greyback put a firm hand on his shoulder.

"You seem to be a fit young man. How would you like access to powers even your father wouldn't believe? Freedom you've never seen before?" He said in a luring voice. Harry inwardly shuddered at the tone, wondering how many young men before him had fallen into this trap. He continued to stare straight ahead while the werewolf spoke, but here he turned his head and glared directly at the hand that held his shoulder in a tight grip.

"I would appreciate it sir, if you would remove your hand from my shoulder immediately, and be on your way." His hard gaze moved from the hand to the wolfs eyes. Greyback's eyes narrowed, but he removed his hand.

"One day, you will have wished you had taken me up on my offer." He said in a cool tone.

"Perhaps. But I wouldn't count on it." Harry looked forward and walked down the aisle to where Hermione looked to be struggling against another werewolf. He approached calmly.

"Let me go, beast!" She said sternly, drawing off of the werewolf prejudice held by most pure-blood wizards, along with a majority of the Wizarding community as a whole. She gave the large greasy looking man a disgusted look before attempting to rip her wrist away from the man's vice like grip. His face was young and scarred heavily. Curled greasy hair fell past his hard black eyes and his lips twisted into a conspiratorial grin.

"Feisty wench. But we can change that." Hermione stifled a yelp as she was jerked forward a step closer to the malicious looking werewolf. Before either of the two had registered Harry's presence, a wand had been pointed directly at the werewolf's heart from over Hermione's right shoulder, a threat quickly followed.

"I will advise you to release her this moment or you will find yourself screaming in agony, and begging for mercy in the middle of this establishment." Harry hissed in a breath so low that only the wolf could hear. The man roughly pushed Hermione away from him and in a second, Hermione found herself pressed to Harry's side as he drug her away from the scene and out the door, dropping the books they had picked up. Harry's quick pace didn't slow until they reached Gringotts in Diagon Alley.

"Thanks," Hermione mumbled. A bit embarrassed that she had to be rescued. Harry just nodded and guided her into the wizarding bank. Hermione looked to Harry in confusion.

"I've decided on what we should do." He answered. At Hermione's expectant face he continued. "A Muggle house. We can just buy a small house in a Muggle neighborhood, one close enough for us to walk to town. Away from wizards, that way we won't need to worry about doing magic. And we can keep the floo open for travel." He suggested hopefully, wanting her approval on the plan, but she didn't look to keen about the plan.

"I like the plan, Harry, it's just...a small town? One where everyone knows everyone? Wouldn't we draw attention to ourselves? Even if we managed some lie as to why no one in town would be able to meet or talk to our guardians, wouldn't it be suspicious in a small town like you're suggesting?" Harry's face fell.

"I guess you're right." He turned to leave, but Hermione stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"I'm not saying you still can't get the house, I just think you need to rethink a location." She suggested.

"Maybe a small town, but with a house more out in the country? One that is more isolated from the city?" He said, feeling a bit more hopeful. Hermione nodded.

"Exactly. A place that doesn't have a lot of neighbors, but is within walking distance of a town. We be able to tell people that we live with our elderly grandfather who doesn't get around much and especially does not like company." It was a pretty basic lie, but it should get the job done.

Harry beamed. "That's a brilliant idea Hermione!" "

Can Griphook set that up?"

Harry grinned. "Well there is only one way to find out." Hermione followed Harry into Griphook's office where they explained everything to him.

As Harry predicted, the goblin stayed out of all of the political issues of the plan, and helped them with its actual implication. Griphook explained to them how obtaining the house and its purchase would be simple, stating that he could have it done by the weekend, along with the added cost of having it furnished and connected to the floo system without Ministry questions. The two explained to the goblin where the best place would be and exactly what they were looking for. With everything set up, the two left the bank and slipped back to their room for the night.

By the weeks end they would be living in a Muggle house for the remainder of the summer. Until they went to the Weasleys, that is. That night Hermione returned to her parent's to pack and retrieve Crookshanks. She had to lie to her parents, telling them that she would be meeting with the Weasley's the next day, where she would remain for the remainder of the summer.

Authors Note:

Thanks to EVERYONE who participated in the first question of my little House Cup! I was really glad some of you found it enjoyable! The answer I was looking for was:

January 9, 1960

I have added up the complete correct answers, and the House Points are as follows:

Hufflepuff: 10 points

Ravenclaw: 20 points

Gryffindor: 0 points

Slytherin: 30 points

Congratulations Slytherin for winning this round.

Your new question for 15 points is:

What was the spell used by Remus Lupin to send gum up Peeves' nose?

Well, the next chapter is a bit of a long one, 9,162 words to be exact, that is, if I don't edit it between now and then, and so I will probably wait a week or a week and a half to post it. Don't want to just post everything at once. And I am hoping my next one will be enjoyed by all, as I worked very hard on it!:) I am so happy about my next chapter I want to post a preview. So here is a short excerpt from my next chapter.

"In the meantime, while Harry thought about how amazing the food was by the woman in his life, he managed to trip on the corner of a canned food display, which of course, caused a catastrophic collapse, and it wasn't long before the surrounding area was covered in raviolis, spaghetti sauce, and soup."