Chapter 4: Plans
Authors note: Hello, I posted my start to this story yesterday and received only one review. They commented on me following the storyline of Harry Potter too much. I just want to clarify that this is what happened after the war before the epilogue. Anyway here is chapter 4!
24th May 1998
The next few weeks passed very slowly at the Burrow. It was as if a dementor had been and sucked all the life out the house. Nobody talked to each other and misery had blanketed the building. People now were planning there next steps into the future.
Hermione walked into the garden it was sunny and warm outside. The blue sky looked as though it had been painted and the grass was a vibrant green. She could see Ron sat under a large oak tree not far from her. He was reading a book, which slightly surprised Hermione, but still she continued to walk towards him.
"Hey." She said quietly and sat down next to him. It was much cooler under the trees branches.
"Hi, you ok?" He responded
"Yes. What about you?"
"Could be worse, I'll live."
By now Hermione's curiosity had taken over and was controlling her mind and she had to ask about the book. Maybe it wasn't the right time to ask, but Ron NEVER read books.
"What are you reading" She asked
He sighed closed the book and then turned it so that she could see the front cover. It was navy blue and had bold silver writing on its cover. It read: "How to cope with death."
Hermione's eyes widened.
"Oh" she said
"I just miss him so much; it doesn't feel right without him." Ron replied
Hermione could see tears forming in his eyes.
"Ron, death is something that happens to us all eventually and when it happens at a time when you least see it coming it hurts even more. But it shows just how much you loved and cared about them. Nobody knows what happens after someone's death. But I believe that one day, when your time comes to depart this life, and you die, that you'll see them again."
"Thanks. I really needed somebody to say that to me." He answered
Tears were rolling down his cheeks and under his eyes were red.
Hermione stood up and held out her hands to Ron. He then got up as well and they started to walk through the garden. Most of the flowers were out now and butterflies were fluttering over their heads all the time. There was something else that had been on her mind for the past few days. It was 3 weeks and a half after the battle and she thought that this was the perfect time to say what was creating clouds of worry in her head.
"Ron, there's something I want to talk to you about."Hermione said
"Sure, what about?" Ron replied
"Erm, well, you know how I told you that I wiped my parents memories?" Hermione asked
"Yeah." Said Ron
"Well I need to find them as soon as possible." Hermione sighed
"Where?" He asked
"I mind wiped them and sent them to Australia."
"Ok. I have a slight feeling that this is where I come in." Ron said
"Please would you come with me to help me find them and bring them back to England?" She pleaded.
"Hermione of course I will, you know I'd do anything for you." He answered
"Thank you so much." Hermione then kissed Ron on the cheek
"When do we go?" he asked
"2 weeks on Monday if you want, at the earliest."
"Great."
The two continued walking until they heard somebody in the distance.
"RON! HERMIONE!" Harry called to them
They turned around to see Harry running towards them.
"What is it Harry?" Ron asked
"Kingsley is here, he needs to speak to us." Harry said breathlessly
The three walked into the burrow to find Kingsley Shacklebolt stood before.
"Please take a seat, don't worry this won't take long." He said
Harry, Ron and Hermione all took a seat around the table whilst curiously wondering what was going to happen next.
"So, what exactly is it you wanted to talk to us about, Kingsley?" Harry asked.
"Well firstly, I just wanted to let you know that I have been appointed as the new Minister of Magic." Kingsley replied.
"Wow! Congratulations." They all congratulated him.
"Thank you. Well anyway, I was just curious about what your current plans are for the near future." He continued.
There was a long pause and the trio looked at each other. They had currently been so wrapped up in the present life that they hadn't really thought about what would happen next in their lives.
Then Hermione spoke up.
"Well, before we left on the horcrux hunt I wiped my parent's memories for their own safety. I made them believe that their lifelong dream was to move to Australia and they don't know that I exist. Also I gave them alias' in order to them believe that they were Wendell and Monica Wilkins." She sighed.
"I hope to within the next week go to Australia to search for them and bring them back home. I was just wondering if it is ok to go there at this moment in time." She finished
"As far as I know Miss Granger, I believe it is currently ok to go to Australia at the moment and they weren't as strongly affected by the war. Is there anybody else that you asked or intend to bring with you to find your parents?" Kingsley questioned
Hermione looked over to Ron. He smiled and nodded.
"Yes, I have asked Ron if he would come with me and he said yes." Hermione replied
"Would it be possible if you two could come to see me at the auror offices at the Ministry of Magic over the weekend? Oh and don't worry I have cleared up what happened during your 10 month horcrux hunt at the ministry and it is ok for you to enter without being persecuted by fellow ministry workers." Kingsley asked
Ron looked over at Hermione in the hope that she would say something.
"Yeah, sure." Ron said.
"Moving on, I have spoken to Professor McGonagall and she has said that it would be ok for you to come back to Hogwarts in September and if you want to you can do your NEWT's. I understand that you are over 17 but it would be great to have completed your full education at Hogwarts. It would be so that you did your exams in early December and you'd leave at Christmas but I am sure that without as much time to revise you will all do incredibly well." Kingsley responded
"Well." Harry began. "I was interested to go into the Auror department, what NEWT's would I need to become and auror?"
"If any of you wanted to go into the auror department then you have all clearly proved yourselves worthy of being aurors and so you wouldn't need to do your NEWT's. Harry if you are still interested then I'll give you some more information at a later date. How about you two?"
"I would definitely be interested in becoming an auror but for a while I would like to first work with my brother George at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." Ron said
"I would love to go back to Hogwarts to complete my education and do my NEWT's. Then I would like to work in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures." Hermione said
"Great well thank you for letting me know and I will be in touch." With that Kingsley Shacklebolt left.
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27th May 1998
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Ron groaned as he heard his alarm clock buzzing robotically in what seemed to Ron the early hours of the morning. He hit the alarm and got out of bed, trying not to disturb the still sleeping Harry and then left the room.
It was silent in the Weasley house and as far as Ron could see, nobody else was awake at this fine time of day called 6:30am. He got dressed and walked downstairs into the kitchen.
He then saw Hermione sat at the kitchen table with a glass of orange juice and reading the Daily Prophet. She looked beautiful when she had just woken up. Clearly she had forgotten to brush her hair. Her hair was incredibly bushy and fluffy and her face was bright and lively.
Then she acknowledged Ron's presence.
"Hi." She said
"Yeah, erm, hi." He replied
Ron made himself breakfast and then sat down opposite Hermione, who was still reading the Daily Prophet.
The time flew by quite quickly and soon enough, they had been sat together for nearly half an hour. They had talked endlessly about their plans for the next few weeks and what they would do when they arrived in Australia.
Then Hermione looked at her watch and her eyes widened.
"OH MY GOD! We best get going or we will be late meeting Kingsley." She announced suddenly
"Ok meet me back down here in five minutes." Ron said quickly
The two of them then rushed around the house like lunatics and got ready to leave. Then Hermione met Ron by the front door.
"Ready." Hermione questioned breathlessly
"Ready." He replied
Ron then grabbed Hermione's hand and they then both felt the weird sensation of apparating. Although they were used to it by now apparating still felt like being squeezed through a narrow tube or something similar to that.
They then arrived in London suddenly. Ron could see the visitor's entrance not far away and walked towards it. They then both walked into the red telephone box and Ron dialled the entrance code – 62442 spelling "magic".
Then the cool and calm voice of a woman spoke.
"Hello, and welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your names." Said the voice
"Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger." Said Hermione
"Please state the reason for your visit to the Ministry." The voice then said
"We are here to see Kingsley Shacklebolt, in the Auror department." Hermione said.
"Thank you please gets a visitor's card upon your entry. Enjoy your visit." The voice finished
They then went down and into the Ministry of Magic. It came as a shock how much it had changed since their last visit. The old statue of muggles stating "magic is might" had gone and now there was a statue of a wizard and a muggle shaking hands. Everybody seemed happy and all the undesirable No.1 posters of Harry had gone. It certainly was different. It felt like the way it should be and the majority of people that walked by had a smile spread across their face.
"Wow."Ron breathed
"Yeah. Wow." Hermione said
"Come on." Ron said, grabbing Hermione's hand, "We best go and meet Kingsley."
The two walked through the atrium and into one of the lifts to the Auror Department. Then as they reached the level a cool voice very similar to the one in the phone box spoke.
"Level 2, department of magical law enforcement including the Auror office and Misuse of Magical Artefacts." It said
Ron and Hermione walked out of the lift and into an area with doors that lead off into all different directions. Then Hermione spotted the door that said "Auror Office" on it.
The two walked in and found another corridor with many doors leading off. They walked along until they found the door with Kingsley's name on it.
Ron knocked on the door.
"Come in." A voice said
Ron opened the door and he and Hermione went in. Kingsley stood up to greet them upon entry and gestured to two seats in front of his desk.
"Please, take a seat." Kingsley said
Ron and Hermione took a seat, patiently waiting for Kingsley to say something.
"So, what is it Kingsley?" Hermione questioned
"Well, as I understand you are heading off to Australia in a week or so and I just wanted to clear a few things up before you set off." Kingsley said
"As you know, the second wizarding war ended only a matter of weeks ago. And as far as we know and we have checked with the Australian ministry of magic, there are no death eaters currently in Australia. And so it is safe for you to go there." He continued
Hermione sighed in relief.
"However, if you do see anything whilst there, you must alert the Australian auror's. The day after you arrive, I have arranged for you to go and meet up with the Australian Minister so he can discuss the current situation. I know how much you want your parents back Hermione, and I am only doing this because it is you two and I trust you fully. So while you're there, just stay safe." He finished
"Thank you so much Kingsley." Hermione said
"You're welcome." He replied
"We'll contact you while we're there. And thanks again Kingsley." Ron added
"Happy to help." Kingsley answered
He then shook Ron and Hermione's hands and they left the room.
"Well, we did it. We're actually going to Australia." Hermione said happily
"I promise you Hermione, we won't leave until we find them." Ron replied
Hermione kissed Ron on the cheek and he hugged her back. The two of them walked away hand in hand through Whitehall. The future was becoming clearer and clearer to them. Now, they were just in reach of happiness.
A/N: Sorry I have been a while updating. This chapter is 6 pages and has 2,265 words as far as I know. Biggest chapter I have written yet. I realised that my chapters at the beginning of this story were a bit short and so I am trying to make them a bit longer. I have really important exams coming up at school and so it may be a week before I update again. PLEASE REVIEW! Holly x
