Harry and the others had left Gringotts shortly after the audience with the king. Harry had been in deep thoughts ever since, turning the gold Pendragon ring on his finger, there were so many questions running through his mind and he needed answers to it. Apparating back to the orders headquarter had brought them right into the living room, where Dumbledore closed the doors to the room with the flick of his wand.
" I think it's time we sit down and talk. Your head must be running a mile a minute Harry. Let me, or better let us try to help you solve the questions." Dumbledore began. He knew that some of them would land on young Miss Granger and he didn't know how Harry would handle the answers.
"There are so many questions, but one has been dominant in my system, what have you agreed to in becoming my Lord-protector Hermione? I know you know more than I and you need to explain to me know!" Harry had gotten louder in his last words, the fear of having gotten Hermione in greater danger made him panic and fear for her life.
"Harry!" Hermione started in a clear, confident but also gentle ton. "It could only be me, it has to be a woman. It always has to be the opposite sex. I know what I have taken for a responsibility. In case something would happen to you, I would be the person to give birth to the next heir. I will also be your right hand, when you are not there I will be the most powerful, by title, of all witches and wizards. I already know that there will be a time when you have to leave for some time and I will take over." Hermione ended. Harry looked at her shocked, he was shocked by all, but even more by her last sentence, that was until he noticed that she was playing with her Pendragon ring. Had something equal to the talk with his great-grandfather happened to her?
"Lady Granger already seems to know more than you with the help of her great new ring, I am sure yours will also reveal itself in due time. I also have a feeling that you will not be here for much longer Harry. It seems like our training will end and I will train your left and right. I do not know when you will leave but since I cannot be sure. I will now say my goodbyes to you and hope to see you at the beginning of our school term. You know what still has to be done?" Dumbledore ended?
"Yes, Professor. I will do my best to be on time for the sorting and thank you for all your help." Harry said extending a hand to Professor Dumbledore and when Dumbledore took it, Harry took a step closer and embraced the man, who had been his mentor, his friend and part of his family for the last 5 years.
"We will see you later Professor, and Professor could you call Ron and me by our given names? We might not have had as much guidance from you as Harry, but you have been and are a mentor for us, one we trust and respect." Hermione asked. She got a smile and a slight nod with the head from the headmaster before he left.
The room had been quiet for some time, everybody in their own thoughts."Bloody hell, that was quite a day!" Ron started after a long silence, not being able to hold it back any longer.
"You bet it was. My head is still swimming with all the information. But it is important that we clear some things before I leave, which might be today, or tonight. I had my doubts because the prophecy never told us who would represent Gryffindor at my side, I knew it could not be me. It has to be one of you. I guess the prophecy never got concrete because it was not clear at the point." Harry said, the prophecy becoming clearer and clearer each moment. He turned to Ron.
"You will lead our house Ron, you will be the leader of Gryffindor. There might be a time when I am not there and Hermione will have to lead for me, so you will have to be at her side like you are on mine and try to make her smile, when there is little to hope for. It is your time to shine as the leader of Gryffindor." he smiled and engulfed Ron in a hug.
"No problem, I will keep our little bookworm smiling. And I am sure we will see you soon. In real time it won't be long so everything will be fine until then." Ron tried to cheer himself and everyone else up.
"What else is there? Oh yeah Hermione. You have to let the twins know that from now on there is unlimited funding. The DA members have to get their new workout plan, we need a new room in Hogwarts, I still..." Harry was interrupted.
"Don't worry Harry, everything will be fine, trust me and Ron. I am your Lord-protector now, which means I can deal with everything now. That is the reason why I agreed, it has to be this way, for the next few month you will have to focus on yourself, Ron and I will manage the rest." Hermione assured him and before he could say anything else, he had vanished.
Platform 9 ¾ was as loud as ever and the students of Hogwarts were standing with their families saying their goodbyes. This year so the atmosphere was different. You could see auroras standing around the platform making sure that the young students were protected. The attacks had begun 1 week ago. The order had made it their job to protect the muggle born witches and wizards. Some going into hiding others just getting a new protection around their house and portkeys for emergency exits. Ron and Hermione, with most of the Weasley family were standing in the middle of all this. They had changed. Ron was now standing as the tallest of his family, with a good 6'4 with Hermione besides him. His long body had formed into an efficient machine. No longer were there any bits of baby fat, he had the physique of a swimmer. Hermione had also changed. The young girl had become a young woman. Her hair was flat and her proportions had also changed. The slender legs that could be seen because of the summer dress she was. She walked with a grace that had not been there before. Ginny was once again missing, as soon as they had arrived at Platform 9 ¾ she had said her goodbyes and been of to god knows where.
"So I guess we won't be seeing Harry here." Ron stated after having looked over all the people on the platform."
"We knew that could happen, he is doing well and I am positive we will see him before the day is over." Hermione answered after having looked at her bracelet.
"Ron! Hermione!" they heard the voice of their good friend call from inside the train.
"That's our signal to go. Thanks for bringing us here!" said Hermione, before giving each of the Wesley's a hug.
"We'll see you soon!" the twins winked at them.
The two boarded the train and went to look for their friends. Entering the compartment, from where they thought their names had been called, they were astonished to see a quite different looking Neville, Dean and Seamus sitting there. As members of the DA they had been training over the summer and it showed, none of them had a growth spurt but their body was more defined and also their body language seemed to be calmer, each movement with a purpose behind it.
"So where is Harry?" Neville asked.
"Actually we don't know. He should be at Hogwarts for the sorting but we can't be sure. We haven't heard from him for some time." Hermione said.
"Has he gone missing? Why didn't you tell us?!" Seamus wanted to know.
"No that's not it. He went on special training and had to leave us for this. Don't worry he is doing well." Ron said.
"So tell us how has your training gone?" Hermione wanted to know. She had been the one who gave them the new instructions every week, and wanted to have her feedback.
"My parents thought I was mental and asked me if everything was okay. They have never seen me study during the holidays and when I started with running and demanded to go to muggle football training over the holidays I seriously had to go to St. Mungus for a checkup." Seamus said. That brought laughter in the whole compartment.
"It was the same with me and grams. She knew about the whole affair at the ministry and was very proud that I had fought along with Harry as his family and mine are linked together. Dumbledore came and explained her everything. And then when I started training myself, she thought I wanted to impress a girl. I never had such an embarrassing talk, ever!" Neville explained his cheeks getting a bit red.
"But it was doable? From the looks of it, you all seemed to have done well. I wasn't sure if it might have been too much." Hermione said unsure.
"Hermione, we have to thank you, with the potions you sent each week, we were able to build our strength much quicker and easier and the practice with spells was more fun, than it was work. I wouldn't worry." Dean said.
The journey to Hogwarts went by very fast. All the members of the DA stopped by and Hermione saw the change in each one of them. It seemed they all had grown over summer, not always in height but mentally, there was a determination behind their eyes that made Hermione smile. She was staring out of the window playing with her bracelet. She looked down on it, seeing the stone turning into a light green color, a smile now on her face she looked up and saw Hogwarts.
"Guys it's time to put on our robes, we should be there in about ten minutes.!" She informed the others.
She changed in a different room than the guys and when she came back, two of them stared at her like she was from a different planet.
"Hermione, how could you not tell us!" Neville asked, still in shock and staring at her robe.
Hermione didn't know how to answer, since she didn't know what she didn't tell them.
"Hermione you are wearing the emblems of 3 houses! Have you become a Lord-protector?" Neville asked, pointing at the emblems over the one of Hogwarts. What shocked Hermione even more, was that they hadn't been on the robe when she put it on.
"How, I mean..." Hermione was at a loss for words, she had made her rings invisible and jinxed them so they would bother her while training.
"They attach themselves automatically on a formal outfit. When I am older I will be wearing the emblem of my house, when I am at an official gathering otherwise it will just be the ring that will show my standing." Neville explained to a still shocked Hermione.
"Is that the link you were talking about Neville? Your family also belongs to one of the noble houses? So your family has sworn their allegiance to house Potter?" "Yes my dad and Harry's were friends and even though Harry's dad was not a Lord, my dad swore that the house of Longbottom would stand at the side of the house of Potter whenever they called. I have to send an owl to my grandmother and then I will have to talk to Harry as soon as it is possible." Neville explained.
"Do you know who else swore it's allegiance, to one of these houses" Hermione wanted to know, pointing at the emblems. She had looked into it. She had been at all the houses of the Potters. The main one being the one in Britain, but the book that would have given her all the answers was already taken. When she had asked the house elves where it was, she was told, that the heir of the house had returned one day and taken it and that they were to tell her that he was doing well and that he was proud of her. When she asked when Harry had been there they said she had missed him by about 10 min.
"I can't tell you, I will ask grams, but normally every house has a book where this information is kept. There are different kinds of oaths you give. One binds the house over generations, others only as long as each one of the persons live. My dad swore to James Potter that our houses would stand side by side in the fight against Voldemort, which means my family is bound until this battle is fought " Neville told her.
"Oh that really helped me Neville, I found out about most of what you said myself, but for some reason the length was never mentioned. And you are right with the book, but for some reason Harry took it." Hermione said a bit angry.
"I am sure he had his reasons Mione." Ron said standing behind her and giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze with his hand. She let herself fall back a bit and rested herself against Ron, who put his right hand on her hip and let the left stay on her shoulder. The three guys looked at them but didn't say a word.
Entering the Great Hall brought even more looks and Hermione started to feel what Harry had always felt when everybody stared at him. She was about to say something about it, when she heard the voice of Dumbledore.
"Welcome! Welcome! I am happy to see that all of you have returned to another year at Hogwarts." His eyes fell on Ron and Hermione and he saw that Harry still had not turned up. The night was still young. "As per tradition I will wait for the big and fabulous speech until our first years have been sorted. Let us bring in the first years and the sorting hat and see young wizards and witches start their first year at our school" Dumbledore ended a twinkle in his eyes. The hat was brought in and not by anyone, Harry came walking into the Great Hall in one hand the hat and in the other a chair. A smile formed on Hermione's face when she saw her best friend. He had definitely changed she thought. He now stood a good 6'1, his hair was brought into order, but also had stayed a bit wild. The main change might have been the absence of his glasses. His piercing eyes were now more than ever at display and with the athletic built he now had, all witches of Hogwarts would want to have a piece of him. His robe now proudly showed the crest of his families. He walked to his friends after placing the hat and chair where they belonged. The hall was once again quit and you could hear a pin drop.
Harry had felt the eyes of his friend and immediately looked at her. He found her and Ron sitting side by side. They had changed he thought, not only them, all members of the DA, but the difference was most visible in his two best friends. Hermione was a young woman, beautiful from inside and out. He didn't have a doubt that she was now the most powerful witch in Britain. Her power, for him in a way almost visible, radiated from her. It was the same with Rom, since his departure they must have gained even more power. Harry had wanted to be with his friends in the train, but had to stop by at the twins shop, who had been more than happy to see their longtime friend, sponsor and business partner again. He had left with some packages and also left them something.
The head was placed on the chair and while Harry walked to his two friends the first years were lead in by Prof. McGonagall. Harry took the seat that was made for him between Ron and Hermione, both of them wanted to have him beside them, since for them it had been about 6 month since they had seen him. They knew that now was not the time for talking so Ron just clapped him on the shoulders and Hermione took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. Harry smiled and turned his eyes to the first years, the hat had just ended his speech.
"When I read your name, you will take the hat and sit on the chair." Prof, McGonagall explained the first years; some looked confident but most looked a bit scared, just like Harry remembered feeling before his encounter with the hat.
When the first one was chosen into Gryffindor, he like the rest of his house stood up and gave a standing ovation to the young witch named Amanda Bryson. The sorting went on for a while Christopher Davis becoming a Hufflepuff while, Lucy Milton became a Slytherin. Last to come up was a small girl by the name of Julia Waddington who was sorted into Ravenclaw.
"After sorting our last student into the fine house of Ravenclaw let me now welcome you all back to another year at Hogwarts. For the first years, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden and if you care for your life you will not be seen in it. The third years, it will be your first year to go to Hogsmead. Because of the return of Lord Voldemort the defenses have been strengthen and you will always have to be in at least a pair of two, walking around. After the meal all first years will got to the prefects of their houses, who will escort them to their common rooms. I wish us all a great and successful year. May your empty brains be filled and may your experience be a good one. Now let the food be served." Dumbledore ended.
