A/N ~ It's hard to believe this is the end!Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews, favorites, and follows.Your support and kind words really mean a lot to me.I do have a one-shot coming up, but it will probably be awhile before I get time to write another multi-chapter story because I'm back in school.Numbers and formulas require all my attention.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, to StephanopolisO9 for being a wonderful Beta!You are amazing!
Lost and Found
Chapter 9
Hermione stood in the small cemetery that overlooked the river flowing through the Krum Property. Her curls flew across her face as she faced the dueling winds whipping around her as she clasped her cloak tightly around her shoulders. A contented smile graced her face as she turned to face the winds, remembering the last time she had felt it flowing around her body in this same place.
*FLASHBACK*
"Are you ready Mina?" asked a beaming Mama Krum.
Turning to face the woman who had become such a wonderful influence in her life, Hermione smiled peacefully. "Sometimes I wonder how I could be so lucky. It's so rare for people to find one soul mate, but I found two. Viktor was my everything. I couldn't imagine my life without him, and if it weren't for Marcus, I don't think I could have ever been able to continue forward in life. Then I have you and Papa. My life is so full of love, I wonder how others are able to live their lives not knowing how it really feels to be loved."
"Oh Mina. You are the daughter I always dreamed of. You will always be my daughter. Today I get to watch you marry my adoptive son. You may not be a Krum by blood, but both will always be Krums in our hearts. In fact, Stefan and I have agreed that the manor will be passing on to you and Marcus and to this child," Mama said as she gently patted Hermione's swollen stomach.
"Mama! You don't have to do that!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Nonsense. It is the only way we can keep the manor in the family," she smiled at Hermione.
"Well, in that case, I guess it's a good thing Marcus and I have decided to hyphenate our last name. I know it seems strange, but it just felt right since neither of us has any other family besides you. We're going to be known as Flint-Krum from now on. It felt appropriate given our history with you guys and Viktor. Plus, it allows our little one to have both fathers' names," the curly haired witch told Mama.
A tear escaped Mama Krum's eye and rolled down her cheek. "That is the most generous thing you could have done. You honor us!" Wiping the tear off her cheek, she gathered herself once more into the pristine matriarch of the Krum family. "Now, come along, it is time to marry Marcus."
A few hours later, Marcus held Hermione as he guided her around the dancefloor. "Do you know how beautiful you are Madam Flint-Krum?" he asked her.
"You flatter me Mr. Flint-Krum. I still can't believe you came up with the idea of hyphenating our last name. You should have seen Mama's face when I told her," Hermione replied.
"They have always been more like parents to me than my own ever were. It felt right to add Krum to our name," he told her as he twirled her around.
"You're right. It was the right decision for us. Did I tell you that they will be passing the Manor on to us to keep it in the family," she informed him.
"Really? Wow. Our children are going to be raised in this beautiful country. I like it."
"Me too, Marcus," Hermione said with a smile. "Me too."
*END FLASHBACK*
Hermione heard the happy screams of children playing on the grounds of the Manor behind her. Turning she saw her two sons, so like their fathers, soaring over the grounds on their brooms. She laughed as she watched them dip and flip and try to outdo each other on their moves. Then she looked over to her daughter sitting beneath her favorite tree reading a book, her own broom lying beside her.
"Come on Tessa! You get up here!" Alex yelled at his sister.
"Yeah Tess! You can read later! Hurry before everyone else gets out here," chimed in Peter.
Hermione shook her head at her children's antics and turned back towards the river and the gravestones in front of her. "It seems like yesterday that Alex was born," she said to herself.
*FLASHBACK*
"You did beautifully Mina," Marcus told her as he sat beside Hermione on the bed with the tiny bundle cradled in his giant arms. "Look at him, he's absolutely perfect."
"He is perfect Marcus," Hermione told him. Gently, she took her newborn son from Marcus and looked into the deepest, darkest brown eyes that matched Viktor's. His thick, dark brown hair hung flat against his head and he looked back and forth between the witch and wizard watching him.
The mid-witch walked in with a parchment to be completed. "The first baby of the New Year. He certainly knows how to make an entrance, doesn't he?" she said. "And have you decided on a name for this little wizard?" she asked kindly.
Marcus spoke up, his eyes not leaving his son, "His name is Alexander Viktor Flint-Krum."
The mid-witch smiled and filled in the information. "That is a very fitting name. Shall I allow your visitors in?"
"Yes, please," answered Hermione.
Soon, the room was bustling with Mama and Papa Krum, Adrian, Blaise, Coach Ivanov, Olivia, and Graham and Abigail Montague.
As little Sasha was passed between the visitors, Hermione smiled at the people she considered to be her family.
Marcus, eyeing his wife leaned down to whisper in her ear, "What are you thinking about Mina?"
Not taking her eyes off the people in her room and her son, she leaned her head on Marcus' shoulder and said, "I'm thinking about how fortunate our son is to be surrounded by so much love. He's never going to know the heartache we felt because these people will make sure he knows he is always loved if something were to ever happen to us." Biting her lip, she looked up at Marcus. "Marcus?"
"Yeah?" he asked looking down at her with concern.
"How do you feel about having more children?" she asked him uncertainly. "I know we were both only children, but I always wished I had at least one sibling."
Marcus looked down at his wife, searching her eyes. Finally he smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "I like it. I always wanted a brother or sister as well so I wouldn't always be alone."
"That makes me happy," she said snuggling back into her husband, his arm wrapped around her.
11 months later, on November 15, 1999, Peter Marcus Flint-Krum was born, followed by Theresa (Tessa) Hope Flint-Krum on July 23, 2004.
Most people thought Alex and Peter were twins with their tall, muscular builds and dark brown straight hair. However, where Alex's hair laid flat, Peter's refused to lay flat and stuck up in all directions. The shared near identical smirks as well. They were the spitting images of their respective fathers and if it weren't for their hair, Mama Krum would get them mixed up just like she had their fathers. Tessa was the spitting image of her mother with curly brown hair, a spattering of freckles, and golden brown eyes that radiated her emotions.
All three Flint-Krum children were exceptionally studious, ranking the top of their respective years at Durmstrang. Hermione and Marcus had decided to send the children there rather than Hogwarts. The first reason was because it now focused not on performing the Dark Arts, but rather understanding them so they could be used to defeat and discourage another evil megalomaniac. The second reason was because they did not want their children being subjected to the offspring of the narrow-minded Weasley's and others in the Wizarding UK.
The boys were happy and boisterous, unlike their parents, however it became apparent that their personalities were greatly influenced by Mama Krum. They both excelled like their fathers in Quidditch. Alex took after his father and became a world-class Seeker. Peter followed in his father's footsteps and was one of the most aggressive Chasers to ever step on a pitch. Thankfully, he wasn't as ruthless as Marcus. They never let the popularity go to their heads though and were well liked by students and professors alike.
Tessa was quieter and more subdued. As a first year, she could be found most often in the library with her nose in a book, just like her mother. Most of her classmates had thought her a bookworm and ignored her in school. However, when the tiny witch walked out onto the Quidditch pitch for tryouts in her second year, most of her classmates had scoffed at the dainty witch trying out for Keeper. Alex and Peter had quietly smirked and sat back to watch the show. Tessa did not disappoint her brothers and soon, all of Durmstrang was singing the praises of their new unstoppable Keeper.
The first year an Inter-scholastic Quidditch League was started amongst the European schools, Durmstrang's team sported all three Flint-Krum siblings and they dominated the league.
When the three graduated, they all went on to play Quidditch professionally, knowing they had their NEWTs to fall back on when they decided to hang up their professional brooms. Tessa very rarely let any Quaffles through the hoops and held the title for fewest goals allowed for a game and a season. Alex often threatened to give his mother heart attacks when he performed his father's famous Wronski Feint. He held the titles of most Snitches caught in a season, and quickest Snitch caught (3 seconds). Then there was Peter. He had his nose broken so many times, it now matched his father's. He also held the record for most goals in a game and a season. In 2022, all three Flint-Krum stars made the Bulgarian National team and lead the team to the World Cup Title at the ages of 23, 22, and 18 respectively.
*END FLASHBACK*
Hermione took a deep breath as she felt the dual winds whip around her again. She thought back to the people she had once called friends.
She had heard that Ron had gotten Lavender Brown pregnant, not once, but four times! However, Mrs. Weasley was the one raising the children since Ron refused to marry Lavender. He insisted he didn't want to be tied down. The only reason he hadn't been fired after the incident with Hermione was because of his status as one of the Golden Trio and a war hero. Over the next few years, there were several formal complaints regarding his behavior. Those complaints, along with his refusal to marry Lavender after their second child was born, pushed the Auror Supervisor to finally fire Ron for behavior unbefitting of an Auror.
Harry finally came to his senses and called off his engagement to Ginny, eventually marrying an American witch who he met while traveling after the break up. He and Hermione kept in touch, but their friendship was never what it once had been. Ginny ended up unhappily married to Cormac McLaggen after he got her pregnant. The two hated each other, but had no choice because their parents forced the issue. Arthur, continued to work with Adrian and Blaise, and was an honorary grandfather to the Flint-Krum kids. When he retired, he moved to Bulgaria and became good friends with the Krums. The kids loved showing him the latest muggle devices they had and he doted on them as if they were his blood relations. While he was not allowed to divorce Mrs. Weasley, he was able to separate from her legally and he happily lived out his days with the Flint-Krums.
A tear escaped her eye and she wiped it away as she looked down at the grave stones in front of her. One by one, she laid a simple bouquet of flowers under each name.
Arthur Weasley
Honored Friend and Hero
Stefan Peter Krum
Honored Husband, Father, Friend, and Mentor
Theresa Sofia Krum
Beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and Friend
Viktor Alexander Stefan Krum
Beloved Son, Father, and Friend
Honored Hero.
Marcus Flint-Krum
Beloved Husband and Father
Honored Friend
The last grave stone was the hardest for Hermione. It was still fresh as they had just laid him to rest the day before.
"Oh Marcus. Viktor. Just look at your family over there on the manor lawns. Your twin great-great-grandchildren were born within an hour of you passing through the veil, Marcus. They were named Viktor and Marcus. It's such an honor to have you two remembered in such a wonderful way." She briefly wiped another escaped tear from her cheek. "I can feel you two, you know that? Standing here. I feel you both flying past me in the wind. You both taught me to love and to trust again and your love radiates through your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and now your great-great-grandchildren. I miss you both so much, but I'm going to stay here for a bit longer. I don't think I'm done yet. I will see you soon enough though. I love you both, my loves." With that, she kissed her fingers and held them towards the gravestones.
"Mum?" called Tessa behind her. "It's time for dinner."
"Thank you Tessa. I'm ready to go now," she said as she turned towards her daughter. Tessa held out an arm to her mother and the two witches walked back to Krum Manor.
As soon as they left the cemetery, two separate winds flew around them, whipping their cloaks around. Tessa burst out laughing and called out to the wind, "I love you Daddy and Papa!" Then quieter she lifted her head to the winds and murmured, "I'll watch over her. We'll all see you when the time comes. Don't cause too much trouble now that you're flying through the skies together again. I'll join you in the skies tomorrow with Alex and Peter. Good-bye for now."
Hermione smiled to herself and patted her daughter's hand as they walked across the lawns towards the rest of the Flint-Krum family.
