The sound of Hermione's scream woke Ginny and Harry both and had them clutching their wands before they remembered exactly where they were. Harry shook his head and gathered Ginny to him before he knocked on Hermione and Ron's door opening it to see Ron holding his trembling wife running his fingers through her locks.
"Bellatrix?" Ginny asked as she sat on the side of the bed her fingertips still touching Harry's She frowned as Ron nodded. "Damn, it really is a good thing we don't sleep in the dorms anymore."
Harry sat by Ginny and reached his hand out rubbing Hermione's back as the young witch sobbed in Ron's chest. It would take a few minutes it always did but soon Hermione had stopped trembling and was pulling away from Ron her eyes red due to her tears which she was now stubbornly wiping away.
"I-I'm alright guys. Harry, Ginny you didn't have to come in here…"
"We're family Hermione, whether you wanted us or not you needed us." Ginny wrapped her arms around the older girl and squeezed. "Come on, it's close enough to seven we should just get dressed and head downstairs. Muggle clothes will be best."
Harry squeezed Hermione's shoulder as he rolled his eyes. "Oh, joy...Exactly how I wanted to officially meet your Mum and Dad Hermione. Dressed in Dudley's cast-offs as if I didn't have a galleon to my name. May I request that during this weekend we get your Mum to take us shopping for some nice muggle clothes? I'll pay for everything you have my word."
Hermione smiled as she rested her head on Ron's shoulder. "Harry Potter, am I hearing you correctly that you are volunteering to pay for your wife and sister in law to go on a shopping spree?"
Harry chuckled as Ron shrugged at him "I expect Ron will insist on paying me back once we're Aurors again but, yes I am for your Mum as well. Heaven knows I want her on my good side! I doubt you became as scary as you are without taking after her."
"Well I suppose that is true enough, we better get dressed then. Go on you two I'm fine really. And if I have trouble Ron will come to get you." Hermione squeezed Harry and Ginny's hands.
"He had better." Ginny nodded firmly at her older brother before she and Harry returned to their own room.
Harry levitated the muggle clothes he had into the air and was mumbling under his breath After a few moments he chose the smallest pair of jeans and a blue shirt. "Think you can shrink them closer to my size Gin?"
Ginny considered for a moment. "Get dressed and I'll see what I can do. I know the spells obviously I'm just not certain… Harry, it was our souls that returned along with our memories right? Would that include muscle memory? Like the different movements for spells and such?"
Harry pulled his jeans on hopping on one leg as he considered what Ginny had asked him "Hmm well, not entirely I think that it'll take less time for us to relearn things like wand movements. But I agree that we need to start working out. Running to increase our distances weight lifting? Boxing maybe? Death eaters won't expect a punch to the face."
"Something to think about." Ginny sighed as she pulled on a denim skirt and flowered top. "I feel...so juvenile wearing this."
"Gin, you are eleven. Most things you'll wear are going to make you feel juvenile the least I can do is make sure that you at least like the clothes you are wearing hmm?" Harry pulled his shirt over his head he felt like he was drowning in the fabric as he held his jeans up with both hands "jeans first Gin?"
Ginny snorted at how her husband looked. "If the Aurors could see you now." She shook her head and raised her wand. "Reducio!" She kept the spell going until the jeans were tight against Harry's waist before moving to his shirt. "There much better. You actually look like a boy instead of a walking bundle of fabric." She took a look at his trainers and made a face "Scourgify." She shook her head. "Best I can do with them, Harry."
"I need a new pair anyway, you can almost see my socks poking out of the right one. But at least they are actually white again." Harry smiled as he kissed Ginny's cheek. She turned an eyebrow raised.
"I'd like a proper kiss Mr. Potter."
"If you insist Mrs. Potter." Harry smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist leaning down he captured Ginny's lips with his, her fingers crept into his hair pulling him closer as their mouths opened her tongue dashed into his mouth as his took the lead dipping and dashing against hers. Finally Ginny pulled back her cheeks the color of her hair "Somehow I keep forgetting what a talented tongue you have… This time we'll have to work more on my own parseltongue so I can keep up…"
There was a firm knock on their door as Ron poked his head in "If your done snogging his brains out Ginny we should get down to the great hall. Professor McGonagall is likely already there and it'll give us a moment to speak with her before a lot of other students arrive."
"Yes we're done, and who said I was snogging his brains out, Ron? I'll have you know Ronald that parselmouths are bloody good kissers!" Ginny smirked at his blush. So easy.
Harry grinned with a shrug as Ginny pulled him into their sitting room.
Professor McGonagall sipped at her coffee taking in the headlines of the newly delivered Daily Prophet. She preferred to get to the great hall early especially on Saturday. It allowed her a few child-free moments before the hall was full of very loud students planning what to do during the weekend. She glanced up to see a few seventh-year students drinking coffee and studying and of course, Percy was always here fairly early though a smile tugged at her lips as she noticed the young man was sitting at the Ravenclaw table spending time with the very pretty blonde prefect. They were whispering so only to be heard by one another his hand covering hers. Good for him, I think they'll be good for each other.
"Professor?"
McGonagall turned her head to see Hermione standing in front of her hand clasped with Ron Harry and Ginny standing just behind them. "Yes, Mrs. Weasley what is it?" It was still a chore to recall her best student was married she mentally shook her head. At least Ronald is a proper gentleman… I'd hate to think what would become of her if she was with one who felt Muggle-borns were possessions.
"Professor, since it is Saturday we." Hermione indicated the four of them. "Were hoping that you would be willing to drop us off to speak with my Mum and Dad. I know the Headmaster had to owl the Dursleys since Ginny is having to stay with Harry for those two weeks. But, I was hoping to be able to tell them everything myself."
McGonagall frowned as she thought. It made sense of course but Albus seemed to try and keep much of the dangers of the magic world from muggle parents. She finally nodded. "Of course that shouldn't be a problem. You'd like Mr. and Mrs. Potter to accompany you as well am I understanding that correctly?"
"Yes, Ma'am we've found that we do best when all four of us are together. I suspect it has to do with the fact of how close we all were prior to our soul bond. But I truly am not certain. When may we leave Professor?" Hermione smiled as Ron squeezed her hand.
"Well, if you'd like me to take you I'm afraid it will take a few hours to get permission to create the proper port key. However, if you are comfortable with the idea of traveling alone I will walk you to Hogsmeade where I will show you how to summon the Knight Bus." McGonagall's keen eye took in the fact that all of them were dressed in the muggle-ish clothing they had Interesting, Hermione's directions I'd gather.
"The Knight Bus?" The question came from Harry as he pretended to be clueless.
"Indeed, a muggle like type of transport which is meant for any stranded or lost witch or wizard." McGonagall saw Ginny shrug and Hermione nod "Alright then." She turned to where Snape had arrived in the hall "Ah Severus good I was just about to take the Potters and Weasleys to Hogsmeade so to catch the Knight Bus. Would you mind?"
Snape caught Harry's eyes briefly and Harry gave a brief nod in Hermione's direction. "Why don't you allow me to guide your little lions, Minerva? After all, until Albus has made his way down you are the highest authority. I'd hate to think what might happen were you to leave."
McGonagall frowned before she nodded. "Of course Severus, please make sure they get onto the knight bus safely." Well, how about that… Severus volunteering to help Harry. Maybe the boy is finally starting to see that Harry isn't James.
"You have my word that I will make certain that they stay safe." Snape gestured to the four of them and walked quickly from the hall Harry almost having to run to keep up.
"Do you have my cloak, Sir?" Harry asked as they left Hogwarts and began walking towards the gates at a far more sedate pace.
"It is in my office. Draco told me that you and Mrs. Potter almost perished last night. Would you kindly explain what happened?" Snape's eyes scanned the grounds for any students as they stopped at the gates.
Harry frowned. "Well, we learned that we really need to stay with each other. It took me less than ten minutes to get to Draco and back to Gryffindor tower. By the time I got there, I was hardly conscious. And Ginny was if anything worse."
"I urge you to not let that become known to anyone but myself and Draco of course." Snape frowned as he opened the gate gesturing them out.
"No need to worry about that. I'd rather never go through that again." Ginny frowned "I've caught a bludger in the head a good few times. Being away from Harry hurt more than that."
"I see. Well, then may I assume that the four of you are aware and capable of side by side Apparition?" Snape leaned against the gate.
Harry nodded. "When you are trying to stay ahead of a bunch of people who want nothing more then to kill you if you don't know how to apparate you learn and you learn fast Sir… Oh, I understand you don't want us to possibly be recognized. Good thinking Sir." He clutched Ginny to his chest. "Hermione, Ron we'll meet you there." And with a slight turn and crack Harry Potter and Ginny Potter vanished from sight.
Hermione smiled as Ron held her close. "See you on Sunday Sir."
"Do not do anything too reckless Mrs. Granger…" Snape smirked as Hermione grinned before she and Ron also vanished with a crack. Snape shook his head and waited a few moments before he slowly returned to the castle to inform Minerva her precious cubs were now on their way to the Grangers Already there in fact.
Harry looked up at hearing the familiar crack to see Hermione and Ron appear without even a stumble. "Glad you got here without splinching yourselves."
Hermione swallowed and nodded as she opened the front door to her home. It had been far too long since she had been here. The Death Eaters had torched it in anger once it was discovered that neither she nor her parents had been there. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned back to see Harry smiling at her. "None of that has happened Hermione. It won't happen."
With a firm nod, Hermione pushed open the front door and walked in. The air smelled of bacon sizzling. She could smell her Mum's perfume and her Dad's aftershave. On the walls of the entryway were pictures of her growing up though they mainly stopped around eleven. Hermione frowned. This time I'll be around for them to take muggle pictures of me. "Mum! Dad!?"
There was the sound of chairs moving and a woman with dark curly hair appeared in the hallway "Hermione? Darling is everything alright? Dan, it's Hermione and… she has some friends with her." She frowned as her husband came into the hallway.
Hermione smiled forcing her tears back the last time she had seen them was her wedding a month ago where her father gave her away to Ron with a joke about her being a touch feisty. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it as a smile formed on her lips and a single tear ran down her cheek.
"H-hello, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, my name is Harry Potter we met once or twice. I'm one of Hermione's best friends?" Harry stepped forward holding a hand out feeling Ginny's fingertips on his arm.
Daniel Granger considered a moment and took the boy's hand in his. "That's right you and Ronald chased away that troll of a bully who was causing our girl so much trouble last year."
Ginny caught Hermione's eyes and raised an eyebrow mouthing 'really?'
Hermione simply shrugged. She had told them she had gotten insanely good at telling them lies and half-truths.
"We were happy to do so. Hermione is very important to us. Actually, that is why we're here." Ron stated his fingers interlaced with Hermione's.
"Is that right well, come in the four of you… Oh, I'm sorry we haven't been introduced, Miss?" Emma smiled at the little red-haired girl.
"Po-Weasley...I'm Ginevra Weasley please call me Ginny. Hermione is my best friend." Ginny winced as Ron had jabbed her when she almost said, Potter.
"Well welcome to our home all of you. Have any of you had breakfast yet?" Daniel had released Harry's hand but kept a completive eye on the boy.
"No, we haven't Dad, but I was hoping we could talk first. I… I don't think that right now any of us would be able to eat." Hermione wiped away the second tear as it fell smiling as Ron squeezed her hand. "Can we sit down and talk?"
Emma and Daniel looked at each other and escorted the four children to the living room they sat on the couch and Emma noticed that the red-haired boy Ronald she assumed kept a firm hold of her little girl's hand but when they sat down Harry took her other one in his though did not interlace their fingers like Ron had his other hand held Ginny's as the little girl laid her head on Harry's shoulder She frowned something just wasn't right.
Daniel sat down in his recliner while Emma sat on the love seat. "Hermione? Are you in trouble? We haven't received anything from your school." Daniel finally said after a few moments of silence he was surprised to hear a snort from the polite black haired boy. "Something funny about Hermione being in trouble Mr. Potter?"
"No Sir, just the idea that Dumbledore would actually reveal anything about what happened within his precious school." Harry stated before he looked at Hermione "If you can't do you want me?"
Hermione looked at Harry and nodded "Please…"
"Sir, Ma'am has Hermione let you read much about our world?" Harry licked his lips having decided that this would be the best place to start.
Emma frowned as Hermione looked away from her. "Not much Harry. Hermione has been rather limited in what she tells us. It...Is a bit trying? But, we do understand after the warnings from that Professor McGonagall about the secrecy act." She saw Harry shake his head and squeeze Hermione's hand as her little girl just gave a shrug.
"Alright, well first bollocks to the secrecy act. Excuse my language, please. The things you'll learn today will break it wide open but I'm finding it hard to care. I will ask that you don't mention this to anyone else unless Hermione or I say that it is safe alright?" Harry sat up straighter and almost appeared to age before their eyes. "If it gets to be too much we'll stop and obliviate you both."
A strangled cry from Hermione was not the reaction Emma had expected from her daughter she watched as she swung her head to look at Harry who shook his head. "Obliviate?" Emma frowned another magic term she had no idea what it meant. To her surprise, her answer came from the youngest of the four.
"It's a memory charm. It causes you to forget. Depending on how strong it is you could lose your entire memory." Ginny seemed to shrug. "It's a very commonly used spell when it comes to muggles who have seen things they shouldn't have. For example, were a wizard to be murdered by a curse the muggles that witnessed the event would be questioned before their memory of the event is erased."
"Hermione… Hermione Jean, has this obliviate ever been used on your Father or me?" Emma questioned her nervous daughter who responded with the shake of her head.
"Not to my knowledge Mum…" Hermione licked her lips "I haven't been honest with you Mum… Dad, and I'm going to stop lying to you. I have to… Mum… Dad… I'm not the Hermione you know. I'm her future self. I come from the year two thousand and three and so do my friends."
Emma felt her lips trying to tug into a smile the idea of Hermione coming back in time it was a wonderful joke. She paused as she took a good look at the four children in front of her there was just something about how they were sitting how they held themselves. Her throat felt dry "Y-you aren't joking are you?"
"No, ma'am." Hermione said quietly as tears fell down her cheeks "I'm twenty-three and newly married after finishing law school." She nodded to Ron "My husband He is an Auror first class. An Auror is a magical police officer Dad." She answered when she saw her father open his mouth. "We just got married a month ago and you and Mum both gave Ron your blessings."
"I'm Harry Potter, I'm twenty-two an Auror first class. And my wife Ginevra." Harry smiled as Ginny lifted her head from his shoulder. "She's twenty-one and a professional chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. A quidditch team."
Daniel got up from his chair and walked into the kitchen. Emma stayed on the love seat and just looked at the four children in front of her. "D-do you have any proof?"
Hermione gave a helpless shrug. "I can't recall if you had told me yet but I know you are planning to take me to France for the holidays."
"We had only decided that yesterday…" Emma licked her lips "S-so you time traveled back into your younger bodies?" She could handle this. Her sense of reality had forever been shattered the day she was told that her only child was a witch.
Harry nodded "That's right an acquaintance who was on parole missed his weekly check-in. Ron and I discovered that he meant to go back in time to find a cure for his wife. However… Damn it, Hermione, I'm sorry they need to know…"
Hermione released Ron and Harry's hands as she drew her knees to her chest "I know… Mum can...could you go and get Dad to come back in. You both need to hear."
"I'll do my best Hermione." Emma got up and walked into the kitchen to see her husband sitting at the table nursing a glass of whiskey. "Dan?"
He set the glass down and looked up. "Emma, you realize… I mean maybe it's different in the magical world… But in fiction you know." Dan brought the glass to his lips as Emma placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Dan… She is still our daughter, thirteen or twenty-three. I can only guess where your mind is going with that fiction thought and I'm telling you to stop it now! Hermione needs her father to be strong to not come apart because of an assumption and if it is true… If it is true It still does not matter! She is Hermione Jean."
Daniel paused before he squeezed his wife's hand on his shoulder "Without you here Em I may have made the biggest mistake in my life."
"That is my job, Dan, besides we don't have any idea how this works. Now come back into the living room? And for the love of God give your daughter a hug? She's terrified of our reactions." Emma smiled "She needs to know hugs and love are always here for her. No matter what."
Hermione looked up at her parents as they came back into the room and to her surprise but joy her father wrapped his arms around her in a tight loving hug placing a kiss on the top of her head before he turned to Ron "I gave you my blessing is that right?"
"Yes Sir, I came and had a long talk with you before I proposed. In fact, it was your idea to propose as I did." Ron smiled as he felt Hermione's fingertips on his arm
"Is that right? I wouldn't mind hearing that story. After we have this talk maybe?" Dan nodded as he took a good look a the boy who he apparently gave his little girl too. A bit scruffy but that was normal with twelve-year-old boys. It was when he looked into his eyes that he was able to see the man his daughter had chosen. Satisfied for now he held his hand out to Ron who shook it firmly.
Daniel sat on the love seat along with Emma and watched as the black haired boy. Seemed to become a man before his eyes.
"Eleven years ago on Halloween, an evil wizard who is known as Lord Voldemort but most of the magical community only refers to him as You-Know-Who. You won't find the four of us calling him anything but Voldemort or if we're annoyed or drunk we call him Tommy-Boy. Er, I'm sorry I got off track. Tell me do you remember anything… Odd on November first? Owls everywhere weird weather patterns?"
Emma glanced at Daniel "Those fireworks. You remember Dan I swore they were shooting stars… And there were people everywhere celebrating wearing robes similar to Hermione's school ones."
Daniel nodded "I recall actually… Emma, I think that may have been the first time that Hermione actually did magic." He smiled at Hermione's surprised expression. "You were what most call a precocious child Hermione. That evening your Mum and I were watching the news when a story about owls behaving strangely came on and since I had a minor in animal biology your Mum and I were discussing it in great detail and I'm afraid much of it went over your head. As smart as you were and you got… Well, I'd say you were close to a tantrum or were having a tantrum when we sent you out of the den. We came to check on you about ten minutes later to see you with one of my university texts on Ornithology turned to the section on owls. Back then I was certain I had left the book in your reach but now…"
Ron grinned at Hermione's flushed face "That's my Mione. Her first case of accidental magic was to get a book to help her understand something." He kissed her forehead.
Hermione shook her head "I'm never going to hear the end of this am I?"
Harry shrugged "I think my first time was when I made my hair grow out overnight after a horrible haircut. So don't worry. We won't tease you."
Ron and Ginny both looked at each other and shrugged. "Don't think Ron or I would be able to tell you our first burst of accidental magic. You see we have five older brothers. So magic happened a lot when we were growing up so it was just assumed we were magical until we got our letters."
"Seven magical children! My goodness, I had enough trouble with Hermione." Emma shook her head "I think I remember meeting your Mother and Father actually. Both red-haired right?" Ginny nodded and Emma smiled "Well it seems we'll need to spend more time getting to know them. Now Harry why exactly was the magical world in such a mood for celebration on November first nineteen eighty one that even normal muggles without a magical child or relative noticed?"
Harry bit his tongue. "Remember what I said before all this if it becomes too much-"
"Harry if this involves our daughter we want to know no matter how much we may wish to hide our heads in the sand. Do you understand?" Daniel replied looking into the boy's emerald eyes.
"Full truth then alright Sir. On Halloween, Voldemort came to the home where I lived with my Mum and Dad. Their names were Lily and James. They were fighting against Voldemort and his followers they are called Death Eaters. There was a prophecy before I was born." Harry smiled as Hermione snorted "Sorry she thinks Divination is a wooly subject."
"It is Harry! I don't care if she was right… Ugh…" Hermione crossed her arms annoyed.
Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulders "Mr. and Mrs. Granger Divination is the only class that Hermione has ever walked out of and quit."
Hermione muttered under her breath as Harry shook his head chuckling.
"Anyway the prophecy stated that a boy born as the seventh month died born to those who had thrice defied him would have the power to destroy him. There is more to it than that but that was the base of what he knew. My Mum and Dad were warned and they chose to hide in plain sight using a complicated charm called the fidelius. The secret to our location was hidden within a single person and as long as that person never willingly told the location Voldemort could have been looking in our window and have still not found us." Harry frowned "My Dad had three best friends that he trusted with his life. They decided to use the one that no one would have thought they would. Thought it'd be a good prank…" Harry's fists were clenched and Ginny placed her hand over his fist.
Daniel sank against the back of the love seat and shook his head "Trusted the wrong man…"
Harry gave a firm nod as Ginny took over. "The man's name was Peter Pettigrew he revealed the Potter's location to Voldemort less than a week after the charm was cast." Ginny paused. "Before I continue I should explain the three unforgivables. They are curses that even a single use of will earn you a lifelong sentence to our prison Azkaban. The first of the unforgivables is called Imperious. It gives you complete control over your victim. If a wizard cast it on you, Mr. Granger, he could make you murder your wife and daughter before killing yourself. Or worse releasing you." She watched the green tinge cover his face as she gave a sad smile. "Puting muggles under imperius was a game with death eaters. Many of the murders during the seventies where the muggle swore they hadn't done it...I can't tell you how many times that may have been true." She licked her lips. "The next of the unforgivables is the cruciatus. It's a torture curse. All of us except for Ron have felt its effects. Though… I'd have to say Hermione has been the one to most experience it." Ginny paused as Hermione's parents looked outraged.
"Someone cast a torture curse on my daughter? Were they tried? What happened to them?" Daniel demanded as he tried to imagine anyone being able to torture his baby.
"S-shes dead." Hermione answered her voice unsteady "In the future anyways, Ginny's Mum killed her after her Avada Kedavra just missed Ginny. In the present, she is in Azkaban."
"Avada Kedavra?" Emma questioned "Sounds a lot like Abracadabra to me."
Ginny chewed her lip. "Avada Kedavra, the final of the Unforgivables the worst of them all. The killing curse. There is no way to block it, no counters… Just a burst of green light and the sound of death speeding towards them. It is fatal in almost one hundred percent of uses."
"A-almost?" Emma felt Daniel's arm wrap around her she was feeling colder with every word the small girl had said.
"Yes. The night of Halloween. Voldemort went to the Potters he cast the spell at James and then moved onto Harry's nursery. He told Lily to move aside he didn't want to kill her. But Lily refused, begged him to kill her instead. And… He did before turning his wand on Harry." Ginny squeezed Harry's hand "Harry is the only one to survive the Avada Kedavra. It bounced off him and hit Voldemort destroying him. That was why the magical world was celebrating Voldemort was gone and Harry became the boy-who-lived."