Authors note: Sadly I own nothing of the Harry Potter realm...*Sigh* All contents, save the plot, belong to the lovely J.K. Rowling

Possible baby names on the previous chappie, please vote!

CHAPTER 9 - Sickness and Return

Remus growled at the door for a few seconds then jumped off the bed and began scratching at the door. Hermione got off the bed and walked over to him. She could hear scratching from the other side of the door as well.

"Do you want me to open the door? Who is it?"

'Yes, please. Damn paws. It's Padfoot!' Hermione smiled and opened the door. A big shaggy black dog bounded into the room and barked joyfully then froze when he saw Hermione.

"It's ok Sirius, he won't hurt me. Moony choose me as his mate." Padfoot sat on his hind legs and barked wagging his tail joyfully. Moony and Padfoot took turns chasing eachother for a while while Hermione sat back on the bed and read a book about Wizard birthing. It sounded terribly painful, even though they gave you a numbing and pain potion. Slowly, Monny and Padfoot settled down and jumped up on the bed. They laid down next to Hermione and she put her book away, petting both of them and laid down to snuggle into Moony's fur.

Hermione was now 7 months pregnant and getting bigger every day. Her feet hurt, her back hurt, and she hated the stretch makrs she was getting around her stomach. Her temper was very short lately and she was often snippy with Remus and Ginny. Harry and Ron were doing very well. They had found 2 of the 3 Hogwarts founders items. They were convinced that the sword, diadem and goblet were all Horcruxes. The sword and the goblet had been found. The sword was deep within the Romanian woods and the Goblet was hidden away in Bellatrix Lestrange's gringotts vault. They still had yet to catch Lucius Malfoy or Bellatrix. But at Hogwarts Hermione felt safe.

She was a week away from graduating and taking her N.E.W.T.s and needless to say, she was stressing. Remus entered his quarters to find Hermione sitting at his coffee table on the floor, with only her head showing above the multiple piles of books. She was scribbling furiously at a peice of parchment. Remus quietly walked up behind her and reached around to take her quill. She jumped and whipped around, glaring at him.

"What do you think your doing?" She screeched.

"I'm making sure you don't go into early labor due to stress. How long have you been sitting here?" He asked.

"That depends. What time is it?"

"Dinner time"

"I've been here since you left this morning."

"You didn't go to lunch?! Hermione! You're pregnant! The babies need food. Come on, we're going to dinner and you're GOING TO EAT!"

"But Remus! I have finals and N.E.W.T.s in less than a week!"

"Yes, but guess what? If you go into early labor they'll be canceled. So you're taking a break." She huffed but followed him down to dinner.

The next week passed by in a flurry of parchment and trying to sneak extensive study behind Remus' back. Friday came and she was headed to the Ministry of Magic to take her N.E.W.T.s at 9am. She entered through the floo network and went to the front desk to check her wand. They directed her to the 3rd floor where she met the minister of magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Hello Ms. Granger," He said in his deep voice.

"Hi Kingsley" She said smiling.

"How have you been?"

"Uncomfortable" she laughed placing a hand on her buldging belly.

"Yes, I heard. Congratulations, extend that to Remus as well. Tell him I said hi."

"I'll be sure to do that."

"Good are you ready to take your N.E.W.T.s?"

"As ready as I'll ever be" He took her to fill out some forms and then she took her first test.

The writtin tests were first; DADA, transfiguration, charms, arithmancy, potions, herbology, and then ancient runes. She had half hour breaks between each and they were each a half hour long. She had a lunch break between charms and potions and Kingsley informed her that she would be taking her practical exams on Monday. He advised her to go back to Hogwarts and rest up.

Returning back to Hogwarts she grabbed her favorite book and curled up on Remus' bed to read.

Hermione spent the weekend relaxing with Remus in his quarters. Ginny would spend a few hours a day with them and her and Ginny would talk about wedding plans and baby stuff, while Remus graded papers.

"So do you guys have any names picked out yet?" They were sitting on Remus' sitting room floor on Sunday. Ginny had homework spread out and Hermione was helping her with Potions.

"We have a few in mind..." Hermione replied. "I like the names Rainne, Riley, Serenity and Savanah. For middle names we're thinking either Mae, Marie or Lily. And of course Lupin is the last name."

"Those are cute! I like Savanah and Riley. One can have the middle name Mae and the other can have Marie. Now what about the wedding? Do you have a date or colors or who you want in it? Or anything?" Hermione laughed at Ginny's excitedness.

"We don't have date. Only that we want it after the twins are born. We don't have colors. But we know that we want you as the maid of Honor, Sirius as the best man and Harry and Ron as groomsman." Ginny squealed and flung her arms around Hermione's neck, causing her homework to fly everywhere.

"Just make sure the dress doesn't clash with my hair ok?" She said laughing.

"Well, then it's a good thing I'm letting you pick your dress, within reason."

Remus went with Hermione to the Ministry of Magic on Monday. Classes had been canceled due to multiple teacher's contracting a magical virus. No one knew where it came from or how to cure it. Remus was immune to it because of his "furry little problem". Whilre Hermione was taking her practical N.E.W.T.s Remus was visiting with Kingsley.

"I read that article by Rita Skeeter" Kingsley said.

"Yes, I know. A lot of people aren't happy about Hermione and I." Remus admitted.

"Well, I'm happy for you," Kingsley said. "It's good to see you finally happy. You are happy right?" Remus nodded.

"Hermione makes me very happy. Happier than I've been in... Merlin, I don't know how long!"

"Well, then. That's all that matters. There's nothing illegal about it as she is of age."

"Yes, I know. But that doesn't stop the rumor of me biting her."

"I know Remus. Well, I have to get back to work. Being Minister ot Magic is no easy job." Remus laughed and they said goodbye. Remus pulled out his book about raising magical twins and began reading.

Hermione finished with her practical N.E.W.T.s and they headed back to Hogwarts to find every teacher in the Hospital wing and the students running wild. Hermione went to find Ginny and Remus went up to the hospital wing to talk to McGonagall

"Remus, I need you to do me a favor." McGonagall said weakly.

"Yes? What is it?"

"I need you to call a student body meeting in the great hall and let the students know that just because the teachers are sick doesn't..." She paused to cough. "Doesn't mean they can run rampant around the school. They still need to be studying. I also need you to stand as a temporary Headmaster. And get in touch with Kingsley and see if he can send some temporary teachers in to help you and to run classes. Can you do that?" Remus nodded and went to talk to Madam Pomfrey.

"Any idea what's wrong with them?" He asked in a quiet voice. The teachers were in various stages. Some were so weak all they could do was sleep. Some still had a bit of strength, enough to stay awake and talk, or read. But the virus had weakened them all so much that they couldn't stand on theyre own, let alone walk or teach classes. Horace Slughorn, who had returned to replace Snape, was furiously reading through as many books as he could to find an antidote for their ailment.

"Far as I can tell..." She began, "It's an air bourne toxin that only attacks older folk. Depending on how strong their immune system is determines how badly theyre hit."

"So Professor Slughorn must have a pretty stong immune system huh? Why haven't you been effected?"

"I'm not quite sure. We still haven't found out where it came from, but it's only happening in Hogwarts. Minerva thinks it's a focused attack from You-Know-Who."

"That would make sense. Get the school in to chaos so he can attack. Snape's probably the one who designed it." Pomfrey went back to tending to Madam Hooch and Remus left the hospital to organize the students. He found hermione and Ginny in his quarters and asked them to help round the students up to the Great Hall. Remus magnified his voice to boom around the school.

"ALL STUDENTS REPORT TO THE GREAT HALL IMMEDIATLY. ALL STUDENTS REPORT TO THE GREAT HALL IMMEDIATLY."

He sent a quick owl to Kingsley explaining the situation at Hogwarts and asking his help then he went down to the great hall.

"ATTENTION EVERYONE!" When everyone had quieted he began. "I'm sure you've all noticed that the teachers are all out of sorts. That does not mean that school has been put on hold." He heard multiple groans. Smiling to himself he continued. "I have owled the Minister of Magic and asked him to send some Minstry officials to help us run classes. Classes will be canceled until they get here. However, we still expect you to follow the school rules and have some control. Prefects will continue to patrol the coridors after hours and there will still be consequences to your actions. School will continue as if we are simply on a holiday until we can get some stand in teachers. Any questions?" Several hands raised. "Yes Mr. Longbottom?"

"What's wrong with the teachers?" Several hands went down and he saw a few head nodding.

"We're not sure at the moment, but we're doing everything we can to find out and fix the problem. Ms. Dinal?"

"When will we know about the ministry teachers? And will they completely change our teachings or go along with what we've been learning from our teachers?"

"I have sent an owl to the Minister and I expect and owl back before the end of the day letting us know if he can spare some workers. As for the content, my hope is that they will continue what you've been learning, but there's no guarantee." He looked around the hall for more hands and noticed that Hermione and Ginny were missing. Worriedly he asked if there were any more questions. When no hands raised he finshed. "Until the teachers are back, I will be serving as a temporary Headmaster. If you have any concerns please come to my regular office. Everyon is dismissed." They filed out of the Great Hall and when they were gone Remus raced to his quarters to try to find Hermione and Ginny, to no avail. He next checked the library then the Gryffindor common room.

'Maybe they went to visit the teachers? Or they went back to Hermiones head quarters.' He stuck his head into the hospital wing and paused to tell McGonagall that he was waiting to hear back from Kingsley. He proceeded to Hermione's room, growing worried. Saying the password he entered to find Hermione, Ginny and Ron looking worriedly down at the couch. Crossing the room he saw Harry in bad shape passed out on the couch.

"What happened?" He asked.

"We ran into a group of Death Eaters at Gordric's Hollow. One of them hit Harry with a curse and he just passed out." Ron explained.

Hermione took over, "I've tried everything Remus! Nothing is waking him up!" Ginny was silently sobbing. "He screams every few minutes." As if to confirm this Harry screamed loudly, souding like he was in severe pain.

"Ron, run to the hospital wing and ask Madam Pomfrey for a quick wake potion." Ron nodded and took off. "How long has he been here?"

"About an hour. We were gonna stop by here and grab something to eat before we went to the great hall but Harry and Ron were here, so we stayed." Remus nodded and sat on the couch next to Harry. "He's burning up. Put out that fire." He quickly cast a cooling charm over the room, and they sat back to wait for Ron. When he returned Remus poured the potion in Harry's mouth and a few seconds later Harry shot up off the couch and screamed.

When he had calmed down he looked around. "Harry, what happened?" Remus asked slowly.

"I saw the school burning..." He said shakily. "Everyone was dead. I think it was Voldemorts idea. He wants to create the equivelent of a flaming meteor, I think." Harry colapsed back onto the couch.

"Do you know when?"

"Soon... By the end of the month I'd guess. I couldn't tell when but it felt close."

"Do you know who cast the spell on you? Whoever it was either didn't know what he was doing or was trying to warn us."

"It was Snape." Hermione sat down heavily on the couch.

Ginny screamed and they all turned to look at her. She was staring at Hermione in horror. Hermione was clutching her stomach in pain. Blood and clear liquid was dripping on the armchair she was sitting in.

CLIFFHANGER! I still need names!!! As soon as I get 10 or more name votes I'll post the next chappie! 3 MORE VOTES PEEPS!