Firstly, I want to thank those of you that reviewed. You're gems :) Also I apologize, it feels like forever, but maybe it hasn't been. Oh well, twenty-one pages I think is long enough for y'all, eh? Thank you to: xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, mayejrmorris, Rosemary Lily Marie, and Natalie1027

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Well, I hope you find the adorable amount of Hermione/Theo fluff in this chapter acceptable :)

Natalie1027- I quite agree, which is why I decided to write this in the first place! And thank you, I try not to make it cliched at all.

CHAPTER TEN

It was two A.M and Minerva McGonagall was still up, reading and re-reading the notes in front of her. She drank a little glass of long cooled coffee, but hardly noticed the taste.

"My dear friend, it's rather late." The sound of a portrait made her jump. She spun to see her wise old friend smiling at her.

"Albus." She sighed with a small, sad smile, "No rest for the restless." She said calmly, rubbing her eyes.

"You must sleep, Minnie. Nothing is too important to forgo what you need to keep yourself awake and be a better person tomorrow."

"I just thought we were done with all this." Minerva was a very intellectual women, as many students knew and respected, and very little lost her temper or showed any fear, but tonight...tonight her feelings got the better of her.

"When is such things ever done?" Snape asked with a shake of his head from his own portrait adjacent to Dumbledore's. Dumbledore nodded in thought, but turned a warm and welcoming gaze toward Minerva.

"I fear so much for these children, and their children at that!" She huffed, pushing aside a well-read report.

"They are not real, but they cannot be killed." Snape mulled softly from his place, shaking his head.

"I don't know if these people know that or know something we don't. All we do know is...he went here." She paled.

"The attacker?" There was surprise on Albus' face and many other headmasters or mistresses gaped at Minerva and she just stayed silent.

"If he had not, there would not have been so much a problem. But he knows these halls. He knows these classrooms. I'm sure with a little luck, he knows where their dorms are. I'm positive he would have not kept such information for himself." She frowned, "A Ravenclaw. Two years before Harry entered...of all things, a muggle-born. While there is no relative of his at the school currently, there are still younger siblings of his friends here. One question, just an honest question, and our students may be in grave danger." Minerva put her head in her hands, "I feel it's best not to tell the seventh years."

"A muggle-born?" Snape seemed not able to suppress his surprise, and his features tilted slightly.

"It makes no sense." Dippet frowned, "A muggle born in Voldemort's ranks?"

"Do not rule out the seemingly impossible. Many odder things have occurred. I feel she knows no more." Dumbledore directed the statement to Minerva who nodded.

"Nothing. Just a name, and a false address. There's been no record of him in the past five years." She pursed her lips, "I feel I've already failed as a headmistress. If only you were alive, Albus and Severus. Perhaps things would have been different."

"Now, Minne. You are showing great courage and strength in matters of these. I doubt I'd be much better off than you." Albus assured.

"Difficult times." Snape agreed.

Minerva felt worn, and nodded faintly, distracted. She went to her personal quarters and sat on the large four poster bed. A smiling photo on the wall lost his happy grin.

"My love," He said, "You seem troubled. I haven't seen you in quite some time. Your bed not slept in three days."

"Elphie." Minerva turned toward her late husband, sniffling, "I feel so lost. I wish you were here."

"We both know I'm a horrible problem solver." He said with a chuckle.

"But you always made me laugh." She gently touched the frame and crackling paint of his portrait, smiling fondly.

"Our time was much too short." He commented, "But you are such a strong woman, Minnie. I know that you'll do whatever it takes to save these children. You feel as each is your own, and in that sense, I suppose I feel the same too." He said. She wanted to reach out and be able to hold his hand, but felt bitter loneliness.

"I'll figure something out." She turned suddenly, and went back to the office, ignoring the talking portraits and to a box of Hogwarts floor plans. Just as she was spreading out an unused and quite recent plan, there was a knock at her door. With such circumstances, she hardly questioned the call at so late a time.

"Come in." She called, taking a drink of her coffee, realizing it was cold, and re-heating it with new birr and reason. Bill entered first, then Mr. Weasley, then Purcy, and then George.

"Is the whole Weasley Clan making a house call?" Minerva chuckled, and Bill shook his head.

"No, the Mum and Charlie are outside the office, and I should hope Ginny and Ron are asleep." He said, and Minerva realized after a small laugh he wasn't kidding, which made the whole situation more amusing.

"Well, what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked, "At such a time." She added.

"I've been worried about the students, after what you told me." Mr. Weasley played with his fingers.

"Well, yes, as have I." Minerva frowned, "And I think I have a way to solve it." She beckoned the eldest Weasley to the plans, "You see this?" She asked. There was a grin on Mr. Weasley's face and he motioned for George to come forward.

"Well, well, well." George said, looking at the plans, "I think we can collaborate nicely on this." He pulled out a sheet, handing it to the headmistress and spoke as she read it over.

"I've developed a new prototype, and well, with these plans, I think it's the perfect place to test them out." Minerva caught on to what he meant, and nodded in agreement.

"Quite right, George. I never thought I'd say this, but I feel it's time to buy a product from your shop."

FMN

Hermione returned from her prefect's rounds late that night, pushing open the door to the Prefect's office to log the activity with a yawn. There was a little light already as she creaked the door open, so she only assumed that Draco was doing business as well.

The ginger hair made her pause, though, and she held back the impulse to call out 'Ron'. The figure was too long, and the hair was spiked up in a way that Ron would never try out, and if that wasn't proof enough, the absent ear was. She blinked twice, not quite believing herself. What was George doing here?

"Here they are, George." Another voice said and Hermione thought she may be dreaming. Draco was handing George a roll of parchment, and wiping black hands on a towel. Hermione couldn't tell from her view what black it was- ink? Soot? Grime?

She stepped forward only a tiny bit, and the door slammed behind her, pushing her even farther into the room. Both men spun around, and George's face lit up.

"Hermione!" Before she could register what was happening, he was squishing her and hugging her and spinning her around the room, "Hi!"

"George, it's nearly three. What are you doing here. What are you both doing here?" She gave a look to Draco, who shrugged, watching her with amusement.

"Why are not not here?" George responded, "We've been looking all over for you!"

"Really?" Hermione asked, stepping more into the room. Draco snapped his fingers.

"Rounds. That's it. Sorry George, she was on her rounds."

"Either way, no time now. C'mon! Moonlight's wasting." He pushed both the seventh year students from the room, smiling giddily.

"George, not that I don't love seeing you, but what's this all about?" Hermione asked, shoving her heels against the pavement in hopes of stopping her movement.

"Aww, that's no fun. Ruins the surprise. Bill's orders." George winked and chuckled. He spun Hermione around to face him, "Now, quickly who are the five best spell casters in the castle besides you two?" He asked.

"Spell-casters. Whatever do you need those for?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"Ah. Can't tell you that either. But come now, Hermione, quickly. Draco?" He turned to asking. Draco rubbed his chin.

"I'm guessing student-wise, right? I mean, I don't think I have to tell you of Flitwick or McGongall's skills." Draco's lip quirked, "Corner, Nott, and Looney make the best scores besides Hermione and I, and word around the school is your brother Ron, Seamus, and Ernie aren't bad casting either. Ernie's cast some...nonverbal magic recently if I'm correct." Draco counted, "Damn. I suppose that's six people."

"Good. Six is good. I'm going to wake them. Now stay right there you two. Just in case..." George fired a spell behind his back as he was walking away and Hermione couldn't move her feet.

"What the-," Draco muttered, falling forward awkwardly, his feet rooted in place, "That was nonverbal!"

"They're brilliant, or I mean, he's brilliant." Hermione blushed, used to thinking of the twins as a pair. She laughed under her breath, "At least, when he chooses."

"I didn't know that."

"They received many O.W.L's. But Bill's the real genius, well the surprising one. Percy too. They both got all 12. Even I couldn't have done that." She commented. Draco looked mildly surprised, which surprised Hermione even more.

George returned ten minuets later with a spring to his step and six weary-looking students behind him. Draco was still lying awkwardly on the floor when he un-binded their feet.

"What's this about?" Ron moaned.

"It's a surprise!" George smiled, the first wide and excited smile Hermione had seen since Fred's passing. George lined them all up, and six were too tired to argue and the other two were too intrigued. George brought his wand out and suddenly Hermione's wrists were tied to the people on either side of her- Draco and Nott. Oh boy.

But there wasn't time for anything to occur, because George was blindfolding each of them tightly so even Hermione couldn't wiggle out of it, as she'd learned to do during the war.

"Now follow me, children." Hermione was pulled forward, stumbling over her feet. Nott stepped on her heels three times before they came to a standstill.

"Now, I'm warning you this now. Hold your breath. If you don't, you may end up barfing."

"Apparation?" Seamus called out in shock.

"No, even the best of the best can't do that with more than two people." Draco decided quickly.

"Hold them now!" George commanded and Hermione barely had time to suck in a deep breath before she was flung through space, colors dancing across the blindfold wildly. It didn't feel quite like apparation, but she wasn't going to rule it out yet.

"You can now take off the blindfolds." He said as their wrists untied. Hermione threw hers off, and patted her hair down. She looked around at what everyone was wearing.

Nott had a fluffy looking bathrobe on, Luna was wearing something out of the eighteenth century that was a different color each time she looked at it, Seamus had long pants and a wife-beater, Corner in a matching silk set, Ernie in running shorts and a tee-shirt, and Ron won the prize for worst way to be caught sleeping in just a pair of boxers. No one was wearing shoes, but it was okay because the grass under their feet was soft and slightly dewy.

"George, can you please tell us what's going on?" Hermione asked, exasperated and really quite tired.

"There they are! Ah!" McGongall greeted happily, but looked at them, "In their pajamas..." She looked at Ron and her lips puckered, "Or less..."

"Were they supposed to put on clothes?" George tilted his head like it had never crossed his mind.

"Ronnie!" Charlie called across the way, and enveloped Ron in a full on bear hug, picking him off the ground. His muscles flexed and Ron struggled, "Congrats on the twins. I should see them after this." He winked.

"Uh...I...erm..." Ron swung around wildly and saw the rest of his family milling in the background, "What's the family doing here?" He demanded to his brother, well George that was.

"No time. Now, where do they need to stand?" He asked McGonagall.

"Eight? Well, I'll take Corner with me. George, you can take your brother. Ernie, go with Kingsley. Seamus with Charlie. Draco and Aberforth. Luna and Bill. Nott and Flitwick, and Hermione with Pomfrey." She delegated, "Yes, that should cover enough."

"Come dear, with me." Pomfrey motioned to Hermione, who numbly followed. She looked and saw what looked like the whole force of the Hogwarts teachers, various Hogsmeade civilians, and the Order dissappearing into the night. Pompfrey took her through a thicket, so she couldn't see what lay on the other side.

"You have your wand, dear?" She asked.

"Of course I do!" Hemione was a bit offended by the question and pulled it from her boot.

"Now, we need to make a barrier. I suppose you wouldn't know it, since when Voldemort attacked you were not casting it." She thought.

"I know that! I read about it in my fifth year. I just don't remember the motions." She atmitted.

"Oh, it's quite easy. Now be ready, because we all need to do it together until the circle closes." Pomfrey raised her wand. Hermione hesitantly did the same.

"What is this?" She asked. Pomfrey was about to reply when there was a light that flashed like a falling star.

"That's the single. Now, cast!"

FMN

They were sent back to the castle in the same way that George had brought them there as soon as the wall closed up. Nott was confused and he was pretty sure he had a rock stuck in his foot. Back in the dorms, no one that had been summed went to bed right away.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron fumed, still in his boxers, twirling his wand.

"Did you see what it was? It looked like houses. But here's the creepy thing- none of them had lights on or anything. Yet when we finished I saw McGonagall start directing people to it." Seamus explained, running his fingers through his hair.

"Teacher town? Well, they gotta live somewhere." Ron scoffed.

"No, no." Nott shook his head, "I don't think that's it."

"Do you have a better answer?" Corner demanded.

"What do you two know?" Ron asked, looking at Hermione and Draco, "I mean...you're heads. You have to know."

Draco and Hermione exchanged looks. "Erm..."

"They don't even know." Nott groaned, laying back.

"Do you think it has anything to do with...well the attack on Xavier?" Seamus questioned. Six heads looked at the couple of Hermione and Theo. Hermione's eye widened as she looked at Nott.

"He's sleeping." He replied, as if reading Hermione's mind, and then turned to Seamus, "Possibly."

"Not just Xavier." Luna whispered. Now it was time for everyone to spin to see her. She had gotten hot chocolate for everyone, and was setting the platter down, "Axel."

"Creevey's kid?" Ron wrinkled his nose.

"Astoria found something in his food a couple hours ago, and she brought it to me. It's a highly poisonous root found only in gulches at midnight. Usually, its odorless and colorless, unless it comes in contact with peanut oil."

"She was making herself a peanut butter sandwich." Hermione breathed in relief, recalling the can left out on the counter, which she had angrily put away.

"Why didn't we know!" Draco stood up, "Are all our children at risk?"

"No other children have been harmed...yet." Ernie reminded, "But this has to be it. It has to be."

"Pfft..." Corner scoffed, "What are they going to do? Move us to a city? No way."

"Hogwarts can't be unsafe. Not after what happened." Ron was shaking, "Hogwarts is supposed to be better this year."

"I know." Draco groaned, tiredly rubbing his eyes, "And for that, I'm genuinely sorry."

FMN

Hermione hadn't slept all night, and neither had Nott. They met Blaise who was anxiously pacing outside their room, and looked flushed.

"Someone attacked Des." He blurted before anyone could speak.

"What? Again!" Theo threw up his hands, "You know, I would actually like a little sleep."

"Hush! Blaise, what happened?" Hermione patted his shoulder.

"He just started coughing and all, and we thought...I don't know...but he started coughing up blood. He's only a week old, technically. Well two weeks as of midnight, but he's still so small. I know it's not a wizard virus, because there's residue of something in his mouth that Pomfrey doesn't know what it is."

"Oh...Merlin." Hermione whispered, "Why tell us?" She asked.

"I heard the conversation in the commons. About Axel. And he was at Lav's when it started happening. I think you should talk to her." He motioned. Theo sighed.

"I'm grabbing Xavier." He said, "I'll be right there."

Blaise was still in near hysterics, and Hermione patted his shoulder. "They can't die." She reminded softly.

"But if he's sick at this age, he may grow up with a disease or disability or even non magical!" Blaise was shaking.

"Okay, let's go." Theo shut the door softly behind him, Xavier still sleeping on his shoulder.

Lav's door was slightly ajar, and when Hermione entered, she saw soft carpets, colorfully painted walls, and baby pens everywhere. There was at least five babies sleeping, two more than Lav's own.

"What's this?" Hermione frowned.

"I started a day-care system. Professionally." She was sitting, rocking a sixth child, "For our classmates that both must work, unlike some." Her voice was not mean, but it was pointed at Nott, who shrugged shamefully.

"Blaise tells me you know something about children getting sick or...attacked." Hermione forced herself to say it, even as she did a shiver ran up her spine.

"Two others. Yes." Lav sniffled, "I feel horrible. It happened on my watch. I swear, I'm a good mother. I love all these children as my own! I would never harm them. The parents know that, though. After Xavier was attacked, they would never assume it to be me." She sighed.

"Lavender." Nott growled, "The kids? I want to get to sleep."

"Right. Silvin Thomas got a mysterious cut on his hand, and it became infected too quickly for normality, and Nene Cornfoot. She found a shard of glass on the ground, and I know for sure that there's no glass anywhere near my doors. And when I'd walked across the floor a moment before, it was for sure not there."

"When did this happen?" Hermione demanded. Lavender hushed the child on her lap as he began to cry, and shrugged, "All in the last twenty-four hours."

"Can I sleep now?" Theodore asked.

"I should get back to my room." Blaise agreed. Hermione looked at Lavender; her tired eyes and worried, and nodded.

"You should sleep too, Lav." Hermione said softly, taking the child- not one of her own- from her lap and setting him down in the open bassinet. Lav nodded tiredly. Wayne came from the other room with two steaming cups of milk, and rubbed her back.

"Yeah, come on. They're going to be okay for tonight."

"But I don't know that!" Lavender wailed.

Hermione shook her head and followed Nott out of the room. He was already passed out when she got back to the room. She lit a candle and took out an old sheet of parchment, and made a list of the children that had been attacked. She began to write the similarities of the children to find a common theme, but could find nothing.

Four hours later, when she had to awake for class, just an paper with scratched out theories sat in front of her.

FMN

Daphne took the brush through her hair an extra time to perfect it's glossy platinum blonde look and did not smile at her reflection. She needed Theodore. But she couldn't. Instead, she imagined Theo in only his boxer shorts and contemplated deep on this image and she felt her horrible, dark and sinful magic, begin to evaporate from her mind.

Adrian was in the room behind her, and she looked through the refection to see him searching around in just an oxford, boxers, and socks. She wished this image did more for her, but his well built figure was the same as seeing a lamp- she just felt nothing toward it.

"Have you seen my tie, Daph?" He called.

"Check the dresser!" She replied back. He cussed a couple times, but gave a sigh of relief when he snatched it from the place he'd casually thrown it the night before.

"Come on, Beautiful. Move from the mirror. You're only getting prettier." He joked, pushing her lightly away from the vanity to shave.

"I was done anyway." She rolled her eyes.

"Did you drop Konrad off with Montague?" He asked.

"Yes, of course. He said he'd only be able to take care of him until noon though." Daphne replied, fishing for her stockings in her neat pile of socks and underwear, compared to Adrain's bedlam of a room.

"Damn. My turn to watch, then?" He asked, turning around.

"Yep. Don't forget lunch though. He likes the banana flavored formula." Daphne stressed.

"I'm a cook. He'll love whatever daddy makes him, right?" He asked. Daphne rolled her eyes.

"Put on some pants, I'm leaving." She huffed.

"Wait!" Adrian hopped into a pair of slacks and grabbed a belt, "Shall we?"

"You seem more...antsy." He commented as they walked through the commons, nearly deserted as they were almost late to class.

"I'm not!" She snapped, and he raised an eyebrow, "Just a bit...needy." She emphasized softly, and Adrian nodded.

"I would give you a good run on any day, you know. But...I'm not him." She'd informed him of the fragile stipulations of her predicament shortly after the almost-incident before, when he'd returned from his shower. She bit her lip hard.

"I wish you could do." She groaned.

She pushed the door open, and looked around.

"I think we missed something." Adrian whispered under his breath, because a lot more than her classes' eyes swung to look at her. There was a slow trickle of a couple more people into the room, and they all stopped and stared at the people that all were squished in the room. Mostly, they started at McGonagall who was looking nervous, relieved, and stern all at once.

"Well, sit down." She snapped. The couples with children that could not pay for a daily babysitter set their children in the little bassinet in the back, where nearly all the babies stayed in classes. Adrian and Daphne slid into their chairs with an echoing sound.

"Is this everyone?" McGonagall asked Bill. He nodded from where he sat next to a whole hoard of other red-headed people, which she assumed was the rest of his family.

"Well...I can't say that I speak to you under the most joyous of occasions, or even the most normal. But, I am worried for all of you. I assume all of you have heard of Hermione's attack, and the danger of it. Perhaps none of you know though, the ways some children in this group have been targeted too. Frankly, I am afraid for your safety. And I was going to come up here today, and stop the program indefinitely, until a young Mr. Weasley- George, that is- came up with a plan." She waved to Bill and George.

George had three barrels under his arms. The first was a map, which he spread across a blackboard. Bill tapped it with a finger.

"This is what we call CapperTown. It was a final for a class on architecture and city management that we had years and years ago, and was created by a Mr. Capper when he attended school here. The plans and the spells were all created, but it was never built, even though he even secured the land to build his dream on. He was killed in the war, a rouge attack two years ago, but we feel that this will keep us safe. A town." There was murmuring from the group, some louder than others.

Beside Daphne, Ernie was poking Corner. "Pay up!" He whispered.

"Today, eight strong wizards and the teaching staff secured a barrier we feel so strong, that no one can crack it." Bill sounded quite pleased with himself, "This will be a better learning experience than I could ever image about buying and keeping a home!"

"So...we're going to live in like...actual houses?" Ivy raised her hand.

"Yes. With your partner. More on that in a moment, my brother would like to show you his newest product which will be imployed there."

"Righteo." George nodded, and dropped the two other barrels, "Portals. It's like apparation, but not. I feel an explanation is in need." He said when he came for a loss of words. He uncapped one barrel and rolled out what looked like just a black sheet of paper and set it carefully down at his feet. He threw the second to another red-head, who rolled out the other paper at the door of the classroom. The two papers began to glow the same light shade of red.

"Watch this." Daphne thought she'd blinked and gone crazy for a second. One moment he was stepping over the black, and then he was gone. His voice came from behind her.

"Hi!" He said and everyone snapped around, "Now watch again." He stepped full into the hole, and appeared stepping out of it back up front, "These things are great. You can roll them up in times of need. They glow when both are activated correctly. You can hang them anywhere- not just floor. Put them on walls or on the ceiling. It feels like apparation, but not quite. Really, you have to try it yourself to know what it's like." He held up his hands. Daphne frowned at the idea. She hated apparation, and this sounded worse.

"One will be put up near the Great Hall for popping between school and CapperTown. In the case of a breech or emergency, we will roll up the portal for your safety. There will be portals to each of the places of your employment, so no worry there, as well as to a few other key places." McGonagall explained, "And under no circumstances will any younger class members hear of this town or these portals." She threatened, "THey will continue to believe you live in the dorms."

"But why! I have children employed at my dare care from younger classes!" Lavender objected.

"I'm sorry, Miss Brown. The threat is too great. We cannot risk it." She said firmly.

"What? YOu think a bunch of third-years are going to hurt us?" Michael sneered.

"I think we of all people should realize and expect the unexpected, Mr. Corner." Her voice was stiff, "If there are any more complaints, please find me in my office later." She said, and sat back down.

"Cool. So, you and your partner will make a list of ten things you both wish to look for in your house. Number one is must have, ten is a like to have and so forth in between. You can come up to the board and see the map to see the location and other things put up around the town by Capper for it's inhabitants connivence." He waved his wand a the board.

"Once you have your list, take it to one of the people around this room and they will run it through a spell to find the five best matching houses to your wishes. Then, they, all members of the Order, will take you to the houses. ONce you pick your dream house, you will together write a statement about why this house will suit you best and why you'd like it, and hand it in to me. By the noon, you will have your houses. Also, set a money limit for how much you and your partner will pay, because the houses all have predetermined prices that you will pay for. Because it is a real house, you will be expected to pay for electrical bills and such. One final word- discussing which houses you are looking at with other classmates until they are announced is forbidden. We don't want people dating outside of the couples to pick a house next to each other for that singular reason." He glared at Ginny and Harry.

"Well?" He asked after a moment of quiet, "Go to work!"

Daphne pulled the parchment from her workbag, and opened her specialty colored dark green ink and her favorite white feathered quill. Adrian bumped her, and nodded to the board.

"Take a look?" He asked. She nodded, setting everything down and approached the board before she was in front of a mob all trying to get a look at their new homes.

From the picture, she couldn't tell the sizes of any of the houses, but there was a nice little lay-out of the town. Moderately sized, with the portal station in the middle. The houses were numbered from one to forty, and she felt a little jump inside of her. Which would she be in?

"Huh, seems to be okay." Adrian scratched the underside of his neck, "No shops though. Darn."

"Hmm, I think that's all I needed to see." She quipped, and returned through the mob to her desk.

"Well, before we start numbering, let's just make a list of what we want and then decide which is more important?" Adrian suggested. Daphne waved her wand.

"There's a reason you're my partner." She winked.

"Bill!" Ginny waved her hand, "How specific do we have to be?" She asked.

"Good question. As vague or specific if you want. Say, it you want three closets, say you want three closets. If you want one, but don't care, put down 'closet'. Really, nothing is too specific because I'm positive that if it's you're number one, we can make it happen!" He said, but then frowned, "Scratch that. Okay? Within reason."

"What do we want, Adrian?" She asked, leaning back. Adrian did the same, but put his feet on the desk and leaned back, setting his head on the currently unoccupied table behind him.

"Well, that's the question of a life-time. Well, some of the houses have pools, I noticed. A pool would really be great." He said.

"Yes! And a hot-tub too, for those colder days." Daphne wrote 'pool and hot tub' down on one side of the page, "What about house size?"

"I don't need a mansion, I have two in real life. But i mean, I don't want a dump either. Maybe two stories? At least three bedrooms?"

For the next half-hour, Adrian, Daphne, and the other partners discussed their dream houses. Some went better than others. A couple times, Daphne caught snippets of other conversations going on around her.

On the better side of the lists, Ginny and Ernie were the first to present their wishes to Charlie, who was their designated guide. Next came Demelza and Jack. Hermione and Theo spoke softly, but they seemed in tune with each other's wishes, much as Daphne felt until it came to talking about the closet space and personal space with Adrian.

But of course, there were some couples doing much worse. Harry seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, because he was unusually snappy with Hannah, who just was trying the hardest she could. Or Draco and Morag. Even though she couldn't make out their words, Daphne knew that he was beyond frustrated.

Then, there was people like Pansy and Ron. There was something weird between them; a static she couldn't place, but was clear that the two knew exactly what it was and were doing everything to not talk about said event. "Merlin Weasley; what do you care about more?" Pansy half-shouted near the forty-five minuet mark, "Your children, our children or your stupid quidditch?"

"Pansy, really. These kids are temporary. I have to be practicing if I expect to be drafted next year!"

"Oh, why don't you just go up and tell them that you don't care about that! That they're just stupid little assignments, and you won't be sad when they disappear!"

"God Parkinson!" Ron slammed his chair back, "They're not real! They're going to disappear! You're just playing into the ministry's ploy and scheme! What's more important to you? A class or a job! What would you say if you were in my position?"

"Hey! Keep it quiet you too!" Bill hushed, because everyone had begun to stare.

"Are we good with our list?" Daphne asked, looking back at their neatly arranged ten items. Adrian didn't even look.

"Yep, guess so." He agreed.

"Then to...," Daphne glanced up to see who was the next available helper, "Alicia we go."

FMN

Lavender had a bone to pick. Well, not really. But she really was quite irked by the whole new situation, and as soon as she and Wayne had their list under control, she marched up to McGonagall with a thick binder under her arm.

"May I have a moment?" She asked the headmistress.

"Of course, Ms. Brown." McGonagall agreed, eyeing the light brown haired girl carefully.

"I implore you lift this rule about not letting the younger students know." She said, cutting right to the chase.

"Lavender," She sighed, "Did you not hear what I said?"

"I did. But, McGonagall, I know these kids." She urged.

"Well, I suppose we could go through background checks and lift the rule after for these two or three students." She agreed with pursed lips.

"You don't understand, I have fourteen students ranging from third year to sixth year under my watch. But I hand picked each one. They are loving, caring, and would never do anything to hurt these children. They are professional and kind-hearted, and I trust each one with everything I own because they are in my room around the clock watching these children. I trained them all roughly, to make sure that they were top protecters of these children. None of them would endanger anything!" Lavender said.

"While that is a nice sentiment on their parts, we just cannot be sure. I will look over the list, and still do the background checks. But Lavender, it is an inside job. Our worst fears have been reached, and it's not just the children's lives at stake." McGonagall said softly, looking at where Hermione had been sitting.

"Here's the list." Lavender sighed hard, handing over her meticulous list of students along with conflicts and their schedules, "Six Gryffindors, four Hufflepuffs, three Ravenclaws, and one Slytherin." She surrendered, "But I would like this sorted out quickly. My clients expect their children to be watched round the clock, in any circumstance or event."

"I do have to applaud you for your organization, Lavender, but I already told you what will be done. I assure you they will begin screening as soon as we can manage." She said dismissivly, telling Lavender to return to her lists.

"Did you ever think it was someone here, that one of the forty-four is the culprit or help?" Lavender lowered her voice. McGonagall's face tightened.

"Of course I have. Until we absolute know everything, we can rule out nothing."

FMN

Ginny and Ernie were proud to be the first done with their lists. After taking one look at the map, they both agreed to have a house next to the Quidditch pitch was absolutely number one.

After that, their wishes were ranging from moderate and understandable, (Ginny wanted a mudroom when they got their house next to the pitch so that they didn't track muck into the house) and some were totally out there and very specific (Ernie wanted his bedroom to be at least, if not more, two times the size of their current room and for it to be located nearest to the kitchen- but that we number 10, so he wasn't going to be crushed if that couldn't happen).

"Charlie!" Ginny waved their perfect parchment, free of scratched out items or smudged ink, in his face.

"Merlin, Gin. I can't read it like that." He snatched the paper from her fists, and read it to himself.

"I thought you were in Romania." Ginny asked conversationally.

"Well, I was. I'm on a vacation, now. And my boss heard of what was going on- he has a son here- and demanded I go and fix it." He rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe the whole family is back together." She smiled happily, "Well, I mean..."

"Yeah. I know what you mean." He ruffled his baby sister's hair, 'So you're Ernie." He said, looking up the Hufflepuff up and down.

"Yeah..." He had heard stories of Charlie and felt slightly intimidated by the brother's tattoos and scowl, but from Ginny he knew he was a teddy-bear, but couldn't connect that to the man he saw now.

"Well, let's just head over here." Charlie beckoned with the hand holding the paper, to a glowing blue basin filled with a cobalt substance and at least forty blank little balls floating.

"We just stick it in here..." Charlie unceremoniously shoved his paper and hand down into the bottom of the bucket, and hummed while doing so. Slowly, five little balls turned face-up, each with a number on them. Charlie took the paper back out and jotted down the five numbers in the margin.

"Well, we have our heading."

"Are we going now?" Ginny asked, excited to see each house.

"Yes. See that black circle on the wall? I want you to step through it. Ernie first, then Ginny, and I'll come last. For conviencence sake, it's here today, but not after, savvy?"

"Yep!" Ginny nodded.

Ernie was quiet during the whole thing, and felt a shiver run up his spine that he had to go first. He approached the circle.

"Oh! And before you go in, take a deep breath and I don't know, maybe close you're eyes?" Charlie advised. Ernie saluted him shakily, and Ginny watched him step into nothing.

"He seems nice enough. But i guess he is a duffer." Charlie nudged his sister.

"Gee, thanks for the vote of support." Ginny was becoming more and more annoyed with the derogatory term 'duffer' because she was quite sure Ernie was anything but. Either way, she knew her older brother meant well so didn't talk to him about it. Instead, she took her brother's advice and stepped into the portal.

Her landing was uneven, her feet mis-stepping on the paved ground and stumbling to the left. "Woah there." Ernie grabbed her, lifting her back to her feet easily. Ginny blushed. Wait, why was she blushing?

"Thanks." She said when she realized her burning face, snatching her arm away a little too hastily for normal.

Charlie arrived so gracefully that Ginny was wholy jealous. He looked at his little map, and then waved a hand around.

"Town square, nice, eh?" He asked, but didn't wait for an answer, "Just follow me!"

"Are we walking the whole way?" Ginny asked.

"Well, yeah. It's not that big of a town!" Charlie rolled his eyes, "Anyway, you two are Quidditch players. I'm sure you're in peak physical condition." He reminded. Ginny couldn't argue with that, she practiced at least every-other day.

"The first two houses I'm going to show you are right across from each other." Charlie pointed to the first two houses that glowed on their map. Ginny turned the map and scrutinized it, then chuckled a bit.

"Look at the street names!" She said with a big smile.

"McGonagall's doing, of course." Charlie nodded, "It's...nice. We can stop by that one if you wish, on our way back." He pointed to a particular street and Ginny's heart pounded. She bit her lip.

"Of course. I wish I had a camera." She smiled.

"You're going to live here. You can take all the pictures of it you want." Ernie reminded with a soft smile.

"Right! Of course. Show us the houses, Charlie!"

The first house- the house on her map labeled 'N'- was a cheery yellow color with white moldings and a quaint picket fence. "See there, that's the pitch." Charlie pointed out just about ten yards away was the grass pitch, perfectly cut and looked ready to be torn up. Ginny couldn't help but give an excited hop.

He opened the latch and led them into the first house. It met all their criteria- except one. Once back outside, he looked at them.

"Well?" Charlie asked, about half an hour later.

"There's only three bedrooms." Ginny bemoaned, "I mean, I guess that will do, but we really need four- one for Emeric, one for me, one for Ernie, and one for guests like Mum. I know that now we have our own houses, she'll want to visit often. But if we can't find something better, I guess the little guy can sleep in my room." She added with an after-thought.

"Good discussion." Charlie nodded, half-listening, "Next house?"

House 'M' exceeded their expectations. Four bedrooms, a sizable pool, grand rooms, and quaint cottage like interior. Ginny learned, that day, that Ernie (like herself) had grown up on lots of land, and it reminded him of home.

House 'C' was Ernie's favorite pick of the day- with it's sprawling back room all enclosed in windows looking out onto the pitch. "It'd be perfect! Set up practice things in here, Gin. Just think!" He tried to barter, but Ginny was almost set with her choice.

The last two houses, 'W' and 'V' were not as impressionable as their favorites. 'W' was altogether too far from the pitch, even though right out their backyard was a seven minute jogging path and a town playground within the kitchen's sight, so that one was mentally crossed off her list. 'V' only held a depressing, yet somewhat proud reason, as she felt about to hug the street sign that read 'Fred Road'. The house was not near the pitch at all, but had all their other requirements, but Ginny reminded herself she could visit this road any time she pleased.

"So, do we have a winner?" Charlie asked, nudging Ginny. Ginny looked about. The tour had taken nearly three hours, and now it seemed the entire class was buzzing around, popping in and out of houses with the guides. She'd already seen two people step into her house pick, and it almost hurt at the idea of someone else living there- as she'd already began to visualize where and what she'd put in each spot.

"We need to talk and write our proposal." Ginny said evenly, and stepped into the portal, already coming up with the best arguing points ever for house 'M', so that Ernie couldn't possibly deny her the perfect house.

FMN

It was nearly noon, and Theo and Hermione sat across from each other on the beds in the dorms. With the inkling of something like the move to happen after the morning's events, Hermione had begun to pack things up as she tried to find the commonality between the children, which she recalled with anger at her lack of a list.

"It think house 'H' had the most potential." Theo was saying, tapping the pen (one of his more favorite muggle items of Hermione's) on his leg, and unwrapped a chocolate square from the bedside table. Hermione had noted his liking of sweets early on, and felt relieved that any gift that she felt obliged to give him would be easy to buy.

"I agree. But, 'R' was a close second." She said, running her finger down the carefully constructed list she'd taken on all the houses.

"Shame none of them came up with our ten points." Theo frowned.

"That's because you put down that you wanted an inside pool with a diving board." She said, giggling behind her paper, a feeling she hadn't felt in a while. Theo smiled as she laughed.

"You agreed, Granger." He teased, nudging her with his foot.

"Well, i knew you wouldn't shut up about it, so that's why we put it as number nine!" She defended herself, pointing to the list.

"Yes, which you agreed that my indoor pool was less ridiculous of a request than asking for a huge astrology tower to study the stars." He caught her, raising an eyebrow with a very Slytherin smirk.

"Well, they were both hits in the dark. And if you recall, you were the one to write number nine, I just filled in. They were equally silly requests."

"Well, blimey. Why can't we have them?" He asked, snapping his fingers, "I don't think there's any rules against expanding once we've bought our property, we're in fact making it better- right! I have the money enough, and if I can get my indoor pool you can get your tower. In fact, right now, I- Theodore Nott- promise to build Hermione Granger a astrology tower." He said. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"When pigs fly." She scoffed, letting a muggle expression slip out. Theo looked amused.

"Oh, those Muggles. I think you forget, Hermione, that we are wizards, and with a simple swish-and-flick of my wand, that can very well happen." He said in all seriousness, "I'm sure there's a pig somewhere on campus. Does it have to be a real pig? Because I could make Weasley fly, he eats like a pig!"

"Oh, shut it! You're beginning to sound like Draco." Hermione lobbed her pen at him, which he caught with his reflexes, and tossed it back to her.

"Good, or bad?" He asked. Hermione choose not to answer, frowning, then forcing a sly smile.

"Fine- no flying pigs. I suppose I'll have to stick with the expression, 'When A Malfoy Isn't Born Blond'. That's a more appropriate saying, eh?" She winked. Theo looked at his wand.

"I could make that happen too." He shrugged.

"No Dark Magic!" Hermione scolded him when she saw the familiar gleam in his eyes.

"Dammit." He cussed, "I suppose not then. You win. Fine, I won't build an astrology tower."

"I never said I didn't want it," Hermione threw up her hands, but she was laughing hard now, "I just said I didn't think it would happen!"

"Never underestimate a Slytherin, Hermione." Theo said, then looked at her paper, "Darn- we're going to be handing it in late if we don't hurry."

Hermione tried to stifle her laughter, but failed, and just handed it to him, "Just write! Oh Merlin, I can't believe i just said that. I don't know what came over me! Give it back." She tried in vain to reach it.

"Nope! You handed it to me, finders keepers. I swear, Hermione. I'll write a stellar proposal, as long as you. Don't. Touch. It." He said, swatting her hand away and moving it around so she couldn't grab it. She leapt across the bed for it, and Theo was quick on his feet. He got up quickly, on the bed, with one had stretched high above.

"Oh, let me see it, Nott! Come on, don't partners mean anything to you?" She asked, unsteadily standing on the bed as well.

"Clearly not to you, as you usually write our partner assignments yourself." He chuckled.

"Well, we're ace-ing the class, are we not?" She asked, standing up to reach the paper, but was a hand or two short, "Theodore!"

"Too short? Shame." He stood on his tip toes, holding the paper above her even higher. All real meaning to keeping the parchment had been lost except for both their childish glee at the keep-away game.

Hermione jumped forward, but her foot caught on a fold in the blanket and she fell forward. Theodore was shoved back into the wall, paper still raised high above his head, and Hermione pressing against him to get it.

"Hmm, yes, that's right, Hermione, just keep trying- maybe you'll get it...or not." He encouraged with a snicker.

The door slammed open. "Hermione, I need to-," Corner stopped dead in his tracks, wide-eyed and looked at the two of them. Hermione rouged, imagining what he saw, and at his next words, "Merlin! Catching another couple in a sexually awkward situation! Why can't that happen to me!" He grunted, and left the room with a sigh, "Use protection! Remember those spells!"

That sobered Hermione a bit. "I should see what he wants. Start writing- I'll be back to read it over." She said, and Theo smiled at his slight win.

"Of course, your Majesty." He saluted as she scurried from the room.

He sat back on the bed, but found himself unable to write much more than a sentence or two at the memory of what just transpired. It was almost too much of a dream scenario for him to believe it really happened.

Hermione returned, still very red. "He just wanted to ask for my Ancient Runes text book." She explained softly, and then brushed herself off, "May I?" She asked. Theo wordlessly handed over the sheet. She read the first couple sentences.

"Yes, I think that's good. We can continue from that idea." She took a pen up and began to scribble hard all over the sheet. She noted Theo's eyes watching her, "What?"

"You're just cute." He smiled, blushing madly, and leaned forward to kiss her forehead, "I'm going to get some lunch. Want something? Ah, I'll just grab some sandwiches for us." He said, leaving the room. Hermione, like Theo had been moments before, was caught off guard by the utter perfection of the interaction and like he, couldn't pen more than a few more sentences before he returned. Theo noticed, and his whole body tingled.

FMN

At exactly four p.m. Bill had finished reading the proposals and decided on who would get what house, and was writing the listing very carefully, aware of the pool of students waiting outside his office.

"I think that's it. I took the amounts from the boxes of the couples, well the metaphorical values of course. But they'll have to pay actual money for lighting and things, or no?"

"No, it's all synthetic." Bill said, "Just to let them know how the real world works." he assured George.

"This is great!" George chuckled, "THe real world, pfft. Why did I have a class like this to prepare, Perce?" He asked the future Minister of Magic to-be.

"Because I wasn't in office!" His brother raised an eyebrow, "If this goes smoothly, forgetting the recent attack of course, this may be a required course for all seventh year students."

"I think this group enjoys it." Charlie leaned across the desk, seeing the list, "Hmm, Gin's going to be happy, but are you sure that this is who you want to be her neighbor?"

"They made one hell of a proposal for that house. I cant deny them it just because of her, and besides they had no clue." Bill argued. Charlie raised a hand.

"Fair enough." Bill handed him the paper.

"Be a dear and hang that, will you, baby brother?" he asked, "And you- other baby brothers, beat back the crowd will ya?" He asked. His younger brothers rolled their eyes, but all three gingers exited the door. His mother and father talked with McGonagall and Katie Bell (who if he heard right, was seeing baby brother number three). Perhaps he could expect little smartass trouble makers in the next couple years, he thought with a chuckle. No doubt just as gifted and bothersome as their father. All this time around the children and his own, well Bill had to say...he understood why his dad handled seven of them, it was worth it.

FMN

"I just painted their room, and now we're moving!" Pansy threw up her hands, "At least you're helping now." She huffed as Ron threw things haphazardly into boxes.

"I get a room away from you, it's something to celebrate." He rolled his eyes, "The faster we can get in there, the faster I can make my bachelor pad." He said sassily. Pansy fake barfed in her mouth.

"You didn't want to barf when I kissed you yesterday." Ron said bravely, although neither had said a word about it yet, but Ron was feeling dangerously stupid today.

"I was in shock, Weasel." Pansy recoiled in disgusts, "To think I actually would have enjoyed it!"

"Oh yes, clearly true by the way you were almost begging against me." Ron imatated her body movements, and Pansy felt her whole body shake.

"Really? Stop being such an immature, horny, teenager." She magically sealed another box and levitated it to the pile that grew rapidly.

"Stop being such a liar. You wanted it too. You're just as deprived as I am." He said proudly, as if he'd won some sort of contest, "Or maybe you liked it because you felt that nonsensical spark girls talk about to keep guys roped in!"

Pansy got up, he thought to storm off into the other room, but instead, she stalked over to the sofa he lazily sprawled on. She pulled him and kissed him hard, and Ron nearly fell off the chair. She resurfaced. "See? No spark. There goes that 'brilliant' theory." She said, but felt breathless even though it only happened for a second or two.

"Right, now I see. But maybe," Ron pulled her on top of him, so that she lay across the chair horizontal to him, his strong hands at her waist, "Maybe we should do it again- just to be sure that that there was and never will be those sparks. I mean, it was so short, who could really tell?" He asked.

"Yes, of course. I agree." She hardly had time to whisper before Ron had recaptured her lips once again, roughly and wanting. She didn't stop him as his hands undid her bra and his hands explored all over her body. She curled her hands in his hair, and from the way he responded when she kissed his neck, she felt herself grow braver too.

There was a crying in the distance, and Pansy let herself ignore it. Finally, Ron pushed her away, "What is that?" He asked. Pansy looked down at her partner, sitting on his legs.

His hair was mussed so violently that if she hadn't known better she would have called it 'sex hair'. His shirt was off, on the ground, a victim of war that she hadn't realized she'd captured, and his jeans were hanging low on his hip bones. "What?" She whispered, dazed. Then she focused and jumped up, "Addie and Kenton!"

She didn't go to them right away, though, but looked at Ron with a new and unfamiliar feeling pooling in her stomach. Ron ran a hand through his hair, messing it up more which made a swarm of butterflies beat inside her.

"I say we do this again. Often, you know. To check and make sure that the spark isn't there, right?" Ron proposed with a smirk worthy of a snake. Pansy licked her lips.

"Well, Weasley that may just be the most intelligent thing you've said yet this year."

FMN

There were mixed impressions at the bulletin posted. Things were moved into all the houses by eight p.m. and most couples were too tired for anything more to happen that what excitement had already transpiried that day.

Lavender got her house with the extra side cottage to make her daycare apart from the rest of the house. Adrian managed to pay big money for the other side cottage, which he fully intended to turn into a restaurant, received with encouragement from most of the couples.

Hermione and Nott got their 'H' and tiptoed silently around each other, blushing like little first years on Valentine's day, going to sleep with innocently adorable thoughts in their minds for the moment. Malfoy was on their street, and could almost sense their new connection, and felt jealousy unparalleled to any other emotion.

Ginny got her the cottage house, as Ernie was willing to do whatever for his partner, and much to her chagrin, Harry was the 'N' house across the street from her.

Neville had a green-house and the forest in his backyard, and decided to sit down and send Hermione a dinner invitation late at night for the following evening, seeing as their 'date' had been horrifically ruined and felt that he owed it to her to have a nice evening.

Ron was won over by Pansy and got the house with the play ground in the backyard. Unlike at Nott's house, his and Pansy's thoughts were anything but innocent about each other, but neither wanted to say that it was because there was a spark. Because, of course, there most certainty was not.

Zabini received the only manor on the state, which no one else really wanted, but fit Zabini just fine enough.

And Bill sat in his desk that night, and McGonagall went to bed feeling utterly relieved at the newest solution, and that night she received a much needed, much appreciated, slumber.

There you go! Hope you enjoyed. Remember to review. I should have a drawn map of CopperTown and a link up soon, so be sure to look on my profile the next week for that. Also, think you guys can be awesome enough to break the 100 review mark for the 10th chapter? If you did that, i swear I'd love you all forever (Just eight more reviews at least? Pwease?) If you do, big things happen in the next chapter. Ah, who am I kiddin. Big things happen in every chapter!