Disclaimer, If I owned Harry Potter I would never have brought Ron Weasley back into DH after he deserted the hero and heroine. Then again I would never have written those last two books HBP or DH So I definitely am not JK Rowling.
Note/ I think this is what led to the story of The Warrior Witch… Merlinsaprentice
Hermione and Harry book one
Eight almost nine year old Hermione Jane Granger placed her key in the door and once again let her self into the empty house that was her home. The fact that her parents would not be home for another two hours passing through her mind, making her wish that her mum could come home early so she would have someone to comfort her. She placed her mud covered coat on the coat rack where it would dry out best then made her way up to her bed room where she could have a good cry. The bullying today had been more vicious than it usually was and both her knees were bleeding from where she had been pushed to the ground and the rough tarmac had left deep grazes.
Entering her bed room with the tears already running down her cheeks "Why does no body like me?" she asked the empty room. Falling face forward onto her bed crying she felt something hard under her. Rolling to the side to remove the book that she could not remember leaving out she picked up the oddly coloured paperback. She knew instantly that it was not one of her own books and wondered how it had got there. It was most definitely not there when she had left the house that morning. The only explanation she could come up with was either her mother had taken some time off from work to bring it, which would be most unusual or some one had broken in to leave it, which would be even more unusual.
Reading the title she knew instantly that her mother had not left it. All her mother seemed interested in buying her were educational books. So who had left a book titled Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone? Not being used to reading normal children's books she almost put it to one side, but there was something about it that seemed different so she opened it up and began to read.
After the first few pages she paused as she thought about what was written. She knew a small village called Little Whinging; they passed through it each year on their annual visit to Aunt Glenda. Putting it down to a coincidence she started to read again. She was brought to a stop when she read about a girl whose description fitted Hermione perfectly, including her slightly large two front teeth and bushy hair. It was however the name of the girl that had so suddenly stopped her reading. The girl in the book did not only fit her description she had the exact same name.
Turning back the pages hoping to find some information that would explain why and how she had been used as a character in the book. She was shocked to read that it said the book was published in 1997, almost ten years in the future. 'That's just impossible' she told her self as she turned back to the page she had been reading, curious she read on getting drawn into the story.
It came as a surprise when her mother Helen came into her room and spoke "Hermione dear, did you not hear me calling you down for tea? Oh I see, reading your diary again, well come on down and… Hermione what on earth happened to your knees?" Helen asked as she spotted the still bleeding kneecaps. "Come on into the bathroom lets get you cleaned up and you can tell me what happened."
Hermione looked at the book cover and wondered how her mother could mistake it for her diary, which was a girly pink in colour and some what larger than the book she held in her hand. The thought then struck her 'Could magic be real, is that what causes the odd things to happen?' Placing the book on her pillow instead of her book case as she would normally do Hermione followed her mother into the bathroom. Helen gently washed and cleaned the dirt and mud from the deep grazes on her daughter's knees and asked if she was still being bullied.
Hermione looked down at the floor and whispered "It never stops, but Harry is bullied even worse than me. Even his guardians bully him constantly."
To Hermione's surprise her mother caught every word she had whispered. "Who is this Harry and what do you mean that his guardians bully him?"
Hermione looked up from staring at the floor a little surprised that her mum had heard her. Should she say something, she did not even know if this Harry was real… But I'm real and I am in the book and, and it was right about me. Making her mind up and nodding to her self, she told her mum that Harry Potter who lived in Little Whinging was the boy. She carried on and told how he was treated and that he had a cupboard under the stairs for his bedroom, which he was often locked in when not doing chores that only an adult should do.
Helen was in deep thought as she gently covered Hermione's knees in an anti-septic salve, covered it with some gauze and stuck it in place with some medical tape. 'How did Hermione know about a boy in Little Whinging? Could she really ignore what her daughter had told her, when she knew that she had never lied to her before, 'and why would she lie about such a thing?' She was still pondering about what she should do as they sat at the table and ate their evening meal. By the time they had finished eating Helen had made up her mind. Little Whinging was only twenty miles away and at this time of the evening there would be very little traffic about. They could be there and back before Hermione's bed time.
Standing from the table she looked at her husband and wondered whether to tell him, 'no' she decided not to tell him in case Hermione was wrong. But then she thought about it a little more and decided she would get him to take them there, she might need his help if what she was told was true. "Richard love, would you mind taking Hermione and me over to Little Whinging please… there's something I need to check up on."
Thirty five minutes later Helen felt that Hermione could well be right as they pulled up outside a house. Number four Privet Drive actually existed, if when she knocked on the door the person who answered was named Dursley, she would ask about Harry Potter. With Richard and Hermione following her she made her way up the garden path and knocked on the door. The man who answered it seemed to fit Hermione's description perfectly. Helen took in a deep breath before she spoke "Mr Dursley?"
"Yes that's me," he answered none too politely, not liking people disturbing his watching the TV.
"I'm Helen Granger, my husband Richard and my daughter Hermione. We were asked by Hermione if she could visit her friend Harry, as we live a distance away we decided to bring her rather than let her travel alone."
Vernon Dursleys face started to turn a purple like colour as he said quite loudly "The freaky little thing is in bed."
Both Helen and Hermione were actually surprised to discover that Harry actually existed. "Well considering we have come all this way would you mind if Hermione was to speak to him for a few minutes, so that we have not made a wasted journey?" Helen asked politely.
"No you can not speak to the freak, so bugger off." Vernon growled at them and started to close the door.
"Well I had not wanted to get the police involved, but as the police station is on our way I think we will call in and have them check out why you call a little boy freak and refuse to let him be seen by his friend." Helen said coldly.
Vernon suddenly reversed the direction of the door and raised his hand as he growled "Don't you threaten me woman." Before the large and bad tempered man knew what was happening he was sprawled on the floor with his nose pouring blood on the formally immaculate floor.
"Don't you bloody dare raise your hand to my wife you foul creature," Richard said as he rubbed his knuckles in the palm of his hand.
"Daddy, Harry is in that cupboard," Hermione said pointing at the cupboard under the stairs; she could see the face of a small boy looking through the grill that was fitted in the door.
Richard looked down at the groaning Vernon Dursley "If I find a boy in that cupboard you will wish you had never been born," he said as he stepped over the large vile man. After looking through the grill it took Richard just seconds to break the lock off the door with a well placed kick. Inside the cupboard a little boy sat, the bruising on both his arms was quite visible, as were the ones on his face.
Helen seeing the state Harry was in then noticed that they had been joined by a rather tall bony woman who was fussing over the bleeding creature on the floor. Letting her anger get the better of her she grabbed a handful of hair at the back of the woman's head and yanked her to her feet. "What the hell kind of monster are you to allow that to happen to a child?" she asked in an ice cold tone of voice.
Petunia Dursley looked at the hate in the other woman's eyes as she stuttered "It happened at school."
Helen's lips tightened as she hissed "Liar, those are fresh bruises and if it had happened at school why would you lock him in a cupboard, you vile bitch?"
Almost throwing Petunia into the living room Helen went to see what she could do for the boy, Harry flinched as she lifted her hand to check out his bruises, and her temper flared, she wanted to kill the foul beasts who could do such a thing. Seeing how thin he was she knew instinctively that he had been starved on a regular basis. Gently stroking his forehead she whispered reassurances to the frightened boy. "Harry, you are coming home with us for tonight where you will be safe…"
She was interrupted as Petunia screeched at her "Here, here's his papers and my permission, take the freak and don't bring him back. Get the disgusting thing out of my house."
Helen took the large envelope that Petunia shoved at her; she was finding it hard to believe that any woman could hate a child so vehemently. Turning to Harry she told him to grab his things that he would not be returning here as the two monsters were going to be spending time in prison for child abuse. She and Richard would see to that. "Don't worry Harry, as medical professionals we will be believed by the police and the courts what ever excuse these creatures come up with, they will still spend time behind bars for what they have done to you."
Vernon and Petunia both paled when they heard that the two people who had discovered their secret were in the medical profession. They both knew that they would indeed be spending time in prison, what they had done to Harry was wrong and they knew it. Neither of them had any idea what to do. Petunia groaned as she realised that the quick letter she had written handing guardianship of Harry to the Granger family would be evidence enough to convict them no matter how hard they denied the accusations.
Richard just could not resist it as he passed Vernon who was sitting on the floor holding his nose. He gave Vernon a really vicious kick between the legs "Just a taste of what you will get in prison," he snarled as Vernon screamed silently and fell to the left holding his most painful private parts.
Hermione who had stood at the door so she would not get in the way took charge of Harry. She gently wrapped her arm around his shoulder and led him out to their car. "You'll be safe now Harry and I have so much to tell you when we get to my house. You won't believe it when I do, but I promise it's all true. Now come on sit in the back with me and try not to be scared."
Leaving Little Whinging Richard called in at the police station and filed the abuse report and very sincerely thanked the sergeant he spoke to when the man said that he accepted that the Dursley's letter would probably be accepted as a legal document so they could take the boy home with them. A copy of it would also be used in evidence due to the vile names the Dursley woman had called the boy several times while writing the document. It was proof in writing just how much hate the woman held for the boy.
Vernon and Petunia Dursley were both in handcuffs and locked in a cell before the Grangers reached home. Vernon had attacked the police sergeant that had gone to question him, while Petunia had spit at the female constable that had accompanied him. Their son Dudley was taken away by a social worker.
The social workers report would do far more to convince the courts of the Dursleys guilt than the Grangers report. Dudley had spent several hours boasting about how Harry was treated and how his dad had often helped him beat Harry up. He even boasted of the time just a few weeks earlier when his dad had held Harry while he hit him with the fire poker. It was all written down by the social worker.
Vernon Dursley hearing the report read out in the court knew he was going to go to prison for certain, and that really scared him, he had heard how child abusers were treated inside those prison walls. Vernon was truly shocked when a video recording was played showing Harry having the story of his life coaxed out of him. By the time the video was done Vernon was found guilty on all charges and found him self sentenced to fifteen years in prison, Petunia was sentenced to ten years and Dudley was sent to live in an institution until he was at a normal weight for a child his age, from there he would be put up for fostering, or placed in an orphanage. With his attitude Dudley ended up in an orphanage until he was eighteen. All the time he was in the orphanage people kept their eye on him to prevent his bullying ways.
Harry had arrived at the Granger home after he had been taken to the local hospital to have his injuries treated. Due to his age and what had happened to him, the Grangers decided that for the first night or so they would put Harry in Hermione's room on a small camp bed. They would sort out something more permanent once they had sorted out the legal stuff.
That first night Hermione showed Harry the book and together they started to read it. Hermione was a little faster at reading than Harry but she was patient enough to slow down her normal pace so that they could read it together. It was on the fifth night after Harry had arrived and Richard had just started to prepare one of their spare rooms for Harry after they had been granted temporary custody. Hermione and Harry walked into the room just as the two Granger parents were starting to open the tins of paint they were going to decorate the room with.
"Mummy, Daddy, can me and Harry talk to you in my room?" Hermione asked sounding a little scared.
Helen and Richard instantly put the tools they were using back into the tool box and followed the two children into Hermione's room. Hermione looked nervously at Harry and said "Oh I do so hope this works." She then turned to her parents. "Mummy I have a strange book and Harry and me are both scared because it seems to be true, and if it is we don't want to go to that school." Slowly Hermione held up the book.
"Hermione dear what has your diary got to do with this?" Helen asked gently.
Hearing her mothers words Hermione seemed to sag and tears started to fall from her eyes. Helen reached out and took hold of Hermione's hand, as she did so she noticed that the diary became a paperback book. "How on earth?" she exclaimed reaching for the book. To reach for the book she had let go of Hermione's hand and the book instantly became a diary again.
Helen Granger was a very intelligent woman who was not one to panic, so she gently took her daughters hand again while looking at the diary. Again the change occurred. "Now that is truly odd." She mumbled as she took hold of the book taking it from Hermione. "Truly odd indeed," she said as she found herself once again holding a diary. "Mmm, well Richard love it seems there is something really odd about this book/diary.
Moving to the bed Helen sat down and told Richard to sit next to her, she then told Hermione to sit on her knee and Harry to sit on Richards's knee. Once they had all got comfortable she told Hermione to hold the book so that they could all see it. Once they had everything sorted out Helen holding one of Hermione's hands and Richard doing the same with Harry they could both see the actual book and started to read it. It took a while but having read the book, Helen and Richard placed the two sleeping children in their beds then quietly made their way down stairs to discus the strange book.
"Helen that book is rather frightening, I mean it describes Harry, Hermione, and those Dursley animals perfectly, even has the addresses right. It also says what our profession is in there. I don't like this one bit, not one bit." Richard said as he tried to work out what was happening.
"Well love one thing for certain is that magic must be real, after all we can not deny what we both saw when Hermione let go of the book it turned into a diary. So if what we read is all true, like the part about Harry was true then it strikes me that the kids are right not to want to go to that school. I feel guilty as it is, having to let Hermione come home from school to an empty house. The night she told us about Harry, she had been sitting in her room crying. Her knees were both bleeding, her clothes covered in mud, she had obviously been bullied again and we were not here to comfort her. It was seven when we came home and Hermione gets out of school at three forty five, she had been alone all that time. It's not right Richard; it's not how I want my little girl to remember us. The parents who were never there for her. I think we should move. We talked often enough about emigrating and we can afford it now, I think we should leave. I don't like the fact that according to that book the Dursleys could not go anywhere in Britain to get away from the people from that school, that and according to what we read Hermione will be constantly verbally abused while not a single teacher does anything to stop it. And that monster, a Troll in a school, then that idiot headmaster sending the children out of a safe place with only their prefects to guard them instead of making sure they were safe. What kind of people are they?"
Just a month later the Granger's having been granted full guardianship of Harry boarded a plane for Australia. They were quite lucky when they arrived at their chosen destination, Sydney. They had rented a small place for three weeks while they sorted out the work permits and other required paper work. On their fourth night in Sydney Richard decided to take a quick trip to the local pub and he quickly got into conversation with the regulars. He had just finished telling his drinking companions that he had just arrived from England and he and his wife were looking for work in a dental clinic.
"Excuse me, sorry couldn't help but over hear what you were saying, could I have a word with you?" an old man asked while leaning over from another table.
Richard curious about what the old man wanted and why he was interested in what they had been talking about, nodded to the old man picked up his bottle of beer and after a few parting comments to those at his table he went to sit with the old man.
"So are both you and your wife dentists?" the old man asked straight off.
"Er yes, have been for ten years, we graduated together." Richard answered.
The old man studied Richard for a few minutes and then he pulled out a card and offered it to Richard. "Could you pop over to this office in the morning, ask for Hemmings senior, oh and bring some sort of certificate or something to prove you are both practicing dentists." As Richard thanked him for the card the older man just got up said "Around eleven." And then walked out of the pub.
Richard made his way back to the small flat they were renting, hopefully on a short term, and pondered on the older man. The card simply read Management Associates. It then had an address not to far from the flat. By the time he reached the flat he had made up his mind that he and Helen would pay the old man a visit in the morning.
After talking over with Helen what the old man had told him, they both decided that the most they would have to lose would be a little time and so they went to bed that night with the plan to visit the old man in the morning. The only problem, which they hoped could be solved easily, was what to do about their two children. Still it was something to sort out in the morning. So they both snuggled down and were quickly asleep.
At eleven the following morning Richard led Helen and the children into the offices and leaving them sitting on the chairs of the reception he went up to the desk and asked to see Hemmings senior. He only had to wait for two minutes before the receptionist called him over and told him that Hemmings senior said to go along to his office, which is room five, and to take your wife and two children with you.
Doing as he was asked Richard led his family into room five after knocking and being invited in. He was a little surprised that the old man knew about his family because he knew for certain that the receptionist had not mentioned them. Stepping up to the desk Richard looked at the old man as he pulled a manila folder out of his top drawer.
"Here you go Richard, the address and directions and price are on the back of the folder. Oh I suppose I should take a look at what ever you have brought to show me shouldn't I, make it all proper." The old man said handing over the folder to Richard.
As Richard opened a large envelope he had under his arm the old man said "That will do for me." When Richard looked at him surprised the old man gave a small chuckle. "Well the fact you were willing to show me your proof was actually proof enough that you actually had some with you. So there's no need for me to read it knowing what I will find, now is there?"
Richard could actually see the logic in what the old man said so he shrugged his shoulders and closed his envelope and pushed it back under his arm. "Er is there anything I should know before we go to take a look at what you are offering us?"
The old man rubbed his chin and hummed a little, "Yes I think you should buy a cheap runabout, the buses don't actually go as far as Wandless, so it will be handy having a car, that and it's a little under four hundred miles from the city to the town."
The family followed Richard as he started to leave the office when the children were stopped by the old man "Now you look after your mum and dad, Harry and Hermione." he said then he went back to messing about in one of his desk drawers.
Outside the office Helen took a breath and then chuckled a little before she spoke, "Well that has to be the oddest interview I ever heard of."
Richard nodded in agreement, "Yes it was rather odd wasn't it, not least him knowing all our names. I don't know why but I think we should take some time looking at this one. I get an odd feeling that it will be perfect for us."
Before Helen could comment the old man poked his head out of the office and said "Ah Richard, there's a small dealership down the road a little ways, he has a Honda that would be perfect for you, cheap to. It's down there to the left." He then stepped back into his office and closed the door.
The Grangers had a feeling that there was something about the old man they could trust and so they set off down the street to take a look at the car dealership, where they found and bought a well looked after Honda Accord that was sold to them for well below its true value. Sitting in the car Richard looked at the folder he had been given to check the directions. What he saw when he looked and noticed the asking price for the business stopped him in mid thought.
As he just sat and stared at the paper in front of him Helen wondered what was wrong. "Richard?" she said quietly.
Richard gave a shake of his head and then handed the folder to his wife. She read the details and then she came to the price to be paid for the business and property… "Asking price is, one full week of free dental work for anyone who needed anything doing." Helen was as shocked as Richard was, and slowly placed the folder down on her lap before speaking again. "Well I know this sounds rather odd, but I have a feeling that this is actually a real offer."
Richard nodded his head and started the car, moments later they were on the way to the town of Wandless. None of the cars occupants saw him but the old man stood with a smile on his face as they drove away from the dealership. He quietly said to him self, "You will be quite safe there Harry my young descendant," he then turned around and walked back toward the office building, as he walked his appearance changed. A long white flowing beard replaced his clean shaven face and an off white cassock like robe took the place of his suit, a tall staff appeared in his hand as his hair grew white and long. As he walked he simply faded away, and not one of the people on the street even seemed to notice him.
Richard drove to the outskirts of Sydney and having noticed that the fuel gauge showed that they were low on fuel he pulled into a filling station and filled the tank to the brim. Two hundred miles into the journey he chose to take a break, the two young ones were becoming restless and Helen seemed to be forcing her self to stay awake. Pulling into a truck stop/filling station he parked the car allowing them all to take a short stroll to the café to stretch their legs a little. After eating a rather nice lunch they were back in the car and considering he had no idea what the cars fuel consumption was like Richard decided to top up the fuel tank. He was completely shocked when he discovered they still had a full tank.
As they finally approached the area where the town they were looking for should have been, all they could see for miles was what was known as the outback. There was not even so much as a farm visible anywhere and both Helen and Richard began to think they had fallen for some crazy old mans idea of a joke. Spotting a place to turn around just a hundred yards in front of them Richard spoke up. "I think we should turn around and go back to Sydney as it seems we have been sent on a wild goose chase." As they got within a few yards of the turning spot a small building seemed to just appear out of nowhere. Richard pulled up in the place he was going to turn around and found they were on the forecourt of a small garage.
All four of them left the car and walked over to the garage. They were all still somewhat in shock that a whole town had just appeared out of thin air as they reached the small kiosk. Sitting in the kiosk wearing overalls was an old man who Richard thought had to be the identical twin of the old man who had sent them here. Before any of them spoke the old man spoke, "Ah at last, our dentists have arrived. You will find your place just down on high street. Can't miss it as the old sign is still hanging outside."
It was a surprised Helen who managed to say "Th… Thank you sir." She then guided the two young ones back to the car and watched as they sleepily climbed into the back. Five minutes later Richard parked the car in front of a house that appeared to resemble the home they had left behind. The major difference being there was no large front garden. The actual garden was rather small and had a sign saying Dental Surgery fastened to a post that was fitted to the gate post.
Helen discovered a set of keys to the house in the folder and tried one in the door. Once they were inside it was quite obvious that the front portion of the downstairs had been converted into a small dental surgery and waiting room. In the back half of the house they found a rather comfortable living room and kitchen along with a toilet. Upstairs there were five bedrooms and a large bathroom. One of the bedrooms had been converted into a large study, and the largest bedroom had an on suite bathroom, plus a king sized bed that looked very inviting to the tired Grangers.
Richard could not hold back his surprise when he found one of the bedrooms had two single beds, and they were like the one in the master bedroom, made up and ready for use. "I get the feeling that we were expected love," he said to his equally surprised wife. As Helen looked at him showing she was in complete agreement with him there was a knock on the front door.
Helen was the first to reach the door and when she opened it she found a young woman who had to be in her early twenties. Helen was about to ask the young woman in when she spoke up. "Hello Mrs Granger, I am your receptionist Gwendolyn, I just stopped by to bring your morning appointments. Sorry I can't stop to chat, but Jules is waiting for me and he gets a little impatient at times." She then handed Helen a small note book and as Helen took it Gwendolyn rushed off down the path saying that she would be there at nine in the morning.
Helen watched as the young woman walked off up the road for a way before she closed the door. "Seems they expect us to start right away, we both have appointments for tomorrow morning. Richard what on earth is going on do you think?"
"I don't really have a clue. Seems they were expecting us, maybe Mr Hemmings phoned and forgot to mention we were only coming to take a look at the place. Still, won't do us any harm to see what the people around here are like. See if we could fit in here, and maybe find out the proper price of the place. I mean there is the fully equipped surgery and family home all in one here, no body is going to be letting that sort of thing go for a weeks worth of dental work."
As Helen was agreeing with him she noticed it was rather quiet and the children were not with them. Quickly they made their way upstairs and found Harry and Hermione fast asleep in the two single beds. Richard commented that the kids had the right idea and suggested they use the master bedroom and get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be a rather busy day. If we decide to stay I'll have to drive over to Sydney in the afternoon and collect our things and leave instructions where we want the shipping container delivered when it arrives.
Richard was up early the next morning and was in the middle of cooking them all some breakfast when Helen entered the kitchen. "Good morning love, you been out shopping already?" she asked as she poured her self a cup of tea. As she placed the tea pot down she hesitated and stood staring at the pot. "You know Richard love, if I didn't know it was impossible I would swear that this is the pot your mum gave us for our first anniversary."
Richard placed a plate with her breakfast on the table in front of her and as he returned to the stove he said, "You know I thought I recognised it when I made the brew, couldn't remember where I had seen it before though."
Helen gave a short chuckle, "Not to observant are you love, a pot just like that one has been sat as the centre piece of the bottom shelf of my welsh dresser for the best part of ten years." The banter between the two adults went on until they had both finished eating and Richard went back upstairs to get ready for the day, while Helen started on making breakfast for the children.
Up stairs Harry and Hermione were both in the bathroom; Harry was taking a shower as Hermione stood at the sink brushing her teeth. Neither of them thought anything of the fact that Harry had not closed the shower curtain. Hermione did not think it odd when Harry asked her to wash his back where he couldn't reach. Finished in the bathroom the two of them went into their bedroom and got dressed, neither of them paid the slightest attention to the fact that they were both naked as they removed their pyjamas and sorted out what to wear for the day. Holding hands they made their way downstairs for their breakfast both of them feeling quite content to be holding each others hand.
They had just finished eating when someone knocked on the back door and Hermione went to answer it. Out on the porch step stood a man about the same age as Richard. Before Hermione could say a word the man spoke in a friendly voice. "Good morning Hermione, my name in Mr Tomlinson. I have here the necessary documents to enrol you and young Harry in Wandless school, just ask your parents to fill them in and have your mother bring you to the school next Monday nine am, oh in case you are wondering school lets out at three pm. Well good morning must be off, much to do this morning." With that Mr Tomlinson walked away and left a surprised Hermione stood in the door way.
Closing the door Hermione gave a little chuckle, "I never said a word." She commented as she sat back at the table.
As the children sat in the kitchen talking about what they were going to do. Gwendolyn had arrived and was busy preparing for the first patient of the day. As she worked she was watched by the two older Grangers, both of them were quite pleased to see how well organised she seemed to be.
With no school until Monday Harry and Hermione asked if they could go for a walk to take a look at their new home. Helen agreed after telling them to stay together and don't take any sweets off strangers, that and to make sure they did not get lost. It did not take the two young ones long to find a small play park. Neither of them were really used to using a child's playground due to the bullying they had both suffered from and both of them were a little cautious as they chose to start with playing on the swings. From the swings they moved onto a round about, and then on to a seesaw. By the time they were ready to go home for some lunch they had used and enjoyed each piece of play equipment in the park.
Walking home it did not take the two of them long until they were not quite sure which way to go. "Harry I think we might be a little lost," Hermione said with a little fear.
"We should try down that way see if we remember anything," Harry answered pointing down a street across from them.
"Wrong choice, grandson," came a cheerful voice from behind them. "Come I will show you the way."
Turning around they saw an ancient looking man, his white hair and beard were both very long. The dark coloured staff he was leaning on contrasted with his off white robe. His bright blue eyes seemed to have a smile in them and they twinkled slightly. He broke out in a huge smile as Harry stepped in front of Hermione. "We are not supposed to go with strangers," he said trying to sound brave.
"Well I am afraid if you go off in the wrong direction, Helen is going to get more worried than she is already. Tell you what I shall walk in front of you, and you two can stay as far behind me as you like while I lead the way to your new home." The old man said turning to walk off down the street.
They had not walked far before they heard the old man speak again, "So Hermione how did you enjoy the book I left on your bed for you?"
Hermione was truly surprised that the old man knew about the book she had found on her bed. "Who are you sir, and how do you know about that book," she asked just loud enough for him to hear.
"Hmm, good question that, about my name. These days' people call me Merlin, though why that is I have yet to discover. My actual name is Myrddin Emrys, I'm Welsh you know. Though there are so many different tales and myths about me that I do sometimes wonder… anyway I was the one who left you the book about my great several times over grandson Harry. Who else could I chose to help him other than the smartest witch in a thousand years. You did exactly as I had hoped you would and for that I thank you. You got him away from that awful life and that vile man that tries to look like me and act like me just to be famous. Old fool couldn't… no, no, we should forget him now he is out of the picture."
Both Harry and Hermione stood staring at the old man in front of them and neither had the slightest trouble in believing he was actually Merlin. Before either of them had a chance to ask him a question he started to speak again.
"The book, now that is an interesting little tale. I was visiting a different dimension where there is no real magic, when I discovered a young woman who through dreams was able to see into the future of this dimension and learn all about Harry and his life. She wrote seven books about his adventures with his best friends, though the last book was slightly fictional as she never got to see how Harry's life at Hogwarts ended. I must say she did rather well with it except she sort of messed up with the romance that was involved in Harry's later years. Anyway when I saw the books for the first time an idea of how to help my grandson came to me, and so that led to you sitting reading that book. Well you know the rest of the story." The old man told them as he set off down the street once again.
At first both Harry and Hermione were surprised that the old man had claimed to be Merlin for a few seconds, and then with out saying a word to each other they both accepted that after all that had happened in the past few weeks they believed it was all done with magic, and Merlin was supposed to be a great wizard. After following Merlin for a short time they found themselves on the correct street and they could see the Dental Surgery sign not too far in front of them. Merlin stopped and turned to look at them.
"Well children I will leave you here, I am quite sure you can manage by your selves now. Until later then," Merlin said as he walked away and faded from view as they watched.
It was two amazed children who stood in the kitchen and told Helen and Richard all about their day and how it had ended with Merlin showing them the way home from the park. Odd as it seemed to them both the elder Grangers were quite willing to believe what the children told them.
The next morning Hermione woke up not knowing if she had had a rather odd dream or if what she remembered had really happened. Sometime during the night she had heard a noise and as it was coming from Harry's room she went to investigate. What she saw was Merlin standing next to Harry's bed. He had his left hand on Harry's forehead and was muttering away in some language she did not know. Just a few moments later some sort of mist rose from Harry and turned into a really ugly looking vile sort of monster. It had glared at Merlin for several seconds with its bright red eyes before it glowed with an eyrie green light and then exploded into a thousand flashing lights before fading away. As soon as it was gone Merlin seemed to also fade away and the room returned to how it had been, it was as if nothing had happened, Harry was still sound asleep with a smile on his face and he looked really happy. Hermione shook her head a little before she went back to her bed to think about what she had seen. She did not remember falling back to sleep. It was not the last time she saw Merlin as he appeared in what she thought were her dreams several times over the next few years, and every time he visited she was told how to avoid some sort of disaster or dangerous situation. Richard and Helen had learned that if Hermione said she had had a warning they would need to change their plans for the following day as what ever disaster Hermione knew about always happened and they avoided being involved.
The entire family quickly learned that the town they now lived in was full of truly friendly people. The two young ones no longer had to suffer being bullied and they soon had quite a number of good friends. Both of them loved going to the local school. They even learned how to use the magic they had read about in the book Merlin had left them. By the time they were out of their teens Harry had asked Hermione to marry him and they got engaged throwing a huge party for all their friends.
Helen and Richard very quickly settled down in their new lives, and Helen had two more children. A boy and a Girl. They were a rather popular family and were often invited to various parties. Helen was invited to become a teacher early in their second year and she soon discovered that she had a knack for teaching. She soon learned most of the children at the school could all do magic of some sort. Though none of them seemed to be anything like the ones they had read about back in England.
Harry and Hermione along with several of their friends left Wandless to attend a university and after they graduated each and every one of them returned to the town they called home. Harry and Hermione returned as doctors and took places in the towns' hospital where they stayed until they retired after many happy years.
Their son Phillip and daughter Elizabeth followed in their parents foot steps. Both were magical and after they took over from Harry and Hermione at the hospital they like their parents before them used their magic to surreptitiously aid their patients. For the next four generations of Potters' there was always one who became a doctor. As wandless grew so did the well respected Potter family. There would always be at least one Potter that live in the town for many generations to come.
15
