We Once Were Lost,

But Now Am Found

As sanity returned to the shop and the group regained some of their composure, Mick managed to get their attention and have them take their seats. He started discussing the realities of their next steps. "Getting to Hobart will not be a huge problem. It is only about half the distance as going up to Oenpelli. But, you will need to pack up and prepare for what could be an extended stay. Once you get there and make contact, they are probably not going to just snap out of it. You know the problems with breaking spells. This could take a while."

Everyone sat, listening closely to his words. John and Trevor had excused themselves to go to the office. There were no distractions to confuse them as the people in the shop flowed in and out, all bent on getting to their jobs or some store to look for a particular purse or pair of shoes.

"We have to respect the fact Hermione can't just walk up and say, 'Hi, I'm your daughter and these are my friends'. It won't work that way," Mick continued. The group was looking at each other and nodding in agreement to everything he was saying. His coolness and clarity was something they were not ready to produce on their own. They were fortunate to have him there to talk some sense to them. "And they aren't just going to pack up and leave with a bunch of strangers who think they are their daughter and friends. I suppose you could use a spell to convince them to come with you. But do you really want to throw the effects of another spell into the soup? I am going to suggest we return home, so you can pack and prepare. I will need to create a portkey for you."

This spawned a short discussion on how much Hermione's concoction of spells must have gone haywire. They were supposed to be Wendell and Monica Wilkins, but ended up Herman and Hermione Love. The first names made a bit of sense. The last name was surmised to be related to the ancient magic love that Dumbledore had explained as living in Harry thanks to his mother, who sacrificed herself to protect him. They suspected some of this magic was in play here.

"I think Mick is right," said Harry. We need to go back home. Let's go get everything organized so we can leave tomorrow. We are in the last phase of this. We don't want to bollix things up, now."

They left the coffee shop, floating on a wave of happy, good news. The normally staid, at least in recent times, Hermione was bordering on giddy as she joked and poked Ron, who recognized this positive mood shift did an admirable job of facilitating it to the amusement of the others. Ginny got in on the action by dropping notions that Ron should be treating her to some sort of special commemorative remembrance of this day, calling him an insensitive piker.

Harry finally bailed him out by hauling him into a shop where they reemerged a few minutes later with a pair of well-chosen, thanks to the aid of a helpful, discreet, young clerk, lamb's wool jacquard knit jumpers. After Ron presented his gift to Hermione, who was taken aback both by the quality of the jumper and its exceptionally well-chosen fashion sense, Harry got out the one he chose, ostensibly for Ginny, and executed a perfect fake of presenting it to Hermione, as well, because it was time to 'celebrate for her'.

Ginny was momentarily crestfallen, bordering on devastated before Harry unveiled his ruse. This caused her to go for her wand, which he averted by pulling the jumper over her head down over her shoulders, making it impossible for her to raise her hands to inflict what probably would have been one of her infamous bat-bogey curses.

Once they had made the return portkey flight home, they busied themselves gathering all of their belongings. Hermione stashed most everything into her bag and they set out to have a most relaxing time before bed and their morning departure. Mick spent a portion of the evening creating a portkey from the couch they had used to go to Oenpelli. He suspected there would be no reason for another trip there in the foreseeable future. Hermione's comfort spell was destined to revolutionize portkey travel for future voyagers. So, it may as well be accompanied by a comfortable vehicle for longer trips, such as this one.

Mick had already wrestled the couch into the courtyard when the group emerged from the breakfast hall surrounded by well-wishers wanting to give them all a proper send off. This was exciting for everyone. By now, the group had been accepted as de facto members of the community. It would no doubt become a piece of Hallow House's history.

Once positioned in cuddle one, cuddle two and Mickey in the middle, as they called it, the couch disappeared, and the future was ready to unfold a new chapter. It sat down a few hours later in the walled-in backyard of a fairly palatial home, complete with a neatly manicured garden swimming pool and bubbling, hot spa. "This place belongs to the government," said Mick. "People like John and other high-level folks use it when they come here. By the way, this is Hobart, just so you know. It is the capital of Tassie. John arranged it for us as long as we need it. He also arranged some support for us. I cannot say enough about him. Best muggle I have ever met."

The group had to agree. Here he was, leader of a major world nation, and he was treating them like close family, bending over backward to help them at every turn. One could not ask for a better friend.

They toured the house and sorted out rooms. It was very deluxe. Nigel was supposed to be around in the morning to collect them. According to the information, the NGO facility where they would find the Loves was located several miles away in the poor, rural areas surrounding Hobart.

"We need to have a plan for tomorrow," said Hermione, always needing a plan. Unlike Ginny, she was seldom one for spontaneity. That is probably a key component in what made them such good friends, the same as hers and Ron's many polar opposite foibles were the magnets that made them so close. Instead of simply matching or mirroring each other, she and Ginny, or she and Ron compliment, complete each other, often in synergistic ways. Ginny and Harry have a similar effect on each other.

"We can't just rush in and announce ourselves and our reason for being there. They will all think we are a bunch of nutters and chase us away," started Hermione. "I think we have to do something like appearing as potential volunteers, willing to work with them if everyone is okay with that."

Hermione scanned the face of the group, trying to gauge their reaction to the suggestion. It appeared positive, with Harry saying, "It may be the best we have. I'll do whatever it takes." Ron and Ginny nodded in acceptance. Mick noted that he would probably be coming and going. He did not feel a role in this scenario. It would be best for him to just check in with them on occasion. He would go with them to establish the initial contact, of course.

"What are you going to do when you see them?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, what are you going to do, Mione?" echoed Ron.

"I guess all I can do is introduce myself and try not to freak out or anything. I definitely will watch their faces for reactions. I don't know. It is totally scary."

"Well," said Harry, "we will need to figure out what we can do there if we are going to stay. We'll have to do something useful. We can't just hang around. I guess we'll have to see how far it is from here to there. Maybe we can apparate back and forth. We can figure some of that out, tomorrow."

"I'm not putting my fingers in other people's mouths," declared Ron.

"I don't think anyone wants your fingers in their mouth," laughed Ginny.

"You're not a dentist, Ronald," chuckled Hermione. "I don't think you need to worry about that. There will probably be plenty of other things to do. We'll just have to sort them out."

"Okay, right."

Mick came back into the room. "Looks like there is a fair amount of food here. Do any of you know anything about cooking?"

"I have read about that," said Hermione.

"I help mom. I can cook," said Ginny. "I think I can show the rest some easy stuff like opening a can and boiling water." The others gave her comment a bit of the old stink eye.

"You'll make a great kitchen elf, Ron," said Harry.

"Can it, Harry," shot back Ron.

The discussion and exchange of ideas and occasional smart comments went on for quite some time. Eventually, the hour started to grow late. It was decided they had done as much as they could. They would have to wait until tomorrow to see how things would unfold. For now, it was time to call it a night and hope for a sunny day and good things to follow.