It was the following morning. Hermione was on a beach with her soulmates. "Another day in paradise, my loves. Sun, sea, sand and snogging!"
"I'm always up for the snogging, darling!" Ron laughed, before snogging her senseless.
"How about a nice dip in the sea?" Padma asked, leaning in to steal a quick kiss from each of her True Loves. "After that, back to our tent for showers and breakfast."
"Ok, Pads.
"How about having a date later? We could see about using that portal network to visit our parents, before going on a romantic picnic somewhere."
"That sounds wonderful, Hermione."
Luna saw Rex Milligan come through the portal from the area of London where he lived, near to his old school, Sheldrake Grammar School. "Mr Milligan, I was wondering how you became a journalist..."
"You are Miss Lovegood, yes?"
"Call me Luna, Mr Milligan."
"Only if you call me Rex, Luna!
"Well, Luna, I began jotting down all the chaos that occurred around me, Jigger and our friends and teachers at our old school back in the 1950s. Why don't you write down what happens on this island?"
"Thank you for the advice, Rex."
"No problem, Luna. I could read your writing for you to cast an experienced eye over them.
"You attended a wizard school, I understand. Crystallised Cheesecakes! That must have been stark raving bonkers!"
"Sorry, Rex. I have no idea what you are talking about.
"If you want to be understood, you need to talk about Nargles and Wrackspurts..."
"OK. What are they?"
"Hmm. I'm sure that we can take you all to see your parents, Hermione," Athena said, "and even bring them over to stay with you. This is a place of learning and refuge, not a prison.
"Hogwarts can't provide you with the education that we can. It also gives you an opportunity to settle into your new family groups."
"Thank you, my lady. It will be good to introduce Mum and Dad to Ron and Pads. After all, they will be their in-laws one day."
"Technically, we already are their son-and-daughter-in-law, Hermione. I hope they love us. We don't want to get off on the wrong foot with them. The Weasleys love you already and I am sure that my parents will too."
"Mum and Dad will love you as well, Pads."
"Thank you, Ron. Let's now go and meet Mr and Mrs Granger."
Hermione kissed her True Loves, before Athena whisked them away.
At the loud bang from downstairs, John and Jean Granger came running down. The two dentists were not expecting visitors, let alone mysterious noises!
"Hi Mum and Dad!" Hermione happily exclaimed, as she ran up to embrace them.
"Hi darling," Jean replied. "Aren't you supposed to be at Hogwarts? I don't recognise a couple of your companions. Isn't it rather cold for shorts and t-shirts?"
"She needs to be with us, Mrs Granger. I am the semi-ascended being, worshipped as the goddess Athena. A group of us Cosmic Level Entities have taken Hermione and some of her friends to an island in the Bermuda Triangle for some special training.
"These are Ronald Weasley and Padma Patil. They are also on the scheme..."
"We know Ron," John nodded. "It is good to see you again, Ron. As for... Padma, was it? It is good to meet you.
"Aren't you Hermione's dorm mate at Hogwarts? She speaks highly of you..."
"That's my twin sister Parvati, Mr Granger. I'm in Ravenclaw. Parv speaks highly of Hermione too!
"I am pleased to meet you both. Your daughter is one of the most special people I know."
"You are her girlfriend, right?" Jean smiled at her daughter's shocked expression. "Padma took your hand in hers when declaring how special you are, dear. It is generally a sign of affection.
"We are pretty broad-church Anglicans, Padma. We won't love Hermione any less for being a lesbian. Welcome to the family, dear."
"Pads and I are bisexual, Mum. That's why Ron is here."
"Err... Hi, Mr and Mrs Granger. I am your daughter's other soulmate."
"Are you going to treat our daughter honourably, Ron?" John asked sternly. "The same goes for you, Padma. Treat her well, and welcome to the family. Treat her badly..."
"They are my Soulmates, Dad. We are a True Love Match. The three of us are together until death us do part!"
"Both Pads and I love your daughter very much, Sir. We would very much like to marry her one day."
"Ron's right! In many ways, Sir, magic regards us as already married. Not that we are ready for that yet..."
"Mum, Dad, I love them both, they both love me, and they love each other too. That is all that matters to us.
"Polygamy is legal in rare circumstances in the wizard world. Having multiple soulmates is one. It is seen as a great blessing in magical society."
"Your daughter is right, Mr and Mrs Granger. A love such as the one the three of them share can't be broken by any Power save that of the One Who Is Three Himself. They are essentially a single soul for all eternity. None can ever forsake the other two.
"Hermione is a young lady after my own heart. With her soulmates and friends, she shall help change the world."
"Is this what you truly desire, sweetheart?" Jean asked.
"More than anything else in the world, Mum. I love Ron and Pads with all my heart.
"Now, I want to meet Pads' parents, before dropping in on the Weasleys. According to Lady Athena, you can come and visit us on the island at some point. Please come and meet our friends."
"It is possible to set up a magical portal to and from the island that can be used by non-magical people, Mr and Mrs Granger. I can install one now."
"Thank you, my lady," Jean said. "Please call us John and Jean. Since you are effectively our in-laws, Ron, Padma, feel free to call us either that or Mum and Dad."
Hermione pulled her parents into a three-way embrace. She then asked Ron and Padma to join the family hug.
Once Athena had installed the portal and shown John and Jean how to use it, Hermione kissed them goodbye and Athena took them to Padma and Parvati's parents. Bharat and Preeti Patil did indeed love Ron and Hermione and were glad that both their daughters had multiple soulmates. After Arthur and Molly Weasley had happily welcomed Hermione and Padma into the family, the three lovebirds were taken back to the island to enjoy a romantic picnic on a stretch of beach.
"Well, we've got our families coming for tea tomorrow," Hermione noted, adjusting her bikini top, the trio having changed into swimwear prior to their picnic. "I shall do my best to learn how to help with the cooking tonight, Pads.
"What are you planning on serving tomorrow?"
"I was thinking of asking Parv to assist me in making a curry. Parv is a better cook than I am. Would your parents prefer a mild, medium or hot curry, Hermione? What about yours, Ron?"
"Mine would prefer medium, Pads."
"I don't think we've had it. Mum's really a meat and two veg kind of woman."
"I'll ask Parv to prepare a chicken korma and a chicken tikka masala, both with basmati rice, mango chutney, onion bhajis, vegetable samosas, poppadoms and garlic naan. A korma should be perfect for first-timers, Ron. It has a creamy texture and a coconut flavour.
", I'm thinking of asking Lady Athena to invite Neville's grandmother and Luna's father, as well as the Bones, Abbott, Brown, Greengrass, Davis, Johnson, Spinnet, Bell and Addams families. We can all see our families. I doubt that Harry, Millie and Pansy want their relatives over, though."
"From what I have seen and heard about Harry's relatives, I agree," Ron nodded. "If the Bulstrodes and Parkinsons are disowning Millie and Pansy, then they won't want to be here anyway.
"We are all here to become a big family comprising a few smaller ones. That is something we Weasleys understand..." He was cut off by Hermione covering his lips with hers.
"So, Padma, I have a question to ask. What are your mating habits?"
"I'm sorry, Luna?!"
Luna had strolled onto the area of beach where the trio were having their picnic. "Rex Milligan said that the best way to learn reporting was to record what was happening on this island. Hermione and Ron are mating. Therefore, I need to understand..."
"They are snogging, Luna, not mating! We are too young for that. Besides, you can't go around asking people about their love lives..."
"Why not, Padma? It is all that is going on here, after all."
"It is considered rude, Luna."
"It is? How strange...
"Any rate, I must see if Astoria needs any assistance making the lunch. See you later. Goodbye."
Once she had disappeared, the three lovebirds looked at each other. "No wonder everyone calls her Looney," Ron muttered.
"Rude, but understandable, Ron," Hermione agreed. "Shall we return to our tent? Luna won't disturb us there."
"I don't understand it, Astoria. Why is it rude to ask people about their love lives?"
"Possibly because they consider it a private matter, Luna.
"Perhaps when we start the actual training, you will have something to write about. Wait a couple of weeks and see what happens.
"Oh, and please call me Tori. All my friends do."
"Does that mean I'm your friend too?"
"Yes, Luna, it does." Astoria pulled Luna into a tight hug.
"Other than Ginny, I don't think I've had any real friends. I've always wanted more of them. Tori, I think that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship..."
"Tori?! Are you and Luna decent?"
"Daffy?! What's happening? Is everyone OK?"
"Everyone's fine, Tori. Our folks are coming for dinner tomorrow along with all our families, including the Grangers."
"Cool! Hang on! The Grangers?!"
"These portals work for muggles, remember? Parv and Pads are preparing a chicken curry. Harry and Millie are helping with the cooking, as is Hermione. I've never had curry before, but Parv, Millie and Harry are cooking one tonight.
"I guess Mum and Dad have never had to order a takeaway, Indian or otherwise."
"Dad hasn't either. We haven't been to the Indian Subcontinent yet in our searches for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack."
"OK..."
"Shall we give it a rest, Angie? We've been at it for hours..."
"Have I worn you out, Georgie darling?!"
"We have been making love for some hours, dearest. I could do with a break for food and drink.
"In short, yes, you have shagged me into submission!"
"Thank you, George. I love you."
"I love you too, Angie." George leaned over from his side of the bed and kissed his soulmate with as much passion as he could. "Do you want me to prepare a new batch of that contraceptive potion for you?"
"Of course, George. I'll be wanting an encore later." Angelina smiled at her bonded mate. "As much as I love the sex, I don't want a baby in nine months time."
"Nor I, Angie. In a couple of years, maybe, but not that soon. You'll be a great Mum one day though."
"Thank you, George. You'll be a great Dad as well.
"Now hurry up with that contraceptive potion..."
Harry had never previously had a reason to make a curry. Uncle Vernon had never been partial to any "foreign muck", as he put it. That said, Parvati was a good teacher. The practice run for the following night was going well, with him, Millie and Parvati proving a good team of cooks.
"You are both really good cooks," Parvati noted. "We should be able to cook our visitors a sumptuous spread tomorrow. I am proud of you both.
"Now I believe that the pair of you have a mutual reward system in place..." She kissed first Harry and then Millie. "Nice! I like this reward scheme!"
"We like it as well, Parv," Harry laughed. "Kissing any of you is most inspiring. I love all my ladies very much..."
"We love you too, darling." Millie kissed him.
"How about a romantic evening before the hearth in our tent's sitting room to end the day?"
"That sounds perfect, Millie darling. We can all dance together in front of the fire to an old wizard gramophone record."
"That sounds wonderful, Harry love..."
Ginny was sunbathing with Pansy prior to dinner. She smiled as she saw Luna and Astoria walk by. "Hello Luna and Astoria. Are you both having a good day?"
"Yes, thank you Ginny."
"We are indeed. Please call me Tori."
"Does that mean that Ginny is your friend as well, Tori?"
"Yes, Luna. As I said, my friends call me that."
"Thank you, Tori. Please call me Gin, both of you. Do you have a nickname, Luna?"
"Yes, Gin. My friends call me Loony..."
"Those aren't your friends, Luna," Ginny said firmly, as she and Astoria pulled Luna into a three-way embrace. "We are! In future, you let us know if anyone calls you that and we'll put a stop to it!
"Nobody makes fun of our friends. Isn't that right, Tori?!"
"That's right, Gin. You are under our protection now, Luna dear. Best friends forever!"
"Thank you, both of you," Luna said with tears in her eyes. "I've always wanted friends like you.
"Hopefully, I get to see Daddy tomorrow..."
"Why don't you write a report on the meal? If you run it by us first, we can edit anything inappropriate out."
"Thanks, Tori."
The curry in the Potter tent had gone down a treat. Now, Harry was dancing a tango with Wednesday.
"You are a great dancer, mon amour.
"I have been made most welcome by you and our fellow soulmates these last couple of days, Harry. Merci boucoup!"
"Thank you, Wednesday. You are a great dancer yourself.
"The goddesses seem to think that we are fated to love each other, all eight of us. You complete the rest of us in some way. I know that I love my sexy Goth..."
"I love you too, mon amour!" With that, the two ended their dance with a long deep kiss.
The next dance was a foxtrot and Harry found himself dancing with Daphne. "This is fun, Daffy. Are you enjoying your evening?"
"Very much so, Harry! That chicken korma was delicious, as was the rice and those side dishes. It was spicy without being too hot. Then I get to dance with six gorgeous girls and a handsome young man.
"Just about every girl in the wizard world wanted to marry the Boy-Who-Lived. I got as a soulmate a youth who saved one of my dearest friends from a fate worse than death. That said dearest friend is one of our mutual soulmates sweetens the deal.
"The boy who saved the school from a basilisk, who stopped You-Know-Who from getting his grubby little hands on the Philosophers Stone, cast a Patronus to see off dozens of Dementors and outflew a bloody dragon is my True Love, not the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry! Now snog me senseless, my darling!"
Long after the gramophone record had ended, the couple were still kissing furiously.
Early the following morning, Harry and his True Loves were splashing about in the sea. Harry was in swimming trunks, Daphne and Wednesday in sporty one-piece swimsuits and the other five were in reasonably conservative bikinis. Millie had joined Harry in listening to the golden egg he had won in the first task. "I wonder what you would miss the most, Harry?" she mused after their heads were once more above the waves.
Harry pondered for a minute. "My broomstick, my dad's invisibility cloak, the Marauders' Map or my photo album of my parents could be options. Unless...
"Merlin! How about one of you seven?!"
"Would they really risk losing one of us forever though, Harry? That said, a hostage makes good sense. Everyone must have a relative, beloved or even good friend that they would sorely miss!
"Now, I think that was Mermish, Harry. There is a colony of merpeople under the lake at Hogwarts. Presumably, we need a way for you to swim underwater to it. How far can you swim?"
"Not very far, Millie. My relatives never taught me. I seriously think that my uncle would prefer it if I drowned."
"Merlin! If I ever get my hands on that bastard...!
"Pans and I are both decent swimmers, Harry. We used to go out on a local river in a sailing dinghy inspired by the exploits of two muggle families named Walker and Blackett. Their biographies had somehow made their way into the Parkinson library. If we can teach you, that would be a start. All we would then need is a way for you to breathe underwater..."
"How about Gillyweed?" a voice from the shore suggested. Neville, Susan, Hannah and Lavender were on the beach, all in swimwear and bathrobes. "It is a plant that we can order, Harry," Neville said in addition, "that can allow you to develop gills and webbed feet and hands for an hour or more if you eat a sufficient quantity."
"Thanks, Neville," Harry replied. "The goddesses brought Hedwig here along with our other pets and familiars. I don't know how long a flight from the Bermuda Triangle would take her, though."
"Dad owns a chain of apothecaries, Harry," Daphne informed him. "I can ask him for some tonight."
"Thanks, Daffy. At least this time I have a plan before the last minute!" Harry was clearly relieved.
"Do you have time to give me a quick initial lesson, Millie, Pans? I want to learn as quickly as possible."
"Let's get started then!" Pansy replied with a smile.
Harry felt as if he had died and gone to heaven. Millie and Pansy had decided to use the now standard kisses as rewards scheme. Given that Harry was in swimming trunks and both girls in bikinis, frequent snogging had proven most enjoyable. It had certainly given him plenty of extra encouragement for learning to swim.
Now, he, Millie and Parvati were with Padma and Hermione cooking the curries for the main meal. It was cooking, not to appease his cruel relatives, but for sheer pleasure. He also wanted to impress the families of his soulmates and other friends. Ron and Harry's other soulmates were also present, helping with the washing and drying of the used utensils and pans with their wands. The entire meal was ready in ample time for them to change into evening suits and cocktail dresses for the arrival of their families.
"What do you think, Pans?" Ginny asked, doing a twirl. The green cocktail dress was conservative enough to wear in front of her parents, but tight enough in the right places to show off the curvy figure that she was increasingly developing.
"Very nice, Gin."
"Thanks, Pans. You look good yourself. That tight mini dress shows off your figure perfectly. We are really going to impress Harry tonight, I hope..."
"You impress me all the time just by being you, Gin!" Harry said. He pulled her in close and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love my feisty little spitfire of a soulmate.
"How about a date tomorrow? We can go somewhere together, just the eight of us.
"I am sure that we will always be welcome at The Burrow..."
"Of course, Harry. Mum and Dad regarded you and Hermione as two of their own long before any of this happened. They welcomed Hermione and Padma into the family properly yesterday. I am sure that you, Pans and the others will be welcomed into the Weasley family properly tonight.
"I am looking forward to showing off my new soulmates to my parents and three eldest brothers."
"My parents are disowning me and were utter brutes in the first place. Well, Millie and I hopefully get five new sets of parents from our other female soulmates."
"I'm sure my parents will love you, Pans! Just be the you we see on this island. We see the you that is charming, kind and sexy." Ginny pulled Pansy into a prolonged passionate kiss. Great kisser too!
Thank you, Gin! Your sixteenth birthday present from Harry and me shall be a three-way! I adore our sexy firework!
I'm regretting the fact that I won't be sixteen for almost twenty-nine months. Well, until then, I intend to get plenty of snogging in!