As always, I'm only playing with JK Rowling's toys. All credit goes to JK Rowling, her publisher and all the other people involved in bringing her work to life.

#

My apologies for the long delay in getting this chapter out, I have now completed my first novel and I have submitted it for representation.

For a while, I was trying to do this and that at the same time, but I found that I couldn't do justice to either, so I picked my novel.

I will try to update this more often but as with all things, time and tide wait for no man.

#

While Harry and Hermione were walking around the loch, Ron was escorted to Minerva's office by Aurors Dawlish. The humiliation of not only being accompanied by an Auror but being in magic restraining cuffs was a real blow.

This time he could only blame himself for his misfortune. His lies and inappropriate behaviour was the reason for his current situation.

Professor McGonagall considered the teenager before her, she was loathed to readmit him to the school, but until such a time as the family could have him removed, she was stuck with him.

'Mr Weasley, your behaviour this year has been abhorrent. Thanks to Mr Potter and Ms Granger, we have managed to rid the school of one sexual predator; we do not want or need another. You will be escorted to and from classes; you will not be alone in the company of any girls in the third year or below without a chaperone. Let me be blunt, Mr Weasley, you are here only until your family can secure you a place elsewhere. One crossed word, one unsavoury look, or one complaint that you have even breathed in the wrong direction, and you will be locked in the dungeon. Do I make myself clear?' demanded Minerva.

'Yes, professor.' replied Ron, all the colour had gone from his face.

'Oh, and one other thing, stay away from Harry and Hermione; your life may depend on it.' said the Professor.

Ronald gulped and nodded his head. Dawlish removed the restraints and said, 'you are a fortunate boy. Sort your life out before you get too much older.' Then he turned and walked away.

#

The silence between Harry and Hermione was comfortable as they walked the well-worn path around the Loch.

'I forgot to ask you yesterday; where did you learn to fight like that?' asked Harry

'My dad was in the Army for a few years before he went to university; my grandad insisted that he join up so he could get a bit of life experience. One of my mum's friends was attacked while she was out one night when they were students. I suppose that they wanted to make sure that I could defend myself if needed.' said Hermione

'I like your parents.' said Harry, followed by a smile.

'My dad was in the Army boxing team for a while before he left; he taught me how to fight. I've never had to fight like that before; when I was in primary, people would push me and call me names, but I never felt that I was in any real danger.' explained Hermione

'What happened this time?' asked Harry

Hermione didn't speak; for her, the thought of what they wanted to take from her was too overwhelming to put into words.

'I love you, and nothing is ever going to change that, Mia. You did what you had to, and I will be forever grateful to your parents for giving you the tools to defend yourself the way you did.' Said Harry as she slid his hand's arms around her waist.

'but what if –' Harry's gentle kiss stopped her dead.

'I will be with you through everything that this world can throw at us; you are literally my past, present, and future Hermione, and I promise you that come what may not, even death will keep me from you, not again.' Said Harry, his forehead resting softly against Hermione's.

At that moment, the dark clouds of doubt she had formed were blown away by his gentle insistence. He loved her and damn the world and everyone in it if they didn't like it.

'Tell me about the future.' She asked him as they started walking again.

'Well, in the next few years, everything goes as bad as it could; Tom comes back because of this bloody tournament, the ministry falls, and we go on the run for a year. Many people die because too many people were too scared to fight back.' Explained Harry.

They walked on in silence for a little bit before he continued.

'Hogwarts gets destroyed in the final battle, but it's easily repaired. You return to complete your seventh year and become head girl; Ronald and I entered the Auror program. He managed to stick it out for a couple of years before working with George in the joke shop. You both got married, and for a few years, everything seemed good.'

'What about you?' Hermione asked

'Ginny and I married, but it didn't last; she wanted everything that I didn't, and we fought constantly. I filed for a divorce, and Ron blew up at me; we had a massive fight which ended when I decked him, but the sneaky fucker pulled his wand and threw a massively overpowered reductor at me. His aim was just off, and it hit the kitchen table, which in turn knocked me through the living room wall.' said Harry

'Oh my god, were you alright?' she asked

'I was in the hospital for six months; four of them I was in a magical coma while the healers regrew my spine, left side of my rib cage and all the bone in my left arm. You refused to leave my bedside; even Ginny and Molly refused to be in the same room with him for a while.' Harry replied.

Hermione slid his arm from around her waist and grasped his hand, entwining their fingers together.

'What about the rest of the world?' Hermione asked.

'I saw much of the world after you died, but nothing seemed as important because you weren't there to see it. I searched for every ancient type of magic that could stop the pain in my soul. I spoke with the Druids on Iona, the Mayans, and the Incas, but nothing they taught me helped. I stayed for a year in Gamla Uppsala and studied in Uppsala öd before moving to Egypt, then to China and Japan. I wandered alone, hoping that there would be something. In my desperation, I travelled to Golgotha to the crucifixion site, and I found nothing. I finally broke down and wept, for three days I didn't move from that hill; it wasn't until an old man came and sat beside me.' said Harry

Hermione walked on in awed silence as she listened to his story, silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she felt his anguish, but through her sorrow, she couldn't help but feel slightly blessed that this man Cred so much for her that he overcame thanks that even the hero's of myth would struggle with.

'What did he do, this old man?' she asked

'Just put his hand on my head and sat with me. I felt at peace for the first time in forty years; I went to thank him, he said that I needed to go to Phaistos and that my journey would end there. It took another ten years to get there as I needed to attend to things. It was there that I spoke with Cronus.' said Harry

#

Amelia was troubled. The memory that she took the guard had been viewed more times than she could remember; every viewing threw up more questions and didn't provide many answers.

What was evident to her was that this was no attack nor retaliation for Sirius being unlawfully imprisoned or lawfully exonerated.

Something else was a play, and it was hiding in her blind spot.

The sound of her office door being knocked broke her from her contemplation.

'Come in.' she called out.

Rufus came in and closed the door carefully behind him; he looked shaken.

'Amelia, the body in the cage, was Tiberius McLaggan. We have a file on him that goes back at least thirty years; St. Mungo's have examined his body and found no physical marks on him.' Said Rufus.

'Did that find the cause of death?' Amelia asked

'He had his magic violently ripped from him; the strange thing is they couldn't find any spell damage on him either.' Replied Rufus.

'Does anyone else know about this?' asked Amelia

'No, Healer Croft and I go way back. I didn't even have to ask.' Said Rufus.

Amelia was about to say something when her office door flew open; Sirius stormed in closely, followed by Severus.

'Yesterday, my god son's girlfriend was almost gang-raped at that bloody school. What the hell is being done about it?' roared Sirius.

'Mr Black-' began Rufus.

'You will address me as Lord Black or Sir until I deem you worthy to call me familiar.' Said Sirius calmly.

'Lord Black, there have been no reports from Hogwarts of any students being attacked. When was this?' asked Rufus

'During the trial, Hermione Granger was confronted by three students, one female and two males; she defended herself, and her attackers were confined to the infirmary. I informed his Grace as soon as I was able.' said Severus

'Why did you not report this to us?' demanded Rufus

'Hogwarts is a sovereign state; neither the ministry nor the DMLE holds no sway over her. If the headmaster chooses not to appraise you of the going's on within the school, then that is his right.' explained Severus.

'He's right, Rufus. It was specifically written into the charter of the Ministry that Hogwarts was Sovereign and free from all outside interference. Therefore we have to be invited onto Hogwarts grounds.' said Amelia.

'So what will be done? If Harry finds so much as a hair out of place on Hermione's head, he will tear that building apart with his bare hands to get to the bastard that caused it.' said Sirius.

'His Grace is merely a fourteen-year-old; I think you overestimate his ability, Sir.' said Rufus dismissively.

'You really are a fool, Rufus. Your own Auror's watched him stare down and disarm the great Albus Dumbledore, the only man that the dark lord ever feared. Exactly what chance do you think anyone else will stand?' said Severus.

'Gentlemen, Lord Black and I have much to discuss. If you would be so kind as to leave us.' Amelia asked in such a way that left Rufus and Severus in no doubt that they had outstayed their welcome.

'Lord Black, if you are no longer in need of me, I shall return to Hogwarts; I will contact you later.' said Severus with a nod before he turned and stalked out of the office, his robes billowing behind him.

'Ma'am.' said Rufus before he left.

Sirius closed the door and placed his head against the wood; he closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

'Amy…' Sirius faltered; he had been a free man for less than a day, and now that he had the chance to repair things with the woman he loved, he was afraid to look her in the eye.

'Took you long enough to get here.' Amelia gently teased.

'I had to go to my mum's old house; I needed to do something for Harry. I would have been here sooner; it's just…' Sirius turned from the door and looked at Amelia, his eyes red with unshed tears.

She rushed over to him and caught him as his knees gave way and gently guided him to the floor. She held him as he cried, for the injustice that had been done against him, for the brutality of his mother, and the loss of his brother and sister in all but blood.

Nothing could truly undo the damage that had been done, but with time and care, he could shine a light on his horrors and see that those things had no power over him any longer. Amelia wouldn't abandon him to the demons that haunted his dreams, but she wouldn't be his crutch.

Before long, his breathing had levelled out, and his sobs had ceased; Amelia stroked his hair. She noticed the grey strands that were showing through.

'Right, Black, on your feet.' She said softly.

Sirius stood and held out his hand helped Amelia to hers.

'Sirius Orion Black, I love the very bones of you, and we have so much to catch up on; you are stronger than your mother and whatever losses you have had to endure. The fact that you are standing here in my office proves that you can overcome anything.' Amelia said before she captured his lips with her own.

#

Ron was miserable. No one would speak with him or sit with him; lessons were difficult because he had to work alone. This was one of his conditions for being allowed to return to school. A seventh-year prefect would escort him to his classes and the great hall for meals.

The rumours of what had happened the previous day finally found him, and he listened carefully not only about what had almost happened to Hermione but the aftermath and what Harry had done. A chill settled in his bones, and it refused to leave.

Not even Malfoy spoke to or about him, such as the severity of his ostracisation.

'Count yourself luck, brother', said the twins in unison.

'How is this lucky?' Ron asked.

'You could have actually tried something, and then it would be you that the school would be talking about instead of Cormac.' said Fred

'You have no one but yourself to blame, Ronald, so don't hold your breath on either Harry or Hermione speaking to you again any time soon.' said George

'So why are you both speaking to me?' asked Ron

'We're family, we have no choice, and we promised Dad that we would keep an eye out for you. We even promised not to prank you, and to be honest with you, brother; we don't even want to do that.' Fred replied

'How do I fix this?' pleaded Ron

'You can't.' the twins replied.