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So far... The reborn Hermione befriended Harry, Luna, and the Weasleys at a much younger age and even though Voldemort died early, she has formed the Cathesis League to fight corruption, elevate justice, and ultimately seek cooperation between Muggles and Magical societies. Hermione, Luna, and Ginny recovered Ravenclaw's Diadem from Albania and Mrs Lovegood is using it to create a wonderful new teaching enchantment. Now read on...

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Chapter 28

Separate Ways


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A Sad Announcement

As the Knight Bus hurtled towards Elmbridge, Luna and Ginny chatted quietly together. If they had changed at all after their ordeal with the sphinx, then perhaps they were a little older and wiser – certainly the two girls were not broken or diminished. Hermione watched them placidly, and allowed her mind to trouble itself over why Mrs Lovegood intended to wait until September before letting Luna's tuition be supported by the new magic. Had the witch – always intelligent – assumed Hermione's teaching to be so formal that the girl adhered to a school-year plan?

She had little time to ponder the matter for, with a heavy sway and a screeeeel of brakes, the Knight Bus pulled up outside the Grangers' home. Hermione led Ginny and Luna in through the front door, and called out, "Mum, I'm home."

They hung up their cloaks and as Hermione was about to follow her friends into the lounge, she called up the stairs, "Mum...? Dad...?"

She became aware of the silent emptiness of the house. An ancient fear quickly took hold of her, and she ran through, calling out, "MUM! DAD!"

"There's someone down in the garden shed," said Ginny, "I think it's them."

Hermione rushed out and down the path, followed by her friends, and thrust open the shed door to find her parents... kissing.

"Hermione! Good Lord, is that the time!" Mr Granger said over his wife's shoulder. "We were just making uuh..."

"Making something – working together," Mrs Granger quickly added – though Hermione could not help noticing she looked a little flushed – "Hullo, you three," continued Mrs Granger in a slightly high voice. "Had breakfast? Shall I make us a cup of tea?"

"Working?" frowned Hermione, though with some relief. Parents had no right to be snogging at nine-thirty in the morning and panicking their only daughter just home from a dangerous quest – that was the sulky boot that now stomped its way through the girl's emotions.

"Well, if you can't beat them, join them," laughed her mother. "Your Dad was obviously keen to work on your mirror, so we did it together."

"You did? You've cut the mirror?" Immediately every snog was forgiven as Hermione's spirits lifted to the good news.

Mr Granger said, "Better than that, while you were lazing away at Luna's yesterday we divided them, rounded the sides somewhat" – Mrs Granger indicated with a finger that was her own idea – "and set them in acrylic overnight."

Mrs Granger went over to the bench. "We were just about to open the moulds when you came in."

Yes, I thought that's what you were doing, Hermione murmured to herself with a smile.

While the adults busied themselves fumbling with a couple of squishy, rubbery clumps that looked like mouldy grey vegetables, Luna whispered, "I want to learn kissing like that when I grow up. Daddy says it helps keep Wrackspurts at bay, so that's why he has to."

"Honestly, Luna," said Hermione, "Wrackspurts are so rare it's not worth the effort."

Ginny looked disappointed. "I thought grownups liked kissing?"

Their attention was diverted from answering as flashes of illumination twinkled out from between Mrs Granger's fingers.

"Ooo!" cried Hermione, for Mrs Granger had popped the first mirror into view and was holding it out. The mirror was a rounded ellipse centred within a softly-shaped crystal-clear lozenge. Hermione accepted it and marvelled at the pleasantly-smooth form within her hand. "It's exquisite!"

"And tough as well – here's the other one," said Mr Granger.

"These are just brilliant!" said Hermione. "Luna, this one is yours, and Ginny, this is yours."

Both girls squealed with delight and immediately began chatting to each other's reflections.

Ginny trilled in an excited voice, "We'll be able to see and talk to everyone the same as if they've come with us!"

"And after August, Harry can share one with our families!" cried Luna. "We'll all be together!"

Mr and Mrs Granger smiled at their reaction but Hermione was looking puzzled. "You mean next year, don't you? Harry and I don't start at Hogwarts till next year. And how could he share one with your–"

She stopped. The expression on the faces of her friends was one of contrition.

"We meant to tell you–" Ginny began quietly.

"–but we were all so happy yesterday," said Luna. "And Mummy didn't really say for sure until this morning."

The frown on Hermione's face deepened. 'Happy' was not how she would have described their experience with any of the sphinxes – especially the last one. "Say about what?"

Ginny nervously mumbled something that sounded horribly like "Bow babbles."

"Beauxbatons!" cried Hermione.

"Yes, it's all worked out wonderfully well, hasn't it!" said Luna. "Mummy promised if she could finish her spell then we could have our schooling in France instead. There'll still be holidays every year – and now we have these lovely mirrors too! And don't forget our super diaries!"

"We?" Hermione was almost afraid to ask.

"Me and Ginny. Mummy was so impressed with your idea of starting to learn magic early that–"

"YOU AND GINNY AREN'T GOING TO HOGWARTS?" shrilled Hermione, the significance of what they were saying finally sinking in. "But after all we've–"

"Calm down, Hermione," said her mother, "I'm sure we–"

"But I worked so hard to bring us all together," wailed Hermione. She rounded on Luna and Ginny. "Why didn't you say something?"

"We thought you'd be pleased," whimpered Ginny.

"Pleased!"

Luna said, "But it was your idea for us to start learning magic before we were eleven. Mummy wants to give me the best start in life she can, and we spoke to Mrs Weasley and she agreed too – Harry said it's our choice to make."

"So Harry's in on it too? But... but..." Hermione tailed off as, overwhelmed with a wave of conflicting emotions, she dashed out of the shed and disappeared into the house. With a sigh, her mother went after her.

Mr Granger wondered what to do with the two girls. "She'll come round... but perhaps you'd better skip today's lesson – Potions wasn't it?"

Ginny was also close to tears. Luna put an arm round her shoulder and nodded at Mr Granger. He walked them around the back alley to the street where he waited until they boarded the Knight Bus, then, in a cheerless mood, trudged slowly back into the house.

Only after Luna and Ginny had departed, did Hermione finally realise she had taken for granted that bringing everyone together early would automatically cement their friendship for life. Now the reverse had happened.

Up in her bedroom, Mrs Granger tried to comfort her. "But they'll be in touch – they'll still be your friends."

Face down on her bed, Hermione shook her head rather awkwardly. "And after I bought them diaries and wands and bus passes and all sorts...!" Deep within she knew she was being foolish but the separation felt like a betrayal.

"That's not what friends are for, you must have found that out by now," her mother reminded her.

"I wish we'd never found that poxy diadem!" Hermione moaned into her pillow.

"Whatever that is, you don't mean it, you know you don't."

"I should have told Mrs Lovegood I could only get the wretched thing in two years time and she should wait to finish her spell till then."

Mrs Granger knew this wasn't the time to ask her daughter what she was talking about. "Perhaps the girls will get homesick..."

"Not at Beauxbatons!" groaned Hermione, as if explaining the obvious to a small child. "It's an actual palace with real teachers and proper heating and... and nice bedrooms and... bouillabaisse and everything!"

"Well, there's plenty of time until September. Have a word with Harry... perhaps you might all go."

"WHAT! To stinky Beauxbatons!"

Mrs Granger smiled away a sigh. She hated to see her daughter unhappy, but when the girl occasionally lapsed into her childish nature like this, it was, for a time, like finding her baby girl again.

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Uncle Remus

With Hermione's spirits being so low, New Year's day was a flat ending to the Christmas season. Farrimond arrived in the evening with an invitation from Harry for her to come over in the morning. She wasn't really in the mood but, not having seen Harry since Christmas Day, she could think of no excuse.

There was a surprise waiting when she entered the hall at Grimmauld Place: Lupin had stayed the whole week.

"Prof–! Ah... you musth be Harry'sth uncle!" cried Hermione, just managing to control her squeal of delight and convert to her nervous lisp. "He told me you were visthiting." He looked significantly younger and fitter than she remembered him – perhaps the incarceration of Sirius in her former life had taken more out of Remus than she'd realised – but the monthly wear and tear of his condition was still evident in his eyes.

"And you must be Hermione. Harry never ever stops talking about you."

"Do not!" mumbled Harry.

"I know you don't," laughed Remus. "Never."

"I mean I do," Harry said sulkily.

"Ah, so you admit it?" grinned Sirius.

Hestia stepped in. "Now, now you two, stop twisting him around." She took Hermione's hand and led everyone into the front room where they were soon seated before the fire. "They were just as bad at school – them and James."

"Just as good, you mean," Sirius chuckled deeply in a kind of throaty growl.

Lupin was first to veer away from the teasing. "So, Hermione, you're a Muggle-born already in a wizard's world – how's that working out for you?"

"Wonderfully well, thank you, Mr Lupin," smiled Hermione.

"Oh, call me Remus – or Uncle Remus if you like."

Hermione couldn't imagine referring to her former teacher and hero of Hogwarts as 'Uncle' so she said, "Thank you. Remusth isth, I mean, Remusth..." She shook her head as if annoyed with herself. "I mean, Remus – is a good name. Wizards have much more interesting names than Muggles."

"Hermione, your nervousness is really improving as you get older," nodded Hestia. "Well done."

"You mean it's getting worse," Sirius said slyly.

"Why, Dad?" said Harry.

Hestia said, "Your Dad's teasing again, Harry. He's joking that if something bad improves then the badness is more. And what I meant was that Hermione's control of her nervousness is improving."

Lupin cut in, "How'd you learn about us, Hermione? About magic, I mean?"

Sirius sat up a tiny bit straighter. It was a direct question he and Hestia had avoided asking out of politeness.

"Well, erm... a friend of my dad – sort of a distant friend," she added.

"An acquaintance." Lupin provided the word he thought she might not know. "So, he was a wizard? What was his name?"

"Uuh... Adam. It was when I was little. He told my dad he thought I might be a witch. Dad nearly went ballistic!"

"Sorry?"

"Uumm... flew into a rage, I mean. But Adam convinced him in the end and we visited Diagonal Alley and got books so I could learn."

"Adam... Adam... would that be Adam Bailey at Bailey's Broomsticks?"

"No, erm... this Adam's uuh... normally in... Transylvania as aah... a rogue vampire hunter, I think," she finished lamely.

Remus stiffened. "He hunts non-humans?"

Hermione realised where this was leading. "Oh, no, only those who've gone bad or – oh Goodness, I'm sorry! You're not a vampire are you? How awful of me!"

Remus laughed. "No, I'm not a vampire, I promise."

"I mean, it would be alright if you were, honestly," said Hermione quickly. Inspiration came at last. "No, it's only the wicked, rogue kind he tracks down. Uncle Adam helps good vampires and giants and so on. I think he made a potion to help hags at new moon or something, otherwise they can't ever be trusted not to kill and eat children."

It was Lupin's turn to sit up straight, but at the mention of hags, Sirius and Hestia glanced fearfully at each other, but not so briefly that Hermione did not notice.

"You don't know any hagsth, do you!" cried Hermione. "Oh, I'm thsorry! I'm sure that's made up about them eating children – they only eat the livers!"

Hestia turned almost as pale as a vampire and clamped a hand over her mouth, clearly distressed. Sirius put an arm round her shoulder and led her to the window where he summoned Kreacher to make tea. His eyes pleaded with Lupin and flicked briefly towards Hermione.

Lupin quickly filled in. "Are you sure you don't mean full moon?"

"Uuh... it might have been. I was only little and I remember thinking about the lovely big new moon he was telling Dad."

Remus was looking very serious now. "That's a full moon. A new moon is dark."

He studied Hermione's expression for a while. Hestia was looking out vacantly at the passers-by. Sirius was prowling thoughtfully, and also glancing at the square each time he passed. Hermione thought he heard him whispering softly to her. Harry was watching everyone in turn, particularly Hermione.

Lupin spoke again. "Would your dad still be in touch with this... Adam?"

"I could ask him for you! Do you have a nasty vampire you want hunting? Or a potion for?"

Lupin started to shake his head but stopped. "That's... sort of. I'd like to meet him."

"My dad? Oh, you mean Adam? I'll ask Dad when I get home."

Harry was clutching the arm of his mother's empty chair, swinging left and right, clearly restless. Sirius turned from the window and said, "Why don't you and Hermione go and play Swashbucklers up in the drawing room?"

Harry's eyes lit up and Hermione let herself be led upstairs by her eager friend.

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Salvaging Hope and Intrigue

"I'll be Cap'n Kidd on the frigate Bright Hope – you can be Blackbeard on the Intrigue if that's alright with you. The one who survives with the most treasure wins or you can also get marooned, keelhauled, or the filthy British can hang you by the giblets!"

Hermione laughed. "Honestly, Harry, have you been playing with your dad?"

"Yeah, he let me beat him six times, but I don't care."

The game his parents had bought him for Christmas was a huge board extending over the edges of the table. Little islands were dotted about a quite realistic blue sea. As they each took their turn, Hermione had to marvel at how the ships sailed under the direction of their player captain.

Once they were under way, Harry said gleefully, "Oh, bad luck – you miss a go already!"

"Why?"

He pointed above her head. "Albatross – see it fly over?"

"Oh, yes."

Though the sea was faintly divided into irregular squares, Hermione could tell it was more intricate and less abstract than wizard's chess, with various crews shouting or singing shanties continuously.

"Uh, oh... storm coming," cried Harry, and indeed, the sea was darkening into heaving waves. "Don't forget to furl your jib! We'll have to wait it out."

"Oh, right..." Hermione looked at Harry's excited eyes dashing about the playing area, taking in every detail. "Harry, did you tell Luna–?"

"–Watch out for the giant shark!" cried Harry. "Phew! That was close. I thought your cabin boy was a gonna for sure. You shouldn't really let him scrub barnacles off the hull in this weather, you know."

"I didn't realise... Harry, did you know about Luna and Ginny?"

Apart from the distant crashing of tiny waves and the faintly-howling wind, there was silence in the room for a few seconds. "I forgot..."

He quickly lost interest in the game's progress, and turned away, greatly saddened.

Hermione said, "Did you tell Luna anything about what we discussed at Hogwarts?"

"Only that Luna told me they were going to Beauxbatons, and did I mind, and I said yes but it was their choice – like you told me – but Luna said is that what you said, and when I said nothing, she knew – you know how clever she is."

"Oh, I see..."

Harry suddenly hurled himself at Hermione, but drew back from his intended hug in doubt and confusion. "You won't go as well, will you, Hermione! Not you as well?"

"No, no, I'm with you, no matter what – so long as you want me."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

But when they returned to the game, Hermione's Intrigue had foundered in the gale, and Hope had dashed itself against a rocky coastline.

They went instead to sit on the warm hearthrug before the fire together, Hermione lost in her thoughts. Why hadn't Harry hugged her? He'd always been so spontaneous in his affections. He'd be ten this year, perhaps he was starting to grow up.

There was a faint scratching sound from the nearest armchair and she watched Harry wiggle the short distance sideways along the floor to investigate without getting up – as boyish as ever.

"It's Luna's handwriting," said Harry. He had his enchanted diary open on the seat, watching the words slowly appear.

"What's she say?"

"Hang on... Mummy asked me ... to ask you ... can you ask ... Hermione if ... she can ... come over this ... weekend ... to review ... progress ... with the ... new spell? What should I say?"

"Why didn't Luna just ask me herself if she's so smart she knows I'm here!" snapped Hermione. It wouldn't have been too difficult for Luna to guess, Hermione supposed, in a grouchy kind of way, as she so often visited her best friend on a Tuesday.

There was more scratching. Harry was now writing the reply. "Why ... don't ... you ..."

"Don't actually put what I just said!" shrilled Hermione, waving her arms about madly.

"Why not?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Because it might hurt her feelings, of course! Put instead... uumm..."

"But I thought you hated her for not coming to Hogwarts with us."

"I don't 'hate' hate her! I was only... upset."

"Why not tell her that, then?" Harry glanced down when he heard more scratching from his diary. "Hang on... Why ... don't ... I what?"

"Make it..." She thought hard. "Why don't you...? Why don't you...? Uuh..."

Scratch, scratch, scratch... Harry wrote, before handing the diary to Hermione. He'd put: Hermione is just begging to speak to you!

She closed her eyes for a few seconds, indulging a daydream where this wasn't happening. Harry tickled her nose with the quill. She opened her eyes, took it, and with a sigh, began to write:

'Oh, hi, Luna, this is Hermione. What a coincidence! I was just about to ask Harry if I could write to you when he heard you writing! How are you? Yes, I'd love to come over, especially if Ron, Ginny, and Harry come too so we can try the new spell together!

Almost before she'd finished writing, more words formed below:

Yes! Yes! And yes! You'll love Mummy's new text book which is half done so far but she'll do more after. It's first-year History because that's the easiest to learn from a book, and everybody loves History.

Harry pulled a face and pretended to choke, so Hermione replied: Great! Harry says that's wonderful, and can he have first go?

Luna's reply was immediate. No, because Ginny and I have already begun the chapter on magical history in Europe – but Harry can be third if you like.

They exchanged further pleasantries but Hermione was frowning by the time they'd closed the diary and Harry locked it up again. "Sounds like they're going ahead with the tuition without us," she murmured.

"But we can join them!" said Harry.

"Harry, I'm going to be so busy this year, I was already worried I wouldn't see enough of you all. I wish we could be with them more often before they go to France, so they might change their minds, otherwise..."

"Just you and me?" pouted Harry, despondently.

"We still have Ron," said Hermione, in an attempt to lift their spirits.

"And Neville – don't forget Nev."

"I haven't, but he's so distant from me now." Hermione shook her head as she gazed far off into the dancing flames.

"He feels a bit guilty, I can tell."

"Does he? That's a start, I suppose."

"But just as nervous of you," Harry added hastily. "You're a girl, you see."

Hermione absently stirred the coals with a distant finger and they sparked and crackled in protest.

"Well, he's going to have get used to girls sooner or later when he gets to Hogwarts."

"It was Daphne's fault. I hate her."

"You know her?"

"No, but I hate her."

"Did Neville tell you what...?"

"I promised not to tell. I hate her. In front of Astoria as well. Neville kind of liked her, you know, so it was a hundred times worse."

"Don't tell me she debagged him!"

Harry's startled expression told her she'd guessed quite closely. "Can't you obliterate him or make up a potion or something?"

"You mean, Obliviate – no, oh, he'd forget alright but still be affected – Muggles call it suppressed memories..." She looked thoughtful for a few moments.

"What is it, Hermione?" said Harry. "You always look like that when you have a good idea."

"Well, Muggles use gradual acclimatisation to relieve phobias. Say you'd always lived in a tiny cupboard and were scared of big open spaces then you'd first get used to staying in a bit bigger cupboard, then a large one, and so on for months until you could go in a small room without much concern. Eventually you could manage a big room."

"Then a big hall!" cried Harry. "That's it! We need a little tiny girl to start with that Neville can get used to, then next month a bit bigger one! I expect anybody could stand even older girls if they got used to them bit by bit like that."

Hermione laughed. "That wasn't quite what I had in mind, but yes, that's the general idea. Let me know when he's next visiting you and I'll make a quick trip to see Hestia, keep my distance down the hall, wave hello, then go. We need to organise a few brief, casual meetings like that, let him get used to seeing me around again gradually and learn I don't bite."

"And no bossing him about."

"Bossy? Me?" giggled Hermione. "I'll show you bossy!" She rolled up her sleeves and strode back to the board game. "Right you lot! All hands on deck! Let's teach these upstart buccaneers how to sail a real ship!"

Harry squealed and jumped onto his seat at the table. "Hoist the mains'l Mr Mate! Get the men ready for the challenge!"

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—oOo—

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Author's Notes

Before you ask, Luna and Ginny will NOT disappear from this fic but will remain MAJOR players! I've not despatched them on a whim – it's part of the plot. They may be less prominent for a while though, in a similar way to how Neville has been. Ebb and flow, according to how the story develops.

Slow output this week so maybe I'm slipping to posting every 10 days. I know I can produce a chapter a week but that's an average and I'm not far enough ahead to absorb the troughs with the crests. The last couple of chapters were big and could not be split so that's a major factor too.

Questions and comments! Jhotenko said it was likely that Hermione would have known the first 'truth-lie' riddle from the movie Labyrinth. True enough but she'd not seen it for 130 years (she's definitely not bothered with movies this time around) and that was one scene she didn't recall or connect with the sphinx version. I'd forgotten it myself until I researched for riddles when preparing the last chapter. Anyway, for some quirky reason I thought it would be nice if each of the girls got to answer one riddle each – to kind of reinforce the need for them all to be there. Luna got the first – and the second one as well, but Ginny said it before she did, and probably that even prompted Luna to consider Irwin more quickly. And it took Hermione's experience and character to deal with the third.

midnightscar17 wondered when Harry and Hermione will get together. Yes, I have labelled this fic with a 'romance' tag because the entire plot is driven by Hermione's love for Harry. She didn't try to change the Fates' tapestry to save the world, she did it to save Harry. Plus, it's a huge story of maybe a million words from age zero to 18. Romantic affection won't even begin to be overtly expressed until they're both older, maybe third, fourth, fifth year? Perhaps they'll hold hands in year two if you (and Harry!) get lucky? I've an outline plan of the main story plot but I've not considered when romance will begin. There was a tiny hint in this current chapter where Harry stops himself hugging Hermione. Why? Previously he was too innocent to reflect on the act, but perhaps now he's beginning to respect Hermione as a girl? Personally, I just love their devotion to each other as it is. I don't think there'll be much angst but they'll simply grow closer. :)

Thanks to everyone for comments and reviews. These are most welcome and very encouraging. Let me know of any weaknesses or faults – I'm always trying to improve my writing so feedback is really useful. :)

– Hippothestrowl

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