.

So far... The reborn Hermione befriended Harry, Neville, Luna, and the Weasleys while young and, though Voldemort died early, she launched the secret Cathesis League to fight corruption. Now started at Hogwarts, she formed CREST from the most trusted members of the old D.A. As the Christmas holiday began, Daggard, the ruthless half-hag assigned to bodyguard Harry, was incarcerated in Devil's Deep for trying to murder Draco and frame Zabini. Now read on...

.

Chapter 44

Epiphanies For All


.

Tidings of Great Joy

Classroom 4J was in darkness. Hermione Granger stood cautiously to one side as the back entrance to the Room of Requirement opened and light flowed out revealing only the tips of her shoes. She remained silent for a while, listening.

A voice from within the brightness softly said, "That you, Hufflepuff?"

"No, it's Granger," said Hermione. She leaned sideways to see into the Room then stopped. Zabini was wielding an iron pipe and he looked desperate. Hermione backed away a little. "I see the Room provided you with a weapon," she added.

"What do you want? Where's the Hufflepuff girl? I'm running low on supplies. Have you brought food?"

"Better than that." She held out a copy of the Daily Prophet.

Zabini frowned. "Throw it here."

"Come and get it. You don't need to hide in there any longer."

The boy didn't move. "If this is a trap..."

"You're the one who's armed. I doubt I could even pull out my wand before you rushed me, and then what could a first-year girl do against your physical superiority?" She cast up a floating sphere of luminescence to reveal the classroom was empty.

He eased slowly forward until framed by the doorway, glancing furtively side to side with the pipe held out front.

Hermione very slowly took another step away from him, trying to draw the cautious youth out. "It's all over. Daggard was the one who tried to kill Draco. The Aurors aren't looking for you anymore."

Hope flashed in his eyes and Zabini raised the iron pipe threateningly as he stepped forward through the doorway, reaching for the newspaper. As he passed the threshold, the weapon disappeared from his hand and he sucked in air, his gaze anxiously sweeping around once more.

Hermione said. "You're free! You don't need to defend yourself. Anyway, you can't bring out anything that was created within the Room." She held up the headline so he could clearly see it:

ZABINI ABSOLVED OF ALL GUILT!

Zabini seized the newspaper and elation replaced the fear in his expression. "He did it! Harry Black did it! I told you he can do anything!"

"Yes, uuh..." – Hermione was relieved that Zabini still wasn't crediting her with any special skills – "but he said you must keep his part in this to yourself."

"Of course! Do you think I'm an idiot?" He tried to scan the news report, reading in key sentences that confirmed the header.

Shuffling her feet to draw his attention, Hermione quietly told him, "A message has been sent to your mother. She should be waiting in Hogsmeade. I'll lead you out but you'll have to be blindfolded."

"Not by you, I won't, Mudblood," snarled Zabini.

"Okay then. Well... good look finding your way out of Hogwarts. The gates are sealed. Snape's gone home for Christmas. I suppose you could explain yourself to the Headmaster but he'll probably delay you quite a while. Oh, here's your book back." She handed over Zabini's ledger then turned and walked away.

"Wait! You can get me out?" He rolled up the newspaper as if to replace the pipe he'd held, and pointed it at Hermione.

"You said it yourself: Harry can do anything. But he doesn't give away all his secrets. You trust him?"

"Yes. Do it."

Hermione threw him a black scarf and after stuffing the Prophet inside his robes, he tied the dark silk over his eyes. Silently she cast a temporary blinding spell to make certain.

"Hold on to my arm. We've quite a distance to go."

They walked in silence for a while.

"Why does Black associate with a Muggle-Born? Why does he rely on you?"

"An excellent question you'd do well to ponder yourself. Why are you trusting me now?"

"Because Black says so."

"You only have the word of a Mudblood for that, don't you?"

"At least you know what you are."

"I use the word with sarcastic contempt. It's pathetic that an intelligent person such as yourself feels the need; Harry never does."

More silence followed as they trudged along the secret passage towards Hogsmeade until finally Zabini mused aloud, "Makes sense, I suppose – without his own bound elf at Hogwarts he'd need to manage with whatever was at hand. But why didn't he use you to bring me food instead of that Huff?"

Hermione released a silent sigh of resignation. "Harry never sent Susan – it was Daggard who did that. The hag Imperiused the poor girl to provide for you."

"What! Why would that... thing help me after she incriminated me?"

"We can only surmise that Daggard wanted you to remain free as long as possible. If you were caught she wouldn't expect you to confess even though she'd confused you into thinking you'd done the deed. You and your mother would make up all kinds of excuses and alibis – she's good at that, right? Certainly that would be enough to raise questions and look more closely at who else might have been involved. Daggard is an expert at closing up every loophole."

"May she rot in Azkaban forever!" growled Zabini.

"Uuh... she's not even been convicted. She gave the Aurors the slip at King's Cross."

"What!"

"I told you she was an expert. It's mentioned briefly way down that news article on an inside page. A headline would have made the Ministry look like fools and Fudge wouldn't want that. Still, at least the lead-in makes your innocence more prominent so it's in your favour."

They walked on, Zabini muttering to himself and cursing Daggard. "Why? Why did that hag-filth attack Draco?"

Hermione shook her head. "I... we don't know. She used to be an Auror; maybe she has some grudge with his father." Hermione frowned and began gnawing at her bottom lip as she wondered why she'd never asked Daggard that same question.

Zabini huffed for a time then finally fell silent.

After a lengthy march, Hermione smelt a faint whiff of confectionery ahead and cast an anti-odour charm before opening the trapdoor up into Honeydukes. Once through the shop and outside the side door she dog-legged a few times around shadowy back alleys. The only clues that made Zabini deduce he was outside in Hogsmeade at last, was the cold night air, a few flakes of snow on his cheeks, and the distant harmonies of carol singers:

For unto us a child is born
unto us a son is given...

Zabini sniffed and his breath steamed as he said, "What about my wand?"

Hermione countered her blinding spell then pushed him gently ahead, saying, "I'm sure Dumbledore will have returned your wand to your mother by now – she's just a few hundred yards along the road. Enjoy your Christmas, Zabini."

Heart beating madly now, the youth snatched off his blindfold, blinking and squinting at the familiar figure silhouetted by festive lanterns in the distance. To one who only minutes before had been confined to a very lowly place indeed, emptied of hope and all good sensations, the sights and sounds shimmered and dazzled:

...the government shall be upon his shoulder...
and his name shall be called Wonderful...
...The Prince of Peace.

He whirled around, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen. For one moment only he puzzled... then he rushed away to his mother's arms; there were questions to be answered, and long-held beliefs to be re-examined.

.

Surprises

A large brown owl perched itself high in one of the sturdy ash trees that lined Grimmauld Place and blinked in confusion at the houses below. Rarely did she fail to find her precise destination but on those occasions when the bird knew she was close, the wise creature had learned to wait it out nearby. Sure enough, the first grey gloom of daylight revealed the pale hand of a little girl waving from a doorway opposite. The magical owl did not consider it at all strange that the house had appeared from nowhere, so without hesitation the bird swooped down to deliver her colourfully-wrapped package.

The holiday had brought the Grangers and Blacks together again with the youngest Black – Harry, of course – rather too close for comfort to the littlest Granger as he grinned mischievously over her shoulder in the hallway. "Ah, another mysterious delivery for Rosie! Amazing how your old Muggle School friend can reach you even when your mum's already right here!"

Hermione swatted him away with the packet, then they sat on the bottom step of the stairs while she unwrapped it to remove what lay within. For a few moments she held up what seemed to Harry much like a young child's spinning top made of glass, then she placed it down on the step between them where it stood motionless on its point.

After peering and puzzling at it for several seconds, Harry said, "What is that?"

Though Hermione drew breath to answer, it was Sirius who answered him from where he was lounging in the parlour doorway, a paper streamer trailing twistedly from one ear. "That's a Pocket Sneakoscope, Harry, and really useful to alert its owner to the presence of enemies nearby." He straightened up and pulled away the strip of crepe, adopting a more serious tone as his attention turned to Hermione. "Which reminds me, young miss, I'd like you to come into the parlour for a little talk. ... Both of you."

The two youngsters glanced at each other then followed Sirius in to where Hestia and Anne were sat on the carpet around the litter of opened presents surrounding the Christmas tree. Elbow on the mantelpiece, Edward, who had been chatting to the womenfolk from beside the blazing hearth, fell silent and looked across.

After the kids had settled on the sofa, Sirius began. "Harry has been telling us about some of the goings-on at Hogwarts, Hermione, and the scrapes you and your friends have been getting into, but I'm sure we've not been told the half of it."

A slight smile played on Hestia's lips as she chided, "Sirius, don't forget, you Marauders earned a reputation of your own."

"Ahem... yes, well, we erm..." Sirius shifted his weight to another foot and drew out his wand. "With that in mind..." A small package flew to him from atop the sideboard, but it wasn't gift-wrapped. "This is an additional... a special additional present I'd like you to have Hermione. I know how you've been watching out for our Harry, and he's agreed that... well, we'd like you to have it."

Harry was grinning ear to ear and wriggling with excitement beside Hermione who took the package and began slowly opening it...

There was a flash of bright movement from within. Hermione blinked. "Your two-way mirror? But don't you want it to keep in touch with Harry yourselves?"

Hestia wrung her hands as she replied, "It's a wrench but if Harry's in trouble we can't get to him quickly anyway. Listen, Hermione, you're a very sensible, knowledgeable young witch and Harry's best friend – ideally placed to give immediate assistance, advise him, and call for help if needed. We want Harry to be able to reach you at any time."

"I don't know what to say..." murmured Hermione.

Sirius said, "You don't need to say anything. We're forever in your debt. Harry told us Daggard took some of his belongings to try to control him, but somehow you got them back off her on the train and hid them? That's why she tied you up?"

Hermione hid her lie to the second question in a vague nodded mumble as she opened her bag. "Mmm... thanks for reminding me. Here's your cloak, Harry, oh, and a surprise: I asked Mrs Lovegood to clean and re-enamel your mum's miniature." Hermione began scrabbling deeper into her bag. "Pandora's brilliant with art and craft charms."

Hestia said, "Yes, she illustrated Xeno's Hogwarts Herald newsletter project when they were at school. That's how they met."

"Really? I didn't know Mr Lovegood became interested in publishing news while he was so young," said Hermione, as she finally fished out the tiny empty painting.

Harry's smile of gratitude was tinged with sadness as he took the blank flattened ovoid and polished it against his sleeve. "Thanks, Hermione, I'll always treasure this as a memory of Mum."

"You'd better – because that's not the surprise," grinned Hermione. She took out James's portrait and handed it over.

"MUM!" croaked Harry, suddenly hoarse with astonishment.

Hestia's attention jerked towards Harry. There was an odd change in her expression as she realised it wasn't her that Harry was calling.

Both James and Lily were beaming from the one picture. Lily said, "I just had time to squeeze in with your dad while that awful hag was destroying my enamel. It's been... well, quite cosy, but we do need our own space from time to time, so..."

She moved over to the repaired blank and waved to Harry from it. "You have a wonderful friend there, Harry."

Harry's face lightened with the rising sun through the window and he turned to look at Hermione with increasing wonder. "I know, Mum... I know."

A great deal of happy, excited chatter filled the room at the reappearance of Lily Potter and Harry propped up both little portraits on the mantelshelf – "Now we can all share Christmas together!"

"So..." began Hestia, "is that enough excitement for one day or is everyone ready for my big surprise?"

Harry's mouth opened wide and so did his eyes. "I'd almost forgotten! What is it, Mum?"

Hestia reached for Sirius's hand and smiled at everyone. "A kind of miracle has happened..." Her eyes shone and she looked at Hermione very strangely before turning back to Harry. "We're going to have–"

The front doorknocker rattled loudly and street sounds were heard as it opened. "Only me!" called a voice.

"Come in, Remus!" shouted Sirius.

A large plucked turkey clutched in an outstretched fist appeared in the doorway followed swiftly by the grinning face of Remus. "Am I early enough?"

"Uncle Remus!" cried Harry.

Hestia raised a hand in greeting. "Ah, you got it alright then? Thanks, Remus." She looked around. "Kreacher, would you...?"

The old elf staggered off with the plump bird towards the kitchen.

"Have a seat near the fire, Remus," said Sirius. "Warm yourself."

Harry fidgeted. "Mum? A turkey? We always have a turkey for Christmas!"

Hestia stared uncomprehendingly for a few moments then burst out laughing. "That's not the surprise, Harry!" she chuckled. She turned back to Remus. "Yes, you are early enough, Remus. I was about to make an announcement."

"Oh? Sounds good." Remus's eyebrows rose and the fireglow glistened in his eyes.

"What is it, Mum?" said Harry.

"Harry... everyone... we're going to have a baby."

Thinking he'd misheard, the boy looked bewildered. "A what?"

"You'll have a little brother or sister at Easter."

With an excited whirl towards Hermione, he blurted out, "Remember! I told you I wished on my magic for a brother or sister!"

Hermione frowned her puzzlement. "Ah... yes, I think I do recall..."

"When I thought you'd popped out of my photo! That I'd summoned you?"

"When was this?" said Sirius.

"Harry means when we were very little." Hermione eyed a warning at Harry. "He was sleepy and wishing on his family photo for a sister when I walked in and he became confused I was his new sister. We laughed about it after, didn't we, Harry?" She refrained from nudging him with her elbow.

"Erm... yeah, that's right. Like now, Mum, I was so astonished, I couldn't believe you for a few moments. But how? You said the Abraxan kicked you with its back hoof and you could never have children."

"How indeed?" Hestia gave Hermione a funny look before asking her, "Remember after the Triapetit, you said you... see things? Did you see this might happen?"

"Well..."

Noticing Hermione's hesitation, Hestia continued, "Only... years ago, while working at St. Mungo's, I was called into the magical research department. For decades they'd been trying to create a spell to heal failed bodily organs – still do – but of course most organs such as the heart are life-critical so the patient is dead before they can experiment and learn. However, being barren, I was a perfect case for them to explore. They had no success of course, but I couldn't help but wonder..."

"...if I'd seen them succeed one day?" Hermione gave a nervous smile. "I didn't want to raise your hopes, but yes, I foresaw a time when they realised the charm they were developing needed to be applied again and again over many weeks before it would be effective. That's why it's not much help with dying patients. I saw that enchantment so vividly that I knew it by heart, and used it on you many times over the summer without being sure if I could get it to work."

Sirius laughed heartily. "Oh, it worked alright! With a little help from me, of course."

"Sirius!" Hestia's cheeks seemed to pink a little as she turned away to gather up armfuls of wrapping paper from the floor, rustling them as noisily as she could. But when she looked again at Hermione, she was radiant. "Thank you, Hermione. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You cannot imagine how much... that is, I'd always..."

Sirius took over. "What Hestia should have said is she's bravely borne the lack of her own... motherly fulfilment, but I've always sensed her heartache inside. It means so much to my wife that I'd have gone to the ends of the Earth to ease her pain–"

Hestia moved to him. Held him. "Sirius..."

Hermione cradled and rocked an imaginary baby in her arms while grinning at Harry. Instinctively, he grinned back but turned thoughtful as he watched her cooing mischievously. A fright gripped him and he ran to his parents to clutch at Hestia's sleeve.

"Will the baby be your uuh...? I mean, I'll still be...? You'll still be my mum as well, won't y–?" He slapped his forehead and made a wry smile. "T'uh – course you will!"

Hestia's astonishment turned to shining tears and she crouched swiftly down to embrace Harry. "Always..."

"Sorry, Mum – had brain freeze or something and panicked."

.

Just Desert

While the adults celebrated with a glass of wine and then Hestia and Anne drifted towards the kitchen to instruct Kreacher with some special preparation of the turkey, Harry sat with Hermione on the hearthrug to examine her Sneakoscope.

"So it'll warn us of danger and enemies?"

"Yes, but this one is toned down for Hogwarts so it won't sound an alarm from the little pranks and petulant behaviour that is going on all around. Most of the Slytherins in the same building would keep this whizzing and whistling almost continuously!"

A strange faraway look crept into Harry's eyes. "And did it... did one of these save us before – I mean in our other life?"

With a twist to her smile, Hermione said, "Well, no. Your Sneakoscope alerted us but we were already surrounded and–"

"What! Where were we?"

"Harry, it's best not to–"

"Where, though? Why couldn't you evaporate away and destroy them all?"

"I was only eighteen then and hadn't learnt that magic. We were living in a tent. Look, you ought not to–"

"Living in a tent! Just you and me?" Harry said excitedly, toning his voice down as he glanced quickly across the room toward Mr Granger who was admiring Sirius's new crystal decanter and advising him how to clean it with a soft cloth, much to the wizard's amusement.

"No, Ron was with us."

"Oh." Harry sounded slightly flat. "Hermione... were we... did we... did..." He stopped and seemed to gather himself up to say something that had been pressing to burst out of him for a while. "We were uumm... family though, weren't we, Hermione? Later, I mean."

Hermione shook her head and looked sadly at her friend's earnest expression.

"We must have been!" Harry flushed. "I mean... I mean, I didn't mean... that is, I thought..."

The strength of his dejection was so evident that Hermione added, "I did regret it later, and I felt sure that you did too."

"Wh...?" formed silently on Harry's lips but his question never formed itself further. His head drooped a little.

"Look up, Harry," said Hermione.

He did so, searching her smile.

"No, higher." She pointed.

As he looked above them and saw the tangle of mistletoe suspended from the ceiling, she leaned forward to brush his upturned cheek with her lips. "That's for Christmas – and for being my best friend ever."

Harry grinned awkwardly, wondering how to respond. Hermione helped him, "I expect once you have a real sister you won't need me anymore, right, Harry?"

"No way, Hermione! You're more of a... you're more than a sister."

"More than a friend?"

He nodded dazedly as the dancing flames lit up his expression with a glow of longing.

"One day, Harry. One day we'll–" began Hermione, but was drowned out by a familiar sound – the rising pitch of the Sneakoscope's whine as it spun itself into a blaze of light. Harry felt Hermione's magic pushing him into the corner beside the fireplace while she threw herself onto her back, wand pointing upwards. Her next spell froze the bowl of sloppy custard that had been floating over them and slowly tipping.

Sirius howled with laughter. "Merlin's Bones, you are fast! I knew we were right to trust you with our mirror!"

Hestia squealed from the doorway. "Sirius! I told you to stir the darn thing up. The custard has to be set for teatime!"

"Sorry, Hest, I thought you said stir things up!" chortled Sirius.

The day went well and the holiday sped by after it, lightened by the anticipation that Hogwarts in the New Year would be free of the insufferable hag-guardian and perhaps, Hermione thought to herself, at last Harry could enjoy the stress-free schooldays he deserved.

.

—oOo—

.


Author's Notes

Sorry for the long delay since the last chapter. I've half-written the next one too but it might take me a while to get back into my rhythm so I'm initially aiming for 3 to 4 week updates then see where I go from there. Oh, yeah, I've also started work on another short story but that won't be published for a while. :)

– Hippothestrowl

.