Alright this is probably going to be my last chapter for a bit while I stockpile chapters! I'm definitely ISO of an Alpha and/or Beta! Let me know if you're interested!
Saturday, July 31, 1999
Hermione
Harry Potter's 19th birthday dawned clear and bright. Hermione and George were in Andromeda's kitchen with Remus and Teddy. Remus was looking through the Daily Prophet for any news that could be useful to the Order as he rocked Teddy, Hermione was bent over a text on Magical Materials, and George was standing in front of the stove cooking breakfast.
George levitated tea to the two at the table, already fixed to their liking, as he did most mornings. All three had trouble sleeping through the night and George often popped over to the Tonks home to eat with Hermione and Remus. Teddy often woke Remus quite early and it had become their routine to spend the first hours of the day together. Hermione's nightmares hadn't abated and after tossing and turning, usually just got herself out of bed. George was finding sleeping alone to be quite a challenge. He'd so rarely slept by himself that he often got up earlier than was necessary to avoid his large, empty room.
When George set the plates down and a bottle of formula for Teddy. Remus, who had become quite proficient at feeding Teddy while doing other tasks, began to feed himself and turned to the other two. "What is on the agenda for today?"
Hermione bit her lip and looked toward George, "We actually had discussed taking the whole day off. It's Harry's birthday and we thought that we might try to organise a picnic for the drawing room and spend some time playing games all together."
Remus looked surprised, when George began to speak, "We're further ahead on all of our potions and research than we thought possible and today just seems like the perfect day for a break, if you ask me."
Remus chuckled, "I can't help but agree. How is your Grimoire project fairing, Hermione? Anything I can help with?"
Hermione and George lit up, "Actually, yes, Remus. We're working on how to bind my pages once they're made. There is a whole section about different things that can be used. They recommend that you combine a plant, animal product, and the clan's blood into the binding cord. I think that I'd like to use fluxweed or false pennyroyal, it is one of the ingredients in Polyjuice and helps with the appearance changes and it can be used to heal or stitch up wounds, mend broken bones and often relieve people of their stomach aches."
"That sounds like an excellent choice, I can add it to our list for our next ingredient sourcing, what animal product will you be using?"
"Well-" said Hermione looking toward George for backup.
George cleared his throat, "Well we went through so many different options. None of them just screamed 'Granger!' You know?" Remus nodded absentmindedly. "So we were really thinking about what Hermione stands for, what she thinks is most important and well if we know anything about our Mia it's that she always fights for the underdog."
Remus nodded, and smiled at a blushing Hermione, "I see where you challenge lies, so what did you decide?"
Hermione sucked in a breath. "Remus, I'd love to use your fur."
He looked at her, astonished. "M-My fur? Hermione that's… well that's absurd!"
"Now hear us out, Remus," continued George. "The bindings are exceptionally important, potentially the most important part of the entire grimoire. Most of the magic comes from this part. Hermione will gather the fluxweed, she's already started growing some in a planter out back, and well I volunteered to gather the fur, but-"
"But Remus, if there is anyone in the Wizarding world that I feel like I can look up to, other than McGonagall and Andromeda, it would be you, and well, since you don't have a Family Grimoire, I'd like you to participate in mine. Plus werewolves are exceptionally strong, and they're immune to so many curses and poisons. They're smart and they're pack animals and-"
Remus held up a hand, "I'm honoured that you would ask this of me, but I will need some time to think about it. I don't want to jump into something without researching it and I really want you to consider this Hermione," when she opened her mouth to respond he cut her off, "I know that you have thought about it and you and George probably spent a lot of time researching, but I want you to really think about what it would mean for my fur to be part of it, remember I was sired by Greyback."
After a few seconds of silence, Teddy began to fuss and Remus stood and moved toward the door. "I really am honoured, Hermione, and I will put some deep thought into this," he murmured.
By this point the sun was fully streaming in the windows, Hermione and George went about cleaning the kitchen so they could make their way to the laboratory. They'd just popped into the foyer of Headquarters when a bowtruckle patronus flew into the room. "Emergency!" Neville's voice shouted from the small being, "Our wards are being attacked, we're calling for full support at Viridian View!"
Hermione and George looked at each other then cast the alarm spell. The entire house began to move in a flurry. Suddenly, all of the residents were apparating into the foyer. Hermione and George apparated to their spots, as they had been partnered with Madam Pomphrey and Hannah Abbott in the Infirmary.
Hermione called to Kingsley, "Neville has called for full support at Viridian View, the wards are under attack."
Kingsley nodded stiffly, "Do you hear that, soldiers, we will apparate to Viridian View in 2 minutes, everyone take your Wiggenweld and Vitamin potions, especially if you haven't eaten. Make sure you have your wand, your Emergency Portkey and your potions belt. She watched as her friends ruffled around and threw back their Vitamin and Wiggenweld potions. It would not do to have them lose energy in the field.
"30 seconds!" called Kingsley. Everyone got into battle stance, with one person preparing to apparate each pair, the other with a shield charm on their lips. Hermione looked to Ron and Harry who grinned at her from their spot in line. She waved at them and then gripped George's hand.
Suddenly all the pairs popped out of the foyer, with Kingsley and Arthur being the last. Hermione knew that Remus would have left Teddy in the crib that was located in Madam Pomphrey's quarters, which were attached to the infirmary.
Once the foyer was cleared out, Hannah, Madam Pomphrey, George and Hermione apparated to the infirmary. Molly stayed in the foyer and put up the anti-apparition wards.
Hermione and George stood in the Infirmary with Madam Pomphrey and Hannah. This was their first real action in quite some time and none of them truly knew what to expect. Hermione paced back and forth while George bounced on the balls of his feet. Andromeda rushed in and went to gather Teddy. She sat in the corner of the infirmary so that she could rush to help if needed, but kept Teddy out of the fray.
Hermione and George started quizzing each other on some of the more rare potions they'd been meaning to craft and practising the wand movements for some of the lesser healing spells they'd learned. The big spells would be left to Madam Pomphrey and Hannah, who'd been apprenticing under her since the beginning of their seventh year.
After what felt like hours, McGonagall appeared clutching her portkey and the arm of Theodore Nott.
Theo
"Mr. Weasley, please take him and keep him contained until Kingsley can return," the Weasley in question nodded sharply and led Theodore Nott toward one of the beds where he promptly petrified him from the neck down.
"Well I suppose I should thank you for keeping my head free, then Weasley. Which are you again, there are so many I don't rightly know how to keep track," Theodore Nott said jovially.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Keep quiet Nott," she responded sharply, "or we'll have to petrify all of you, and that's George." He couldn't hold back his cheeky grin, Hermione Granger never changed, when he saw her countenance harden, he wiped the smile from his face and sat quietly on the bed. George moved away from him and went back to stand where he had been when McGonagall brought him into the infirmary.
Theo's eyes darted around the room taking in the potions cabinet that seemed to be brimming with stock. He noted the sunken look of the Weasley twin, remembering that the other one - Fred - had died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Granger resumed her pacing. The other girl, he thought she was a Hufflepuff, came over to his side.
"Nott," she said evenly, "glad to see you're alive. What brings you to our humble little infirmary?"Granger and Weasley looked over toward them, Granger looked about to interject before the Hufflepuff, Hailey? Helen? Hannah!, turned to her, "Nott was instrumental in keeping us alive during our last year. He helped get us supplies that Aberforth couldn't provide and often helped get people to the Room when he was able, and he always threw his Cruciatus."
Granger's teeth sank down into her lip and she nodded. Hannah turned back to him with a raised eyebrow. "Such a glowing review, I'm not sure if my Father would say that throwing a Cruciatus was a strong point, but that's why I got away from him when I could. I've been with the Longbottoms for about a month. I was helping him with his greenhouses, you surely request a lot of ingredients over here, I can see why though, so many potions! Who makes them all?" he saw Granger and Weasley incline their heads at that one. "As I said I've been helping Nev with his plants, but also trying to recall any and all information that I can on the goings on from my Father's lot."
Before he could continue Neville and Augusta Longbottom appeared with Seamus Finnegan in tow. Neville's normally dour looking grandmother looked ready to pass out where she stood. Neville gently led her to the bed next to Theo's. "Doing alright, Aunt Gussie?" he asked cheekily. Even through her exhaustion she was able to give him a stern look.
"Just because your grandmother was my sister does not mean you can call me that atrocious nickname," she stated primly. Neville gave him a look, silently asking if he'd watch out for her. When Theo inclined his head, Neville and Seamus popped back to Viridian View.
Madam Pomphrey bustled over to Augusta, and handed her a Wiggenweld potion as well as a Calming Draught. After she had consumed both potions, Augusta Longbottom stood next to Theo's bed. Waiting, along with the rest of them for news.
Time seemed to crawl by. Theo watched as Granger and Weasley stood next to each other, murmuring quietly. Occasionally someone would pop in and throw back a potion then pop back out. Everyone in the room seemed as though they had a job to do and barely spared Theo another look.
He surreptitiously watched Granger and George together. They had a sort of comfort with each other that he could only take as romance, although the word in Slytherin had been that it was going to be Granger and Weaslebee that got together. He wasn't prepared to make any statements, but the two of them looked quite cosy. He looked up at his great-aunt who was looking at him curiously.
"Theodore," she started firmly.
"I didn't tell them where I was. You know I would never. They killed-" he choked,
"You know I would never go back to my Father if I could help it, and there is nothing left for me back there." he finished quietly. She nodded and conjured a chair to sit next to his bed, and clutched his petrified hand in her own. He knew that she would never admit it, but she was worried.
Theo saw Granger give him an odd look, but the rest of the room's inhabitants carried on their prep.
When Theo had been there for about an hour, Potter popped in, supporting a heavily bleeding Weasel. Theo watched the scene play out in slow motion. Granger's knees fell out from under her, while George caught her. Molly Weasley let out a shriek from the doorway. Madam Pomphrey and Hannah rushed to Potter and directed him to set the Weasel down on the nearest bed. They started performing all manner of spells. Harry went to stand next to Hermione and started speaking softly to her, while George went to his Mother. Augusta got up and took Teddy from Andromeda's arms before returning back to Theo's side.
Shortly after Potter and the Weasel popped in, pairs started returning, none were in as bad of shape as the Weasel, but it didn't look good. When Shacklebolt and Lupin appeared, the werewolf had to hold the former Auror back from hexing Theo.
"Did. You. Do. This?" he bit out, "Legilimens!"
Theo felt the pressure in his mind, while normally he was very protective of what was going on behind his walls, he let them fall for Shacklebolt. The Auror rifled through his memories, from the intense abuse that Theo had suffered at his Father's hands to the horrors that occurred at Hogwarts last year. He recalled a memory of his mother taking a young Theo to visit her Aunt Gussie to play with his cousin, Neville. He watched every worst memory of Theo's life and made him replay them.
When Shacklebolt pulled out of his mind, Theo was silently sobbing while Augusta gripped his hand firmly. "He's clean. You can release him."
Augusta murmured "Finite Incantatem," and handed Teddy to his father. She leaned over and accepted a hug from Theo. He knew everyone was staring at him, except for Neville, Madam Pomphrey and Hannah, but he couldn't be arsed to care. Eventually they got bored and left Theo alone. Neville came and sat on the end of Theo's bed twirling his wand between his fingers. He reached in his pocket and grabbed Theo's wand, handing it to him.
"He's dead," Neville said quietly. "Remus got him with a curse. He can't hurt you again."
Theo looked at Neville with a shocked look on his face. "Are you- are you sure?"
"I checked myself, I-I verified it," he cleared his throat and held out his open palm to Theo, "I grabbed the signet from him." Theo slowly reached for his family ring. "I think it's time for you to change the path of the Nott family, don't you?"
"I-I I can't bel-" he let out a sob, "Thank you, both of you. I don't- I don't know what I would do without you two."
Augusta patted his hand as she stood. "I'll get everything ready for the Rites. I should be ready at dawn. Why don't you two get cleaned up."
Theo bit back a grin as he and Neville stood and made their way to Neville's rooms. "It's time to make a name for myself, eh Nev?"