A/N: Honestly, I had no idea this would get so long. Oh, well. Just to reassure you all that I do read reviews, I'm sorry if Jen's offending anyone. This is just what has to happen to get to the end, you know? Because eventually this does have to end. I mean, there's only so much a guitarist's fingertips can take. True, my beta reader has read the first chapter of the sequel…note to self, get ice for paws.

Chapter Fifty-Three: Departure

"Set sail before the sun, feel the warmth that's just begun. Share each and every dream. They belong to everyone…"
                        -Ray Thomas, 'For My Lady.'

"What d'y' mean, y're leavin' ter'night?"

"I mean I have to go back to America for a while. Professor Snape –no, better ask Professor Granger- can explain it all to you."

"Does Julie know?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, she's going, too."

Donaghan was shocked. She was going home and leaving him without a thought.

"Mitch! Why didn' y' tell me sooner y' couldn' stay tha' long?"

"Oh, no, dear, I'll be back. I was going to tell you tonight we'd be leaving on the tenth next month, but they need us early. I'm sorry."

She was so funny when she was ticked off, Donaghan thought. It was obviously her country's fault she had to leave. He wondered what she had to do and how long she'd be, but there wasn't time for questions when he had more to tell her.

"Be careful, m'love," he whispered, pulling her close.

"I will."

"Write ter' me, okay?" Mitchie frowned slightly and Donaghan kissed her on the forehead. "Or draw. I can understand y're pictures."

The American suddenly leaned forward and kissed the Scot long and well.

"I don't want to leave you," she whispered, fighting back tears.

"Sh, i's okay, m'girl." Donaghan reached into his pocket and took Mitchie's right hand in his left. "I was wond'rin', Michelle, if'n'y' could see y're way t' stayin' with me after school ends, maybe?"

"Do you mean even after you graduate?" she inquired, not quite grasping what he meant.

"I mean, even after y'graduate."

Suddenly the import of what he was asking hit poor Mitch like a brick to the head.

"Forever?"

"If y'd 'ave me."

Mitchie kissed him again.

"Alright."

Donaghan raised her hand to his lips, kissed it gently, and carefully slipped the ring from his pocket onto her finger.

"I love y', Mitch."

"I love you, too, Donaghan."

"Ahem," a voice cleared his throat behind them. It was Snape, naturally, who pointed to his watch and then left them alone, a mysteriously sympathetic look on his face.

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"I'll be back soon, little guy," Julie whispered, patting her baby brother on the back as he slept. "Listen, I need you to take care of Mum and Dad. If they start getting lonely or nervous, I want you to be as cute as you can, alright? Keep them distracted."

"And if you could keep Donaghan busy, I'd like that, A.J."

"He's so little," Jen observed, gathered around the crib with Julie, Mitchie, and Chloe.

"Oui, c'est mais petit," Chloe agreed, patting the little boy as well and giving him what sounded like her own instructions in French. Then she moved Monsieur Lapin, the stuffed bunny, closer to him and kissed the baby on the head. "Bonne nuit, Albus."

Quietly, the four girls stepped away from the crib toward the door.

"I don't like to leave my brother when he's so little," Julie said in a voice so sad it was barely audible. "I mean, what if something does happen? He won't even remember me."

"Yes, he will," Jen consoled. "Nothing's going to happen to you, I'll make sure of it."

"Still…" Julie had a strange look on her face. "Guys, you go on without me, I'll catch up." They obeyed and Julie turned back to the crib where her small brother slept.
"Listen, God," she began, unsure as to how prayers really worked. "This is my brother Albus. I have to go to America, and I'd like it if you would watch over him." She waited a moment, looking toward the ceiling as if expecting an answer. She hadn't believed there even was a God since Cory died. "I'll try and like, pray more often, and –quit sinning and that, just take care of him …deal?"

An idea occurred to her just then. Opening her old backpack, she drew out her single favorite possession –her Quidditch gloves. Julie pulled on the left, effectively hiding her scar and giving her the usual feeling of near-invincibility. She took the other and placed it in her brother's crib. Even if she was a ghost, she reasoned, she'd come back for it.

"I'll see you later, A.J.," she whispered. Turning around with tears in her eyes, she was startled to see her mother there.

"I know everyone's already told you to be careful and don't worry," Hermione began. "I remember once your father had to leave Hogwarts to spy for Dumbledore, and what that was like."

"If you don't want me to go, Mum, I don't have to!"

"Julie, you know I don't want you to leave. I also know you would never let Michelle and Chloe go alone."

"You're right, Mum," Julie agreed. "I don't want you and Dad to worry, though."

"Julie, you're our daughter. As short a time as we've known you, we'd worry no matter where you were going or to do what." Hermione hugged her daughter, who was already almost as tall as she was. "You're so much like your father, you know. I don't think anything will go wrong."

"Hasn't it already?"

"No, this is just what happens sometimes when you're saving the world. Don't be afraid of what can happen, just depend on the people who are there to take care of you. I'd trust your uncle Ron to take you into hell and back, and Draco is one of the bravest men I've ever known. Michelle knows enough about America as you do about Muggle England, and Chloe's a lot smarter than she looks."

"Well I know that, at least."

"So you've got all these people looking out for you. Things will go alright."

"What about Jen, though, Mum? I'm not sure she really even wants to go."

"Well, I've got a sneaking suspicion you might wind up needing to take care of Jen instead of the other way around. She's had a lot of bad things happen to her lately, but she's absolutely bent on going along to help."

"It seems kind of mean to take Chloe away from Aldous, though, and Mitchie from Donaghan."

"Well, you're leaving someone behind as well, aren't you?"

Julie knew she couldn't keep hiding, couldn't lie to her mother now of all times.

"No, I'm not, actually…he's sort of…going, too."

Hermione stared in abject shock at what Julie was admitting to.

"What?"

"I like him, okay!" she whispered disconsolately.

"He's older than I am, Julia! …Or close enough to it."

"I know…that's mostly the problem."

"Listen, Julie, you're sixteen years old. If you were twenty-six I could understand…well, not really understand, but I'd put up with it better, not wanting to be hypocritical of course… –what can you possibly see in him?"

"I don't know…he's so well-mannered and fun to fight with, and you have to admit he is rather nice to look at."

"That's about the only thing I could understand."

"I'm not really considering him as a mate you know, I just like spending time with him."

"I had figured that much. You do realize what your father would do if he knew you had a crush on Draco, of all people?"

"Do wizards have convents?"

"Yes, in Italy."

"Well, then, I guess he'd better not find out."

The Granger-Snapes laughed gently before hugging again.

"It's almost time for you to go, dear. Be careful."

"Of course. I love you, Mum."

"I love you, too, dear. And while you're over there…?"

"Yes?"

"Be good. You know what I mean."

"Yes, Mummy. You won't tell Dad, will you?"

"I like you too much to have you sent to a convent in Italy."

Suddenly, a figure appeared at the door.

"Dad!" Julie ran over and hugged him. Snape held his daughter close, realizing with a bit of horror that she was going into the family business with a vengeance now; and that he had said goodbye to Hermione more than once the same way.

"Be careful."

"I will, Dad, don't worry."

"Oh, and I'll take care of your pets until you get back. What does the ferret eat?"

"Tibby the house-elf's been making ferret food for him, and he likes treats from the box in my nightstand drawer when he's good. If you absolutely have to use him as a test example in class, please don't make his fur fall out. Bald patches bother him."

"Of course, dear. Mind, I do expect you to owl at least every other day, unless the situation becomes too hazardous. If there are any problems with the American Aurory, write and I will ask Albus to see to its rectification immediately. If there is time I would appreciate if you would keep studying. Have Draco help the four of you if you need him."

"Okay, Dad."

"And should you feel the need to take a break or explore the Colonies, I would recommend you stay away from what Muggles call adult bookstores. They don't tend to stock anything interesting." Julie stifled a giggle and nodded. "In the event that you should require emergency transportation, the Americans have an equivalent to the Knight Bus, and for Merlin's sake, don't eat anything with eyes or the legs attached. God knows what kind of indigestion Cajun food would give. Do you know our vault number?"

"Vault number?" Julie asked in horror.

"No, dear, not that kind of vault. It's in case you need money, like…a PIN number."

"Oh. I don't think I'll need any-"

Severus pressed a bit of parchment into her hand.

"You will. I expect you to have a good time in the Colonies, after all, can't let Michelle take you without that happening. The usual rules apply, no drinking, no drugs, and no shagging Americans you meet in bars-"

" Severus!"

"Alright…well, be careful."

"Okay, Daddy. I love you."

Severus pulled his daughter close and gruffly kissed her on the forehead. Hermione hadn't seen him this nervous since A.J. was born. Considering his daughter was heading off into what amounted to the same thing he'd done years ago for Albus Dumbledore, the pride in his eyes was just as understandable as the nervousness.

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"Well?" Mitchie asked the other American as they walked away from Hogwarts towards the lake.

"Ship."

"Why?"

"Clouds."

"Damn."

Chloe looked at the two of them in some confusion. Apparently it was possible for Yanks to hold entire conversations in one-word jumps. The Auror, however, suddenly rolled up his sleeve, as did Mitchie, and the next thing anybody knew they were chatting like long-lost cousins. It was clearly a werewolf thing.

"Michelle," the Yank introduced herself.

"Dennis."

They shook hands and began to discuss what sounded like a Quidditch team animatedly. It was vaguely reassuring to the others to know that ordinary topics could still be talked about at a time like this. The girls and Aurors began to relax a bit.

"Julie? Mitch?" a voice called suddenly, and they turned around. It was Hagrid, holding a huge handkerchief and what looked like a fat parcel in the other hand. "They tol' me yeh've got ter' go ter' America ter'night. I baked these fer' yeh." The half-giant handed the Yank the knobby package, evidently full of the rock cakes she and few others liked. "If'n yeh get ter' see any o' them Concord Grape dragons, write me an owl."

Quite abruptly, all four of the girls, Jen with only a moment's hesitation, rushed over and hugged their animal-loving professor. The tallest of them barely reached mid-chest on him.

"I'll draw you pictures of all the animals we see," Mitchie promised. "If they let us we'll go to the zoo and see everything."

"Yeh be careful, too. I don' want yeh girls getting' lost or 'urt, now, d'yeh 'ear?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll tell Claw where yeh're goin', on account of 'e'll miss yeh, girls."

"Give him an extra biscuit for me," Chloe suggested.

"We'll be back soon."

And with a feeling of dread, Hagrid watched the small boats sail away across Hogwarts' lake.

***********************************************************

"How long will it take to get there?" Draco asked Dennis.

"We should see the coast by morning."

"Alright. I'll tell the girls to sleep."

"They've already found one of the cabins, Draco," Ron announced. "They're asleep, I believe."

"In one cabin? Aren't there four of them?" Dennis asked.

"Looks like a lot of squirrels nesting, but I don't blame them. I don't suppose there's any heating on this boat?"

"Ship," Dennis protested indignantly.

"Whatever. All I know is the girls have all built a nest on the double bed. Must have taken blankets from four cabins."

Even as Weasley negotiated with Dennis and then the captain about the cold, Draco's thoughts weredrawn back to the four sleeping girls, or more specifically, one of them. He had hoped to talk to her before she went to bed, if only to make sure she wasn't too uprooted by the hasty departure. He moved down a ladder to one of the lower decks, only to feel a light hand on his shoulder. She was waiting there in what looked like her father's pajamas under a coat with rather threadbare slippers.

"The others are asleep."

"So Ron told us. All in one bed?"

"It's freezing, or haven't you noticed?"

"Must be lovely warm, though, with the four of you."

"Yeah. I couldn't sleep, though."

"Nervous?"

"Sort of. I already miss Hogwarts. It's like my first real home."

"Do you ever miss the orphanage?"

"Sometimes. But then I remember what I had there compared to what I've got now and then I don't. Did you miss England when you were overseas for the Auror Office?"

"Actually, the first time I felt the slightest scrap of patriotism was when I lost sight of the coast leaving for Belgium. See, there it is, England. Doesn't look that impressive from this angle."

"It's the only country I've ever lived in. Feels sort of weird to look at it as if it were far away."

"By now it is. But we'll be back soon." Draco put his arm around Julie and together they watched their country fade away into the night.

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Mitchie awoke the second a ray of sun crossed her face. She pulled her coat on over her pajamas, barely noticing Julie and Draco asleep in the armchair by the bed. Throwing open the doors caused light to wake up the others in the room, and with a few grumbles and French swearwords they got up and followed her.

There were icicles on the railing and frost on the deck, but the barefoot Yank didn't notice any of them. She was looking out at what looked like a fat whitish and green line shining in the sun.

"That isn't-?" Jen asked.

"Yep." Mitchie breathed in the sea air as if inhaling the smell of the entire continent. "America."

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