Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry it's so late! Next part out tomorrow or
Saturday
Part 5: Interruptions
Lunch ended quietly enough for Harry, and he was almost disappointed when the Grangers left to go back to work – almost. He and Hermione left the café to walk the shop-lined street. They strolled hand in hand, stopping every now and then to peer into a store window.
"I can't get over my mother's reaction to us," remarked Hermione at one point. After she and Hermione had come back from the restroom, Mrs Granger had stopped the conversation every five minutes to remark on what a cute couple Harry and her daughter made, or something of the like.
Harry grinned and hugged Hermione to his side. "I always knew I liked your parents."
Hermione smiled back at him before glancing into the window of the Muggle joke shop they'd paused in front of. Rubber chickens, fake vomit, and the like filled the large display. Jokes reminded her of Fred and George Weasley, Fred and George reminded her of their younger brother, Ron.
"Oh dear," she whispered. "Harry, we haven't told Ron."
Harry had opened his mouth to respond when a hard hand clamped down on his shoulder, shocking him into silence. "I'm afraid that what you two are going to tell Weasley will be the least of your concerns, very shortly."
Harry turned about wildly, shoving Hermione behind him and reaching for his wand. He dropped into a dueling stance to face his enemy: the one and only-
"Professor Snape?" gasped Hermione. "What are you doing here?"
And what are you wearing? Harry added silently to himself. Like themselves, Snape had dressed to appear normal in the muggle world – his type of normal, that is. The potions master wore poofy golf pants, a pink dress shirt, and a polka-dotted tie. It was all Harry could do to keep from laughing, and he knew he couldn't risk looking at Hermione.
"What am I doing here?" he replied nastily. "Babysitting the two of you, what does it look like? My summer holiday away from you, now ruined as I'm ordered to follow you, gallivanting across all London."
As Snape had spoken, he'd been shoving Harry and Hermione along by his grip on their shoulders. This was no laughing matter anymore. Harry and Hermione frowned at each other, neither knowing their destination nor the reason for such urgency. Above their heads, Snape continued grumbling to himself. His icy grip tightened and released on their shoulders with his emotions.
"For the sake of his life, must I chase these two prats as they're off snogging about London?"
Hermione had finally had enough of the Potions master's rude attitude and rough grip. The next time he even slightly released his grip on her shoulder, she stepped away out of his reach and to the edge of the pavement. It took Snape several moments (still grumbling to himself) to notice her absence. In the meantime, Harry had followed Hermione's lead and broke free himself.
Having seen his girlfriend angry before, Harry knew to be cautious as he took in her flashing brown eyes, crossed arms, and tough look. Her normally straight (over the past few days) hair had fluffed out in the excitement, and she glared directly at Snape with her hands on jean-clad hips.
"I demand to know the meaning of your blabbering. Where are you taking us?"
Snape broke out of his nervous trance and his face took on its normal – angry- expression. "I should have though it would be Potter, first, to defy my authority," he sneered. "But have it as you may. Ten points from Gryffindor for insubordination."
"Hold on a sec," Harry broke in. "You can't take away points – we're not on school grounds, and the term doesn't start for another two months!"
"We're on holiday, Professor. You can't command us to do your bidding without telling us what is going on."
Snape fumed for another minute before relenting. He knew from prior experience that the two wouldn't move without an explanation. "Very well then, since you two children couldn't find it in yourselves to wait a few more minutes…" He dug around in plaid pockets for a few minutes, to produce a parchment, folded and sealed with the Hogwarts crest. Appearing to be furiously at odds with himself, Snape thrust the paper into Hermione's hands.
"What's this?" asked Harry as Hermione broke the seal.
"Read it, Potter, and let us be on our way. I've more important things to do than baby-sit you two." He turned with a huff to face away.
Harry saw that he meant to swish his usual cloak along with him – but the plaid plants just didn't…swing that way. Frowning at their professor, Harry bent his head to read over Hermione's shoulder.
Dear Mr Potter and Ms Granger,
I regret to inform you that your summer holiday must be cut short. Due to recent events regarding You-Know-Who from You-Know-Where, as well as certain personal happenings, the Ministry of Magic has requested that you be returned to my protection at once.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape have been sent to collect you and deliver you safely into my care. I shall see both of you very soon.
My apologies for the interruption,
Wizard Albus Dumbledore,
Headmaster of Hogwarts School, etc. etc. etc.
Hermione flipped the parchment over, looking for a postscript, at the very least. "That's it? That's all it says?" she asked of Snape. A slight warble had crept into her voice and Harry knew the mention of Voldemort had scared her the most. "That's it?" she repeated. "No explanation, no instructions?"
"That's it." Snape's voice had returned to its normal cold, level tone. "You'll learn more when you need to. Now, let's be off."
"Wait," cried Hermione as he took her elbow. Again.
"What now?"
"Where's Professor McGonagall? The note said she was coming too."
"She is waiting for us. And we're late."
**********************************************************************
They took the bus all the way back to Hermione's neighborhood, much to Snape's disgust. But neither wanted to sit next to him in a cab for the forty minute ride, and Hermione had convinced Snape that apparating into her neighborhood would be hazardous. As it turned out, Harry and Hermione sat and Snape stood, apparently thinking he'd have less contact with Muggles that way. Harry grimaced as the professor took hold of the metal pole, thinking of all the germs that lived on its cold surface.
Surely, Professor Minerva McGonagall was waiting on the railing of Hermione's front porch. She swished her tail at their approach and was at the door the moment Hermione reached for the knob. As soon as the door opened, she darted into the front hall. When she returned to her human form, Snape was glaring at her.
"Careful eyes might note that the Grangers had no cat before today."
"And those same careful might note the strange man in plaid pants escorting their neighbors' daughter," she replied.
Hermione stood there awkwardly for a moment, glancing back and forth between the two teachers glaring at each other. "Why don't we go into the living room?" she asked, playing hostess.
McGonagall sat on the couch, across from Hermione and Harry on the loveseat. Snape remained standing. By the grim looks on their faces, Harry knew the details of their departure could only be bad. He stood again, shivering with nerves. "Does anyone want a drink or something before –we-ah-"
"Please, Harry, sit."
He obeyed at once, and took up Hermione's hand again. The Transfiguration professor's eye twinkled at them from behind her glasses.
"I see much has changed in so few days," she remarked pointedly.
"Professor, we didn't learn much from Professor Dumbledore's note. Not to seem rude, but if we're being asked to leave my parents, I'd like to know why. Harry just got here yesterday, and we were told it was safe."
"Of course, Ms Granger. But I do hope that both of you are prepared for what you're about to hear." She sat back, straightening her shoulders before continuing.
"Harry, before you were born, You-Know-Who hated your father most in the world. When your parents and their friends were still with us at Hogwarts, they were all very skilled in magic. As such powerful witches and wizards, You-Know-Who wanted them to join his ranks, to become Death- Eaters. He knew that destroying this world would be easiest if they were to join him. They all fought against him, against his dark ways – except for, of course, Peter, who turned later, as you know.
"At one time, they defeated him in battle, and he remained hidden for years. There was a prophecy –" McGonagall held up a hand when Hermione's mouth opened. "Neither do I, believe in such things, Ms Granger, but once and a while the foreseen do come to pass." Hermione nodded, silently, remembering their experiences in their third year at Hogwarts.
"It was foretold that the product of James and Lily's union would be a son capable of destroying He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. As such, You-Know- Who came to the conclusion that to stop that union, he must fight your parents again. During their last year at Hogwarts, he attacked again, over a series of months, trying desperately to destroy their bond. You would not believe the tricks we saw pass through the school that year." She shuddered once, then smiled grimly.
"But James and Lily found their way back to each other, and he was sent away again. The next time he came back, your parents were unprepared for his attack. They truly believed that they were safe, that he had been destroyed. But he, in fact, destroyed them." She paused for a deep breath and Hermione could see the wetness in her eyes. "Fortunately, when he got to you, Harry, it was too late. You were already too powerful for him. That part you know."
Harry gripped Hermione's hand and the sofa cushion even harder. He knew an even worse part of the story was about to come.
"There was a second part to the foretelling, Harry." McGonagall swallowed heavily. "It's basically a repeat of your parents fate. You see, Harry, Hermione, if you do not utterly destroy Voldemort within the next few years, the past will repeat itself and you two will die, leaving your son to fight your enemy. Voldemort can only be stopped by one of the Potter line."
************************************************************
Part 5: Interruptions
Lunch ended quietly enough for Harry, and he was almost disappointed when the Grangers left to go back to work – almost. He and Hermione left the café to walk the shop-lined street. They strolled hand in hand, stopping every now and then to peer into a store window.
"I can't get over my mother's reaction to us," remarked Hermione at one point. After she and Hermione had come back from the restroom, Mrs Granger had stopped the conversation every five minutes to remark on what a cute couple Harry and her daughter made, or something of the like.
Harry grinned and hugged Hermione to his side. "I always knew I liked your parents."
Hermione smiled back at him before glancing into the window of the Muggle joke shop they'd paused in front of. Rubber chickens, fake vomit, and the like filled the large display. Jokes reminded her of Fred and George Weasley, Fred and George reminded her of their younger brother, Ron.
"Oh dear," she whispered. "Harry, we haven't told Ron."
Harry had opened his mouth to respond when a hard hand clamped down on his shoulder, shocking him into silence. "I'm afraid that what you two are going to tell Weasley will be the least of your concerns, very shortly."
Harry turned about wildly, shoving Hermione behind him and reaching for his wand. He dropped into a dueling stance to face his enemy: the one and only-
"Professor Snape?" gasped Hermione. "What are you doing here?"
And what are you wearing? Harry added silently to himself. Like themselves, Snape had dressed to appear normal in the muggle world – his type of normal, that is. The potions master wore poofy golf pants, a pink dress shirt, and a polka-dotted tie. It was all Harry could do to keep from laughing, and he knew he couldn't risk looking at Hermione.
"What am I doing here?" he replied nastily. "Babysitting the two of you, what does it look like? My summer holiday away from you, now ruined as I'm ordered to follow you, gallivanting across all London."
As Snape had spoken, he'd been shoving Harry and Hermione along by his grip on their shoulders. This was no laughing matter anymore. Harry and Hermione frowned at each other, neither knowing their destination nor the reason for such urgency. Above their heads, Snape continued grumbling to himself. His icy grip tightened and released on their shoulders with his emotions.
"For the sake of his life, must I chase these two prats as they're off snogging about London?"
Hermione had finally had enough of the Potions master's rude attitude and rough grip. The next time he even slightly released his grip on her shoulder, she stepped away out of his reach and to the edge of the pavement. It took Snape several moments (still grumbling to himself) to notice her absence. In the meantime, Harry had followed Hermione's lead and broke free himself.
Having seen his girlfriend angry before, Harry knew to be cautious as he took in her flashing brown eyes, crossed arms, and tough look. Her normally straight (over the past few days) hair had fluffed out in the excitement, and she glared directly at Snape with her hands on jean-clad hips.
"I demand to know the meaning of your blabbering. Where are you taking us?"
Snape broke out of his nervous trance and his face took on its normal – angry- expression. "I should have though it would be Potter, first, to defy my authority," he sneered. "But have it as you may. Ten points from Gryffindor for insubordination."
"Hold on a sec," Harry broke in. "You can't take away points – we're not on school grounds, and the term doesn't start for another two months!"
"We're on holiday, Professor. You can't command us to do your bidding without telling us what is going on."
Snape fumed for another minute before relenting. He knew from prior experience that the two wouldn't move without an explanation. "Very well then, since you two children couldn't find it in yourselves to wait a few more minutes…" He dug around in plaid pockets for a few minutes, to produce a parchment, folded and sealed with the Hogwarts crest. Appearing to be furiously at odds with himself, Snape thrust the paper into Hermione's hands.
"What's this?" asked Harry as Hermione broke the seal.
"Read it, Potter, and let us be on our way. I've more important things to do than baby-sit you two." He turned with a huff to face away.
Harry saw that he meant to swish his usual cloak along with him – but the plaid plants just didn't…swing that way. Frowning at their professor, Harry bent his head to read over Hermione's shoulder.
Dear Mr Potter and Ms Granger,
I regret to inform you that your summer holiday must be cut short. Due to recent events regarding You-Know-Who from You-Know-Where, as well as certain personal happenings, the Ministry of Magic has requested that you be returned to my protection at once.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape have been sent to collect you and deliver you safely into my care. I shall see both of you very soon.
My apologies for the interruption,
Wizard Albus Dumbledore,
Headmaster of Hogwarts School, etc. etc. etc.
Hermione flipped the parchment over, looking for a postscript, at the very least. "That's it? That's all it says?" she asked of Snape. A slight warble had crept into her voice and Harry knew the mention of Voldemort had scared her the most. "That's it?" she repeated. "No explanation, no instructions?"
"That's it." Snape's voice had returned to its normal cold, level tone. "You'll learn more when you need to. Now, let's be off."
"Wait," cried Hermione as he took her elbow. Again.
"What now?"
"Where's Professor McGonagall? The note said she was coming too."
"She is waiting for us. And we're late."
**********************************************************************
They took the bus all the way back to Hermione's neighborhood, much to Snape's disgust. But neither wanted to sit next to him in a cab for the forty minute ride, and Hermione had convinced Snape that apparating into her neighborhood would be hazardous. As it turned out, Harry and Hermione sat and Snape stood, apparently thinking he'd have less contact with Muggles that way. Harry grimaced as the professor took hold of the metal pole, thinking of all the germs that lived on its cold surface.
Surely, Professor Minerva McGonagall was waiting on the railing of Hermione's front porch. She swished her tail at their approach and was at the door the moment Hermione reached for the knob. As soon as the door opened, she darted into the front hall. When she returned to her human form, Snape was glaring at her.
"Careful eyes might note that the Grangers had no cat before today."
"And those same careful might note the strange man in plaid pants escorting their neighbors' daughter," she replied.
Hermione stood there awkwardly for a moment, glancing back and forth between the two teachers glaring at each other. "Why don't we go into the living room?" she asked, playing hostess.
McGonagall sat on the couch, across from Hermione and Harry on the loveseat. Snape remained standing. By the grim looks on their faces, Harry knew the details of their departure could only be bad. He stood again, shivering with nerves. "Does anyone want a drink or something before –we-ah-"
"Please, Harry, sit."
He obeyed at once, and took up Hermione's hand again. The Transfiguration professor's eye twinkled at them from behind her glasses.
"I see much has changed in so few days," she remarked pointedly.
"Professor, we didn't learn much from Professor Dumbledore's note. Not to seem rude, but if we're being asked to leave my parents, I'd like to know why. Harry just got here yesterday, and we were told it was safe."
"Of course, Ms Granger. But I do hope that both of you are prepared for what you're about to hear." She sat back, straightening her shoulders before continuing.
"Harry, before you were born, You-Know-Who hated your father most in the world. When your parents and their friends were still with us at Hogwarts, they were all very skilled in magic. As such powerful witches and wizards, You-Know-Who wanted them to join his ranks, to become Death- Eaters. He knew that destroying this world would be easiest if they were to join him. They all fought against him, against his dark ways – except for, of course, Peter, who turned later, as you know.
"At one time, they defeated him in battle, and he remained hidden for years. There was a prophecy –" McGonagall held up a hand when Hermione's mouth opened. "Neither do I, believe in such things, Ms Granger, but once and a while the foreseen do come to pass." Hermione nodded, silently, remembering their experiences in their third year at Hogwarts.
"It was foretold that the product of James and Lily's union would be a son capable of destroying He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. As such, You-Know- Who came to the conclusion that to stop that union, he must fight your parents again. During their last year at Hogwarts, he attacked again, over a series of months, trying desperately to destroy their bond. You would not believe the tricks we saw pass through the school that year." She shuddered once, then smiled grimly.
"But James and Lily found their way back to each other, and he was sent away again. The next time he came back, your parents were unprepared for his attack. They truly believed that they were safe, that he had been destroyed. But he, in fact, destroyed them." She paused for a deep breath and Hermione could see the wetness in her eyes. "Fortunately, when he got to you, Harry, it was too late. You were already too powerful for him. That part you know."
Harry gripped Hermione's hand and the sofa cushion even harder. He knew an even worse part of the story was about to come.
"There was a second part to the foretelling, Harry." McGonagall swallowed heavily. "It's basically a repeat of your parents fate. You see, Harry, Hermione, if you do not utterly destroy Voldemort within the next few years, the past will repeat itself and you two will die, leaving your son to fight your enemy. Voldemort can only be stopped by one of the Potter line."
************************************************************