Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Author's Note (8/29/03): I will be away until Monday so please be patient with me for the next chapter. I also may have to start work on Tuesday so updates may be slower, but I promise you they will come!
Chapter Two: Back to Hogwarts
Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry weren't all in the same room together until the next month, when they all gathered at Harry and Ginny's house for Lily's first birthday party. "Why don't we meet at the Burrow on the day of the reunion and travel from there?" Harry asked as they sat together around the dining room table. "We all have to drop the children off, and since they won't be with us we can just apparate."
"And you're positive it's okay for your mum to take all four of them?" Hermione asked Ron again.
"Hermione, I KNOW it's okay for mum to take all of them," he said. "Dad's going to be home the whole weekend. They'll be thrilled."
"Okay," said Hermione, but Ron could see that she didn't look convinced.
"Hermione?" he asked. "Are you sure it isn't YOU who has a problem leaving the girls with my mum?"
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "No!" She stopped, and looked at him. "Okay," she admitted. "But it's not because I don't trust your mum. It's just that we've never been away from the girls for a whole weekend before."
Ron laughed and grabbed his wife's hand. "It's okay, love," he said. "They'll have a great time. Won't you Olivia?" He smiled at the baby in her high chair, and she grinned at him back. She reached her arms up to her father and Ron lifted her from the high chair and held her in his lap.
Hermione smiled. "Such a daddy's girl," she said.
* * *
The day before the reunion was to take place, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry met up at the Burrow. Both families were laden down with various bags holding everything Mrs. Weasley would need to take care of the children. "Honestly," she said to them. "You'd think I'd never even held a baby before, the way you all act!"
"Mum!" said Ginny. "We know you're perfectly capable. It's just that you don't have a lot of baby supplies around these days. It's been quite some time since I needed them."
Mrs. Weasley smiled at her, and seemed to be remembering when Ginny was just a baby. "Well," she said. "I'm putting the children in Percy's old room. It's on the same floor as your father's and my bedroom, you know. Makes it easier. Of course, Lily and Olivia may end up in our room anyway."
"Olivia sleeps pretty much through the night," said Ron. "But if she does wake up, usually Hermione just sings her a lullaby and she dozes right off again."
"And Lily will want to sleep with you if she waked up," Ginny added. "And expect to be woken up by her."
"Anything else?" Mrs. Weasley asked, in a sarcastic tone.
"Emma likes water before she goes to bed," said Hermione, "and a story."
"And James has to talk himself to sleep," Harry piped in. "So don't be surprised if you hear his little voice coming from his room. I don't know why he does that. He likes the noise I think. We've been planning to give him a radio to listen to when falling asleep."
"I've got it all, I think," said Mrs. Weasley, and she seemed eager to get her children out of the house. She looked at her watch. "Don't you think you should be going? You've got to settle in before the reunion begins, don't you?"
"It's all right," said Harry. "We've made reservations. We don't have to go yet."
"Okay then," said Mrs. Weasley. "Let me make you some lunch then."
"Thanks, mum," said Ginny. "That would be nice. Why don't we set up a picnic in the yard."
"Yeah!" came James' voice.
"Oh, you like that idea, do you?" Ginny asked her son. "Well, why don't you and Emma take a blanket from the closet in the hall and go spread it out on the grass?"
"Okay!" James said. "Come on, Em!" He pulled his cousin's hand and they ran off together down the hall. Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron headed out into the yard. Ginny and Hermione placed Lily and Olivia on the grass, where they promptly proceeded to search for bits of things they could put in their mouths.
"What are you doing for Olivia's birthday next month?" Ginny asked Hermione as they sat in the grass near their daughters.
Hermione shrugged. "Probably just have the family over," she said. "Something simple."
Ron and Harry were helping James and Emma set up the blanket on the ground, but the women made no move to go sit on it, more comfortable where they were. "No, Olivia, don't eat that," Hermione said, and she pulled a twig away from Olivia's grasp. Olivia seemed unfazed by this action and she searched the ground for something else to play with (or attempt to eat).
Ron sat down next to Hermione and leaned his head on her shoulder. "Tired already?" she asked him. James and Emma had decided to chase their fathers around the blanket, until Ron had surrendered and gone to sit with his wife and his sister. He laughed now, and stayed where he was. "Hear about Percy's big promotion?" he said to Ginny.
Ginny nodded, "He'll be Minster of Magic soon, no doubt," she said.
"If dad doesn't get there first," said Ron, referring to his father's own promotions. In the past couple of years, Mr. Weasley had been given a few promotions and some very nice salary wages.
"I don't think dad will do it, though," said Ginny. "I imagine he'll want to retire soon."
"Not dad," said Ron. "He loves work!"
"Well then, maybe he'll go work with Fred and George," said Ginny with a smile.
"Nah, they've already got plans to have the kids working there," Ron said. Fred had married Angelina Johnson, and they had three children now, Stacey, Brian and Michael who were almost 6, 4, and 1 respectively. George had followed suit and married Katie Bell, and their two children - Matthew and Chelsea - were 4 and 1. The previous year had been an exciting one for Mrs. Weasley, as she had gained four new grandchildren.
"Do you think Percy and Penelope will finally move?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," said Ginny. "They might. They've been talking about a bigger house for years." Percy and Penelope, married eleven and a half years, still lived in a flat in London with their two sons. Phillip, the first Weasley grandchild, would be ten years old in August. His younger brother Peter had just turned seven. Rounding out the family were Charlie and Dawn, who had married five years earlier, with their nearly 2 year old son Milo, and Bill, whose wife, Fleur Delacoeur, had given birth to their daughter Sarah in January.
Harry joined his wife and friends and they spent some time watching their children play and cavort in the backyard, until Mrs. Weasley came out with the lunch. She had made tons of sandwiches, along with two different cakes to please every taste present. She also had potato salad and cole slaw, and the group dove right in. "Emma, come sit and eat something," Ron said to Emma, when she seemed to show no interest. The little girl came reluctantly over to the blanket and sat down. She ate only potato salad.
"Better than nothing," said Ron, stopping Hermione from complaining about her daughter's picky eating habits.
They spent another two hours in the yard with Mrs. Weasley, until she finally urged them to head to Hogsmeade. Hermione knelt in front of Emma. "Okay, Emma, we're heading off. Be good for your grandmother and help her take care of your sister and your cousins. I'll see you on Sunday." She hugged her, and Emma hugged her back. "Love you."
"Love you too, mummy," she said, and then she turned to Ron. "Love you dad."
"Love you," he said, and he picked her up and planted a kiss on her cheek. "See you soon." Both parents then turned to say their goodbyes to Olivia, while Harry and Ginny said similar farewells to their children.
"Everybody all set?" Mrs. Weasley asked as they all stood.
"I think so," said Hermione. "Thank you, Molly, for taking them."
"My pleasure, Hermione dear," she said. "Now, go! Go on, and have a wonderful time!"
They all waved goodbye and within seconds had disapparated.
* * *
They all appeared outside a hotel in Hogsmeade. "Here we are," said Ron. "Harry, you did get two rooms, right?"
"Yes," said Harry. "We just need to check in." As he was turning to head into the hotel, they heard a familiar voice behind them.
"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Ginny!" They turned to see Neville Longbottom coming towards them.
"Hello Neville," said Ron, and he shook his hand when they were close enough. Harry did the same, and Ginny and Hermione each gave Neville a short hug.
"It's good to see you all," Neville said with a smile. "Are you all staying here?"
"Yup," said Harry. "You?"
Neville nodded. "I was just coming to meet Luna. She's checking us in. I was getting the bags taken care of. Ah, there she is now."
"Hello everyone," came the voice of Luna Longbottom (nee Lovegood). The friends turned to see her. She looked almost exactly the same as they remembered her, except a little bit older, and she looked to be about six months pregnant.
"So you two went and got yourselves married," said Harry, and Neville smiled, and took Luna's hand.
"And congratulations on the baby," said Ginny. "When are you expecting?"
"September," Luna and Neville said at the same time. "What about you? Any of you have any kids?"
"Two," said Hermione and Ginny in unison. They laughed.
"We have two little girls," Hermione said. "Emma and Olivia."
"And we have James and Lily," said Ginny.
"Oh, they're named after your parents," said Neville. "That's what we were thinking of doing. Naming the baby after one of our parents."
The couples spent a few more minutes reminiscing a little bit and updating them on their lives. Neville was making quite a name for himself by writing a series of garden care books, and he was on his way to becoming one of the most famous Herbologists in the wizarding world. Luna had taken over "The Quibbler" when her father retired, and she was constantly on the hunt for new and strange creatures.
"Well, we're going to the Three Broomsticks. Dean and Seamus are there, and some other Gryffindors are meeting up later," said Neville. "You want to join us?"
"Sounds great," said Hermione. "Let us get settled first though."
"Take you time," said Neville, and he and Luna said their farewells and started down the road. Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron headed into the hotel to check in and settle in for the weekend.
* * *
The four friends met back in the lobby of the hotel when they had finished unpacking, and gotten settled down. As they headed outside, Hermione said, "It feels good to be back here," she said.
"Want to head to the Three Broomsticks?" Harry asked.
"In a bit," said Hermione. "I want to see the school first." Everyone smiled and walked up the familiar road that led to Hogwarts. Hogsmeade was quite different than the last time they had been there. The hotel they were staying at was a new building, and it wasn't the only one. After Voldemort's wrath on the town, much of it had to be built up again, and some of the older businesses did not survive. Still, the charm of the town was still there, and the four friends were glad of it as they continued up the path.
"Almost there," said Ron as they walked up a hill. "As soon as we're over this, we should see the castle." Sure enough, as they got to the top of the hill, the grand turrets of Hogwarts came into view.
"It's exactly the same," said Ginny. "It almost feels like we're back in school."
"I can't wait for the reunion tomorrow night," said Ron. "It should be fun." The friends nodded their heads and continued looking up at the castle, each remembering something from their school days.
They had returned to Hogwarts.
Author's Note (8/29/03): I will be away until Monday so please be patient with me for the next chapter. I also may have to start work on Tuesday so updates may be slower, but I promise you they will come!
Chapter Two: Back to Hogwarts
Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry weren't all in the same room together until the next month, when they all gathered at Harry and Ginny's house for Lily's first birthday party. "Why don't we meet at the Burrow on the day of the reunion and travel from there?" Harry asked as they sat together around the dining room table. "We all have to drop the children off, and since they won't be with us we can just apparate."
"And you're positive it's okay for your mum to take all four of them?" Hermione asked Ron again.
"Hermione, I KNOW it's okay for mum to take all of them," he said. "Dad's going to be home the whole weekend. They'll be thrilled."
"Okay," said Hermione, but Ron could see that she didn't look convinced.
"Hermione?" he asked. "Are you sure it isn't YOU who has a problem leaving the girls with my mum?"
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "No!" She stopped, and looked at him. "Okay," she admitted. "But it's not because I don't trust your mum. It's just that we've never been away from the girls for a whole weekend before."
Ron laughed and grabbed his wife's hand. "It's okay, love," he said. "They'll have a great time. Won't you Olivia?" He smiled at the baby in her high chair, and she grinned at him back. She reached her arms up to her father and Ron lifted her from the high chair and held her in his lap.
Hermione smiled. "Such a daddy's girl," she said.
* * *
The day before the reunion was to take place, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry met up at the Burrow. Both families were laden down with various bags holding everything Mrs. Weasley would need to take care of the children. "Honestly," she said to them. "You'd think I'd never even held a baby before, the way you all act!"
"Mum!" said Ginny. "We know you're perfectly capable. It's just that you don't have a lot of baby supplies around these days. It's been quite some time since I needed them."
Mrs. Weasley smiled at her, and seemed to be remembering when Ginny was just a baby. "Well," she said. "I'm putting the children in Percy's old room. It's on the same floor as your father's and my bedroom, you know. Makes it easier. Of course, Lily and Olivia may end up in our room anyway."
"Olivia sleeps pretty much through the night," said Ron. "But if she does wake up, usually Hermione just sings her a lullaby and she dozes right off again."
"And Lily will want to sleep with you if she waked up," Ginny added. "And expect to be woken up by her."
"Anything else?" Mrs. Weasley asked, in a sarcastic tone.
"Emma likes water before she goes to bed," said Hermione, "and a story."
"And James has to talk himself to sleep," Harry piped in. "So don't be surprised if you hear his little voice coming from his room. I don't know why he does that. He likes the noise I think. We've been planning to give him a radio to listen to when falling asleep."
"I've got it all, I think," said Mrs. Weasley, and she seemed eager to get her children out of the house. She looked at her watch. "Don't you think you should be going? You've got to settle in before the reunion begins, don't you?"
"It's all right," said Harry. "We've made reservations. We don't have to go yet."
"Okay then," said Mrs. Weasley. "Let me make you some lunch then."
"Thanks, mum," said Ginny. "That would be nice. Why don't we set up a picnic in the yard."
"Yeah!" came James' voice.
"Oh, you like that idea, do you?" Ginny asked her son. "Well, why don't you and Emma take a blanket from the closet in the hall and go spread it out on the grass?"
"Okay!" James said. "Come on, Em!" He pulled his cousin's hand and they ran off together down the hall. Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron headed out into the yard. Ginny and Hermione placed Lily and Olivia on the grass, where they promptly proceeded to search for bits of things they could put in their mouths.
"What are you doing for Olivia's birthday next month?" Ginny asked Hermione as they sat in the grass near their daughters.
Hermione shrugged. "Probably just have the family over," she said. "Something simple."
Ron and Harry were helping James and Emma set up the blanket on the ground, but the women made no move to go sit on it, more comfortable where they were. "No, Olivia, don't eat that," Hermione said, and she pulled a twig away from Olivia's grasp. Olivia seemed unfazed by this action and she searched the ground for something else to play with (or attempt to eat).
Ron sat down next to Hermione and leaned his head on her shoulder. "Tired already?" she asked him. James and Emma had decided to chase their fathers around the blanket, until Ron had surrendered and gone to sit with his wife and his sister. He laughed now, and stayed where he was. "Hear about Percy's big promotion?" he said to Ginny.
Ginny nodded, "He'll be Minster of Magic soon, no doubt," she said.
"If dad doesn't get there first," said Ron, referring to his father's own promotions. In the past couple of years, Mr. Weasley had been given a few promotions and some very nice salary wages.
"I don't think dad will do it, though," said Ginny. "I imagine he'll want to retire soon."
"Not dad," said Ron. "He loves work!"
"Well then, maybe he'll go work with Fred and George," said Ginny with a smile.
"Nah, they've already got plans to have the kids working there," Ron said. Fred had married Angelina Johnson, and they had three children now, Stacey, Brian and Michael who were almost 6, 4, and 1 respectively. George had followed suit and married Katie Bell, and their two children - Matthew and Chelsea - were 4 and 1. The previous year had been an exciting one for Mrs. Weasley, as she had gained four new grandchildren.
"Do you think Percy and Penelope will finally move?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," said Ginny. "They might. They've been talking about a bigger house for years." Percy and Penelope, married eleven and a half years, still lived in a flat in London with their two sons. Phillip, the first Weasley grandchild, would be ten years old in August. His younger brother Peter had just turned seven. Rounding out the family were Charlie and Dawn, who had married five years earlier, with their nearly 2 year old son Milo, and Bill, whose wife, Fleur Delacoeur, had given birth to their daughter Sarah in January.
Harry joined his wife and friends and they spent some time watching their children play and cavort in the backyard, until Mrs. Weasley came out with the lunch. She had made tons of sandwiches, along with two different cakes to please every taste present. She also had potato salad and cole slaw, and the group dove right in. "Emma, come sit and eat something," Ron said to Emma, when she seemed to show no interest. The little girl came reluctantly over to the blanket and sat down. She ate only potato salad.
"Better than nothing," said Ron, stopping Hermione from complaining about her daughter's picky eating habits.
They spent another two hours in the yard with Mrs. Weasley, until she finally urged them to head to Hogsmeade. Hermione knelt in front of Emma. "Okay, Emma, we're heading off. Be good for your grandmother and help her take care of your sister and your cousins. I'll see you on Sunday." She hugged her, and Emma hugged her back. "Love you."
"Love you too, mummy," she said, and then she turned to Ron. "Love you dad."
"Love you," he said, and he picked her up and planted a kiss on her cheek. "See you soon." Both parents then turned to say their goodbyes to Olivia, while Harry and Ginny said similar farewells to their children.
"Everybody all set?" Mrs. Weasley asked as they all stood.
"I think so," said Hermione. "Thank you, Molly, for taking them."
"My pleasure, Hermione dear," she said. "Now, go! Go on, and have a wonderful time!"
They all waved goodbye and within seconds had disapparated.
* * *
They all appeared outside a hotel in Hogsmeade. "Here we are," said Ron. "Harry, you did get two rooms, right?"
"Yes," said Harry. "We just need to check in." As he was turning to head into the hotel, they heard a familiar voice behind them.
"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Ginny!" They turned to see Neville Longbottom coming towards them.
"Hello Neville," said Ron, and he shook his hand when they were close enough. Harry did the same, and Ginny and Hermione each gave Neville a short hug.
"It's good to see you all," Neville said with a smile. "Are you all staying here?"
"Yup," said Harry. "You?"
Neville nodded. "I was just coming to meet Luna. She's checking us in. I was getting the bags taken care of. Ah, there she is now."
"Hello everyone," came the voice of Luna Longbottom (nee Lovegood). The friends turned to see her. She looked almost exactly the same as they remembered her, except a little bit older, and she looked to be about six months pregnant.
"So you two went and got yourselves married," said Harry, and Neville smiled, and took Luna's hand.
"And congratulations on the baby," said Ginny. "When are you expecting?"
"September," Luna and Neville said at the same time. "What about you? Any of you have any kids?"
"Two," said Hermione and Ginny in unison. They laughed.
"We have two little girls," Hermione said. "Emma and Olivia."
"And we have James and Lily," said Ginny.
"Oh, they're named after your parents," said Neville. "That's what we were thinking of doing. Naming the baby after one of our parents."
The couples spent a few more minutes reminiscing a little bit and updating them on their lives. Neville was making quite a name for himself by writing a series of garden care books, and he was on his way to becoming one of the most famous Herbologists in the wizarding world. Luna had taken over "The Quibbler" when her father retired, and she was constantly on the hunt for new and strange creatures.
"Well, we're going to the Three Broomsticks. Dean and Seamus are there, and some other Gryffindors are meeting up later," said Neville. "You want to join us?"
"Sounds great," said Hermione. "Let us get settled first though."
"Take you time," said Neville, and he and Luna said their farewells and started down the road. Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron headed into the hotel to check in and settle in for the weekend.
* * *
The four friends met back in the lobby of the hotel when they had finished unpacking, and gotten settled down. As they headed outside, Hermione said, "It feels good to be back here," she said.
"Want to head to the Three Broomsticks?" Harry asked.
"In a bit," said Hermione. "I want to see the school first." Everyone smiled and walked up the familiar road that led to Hogwarts. Hogsmeade was quite different than the last time they had been there. The hotel they were staying at was a new building, and it wasn't the only one. After Voldemort's wrath on the town, much of it had to be built up again, and some of the older businesses did not survive. Still, the charm of the town was still there, and the four friends were glad of it as they continued up the path.
"Almost there," said Ron as they walked up a hill. "As soon as we're over this, we should see the castle." Sure enough, as they got to the top of the hill, the grand turrets of Hogwarts came into view.
"It's exactly the same," said Ginny. "It almost feels like we're back in school."
"I can't wait for the reunion tomorrow night," said Ron. "It should be fun." The friends nodded their heads and continued looking up at the castle, each remembering something from their school days.
They had returned to Hogwarts.