Chapter 3
Hermione Weasley looked around the common room; it was much as she had remembered it. She wandered about the room for a few minutes and smiled at the memories each item she came into contact with gave her. Some of the best moments of her life were associated with this room, with that thought, she lay on the couch, and in the warmth of the fire, allowed herself to fall into a light sleep.
An hour later the portrait guarding the door swung soundlessly open, and several figures in black entered the common room looking about cautiously. One of them spotted Hermione asleep and ran to her, kneeling at her side his cobalt blue eyes running over her face, as if memorizing every detail. The figure's shaking hand reached out, caressing her cheek softly.
"Hermione?" He said hesitantly, "Wake up; there's some people here to see you."
Her eyes fluttered open, and she struggled to free herself from the man in front of her. In her mind a single thought 'Death Eater' rang out, and she fought to free herself. A stray slap caused the hood to drop down revealing a shock of red hair. Her struggling slowed down, and she heard his voice. "Hermione? Come on love, it's me, Ron…" he tore off the mask revealing her husband. She broke down and cried on his shoulder.
The others removed their masks and hoods revealing Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Seamus Finnegan, Lavender Brown, Neville Longbottom, and Dean Thomas. They took seats and Hermione looked frightened. "Where are the children Ron?"
Ron smiled. "Mum has them, they are safe, and we'll see them shortly."
She looked around her and confusion seemed etched on her features. "Hogwarts was destroyed. None of this should be here."
Harry looked at her and smiled. "Yes, it was. Terrible amount of mess too, actually. Took almost a year to reconstruct just this tower, but it's worth it."
She looked scared. "But Harry, everyone will know…"
The smug look on his face made her want to hit him. "Know, what exactly? Where we are? We are in Gryffindor Tower, in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
She glared at him, and with the smug look still in place continued. "Which has been moved, and is currently under Fidelitus with a secret keeper who is remaining nameless." He plucked a grape off a bunch in a bowl on top of the table and popped it in his mouth looking far too pleased with himself.
"Where, Harry, did you put Hogwarts?"
"Somewhere safe."
"Where?" Her voice took on an edge.
"Somewhere they'd never look." He picked a couple more grapes and continued popping them in his mouth.
"Bloody hell! Harry James Potter! Where in the bloody fuck is Hogwarts?"
Harry's smug look deepened into a smile. "Our new street address is Number 4, Privet Drive."
Hermione's face fell slack. "Good lord Harry! What have you done?"
"A wealthy, yet eccentric philanthropist bought out all of the houses in the neighborhood, and, might I add paid generously, to move the families out. The housing development was destroyed, and…" His hand pointed with a flourish to the window, which Hermione walked over to and glanced out over the landscape. "We made some changes."
The land in the immediate vicinity of the castle was much as it had been in her youth. Lush green lawns carpeted the immediate vicinity, and below them children played.
"CHILDREN!? Harry!"
"It is still a school." Harry pointed out.
"But children?"
Ginny stood up and walked over to Hermione. "They are orphans Hermione. No one can see into the grounds. To the muggles it appears to be a secluded mansion. Guards stand on the walls to protect those here. Only the ones who have the mark can enter the castle. That's why your children aren't here." At this she pulled up her arm showing a glittering golden phoenix. "The children are marked as we bring them in. When they reach maturity, they can have their memories modified and the mark removed, or they can join us."
"Who teaches them?" She asked.
"Much of the original faculty that survived the war." Dean said talking for the first time. "The primary agers and preschoolers are taught by volunteers, using what books we can scrounge from the area schools." He blushed slightly at this.
"Scrounged?" Hermione's eyebrow arched.
Harry coughed. "Er, yes. We receive anonymous donations." He glared at Dean a second.
"And now we have you too." Ron said smiling. "Of course we don't have Quidditch." He looked heartbroken over that part.
"But Ron, we need to discuss this." Hermione looked anxious.
He pulled up his sleeve showing the phoenix. "No, Hermione, we don't."
She looked visibly relieved, and thought back seven years.
--------- Seven Years Prior -------------
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in the Three Broomsticks discussing their futures. Harry and Ron had been asked to join the Aurors, and had accepted.
Ron was half drunk and began talking. "You know… I never really wanted to be your sidekick Harry. I just wanted a nice young witch to be my wife, and a comfortable desk job in the Ministry. Kind of a quite, unassuming life. But no… You had to come along and be the big hero."
Harry laughed. "It's not like I asked for it Ron."
"Well no, but trouble has a way of finding you all the time doesn't it? Even when Voldemort wasn't trying to kill you, you always managed to land in the thick of it." He placed his chin in his hand and stared at Harry.
"You make it sound like a bad thing mate." Harry's grin was fading.
"And I know you knocked up Ginny." Ron's eyes drooped a bit.
Harry glared at Ron. "I did not 'knock her up'. Don't talk about your sister like she was some cheap slag."
"Well if you didn't who did?" Ron looked concerned at this epiphany.
"Christ Ron shut your bloody damn mouth! Someone might hear you!" Harry said his voice barely a whisper he and Hermione kicked Ron in the shins.
"Ow! What the bloody fuck was that for?" Ron rubbed his shins.
"For being a total prat!" Hermione hissed to him. "Come on, let's go."
They Disapparated moments later.
---------- Present Day ---------------
Hermione rolled up her sleeve and thrust her arm out at Harry. He smiled, and touched the tip of his wand to her wrist, golden glittering ink spread over her wrist, feeling like an army of ants crawling around, and then it settled in, fading slightly.
"That's it then?" She asked.
"Well we are all out of ticker tape…" Harry said his grin back.
"Prat." She glared at him a moment and then pulled him into a hug. "Thank you Harry."
"Don't thank me yet, you don't get saved for free." He winked at her and Ron smiled. "We have a job for you."
She looked at them both. "What's this about?" They lead her to the portrait and out into the halls. After a few minutes they arrived at the library. Books were stacked everywhere, shelves were overflowing, and even more books than she imagined were lying about.
"We need to get the Library in order." Harry said grinning. "And I simply could not think of anyone better than you."
Her mouth dropped open. She walked in almost trancelike and her fingers brushed over the first book she saw Hogwarts: A History. "I had missed this place so much."