Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or anything affiliated with Harry
Potter. J.K. Rowling has that honor.
Author's Notes: This story is set 8 years after Harry's seventh year, and after the final battle with Voldemort. As a result, you may notice some cannon characters are not here. I figure, as they had fought a war, several characters most likely would have been killed, or imprisoned. These characters if not revealed in this first chapter, will be in later chapters. Also, please not, four (maybe five) original characters will make appearances in later chapters. Also, please forgive any discrepancies with the storyline. I will try to stay true to the books, (and, in some cases, the movies), but like most readers, many details in this story is based on how my own mind perceived and translated the words from page to imagination.
Warning: This story does contain slash. M/M relationships. (Most of my stories do to some extent). Couples in this story include: HG/RW, HP/OW, GW/NL, implied AD/MM, implied BZ/PP. Any other couples to appear, I will make reference to in here.
Hermione and Ron have two children. Both the children's names have specific meaning and reference. Chapter dedication to anyone who correctly guesses the specificity of their names. (Hint, for the daughter's middle name, divide it into three distinct sections, keep the 'h' alone.)
Know this chapter is bit shorter, but it's mainly for some filler, and to establish a few of the other relationships in the story. Main plot back for next chapter –coming soon!
Please, leave your reviews in the nice box, and enjoy! (ps— just, ps.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- "Night comes down and finds you alone/In a space and time of your own/Lost in dreams in a world full of shadows./Down the street the neon light shines/Offering refuge and hope to the blind/You stumble in with no thought of tomorrow./Yes, I get a little lonely when the sun gets low/And I end/looking for somewhere to go/Yes, I should know better but I can't say no." –Night Owl, Gerry Rafferty
Chapter Three: Visit to the Owlery
When Saturday came, Harry and Draco stood together at the Hogwart's entrance, in order to help to see the students to Hogsmede safely, and to help Argus Filch, should the caretaker need the help. But Filch did not only not ask for their help, but he continuously shot them disgruntled looks, probably still remembering they had caused from when they had still been enemies from their school days.
If only for those few minutes, standing in the castle doorway, the slight wind blowing against their skin and through their hair, it almost seemed to them, that they had the castle to themselves. Of course, they knew that was not the case. They knew, if they followed inside again, they would find Firenze in his office no doubt, Filch was still here, as were they younger children, the first and second years, and any children who couldn't go. Harry felt sympathy for them, because he remembered all too well, when in his third year, when he could not visit Hogwarts. But of course, he had had his father's invisibility cloak, and the Marauders map to guide him, and friends, who sneaked him back butterbeer. But Hermione was gone, gone with her two children to meet Ron outside the Shrieking Shack. She would be gone tonight, as the Weasley family planned to stay in the apartment Ron kept in Wizarding London, for an easier commute to his Ministry job. Hermione had mentioned meeting Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley for dinner. He had been invited, but had politely declined the offer. ("They're engaged, you know," she had informed him a couple weeks earlier. "Ginny and Neville. He proposed on his birthday, said her answer was the best present he had ever received. Of course, I don't know what they'll do about living arrangements. Nev's lived with Seamus and Dean for five post- Hogwarts years now, and Gin's lived with Luna Lovegood since they graduated. Knowing them, they'll probably get a six bedroom house, just so they can keep their roommates," Hermione had laughed.) Pansy, too, had already left, to wind down with a drink in The Hog's Head, to see if Aberforth still worked there.
"All finished here," growled Filch. "Get back inside, or get out the doorway. I have work to do."
Draco grinned slightly. Filch still didn't trust they were professors now, still expected them to pull curse wars on one another when the older adults turned their heads. "Up for another chess game, Potter?" he asked.
"Not right now," he shook his head. "I have a letter to send first. Care to walk down to the Owlery with me?"
"Sure," Draco shrugged. He stepped lightly from the front steps to the flat ground, and he hesitated slightly to wait for Harry. He frowned slightly, when they begin to walk the path. "You're limping today," he noted.
"Yes," Harry nodded. "Sometimes, it will still warn me of rain coming. Or, other inclement weather. Must be rain today."
"Must be," the former Slytherin agreed.
Harry's leg injury was not something most people mentioned. Truthfully, only those close to him even remembered it had happened or how it had happened. But after Voldemort had been defeated, Harry Potter had trained to become an Auror, and for the six years immediately following the Final Battle, he had had worked hard to capture the remaining Dark Followers. But one capture something had gone wrong. Lucius Malfoy, he had implemented the 'Avada Kevadra' curse, but something had backfired. Lucius had been killed, he had been killed, but Harry's left leg had collapsed under him, all the bones gone. He had passed out from the pain, and when he woken again, nearly a week later, he had found himself in St. Mungo's, and been informed he had been given Skeleto-Gro. But something had gone wrong, a bone in the lower leg had grown in wrong. He could still walk, and he still secretly flew broomsticks, but he could no longer work as an Auror. When Dumbledore had offered him the job of Dark Arts instructor, he had accepted, grateful for the opportunity. He had never admitted it to anyone, but he had missed Hogwarts.
"Sending a letter, I assume?" Draco spoke again.
"To Lupin," Harry confirmed. "He still likes me to keep him posted on things. Besides, I want to check the plans for Christmas."
"Christmas is still nearly two months away, Harry!"
"I know, but Remus is planning to go all out this year." Harry grew quiet, and he turned to face Draco, pausing in his steps. "You know you are welcome to come?"
"I know," Draco nodded. "So, what do you think of Blaise's return?" he asked, in an attempt to change the subject.
"Indifferent, I guess. I didn't know him very well when we were in school."
"No one did really. Except maybe Pansy. Even we Slytherins wondered about him." Draco shrugged. "He's changed."
"So have you, Draco."
"We all have," he agreed quietly. "He went to get the last of his belongings today. He left with Pansy this morning, but he said something about meeting his sister in Hogsmede, and that she was going to help him move everything."
"I didn't know Blaise had a sister?"
"Fyre. She's seven or eight years older, I think."
"Oh," Harry mouthed.
They had reached the Owlery. Hedwig flew from her perch, to nip affectionately at Harry's ear. "Now, I want you take this to Remus, Hedwig," he ordered gently. "He's expecting the letter, so make sure you wait for a response. Understand?"
Hedwig nipped his ear affectionately again, and Harry attached the letter to her leg. He watched her take off, still the epitome of grace. He sighed, before he looked around the Owlery once, ad hurried outside again. He found Draco leaning casually against the doorway. The Slytherin smirked. "That was bloody quick, Potter. Don't you want to make wait around, see if the owls may take a liking to you, put you in the hospital wing again?"
"Funny, Malfoy," he returned dryly. "You know, the first time I kissed Oliver, we were in the Owelry."
"I'm sorry," sobered Draco. "I didn't know."
Author's Notes: This story is set 8 years after Harry's seventh year, and after the final battle with Voldemort. As a result, you may notice some cannon characters are not here. I figure, as they had fought a war, several characters most likely would have been killed, or imprisoned. These characters if not revealed in this first chapter, will be in later chapters. Also, please not, four (maybe five) original characters will make appearances in later chapters. Also, please forgive any discrepancies with the storyline. I will try to stay true to the books, (and, in some cases, the movies), but like most readers, many details in this story is based on how my own mind perceived and translated the words from page to imagination.
Warning: This story does contain slash. M/M relationships. (Most of my stories do to some extent). Couples in this story include: HG/RW, HP/OW, GW/NL, implied AD/MM, implied BZ/PP. Any other couples to appear, I will make reference to in here.
Hermione and Ron have two children. Both the children's names have specific meaning and reference. Chapter dedication to anyone who correctly guesses the specificity of their names. (Hint, for the daughter's middle name, divide it into three distinct sections, keep the 'h' alone.)
Know this chapter is bit shorter, but it's mainly for some filler, and to establish a few of the other relationships in the story. Main plot back for next chapter –coming soon!
Please, leave your reviews in the nice box, and enjoy! (ps— just, ps.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- "Night comes down and finds you alone/In a space and time of your own/Lost in dreams in a world full of shadows./Down the street the neon light shines/Offering refuge and hope to the blind/You stumble in with no thought of tomorrow./Yes, I get a little lonely when the sun gets low/And I end/looking for somewhere to go/Yes, I should know better but I can't say no." –Night Owl, Gerry Rafferty
Chapter Three: Visit to the Owlery
When Saturday came, Harry and Draco stood together at the Hogwart's entrance, in order to help to see the students to Hogsmede safely, and to help Argus Filch, should the caretaker need the help. But Filch did not only not ask for their help, but he continuously shot them disgruntled looks, probably still remembering they had caused from when they had still been enemies from their school days.
If only for those few minutes, standing in the castle doorway, the slight wind blowing against their skin and through their hair, it almost seemed to them, that they had the castle to themselves. Of course, they knew that was not the case. They knew, if they followed inside again, they would find Firenze in his office no doubt, Filch was still here, as were they younger children, the first and second years, and any children who couldn't go. Harry felt sympathy for them, because he remembered all too well, when in his third year, when he could not visit Hogwarts. But of course, he had had his father's invisibility cloak, and the Marauders map to guide him, and friends, who sneaked him back butterbeer. But Hermione was gone, gone with her two children to meet Ron outside the Shrieking Shack. She would be gone tonight, as the Weasley family planned to stay in the apartment Ron kept in Wizarding London, for an easier commute to his Ministry job. Hermione had mentioned meeting Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley for dinner. He had been invited, but had politely declined the offer. ("They're engaged, you know," she had informed him a couple weeks earlier. "Ginny and Neville. He proposed on his birthday, said her answer was the best present he had ever received. Of course, I don't know what they'll do about living arrangements. Nev's lived with Seamus and Dean for five post- Hogwarts years now, and Gin's lived with Luna Lovegood since they graduated. Knowing them, they'll probably get a six bedroom house, just so they can keep their roommates," Hermione had laughed.) Pansy, too, had already left, to wind down with a drink in The Hog's Head, to see if Aberforth still worked there.
"All finished here," growled Filch. "Get back inside, or get out the doorway. I have work to do."
Draco grinned slightly. Filch still didn't trust they were professors now, still expected them to pull curse wars on one another when the older adults turned their heads. "Up for another chess game, Potter?" he asked.
"Not right now," he shook his head. "I have a letter to send first. Care to walk down to the Owlery with me?"
"Sure," Draco shrugged. He stepped lightly from the front steps to the flat ground, and he hesitated slightly to wait for Harry. He frowned slightly, when they begin to walk the path. "You're limping today," he noted.
"Yes," Harry nodded. "Sometimes, it will still warn me of rain coming. Or, other inclement weather. Must be rain today."
"Must be," the former Slytherin agreed.
Harry's leg injury was not something most people mentioned. Truthfully, only those close to him even remembered it had happened or how it had happened. But after Voldemort had been defeated, Harry Potter had trained to become an Auror, and for the six years immediately following the Final Battle, he had had worked hard to capture the remaining Dark Followers. But one capture something had gone wrong. Lucius Malfoy, he had implemented the 'Avada Kevadra' curse, but something had backfired. Lucius had been killed, he had been killed, but Harry's left leg had collapsed under him, all the bones gone. He had passed out from the pain, and when he woken again, nearly a week later, he had found himself in St. Mungo's, and been informed he had been given Skeleto-Gro. But something had gone wrong, a bone in the lower leg had grown in wrong. He could still walk, and he still secretly flew broomsticks, but he could no longer work as an Auror. When Dumbledore had offered him the job of Dark Arts instructor, he had accepted, grateful for the opportunity. He had never admitted it to anyone, but he had missed Hogwarts.
"Sending a letter, I assume?" Draco spoke again.
"To Lupin," Harry confirmed. "He still likes me to keep him posted on things. Besides, I want to check the plans for Christmas."
"Christmas is still nearly two months away, Harry!"
"I know, but Remus is planning to go all out this year." Harry grew quiet, and he turned to face Draco, pausing in his steps. "You know you are welcome to come?"
"I know," Draco nodded. "So, what do you think of Blaise's return?" he asked, in an attempt to change the subject.
"Indifferent, I guess. I didn't know him very well when we were in school."
"No one did really. Except maybe Pansy. Even we Slytherins wondered about him." Draco shrugged. "He's changed."
"So have you, Draco."
"We all have," he agreed quietly. "He went to get the last of his belongings today. He left with Pansy this morning, but he said something about meeting his sister in Hogsmede, and that she was going to help him move everything."
"I didn't know Blaise had a sister?"
"Fyre. She's seven or eight years older, I think."
"Oh," Harry mouthed.
They had reached the Owlery. Hedwig flew from her perch, to nip affectionately at Harry's ear. "Now, I want you take this to Remus, Hedwig," he ordered gently. "He's expecting the letter, so make sure you wait for a response. Understand?"
Hedwig nipped his ear affectionately again, and Harry attached the letter to her leg. He watched her take off, still the epitome of grace. He sighed, before he looked around the Owlery once, ad hurried outside again. He found Draco leaning casually against the doorway. The Slytherin smirked. "That was bloody quick, Potter. Don't you want to make wait around, see if the owls may take a liking to you, put you in the hospital wing again?"
"Funny, Malfoy," he returned dryly. "You know, the first time I kissed Oliver, we were in the Owelry."
"I'm sorry," sobered Draco. "I didn't know."