The rest of the meeting went by quickly and Adam soon managed to put doubts aside, even though Harry noticed the occasional question was inserted to check that there was no doubt about the girl's identity. Harry couldn't blame the guy, he had just invited them back to his house, he obviously wouldn't want to take a chance. Adam was keen to see more magic, and as the park had gradually become more deserted to the point they were the only ones left in it they could show off some tricks. They did a summoning charm, conjured a few things and did a little transfiguration, turned daffodils into chrysanthemums and empty White Lightening bottles into birds.
They had explained to little Hermione that magic was real, and where thankful that she was still sweet and innocent enough to believe every word they said. Hermione forced it into herself that she wasn't to tell anyone, it would be their little secret and if she promised that they would teach her some magic. Hermione nodded vigorously in agreement, her bushy hair tied back in a French plait that slapped the side of her face with each sharp movement. The trio had decided the whole time travel aspect could be saved till later if it was going to be revealed at all.
"We had better be getting back, Liz will do her nut in if we are not back for 3." Adam said eventually lifting little Hermione onto his hip, she was obviously tired as she buried her head into his shoulder. Adam was playing with his car keys in his right hand as the odd-looking group walked to the large multi-story car park.
Hermione's car was a blue Ford Escort, an average looking car, the three teens squeezed into the back seats while young Hermione and her dad sat in the front. The radio was blaring out a station called Picadilly Key 103 that appeared to have a slightly unhealthy obsession with the fact that they were "the most popular local station outside of London". Maybe they should just have done away altogether with playing music and just played the jingle announcing this fact to the world back-to-back.
"Where are we going?" Asked Hermione eventually. The group had left Bury and where going down a road surrounded by green belt land, they had been driving for about 20 minutes. "We are staying at a friends house. They live in a place called Upper Ramsbottom, not too far to go now" Adam said from behind the wheel, as Steve Penk once again was plugging that "the stats are in and we are the most listened to station outside of London". This appeared to be a recurring theme.
The area was pretty, lots of hills covered in moorland and the town itself was all made of stone with a river running through it. Harry was sure he would remember this place, it was halfway up a big hill that had a tower on top of it. The towers itself was made of brown brick but did look rather phallic in it's appearance. A town called Upper Ramsbottom, which was looked over by a phallic symbol, you had to panic about the sanity of the locals.
Eventually, after a mainly painfully silent car ride, only broken by little Hermione occasionally singing to the radio, the car pulled up outside a small terraced house on a ridiculously steep hill, a passing double decker bus was making all kinds of noises as it tried to negotiate the terrain. "It looks small but the downstairs room is massive, we are having a week up here. It's Louise's house but she has gone on holiday so we have it to ourselves." Adam said, sticking his key into the yale lock in the front door, having to ram it slightly with his shoulder to get in.
The group followed "I think you should stay here while I talk to Liz but if she tries to book me into a nuthouse feel free to come to my aid. Hermione, baby, it might be a good idea for you to go in your room for a few minutes. Why don't you put on that nice dress to show the visitors?" He whispered before making his way through the door opposite the one they just come through. Little Hermione followed him almost running, obviously excited at the idea of being to show off.
The room was painted a warm orange colour, the furniture in the room however didn't seem to go and it seemed rather empty. A piano graced one wall with the television next to it. A huge fireplace dominated the room on top of which where photos of which Harry guessed were Louise's kids, all blonde haired and fair skinned. Along the back wall where bookcases filled with music books and the sofa in the centre of the room was covered by a worn looking throw. The house was cosy while being sparse, an odd combination.
Hermione stood forever edging towards the front door, as the only one who truly knew the people they might be staying with Harry took his hint from her. It appeared that Hermione did not feel her mother's reaction would be favourable. Ron on the other hand had no such sense and was moving further into the room to get a closer look of the photographs. At least there were no raised voices yet, that had to be a good sign.
"What do you reckon will happen?" Harry eventually ventured to ask, while being partially scared of the answer. If Hermione took after her mother there was no chance she would believe this.
"I think she's going to come storming in here in about 5 minutes and demand we leave. When she does that we'll have to do a couple of spells to prove ourselves. If we do a jelly legs or body bind on her that should help, then we can remove it and if she still doesn't believe us maybe conjure a few things, or an accio or wingardium leviosa. The patronus charm always looks good, but I'm hoping it won't get that far. My mum will look for proof before she believes us and we will have to provide it, she won't ask for it." Hermione said, it was quite obvious this is why she had been so quiet, she had been formulating a plan, which she just recited to Harry parrot-fashion.
"So, we sit here and wait for the fireworks?" Ron said, ambling back over obviously eavesdropping on the conversation, "I sure hope your mum isn't as bad as mine when she gets going."
"Mum's are mums, I think they will be on a par. We'll manage though, we have to." Hermione said, obviously tightening the grip on her wand. "Mums are overly protective, we just need to prove that we are right."
Almost on cue the door at the other side of the room flew open, accompanied by a loud bang.
"I don't know how the hell you convinced my husband of your cock and bull story but I sure as anything am not going to buy it. The fool letting people into the house he doesn't even know, for god's sake it's not even OUR house. Now get out before I dial 999." Mrs Granger yelled, almost crimson in her face, her usually calm eyes radiating anger, she was starting to make a move towards the trio.
"Sorry Mrs Granger" Harry quickly mumbled before pulling a well placed full body bind on her, she froze exactly where she was, stiff as a board and totally unable to move, with the exception of her eyes. Ron quickly was running round to catch her and put her on the sofa.
"Finite incantarum" Hermione said, and as her mum flopped into the sofa it was obvious that the bind had been lifted. "Sorry, we had to do that. Do you believe us?" Hermione asked, still relatively calm.
"I don't know how you did that, maybe a short-acting neuromuscular blockade. I cannot believe you just did that, how am I supposed to trust you now. I want you out of my house, putting silly ideas in my daughters head." Mrs Granger was still fuming, but she didn't move from the sofa.
"What would prove it to you then?" Asked Ron, face starting to match his hair. He really was having a hard time believing that people were not buying into their explanations.
"What would prove it? You that cocky? OK then, if you want to prove the bit about magic make the TV dance. If you want to prove the bit about my supposed teenage daughter being in the room tell me when the cat's birthday is and what it's called."
"OK, we can do that. Will tarntallegra work on the tv? Will we have to transfigure it first?" Harry asked looking at the fake-wood looking set.
"Move over, for an inanimate object its Passadallegra" she said, pointing her wand at the TV and with a purple jet shooting at it the TV indeed started waltzing around the room. Mrs Granger looked positively shocked, all colour came drained out of her face as she stared at the clumsy looking TV moving around the room. Hermione lifted the charm and the Tv stopped dead, Ron pushed it back into its original corner.
"That was impressive," Liz said,
"The cat is called Mitzi Moonbeam and she was born about the 1st of March 1982. Dad saw her being born and that's why we got her. She's black and white, with a pink nose, her back is mainly black but she has a white spot in the middle which is how I can tell it's her."
Now Liz looked like she had totally lost the capacity for speech, it was a good job she was sitting down because otherwise she would have long ago hit the decks. She kept opening and closing her mouth, obviously wanting to say something but totally unable to do so.
"So, will you give us the benefit of the doubt?" Harry finally asked after what seemed like and eternity of awkward silence.
Liz Granger nodded, and the trio broke into massive smiles, "Thanks" Harry said,
"Yeah, appreciated" Ron joined in.
Hermione just hid behind Ron, if Harry didn't know better he would think she was shy or embarrassed, she resembled her younger self in the shop. This definitely wasn't the bossy know-it-all they were accustomed to.
The traumatised woman on the couch cleared her throat, "So, er, where do we go from here. I guess you need to get back?" She asked.
"Yes, we disappeared in the middle of a lesson, we should have been back by now I think. We couldn't find Ron and Harry in Bury so they must have left soon after we arrived. We need to teach Harry about magic and a couple of simple spells, same with me. Ron should be alright though."
"Why will Ron be alright?" Mrs Granger asked, fast coming back to her usual self, there were colours back in her cheeks and she had sat up properly on the saggy sofa.
"Well me and Harry didn't grow up with magic, Ron did so he'll be at ease with it so able to say the spell. The three younger selves need to get together and say an incantation to send us back." Hermione said
"So, how do we get Ron and Harry. By the way, which is which."
"Oh sorry, Ron is the red head, Harry is the dark one. We haven't thought about that part, this was an accident. We shouldn't have gone this far back, we didn't meet until we were at school, so we thought it would be easy. It didn't work out like that though."
Liz stood up and walked over to the three, "I'm sorry about before, but you can't deny it was a little bit of a shock. So, are you OK? Is everything alright in the 1990s?"
Hermione laughed, "Everything is fine, school is great and these 2 are the best mates in the world. I've never been happier, but really we can't talk about the future in case it screws it up. Sorry mum".
Mrs Granger seemed totally at ease about this, quite a transformation from the she-devil who was yelling less than 5 minutes ago. The family and the trio where now assembled round a pine dining table in the kitchen of the house. Mrs Granger it emerged had stayed behind to cook a Sunday roast, and after a quick multiplicity spell from Ron (one which he had seen his mother use countless times before) there was more than enough food to go around for everyone. It was a squeeze around the table but the family appeared to enjoy having the visitors.
The group talked about school, the trio went on about how much they liked it, what their favourite subjects were and some of the less dangerous adventures they had been on. The boys tried to introduce the younger Hermione to the glories of quidditch, although she appeared to have the same amount of interest as her older self.
"So, have you thought anymore of how you are going to get the younger Harry and Ron" Adam said, through a mouthful of Yorkshire.
"Well, if we go to Ron's first then we'll sort out Harry later. The Weasley's are all-magical so he's the easiest to sort out and no doubt his dad would be enthusiastic about having some muggles in his house. We'll use a portkey to get there, I don't know if we could use the knight bus." Hermione pondered. From the blank looks on her parent's faces it was obvious they had not caught a single word.
"So, when are you doing that?" Liz asked, obviously wanting to get onto a topic she could understand.
"Tomorrow I say, I think you should come too." Hermione said. She had totally taken control of the situation.
"As if you could try and stop us" Adam said, with a stupid grin plastered across his face.