They arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place late Friday afternoon with Christmas a week away on Thursday. Everyone arrived in small groups; the students all arrived together under the watchful eye of the father of three of the students. Several of the older participants, friends and family, came later that day. Molly had lain out a table of food instead of a planned dinner; instructing everyone to eat when they were hungry. Ron was the first to stop and sample the delicacies prepared.
Hermione had planned to spend as much time perfecting some new spells; she had discovered a new one that had potential, a variant of a defensive shield she found in one of the dusty volumes she received from her special notepad. She and Harry passed the main lounge planning to setup a study area in the dungeons where any sounds could be muffled; their arrival had been noticed and anticipated. Jake had been waiting to personally thank his host since he heard the news they were coming.
"Harry!" he called to the boy he knew in Florida.
"Jake! It's great to see you again." Harry ran up to his friend and grabbed his hand, but wanted to embrace him. "How has your stay been?"
"It's taken me some time to get use to things, but it's a comfortable little shack you have here. Is she coming?" He was eagerly waiting for her to join them for the holiday. The last time he had seen her was that Saturday she came to deliver the potion for Remus. There was still one question he had to ask, but when they were last together, the timing wasn't right. He knew their relationship had a chance, but not if he rushed it.
"Yeah, Professor Madison is coming later tonight." Harry confirmed, knowing Jake's soft spot for the older witch.
"Great. You know she came by a few weeks ago."
"Yeah, I'm glad you know about us now, I hated deceiving you."
"Remus told me all about you, but I didn't know what he is until Eileen showed up. Werewolves and vampires are things of fantasy for me, they never really existed."
"Like wizards and witches?" Hermione cut in.
"Yeah, just like that. Next thing you're gonna tell me mermaids are real." He half-heartedly joked.
They looked at each other and cracked a smile.
"What? They DO exist?" He exclaimed.
"If you brought your aqualungs, maybe you'd find out." Harry teased.
"Everyone should be getting settled in," Harry changed the subject quickly. "You're going to be rooming with my best mate, Ron Weasley."
"I'm rooming with who?" Ron inquired with a mouth full of meat pie.
"This is my best mate, Ron Weasley," Harry said as he grabbed his brother and pulled him into the room. "If you're not careful, his snoring will drive you nutters."
"I do not snore!"
"Ron, we can hear you all the way in the common room." Hermione jabbed.
"And Eileen's going to be sharing a room with Hermione." Harry switched again and tried to look uninterested.
"And all this time I thought you two had something going. You were totally inseparable all summer. You even shared an apartment, so what happened?"
"Absolutely nothing happened, there were two bedrooms, and her parents knew we were together."
"You don't have to try to fool me, if I were alone in an apartment all summer with a cute thing like her, I'd never come out to see the light of day."
"Jake, Ron and Hermione are my two closest friends. Ron was safe with his family, she and I weren't safe here in the UK, and that's why we were in Florida, that's all. And we were doing some advanced study together," Harry stated as if he had rehearsed the conversation for just an occasion. To his relief, the fireplace flared and out stepped the Defense Professor.
Harry and Hermione took that as a sign to go to the dungeons, with Ron heading off to find Luna, leaving the two adults to themselves. Eileen walked into the room, just as the three students left and waited until the door was shut.
"Jake," she said with a grin as she threw her arms around his neck. "Have you thought about what we talked about last time?"
"Yeah, it's been the only thing on my mind, well, one of the things," he said as they kissed deeply.
"I've missed you. I'm glad you know. Now we don't have any secrets, right?"
"No, none. But, have you heard the roomy assignments here? It's just like back in high school."
"You seem to forget, these kids ARE in high school, or the equivalent. We'll just have to make the best of it."
"Yeah, I'm in with this kid Ron and you're with Hermione," he replied as if they'd never get a chance alone.
"So, I'm sharing a room with Hermione? And who's with Harry?" She asked with a grin.
"He's alone."
"Then I'll let you know when it's clear." She winked.
"You mean he and…"
"She's got this special connection with him; he suffered last year from visions and dreams that nearly sent him into shock every night. They haven't returned when she's near, so they've been together since the beginning of summer. And I can assure you nothing's happened."
"He told you all this?"
"She did, the night after his birthday. You'd better remember that night, or, I'll show you a trick or two."
"Hmmm," he looked away as if lost in thought, "his birthday… Nope, don't remember a thing."
She pushed him away and stomped his toe, with a mischievous look.
"OWW! I wish you'd stop stomping my foot."
"Don't remember? Then I'll have to remind you, tonight." She whispered as she playfully nibbled his ear.
That night after all the guests had arrived, and the buffet table finally cleared, the members of this unique family bid each other a good night, and departed for their assigned rooms. When one young woman realized her things were missing, she waited until her roommate for the holiday had left to prepare for bed before she summoned the one responsible.
"Dobby!" she called, and was immediately greeted by the small elf.
"Yes, Mistress? Is something not to your liking?" he replied with a respectful bow.
"Where are my things? I distinctly remember Harry tell you were they were to go."
"Yes, Mistress, Dobby had done as Master instructed, Miss Madison's belongings were put in this room as Master instructed. Dobby unpacked Mistress' trunk where they belong in Mistress' room."
"Where? I don't have a bloody thing." She hissed.
"With Master Harry Potter, where else would Mistress' stay?" he asked slightly confused.
"With Master Harry Potter? And why are you calling me Mistress?"
"Dobby is only being respectful for the Mistress of the Manor," he replied with a bow. "Has Dobby made a mistake?"
"No," she replied to the elf and kneeled to his level and touched his chin. "I'm not 'the Mistress', this is Harry's home, not mine."
"Mistress is wrong, when Master Harry Potter and Mistress joind in the old ways; you became our Mistress, as is the law."
"Dobby," her voice became firm, "Harry and I are not 'bonded', so I need my things put away properly."
"Mistress is wrong, but Dobby will do as instructed."
They heard footsteps outside in the hall, and the door began to open.
"Do it in the morning, now I need to at least find my night clothes."
Dobby snapped his fingers and presented her with her requested attire as the door opened. Eileen watched as the house-elf vanished.
"You know, we don't have house-elves at home to retrieve our clothes, we tend to use a dresser," she teased.
"Dobby is an old friend, and he seems to have misplaced my things." She replied casually.
"Are you sure? House-elves don't make mistakes."
Hermione simply left the room for the loo. When she returned a few minutes later, her cousin was already in bed, with a book propped up, reading.
He curled up in a ball in his bed, the first time in many months he went to bed alone. He wanted to charge into the room where she slept and sweep her into his arms, the thought of spending a single night without her was more then he wanted to bear. He attempted to refuse to let sleep claim him, knowing the horrors of his visions may return. He could still imagine her distinct smells and fragrances, he could feel her gentle touch on his arm; he even imagined he felt her curled up next to him stroking his hair. Her closeness was the only thing that comforted him during the summer and into the fall. He closed his eyes to return to a single night, in the moon light on an isolated beach. The curves and softness of her body still drove his senses mad with longing. She was his and he was hers, he wanted nothing else that that. He almost imagined she was there lying next to him.
She felt his isolation while she lay trapped in her shared room to maintain the illusions they fought to build. The knot in her stomach tightened the longer she was apart from him, as if something dear to her was missing. She waited until her cousin feigned sleep before she silently slipped out of her bed and crossed the room to the adjacent door. As quietly as she could, she opened the door with a soft creek, and glided into his room. She knew if caught, she couldn't explain her presence there in his room, or his bed, but that didn't matter, the need to be with him was greater then the need for secrecy. She slid into his bed as if she were a ghost, curled up next to him and began to gently stoke his hair. He rolled over the see the blurred image he knew so well, and in the dark, their lips met.
The magical dance continued as the man looked to the bed across the room, and heard a distinctive snore. As gingerly as he could, he sat up in the bed too small for a man of his stature. He swung his legs out from under the covers and both feet were soon planted on the floor. He rose; grabbing the bathrobe left at the foot of his bed and covered himself. Being a man accustom to living alone, the practice of wearing pajamas to bed ceased soon after he left college, but he conceded to the practice those times he was forced to share a room on his trips. He walked as quietly as he could in the dark, managing to jam his toe on the boy's mislaid shoes only once. He too left his room and crossed the hall, and waited outside the door until he heard a light creak of another door open and close, followed by the click of the lock. He took the cue and released the latch to open the door in front of him where he was greeted by a silencing 'shhh'. A grin crept over his face as he noticed the empty bed in the room, on tiptoes, crossed the room to the still occupied bed, and was warmly greeted.
She listened for the slow rhythmic breathing of the girl she was sharing a room with for the week, and when she thought she was sure the other girl was fast asleep, she crept into the room next them. Her temporary roommate's brother was, unfortunately the only one soundly asleep that night. Breathing a heavy sigh, she crept to his bed, hoping he'd wake up without having to make too much noise. She kneeled at his side and lightly kissed his cheek. No response. She reached under the blanket and slipped in next to him, hoping that would wake him. Again, no response. She slipped her hand inside his shirt, to feel his firm chest, and ran her hand, around his side. He kept snoring soundly. Feeling slightly dejected, she released him and left his bed to return to her own room, only to hear giggles from the other side of her door.
Stunned, she stood outside the room and tried vainly to hear whom she had in the room with her. She could only make out her voice, but the other was definitely that of a young man. She slumped to the floor, to wait for the voices and sounds of play to cease, and her roommate to fall asleep. She sat there for nearly an hour, waiting until she fell asleep at the door. The girl on the other side of the door laid in her bed, holding a small mirror, as she conversed to the image in it, each whispered their frustrations at the secrecy they kept and the promises of their fledgling romance.
As dawn broke, the girl sleeping in the hall was the first to hear the stirring from the suites on the floor above, and as quietly as she could, she stood while pulling her stiffened joints straight, the leg she broke the year before sang out from the stiffness. She stole back into her room and slipped into her own bed, before her roommate woke. She did, however make enough noise outside while attempting to stand, and the noise from the rooms above woke the couple sleeping in the other room. He quickly stood, giving his lover a parting kiss, and stumbled across the darkened room, jamming his other toe. Before he began his manly exclamations the witch he had been with that night threw a silencing charm on him, letting him curse his way back to his own bed, hobbling on a sore foot.
The commotion from the adjacent room woke Hermione from her peaceful slumber, and looked to Harry as he slept with his arms holding her tight.
"Damn it, Harry, we overslept. I wanted to get back in my bed before anyone woke up." She jumped up, leaving a wildly blinking and slightly dazed Harry in his pajamas. She thought fast and grabbed a handful of books, to make a run for the downstairs library. Before she made it across the room, the joining door opened, and Eileen slipped in, wearing Jake's bathrobe.
"Shhh, you'll wake the house, you'd better get in here before you folks get up." She called to her young cousin.
"How?"
"Shhh… we'll discuss this later, now you'd better go now, young lady." She whispered with the authority of Professor McGonagall. As quickly as she could, the young witch gave Harry one last kiss and ran to her room, closely followed by Eileen.
"Now, would you like to explain why you spent the night in his room, young lady?" she inquired in a harsh whisper, already knowing the answer.
"Me, what about you? That's Jake's bathrobe, if I'm not mistaken, how can you explain that?" She snapped back as quietly as she could. Apparently there did seem to be a double standard in place.
She looked at the bathrobe she had on, and then to the one abandoned on the floor, and let loose a grin and a giggle. "You caught me, yeah he was here. And you forgot I know all about you two."
"How? There's a…"
"'Fidelius Charm'? And did you forget our talk after his birthday? Besides, that charm isn't strong enough to hide your feelings from a blood relative, no mater how distant. You parents must know how you feel about him." She said as they both sat on Hermione's unused bed.
"Yes, they know, I told them when we returned, but, then why didn't his Aunt notice?"
"My guess is she has never really known love. If I remember this charm correctly, you can only see through the charm if you've been in love."
"Like you and Jake?"
"Yes, if it wasn't for the two of you, who knows if we would have ever cross that bridge."
"To admit you like each other?" Hermione teased.
"To admit we belong together, like you and Harry." The older woman replied. They sat, chatted, and giggled like two schoolgirls comparing first dates, instead of a student and teacher discussing improprieties.
Harry quickly threw on a bathrobe and found his glasses. He stood at the door waiting to hear the scolding he expected. Instead, after listening to the muffled giggles, he shrugged his shoulders and left to his private bath. He showered, dressed, went back to the door, and cautiously knocked.
"Come in Harry," Hermione called.
As he walked in her room, the schoolgirl giggles continued while he stood there in a near state of confusion. "Harry, it's ok," Hermione said as she reached to him and pulled him to sit next to her. "She'd worked it all out, but she hasn't told anyone."
"Worked out what?"
"You two, it's not that difficult to figure out."
He stood feeling concerned that others knew their secret; his only thoughts were for her safety. "Listen, 'Professor' if anything happens to her…"
"Do you really think I'd hurt my own cousin, Harry? That sort of thing never happens."
"Did you tell her how Sirius died? And who killed him?" he said coldly to Hermione. It was apparent she had forgotten that one detail.
"Bellatrix… Harry, I forgot." She tightened her grip on his hand and turned to her cousin, "Listen Eileen, I understand why Harry's angry," she began as she started to rub her palm on her leg. "You know all about Sirius, his cousin Bellatrix was the one that killed him."
"And they weren't that distant," he added with a venom in his voice. "No one was to know about us. I don't trust anyone but her." Harry stated as she held both his hands, she's seen his raw power when he became angry, and she knew she was the only one who could calm him.
"I can understand that, Harry, believe me, no one will find out from me, I can't say anything anyway, the 'Fidelius Charm' prevents me just as it prevents you. Only your secret keeper can tell an outsider. I can't even tell Jake if I wanted to."
"How can I trust you? You've lied to us all summer," his voice grew to a guttural growl. "How do I know you won't betray us like that rat Pettegrew?" Hermione could sense an anger grow in him; she could feel his magical aura radiate, something she's never felt from him before. It had been a long time since he's lost his temper; she knew he had been on edge for so long waiting for something to happen and now a seemingly minor event was pushing him to the edge.
"Harry, stop…" she pleaded. "It's ok that she knows."
"You let Jake interrogate us that night and you knew? You've lied and deceived us." Hermione tried to pull him back to his senses; she pulled on his arms until he was staring at her instead of Eileen. She had to calm him as only she could.
"Harry, it's ok, I told her at the beach. Eileen, you'd better leave. Harry STOP…" she released his hands to hold his face. "Shhh… calm down… remember you left her for me to handle."
"Mione? But she's lied to us; I told you I won't take any risks." His voice still sharp and biting, but he began listening to her pleas.
"So what would you do, kill me?" Eileen demanded as she managed to pick up her wand.
"Don't, BOTH of you STOP. Eileen he CAN and will. Harry, if you love me, leave her alone, please." She threw her arms around his neck and managed a soft 'please' in his ear, as she could feel his anger ebb.
"Mione, she can't tell any one, or so help me I will. I won't let anyone hurt you. But she knows. She could reveal us." The charge she felt radiate from his body flowed harmlessly through her and began to dissipate.
"Harry, I won't. She means as much to me as she does to you. You don't know everything. Please sit and let me explain." Hermione still held him, wanting to protect them both, she knew Harry's powers now, and as terrifying as they seemed, he was reluctant to use them. She also knew he would never hurt her. He finally sat with her tightly holding him for reassurance.
"My father was killed watching over her and her parents seven years ago. It was my duty to keep her entire family safe. It was our family tradition. Not all families are like those others." She began as she laid her wand down as a sign of peace.
"Then you knew back then she was a witch?"
"No, we didn't, she was only ten at the time. My father was watching her family when he was attacked. No one saw the attacker, but everyone knew it was a dark wizard. I was only twenty-four and just finished school, I had a career lined up to teach charms, but when daddy was killed, I became their guardian and studied the dark arts to avenge him. I lived in an apartment near them, and when she received her letter, I was as shocked as she was."
"Do you have any idea who killed him? Or why?" Harry asked, beginning to take an active interest now.
"Yes, he was what you call a death-eater here. I tracked his magic signature, but he was killed by one of your people. Some guy with one leg."
"Mad-Eye!" they both exclaimed.
"Is there any reason why he attacked your father?" Harry asked.
"They tried to recruit him; he had started to play along at the time, and sent messages home that were cryptic. But he was discovered and killed."
"Who tried to recruit him and how did they know he was there?"
"I have no idea how they knew, but they didn't know about Hermione, no one knew who she is until she received her letter."
"But why was your father and then you there to protect, me?"
"I don't know, he died before he told me that much of the family history, just it was a tradition that we watched over your side, I know it went back at least 150 years, when my side left England for America. I was shocked when Alex called out of the blue last year and introduced himself, I knew who he was, of course, and welcomed your family with open arms. But I was surprised when you stayed here; Alex said you were worried sick about a friend, I guessed it was Harry."
"He had a lot of difficulty dealing with Sirius' death; I couldn't leave him even though he tried to push me out of his life." She moved an arm around the small of his back and looked into his eyes, "I'm glad he let me back in."
"I'm glad you tried. Eileen, I apologize for before, she's all that's important to me, you have no idea what she means to me. I know she believes and trusts you, and for now, that's enough for me."
"Thanks, now, no one else knows what I've told you, I don't think your headmaster knows all of it, so I want to keep this between us, keep it in our family. And Harry, because you're important to Hermione, you have to be included in our family too. I've never seen two people as devoted to each other before. Now, I think we all had better get dressed, I believe your things are in his room."
Hermione nodded and left to shower, leaving Harry alone with Eileen. He sat there, now uneasy, as she was still his Professor, and they shared a secret no one else knew. "Professor, what do you know about the legend of 'The Lost Witch'? She's been obsessed with it; she believes this lost witch will help me defeat Voldemort."
"Yes, I've heard the same stories as a child. They are just fanciful tales as ancient as time itself."
"Could she be that witch? It fits, she's brilliant and she does come from an old wizard family, same as you."
"I don't think so, as far as I know my side's been watching hers only for a couple hundred years, that legend's more then 500 years old. No, it's not possible. Now, unless you want to watch me dress, and deal with a jealous boyfriend, I suggest you go join her."
Harry cracked the first smile since that morning but before he left for his rooms he had one last question. "What about Jake? So you two have been getting on then?"
"That is none of your business young man, but, if you must know, yes, we are."
"Then I'll see you both at breakfast." He said as he retreated to his room and to Hermione. She showered quickly and Harry waited for her to dress before they left together for the kitchen in the basement.
Downstairs they were witness to several heated discussions, Ron, had received the brunt of the action, Luna and Jake both complained about his snoring, Luna kept complaining about a stiff leg, and Ginny seemed to be daydreaming in another world. Life seemed as normal as any could hope for. Eileen and Jake abandoned all pretenses, much to the surprise of the three of the students, none of them expected to see a professor behaving like a love sick fifth year.
The next several days passed building with the seasonal excitement and decorating the mansion with tinsel and baubles and paper chains. A tree soon joined the decorations and every person in the home joined in the week long party that ensued to make that tree as spectacular as ever. They all spent the days and nights carol-singing and gorging themselves on a nightly basis with the delicacies prepared by under the close scrutiny of Molly Weasley. Every meal's preparation began the same way, with Molly chasing the resident house elves away to prepare the meal herself. Dobby had brought Winky and another elf, Dash, into the service of the Potter homes, each excited to be in the service of the Great Harry Potter. Winky and Dash remained at Black Manor as the two permanent elves, while Dobby appointed himself Harry's personal elf, following Harry back to Hogwarts to be there when he was called.
The home never seemed more alive, as friends, all Order members came to visit throughout the week. Harry played down his role as host and Master of the Manor, to become just Harry, a role he preferred. Every person staying in his home he felt were his family, not just friends and he treated them as such. His and Hermione's love for each other remained concealed, and no one noticed the time they spent together.
On Christmas day, after everyone exchanged gifts and laughed at the over-stuffed stockings hung on the mantle for Father Christmas, Albus arrived, with a flare from the fire, he stepped into the room, just in time for the Christmas Lunch.
Molly had fussed with Dash about the Christmas Lunch arrangements; she had eventually won that bout that morning and worked to prepare a traditional Christmas Lunch of turkey with stuffing and crispy bacon and gravy, chipolatas, roast potatoes and parsnips, sprouts and broccoli. The ensuing culinary battle lasted longer then anyone had expected. If this were a prelude to the upcoming conflicts, the combatants engaged at this conflict would have surely lost the war. Within minutes after the debris settled, the table had been cleared of the participants.
Everyone remained in the lounge barley able to move; Hermione sat between her parents on the sofa her head tucked into her father's side, with Harry in a wing-back chair directly next to them with his feet up on the corner of the table between them, Ron and Luna on the floor in front of the fireplace supporting each other, on the setae opposite Harry, Jake and Eileen sat in a comfortable position, she leaned back into his chest while his arms loosely wrapped her. The elder Weasleys were both otherwise occupied with the mundane activities of the household; the scene was as warming to any visitor as the fire on a cold night.
Albus had entered the room, after a brief conversation with several of the order members also in attendance. He had an announcement of personal importance to several people in the group, an announcement he wouldn't allow to wait any longer.
"My friends and I can say that from deep within my heart, I find I have a few words of importance to convey to you all, but to a few in particular. I have been considering certain developments over the past few months. The news has been quiet, no reports or sightings of attacks. This is not to say Voldemort has given up. I believe he is forming an attack soon. But that isn't of concern at this joyful time. We all know what is at stake here and to that end, every person in this room will have a role to play to that end. Jake and Eileen are both new to our group, and I wish to welcome them both formally into our organization. Mr. Stevens here is not like us, but he is as committed to the cause as any of us. I would like to welcome him formally as the newest member of the Order of the Phoenix. It would be less likely to notice a random person such as Jake than he would the parents of one of Harry's best friends." He reported as he nodded to the Grangers.
"Jake, that's bloody brilliant!" Harry exclaimed, but the ancient wizard stopped the congratulations suddenly.
"If you please, that is not all the news we have to celebrate. I believe there is something you wanted to say."
The man nodded his reply; Eileen sat up and looked pleased at the decision and announcement as he stood and faced the group of people he too looked on as family.
"First, thanks, Albus, I hope any way I can help will make some difference. I've learned a lot about things new to me while I've been here. I've also relearned things that were dear to me. Next, I'm sure everyone knows the only things in life you regret, are the risks that you didn't take. Risks I took to find someone I missed, risks that landed me in your midst like a king mackerel on the deck of a fishing boat."
He turned to Eileen and held his hand to her. "I knew I was in love with this woman nearly since I first met her, I once told a good friend that she's the woman I've been looking for all my life." He pulled her to her feet in one swift motion and dropped to his knee. "My love, you know you are my best friend. You know that I'd do anything for you and I won't let any thing come between us. My love for you is a gift given freely, willingly, and without expectation." He reached into his pocket, produced a small worn box, and gingerly opened it.
"Love lets us see normal things in an extraordinary way and in our case, love has let me see extraordinary things in an ordinary, and normal way. I have carried this since we first met, before I knew about your extraordinary abilities, and I am finally ready to ask you the one question I've never been able to ask, will you marry me?"
At that instant, the witch standing in front of him lost all strength in her knees and fell onto his knee. Barely audible, she whispered into his ear one word. "Yes."