Disclaimer: As I saw The Brothers Grimm I came to the conclusion that I don't own Harry Potter…
525,600 Minutes: In Truths That She Learned, or in Times That He Cried-
-Chapter Thirty-Two
"Wh-what?" Harry asked.
"Did she say home?" Ron whispered to Hermione. Hermione nodded, not taking her eyes off of Ryn. That's what she had been thinking, that's what she was going to tell Harry before Ryn came back with her medicine.
"Yes, Ron. I did."
"B-but that's impossible." said Harry, clearly in denial.
"And how's that?" an enthralled Ryn asked.
"Well, because it is!" Harry exclaimed. "The house I lived in was almost destroyed! Hagrid once told me!"
"Do you not remember the state of what this house looked like before I told you how to find this." she motioned around the room. "house."
"It was nearly destroyed." Hermione said, thoughtfully.
"Exactly." Ryn said.
Harry still didn't believe her, it was impossible. "Exactly! You said it yourself! If the house was nearly destroyed then how can we be standing in it right now?"
"Harry I assure you that this is your house."
"But, if this truly is Harry's old house. Then one, why are you here. And two, how did the house get rebuilt, and why." Hermione asked.
"I suppose you want an explanation."
"YES!" Harry yelled. Malfoy rolled his eyes, and Ryn gave a small laugh.
"Bloody hell yeah!" Ron exclaimed, completely bewildered.
"That would help." Hermione stated much more calmly
"Right. Were to begin." she paused before continuing. "As I said before, I became a spy for the Order, and Voldemort believed me to be a spy for him. Now, around Christmas time He began to wonder were my loyalties were. He was beginning to get upset with the fact that all the information I gave him was either irrelevant or something he probably already knew. I believe that's when your father," she looked at Malfoy. "Gave him the idea that I might be a spy. The Dark Lord believed it to be logical, and was watching me very closely."
I had to more careful than I already was. So I went to Dumbledore for help. We decided it was best that we find a place where I could go into hiding if ever Voldemort was 100 sure that I was not on his side. So, we decided on here."
Why? You see, for quite sometime Voldemort was planning on luring you to Godric's Hollow. He wanted to finish what he had started many years ago in the same spot that he had intended it. Both Dumbeldore and I thought it would be a good idea to hide me in Godric's Hollow if I were ever in trouble. That way, if I was in hiding when Voldemort decided to put his plan into action, I would be close to you and I would be able to help you."
We decided to rebuild one of the houses, disguise the outside so it would look like it had for the past sixteen years, and make me the Secret Keeper of the house. That way we were insured that no else, if I had made them the Secret Keeper, would tell my whereabouts."
Ryn paused to catch her breath and no one dared to interrupt her. "I don't exactly no why we chose your house Harry. Perhaps we felt it appropriate to, perhaps not. We just did. I will tell you, though, that we rebuilt everything the way it was sixteen years ago, when you lived it. Everything is were it used to be, every piece of furniture was mended to the best of our abilities. Everything."
There was a silence, for no one knew what to say. Finally after five minutes, though it seemed like days to the occupants of the room, Ryn spoke.
"Bet you wished you would have headed my warning earlier and not come, huh?" she asked, trying to lighten the dark mood that had befallen the house.
"So, he really isn't planning anything? Those two Death Eaters in the Three Broomsticks just made up a story to get us here?" Ron asked.
"Well, yes and no. The plan that he was putting into action tonight was fake, to lure Harry here. But he was planning on doing something once Harry arrived." Ryn stopped talking, not exactly sure if she should go on.
"What?" Hermione, Harry, Ron and even Malfoy inquired.
"Well," Ryn started slowly, as if she were talking to a five year old. "He knew that where Harry would be, especially when it concerned Voldemort, Hermione would be there too." she said the last part just above a whisper.
"What!"
"Hermione!"
"Why!"
"ME!" Hermione's voice was heard above Malfoy's, Harry's and Ron's as the four all screamed their response, simultaneously.
"Yes, you Hermione."
"B-b-but why." Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Oh, come on. I would have thought that you would have figured it out a long time ago." Ryn said, completely shocked. She had truly believe that Hermione knew why Voldemort wanted her. "What, after the attack at the end of the summer and the conversation you overheard at Grimmauld Place."
Hermione gasped. "You-you know that I overheard that meeting?"
Ryn nodded. "Mhm. I saw you through the small opening in the door. I kept wondering when you were going to confront me, or someone else for that matter, as to what you heard. But I suppose, since you apparently haven't figured it out, that I should tell you." she paused. Hermione was staring dumbfounded at her. "You see, Voldemort sent his Death Eaters after you, and has been trying to get you because of-"
"-my wand." whispered Hermione.
"OH! So you did figure it out. Good for you!" Ryn said.
"But why would he want my wand. I- oh my goodness! My wand! Where is it?"
"I gave it back to you in the clearing." Ryn stated.
"No, you didn't! I saw you give my wand to Lucius Malfoy!." Hermione dug into her cloak pocket where she had placed the wand Ryn gave to her in the clearing. "This, this can't be my wand."
Ryn chuckled. "I assure you Hermione, that is your wand. See for yourself."
Hermione looked closely at the wand, it did look like her wand, and what was more it felt like her wand. The same feeling she got every time she held it, swept over her as she held the wand in her hands.
"But how, I saw you-" she stopped talking. She was so confused.
"I gave Malfoy a trick wand. It's fake, but resembles yours all the way down to the core."
"But why. Why would Voldemort want my wand so desperately that you had to give Malfoy a fake wand?" inquired Hermione.
Ryn froze and her face fell. "Well, I- I'm not sure I'm the right person to tell you that."
"WHAT? Oh no, you're going to tell me." Hermione couldn't believe that Ryn was trying to get out of telling her.
Ryn sighed. "Alright, alright. You're right." she paused. "How do I even begin." she aid while shaking her head.
"Well, Hermione, do you remember the day you got your wand?"
"Yes, I do."
"Tell us about it."
"Well…" Hermione thought it was odd that Ryn was asking her to do this. "Well, my parents and I had been shopping all day long. The last thing we needed was my wand. I remember walking into Ollivanders with a complete feeling of dread. It was like I was going walking to my death." she gave a small laugh. "We walked in a Mr. Ollivander took my measurements before walking off to get a wand. I tried it, and it wasn't the right one. So, Mr. Ollivander got another one, and the same thing happened." she paused to collect her thoughts. "I tried wand after wand after wand after and after wand. I think I almost went through all the wands in the store."
Finally, Mr. Ollivander got an idea and went to the back room of the store. He brought five boxes with him. They were all wands and handed me the first one. The first four of the five didn't work. Then the fifth one came. The second the wand touched my fingers I knew I had found my wand. Seeing that I had found my wand Mr. Ollivander gave me a single piece of advice. 'Take extra care of this wand Ms. Granger. It's very special, very special indeed.' When I asked him why he just said that he wasn't the right person to tell me." Hermione let out a long breath once she had finished talking.
"And he was right to say that." Ryn said.
"But why?" Malfoy asked.
Once again, Ryn sighed. "Your wand, Hermione is quite old, and has been used before."
"Used before? As in it's second hand? Someone donated my wand back to Ollivander?"
"Well, yes and no."
"Yes and no?"
"Yes and no, you see your wand was given back to Ollivander, but not by the person to which it belonged. So I wouldn't exactly call it donated or second hand."
"I still don't understand."
For the third time, Ryn sighed. "Let me make some tea before we continue. I need to collect my thoughts." Hermione was about to object to this statement, but tea sounded really good. So she had no choice but to watch Ryn go back into the kitchen.
Hermione's felt like it was spinning. So many things had happened that she hardly had time to process any of it. It seemed like a week ago she was walking through Hogsmeade with Harry and Ron, when it had actually only been hours.
She looked over at Malfoy, who was still sitting next to her stomach. Without touching him she put herself into a sitting position, then returned to looking at him. As much as she didn't want to admit it she was happy that he was there. The mere fact that he was with her was very comforting. She gave a small smile. She remembered back to earlier in the clearing when he emerged from the bushes and stood up to his father for her. Perhaps he really had changed, and his insult to her those months ago was merely a slip of the tongue. Maybe he really did care. She smiled bigger.
She watched as Malfoy turned to her, no doubt because he had felt her staring. When he saw her looking at him he gave her a small smirk. Their eyes made contact and Hermione felt all of her old feelings for him come rushing back. She missed him. 'Hi' he mouthed, no words escaping his lips. 'Hi' she did the same back.
"Bloody hell" Ron's voice broke their moment.
"Yeah." Harry said, as he sat himself in another chair.
"Here we go." Ryn said, coming back into the room with yet another tray with five cups on them and a kettle of tea. "Drink up." she sat down, poured herself a cup of tea as the others did the same, then spoke. "Now, where was I."
"My wand has been used before?"
"Ah yes. Before we get into who the wand belonged to before it came into your possession, Hermione, let me explain something about it."
"You know who owned Hermione's wand before?" Harry asked, after taking a sip of tea.
Ryn smiled, "Yes I do." she took a sip of tea. "Now, as you four may or may not know, depending on what combination your wand is made of, meaning the wood, length, and of course the core, makes it able to do certain things very well. For instance, Hermione's wand is exceptionally well for charms."
If I'm right to say, that even though you are very clever and excel in all of your classes, charms as always come more naturally to you. You've always excelled more in Charms than any other class, even in the slightest manner."
Hermione thought for a moment. Ryn was right. Charms had always been her best subject, though she was good at all of them, Charms had always been in her best, '…even in the slightest manner.' "Yes, I suppose I have."
"Now, like I said and you have just proved, you're wand is exceptional when it comes to Charms." she paused. "Blimey this is hard."
"Go on." Harry said, urging Ryn on.
Ryn shook her head. "I don't really know how to explain this, how to start it all."
"Harry, what do you now about you parents?" Everyone looked at Ryn like she was crazy, why was she talking about Harry's parents.
"But what about Hermione's wand?"
"Just answer my question, I have my reasons."
"Well. I dunno. I guess my Dad was a trouble maker along with Sirius, Lupin, and Wormtail. My Mom, she was a really good student. Really good in charms, her wand-"
The room seemed to freeze as Harry stopped mid sentence. Hermione, Malfoy, Harry and Ron's eyes grew to the size of golf balls, and their jaws hit the floor. Moving very slowly they all turned their heads to look at Ryn. She just gave them a small smile.
"No." Hermione said, cradling her wand. "It can't be possible."
"It is." said Ryn, simply.
"You mean to tell me that I have Lily Potter's wand?"
"Yes." Hermione looked down at her wand, and then to Harry was staring at it. Knowing what she must do, Hermione handed the wand to Harry, which he took gratefully.
"But how?" Ron asked.
"As you know. The attack on the Potter's left the house nearly destroyed. Not long after the attack a wizard was walking by, like many were to get a glance at the scene. He stumbled upon a pile of rubble and found beneath it a wand. Not knowing who it belonged to, he took it to Mr. Ollivander."
Now, it is a known fact that Ollivander knows and remembers every wand he's ever sold and who he sold it to. So, naturally, he knew that the wand belonged to the late Lily Potter. When we found out that Voldemort wanted your wand we, the Order, went to Mr. Ollivander to find out why. That was when he told us who the former owner was." She stopped talking and let the new found information seep in.
"So, why does Voldemort want my mother's and Hermione's wand so badly."
"Good question. Do you remember back in your first year, Harry. When you faced Quirrel?" Harry nodded. "Remember that he couldn't touch you." again, Harry nodded. "Do you remember why?"
"Because of my mother's love that ran through my veins. That's what Dumbeldore said."
Ryn nodded. "Yes. Because of your mother's love. Her love ran through her blood that she shared with you, and so it ran through you. She died that night to save you and that made her love that ran in your veins even stronger." There was silence.
"At the beginning of the summer, for some reason, I'm not exactly sure how, Voldemort found out that Hermione was now the new owner of Lily's wand. He became, I guess you could say, scared."
"Why?" Malfoy asked, not believing that the Dark Lord could ever be scared.
"Because. The wand belonged to Lily. Have you ever heard the saying 'the wand chooses the wizard'" everyone nodded. "That wand chose your mother as it's owner. He spirit became part of that wand, her love became part of that wand. Now, do you see why he was afraid?" the four teens shook their heads, Ryn gave a small smile.
"Voldemort can't touch you, Harry, because of your mother's love. And he has a feeling that you having possession of the wand that was once owned by the one person who helps to protect you, that he has less of a chance of surviving if you two were to ever fight."
"So, what you're saying is that he wants the wand to use it against me?" Harry said, slightly confused.
"No. He wants Hermione's wand so you don't use it against him."
Author's Note: Now we all know why Hermione's wand is so special! Hope you liked the chapter!
Queen of Duct Tape: lol. You started school on a Thursday? How odd…Drooling tooth brushes and dead chickens. I hope I updated soon enough so I don't find them in my bed! Lol. Thanks!
BoarderKC: You don't think I'm over doing it with all the twists do you? Lemme know….thanks!
A thank you to everyone else! You all are amazing!
Oh, and by the way…a couple of chapters ago I said there would only be 32 or 33 chapters left…but now it's looking like 34...lol…
More to come soon!
Your humble author,
The Lonely Goatherd