The month is going dreadfully slow for Hermione. She is stuck inside all the time since the rain started and it has yet to stop. It isn't all bad. She gets to spend loads of time with her best friends. But it didn't seem the same. She missed Harry. When he left the first time she was heart broken. And when he left the second time it felt like apart of her soul was ripped from her body.
At this moment in time she is sitting on one of the window seats watching the rain fall. She lets out a small sigh. She had yet to tell the others of her information on Harry. She didn't like keeping secrets but she hadn't found the right time. When was the right time to tell them that Harry was locked away in a crazy house.
Luke watches Hermione from his place at a nearby table. Ginny was watching tv with her three brothers and sister-in-law. They were infatuated in the muggle device. He shakes his head and stands, walking over to where Hermione is. "What's wrong, Hermi?" He started to call her Hermi right after graduation.
Hermione looks at him and smiles. "Sit down, Luke. I have something I need to tell you." She folds her hands on her lap.
Luke blinks but takes a seat beside her. "Tell me? What is there to tell me? I already know that I'm the handsomest, brightest and luckiest wizard on this planet. What more is there to tell?" He grins.
Hermione shakes her head. "Will you even get over yourself? It's about your brother. Remember how I said that I met Ronan O'Reilly? He is the Minister's son and your cousin. He told me about James." She says quietly.
His grin fades. "Ronan O'Reilly is the son of the American Minister of Magic. Why didn't you tell us that earlier? What did he tell you about James? Is he ok? Where is he?" He could feel the hope swelling in his chest.
Hermione bites her lower lip. "I know how you feel about the Minister. That's why I didn't tell you about Ronan being his son. And he told me that James is very sick. Four months after the Minister removed him from Hogwarts, James had a mental break down. He reverted back to a time when he didn't feel any pain. The doctors figure that he now has the mind of a two maybe three year old. The Minister placed him in a very good mental hospital for treatment. But they are told he is a lost cause. He will never be normal anymore. Ronan also told me something very interesting. James defeated Voldemort last year. That's why he had the dark mark. He knew that it was a direct connection and he somehow flooded it with some kind of magic burst. They don't know how. It's a complete mystery to them."
Luke blinks. "Mental Hospital. Are you telling me that my brother has lost his mind? I'll kill them. What did they do to him once they got him back here?" He is now standing and very angry. "He would of been better off at Hogwarts with me. I could of protected him. And did you just say Voldemort is gone?" He looks confused.
Hermione sighs. "The doctors told them that James suffered from a forced stressful event. Don't you see? Him being brought to Hogwarts was his very downfall. He didn't want to be there and no one listened to him. We forced him to stay against his will. Then to top it all off we shunned him like some kind of horrible creature. It's our fault that Harry Potter is now nothing more than a toddler in the mind." A sob escapes her lips.
Luke wraps his arms around her. "Shh. It's ok. You said that Ronan will be out of the country until the beginning of next month. When he gets back ask him to see James. Maybe then we can get to the bottom of this once and for all." He kisses the top of her head.
She steps back and wipes the tears from her eyes. "Thanks Luke. I don't know what I would do without you guys. And I'm glad I don't have to find out." She glances at the three red headed Weasley's who were watching tv. All of a sudden Ron's hair turns the color that matches his wife's name, Lavender. She can't help but giggle as Ron stumbles to his feet and chases his two brothers around the room threatening to curse them back to England if they didn't turn his hair back. She shakes her head. Nothing ever changed. She follows Luke over to the tv area and plops down in the space where Ron had been sitting.
Luke pulls Ginny up and then sits down, pulling her down onto his lap and cuddling with her. They were happy in each other's arms. But Luke's mind was not solely focused on his wife. He couldn't help but feel bad for James. He was a partial cause for it. If only he had stuck with his brother everything would be semi-normal.