AN: I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling.
Chapter 4 - Remembrance
"I may be willing to help your friend navigate the Ministry's murky waters, but, Harry, I don't know a lot about mentoring. That, and I don't have a case to work on. I suppose I could show her a few of my old cases," Ted mused as an inward frown creased his mouth.
"Your food," the waitress announced as a plate appeared from nowhere in front of Harry. The blonde waitress shot him a brilliant smile as she levitated Mr. Weasley's plate to the empty spot in front of the middle-aged wizard.
Harry enjoyed his savory meatballs. All talk ceased as everyone dug into their food. Mr. Weasley made happy noises as the salmon on his plate quickly vanished into his stomach. Andromeda and Ted ate with regal poise. "This is excellent," Harry commented as he finished off his last meatball and stared longingly at his plate to see if any more of the tender meat hid among the rich brown sauce.
"Everything on the menu is wonderful," Andromeda commented with a smile. "Tell me, Harry, what do you enjoy doing? If I may be so bold as to ask."
Harry blinked and tried to come up with an answer that would impress the refined witch. He shook his head when he realized what he was going to say. "I enjoy reading and learning about magic," he admitted with a grimace. Harry wasn't sure where the desire to impress Andromeda came from.
"My younger cousin, Sirius, enjoyed learning about magic to prank others. When he got his wand, he enjoyed making Bella's life a lesson in torment. They never saw eye-to-eye," she remarked with a twinkle in her eye. "I hear you helped him."
Harry grimaced and tried not to chuckle. "If by help, you mean kidnap him, then yes, I did," he answered and laughed aloud when the two adults in front of him started, their eyes going wide.
"What?" Ted asked as he wiped his mouth with the corner of his napkin, glancing at his wife.
Harry laughed again and told them the entire story, including his encounter with Peter Pettigrew. Andromeda watched him with a strange expression on her face that turned to one of surprise. "You dueled Peter Pettigrew, and he used the Killing Curse?" she questioned in a soft voice. She glanced at Ted who gave her a short nod. "I don't understand why you helped Sirius. The way you tell the story, you didn't much care about him as long as he didn't land you in Azkaban."
Harry pursed his lips and nodded. "Honestly, yes, that about sums it up. I don't agree with or like the Ministry of Magic. I took a huge risk by not turning Black in. I've had a while to reflect on my decision, and I'm not completely sure why I did it. Maybe I just wanted to get back at the Ministry for the events of my second year, or maybe I wanted to prove to myself that I was a capable wizard. I don't know. I made several mistakes last year. Some of them worked out while others didn't. My instructors always said hindsight was twenty-twenty," he admitted with a sigh. Mr. Weasley grunted and gave Harry a strange look.
"You're remarkably mature for your age," Ted commented with a smile. "Now, about your friend. How do you envision this apprenticeship working?"
Harry grimaced and replied, "you probably know more about what the norm is, but if you could teach her two to four times a week for a total of ten to twenty hours?"
Ted gave him a calculating look. "You haven't done your research, have you?" he questioned but didn't wait for an answer and continued to speak. "Apprenticeships are for years, Harry. They are expensive and extensive time investments for both parties involved. While I am willing to taking on an apprentice, I would have to meet with your friend and decide for myself if it is worth either of our time. That being said, what I am willing to discuss is a temporary agreement. One between me, your friend, and your friend's parents. If you wish to pay for my services in her sted, then that is between you and your friend. Please be aware, I have a family to provide for, so I will be looking for full-time employment in the next week or two."
"I understand, sir. Thank you for at least hearing me out."
"I would be a fool not to listen to any potential job opportunity. I do have a question," Ted said as he took a sip of his tea. When Harry nodded to him, he continued, "you've said you're doing this for your friend, Hermione, was it? I thought I remembered correctly. What of your own education? Will you be searching for someone to teach you over the summer?"
Harry froze before shaking his head. "I want to. Master Ogata was an amazing mentor, but no, I will just work on the assignments given to me by my professors," he replied with a firm nod.
"You are quite the talk among the wizarding community," Andromeda commented with a small smile. "No one knows what to think of you. Are you going to try and court my daughter?" she asked in an off-hand way.
Harry, in the middle of sipping his tea, choked. The image of Nymphadora Tonks appeared in his head. He hoped the scarring on his face hid the blush he knew was in his cheeks. "Ah, no... ma'am," he coughed out. Mr. Weasley grinned at him.
"A pity," Andromeda commented with a smirk. "You'd make for a wonderful son-in-law."
Ted gave his wife an amused look but didn't say anything. Harry wasn't sure why but his cheeks felt like they were on fire. "Uh... thank you?" he managed to get out. It took him a second to realize Andromeda was teasing him. Straightening his back, he looked the older witch in the eyes and said, "I can see where she gets her beauty from." As soon as he said it, he wished he could take it back.
The table exploded with laughter as Andromeda gave him an appraising look. "You're going to be trouble," she remarked, her smile reaching her eyes. "Thank you, dear. May I ask a favor of you?" Harry felt his eyebrows climb, but he nodded. "Would you pass a letter to Sirius? Now that he is a free, legal wizard again, well, I'd like to see if he is willing to talk one afternoon. The owl I sent came back rather confused. It may be that he has warded his home from potential harassers from the Ministry and Daily Prophet. There was a rather interesting article about him being the heir to the Black Family and rich eligible bachelor."
Harry snorted but nodded again. "I'll pass it along when I see him next or have Hedwig get it to him. I haven't talked to him a lot, but he has mentioned you once or twice. Apparently, you enjoyed teasing him about his hair," he said with a smile.
"Oh, I did more than tease him. He looked wonderful in my old satin dresses."
The table went silent before Harry burst out laughing. He could almost see a young Sirius forced into a blue dress by his older cousin. Mr. Weasley had a huge grin too. Ted shook his head and gave his wife an exasperated look. She beamed at them all.
Ted asked Mr. Weasley a couple of questions that opened the floodgates. Harry was surprised the middle-aged wizard hadn't spoken a lot before, but he thought it might be because Arthur wanted him to handle his own affairs. Mr. Weasley remarked on everything he found interesting about Muggles. Ted, being Muggle-born, seemed comfortable answering Mr. Weasley's endless supply of questions.
"I know you've excelled in all of your subjects, but do you have one or two that you enjoy more than any others?" Andromeda asked Harry while Ted explained the function of a blender to Arthur.
"Well, ma'am, I enjoy Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration the most," Harry answered, trying not to laugh at Mr. Weasley's excited, eager expression.
"I enjoyed Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts," the older witch confided with a smile. "Cheering Charms helped me get through my O.W.L.s. It wasn't until my fifth year that I realized what direction my life was going. It forced me to wake up and make a real plan for the rest of my life if I wanted to continue secretly dating Teddy. It would all come out, and I would be forced to choose between him and my family. I knew, even back then, that he was the one I wanted."
Harry blinked and nodded. "I just want to be able to provide for myself and create a home of my own. I've got plenty of money but... I've learned that it isn't enough. You have to be capable and be able to defend yourself and others. Providence taught me to prepare for the worst and... so far... the instructors weren't wrong. Nothing is completely peaceful in life," he confided, thinking of Voldemort and Wormtail.
It didn't take long for lunch to wrap up. Andromeda tried to probe into his life a little more, but Harry had lost his general good mood. The looming threat of Professor Trelawney's prophesy kept him up at night. Once reminded of Peter's probable involvement in the Dark Lord's return, he wasn't able to enjoy the company of others.
"It was very nice to meet you, Harry. Please feel free to owl me if ever you wish to talk to someone," Andromeda said as they stood in the bright summer day. "I can see why Dora likes you."
"Uh, thanks," Harry muttered. "Thank you for meeting me. I'll make sure this isn't a waste of your time if you and Hermione can work something out," he promised as he looked at Ted.
Mr. Tonks beamed at him and stuck out a hand. "It was good to meet you. I expect you'll be even more famous if you can figure out what witches and wizards have struggled with for centuries," he remarked with a grin. Andromeda had managed to get Harry to speak a little about the research he was doing on healing cursed scars. "I'll speak to Hermione, but if she is as smart as you, then I doubt I'll be able to say no to mentoring the next advocate for fair treatment in the wizarding world. We are in the minority, but I suppose only time changes things."
Mr. Weasley thanked Ted and Andromeda for their time and pleasant conversation. Mr. and Mrs. Tonks Apparated away a few minutes, leaving Harry and Arthur relatively alone in the street. "Thank you for escorting me," Harry said as he peered up the road toward Quality Quidditch Supplies. "Could we duck into a shop real quick before we go back to the Burrow? It won't take but a moment."
Mr. Weasley frowned and looked up the street. He seemed on the edge of speech before nodding and smiled. "I've got a few minutes to spare," he said and gestured for Harry to move along.
"Thank you, sir," Harry said and started for the broomstick shop at a brisk walk. Popping his head in the door, he grabbed three leaflets near the door for the shop's owl ordering service.
Mr. Weasley stopped him with a hand on his shoulder as he came back out of the shop. "Harry, do you have a moment to talk... wizard to wizard?" he questioned with an uncomfortable expression.
"Uh... sure?"
Mr. Weasley led him to a small table outside Florean Fortescue's Icecream Parlor and took a seat. Arthur seemed to struggle with what to say as he shifted on his chair. Harry sat, waiting to see what the middle-aged wizard had to say, growing more uncomfortable as the minute stretched on.
"Harry, what do... how do," Arthur finally said before faltering. He took a deep breath and looked Harry in the eyes. "How do you feel about my daughter?"
Harry felt himself reel back from Arthur's intense gaze. "Mr. Weasley, she's my friend and Ron's sister. What... what are you asking, sir?" he got out after a moment.
"You aren't blind or simple-minded, Harry. You have to have seen my daughter's interest in you. As something more than a friend. I want to know if you're going to try and court my daughter."
"No, sir," Harry answered in a strong, firm voice. He wasn't sure if Arthur had a look of relief or sadness at his answer. "She is my friend."
Mr. Weasley paused, a myriad of expressions playing over his face as they sat there in uncomfortable silence. "Molly and I have noticed you letting Ginny borrow your broom a good bit so she can keep Ron... distracted. Are you about to buy one for her birthday?"
Harry started and blinked. "Uh... well yes, it had crossed my mind," he admitted.
"If you are not interested in Ginny in... that way... then please be careful about what you purchase for her. It might give her certain... uh... ideas if you gave her something like a broom. She has wanted one of her own for years. Her mother and I agree that she's been too young to have one of her own, until recently."
"I won't buy her a broom then."
"That's not what I'm saying," Arthur said in a patient voice. "Witches are strange. They see things we wizards can never conceive of in every interaction with them. I'm simply telling you to put more forethought into your interactions with my daughter. I do not want you to hurt her."
Harry felt ants crawl down his spine as Arthur stared at him. "I'll keep what you said in mind, sir," he finally got out.
Mr. Weasley seemed to deflate a little. "She will decide what she wants to do in any case. Ginny has always been headstrong. Just keep what I said in mind, please. It will save us all a lot of drama in the future. Now, I'm going to drop you back off at home and head back to work. Tonight, I'll talk to Molly about maybe getting Ginny a broom for her birthday," he said in a brighter voice.
"Welcome back, dear. How did it go?" Mrs. Weasley questioned once Arthur left for work again.
Harry sat at the kitchen table with Ginny and Hedwig. Mrs. Weasley stood by the kitchen sink, supervising the clean-up of lunch. Brushes scrubbed pots and pans in mid-air above the sink as the matronly witch eyed him. "Ted Tonks will talk to Hermione before he decides anything. I have a good feeling that he'll take teach her something, even if it isn't an apprenticeship," he answered as he noticed one brush scrubbing a pot more vigorously than the others. It made him wonder if the witch or wizard's emotions expressed themselves in their magic. He made a mental note to look it up when he got a chance.
"Ron and the boys are up in the orchard. If you'd like you can join them," Mrs. Weasley said as she glanced behind her. With a frown, she waved her wand at the agitated brush still scrubbing the same spot on the pot. The brush settled as Mrs. Weasley turned back to Harry and her daughter. Her stare lingered on Ginny before she smiled. "I suppose you'll want to continue working on your studies. Dobby changed your sheets and picked up the papers you left scattered on the floor."
With a startled gasp, Harry jumped out of his seat and made for Bill and Charlie's room. "Oh no! They were in that order for a reason," he cried. It had taken him ages to get the calculations in order and ready for the final step. Every variable to the Human Transfiguration Spell had to be calculated separately and then put together into one formula.
That evening, Harry lay in bed with the small mirror propped up on his legs. "I met your sister today," he said after Sirius greeted him. The older wizard's strange face twisted and seemed to grow paler.
"I hope you don't mean my deranged cousin. She can rot in Azkaban for eternity for all I care," he muttered and shook his head. "No, it must be Dromeda. Right, you said you were going to meet her. Sorry, it has been a strange day."
"What happened?" Harry asked, taking note of Sirius' pallid face.
"I should have known... when I went to my parent's place to pick some things up I'd stashed there years and years ago. The door just let me in. I expected to have to force my way in, but that isn't what happened," Sirius muttered, staring at something only he could see.
"What should you have known?"
"I am the Heir to the Black family now. Kreacher, my mother's house-elf, always hated me. I hate the little bugger too. He screamed at me to get out as my mother's portrait wailed how much I was a failure and that I was disowned from the family. No surprises there. I didn't know I was the heir until a rather irate goblin from Gringotts appeared on my doorstep just a bit ago. He was less than pleased with my wards," Sirius said as his lips twisted into a smile. "They've been trying to contact me for the last week or more. The magic of the property alerted them I'd escaped Azkaban some time ago, and the effect of my father's will activated. Goblins have no great love for wizards, so they didn't inform the Ministry or try and contact me. It seems my father hadn't completely given up on me."
"So... you really are the most eligible bachelor in Great Britain now?" Harry mused, thinking of Andromeda's words and knowing smile.
Sirius grunted and barked a laugh. "I suppose I am. Maybe I can use that down in the pub," he said with a bright smile. "Speaking of that, we need to find you a nice witch, Harry. Your father was trying to get witchs' attention in his second year."
Harry snorted and shook his head. He told Sirius about Arthur's uncomfortable conversation with him. The older wizard barked a laugh and grinned at Harry. "You could do worse. She'll be a great beauty when she grows up a little more. I don't hear you saying no to a potential girlfriend."
"No," Harry said with a level look at his godfather. Sirius beamed at him. "Andromeda asked me to pass you a letter. Hedwig is on her way to you as we speak. Your wards may have chased off her owl."
"You know, I wondered if that was Alfred. My aunt's old owl. I think that's why, more than anything else, Dromeda's mother disowned her. She loved that bird, but it loved Dromeda more. My cousin has always adored animals. My mother and aunt's best qualities were their petty and vindictive tendencies," Sirius joked with a dark chuckle. "Are you ready to meet Hermione's parents and explain to them why it is a good idea to have a strange wizard teach their daughter?"
"I didn't hear anything about them not liking Master Ogata," Harry said with a frown.
"It wasn't like you two gave them an option. That, and you were safely in the company of Hogwart's teachers. Edward will probably want Hermione to join him at his home or whatever doubles for his office. I'm not an expert, but I'm sure any mother would be worried about their daughter's safety."
Harry grunted and pursed his lips. It seems he would need to put a little more thought into the problem than he'd planned. "I hadn't thought about that," he admitted when Sirius grinned at him.
"I know, that's why I'm here. I can cover your back and hopefully be able to keep you from making the mistakes I did. Who knew sneaking into a witch's house to do summer homework would have gotten me in so much trouble," Sirius remarked with an innocent smile. "We were even study buddies in school, but her mother didn't believe me."
Harry raised an eyebrow at Sirius' expression. "I'm not sure I believe you," he said and laughed when his godfather pulled a face.
"So, I might have stretched the truth a little, but nothing happened!"
They talked for a little longer. Sirius seemed more chipper and upbeat when Harry closed the connection between the mirrors. Harry struggled to contain his excitement when Sirius told him they would be going to the Master Charms Hall on Sunday and had a ticket for Ron if he wanted it.
The next morning, Harry took his time before coming downstairs for breakfast. Mrs. Weasley shot him a strained smile as she ladled out eggs and sausage onto his plate. "Did Sirius talk to you?" Harry asked after a moment, trying to figure out why Mrs. Weasley was acting strangely.
"He did," she confirmed and eyed him with pursed lips. "Do you want to go to the museum?" she questioned with a glance at Ron who slouched into the kitchen and flopped onto the closest chair beside Ginny.
Harry heard him mumble about aching arms and legs. "Yes, ma'am," he confirmed with a nod. "I think it will be a great opportunity, and I'd love to see what charms are on display." He glanced at Ron who had his head on the table. "He told you the other bit?" he asked in a careful tone, unsure of how Mrs. Weasley felt about Sirius.
The matronly witch gave him a warmer smile and looked at her youngest son. "Yes, he did. I'm not opposed to it... and Dumbledore did say it would be okay," she muttered to herself. Harry wasn't sure she realized he could hear her. "Yes, talk to Ron to see if he is willing," she said in a louder voice after a moment.
At the mention of his name, Ron lifted his head and blinked around the room. He seemed to realize Harry and Ginny were there. "Morning," he yawned and looked between his empty plate and the full one in front of Harry. "You going to eat that? I think I ate mine already."
Harry snorted and put an arm around his plate, protecting its previous contents away from his ravenous friend. "No, you may not," he said with a jerk of his chin toward Mrs. Weasley. "I think your mum has your food ready."
Ron wasn't up to talking until much later in the day. He'd overworked his muscles and was paying the price for it. Mrs. Weasley refused to heal him and forbade Harry from giving Ron a potion to soothe his sore muscles. Hermione and her parents were going to arrive just after mid-day so Harry took the opportunity to pull Ron aside. "Mate, are you interested in going to the Master Charms Hall?" he asked, keeping a wary eye on Ginny sitting on the sofa with a book in her lap. After Arthur's conversation with him, he'd been careful about what he said and kept his distance whenever he could. Ginny hadn't been sure what to make of his efforts and decided to leave him and Ron alone for a while.
"Master Charms Hall? The one where they have all those Ministry-level charms on display?" Ron asked in a quiet voice, his eyes going wide. "Mate, do you have tickets?"
"Sirius does, and he's offered to take you and me."
"Blimey, yes! I'd love to go," Ron almost shouted, drawing everyone's attention. Fred and George had an identical expression on their faces, a single raised eyebrow, while Ginny frowned.
"Keep your robes on," Harry grumbled but smiled. "We'll go sometime tomorrow."
"Bloody brilliant," Ron muttered with a sheepish look. He glanced at his mother who still stood by the kitchen sink.
Hermione and her parents arrived just before lunch. Their gleaming dark sedan rolled up the lane and stopped outside the white fence in the yard. Denis got out of the car first and stretched his legs while his wife, Eve, fussed over her summer dress. Harry could almost see Hermione's eyes roll from the front door.
"Welcome, I hope the drive wasn't too bad," Mrs. Weasley said, stumbling over her words a little. It was clear she'd practiced the sentence but didn't completely understand the meaning of the word driving.
"Thank you, and no, the drive wasn't too stressful," Denis commented with a smile. Mr. Granger stood a head taller than Mrs. Weasley, dressed in a crisp blue shit with ironed tan pants. His narrow, pale face looked strained as he smiled at Mrs. Weasley, his eyes roaming over the house in front of him. Harry could sympathize with Denis' fear. The upper floors of the Burrow swayed as a particularly strong gust of wind raced across the rolling, trimmed lawn
"Thank you for having us over," Mrs. Granger said as she stepped up beside her husband. It was clear she didn't have any second thoughts about entering the seemingly unsafe home, or if she did, she hid it better than her husband. Arthur appeared in the doorway and greeted Mr. Granger with an enthusiastic handshake.
Hermione came over to Ron, Harry, and Ginny while the adults talked. "How are you three?" she questioned as she gave Ginny a fierce hug.
"We're doing well," Harry answered with a grin. Hermione seemed to have grown a little in the few weeks they'd been apart. "Hows the assignments for Professor McGonagall going?"
"Dreadful," Hermione bemoaned as she gave Ron a half-hug, her eyes locked on Harry. "Speaking of dreadful. What gives you the right to try and negotiate an apprenticeship for me?" she hissed, frost lining her voice.
"Not thinking," Ginny commented with a smirk.
"That is part of it," Harry allowed and looked his friend in the eye. "However, you and I both learned how important it was to have a mentor last term. It saves us both so much time and effort. If you get a headstart now on your dreams, you can do something of meaning earlier. If you can avoid the bloody Ministry at all then I'll be happy, but I know you want to do something good for the world. Muggle-borns have it hard, you and I both know that."
Hermione pursed her lips and eyed him. "What did Edward say?" she questioned.
Harry couldn't tell if his arguments persuaded his friend or not. He told the truth. "Ted wants to meet you and your parents. I'll tell you now, money isn't an issue. So, if you can get an expensive apprenticeship, take it. If not, take all the information you can from someone who is experienced and run with it."
Hermione hummed to herself, her eyes locked on a point somewhere above Harry's head. "We'll see what my parents have to say," she allowed as her eyes locked with Harry's again. "However, you should have talked to me first. This is my life, you know."
"You're right, and I am sorry. But, Hermione, I did this for you. I want you to succeed."
"You want to pay me back for messing up the Advanced Course."
Harry grimaced but didn't want to lie to his friend. He chose a different tactic." It might save you from making a serious mistake that will keep you from becoming a Senior Staff in the Ministry. You and I both know that is where the real power is," he coaxed.
"Maybe, but that still doesn't give you the right."
After a long lunch of beef and potatoes, Mr. Granger sat back in his chair and looked at Harry. "I'm to understand you wish for Hermione to apprentice under what amounts to a lawyer in the magical world," he said in a firm voice.
The twins took that as the queue to vacate the area. Ron, after shooting Harry a smirk, vanished upstairs. Ginny remained seated, her hands in her lap as she stared at Harry. Under all the stares from around the table, Harry did his best not to fidget. "That is right, Mr. Granger," he got out. Once he found his voice, he realized he wasn't worried. "The... magical world... is a dangerous place, Mr. Granger. I know you've come to realize that. The Ministry of Magic decides what is dangerous and what isn't. Muggle-borns, someone like Edward Tonks and Hermione, aren't as well-received in this society as you might expect. Money, influence, breeding, and magical power dictate who is in charge more often than not. It simply is in the wizarding world."
He paused and marshaled his thoughts. "Hermione has expressed a desire to join the governing body to change some of these prejudices. I've seen what she's studied in our limited free time. House-elves are treated worse than dirt by some wizarding families, with no repercussions. They are sentient magical creatures that deserve some measure of respect, yet they have little say over their lives.
I have confidence Hermione will achieve whatever she puts her mind to. She is, hands down, the smartest witch of our age. With her help, she and I have gone through the coursework of five years or more in the space of three years. We had help, yes, but she could have done it on her own. I say this because she'll do great things when she graduates from Hogwarts. I don't want someone like Fudge to use his power and influence to suppress her. If she knows what traps and pitfalls could be waiting for her, she might be able to navigate around them and accomplish her goals even sooner."
Mrs. Granger looked from Harry to Hermione. Her daughter had a distinct blush in her cheeks as she stared at anything other than Harry. Mr. Granger pursed his lips, his hands on the table as he stared Harry down. "You've given this a lot of thought," he commented. "While I see your point of view, why didn't you consult Hermione?"
Harry knew the older man had seen through his explanation. "It was supposed to be a surprise birthday present for her," he admitted with a sigh. "I really do mean all those things I said. She will go on to do great things. She is the smartest witch of our age, and she will need help to achieve her dreams. The Ministry isn't a good place, Mr. Granger. I also feel bad about the Advanced Course," he continued and ignored the look of triumph in Hermione's eyes. "She shouldn't be punished for my decision to hire a foreign wizard to mentor us. He was amazing and taught us more than I dreamed of, but it also cost us... her a lot."
Hermione looked like she wanted to say something, but her mother gave her a stern look. She settled back in her seat with a frown. "You were going to pay for this? I know Hermione mentioned your mentor, Ogata," Mrs. Granger said as she stumbled over the unfamiliar word, "cost you a lot of money. You were going to pay for this for Hermione alone?"
"Yes," Harry answered without hesitation. "She is my friend."
Mr. Granger pulled a face and looked at his wife. They seemed to communicate without speaking for a moment before they both turned to look at Hermione. She seemed to shrink in her chair under her parent's stares, the faint blush returning to her cheeks. Harry wanted to ask what he'd missed but decided silence was the better course of action.
"I want to meet with Edward," Hermione declared after a moment. She shot Harry an angry look.
Harry tried not to smile. He really did. Hermione's glare took on a dark glint that promised him an earful and more once they were out of her parent's sight. The Grangers seemed resigned and looked at each other again.
"While we thank you for taking a... keen interest in our daughter's education," Mrs. Granger said as she turned back to Harry.
"We'd like for you to discuss any future... ideas such as this with us and Hermione in the future," Mr. Granger finished with a hard look at Harry. It seemed like he was weighing and Harry in his mind.
"Thank you," Harry muttered, wondering if he was thanking them for supporting his idea or holding back from yelling at him.
"Would anyone like some pie," Mrs. Weasley asked into the uncomfortable silence.
It didn't take long for the conversation to resume as Mr. Weasley started to ask Mr. Granger about his work as a dentist. Having to talk about something he loved, Denis launched into a detailed description of his everyday work routines.
"We need to talk," Hermione hissed once her parents were led into the sitting room by Mr. Weasley.
"So, talk," Harry muttered under his breath to her. He ignored the glare from his friend. Ginny smirked and moved to the end of the table, effectively screening the two of them from the adults.
"You should have told me," Hermione grated out once she was sure no one was watching her. She kicked Harry in the shin under the table.
Unfazed, Harry smiled at his friend. "It wouldn't have been much of a surprise birthday present if I had," he commented, trying to suppress a grin. Something about riling Hermione up made him want to laugh.
Hermione kept up a string of increasingly hostile comments about Harry's attitude, general mental health, annoying characteristics, and hardheaded nature. Harry sat there, nodding when appropriate and placating his friend with as few words as possible, but he knew her heart wasn't in it. She was excited about possibly learning from Mr. Tonks. Ginny rolled her eyes at Harry when she was sure Hermione wasn't looking, which made him laugh. The laugh didn't help soothe Hermione's mood.
Ron reappeared a bit later, following his nose to the pie sitting on the counter. With a glance at his mother, he slipped a large piece onto a dish and sat down next to Harry, opposite Hermione. "Have you calmed down yet?" he questioned.
Hermione gave him a withering look. "Nice to see you too, Ron," she hissed.
"Oh hush, you can't wait to learn something new. You're just angry you didn't think of it first," Ron challenged as he took a large bite of his pie. Harry stared at his friend and had a sudden desire to scoot his chair away from the table. Ginny did move away from Hermione, suddenly having a strong interest in refilling her glass with juice.
Hermione's tirade didn't disappoint as she turned her simmering anger on a new target. Ron wilted under her constant barrage of disparaging remarks about Ron's lack of mental capacity when dealing with witches. Harry let his attention wander.
Mrs. Granger pulled Hermione away to speak with her outside after a few minutes. "Blimey, I thought she was going to carve my guts out with the butter knife," Ron complained as he polished off the last of the pie on his plate.
"She might have. You just had to say something," Harry remarked with a snort.
"We should escape while her mother has her," Ron whispered.
"Go on, you two," Ginny said with a smile. "I want to talk to Hermione, and you two will only make her angry again."
Happy to have an excuse to leave, Harry didn't wait to escape the kitchen. He went up to Bill and Charlie's room to get a book. Ron opened the door a few minutes later. "Mate, I know we cant go up to the orchard, so don't yell at me too," he said as he entered the room with a small stack of parchments. "Could you help me understand this essay we're supposed to do for Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Hermione and her family stayed until after dinner. Her mood improved after talking to Ginny for an hour. Harry, glad to have his friend back to almost normal, talked to her about his progress with Professor McGonagall's homework. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Granger sat at the table, listening to their heated discussion about how best to transfigure an animal from various substances.
"Do you understand any of that?" Harry heard Mr. Granger whisper to Mr. Weasley.
"Very little, I'm afraid," Arthur admitted with a grimace. "It feels like just yesterday I was showing Harry how to enchant my car, and he watched on with fascination. Now it's the other way around."
"You've enchanted your car?" Denis asked, his voice rising an octave.
"Oh, yes! You should come see it."
"I think not," Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Weasley said at the same time, stopping their husbands in their tracks by the door. They shared a glance and a strained smile.
"You'll continue to write?" Hermione asked as her parents were preparing to leave.
"You know I will. Let me know how your meeting with Ted goes. I think you'll like him. Andromeda is amazing too. Her humor is a little weird."
"You're one to talk," Hermione accused with a laugh.
That night, he told Sirius about talking to Hermione and her parents. "It could have gone much worse, but you knew Hermione wouldn't turn down the opportunity. She's always struck me as a smart witch. Are you ready for tomorrow? I'll come to get you and Ron around mid-day."
"Yes! Just don't wear your sister's silk dress," Harry shot back with a smirk.
Sirius froze then barked a laugh. "She told you that? Of course, she did. It is one of her favorite stories. Did she tell you how I got her back once I got my wand? She's always hated trousers, so I learned how to transfigure her dress into a pair of trousers. What I didn't account for is how it would fit on her when I cast the spell. So there my sister was, in her favorite dress at a fancy party of my parents. The dress suddenly turned into a pair of trousers five sizes too big around and at least twice the height. Both her legs got squeezed into one leg of the trousers, and the waist drooped over her head. Come to find out, she hadn't worn a bra. Boy, my parents were mad, but my sister just stood up, drew her wand from somewhere, and chased me around the house, hopping along and firing jinxes and hexes at me," he recalled with a boyish grin.
