October 31st

Halloween was always an important day in the Wizarding world. Not only was it a beloved holiday, but for the years between the end of the first wizarding war and the second, it was marked as the anniversary of the fall of Lord Voldemort. Once Harry was dead, however, no one mentioned the significance of the anniversary without fear of being reported. With her master dead, Hermione could only imagine how raucous the celebrations would get that year. She wanted no part of any of them. If she could simply get through the day, that would be good enough for her.

The visit she had with Rodolphus after she returned from spending part of the evening with Antonin continued to unnerve her. She spent hours dissecting and analyzing every word that he said. Still none of it made the least bit of sense. She couldn't remember ever having a single conversation with the wizard about the world following the Dark Lord's death let alone several. Either Rodolphus had a faulty memory or she did. Considering what her mind had gone through, she was more apt to believe it was her, but she just couldn't shake how wrong it all felt. Maybe she wasn't the only one who was insane. Rodolphus had more reason than most to lose his mind after so many years stuck in Azkaban and even more married to the psycho bitch.

Very little would encourage Hermione to leave her room while the holiday was still being celebrated. She wasn't in the mood. Afraid of what Antonin likely thought of her after hearing from Thorfinn about her public and passionate kiss, she didn't want to seek him out again until he had time to cool down. That left her with little to do than to plan her next move. She feared she was wasting valuable time in her hesitation. Each morning when she was first mentally assaulted with the images of every person she'd ever killed, she wondered if she had the necessary strength required to add even more souls to her list. Even if she planned on only killing those who truly deserved it, violence could get messy and confusing. Innocent bystanders often got caught up in the aftermath. Could her soul take more collateral damage?

She sighed and laid her body back down on the bed. The Three Broomsticks would probably be crowded and busy all day and all night until the blasted holiday was over. In years past she'd been able to enjoy Halloween, especially when she was at Hogwarts. At least in years when there wasn't a mountain troll in the girls' lavatory, of course. She envied Oliver his innocence. He was likely up at the castle that very moment excited about the feast he'd get to enjoy that evening.

It was slightly annoying to know so many people were happy when she was so miserable. The temptation to track Aubin down with his silver button just so she could torture and kill him to make him more miserable than she was crossed her mind briefly. But even that didn't sound appealing that day. She didn't think it was wise to try to track him and kill him when she was alone and she was without a suitable partner for the moment.

A knock at her door drew her out of her melancholy thoughts. She was glad for the distraction as she was starting to get on her own nerves. One of the young witches that worked for Madam Rosmerta stood outside in the corridor clutching a sealed message and looking as if she'd rather be anywhere else. Grateful to be relieved of her burden, the witch pushed the missive in Hermione's hand and rushed away. The girl's fear amused Hermione and helped to bolster her spirits. At least there were still some out there who were still afraid of her.

When she saw the official Hogwarts' seal on the back of the parchment, Hermione groaned. She could only imagine what she would find when she read the contents. Addressed to both of Oliver's parents, Professor McGonagall requested their presence at the castle as soon as possible in order to address a serious issue with their son. Even if her feelings about her former student were no longer as warm as they once were, Hermione knew Minerva McGonagall well enough to know that she would've mentioned in the letter if he was physically harmed. She wasn't worried enough to track down Antonin to join her for what was sure to be a scolding from her former Head of House. There was no need to bother her husband, and if she was honest with herself, she was still nervous about what his reaction to Thorfinn's report would be.

Not wishing to waste any more time, Hermione made her way to the ground floor of the inn. Hardly even mid-morning, it was already filled with revelers and merrymakers. At least she could tell with one look in Thorfinn's direction that she wasn't the only one who was miserable. As soon as she stepped outside, she Apparated to the castle gates. A long walk would've done her some good, but she wasn't in the mood. Just a few steps towards the castle she heard someone behind her. Spinning on her heel with her wand at the ready, she was prepared to fight, if necessary. It was only Ron also holding a letter just like hers.

"Looks like our boys are both in trouble."

She couldn't help but smile at his statement. When her old friend caught up with her, they resumed their walk towards the castle together. Neither of them spoke for the rest of the walk to Professor McGonagall's office, but Hermione thought it nice to have him by her side again. Almost like they were back in school together and the miserable twenty years they'd just experienced never happened.

Minerva McGonagall attempted to be polite to her former students like she would with any other parents of her students, but the entire meeting was awkward and uncomfortable. Oliver and Hugo were caught outside of Gryffindor Tower past curfew the night before. As tempting as it was to laugh, especially when she caught Ron's eye, Hermione held it together. Their boys, it seemed, were repeating history. A fleeting thought about how stressed her former professor would've been if Harry was still alive with a troublemaking son of his own made her smile until the crippling depression of reality crushed it. No, that was a scenario better left unthought. It wasn't meant to be. Everyone's life was changed irrevocably that day in the Great Hall when Harry fell.

"I'm aware that I don't have to tell either of you so, but we are living in a very uncertain time. Both of you should be proud to have the sons that you do, but I'm concerned they are going down a path which they cannot return. A path where…"

"They will turn into us?"

Hermione's words caught Professor McGonagall off-guard, but the elderly witch did not dispute them. There was a time when the Transfiguration professor cared a great deal for the younger versions of the witch and wizard sitting on the other side of her desk. So much had changed since those days. It was impossible to go back. Likely she feared history would continue to repeat itself.

The rest of their meeting was tense and even a bit sad. Professor McGonagall informed the concerned parents that their sons would be punished accordingly for their rule-breaking and she implored them both to make certain their sons understood the severity of their actions. When they both made the appropriate promises that they would be sending their sons strongly worded owls, they were excused from her office. It was difficult to determine which of the three was more relieved when the entire tense, sad meeting was over.

Outside in the corridor, Ron didn't immediately run away from his old friend like Hermione expected him to. Lessons were still in session and there was no one within hearing distance. He checked and double-checked they were alone before speaking.

"Thought you might want to know that due to recent rows, Romy has taken the littlest children to her mum's house. We're not sure when or if she's going to move back home."

A cheeky wink and a grin followed his announcement. Hermione chuckled. For the briefest of moments it felt like he was the same boy he used to be so many years earlier. Hogwarts was playing funny tricks on her. She was feeling entirely too nostalgic within its walls. When he'd passed along his message that she was free to 'attack' him at home, he winked again and headed for the main staircase.

She wasn't in a rush to leave the ancient structure. Taking her time walking down the familiar corridors, she wasn't even near the entrance when students began piling out of their classrooms. There was so much excited chatter that even she smiled again. Somehow it was impossible to stay in a terrible mood when there was so much innocent joy around her. Had she ever been like them? It was hard to remember.

At the end of the corridor, she saw the hateful Julia Lestrange. Not wishing to have any sort of interaction with the girl, Hermione slipped behind a tapestry she knew covered a hidden alcove. Perhaps it was silly to hide from the witch, but she wasn't in the mood for what was bound to be an uncomfortable conversation. And besides, the little bitch would probably whine to her daddy that the wretched Madam Dolohov had been mean to her again. She really didn't want to have to fend off any attacks from Rabastan. The less time she had to be in his presence, the happier she would be.

While waiting for the girl to pass by her hiding place, Hermione felt the temperature in the space drop several degrees quite quickly. She sighed. If she turned around, she knew she would see Fred. How she knew with any certainty was unclear, but she did. The thought of seeing him in his current state always depressed her. When he approached her in the past, she refused to look. Was she strong enough to turn around?

Fred was smiling at her when she was brave enough. Looking every bit as he did the day he died, she felt a sob choke in her throat. How could someone who had always been so vibrant in life be nothing more than a misty shadow? Life was unbearably cruel. The moment their eyes met, he winked at her just as he'd done countless times over the years that they knew each other. She used to cross his path in the corridor between lessons in the last couple of years they were in the castle together. Never, even when they'd been at each other's throats earlier in the day for something so unimportant she couldn't even remember what it was, did he fail to wink. It was the same when she would pass him on the stairs at the Burrow or at Number Twelve.

"Fred…"

"And here I was thinking all of these years that there was no possible way that you could grow more beautiful. How wrong I was."

His second wink coupled with his sweet words threatened to do her in. She wasn't sure that she would be able to withstand much more of his presence. It was too hard to see him, too hard to remember how he used to be.

"Why did you not move on? Why are you still here?"

He shrugged his shoulders, clearly uncomfortable with the question, but never one to back down.

"I wanted to make sure that the people I loved and left behind were all going to be all right first."

His words were heavy with meaning. She willed the tears forming in the corners of her eyes to dry up.

"Did you come to me when I was locked in the broom cupboard?"

"Yes, I did, but it didn't seem like you wanted me there."

"No, it's just that I didn't think I could bear to see you as a…"

"A ghost?"

Even though he winked at her yet again while he spoke the dreaded word, she still felt the impact. She nodded in response, unable to trust herself to speak just yet.

"I like your son. He's great. Reminds me a lot of you."

"Thank you."

"I'll try to keep him from getting into too much trouble."

She was grateful to know that Fred was keeping an eye on her son, but feared she couldn't be alone with him for much longer without crying. Fred understood that she was struggling. He gestured to the corridor.

"I think it's clear now."

After one last look at the smiling ghost of the young wizard who was killed way too soon, Hermione rushed out of the hiding place. She needed out of the castle. Even her room in the Three Broomsticks didn't seem so terrible.