Author Note: This is a collaboration between myself and my brother. It was inspired by KGFinkel and my brother talking on Facebook. It is a story of a Harry Potter that was raised in Harlan County Kentucky. Lily lived and went to stay with distant family there. It will be a slightly fictionalized version of the Appalachian culture as Cady Creek is not a real place, it is more a gestalt of several places. Many of the other places mentioned will be real. Dumbledore is a bad man, many characters are not quite what they were in canon. It is very firmly an Alternate Universe. It will eventually be Lunar Harmony.
My brother is doing most of the plot and general ideas while I am doing most of the typing and polishing. So enjoy. As usual no animals were harmed in the production of this product. Neither person involved in the creation of this product claim ownership of any pre-existing characters or ideas.
edited to fix a couple of issues that had slipped through.
(BEGIN)
It was the summer of 1996 and Albus Dumbledore was riding in a black car owned by the MACUSA. He had been doing so for far too many miles as they drove through the rolling hills and valleys of south eastern Kentucky. Each town growing smaller and smaller as they went.
It was all for a worthy cause though, Harry Potter had been found. Dumbledore snorted as he recalled the trick Lily had played, she had somehow convinced her sister Petunia to bring her son Dudley to visit for the night. That particular night when Voldemort would come and attack them. In the darkness and chaos Voldemort had managed to kill James but made a critical error. He mistook Petunia and Dudley for Lily and her son Harry.
The sacrifice of Petunia for her son had primed the ancient magics Lily had somehow placed over the nursery so when the Dark Lord attempted to murder Dudley his spell backfired. Dudley being a muggle had been killed but so had the body of the Dark lord. Reducing him to a mere shade.
Meanwhile Lily had spirited Harry out of the house. Albus had not counted on her being that ruthless and calculating. He would have to remember not to underestimate her again.
They turned off of a narrow two lane blacktop road called a highway onto a narrow paved road that followed one of the interminable creeks that seemed to be at the bottom of every valley. This one ran north to south apparently as the sun was now on his right. He glanced at the young student he had brought with him to perhaps help entice Harry to return. A young lady by the name of Hermione Granger.
She was considered the most brilliant student in her year, just like Lily, Albus thought with a hidden smirk. She had wavy brown hair and amber eyes. A fair figure Albus supposed, as his tastes did not align in that regards, and a tolerable personality. One of her other assets was she was devoutly loyal to himself as the authority figure in her life.
The vehicle began to enter a small cluster of houses at a broad point of the valley. The sign along the road said Cady Creek which made Dumbledore smile as the journey was almost over. The village had a tired working class appearance about it. With a small gas station that doubled as a store, a diner, and a post office being the only public amenities available. A small church stood by a neat and tidy graveyard. The largest employer appeared to be some sort of mine.
"No offense sir, however I was wondering how much further we have to go." Hermione spoke from the back seat.
"Well the address is just a bit up the valley. So not much longer." The driver said carefully maneuvering around a dog that looked at him crossly for daring to disturb his slow amble across the road. Miss Granger huffed in resignation as she wrinkled her nose at a collection of teens gathered around a large truck of some sort.
They turned onto a gravel road that was even more narrow than the pavement they had been on. Dumbledore wondered if they would wind up on a track in the woods before they were finished. Bouncing across a set of railroad tracks the road had begun to develop grass in the middle of it. The creek they had wandered back under the main road, the railroad and this road once, then back again a few hundred yards later.
The sun was being lost behind he tops of the ridges as they finally arrived at a small farm that was set back from the road along a gravel driveway. A wire fence surrounded an old wooden house with the name Ecars on the postbox in front. Dumbledore frowned as this was the address given for Lily.
Before the vehicle had even come to a stop three large smooth haired hounds came running up barking and baying. The driver froze as the biggest one leaped on the door staring in at him. Teeth bared with a menacing growl that could be heard through the window. Miss Granger sat in her seat staring carefully at the beast.
A tall slender older woman wearing a floral print dress and an apron stepped onto the porch shouting and clapping at the dogs. From some sort of building at the back of the house an older man wearing bib overalls and wiping his hands on a rag. Dumbledore put on his best grandfatherly smile and stepped out of the car.
"Hello. My name is Albus Dumbledore I was wondering if Lily Parker was home?" He remembered to use her new name as she had remarried in 1986, one of the things that had thrown him off of the trail for several years.
"Why you wanna know?" The older man said spitting a dark brown glob on the ground near Albus' feet.
"Well you see I am an old associate of hers from the U.K. and was wanting to speak with her in a matter about her son Harry." Albus said as cheerfully as he could.
The man worked whatever he was chewing from one side of his mouth to the other several times while he stared at Dumbledore. The older woman chided her husband.
"Richard! Where are your manners?" the older woman scolded as she walked to the two of them.
"Mabel you don't worry none about my manners this is that Dumbledore fellow Lily warned us about." The man named Richard declared with a scowl.
Albus raised his eyebrow, obviously Lily had told her distant family quite a few negative things about him. "I assure you, whatever you have been told, I can explain."
The old woman turned on him, "That ain't for me nor Richard to decide. Lily will be home once she gets done at the diner. Until then you can sit on the porch and cool yer heels or you can go on back into town and talk to her there." The old woman said putting her hands on her hips in a posture Albus felt deja vu over. This woman seemed so much like Minerva it was disturbing.
"Yes well, how soon may we expect her." Albus had no desire to sit around cooling his heels. Especially as two of the dogs had taken a great interest in sniffing his legs while the third one had come to sit beside the old man with a rather predatory expression.
"Oh right about an hour or two." The old man said glancing up at the ridge line with the sun peeking over it still.
"Yes well are there any accommodations available?" Albus politely asked.
"Not unless you go on back up to Benham. That's the nearest one. Otherwise you gotta go clear over to Harlan or down to Wise in Virginny." Richard said spitting another glob of that brown material on the ground.
Albus sighed, they had passed through that town on the way here. It had not impressed him any more than the current village had.
The window of the car came down to allow Hermione to call out, "I'm sorry for interrupting but I need to use the loo. May I trouble you?"
"Aw, no trouble honey. Come on over and I'll show you where it is." The old woman said walking to the car with a wide smile.
Hermione carefully got out. Pausing when the younger dogs ran over to sniff her. Finding her acceptable they followed her and the old woman to the house with their tails wagging.
"Well looks like you might as well make yourself comfortable. Mabel is going to talk the girl's ear off." The old man looked suspiciously at Albus in a way that made him slightly uncomfortable. "What'er ya doin wit a girl along wit ya anyhow?"
"She is one of our prefects. I thought she could speak with Harry about the school I run. Tell him about the programs and classes." Albus smiled neutrally.
The old man grunted then walked over to the car and rapped on the driver's window with the back of his knuckles. Inviting the driver to come onto the porch he led the way. Pausing long enough to pluck an apple from the tree growing in the front yard. He neglected to offer one to Albus but did offer one to the driver.
Once the three men were settled in rocking chairs on the porch the old man took a knife from his pocket, unfolded it and began to cut slices off of the apple.
The driver nervously fiddled with his apple until Mabel and Hermione came out. She had a tray with a large pitcher and several glasses of ice on it. Hermione carried a bowl with some cookies. Setting it on the small table in front of the wooden seat on the porch she smoothed out her skirt as she settled beside her husband. Hermione copied her as she took a seat beside her on the high backed bench.
"So anyone want some tea?" Mabel said pouring a glass.
"Yes ma'am. If you don't mind." Hermione said politely.
Albus took a glass as did the driver. "Thank you. It was a rather long drive."
"Oh I'm sure it was. We're a long way out from anywhere to here." Mabel said handing her husband a glass before she poured herself one.
"Yes indeed." Albus said. "So what has Lily told you about me?"
"Oh she told us a few things. So iffen yer worried about us knowing about magic we already do." Mabel said sipping her tea, "Most of the valley knows. Its pretty common around here. Granny Huck out on the Gap Road does a lot of the learnin the young-uns need."
"Oh. So Harry has received magical training already?"
"O-course he has. Lily ain't a fool. What she couldna teach him herself she made sure he learnt from others who could teach him." Richard declared emphasizing his words with another spit off of the porch.
They heard the loud exhaust of a vehicle coming into the drive way at that moment. Hermione recognized the large truck that had the group of teens around it. Behind the wheel was a tall black haired teen with a small blonde girl on the seat beside him. The truck was flat black with large tires and as it slewed around the government car Hermione saw two exhaust pipes belching smoke from them under the chrome back bumper. The roll bar was chromed as well. A large metal whip antenna extended from the left bumper and was tied to the roll bar. She wrinkled her nose at the entire excessive vehicle thinking how American.
"Was that Harry?" Albus asked with a slight grin.
"Yeah it was." Richard admitted. Slicing the last bite of his apple before pulling out a red handkerchief to wipe the blade clean.
They heard the trucks engine turn off and a moment later as it pulled behind the barn. Two teens approached the porch soon after. The tall lanky black haired boy wearing gold rimmed aviator framed glasses holding hands with the slender blonde girl. He was wearing boots, denims and a black t-shirt that had the Firebird logo across the front in gold while she wore cutoff denim shorts, and a white ribbed sleeveless t-shirt. She was shoeless but it did not seem to affect her, while her long blonde hair hung down her back in twin pigtails.
"Hey gramma!" The boy called out leaping over the stairs to give her a hug before nodding to his grampa. The girl smiled and hugged them before jumping to make herself comfortable on the porch railing.
"Harry this is Albus Dumbledore and Hermione Granger. I'm sorry young fellow I didn't catch yer name." Mabel said to the driver.
"Oh my name is Adam Sinclair ma'am." The driver said politely.
"Sinclair. Your folks from Lexington?" Richard inquired with some interest.
"Uh no Maysville sir. Just outside in Mays Lick to be precise." he clarified quickly.
"Good land. Good people." Was all Richard had to say.
Harry nodded to the driver then with a frown at Dumbledore he turned to Hermione and looked at her curiously. A slight grin playing at the corner of his mouth. "Hello. I'm Harry Parker. This is my girlfriend Luna Lovegood."
Albus gave a start at that introduction. Harry did not call himself a Potter. That was disturbing, as well as having a girlfriend already. That might make bringing Miss Granger a less than useful idea. Lovegood sounded far too familiar for his liking as well.
Hermione looked him up and down and was less than impressed. She had heard a great many things about Harry Potter from Dumbledore. How he was in hiding until the time for his return was foretold, how he was a great hero and being trained in secret to fight the darkness. The entire magical world of the U.K. had heard Dumbledore make these claims as things became more chaotic, and now with the return of the Dark Lord being rumored, the hour of need for his return had come. Yet here he was looking like any other common berk holding hands with a girl who looked even more common than he did. Plus she did not like the way the girl was looking at her. Like she knew her or had been expecting her.
"Ah Hello Harry. I am an old associate of your parents." Albus said with what he hoped as a friendly twinkle in his eyes.
Harry turned to him with those green eyes sizing him up quickly Albus thought. "I know. Mama has told me a lot about you and what happened."
"Ah well I would hope I could perhaps clarify a great many things."
"Juries out on that one." Harry replied turning his glance back to Hermione. "So what's your story?"
"Miss Granger." Albus began before those green eyes turned back towards him sharply. The fact his hand had slid to a knife that was sheathed on his belt was not lost on Albus. This was not a cowed child but someone who had backbone and a bit of wild in him. Albus realized he would have to tread carefully.
"I was asking her Mr Dumbledore, not you." The tone of voice brooked no argument from Dumbledore.
"My Apologies." Albus said then fell silent, gesturing for Hermione to continue.
Hermione looked at her professor then with a deep breath said, "I am one of the prefects for Gryffindor house at Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore felt that I might be able to answer any questions you might have about our school and the classes from a student's perspective as well as encourage you to join us."
"Really? Why would I wanta go all the way across the ocean when I get all the learnin I need here?" Harry sighed leaning against the railing between Luna's legs. Legs she immediately wrapped around his waist.
Hermione looked at Harry in affronted surprise, "Really? Hogwarts is the best school for magic in the world. There are academic opportunities unavailable anyplace else in the world. There are the best professors and the library is astounding. Assuming you can read that is?"
"Etiam scio quam legere. quattuor linguarum" He replied with a smirk.
Hermione blinked in surprise, "Oh. Well is that counting English?"
"si lo es por supuesto" he casually said with a yawn.
"Ah bon? Alors connaissez-vous celui-ci ?" Hermione smugly replied.
"Oui. Donc pas besoin de se faire tordre les seins dessus." He replied casually causing Luna to snort.
Hermione huffed at him before turning to Dumbledore, "Are you sure he's really Harry Potter? He doesn't seem very heroic."
"Oh I can be real heroic when I need to be. Being a pawn like you in somebody else's game ain't in my plans." Harry growled back.
"I am not a pawn." Hermione angrily spat at him.
"That's all he does. He lies, manipulates and uses people. Chews em up and spits em. Iffen mama had listened to him she'd be dead too. How many folks did you get killed while you sat back and did nothing." Harry had stood up angrily glaring at Dumbledore as he shouted at him.
Hermione jumped up, "Don't take that tone with the Headmaster." She shrieked at Harry.
"I will take whatever tone I want to with this man. He's responsible for getting my dad killed. I grew up with nothin but stories about him. My mama said if she never ever saw him again it would be too soon." Harry growled.
"Now see here Harry. You mother's opinion might be a little bit biased." Albus said.
Harry's hand had gone to the knife on his belt, drawing it faster than Albus had expected he soon found the point inches from his nose. Hermione had drawn her wand almost as quickly while the driver sat holding his glass of tea and a half eaten apple in the other hand looking worried.
Luna cleared her throat. "Can I make a reasonable suggestion or is the the wrong crowed to do so with?"
"You go ahead and speak hun. They'll listen." Mabel said.
"Mr. Dumbledore your presence here is mighty contentious. You ain't gonna have a peaceful sitdown with Harry or his mama. That's a definite fact." Luna pointed out. "So why not leave Hermione here while you go do something else. She can talk to Harry and his ma, and they can talk to her. Eh?"
Harry and Hermione both spun to stare at her in angry confusion, "What?" They managed to say in unison.
Harry followed his what with, "Have you lost your sense Luna?"
Hermione though sneered, "You want me to stay here?"
Albus quickly thought that would be a brilliant idea, either Hermione would be able to convince him to come back or "Capital idea young lady. I hope this will not be an imposition upon either of you?" Albus said smiling warmly at the Evans elders.
"Might want to ask her if she even wants to stay." Richard pointed out.
"Miss Granger would you please come with me." Albus said striding towards the car.
She glared at Harry but followed Dumbledore to the car. Once she was gone Harry frowned at Luna, "Look is this one of your feelings?"
Luna sighed before nodding, "Trust me Harry. Please."
Rubbing her arms he kissed her on the top of her head saying, "You know I do Luna. But she is a right piece of work."
Luna looked into his eyes with a smile, "I know. But so am I."
Harry relented with, "Yeah but at least you're fun."
Luna looked at the car with a tilt to her head, "She will be when she gets out of the shadows. Just give her time."
Harry grumbled, "I'll give her all the rope she needs."
Luna turned and looking sourly at Harry caused him to kiss her nose, "Okay. You win. I'll try and play nice with her."
Smiling brightly Luna said, "Thank you Harry."
Meanwhile Hermione was standing by the trunk of the car, "Sir. Do you really think I should remain here. In this place. Its so, its very. I mean look at him. He is nothing like the way you described him. If I had known he would be like this I might not have volunteered."
"True. I could have left you with your parents, or the Weasleys." Albus said calmly.
Hermione shuddered briefly before saying with a frown, "No. I'll do my best. Although what exactly am I supposed to do? He already has a girlfriend, and he seems rather satisfied with things here."
Albus looked at her with a smile before saying, "I'm quite sure you will figure things out on your own. You are after all rather brilliant and capable are you not?"
Swallowing as she looked around the farmstead she sighed in resignation, "Yes sir. I'll do my best."
"Good. That's what I expect." Albus said walking her back to the porch.
Hermione said in a calmer tone, "If it is agreeable to you, I would be more than happy to accept the offer to stay here."
Mabel stood up, "Well that will be just fine with us, Luna can show you upstairs. Harry now go on and get cleaned up for supper. Your mom and dad will be home soon."
"Yes gramma." Harry said setting off across the yard.
Luna waited for Hermione to retrieve her two bags before leading her into the house. Albus and his driver departed leaving Richard and Mabel standing alone.
"This is gonna be a real fun week." Richard intoned.
….
As they walked through the front door Luna pointed out the rooms, "That's the living room, to the left is the sitting room back left is the dining room, back right is the kitchen, straight back on the left is the bathroom, on the right is the pantry. Upstairs is the bedrooms."
Hermione frowned as she followed Luna upstairs, "Is there only the one bathroom?"
"Well yeah. Aside from the outback." Luna giggled, "But you don't look like the kind to use one of them."
"The outback?" Hermione sighed, "Is that what I think it is?"
"If you think its a little shed out back of the house you go potty in then yeah." Luna said stopping at the top of the stairs with a grin.
Hermione huffed in resignation, "I am in a primitive land now."
Luna gave her a crooked grin, "Its not all that bad. Except in the winter. Then you gotta make sure you don't freeze to the seat."
Hermione looked disgustedly at her, "I do not plan to be here in the winter."
Luna simply shrugged, "This is my room, that one is Gramma and Grampa's and this one behind me is the attic. They use it for storage so you'll be in with me." She said opening the door to the left of the stairs.
"SO you're related to Harry AND his girlfriend?" Hermione asked with a strange tone to her voice.
Luna laughed, "No. Harry and I are not related. We're not even kissing cousins."
"So why do you call his grandparents. I mean if they're his why do you refer to them." Hermione waved her hand abstractedly as she entered the room. It had a window on the front wall and the wall opposite the door.
"Because they are nice enough people that we call them that out of respect. Technically they are not even Harry's grandparents. Just his died before he was born so they filled in for them." Luna said walking to the closet in the right hand wall.
Hermione looked around the room while Luna was digging in the closet. She saw a normal looking iron bed, a pair of dressers, a desk by the window with several papers and boxes of art materials on it. There was a nice carpet on the floor by the bed and a mobile with several butterflies hanging from the ceiling not far from a lamp.
Luna came out of the closet laying a blue and yellow sundress over the end of the bedframe. Looking at Hermione standing in the room still holding her suitcases she shook her head, "You can put the cases on the dresser beside the door. I don't use it so if you wanta."
Hermione nodded, placing her cases on the dresser she said "Uh thank you. I don't think I want to move in that much. I doubt I will be here very long."
Luna pulled her shirt over her head before dropping her shorts to reveal pale blue panties and lots of pale white skin. She started pulling the sundress over her head. Hermione spun back around.
"What's wrong?" Luna asked.
"You're changing clothes. I didn't want to be rude." Hermione awkwardly replied.
"If I cared about you seeing me I wouldn't have taken my clothes off in front of you. Just relax. You're pretty uptight." Luna said adjusting herself in the dress.
"Yes well. I have some reason to be." Hermione said tersely with her back to Luna still.
"Well I'm covered and we got a few minutes before we gotta go down. So why don't you come over and sit down. We can talk a minute." Luna said patting the mattress.
Hermione came over and sat down carefully. Tucking her legs under her carefully as far from Luna on the bed as possible.
"I don't bite, much." Luna grinned, "So what got you so wound so tight?"
Hermione glanced to the side before saying with a huff, "What does it matter to you?"
Luna stared at her calmly, "Because I like to know things. And I'd like to be your friend."
"Even though you probably think that I was sent here to seduce Harry?"
Luna smiled as she nodded slightly, "Were you sent to do that?"
Hermione scowled, "No. I was brought to help encourage him to come and help us in the war we are fighting."
Luna shook her head, "Telling lies is not going to endear you to anyone. You saw how much of a temper Harry's got when folks lie to him."
Hermione grunted, "So I noticed."
"So was you sent to seduce him?" Luna repeated.
Hermione took a couple of deep breathes before saying, "I was not sent to seduce him, exactly. I did hope he might find me attractive."
"Better. So why did you come here?"
Hermione sighed, "I mainly came because the professor asked me to. He wanted me to come help explain the situation to Harry and talk about Hogwarts. He wanted Harry to come back with us."
Luna nodded, "And that's it?"
"That's all you need to know." Hermione crossed her arms over her breasts.
"We'll see. Oh if you want Harry to like you you're going to have to relax. You're not overly bad looking, maybe a little bit on the plain side of things." Luna observed.
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing, "You want me to seduce him?"
Luna shrugged, "Not really seduce. That implies deceit. I want you and Harry to get to know and like each other."
"Why? Aren't you his girlfriend?" Hermione wrinkled her nose in confusion.
"Yeah. So?" Luna crossed her legs as she shifted to more fully face Hermione.
"So. I'm confused. What are you talking about?" Hermione was reaching the end of her rope after the day she had.
"I would be willing to share him with the right girl. Are you the right girl?" Luna asked calmly.
Hermione snorted, "And what if I'm not the right girl?"
"I'll cut yer tits off and feed them to you." Luna casually said.
Hermione gave a brief nervous giggle until she saw the way Luna was not laughing. "You're not joking are you?"
"No I'm not. I love Harry. I'd be willing to share with the right person. But I will protect him from the wrong person. So you might wanna choose which kinda person you are." Luna explained in a calm unemotional but firm voice. "You do know what kinda person you are right?"
Hermione opened her mouth to reply then slowly closed it. She blinked a couple of times before admitting, "I don't know."
"Then I guess we'll both find out won't we?" Luna smiled at her before bouncing off of the bed to head for the door.
"You can toss your purse on the dresser too. Nobody's going to mess with it, and you're not going to need it for dinner." Luna said as she stepped out.
Hermione sat alone in the room wondering what had just happened. She sighed and placing her purse with her cases went downstairs.
Luna was in the kitchen helping chop vegetables at the counter chatting with Mabel about Harry's truck when Hermione came in. She stood quietly to the side while the women worked.
"So Hermione you know much about cooking?" Mabel asked kindly.
"Aside from potions, no."
"Oh. Uh. Why not?" Mabel's voice showed a tone of concern.
"Well at the school there is a kitchen staff, and at home we have a cook." Hermione explained like it was no big deal.
"You're rich enough to have a cook?" Luna asked pausing in her dicing.
Hermione looked at the floor sheepishly, "Well. I wouldn't exactly describe my family as extremely rich. Father is just a baronet with a knighthood. Its all mostly ceremonial."
Luna made a humming noise before sliding the chopped vegetables into a bowl. Mabel though sighed and said, "Well its never too late to learn. So lets get you started."
Hermione looked worriedly at Luna who merely smiled back, while holding the sharp knife.
…...
Harry had showered and changed clothes. He sat listening to some music while thinking about the situation. Luna wanted him to give this Hermione person a chance. He had no idea why but he trusted and loved Luna so would do what she wanted.
The biggest problem would be his mother. When he told her about Dumbledore coming here she was going to go through the roof. He only hoped she wouldn't do anything too crazy. Then there was also Hermione. He had no idea how his mother was going to react to her. Luna wanted him to give her a chance and apparently had one of her feelings about her. That might be the only thing that would keep his mother from kicking Hermione back to England, literally.
He heard what sounded like his mom's car pulling in front of the trailer they lived in. Looking out he saw that it was her and so he stepped out after turning the radio off.
"Hey mom." Harry said giving her a hug.
"Hello Harry. So how did the beast run?" she asked with a smile.
"Uh. It's running rough. I think the timing is off a bit." he admitted with a shrug. He knew she would have either been told or heard about his driving to town.
"Alright. Well be careful. I know those tires are thin enough to see through." She admonished.
"They aren't that thin." Harry protested. "I managed to get the spell to bring them mostly back."
"You know holding something together with magic can only be done so often." She said heading inside.
"I know. So where's dad?"
"He has to work over. They had a conveyor breakdown on the south shaft. He needs to get in and repair it." she said unhappily.
"Oh." Harry said looking uncomfortable.
"What is it Harry?" Lily worriedly asked.
"Uh. Mom. We had visitors today." he said thinning his lips as he girded himself for the forthcoming outburst.
"Oh anyone in particular?
Taking a deep breath he said, "Mr. Dumbledore from Hogwarts and a girl."
Lily seemed to freeze. She stopped breathing and stood staring at Harry with clenched teeth.
"Mom? Its okay he went up to Benham to get a room. But the girl is up at the house and Luna says she has a feeling about her." He quickly said. "So uh you're not gonna get mad are you?"
Lily seemed to compose herself enough to speak, "No I'm not going to get mad but we are going to be ready for his bullshit. I knew we couldn't get lucky enough to hide from him forever. That damn bastard. What did he want?"
"Well he didn't say anything about it much. More talked about his school. Suggested I come over there. That's why he brought the girl with him." Harry sighed with relief. His mother at least wasn't screaming or immediately packing.
"He brought a girl with him? Why?"
"Uh. She said it was so she could talk to me about Hogwarts student to student."
"Really? And do you really believe that?" Lily asked crossing her arms.
"I dunno. She's not exactly dressed like a seductress or anything."
Lily looked at him doubtfully, "And you said Luna has a feeling about her?"
"Yeah she was the one that suggested Hermione stay here. With gramma and grampa." Harry hastily added.
"Hermione? Interesting name. Very Shakespearean. So what's she like?"
Harry shrugged, "I dunno. She's kinda annoying. Very loyal to him."
"Well that's not comforting." Lily observed.
"I know but Luna's seriously got a feeling about her she said. She wanted her to stay here."
Lily turned and dialed the phone with a frown, Harry figured he knew who she was calling and stayed quiet.
"Pan. Yeah hi. Dumbledore is in town."
"I know. Do you have any feelings?"
There was a brief beat and then Lily said, "Okay. He brought a girl with him. Luna says she has a feeling about her. Do you know anything about that?"
"Okay. I wanted to make sure you and Xeno knew about this. I'll check her out and see what I can learn. I'll let you know. Right. Later."
Hanging up she took a deep breath, "Well. Let me go change and then we'll see this Hermione girl."
Harry shrugged but waited calmly.
…..
When Hermione heard the door she braced. She had been trying to help make the dinner but messed things up so badly she had been politely told to set the table. She knew Harry's mother was home due to Luna pointing to the car that pulled by the barn.
She was nervous as from everything Dumbledore had said Lily Potter was a barely controlled monster. She had sacrificed her sister and nephew to save herself and Harry then abandoned her friends the Longbottoms. She had no idea how she was going to react to Hermione.
Harry walked in behind a tall muscular red heard with striking emerald green almond shaped eyes. She had a grace and beauty that made Hermione's breath catch as she locked eyes with the woman. She felt like she had been stripped to the bone and measured in that first second. When the eyes turned away from her she actually felt relieved until she saw Harry looking at her with those same eyes. Why hadn't she noticed those eyes before.
On his mother they looked like the sort of eyes a predatory cat in the zoo had. In his face they looked like soft gemstones that glittered with some inner fire. He gave her a brief friendly smile before turning and greeting his girlfriend with a kiss.
Luna responded then turned to Lily and said, "Momma this is Hermione Granger from Hogwarts."
Lily looked her up and down then held her hand out with a cold smile. "Hello Hermione. That's from a Winter's Tale isn't it?"
"Uh yes."
"Kinda pretentious don't you think?" Lily playfully asked.
"My father is a great patron of the arts and thought it would be nice."
"Harry tells me you wanted to talk to him about Hogwarts."
"Uh yes. Professor Dumbledore thought I could give a more student level explanation of things going on at the school, how the classes work and answer any questions from a student perspective."
"Enough business talk Lilly. You can interrogate the girl after dinner." Mabel said, "Luna, Hermione you want to come help me bring the food out."
The girls went to help as Lily looked skeptically at Hermione. Harry exchanged a glance with Richard who looked impassively as usual from his place at the head of the table. Once all of the food was sitting in the center of the large wooden table with the white tablecloth on it they took their seats. Harry pulling the chair out for his mother then Luna.
Richard held his hands out which confused Hermione for a moment then realized what she needed to do when she saw everyone else join hands. A brief prayer for the food from Richard and they broke apart to start passing serving dishes around making Hermione feel like she was back at Hogwarts.
The food was excellent and Mabel had a firm no fighting, no deep discussions at the table which gave Hermione even more anxiety as she kept feeling like Lily was watching her, measuring her.
Halfway through dinner another vehicle came pulling in which made Hermione jump but Harry told her it was just his dad, Thomas, back from work.
"Are you okay Hermione? You barely touched your dinner?" Mabel asked eventually.
"Yes. I'm okay. I'm just a little bit unsettled by all of the changes."
"She's nervous that mamma Lily is going to tear her head off." Luna said from the other side of Harry.
Harry must have kicked her under the table because she glared at him.
"Forgive me Mabel. I think Hermione and I need to go have a quiet chat about things. Dinner was excellent as always. And I think it's Harry's turn to do dishes. The normal way."
Harry deflated but said, "Yes mama."
"Be nice now Lily." Mabel said.
"I will." She said giving the older woman a pat on the shoulder.
Hermione stood and went with Lily out of the front door to start walking down the drive.
"Uh ma'am. Where are we going?"
"Just walk with me. I don't want Harry or Luna snooping on our conversation. This is just girl talk between you and I."
"Oh." Hermione was unsure she would be coming back from this walk so she slipped her hand to her wand in her pocket.
"You can take your hand off of your wand. I've been practicing my wandless and I am much more skilled and faster than you are. I can even still beat Harry in a duel, so far." She said with a grin.
Hermione pulled her hand out of her pocket. She had no idea how the woman must have known as although the night was a gray blue light from the almost full moon she was walking behind the red head.
Coming to a bench by the mailbox Lily sat down and gestured for Hermione to take the other end.
"This is where Harry sits waiting for the bus. So we should be good here." Lily said calmly.
Hermione sat carefully. Keeping her eyes around as the night's sounds all suddenly seemed a lot closer. Noises she couldn't recognize seemed to be inches away.
"You're not used to being in the country are you?"
"No ma'am. I come from Crawley. Its not far from Gatwick."
"I remember flying out of Gatwick. Shoved a Death Eater into the turbine of a 737 there once." she said with a laugh.
Hermione said nothing but her eyes grew wide as she had it confirmed this woman had killed before.
"So. Dumbledore told you I was a cold blooded vicious killer did he?"
"He said you were very effective and skilled." Hermione deferred.
Lily laughed, "You don't have to mince words with me. I would really rather like it if you are honest with me. It'll save time."
"What do you mean?" Hermione gulped.
"Well I am going to find out why you are here. What your plans are for my son. We can do this either the easy way, by talking like two reasonable and rational people. We can also do this the rough way by me holding you down and pouring enough veritaserum to burn your entire brain out as I rip your entire life story out of your head." Lily's voice had remain calm even and controlled during this entire statement.
Hermione frowned as she slid backward preparing to run, she wasn't sure where she would run though.
"If you try to run I'll take you down before you get more than a dozen steps. I doubt you're capable of apparating, I am. I can also follow the magical trail of a person apparating so if you are able to I will be right behind you."
Hermione stiffened her back as it seemed like she would have to face this one way or another. "Fine. I am a Gryffindor so I will not run. However if I am honest with you I expect the same in return."
"Deal." Lily said holding her hand out.
Hermione looked down to see an empty hand so she reached out and took it. When nothing happened she relaxed a minute amount.
"So how do you want to do this?" Lily asked.
"I suppose we ask each other questions until we are satisfied?" Hermione suggested.
Lily nodded, "Alright. I'll even let you go first."
Hermione had heard Dumbledore tell her so much about that night, about Harry's life, that she was beginning to question. Seeing him, seeing his mother, in person had not entirely matched her expectations. She felt Lily's eyes on her again, could see the expression of expectation on her face in the moonlight.
Hermione knew what her first question would be. "Did you really. Did you really sacrifice your sister and nephew to get away?"
Lily nodded as she had seemed to expect that question. "Not purposely. I'm sure it looked that way to Albus but no. No I didn't."
"So what happened? Why did she die?"
Lily sighed as she rubbed her palms on her thighs. "Because of a mistake. Because in battle nothing ever goes exactly the way you planned it."
Lily stared off into the night for so long Hermione was about to say something when she started speaking.
"My sister and I did not get along. That was never hidden from anyone, the man she married was a fat ugly ogre with the personality of a troll. But we were sisters still. When I heard about the prophecy and James took us into hiding I was more angry than scared. Angry that I might die without making up with my sister."
"My best friend Pandora told me about a vision she saw. She's a seer, so is her daughter Luna. She saw our house ruined, James lying dead, Harry a pawn in the war. She saw that ogre Vernon beating Harry while Petunia stood by and let it happen. I couldn't allow that to happen. I basically kidnapped Petunia, and her son, then I began to plot a way to end it all without Pandora's vision coming true."
Lily sighed, "Only fate had another plan."
Hermione looked at Lily with a reluctant sympathy. She was not sure if she believed this yet but but it was obvious Lily did.
Lily smiled feebly before going on, "The plan was that I would prepare two nurseries. Petunia would have Dudley in one and I would have Harry in the other. Whichever one he went after it would activate an ancient magical effect called a soul trap. Only I couldn't put the last anchor in place until he came. Until he attacked us."
"So you convinced your sister to come and use her son as bait?"
"I convinced mys sister to come and help me save our world and hers. Her son Dudley would have grown up to be a common thug. A street criminal with no future. Petunia didn't want that. I promised I'd help make sure he got an education, got a chance. All we had to do was defeat Voldemort and his friends." Lily said then frowned when Hermione shuddered. "Don't tell me you're all still doing that you-know who garbage."
"Professor Dumbledore says."
"I don't give a flying hang what Albus Dumbledore says. He is a dirty filthy lying manipulative old bastard with an ego the size of Gibraltar." Lily interrupted with venom.
"Professor Dumbledore is a great man." Hermione retorted angrily.
"You're blinded to him. Trust me little girl. I was one of his child soldiers the first time around. He uses people. He uses them up then throws them away." She bitterly declared.
"No. That's not true. He has a vision and has been doing his best to fight for us."
"Oh really? So what's your blood status?" Lily asked.
"My what?"
"Muggle-born? I watched you. You grew up without magic, so that means you're either a half or a muggle-born."
"My parents are muggles." Hermione admitted, unsure of where this was going.
"Right. I thought so. Tell me how does Albus deal with people who look down on you because of your blood?"
Hermione remained silent. Lily could see the anger and frustration in the girl's face though.
"Let me guess he doesn't say anything. Doesn't even give a token there there. Does he?"
Hermione sighed. She thought of all the times Ron had made remarks about muggles being crazy or less than magicals. She remembered all the times she had been reminded not to show her parents anything about magic. How she had to live two separate lives and was being pressured to choose one or the other.
"Like I thought. Let me guess he has told you that for the greater good you should sever all of your muggle ties when you graduate. Try to accept and embrace the larger world you have become part of. Among other bull like that?" Lily said imitating Dumbledore for some of it.
Hermione huffed but nodded. "You still didn't tell me how your sister wound up dead."
Lily nodded, "Alright. We had put the boys to bed and was sitting downstairs talking. We felt the wards flare as someone crossed them. Then next thing I know James is dropping to his knees as the wards got hit by a ripper. That's a spell or device that tears down wards. Sort of like an anti-shield weapon on Star Trek." Lily explained.
"Oh. Why did that affect him?"
"James was the ward-master for our house. A ward-master controls and is linked to the wards. So if the wards get attacked it can cause pain on the ward-master. James fought through it but it put him at a disadvantage. I grabbed Petunia and we ran upstairs. She went to protect Dudley while Went to get Harry. By the time I sent Harry to the Lovegoods with the portkey Voldemort was in Petunia's bedroom. He thought she was me and Dudley was Harry. I was going to act and finish the soul trap when I got jumped by Peter. I had to fight him but in the middle of that the house just exploded. I don't know exactly what happened but since Petunia was my sister, my flesh and blood, her death must have activated the runes I had drawn and placed on Dudley. A retributive strike backlashed onto Voldemort killing him, or rather destroying him I later found out."
Hermione looked thoughtfully at her for a minute, "Peter? Who is that?"
"Peter Pettigrew. The man who betrayed my husband after he had treated him like a brother."
"I thought it was Sirius Black who betrayed you. That's what Professor Dumbledore said."
"Albus Dumbledore said." Lily finished with her.
"I'm confused. Professor Dumbledore told us that Sirius Black was your secret keeper and that he betrayed you."
"Dumbledore lied. He does that. As part of the trap we told everyone that it would be Sirius holding our secret. We told him to brag about it and let it slip to all the right people. That way when they moved against him we would know who the traitor in our midst was. Only they never moved against him. We never discovered until that night why. Peter was the mole." She laughed hollowly. "Ironic since he was a rat animagus."
"So why did Sirius murder all of those muggles then?"
"He probably didn't. It was probably Pettigrew. I have no idea. All I know is that I tried to tell Dumbledore this. I tried to explain to him what happened and he refused to listen. He was head of the Wizengamut. He could have made sure Siri got a trial." Lily sighed.
"Do you have any proof of this?" Hermione asked skeptically.
"Have you ever heard of a pensieve?"
"Yes. Professor Dumbledore has used one to show us certain memories."
"Good. I happen to have one in my possession. It was in James' family vault. Before I left the U.K. I made sure to bring along enough gold and other assets to get set up well enough." Lily grinned in a cocky way that reminded Hermione of Harry.
"Okay. So you'll show me the memories of this?"
"Yes, eventually. Right now you still have a few questions to answer. I played along with you, now its your turn."
Hermione nodded, "Okay."
"So are you Dumbledore's spy?"
Hermione considered for a moment, "Well. He didn't exactly tell me what I was supposed to do. I don't think he expected us to be separated."
"I doubt that. He's not usually that unprepared. Let me see something." Lily said waving her hand over Hermione. The teen started a moment when she felt a tingle go over her.
"Oh nice. He put a tracker on you. So he at least knows where you are. Plus that's funny. Did you know you have a fertility enhancer on you?"
"A fertility enhancer? I was supposed to have a monthly prophylactic." She frowned.
Lily shook her head, "Nope. I suppose Albus wanted you to seduce Harry and then get pregnant. Make him feel responsible to you."
Hermione frowned.
"You do know the fertility tester spell right?"
"Well yes. I did find it."
"And you didn't double check?"
"Professor Snape has never given me a fertility potion before now."
"Well go ahead check yourself." Lily waved her hand.
"What about the trace?"
"America doesn't have the trace and it won't trigger this far from England." Lily stated.
Hermione pulled her wand and cast the spell. The tip of her wand glowed green for a moment. "If I. If I had sex right now I'd get pregnant, probably with multiples."
"Which would put you out of the fight. Maybe make you more dependent on Albus protecting you?" Lily pointed out.
"He wouldn't do that." she said it doubtfully though.
"I don't know. I was tops in potions so I took responsibility for my own monthly until James and I decided to have baby. Severus is no good. I wouldn't trust him any further than I could throw him." She growled.
"Professor Dumbledore vouched for him."
"And if Dumbledore is untrustworthy then what?" Lily said with a slightly smug smile.
"I. I am still not entirely certain about that."
"So did he tell you to have sex with Harry?"
"No of course not."
"Did he encourage it?"
Hermione blushed, "Well he did say he would look the other way if we took an interest in each other. But Harry already has a girlfriend."
Lily laughed merrily at that.
"I don't understand what's so funny." Hermione huffed.
"When you get to know Luna better you will. Now why does Dumbledore want Harry back? The war not going as well as he had hoped?"
Hermione's shoulders slumped. "No its not. A bunch of Death Eaters broke out from Azkaban last month, including Sirius Black."
Lily looked shocked at that news, "What?"
"Sirius Black was one of the escapees. Professor Dumbledore had mentioned that he hoped Sirius hadn't contacted you to Professor Snape. I don't think he wanted me to overhear that though."
"Probably because Sirius was James' blood brother and Harry's godfather. He and Snape didn't get along very well. Then again neither did Snape and many people."
"So why would he go with the Death Eaters if he wasn't one of them?" Hermione tried to recover some authority in her voice.
"Because Sirius was always a schemer and too smart for his own good. I bet he has some kind of plan in mind. Maybe vengeance. Who knows with that madman." Lily sighed.
"Oh. Are there any more questions?" Hermione inquired in a small voice. This had not gone at all the way she had thought it would.
"Yes. So what else has gone wrong. I know Neville Longbottom could have had that stupid prophecy apply to him. Is he still alive?"
Hermione hung her head, "No. He was killed two years ago during the Tri-wizard tournament. I tried to help him but the final task was just too much." She said with a hitch in her voice. Sniffling back sudden tears.
"You were close to him?"
"He was my friend. My first friend my own age. I met him helping him find that stupid toad of his. It was always getting away." she said painfully. "We weren't exactly close but I kinda hoped there might be a possible future. He was kinda cute in a dorkable way."
"So how did he get killed?"
"I don't know. He was in the final task which was an obstacle course. There were creatures and traps and all sorts of things and he came back from the center of it dead." She closed her eyes and shuddered, "Only he wasn't lying down. He was walking jerkily. Animated into an inferi. It was horrible. On top of that two of the other three champions were killed during the final task too. The only one to survive was . Krum." She said and began to cry great heaving sobs.
Lily moved closer pulling her into a hug. Mother's instinct and love overcoming her suspicion and doubt.
….
Lily guided a puffy red eyed Hermione into the bed. Luna sitting at her drawing desk watching quietly. She rolled into a ball and promptly fell asleep.
In answer to Luna's curious expression Lily said, "I had to give her a sleeping potion. She's had some bad things happen to her."
"I understand. I didn't think you did anything to her."
"I know. But still." Lily was looking sympathetically at the curled teen girl. "Watch over her for me okay?"
"Sure mom." Luna said giving the red head a hug.
…...
Hermione woke up the next morning feeling the groggy half formed sensation a sleeping potion caused. Her mouth was cottony as she sat up. She realized she was in her clothes, minus her shoes which made her feel better.
Looking around the room she saw Luna sitting at her writing desk doing something. Her things looked exactly the way she had left them on the dresser across the room.
"No one bothered your things. It would have been rude. Although Lily would like to check them for traps or other surprises."
"Oh. I suppose that would be okay." Hermione noticed several small glass bottles sitting on the nightstand. There was a small piece of paper with a number under each bottle from 1 to 4. "What are these?"
"First is a counter agent to the fertility potion. Second is a general purgative. Third is a potion to make you feel better after the purgative and fourth is a actual monthly protection potion. Just in case you do prove yourself worthy of sharing Harry."
"Why do you keep thinking we'll share Harry?" Hermione scowled.
Luna came over with a sketchbook. She flipped through several pages and turned it to show Hermione. She gasped in shock as she looked at the picture then closed her eyes quickly. It was a highly detailed drawing of herself, naked and entangled with a very naked Harry and Luna. All three of them asleep with satisfied smiles on their faces. She knew it was herself due to the scar on her right hip.
"That's a rather interesting picture. But I don't understand." She managed to say after composing herself.
"Three years ago. I had a series of dreams involving you. I did not know who you were then. This was an auto-drawing episode I had one day. I get them occasionally. Ever since then I've been waiting to see when you'd show up. It isn't the only one I have involving you." Luna said gently.
Hermione swallowed nervously, "You have others?"
"Just two more. Do you want to see them?"
"Are they as, sexually themed, as that one?" Hermione asked.
Luna shook her head, "No. They most assuredly are not."
"Then I suppose you can show them to me." Hermione said carefully.
Luna nodded and turned a few more pages. The picture she showed Hermione was not as pleasant. It was the picture of a broken young body still recognizable as Hermione. The left eye dangling from its socket in a broken skull, the arm bent in a complete unnatural direction. Hermione's hand went to the side of her skull.
"When did that happen?"
"It was in first year. A troll came into the castle and caught me in the loo. The professors managed to catch it before it had killed me. It took them a month to heal me completely even with magic."
"There isn't anything the purgative will break is it?" Luna worriedly asked.
"No. They managed to put everything back and make it all work. He had clipped me with his club. I was all alone." she said in a far away tone. Memories of that night coming back that she had managed to repress. Ron spending the day making fun of her, letting Draco laugh at her without standing up for her. Snape even joined in the merriment with several cutting remarks. She had been young and hid in the bathroom crying.
"I'm glad you were able to recover." Luna softly said. "The last picture isn't as troubling but it is mighty curious to me. At least I hope it's not as troublin."
Taking a deep breath Hermione nodded, unsure if she could speak.
The third picture was one of Hermione, she was standing with two people. A tall man with a high widows peak and an aristocratic woman. Hermione smiled weakly at that one.
"That's my mother and father. Charles and Helen Granger. Sir Granger order of the British Empire." She scoffed mockingly.
Luna looked at her sidelong causing Hermione to purse her lips before saying. "I was a menopausal surprise. Father is the middle child and my uncle, the one who inherited the actual familial title, has several heirs. So they didn't want children but along I came."
"Do they love you?"
Hermione shrugged, "They mean well."
"Do you love them?"
"Of course I do. They're my family."
"Family is more than blood. Blood just makes you relations it doesn't make you family." Luna said.
Hermione refused to answer but turned to the nightstand. Picking up the purgative she uncorked the bottle and drank.