Facing the Music
Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling, I am just playing in her world
Previously
"If Mum saw you dressed like this…
"You would be declared a scarlet woman." Ron interrupted his sister.
Neville had been listening to all the comments, drinking in everything that was happening from his first visit to the train compartment and thinking. "Harry;" he interjected into the last pregnant pause, "Why did you need to bypass the trace? It is only a few weeks 'till your birthday. Dangerously messing about with polyjuice potion for a few days of beating the 'Reasonable Restriction of Underage Magic' that has resulted in you becoming Hermione's twin and possibly subject to the 'Ministries' Acceptable Creature Regulation Laws', if the whole hybrid part is ever uncovered, seems high risk for minimal return."
"Harry, let me respond," Hermione fielded Neville's question. "Ignoring RRUM and MACkeReL for the moment, Ron on your last test before the end of term did you still have an active trace?"
Ron nervously scratched the back of his neck, "Well, if you must have me tell this to everyone, then yes; But I have a waiver filed so I can cast magic over the summer and I am sure it will have fixed itself by the trace test at the beginning of next term. Corner's trace is also still active and his seventeenth was before mine."
"Do you see the problem, Neville, we can't risk Harry having an active trace, and the next trace test both of you would take with Ron is after seventh year starts. It is too dangerous to allow the Ministry to have an active trace on Harry, and the belief that the trace becomes inactive on your seventeenth birthday is erroneous. By doing the 'dangerous' polyjuice potion we know that there is no trace on Harry as Crookshanks is older than Pansy's Princess was when I became a hybrid during second year, and until I was cured by Madam Pompfrey in third year I was casting magic at home with no trace."
"Now hold on a minute." Ron demanded, "I am seventeen and I have a waiver, so it is just like not having a trace. I didn't get any citations from the Improper Use of Magic over Easter break."
"Fine, Ronald; so for the rest of us that are actually on topic with the need to ensure there is no actual trace what so ever on Harry, regardless of flipping Ministerial waivers, are we covered?" Hermione asked.
"I have only one thing to say before leaving to my friend's for the rest of this journey, and for two reasons, Heather, I am going to say it to you in front of everyone in here. Namely, If I had it out in the corridor people might think there was something going on between Hermione and me, and secondly where I would have unless completely angry with you, felt you deserved your privacy protected if you were Harry, I have no care for Heather's, except I will protect the secret that you were actually Harry and the whole fur-ball thing.
"So that being said I have no interest in you as a witch, so when you finally fix yourself Heather, then know Harry that you owe me apologies, groveling and you can't gainsay anything I do until you are yourself again. As far I am concerned Harry is dead, and even if we had been married, which we hadn't been yet, it is 'till death do us part. Further, breaking up with me at Dumbledore's funeral in front of everyone, making it a public spectacle, you have no right but to beg for me to return to you." Ginny magnanimously stated before leaving.
Heather starred at the door, "I didn't make it a public spectacle." She said to the door quietly.
"Ha… Heath…er, even though it was Ginny that threw the whole tantrum in front of the public. You know our Weasley temper and breaking up in a public area, even if you whispered, you caused the spectacle." Ron told his best mat…, um well Ron told Heather.
"Ginevra is a Weasley, Heather, and well," Luna looked hard at Ronald, "as can be seen by how stubborn people can't see the wood for the trees on Magical Maturity, they look at the world in a different way than others."
Neville, Hermione and Heather found Luna's comment oddly too good at both describing the two youngest Weasley's but they all couldn't help but imagine pots and kettles arguing on the other's colour too.
Ron deciding the attack on his sister was typical Looney drivel decided it was high time to get out of the whole girl talk. "Neville, do you want to play a game of wizard's chess?"
"No, I've got the latest Herbology Digest, which I had planned to read on the train. I want to at least start looking it over before we get to Kings Cross."
"Ha… or never mind. I am going to see if Dean or Seamus is interested in a game." Ron stated before leaving the cabin.
Heather watched Neville, get his magazine out and start to lose himself in his interest. Anything was better than looking at the closed door his best mate had left through and his ex previously. He was going to yell at Ron saying how did he think he could play a game with all 'this', he had to get a grasp on? However, being jilted from even the chance to shut Ron down, hurt.
Luna placed an arm around Heather drawing her close, "Welcome to the woman's world where unless you have something they need now, men will ignore you for their latest fancy." Luna quietly informed Heather and Hermione nodded from her other side.
Harry's quick glance to Neville on the bench opposite told him that he hadn't heard. Hermione smirked, "At some point later Neville will rejoin the conversation, if he seems confused in how the conversation has changed, just smile mysteriously and tell him that women understand things and converse in ways he will never know. Welcome to the club, and don't worry about how Ron blew you off. Believe me there will come a time you wish he wasn't giving you so much attention."
"Tell me about it, he calls me Looney while undressing me, and the things he is thinking. I always need to take a good shower to get myself clean. As for Ginevra, if you become Harry again, and if you want that relationship, then you know what you need to do. Ginevra is honest and upfront, in that relationship she will be in charge, and anything you do to cause her to lose it, is from her point of view your fault completely. One should start a relationship with eyes wide open, not wearing rose tinted or lust laden lenses.
"The closer the way you and your future partner look at the world, the easier it is to compromise on an argument." Luna added. "I could never be in a relationship with Ginevra, until today I didn't think I could be in one with Hermione. I definitely could never be in one with Ronald. Neville?" A small smile arose on Luna's face. "Oh, but if you became Harry again, I could have my pudding and eat it." The look she gave the twins was completely lecherous and then became evil. "If not, we three could 'share' Neville, heck throw in Hanna and Susan and we could build Neville a harem."
"Are you sure you aren't building 'this' for yourself, Luna?" Hermione asked, adding air quotes to 'this'.
"We would be building it for Neville, honestly. I mean, I would definitely get something out of it too, but we really would be, building it for Neville." Luna declared.
"What are you all building me, Luna?" Neville asked putting down the periodical.
"Don't worry, Neville, if I can talk around the others so we do build it, you will like it." Luna smiled.
"Harry, what is she suddenly talking about?"
"It's Heather, Neville," then looking at her two girlfriends and smirking. "Don't worry Neville, women understand things and converse in ways you will never understand. We are currently not on-board with Luna, and she can't do this kind of building alone. Though, she might be right that you wouldn't mind, if she succeeded."
Beating a hasty retreat, Neville picked up the magazine and dived back in.
Hermione 'high-fived' Heather, while Luna warmed her hands from imaginary heat.
"Hot! Heather, are you sure you aren't the real you? Only Hermione survived your flames from that dual slinging attack. How soon before you can dominate all present. I like this you." Luna said.
The rest of the journey went by with no more interruptions. It was nice to have a Malfoy free Hogwarts Express trip for once. As they slowed down into Kings Cross, the younger Weasleys returned for their trunks and wished Luna and Neville a good summer. They then looked at the twins then glanced to each other, deciding Ron would talk.
"So are you going to sneak out to the muggle side, or say goodbye in front of Mum?" Ron asked.
Heather interrupted Hermione, "Hermione, you have no reason to also be rude to Mrs. Weasley. You should go with them, say Harry had been told by his relatives that they had somewhere they had to leave to right away. So he apologizes from not having time to greet them, but doesn't want to anger his relatives. Hey I could try to see how quickly your parents' work out I am not you."
"Harry will owe all the Weasleys, for your lying, Heather." Ginny stated, then pulling her trunk left, not waiting for acknowledgement or argument from Heather.
"It is rude ma… Heather." Ron agreed then left after his sister.
"Go with them Hermione, it is not a problem, I have my cloak so I can get out to the other side unnoticed." Then after Hermione's apologetical exit, he asked Neville and Luna if they minded getting out of the train at the same time, so no one bumped into an invisible person.
The exit was working perfectly, an invisible, Heather, with Luna and Neville bracketing her, looking like a civilized gap between unaccompanied girl and following boy. They were off the train and just onto platform nine and three quarters when Mrs. Weasley tore into them. "Did Harry leave? Is he still on the train! The plans have changed! The wards fell and his relatives have obviously gone to the important event without coming here to pick him up! Oh that boy! If he gets caught…" Mrs. Weasley's anger quickly shifted into the underlying worry.
Quickly partially pulling back the hood of the invisibility cloak Harry called to get Mrs. Weasley's attention. "I am here, but staying beneath the cloak for safety."
"Hermione?" Mrs. Weasley asked, after the quick glance and hearing 'Hermione's?' voice.
"No, Hermione is over there." Luna pointed to Hermione and after Mrs. Weasley had looked and turned back. "Heather is under the cloak, she was Harry, but now she is Hermione twin's sister."
Needless to say the row following everyone being dragged into one of the enclosed waiting rooms was epic. As only Weasley quarrels can be. Neville guiltily excused himself, while Luna appeared to ensure that she had fanned the flames as much as possible then waltzed into Hermione's personal space and kissed the surprised girl before she knew what was happening. Luna then twirled through the dead quite and kissed Heather. Said bye to the twins and sashayed out of the waiting room. She was glad her decision to kiss Hermione first worked, she had been fairly sure if she had kissed Heather first she wouldn't have succeeded in kissing Hermione too. Luna had just escaped when the argument picked up a few decibels, and comments of 'Scarlet Witches', 'unnatural evil practices' and 'incestuous relationships' were prevalent.
Mrs. Weasley was still muttering that it would be best to split the twins up to ensure nothing wrong could occur, and Harry could keep Hermione's cat at the Burrow for the summer, so it was there if needed. She was sure their polyjuice experimenting was what messed up Dumbledore's perfect plans that would have had Harry achieve Magical Maturity exactly on his birthday as Dumbledore had said it would be, and he was the greatest wizard, and look how things all fall apart as soon as he was dead. Dumbledore had stated he must be in complete control of Harry's life to ensure he didn't mature too slow or too fast. In fact it took having Madam Pompfrey looking the poor boy over before Mrs. Weasley accepted that Harry couldn't be returned for at least a year. She hoped that Harry wouldn't be defiled by Luna and the Granger twins. They were shameless witches, the three of them.
Moody of course seemed to love the scandal, and just wished they had used a hair from Luna or Ginevra as a pureblood witch would be an even safer hiding place for Harry, than a muggleborn one was. The fact that Harry was able to hide as a witch during the war was a good thing as far as he was concerned.
Heather and Hermione somehow succeeded in 'outstubborning' the Weasleys and were finally able to get through the portal and into Kings Cross proper. They had to accept allowing Mrs. Weasley's eldest to put wards up around the Granger's house and know Moody would be checking out the house this evening and setting up a guard rotation.
So now they only had to face the music of informing Hermione's parents that Hermione now had a twin sister they hadn't previously known about.
