No Time for Epilogues
Chapter 23
November 22, 1998
On a cold and rainy Saturday in front of the fireplace at the Grangers, Hermione and Ron were looking over the five wedding invitation samples they had narrowed their choices to. They had agreed on a date, June 30th, and that the location would be the Great Hall at Hogwarts, since it was because of Hogwarts they had met.
"I'm sure Minerva will permit it," Hermione said. "She loves this sort of thing."
Last Sunday, at the family dinner at the Burrow, Ron was deeply touched and fell in love with her all over again when she asked Arthur to officiate the ceremony and he was close to tears when she asked.
"Of course I will, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to wed you to my son," he said. She now had "invitations, official, date, location" crossed off her list.
"All that's left is food, guest list, honeymoon and my gown. I've narrowed down what I want the attendants to wear, but I haven't quite found the gown I like."
"You'll find it, don't worry. We have months to go. Besides, you can make a burlap sack look good."
"I just want to look perfect for you on the biggest day of our lives," she said and cuddled closer to him on the sofa.
"To me, you'll look perfect no matter what you wear and besides, wouldn't we be just as married if we did it in jeans and a t-shirt?" he asked.
Elizabeth, overhearing the conversation, came into the den with a tray of steaming mugs of hot chocolate, Ian in tow with cookies. "That's a sweet thing to say Ron, of course you'd be just as married, but every girl deserves to look and feel like a princess on her wedding day."
The following Monday, Molly looked over the morning post. She opened a gaily decorated envelope from the Grangers and smiled when she read the card.
Ian, Elizabeth and Hermione Granger
of Four Oaks Manor, Guildford, Surrey
would be honored to have the presence of
The Weasley Family in residence
on December 25, 1998.
She had never in her life received a formal holiday invitation. She ran her fingers over the gilded edges and the delicate gold and silver raised lettering. Well, they are wealthy. She would discuss the matter at the next family dinner and send back the r.s.v.p as soon as possible.
Hermione would be spending December at work full-time at the Ministry. December was the month of the annual Centaur winter gathering (the real name of the gathering was impossible to pronounce, no matter how much she spelled it out.) She realized she would miss their company. As luck would have it, as she found out that morning that she might not have to spend the entire month at the Ministry. Her supervisor greeted her cheerfully the morning of November 25th.
A little too cheerfully, Hermione thought.
He talked about the weather for a bit and her progress with the Centaurs and casually brought up a letter he had recently received from Headmistress McGonagall. "She asked for assistance from our department," he said.
"Well, this is the Magical Creatures department, and they do have a Magical Creatures class," she replied while writing an expense report.
"I understand you earned an 'E' on your Magical Creatures NEWT," he said casually.
She sighed and put down the quill. "Sir, we could go on for hours about my Hogwarts marks, but is that what you're here about?"
He chuckled. "No. You do get right to the point, don't you?"
"I've found over the years that it saves a lot of hassle."
"That it does, so here goes: It seems that Hagrid is taking that half-giant brother of his back to wherever he came from and they need a teacher for the Magical Creatures class."
"For how long?"
"December."
"The entire month?"
"Until the holiday," he nodded.
"Why are you asking me?"
"To be honest, I've asked almost everyone else in this division and received a flat no. You're my last hope, and I know how fond you are of Hogwarts."
"The terms?" she asked.
"You'll receive a temporary transfer of employment at your current pay, use of an office at the school, teaching robes, and the option of meals at the school. At the month's end, you'll return here with teaching experience under your belt."
"When do you need a decision?"
"By the close of business November 25th."
"Out of curiosity, what if they don't find anyone?"
"The class will be suspended for the month, and according to the Hogwarts charter, no student will be able to take an OWL or NEWT for any subject that was suspended longer than two weeks during the year."
She sent a quick letter to Minerva who asked her to dinner Sunday night at Hogwarts to talk the matter over.
Sunday evening rolled around and Hermione wasn't present for dinner at the Burrow.
"She's having dinner at Hogwarts," Ron said. Now that he was living on his own, he really missed meals there sometimes. "Professor McGonagall is asking her to teach the Magical Creatures class in December."
"Why?" Arthur asked.
He told the story and Harry laughed. "As if she would say no to Hogwarts, Minerva and Hagrid."
"Speaking of Hermione, we need to talk about this and come to a decision," she said and passed the invitation from the Grangers to Arthur. He read the card, nodded and passed it to Bill, who nodded and passed it to Fleur.
"Zeez Granzers, zey 'r Mugglz, 'r zey not?" she asked.
"What of it?" Harry asked, ready to defend the kindest, best people he had ever known, apart from the Weasleys.
"I meen no offens 'Arry, what I meen to ask iz, zey 'r good people?"
"The best," Ron said.
Fleur nodded. "Well, if ze familee zez oui, so do I," she declared and passed the invite to Ron (no reading of the invite was needed, of course he would be there!) who passed it to George, nodding in the affirmative as well.
"I guess we all know what Ginny would say," Harry said. She probably sent hers back with a big yes across the r.s.v.p. the second she got it!
Hermione was savoring the steaming mound of roast beef, (I really need to learn how to make this!) mashed potatoes and beans when Minerva spoke.
"Is dinner to your liking?"
"Quite, it's delicious, thanks for inviting me."
"No Hermione, I thank you for accepting my invitation. I am truly in a bind."
She glanced at Ginny and a couple of Gryffindors that waved from the table. Hermione smiled and waved back. A younger Hufflepuff shyly approached the Head Table.
"Yes Miss Hanover?" Minerva asked.
"I was wondering if Miss Granger would sign my book," she asked.
"What book?" Hermione asked.
The girl removed a Hogwarts, A History from her book bag and opened the page where Hermione was featured.
"Do you have a quill on you?" Hermione asked Minerva.
"Oh, I do!" the girl said and thrust a quill at her. When she signed her name, she asked the girl, "Would you like it if I asked Harry Potter and Ron Weasley if they would like to sign it?"
"You would do that?" the girl asked breathlessly.
"Of course I would. I'll send this back to you as soon as they sign it, all right? Don't worry, I'll take care of it as if it were my own copy."
She meant it. She was a bookworm after all, and her own worn-out copy meant the world to her, as well as the once-in-a-lifetime deluxe copy that Harry managed to get for her birthday. The girl ran back to her table and excitedly told her table mates what had happened. Before she left the Great Hall, she had 34 copies of Hogwarts, A History magically shrunk to take home and get signed by the famous trio. Harry and Ron would get a kick out of it.
After dinner, she accompanied Minerva to the Headmistress' office, where she was invited to have a seat by the fire and offered a glass of sherry.
"Good evening Miss Granger, I hear you might be joining the staff briefly," Albus said from his portrait.
"Yes, I am," she said.
Minerva sank slowly into her chair. "Thank goodness, I would have hated to suspend that class, or any class for that matter."
"Hagrid couldn't have waited until summer?"
Minerva shook her head. "No, and he wouldn't say why, only that it had to be done in December. He's sorry to leave us in a bind, rather insistent about it."
"He wasn't at dinner."
"We only see him between classes these days. He says he's preparing for the trip. I wish him the best of luck."