'Now, you will be careful, won't you?'

'Yes, mum.'

'You've got your money? And a watch? Don't be late back.'

'Yes mum, yes mum, no mum.'

'Rose, be sensible. It's alright for you, but Jane's never been to London before. You've got to look after her, she's only thirteen.'

'I'm almost fourteen, Hermione.'

'Don't you start either; I've got enough trouble with Madam here.' Hermione was smiling as it said it, though. 'Now, Jean, you can borrow Hugo's phone. It's very simple, you press this button, then 1 for me, 2 for Ron or 3 for Rose.'

'She knows how to use a phone, mum!'

'No she doesn't. We didn't have mobiles back then.'

'Really! I suppose the dinosaurs would have eaten them, wouldn't they?' said Rose with a smirk.

'Are we going today, or what?' said Ron as he came in to the kitchen looking harassed. 'If I'm late this morning Harry'll have my guts for garters.' He looked at his watch. 'I'm due in a meeting in TEN MINUTES time.'

'OK, they're ready. Please be careful Ron. Don't splinch them, will you?'

'Oh, wasn't that part of the plan? Why does nobody tell me these things?'

'RON! Now, have a good day. Don't get lost, or talk to any strangers…or get run over crossing the road.'

'Are you talking to me or the girls?'

'RON!'

'Bye, mum.' 'Bye, Hermione.' 'Bye, love. Stop panicking, they're with me.'

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron took the girls by side along apparition. A rather loud pop filled the kitchen as they disappeared, and Hermione turned to the sink to start getting the breakfast thing washed up.

'"Stop panicking, they're with me." Thanks Ron, now I'm really scared!'

-o0o-

They apparated in to a courtyard at the back of the Ministry of Magic reserved for just such a purpose.

'Now, mum was right. Be careful, and be back here for five, OK? Have fun, girls.' He gave both of them a peck on the cheek and entered the ministry.

Rose clapped her hands together and beamed at Jane. 'A whole day shopping, all on our own! First things first. Coffee!'

They came out on to a busy main road, with cars rushing past.

'Where are we, Rose?' said Hermione, shouting to make herself heard.

'Tottenham Court Road. King's Cross is up there' she pointed in one direction 'and the Leaky Cauldron's down there.' She pointed the other way. They went in to the nearest coffee shop, one of the innumerable chains that now covered the country.

'So, what do you want?'

Hermione shrugged. 'Coffee?'

'What sort?'

'With milk.'

Rose rolled her eyes. 'Cappuccino? Americano? Macciato?'

'I didn't know you could speak Italian! What does it mean?'

Rose sighed. 'Just pick something from the menu, Jane.'

Jane picked the only thing she could recognise. 'I'll have Hot Chocolate.'

They decided – well Rose did - that they would go down Oxford St and New Bond St in to Picadilly, and then make their way to Knightsbridge.

'Oh Jane, there's this shop there; you've just GOT to see it. It's like you've died and gone to heaven! Then, on the way back we can go in to Diagon Alley, if you want.' They both decided this was a good plan.

Hermione Jane Granger had a wonderful time that day, with her friend who would one day be her daughter. They laughed and joked and giggled a lot, and looked in shop windows and tried things on. They explored make-up counters and tested perfumes. In one shop the assistants were actually giving demonstrations, so they both got themselves made up properly; Jane still refused the lipstick, though. Then they went back out on to the street feeling very grown up and sophisticated.

They stopped and had lunch in a little Bistro, then moved on in to Knightsbridge. In Harvey Nichols, Jane found the most wonderful top she had ever seen, and held it up for Rose to look at. Rose put her head to one side, and screwed her face up in concentration.

'You know, that's not bad, actually. It suits you. Buy it.'

Jane grinned, then it slowly faded from her face and she looked sad. She turned and put it back on the rack.

'What's the matter? Why don't you want it?'

Jane shrugged. 'It's not worth it Rose. We'll be going back, and I won't be able to take it with me.'

'Of course you can.'

'No. Time travel's dangerous; you can muck up all sorts of things. I think they'll modify our memories before we go. They won't let us take anything we didn't come with, and…we won't remember any of this.' Her eyes started to glaze with tears.

Rose gave her a hug. 'You're not going back yet; you could be wearing it for weeks, or even months. Then you could always give it to Lily; she'll like it. Go on, buy it.'

Jane giggled, and went to pay for her top. Then on the way out, as they passed yet another make-up counter, Jane grabbed Rose's arm.

'Look! They've got that nail varnish I liked. Volcano!' So she brought that as well, Rose saying that if Jane didn't finish it up she would, as she quite liked it as well.

As they walked back up towards Charing Cross Road and The Leaky Cauldron, Jane kept taking little peeks in to the bag she was carrying, looking at her new things and wondering just how much time she would spend with them.

In Diagon Alley, they stopped for afternoon tea. Florean Fortesque's Ice Cream parlour was no longer there and Rose had never heard of it, so couldn't say what had happened to it. Jane assumed Mr Fortesque must have retired by now.

As they left the café, Hermione's eyes were drawn to a shop front that positively screamed out at her. The windows were covered in garish, flashing posters.

'Rose, what on earth is that?'

'I keep forgetting! That, my dear, is Weasley's Wizard Wheezes! Uncle George and Uncle Fred started it, years ago. Come on, let's go in and see Uncle George!'

'We can't! He'll recognise me; we're at school together.'

'Don't worry; of course he won't. We'll just tell him what he wants to hear.'

The shop was absolutely incredible; like Zonko's but so much better. Jane looked around in wonder, thinking how much Roland would love it in here. Rather poignantly, every box had a picture of Fred on the back, waving and smiling, and underneath it said 'Our co-founder, Fred Weasley 1978 – 1998. Still missed.' Jane spent a long time looking at it, and trying to come to terms with his death when she heard Rose call out 'Uncle George!'

Hermione spun around and saw George walk towards them. He was in his mid-forties now, florid and jovial. He still had his shock of Weasley red hair.

'Rose! Lovely to see you! How are…Hermione?'

'Uncle George, this is my friend Jane. Jane Grayson. She's staying with me for a few days.'

'Sorry' said George. 'You look remarkably like…but, of course, you couldn't be. Hello Jane, very nice to meet you.'

Shortly after that he had to go to see to a customer so they left the shop. Rose checked her watch 'We've got about thirty minutes until we have to start getting back to meet dad; it's not that far. Anywhere else you want to go?'

'How about Flourish and Blotts?' Rose looked outraged. 'Oh come on, please?'

'Oh Jane, I so hope none of my friends see me.'

'Well, if you don't want any of your friends to see you then you should be fairly safe in a bookshop, shouldn't you?' Jane smirked.

When they went in to the shop Rose immediately headed to the magazines and started flicking through "Witch? Fashion!" and "Spellbound". Jane started browsing the shelves. She was pleased to see Miranda Goshawk's "Standard Book of Spells" series, still in their same covers; possibly the same books. There were also old favourites such as Spore's "One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi" and Bagshot's "History of Magic".

Then she noticed a set of books unfamiliar to her. Eldred Worple's "British 20th Century Wizarding Culture". In particular, she was drawn to the last volume in the series "1990-2000 – The End of Evil.". Jane looked around; Rose was still reading a magazine. Should she buy it? It would answer her questions, but did she honestly want to know? Maybe it was better to leave well alone – on the other hand…if she wouldn't remember anyway…

Checking she still had enough money left Jane quickly paid for the book and slipped it in her bag.

'Ready to go, Rose? I supposed we'd better get back to Ron.' She giggled. 'My husband!'

'Oh! Please don't tell me you fancy my dad. That is just…perverse!' They laughed all the way back to the Ministry, and Ron was very pleased to see that they had apparently enjoyed their day out together.

He hoped that some of it may rub off on Hermione. It saddened him that the two women he loved most in the world always seemed to be at each others throats. He didn't know what the problem was, or how to solve it. In his world there were those who had broken the law, and those who hadn't. This was far more complicated, and he'd never particularly understood women anyway. 'Stick to Quidditch, the rules are easier.'

Dinner was quiet that evening. The boys had spent all day flying around the garden, and the girls felt like their feet were dropping off. Their purchases were passed around and commented on by Hermione and Ron. Hermione loved Jane's top, and wished she was young enough (and thin enough) to wear it. Rose had bought some nice things as well; not quite so outrageous as usual. Hermione laughed when she saw Jane's nail varnish.

'That's my favourite colour; I've got some upstairs! How strange! It sounds like you had a good day, anyway.'

'We did, mum' said Rose. 'It was fun!' She looked at her mum, a little shyly. 'Maybe…one day…if you wanted…we could do it.'

Hermione looked down at her hands, and smiled slightly. 'I'd like that, Rose.' She looked back up to her daughter. 'You'd have to be my fashion advisor, though. I'm no good at that sort of thing; you're much better at it than I ever was.'

Jane suddenly felt her eyes water; she must have got something in them.

Not long after, the children went up to bed. Ron and Hugo were asleep before their heads hit the pillow – and before they'd brushed their teeth, though Hermione didn't know that, of course.

Rose still wanted to try on her new make-up, so Jane thought she would read for a bit. She picked up "British 20th Century Wizarding Culture" and opened it. Looking through the list of chapters, her eye was immediately drawn to one of them.

"Chapter 9 – The Golden Trio."

Jane stared at it. Rose had described her as "one of the golden trio" hadn't she? When she'd told her about Gringotts bank? She couldn't quite figure it out; OK so Rose had said she was a war hero, but enough to justify a whole chapter? Her and Ron and Harry? Turning to the page indicated, she began to read.

Rose was chattering away as usual, not really expecting answers. She'd already noticed that Jane went off in to her own world when she was reading. She turned round when she heard the book hit the floor, though, fully expecting to see that Jane had dropped off to sleep. She hadn't.

Jane was sat there, as stiff as a statue, staring ahead and shaking uncontrollably.

'Jane? Are you OK?' There was no reply. 'What is it? What's wrong? Tell me!'

Jane fell back on to the bed, covering her face with her hands. Her breathing was fast and noisy.

'Stay there, don't move!' Rose ran to the door, pulled it open, and started screaming as loudly as she could.

'MUM!! GET UP HERE QUICKLY!! I THINK JANE'S HAVING SOME KIND OF FIT!! HELP ME!!'