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The return

Chapter 14. Anniversary

It was one year to the day since Harry and Hermione were married, half the Weasley women were now pregnant. Hermione was also pregnant, by nearly nine months and rather huge as she was expecting twins. Luna was a week overdue and was quietly getting anxious as she waited for her son to join her out in the world that was so full of wonder. Both Alicia and Fleur were around six months and Ginny had told them just the week before that she and Neville were expecting, she was three months along.

Hermione had invited Luna over to stay with her at the 'New Burrow', the Bungalow where she and Harry now lived; it was built in the bottom corner of the Weasley field. Both Harry and Ron were away doing a favour for Neville, who was now head of the ministry herbology dept. they were away somewhere in south America repairing the rain forest that had been badly damaged by a witch doctor who had, it seemed gone quite mad.

Hermione lay in bed listening to the morning chorus of birds, wondering if Luna was awake yet, she got awkwardly up from her comfy bed with a sigh, she really did not want to get up so early but today was to be the biggest day of the year so far.

Today was first and foremost her first wedding anniversary so the Weasley's, Potters, and Grangers were having a huge get together. They had relatives coming from far and wide; on top of that it was the first annual wizard 'world holiday' to celebrate the return to the wizarding world of the great Merlin.

As Hermione made the usual morning pot of tea, she thought about the events of her wedding day.

---

Everything had been going well, the reception party was still in full swing at three thirty that morning, then Harry had made the announcement about Merlin the crowd went quiet for a while, then one or two of the guests had started to laugh, thinking Harry was playing some sort of joke. That was when Merlin did his first bit of amazingly impressive magic in front of a huge crowd, that day will be remembered by all who were there. With a quick sweep of his hand the entire crowd had found themselves all in neat row's sitting on benches facing him and Harry.

Merlin introduced himself and told the story of his captivity and eventual release thanks to Hermione. Not many believed it at first, still thinking it was some sort of prank, then Merlin had done something no other wizard had ever been known to do, he did the impossible.

He looked up at the streaks of early light that announced the arriving dawn, with a look of concentration Merlin lifted his hands toward the sky and as he raised them time began to speed forward, in just a few seconds the entire party was sitting in the bright sunlight of mid morning. As the gasps and oow's and aahhs began to die down, Merlin moved his hands down and time sped backwards to its previous state.

Of course everyone there had been convinced; the only way that a normal wizard could change time was with a time turner, no normal wizard could make time do what Merlin had just done.

Hermione, Luna, Harry, and Ron had stood staring at Merlin, there was a twinkle in his eye that had told them things were not quite as they seemed.

The crowd of witches and wizards however were amazed and they sat with open mouths. Merlin then said his farewells to them and with another wave of his hand every one was back exactly where they had started.

Harry called once more for quiet as the crescendo of voices all asking questions grew so loud they could hardly hear them selves think.

Silence finally settled on them with just the occasional whisper being heard, Harry spoke to them again. "Well folks after that amazing display of Merlin's magic, I think we should all give a quick applause too the great Hermione Potter, for being able to set him free."

He nodded at Hermione who gave him a look of horror, then turned bright red as a resounding cheer went up for her. As the cheer died down Harry told them it was time that he and his new wife got some sleep, "I am sure that all your questions will be answered in the near future," he looked at the disappointment on some faces. "We have to be up early in the morning, as we are off on our honeymoon, so I bid you all goodnight."

With that he and Hermione had left the party and retreated to Ginny's old bedroom, stopping in the kitchen to make a drink of chocolate on the way.

Just seconds after they shut the bedroom door, and before they had even had time to kiss there was a knock on the door, and Mr Weasley asked if he could enter, Harry and Hermione said come in then sat on the bed.

Arthur told them that Merlin wanted a quick word before he left and would like them to come down to the kitchen, following Arthur they both wondered what Merlin would have to say that he had not already told them, they did not have long to wait. They entered the kitchen to find the entire Weasley family there along with Luna, Minerva, Richard and Helen.

Merlin was sitting at the head of the table surrounded by red heads, as Harry and Hermione entered he motioned for them to sit; they sat on the last remaining chairs at the opposite end of the table.

Merlin cleared his throat in much the same way that Dumbledore had done when he had something important to say.

"Harry this is more about Hermione than you, as we danced earlier I had a strange sensation, a sort of tingle in my brain. Having thought about the days' events I have come to a conclusion led to by that the glow we all saw, when your auras fused that was when the completion of your abilities happened but I also think that Hermione may now share those same abilities with you as I did not expect the complete merger of the auras," every one around the table stared first at Hermione then back at Merlin.

"Hermione dear could you supply us with a pair of large mirrors, one in here and one in the living room please?" Merlin asked.

Hermione quickly did as she was asked, conjuring two rather large and ornate Mirrors.

"Now Hermione if you would stand in front of the mirror, picture the living room in your head then think of the reflection as being in water, you can then step forward through the water and we will see if my theory is correct."

Hermione rose and followed Merlin's instructions, she stepped into the mirror and disappeared, it was not long before Harry and Merlin shared a worried look.

"Where the heck is she?" Ron asked getting up from the table, he walked to the door to the living room "This is not funny Hermione" he said as he opened the door.

He was back in the kitchen seconds later, "She's not there," he said his eyes rather wide.

"Oh heck," Harry said as he looked at Merlin "where the heck as she gone?"

"Don't worry Harry, she will return soon enough," Merlin sat back and folded his arms.

Five minutes later a rather embarrassed Hermione stepped out of the Mirror in the kitchen, Harry rushed over to her and hugged her tight.

"Where the heck did you disappear to?" he asked a look of relief on his face.

Hermione had a red flush in her cheeks as she replied quietly, "I ended up in the bedroom at Godrics Hollow."

Harry knew straight away what had been on Hermione's mind when she had entered the mirror.

Ron spoke as he sat down again "What ever were you thinking Hermione, ending up there?"

Luna gave him a poke in the ribs and whispered in his ear "That's where they are going for the first few days of their honeymoon."

It had taken a few seconds for Ron to figure it out, while the rest of the family gave small embarrassed coughs or cleared their throats.

"So I am correct, you now share in Harry's abilities, I must admit I had not known about or expected this turn of events. No doubt the wizarding world has been given a huge gift today," Merlin said a huge smile on his face.

"Does this mean I can do like you did and turn back time?" Hermione asked a little excited.

"Sorry to disappoint you Hermione but even I can't do that, what you saw today was my ability to make people see what I want them to see. I must admit though, I did do a rather good job this morning. No one actually moved, nobody sat down and the sunrise did not happen, except in their mind," Merlin said "now if you don't mind I am rather tired and I have Hugh and Mya waiting for me, so I will bid you all farewell for now."

Merlin disappeared and they did not get to see him for several weeks, during which time he had proved his identity to the entire wizard world. Had been elected to the Wizengamot and been made an honorary member of the ministry.

Harry and Hermione had spent a lot of time experimenting with the new abilities and had found that Hermione did not quite match Harry in several areas; Hermione said it was probably due to the various hormonal changes women went through during a month.

----

Hermione was bought out of her thoughts when Luna sat down opposite her. Both women looked tired. Hermione poured herself a cup of tea and topped up Luna's cup, then helped herself to some of the toast she had prepared.

"What time are we going over to the Burrow," Hermione asked as she finished a rather large yawn.

"Well we should be over there by lunch time really; we have a lot to do," Luna told her as she rose to clear the table.

Luna had just finished placing the plates back when she spoke again, "Hermione I don't think we will be going to the Burrow."

It took Hermione just a few seconds to work out what Luna was saying, she waddled as fast as she could to the fireplace and made a floo call to the Burrow. Molly was standing right next to the fire as it turned green, it was almost as if she knew as she answered Hermione as soon as she saw the young woman's face. "I'll get my stuff, and be with you in a minute or two," she said as Hermione looked up at her.

Hermione nodded to Molly and then slowly moved from the fire, getting up using the couch to assist her, she then helped Luna to the bedroom they had prepared for herself to give birth in. It had been finished and redecorated a few weeks earlier.

By the time the two pregnant women reached the bed Molly was entering the room, "I've given Poppy a call, she said she will be along as soon as she can." She told them as she watched Luna lie on the bed about to give birth to her and Ron's overdue son.

"Just like his father," Molly chuckled as she prepared the things they would need ready for when Poppy arrived.