Posted on: 16/05/2014 at 14:40 GMT/UTC/Zulu.
AN: Thank you to my reviewers angel897, KEZZ 1, HallowRain8587, Lamia of the Dark, LooneySlytherin, OCD ADD Goldfish, Crapes and Buffalochip and all those who have favourited or followed this story.
I lost 1,500 words the first time I wrote this because it didn't save properly and I had to redo the scenes I lost. They got longer in the re-write and so this is now a massive chapter. The title for this chapter took me forever. I don't like it but I didn't want to leave it as "Chapter Twelve". It came from this "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil". (Of course that was far too long. :P) If you can think of a better title please suggest it in a review.
Next chapter should be up on or by 23/05/2014.
The Marriage Curse
The Shadow of Death
Hermione was glad of Harry and Ron's presence at the will reading. She listened as she was told that she been given her parent's house and practice, all their savings and their possessions. There was also a large life insurance payout.
"Thank you Ripfang." Hermione said when the will was completed. "I took everything I wanted from my house yesterday. Everything that's left is to be sold and the proceeds converted into galleons."
"Very well. You'll have a considerable amount of gold left after that. Would you like to invest any of it?" Ripfang asked.
Hermione wasn't sure what she would invest in. "Who is my account manager?" She asked.
"I am." Ripfang said.
Hermione smiled. "Then I would like my account manager to invest ten percent of my gold in whichever businesses he deems most profitable." Hermione said.
Ripfang grinned and gave her a ledger which would keep track of her stocks, shares and profits.
She thanked him again and they left the bank. Professor Dumbledore and Hestia Jones were waiting for the three of them when they came out and they apparated them back to Hogwarts. Harry and Ron went back to class and Hermione stayed in Gryffindor Tower reading. She and Professor Dumbledore had decided that her parents would be buried on the grounds of the manor. He had already wiped all memories of her family from the minds of those who knew them to protect them from the Death Eaters. Hermione didn't like it but deemed it necessary. She wasn't going to let anyone else die because of her.
The funeral was attended by her new clan, her friends and the entire order.
Hermione spoke about her parents and who they had been to her and then their coffins were lowered side by side into the grave that had been dug for them. Her friends and new family scattered Earth on them and each threw in a white rose before she waved her wand and the earth at the side of the grave. It rose up in a graceful arc and poured down into the grave and covered them quietly.
Hermione found that she felt numb again. It felt too surreal. Ron and Harry took her hands and squeezed. She squeezed back grateful for their support.
Professor McGonagall transfigured two rocks into a combined headstone and Neville planted a weeping willow sapling behind the stone. The ground had been prepared with a potion and combined with a spell from Professor Dumbledore made the willow grow up tall and strong as they watched.
Hermione had asked the elves and Molly not to prepare food or a wake after the funeral. She didn't think she could bear sitting around, eating food and telling stories about her parents right now.
Instead everyone had a few hours of free time until the family meeting that afternoon. She made the most of it disappearing off to the Manor's library as soon as everyone had finished giving her their condolences.
Harry found her some time later after searching through the large Manor for a while. He'd checked her room first and then heard there was a library in the middle of the house. He had to admit it was impressive. It covered all four floors and descended into the basement as well. He found Hermione on the fourth floor curled up with an ancient dusty tome.
"Hey 'Mione." He said quietly. "Our new home is great isn't it?"
"Mmhmn." Hermione said absently, engrossed in her book.
Harry grinned as she put a bookmark in it, set it aside and looked up.
"I'm sorry. What did you say Harry?" She asked.
"I said that our new home is great isn't it?" Harry repeated.
As he said this he lit up with a peculiar red glowing fog which drifted up away from him and disappeared.
"Whoa that felt weird!" Harry said.
Hermione looked alarmed.
"Do you know what that was?" She asked him.
"Nope no idea. Do you think it was bad?" Harry asked.
"I think it was far too strange for my liking and we should go and find Professor Dumbledore." Hermione said.
"Alright." Harry agreed.
"Winky." Hermione called.
The house elf appeared with a pop. Harry's jaw dropped.
"You have an elf too?" He asked incredulously.
"Later Harry." Hermione said.
"How can Winky serve Miss?" Winky asked.
"Do you know where Professor Dumbledore is?" Hermione asked.
"Yes miss. He be walking in the back gardens." Winky said.
Harry groaned. The back garden was enormous. It would take them forever to find him.
"Please would you take us to him Winky?" Hermione asked.
"Of course. Winky is serving Miss." The elf said.
She held out her hands and Hermione and Harry took them. A moment later they found themselves in a Rose garden. They let go of Winky's hands and she vanished with a crack.
Professor Dumbledore was admiring a particularly fine rose bush with Professor McGonagall. They had their arms around each other and Hermione blushed realising that they were interrupting.
She hesitated and Harry spoke.
"Professor Dumbledore sir." He said.
The two turned to face them.
"What is it Harry?" Professor Dumbledore asked pleasantly his focus still seemed to be on the nice spring day.
"Something weird happened in the library." Harry said. "I'm not sure how to explain."
"We were talking and Harry was surrounded for a minute by this red fog that drifted off him and disappeared." Hermione said.
Professor Dumbledore's attention focused sharply on them. It was unnerving feeling watching him go from his slightly daft old man persona to the powerful and dangerous wizard who had defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald.
"What were you talking about?" He asked them.
"The manor." Hermione said puzzled.
"What were your exact words Harry?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"I said to Hermione that our new home was great." Harry said looking puzzled as well.
Professor Dumbledore sighed.
"Harry did I ever tell you why you had to go back to Privet Drive every summer?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"No you didn't." Harry said.
"It was because I put up blood wards to protect you. Your Mother's sacrifice made that possible. As long as you lived with a blood relative of hers and called that house home the wards would protect you until you came of age." Professor Dumbledore explained.
"Now that you no longer consider it home the wards seem to have failed. I don't know how closely Tom and his followers watch your relatives but we need to tell them and get them to a safe house." He added.
Harry nodded.
"Take my arm Harry. We're going to apparate." Professor Dumbledore said.
He held out his arm and Harry took it. They disappeared soundlessly.
Hermione looked for a moment at the place where they'd vanished as she tried to process this new information. Then she looked up at Professor McGonagall.
"I'm sorry. We seem to have ruined your afternoon." She said.
Professor McGonagall smiled. "It's not your fault Hermione. I think I might go back to the house and have my elf bring me tea and ginger newts in the library. Would you like to join me?" She asked.
"I would thank you." Hermione said.
They walked back to the manor together.
Harry stood in the front room at number four Privet Drive looking out of the window with his arms crossed.
Professor Dumbledore and Aunt Petunia were arguing in the kitchen. Well Aunt Petunia was arguing. Professor Dumbledore was calmly and patiently trying to explain the situation. Harry snorted. He couldn't make out what they were saying but he could hear the shrillness of his Aunt's voice and the calm even tone of Professor Dumbledore's.
When they'd turned up on the doorstep Aunt Petunia had been most reluctant to let them in. It was only the thought that if she made them stay outside the neighbours would surely see them and gossip that persuaded her to let them in.
She had loudly proclaimed that she hoped Harry hadn't been expelled because she and Vernon didn't want him back before the summer. Professor Dumbledore had explained that Harry was not in trouble at school but he did have a matter he needed to discuss with her. Harry had gone into the front room to let them talk privately.
Harry stiffened as he thought he saw a flicker of movement on the other side of the street. He drew his wand and opened the window just as Uncle Vernon's car pulled into the driveway. He ignored his Uncle's shout of "BOY!" when he saw another movement like a heat haze or a human chameleon.
Someone was there under a disillusionment charm. He had no idea if they were friend or foe and decided that the safest course of action was to stun first and ask questions later. If it turned out to be a friend he would apologise. Thinking he sounded like Mad-Eye Moody he aimed his wand at the vague shimmer.
"Professor someone's here!" He called back into the house.
Then he turned his attention back outside.
"Stupefy!" Harry cried.
A jet of red light issued from his wand and he heard someone hit the pavement.
"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING BOY!" Uncle Vernon roared.
Harry saw another flicker of movement.
"GET DOWN!" He shouted at Uncle Vernon.
He reacted on instinct as he cried "Protego!"
His shield formed just in time to deflect back a bright purple beam that had been headed for Uncle Vernon. There was a terrible scream and the disillusionment charm broke. Harry saw a heap of black robes tumble to the ground. Uncle Vernon gulped, going the colour of porridge, and hid behind the car.
Harry felt Professor Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder. "Alright Harry?" He asked.
"Yeah I think so." He said.
He remembered that Professor Dumbledore could see invisible people.
"Are there any more of them sir?" Harry asked.
Professor Dumbledore was scanning the street. "No. You got them both Harry. Well done."
Aunt Petunia spoke from behind them. She sounded shaky.
"I'll go and pack." She said.
"Allow me to assist you. It'll go much faster with the aid of magic." Professor Dumbledore said.
Aunt Petunia's face looked pained but she nodded and both of them went upstairs. Harry heard the scrape of the attic door opening a moment later. He went outside. Uncle Vernon was still cowering behind the car.
"You can come out now they've gone." Harry said.
Uncle Vernon stood. Harry realised that he was alone.
"Where's Dudley?" He asked.
"Round at Pier's house." Uncle Vernon answered.
"I think you should go and get him." Harry said.
To his surprise Uncle Vernon didn't argue. He got back in the car and drove away. Harry crossed the road to go and see what had happened to the two Death Eaters. As he did several wizards appeared. Harry raised his wand again in reflex and then relaxed when he recognised the Ministry uniforms. It was a team of Obliviators here to modify the memory of any muggles who might have seen the brief fight.
He lowered his wand and went to check on the Death Eaters when someone called his name.
"Mr. Potter." He turned around and saw two aurors standing behind him.
"What can I do for you?" He asked.
"You are under arrest for the use of underage magic and for breaching the statue of secrecy." The taller of the pair said.
Harry bit his lip for a moment to stop himself from swearing at the idiot. Then he looked at him and spoke.
"What's your name?" He asked.
The auror didn't seem to have expected a response like that. He seemed puzzled as he replied.
"John Dawlish Mr. Potter." He said.
"Well Auror Dawlish," Harry said. "I was just attacked by Death Eaters. Do you still want to arrest me?"
Dawlish gaped and floundered for words. The other Auror strode over to the pile of robes on the ground.
"There's another one. I stunned him but he's disillusioned." Harry said and pointed to the place where he estimated the Death Eater was.
The auror cast the counterspell. Another heap of black robes was revealed. He pulled the mask off the man and gasped.
"He's right. I've got Rastaban Lestrange here." He said as he checked his vitals.
He moved over to the other one and pulled his mask off. "And his brother Rudolphus. He's dead."
Harry felt himself sway. He'd killed him?
"Are you sure he's dead?" He asked feeling nauseous.
"As a doornail." The auror said. "It seems we won't be taking you into custody after all Mr. Potter."
Harry barely heard him as he doubled up and was sick. He heaved until he was sure there was nothing left to come up.
Then he straightened up and went back to the house. He went inside and sat on the sofa with his knees drawn up to his chin not caring that Aunt Petunia would have a fit about his shoes on the furniture.
He stayed there when Uncle Vernon and Dudley came back and as the Dursleys bustled about packing with Professor Dumbledore's help. When Professor Dumbledore had finished helping him he came to sit beside him.
"Harry what's wrong?" He asked.
"I killed him." Harry said dully. "I didn't mean to but the curse rebounded on him and he's dead."
He let his knees go and bent over as he dry heaved yet again. He managed to stop and sit up again a moment later.
"Sorry." He said embarrassed by his reaction.
"No I'm sorry Harry." Professor Dumbledore said. "Don't be ashamed of your reaction. Taking a life even by accident is a terrible burden to bear."
Harry nodded. "I feel tainted, unclean." He said.
Professor Dumbledore nodded and sat with him silently until Aunt Petunia came over to them nervously.
"We don't know what to do with the furniture. We've got everything else." She said.
Professor Dumbledore squeezed Harry's shoulder and got up.
"If you'll allow my elves to take it to the safe house I've chosen for you there will be no problem. They can take everything else as well." Professor Dumbledore said.
Harry watched Aunt Petunia argue with him about allowing more magical beings into her house for a while before she gave in.
He got off the sofa when the elves appeared and started taking things. He sat on the windowsill instead out of the way. He could see the obliviators going from house to house and knew the Death Eaters would be unlikely to send anyone else when there was a strong ministry presence but he still felt uneasy.
Eventually the house was empty and the Dursleys were ready to go. They absolutely refused to travel by magic so Dumbledore had provided them with a map that only they could read. The empty house felt strange. Uncle Vernon shooed them all out and locked the house up behind them.
Harry turned to look at it knowing he'd never come back. He would have expected to feel elated. Instead he felt a strange sort of emptiness. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon fussed around the car arranging the things they wanted to take with them for the six hour journey. Professor Dumbledore had wandered off to look at the roses in the front garden.
Harry and Dudley stood near each other awkwardly. Eventually Dudley spoke.
"You know, you're not so bad. For a wizard that is." He said.
Harry felt his jaw drop. He was stunned. Coming from Dudley that was practically an I love you.
"Thanks Big D." He eventually managed to say. "Have a good life yeah."
"Yeah you too." Dudley said.
He held out his hand and Harry shook it awkwardly. Then Dudley got into the car. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia got into the car too. They looked at him in a way Harry couldn't decipher. If he didn't know better there was regret in Aunt Petunia's eyes and gratitude in Uncle Vernon's.
"You behave yourself boy." Uncle Vernon said.
Harry nodded and the Dursleys drove away. He watched the car until it was out of sight and then he turned to Professor Dumbledore who had rejoined him.
"Can we go home now sir?" Harry asked.
"Of course Harry." Professor Dumbledore said.
He held out his arm and Harry took it. They disapparated leaving the obliviators to finish their job.
Hermione found herself seated between Harry and Lucius again at the family meeting. For some reason Dean was there too so were some of the Order. Harry had come in with Professor Dumbledore as everyone was gathering looking shaken. He'd refused to say anything about what had happened until later when they could be alone with Ron. Several quiet conversations surrounded them but Harry wasn't paying them any attention.
She gave Lucius a curious look and he winked at her. She looked away. She was beginning to form a theory about what his secret was but it seemed rather far fetched. Sirius stood and everyone quieted.
"In light of what happened to Hermione, Fred, George and I have come up with a way for us all to keep track of our future spouses." Sirius said.
"We have created a magical tattoo that will heat up when we or our spouse is in danger. It'll lead us directly to them when activated." Sirius said. "Stunning or lethal spells cast within a few feet of us activate it automatically but we can also activate them at will."
"It sounds impressive but will it work?" Hermione asked.
"We've already tried it out." Fred said. "They work."
"I suppose that explains Dean's presence then." Harry said. "You're going to do the artwork for them."
"I am." Dean said.
"So which one of you has the tattoo?" Molly asked in a resigned way.
"We both do." Fred said.
The twins pulled their sleeves up to reveal a black swan tattoo on their wrists. They both had another as well. Fred's was a weasel or some sort of polecat. George's was a fox.
"The swan tattoo represents Angelina." Fred said. "The weasel is me. If I press it anyone else with the same tattoo will feel it heat up and pulse in time with the my heartbeat. It will also turn blue or red and shift to their palm. If you focus on it you'll be able to feel a pull towards the person who activated it and apparate to them provided there are no wards." Fred said.
"It'll turn blue if I'm using it to send a signal or a message. Messages are limited to a maximum of five words; just think or speak them. It'll turn red if I'm in danger. We can also think a word to activate it for either situation. We can activate all of the other tattoos by pressing it once and holding it for five seconds or activate just one by pressing it and then the tattoo that represents the person we want to contact." George finished.
"If you'd like to demonstrate Angelina." Sirius said.
Fred and George laid their arms on the table so that everyone could see them.
Angelina pulled her sleeve up and pressed and held her tattoo. Fred and George's swan tattoos immediately shifted from their wrists to their palms and turned blue. They closed their hands over them briefly and they returned to their wrists. Angelina pressed her swan again and then pressed the fox. Fred's swan stayed where it was while George's turned blue and moved to his palm again and then morphed into the words "Hello George."
"That's impressive." Hermione said. "Where did you get the idea?"
"We were looking at the Protean Charm for homework and we got the idea then." George lied fingering the DA Galleon in his pocket which had really been the inspiration.
"We thought about charming an object but you can lose objects whereas you can't lose a tattoo. They won't get hot enough to hurt so don't worry about that." Fred said.
"You can also activate them by speaking a word and saying or thinking or a name to send a message in case you're ever in a situation where you can't reach your tattoos. The danger alert will automatically alert all three of your spouses. I suggest choosing words you would never normally say or think. The only people who will be able to see our tattoos are those who know they're there." Sirius said.
"Excellent work." Albus said. "How did you do it?"
Fred grinned. "Over to you Padfoot."
"Remus and I created a potion which can hold both the ink and the magic needed for the tattoos." Sirius said.
"We have enough with us to give everyone here tattoos." Fred said.
"All it needs now is a drop of blood from the person who will have the master tattoo and it's ready to be applied." George said.
"So who wants one?" Fred asked.
Everyone looked at Hermione for a moment and she suddenly felt embarrassed.
"I think that's everyone." George said.
"I wouldn't have wanted any before but now, given what happened, I think it's an excellent idea." Harry said.
"So what do we do now?" Daphne asked.
"Choose a design to represent you." Dean said. "These three went with their patronus animals."
"I like that idea." Hermione said. "Mines an otter."
Dean picked up his pencil and began to sketch rapidly.
"Hermione. Otter." He pencilled next to it.
After that everyone chose a design.
Sirius and Minerva chose their animagus forms. Albus chose a phoenix to match his patronus. Severus didn't want anyone to know his patronus' form and chose a raven instead. Harry went with a stag. Luna chose a hare. Ginny chose a Hungarian Horntail.
That made Harry laugh for some reason that Hermione didn't understand. Lucius chose a cobra forcing Draco, who'd been about to choose exactly the same, to reconsider. Having the same tattoo as his Father would prompt the others to laugh at him. He chose a hawk in the end. Narcissa chose a mouse. Daphne chose a horse. Astoria chose a mermaid because everyone else had chosen animals.
Dean drew each design and waited until he had their approval before marking it as done.
Once everyone had chosen a design Sirius measured out eighteen quantities of the potion into jars and added the ink. He then asked everyone for a few drops of blood. These were added to the potion and the jars were labelled accordingly. There was larger jar of the solution without any blood for the master tattoos each of them would have.
"Do you want the other two on the same arm or on the other wrist?" Dean asked.
Hermione thought for a moment. "On my right wrist." She said.
Dean nodded and painted the otter tattoo on her left wrist first. Sirius cast the first spell.
"You need to whisper your activation words now. Message word first. Danger word second." Sirius said.
Hermione raised her wrist and whispered her words to the tattoo. Sirius put his wand over the tattoo and muttered a brief incantation to seal the tattoo to her skin permanently. There was a sharp pain like being scratched by a particularly vicious bramble and the tattoo was done. The ink dried immediately. She ran her thumb over it curiously for a moment and then gave her arm back to Dean.
She watched Dean paint her left wrist with a raven underneath the otter to represent Professor Snape. Both tattoos were plain black and looked more like black shadows of the animals than the creatures themselves. Dean was a skilled artist and Hermione found she liked watching him paint. Her Dad had been a painter too- She stopped that painful thought in it's tracks. When the raven was done she gave her left wrist to Sirius and tried to concentrate on the tickle of the brush on her right wrist rather than the sharp pain of the sealing.
Dean painted a cobra to represent Lucius. Sirius sealed it and he painted the last tattoo. Harry's stag. Hermione winced as Sirius completed it and then looked at her wrists side by side. It was strange having tattoos.
"Thank you both." She said and got up so Ginny could get hers done.
As she did the stag warmed and jumped to her right palm where it pulsed in time with Harry's heart. It wasn't unpleasantly hot but it certainly got her attention. She turned her hand over to look at the blue stag.
"Just testing it. Sorry." Harry said.
Hermione smiled and closed her hand over the tattoo. It cooled, stopped pulsing and moved back to her wrist.
"That's fine Harry." She said.
Then she activated her otter and pressed the stag. She felt the otter warm up and saw it turn blue but it stayed where it was on her wrist and she couldn't feel it pulsing. Harry started and looked at his left hand. Hermione smiled at him.
"Just testing Harry." She teased.
He smiled back. Hermione reflected that it was the first time she had smiled in days.
After all the tattoos were done Dumbledore didn't keep them much longer. They voted on the surnames that had survived the last meetings culling and decided on Rosewood.
Harry grabbed her and Ron and they left together to discuss whatever it was he wouldn't talk about earlier.
Please review. Constructive crit is welcomed. Flames will be given to Bellatrix for her to play with.
Yes I know the Hungarian Horntail joke is in Book Six but I couldn't resist. :P
For those who are interested this is a list of who has which tattoos with the tattoo that represents them first (The others are listed in alphabetical order not preference or marriage order.)
Albus Dumbledore: Phoenix, Cat, Hare and Owl.
Angelina Johnson: Swan, Dog, Fox and Weasel.
Astoria Greengrass: Mermaid, Fox, Hawk, and Weasel.
Daphne Greengrass: Horse, Fox, Hawk, and Weasel.
Draco Malfoy: Hawk, Horse, Hungarian Horntail and Mermaid.
Fred Weasley: Weasel, Horse, Mermaid and Swan.
George Weasley: Fox, Horse, Mermaid and Swan.
Ginny Weasley: Hungarian Horntail, Dog, Hawk, and Stag.
Harry Potter: Stag, Hare, Hungarian Horntail, Otter, and Owl.
Hermione Granger: Otter, Cobra, Raven and Stag.
Kingsley Shacklebolt: Lion, Cat, Mouse and Owl.
Lucius Malfoy: Cobra, Cat, Mouse, and Otter.
Luna Lovegood: Hare, Dog, Phoenix and Stag.
Minerva McGonagall: Cat, Cobra, Lion, Phoenix and Raven.
Narcissa Malfoy: Mouse, Cobra, Lion and Raven.
Poppy Pomfrey: Owl, Lion, Phoenix and Stag.
Severus Snape: Raven, Cat, Mouse and Otter.
Sirius Black: Dog, Hare, Hungarian Horntail and Swan.