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Chapter 48: Sun, Sea and Sand
Severus and Hermione had a pleasant two weeks just being lovebirds without the pressure of their role in the UK's magical society impacting upon them. They were more confident in their physical relationship and more openly expressive through touch. On the island of Kokua Severus was not the stern Headmaster and Hermione was not the famous Muggleborn witch. On the magical Hawaiian island they were just another couple of tourists who were sightseeing. The visit to the local magical shopping district may have created the odd flash of familiarity but considering that Severus was not in his formal dark robes the association was not made. The same sense of familiarity for Hermione's visage was recognised but there was no red head or bespectacled boy in the same horizon with her so the connection was not made with her identity.
Gilliweed was purchased from the market place and they couple enjoyed frolicking in the sea. There were quiet lulls of reading and sunbaking. Severus was surprised by his wife's continental habits. Well she had a private beach and he was topless she argued so why not her. He got an even bigger shock when he came out onto the deck one afternoon after a midday nap to find her starkers. "Tan lines Severus, Tan Lines" she teased him.
There were gentle walks up the beach and he noticed a strengthening of her leg muscles. Sitting together in the dunes watching the sunset he was rewarded with her loving comfort and unobtrusive demeanour. The house elf service made sure that there was plenty to eat and that all the housekeeping was done for them so they could just be. There were dinners on the front verandah to enjoy the moonlit sea. Severus on more than one occasion led Hermione in a gentle dance to some soft ukale music that he found on the island radio station.
Dreams and hopes were openly discussed amongst the tussled cotton sheets. Laughter and joyful play was found in the water. Quite rest and peace was the companionable sharing of the double hammock strung between two palm trees rocked by a gentle sea breeze. Without having to be on show all the time they were more relaxed with each other and were they may have been slightly guarded they no longer felt the need to hide details away from each other.
Severus learnt about her finicky habits in relation to the toothpaste tube and the necessity of ensuring the cap was properly replaced each and every time he used it. Hermione had learnt about her husband's quirk for toast or ice cream in the middle of the night along with his frustration over her total absorption in a new tome. That was one habit that she shared with him cause Severus was just as bad.
All too soon it was time to return to the UK and back to the business of running a highly prestigious boarding school. On their return to 12 Grimmauld Place they found a joyous welcome. There were some moments before they settle back into a routine that worked within the combined household. Pansy and Draco had moved upstairs with Narcissa so Hermione's apartment was free for just the Snapes.
After the freedom of the last couple of weeks Hermione had forgotten about some of the limitations that came from sharing the space of the house with her other friends and family. Hermione had stripped down to go and have a shower in front of her private patio doors only to flash Tonks and young Lilybet. "That is a lovely tan you have" advised Tonks later that night at the communal bbq dinner. "I am sure Severus enjoyed watching you achieve that glow all over", the older witch teased. To say Hermione's face was glowing would be a bit of an understatement when the details came out that she had flashed the two witches when the mother had been quietly breast feeding her daughter in a secluded corner of the garden. At least it hadn't been Severus and herself shucking the clothes in a moment of amorous interaction, which it could have been at another time.
The visits were completed according to schedule and Minerva liked taking Hermione along to introduce Muggle families to the wonderful world of Magic. This year after the success of last years early introduction camp process that was used mainly for the catch up this year Hogwarts ran a muggle family visit program over a number of weekends so that there was a thorough introduction into the world of magic. Each weekend the school was opened up to new first year students and their families. Former students and current members of each house were volunteering to help in the demonstration and inductions into the magical world.
As part of the ongoing development process Hermione, Minerva, Bonnie Thompson, Poppy Pomfrey and Narcissa along with other members of the alumni set up the Hogwarts Ladies Auxiliary as a type of Parents and Friends Association. The ladies agreed that there needed to be Parents and Friends but it should be run via the Board of Governors. The Alumni also needed a formal association rather than the quasi adhoc organisation it currently was so Narcissa being Narcissa nominated that Draco and Pansy were going to be undertaking the initial organisation, publicity and running that new organisation. One of the things that the Auxiliary was going to be concerned about was improving parents' interaction from both worlds and the development of the younger years facilities. In particular the Ladies Auxiliary was keen to establish a crèche preschool kindergarten facility before going on to establish a primary school.
The idea was that younger years facilities would be based in Hogsmeade and that it would be possible for families in a number of years to get support from professionals in the specific age ranges. While also providing services to the children enrolled in the day programs it was hoped that the younger years facilities would also run weekend and after school type programs for young muggle born witches and wizards to help in developing control and reducing the number of accidental magic incidents for the Ministry and the amount of times obviators were sent out to rectify issues.
Another program which Minerva and Hermione both believed necessary was a Muggle Magical Mentoring exchange program. This mentoring program was designed to increase the awareness and understanding of both groups with the other perspective and help providing a line of support for non-magical parents dealing with the pressure of bringing up a magical teenager in a world that they had little or no previous experience of. It can be extremely challenging to have your child home after 9 months away in a boarding school as you no longer have that closeness as a parent. Your authority is undermined and your children are more independent as they have a whole separate life away from you.
Part of the improvements for the Ministry of Magic Children's Services lobbied for by the Ladies Auxiliary included better support for under magic and providing support services so parents did not fear their children's magic. Early intervention and greater preparation of suitable fostering, guardianships and adoption processes. The issues relating to Duncan and Ryan had really brought it home to Severus and the other senior members of the school faculty that there needed to be improvements in the welfare services provided by the Ministry of Magic. Severus own experiences along with Harry's were clear evidence how the MOM had failed to protect these children from physical, mental and emotional abuse in their so-called family homes.
The Post Secondary and Evening Class program was highly popular according to the early enrolments for the second year. One of the key activities that Severus and the Senior staff were involved in was the recruitment of new and additional subject specialists. The issue of Marcus Turner was solved by his court case and this had helped the board of Governors and the Ministry of Magic to introduce a more professional vetting system for those involved in the teaching and care of minor magicals.
Hermione had completed the majority of her theoretical subject modules for the flexible teaching program. In a way the young witch was ahead but in another way she was going to fall behind unless they found a way to deal with her need to have external observations of her teaching practice. It was almost September before Severus, Filius, Keith Thompson, Ponoma and Minerva had cobbled up a solution for her teaching practice observations.
Hermione needed to complete a minimum number of classroom teaching hour sessions and so they had come up with the solution that she was going teach 1st years ICT, 2nd year muggle studies, and become part of the team teaching team who covered life skills and general studies. For her dyslexia one on one observations Keith was going to video the required number of sessions and they were going to send it off to the British Dyslexia Association to get the external assessment done so Hermione could gain her Dyslexia accreditation as a Tutor.
Thanks to Keith Thompson and the MAZE development the word was put out for the identification of someone who could do the professional observation visits that Hermione required over the next teaching year. The response via the Magical Bulletin board resulted in the finding of a muggle born witch who had left the magical world during the first war who now worked as a Senior Lecturer in Education at well known North West of England Institute of Education who was certified and able to come and do the required teaching practice visits. Mrs Shepard already travelled all over the North of UK and to the Republic of Ireland seeing students out on placement that adding one more in for flexible course student would not be too hard. Apparently Mrs Shepard even visited students on the smaller isles of the UK such as the Outer Hebrides and the Isle of Man.
The development of technological advances in the UK also had an impact on Hogwarts as the funding for further development and refurbishment was directly related to the income streams bring into the school. The Lovegood Publishing development of the electronic library resources and the online publication of professional journals helped push the increased sharing of information around the world.
The Hogwarts Financial Committee found that they had a satisfactorily good one day session with Clinchknot from Gringotts as the income streams and additional areas for development were identified. New investment projects were discussed along with a review of the Schools investment strategy for the next 12 months was undertaken. There was also the setting up of several scholarships and the investment trusts needed to fund them.
Hermione had met with Dennis Creevey and his father during the summer not long after the Snapes had returned from their honeymoon. As part of the initial afternoon tea Hermione had presented Mr Creevey with an album of photos that were copies of Gryffindor student photos. The photos documented Colin's life as a student in Gryffindor House. The older man was quite emotional about the whole presentation of the memories of his departed son. Hermione was just glad she could help this family.
A week or so after the tearful afternoon tea Mr Creevey sent a heartfelt thank you letter. In addition to the gratitude for giving a little of Colin back to him and his wife the professional photographer suggested that Hermione and Severus have a formal photograph session. Particularly when he heard the details of their surprise wedding. He was a little horrified that there had not been a photographer organised for the event.
The official portraits ended up being a whole family event with the Lupins, Potter and Snapes sitting for a number of portraits. There were wedding portraits for the Snapes where they were dressed in their wedding finery. The family shot had Minerva and Kingsley roped in to help fill out the groom's side of the group photo. Then there were the academic posed photos with Severus in his full teaching regalia. One of Hermione's favourite photos of the session had her seated in a wingback chair with Severus standing imposingly beside her with one hand resting on the top of the chair. There was also the photo with Harry and Luna and the boys, Duncan and Ryan. There was much laughter in the portrait and it was very naturalistic looking.
An outcome from the interactions with the Creeveys was that Severus and Mr Creevey discussed the development of vocational education program for students in the school and in the evening school programs. Mr Creevey suggested that if it was possible that a vocational scholarship be set up to help students like his son for those who were passionate about a trade or craft. Not everyone was book smart and without the plumbers and electricians of this world homes and businesses would not be habitable. Everyone has a role in society it was just a case of finding something that they loved to do, as no one deserved the hell of working in a job they hated according to Mr Creevey.
When the results came out there were some very happy students but one of the loveliest outcomes that Severus and Hermione received was the carefully handwritten letter from Greg Goyle. Greg's letter was one of thanks for all Hermione's help and how he wanted to continue further studies with her assistance. He thanked Hermione for the wonder of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, which was the first book he had ever read for pleasure.
The apprentices who started their apprenticeships in the last year worked through the summer on placements out of Hogwarts. For Neville that meant he spent time in Holland in the commercial green houses learning about the production of flowers for the international flower market. Others like the mediwitch trainee Hannah Abbott went out on placement in a different practice area than what was available at Hogwarts. Hannah ended up with a community midwife and Poppy Pomfrey wasn't surprised that she was considering that specialism.
As part of the rebuilding individuals like Molly Weasley were returning to the workplace. The effect of having anger management treatment made Molly look back on her life since the children left for Hogwarts and she made a decision to go out an be useful in society. Since she had a large amount of knowledge and experience in the raising of children thanks to the seven of the little blighters that she had managed to get to adulthood Molly decided that she would go back and train as an Early years specialist. After war there was always a bit of a spike in the birth rate and this way she could help look after the next generation of Weasleys. Poppy wasn't surprised by this turn in events as she advised Severus he could need her specialist knowledge and skills in a couple years in the pre Hogwarts developments in Hogsmeade.
Every day Hermione and Severus carried out one activity where they were together as part of establishing a family routine. Each evening after dinner they would sit and read together for at least half an hour. This quite time was necessary for the both of them, as they needed to slow the cogs of the wheels in their brains. They would often get into interesting discussions over their reading especially if they were in the communal open plan living areas. Remus could be countered on for a good discussion point.
Bonnie Thompson stole the ladies of 12 Grimmauld Place for the last weekend in June taking them to Woolfest in Cumbria. Severus came along as the proverbial handbag holder for Hermione. While Severus was reading the latest potions journal article with an appropriate Muggle scientific magazine cover Hermione was immersed in the world of spinning and weaving. A number of fleeces were purchased along with some basic crafting equipment. It was from this weekend that Hogwarts and the Ladies Auxiliary joined the international social network for fibre, Ravelry, the facebook site for knitters.