As I am NOT the original author of the Harry Potter series, who as anyone should know is the wonderful JKR who lets us play with her world. I don't own a darn thing here. On with the story.
Chapter 18 Revelations
Monday passed slowly for Harry. He found himself wishing it was Wednesday and they were talking with Armand Pimbley even when he was lying in a recliner next to the pool and Hermione.
Tuesday Hermione decided to shock Harry. He had been holding her at night for three nights now and the most they did was a few good snogs before he fell asleep. Today he would not be falling asleep on her. Harry watched from his normal position on the recliner as she approached wearing her normal jacket over her bikini she dropped it beside her recliner revealing the white bikini underneath but she didn't sit on her recliner she walked around it and approached Harry's saying, "Budge over."
Confused Harry did as instructed watching Hermione sit down beside him, then lay back and stretch out. "Hermione?" He inquired wondering what was going on.
"Yesterday you totally neglected me."
"I did not."
"You were lying over here lost in your own little world thinking about Wednesday wondering what that friend of dad's will be telling you." Hermione said looking up at a still seated Harry who was wondering just how she knew that. "Harry I've had five years to get good at reading you. Most of that time I thought I'd be marrying someone else but I always knew I'd be your best female friend and have the job of instructing the lucky girl in how to read you. After spending that extra time last summer at Grimmauld Place with Ron I finally realized he was not for me. You on the other hand most definitely are." Hermione said holding her arms up towards Harry who finally took the hint and laid down in his soon to be fiancée arms wrapping his own around her.
"Time to get dressed for dinner." Jane Granger's voice rang out from the manor causing the two to end an intense snogging session. Much to Hermione's frustration not one of the three articles of clothing they wore combined was displaced but luckily there was enough caressing to keep her mollified.
"Pimbley called me today. He's reserved a tee time of 7 am." Alan announced as they all sat down.
"Isn't that a little early?"
"For him yes, He was positively giddy over the phone, which is very unusual for him."
"So what time do we need to get going?" Hermione the practical asked.
"Your mother and I talked this over if we leave here at six. We can stop on the way and get some bagels and coffee, putting us at the club in plenty of time." Alan said.
"You might want to choose your outfit tonight Hermione." Jane cautioned her daughter earning an eye roll for her efforts.
"We should be through there early right?" Harry asked looking at Alan.
"Yes."
"Could we make a trip to Diagon Alley afterwards?"
"Something you want to do there?" Jane asked a smile on her face.
"Just a visit to Gringotts and possible a little shopping." Harry replied.
"Alright we'll toss our robes into the car just in case. Now tonight I want everyone to get to sleep early, I would say to bed early but I know you two," Alan said looking at Harry and Hermione.
"Hey we sleep." Hermione protested.
"After how much kissing?" Alan asked.
Hermione blushed hard before saying, "Not enough,"
"Too much information dear." Jane said ending her husband's teasing.
Wednesday morning as they were pulling into the club Jane cleared her throat asking, "What would be your ideal summer Hermione?" Jane asked looking at the two of them hoping her daughter would make her wants known.
Hermione watched Harry shrug his shoulders before asking, "You want to know my ideal summer?"
"Yes," Jane countered.
"I want to go back to Hogwarts this year as Mrs. Harry Potter." Hermione said laying out her dream praying Harry wouldn't shatter it.
"You too?" Harry asked.
"What?" Hermione asked a confused expression on her face as she worked through just what Harry meant.
"Hermione I would love to return with you as my wife. An evil little part of me wants to keep it a secret from the magical world at least until we are on the train, but ideally until the feast in the Great Hall." Harry said with a smile on his face.
"That would be fun. Solves some problems with the wedding too. Is there anyone special you would like there?" Hermione asked curious.
"Normally I'd like Ron and the rest of the Weasley's but Molly would tell Dumbledore and he'd ruin everything. Ron can't get away from his mother to attend without her knowing. Possibly Remus but I don't know him well enough to know if he'll go running to Dumbledore." Harry said mentally flicking through the names of his friends.
"How about Neville?" Hermione asked knowing Harry would need a best man.
"I'm afraid if I asked him to the wedding without asking anyone else It might put him in trouble with the powers in that world." The way he spoke non-possessively of the wizarding world indicated to Jane he was open to spending part of his time on this side of the security dividing the worlds.
Seeing another car pull in beside them they went silent for a while. "Alan, glad to see you're here we can get right to the first tee." Pimbley said getting out of his car. "Mrs. Granger and Miss Granger glad to see you both are joining us today. Alan would you mind if we used a cart today? I've been up far too late the last few days and I'm not ready for a workout." He added as he approached the ladies.
"Not at all, it will give Hermione something to do."
"Ah yes, you are engaged to Mr.… Evans correct?" Armand asked hesitating for a moment on Harry's last name.
The conversation turned bland until they were on the course and had hit their first shots. Alan looked around asking, "What is it that you wanted to share with us?"
"I should tell you first about your mother's family Miss. Granger." Armand said planning on letting Harry study the crest for a moment.
"What's to tell I'm muggle born." Hermione said.
"Actually that isn't true."
"What?" Four people asked him shocked.
"I though this might be the case, hear me out. Your, great, great, great, grandmother, that's five generations in case you were not counting, Was Anna Harris the first child born by Patricia M. Harris Nee (Blood). Now nothing is known about Ms. Blood until she arrived at a muggle home for un-wed mothers. What I find interesting is a young lady named Elizabeth Patterson. Her family were landed merchants whose home was on a plot of land adjacent to the Black family holdings. Miss Patterson disappeared right before Miss Patricia M. Blood turned up at the muggle home for un-wed mothers a county over several days later and subsequently married a local farm hand named Rufus Harris who adopted Anna as his own. It is my considered opinion after much fact checking that Elizabeth Patterson and Patricia M. Blood are the same girl and the father of Anna Harris was a member of the Black family."
Hermione looked at Pimbley like he had three heads, to hear she had a Wizarding ancestor, abatable illegitimate, after suffering abuse for five years for being muggle born was just too much to take in so quickly.
"So what does this all mean?" Alan asked.
"It means that technically Hermione is a descendant of the Black family. Unfortunately we can not determine the father of the child she bore." Armand replied.
Harry started to choke up as he started to think about Hermione and Sirius being related falling back into his golf cart seat.
Hermione's actions surprised her mother she quickly turned from where she was talking to Pimbley heading over to the cart where Harry had collapsed against the seat, taking him into her arms and holding him close.
"What did I say?" Armand asked watching the scene.
"If what I was told is correct Harry's godfather was a Sirius Black and he was killed just before school ended this year." Jane said watching her daughter comfort her future son in law.
"So hearing that Hermione was related to the Black's caused him problems. That I can understand."
"Hermione you and Harry need to focus on the present day. You have school coming up in a month." Jane said hoping to bring their attention back to current events.
"If we return." Hermione said.
"I was under the impression that you were doing quite well in school." Armand said.
"Ten outstanding owls and one exceeds expectations." Hermione replied.
"Don't forget that the owls in Transfiguration, Charms and Potions were among the ten highest ever recorded," Harry added wanting to brag about his fiancée.
Armand raised an eyebrow asking, "With grades like that your return is questionable?"
After a glance at Harry who nodded his agreement Hermione said, "Harry and I were discussing with my parents the possibility of having our wedding before September first of this year when you arrived. We weren't sure how Hogwarts would accept our marriage."
"Oh there's no problem there every few years there's a couple or two that are married prior to finishing. I assume that if everything is acceptable you will be married by the head master." Pimbley said.
The growl that erupted out of Hermione at the mention of Dumbledore's title surprised Pimbley and brought a "down girl" caution from her father who continued, "As you can tell that is not an individual to mention around my daughter."
"We have issues with him sir. Hermione and I will try to find an acceptable wizard or witch to perform the ceremony." Harry said speaking up.
Pimbley chuckled as a name instantly came into his mind.
"What is it?" Alan asked knowing Pimbley's sense of humor.
"I was thinking that Rasumson Hogan might get quite a charge out of officiating at your wedding."
"Who is he?" Hermione asked.
"He is a member of Wizengamot. He and Dumbledore were both against you-know-who last time but the death eaters attacked his family while Dumbledore was hiding at Hogwarts according to Rasumson and he enjoys annoying Dumbledore anyway he can. Officiating at your wedding would be one of those ways I believe."
"Harry and I are ready, If he agrees we have everything we need but witnesses." Hermione said smiling at Harry.
"I would think your friends would be the best choice. Doctors Granger can sign as witnesses any legal documents that need it so age isn't a problem." Armand said curious.
"It is not their age that is the problem it is getting them there without notifying Dumbledore. Their parents are quite involved with him and his extra curricular activities." Hermione said sadly.
"Give it some thought I'm sure you will find a way to have the wedding you want." Armand replied confidently.
"We will. Is there anything we should know about Harry's ancestors?" Hermione said.
"Oh my yes, that was the initial point of today's get together wasn't it." Armand replied chuckling to himself before starting his story "You Lord Potter are heir to the only title in the Wizarding world that predates the separation with the muggles. As such you are Lord Potter in the muggle world also…" Armand said telling Harry about his various ancestors as they walked the course occasionally stopping to hit their golf balls.
"So how come my aunt doesn't know about this?" Harry asked when Armand wound down knowing his aunt would have made a big fuss if she'd known her sister had married a Lord.
"Your great, great, great, grandfather Potter stopped using the title about the turn of the nineteenth century. No one is really sure why but speculation at the time was the awarding of titles by the ministry for monetary donations caused your ancestor to feel his title was being sullied. Rather than have anyone think the family had bought their title they stopped using it. By the by the practice was stopped by George IV once he became aware of it and he renounced all those who bought titles, otherwise who knows what title some wizards would have today. Still your family never did take up the use of it again. I was hoping you might consider using it."
"Not without a long discussion with Hermione and her parents." Harry said firmly.
"Sir with all the generations that have passed are you saying that Harry is the only Potter left?" Hermione asked looking concerned.
"Yes, Harry is the only Potter left. He does have some relations including some in Black family among others, come to think of it he is no doubt inter-related to most of the purebloods. But as far as being a direct male descendant and entitled to all the rights and privileges associated with the title, Harry is the only one possible to be Lord Potter.
"I brought this along I wasn't sure if Mr. Potter had ever laid eyes on it before." Armand said passing a drawing to Harry.
"What is this?"
"Your family's crest, normally it would be worn on your dress robes and such outside of Hogwarts."
Harry looked at the drawing with Hermione over his shoulder. Taking in the details.
"Mr. Pimbley is it possible to modify a family's crest?" Harry asked looking up from the one in his hands.
"Yes but it should be done after careful consideration and requires the agreement of the entire family. Your family's crest was last modified in the 1800's when the diamond you see at the bottom was added."
"The lion looks like the Singapore version." Hermione said.
"Quite right the design was changed slightly to reflect the family's involvement with that colony and before you ask the diamond was added to reflect the relationship with the Rhodes family. The initial 3000 pounds Cedric Rhodes used to start the De Beers Company came from his Aunt. Who borrowed the money from her family, the Potters. Thus one of the company's you have a strong stockholder position in is De Beers."
Hermione looked at Harry with a question on her face. He knew what she wanted to ask and as they were approaching the eighteenth hole there wasn't much time left for her to ask it. "Go ahead this might be the only chance you have." Harry said smiling at her.
Armand looked between the two then focused on Hermione, "Sir, When we were in our second year Harry got in to a bit of trouble and was able to draw Gryffindor's sword out of the sorting hat. Given there is a lion on his crest I was wondering if they might be related?" Hermione said blushing slightly.
The golf cart rocked as Armand sat back down into his seat he had been getting up to chip his ball out of the rough and hopefully up on to the green, but this question was unexpected. "A bit of trouble you say?" he asked looking between the two betrothed individuals.
"Yes a bit of a snake problem." Harry offered in explanation.
"You must tell me that story one day. I suspect that we do not have enough time left for it today."
"No sir." Harry replied.
"Pity that, Miss Granger I have not searched that particular family tree in over ten years. Allow me a few more days to check on that and I will be in touch. Now I have a ball to get to the green and sink, unless I wish to concede defeat and buy Mr. Potter and Mr. Granger lunch next time we meet. Something I would prefer not to do." Pimbley said rising to his feet and moving off.
Lunch at the club followed that round of golf with the afternoon's activities being planned. The trip to Diagon alley was pushed back a week to allow Harry and Hermione to settle a few things prior to the shopping trip.
That night in a different part of England Voldemort looked around at his inner circle of Death Eaters noting in his mind the ones missing either due to death like, Barty Crouch Jr. or incarcerated like his right hand Death Eater Lucius Malfoy. 'Time to promote some more to the inner circle,' he thought letting the silent time stretch noting who in this group was the first to fidget. Nervous behavior was his key to perform Legilimency on that individual. 'I've found more than one spy that way.' He thought before saying, "Bella I want you to bring Lucius's boy to a private meeting later this week. Find a time were he will not be missed for several hours. The rest of you I want to locate Harry Potter. Do not attack him he is mine to deal with." Voldemort said in a firm cold voice that caused more than one of the assembled Death Eaters to shiver behind their mask. As the group left two of their number found themselves unable to move held in place by the Imperius Curse.
Once they were alone Voldemort said, "I wish to talk with your boys. They will be brought for a visit tomorrow. I don't want any crying or losing control of bodily functions. They do and they will not be the only one's feeling my displeasure now go. I will see you and your sons tomorrow night," Crabbe and Goyle quickly disapparated home with deep concern for their Sons evident on their faces.