Chapter 3: Love is a Leap, Part II

London turned out to be a success not only for Harry, but Hermione as well. While he was speaking with Strongfist, she started at the library and perused the current telephone directory. She was particularly interested in all costume and theatrical shops that carried outfits circa 1861. She made a list and proceeded to investigate each one. Since there were only a few that looked promising, Hermione figured she could easily be back in time to meet up with Harry as promised.

Unfortunately, Hermione was very disappointed with the first two stops as everything she found looked cheap and unauthentic, as if they only wanted to carry novelty items. With the third stop, however, she hit paydirt. As soon as she stepped through the door, Hermione knew she was in the right place. The small storefront was decorated in such a way as to highlight each costume era. In one section, there were ancient themes, such as the Greek pantheon and in another she could see medieval attire. They even had a full suit of armor! Whoever recreated the clothing there paid a great deal of attention to detail and not only that, they also carried a good selection of reproduction period accessories and authentic memorabilia. There was a small selection of ladies' antebellum inspired dresses, pantalets, mens suits, hats, shoes and even corsets! Those she'd avoid like the plague as she planned on using a glamour charm instead to maintain her normal lung capacity. As far as she was concerned, only Rhett, and maybe the boys, would ever know. She smirked at the thought of how Rhett will someday discover this little detail.

Hermione continued to browse the shop, quaintly called Treasures of Times Past, for a few moments before she headed to the front counter to ask for assistance. The clerk was a lively middle-aged woman with dark hair, slightly graying at the temples. She was wearing an amazing Victorian-inspired blue velvet jacket over a white button down shirt and a beat up pair of jeans. Her makeup was tastefully done and she was even wearing vintage sapphire jewelry. Hermione thought the whole ensemble was incredible and if she had planned to stay in the present, she'd definitely be back to ask this woman for styling tips.

"Welcome to my shop - the name's Anne. How can I help you today?" Hermione had to smile, it was infectious seeing someone so happy that she lit up from the inside. Anne obviously loved what she did for a living.

"Hi Anne, my name's Hermione and I'm here to look at antebellum styled clothes and accessories. My two guy friends and I need to either purchase or make clothes for ourselves as we're going on a trip with a theme and we need to look like we belong in 1861 Georgia. Can you help me?" Anne smirked.

"Can I help you? Sure I can! I just love that time period as the dresses were amazing. The hoop skirts are totally outrageous, but the corsets were killer. I'm glad we're not held to that standard anymore. I know girls who still like them, but not me! Anyway, I've got a selection of some dresses that my seamstress makes custom for clients, but I don't think we could get such a large order together quickly. I do, however, have a good collection of old dress patterns that we sell, in addition to those for mens suits. You're more than welcome to take a look and if anything strikes your fancy, you can purchase them today." Anne smiled proudly then her expression turned thoughtful.

"Do you have anyone who can make the costumes for you? I can recommend someone if you don't because it will take an expert seamstress or tailor to construct these types of garments and have them look like the real deal. They have lots of detail and involve a ton of fabric." Hermione smiled knowing that Molly will be taking care of everything to do with their clothing.

"Oh, yes. My friend's mother is amazing with sewing and she's all ready to get started, I just needed to get some ideas and a place to start. It looks like I came to the right place!"

Anne replied saucily, "You sure did, honey! Let me show you what I have and we can take it from there."

The two women were walking towards the patterns case when Anne suddenly asked, "Have you ever heard of Godey's Ladies Book?"

Hermione shook her head no and Anne continued, "It was a monthly journal for US ladies during the 1800s that's full of all sorts of interesting tidbits. If you want to get as close as possible to being an authentic 1860's woman, you should start there and I just so happen to have a few 1861 copies for sale."

Hermione didn't know it yet, but she was about to get a lesson in what it meant to be a woman of the mid 19th century.

She didn't like it.

By the time Harry entered the lobby of the library, Hermione was there waiting for him with her famous beaded bag in hand. Both had accomplished a lot on their trip and they were more than ready to head back to school. It was late afternoon on Saturday and they wanted to make it to dinner. After exchanging a quick greeting, they swiftly left the library then ducked into a side alley down the street, carefully making sure to stay out of sight. They apparated directly to Hogsmeade from there rather than heading back to Diagon Alley to save time.

Once Harry and Hermione arrived in the apparition zone of the village, the intrepid duo quickly made their way to Hogwarts and then up to Gryffindor tower. As they expected, Ron was engaged in another heated battle of wizards' chess with Seamus. Hermione didn't know why the Irishman kept trying to beat Ron as he was just too good for him. Her redheaded friend probably could go pro in the muggle world if he really wanted to and maybe he still could once they get settled in the past. She'd have to bring it up with him later.

As soon as Ron called out checkmate, Seamus graciously accepted defeat and promptly got up to go find Dean before dinner. Ron was grinning, knowing that there wasn't a Gryffindor around that could beat him yet. Hermione never tried, but then again, she didn't really care about the game so much. Her dad taught her how to play years ago, but that was only so he had someone to play against.

She really missed him.

Before she could get too far into her negatively spiraling thoughts of family, Ron saw that they had returned. Since there was still some time before they needed to be in the Great Hall, they decided to go find a quiet place to talk about what happened in London. They remained silent until they reached the lakeside which was conveniently devoid of students. Hermione threw up a privacy spell, just in case, and by then Ron was chomping at the bit for information.

"Hermione," Harry said, "Why don't you go first as my story may take a while." She nodded then sat down on the large rock they had always favored to begin her tale.

"Well, I found this amazing shop that had pretty much all we need for Molly to make our clothes. I even have some information we can use to transfigure any accessories we need, like shoes and hats. I also purchased some ladies guides from 1861 and let me tell you they're horrid. Being an independent woman in the 19th century is going to be torture. I'm sure I'll want to hex every chauvinistic man who looks at me crossways as there will be enough of them! The men think women are these fragile little creatures. Ha! I'd like to see them survive a crucio and then we'll see who's delicate!"

"Hermione! Calm down. I'm sure Rhett won't be like that otherwise he wouldn't be your soulmate," Ron said calmly. She gave him a tight smile as she was still ticked off over what she learned today.

It wasn't a complete surprise, truly, as she understood history. As a modern woman, the customs of the time they were adopting wouldn't be easy and there was always the risk of being ostracized. She got the idea that any women of status would be extremely judgmental and unforgiving. Hermione knew that she had to do things right the first time, otherwise she may not get another chance. It's like they say, you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Her feminist ideals would have to take a backseat for the sake of Rhett, even if she had to constantly bite her tongue to do it.

At least the boys would have a easier time of it.

Hermione replied apologetically, "Okay, I'm sorry, but this is going to be hard on me. I was raised knowing that women were just as good as men, even if we are different. Going to a time where women were basically possessions placed on pedestals is going to stick in my craw. I'll manage somehow, though."

"That's the spirit, Hermione," Harry said encouragingly. "You can't be sure of anything, really, until we get there and meet the people. There has to be a reason why all of our soulmates exist in the same place and time. That just means we are meant to go back. I'm sure we'll adapt, eventually, and like Ron said, I'm sure Rhett will be different." He smiled at her.

She sighed. "I'm sure you're right. It's just that I had all these ideas of pushing for equal rights for werewolves and house elves after graduation and now I'll be the one discriminated against, again, just for being born a girl. It hurts."

"Well, think of it this way," Ron replied, "if all goes well, you can get a head start. Just think of having more years to change people's minds before it gets bad. Prevention, yeah?" Hermione lit up.

"Of course! I'm sure there are lots of things I can do, even if I'm not in the spotlight. Thanks, Ron. Oh and by the way, you're officially not a teaspoon anymore. I think you've now grown into a quarter cup."

"Oi, hey now! I thought I was becoming a tablespoon, but I'll take the cup. Thanks, Hermione." Ron rolled his eyes and the trio started to laugh. It felt good to let loose a bit and just relax for a while. They each knew there was still much to do, but for the moment, it was enough.

Once they settled down, Hermione continued, "So I've got patterns we can look through and I'll need to make a list of all the material to buy for your mum, Ron. Anne, the store owner I spoke with, gave me lots of ideas. I think we should go through everything tonight so I can go shopping tomorrow. That way we can hopefully floo to the Burrow as I'd like to give Molly as much time as possible. I think the suits will be easier to make than the dresses, though. I've never seen so much fabric in my life!"

"I have the feeling I'm not going to like how they dress, will I?" Ron asked reluctantly. Hermione shook her head no.

"Nope. The suits range from the every day type all the way to a formal tuxedo style. They have different shirts, ties, cravats, waistcoats, trousers, and coats to choose from. For formal occasions, there are also frock coats and capes and it looked like most men wore a fancy pocketwatch, cufflinks and tacks. Oh and I think smoking and drinking are expected for gentlemen as well."

"Guess that means I'm packing the firewhiskey, eh mate?" Ron asked Harry. He shuddered, remembering what happened last time the two shared a bottle. They had both been celebrating the end of the war and it was a very good thing there were potions available to handle the after effects. If they hadn't found some the next morning, they'd have been feeling ill for days.

"That means I'll have to bring the sober-up potion. That stuff's amazing!" Harry replied cheerfully and Hermione rolled her eyes. Boys!

Hermione then stopped to ponder what else she remembered from today's excursion. "Oh, and we have to decide how to present ourselves. Will we portray rich travelers from Europe? I think that scenario would afford us a better ranking in society straight away. Maybe we could be on a reverse form of a Grand Tour? How do we know each other? There are so many things to think of and our stories need to be seamless."

"Well, perhaps I can help with all that," Harry chimed in. "I still need to tell you how things went at Gringott's." Hermione and Ron could see that their friend had something big to tell them and they weren't wrong.

"Okay, so first off, thanks Hermione for coaching me on what to say to the goblins as that totally helped."

"No problem, Harry. Did they give you a really hard time at first?"

Harry answered, "A bit. I had one angry goblin ask me what I wanted and when I said I to planned to close out my account, I was escorted directly to my account manager, Strongfist." Harry smiled, thinking of the fierce goblin he met today.

"I confided to Strongfist what we did and what we plan to do next and he was shocked. He really wants a copy of the ritual. I guess they knew about it, but it had been lost to them over time. They see soulmates as sacred and he wanted to know how we found it. I explained about Hermione and the book she discovered then said he could have a copy, no problem." Hermione was pensive.

"I didn't know that about goblins. In all my research, it was never mentioned. I can get a copy together for you, Harry, but when do you plan to go back?"

Harry ran his hand through his already messy hair. "I have an appointment two weeks from today at 1pm to collect everything they're preparing for me. I'm going to need those charmed bags as there is going to be a lot to take with us." He grinned merrily.

Ron piped up, "What's a lot, mate?"

"Well...," Harry answered, "let's just say that as long as we're careful, we'll have millions of 1861 dollars to spend and hopefully we can invest some of it wisely." Both Ron and Hermione's eyes widened at the number.

"You mean you've had millions in Gringott's all this time?" Hermione asked cautiously as Harry's face started to turn stormy.

"Apparently. Dumbledore died and he was the executor of my parents' will. I was supposed to hear it when I turned 17, but then Voldemort happened and Gringott's never contacted me. Not only that, but Sirius also left me with the entire Black fortune. Narcissa and Draco won't see a single knut." He smirked at this, knowing Draco was going to pitch a royal fit over that one. Too bad, by the time he finds out, the three of them will be in 1861.

"Whoa, mate, Sirius did that? How did he manage to pull that one off?" Ron asked curiously.

"Since my grandmother was a Black, it was enough for him to get the will through. Dumbledore had a block placed on the reading of it so I never knew. I don't know why, and I'll probably never know, but Strongfist gave me an excuse, something about Sirius never being cleared and since Dumbledore's dead, the block was taken off."

Hermione nodded. "I think that was a good part of it, but I think the real reason was because he knew you had a horcrux and expected you to die to save the wizarding world. I don't know if he figured you'd only be dead a short time and have the ability to come back or not. But why give you all this money in the event you didn't make it. Seems cold to me, but you know how manipulative he was. It was a good thing his gambling paid off in the end, but it sure did cause a lot of people pain and all for a prophecy that was probably self-fulfilling. I mean if Dumbledore and Voldemort never believed in it, how would things have turned out? It boggles even my mind."

Harry was so pissed off that he started pacing along the lake's edge. "I wouldn't be surprised. My parents' will planned on all the Potter money being given to Hogwarts for an educational fund if all those who stood to inherit died first. I'm the sole inheritor and that was a close thing. So many things could have been better if Dumbledore hadn't been so damned secretive! He never gave straight answers and everything was turned into a bloody riddle. At least where were going, we'll be able to live comfortably on the combined estates of Potter and Black!"

"Harry, calm down! It's over, we made it and he didn't. Let's just focus on the future, okay? Well, our future in the past which will become our present soon enough." Hermione got up off the rock and proceeded to give her brother a hug. Harry wrapped his arms around her and tucked his head into the crook of her neck. He took a deep breath, inhaling the comforting scent of Hermione's lavender shampoo. He would make sure she takes a lot of it with her as he'd miss the scent if it went away. He let her go so he could continue the recollection of his day.

"Thanks, Hermione. I really needed to vent after today's bombshell and I'm still not done filling you guys in on everything." He then proceeded to explain the rest of what was decided with Strongfist and his friends were amazed, especially about how Eyesbright's prediction played into it, too. Things were now really starting to come together for the Golden Trio.

The next two weeks flew by and Hermione was at her wits end. She had managed to sneak out to London the day following the lake discussion to purchase all the material they needed for each outfit. Based on the number of ensembles required, Molly would certainly be kept busy and Hermione hoped she could handle it all.

After showing the boys the mens patterns, they selected five day suits apiece along with a good selection of shirts, waistcoats, ties and cravats. They even decided on getting one tuxedo each! Hermione thought they chose wisely and she couldn't wait to see them dressed up like true Southern gentlemen. She decided on ten dresses total, seven for day wear and three ball gowns, all with crinoline and appropriate undergarments. The patterns she chose, in her mind, were very pretty and the one she planned to wear the day they traveled was stunning. It took hours to select and have each fabric cut to the lengths needed. In the midst of it all, she realized Anne was certainly right about the dresses being a challenge.

Hermione also made sure to select spools of matching thread and all the necessary notions described in the patterns. In the end, she spent a small fortune, but considering that this is what they would be wearing from now on, there was no choice really. If they had needed to hire a seamstress, it would be worse, but with Molly on their side, Hermione thought they'd be getting away with a bargain. Perhaps she should ask her for tips so that she could try it herself once they were settled into their new life? A lesson in household charms before they left would probably be in order as well. She laughed thinking she could have the cleanest house in Georgia with only a few flicks of a wand.

She also wondered how well Rhett could to handle his. Pun certainly intended.

That was another thing she'd realized. The pull was increasing and the desire they were feeling for their respective soulmates was seriously becoming a distraction. They were still in control, but with only about a week left, it was getting harder to focus. NEWTs were now in full swing and Hermione was crushing them. Despite having to finish preparations for their imminent departure, she still managed to revise thoroughly for each class. She had been tempted to use the time turner, but refrained, as she was already exhausted and the thought of lengthening her days made her ill.

In between tests, the trio met as often as they could to go over their final plans, including the ritual, which in the end was very simple. This time they'd need to drink a potion and chant a new phrase three times: dilectus meus misit me, or send me to my true love. The potion again took a week to brew and required consumption immediately upon completion. Hermione was going to time her brewing so they could leave the day after graduation. They'd take the Hogwarts Express one last time for nostalgia's sake and would say their goodbyes from the Burrow.

She'd just have to get the cauldron there safely during a point where a stasis charm could be used. The potion would then be finished at the Weasley's.

Only a few days left to go...

"Thank Merlin, we're done!" Ron shouted enthusiastically after the three Gryffindors left the last NEWT exam they'd ever take. Harry smiled brightly.

"Yeah, mate. No more tests. No more Hogwarts. Hello, Georgia." Hermione giggled at Harry's elation.

"Harry, you make it sound like you have a secret girlfriend waiting for you somewhere. It's cute." He frowned.

"Cute? Is that all you have to say? How about devilishly handsome?" Harry raised his eyebrows up and down comically and the trio broke out into laughter.

"I guess we'll have to see what Scarlett says about that now won't we?" Hermione asked teasingly.

"Who's Scarlett?"

A familiar female voice from behind startled them and they each cringed in response. Ginny. Hermione recovered quickly and replied, "Oh, Scarlett, she's just some girl from Harry's past life that had a crush on him once upon a time. He mentioned it to us recently as a joke and we've been teasing him ever since." Ginny looked at her sceptically, but with one look at Harry, she decided it was nothing.

"Oh, okay. So, you all ready for graduation tomorrow and then on to the Burrow?"

Harry internally cursed knowing he would soon have to deal with this loose end. He had become very leery of Ginny lately because she still seemed to have a certain gleam in her eye, one which in his experience, meant trouble was coming. He coughed suddenly to cover up his discomfort.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Oh no, Harry thought, this was going to be bad. He was now really grateful Ron had mustered the courage to warn his parents as things were going to get ugly fast.

"I'm fine, Ginny, and yes, we're all ready to move on to the next stage of our lives, but right now I'm ready for dinner! Who's with me?" He looked to his friends who agreed that sounded like a grand idea. Ginny tagged along and soon they were digging into Hogwarts best shepard's pie and treacle tart.

For graduating students, the NEWTs were graded upon completion of exams and in the end, all three passed each course easily. Hermione; however, gained the greatest number of outstanding marks recorded in Hogwarts history. She had thoroughly beaten Tom Riddle's scores and with also helping to defeat his Dark Lord persona, she finally felt vindicated. Hermione was living proof that muggleborns could succeed brilliantly in the wizarding world and she hoped the purebloods would choke on it. They could all inbreed themselves into extinction for all she cared - she was leaving this world behind anyway with a spectacular bang.

Graduation was a mixed affair. It was both joyous, yet melancholy, thinking of all those who perished during the war. The final battle took away so many of those who deserved to be there celebrating with the survivors.

Those preparing to enter the real world were excited as they could now be considered full witches and wizards. Some would marry and carry on their family names while others would seek employment somewhere in the ministry. The Golden Trio's path was already set, of course, but only a select few knew that. Saying goodbye to Hagrid after the ceremony was a hard thing as he was not only Harry's first link to the wizarding world, but also a stalwart friend. They would miss him, and even his horrible rock cakes, terribly.

Hermione had the potion in stasis, their richly laden bags were packed, and Molly was ready with their clothes. Harry had received everything from Strongfist and with the additional sale of property, was leaving with a bit more than he expected. Hermione had returned the time turner to McGonagall with an enthusiastic thank you. She had even shared with her excitedly that the project worked and the mirrors would be patented and mass produced soon. The transfiguration professor hugged her favorite student tightly and wished her luck. Hermione was extremely thankful for having this great lady, a true mentor, in her life and she'd miss her and her guidance deeply. She would have to encourage Molly to arrange periodic mirror chats for them to speak someday in the future.

When that finally happens, McGonagall would get the shock of a lifetime!

The train ride back to King's Cross Station was a lively affair as everyone was happy for summer vacation. For the Golden Trio, it marked the last time they'd snag a compartment and hang out together snacking on chocolate frogs, playing exploding snap, or reading the Quibbler. Their next journey would involve an adventure to the past and even though their future was still uncertain, they had a clear goal in mind. Tomorrow was the day and although Scarlett, Rhett, and Suellen didn't know it yet, their lives would soon be changed.

Once the train stopped in London, everyone disembarked and started looking around for their waiting family and friends. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were met by a smiling Molly, a jovial Arthur, and a melancholy George who was still slowly healing from the loss of his twin. The joke shop was up and running, but the electric atmosphere that existed before the war had long since passed. Hermione ran up to the sullen jokester and gave him one of her patented hugs. He was stiff at first, as if he wasn't used to having contact anymore, but after a moment squeezed her back, then gently let her go.

"Good to see you, 'Brightest Witch in a Thousand Years'!" George said teasingly, a hint of his past character slowly peeking out of his shell.

"Oh no, not you, too!"

Hermione had been shocked when she read the Daily Prophet earlier that morning with her new moniker proudly displayed on the front page. She knew that she had done something incredible, but did they have to blast it all over that rag? Hermione did find some comfort that Rita Skeeter didn't write the article and she could be thankful for that small mercy. She was also thrilled that she'd never have to see that insect again. A very satisfying thought, indeed.

"What's wrong, Hermione? You take a few little tests and bam! Instant fame! It's not like we didn't expect you to do something that monumental." He smiled and she couldn't help but smile, too.

"It's good to see you, George. You, too, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione greeted the rest of her secondary family with hugs and Molly squeezed her tight. The Weasley matriarch then pulled Harry and Ron into the hug as well. After they broke off the reunion, Molly grabbed Ginny and hugged her longer than the others. Ron looked at his Dad who shook his head and mouthed 'later'. Ron nodded.

"Well, everyone, are we ready to head home?"Arthur asked cheerfully. With a round of yeses, the Weasley family, plus two, made their way to Ottery St. Catchpole where all hell would soon break loose in the form of an obsessed redhead.

The happy group arrived at the Burrow around suppertime. Molly, who had already finished her dressmaking duties, had been cooking all day for the occasion and she expected the rest of the family to arrive soon. She was delighted to have a full house again, even if it was only for the night. With the kids gone and Arthur working, she had become very lonely and now with Ron, Harry, and Hermione leaving permanently, there would be fewer faces gracing her table in the coming years. She wiped her teary eyes and decided that she would simply enjoy every second with each of them tonight. Tomorrow would come soon enough.

Once everyone had made it through the door, the Hogwarts quartet drifted upstairs to stash their belongings before coming back down for dinner. The meal turned out to be a lively affair as Bill, Fleur, Charlie, and even Percy were there, all enjoying their mother's cooking. Everyone was glad to see the prodigal son back in the fold and he was obviously relieved to be accepted. It was the loss of Fred that became the tragic catalyst that brought them all together. The Weasley's figured that life was short and that they should all forgive and forget in remembrance of the one they lost.

As they were finishing up dessert, Molly said to Hermione, "Hermione, dear, those books you lent me were entertaining. I hope you don't mind, but I made myself copies as they have a lot of recipes that I'd like to try. Some were funny, but others seemed like they were similar to ones I remember as a child."

Hermione smiled. "That's no problem, Mrs. Weasley, for everything you've done for us, it's the least I could do. I can tell you where to buy more if you're willing to go into muggle London." Molly shook her head.

"Oh no, dear, there's no need for that. The ones I have now are enough. I must say that the fashions muggles wore back then weren't too much different from ours at the time. I suppose it was only within the last hundred years or so that muggles, wizards, and witches stopped progressing together. Any trip down Diagon Alley could tell you some folks will never escape dressing in the old ways." She chuckled knowing that Aunt Muriel was one of them.

"What are you both talking about?" Ginny asked curiously, looking straight at her mother.

"Ginny, dear, Hermione has some old muggle ladies magazines she lent me from the mid 1800s and she needed help with a project this year. Since I was available, what with no one home to take care of anymore, I was delighted to. I must say it was a lot of fun!" Molly grinned happily.

"What kind of project? You never said anything to me, Mione." Ginny looked hurt at being left out of something when her mother had full knowledge.

"Gin, it had to do with sewing and household stuff. I knew you grew up with it, but I asked your mum to take me under her wing a few weeks ago so I could learn, too. I had these old ladies books and wanted to know how things compared between muggle women and witches." Hermione hoped Ginny would take the bait and not press any further. She let out a small breath of relief when she did, partially.

"I never knew you were interested in all that stuff. What's with the sudden interest?"

"Well, dear, Hermione wasn't very confident in those kinds of spells and wanted to watch them in action. You know from your own experience with me how many there are that we take for granted. Muggleborns don't have the chance to appreciate them like we do so why shouldn't I help her if I can." Hermione had to admit Molly was good and Ginny was thoroughly convinced.

"Oh, is that all. That stuff's boring. I plan on playing for the Harpies as soon as I get a tryout. How about you Ron, trying out for the Cannons? I hear they're looking for a new keeper." Ginny unfortunately asked Ron about the one thing that would put him off leaving, but surprisingly, he stood his ground.

"Uh, no, I'm not sure what I'm going to do exactly for a career, but I don't think I'd be able to be a keeper, much as I'd love to," Ron answered sadly. Ginny didn't buy it.

"Come on, that's all you were talking about months ago! What changed?" It was obvious to everyone at the table that something was up. To spare the rest of the trio her ire, Harry decided to come clean seeing as she would have the biggest issue with him anyway. After tomorrow, he'd never have to worry about her obsessiveness again. He just hoped she'd get the help she clearly needed soon.

"Well, Ginny, to tell you the truth, the three of us started a soulmate ritual a few months back and once we finish it, we'll all be transported back in time to 1861," Harry said bluntly. Ginny's mouth dropped open in shock.

"How could that be when you're my soulmate? That ritual has to be wrong, you're supposed to be with ME!" she shouted. "I've waited my whole life for you and you're mine! We even resemble your parents! It's a sign we're meant to be together just like them! Everyone says so!" As soon as Ginny tried to get around the table to Harry, Arthur grabbed her from behind.

"Let me GO! You don't understand! Harry, you love me, I know you do! Why are you doing this to us!" Arthur barely kept hold of her as she struggled fiercely in his embrace so Bill had to jump in to help. With the two of them working together, Ginny wasn't going anywhere.

Harry replied calmly, "Who are you to say that? All you want is the Boy Who Lived. If you haven't understood it by now, I'm a real person with real feelings and you just pushed and pushed. You wanted me for what I could do for you, not for who I really am inside. Can you truly say that's love? I'd call it obsession." Ginny's eyes flared in anger.

"How dare you say it's obsession? It's love! It's always been love and always will be. I'll never give up on us, Harry. Never!"

"Ginny, that's enough!" roared Arthur and with his raised voice, everyone else was silenced. It took a lot for Arthur to get that riled up and he'd finally reached his limit.

"We are going to St. Mungo's and the mind healers are going to examine you. This has gone on long enough. If Harry isn't interested, then you need to let him go, do you understand me?"

"NO! No, No, NO! Harry!," Ginny screamed and then she started to cry. Molly got up then and hugged her only daughter who was sobbing uncontrollably. The rest of the table sat there in shock.

"Molly, let's get her to the hospital so that she can be seen right away. Kids, I'm not sure when we'll be back, but please don't do anything until we return," Arthur said stoically, knowing that he had rough night ahead. He was grateful for Ron's warning even though he'd hoped it wouldn't be necessary.

Ron replied, "Don't worry, Dad, we can wait for a bit, but not too long as we're all about ready to crack." Arthur nodded.

"We'll get Ginny situated and determine our next course of action. We'll see you all as soon as we can." Arthur then gently lead a weeping Molly, still clutching Ginny to the floo and within moments, they were gone.

"Can someone now fill in the rest of us what just happened?" Bill asked.

A couple minutes of silence passed before Hermione started the story as she was the one found the book in the first place. The rest listened quietly as the details of the last few months unfolded and once the tale was over, the remaining Weasley's sat there stunned.

It was Bill who first recovered from the shock, He then asked Harry, "So Strongfist helped you because of the ritual and those were all your artifacts we've been cleaning up lately?" The Gringott's curse breaker asked curiously.

"Er, yeah. I didn't want to keep anything from my inheritance that was loaded with dark curses. How'd it go, then? Strongfist didn't get into it all when I met him last week to pick everything up." Harry had been really interested in cursebreaking and may have considered it as a career had things been different.

Bill replied, "Oh, it wasn't so bad. Most of the curses we found were anti-muggleborn ones. If Hermione had touched any of them, she'd have dropped dead. We were able to deal with all the pieces so everything's safe now." Bill looked over at the witch who was frowning.

"All the time and energy that was wasted in unjustly abusing a group of people makes me so angry! It's going to be hard knowing that our new home will be full of that attitude as well," Hermione raged and the Weasley brothers looked at each other in confusion.

"What do you mean, Hermione?" George asked. He'd been quiet all night so his question was a bit surprising.

"The southern American states in 1861 allowed for the owning of black slaves, as if they were less than human. They were, or should say are, the mudbloods of their society. The rich white plantation owners buy, sell, and abuse these people for the sake of being the masters of their own universe." Hermione knew that she was going to have to bide her time on that issue, but it would still hurt seeing these people abused. She then thought of the slur still raggedly cut into her arm. If it wasn't for Rhett being a Southerner, she'd move straight to New York and join the abolitionist movement.

"Well, it sounds like they treat them like human house elves. What are you going to do about that? I know how hard you worked to try and get people to see the elves differently. I don't think SPEW would go over well with those people," George replied calmly. Hermione nodded sadly.

"I know. I don't think there is much I can do, at least not right away. My soulmate, along with Harry's and Ron's, are all from the south so their mindset will be different. I just hope they aren't the type to use violence otherwise I'd be tempted to obliviate it out of them." She was determined that her Rhett would consider her views on the subject and free any slaves he may have.

"Hermione, we'll just have to see what happens after we meet them, okay?" Harry interjected. He knew how much she loved to take up the cause of the underdog and felt she would do a lot of good in their new world, even if she had to hex everyone in her way to do it.

"You're right, Harry. Let's get there first, then deal with what comes later." She gave him a small smile in thanks. He grabbed her hand from across the table an squeezed it in support.

Percy, who had also been uncharacteristically quiet that evening, asked, "So has anyone let Minister Shaklebolt know you three are leaving? You know he's going to pitch a royal fit once the Golden Trio leaves for good, right? He's been waiting for you three to graduate so he could groom you for rebuilding the ministry. Things are going to get ugly here as you three represent the Light's next generation of leaders."

Harry sneered angrily. "Well, I think we've done enough so now it's the rest of the wizarding world's turn to lend a hand. We've sacrificed, me more than anyone else, and now it's time to find some rest. That's why we initiated the ritual in the first place and now we have to finish it. I'm sure Kingsley will get over it eventually."

Percy shook his head. "Well, I understand that Harry, and I know you deserve it more than anyone. I just wanted you to know what you're leaving behind."

The Boy Who Lived Twice, Defeater of Voldemort, knew exactly what he was leaving behind and that's why he was so eager to go. His work here was done.

"I do know, Percy, and that's why I have to leave. If I don't it will never end for me because there would always be something Harry Potter has to solve, like I'm the answer to everything that goes wrong and I can't be that for everyone. I was never given a choice in the first place and now that I have one, I'm taking it. My destiny lies in the past and that is where I'll be," Harry said, resolved that he was making the right decision.

Percy nodded. "I hope you find what you're looking for. I know I haven't been the most supportive of you three, but I'll do what I can here to make our world a better place."

"Thanks," Harry replied, "I know you will and maybe you'll be the next minister after Kingsley gets tired of the job." He smiled and Percy laughed heartily.

"Well, I did always have aspirations for the position. I think Minister Weasley will have a nice ring to it."

"Oi!" Ron exclaimed. "If you're going to be minister, do us a favor and make Malfoy's life miserable, yeah?"

Harry laughed and Hermione cringed on the inside, remembering back to the strange day Draco actually admitted he liked her and then suddenly asked her out. After that, he only spoke to her about Head matters and he was always polite. She did see the lingering sadness in his eyes if she forced herself to look, but there was nothing she could do. The last she heard he was preparing to marry Astoria Greengrass which was a pairing arranged by his parents. No matter how nasty he was to her in the past, he had apologized and Hermione hoped he'd be happy in his new life.

She did wonder what Lucius' expression was after reading about her test scores in the Prophet today. Hermione bet he'd be real sore over the uppity mudblood know-it-all who was now known as the smartest witch since Rowena Ravenclaw.

Well, at least she'd never have to see his condescending arse ever again. She smirked and her boys thought she was agreeing with them over Draco. No matter, she thought, let them think what they want, her secret was safe and as far as she was concerned, it would stay that way.

"So, does anyone want to play a few rounds of exploding snap?" George asked hopefully, and the rest agreed wholeheartedly. No one wanted to see him retreat into himself again so a few rounds was just what they all needed to keep their minds busy, if only for a little while.

The next morning, the smell of breakfast cooking downstairs wafted throughout the Burrow. Molly had come home last night emotionally worn out. Arthur had stayed strong, becoming the rock she'd clung to as the mind healers examined their disturbed daughter. Once they had an idea of what may be wrong, they placed her under an enchanted sleep to allow her mind to rest. They determined that not only did the diary incident cause a severe case of post traumatic stress, but her focus on Harry as not only the wizarding world's hero, but her own as well, allowed her to build delusions and unrealistic expectations of a relationship with the Boy Who Lived. With steady potion treatment and behavioral therapy, they expected her to make a dramatic improvement. The healers warned Molly and Arthur that she'd always struggle with obsessive thoughts, but she should be able to have a normal life if she wanted one. Molly knew that she'd have to help Ginny through this and wondered if maybe having Harry located somewhere irretrievable would help her baby girl get better faster.

"Well," one of the healers said, "if the adage 'out of sight, out of mind' has any weight, if her trigger was permanently removed, it may help shock her into reality. She will need to come to terms that whatever she thought was meant to be, is actually not and this fantasy she built up for herself, was just that – a fantasy. She will be in denial for quite some time so don't expect an overnight cure. Ginny will need to work hard to help herself heal if she ever wants to have a healthy relationship someday." Molly sighed in resignation.

"Alright. We'll do all we can to help her with her recovery. How long do you think she will need to stay here?" Molly needed to see Ron, Harry and Hermione off and then she could devote all her time to Ginny's recovery.

"I'd like to keep her under the enchantment for at least another 24 hours and then we can wake her up, explain what's happening, and spell out what she will need to do to get well. If she resists violently, like you described, then we will need to immediately start a course of potions to help balance her mood. If that seems to help, she'll need to stay on the potions for at least a month and then I'd need to see her again to assess her progress." Arthur agreed with the healer's plan and Molly reluctantly relented.

"Thank you very much for taking such good care of our Ginny. We need to head home now to see to our other children, but when can we come back to see her?" Molly asked, hopeful that she could come back right after the ritual sends her babies away. She held back a sob, knowing if she started to cry, she'd probably not stop for days. Arthur put his hand on her shoulder in support and she covered his hand with hers, lovingly acknowledging the gesture.

"You can come back anytime after lunch during visiting hours. I want her mind to rest and even though she's in an enchanted sleep, she could still subconsciously pick up voices that would cause her mind to work harder than it needs to right now. Why don't you head home and if anything happens, we'll floo you immediately." The healer was a kind man and Molly felt a bit better that he'd be the one to help her Ginny.

After saying goodbye to both the healers and their sleeping child, the Weasley's floo'd back to their homestead and went immediately to bed. It had been an emotionally wrenching night and anything else, they figured, could be dealt with tomorrow. It was, after all, another day.

A/N: I was hoping to get through the ritual, but this chapter was taking on a life of it's own and it kept getting longer! Anyway, just wanted to let folks know I'm not a psychologist or an expert in mental health, I just went with what made sense to me regarding Ginny's situation. Also, I wanted to tie in Hermione's passion for house elf rights with the cause of helping slaves especially due to her discrimination experiences in the wizarding world. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I expect to get another one out soon!