Transtemporal: Genesis Chapter 8: Master of the House, a harry potter fanfic

Edited 3/24/23

Thanks to RabidCommentarian for beta work. And bam2305 for alpha-ing.

A little early, but our flight's delayed so I'm a bit stuck at the moment! Here you goooo!

Wednesday, October 14, 1999

Hermione

The Order of the Phoenix continued to face small skirmishes with the Death Eaters. Lucius Malfoy, who had become rather unhinged after murdering his son, began a rampage on Britain. Whenever the Order was called to a site that he'd been at, there was almost nothing left. Buildings were destroyed and burned with Fiendfyre, people were left mutilated and broken. The few who survived were on the verge of insanity from his liberal use of the Cruciatus.

Hermione, Theo, and George put their Metamorphagus potion aside in an attempt to combat the effects of the Cruciatus. They worked long hours attempting to formulate a potion from scratch, often falling into bed later than the others.

The extensive tasks they had helped to distract all of them from the energy that was permeating the Order. People were starting to feel more pessimistic than she'd expected at this stage. Without Ron and Ginny, Harry seemed to be falling deeper into a depression. He spent more and more time with Remus and Teddy, often falling asleep on the couch at Tonks Cottage.

Hermione wasn't quite sure how to help him through his feelings as she felt like she was constantly battling her own. The further they got from Ron's murder, the more she thought about what he'd meant to her. She had always been so sure they were meant to be, and most of her still thought that way, but there was a little niggling voice that wouldn't let her fully believe that.

She sat in the Library at Headquarters, staring blankly at the book in front of her.

Ron brought her to the garden. He'd set up a small table that had a single flower in a vase. He helped her sit in the chair, "I hope I'm doing this right," he said nervously, "I had Bill give me some pointers on how to be a gentleman."

George came out in an ill fitting set of Wizard's Dress Robes, with hair pasted across his lip like a moustache. "Welcome to Chateau du Phoenix!" he said in a terrible French accent, "I weel be your server tonight, my name is Georges. May I recommend a glass of our finest water, it pairs deliciously with the our fine dining option today."

Hermione couldn't hold back her chuckle, quickly silencing herself at George's sharp look followed by a wink. He filled both of their glasses with water, then dramatically swiped his cape away.

"It's perfect, Ron," she said, holding her glass up in a toast.

"I know it's not much, but I'm not able to take you on a real date, and George was extremely convincing. I just, I really care about you, 'mione," he said quietly.

"I care about you too, Ron and this is perfect, exactly how I'd have liked our first date to be."

Shortly thereafter, George swept out and set two plates in front of them, both with a Sunday Roast. "Mademoiselle, Monsieur, the Chef's Plate," he flourished his hand dramatically then flounced away.

Hermione chuckled as she watched Ron work exceptionally hard on eating tidily and not shoving all the food down his throat.

When the plates were cleaned, he invited her for a stroll around the garden. When they'd reached the far fence, he leaned down and kissed her. "Hermione, I-I'd like to take this further, but I don't want to pressure you," he said.

"Oh, yes, I mean that sounds perfect, Ron," and she led him to her room confidently. There hadn't been much time for romance during her summers while they were in school. She'd spent most of the summers brushing up on the curriculum in Maths and Science from the local schools so she could stay up to date if she chose to pursue University. And Hogwarts, well beyond Viktor, no one had ever shown any real interest until Ron.

When they got to her room, Ron tentatively kissed her, trying to be gentle. She deepened the kiss and pulled him to the bed, leaning back when she felt her knees hit the mattress.

"Are you a-" he asked quietly. She nodded but continued to kiss him heatedly.

As they both undressed, he looked down at her in awe. "You're bloody gorgeous, ''mione," he murmured and he leaned down to kiss her again. He reached under her skirt and pushed his hand into her knickers. He began to roughly rub her folds, trying to find her clit.

She gasped, and pulled away. "Softer," he obliged, and moved his wet kisses down to her neck. She found herself getting wrapped up in the moment and he pushed one finger inside of her. She moaned at the intrusion. Although he wasn't being quite as careful as she would prefer, her own fingers could never reach that angle themselves which caused new sensations she hadn't experienced before.

He continued to kiss her wetly, and inserted a second finger, pumping them in and out forcefully. She let out a whimper .

"I think I'm ready, Ron, please be gentle?" she said softly against his lips. He pulled his fingers out and quickly helped her undress. When they were both naked, he lined himself up with her entrance. He slowly sank himself into her, rocking back and forth until he was fully seated. When she hissed at the intrusion, he held himself still until she urged him forward. He continued to rock inside of her, trying to hold himself back.

Soon she could feel her own orgasm building, and let out a moan of approval. He stuttered at the noise and he thrust a few more times before she felt him coming inside of her.

When he was done, he all but collapsed on top of her. "That was amazing, 'mione," he said, kissing her face sleepily. "Let me rest a bit and then we can go again." she nodded at him and smiled. She'd always heard that the first time wasn't perfect for a woman, and she'd thought they'd have lots of time to practise.

"Mia," said Theo from the doorway in the library, pulling her from her daydream. "We need to go to the manor, I have to go before my birthday, or the wards will never accept me. We're finally caught up, this seems like the perfect time to go."

Hermione blinked at him. "Alright," she said, throwing her legs off of the couch and following him to the Order's study. As they walked, she couldn't help feeling like her thoughts were telling her something. Maybe Ron wasn't right for her after all?

When they arrived, the two leaders of the Order at their desks, talking quietly. There were maps and lists and books everywhere. Mugs of cold tea were littered on different surfaces and both men looked exhausted.

"Good, Hermione, Theo, you're here!" said Remus standing and moving toward them. They spent the next half an hour going over how Kingsley, Theo, and Hermione would get into the Nott wards.

"Well I don't see much point in continuing to discuss it," said Theo standing and brushing his pant legs off. "I'm the Lord of the Manor. We have to get in, lock in my magical signature, then the rest should take care of itself."

Remus and Kingsley looked at each other and nodded. "Gather your things, we will leave in half an hour," Kingsley said firmly.

Hermione and Theo jogged to their respective rooms, Hermione threw on some of the Muggle athletic clothes that she preferred for the few missions she was allowed on and used Andromeda's hair charm to put her hair into a braided bun on the top of her head. Theo was already in the office when she arrived, adjusting his new Muggle athletic clothes with a cheeky grin.

Theo

"We're ready, Kings," she said with a small smile.

Shacklebolt and Hermione stood on either side of Theo as he apparated them right outside of the Manor's wards. Shacklebolt stood at his back, while Hermione stood next to him, wands raised.

Theo held out his hand to the gates, slicing his palm. He began to chant:

Ego Nott Domus Caput, hic domum meam vendico. isti me moenia tueantur atque tueantur. Timeant me inimici mei, et veneficis meis. Sanguis, qui per venas meas currit, fiet sigilli mei. (I am the Head of House Nott, here to claim my home. May these walls guard and protect me. May my enemies fear me and my magic. The blood that runs through my veins will become the seal.)

He watched as his blood dripped on the gate and a bright purple dome glowed around the Manor.

"Should be all set," he said, pulling out his wand, Hermione muttered a quick healing charm over his cut. Theo gripped her wrist and brought her through the wards, then went back, doing the same for Shacklebolt. "Welcome to Nott Manor," he said with a wry chuckle.

They made their way to the massive front door of the large stone dwelling. He stood at the door and knocked three times. "I, Lord Nott, demand entrance to my home, and loyalty of my house," he said stoically.

The door creaked open to a reedy looking house elf. "Master Theo!" it squeaked, throwing itself at Theo's legs.

"Hello, Dottie!" he said, patting the Elf's head fondly, "Sorry to have left you alone for so long, but I'm back to take command of the homestead! Would you be a dear and have the elves round up any guests and deposit them in the dungeons?"

Dottie nodded smartly and with a snap disappeared to follow her master's directive. Hermione and Shacklebolt followed him through the dark halls toward the centre of the manor. When they reached the Wardstone, Theo dripped a bit more blood and repeated his chant from earlier:

The halls glowed purple for a moment and then settled back into their dark coloration. "Shacklebolt, I'd recommend calling some others to help with the prisoners. Mia and I have a library to view," he said cheekily.

When they reached the library doors, Hermione gasped. "It's like a fantasy, Theo!" she said, spinning around.

"Let's be careful of the books, hm Mia? My Father was not a kind man. I think we should get the oldest Weasley in here to check everything out before I let you loose."

Another Elf popped into the room. "Oh the Young Master has returned," she croaked wetly.

"Hello there, Cookie," he said, kneeling to hug her. "Has Dottie handled all of our guests?"

"Dottie is being trained by me, of course theys being handled. Dottie be showing the large wizard to the dungeons to deal with them. Can Cookie be getting Young Master and Mistress tea?"

"M-Mistress," Hermione sputtered, horrified much to Theo's glee. "I'm not your Mistress, Cookie!" She ended kindly.

"You's being Master Theo's Cord Sister, therefore you be's Cookie's Mistress," she said tartly, popping away to what Theo could only assume was the kitchens.

"Theo!" Hermione said, whipping around when she heard him chuckling. "You knew she would do that!"

"I suspected, they did the same to Draco, but your reaction, Merlin Mia!" he folded over laughing harder at her affronted face.

When he'd finally stopped laughing, he held up a hand, "Before you get all 'Elf-Rights' on me, I think you should talk to them. See their perspective. The only reason I'm still alive is because of the Nott elves. They healed me just as much as Narcissa when they were allowed. Merlin I think I'll have to go back in time just to see the look on your face when she called you Mistress!" he said, chuckling again as he led her to the Morning Room for tea.

She huffed. "It's just a joke, Mia! I would never use Time Travel for such a small reason!"

Hermione gasped loudly, gripping his arm and pulling him to a stop. "You- you can time travel?"

"Well yes, I mean every family is known for something, we just happen to be Travellers-"

"George and I have been looking for months for a time travel solution! I just- this is brilliant! You'll have to tell us everything! There seem to be 4 key spots that could dramatically adjust the fut-"

"Hold on Granger-"

Theo loosened his collar and cleared his throat, "Time Travel is exceptionally precarious. There is a lot of Arithmancy that is required before we can go back. Especially if you want to change things."

"Yes of course, Theo," she started pacing, "it's just we have so many things that went, well, wrong. Now with Ron dying… there is no way that was correct. Absolutely no chance that that was how it was supposed to go. And with the correct calculations and knowing what needs to be changed, and with as many variables as you, me, and George could provide. Well there's no way it wouldn't work."

Theo stared at her, stunned. "We could- we could save Draco?" he choked out.

"Well, yes, I suppose," she said absentmindedly. "Do you have your grimoire? Or do you know how it works? Have you Travelled before?"

"I haven't but we can look through the grimoire and figure out the logistics of it all. I think we should talk to George about this though…"

Hermione all but dragged him back to the apparition point.

When they got back to the laboratory, Hermione quickly said "George, thank goodness you're here," she said running over to him. "Theo's got it." George looked between the grinning pair before him. "TIME TRAVEL! Theo's family Time Travels."

George's jaw dropped, "...Fred? Ron?" Hermione nodded and squealed, jumping up and down in front of him. "We can save them?" he looked at Theo this time who begrudgingly nodded while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves," Theo said, holding up a hand when Hermione whipped around. He continued, "Nott's Time Travel, but some deaths are unavoidable," when he saw George's shoulders fall he added, "but we won't know who's until we've done the equations. Mostly we've just gone back to earlier in our own lives and it's sort of like being put back into your own body and with your current mind according to the journals. A few of them have gone back further and they sort of become someone new, if that makes sense? Like they're inserted into the timeline. Until they're original self is born, then they're placed in their own bodies as babies, it's all a bit confusing."

"We could stop him this time, Georgie!" Hermione was back to pacing excitedly. "Oh there is so much to be done! Theo, do you have the journals with you?"

"They're in the library, Mia, you dragged me here before I could say anything."

"Well I think the three of us should relocate to Nott Manor anyway. How is your potion's lab?"

"A lot more state of the art than this," Theo said, gesturing around at the room around them.

"What are we waiting for?" Hermione asked loudly.

"Shacklebolt to gather the prisoners and the oldest Weasley to break any curses?" Theo said, chuckling as she huffed in frustration.