Chapter 13 – Wotcher Mum
6 April 2010
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor
Diagon Alley
Harry Potter
My godson Teddy Lupin is in his first year at Hogwarts as a live-in student, and currently on his Easter Break. His birthday is this next Sunday on the 11 of April, but he will have to spend his day on the train back to Hogwarts. So I took the day off work to spend with Teddy and take him to Diagon Alley.
In 2001, many changes were made in the magical educational system in Great Britain, Hogwarts has now expanded their curriculum to have a primary school as well. Starting at the age of 3 all magical children can now attend Hogwarts during the day to learn simple magic, magical theory, and rudimentary education as well. These children use a modified portkey Monday through Friday to attend Hogwarts from the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Once the children are of the age of 11 they begin boarding at Hogwarts with a strenuous schedule of classes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.
My son James will begin next fall. Daphne and I wanted to wait a little longer to enroll James. He just turned three a couple of months ago. Daphne just isn't ready to let him go yet.
Yesterday, Daphne went to the healer and confirmed we will be expecting baby number three in November. I'm so happy! She has given me the best life I could imagine. Our boys are just amazing. James looks just like me with the Potter hair and her cerulean eyes. It's still early, but it looks like Hy will have her golden hair and my eyes.
With Hermione as James' godmother he has quite the library already. Daphne says he is starting to recognize his high frequency words. I'm so proud of him. James' godfather is Neville. Hannah and Neville have built a small greenhouse in our back yard to teach James how to plant garden vegetables and simple flowers. Hy's godmother is Hannah Abbott-Longbottom. She loved James so much we knew she would be the perfect godmother for Hyperion. Blaise is Hy's godfather. He and Daphne's sister, Astoria, have twin boys who are a year and a half old. When our four boys are together it's absolute chaos.
I'm worried this next baby will be a girl. Pansy and Draco will be godparents and I fear I will need to build a wing to house my daughter in. Pansy will buy too many clothes and Draco will buy too many toys. She's going to be absolutely spoiled rotten. We are naming her Lily Rose. Lily for my mum and Rose for the Hermione rose. If we have a boy we have no idea what we are going to name him. Daphne wants a girl so bad!
When Sirius died he left me 12 Grimmauld Place and a medium sized Manor outside Reading in the county of Berkshire. When Daphne and I were married we remodeled the Manor. It's a decent size with 15 total rooms not including the bathrooms. Daphne brought to our marriage two freed elves who are menaces and refuse to take any instruction. They keep the house clean, cook when they feel like it, and spoil our children. I love my home and family, and it includes those two little monster elves I pay 50 galleons a week to ignore me.
"And even though the days are really long we get plenty of breaks to do our homework. I love living there. Hufflepuff's Common Room is so bright. You would think with it being in the dungeon it would be dark and dreary like the Slytherin Common Room, but our Common Room gets so much natural light from a big glass dome in the ceiling and there are so many plants and vines. It's truly magical in there. I just love it. Everyone in my house is really nice. We play board games from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The older kids help us with our homework if we are having trouble. We are assigned a third year as a mentor. Mine is Hillary Pinkerton. Hillary is funny she always wears really colorful socks and carries her purple and pink Pygmy Puffs everywhere she goes. The purple one really likes me when I turn my hair purple like him. Did you have mentors when you were at Hogwarts, Harry?"
I smile, Teddy loves to talk, "No Teddy, I had quite a different experience from what you had, I'm afraid."
He looks contemplative, "Oh right. After we are done with our ice cream, can we go to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes? I have money I can spend. My godmother sent me 100 galleons for my birthday. Did you know I had a godmother, too? She lives far away and I've never met her, but she always sends me cool presents or money every holiday and for my birthday. She's done this my whole life! Gran says she was very special to my mum and dad. She moved away after the war, but she always sends me stuff and writes me letters. She sends me pictures when she travels. She's been all over the world. It's really cool! She sends me pictures and then tells me something unique about their culture. She also sends me lots of books. Sometimes the books are about magic, but other times it's just about the history and culture of the place she just visited. She also tells me bunches of stories about my dad. She knows lots of stories about him and his friends. She knows stories about my mum and her time at Hogwarts too. She says she can't visit me, but she says when I get older I can go visit her in America."
What?! "Your godmother is Hermione Granger?
He looks confused. "No my godmother is Mia Granger. She invents really cool things and runs a big company in America."
You don't say? "Excuse me Teddy, Mia's name used to be Hermione. She's my best friend. I never knew she was your godmother. She is James' godmother as well."
He smiles, "Wow! That is so cool. I never knew that you were her friend!!"
It doesn't add up. "Come on Teddy let's go spend your money and pick you up a new broom."
How is Hermione Teddy's godmother and why would she never tell me? I knew she was close to Tonks, and I never really knew why. Hermione always had secrets. She always knew things she shouldn't know. She always seemed closer to Remus and Tonks. She knew Andromeda Tonks when the rest of us just met her. Something isn't adding up.
When Hermione was recovering at The Shell Cottage after we escaped Malfoy Manor. She was bed ridden for two weeks. She was severely malnourished, she had been giving her food portions to Ron and I. She lost so much blood and her body was rejecting the blood replenishing potion. The cursed wound on her arm and neck weren't healing at all and we had limited resources at that point. On 12 April, Remus came to visit us and asked me to be godfather to Teddy. He went to visit Hermione for a few minutes and when he came down he had Bill walk him out and left. After that we had got a huge shipment of potions and food for Hermione and she was well in a week. We started making plans to get into Bellatrix's vault. I didn't even think about any of this until now. Who would send Hermione a bunch of potions and food? Fuck!! How did they know Hermione had a very wealthy Grandmother who owned a potions company? How is this all connected?
2 May 1998
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
The Great Hall
Hogsmeade, Scotland
Harry
It's around 9 a.m. and it's been about 3 hours since I defeated Voldemort. There are Aurors everywhere making arrests and collecting bodies. Once the battle was over Hermione, Ron, and I walked away from the scene. I repaired my old holly wand with the Elder Wand. I handed the Elder Wand to Hermione and she put it in her beaded bag to place back in Dumbledore's tomb when the coast was clear. She asked where the Resurrection Stone was, and I told her that I dropped it in the Forbidden Forest. We head back inside. Ron went to be with his family to mourn Fred. I went back to Dumbledore's office to collect Snape's memories.
I'm now looking for Hermione. I find her in The Great Hall sitting next to two covered bodies. She's all balled up and I go to her. She's crying so hard, she's hyperventilating. I realize it's Tonks and Remus.
I sit down beside her and put my arm around her and she buries her head on my chest. We sit there for about 20 minutes before she is able to speak.
"It's n-not fair, Harry. H-how c-can they be gone? R-Remus was so k-kind, the k-kindest man t-that ever l-lived, and b-brave he w-was so brave. How is h-his son ever go-going to know h-how sm-smart and kind his f-father was? H-How is he going t-to see how much his d-dad loved his m-mum? T-Tonks was so-so excited to a-a m-mum."
We are covered in a shadow and Molly Weasley is standing in front of us and she points at Hermione, "YOU! YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO SAVE THEM! I PUT UP WITH YOU IN MY HOME FOR YEARS AND YOU DIDN'T SAVE ANYONE! YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO BE SO SMART AND YOU DIDN'T SAVE MY FRED! YOU DIDN'T PREVENT ANY OF THIS DESTRUCTION! YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED IT ALL! YOU SELFISH BITCH!!!
Hermione and I are staring up at her in complete shock. Arthur walks over to us puts his arm around Molly and says, "Hermione and Harry, I apologize. Molly is just very distraught at the moment. I'll take her home now."
Once they left Hermione looked around and, apparated away. I didn't see her until Remus' and Tonks funeral three days later where she held onto Teddy like a lifeline.
6 April 2010
Quality Quidditch Supplies
Diagon Alley
Harry
I was so overwhelmed at the time I never put any of it together. Hermione was indescribably close to Remus and Tonks. At their funeral she stood with Andromeda and held Teddy the whole time and Andromeda didn't even attempt to take him from her. Why was Hermione so close to them? Why would Hermione never tell me she was Teddy's godmother? Why did Andromeda never mention to me that she knew where Hermione was? What did Molly mean by I had to put up with you? I thought Molly was always just motherly and took us in because she was nice. I thought she cared about us.
"Harry look at this broom! It's so cool. The new Firebolt XXS it goes 175 miles an hour. How can they get brooms to go that fast? Does anyone even need a broom to go that fast for quidditch? My mum and Gran played quidditch when they were at Hogwarts. My Gran said her mum was really mad at her for doing something so unladylike. I don't know what that means. Girls always play quidditch at Hogwarts and their still girls and grow up to be ladies. Sometimes my Gran doesn't make sense. My best friend Casper Diggory had a brother Cedric that died before he was born. He said his brother was seeker for Hufflepuff. Did you know his brother Harry?"
Hopefully I can distract him. I'm not ready for these questions, "I knew him, Teddy. Hey let's look at the Comet 360. It's their newest model and is safer for you to use."
He looks at the Firebolt XXS one more time. "I guess. I'm just excited to get a new broom. I'm not sure if I'll be good enough to play for the house team, but sometimes there are pick up games the that anyone can join once you're a second year. Anyway I wasn't very good in the junior league I was in, but I still really like to play."
I took Teddy all over Diagon alley to spend his galleons and a fair amount of mine as well. The whole time I ran over and over in my head all these questions that didn't add up about Hermione.
6 April 2010
Tonks Cottage
Kitchen
Near Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Andromeda Tonks
Harry Potter was my savior today. Teddy has been home for over a week, and I truly needed a break from him. I love him so much, but he talks incessantly. He reminds me so much of my Dora. I miss her every day. A mother should never have to out live her child. Dora was such a wonderful child. She was inquisitive, loyal, and could hardly walk in flat surfaces without tripping or bumping into something. She grew into a woman fiercely protective of her friends, of Remus and so, so brave. April and May are my two toughest months of the year. Dora was born 16 of April, and died 2 of May.
In 2001 when Teddy just turned 3, Minerva McGonagall approached me to teach charms to the primary children ages 5-10. I took the offer hoping my heart would hurt less. It worked some. Staying busy and teaching so many young minds has made my days easier. I never thought I would enjoy teaching as much as I do, but I have grown to love those children. It's probably unprofessional, but I do believe a child can never have too much love.
Hermione was my first experience with teaching someone. She is so incredibly brilliant. The way her mind works should be studied by healers. She truly is a wonder.
I taught her everything I knew about charms the first year I tutored her. We moved to Abjuration and Occlumency after that. She was a natural Occlumens. When you entered her mind she would project book after book. Entering someone's mind and having Hogwarts: A History read to you out loud can be very frustrating if you want information. I'm sure that is one of the reasons Bella was so cruel to her. Bellatrix would have known in an instant that ability and power wouldn't have come from a muggle-born. Who knows what Bellatrix would have really done. I quit guessing Bellatrix's motives when she killed our mother.
After Lucius Malfoy was killed. Cissy and I reconnected after several hours of screaming at one another. Ophelia stole our wands and locked us in a room together until we were able to talk civilly to one another. We now have monthly tea.
Ophelia…I hate that she is gone. When I was disowned by my family for marrying Ted, we were living in a small muggle flat in London. Ophelia called on me shortly after I was disowned. She sat down and handed me a large envelope and told me, "Your great-grandmother Violetta would have never let this happen to you. She would have loved you three girls. Violetta doted on her daughters Cassiopeia and Dorea. I have come with a wedding gift for you. As you know my grandmother was a Burke. Her dowry property was a lovely cottage outside the town of Amersham in Buckinghamshire. It's a lovely 5 bedroom cottage on a nice bit of land. It is now yours. I have also procured vault number 1732 at Gringott's with 250,000 Galleons which should have been your inheritance. I want no arguments from you, I have more money than I know how to handle. Violetta should have spanked Pollux more as a child, maybe he wouldn't have raised such an arsehole of a son. Your young man, isn't as muggle-born as you think he his. His mother was a Nott squib. Now, my dear, you let me know when you have this sweet baby. She's going to be special!" Then she swooped out of the house with all the pomp and circumstance she could muster.
Ophelia was right Dora was special, and that meddling woman doted on my Dora. Twenty some years later when Ophelia revealed her biggest secret to me and asked me to help Hermione, I didn't hesitate. When Dora finished Auror training, she was recruited into helping Hermione as well. That is how my Dora met and fell in love with Remus Lupin.
When they were killed in the final battle, Ophelia deposited five million galleons in my vault to help me raise Teddy. She visited with Teddy weekly. I think she ended her life. On 20 of March I received an owl from her with her favorite, simple diamond tiara, and a note that said:
Dearest Andi,
The anniversary of my Hector's death is tomorrow. I have lived without my Hector for 38 years tomorrow. I have accomplished everything I needed to do, and the rest is up to the fates. I'm the oldest person in the United Kingdom. I've watched all my friends and most of my family meet their fates and I think it's time to meet mine. Thank you for everything you have done to help my granddaughter. Someday, if you see her, tell her she was loved.
You're not in my will because I didn't want you to be asked questions. Really Hermione is getting most of it. I have made sure you would be comfortable for your lifetime. I only needed to send you one of my tiaras. It's one of my favorites and gifted to me by your great-grandmother Violetta Black (née Bulstrode) on Christmas 1939, her last Christmas in this sphere. She would have loved you and been so proud of how you have managed your heartbreak and all you have accomplished. It's almost time for me to leave this sphere. Thank you for being such a good friend to this old lady. I couldn't have gotten through these last years without you.
Love,
Ophelia Dagworth-Granger
I received the owl late at night. By the time I was able to floo to her home she was laying on her bed with a lovely black lace dress with long sleeves and a diamond and onyx tiara. She looked to be sleeping peacefully, but I knew she was gone.
I was interrupted by my thoughts by the front door slamming shut.
"GRAN! GRAN! GRAN! Oh, there you are. I'm home! Harry and I had such a good day! He said I ate my weight in ice cream and we went to Weasley's joke shop, and all over Diagon Alley. Oh, and I got new broom! It's so cool! I love it. Maybe I can play quidditch next year. There are three Seventh Years on our team this year and that means there will be three positions open next year. Harry said he'll help me practice. He said there is a retired player from the Montrose Magpies on his team and he thinks I could go to one of their practices and be taught by a professional. A professional!! Harry said he's going come to my birthday party on Saturday. I'm so excited I'm going to go owl Casper right now! I can't wait to see him and Victoire at my party! See you soon!"
In a flash, Teddy is gone and Harry is standing in the doorway with his hands in his pockets. I ask, "Was he good for you today?
Harry smiles, "He was great! We had a really good day. I learned something interesting today."
I smile, "What is that?"
He frowned, "I learned Teddy has godmother that has sent his gifts his whole life. Did you know about his godmother, Andromeda? I find it interesting Hermione's grandmother gave me the address six years ago, but someone has kept in touch with her since she left England. I also find it interesting that Remus and Tonks found her so important in their lives to make her a godmother."
He's angry. It was never my place to tell him what I knew. "Harry, it's not my story to tell. If Hermione wanted to you have that information she would have told you herself. She internalized everything anyone ever said to her and all the pain she felt, she bottled it away, and repressed everything that happened to her. Hermione could have let pain and anger consume her, but she found a true support system that has allowed her to be the confident woman she is. If she didn't tell you something about herself, you can't expect others to tell you her secrets."
He nods his head, "You're right. I apologize. Hermione always had her secrets. She was only partially good at covering them. I'll see you Saturday for Teddy's birthday party. Have a good evening." Then he moves out of the kitchen, and yells up the stairs. "Bye Teddy!"
2 May 1998
Tonks Cottage
Kitchen
Near Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Andromeda
I've been up all night. I haven't had any news about the battle. I'm scared to death. There are so many what if's I keep running through my head. What if The Order loses? What if Voldemort wins? What if something happens to Dora or Remus?
I begged, my husband Ted not to leave. I begged him to stay here. We could have warded a room to hide him in. He wouldn't stay and now he's gone I miss him and would do anything to see him one last time to tell him how much I love him.
Teddy is sleeping soundly. He's so sweet and innocent. You never understand love until you become a Grandma. It's a new level of love you didn't know you had in you. I need to be ready to run. Why didn't Dora stay here. She hasn't had time to recover. She only had Teddy three weeks ago. She possibly can't be ready to engage in a full fight? She's so stubborn. I'm worried about her.
This was a bad time to quit smoking. Ted smoked, when were 17 he thought he was such a bad boy. He was a Hufflepuff for Merlin's sake. I look at the time it's 10:02 a.m. No news is good news. Right?
CRACK*
Someone has apparated on the property. I run to the door and it's Hermione. The girl is covered in blood and dirt. I haven't seen her in so long and I missed her. I look in her eyes, and I know….my baby girl didn't make it. My heart sinks.
I run to Hermione and wrap her in my arms and she is sobbing. "I-I have to go back. I have to save them all. Only I can do it. I have to save them Andi, it can only be me."
She's hysterical, "Shhhh….shhhhh….shhhhh. Tell me what happened."
"Oh God, Andi we won…Voldemort is dead. Harry did it, but we lost Remus, Dora, Fred Weasley, and so many others. An-and Mrs. Weasley said I needed to s-save them all. I have to do it. I-I have to go back to save them. I just needed to bring you something in case I fail."
"Hermione…stop! What do you mean go back? Is the fight still going on?
She shakes her head vigorously, "No. All the fighting is over. Harry won, but I can save them."
Then it's clear to me what she means. I grab her in my arms and look her in the eyes, "You can't go back, Hermione! You can't meddle with time that way. You could cause more people to die. You can't risk it. I hate that my Dora and Remus are gone, but it was their fate. Don't do this to yourself. It's one thing to meddle with time to go to a remote castle to study, but do not mess with other people's fates! You could cause Harry to lose, one wrong move and Voldemort could win. This isn't your responsibility. Remus and Tonks fought like soldiers and died like heroes. I will miss them every day, but you can't change anything if Voldemort died. You could go back and get killed, or get Harry killed. You are not going to go back. Molly Weasley is a first-rate cunt to blame you for anyone's death, and I plan to show her why you don't infuriate a Black. Please, don't do this. Don't meddle with time like this. Bad things happen to wizards who mess with time."
She looks defeated and says, "Oh Andi, Dora died to protect me. I need to fix it!"
My Dora is a hero. This hurts so much. "No. I won't let you. You can thank Dora by living your life, love her son, find love yourself. No matter how much my heart is hurting for my only daughter, I won't let you risk your life with a slim chance to save hers. Please Hermione. Honor my daughter's sacrifice by living your life the best you can."
She sinks to the ground and sobs. This girl has been through so much. I get on the ground with her and hold her in my arms. I mourn the loss of my beautiful baby girl and the man who loved her.
We stay there for a while holding on to each other. This young girl who sacrificed so much and is willing to risk it all to try to save others. So brave and so reckless. No not this time. Nymphadora sealed her fate, and as much as it hurts, I can't let this girl risk her life even of it tears my heart apart. I get up, and offer her my hand to help her up. "Come. Let's check on Teddy and get some tea."
She sniffles and nods her head. "Teddy."
I lead her into the house where Teddy is sleeping. She picks up the sleeping baby and hugs him close to her. "Oh he's so perfect! How can one little person be so perfect! God, this hurts so much! I'm so sorry Andi. I'm so sorry I couldn't save them."
"That wasn't your job, darling. You destroyed Voldemort, kept Harry alive, and lived to tell the tale. That was your job. I'll be right back."
I go to the kitchen and remember the first time I held my beautiful daughter and say, " Expecto Patronum," and I'm surprised to see the wolf that appears. A wolf like my daughter's I'm already grieving. I give the message and send it off.
I get the tea ready and take it to Hermione. She is putting Teddy down and says, "I'm sorry, I just realized how dirty I am. I shouldn't have picked up the baby. I-I have something for you." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a black stone and hands it to me. "This is the Resurrection Stone. Dumbeldore had it and left it to Harry inside a snitch. He dropped it in the woods and I retrieved it before I came here. It won't bring anyone back, but I thought you would want to tell your daughter and husband goodbye."
I just stare at it in my shaking hand, "I-I don't understand."
She grins and says, "Do you know the story of The Three Brothers?"
This brilliant, beautiful girl! "I thought it was a story. How many of the Deathly Hallows exist?"
Hermione hesitates, then says, "All of them."
I look up into her eyes so full of mischief and determination. She's as rotten as her grandmother, "How many do you have in your possession, my dear?
She smirks, "Enough. To be fair, one belongs to Harry. He's descended from the Peverells."
At that moment, I hear an apparation outside and open the door to see Viola/Ophelia running to the door. "She's inside, go convince her not to use her time turner to change the war."
Viola/Ophelia rushes past me and I walk outside. I can't believe this brave girl thought to give me this beautiful gift. I look at my hand, and turn the Resurrection Stone three times. I close my eyes and when I open them. Standing there transparent, but smiling are my beautiful baby girl, and the love of my life before me.
"Hello, Beautiful."
"Wotcher, Mum?"