Chapter 37

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It seemed that Hermione's prediction was correct. The Aurors could find no trace of who had abducted his parents or even how they'd got two helpless adults out of a high security ward and down eight levels without being seen and stopped. After a few weeks they gave up updating Madam Longbottom regularly, telling her they would be in touch if they found anything.

The Auror who had been so curious at their first meeting did try to meet with Neville again but Neville's friends all backed up his alibi, and they all had alibis of their own. Even though Harry's and Dean's alibies were contrived, the Aurors didn't question them.

"Why did you want to move your parents from St Mungo's?" the Auror asked.

"Have you ever seen them since they were cursed? My mother doesn't recognise me or my Gran. I don't even think she recognises my father as her husband. She cannot speak or write or have any other way of communicating, she doesn't appear to understand anything except the most simple routine instructions. A pregnancy would have terrified her and she definitely isn't capable of looking after a baby. Yet the ministry was refusing to grant them an exemption on the new law demanding they have two more children. They wanted the healers to use a spell to force my father to rape her," Neville said shaking with rage.

"She was his wife. Did you arrange to have them kidnapped?" the Auror pressed.

"No, I'm willing to swear an oath that I did not kidnap my parents, and I did not pay for them to be abducted or ask anybody else to do it," Neville said firmly. "I take it since you are here questioning me that you still have no idea who took my parent's or where they currently are?"

"I'm afraid we do not. The search has been scaled down," the Auror replied, flushing with shame at telling this young man that nobody was looking for his parents, even though they were heroes of the last war, and they would probably never be found.

"I understand," Neville said sombrely. As much as he was glad that his parents weren't about to be found and dragged back to England, and that Harry and Dean were safe from being prosecuted for their abduction he was genuinely appalled that his parents had been so easy for a pair of school students to kidnap and so little effort seemed to have been put into finding two missing people that would be utterly at the mercy of whoever had taken them.

More and more Neville was pleased that the law had forced his friends into such drastic action to protect his parents. While he hadn't been able to visit often for fear of arousing suspicions that he knew where his parents had been taken, he enjoyed the visits he did make much more than visiting his parents in St Mungo's. Frank and Alice both looked healthier than they had in years and were showing definite preferences for foods, music and activities. They still weren't able to consciously communicate but they did seem a lot more aware of their surroundings and Neville's visits. His mother was starting to perform small tasks to tend to the flowers in the garden and his Dad had shown a strong preference for listening to quidditch games over Quadpot or muggle sports.

-o0o-

Hermione made excuses to stay back after Transfiguration and talk to Professor McGonagall. She thought their head of house was the best person to ask about Lily Evan's friends at school. Snape might have a better idea and may even have known some of Lily's muggle friends but she doubted that he'd tell her anything for Harry's sake.

"I was wondering, Harry knew his father's best friends, but he doesn't even know who his mother's best friends were other than Mrs Longbottom because Neville told him. Are there any I could contact and ask for some stories about her for him?" Hermione asked.

Minerva looked at her favourite current student sadly. "I'm afraid not. Lily's best friends were Neville's mother Alice Prout, Dorcas Meadows and Delphinia MacMillan who were both killed during the war, Severus Snape and Remus Lupin. I don't know why Remus hasn't told Harry more about his mother."

Hermione sighed. "Thank you for telling me."

She wondered why Remus had focused on telling Harry about his friendship with his father and not his mother. Harry knew very little about his mother and Remus must have been aware there wasn't anyone else who could or would tell him anything.

She also considered whether it would be worth approaching Snape, perhaps if she told him what a shitty friend Remus was being to Lily's memory and to Harry, Snape would contribute some memories or information.

Harry scoffed at the idea when she mentioned it to him. "He wouldn't do anything like that for me," he said dismissively. "I wish that I'd known he was a friend of Mum's when I started. Maybe I could have asked then before he decided I was just like Dad."

"What about asking Remus, it's odd that he told you all about your dad and not your mum?" Hermione asked.

"Most of the stuff I learned about from Remus was when Sirius was around to egg him on, and Sirius wanted to reminisce about his friendship with Dad," Harry said. "Sirius told me some stuff about Mum, but they really didn't become friends until seventh year when she started dating Dad."

-o0o-

"What are you doing next year?" Lavender asked curiously.

"I got offered a place at the Auror Academy but I'm not sure it's really what I want to do. Having to take orders from some of the arseholes like Dawlish and having to enforce stupid laws doesn't seem like something I'm going to be able to stomach long term, but you know they're going to be hugely insulted if I turn them down. The only thing I think they'd accept me turning them down for would be to play professional quidditch for a few years first," Harry said sighing.

"You're good enough to play professional quidditch," Eloise said.

"Yes but I don't want the sort of attention that professional quidditch players get and Hermione wouldn't like me being away travelling that much when she has a baby," Harry replied.

"You were really good at teaching the DA. Did you enjoy it?" Parvati asked.

"I did actually but I wouldn't want to become a teacher here straight away and teachers have to have a mastery and live in the castle. That wouldn't be convenient with a baby," Harry said. He wouldn't mind becoming a teacher in the muggle world but he didn't think he had enough muggle education to do the degree.

"What does Hermione want to do?" Seamus asked.

"She wants to apprentice as a spell crafter, but she needs a mastery in Charms or Runes to do that," Harry said sighing.

"She's first in our year level. Didn't anyone offer her an apprenticeship?" Neville asked frowning.

"Only Professor Flitwick but like I said we'd have to live here in the castle. Professor Dumbledore is prepared to let me live here with her if she accepts but I would have to portkey or floo to London every day and there's no childcare options here for after the baby is born, so I'd have to floo or portkey to London with a baby and nobody can assure me that it would be safe to do that every day," Harry replied.

"Hermione is expecting?" Parvati asked.

"No, not yet, but as you know she will have to have a baby. We're going to start trying as soon as she finishes exams," Harry said blushing slightly.

"Perhaps that's the answer. You start Auror training as expected, or play quidditch for a season and if you find you cannot live with the orders you'd have to follow or the fame and attention of being a quidditch star or the amount of travelling required, then give up to stay home with the baby while Hermione finishes her apprenticeships," Eloise said.

"That would create enough of a backlash to get decent child care options set up if they don't scrap the law entirely," Leanne said grinning. "The man who conquered choosing to stay home so the brightest witch of the age isn't prevented from finishing her education."

"It would advance witches rights and hopefully get some of the apprentice masters to offer witches the apprenticeships they deserve if they see that it won't always be the witch stuck at home," Parvati said.

"It might give other fathers the courage to say that they want to stay home and look after the children too," Elsie suggested nervously.

"Or make them see that it's okay to be the stay at home Dad if their wife could earn more than they do by going back to work, or their wife loves her job more than they do," Padma agreed.

-o0o-

Hermione and Padma used their status as prefects to approach all of the muggleborn students in the younger year levels and gather them into a group.

"I know you all seem to think that this Emergency Marriage Act doesn't apply to you and for the moment you would be right. But speaking to people who have seats on the Wizengamot what they're not telling you is that they brought the act in intending it to be in place for the next ten years, so it will affect you. As I'm sure you've heard, there are witches in our society trying to change their minds and you might think that the majority of people want the law scrapped and it should happen before you need to worry about it. But most of us have no say in the decision to keep or retract the implementation of the marriage act. It's up to the wizengamot.

They're not elected so they don't need to worry about what doing something so unpopular will do to their chances of re-election like the muggle politicians do. Most of the witches and wizards on the Wizengamot are old. Most of them are old enough that not only won't they themselves have to have another baby but in a lot of cases their sons and daughters are over sixty as well. Quite honestly the suffering we're going through just isn't affecting them. Most of them don't care about witches whining in the newspapers and they won't care until the shortages in witches in the workforce mean that goods and services become more difficult to get, and even then most of them aren't going to care about having to pay extra to get what they want from Europe if they can't get it here or to guarantee better treatment in spite of staff shortages," Hermione said passionately.

"What Hermione is saying is this law will affect you. You will have to marry very young if you want to choose your own husbands and to have children as soon as you finish school, which will severely impact you girls on your plans to get an apprenticeship or train as an Auror or a Healer. Boys you might find it slightly easier to get work but having to have a wife and baby straight away will make it difficult to afford to move out and rent a flat let alone ever own a house. You will feel trapped doing things and working jobs you don't want to do in order to try to support your families.

"We're not telling you this just to frighten or upset you. Those of you who were born in the muggle world and have muggle birth certificates and identities have an opportunity to avoid this. Go home and tell your parents what is happening in our world, explain to them that the only way to avoid this is not to be in Britain when you turn seventeen. But also warn them that if you do leave it is possible that you will be unable to return to Britain without being arrested, you will possibly never be able to return. Give your families the choice now so they have time to plan to leave next summer or the summer after," Padma said.

"Some of us are stuck here, I have no muggle ID and while I have three younger sisters that will be caught in the law my parents refuse to leave and I have no way of getting them out of the country, and couldn't afford to look after them if I did. The ministry is limiting portkeys out of the country for unmarried witches and couples needing to produce a child. But they have no way of blocking the Airports, Chunnel trains and all the Ferries into Europe, if you have muggle ID and can get a passport then use it. Go and live your ambitions, fall in love, train for the career you want to have," the former Tracy Davis said seriously.

"Muggle technology is improving all the time, and they're keeping more and more of their records in a way that can be accessed by anyone with the authority to check them. With centralised records I cannot say whether a transfigured passport will work for you, and just because it worked for you or your friends this summer doesn't mean it will still work for those leaving next summer, so if you can't get a real passport you need to leave as soon as possible," Hermione added.

"There's also the risk that the ministry will try to pass a law preventing you from leaving Hogwarts or transferring to another school before you sit your NEWTs, to make sure you're here in Britain on your birthday, whether your family leave the country or not," Daphne said. "Several of the professors are willing to make you an official copy of your school transcripts before you leave the school for the summer. If you wish to receive a transcript before you leave please put your name in this box and one will be mailed to you soon after you return home. If you haven't put your name in the box and your parents decide to leave the country please send an owl to Professor Babbling. It isn't that the heads of house aren't willing to help its that their head of house oaths include reporting those wishing to leave so they must not know the details.

"Be very careful not to be overheard when discussing this. Those of you who have muggleborn friends who chose not to come tonight or half blood friends with some knowledge of the muggle world that you trust not to tell their head of house or someone else who is likely to stop us, should tell them what we discussed here. We wish you all the best," Hermione finished.

The former Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot hadn't said anything but they were there as the students left handing out copies of the various Newspaper articles which had appeared about the war. "Show these to your parents so they know you're not just making up stories."

"How much good do you think that will have done?" Susan asked as the last student left.

"No one put their name in the box," Hannah said frowning.

"I didn't expect them to. They didn't come to the meeting with quills, ink and parchment and nobody would have wanted to be seen to be first. I expect there will be some names in the box by this time tomorrow," Padma replied.

"They were listening and quite a few were relieved when we brought up the possibility of using muggle methods to leave the country. It will depend on how many of them will be able to persuade their parents," Hermione said sighing.

"We will just have to wait and see how many come back next year," Padma said.

"I don't even think it will be next September that we'll see the biggest changes, a few might leave but it will take time for most of their families to sell their homes and businesses or find jobs out of the country. I think that except for those who are almost 17, there will be more people leaving at Yule or the summer after this one," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"You know it will make it harder for the rest of us if all the muggleborns and half bloods leave," Tracy said. "Hopefully there won't be so many leaving this summer that the ministry pays attention and does something to prevent it."

"It will be proof that this marriage act isn't doing what it sets out to do and they need to stop it before more people leave. I intend to have my children in a muggle hospital so they have muggle IDs like Harry and I do," Hermione said. "I might have persuaded Harry to stay but that will change if the law hasn't changed before our children start Hogwarts, or if they increase the number of children I have to have."

"Was Harry born in the muggle world?" Hannah asked in astonishment.

"I don't think he actually knows where he was born. He grew up there and went to primary school. That was enough to establish enough ID back then for a passport, he applied for one over the summer," Hermione replied.

-o0o-

The entire family was gathered the day Ginny expected to receive her letter informing her who the ministry had matched her with to marry, requiring them to eat outdoors since the kitchen could no longer be expanded enough even with magic to fit the entire Weasley family with all the spouses and new babies and toddlers. Perhaps it was just as well as the noise that eight excited Weasleys, six spouses and seven children under eighteen months of age could make would stress even the most tolerant set of ears, and nobody could call Ginny tolerant this day.

Ginny had finally come to terms with not being able to marry Harry. She'd been forced to admit that the man was utterly besotted with Hermione and with the ritual they'd used to marry, this would never change. Now she was nervous about who her match would be. She dreamed of some dashing slightly older boy she'd never met. Perhaps he'd gone to Beauxbatons, there were some quite good looking wizards among the group that had come to Hogwarts for the TriWizard tournament, not that she'd paid them much attention to them at the time.

"COLIN CREEVEY!" Ginny shrieked in horror, running out of the room and up the stairs. The family all winced when they heard her bedroom door slam.

"Creevey? I don't think I've heard that name," Molly said frowning as she fed baby Rupert his lunch.

"Colin's a muggleborn in Ginny's year level, he's mad about photography…" Fred began.

"… and Harry's his favourite subject to take picture of…" George continued.

"…In fact, I would say Ginny and Colin are probably Harry's two biggest fans," Fred said.

"I concur Fred, he even tried to start an official fan club," George replied.

"Horrifying thought that is," Fred said.

"Harry was certainly horrified," George said smirking.

"Terrified more likely," Fred laughed.

"Still the club was quite popular among the younger girls," George added.

"What house is he in?" Arthur asked as he fed baby Hugo.

"Gryffindor," Ron replied.

"I've never heard Ginny mention him, do they like each other?" Arthur asked.

"I've never seen them hang out together, except for at DA meetings," Ron said trying to remember an interaction between the two of them.

"What do his parents do? Does he have siblings or is he an only child?" Molly asked.

"He has a younger brother in Gryffindor," Ron replied.

"There's a first year Hufflepuff who I think is his sister," Eloise added.

"And his parents?" Molly pressed.

"I dunno Mum, they're muggles," Ron retorted.

"Does Ginny dislike him?" Arthur asked.

"I dunno, Colin's alright. He can be a real git with his camera in your face all the time but he's a good kid. Started on the quidditch team this year, he isn't Fred or George but he's a decent beater," Ron replied.

"Do you know him, boys?" Arthur asked turning to the twins.

"Only met him in the DA," Fred replied.

"Right keen he was," George recollected.

"More keen to be near Harry than to learn defence methinks," Fred suggested.

"They at least have something in common," George stated.

"A deep abiding love for the-Boy-Who-Lived," Fed agreed grinning.

"Still I think Colin might be better off than our Gin," George said sombrely.

"He never expected his crush to be reciprocated," Fred began.

"He was content to worship from afar," George said nodding.

"I don't know about that, he got all sorts of up close and personal with that camera of his," Fred reminded his twin.

"Too right Fred, proper nuisance he was with that, but at least Harry hasn't broken his heart," George replied.

"That we know of," Fred said.

"Kept it quiet if he did," George said.

"Not even a hint of him preferring the lads," Fred said certainly.

"Even with his bro-crush on Harry I thought it was just hero worship," George agreed.

"The wizarding celebrity," Fred added.

"The-Boy-Who-Lived," George agreed solemnly.

"The Saviour of us all," Fred pretended to gush admiringly.

"Perhaps he was training to work for the prophet," George suggested.

"Enough of that what is the boy like?" Molly said frustrated.

"Blonde, short, thin, excitable," George said.

"You want to know more than that you'll have to ask Gin," Fred declared.

"She's the one who had classes with him," George explained.

"So you don't know why she was so upset with the match?" Arthur asked.

"He's not very dashing," Fred disparaged

"Definitely not dark and brooding," George commented.

"Not GinGin's type at all," Fred agreed.

"He's an ordinary nice guy," George said.

"I think you'd like him," Fred concurred.

"Not that Harry didn't want to be an ordinary nice guy," George pointed out.

"He wanted nothing more than to be seen like that," Fred said nodding seriously.

"But GinGin never saw him that way," George said almost mournfully.

"She wanted a hero," Fred said regretfully

"He's better off with Hermione." George said nodding sombrely.

"Not that GinGin will ever believe that," Fred commented shaking his head.

"Colin's too cheerful," George criticised.

"Too eager to please," Fred added.

"Like a puppy," Fred and George said together, smiling triumphantly at the conclusion.

Arthur turned to Ron, hoping to get a sensible answer.

"Colin's alright, he's a bit too eager to please, and too damn cheerful most of the time, but the twins are right there's nothing special about him. I don't think he's ever had a girlfriend. He's very young and a bit naïve, a bit annoying with his hero worship of Harry, and his bloody camera in Harry's face all the time," Ron said.

"He is kind and polite, but Ron's right he's very young for his age, he's a nice kid but he still reminds me a lot of the first years," Eloise said shrugging. "He is quite a decent photographer, he might be able to get a job taking photographs."

"He was in the DA the year before the battle at the ministry, he knows how to defend himself. He might be young but he was willing to work hard," Ron said.

"But he didn't go with you to the Ministry to fight," Eloise said.

"That's it exactly, Colin is a school boy, Ginny wanted a hero, or at least a man," Alicia suggested.

"He isn't Harry Potter," George said, and that summed it up. While Ginny had been forced to come to terms with the fact Harry was irrevocably married to Hermione, the Boy-Who-Lived was still her dream husband and Colin Creevey just didn't measure up, it was doubtful that anyone ever would live up to the image of the boy-who-lived in her eyes, not even Harry himself if their relationship had lasted.

"Was there someone else she was hoping to be matched with? Was she dating someone?" Arthur asked.

"Nah! She's had a couple of single dates with guys just after Kevin got married at Christmas, but she's been complaining since Yule that all the decent boys have already been married off. I've heard her hoping that her match wouldn't be from Hogwarts," Ron replied. "She wasn't heartbroken about breaking up with Kevin but she's turned down everyone who has asked her out lately."

"Well unfortunately it doesn't matter what Ginny thinks of the match. We don't have a choice since she wanted to wait for the ministry pairing rather than let us arrange something earlier. His parents are muggles, you said. Would they be scared off if we sent them an owl to set up a meeting?" Molly asked.

Molly had a lot less patience for Ginny's theatrics now she was no longer the baby of the family. The twins Rupert and Hugo along with looking after the rest of the family and her grandchildren took up most of her time and energy lately. Pregnancy and childbirth at her age took a lot out of her even with all the assistance magical healing could provide.

"They have three magical children, they must be used to owls," Eloise said.

"I'll write them a letter once I've finished cooking and got the twins to bed," Molly said.

"Let me write for you. You have enough to do. Do you want me to invite them here?" Arthur offered.

"I think that might be best, then they can see the orchard where the wedding will be," Molly agreed.

"Colin and his parents will probably want the wedding somewhere in the muggle world where the rest of their family can attend," Arthur warned her.

"But Ginny has always dreamed of being married in the orchard, among the blossoms," Molly said sighing.

"The orchard won't be in blossom at that time of year, and I'm not willing to destroy this season's fruit and stress out the trees by making them flower again out of season, we can't afford to replace them," Arthur replied.

"She deserves the wedding of her dreams!" Molly insisted.

"Since she gave up the man of her dreams for her dream wedding day, you mean?" Arthur asked. "If marrying in the orchard under the spring blossoms was that important to her then she should have said something and we could have applied to have her matched earlier so she could've had a spring wedding. The truth is that it won't matter to Ginny where or when the wedding is held until she fully accepts the fact that she won't be marrying the-boy-who-lived."

A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed followed or favourited this story for your support.