Cool Rider
Summary: Hermione, Ginny and Pansy decided to take some time off from everything after leaving Hogwarts and enjoy life for a bit before "putting their noses to the grindstone". They planned to travel and enjoy life to its fullest before settling into some semblance of adulthood.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything and make no monies writing this.
Note: Okay my lovely TB/HP crossover readers here's a story that I started, um, October of last year and I'm curious if it's something you would enjoy reading or not. If you like the premise then give it a kudos or if you hate it then let me know in the comments. My muses seem to be wanting to truly return to me (and I'm really trying to hang onto them) so let me know what you think. Should I continue or not? Thanks for checking it out and hope all is well or as well as it can be given the times. :)
Inspiration: Michele Pheiffer 'Cool Rider' by (Grease 2)
Slaughter 'Up All Night'
Chapter 1
Hermione, Ginny and Pansy decided to take some time off from everything after leaving Hogwarts and enjoy life for a bit before "putting their noses to the grindstone". The young witches had become friends when Hermione and Pansy returned to finish their seventh year. Hermione so she could actually have a seventh year and Pansy so she could enjoy it and learn without constantly being on edge and both witches enjoyed not having to constantly watch their backs.
It had amazed the three of them just how many returned. Minerva McGonagall had become Headmistress and had made quite a few changes. First she had asked the returning students if they wanted to have a dorm all their own. When the students told her yes, Hogwarts had accommodated them. Minerva had done away with individual houses. Instead she had a crest made with all four houses represented on black robes trimmed in the former house colors: a strip of red around the sleeves, green around the bottom, yellow around the neck and blue down the front so everyone was able to sit where they wanted at meal times. Instead of four dormitories there were now seven, one for each year. When the Board of Governors had tried to overrule her decision, Hogwarts itself decided for everyone. The magical school made the dormitories and had the new crest displayed in each one proudly, essentially thumbing its "nose" at the Board.
Minerva had also changed the school's curriculum to give each student a fair chance in either world. She had added Pureblood Customs and Traditions, a course for those not raised in the wizarding world, updated the Muggle Studies course to give a truer view of the modern way muggles lived for those who grew up in the wizarding world, History of Magic was moved to another room with a new professor; one who would teach more than the goblin wars and earlier. She had also added mathematics, literature, science and a health class. Then she added medicine, music, art, drama, chemistry and dance as possible electives. Again when the Board of Governors had tried to object, stating that there were no funds available for so many new teachers, Minerva had showed them the ledgers of the untouched reserves set up for such changes. She had also gotten copies of the muggle finals students would need to take if they wanted. She even had muggle diplomas on hand for those who earned them.
Apprenticeships were also available for any who met the requirements. Yes, the Masters still had to provide for the apprentice but nowhere near as fully as everyone had been led to believe. The Founders had set up funds for those who would further a student's passion for a subject with a stipend for the Master taking the student on as an apprentice. However, there were stipulations so no one became greedy and took too many apprentices they couldn't possibly keep up with; although a true Master would never take on more than three apprentices. Even Severus Snape, who had survived all attempts to kill him through the years and during the Final Battle, had taken an apprentice to the shock of everyone. Most of the professors wouldn't take a student still in school as an apprentice, although exceptions could be made. Instead, they made it a competition, a fair competition. Anyone interested had to pass tests not only in the knowledge needed but in other areas as well. These areas were up to the Masters but most included working with others, explaining things in layman terms, honesty and several other areas in life, making sure the apprentice would be well rounded and able to survive in their chosen field and beyond.
When classes had started on time after the Final Battle, the school seemed to teem with life. The energy from the students amazed all the adults. Of course there were bad days for many but they were surrounded by those who could understand and help them through whatever problem was being dealt with. There were also a few Guidance Counselors on hand to assist students. When tests were taken, it had amazed all in authority how high test scores were, the highest Hogwarts had ever seen. It seemed to all that Headmistress McGonagall's new outlook on running the school was a big success, so much so that the Board of Governors approved a higher budget for the next school year.
What does this have to do with the three aforementioned witches? Well, without preset divisions, prejudices and bigotry, witches and wizards were free to make the friendships they wanted. Some old families had tried to hold onto the old ways but their children had put their feet down and embraced the new life they had been given. Wanting nothing to do with the ways that had given Tom Riddle free reign to wreak havoc and murder, to maim and torture so many. The new generation wanted to breathe the fresh air of freedom not the stale cloud of animosity, racism and hatred. It's not to say the old traditions were completely forgotten about or abandoned but handled a different way; a way they should have been dealt with all along, with respect and honor instead of an ironfisted way of life.
It had amazed Hermione and Ginny when Pansy Parkinson had approached them and apologized for her behavior towards them during their previous years. She had not wanted to be such a bitch but had had no choice. Her parents would have killed her; literally, if they had found out she was ever nice to others outside of their "approved" list. The three witches had stayed up into the wee hours talking over everything. With many tears shed and laughter shared by the end of the powwow, all three had become close. Many students had been blown away when the three witches had started hanging out, doing almost everything together.
What had amazed most though was that Hermione Granger had turned down several offers of apprenticeship. She had even had a decent class schedule, well, for her anyway. Anyone who would ask her, she would tell them she wanted to enjoy her last year of school and not run herself ragged. She had had enough of that, thank you very much. However, what hadn't surprised everyone was when she was chosen to give a graduation speech. She was still top of her class and had learned to live a bit, even at school.
When graduation came around four students were chosen to address the graduating class, one from each house with two from eighth year and two from seventh year: Hermione Granger (8th year Gryffindor), Draco Malfoy (8th year Slytherin), Amanda Sharp (7th year Ravenclaw) and Oliver Knook (7th year Hufflepuff) all gave speeches to the graduating class. It had been discussed between the two upper years how to handle an eighth year, since they never got to have their own graduation. When each approached the podium, their robes were of their old house colors then when they finished and stepped back for the next student, their robes turned to the new school robes. It was a lovely way to send out the old and welcome the new in many ways.
The graduating classes had discussed how to celebrate the closing of one chapter in their lives and the beginning of a new one. Everyone decided to have one grand party at the school. The professors chose to surprise the students by setting up a dance floor with a DJ, drinks, food and sleeping areas on and around the Quidditch pitch. It would be far enough away from the school to not disturb the other students yet still on school grounds so everyone would be safe and able to enjoy finishing school. The professors also put up an age barrier to make sure no underclassmen snuck into the party much to the dismay of many younger students. The professors had even changed clothes and joined their, now, former students in celebrating for a few hours. It was a good time to be had by all. The next day, many students took the Hogwarts Express for the last time.
Hermione, Ginny and Pansy met up a week after graduation and ironed out their plans. They planned to travel and enjoy life to its fullest before settling into some semblance of adulthood. The young women visited Ireland, France, Spain, Greece and Egypt before taking a cruise to Mexico from Morocco before landing in America. At different locations and at different times they had been joined by Harry, Draco, Neville, Luna, Fred and George, Theo and Blaise. The traveling trio spent eighteen months in the other countries before they began to work their way through the American states. Instead of apparating, floo'ing or portkeying around, the witches decided to drive. Hermione had her license but had to do a few practice runs before she felt comfortable driving on the main roads in America, since it was the opposite side of the road. When the teasing from Ginny and Pansy became a bit much, Hermione offered for them to drive instead, shutting them up promptly.
Once on the road, the wondering trio decided to try to visit every state they could. Pansy had picked up an atlas at a convenience store and their path was plotted. They decided to start west, hitting Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California before heading north. They traveled across the top of the map, "dipping down" and zigzagging to visit the states touching the one they would be in. It was a crazy trip but all three had a blast. They tried all types of foods and drinks, saw many amazing sites, met some really interesting people (muggle and wizard alike), learned about the upkeep of a vehicle, collected a boatload of souvenirs and took a massive amount of pictures (muggle and wizarding). Through their experiences, mostly good but a few bad, the three friends only grew closer; learning about themselves, each other and the world around them.
After visiting forty-seven of the forty-eight continental states, the three young travelers drove into Louisiana, deciding to visit New Orleans and work their way up. This would be the last leg of their trip and the three witches weren't ready quite yet to go home. After spending a month in the Big Easy, the girls took their time driving to the northern part of the state. They spent varying amounts of time in each locale, depending on what caught their eye along the way. After taking another four months, Hermione, Ginny and Pansy arrived at their last destination in Louisiana: Shreveport.
Eric was sitting at his desk, feet propped up while he leaned back, hands behind his head as he looked to his Maker. After several decades of being away from each other, Godric had come to visit. They had both missed the other immensely and had become dangerously bored and for a vampire, that could quickly spell their true deaths. Sookie Stackhouse was the perfect example for Eric and Godric's dealings with the FotS church. They had both allowed themselves to be sucked into falsehoods. Eric that Sookie could keep his attentions and Godric that he had a chance at making a difference; as it worked out, both were wrong.
Eric had lost count how many times Sookie's antics had almost cost him is life by running headlong into situations she had no idea how to handle and he was tired of bailing her blond ass out of the trouble she willingly jumped into. One of these nights she would cost him his existence and that was unacceptable. He sorely needed to find a new outlet. The bar was thriving as usual but Eric had become tired of everything about it: the costumes he and his fellow vampires wore, the "clientele" who came, the décor, the constant attempts by local officials, etc.; a never ending cycle of negativity and depravity that he needed to find a way to stop. What that entailed he had no clue but would start to figure out, hopefully with the help of his beloved Maker.
Godric, in his boredom, had fallen prey to the false promises of the leader of the FotS, Steve Newlin. His silver tongue had promised much but had failed to deliver as usual. Godric was amazed at how easily, at least for him, he fell into the shiny promises given by a consummate liar. He knew he had been bored and disillusioned with the world but hadn't realized just how susceptible he had become. It was a dangerous thing for a vampire to lose their perspective on the world around them. He had been about to meet his true death foolishly thinking it would bring the two worlds closer together. If it hadn't been for his excellent hearing due to his age, Godric would have followed through but, fortunately, a conversation between Newlin and his gang of thugs enlightened him to the truth behind the candy coated words. Godric had been disappointed in himself more than anything else. At his age he should have known better than to believe someone like Steve Newlin. Well, now that he had pulled his head out of his ass, he could see that he needed a change in scenery. It was why he had stepped down from being Sheriff and handed it off to his second in command, Isabel. She would handle the area just fine and he could reacquaint himself with his child who he had been away from for far too long.
As the two vampires stared at each other, they both gave small smiles, happy to be in the other's presence. It wasn't that it was uncommon for Maker and Child to go their own ways, it was that Godric and Eric had had a very tight relationship and being away from each other for any length of time would take its toll on them as the recent past showed them. When Godric had showed up at Fangtasia was when both had felt the drain being apart had started to cause. They had embraced the other and felt the world correct itself. This was how it was supposed to be. Eric had been concerned when Godric had told him about his downward spiral and the, almost, result of it. However, Godric had chastised his child when Eric told him about his last two years dealing with Sookie Stackhouse.
Of course, both had chuckled in the end at their behavior and had promised to not ever let it happen again. They would keep each other in check like they had for over a millennia. When Godric asked Eric why he kept the bar if he was so unhappy with it, Eric just shrugged, nothing else had captured his attention. Shaking his head at his child, Godric told him they would figure something out. Their healing had begun but both vampires were determined to do what they could to keep their spiral towards madness at bay, it was something all vampires who were as old as they were had to contend with. Most didn't survive the stagnation and tediousness of the modern world. It took great efforts to keep the boredom down to a manageable level and if the vampire didn't have someone they could lean on to help them through the tough times, they would easily succumb.