You came back
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. That all belongs to J.K. Rowling.
'Welcome back Miss. Granger or should I say Professor Granger.' Minerva said with a smile.
'Well thank you for the invite back here for the chance to teach.' Hermione smiled at the thought of being back at Hogwarts.
'Well, you have two weeks to get moved in and get your classroom set up. Remove whatever you don't need. It will not hurt my feelings to change my old room around.'
'Thank you, Minerva, I am going to see how things go.'
'Oh, and just a warning Peeves has been true to form these past few years. I will see you at dinner.'
~o~
'Ok class, please get your books out and study page twenty-five.' Hermione told her class. 'You will rotate your wrist like this and then thrust while saying the incantation. If done properly you will have transfigured your log into a stick.'
'Well, if I rotate,' he stood and demonstrated the movement with his hips. 'And thrust, will my log turn into a stick as well?' asked one of her male students.
'Mr. Corstern I will not tolerate that type of behavior in my classroom. You will have detention for the next week.' as the student pulled his face behind Hermione's back, no less than five blackboard erasers flew across the room to pelt the boy.
'Miss. Granger, I'm sorry.' The boy screamed as the erasers bounced off his head.
'I didn't set them on you. PEEVES, stop it. Thank you for your help but that is not needed I can it handled.' Hermione said to the room at large. 'Now back to the lessons.'
~o~
'You know Minerva, Peeves has been more of a protector then a misfit. That would be more Fred and Georges' …' Hermione frowned at the memories of the twin's antics.
'Yes, I would agree the twins would always stand up to the troublemakers in class. "We are here to learn, the funny stuff can wait until after classes."' Minerva did in her best twins' voice. 'The only teacher they didn't help was Umbridge. How is George doing without his twin?'
'Doing good, he decided his brother would be disappointed if he didn't move on and continue the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes legacy. Did you know he calls it 3W's now?' Hermione smiled at the thought of George moving on. 'Ron goes over and helps him now.'
'Fred would be proud.' Minerva beamed.
~o~
Hermione was cleaning the blackboard after class one day and as her hand swiped across the board the eraser left a long red stripe instead of erasing her notes for the day. 'Peeves? This is not like you... this is more of a Fred thing.' She huffed.
'About time I get the blame.' Hermione spun around to see the ghost of Fred Weasley standing in her classroom. 'I was getting tired of Peeves always getting the credit.' as Fred plopped down in the desk next to him.
'Fred? What are you doing here? You are supposed to be…' Hermione whispered the last.
'Well, I am but I am a ghost now. Here to entertain the population of Hogwarts.' as he rose and bowed.
'But… ghost only happen when you're afraid to die…?'
'Miya, I was afraid to die I knew what needed to be done but I didn't want to die. I was afraid to leave my brother and I was afraid to leave you…' he whispered the last.
'Me?'
'Yea, ever since the yule ball I have wanted to ask you out but … Ron and then the war. I was going to ask you out after you helped save the day but… life happened and I …'
'But why has it taken so long for you to appear?' Hermione asked.
'Well, all of us newbies need to be acknowledged.' Hermione looked confused. 'Like with Sir Nicholas he is in the history books, so we all know about him but … we need to be called out.'
'So, who is still here?' Fred listed of a few names. 'I take it Remus and Tonks passed over?' Fred nodded.
'They had accepted their fate knowing they had all of you guys to raise Teddy and they helped make it a better world for all.'
'So do you harass all of the teachers?' Hermione grinned.
'Um yea but mostly just you and Minnie. The rest just don't appreciate my humor.' He frowned.
'Well now that we know you are here, they might just start.' Hermione smiled. 'Can you leave here? Can you go visit George or your family?' Fred shrugged.
'I don't know yet. Up until now no one has figured it out it was me all this time. But right now, I just want to get use to… this.' as he waved his arms to the room.
'That's fine, you need to get use to people seeing you first and then maybe I invite George over for dinner one night, when you're ready of course.' Hermione smiled.
'Yea, maybe? But then he will want to stay over all the time?' Fred questioned.
'I don't know but let's go down to the teacher's lounge and let the cat out of the bag.' Hermione grinned.
~o~
'Who let the stink bomb in the doorway?' Professor Flitwick asked as he entered the room.
'Well, if Fred and George were still here, I would say one of they were to blame.' Minerva spoke as a figure glimmered in front of her. 'Fred Weasley! as I live and breathe! Oh, so sorry I shouldn't have said that.' Minerva blushed.
'Nope, I just glad you can see me now.' Fred Grinned. 'Now I will get the proper credit for my mischief.'
'Your swamp is the story for history my fine young man.' Professor Flitwick grinned. They sat and talked for hours.
~o~
'Fred?' Minerva spoke to the room.
'Yes, Minnie?' as he appeared and bowed. 'What can I do for you?'
'Well, I was wondering do you want to crossover?' Minerva asked.
'Um no thank you, I think I would like to stay and harass the future generations of students.' he said with a grin.
'Well then what do we do to help all of the other student ghosts cross over?'
'I'm not sure but we can ask them?' Fred answered.
'How do we get them to show themselves?'
'Call out each name and see if they are still here and then see what it will take to get them to cross over.' Minerva stood up from behind her desk.
'To all students that are stuck here in the castle, please come forward and we will try to help you cross over. We will contact your family and act as an in-between. Fred and I will work hard to get you settled. We should be able to get you sorted' as she spoke, she moved to the front of her desk and took a seat in a comfy chair. 'Now let's get started…' she started calling out names. Some students came through the door, some the wall. Some were afraid of what this would do to their families, others were happy to be able to move on. It took some time to get all of the students to cross over.
'Fred are you ready to have your family come in?' Minerva asked one afternoon during tea. Hermione froze at the question.
'I don't know. I know George had a hard time moving on and I'm not sure if this would set him back.'
'Do you realize how hard it is for Hermione? To not talk about the hijinks, you get up to here?' Minerva asked him.
'Oh, Miya I'm so sorry I forgot all about what you have to do to keep my secret.' Fred whined.
'It's fine. I will keep your secret until you are ready.' Hermione said.
'Um, I might be ready for Bill but that is it for right now. He has the best head on his shoulders and will be able to help with the rest of the family.' Hermione and Minerva both nodded in agreement.
~o~
'Good afternoon, Headmistress McGonagall, Hermione.' Bill said to the pair as he sat down in front of her desk.
'Bill Weasley, I have known you since you were in diapers, we fought side by side. Minerva will do.' as she grinned.
'Fine Minerva,' he said with a grin. 'What can I do for you?'
'Well, I have some news that might knock your socks off, so please bear with me.' Just as she finished a whizz bang exploded in the room.
'What are you doing with one of Fred and Georges' whizz bangs?' Bill asked Hermione.
'Um not mine.' Bill's head spun around to see Fred standing next to him. Bill almost fell out of his chair. 'IS that…? My brother's ghost?'
'Right in one, big bro.' Fred smiled.
'But….' Bill sputtered.
'Yea, you gave the same response as we did.' Hermione giggled.
'You didn't cross over?' Fred shook his head, and the story was told.
'So, I was hoping you might help us bring the rest of the family in, one at a time of course.' Fred asked.
'Yes, we might want to tell dad first.' Bill said with a grin. 'Can you leave the castle?'
'Not sure haven't tried yet. Well, if you have time, we can give it a go? Fancy a walk to Hogsmeade Hermione?' They left the castle for the short walk to the village.
'Well, the moment of truth.' as Minerva opened the gate and three walked thru. With the sun light Fred was barely visible, but they could just see his glimmer to cross the gate threshold.
'I can leave the grounds.' He jumped for joy.
'Well not to burst your bubble but this is still Hogwarts grounds. So, we need to check out a little further. Do you want to try the shop?' Fred froze.
'I'm not sure I'm ready?' Fred quivered.
'Well, you can just pop in, as long as he doesn't say your name, he won't be able to see you.' Bill said with hope of a near future reunion.
'So, if you just tagalong with me, while I pick up some stuff.' Hermione added.
'Well...' Fred hesitated.
'If you're not ready, I understand. We can do it another day.' Bill said.
'No, I can do this.' Fred said with a smile. 'How do we do this do I have to hold onto one of you or just think about it hard enough?'
'Well, as we are not ghosts and don't know the rules. How do you get from the great hall to … Hermione's classroom?' Bill asked.
'I just think really hard and end up there. So, I think real hard and I will go there?' Fred said and his glimmer evaporated into thin air.
'Well, I guess he's there?' Bill asked.
'I guess we need to apparate over there ourselves.' Hermione said as she grabbed Bills arm and disappeared with a pop.
'Hey guys what are you doing here? And together? Does Fleur know?' George laughed at the look of his newest visitors.
'Shopping, needed help and Fleur will know in time, getting her a birthday prezzie.' Bill spoke with authority.
'Oh right, we have our Wonder Witch Beauty Products.' pointing to the table in the front of the store. 'We have everlasting flowers over there.' pointing to the far wall. 'And for the bedroom the adult section.' pointing to the red curtain on the back wall.
'Well, we will look around.' Bill said as he looked around, he got an elbow to the ribs. Hermione nodded to the far wall to see Fred coming through the curtain. 'It worked.' Hermione whispered.
'But he seems faded, maybe not enough energy here?' Bill whispered back. 'Well, I don't see anything, so why don't I drop you off at the castle on my way home?' Bill said loud enough for Fred to hear getting a nod from him. 'See ya George. I'll be by for dinner on Sunday.' As they walked out the door, an apparating them back to the front gate of the school.
'Well, that was… ' Fred said with a sad look. 'Do you think George will be ok if we told him?'
'I think he will love to have his brother back for visits.' Hermione said. 'Did you feel different? You had a faded look.'
'I did feel weak, maybe too far from home?' Fred added.
'That could be. Most ghost get their energy from their place of …' Bill stopped talking.
'Hey at least we found out I can leave for brief visits.' Fred smiled as he walked back over the castle's threshold.
~o~
'Hey George glad you could join us.' Bill said to his brother as he entered the front doors of Hogwarts.
'So why am I here? I know Miya has to be here but why are you here?' George questioned.
'Well, we have a surprise for you and I wanted Bill here for support.' Hermione answered.
'A surprise, for me?' as they entered a classroom off of the main hallway.
'Yea little bro, we are not sure how you are going to take this.' Just as Bill finished his sentence a large whizz bang went flying past them.
'Remember when Fred and I sent a whole crate of these off during the finals our last year?' George said as he teared up. 'Freddie loved those things.'
'George, we don't want to alarm you but Fred…. is here.' Hermione spoke in almost a whisper. George wiped his tears away and started to look around.
'Freddie?' as he saw his dead brother's ghost come thru the door, Fred nodded.
'Yea, Georgie. It's me.'
'But ghost are ones that were afraid to ….' George whispered.
'Yes, and I was…' the story was told. They spent a few hours catching up on the latest news.
'So, when are we telling mum and dad?' George asked.
'Well how do you think mum will take it?' Hermione asked, George shrugged.
'We think telling dad first and then mum?' Bill added.
'Can you leave here?' George asked.
'Yes and no.' the story of his outing was told.
'Well, no time like the present. Let me go send an owl to dad and get him here.' George said.
~o~
'Arthur, why are we being called to the school?' Molly asked.
'Um, Minerva want to speak to us.' as they entered the headmistress's office.
'Um, it feels like when Fred and George got in trouble.' Molly grinned.
'Well Molly I have some very…unusual news today. So please take a seat.' Minerva said looking to the back of the room.
'Bill, George, Hermione what's going on?' Molly's voice quivered, as all three came to kneel next to her.
'Mum, we have some surprising news.' Bill spoke.
'So please remain calm.' George added.
'We will explain everything.' Hermione whispered.
'Yea mum, we will tell you the whole story' Fred appeared in front of his mum, Molly looked to her left to see George and then back to Fred.
'Freddie! You are a ….' She jumped up and tried to hug him just to get a cold shiver. Stories told, tears shed as they spent the afternoon together.
'So, when are you coming home?' Molly asked as the sun was setting.
'I'm sorry but he can't mum. His power comes from the castle.' Bill spoke. 'He might be able to come make very short visits but that's it.'
'Are you sure?'
'Yes, mum we have tried. He came to the store once but was very faint.' George added. 'His place is here.'
'And don't forget I have a job here and in my free time trying to come up with some good stuff for the shop. So, you can't come up here anytime you want. Maybe we can arrange a monthly dinner here at the school?' Fred added, Molly huffed at the thought of only seeing him monthly.
'Fine, what about the rest of the kids? Do they know?' Molly asked.
'Yes, we told them last week. You should have seen Ron faint.' George laughed as they told the story as they walked the family to the front gate.
'Why didn't you tell mum you were opening a shop in Hogsmeade so you two can work together again?' Hermione asked George as they were walking back from seeing Molly, Arthur and Bill off.
'Because she would move in and never leave.' George said as Hermione grinned at the truth.
'Yea, it will be our little secret.' Fred said as he put his arms around them, they shivered at the strange feeling.
