The boys laid splayed out upon the floor the Granger Family Room. They found themselves laying stretched out in odd locations with increasing frequency nowadays. It had been a fun night. Food, drinks, and frivolity was had by all as they turned a dapper, aristocratic dinner party into a real rager. Of course, the magnitude of 'fun' can usually be measured by the size of your headache the next morning.
Harry shot up from his sleeping position: legs on couch, back on ground. The rapidity of his motion caused a wave of pain to hit his temples and blood to flush his face. He was hungover. Mind you, it wasn't the exercise in torture that drinking with the guys of Team Avatar had produced the second day they showed up and flipped his world upside down, but that didn't make it any less unpleasant.
He groaned as he swung his legs down to the ground. He looked about the room. Aang was sleeping on the couch, looking quite comfortable. The rest, however, looked to have just fallen down in place and passed out. Harry scrunched his eyes and willed himself to recall how they had made it back to the Granger's. Flashes passed through his mind: lots of walking, lots of laughing, Katara having a conversation with a group of twenty-somethings while Hermione called for a cab. It seemed pretty low key as he recalled it.
The stairs creaked as the slow footsteps of the girls of Team Avapotter descended from the second floor. The girls looked comical to say the least, hair all over the place, exhausted faces, the usual signs. Hermione entered the room and wanted to laugh. Sokka had somehow squeezed himself in a space between the wall and the bookcase. Harry was on the floor with his feet in the air, looking increasingly confused. Ron was curled up in a ball in a corner, as if he was taking a defensive position in case Mr. Granger would come down in the middle of the night and decide to go ahead and murder him.
Hermione's head spun as she heard more slow footsteps coming from the dining room. There was a groan before Hermione saw Zuko stumbling forward looking highly irritated that he had allowed himself to have "fun" again. His black hair sat wildly on his head as he tried to push it out of his eyes, the crisp white button up shirt he had borrowed from Draco was half unbuttoned, half untucked, and looked thoroughly defeated.
Hermione's smug grin immediately disintegrated from her face as she saw none other than Draco Malfoy stumbling out behind Zuko, shirtless, in wrinkled slacks. He ran his hands down his face in an effort to soothe his headache. Hermione watched as his hands dragged down to his chin and Draco let out a large yawn. Then, mid yawn, Draco froze. Eyes wide, mouth agape. Hermione wanted to giggle just a bit as she realized that Draco had just realized where he was. Still, her face fell as she, too, realized where he was.
She gulped almost audibly as Draco looked at her, and with his mouth still agape, he gestured around wildly as if to say, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? Hermione could only shrug in horror. It wasn't as if her parents knew the dreadful things Draco Malfoy's family had done to her, indeed they mostly thought he was just a bully-turned-friend. However, it was still horrifying to wake up to Draco Malfoy in your house.
And then there was slight laughter from the doorframe and Hermione swung around to see her parents standing at the door, looking thoroughly amused.
"Have fun last night?" Harmony Granger said not even trying to hide her mocking grin.
Hermione squinted her eyes. The night came back to her in parts. Dancing to the Backstreet Boys, thoroughly trouncing Zuko in beer pong. Playing Mario Kart with Katara, their battle was legendary. Then they were walking out in the street. Hermione was loudly encouraging Katara to hug random strangers in the street. Harry and Aang were singing a song which Aang had exclaimed he'd heard from Zuko's uncle…how did it go? Leaves from the vine, falling so slow…She couldn't remember the rest. Zuko had been oddly quiet during the impromptu rendition, smiling ever so slightly.
Zuko had been rather boisterous as well, he and Draco had tried to break into an electronficity store. Who had stopped them? Hermione's face contorted… Oh God, had they been accessories to a crime?
Hermione's musings were interrupted by a boisterous laugh from Mr. Granger, causing everyone in the room to cringe. Except Aang and Toph.
"From the looks of last night, I'd say you all had a VERY good time." Mr. Granger mused, swaying on the balls of his feet. Hermione had to say his casual nature after catching his daughter drinking with a group of teen friends was very disturbing.
"Daddy…" Hermione groaned.
Mr. Granger smiled wickedly. "What was that love? You're mumbling a bit."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Well, I'm off to make breakfast. You all must be rather hungry, yes?" Mrs. Granger smiled.
Katara didn't exactly recall how they had gotten home, but knew that it must have been late, which means they had probably woken their hosts from sleeping. She turned pale. "I'm so sorry! We shouldn't have woken you!"
Mr. Granger laughed. Mrs. Granger looked at the girl softly and smiled. "Well, I can't say I've ever had to put a bunch of grown young adults to bed." She looked at certain members of Team Avatar skeptically. "But it did remind me of when Hermione was little, that was nice." Mrs. Granger winked before walking to the kitchen, giggling.
Mr. Granger sighed, "Well, I suppose you all need to tidy yourselves up a bit." Mr. Granger smiled before pulling something from behind his back. "WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR BREAKFAST?!"
The gang screamed and yelped as a deafening loud voice overtook their ears. And there in the doorway stood Mr. Granger…with a megaphone. A relic of his days as a drill sergeant.
"Daddy!" Hermione yelled as her headache increased ten fold. Team Avapotter sans Harry were horrified by the demon device that seemed to make Mr. Granger's voice boom as if he was Zeus himself.
"IS THIS TOO LOUD?" Mr. Granger said through his mega phone.
"DADDY, GO MAKE BREAKFAST!" Hermione yelled as she sunk to the floor trying to shove her head into a chair.
Mr. Granger chuckled. "Very well…I just have to do one more thing…"
"WHEE OOOOO WHEE OOOOO WHEE OOO!"
The gang grasped their ears in horror as Mr. Granger let out some kind of alarm from his mega phone.
"WHY?!" Sokka yelled. "IT'S A DEMON MACHINE!"
Mr. Granger chuckled again. "Sorry. Serves you right for waking me up at 3 in the bloody morning. Great idea Aang, Toph." Mr. Granger nodded to them before walking off to the kitchen, chuckling ever so slightly.
The gang turned mutinously to Toph and Aang. Aang looked a little ashamed of himself, but Toph only smirked.
"It DOES serve you right! Do you know how much trouble Aang and I went through to get you back here? You think I know my way around an entirely different world? Katara running around hugging everyone? Getting you guys home was ridiculous!" Toph crossed her arms as if challenging one of them to argue back.
They didn't.
Aang chimed in. "Toph and I helped you all home."
"Weren't you…weren't you drinking with us?" Harry piped in.
Aang was thoughtful for a moment. "Well…yes…it was weird though, every time I got a cup, Sam or Max took it from me and gave me some other drink. I guess it didn't have the same effect… it was fruity though."
Harry smirked. He knew Sam and Max didn't really believe Aang was anywhere near the age to drink. They had been switching out his drinks all night. It was actually rather noble of them, more noble than Harry had been in Team Avatar's first day at Hogwarts.
"I didn't drink anything, except a sip of that awful wine. Harry drank my "beirut" cups…" Toph chimed in. Toph continued, "After ushering you all into a…cabe?"
"Cabe?" Harry chimed in.
Toph rolled her eyes, "I dunno, some kind of machine that..er…takes you home I guess."
"Cab." Hermione corrected.
"Whatever. The machine took us home and as soon as we walked into the house, you guys went nuts. Singing, yelling, Sokka refused to sit in any of the chairs, he said they were all evil…" Toph chuckled as she looked at Sokka as if he was an idiot.
Aang cut in. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger showed up and helped Toph and I settle everyone down. Mr. Granger thought it was pretty funny…eventually. He said he should get his megaphone. I asked him what that was and…well, we came up with the plan."
Ron wanted to be mad, he really did. But, frankly, it was actually rather amusing.
"Anyway…sorry." Aang finished.
The gang looked around a while before bursting into giggles. Indeed, there were no hard feelings.
Eventually, they all went about the business of collecting themselves. Draco walked cautiously up to Hermione. "Is it…I shouldn't be here!"
Hermione looked up from her place on the sofa to see a panicked looking Draco. "Well, you're here. So just be calm and act like you belong."
Draco looked flabbergasted. "You can't be serious, Granger! Surely, your parents must hate me!" Draco looked down at the floor, his shame threatening to bubble out of him…as always.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, my parents don't exactly KNOW what happened to me at M-Malfoy Manor…so I suggest you keep your mouth shut and just follow along."
Draco turned pale. "Hermione-" Draco stopped himself, completely weirded out by the fact that he said her name again.
"MALFOY!" Hermione said in hushed tones, her hands fiddling a bit. Apparently, she was just as weirded out by the fact that he said her name.
Malfoy sighed hard before walking off. Harry looked at him accusingly, he shrugged it off as best he could and made his way up the stairs to use the bathroom.
Eventually, they all sat down to breakfast in Hermione's quaint little dining room. Harry squinted his eyes as the light shown off the little glass case that featured more pictures and relics of the Granger family.
Zuko observed the room. It was small, but…cozy. It was warm but just a bit prominent. He looked down at the white linen, meticulously pressed. The silverware, shined to an almost terrifying degree. The cabinet of Granger family pictures, some moving, more not. It was sweet, he was briefly brought back to his family's cottage on Ember Island, with all its pictures…with all its better times. He burned every portrait in that house.
"So! Lee is it?" Mr. Granger looked at Zuko warmly. Zuko looked shocked for a moment.
"Uh…yes?" Zuko almost squeaked. Toph chuckled.
"What do you do when your not performing feats of magical accomplishment?" Mr. Granger continued, smiling wide as he passed the biscuits along the table.
"Um…I was...a soldier?" Zuko finished, trying to hide his shaking hands. Zuko had basically been a soldier since he was 14. Fighting, conquering, searching. Searching for the Avatar…committing acts of terror in every step of his journey, he looked hard at the table. His shame, never forgotten.
Katara, sitting next to him, grasped his hand, choosing to see his glory, never his shame.
Mr. Granger stopped abruptly, staring at Zuko curiously. "Where are you from?"
Zuko scrunched his face, looking over to Hermione who usually came to the rescue in issues of back-stories. However, her face fell as she found herself, most rarely, out of ideas.
Zuko put on a face of resolve; he had heard Draco say something at the party last night, something about tea…a country with terrible tea…"America."
Mr. Granger smacked his hands down on his neat dining room table. "Of course! The States! You're obviously from across the pond!"
"Sure." Zuko said shortly.
"But you look barely 18! Didn't you just leave school?" Mr. Granger continued, listening raptly.
"Yes…I joined straight out…didn't have much of a choice." Zuko looked irritated.
Mr. Granger looked at the bitterness in the boy's eyes. He understood. "I…er…is that allowed? A wizard in the muggle army?"
Hermione seemed to activate. "Well, he had to turn his wand in to the…what is it called in America? The Department of Magic. Magic in America is a bit more intertwined with the muggle government. The Secretary of Magic is a part of the American cabinet and reports to the President, with a certain amount of autonomy of course. It's all kept secret from the American people, but it's not as disjointed as it is here in England."
Mr. Granger looked skeptical. "So…if they are so intertwined… why did Lee have to turn in his wand?"
Hermione took a bite of her food before continuing, "It's international law. Muggle and Magical weapons are never to be mixed. It was decided upon…ages ago. If a wizard chooses to join a muggle army, they must turn in their wand. It's an appropriate rule, in my opinion. After all, when your life is threatened, for the most part, you will do almost anything to protect it. Self preservation is the most powerful instinct we have."
Katara and Zuko looked at each other, reminded of Katara declaring something very similar atop the Astronomy tower, on a lonely bleeding night.
"They get their wand back after their tour of course. But it would be a grave mistake to allow muggle and magical weapons to mix. The devastation would be…horrible. It's the same on the muggle side, wizards are not allowed to possess firearms if they still have a wand, muggles have their own way of tracking us."
"Indeed." Mr. Granger grumbled proudly.
"In any case, the law is known as 'International Law of Aggression', muggles fight their own wars…we fight ours." Hermione finished quietly. She wasn't making it up. It was a real law, a law put together in the 14th century, after King Edward the third waged the Hundred Years War, a war to quell French wizards who declared magical sovereignty in Normandy. The wizards retaliated with 'The Black Death' as it came to be known, muggles thought it was a plague. These years of wizard/ muggle aggression was part of the reason The International Statute of Secrecy was enacted.
The International Statute of Secrecy came with terrible consequences if it was broken, that was certainly true but the punishment for breaking the International Law of Aggression was far worse.
The punishment, of course, was death. It needed to be ensured that no one would take the breaking of the law lightly. It was for the best. The mixture of magical and muggle weaponry would most certainly result in a higher, hopelessly more destructive form of war.
The room was horribly quiet for a moment.
Suddenly Zuko spoke up. "Yea…I er…I joined because of my father. He wanted me to be…to be a good leader…a good son. So, I did as I was told. It was a matter of honor…"
Mr. Granger looked at Zuko for a long while. "It is not dishonorable to fight for your country, even if the reasons are not as noble as they could be."
Zuko bit his lip. He couldn't seem to stop himself from making himself the center of attention. It was infuriating and stressful. Mr. Granger was trying to be kind, but if he knew, really knew, what Zuko's role was in the Firenation Army…he doubted Mr. Granger would be so kind.
Mr. Granger noticed the stress on the boy's face and changed the subject slightly. "So, rank?" Mr. Granger asked, a genuine smile creeping on his face. He couldn't help it; he was always excited to encounter a fellow soldier. There was a certain camaraderie among soldiers that is unrivaled and absolutely exclusive. "I was squadron leader, RAF squadron 88."
Zuko looked around the table, no one seemed to be able to help him. He couldn't say he was commander in chief of the Firenation army. Hell, he hated even mentioning the fact that the Firenation HAD an army, what with all the havoc it had reaped over the last century. "Eh…I'm a…commander as well."
Mr. Granger clasped his hands together in excitement. "Ah! They promote them younger and younger these days! I suppose you're out of the service then? Why are you at Hogwarts? Haven't you aged out of school?"
Zuko was starting to sweat, what with all these questions. He had never been good at covers or thinking on his feet. That was a trait that Azula had inherited. Zuko was much more like his mother, though he tried to fight it; he was much more of an open soul. "Eh…"
Hermione stepped in. "Lee is more of a…graduate student of sorts. Like In University. He's…eh…studying with Professor…McGonagall. It's a new thing Hogwarts is doing. You know, like an educational initiative. I think it's brilliant."
Mr. Granger nodded his head, looking interested. Mrs. Granger watched, amusedly, as Aang tried to eat his kippers with a fork.
Team Avatar had done the best they could trying to assimilate into the wizarding world. But they found that it wasn't the big things like pretending to be a wizard or organizing a massive cover-up of their true existence that was the hard part, it was the little things. For instance, tying shoelaces. In their world, people usually wore boots, or slip-on shoes, or no shoes at all—it was something they had never really thought about. The act of learning a procedure to ensure your shoes wouldn't come flying off your feet was the strangest thing in the world. Then there were other little things, like learning how to tell time, eating with forks and spoons, NOT bowing hello and goodbye to elders. All the little cultural customs and rituals that had come to be second nature to them were now wrong, and had to be replaced by other customs and rituals that, at times, seemed utterly ridiculous. There were things that could be explained away by sub-cultural differences, but other things were far too common to not automatically be known, such as flushing a toilet, which Zuko had to learn the embarrassingly hard way in the second floor male lavatory, in front of some blokes from the Gobstones club. That's the thing about being in another culture, you never really know how unique you can be until you have to think about all the little things that you do and don't do in your everyday life.
Aang was interrupted from his battle with the kippers by Mrs. Granger's hands, which were currently molding his hands to the proper way to hold a fork.
"You're eating the kippers not trying to vanquish it, dear." Mrs. Granger said warmly, if not a little snarky. Aang blushed.
Ron chimed in. "Oh…where Kuzon's from, they don't normally use utensils."
"Is that so." Mr. Granger grumbled. Ron slumped down in his chair.
"Yes." Aang replied as he studied the positioning of his fingers and marveled at how much easier it was to pick up his food. "We use…I dunno, they're kind of like two sticks…"
"Kuaizi." Mr. Granger said, popping some eggs in his mouth.
"Eh…" Aang started.
Mr. Granger laughed. "Right, I should explain to the others, rights?" He winked at Aang as if they shared some kind of inside joke. Aang smiled awkwardly.
"Chopsticks." Mr. Granger continued. "Kuaizi, is the Chinese term for chopsticks. I learned that when I was stationed in China. Right Aang?"
"…sure." Aang replied. He had no idea if they were on the same page, that is, until he saw Mr. Granger grab two candlesticks from the table centerpiece and position them perfectly in his fingers.
"I perfected my chopstick skills in the Guangdong province, right outside of Hong Kong." Mr. Granger replied, smiling at his fingers. "I was a couple months to coming home, Harmony was fit to burst with Hermione." Mr. Granger smiled at Hermione, who smiled shakily back to him. Mr. Granger looked suddenly struck. He shot up from his chair and walked out of the dining room, shaking his finger. He returned a little later with a trinket of some sort. Black and White, and melded into each other as if it was locked in a dance.
"Yin and Yang. Got this in a little village. I suppose it's cliché but I bought it the day I found out my daughter had been born." He smiled again at Hermione.
"Oh Daddy…" Hermione said quietly, taking the talisman from him and looking over it carefully. She hadn't really looked at it in years, but she knew the story well.
Mr. Granger watched Hermione for a little bit, and he seemed to be completely lost in her for a moment. "Eh…well, when I found out about my Hermione, I felt like everything in my life had come into balance…then I saw the symbol, sitting on a table of this run down, beat up stand, the owner explained it's meaning to me. It was the most beautiful thing in that entire village, even though it was so simple."
"Twi and La." Aang muttered.
"Hmm?" Mr. Granger said, watching Hermione turn the talisman over in her hand.
"Nothing." Aang said, staring at the piece.
Mr. Granger continued, "When I came home, I had it set in Emeralds and Amethyst in London-Harmony and my birthstones." Mr. Granger gently took the piece from Hermione and held it up so everyone could see. "Hermione-" He pointed to Yin and Yang, "-creates balance. She completes Harmony and I-" He pointed to the stones that surrounded the symbol. "She is everything and nothing, light and dark, push and pull."
Aang's jaw dropped.
Mrs. Granger smiled. "When Micheal came home and saw Hermione, he set that piece in the crib." Mrs. Granger chuckled. "Hermione, immediately tried to eat it."
"So we set it in her mobile." Mr. Granger continued.
"And Hermione spent at least two years trying to get it back in her mouth, she never really looked at any other piece in the mobile but the yin and yang…it was fate." Mrs. Granger finished, smiling pensively. "Micheal said he was glad he got it in China and had it set in England…"
"Because it means that no matter where we are or what happens to us, we will always be connected, we could never forget each other, never really be separated. I was in China and hadn't even met Hermione yet and it was like her existence was speaking to me… I could be a million miles away and still see her." Mr. Granger finished quietly. "She is my entire world."
The room was thickly quiet for a moment. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were staring at each other in a way that was higher than any form of attraction, affection, or love. They were staring at each other like they were the lords of all creation. They had made something so perfectly beautiful that it had changed existence, time, and understanding. They were looking at each other like parents.
Hermione wanted to burst into tears. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Were they trying to play her right now? Had her mother and father spoken to each other about Hermione and Harmony's little conversation in the kitchen? Were they saying all this to make her feel better about what she did to them, for stealing their memories? Were they trying to manipulate her? Hermione didn't look at them. She didn't say a word. All she could do now was commence the familiar process and pressing down her emotions and maintaining control. She would suspect everyone.
Mr. Granger cleared his throat. "Eh…well anyway, enough of the mushy talk! What's on the agenda for today?" Mr. Granger looked over to Hermione and was off put by her expressionless face. "Hermione?"
Hermione's answer was mechanical. "We'll be heading back to the Burrow."
"Oh? So soon? I feel like we've hardly had the time to give your friends a proper tour of London." Mrs. Granger chimed in, looking severely crestfallen.
"I'd like to have a party here next week." Hermione said abruptly. Team Avapotter looked around nervously at each other. It wasn't as if Hermione had asked. She demanded.
"A party?" Mr. Granger replied, setting down his fork.
"Yes. For some Hogwarts friends…and a few muggle friends." Hermione looked at Harry, who immediately looked at the floor.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at each other bemusedly. Hermione had not so much as mentioned an intention to throw a Christmas party, certainly not a party that would be happening in a matter of days.
Mrs. Granger bit her lip. "Hermione…love. It's…a little sudden…"
"I'll take care of everything. There will be no magic, a nice muggle-themed party. I'll prepare everything; I'll clean up afterwards. You've always said you wanted to meet my friends." Hermione continued, looking at her father now with set eyes.
Mr. Granger sucked in a breath. He was…a little scared of his daughter. She had changed so much from before his memory was removed. She was very mechanical, meticulously pensive, empty. Hermione had always been brilliant, but she could be a downright cry baby at times—a trait which he thought was adorable if not a little annoying at times from the perspective of a man and a father. Now, she seemed so…shut down. Formidable. He wasn't disarmed because of what she had done to him, no, wiping his memory was a pre-emptive protective measure. He had been in the military long enough to know when and what protective actions needed to be taken. He was disarmed by the way she seemed to drag from room to room, as if she was waiting for the next bad thing to happen. He hated the way she flinched at loud noises. He hated the nightmares she now had; her screaming had caused him to run to her room several times over the course of the summer before school. He hated how she avoided places they used to go as a family, like the forest of Dean, or the shops on Tottenham Court Road—she not only avoided the places but was distinctly terrified to go near them. She would become so agitated, if they even went in that direction, that Micheal and Harmony would have to take her home.
He was scared of her. Hermione had never really told Micheal or Harmony what had happened during the war, but Micheal had been a soldier for a long time. Something horrible had happened. He knew the signs. She was suffering from something that had many names over the years: The Shakes, Shellshock. It was commonly known as a soldier's affliction after a prolonged period of exposure to war. His daughter had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The wizarding world had given his daughter a condition usually reserved for those who had seen horrors so severe and on such a regular basis that it affected the way they functioned…and he hated the wizarding world for it. Micheal had seen several of his buddies succumb to it, he remembered watching them walk through the streets like ghosts, flinching at car horns, the looks of utter fear at the most mundane of occurrences. He remembered how helpless he felt to help his friends, how nothing seemed to work at the time. But most of all, he remembered the end result of living with such an affliction, to live in a constant state of fear. He remembered the consequences his friends' had suffered. And now, his daughter had it. His only child. Nothing he did seemed to help. He was just as helpless, just as inept as before. He was living in constant fear of the end result of her affliction. If he couldn't get her the help she needed, he wasn't sure how much longer Hermione could survive like this, and the thought of associating his daughter with the idea of survival was destroying him. He wasn't scared of his daughter. He was terrified.
So, until he and Harmony could find a way to get her into the proper kind of help, he just gave her whatever she wanted. "Sure…Hermione. A party sounds very nice." Mr. Granger said, looking over to his wife who still wasn't so convinced coddling Hermione would snap her out of her 'condition'.
Hermione smiled and ate some sausage.
Harry smiled. It would seem the Grangers were having a rather touching if not slightly awkward moment. "You're more than welcome to hang around with us!"
Mrs. Granger stared at Hermione for a little longer before turning to Harry, "Hang around? Don't be silly dear, no one wants their parents hanging out at their party. Mr. Granger and I will stay out of the way in the kitchen; see if we can't cook up some real muggle themed dishes for your guests. Erm… how many people do you think it will be Hermione?"
Hermione sat up in her chair. She had never really thought about it, but she had sort of…invited the whole school. If they all showed up, it would be hundreds of people. She bit her lip. "Eh…I'm not exactly sure, but I'm planning for a uh…sizable amount. Might have to…expand the back yard a bit. Put up some silencing charms…"
Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at each other with clear apprehension. Neither liked the idea of using magic on the neighbors, particularly Micheal, who had come to distrust the magical world. Still, his daughter was a fully-grown witch and he had to accept that magic was a part of her life and therefore a part of his. He bit his lip, "Erm…ok. Just let your mother and I know what you need." He finished slowly.
Hermione smiled widely, which in turn made Mr. and Mrs. Granger smile widely.
"I'll be home in a little while, I'll be staying over at The Burrow for the rest of this week but I'll pop in and out and be home for Christmas." Hermione said.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked disappointed.
"You'll be staying…at the Weasley's?" Mr. Granger said, and his head turned slowly to Ron and his eyes narrowed. Ron, bless his heart, stared down at his plate with laser-like focus.
"Hermione…you've barely been home. We were hoping you would spend break here…with your family. Your friends are all welcome to stay as well! I can make up the guest bedrooms and the den!"
Harry started to think about the offer when Hermione answered, "Not this week. Maybe next week." Her reply came out so finite that it made Harry feel a bit sad for the Grangers. "Anyway, we should head off."
"Um…" Mrs. Granger started but Hermione was up out of her seat and walking before Harmony could get a word in edge-wise. The entire room seemed to be throbbing with awkwardness that made all the china figurines and doily decorations that so littered the cute little dining room seem like a weird joke.
Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably. What had just happened? Harry felt like he had been asking himself that question over and over again for months. Still, there was no denying that Hermione was behaving strangely at the moment. "Eh, thank you for breakfast Mr. and Mrs. Granger, it was amazing."
Mr. and Mrs. Granger smiled towards Harry but the sincerity was lost in their eyes.
The gang clambered by the front door sometime later, pulling on jackets and boots and making general conversation about the day. Harry was in the living room, looking for a scarf he had hoped he hadn't forgotten at Sam's, when he felt someone tap his shoulder. Harry swung around to see Mr. Granger standing behind him looking somewhat put out.
"Oh…Hi Mr. Granger." Harry said, rubbing the back of his own neck.
"Hello Harry." Mr. Granger replied, putting his hands into the pockets of his meticulously pressed khakis. They both stood awkwardly for a moment.
"Eh, well I hope you enjoy your time at the Weasley's." Mr. Granger started and his face started to turn red. "Arthur has always been quite the character.
"Uh. Thanks sir." Harry replied.
"You can call me Micheal." Mr. Granger said, trying to sound warm.
"Thanks…Micheal." Both Harry and Mr. Granger made a pained face.
"Ok, maybe Mr. Granger would be more comfortable for both of us." Micheal said, smiling.
Harry chuckled. "Thanks, Mr. Granger."
Mr. Granger stood a little longer, looking around the room awkwardly. Harry arched an eyebrow.
"Did, uh, did you want to ask me something?" Harry said, moving a half a step closer to Mr. Granger.
Mr. Granger scrunched his face a bit and craned his neck to look around Harry to look at the cavalcade of young adults preparing to step out into the world. Finally, his gaze came back to Harry as he sighed in what seemed to be a decision he had just made.
"As I understand it Harry, Hermione is quite close to you—like a brother she always said." Mr. Granger looked at Harry deeply now and it made Harry squirm. Harry and Hermione HAD always looked at each other as siblings…until the events of the last couple of months. They had avoided each other rather successfully since the 'almost' moment in Harry's bedroom and, recently, everything had been so crazy that Harry barely had time to pontificate about the more NON-sibling like side of Hermione. For example, the way she crossed her legs during classes, how one leg would bounce up and down, up and down, up and down…He wished he could be that bottom leg…
"Dammit." Harry muttered.
"I'm sorry?" Mr. Granger replied, looking around as if he were afraid of being caught for doing something.
"Eh…nothing sir… Mr. Granger… Um, yea, she's like my sister!" Harry blurted out, blushing at how repulsive he suddenly felt.
Mr. Granger nodded, then bent down to pick up a throw pillow on his squishy and yet dignified azul couch. He played with it nervously, squeezing and pulling it repeatedly. "Well, Harry, you've always seemed like a very nice boy…well, except for the fact that you turned my daughter into a war fugitive…"
Harry coughed awkwardly and started to sweat a bit. Mr. Granger, while nice, was a formidable man. He was 6'4 with an unnatural neatness, most likely a by-product of his years in the service- which surprised Harry. His clothes were always business casual, even at home. Harry wondered if he had a special closet just for sweater vests. He seemed like a nice enough bloke but he held himself in a certain structured manner that he didn't particularly try to cover up because why would he?
Harry was interrupted by Mr. Granger's pat on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know you didn't choose to have the events of the last couple years happen to you and you've been through so much. Mrs. Granger and I…well, we are really proud of you. We hope you know you will always have a place here if you need it."
Harry blushed, partially out of appreciation for Mr. Granger's kind words, but also out of embarrassment. Mr. Granger was not the particularly mushy type. "Erm, thank you sir."
Harry continued to stand awkwardly for a while. Mr. Granger cleared his throat audibly. Harry turned around to see a slightly blushing Mr. Granger with his hands shoved in his pockets. Harry cocked his head to the side. "So…was there something you'd like to talk to me about sir?"
Mr. Granger smirked slightly, "I'm glad you brought it up Harry."
Harry rolled his eyes slightly.
"Eh…I suppose you have noticed that Hermione has been a bit…different?" Mr. Granger started, his hands unconsciously left his pockets and started to wring themselves.
"Um…sir?" Harry replied. He had most certainly been noticing it. For one, she was now far more sexy and in control than Harry had ever seen and it made him want to jump her bones. However, he had also been noticing some not so nice changes in her. She was stoic, nervous, and extremely pensive. Hermione had always been a thinker of course, but not quite so silent and wrapped up in herself. Plus, what Ron had said in their meeting with Clavicula had some merit. Hermione did seem a lot angrier, easily irritated, and defensive. He supposed, however, that this was just a by-product of the last years of war. He supposed she would snap out of it eventually.
"Harry. Harmony and I, well, we are concerned. Hermione…she hasn't been herself. She's been acting…well, needless to say since you all go to boarding school, Harmony and I certainly can't keep a watch on her…that is to say, we can't support her the way we'd like…" Mr. Granger rambled.
Harry shifted in place. "Sir…you're losing me."
Micheal Granger blew out a hard breath. Clearly, he was not comfortable discussing this with Harry even if he was her best friend. Still, he knew it had to be done. "Harry…Harmony would like you to keep an eye on Hermione. And er…I also think it would be a good idea. We're just worried about her and since we can't be there…we were hoping that perhaps you could…make sure she's ok, that she doesn't…do anything."
Harry arched an eyebrow. "Do anything? Like what?"
Micheal Granger coughed, clearly stalling. "Just…anything. Maybe you could owl us? Let us know how things are going?"
Harry's head was spinning. Were things this serious? Were Hermione's parents THAT worried? Were they seeing things Harry wasn't? It seemed like everyone BUT Harry was seeing things. Big colossal things that necessitated intervention. Harry wasn't sure why he was so surprised. Ron had said it, Katara had noticed it, Clavicula based an entire meeting on it. No, it wasn't that he hadn't noticed Hermione had changed; it was more like he was sick with himself for not taking it as seriously as everyone else. Hell, she almost killed Ginny.
Ginny.
Harry shook his head, "Uh, yea I can do that Mr. Granger. But…are you sure I should be doing this? I mean, if you're that concerned…" Harry couldn't finish the thought. What COULD they do? Take her out of school? The one place where Hermione was her happiest? Harry would be lying if he said there weren't other more selfish reasons for why he wouldn't want the Grangers to take Hermione out of school and, frankly, he'd like to see them TRY. He continued, "Eh…Yea, I'll look out for her, send you updates when I can."
Mr. Granger nodded in a relieved manner. Harry supposed it must have taken a lot for him to talk about this. Harry had to put his mind at ease somehow.
"You know, the school has called in a specialist to help the student body deal with…well…the last couple of years." Harry started quietly, sneaking glances at Mr. Granger.
Mr. Granger looked around his comfortable living room, his eyes resting on the bookcase by the window, the one that housed various books and pictures of their little family. "Is that so? I didn't think the magical world dealt in that department. Are they…any good?" Mr. Granger looked Harry right in the eye as he asked that last question.
Harry thought for a moment. Was Clavicula any good? He had known the bloke for all of a day. Still, Harry couldn't deny that their impromptu 'healing' session didn't strike a chord with each of them in one way or another. Harry couldn't say he wasn't somewhat intrigued by what could be gleaned from the pensieve Clavicula carried around. Harry bit his lip for a moment before meeting Mr. Granger's penetrating gaze. "Yes sir…I think he will be."
Mr. Granger nodded. He briefly patted Harry on the shoulder but Harry found that it wasn't as rigid and uncomfortable as it usually was.
"Well Harry, I won't hold you up any longer. I know you kids have loads to do." Mr. Granger smiled warmly at Harry, turning slightly to head towards the foyer where everyone else was getting ready to brave the slushy British winter, then he turned and looked at Harry, "Oh…and if at all possible, keep an eye on Weasley."
Harry laughed. "I'll try sir." Harry wanted to say that it was HIM that Mr. Granger should probably keep an eye on, but he didn't see any reason to enlighten him on that fact.
Harry re-entered the crowed foyer and grabbed the coat Hermione was handing him.
"What were you and my dad talking about?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrowed a bit.
"Hmm?" Harry stalled. "Oh, he was asking me who I thought would take the cup this year. He's got his heart set on Liverpool but I dunno."
Harry had become good at lying as of late.
"Hmm." Hermione replied before eying her parents warily. They smiled back at her warmly as they watched the kids exit their home. She walked over to them and gave them both a hug. "See you in a little while."
"See you soon love." Harmony Granger replied, kissing her daughter on the cheek.
"Be safe, Hermione." Micheal Granger continued and his eyes held fear in them.
And as the house emptied and the door closed, The Grangers stood helplessly in each other's arms, placing their small yet monumental hopes in The Boy Who Lived.
…
Lazy winter days at The Burrow had always been a special treat for Harry. He spent most of his Christmas holidays at Hogwarts, and while he loved it, he couldn't say that anything topped the Weasley family Christmas tree or the non-stop parade of cakes, pies, and treats that floated through the house, offering themselves to the guests. Sokka found it downright terrifying, sprinting away from the trays that nudged him in mid-air. But that wasn't the only weird thing about Sokka this holiday. Since they had arrived back at the Burrow, Sokka had been acting strangely. Every time Harry saw him he seemed to be carrying something, the size of which increased as the days wore on. Since they had returned, Harry had watched Sokka carrying around an assortment of odd doo-dads that he really had no earthly reason to be carrying around. Sometimes Sokka would have something small like a candlestick, other times he'd have something big like a French horn. Once, he had a polished silver tray with what looked to be dirty laundry heaped on it. Whenever Harry asked, Sokka would just wave him off and speed off to some unknown destination. It was starting to really creep Harry out and he wasn't the only one.
"Why does Sokka have a stuffed vulture with a sombrero?" Ron asked one day as he, Harry, and Hermione hung stockings at the request of Molly. The gang watched as Sokka roamed around aimlessly as if he was looking for something. Sokka briefly bumped into Katara, who was folding sheets.
"Sokka! WHAT is that? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Katara almost yelled, she looked around hoping that Sokka's weirdness wasn't upsetting their hosts.
Sokka looked panicked for a moment. "Uh…oh well you know." Was all Sokka awkwardly muttered before bolting out of the room.
Katara turned to Harry, Ron and Hermione and threw her hands up in the air in an exasperated manner. Hermione chuckled as she shrugged back to Katara.
"We should really find out what he's up to." Hermione murmured as she straightened out Harry's stocking.
Harry shrugged. Sokka wasn't the only person behaving strangely. Hermione was acting weird as well, not her usual weird that everyone seemed to be worried about, but an entirely different kind of weird. Hermione was becoming increasingly interested in Team Avatar's bending. She had started asking them to bend when no one was around. It is normal to have a curiosity for a kind of magic that you'd never seen before, but Hermione was the one that had been adamant about making sure Team Avatar weren't discovered. She hadn't so much as BREATHED a word about bending for some time and now, suddenly, she couldn't get enough of it?
Plus, Katara was walking around like someone had kicked her favorite puppy in the face. She had a look of utter confusion and a bit of fear. Whenever Harry would ask her about it, she would smile widely and say everything was fine and go about her business. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hide her mannerisms. Frankly, since Aang's blow-up in the head suite over Katara's bullying situation that she neglected to tell anyone about, Harry didn't really believe a word out of her mouth when it came to her feelings.
Toph had also been fairly clumsy as of late, she kept tripping over things, bumping into people and Harry attributed it to the cramped, cluttered conditions of the Weasley household. She was becoming extremely irritated by the whole thing, snapping on people in a way that wasn't her usual, snarky, good-natured sarcasm, but was actually cutting and mean. Just the other day she had bumped into Sokka, who happened to be holding a flamingo statue with a sign around its neck that read simply, 'Frank'.
"Dammit Sokka, I know that you're usually pretty useless when important things need to be done, normally I would just tell you to leave it up to the benders who can actually get things accomplished but since walking is a pretty basic thing I'm just gonna go ahead and tell you, FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME, to watch where the hell you're going and hope that your extremely average brain can handle it."
The whole group was on hand to watch it and Team Avapotter stood horrified as Toph walked out of the room. Harry didn't know much about insults in Team Avatar's world but he instinctually felt like Toph's comment was a low blow and his perception was validated by the looks of shock on Team Avatar's faces, particularly Sokka, who looked so humiliated that Harry couldn't stand to look at him more than a couple seconds. Eventually, at the urging of Katara, Toph grumbled an apology but it was still a pretty unfortunate occurrence.
Harry found himself looking forward to Christmas. The closer they got, the more festive and happy everything seemed to be. Christmas was always so magical in the Weasley household, and who couldn't do with a little magic at the moment? Harry turned to see that Ron and Hermione had finished Mrs. Weasley's task and were now doing their own thing. Hermione had her face engrossed in "The Journal of Trans-dimensional Magic" which Harry hadn't seen in a while. Ron was by the fireplace, polishing his broom and sneaking glances at her from time to time.
Finally, Hermione broke the silence, "Where did Katara go?"
Harry turned to see she was no longer folding sheets but the backdoor was conspicuously open. "I think she's in the yard."
Hermione bit her lip. "I have to ask her something. Come on." Hermione looked at both Harry and Ron to join her, which seemed to surprise Ron, as he almost dropped his broom.
They made their way outside to see Katara standing by the lake. Hermione jogged up to her. "Hi!"
Katara jerked around, clearly startled. "Oh…hi…"
Hermione didn't seem to notice her discomfort. "What are you doing?"
Katara looked concerned. She dragged her fingers through her hair and looked out at the little lake that sat adjacent to the apple orchard. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Wealsey left for some place called Diagon Alley."
Ron perked up. "Oh yea, we should take you all there if we have time."
Katara smiled but it didn't translate to her demeanor. "Yea. Well, I thought I'd catch up on some bending while they were out."
Hermione smiled. "Oh, that sounds lovely, mind if we watch?"
Katara nodded reluctantly and turned out to the lake. Slowly, she dragged her hands back and forth and eventually, the water began to push and pull.
"Brilliant." Ron murmured.
Katara slowly lifted her hand and a small stream of water rose from the lake. Team Potter's eyes widened, and yet Katara let out an exasperated sigh and flung her hands to the side, the water moved sideways a fraction before falling limply back into the lake. Katara's lips trembled and she looked down at her hands as if to say 'useless'. She plopped down on the hard dirt.
Hermione looked at Katara with a kind of curiosity mixed with pity for her. "So…I've been meaning to ask you…how goes the bending? I know it's been a while."
Katara looked up at Hermione for a moment. She opened her mouth, then closed it and stared back at the ground looking as though she would burst into tears.
Suddenly, Aang flew out of the apple orchard on a broomstick he had unofficially 'borrowed' from Mrs. Weasley's broom cupboard. He spotted the gang instantly and flew to the lake. The giant smile on his face seemed to fade as he saw Katara sitting on the banks looking forlorn.
"What's going on?" Aang inquired as he ran up to Katara.
Katara just shook her head.
Hermione's face softened and she kneeled down and rested her hand on Katara's shoulder. "What's going on with your bending Katara?" Hermione's mannerisms echoed that of a supportive friend, but her eyes looked more investigative than anything.
Katara shook her head again. "It's nothing."
Hermione plopped down next to her, "Remember? No more secrets? We can't help if you don't tell us."
"YOU CAN'T HELP!" Katara snapped, causing everyone to reel back. Katara's whole body became rigid and her mouth sat wide open as she realized what she had just done. "I'm…I'm sorry."
Aang fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around her immediately. "What's wrong? Tell me."
Katara pursed her lips. "It's…it's my bending. It's weak. It's been getting weaker and weaker. I was trying to make a wave just now but…I can't."
Hermione narrowed her eyebrows. "Do you think it's because you haven't done it in a while?"
Katara sighed. "No. I've been bending secretly for a while." She looked at Team Potter apologetically. "It's not like riding a horsechicken. You have to practice."
Ron narrowed his eyes. "What…" He muttered. Sometimes Team Avatar just said things as if everyone in the world should instantly understand it.
Katara chuckled. "You know, like, there are some things that, once you learn them, you can always do instantly. Other things you have to practice, otherwise you get rusty."
"Right." Ron said nodding slowly.
Katara looked out into the barren apple orchard, which had a light dusting of snow from the morning. "Well, I've been practicing my bending since I got here. It's getting worse and worse. I don't understand…"
Aang hugged her tightly. "Maybe you've got a chi block?"
Katara pressed her lips together. "Well, I tried to scan for one but my healing abilities are going too."
Soon, Katara burst into a tiny sob. "I don't understand…"
Harry was flabbergasted. What did this mean? Was Katara sick? Was this how benders got sick?
Hermione, however, looked pensive. She motioned for Harry and Ron to sit, which they quickly obliged.
Hermione started slowly, "Katara…how long has this been going on?"
Katara stared at the ground. "About a three weeks after we got here."
Hermione looked off for a moment, as if she was deciding on something. "Eh…I don't think it's just you Katara."
Katara looked up at Hermione for a moment, clearly confused.
Hermione continued, "Well, I just…I don't think it's just you who are getting…rusty."
Katara cocked her head to the side. "Aang just flew here perfectly on a broom. His bending doesn't seem to be effected."
Hermione looked at Aang for a moment. "Aang?"
Aang was confused before finally cottoning on to what Hermione was asking him to do. He kissed Katara on the temple before standing. Without warning, Aang launched himself into the air via bending, landing some distance away before launching himself back to his original position by the gang.
"See? His bending is fine." Katara started.
Aang stood for a moment, trying to catch his breath. He bent over before plopping back down on the ground.
"You're winded." Hermione said.
Harry and Ron looked at each other, completely lost.
Aang looked a bit off put. "Yea."
"You didn't used to get winded." Hermione continued.
Aang looked up at Hermione as if she was about to shatter his world. "No."
Hermione nodded her head. "I first noticed when you got on Appa, when we were following the express back to King's Cross. The first time I saw you bend, you flew to the quidditch pitch and back and you looked perfectly fine. Now, whenever you bend, you get winded."
Fear started to creep into Aang's eyes. He looked down at the ground. "Yea."
Hermione looked back at the house. "And Toph keeps bumping into things."
"What?" Katara and Aang asked in unison.
Hermione didn't seem to notice; the wheels in her mind were already turning. "She sees with her feet. She's connected to the Earth…but if something was happening to her bending…she would…be going blind…like REALLY blind."
"WHAT?" Katara and Aang almost yelled, again, in unison.
Ron perked up, as something finally clicked into place. "Your bending is going away!"
It was an extremely crass way of putting it.
Aang and Katara looked horrified and skeptical. It was a skepticism bred more from fear than an understanding of the situation.
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron, but there was something in them that indicated that she was somewhat impressed. She continued, "Well…I'm not totally sure." She pulled out The Journal of Trans-Dimensional Magic . "According to this…the properties of magic are relative. Relative to the dimension that defines them. The properties of bending are probably a lot different, physically, than the properties of magic…in this dimension."
Katara looked livid. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY BENDING'S GOING AWAY!"
Hermione reeled back a bit. "Katara, calm down, there's more to this."
"MORE TO THIS?!" Katara exploded. "ALL I CARE ABOUT, HERMIONE IS THE FACT THAT YOU SEEM TO BE TELLING ME I WON'T BE ABLE TO BEND!"
Hermione looked at Katara softly. "I…I'm just not sure yet."
"Wait. If Aang was losing his bending, how come he's able to fly a broom so well? He never looks winded after a fly!" Harry announced, partially because he could tell that this news was not only abrupt, but also terrifying to Team Avatar and he wanted to introduce some hope into the situation.
Hermione shrugged. "See…that's why I'm not so sure what's happening. It's not just the broomstick either…their wands…"
"The sticks? What about them?" Aang replied, he reached around to his back and felt the stick that he had very carefully attached to his belt.
Hermione looked lost for a moment. "Have you ever… felt them?"
"What? Why would I feel a stick?" Aang said, becoming frustrated. Was that code for something?
Hermione bit her lip. "Ok, let's put it this way: Have you ever left them anywhere?"
Aang and Katara looked at each other. The answer, of course, was no. They hadn't so much as let those damn sticks out of their sight. Katara thought it was because she didn't want to risk losing them. Professor McGonagall had, very graciously, allowed them to borrow the wands and it would be awful to have to tell their hosts that they had lost them, especially since wands seemed to be pretty powerful, dangerous things. But there was something else too. She felt really uncomfortable when the wand wasn't near her. She had to ensure nothing would happen to it. She looked at Aang and she could see that he felt the same way.
"No." Aang said quietly.
Hermione stared blankly at the two for a moment.
"Uh…Hermione?" Harry chimed in, wondering what that brilliant brain of hers was working out.
"Magic is relative." Hermione stated simply. "Maybe it's never really gone…just…malleable."
"Ok…" Ron muttered.
Hermione shook her head as if it was a coconut. "When will we be heading to Luna's?"
Harry quirked an eyebrow at her. "What…" Then it hit Harry. Aluitious Lovegood. "I can owl her now and see if they're up for a visit tomorrow." There were multiple copies of the Journal of Trans-Dimensional Magic. Alutitious Lovegood had been to Team Avatar's world. Perhaps the answers to these new questions lied in The Rook.
Ron groaned. "I hate Xenophilious Lovegood."
Hermione was about to give Ron a piece of her mind when he continued,
"But…I suppose he could help us figure out what the bloody hell McGonagall was going on about in her office."
Hermione, again, looked impressed.
Katara and Aang, however, looked terrified.
Then Hermione felt guilty. "Look…we don't know the full details yet. Let's…let's just wait until we get more information before we jump to conclusions. I'm really sorry for bringing it up…I just needed some context."
"Well, I hope you got it." Katara grumbled. She glared at Hermione before reminding herself that she was just trying to help. Really, it did feel a tad better having an idea of what was happening, even if it also felt a thousand times worse knowing that they might lose a central part of themselves. "I'm sorry."
Hermione shook her head. "Don't be. I'd be scared too. Still, it might not be what it looks like."
Aang sat stoically for a moment. Very unlike him. He briefly stared at the broom he was riding and wondered if it was safe for him to keep riding it, seeing as how he might be losing his bending. But hadn't they just said that his broom flying didn't seem to be effected? For that matter, if he lost his bending, would he still be the Avatar? It took him more than a hundred years to finally accept what he was, to accept the price he had to pay for it, and to accept his destiny. Now, once again, his destiny was changing and everything seemed as unclear as ever.
"I guess we should tell Toph." Katara said quietly. She sat for a little while, mulling over the idea, she balked. "Or…maybe we'll wait until we get back from The Lovegood's?" Katara didn't know if she could do it. Toph's bending meant a great deal more to her existence. Without it, the world would be drastically different for her in a very basic sense, which is—more often than not—the most profound. No, Katara needed to be sure.
Aang sighed. "I need some air." Aang's heart thudded in his ribcage when he said the word 'air'. He hopped up, using a little bending, and now hated and feared the fact that he was winded. He walked off.
Katara watched him go sadly. "I should talk to him." She got up, smiled at Team Potter and ran to catch up to him.
…
Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny eventually found themselves all sitting awkwardly in the Weasley living room making popcorn streamers for more decorations. The discoveries of the day had weighed heavily on The Golden Trio so, when Molly had saddled them with this task, none of them were particularly jovial about it. Ginny also sat quietly, no doubt attributing their behavior to the new found awkwardness that now came to define their group interactions. In sum, it was weird.
But not as weird as Sokka. Team Avatar were scattered throughout the house, Aang and Katara were still walking around the grounds, Toph was in the kitchen squeezing her toes against the floor and looking irritated. Sokka was walking around, this time holding a mid-sized ornate chandelier. Ron cocked his head up to stare at him.
"That's it." Ron muttered. "Oi!"
Sokka backtracked into the room. "Oi?"
"What…are you doing?" Ron said, soon everyone in the room was looking at Sokka with questioning eyes. Even with everything going on, Sokka's behavior had become the biggest mystery of the holidays.
Sokka's face perked up. "Oh…just…doing…stuff." With that Sokka started to make a hasty retreat.
"Oi! Not so fast!" Ron said, Harry leaned forward in his seat.
Sokka re-entered the room as if it was Ron who was acting unreasonably.
Ron took a slow step forward. "Mate. What are you doing? Where are you going? Where are you getting all these…items from?"
Sokka looked around the room for a moment, clearly trying to come up with something to say.
"And don't give some vague answer either." Harry chimed in. "What are you playing at, mate?"
Sokka opened his mouth and it hung open for an oddly long time before he let out a long, obscene sigh. He carefully set down the chandelier and shoved his hands into the pockets of the jeans Ron had loaned him.
Ron smirked. "Sorry mate, it's just—whatever you're hiding—you're not doing a, eh, strictly professional job of it."
Sokka smirked. "Okay, okay. I'm looking for someone. I gotta give this to 'em.
Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny just looked at him.
Sokka rolled his eyes. "Fine, here's the whole story. I'm looking for your brother. I'm spose to give this to him but I can't tell anyone because your family is so serious. It's an inside joke."
"Mate. I'm not following this at all." Ron replied.
Sokka sighed dramatically. "When we first got here, George gave me a mirror, he asked me to give it to your brother Fred."
Team Potter gasped in horror.
"Yea, I thought it was weird too." Sokka said. "He said it was an inside joke and the family would get mad if they knew about it. I didn't think it was a big deal but when I found Fred, he asked me to give George some 'special' candlesticks he had bewitched, said it was top secret. Well, I didn't want to upset your brothers or your family, so I just delivered them to George. Then George asked me to deliver something else to Fred. "
Team Potter looked utterly bewildered, Herminone's fingers twitch along the seams of her seater. Ron's breathing looked shallow, and Hary looked utterly flummoxed.
Sokka ruhed on, "Don't get me wrong, I was starting to get really tired of being their personal hawk service but I guess it felt kind of cool being in on all these inside secrets. Plus, me and your brothers had some pretty wild conversations. Were you at Hogwarts when Fred and George left a portable swamp in the corridor? I'm not a big fan of swamps anymore but that sounds pretty flamin. Anyway, I was just delivering this chandelier to Fred, George says that when I find him I should ask about the time George and Harry got banned from Quidditch for clocking Draco in the face. Sorry Harry, but I kind of want to hear that story. Plus, Fred has some chocolate frogs which I would marry if I could…" Sokka went off rambling before finally being interrupted by Ron.
"Eh…Sokka…" Ron started.
Sokka looked startled for a moment before looking at Ron.
"Did…did we never tell you what happened to our brother Fred?" Ron started and a lump started to rise in his throat. He had told Sokka that he had lost a brother in the war, but he never said which brother.
"No. I'm sure Fred will tell me eventually." Sokka laughed abruptly and Ron and Ginny looked like they were being sliced with a knife with each 'ha'.
"Sokka, listen to me!" Ron said, trying to fight back tears.
Sokka finally looked at Ron and his face turned to chagrin. Ron looked like he was about to breakdown. "What?"
Ron sucked in a deep breathe. It had been a year since he had spoken about Fred. A year since they put his body in the ground. A year since he saw Fred speak his last words before an explosion changed their destinies. A destiny without Fred.
Ron began. "Sokka. Last year, there was a battle at Hogwarts that brought about the end of the war."
"Right." Sokka nodded.
"My entire family fought in that battle, along with Harry and Hermione." Ron continued.
"Yea." Sokka said, concern starting to creep on his face.
Ron didn't know how to continue. How does one tell someone something like this? "My brother Fred…he died in the battle. He's been dead for over a year."
Sokka's face contorted to a number of expressions. First was amusement, then confusion, then realization, then disgust, then confusion again. "Wait…what?"
"Fred has been dead for over a year." Ron said, his voice cracking as he said it.
Sokka still wasn't processing it. "But… I've been seeing him all break."
Ron shook his head in confusion. "I think you've just been seeing George this whole time."
"Right." Sokka said slowly. "I've been seeing them both."
"No." Ron continued steadily. "You've been seeing George. Only George."
Sokka had a look of utter confusion before he cottoned on to what Ron was saying. "But…why would George say he was Fred?" Sokka said and suddenly his face lit up with a kind of horrified realization. "Are you…are you telling me George has been pretending to be his…dead twin brother?"
Ron nodded his head, a sort of confused disgusted look crossed his face.
Sokka ran his fingers through his hair in complete confusion and disbelief before exploding, "WHO WOULD DO THAT?! THAT'S SICK! WHY WOULD HE DO THAT?!"
Ron shrugged. It was morbid. It was crass. It was disgusting. "Yea…George hasn't been right since Fred was killed."
Sokka looked down at the chandelier and let out a sort of horrified gasp, pointing at it with a shaking finger and never uttering a word.
"Why would George do that?" Ginny murmured, too shocked to say anything else.
Ron plopped down on the couch next to Hermione. "I dunno. Although it does seem like something they would do."
"What? You think George is that morbid? Whose they?" Harry chimed in.
Ron was lost in thought. "The twins. Pretending to be one another was something they did all the time."
"It's still…awful." Hermione murmured quietly, not looking at Ron.
Ron shook his head. "Yea…but really when was the last time George played a prank on anyone since Fred died?"
The gang sat in silence for a while. Harry and Hermione still seemed flummoxed, but Ginny looked pensive, as if she was following Ron's line of thought.
"He's been so…cold and closed off. Not like himself. No pranks, no jokes." Ron started. "I mean, don't get me wrong, the prank he played on Sokka was pretty sick but…it's classic Fred and George."
Ginny nodded. "That's the most George has behaved like himself in months."
Ron nodded completely lost in thought, "Really, I'm sort of relieved. George pulled a prank. I mean…that's progress right?" He turned to Ginny who seemed to understand.
"Yea…plus, he's been talking to Sokka about Fred. He hasn't spoken so much as a breath about Fred in months." Ginny continued.
Ron scratched his chin. "He's pulling pranks and talking about Fred…it's a start. Even if it is a…messed up one. He…he might be alright…in the end, I mean."
The room was oddly quiet. Ron and Ginny were smiling, the small kind of smiles that indicated a sad kind of hope.
Sokka watched the siblings for a moment, he watched the look of temporary relief cross their faces and he sighed, he knew what he had to do. He walked over to the chandelier and picked it up.
Ron was snapped out of his thoughts. "What are you doing?"
Sokka heaved the chandelier up and turned to face Ron. "I'm going to go find Fred, so I can give this to him."
Ron looked confused, "But…mate, we just said-"
"I heard what you said." Sokka interrupted, he smiled knowingly at them before exiting the room.
In that moment, Ron had never been more grateful for a friend like Sokka and something told him George probably felt the same way.
Author's Note. It's been forever kids. I will never give up on this story, but in the end, my job and life take precedent. I can understand if people are irritated by the wait but this is something I do for for fun and practice and Im not being paid for it. I am, however, being paid to conduct psychological research and thus that is what rules my time. I consider that an honor. Anywho, I wont go into a long explanation, we are fleshing out some questions that have been brought up in previous chapters. As always, I have left some Easter Egg quotes (and not just from ATLA, so far I have incorporated quotes from The Little Mermaid and Scrubs...among other shows) to see if people recognize them. Big shoutouts to my Beta Kate and everyone who has stuck around. If you are a fan of Scorpius/Rose, I wrote a synopsis a while ago that I hope you will check out and give feedback. As for this story, it will continue until the very end. I have dedicated too much time and have gathered a really chill, laid back, and appreciative fanbase whom I owe an ending and a sequel. So we will keep it coming. I have been writing this for two years! I can't believe it sometimes, and over the course of this endeavor I have heard some absolutely wonderful and constructive feedback and have had some fun debates about plot and structure which I would like to continue. Thanks for checking out this story and giving me some fabulous reviews that have really kept me going, and at times, given me a sense of self-worth when life stuff has really gotten me down. I suppose at the end of this I will thoroughly salute you the way you deserve. Right, so reviews are immensely appreciated but not obligatory. Next up, we have Malfoy Manor revelations and the return of a certain dream. Later kids.