I don't own Harry Potter, or any related characters, and I'm not making any money off this.

A/N: Thank you all for your support as I continue writing. Glad to have y'all along for the ride.

Special thanks to CaseLynn for acting as beta for this chapter.

9 Lives

By: Time Keeper

Chapter 8: The Final Countdown

#/# November 28, 1994 #/#

Harry and Hermione enter the Great Hall and proceed to sit amongst the fourth-year Gryffindors. "Does this mean what I think it means?" Neville asks, pointing to the two of them back in their Hogwarts robes.

Harry nods. "Yes, we are officially Hogwarts students again."

"So you'll be joining us for Herbology?" Ron asks.

"No, we have to get permission from the professors before we can rejoin classes." Harry answers.

"Can't McGonagall just tell them to let you back in?" Ron asks.

"It's Headmistress McGonagall, and no, it doesn't work that way." Hermione explains. "Each professor is allowed to set prerequisites for their classes starting from third-year onward. For the majority of the classes, it's just passing the previous year."

"Which you did." Ron interrupts, causing Hermione to glare at him.

Hermione clears her throat. "As I was saying. If something causes you to miss classes, they have the right to make sure you won't hold back the rest of the students."

"But you joined classes right after you were unpetrified in your second year, and you missed months." Ron says, confused.

"It was exam time, and exams had just been canceled, so all we were doing was reviewing what we had learned." Hermione explains. "That made it a lot easier for those of us that were out to catch up."

#/#

Inside the Ministry of Magic, there is a vestibule that leads to several small rooms, each of which contains a fireplace and nothing else. Inside one of these rooms, the fireplace flares up, and Harry steps out of it, followed immediately by Hermione.

After cleaning themselves off, they step into the vestibule, where they see a young woman standing at a desk that bars anyone from going farther in. Not seeing another choice, they step up to the desk.

"Good morning," the woman brightly greets, "What is your business at the ministry today?"

"We need to register our animagus forms." Hermione answered.

The woman hands each of them a business card. "These will direct you to where you need to go. Hold on to them as you will need them to return here."

"Thank you." Harry says as they each take a card. As soon as they do, part of the desk vanishes and they can continue on.

They walk through the labyrinthine Ministry, the cards displaying arrows to tell them which way to go. Eventually they arrive at a door labeled: "Bureau of Animagus Affairs." They push the door open and go inside. The room is fairly small, file cabinets line all the walls, a few feet from the wall opposite the one the entered is a moderately sized desk, with a few chairs sitting in front of it. Sitting at the desk doing paperwork is Percy Weasley.

"Please take a seat, I'll be just a moment." Percy says without looking up. Harry and Hermione sit, and about a minute later Percy finishes, the paperwork flies into one of the nearby file cabinets. "I apologize for that." He says, "how can I help you?" It's only then he looks up. "Harry Potter? Hermione Granger? Shouldn't you two be in class?"

"That's kind of a long story." Harry answers.

"The short of it is that we need to register our animagus forms." Hermione says.

"Both of you?" Percy asks, incredulously.

"Yes, both of us." Harry answers.

"Very well, ladies first, Miss Granger." Percy says as he starts filling out the paperwork.

"Actually, Percy, it's Missus Potter." Hermione corrects.

"Is this some kind of prank?" Percy asks. "Did my brothers talk you into this?"

Without a word, Harry turns into his feline form, then immediately transforms back. "Did that look like a prank?" Harry asks.

#/#

Harry and Hermione sit down just in time for the other students to enter the Great Hall for dinner.

"Hey, did you two hear?" Ron asks.

"Hear what?" Harry asks.

"We're having a Yule Ball as part of the tournament." Lavender says as she sits next to Ron.

They both nod. "Are you two going together?" Harry asks.

Ron turned bright red and appeared to be speechless. "Ron Weasley being speechless, I never thought I'd see the day." Hermione says, and everyone chuckles.

Lavender puts her hand on Ron's arm. "I would be happy to be your date, if you want."

"I'd like that." Ron says slowly.

"Then it's settled." Lavender says.

#/#

After dinner that evening, Harry and Hermione get up with their friends and start to head to the Gryffindor dorms with them. "So where are you two going to sleep?" Ron asks.

"Headmistress McGonagall is having Sirius open up one of the Gryffindor married suites." Hermione replies.

"Why Sirius?" Neville asks as they enter the common room.

"Because I'm the new head of Gryffindor." Sirius answers, surprising most of the students. "Potters, this way please." He leads to the one wall in the common room that is completely bare. Ron and Neville follow behind and watch.

"Marītāre domicile*" Sirius speaks loudly. Part of the wall dissolves into a door. He turns to them. "This door is set magically so that only myself and the Headmistress may open it other than yourselves. The door is enchanted so no sound will go through it either way unless someone is attempting to get your attention."

"Thank you, Sirius." Harry says.

"Mr. Potter, please address me as Professor Black when I'm performing my duties." Sirius says.

"Of course, Professor, I'll be more careful in the future." Harry says.

Sirius nods. "As you are familiar with the rest of the rules, I'll leave you to it."

"What does he mean 'the rest of the rules'?" Ron asks.

"There's a set of rules of decorm for married students." Hermione answers.

"I've never heard about them." Neville says.

"What are they?" Ron asks.

"We were asked not to discuss them." Harry answers.

"So, please don't ask about them again." Hermione says. Ron and Neville nod in response.

#/# December 22, 1994 #/#

Hermione looks up at the waning gibbous moon as she and Harry follow Remus and Sirius. Ahead of them the two Marauders stop at the top of the hill; they catch up to them and look down. There in the middle of the valley sits a small house, more like a shack, even from this distance they can tell it's run-down.

"That's the place," Harry says.

Hermione squeezes Harry's hand. "This is the last one. It's almost over."

Harry nods. "Everyone ready for this?"

Sirius and Remus both draw their wands. "Our wands are yours to command."

"Then let's do this." Hermione says as she leads the way.

#/#

"Stop!" Remus commands, and they all do.

"What is it?" Hermione asks.

"Something smells wrong." Remus answers, "Padfoot."

Sirius shifts into his canine form, sniffs, growls, and then returns to his human form. "There's a curse ahead." Sirius says.

Hermione mutters a spell as she taps the ground with her wand. Just ahead of her, the ground lights up. The light spreads out, covering about a quarter of an acre around the Gaunt house.

"Bloody hell." Harry says.

"You said it." Sirius says. "Any thoughts?"

"We need to know what the curse is." Hermione answers.

"Let's find out." Harry says as he tosses a toadstool into the cursed area.

When nothing happens, Remus speaks. "Must only respond to living things."

Harry grins. "Hermione, would you mind reversing the transfiguration?"

Hermione nods, and returns the toadstool to a toad. The toad doesn't even get to move as the grass rips it apart.

"So, do not touch the grass." Sirius says.

"It's most likely a derivative of the Fumes Curse." Remus explains, "There are runes somewhere on the grounds, carved into the earth itself. We'd never find them at night."

"I have my broom," Harry says. "Two of us can fly over."

"Let's make sure that's safe first" Hermione says before conjuring birds that fly over the line and keep going. "Very well, Harry, you and I will fly over and determine if it is safe to land near the house."

"Wouldn't it be better if it was one of us?" Sirius asks.

"Or both?" Remus asks. "We still have more knowledge and experience than either of you."

"When was the last time either of you flew on a broom?" Harry asks.

Remus and Sirius look at each other. "I suppose it has been a while for either of us." Remus admits.

"So I'll be flying the broom." Harry says, "And I want the person I can rely on the most to be there with me."

Sirius and Remus nod. "We'll stay here and assist if we can then." Remus says.

Harry pulls out a miniature Firebolt broom from inside his robes and makes it full-size. He gets on, then Hermione gets on behind him, gripping him firmly. "Ready?"

Hermione nods. "Let's go!"

Harry flies them towards the house. Soon they come to a copse of trees. Harry stops the broom just shy of them. "Over, around or through?"

Hermione conjures birds, sending them towards the trees. The branches rip the birds apart then start coming towards them, at the same time the grass starts growing towards them. "Get us out of here!" Hermione yells as she grabs onto Harry.

Harry goes to fly them upwards only to find the trees have already created a canopy. He quickly pulls out his wand. "Confringo!" The spell blows a hole in the canopy, the edges of which are on fire. Harry quickly zips through the hole, Hermione gripping him tight. "Are we clear?"

Hermione looks back. "Not even close." She grabs Harry's wand from him and fires spells at the encroaching trees while holding onto him with her other hand.

Harry grabs the Firebolt with both hands and pushes the broom as fast as he dares with Hermione on there with him. Two spells fly past him, and he hears explosions before sees Remus and Sirius standing at the property edge firing off more spells. Harry passes them and slows down, turning around.

"Are we safe?" Hermione asks, then looks around Harry to Sirius and Remus continuing to fire spells, the trees creeping towards them.

"You two flee, we'll keep the trees busy." Sirius says.

"Not this time." Hermione says, then kisses Harry on the cheek before jumping off the broom.

"Hermione!" Harry yells as he watches her shift in mid-air into her cat form and land on her feet. She shifts back into human form, Harry's wand in one hand, her own in the other. She casts a spell with each wand that sends Sirius and Remus both flying.

Harry, still on his broomstick, swoops over and catches Remus. Sirius manages to turn while being thrown and casts a spell to soften his landing. Hermione, without pausing, tosses Harry's wand behind her and starts waving her wand in a complicated pattern. As she does, the air around her begins to crackle with heat.

"Pestis Incendium!" Hermione chants, as she finishes the pattern. A wave of living fire appears with a roar, and it immediately begins attacking the trees.

"That's fiendfyre." Remus observes.

"We had better back away and let her concentrate." Harry says as he flies them back. Sirius realizes the same thing and shifts into Padfoot, then runs towards where Harry and Remus are going.

"This should be far enough." Remus says. Harry lands the broom, and they get off.

Padfoot runs up to them, shifting into Sirius. "What's she doing?" Sirius asks.

"If I had to guess, she's trying to destroy the horcrux along with the property." Remus replies.

The fire burns blisteringly hot, quickly consuming the land, including the house. As the house is consumed, a horrible scream is heard.

Hermione, realizing that she's done what she intended to do, tries to snuff the flame. Harry, from his spot far away, sees the flame envelope her. "Hermoine!"

Hermione realizes she can't control the flames as they completely surround her. "Not again." She says disappointedly, as the fire quickly incinerates her.

#/# Limbo #/#

Hermione awakes in the almost familiar white void. As usual, she lies on the floor. She stands and notices that she isn't in her Hogwarts clothes but a beautiful light green dress. She quickly summons a mirror, but before she can look to see if there's a number above her head, a male voice calls out, "Hermione Potter."

Hermione spins looking for the origin of the voice, "Thanatos, is that you?"

"No," the voice answers. A man steps out of seemingly nowhere. Tall and muscular, with dark curly hair falling down his face and a neatly trimmed beard of the same color, he wears dark robes and carries a staff with two prongs.

"You are Hades, the Greek god of the dead." Hermione gasps.

"I am an avatar, made just for you." Hades says.

"Why?" Hermione asks.

"Thank you." Hades replies. "The being known as Tom Riddle broke all the rules trying to live forever. You ended that."

"We only did what needed to be done." Hermione says. "He would have hunted me and my husband down if we didn't stop him."

"Still, I thank thee." Hades says.

"Then let me return to life." Hermione says.

"You did not look in the mirror?" Hades asks, surprised.

Hermione turns back to the mirror, there above her head is the number 1. "Last life."

"I decree that you shall have a long and happy life." Hades says. "That is the first gift I give to you."

"That really isn't necessary." Hermione says.

"Second," Hades says, ignoring her. "I give to you the dress you wear, when you return you'll find it goes with you. When you are ready to have children, put the dress back on, and let your husband remove it. Only then will you fall pregnant."

Hermione blushes heavily as Hades continues. "My final gift." An envelope appears in his hand, he hands it to Hermione. "You'll know when to open it."

"Thank you, Lord Hades." Hermione says with a curtsey.

"Now, return to the mortal coil." Hades says.

Hermione's form vanishes from Limbo. "Do you think she knows?" A female voice asks.

Hades turns. There stands a strikingly beautiful young woman with wavy golden hair and a heart-shaped face. Her curvy body wears a dress identical to the one Hermione was wearing, and a wreath of budding flowers sits upon her head. "Do I think she knows what, my dear?" Hades asks. "That I am actually Hades or that the dress she is wearing is one of yours?"

#/# December 22, 1994 #/#

"Hermione!" Harry yells.

Hermione wakes hearing her name; a cloud of smoke completely covers the area. She sits up, sees that she is indeed wearing the dress she was wearing in Limbo and her wand is right beside her. She grabs her wand and silently creates a gust of wind to blow the smoke away.

"Hermione," Harry says, obviously relieved. He rushes over and hugs her tightly. "It worked."

Hermione nods as she hugs him back. "It did."

"The fire destroyed the house." Harry says.

"I know." Hermione replies. "It got the horcrux too."

"Thanatos?" Harry asks.

"Hades." Hermione replies.

"Hades?" Harry asks and Hermione nods. "Yeah, somehow that tracks." He lets her go and helps her up. "Let's go home."

#/#

"I need to get out of this dress and take a shower." Hermione states once back in their room.

"Need some help?" Harry asks with a sly grin as he approaches her.

"With the shower, sure." Hermione answers. "But not taking the dress off, at least not yet."

"Yet?" Harry asks.

"I'll explain when I'm ready." Hermione says as she lets the dress pool at her feet. Then she heads towards the bathroom, removing her underthings as she goes. "You coming?"

#/#

At some point later, the two of them lay cuddled together in bed, with Harry holding Hermione tightly. "Are you okay?" Hermione asks.

Harry nods. "I was just wondering what we do next."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asks.

"Well, pretty much since I discovered I was a wizard, I've been fighting Voldemort." Harry explains. "He's gone, so now what?"

"We live." Hermione answers, "We can just enjoy our lives."

"Just enjoy life?" Harry asks, obviously unsure how to do that.

"We'll figure it out together." Hermione says.

"Right." Harry says.

#/# December 24, 1994 #/#

After a nice but uneventful Yule Ball, the night before Harry and Hermione lean against each other as the Hogwarts Express takes them to King's Cross.

"Our first Christmas together." Hermione says as she leans against Harry. Harry nods as he holds her. "Are you okay?"

After a pause, Harry answers. "I'm not sure. Christmas with the Dursleys was not exactly pleasant. Then I had Christmas at Hogwarts."

"Now you're spending Christmas with me and my family." Hermione says. "And you don't know what to expect?"

"Pretty much." Harry says.

"It'll be fine." Hermione promises with a kiss. Harry kisses her back, feeling reassured.

#/#

They step through the barrier and immediately hear a voice call. "Hermione!"

Hermione turns and sees Richard walking towards them. "Daddy!" She says as she runs to him and hugs him tightly.

"I'm glad to see you too." Richard says, hugging her back.

Once Hermione lets go of Richard, Harry steps forward and extends his hand. "Thank you for coming to get us."

Richard grasps Harry's hand. "You're family; you know so. We can hug, if you'd like." Harry nods before hugging him. "See, isn't that better?"

"Thanks, Richard." Harry says after the hug.

"You can call me Dad if you want." Richard says as they walk to the car.

"Maybe, about the time someone is calling you grandpa." Harry teases.

"So no time soon," Hermione says, and they all chuckle as they get into the car.

#/#

"Honey, we're home!" Richard shouts as he walks into the house, Harry and Hermione following him.

"Dinner is almost ready!" Helen shouts in reply.

"Why don't you two go get your things settled?" Richard suggests.

"Come on," Hermione says as she leads the way upstairs to a door that she opens up then steps inside.

Harry steps in behind her, bumping into her. "Hermione, what's the matter?"

"They renovated it for us." Hermione answers, obviously shocked.

Harry looks and sees a queen size bed taking up the majority of the wall opposite them, small nightstands flanking either side of it. The perpendicular walls each have an armoire and bookshelves on them. The wall that has the door they entered has a small desk.

"Surprise!" Richard says behind them, making them jump.

They both turn around. "I can't believe you did this." Hermione says.

"We wanted you to be comfortable while you were here." Richard replies. "We have all your stuff stored in the loft."

"Thanks, Daddy." Hermione says as she hugs him.

"I'll leave you two to actually get settled." Richard says before heading downstairs.

"I can't believe your parents did all this." Harry says as he sits on the bed. "I'm not sure what I expected, but this isn't it."

"All they've ever wanted was my happiness." Hermione says. "This is their way of doing that." She hugs him from behind and he leans into her. "This is what being a family really is."

#/#/#

After putting their things away, Harry and Hermione come downstairs and find Richard setting the table. "Do you need any help?" Harry asks.

"I'm almost done." Richard says. "Dinner should be ready shortly."

"Do you need any help bringing it out?" Harry asks.

"I wouldn't say no." Helen says. Harry nods and follows her back into the kitchen. "How skilled are you in the kitchen?" Helen asks as he follows her.

"I've been cooking for my relatives since I was tall enough to use the stove without getting burnt." Harry answers, with a touch of sadness in his voice.

Helen stops and turns to Harry. "You poor thing." She hugs him.

Harry feels energized, much like Hermione's hugs always made him feel. "Thanks, but I enjoyed some of it, so I really would like to help."

Helen nods. "Would you like to take the roast in and start carving it?"

"Sure." Harry says as he grabs the roast, which was already on a cutting board with a knife.

"I'll be right behind you with the sides." Helen says.

Harry takes the roast to the table where Richard and Hermione are already seated. He places it in the middle of the table and carefully starts cutting. He does't notice the silence until Helen comes into the room with the sides. Harry looks around and sees the stunned expressions on Hermione and Richard's faces. "Did I do something wrong?" Harry asks.

"Nobody touches Mom's knives." Hermione says quietly.

"Come now, Hermione, don't exaggerate." Helen chuckles nervously.

"You literally lock up your knives when you leave the house." Hermione says.

Harry looks at the knife in his hand. "They were my mother's knives." Helen says. "The reason I don't let most people touch them is that SOMEONE," she looks straight at Richard, "broke one."

"Then why would you let me?" Harry asks.

"I can tell you won't damage them." Helen replies.

Harry nods and starts cutting the roast. "Out of curiosity, do you still have the broken knife?"

Helen nods. "Of course."

Harry grins. "Hermione, would you do the honors?"

Hermione nods. "Please bring the knife pieces here."

"Why?" Helen asks.

Hermione pulls out her wand. "So I can fix it."

#/#/#

Later that night, Harry and Hermione are settling into bed. "That was a good idea, fixing mom's knife." Hermione says.

"I can't believe you didn't think of it." Harry says.

"Still not used to the whole 'I can use magic whenever I want' thing." Hermione admits, and Harry nods. "Is the second impression of my parents any better than the first?"

"They're very nice, and it seems like they have fully accepted that we're married. I'd dare say that they like me." Harry answers.

"They do." Hermione says.

"I wonder if my parents would have liked you." Harry ponders aloud.

An envelope appears in a flash of light. Hermione grabs it immediately, recognizing it as the one Hades had given her. "I wondered where this went." She mumbles.

"Hermione?" Harry asks.

"Hades had given this to me, he said I would know when to open it." Hermione answers. "I had almost completely forgotten about it."

"We should open it then, " Harry says.

Hermione opens it and suddenly the images of James and Lily Potter appear. Harry gasps, "Mom? Dad?"

"Our dearest Harry," Lilly says, "what a fine young man you have already become. Yes, we have been watching you."

"Don't worry, we don't watch any private moments." James jokes.

Lily rolls her eyes. "We wanted to let you know that we're so proud of everything you have done."

"You've continually fought for what is right," James says, "and now you've done the one thing we couldn't do. You defeated Voldemort and ended his reign of terror."

"You've also given us a wonderful daughter-in-law." Lily says.

"Hermione, don't make us and your parents wait too long before you give us grandchildren." James says.

Lily shakes her head. "Don't listen to him. You two should focus on your happiness; that's all we really want."

Marītāre domicile*; 'marriage home' in Latin