Disclaimer:- I neither own nor own anything from this story. My plot is my own but the world of Harry Potter is the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates.
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A/N:- Thank you to everyone who left reviews and alerts on my last chapter, I appreciate them all. Thank you also to, the dragon and the rose for her beta work on this chapter, I hope you all enjoy reading this next instalment.
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Chapter Five – Moving
As soon as Harry and Kingsley were on their way again, Severus came back to the sitting room. He saw that Hermione was deep in thought, even though she smiled at him. He assisted her to stand and slung an arm around shoulders as she said, "I'm starving."
"I should imagine that you are," he responded. "Come," and he encouraged her around, and guided her towards a set of double doors at the back of the sitting room.
Opening one door, he led them into a formal dining area, and then through another set of double doors and into a spacious and cheerful kitchen with its own wooden table and chair set. It was comfortable and very pleasant.
"I love it," Hermione stated, and glanced at an elf hard at work. "How many elves do you employ?"
"There are ten in total," and his eyes shifted to hers. "And they are all perfectly content, so do not upset them," he warned.
She batted her eyelashes at him coquettishly and smiled. "I wouldn't dream of it," she stated in a mock innocent voice.
"Sit, witch," he replied, holding her chair out for her, and then indicating for the elf to serve them. He sat opposite her, and said, "Do you know how long it took me to become this casual with these elves?"
Hermione laughed softly. "Many months I'll wager," she replied, inhaling deeply as her plate was filled with what smelt like minestrone soup. "It smells wonderful, thank you," she told the elf.
"Hobbit is thanking you very much, mistress," the little elf stated.
Hermione broke some of the fresh warm bread as she raised an eyebrow at Severus. "Hobbit?" she murmured.
"Nothing to do with me," he deadpanned. "She had that name when I employed her."
"Did you employ them all?"
"No, the house had three elves when I took possession. I already had Portius, and I hired six more."
She nodded. "This soup is amazing," she commented, as she ate ravenously.
"I'm pleased… Hermione? Are you certain you're up to packing up a house this afternoon?"
"We have to, I'm pretty certain that Ronald," and his name came out as a rumbling growl. She paused and cleared her throat to try and control her anger before she continued. "Well, I'm sure that he'll arrive as soon as he's released, and he'll claim that cottage for his tart and their brood. Not that I care, per se... well, that's not true, it's been my home for fifteen… but her words trailed off. "I'll be demanding my portion of the cost—which is the entire amount—repaid, but I want all traces of our family away from there before it becomes difficult."
Severus watched her fury calmly, she was entitled to it, but she was just getting to the pointing cutlery stage when she suddenly looked down.
Hermione had felt something wind itself around her legs. "Hello, lovely boy…" but she was shocked to see two felines. "Oh!" she gasped, leaning down and scratching Crooks under the chin. Then she scratched the ball of black fur too. "You must be Morgana," she stated. "I'm very pleased to meet you."
The black Kneazle butted up against her hand, and looking back up, Hermione smiled at Severus. "Thank you for bringing Crooks too."
"He was the first thing I moved," he stated, happily watching them. "Portius brought him, and he seems to have made a new friend."
"He's still a tom, you know," Hermione stated.
"I wouldn't expect anything else," Severus said, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "There is a spell, my dear," he replied, smiling.
"Oh, I suppose I've never thought about it, of course there is."
"Of course. Tea?" he asked.
"Yes, please," and she gave both Kneazles another scruff and commented. "I'm pleased he's settled in already. Did he give you any trouble?"
Severus pursed his lips, a rumbling little laugh sounding deep in his chest, but he said," No, nothing to speak of, we came to an understanding fairly quickly. What do you wish to do first?"
Hermione understood from that decadent little chuckle that Crooks had been his usual antisocial self, but his laugh also sent a flurry of prickles of pleasure into the pit of her stomach. She smiled and cleared her throat before saying, "I'd like to go and collect Rosie, once I'm dressed."
He nodded. "The elves can pack and transport clothing and such. Would you like Portius to collect your clothes while we finish our tea?"
"Oh, yes, please," Hermione smiled. "And we better see the rest of the house, and especially the kids' rooms," she added. Then she grinned at him. "I love this house, by the way."
"I'm pleased, I tried to think of how you might like it when I decorated. It was deathly dull and boring when I moved in… and it occupied me. Portius!"
Hermione was up and around the table in a flash and hugging him tightly. "Severus, you're amazing," she murmured, his head captured in her arms and nestled between her breasts. "I love that you thought of us being together when you were…" but emotion choked her voice. She cleared her throat and said, "I'm sorry it's all happened this way, not that I would want it any other way, but I guess it would have been nice to slowly discover this place with you before simply moving in. You've done so much, and it should have been appreciated bit by bit."
He gently extracted himself from her head lock and pulled her into his lap. "I do not care how it's happened, love, I'm simply pleased that it has, that after so long of tottering on the edge of being so," and he kissed her as she looked up at him. "We're finally going to be a family now. It was my dream, even though I knew full well it was a dream that I had no right to have," and he hugged her to him.
Severus couldn't believe that he was being this open with her, he'd never been this open about how he felt in his life, but Hermione was not just anyone, she was someone that he knew would not toss his care and love back in his face. In short, she was the perfect partner for him, and as they hugged he thought back to his tentative first broaching of the subject two weeks ago. It had taken all his strength to mention what he'd wanted to her, yet here he was today showing her exactly what he wanted, and finally welcoming all of them to the home that he'd dreamed that they'd one day share with him. He couldn't have been happier.
xox
It took them quite a while to release one another from their intimate position at the kitchen table, but finally Severus had pushed her gently to her feet. "We better get this done," he'd commented.
"Yes," she'd agreed, and kissed him softly. "Yes, we should."
So they started their tour, they were currently walking back up from the family area after a quick look out the back door at the gardens. There were stairs that led straight down to the kitchens and they climbed them to get back up.
They looked into all eight bedrooms, climbing another set of stairs to find the last two and third bathroom. As they went, Hermione commented on which rooms she thought might suit Rosie and Hugo, and if it was possible to fit Rose's bookcase in her room.
We can reorganise whatever you wish," Severus stated.
She smiled. "This is excellent, really wonderful," and her arms went around his middle. "We'll love living here, I think."
Severus returned the gesture and they stood there hugging for some moments, but finally Hermione said, "Come on, I want to get the kids."
When they entered their bedroom, Hermione found all her clothing neatly contained in the wardrobe across from Severus', and in the chest of drawers beside her dressing table.
Severus assisted Hermione with the buttons on her blouse. She smiled at him as she watched him. "I could have used magic, you know."
"Yes, you could have, but this is much more fun, isn't it?" he answered, before quirking a raven eyebrow at her and adding, "I'm going to be just as interested in undoing them again tonight."
Hermione laughed prettily and slipped her feet into the ballet flats she'd chosen. "Come on, let's get to the Longbottoms."
"Now, there's a sentence I never thought would apply to me," he laughed.
"Does it displease you?" Hermione asked despite his joking laugh, and her lip slipping between her teeth.
A little half-smile tilted his lips, and Severus shook his head. "No, Hermione, you will find me a much-mellowed version…" but she cut him off.
"I know, love, but this is all very quick, so I just like to keep checking."
"Well, cease doing so, I am very much at ease with everything," and cradling her face in his hands he kissed her. "But thank you for considering my feelings," he said as he broke their kiss.
Hermione sighed. She loved Severus' kisses, and she nestled against him as she felt the pull of apparition take them.
xox
They picked Rose up, and ended up with Amelia as well, because, after all, a girl needed her best friend to help her pack up her room to move to a mansion. The two pre-teens were currently in Rose's room packing her belongings in a large box, and chattering excitedly about whatever it is eleven year old girls chatter about.
Severus could see that Hermione had already run out of energy, but she kept going. However, when Ginny arrived with Albus, Lily, Hugo and Minnie, the redhead took one look at her friend and ordered her into the small kitchen and made her a cup of tea.
"Let the kids do the work, Severus will keep them in line," Ginny said, glancing at the man concerned, but she was still surprised when Severus gave her a grateful look in reply to her comment.
Then Molly and Arthur turned up too, and Molly pulled Hermione up out of her chair and almost hugged the stuffing out of her. "I am so angry with Ronald at this moment," she declared.
"Mum, put 'Mione down," Ginny scolded, "She's a bit fragile."
"I'm sorry, Hermione, but I really feel for you."
"I'm all right, Mum," but then Hermione's lip quivered. "I g-guess I won't be able to call you…"
"Hermione, love," Molly stated. "You are the mother of three of my grandchildren, you and Severus too if he chooses to, can always call me mum."
"You know about Severus and I?" Hermione said, wiping her eyes.
"It makes perfect sense," Molly said, pulling a small tin from her pocket. "We may have only just realised about you and him, but it slotted into my mind like information that had been there for a long time. Now here, I've brought some cake," she said, enlarging the tin. "You sit, we'll sort everything out."
"Yes, I understand what Mum's just said, it was like something was blocking me from seeing things straight," Ginny added, getting a plate for the cake. "Are you happy?" she asked, as she sat the plate on the table.
Hermione smiled. "Ecstatic," she admitted, but then she exhaled a long breath. "You know, had it not been for that curse I think I would have moved on a long time ago," but she turned as she heard a sobbing Minnie coming towards her.
"Mummy!" the little girl cried.
"Oh, honey, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, pulling her distraught daughter up onto her lap, as Ginny encouraged a confused Lily, who was hanging at the kitchen door uncertain of what to do over to her.
"Rosie says that we'll all have our own rooms now, and that means that I won't be able to share with you anymore," she cried in a heartbroken voice, as she scrambled up into Hermione's arms.
Severus arrived at the door a moment later, he walked straight over and squatted down to Minnie's height. "Minerva Molly Weasley, such tears over something that is not true. You will have a very special room right next to our room, and we can leave the door open at night if you wish."
"See, sweetheart," Hermione said, "Severus has told you so. Rosie is just excited about the move, she didn't mean any harm."
Minnie inhaled and sniffed noisily, prompting Severus to produce a clean white handkerchief from his pocket. "Blow," he commanded, holding it up to her nose.
Hermione glanced discreetly across at Ginny and Molly, and saw them watching the scene with their mouths gaping open, and she cleared her throat, smiling to herself when they both snapped their mouths shut. She cut another quick look at Molly before saying to Minnie, "Would you like Nanny to help you and Lily finish packing, love? I promise that you'll still be next to me."
Minnie grinned, and jumped down. "Come on, Nanny, Lils," she all but yelled, holding out her hands to Molly and her cousin before dragging them from the room.
"We've decided to take all the kids' furniture to help them settle in with familiar things around them," Hermione called after her.
"Right you are," Molly replied, as she left with Minnie.
Hermione glanced at Severus, and Ginny tittered and excused herself.
"Would you like a cuppa, love?" Hermione asked him, watching Ginny disappearing out the door.
Severus glanced at it too, but then said, "No, we better keep going. I was coming to ask if you wanted anything packed in a particular way on your work desk," he told her.
"Oh, umm yes, the top calculations need to be boxed up separately and sent back to the ministry for someone else to complete if I'm going to take leave. Then… actually, it would be easier if I did it," she stated, starting to get up. "I also want to check on the kids, and make certain that they have everything they need."
"Very well, but you're not to lift anything heavy," Severus cautioned.
She smiled. "I won't," and she knew that she wouldn't too because when she'd instinctively lifted Minnie it had hurt her quite a lot, but she wasn't going to say anything about that.
However, they'd just started across the sitting room when Harry arrived, and he had Ron with him. Hermione stopped dead, and her eyes narrowed as her wand dropped into her hand.
"You bastard," she growled.
However, Severus looked at all the children arriving at her statement, and he cautioned, "Not here, love. Think of the kids, Hermione."
Hermione's wand hand was shaking badly, and her eyes were boring into her neglectful husband, but she took one deep breath, and then another, but that was when Molly flew across the room.
"You have some nerve turning up here after what you've done, Ronald Bilius Weasley. Hermione does not need to see you, and you had better scurry back to Ballycastle and inform your other family of what's going on. That poor witch will be worried sick."
Ron's face went from pale to red, and back to pale. "B-But, Mum, it w-was a book that did it, not me. 'Mione, I just wanted to say sorry," he pleaded.
"I'm not ready to hear that yet, Ronald," Hermione said. "And Severus is correct, now is not the time or the place. Do as your mother asks. I will see you in court," and with that she gathered her children and said, "Continue to pack, please." It was then that she noticed Minnie clinging to Severus' leg.
Severus lifted the little girl up.
"Who's that?" the little girl asked him. "I don't think I like him, he upset Mummy."
Hermione saw the moment that her little daughter's voice reached Ron's ears, and she sneered, and then turned away, gathering Rose and Hugo to her as she went, noticing Molly and Arthur—and she couldn't even say when her genial father-in-law had arrived—escorting Ron away.
After that, the only sound was Ginny taking Harry to task about his poor decision in bringing Ron here at this time.
"But he wanted to say sorry, Gin, I thought… 'Mione said she understood…"
"Saying it and being ready to be confronted with it only hours after what he did to her are two very different things, love. His actions almost killed her this morning. He's going to have to let her calm down before she's even close to ready to see him, let alone hear what he has to say."
"Yeah, but this is such a mess, and I just wanted us all… Never mind."
"What? Be friends again?" Ginny said, glancing at their own kids watching the sad scene. "The professor is correct, this is not the time or the place. Let's help 'Mione and her kids move on, and we'll deal with what else comes after that."
Harry nodded. "I do need to tell 'Mione what's happened though…"
"Well, you can do it while we're here, don't make bad memories at her new home before she's even settled in," Ginny cut in.
Sighing, Harry Nodded. "Yes, it was naive of me to bring Ron here, but I do know my job. Don't worry, I'll do it carefully."
"Yes, love, you're a wonderful Auror," and she kissed him. "I'll make more tea while you find 'Mione."
xox
Harry found Hermione and Severus in Hugo's room, and he noticed the Potions master giving him a stern look.
"'Mione, I'm really sorry about that."
Hermione glanced at Hugo, and her mouth tightened, but she only nodded at him and said, "Things must be difficult for you."
"Not as much as they are for you. Could we talk over a cuppa, please?"
Hermione glanced at Severus, and he nodded. "I'll just assist Hugo with his vast collection of chocolate frog cards, and then I'll be there."
"Thank you," Hermione said, and turned towards the kitchen. She sighed. "So it was the grimoire?"
"Yes, you weren't planning on doing anything to him, were you?" Harry asked her. "I mean he didn't know what he was doing, right?"
"You ask me this now, after landing on my doorstep with him," Hermione said angrily as they entered the kitchen.
"Again, I'm sorry, I didn't think of it from your side, something my wife has just rather forcefully informed me of," he said, sliding a glance at Ginny.
Ginny placed four cups on the table with Molly's cake, and she sat Hermione down. "Here," she said, sliding a glance at Harry as she placed a cup in front of Hermione. "How are you holding up? You really should still be in bed resting."
"Look, as much as I appreciate you guys turning up and helping…" but she couldn't say that they were delusional, well, perhaps Harry was a little delusional, but she looked to Severus as he arrived in the room, and she held out her hand to him.
Severus took her hand as he walked forward into the kitchen, he nodded his thanks to Ginny for the tea she poured into his cup, but then he turned hard eyes to Harry. "How could you think that bringing that neglectful dunderhead here today could benefit anyone in any way? He is still under the influence of a power book."
"Was," Harry replied, taking a casual sip of his tea. "The book was destroyed," Harry added.
Severus stood. "And you believed him? Where was Shacklebolt?"
"It was obvious that he was influenced by the book to curse Hermione, and now the book is gone, so..." Harry said, shrugging.
Hermione gasped at this revelation. "So, you're saying that because the book is gone everything is all right?"
Severus' eyes narrowed dangerously. "Are they training fools and simpletons at the Aurory these days? If the book had been destroyed all of the deeds performed would have come undone," he informed Harry curtly.
Harry's cup clattered to the saucer. "What?"
"Weasley has made a fool of you, Potter. I'd go and find him if I were you. Thank you for the tea, Madam Potter," and he stood, pulling Hermione up by their joined hands. "The elves have just transported the last of your belongings to our home. We are ready to leave."
"But I really thought…" Harry started.
"Harry, things are never going to be as simple as they were years ago, surely you must realise that," Hermione told him.
Taking Severus' haste in, Ginny said to Harry, "Perhaps now is not the time, better just go and find Ron… or better still, tell Kings what you've done and ask him to assist you. I'll see you later at home, yeah?" and she went to the kitchen door. "Kids, we're going." Once she'd summoned her children, she turned to Harry, who was still standing there muttering. "Go!" she yelled at him, prompting him to jump in surprise, but then hurry towards the front door.
However, before he reached it he turned. "Severus? There is something bothering me," Harry said.
"Only one thing?" Severus responded promptly, a raven eyebrow aloft.
Harry gave him the 'oh, ha ha' face, and said, "The scene of domestic bliss I saw in Ballycastle… Could that in any way be fake? Could it be that the book is creating that reality?"
Severus watched him thoughtfully, and Harry kept talking.
"It's just that since I've left, I've realised that the witch, Holly, is just a little bit too much of a perfect fusion of Hermione and Molly, and some of the children just a little bit too… well… well-mannered and perhaps… mechanical is the right word..." However, then he considered for a moment. "A couple of them showed interest in us, but the rest were like the perfect family of sort of robots… and it was only a tiny home, where do they all fit?"
Severus nodded, but while they'd been considering this, all the children had arrived ready to go. He looked around at the six eager faces, and he said, "Right, are we all ready? You go through the Floo first, Hermione, and Madam Potter can take Minnie and Lily with her. Harry and I will facilitate the elder children on this side."
The two men watched their families leaving, and once only Severus and Harry remained in the cottage, Severus said, "What you're speculating is very possible, but it is extremely dark magic. Do you think it is the grimoire we discussed earlier?"
"I do not know precisely, but all I can say is that the house we visited in Ballycastle this morning set my teeth on edge, it was like wearing that arsehole's horcrux around my neck all over again."
"Then be even more careful, as that is the effect of dark magic, and it has a way of wheedling itself into your brain that way," Severus told him.
Harry nodded. "Then I need to speak with Kingsley, could you let Gin know where I've gone, please?"
"Certainly," Severus replied, "But a warning may be pertinent. If this book has had a long period of time to feed off Ronald's delusional mind, it will have become very powerful, and can only be wielded effectively by someone with Black blood in their veins, and the purest remaining Black family members are Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks."
Harry turned back again. "But I thought Ron was controlling..."
Severus barked a laugh. "Don't be foolish, man, it's the other way around."
"Oh!" Harry gasped. "I hadn't thought of that."
"Obviously," Severus intoned, an edge of the dungeon bat in his tone. However, he restrained himself. The old dungeon bat persona was something he'd cast off after the war, and whilst he was still very exacting and somewhat intolerant of fools, he'd always hated having to be cruel to people, especially children.
Mind you, as he considered Harry Potter standing before him now looking so pensive, he thought that he was a special case. The hatred he'd had for this man's father had burnt brightly, just as brightly as his love for Lily had, but both were in his past now; gone. It was time to start over. "Good luck, Harry, but be warned, do not underestimate anything."
"Thank you, Severus. I won't," and he turned towards the door.
Severus watched him go before he turned towards the Floo too. He'd closed off the connection after Albus Potter had left. He'd sent the children through in order of age, and he picked up some powder, and announced his destination. As he did so, he did not see a fireball streaking through the sky towards the little cottage, and he was very fortunate to have just strode through the Floo, sealing the connection as he went. At the other end he severed the connection completely as the cottage he'd just left was literally blown off the face of the earth.
On instinct, Severus walked straight to the kitchen hearth and closed down his home's wards, because he was aware of exactly how dangerous dark grimoires were, and he was taking no chances with his family's safety, especially seeing that Hermione had royally brassed this one off by overcoming its control on her family. Satisfied that nothing, not even an extra atom of oxygen could get through the sphere of protection over his property unless he chose for it to do so, he went in search of his witch.