MINISTRY LOST MUGGLEBORNS!
MARRIAGE LAW OVERTURNED!
NEW CHIEF WARLOCK APPOINTED!
SACRED 28 SCIONS VANISHED!
Ginny Potter looked smugly pleased as she eyed the last few days of headlines.
"Do you think we'll hear from her soon?" Harry murmured.
"Oh I think so." she nodded, "Everything's coming together now."
He snorted, it had been four long months and he missed Hermione like a missing limb. He had reached out so many times to send her patronus just checking in, to ask advice, to share news before realising he couldn't. It had been devastating each and every time, the hole she left behind seeming to get bigger the longer time went on.
"Do you think …do you think she'll ever come back?"
"I don't know," Ginny admitted softly. "I imagine it'll depend on an awful lot of information we don't currently have."
"Like where in the hell she is," he muttered.
"Well yes." Ginny agreed, "and who she's with, and what they've managed to set up."
"Right," he muttered. "Would you ever leave here?"
"I don't know," Ginny admitted slowly. "I'm not against it I dont think."
"I think we should have gone in the beginning," he murmured.
Ginny grimaced, "Probably." she admitted. "I just…"
"Wanted peace for a bit?" he finished, smiling sadly. "Yeah, me too. I imagine so did Hermione."
"Well that makes me feel fucking awful," Ginny muttered.
"Not half as fucking awful I do," he admitted, his face pained.
"Holy mother of magic." Lavender Weasley stared at the copy of the Quibbler in her hand. "RON! RON!"
Ron came barreling through the door, running his eyes frantically over his wife. "Is everything alright? The baby…"
Silently she held up the Quibbler, on the front Dean Thomas, Dennis Creevy and Severus Snape stood behind a witch. "Hermione," he breathed, his eyes raking over the picture of the friend he hadn't seen in months. She looked good, far far better than he felt truth be told. "Good Godric." he slumped into his seat seconds before Harry barreled through the floo, Ginny on his heels.
"We got…"
"We got one too," Ron cut him off, holding up his own copy.
"Have you read it?" Ginny checked.
"Not yet, " he muttered, opening it slowly as if scared of what he'd find inside.
"Merlin fuck," Lavender muttered once he was finished. "That's…just…gods!"
Ginny snorted before she began to laugh, "Oh my gods, that has to be the best thing I've ever read. They essentially told the Wizengamot to go fuck themselves while explaining why they were better than them."
"Luna knows where they are," Harry murmured.
"Lunas with them," Ginny corrected.
"What? I thought she was in Sweden."
"Nope. Luna's there. Did you miss that? They've begun organising a village for those who want to stay, there's no way Luna isn't there."
"Organising a village where?"
"No idea." Ginny admitted, "But wherever it is they are protected by the government. And that government has helped over half of them move elsewhere. The Ministry is never getting them back now. They've scattered."
"Not all of them," Lavender pointed out. "Not if they're making a village."
"No," Ginny mused, "Not all of them. I wonder who stayed."
"I'm surprised Snape stayed," Ron muttered.
"I don't know," Lavender muttered, "I might be reading too much into it but I get the impression he's almost fond of them."
"Snape?" he exclaimed disbelievingly, staring at his wife as if she'd sprouted another head.
"He helped them," she pointed out.
"I sort of assumed blackmail." he muttered, "Hermione's good at that."
They were just contemplating cleaning up the remnants of breakfast when one by one, they all froze at the sight of an unfamiliar owl appearing at the window before swooping down to stand in front of Harry.
Harry,
By now the Quibbler will have reached you. I've enclosed a portkey, bringing Gin, Ron and Lavender if she's well enough. She must be almost seven months old now! You have to solemnly swear the password.
See you soon,
H.
"We're going now, right?" he checked.
"Of course we bloody are," Ron agreed, "Lav?"
"As if i'm passing this up," she scoffed, "Just make sure you have the anti-nausea potion ... .and perhaps an impervious on your shoes."
They all grimaced but gamely nodded. "Right." Harry held out the length of rope, waiting until they were all touching it, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
They landed in the middle of what was clearly a construction site; Dean Thomas turned to grin at them as soon as their feet touched down.
"That was quick! She's in the big house, wait a minute.'' They watched as Dean's leopard shot out of his wand and disappeared.
Minutes later Hermione appeared beside him, clutching the hand of a familiar wizard.
"We're in Bulgaria then," Ginny smirked at lavender.
"Harry!"
He barely kept his feet as she barreled into him, wrapping him in a hug so tight his ribs creaked. It was the best feeling he'd had in months. "I can't believe you managed this!"
She snorted, "Don't be absurd, of course we did. I hardly did it alone."
"No you involved Snape."
She pulled back with a grin "I involved an awful lot more than that. And while Severus will never admit it, he's more than a little fond of me now."
They heard a derisive scoff, "Do not flatter yourself Miss Granger."
They were all slightly stunned when she just rolled her eyes goodnaturedly at him. "Of course not Uncle Severus."
"Uncle," Ron spluttered as he accepted his own hug.
"Oh, I keep likening him to a particularly grumpy uncle. The title stuck. Between you and me, I don't think he hates it as much as he pretends to."
"His glare says otherwise," Ron muttered, making her laugh.
"It's so good to see you," Ginny whispered into her hair, squeezing her tightly. "With Viktor, Miss Granger?"
Hermione smiled sheepishly, "Yes well. He offered to help."
"I bet he did," Lavender murmured, attempting to hug her around her stomach. "The man's never taken his eyes off you."
Hermione flushed slightly, before turning her attention to lavender's midsection. "Look at you."
"I'm the size of a house," Lavender complained. "Honestly. Who thought this was a good idea! My ankles feel seconds from giving up on me in protest at the extra weight"
"I'm pretty sure the answer to that is you," Ron offered dryly, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist.
Hermione snorted, accepting Victor's hand, calling over her shoulder, "Coming to the house before Lavender's ankles give up? Although if nothing else we have equipment that can lift her if she does"
"Oi!" the witch complained with a scowl, as the rest of them bit back a laugh. "Oh laugh all you want but remember when it's your turn I'm going to be unbearable."
Ginny caught the look Viktor gave Hermione and barely kept her jaw from dropping. She'd been having words with their erstwhile friend shortly, clearly, they were far more serious than she had anticipated.
"Wow, Hermione…this is…wow." Harry stood in the giant kitchen of the house that was impossibly huge."
"I can't take the credit for this, Viktor did most of it."
"How?"
"Magic," the man smirked, pulling Hermione down onto his lap. "And house elves."
"How long has this been going on?" Ginny gestured between them, accepting the cup of tea Dennis handed her with thanks.
Viktor arched a brow down at Hermione, "Min would say a month."
"And you?"
He sighed heavily, "I have been courting the witch for years. She is just…."
"Dense?" Ron offered, dodging Hermione's lazily thrown hex.
"Yes thank you Ronald." she groused.
He laughed, "To be fair we did tell you. You were just convinced we were talking nonsense." He turned to Harry with an impish grin, "Does that mean we're brighter than the Brightest witch? Maybe we should make her return her title."
"Mr Weasely," Severus drawled, walking in, "I never had you pegged as a masochist."
"A what?"
He sighed heavily, looking at Hermione, "I think your unofficial title is safe."
Laughing, she poured him tea, levitating it towards him, "Are you joining us?
"Absolutely not." he protested immediately, "I'm supervising the building of the apothecary."
"Of course you are."
"Mr Jordan is…capable." he looked like the word choked him, "But he is not a competent brewer and therefore has no idea what the interior requires. Merlin alone knows what I'd end up with if I left him unattended."
"Mr Jordan…Lee's here?"
"Oh yes, he was in a relationship with someone who created a breakable contract to help a witch escape the Wizengamot." Hermione pulled a face, "Not something he thought through unfortunately.
"What?"
"Theo Nott agreed to a contract with Daphne Greengrass so her parents didn't sell her to the highest bidder. She's here too. She's been with Justin for years."
"I…I…what?" Ron looked completely flummoxed.
"Granger…Bells requesting you at…Oh."
"Parkinson?" Harry looked at Hermione as if she'd lost her mind.
"Adores Luna," she replied with a hint of warning.
"Parkinson and Luna…" he trailed off. "I mean…"
"Look Potter Luna says I have to be…well not nice. She knows me too well for that. But civil. I've apologised. I…it's peaceful here. And no one judges us. I very much intend to stay and I get the impression the better third of your little triad intends to do the same."
"I..I…right."
"Why is Katie requesting me?" Hermione redirected.
"Oh. She thinks she's figured out a containment charm on something small. The," she paused clearly attempting to use the correct terminology, "CD player?'' Hermione nodded, "Right that. She has it working. She wanted you to double-check for longevity, something about your arithmancy being the key."
"Ah. Right, I'll be there shortly then. Will you ask Luna about an ad in the Quibbler?"
"Of course," Pansy scoffed. "You'll need to speak to Jordan to see how he's getting on building one. It'll help the profit margins if we didn't have to buy them in."
"I know, last I checked he wasn't quite there."
Pansy hummed, "Maybe once we get the building completed. Theo said they weren't too far off."
"No. Dennis mentioned being on the last ten houses, after that we'll work on a barrier that separates the shops from the village so that we've some protection."
"And then the shops."
"And then the shops," she agreed. "Severus and Lee will have the apothecary finished by tomorrow. The supermarket will be done by the end of the week, Jessicas working on suppliers."
Pansy hummed, "Have you considered clothing?"
"No…" Hermione began slowly, ignoring the way her friends were gaping at them. "What were you thinking?"
"I like fashion. We're taught tailoring charms young and the redhead from the year above. The Puff…."
"Marrianne?"
"If you say so." Pansy waved her off, "she mentioned wanting to learn. I could teach her. Daph would help."
"I'll say to Dean. I don't see why it would be an issue."
"Luna wanted premises too," Pansy reminded her.
"I know, it's on the plans."
"What are you doing with this place if you're building all those houses and shops?" Lavender interjected.
"We don't know,'' Hermione mused, "We considered a hotel, a school and a hospital. We'll put it to a vote in a couple of weeks."
"That's…this is insane." Harry muttered.
Hermione shrugged, "We're safe here and there's so many of us that we don't want to completely flood the Bulgarian magical world so we're aiming at some level of self-sufficiency. Obviously, not everyone will have a job here, but the vast majority are still jumpy. Even the ones who left here have stayed in groups, no one is alone"
"Where did they go?"
"All over," she admitted, "It's easy to blend in in small groups and they don't strain the local infrastructure so they are accepted even without the ICW's interference. Here…here there's over two hundred of us left. We need a different strategy."
"You're staying then?"
She glanced at Viktor. "Yes. I'm staying."
"Room for a few more?" Ginny quipped.
Hermione laughed, "She's not joking," Harry interjected softly, "I don't want to only see you a few times a year, I don't want to be used by the sodding Ministry who thinks I owe them something, I want…I want peace. I should have…I should have supported you from the beginning."
She looked completely stunned before she nodded, "Of course, if that's what you want."
"You know Fred and George will be over as soon as they realise Lee is here, right?" Ron pointed out. "You could add a Weasleys Wizard Wheezes to that shopping alley of yours. They'd be thrilled."
"Merlin," she muttered, well able to imagine the chaos that would cause. "Right,. that…well. "
"What are you doing?" Ginny interrupted with a slight smile, clearly reading the thoughts on her face.
"For work?" Hermione checked. "A little of everything to be honest. But… I've been accepted into an apprenticeship with a Bulgarian charms master. She focuses on warding and spell creation. It's…fascinating and she's willing to work around my commitments here."
"Wow."
"So. When can we move?"
"Your mum…"
"Might just move with us," Ron laughed, "she's furious.
It took them two weeks to decide to follow through with the move and pack everything up. Leaving, it turned out, was not anywhere near as challenging as they anticipated, not when there were so many people waiting on the other side.
It took Fred and George six months to decide to join them, Percy having moved a month after Harry and Ron, joining his partner Oliver Wood following Oliver's acceptance to the Vastra Vultures, both of them breathing a sigh of relief at being free to be themselves. Realising they were the last of their siblings left in the UK, Bill and Fleur moved a month after Fred and George bringing a gorgeous baby Victoire, Andromeda and Teddy with them.
That was when Molly and Arthur decided he'd had enough, finding peace in a cottage with enough room for Arthur to tinker with muggle products and Molly to grow whatever took her fancy. Arthur eventually joined Lee, Katie, and the twins creating and enchanting muggle products to work around magic. He was happier than he'd been in years.
And Britain watched as their tiny village grew, innovative magic appearing at an alarming rate, the birth rate rising, and people flourishing, finally beginning to heal from the war thanks in part to the community and in part to the groundbreaking Mind Healing programme spearheaded by Susan Bones and Justin Finch-Fletchly, funded by Draco Malfoy of all people.