A/N: This is a warning. Hermione's trip to France starts next chapter.
While Hermione's trip to France contains many different plot details and threads and new information, it is primarily a lot of character development-type things.
It will become apparent as you read what sort of 'things' that might be. If you don't want to read that sort of thing, skip to chapter 248.
The plot elements that arise during these chapters are ones you will be able to (mostly, probably) pick up from inference in future chapters.
Hermione managed to lure Harry out of the Burrow the next day, saying the coven was meeting in the field behind Luna's again. She didn't say they were going to do a ritual, but she suspected Harry had probably (incorrectly) inferred it.
Everyone except Harry arrived at 10am. Luna and Susan took to decorating the overhanging tree branches with streamers, Luna floating above the ground serenely while Susan bobbed and wove around erratically in the air. Blaise worked on enlarging a wooden picnic table he'd shrunk and taken from somewhere. He smirked at Hermione, eyes glinting, and Hermione decided she didn't want to ask where he'd gotten it from.
Once the table was ready, Hermione put out a tablecloth and set out the cake. The cake was from a ready-made mix that her mother had helped her with, as Hermione wasn't one much for baking, but she'd managed to decorate it with Happy Birthday Harry and a mushed golden ball that could vaguely be identified as a Golden Snitch. It would taste good, if nothing else, Hermione decided, and that was what mattered the most.
When 11am came and Harry could be seen trekking across the field toward Luna's, they all crouched down around the table. They were still able to be seen, really, but that was part of the fun, and Hermione, Luna, and Susan had to suppress the giggles as Harry came nearer, obviously confused.
"What's going on?" Harry's voice called out. "Are you trying to talk to spiders? What—"
"Surprise!"
They all leapt up, and Harry was visibly taken aback.
"Surprise?" he asked. "For what?"
"For your birthday, silly!" Susan said, laughing. She pushed Harry closer to the table. "Come on!"
Hermione watched as Harry's eyes grew wide, taking in the streamers and cake before him. He kept looking around like he was expecting someone else to come out and yell "Surprise! Just kidding!" and whisk it all away, and Hermione's heart went out to him.
"This is for me?" Harry asked, looking up, and Hermione offered him a smile.
"We thought you might want to celebrate your birthday with your friends," she said. "Come on. Come sit down."
Harry still looked shocked as they sat him down in front of the cake. Blaise lit the candles as Luna led them in a spirited rendition of 'Happy Birthday' followed by a bit of 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow', which had Harry laughing by the end.
"That was great," he said, grinning. "Thanks."
"Blow out the candles, Harry," Hermione urged, "and make a wish."
Harry's eyes lifted to hers, always such a piercing green, and he held her eyes for a long moment. Hermione wondered if this was his first birthday wish ever, or at least the first one he had a memory of. She offered him am encouraging smile, and Harry gave her a soft smile in return as well.
When he finally blew out the candles, managing to get all thirteen of them in one go, they clapped and cheered while Blaise got out little plates and utensils.
"Generally, it'd be up to you to cut and serve the cake," Blaise told Harry, smirking. "Given your inexperience, I'll do it for you, though you can have the Snitch."
Harry stared at the cake. "…that's supposed to be a Golden Snitch?"
Susan and Blaise started laughing, and Hermione's face flamed.
"I'm not an expert chef," she said hotly. "I did the best I could. And I thought it came out rather well!"
Harry's eyes lifted to Hermione's. "You made this?"
His voice was soft, and Hermione bit her lip.
"Well, me and my mum," Hermione admitted. "I needed help. I'm not very good in the kitchen."
Harry didn't say anything else, merely accepting his cake from Blaise with a shy smile. After everyone was eating (it did turn out rather well, Hermione thought to herself), conversation turned toward the recent news of the Azkaban breakout.
"My aunt is furious over it all," Susan told them. "The entire department's working overtime to figure out how Black did it and where he is now."
"Sorry, who?" Harry asked. "What happened?"
"Sirius Black broke out of Azkaban," Susan said darkly. "One of You-Know-Who's most loyal and Darkest followers. He's best known for murdering twelve muggles with a single curse."
Harry's eyes went wide. "And he's escaped?"
"Somehow," Blaise said, nodding grimly. "No one knows how he managed it, either."
"The Minister even told the Prime Minister," Hermione shared. "It was on the muggle news last night – just that he's a dangerous criminal and to call the authorities at any sighting of him, but it's bad enough that they thought they needed to warn the muggles too."
"It just doesn't make sense," Susan said, stabbing her cake. "No one can get past the dementors. No one."
"Why not?" Harry asked. "What's a dementor?"
Susan shivered.
"They're like… they're these horrible things, with ragged gray cloaks and hoods covering them all the time, so you can only see their thin fingers from time to time. But it's always so cold around them." She shuddered. "They suck up your happiness and magic. That's why they guard Azkaban."
"They suck up your magic?" Hermione's eyes went wide. "That's barbaric!"
"Well," Susan amended, "they feed off of it. They keep the prisoners' magic levels low so they can't escape or cause any trouble. It's not like they render them muggles or anything."
Hermione wondered what would happen if she came into contact with a dementor. With her power able to regenerate so quickly, would she still feel the full effects of a dementor? Or would her core eventually explode?
"Dementors are evil," Luna said quietly.
They all turned to look at Luna, who was fiddling with her cake, not really looking at it.
"Are they creatures?" Harry asked finally. "Are they human?"
"Not anymore." Luna's eyes were lost, clouded over. "A dementor will suck every good feeling, every happy memory out of you. If it can, it will feed on you long enough until you're something like itself – this soulless, evil husk, trapped in the worst miseries of your life."
Hermione shivered.
"How do you know so much about them?" Blaise asked, and Luna blinked a few times, lifting her head, coming out of her reflection.
"My Dad wrote a series on them," Luna said, finally taking a bite of her cake. "He was convinced they were Lethifolds the Ministry had managed to manifest into humans inside of enchanted cloaks."
Hermione really needed to look into just what sort of writer Luna's father was.
"The Ministry's talking about stationing dementors around Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade until he's caught," Susan said. "Maybe even Hogwarts, too. After the last couple years… well, no one wants to take any chances with their children's safety."
Blaise scoffed.
"If Black's already gotten past the dementors once, what's to say he can't do it again?" he said.
Susan's returning smile was grim. "Exactly."
Conversation turned to cheerier topics, like what they were most looking forward to in school or the rest of the summer. Susan was excited to start Ancient Runes, and Luna bemoaned being behind them a year – she wanted to start Divination. Harry was eager for Quidditch season to begin – he'd missed it the previous year, when matches had been cancelled because of the attacks.
Hermione was excited for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, but she was more excited about her upcoming holiday to France with her parents – they had pushed it back a week so she could help the goblins, but she couldn't wait to learn more about French wizarding history. Blaise teased her that she should have picked Italy for a holiday instead of France if she wanted to learn more wizarding history – apparently, Italy had experienced a lot over the years.
When the time came for Harry to open his presents, the ominous mood had lifted, and Harry was delighted by the gifts he'd received, opening each one with bright, excited eyes that made Hermione smile fondly. Harry didn't have many happy memories of his birthday, she imagined – it was good that he would have some now.
Susan had gotten him a magical eyeglass kit and a gift certificate for an exam. "So you can update your prescription and see again," she teased him, and Harry colored but grinned in response.
Luna had gotten him an iron fang on a leather thong to wear around his neck. Hermione didn't understand her full explanation of what creatures it would keep away, but Harry put it on regardless, grinning. Blaise had gotten Harry new Quidditch gloves, and Harry had been delighted over the Broom Servicing Kit. Ron and Hagrid had even sent gifts that had somehow ended up in the pile – Ron, a pocket Sneakoscope, and Hagrid, something weird that moved and thrashed in its wrapping.
"Um," Harry said with wide eyes, looking at the wriggling package. "Do we think Hagrid might have sent me a creature?"
"One way to tell," Hermione said, eyeing it carefully. "Here, put it down on the field, and then split the wrapping from a distance with Diffindo."
Harry tossed the package onto the field, and the parcel thrashed around, almost making a noise in anger at its harsh treatment. Harry's eyes were wide as he pulled out his wand.
"You sure?" he asked Hermione. "We're not supposed to use magic over the summer."
Hermione snorted. "They only track that in muggle-marked areas. You'll be fine."
Harry shrugged. "Diffindo."
The brown wrapping around the package split, falling open to reveal a book with a green leather cover emblazoned with the golden title The Monster Book of Monsters. Hermione only had a second to read the cover before the book flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways, snapping its covers like a crab.
"That's a book?" Susan was astonished. "How are you supposed to read it?"
"No idea," Harry said, looking around for something to catch the book with, which was now snapping at their toes. "Maybe feed it first to keep it happy?"
While Blaise and Harry tried to corner the book against the picnic table before tying it shut with some vines from the nearby trees, Luna picked up the note that had come with the package.
"'Dear Harry, happy birthday'," she read aloud. "'Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you. Hope the Muggles are treating you right. All the best, Hagrid.'"
"Useful?" Blaise said incredulously. "That?"
"Only Hagrid," Harry agreed, but it was with a fond grin.
As they chatted around the table, proposing progressively more and more ridiculous theories as to why Harry would need such a book, Hermione became aware of some tall figures crossing the field. They were coming from the direction of the road, closer to Cedric's house, and they wore tall hats. She gestured, getting the others' attention, and nodded towards the people.
"I think we have company," she murmured.
"Who are they?" Harry asked.
Blaise withdrew his wand, palming it as he stood, moving back closer to the forest. "No one good."
When the group got closer, Hermione realized she recognized one of them: the person in the front was the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. The other two behind him were others from the Ministry, she suspected.
"That's the Minister of Magic," Hermione hissed. "Be polite, but stay alert."
The others nodded imperceptibly, eyes fixed on the approaching adults.
"There you are, Harry," Fudge said as he neared the table. His eyes were bright, but he looked exhausted.
Hermione stood.
"Harry, may I present Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic?" she introduced. "Minister Fudge, may I present my friends Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, Susan Bones, and Blaise Zabini?"
The Minister blinked, flustered for a moment.
"Ah, of course," he said, bobbing his head in a quick bow. "Good to meet you."
"We're celebrating Harry's birthday, Minister," Luna said, her voice serene. "Have you come to celebrate with us?"
Hermione held back a snort at Luna's remark and the Minister's obvious bafflement.
"Err, I'm afraid I don't have the time," Fudge dismissed. His eyes refixed themselves on Harry. "Harry, I'm going to need you to come with me."
Harry made to stand, but Hermione held him back.
"But why, Minister?" Hermione asked, her tone innocent. "Is Harry under arrest?"
Fudge turned to her with surprise.
"Ah, nothing like that, Miss Granger," he said, nodding. "The Ministry just needs to speak to Harry here."
"You're welcome to do so right here," Hermione said, nodding at the empty places at the table. "There's no need to interrupt the party."
Bolstered by Hermione's defense, Harry looked back up at Fudge.
"Anything you need to talk to me about, we can discuss in front of my friends," he said.
Fudge looked uncomfortable.
"I'm afraid I really do need to take you away," Fudge said. "There was a report of you having gone missing, and we'll need to take you in to resolve it."
"What? Missing?" Harry asked. "Filed by who?"
"Your guardians," Fudge said impatiently. "You really must come with me, Harry."
"With all due respect, Minister, that's ridiculous," Hermione said flatly. "Harry's guardians are muggles. They wouldn't have the slightest idea how to reach the Ministry to file such a report. And furthermore, Harry's been staying here for nearly a month. If they were going to file such a report, it would have been long before now."
Fudge shifted uneasily.
"Now see here, Miss Granger, extenuating circumstances require—"
"What extenuating circumstances, Minister?" Hermione said sharply.
"That's hardly your concern. We're only here for Harry here—"
"I'm not going with you without knowing what's going on," Harry said stubbornly, folding his arms. "Why do you need me to go with you?"
"Really, Harry, all this fuss is unnecessary—"
"I agree entirely," Susan said, joining in. "All this fuss is entirely unnecessary. All you need to do is tell Harry why you want him to go with you and what is going on. Unless you're arresting him, he does not need to go with you."
"Now see here, Miss Bones!" Fudge objected, looking flustered. "Friends as you may be, you do not speak for Harry—"
"No, but Harry doesn't have anyone to have at his side to go with you," Susan pointed out. "And underage wizards are to have a guardian at their side whenever they're interrogated by the Ministry."
"He's not needed for interrogation!" Fudge said, throwing his arms up. "We just want to talk to him!"
Hermione had been watching Blaise, who had stood up and gone into the forest a ways once it became clear the Minister was approaching. He returned now, sitting back down at the table, but there was a glint in his eye. Hermione wondered what his plan was when she heard soft hissing, and she looked down to see dozens of snakes sliding through the tall grass, whispers of "bite the big ones" and "protect the nest" as they wound their way around the Minister's ankles, with him none the wiser.
She glanced up and met Blaise's eyes with a smirk. He smirked back, his eyes glinting with malice as he looked back at the Minister.
"Harry doesn't need to go somewhere else to talk," Luna was saying, her voice airy and unconcerned. "His voice works right here. It might work worse in the Ministry, actually, with all the dry air and flizbees about."
"And Harry is not going to go with you unless you have a valid legal need for it, Minister," Hermione said politely, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder protectively. "So please: either you tell us exactly what is going on, or you're going to have to explain to the press why you came to blows with a group of children as you tried to kidnap a minor on his birthday."
"You can't seriously think you could best us," one of the Aurors said incredulously.
"Probably not," Hermione agreed. "But we could try. And it would look very bad in the press if the Ministry tried to kidnap the Boy Who Lived."
There was a loud chorus of hissing, and the Aurors looked down to see snakes swarming at their feet. With a yell and a shout, the Aurors leapt back, eyes wide. Fudge looked at his own boots and froze, his eyes very wide, and he did not move.
"Why don't you sit down, Minister?" Harry offered. He was grinning. "And we can peacefully talk things out here."
Fudge blanched. Looking down at the snakes around him, he very slowly sat down across from Harry, trying not to alarm the snakes.
"I knew you were a Parseltongue, but I didn't realize that meant you had snakes as your protectors," Fudge said, eyes still on the serpents.
"I'm sure you don't know a lot of things about Harry," Hermione said, her tone sweet. "Now, Minister: what's all this about?"
Fudge looked back up from the snakes to Hermione and Harry, and he sighed.
"You may have seen in the news," Fudge began, fidgeting with his robes, "that Sirius Black recently escaped Azkaban. As such, the Ministry has been very busy trying to locate him and make sure everyone is safe. When we went to check on you, you were missing, Harry."
"Missing?" Harry said incredulously. He exchanged a look with Hermione. "Says who?"
"Your recorded address is with your muggle aunt," Fudge said. "As such, when you were not there—"
"Did you talk to the Dursleys?" Harry demanded. "They could have told you I was staying at the Weasley's."
"The Weasleys?" Fudge's eyebrows rose. "You're staying with them?"
"I'm staying at the Burrow," Harry said firmly, dodging the question, and Hermione felt a fierce pride for his Slytherin-esque stepping around the truth. "Is that not allowed, now? To stay at a friend's house?"
Fudge looked highly uncomfortable.
"We just didn't know where you were, Harry," he said, trying for a caring tone. "We wanted to make sure you were safe. And when we couldn't find you—"
He continued fidgeting, and Hermione realized what was going on.
"Dumbledore told you Harry was at his aunt's," she said, her eyes wide with comprehension. "When Harry wasn't there, he filed a Missing Person's report, didn't he?"
"Dumbledore is Harry's Headmaster at Hogwarts," Fudge said, avoiding the question. "His concerns of Harry's vanishment were entirely reasonable—"
"Dumbledore is not my legal guardian," Harry said stubbornly. "It's summertime. I'm not in school. Why should Dumbledore have a say over where I stay and where I go?"
Fudge looked uncomfortable.
"Now, Harry! Dumbledore just has your best interests at heart, my boy! He—"
"He's scared you're going to get offed by Sirius Black," Blaise drawled, cutting in. His eyes glinted. "The Ministry thinks Black is going to come after you, Harry."
Harry and Fudge both blanched.
"What?" Harry asked. He looked at Fudge. "Really?"
Fudge looked distressed. "Now! I wouldn't say—"
"Black was one of You-Know-Who's biggest supporters," Blaise continued, his eyes fixed on the Minister. "The Ministry thinks he might come after you, as revenge for you offing You-Know-Who as a baby."
Harry was incredulous. "But I didn't even do anything!"
Blaise snorted. "And you think Dark wizards are rational?"
Apparently fed up with this, one of the Aurors stepped forward, bravely venturing back into the snakes.
"Look, we wanted to make sure you were okay, and then have you stay at the Leaky Cauldron the rest of the summer," he snapped. "There are Ministry patrols on Diagon Alley that would keep you safe, and you'd be safer around so many adult witches and wizards."
Harry blinked. "You really think I might be in danger?"
"Harry, we just want to be careful," Fudge sighed. "It's a precautionary measure, but if it keeps you safe…"
Hermione bit her lip, exchanging a glance with Blaise. Blaise looked grim, nodding to her slightly. The Ministry wasn't likely to let up about this – especially once they learned Harry was staying at the Weasleys' alone. And they had a point. It wasn't likely Sirius Black would track Harry here, but if he did...
"Is the Ministry going to pay for his stay?" Susan asked, eyes sharp through her turquoise lenses. "If they're the ones insisting on this security measure, will the Ministry pay for him to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the next month?"
Fudge looked somewhat reassured.
"The Ministry is happy to cover your expenses, Harry," he told him. "You would be much safer there, with regular Auror patrols and adults around. We don't mean to frighten you, but we do want to keep you safe."
Harry looked at Hermione, and Hermione bit her lip.
"They're not going to let up about this," she said quietly. "It might be best we just go along with them now. We can help you with your things to move you into a room."
Harry clearly didn't want to go.
"I like staying here, though," he said, his voice pained. "It's been great to see you all so regularly."
"We can always meet up in Diagon Alley," Hermione reassured him. "And at least they're taking you somewhere magical, not back to the Dursley's."
Harry flinched.
"That's true," he said darkly. "Could be much worse, if Dumbledore had his way."
Hermione made a mental note of his tone. They really needed to get a place to secure with blood wards where Harry could be safe that wasn't with his cruel aunt and uncle.
Harry considered for a long minute, thinking hard, before sighing.
"Might as well," he said finally, with a strained smile. "I've been needing to get my school things and finish up my summer homework as well."
Fudge and the Aurors all relaxed as Harry stood up.
"Are you going to Apparate us?" Harry asked. "My friends can help get my things, if you can wait while I pack up."
"That's entirely fine, Harry," Fudge said, looking massively reassured now that Harry had agreed to go along. "Take all the time you need. We'll wait for you in the yard."
The five of them trekked along through the tall grass back to the Burrow. Blaise lagged behind, hissing quietly, and Hermione was pleased to see the Aurors yelping in alarm as the throng of snakes came with them.
"Better to go now, I guess, before the Weasleys get back," Harry said with a sigh. "I know Mrs. Weasley said it was okay, but I get the feeling that if Dumbledore was mad about me staying here, it'll be easier for them if I'm not here when they return."
"We need to build a safehouse," Susan declared. "One where we can put up our own blood wards for all of us to stay and be safe, if we need."
"I've already drawn up plans for one," Hermione admitted. She shared a smile with Susan. "Great minds think alike."
Harry looked bolstered. "That'd be wicked. A house we could all stay in by ourselves, alone."
Hermione and Luna, more familiar with the Burrow, helped Harry pack up his trunk and Hedwig, lugging it down the stairs of the Burrow to the yard. Hermione gave Harry a tight hug.
"I might not see you again until I get back from holiday," she told him, "but that doesn't mean you shouldn't write me at the slightest need, alright?"
"I'm sure Hedwig can make it to France," he said with a laugh. He hugged her tightly, lowering his voice. "Thanks for this, Hermione."
Hermione pulled back a little, startled, but Harry's green eyes were intent on hers.
"I know this was all your idea," Harry said. His voice was quiet. "I've never had a birthday party before, you know."
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione fought back the mist in her eyes. "Of course. You mean the world to us, you know!"
She hugged him tightly again, trying to convey in her hug all the strength of the coven bond and friendship to him, trying to get him to believe that he was with people who cared about him. Harry held her back tightly, as if he didn't want to let go.
"You mean the world to me, too," he murmured.
When Hermione stepped back, she dashed the water from the corners of her eyes while Susan and Luna each gave Harry a hug as well, Blaise merely clapping him on the back and whispering something in his ear, which had Harry laughing.
"Are you ready, Harry?"
Fudge looked rather harried and impatient, Hermione noted. She wondered just how long they'd kept him away from the Ministry where he was undoubtedly supposed to be doing other things.
"Yes, Minister," Harry said. "Blaise is going to come with me, to help me get my room set up, if you can Side-Along Apparate him as well."
"Me too," Susan chimed in, stepping up. She looked at Harry. "Someone has to make sure Harry's legal rights aren't stepped on."
One of the Aurors groaned, and Harry grinned.
"If you must," Fudge conceded with poor grace. "Ready, then? Have a tight hold on your trunk? In three—two—one—"
They all vanished with a sharp CRACK, leaving Luna and Hermione alone in the garden of the Burrow. There was a silence except for the wind for a moment, and Hermione sighed, looking to Luna.
"That was the best solution, wasn't it?" she asked. "A good compromise, so Harry at least didn't have to go into the Ministry?"
"Who's to say?" Luna said, shrugging. "It could have been harmless, but it could have also been very bad, if Dumbledore was at the Ministry too."
Hermione shuddered. "Agreed."
They made their way back through the field toward Luna's house. Conversation turned to Hermione's upcoming holiday, which Luna found highly amusing for some reason.
"Such a romantic city, Paris," she teased, a sparkle in her eye. "Who knows who will sweep you off your feet there?"
Hermione laughed.
"I've already gone out with Cedric a couple times this summer," she said. "I don't think I really need another wizard flirting with me, let alone a French one!"
"Oh, I entirely agree," Luna said, smiling. Her eyes glinted, knowing. "You have far too many wizards lining up for you already."
"I don't have that many," Hermione defended, flushing. "We're all still young. I'm sure they'll lose interest as we all grow up more and they realize how bossy I am."
Luna laughed. "Maybe they like you being bossy."
They both dissolved into giggles. As they calmed down, Luna looked up at the sky.
"Is it nice, though?" she asked. Her voice was a sigh. "Romance? Falling in love?"
Hermione blinked in surprise.
"It's… it's nice enough," she said slowly. "A lot of it is very intense. There's a lot of feelings happening all at once, and it really does feel like 'falling' somehow, like you're tipping over and can't stop yourself. Kind of terrifying at times, actually." She looked over at Luna. "Are you afraid you won't fall in love someday?"
Luna considered.
"I'm not sure," she said finally. "It's… I never really know important things with what's going to happen with me, just with others. I hope so. But I think it might be difficult." She looked over to Hermione. "That's why I can't wait for Divination, you know. With normal methods, you can learn things about yourself or your own future."
Hermione felt her heart go out to Luna.
"Well, I can see your future," Hermione declared. "You will grow up to be a very powerful and stunning witch. You'll make great friends who will love you and embrace you, and you'll learn to love yourself and be confident enough that countless people will fall in love with you."
"Oh, Hermione…" Luna looked at her sideways, but she was smiling. "You think too highly of me. I'm very odd, I know. I would be a lot for anyone to handle romantically."
"You don't need handled," Hermione argued. "You need held and loved and accepted. You're not a burden for someone to bear or endure, Luna – you'll be the one who brings joy and happiness into someone's life."
She pulled Luna into a hug, and Luna laughed and hugged her back.
"I hope so," Luna said. She hummed. "Not yet, I don't think. But maybe… I think it might be nice to fall in love someday."
"I'm sure it will be lovely when it happens to you," Hermione reassured her. "And I'll be here to support you and gossip with you about it every step of the way."
Luna smiled at Hermione, her eyes sparkling. There was something in her eyes that made Hermione think Luna knew more than she was saying, but she let it go.
"I will miss you very much when you go to France," Luna said abruptly, hugging Hermione tighter. "Let's make sure we sit together on the train back to school?"
"Of course," Hermione said, hugging Luna fiercely. "You're my first friend, Luna. I'll miss you very much too."