They had sat around for an hour now, throwing rocks up into the trees and even attempting to climb to cave exterior when they became bored. The sun had peaked through the horizon and no one had shown themselves.
It was only after the sun had begun to shine directly in Hermione and Fred's eyes that a Corporeal Patronus appeared. A Horse, meaning Ginny had sent it.
"We've been compromised. Go into hiding!" Ginny's voice sounded broken. Fred and Hermione paled as they could hear shouting in the back, Ginny's voice being the loudest. "Fred! Bill informed me that you have to do the thing, I don't know what that means, but do it!" Fred's face twisted for a fraction of a second as he nodded, the Patronus growing fainter as screams and curses could be heard being shouted in the back. "HARRY!" With the last shout, the Horse evaporated into thin air and Hermione looked to Fred, who seemed to be getting paler and paler.
"We need to get to Gringotts." Fred told Hermione. "We need to get there as soon as possible."
Hermione was surprised at the determination in Fred's voice. Whatever this thing was, it had to have been planned between Fred and Bill pretty recently. To not even refer it to something specific meant it had to be extremely secretive. Secretive enough for one part of the family to not even know about it.
"How close to Diagon Alley can you apparate us?" Fred asked Hermione. She thought for a moment before replying.
"The Leaky Cauldron." Fred nodded as she took his arm and apparated to the deserted alleyway of Muggle London.
"Before we go in, I'll just use Colovaria on you." Fred informed her as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at her hair. "We're still wanted, and you look too much like Hermione. You get to be a Weasley for a few hours." He smiled as he casted wordlessly, turning her brown hair to flaming ginger. "And I'll take yours." He casted on himself, turning his hair to a dark shade of brown.
"Do you think we look natural enough?" She raised a brow as Fred nodded to her question.
"Definitely." The two clipped their cloaks around their necks and entered the dusty pub.
Tom was still working at the bar and waved to them. The pub seemed to be void of many people. The few seated in the corners were also wrapped in their cloaks and trying to hide their faces from the other patrons. Some talked over a pint of beer at the bar and others observed silently.
"Diagon Alley?" The barman asked them. They both nodded as Fred took out his wand to show him. The barman pointed to the back and they both walked in silence to the wall of bricks. Fred tapped a few bricks and the wall opened up to the once brightly decorated Diagon Alley.
Walking through, the wall closed behind them as they observed the old happy magical district. It resembled more Knockturn Alley with the dull, dark tones everywhere, some wanted posters here and there, and no children in sight.
"This is depressing..." Fred mumbled, frowning at the Alley he once called home to his business.
"Way to state the obvious." Hermione whistled as they made a beeline for the bank. "Now would be the ideal time for your business to make a comeback." Fred agreed with her without hesitation. They entered the bank and went directly to a goblin, no line whatsoever as the entire building seemed to be mostly deserted.
"Good morning." The Goblin greeted them.
"Good morning. We would like to see Curse-breaker Weasley." Fred showed them an object from his pocket, one that Hermione couldn't see. The Goblin immediately showed them the way behind his desk.
"Of course. Follow me." The trio walked in silence until they came to the office labeled Head CurseBreaker W. A. Weasley. The Goblin knocked and grumbled something in Gobbledegook, the door opening right after, letting them in.
Bill sat at his desk, visible injuries, a cloak hugged tightly around him. Instead of the dark red Hermione would instantly recognise as Bill's gorgeous hair, it had been coloured using a charm to make his own now muddy brown, identical to Fred's.
The Goblin left the room, leaving the two Weasleys and Hermione alone. "Where's George?" When Fred shook his head, Bill's face turned grim in understanding. "Ah... I see you got Gin's Patronus then."
"Do you have the book with you?" Fred asked him, his tone as if he was about to crack. Hermione knew Fred had been extremely upset last night, his parents and twin dying in front of him causing quite a number on his mood. He had lightly joked the night before, but she knew what had been going through his mind at the time.
"What book?" Hermione immediately perked up at the mention of her favourite object.
Bill seemed to sense her curiosity rather quickly. "The family Grimoire." He started. "All the Pureblood families have one. Well, the ancient ones anyway. Family spells and secrets are kept in it. Strictly for Weasley eyes only." Bill took out a thick tome that had to be dated at least 300 years, wrapped in multiple metal vines that kept the book closed firmly. The covers were made of thick dusty leather and made a thump as it was placed on the table. "Gin told you about the thing?" Fred nodded Good. "That's what you two are going to do."
Fred was quick to shoot back to his eldest brother. "We can't do that to her! Who knows where she'll end up!" Hermione was confused at the two discussing.
"Do you think I want to do this to either of you?! We have to do this!" Bill shouted back. "We know you'll be here! But it needs two people to cast and I'm not strong enough!"
"But she could end up in France for all we know!" Fred shouted. "How are we to know who's her last Pureblood relative?! She's Muggleborn!"
Hermione had had it with the last comment. She demanded answers. Her status of witch was being put into question. "Can someone explain what is going on? Why are you saying these things?"
The two brothers calmed down and looked at the Muggleborn girl, sighing before Fred spoke up. "The thing we are referring to is an ancient spell to send two people back in time. Permanently."
"It sends the casteds back a few generations into their magical Pureblood bloodlines, for example, Fred could become a Prewett, Black, or even stay a Weasley if he's lucky. For you, your last Pureblood relative could be anyone for all we know. You could reappear in Asia for all we know." Bill explained to her. "That person would be reborn into a different family and might even have other siblings, and their place would disappear in the present, unless they're born again here, then two of the same person might be in the present, one older by multiple generations if they reappear in a generation close enough, say one or two."
"So, if I understand properly, if you casted the spell on me and I went back, say 60 years, then I would reborn into another family, and Hermione Granger would still be born the year I was born?"
"Wow, the rumours do you justice. You really do catch on fast." Bill smiled. "That's exactly it."
"Say I was reborn a Prewett, I might become Mum's brother, cousin, relative, depending on how far back I go." explained Fred
"But you wouldn't remember any of the life with that family." Hermione countered.
"That's what special about this spell." Bill started. "You're given a completely new set of memories, so if you have a sibling, you would remember spending time with that person, with your new parents and all that."
"And keep the present memories?" Hermione asked.
"Precisely. You would have the memories of yourself reborn and your present self." Bill looked at her, his expression turned serious as he took a deep breath. "That's why I'm going to cast it on the both of you."
"But If I'm going to be sent back to my most recent Pureblood magical bloodline, how will we know where I go?"
"We'll do a blood test on you right now." Bill took out a parchment. "This here, when a drop of your blood is spilled on the paper, will reveal your most recent Pureblood relative. I'll keep it to myself though." He opened the paper and took out a knife. "The honours are yours, Hermione." Hermione shakily took the knife and pricked her finger, letting a red drop fall onto the paper.
Bill picked it up carefully as it glowed. As the writing appeared, he paled a bit before shaking away the feeling and closing up the parchment.
"And?" Hermione raised a brow. "How far back?"
"The 16th century." He told her. "And that's all you'll know for now." Bill took out his wand and burned the parchment for precautions. "But know that you will reappear not too far from here." He smiled as he placed the tome into a small bag, one with an extension charm on it. He turned to Fred and handed him the bag. "Fred, only a Weasley can open this bag and Hermione. I've given her access to the Grimoire's content. Find a safe place to cast. It'll need quite the preparations and we can't do it here." Fred nodded as he passed the bag to Hermione.
"What about you Bill? Only a Weasley can cast. And I can't cast it on myself." Fred asked Bill, who smiled, almost sadly.
"I'll cast it on you, so send me a Patronus when the preparations are ready."
"Why can't you come with us?" Hermione asked, breaking her silence.
"As the new head of the Weasley Family, I have to stay alive. And I've got quite the bounty on my head right now. Death Eaters are lurking all over Diagon. Disillusioned, makeshift invisibility cloaks, they're everywhere." He explained. "That's why I'm in here for the last few hours, and I certainly can't apparate from within the bank, so it s a one shot deal." Fred and Hermione nodded as Bill let out a small laugh. "Save the future. Don't let this happen." Bill sent them out of his office, their heads held high as Bill retook his seat in his chair.
Hermione and Fred apparated away, back to Hermione s living room in her flat. A grim feeling hung the two.
"We can't do the preparations here. We need another place." Hermione noticed the owl on the window perch. "He answered back." She mumbled as she pet the owl and untied the envelope tied to the owl s leg.
"What's it say?" Fred took the bag back and pulled out the Grimoire, opening the thick leathery cover.
"We've got our safeplace." Hermione smiled as she began reading the letter out.
"Dear Hermione,
I received your letter and this shall be one of your favours. It is becoming too difficult to converse via owl due to my mother's current standing in society, but we are both willing to help you in as many ways as we can. You last requested someplace where you could stay indefinitely, unreachable to almost everyone and out of view.
I must say, taking Weasey with you to Muggle London was brilliant and they're searching avidly for the both of you and the eldest Weasley, I believe his name is William. They've heard of the Dragon tamer going to America and have given up presently to find him, leaving you three as the last targets.
Your place of interest would most likely be my mother's Safehouse in London. I heard it was the last meeting place for the old organisation, the Order of the Phoenix. Would this be true by any chance? Meet my mother and I at 14:30h this afternoon. The Death Eaters are crawling around every corner, even in the Muggle world. Do not go out looking like yourself in broad daylight, unless you wish a slow painful death for you and the Twin.
Best of Luck, Draco Abraxas Malfoy."
Hermione closed up the letter and let it burn in her fireplace.
"You were writing to Malfoy yesterday?" Fred looked skeptically to Hermione. Since when had she been writing to him, an ex Death Eater? This was beyond strange. Why would he do anything for her? Did he not think of her as a Mudblood anymore?
"He owed me a favour from the battle of Hogwarts. I helped keep him and his mother out of Azkaban and in return, I could ask for anything. That favour came in handy today." She smiled as Fred closed the book and placed it back into the bag. "We have two hours until we need to meet up. Would you like some lunch?"
"Asking a Weasley if they're hungry? Don't you already know the answer to that, Granger?" Fred smirked as Hermione motioned him into her kitchen.
"I hope you make this count, Hermione." Draco opened the door to Grimmauld Place, his mother behind him.
"Is there anything you need? Anything at all?" Narcissa placed her hand on Hermione s shoulder, kindness in her eyes.
"Yes actually. Would it be possible that we could get these objects?" She handed a handwritten list to Draco, who raised an eyebrow at the odd combination of objects.
"What kind of ritual are you doing?" Draco asked, curious at the list.
"That is confidential." Fred told them as they made their way to the Tapestry room. "Would it be possible to retrieve the items as soon as possible?"
"I will assume this has something to do with your Family Grimoire, am I right?" Narcissa smiled at Fred, his reaction an interest to her. Alright. "I will only need this afternoon to gather them."
She moved to the Floo and disappeared in the green flames.
"I don't know what you're doing, but if it brings this madness to a stop, I'm all for it." Draco told them. "Anything to make all of this come to an end."
"That's what we're hoping for of course."
It had barely taken Narcissa three hours to gather the objects and be back at Grimmauld place.
"Had it been anyone else, questions would have been asked." Narcissa told them as she placed the objects on the table. "Many of these are rare and cost a fortune."
Hermione pulled out her wand and mumbled. "Expecto Patronum" Letting her silver otter dance and fly out of the window, off to go inform Bill of the preparations being complete.
Bill finally arrived, 15 minutes after the Patronus came back, out of breath and his wand out in his hands.
"We shall take our leave." Narcissa smiled to the Weasleys and Hermione. "If there is anything at all, do not hesitate to contact us."
And thus, the Malfoys disappeared and Bill set up the objects in the correct order. "Are you both ready?" Fred and Hermione hesitantly nodded. "Once you go back, find each other as soon as possible. If we do this correctly, you'll both be 11 and about to go to Hogwarts for your first year and it should be after 1950. Stay together and stop You-Know-Who from taking over." The two nodded and Bill lifted his wand, waving it in intricate patterns while a golden light enveloped the two, the foreign words Bill mumbled resounded louder and louder every time he repeated them until the two had simply vanished.
Bill sighed in relief as the bag holding the Grimoire fell to the floor. He picked it up and floo'ed back to the bank, where he replaced the Grimoire into the Weasley Family Vault, securing it closed and locked away for as long as it needed. He closed the vault slowly and locked it well and finally left the underground and returned to his office.
Taking out a bottle of Firewhiskey, he twisted the cap and poured some into a small cup and let it swish around the glass. "To think we've come so far..." he placed the glass opposite to him and took out a second glass and poured some more.
A ghost appearing in the other chair, in front of the cup. A kind smile in the old eyes of the deceased man. "It was a good decision, William. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks Dad." Bill took a drink from the glass.
The shouting from behind the door began to get louder and louder until finally, the door was broken down, a dozen men entering with masks and cloaks, their wands pointed to the Head of the Family.