A/N1 - An update on a story that's been inactive for seven years...never a good sign right? It's bothered me for a while that I abandoned this story, truthfully I had plenty of future ideas but no real structure on where it was going. Probably could've meandered for dozens of chapters without going anywhere so I've decided to revisit this story and properly end it. I decided this chapter was a good place to close the story, I've deleted the previous chapters 29 and 30 and rewritten the last few paragraphs.
Chapter 28 - The End of the Beginning
After the Doctor departed, Romana retreated to her TARDIS for the remainder of the day. She pottered around the ship making a few running repairs and double checking that all systems were fully operational. Truthfully she was putting off any potential encounters with the Weasley family. She wanted to give them a little bit of privacy after Fred's diagnosis and some time to ingest the news.
The Time Lady was putting the finishing touches to the materialisation circuit when there was a gentle knocked on the door, "Can I come in?" Ron asked, poking his head into the ship.
"Course you can Ron", Romana adjusted a couple of parameters on the circuit as the red head approached the console. She didn't need to look at the teen to know how hopeless he felt, the negativity was pouring off him. Ron wasn't one to freely open himself up so Romana pretending to work on the ship whilst striking up a conversation, "How's Fred doing?"
"Comfortable" he replied with a hollow voice, "I take it the Doctor and Martha left?"
"I'm afraid so", Romana replied, still pretending to work on the ship, "he doesn't like to hang around in one place for too long".
There was a vague murmuring of acknowledgement from Ron and the Time Lady could sense him idly walking around the console. Several minutes passed before he engaged Romana in conversation again, "Could we go somewhere?" he asked, "not too far away, I just need to take my mind off everything".
Romana looked up and smiled warmly, carefully pocketing her screwdriver. Perhaps this would be a good time for her to do something she had been putting off for a while. Kill two birds with one stone so to speak, "Alright Ron there is something you could help me with", she noticed an intrigued look on the red head's face, "I need to finally close the chapter on Hermione Granger and I'd like your help".
She could feel Ron's confusion but to his credit he didn't display it externally, "You mean your parents, right?"
"Hermione's parents", Romana bluntly reminded him, "first port of call will be her old home though, I need to go through the contents and remove anything that doesn't belong".
"What sort of things?" Ron asked, "alien stuff?"
"Possibly", Romana shrugged, "who knows what the Rani left behind when she placed me with the Grangers, maybe there's some fragments of Gallifrey there as a reminder or memento". The Time Lady knew it was a long shot but she had to give it a try. Even if there wasn't anything from home inside the Granger's place, it was still important to visit and close that chapter of her life.
"Alright when do we set off?" Ron asked replied after deliberating for a couple of moments.
Romana gave him a sly smile and subtly pulled back on the main flight controls, "We've already arrived", she stated and promptly grabbed her blue coat from a nearby railing.
"But, what?" Ron stammered, "you can't just kidnap people like that".
"Hardly call it kidnapping Ronald", Romana snorted, "you're the one who wanted to get away from Hogwarts for a while". The Time Lady was practically at the door before Ron formulated a response but it fell on deaf ears. Quietly setting the TARDIS in flight without Ron noticing was probably a little naughty but she had only taken him across the country, not the other side of the galaxy.
Romana opened the door and stepped into the Granger's back garden, fully expecting to see the house from her human memories. What she actually saw was something completely different. The Granger's home was a burned out shell, a mass of charred brick and scorched grass. The windows were boarded up with metal shields to prevent anyone from accessing the property illegally and almost everywhere she looked, there was black and yellow caution tape.
Ron was still grumbling about his abduction when he finally caught up with Romana, his mindless muttering was interrupted by the remains of the house, "Bloody hell", he gasped, "there's nothing left".
The Time Lady nodded silently and quickly scanned the area with her screwdriver, "Faint magical signal", she commented, "based on degradation I'd estimate the happened around nine months ago".
"About the time of Bill's wedding", Ron added, "they must've come straight here looking for you when we escaped the party". Romana didn't correct Ron's statement since he technically fled the party with Hermione, instead she continued to scan the home for anything useful. The sonic confirmed what she already expected, there was absolutely nothing left inside. Anything that wasn't burned by the fire was probably excavated by the Police or Fire Service during their investigations.
Turning her attention to the immediate surroundings, it was obvious that the fire had spread into the garden. Some patches of land were damaged beyond use but in other parts, fresh grass and flowers were trying to emerge from the battered earth. Curiously the fire hadn't spread to the attached property to the left of the Granger's, the magical signature stopped at the garden fence. It confirmed her suspicion that this was a magical fire, Fiendfyre most probably.
With nothing to be gained by standing around and staring at some burned out ruins, Romana quietly retreated to the TARDIS. She anticipated that the Granger's home would've been targeted by the Death Eaters but seeing the charred remains for herself made it real. It was strange, this wasn't really her home but for some reason she was deeply affected by the horrible sight. Perhaps this was a lingering effect of the Chameleon Arch. Romana knew that she would retain her human memories but she didn't expect them to be so vivid. Then again no Time Lord had used the Arch for eighteen years before, she was stepping into unchartered territory.
She sensed Ron closing the door behind her, "I can try and repair the damage", the wizard offered.
Romana smiled to herself but kept her body turned away from Ron, "Thank you for the offer Ron but it's just a pile of bricks plus magically repairing it could breach the Statute of Secrecy".
"Oh yeah", Ron answered weakly, "are you alright Romana, you've gone awfully quietly".
The Time Lady wanted to scream exactly how she felt, bombarded by strange human feelings and emotions that she didn't understand all whilst trying to assimilate nearly two decades of foreign memories into her sub conscious. She held those thoughts in though, getting angry wouldn't solve again, "Absolutely fine", she replied and walked towards the console, "best check that no harm's come to the Grangers in the last few months". Romana silently inputted their next destination of Melbourne all whilst trying to avoid Ron's gaze. Despite appearances the red head did an emotional range greater than a teaspoon. He probably knew something was wrong but chose not to comment, not for the moment at least.
A few moments later they arrived on the other side of the world. Stepping outside Romana briefly forgot that it would be daytime here and was temporarily dazzled by the sun. She wasn't the only one surprised by the sudden change in location, "Blimey it's warm here", Ron commented, shielding his eyes from the glare.
"And it's autumn here", Romana replied, "image how hot it'll be come summer". The TARDIS had landed on a hill overlooking a moderately sized settlement. In the distance she could see signs of a much larger city, which she assumed was central Melbourne. Desperately wanting to avoid further conversation, Romana quickly set off down the hill towards the town.
The streets were pretty quiet for this time of day, only a few cars went passed. At least Hermione picked a quiet location to hide her parents and there was on obvious sign of Death Eater activity. Just to be on the safe side she took some scans with the screwdriver which confirmed what she thought, nothing magical within a few miles of the town.
After walking for around half an hour Romana finally realised that she had no idea where to look. Searching through Hermione's memories she could only find reference to Melbourne, nothing specific about the exact location within the city. All she had to go was a couple of names amongst a city of millions. She was looking for a needle in the proverbial haystack. She couldn't even do a DNA scan because she wasn't a blood relative of the Grangers.
What Romana needed was a massive stroke of luck and moments later, that's exactly what she got, "Hey Romana over here", Ron called her over to a small shop front. The wizard pointed up at the sign, "Wilkins Dental Practice", he commented, "that's the name Hermione gave her parents right?"
"It was", Romana breathed a sigh of relief that something was finally going her way, "I'll go inside and check the place out".
"No need", Ron began, "I asked at reception and the Wilkins have the day off, they're doing something called Golf whatever that is".
Some more of Hermione's memories bubbled to the surface, Daniel Granger was a keen golfer at the weekends, a trait that remained in Wendall Wilkins. Jean Granger wasn't so keen on the sport though so it surprise her that she would be there too, "It's a sport Ron", Romana filled the wizard in, "you use a set of clubs to move a small ball down a course and into a hole at the end".
"Sounds weird", Ron turned up his nose at the sound of the sport.
"And Quiddich doesn't?" Romana raised an eyebrow, "a sport played on broom sticks with four balls".
Ron sniffed slightly, annoyed by the mocking of his favourite sport, "Whatever, the receptionist said the course was just around the corner".
The pair walked in silence and soon found themselves next to the golf course. There was a mesh fence separating blocking their path but you could easily see the perfectly maintained fairways through the openings. Romana looked around a couple of times to make sure no one was looking before pulling out her screwdriver. "Just need to find the right setting", she muttered and turned the device towards the thin metal fence. There was a muffled popping sound as the links began to snap until there was enough of a gap for them to squeeze through.
The wizard and the Time Lady tried to look as inconspicuous as possible but since they weren't really dressed for the weather, it was proving a little difficult. After one curious look too many Romana directed them towards the trees, hoping to sneak around the holes unseen by prying eyes. Apart from the rustling leaves underfoot, the only sound was the occasion whack of golf club on ball, "Is there an objective to this sport?" Ron asked curiously.
"You're asking the alien that question?" Romana sniffed, "seems like another human invention designed to do nothing but waste time". There was a loud cheer from the nearby fairway which grabbed the attention of the pair, "I think we might be in business", the Time Lady commented and pointed Ron towards the noise.
Pushing her way through the branches, Romana soon spotted their objective for the day. Wheeling their golf bags down the nearest fairway were Daniel and Jean Granger, or Wendall and Monica Wilkins as there were known here. She watched with interest as Mr Granger pulled a club out of his bag and lined up his next shot. With a swing of the club the ball disappeared and out of sight. The shot must've been good though as it earned a round of applause from Mrs Granger and a soft peck on the cheek.
Romana felt a small pang in her chest, the influence of her human memories. It was a minor inconvenience though and quickly she returned to analysing the situation scientifically. On the surface, the Grangers appeared to be happy with their new lifestyle. They had their own practice with enough time to go out and enjoy themselves and clearly they were still very much in love. If Romana was honest with herself, they looked happier than she recalled from her memories. Confident that the Granger's were safe and well, she gently released the branches and began to walk away, "We're leaving?" Ron called out, "again?"
Once again Romana walked away in silence, trying to ignore the internal influence of her human alter ego. If she had still been Hermione, she would've released the memory charm and been reunited with her family. Romana though was much more clinical about the situation. The Granger's had no home to return to in England and as it turned out, no daughter either. There didn't seem to be any logical reason to return their memories. "They didn't really look like you", Ron commented in his typically blunt manner, "never really noticed it until now".
Romana paused in her stride, "No I guess they didn't", both Granger's had brown hair but that's where the similarities ended. Neither Granger had overly frizzy hair or even the same eye colour as Romana. Maybe the Chameleon Arch prevented her from thinking of those questions, making the assimilation easier, "Did they seem happy to you Ron?" she asked after a brief period of silence.
"I think so", Ron shrugged, "I never really talked to Hermione's parents much so I'm probably not the best person to ask". Another awkward silence passed before Ron spoke again, "I take it we're leaving them in Australia?"
"I think it's for the best", Romana began, "here they've got a home, a business and a lifestyle they enjoy. If we break the memory charm all they have to return to is a burned out house and daughter who isn't really their daughter but a four hundred year old alien".
"Yeah when you put it like that", Ron scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, "won't their friends and family in England miss them?"
"Both their parents have passed away and they were both only children", Romana stated, "this is for the best Ron", she answered firmly.
"Alright if you say so", Ron shrugged as Romana began to slowly walk away, "are you alright Romana? I know we haven't known each other that long but even I can tell something is bugging you".
Romana paused and again suppressed a snort of laughter, Ron really had matured in the last few months, "I'm just struggling to figure myself out Ron", she sighed, "regenerating is hard enough but mine didn't occur in the normal way".
"I'm not sure I understand?" Ron frowned.
"Typically a Time Lord will have a period after regenerating to allow their new personally to settle", she explained, "not only that but we get to explore our new tastes, likes and dislikes. It's daunting yet also one of the most exciting periods of our lives". She let out a loud sigh, "My time under the Chameleon Arch robbed me of that, now I don't know if I'm just Hermione Granger with two hearts and centuries of memories or Romanadvoratrelundar with a human like personality".
Romana could see Ron thinking this over, she recognised his concentration face. She definitely felt more human this time, whether that was as a result of her human memories or a quirk of regeneration. The Doctor she just met seemed very human to her, much more human than previous incarnations, so perhaps it was a natural reaction to spending large amounts of time around the species.
After a lengthy pause Ron finally answered, "Why can't you be both?" he said with a shrug. Romana's wanted to jump in but the red head stopped her, "You can't truly change the past, not even with that fancy machine of yours right?"
A long and lengthy response about time streams and flexible points was on the tip of her tongue but for simplicity Romana stated, "Not unless you want to cause a paradox".
"Exactly so instead of worrying about what didn't happen, why don't you focus on what actually did happen?" Romana frowned slightly because it was a surprisingly simple way of thinking, a very human way of thinking, "It's like the dragon and the egg, no one really knows which one came first", he continued.
"Technically neither, dragons evolved from other egg laying species over thousands of years", Romana shrugged dismissively.
"Not the point I was trying to make", Ron hissed in annoyance, "maybe you should focus on what you right now".
"And what am I exactly Ronald", Romana asked sharply.
"A little quick to anger", Ron snorted, drawing a glare from Romana, "it's a valid point", the Time Lady wanted to disagree but she really couldn't. "You're definitely smart, willing to stand up for what's right, maybe a little brooding but at the same time still willing to see the positive side". Romana smiled slightly, it seemed that Ron knew herself better than she even knew herself, "You're not bad looking for someone of your age either".
"Oi I'm barely middle aged by Time Lord standards", Romana cried but soon there was a small smile on her face, "Thank you Ron, somehow you always know the right things to say". By now the Grangers/Wilkins were long gone, probably on the green of the hole, "We probably should go, there's nothing left to do here".
Ron sighed and began to trudge alongside the Time Lady. The pair walked in complete silence until they reached the TARDIS, "So what now, back to Hogwarts?" the red head asked.
"I suppose," Romana replied vaguely and opened the door to her machine, "unless you have something else in mind?"
The youngest Weasley son entered the TARDIS and began to walk around the console, "Do we have to go back straight away?" he asked, "I spent the best part of a year fighting Death Eaters," he continued to pace around the console, "this might sound selfish but I could do with a break, you know."
"Understandable," Romana leaned casually against the console, "do you have somewhere in mind?"
Ron's face reddened, "This might sound stupid but could you take me to watch the Chudley Cannons win the Quidditch league?"
Romana stared at the red head for several seconds before bursting into laughter, "You have a machine that could take you anywhere in time and space and the first thing you think about is Quidditch?"
"When you put it like that," Ron's replied meekly, "could you at least tell me if its likely to happen in my lifetime?"
The Time Lady sighed in exasperation, "Strangely they didn't impart that information at the Academy, I would have to look it up." She pushed a few buttons on the console, her eyebrows shot up when she read the output, "Put it this way, unless you're also a Time Lord in disguise, it's unlikely."
"You're kidding me," Ron grumbled, "now you've got to take me."
Romana shook her head, jaunting through time and space for personal enjoyment was more the Doctor's thing. Then again, she was struggling to resist the pleading look from Ron Weasley, "Just this once," she sighed and pulled back hard on the flight control lever, sending the TARDIS into flight. Ron's face lit up and he began to bounce on the balls of his feet. To her surprise, Romana found his excitement rubbing off on her, perhaps she missed travelling more than she wanted to admit. Maybe after the Time War, the battle against Voldemort and the impending rebuilding of the Wizarding World, the universe owed the Last President of Gallifrey a brief moment of enjoyment.
THE END
A/N2 - So I've left the ending deliberately open ended, at least it has an ending rather than ending half way through an adventure. The idea of Romana/Ron/another Harry Potter character bouncing around the universe and into other fandoms is extremely appealing. If I get a good idea I may write it in the future but probably not any time soon. Thanks for reading.