The Phoenix Prophecy

Chapter One: The Prophecy

Saturday- July 5th

Hermione

Madelyn and Gretchen both smiled when introduced to the rest of us. I noticed that Gretchen seemed quite interested in Ron, as she was constantly looking at him when he was not looking her way. Professor Dumbledore asked Madelyn, Gretchen and me to pick out the clothes we would need for the journey. He asked the same of Sirius, Harry and Ron. Professor McGonagall and her sister were going to help him keep watch while we picked out the things we thought we would need.

Madelyn told us that the climate where we were going would be warm, but we would still need jackets and slacks for cool evenings. She said that we would not need to make any kind of ‘fashion statement’ as our goal was to blend in as much as possible, whatever that meant.

Gretchen and I were built very differently. I was taller, but her hips and shoulders were broader. We would not be sharing many items of clothing, except perhaps socks. Her face was more round than oval, which was accentuated by the fact that her thick, golden blond hair was woven into two long braids. Her blue eyes sparkled, but her most striking feature was her smile—when I could get her to do so. At first, she seemed a little nervous. So was I. The drama that had unfolded in the alley less than ten minutes ago would have been enough to make anyone nervous.

“Gretchen, how did you manage to get mixed up in this?” I asked, as I selected two jerseys from the pile I was looking through.

“I have been working for Madelyn for the past two summers. When your Professor Dumbledore asked her to go on this journey and to select a female student to accompany her, she selected me. Even though I don’t know where we are going or what we will be doing, I thought it would be better than spending the whole summer at school.”

“Don’t you go home for the summer holiday?”

“No I don’t. I did not start school until I was twelve. I spend the summers helping the teachers and taking special instruction from them. It has enabled me to catch up with the other students.”

“You must miss your family. I know I sure would.”

“I try not to think about it too much,” Gretchen replied as a look of deep sorrow showed on her face and was quickly gone.

“Where are you from, originally?”

“I was born and raised in Sweden. Where are you from?”

“Up until the time I attended Hogwarts, I lived in the greater London area. Do you come from a big family?”

“Yes, I have four brothers and two sisters. Both sisters and one brother are younger than I am. The other three brothers are older.”

“I can’t even imagine what it would be like to live in a house with that many kids. I am an only child. Until I went to Hogwarts, I never had to deal with other kids very much.”

“There were many times I wished that I had been an only child. But having brothers and sisters around kept me from being lonely, even when I wanted to be alone.”

“I used to wish that I had a brother or sister.”

“Hermione, may I ask you something personal?” Gretchen said as she finished selecting two outfits.

“Sure, Gretchen, what did you want to know?”

“Is Harry your boyfriend?”

“Well I sure hope so. Today is our first outing together. Not exactly what I would call a date, especially with the way things have turned out. Only an hour ago I thought Harry and I would be spending a quiet day together, so that we could sort out our feelings for each other.”

“Do you love him?—if you don’t want to answer, I’ll understand.”

“Yes, I do. At least, I think I do. I have never been in love before, so I am not exactly sure what it should feel like. Have you ever been in love before, Gretchen?”

“No, I haven’t, Hermione.”

“Do you have a boyfriend or someone special back at Beauxbatons?”

“No, I don’t. It probably has not helped that I am a better athlete than most of the boys at school. In addition, I have been very busy just trying to keep up with my studies. Other than Potions, I have to work my butt off, just to pass.”

“I guess I’m just one of those lucky people to which learning comes easily. I am sure it has a lot to do with the fact that I read everything I can get my hands on. Harry and Ron are always teasing me about how much I read. I have finally learned not to be a know-it-all in front of them.”

“Does Ron have a girlfriend?” Gretchen asked, glancing over to where Ron and Harry were just finishing their selections for the trip.

“No, Ron is completely unattached.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Gretchen, I have known Ron and Harry since our first year at Hogwarts. The two of them are almost inseparable. Ron has ‘a heart of gold’ and is a great guy. Do not be fooled by that silly grin he flashes around a lot. Even though he doesn’t have Harry’s wizarding abilities, Ron would stand up to a giant, or Voldemort himself, to protect you if need be.”

“Thanks, Hermione, I appreciate your opinion.”

The whole time we were picking out several outfits and a bathing suit, I felt as if there was something buzzing around in the back of my mind that I could not quite recognize. With everything that had happened in the past several minutes, I was not surprised that my mind was in total disarray. The only thing that kept me from completely falling apart was the way Harry had come to my defense. He would have died before letting anything happen to me. I am not sure how I knew that, but I did. That thought both warmed my heart and scared the hell out of me.

Thirty short, harried minutes later, all six of us had picked out the clothes we were going to take to wherever we were going. Professor Dumbledore instructed Madam Malkin to bill him personally for all of the items we had selected. Sirius and Madelyn started to put up a fuss, but he quickly silenced them and they did not pursue the matter. Mrs. Figg and Professor McGonagall took all of our packages and said they would meet us at the rendezvous point. After they had left the shoppe, traveling by Floo powder, Professor Dumbledore informed us that we would be going to Quality Quidditch Supplies, which was just three doors down on the same side of the alley.

Once it had become apparent that nothing else was going to happen in the alley, the wizards and witches returned to continue their shopping. The short trip from Madam Malkin’s to Quality Quidditch Supplies went without incident. Professor Dumbledore led the way, while Sirius and Madelyn followed behind us. Harry and I held hands the entire way, our wands being hidden up the sleeves of our free hands. This forced Ron and Gretchen to walk beside each other, which did not seem to upset either of them.

The Quidditch shop was empty except for one wizard who quickly left shortly after we entered.

“Mr. McDermott and his wife will be helping you select the proper size flying suit,” Professor Dumbledore explained, once we were alone. Since you will be traveling by broom for much of the journey, you will need a proper suit to protect you from the elements. Make sure your suit fits correctly or you will be very uncomfortable once you take to the air.”

I felt my heart sink when Professor Dumbledore mentioned that we would be spending a great deal of time flying by broomstick. If there was anything I disliked about the wizarding world, it was flying on a broom. I much preferred the way Muggles traveled by air, in jet powered aircraft. Harry must have sensed my uneasiness as he just squeezed my hand firmly, smiling warmly.

“Don’t worry about the flying, Hermione,” he whispered in my ear. “I’m sure the kind of flying we will be doing is nothing like Quidditch. Pretty tame mostly, I’d wager.”

“Harry, you know I am lousy at flying. Maybe I shouldn’t be going on this journey,” I whispered back, not really wanting to let Harry go without me. However, just the thought of flying was enough to make me nervous.

Before Harry could reply, Mrs. McDermott led Madelyn, Gretchen, and me to the women’s dressing rooms, where she was to fit us with our flying suits. She measured each of us and quickly returned with leather flying suits for us to try on. The suits had pants and a jacket that attached at the waist by means of a single zipper that ran completely around the waistband. The leather was surprisingly soft and flexible. The pants and jacket were lined with soft, cotton like material. Each leg and arm had a zipper to make the suit fit snugly. The leather was uncolored and devoid of any emblems. I had half expected the suits to be brightly colored Quidditch uniforms, from some team or other. Once I had the suit on, Mrs. McDermott showed me the tabs, which automatically fitted the suit to the contours of my body. As it was quite warm in the dressing room, I did not zip the jacket all the way up. I was the last to finish dressing. Gretchen was standing in front of the full-length mirror appraising the way the suit fit her.

“Madelyn, I thought you said that we were supposed to ‘blend in,’” Gretchen said, turning so that she could look at herself from every angle. “These suits are going to attract every two legged wolf within a hundred miles.”

I just stared at my reflection in the mirror with my mouth hanging open. I had never worn anything this form fitting in my life. Well maybe when I was a little girl, but definitely not since, I started Hogwarts.

“Hermione, if these outfits don’t get the guys attention we are in very serious trouble,” Gretchen said, chuckling as she stood next to me so that we were both visible in the mirror. I felt and saw my face redden at her remark.

“What? Haven’t you ever put a little extra wiggle in your behind, you know, just to make sure Harry notices you,” Gretchen asked, when she noticed that I seemed embarrassed by her previous remark.

“No!” I replied, shocked that she would ask me such a question.

“Oh, come on. Surely, you have done something to make sure Harry knows there is a woman underneath the heavy robes you wear at Hogwarts. What kind of clothes do you wear when you’re not wearing school uniforms?”

I suddenly remembered the sensation I felt when I knew that Harry was looking at my legs while I was wearing my pleated skirt. My feelings must have shown on my face as Gretchen smiled knowingly at me.

Mrs. McDermott handed each of us a leather helmet that fit snugly over on our heads and attached to the collar of the jacket by a single zipper. The back of the helmet was made of an expandable material so that it would accommodate our hair once we wrapped it in a bun. The helmet came with oversized goggles that did absolutely nothing for one’s appearance.

The next things to try on were leather boots, which turned out to be no problem at all. Mrs. McDermott handed each of us a pair of leather boots that were very big and told us to slip them on and stand up. Once the boots were on and we were standing, she used her wand to mold the boots to our feet in a perfect fit.

After our flying suits were completed with leather gloves, molded to our hands with a wave of Mrs. McDermott’s wand, she led us back into the main room of the shoppe where the guys were waiting. All three of the guys were trying very hard not to stare, but I was sure not one of them missed a thing. For a brief instant, Harry had the strangest look on his face, but it quickly vanished as he smiled sheepishly.

Mr. McDermott handed all six of us brooms—the likes of which I had never seen before—, backpacks with straps that slung over your shoulders, and a wristwatch. He also gave Professor Dumbledore a small square package that was about three inches on each side. Mrs. McDermott told Professor Dumbledore that she would see to it that our clothes were sent to Hogwarts.

“Is everyone ready?” Professor Dumbledore asked.

“As ready as we will ever be,” Sirius replied, looking us over carefully.

“From here you will travel by Floo powder to a small farm house just outside Hogsmeade. Say ‘Abbots Farm’ when you use the Floo powder,” Dumbledore instructed. “I will apparate to the farm and make sure everything is in order. I will contact you from there, when I am satisfied that it is safe for you to join me.”

“We will be waiting for your signal,” Sirius replied and Professor Dumbledore vanished.

For the next five minutes, Sirius and Madelyn kept a close eye on the alley while the four of us just looked around the shoppe. Once the image of Professor Dumbledore’s head materialized in the fire, we knew that it was safe to travel to the farm. Ron went first followed by Gretchen, me, Harry, Madelyn and finally Sirius.

Ron

I stepped out of the fireplace into a room that obviously not been lived in, in a great many years. The only two windows were boarded shut. Rays of sunlight penetrated between the cracks of the boards with particles of dust clearly visible in the light rays. I immediately started coughing on the dust-laden air that smelled anything but fresh. Professor Dumbledore was calling to me from the door of the house. Before I could answer him, Gretchen stumbled out of the fireplace and I swung around just in time to keep her from falling to the floor.

“Are you okay, Gretchen?” I choked out as I grabbed her around the waist and began leading her towards the door.

“I’ll be fine, Ron,” she replied as soon as we emerged into the bright sunlight and took deep breaths of fresh air.

Hermione and Harry came out of the house—both holding a hand over their mouths—a few seconds after us. Hermione grinned at us and I realized that I still had my arm around Gretchen’s waist, as she did mine.

“Gretchen, are you sure you will be alright?” I asked removing my arm from around her waist, as I suddenly felt a little self-conscious.

“Yes, I will be alright now that we are outside in the fresh air. Thanks, Ron,” she replied smiling at me.

“Professor, exactly what is this place?” Harry asked, after the dust had cleared from his lungs.

“This farm house used to belong to the Abbots; they died about twenty years ago. We use its fireplace when we wish to travel unnoticed,” Professor Dumbledore replied as Madelyn and Sirius emerged from the house choking on the dust.

“Professor, have you placed a spell on this house to keep the air unfit to breathe?” Hermione asked.

“That is very observant of you, Hermione. Yes, the spell keeps the curious from staying long, although no one has ever come here to my knowledge.”

“Now if all of you would kindly take hold of this old rake, we will Portkey to our final destination.”

Shortly after we were all holding onto the handle of the old rake, we took off flying over a succession of forests and lakes. Thirty minutes later, we landed in the center of a large clearing deep within a dense, almost primeval forest. Directly in front of us was a very large, two-story house with tall stone chimneys at each end. Smoke was curling lazily up from each of the chimneys; the unmistakable smell of burning wood filled the air. The roof appeared to be some type of wooden shingles, covered in several places by a light green moss.

By far the most distinguishing feature of the house was the large porch that stretched the entire length of the building. Many chairs, love seats, and tables were scattered about the porch. The place just felt homey to me. The fact that the sun was shining brightly and the air was warm and fresh probably had a lot to do with the way I felt.

“I have asked Professor McGonagall to stay with you while I go and talk with Miss Granger’s parents,” said Professor Dumbledore, interrupting my visual inspection of the house. “Harry, I have asked Mrs. Figg to go to the Dursleys and collect your possessions. She will inform them that you will not be returning for the remainder of the summer holidays.”

“Thank you Professor,” Harry replied with a strange look on his face.

“Harry, are you all right?” I asked, wondering why he wasn’t jumping for joy at the news of not having to return to the Dursleys for the remainder of the summer.”

“Yeah, I’m fine, Ron. I just realized that I might never see them again. Just gave me a queer feeling for a moment, that’s all.”

“I should be back in a couple of hours,” Professor Dumbledore added. “In the meantime, why don’t you all relax and get acquainted with each other. As it is nearing noon, I have asked the house elves to prepare your midday meal. They will call you as soon as it is ready.”

Professor Dumbledore and Mrs. Figg vanished after a short conversation with Professor McGonagall. I noticed that Gretchen seemed a little preoccupied as she gazed at the house.

“A penny for your thoughts,” I said, turning to face her.

“Oh! I’m sorry, Ron. I was just thinking how much this house and the setting reminded me of home, that’s all.”

“Do you come from a big family?”

“Yes, I have four brothers and two sisters, seven of us in all,” she replied, suddenly looking very sad.

“You must miss them a lot.”

“Yes, I do. How many brothers and sisters do you have, Ron?”

“I have five older brothers and one younger sister. Like your family, there are seven of us as well.”

“Looks like we will have lots in common to talk about,” Gretchen replied, smiling directly at me.

“Sure seems that way,” I replied, returning her warm smile.

For the first time in my life, I felt just barely comfortable talking with a very attractive girl, other than Hermione, whom I had known for years. From the moment I had laid eyes on Gretchen, I felt myself drawn to her. Something in the way that she looked at me that made me feel good about myself. Even though Gretchen was very delightful to look at, something else—that I could not quite define—attracted me to her. All I knew was that I wanted to get to know her much better.

“Professor McGonagall, why did you tell Mr. Malfoy that I was your great granddaughter?” Hermione asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Because you are my great granddaughter and I had heard more than enough of his insults to last me two life-times,” Professor McGonagall replied smiling, as I had never see her smile before.

“But, but…you can’t be my great grandmother. It’s just not possible. Both of my parents are Muggles,” Hermione stammered, totally at a loss for what to say next—which for Hermione is a very rare event.

“Perhaps we should go and sit down, as it is going to take awhile to explain everything to your satisfaction,” Professor McGonagall said, gently placing her hand on Hermione’s shoulder. “The rest of you are more than welcome to join us if you wish.”

We all followed Professor McGonagall up the front steps to the porch where she sat down in a cluster of chairs and love seats with enough room for all of us. Harry and Hermione sat in the love seat next to Professor McGonagall, Hermione seated next to her great grandmother—‘More than a bit of a wicked shock there’. Sirius and Madelyn took the other two single chairs, which left a love seat for Gretchen and me to share. Before I had a chance to feel awkward, Gretchen sat down in the love seat and smiled invitingly at me. I quickly sat down beside her, returning her smile.

As soon as everyone was seated Professor McGonagall started talking, addressing her remarks to Hermione, but loud enough for all of us to hear.

“My fathers name was Malcolm Macgregor. He was born in 1895 in the town of Achfary, which is located at the west end of Loch More in what is known as Scotland. He married Anne MacKinnon in 1916. My brother Ian was born in 1918, I was born in 1920 and Arabella two years later in 1922. The muggles had finished their first great war of the century. However, the wizarding world was in terrible chaos because Grindelwald and his followers were terrorizing decent wizards and witches.”

“In 1939, I married Duncan McGonagall from Lairg. He was a most charming and handsome young wizard. He was courageous and very resourceful. He was from a family that had a number of Aurors in their ancestry. I was a young girl of twenty and was madly in love with him.”

“At the time we were married, Grindelwald was at the height of his reign of terror. Shortly after we married, Duncan began working with a very powerful wizard named Albus Dumbledore. Duncan and Albus were working with a number of other wizards and witches to defeat Grindelwald.”

“A year later, we had a daughter, Margaret. By this time, Duncan and I were in a constant state of panic and dread for our daughter’s life. Grindelwald and his followers were using threats against the children of wizarding families to control them. Duncan and I decided that the best thing we could do for Margaret was to place her in a muggle home where she would never be found. When she was just three months old we gave her to a muggle family who had just lost a baby girl to diphtheria. We knew we could never see her again if she was to be safe and happy.”

Hermione, who by this time had tears freely flowing down her cheeks, was kneading Harry’s hand as if it was fresh bread dough. With his free hand, Harry grabbed some tissues from the box on the table beside him and started to dab at the tears on her face. “Thanks, Harry,” Hermione said, looking at Harry with an unmistakable look of love in her eyes.

Professor McGonagall continued on, “Duncan was murdered by Grindelwald the following year along with several other wizards and witches at what has since come to be known as the ‘Animagus Tragedy’. Over the period of the following three years, many people died, both magical and non-magical. Finally, in 1945, Dumbledore was able to defeat Grindelwald and drive the evil spirit from its human host.”

“Hermione, up until the time of Duncan’s death my emotions were constantly overwhelming me. I was constantly given to bursting into tears. I never considered that a weakness and neither should you. Duncan’s death took all of the tears I had left. I have not been able to shed a single tear since then. Hopefully none of the terrible sadness of my young adult life will fall on you.”

Hermione nodded at Professor McGonagall and said “Thank You” in a small and sad voice.

“After Duncan’s death I was completely at a loss as to what to do with myself. Albus Dumbledore finally convinced me that I should come to Hogwarts and teach. I have been there ever since.”

“Now as to your grandmother Margaret, she had a very normal muggle childhood. She was never trained in the ways of magic. I am sure she would have had the natural abilities to be a good witch. However, as she was not trained, her magical powers would have faded from sight. Margaret was very intelligent. She worked at the Oxford Library. Oh, she loved to read and was fascinated by books of all kinds. Margaret married a muggle by the name of William Stewart in 1959. She and William had one daughter, your mother Mary, in 1960. Margaret died in 1982 when you were only two years old.”

“As you know, Hermione, your mother married your father, Robert Granger in 1979 and you were born in 1980. You showed very strong magical qualities at a very early age. At that time, I contacted your parents and explained to them the facts I have just told you. At first, your parents were shocked and did not believe me. Nevertheless, as time went on, your abilities became obvious even to your mother and father. Hermione, I explained to your parents all about Hogwarts. I told them what attending Hogwarts could mean for you. Since you were their only child, it was a very difficult decision for them to let you go off to school away from home. And as they say, ‘The Rest is History.’”

“Why didn’t mum or dad ever tell me about this?” Hermione asked, after Professor McGonagall finished telling her story.

“I asked them not to tell you because Hogwarts has a rule that precludes family members of the staff from attending the school. Albus was the only person who knew that you were my great granddaughter. After all that I had been through, he decided to waive that rule in your case.”

“Is my being your great granddaughter going to cause any trouble?” Hermione asked, looking suddenly very anxious.

“No, it won’t, Hermione. So don’t you worry about it?”

“If the Malfoys believed you, it is going to be common knowledge very quickly,” Harry added. “Do you think they will be able to make trouble for Professor Dumbledore?”

“Knowing the Malfoys, I’m certain they will try, Harry. However, Albus Dumbledore is not easily intimidated by anyone. I’m quite sure you have learned that by now!”

“Yes, Professor, I have indeed noticed that,” Harry replied, grinning broadly.

One of the house-elves materialized next to Professor McGonagall, announced that the midday meal was ready, and would be served buffet style. The weather being as pleasant as it was, we all decided to fill our plates and eat out on the porch.

The main room of the house was very large with a high-pitched transparent ceiling in the center, nothing as grand as Hogwarts of course. Two large fireplaces, with windows on each side, were located to the left and right of the main entrance. A wide staircase opposite the entrance, which split in two, one path leading to the left, the other to the right, presumably led to the rooms on the second floor of the house. In the center of the room was a large dining table that could easily seat sixteen people, four on each side. Along the back wall, to the right of the stairs, was an old hutch filled with dishes and assorted drinking glasses. To the left of the stairs was a long narrow table filled with food, presumably for our midday meal. The aroma invaded my nostrils as soon as we entered the room.

In front of each fireplace stood a low wooden table about six feet square, surrounded on three sides by comfortable looking love seats. ‘Whoever furnished this place must have had couples in mind,’ I thought as I looked over the seating arrangements. Maybe married couples used this place for some form of ‘Retreat’. Along the front wall, on both sides of the entranceway, were bookshelves filled with several hundred books in varying sizes and colors. A cozy fire with more than enough books to read for the rest of your natural life, Harry was never going to get Hermione out of this room. I hoped that there would be a few Quidditch books on the shelves for him and me to read.

Scattered around the walls were the usual assortment of old pictures of wizards and witches, that watched us as we entered the room. Most of them were smiling at us. Two of the wizards looked especially grumpy—they probably had never smiled in their lives. The floor was made of wood, which creaked when we walked across it, headed for the table laden with a delicious assortment of food.

Harry and Hermione were holding hands as they looked over the room and its contents. They grinned at each other when they saw the array of love seats in front of the fireplaces. Gretchen noticed their reaction at the same time and slightly raised her eyebrows when we looked at each other. ‘What did she mean by that?’ I wondered. I hoped it was a good sign. This journey might just be something to remember.

After the ladies had filled their plates Harry, Sirius and I filled ours. I was starved, but I did not want Gretchen to know just how much I normally ate, so I only filled one plate. When we returned to the porch, we found Hermione and Gretchen sitting opposite each other at one table with Madelyn and Professor McGonagall at another table. My spirits soared as I was trying to figure out how to invite Gretchen to sit next to me. It looked as if everything had been prearranged. I had a suspicion that this was Hermione’s doing. The devilish grin on Hermione’s face more than confirmed my suspicion.

“Harry, did Sirius tell you or Ron any more about our journey while you were picking out clothes or getting fitted for your flying suits?” Hermione asked, after we had started to eat.

“No, he didn’t, Hermione. We don’t know any more about where or why we are going than you do.”

“I’m pretty sure Sirius knows where and why, but he hasn’t said anything to me,” I added between bites.

“I would assume that Professor Dumbledore will tell us everything we want to know when he returns,” Gretchen said, looking at each us.

“Gretchen, Professor Dumbledore never tells us everything we want to know,” Harry replied, a small trace of sarcasm in his voice. “He tells only the essential facts and expects us to work things out from there.”

“I don’t know about you three, but I had nothing exciting planned for the rest of the summer,” Gretchen said. “So whatever we are going to do, in wherever we are going to do it, will be a big improvement over what otherwise looked to be a long, dull summer.”

“Gretchen, you are absolutely right,” I replied. “Speaking for myself, I too didn’t have any great prospects for an interesting or unusual summer holiday. I might be wrong, but I’ll wager that by the time we return to school in the fall, we will have some very interesting stories to tell our fellow Gryffindors.”

“Ron, what is a Gryffindor?”

“Gryffindor is the house Hermione, Harry and I belong to at Hogwarts.”

“Huh?”

“Gretchen, the students who attend Hogwarts are divided into four groups, or houses. One of the house names is named Gryffindor,” Hermione explained. “The others are Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. An ancient hat sorts—chooses really—which house each student is assigned to at the start of their first year.”

“Is there much rivalry between these houses?” Gretchen asked.

“Oh yeah, the house that accumulates the most points at the end of the year wins the ‘House Cup’. It’s what we work for all year,” I replied.

“Why aren’t there students from other houses going on this journey?” Gretchen asked, as she finished eating and pushed her plate away from her.

“Because Lord Voldemort isn’t interested in killing or kidnapping any of them,” I replied so sharply that I even surprised myself. “Voldemort is obsessed with killing Harry. Hermione and I being Harry’s closest friends are targets as well.”

“I’m sorry, Ron. I didn’t mean upset you,” Gretchen said meekly, staring down at the table.

“Gretchen, you didn’t upset me,” I quickly replied, placing my hand reassuringly on her shoulder. “We are all just a little touchy on the subject. Probably has something to do with constantly waiting for someone to attack us again. Like this morning in Diagon Alley.”

When Gretchen looked up at me, she had tears in her eyes. This I was completely unprepared to deal with. I felt my stomach leap to the back of my throat. The only thing I could think to do was hand her my napkin—which was somewhat dumb as she had her own—tell her to dry her tears and not to cry because we were used to these attacks. This was a lie, but Harry and Hermione didn’t say anything thankfully.

“I don’t know about you three, but I feel like going for a walk,” Hermione said, after a short silence. “Harry?”

“Good idea, Hermione,” Harry replied, standing up with Hermione.

“Gretchen, would you like to walk with us?” I asked, smiling as warmly as I knew how.

“Yes, Ron, I would like that very much,” replied Gretchen, returning my smile and reaching out a hand so that I could help her up.

Hermione asked Professor McGonagall if it would be all right for us to talk a walk around the clearing, to which she readily agreed. A minute later, we were walking through the clearing, soaking up the warmth of the sun and trying to push the thoughts of Voldemort from our minds.

Sirius

Up until the moment Albus had told me that I was exonerated in the deaths of Harry’s parents and Peter Pettigrew, I never thought I would have a chance for a normal life. The twelve years I had spent in Azkaban followed by the last three years, spent mostly in hiding, had left me with little hope of having a wife and family. Within the span of only a few hours, not only did I learn that I could walk around in broad daylight, a free man; but I also learned that a beautiful single woman was to be my partner on the journey Albus was arranging for us to take. Fate—if there is such a thing—can sure through you some unexpected curves.

Madelyn’s flame red hair was impossible to miss. It was even redder than Ron’s was. When Madelyn smiled, which she seemed to do quite often, her green eyes sparkled like emeralds reflecting the sun’s rays. The snug fitting flying suit she was wearing made it obvious that there was a very mature woman zipped inside the leather jacket and pants. Madelyn’s curves showed in all the right places. ‘Damn, she could turn out to be a major distraction if I didn’t keep my mind on business,’ I thought to myself. ‘You’re complaining? Brother, you have been out of touch way, way too long,’ said the voice of my inner self.

It had been so long since I had sat at a table with anyone other that Harry and his friends, that I was feeling more than a little self-conscious. While we ate, I let Madelyn and Minerva do most of the talking. Part of the reason for listening instead of talking, could have just been a holdover from my days spent concealing my identity. Whatever the reason, I did not say much until I had finished eating.

“Sirius, has Albus given you any indication of what our journey is about or where we will be going?” Madelyn asked, as she pushed her plate away from her and leaned back in her chair.

“Yes, Madelyn, he has. I see no reason that you should not know. We are going to journey to the Realm in an attempt to obtain the ancient ‘Impervious’ charm.”

“You’re not joking, are you?” Madelyn asked a look of astonishment on her face.

“No, Madelyn, I’m not. Albus feels that one of the best ways to protect Harry, Hermione and Ron in their fight against Lord Voldemort is for them to try to obtain the protection of the ‘Impervious’ charm. Personally, I don’t think we have much of a chance of obtaining this charm—if it even exists anymore—but I’m willing to try.”

“I’ll be damned,” Madelyn exclaimed softly.

“Well, let’s hope not,” replied Minerva, looking almost as shocked as Madelyn over the reason for our journey.

“Like most others, I’ve heard all the old tales of the Realm and the Portals that connects it to the outer worlds,” Madelyn said, her eyes wide with anticipation. “I never thought that someday I would actually be setting foot in the Realm. Not even in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever be trying to obtain the ‘Impervious’ charm.”

“I imagine this is not quite what you expected when you agreed to go on this journey, is it, Madelyn?”

“No, Sirius, it sure isn’t. Not that I want to change my mind about going, you understand. It will just take me some time to get used to the idea, that’s all.”

“I’m afraid time is something we don’t have much of. Albus told me that the Portal opened yesterday and will close twenty seven days from now,” I added as I looked at Madelyn trying to gauge how she would react in a crisis. I was reasonably sure we would encounter more than one crisis on the upcoming journey.

“Well then, we will just have to be quick about it,” Madelyn replied, her voice strong and confident.

“Are Harry and Hermione romantically involved?” Madelyn asked, after several seconds of gazing at the kids wandering around the clearing.

“They are now, or at least I think they are,” I replied, looking to Minerva for her opinion.

“It would seem so, Sirius,” she replied, a soft smile crossing her face.

“Madelyn, is that a problem?” I asked, puzzled by the thoughtful look on her face.

“No, no it’s not a problem,” she replied, turning her gaze away from the kids, back to Minerva and me. For a brief moment, I though I saw a deep sadness in her eyes when she looked directly at me.

“There are days I would give almost anything to be that young and innocent again,” I said, nodding in the direction of the kids.

“I know just how you feel, Sirius, I really do,” Madelyn replied softly, as she placed her hand on top of mine.

Minerva and Madelyn spent the next couple of hours talking about the similarities and differences between Hogwarts and Beauxbatons while I half listened and half thought about what might lie ahead of us. Albus returned in mid-afternoon, looking quite satisfied. He had successfully contacted Hermione’s parents and they had given their consent for her to undertake this journey.

We decided to give the kids some more time to get to know each other. Supper would not be ready for another couple of hours. This afternoon might be the last chance they would have to spend some quiet, peaceful time just enjoying themselves. When at last a house-elf announced that the evening meal was ready, I called to the kids to return to the house.

Hermione

“Would you all please be seated?” Professor Dumbledore said indicating the main dining table, after we had all entered the main room.

Sirius and Madelyn sat in the chairs closest to the front door. Harry took my hand and led me to the chairs on Sirius’s left, while Ron and Gretchen sat opposite us. This left the head of the table, if there was a head, for Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore.

When we were all seated except for Professor Dumbledore, he said with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his face “I would like to say a few words. ‘Let’s eat.’”

At this, he took out his wand and said “Accio Feastialis”. The table was instantly filled with all sorts of different food and drink. There was roast chicken, steak, kidney pie, glazed ham, potatoes, vegetables galore, several kinds of bread and relishes. To drink, there was flasks of ice-cold pumpkin juice plus several assorted fruit juices. “Boy, I am starved,” I said to no one in particular and starting filling my plate. I noticed that everyone must have felt the same way as each of us was busy filling his or her own plates.

Ron’s plate was overflowing as usual. Gretchen’s plate was also well filled. With a smile on my face, I said to Ron, “Do you think you have enough food to last till breakfast?”

“You never know when or where your next meal may come. So eat while you can. That’s my motto,” he replied, grinning at Harry and me.

Harry looked at my plate and then at me and said “Hermione, looks like you don’t plan on starving any time soon yourself.”

I stuck my tongue out at him while holding my head high with as much dignity as I could fake.

Once we had all finished the last of our desserts, Dumbledore cleared the table with another wave of his wand. I noticed that Ron and Gretchen both had guilty looks on their faces. Then I realized they had managed to nick some of the desserts for a late night snack. When I was looking across the table at Ron, I realized just how much he had changed since I last saw him. He was no longer the freckle-faced boy that I remembered. He was changing into a handsome young man. He also seemed less afraid of pretty girls. He and Gretchen were talking and laughing together as if they were old friends. I knew he could not have changed that much in just three weeks. The only obvious answer was that I had never really looked at him lately.

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat and we all looked at him. “Now that we are all well fed, I would like to tell you why I have brought you here.”

Harry

As Professor Dumbledore started to speak, I took Hermione’s hand in mine and turned my attention to the Professor.

“Harry, Hermione, Ron, Gretchen, what I am about to tell you is something you normally wouldn’t learn about until the end of your seventh year of studies. Ron and Gretchen, both coming from wizarding families have heard many stories of ‘The Realm’, which is the magical world of our ancestors and the source of our magical abilities. The Realm is as old as time itself, or least so goes the legend. The Realm is at the center, or hub, of a group of twenty outer worlds that occupy the vertices of a dodecahedron. As you may recall a dodecahedron is a twelve-sided polygon composed of equal sized pentagons. A Portal connects each of the twenty worlds, or vertices, to its three immediate neighbors. In addition, there is a Portal between the Realm and each of its twenty outer worlds. Of the four Portals here on Earth, the three to neighboring outer worlds are always open but the Portal to the Realm is only open once every one hundred years during the time of the July lunar here on earth. When that Portal is open, wizarding folk are free to pass between the Realm and Earth.”

“Professor, I thought this whole portal story was just a myth. Are you telling us it’s real?” Ron asked.

“Yes, Ron, there really are portals to other worlds. I crossed through the portal from the Realm to this world one hundred years ago. A thousand years ago Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw all came through the portal and built Hogwarts. Hogsmeade was founded while Hogwarts was being built. Most of the witches and wizards who worked on Hogwarts lived in Hogsmeade. After the school was finished, the village continued to flourish on its own.”

“I was fifty years old and had been waiting patiently for the portal to open so that I might come to this world. During those fifty years, I had studied magic under some of the brightest wizards and witches in the Realm. I noticed in my studies a constantly reoccurring theme, namely the never-ending battle between good and evil. Every charm, curse, spell, potion, hex, or ability was either associated with the attainment of power for evil purposes or the protection against evil and those who practiced it. Harry, do you remember what Voldemort said to you when he was trying to acquire the Philosopher’s Stone?” Dumbledore asked me.

“Yes, Voldemort said ‘There is no good or evil, just power and those strong enough to take it,’” I replied.

“That’s correct, Harry. In many ways, Voldemort is correct. In and of itself there is no ‘Evil’ entity that exists outside of human beings. Evil exists because of the actions of human beings who are trying to attain power through any means possible. What is the ultimate power these beings are trying to attain?” asked Professor Dumbledore.

After a brief silence in which Dumbledore looked to each of us, Hermione said, “Would that be immortality, Professor?”

“You are absolutely correct, Hermione,” Professor Dumbledore replied.

I noticed that Professor McGonagall was looking exceptionally pleased with Hermione.

Dumbledore continued. “In the pursuit of their quest for immortality, through any means possible, the perpetrator loses all of their own humanity. They become creatures without souls that end up hating the qualities that make us human. They hate and envy the rest of us for the very things they have forsaken in their quest for immortality. These foul creatures can never know the simplest feelings we take for granted. The strongest of these feelings is love. Harry, Hermione, the love that you feel for each other is one the strongest emotions in the universe. The other equally strong emotion is hate. Since the dawn of humanity these two emotions have been in a constant state of conflict.”

“Professor, where does hate come from? We are not born with it. What drives people to hate?” Gretchen asked.

“Gretchen, the most common source of hate is fear,” Dumbledore replied. “Fear is the single most debilitating emotion a person can be afflicted with, although there are many others, such as self-pity. Fear can rob us of the capacity for rational thought and compassion for our fellow humans. It is how we cope with fear and the choices we make in dealing with our fears, that determines whether we are essentially a good or evil person. You have all had to cope with fear in your life and you will again in the future. It is when you lose your capability to love that fear drives you to evil.”

“Does this make sense to all of you?” Professor Dumbledore asked. “Sirius, Madelyn, this question is directed at you as much as it is these young folks,” he added.

“Yes Albus, I understand only too well what you are saying,” replied Sirius. “When I was imprisoned in Azkaban I was almost consumed by hate. All I could think about was killing Pettigrew. I was willing to sell my soul for the chance to do just that. However, from somewhere down deep inside me I started getting flashbacks of James and Lily. Slowly the love that I had for them and they had for me was able to penetrate through my hatred. I still wanted to kill Pettigrew. It wasn’t until Harry decided that Pettigrew should live that I was able to cast off my hate and replace the emptiness with love for Harry.”

“Professor, will evil finally win out over good?” asked Ron.

“Only if we let it, Ron,” Professor Dumbledore replied. “That is why I have spent my life in the pursuit of fighting people who do evil deeds, wherever they exist. I have spent a great deal of time studying the history of human endeavors relating to good and evil.”

“During my studies I was particularly fascinated by a legend known as the ‘Phoenix Prophecy’. At its core, this tale is the story of the confrontation between good and evil. The tale tells of a young wizard and witch who will one day attempt to defeat the ‘Dark Lord’ and send his spirit back into the endless void from which it sprang. According to the tale, a young witch that is very clever will assist the young wizard, who is very courageous. The young wizard will be befriended by a Phoenix that belongs to his mentor. The young wizard is known as ‘Seeker’ and the witch as ‘Reader.’”

I was starting to get that same feeling of dread in my stomach that came over me before each of the tasks in the Tri-Wizard championship, held three years ago. My hands were also starting to sweat. Hermione must have noticed this as she gave my hand a quick squeeze and me a look of loving support. I smiled back at her rather weakly, and mouthed a silent ‘I Love You’ as Professor Dumbledore continued.

“Unfortunately the prophecy never says whether the young wizard and witch succeed or fail at their task. The tale is a little vague on the origin of the wizard or witch except for this one passage and I quote.” Dumbledore looked straight at me and said.

“‘The Seeker’s parents were killed by the evil Sorcerer Mortius when he was but a young child. Because of the Seeker’s parents’ loving sacrifice, their love was transformed into an awesome power, and was bestowed on him. The power hereafter became known as ‘The power of Lightning and Thunder.’ The symbol for this power is a scar in the shape of a bolt of lightning.’”

“Bloody Hell!” Ron burst out.

“Mr. Weasley. Kindly watch your language,” snapped Professor McGonagall.

“I’m sorry Professor,” Ron added quickly, looking quite embarrassed.

I just sat there. I could not move or speak. It was as if I was watching from a dream. Rather like the time when I fell into Professor Dumbledore’s pensive three years ago. Everyone was looking at me. I could see looks of total amazement on their faces. Even Professor McGonagall looked totally thunderstruck.

I started to hear someone calling my name very faintly. As the voice grew louder and louder I finally realized it was Hermione. She was repeating over and over ‘Oh, Harry, Oh, Harry.’ Tears were starting to stream down her face. I finally managed to reach for the glass of water that Professor Dumbledore had set in front on me.

After a sip, I was able to croak out, “I’ll be Ok. Just give me a minute.”

I could now hear Professor Dumbledore plainly. He was telling me to ‘breathe deeply and relax.’ After what seemed like an hour but was probably just a few seconds, I was able to speak normally, well as normal as anyone could under the circumstances.

I put my arm around Hermione and said to her, “I’ll be fine, don’t cry.” I looked over at Sirius and Madelyn. Both of there faces were very pale, especially Sirius. “Sirius, take the Professor’s advice. ‘Breathe deeply and relax,’” I told him. At my words, he seemed to relax a little and smiled back at me.

Ron added, “You know for once, Harry, I don’t envy you one damn bit.” At having said ‘damn’ he quickly glanced in Professor McGonagall’s direction as if to say ‘Sorry about that.’

“Harry,” said Professor Dumbledore, “One of the reasons I came to Hogwarts was so that I could keep track of all of the young wizards and witches. I was constantly watching for any sign that the prophecy might come to pass. On the night your parents were killed, Hagrid brought you to the Dursleys and I saw the lightning scar on your forehead. I knew then that the prophecy was about to begin. I hid you among the muggles to keep you safe until you could be trained in the ways of magic. When in your second year, you were able to summon Fawkes to your side; I was absolutely convinced that you were the ‘Seeker’. As for the Reader, well that too was becoming quite obvious.” Dumbledore spoke this last sentence looking directly at Hermione with a very kind and pleased look on his face.

“Hermione, are you Ok?” I asked.

She just nodded and asked “Professor do you think I could have a glass of water too?”

“Certainly you may, Hermione. In fact we could all do with something to drink.” Dumbledore waved his wand over the table and several flasks of various beverages appeared.

“Wouldn’t happen to have any Butterbeer, would you Professor?” Ron asked and everyone laughed. The laughter broke the tension and everyone seemed to be more at ease.

I said, “Professor, the legend doesn’t say whether we, I mean the ‘Seeker’ and ‘Reader’ succeed or fail. Is that right?”

“Yes, Harry, you are correct,” he replied.

“Why doesn’t it tell what happens? I asked.

“This tale is a Prophecy not a true legend. Predicting the future with any degree of certainty is utterly impossible.”

“Boy is Professor Trelawney in for a shock. Just wait until she hears about this, Harry. She will go bonkers.” Ron said this with a huge grin on his face. At this outburst, even Professor McGonagall and Hermione burst out laughing.

“I’m sure Sybil Trelawney will be able to take this in stride,” Professor McGonagall added, grinning broadly.

“Minerva, I am quite convinced that at some point in the not to distant future, Harry and Hermione are going to confront Voldemort and his followers and that one or more persons is not going to survive this encounter,” stated Professor Dumbledore in a very grave tone of voice.

At this, Sirius shouted, “Professor, you can’t possibly expect these two youngsters to take on Voldemort. There must be some other way. Surely we have enough adult wizards and witches who would be ready and willing to fight that foul creature.”

“Sirius, I truly wish there were some other option open to us. Voldemort knows that Harry is his mortal enemy and the one most likely to destroy him. Now that Hermione has freely bonded herself with Harry, the two of them represent the greatest threat to his very existence. Harry I do not intend to lose you or Hermione as I did your parents.” Professor Dumbledore said this with such fire and vengeance in his voice that both Hermione and I jumped in our chairs. Dumbledore began speaking again.

“I have worked out a plan that will give Harry and Hermione all the protection that can be done. With this added protection and help from all of us who value good and decency, I feel we have a very good chance of defeating Voldemort. In essence the plan is to place Harry and Hermione under the protection of the ‘Impervious’ charm. Use them as bait to draw out Voldemort so that he can be killed. I do not say this lightly since I am opposed to killing under any circumstance. However, Voldemort is no longer truly human. Voldemort is an evil that inhabits a body conjured up from the dead. The person that was once Tom Riddle died many years ago, consumed by the dark side of magic.” When Dumbledore finished speaking, he looked tired.

“Professor Dumbledore, I thought the ‘Impervious’ charm was just a myth.” Hermione said, looking puzzled.

“Hermione, here on Earth that charm cannot be cast.” began the Professor. “However in the Realm it is still possible and I might as well add, quite difficult to acquire.”

“Exactly how do we go about acquiring this charm?” Hermione asked her voice barely more than a whisper.

“You will all travel through the Realm collecting the necessary ingredients. Once you have all of the required ingredients, you will travel to the ‘Mountain of Fire’ where you will prepare a potion from the ingredients you have collected. After drinking the potion, you and Harry will stand in the fiery breath of a dragon. This will crystallize, or fuse, the potion into a shield that should make you impervious to most evil spells.”

I heard a loud thump next to me and looked over to see Hermione lying face down on the table in front of her.

“Hermione,” I screamed and quickly cradled her into my arms. “Please, Hermione, wake up, wake up,” I begged her.

Professor McGonagall came over to her great grand daughter, waved her wand and said ‘Wacenum’. Hermione’s eyes fluttered open and she seemed quite dazed. I helped her to sit up slowly and she took several small sips of water.

“Sorry I passed out,” she said, looking quite embarrassed.

“Don’t feel bad,” I replied. “Remember, the same thing happened to me when the Dementors got close to me, before I learned how to ward them off?”

Sirius

“Professor, do you think we could take a break and let these kids catch their breath?” I asked.

“Yes, Sirius, I think that’s an excellent idea.” Dumbledore replied.

As we got up from the table Ron and Gretchen hurried over to Harry and Hermione and they all started hugging each other. After several minutes, I beckoned Harry to come see me. I took Harry over by the fireplace.

“Harry, how are you holding up?” I asked him.

“This is pretty overwhelming,” he replied. “I think I should be able to handle all of this. I just need a little time to absorb the meaning and consequences of what Professor Dumbledore has just told all of us. Remember, Sirius, I have faced Voldemort several times in the past six years. While I do not relish the idea of going up against him again, especially now that Hermione is involved, at least I have some idea of what to expect. When Voldemort regained a human body, I was able to fight him to a draw and escape before he could kill me. Maybe I was just lucky or maybe there is something powerful associated with my scar that I don’t yet understand.”

“Harry, I am immensely proud of you,” I told him. “You have proven yourself the equal of any adult wizard or witch with the courage and resourcefulness you have displayed in facing the most hideous evil creature of our time. I too believe that you are ready to undertake this task.”

“I have something to give you, Harry.” I told him to hold out his hands and placed a gold chain in each one. “These chains belonged to your parents. I have been waiting for the right time to give them to you. I believe now is that time. The thin chain with the small heart shaped locket was you mother’s of course. The thicker braided chain belonged to your father. Your parents gave these chains to each other as symbols of their never-ending love for each other.” I was having an extremely hard time saying this, as many painful memories were flooding back into my mind.

“Sirius, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will treasure them always.” Harry looked over at Hermione and then back to me. “Sirius, do you think mum would understand if I gave her chain to Hermione to wear? Harry asked me tentatively.

“Harry, I think your mother would not only understand but that she would be immensely proud of you as well. I know that if she were here today, she and your dad would absolutely adore Hermione.”

“Sirius, you’re the best godfather anyone could possible ask for.” Harry said, while throwing his arms around me, giving me an enormous hug, which I wholeheartedly returned.

“Now, you better get back to Hermione before she thinks I’m trying to keep you away from her,” I said.

“Oh, Hermione would never think that,” Harry replied and walked over to where Hermione was talking to Ron and Gretchen.

I watched Harry walk back over to the other youngsters. Harry was so much like James, in every way possible. He had that same quiet personality, yet he could be fiercely competitive when he wanted to be. His love for Hermione was just like James’ love for Lily.

I had failed James and Lily. I would die before I let any harm come to Harry or Hermione. I owed them that, and much more.

Looking at Ron was like looking at me at his age. He and Harry were the best of friends. Gretchen has turned out to be an added bonus. She and Ron seem to have hit it off right away. She is just what the doctor ordered to boost Ron’s self-confidence when it comes to girls, I thought to myself.

I walked over and sat down next to Madelyn, who was talking with Albus and Minerva. She smiled at me as I sat down. Madelyn was easy to talk with. She had a very slight Irish accent, which added considerable charm to her voice.

“Albus, what are we up against?” I asked.

“Sirius, I’m not going to make light of the challenges that you will have to overcome to collect the necessary ingredients and convince the dragons that your purpose is worthy. I do feel the talents that each of you possess, when combined to accomplish your common goal, will be sufficient to succeed on this journey to the Realm and back.”

“Sirius, I asked Madam Maxime to send me a teacher and a student to undertake this journey with you. I specifically asked that if possible, the teacher should be an Animagus like you. I am happy to say the Madelyn has this ability. She can transform herself into a falcon. This could prove quite useful to you on your journey. As I mentioned before, Madelyn also has considerable experience as a field nurse. Hopefully, you will have minimal need for her abilities in this area.”

“My sentiments exactly,” I said. “What special skills does Gretchen possess?”

“Gretchen is one of the very best students Beauxbatons has ever had when it comes to potions.” Madelyn replied. “She, like me is also very competent on a broom.”

“Well it sounds as though you have thought of everything,” I said to Albus.

“Let’s hope so,” he replied.

Hermione

When Harry rejoined Ron, Gretchen, and I, he put his arm around my waist. He looked liked he wanted to say something. After talking with us for several minutes, Harry asked. “Professor Dumbledore, would it be alright if Hermione and I went out onto the porch?”

“Yes, you may. However, please don’t leave the porch.”

Harry took my hand and led me out onto the porch. When we reached a double size chair away from the front door, I wrapped my arms around Harry’s waist and laid my head on his shoulder, facing his neck. He placed one hand on my back and started stroking my hair with the other. With my ear pressed to his shoulder, I could hear his heart softly beating. The rhythmic beating was very soothing on my tattered nerves. I felt like I could stand there in his arms forever.

We stood embraced for several minutes just enjoying the mutual warmth we gave each other. Finally, Harry said, “Hermione, I would like to give you something.”

“And what would that be?” I asked, stepping back a half step so that I could look into his face.

“This chain and locket,” he replied, holding up the most beautiful gold chain and locket I had ever seen.

“Oh, Harry its beautiful,” I said in a very awed voice.

“My father gave this to my mother as a token of his love and affection for her. And now I give it to you as my token of everlasting love and affection that I feel for you.”

I could barely see the tears in Harry’s eyes, mostly because mine were flooded with tears of sheer joy. Words just failed me. I could not think of the words that would adequately express my feelings. I placed my hand on the back of his neck and gently pulled his face to mine and kissed him.

“Thank you, Harry. I would be honored to accept this gift from you. It will be my most treasured possession,” I finally managed to say.

“Harry, would you fasten the chain around my neck,” I said, lifting my hair from my neck with both hands and turning my back towards him.

Harry encircled my neck with the chain and clicked the clasp shut. Before I could turn around, he kissed me on the back of my neck. His unexpected kiss tickled me and I jumped and squealed, “Harry!” When I turned around to face him he was smiling as he looked at the locket hanging on the front of my flying suit. I suddenly frowned as I realized I did not have anything to give him in return.

He noticed this right away and said, “What’s the matter, Hermione?”

“I feel bad because I don’t have anything to give you in return.”

“I’m sure that someday you will find something that will adequately express your feelings. Until then I can wait.”

“Well here’s something to tide you over,” I said, and kissed him again. We sat down on the chair. I leaned my back against Harry and he wrapped his arms around me. I could not remember any time in my life when I felt this happy.

“Hermione, I know that the thought of everything we may have to go through is more than a little daunting. I can honestly say that I am not looking forward to being turned into human toast by some dragon.”

“Harry, I wish you hadn’t said that. Right now, it is still very terrifying to think about even being near a dragon. Let alone to let it deliberately breathe fire on you. I hope by the time we have all of the ingredients I will be able to think about this more calmly. As long as you are going to be by my side I think I will be able to do this.”

“Hun, I feel exactly the same. I know this might sound a little weird but I am glad you will be with me. The last several times I have faced Voldemort, I have had to do it alone. It is the worst feeling you can imagine. Having to face mortal peril and feel that you are all alone in the world.”

“Harry, I will always be with you. No matter what happens to us, always remember that I love you now and for all time. Even though facing Voldemort may mean grave danger to me, I want to be at your side. Believe me when I say this because it is not easy for me to think of myself actually trying to defeat Voldemort. To me, the height of excitement is reading some harrowing book in the library.”

Harry suddenly started laughing and said. “It sure would be nice if we were just reading about all of this in some story, rather than actually living it. I am tired of worrying about all of this. Let’s follow Hagrid’s advice; ‘What’s comin will come and we’ll meet it when it does.’”

I could sense that Harry had come to grips with our future, as he seemed quite relaxed. I was not relaxed, because at the very moment he started tickling me in the ribs. I am horribly ticklish, especially on the bottom of my feet, which I planned never to mention to him. I was squirming all over the chair trying to get away. I finally managed to turn around so that I could start tickling him. We keep this up for a few more seconds and then I found myself staring into his eyes. For several seconds we just looked into each other’s eyes. It was the most intense feeling I had ever felt in my life. It seemed as if the rest of the world had just faded from existence and Harry and I were the only two people in the universe. At that moment, I realized what it was like to have someone be more important to you than yourself. Harry whispered, “I love you.” Then he kissed me very tenderly.

“I love you too,” I added, blinking back a tear.

“Harry, it’s colder out here than I thought. Could we go back inside and sit by the fire?” I asked.

“Sure, let’s go.” Harry replied. We walked back into the house and went to sit by Ron and Gretchen who were seated in front of one of the fireplaces.

Ron

After Harry and Hermione went out on the front porch, I asked Gretchen if she would like to go and sit by the fire. In front of each fireplace there were three large love seats facing a low table. We sat down on one of the love seats together, turning so that we could face each other and talk. Gretchen pulled her legs up beside her as she sat down.

Gretchen, noticing that I was staring at her shoulders looked from side to side trying to figure out what I was looking at.

“It’s you hair,” I said. “My only sister Ginny has very short hair and I couldn’t help thinking how beautiful your hair would be when it wasn’t in braids.”

“Oh,” she said smiling and asked me if I would like to unbraid and brush it out for her?

“Are you serious? I’d love to,” I replied.

She reached into her handbag and retrieved a brush. She slid the elastic bands from the ends of her braids and turned her back to me.

“Unravel the braids first and begin brushing slowly at about the middle of my hair until the tangles are worked loose,” she said, looking over her shoulder.

I got my knees folded under me so that I could easily reach all of her hair and began unwinding her braids. Her hair was very soft and naturally straight. It had a light fragrance that smelled enchanting. After undoing, both braids I began to brush her hair slowly, working from the middle to the sides. This was definitely a first for me. I never knew brushing a girl’s hair could be this enjoyable.

As I brushed we talked about our families and homes. From time to time, she would look over her shoulder at me, and smile. Gretchen’s smiles were warm and friendly. Each time she smiled at me, I felt warm all over. Once when I was scooping up a hand full of hair and my fingers touched the back of her neck she shivered. “I’m Sorry,” I said.

“Oh, that’s alright. It just tickled a little,” she replied.

After what seemed like no time at all, Harry and Hermione came in from the porch. Hermione was positively glowing as she and Harry sat down on the love seat opposite us. Gretchen turned back around to face me and said “Thanks, Ron. That felt wonderful.”

“You’re welcome, Gretchen. Any time you would like me to do it again, just let me know,” I offered.

“You can count on it, Ron.”

“Hey when are you going to brush my hair?” piped up Hermione.

“Ask Harry,” I replied. I’m sure he would love to brush your hair.”

Hermione stuck her tongue out at me. “That’s not very ladylike,” I added.

“Whoever said I was a lady?’ she shot back.

As Gretchen looked over at Hermione, she immediately noticed the gold chain and locket hanging around her neck. “That’s a very nice looking locket, Hermione,” she said.

“Harry just gave it to me. It used to belong to his mother,” Hermione replied. At the mention of Harry’s mum Gretchen seemed uncertain as to what to say.

I quickly added, “She’s right, the locket is very pretty. It looks right at home around your neck, Hermione.”

“Why, thank you, both.” she said taking Harry’s hand in hers.

“Hermione, have you ever read anything about this ‘Impervious’ charm?” I asked.

“I think I remember reading something about it in ‘Ancient Charms and Potions’ three years ago, while we trying to figure out how Harry could breathe under water.”

“Are you two okay with this?” I asked them.

“Well the thought of standing still while a dragon breathes fire on you is positively terrifying,” Harry said. “I’m not sure we have any real choice though. If we do not try this and succeed, it will be only a matter of time before Voldemort kills us. We are as ready as we can be to try this charm, right Hun?”

“Yeah, right,” replied Hermione. Although from the sound of her voice, she was not very sure. But then again neither was Harry. What I personally thought of this idea I did not dare say aloud.

“Just how did you get sucked into this madness, Gretchen? I asked her.

“Well two things, I guess. One I have a real knack for potions and two I am good flyer.”

“I can see that we are going to need someone who is very good at making potions now that we know what we are attempting to do. I just wish we weren’t going to have to fly everywhere,” Hermione added.

“Why is that, Hermione?” Gretchen asked.

“It’s just that I’m not very good at flying yet. I’m constantly afraid that I will fall off or crash into something.”

“Don’t worry,” Gretchen told Hermione. “I’ll teach you how to fly. A Girl needs to learn from another girl. Boys don’t fly the same way as us girls do.”

“She’s sure got that right, right, Harry?” I said, grinning evilly.

While I was grinning at Harry, Gretchen elbowed me in the ribs none too gently. “Ouch that hurt,” I said, rubbing my sides tenderly.

“What, that was just a gentle nudge.”

“I’ll show you gentle,” I said trying to tickle her ribs. We wrestled for a couple of minutes, each trying to get at the others ribs. Harry and Hermione were grinning at us the whole time. Finally, when Gretchen and I had stalemated each other by getting our arms tangled with our hands clasped together we stopped struggling. We were face-to-face, just inches apart. We stared at each other for a long awkward moment and then we quickly let go of each other and untangled ourselves. We did not separate from each other as we sat there. I think we were both a little bit embarrassed.

Hermione changed the subject and started talking about what it would be like when we returned to Hogwarts in the fall. Gretchen was very interested in the school, our professors and the classes. She said she could not wait to meet Hagrid. Just about the time we all were starting to yawn Professor Dumbledore announced that it was time for bed. He said that he and Professor McGonagall would be placing us all under mild sleeping charms so that we could get a good night’s sleep. They would be standing watch over the house and us while we slept. Dumbledore told us that the wizard’s room was on the right and the witch’s room on the left. Bedclothes of the correct size were laid out on the beds.

We all got to our feet to head upstairs. Harry and Hermione gave each other a hug and kiss goodnight. To my astonishment, Gretchen kissed my cheek and said, “Goodnight, Ron. Thank you for everything. You have made me feel right at home.” Hermione, Gretchen, and Madelyn headed up the stairs to their room while Sirius, Harry and I headed up to ours.

Once we changed into our bedclothes and Harry had climbed into his bed, I said to him. “Harry, I am truly very happy for you and Hermione. I hope you two are able to enjoy all the happiness in the world. Oh yeah, don’t forget to name your first son after me.” I said laughing.

“Ron, right now I’ll settle for all of us still being alive for the start of school in September.”

“Harry, you sure got that right. Goodnight, Sirius.” I said and crawled into my bed.

“Goodnight, Ron, Harry.” Sirius said, getting into his own bed.

Just then, Professor Dumbledore came in and with a wave of his wand, I immediately felt very sleepy. The last thing I remember was thinking of the way Gretchen’s kiss tickled my cheek.

Gretchen

When Madelyn, Hermione and I reached our bedroom, we all immediately changed into our bedclothes. Madelyn got into her bed right away and said goodnight to us. I went over and sat on Hermione’s bed with her.

“May I see your new locket?” I asked her

She pulled it outside of her nightgown so that I could get a better look at it. “Hermione, I think there is something very special about that locket.”

“Of course there is. It was given to Harry’s mother by his father as a token of his love and now Harry has pledged his love to me with this locket,” she added as if that should have been obvious.

“No, I know that,” I replied. “What I mean is that I think there is some special charm associated with the chain and locket to help protect you from harm. If I’m right then I’ll bet that Harry doesn’t even know about it.”

“You may be right, Gretchen. Professor Dumbledore may have placed a protective charm on this before Harry’s father gave it to his mum.

“Gretchen, what do you think of Ron?” Hermione asked, suddenly changing the topic of conversation

“I really like him,” I replied. “He is easy to be with and talk to. We have a lot in common because we both come from large families. I think I am going to enjoy this trip much more because of him.”

“I don’t think Ron has ever been as comfortable around another girl the way he is with you,” said Hermione. “I think he likes you too.”

“Hermione, I really like you. I really appreciate the way you, Harry and Ron have treated me since arriving here today.”

“Thank you, Gretchen,” she replied. “I really like you too. It’s going to be very nice having another girl my own age along on the journey. I have a feeling you and I are going to become the best of friends.”

Just then Professor McGonagall came in and said “Lights out, Time for sleep.”

I gave Hermione a quick hug, which she returned, and quickly got into my own bed. The last thing I remember was thinking, “Ron Weasley, you just wait.”