Unofficial Portkey Archive

What should have been

Twenty one year old Sirius Orion Black was trying to fall asleep at his girlfriend's house when he suddenly remembered that the Potters lived in Godric's Hollow. He was one of only three people who would know precisely what that new knowledge actually meant. "Damn you Wormtail!" He jumped out of bed and threw on his blue-jeans and leather jacket and started running for his magical motorcycle.

He was in the garage when Elle caught up to him, "Where are you going?"

"Godric's Hollow, the Fidelius is broken!"

"So apparate!"

"Thanks beautiful." And he vanished with a pop. Three hundred miles away he arrived at the smoking remains of the Potter's cottage. His wand was in his hand but he could see no one moving. He shoved his way through the door and into the living room where his best friend lay sprawled in front of the stairs. "Damn."

He heard a child cry out, "mummy," from up the stairs and ran up them through the smoke. What he found broke his heart, Lily lay dead on the floor while Harry was shaking her, like he was trying to wake her up. Young Harry looked up at Sirius and clapped once, "Paddy!" There was a jagged, bloody wound on the boys forehead.

He snatched Harry into his arms and hugged him, "Got you Harry Bear, safe now." Then he noticed a dark pile of black robes lying across the room. He investigated and discovered that there lay Voldemort, a shocked expression on his face. Sirius pulled the wand from his still warm fingers.

Harry said, "BAD." And pointed at the body.

Sirius nodded and put the wand in the inside pocket of his leather jacket and carried Harry back down the stairs to the fireplace. It looked undamaged so he tossed some floo powder into it and yelled, "DMLE" and stuck his head into the green flames.

The on duty Auror looked up from the Daily Prophet, "Michael! Move it the Potters have been attacked by Voldemort, send help to Godric's Hollow."

Maybe it was the fact that a fifteen month old Harry was also visible to the Auror as he clung to the man, but he jumped to his feet and set off several alarms, "We'll be there in two minutes, any hostiles?"

Sirius shrugged, "Not that I've found."

The Auror answered, "Stay there until we arrive Sirius."

Sirius nodded and pulled out of the flames. He heard someone, possibly a troll pounding their way up the road outside, huffing and puffing loudly. He ducked into the kitchen with Harry, telling him, "Sush now Harry Bear. I need to see who or what this is."

Harry put his own small finger over his own mouth and gave out a soft, "shhh." Then looked towards the front of the house and the commotion beginning there.

Something was pulling the door off of its hinge huffing and puffing loudly, then the entire door-frame was yanked away from the house creating a large opening. A huge shadow filled the opening and came inside the house.

Harry jumped and gripped Sirius tighter.

Then the huge shadow let out a sob and knelt over James, "James, who did this ter ya?"

Sirius grinned at Harry and stepped forward into the room saying, "Lumos!" Hagrid looked up blinking into the light, "Hi Hagrid, the Auror's will be here in a moment but it looks like the attack is over."

Hagrid lurched to his feet, "Sirius Black?"

"Yes, I arrived about two minutes ago, Harry here is the only survivor. Lily is upstairs, Voldemort got her with a killing curse as well."

"Wha appened?"

Sirius shook his head, "I don't know yet, Voldemort's body is upstairs. Where's Dumbledore?"

Hagrid squared his shoulders, "e told me ter come and fetch young Arry and bring 'im to Privet Drive in Surrey."

"You mean he isn't coming here? Just sent you to find Harry? How did he know Harry was the only one alive? Privet drive is where Lily's sister lives, with her gorm of a husband!"

Hagrid shrugged, "Spose so, Dumbledore told me to bring Arry there an that's what I's gonna do." He took one step towards Sirius and Harry.

Sirius raised his wand and Harry held onto his arm tighter. "Hold it right there Hagrid. I know you're impervious to stunners, don't make me hit you with something more deadly."

There was a huge commotion at the front door and ten Auror's rushed into the house. "Hold it there!" The wands were trained equally on Sirius and Hagrid.

Sirius stepped back once and put his lit wand on the table beside him. "Thank you for arrive so soon gentlemen. I am Sirius Black, Auror, Head of the Black family and godfather to young Harry here. I arrived to find the lad's parents already dead. Upstairs you will find Lily and the body of Voldemort himself, I flooed you immediately."

The lead Auror, Marcus, Sirius remembered, was apparently satisfied with Sirius's story and peaceful attitude, he gestured at three of the Auror's who ran up the stairs to find out if Sirius had spoken the truth. Then Marcus turned to Hagrid. "And you? Aren't you the groundskeeper at Hogwarts?"

Hagrid turned to the man, "Ya, Dumbledore told me ter come here and fetch young Arry to Privet Drive in Surrey."

There were three new pops outside, one of the Auror's called in, "Healers."

Marcus told Hagrid, "With the boy's parents dead his godfather here has custody until a judge declares otherwise, Sirius is an Auror and Head of an Ancient and Noble house!" He turned back to Sirius, "I want to know how you both knew to come here so soon after the attack?"

Sirius answered, "I was with the Potters just four days ago. They asked me to be the secret keeper for a Fidelius spell to hide the house from anyone. I convinced them to use our mutual friend Peter Pettigrew. They agreed and I left, soon after I couldn't remember where they lived. Tonight just as I was falling asleep I suddenly remembered where they lived, that told me that Peter had betrayed them to Voldemort and the Fidelius was broken. I rushed over here to see if I could help as you see I didn't even get my shoes on."

"Do you have any witnesses to corroborate your whereabouts?"

Sirius nodded, "I was at my girlfriend's home Elle McPierce, she can vouch for my whereabouts for the entire day."

"And did you kill Voldemort?"

Sirius shook his head, "No I found him already dead. Harry was the only living being in the house when I arrived."

The Auror nodded turning to Hagrid. "Um… I dunno. I was tryin to kill some giant slugs in me garden an Dumbledore come rushing down an tells me to come ere and get young Arry an take im ter Privet Drive an he would meet me der. I ran ter Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade an took the floo to the pub up da street an ran here."

The healers came into the room, two young men and an older woman, all in St. Mungo's uniforms. The older woman checked James over and then placed a Portkey on his body, tapping it with her wand she sent it to the morgue.

Sirius choked softly once when Harry said softly into his ear, "Da?"

Sirius put his forehead against Harry's bloody one and said softly, "Sorry Harry Bear, Dada is gone."

Harry hugged him around the neck and Sirius barely heard the lead Auror tell the healers that the mother and Voldemort's body was upstairs.

One of the young healers came over and looked at the jagged wound in Harry's forehead. At Sirius's brief nod the healer waved his wand over the wound. It closed only slightly while the blood that had dripped over the child's face vanished completely.

Sirius looked at the young healer who said, "Must be from a dark curse, he should go to St. Mungo's for the Master healers to check."

"Very well. Marcus?" When the Lead Auror looked at him Sirius asked, "May I take my godchild to St. Mungo's? Apparently his injury is from a dark curse and this young healer thinks he needs to be seen by a Master."

The auror nodded, "Certainly, Davis, Parker, go with them. I need a memory of the event from Mr. Black. Pelty, go to Healer McPierce an tell her Mr. Black has taken Harry Potter to St. Mungo's. Also get her memories to corroborate his story."

Hagrid said, "No, I need ter take Arry to Privet Drive!"

Six Auror's pointed their wands at the man, "You will stop at once or be under arrest. Neither Dumbledore nor you have any right to decide where Harry Potter goes at this time. He will remain with his godfather and under Auror escort! Do I make myself clear Mr. Hagrid?"

Hagrid said, "Ya I guess so. Dumbledore wil no like it doh."

"Well you and me, and the rest of my team will go and discuss this with him. I need to know how he knew to send you after just Harry, not to check on the Potters or why he himself didn't come here."

One of the Auror's, Davis, picked up Sirius's wand and after a soft "nox" handed it to him. He tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket next to Voldemort's.

The young healer pulled out a foot long magenta ribbon and held it out to the two Auror's, Sirius took Harry's small hand in his and placed it on the ribbon along with his own.

Harry was giggling when they arrived in the emergency room of St. Mungo's.

The young healer escorted them into the back room and spoke to Master Healer Erasmus Pherus for several moments.

Erasmus motioned Sirius into one of the rooms, the Auror's went along with him. "So Mr. Black, do you have any ideas as to what hit this young man?"

"No sir but I think the wand that did it is in my pocket, we can try a Priori Incantum on it."

The old man's eyebrows rose, "Really? And where did you find this wand."

Sirius stood Harry on the bed, he kept an arm around his waist and Harry held the collar of his jacket firmly. "In Voldemort's cooling hand, so either he cast it or one of his Death-Eaters did and then fled before I got there. Harry pointed at Voldemort's body and said bad so I assume he was the one that did it."

The healer gulped, "Well let's see this wand then, you hold it." He pointed at Davis and said, "See what spell it cast last."

Barbara Davis steeled her resolve and stared at Sirius's right hand as it emerged from his jacket with a long black wand.

He held it pointing at no one and Barbara cast the spell, a skull and crossbones emerged from the tip of the deadly wand.

Harry yelled, "BAD!" and knocked the wand out of Sirius's hand, it clattered to the floor and rolled against Sirius's bare foot.

Erasmus cleared his throat, "Well I believe you are correct Mr. Black, it was that wand and it was the killing curse. Now I think the question is why did this boy live?"

He began casting diagnostic spells on Harry while the others waited patiently. He kept hmming and casting more spells then finally said, "Well it's certainly cursed and something awfully dark, so dark I'm afraid it may be a fragment of Voldemort himself. I'm going to send for Nicholas Flamel, he is by far the greatest expert on this sort of thing."

Barbara Davis sat down hard on one of the chairs in the room. "Merlin!"

Erasmus smiled and walked from the room, "Back in a minute or so."

Sirius turned to Harry, "It's ok Harry Bear, we'll get this fixed." He turned to the other Auror, William Parker and asked, "Can you extract the memory of what happened now? Oh and hand me that wand, I don't want it out of my sight."

William knelt and picked up the wand with two fingers then gently handed it to Sirius who slid it into his pocket again. William then put his wand at Sirius's temple and waited for him to nod. Just when they were finishing Nicholas Flamel himself walked into the room. Sirius bowed slightly while William and Barbara went to their knees.

"Please, stand, we are here to assist our young savior here. Now my grandson Erasmus thinks that Voldemort's soul is contained within that scar, let me see what I can discover." The kindly man looked Harry in the eye and asked, "May I check your boo boo?"

Harry just nodded and Nicholas placed his palm flat against the scar, smoke rose from where they touched and Nicholas pulled back. His hand was blistered but as everyone watched it healed in seconds. Nicholas nodded, "Yes I think that will do it."

Sirius asked, "Is Harry healed sir?"

Nicholas looked up at him sharply, "What? Oh, no. No my boy but I know how to heal him. Please lay Harry on his back on the table. When Sirius did so Nicholas asked the Auror's, "Does anyone have a sharp knife? I don't care how big it is."

Barbara produced a six inch stiletto from her belt.

Sirius asked, "What?"

Nicholas smiled at him while he took the knife, "Relax my son, it's not for him."

"Oh," was all Sirius could say.

Nicholas drew the blade across his left palm and cupped it until a small pool of his blood had formed. He handed the dagger back to Barbara and held Harry's chin. Then he poured the blood onto the wound and placed his palm over it. There was a lot of smoke but Harry lay calmly while Sirius held his small hand.

In the midst of the dense smoke a green cloud formed then an unearthly wailing was heard but it wasn't coming from Harry or anyone in the room. Then the cloud formed into the face of Voldemort and screamed as the last of it came out of Harry's wound. Everyone stood stock still while the cloud imploded and was gone.

Nicholas smiled down at Harry who was sleeping peacefully, "All better?" He removed his hand and a white scar was all that remained of the bloody wound, it was shaped like a lightning bolt.

Nicholas turned to the three adults in the room. "I need an oath of secrecy on what you have just seen."

The three immediately pulled out their wands and waited. Nicholas gave them the words and they repeated them. "I solemnly swear to reveal what I have witnessed in this room only to Harry Potter and his wives, so mote it be." When they had repeated the phrase he waited for them to put away their wands.

"Auror's you may depart, I must speak with Lords Potter and Black alone." The two hastily made their exits from the room.

"Sirius Black I charge you with the protection of this boy, you will find him four wives as befits the last child of an Ancient and Noble house, they must be good and valiant souls. He will need their support when the time comes, for Voldemort will one day rise again to exact revenge. You must father children of your own but none of them are to wed him, your wife may be told of these events. After, the wedding vows and not before."

Sirius said simply, "I understand sir and shall see to his training."

Nicholas patted his shoulder, "Excellent. I'm afraid you will have some difficulties from the Dumbledore's, to circumvent some of that I will speak before the Wizengamot. You have the Crown's protection upon you now. It may be mostly symbolic but we shall see how far these fools dare push me."

Sirius finally bowed deeply and when he rose had tears in his eyes. He had refused to let his emotions cloud his judgment lest that lead to disaster, now the weight of what had happened was being compounded by Nicholas's new charge. He cleared his throat and wiped his eyes, "I shall do my utmost to love him as my own and teach him who he is and whom his parents were."

"I can ask no more than that." Nicholas patted his shoulder one more time then walked from the room.

Elle rushed inside a moment later and pulled Sirius into a tight hug. He let the tears flow then into her sweet hair.

When he finally regained his composure he slid to his knee before her. "Elle, would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

She knelt with him and took his hands in hers, "Yes, you silly man."

They kissed, kneeling there upon the stone floor with Harry sleeping peacefully on the bed.

In an upscale home in Crawley a young couple was woken by their two year old daughter at precisely midnight. Her night gown was bloody and they found a deep inch long cut over her heart. They searched for a wild animal in the girls room but could find nothing. Eventually they cleaned and bandaged the wound, changed her gown and took her to their bed for the night.

Sirius Black took his instructions from Nicholas to heart. He spent years visiting every wizard family with daughters near Harry's age, always taking Harry and Elle with him and searched for the four wives that Nicholas mentioned. At age six the betrothal of Harry Potter to Daphne Greengrass caused quite a stir but Sirius had contrived with Malcom Greengrass and the goblins to make it ironclad.

Harry himself would only say in public that he liked Daphne and she was a good friend. The fact that her family had been aligned with the Blacks for centuries was not lost on anyone.

Just one year later Harry's second betrothal was announced to be none other than Susan Bones, niece of the solidly light side Amelia Bones, then director of the DMLE. The fact that it was Amelia herself who made the announcement along with her usual stipulating of the precise laws they were abiding by, laws which allowed the last head of a noble house to choose up to four wives, led to many others asking to be betrothed to Harry as well.

Sirius Black followed his own agenda and put everyone on notice that yes he was looking for others but had no current prospects.

Though Harry was betrothed to two very different girls when they were together, and that was very often, there was little squabbling. According to Wizard law Daphne, as both the oldest and the first betrothed had the right of first choice among the wives and Susan was happy so long as she was included in their games, a fact that Harry insisted upon.

Daphne was eight months Harry's senior and when presented with the choice had talked for nearly three hours with her mother before finally telling both her father and Sirius that Yes, she would be pleased to be Harry's first wife and that she thought she understood precisely what that meant.

Susan Bones was initially not so understanding and rebelled at the idea but after a long discussion with Daphne she agreed.

Sirius had explained in great detail to Harry as he grew up that once he reached sixteen he would be married to the girls and from then on they would be together.

It was not until Harry was nine that another betrothal was announced, Luna Lovegood was the first girl younger than Harry, there was little protest as Sirius's plans for Harry had been analyzed to death two years prior.

It was then Harry made a decision, he told Sirius that he wanted to choose the fourth girl and Luna announced that he wouldn't meet her until he rode the train to Hogwarts for his first year.

Over the years Harry had only one real male friend, Neville Longbottom who had proven to be a staunch supporter and right hand man to Harry. Neville had refused several betrothals and was actually courting Sirius and Elle's eldest daughter Carina though she was three years younger than he.

Much of their supervised playtime had included spellwork, with emphasis on jinxes and their use in playing pranks, shielding, and healing. Sirius explained this to Malcom and Amelia as early combat training, honing their reflexes and though the spells were non-lethal the actual training was the important part. Sirius was ruthless in his application of the pranks, indiscriminately using jelly-leg, leg-locker, or tickling on anyone who presented an easy target.

Harry and Daphne were far more ruthless in their revenge upon Sirius than the others but they never got the upper hand on him for long. Neville, Susan, and Luna were content to defend themselves when directly attacked.

The day finally came when Harry got on the Hogwarts Express, he was not actually planning on attending the school, just meeting the girl Luna had foreseen. To that end Luna, though still too young to attend school, accompanied them onto the train.

The five of them made quite a sight as they strode onto the platform. All were dressed in high quality robes. Harry led the way with Daphne by his side, Susan and Luna walked behind them and Neville brought up the rear. None of them had brought a trunk as they would be portkeying back to Sirius's manor from Hogsmead station and would continue their education with their tutors.

Harry's plan was to meet the girl and convince her to join them. He was certain that whatever family she belonged to that wouldn't be an issue.

They were accosted by a large family of red-heads, Harry had met the Weasley's of course but had not really gotten along well with them. Luna and Neville seemed to have befriended the youngest, a girl Luna's age named Ginny.
Daphne and Susan immediately pulled their wands and kept them on the twins for the duration of the discussion, while Luna kept track of others in the front Neville had his back to them and continually scanned for threats.

Harry said, "Good morning, Mr. Weasley and family."

The patriarch smiled and said, "Good morning to you as well. I hope you all have a good year at school, this is Ron's first year as well."

Ron was staring at Harry's scar, a habit that Harry found very annoying, he also seemed to be drooling.

Harry suppressed a shudder, "Well nice seeing you, we need to go find a compartment." He walked off into the crowd his group following his lead.

Ginny yelled after him, "See you again soon Harry."

Harry did shudder then and Luna put her hand on his shoulder and said softly, "Not the one, don't worry."

Harry patted her hand and then re-focused on where Daphne was leading them, to the last passenger car on the train.

They found the last compartment un-occupied and settled in, there was only room for three to a seat, six in the compartment, Daphne sat with Harry while Luna and Susan sat on either side of Neville. There was little jealousy among them and this arrangement had been discussed at length earlier. The idea was to allow the new girl to sit with Harry so he could speak with her, anyone Luna shook her head on was simply refused entry to their room by Neville.

But the train lurched into motion and so far the girl had not come to their compartment. Daphne in a surprising move held Harry's hand and said softly, "We'll find her."

Harry squeezed her hand in reply and stared at the open doorway. "I hope so."

Twenty minutes after their departure there was a commotion in the hall, they heard a girl scream and then a thump followed immediately by some laughter and a whimper. Harry shot into the hall with Neville on his heel and the girls right behind him, all had their wands drawn.

Harry found a young girl collapsed on the floor in the hall, blood running from her twisted nose, her trunk smashed against the side wall was cracked and her supplies scattered over her. The girl had messy brown hair but Harry didn't pay too much attention to her, he caught a glimpse of some robe retreating around the corner at the front of the car and he ran after them. Daphne yelled, "Luna, Susan, get that girl some healing, Nev, with us!"

The three of them flew around the corner and into the still laughing Draco Malfoy with his guards Crabbe and Goyle.

"What did you do to that girl?" Harry spat at Draco.

Draco grinned and said, "Put the Mudblood in her place. She was in my way so Crabbe punched her in the face and Goyle threw her trunk on top of her! It was brilliant I-"

That was as far as he got, Harry punched him hard in the nose, Neville did the same to Crabbe while Daphne kicked Goyle in the balls and then when he collapsed on the floor again in the face. She was wearing steel reinforced dragon hide boots.

Then it was time for her to reign in the boys who had continued to pummel their targets after they had lost consciousness. She grabbed their shoulders and hauled back on them hard. Both of them looked at her in frustration as their bloody targets crumpled to the floor. "Enough, come." She turned and ran back the way they had come as others came into the passage to investigate the noise.

The girls trunk was gone from the hall so they ran into their cabin. Luna had flipped the bench seat into a bed and the girl was lying on it, she was no longer bloody but she was still unconscious. Her now repaired trunk stood just inside the door.

Susan was leaning over her as the best healer among the group while Luna stood by the door and latched onto Harry the moment he ran back into the room. "She's the one Harry."

"We need to get her to a healer, she's got internal bleeding I don't know how to fix." a distraught Susan said.
Harry walked in a daze over to the girl and gently brushed the hair from her face with a bloody hand.

Daphne pulled the golden rope from her pocket, "Guess we're going home early then. Nev get her trunk, Harry hold her, let's go before the Prefects show up."

Less than ten seconds later there was a swirl and the six of them left the compartment.

Sirius and Elle were making out on the couch when the group swirled into existence in the middle of the living room. Harry staggered, nearly falling when the portkey released him but Susan and Daphne helped him balance.

Elle jumped up pulling her robe closed while Sirius tried to cover his erection.

Everyone ignored their state though and Harry yelled, "Elle! She's hurt, Susan says she has internal bleeding!" as he carried the injured girl over to her.

Elle found her wand and flickered it over the girl in Harry's arms, "What happened to her? Nevermind lay her down gently, Susan, did you give her blood-replenisher?"

Susan nodded, "One full vial and healed her broken nose."

"Good work, everyone back-off, Susan pay attention here." Elle, a Master Healer went into full trauma mode and her terms left everyone but Susan totally lost.

Daphne and Luna hugged Harry hard for a full minute while Neville gave Sirius a brief run-down of the situation.

Sirius then went to the girls trunk and flipped it open, by the time Harry was returning to his senses Sirius flashed a paper from the trunk at him, "Her name is Hermoine Granger, she is muggle born. I'm going to floo Amelia so she can notify the school and prevent panic and then go get this girl's parents."

Harry just nodded, still in shock, this girl could love him, if she lived!

Daphne told Sirius, "Excellent idea. Luna go with him."

Luna nodded and Sirius just shrugged and ran to the fireplace to call Madam Bones.

Daphne turned to Neville, still holding Harry with both arms. "Nev?"

Neville stopped looking at his bloody hands to look at her. "Go wash and get the elves to bring food and drink, tell them others may be visiting, Amelia, and the girl - sorry, Hermione's parents."

Neville nodded and went into the hall bath, he was shaking.

Hermione moaned and moved, Harry leaned forward but Daphne held him still. It would do no good to bother Elle and she told him so. "Let Elle work. Harry, come back to us, I know you're scared, we're all scared but I've sworn my life to you as have Luna and Susan. None of us are going to abandon you - Ever!"

He started trembling then and turning to face her he buried his face in her chest and started crying. He hugged her tightly and she returned it while stroking his hair and telling him, "I love you Harry."

Sirius had finished explaining the situation to Amelia and she said, "I'll notify Minerva at the school and get an Auror team to meet the train to get memories then I'll come by there ok?"

"Sure, meanwhile Luna and I are off to Crawley to find the girl's parents. I'll bring them here, Elle isn't yelling for anything so I think she has it under control. Meet you here with her parents."

When she nodded he pulled out of the flames and apparated with Luna to the address in Crawley. He quickly transfigured his and Luna's robes into a muggle suit and sun-dress though at another time he may have intentionally reversed the clothes he did not.

Luna said, "They'll be home in twenty minutes, let's go sit on the porch."

Sirius did a quick double take then shrugged and walked up to the large home. They sat on the porch swing and waited. At the twenty minute point a silver Benz pulled into the driveway and Luna waved at them while Sirius felt it inappropriate.

The couple climbed out and Sirius and Luna stood.

The man asked, "Can we help you?"

Before Sirius could say anything Luna answered, "Hermione is hurt, we'll take you to her."

The woman bolted up the stairs, man not far behind. "What happened? Will she be alright?"

Sirius finally got a word in, "My wife is a Master Healer and she is putting her to rights at our home. Please allow me to take us there and everything will be explained there."

The woman looked at Luna who just nodded.

Sirius pulled off his left boot and tapped it with his wand. "I've made this into a portkey, it's a form of magical travel just touch it and we'll be whisked into my home."

With a deep breath the Granger's both reached out a tentative hand. Luna put hers on the boot beside Sirius's and as soon as the Granger's were both touching it they all vanished.

They arrived to a surprisingly calm living room. Amelia Bones was sitting beside Daphne, who was still cradling Harry on the couch, she had just finished extracting a memory of the event from her head. Susan and Elle were sitting in chairs beside the couch which had been transfigured into a bed while Neville paced and Hermione slept.

When the Granger's could move they lurched towards Hermione but Neville, who was between them and their daughter sushed them and motioned for them to wait.

Elle stood and smiled at the newly arrived couple. She walked to them, "She's just sleeping now, all healed but, I have to be honest with you. I'm a trauma healer at the Wizard hospital, if she hadn't gotten prompt triage from Susan here and then to me any slower she could have died."

The woman collapsed into the man's arms, he grabbed her tightly and ground out, "Who did this?"

Amelia stood at that point and approached, "That would be my department sir. I am the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I am collecting memories of the incident and will discover what happened on the train."

Sirius said, "In the mean time let us relax a bit, I know you are worried but if my wife thinks Hermione will be ok then she will and it would be best if we are all calm when she wakes." He turned to Daphne, "How's Harry?"

She looked up at him like he was an idiot. "Our husband cried himself to sleep. He needs to be with her when she wakes."

Hermione's mother looked up at that and whipped her head around to look at the young couple. "Our husband?"

Susan and Luna stepped beside Daphne but it was Daphne who answered, "The three of us are betrothed to Harry here, we were on the train only to find your daughter, who is to love him and if Luna is right, I will relinquish my place as senior wife to your daughter."

Sirius was ready with a quickly shifted couch to catch the stunned couple.

Harry stirred at the noise and looked up.

Daphne kissed his cheek, "Morning love, Hermione will be ok, Elle says so. Come, meet her parents, Sirius has fetched them."

Harry spun around and leapt to his feet, he took a step towards Hermione but Susan stopped him and pushed him towards her parents. Fortunately for him Susan had cleaned his bloody hands so he was more or less presentable. He knelt in front of the shocked couple on the couch. "Sorry we didn't see what happened but heard her scream and came running. Nev, Daph, and I beat up the three blokes that hurt her while Susan and Luna saw to her injuries, we had her to Elle here less than ten minutes from when she was hurt."

Amelia cleared her throat and Harry looked up at her, "Ma'am?"

"I'll need to collect your memory of the incident, I will need Hermione's when she wakes as well." She held the tip of her wand to his temple and he closed his eyes then nodded. She slowly pulled the tip of her wand away and extracted the silver strand. Sirius was holding a vial for her to place it in and she did so.

Hermione's father cleared his throat, "Sorry, I'm Dan, this is my wife Emma. Is there any way we can see what happened?"

Luna walked back into the room at that moment with a stone bowl. "Certainly, this is a Pensieve, we can all see the memories in it."

Neville moved the nearest end table in front of the couch and Luna put the Pensieve on it. Harry shook his head, "I'd rather not." Susan and Daphne both hugged him and he stepped away. Sirius poured Harry's memory into the pensieve and then motioned for the Grangers to look into it. He and Amelia joined them.

Harry patted Neville on the shoulder, "Thanks a lot for your help today mate."

Neville finally gave him a half smile and answered, "Just hoping we don't get into too much trouble for beating up Malfoy and his goons."

Daphne said, "They admitted to attacking her and enjoying it. We got them dead to rights."

Neville shrugged, "I'm going to say hi to Carina and take a nap, see you all for dinner."

Harry wished his friend, "Night." And finally walked over to where Hermione slept, the girls moved with him.

Elle was standing next to her patient. "She is likely to react violently when she wakes, it's common for trauma patients, let her see one of the girls or her parents first. Then you can introduce yourself."

Harry looked away from Hermione's slightly parted lips to nod quite seriously at the healer. He took a half step back and the girls a full step forward so he was looking at Hermione now over Susan and Daphne's shoulders.

At that point Harry's memory ended and the four watching it sat back up, with Dan Granger exclaiming, "The bastard was gloating over it?"

Harry heard Hermione's voice for the first time then when she asked, "Daddy?"

Everyone whipped their attention back to Hermione, only Luna had not looked away and thus was the first person Hermione had seen on waking and she had simply smiled at the surprised girl. Harry couldn't move but Susan and Daphne pulled him further up, around her head to make a clear spot for her parents.

Elle though called her attention the opposite direction, "Hermione? Look at me please, I'm a healer and just want to do one more check now that you are awake."

Hermione did and Elle looked into her eyes and waved her wand once, then gave a satisfied smile, "No brain damage, my you are a smart one aren't you. Now I think your parents would like to have you to themselves for a few minutes." She gestured back to the opposite side of the bed and Emma slid beside her to give her a hug while her father rubbed her shoulder and cried softly. Everyone else took a few steps back and tried to give them some privacy.

Sirius left the room in a hurry motioning for Amelia to follow him. She did and they had a heated discussion in the kitchen. By the time they returned, both slightly red from their mutual anger Hermione's parents had regained their composure.

Amelia at Elle's nod stepped beside Hermione. "I am Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE. I am investigating the attack and have the memories of those who rescued you. May I collect your memories of the attack?"

Hermione sat up and nodded, "What do I need to do?"

"Just think of the incident and I'll extract it. You will still remember it, this just makes a copy we can use for evidence."

Hermione nodded and with her parents holding her she relived the worst five minutes of her entire life. She was crying when she was done and so were her parents. She was however still very curious and asked, "Now what?"

"We can now view this memory in what is called a Pensieve, there is one on the table by the fireplace. We just finished viewing Harry's memory of your rescue in it."

Hermione looked around, "Harry? I was looking for a boy named Harry Potter when I was attacked. Is that the same boy?"

At this point Susan and Luna were keeping Harry out of Hermione's site but Daphne moved next to Amelia. "Hermione, my name is Daphne, I was there when we rescued you. I need to know why you were looking for Harry Potter? I'm sorry I can't be any more specific but please be honest with me and I'll explain."

Hermione nodded slowly, "I don't have any reason to lie. I wanted to meet him to see if all the books I read about him were true. Much of it seems rather silly and I want to know the truth. It is him isn't it, you're one of the girls he is supposed to marry, I remember your name, it's not a very common one."

Daphne nodded, "Yes Harry and I, along with our friend Neville Longbottom found your attackers and punished them while Susan and Luna tended to your injuries, then we portkeyed you here with us so Elle could fix your internal injuries, Susan is good at healing cuts and bruises but she hasn't learned internal injuries, though she did fix your broken nose."

Hermione bit her lip, "Can we go to the bathroom for a minute? I need to show you something."

Daphne looked at Elle who said, "She's fine. Go."

Daphne took Hermione's hand and led her across the room and into the lavatory on the ground floor. Everyone waited tensely after the door closed, then Daphne exclaimed, "MERLIN!"

Hermione's voice rose over her, "Does it match?"

Daphne sounded scared but answered, "Perfectly."

Amelia asked the Grangers, "What could then be talking about?"

Dan shrugged but Emma pointed at Harry's forehead and grabbed Dan's arm. "Look Dan, it's been right there in front of our face."

Harry touched his famous scar, "What?"

Dan said breathlessly, "She has the same scar on her chest."

Elle stepped closer, "When?"

Hermione answered from the bathroom doorway, "Halloween night , midnight, 1981. The exact same time my soul-mate got his."

The entire room was silent, Harry's eyes met Hermione and they both froze. Daphne recovered first and hugged Hermione, "Welcome sister-wife."

Harry stepped forward nervously and presented his hand to Hermione. "Hello, my name is Harry Potter, nice to meet you."

Hermione took it and a tingle went up her arm at the contact, "Pleasure."

Sirius came rushing into the room with a thick scroll. "Here is the form for withdrawing her from Hogwarts, we need to get this filed before the sorting tonight which is when the magical contract she is currently under is finalized for the year."

Hermione simply said, "What?"

Harry pulled her attention back to him, "None of us will be attending Hogwarts, we have private tutors like Madam Bones in Law and combat, my Godfather Sirius here in Combat and practical jokes, and of course his wife Elle here in healing. There are several others who come by weekly but we think this is a far superior environment to learn than Hogwarts divisive house system."

Hermione said, "Oh," and looked to her parents.

Emma said, "We'll sign it if you want dear, these people do seem to care about your wellbeing as opposed to those on the train."

At a slight nod from her father she said, "Ok."

Sirius and Amelia witnessed the document in blood and Amelia departed with it to file it personally with the Education department.

Sirius asked Dan and Emma, "Would you like to return home to collect clothes and things for a few days. We have an entire floor free currently and you're welcome to stay with us here.