Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 16)
Challenge: Story Week Finale
Topic #1: Harry/Hermione learns something new about the other.
Topic #2: Harry/Hermione asks the other for a huge favor.
Topic #3: Harry/Hermione visits the other at work/on duty/at practice.
Title: Fight or Flight
Word Count: 4,304
"Gryffindor Castle?" Hermione asked with wide eyes. "But I thought only those..."
"Who were direct descendants could enter the grounds without invitation," Harry finished the thoughts of his shocked wife as he conjured a wheelchair for her to sit in. He gently helped her into the mobile seat.
"Who gave you permission? Albus?" Hermione asked with a wince as her sore body rested in its new place. She tenderly adjusted both of her newborn children, cooing quietly to keep them relaxed.
"Nobody, Love," Harry said with a grim look. "This is only my second time visiting the place; the first was on my twenty-first birthday."
Hermione immediately stopped what she was doing and turned a surprised gaze upon her husband. "Wait, that afternoon you were called back to the Ministry?"
"I was accepting my inheritance," Harry said softly as he pushed the chair gently down the corridor. "The castle is modest and we'll have to confine ourselves to just a few rooms on the ground floor until you can walk again."
"Why didn't you tell me you were Godric Gryffindor's heir?" Hermione asked softly as Harry turned them into the Great Hall, a fire already burning in the massive fireplace.
The room was decorated like a large, common room with beds along one wall. Gryffindor tower decorations lined the room and a dining room table just the right size for the small family wasn't far away from the sofas.
"He didn't know until the wizarding contract was met," a strong voice said from above them. Lily immediately grabbed onto Harry's leg, and Percy took hold of his arm. Hermione started, waking the twins and the babies began to cry loudly.
"Daddy, who's that?" Lily asked in the high-pitched voice of a scared little girl.
"That's Godric Gryffindor, Sweets," Harry said quietly as he relieved Hermione of his newest daughter. "He won't hurt you."
"Hello, I'm terribly sorry if I frightened you," Godric said in a very soothing voice. "You must be Lily," he said with a smile as he floated towards the floor in a crossed-leg sitting position. "Your father has told me quite a bit about you."
Still shy, but no longer frightened, Lily hid behind her father and squeaked, "Hello," before burying her face in his leg. Percy, however, was staring at the ghost of the Hogwarts founder in awe.
"And who might this young man be?" The ghost said with a smile. "I see red hair and freckles, could he be a Weasley?"
"P-Percy," the young boy stammered as he gawked at the floating apparition.
"Pleased to meet you, Percy," Godric said with a laugh. "It is very good to finally meet you, Hermione."
Hermione smiled slightly, rocking her son in her arms, sighing as the newborn drifted back to sleep. "You were saying about the wizarding contract?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah, yes, the contract," Gryffindor said with a soundless slap to his transparent knee. "When I had this place built for my own personal getaway, Rowena drew up a magical document, ensuring that my personal lands would be passed down to my eldest son. Given that I did not have a son my lands would be passed to the next viable male heir.
"As luck would have it, Arthur was born, I'm sure you've all heard of his exploits, and it passed to his son as well. Harry is the current, oldest living descendent of mine, the babe in your arms, the next in line. Upon Harry's twenty-first birthday, he was awarded my lands and holdings, along with the family treasury."
"Treasury?" Percy asked with keen interest.
"Yes, treasury," Godric said with a smile. "Harry's father chose to live in the cottage that Rowena and I retired to when we had retired from teaching at Hogwarts. I am surprised, to say the least, that you are now here instead of Godric's Hollow."
"We needed a safe house," Harry explained as he laid his infant daughter in one of two cribs that had just appeared. "Lily, Percy, time for bed."
"Do we have to, Uncle Harry?" Percy whined, his eyes still glued on the ethereal form of Godric Gryffindor.
"Don't give your uncle any lip, young man," Hermione said sternly as she handed their new son to her husband. "I'm going to bed as well, off you go."
Harry helped Hermione into one of the four-poster beds along the far wall, followed quickly by Lily and Percy in the same bed. "You can talk to Godric later, Perce," Harry said with a smile, "but for now you need your sleep so your head will heal."
"Night, Daddy," Lily said softly as she hugged Harry tightly and gave him a kiss.
"Night, Sweets, sleep well," he replied as he tucked her in, followed by Percy. "Goodnight, Love."
"We're going to do some serious talking tomorrow," Hermione said quietly.
"I know we will, but rest for now," Harry cooed in her ear as they hugged. "The babies are going to be a handful, but you knew that..."
Hermione rolled her eyes before letting out a tired yawn. "Most are, Harry," she deadpanned as a grin crept onto her face.
Harry smiled as her eyes fluttered closed, then kissed his wife goodnight before sitting in a chair by the fireplace. Godric sat across from him, his face unreadable in the twinkling light from the fire.
"I think everything is tied together," Harry said as his thoughts began to merge into one stream of events. "Hermione said that Draco crowed about a new dark lord... It seems Voldemort's cache of dark artifacts has been found..."
"That doesn't bode well, what are you going to do to stop them?" Godric asked seriously.
Harry looked at the bed where his family lay sleeping then to the twin cribs that held the newest members of that family. "I need to protect those I love..." Harry said quietly, slipping deeper in thought.
"Love, wake up..." Hermione said softly as she shook Harry's shoulder.
"Hmm? What time is it?" Harry asked groggily from the chair he had fallen asleep in. He looked into his wife's face with a look of concern. "Are you alright? The babies?"
"They're fine, Love," Hermione said with a tender kiss to his forehead, "and so am I. It's morning and you fell asleep in your chair..."
"Are Lily and Percy awake?" He asked, glancing at the bed then returning his gaze to her deep, brown eyes.
"They're still sleeping," she said with a soft smile.
Harry shook the sleep from his system and maneuvered his wife into his lap as gently as he could. "I guess you need to talk..."
"There's a lot we have to talk about," Hermione said with a shrug. "Why didn't you tell me you were Gryffindor's heir?"
Harry nodded. "I should have told you sooner, but to be honest, with everything that's been going on it slipped my mind."
"Something this big slipped your mind?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"With the Death Eater uprisings, you know how much work I've been doing for the past few years, Love," Harry explained softly. "Then when Ron and Luna died..." He stopped talking in an attempt to keep from going down his previous train of thought and sighed deeply. "There really isn't any excuse, I forgot about it with everything going on..."
"It's alright, Harry," she said softly in his ear, "I miss them too. So, you're the heir of our house which explains quite a bit more about you than I would have guessed," she whispered thoughtfully.
"Someone's found Voldemort's cache, Hermione," Harry said in an eerily distant voice.
She looked to him in surprise. "Don't talk that way, Harry," she scolded softly, "it reminds me of when you were preparing to fight him!"
His sad eyes lifted to hers, causing tears to erupt from her eyes uncontrollably. "What if I'm destined to fight this one too? Or the next or the one after that?" Harry whispered hoarsely.
"Don't talk such nonsense, Harry James Potter!" She said tenderly. "You've done your part and your place is here!" Hermione hugged her husband tightly. Her heart was racing so fast that Harry could feel it through her thick, wool jumper.
"I'm sorry," He whispered hoarsely, "but that's all I've known how to do, stop dark wizards, stop dark lords..."
"You can do other things, Love," Hermione said quietly. "There is much more to the wizarding world than being an Auror. I'm happy that you gave that up to be with us, but..."
"But?" He asked, pushing her back slightly so he could see her.
"You seemed to enjoy it..." She whispered.
"Love, I was trying to keep my family and friends safe," Harry said reassuringly, "and look where it's gotten me? I almost lose everyone I care for and I've already... We've..."
"Shh," she said quietly, hugging him again as her tears welled again. "I miss them too, Harry..."
The two sat in silence for an indeterminable amount of time before their new son began crying, followed almost immediately by their daughter. Harry smiled and set his wife on the sofa while he retrieved his hungry children.
"Shh, Ron, Mummy's here," Harry said absently as he handed the little boy to Hermione. She looked to him curiously then to her newborn and smiled gently. "I thought we were going to settle for Arthur," she said quietly.
"We were, why?" Harry asked as he picked up his daughter.
"You just called him Ron," Hermione said with a loving smile. "Ronald Arthur Potter?"
Harry smiled sheepishly as he stroked his daughter's cheek. "I think he'd like that, they'd both like that..." He said as he sat on the sofa next to his wife, watching her feed their baby. He looked to her dazzling smile and a feeling of contentment spread through him when he realized he'd be with his family from now on. His days of trudging through the moors, fighting off mosquitoes in South America, or being uncomfortable in any number of places were finally over.
They traded bundles and Hermione smiled softly at her new daughter. "Diana Molly," she whispered softly.
Harry glanced at his wife and smiled lovingly at the look in her eyes. "Looks like we've solved one problem," he said with a sigh. "Now we need to put your modified Fidelius charm to work..."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked hesitantly. "I've researched the charm, but not the counter... I'd just made the breakthrough last week."
"I don't want to hide from Malfoy," Harry spat as he rocked his son back to sleep, "but this is the only way to keep you safe."
"Us, Harry," Hermione corrected immediately, "it's to keep us safe..."
Harry sighed and looked to the baby in his arms. "I don't want to go through that again," he said sadly. "I thought I'd lost you, I almost lost Lily, Percy and Mum..."
"Harry," Hermione said pleadingly, "I know it was difficult, but you can't be the only one who rushes out to save everyone each day... Look at me, Love..."
He reluctantly turned his misty eyes to the woman he loved and couldn't live without.
"Harry, promise me you won't give in to your saving people thing..."
"What?"
"Promise me that you won't rush off to confront Malfoy, Harry!" She said more forcefully with a desperate look in her eyes.
"After what he did to you? After what he almost did to Lily?!" Harry asked half-angrily, half-incredulously. "You expect me to just sit back and let him destroy everyone I love?"
Tears were welling in Hermione's eyes and she flinched at each point he'd made, but she nodded, never taking her eyes off of his. "Things are different this time, I don't know how to put it, but if you go after him... I don't want you to throw your life away!" She said in the same pleading voice she'd been in the past few minutes. "He's not as careless as Voldemort was and you might not come back! Promise me... Please, Love, I don't want to lose you either!"
Harry gulped and looked to the bed where the two oldest children were still sleeping. A pang of hurt rang in his heart that his wife wouldn't let him go after the one who almost took them away from him. He closed his eyes and nodded. "I promise," he whispered.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me again," she said gently, tenderly cupping his chin and swiveling his face so his gaze would fall upon hers.
A tear slipped from his eye as he gazed into her chocolaty brown eyes. "I promise I won't go after Malfoy..." He whispered again. "Or his followers..."
Hermione gently pressed her lips to his in an attempt to seal his promise. "I know that was hard for you to do," she said in a barely audible voice, "but I couldn't bear losing you..."
"You won't lose me, Love," Harry said quietly and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He smiled at his daughter who was still suckling her mother's milk. "She's got an appetite on her..."
Hermione let out a soft laugh. "As does your son," she said with a twinkle in her eyes. "I hope Percy will be fine with the baby's name."
"I'm sure he will," Harry said as he set Ron in his crib. He smiled at the helpless yawn his son let out before falling back to sleep and he walked purposely to a set of cabinets that lined the far wall.
Harry returned a few moments later with an arm full of pensieves and then a moment later with an equal number of stools. "We'll each have to submit a record of what we saw and where we were," he explained as he began to place long, silvery threads from his temple to one of the pensieves with his wand. "It won't be safe to use the Fidelius modification, but we should be fine here."
Diana had finished feeding and Harry relieved Hermione of the pink, bundled baby before she began filling her pensieve as well. "I'll help Lily when she wakes," Hermione said quietly as strand after strand of memory was placed in the magical bowl.
"She and Percy will need help from a Legilimens," Harry explained as he leaned back into the soft sofa. "You get your rest and I'll help them both with their testimonies."
Hermione nodded sleepily and Harry helped her to the bed where Lily had just woken up and was about to wake Percy as well.
"Sweets, let him sleep," Harry said quietly, taking his daughter in his arms after Hermione was back in bed. "I need your help, ok?"
Lily yawned and hugged Harry around the neck. "Ok, Daddy."
"We need to put your memories in this bowl, it's called a pensieve," Harry explained patiently.
"I know, Daddy," Lily said with a smile. "I read one of Mummy's books, but how can I put my memories in there? I don't have a wand."
Harry smiled proudly at Lily, shaking his head in surprise. "I knew you were as smart as Mummy," he said with a slight laugh. "You can use her wand but I'm going to help you bring your memories out, ok?"
Lily nodded her head and accepted the wand from her father. He showed her how to pull the memories from her mind and explained how he was going to help her. She looked surprised at first but then a growing look of realization spread across her face. "Is that how you and Mummy know what I'm doing, Daddy?" She asked with wide eyes.
"No, Sweets," Harry said with a laugh, "we don't look into your mind."
Lily nodded sagely and then looked into Harry's eyes. "I'm ready, Daddy," Lily announced as if she were merely getting ready for bed.
Harry smiled at her and began sifting through her thoughts. "Just use the wand like I showed you when a memory comes to the surface," he coached softly as he gently probed through her mind. He saw images of them rolling in the grass at the park; the ghoul in the Burrow's attic jumping on a man with dark robes; Molly being knocked unconscious with a stunning spell; Percy being thrown against the wall when he tried to stop the Death Eater from taking Lily; the fire starting in the kitchen; Harry saving her and Percy; He felt her struggle a little and eased out of their Legilimency trance, her face was pale and she was sweating profusely. "How do you feel, Lily?" He asked tenderly, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"I feel ok, Daddy," she said in a shaky voice, "I don't see the bad man anymore..."
"You were brilliant, Sweets," Harry said gently as he pulled her into his lap for a hug. "Those memories are in the pensieve now," he explained softly.
"That's right!" She said excitedly. "I read that in Mummy's book!"
Harry laughed gently and rubbed her back. "Are you ready to go back to sleep? I saw that you kept waking up last night..."
Lily nodded sleepily. "He won't come back in my dreams now, will he?"
"I hope he doesn't," Harry said tenderly as he set her back in the bed. "I'm right here if you get scared, Sweets." He kissed her forehead as she fell asleep, snuggling into Hermione's side with a yawn. "Come on, Percy, it's your turn."
The young Weasley didn't move, he just lay there with his eyes closed.
"I know you're awake, Perce," Harry said with a slight laugh. "It won't hurt."
"How do you do that?" The boy said with a sigh without opening his eyes.
"Lily didn't sleep and she sleeps far more soundly than you ever did," Harry explained as he helped his young charge to the sofa. "You can use Hermione's wand as well, I know you were watching while Lily and I set her memories in her pensieve..." Harry again demonstrated the proper use of the wand and explained how Legilimency would help him bring those thoughts to the front of his mind.
"Y-you're going to go into my head?" Percy asked worriedly.
"It's the only way we can make sure you remember everything," Harry explained. "If it gets uncomfortable, I'll know and stop, alright?"
Percy nodded, but beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead. "I-I'm ready..." He said nervously.
"Think hard about what happened and we'll get those memories set, ok?" Harry looked into the boy's eyes as he nodded and images began to fill Harry's mind almost immediately.
Percy was hugging his new friend, Gator, after Ron and Luna gave it to him; a red flash of light flew at him and Percy was thrown against the attic wall; the ghoul in the attic accepted a handful of candy with a smile; Ron arguing with someone at the front door with his wand raised; Molly getting hit with a stunner in the kitchen; Percy eating forkfuls of pancakes; Luna healing bruises on Ron's face in their bedroom; an ambulance speeding away from the house as Molly turned back towards the front door, a red light flashed in the ambulance windows and it swerved off the road to hit a telephone pole; Percy running to the burning vehicle screaming for Luna and Ron; A wicked smile on Blaise Zabini's face as he dispelled the stunning charm on the ambulance driver then disapparating; Aurors appearing on the scene and declaring it an accident.
Harry's eyes went wide as he broke contact with Percy's mind. The boy was crying freely, desperately trying to pull more of the memories from his mind with the wand. "Percy, shh, it's ok," Harry said gently as he pulled his best friends' son into a warm hug. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I couldn't remember..." He said with a trembling voice. "I don't want to remember..." Percy broke down in Harry's arms. "H-he said he was going to k-kill everyone..."
"Who said that?" Harry asked, keeping the tsunami of anger from spilling from him.
"I don't know is name..." Percy whimpered. "He said there were too many Aurors and he'd come back for me if his spell didn't work..."
"Can we go in one more time?" Harry asked quietly. "I won't let him hurt you, he can't hurt you, Perce," he said reassuringly. Percy nodded and looked into Harry's eyes after wiping away the tears that were still on his cheeks.
Harry concentrated and standing in front of Percy, in full, vivid memory was Draco Malfoy. He was dressed in his official Ministry uniform.
"If this charm doesn't work, you'll not see another day alive, whelp!" Draco sneered as he discretely pulled out his wand. "Obliviate," he whispered as he glanced around at the swarming law enforcement.
Malfoy straightened and stood bolt upright at the approach of Molly Weasley. "I'm sorry your parents were taken from you. If there's anything the Ministry can do for you and your remaining family, please feel free to contact us." He said to the grieving woman, who pulled Percy into a desperate hug.
Harry broke contact with his charge but didn't look from his eyes. "Is that everything?" He asked quietly. Percy nodded his head sleepily. "Let's get you back to sleep," Harry said tenderly and carried the tired boy to the bed. "Everything will be fine, Perce, we'll catch these people and put them away for good." Percy smiled at the words and yawned again, his eyes fluttering closed and a content smile that hadn't been there before spread across his face.
"Harry?" Hermione asked sleepily from the other side of the bed.
"Yes, Love?" Harry asked tenderly.
"How did it go with the children?" She asked as he helped her to the sofa.
"I have a lot of work to do, and you'll see why once you look in Percy's pensieve," Harry explained grimly.
Hermione looked at him skeptically but entered the young boy's memories. She emerged a few minutes later with a look of unabashed anger on her face. "Harry," she said in a growl, a fiery anger in her eyes, "go get that bastard!"
Three days later Kingsley Shacklebolt, Moody, Tonks and Harry strode into the Ministry of Magic to gasps from those who saw the sight. Harry Potter was in chains, being led to the room where the Wizengamot was seated, awaiting the trial of the century.
Harry was forcefully shoved into a chair at the bottom of the amphitheatre and manacles magically replaced the chains he was in. He looked around at the gathered faces, Emmaline Vance, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Ernie MacMillan, and the rest of the governors were sitting at the front of a veritable sea of reporters and bystanders.
"Are the anti-apparation wards in place?" Minister of Magic Emmaline Vance asked with regal air.
"Yes, Madam Minister," MacMillan said immediately, "as are the wards against all forms of magical transportation, communication, and the like."
"Bring forth the eye-witness testimonies!" She said again. There was no hesitation as four pensieves were set on stools behind Harry. With a wave of his wand, Albus Dumbledore activated Percy's pensieve, causing the memories to display above Harry's head. The crowd saw everything the young boy witnessed in the attack on the Burrow before it was shut down and Lily's played.
When Hermione's pensieve was activated, Draco Malfoy shot out of his seat. "What is she trying to pull?!" He bellowed angrily.
"Governor Malfoy, please refrain from outbursts until after the testimonies have been viewed." Minster Vance said evenly, causing the enraged and visibly shaken governor to sit back in his seat.
Albus continued to Harry's testimony, then back to Percy's. "I didn't retrieve them all," he explained curtly as the death of Ron and Luna played for everyone to see. Draco sat frozen in his seat as Aurors clamped their hands over his shoulders after the last scene played out to the gasps of surprise from everyone in attendance.
"Those were forged!" Draco shouted in terrified anger.
"Pensieve testimonies cannot be forged, even with brainwashing, Mr. Malfoy," the Minister of Magic said coldly.
Draco's sneer returned and a dark, twisted look contorted his features as he withdrew a concealed wand from his robes. With blinding speed, he raised it and pointed it at The-Boy-Who-Lived. "AVADA..."
"STUPEFY!" A voice rang out from behind Harry, catching Draco full in the chest with a red flash of light. Harry had been in mid spell as well, having pulled free from the illusionary manacles and turned in surprise at his savior.
Hermione was standing in the doorway supported by a gangly, redheaded blast from his past.
"R-Ron?" He said shakily as he fell to his knees.
"Hey, mate, sorry for faking my death... I guess Scabbers taught me something after all," Ron Weasley said with a slight laugh. "Your wife seemed to react the same way as you did..."
"I wasn't going to let you face the bastard alone, Love," she said as tears of happiness fell down her cheeks, "so I thought I'd visit you at work."
Harry was back on his feet and within seconds, wrapping his arms around his two best friends. "If you ever do that to us again and I'll curse you back to the stone age!" Harry said with a laugh, tears rolling down his cheeks.
"If you could let me get to my husband, I'd greatly appreciate it," a familiar sing-song, dreamy voice said from behind the reunited trio. Harry didn't waste anymore time and pulled Luna into the group hug, the blonde Weasley crying along with the rest of them and introducing their daughter Katherine to the Potters.
A/N: Ok, a truly happy ending, quite the surprise, eh? :) I hope you enjoyed this and, yes, I went WAY over the 4,000 word mark, but that's just tough! :) heh heh heh...
Here are the challenges that made up this story.
June 29, 2004: Through Good Times and Bad
July 6, 2004: Terrors and Twins
July 12, 2004: The Tip of the Iceberg
July 13, 2004: The Walls Come Crumbling Down
July 14, 2004: The Letter From Beyond the Grave
July 15, 2004: The Family Nobody Knew
July 16, 2004: Fight or Flight