Hermione's Difficult Choice-Chapter 18
The confusion in Dumbledore's office was just the beginning. Goyle was sent an owl the next morning with the news of the death of his father. The description of the Constable of by eyewitnesses was spread throughout the U.K. The wizarding press picked up the story. Investigators discovered that the name of the Constable and badge number were false. In London, the muggle press reported it as a horrific murder in broad daylight that further gave credence to the decay of society.
The wizarding press investigated further. Dumbledore was again under scrutiny because of the earlier reports of anti-Death Eater activities surrounding him and Hogwarts. Whether true or not, once they had been printed Dumbledore had become regarded as an antagonist in the argument of whether magic should be formally taught to anyone other than pure blood wizards and witches. As the days before the Goyle funeral stretched on, the editorials became increasingly anti-Dumbledore.
Harry and Hermione were in Dumbledore's library talking to the recovering Tonks and Pappy. Tonks sat very close to Pappy where she could hear his weak voice. "He says that you too must separate yourself from the arguments in the papers." Tonks relayed from Pappy. "What he means is that once the funeral is over tomorrow the public mourning period will end and the real vindictive actions will begin."
"How do you know that?" Harry asked Tonks.
"Pappy isn't always this weak," she said. "He had to go see about your classmates who've been sent away to rest." She looked at Pappy and patted his hand. "He has the strength to do much more than any of us think. But it takes hours and sometimes days for him to recover." Tonks explained that once Gregory Goyle returned that Pappy had foreseen more violence and hatred between the houses. The violence wasn't overt, but sadistic and directed anyone not of pure blood.
She explained that most of the violence was in the nature of non-lethal but debilitating poisons and painful hexes that wore off in short periods of time. Students would walk in fear and learn these methods to defend themselves. Voldemort was going to ruin the school from the inside.
Dumbledore came down the staircase from his quarters just as they were discussing Pappy's recuperative powers. "Draco, Ginny, and Luna are perfectly safe. Pappy makes an appearance now and then to give them the sense that nothing is wrong here."
"Why does he risk his health, when someone else could go?" Hermione asked.
"He and I have long had an agreement that we have never broken. He will mind his affairs and I will mind mine. He chose to remove them from school, so I must trust his judgment. They can contact me in an emergency or when they need to know something." Dumbledore spoke approvingly about his old friend.
"I don't understand why they are still gone." Harry said.
"I am afraid that we must not trust Ron Weasley. All of them except Draco have been possessed by Voldemort or under the Imperious Curse at one time or another. I chose Draco for that exact purpose." Pappy spoke loudly enough to be heard.
"Harry and Hermione, you must understand that once a mind has been broken down for a period of time by possession or the Imperious Curse the person is much more susceptible the next time. It is like the neural pathways that allow us to fight such intrusions have been weakened. Ron is close to both of those girls and he could easily use them if Voldemort possessed him to do serious damage or cause death to anyone he wished. The same holds true for Gregory Goyle. That is not even mentioning the more information Luna could pass to her father at The Quibbler. If she were passed it and under the curse." Dumbledore explained.
"Do you really believe that Ron has been possessed by Voldemort? And, is the trouble you see in the future Pappy, absolutely going to happen?" Hermione asked.
Dumbledore looked over at Pappy. "Should we tell them all including Shacklebolt and Tonks, Pappy?" Dumbledore opened the drawer of his desk and removed a mirror. "Shacklebolt, please come to my library."
Shacklebolt arrived with a few short minutes. The grizzled old Auror walked over and took Tonks hand gently and smiled. `He looks older and more tired than before,' thought Hermione.
"As I am sure you are aware, Professor Snape has been even more surly than normal." Dumbledore said. "He has always been someone who lived on both sides of the question separating those supporters of non-magical people learning the magical arts and those who are pure blooded. He is, I now believe working on the side of the Death Eaters, under a very powerful Imperious Curse. He, we are afraid, is now protected by an edict from the Minister of Magic to remain the Professor of both Defense against the Dark Arts and Potions. Sacking him would surely bring my removal and now that the spirit of Voldemort is free and unaccounted for, I cannot be as bold as I once would have been."
"Are you sure this is only recently?" asked Harry sarcastically.
"Harry, do not be foolish. I would never have let him within sight of you if I thought he were a danger to you. He is one whose beliefs correspond with those of the Death Eaters but he has rejected their violence. In an ironic twist, he decided that being here doing what he loves was more important than his hatred of you, muggles and half-blood wizards and witches." Dumbledore was still staring at Harry with an angry scowl. "Do not be as impetuous as your father was. It is what got him and your mother killed."
Harry sat and glared at Dumbledore. He looked toward Pappy for help, but none was forthcoming. "Yes, Sir. I mean no, Sir." said Harry tight jawed and angry. Hermione put her hand sympathetically in his and folder fingers in with his.
"There is a sleeper in the Ministry or somewhere unknown to us. Goyle had been Voldemort's puppet for quite some time." Dumbledore looked down at the desk with a look that said that the worst news was yet to come.
"I'll tell the rest, Albus." Pappy said, sitting up slowly. "I believe that Voldemort is back to his disembodied state just as he was when you saw him with Cedric that night two years ago. That's what Professor Dumbledore meant by his spirit is free."
Harry and Hermione looked at each other in awe. Shacklebolt and Tonks lowered their heads in a gesture of sadness and shame. "Is he weak like he was before?" Tonks asked.
"Weaker than he would be if he had his own body to dwell in, but he will recover his strength much quicker. The problem for us is that he will not risk the ritual that he required to gain his own body again. He will move form to form possessing the souls of unassuming muggles or magical people." Pappy said more quietly now. "We missed the opportunity to kill him this time because we did not think he would do what he did. He possessed the mind and soul of two people at once. The power he expended cost him his return to his physical body."
He looked at Tonks. "We cannot underestimate him, but we believe that the power he uses to stay alive now will not allow him to possess more than one body. He must resume some human form within moments if he does. His power is still great and unpredictable. Tonks and Goyle took too much to control at one time. He had to choose.
I believe he chose Goyle because he knew that Shacklebolt was both physically stronger and possessed the ability to fight him off mentally while he was in the body of a woman. Even though he might be mortally wounded, he could keep Goyle alive long enough to return to wherever his physical body was." Pappy continued.
Dumbledore stepped in for a moment. "Excuse me, if I might Nathaniel. While Voldemort can no longer use all of his powers because he is now somewhat restricted to the power of the one he possesses, it will not be long before he can reclaim those powers."
"That's the point really." Pappy said. "We now have some time before we are under his threat. But when it comes, it will be cold and heartless." Pappy thought, `I can't tell them the worst news of all. He could possess Hermione, Harry or anyone for that matter. The only way to kill him would be to kill him and the person he inhabited while he is too focused on something to realize his danger.'
"Pappy, you must tell them what you are holding back." Dumbledore looked at all of them.
Pappy began to speak, but was very morose. "He could possess your best friend, lover, class mate, or partner. The only way to get rid of him is to kill the body he inhabits while he inhabits their soul. Hermione or Harry, do you know what that means?"
Hermione was the first to recognize the threat. The tears welled in her eyes. "Yes, I may have to kill Harry in order to kill Voldemort or vice-versa." She looked at Harry carefully as she realized he knew the implication too.
"Hermione, you have to choose. You are the only one who can choose. You can go stay with Draco, Ginny, and Luna. Or, you can stay here with Harry. One way, when Voldemort returns you will not be in danger of being possessed. The problem for you two is cut in half. It is unlikely that Voldemort will possess Harry unless he could arrange for you to do the cruelest thing ever and make you kill him." Pappy stopped and looked at the two of them.
"Harry, I don't want to leave you. Not now." Hermione remembered the feelings of ultimate joy as he made love to her. The sad and powerfully concerned look he had when he found out that it had hurt her to be with him. She knew what he wanted her to do.
"When do I have to decide?" Hermione asked.
"You have until the end of the funeral tomorrow," said Dumbledore. "Waiting even that long will give Voldemort time to organize his followers for a plan that will begin tomorrow. I am sure that will be the beginning of a new plan."
"Can Harry and I discuss it? I mean throughout the night and let you know in the morning." Hermione asked.
"Of course, Miss Granger, but I must have a word with you." Dumbledore said quietly.
"Harry would you, Tonks and Shacklebolt leave for a few minutes." Dumbledore asked.
Harry kissed Hermione and walked out with Shacklebolt helping Tonks. Sadly Harry couldn't help but look back sadly. He knew she had to go.
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Voldemort was enraged. He had found Mrs. Goyle moments after Pappy had killed her husband. The battle between them had forced him to inhabit another body and the combination of possessing the mind of one and the body of the other meant he had a short time to return to his own body. The murder and the witnesses made it impossible for him to leave immediately. Mrs. Goyle's ability to Disapparate had long since been rendered useless. He relied on her powers now. He must move to a more powerful magical person soon. He had no choice but pure possession now.
The London police, he found, were quite thorough and he managed to make Mrs. Goyle's recollection of the incident spotless. He gave he all she needed to know to describe Shacklebolt and the girl Tonks perfectly as the Constable's accomplices.
The case was quickly turned over from the local Constabulary to Scotland Yard. Since no murder weapon was left behind
and the traces of blood in the grass under the trees were useless at the moment. They were untraceable without using
methods for DNA replication. The scientists involved over the next few weeks would reveal that the blood of both
victims had the same rare gene found in only about 8% to 10% of the population. Voldemort took pleasure in knowing the
wizarding community would know that a wizard and witch had committed murder by muggle means in a muggle community.
Voldemort watched the crowd. He decided to possess one of the Constables who he had heard was heading into the center of London much closer to the Ministry. He would find someone there to use as a more permanent home.
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Draco, Ginny and Luna welcomed the weekly visits from Pappy over the next month. They noticed that he spent a great
deal more time with Hermione than them. He often would take them all out into town. Even though he knew they were all
covered by the Secret-Keeper spell of Dumbledore, he no longer was. So if he were with these four teenagers in Little
Whinging or anywhere in Surrey County, there would be trouble. As Pappy the old antiques dealer, he'd be suspicious
with this group. He, however, had the advantage of looking like just another teenager doing mischief in town.
"Pappy, how's Harry doing?" Hermione asked.
"He's fine child?" Pappy said. "I don't mean to sound condescending. I won't call you that again, but Harry is okay. He is doing well with DADA and his extra lessons with Professor Dumbledore."
Pappy would deliver magically reproduced versions of the classes they missed so that they could continue to prepare for their N.E.W.T.'s at the end of the school year. Their questions were answered by Professor McGonagall or Professor Dumbledore when they visited or by means of the tablet that had been left for them.
This bit of the arrangement had taken a long time to prepare, because of the restriction of underage wizardry outside of the grounds at Hogwarts. Finally they realized that they'd overlooked a positive byproduct of the Secret-Keeper's charm. Since they couldn't be found, whatever magic they did could not be tracked by magical methods either. They found this to be a great benefit.
"How's Tonks? She's fine I hope. I'll bet she doesn't mind standing in for me while I am gone. I mean she sort of became my best friend and all but she'd better not be enjoying snogging with Harry too much or the friendship is in real jeopardy." Hermione had agreed that she would go if Tonks would remain in her likeness. She smiled weakly at Pappy who understood exactly what she meant.
Hermione remembered how that evening had gone as if it were yesterday. It sustained her along with the music box.
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore, for everything." She had made the hardest decision of her life just ten minutes before. She'd told Professor Dumbledore and Pappy about making love to Harry and that she would only go if Harry thought she had not left. She had suggested Tonks take her place. Harry needed her support and the worry of her being gone would be too great a strain on him she feared.
She had told them of their physical relationship because she didn't want Harry confused by Tonks unwillingness or Tonks confused by the need to act exactly like Hermione…in everyway which all of them knew was impossible. A Metamorphagus could change form but not emotion to that degree. It would be a great enough challenge Pappy had shared just to be close enough on a conversational and platonic level. She wanted assurances that somehow it was possible to do this without Harry knowing. She wanted to talk to Harry first. Dumbledore and Pappy promised her it was possible and would brief Tonks.
"Hi, sweetheart, we need to take a walk and talk about me leaving." Hermione began.
She could feel the pain in the pit of her stomach growing with fear and desire for Harry as they talked.
"Hermione, there is no question or discussion. You have to go. I can't have this on my conscience, if I lived and you died or worse I had to kill you. I couldn't, I couldn't do it. Voldemort would win." Of course, that was exactly the reason she had to leave. Harry would be vulnerable. She had first hoped that Pappy would allow her to go back to be with Harry for short periods, but he would not and neither would Dumbledore.
"Harry, we knew the risks. I can't be without you and you would be miserable without me." Hermione pleaded to stay. She had to convince him that he needed her no matter the risk.
"No….no, I can't. I won't let you stay." Harry said.
Hermione led him as they walked because he was so deep in thought. She turned on the staircase and led him into the Room of Requirement. She was acting out of pure selfishness now, but she knew she had to have this night and it was the only way for her to get Harry to tell Dumbledore and Pappy that he needed her to stay.
"Harry, do you want me to leave? You could die and I'd never see you again. Then I would die of a broken heart. Do you feel my heart?" She put his hand to her breast and kissed him. He responded like she knew he would. He gently massaged her breast as he felt her press into him and put her hand to his waking manhood. Hermione thought, `If I'm going to convince him to let me stay, I have to appeal to his most basic instincts."
She had stepped away and undressed as Harry watched. She knelt before him as he pulled his shirt over his head. She wasn't sure she could do this, but she knew if she did there was no way any man would send away his lover for more than a day or two.
She removed his pants and underwear looking into his eyes she slowly massaged his manhood as she kissed him lightly where he would feel the ripples throughout his body.
"Hermione, where did you go? Did you hear what I said?" Luna said smiling. Pappy had gone and sat down in his favorite chair.
"No," she said uneasily. Rarely did images arouse her, but that one had. Now she wanted to be left alone.
"We will be able to go to the rest of the market later today. Pappy said he felt up to it." Luna was looking happier as time went on. The reviling nightmares had slowed to an infrequent occurrence that awoke everyone to her screams of pain. Hermione hoped her dreams hadn't awoken anyone; she would have died in embarrassment.
"Great, when do we leave?" Hermione asked.
Even though she missed Harry, Draco, Ginny, and Luna were great fun. They'd eat ice cream and tell the awful jokes they got from magazines at the bookstore next door. And, when Draco would want to go off for some time by himself, they'd grab a couple of romance novels off the shelves and read the steamy parts to each other and giggle behind the book racks in the store.
Hermione bought one once and told the girls they could read it if they wanted. Or, as she had explained, she could finish the whole thing reading to them because Ginny still could not see well enough to read. Luna had said, "Ginny, we're going to keep an eye on you in case you decide to take advantage of having your man here." They'd laughed at the thought.
Hermione yawned and looked around annoyed.
"Pappy said he was going to take an hours nap, so I'd say an hour or so." Luna still looked excited.
"Okay, then. Maybe a nap isn't such a bad idea." She got up off the little ottoman she was sitting on and crossed the room to the bed she shared at night with Ginny. Ginny was sitting outside the front door basking in the sun.
She lay down and resumed her own steamy novel from the night before she'd come here.
Her memory picked up at the point where she couldn't believe how easy Harry was to control. She looked in his eyes as she'd stood up and grabbed his hand lead him to the king-size four-poster she'd conjured. "Harry, do you still want me to leave?" She asked with a smile. The experience hadn't been as bad as she'd been told it would be. She sat down at the edge of the bed as he stood looking at her beautiful body. He looked at her softness and creamy skin. He kissed her passionately.
"That was unbelievable sweetheart." Harry had said.
She knew by the look on his face that he was saying, `If anything, it makes me want you to leave more. How could a man allow himself to lose a girl forever who can do that?'
Harry looked at her with that devilish grin again and said, "I could never allow…" She put her hand his bum and kissed him again on his stomach and moved her tongue down toward his loins again. His hormones blocked out his thoughts.
He pushed her back to the bed lightly as he traced her body with kisses from her right thigh to her neck and whispered in her ear as his other hand found her moist folds of soft flesh and began to move his fingers rhythmically. All the while, he kissed her neck moving to her breasts for as long as it took to hear her moan.
"You can ask me to leave whenever you feel it's time. "Oooh, Harry, keep doing that," she gasped. He moved his free hand under her bum and slowly traced his tongue around each nipple. He squeezed her bum as he kissed her slowly passing her belly button. He moved down kissing the insides of her thighs as he stopped the motion of his fingers.
"Harry, don't stop, oh God. You can't stop now."He continued the light kisses on her inner thighs. He'd come so close to her moist flesh that she would tense and then relax as he moved away.
Finally, she grabbed his hair and forced his face between her burning thighs. He began slowly flicking his tongue on the swelling button of flesh just above and around the spot his fingers had been. Hermione's hips lifted and he felt himself aroused again at the guttural utterances coming from Hermione. "Oooh, fuck me, Harry." He tasted her and kept moving his tongue and brought his hand in to help bring her to new heights.
Her mind had raced away from her purpose as she enjoyed his mouth and fingers flooding her body with flaming passion. His other hand reached for her breast as he continued and rolled her nipple between his fingers. It was so sensitive now, his mere touch made her shiver. She could feel the release within her as her breathing quickened. "Don't stop, Harry. Don't stop." Her hips moved wildly. He couldn't believe the force she generated pulling his face into her.
He could see that she was beyond where she'd been the last time they'd been together. As she released his head, he could see her swollen softness glisten moistly. His pulsating and aching member felt the need for her again. As her hips quivered he stopped to look at her briefly. "No, Harry. Don't stop." And, then he moved his manhood to the softness awaiting him and snapped his hips forward to join with her. Her eyes opened widely in surprise for a moment and felt warmth of him inside her. "Hermione, you feel good." He moved with her gyrations. She moaned her approval
She was lying at the edge of the bed and Harry was standing. He felt her wetness envelop him. He felt as if her warmth was going to end it for him within seconds. He caught his breath. He slowed to preserve his energy as he moved inside her deeply lengthening his strokes. And then, as he felt her warmth grow again and heard her urging he moved quicker and as deeply as he could. He felt his balls ache as he slammed into her wet pussy.
"Harry, faster, fuck me….harder…shit….ooo, fuck." Hermione couldn't stop convulsing. Her stomach and abdomen felt fire like never before. She reached down and grabbed him by the bum and pulled him into her. She squeezed him as hard as her young untrained muscles could manage.
Harry felt Hermione lean up and pull him down. She nibbled at his nipples as he strained to hold himself up on his arms as he was now on top of her on the bed. Her tongue touched his nipples again and again. Finally, he felt all his strength moving from his arms to his pulsating burning rod as he used his hips and thighs to pound her relentlessly. "Oh….fuck, I can't hold back" He shivered and he felt himself pouring into her as she breathed with him. At each convulsion he could feel her pull squeeze his bum to pull him in closer. Finally, when he could no longer hold himself up as every bit of his strength emptied into her, he collapsed onto her soft breasts still inside her.
Hermione could feel his weight. She had never felt pleasure like that before. The first time she knew she'd been lucky to be with someone who fulfilled her emotionally. The orgasms had surprised her then and had been an unplanned blessing. This was what sex was really like.
"Are you okay, there, Wizard Boy? Let's hope there wasn't anyone between here and London because they'd have heard us both." She had said. "But I don't care."
They laughed. Harry rolled to her side, he was slightly embarrassed as Hermione looked down at him smiling. "Little Harry looks a little shier now doesn't he." Even when she'd brought him to orgasm earlier with her mouth and hand he hadn't felt like this.
"No offense, Hermione. Making love is great. But straight forward foreplay and shagging like this is fucking fantastic," Harry said as Hermione smiled. "Sorry about the language, sweetheart."
"If you keep fucking me like that, you'll be getting no argument from me." They were both surprised that they'd dropped the `f-bomb' a couple of times each, but neither of them could move or had the strength to be even embarrassed enough to blush about it.
"So much for not being sore, I'll feel like a punching bag tomorrow." Hermione said jokingly.
"Yeah, well, I don't think I have a frame of reference for how sore my hips and stones are going to be. I can't walk straight now as it is." She laughed at him.
"I told you. And, I didn't have to do anything evil to make that happen." She said with a satisfied smile.
"How can you say that and live with yourself?" Harry asked playfully.
"How can you say you really want me to leave you? Let's live while we can. Let's be together when we can. Let's not be afraid." She was crying both for using sex to get him to accept the fact that she must stay, because that's what she really wanted to do. Harry didn't know it, but she'd be gone tonight as soon as she and Tonks switched places. He wouldn't remember any of this tomorrow except that his balls ached and every muscle in his body hurt. That was the deal. They'd take the memories into Harry's own pensieve, erase the memories of tonight and the last time they made love and replace them with two nights of severe snogging. They would return them and restore his memory when she returned. It would be over then one way or the other.
Hermione was shaken awake by Luna. "Let's go, sleepy head. Are you okay? You look a little like you were crying." Hermione awoke almost remembering every earthmoving event from her dream. She thought, `I want to be with him so bad. He may not even remember our nights together when he dies, if it happens while I'm here. Men, for once I make use of one thinking with the wrong head and he doesn't remember.' Ironically it was one of the saddest thoughts she'd ever had and she was forcing herself to smile to hide the tears.
"Nothing I could ever explain." Hermione said.
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For Harry, nothing had changed. He still had the most beautiful girl in the world to look forward to every morning. She seemed a little out of sorts, but she seemed to really get into the kissing and fooling around lately.
"What's gotten into you lately, Hermione? Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. Just it used to be a little more aggressive on my part. And we didn't used to snog this often in public places."
Tonks forgot that she had the libido of a twenty-eight year old that had gone a while without sex. They were sitting in the middle of the library not in their usual out-of-the-way rendezvous in the rear of the library like Hermione had told her over the holidays. Tonks kept forgetting that Hermione was so conservative. Tonks had to force the thought of doing it with him out of her head or she'd end up in the Room of Requirement with him looking like Hermione. Tonks thought, `They deserve their first time together and she'd never forgive herself if she corrupted Harry.'
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, just sometimes I feel like throwing caution to the wind," she said. "After all, our decision for me to stay means more danger than we've ever faced.' Tonks felt sorry for Harry. She knew that she was now more susceptible to possession than before the incident outside the Goyle's. As each day passed Voldemort got stronger and he may have to face his worst nightmare: Killing his sweet Hermione.
"So, how are The Quibbler and the Daily Prophet handling the DNA evidence? It won't be long before they start looking for Tonks." Harry said. The irony was that the reason they could explain the disappearance of Tonks was that she went to protect Malfoy, Ginny and Luna.
"I think they already are? There is a call in both papers for someone to step forward at the Ministry and offer information to the muggle police that…she almost said I… she is a master of disguise and extremely dangerous. Eventually someone will leak the information and the reports will be made anonymously, of course." Tonks said.
Harry always loved how smart Hermione was. "That's why I love you so much, Hermione. I know I'm safer with you around because you and I can be happy together and I'm a lot more informed than the dolt I'd be otherwise." Harry quipped.
"Don't say that about yourself, Harry-even if you're joking. So, do you think they'll let us go to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Tonks asked.
She loved being with Harry. She constantly found herself wishing she could find someone who cared for her so much. She could feel herself becoming less an Auror. In some ways she'd become one to avoid being hurt by love as she remembered it. She felt more and more like the eighteen year old woman who wanted love in her life the more time she spent with Harry.
"I don't know, but now that spring is here. I think the fear of Voldemort coming back is getting stronger for Dumbledore and Pappy. If they do let us go, it will be because they think it's the last safe time for us." Harry surmised.
"That's probably true," Tonks said. "Well, time for bed." She remembered Hermione telling her the pact she and Harry made about getting lots of rest. Tonks was jealous. If she really was Hermione, tonight would be a night that poor boy might not ever forget. Tonks didn't know about Harry and Hermione's sex life.
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Dumbledore and Pappy were sitting in their library discussing the events of Pappy's trip to see the kids in Little Whinging. "I don't know what takes Hermione off into her own little world, but whatever it is it certainly takes her from sad to cheery. That and the music box are good for her."
"So that's why you gave her the music box and Harry the watch." Dumbledore finally realized.
"Don't you remember that they chose the gift out of their love for one another? I didn't make that love happen. I only charmed the gifts to make them personal." Pappy said.
"And what exactly is that?" Dumbledore said.
"Those gifts will let them both know that the one they love is still alive and loves them more than anything in the world." Pappy said.
"Do they know this?" Dumbledore said.
"They know it shows the ones they love most, I will tell them the rest later when it becomes necessary." Pappy said not expanding his explanation.
"So how are lessons going?" Dumbledore asked.
"Very well, having Hermione there means that the others have the best teacher Hogwarts has ever had. She learns the lesson and then teaches them. You should see it." Pappy laughed.
Pappy had been rejuvenated by the lack of worry for the past two and a half months. With April approaching, Spring Holiday would be a welcome thing the week after the students went to Hogsmeade.
"Do we let Harry and Tonks go to Hogsmeade?" asked Pappy.
"I don't know, this is your plan," Dumbledore said hoping to avoid the question.
"I think we have to let them go, personally." Pappy said. "We've spent the better part of two months denying that anyone here at Hogwarts had anything to do with the death of Goyle. Now that they have put together that she was the woman removed from the Ministry the night before he was murdered, they are prepared to arrest her and leave her for a Dementor. They also will know that she is a personal friend of Hermione. We can't pretend like we're hiding Tonks in the castle. Who would be better to deflect their questions than Tonks? We won't look like we are afraid." Pappy said.
"Good point," Dumbledore said. "What happens if someone suspects her to be Tonks even though she looks like Hermione?"
"Let them suspect. There are over 300 witnesses to Hermione Granger being in class for the last two and a half months." Pappy said. "The problem is going to occur when we have to send Tonks off to the Grangers during the Spring Holiday." He smiled. "How do we keep her from being attacked, kidnapped, or worse…possessed while she is home? Keeping her hear would also appear like we're hiding her from the press so she can't talk about her friend from the Christmas Holidays."
Dumbledore said, "You could follow her as Harry? She obviously can't take Tonks even if you went to the trouble of looking like her, she'd be arrested." The statement actually was a question.
"I mean, I like Tonks but I can't be snuggling with her at my age. Even if I did look sixteen if I went." Pappy said. "I mean even her parents would expect to have to watch me like a hawk. Besides, what parents would let their daughter bring a guy home from school?" Pappy knew he was losing the battle.
"Well, Nathaniel, we are going to have to find out? Go see Hermione tonight. She will have to do the asking herself. We'll send it from here." Dumbledore had just used his veto power as Headmaster and Pappy didn't like it.
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The visit to Hogsmeade had been almost identical to just before Christmas. Tonks was glad she'd spent the entire holiday with Hermione. Hermione must have told her how cool it was to spend time with Harry a hundred times. So she could pretty much go the flow every time Harry said, "Remember….," She even felt like he was quizzing her sometimes because Tonks had to correct him. He'd answered, "Right, right, I remember."
Surprisingly, neither Harry nor Tonks saw a reporter walking in the village or sitting in any of the places they visited. Finally, Harry and Tonks did have a laugh when Harry realized that Rita Skeeter was up to her old tricks sitting on the water glass on the next table. They just maintained a calm atmosphere and snogged like crazy. Tonks was glad Harry had recognized her first and wrote it on the napkin. She had been oblivious.
By Tuesday of the following week, the response from the Granger's had arrived by muggle post and had been intercepted by Dumbledore. It said that as long as Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore thought that Harry was safe to be there, they would love to meet him for a couple of days.
"Well, there you go Pappy. You get to be sixteen again. We'll explain it to Harry that you will go to protect Hermione in his place." Dumbledore said. Dumbledore found it amusing how hard it was getting to tell who was really who at his own school.
This case was amusing while none of the others were. He was still facing the rising concerns of Ron Weasley and his letters to his parents concerning the disappearance of Ginny.
The other concern was the growing disgruntlement of Slytherin House aided by Snape's tolerance of their disgust toward the Gryffindors. Since the death of Mr. Goyle, Gregory Goyle had led a group of students in direct opposition to Ron and his claims.
Unlike years past, the Slytherins now had a death to avenge the same as Harry and Gryffindor; now, Ron Weasley was defending his family in this battle too. Neither Pappy nor Dumbledore were surprised since this was what Pappy had foreseen. A true death feud had erupted in a benign form at the moment.
"Pappy, we have to do something to at least try to alleviate this problem between the houses. I cannot change Defense against the Dark Arts and Potions without sacking Snape from one of them." Dumbledore knew that it was his decision, but the Ministry would sack him if he ignored there edict. The problem was also caused by his and Pappy's decision to separate Draco and the girls from the school.
"Albus, I am sure you have noticed and always have known that the older these children get, the harder it would become to discipline and control them." Pappy said.
"I hope that we find a way soon, Nathaniel. It is beginning to spill into the press and upset the parents of the all the houses." Albus said. He knew that this was part of Voldemort's plan. The only mistake was that Voldemort had made was that he hadn't planned for Goyle to be killed outside of the time and manner he had chosen.
"I am afraid the rage displayed by Goyle's son Gregory is my fault. That has been what's made the situation so much like the gang problems in America." Pappy said without thinking.
Dumbledore knew he was right about it being like a gang problem. "It's not your fault. Voldemort would have made something like this appear to be the work of someone in the Order or someone else connected to the struggle for the rights of muggle-born wizards and witches. There is nothing that we could have done."
"It is sad to say, but the American President of their Civil War, Abraham Lincoln put it best. `A house divided against itself cannot stand.' It may not apply to the individual houses, but it does to the school as a whole," said Pappy.
His years in the muggle community had lead to a great deal of reading on hate, prejudice and bias as he contemplated the fractionalization of the wizarding world. That was what this war was about. It was the reason he and Francine had left the wizarding world behind.
"One last question, do we send Harry off to see Hermione and the others while you are gone with Tonks?" asked Dumbledore.
"No, Albus, Voldemort would know if both of them were being impersonated by someone else. Keeping him here keeps the secret among only three people besides Hermione--you, Tonks and I." Pappy explained. "I don't think anyone else should know."
Dumbledore said, "Very well, he will stay here. I am going to retire for the evening. Will you see to it that Tonks knows the plan as well as Hermione?"
Pappy nodded his ascent. "Yes, Albus, let's pray that this plan works."
Pappy reflected on the vision that had driven him since he'd found Harry nearly sixteen years before. It played in his head as the most revolting thing he'd ever seen.
Harry and Hermione were sitting in the Gryffindor common room one near mealtime.
Harry smiled as Hermione smiled at him as he'd always remembered. Pappy could feel the love Harry had for her as she smiled. Harry began to recount how he'd killed Voldemort just two days before. The next part of his vision woke him to tears every morning for fifteen years.
What seemed like only moments later, he and Dumbledore entered the room and looked at the carnage. First, they saw the three boys lying on the floor. Then they saw the puddle of blood and Hermione's once beautiful face lying severed from her body at Harry's feet. Harry was leaned partially against the wall and partially lying on floor with the blade of the Sword of Gryffindor impaled through his throat and out the back of his neck. It appeared to be suicide. Voldemort would love the irony of it. On the wall written in their blood were the words: THE PROPHECY FULFILLED BY HIS OWN HAND AND HE TOOK THE WITCH TOO! Finally, Pappy could hear voices in his vision. It was the unmistakable laughter of Voldemort. Pappy and Dumbledore stood in silence as they heard the voice. "I will come for you next. How ironic, Gryffindor's sword killed his own heir. Beware you old fools, you cannot defeat me now."
Pappy stood with tears in his eyes as he packed his bag. He hated himself. He could foretell the future only well enough to risk the precious lives of the only children he'd ever loved as his own. He whispered to himself, "I must stop it and I must avenge Francine." He Disapparated after his tears had subsided to tell Hermione the good news.
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