DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all the Harry Potter characters do not belong to me, they belong to J.K. Rowling. Merlin and Lost Years characters and objects are not mine, they belong to T.A. Barron. Everything in this story is fiction
Prologue
He'd been away for a while in search of something he didn't understand. He'd discovered a whole new world even if he was only in it for a few weeks or so he thought. He'd also discovered who was sending him those feelings truly filled with sadness and pain. He was compelled to find that person because he knew he was the only person who could deliver him from the anguish that filled his heart.
He stood in the corner of the charms classroom quite invisible to the naked eyes. He observed his wife's furrowed brows as she read through one of her students' parchment. There was still over one foot stack of parchment on the corner of her desk waiting for her attention. He wanted desperately to open himself up to her so that she could feel him, but he'd severed that connection when he left on his mission. He thought it would help ease the pain for her, but who was he kidding? If she felt half the pain he was going through being apart from her, then severing the connection may not have helped at all. It probably helped him a little though. Not knowing what was going through her head and her heart was driving him crazy, but he knew that if he had a little glimpse of her mind and heart, he'd have abandoned the mission he set out for.
The nightmares and the constant ache in his heart from the invisible person his wife knew had been eating him up inside. It was she who suggested he search for the root of those feelings and to help the person who had been haunting him day and night. He told her it would go away at first, but the longer he waited the pain and anguish that had been emanating from the unknown person grew in magnitude he could not have imagined himself. There were times during the months following the last battle when his heart would constrict at the immensity of the pain that radiated from the person.
After a few more weeks of trying to shut out the feelings without success, he decided to take his wife's suggestion. He didn't want to take anyone with him for fear of the risks involved, though he'd had to argue with his family and friends quite a bit to get his way. In the end they understood that he'd have to go on the journey alone.
He left his wife in the capable hands of his grandfather and his best friend, and to his knowledge his children though no one else but his wife knew of their children's ability to protect their mum. He promised he'd return before his children were born whether or not his journey was completed or not. He would not miss the birth of his sons. His empath power was a blessing on most occasions. He was able to link with his unborn children. They were only a few months old in the womb, but their powers were so advanced they were able to communicate with their father constantly. Harry Potter was proud.
He was truly a remarkable man. He hadn't even reached eighteen when he, powerful wizard, had defeated the dark Lord, Voldermort, who'd been thought of as the most menacing dark wizard for over a decade. Of course being a great wizard ran in the family. He had the great Merlin as an ancestor and of course his grandfather, Dumbledore, the current headmaster of Hogwarts, who had also been the greatest wizard of his time. It was only natural that greatness also came from him and his descendants. But what was power without great knowledge? That was where his wife came in. Hermione Jane Granger Potter was thought to be the most intelligent witch of her time. Not only was she smart, she was also strong and brave. One had to be, to be married to the most powerful wizard of his time. She kept him grounded. Their love grew from friendship and was still growing each day. It was that love he counted on to keep him strong.
Before he left, he made sure that his wife would be busy. Thanks to Professor Flitwick's early retirement, Hermione was offered a teaching position. With her brilliant mind she could have done anything she wanted, but being close to Hogwarts and family was more important to her. However, she was also offered a position by the ministry of magic as head of the research and development department. She took the professorship and decided to work as a consultant for the minister of magic. Harry was supportive of her decision and was content that the work would keep her busy enough to keep her mind off of him and his mission, so he hoped.
Harry, too, was offered any position he wanted, even the Minister of Magic position, but he turned them all down. He was offered the starting position in the top most Quidditch team in all of Europe, but he declined. He told the public that he'd wanted to spend time with his family and just enjoy his life without the additional pressures. Though reporters camped outside his home or his known home at Grimmauld Place, he wasn't bothered too much unless he'd wanted to talk to them. No one outside his family and close circle of friends knew the extent of his powers and he wasn't going to enlighten anyone he felt had no business knowing.
After the defeat of the Dark Lord, he was bombarded with owls from around the world. He accepted them all without reservations, but the amount of "fan mail" did not go to his head. He felt the world's relief and gratitude and did not have to open each mail to know what was in it. Hermione merely created a spell to have all the thank you letters stored in a keepsake box as soon as they arrived. It was quite clever really, as soon as an owl entered their home, the contents of the mail was filtered magically and sorted in boxes for them - urgent, family, media, general, and of course the ones that got filed into storage - she labeled gratitude. For all the letters he received that expressed gratitude, he simply replied by sending them a response via his empath powers. He would send them his feeling of appreciation.
After a few weeks of rest after the battle, Harry and Hermione decided to hold a muggle wedding ceremony. That became quite a feat for the both of them. They knew they couldn't very well keep it secret and they knew that they wanted to share their nuptials with their friends and family so they had to train their wizard friends who weren't familiar with the muggle way and had to figure out a way to keep from being bombarded by the wizarding public.
They came up with a brilliant plan so as to satisfy the wizarding public and at the same time keep the muggles from seeing the wizarding public. They created a large protective bubble around the grounds where the wedding took place. It was almost like one of that little globe that was shaken or turned over to make the snow fall. The wizarding people who were not personally involved with Harry and Hermione were invited to witness their wedding outside the bubble where they had been served food as well and the opportunity to congratulate the newlyweds a family at a time. They'd created one entrance where the wizarding family walked through and become transformed so that they would blend in with the muggle world - the men in suits and the women in lovely dresses. Thanks to Fred and George who'd expanded their threshold spell. It was the same spell they'd placed on the threshold of the WWW during their grand opening, but with flair. They also put together one spectacular firework show.
Many wizards and witches came from all over the world to witness the wedding. The muggles were amazed at how many turned up for the wedding. They'd even compared it to the day Princess Diana and Prince Charles were wed - but even better. Their wedding day was something out of a fairy tale from Hermione's dress - ornately decorated with tiny pearl beads all hand sewn to the silk gown as well as the 20 foot train. She looked like Cinderella some muggles told her. Of Course, Ron asked "Who the bloody hell was she?" to which he earned a glare from Hermione and Lavender. All in all everything else about the wedding was perfect.
Looking at Hermione at that moment brought back many happy memories that Harry had to keep inside the dark corners of his mind. He really still didn't have a full grasp of what happened to him after jumping through the curtain the Department of Mysteries. He just followed the strong emotion that had plagued him for months and that was where they led him. At the same time he didn't really understand how he and his friend got out of the black hole they'd spent weeks in. His only focus was on how to make the woman he loved understand why he'd been away much longer than they both expected.
He remembered well how she looked the last time she saw her, she was filling out in the proper places as expected motherhood was upon her. He smiled at the memory.
"Harry, are you still going to think me beautiful when I'm as big as a house," Hermione asked her after their active love play. She'd never thought herself vain, but a girl was entitled to care about how she looked for her husband from time to time.
"Hermione, I'm going to think you the most beautiful even when you're old and wrinkled," he chuckled. In truth, he thought she was the most beautiful woman on the planet.
"Well, you'd better Harry."
"I love you, Hermione." He kissed her lips. "I love everything about you." He kissed her forehead. "Even your big tummy." He kissed the mound that had been slowly rising in the middle of her body. Being the hormonal person she was, she was getting teary eyed once again. She still couldn't believe she was married to Harry.
"Oh, Harry. I love you too." She sniffed and kissed him back.
He hoped that love will pull him through the explanations he had to present her. He saw the weariness in her face and gauntness as well. He was puzzled. When he left she was in perfect health. Her skin was glowing and her face full and cheery. He didn't expect her to change so much in a few weeks. He knew she should still be carrying their children, unless. Oh, dear Merlin, he thought. Please don't let anything be wrong with Hermione. Please my children be well.
He couldn't stand it anymore. He had to open himself up to her. He had to feel her again. When he did it was as if a lightning bolt hit him. He felt the storm raging within his wife and all the anger was directed to him and to the person who seemed to have taken him away from her.
Hermione felt Harry instantly. She knew he was near, but she didn't know how close. She lifted her head up as soon as she felt the part of her heart that had been closed for so long. She looked around to see if Harry was somehow at the doorway.
"Harry?" she whispered. The loneliness, the fear, the frustration and anger she'd been holding inside seemed somehow alleviated from within her. She knew that the only way that would happen is that if her emotions were being shared or carried by someone else, someone who was an empath. "Harry!" she screamed.
The pain she'd transferred to him was becoming unbearable. He felt everything that he knew had been bottled up inside her for a while. His control over his invisibility wavered and because the pain was great, he fell to his knees. That was how Hermione saw him.
A/N: This is the first chapter of the last installment. I hope you enjoy it. Sorry it took so long. Sorry this first one is so short. I'll get the next one out as soon as I can. Thanks for your continued support. Let me know what you think.
-->