AN: The story so far has been humorous, but this is where it takes on a more serious nature. It also starts to live up to the Action\Adventure description I gave it. This is also where the cliffhangers start, so I'm going to post the fifth chapter now, instead of tomorrow.
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Chapter Four: The Third Wish
"Hermione, can I ask you something?"
Harry and Hermione were sitting in the common room, two days after Harry had disrupted potions class. They were supposed to be doing their homework, but neither of them was bothering to pretend that they found History of Magic essays more interesting than their own private thoughts.
Hermione snapped out of her reverie, turning to stare at Harry.
"Sure," she said, yawning. "What's up?"
Harry turned to look out the window, a distant look in his eyes.
"When I was a little boy, growing up at the Dursley's, I watched the neighborhood grow up around me. Privet Drive was a fairly new subdivision, and Number Four was one of the first houses built. I remember a time when I could see all the way to the play park on Magnolia Crescent, without a house to block the view. Now there isn't a single empty lot in the area. But for all that, I hardly know my neighbors. I could tell you most of their names, and pick out their faces from a crowd, but they don't know me.
"I used to wonder if it would have been like that if my parents had lived, and I had been able to grow up with them in Godric's Hollow. That's were Hagrid said we used to live. He also said it was almost destroyed. But even if it's barely standing, I'd like to see it.
"That's what my next wish is: See Godric's Hollow, or in other words, `go home.'"
Hermione chose her words carefully. "But when would you go? Do you know where it is? Do you have permission to go there?"
Harry looked at her in mild surprise.
"Are you trying to stop me?"
"Well, no," she admitted. "But you can't just go gallivanting off trying to find the place either. It'll take proper planning if you don't want to blow it."
Harry stood up. He reached down and grabbed her hand.
"Come with me."
*
Hermione followed Harry up to the boys' dormitories. He led her inside and shut the door. Walking to his trunk, he opened the lid and started rummaging around through it.
Hermione could hear him muttering under his breath.
"I know I put it here…somewhere…aha! Got it!"
He turned and sat cross-legged on the floor, with his back to his trunk and several pieces of parchment in his hand.
He beckoned her closer, and she knelt on the floor next to him, looking at the pages in his hand.
The first appeared to be a map, but the only landmarks Hermione could see were Hogwarts, and quite some distance away, a few buildings drawn under the heading "Godric's Hollow."
The next was a page copied from a book on flying, with details on long broom journeys, what to do in emergencies, and ideal weather conditions for cross-country trips.
The last was a letter of pardon from Dumbledore, stating that the bearer of this letter had permission to go outside of school for a day and a night, at any time the bearer chose to use it.
Hermione was starting to get the gist. She smiled at Harry.
"You've certainly thought this all out, haven't you?"
"Look at it this way Hermione. Godric's Hollow is only about half a day's journey from Hogwarts by broom. I know the regulations for cross-country trips, I'm smart enough to stay away from Muggle inhabited areas, and Dumbledore himself assured me I wouldn't get in trouble for this trip, even if I decided to leave in the middle of the night during the school week."
"When did Dumbledore tell you this?" Hermione asked, pointing to the third page.
Harry grinned ruefully. "When he took me to his office to lecture me after the Great Prank, he demanded to know why I'd done it. I explained to him about the Wish List, and he gave me this then, and some other information about Godric's Hollow that I'll need to know when I get there."
"What sort of information?" she asked.
"He says that Godric's Hollow is sort of a wizarding village, like Hogsmeade, but it has the largest concentration of Squibs in Great Britain. The house where I used to live is known as Potter Manor, and had been in my family for quite some time. There were no other living relatives to keep an eye on it, but the current caretaker is a Squib by the name of Sean Xavier. Apparently many of his family served the Potters as butlers, cooks, and maids until my parents ordered them to leave for their own safety, when the house was guarded by the Fidelius Charm. Sean is still paid from the family funds for his work though, so it's not like he's a slave or anything." Harry said hastily, seeing the look on Hermione's face. "Dumbledore sent a letter to Sean by Owl Post, telling him to keep an eye out for me. He even sent me a letter in reply, here."
He handed her a fourth piece of paper, which Hermione had not noticed before. She smoothed it out and read,
Dear Mr. Potter,
I can't tell you how pleased I was when Albus told me that you would be visiting soon. I am sure you are eager to learn more about your family's home, as well as the history of your family in the area.
I knew your parents very well, and was deeply saddened when your father, James, dismissed the staff to keep us safe. I knew he was only doing it because he cared about us, and he did promise us monthly pension for our trouble. Even so it broke my heart to leave the Manor, which was like a second home to me.
I have in my possession the keys to the house, the family vault, and your mother's diary, though heaven only knows where she put that! The house is still standing, though in accordance with your parents' wishes, which they imparted to me before they died, I have not touched anything in the house, nor has anyone else in the village. You will find everything exactly the way it was on Halloween night fifteen years ago, perhaps a little dustier, but I was ordered not to touch anything, much less clean anything.
I look forward to meeting you; the last time I saw you, you were only a baby, smiling at me as I walked out the door of the Manor for the last time. I have not entered the Manor in all these years, even when Ministry representatives arrived to collect your parent's bodies. They were the last people to set foot inside the house, and I don't think they stole anything. I hope not anyway.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes,
Sean Xavier
Hermione looked up. Harry was watching her expectantly. Another choice: should she let him go by himself, or should she go along for moral support?
She cleared her throat.
"Look, Harry, if you don't want me to come, it's all right, I'll understand."
Harry stared at her blankly. "I thought you promised you'd help me." He said quietly.
Hermione took a breath.
"Look's like I'm going, then."
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