The Letter 2
The sun had barely risen and the light in the streets outside was that bluish grey colour most people never see. Harry and Hermione were woken from their slumbers by a quiet but insistent tapping on the window. Harry stirred first and as he surfaced he felt the warm presence of the witch by his side still cuddled under his arm.
The fact that she was here had changed his whole outlook on life. Yesterday he had contemplated a short trip to the ministry and a quick step through the veil, at least it would have been painless, and maybe on the other side he would have found friends, but now it was the last thing on his mind, maybe, just maybe, there was a chance again.
The tapping intruded on his thoughts and moving carefully so as to disturb his still sleepy partner as little as possible, he got up and opened the window. The large snowy owl which had been perched on the window sill hopped into the room and with a muted hoot greeted her owner.
'Hello girl now I have two friends with me, things are looking up.' He stroked the birds head and received a gentle nip for his pains.
Hedwig held out her leg and Harry undid the ribbon holding the message to it. He rummaged around in the drawer of his old desk and found a few owl treats which didn't look too far past their sell by date. The owl accepted his offering then hopped to her old perch and took a drink from the water bowl.
The young witch on the bed stretched, and yawned as Harry went back to sit beside her.
'Hi sleepy head.'
'Hi yourself, you OK Harry.'
He smiled, 'Yeah, never better.'
She gave a quiet giggle. 'Hedwig bring a letter?'
Harry unrolled the parchment. 'More a note really, it's to you from Ginny.'
'What does she say?'
Harry read out loud. 'Hermione; sent Hedwig to you as I don't know if you have found Harry yet. Keep her with you and send her back when you do. I have found out what my prat of a brother has been up to and why he acted the way he did. By the way he is really, really sorry, but I'll explain more when you find Harry. Give him my love, Ginny.'
Hermione watched Harry as he put down the note. 'She still loves you, you know.'
'Yes, I know, that's what makes it all so difficult.'
'Umm… What do you think Ron has been doing?'
Harry was a little surprised at the sudden change of subject. 'Oh…Err… I don't know, mixing his potions most likely.' He suggested with a laugh. 'That letter was so out of the blue not like him at all; something must have set him off.'
'Well he's eighteen and he thinks he's in love sometimes that is enough, but it will be a hard job for him to wriggle out of this one.'
Harry didn't want to start talking about love again it was causing him a peculiar kind of pain even thinking about it at the moment, so this time he changed the subject.
'So what are we going to do now?'
Hermione looked shrewdly at him 'OK Harry I'll play along' 'Well I'm starving how about some food.'
'Good idea but we'll need to be quiet the Dursleys don't know I am here. We could grab some breakfast and get out of here.'
Hermione looked at the sleeping Hedwig. 'If we wrote a note would she take it when she's rested.'
'She take it now if I asked her' Harry said fondly. 'but yes no problem.'
Hermione found an old piece of parchment and scribbled a few lines.
'I've told her that I found you first guess, and she's to send Hedwig in a few days to you so that we can keep in touch. Do you want me to send her your love?'
Harry looked hard at Hermione he noticed that she wasn't smiling at her jibe.
'No' he said 'not now.' And he turned to leave the bedroom, so he missed the slight upturning of her mouth as she tied the note to Hedwig's leg.
'No hurry girl, when you're ready.' A sleepy hoot was heard in return.
Hermione followed Harry down the stairs and into the kitchen where she ran into the back of him as he had stopped suddenly in the doorway. For there in the kitchen with a boiling kettle of water in her hand was Harry's aunt Petunia, and what was even more unsettling was that she was smiling.
'Hello Harry dear and Hermione isn't it?'
As Harry seemed completely lost for words Hermione answered, 'Err… yes that's right. Good morning Mrs Dursley.'
Harry didn't move, Hermione thought he looked as if someone had just dumped a bucket of freezing water over him, or maybe that someone should dump a bucket of freezing water over him.
Harry voice tried to make a come back. 'Err…What's going on?'
Petunia smiled again and Harry was beginning to become very irritated by that smile.
'I just thought you should have some breakfast before you left, before he gets up.' She turned her eyes up to indicate her still sleeping husband.
Hermione pushed past a still immobile Harry and stared intently at his aunt, who smiled at her.
'How long?' Hermione asked
The smile on Petunia's face slipped a little. 'About three weeks, just like that, it all came back.'
'Hermione what are you talking about.'
'Harry perhaps it isn't obvious to you but the signs are all there. Your aunt has been under an enchantment,' she turned back to Petunia, 'Do you know when it started.'
'Yes when I read that first letter from Albus Dumbledore, the day you arrived Harry. The day after Lily was killed.' The memory was too much for her and she shakily sat at the kitchen table. Harry was amazed to see tears of sadness in her eyes.
'But I don't understand' said Harry in frustration.
Hermione decided to take control at that point. 'Sit down have some toast and tea and I will try to explain.'
Harry did as he was asked and with the three of them sitting quietly Hermione began.
'I would guess from your aunt's reaction that she was actually closer to your mother that you ever believed, but being married to Mr. Muggle upstairs, she never showed it outwardly, she had to keep it covered. Before you came here Harry I would imagine that she purposely kept you, your parents and the wizarding world as a topic not to be discussed, being as your uncle was so xenophobic. Then you arrived and with you the knowledge that your mother was dead, your aunt would not have been able to hide her response to that and so Dumbledore enchanted the parchment of his letter to act on those who read it.'
'But Hermione enchantments like that don't work on muggles, there has to be a belief that they will work for them to work, and muggles don't have that.'
Hermione nodded and looked from Harry to his aunt. 'Yes Harry you're right they won't work on muggles, but then your aunt isn't a muggle. Are you Petunia?'
There was silence for a moment then Harry's aunt sighed 'No' she said.
'You're a witch or a squib?' said Harry with disbelief
His aunt looked at him reproachfully. 'No Harry not witch and not a squib, I am a spike.'
'OK, lost again, what's a spike?'
Hermione butted in 'It's a slang term for a medumonis that is someone who has some magical power but cannot cast spells.' She could see Harry was confused. 'Look a squib is some one born in a wizarding family who to all intents is a muggle. A spike is someone who should be a witch or wizard but doesn't have all the magical powers, and can come from either muggle or wizard family. Calling them a 'spike' is a cruel play on words, like mudblood. A spike is usually something with a sharp end but in this instance it is used to mean a wizard or witch without a point.'
Harry considered this information 'So you have some magical powers then aunt Petunia?'
'Well really nothing, but I used to be able to see much further than I should, I'm not sure if that's come back. However my hearing is greatly improved again, that's how I knew you were here.'
'I think the theory is Harry, that for medumonii the power that normally makes you into a witch or wizard is diverted into the normal senses, and makes them much more acute.' explained Hermione
'OK got that now, but what was the point of the enchanted letter? What was Dumbledore up to?'
Hermione thought for a moment. 'Dumbledore knew that for his plan to work your aunt had to remain true to your uncle's perception of what he expected her to think of you, and so he repressed her real feelings and what little power she had with the enchantment. It ensured protection for you and for her.'
'So why has she had this sudden change of heart?' Harry's voice still held disbelief.
'Because when Dumbledore died your aunt was freed, all his enchantments, wards, spells, anything he set up have died with him.'
'Oh… yeah I'd sort of forgotten' and Harry felt his emotions, concerning his old Headmaster, rising all over again.
Petunia Dursley rose from the table and busied herself at the kitchen sink, while Harry regained his composure. A little while later when Harry and Hermione had finished their breakfast they then readied themselves to leave; at the front door Petunia stopped Harry with a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at the only real connection to his family he had.
'Harry, I hope you find what you are looking for in life, I know I haven't been any help in the past, but if there is anything I can do, I am here.'
'Thank-you aunt Petunia…' It seemed that Harry was going to say more when a bellow from upstairs shattered the air.
'PETUNIA WHERE ARE YOU, I CAN'T FIND A CLEAN PAIR OF SOCKS.'
She turned and called up the stairs. 'Coming Vernon!' then to Harry 'Quickly before he comes down, good luck to both of you.' With that she returned to the hall and shut the front door.
…………………..
Harry and Hermione walked into the centre of Little Whinging while they decided what to do next. As they were low on funds the decision was reasonably easy. They apparated to the lane outside the Leaky Cauldron, checking that no one had seen them arrive; they opened the door and entered the pub.
It was so early that the pub was empty Tom the barman was the only other person there. Hermione booked them a room for later and then they continued on through the pub out into Diagon Alley.
It was as deserted as the pub had been and all the shops were still closed, they knew of only one place they would get a response from at this hour and that led them to Number 93 the home of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes. Harry banged on the door for several minutes before a red haired head poked out of one of the upstairs windows.
'Who's making all that racket?'
'It's us, let us in, please!'
'Harry? Hermione? OH… hang on I'll be down in a mo.'
The flat that Fred and George Weasley lived in over the shop was very small, hardly big enough for the two of them, but it was dry and cheap.
The four of them sat perched on various oddments of furniture that were scattered around the living room.
They talked a little but Harry felt that the twins were holding back on something they did not seem their normal selves. Harry thought while Hermione was asking them if they had gathered any information that might be useful to them. Then he understood what was worrying them.
'Ron' Harry just said the name, and the conversation stopped.
Neither of the twins would look at either Harry or Hermione.
'Fred, George if you know something about Ron you'd better tell us.' Harry winced Hermione was using her old school prefects voice.
'Ah…' said Fred
'Well…' said George
'It wasn't really our fault' they both said together.
'Explain' said Hermione coldly.
'We supplied Ron with one or two things, all harmless really, nothing underhand, it's just we didn't know he was going to use them all at the same time.'
'What have you been giving him and how long has this been going on'
'Since you all came to the shop last, we felt a bit rotten about the way we treated him, so we sent him a few presents.'
'Carry on' obviously Hermione was not going to let this one drop.
'Well the first one was a simple potion we call it Getawitch.' Hermione looked horrified, 'Drink it and wham.'
'Wham?' said Hermione.
'Yeah wham, the first witch you meet will be swept of her feet. Only Ron bumped into Lavender Brown instead of y……'
'Instead of… who?' The temperature in the room dropped considerably at this quietly spoken question.
'Err… instead of you Hermione.'
'Go on' was all she said.
'Then we gave him a sort of perfume, Whiffright for Wizards. This only works if the witch has been previously exposed to Amortentia. It's all very complex but basically the Wiffright is able to mimic the desired aroma that Amortentia has aroused, can be very effective.
Harry noticed that Hermione had gone a rather peculiar colour
'And Ron was using this stuff' he asked
'Yes right up to the day of the funeral'
Hermione asked where the bathroom was and disappeared into it.
So that's what has been making act so odd over the last few weeks? The after effects of, what was it, Whiffright.'
'No Harry that's what we couldn't understand Whiffright doesn't have any after effects. Unless you count getting married to the wrong person, but we have a disclaimer on the bottle to cover that.' Harry didn't laugh.
'Err…We think that Ron started using Felix Felicis and then may have gone back on the Whiffright again.'
'Hang on you two what do you mean that's what you think he's been doing. Ron's not good enough at potions to make Felix Felicis himself, and why would he want to use it anyway.'
'Oh Merlin.' The twins could see no way out of this but by coming clean. 'We made the liquid luck for him. After Dumbledore died Ron could suddenly see that his chances of survival had plummeted so if he was to stay with you he felt he was going to need all the luck he could get. Ron's human Harry we can't all be heroes. Liquid courage Harry, even muggles use that term. Unfortunately there must be something in the Whiffright that reacts with a component of the Felix Felicis, all is deepest fears surfaced and he felt brave enough to tell you, well sort of. Add to that the recklessness and giddiness that using Felix Felicis causes when you use it too much and you have the Ron effect. We only realised when Ginny told us what happened.'
'OK but what about Hermione, what about her feelings, didn't Ron care what he could be doing to her?'
'Of course he cared, he must have done, there needs to be some attraction already there for the Wiffright to work properly. It won't work between complete strangers, so maybe them getting together was meant to be.'
'Well she's hardly a stranger to him you plonkers they've known each other for six years, and how could there not be feelings between them, any more than how could I not have feelings for her.'
Harry realised that the twins were not looking at him but to someone standing by the bathroom door. He turned slowly and saw that Hermione was back and had been listening.
She had been crying, no she was still crying, he watched the tears run down her face and the rise and fall of her shoulders as she silently sobbed. She walked the few steps toward him threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him rocking her gently from side to side as her sobs subsided.
When she was calm again Harry threw the twins one last look which left them in no doubt that if or when Harry returned they would have a lot to answer for.
'Come on we are going' he said gently to her, she nodded her agreement, then Harry led Hermione out of the flat down into Diagon Alley again.
The two of them visited Gringotts and replenished their depleted purse, then spent the morning looking in some of the more obscure shops for items that might help them on their quest.
They returned to the Leaky Cauldron for a meal and then having been awake since the crack of dawn, retired to their room to rest. Hermione had been very quiet since their visit to the twins shop; she had a lot to think about and it was going to take her some time to sort it all out in her head.
She knew Ron had been chasing her for years now, and up to this year she had resisted. She knew in her heart of hearts that even though their biggest arguments had happened when they were much younger, the scars they left had never really gone away. Sure she had feelings for the big prat, but those scars had stopped her from falling in love with him, until this year. Now that she knew Ron had been playing with love potions she couldn't be sure that even that love was real.
Did she blame Ron for using the Felix Felicis she thought he was an idiot for trying it but Dumbledore dying like that had given them all a sense of impending mortality. If he couldn't survive who could? She understood even if she couldn't condone.
Then there was Harry she could see him now. She was sitting at the dresser brushing out her hair it seemed to take longer to do each day and there he was in the mirror.
He was half lying on the bed reading a small book they had found in one of the shops in Knockturn Alley.
So serious even more so since he had lost Dumbledore he was the only one who had remained focused, or at least had given that impression. That's what frightened her about him, she knew what he had to do and she knew what he had to face. She wasn't sure that she had the courage to risk getting too close to him then losing him again but if he didn't succeed would she want to live in a world ruled by Voldemort, would she be allowed to live in a world ruled by Voldemort. Her dad would have called it a catch 22 situation. 'You're damned if you do girl, and you're damned if you don't.'
There was a bit of a tangle in her hair at the back where it was hard to reach she struggled for a moment then she felt a hand on hers.
'Here let me do that, I've had a lot of experience with unruly hair.' His face smiled at her from the mirror.
Hermione relinquished the brush to Harry who stood behind her and gently drew it through her hair. She could feel the touch of his hands so soothing; she closed her eyes remembering the way her mother used to do the self same thing for her. The memory caught her emotions and she felt safe and happy as those hands brushed her cares away.
She dared to open her eyes and in the mirror were eyes of brilliant green staring back at her. She could see the wetness of those eyes as he fought to keep his emotions in check, his hand continued to caress her hair until she could stand it no more. She stood and turned to him.
'Oh Harry!' she encircled his neck with her arms and fell into a kiss that would last her a life time.
She didn't know where it would all end but she knew now that she could never give up on the man who carried that famous scar.
A/N I have marked this fic as completed for the moment. It has given me a break from my other story, and a chance to settle after HPB. However I feel that this story has a long way to go and I have two years before JKR shoots me down in flames, so god or who ever you commune with, willing there will be more to come at some stage.
In case you wondered and couldn't be bothered to look it up Medumonis is pseudo Latin for some one who wanders in the middle. Why 'spike' well there's Hermione's explanation and also that it can mean to stop something working properly, like to spike a gun. Sorry 'bout that but tis really 'ard thinkin' up Rowlingesque words.
Solomon Aegis.