Disclaimer: Everything concerning Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling. Rights to characters referenced from C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien belong to their estates. I own nothing, nor is this done for any purpose except my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of anyone reading this. There is no attempt to make any profit.
The Most Ancient Magic
Chapter Twenty Four: Through the Wreck
Harry was stunned by the news. Somehow this hurt worse than when Sirius fell through the arch in the Department of Mysteries, but he fought his tears for Hermione's sake. There would be time enough for his own tears later.
He held her and rubbed her back as he tried to comfort her.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, her voice was gentle, "Miss Granger, please don't let your future concern you right now. Your parents asked me to look after you in case something like this happened. Hard as it may seem right now everything will be all right. Do you understand?" Hermione nodded her head against Harry's chest, but she did not look up and continued to cling to Harry.
Harry was surprised at the news, understanding now what Professor Sprout was alluding to in their interview. He looked at the Headmaster, "How did he find them, we were so careful to keep the Grangers involvement in this a secret?"
"I don't know, we are trying to find out." Dumbledore answered. "There is nothing to be gained by your staying here. Would you students please escort Miss Granger to the hospital wing. I think it would be best for her to stay there for the evening, Madam Pomfrey is expecting you."
Hermione allowed herself to be guided to the hospital wing. Her sponsors helped her prepare for bed and after being given a sleeping potion she sank into a deep sleep. Harry sat up with her as long as he was allowed to stay. He returned to his own room and got ready for bed. He found some sandwiches and pumpkin juice that he ate gratefully. As he lay in bed he gave in to his tears and unashamedly cried himself to sleep.
Harry awoke the next morning. He dressed and hurried to Hermione's bedside, she was still asleep. "Good morning, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said softly. Harry jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Hi," he answered.
"I have something for you to do this morning, if you will. It is a task that you are the one best able to carry out."
"Anything, Professor."
"The Granger's house has been destroyed. You have spent time with them, perhaps there are some keepsakes that Miss Granger would value. They must be recovered quickly, they might suffer further damage from the weather. There is a portkey in your room. Present this letter to the law enforcement officers on the scene and they will allow you access. Tonks will meet you there."
Harry changed into Muggle clothes, selected his cane, and took the portkey. He appeared in the spot where he had spoken to Lupin, what seemed a lifetime ago now. "Hello, Harry. How are you?"
"I don't know, Tonks," he said sadly. He looked at her, she was disguised as a police officer.
"Fair enough, I don't think I'd be feeling too good either." She looked him over, eyeing his cane. "Results from last November? I read what they wrote about you in the Daily Prophet." Harry nodded. "I was there that day, it was horrible. Hermione lying in the street, at first glance I thought she had been killed."
As they walked to the ruins of the Granger's house Harry filled Tonks in on what had happened since.
Harry was appalled by what he saw when they arrived at the site of the ruin. It appeared that the first floor had exploded and the second floor had collapsed onto it. He presented his paper to the constable on duty. The man read it over and handed it back, "I'm sorry for your loss. At least it was quick, the folks as lived here died instantly. Good luck, Lad, an' mind your step."
With Tonks in the lead they moved into the wreck. The first place Harry checked was what was left of Hermione's room. The outside of her desk was charred and the greater number of her books were destroyed, though he was able to find many on the wizarding world intact. He was especially glad to find her copy of Hogwarts , A History only slightly worse for wear and the desk had protected her class notes.
Tonks had brought along what looked like a briefcase, but when she opened it, the space inside was the equal of a very large trunk. He packed her undamaged books, her files of class notes, and the picture of them in the Bahamas. The glass had shattered but the photo was undamaged. Most of her teddy bears had been burned, but Jewel, nested in the center of the collection was only singed. Harry was glad to find the shadow box containing her school awards and the letter from Ron undamaged. He packed all of the Muggle clothing from her dresser, blushing as her packed her underclothes. He found her shoes and her boots intact, and gathered the dresses he found in her closet.
Next they moved into what was left of her parent's bedroom. Harry wasn't sure of what to look for or what Hermione might want. Tonks gave him a few ideas and they looked around. Tonks found Janet's jewelry box. The outside was damaged, but it had protected the contents. In it he found the pearls Hermione had worn when her parents had taken them to dinner. It was this discovery that caused him to shed his first tears, moved by the memory of that day when they decided they were together and of their first kiss.
The next thing he found was a box containing several photo albums. He looked through some of them. One contained Hugh and Janet's wedding pictures. Another one had pictures of the holiday in France the Grangers had taken before her third year. The last one he examined had some of Hermione's baby pictures. He had to laugh when he opened the album. The first photo was one of Hermione, obviously less than a year old posed naked on some kind of rug. She had taken exception to this and had glued an index card over her bare bottom. Harry thought the exercise rather futile as she had glued it to the page protector rather than the picture itself, but the Grangers had left it. Somehow it was so like them. He could almost hear them laughing over it. In the next few pages he discovered why. Hugh and Janet have planted a couple of more pictures that Hermione had not discovered. In one she was running away from her father as he tried to chase her down, a diaper in his hands. In the second photo she had evidently escaped from the bathtub. She was running toward the camera and her father, presumably, her mother was in hot pursuit and Hermione was laughing with her hair full of soapsuds.
He and Tonks packed the jewelry box, albums, and a small box containing Hugh's medals and they moved on. Behind the wall of the Granger's bedroom they came across some wreckage from the library. The desk and computer were charred ruins. The sofa that he had slept on was destroyed as well. The picture of Hugh and his shipmates was undamaged after he had extricated it from its shattered frame. Harry packed it in the hope that Hermione might give it to him. After a careful search he found Hugh's chess set, he packed it along with the board.
Tonks was looking around when she heard Harry gasp. She turned around to find Harry on his knees. He had found a box with some books in it. He was shaking as he read a piece of paper he had found. As she watched the paper slip from his fingers, he stared into space, looking like he was struggling to breathe. Tonks crossed over to him and put her arm around his shoulders. "Let it out, Harry, if it hurts that bad, just let it out."
Harry covered his face and began to cry, after a few moments he bowed his face to the ground. The Auror looked into the box, it contained three books, all by the same author. The titles were The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and, The Lord of the Rings. Written on the inside cover of each was the message,
To Harry Potter on your wedding day. May this day be the first day of the happiest days of your life. Hugh Granger.
Tonks, as familiar as anyone in the wizarding world with the facts of Harry's life, was unable to contain her own tears at the message of love directed to Harry. She picked up the sheet of paper. It read,
Dear Harry,
I have found that people are mad for stories and there are few things that give more enjoyment than a good story well told. I know that you read some of these over the holiday and I hope you enjoy the rest of them.
The author is a favorite of mine and you will find some small wisdom in them. You have opened new depths of my understanding of the characters Elrond and Thingol.
I hope that you've kept in touch since you stayed in our home and I can get these to you as I plan whether you marry Hermione or not.
I hope you won't think me presumptuous as I send my best wishes for your future, my son.
Hugh Granger
Tonks packed up the box and letter as she waited for Harry to get control of himself. At last Harry brushed the tears from his eyes and they prepared to move on. There was little else to search through. The case, fully packed weighed no more than an ordinary briefcase. They departed hoping that they had managed to salvage some of Hermione's treasures.
Harry arrived back at Hogwarts and went to the hospital wing. He found Hermione awake and unhappy. She was talking to Ron and Luna. When she saw Harry she asked, "Is it bad?"
Harry didn't quite know what to say, "Yes," he whispered, "the house is totally destroyed. The policeman said they died instantly."
"They can't be dead, Harry, they just can't be," she whined, as tears started down her cheeks. "I'll find a way to bring them back."
"They would probably come back if you begged them because they love you, but I believe they wouldn't really want to, Hermione. You have no idea what it's like there."
"And you do?" she sniped. "How?"
Harry's voice became very quiet, "I never told you about what happened to me after Rookwood's curse hit me. The world went gray and I was somewhere else. It feels … vast. Remember when we went to St. Paul's, it feels like that. Almost like you were inside and you were suddenly outdoors, or like you were inside a womb and then you were born." He told them what he had told Dumbledore. How he had talked to Sirius, what he sounded like and about his laugh. Especially how much he had wanted to stay because of how peaceful it was. "Sometimes I wonder if it was a dream, but I forget dreams and this has stayed with me."
"Sirius said he would see us when we get there? You parents too?" Hermione asked.
"That's what he said."
"Why didn't you stay?" asked Ron.
"I couldn't abandon all of you to Voldemort, and I wasn't dead, just close enough that he could talk to me."
They had nothing to say, each lost in their own thoughts. "I wish I had more that just my belief to give you, but all I can tell you is what happened," he added.
"I believe you, Harry, I know my mother is waiting too," said Luna. "I can't explain how I know, I just do."
Harry went to Madam Pomfrey and asked if Hermione might come to his room to look at what he had brought back. The nurse agreed and allowed her to go with him. They found Professor Dumbledore waiting for them.
Dumbledore spoke to Harry, "I understand from Tonks that you found something rather personal at the Granger's home."
Harry nodded and showed Hermione and Dumbledore the books and the note Hugh had written. Hermione cried again when she read the notes her father had written to Harry, but she tried to comfort him in spite of her own pain. "I knew my parents liked you, Harry, but I hadn't appreciated how much, or how hard this would be on you."
Dumbledore looked at Harry, "I met this man, a long time ago." Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. "When Hogwarts was founded there weren't many libraries and very few could read. Students spent much of their first years here learning to read, write, and do math. Later they had to copy manuscripts. Back then the ability to read was almost considered magic.
"So, at the request of the ministry, we make some of our old non-magical manuscripts available to universities so they can be studied. I spent a summer with a collection we loaned to Oxford. It was there I met him, he was a delightful fellow, he and his friend 'Jack' Lewis. Do you mind if I read these?"
Harry nodded his permission, staring at Dumbledore. "Did he ever see you in your robes?"
"Certainly not, Mr. Potter. We do these things disguised as Muggles. Why?"
"I think, Professor, that you will find that you made an impression on him as well. I wonder what he saw in you?" In answer to Dumbledore's puzzled expression he said, "Read the books, starting with The Hobbit, you'll understand."
Dumbledore took the books and left. Harry opened the briefcase and left the room so that Hermione could have some privacy as she went through the things he had rescued. He went into the hospital wing to talk to Ron. They had been talking for about ten minutes when they heard a scream coming from Harry's room. Ron dashed ahead as Harry followed as quickly as he could.
He wasn't sure what he was going to find or what had caused Hermione to scream like she did. He found her standing before his small fireplace, her parent's wedding album open on the floor. She was trembling with fury, her hands were clenched into fists, her face was twisted with rage. She screamed again and Harry was reminded of the cry of a falcon. Ron was standing well away from her, he had seen her hit both Harry and Malfoy, and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of her anger. Harry went to her, "Hermione, what can I do?" he whispered.
"Teach me to fight. You might be the one to kill him, Harry," she hissed, "but I'm going to get as close as I can. He's going to know that I am there and he's going to pay." Her expression fell as her tears began to flow. Harry took her into his arms, she stood, blade straight and unyielding. "Why, Harry, they were just Muggles, they couldn't hurt him. They were no threat to him at all."
"Not quite, Miss Granger, not quite. I received a report from the ministry a short while ago. I was going to inform you this afternoon," said Dumbledore as he entered the room responding to her cries. "You see, he must believe it is because of your parents that Harry is still alive." Hermione looked at him, a startled expression on her face. "Several people saw them when they were here. Because they wore healer's robes everyone assumed that they were wizards here to help Harry. Evidently he was able to piece together a description of them. Our spies report that he has been searching the wizarding world for them. The deception we planned was working as we had hoped. We overlooked that they might be recognized bringing you to the train station; one of the student's parents recognized them from the description Voldemort had circulated. Voldemort must have feared that your parents had some special skill that thwarted his Avada Kedavra spell. The Death Eaters moved too quickly for us. We failed you Miss Granger, I'm sorry."
"Are they going to be punished?" Hermione asked angrily.
"Not this time, Miss Granger. You see they thought they were helping the Misuse of Magic Office. They didn't know their report was going to Voldemort. They were quite terrified when the Aurors arrested them, and they were questioned under the influence of Veritaserum. They will be closely watched, of course, but it appears they acted in good faith. What are you going to do, Miss Granger?"
Hermione lifted her tear stained face, "Live, Professor, my dad said on Boxing Day that if something happened to him that he hoped Mum and I would go on, to accept life as the gift that it is, I owe them that. What am I going to do with all this stuff?"
I can store it for you, Hermione, for now," said Harry. "Keep what you have room for, and I'll send the rest to Number Twelve."
Hermione looked at him with gratitude. "Thanks, Harry." She looked down at her feet, at the books stacked there. "I can't believe how arrogant I was the day I met you on the train. I had read Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and, Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century, and I thought I knew all about you."
Two days later Hermione and Harry, escorted by Professor McGonagall, attended the funeral for her parents. It was a small affair, most of those attending were the other dentists in their group and various business partners. Hermione was clinging to Harry's arm during the service. She cried softly several times. The prevailing feeling was one of disbelief at what had happened. Everyone came to offer what help they could. They all recognized Harry from the New Years party and enjoined him, kindly but firmly, to take care of Hermione or they would have something to say about it.
One of Hugh's closest friends, a dentist named Hingest came to talk to Hermione after the service. "Hermione, what are you going to do?"
"Finish school, Dr. Hingest. I'm working on my career."
Dr. Hingest asked, "Who is going to look after you when you are not in school?" he continued.
"My parents appointed someone to be my guardian, that's her over there. It won't be for that long. Just until I come of age."
"Do you like her?" Dr. Hingest looked concerned.
"Oh, yes. She's a wonderful person."
Hingest shifted uncomfortably, "One last question? Do you have enough money, Hermione?"
"I know that there is some in trust and some insurance. I'm not sure exactly how much, I didn't think … I might need it … this soon." Her tears were threatening again.
"If you need anything, you know that all you have to do is let us know?"
When Hermione went to visit some of the others. Dr. Hengist held Harry back, "Do you know the woman that Hugh asked to be Hermione's guardian?"
"Yes sir. She is the Deputy Headmistress at our school. She is very strict but she's is very wise, I like her too."
"Well, if you say so, Harry, I believe you, but my first impression is that she looks like a real witch."
Harry gave him a small smile and thanked him for his offer of help. Finally they made their escape back to Hogwarts.
The next week Hermione made another foray into the Muggle world. At the request of the Ministry of Magic the execution of her parent's will was pushed through and Hermione was able to get the money from her parents insurance and her trust fund. Professor McGonagall took her to Gringotts so she could get her own vault. She proudly showed Harry the key to her vault, noting that it was not far from Harry's.
As the days passed Hermione began to function again. She cried a few times but not like Harry thought she would. She came by most evenings after meetings with her support group and they would work on their Tai Chi. Mondays and Fridays were still reserved for their lessons in Occlumency and Legilimency.
Harry was surprised that instead of knitting, Hermione was becoming more interested in learning how to duel, so they worked on that together instead. The first sign that there might be trouble brewing came during the dueling club meeting. Her partners were complaining that she was hurting them. Rather than have them complain he had her partner with him, he found out what they meant, her anger was putting a great deal of power into her magic.
Outside of the club meetings, she spent more and more of her time griping about the students in the school and the silly things she caught them doing. Harry found he could calm her down by getting her to talk about her parents.
After a couple of weeks, and one painful dueling club meeting later, Harry received a surprise visit from Ron and Ginny. "Harry, you've got to talk to Hermione, we're afraid she's going to lose her prefect's badge."
"Why?" he asked.
"You haven't noticed how angry she is?"
"She hasn't been angry with me," he said thoughtfully. After a minute or so he added, "I think she's still ashamed she hit me."
"Well, in the common room," said Ginny, "we're all walking on eggshells around her. She explodes and tells people off for nothing. It's almost as bad as when she was studying for her OWLs. We are all sorry she lost her parents, and we are trying to make allowances, but frankly some people are getting tired of being yelled at for doing the same things they've always done."
"When she's on patrol people clear the halls because they are becoming afraid of her. Some are saying that she's becoming as big a bully as Malfoy. In Ravenclaw they're calling her 'Hermione the Terrible,'" added Ron.
Harry tried to keep from showing how concerned he was about what the Weasleys were telling him. "When is the next time she's on patrol, I'll try to talk to her."
"The day after tomorrow," Ron informed him.
"Wish me luck."