Unofficial Portkey Archive

12. Balance

"MOONY!" Harry bellowed as he Apparated back into the cottage.

Remus came bursting out of his room, one hand holding his wand, the other keeping his trousers from falling to the floor, "Harry, what is it!" He skidded to a halt when he saw what Harry was cradling in his hands.

Tonks, who flew into the room right behind Remus in just her bra and knickers looked between the pale-faced men and the dead rodent Harry was holding. The crack of Hermione's arrival knocked the Auror's brain into gear, "Is that… Wormtail?" she quietly asked. None of the others said a word as Harry dropped the rat unceremoniously to the floor and stepped back. Remus took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and sent a bluish-white streak to the floor. Within seconds the corpse of Peter Pettigrew lay on the floor. His robes looked shabbier than Remus' or even Sirius' when he was on the run; his head was bent at almost a ninety-degree angle to his body.

Harry slowly began to shake as he stood mute over the body until his resolve finally broke and he swung his foot as hard as he could into Pettigrew's ribs. On the third kick a dull crunch echoed through the room, which was enough to draw Remus into action repeating Harry's movements on the other side of his body. Hermione and Tonks watched in horror as the men they loved pummeled the corpse, their faces contorted with rage. The only sounds in the air were that of their grunts and an occasional foot finding a rare-unbroken bone.

When Harry's foot appeared to be connecting with nothing more than a pile of mush Hermione finally pulled him away, Tonks mirroring her movements with Remus. Both men bent over gasping for air then almost as one realized what they had done. Remus had distance on his side in the race for the toilet so Harry ended up emptying the contents of his stomach into the kitchen sink.

"What do we do now?" Hermione softly asked Tonks, not bothering to wipe away the tears she felt streaming down her cheeks.

"I… I don't know. We need to find out why he was here. Where did you find him?"

"S - Sirius had him in his mouth when we landed in the field. Harry asked if he and Crookshanks had a birthday present for me when they walked up to us and he just dropped him to the ground…"

Tonks tightly closed her eyes as they heard Remus give another heave, closely followed by Harry. She kneeled down next to the traitor and began emptying his pockets, carefully avoiding his silver hand knowing just who made it for him. All Wormtail had on him was a few sickles, his wand and an envelope with Harry's name on it which Tonks quickly scanned with her wand before handing it over to Hermione. "He'd tell you anyway and he's in no state to deal with it right now," she quietly told her.

Hermione's hands shook as she broke the seal and pulled out a small piece of parchment and a folded section of a map.

Potter-

The Dark Lord has done terrible things, things that have made him unable to be defeated. You must go to the placed I've marked if you want to have any hope at coming out the victor. I do not know what's there, but the Dark Lord called it the secret to his immortality when I found him there.

I know you'll never be able to forgive me for what I've done to you and your family, but this has to end before we all fall victim to his insanity. I only hope you find this before it's too late.

Hermione opened the map to see… Albania, with a glittering red mark where they'd found the entrance to the dragon's lair. "STUPID! MISERABLE! LYING! GIT!" she furiously kicked the mound of mush before her with every word, "WE'VE! ALREADY! BEEN! THERE!"

Harry was shocked back to reality at her outburst and rushed over, tightly embracing her, "Hermione! What's wrong?"

"The bastard was leaving you a note telling you you had to go to Albania if you want to kill Voldemort! The stupid prat couldn't decide to turn on his Master before we walked blindly into a dragon's lair, no, he had to wait until two bloody months after we'd done it!" Hermione flung the papers wildly as she wailed over Harry's shoulder. He eventually snatched them from her and after a quick scan, crumpled them up and tossed them into the hearth.

Harry held Hermione until her sobbing subsided, not really sure what brought on her outburst. Looking inward he discovered that more than anything, he was upset that Hermione's birthday had to be marred with such a violent outburst on his and Remus' part. Most likely their meltdowns led to her own, something he wasn't going to forgive himself for anytime soon. Hedwig flew over and rubbed her head against Harry's as Remus came back, wiping his mouth. "What are we going to do with the body?" Harry asked Tonks more than anyone.

"Do we know if he was sent on Voldemort's orders? If he was and never returns then he'll know we're back in this village. The Fidelius Charm makes our location a secret, but it won't prevent a wayward giant from accidentally stomping our house down," Remus answered.

Harry picked up the note, "It looks like he was trying to turn traitor, again. He must have been planning on leaving that for me either in the field or maybe on Mum and Dad's grave. How he ended up in Sirius' mouth is anybody's guess."

Hermione actually started to giggle, then outright laugh, "Crookshanks. He spent our entire third year chasing after that rat, he must have finally caught him with a little help."

"Anyway, his death can't be made public," said Tonks.

"Well, the public still believes he's dead, don't they?" Remus snarled. "We could burn him out back and no one would be the wiser."

"But what would that accomplish?" Tonks asked.

"It would make me feel better," Remus snapped.

"Enough of that," Harry interjected. "We'll bring Mr. Weasley here. He's impartial enough, he can decide." Without waiting for a response Harry grabbed Dobby, who had been staring wide-eyed at the proceedings and Disapparated.

Arthur Weasley showed just how much the wizarding war had hardened him when he discovered their dilemma. He stared evenly down on Wormtail's corpse for a minute, then transfigured him into a spark plug, saying the last place anyone would ever look for a man who's supposed to have been dead for over fifteen years would be his shed. He then proceeded to brighten the mood by getting a tour of their cottage from Harry and Hermione. The third time he tried to stick his wand into a power outlet Harry decided he was only doing it for their amusement but Hermione kept on humoring him with safety lectures he could easily imagine Emma giving her daughter as a small child.

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Harry and Hermione met Arthur and Percy Weasley at the gates of Hogwarts the next morning. Arthur wanted to have a word with McGonagall about setting up a tour for the Muggle leaders and thought he'd take his family, Harry, and Hermione to lunch in Hogsmeade afterwards. Percy was along to take notes and Harry was fairly sure that he'd be leaving as soon as the meeting was over.

"Why didn't you just floo into the Headmistress' office?" Harry asked as they made their way up the path.

"I just don't get near enough exercise at my current post. I'm constantly tied to my desk or stuck in a conference room, if Percy here wasn't so used to his duties the paperwork alone would have driven me mad by now," Arthur clapped his wayward son on the shoulder who gave a half-hearted smile in return.

Harry knew he was trying his hardest to keep his family together, and admittedly Percy was the only problem. He's still a git Harry told himself, remembering the time he'd seen him in Arthur's old office. He'd called Hermione Harry's damsel… Stupid git… Hermione as a damsel, Harry's mind went back to the second task down in the lake when she really was one, though unfortunately not his… stupid Krum.

"Mr. Weasley?" Harry stopped in his tracks, a truly crazy idea forming in his mind. "Are there merpeople in the North Sea?"

"I think so," he slowly responded then glanced at Percy who fell deep in though for a moment before agreeing. "Why do you ask?"

Harry looked around to make sure they were alone, "What if the Death Eaters that get captured only went to Azkaban to be put in an enchanted sleep like the one Hermione, Ron and Gabrielle were under for the second task then handed off to the merpeople? You could even try and get some cells built in secret deep under Azkaban itself. Voldemort could come for them and not even know he was standing over top of them. You'd just have to make sure they were deep enough so the Dementors couldn't sense them."

All three of the others looked at him with gaping mouths. "How in the world did you come up with that?" Hermione eventually asked.

"I remembered Percy calling you my damsel," Hermione and Percy both blushed at that, "and when I saw the lake over there I remembered when you actually were one. The spell Dumbledore put you under made it totally safe for you to stay underwater. I just don't know how long it would last, or if the merpeople would agree to play prison guards."

Arthur looked at his son alight with excitement, "Write all that down and get an Unspeakable in the office as soon as we get back today to discuss the possibility. And any liaison we have to the merpeople as well."

"That was some truly impressive thinking," Hermione beamed up to Harry as Arthur and Percy hurried up to the castle. Lunch was most likely cancelled.

Harry hugged her to his chest kissing her deeply, "We're just starting to rub off on each other."

"Oh really, and what nasty little habits of yours have I picked up?"

"Well, you don't seem to hate flying anymore, and I've heard you let out a few impressive strings of curse words since we've been living together." Hermione blushed, obviously a bit embarrassed about her behavior the night before and continued pulling Harry along to the castle.

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Thanks to many years of unauthorized exploring Harry and Hermione made their way up to the Room of Requirement unnoticed. It helped that the elves hadn't even begun serving breakfast yet, negating the need for any of the students to be awake.

"We told Ron we'd meet him a half hour from now Harry, do you really think it will take you that long to find this book?" Hermione asked.

"No, I marked where I left it, but I kind of wanted to make sure that cabinet got destroyed after last year. I could have just asked Remus, but really I don't think anyone likes talking about that day." Harry concentrated on the junk storage room he'd been in before and paced the wall; when he pulled the door open he could almost hear Hermione's jaw hitting the floor.

"Harry! Look at all of this!" she had gone straight for a stack of extremely old books. "These should really be in the library, maybe we should tell Madam Pince-" Hermione froze as she opened one of the books to discover all of its pages covered in dry blood.

Harry picked up the large battle axe and made his way to the stuffed troll, around the corner from it he found the vanishing cabinet, looking quite intact but with the door hanging open. With a mighty swing he severed the door from its hinges and proceeded to smash it to bits with the axes blunt edge. At one point Hermione called out to see if he was all right, he quipped that he just wanted to play lumberjack for a few more minutes and went about demolishing the rest of the cabinet and randomly throwing hunks of it in all directions.

Sweating slightly but feeling a mild sense of accomplishment Harry rounded the next corner and found the acid stained cupboard, his copy of Advanced Potion Making still hidden away behind the cage. With a sigh he slipped the book into his jacket and made a move to rejoin Hermione but just as he turned a glint of light caught his eye.

On top of the cupboard he'd put a warlock's bust and a tarnished tiara to help him relocate it; now something about the tiara was pulling at him. Harry pulled it down to take a closer look; the tarnish was easily wiped away revealing sparkling diamonds underneath. A swipe of his thumb revealed that the tiara was centered on a dazzling sapphire the size of a chicken egg.

Harry forgot how to breathe as he slowly reached in his pocket for his wand. The swirls of blue mist accompanied by Voldemort's sinister voice made him light headed. This was it… The final Horcrux…

"HERMIONE!" Harry bellowed dashing off towards the exit. She was waiting curiously at the end of the aisle nearest the door, and her look only intensified when she saw his near-crazed demeanor. "I've found it! It was in here!" he shouted waving the tiara over his head as he ran. As he was nearing the last main juncture before he would reach her Harry realized that things were not going to be that easy, he saw what looked like a rusted out cauldron begin to shudder and let off steam, and another, and another… "Get DOWN!" Harry commanded and they both fell to the floor as the room rocked with explosions.

As Harry looked up the horror of the situation slowly sank in. He was boxed in on all four sides, trapped in the intersection of the aisles by walls of black fire stretching from the floor all the way up to the cathedral ceiling. Through the wisps of flame he could just make out Hermione's wide-eyed stare, her face gone ghostly pale. She tried sending a series of spells at the flames, but they only seemed to make the blaze intensify. "Hang on Harry, I'll get help," she shouted towards him but he saw what was behind her. The entire wall, the wall with the door out, was completely bare. Harry's heart sunk even further when he realized the walls of fire were closing in on him.

Hermione was pacing around muttering something Harry couldn't make out; she tried another spell that ricocheted back and hit her in the midsection, knocking her to the ground. She saw him experimentally reaching out, intent on inserting the tiara into the fire (after all it had worked with Norbert) and screamed in protest but she was too late. The second the Horcrux made contact with the flames Harry felt it and his arm both tugged up into the fire. The pain was beyond anything he'd ever experienced before, as if someone had found a way to take the body-encompassing pain from the Cruciatus Curse and concentrate it all down on his hand. Harry tried to scream but wasn't sure if anything came out; he was unable to feel any other part of his body. He was thrown up in the air and landed in a heap in the center of the square, his arm had probably only been in the fire a second but it felt like days.

The walls were closing in, much faster now. Harry curled himself up in a ball knowing they'd reach him any second. He searched through the fire for Hermione's eyes, a thousand things flying through his mind that he wanted, no had to tell her, if he could only breathe.

He saw her. She was kneeling just feet away, a mix of horror and disbelief splayed across her normally beautiful face. She had her hands clasped around her snitch necklace as if waiting for the tiny flutters signifying his heartbeat to cease. Harry reached for his own, gripping it tightly in his unburned hand wishing more than anything it could take him to her, away from the agony that was now burning its way through his boots.

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There were voices in the distance, beyond the darkness. Many voices, angry voices, and they were coming closer all the time, like someone walking across the pitch towards him.

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong with him!"

"Is he alive?"

"Why won't he move?"

"It's all HER FAULT!"

"Let me zee him!"

"I think he twitched!"

"I have as much of a right to see him as she does!"

"Oh my, he has seen better days."

"Out! All of you!"

There was an indignant hoot that sounded like Hedwig.

The angry voices left but there was still the sound of someone sobbing, letting out an occasional whimper. Harry knew that whimper, but it usually didn't sound so sad…

"But he will be able to walk again, right?"

Her voice was so sad; he wanted to make it better. "h… her…" Just as he was able to force his lead-laden eyelids open he saw a familiar mass of brown flying towards him.

"Miss Granger!" another voice shrieked just before his head was knocked backwards into the headboard, welcoming back the darkness.

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Harry slipped in and out of consciousness for the next two days. While his life was not really in danger, his right hand had been burned down to the bone in a few spots, and his feet would have been just as bad if he'd been in the fire even another second. As it were the soles of his dragon hide boots had fused themselves to his body. Madam Pomfrey had wanted to send him off to St. Mungo's, but several staff members, the few students that knew it was him hiding behind the screen, Hermione and Remus all threatened her in their own way to keep him in Hogwarts.

Hermione stayed in the hospital wing the entire time except for the hour each night when she'd tend to Remus' Wolfsbane, leaving Dobby and Hedwig to watch over him. At night she would slip into the bed with Harry after the nurse went to sleep and be promptly kicked out in the morning. She'd been so distraught that she couldn't even bring herself to tell anyone about the Horcrux safely tucked away in her jacket; it just didn't matter. Fleur had kept her part-time job at Gringotts after moving to the castle with Bill and spent most of her free time consoling Hermione.

Harry spent most of his time writhing in pain as his hand and parts of his feet were magically re-grown, but the nurse reassured everyone that by the time he fully woke the pain would be nothing more than a bad dream he'd easily forget. On Tuesday afternoon he finally came out of his potion induced stupor and found Hermione seconds away from crying.

"Hey there," Harry's voice was a touch gravely. Hermione used getting him some water as an excuse to discreetly wipe away her tears. "So, can you tell me exactly how I got here?"

"I'm not exactly sure myself," Hermione sniffled. "I was stuck watching you be burned alive then just before the fire would have swallowed you whole you fell out of the air and landed in my lap. As soon as that happened the tower of fire exploded and sent us both flying into the wall, but somehow the door was there again and just as I dragged you out into the hall Ginny showed up around the corner and began screeching that she always knew I'd get you killed. I ended up stunning her and yelling for Dobby to get help in bringing you here. Apparently they felt the explosion all the way down in the dungeons."

Harry put the palm of his new, extremely stiff hand up to his forehead, "Dungeons, of course! Do you still have it, I mean, did it come out of the fire with me?"

"Yes I have it, but what is this about the dungeons?"

Harry heaved a great sigh; "I don't know why I wouldn't have guessed it sooner. Voldemort wanted one here," he started in a low voice to avoid being overheard. "After Dumbledore turned him down for the defense job he didn't have a chance. He need wider access than a planted student could give him, but then he got another chance when Snape came to work here. He probably told the git that it was something that needed to be protected no matter what, but not what it actually was, so Snape set up a booby-trap that would cause enough ruckus for him to know if someone had gone after it all the way down in the dungeons. I'd bet that besides keeping an eye on Dumbledore Voldemort made Snape stay here all these years to guard it, but the night he ran he didn't have time to take it with him."

"Harry, I think you're right! Just think of it, where have we seen that color fire before? In the room before the philosopher's stone, and Snape had made a potion to safely get through it. To think, this could have happened to either of us as first years-"

"Ah! You're finally awake," Madam Pomfrey bustled over from her office. "I've not had to treat a set of burns that bad since your father showed up nearly missing three of his fingers in his sixth year." Harry and Hermione shared a look; apparently these fires were a long-standing favorite of Snape's. "And just what did you think you were doing trying to deal with things you very well know those Death Eaters had been using?" Harry shot Hermione another look; she'd obviously had to make up some sort of cover story.

"I told you Madam Pomfrey, Harry just wanted to make sure the cabinet they used to break in with was destroyed, how was he supposed to know it would erupt like that?" Hermione covertly filled him in.

The nurse didn't appear to be listening, "Not even attending and I'm stuck mopping you up, when will you learn that it's not always up to you to do everything, just ask! There's plenty of fully qualified witches and wizards in the castle who want to keep the place safe just as much as you do…" A third-year Hufflepuff girl who came in with a head full of porcupine quills saved Harry from the matron's mutterings a short time later.

Ron, Neville, Luna and Gabrielle (now a proud Ravenclaw) all came by after supper. Apparently Ginny had made quite a scene the day Harry had been hurt and since then Bill had been finding any excuse he could to give his sister a detention in the evenings, Harry wondered if his wife was influencing Bill into doing it. She had also tried to sneak in one night during the time Hermione had to stop back at the cottage but had been physically deflected by Dobby who was following Hermione's strict `no visitors when I'm not here' rule.

Apparently Neville had asked Luna to join them that night under the pretense of getting advice from Harry on how she, Neville and Ron could start a new defense club but Harry couldn't help but notice when Hermione and Neville had carefully maneuvered the group to have Ron and Luna pinched tightly between them. Ron's density made him oblivious to this, but Luna had a small smile playing on her lips the entire visit.

They decided to wait until after curfew to leave to avoid tipping off anyone that Harry was there and had been mysteriously hurt so Hermione spent her time helping Ron and Neville with their N.E.W.T. studies while Harry helped Gabrielle with her charms homework in the breaks between staff members coming to the hospital wing. Luna just sat nearby watching her favorite keeper, smiling brightly every time he looked to her and rolled his eyes as Hermione chided him about not keeping up with his schoolwork. The Hogsmeade visit, which was going to be surprised on the students over breakfast, was called off after the explosion. The only students who had been told in advance were Ron and Padma, and apparently she had taken the loss of a chance to get out of the castle out on Ron, which apparently meant that Harry now owed him two Christmas presents since it was all his fault.

Hagrid whispered a joke to Harry about surviving a dragon attack without getting burnt only to come home and suffer the same pain from a `ruddy box' while Slughorn spent a good amount of time telling everyone how he'd made up a special batch of pain relieving potion for Harry to help him with any lingering problems; Harry planned on dumping it down the drain as soon as they got back to the cottage. Fleur had taken Harry's melted boots to Hogsmeade to cash in their lifetime guarantee and presented Harry with an identical pair to the ones he'd picked out for himself. Surprisingly enough Harry's jacket had made it through the ordeal perfectly intact, though it did have a slight smoky smell.

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Madam Pomfrey had insisted Harry spend no more time on his feet than absolutely necessary for the rest of the week which Hermione took to mean she had free license to petrify him every time he got bored and wanted to go flying, or spend some time trying to work on the Horcrux, or moving anywhere other than from one side of the bed to the other. When Saturday finally came around he pulled on his boots while Hermione was in the shower and took off running towards the village, but between the new boots and basically new feet he didn't get very far before getting extremely sore and Apparating home. Hermione was waiting with a look saying she clearly predicted the entire chain of events. The good part was her taking pity on him and massaging his feet until he passed out wearing the same goofy little smile she'd had when he did the same for her during their trip to Albania.

Sunday afternoon found him sitting up in bed closely examining the tiara with Hermione sitting next to him flipping through Snape's old book. The sun streaming through the open window made the jewels sparkle in his hands. Harry's eyes fell on the large, perfectly smooth sapphire for the hundredth time. He could almost see the shadow of Voldemort residing within it, but had no clue on how to release it; he'd even tried to put on the tiara hoping that some transference like Ginny'd had with the diary would occur. The only result was Hermione sneaking a picture of him looking exceedingly silly sitting in bed wearing only boxers and a tiara with a pained look of concentration on his face.

As Harry sat there willing his eyes to bore deeper into the jewel a dark cloud began to form in its center. Slowly the cloud became more prominent, filling up the gem. A pair of horrid red eyes locked with his own. Harry felt as if his entire body had been sucked inside as his scar exploded in pain, the same pain that he'd experienced when being possessed in the atrium the night Sirius died.

His vision faded to the point that all he could see was the eyes forcing themselves into him, feeding on his very soul. Slowly a sinister laugh began echoing all around him, one he'd recognize anywhere, and he felt a sudden coldness through the excruciating pain that was still coating his entire body. There was screaming. A woman, his mother, screaming pleas for mercy. Both the laughing and the pain intensified. Another voice was franticly calling out to him. He could barely hear her but he knew it was Hermione; he imagined right now she was hovering over him in their bed not understanding what had happened. As the image of Hermione came to mind the pain had seemed to fade slightly, only to force its way back to the front of his mind, ruthlessly shoving her away.

Harry focused himself past the mind-bending pain and agonizing screams of his mother moments before her death. Honing his mind back to Hermione, how she had looked when he woke up in the hospital just days ago, and the look on her face through the flames when she thought she was about to lose him forever. He remembered how enamored he'd been with her at Bill's wedding even if he had been too thick to realize why and how it had felt to kiss her for the first time. The pain was fading; the sinister laugh had turned to a scream of its own shortly after his mother's voice had faded away. An image slowly appeared, filling Harry's entire mind. After the day of teasing from Remus and the Grangers Harry had sat up imaging what it would be like if Hermione was pregnant, now the image he'd burned into his memory that night of her standing before him, hands stroking her very large belly and literally glowing with love overtook everything. There was another burst of excruciating pain, then nothing. Only Hermione looking from the start of their family to him, but even that image slowly faded to blackness.

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Harry slowly became aware of someone stroking his hair with such a loving touch that he could only imagine it being one person. Slowly he rolled over in bed, embraced the person next to him and weakly muttered, "I love you."

"Won't Hermione be shocked to learn that," the person chuckled.

Harry jumped back in shock, flopping to the floor. When he peeked back over the bed he found Emma Granger covering her mouth to keep the laughter in, "I umm, oh no… I thought… Where's Hermione?"

"In the shower. Dan and I decided to stay for the weekend when we heard you were in something of a coma," Emma's look saddened as she spoke.

"Coma? What day is it?"

"Friday. Apparently you've been out since Sunday afternoon, though we just found out yesterday. Your French friend that just got married has apparently been by a lot to help Hermione keep her head."

It came back to Harry in a flash, the Horcrux, the pain, the screaming… He saw the tiara sitting on the nightstand next to Emma and grabbed his wand. When he tried the Prior Incantato spell there was no more blue mist, just a golden sparkle.

"Harry!" Hermione darted into the room and slammed him into an embrace, her wet hair splattering all around his head. She pulled back and began pounding his chest, "Don't you ever scare me like that again! Do you have any idea what I've been through the last two weeks?"

Harry gave up on apologizing as she ranted and kissed her to make it stop, completely oblivious to Dan, Remus and Tonks coming into the room. "Why didn't you take me to the hospital if I was in a coma?" he asked after they separated.

"The elves checked you out and said you were fine, and I did bring a healer friend of mine here," Tonks explained, "and she told us there really wasn't anything they could do for you, that you'd wake up when you wanted to. Felt a little bad for having to Obliviate her after, but she really didn't tell us anything."

"What happened Harry?" Remus asked. Harry looked around the room, and without asking Dan, Emma and Tonks all filed out.

"I was just looking at the Horcrux and I saw a shadow in the gem. When I tried to look closer at it I think it tried to possess me, or at least it felt just like when Voldemort had at the ministry. There was pain and screaming, but I could just make out Hermione shouting at me and the more I focused on her the less everything hurt. After a bit of that there was another scream and the pain just stopped."

"Harry, there's something you should see," Hermione delicately said and pulled him down in his trunk in front of the mirror where she lifted the hair from his forehead.

His scar had always had a scabby appearance, nothing that would pick away, but the skin was always hard and dark. When Harry looked into the mirror now all he saw was a thin pink lightning bolt-shaped line, "How could that be?" he blankly asked.

"We're not sure, but Remus believes that when you destroyed the part of Voldemort in the Horcrux you might have eradicated part of, or even all of whatever imprint he put on you with that curse," said Hermione. "You've also gone and grown some grey hairs," she added with a chuckle and sure enough, when Harry looked closely around his temples there was a peppering of grey amidst the black.

"I do know a good charm for that, it just needs to applied too frequently for my tastes," Remus quipped.

"Oh I think it looks perfectly fine," Hermione had a saucy little smile as she ran her hands through his hair.

"We should tell Mr. Weasley right away that Voldemort's mortal again," Harry forced his eyes from Hermione's smile before his mind could reduce itself to mush. "The Aurors might not be able to kill him, but they can at least hurt, maybe even capture him."

Minutes later Harry and Hermione were running down the hall leading to the Minister for Magic's office, her wet hair flailing behind them. "Wait, you can't go in there," Percy shouted as they reached the door. "He's with the-"

"Oh bugger it all," Harry muttered as he found the Queen and Prime Minister sitting with Arthur at the table in his office. What was worse than the fact that he always seemed to meet them in his plainest clothes was the fact that he hadn't even showered in who knows how long.

"Well, nice to see you too, Mr. Potter," the Minister chuckled. "We've just been going over the plans to implement this brilliant idea you had on how to deal with prisoners."

"Thank you sir," Harry stammered as Hermione beamed up at him. "It's nice to see you both here."

"Another thing we have the two of you to thank for," the Queen supplied. "Please, come join us."

"What brings the two of you here in such a rush?" Arthur asked once they were seated.

"We've done it," Harry enthusiastically told him. "Voldemort's mortal, he can finally be killed."

Arthur jumped back in shock, "That's wonderful!"

"But it still falls on you to do him in, doesn't it?" the Prime Minister asked.

"It does, but that doesn't mean the Aurors can't play a part. He still has several followers that need to be dealt with, and really the fact that the Aurors can't finish the job wouldn't stop them from hurting or even capturing Voldemort," said Hermione.

"Well then I would say it is even more imperative that your forces take out as many of his people as possible as quickly as they can to make sure Mr. Potter here has as few obstacles in his path as possible when the time comes," said the Queen.

"I quite agree Your Majesty. We'll also begin transferring the captured Death Eaters below water as soon as the work on the bobbers-"

"Buoys," the Prime Minister corrected.

"Yes those things, are completed."

"The Merpeople are going to help?" Harry asked.

"Thankfully the Unspeakable I spoke to about the enchanted sleep also spoke Mermish. They've agreed to help as long as we can keep the Muggle ships that pass over their dwellings from dropping trash, so with the help of the Muggle government we're creating a section of protected water overtop of them and placing several Muggle-repelling charms on water buoys to make sure no one sails where they ought not. As soon as they are all placed the prisoners being shuttled to Azkaban will start mysteriously disappearing on the boat ride over," Arthur happily informed them.

"Brilliant!" Harry began. "How many people know about the plan?"

"Apart from the people in this room, just Percy, the Unspeakable and the Merpeople. There's an Auror whose sole job is to man the boat to and from Azkaban, and I'll inform him once we begin the transfer. The Unspeakable will have to come along to teach him the spell to put on the prisoners, and they'll have to be brought back up every other year to have it recast if we want to keep them alive-"

"Though with the acts some of these people have done one wonders why we should even bother," the Prime Minister put in.

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Another weekend of constant teasing about the Grangers sleeping in the `nursery' caused Remus to have a very bad week. On Monday he agreed to a practice duel with Harry only to end up spending the entire afternoon bound and gagged dangling from a tree branch with tentacles sprouting from his ears that repeatedly slapped him across the face. Tuesday, everything he tried to eat tasted of chalk. Tonks had been on duty that night, and when she came back Wednesday night she found him stuck to the ceiling in his room, very hungry and very cranky. At his request she took him to Grimmauld Place for the night. When they awoke the next morning they were both covered in thick grey fur that neither of them could get rid of. Harry and Hermione graciously accepted his apology the next day and with a single wave of Hermione's wand they were back to normal.

Hidden at a table in the back of the Three Broomsticks on Saturday morning, Harry was happy to see Ron walk in escorting Luna Lovegood. He'd gotten a letter early in the week asking for advice on how to ask the girl out, Harry wrote back telling him that he'd be surprised how she would react if he would just try and kiss her in the Room of Requirement after a defense club meeting. When Hermione playfully asked why they were holding hands Ron began stammering. When Harry asked what happened that night his face quickly turned completely red. When Luna began telling the story Ron dashed for the loo. Apparently after a few minutes of kissing the Room of Requirement decided to provide the couple a rather inviting looking bed, Ron had fled when Luna pointed the development out.

"So it all worked out then?" Harry cheekily asked Ron when he returned.

"Oh yes," Luna serenely replied. "Ronald told me about the advice you gave him Harry, thank you for that."

"Anything for my friends," Harry replied.

Luna beamed at him, "It's too bad he decided he had to leave so shortly after. Did you know you have grey hair Harry?"

Hermione reached over and stroked his head by his temple, "It's quite fetching isn't it?"

"You need to have yourself checked Harry," Luna had a very concerned look. "You might have been bitten by a long-horned nittle-beetle. Daddy was bitten once and we had to rush out to find the cure before he grew fangs. The Muggles keep stocks of it in their markets in bottles that say Guinness."

"Oh good," Harry held back a smile. "Remus and I drink a few of them every week at the pub in our village just to be safe."

"That's probably best for the both of you. Professor Lupin seems to have survived for quite a long time, most likely thanks to the Muggle remedy. Daddy also told me about the letter you sent him after the Muggle Princess died. He really wishes he could have printed it but there was a rather pressing matter regarding a troupe of gypsies working with thestrals to scare the Muggles into thinking the apocalypse will come at the end of the millennium," Luna informed them in her normal dreamy voice.

"So Bill says Fleur's been spending a lot of time visiting you guys," Ron abruptly changed topics.

"Yes she's spent a good amount of time keeping me sane dealing with Harry's… injuries," said Hermione. "And yes Ronald, I fully admit to being wrong about Fleur. She's really quite a nice woman when she doesn't have to deal with men fawning all around her."

"Does she know about the you-knows?" Ron asked once his smug grin from Hermione's admission faded.

"Oh no," Harry quickly told him. "Besides, that's all over with now."

"You managed to take care of it?" Ron knew they'd gotten the tiara but hadn't been told the full story of its destruction.

"Harry took care of it and ended up in a partial coma for nearly a week," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Really if Fleur and Tonks hadn't been around to cheer me up I'd have strangled him when he finally woke up."

"Does your brother really like having a wife that all the other men go silly for?" Luna asked Ron.

"Of course he does, he's the one that gets to take her home," Ron's voice was full of pride, Harry almost brought up the fact that Ron had asked out his future sister-in-law in fourth year but stopped himself.

"So, do the two of you like this village you're staying in?" Luna asked.

"It's in a really nice location, though we actually can't tell you where it is, sorry. Everything around our cottage has been going much better now that Harry's finally stayed out of bed for more than a day," said Hermione. "My parents stayed over last weekend and Remus started everyone out teasing us horribly so we spent a good deal of time reminding him that no action goes unchecked."

"What were they teasing you about?" Luna asked.

It was Harry's turn to blush, "Remus has been calling the spare room `the nursery' ever since I moved my things into Hermione's room."

"Oh, congratulations," said Luna.

"I'm not pregnant," Hermione firmly told the blond.

"Probably not for a lack of trying," Ron muttered.

"I'll have you know Ronald Weasley, that my virtue is perfectly intact," Hermione primly stated.

Ron looked confused for a second then turned his head to Harry, "Why?"

In a move Harry never could have predicted Luna's hand flew through the air, smacking Ron on the back of the head, "That wasn't a very nice thing to say Ronald." Ron quickly muttered out an apology while rubbing his head.

Shortly after their drinks arrived an odd rumble shook the building, a few seconds after that a blood-curdling scream came from outside and a young woman burst through the doors, one hand holding up her other arm which had been ripped from her body just below her shoulder. In the ensuing panic where most of the patrons rushed outside to Apparate away Harry took note of the time. No teachers came to Hogsmeade this early; only students wanting to be first in line at the joke shop or trying to buy some restricted material with as few witnesses as possible. Harry pulled a piece of parchment from his jacket, wrote the words Hogsmeade being attacked on it and handed it over to Hedwig sitting on the back of Hermione's chair. "You need to show this to Hagrid then take it McGonagall as fast as you can, understand?" The owl nipped his finger before taking the parchment in her beak and flying out over the patrons' heads.

"Harry what's going on?" Ron asked as the building shook again.

"It's Voldemort, it has to be."

"Can you feel him?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head, "No, but I might not be able to anymore."

Luna's eyes widened more than should have been physically possible, "The shadow is gone; you've erased his presence in you, haven't you?"

"What? What are you two on about?" Ron's head went between Harry and his new girlfriend.

Harry lifted his fringe to reveal his now pale scar, "When I destroyed the last Horcrux it changed."

Ron sat in silence, completely ignoring the screams of those who had made it outside. "So, this is it then?" he asked with a pale face and drew his wand.

Harry looked one of his oldest friends in the eye and followed suit, "Don't worry about me Ron, just get every student you can find back to the castle." After a firm hug from Hermione Ron took Luna's hand and the new couple took off through the now empty tavern.

Hermione tried to follow but Harry held her back, the severity of the situation finally sinking in. He drew her close and kissed her softly, "Hermione I need you to promise me… Promise me you won't do anything foolish-"

"I'm going out there by your side Harry, if I do anything foolish it will be because you did it a half-second before me."

"Promise me, if it looks bad that you'll run. Please, I'll do anything. Say you'll do this and I'll marry you tomorrow-"

"I'm not leaving here without you!"

"I'm not saying you have to, but if it comes down to it being the only way out for you, just Apparate away, please-"

"Harry, no."

Hanging his head in defeat Harry took hold of her right hand and pressed his wand into her palm. "If you see him firing, just aim straight back at him. The spell won't matter."

Hermione nodded and pulled him down for a fierce kiss before running for the door barely a step ahead of Harry. Outside the door the woman who had run into the pub lay dead in a pool of her own blood. A few more bodies fed their suspicion that the village had been warded against Apparition. Harry rushed out into the middle of the road and looked left, down the road leading to Hogwarts. There seemed to be a mass of people that were trying to make it to the relative safety of the castle but the path was blocked by a group of Death Eaters who had taken over the train platform. Across the road he caught a brief glimpse of Ron hurrying a group of people all dressed in Hogwarts robes up the path towards the Shrieking Shack, hopefully their way would be unblocked.

An explosion drew Harry's attention the other way, further into the village. A giant had just stomped on Zonko's joke shop sending debris everywhere. A shadow streaked through the air and at first Harry feared it was a dragon, but it was Hagrid flying towards the hills on the back of Buckbeak. He was going for Grawp. A group of people popped in from nowhere, a frying pan falling to the ground between them, he recognized some of their faces, the Aurors were coming. As they scattered the woman from Harry's fight in Gringotts noticed them standing over the corpse, her face paled at the sight of blood but she turned away and charged ahead up the road.

Following the flow of most of the Aurors with Hermione by his side Harry didn't even make it to the post office before having to duck under a jet of green light, pulling Hermione down with him. There were at least twenty Death Eaters ahead entrenched firmly behind rubble, overturned carts and fences and they were raining down curses on the villagers running about in a state of panic. The Aurors seemed to be working in small teams, trying to take out the Death Eaters one at a time, but there weren't enough of them for that strategy to work in the end. Harry saw a purple streak of flame fly towards a villager and literally rip the man in half. Hermione gasped as they both remembered the only person they knew of to cast that spell. Dolohov was hiding behind a stonewall tucked underneath an awning on the house across the street from where Zonko's used to be, pulling his mum's wand from his sleeve and aiming carefully, Harry fired a Reductor curse at the second level of the home which promptly crumbled on the Death Eater.

A distant roar echoed through the air and the giant that had been about to level Gladrags turned and ran towards the sound that Harry just knew was Grawp. Harry found himself being suddenly tackled to the ground from behind but by the time he landed the body over his had gone slack, he rolled it over and jumped to his feet to find Hermione looking back the way they came. Three Death Eaters burst out of the Three Broomsticks, having gone in to look after any lingering patrons, upon seeing the teens they all fired off killing curses directed at Harry. He rolled away to his right while Hermione dodged the other way sending a massive ball of blue fire at their attackers. As they were busy deflecting Hermione's attack Harry made a slashing movement followed by a jab with his wand, it was a spell Lupin had taught in their third year to be used against Vampires but the unblockable streak of orange light worked well enough to temporarily blind just about anyone. With his opponents caught unaware Harry followed with a lasso of flame that wrapped neatly around the three and with a jerk of his arm they were sent flying over the roof of a nearby home, still bound.

Turning at the sound of her shriek, Harry found Hermione caught in a chokehold by someone that had just come from the Post Office. Before he could even bother thinking of a way to safely free her, Hermione aimed Harry's wand directly between her assailant's legs and a flash of red light later an unnaturally high-pitched scream filled the air drawing the attention of nearly everyone within twenty feet. They made their way up the road clearing buildings as they went and shoving the dazed looking villagers who hadn't joined the fray to hide. Hermione levitated a large cart that was sheltering several Death Eaters and sent it crashing into another group taking cover in the rubble across the road. Most of Death Eaters had fallen back to the road leading to the Hog's Head but refused to go any further down it as Grawp and the giant they'd brought were currently trading blows in front of the shabby pub. Harry pulled an eight inch long tube from his jacket that contained one portable swamp, tapped it with his wand and hurled it into the middle of the group, he knew it wouldn't be any sort of final solution, but it would surely slow them down a bit.

"Harry! Are you hurt?" Bill Weasley suddenly appeared next to Harry. He breathed a sigh of relief, that meant the road to Hogwarts was clear.

"I'm fine, how are things back that way, have you seen Ron?"

"Ron? No, and back there is holding, for now." Bill glanced across the street to Hermione just in time to see her shoot off a spell transfiguring a plank of wood into a crocodile that quickly went after some of the Death Eaters currently wallowing in waist deep water. "McGonagall says we need to get you and Hermione out of here."

"No Bill."

"Harry this isn't the time to play hero, we need to move!"

"Bill!" Harry grabbed the front of his robes and shook him, "I'm not leaving." Bill looked Harry straight in the eye for a moment before nodding his consent then abruptly pushing him to the ground while falling backwards. A familiar jet of purple sailed through the air where they had just been. Harry looked back to see Dolohov staggering out of the rubble Harry had buried him under. Bill and Harry each sent off a Reductor curse and the stonewall exploded slamming Dolohov's limp form into a wall.

"So if we're staying who do we curse first?" Bill cheekily asked.

"How's your mass transfiguration?" Harry asked eyeing a pile of rubble next to them.

"I get by, why?"

"Change that pile to snakes, a lot of very poisonous snakes." Bill looked at him oddly for a second before jabbing his wand at the rocks. "That's more than getting by," Harry mumbled looking down at what had to be fifty vipers hissing furiously at him. A cold sweat broke out over Harry's body, he was hearing hissing, not voices. Dreading the idea that he'd lost his Parselmouth ability when he destroyed the Horcrux Harry tried willing the noises clear as the snakes slithered towards them, slowly he began to hear them as just whispers. He let out an experimental breath and when it felt more like a hiss than a breath he spoke, "Go now, attack the ones in masks and dark robes," and pointed towards the Death Eaters.

"That is a very neat trick," Bill muttered as the snakes quickly slithered off towards the enemy.

"Go up the road leading to the Shrieking Shack, there's a path leading to the Whomping Willow. Ron's was trying to lead the students to it but the way might have been blocked." Bill gave Harry a brief nod before dashing off as directed.

Harry looked back across the road to see Hermione flinging spells around the corner towards Madam Puddifoot's and quickly made his way towards her. When he rounded the corner just moments after her his eyes fell directly on Voldemort kneeling over a Death Eater that was still smoking from recent burns, he pulled the mask off to reveal the face of Severus Snape. For and instant Harry felt both elated at the thought of him being dead and horrified that Hermione had been the one to do it, until Snape let out a series of raspy coughs. Voldemort's eyes focused intently on Hermione who had just walked into one of her worst nightmares.

The Dark Lord didn't seem aware of Harry's, or anyone else's presence as he slowly rose up. There was no taunting, just two simple words, "Avada Kedavra!"

Hermione's arm had begun moving at the same time as Voldemort's and when his green jet met an intense blue flame the concussion wave nearly knocked Harry off of his feet. Harry's hand convulsed around the edge of the building he was leaning against, there was nothing he could do for her now. The golden beam connecting their wands obviously shocked Voldemort, when Harry finally took a step towards them they were encased in a golden cage. Harry rushed up to the side of the cage, finally drawing Voldemort's attention but more importantly Hermione's. When their eyes first met he could see the panic but Harry shouted for her to hold on, just listen to the song. The phoenix song fell faintly on his ears; he knew it to be much louder inside the cage but what he didn't expect was that on the outside the entire area began to violently tremble as the waves of magic beat against everything they came across.

Glancing behind him Harry saw most of the fighting had stopped and the remaining combatants were staring stupidly in his direction. The swamp was gone, but the crocodile and snakes both remained. Voldemort's giant had also fallen. At the forefront of it all Harry saw Remus staring in utter disbelief. He knew what was happening, but not how Hermione ended up inside.

Hermione's voice drew his attention back; the pulses of light were coming dangerously close to the wand in her hands. Harry tried to reach through the cage only to receive a massive shock and had to settle to shouting words of support, words of comfort, words of love and it helped. At first the change in direction was subtle but once the main pulse reached the halfway point it shot the rest of the way towards Voldemort in the blink of an eye. The echoes came forth, slowly filling up the entire cage. There were many more bodies this time, and more screams of pain barely audible from the outside. Harry's breathing shallowed as he knew what would happen if only Hermione could hold the connection long enough. When the smoky form of Cedric Diggory approached the edge of the cage and gave him a nod Harry's body turned to stone, he looked to Hermione. There were tears streaming down her face, she knew who was coming.

Voldemort was shouting every obscenity ever conceived as Frank Bryce and Bertha Jorkins emerged but he couldn't break the connection. Harry's vision was blurred with tears when he saw his mother approach him. He held a hand flat against the golden barrier, completely ignoring the discomfort of it because she was mirroring his actions on the other side. It could have been his imagination but Harry swore he could feel her hand pressing back against his own. Lilly backed away, moving towards Hermione as James came forward. There were traces of utter exhilaration and deep sorrow all over his face, two things Harry didn't think it possible for a person to experience at the same time.

The echo of James Potter looked over his shoulder to his wife standing next to Hermione, one of her smoky hands cupping the younger girl's cheek while she spoke to her. "Never forget son, your mother and I love you more than anyone," James actually smirked and looked back over his shoulder. "Well, almost anyone. You will do this Harry, just not today. Take Hermione and go, there'll be another day to finish this, and when it's over, move on and be happy. Give your children the life we always wanted for you."

Just as Lilly reappeared at her husband's side the connection broke. As soon as the cage vanished she surged forward and wrapped her arms around Harry. He could feel her as if was actually there and he returned her embrace, his body convulsing with sobs as an overpowering warmth covered him. Her voice came like a whisper in the wind, reminding him of her love. Harry opened his eyes just in time to see their shadowy forms dissipate with the rest. Hermione and Voldemort both stood where they were, swaying slightly until almost as one their knees buckled and they collapsed.

Harry rushed to Hermione's side and cradled her in his arms, calling her name to no avail. Snape was stirring on the ground and Voldemort had already risen to his knees, shaking his head clear. Harry knew they needed to leave as soon as possible. As he scooped Hermione's limp form from the ground Harry heard a screech. Voldemort was standing freely beside Snape, wand already in motion with a look of triumph on his twisted face. Harry made to block Hermione's body with his own as the green mass rushed towards him but at the last second Hedwig swooped down into its path. The force of the curse redirected her already cold body into Harry's chest. As she came to rest between Harry and Hermione he Apparated them all straight back to the cottage.

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"DOBBY! WINKY!"

The elves popped into the room as they were called and wailed at the sight of Hermione's limp body in Harry's arms. He sprinted around them to their room and gently laid her on the bed. He took a step back, cradling Hedwig to his chest as the elves began bustling over Hermione, the tips of their fingers glowing wherever they touched her.

Knowing he'd only be in the way Harry went to the window and held the body of his oldest, most faithful friend up in the sunlight. Her amber eyes, that had always seemed alight with knowledge were glazed over, her beak slightly open. With a soft touch Harry closed her eyes and beak, and folded her wings over her torso. She looked to be in a peaceful sleep as he tucked her up to his body as one would an infant.

In a state of emotional shock Harry turned back to the bed. Winky quietly informed Harry that Hermione was in a deep sleep but physically fine; both the elves eyes overflowed with tears as they realized what happened to Hedwig. After asking Dobby and Winky to watch over Hermione Harry went to the stream out back and slowly stroked his friends snowy feathers until the sunlight began to fade. Sirius and Crookshanks had both come out to him and taken turns nuzzling her, as if to say good-bye.

When Dobby came out to ask if he wanted anything to eat Harry finally cracked. As his body racked with sobs he tried to think of where she would like her body to be put to rest. Harry knew, the spot by the lake at Hogwarts. Through all six years of his schooling there they had a spot on the far side of the lake where Harry would go when things got to bother him too much. She had never failed to meet him there. Focusing ever fiber of his being on the location Harry opened his eyes and found himself there, directly across the lake from the white tomb.

He carefully set her aside and began clawing at the earth a foot away from the shore. Slowly he tore away the grass and scooped handful after agonizing handful of dirt until he was elbow-deep in the ground, a small amount of water pooled in the hole. Harry threw off his jacket and ripped his shirt from his body. He tightly wrapped Hedwig's body and tenderly lowered her down. For the longest time he couldn't bring himself to replace the earth knowing it would mean he would never see her again. As he hung his head looking directly down on her wrapped form the steady stream of tears pooled up in the lenses of his glasses until he threw them ruthlessly aside. Finally Harry's arms began trembling so violently that he couldn't hold himself up anymore and he began the process of swiping at the mound of earth until the ground was once again flat.

He decided he needed a marker and waded into the lake looking for just the right stone. There were several sets of yellow eyes watching him and Harry defiantly stared back at them, challenging them to make him stop. The Merpeople just stared back, the soft strains of the mournful song they'd made at Dumbledore's funeral again bubbling to the surface. Harry stood waist deep in the water letting the song wash through him, calming him with its haunting simplicity. When the singing eventually stopped he opened his eyes to see the Merchieftainess towering before him. Without a sound she handed over a textbook sized tablet of white stone, inlaid in the stone was a copper outline of an owl with its wings spread wide. Giving a slight bow he backed out of the water and laid the stone overtop the soft dirt, pressing it down flush to the earth and gingerly cleaning the area around. After a feeble wave of thanks the Merchieftainess sank back below the water and Harry heard hooves behind him.

"We meet once again Harry Potter," Firenze's voice came through the nighttime mist. "I see it is under the most unfortunate of circumstances however."

"How did you know I was here?"

"I heard the Merpeople's song from my home in the castle. There is only one cause for such a lament to be sung and as such decided to investigate. At times like these all beings are bound to question their beliefs, their commitments, but I tell you this Harry Potter: No matter how hopeless your quest appears there is always an equal chance it will be a successful one. You are not alone in this world, sentient beings that have been divided for millennia are banding together behind you even though you do not see it. If you need any proof of this look at all you have accomplished since you last called this place home.

"Without trying you have brought your two human governments closer than they have ever been, through simple kindness and good humor you have aided in healing the damage the wizard-goblin relationship has suffered. Around your neck you carry not just a charm, but also a source of elven magic, a gift not given lightly or often. Muggles are rearranging their ocean travels to accommodate Merpeople, learning to share their precious part of the earth. Word has even come to the heard that a young wizard visited the mountains near a centaur holy forest and removed a shadow that threatened to pervert the land. No matter how small your actions are they seem to carry epic repercussions to the world around us, and those whom do not agree with or like your ways will be left behind when destiny calls to us all. I know you do not ask for this responsibility but it is always a wise choice to know your place on this plane."

Harry silently digested everything the Centaur told him for a few minutes. "But in the end none of it matters, does it? The ones I love will always be taken from me until I die myself trying to finish this bloody quest."

"Why do you think you are destined to die?" Firenze gently asked.

"Because you told me so," Harry replied looking the Centaur in his ethereal blue eyes. "The very first time we met you told me you hoped the planets were being read wrong. I'm just assuming you weren't hoping for me to die. Everything in my life seems predetermined, if the stars really are against me I might as well just jump in the lake right now."

"And if I told you the heavens were indeed wrong? You have been living for more than two years beyond the time your life seemed destined to end, and it is not borrowed time. The future is an ever changing thing Harry Potter, and it has happened many times before where one man has stood against fate and come out the victor," Firenze serenely replied. A Sudden crack rung out through the night air and Hermione stood before Harry, at least until she threw her arms around him sobbing uncontrollably and knocked them both to the ground, completely oblivious to the Centaur. "I shall leave you now, but remember: no being is a prisoner of fate, only a prisoner of their own mind."

Hermione, who had been quite surprised by a voice not Harry's silently watched Firenze trot away with him before breaking down again trying to apologize for not running when she had the chance and getting Hedwig killed. Harry held her for over an hour waiting for her to cry herself out before going about debunking her guilt. Once she had calmed down a bit she took in their surroundings "Harry, did I just Apparate into Hogwarts?"

"We both did, though I wasn't seriously trying to at the time. Firenze said something about our necklaces being a source of elven magic. Part of that must allow us to Apparate like Dobby when we have to," he smiled softly as he explained his theory. It was the only one he could come up with that didn't go completely against everything she'd always told him about Apparition and Hogwarts.

"Dobby did that for us?"

"He said it was a gift not lightly given, but then since when does Dobby do what a normal elf should?"

"You know," Hermione suddenly fell deep in thought, "that could very well explain how you got out of the fire in the Room of Requirement. I saw you holding your necklace, you must have willed yourself to Disapparate just before passing out."

As they laid on the shore of the lake Harry knew she was suppressing questions about nearly everything that happened that day, and to be honest he needed to know what her experience inside the golden cage had been like, but neither dared ask. Harry was just about to drift off as a hauntingly beautiful song filled the air. Hermione stirred awake and together they stood hand in hand on the side of the lake trying to find the source of what they both knew was a phoenix song.

With a sudden burst of flame a swan sized red and gold bird appeared in the air. Harry quickly guessed it to be Fawkes, but as the bird flew lower he realized he was wrong. This phoenix had a longer neck, more gold feathers, and even some white mixed in on its underside. Cottoning on after the bird did a few circuits around their heads, Harry held out an arm for it to land on. Every little fact that he'd ever learned about phoenixes flew through his brain, the prominent thing being death and resurrection. For just a moment, standing over the grave of his owl Harry's heart soared as he was sure she'd come back to him as a phoenix but this bird seemed able to glean his thoughts and moved its head in a negative fashion.

"Harry, what's going on?" Hermione slowly asked.

"I think we've just gotten a phoenix," Harry softly replied as a furious voice in his mind yelled that Hedwig was irreplaceable. The phoenix, gleaning his thoughts again trilled in agreement. How Harry knew it was agreeing he didn't know, but he did. As he looked in the bird's glittering black eyes he couldn't help but find them familiar. He thought of Hagrid, seeing the same spark of life that the gamekeeper's eyes had. The phoenix trilled in excitement, as if he was very close but not quite there. The bird bobbed its head towards the castle and Harry's eyes fell on the white tomb.

During Dumbledore's funeral, when the smoke erupted around his covered body for the briefest of instants he thought he'd seen a…

"Harry what is it?" Hermione asked as he gasped.

"Albus?" The phoenix trilled merrily and preened himself up.

`,',',',',',',',',',',',',',',

A burst of fire brought Harry, Hermione and Albus into their room in the cottage, scaring Sirius and Crookshanks from the bed and room. The phoenix glided over to the golden perch set near the window and Harry stood watching him for quite a while. At first he was indescribably angry at the bird for claiming Hedwig's perch. When the anger faded he admitted to himself that the perch was meant for a phoenix and would go to waste if he didn't allow Albus to use it.

Even though he grudgingly accepted it, Harry didn't think he could stand seeing the bird there for some time. Not bothering to apologize, guessing his thoughts were being read anyway Harry picked up the perch and carried it to the unused room. When he got back to their room he found Hermione in the bed, patiently waiting for him.

"So. You talked to my mum?" he whispered after pulling off his soggy jeans and summoning a dry pair of boxers to join her.

Hermione sniffled as she curled up to his chest, "She… helped me. She told me focus with everything I had on my feelings for you and though it might exhaust me to the point of collapse, you would protect me. She - touched me. I swear I could feel her…"

Tears were once again welling in Harry's eyes, "I could too. When the cage collapsed, she hugged me. I've never felt anything like that… no offense."

"None taken," she chuckled softly and kissed his cheek.

"What would you say if I asked you to always carry my wand?"

"I suppose that would depend on how you meant it," Hermione half-smiled before turning serious. "I would, if that's what you really want, but I don't have as much control as with my own. It was like trying to knock on a door but pounding it down instead."

"Don't worry about it. Just promise to keep yourself safe," Harry shrugged off the thought and gave her a kiss.

`,',',',',',',',',',',',',','

Harry woke mid-afternoon Sunday and realized Remus and Tonks were nowhere to be found. After checking Grimmauld Place, the Burrow and finally the ministry Mr. Weasley informed him they had both portkeyed in with the Aurors and been taken to St. Mungo's, but were expected to be released that night. Remus had nearly lost one of his legs and Tonks had been hit with a curse that collapsed both of her lungs. The Daily Prophet that day gave a full account of the battle with one exception: they never mentioned Harry, Hermione or Voldemort had been in the village. As Minister, Mr. Weasley had forced the Aurors to not disclose any information about the event they had all witnessed between Hermione and the Dark Lord since no one could quite figure out what had happened. On top of that was the fact that Harry and Hermione successfully Disapparated through the wards the Death Eaters had put in place.

In total they estimated fifty Death Eaters and one giant had attacked and once the dust had settled twenty-seven were in manacles and another sixteen dead, including the giant. Thirty villagers lost their lives along with two fifth year Hufflepuff boys who had been trying to sneak into the Hog's Head for some Firewhisky. The Aurors guessed Voldemort attacked with almost everything he had and were regarding the fight as a great victory seeing as how he could possibly only be left with a dozen followers. The list of those captured or dead included almost every escapee, except the Lestranges Harry sadly noted, and Snape must have gotten out with Voldemort. There was also a special mention that Ron had apparently overtaken Goyle's father and Marcus Flint to guide a group of students back to Hogwarts. The paper made no mention of where they traveled through to get back to the castle.

Hermione was finally sleeping well when he left. She had been plagued by nightmares, even at one point punching Harry when he tried to hold her. He felt oddly full of pride as he rushed to the sink to fix his broken nose; even in her sleep Hermione seriously packed a punch.

Being alone as he went from place to place gave Harry plenty of time to think. Before they had run out of the Three Broomsticks he told Hermione he'd marry her, today actually, if she wanted it. But he had also made it conditional on her making a promise resulting in a firm no. From the moment Harry first kissed her he'd been seeing flashes in his mind of the two of them together, mostly pertaining to a time when they could be a safe and happy family. They may have only been together a little less than four months but they'd known each other and been best friends for almost six years, and he was positive he wanted her to be with him for as long as she would have him. The problem now was that he kept hearing her `no' in his head. Deciding there was only one way to get that word out of his head he went to Gringotts. Ragnok had helped him buy all of the jewelry Hermione had gotten for her birthday, he'd probably be happy to help with this.

Half an hour later Harry returned to the cottage not quite sure why the goblin had asked for one of his hairs and a small amount of blood, if he didn't completely trust the goblin he probably would have attacked him for even asking. Now all he had to do was wait a few days for the package to come and ask her properly.

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All week long Harry had a feeling Hermione wanted to bring up what he'd said in the pub; things became increasingly tense around the cottage. The happiness of Remus and Tonks' arrival and their discovery that there was a phoenix roosting in the spare room was overshadowed by the fact that Harry and Hermione were both nervous enough to jump anytime either of them walked into a room the other was in. They hardly touched each other during the day aside from an occasional light kiss and when they went to bed at night all Harry could do was lightly hold her, continually hearing `no' in his mind. Of course they always woke up severely entangled. When Harry pulled back the shower curtain on Thursday to find Dobby standing before him he jumped in shock, but then he noticed the box he held, which he was ordered to deliver to Harry when no one else could see it. He sat on the toilet for nearly an hour staring at the open box until Tonks began pounding on the locked door.

After supper he asked Hermione to come with him, she seemed mildly confused when they arrived in his field and he motioned for her to get on the broom behind him, but he had a plan. They sat high in the air, Hermione's head resting on Harry's shoulder and watched the sun and full moon trade places. He stealthily palmed the ring and carefully brought one leg over the broom to sit sideways in front of her.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione asked in alarm.

"I just wanted to talk to you."

"We can talk perfectly fine without you risking your life!"

"Hermione, I've been fine hanging from a broom by one hand. I think I can handle this," Harry reminded her with a smile.

"What could be so important-"

"I wanted to talk about what I think has been on both of our minds all week, about what I said in the Three Broomsticks."

Harry felt a shiver run through her body. "Really Harry, it's okay. We were both under a tremendous amount of strain, I know you were just trying to keep me safe and calm."

"Yes I was," Harry admitted, "but I wouldn't have offered to do something if I wasn't prepared to actually go through with it."

"Harry…" Hermione whispered, her eyes shining.

He unclasped her hands from around his waist and held her left hand with his own, "Hermione, you've been one of my few true friends for as long as I've had any. You're my best friend, and if there is one thing I know for sure it's that I can't imagine my life without you. I love you, and I need you with me if I want to have any chance of having a happy life, and right now I'm asking you if you'll stay with me, love me, and be my wife." Harry lifted her left hand and smoothly slid the ring he'd hidden in his right hand down her ring finger.

Hermione stared open mouthed at the single rune-covered platinum band and dazzling diamond on her hand long enough to make Harry extremely nervous. A few stray tears slipped down her rosy cheeks as she raised her eyes to his; unable to form the words she began nodding slowly. The runes, which had been empty engravings suddenly flashed, the cavities filling with gold. Hermione threw her arms around Harry's neck in a motion that made him grab his broom for stability; she was half laughing-half sobbing as he quickly lowered them back down to the ground.

He'd been so irrationally nervous about her answer that he could help but ask, "Hermione, are you sure about this? It will-"

"Of course I am!" Hermione shouted before jumping up and wrapping her legs around Harry's waist kissing him eagerly enough to draw an immediate reaction from his body. Thankfully he still had a hand on his broom as Hermione Apparated them back to their room in the cottage. The euphoria of what had just occurred changed to something more primal as Hermione yanked his shirt open sending buttons flying all over the room. Going with the moment Harry tugged her pink jumper over her head and went about kissing the side of her neck. As Hermione worked on undoing his trousers he reached behind her back and popped the clasp of her bra.

With a great shove Harry found himself laying on the bed, Hermione leaned over him to pull his trousers and boxers off before taking a step back and wiggling out of her jeans and knickers. Harry's mind and body warred with each other as he locked eyes with Hermione, both of them breathing heavily. "I thought you wanted to wait," Harry eventually got out.

Hermione bit her lip, obviously fighting her own war, "You gave me a ring. Close enough."

Harry rose to his knees and moved to the center of their bed as Hermione crawled on in a similar pose. As Harry cradled her face and moved to kiss her a crack sounded in the room. "Harry Potter sir!"

"Not now Dobby," Harry growled with his lips a fraction of an inch away from Hermione's.

"Miss Hermione!"

"Dobby," Hermione threateningly growled, her nails scratching their way down Harry's back.

"MR. GRANGY IS IN DANGER!"

All passion forgotten they sprang from the bed. Harry yanked on just his trousers, Hermione her jumper and jeans; as one they found their wands and Apparated into the Granger's sitting room.

They could hear Emma Granger wailing upstairs and within in a matter of seconds were rushing through her broken-down bedroom door. Emma was kneeling on the bed in her nightgown looking down to the floor. Hermione's father was lying face-to-face with Fenrir Greyback. Dan, who had somehow gotten his hands on Gryffindor's sword had impaled Voldemort's head werewolf. At first the dentist appeared to be covered in Greyback's nearly black blood, but then Harry saw it. The semi-circular tear through the man's pajamas; he'd been bitten.

Harry fell to his knees, ripped Dan's pajamas open and took in the mangled flesh around his hip as Hermione leapt on the bed to her mother, both women now wailing.

"ALBUS!" Harry bellowed. An explosion lit up the room as the phoenix came in and with out hesitation began pouring pearly tears onto the wound. Harry knew it was too late; there was no cure for this.

Once Albus had sealed the wound he sprang up in the air, circling Harry's head. He took the cue and lifted Dan into his arms, reached up to grab the phoenix's tail and vanished in a burst of flame.

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Arthur Weasley didn't get word until it was too late and the front-page article of the Daily Prophet was a report of how Harry Potter had appeared in the lobby of St. Mungo's, barefoot and shirtless with a phoenix and a man in blood-soaked clothing. While the hospital never released the name of the man they did confirm that a werewolf had bitten him, one of three such attacks that night. The rumor was that Harry had fought and killed the wolf himself only receiving a set of bright red scratches down his back. No one took notice of the young girl and her mother Apparating in moments later in a part of the hospital warded against it.

Harry, Hermione and Emma all sat outside an emergency room that night without saying a word. At one point Harry turned to Emma with the intent of accept the blame for what happened and do whatever he could for her and Dan to make up for it. It only took one glance in her eyes to be sure where the blame lay. The healers explained that while Albus had healed the wound, the curse associated was now introducing magic to Dan Granger's body. Quite violently, if the man's screams were any indication. When a healer rushed into the room carrying what looked to be a sleeping potion the true volume of Dan's voice came through the open door. Emma grabbed Hermione's hand for support only to notice for the first time what had recently been added, bringing another round of wailing.

Dan was stabilized shortly after sunrise and fearing the wrath of a very angry looking Harry Potter the staff of the hospital consented to release him. Of course the lobby was teeming with people looking for Harry, so once he'd singed a Gringotts draft to cover the bill Albus transported them away. Harry made sure Dan was tucked away in the cottage, the two women in his life waiting quite impatiently for the potions to wear off, before finding some clothes. As he was about to Apparate to the Granger's house and survey the damage he heard a whimper coming from Dobby's room. It was the first time he'd entered it but wasn't surprised to find the walls painted at least eight different colors, several paintings Harry assumed Winky had painted and a framed copy of the Quibbler that had Harry on the cover were hanging about. There was a pile of everyone's dirty laundry to one side of the room including the shirt that Hermione had recently decided to remove buttons from. What was the worst of it was Dobby standing in the corner, ironing his hands.

"Dobby, what are you doing?"

The elf spun around, hiding his hands on the way, "Dobby is fixing Harry Potter's shirt," he lied as the shirt floated towards him.

"No you're not, you're trying to punish yourself!"

"I's sorry Harry Potter! Dobby failed!" Dobby trembled, tears cascading down his face. "Harry Potter sir told Dobby to keep his Grangeys safe. Dobby failed!"

Harry kneeled in front of him, "No Dobby. You told me Dan was in trouble. If you hadn't, he wouldn't be alive right now. Dobby, what did you do with Gryffindor's sword?"

"Dobby did what he was told. He hid it from everyone, including Harry Potter sir, and moved it once a week," Dobby sniffled.

"And this week, where did you put it?"

"Dobby placed Harry Potter's sword under the Grangey's mattress-" the elf's eyes threatened to pop from his head.

"That's right Dobby, Dan found the sword and killed the werewolf with it. Neither of us could have kept him from getting hurt, but you saved his and Emma's lives with that. You didn't fail, and I forbid you from punishing yourself. For this or anything else that could ever happen. Now don't worry about the shirt and get some sleep. I have a feeling the Grangers will be staying with us for a while this time."

He tucked the elf under an outrageous handmade patchwork quilt and left the cottage. Inspecting the Granger's house he found the back door had been destroyed, there were vicious claw marks over its scattered remains and leading away up the stairs. Repairing the damage as he went Harry made it back to the bedroom. He pulled the sword from Greyback's naked corpse and transfigured him into a small stuffed wolf before vanishing the blood and straightening up the rest of the room. Harry concentrated on Remus, assuming that'd he be too exhausted from his transformation to be up to anything he didn't want to see, and Apparated. He found himself in a bedroom in Grimmauld Place, Remus' pale face poking out from beneath a thick blanket and Tonks stroking his hair. After sadly informing her of what had happened he handed over the stuffed wolf. Remus had lived a cursed life because of Greyback, so Harry was going to let him decide what to do with the corpse. Harry had to make some more stops before returning home. Hermione was going to need a bigger cauldron.

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Harry awoke late Friday afternoon to find Hermione standing by the window watching the last light of the day sparkle through the gem on her hand. "How's your dad?"

Hermione gasped at his unexpected voice, "He's awake but exhausted. Introducing magic to a body is quite a strain apparently."

"So, he's a wizard now?" Harry embraced her from behind.

"It will take him some time to fully grow into it, but yes. I've already taken Mum back to arrange everything so they can spend at least the next week here. Mum's receptionist nearly fainted when she saw my ring," she added with a slight smile.

"Have your parents said anything?"

"Not said. Mum spent most of the time Dad was sleeping looking at my hand and crying. I haven't shown Dad yet."

"I cleaned up their house and talked to Mr. Weasley about putting a couple of Aurors on guard there and at the office. He couldn't give me an answer for sure, but he doubts it will be a problem."

"Thank you," Hermione breathed a sigh of relief then smiled up to Harry. "So, do you want to go tell my father you're taking his little girl away from him?"

"Funny, I thought I'd already done that."

"Is it going to be normal for me now to wanna eat the cat?" Dan asked in a weak voice as they walked in the room. Crookshanks jumped from Emma's lap and fled the room.

"Well, the cat part might just be that you never got along, but your appetite for somewhat… bloody meat will be fairly prominent," Hermione answered.

"Tonks should be bringing Remus back soon. I'm sure he'll be able to answer any questions you have," said Harry.

"And I'll start making a double batch of the potion that Remus takes. It will help you keep your mind when you t - transform," Hermione's face dropped as she spoke.

Dan reached out to her clasped hands, "Honey, we've talked about this. Neither you or Harry are to blame for what happened." Hermione choked back a few sobs and nodded. "And since you still don't believe me, you're just going to have to begin spending all your free time showing me how to wave one of your little sticks about."

"Daddy, there's something we need to tell you," Hermione pulled her left hand free and held it up for her father to see.

Slowly a wide grin broke out on the man's face, "Finally, some good news."

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Harry felt a little out of place as he sat across the table from Hermione. Remus was in visiting with Dan, explaining basically what the rest of his life was going to be like leaving Harry at the table with three women talking at such speeds to make his head spin. He didn't fail to note that Hermione was keeping her hands under the table as Tonks was telling Emma what to expect as far as Dan's appetite was concerned. When Hermione finally reached up to take a drink of her tea Tonks nearly knocked Harry from his chair in her move to grab Hermione's hand.

"Wolf - oh gosh, I'm sorry. Remus! Get out here!"

Lupin ran into the room, Dan slowly following him with a grin, "What the matter?"

"Look at this thing!" Tonks nearly jerked Hermione diagonally across the table then furrowed her brow as she noticed the runes. "Harry, did you buy this ring or have it made?"

"One of Ragnok's brothers made it for me, the same as the things for her birthday," Harry answered then winced, he had insisted on covering her present from the Grangers but hoped to keep her from learning about it. He should know better than that by now, one way or another she always finds things out.

"Did you… give him some of your blood?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah, and a piece of hair."

"Harry! What were you thinking?" Remus admonished.

"I trust Ragnok, he could have robbed me blind years ago, but instead he's helped me claim everything nobody thought I had a right to know about and helped us deal with Voldemort's groupies."

"Did you get another band?" Tonks asked, clearly not as worried about things as Remus.

"Dobby's keeping it safe, what's the big deal?"

Tonks ginned slyly, "Well let's just say if Harry here ever has certain thoughts about another woman once the bands are put together he'll be in for a rather nasty experience."

"My ring's cursed?" Hermione exclaimed.

"No! But the ring uses the blood put in its core to connect to the rest in his body when the runes all turn gold on both bands and the hair inside will help to keep Harry's mind in the right place the same way," Tonks quickly corrected.

While this was news to Harry he didn't think the news was as disturbing as Hermione, "What sort of experience?" she asked in a queasy voice.

"Well, he won't be seriously physically injured, as long as it doesn't go beyond thoughts, but from what I've heard saying he'd get violently ill would be an understatement." Every eye fell on Harry who just shrugged knowing it wouldn't be a problem.

"So, when's the wedding and are we invited?" Remus quipped.

"Well, it was supposed to be last Sunday," Hermione blushed and looked down at the table when everyone but Harry wildly looked at her, "but apparently Harry wanted to postpone until he could buy a ring and properly ask me at sunset five-hundred feet in the air."

Remus burst out laughing, "And I thought James had style when he made the ceiling in the great hall show the words `Marry me Lilly.'"

"What did Mum do?" Harry eagerly asked.

"She very calmly said yes… to Sirius. Once I managed to stop James from killing Sirius, Lilly snogged James senseless. I'd never seen someone look both disgusted and delighted until I saw Minerva's face that morning," Remus smiled fondly.

"So, the date?" Tonks asked in a prim voice Harry didn't know she possessed.

Harry watched Hermione looking down at the table chewing her lip, "What are you thinking?"

"Oh nothing, I'm sorry," Hermione jumped.

"Oh no, I know that look. What's on your mind?" Harry persisted.

"Well it's just… I know Halloween has quite a few negative connotations for you. It could be nice to have something to actually celebrate that day."

"They're not all bad memories. We became friends on Halloween first year," Harry softly mentioned.

Dan snorted, "After fighting a troll."

Harry slowly searched Hermione's eyes for any sign of hesitation, "Are you sure about this? It is all rather sudden."

"Well you're the one who said he'd marry me `tomorrow' in the Three Broomsticks. Two weeks is a bit less sudden than that."

"But what about our friends? Ron would kill me if we didn't invite him-"

"I'm positive the Headmistress would allow anyone you'd like to invite to skive off for a day," Remus broke in. "Though, she might expect an invitation herself for allowing it."

Hermione looked to her mother who once again had tears welling in her eyes, "It's up to you and Harry dear. If your Uncle Jeffery hadn't decided to run off with his secretary we might have had to make sure he had the date free-"

"I still can't believe my brother turned out to be such a piece of filth," Dan growled out surprising even himself with the tone of his voice.

"Yes, that's something else to expect though I'd bet you'll have an easy time dealing with any unruly patients from now on," said Remus. Everyone smiled at Dan trying to reassure him that he'd still be able to have a mostly normal life.

"Is this something we're going to have to keep secret?" Hermione asked Tonks.

"If you're worried about You-Know-Who I'm inclined to say no. His forces just suffered a deadly blow and you personally bested him. He can't find us here and sending Greyback was about the only card he had left to play against your Mum and Dad," said Tonks. "When the public in general learns about this, well neither of you are going to have an easy time of it. Harry's already having to sneak in the side entrance of Gringotts to avoid being mobbed, even announcing the two of you are engaged will bring out the loonies, and I'm sure a few heart-broken witches will be looking to blame you, Hermione."

Harry remembered the treatment she'd received in their fourth year. Yes Winky was screening their mail but that wouldn't stop someone from trying to hurt her in public, and as much as he'd like to always be by her side there was no way he could. "We can't keep it a secret, but if we just don't tell anyone that's not invited and inform anyone that can't make it later it could hopefully take quite a while for the news to break," said Harry. "In any event it'd be nice to not have to worry about the public until after Voldemort's gone."

"Your father had some of the same concerns, well at least on the safety side of things," said Remus. "He was worried about Lilly's father since he didn't have a way of protecting himself from the Death Eaters. They had learned about their marriage through ministry records and set up a raid to take him, but James, Sirius and I were able to put a stop to it before he could be in any real danger. After that he said something about wishing they'd only filed papers in the Muggle world since it would be beneath Voldemort to spy there."

"What happened to my… Granddad?" Harry quietly asked.

Remus sighed, "He agreed to come up to this village and stay with your parents after Lilly found out she was pregnant. There was a car accident on the way up here, a bunch of teenagers had had too much to drink and ran his car off the road."

Harry's heart fell as he imagined his mother, pregnant with him crying over her father's grave and he wondered. Maybe that was why his Aunt had always hated him so much. It would have been very easy for a woman like Petunia to blame Lilly and by extension both James and Harry for her father's death. It might even be the source for the stories of his parents dying in a car crash and his father being a drunk…

"So, two weeks?" Dan asked them all then grimaced. "Does this mean we're going to have to see that bloody pastor again?

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Two weeks had never past as quickly as the ones before that Halloween from Harry's point of view. Most of the details, thankfully, were out of his hands but that also meant he almost never saw Hermione except in bed at night where they were both quite exhausted. He did manage to make a trip to Gringotts to update his will and inform Ragnok of Hermione's status as far as all of his accounts went, but aside from that he spent most of his time with Dan.

While not a perfect match, they found Dan could at least get by with James' wand. The Grangers had taken the week after the attack off from work so Harry would spend hours pouring over his old charms and transfiguration textbooks with the older man. At first they both had a lot of fun, but once they moved into more complicated spells Dan began to get frustrated. Borrowing Remus' broom, Harry spent an entire day up in the air showing Dan the ins and outs of flying which relaxed them both. They next day Harry sent out Dobby to find a Nimbus for Dan to keep at the cottage. The Sunday before the dentists left Dan asked to learn how to Apparate, after six hours of being closely monitored by Harry and Tonks he managed to bring all but his arms across the field. He promised to not practice unsupervised once the purple smoke had cleared.

The week of Halloween Harry spent his days hiding in Dan's office, which turned out to be a good thing when a burst of accidental magic turned a little boy's feet into hooves. Harry fixed the boy, who was rather disappointed about losing his new feet, and called Tonks over his mirror to come wipe his memory of the incident. Do to several rather annoying laws, Dan had to be taken to the ministry and register himself as a werewolf. Luckily Arthur was able to get him out of the `Introduction to Magic' and `Where to go when you want to eat your mother' courses that were required for cases such as his.

All week long Hermione had come to bed crying, making the double batch of Wolfsbane was forcing her mind to rest on just what her father had to deal with the rest of his natural life and it was all Harry could do to get her calm enough to sleep. Thursday night Harry stayed at Hogwarts. It wasn't to be away from Hermione, he actually didn't want to go, but when Ron heard the news he insisted Harry spend his last night as a `free man' with him, and so that night Harry stayed in secret out in Hagrid's hut with Ron, Neville, Bill and Hagrid. Hagrid had made a trip to the Hog's Head that day and bought several bottles of mead, after a few hours of being teased Harry hiccupped out the fact that Hagrid was hiding a flying carpet in his hut. Professor McGonagall found them around five in the morning on top of the astronomy tower, Filtch had gone screaming for the Headmistress after they'd chased him from the greenhouses to the castle doors. Even McGonagall's ranting wasn't enough to keep Harry awake and the next things he knew he was being poked awake by Dobby who had a tray-full of goblets and the suit Harry had been told to wear. As he was showering and getting dressed in the uncomfortably empty cottage Ron, Neville, Hagrid, Luna Bill, Gabrielle and Professor McGonagall took a portkey Flitwick made for them. Harry had also invited the charms professor, but since he was the Deputy Headmaster he needed to remain at the castle. Harry had to make one more stop before going to the church.

"I thought I might find you here," Remus said as he walked up the path to James and Lilly Potter's grave.

Harry smiled at the man, "How could I not come. Do you think they'd approve?"

"Of Hermione?" Remus scoffed. "They'd be mad not to."

"Well I meant about the timing of everything, I mean really, I should be in class right now."

"I've told you before that your parents were two of the smartest people I've ever known and one thing they both believed in was love, in following one's heart. I would never tell you their approval doesn't matter, instead I am telling you that as long as you know in your heart that this is what you want and believe this is the time to do it, then it is right," Remus laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"I'm scared out of my mind, but I do want this," Harry admitted.

"I think that's about normal," Remus laughed. "You know you've made my life particularly hard at the moment. Tonks and I have only been together a few weeks longer than you and Hermione and everything was fine, but then you had to go and give her a truly massive ring-"

"Well, if she's jealous you could always-"

"And not just any ring but one that promises infinite fidelity-"

"Well I didn't know at the time, but I'd rather jump head first off my broom than do anything that'd hurt Hermione," Harry pulled the wedding band to go with Hermione's ring from his pocket. "I know she'd never ask for any sort of magical promise like this, but I'm happy to do it anyway."

Remus examined the as yet unfilled runes and two slightly smaller diamonds, "I shutter at the thought of what this cost you, but I'm also sure you didn't even bother asking Ragnok." Harry nodded; he had actually stopped Ragnok from telling him.

"You know," Harry started after a moment of silence, "I talked to Dad through the cage in Hogsmeade. I think he tried to make a joke… wasn't a good one."

"That's one thing I feel you are completely to blame for, becoming a father destroyed his sense of humor-"

"Hey!"

"I'm kidding Harry. I could have sworn just before he faded away that day that he waved at me…"

"He told me that I'd finish this war and told me to move on afterwards, to give my kids the life they wanted for me," said Harry.

"I never used to know what happened that made your parents so distant, but it was that blasted prophecy. Albus shattered any dreams they had for your life the day he told them," the bitterness in Remus' voice rang through the air.

"It's nobody's fault Moony. Everyone did what they thought was right and there's nothing we can do about it all now. And Albus is trying to make up for his mistakes now, right?" Harry directed his question towards the phoenix he saw in the tree.

"You really think he's Professor Dumbledore?" Remus asked after the bird had let out an affirmative trill.

"I'm pretty sure. I can see it in his eyes."

"I know what you mean, it's just so hard to believe. No one's ever been able to learn where phoenixes come from, but I suppose it's as reasonable a theory as any that a particularly powerful wizard could become one. Actually… it makes even more sense considering his Patronus was a phoenix." Albus flew down and began circling their heads.

"I think he's telling us it's time to go," Harry mentioned and put an arm around Remus' shoulder while reaching up.

In a flash of fire they arrived in the church near the Grangers' home. As Albus settled on an extremely confused looking Professor McGonagall's shoulder Harry looked around to everyone gathered, they had all been asked to dress the Muggle way as the plan was to go for a rather nice meal nearby afterwards. Neville and Katie Bell were talking off to the side with Hagrid; Tonks seemed to be having a rather heated discussion with Luna, Ron looked over to Harry mouthing `Rotfang' before walking out of the chapel; Remus was sitting in the pews stroking Albus and explaining to a rather misty-eyed McGonagall how he came to Harry. Dobby and Winky popped into the chapel as Hermione's childhood pastor came in through a side door. Winky was wearing a shimmering dark blue dress and Dobby was wearing a black suit that perfectly matched Harry's except a tie the color of Winky's dress versus Harry's white one, Dobby popped up to Harry to collect Hermione's wedding band back. The people in the room moved to their seats as they noticed the elves; Gabrielle was giddy, buzzing around the room with Harry's camera. When Harry had asked Arthur and the twins if they had any plans on Halloween they said they did, not knowing why he was asking. He knew at least the twins would enjoy the surprise.

Soft music began piping in from somewhere as Dobby rejoined Winky to begin a slow march up to the altar; he tripped a few times over his shiny black shoes. The pace of Harry's breathing increased, `This is really happening' an astonished voice breathed in his head. The double doors opened of their own accord admitting Emma Granger accompanied by Bill Weasley, the music faded out and all Harry could hear was his own heartbeat, the snitch around his neck had been beating its wings like mad all morning so he knew he wasn't alone in his nervousness. Ron and Fleur appeared in the doorway both beaming wearing matching outfits to the elves, as they approached Harry felt the same waves of magic rolling off of Fleur as he had at her wedding just a few months ago.

Once Ron had taken his position beside Harry his eyes moved back to the door to see Hermione emerge on her father's arm. She was literally glowing in her white dress, an image he'd be happy to never forget. As she neared Harry noticed she was wearing the sapphire jewelry he'd gotten her for her birthday along with Ravenclaw's tiara in her pulled back hair, Harry had to blink back a few tears as the sparkles hit his eyes. Hermione gave Dan a kiss on the cheek before taking the final step up to the alter to join a speechless Harry. He lost almost all control of his senses as he gazed into her glistening eyes.

Ron elbowed him from behind, "Breathe Harry, don't forget to breathe."

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Arthur Weasley walked up the front steps of Grimmauld Place figuring he'd stop in and see Winky for lunch before his meeting in the Prime Minister's office. He liked his visits with the elf, often times joining her in the sitting room to critique the finger paintings she so enjoyed making. It reminded him of when Ginny was a much younger girl and the times he'd watch her when Molly was away at the market.

He announced his arrival in the house but was met only by silence, which was not entirely unusual. After making himself a sandwich in the kitchen he casually took a stroll through the house thinking she'd be dusting in one of the upstairs rooms. Fifteen minutes of wandering later Arthur ended up in the drawing room and finally declared himself alone, aside from Kreacher. He'd heard Mrs. Black's portrait hollering at the decrepit elf and forced it out of his mind, as much as he didn't like to think of someone being treated that way it was Kreacher's fault that Sirius had died in his opinion. Something caught his eye as Arthur turned to leave the drawing room; the tapestry was changing, a set of double golden lines extending away from Harry's name. Arthur nearly dropped his plate when the stitching finally stopped.

Hermione Jane Potter

1979 -

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Lord Voldemort stood on the balcony of the manor house on the Isle of Mull he'd recently occupied. He'd hated Halloween ever since the night sixteen years ago when he'd suffered his greatest defeat, this one seemed nearly as bad.

His plans had been going so well until midsummer. When Severus managed to kill Dumbledore he assumed nothing could stand in his way, an arrogant mistake. Wormtail had suggested the raid on the Weasley wedding figuring it would be a prime target to wipe out the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix, they never expected a pack of House-elves to retaliate. He'd further punish the rat for his incompetence but he disappeared over a month ago.

They had focused on recruiting after that, building an army to carry out larger scale attacks, and had successfully carried out the destruction of Eastbourne as a test for the Hogsmeade attack. The stealth mission against the Muggle Princess had gone exactly as he'd wanted and what should have been even better was the fact that Scrimgeour had been removed from office and replaced by a man who by all accounts was an imbecile. But the imbecile turned out to be a more aggressive Minister than any of his predecessors. The attack on Hogsmeade had been rushed; it needed to happen before the Aurors could whittle away any more Death Eaters. Potter and the mudblood shouldn't have been there that day and he was sure it was their fault the Aurors had shown up as soon as they did. Then the mudblood bitch performed the same spell Potter had the night in the graveyard, no doubt something Dumbledore had taught them. Snape had known where she lived and he'd sent Greyback to deal with her, but he never returned. Apparently Potter was to blame for that and had the help of a phoenix of all things, no doubt Dumbledore's bird.

Things were not going well. Hogsmeade had decimated his forces. The only trusted Death Eaters he had left were the Lestranges and Snape, after them were a dozen morons only staying out of fear. Time was needed, time to regroup. He needed to find Potter. The brat had been instrumental in two large defeats if the reports of him bringing the elves to the wedding were true; he needed to be put down before he could do any more damage.

A scream rang through the air; Bella was out on the lawn below torturing the Muggle who owned the manor until about an hour ago. Lord Voldemort watched as his favorite, most sadistic witch drove the vermin to insanity before slitting his throat. She turned and looked up to him licking the knife and giving him an evil smile, a smile she knew he enjoyed. Something stirred in Voldemort's loins for a moment before he doubled over in pain and vomited blood all over the balcony.

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