Sunlight beamed through every window of the castle creating a stifling heat which drove almost every student from the castle. Hermione Granger remained indoors though, continuing to correct the end of term papers that were piled on her desk.
She usually preferred to be indoors but on days as alive and brilliant as these she would have fancied going down to visit her friend Neville who was attending to the many greenhouses on the grounds. It was not his duty as Professor of Herbology to tend and maintain the gardens but his love of nature and magical plants always won over his work.
Three years after the war Hermione had accepted the position as Professor of Arithmancy after Professor Vector's untimely death. She would be eternally grateful to Headmistress McGonagall for the offer. Hermione had always felt a connection to the castle where she had grown up and learnt magic to her utmost capabilities and now she felt that she was paying her debt back to the castle.
She once believed teaching would be difficult and too stressful for her to handle but as soon as she began she knew it was the right profession. She enjoyed expanding the minds of students and showing them the extent with which magic could be used. When she discovered Neville Longbottom had also started working at Hogwarts she had been delighted to have someone around with whom she could speak.
Three more years later and she was completely settled into life at Hogwarts. She was no longer nervous about working with her old professors and had become good friends with Minerva McGonagall.
An owl swooped through the window which had been thrust open in vain of catching a non-existent breeze. She recognised him as Pigwidgeon and immediately began fumbling with the attached scroll hoping he would refrain from upending the waiting papers. After untying it and thanking Pig she unfurled the scroll and read the letter.
Dear Hermione
Having a get together at the Burrow tonight to celebrate Lara's birthday. Would love for you to come, Luna is crazy with excitement…well crazier than usual. Mum is cooking and I think almost everyone is coming so if possible please come. Forget work for one night…the summer holidays are starting in a few days so the students don't really need you on your top form!
See you there
Ron
Scribbling a small note she fastened it to Pig and launched him out the window where he instantly began beating his wings desperately. She continued to correct the remainder of the papers, then tidied her desk and made her way down to see Neville, who would obviously be attending any Weasley bash to see his wife Ginny.
"Hey Neville," she said as she approached, shielding her eyes from the sun with the palm of her hand.
"Morning Hermione. Are you finished correcting assignments?" he asked and she knew from his tone he had not even began.
"Most of them. I was just wondering what time you're going tonight. I thought we might as well Floo together as it saves powder." She seated herself on one of the work benches that ran down the centre of the greenhouse and watched as he turned compost with his gloved hands.
"Good idea. I'm going at about seven, Ginny warned that most people weren't turning up till about eight but Molly asked me to help her with some Writhing Weeds that have started to strangle some of her gnomes."
Though still awkward, clumsy and easily panicked Neville had matured most since the end of the war. He was reaching six foot four in height and his hair was nearly shoulder length. His greatest attribute had not changed and that was his good heart. He never had any inhibitions when it came to helping others. Picking himself up off his knees, he dusted his trousers off before standing fully revealing his lean wiry frame.
"Fancy getting some Pumpkin Juice, I'm absolutely parched," he commented as he ripped off his gloves and flung them onto the table.
Together they walked up through the grounds taking in the messing playful students as they created a scene of chaos around the lake. The sun's dazzling light bounced off its surface and the Giant Squid's tentacles could be seen just beneath it as it emerged from the murky depths.
"So how is Ron? I heard about that Death Eater attack on North London. I suppose they've been working the Aurors hard since then. It's been awhile since an attack." Neville's eyes seemed to drift over the grounds as he said these words, his mind thinking back to the last fierce battle the Ministry had had. It had claimed the lives of twelve noble wizards, two of whom were governors at Hogwarts.
"North London wasn't a major incident. Apparently nobody was injured seriously and it was more of a robbery than anything. Ron told me the Aurors have been pulled off the case. Good news I suppose. The retribution of the Death Eaters seems to be over now." They climbed the steps into the Entrance Hall whist discussing some of the worst attacks they had suffered.
For two years after the war nearly every witch and wizard was involved in tracking down the remainder of the Death Eaters. It kept the world preoccupied and everyone knew that the world would be safer if every alley was explored and no wizard went unchecked. Both Hermione and Neville had their fair share of fighting.
"I can't believe Lara is already two years old. I can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. And you know what my memory is like," remarked Neville with a smile.
"Yeah. Ron was going absolutely spare for the whole day. I think he thought Luna was going to give birth to a mandrake or something otherworldly," she laughed, pushing the door to the staff room open.
"I'll never forget his face when he saw her for the first time…brings a lump to my throat even now," he said shaking his head disbelievingly.
The large rectangular staff room was devoid of people except for Severus Snape who sat rigidly in an armchair reading the Daily Prophet. His black eyes darted in their direction but then returned to the pages that were hovering in front of him. His attitude towards them had barely changed but the loss of his left arm, the one which had held the Dark Mark, had made him slightly more reliant on others. He accepted their authority as professors and showed them respect in the presence of students which was all Hermione could ask for.
Neville seemed to clamp up around Snape, something which Hermione doubted he would ever recover from. Hermione on the other hand respected Snape as an equal and valued what he had been subjected to during the war.
"Professor," she acknowledged earning her a listless nod from him. Some things never change, she thought resignedly.
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A sharp tap on her door tore her attention away from the mirror. Even though she hated the mirror she was still forced to rely on it especially on occasions such as her best friends daughter's birthday. Tonight she had donned a black linen sundress that she believed suited the occasion perfectly. To top it off she sported strap sandals, very summer. More than likely the gathering would be outdoors and it was still stiflingly warm out. Her hair fell softly just below her shoulders, no longer unmanageable and bushy. Now it fell in elegant curls.
"Nice," complimented Neville with an appreciative smile when she opened the door.
"Watch it," she warned lightly. She opened the door wider for him to enter and motioned towards the fireplace. After another quick last glance at her reflection she stood shoulder to shoulder with Neville who now held a handful of Floo Powder.
"Perhaps I should do that. Remember last time, we nearly ended up in Timbuktu," she reminded him with a painful expression. He nodded in agreement and nearly thrust the powder into her hand.
"The Burrow," she commanded and flung the powder into the grate. Together they strode into the engulfing green flames and in seconds stepped out at the right destination.
"Neville!" Ginny squeaked and leaped into his arms causing him to stagger slightly. Hermione instantly took in the scene of mayhem before her. The whole kitchen was preparing itself for the feast, all the food being prepared by magic which was being orchestrated by a harried Mrs. Weasley.
On entering Hermione was grabbed into a hug by Luna who was wearing a very flowery sundress and an enormous sunhat which accentuated her quirkiness. "It's been such a long time. Nearly four months!" she said astounded.
"Hogwarts just doesn't seem to stop," replied Hermione, trying not to appear defensive.
"Oh Hermione, it is good to see you dear," Mrs. Weasley managed through a tight embrace.
"You too," Hermione responded enthusiastically. When all the bother of welcoming had worn off and Neville and Mrs. Weasley had gone to investigate the extent of her Writhing Weeds problem Hermione went in search of the source of all the commotion.
Ron's daughter Lara was seated contentedly in the sitting room surrounded by magical building blocks(which made a thunderous crashing sound every time they came apart). She was being observed closely by Ron who jumped up when Hermione entered the room.
"How is Hogwarts?" he asked as she collapsed into the moulding couch.
"Same as always. Still some problems with students being taken out during the year due to attacks but other than that everything is fine. Anymore news on that attack in London?" She had always relied on Ron for information concerning attacks due to the fact that he was a fully qualified Auror.
"Not really. The victim of the attack was a wizard but the property was a muggle address, which caused some problems because, the muggle…er…"
"Police?" Hermione offered.
"Yeah, them, they were all over the scene. Once our guys had a good look though we realised it was theft rather than a hate crime."
"But you do think that it was a Death Eater?" Hermione asked confused.
"The victim claims it was a Death Eater. He alleged that it was because the attacker was wearing a black cloak and a Death Eater mask but…well, we still get a lot of copycat attackers. You know…people who want to be Death Eaters. Complete lunatics. I mean You-Know-Who is gone now so why continue?" he asked rhetorically rolling his eyes.
"Again the retribution aspect. They want revenge for Voldemort's downfall. Does it ever look as if it is going to end?" she asked forlornly, watching Lara innocently giggle as the blocks went tumbling to the floor. Even though her fighting days were over, many Aurors still fought against those who survived the war. A number of infamous murderers still remained at large in Britain and across the continent.
"We'll just keep hunting them. As Lupin always says `one Death Eater will eventually lead to another'. One day the search will be over. That's all we can hope for. Anyway the world is a lot better than it used to be," he commented with a grin.
Ron could not have been more right. Unlike during the days of the second war Diagon Alley was filled with wizards and witches who were no longer paranoid and hurrying through their shopping expecting to be killed on the spot. It was a lively vibrant place and a centre for wizarding Britain. The Leaky Cauldron was again a place of booming business and was never empty. There seemed to be a strengthened bond between the wizarding communities as they were survivors of a terrible war with many fatalities.
"Hello everyone," came a familiar voice from behind them. Ron, Hermione and Lara all turned to see the new arrival.
"Professor Lupin," Hermione said instantly but winced once she realised the stupidity of referring to him as a professor when he hadn't taught her in a good many years. "Sorry," she said shaking her head meekly. "Old habits die hard."
"No need to apologize," he chuckled. "Professor Granger," he added playfully. She laughed and stood to greet him properly. She had not spoken to him since Christmas almost three years ago, where he had given her a few useful tips on becoming a professor at Hogwarts. He looked healthy something which she could rarely say about him.
"Wotcher little girl," said a pink haired Tonks as she scooped Lara off the floor into her arms. Lara immediately broke into a fit of giggles while Tonks altered her nose into various shapes and sizes. Meanwhile, Ron shook Lupin's hand in a very manly way earning a surreptitious laugh from Hermione.
In a matter of minutes Hermione was reintroduced to Fred, George, Bill and Charlie Weasley along with old members from the Order of The Phoenix and a few people from she attended Hogwarts with. After registering the fact that the house was overflowing with bodies the party moved outdoors where fairy lights had been stationed in the surrounding gnarled trees and a trestle table which had been elongated by magic seated many of the wizards who attended.
"I didn't realise you were going to invite the entire wizarding world," observed Hermione with a smile.
"Well it was supposed to be just family occasion but once word leaked out." Ron answered with a pointed nod at the mass of people. "I couldn't just say no."
Hermione could not comprehend how Mrs. Weasley managed to create so much food but she did nonetheless and it was superb. Sitting in between Lupin and Charlie Weasley she enjoyed herself immensely and was shocked when she glanced at her watch to find it was already nearing ten o'clock. Luna decided to put Lara to bed as she was falling into a slumber at the table and Ron followed her into the Burrow.
"Students are tricky but once you follow the basics it's pretty simple. It's important to remember your own school days and draw experience from that," Lupin was saying beside her. She zoned out momentarily watching a few couples dancing to music emanating from the kitchen. The repetition of her name brought her back from the recesses of her mind.
Swivelling in her chair she locked eyes with an impatient Terry Boot. "Well, Hermione," he said pompously. "How have you been?"
"I'm just going over to speak to Arthur for a moment. Feel free to take my seat," Lupin offered as he stood to his feet, ignoring Hermione's imploring glare to stay with her. He scurried off with an apologetic smile.
"Er…I'm fine. How about you? Ron was telling me you started working at the Ministry. What department do you work for?" She kept the conversation as light as possible hoping he would get bored and leave. After Hogwarts she had had a brief relationship with him but ultimately she realised she had been wasting his time. He had his hopes on marriage and children while she barely had enough time to think of those things.
"The Department of Mysteries," he answered proudly. Seeing the distant expression that settled on her face he asked whether she was alright.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just thinking about…oh, it doesn't matter," she laughed waving it off. "What are your duties there?"
"Hermione, you know as well as I do that I can't divulge that information," he said pretentiously, sitting up higher in his chair. A sudden explosion of light in the sky drew their attention and they gazed up at the firework display that riddled the night sky. Fred and George Weasley were still revered for their mastery of firework displays. Everybody applauded and shouted before Ron came storming out of the Burrow yelling about how they had woken up Lara.
Terry started to speak again, more loudly than before in a fruitless attempt to catch her wavering attention. Perhaps she had had too much wine or else it was just the many memories the Burrow often caused her to relive but physically she appeared a million miles away. Her intense brown eyes took in the garden again. Many people were now occupying lawn chairs; others milled about or stood in twos and threes, balancing paper plates and cans of beer.
A group of children played horseshoes; others chased each other, or tossed balls and Fanged Frisbees back and forth. She felt Terry's form shift beside her and turned to see him standing to his feet. "Well I better return to my date," he explained gesturing towards a woman Hermione recognised as Susan Bones.
"I wasn't aware you two had come together," Hermione smiled feeling at ease now that she knew he had not come to rekindle anything as he usually did. Her hopes didn't last long though.
"If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me," he said as if she was some sort of recovering alcoholic. He then placed his hand uncomfortably on her knee causing her to immediately draw back from him. Terry could be as unrelenting as a bad rash caused by a Weasley product. She narrowed her eyes in dislike and he obviously caught her meaning, striding off towards Susan.
Over the next hour she met another parade of people from all over Britain. Some she had never been introduced to as they were colleagues of Ron or worked for the Quibbler with Luna. They were all friendly but she noticed they became quite reserved around her, knowing her reputation in the wizarding world for her part in the final battle and as a leading member in the first stages of rounding up the Death Eaters.
Just after midnight the party began to dwindle as many people left for their homes. With a flick of her wand Mrs. Weasley vanished the heavy laden trestle table and gave a contented sigh. "I just don't know how muggles manage."
"With difficulty," Mr. Weasley responded with a grin.
Hermione laughed and exited the kitchen into the now empty garden. Ron was standing with a bottle of beer gazing upwards at the velvety sky. "I'm going to head back now."
"You're welcome to stay," Ron offered.
"I'd rather go back. I still have a lot of end-of-term papers to correct," she explained. After thanking her for coming with a hug she made her way towards the boundaries of the property so she could Apparate. A lot of people had decided to Floo and she wasn't in the mood to queue. Neville would be undoubtedly staying with Ginny.
As she reached a little county gate with peeling green paint, a harried looking Kingsley Shacklebolt rushed past her and sprinted up to Ron. She paused momentarily sensing something was wrong and turned to see him speaking in hushed tones with Ron, whose relaxed expression suddenly became one of concern. Her years of fighting implored her to return to him.
"What is it? What's happened?" She inquired as she approached them.
"Nothing," replied Ron, too quickly and evasively.
"Ron," she admonished dangerously.
"There were two attacks in London," admitted Ron finally.
Dread began to pool in the pit of Hermione's stomach.
"The incidents occurred about two hours ago. The addresses were both muggle owned property. One was an office block, the other a muggle residence," Kingsley Shaklebolt clarified in a very formal tone. He refused to elaborate any more considering Hermione was not an Auror.
Ron stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, steering her back towards the gate. "Everything is under control Hermione. The Aurors are all over the scene. The Police haven't picked up on it yet. Go back to Hogwarts. I'll update you tomorrow," he said quietly, out of earshot.
She gazed at him attentively while he spoke and by the time she apparated, she was absolutely sure he was not telling her something important.
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