Once in a Lifetime by Gluglug
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe and all the characters in it belong to J.K. Rowling. No infringement intended, just borrowing.
Summary: Picks up immediately after the "Crapalogue" from Deathly Hallows. Harry and Hermione pay a certain author a surprise visit. I admit to using Romulus Lupin's Writer's Block as an inspiration for this story.
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Prologue
All was well….or was it? As Harry watched the Hogwarts Express disappear from the platform at King's Cross, his melancholy feeling deepened but it wasn't just because two of his children would be away for the next four months. He looked over at Ginny, and it struck him how much she now resembled her mother, Molly, when he first saw her on this very same platform almost three decades ago.
Ginny's once svelte and petite figure was now plump (and not pleasingly so) and her once glorious long red mane was cut into a shorter, matronly hairstyle. She was busy consoling little Lily, who was still upset that her two older brothers were gone for the term.
"Oh, baby, don't worry - Al and James will be home at Christmas. In the meantime, Mommy and Daddy will make you feel like a little princess. Do you want us to buy you some sweets on the way home?"
"Gin, let's not give Lily any more sweets." Harry said. "You know how she gets when she has too much sugar. And we don't want to rot her teeth…."
"If you want to give Lily a treat, I have plenty of sugar free snacks at home." Hermione interjected. "My parents just sent me a box for the children."
Ginny smiled at Hermione, a little too sweetly, Harry noticed. "Thank you, Hermione - that would be lovely."
Ron leaned over to kiss his wife on the cheek. "Well, I'm off to a meeting at the Ministry, coming Harry?"
Harry shook his head. "Um no, Ron. I'm taking the day off."
"You are?" Ron and Ginny asked together, in surprise.
"Yeah, Hermione is too. We have to go visit someone."
"Who?" Ginny asked suspiciously.
"Oh it's top secret Ministry business. It has to do with one of Hermione's clients." Harry explained, catching Hermione's eye with a conspiratorial glance.
Hermione saw his look and nodded. "Oh yes, we have to investigate some evidence in a case I'm building. Harry is helping me with one of his contacts."
Ron shrugged. "Well, good luck with your investigating. Hermione, you can take the car, I'll apparate to work."
With a pop he was gone. Ginny continued to look skeptical but gave Harry a kiss good-bye. She took Lily by the hand and walked away as their daughter waved to Harry and Hermione.
Harry took a deep breath and turned to Hermione.
"Harry, what was all that about?" Hermione raised her eyebrow.
"Thanks for covering for me."
"No problem. But you need to tell me what's going on. I don't usually take the day off from work unless one of the kids is sick."
"I know," Harry replied. "But this is important. The rest of our lives depend on this."
Hermione looked suddenly anxious. "The rest of our lives? Please tell me who or what could have such an impact?"
"Hermione, have you ever heard the Muggle song "Once in a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads?"
"No, I haven't, Harry. Why?"
"There's a line in it that goes…And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife, and you may ask yourself-well...how did I get here? That kind of sums up how I feel right now."
Hermione nodded. "I understand. I haven't been feeling right either. I mean, I'm pretty happy with my job and my family but something feels off and I can't for the life of me figure out what it is."
"Well, there is only one person who can help us. We need to see the author. The woman who created us, her name is Jo Rowling."
TBC…
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