Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
An: I know, I'm a day late. Sorry.
Chapter 2 -
"Hermione, I am home. Guess who came to visit you!" Mr. Granger called out in a sickly tone as he tried to pretend he was happy that Lilly was with him.
She gave him a disdainful look letting him know she wasn't buying his act.
Edward ignored her and waited patiently for a response but was greatly disappointed when there was no answer.
"Hermione! Sweety, where are you?" he called out again as Mrs. Finch came bustling from the kitchen with a tray of his favourite scones to greet him.
"Mrs. Finch, where is Ms. Hermione?" He asked his housekeeper as he greedily watched the tray.
"I believe she is in her room Sir. She wasn't feeling well so she went to bed early." Mrs. Finch replied in a polite tone as she held up the tray for him.
"Oh." Mr. Granger replied as he eagerly helped himself. "Hmm wonderful."
As Edward started helping himself to another scone Lilly politely cleared her throat.
"Lilly, I am sorry but if she isn't feeling well. I can not allow her to leave." Edward said smiling broadly.
"Nonsense, all she needs is just a little loving care from her Godmother and she will be fine. Now if you excuse me, I need to go to her." Lilly said as she pushed her way past Edward towards the staircase she assumed would take her upstairs.
"Lilly," Edwards said with a full mouth.
"I suggest you hold off on the scones, you may not be able to fit into your dress robes for tonight." Lilly said from halfway up the stairs.
Edward scoffed in annoyance.
"We will be ready in two hours!" Lilly said as she reached the top of the staircase and turned around to look at Edward. He stared at her and he remembered all the times James had commented to him that he must have a lot of peace since the passing of his wife. At a time like this, he would have to agree with James.
Lilly placed her hands on her hips and glared at Edward, "Are you going to tell me which way to her room?"
"To your left, third door on the right. Her room overlooks the gardens and the stable." Mrs. Finch stated evenly to the dismay of Mr. Granger.
Lilly took off without another word and as Edward was about to scold Mrs. Finch she deftly held up the tray of scones for him and offered him another one thus cutting off whatever angry thought he wanted to share with her.
Lilly knocked lightly on the door in front of her.
"Daddy, I am fine really. Just continue on with your day." Hermione called out polietly from the other side of the door.
"Hermione, it isn't your father. It is Aunty Lilly!" she said happily.
"Aunty Lilly? Mummy's best friend and my God Mother Lilly?" Hermione responded.
"Yes dear now open up!" Lilly said enthusiastically.
Hermione slowly opened the door and peered out. There, standing before her, was a slightly older version of what she remembered her aunt Lilly to look like.
Lilly pushed the door open further and hugged her Goddaughter.
"It is so good to see you again Hermione. I bought this gift for you." Lilly said as she used her wand to summon the dress that she had brought earlier for her. "I want you to wear it tonight." Lilly said presenting Hermione with the beautiful blue dress.
"Oh Aunty, it is lovely but why am I to wear it tonight?" Hermione asked suspiciously. It wasn't everyday that someone popped back into your life.
"I asked your father, and he gave me permission to invite you to my eldest son's birthday party tonight." Lilly informed her with a glowing smile.
"Oh," was Hermione's response.
"Hermione, it will be nice for you to come. When was the last time you saw Harry, William or Charles and I don't think you have ever met Anna. I was pregnant with her when I last saw you." Lilly explained.
Hermione looked very hesitantly at her.
"Remus and Sirius will be there with their families. I will introduce you to people you don't know." Lilly said softly to her. She knew she had to tread carefully. If she remembered correctly, Hermione could get as stubborn as her father. Thankfully, Hermione also had her mother's logical streak and if Lilly could present logical arguments to Hermione, she knew she would be able to convince her to go.
"I am not so sure Aunty. Not that I don't appreciate the invitation it's just that…." Hermione trailed off not wanting to seem ungrateful to her Godmother.
"I will let you go in the back room and join your father for their usual poker games. I know you play. James let it slip one night after coming home from one of his visits here. All you have to do is just let me introduce you around?" Lilly said deciding that like all children the bribery route might be the way to go instead of a logical analysis.
Hermione thought it over then agreed. She needed to win back the 50 galleons she lost to Sirius last week.
"Oh all right." Hermione consented and Lilly set about preparing her Goddaugther for party later that night.
Lilly noticed that Hermione kept attempting to hide her left wrist from her and being a mother of four you know when children are trying to hid something.
"What happened to your wrist?" Lilly asked worriedly.
"Oh, nothing a book fell on it." Hermione lied tucking her left wrist behind her waist.
"Must have been some book! You know if you want your father to believe that, you're going to have to come up with a better lie." Lilly responded causing Hermione's cheek to gather a nice pinkish tinge.
"Your mother's cheeks used to turn that colour when she was caught lying!" Lilly reminisced.
"I was that obvious?" Hermione asked dismayed that she had never been able to lie properly.
"Yes it was, when you raise four children it is easy to see through the lies. So what really happened?" Lilly asked in a motherly tone.
"I went riding and there was this couple on their horse. I think the girl was in control and she was going too fast. We were on a narrow pathway and there was nowhere for me to go. We were in a head on collision. Well more like they were going to run into me since I was ahead of them. Luckily, their horse stopped short of me but it sent them flying into me. Actually, the girl flew into me. The man fell just behind Comet. I broke my wrist trying to brace my fall." Hermione explained as she looked down at her swollen wrist.
"Your father won't like that, here let me see it!" Lilly said taking Hermione's wrist gently into her hand. The wrist was indeed very swollen and the area had turned a dark blue. Hermione winced as Lilly applied a little pressure to confirm if Hermione had in fact broken it.
Lilly then waved her wand over Hermione's wrist in a complicated pattern and muttered a spell. There was a flash of white light around Hermione's wrist causing it to feel warm and tingly but she did notice that the pain was subsiding. When the glow had vanished the swelling was gone and Hermione found she could bend and rotate her wrist easily again.
"You can heal!" Hermione exclaimed in astonishment as she eagerly examined her wrist.
"Yes well being around my husband and sons has made me an excellent healer! You might be surprised the mess my boys tend to get into." Lilly said quite fondly.
"But healing isn't a woman's job?" Hermione responded still awestruck by the feat her Godmother had performed.
"Hermione don't act surprised. I am very well aware that you have learnt more magic than a woman should through your private lessons." Lilly said to her Goddaughter.
Hermione flushed again. Not many people knew that Hermione's skills in magic could equally any mans.
"Aunty cleaning and cooking spells get a bit boring. I can't help it if I have a sharp mind and am capable of learning much more." Hermione defended herself.
Lilly sensing an opportunity to bond with her Goddaughter decided to make Hermione an offer.
"Why don't you come out to Godric's Hollow once a week and I can teach you all the healing spells, plus some other interesting ones that I know?" Lilly offered.
"You would teach me to heal?" Hermione asked in disbelief.
"Of course, I am sure you're aware your mother and I were very against the traditional role of women in society. In fact some of the extra spells I learnt, I picked up from your mom! It would be my honour to pass it on to you." Lilly told her sincerely.
"What day are we going to start?" Hermione asked enthusiastically.
"Any day that's good with you but don't forget to talk to you father about it." Lilly said still very aware that Edward would have the last say in the matter.
"Don't worry I should be able to talk my father into letting me come. After all, you are my Godmother." Hermione boasted confidently.
Lilly gave her a warm smile.
"Let's work on getting you dressed shall we." Lilly said her eyes fixed on Hermione.
"Certainly," Hermione responded with a smile.
_*_
Lilly, Hermione and Edward arrived at Godric's Hollow with about an hour left before the party and to Lilly's absolute horror, guests were already arriving from the different estates.
"This place is a disaster!" Lilly screamed as she walked in and found Sirius hanging form the ceiling, tied up in the streamers that were supposed to be decorating the main entrance. Needless to say she was furious and her face matched the colour of her hair. She should have known better than to trust her husband and his friends to be responsible. Hermione was laughing next to her and Lilly soon saw the hilarity in the situation and allowed her self a small smile before rounding on her husband.
"James, what on Earth is Sirius doing up there! The streamers were supposed to decorate the main entrance not to torture Sirius." Lilly scolded her husband who had the decency to look ashamed in front of his wife.
"Laugh it up Hermione! Maybe when I get out of here I can get 100 Galleons from you this time!" Sirius said to a giggling Hermione.
"Hardly likely, it was a fluke the last time. This time you will see what a true genius I am. Now be still so I can get you down." Hermione said as she drew her wand to retrieve Sirius from his embarrassing predicament.
Lilly stopped her quickly though, "Remember Hermione, you are no longer home. Let your father get him down. Some of the people that are attending this party tonight aren't very approving of women learning magic. They already taunt James for how much I know." Lilly gently reminded her Goddaughter.
"Sorry Aunty." Hermione said as she put her wand away and made a mental note to restrict her use of magic. She didn't want to cause her Godmother any embarrassment.
"It is not a problem. Just keep it at the back of your mind. Edward, please get Sirius off the ceiling." Lilly asked politely.
"I think he's a marvellous addition to the ceiling Lilly, are you sure you want to remove that decoration." Edward said as he cocked his head to the side and looked up at the hanging Sirius.
"I know." James said arrogantly as Sirius continued to complain from the ceiling.
"James, we spent hundred of Galleons on this party for Harry and I am not going to spoil it with one of your idiotic decorations." Lilly responded.
"Can you please stop referring to me as a decoration!" Sirius yelled from the ceiling.
"Someone get him down." Lilly demanded.
Edward complied much to James's dismay and Sirius was soon lowered to the floor.
Once Sirius was safely on the ground Lilly addressed him. "Sirius when is Julie going to arrive? She is miraculous at decorating."
Julie was Sirius's wife or as James put it the woman with the misfortune to marry Sirius. Julie had a great sense of humour, which was definitely a prerequisite for dealing with him. Where as James had married right out of school, he had waited more than a decade. He first met Julie in the town of Hogsmeade, not too far away from Hogwarts. She grew up there and worked in the joke shop Zonko's, owned by her father. They were a perfect match for each other, even though Julie was quite a few years younger than Sirius.
"She should be here soon." Sirius responded as Edward used his wand to neatly unwrap the streamers and role them into a tight circle making it easier to reuse them.
"Very well then. I need to get changed. Please call me when she arrives. Come Hermione let me show you around. Oh and James please keep the guests outside till Julie comes and helps me with these streamers." Lilly said as she took Hermione's hand.
James looked helplessly at his wife, as he had no idea how to keep the early guests outside without insulting them.
Lilly took Hermione through the house stopping every now and then to give her a funny story about events occurring in the various rooms she was showing her. Outside on the Patio a small girl with long deep red hair ran up to them.
"Mommy, Mommy!" she cried. Hermione noticed that she possessed her father's eyes.
"Anna darling, meet Hermione Granger. Her mother and I were best friends when we were your age." Lilly explained fondly.
"Hi Miss Hermione," Anna greeted her with a small curtsy.
"Hello," Hermione curtsied to her as well.
"Anna, can you show Hermione around in the garden please while I attend to some business inside. Remember to come in before Harry arrives." Lilly told her daughter firmly.
"Yes mom." Anna replied.
Once Lilly was sufficiently satisfied that the two girls were getting along she rushed upstairs to change quickly and attend to the decorations.
_*_
2 hours later, Godric's Hollow
Harry, William and Charles were sneaking into the house through the side door connected to a service room for the ballroom. They had just put their horses in the stable and were trying to get to their rooms without being noticed. It was nighttime and only the candles in the kitchen were lit. They assumed that meant that their parents and sister were eating in the kitchen. They had asked Dobby to cover for them earlier if they didn't get back in time for dinner.
"Moms going to be furious with us if she catches us!" Charles said as they entered the side door.
"Then be quiet or we will get caught!" William said tapping his brother on the side of his head.
"Shush both of you, or I will silence you with my wand!" Harry said firmly as he placed his ear to the door that lead into the ballroom. After hearing no sound, he cracked the door open and stared into the dark room. He couldn't make out anything and assumed it was safe to move forward. He slowly started to move to the door that would lead to the staircase but he was soon frozen in place by the angry voice of his mother.
"Maybe I should silence all three of you for the week! You were supposed to be here an hour ago! Harry you should be more responsible than this. You are the eldest and I would hate to think of you taking a wife soon and attempting to raise a family with this type of behaviour." Lilly's voice shouted through the dark.
Harry was about to defend himself when he was interrupted.
"SURPRISE! Happy Birthday Harry" everyone shouted as the candles in the ballroom all lit up revealing a packed room.
Harry was shocked. He went from a scene with his angry mother shouting at him, to an entire ballroom full of people all smiling at him who had witnessed his mother's lecture, but the strange thing was that his birthday wasn't till the end of the month.
James walked over to Harry and patted him on the back. "Got ya!" He whispered into his son's ear proudly. Harry had successfully thrown both him and Sirius a surprise party earlier in the year and they both vowed to return the gesture.
"Got you good this time Harry. You never expected it!" Sirius shouted loudly above the chatter in the ballroom.
"Why would I expect it, my birthday isn't until the end of the month!" Harry responded angrily to his Godfather.
"We chose to celebrate your birthday for the whole month, so we started today with this party!" James explained to his son.
Harry ignored his father and decided to scan the crowd to see how much damage control he would have to do. He could see all the Weasley's present including the prat Percy. The Weasleys were his favourite family, outside his immediate family that is. His considered his immediate family to include the Blacks and the Lupins. They may not have been his father's blood brothers but they were certainly brothers in every other possible way.
Harry heard laughter behind him and turned around to the grinning faces of his two younger brothers.
"You knew didn't you!" Harry exclaimed feeling betrayed.
"Of course we knew. Dad couldn't have done this by himself!" William boasted.
"Just wait till your birthday's come around again." Harry said threatening his younger brothers.
"Harry, you have a lot of people to greet!" Lilly said as she pulled her son away from them and dragged him over to his least favourite people in the room, the Malfoys!
"No mom, you didn't invite them. Why did they have to come?" Harry asked his mother under his breath.
"Because it would be rude, not to invite them!" Lilly responded subtly reminding him of the social responsibilities they had to bare.
"Well it wouldn't be rude if you didn't invite the Snapes, the Parkinsons, the Zabini's, the Goyle's and the Crabbes! Just leave out all of the Slytherins." Harry informed her.
"Stop complaining now." Lilly said sternly to her son.
"Lucius! How nice of you to make it!" Lilly said greeting Lucius Malfoy.
"Mr and Mrs. Malfoy!" Harry greeted graciously.
"Ah young Mr. Potter, I believe you remember my son, Draco. You two were in the same class at school." Lucius said as he acknowledged Harry's greeting. He appeared to be studying Harry quite closely and Harry felt very uncomfortable, as the older Malfoy had never given him this much attention before. He didn't even seem to remember that Harry was currently in the same Auror class as Draco.
"Potter," Draco drawled at him.
"Malfoy," Harry responded sourly causing him to receive a pinch on his arm for his rude greeting to Draco.
"If you will excuse me I have other guests to greet!" Harry said, seizing an opportunity to go talk to the Weasley twins in the corner of the room.
Draco also took the opportunity to depart the uncomfortable situation and return to his group where his girlfriend, Pansy, briefly kissed him on the cheek.
Harry continued to greet all the guests that he liked while steadfastly avoiding those he detested. It seemed the people he detested, all had something in common. They all had dealings in some form or the other with Mr. Riddle, the owner of Slytherin Manor. Thankfully, Mr. Riddle rarely made public appearances and usually sent one of his aides to attend to his business.
_*_
Hermione was outside on the porch. It was relatively warm and she enjoyed looking at the stars. She needed to get away. Lilly had practically introduced her to what seemed like the whole world! Naturally, she knew it wasn't the whole world just everyone who lived in Hogwarts but she still felt very overwhelmed. Most of the people smiled when they greeted her but she could tell most weren't sincere. She even heard some of them criticize her the moment her back was turned. Lilly had told her not to bother with the comments but she did say that it was always good to know what you were really up against out there.
Hermione still had to meet with the Smith's, McMillian's, Chang's, Thomas's, Finnegan's and the list went on as far she was concerned. The poker game hadn't started yet as everyone was still greeting each other and dinner was yet to be served. Most likely after dinner she would have to tag on to her father and get into the game. Hopefully, he would let her.
One thing that surprised Hermione though, was that Harry was the boy from the lake. She had yet to meet him formally but she was hoping to keep her distance. She was still angry with her self that she hadn't recognized him earlier that day. She guess she was probably just in shock from the whole meeting but she should have known. He looked exactly like James but with Lilly's eyes. James always talked about how Harry had a penchant for getting into trouble and Hermione certainly would describe her encounter today with him as getting her into trouble.
She had seen the girl from this afternoon there, but she was yet to be introduced to her. She was on the Ravenclaw side of the room, so she assumed she was from one of those families that lived on that estate. She could be a descendent of Ravenclaw also. History said that Rowena Ravenclaw was a very beautiful and intelligent woman. The girl this afternoon seemed to lack on the intelligence side but she definitely had the beauty.
Hermione looked out at the moon the half moon and she was happy that Remus was able to attend. Her mind drifted back to the poker game and she couldn't wait for dinner to be served, so that the game could start. But for now she had to wait patiently and hoped that her Godmother didn't notice her disappearance.
_*_
Harry had now greeted everyone he wanted to and decided he needed a breath of fresh air and he knew the exact spot that he wanted to go to. As he opened the door to the back porch, he was surprised to find that someone was already there. A lady was standing by the railing and looking up at the stars. As he clicked the door shut, she turned around and Harry's breath caught in his throat. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The way the moonlight glowed around her made her look like she was an angel.
"I see you are alone this time?" Hermione commented dryly.
Harry didn't know how long he stood their staring at her before her words sank in.
"Excuse me?" he asked confused.
Hermione noticing that Harry hadn't so much as blinked in the last few minuets laughed slightly.
"Do I look that bad?" she asked
"Hardly, you're beautiful!" Harry said without thinking.
Hermione gave him a small smile and turned away from him to look out at the gardens.
"What did you mean earlier?" Harry asked as the silence had begun to annoy him.
"This morning you were with a young maiden. I would assume you would still be with her, after all this party is dedicated to you." Hermione said logically.
"This morning?" Harry questioned trying to rack his brain. As far as he knew he had never seen her before.
"Please don't tell me your memory is as bad as Sirius's?" Hermione teased lightly.
"You know Sirius?" Harry questioned her curiously.
"Of course I know Sirius!" Hermione scoffed at him.
Before Harry could continue their conversation and find out more about the mysterious girl he was talking to, someone came through the door calling out her name.
"Hermione, you won't believe how pissed Pansy is making me. She keeps touching me and I wish she would stop. Did you see how hot Ginny Weasley is looking tonight!" the man said as he came through the door and froze as he came face to face with Harry Potter.
Harry was in shock as he was now face to face with Draco Malfoy, a person he had been trying to avoid. Something was off though; he had never heard Malfoy speak so casually before, almost friendly as if he was completely comfortable with the girl before him. The things he said about Pansy were also a shock. He thought they were quite close, but by the way he spoke about her, he concluded that Malfoy couldn't stand her. But what really irked him was his last comment about Ginny. Ginny had once had a crush on Harry and they tried an informal relationship but it didn't work out. He now thought of her as a younger sister similar to his feelings for Anna, to think of someone like Malfoy lusting after her made him want to punch his lights out.
They were locked in a staring battle until Hermione's voice brought them out of it.
"Oh you two stop that. You are supposed to be grown men, not children!" Hermione reminded them.
"You shouldn't talk!" Draco shot back
"And what is that supposed to mean Draco" Hermione said emphasising every syllable of his name.
"For one, you snuck out this morning, ran into him, broke your wrist, hid from your father, was lucky enough that your Godmother knew how to heal your wrist and well instead of socializing with those people in there," Draco said as he pointed his hand in the direction of the ballroom "You choose to come out here! If that isn't acting like a child I don't know what is." he finished in a superior tone seemingly forgetting his rivalry with Harry for the time being.
"I don't see you inside either!" Hermione pointed out through gritted teeth.
"At least I lasted longer than you!" he retorted.
Before Hermione could point out that this was her first time at one of these events and she wasn't as seasoned as him at this, they were interrupted by a tall redhead. "Hey Harry …. Woa what's he doing out here with you?" Ron said referring to Malfoy's presence on the porch.
"I came out here for peace and quiet and it seems the whole party followed me out!" Hermione said sarcastically.
"Didn't I meet you earlier, your Aunty Lilly's Goddaughter, Helen? No Hestia? Hermit, No Harmony? No He.."
"Hermione! How hard is that Her - my - oh- knee!" She said breaking it down as if she were talking to a small child causing Draco to chuckle at her antics.
"Laugh it up ferret face!" Ron responded to Draco
"Ferret face?" Hermione looked bewildered at Draco.
"Long story," he told her simply.
"I have time." Hermione said eagerly taking a seat.
Draco eyed her profile on the chair and knew there was no way he could get out of telling her the story. "One year at school …." Draco started but then stopped at the look on Harry and Ron's faces.
"What?" he questioned them
"You're actually repeating the story. You hate to talk about it?" Ron said
"You don't know Hermione. She will nag and nag and nag until she gets me to tell her." Draco explained.
"I don't nag! I merely ask questions." Hermione clarified with her head held loftily in the air.
This caused horrendous laughter from the door.
"Luna, when did you get here!" Hermione said as she sprung to her feet to greet her.
"Hey! How come I didn't get such a nice greeting?" Draco queried
"You aren't as familiar with Nargels as I am!" Luna replied dreamingly causing Ron and Harry to share `she's a crazy witch' look.
"Your company is in high demand!" Luna said as she surveyed the room.
"Yes and Draco was just telling me about a certain ferret incident that happened at Hogwarts." Hermione eagerly told Luna.
"Nag!" Draco said.
"Draco!" Hermione said in a warning tone.
"You three are friends?" Ron questioned
"Yes is that so hard to believe Ronald? You don't think anyone could be friends with Loony Lovegood do you?" Luna responded in a hurt tone.
Hermione knew Luna liked Ron as he was all she ever talked about. Hermione had met Luna shortly after Luna's mom died. She had been grounded from riding so she decided to take a walk into the forest. She found Luna wondering around. She was looking for Nargels at the time. Hermione having understood what it was like to lose your mother understood her right away. They became good friends even if their parents didn't really realise the extent of their friendship.
"I don't think he meant that Luna. I think he was more surprised that Draco has friends outside of his usual snooty circle!" Hermione said with a grin on her face as she and Luna took a seat.
Luna giggled at her friend's remark. She truly knew how to put her at ease.
"You three going to stand up there or are we going to sit and hear this ferret story!" Hermione commented
"You don't ever stop do you?" Harry asked
"No My Lord, I don't" Hermione replied mockingly
Draco rolled his eyes and took a seat as he started to tell her the story with unappreciated commentary from Ron and Harry.
"Harry your mom is ready to serve …?"Ginny stopped saying as she came through the door and saw that Harry was in quite unusual company.
"This is unexpected. I thought I would see Ron, maybe the twins too, even Cho but not this!" Ginny said as she swept her hands across the room. "Are you ok Harry, do you have a fever?"
"Yeah Gin, I know what you mean. I was shocked out of my mind!" Ron said.
"You have a mind?" Draco and Ginny asked in unison causing Ginny to stare in his direction.
"I am guessing you came in here to call us for dinner?" Luna said breaking Ginny out of her stare.
"What, oh, yeah. Aunty Lilly sent me out here to get Harry. I don't think she thought so many people were out here though." Ginny said as her attention slowly drifted back to Draco.
"Dinner! The sooner we eat the sooner I can get my fifty Galleons back!" Hermione said as she stood up.
"You're still not going on about that?" Draco groaned.
"Of course I am. It is all Little Rus's fault. He kept distracting me during the game. He wouldn't sit still. He is exactly like his father!"
"Game?" Ginny questioned
"Poker" Draco and Hermione responded
"Poker, they let you play poker. Your name is Hermione right?" Ginny asked.
"At last someone got it right! I learned to play poker when I was 6. I had come down with a fever and I was really miserable. I only wanted my father. The only problem was he was in the middle of a game with Uncles James, Sirius and Remus, but they didn't mind and let me stay. I picked it up really fast and help Daddy win. After that I was his good luck charm. Eventually, when I was about 12, Sirius got fed up of my father winning and challenged him to let me play by myself. Needless to say Sirius regrets that decision to this day. I have been winning ever since. Well except for last week. He seems to have found his own good luck charm now!" Hermione said as she pondered over Sirius's recent luck.
"Can you teach me?" Ginny asked slyly
"Poker? Yeah sure. Aunty Lilly is supposed to be teaching me some of her healing spells. So maybe when I come across, I can teach you if you're here. Or you can just sit with us tonight! I am sure Sirius would have a fit if he sees another woman at the table!" Hermione said laughing
"I believe Ginny said food was ready so if you don't mind, lets go eat!" Ron said as his stomach made a loud growl.
Ginny shook her head in disgust at her brother but Harry happily agreed as he had been quite uncomfortable with the looks that had been passing between the Ferret and Ginny. The sooner he could get off of the porch, the sooner his life could return to normal but what Harry didn't know, was that there would be no more normal after tonight.
-*-
A long figure sat on an elaborate throne as he looked down at the pensieve that sat on his lap. He already reviewed the memory in there countless of times but it still didn't give him the information he required.
"Bring me the seer!" He called off into the distance.
He knew his servants heard him, they always did and soon a fragile malnourished woman entered held between two large men.
"Leave us." He commanded and the two men placed the women on the floor before him and left.
"You are the daughter of a great seer but you can't seem to answer my one question." He sneered at her.
The woman looked up at the man with sunken eyes and yellow skin. She didn't know how long she had been there but she knew she would not be leaving that room this time.
"I know the boy is the one but who is the girl?" He demanded.
The woman didn't respond.
"Nagini," he hissed and a mass of black that had been curled up in the corner, slowly uncurled and made its way towards its master.
"I have a nice treat for you, enjoy." He said as he stood from his throne and left the room.
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