Chương 443: 131-140
The minister and the head of the DMLE were meeting with the Deputy Head of Hogwarts to attempt a workable solution to their problem. Hogwarts had been searched from top to bottom and was now considered by the ministry to be safe. Amelia though had honestly stated she had no idea when Dumbledore would be apprehended. At the moment the old wizard appeared fixated purely on Harry Potter but what if that changed?
Cornelius now had a really difficult decision to make, he couldn't run the country under the auspices of 'what if's. He would have to make the decision based on the best information he had, also monitoring the situation and have contingency plans in place.
"Minerva, I think we should open Hogwarts on Friday. That will give everyone the weekend to settle in before classes begin on Monday. I would also like you to take over as headmistress on a temporary basis for now, the entire Hogwarts situation is going to have to be watched closely until Dumbledore is no longer a threat. Have you any thoughts on replacements for the defence and transfiguration professors?"
"I intend to continue teaching, though perhaps employ someone else to take the first and second years to free up some of my time. The defence position has an outstanding replacement already in the castle, would I receive ministry backing for employing someone suffering from lycanthropy to teach the children?"
Cornelius didn't hesitate in the slightest, "I have heard nothing but good reports about Remus Lupin, from ministry employees and children he's already taught. I can help you also with the security position if he moves. I want to station aurors inside the castle to continue that function, at least until Dumbledore is caught"
Both witches present were delighted with this solution, should Dumbledore change tactics then a visit to Hogwarts was bound to be high on his to-do list. Having an auror presence in the castle would aid with detection and hopefully keep him occupied until reinforcements arrived. All three were worried about the effect today's revelations and judgement might have on whatever sanity the old wizard had left. A crazy rogue Dumbledore was every bit as big a threat as any dark lord.
.....
A beaming Sirius had Hestia on his arm as they watched two ten-year-olds come racing down the path toward them. The girls must have been keeping watch for the first sight of him, a quick hello was greeted by a constant barrage of questions, almost all of them concerning the health of their two missing friends.
"Hey you two, Harry and Hermione are fine, they're missing you both but hope to see you later this week. Before I can say any more, I need to speak with your father Luna."
Xeno was waiting on them in the house, he'd missed attending the trial as he was told the girls would be contacted about their trip to Australia today. Luna's happiness was way more important to Xeno than any story.
"Hello Xeno, I assume you know why I'm here?"
Xeno nodded enthusiastically, "To give the Quibbler the exclusive on when the Hobgoblins are getting back together again."
That took the wind out the marauder's sails until Xeno laughed, "Only joking, I know it's about the girls going to Australia and my answer is yes."
Two hyper girls were now trying to contain their excitement, they weren't helped by Sirius and Hestia being just as excited as he laid out the details.
Ginny was almost hyperventilating. She'd never been further than Diagon Alley yet here she was, portkeying to Paris before climbing in a giant flying thing to the other side of the world. She would have to remember every little detail to tell her dad.
Hestia was taking the girls to Gringotts tomorrow where all the travel arrangements would be finalised. They would all meet in the airport at eight o'clock on Wednesday evening before they boarded the plane. Neither Hestia, Luna nor Ginny expected to get much sleep before then, the excitement levels were sky high.
After saying goodbye to the girls and Xeno, Sirius and Hestia headed off to 'check the house'. Really they just wanted some time alone before Sirius had to return to Harry on the island. Hestia would have loved to return with him but there would be barely enough time to accomplish what she needed to get done before setting off on Wednesday evening.
The five were sitting under the shade of a parasol as Sirius explained what happened at the trial, it had gone pretty much as they expected. When he told them about his conversation with Xeno and the fate that had befell the youngest Weasley boy, none of them were sure what to say to that revelation.
It was Hermione who finally spoke, "I can live with that result, I was really worried at how I was going to face Ginny on Wednesday with two of her brothers gone. The main thing is he will never hurt anyone again."
If Hermione could live with that, then Harry would too. "I think you mean 'she wont hurt' love. Do you think it would be taking revenge a step too far if we set her up on a date with Crabbe or Goyle, or even both?"
Hermione tried to look sternly at her husband, she really did but when the giggles took hold she couldn't help herself. A lot of anxiety and tension eased from her body as she dissolved into laughter with the thought of Ron Macho Weasley in a little flowery print dress. Like Neville putting a dress on his bogart image of Snape, this exorcised the last of her fears away. He'd received what Hermione considered poetic justice and she didn't have killing him on her conscience. Yes, she could live with Ronda Weasley living out the rest of her life in Egypt.
It was Emma though who brought up another point, "Do you think the changes you made turned the old man mad or was it there all along and this just exposed it?"
It was a thoughtful Harry who answered, "We may have hurried him along the road a bit but I think he would have gotten there anyway. When you look at some of the decisions he made, there really had to be something wrong with him. The whole 'trap Voldemort' stunt was doomed to failure, three first years were able to beat his traps. Then to give a twelve year old the ability to alter time was crazy, irresponsible and anything else you want to add in there. The heir of Slytherin / basilisk fiasco was followed by dementors around the school, don't even mention that bloody tournament. Then for a full year he doesn't speak to me but allows Snape into my head. I told him what Draco was up to, he put the safety of the entire school at risk trying to save one boy who'd already made his choice. His final gifts to us were all a sick joke, I can imagine him chuckling as we nearly got killed on numerous occasions trying to solve the bloody clues."
Harry's voice had gotten quieter as he'd went on, it was now barely above a whisper. "He'd arranged my whole life so I would walk into that forest and let Voldemort kill me. There was no back-up plan or 'what to do if you survive' in place. I had a piece of that bastard's soul in my head and he never told me, far less did anything about it. I need to believe he was going senile, otherwise I have to really, really hate him. I don't want to do that, I just want to live my life in peace with my family. That shouldn't be too much to ask, surely?"
Hermione had her arm around Harry and her head resting on his shoulder, "It's like when you made that list Harry, it's only when you see it all together that you realise that everyone was passing off the old man's craziness as eccentricity. He won't get anywhere near us love, we won't be returning to Britain until he's no longer a threat. We didn't take down Voldemort just to let Dumbledore beat us."
Sirius quickly agreed with the young girl, "When we leave here, Harry will be wearing the portkey to Black Island at all times. In the highly unlikely event of Dumbledore tracking us down, get yourself out of there. This isn't Voldemort who would murder the rest of us, Dumbledore is fixated on you and will ignore us if you escape."
It was Dan who interrupted Sirius before his children could, "Much as I agree with your plan Sirius, there is one major flaw in it. The Dursleys will win parents of the year before Harry or Hermione would portkey away and leave us to face Dumbledore. I'm not saying they wouldn't run if the situation demanded it but they would stand and fight before leaving anyone behind."
Sirius could see the truth of that argument though it was Emma who had an alternative suggestion. "That would only work if we all had portkeys we could use in an emergency. They don't need to bring us here, just get us away from where we are."
The group began to thrash this idea around and came up with a workable plan, they would get portkeys made that would drop them all at different parts of a major city where they would make their way to a predetermined rendezvous point. With Hestia, Luna and Ginny, that would be eight portkeys being activated within seconds of one another to all different destinations. That should confuse anyone trying to track the portkeys long enough to allow them time to get a bus, taxi or tram out the area. It wasn't perfect but at least it would provide some degree of protection from an attack, however unlikely that may seem. They had no intention of underestimating Albus Dumbledore.
Albus was reading the sensational news splattered from cover to cover over today's Prophet, he'd taken a risk to get his hands on a copy but information was everything to him at the moment.
The information he craved was actually giving him a headache, part of his brain rejoiced at the demise of the dark lord. It recognised the truth of what was printed in the paper. Tom Riddle using Hogwarts founders items to store his horcruxes made perfect sense and as to the goblins having a procedure to destroy them, Albus was embarrassed to admit he never even thought of that solution.
Unfortunately, accepting this as the truth would mean admitting that the great Albus Dumbledore was wrong about so many things. This was something his mind couldn't concede. Albus could only live with the many questionable deeds he'd carried out in his life if he could justify them as being for the greater good. To admit he was mistaken about these events would lead to him having to re-examine events in his life that he had hidden away in his subconscious. There were events there that the old wizard had no intention of reliving to see if his intentions actually were as light as he'd painted them.
If Albus wasn't wrong then the article had to be lies, simple really. Albus began to chuckle, "Oh Tom, this is sheer genius. It put's you in the clear while painting me as the villain. You really are a worthy opponent but I'll get you in the end."
Even with his deteriorating mental capacity, Albus understood this was going to make it much more difficult to get close enough to the boy to carry out his task. He would have to bide his time and await his opportunity. Reading that Hogwarts was reopening also put a smile on his face. Albus Dumbledore was a wizard who had steps in place for every eventuality and was certain one of those plans would get him the boy.
Once he had done the deed, the wizarding world would soon see how badly they had been deceived. Albus wasn't one to hold grudges though, once they recognised the truth he would forgive them, eventually.
Wizarding Britain though was a changed country, the ministry was becoming efficient and pushing through reform after reform. The revelations about just how much, and for how long, Dumbledore had kept this to himself would totally destroy his reputation. It also forced wizards and witches to face up to their problems and pass laws declaring that never again could one person hold so much power.
The whole story was now there for everyone to read and it shocked them to the core. One they trusted above all others had deceived them and put their children's lives at risk. That another, who'd been imprisoned without trial for a crime he didn't commit, had helped his godson engineer the demise of Voldemort emphasised just how wrong they were.
Changes usually happened very slowly in the wizarding community but the pace of these events left everyone reeling. Pureblood pillars of their society had been proven to be murdering death eaters while the supposed leader of the light had just been convicted of criminal activities and gross negligence that led to the death of a minor. In all this, only one person stood without reproach. Harry Potter may have been idolised before as the boy who lived, his actions now elevated him even higher in the public's opinion. There was no debate about who the leader of the light was now, Lord Harry James Potter stood unopposed in the minds of the magical community.
His treatment as a baby under the orders of Dumbledore was the final nail in the old wizard's coffin. Should Albus succeed in his quest he would get his wish to never see the inside of Azkaban, the magical public would tear him apart in the street.
.....
Long haul flights can be mind-numbingly boring, that was never going to be the case on this one. With this being the first time on a plane for Harry, Sirius, Hestia, Luna and Ginny, it became an adventure from the instant they portkeyed into a quiet corner of the airport. With the number of things the groups had to catch-up on, the time flew past. Their seating arrangements were fluid as they swapped regularly, allowing everyone the chance to chat.
Emma and Hestia were chatting excitedly with each other, both ladies were on their way to start new lives in a place they'd only seen pictures of. Setting up home in a different country maybe a daunting task but they both welcomed the challenge for different reasons. Those reasons were all on this plane though.
Sirius was sitting chatting to Dan, more certain than ever that he'd made the right decision. When he'd left Hestia the other day a little doubt had set in that perhaps he'd acted a bit compulsively, the very thing he was trying to fight against. One glance at Hestia in the airport and his doubts vanished quicker than free beer down the pub. When Hestia had said she would come with him to Australia, the elation he had felt was overwhelming. Just her smile in the airport gave him such a good feeling, he was grinning the entire flight. He was forced to face facts, Sirius Black was in love and he didn't care who knew it. This feeling was wonderful.
Harry was also having wonderful thoughts as Luna's laughter washed over him, the musical tone of her laughter was a sound he would never tire of hearing. Their friend had blossomed due to the simple act of having friends, good friends who she could trust to be there for her. Harry and Hermione had long suspected the persona that became loony was part defence mechanism against people who wanted to hurt her but also a way to keep people at arm's length so she couldn't be hurt by them leaving.
This Luna had seized the opportunity of having close friends and was quickly becoming a bright, beautiful young witch that many more people would want to know. She would always have a room in any house the Potters owned and a special place in their hearts, Luna was family. Dobby was posting a letter they'd written to Neville, Harry would have loved for him to be here as well but that wasn't possible at the moment.
Ginny was currently using Hermione like a confessor, the young witch was filled with conflicting emotions and was desperate for Hermione's approval for her actions. She was feeling tremendously guilty that her family was in turmoil yet she was having the time of her life. Her parents had told her it was ok for her to go but it was Hermione's opinion she valued the most. She was babbling without noticing the effect it was having on Hermione.
"Ronnie doesn't appear to mind that she's a girl, she's adapted really well. The only thing that upset her was the thought of never being able to play Quidditch again, she cried for hours about that. Mum said it's the potions that have her taking mood swings. Dad just wanted to talk about my trip, you should have seen his face when I said I would be travelling as a muggle. He gave me some gold to share with Luna and I want to buy a camera so I can show him every bit of it."
Ginny was hardly taking time to breath between sentences. "Ronnie said she was so glad to be leaving Hogwarts, she didn't care if she had to be a girl to do it. She didn't want to end up dangling by her ankles from some tower, we asked her what she meant but Ronnie wouldn't say. The twins told me that's what happened to the Slytherin who tried to attack you and the rest of them were terrified they'd be next. The rumour is that Harry did it but he wouldn't do something like that, would he?"
Hermione had been dreading this entire conversation but it was unavoidable considering they were going to be staying in the same house. Now Ginny was asking a question she didn't want to lie about, Hermione wasn't sure how to answer though as the last thing they needed was to raise any suspicion. They heard Luna's laughter from the seat in front where she and Harry were catching up, this gave her the opening she needed. "Ginny, what do you think Harry would do if someone attacked Luna?"
Ginny's eyebrows shot up so high they almost disappeared into her hairline, the answer was obvious.
"That Slytherin arranged for us to be ambushed and set about by beater bats. He was never in any danger hanging from that tower but we're pretty certain he'll never try anything like that attack again. We considered the matter closed and were not after anyone else concerned with that attack. I think it is well known where we were when that troll was let into the castle…"
Ginny realised how her question had been construed and apologised at once. "Oh Hermione, I didn't mean anything by that. Everyone knows you were both fighting Voldemort when the troll found Ronnie. I think this might actually make her a better person, she wasn't jealous in the least about me coming on holiday with you. The old Ron would have thrown a tantrum and them moped about it for months."
An improved Ron was not their intention but Hermione figured they would just have to accept the rough with the smooth. This was the beginning of their new life and while everything hadn't worked out as well as it could, they were all here in one piece and Voldemort was gone for good. They had to be happy with that.
Ginny then asked about whether they would be starting school in Australia and Hermione was back on safer ground. They had looked at brochures for two and planed on visiting them before making any decisions. They wouldn't be starting until the New Year at the earliest, it wasn't as if they would fall behind. Attending another school didn't hold the attraction it once did, they really missed their friends but that was out of their hands at the moment.
...
Petunia waved goodbye to their new friends as they headed off to Muscat for the day, with Vernon feeling under the weather they were giving this excursion a miss. There wasn't actually anything wrong with Vernon and both Dursleys would have loved to be with their friends but they had encountered an unexpected problem. All their food and drink on the ship was free so they never needed cash on board, the excursions were also included but when they left the ship it cost real money for anything they wanted.
This they hadn't factored in to their plans and, on a one hundred and ten day, round the world cruise, these expenses were beginning to add up. Of course they hadn't told their new friends the only reason the Dursleys were on board this luxury liner was that Petunia had won a competition. Their son was in an exclusive private school, Vernon was a company director and, with these slight embellishments, they had been welcomed with open arms by people they had previously only dreamt of mixing with.
Petunia could see it taking years to pay off their mounting credit card debts but neither she nor Vernon cared. Her birthday had been spent at the Captains table, drinking champagne and they would spend Christmas in Australia with New Year being celebrated while cruising the New Zealand fjords. This was the life both felt they deserved, if they were forced to spend the next few years paying for it they would still think it was worth every penny.
Neville waved goodbye to his gran as he boarded the express with Millie, she had been waiting on the platform for him and he had politely greeted her parents. The pair had no sooner settled into a compartment than the first of many enquiries was made as to whether any of them had heard from the Potters.
Neville answered Susan and Hannah, sure that this would not be the only time he told the story today. "I got an owl from them yesterday. They're fine and were travelling to Australia as muggles so the old man couldn't track them. Both said they would keep in touch but couldn't return to Britain while Dumbledore was still a threat."
They had been joined by the twins as Neville was answering their friends, "Yeah that's right, Ginny and Luna are travelling with them for a holiday."
Fred continued where his brother left off, "They didn't risk entering Britain even to pick them up, Hestia Jones portkeyed the girls to Paris where they were all meeting."
Everyone in that compartment was wishing they were with their friends in Australia, rather on a train to the Scottish Highlands in November.
....
The Toyota eight seater was hired under the name of Wendell Wilkens, just to confuse anyone trying to follow them and because it brought back some good memories. The drive to their new home was over two hours long but with the last half an hour along the coast road, they arrived in high spirits. Those spirits received a major boost as they entered their new home for the first time. This wasn't déjà vu, this house didn't just look familiar, it was an exact copy. Right down to Crookshanks napping on their couch and Hedwig hooting from her perch in the corner, everything they owned in Devon had been moved here.
A rather nervous Dobby popped into the living room and was immediately hugged by Harry with a line forming behind him. "Dobby, this is beyond brilliant. We thought we were going to have to buy all new stuff for here but we can now sleep in our own beds today."
He received a kiss on the forehead from Hermione, "I asked you to bring Crookshanks and Hedwig and you brought the entire contents of our home. Dobby, you are the best!"
It was a blushing Dobby who finally got a word in. "Harry Potter sir, the builders were leaving but I asked the owner to speak to you. I hope that's all right?"
"That's fine Dobby." Harry didn't understand why but he wasn't about to say that to Dobby at the moment. This would save them days of shopping and they were all ready to crash into their own beds. He and Hermione walked outside to see the owner of the building firm looking rather apprehensive. "Lord Potter, I hope you don't mind. I used this build as an opportunity to reward my workers and had them bring their families here for a wee bit of a holiday. When you activate the wards none of us will remember where this house actually is so your safety isn't affected. They stayed in the accommodation I provided, not your new home. I was about to take them down when your elf asked me not to without speaking to you first."
There were two rows of ordinary looking garden sheds tastefully placed amongst the trees of their new back garden, both Potters were at a loss until the had a look inside one. They were like a more permanent version of the wizarding tents both had seen used at the Quidditch World Cup, the couple got what Dobby was suggesting in an instant. They were getting used to the little guy anticipating their needs but this took that whole thing to a new level.
"Sir, I love both my houses and thank you for doing such a fine job. I would also like to purchase these wonderful huts from you as we could make use of them."
"Lord Potter, I had already agreed a price with the people I bought these from. You come anywhere near that with an offer and I'll quite gladly leave them here."
A minute later both shook hands on the deal.
Sunday morning breakfast in Hogwarts was progressing normally, Minerva was talking with Remus until the sudden drop in the noise level inside the hall alerted the headmistress that something was happening. That something was the instantly recognisable snowy owl that was making its way toward Neville Longbottom with every pair of eyes tracking its progress.
She landed on the Gryffindor table in front of Neville and Millie, "Hello girl, I didn't expect you. What have you got there?"
Hedwig held her leg out so the boy could remove her burden, Dobby had released her outside Hagrid's hut so she hadn't exactly flown far. Neither Potter wanted it known that Dobby could appear inside the castle.
Neville opened the thick envelope to find himself staring into a mirror, Millie noticed the small sticker on the back. "It says speak your friend's name."
With the attention of the entire hall on him, Neville said "Harry Potter" before nearly dropping the thing as his reflection was replaced by an image of his friend.
"Hey Neville, glad we caught you at breakfast. It's eight in the evening here."
Neville was struggling for words when Millie came to his rescue, this also allowed her to hold her head very close to Neville's. "Hi Harry, good to hear from you. Glad to see you got there without any trouble."
"Hey Millie, good to hear from you too. Can I assume that just about everyone is trying to listen in?"
Harry was answered by two well known voices, "Hey Potter, we resent that."
"You're right George, we're not trying to listen in. We ARE listening to every word."
"Yea but so far you haven't said anything worth listening to!"
"I'll try to do better guys. Listen Nev, I want to invite you and some others over here to spend Christmas with us."
You could have heard a snowflake falling in the silence following that remark. Before Neville could say anything though, Oliver Wood was at his side and talking into the mirror. "Harry, McGonagall has rescheduled our games until later in the season. We will have to play three games in quick succession but we'd rather do that than play without you."
Harry was really touched at that gesture and delighted to be able to reward his teammates for their loyalty. "Oliver, you and the entire team are invited to spend the Christmas holidays here. Did I mention that it'll be summer and we have our own Quidditch pitch? Oh and of course Penelope is invited as well."
The female squeals of delight were soon identified as the three Gryffindor chasers pushed their captain out the way. "Harry, we love you. We can't kiss the mirror so we'll just have to kiss Neville instead but be ready because when we arrive, you will be receiving the same treatment."
It was hard to tell whose blush was deeper, Neville's or the girl sitting by his side. Millie's change of complexion though wasn't from embarrassment. Harry continued, "Right well of course our Gryffindor year mates are also invited."
This led to more squeals and kisses for Neville from Lavender and Parvati. Even from Australia, Harry could see Millie was about to explode. "Millie, I hope you can come to and keep that boyfriend of yours under control."
That was all the encouragement the girl needed, Neville had the mirror snatched out his hand by Dean seconds before he would have dropped it. Millie had both her arms around him and her lips locked on his, she was claiming Neville as her boyfriend in front of the great hall to much cheering.
Dean's face now appeared in the mirror. "Hi Harry, Neville might be a while and I think you broke the twins, they're just sitting staring at each other with their mouths hanging open."
This had Harry laughing, "Dean, make sure our friends in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin know they're invited too. Millie looked ready to rip the head off the next person to kiss Neville so I thought I'd better put her out her misery."
"You certainly achieved that, they haven't come up for air yet. It's now pandemonium in here so the professors have more to worry about than two students kissing."
"There will be goblin representatives coming to the school on Thursday to handle all the travel arrangements and get everyone the proper documents. We're doing this the muggle way Dean so you might want to start filling our friends in on what that means."
The boy let out a low whistle, "Harry, this must be costing you a fortune!"
"That's the best bit Dean, it's not. Dumbledore ensured all my previous Christmases were miserable so I'm using his money to fly you all over here so I can enjoy this one. I didn't want his gold but this way we all benefit."
Harry found himself once more talking to Neville, a beaming Neville who had Millie's arm around his shoulder. "Thanks for everything Harry, my girlfriend and I will definitely be there."
Dean had once more to grab the mirror as Millie showed her new boyfriend how much she appreciated that last comment.
"Harry, I think Neville is going to be busy for a little while longer."
"Ok Dean, everyone is going to have to owl home to see if they can come anyway so tell him I'll call at breakfast in a few days. It's great to see you guys again and I hope you can all make it down here for Christmas."
With lots of shouted goodbyes, the mirror was deactivated.
.....
Ronda Weasley was lying in her new room in Cairo and thinking it was much nicer than the one she had in Devon. The healer had said that, because of the potions she had to take, Ronnie would be fourteen or fifteen before discovering if her magical core had repaired itself to any degree. All the changes her body would be going through would prevent any regeneration before then. This meant she was going to be home schooled, not in magic but how the new family business operated. Since mum, dad and Bill were all still learning themselves, it should be fun and no homework to worry about. There would also be no bats tied to her wrists while she dangled off a tower or clubs with trolls on the end of them, Ronda Weasley could live with that.
.....
There were just too many people involved for the story of the Potters Christmas offer to remain a secret for long. When the story broke, Amelia spoke for the ministry and Hogwarts.
"Yes I can confirm that Lord and Lady Potter have invited their friends to spend the Christmas holidays with them. The children in question will be accompanied by a few Hogwarts professors and a squad of aurors. We don't anticipate any trouble but see no reason not to be prepared just in case."
Albus read this and smiled, he himself had made preparations that would now bear fruit. He intended to arrive on Christmas Eve and expected to complete his task before anyone else had time to react. They would be enjoying their holiday and not expecting a visit from Albus Dumbledore. He was rapidly reaching the stage where he didn't care what happened to him afterward, Tom Riddle could not be allowed to see another Christmas Day. Harry Potter had to die!
The spirit inside Hogwarts was approaching fever pitch as the trip to Australia had the entire school buzzing. A part of the world that was no more than a blob on a map before suddenly became very interesting to the first year students. The information they could find pointed to the Native Australian Magical culture mostly being swamped by the influx of muggles and wizards escaping poverty and prejudice in their own countries. Australia had developed its own form of magical society, they didn't care about how pure you thought your blood was. People were judged by their actions and deeds, not their ancestry.
The teaching staff were also riding this wave of enthusiasm for learning, everyone was incorporating a little Oz into their lessons. From having the first year's brew simple insect repelling potions to sunscreen charms for the hot Australian summer, all were eagerly absorbed by the willing students.
As Remus and Charity were travelling with the students, they began holding evening classes to explain about airports, planes and in-flight entertainment. These classes were not only heavily attended but very well received, muggle studies had never enjoyed such a high profile inside Hogwarts. If Charity had held these extra classes at this time last year there wouldn't have been three people there, including herself.
Minerva could feel the lift in her school's spirit and the pivotal point was that arrival by Hedwig. She had feared that having the two most popular students forced from the castle could have seen the raft of positive changes since September slip back to the old bigoted ways, Minerva was delighted that this proved not to be the case. She had also received a note from the Potters, personally inviting her to spend Christmas with them and the rest of their friends. She had completed the forms requested by the goblin delegation who dealt with all the students as well, she still hadn't decided whether she would travel or not.
Minerva wasn't convinced leaving Hogwarts for two weeks was a good idea and there was the other consideration to take into account. The children were all eagerly anticipating their holiday in Australia, having the headmistress along might just put a damper on their experience.
The laughter emanating from the Gryffindor table caused her eyes to track there automatically, quickly discovering the source. Harry was obviously talking to his friends again using that wonderful mirror. After ten minutes or so, students from that table moved to talk with friends from the other house tables. Within minutes, Minerva had a large, multi-house delegation facing her in front of the staff table. Minerva couldn't help but think this was a sign of how much Hogwarts had changed, there were students from every house and Mr Longbottom was the spokesperson.
"Headmistress McGonagall, Harry has told us you have yet to decide whether you will be travelling to Australia with us, he and Hermione asked us to help you make up your mind."
Miss Bones spoke next, "Headmistress, without your support, most of what we've achieved this year wouldn't have happened. We really do want you to come with us."
Millie chipped in her two knut's worth, "Besides headmistress, who else can make the Weasley twins behave? I'm not nervous about getting on a plane and flying half way around the world. Two weeks with Fred and George terrifies me." This drew a lot of laughter as Millie feigned fear as the twins pretended to be hurt by her remark.
Minerva was touched by their genuine concern for her, she couldn't imagine them doing this for Albus. They were all waiting patiently on her saying something, "Mr Longbottom, the next time you are speaking to Mr or Mrs Potter, tell them I'll be there!"
The cheering only stopped when the warning bell sounded, informing the students it was time to head toward their first lesson of the day. It was a happy bunch of students who made their way out the great hall.
Draco had studied the entire incident while sitting by himself, even Vin and Greg had distanced themselves from him now. Watching Pansy be part of that group was hard for the blond Slytherin to take. As Pansy was spending Christmas in Australia, he was going to be stuck alone inside this castle.
His letter to the Tonks had less than stellar results. Andromeda Tonks may be a pureblood by birth but her reply to his letter contained none of the niceties Draco had expected. It was brutally blunt and left no room for any ambiguity. The Tonks had already raised a child and were in no hurry to repeat the experience, especially with a boy who'd been raised since birth to despise them. There was also the serious issue of him not having a family name. Since the Tonks were now affiliated to the Blacks, Draco would need to see the head of that family before he could be admitted to theirs. There was more chance of Draco piloting the muggle machine that was taking them all to Australia than Sirius Black doing him any favours.
While Crabbe and Goyle could at least return home to their mothers for Christmas, Draco had only a half-hearted promise that his 'aunt' would try to meet him for a chat one afternoon during the holidays. While the rest of the first years were enjoying Australian blue sky, that was the only bright spot on Draco No-Name's horizon.
Harry had just finished talking with Neville on the mirror when he noticed Luna was upset about something He sat beside her on the sofa and put his arm comfortingly around her shoulders. "What's the matter Luna? Feeling homesick?"
"Oh no Harry, I love it here. I'm just worried that Dumbledore will find you because of everyone coming here for Christmas."
Harry tried to reassure their friend, "Luna, everyone knew we were building another home in Australia, where else would we go? What you need to remember is that Australia is over thirty times the size of Britain with less than a third of the population. This is a very big country. Without specific information they will never find us and the only people outside this room who know where we live are the goblins. All anyone in Hogwarts knows is that they're coming to Australia and they won't know anymore until they're in the airport. Tonks is picking up all the travel documents from Gringotts and meeting the group at the airport."
Luna wasn't convinced, "What about when they go back to Britain? All it takes is for one person to let something slip…"
Hermione sat on Luna's other side and also wrapped her arm around the little blond. "The wards around this house are pretty special. When our friends leave here, they will remember everything about this holiday except where this house is. They could walk right past and not know we were here. The wards will be altered to allow them entrance only for the period of the holidays. The people who built this house couldn't even find it again."
She was beginning to understand, "So they will remember they had a brilliant time but not where they spent it?"
Harry smiled at her, "Oh, they'll remember they spent their time in Australia at the Potters, they'll remember the house and the grounds but they won't be able to find it again or tell anyone else how to. I just love magic!"
Luna had another thought that scared her, "So when I leave here to go home, I won't be able to find this house again?"
Harry's smile never waivered, "Luna, you're considered family. You will always be able to find us and always be welcome."
Luna was determined not to cry at that, "It sounds as if Christmas is going to be a lot of fun. I'm sorry I'm going home now but I couldn't leave my dad to spend the holidays alone."
He was still smiling as he revealed her surprise. "Luna, you won't be going back to Britain for Christmas and your dad won't be alone. He's flying out with the Hogwarts mob to spend the holidays here with us."
Luna couldn't help it, the tears came as she managed to hug both of them at the same time. Harry's comment about family had started her filling up, flying her father over here just overloaded the dam. "I don't know how to thank you."
It was Harry's turn to be amazed, "You'll never have to Luna. You're our best friend, that's thanks enough for us."
Ginny was sitting sniffing as well, "I'll get to spend Christmas with you guys and the twins, that's brilliant!"
Hermione decided to raise the mood, "Ok girls, our mission is to ensure my husband here has the best Christmas ever."
Harry shook his head, "Girls, sitting with you three beside the pool today and that lovely dinner Dobby made means today is already better than any Christmas I can remember. This year's being my best is already a given. I have a beautiful wife, wonderful friends, parents and my godfather, it can't get any better than that."
Hermione leaned over Luna and whispered in his ear. Harry's jaw dropped open, his face flushed while his eyes developed a thousand yards stare.
Ginny was now giggling, "I don't know what you said to him Hermione but I think you broke your husband."
It was a smiling Luna who answered, having heard what Hermione whispered to him. "She told him that in a few years they would have children of their own and then Christmas would be really special."
The adults were sitting quietly listening and now wished they hadn't. Even Hestia was fighting back the tears at those last few comments, all silently swore to make this the best Christmas ever.
Sirius was amazed at how deeply Hermione's comment had resonated within him, he regarded his life as being better now than it had ever been. The only thing he could think of that could make it any better would be having children of his own, he was also sure he'd found the person he wanted to have them with. He wasn't sure whether it was his extensive stay in Azkaban or simply that he was that bit older but that thought didn't scare him in the slightest. The idea of becoming a father was one that used to terrify him and had to be avoided at all costs, now he remembered how it felt to hold baby Harry as Prong asked if he would be godfather to his son.
The idea of getting married to Hestia filled his entire being with joy, it was now a question of timing and whether they needed more room on that plane. It may require a talk with Emma to see if they could accommodate more people staying over the holidays, getting married at that time on this beautiful property was suddenly very appealing. Asking Hestia seemed like the best idea in the world, it was just a case of how to go about it. He was after all Sirius Black, there had to be a touch of drama in there somewhere to make it memorable.
Hestia had picked-up on the change in her man very quickly, she could think of no reason for this change though. She climbed into bed beside him and rested her head on his bare chest. Sirius immediately had his arm around her and holding her close but still not speaking. This quietness was so alien to his character that it had her worried. It was time to ask, "Sirius love, I don't know what's going on in that head of yours but you're scaring me here."
Sirius lifted her face carefully toward his and gently kissed her on the lips. "Sorry honey, that's the last thing I want to do. I've been wondering about something and I guess the only way to find the answer is to ask the question. Do you think us getting married here at Christmas would be too soon?"
Hestia locked her lips on his while sliding on top of her man, it was quite a while before any meaningful conversation was heard or needed.
A very happy and sated Sirius was the one who finally spoke. "I take it that was a yes? This will be a hell of a story to tell our kids when they ask you - how did daddy propose mummy?"
That 'mummy' comment nearly earned Sirius another round before the practical side of Hestia's brain managed to get a word in and the reality of his proposal hit home. "Sirius, I need to get my family over here, I haven't a dress or bridesmaid and …"
Sirius stopped her panic by gently kissing her again. "Harry's idea of using the old coot's gold to do some good appeals to me. We'll put it toward giving you the wedding of your dreams, anything you want is yours. I think we should fly your parents out early and then the wedding guests with the Hogwarts crowd. Your mum and Emma can help you with the organisation and us men will stay out your way and agree with anything and everything you say."
Hestia kissed the top of his nose, "What am I going to do with you?"
"Well, since you've already agreed to marry me, I vote for a repeat of what you did earlier. That, my future wife, was bloody amazing!"
This had both of them giggling but the twinkling in Hestia's beautiful eyes told him he was going to get his wish, all of them. For Hestia, having children with Sirius was her deepest desire. Practicing the making of them was pretty up-there as well.
.....
The following morning Sirius called his fellow marauder on their set of mirrors, it would be after seven p.m. in Scotland but that should be fine. He couldn't help but smile in greeting at the sight of his best friend, since Hestia entered his life he'd found himself smiling rather a lot.
"Hey Moony, I need you to do me a favour."
When Remus heard the details, he was only too pleased to agree. He also couldn't help but think of the person Sirius had said he could share this secret with. His best friend's news had set his own thoughts off in the same direction. He was a Hogwarts professor now that had found a special someone who accepted him for the man he was. Warts and all or should that be wolf and all? It was time to call on his Gryffindor courage. "Lord Black, I formally seek your permission to ask for a member of your house's hand in marriage."
Sirius was desperate to let out a loud whoop of delight but was forced to answer formally since that was the way Remus had phrased his request. "I, Lord Black will happily give my permission but with one proviso. This condition is non-negotiable."
Remus was now really worried, he would do anything for the right to marry Tonks and couldn't believe his friend was doing this to him. He nodded his head in agreement and waited on the bad news. He could only hope Padfoot wouldn't have him running around Hogwarts naked or some prank that was even worse. With Sirius, you just never knew.
"I want you to ask Lord Harry James Potter to be your son or daughter's godfather when your first child is born. You must also swear to never tell him we had this conversation."
Moony had braced himself for the axe falling and was looking for the hidden pain in Padfoot's request. "Is that it?"
"Of course that's it. What were you expecting, public nudity?"
Both simultaneously burst out laughing at opportunities lost and bullets dodged. It was Sirius who recovered first. "Naw, I couldn't do anything like that. Tonks and Hestia would kill me. So what is your answer?"
"I'm all in favour of it but obviously I can't answer for the both of us. Can I ask why?"
"I want to give those two some experience before they dive into having little ones of their own. They will be godparents to any Black children and I can't think of anyone better suited to the roles."
The more Remus thought about it, the more he liked the idea and agreed with Sirius. He couldn't think of anyone better either. He was a few conversations away from asking his girlfriend about godparents to any children they might have. Sirius then came back with an offer that had Remus reeling.
"Moony, most of the people needed for your wedding will already be here for the holidays. When Tonks says yes, tell her there's an option of making this a double ceremony. The girls will have the mirrors to make any arrangements they need and money is no problem. I was going to ask you to be my best man but Harry could fill that role for both of us."
Remus tried to object that he wouldn't take charity until Sirius told him where the money was coming from and pointed out he got a raw deal that Halloween too. The truth of his friend's words killed any arguments and anyone who Remus was going to invite would already be in Australia. It was a certainty that Sirius would be inviting Andromeda and Ted and with Hestia having the same group of friends as Tonks, most of them were going to be there too. It really did make sense from all the angles except the most important ones. Tonks had still to say yes and then not think it was too soon.
The eight made it a point to all get together for breakfast. With the Potters searching for a new school in Australia, preparations for the arrival of the Hogwarts contingent and now a wedding too, this meant that everyone's schedules were unpredictable. Breakfast was the one time of the day when they could all be together and they looked forward to it.
Sirius got a mirror call while buttering his toast, he found an exuberant Moony on the other end.
"She said yes to everything!"
Sirius never got to say another word as, with a squeal of delight, Hestia had the mirror out his hand in a flash. Tonks must have done the same to Remus because both witches were now talking a mile a minute to each other.
Sirius turned to his godson, "Harry, will you be my best man at our wedding?"
This caught Harry out, what was going on here? "What about Remus?"
"Oh he wants you to be his best man as well. We're now holding a double wedding as Tonks apparently said yes!"
Hermione had Harry wrapped in a hug before he could answer, this was better than they could ever have hoped for. Not only were Teddy's parents getting married but Sirius was too.
Emma Granger was ecstatic, project Teddy was not just bearing fruit, they could end up with a whole crop of new marauders.
Hestia interrupted all their thoughts, "Hermione, both Tonks and I would like you to be our maid of honour. Will you please?"
Hermione knew how much this meant to her husband, both these men had been father figures to him and been cruelly snatched away. The thought of her and Harry standing beside both of them as they got married had her tearing up. "That really is an honour, are you sure you want me?"
"Oh yes, neither Tonks nor me are the type to have fourteen bridesmaids. I had originally intended to ask her but this is even better as she'll be standing next to me too. You and Harry are people we admire, respect and think of as family already. This would mean a lot to all of us."
Both Potters agreed, this led to more squeals from around the table and even Tonks could be heard from Britain. Harry then introduced the only sour note of the morning. "Please don't tell me I have to make two best man speeches?"
The laughter this was greeted with was due more to Harry's look of abject horror than the actual comment itself.
...
The four kids were making their way along the path that led to the beach, yes they had a fabulous pool at home but it didn't have waves. Harry was determined to master riding the waves before all their friends arrived from Hogwarts, the girls just enjoyed watching Harry wipe out.
Luna asked about their visit yesterday, "You've been very quiet about your trip to look over the Victoria, was the school that bad?"
Hermione quickly answered, "Oh no Luna, the school was really nice. We got to meet loads of the professors and some of the students who would be our classmates. The whole thing just felt strange and I hate the thought of starting all over again. They didn't give two hoots that we were a lord and lady which was good but the whole boy who lived thing is rife even down here. That and the fact we're married had them staring at us like bugs under a microscope. In Hogwarts all our friends see us as just Harry and Hermione."
Ginny may have been thinking it but of course it was Luna who said it. "Guys, don't take this the wrong way but you could never be just Harry and Hermione. You know I don't buy into that other rubbish but you two are special people even without any of that. You stand up for what you believe in and are ready to fight to defend those beliefs if need be. You chose your friends by no other means than them being people you like. Best of all, you don't realise just how special that makes you."
Ginny had to agree, "You didn't judge me by the actions of my family but gave me a chance to get to know you because Luna was my friend. I can't tell you how special that makes you to me."
Luna was nodding enthusiastically, "You make people want to change for the better just by being yourselves, if that isn't special then I don't know what is!"
Harry was flabbergasted at those remarks but Hermione understood. While she didn't consider herself to be special, she had no problem considering her husband as such. "It wasn't just being stared at though, the actual facility was excellent but it's the people who make the school. Enrol all our friends there and I would have talked your ears off all night about how good the Victoria was. I really miss Monday nights with all our friends in our room, Quidditch practice where the chasers and beaters compete to see who can make Harry blush the most, defence lessons with Remus and Tonks, watching Neville and Millie getting together and I really hate the idea of not seeing you guys every weekend."
Luna grabbed Harry by the arm and began to drag him away, "This is too heavy and depressing for a sunny Saturday morning with a beach less than five minutes away. Lets all head down there and Harry will entertain us with his attempts to swallow half the ocean."
Harry was manfully attempting to ignore the laughter coming from the three girls, he concentrated his mind on staying on that bloody board. Surfing shouldn't be this hard?
Harry was correct though totally unaware his lovely wife had jinxed his board to throw him off when he least expected it. Hermione decided to leave the jinx there for another week at least. Once Harry mastered surfing, there would be no more quiet days spent relaxing by the pool. Hermione also found herself agreeing with something Sirius said, the best pranks were the ones that didn't seem like a prank at all. Of course, that only held true if you didn't get caught but it was just so funny to watch Harry come tumbling off the board. She was certainly making sure that this Hermione wasn't a learning obsessed bookworm and made time to have some fun.
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