Disclaimer……….. All characters are the copyright of JK Rowling
Time again chapter seven
Albus Dumbledore headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry sat in his usual seat at breakfast in the great hall, and watched the commotion as the female population gathered around the head of the Gryffindor table, the interest in Mrs Hermione Potters’ wedding ring was causing quite a stir.
Albus Pondered on the meal the night before, it had been a most delicious meal and he would have to admit it had been expertly cooked; it was just another little hint about his favourite pupil Harry Potter. The past few months Harry had shown quite a great deal of power and knowledge for someone so young, then there was his so called visions that had lead to the defeat of Tom Riddle and four of his top henchmen. These facts alone had puzzled him but now he had something new to add to the collection, Harry’s memory of Deloris Umbridge. It had been a real memory, not something from a vision or something made up, it had been real. The question was when could Harry have obtained such a memory, Umbridge had never taught at the school, and had never had the opportunity to wield the power of headmistress. ‘Time, Time is what I need, indeed it’s an odd thing time’ he said to himself as a theory began to develop in his astute mind.
While Dumbledore pondered the new events, Harry and Hermione were the centre of attention, well Hermione was. Girl after girl came to admire her new rings, even the girls from the Slytherin house were queuing to take a look. Hermione was whispering to Ginny that her arm was beginning to ache with all the lifting to show the admirers, many oohs and aahs were heard around the table that morning.
The rest of the term was unremarkable as far as Harry was concerned; he had no more Dark Lord trying to kill him. No ministry trying to discredit him, in fact the most exciting thing that happened to him all term was while in potions. Professor Snape insulted Hermione and made a reference to her being Muggle born. Harry stood from behind his desk and approached Snape.
“Excuse me Sir, but you will not insult my wife, in fact you will in future be quite civil to her,” Harry said quite boldly.
“I beg your pardon,” Snape hissed at Harry “just who do you think you are talking too?”
Harry leant forward and spoke so only Snape could hear him “How would it look if memories of your love for a Muggle born witch were released, memories of you and your best friend, my mother,” Harry asked quietly.
For the first time Harry could remember he saw Snape blush and he was sure he saw a tear in the normally cold black eyes. Snape was quite polite to most of his pupils from that day on, and did in fact begin to help his students instead of intimidating them.
Harry was convinced that Snape was actually enjoying teaching properly, although he never had proof of it.
Dumbledore thought the sudden change in Severus Snape was just another piece in the jig saw puzzle that was Harry Potter, and he was certain he had come to the correct conclusion, though how it had been done he was yet to discover. ‘Time’ he thought ‘is the answer’.
Two weeks before the Christmas holiday began Harry called Dobby into his quarters and asked the elf if he could visit Potter House and check what needed to be done to prepare the house for habitation, and if it could all be done for the beginning of the holiday. Having given his small friend directions and a piece of parchment with the address on Harry joined Hermione in the bedroom.
Dobby returned before breakfast the following morning “Harry Potter sir,” he whispered as he shook Harry awake, Harry shushed the elf and whispered for him to wait in the other room while he dressed. Five minutes later Dobby was telling Harry.
“Potter House is ready for the master, six house elves have kept the house ready for you Harry Potter sir, they all is looking forward to meeting you again.” Dobby told Harry excitedly. “Would Harry Potter sir need another elf sir, for the holiday sir, Dobby is a good worker sir.”
Harry could not resist the little fellows pleading eyes “Ok Dobby you can spend Christmas at Potter House with us, ok.”
A letter to Sirius asking that he invite the Grangers and the Weasleys to spend the break with them at his ancestral home was sent by Harry as soon as Dobby had returned to the kitchen. He also asked Sirius if he could have the floo network to the house working by the holiday.
A week later Harry recruited Ginny to help with his plans for the holiday, she was to figure a way to get Ron and the twins into a limousine that would drive them to his home, she was not to let any of them know their destination and was also to keep it quiet from Hermione, who he told her, he was going to carry over the threshold, an old Muggle custom for newly weds when they first arrived home. Ginny with her Weasley sense of adventure agreed and enthusiastically went about devising all sorts of plots to get her brothers to Wales.
On the train ride to London Ginny failed to get the twins to sit in the same compartment they were in, which had Harry a little worried but Ginny never stopped smiling the whole journey. Hermione was expecting her parents to pick her up and was dreading being parted from Harry for Christmas. As his wife she wanted to spend this special time, their first anniversary with him.
Hermione was quite surprised when they arrived at Kings Cross and her parents had not shown up. Harry talked her into getting into the limo with him, though it really did not take a lot of persuading he just mentioned that maybe now that she was a married woman her parents expected her to be with her husband.
Ginny’s plan to get the Weasleys in to the other Limousine worked perfectly, she had made arrangements for the driver to be holding a card that said Weasley family this way.
Their journey to Wales was uneventful; they were driven to a deserted lane just outside a large village by the name of Cerrig y Druidion. As the cars drove away two large gates became visible, with a word from Harry the gates swung open, a three hundred yard walk dragging their trunks behind them brought them in sight of Potter House, it was a huge ancient building in stone. Harry stood staring for a while, he had never visited before, never having found reason to, and had no idea the house would be so big. Finally pulling himself together Harry led the way to the large double front doors. Hermione on his arm and the Weasley boys wondering what was going on followed Ginny.
As Harry walked up the steps with Hermione beside him the doors opened and they were greeted by an old house elf dressed in a neat tea towel like toga, the Potter crest on the front.
“Welcome home master Harry, it’s so good to see you after so many years,” the elf welcomed.
Hermione noticed that the elf did not bow and was quite surprised by the fact. Harry suddenly swept Hermione into his arms and picked her up, one arm around her back the other arm behind her knees, walking forward Harry whispered in her ear “Welcome home Mrs Potter.”
Hermione was totally surprised by Harry’s move, she had never expected to be carried over the threshold but she was overjoyed by the unexpected move.
‘Oh Harry, we have a home of our own’ she thought as a small tear slid down her cheek.
Once in the foyer Harry placed Hermione carefully back on her feet. They were joined by the Weasleys, Ron gave a long loud gasp and Ginny let out a breathy whistle, “some place you have here,” one of the twins said.
“Yeah,” Harry replied as he looked around at the splendour of his home, ‘Wow Hermione this is way more than I expected’.
As the teenagers looked around they were joined by Mr and Mrs Granger, who was followed by Mrs Weasley, huge hugs were held all around as the greetings were given.
Hermione having extricated herself from another bone crushing hug from Mrs Weasley looked around at her new home, they were standing in a huge foyer that was larger than the whole Dursley house. To the left and right large curved marble staircases led up to the first floor, above that there were five more floors. The floor was covered in polished black slate, ‘Harry it’s like a palace’ she gasped as she took it all in. they learned later that there were twenty bedrooms all with their own bathroom; a large bright and airy library covered a huge area at the rear of the house.
Mrs Weasley complained to Hermione that she had been unable to locate the kitchen again having once visited it. Later Hermione was informed by the old elf by the name of Glanry that the cook had placed a charm on the kitchen so that every time the bossy red haired woman looked for it, she would not be able to find it, and hoped that the mistress would not be angry. “She kept trying to do cooks job,” he said as though Mrs Weasley had committed a crime.
Hermione stifled a laugh and asked that cook allow Mrs Weasley in the kitchen to cook supper, just to keep her happy.
“You really are a wonderful wife,” Harry whispered as he listened to her talk with the head elf “and a diplomatic one as well.”
The head elf called a young female elf into the foyer, “Erin, show the master and mistress around the house, please.”
The young elf beamed “Oh it will be a great honour, to show Sir and Madam the house.”
Their tour ended in the master bedroom, it was a huge room with an equally huge bed, “I may have to change that bed,” Harry said seriously
“Why what ever’s the matter with it? It looks delightful to me,” Hermione asked
“It’s big enough to loose you in, and that’s the last thing I want to do,” Harry laughed.
‘Harry this place is amazing, I never realised you were so wealthy. I wonder how much land there is’ Hermione thought as they sat on the large bed.
‘Hermione Potter how many times do you need to be told, it’s we that are wealthy not just me’ Harry thought a little annoyed ‘we have been married a year now and you should know by now we share everything’
Down stairs in the living room a large banner courtesy of the twins was floating just bellow the ceiling. ‘Happy Anniversary Harry and Hermione’ kept flashing in red and gold. Much to the annoyance of Glanry.
Ginny went on her own tour of the house and soon found her trunk in a room that she thought large enough to play quidditch in.
Later that day just after Sirius arrived, a tired and well fed group of teenagers decided it was time for bed; they were just leaving the living room when Mr Weasley arrived from the ministry, looking almost as tired as they felt. After greetings were exchanged the teens turned in for the night.
Harry and Hermione lay in bed, ‘It’s like a fairy tale Harry’ Hermione thought to him just before they fell asleep.
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