Chapter 8

The Fertility Feud...

Poppy fell back into her chair and dropped the completed file on the ever-growing pile. So far, she had completed eighty-two of the obligatory reports for the Wizengamot. It was only the third week of March, and nearly all the girls she'd had in for prenatal checkups had filed paternity charges on the boys they claimed had impregnated them. One more week, and she was certain that the remaining thirty-three would follow suit. One hundred and fifteen, which included the ten new expectant mothers this month, and if things went as she figured, another eleven would be by to see her as well. That would account for every single female student between the ages of fifteen to eighteen who would have their birthdays before the end of school.

She picked up the next folder, dipped her quill and began calculating the information requested. 'Amy Waters, age fifteen. Date of her last menstrual cycle was the fifteenth of February, according to the girl. Her due date is... the twenty-second of November. Her baby was supposedly conceived around the first of March. Her second trimester should be the tenth of May, which would put her third trimester around the twenty-third of August. Suggest scheduling a paternity test last week of August, St. Mungo's maternity ward. Wizard responsible...' She checked her notes. Oh, yes, Steven Perry, fifth-year Hufflepuff. Good family. Won't they be delighted.

Poppy wrote down the boy's name, answered all the pertinent information of the case and set down her quill. She picked up the sealing wax and added her Healer's crest to the official document. She signed her name, closed the file, and placed it on the pile to go to the Wizengamot.

She sat back in her chair with her hands laced across her middle and smiled. She might be remiss in not sending each file as they came in, but she held a perverse sense of defiance in the fact that she would only send them in with her obligatory monthly report. After all, it's not like they were life threatening cases, and she was only following normal protocol. Pregnancy hardly rated in equivalence to an Acromantula or a Basilisk attack on the castle, potions explosions, fatal or simply contagious disease outbreaks, or a battle. With modern maternity Healer practices, none of the young mothers or their babies would be at serious risk of dying. "Not that there are babies," she scoffed and placed the completed files in the crate. Poppy sat up. That wasn't exactly true. There were a few of the girls who might actually be pregnant. But since none of them will allow me to do the Pregnancy Charm, I can't be absolutely certain.

She looked at the calendar on her desk and stared at the eight names she would see tomorrow for their checkups.

At least she didn't have to send these files individually by owl.

Merilynn-Elizabeth Lovelle, administrative secretary of the Council of Magical Law of the Wizengamot Administration Services, loved her title and her position. Normally. But, with this ongoing nonsense of the Department of Muggle-born Liaison Commission's constantly changing of the laws, and with all their amendments, things were getting out of hand. She had families wanting to sue the Ministry for invalidating signed betrothal contracts, dissolving prearranged plight agreements of understanding, and refusing marriage licenses. There were legal suits regarding dowries and bridal gifts because, under the present law, the Wizengamot had dissolved the unions in question. There were even a few suits filed against the Wizengamot itself, and that was unheard of.

No, this Social Heritage, Marriage, and Registration Committee was making her job far more difficult than it ought to be. How was she supposed to decide which cases took precedence or required a partial tribunal over a full tribunal? Surely, not all the cases regarding the legalities of marriage union required a full panel of the Wizengamot. Most should have been handled in a minor courtroom with three to five members present. Nevertheless, that puffed up warbler, Graceilla Warblock, insisted on a full panel...a full tribunal each time! Quite possibly the most ridiculous, and time-consuming, waffle-head in the country!

Her case ledger was full for months, and Merilynn-Elizabeth hated scheduling cases so many months advance. Things happened, emergencies came up, delays were costly, postponements and changes of venue happened more frequently... No, she hated having the courtroom dockets scheduled so far ahead.

She wasn't even allowed to table any of the more ridiculous challenges to the desired unions. Merilynn-Elizabeth sighed at the case she had to file for her friend, Charlotte Holt. She and Mark Leach were such a lovely couple, and if it weren't for the fact that there was now a child now in question, the union would have been challenged. She was certain that they didn't have too many common ancestors, they were both practically half-bloods. In fact, Charlotte was suing the Wizengamot for forcing her to take action against her fiancé under the Bastard Law of all things.

She looked up as an interoffice carrier walked in with a huge crate under his arm. "I've a large package for the Wizengamot," the young man said, dropping the crate on Merilynn-Elizabeth's desk with a heavy sounding 'thunk.'

"What?" she exclaimed in shock, rising to her feet. "Who's that from?" It was stacked full of files, and judging by the sound it made landing on her desk, magically enlarged to contain more files than usual.

"Hogwarts, ma'am, to be delivered to the administrative secretary of the Council of Magical Law of the Wizengamot Administration Services," he said, holding out a clipboard and quill. "Please sign here."

The number of paternity suits caught the attention of the Daily Prophet and the Sorcerer's Sun, although the Sun was far more unbiased in their assumptions. The Prophet did get two facts right, the number of young girls in the school who claimed to have gotten pregnant and the corresponding number of paternity suits filed under the Bastard Law. The article in the Prophet claimed that discipline at the school was at an unheard of low and that the students were running amuck, apparently allowed to fornicate in the dorms and classrooms.

The Sun pointed out that the suits were from all the girls in the school, ages fifteen to eighteen, apparently making an attempt to fight the Marriage Law. Furious parents sent letters to Headmistress McGonagall and the Heads of House, demanding to know what was going on, and what, if anything, was being done. The Wizengamot sent representatives to the school to verify the records of the pregnancies and discovered that none of the girls had requested to confirm their conditions. This, too, made the papers.

"Oh, get this!" Shelia screeched as she plopped down in front of Ginny and Hermione in the Great Hall for dinner with her copy of the Sorcerer's Sun clutched in her hands. "'The suspicions stated in the Daily Prophet are that the girls at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have either taken a fertility potion to ensure pregnancy or they are faking it. In an interview with Rita Skeeter, Graceilla Warblock commented that the young people were just afraid of being matched by a professionally trained and Ministry-employed Yenta, and she assuress the public that the matter is being addressed by the Wizengamot.' Can you believe this?" she asked, looking up over her paper.

"Oh, my, gosh! They found out!" Bernice exclaimed, clutching her goblet so tight it made her knuckles white and the juice slosh out a bit.

Several students from the house, and those sitting closest to them at the other tables turned toward Hermione and Shelia, openly listening in. "No. They think they know what's going on. Listen. 'Representatives of the S.H.M.R.C. have sent out notices to each pregnant student at Hogwarts to insist that each student claiming to be pregnant must submit to a Pregnancy Charm to confirm their pregnancy or be held in contempt of the Marriage Law.'" Shelia looked up at Hermione with a worried expression. "I never got a letter. Did you?"

Bernice spoke up before Hermione could answer. "Can they do that? Can they force us to take a Paternity Charm?"

Hermione shook her head with a mischievous smile on her face. "I don't think so, no. Remember, Patient Rights. We have a legal and ethical right to accept or decline any test, potion, or examination. And Madam Pomfrey couldn't have said anything about our faking it without performing the charm. Because under our Healer-patient confidentiality rights, she cannot blindly speculate or make a diagnosis publicly without losing her Healer's license. It's in her Hippocratic Wand Oath as a Healer." She turned to Shelia. "And no. I never got a letter. Where did you get that?"

"My dad; who else. It's tomorrow's paper. According to my dad, the Daily Prophet also started making lists of eligible witches and wizards as well as announcing the first successfully arranged unions," Shelia said, holding up the paper again.

"Wait," Hermione said, holding out her hand. "Let's have a meeting after dinner. Then all the houses will know." She turned around to tell Susan that she wanted to hold a meeting and noticed that the word was already spreading. One of the Ravenclaw girls even got up to tell the Slytherin girls. As soon as Hermione nodded to Ginny that she was ready to leave, Shelia and Bernice jumped to their feet. When Hermione rose to leave, she saw that almost all of the older girls and many of the guys got up as well. She looked up at the High Table and sighed when she noticed that the professors watched her, too. Professor McGonagall made a slight nod of her head as she watched the girls leave.

Hermione found herself quickly surrounded, bombarded in the Entrance Hall with students wanting to know what had happened. "Hold on!" she shouted over the scared and angry students. "Let's get in the room and then talk!" She turned and ran up to the Room of Requirement with nearly two hundred students behind her. When the door to the room opened, it was once again full of comfortable chairs and sofas arranged in stadium seating style with a large, plush armchair on a small platform for Hermione down front. Hermione asked Shelia to read the article her father had sent her for everyone to hear.

"Okay, listen up!" she shouted as soon as Shelia finished. "They can't make us take the test. It's against our Patient Rights. Madam Pomfrey cannot make us take any test, potion, or conduct any charm on us against our will unless it is vital or necessary to save our lives. According to the new laws, if you are sixteen and up, you are protected by the Order of Consent. I think even the fifteen-year-olds can claim that right as well, considering you are just as likely to be forced into a Ministry arranged marriage. I checked that before suggesting we take this course of action. Any one of you can refuse the charm, and there is nothing Madam Pomfrey or the Wizengamot can do! It goes against the Healer's Hippocratic Oath, and since the Wizengamot has declared us legally emancipated...they have given us the say over our own bodies as emancipated adults."

There was an outcry of comments. Hermione tried to quiet everyone down, unsuccessfully, until Ginny let out a shrill whistle.

"Thanks, Gin. Okay, everyone listen up. In The Quibbler tomorrow, there will be an article I submitted that will explain our rights set forth by the Social Heritage, Marriage, and Registration Committee's Emancipation Act! Get a copy of the magazine, and use it to fend off any problems with the representatives of the Wizengamot."

There were still a lot of questions, but most everyone calmed, knowing that Hermione had anticipated the S.H.M.R.C.'s actions. By noon the next day, every one of the girls faking their pregnancy passed around copies of The Quibbler and even many of the guys had a copy in their pockets.

It turned out that Hermione was right. The next morning, the Daily Prophet wrote a scathing article about Hermione Granger's actions in assisting a hundred girls to get pregnant rather than be given proper and beneficial Ministry engagements. The article extolled the benefits of a properly arranged union and reprinted the list of the newly arranged engagements.

Hermione received numerous letters and Howlers over the next few days, one of the few she answered came from George Weasley, asking her how she pulled off such a coup d'état. Hermione sent him a copy of the Pseudopregnancy Potion and directions on how to use it. Hermione drafted a formal letter that Luna and Shelia asked their dads to print, which gave an apology of sorts to all the worried parents but that had been carefully written to avoid admitting any blame or assuming responsibility.

The Ministry announced their intentions the next day. The morning edition the first day of April, the S.H.M.R.C. announced that the stipulations of the Marriage Law were now in full force. Edithe Havershiems gleefully listed twenty couples in the Daily Prophet who were engaged, supposedly in happy, Ministry-approved, arranged unions, which had been made by her and her staff of professionals as proof of her successful matchmaking skills.

That afternoon, a second special edition of the Daily Prophet was delivered to every subscriber. The large horned owl that delivered Hermione's pecked at her hand, making her bleed before he flew off. She opened the paper, and her eyes widened at the headlines.

Compliance to the Marriage Law Is Now Mandatory

In the efforts to ensure that all individuals of child-bearing age are properly matched by the compatibility profiling of the Social Heritage, Marriage, and Registration Commission Yenta, Mrs. Edithe Havershiems and her capable staff, the Ministry of Magic will hereby guarantee a suitable match for all eligible witches and wizards. Failure to comply with the Marriage Law will result in sterilization, internment in Azkaban, and having your wand snapped.

Due to a large increase of concern among couples and parents who claim to have been engaged prior to the enactment of the S.H.M.R.C. and the Emancipation Act, any couple who can show both proof of engagement and can reasonably show proof that their heritage is significantly devoid of common ancestry, may petition the S.H.M.R.C. for consideration. These couples will be compared for suitable compatibility and, if found, will maintain the rights of their prearranged marital contracts.

It has also come to the attention of the S.H.M.R.C. that a number of students have taken upon themselves to defy the Marriage Law and the efforts of the Ministry. Unless each of the young ladies currently engaging in illegal activities of falsifying pregnancies cease and submit to the administrative assistance of an approved union, each girl will be found in contempt of the law...

An old picture of Hermione from her fourth year, hugging Harry before the first challenge of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, graced the page.

The outcry of the students in the Great Hall as they read the articles was deafening.

Hermione pulled out her Galleon and called a meeting of all the girls in the Room of Requirement. When everyone was assembled, she raised her hand to get everyone's attention. "The Ministry still can't take action against us under the stipulations of the Bastard Law, which provides that no witch carrying or expecting a baby can be sentenced to Azkaban," she tried to reassure the students who had shown up. "So unless the Ministry appeals the Bastard Law or discovers that we are not pregnant, there isn't anything they can do. What I suggest is to hold fast to the plan and don't give in. Unless they force us to take the Pregnancy Charm against our will, and no Healer can do that unless they break their Hippocratic Wand Oath and forfeit their license as a Healer, there is nothing the Wizengamot can do!"

"But my father is demanding that I marry the guy I claim impregnated me," Michelle Kearney, a sixth-year Ravenclaw, wailed from the back.

"Under the Bastard Law, your parents can't force the guy to marry you until paternity is confirmed during your third trimester...or in our case what would be your seventh month," Draco told her from across the room. Two Slytherin guys voiced their agreement to his statement.

"Thank you, Draco," Hermione said, gaining everyone's attention again. "Harry and Ron told me that the S.H.M.R.C. is getting hundreds of Howlers every day. So are the Minister and the Heads in the M.L.E. Even the members of the Wizengamot are getting them. There are couples out there who are following our example and taking the Pseudopregnancy Potion as well. We are not as alone as you think. Yes, the Prophet is singling us out, especially me, and there is a lot of pressure being put on us, but only because we've taken ourselves off Edithe Havershiems' list, and she's upset about it."

Julianna stood up. "Look, we've got nothing to lose. So far, all they've said is that we have to submit to the administrative assistance."

Norma, a sixth-year Ravenclew, raised her hand. "But they have accused us of falsifying the pregnancies. When it's found out that we are, then what?"

"I have an idea, but it's a long shot," Hermione stated. "I found an annotation in an old Potions journal. It suggests that the Sterilization Curse is reversible. The wizard who wrote it is a renowned Potions master. I was hoping to find more on the subject, but so far I've had limited success. But there are other options; there has to be. We simply have to find them."

There were a lot of suggestions, comments, arguments made, and several ideas were thrown out. Susan wrote down as many of them as she could.

"What if we just see who the Yenta would match us up with," Jonathan Barnes, a fifth-year Slytherin, asked.

"You could," Julianna said, turning to the boy. "But then you'd have to marry whomever they picked, whether you wanted to or not. Look, everyone," she said, turning to the group. "My sister was matched to a guy she didn't even know. The Wizengamot approved the match without her consent, and she had to be married in a month or face the penalties. We all know what they are. She was listed as one of the Ministry's successful marriages, but trust me...this is not a winning situation for her. He is abusive towards my sister, and... I know that being under the influence of this potion sucks, but the alternative is worse. How many of you know someone who's being matched or has been matched."

Several students raised their hands.

Julianna continued, "Okay, keep your hand up if the match is a good one or they are happy with their partner."

Only a few hands remained aloft.

"So you see, the alternative is worse. I say we take our chances and try to fight this," Julianna said and sat down.

Before everyone left, Hermione passed out the girls' next dose.

By now, Hermione was in full production of the potion. With Draco and Ginny helping her in the brewing, it was a lot easier making several cauldrons at once, although she was still missing lessons or running late at times. So far, none of the professors admonished her too badly about it though, and she hadn't lost any house points either. George wrote back that he was making a mint on the potion. Apparently, Angie had taken the potion and was claiming George as the father, and Verity had claimed Lee Jordan in her paternity suit. There were also women who sent Hermione Galleons so that they could try the ruse. She referred those letters to George so he could screen them, rather than send the potion by owl.

In her April report, Madam Pomfrey informed the Wizengamot that she'd given up trying to force the girls to take the Pregnancy Charm. Graciella Warblock responded back, furious at the Healer's inability to control the situation, warning her that the Wizengamot would take affirmative action.

Professor McGonagall sent a note to Hermione and Ginny, requesting that they come to her office. Madam Pomfrey was already seated in one of the chairs in front of the desk when the girls entered. "Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, have a seat," Professor McGonagall said, indicating the two empty chairs. "You girls have been rather busy, haven't you?"

Hermione swallowed nervously as she sat down. "I am studying for my N.E.W.T.s, Professor," she replied nervously, clasping her hands tightly in her lap.

"You have taken on the Ministry and have been brewing a restricted potion, which you've been passing out to the girls of my school," Professor McGonagall said, sitting stiffly in her chair and looking over her glasses at the girls.

Ginny and Hermione both tried very hard not to shift in their seats.

"It has been noticed. I don't blame you one bit. Now I have a letter from the Wizengamot stating that they are willing to consider approving of the match between your beau and yourselves, which I think is fair, considering that you have not gone through the S.H.M.R.C. Yenta for approval. If you choose this route, you will be expected to marry the young man in question at the end of your school year. Would either of you care to accept the decision of the Wizengamot?"

"Not under the current law, no," Hermione said as Ginny replied exuberantly, "Yes, I would."

Professor McGonagall smiled patiently. "Hermione, I'll ask you first. Please explain to me why, then, did you and Mr. Weasley decide to become parents." Hermione opened her mouth to explain but the Headmistress cut her off. "You, too, Miss Weasley, although why you'd drag Mr. Potter's good name into this, I cannot fathom."

'Harry and I are engaged, Professor," Ginny blurted out. Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow, but Ginny continued. "We have been ever since his sixth year. He promised me that if he survived Voldemort, we would get married."

"And Mr. Potter will confirm this of course?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Ginny nodded. "Yes, Professor, he will."

Professor McGonagall looked suspicious for a minute, then nodded, marking down Ginny's statement. "All right. I see no reason why you and Mr. Potter would be considered unacceptable." She then turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger?"

"I have been engaged to Ron since the end of our sixth year as well. Since I'm still in school, and he has three years of Auror training, we decided to wait. But then this Marriage Law came about, and well, we didn't want to wait and be told that we cannot marry," she said boldly.

"Very well, I'll submit that to the Wizengamot on your behalf," Professor McGonagall said as she opened another file and made an annotation. "According to the S.H.M.R.C, in order for the Wizengamot to approval your betrothal, you will both need to drop your lawsuits and submit your petitions for engagement to your respective financés. If you do that, I would think Mrs. Warblock would have to see that you are willing to compromise...to cooperate...it would be a show of good faith on both your parts. I'm sure that they will accept your engagements. That would surely appease those two witches..."

"With all due respect, Headmistress, I cannot do that," Hermione replied. "If we drop the paternity suits, then the S.H.M.R.C. can arrange marriages for us, and I refuse to accept a Ministry arranged match."

"But, Miss Granger, if you pardon me for saying, you are Muggle-born, and Mr. Weasley is a pure-blood. Your match is surely assured," Professor McGonagall said, lacing her hands in front of her and looking at Hermione over her glasses again. "That is the exact criteria the S.H.M.R.C. has set forth: force pure-bloods to marry Muggle-borns so as to widen the gene pool and strengthen the bloodlines of wizardkind."

"Yes, I realize that, but Ron and Harry are already on the first list, and they already have their Ministry selected matches...and truthfully, I don't trust the current administration," Hermione said, trying to keep her tone of voice calm and rational. "The S.H.M.R.C. has already started forcing couples outside of the school to get married or the Aurors arrest them for violation of the Marriage Law. Both Harry and Ron were given their matches prior to our paternity claims. What if they are forced to marry their Yenta approved matches through the S.H.M.R.C.?"

"Hermione's right. Harry told me at Christmas that he'd been sent his match already, a Deborah Mendleson, but he hadn't sent in his acceptance. If we drop our suits, then they might be forced to marry the Ministry approved witch within the month. That is why he was so glad that I offered this alternative," Ginny explained, trying not to fidget as the older women watched her intently while they listened. "Ron is on the list as well, but he didn't say anything about who he was matched up with. Harry said he was livid and refused to talk about it. The only reason none of the students here are being matched up is because we took matters into our own hands."

"No, the only reason you're not being matched up is because the students are still in school and are on a different list...or lists. The students finishing school will be matched up over the summer," Professor McGonagall.

"I strongly suspect that the Yenta has already determined who shall marry whom." Hermione sat forward and looked at the older women imploringly. "Harry told me that all the reproductively viable witches and wizards, seventeen through forty-five are on the first list. The second list includes wizards as old as fifty-five, although Harry heard rumors that men as old as sixty-five are being considered! They might be on a third list, but that's old! I don't want to be forced to marry an old guy...or any guy! If you consider that all the seventh- and eighth-year girls in school are on the second list...either we marry a guy in our year after leaving school or we might be matched with some old guy... Don't you see? This is necessary!"

"Well, okay then. But since Harry is in Auror training, Minerva, he and Ginny are not required to marry until Harry finishes his training program," Madam Pomfrey stated. "According to the Proper Unions Act, if either of the couple is in school or a training program the wizard is required to allow the right to labor or continued education if said witch is in her sixth- or seventh-year of schooling. But they also infer that the wizard can hold the engagement until he has completed his training as long as he can show proof that he can support the girl in question."

Ginny nearly bounced in her seat. "He can! Of course Harry can!"

"And so can Ron," Hermione stated. "I also plan on furthering my education after Hogwarts. So does that apply to me as well?"

Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall both smiled. "Yes, it does," the Headmistress replied. "I suggest that you discuss this alternate course with your friends before the Ministry passes a law, forcing Healers to give certain diagnostic charms to patients against their will in cases where the witch or wizard is doing something or carries a condition destructive to their health. That's just some friendly advice, from your old Head of House."

Hermione looked at her, gobsmacked, and Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey both nodded; the professor, serenely, the Healer, frowning.

That night Hermione called an emergency meeting. Julianna, Draco, Thomas, and Cecil represented Slytherin, Susan and Luna each brought with them three students to represent their houses, and Bernice, Shelia, Bill Hamelton and Ernil Kroomer to represent Gryffindor with Hermione and Ginny. Hermione related what the Headmistress told her.

"Shite!" Draco snarled. "I knew this was going too well."

"Well, it's a disaster!" Julianna exclaimed. "So what now? We all agree to marry the bloke we claimed got us pregnant?"

Draco crossed his arms. "Or actually get their girlfriends pregnant. Can they get pregnant for real, Hermione, or not?"

Hermione nodded. "If the girl doesn't take the next dose, although it might take a month, she can get pregnant. Using a fertility potion would help, but they're against the law now."

"Terrific," Cecil snorted.

"If not, then I suggest that all the students apply to an educational or training program," Ginny suggested.

"What? Like Healer training?" Susan asked.

Hermione nodded. "That's exactly what she means. Even a Muggle university or technical training program would do. Under the Proper Unions Act, if either of the couple is in school or a training program, the wizard is required to allow the right to labor or continued education if said witch is in her sixth or seventh year of schooling," she quoted Madam Pomfrey. "That alone can provide all the seventh- and eighth-year students leaving school at least three years. By that time, this law has got to be appealed. So, unless we find a better solution to put off being forced into a marriage, it's an option. Because of the devastation caused by the war, the Healers and Aurors are accepting loads more applications."

"Then there are apprenticeships," Susan pointed out. "Nearly every field has some type of training."

"In the mean time, I'm going to apply to St. Mungo's and see if I get in," Ernil stated.

"There are all those pamphlets, leaflets, and flyers that are being passed around," Bernice suggested. "Some of them mention training."

When everyone was leaving, Hermione asked Draco to wait a minute to discuss the brewing schedule. Julianna and Cecil pulled Hermione aside. "What about this sterilization reversal you mentioned," she asked. "You said that it is reversible."

Hermione blushed. "I was using an article in a Potions journal to substantiate the antithesis of my paper and ran across an article written by S. S. Prince that suggested that certain disfigurement charms can be reversed by potions. There was a sentence in which he stated that the Sterilization Charm could be reversed in females by utilizing a testosterone potion with an estrogen inhibiter and vice versa in males... It's a long shot, but I haven't been able to find anything else written by Master S. S. Prince, nor anything about this potion."

"He is Severus Snape," Draco stated.

"I know he's Severus Snape," Hermione stated. "He didn't start publishing his articles under his own name until after 1980 when he came to work at Hogwarts. The article predates his years as a professor, when he was serving Voldemort."

"Snape knew how to make...he knew how to reverse the Sterilization Curse?" Cecil asked, gobsmacked.

"Professor Snape...and apparently he did, or knew about a potion that could," Hermione admonished him, giving Cecil a look that said she'd not tolerate any disrespect of the ex-professor. "Only I cannot find any of his writings on the subject."

"Well, you'd be looking in the wrong place," Draco stated, smiling at her.

"I was looking in the Potions section and through the journals and periodicals..."

"Of Hogwarts," Draco said smugly.

Julianna's eyes narrowed, staring at her. "You'd trust something written by Severus Snape?"

"With my life...and have, numerous times. He was always furious with me for quoting him in my essays," Hermione said emphatically. "Besides, he saved my life numerous times. My second year alone he brewed potions twice: he cured me from being petrified and when I, er... Anyway, he was a remarkable wizard, a brilliant intellect. Why wouldn't I trust him?"

"Oh, I dunno, Gryffindor, why wouldn't you trust a Slytherin, ex-Death Eater turned..."

"HE was a brilliant wizard. I owe him my life! My friends and I do...several times over, actually!"

Julianna's expression changed to a look of awed respect.

"His journals are at my family home. In the potions lab. He is a good friend of my dad's, and my uncle once removed," Draco stated. "I'm sure I can convince him to..."

"He's alive?!" Hermione shrieked, jumping to her feet.

"Of course he is," Draco said, smirking. "He's living in France at my family's estate. He's recovering and recuperating after everything he had to do in this bloody war. He wanted to start over...so my family is giving him a fresh start."

"How can I reach him?"

"Send an owl," Draco said smugly. "And here I thought you were intelligent."