The Big Birthday Adventure

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o 15 o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Big Birthday Adventure

~M~

Maggie sat down at her desk, feeling all aflutter over the lovely invitation sent to her by Rita Skeeter. The girls in the break room were positively jealous that she had such a famous and talented friend, and Beatrice was pleading for Maggie to get her an autograph on her copy of Rita’s book.

Dearest Rita,

I fully agree with you that the Snapes are only delaying the inevitable. I could hardly believe what you wrote me in our last correspondence. I’ve been told by the Minister himself that Marvin Maretbell is more than happy to let the couple work things out. In the meantime, I still have to keep their file in the pending tray until I hear either way. Nevertheless, neither Severus Snape nor Hermione Granger-Snape will return my owls. So, I don’t have anything new for you regarding them.

Maggie looked at the Daily Prophet and shook her head. Judging by the pictures on the front page, the couple had had a rather bad fight. There was a large picture of Severus and Hermione arguing on the pier with several smaller pictures along the side. The first was of them holding hands as they crossed a street, neither of them looking at the other. The second was of them eating at a table outside a pub, in which Mr. Snape was scowling and Miss Granger-Snape was picking at her food, and a third showed them walking side by side on the pier. They did not look like a happy couple. How Rita managed to get pictures of the Snapes, she had no idea. The witch was positively a marvel!

She picked up her quill to finish off her letter to Rita.

As far as I know, Ginevra’s parents are insisting that she finish school before she and Mr. Potter are properly married. Yes, Mr. Weasley has been by my office to pick up the standard marriage contracts, but as you know, it’s a formality at this point. Mr. Harry Potter and Mrs. Ginevra Weasley-Potter are a registered Bonded couple.

Likewise, I have received the forms from Augusta Longbottom, and yes, Neville Longbottom is marrying Luna Lovegood on the eighth of August. The site of the wedding is apparently under the Fidelius Charm. There are many people in the Ministry, myself not included, who have been invited. There are nearly a hundred Portkeys that have been issued for the date, but I cannot confirm anything for you. I’m so terribly sorry.

Oh, and I am delighted to confirm that Hilliard and Violetta Hobday did indeed have another baby. A girl, Sylvania, who was born yesterday. I think she is a premature baby; the registry didn’t record the child as being healthy, and she’s small, only fourteen inches long and weighing in at just under three pounds. I’m glad to know that the Healers at St. Mungo’s are keeping the baby – I hope the dear little thing survives. It would crush Violetta to lose another. You know that this is her third, right? The last one died after only a month. Poor dear.

Marcus Flint and Charisa Travers have filed their forms, claiming they made a magical Bonding last October, but there is no such registration of their Bonding in the ledger. Their first child, Ursula, was born a week ago at the family home. She was twenty-two inches and over nine pounds at birth, (nine pounds and eight ounces to be precise). I have sent them the necessary forms for a marriage license. I’ll owl you in regards to their response.

Thorfinn Rowle died yesterday, as well, resisting arrest. I know from Beatrice Underwood that Prudence Finklemyer heard that he’d died in transport to Azkaban. He’d taken no more than four curses to the chest. But this is hearsay. I do know that Gawain Robards and Zachery Wildman were two of the Aurors who finally caught him.

I do so look forward to our lunch date on Wednesday. If I learn where the Longbottom wedding is, I’ll owl you.

Your friend,

Maggie Whitmire

They’d made plans to go play paintball and spend the weekend at Alton Towers, but Harry had wanted to stop at Godric’s Hollow first. It was Harry’s birthday after all, and if he wanted to spend it going back to the home his parents had died, then who was she to complain? Hermione had helped Harry make the plans, and Ginny, of course, had wanted to go, as had Ron. Neville and Luna had been invited to go, also. Hermione had been looking forward to this weekend for a long time, even as much as Harry had.

The house in Godric’s Hollow looked unchanged. As soon as Harry touched the gate, the sign appeared. More graffiti appeared on the sign, apparently having been added since Harry’s last visit, with new congratulatory messages on top of the old ones, which Harry and Ginny stood side by side, reading aloud. Finally, Harry touched the gate with his wand and unlocked the wards, letting in his friends.

The house had been magically sealed after that night, but recognized Harry’s magical signature, and they entered with little fuss. The downstairs looked as if it hadn’t been touched in years. Everything was just as the Aurors had left it all those years before. Halloween decorations still adorned the front lounge. There was evidence of a fight, and there were toys on the floor, including a toy broom that Harry picked up and examined, his eyes nearly filling with tears. Ginny picked up a baby blanket with a white dragon emblazoned on it and folded it neatly, placing it carefully in Hermione’s beaded purse, along with the toy broom Harry silently handed to her. Several books were sitting on the side table, and there was a pipe on the coffee table, which Hermione put in her purse, as well.

In the kitchen, there were cookies still sitting on the baking sheet and cooling rack on the counter, although they had a layer of dust on them, not frosting. Even though the house looked as if it had once been homey, there were very few personal items of the last occupants. Six pictures still remained on the icebox, held in place by magnets, all showing Harry as a baby. Luna carefully removed each one and handed them to Hermione to put in the purse.

The other rooms downstairs showed little else. Ron and Luna stayed downstairs to keep watch as the others went upstairs to investigate. The loo upstairs was a mess; one wall was missing where the shower might have been, and the debris was everywhere. Hermione found some soaps, a razor, and two toothbrushes still on the counter next to jars of might have been hand cream and lotion. Hermione examined them, realizing that they were homemade, most likely by Harry’s mum.

Harry and Neville managed to get into the room where Lily had given her life to protect her baby. The door was completely gone, two of the walls had collapsed, and the ceiling had caved in, making gaining access dangerous. The furniture Lily had used to try to barricade herself in was destroyed. Only the crib remained standing. Harry and Neville crawled out of the room, Harry clutching a toy giraffe, a large stuffed cat, and another baby blanket. He shrank the crib, which Neville carried out and handed to Hermione. The tiny crib was sweet, white with blue bedding. Hermione tucked it in her purse carefully. The room that had been used by Lily and James was a mess. Clothes and papers littered the floor as if it had been ransacked. Hermione and Ginny helped Harry collect the letters and papers, finding occasional torn pictures of his parents and their friends.

Ginny held up an envelope, reading the address. “Harry, it’s addressed to your dad in Glasbury. I think Sirius wrote this ages ago when they were kids,” she said, handing him the faded envelope. “It might be where your grandparents lived.”

Harry nodded and slipped the envelope into his pocket. “I’d like to go there – after. Hermione, do you know the area?”

“Yes, I’ve been, once. I remember the bridge well enough,” she replied, and Harry smiled. “It’s in Wales, on the River Wye, west of Hereford. I don’t know if we’ll find it, Harry, but as I recall, it’s a nice village.”

Harry nodded. “I think I remember the bridge from when Uncle Vernon took us to Beacon. Aunt Petunia had us stop in the first town to feed Dudley. I think that was Glasbury.”

“I’ve been there, too,” Luna said, entering the room and taking Neville’s hand. “Dad likes to fish on the River Wye for kellspippers.” Luna looked up at Harry with a warm smile. “The kellspippers are usually active in the mornings, but we may still see them jump. If you spot one, it’s supposed to be lucky.”

Harry and Ginny laughed softly as Hermione simply smiled indulgently. “So, after the graveyard, we’ll Apparate in pairs for the bridge. Harry, you take Ginny, and I’ll take Ron, since I know we can do Side-Along Apparations, and Luna, take Neville, if you can. We can all meet at the bridge at Glasbury. We have until two to get to West Sussex, so we have time,” Hermione suggested.

“Yes, I can Apparate with Neville,” Luna replied, taking Neville’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, making him smile at her with a look of affectionate pride in return.

Harry nodded, and Ginny touched his shoulder. “Are you all right?” she asked.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Yeah. It’s like saying goodbye to them.” He looked at his friends. “I’m – there’s nothing else. We should go.”

They left the house, heading to the graveyard. Hermione had a bad feeling about going, but Harry insisted, wanting to see it one more time. They were careful to watch their surroundings as they walked up to the Potters’ grave. Harry stood, staring at the gravestone, surrounded by the people he cared for most. Hermione felt a lump in her throat while watching him.

“I think we should go,” Luna said softly, moving to stand closer to Ron and Neville, her wand pointing at the shadows under the trees beyond the fence.

Why?” Harry asked, turning to face her.

“Ghosts don’t wear black,” she replied, aiming for the trees. Twin jets of light shot out of the dark shadows under the trees, making Harry, Hermione, and Ron duck for cover while drawing their wands. Ginny and Luna were the first to cast spells in the direction they’d come from, followed by a blast of light from Neville’s wand as Hermione cast a Leg-Locker in the general direction.

“Quick!” Neville said, grabbing Luna’s arm. Harry quickly took hold of Ginny’s, and Hermione gripped Ron’s as two more spells shot out from the trees at them.

Ron and Hermione Disapparated, arriving on the shoreline of the River Wye within sight of Glasbury bridge. “Do you think they’re all right?” he asked, looking around for the others.

“I’m sure they are,” Hermione stated, surveying their surroundings. “We got out of there pretty quickly.”

“But I don’t see anyone,” Ron stated, looking around nervously. “Those were Death Eaters, huh? How come they knew we were there?”

“I’m sure they are okay, Ron,” she replied, trying to sound surer than she felt. “Yes, I think they were Death Eaters. We were warned that they might be hanging around, although I admit I didn’t really think they would be.”

“So why are we so far away from the bridge,” he asked. “Did you miss it?”

Hermione gave him a scathing look. “This is the place I remembered because I was here before, walking on the shore with my dad. It was the first image that came to me, and I thought it would be best if I didn’t Apparate us on the bridge. You know, in case of Muggles? I’m not sure where Luna or Harry would go, but I assume she’d Apparate to the shore like we did.”

“You don’t think anyone got hurt do you?” he asked, as Hermione started walking toward the bridge.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, stopping and turning around. “Last I saw, everyone was grabbing hands to Apparate. It didn’t look like anyone was hit. When we all get to the bridge, we’ll know for sure.” She wheeled back around to hike to the bridge and find their friends.

The crunching sounds of Ron’s boots indicated that he was hurrying up to catch up with her. “Are you really going to stay with the greasy git?” Ron asked, walking next to her again.

“Ron, stop calling him that! His name is Severus or Professor Snape,” she admonished him, still looking around, checking that they hadn’t been followed or spotted and hoping to find some sign of the others.

“But you’re staying with him?” he persisted.

Hermione turned to look at him. “For now, yes. Or until I get some answers.”

“Like?” he asked, trying to urge her into divulging more.

Hermione stopped and pulled him closer to a thick clump of vegetation. “Do you really love me or is it the idea of me?” she asked, and he looked at her, puzzled. “I mean, you and I don’t agree on much or have very much in common. We fight and argue – always have. I care for you a great deal, but I don’t know if we’d have worked out. And this, all of this has really made me think about things. Besides, Severus told me that this magical Bonding can’t be broken, but Mr. Maretbell said it could be reversed, and Minister Kingsley said it could be annulled. I don’t know whom to believe. Severus was adamant that it can’t.”

“I’d believe Minister Kingsley and Mr. Maretbell,” Ron said, plucking a leaf off the bush.

Hermione watched him tear the leave in shreds. “I want to get to the Hogwarts library and read up on magical Bondings. There isn’t anything on them at Grimmauld Place.”

“Always trusting the books,” he said with a sigh, dropping the remains of the leaf.

“Yes, I do,” she admitted and touched his arm to make him look at her. “If there is a way to reverse this, I want to find it. There is no point of… If this is permanent, if the Bond will tie me to Severus for life, getting an annulment is just like signing separation papers for nothing. If it can be broken, that’s different. But I have to make sure. Can’t you understand that?”

“Yeah,” he said, turning to look at the bridge. “But I don’t like it; you were my girl and now you’re with him. Why him of all people?”

“I didn’t choose him, Ron. It just happened!” she exclaimed, trying to keep her voice low. “I wish you were coming back to school and finishing your last year.”

“I don’t have to – Harry and I are in Auror training,” he said with a grimace. “Why do you care if I come back to school? It won’t be the same.”

They started walking again. “It’ll be weird you know, being roommates with Ginny and everyone who was a year behind me,” she said wistfully. “It’ll just be really different. I can’t imagine Hogwarts without you and Harry.”

“Yeah, like you’d really care if I was there. It wouldn’t change anything, would it?” he asked, pulling another leaf off a bush they passed.

“I don’t think so. I still have to look this spell up and find out what I can. I can’t believe that the Ministry would lie to me if it can’t be reversed. I mean, why would they do that?” she asked.

“I dunno,” he replied. He stopped and looked at her. “I’ll wait for you – until you decide what you are going to do.”

“Ron,” Hermione sighed. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t think it’s fair for you to… What if he’s right and I am Bonded to him for life – then what?”

Ron kicked a stone and stared at the water. “I still love you.”

“We can still be friends,” Hermione said, touching his arm.

He turned to look at her hand, then looked up at her face, and stopped. “I want you to be my wife! I dreamed about you being my wife. Having kids with you. A house. Everything I wanted included you – and now you’ll have it with him! How you can stand it when he – I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Ron!” she said, grabbing his arm tighter when he tried to storm away. “How many times must I say this? I’m sorry. The spell didn’t connect me to you. It connected me to…”

“Him! I know,” he interrupted her with a snarl. “I know you’re shagging him. I know when he sends for you, he’s using you. I know you’re not happy with him – I see it in your eyes.” He jerked his arm away and faced the river. “I really hate this. Truth is, I really want to kill the git, but I know I wouldn’t be able to. It’s not that I don’t think I could; I think it would be a really ugly fight. Shite, I hate this!”

Hermione watched him aghast as he bent down and picked up a rock. “I wanted to be with you that way, and you…”

“Weren’t ready,” she interpolated.

“Didn’t want me,” he finished, throwing the rock as far as he could.

Hermione stood as if rooted in place. Ron looked at her, and then he picked up another rock. “No comment then?” he sneered softly as he threw the rock into the river.

“What do you want me to say?” she asked, feeling hurt, almost as much as she’d hurt him.

“You’ve said enough,” he said, looking sulky. “Let’s go find the others.”

He’d made the decision to try again with Hermione by taking the girl to Duncansby Head on the most northern part of the Scotland mainland for supper and a walk along the cliffs. It was neutral enough and somewhat private. The black Ferrin gull chicks would be flying now, so the nests would be mostly abandoned. The eggshells in the nests were used in potions, but it was the unhatched eggs he wanted. Few people knew their value. The unattended or abandoned eggs in the nests would rot, turning sulfuric in their shells, and become quite potent. If any contained embryos, it was even better. Severus had been experimenting with the unhatched eggs over the summers for a few years now. That, and the black wingtip and tail feathers of the adult gulls made excellent quills.

Severus wondered if Hermione liked flying, but since she hadn’t returned his owl yet, he couldn’t be sure if the idea of seeing the huge gulls might interest her. It was still worth the trip, even if she would only hover on Draco’s old school broom. The Thirle Door and the Stacks of Duncansby, the Rock Clefts and Sclaites were magnificent to look at from brooms. If they were really lucky, they might find Bluepike crabs, another potion ingredient whose meat was also a culinary delicacy.

He’d taken a bottle of elf wine from the wine cellar with Lucius’ permission, opting for the 1943 pinot noir instead of the 1834 chardonnay as suggested, and had one of the house-elves prepare a supper and pack a picnic basket. Still wondering why the girl hadn’t answered his letter, he’d Apparated to Grimmauld Place precisely at eleven.

Severus paced outside of Grimmauld Place. He knocked on the door, only to be told by the old house-elf that Hermione wasn’t in residence. Severus tried to ask the elf where the girl had gone, but the elf became indignant, telling him that he would not betray his master, and slammed the door. Insulted, because the elf was Potter’s and not Hermione’s, he tried casting his Patronus. The hawk circled, entered the window next to him, and exited from an upstairs window. He waited several minutes, but she didn’t answer his Patronus. He tried directing his Patronus to go wherever she was, but the hawk soared off to the west, only to return and fade. For some reason, he felt that she was in Wales or some part of the Brecon Beacons National Park area, but he dismissed the feeling.

Furiously annoyed, he left the street and returned to Malfoy Manor.

Narcissa was standing in the foyer, talking to Draco, when he arrived. “I don’t want that boy here,” she implored before being startled by Severus’ sudden appearance. “You’re back?”

“Obviously,” Severus replied as he thrust the basket on Draco. “You might as well consume this – it would be a waste otherwise. Maybe you can ask your woman over and picnic on the grounds.” He turned to Narcissa and sighed. “Narcissa, I appreciate loan of the broom, but I won’t need it today,” he stated a little more amicably as he handed the Nimbus to the house-elf that appeared at his side

Draco’s mouth curled into a smirk. “Granger stood you up?”

“Draco!” Narcissa scolded him. “Mind your manners, young man, and it’s Mrs. Snape.” She turned to Severus. “Was there a problem?”

“I don’t wish to extrapolate, Narcissa, but yes, there was a problem.” He bowed stiffly and stormed into the library for a drink.

Narcissa turned on Draco and scowled. “That was uncalled for, young man. Severus is a guest in this house, and as such, I expect better from you. He’s having a lot to deal with, and your attitude isn’t helping matters.”

Draco looked at this mum, his expression cross. “If his Mudblood is causing him grief, it isn’t my problem,” he said, trying to control his sneer.

Narcissa drew herself up, holding herself erect. “It is when he is a guest in my house.” The pose used to make Draco cower, but now that he was the same height as she was, the effect wasn’t as imposing to him, and it showed in his eyes.

“The next thing you know, he’ll bring her here,” he spat softly.

She allowed her magic to surge in her as if ready to cast a strong curse, making her hair ripple slightly. “And if he does, you shall be civil – no – courteous towards her!”

“She is a Mudblood,” he retorted, although his shoulders were less rigid and he’d taken half of a step away from his mum.

“She is your godfather’s wife,” she snapped, pointing her finger at his chest, her blue eyes narrowing slightly in anger at his discourtesy towards her and to Severus. “I brought you up better than this, Draco. Regardless of what you think that man might have done to you, he has been a good friend to this family – for years. He deserves your respect, and I expect you to show it to him. And that means his wife, as well.”

“He doesn’t even love her,” he replied defensively.

Taking the basket out of his hands, Narcissa straightened and squared her shoulders. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Draco. You may invite Miss Parkinson to visit today, but I do not want that Flint or Pucey here. Not until after the trial. And if you know what’s good for you, you will be polite to Severus. I’ll not have my son behaving like a Carrow,” she stated before turning heel on her son.

When Hermione and Ron found Luna and Neville kissing under the bridge, Ron immediately began to worry about Ginny and Harry. Luna tried to assure Ron that Harry had Apparated before they had and that neither had looked harmed in any way. Neville pointed out that Harry would have Apparated to a spot he remembered and that it could be anywhere near the bridge or the town, and they would have to walk here on foot. Ron gazed around nervously while Hermione, Neville and Luna talked about the incident on the graveyard.

A few minutes later, Harry and Ginny finally showed up, eagerly asking if everyone was all right. Harry explained that he’d sent his Patronus to Minister Shacklebolt about the Death Eaters. Feeling relieved that everyone was all right, they pushed aside the events at Godric’s Hollow, determined to enjoy Harry’s birthday.

Finding the house from the address on the envelope Ginny had found in the Potters’ bedroom was easier than they’d anticipated. The house in Glasbury was a lovely old Tudor-style home. There were swings and a sandbox in the garden, bikes on the drive, and dogs barking in the back garden. Harry had turned to leave the moment they confirmed that they had the right address. Right house – obviously someone else’s.

They had lunch at a quaint café in town and then Apparated to the Holmbush Paintball fields in West Sussex in time to transfigure their clothes to match the pictures Hermione had. They had been matched up against another group of late-teens for the paintball version of capture-the-flag. Luna had proved to be really good at hitting trees, loving the pattern the paint made on the bark. Ron and Neville had hit anything that moved – or tried to. Harry and Ginny had done really well, really getting into the game, and Hermione had simply tried her best to duck as much as possible. She had, however, managed to hit one or two members of the red team in each scenario of capture the flag. Hermione was certain that either Ron or Neville had been conjuring up extra paintballs whenever they’d run out. It seemed to her that they had been going through many more tubes of paint than Harry and Hermione had given them and had often given fresh tubes of paintballs to Ginny and Harry when they’d run out as well. By the end of the afternoon, everyone but Luna had been hot, dirty, sweaty, covered with splotches of paint, and panting. But it had been fun.

They stayed the first night in an inn in Brighton. Harry and Hermione checked in and then let the others sneak into the room, putting a few wards on the door. Hermione transfigured the beds, charming the two twin beds in the room to accommodate all six of them: the girls on one and the boys on the other. The guys tried convincing Hermione to turn the two twin beds into three and use Silencing Charms, but Ginny and Luna squashed that idea, much to the chagrin of Neville and Harry.

Severus returned to Grimmauld Place at six. The house was dark, save for one light in the drawing room. He knocked on the door, steeling his breathing to a normal rate, not one of annoyed anger, and waited. The old house-elf answered the door, again telling him that Hermione was not in residence.

“Could you please tell me where the girl went?” he asked, trying to keep his tone amiable.

“I cannot say, sir. Kreacher keeps his master’s secrets,” the elf croaked out rudely for the second time, trying to close the door, but Severus shot his arm out to brace the door open.

He quickly tried an Imperius on the creature. “I’m not interested in the whereabouts of Mr. Potter. I am looking for Miss Granger, the girl who resides here.”

“She went with my master to my master’s house,” he replied, trying to close the door again, but Severus forcefully held it open.

“I do believe that this is your master’s house,” Severus said, managing to keep his temper in check.

The old elf looked up at him and shook his head. “It is, sir, but they is not here. Kreacher only knows that they go to master’s house to shoot paint.”

Severus had no idea what nonsense the elf was talking about. He wondered if Potter would bring Weasley and Hermione to his aunt’s home, knowing full well what Petunia’s reaction to his wizard friends would be. As much as he wanted to go find Hermione, he’d have to find Potter to get to her. He tried to remember what he could about Harry’s family – his aunt’s home to be precise, vaguely thinking the house was on the south coast, then shook his head. No, Potter wasn’t from Sussex, I am sure of that. It was more inland… He didn’t really remember where it was, but he knew that Lucius did. “Am I to understand that Miss Granger went with Mr. Potter to visit the Dursleys?” he asked.

Kreacher only shrugged. “I don’t know, sir. They did not tell Kreacher.”

Severus knew that he wasn’t going to get any answers, so he released the Imperius and befuddled the memory of his visit, in case the elf told Potter he’d used the Unforgivable on him, and allowed the creature to slam the door closed. He turned to face the street, wondering if it was worth asking Lucius where the house was. He thought it was in Surrey, still having a nagging feeling that Hermione and her friends were in West Sussex, but couldn’t remember the address. Neither Dumbledore nor the Dark Lord had wanted him anywhere near the house in case Petunia recognized him. He decided to go to the Ole Oak Cask and Cleaver for a beer and steak, rather than return to the Manor so early. Besides, he didn’t want to give Lucius any reason to question him about his interrupted date plans.

In the morning they slipped out early to have breakfast at McDonald’s before going to Alton Towers amusement park in Staffordshire. Upon Hermione’s suggestion, they booked a room at the Splash Landings Hotel, then went to spend the day in the theme park.

Ron whined about the lines, wanting to Apparate to the front of the lines and Confund everyone, but Ginny and Hermione were adamant against it.

Luna enjoyed the cotton candy so much she had three. And Neville loved the hot dogs so much, once he’d been convinced they were not made from actual dog meat, that he ate four of them.

Hermione kept tabs on the map as to which rides Harry wanted to ride the most, making sure that they managed to get in at least ten.

Ginny and Luna loved the roller coasters.

Neville claimed to, although he was slightly pale and shaking each time he got off the rides and had to be coerced into trying the Nemesis, the inverted rollercoaster, and he had to Scourgify his trousers after ridding the Oblivion.

Ron scoffed at the fake ghosts in the Haunted Hollow and complained about getting wet on the Ripsaw, which Ginny chided him about as they dried their clothes, pointing out that they’d known that the ride swung in, around, and through the water fountains before they’d gotten on.

And Harry was having the time of his life.

She was avoiding him. He knew it.

He’d tried casting his Patronus, but there had been no response.

He’d asked Narcissa if he could borrow a house-elf, and the bloody creature hadn’t returned either.

Lucius had told him the address of the Dursleys in Surrey, but that they hadn’t returned back to their house since the war because the Ministry didn’t think it was safe for them to do so yet. Severus had nearly sworn aloud when he’d remembered that Dumbledore had warned Hestia and Dedalus to keep the Dursleys at the safe house until they’d be safe enough to return to Muggle life, not until just after the war. There were still Death Eaters at large who thought that Potter might care enough about them to try and save them from a trap. Severus wasn’t sure, but the boy did have a hero complex, so that was possible.

He forced his mind to think about what he knew about Potter and not focus on his desire to get his hands on Hermione.

He’d returned to Grimmauld Place, and the elf told him the same thing it had the previous night.

The Burrow is out of the question because there is no way the elf would have called it Potter’s home, Severus reasoned out, even though that was the only other place that the boy had ever lived… Then it hit him. Surely the boy wouldn’t have taken Hermione to Godric’s Hollow for two days? That house is a ruin. Still, he might have gone there to see it, thinking it safe to do so.

He Disillusioned himself and Apparated to the town, only a few feet from the old house. The house Lily had died in was just as he remembered it: dark, lifeless, and the upper floor mangled. There was no evidence that Potter was still there or if he’d even been there.

Flanders and Travers were standing in the shadows of the trees in the graveyard when he went to pay respects to Lily’s grave. Severus had no trouble sneaking up on them.

“He’ll be back, I say. He didn’ have time to leave nothin,’ Flanders said.

“I think Dolohov is wonky; he won’t come back,” Travers growled, shifting his feet. “Didn’t plan it all that well, did he? He didn’t figure on the fact that Potter and Granger would bring their friends along. And why hide all the way back here, huh? You got all these gravestones, and you both chose to be way over here?” Travers asked, waving his and at the graveyard.

Flanders glared at Travers, his fingers gripping his wand tightly as the wizard continued berating him. “Besides, while you were trying to get Potter, he was trying to get that girl, Granger, and he wasn’t able to get his hands on her neither.”

Severus felt himself bristle at the comment. He’d attacked Hermione? Casting a Silencing Charm at the ground as he walked closer, he moved within easy listening distance of the two, close enough to be able to cast a spell if he needed to.

“It was six to two,” Flanders argued defensively. “We was out numbered, I tell ya.”

“Six teens, five who haven’t even finished school, against two fully-grown wizards,” Travers sneered, turning to lean on the nearest gravestone. “This is a waste of time, if you ask me.”

“They are war heroes! They’ve been hardened by the war and know how to fight, I tell ya,” Flanders growled, at least trying to keep his deep voice low. The problem was he had the kind of voice that carried well, especially in silent places like a graveyard. “That girl got me arm! And it still hurts,” he whined, raising his arm and flexing the elbow joint.

“They were standing at the grave – way over there!” Travers said, swinging his arm toward the Potters’ gravestone. “You’re a wet prat if that hurt you so badly. No kid could send a full force spell from that distance.”

Severus felt a quick surge of pride. Hermione could, and so could Potter or Miss Weasley if they put their mind to it.

Flanders turned on him, and for a moment Severus thought that he’d been spotted. “The girl is a really strong witch. Everyone says she’s extra smart and really capable. I’m telling you she managed a Legs-Locker at me arm from all the way from there!” Flanders spat the last few words angrily, making spittle come from his mouth as he pointed past Severus.

Travers stared at Flanders, and for a moment the men simply glowered at each other. “Fine. But I still want to be the one that gets that witch. Imagine how tight she’d be.”

Severus had heard enough. Fighting Potter and Black in school and surviving two wars had taught him how to cast sequential spells without pausing. He deftly Stupefied the two thugs, adding a Blinding Hex on both and a Ringing Jinx on their ears. He then sent his Patronus to Kingsley with the message, ‘There are two confirmed Death Eaters in the Godric’s Hollow graveyard – the ones that attacked Potter and Granger earlier. Come get them.’

There, that’s for you, wife. I will be the only wizard who knows just how tight you are or how you look in the throes of passion. You are mine. Now, where the bloody hell are you?

North, the voice in his head said. West Midlands. He shook his head. This is no time to go after a wild hippogriff chase.

He quickly backed away from the two incapacitated men and hurried for a safe place to Apparate where he’d be unnoticed. Several cracks announced the arrival of Kingsley and his Aurors. Severus wasn’t surprised to see Arthur Weasley among the group. He waited, listening as the men gathered up the Death Eaters, scanned the area and left. He was pleased that his name wasn’t mentioned during the retrieval. At least Kingsley is holding up his end of our bargain. He leaned against the gravestone at the other end of the graveyard, thinking about what he’d heard. This means that Dolohov is still seeking retaliation against Hermione. He might come looking for his thugs… or not. He’s a suspicious man, and hot tempered, but he’s not dumb.

Severus settled his bum more squarely against the stone to try and get comfortable. If Dolohov is going to come, it will be within the hour or at least before dark. He had no other clue as to where Hermione might have gone and no idea on where Dolohov was holing up. Lucius hadn’t had any word from the wizard either after he’d refused Dolohov financial help. Turning in old associates gained a lot of favor with the new Minister, and he knew that Lucius had divulged what he’d known, but it was all old information by now.

Seeing Arthur arive with the Minister told Severus another piece of information. Either Miss Weasley or Mr. Weasley was with Potter and Hermione, possibly both. Arthur’s body posture and his actions were like those of an enraged father, more than just someone fulfilling Ministry duties. Severus would bet Lucius his favorite cauldron that both of Arthur’s kids were with Potter, which meant that it was couples: Potter and Miss Weasley, and Hermione with Mr. Weasley. It was enough to make his blood boil.

He would hunt down and find Dolohov and then take care of Mr. Weasley, right after he found his wife.

The next morning, they all went down to the Cariba Creek Waterpark in their hotel. The indoor-outdoor tropical-lagoon-themed park in was fun. Ron was really uncomfortable seeing Ginny and Hermione in their bikinis when they dropped their towels, and Luna’s made Neville trip over his feet when he saw her in hers. The girls, having planned on wearing the skimpy Muggle swim suits, simply laughed at the boys’ ogling, and Neville’s and Ron’s incoherent stammers, and sauntered over to the first waterslide. Harry wrestled with Ron nearly all morning to keep him from forcing Ginny to wear a T-shirt over her tiny bikini, mostly because Harry loved seeing her in it.

By late afternoon, they returned to Alton Towers to ride a few more rides before they had to Apparate back home. They returned to Grimmauld Place, tired, exhausted and completely worn out.

Kreacher greeted them, his hands bandaged, claiming he’d punished himself for being a bad house-elf, and for letting the black man in the door, but he couldn’t tell them anything specifically. Neither Harry, Ginny, nor Hermione were able to make any sense of what he said and let it drop. But Hermione insisted that Kreacher let her heal his hands with Burn Paste.

As the evening wounded down, Ron and Neville began to complain about pain. Hermione and Luna jumped up and forced the boys to remove their shirts, then gasped in astonishment at their bright cherry-red skin. Hermione, Harry, and Ginny had used liberal amounts of sun block, but Ron and Neville hadn’t, becoming a quite sunburned. Luna had taken a potion for the sun, which she carried with her all the time considering her fair complexion.

Hermione and Luna were down to Harry’s potion workroom, making some more Burn Paste when a huge hawk Patronus flew into the room.

“Where have you been?” the mellifluous tones of Severus Snape bellowed from the silvery hawk.

~ T B C ~>

Author’s notes:

I want to thank my betas, MadBrilliant and Shug, for giving this a read and helping me clean up all my mistakes. I really appreciate it very much.

Thank you also to Southern_Witch_69 for my beautiful banner. I really love it!

Holmbush Paintball U.K. is located in rural West Sussex between London and Brighton. They run both adult and junior paintball games every weekend though out the year.

The Alton Towers is a very popular amusement park located in Staffordshire. The Splash Landings Hotel is the newer of the two hotels on the resort. The Cariba Creek Waterpark is an indoor and outdoor waterpark themed as a tropical lagoon is located within The Splash Landings Hotel.