FicWad

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts are owned by someone who isn't me. I will never seek or accept money for the circulation of this work.



Author's Note: I have been struggling to make this chapter and the next into one chapter, but both in size and tone, these are two different chapters. As such, this one is still a bit fluffy. Just imagine you can see a storm on the horizon. Realistically, I should not have included the Tangent 'Food and Frolic' at the end of last chapter- it should appear at the end of this one. Lesson learned? Probably not. Nonetheless, for new readers I have edited the previous chapter and this one to hopefully provide a better flow.



Holly Evans and the Spiral Path

Chapter 21: Christmas with the Grangers



2nd January, 1994



Dear Harry,

Happy New Year. I'm in jail.

Things are looking up, however, as Hermione told me she loves me. And more importantly, she's alive.

It was such a pleasant holiday. I know I should be in a more worrisome mood after this brush with death, but I can't help feeling...vindicated. Hermione loves me! She said it! She said it when she had every reason in the world to hate, fear and despise me at that moment. And she came back to me. My lover, my friend, my partner, my better half, my hero, my goddess, she came back from death to tell me she loves me! I AM JUST SO HAPPY!

Whoa. If the spirits of cruelty weren't just summoned to destroy my life, I may yet believe there is One God, as Hermione does.

I'll relate the process of events suitable for younger eyes so you can understand without being grossed out. I'm still amazed that no one ever finds this journal when they're searching me. It's like this magic is better at hiding than their magic is at finding.

Hang on.

Professor McGonagall is here, talking to the Auror who questioned me for the last three hours. I'll have to give you the rundown later.



Holly



*



2nd January, 1994

Dear Uncle Harry,

As Mum is busy arguing with Professor McGonagall at the moment, I will recount some of the highlights from our holiday with the Grangers. Auntie Hedwig flew straight to their house, so we spent some time looking around the neighborhood until Hermione's parents pulled their auto into the carport just after 8 in the evening. Auntie Hedwig even caught a field mouse and ate it while I watched.



Newt! Take this out! And the bit with the restaurant! Why did you even write that bit about the alley- it's not like, well, we had our clothes on the whole time! You are one pervy little daughter aren't you?

I have 18 scroll feet of descriptive encounters between you and Hermione based upon one afternoon when you were lounging naked on the grass near the Thestral paddock.

Newt, it's still January! When were we supposed to have had this sun-kissed naked tryst?

A girl can dream. At least I didn't add that to your journal. Uncle Harry would've gotten quite the education.

You can't add it to the journal, as it didn't happen.

Sure I can. "I was thinking about this dream I had. Mum had her lips wrapped around..."

I brought you into this world and I can take you out with a drying charm!

I will be obedient-ish.

Why do you do this?

I think it's because I have no genitalia. This is how I rapture.

Don't let it distract you from...never mind. Have at it. Just not in here. Leave the stuff about Mrs. Granger, the Christmas gifts and the conversations with Hermione. Make sure to cut off the shopping trip bit after Hermione punched me. I'll write my own summary of why I'm not in jail anymore.

But it's so sweet...

GRRRR!My Journal!

Yes, Mum.



-First conversation with Hermione-

Mum had arrived at King's Cross station with a minimum of fuss and were greeted by the Doctors Granger without a Dursley in sight. Hermione and Mum pressed Mrs. Granger to arrange for them to visit shopping centres in the next few days so that they could purchase Christmas gifts with enough time to have Auntie Hedwig deliver the ones for their school friends. Mum also needed some church clothes as she was expected to attend Christmas Eve Mass with the Grangers and wouldn't fit well wearing an unrecognisable school uniform. During their clothes shopping, Mum was prompted by Hermione to tell more about her encounter with the bald man that tried to molest her in Knockturn Alley during the summer. Afterwards they made a new friend.

Transcription: 23rd December, 1993 starting midday in Harrods's

Holly: "This idea of dressing up for church isn't making me comfortable at all. I've never been, I have no idea if my Mum would have had me baptised and for sure I have unconfessed sins to account for if I were to be held to the standard. Along with that, you keep picking out skirts for me; like I won't already be feeling exposed before God's scrutiny, there'll only be one layer between my tainted nethers and the Almighty."

Hermione: "Lord help me but you do go on! It is a ceremony, nothing more! God's hand will not be striking you down for entering the church, Holly."

Holly: "Take a second to consider what we are able to accomplish with our mortal powers there, Hermione. If God stands in judgment, why wouldn't he strike me down?"

Hermione: "It's just a building. The people are just people. The vicar is just a man with a clear voice doing a job."

Holly: "Hermione, WHAT IF IT'S REAL?! HE..."

Hermione moves to clamp her hand over Holly's mouth.

Hermione: "Calm down, Holly!"

Holly: "We have powers. You have belief. I don't. My life has been a horrid mess and yours is a blessing. Even the damage you've suffered associating with me has been healed without serious long term repercussions. He...He...He won't like me. He doesn't. God doesn't like me."

Holly looks forlorn, prompting Hermione to give her a quick hug. For Hermione, that means less than 3 minutes.

Hermione: "Oh, Holly! You are making such a thing about this when it's really nothing at all. We dress up, join our community in celebrating the season and then go home and stuff ourselves with a well-cooked meal. The next day we open presents, eat again and then go out to help the soup kitchen at St. Mary's. It's tradition, not ritual."

Holly: "So, you don't believe in God?"

Hermione: "Are you trying to start an argument? Of course I believe in God. I couldn't walk in there with a clear conscience if I didn't. That said, I've never felt any extraordinary power or influence while attending church. I would think if I had I would have already joined a nunnery. Particularly after what we've done together."

Holly: "What we do together."

Hermione: "Yes, well I'm hoping you'll abide by my wishes while we're home and not start fondling me where my parents might find us."

Holly: "Absolutely. I promise. Y'know, there's a dressing room right over there..."

Hermione: "Holly! What is wrong with you? You're acting very...twitchy."

Holly: "You keep wanting me to dress up! I don't want... I can't wear that!"

Hermione puts another evening dress with a tea length skirt back onto the rack, and then grabs Holly's hand, dragging her into the private dressing area.

Holly: "Ah, well! And here I thought you weren't in the mood."

Hermione: "I'm not. We're going to talk."

Once the girls sequester themselves into a larger dressing room, Holly gives Hermione a threatening look, draws her short holdout wand and casts several protective spells; Silencing, Notice-Me-Not, and Muggle-repelling Charms snap into place.

Hermione: "Right. This sounds like what you were talking about the night we first came together. Tell me now. Why won't you wear dresses or skirts anymore?"

Holly sits down on a tufted bench wrapping her arms around her torso as she recounts her story.

Holly: "It's from when I was staying in the Alley over summer. I was hit with a spell that took my willpower away by this older man with a scarred-up bald head and bushy black mustache. He directed me to go into some empty shop where he commanded me to strip off my clothes. He...t-touched me and somehow I was able to fight off the spell without tipping him off that I'd done so. I lured him into a kiss and when I could tell he wasn't paying attention, I shoved my quilltip finger through his eyeball. He dropped his wand to hold his eye and I decked him with a power punch. As soon as I could tell he was knocked out I quickly put on my outer clothes, grabbed the rest of my stuff along with his wand and money pouch and ran away back to my room. I spent all night scrubbing my skin raw and ...and crying. Ever since then, I've wanted to keep at least two layers of clothing between me and older men. And higher powers! Dean's antics have expanded my list of 'those who shall stay out of my knickers' to include magical boys, even if I'm sure I could pummel them to death. I'm getting better, though. You're helping."

Hermione: "Oh, Holly that's horrible. I mean, that you went through that. It's not horrible at all that I'm making it better for you."

Holly looks up into Hermione's eyes and grasps her hand.

Holly: "No. You aren't horrible at all."

Hermione smiles at Holly and lifts up her face to plant a warm kiss on Holly's lips. Hermione sits down next to Holly on the bench, and then kisses Holly once more. Holly wraps herself into the kiss with love and passion. The girls continue snogging for a bit; Hermione breaks the kiss after she realises Holly has been massaging her breast for a minute and she was starting to hyperventilate.

Hermione: "Whoo! I'm surprised no one has found us yet."

Holly smiles.

Holly: "I love it that my kisses tend to wipe your short term memory. I had cast spells to keep others away, remember? If I hadn't kept the bastard's unregistered holdout wand, we probably would have been interrupted."

Hermione: "Yes, well you should have gone to the Aurors. They would have gone back and arrested the man. You might even have gotten to keep the pouch as compensation."

Holly: "If you were me, would you want to have to face that man in some trial, confess what was and wasn't done to you to a bunch of stern-faced senior citizens and then risk having them say it was your fault, and you owed him reparations for permanently disfiguring him? Then afterwards have all the details of the case posted onto the front pages of the Daily Prophet for everyone to read just before we walk into the Great Hall for the opening feast?"

Hermione: "You thought of all that at the time?"

Holly: "No, of course not. I just wanted to get out of there, and figured if he didn't have his wand he wouldn't be able to attack me again in case he recovered before I escaped. I grabbed the pouch because it was next to the wand. I've been thinking about it ever since, though. This seems like the smallest measure of justice to me. There's no way the man will ask for his illegal wand back, and I'll be sure to laugh at him if he does so."

Hermione: "You should turn in the wand, at least."

Holly: "Now you're just being silly. If I hadn't had the unregistered wand, we would have been arrested when I cast Legilimens on you at the Cauldron. At least with this wand we can do a bit of magic while at your house. It works alright for me but not great. You should try it out when we get home, in case it flares weirdly or something."

Hermione: "It would be nice to show Mum and Dad what we've been learning..."

Holly: "Hang on, you used your own wand on Crookshanks. Why weren't we arrested?"

Hermione: "Oh! Well, Perenelle's notes indicated that Legilimens isn't on the tracked list, as anyone with enough skill wouldn't use a wand for it anyway. It's basically illegal so that the Ministry can add another charge if someone is caught for doing something else. Besides, the crime comes with a fine, not jail time."

Holly: "So much for protecting the free will and privacy of the citizenry! How many more sections have you opened?"

Hermione: "I only have one section left. This last piece is a good read, though. Perenelle compares the differences between the disciplines of Occlumency and the Animagus talent as very much like the Astronomer and the Astronaut."

Holly: "Before we get to you explaining that, doesn't it seem odd that Perenelle would be using such a modern comparison in an early journal?"

Hermione: "You're right!This may actually have been written recently with you or someone similar in mind! It's unfortunate that we can't ask her about it."

Holly: "All things being equal, it almost seems more written for you. You've broken the codes; you've understood the nuances of her topics. I think this was written for ascholarly mind."

Hermione: "You have a scholarly mind when you want to..."

Holly: "I have things I need to understand, so I force myself to grind it out. There's no way I could keep up with your theoretical learning, much less your classload. I'm just gifted when it comes to practical applications I guess. So what's with the Astronomers?"

Hermione: "Oh this is just fascinating! There was a comparison made that suggested that people have a tendency to be more theoretical like me or more practical as you are, in fact as you were just saying. Wait, are you having me on?"

Holly: "No, it really is just a coincidence."

Hermione looks at Holly suspiciously for a moment. Holly just gestures for Hermione to continue the explanation.

Hermione: "Alright."

[pause]

"When it comes to the discipline of Occlumency, it is more easily understood by a theoretical mind. By contrast, Animagi are generally known to be practical, physical beings, more in touch with their emotional self than their intellectual self. There's a whole series of comparisons..."

Holly: "Not to be exceedingly practical, Hermione, but what is the bottom line?"

Hermione: "Eh? Oh! Well, Perenelle said that Animagi have problems with Occlumency. It may explain why I'd had such a time with it when I was still partly cat. That's what I was talking about when we were discussing Occlumency with Professor Lupin."

Holly: "So, maybe us learning to be Animagi from Professor Lupin would compromise our ability to defend our minds?"

Hermione: "It's possible. Perenelle suggested that no one could truly master both, but that certain rare individuals might be able to learn some measure of each talent."

Holly: "What do you think?Should we still go forward with the potion?"

Hermione: "Well, the potion shouldn't compromise our Mind Arts abilities as it's only a temporary effect. We could at least learn what our forms might be and then we can decide if we wish to pursue it further. I certainly wouldn't want to devote time to becoming a flobberworm Animagus even if it didn't affect my chances at learning other skills."

Holly: "Nor would you like to become a snidget."

Hermione: "Yes, well flying creatures in general would probably not suit me."

Holly: "And if you are a ...cat?"

Hermione looks crossly at Holly's grin for a bit, and then another thought changes her expression.

Hermione: "Perhaps we shouldn't have Crookshanks along for our session after all."

Holly: "Oooh. Perhaps not! (giggle) Let's go. Finite."

The girls stand and peek out of their dressing room to find themselves facing two women in black business attire and black sunglasses holding pistols pointed at them.

First intimidating woman:"Hold fast! How did you get in here?"

Second intimidating woman:(speaking into a white device attached to her collar) "We have two unidentified females, mid-teens in the dressing room. Will hold for questioning."

An attractive woman in an evening dress steps out of the adjacent room.

Attractive woman in an evening dress: "Now calm down. I'm sure these two didn't mean any harm."

Hermione's eyes goggle and she immediately moves forward and then crouches to one knee, bowing her head. The two security women holster their weapons but keep their eyes on Holly and Hermione.

Hermione: "Your Royal Highness!"

Holly: "Hermione, what are you on about?"

Hermione: "Holly, kneel!It's the Princess!"

Princess Diana: "Now, none of that. Hermione, was it? I'm so sorry for all this folderol. I am Diana Spencer. You are Holly..."

Holly: "...Evans, ma'am. This is my friend, Hermione Granger. We apologise. We were having a private conversation and didn't realise there was anyone else about."

Holly takes two steps forward to shake the Princess's hand, then steps back and pulls Hermione from her crouch by grasping her arm and pulling up.

Hermione: "Ow! Holly, don't! It's disrespectful!"

Holly: "To her or to you?"

Hermione:"Whichever!"

Holly:"Your...uhh...worship...or..."

Princess Diana: "Just call me Diana, please."

Holly: "Okay. Well, I have to say Diana, it is an honor to meet you as my usually more verbose friend would be saying if she weren't blondestruck at the moment. And might I say, you're looking absolutely smashing in that gown."

Hermione groans.

Holly: "Oh, what are you on about now?"

Hermione: "I can't believe you're hitting on the Princess!"

Holly: "I'm not! For one, 'Diana looks smashing in that dress' could be equated to 'rocks are hard' in the world of opinions. For another, my heart belongs to you, whether you've figured it out yet or not."

Hermione: "Eep!"

Holly: "What?!"

Hermione: "You've just outed me to the Royal Family and I don't actually like girls."

Holly: "...other than me."

Hermione: "Other than you, yes."

Hermione's tight-lipped expression draws a concerned look from Holly.

Holly: "Keep breathing or you won't survive the hour."

Princess Diana begins to laugh heartily.

Princess Diana: "I don't know if I've ever been privy to a more wonderful conversation! I would like you to accompany me today while we shop if you have the time, but only if you'll truthfully answer this question: are you two witches?"

Hermione: "Oh, God!"

Holly: "Yes, ma'am. Wands and all. It's why your security detail didn't find us."

Princess Diana: "Brilliant! I have so many questions. First, why were you hiding in here?"

Hermione finally relaxes enough for her mind to slow down.

Hermione: "Holly doesn't want to wear a dress for Christmas Mass because she'll feel vulnerable."

Holly: "Ack! You wench! This is for the blondestruck comment isn't it?"

Hermione: "Damn right! Oh! Your pardon, Princess."

Princess Diana: "Well, I may have some opinions on the matter, but you really must call me Diana, Hermione."

Holly: "I'll bet fifty quid she won't."

Hermione: "Oh that's...You...oh! Diana, please excuse me a moment while I discipline my friend."

Hermione punches Holly in the arm very hard. Holly starts to giggle.

Princess Diana: "Didn't that hurt?"

Holly: "Yes, it did, but Hermione knows I'm quite durable."

Transcription ends. Mum says we shouldn't gossip about the Royals in here.



Hermione asked Mum that evening how she kept from falling apart when Diana first appeared, to which Mum answered "I always put up my barriers when meeting new people. You should get in the habit." Mum also mentioned that she finds it very hard not to wear a dress picked out for her by the Princess of Wales, so it's not like she wasn't awed, she just didn't let it affect her until later. Everyone looked splendid for the Mass, and Mum was very respectful in the church. Mum didn't try to sing, she just watched Hermione lovingly while Hermione sang in her strong and clear mezzo-soprano.



-The Christmas Gifts-

Mum gave me the Everlasting Scroll she promised. Hermione gave me a collection of different colored inks to sample and a book of Celtic knot stencils to color. I've memorised all the designs, so when I don't feel like writing, I redraw a stencil in my scroll and then go back and color it in. Mum copied off some of my colored designs onto art paper and tacked them onto the Granger's icebox.

Mum received a leather bound Bible from the Doctors Granger. Hermione gave her a five minute kiss, which she reciprocated, before they had come down to open the presents. When the Doctors Granger asked what they had given each other, they responded in tandem; 'Books!'

Neville Longbottom sent both of them an Everblooming Rose. Mum said she thought the packages were wrapped backwards, as the one for Mum was gold and the one for Hermione was green. Hermione corrected her saying gold is the color of worship and green represents jealousy. Mum decided to offer hers to the Doctors Granger, saying Hermione and she would share the other one at school. Mum also received a package containing three small books, sent by Padma Patil. The first was an introduction to Sanskrit and Hindi language skills and the other two Mum assumes are about magical traditions from the subcontinent. The only other gift of note was a magical broom, a Firebolt, delivered by an owl anonymously. Hermione suggested that maybe it was from Cedric Diggory from when Mum saved him from the Dementors. Mum asked whether Hermione thought the Diggorys were rich, because the Firebolt costs as much as a house; 40-50 thousand galleons! Hermione immediately suggested that something that expensive might be a trap, and that Mum should take it to the Professors to check it for unwanted enchantments. Mum agreed, suggesting that the very process of checking would be educational to watch. They began to get very excited talking about all the questions they could ask, prompting Mrs. Granger to ask why Mum had her hand under Hermione's skirt. Mum apologised, saying that she was just trying not to lose her balance. They had been kneeling on the living room floor at the time, so it wasn't a completely implausible explanation.



-Mrs. Granger expresses herself-

Transcription: 26th December, 1993 starting around 4 PM

Holly is sitting on a stool at the counter across from the kitchen area in the Granger's house, reading from the Hindi language book. Hermione is finishing putting the dishes from tea back into the cupboards. Mrs. Granger enters the kitchen.

Mrs. Granger: "Hermione, I'd like you to go with your father to drop off the dry cleaning. It would be good for you to spend some time with him, and if one of us isn't there you know all the instructions will be backwards."

Hermione smiles at her mum and then turns to Holly. Mrs. Granger also turns to look at Holly.

Hermione: "Holly, do you want to go on a quick ride with me and Dad?"

Holly looks up from her book, noting Hermione's look of pleasant relaxation and then noticing Mrs. Granger's more directed stare locking on her eyes.

Holly: "Y'know what, Hermione? I think I'll stay here. You enjoy some Dad-time, yah?"

Hermione: (slightly concerned) "Umm, alright. We'll be back in an hour, I'm sure."

Holly and Mrs. Granger continue to stare in each other's eyes for the next five minutes while Hermione and her Dad dress for the weather, grab the holiday outfits for cleaning and exit into the garage.

Mrs. Granger: "I see you can take a hint."

Holly: "Hermione wouldn't be close with me if I couldn't keep up with her."

Mrs. Granger: "Yes, the two of you have grown quite ...close."

Holly: "I take it this is what concerns you, enough to send your daughter off so we can have aprivate conversation."

Mrs. Granger: "I see you also appreciate candor. Good. Before we get too deep into this, let me just say that I don't think you are an evil person. I don't mind that your friendship with my daughter has extended into seeking pleasure together."

Holly: "Really? You seemed a bit put out by our closeness..."

Mrs. Granger: "Don't interrupt! I may not mind but my husband would, and I think my daughter minds more than a little- something you should consider before you return to school and your woefully unmonitored personal time. What concerns me is that you, for lack of a better way of putting it, are trouble. Hermione has told me some about your fights with students and with teachers. While she thinks the world of you, I have been able to glean from her letters that you carry yourself with a fundamental disrespect for authority. You do realise that your reputation taints my daughter's by her association with you? I am pleased my daughter has friends her age now, as her brilliance kept them all away when she was younger. Now that she has found her wings, I think you should allow her to fly. Step away. I sense that you realise that Hermione is better than you. Now you need to prove it. Let her rise to the heights she is destined to achieve. Don't drag my daughter into your battles any more. If you love her walk away from Hermione. Your life is going to take you into dark places. Don't selfishly drag her into your descent. Now that I've said my peace, feel free to defiantly tell me nothing will tear you apart, and that this is true love."

Holly sits stunned for a moment, and then calmly lowers her face until it is obscured by her hair. Holly steps off the stool she was sitting on and sets herself to stand and look up at Mrs. Granger once more.

Holly: "Doctor Granger, I... am sorry for darkening your doorstep. I am going to pack my things. I'll have to write a letter to Hermione later, after I sort things out with where I'll be staying..."

Mrs. Granger: "Wait! No, I didn't mean you should go. You can't just abandon Hermione without explanation!"

Holly: "You have been an extraordinary host, particularly this past summer when I was forced to come here to escape my abusive relatives. I can't repay the kindness you've given me, or the forbearance you've exhibited in allowing me to know and care for Hermione. Thank you."

Mrs. Granger: "Holly, please! You can't leave now; Hermione will know I drove you away! She may never forgive me!"

Holly: "Are you sure you still want me here? The longer I spend time with you and your family, the harder it will be when I inevitably destroy the relationship Hermione and I have built up through years of studying, adventures, heartache, triumph..."

Mrs. Granger: "Okay! Okay! I get it! I ...apologise. You have to understand, Hermione is the only child I have, and I'm losing her..."

Mrs. Granger starts to cry.

Holly: "...to me. Except that you're not. You're losing her to the magical world. Stop blaming me for that. I don't know how much she's told you, but the reason we've ended up in dangerous situations together is not by my choice. If it weren't for me, the troll would have killed her, or she might still be a cat, or petrified. If not for me, she would be having a mental breakdown from taking too many classes at once. It's even possible her overachieving would have induced a rival of ours to engineer the same potions 'accident' that without my interference would have caused her face and chest to be melted by acid. Believe me Doctor, if I thought Hermione would be safer away from me, I'd walk away from school and her forever. If Hermione tells me she doesn't want to speak to me ever again I'll still be haunting her, ten paces back and invisible. I want her to live and thrive as much as you do. Why do you think I like sharing my conundrums with her? School topics don't excite her mind half as much as the inventions that necessity has forced us to seek. She sings in that environment. I know, because I love her voice and look for opportunities for her to sing in that way. It is thrilling to watch."

Mrs. Granger: "You (sniff)...you give her puzzles?"

Holly: "Life gives us both puzzles, I just step back and watch the magic happen most times."

Mrs. Granger: "Tell me about one."

Holly: "Did Hermione tell you she saved the entire school from demon-induced soul-crushing depression?"

Mrs. Granger: "No, Hermione only mentioned that you were having trouble sleeping and your friends the Wesleys helped out by forming a radio station or some such."

Holly: "Incredible. Hermione saved everyone and she won't take a lick of credit. Let me explain. First of all, they're the Weasleys, but I'm getting ahead of myself. There are these creatures called Dementors..."

Transcription ends.

Holly sat back down on the stool as she started telling Mrs. Granger about the Dementors, the Weasleys, Hermione singing for the Care of Creatures class and WWRX. By the time Hermione and Mr. Granger had returned, Hermione got her mum's version of the Hermione hug and another one from Mum. Mr. Granger gave her one, too. He said it seemed all the rage at the moment and he didn't want to feel left out.

They ordered pizza for dinner as the conversation had interrupted Mrs. Granger's dinner prep. I tried some birch beer. It was very tasty but the bubbles made me spurt ink everywhere. That night Hermione asked Mum what had happened to cause all the hugs.



-Second conversation with Hermione-

Transcription: 26th December, 1993 starting around 11 PM

Holly and Hermione are lying on Hermione's bed in their bedclothes. The door to the room is wide open so anyone coming up the stairs to the bedroom level can see them chatting, but Holly has applied a Muffliato spell on the doorway to obscure the details of their conversation to prying ears.

Hermione: "Did my mother try to confront you about something?"

Holly: "Umm, yeah. Your mum loves you a bunch, Hermione. Don't worry on it."

Hermione: "Are you sure? When I left I could swear she had her 'lower the boom' look; family members have been disowned following that look. I used to have an Uncle Edgar."

Holly: "Did her fondle a family member?"

Hermione: "He opened an ice cream parlor in Brighton. In addition to causing tooth decay, he fell in with a bad crowd to cover his debts to pay for the shop. Mum spent her dowry ransoming him from gangsters."

Holly: "Well, I can't say a tragedy wasn't a possibility, but I think I convinced your mum that I'm not as bad an influence as I seem."

Hermione: "Tart! You are such an excellent liar."

Holly: "Piker! I'm just glad I didn't get arrested."

Hermione: "Delinquent! That's the third time you've mentioned that this week. What makes you think it's even a factor?"

Holly: "Well, from Divination, actually. Professor Trelawney did a personal reading of the cards for me, and I have to say the results gave me pause."

Hermione: "Oh Holly, really! That's such a wooly discipline if you ask me. I'm surprised you give it any consideration at all, as you're usually so...empirical."

Holly: "Ooh, good word."

Hermione smiles proudly and then catches her breath in her throat when Holly stares into her eyes.

Hermione: "So...uhhh...what did the prediction say? Are you going to be forced to make a decision? Will things change and then become stable? Honestly, the sheer vagueness should discount it as an OWL topic."

Holly: "Well my dear disbeliever, my family will increase in size before the solstice, which it did (my little Newty-newt). Over the holiday I will find myself restrained in the hands of the law, i.e.: arrested, and strange knowledge will become clear to me. Also, a strong male figure from my past is circling in for a dramatic confrontation before summer."

Hermione: "That's...unusually close to meaningful. Is there anything bad that you've predicted?"

Holly starts to twist her mouth, indicating she isn't pleased to speak further.

Hermione: "Holly, what's supposed to happen?"

Holly: "Well...it's not a guarantee or anything..."
Hermione: "Of course, I won't hold you to task for anything. I'd just like to know if I should give more credence to the discipline."

Holly: "O-Okay. Well...before my next birthday, justice and the law shall fall separate; I shall lose and gain an ally; and someone very important to me, a woman ...dies."

Hermione: "A-and when you say 'dies', is that like a symbolic..."
Holly: "No, Hermione. Dies. Their thread is cut; their song ends."

Hermione: "O-oh."

Holly: "It's why I stopped doing Divinations outside of homework. If these play out, I don't know how I'll handle it. If it doesn't, I'll chuck the whole thing as uselessly torturing myself with possibilities."

Hermione: "Why did you take the class anyway?"

Holly: "The headmaster insisted. He said 'Adrian may have mentioned that you have a destiny. We always try to give those whose path is more closely guided by the stars an opportunity to develop the skills to see those signs that may guide them through their most critical choices.' And then he doped me with lemon drops. They have a Calming Draught in the mix. Fair warning, by the by."

Hermione: "What? That's horrible!"

Holly: "I dunno. Given most of my conversations with the man, I think a smoother is his way of being polite. People pay good money in Amsterdam for brownies with the same effect. Do you want one? I palmed about twenty before leaving his office last time."

Transcription ends.



Love,

NEWT



-----



3rd January, 1994

Dear Harry,

Alright, so now I'll put down the process of how our time at the Grangers ended. Mrs. Granger still seemed unsettled with our close relationship so we were behaving especially well through to New Year's Day. Then the Doctors Granger announced that they would be returning to their practice the day before we were to catch the Express back to school. Given the blatant opportunity this presented and the near-pious levels of distance we had been keeping between us, well, Hermione and I went a little nuts with the sex. At first it was just incredibly relieving to finally get some alone time, but then we discovered that Florean's Strange Chocolate isn't just a dessert. When you speak a special passphrase, the confection sends your nerves into overdrive or something, so that the feeling of every movement is intensified in a quite provocative way. Armed with our magically intense sexual enhancement concoction, Hermione and I had another ground-shaking moment of intimacy. Added to that using the Jolly Rogering technique and ...well, we took it too far. I took it too far and Hermione's heart stopped. I was absolutely losing my mind trying to think of a way to bring her back to me, back to life. Even though I was in a panic I remembered Poppy Pomfrey saying something about shocking the heart to restart it, so I hit Hermione with Crucio, that pain-inducing spell Quirrel used on me when he was trying to get the Philosopher's Stone out of the Mirror of Erised. Miraculously, Hermione was revived by that. I was so absolutely relieved by her recovery from the brink of death that I wasn't prepared for what happened next. Hermione told me she loved me! It was a hell of a thing to tell me at that moment, when I was sure she was about to tell me to never touch her again. We were just recovering from the stress of the experience and apologising to each other in every language we've studied when the Aurors came to arrest me. We were taken to the Ministry's Department of Magical Law Enforcement where we were separated and interviewed for about three hours. In the end, Professor McGonagall came and bailed me out and took responsibility for my welfare while at school. I'm scheduled for trial early in February, because the Wizengamot isn't in session in January. The director of the DMLE is fairly convinced that they'll let me go with a fine, but as this is the first instance she can remember of anyone using an Unforgiveable curse for a forgivable purpose, we're in legally murky waters. Legal precedent requires a full Wizengamot review, leading me to believe that the Director may be overly optimistic about the outcome. You wouldn't expect by looking at her. Director Bones has a stern and forceful look about her that makes Prof McG look cuddly. In the meantime, Prof McG has to hold onto my wand whenever I'm not in class. I'm not too worried about that; even if I didn't still have the holdout wand, many of my current safety tricks are device-based, like the auto-shrinking and resizing charms on my Nimbus broom. I'll just have to keep a wary eye out until the trial.

As far as Divination goes, I think this counts for the arrest and I pray it also accounts for a close female who dies. If I make it through next September without anyone else I know dying I swear I'll join Hermione's church. Either way, I think I'll stick with Divination a while longer. I could use all the extra guidance I can get.



Holly



*



Spiral Tangent:

In "9401 Food and Frolic" Holly spends quality time with Hermione at the Grangers during the Christmas break. The culmination of their explorations in passion accidently stops Hermione's heart. Holly resuscitates Hermione using Crucio, and they are arrested. From Holly's point of view, though this would never find its way into her journal.