Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Harry Potter and The Power He Has Not
A/N: No Copyrights were harmed in the production of this work. No money exchanged hands; no real ideas were generated; only minor discussions of my attempts of humor occurred.
A/N2: Well, this is it, the final scene, as this story shuffles off it’s mortal coil. It is done, it is complete, it is an ex-fic. Though it might just be tired out from a prolonged squawk, it has beautiful plumage…
Last time on The Power He has Not:
Ottery St. Catchpole
Lovegood Residence
Luna’s Room:
Ron gazed up at his fiancé, as she rocked her hips on his pelvis. She took his hands and placed them on her breasts. “Again?”
“Again? Woman I’m not a machine.”
“Oh, poo. We make love three times and you’re no good to me? I’m going to have to take over your care from Molly; she obviously isn’t feeding you enough to maintain your strength.” She lay down on him, pulling him into an embrace. “Your punishment for your weakness will be to cuddle me while I plot the destruction of my competition!”
Ron laughed. “You’re strict, but fair Luna my love. What competition do you believe you’re self to have?”
“Why Daddy and the Quibbler of course. I love him of course, but since I have become a News Paper Magnate, I realize that he must be destroyed.”
Harry Potter and the Power He Has Not.
Chapter 40 – Epilog One
Guilford, Surrey
University of Surrey:
October 1998.
Hermione arrived at the lecture hall, early as usual. She nodded to class mates upon recognition, and found her usual seat. This was a light class, Classical Literature, she had read all the books covered before the first day of class, and so far enjoyed the interaction of the class while discussing the meanings behind the meanings of the texts.
It wasn’t long before he entered, coming from an earlier class. Marcus Steward was tall, toned, and blond with big blue eyes you could swim in. Her heart started beating faster at the sight of him. He already had a reputation in this and other classes for having opinions that were contrary to that of the professors. He held that, even the classic works were nothing more than the authors telling a story they wanted to tell, and that any deeper meaning existed only in the mind of the reader. Last week he had declared that the ‘deeper meaning’ important to an author was that the royalty cheque cleared.
She was aghast at that idea. It didn’t stop her from smiling when he took his seat next to her and quietly took her hand in his and held it through the entire class.
St. Mungos
Maternity Ward:
January 2000
Colin took the tiny bundle from the arms of his wife, cooing at the little face, and then handed his new son to his father in law.
Arthur Weasley was ecstatic. His third grandchild. He turned to Molly. And she stole little Arthur David Creevey from him.
“Still think of him as a halfblood Molly?” he whispered so that only his wife could hear. She gave him a shocked look, and then hung her head in shame. She carried her first grandson back to his mother and gathered Colin in a bone crushing hug.
“I’m so sorry Colin; I’ve been a fool about…”
“Don’t worry Mum, I figured that as soon as we could turn your Mumness on, you’d come around. Ginny and I make good kids.”
“That you do Colin.”
“Oi, it seems to me I did all the work” Ginny piped in a happy tired voice.
“Right, so it’s only fair I take all the credit!” He took her hand, and looked into her eyes, “We’re a team, you and me!”
Bergen, Norway
Fløysletten meadow:
July 2000
Ron stretched as he exited the tent. The air up here was wonderful. Luna and her father were out on the trails searching for the elusive Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Exhausted from his second season with the Cannons, this was exactly what he needed; the quiet and solitude of the Norwegian forests were the balm his nerves needed. And too think, at one time he envied Harry for his fame.
Harry.
Over two years since Harry was lost to them. Luna had held him while he cried like a baby in the beginning. But time heals. The last letter from Hermione told of her impending marriage to a classmate she had met at the Muggle School she attended. It was hard to think of Hermione with anyone but himself or Harry, but he had Luna, and Harry was gone.
Harry.
Oh well. Ron sipped tea from the mug that he carried. Something rustled in the bush in front of him. He approached it and knelt down to see what was hiding. It was small, almost a sphere, no more than 8 inches across, with Blood Red fur, the noise it made was like a throaty thrum, it almost as if he felt its call more than heard it. When the little creature opened its eyes, it was as if its fur parted and a pair of blue sapphires appeared in the depths of its pelt. It had no visible nose, but it made sniffing noises when Ron offered the tiny creature his hand, then (somehow Ron could see no means of movement) it moved onto his hand, and climbed up his arm to settle on his shoulder and rub its self against his neck, making multiple purring sounds like several happy cats.
When it started with its purring an appendage (Tail?) extruded from the body mass to a length of 30 inches or so, and wrapped its self around his arm, and from between the eyes extruded about 3 inches of some kind of antler. The longer the little creature purred, the better Ron felt.
Ron returned to the tent to start lunch for Luna and her father, his new little friend purring happily, especially when offered bits of food. It was especially partial to bits of chopped tomato.
When Luna entered the tent, humming “Weasley is our King” (which she had single handedly made into the Cannon’s anthem. The Crowds sang it constantly during games. He would have to send Draco Malfoy a thank you note, just to rub it in.) and stopped dead in her staring at the creature on his shoulder, her father came behind her and did exactly the same thing.
“Oh hi there. Lunch is almost ready.” Ron noticed their stares. “Oh this is Scarlet. He wandered into camp this morning, and sort of adopted me. Cute little guy. Know what he is Dad?”
The elder Lovegood couldn’t speak, his mouth just opened and closed to open again. Luna finally said “Ronald, that is a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Daddy and I have been looking for one for 8 years and one just walked up to you?”
“I guess so.” He smiled “Always the last place you look, right?”
Luna reached out to touch the Snorkack, it thrummed at her touch. Here eyes widened to an unusual intensity. “He walked up to you and made himself you familiar? How is this possible Ronald?”
“I don’t know, he just came along. He’s my familiar now? Cool.”
“Cool indeed Ronald” she turned to her father. “Daddy, Lunch will be a bit late, Ronald and I need to celebrate.” Her attention returned to Ron, she had an odd look on her face. “Celebrate a whole lot.”
Her father smiled and grabbed the plate that Ron had the prepared ingredients for sandwiches on. “No problem Poppet, take your time, I believe I’ll retire to my tent with this to listen to the Wireless.”
Luna nodded and watched her father leave the tent. The then took a fist full of Ron’s shirt and led him to the bedroom of their tent and she resumed humming ‘Weasley is our King.’
Afterward Ron reflected that he needed to find little furry creatures much more often.
Longbottom Manor
Neville and Susan’s suite:
September 2001
“To Susan, the first of us to marry!” Lavender lifted her glass.
“Like it’s a surprise to anyone at all. Neville sealed this deal that back on that day on the Express.” Said Padma following the toast. “Rumour has it that Hermione has or is about to marry a Muggle man she met at the school she’s going to.”
“And Ron keeps asking Luna to marry him, but she still says he can’t until he wins the World Cup” Hannah said shaking her head “I mean sure, he’s got the Cannons winning for a change, but… “She noticed the looks she was getting from the other girls “My dad’s a big Cannon fan, I hear these things.”
“Sounds to me like some one has some unrequited feelings for one of the golden trio” grinned Susan.
“I have not. But if he ever slips Luna’s leash, I’m there.”
Laughter filled the room. In the next room Neville looked up from his Herbology periodical, and decided that he didn’t really want to know.
…---ooo000ooo---…
London England
University of Westminster:
March 2002.
Draco Malfoy looked across the table at the young woman and sighed silently to himself. How the hell had he gotten himself into this situation?
Potter’s will had bequeathed the position of Head of the House of Black to him with a small maintenance allowance for the upkeep of the properties Potter hadn’t liquidated from the estate. Potter left him with a title, and no money beyond the gift given that last Christmas. Draco got the title only because his Aunt Andromeda and cousin Nymphadora had turned it down.
After casting about for a few weeks in the face of public hostility to the name ‘Malfoy’ he turned to a man he considered his best and probably only friend. Daniel Granger had earned his respect during the long months at the Potter estate. Despite being a Muggle with no idea of how the magical world worked, he was a fount of common sense.
“It seems to me that you need to generate an income. If you go the executor of the Trust, I’m sure he would allow you to continue your education. I’ve seen how your mind works Draco; I would wager that you would do well in the Law.”
That made sense. His mother further suggested that he speak with his Uncle, meaning Ted Tonks of course. A short conversation with the man sent Draco to Remus Lupin, the executor of the Potter Trust.
That meeting went very well considering their history together. Potter exhorted his friends and family from the grave to forget the past and get on with their lives. Lupin agreed to finance Draco’s studies at a Muggle University with a loan to be repaid following graduation, a stipend to cover living expenses was offered without being asked for, and Draco gratefully accepted it and took Remus’s hand to seal the agreement.
That was three years ago. Since then he had excelled in his studies. The School of Law loomed in his future. Then he met this woman. This Sheena MacKenzie. Whenever he took a position, she took the opposite. If he said up, she said down. He said left, she said right. It was infuriating. Worst of all she started to occupy his dreams. She wasn’t the type of woman he pictured himself with. She wasn’t a model like beauty. She didn’t demur to him. She certainly didn’t respect his opinions, but they were on the same track and had many classes together. She called him an unread boob. He called her an uncultured poser.
Then they were assigned a research project requiring 7 weeks of research to even begin the joint paper. They fought and argued over every aspect of the paper, from the opening line to the conclusion. Then last night, in the middle of an argument over some minor point of tort law that he couldn’t recall right now, they had somehow ended up in her bed.
Draco was hardly a virgin, but he had never had an experience like last night. Passion that intense could not possibly be good for you. Even now, he wanted to scoop her up and take her back to the bed for more.
She looked at him over her cup of tea. “So…”
“Yeah.” He said feeling stupid. “Should I apologize?”
“Do you feel you need to?”
“I lost control last night, and I… I hope I didn’t…”
“You know, for an unread boob, you’re pretty cute when you’re embarrassed.”
His mouth opened and closed without sound.
“This is where you insult me. As best I can tell it’s what we use for foreplay.”
“Foreplay?”
“Last night was fantastic.” She rose from her chair and slid on to his lap “If you think you’re getting out of here without another couple of hours in my bed you’re insane.” And she kissed him, hard.
“What makes you think I’d want a poser like you?”
She giggled, rising from his lap she pulled him back to her bed.
Ala Shan Plateau Mongolia
424th Quidditch World Cup
August 2002
“Hello Herm-own-ninny.”
“Hello Viktor, how are you?”
“I am well, and you?”
“Very well indeed. Viktor, this is my husband, Marcus Stewart.”
“How do you do? I am Viktor Krum, and you are a very lucky man.”
Marcus laughed, “You aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know Mr. Krum. Hermione tells me you used to play this game, do you still compete?”
“Please call me Viktor”
“Marcus” the two men shook hands
“No, I no longer play. It is young mans sport, but I play in two world cups, so I can brag to grand children some day.” Krum looked to the pitch wistfully “I am Commissioner of sport now
“LUNA!” Hermione called waving the blonde woman over to them. “Luna did you ever meet Viktor Krum?”
“No, I saw you at a distance of course; I was just a third year when you visited Hogwarts.” She turns smiling “Hello again Marcus. I see you are keeping Hermione happy.”
“That is a mutual pleasure Luna. It is good to see you again.”
“This was most excellent game! Your husband best keeper in generation maybe more. Has never been shut out in World Cup final before.
“Thank you Viktor, from you high praise indeed.” Ron Weasley, still in his playing robes made his way though the crowd of admirers to his Luna who he pulled into a kiss. When he finally broke it, he said to her “Now?”
“Now.”
“Marcus, Viktor, Hermione, It’s been good to see you all, but Luna and I have to leave right now.”
“Is there something wrong Ron?”
“Hermione I’ve been asking this minx to marry me for more than 6 years. Every time she told me not until I played for England in the World Cup and played a shut out at keepers against a team in blue robes. Barbados fits that bill. We’re going to get married right now before she can add any other conditions to the deal.”
Stewart Residence:
July 2008
Marcus was mowing the front lawn when he suddenly felt a presence behind him; he turned to see two men in expensive suits standing on the sidewalk watching him. He stopped the mower.
“Bill, good to see you again.” He extended his hand to Bill Weasley.
“Marcus.” Bill shook his hand warmly. “This is an associate, Neville Longbottom. Would it be possible to speak to you and Hermione?”
“Certainly, she’s inside with the Danni and John, come on in.” He led them through the door. “Hermione, visitors!”
“Bill, Neville, how are you. More importantly, what do you want?”
Neville spoke. “It’s time for you to come back Hermione. We need you.”
“Nice of you to lie like that Neville, but I doubt you need me.”
“Of course we do. There is going to be a vote of no confidence for the Minister next Tuesday. He is going to lose, badly. I am in a position to become the next Minister.”
Bill continued. “We are going to clean house. There isn’t going to be a whiff of corruption in the entire ministry when we’re done, and we need honest incorruptible witches and wizards to step up and serve. People like you Hermione.”
“I’ve got my work.”
“You just finished your most recent project, and haven’t found a new one yet. This is important Hermione, having Lady Potter onboard” Neville suddenly looked stricken. “I am sorry Mr. Stewart I didn’t mean.”
“Marcus, please.” He smiled. “I’ve long since come to terms with being the second man Hermione loved, but only because he met her first. One on one I’d have kicked his ass.”
Their children ran into the room “Mum! Mum! John made a mess!” both children stopped wide eyed at the visitors.
“Danni, John.” Hermione knelt next to her oh so grown up 7-year-old daughter and her 5-year-old son. “This is Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom. They are some of Mums special friends.”
“Ooh that means you can do magic?” the little girl, an image of her mother bounced excitedly in place.
“It sure does.” Said her father. “Hermione why don’t you just go ahead and do what we both know you want to do, and go with these men to measure your new office for drapes? While you’re talking business I’ll get the kids to your Parents house for dinner as planned, and you can meet us there when you’re done.”
Granger Residence
Game Room:
July 2008
“So they came to ask her to return.”
“Yep.” Marcus was racking the balls on the table. Danni and John were upstairs being fussed over by their grandmum.
“And she’s going to go back to work for them?”
“Yep.”
“Crap.”
“Yep. Pay up.”
Daniel knelt down next to the bucket in the corner of the room closest to the table, and counted out 50 1-pound coins. “I still say….”
“Ah ah ah, you were wrong. Just stand there in your wrongness and just be wrong. While you’re at it, just pay up.”
“Fine.” He handed over the coins. Marcus saluted him with his beer.
“I’m getting them all back.”
“Maybe. Are you going to play or bitch?”
Daniel lined up his shot for the break. Four balls fell in the pockets. He smirked “I guess that makes me solids.”
He kept smiling as four coins were flipped into the bucket.
…---ooo000ooo---…
Granger Residence:
July 1 1998
Daniel pulled into the driveway of his home with his wife and daughter quietly sobbing. It had been a rough day, the meeting with the head Goblin, the reading of Harry’s will, the press. He still could not believe the boy was gone.
Emma was the first in the house, through the back door that entered through the kitchen, and she gasped in alarm. Hermione reacted instantly with her wand out pointing directly between the eyes of the man at the kitchen table. He was blond and had blue eyes, he wore denim jeans and a polo shirt. He stared quietly looking at her wand.
“Who are you?”
He smiled. “I used to be called Harry Potter Hermione.”
Cold fury burned in her chest. She cast every detection charm she could think of, this stranger had no magic. There was no magic affecting any part of him. “Nice try. Who are you?”
“Something that only Harry and Hermione would know? How about ‘I Harry take you Hermione to be my wife despite the fact that I don’t deserve you in any way and never will. In sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer until death do us part.’” He smiled a smile that was not crooked in any way. “Do I get to kiss the bride?”
“How?” Hermione gasped.
“Where have you been?” Emma whispered.
“How could you let her think you were dead you son of a bitch?” said Daniel.
“When the explosives went off, I got mangled pretty good, then the fuel air bomb, well that toasted the rest of me. The Goblins were pissed. They had this great plan for grabbing me before everything went boom, but the tunnelers mistook Tom’s last flopping around for me, and they grabbed him by mistake. It took them a while to find me. Their healers worked on me for weeks. They tell me it was touch and go for a while. When they got me stabilized, they turned me over to Fleur. She’s responsible for how I look.”
“But Veela body sculpting is temporary.”
“Yes it is, but Bill had the bright idea of combining it with Goblin stabilization magic. It is normally used to stabilize the tunnels, but when applied to Veela body sculpting, it makes the changes for all intents and purposes permanent. Hurts like hell too, glad I was out of it.”
“So the body they found…”
“The carcass of a captured death eater, sculpted to look like me. He was awake for the process; the Goblins said that Fleur scared them. Bill was pretty proud of that.”
“Why didn’t you let me know? Why didn’t you trust me?”
“Hermione I trust you with everything. They woke me up yesterday; I was not lucid until this morning. The Goblins did not want to get your hopes up, I was that messed up. It is their way. They’ve manufactured an identity for me. I’m Marcus Stewart now. If you want we can be together.”
“Harry you idiot. If you ever pull anything like this again, I will personally kill you completely to death. Of course I want to stay with you.”
“Daniel? Emma?”
“Welcome home son.”
“Who else will you be telling Harry?”
“No one. Harry Potter is dead, let him rest in peace. Let’s keep it in the family.”
…---ooo000ooo---…
FIN
…---ooo000ooo---…
A/N2: Well, this is it, the final scene, as this story shuffles off it’s mortal coil. It is done, it is complete, it is an ex-fic. Though it might just be tired out from a prolonged squawk, it has beautiful plumage…
Last time on The Power He has Not:
Ottery St. Catchpole
Lovegood Residence
Luna’s Room:
Ron gazed up at his fiancé, as she rocked her hips on his pelvis. She took his hands and placed them on her breasts. “Again?”
“Again? Woman I’m not a machine.”
“Oh, poo. We make love three times and you’re no good to me? I’m going to have to take over your care from Molly; she obviously isn’t feeding you enough to maintain your strength.” She lay down on him, pulling him into an embrace. “Your punishment for your weakness will be to cuddle me while I plot the destruction of my competition!”
Ron laughed. “You’re strict, but fair Luna my love. What competition do you believe you’re self to have?”
“Why Daddy and the Quibbler of course. I love him of course, but since I have become a News Paper Magnate, I realize that he must be destroyed.”
Harry Potter and the Power He Has Not.
Chapter 40 – Epilog One
Guilford, Surrey
University of Surrey:
October 1998.
Hermione arrived at the lecture hall, early as usual. She nodded to class mates upon recognition, and found her usual seat. This was a light class, Classical Literature, she had read all the books covered before the first day of class, and so far enjoyed the interaction of the class while discussing the meanings behind the meanings of the texts.
It wasn’t long before he entered, coming from an earlier class. Marcus Steward was tall, toned, and blond with big blue eyes you could swim in. Her heart started beating faster at the sight of him. He already had a reputation in this and other classes for having opinions that were contrary to that of the professors. He held that, even the classic works were nothing more than the authors telling a story they wanted to tell, and that any deeper meaning existed only in the mind of the reader. Last week he had declared that the ‘deeper meaning’ important to an author was that the royalty cheque cleared.
She was aghast at that idea. It didn’t stop her from smiling when he took his seat next to her and quietly took her hand in his and held it through the entire class.
St. Mungos
Maternity Ward:
January 2000
Colin took the tiny bundle from the arms of his wife, cooing at the little face, and then handed his new son to his father in law.
Arthur Weasley was ecstatic. His third grandchild. He turned to Molly. And she stole little Arthur David Creevey from him.
“Still think of him as a halfblood Molly?” he whispered so that only his wife could hear. She gave him a shocked look, and then hung her head in shame. She carried her first grandson back to his mother and gathered Colin in a bone crushing hug.
“I’m so sorry Colin; I’ve been a fool about…”
“Don’t worry Mum, I figured that as soon as we could turn your Mumness on, you’d come around. Ginny and I make good kids.”
“That you do Colin.”
“Oi, it seems to me I did all the work” Ginny piped in a happy tired voice.
“Right, so it’s only fair I take all the credit!” He took her hand, and looked into her eyes, “We’re a team, you and me!”
Bergen, Norway
Fløysletten meadow:
July 2000
Ron stretched as he exited the tent. The air up here was wonderful. Luna and her father were out on the trails searching for the elusive Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Exhausted from his second season with the Cannons, this was exactly what he needed; the quiet and solitude of the Norwegian forests were the balm his nerves needed. And too think, at one time he envied Harry for his fame.
Harry.
Over two years since Harry was lost to them. Luna had held him while he cried like a baby in the beginning. But time heals. The last letter from Hermione told of her impending marriage to a classmate she had met at the Muggle School she attended. It was hard to think of Hermione with anyone but himself or Harry, but he had Luna, and Harry was gone.
Harry.
Oh well. Ron sipped tea from the mug that he carried. Something rustled in the bush in front of him. He approached it and knelt down to see what was hiding. It was small, almost a sphere, no more than 8 inches across, with Blood Red fur, the noise it made was like a throaty thrum, it almost as if he felt its call more than heard it. When the little creature opened its eyes, it was as if its fur parted and a pair of blue sapphires appeared in the depths of its pelt. It had no visible nose, but it made sniffing noises when Ron offered the tiny creature his hand, then (somehow Ron could see no means of movement) it moved onto his hand, and climbed up his arm to settle on his shoulder and rub its self against his neck, making multiple purring sounds like several happy cats.
When it started with its purring an appendage (Tail?) extruded from the body mass to a length of 30 inches or so, and wrapped its self around his arm, and from between the eyes extruded about 3 inches of some kind of antler. The longer the little creature purred, the better Ron felt.
Ron returned to the tent to start lunch for Luna and her father, his new little friend purring happily, especially when offered bits of food. It was especially partial to bits of chopped tomato.
When Luna entered the tent, humming “Weasley is our King” (which she had single handedly made into the Cannon’s anthem. The Crowds sang it constantly during games. He would have to send Draco Malfoy a thank you note, just to rub it in.) and stopped dead in her staring at the creature on his shoulder, her father came behind her and did exactly the same thing.
“Oh hi there. Lunch is almost ready.” Ron noticed their stares. “Oh this is Scarlet. He wandered into camp this morning, and sort of adopted me. Cute little guy. Know what he is Dad?”
The elder Lovegood couldn’t speak, his mouth just opened and closed to open again. Luna finally said “Ronald, that is a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Daddy and I have been looking for one for 8 years and one just walked up to you?”
“I guess so.” He smiled “Always the last place you look, right?”
Luna reached out to touch the Snorkack, it thrummed at her touch. Here eyes widened to an unusual intensity. “He walked up to you and made himself you familiar? How is this possible Ronald?”
“I don’t know, he just came along. He’s my familiar now? Cool.”
“Cool indeed Ronald” she turned to her father. “Daddy, Lunch will be a bit late, Ronald and I need to celebrate.” Her attention returned to Ron, she had an odd look on her face. “Celebrate a whole lot.”
Her father smiled and grabbed the plate that Ron had the prepared ingredients for sandwiches on. “No problem Poppet, take your time, I believe I’ll retire to my tent with this to listen to the Wireless.”
Luna nodded and watched her father leave the tent. The then took a fist full of Ron’s shirt and led him to the bedroom of their tent and she resumed humming ‘Weasley is our King.’
Afterward Ron reflected that he needed to find little furry creatures much more often.
Longbottom Manor
Neville and Susan’s suite:
September 2001
“To Susan, the first of us to marry!” Lavender lifted her glass.
“Like it’s a surprise to anyone at all. Neville sealed this deal that back on that day on the Express.” Said Padma following the toast. “Rumour has it that Hermione has or is about to marry a Muggle man she met at the school she’s going to.”
“And Ron keeps asking Luna to marry him, but she still says he can’t until he wins the World Cup” Hannah said shaking her head “I mean sure, he’s got the Cannons winning for a change, but… “She noticed the looks she was getting from the other girls “My dad’s a big Cannon fan, I hear these things.”
“Sounds to me like some one has some unrequited feelings for one of the golden trio” grinned Susan.
“I have not. But if he ever slips Luna’s leash, I’m there.”
Laughter filled the room. In the next room Neville looked up from his Herbology periodical, and decided that he didn’t really want to know.
…---ooo000ooo---…
London England
University of Westminster:
March 2002.
Draco Malfoy looked across the table at the young woman and sighed silently to himself. How the hell had he gotten himself into this situation?
Potter’s will had bequeathed the position of Head of the House of Black to him with a small maintenance allowance for the upkeep of the properties Potter hadn’t liquidated from the estate. Potter left him with a title, and no money beyond the gift given that last Christmas. Draco got the title only because his Aunt Andromeda and cousin Nymphadora had turned it down.
After casting about for a few weeks in the face of public hostility to the name ‘Malfoy’ he turned to a man he considered his best and probably only friend. Daniel Granger had earned his respect during the long months at the Potter estate. Despite being a Muggle with no idea of how the magical world worked, he was a fount of common sense.
“It seems to me that you need to generate an income. If you go the executor of the Trust, I’m sure he would allow you to continue your education. I’ve seen how your mind works Draco; I would wager that you would do well in the Law.”
That made sense. His mother further suggested that he speak with his Uncle, meaning Ted Tonks of course. A short conversation with the man sent Draco to Remus Lupin, the executor of the Potter Trust.
That meeting went very well considering their history together. Potter exhorted his friends and family from the grave to forget the past and get on with their lives. Lupin agreed to finance Draco’s studies at a Muggle University with a loan to be repaid following graduation, a stipend to cover living expenses was offered without being asked for, and Draco gratefully accepted it and took Remus’s hand to seal the agreement.
That was three years ago. Since then he had excelled in his studies. The School of Law loomed in his future. Then he met this woman. This Sheena MacKenzie. Whenever he took a position, she took the opposite. If he said up, she said down. He said left, she said right. It was infuriating. Worst of all she started to occupy his dreams. She wasn’t the type of woman he pictured himself with. She wasn’t a model like beauty. She didn’t demur to him. She certainly didn’t respect his opinions, but they were on the same track and had many classes together. She called him an unread boob. He called her an uncultured poser.
Then they were assigned a research project requiring 7 weeks of research to even begin the joint paper. They fought and argued over every aspect of the paper, from the opening line to the conclusion. Then last night, in the middle of an argument over some minor point of tort law that he couldn’t recall right now, they had somehow ended up in her bed.
Draco was hardly a virgin, but he had never had an experience like last night. Passion that intense could not possibly be good for you. Even now, he wanted to scoop her up and take her back to the bed for more.
She looked at him over her cup of tea. “So…”
“Yeah.” He said feeling stupid. “Should I apologize?”
“Do you feel you need to?”
“I lost control last night, and I… I hope I didn’t…”
“You know, for an unread boob, you’re pretty cute when you’re embarrassed.”
His mouth opened and closed without sound.
“This is where you insult me. As best I can tell it’s what we use for foreplay.”
“Foreplay?”
“Last night was fantastic.” She rose from her chair and slid on to his lap “If you think you’re getting out of here without another couple of hours in my bed you’re insane.” And she kissed him, hard.
“What makes you think I’d want a poser like you?”
She giggled, rising from his lap she pulled him back to her bed.
Ala Shan Plateau Mongolia
424th Quidditch World Cup
August 2002
“Hello Herm-own-ninny.”
“Hello Viktor, how are you?”
“I am well, and you?”
“Very well indeed. Viktor, this is my husband, Marcus Stewart.”
“How do you do? I am Viktor Krum, and you are a very lucky man.”
Marcus laughed, “You aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know Mr. Krum. Hermione tells me you used to play this game, do you still compete?”
“Please call me Viktor”
“Marcus” the two men shook hands
“No, I no longer play. It is young mans sport, but I play in two world cups, so I can brag to grand children some day.” Krum looked to the pitch wistfully “I am Commissioner of sport now
“LUNA!” Hermione called waving the blonde woman over to them. “Luna did you ever meet Viktor Krum?”
“No, I saw you at a distance of course; I was just a third year when you visited Hogwarts.” She turns smiling “Hello again Marcus. I see you are keeping Hermione happy.”
“That is a mutual pleasure Luna. It is good to see you again.”
“This was most excellent game! Your husband best keeper in generation maybe more. Has never been shut out in World Cup final before.
“Thank you Viktor, from you high praise indeed.” Ron Weasley, still in his playing robes made his way though the crowd of admirers to his Luna who he pulled into a kiss. When he finally broke it, he said to her “Now?”
“Now.”
“Marcus, Viktor, Hermione, It’s been good to see you all, but Luna and I have to leave right now.”
“Is there something wrong Ron?”
“Hermione I’ve been asking this minx to marry me for more than 6 years. Every time she told me not until I played for England in the World Cup and played a shut out at keepers against a team in blue robes. Barbados fits that bill. We’re going to get married right now before she can add any other conditions to the deal.”
Stewart Residence:
July 2008
Marcus was mowing the front lawn when he suddenly felt a presence behind him; he turned to see two men in expensive suits standing on the sidewalk watching him. He stopped the mower.
“Bill, good to see you again.” He extended his hand to Bill Weasley.
“Marcus.” Bill shook his hand warmly. “This is an associate, Neville Longbottom. Would it be possible to speak to you and Hermione?”
“Certainly, she’s inside with the Danni and John, come on in.” He led them through the door. “Hermione, visitors!”
“Bill, Neville, how are you. More importantly, what do you want?”
Neville spoke. “It’s time for you to come back Hermione. We need you.”
“Nice of you to lie like that Neville, but I doubt you need me.”
“Of course we do. There is going to be a vote of no confidence for the Minister next Tuesday. He is going to lose, badly. I am in a position to become the next Minister.”
Bill continued. “We are going to clean house. There isn’t going to be a whiff of corruption in the entire ministry when we’re done, and we need honest incorruptible witches and wizards to step up and serve. People like you Hermione.”
“I’ve got my work.”
“You just finished your most recent project, and haven’t found a new one yet. This is important Hermione, having Lady Potter onboard” Neville suddenly looked stricken. “I am sorry Mr. Stewart I didn’t mean.”
“Marcus, please.” He smiled. “I’ve long since come to terms with being the second man Hermione loved, but only because he met her first. One on one I’d have kicked his ass.”
Their children ran into the room “Mum! Mum! John made a mess!” both children stopped wide eyed at the visitors.
“Danni, John.” Hermione knelt next to her oh so grown up 7-year-old daughter and her 5-year-old son. “This is Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom. They are some of Mums special friends.”
“Ooh that means you can do magic?” the little girl, an image of her mother bounced excitedly in place.
“It sure does.” Said her father. “Hermione why don’t you just go ahead and do what we both know you want to do, and go with these men to measure your new office for drapes? While you’re talking business I’ll get the kids to your Parents house for dinner as planned, and you can meet us there when you’re done.”
Granger Residence
Game Room:
July 2008
“So they came to ask her to return.”
“Yep.” Marcus was racking the balls on the table. Danni and John were upstairs being fussed over by their grandmum.
“And she’s going to go back to work for them?”
“Yep.”
“Crap.”
“Yep. Pay up.”
Daniel knelt down next to the bucket in the corner of the room closest to the table, and counted out 50 1-pound coins. “I still say….”
“Ah ah ah, you were wrong. Just stand there in your wrongness and just be wrong. While you’re at it, just pay up.”
“Fine.” He handed over the coins. Marcus saluted him with his beer.
“I’m getting them all back.”
“Maybe. Are you going to play or bitch?”
Daniel lined up his shot for the break. Four balls fell in the pockets. He smirked “I guess that makes me solids.”
He kept smiling as four coins were flipped into the bucket.
…---ooo000ooo---…
Granger Residence:
July 1 1998
Daniel pulled into the driveway of his home with his wife and daughter quietly sobbing. It had been a rough day, the meeting with the head Goblin, the reading of Harry’s will, the press. He still could not believe the boy was gone.
Emma was the first in the house, through the back door that entered through the kitchen, and she gasped in alarm. Hermione reacted instantly with her wand out pointing directly between the eyes of the man at the kitchen table. He was blond and had blue eyes, he wore denim jeans and a polo shirt. He stared quietly looking at her wand.
“Who are you?”
He smiled. “I used to be called Harry Potter Hermione.”
Cold fury burned in her chest. She cast every detection charm she could think of, this stranger had no magic. There was no magic affecting any part of him. “Nice try. Who are you?”
“Something that only Harry and Hermione would know? How about ‘I Harry take you Hermione to be my wife despite the fact that I don’t deserve you in any way and never will. In sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer until death do us part.’” He smiled a smile that was not crooked in any way. “Do I get to kiss the bride?”
“How?” Hermione gasped.
“Where have you been?” Emma whispered.
“How could you let her think you were dead you son of a bitch?” said Daniel.
“When the explosives went off, I got mangled pretty good, then the fuel air bomb, well that toasted the rest of me. The Goblins were pissed. They had this great plan for grabbing me before everything went boom, but the tunnelers mistook Tom’s last flopping around for me, and they grabbed him by mistake. It took them a while to find me. Their healers worked on me for weeks. They tell me it was touch and go for a while. When they got me stabilized, they turned me over to Fleur. She’s responsible for how I look.”
“But Veela body sculpting is temporary.”
“Yes it is, but Bill had the bright idea of combining it with Goblin stabilization magic. It is normally used to stabilize the tunnels, but when applied to Veela body sculpting, it makes the changes for all intents and purposes permanent. Hurts like hell too, glad I was out of it.”
“So the body they found…”
“The carcass of a captured death eater, sculpted to look like me. He was awake for the process; the Goblins said that Fleur scared them. Bill was pretty proud of that.”
“Why didn’t you let me know? Why didn’t you trust me?”
“Hermione I trust you with everything. They woke me up yesterday; I was not lucid until this morning. The Goblins did not want to get your hopes up, I was that messed up. It is their way. They’ve manufactured an identity for me. I’m Marcus Stewart now. If you want we can be together.”
“Harry you idiot. If you ever pull anything like this again, I will personally kill you completely to death. Of course I want to stay with you.”
“Daniel? Emma?”
“Welcome home son.”
“Who else will you be telling Harry?”
“No one. Harry Potter is dead, let him rest in peace. Let’s keep it in the family.”
…---ooo000ooo---…
FIN
…---ooo000ooo---…
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