Cornelius Fudge was delighted with today's story in the Prophet, it took the populations minds of the fact that they had Sirius Black in custody and he escaped again. The fact that two wizards who were more popular than him appeared to be at each other's throats was manna from heaven, if both ever joined forces Fudge knew whom the public would support. Maybe it was time to make overtures towards the boy-who-lived, he was after all, looking for a new mentor.
He would ask Lucius about it the next time he saw him, Fudge was actually surprised that he had not had a visit from the blond Slytherin before this, he wondered where he was.
....
Remus was sitting having tea in Longbottom Manor and secretly thanking Harry for the new robes, his old ones would have made him stand out like a sore thumb. He knew fine well it wasn't the robes that got him sitting here chatting with the Longbottom matriarch, the name Potter opened doors.
"Neville has of course mentioned Harry but I never realised they were close," said Augusta.
"Harry counts Neville as his best friend and that's why I'm here, there will be story's appearing in the Quibbler on Monday that are totally accurate, they're very friendly with the owner's daughter and Harry will be writing the piece along with his betrothed. The outcome is that both will be leaving Hogwarts and want to take their friends with them, private tutors will be used and the four will probably end up sitting their exams early. Both Harry and Hermione are convinced that Neville will be a great wizard but there are things going on at the castle that hold students back."
Remus could see the elderly woman reeling from the shocks he was firing at her, Neville was Harry Potter's best friend and a great wizard who Hogwarts was holding back was quite a lot to take in. Remus couldn't recall the boy speaking in class unless asked a direct question.
"Do you really think my Neville is being held back?"
Remus answered as truthfully as he could, "your grandson is brilliant at herbology and if he was the same at potions the world would be his oyster, unfortunately his boggart is professor Snape, the potions teacher. He bullies Neville mercilessly and the only break he gets is when the man picks on Harry. Neville is a powerful wizard who's biggest problem is his lack of confidence, working with Harry, Hermione and Luna will solve that and you should see an improvement very quickly."
Augusta had heard enough, the houses of Longbottom and Potter had been aligned for centuries and the thought of her grandson carrying on that tradition and becoming a better wizard in the process was a pretty powerful argument, she signed the piece of parchment that Remus had brought from Lord Potter.
....
Dan Granger was sitting at an outdoor café looking out on the Mediterranean Sea, cappuccino in hand, beautiful woman by his side and a red Ferrari Daytona convertible parked at the kerb. Part of him felt he needed something stronger but then he wouldn't get to drive that wonderful car. Harry's comment about a garage had set them off for a look and what they found had again emphasised the casual wealth of the young man.
Hermione had told them last night that Harry thought his trust vault was all the gold he had and money meant very little to him, having never had any before. He'd already arranged unrestricted access to all Potter vaults for Hermione and named her as his next of kin.
His garage had five classic sports cars that left Dan rooted to the spot, his decision was made when Emma sat in the passenger seat of the Ferrari parked beside them.
How could one person change your life so much in such an incredibly short time? This was the question playing over and over in Dan's mind, well it was easier than trying to answer the one that frightened the life out of him, what to do about Hermione?
What do you do when your fourteen-year-old daughter, who's also a witch, has just time travelled back from the future, where she was dead, and now wants to marry her millionaire lord wizard on his fourteenth birthday!
Dr Benjamin Spock never prepared them for that, shit Spock on Star Trek couldn't solve that one, Dan would have to sort this out using his own logic. They say when your child gets married you don't lose a daughter but gain a son, Dan had the feeling in this case it was an either / or scenario. If it came down to choice Hermione would choose Harry every time over her parents.
There were no doubts that the kids loved each other and that whole being in each others heads meant they knew each other better than any couple ever could. The magical war thing sent chills down his spine but his daughter standing beside the man she loved, sharing his trials and tribulations made him prouder than he had ever been. Watching the two of them in action at the bank had been breathtaking.
Harry was hardly a new concept to them having been reading about him from Hermione's letters and he was all she talked about during the holidays. They had been prepared for her boyfriend to be one of two boys and, considering the behaviour of the other one, Dan was certain she had made the right choice. He liked what he'd seen of Harry so far and he certainly had the means to take care of Hermione, that last thought caused a chuckle that Emma responded to.
"Have you made your mind up yet?"
Dan was still chuckling, "not quite but you seem to have, care to share?"
"Apart from the age issue I'm delighted for them, it's apparently legal in their culture so my intention is to sit down with Hermione and chat about the contraception options available to her, I don't want to become a grandmother just yet. We raised our daughter to be independent, responsible and to think for herself, we can't really complain with the result. Harry is a fine young man who makes her very happy so I choose to believe that they are nearly sixteen and seventeen, thus solving the only problem I had with the marriage."
Dan was again reminded where Hermione got her intelligence, and beauty from, she had summed everything up neatly, accept the ages they were before travelling back in time and his problem was solved. That shouldn't be too difficult since both acted with a maturity well beyond their biological years. He leaned over and kissed the wonderful woman by his side and noticed some jealous looks from the local males, yes Dan Granger was a lucky man he thought.
....
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