Harry Potter and Changing Destinies

Chapter 13

As they were walking down the street Harry held Bri back and said, “Hey, Bri can I ask you something?”

“Yeah sure, what?”

“Can you come with me for a few?”

“For what?”

“I want to do something?”

“What?” she smirked.

“Nothing really just…”

“Get your girl a ring.”

“Yeah, how’d you…”

“Know. Hun, your face looked as white as a sheet. A man’s face only looks that way in three situations…One, when he’s asking his girl to marry him and picking out a ring. Two, on his wedding day. Third, when he has his first kid. Seeing as you aren’t in your Sunday best and Hermione’s not popping at the seams, I guess my only option is Number 1. Though what’s our cover gonna be?”

“I don’t know?”

“Ok, ok how about I say I gotta pick a present up for my mom and I want your money purse.”

“Yeah, that should work and thanks…I think.”

With this decided Harry walked to the front of the group to get their attention. When he got their attention he told them where Bri and he would be going off too and headed that way. Though before he got far Ali asked with a smirk, “Okay, so we’ll meet you where in an hour?”

Harry got the creeping idea that Ali knew what was really going on and that made him almost lose his nerve, but then he saw Hermione’s worried face and shook himself and replied, “How about our favorite store and café in muggle London?”

“Ok, got ya.”

“Harry?” Hermione asked reaching for him.

“It’s nothing, Mione. We’ll be back soon, don’t worry,” he said cupping her cheek and smiling the smile only for her.

“Ok, have fun,” she said still a bit worried but beginning to feel better.

“In an hour, okay,” he said looking her right in the eye so her whole focus was on him.

“Okay, we’ll walk Fred and George back to their shop and then had to that café/shop you and Ali know. She’ll have to lead the way though.”

With a kiss to her forehead he walked away with Bri to the nearest muggle/magical jeweler’s.

While Harry and Bri went off to look for something for Bri’s mom Hermione walked along side Draco and Ali stuck in her thoughts until I silvery blue glint of something struck her eyes from Ali’s direction. When she looked closer she could see a good sized ring on her finger that caused an unknown squeal of excitement and awe to come forth that surprised both Ali and Draco to stillness. Ali was going to ask her what was wrong until she saw the direction her eyes were glued.

When she did she just smirked and said, “Yes that’s what you think it is Mione my dear. That’s an engagement ring.”

“Oh…my…that is the most…gorgeous…brilliant…wow…”

“Yep,” Ali smiled.

“Girls, if your done…” Draco replied embarrassed.

The girls looked at each other then to Draco and back at each other smiling with a nod Ali replied, “Yes, we’re done for now…” and they all headed on their way again.

While the others went on their way soon enough just their luck Bri and Harry came to a Cartier’s and went inside. They were already on the magical side of the store because if they hadn’t been they would have had to go to a back wall and knock and wait for a door to appear. As they walked in Harry took off his guise, he didn’t want to but if he was going to get the secrecy, fair prices, and the best of what they had he wanted he had to. And that’s all he wanted for Hermione, the best.

Once the sales people recognized who he was they were falling over themselves to service the Harry Potter the best they could. But before any could get close Bri stepped in front of him to hold them off and called out, “We want the manager of this place!”

After a few moments a man that looked to be at least in his 80’s walked slowly through the retreating faction of jewelers towards Harry and Bri. When he was near enough he said, “Lord Potter, my name is Charles Wingdom and I’m the manager of this business. How may I help you today?”

Harry blushed and looked anywhere but at the man until Bri stepped on his foot and gave him a stern look. He yelped and shook himself. Gaining control of himself he replied as calmly as he could, “Could we speak privately, sir?”

“Of course, Lord Potter…”

Please, call me Harry.”

“Alright, Harry. Right this way…” and with this Mr. Wingdom led Harry and Bri to his office in the back.

Once shut within his office and a silencing charm placed over the room so no one outside could hear anything within Harry seemed to finally relax until he was actual confident of what he was doing. He sat forward getting right to the point as he spoke to Mr. Wingdom, “Ok, Mr. Wingdom this is the deal I need you to keep that I came here or was anywhere near this place quiet once I leave. There can be no record of me being here, that would mean you…”

“Would have to wipe the minds of everyone here today as well as myself.”

“No, you can remember because I have a feeling I can trust you. This is a very important project and I don’t want anything messed up.”

“Of course, Lord…Harry. So, what may this project be that you need to be so quiet? Wedding bands? Engagement?”

“Engagement. I have my parents’ wedding bands.”

“Oh, of course. And what a lovely lady you have,” Mr. Wingdom said looking towards Bri which caused her to burst out laughing and Harry to gain a flustered look.

“Me and Harry…married? Ha ha ha, that’s a good one!” Bri laughed out to the now angry face of Harry Potter.

“Oh, thanks to know I’m not your cup of tea Bri, your not mine either,” he replied in a huff.

Bri shut up at the hurt look on Harry’s face while wiping away the tears of laughter on her face. She touched his arm saying, “Oh, no hun you are and if you weren’t head over heels in love with your girl and she with you and planning on marrying her, I’d definitely have a go.”

Then she turned to Mr. Wingdom who looked as if he wanted to crawl away and hide for offending Harry and said, “No, Mr. Wingdom I’m not the lucky girl. I’m just the ring tester.”

“Oh, well alright. So, Harry…what were you thinking for a ring?”

Harry shook himself and turned to Mr. Wingdom speaking calmly, “I was thinking something with a Celtic design with my fiancé’s birthstone and diamonds. Then I want something for me so I can know this is real because sometimes it doesn’t feel that way, sometimes it feels like a dream I don’t want to wake up from.”

Mr. Wingdom smiled that twinkle in the eye smile only the older generation could and said, “Very well, give me a moment,” and walked out to the main store coming back a few minutes later.

As he set the two or three trays of rings down on his table Harry didn’t even need a minute or two to look he saw it. Right there in front of him, in the middle tray in the middle of the third row of rings on a tray of five rows. It was beautiful and perfect right off the bat; it had her birthstone intermixed with his birthstone, the band was an interlocking Celtic heart knot design with a rounded trim of all white gold or so Mr. Wingdom told them. The deep blue fire of her sapphire next to his ruby’s red was beautiful and perfect like her and them. The stones were dispersed between the band’s Celtic heart knot design.

Harry took it in his fingers afraid to ruin it and turned it over and over until Bri coughed to get his attention while holding out her left hand and saying, “Ok, Soon-To-Be-Married Hero Man let’s try it out.”

As Harry slipped it on and waited for Bri’s evaluation of it he could feel himself getting very self-conscious about what he was doing. Suddenly, she looked at him and said, “Yep, you got a winner here, bud. She’ll drop dead out of sheer joy with this baby.”

“She will?” Harry said feeling a stupid grin split his face.

As Bri handed it back to Mr. Wingdom Harry asked, “I know I’ve heard of couples having protection spells put on their rings. Triggered by something only they know. Could I do that with this ring and the ring I pick for myself?”

Mr. Wingdom smiled softly and said, “Of course, Lord Potter just let me go get some men’s engagement rings for you to look at,” and he left again with the trays they had just picked from to get new ones. When he returned he yet again had three trays with five rows of rings each and put them down, giving Harry some time to look through them all.

Harry found his ring on the last tray in the middle of the first row. It was an Infinity white gold design with gold trim and within the twisted circles’ centers were again Harry and Hermione’s birthstones. Harry tested it out and agreed this was the one. Thus, he handed over the ring to Mr. Wingdom who said, “Alright, now that we have these lovely rings what would you like to do for the protection spell triggers?”

“Can I think about it for a moment…alone.”

“Of course,” Mr. Wingdom said as he stood up, but as Bri was going to stand up and go with him Harry said, “No, Bri you stay. I may need your help.”

Bri looked at him confused but nodded and sat back down. When Mr. Wingdom left and shut the door Harry said quietly, “Ok, Bri you need to watch that I don’t lose it when I do this.”

“Do what?”

“Engrave the rings with the trigger using my elemental power.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Yeah, I did. Just checking. Okay, if your sure?”

“I am.”

“Okay. Oh, Harry?”

“What?”

“Seeing as the cover was a present for my mom could we…”

“Of course, Bri I’d love to help you get something for your mom.”

As he concentrated on his love for Hermione and getting the fire that was now shooting slowly like a flame laser out of his finger he wrote first on Hermione’s ring, not on the trim like many would think, but in the twisting of the design and then on the design of his ring. As the flame subsided and the slight steam rose in the air and cleared the words:

“there are more important things than books and cleverness” in Hermione’s ring and…

“like friendship, bravery and love” in Harry’s.

Once he was done Bri went to the door and called Mr. Wingdom back in. When Mr. Wingdom sat down he took the rings and saw the inscription and smiled. As he was about to ring up a price for the rings Harry stopped him with a, “No, Bri here wants to get something for her mother and it’s the least I could do for what she’s helped me with. We’ll put that on my bill too.”

Mr. Wingdom smiled kindly and turned to Bri saying, “Alright, Miss...”

“Just call me Bri. I was thinking a necklace of gold with three stones, my mom’s birthstone, mine, and my sister’s.”

“Alright and what are the birthstones?”

“Mine’s a diamond, my mom’s is a blue topaz, and my sister’s is citrine.”

“You’re in luck Miss Bri I think we have a necklace that may fit your needs perfectly. Just a moment,” and the man was gone again and back in a few minutes.

As he showed the necklace to them and explained what it is exactly Bri looked to Harry with a huge smile nodding that his was the one she wanted. It was a thick gold link chain of 10k that held a 10k gold Celtic Trinity Knot Pendant with the top of the trinity being mom’s birthstone, Bri’s was on the right and her sister’s was on the left. The very center was a chip of each stone together.

Once Bri and Harry said this was the one Mr. Wingdom priced it all together with the two rings and the necklace at 12000 galleons, which Harry quickly counted out and had him put them in cases. They all shook hands and Harry and Bri left with their purchases. Harry led the way to a small café in muggle London called the Ancient Bean where they could shop a bit too. Harry and Ali loved this place for its comfy feel and its close proximity to other stores they loved to shop in.

About half an hour after Harry and Bri left them Ali turned to Draco and the others saying she wanted to stop at a little store before they reached the Ancient Bean. They had just turned a corner when they came to a stop at a little antique store front with the name of The Magic Within.

As Ali opened the door she said, “This store is great! It has muggle and magical antiques in its collections, but only magical people can see the magical merchandise, but muggles can still come in and shop too.”

Hermione who had already begun to look around looked at her with a smile and replied, “Oh, that’s pretty smart of the owner.”

“Owners,” and said two men who looked to be in their 40’s as they came out of the back area.

Ali walked up to the two men with a huge smile saying, “Oh, your both out today are you? How are you two?”

“We’re fine my dear and you?” said the shorter by a foot of the two men who had butter blonde hair that was in a sophiscated mess and bright ocean blue eyes.

“I’m fine and this lovely woman is a dear friend and that gorgeous man is my fiancé, Thomas” Ali said with a smile.

“Fiancé? Well, congrads my dear you deserve it,” said the other man who was tall and wiry with dark brunette hair and gray eyes.

“Well thank you, my dear Korbin.”

As Draco and Hermione blushed Ali just began to walk around and look at the new arrival pieces. After speaking with the men who they learned were partners and had been for almost 140 years and the men were really in their 180’s Draco and Hermione also began to look around.

Just when Draco was beginning to get bored looking at everything in the little store a glint of ice blue caught his eye and as he walked to it Korbin came up behind him as he stood looking at this ice blue metal statue of a Poseidon saying, “I see our oldest antique has caught your eye, isn’t that pure ice blue color of the Atlantium just magnificent.”

“What is Atlantium?”

“It’s an old rare magical metal that is only found in the lost city of Atlantis. The magic in the metal is very unstable unless the holder of the metal has a strong connection to water. In fact the last known witch who could safely handle Atlantium was Rowena Ravenclaw. Are you a water elemental Mr. Malfoy?”

“No I’m not but Ali is. So if I’m not an elemental then how am I able to hold this statue?” Draco asked.

“It must be your emotional connection to Lady VanLint, Mr. Malfoy.”

At Draco’s shocked look Korbin rushed to explain, “Yes Mr. Malfoy I am aware of who she is and who’s sister she is. Lady VanLint and Lord Potter have been coming into my store for years and even though the relationship between the two of them was never discussed my partner and I could sense the family ties between them. If your commitment to Lady VanLint is this strong that you can actually hold the metal, you must care for her deeply, even if I may be so blunt, love her.”

“Yes, I do. We’re actually engaged, but keep that under wraps.”

Ali and Hermione came walking over with little bags with the items they had bought saying, “Come on Draco. We still need to get to the café where we’ll be meeting Harry and Bri.”

“Okay, Ali.”

“Oh, that’s a lovely statue of Poseidon. Did you know he was one of the first merpeople and the ruler of Atlantis when it was known to the world as an actual place, but when he found landwellers were using Atlantian creations for cruel acts he sunk Atlantis and made it so no one but the merpeople could get near it,” Hermione commented as she looked at the statue.

“I knew a bit of that, but not all the facts. You really are the smartest witch of our age, aren’t you Granger,” Draco joked smirking at her.

As Draco went to the counter where Thomas stood Ali gasped, “That metal! It’s the same as my ring!”

“Really?” Draco said as innocently as he could.

“Yes.”

“Well, isn’t that interesting.”

“That will be 120 galleons,” Thomas smiled.

“Really? I thought Korbin said it was a very rare metal? Wouldn’t it be more?”

“Yes, it usually would be, but Thomas and I swore when we came by this item that if anyone came into our store and bought this lovely thing. We’d practically give it away to them because we could tell it was meant for more than sitting and collecting dust in this old place.”

“Well, if that’s what you decided alright,” and with that Draco paid the amount and the two men wrapped up the valuable statue and put it in a bag for Draco to carry. Once Draco was done paying for and receiving his statue the three teens left the store saying goodbye to the two men and walked over to the café which wasn’t much farther. As they walked in they saw that Bri and Harry were already there sitting at a table with drinks waiting for them.

As they walked closer Harry got up and hugged Hermione whispering, “Follow me.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.”

“Okay?”

Harry told the others they were going for a walk and left walking down to a nearby park.

As they walked Hermione kept asking where they were going, what they were doing but Harry kept pulling her along and saying he’d tell her soon enough. Finally, they came into an open area surrounded by trees with a small pond a few feet away. As Harry walked over to the pond leaving Hermione to gasp in awe and turn in a circle seeing everything about the area. As she was turning to Harry again she spotted a wood nymph and gasped out, “Harry we’re in a protected glade. We shouldn’t be here, nymphs can get very mad at intruders. Harry?”
Harry just smiled at her as she walked to him.

“Harry, don’t laugh, this isn’t a funny situation.”

“I know, but its okay the nymphs know me. They trust me, we’re safe. You always amaze me, Mione.”

“What are talking about Harry? I’m nothing special,” Hermione said blushing.

“How can you still say that, Mione? You are amazing, beautiful and wonderful. You’re the smartest witch of our age and you know so much about things others wouldn’t want to spend two seconds reading about. You’re brave and strong-willed, determined and you worry more about being expelled than a three-headed dog. You are amazing, you notice when a three-headed dog is standing on a door when others would be more transfixed on the heads. You’re an amazing woman just like you were an amazing girl at eleven coming with two idiot boys on an adventure that could have killed us from the first second. You’ve always stood by me, with me. You’ve always believed in me even when I couldn’t or wouldn’t believe in myself. You make me face my demons and beat them. You give me strength when I have none. I love you, Hermione Jean Granger, marry me? Again?”

By the end of this wonderful speech Harry was kneeling in front of Hermione with the most beautiful ring in a heart shaped black box while nymphs and fairies were flying and running around them. Hermione stood still just gaping down at the ring. She stood this way for so long Harry began to get tense and worried.

So much that he rose slowly saying, “Mione, darling? What’s wrong, don’t you like it? I can get something else?”

Finally, Hermione found her voice and whispered softly, “No, no its wonderful Harry…but are you sure I’ll do it justice. I’m just a plain muggleborn witch with dentists for parents.”

Harry smiled and then laughed out of joy and relief, hugging Hermione to him he said, “You’re not plain, love. Your extraordinary and I love your parents. You’ll do the ring justice, I’m afraid though…”

“Of Voldemort using me against you.”

When Harry heard these words he held Hermione tighter to him and engulfed her scent before he joked, “That too, but I was thinking more that the ring wouldn’t do you justice…So, this is a yes, right?”

Hermione stepped away from him with a laugh and a light smack to his chest saying, “Oh, you…yes it’s a yes.”
With a huge laugh Harry slipped the ring on to her finger and swung her around kissing her mind blank in the process. When Harry set her down on her feet finally he whispered, “Look inside the ring’s band. It’s engraved. The magic only works for us.”

Hermione did as she was bid and as she read the words she smiled. Then Harry spoke the rest of the line that was begun in her ring showing her his ring. They spent a little time just enjoying the magical haven and being together, but soon they headed back to the café where the others were. As they came in the door Hermione let go of Harry’s hand and rushed over to Ali and Bri smiling. She showed them her ring which Bri just smirked at seeing, but Ali on the other hand yelled and grabbed both girls arms pulling them out of the café with a thrown out, “We’ll be back! We’re going shopping!”

“For what?” Draco yelled.

“Dresses, of course,” was Ali and Bri’s response.

Draco was about to follow them becoming worried that the girls had gone off alone, but Harry touched his shoulder saying, “Don’t. They’ll be fine. We’ll just stay here and relax. It gets us out of carrying the many many bags they’ll have and paying for every bit of it too.”

Draco looked at Harry and then smirked saying, “Good plan, Potter,” in a low voice so no one would hear. As they sat down at a small table and Harry ordered a couple of coffees Draco spotted Harry’s ring and smiled.

“I see you finally did it, Potter? Got your girl,” Draco laughed.

“Yep, I’m one hell of a lucky man.”

“That you are and so am I.”

“Too bad…” Harry began.

“What?” Draco asked.

“Nothing…”

“Come on you can tell me.”

“Well, Hermione said something that got me thinking…”

“About?”

“Losing her. Not being able to grow old with her because…”

“There’s the possibility that venomous snake could win. That you could die and leave her before you get the life you’ve always wanted. The family you’ve always wanted…”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve been thinking that too.”

“You have?”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, Malfoy…no that would be to soon…but then again…”

“Earth to Potter…what are you mumbling about?”

“Oh, I’m sorry I was just thinking of something.”

“What something?”

“That we should get married to our girls, now, today. They won’t be protected by our laws or muggle ones just being our fiancés and Ali’s my sister so she’ll be protected that way but I know I’d feel better if Hermione was protected by my name and you’d feel better if Ali also had yours.”

“Married? Today? Harry, that’s…”

“Nuts. Crazy. Stupid. Ridiculous.”

“I was going to say that’s the smartest thing I think I’ve ever heard you say, Harry.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Yep. But where?”

“I don’t know. Let’s go looking. I’ll leave a message with the manager and call Ali by mirror to make sure they know, k.”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

While Harry went and did this Draco went to ask for a phonebook, which he had learned was a book where you could find a person’s address or services you needed done. He found the page with all the churches and did a small spell to get a list of all the magical ones in London too. He made a copy of the page of churches and the list and met with Harry outside and they began their search for the perfect church to marry their perfect ladies in on such short notice.

About an hour later they were walking out of the sixth and last church on the muggle list heading to the first of the wizarding ones about a block or two away when Draco stopped Harry near a small park and pulled him to a shaded picnic table. Harry could see something was bothering Draco so he stayed quiet until Draco said something first.

When Draco got his nerves under control he pulled out the statue he had bought and shoved it into Harry’s hands saying in a hurry, “Could you use some of the metal from this to make me and Ali rings?”

“What?” Harry asked surprised.

“Could you use a bit of the metal to make us wedding bands? The statue is made from the same metal Ali’s engagement ring is. Its some rare metal only elementals of the water type or someone with a deep connection to the water elemental can touch or use. I was thinking because you’re her brother and you’re a…”

“Fire elemental. That I could make your rings. Yeah, no problem, just tell me what you want.”

“You will? Oh, thanks man, really? I’ll owe you for life.”

“No, you won’t, but I will expect you to do everything and anything to protect Ali or you’re a dead man, got it,” Harry said becoming serious near the end of his little speech.

“Yeah, I got it,” Draco said with all sincerity and relief that Harry would be helping him make the rings he wanted for him and Ali.

Draco described what he wanted and Harry smirking took the statue from Draco. He waited a moment for the metal to recognize his elemental power and then he melted about two to three inches off the rock that Poseidon sat on to use. He let his laser-flame go to work creating the rings that Draco had wanted to perfection.

The ring that was meant for Ali was a simple but elegant band of the rare and precious metal that would fit with the engagement ring perfectly just like Ali would be with Draco. Draco’s on the other hand was a combination of both houses to perfection. It had a couple of good sized stones in Ali’s birthstone of amethyst and in the middle of the stones was a signa that seemed to be a combination of the VanLint and Malfoy crests. It looked like a hydra was wrapping itself around the griffin and the dragon of the VanLint crest.

Draco took the rings with a huge grin on his face and told Harry over and over again his thanks. As Harry was trying to get Draco to stop thanking him he headed off towards the church which was just ahead of them across the street. It was a small, quaint church that most in the muggle or wizarding world would probably over look, but from the moment the boys stepped onto the grounds they knew this would be the church for them. It was an old English church of moderate size from maybe the 16th or 17th century. The stones and windows that had once probably been smooth and un-giving were now weathered by time and Mother Nature’s wimps of course, but it didn’t make the little church look menacing more to the contrary. This weathered look made it more inviting to both Draco and Harry’s private natures. The church was in an open wooded area with a well kept lawn and a few head stones spaces around. As they stepped closer an old man in church garb came out of the door with a quiet but strong, “Welcome, my children how may I be of help to you both today?”

“Oh…well…we…”

“What my flustered friend is trying to say, Father is we would be so glad if you could help us with something that would change our lives forever,” Draco said graciously.

“And that would be?”

“We would like to be married to our wonderful, beautiful fiancés in your church?” Draco said beginning to get nervous as the priest watched him with unwavering eyes.

“You would, would you? Well, I don’t think I can do that for you…”

“What! Why not?” Harry finally finding his nerve.

“Because, my child. You’re not yourself; you took the face of another. If you wish to marry here you must throw away your masks and fears and step in as yourself,” the old priest said to Harry.

Before Harry could reply Draco said, “If we do, are we guaranteed you will keep our being here a secret except to the most necessary of those who must know until we say. It’s of the utmost importance we have privacy and secrecy in this. Not because we’re ashamed or anything, but for protection for all involved.”

“Of course, my child. You will have the protection of this church.”

“Thank you, Father I’m sorry for my outburst,” Harry said.

“That’s alright. Now if you will…”

And the boys took off their disguises showing themselves to this man of God and wizard if his ability to see their disguises was any proof. All the old priest did when he saw who his two visitors were was smile and step aside so they could come in. When they entered Harry was instantly drawn to the windows that at the moment had the full sunlight streaming through them. Making colors flash everywhere in the room.

He turned to the priest saying, “Father, we all…Draco, I, my fiancé and my sister…his fiancé need complete silence on what happens here. If you need to notify anyone make sure it’s completely and utterly necessary. We don’t want this getting out for their, your, and our protection.”

“Very well, my boy. We can keep it silent from most of the world, both even if you wish until you say…except for of course Him,” said the old priest with a smirk and twinkle in his eyes.

As Harry was speaking with the priest Draco asked for his mirror and contacted Ali and the girls. When he saw Ali’s face he smirked and said, “Hey there gorgeous…”

“What are you up too, Draco Malfoy?”

“Nothing…”

“Yeah right. What is it? You don’t call me gorgeous unless you want something.”

“Oh I want something alright but that will have to wait until the honeymoon.”

“Oh will you shut it. Now really what do you want?”

“Harry and I need you to meet us somewhere.”

“Where? Why? What’s going on? You’re starting to freak me out.”

“Oh, don’t freak, its nothing to worry about. Just come see I think I found the perfect place for us to have our wedding…that is when we have it…”

“Which will be after we take that snake-faced, cold-blooded monster’s ass down, right?”

“Yeah…can you guys just get here?”

“Sure. Where is this place?”

So, Draco gave Ali the address and disconnected giving the mirror back to Harry with an evil smirk worthy of his earlier years.