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Real Realms

By: fallenmuse
folder Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating: Adult +
Chapters: 4
Views: 2,380
Reviews: 7
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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
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Far Too Many Notes

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters I am just toying with them.

A/N: Also I still do not have a beta so please ignore the spelling mistakes that spell check did not catch.


Chapter 4

Far Too Many Notes


Hermione Granger moved quietly about her storeroom quill pressed against her lips in thought. As always her inventory sheet was at the ready, it seemed to her that business had picked up in the last few weeks. Perhaps it was due to the fact that classes would be starting soon and a number of young ladies could not go without their helping of a good bodice riper. Not to mention how the new line of pocket rockets she had come up with were flying off the shelves.

Shaking her head Hermione wondered about the rest of the room looking at all the things that would need restocking. As she pulled a box of instructing edible knickers off the shelf Crookshanks jumped down from his hiding spot, to wind himself around her ankles.

“Yes I know Crookshanks, you want your breakfast. Well, come on then this can wait.” Putting down her quill and parchment she moved out of the room followed by her familiar.

In the kitchen Hermione readied Crookshanks’ food as he continued his travels around her legs. Once the food touched the floor though he forgot her as quick as a summer storm.

“Just like the rest of them, the minute you get what you want you’re gone.” Hermione let a bitter laugh slip past her lips as she began out of the room, only to be halted by the sound of tapping on her window.

The black eagle owl waited to be let in, single minded in his task of delivering the letter entrusted to him. Slowly as if wondering who would place an order with her and use such a noticeable bird Hermione opened the window.

The owl swooped in and extended his leg to her, Hermione took the little letter from him. It was addressed in emerald green ink…

Hermione Granger
Sinful Pleasures
Hogsmead
London

She turned over the envelope in her hands, remembering the last time she had received a letter like this. It had been the week before her last year at Hogwarts. And with that thought Hermione Granger, Gryffindor know-it-all wanted to die of embarrassment.

If the headmaster knew that she was the one running this business then so did others. She had thought she had kept it hidden well these last four months. When Harry and Ron had asked what she would be doing now that school was over she had told them she would be working on some potions research. And that really wasn’t a lie after all she used potions everyday to come up with new items.

Taking a deep breath she steadied herself and opened the letter with shaking hands. It was do or die. She just hoped he wasn’t ordering anything for Professor McGonagal.

Dear Hermione,

I hope this letter finds you well, as I am sure it will. I know you are a business woman now and that your life is busy. Alas, I am in need of your help once more. Please do not trouble yourself with answering this letter. Just meet me at 57 Elk Lane, Salem Mass. USA. September the 7th will be best.

Thank you,

Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster of Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft &
Wizardry

P.S. The pass phrase is “Of my own free will.”

“September 7th?” Hermione looked at her day planner and realized that she would have to hurry, the seventh was only two days away. Not to mention she would need to brief her manager and second in command as it were, Luna Lovegood, as to all the things that needed to be done. Realizing that she didn’t know for how long she would be gone Hermione knew that she had to get a move on.

Everything at Sinful Pleasures was in order for her trip by noon that day, and Hermione found herself in her rooms above the store packing. She had all of her clothes ready; now all that was left to pack was her notebooks, laptop and potions items.

Hermione began to reminisce as she packed, thinking back to all the times she had packed for Hogwarts. A single tear escaped and made its way down her cheek as an image of the only man she had ever loved came to mind.

Maybe that was why she had opened her store in Hogsmead? Maybe all Hermione needed to be happy in life was to be able to see him when he went to the apothecary shop down the street and know that he was well. Oh, who the hell did she think she was kidding? Hermione had stayed close to Hogwarts hoping that he would change his mind and take back those last cutting words he had said to her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth slammed the letter down on his father’s desk, “What in the bloody hell is this?”

Darius sat back and let out a sigh. “I have no idea, my son. Why don’t you tell me what you are talking about, as I haven’t the time for guessing games?”

“I am speaking of Dumbledore. Damn it. And don’t act like you don’t know what I am talking about.”

Jareth was about as pissed off as big foot with a stubbed toe and his father knew that he would have to come clean. Well, sort of.

“I believe the Headmaster of Hogwarts needs your presence at a meeting of the minds.” There was a sly smile pulling at the corner of his lips as he said this.

The Goblin king ran his hand through his hair as he was want to do when he was either thinking or annoyed. And right now he was a little of one and a lot of the other.

“A meeting, you say. Well, I will have to just write him and let him know that I am too busy for another one of his flights of fancy.”

Darius was treading on thin ice here. He couldn’t very well make a big deal about Jareth going to this meeting that would only blow his cover. He needed to call on all his Fae cunning.

“Maybe you should show your old teacher a little respect. He is getting on in age and should be humored.”

Jareth raised one perfect brow at his father’s words. What was the old man getting soft or something? He had just been groaning about having to meet for tea with Dumbledore and here he was saying he should do the same.

“I guess I could meet the old codger. After all he was the only one who ever saw my potential.”

That was a well aimed dagger at his father’s heart. It cut Darius deep, yet he would not let it show. After all this whole meeting would be his one up on his son.

Darius smiled like a Cheshire cat, “That is what I have been saying this whole time, my son.”

Jareth looked down at the letter in his hand one more time. “Bloody hell, I have to be there in two days time. I have some things to set straight before I leave. Good day, father.”

And with that Jareth disappeared in a swirl of glitter. Leaving his father to sit and wonder how Albus was going to get them all to agree to stay in the same house together.

Well, that was his problem now not Darius’. He would have to ask Albus for progress reports, as he wanted to make sure that this time Jareth came back with that in-sufferable mortal as his queen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The construction going on at Godrick’s Hollow seemed to be going according to plan, as Harry took a moment’s pause to go over his sketches. Looking from the scmaticks in his hands to the shell before him Harry knew that this is what it was meant to look like.
“Come on, Harry. We want to get a bite of lunch before we put the sheetrock up.” Fred called from inside the house frame.

When the Weasley clan had offered their help in rebuilding Harry’s parents home they all thought that there would be magic involved. But Harry had other plans. He wanted to build it with his hands. With his own sweat and blood. Not the easy way.

“Yeah, how about it?” George and Ron whined together.

Harry just shook his head realizing just how much Mrs. Weasley had to put up with. “Alright. Let’s call a halt for now.”

Harry made his way over to the table they had set aside from the work area for moments like this. And there were a lot of moments like this; the Weasley’s were a hungry group. And it seemed that all the time spent with them had Harry acting just as hungry.

As they all settled themselves down for a much needed break, Harry wondered, “Well, then what’s for lunch?”
Ron was looking at the covered plate before them with a quizzical look, “Don’t know. Did Mum send it or is it Dobby’s doing?”

Fred and George just looked at the plate as if it would bite them. The last meal they had gotten was from Luna, kind of her way of making a move on Harry. Boy, did they pay for that one. All four of them were laid up for about two weeks with some kind of poisoning. It had been so bad that at one point the had to seek the help of Severus Snape.

“Harry Potter doesn’t want to eat the meal, Dobby has made for him?” The house elf had appeared out of nowhere and nearly gave them all a heart attack.

“Oh, good Dobby made it…” Ron said as he began to pull the cover off the plate.

With the cover removed a tablecloth began to unfold and on it was a full place setting for each. And there in the center was a huge turkey and all the fixings.

“Wow! Dobby, thanks.” Was all the four of them could get out before the house elf bowed to Harry and disappeared.

“You think…” Ron began around a mouth full of food, “That maybe Dobby could teach Luna to cook? Then you and her,” He said pointing his full fork in Harry’s direction, “could run off into the sunset together.”

There was a snort from the twins but neither said a word as they knew just how bad Harry was hurting over the whole Ginny thing. Even they had felt betrayed when they found out it wasn’t Harry she wanted to be with.

Tom Riddle, their little sister wanted to be with the vilest wizard imaginable. And all she had to say about it was that everyone deserved a second chance. Ginny had actually told them that Tom needed her love more than Harry ever could.

“You’re such a prat, Ron!” Fred said as he flung a piece of bread at him.

“What? What did I do this time?” At this Ron looked over at Harry and realized just what it was that he had said. “Sorry about that. Mouth gets away from me sometimes.” He guilty began shoveling food into his mouth in hopes of keeping it closed.

Harry had grown a lot in the time they had spent rebuilding his parent’s home. There was a lot of time to think things over. Looking around himself he noticed that those he once called friends were his family now. And that was enough for him.

Lunch went on quietly. That was until two snowy white owls came swooping down to sit themselves in the middle of the table, each dropping a letter. One in front of Harry and one in front of Ron.

It was the same green inky scrawl that had meet Hermione’s eyes that morning, and they both knew who it was from. Dumbledore.

Picking them up they both opened them and read as fast as they could. Fred and George just looked on as if they were outsiders.

“Well what do they say?”

“It’s Dumbledore. Wants to have a meeting with us in two days.”

“You got the same thing then?” Ron asked folding his letter and putting it in his pocket.

Harry only nodded his head, wondering what on earth Dumbledore could want with them. The war was over and won. There was no more threat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah Williams woke to the sun shinning through her bedroom window. Rolling over she wanted nothing more than to pull the covers over her head and go back to sleep. She had spent a late night at the club.

After a few more minutes of resting in the comfort of her sheets, Sarah pulled herself out of bed and headed for the shower.

She turned the radio on and was greeted by Jordan Sparks belting out Tattoo…
“I can't waste time so give it a moment
I realize nothing's broken
No need to worry bout everything I done
Live every second like it was my last one
Don't look back got a new direction
I loved you once
Needed protection
You're still a part of everything I do
You're on my heart just like a tattoo
Just like a tattoo I'll always have you
I'll always have you
I'll always have you”

Sarah shut the radio with a sigh. “I just can’t get away from you can I. 15 years and you still haunt my thoughts.”

She looked in the mirror and realized that she hadn’t changed much since her run in the labyrinth. She might have grown up, but there was still that little hope inside of her that fairy tales and dreams can and will came true.

Sarah stepped into the hot shower and quickly cleaned and washed her hair.

Moments later she emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her hair. Moving along the hall to her kitchen she wondered what today would hold for her.

She didn’t have to wait long as sitting outside her kitchen window tapping with its beak was a tiny owl. Sarah’s heart froze in her chest and all she thought to herself was please god no. It could not be Jareth not after all this time.

After a moment her fear began to fade, she hadn’t called on the Goblin King so he couldn’t enter her home. That much she remembered. Sarah walked over to the still closed window and spoke to the owl.

“Listen here, Jareth, I didn’t call you so just go away.” She began waving her hands but as the window was closed the owl didn’t spook.

Slowly as if in a dream Sarah found herself opening the window to shoo the bird away. But the little owl surprised her by hopping into her kitchen and dropping a letter addressed to her in emerald ink on top of the counter.

“Curious. That isn’t the Goblin Kings style.”

Sarah picked up the letter and opened it.

Dear Miss Williams,

I hope this letter finds you well. You do not know me, my name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the Headmaster of the school your cusin attended. I am in need of your help with a serious station that involves your cusin. And as you are his only surviving relative I need to see you.

All will be explain at our meeting, and Harry will be there. Please meet me at 57 Elk Lane, Salem Mass. On September the 7th.

Thank you,
Albus Dumbledore

P.S. The pass phrase is “Of my own free will.” Oh, and the owl is yours to keep, her name is Sorrow.

Sarah just looked at the little owl and smiled. “Poor thing, you can’t have had such a good life with a name like that. Well, Sorrow, are you hungry?”

The owl hooted and hopped closer to Sarah, blinking up at her as if to say, hell yeah. Sarah moved to the toaster with Sorrow hopping along after her. She placed two slices of bread into the toaster and told her new little friend that breakfast would be ready in a minute.

She wondered as her and Sorrow had breakfast why she hadn’t known she had a cusin and why she was his only surviving relative. Not to mention what his headmaster wanted with her.

Every bone in Sarah’s body was screaming at her to just throw the letter away and act like she had never gotten it. But ever since the whole incident with Toby she made a promise to herself that whenever family needed her she would be there. And this was no different. Beside 57 Elk lane was only about a mile away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ginny Riddle stood by the kitchen door and watched the clouds drift lazily across the summer sky, her arms crossed about herself hiding the letter against her side. She was too caught up in her thoughts to realize someone was sneaking up behind her.

She didn’t jump when she felt Tom’s warm lips skim across her bare shoulder. But she didn’t respond the way he had hoped she would either.

“What’s wrong?” He asked as he pulled her against him.

“This.” Ginny pulled the letter up so Tom could read it over her shoulder.

His hands moved up and down her arms in a soothing caress as his jade eyes scanned the letter. Tom placed a second kiss on her shoulder and then turned her to face him.

“I don’t see what the problem is. Dumbledore just wants to see us.”

“Tom, why do we have to meet him half way across the world, and why such a short notice?” Her eyes pleaded with him to tell her that everything was going to be ok.

“Listen, I will be there with you won’t I?” Ginny nodded. “Well then, I won’t let anything happen so there is no need to worry.”

Ginny let him comfort her on the surface but deep down she worried. She hadn’t risked everything to make the man before her whole again, just to be threatened. She would not have her happiness ripped from her.

Tom tugged on her hand pulling her toward the bedroom, “Come on, I have a way to take your mind off that letter.”

He wore a sly smile and Ginny’s heart turned over. She loved his smile, and she knew that whatever he had planed for them in their bedroom she would love even more.

Dumbledore’s letter floated to the floor forgotten as Tom picked her up into his arms and carried her in the bedroom shutting the door behind them. Closing out the world and their troubles for now.


A/N: I am sorry that this took so long. But this chapter was rather hard for me to write. All will be explained soon. I promise.
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