Saving Her; Saving Us All

CHAPTER 3
Finally Some GOOD News

Upon the return to St. Mungo’s Sirius and Harry were met by an extremely happy Tonks. She pulled them over to where she had forced Kingsley Shacklebolt to wait. The lead Auror has stopped to see Hermione every day, often bring books on defensive, African and Caribbean magic to her. “Remus sent me to tell you that he and Snape with some help from dear old Grampa Phineas have found the counter to the French curse.” She stopped for a moment as the three men supported each other. They were so happy that their knees went a bit weak. Their joy was palpable. “They do need all of you at headquarters. Snape and Remus said that they will need volunteers to take part in the counter. Since I don’t qualify –no clue why not, so don’t ask- I’ve been sent to guard Sleeping Beauty.”

As soon as Tonks finished relaying her message she turned and, lengthening her hair and turning it platinum blonde, she proceeded to skip to the lift to head up to Hermione’s room. Sirius, Kingsley, and Harry rushed to Grimmauld Place.


**************************************************************
How Do You Even Start That Conversation

Minerva McGonagall had had many difficult conversations during her time as an educator, but NOTHING had ever prepared her for this. After outlining the details of the ritual and allowing the intellectual parents in front of her to read the copy of the entire spell she had brought with her; Minerva sat back and waited to answer the multitude of questions she was sure the Grangers would put forth.

“So what you are telling us is that in order for our daughter to live, we need to give our permission for six men to have sex with her despite her state of consciousness? And the only thing we know about them is that they each love her in very specific yet very different ways?” Matilda Granger had always counted herself as a very rational woman but this was too much.


“If that red head Weasley boy, who seems to go out of his was to make her cry, is included I will kill him.” Gerard Granger said vehemently. “It is a constant struggle not to hit him every year at Kings Cross.”

“I do not believe that that particular Weasley brother is capable of the emotional maturity needed for this ritual. He will not be a concern.” McGonagall answered confidently. She felt much the same as Gerard on that subject.
“Professor McGonagall, it says in the footnotes, that there is the possibility of bonds forming during this ritual. What exactly does that mean?” Matilda queried.

“To best answer that let me explain Magical bonding first.” And their nods she continued. “I believe that the soul bond is actually considered a bit of a myth in muggle culture, however it does bear truth in the magical world. They are rare, but they do happen. It is often referred to as ‘true loves first kiss’. A soul sharing couple kisses and in our culture they are henceforth considered to be married. That is of course the strongest of all the formal bonds. However there is one other that results in marriage. It is even more rare. The last time it was actually believed to have happen was in ancient Rome; before the times of Christ. It occurs when two people of very, very high magical talent have exceeding high emotional ties; but beyond that, their cores must be compatible. There are of course lesser bonds, but those two are the only permanent bonds.”

“But aren’t several of them extremely talented in magic?” Gerard asked.

“Well yes. But the simple truth is that none of them are quite at the level of power needed to form this bond.” McGonagall stated firmly. She spent more time with the Grangers, and included them in the process of helping their daughter by gaining Matilda’s agreement to bathe the girl and help to prepare her for the ritual. Remus, Severus, and Minerva wanted to expose her to as little magic as possible outside of the ritual. For the same reason Minerva asked Gerard to show Sirius, and the others how to shave by muggle means.

***************************************************************

Snape had spent the last several hours amassing the needed ingredients for the potion portion of the ritual. He couldn’t trust Dumbledore’s assistance in getting some of the rarer ones, and just as he was about to turn to some of his more questionable sources, Luna Lovegood had shown up complete with the remaining parts of her mother’s impressive collection. The ingredients had not been touched in the six years since her death but nonperishable potion elements only become better with age. Snape was so pleased; he actually patted the Ravenclaw on the head and allowed her to assist him in the preparation of the components.

While preparing the 42 different components of the potion needed to begin the process of awakening Hermione Granger, Severus began to contemplate the ritual portion. The Potion Master did not envy the wolf’s task.

The potion was complex; requiring 42 ingredients, 15 different preparation methods and 3 different types of cauldrons. Luna and Severus worked tirelessly for seven hours on the blasted thing. They were only finally able to rest after the contents of the pewter and silver cauldrons were combined into the Fire Crab Shell Cauldron, and properly stirred. The ruddy complicated potion had to rest for 12 hours before use.

Snape used that time to rest and ready himself for the ritual, including taking the Grangers up on their offer of making use of their muggle home to make sure that he used no magic for even shaving or tooth cleaning.

****************************************************************
Elsewhere in Grimmauld Place Arthur Finally Grows a Pair

“There just has to be another way. We cannot allow those perverts to basically rape that child!” Molly had been ranting and raving for the better part of an hour.

To be honest Arthur was well and truly tired of it. One of his non-redheaded children had been in the hospital for three bloody weeks. A way is finally found to restore her to full health and Molly was quibbling about the method. It was too much. He had barely had time to wrap his head around the fact that apparently Albus, or Molly herself had confounded or Compelled him and obilivated him in order to get his signature on a betrothal contract for Ginny and Harry. Like that would ever be a good match.

“For god’s sake woman would you shut your bloody gob? Hermione is as good as one of ours and if this will get her back to her family, as crazy and convoluted as it may be then this is what’s going to happen. No it’s not the ideal situation. But at least it isn’t potions rape, and I sure as hell remember that you dosed me with effing Amorentia to get me to fuck you that first time. If you hadn’t had the biggest knockers and deepest throat in Hogwarts, there wouldn’t have been a second time. And right now I can honestly say that had Bill not been a direct result of that second go I had on the Hogwarts BROOM, I’d have never married you.”

Molly looked flabbergasted. Arthur never spoke of how they got together. She had assumed that he just needed a little push to admit his feelings. Not that he hadn’t had any. “But you just needed a push to act on your feelings? You used to watch me all the time?” she blabbered confusedly.

“Of course I watched you. You had huge tits, and only used the support charm, not real bras. You never had underwear on by lunch time. And I was a teenage boy. Watching you walk was better than a blue pensieve. And just like any reformed whore you’ve become a prude. Good Lord Woman, I haven’t had a blow job since the twins were born. And god knows you’ve let yourself go since you finally had your girl. Now here’s what gonna happen. You are going to sit down and shut up. You will go back to behaving like the mollywobbles you used to be; that means that you are my whore whenever I feel like it. You are going to drop at least 6 stones, and you will cease coddling and ruining our children. And beyond that if you ever, ever brew another love potion, or help one to be brewed or administered; that includes not stopping it from being brewed or administered; I swear on all that is holy, and every drop of magic you possess, I will divorce you and petition for you to serve time in Azkaban…there is no time limitation on the prosecution for the things you have done.” Arthur turned to storm out of the room, “oh and Molly, Ginny and Harry will never marry. She’s too in love with the ‘boy who lived’, not the real Harry. Their marriage would become hell on earth for them and I will not allow it to happen. You may have forgotten, but I am the head of this family.”

****************************************************************
Yet Another Uncomfortable Conversation

Remus sighed again. He really didn’t understand why he had to be the one to do this. ~Ok so he wasn’t as good as potions as Snape but he could have…Nope never mind. He much preferred this over Minerva’s assignment. At least he didn’t have to explain the details of the ritual to the Doctors Granger. He looked over the men gathered in the parlor, all the Weasley brothers except Percy were there, Fletcher; well he’d have to go; Harry, Sirius, and Kingsley had arrived together and stood together near the Weasleys. There was Mad Eye, and several of the older crew, widowers or ‘confirmed bachelors’ all. They would probably recuse themselves as soon as they heard the basics.

Taking a deep breath, Remus began. “Okay we’ve gathered you together to take part in a ritual to allow for the full recovery of Hermione Granger. As you’ve no doubt noticed, none of the female or married members of the Order are here. There is a good reason for that. The ritual itself is OLD magic. And as in most OLD magic, there is a call for either bloodletting or sexual congress. In the case of this ritual it will be Sexual congress between certain males, and Miss Granger. We believe that because the nature of the curse is about love denied, taken away; the sexual congress is a metaphor for love released, thus releasing Hermione from the curse. The most important thing here is that this must be of your own free will. Any of you who would like to take yourself disqualify yourselves; please feel free to do so now.”

Several men left. Almost all the ones he’d assume would go. Looking over the room he growled in his throat, “Fletcher get out. I’m disqualifying you. Don’t know why you are here in the first bloody place.”

Mad Eye looked Fletcher up and down seeing that the fool was about to protest, the retired Auror moved himself out of contention, but not out of the room. “Mundungus, Lupin thinks of the girl as one of his cubs, one of his pack. Leave before he forces you to.” Moody wasn’t sure why but he felt something similar for the girl. She had visited him when he was recovering from being stuck in his trunk; she and the Potter lad. They did so without anyone asking them to, or even knowing what they were doing. They caught him up on everything that had happened, told him what the Crouch bastard had done wearing his face.

Remus nodded his thanks at Mad Eye; his presence could be beneficial if there were disagreements. Turning back to the room at large, Ron Weasley’s face caught Remus’s attention. Moody was correct, he did see Hermione as pack, Harry as well, but Remus’s wolf had never accepted Ron as such. And it was currently very unhappy with the thought of that boy touching the female cub.
“Before I go any further let me reiterate…we are asking for volunteers here. No one is going to be forced to help.”

“Yes, they will.” Harry spoke up; there was an underlying tone of titanium to his words. “If it is going to save Hermione, and you fit whatever test, or qualifiers this thing calls for and you don’t want to do it well then you can get the hell out and not come back.”

“And if anyone thinks that he can’t do that, well it’s my damn house and I damn well agree with him.” Sirius confirmed.

“Look Paddy, Cub. I know that we all want what’s best for Hermione. But this won’t work and she won’t get better if there is any since of resentment or anything like that present. When the spell calls for freely given that’s what it meant. Just like when you became Harry’s godfather; freely given oath.” Remus chided. With a stern look at his family, he continued. “The qualifiers are actually rather simple.
• One whose love for her is known
• One whose love for her is unknown
• One who has been saved by her love
• One who loves her beauty of form and face
• One who loves her for all she is
And finally,
• One who loves her for all she can become


I’m opening the floor now for volunteers.”

“One question, what are the conditions of the sexual congress?” Ron asked. Everyone in the room cringed at the inane question.

Remus however simply blushed, and attempted to be tactful in answering it. “We will transform the ballroom on the second floor. Dobby is cleaning it now. The spell is rather specific, there will be all men will be present with her for the entire duration, the order is as set forth in the qualifiers I just stated. No charms or anything can be used.”

“Uhgh. No cleaning charms?” Ron sounded disgusted.

Harry turned to his friend and looked at him with a look of abject disbelief. “I don’t care if we have to suck her clean after it is all over. You know what Ron? You don’t qualify. All of those say love and I think, despite all the love you’ve been shown your whole life, you still don’t know what Love is.”

Ron turned to his brothers for support only to find all four looking at him with contempt and revulsion. Bill looked over at Charlie. “I can’t do it. I want Hermione better as much as anybody… but she is like Ginny to me, I Just can’t. I cannot have sex with one of my little sisters.”

Charlie agreed with Bill but added, “Me neither. What we can do however is take our BABY brother here and go educate him on love.” Charlie and Bill hauled Ron roughly from the room.

“Ok,” Remus continued, “some of these we can all guess. Sirius is obviously number 3. She saved you because she loves justice and she loves Harry. Harry is number 5,” Remus paused and looked at Harry. The boy just blushed and nodded emphatically.

Harry would never have admitted it for any other reason. Not because the feeling wasn’t real or was platonic; but for fear of losing the best thing in his life. She had stood by him when no one else had; but she also stood up to him when necessary. Yes he loved her. He could and would do anything, and everything; even this to save her.

Remus persisted, “Severus has stepped into place as the one who loves her for all she can become.” Seeing Harry and Sirius start to object, he cut them off. “Look, he has a hard line to tow, but he has been tortured to keep her safe, I think he qualifies. Besides the foot notes state that if the potion is brewed by one of the participants the treatment is most effective. That does however leave us in a quandary about the other 3 spots.”

George pushed Fred forward. “We’ve got number 1 right here.” Fred actually blushed, and looked at the floor. “Forge, here has had quite the crush on our Hermione for months. He even got the nerve up to tell her. Unfortunately she thought him to be joking, but I know, Angelina and Alicia and Katie know and Hermione does know, so I think that counts. And let me go ahead and admit that I love her for her face and form. She is beautiful to me. I’m not as deep as my twin yet… though still not near as shallow as our boneheaded baby brother.”

“Of Course the twins have to do everything together, even like the same girl” that still leaves us with the ‘one whose love for her is unknown’? Who loves her and hasn’t told a soul and how do we find them if nobody knows.” Sirius was starting to get worked up to a boil when he was shocked into silence. Kingsley Shackelbolt had stepped forward.

“I believe that from the looks on your faces we can all agree that I fulfill the unknown portion amazingly well…you will have to take my word for the love part.” The tall dark ball headed man said calmly.

Remus just nodded in acknowledgement. “Ok then one last embarrassing little requirement. Please tell me that at least one of you is still a virgin.” When Harry and the twins all answered in the affirmative, Remus positively beamed. “Good the balance will help the efficacy of the ritual. I believe that we can count on Severus, Sirius and Kingsley to help you with anything beyond ‘insert slot A into tab B.”

Almost shaking in relief at being so close to having Hermione back up and around, Remus sent the twins off to help Dobby prepare the room. He made sure to remind them that Severus, Kingsley, and Harry would probably not share the twins and Sirius’s questionable tastes. And that if everything worked Hermione would hex the hell out of them if she disapproved.

****************************************************************
Author Note: Please note the age of consent both in my home state and in the UK, which covers London and Hogwarts (someone would have asked), is 16 years of age. Hermione Granger turned 16 on September 19th of the Golden trio's fifth year. Thank you and have a nice day.

My Dear Husband is a Poser Artist...a damn good one if I do say so myself. So he (under duress) created a Poser Cover art for my Lost Prophecy Story Saving Her; Saving Us All.
You can view it here: http:/mrsynnerster(dot)deviantart(dot)com/gallery/#/d30lozh
Hope you enjoy, and if you are over 18 feel free to view his other works.

AN: I had to do it. I've always wanted to see Arthur really stand up for himself. Plus I had to work in my theory on how such an annoying woman caught such a nice guy.