Finding Wendell and Monica....

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

The first thing Ron and Hermione did the following morning was set out to find a florist. They wandered around the CBD taking trams and walking before they found one on Flinders Street directly opposite the train station.

‘After we finish here I wasn’t to head to the Museum of Victoria’ Hermione said as they passed an enormous arrangement of white roses ‘they’ve got a display about Tutenkarmen on and I want to see Phar Lap’

‘Who are Tutenkarmen and Phar Lap?’ Ron asked.

‘Tutenkarmen was an ancient Egyptian Pharoah and Phar Lap was a champion racehorse in the late twenties and early thirties, he was such a legend when he died in America in nineteen thirty two they stuffed him and brought him back to Australia’

‘They stuffed a horse?’ Ron said with a raised eyebrow ‘that’s mad’

‘Yeah it does sound weird but the Muggle world was going through a depression at the time and Phar Lap was always a guarantee of winning a few pounds if you bet on him because he won more often than not’ Hermione said ‘he became a cult hero and Australians wanted to preserve his memory after he died’

‘Can I help you?’ the clerk behind the counter asked pausing from creating a bouquet.

‘Yes I want to send some Gerberas to a friend in Keilor East for first thing Monday morning’ Hermione said ‘as many as you’ve got’

‘As many as we’ve got?’ the clerk asked in mild surprise ‘no problem but that’s about sixty blooms’

‘I don’t care the recipient has done me a great service and I want to send a big thankyou to her’ Hermione said ‘can you do that for me? Arrange them in a bouquet or vase?’

‘Of course but you realise this might be rather expensive?’

‘I don’t care money isn’t an issue in this regard’ Hermione said retreiving her purse.

The clerk lit up.
‘Okie dokie’ she said pulling a piece of paper out from under the cash register ‘if you’ll just fill out this form with your details and the recipients details and I’ll process your order’

‘Thanks’

Hermione took the pen she was handed and began filling out the form. The clerk disappeared into the back room and returned a moment later carrying a basket full of brightly coloured Gerberas.

‘Oh they’re lovely!’ Hermione exclaimed picking up a bright purple flower ‘I love Gerberas they’re my favourite bloom’

‘They’re my favourite too’ the clerk said with a smile ‘they’re rather popular at the moment we’re getting in two hundred a week on average’

Hermione filled out the form and paid for the blooms then she and Ron exited the shop.

‘So do you still want to get your Dad one of those cork hats?’ Hemrione asked as they waited at a pedestrian crossing ‘we passed a souvenir shop just up on Elizabeth street, I want to get Teddy one of those stuffed Koalas and we can get both in that shop’

‘Oh yeah Dad would love one of those hats’ Ron said with a grin ‘might get Percy one too, d’you think he would wear it? It might make him look less nerdy’

‘No he wouldn’t wear it’ Hermione said in exasperation ‘be nice to Percy Ron’

‘Actually I know what I’ll get him’ Ron said with a laugh ‘we have to go back to that t-shirt shop on Collins Street’

‘Ron what are you going to do?’

‘Gorgeous Girl if I told you that I would have to kill you’ Ron said with a grin kissing her on the cheek.

‘Ronald Weasley you are a total suckhole!’ Hermione declared turning a faint shade of pink ‘seriously I wonder why I put up with you sometimes’

‘Maybe because I’m good in bed’ Ron said bursting into laughter as the pedestrian lights began flashing and they stepped off the curb ‘remember that song we heard on the radio last night?, ‘You Only Like Me Because I’m Good in Bed?’ (This is top selling hit by the Australian Pub rock band Skyhooks in the mid 1970’s and was banned from radio for a long time because of the perceived ‘vulgarities’ of the lyrics)

‘Believe it or not there are other reason I like you and it’s not just because you’re a demon between the sheets’ Hermione said now the shade of the setting sun ‘but right now they’re not coming to mind you prat’

Ron laughed and gave her a one armed squeeze.
‘How about we go back to the hotel for lunch and I remind you?’ he said with a grin ‘shouldn’t take much if past records are anything to go by!’

‘Oh Ron please!’ Hermione exclaimed half amused half morbidly embarrassed ‘not so loud I don’t want the whole of the Melbourne CBD to hear you, we can’t cast a Silencing Charm here’ she added with a hiss.

‘Pity that’ Ron said with a grin ‘ah here we go’

They found the souvenir shop they had passed on the way to the florists and walked in. Ron immediately noticed a huge shelf of stereotypical Australian cork hats. He picked up one that was clearly too small for him and put it on.

‘What d’you think Hermione a good look?’ he said with a snort doing a pirouette ‘do you think one would suit Dad and Percy?’

‘I thought you were joking about giving one to Percy’ Hermione said from where she was inspecting some scented candles.

‘No I’m dead serious. I’ll get one that’ll fit Dad and a little one that would fit Perce’s Teddy bear he still has the one he was given when he was born’ Ron said ‘and if he fancies he can enlarge it to wear himself’

‘I doubt very much if you’ll get Percy wearing a cork hat’ Hermine said ‘do you think your Mum would like some smelly candles?’

‘Oh yeah she’s really into that girly smelly stuff’ Ron said ‘she buys Witch Weekly whenever they start a perfume or essential oils series. When I was small before Hogwarts she always used to make scented candles, wood polish and the like. Mostly for fun but she used to sell it too at the Hogsmeade Agricultural Fair’

‘I might get her some vanilla ones then’ Hermione said ‘a quick charm and they’ll last ages’

‘For a solid forty five minutes Ron and Hermione wandered around the souvenir shop buying gifts for all their friends and family from the cork hat for Mr Weasley to a little fairy figurine for Fleur who they knew had a fondness for the magical creatures. Hermione even found a curious little ornament that greatly resembled Neville’s Mimbulus Mimbletonia.

‘I’ve go to get that for Neville!’ she exclaimed after pointing it out ot Ron ‘it looks like his Mimbulus Mimbletonia’

‘It looks like dragon snot’ Ron said with his usual subtelty of a rampaging Hippogriff.

‘Yeah well Mimbulus Mimbletonias do look like dragon snot don’t they?’ Hermione said as they left the shop ‘I hope it likes it’

‘Course he will. You know if it wasn’t for your pouch with the Undetectable Detection Charm on it we’d have to get another suitcase’ Ron said ‘I can’t believe how much crap we’ve bought and we’ve only been shopping for two days’

‘Oh Ron it’s not crap’ Hermione said dryly ‘well what you’ve bought might be but my purchases are only of the highest quality’

‘Oh ha ha’ Ron said as Hermione burst into giggles.

‘I’ve just had a thought’ Hermione said suddenly stopping mid-giggle.

‘Did it hurt?’

‘Oh sod off’ Hermione said ‘No I mean Phinneus Nigellus’s portrait from Grimmauld Place is still in my pouch’

‘Have you looked in that pouch since you packed it at Shell Cottage?’

‘No there’s probably stuff in there I’ve forgotten, I might have a look at the contents tonight at Mum and Dad’s place that’ll be interesting for them.

‘Do you suppose a person could fit in the pouch?’ Ron asked.

‘I suppose so can’t say I’ve ever tried getting inside it’ Hermione said ‘I don’t know if you’d noticed Ron but there were other things to deal with over the last few months other than worrying about the contents of my pouch’

‘Isn’t it great now that the War is over we can worry about things like magically altered purses and wether or not Percy would look good in a cork hat?’ Ron said with a grin giving her a squeeze ‘it’s such a load off our shoulders don’t you think?’

‘Imagine How Harry feels’ Hermione said ‘his whole life has been goverened by Voldemort and for the last twelve months he’s known neither could live while the other survived, that’s all over now he’s literally got nothing to worry about now’

‘I’m not sure he would think the same way’ Ron said ‘thanks to Andromeda he now has to bring up a baby. I know he’s glad to do it and he loves Teddy as if he were his own but I reckon given the choice he would prefer Andromeda to do it’

‘Yeah I’ve thought that too’ Hermione said as they sat down at a tram stop where they were to catch a tram to the Museum of Victoria ‘but he’s not going to do it on his own every one in your family will help him out’

‘Mum won’t let him do it all on his own’ Ron said ‘she can be just as stubborn as Harry’

‘Must be a Weasley trait’ Hermione said with a laugh ‘I know one particular Weasley who’s stubborn as hell’

‘Excuse me?’ Ron said with a raised eyebrow ‘I am...n’

‘I was talking about Percy’ Hermione said laughing ‘look at how he’s persisting with George, that’s stubborness....and while we’re talking stubborness you’ve got it in spades. In fact I think it entirely possible you’re the most stubborn Weasley in the history of Weasley’s even the Weasley’s you’re not related to’

‘Oh shut up’

**************************************************************************************
At quarter to six that night Ron and Hermione apparated to Mr and Mrs Granger’s house in Caulfield north. Mrs Granger let them in and blushed when Ron gave her a bunch of roses he’d bought from the same florist he and Hermione had visited at the start of the day.

‘Oh aren’t you lovely, thankyou!’ she exclaimed taking a deep siff of their scent ‘hold onto this one sweetheart’ she aded in a loud enough whisper to Hermione for Ron to hear.

‘MUM!’ Hermione hissed ‘a bit louder next time....jeez!’

‘So what have you two been up to all day?’ Mrs Granger asked leading them into the kitchen area where she proceeded to put the roses in a vase.

‘Oh loads’ Hermione said sliding into one of the stools behind the breakfast bar ‘we did some present shopping for our friends back home then went to the Melbourne Museum, spent three hours on a self guided tour then we took a tram back into the city and took a horse and cart ride’ Hermione said ‘the we apparated up to Ballarat and did a tour of Soverign Hill, that was brilliant. I even managed to convince Ron to go panning for gold’

‘Did you find anything?’ Mrs Granger asked.

‘Oh yeah loads of tiny specks’ Ron said ‘enough to fill up a little vial. The gold itself isn’t enough to make a piece of Jewellery but when we get home I’m going to take it to the jewellers in Diagon Alley and have the vial made into a pendant for Hermione’

‘He bought me a piece too look!’ Hermione giggled holding out her right hand and wiggling her fingers. On her middle finger was a a thin gold band with a row of black pearls ‘isn’t it great?’

‘Oh you should definitely stick around Ron’ Mrs Granger said with a grin inspecting Hermione’s hand ‘that’s lovely’

‘Aw now you two girls are making me blush’ Ron said making his face warm.

Hermione giggled.
‘Where’s Dad?’ she asked.

‘Out getting dinner’ Mrs Granger said ‘we fingured there’s plenty of time for a proper dinner and you wanted to tell us all about your last year while you’ve been home and we’ve been here. Plus we missed your eighteenth birthday we wanted to celebrate it’

‘Mum that was nine months ago!” Hermione exclaimed.

‘I know that but better late than never, and from what you told me last night Ron you missed celebrating your eighteenth birthday too call it a belated celebration...it’s a big deal turning eighteen coming of age if you will’

‘In the muggle world you becaome of age at eighteen’ Hermione explained to Ron ‘you can start drinking and voting then’

‘Oh really?’

‘Yup, Mum in the Wizarding world it’s seventeen’ Hermione explained.

‘Aw so you’ve been getting drunk for a whole year?’ Mrs Granger asked with a grin.

‘No not drunk since I cast the Charms on you and Dad there’s been very little time to get drunk. The only time we had anything alcoholic since then was at Harry’s seventeenth birthday party and again at the beginning of May when his godson was born’ Hermione said.

‘Don’t forget the immediately after Harry vanquished Voldemort when the whole of Hogwarts got so drunk it’s amazing Hogsmeade has any booze left’ Ron said with a laugh.

‘Seamus and Dean two friends of ours got so drunk they decided a nudie run was in order’ Hermione said with a grin ‘of course the whole of Gryffindor House cheered them on’

‘It would’ve been the height of disrespect not to’ Ron said with a grin ‘and it wasn’t quite a nudie run Dean transfigured some of their shoes into roller skates and they hooned throughout the castle with nothing on’

That got Mrs Granger laughing.

‘Well we had a lot to celebrate’ Hermione said with a giggle ‘though how Dean managed to tranfigure a pair of rollerskates let alone be able to lift his wand is beyond me’

‘They were that bad?’ Mrs Granger asked.

‘Oh yeah’ Ron said ‘the twenty four hours following the end of the Battle was one big party’

‘So how’s the wizarding world six weeks on from this battle?’ Mrs Granger asked curiously.

‘It’s wounded’ Ron said ‘horribly so but all the funerals are over now and we’re all slowly healing. Hogwarts is going to rebuilt but that’s going to take the best part of three months or all the time leading up to the start of the next school year’

‘There was that much damage done?’ Mrs Granger asked in alarm.

‘Oh yeah there are whole walls missing there are no windows left in the Great Hall or the Entrance Hall and our Care of Magical Creature’s teachers cabin was razed, it’s going to take a lot of people a lot of time ot fix it all’ Ron said ‘for a few days after the Battle all those not maimed or injured stayed to clear the gounds to help the builders for when they came in’

‘When Dad gets back I’ll have to let you know about Lockinge Valley’ Hermione said.

‘What about it?’

‘I’ll tell you when Dad gets back I promise’ Hermione said ‘I don’t want either of you to miss anything’

No sooner had Hermione finished her sentence than the sound of the front door opening then shutting sounded.

‘I return bearing rations!’ Mr Granger called ‘are Ron and Bunny here?’

‘Dad stop calling me Bunny I’m eighteen years old!’ Hermione called.

‘So Ron and Bunny are here’ Mr Granger said coming into the kitchen carrying two bags in each hand and kissing Hermione ‘hello sweetheart’

Hermione hurrumphed.

‘How much did you get?’ Mrs Granger exclaimed with a raised eyebrow as her husband hoisted the bags ont the bench ‘there’s only four of us’

‘Okay I’ll admit I went a little overboard but as we’re celebrating two belated birthdays I thought it wasn’t too out of place’ Mr Granger said with a wide grin.

Mr Granger reached into one bag and pulled out a green and red box.
‘This is a surprise for Bunny’ he said placing the box on the bench and reaching into a second bag where he retreived a second identical box ‘and this is a surprise for Ron’

‘Sir you didn’t have to get me anything’ Ron said as Hermione went ‘DAD!’

‘Every bloke has to have a cake for his birthday however late the celebrations are’ Mr Granger said ‘don’t worry we won’t do it next year’

‘Oh Dad don’t be a git’ Hermione said dryly.

‘I hope everyone is okay with Chinese’ Mr Granger went on reaching into the remaining two bags and pulling out container after container of chinese food ‘Bunny I know what you like but Ron I don’t know what you like so I got some spicy food and some mild food’

‘I’m not fussed I’ll try a bit of everything’ Ron said cheerfully.

‘That’s true at school Ron was know as the Hogwarts Industrial Waste Disposal Unit’ Hermione said with a grin.

‘Oh I was not don’t lie’ Ron said rolling his eyes ‘I had a healthy appetite’

‘Had? You still do’ Hermione said with a giggle wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her chin on his shoulder.

‘Bunny picks on me....oof’ Ron said with a grin knowing the use of her childhood nickname would raise her ire ‘what was that for?

Hermione smacked his belly again.
‘No one calls me Bunny’ she said in mock anger ‘the only one that comes close to being allowed to use it is Dad and he’s known for years I’m far too old for it. Remember I have a wand and I can hex you’

‘I have a wand too and I can cast a Sheild Charm’ Ron countered ‘I’m not as slow on the uptake as I used to be you know’

‘Could’ve fooled me’

‘Do you two bicker like this all the time?’ Mrs Granger asked in amused exasperation.

‘Oh yeah all the time’ Ron said ‘we’re well know for it, even before we got together we used to bicker. In our early Hogwarts years we did it to annoy each other now it’s just for fun’

‘So how long have you two been an item then?’

‘Six weeks and four days’ Hermione said with a grin ‘since the eighth of May the day of the Battle of Hogwarts’

‘You’re counting?’ Mr Granger asked in surprise.

‘Not especially but we did get together on the day of the Battle of Hogwarts which fell on a date hard to forget’ Hermione said as her Mum took some plates from a nearby cupboard ‘a lot of people at school hooked up on that day, we know of four couples in our house alone, there’s Seamus and Lavender, Dean and Pavarti, Harry and Ginny and Neville and Hannah’

‘I think Lavender and Seamus may have hooked up before the Battle though’ Ron said ‘Neville reckons they hooked up while everyone was hiding in the room of Requirement’

‘You’ve got to tell us everything’ Mr Granger said eagerly ‘the good the bad and the ugly and who’s hooked up with who’

‘Why Dad I never picked you as the gossipy type’ Hermione said with a grin.

‘I’m not but I’ve not seen you for nearly twelve months and I want to know everything’ Mr Granger said ‘c’mon come to the lounge room and we’ll eat’

So with everyone carrying a plate and two containers each they moved into the lounge room and settled down and began serving themselves dinner.

‘Okay so where do you want us to start telling you about everything?’ Hermione asked dropping a chilli prawn shaslick on her plate

‘Try the beginning’ Mrs Granger said ‘from when you put all the spells on your father and I’

‘Okie dokie, well that day you and Mum came home from the clinic and we all had dinner then when you were in the lounge room watching T.V I Stupefied you both...’

‘Stupefied meaning?’

‘Basically to knock someone unconscious’ Hermione said ‘it’s the first spell you learn in Defence Against the Dark Arts in first year. A first year casting it does nothing more than cast a stinging sensation but a seventh year or fully qualified witch or wizard can knock someone unconscious. It basically depends on how much you concentrate on the incantation’

‘Oh okay then....go on’

‘Well while you guys were on the couch unconscious I cast the spells to modify your memories’ Hermione went on ‘I did Dad first then because casting all the spells drained a lot of my magical energy I had to rest four hours before performing the same spells on Dad. I made it so you thought you were Wendell and Monica Wilkins and your greatest desire was to immigrate to Australia. I then Confunded you, that means to cast the Confundus Charm that basically means to confuse someone, I confunded you to make you want to move to Victoria. Once all the spells were in place I woke you up and pretended to be an Immigration agent. You travelled to Australia the next day and when I knew you had boarded the plane I went about placing protective and defensive spells on the house so that if Death Eaters were to call they wouldn’t see anything but a paddock full of weeds and trees. I did the same to the practice then packed my things and took the Knight Bus to Ron’s house where I had been invited to his brothers wedding’

‘The Knight Bus is like the Wizarding Public transport system’ Ron explained spooning friend rice onto his plate ‘it’s a huge double decker bus that travels at the speed of sound and goes anywhere any time except on water. Most magical people apparate or floo from here to there but younger magical people that haven’t got their Apparation Licences or don’t like flooing often take the Knight Bus. If you’re broke or low on funds it’s best to apparate even if you don’t like it, you have to pay for the bus’

‘Do you two apparate everywhere?’ Mr Granger asked.

‘Now we do’ Ron said ‘but when we were underage we flooed, took the Knight Bus or Side Along Apparated’

‘And what’s that?’

‘Side-Along-Apparition is where you hold onto someone else who apparates’ Ron said ‘most parents do it with their children, it’s a rougher ride than self operated apparition though the first time I remember doing it I vomited all over my Dad’s dress robes’

‘That bad is it?’

‘When you’re young it is but as you get older you get used to the sensation, after the time I spewed up on Dad my parents started doing it on the count of three. Now all of us but Ginny my younger sister are old enough to apparate on our own. Ginny only has to wait til September to take her test though’

‘You have to take a test to apparate?’

‘Oh yes much like a muggle does for a drivers license’ Ron replied ‘at Hogwarts in Sixth year the students have the option of taking apparition lessons. The after ten lessons if you feel you’re ready you can take your test. When my third oldest brother Percy got his licence he used to apparate from his bedroom down to the kitchen for breakfast every morning’

‘Do you have to take any other tests for anything in the wizarding world?’

‘No but to get a Portkey licence you have to prove to someone from the Department for Magical Transportation, Portkey Office that you’re cabable of casting the proper incantation and creating a true Portkey but few people have Portkey licences. Generally only department heads, senior Ministry workers and sitting members of the Wizengamot get them’

‘The Wizengamot is the governing body of law enforcement in the wizarding world’ Hermione explained ‘like the Muggle high court’

‘And what’s a Portkey?’

‘It’s an item charmed to take a witch or wizard to a specific destination’ Hermione said ‘they’re good for transporting mass amounts of people all at once. You don’t have to pay for them but you can’t just create them willy nilly or you’ll get fined by the Ministry’

‘In the aftermath of the Battle the Minister of Magic gave Harry, Neville a friend of ours. Hermione and I our own Portkey Licences’ Ron said.

‘Why was that?’

‘Well that’s something we’re all still wondering but Kingsley the Minister said it was because we worked so closely together to bring Voldemort down’ Ron said ‘as Hermione tells you our story you’ll discover why we both have Portkey Licences’

‘So you can create these portkeys willy nilly now?’

‘No not willy nilly’ Ron said with a grin ‘we can create them to go whenever we want to go wherever we want to go but we don’t abuse it, Kingsley asked us not to. We prefer to apparate to go places anyway. Plus if I created portkeys willy nilly Hermione would hex me’

‘I would too’ Hermione piped up with a giggle.

‘So what happened after you went to Ron’s? Mr Granger asked.

‘Well things were fairly quiet for a week and a bit then the preperations for Bill and Fleur’s wedding, Bill is Ron’s eldest brother, got into full swing. Ron and I spent most of the time helping to get things organised for the ceremony then we went to get Harry’

‘And then the proverbial shit hit the fan’ Ron said.

‘How?’ Mr and Mrs Granger chorused.

‘The night Ron and I went to get Harry along with several of our other friends a bunch of Death Eaters found us and tried to kill us’ Hermione said pausing to sip her lemonade ‘Mad-Eye Moody the former director of the Auror Office was killed George Ron’s brother had one of his ears severed with a dark curse and Harry fell out of the sky while stuck in a motorbike sidecar, he was lucky not to be killed’

‘Then things were relatively quiet til the day of the ceremony’ Ron said continuing on the story ‘the ceremony and most of the reception went by withot a hitch til we were warned that a load of Death Eaters were on the way. Hermione found Harry and I at the last second and side along apparated us to Tottenham Court Road and so began the lead up to the final battle’

‘Once we got to the café in Tottenham Court Road we had another pair of Death Eaters come after us’ Hermione said ‘although we didn’t know it at the time the name Voldemort had a jinx on it so everyone who said it could be traced and hurt or even killed’

‘Was there any time in the past twelve months where you two weren’t at the risk of getting killed?’ Mr Granger asked dryly.

‘Not really’ Ron and Hermone chorused with identical grins.

‘So what happened after Tottenham Court Road?’ Mrs Granger asked.

‘We disapparated to Grimmauld Place to the house Harry inherited when his godfather died’ Hermione said ‘we stayed there a month making a plan to break into the Ministry of Magic which by this time had fallen to Voldemort and his cronies’

‘You broke into a Government building?’ Mr Granger exclaimed in admiration.

‘Oh yeah and a few months later I broke into a bank but we’ll get to that later’ Hermione said with a grin.

‘My daughter a felon!” Mr Granger joked.

‘Oh shut up Dad there was a method to the madness’ Hermione said dryly rolling her eyes.

‘Well Harry, Hermione and I barely got away from the Ministry without being hurt but because one of the ministry workers who was also a Death Eater grabbed onto Hermione as we disapparated back to Grimmauld Place’ Ron said ‘and because of that the houses protective charms were broken and we couldn’t go back there. It was from then on we had to go on the run’

‘From?’

‘All the Death Eaters that were after Harry and us because we are his friends’ Hermione said ‘there was a five million galleon bounty on Harry’s head a two million on Rons and I’

‘You had bounty on your head?’ Mrs Granger exclaimed in alarm.

‘Oh yeah but only because we’re friends of Harry’ Hermione said ‘really anyone associated with Harry wasn’t liked. Neville one of our good friends was regularly bashed at school when Death Eaters took over the running of Hogwarts. I almost didn’t recognize him when we eventually made it back to Hogwarts he was so badly hurt’

‘So what were you doing on the run?’ Mr Granger asked.

‘We were looking for Horcruxes’ Ron said ‘they’re magical containers that house pieces of sould that someone creates when they murder someone. That’s how Voldemort was surviving, our purpose for dropping out of our last year of Hogwarts and helping Harry was to find these Horcruxes. And because we were on track to bring down Voldemort and he knew it we were in constant danger.

‘So where were you staying?’ Mrs Granger asked ‘what were you eating? It can’t have been comfortable living on the run’

‘Trust me ma’am it wasn’t’ Ron said ‘we lived in a magical tent the whole time. Sometimes we didn’t eat at all and sometimes we ate like kings. There were good times but for the most part it was a shitty existence because we were always running the chance of being killed’

‘So how long did it go on for?’

‘Well from my brothers wedding at the beginning of August til the Battle of Hogwarts on May eighth’ Ron said ‘about a month before the battle we were caught by a bunch of Snatchers slash Death Eaters and taken to that house in which the memory I showed you took place. That was the only time anyone after us actually got us, but we all worked together and with the help of a House Elf got away’

‘A house elf? What the hell is one of those?’

‘Magical creature’ Hermione said ‘they’re the slaves of the magical world. A lot of old rich magical families have them to wait on them hand and foot, do the cooking, cleaning, babysitting, keep secrets basically do whatever their masters bidding is legal or illegal. Some of their existences is disgusting what they’re made to do. The one that saved us was killed by Bellatrix LeStrange’

‘The same woman who tortured you?’ Mr Granger said in almost a whisper.

‘The very same’ Hermione said.

‘So what happened in the battle itself?’

‘It was hell on earth literal hell on earth’ Hermione said her voice wavering as her thoughts drifted to that night six weeks previously ‘I saw two of the bravest people I know killed right in front of me and for a while I thought Harry was dead, although it turned out he was only pretending’

‘Why would anyone pretend to be dead?’ Mrs Granger asked.

‘It was all part of a ploy to make Voldemort think he was dead and make it easier for him to Kill Voldemort’ Ron said ‘you know those Horcruxes we were talking about? Well it turned out Harry was one and Voldemort cast the curse which he believed killed Harry which in reality only killed the part of his soul within Harry. If he’d not played dead Voldemort really would’ve killed him and the welfare of our world and the muggle world would have been beyond mortal peril’ Ron said.

‘So Harry sacrificed himself for you all then’

‘Yeah he did’ Ron said ‘he says he only did it because it needed to be done, even now I don’t think he fully gets how much what he did means to everyone. He says a lot of people still died but I can guarantee you more would’ve died had he not done it’

‘That bad?’

‘Yep’

‘So what good has come from all this death and misery in your opinion?’ Mrs Granger asked.

‘Well it’s brought families closer together, has brought estranged relatives and friends back to the fold and I think most of all it’s shown how stupid and shallow it is to think pure bloods are better than muggles and muggle borns’ Ron said ‘it’s brought down the class system if you will, or at the very least diluted it’

‘So you think the wizarding world will be better off from this War?’

‘Yeah I do’ Ron said earnestly ‘as I said to Mrs Granger when Hermione and I first got here the Wizarding World is hurting and on it’s knees right now but we’re ever so slowly healing. It’s going to take a long time to fully heal but I believe we’ll get there eventually’

‘So what’s this I hear about you not going back for your last year?’ Mr Granger asked Hermione in amusement ‘it’s not like my Bunny to wag a whole year of school’

Hermione rolled her eyes.
‘Oh shut up dad I didn’t wag’ she said ‘I’m going back this year to do it and my name is Hermione not Bunny!’

‘Where does this Bunny come from anyway?’ Ron asked with a grin picking a satay stick and placing it on his plate.

‘I ought to hex you for asking that question’ Hermione groaned covering her eyes as Mr and Mrs Granger laughed.

‘It comes from when Elizabeth and I brought her home from the hospital’ Mr Granger said with a chuckle ‘the little onesie the nurses dressed her in had bunny ears on the hood. It was rather cute’

‘And ever since then I have been nicknamed Bunny’ Hermione said making a face ‘back at home there’s a glory box in the attic full of old baby photos that particular onesie, old birthday cards pictures the lot it’s covers from birth right up to sixth year’

‘Have you got any relics from what should’ve been your seventh year I can add to it?’ Mrs Granger asked her daughter with a grin.

‘Well we didn’t document the trip with pictures but I’m sure I can find the odd relic to add to it’ Hermione said.

‘When we get home I’ll have to look at this box’ Ron said with a grin as Hermione covered her face with her hands ‘especially the bunny onsie’

Hermione in a fit of embarrassment drew her wand and poked it at Ron instantly giving him rabbit ears.

‘See how you like it’ she said as Mr and Mrs Granger fell about laughing ‘you’re a git Ronald Weasley’

‘Actually I like these’ Ron said with a grin feeling the ears ‘can I keep them? I think they’d look great with a cotton tail’

‘Keep going and you’ll be a whole rabbit for a long long time’ Hermione said dryly flicking her wand and vanishing the ears.

‘Do you two often give each other animal body parts?’ Mrs Granger asked in amusement.

‘I wouldn’t dare give Hermione animal body parts’ Ron said with a grin ‘she’s better with her wand than I am and would be likely to do something permanent to me’

‘Oh you suckhole!’ Hermione declared.

‘You’re a smart bloke Ron always trying to get brownie points with the girls’ Mr Granger said with a laugh ‘complimets never go astray’

‘I wouldn’t exactly call that a compliment Dad’ Hermione said rolling her eyes poking a chopsticks full of chicken at Ron ‘it’s textbook sucking up’

‘I agree with you sweetheart’ Mrs Granger said with a grin.

‘When we’ve finished dinner I want to show you and Dad one of the secrets of our success over the past twelve months’ Hermione said picking up a chunk of sticky rice and poking it into a pool of sweet and sour sauce ‘my little bag of tricks’

‘Literally?’ Mr Granger asked.

‘No not literally, it’s a like a magical tool box you’ll see soon.

An hour later after many questions from Mr and Mrs Granger and many answers from Ron and Hermione Hermione summoned her pouch from the kitchen area where she’d left her handbag and moved the lounge suite and coffee table from the middle of the lounge room, so there was a big space in which to put the contents of her pouch.

‘I bought this pouch in Hogsmeade during sixth year to use as a purse for my wizarding money’ Hermione said putting the pouch in the centre of the floor ‘I cast an Undetectable Extension Charm on it as to increase it’s capacity, essentially it’s a magical suitcase’

‘You need this much room?’ Mrs Granger asked.

‘Oh yeah wait and see’ Hermione said pointing her wand at the pouch ‘Accio contents!

The little beaded pouch flopped over of it’s own accord and slowly it’s many contents began coming out first was the tiny little bottle of Dittany, then all the books they had taken along on the Horcrux hunt. Mr and Mrs Granger sat staring at the strange phenomenon enthralled by the display of magic.

Hermione flicked her wand and as each item emerged it neatly stacked itself in a row, even the clothes that came out rumpled and creased folded themselves neatly, even laces on shoes tied themselves in neat little bows. The more items that emerged the wider Mr and Mrs Grangers eyes got. They actually gasped when Phinneas Nigellus’s portrait emrged and propped itself against the coffee table and when the last item the tent emerged Mr Granger exclaimed ‘What the hell is that?’

‘That’s a magical tent’ Hermione said with a grin levitating the bundle of canvas ‘come on out to the backyard and I’ll show how cool they are’

Out of pure curiosity Mr and Mrs Granger followed Hermione and Ron through the house and out into the spacious backyard. Hermione dropped the mass of canvas on the lawn pointed her wand at it and muttered ‘Erecto!

With the rustle of canvas and flywire and the clinking of support poles the tent unravelled itself turning itself over twice before rising up and dropping back down fully constructed.

‘Go in’ Hermione said to her parents holding open the front flap.

‘It hardly looks big enough for two people’ Mrs Granger said looking at he apparently ordinary camping tent.

‘Outwardly yes but that allows for magical people to camp amongst muggles without raising suspicion’ Hermione said.

‘My parents took my brothers, sister and I on camping trips all the time when I was small’ Ron said ‘we mainly went to magical camping sites but occasionally mainly due to my fathers muggle obsession we would go to a muggle camping site’

‘Well I’m game’ Mr Granger said eagerly striding forward.

Mr Granger disappeared into the tent and Hermione followed.

‘Ladies first’ Ron sid gesturing Mrs Granger forward.

Mrs Granger entered the tent and Ron followed her straight afterwards. When he straightered up he saw Mr Granger inpecting the inside of tent with the same enthusiasm as Mr Weasley often applied to his muggle contraptions.

‘This is amazing!’ he exclaimed ‘you could seriously live in this!’

‘Well we did for seven months’ Ron said ‘not in this particular one. We lost the original tent when we were caught by the snatchers. This tent belongs to my eldest brother Bill and his wife Fleur. Behind that blue curtain is a bathroom and behind the red one is the kitchen’

‘Really?’

‘Oh yeah go on have a look’

Mr Granger walked over to the blue curtain and pulled it back, behind it was a fully functioning white tiled bathroom and toilet and he gaped in amazement.

‘The tent we had only had a shower and toilet but it was an old tent the more modern ones like this one have fully sized bathrooms and kitchens’ Ron said ‘it’s become a modern day tradition in the wizarding world for a married couple to be given one as a wedding present. The really really fancy ones are multi-storied’

‘This would do me’ Mr Granger said with a chuckle striding across the tent and pulling back the red curtain.

‘Well had Harry, Ron and I not broken into Gringotts and gone to Hogwarts we would’ve continued on the run and lived in this’ Hermione said laughing at her parents enthusiasm ‘when we get home I’ll return this to Bill and Fleur, they’ve been talking about going on a camping trip in the French countryside’

‘Meaning they’ll probably camp in a meadow full of buttercups and shag til Mum shuts up about wanting to be a grandmother’ Ron said with a laugh.

‘Yeah probably’ Hermione said with a grin ‘so you like it Dad?’

‘Bunny this is amazing!’ Mr Granger exclaimed embracing his daughter ‘having items like this is a privelege’

‘That’s the view of our Transfiguration Professor Professor McGonagall’ Hermione said ‘she says while having magical abilities is a natural right it’s also an extraordinary privelege. We’re urged not to abuse it and only use it for good. People who abuse it are punished for it anyway. Everything from fines to jail time. Harry and Ron reckon I should get into practicing magical law once I graduate from Hogwarts but I want to go into magical creature welfare’

‘The last Minister of Magic reckoned you ought to go into magical law too’ Ron said.

‘Yeah well the last Minister of Magic was a git wasn’t he?’

‘And what about Harry and I?’

‘Well you can both be gits’ Hermione said with a giggle ‘I’m sure Ginny would agree’

‘Oh shut up’

‘You tell each other to shut up a lot’ Mr Granger said in amusement.

‘Yeah well Ron bangs on a lot Dad’ Hermione said with a grin ‘he’s like a one man kettle drum band’

‘Oh bite me!’ Ron exclaimed ‘that’s not very nice’

‘Aw diddy dums’ Hermione joked patting his cheek then slipping an arm around his waist.

‘Well as exciting as this wonderful tent is I think we ought to go inside for pudding’ Mr Granger announced heading for the flaps of the tent ‘I think enough time has elapsed for dinner to digest’

‘I’ll go with that’ Ron said eagerly ‘there’s always room for pudding’

‘Pig’ Hermione said.

‘Yeah whatever’

Everyone left the tent and Hermione packed it up neatly with her wand. They all then trudged back into the house.

‘Okay Bunny you wait in the lounge room your mother and I need to borrow Ron for a bit’ Mr Granger said secretively chivvying Hermione toward the loungeroom door ‘go on!’

‘What are you up to?’ Hermione asked suspiciously.

‘Search me’ Ron said ‘I promise if shit hits the fan I will defend your honour’

Hermione rolled his eyes.
‘Ha ha’ she said going into the lounge room.

When Hermione was safely in the lounge room and the noise of her packing her pouch back up could be heard Mr and Mrs Granger turned to Ron.

‘Now mate we’re going to need your help a bit’ Mr Granger said as Mrs Granger retreived one of the cake boxes from the fridge ‘I bought a Boston Mudcake for Bunny’s birthday if Elizabeth and I put the candles on can you fancy it up a bit?’

‘Oh yeah I’ll give it a go’ Ron said eagerly drawing his wand.

‘Thanks’

Hermione’s father retreived candles and sparklers from a draw and together he and his wife set about decorating the mudcake. He stuck a 1 and 8 in the middle and Mrs Granger placed eighteen sparklers around the edge.

‘Okay go to town’ Mrs Granger said with a grin standing back.

Ron pressed his tongue between his lips and started weilding his wand. He charmed the fudge icing to spell out ‘Happy 18th Hermione love Mum, Dad and Ron’ then cast a second charm so the lettering ran in a moving circle around the numeratic candles. He then flicked his wand one last time and all the sparklers and candles lit up.

‘What do you think?’ he said sweeping his wand so the lights went out.

‘Hey what’s the big idea?’ came Hermione’s voice from the next room.

‘We’ll be in a minute love!’ Mr Granger called.

‘That looks brilliant’ Mrs Granger said lifting it up the stand upon which the cake rested ‘let’s go’

‘So a rousing chorus of Happy birthday then?’ Ron said as they headed towards the lounge room door.

‘Sounds a good idea’ Mr Granger said.

Ron opened the door and Hermione visible only by the light of her wand piped up.

‘What the the?...ohhhh!

‘Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Hermione
Happy birthday to youuuu!!!!!!

‘Oh I love you all!’ Hermione exclaimed as Mrs Granger placed the cake on the coffee table in front of her ‘did you charm the candles and sparklers Ron?’

‘Only to light them not to last longer than usual’ Ron said ‘go on make a wish’

With a grin Hermione leaned forward closed her eyes then blew out the candles. They all then waited til the sparklers burned out before turning the lights back on.

‘Oh mudcake my favourite!’ Hermione declared picking up the knife.

‘I’ll have a big slice thanks’ Ron said with a grin holding out his plate.

‘You’re a bottomless pit Ron really you are’ Hermione said dryly slicing the cake carefully.

‘Your father and I were wondering if next weekend you two would like to come skiing with us up at Mount Buller’ Mrs Granger said to Hermione ‘we can go up there Friday morning and come back Sunday night if you like’

‘Oh that’d be loads fun!’ Hermione said ‘I’d love to’

‘That skiing thing is where you slide down snow covered hills isn’t it?’ Ron said.

‘Yeah and it’s the best fun’ Hermione said with a grin ‘Mum and Dad used to take me skiing in France every Winter, I’ve been skiing since I was a toddler’

‘I’ve never been’ Ron said ‘used to ice skate a bit though’

‘Would you like to give it a try?’ Mrs Granger asked him ‘I can give you a few pointers it’s not that hard to lean. Sure you might fall over a lot when you fist try but once you get the hang of it you’ll be racing Hermione down the hills’

‘Ha I doubt that’ Ron said with a snort ‘But sure I’ll gve it a try, I’m brave enough to try most things at least once’

‘You’ll love it’ Hermione said giving him a squeeze ‘we’ll have to get some ski suits though we didn’t bring naything warmer than jumpers and wooly trousers’

‘We can Transfigure what we’ve got or go on another one of your now infamous shopping sprees’ Ron said dryly.

‘Oh shut up’

‘Been buying up big then?’ Mr Granger said with a laugh.

‘You have no idea’ Ron said rolling his eyes ‘our hotel room is full of all sorts of crap we’d never usually buy’

‘Oh shut up most of the ‘crap’ as you’ve put it is for our friends and family back home’ Hermione said pushing him good naturedly ‘and you’ve bought some too which must mean half of that crap is yours’

‘Well you’re entitled to go a bit stupid on a holiday’ Mrs Granger said in amusement.

‘But our reason for coming out here wasn’t to holiday’ Hermione said ‘it was to get you and Dad, now we’ve found you and know you’re okay it is’

‘Well tomorrow I’ll make a booking for the four of us and we’ll arrange to drive up Friday morning’ Mr Granger said cheerfully ‘after that you can go home if you want’

‘We’re only going once we’re a hundred percent sure things are okay’ Hermione said ‘plus I haven’t spent any time with you over the last eleven months and I want to spend as much time with you as possible. I don’t know how long it’s going to be before you’ll be able to get home houses can take months to sell’

‘I understand Bunny but really your mother and I are fine’ Mr Granger said ‘you have to be home in two weeks for that court case anyway. Once you get home your Mum and I will put the house on the market and follow. We don’t have to be here to sell the house an agent can do it for us’

‘Well....if you’re sure’ Hermione said uncertainly.

‘We are’ Mrs Granger said firmly we’ll be home sooner than you think Hermione since you lifted those spells we've started missing home quite a lot.

‘Well if you decide to come home at the same time as we do I’ll help you pack everything’ Hermione said waving a forkful of mud cake in the air ‘I can shrink all the furniture to fit in your suitcase’

‘And how would we explain that to customs when they inspect our bags?’ Mr Granger said in amusement.

‘You could say you collect dollhouses and you went to Australia specifically to buy some furniture for them’ Hermione said with a grin ‘they can’t confiscate it and I’m pretty sure importing dollhouse furniture isn’t illegal’

‘How do you think of things like that?’ Mrs Granger wondered out loud.

‘Ah being a witch you learn to be creative about explaining strange phenomena’ Hermione said ‘it becomes habit after a while’

‘Well if I were a customs officer and I was told that excuse I’d think it odd but not suss’ Ron said ‘I would think as long as you’ve not got drugs or fodstuffs on you you’ll be fine’

‘So what airline did you come over on?’ Mr Granger asked.

‘United and Qantas’ Hermione said ‘we went from London to Los Angeles on United then Los Angeles to Sydney on Qantas, we took another Qantas flight from Sydney to Melbourne. When we fly back I want to go out of Melbourne Via Singapore it’s a shorter flight then and only a two hour stopover in Singapore, I found that out when I asked at a travel agents on Friday’

‘Well if we don’t fly home on the same flight we’ll definitely see you off on your way home’ Mrs Granger said ‘we can drive you there if you like’

‘Thanks’ Ron said ‘and if we go home on the same flight we can apparate you to the airport’

‘I thought Muggles can’t apparate’ Mrs Granger said.

‘They can’t Hermione said ‘But if accompanied by a wizard they can, I ought to warn you though you’re likely to throw up when you do it for the first time. Most wizards do’

‘Did you?’

‘No but I did retch’ Hermione said making a face ‘and it made me feel woozy for a bit. I did get used to it though. The more you do it the less the wooziness happens until eventually you can do it without any effect. Mrs Weasley can do it one time after another back to back easy as pie’

‘I’d like to meet your Mum one day Ron’ Mrs Granger said with a smile ‘she sounds like a remarkable woman’

‘Oh yeah Mum’s great’ Ron said enthusiastically ‘she can be overbearing and nags all the time but everyone in the family knows she does it out of love. She’s the cement that holds the Weasley family together’

‘And she catered for Bill and Fleur’s wedding’ Hermione chipped in ‘she’s a multi-skilled woman’

‘Oh and she’s invited you and Mr Granger over for dinner when you’re back home and over the jetlag’ Ron said ‘she wants to meet you too’

‘Well we’d be honoured to visit’ Mrs Granger said happily.

‘And it’ll be a big family feast too’ Hermione said dryly ‘Mrs Weasley likes to put on a bang up feast. No one ever goes away hungry from a meal at the Weasley house. You’ll sample some of her cooking when you get home. Everything from the deep freeze to the fridge is full of her cooking. She even made some ice-cream’

‘Well when we get home we’ll tuck in’ Mr Granger said.

Another hour later Ron excused himself to the loo. Mr and Mrs Granger hustled Hermione into the kitchen.

‘We want to surprise Ron with his own cake’ Mrs Granger said pulling the cake out of the fridge and placing it on a glass plate ‘can you help us decorate it?’

Hermione broke into a grin.
‘Of course’ she said drawing her wand ‘he’s going to love the cheesecake you know he’s a had a piece of it every day from the café in Cauldron Court’

‘You’re both going to go home twice the size you were when you got here’ Mr Granger joked.

‘Ah maybe but we both lost a lot of weight during our time on the run I reckon we could do with putting on a few kilos’ Hermione said as Mrs Granger poked sparklers into the cake ‘I know a few months into it I could feel my ribs. Not so much now but when I returned to the Burrow Mrs Weasley insisted I have three helpings of everything’

‘Did you go and see a doctor after the Battle?’ Mrs Granger asked in concern.

‘Yeah the magical equivalent’ Hermione said ‘Madam Pomfrey the Hogwarts nurse insisted I let her check me over. I was fine physically and she just reccomended I ate a bit more and continue seeing a Mind Healer from St Mungos, I’ve seen one twice a week since the end of the Battle, I’ll start seeing one again once I return to England’

‘Is a mind healer like a Pshychiatrist?’ Mr Granger asked.

‘Yeah the same’ Hemrione said ‘everyone I know involved in the Battle except for George Ron’s brother and Fred’s twin is seeing one regularly. He refuses to see one’

‘Well after what you and Ron told us about how Fred died I’m not surprised’ Mrs Granger said ‘he’ll come around though’

‘I hope so’ Hermione said poking her wand at the cake and charming the icing to spell out ‘Happy 18th Ron’ ‘quick let’s get back to the lounge room’

Mrs Granger picked up the cake and she and Mr Granger followed Hermione back into the lounge where Mr Granger turned out the lights with her wand and Hermione lit the candles and sparklers on the cake with a poke from her wand. Ron clunked down the stairs feeling his way in the dark.

‘Okay Bunny very funny’ he said dryly coming around the corner ‘are we...’

And together Mr and Mrs Granger burst into song.

‘Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Ro-on
Happy birthday to youuuu!!!!!!

‘Oh this is wonderful I just don’t know what to say!’ Ron joked walking toward the lounge and sitting down next to Hermione ‘I might just cry!’

‘Idiot’ Hermione said rolling her eyes ‘go on blow out your candles you big goof’

Ron blew out his candles and waited til the sparklers burned out before turning on the lights with his wand.

‘Thanks for all this’ he said picking the spent sparklers out of the cake ‘but you realise I’m going to be sick as a pig after having a slice? If I’d known this was coming I would’ve only had one slice of mud cake’

‘You can take the rest back to the hotel if you like’ Mr Granger said ‘then you won’t have to go to Cauldron Court til this one runs out’

‘Ron hoovers strawberry cheesecake like it’s his last meal on death row’ Hermione said with a giggle ‘so we might be making a trip back to Cauldron Court quicker than you think’

‘Yeah whatever you think’ Ron said rolling his eyes ‘so a small slice each then?’

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

Once again Ron and Hermione didn’t leave Mr and Mrs Granger’s til just after midnight. They arrived back in their hotel room laden down with all sorts of goodies including half a cake each.

‘Think we might be able to eat in our room for the next couple of days with all this’ Ron said as he put it all in the tiny bar fridge just inside the door to their room ‘that mud cake is sweet as hell’

‘Well you did have two huge slices of it’ Hermione said ‘serves you right if your pancreas is complaining’

‘Yes Mum’

‘Oh shut up’

Ron packed away all their goodies then stripped off and climbed into bed next to Hermione

‘I’m glad finding your folks has gone well for you H I really am’ he said giving her a squeeze ‘thay’re great people I’m glad to have met them’

‘Thanks’ Hermione said with a smile ‘in hindsight I’m not sure what I was worrying about it’s gone so smoothly. I’m so glad I’m not going to have to do it again. I spent most of the last few months worrying myself stupid about them. But look at them they’re fine and the spells I cast on them didn’t affect them at all!’

‘I think the ability of your spell casting is the reason for that’ Ron said ‘seriously if anyone else cast those charms I don’t think the result would’ve been the same I really don’t. You’re an extraordinarily skilled with Hermione and I really think you underestimate yourself’

‘Hmmm...well’ Hermione said ‘so skiing huh keen to try it?’

‘Oh yeah I’m game’ Ron said ‘I’ve never seen much point in doing it before but it’s new and you say it’s fun I’m keen to try something new and fun’

‘You’ll fall flat on your bum the first few times but after a lesson or two you’ll get the hang of it and will be able to schluss down the beginners slope’ Hermione said with a grin ‘most ski resorts have the option of signing up for lessons so if you want I’ll join you in one to gve you some pointers’

‘I think that might be a good idea’ Ron said ‘will you help me up or laugh at me if I fall over?’

‘Both’ Hermione said with a grin ‘but you’ll be fine Ron trust me skii-ng is not going to endanger you mortally’

‘Thank Merlin for that because I’ve had quite enough of being in mortal danger for the time being’

‘Yeah haven’t we all?

**********************************************************************************************
A/N: There you go peoples the latest 'Finding Wendell and Monica' a couple of days late. I hope you like how I wrote Ron and Hermione explaining to Mr and Mrs Granger how they ended up in Australia. The next chapter encompassing Hermione teaching Ron to ski will follow in a week.