Chapter 2
A Parting of Ways
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter world is the property of J.K. Rowling.
The plot is of my own invention.
Following Neville’s funeral, the remainder of the week passed awkwardly for the five reunited friends. There was an omnipresent pall over Ron and Hermione, and they were seldom together with Harry, Ginny and Diane. Also, the tension between Hermione and Diane was palpable, though when Harry and Ginny asked Diane about it she replied that she had no clue what was going on. And when they asked Hermione, she refused to acknowledge a problem. Ron was unapproachable and seldom seen.
Ron and Ginny were in and out during the week, Flooing between school and The Burrow. As Prefects, they met with McGonagall and suggested to the Headmistress that they call the other Prefects together towards the end of the week, for one day. (Slytherin was only granted one Prefect due to the low return rate.) Both argued that having a day together, without the pressures and distractions caused by the presence of the student body, would benefit all of them. They also discussed adding more guidelines about giving and taking house points, a practice often abused by Prefects over the years. Ron even suggested that any point awards or penalties be accompanied by the memory from the Prefect involved. McGonagall considered this and decided to let them try it for the first two months of the term. If it was not too cumbersome, she promised her continued concurrence.
Harry and Hermione had a number of meetings with McGonagall, too, about their Head Boy/Head Girl position, and the Headmistress told them about the first Owls arriving with letters of intent to return; the majority of students would be back. The many notable exceptions were from Slytherin House, so far only a couple dozen would be returning, and a few of those were rejected due to their family association with Voldemort or his followers. Harry expressed his happiness for this bit of information. All his past tormentors were gone: Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson and Malfoy, being the most notable. But Hermione, Harry could tell, seemed a little disappointed at first, though that wore off after a time.
The person with the busiest schedule this week was Diane. McGonagall had left her a few notes concerning catch-up work she could perform, and the American was glad to immerse herself in something “ anything “ to be distracted from the tension. She spent most of her time studying and practicing her spell work, usually with Harry or Ginny’s assistance. But she also had not told anyone about an Owl she had received from a Ministry ad hoc committee desiring to schedule a meeting to discuss her display of power the previous Thursday. She replied that she would be available late October hoping they would leave her alone.
Knowing of his plans for the next couple weeks, Harry moved his possessions into the Head Boy suite Wednesday. When Hermione asked why he was moving in so early, he just shrugged.
By mid-week, Rufus Scrimgeour had finally been found, but he had been tortured into insanity like Frank and Alice Longbottom. Many other missing persons turned up when Kingsley Shacklebolt’s teams of investigators discovered numerous hideouts and safe houses used by Voldemort’s followers.
There were serious disappointments, too. Even after the horrific ‘disarming’ the Death Eaters had suffered, only a handful provided any useful information. In the long run, this only hardened the resolve of prosecutors when they were brought to trial. Harry and those that knew about Horcruxes suspected, however, that the Death Eaters were afraid of a repeat of Voldemort’s last rebirth. Knowing it could not happen again left them in an uncomfortable position. Should they tell the defense attorneys about Voldemort’s failed bid for immortality so their clients knew their position was hopeless? Or should they remain silent and let the Death Eater hang themselves with their own stupidity and cruelty? It was another one of those ”what is easy and what is right” choices.
Finally, the decision was made to inform the defense teams about the Horcruxes under a most unusual and rarely used legal procedure. A panel of three judges would be informed of the Horcruxes, how they operated and how they affected Riddle’s return. Then, under the supervision of the three judges, each suspect and his or her legal representative would be told the story of Voldemort and his Horcruxes. If the suspect, upon hearing this story, and under the advice of his solicitor, chose to offer aid and renounce their ways, the evidence would be collected. If the suspect, upon hearing this story, still refused to aid in the investigations, this choice would also be noted.
In either case, the memories of the suspect and the solicitors, concerning Horcruxes, were obliviated. When the process was complete, only the three judge panel would know how each suspect chose to react to the news. Those that cooperated were told that they would receive some form of leniency, the others received none.
As the process played out over the following weeks, the vast majority of Death Eaters received death sentences, those receiving leniency would still spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban. But that begs the question: Was a life sentence in Azkaban a more lenient sentence than death? Without the Dementors present, the cold, isolated prison was still gravely inhospitable.
Another early Ministry action was to seize money and assets of the Death Eaters. Gringotts was paid a fair fee for their cooperation and the Ministry took a portion, but the majority was placed into a trust for those injured during the war. When all the assets were accounted for it added up to a significant fortune. The Ministry also earned a great deal of good will for this prompt action. Had they waited any longer, the families of Death Eaters might have transferred their gold to other institutions out of the English Ministry’s reach.
Arthur Weasley was perspiring heavily even before he met the Muggle Prime Minister. Fortunately, his robes hid all evidence of his nervous condition. Alerting the portrait in Scrimgeour’s old office, (that connected to the Muggle PM’s office,) Arthur announced that he desired a meeting and waited for an answer. He had intentionally chosen seven o’clock in the morning in the belief that the Muggle Minister would not yet be busy with the day’s activities. He was correct. Not even a minute later he received a response and threw a handful of Floo Powder into the fireplace. Shortly he was discharged in the office at 10 Downing Street.
The Muggle Prime Minister was a smart man and had learned from the two previous meetings with his magical counterpart that ‘no news’ was not ‘good news.’. Ever since his first meeting with Fudge a few years before, then with Scrimgeour fifteen months ago, he had anticipated word from his magical counterpart about the progress of the wizard’s war. But as time passed, and no further word was received, the PM began to rely upon his country’s own law enforcement and intelligence gathering agencies to (discretely) track the ‘battles.’ While the general population would only hear bits and pieces of tragic deaths and destruction, he had been able to map out, to a fairly accurate degree, what was happening in the world of magic.
The biggest tips he received were the ones where noises of destruction were heard, and people disappeared, but no one knew anything about anything. Only a few weeks before he received word of lights and screams and destruction just outside the town of Ottery St. Catchpole. Of all places! the PM thought to himself. What could any wizard want from that isolated spot? And now the new Minister of the wizards, Arthur Weasley, wants to talk with me; let’s hope he has good news.
The fireplace at Downing Street roared out a cool green flame and a tall red-haired man emerged, a bit unsteadily, before him. Walking resolutely around his desk, he approached the man and held out his hand. “Minister Weasley, it’s an honor to meet you. And congratulations on your election,” Anthony Blast said warmly.
Arthur was surprised for a second, then smiled warmly. “Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for seeing me on such short notice. But I believe you don’t understand. I’m just an acting department head; we have no Minister of Magic at this moment.”
“What happened to your chap, Scrimgeour?” Blast asked with curiosity, perhaps forgetting the war.
“Well, he, er… he was incapacitated in the later days of the war. We’re putting things back together right now.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Weasley. Would you like some tea?” The PM motioned for Arthur to join him at a small table covered with a tea setting and various pastries.
The two men sat and served themselves tea, Arthur with milk, Blast with sugar. Looking for an opening, the Muggle PM asked his most important question. “Am I correct in assuming your war is over?”
“Yes, just last Thursday, thanks heavens. That’s my reason for intruding here.”
“Nonsense, these things are best discussed as soon as possible; I was beginning to wonder what was happening.” Blast made it clear by his tone that he was a bit annoyed by the lack of recent news, but Arthur Weasley ignored the mild admonishment.
“Yes, well I’m here now to let you know that the wizard who fancied himself as Lord V-Voldemort has finally been destroyed. And many, actually, most of his followers are in prison and we’re starting to get things put back together.”
“Excellent, Weasley, I’m delighted to hear this. Now I’m certain you will need some time to get your government back together. When you are ready, we can begin discussions on war reparations…”
War reparations? Arthur’s head snapped up from his cup of tea, spilling a few drops down the front of his robes. “Pardon me, Prime Minister. What is there to discuss about reparations?” It was the first thought Arthur had pop into his mind.
“There has been quite a bit of damage here, Weasley, directly related to your war. I’ve managed to keep it quiet, thank heavens for that. I’ve made a few rough estimates, and from infrastructure alone we’ve incurred over one hundred million pounds in damages. It will, of course, take many more weeks to tally the loss of person property and bodily harm claims…”
Arthur Weasley was stunned. Sitting across from him was the leader of one of the Muggle world’s most important countries, and he was, in effect, laying down terms. He had never heard of such things happening, even after the Second World War where losses were thousands of times greater than these. What to say…?
“Yes, I see your point. I’ll raise this issue with the cabinet when we have things rebuilt. You have my word, you’ll hear back from us about this.” Arthur wondered just what the response would be. Perhaps a few memory charms? A hundred million pounds was about two hundred fifty thousand Galleons! And that’s just part of it!
“Damn you, Hebert, turn the lights on!” Digger howled. I should have learned to curse better in French.
“This isn’t called a ‘dark room’ for nothing, Digger,” Hebert replied testily. It had taken him three days to find the annoying American, but he had done it, and now he had the man. “I have seven or eight excellent shots, one I’m sure you’ll like.”
Digger rubbed his shin where the corner of a large box had dug out a divot of skin. He could feel the blood through his trouser leg. “Fine, let me see them.”
“Patience my much unliked friend. Let’s discuss the price first, then you see the pictures.”
“Kiss my bloody ass, Hebert. You know full well that I have the right…”
“You have nothing, Allen. I, one the other hand, have everything.” Hebert paused, Digger sensed the smile on the man’s face.
If he was this sure of himself then he probably did have something good. “Alright, Hebert, I’ll guess you have seven peripheral and one ringer. Ten thousand, after I see the ringer.”
“Fifteen, and they’re worth every franc.”
Damn the man! “Hebert, if you fuck me over, it’s the last time we do business.”
“Yes, Mr. Allen, I’ve heard that one before. Take out your check book and start writing.” The French photographer flipped on a normal room light and heard Digger curse yet again. He hadn’t needed the room darkened after all, except to irritate his guest. Pulling a manila envelope from a drawer, he took the bank draft and handed the prints over. The negatives were in a very safe location.
Allen tried to hide his excitement as he fumbled to open the envelope; Hebert politely held his amusement quietly to himself. The first seven pictures showed the backs of what appeared to be two very well dressed females, one much smaller than the other. Probably a mother and daughter, or sisters, Digger calculated. Their dress is… out of fashion, but not absurdly so… He flipped through them and stopped on the last one, examining it closely.
“Yes, Monsieur Allen, if you hadn’t gone chasing them your grosse tete would not have blocked everything. Still, I think it’s worth the price, don’t you?”
Digger Allen said nothing, he didn’t have to. He would have paid twenty thousand if he’d known what the bastard Frenchman had in his possession. He now had two names to go on in his search for the mysterious Harry Potter. Two names and what appeared to be the name of a school. But thinking back to that day, he didn’t recall seeing any sort of name plate on the younger girl’s cape. How odd…
The second Saturday following Voldemort’s defeat, Harry made good on a promise he made to Ginny weeks earlier. Accompanied by Diane, Remus and Tonks, they ‘disappeared’ to the States, leaving Charlie with an unambiguous note stating that no one should follow, (and that Remus and Tonks were playing chaperone.)
Following the departure, Charlie and Ron delivered the note and spoke with their father about the ‘holiday.’ Arthur didn’t believe his sons, completely, when he was assured that Harry and Ginny were truly vacationing and not just on a two week binge of sexual debauchery with their new American friend. Of course, he now had the unenviable task of telling the missus that their sixteen year old daughter and her boyfriend had basically run off unsupervised. (Arthur was not sure Remus and Tonks were the best of parent figures for the kids.)
Scratching his head, Arthur gave his sons a disgruntled look and went off to find his wife. Molly Weasley’s eruption, when she saw the note, made the one with Hermione seem trivial. Ron and Charlie heard it from the kitchen, looked at each other and Floo’d back to Hogwarts.
“So little bro, why aren’t you and Hermione doing the same thing? You’ve certainly earned it,” asked Charlie as they walked from McGonagall’s empty office. It had the only fireplace in Hogwarts which allowed incoming floo’s. Ron looked at his brother and made a face. “Oh get off it, Ron, I know what’s been going on with you two, and I don’t hold it against you…”
“Shut it, Charlie,” snapped Ron. He knew this subject was going to come up; the brothers had spent far too much time together the past two months. The only thing preventing an earlier broaching of the subject was the war. Wars do tend to distract people from life’s everyday occurrences.
“What’s got you in such a twist? Trouble in ‘Lover-land’?” Charlie laughed
Ron stopped, they were half-way down the stairs to the third floor. Part of him felt like punching Charlie, part of him felt like... “We, er”Hermione and I aren’t together any more. So just shut it.” Ron turned and continued down the stairs, leaving his slack-jawed brother behind.
“Bloody hell!” Charlie whispered to himself. “Wait up, Ron!” he then called out. Catching him a moment later and rounding on him, Charlie placed a hand in his chest. Ron was a good five inches taller, but the older brother had the weight advantage. “What happened, Ron?” he asked carefully.
Sighing, Ron’s face fell. “I don’t know, our relationship had disaster written all over it from the start, I guess. The last two weeks of the war were…” Ron was about to say wonderful, but changed his mind. “…well, just awful, Charlie. Hermione was so bloody pissed at mum and I was caught in the middle.”
“Did you two have a fight?”
Did we fight?! When didn’t we fight? “Nah, wasn’t that. I… I don’t know, I just felt used. Hermione had… we had this fight with mum…”
“I heard.”
“...and Hermione, she wanted more than… never mind. Anyway, I guess it’s over.” Ron’s voice was even, but as he reached for the door to the Gryffindor common room Charlie could see his hand shaking.
“You two still friends?”
“I guess… she says so, at least. We’ve been so close for six years, I can’t imagine not…” but Ron couldn’t finish, and he wouldn’t entertain that possibility.
The brothers stood in the doorway to the common room, now much easier to linger in without the students present or the Fat Lady demanding a password. Charlie wondered if this was part of the reason Ginny and Harry had left town. After Neville’s memorial service, the four teens and the American girl were definitely out-of-sorts. From what his father had said, Ron and Hermione had been quite the item during the summer. What happened? Not that it’s any of my business. Or maybe it is.
“Okay, Ron. If you want to talk about it I’ll be here a few more hours.” Then he had an idea. “In fact, I know this is bloody well out of the blue, but Tré and I are going back to her family home in France tomorrow. Why don’t you come with us for a bit? A change of scenery might do you good.”
Ron brightened noticeably at the offer, but then he sobered. “Have you heard anything about school reopening?”
“Minerva says early October. They have a lot of changes to make: Faculty, admissions criteria, curriculum, that sort of stuff. But the earliest date I’ve heard is still three weeks away. Think about it, will you?”
Ron pursed his lips in a way that reminded Charlie of Hermione. “Yeah, I’ll go with you... unless something happens here…” His voice trailed off and his head turned downward.
“You mean with Hermione?” Charlie asked, looking carefully at his brother. “If she asks you back, would you go?”
Ron looked up and kept a steady gaze at his brother, though his heart was breaking. And then he shook his head. “No,” he said softly, “I don’t think I would.”
Charlie nodded; his face told Ron how much he felt for him. And from the stories he’d heard about the two’s intimacy the past few weeks, he was appropriately impressed with Ron’s maturity. Putting an arm around his youngest brother, the two walked up to their room. Ron was glad that the sounds of shuffling feet hid most of his sobs.
That same afternoon, Hermione was packing the last of her belongings before transporting them to the Head Girl Suite. A miniature House unto itself, she would share it with Harry, the Head Boy, for the remainder of the term.
The Head Boy/Girl Suite was fairly modern concept for Hogwarts, originating in the late 1960’s as a reward to the two students who had earned the honor. The layout was simple: Each had a two-room suite with private bathing facilities and joined by a large common area with an exit to an adjoining corridor. There was also a private fireplace they could use to make Floo calls. Also, they each had a private study area, like a small office, off their common room. And much to Hermione’s chagrin, they shared the service of one House Elf. That was something she would talk to Harry about.
Hermione was perfectly happy to be leaving the Gryffindor tower; the idea of sharing a room with Diane Bradley made her antsy, though she wasn’t certain why. The American had never done anything remotely offensive to her, or anyone for that matter. She simply felt uncomfortable around the newcomer. Neither she nor Ron had become as close to her as Harry and Ginny. Perhaps that was the cause of the tension, she considered. But the point was moot now anyway.
Breaking up with Ron was the correct thing to do, Hermione told herself, as she threw a book into her trunk. She knew it was her fault; she had pushed him too hard and too fast. Their intimacy over the past few weeks had been nothing short of unbelievable, physically. But emotionally, spiritually, socially… it was a disaster, and it was hiding a truth that she had grown to realize over the summer: She loved Ron Weasley dearly, but she could never be happy with him as a husband, and she could never be happy as part of his extended family. Was that being petty? She wasn’t sure.
To her amazement, Ron had accepted each reason she had given him for their split, and he had agreed to their amicable parting with far more maturity than she expected. This left Hermione with still more guilt. Had he known it wasn’t going to work, too? Was he just letting me use him to ease my pain and insecurities? These were good questions, Hermione realized, flopping onto her bed. Lord! All the nights I spent here over the past six years dreaming about Ron Weasley… Ron the student… Ron the friend… Ron the jealous git… Ron the fighter… Ron the lover.
That last one shook the bushy-haired witch, it brought a choking sob out which she had difficulty fighting back. She knew she was to blame for that debacle, not Ron. Not that he ever showed any disinterest! For all their fumbling and frantic passion, Hermione realized, it was he who had been the perfect gentleman, the selfless giver, the best… friend. Now she had lost her virginity and self respect. Who would ever want used goods? And for the first time since their break-up earlier in the week, Hermione Jane Granger let it happen: She cried.
After dropping Diane off in Salem, Harry, Ginny, Remus and Tonks, both of the later still recuperating from injuries sustained in the final days of the war, holidayed for two weeks in Florida. Harry had promised Ginny that they would go off together after Voldemort had been destroyed, by themselves, and try to make up for a lot of lost time in their relationship. But both soon found they had no idea about how to arrange for such a trip in the largely Muggle country. Harry enlisted Remus and Tonks to assist with the travel plans and accompany them, insisting he pay their way from the large Potter and Black estates he now had complete access to.
Harry had another reason for asking Remus and Tonks. He secretly wanted Lupin present because he worried that both he and Ginny might need counseling for the emotional and physical aspects of their relationship, in case things changed over the next two weeks. While they had been nowhere near as ‘active’ and Ron and Hermione, the physical side of their relationship had become deeper and more... well, physical. Remus, himself exhausted after two long bloody wars, agreed in a heartbeat, and assured Harry that he and Tonks would always be available if either needed anything.
The holiday turned out to be the most relaxing time of Harry’s life, up to that point. They all traveled under false names and stayed in a wide range of accommodations, sampling both first class and tourist accommodations. They saw sights they never dreamed about, used almost no magic and seldom missed it. After the first week, Diane joined them in Key West. She fit in perfectly with Harry and Ginny, completely comfortable with both of her new friends, and glad for the first real ‘vacation’ she’d had since she had been orphaned. They grew closer and spent all their time together, giving Lupin and Tonks an opportunity to talk and plan their future.
They were all introduced to snorkeling in the Keys, shell hunting on the gulf coast, the Disney World experience, freshwater springs, the Kennedy Space Center, Miami and, at Tonks’ insistence, South Beach. Diane knew why Tonks was taking them, but held her tongue. (She, too, was curious as to whether the famous beach lived up to its reputation.) Arriving at the shore early, they set up their ‘camp’ and spent the morning alternating between sunbathing, swimming and bodysurfing, an activity Harry instantly loved, until the first time his chest scraped bottom. The necessary healing charm was one of the few times they needed to use magic.
After lunching at a nearby deli, the five headed back to the beach, which they saw was now significantly more crowded. Diane explained that the nearby American Colleges and Universities often contributed thousands of afternoon students to the shore. Some studied, others played on the beach, most just sunbathed and swam.
Harry, Ginny, Remus and Tonks took long afternoon walks on the beach their first week, and Diane joined them enthusiastically for the second. As they started out that afternoon, the two older girls lagged behind, waiting for what they both knew the others would come upon at any moment. It only took two minutes.
Harry froze suddenly, holding Ginny’s hand, preventing her from advancing. Remus, not having noticed his companions stop, took a few more steps before halting to let three coeds cross in front of him. A second later he turned around; his face appeared to instantly sunburn and his eye were wide open. Harry’s expression was similar. Ginny just stood, gaping at the topless female swimmers walking by. Tonks burst into laughter and then whispered something to Diane; she blushed and started laughing, too.
Harry looked at Remus and said something about being set up; Remus gave Tonks a disapproving look, but only for a moment. Not wishing to admit defeat, he turned and continued walking, Harry and Ginny followed momentarily. Their stroll that afternoon was a good bit longer than usual. When they returned to their ‘camp’ two hours later, Remus told the girls not to get any ideas, but only Tonks appeared disappointed.
The only potential glitch in the entire two-week break was a full moon at the start of the second week. But before leaving England, Jimmy Twofeet, the Native American who helped Harry find Nagini, had insisted Lupin visit his home the next time his ‘furry little problem’ cropped up. He introduced Lupin to some Native American meditations that significantly lessened the strain of the transformation. When Lupin returned a day earlier than expected, healthier and happier than he’d been in years, he swore that he might be tempted to live in Arizona for the rest of his life. Tonks held her tongue, she had no desire for the hot American southwest, but she did smile and made sure Remus knew how happy she was for him.
The final three days were spent off the coast of Venice Beach on a barrier island. The geography of the narrow, sandy land mass meant that they would see the sun rise over the mainland and the narrow strip of water known as the Intracoastal Waterway. It was quiet, hot, and the three younger vacationers were in a melancholy mood. The prospect of returning to school and the lingering issues with Ron and Hermione weighed heavily upon them, Harry and Ginny most of all. The first evening they joined a group of teens at a beach campfire and tried to mingle in. Diane fit in best; Harry and Ginny felt they were accepted mainly because of their ‘cute English accents.’ But the local teens were polite, inviting them to play volleyball and Frisbee, though neither Harry nor Ginny had had any experience with either sports and were very self-conscious.
After dinner on the second day, the three teens accompanied two elderly couples on a walk far offshore into the Gulf. The four locals explained that the tide had just gone out and it was the best time to find seashells. They were correct. An hour later, Harry and Ginny returned to the shore in utter amazement at the variety of shells they had gathered. Diane sat, amused, watching the couple trade and whisper in awe at their treasures.
But the evening had only brought sadness to the American; her family’s last vacation had been just south of Venice Beach at Fort Lauderdale, the winter before she was orphaned. Ginny commented to Harry about their friend’s sad look and they decided to share their finest finds with her. Diane thanked her friends, but told them nothing about why she was down. She returned to the cottage they shared with Remus and Tonks, leaving the Harry and Ginny believing she was just down due to the anticipated end of the holiday.
The final full day in Florida started as most late summer days in Florida, hot and humid. Harry and Ginny had risen very early and headed off to the canal to watch the sunrise and then have a pre-breakfast swim in the Gulf. They also wanted some time alone, but their plan was postponed when they saw Diane sitting alone in the sand on the Gulf side as the tide slowly crept in towards her outstretched legs.
“Gin, let me talk to her. I think there’s more to this than the holiday ending.” Harry gave Ginny a quick kiss and left her at the small boardwalk where she sat alone and waited for the sun to appear.
Sitting next to his American friend, Harry put an arm around her shoulder. It felt a bit awkward with Ginny behind him, especially since he knew Diane had not told Ginny about her orientation. “Hey, Di, you okay?” he asked gently. Harry could tell she had been crying.
“I’m better now, Harry, thanks. I’m just torn between England and the States.” Diane then proceeded to tell Harry about her family’s last vacation together, her apprehension about living overseas, the lack of acceptance she felt from Hermione, and her concern that she was the reason Hermione and Ron were no longer hanging around with him and Ginny.
Listening patiently, Harry addressed each issue Diane had brought up, as well as he could. He assured Diane that she did have friends in England beside himself, and would have more once the students returned. He explained that Hermione and Ron’s relationship had always been a fiery on/off thing, fraught with fights, misunderstandings and jealousy. In some ways, he admitted, he was surprised they had lasted this long, in others, he hoped they would be together for life. (Ron and Hermione had agreed to hide their break-up from Harry and Ginny until they returned, lest it ruin their holiday.)
But it was Diane’s pain of losing her family that Harry was best able to identify with and help his friend. He intentionally avoided saying that she should be grateful for the time they had together, and that he would have felt fortunate to have fifteen years with his parents. Instead, Harry provided Diane with what she needed: A shoulder to cry on and the quiet presence of someone she could trust.
Ginny watched them talk and was moved. Harry’s self confidence and maturity had blossomed over the summer and she was glad their new friend benefited from it, along with Harry. Moving off the boardwalk, Ginny sat in the sand a few meters behind Harry and Diane as the sun broke the horizon behind them. In minutes it topped the houses. Looking back to the east, Ginny was temporarily blinded in the dazzling brightness. The momentary distraction also prevented Ginny from seeing Diane turn to Harry and give him a brief kiss on his cheek. When she turned back towards the beach she saw Harry pulling Diane to her feet and embracing her.
That evening, all five were invited to a neighbor’s house for a barbeque. While the ‘kids’ had been doing their own thing the past two days, Remus and Tonks had met a friendly couple from Virginia (lottery jackpot winners) who called Florida their home from September through March. The large house, two down from the English travelers’, boasted a pool and hot tub as its external extravagance. Inside it contained a spacious second floor master suite with an enormous picture window overlooking the canal on the east side to watch the sunrise and another facing west where the occupants could watch the sunset. Ginny told Harry she felt like flopping down on the huge bed and waiting for the sun to come up the following day. Harry felt the same way and wondered if his small fortune in Gringotts could buy such a place.
Saturday morning, their last in the United State, found the five eating quietly and thinking back on their long holiday. Remus and Tonks were ready to return, not used to being inactive for such a long time. Harry and Ginny were wondering how to mend the rift between themselves and Ron and Hermione. Diane busied herself with packing and picking up after her friends to the point where Harry playfully picked her up, set her on the sofa and sat on her so she couldn’t get up. Ginny howled in amusement and Diane surrendered, spending the remaining time watching the television.
At eleven o’clock, Remus activated the international Portkey and a moment later they found themselves in one of the ‘arrival’ rooms at Hogwarts. A few minutes of warm hugs and kisses goodbye followed, and then Remus and Tonks headed off to their room and Harry helped the girls take their things to the Gryffindor tower. Classes would begin in two days and Harry had to be ready to assume his Head Boy duties and Ginny her Prefect responsibilities. Diane would be meeting with a number of the professors about a schedule, since her educational path had been so different that anyone else’s.
The first thing Harry and Ginny noticed upon returning to Hogwarts was that all the first year students had already arrived, two days early. Terse notes from the Headmistress lay on their beds explaining the changes in new student orientation and admonishing them for leaving without providing a forwarding address. Both also had two Howlers, one each from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Diane sat and watched, amused, as Harry opened his two. They could also hear Ginny’s echoing all the way from the girl’s dormitory.
Later that evening, Filch, the castle caretaker, gave Diane two letters delivered by Muggle post while she was away; he’d nearly frightened her to death, popping out of a room when she walked by. The top letter was from her friend, Billie, back in Salem. Running to a quiet niche she’d found in the Gryffindor tower, Diane tore it open.
Hi Di!
Sorry I missed you visit.
We’ve been hearing some wild rumors about you. Are they true? Knowing you, the answer’s probably yes. We tried to pick Graham’s brain but he just said to write you and ask. So… the word is that you performed some righteously wicked magic and blew away a few hundred weirdoes. Did you really kill them or just knock them out? It’s okay with me either way, if they were threatening you or your “boy friend.” LOL!
The past few weeks here have been insane. There are more students this year than ever, mainly freshmen. They all started arriving last week, half-way through the first quarter. What goobers! I can’t believe we were ever that small and obnoxious. Well, maybe Bob was. Hehehe.
Now don’t you go giving away all our secrets to the Brits, hear me? Write back and let me know what it’s like there. We miss you on the nightly kitchen raids.
Hugs (and kisses) (-;
Love,
Billie
Diane sat for a long time, rereading the letter over and over. Wilhelmina Jackson had been her first friend at Salem. She’d come from the Deep South and made everyone aware that her name was Billie. Diane laughed at her accent one day, soon after they’d met, and it was the last time she ever laughed at her. Billie’s father was a Drill Sergeant and his language and intimidation techniques were well represented in his daughter.
The massive window well in a stairway of the Gryffindor tower was mostly obscured and gave Diane the privacy she wanted, and it was easier to ignore the hustle and bustle around her. In retrospect, she knew, sitting in the common room would have been far more comfortable. But the possibility of having to hear Hermione patiently explain to a ghost, portrait or new student, for the umpteenth time, how Harry defeated Voldemort, made her gag.
What was it that disturbed her so much about being around Hermione Granger? The first time they met she had felt none of the unconditional affection she shared with Harry, Ron and Ginny. Did Hermione suspect something unnatural about her? No, Jason Graham had told her “ had convinced her “ that her ‘orientation’ was her own business, and completely natural. Her former principal’s deep passion to make the orphaned student welcome and comfortable had built a powerful bond between them, and Jason, over the next two years, had become a sort of father/big brother to her. And Diane trusted him completely.
Did Hermione feel threatened by her outward signs of affection to Harry? Not likely. There had been a couple awkward moments between Diane and Ginny, but Harry’s girlfriend learned that there was a deep bond between him and the brash American brunette. Diane and Harry had sat with the sixteen year old and assured her that their affection was strictly platonic, and Ginny believed them. In no way did Diane’s trait of overt physical affection bother either of them. If anything, Harry, Ginny and Diane had become something of a new ‘Trio’ after Voldemort’s fall.
Perhaps Hermione resents me for butting into their friendships, Diane considered, as another first year student stopped next to her window to read their room assignment. No, that wasn’t it. Ron had tried to be friends, but one day it looked like he had been given a choice between his girlfriend and the ‘other group,’ as Hermione was heard to call Harry, Ginny and Diane. Nothing about the bushy-haired witch made sense to the young American. She stopped thinking about it and helped the first year witch with directions.
The youngster trotted up the stairs a moment later with hasty thanks, and Diane returned to her thoughts.
Was she responsible for the ‘breakup’ of the foursome? Possibly, Diane admitted, since it had become painfully obvious to Harry and Ginny that their two best friends had taken to using sex as a way to prove their adulthood. Diane thought it proved just the opposite. Awkwardness had permeated the foursome soon after the final confrontation with Voldemort. Diane had learned that since the four had become two couples they did everything together, but her observation was also that Hermione’s idea of ‘doing something’ was ‘doing it.’ Even Ginny, the most open-minded of the four, wasn’t about to consider that sort of double date!
The second letter, which Diane immediately recognized, was from the Law Firm of Kent and Bass, the firm that was responsible for her Trust dispersements and her parents’ estate. Didn’t take them long to find me... Knowing it was unavoidable, she opened the formal letter.
Dear Ms. Bradley:
As we explained in our previous three correspondences, your presence is required at our office to sign papers concerning the release of your Trust Funds and the final disposition of your family’s estate. Mr. Graham’s limited Power of Attorney does not allow him to perform these duties, you must sign them yourself and have the signature notarized. After the release of the funds, you may deal with them as you see fit.
Please contact us as soon as possible so we may schedule the signing.
Please also note that your Trust, by the terms of its establishment, will start being charged for our services on the day following your nineteenth birthday, December 3, 1997.
Respectfully...
With far more questions than answers, Diane reread Billie’s letter yet again and remembered back to her years in Middle and High School. They were painful memories, though sufficiently distracting to remove her mind from Hermione.
The urges and passions of adolescence had clobbered her hard in sixth grade and left her utterly confused. Her Christian parents, she believed, would not consider her ‘sexual identity’ to be anything other than straight, any more than they would consider converting to Judaism.
Diane had been fortunate to make all her (early) stupid mistakes with boys and girls in middle school. As a result, the two years had been horrible; there was simply no other way to describe her beginning of adolescence. Academically, Diane excelled. Socially, she was shunned by the boys who found her (rightfully) very attractive but unreachable, and the girls who found her hugs and touches a bit too friendly. It only took one mistake, an affectionate kiss on a female classmate’s cheek and a misunderstood comment, to start the rumors. The last six months of eighth grade enlightened Diane to a new vocabulary where words such as lesbian, queer, fag, gay, homo and dyke, to name just a few, became her new monikers. The list went on, and Diane stopped trying to remember them all, the accuser’s tone told her everything necessary.
Then she chose Salem for High School where she could start anew.
Magic had been in the Bradley family for generations, though like Harry, Diane’s mother was Muggle born. The Bradley’s lived in Manchester, New Hampshire, and practiced the American style of witchcraft and wizardry, that is to say, they only used it when they needed it; it was not a part of everyday life. Diane knew, by the time she was ten, that she wanted to study her special skill, as magic was often called. It would require a lot of hard work, luck and money. Attending Salem, considered among the senior Wizarding families in the States to be preppy and snobbish, was also expensive. Two full academic scholarships were offered each year to rising freshmen and Diane Bradley won her erudition easily, and with a record score on the standardized test among the forty applicants. Thus, the academic and monetary requirements were met, which left only for her to convince her parents that she was in earnest about her choice.
Harry and Ginny confronted Ron the day before leaving on their holiday and he confirmed the physical relationship, but more disturbingly, the serious rift between his mother and Hermione. He explained how his parents had come upon them in a compromising position in mid-August. A confrontation ensued, a confrontation that had, apparently, destroyed the relationship between Mrs. Weasley and Hermione. When his sister pinned him down, however, he admitted that neither side had really attempted a reconciliation. This allowed Harry and Ginny, and soon thereafter, Diane, to understand the situation better. But it did little to help fix it.
Then right after their return from the United States…
Harry and Ginny confronted Hermione and demanded answers. What they got was far more than they expected. Hermione told them that she and Ron had broken off their relationship… their dating relationship. Harry and Ginny were shocked, to an extent. She also to them that Ron had left the country right after they did, with Charlie and Tré, and no one had heard from him directly since then.
Harry felt terrible. He imagined Hermione alone in the castle for two weeks; it must have been hell for her. Maybe she went home... And what was Ron going through that he had to leave the country? But possibly the most crushing feeling was that he, Ron and Hermione would no longer be the best friends they’d been for the past six years. Harry knew when he and Ron started dating Ginny and Hermione that it could happen, but this was reality.
Asking Hermione how she was getting along she said she was alright, but Harry and Ginny knew better. Ginny said she hoped they would all remained friends, but Hermione’s assurances were less than convincing.
A/N: In the U.S. schooling system, most states require six years of elementary school (usually grades 1-6) and two years of middle school or junior high (usually grades 7-8.) Though high school is not optional, many adolescents drop out before finishing. High school covers grades 9-12, (freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior.) To compare this with the English grade level you would see:
U.S./English
6th grade/1st year
7th grade/2nd year
8th grade/3rd year
9th grade (freshmen)/4th year
10th grade (sophomore)/5th year
11th grade (junior)/6th year
12th grade (senior)/7th year
Diane Bradley, as a senior, is in 12th grade, or 7th year in the English system. She is 18, however, so she would probably have been one year ahead of Harry and the gang if she had lived in England. In the U.S. it is not uncommon to have kids graduate from high school between the ages of 17 and 19, it depends more on the choice of their parents and where their child’s birthday falls.
Translations:
grosse tete “ Big head