When Harry Met Hermione

Chapter Two: The Leaky Cauldron

"So, Harry, when we get to the mall, what kind of clothes do you want Daddy and Mum to buy for you,?" Hermione asked.

"Anything's OK, as long as it's not like the stuff my aunt got for my fat cousin," Harry replied. "She always got him really big stuff to help hide his fat belly and arse. Said it made him look skinnier, but I always thought the stuff she got him made him look like a pig in a wig."

"Your cousin sounds horrid," commented Hermione. "I hope you never have to see him again."

"So do I," Harry stated, as one of his lenses popped out of his broken glasses.

"Harry, how long have you had this particular set of glasses?" asked Ione, watching him put his lens back into his glasses.

"They're the only ones I've ever had," Harry answered. "I've had to get em when I started school, and my uncle got really hacked they had to spend good money on me. Said a waster like me didn't need glasses, cause I was to stupid to need them."

"Mr. Dumbledore said your grandparents' estate paid them 1000 pounds each month for your care, and they didn't even see fit to buy you proper clothing or new glasses when you needed them," commented Herman. "I think I'll ring my cousin who works for Scotland Yard and ask him to investigate your relatives. I'd really like to know how they spent the monthly stipend they received for your care. It's too late for you to get an appointment for an eye exam today, but first thing in the morning I'll ring an Ophthalmologist friend of mine and get you in to see him straight away."

"Dr. Granger, you don't have to do that, these are OK," Harry remarked timidly.

"Nonsense," Hermione retorted. "You need new glasses so you can read better. Besides, I think you're worth more than a million of your horrid relatives, and we're going to make sure you have what you need. Daddy, Mum, and I are simply delighted to have you living with us, now. It's going to be so much fun having someone like me around the house, and I can't wait to see what the magical world is like."

"Hermione's right, dear," Ione added. "We're delighted you'll be living with us and you are worth so much more than the Dursleys ever thought of being."

"Thank-you, Dr. Granger..." Harry acknowledged.

"Harry, please call us Herman and Ione," Herman interjected. "You're part of this family, now, and we want you to feel more comfortable living with us."

"Thank-you Herman and Ione," Harry answered. Then, thinking aloud, he added, "Herman and Ione. Hey, Hermione, your mum and dad put their names together to make yours. That's really neat."

"Ooh, Harry, I just knew you were smart, too," Hermione squealed. "Most people just think my name is kind of strange and never make the connection with Daddy's and Mum's names. It's going to be so much fun learning loads of new things with you."

"You there, what are you doing with that wretched boy," Harry and the Grangers heard, walking through a mall a bit later.

"No, not her," Harry cringed.

"Harry, what's wrong, who is she?" Hermione asked, as a large beefy woman came bounding up to them.

"It's my uncle's fat sister Marge," the frightened Harry answered, clinging to Hermione.

"Why, you ungrateful bastard," Marge Dursley said, swinging her large handbag at Harry, only to have it rebound off his and Hermione's shield, striking the revolting Marge in the face, instead Drooling like one of her prize bulldogs, she screeched, "How dare you raise a hand to me, you ungrateful whelp? When I tell Vernon, he'll really give you a thorough thrashing."

"Sloth, it was you who struck Harry, and I am going to have you arrested for assault on a minor," Herman said, stepping between the children and Marge, as Ione embraced them, hoping to prevent more accidental magic. "Additionally, you can tell your brother whatever you want, but it won't do you any good. My wife and I now have guardianship of Harry, and, as such, he is now our responsibility."

"What seems to be the trouble here?" asked a constable, walking up to them.

"This wretched boy accosted me, and these people are not his guardians," Marge answered, shaking a fat finger at Harry.

"Officer, we have proof of Harry's guardianship, right here," Herman said, showing the constable their guardianship papers for Harry. "We were just setting out to buy him some clothing, when this fat slob came up to us and tried to hit Harry with her handbag."

"That's a lie," Marge stated. "This wretched boy is my sister-in-law's bastard nephew, and the ungrateful whelp just accosted me."

"Officer, my son and I saw the whole thing," said a woman with a boy about Harry's and Hermione's age. "This morose woman walked right up and hit this lad with her handbag for no good reason."

"That's right, officer," added a nearby store clerk. "I saw the beefy broad march right up and swing her handbag right at the lad's head. The plonker even hit the lad so hard; her handbag bounced off his head and smacked her own ugly mug. The fat broad's gonna have a nice shiner to show for it, although I must admit, the shiner actually improves her looks. Gonna look just like a bulldog, she is."

"Madam, they have the proper guardianship papers, and we have several witnesses who said they saw you strike the lad with your handbag," the constable stated. "Now, either cease and desist your actions or I will be forced to run you in." Never one with the sense to back down, Marge once more swung her handbag at Harry, only to have it once more rebound off his and Hermione's shield, striking the constable in the process. Quickly subduing and cuffing Marge, he added, "Madam, I am taking you in for assault of both a minor and an officer of the law. I certainly hope you have a good lawyer, because you're really going to need one. Now, please do not resist or I shall be forced to use my stun gun on you."

Fuming, Marge took one look at Harry, who promptly stuck his tongue out at her, causing her to lunge and rage at him, "I'll get you for that..."

"Why do people like this never listen," commented the constable after stunning Marge. "It happens all the time with this sort. Always think they know more and are better than anyone else. Anyway, please give me your names and a numbers, so I can ring about this incident, and you fine people may go about your business."

______________________________________________________________________________________________

"Good afternoon," said Albus Dumbledore later that afternoon, when he saw Harry and the Grangers at King's Cross Station. "I have arranged transportation for us to get to the Leaky Cauldron, so let us depart." Once in the car, he added, "So, Harry, how did your shopping trip go?"

"We saw my uncle's fat sister Marge, and she tried to hit me with her handbag, but whatever happens when I'm touching Hermione made her handbag bounce off us and hit herself in the face," Harry answered. "Then, this constable bloke put the cuffs on her, stunned her, and hauled the fat pig away."

"After the horrid beast tried to hit Harry with her handbag, Daddy stepped between her and us and Mum hugged both of us," added Hermione. "It was a good thing she did too, or Harry and I might have made some more funny things happen."

"When Ione hugged us, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside," Harry mentioned. "I suppose Mum and Dad used to hug me when I was a baby, but I don't remember it. And, I really like when Hermione and Ione hug me."

"You are quite welcome, dear," acknowledged Ione. "We've only known you a few hours, but I've come to realize your relatives have really missed the mark when it comes to you. In spite of all the abuse you've endured under their lack of care, you are still a very loving and caring young man, and we feel honored to make you part of our family."

"Mr. Dumbledore, why on earth did you leave a nice boy like Harry with those monsters and never go back to see how he was doing?" asked Hermione. "You said you did it for his protection, but what I'd really like to know is why you thought he was more protected living with people that hated him and abused him whenever they jolly well felt like it?"

"My dear, are you sure you're just four weeks shy of your ninth birthday?" Albus sighed, casting a silencing charm on the car they were riding in. Sighing again, he said, "I am going to tell you what happened the night Harry was orphaned, and when I have finished, hopefully you will understand my reasoning for leaving Harry with the Dursleys."

"I understand why you left him with the wasters," Herman said, after Albus had finished telling his tale. "But, that still doesn't explain why you didn't intervene on his behalf. Surely people such as yourself have ways of monitoring situations like the one Harry was in No child, magical or otherwise, deserves to be put through the hell Harry was, and we'd really like to know why you kept your bloody head buried in the sand and did nothing to help the poor lad."

"Mr. Dumbledore, why did you leave me with the Dursleys all those years?" Harry asked. "Do you really hate me or did you have some other reason?"

"My only defense is, that, because your mother sacrificed herself to keep you from harm, I thought you safest from harm while residing with your mother's only surviving relative," Albus answered with tears falling down his face. "I know it will not make up for all the years of abuse you've had to endure, but I swear to you that I shall never place with such despicable people again. I truly do care for you more dearly than I do my own life, and I only wish the best for you. Now, Harry, before we get to the Leaky Cauldron, I wish to give you a very simple test. If you can, please tell me what is written in this book."

"This book has big words I can't read," Harry answered. "Hermione, can you tell me what it says?"

"That's odd," Hermione commented. "At first, I couldn't see anything written there, but when I touched your arm I could see the writing, just like you can. Anyway, this page says Spells and Charms against Dark Magic by Godric Gryffindor."

"Very good, indeed," remarked Albus. "However, if news of this magnitude were to be widely known, I fear such knowledge could prove to be most detrimental. For this reason, I am going to cast another Fidelis Charm on my self to insure that no one outside of a very select group of people know about this." After casting the charm, he continued. "I have long suspected Harry was an heir of Gryffindor and now I have proof. What intrigues me even more is that while in physical contact with Harry, Hermione can read this book, as well. If I may, while the two of you are still in contact with each other, I would like to examine you with my wand."

"We'll let you point your wand at us this time, but, if you try to do anything else to us, it'll be the last chance you ever get with us," Harry proclaimed.

"Thank-you, Harry and Hermione," Albus acknowledged. After passing his wand over the children, he added, "Minerva was quite correct when she surmised the two of you have bonded, and this is why I believe that while in physical contact with Harry, that Hermione may read Gryffindor's writings, as well.

"What exactly do you mean when you say they've bonded?" asked Ione.

"At this moment in time their bond is more of what one might find in magical siblings, but as they get older this bond may change," Albus explained. "It shall be most interesting to monitor their progress over the next decade."

"Does that mean Harry and I might get married someday?" asked Hermione.

"That is quite possible, my dear, but only time itself will tell," the beaming Albus answered. "Suffice it to say, at the present time, you and Harry share a closer bond than most brothers and sisters do."

"At this point in time, my wife and I can deal with a strong sibling type bond," Herman expounded. "However, I must admit when Minerva said they had bonded I was afraid that meant a matrimonial type bond. While we believe Harry to be an honorable lad, my wife and I are not ready to present our little girl for courtship."

"Yes, I quite agree," Albus commented. "Harry, because Godric Gryffindor was one of the four Hogwarts founders and the school's first headmaster, I have in my possession many of his private writings that I will soon copy for you to read. At your young age you undoubtedly will not understand much of what is written, but as a Gryffindor heir it is your right to know what he has written."

"Sir, I've never heard of Godric Gryffindor," Harry answered. "Who was he, anyway?"

"Godric Gryffindor was not only one of the Hogwarts founders, but one of the most powerful and gifted wizards in our history, as well," Albus explained. "Once we get to Flourish and Blotts, I would recommend you purchase the most recent edition of a book entitled, 'Hogwarts, A History.' As its title implies, this great book is all about the rich history of The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and, as such, much of this book concerns Godric Gryffindor. Additionally, your tutors have agreed to meet us for tea, and afterwards we can proceed into Diagon Alley. I have discussed the matter of payment for their tutoring services, and both tutors will only accept three hundred pounds monthly for their services. The remaining four hundred pounds monthly shall be left to the discretion of the Drs. Granger."

"I have a suggestion," Herman said. "My wife and I give Hermione an allowance of up to fifty pounds monthly based on meeting certain standards, including keeping her room neat and orderly, keeping up with her education, and how well she obeys her mother and I. I suggest we do the same with Harry and put the remainder each month into a savings account."

"Could I use some of the money to buy magical things, so Hermione and I can learn more about the magical world?" Harry asked.

"Harry, that is not necessary, because your parents have made arrangements for you to have all the magical learning supplies you and Hermione will ever need," Albus explained. "You have your own personal vault at Gringotts, the magical world's bank, which contains more than enough money to fund your education and provide materials for both you and Hermione. Additionally, when you become of age, which in our world is your seventeenth birthday, you shall inherit your family's entire estate. I am one of a number of executers of this estate, and I am bound by prior agreement with your parents to not tell you any more about your inheritance until your sixteenth birthday."

"Mr. Dumbledore, I don't mean to sound rude, but it just dawned on me that you wear glasses," Hermione commented. "If I may ask, where did you get them, because we think Harry needs a new pair? I was thinking that if you're wearing glasses, then just maybe your glasses are magical and a similar pair might be better for Harry because he's a wizard, too; if even such a thing exists."

"I purchased these spectacles from an Eye-wizard friend of mine, who has a small shop in Diagon Alley," Albus explained. "And, you are quite correct in speculating my glasses are magical and a pair like them would be much better for a wizard such as Harry. While in Diagon Alley, we can stop by my friend's shop and make Harry an appointment. However, for security's sake, it would be best if we made the appointment for Evan Hanson. I see we have arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, where I have reserved a private room for our meeting with your tutors. Drs. Granger, please hold hands with Harry or Hermione and allow us to guide you, as non-magical people cannot see the Leaky Cauldron."

.

Upon entering the private room, Harry and the Grangers saw a young wizard wearing shabby robes with brown hair already flecked with grey, and a large Wizarding family all with fiery red hair. Smiling, Albus said, "Drs. Granger, Harry, and Hermione, please allow me to introduce your tutors Remus Lupin and Molly Weasley. Molly, if you would be so kind, please introduce the remainder of your family to Herman, Ione, and Hermione Granger and Harry James Potter. To others outside of a select group I have chosen to tell this secret, Harry shall be known as Evan Hanson."

"Ooh, it's true, he's really Harry Potter!" squealed the smallest red-head. "Percy, I told you Mum said it really was gonna be him."

"Ginny, calm down, and don't point," Molly scolded. Smiling kindly, she added, "I'm sorry for the bother, but I might as well start with our youngest. Her name is Ginevra, but we call her Ginny; next is my youngest son Ron; followed by our twins, Fred on the left and George on the right; then comes Percy, this September 1 he'll be entering his second year at Hogwarts; next is Charlie, he'll be in his sixth year; followed by our eldest Bill, who in his final year was Head Boy and has already started a curse breaking apprenticeship with Gringotts; and last but not least is my dear husband Arthur."

"All-right, pay up," said the twin on the right. "Didn't I tell you she'd get us mixed up again?"

"Yeah," said the twin on the left. "You'd think by now she'd know I'm George and you're Fred."

"Sorry, Fred and George," Molly replied, as the two youngest children snickered. Seeing this, Molly asked, "All-right, what's so funny, you two?"

"Mum, they're just puttin one over on you," Ginny explained. "When you were snogging Daddy in his office earlier today I heard them sayin they were gonna try and confuse you."

"I wasn't snogging your father," the beat red Molly answered, as Arthur winked and nodded at his two youngest children.

"I daresay we have much to look forward to when Fred and George arrive at Hogwarts next year," Albus commented. "They have the potential to rival even the great Marauders."

"Who were the Marauders?" asked Fred, or was it George.

"I believe I shall leave it as a challenge for you to discover on your own," Albus chuckled. "Now, may we all sit down for a nice spot of tea, while we discuss how Harry and Hermione are to be tutored and make arrangements for the payment of your services."

"Ouch, get it off, get it off," Harry wailed a few minutes later, after Percy's pet rat bit his right hand and refused to let go. Suddenly, as Hermione grabbed Harry's other hand, the rat was hurled violently from Harry's hand, landing at the feet of a very surprised Remus Lupin.

"Albus, I don't believe it," Remus exclaimed, picking up the stunned rat. "This rat's Peter Pettigrew. James, Sirius, and Peter were unregistered Animagi at Hogwarts, and I'd know this rat is Wormtail. Wait a minute; if he's still alive, then Sirius is..."

"Innocent and was wrongly sentenced to Azkaban," Arthur finished. "Remus, are you sure this rat's Pettigrew?"

"No, he's Scabbers, and he's my pet," Percy snapped.

"There is one way to prove it," Albus suggested. "Remus, would you care to help me force him back to his human state, after which I will bind him and prevent him from escaping. I believe this occasion warrants the use of Veritaserum, a well."

"I'd be more than happy to," Remus replied, as he and Albus pointed their wands at the rat. Nodding, the two wizards sent jets of red light into the unconscious rat, and lo and behold he took the form of a short chubby balding wizard with a rat like face.

"Well, hello, Peter, you certainly do look rather well for a dead man," Albus said after binding and reviving the rat/wizard. "I see you are missing your right pinkie. It must have been quite painful for you to cut it off and leave it where Barty Crouch could so conveniently find it."

"Sirius Black cut off my finger when he killed all those muggles," squeaked Pettigrew.

"Peter, my old friend, what would you say if we told you we thought you were lying to us?" Remus asked, smiling.

"I'm telling you the truth," Wormtail squeaked. "Sirius betrayed James, Lily, and Harry, and then tried to kill me to cover up his crime. It was only by luck that I survived."

"He's lying," Hermione declared, as she and Harry stared into Pettigrew's eyes.

"No, you have to believe me I'm telling the truth," Pettigrew begged.

"If you're tellin the truth, then why did you jump at Harry and bite his hand right when Percy showed you to him?" Ginny questioned. "I think Hermione's right, you are lying."

"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings..." Ione commented.

"Ah, yes, I quite concur," agreed Albus. "Matthew 21:16, if I remember correctly. Arthur, Remus, and Bill, if you would be so kind, please hold his head and force open his mouth while I place three drops of Veritserum on his tongue, and he shall be compelled to tell us the truth."

"All right, Peter, who betrayed James, Lily, and Harry to Voldemort?" asked Remus, sticking his wand in Pettigrew's face.

"I did," answered Pettigrew.

"Who was the Potter's secret keeper?" asked Albus.

"I was," Pettigrew replied.

"Why did you did you betray us?" asked Harry.

"I was in love with Lily and wanted her for myself," Pettigrew answered. "My master promised me when I told him where the Potters were hiding that Lily would be my reward, but he betrayed me and killed her, instead."

"YOU MURDERER," Harry shrieked, as his eyes stated to glow. "IT'S ALL YOU FAULT AND I'M GONNA SEND YOU STRAIGHT TO HADES."

"No, Harry, please don't," Hermione pleaded, wrapping her arms around him. "You're better than he is, please let him face justice."

"It's all because of him that Mum and Dad were murdered, and I had to live with..." Harry replied, as he began to sob in Hermione's embrace.

Feeling Harry's angst, Hermione began to sob, as well, and when they had quieted some ten minutes later, Percy said, "Professor Dumbledore, I think they're asleep."

"Herman and Ione, if you don't mind I'll conjure a bed for these two and they can sleep while we talk things over," Albus said, passing his wand over the sleeping pair. "They are now in an enchanted sleep, and should reawaken in about thirty minutes, or so."

"Professor Dumbledore, is there something we can do to help them?" Ginny asked.

"You may help, dear one, by being their friend," Albus explained. "Hermione and Harry are both very new to the magical world, and it would benefit them greatly if you would befriend them."

"I think they need to be locked up," Pettigrew snapped. "That horrid boy wanted to kill me and..."

"Scabbers, the only one that deserves to be locked up is you," Percy snapped.

"He's right, Peter," Remus agreed. "Now, please tell us who blew up that muggle alley, killing all those innocent people."

"Sirius Black did..." Pettigrew answered.

"Wrong answer, traitor," Remus countered, punching Pettigrew in the mouth. "Albus, it appears the Veritserum has worn off, but if you give me the pleasure, I'll get the truth out of the coward."

"Be my guest, Remus, and if I read Molly correctly, I do believe she'd like to help you," Albus mused.

"Yes, I would," Molly admitted. "Before James and Lily were murdered, you said there was a traitor in our midst, and if he's the one, then he betrayed Fabian and Gideon, too. Now, Pettigrew, you worthless pile of dragon dung, who really killed those muggles, framed Sirius, and who the bloody hell betrayed my brothers?"

"It was Sirius..." Pettigrew answered, before Molly let him have it with a ferocious bat-bogey hex.

"It was me, it was me, I was the traitor, please stop, please stop," Pettigrew begged.

"Very well, Peter," Albus said, removing Molly's hex. "Drs. Granger, please sit next to Harry and Hermione. At this time, I am going to place a concealment charm on the four of you, as we take care of incarcerating Peter and getting the release of an innocent man, named Sirius Black. Sirius, by the way, is Harry's godfather and I would very much like to reunite them. My intentions are still for Harry to reside with you, but I believe adding one more person who truly cares for him will only add to the healing process that your daughter so graciously started."

"By all means, Mr. Dumbledore," acknowledged Ione, as she sat rubbing the sleeping children's necks.

"Dumbledore, what's the meaning of summoning me out of a very important meeting I had this afternoon?" asked the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, some ten minutes later.

"Cornelius, we have captured Peter Pettigrew, and he has so graciously confessed to being the Potters' secret keeper, betraying them to Voldemort, and blowing up the muggle alley, killing all those people, all the while framing Sirius Black in the process," Albus explained.

"Dumbledore, you can't be serious," Fudge argued. "Black killed Pettigrew and we had eye witness accounts from scores of muggles that said they saw Black blow up the alley."

"Cornelius, for once in your life, open your eyes," Albus admonished. "This wizard we have right here before your eyes is none other than Peter Pettigrew. It was he that blew up the alley in question, not Sirius Black."

"But, the arresting Aurors said Black laughed and bragged he had killed Pettigrew, as they were taking him away from the crime scene," Fudge debated.

"Cornelius, will you believe Veritserum?" Albus countered.

"No, Dumbledore, this is preposterous, we all know Black is guilty," Fudge alleged.

"Then, Cornelius, I see no other option than to call for a no confidence vote to have you removed from office, this very afternoon," Albus said. "Why are you being so obstinate, that you're willing to keep an innocent man in Azkaban?"

"Oh, all-right, give him the Veritaserum, and let's get on with it," Fudge finally relented. After Pettigrew was questioned one more time under the influence of Veritaserum, Fudge added, "You've gotten your wish, Dumbledore. Black will stand trial in the morning, and I'll take Pettigrew off your hands and lock him in a Ministry holding cell."

"As the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, I am exercising my authority to transport potential witnesses and criminals using my own discretion," Albus retorted. "I will personally see to it, that both Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black are in attendance for this trial, which will commence promptly at six o'clock this evening. Before you arrived I exercised my right to convene the Wizengamot any time I deemed appropriate, and, as we have but a few hours to prepare, I suggest you shake a leg and get cracking. By the way, I have taken the liberty of inviting the press, as well."

"Now, see here, Dumbledore, you can't do this to me," Fudge stated. "I'll be the laughingstock of all Britain before the sun sets this evening."

"Well, you see, Cornelius, I no longer trust you to do what is right on your own and have taken measures to insure that you do," Albus explained. "See you in Courtroom Ten in approximately two and one-half hours and do have a wonderful afternoon and evening."

"Who's that man, and who's Sirius Black?" asked the reawakened Harry, after Fudge had fled the room.

"That man is our current Buffoon of Magic," Remus chuckled. "And, Sirius Black is your godfather and loves and cares for you very much. Hopefully, by the time the sun sets this evening, Sirius and Peter will have traded places."

"My godfather?" questioned Harry. "I didn't even know I had a godfather."

"Harry, Sirius Black was like a brother to your father, and he strutted around like a peacock for days after your parents named him your godfather," Remus explained.

"Does Harry have a godmother, too?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, Hermione, he does," answered Remus. "Her name is Sioux Lakota, and she was a Native American witch who was Lily's best friend at Hogwarts. She was Sirius's fiancée, too."

"Where does Sioux live?" asked Harry. "If she was Mum's best friend and my godfather's fiancée, I really want to meet her."

"After your parents were murdered, and Sirius was sent to Azkaban, Sioux return to the States, and the last I heard she was living Bismarck, North Dakota," Remus explained.

"Harry, I suggest you write Sioux a letter, and I will make sure she gets it," Albus suggested. "As I am your secret keeper, I will have to send her a note telling her our secret, or she will not understand what you write."

"Thank-you, sir, I'd really like that," Harry responded. "Hermione, would you help me write my letter. Living with the monsters, I never learned how to write letters, and bein as you're so smart, I'd like you ta help me."

"Of course, I'll help you, Harry, that's one thing friends do is help each other," Hermione uttered. "By the way, I think you're smart, too. If you let me help you, we can read and learn loads of things together, and I just know you'll know as much as I do before too long."

"I'd like that, thank-you," Harry answered.

"Are you all-right, bloke?" asked Ron. "Blokes like us don't go for all that reading and learning stuff. You need to do fun stuff like Quidditch, Wizard's Chess, Gobstones, and Exploding Snap."

"I think learning stuff with Hermione is gonna be loads of fun," Harry argued

"Ronald Weasley, you'd do well to follow Harry's and Hermione's example," scolded Molly. "I believe I am going to include you, Ginny, Fred, and George in my tutoring sessions for Harry and Hermione."

"Nice goin, Ron," Fred rebuked. "Now we're gonna have to learn stuff, too."

"I'm well chuffed about the whole thing," Ginny chimed in. "I wish we could join em when Remus was teaching em stuff, too."

"Ginny, keep your big mouth closed," George chided. "You keep it up, and it's gonna be like goin to school."

"Arthur and Molly, we have plenty of room in our basement for Harry, Hermione, and all four of your children, and we'd be more than happy to let Remus tutor them, as well," Ione offered.

"If it wouldn't be a bother, I think it would be good for all four of them," Arthur mused.

"Of course not," Herman agreed. "However, there is one thing I'd like to ask in return. I would like Hermione to learn how to play. My wife and I think she spends entirely too much time reading and learning, and we'd really appreciate if Harry and your children would show her how to play. Additionally, when I was in dentistry school I was a member of the Chess Club and would very much like to play chess with young Ron."

"A fair exchange," Albus commented. "Remus and Molly will tutor all six of these youngsters, and the Weasley children will show Harry and Hermione how magical children play. I have long been a proponent of play being an important part of a child's upbringing and hope that Hermione and the Weasley children can help me overcome a portion of Harry's development that I failed to insure that he have. Now, that we've settled our tutoring schedule, I think it's time we ventured into Diagon Alley, as I see a big fan of Harry's has arrived to escort us. For those of you who have not met him, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Rubeus Hagrid."

"Ooh, wow, blimey, oh my, and whoa," came a bevy responses from the children, who'd never before seen the twelve foot tall half-wizard/half-gaint.