Chapter Text
Eight years after graduation:
It was another charity event, this time for additional funding for the primary and secondary school Hermione started.
Heloise’s Primary and Secondary Magical Adject School was started to serve two groups of students.
The first group were children too young to attend Hogwarts and was composed of students from families unable to afford licensed private tutors and muggleborns to introduce them to the magical world earlier than eleven.
At Heloise primary they learned writing and arithmetic, something that muggleborn and muggle raised students outcompeted their classmates on for the first few years of Hogwarts. But they also started to learn the non-magical parts herbology and potions, as well as magical theory and history. This allowed students to start Hogwarts better prepared and able to open their schedule to more extracurricular.
Those who attended Heloise Secondary school were squibs, although Hermione hoped to open it soon to those who suffered from lycanthrope. The secondary school was aimed at preparing students for the muggle world or for non-magical careers in the wizarding world. It was an attempt to keep families together without obliviating the squib child.
They had gotten adult squibs to cover some of the classes, but Hermione thought the most brilliant idea came from Fiona. They had asked some of the muggle parents to become teachers and seminar speakers for career days.
The first sixth months since the school opened had gone amazingly. Their success exceeded expectations and they had more students wanting to attend, which meant expanding the school. Expansion meant money, which meant a charity gala for Hermoine to attend and rub elbows with rich people.
And this charity gala was quickly becoming unmemorable since it was just like every other charity event. And Hermione regretted thinking that thought, because within moments that thought popped into her head. Augustus Rookwood walked into the event.
Hermione had avoided him like the plage after their fight in 6th year. He did try to apologize multiple times during their seventh year, but whenever he tried to talk to her, Hermione silenced him and left the room.
She heard that he had become an unspeakable and spent most of his time in the bowels of the ministry. Augustus never showed up to any event.
Harry slid up next to her, handing her a water. “He’s looking for you.”
“I don’t care.” He was her friend and he threw it all away because of her blood. He broke her heart.
“I think you should hear him out this time. He already told me his discovery and I really think you need to hear this.”
Hermione looked into her friend’s earnest eyes. Harry was the person she trusted the most. As a child, he was often blinded with anger that lead them into trouble, but after the horcrux in his head was destroyed, his emotions mellowed. He always had the biggest heart and made sure that his friends were never suffering even at the expense of himself.
Hermione agreed to meet Augustus on the condition that Antonin had to be present as well as Tristan. It was always good to have a lawyer present so if she hexed Augustus, her lawyer would have all the facts.
“Hermione, Antonin,” His voice was soft, full of agony.
When Hermione broke off her friendship with Augustus, Antonin soon followed. His mother was muggleborn and if their friend could treat Hermione with respect, then he wouldn’t treat Antonin’s mother well.
“Augustus,”
“What do want Rookwood.”
Augustus flinched at the sharpness of her voice. He took a moment to gather the courage to face his biggest regret. “Something never sat right with me after our fight in 6th year.”
“What that you were wrong for once?” She seethed. Antonin put a calming arm around his wife, asking her to hear out their old friend.
“I am truly sorry; I do see the errors of my way. You’re right. Magic did choose you. You are a gift to this world, and I was too blinded by my grief to notice.”
“But if Magic blessed with magic, then the reverse had to be true. Magic did not find my sister worthy, Magic damned her. But that didn’t make sense to me. My sister was kind, always protected me. Heloise was good. So why did Magic damn her? There are other worse people out there-like Grindelwald. Why didn’t Magic damn him?”
“I joined the Department of Mysteries with one goal, to find the origin of squibs.” At this point Augustus started to choke up. “Squibs are a product of rape. Magic will only bless the conceived child if both parents were willing in the conception.”
He showed them his data. It made so much sense. It was purebloods had a high chance of being born a squib than halfbloods. Arranged marriages were common among purebloods and love potions were typical to help produce a child. But something was off. Tom Riddle still had magic, yet his father was under the influence.
It only made sense if the mother was raped, not the father. It’s as if the womb that is pulling the magic away from the baby to protect the mother. And looking at his data, Agustus accounts were only of mothers.
Hermione went to point out Augustus’s oversight but then she looked at his face. It was crestfallen. Hermoine wondered how she forgot of Augustus’s squib sister; she named the school after her.
“Oh, Augustus. I’m so sorry.” Hermione said as she wrapped up her former friend into a hug. “That must have been a shock, I know how much you looked up to him.”
“You found this morning didn’t Auggie?” Antonin said sadly, looking at the date of the latest experiment.
Augustus started to sniffle, and Hermione could feel warm tears soak into the sleeve of her dress.
“They killed my sister because she was a product of rape. They pushed their agenda down my throat. And I let them! I ruined our friendship because I couldn’t think for myself. And you, Magic chosen, found it in the goodness of your heart to honor my sister, even after I accused you of killing her.”
His tears turned into full sobs. Hermione was sure the only reason she heard every word Augustus had said was because he was right next to her ear.
“I ruined everything for horrible people. I’m so sorry Hermione, sorrier than you even know.”
Antonin patted his ex-friends back in a soothing manner. “You cannot change the past, but you can change the future. And you are trying my friend.”
Tristan finally stepped in at this point. “If you publish your findings Augustus, I promise you I will pass a law through that will punish the parent who actions resulted in the production of the squib.”
“Squibs will no longer feel like their condition is their fault. You have done a good thing Auggie.” Hermione pulled away from him, not before handing him an handkerchief. “If Antonin agrees with me, I think we would be open to tea once in a while.”
“Potentially mend this friendship.” Antonin added with a smile.
Augustus looked at them, confusion written across his tear-streaked face. “Why? I was awful to you. I called you names. I thought you were less than human.”
“And there’s the key word, thought. As in past tense. You have changed and I am willing to see if I like the new Augustus.”
Augustus through still heartbroken, held a tiny grin.
11 years after graduation:
Ron was a retired keeper turned coach for the Cuddly Cannons. For the first time in decades, the Cannons were going to the league finals.
Ron was loving his life.
Well, except for the lack of a long-term partner.
Ron dated plenty of people. Most of them were one-night stands, some even progressed to month long flings. But as soon as Ron figured out that they wanted him for his fame, he would kick them out of this bed.
Ron just wanted someone to love him for him.
Don’t get him wrong, Ron knew his friends loved him, but they had their own lives and families to attend to. Harry and Alphard had just adopted Sirus and Regulus after Walburga was sentenced for child abuse. Hermione and Antonin just had their second child.
He would visit his magnitude of friends daily but at the end of the night, he would come home to an empty house.
And Ron was really starting to feel lonely.
He had started to volunteer weekly at the Riddle-Powers Orphanage. He taught the squirts how to fly and play kiddie quidditch. And when it rained, he would teach them wizarding chess or how to devise harmless pranks.
And today was one of those days where the sky darkened, and rain fell in bucketfuls. In Ron’s humble opinion, the best way to enjoy a day like this was to drink hot chocolate in front of the window.
However, when Ron arrived the staff informed him of a dragon pox outbreak and that most of the children were quarantined.
Ron decided to wander around the first level to see if any of the non-quarantined children were out and about.
When he saw no children, he went to the kitchen to make himself a hot chocolate.
He was staring intently at the milk on the stove, waiting for it to boil when a melodic voice filled the ai next to him.
“Don’t worry, those who you lost have a way of returning to you.”
Ron was too shocked to say anything as the little girl who appeared out of no where studied him.
“And in your case, it’ll happen sooner than you know.”
“Luna?” he croaked out.
The girl raised a blonde eyebrow. The eyebrow was darker than Luna’s moonlight hair, but her eyes were just as bright and full of wonder. “Luna? That would be an excellent name for a daughter born under a new moon. I’m Pandora.”
“Pandora Lovegood?”
“Oh, I have no last name. Although Xeno’s has a wonderful aura, full of silvers and violets, perhaps I will become Pandora Lovegood one day. But for now, I think Pandora Weasley, or is it Watson?”
Ron stared flabbergasted at the child that was most definitely his friend’s mother. Luna had to get her ability to read auras through her mother’s bloodline and the ability to see magical creatures from her fathers.
Ron’s brain short circuited when it caught up to what Pandora alluded to. Adoption. By him. As in him adopting Pandora. But he didn’t have a wife to help him take care of her or to answer questions about womanhood.
Unfortunately, Ron said his thoughts out loud. Fortunately, Pandora was wise beyond her years.
“Children of single parents do just as well as their peers raised in a typical family structure. And Mister Weasley, you might feel alone but you are not. When you adopt me, I will be gaining a whole family besides you, including aunts.”
“But you don’t know me!” Ron exclaimed, worried that this child would foist herself on the first willing adopter no matter who they were.
“But I do.” She cocked her head aside as if studying Ron. “Your aura is yellow, with greens and reds mixed in. You’re a good man who’s just lonely, like me.”
Ron was unsure what to do. He’s never been in a situation like this before. He’s pretty sure no one’s been in a situation like this before. What child just offers adoption to a stranger. Maybe a fairytale or fiction book, but not real life.
He was too stuck in his head, that he didn’t notice his milk boiling until he heard the sizzling of milk hitting the flames under the pot. He quickly pulled the pot from the flames and asked Pandora if she wanted dark, milk, or white chocolate for her hot chocolate.
She asked for milk chocolate with a dash of cayenne powder and tiny marshmallows. Ron summoned her additions, even transfiguring the tiny marshmallows into animal shapes. He ushered her to the seats in front of the windows before handing her hot chocolate.
He took a sip of his before saying, “I’m not saying no. But you don’t know me and I want to make sure you actually would like living with me. And that I will be a fit parent. Every child, including you deserves a happy nurturing home.”
The little girl smiled at him brightly. “So you will give me a chance?”
Her voice was so full of hope that no one would be able to say no. “I’ll talk to the directors to see what the adoption process is and if there are any parenting classes for me. But before that tell me more about yourself.”
Ron found out that Pandora was born in Greece. The orphanage said that she was the only survivor from a house fire. When she was five, Britain was calling to her. So she packed up a little knapsack and made her way to Britain. On her journey she met centaurs, rode a unicorn, and nested with griffins during a snowstorm. A kelpie even gave her a ride across the channel. And after a year of traveling the continent, she found herself on the doorstep of Riddle-Powers Orphanage. And six months later, here she was sipping hot chocolate with the man about to adopt her.
Ron did not need seer powers to predict that Pandora would give him heart attacks in the future. He felt like he was already having one just by listening to her story.
The next day, after getting permission from the orphanage directors, Ron picked up Pandora and took her to the birthday party Harry and Alphard were throwing for Regulus.
He apparated them to a small cottage Harry and Alphard had built after gaining custody of Alphard’s nephews. It was smaller than the Burrow, but it was just as full of love.
Ron led them into the house to grab a drink before heading into the garden where the party was in full swing.
Hermione was the first to greet him.
“Hullo Ronald. And may I ask who this young lady is?”
“I’m Pandora, ma’am. Ron’s going to adopt me!”
Pandora’s statement was so full of enthusiasm and hope, that Ron did have it in his heart that he was still considering if he would be a good parent.
Hermione smiled widely, “If that’s true, you can call my Aunt Hermione or Auntie Mione. And this would be your littlest cousin, Dmitry.” She held up the week old baby boy, who was sound asleep. “And if you see a little girl with hair like mine clinging to her papa’s leg, that would be my daughter, Roza.”
“Dmitry’s aura is just like yours Auntie Mione. He’s going to save people.”
Hermione smiled sweetly at Pandora, before ruffling her hair. “As long as he’s happy, then what he does doesn’t matter. Ronald, we’ll talk later. I need to feed little Dmitry. Welcome to the family, Pandora.”
Within seconds of Hermione leaving, her spot was filled by two little boys. Both with black curley hair and grey eyes. One pairs held mischief and the other was filled with reserved excitement. Both looked much healthier then the last time Ron had seen them.
He pulled a small badly wrapped present out of his pocket, before tapping it with his wand and returning it to its correct size. He handed it to Regulus with congratulations on turning another year older.
The young boy thanked Ron, before carefully opening the gift. It was a full paint set for a young budding artist. Ron figured the kid needed a creative outlet after all the shit he had been through.
“I don’t know you yet and I couldn’t get you a present, but Ron let me help wrap it. I’m Pandora by the way.” She thrust her hand out for a shake from the younger boy.
Regulus shook her hand slowly. “Thank you I’m Regulus and this is my brother, Sirus.”
Sirius was bouncing on his feet with excitement. “Are you Uncle Ron’s daughter?”
“I will be soon!”
“I hope you are so much more awesome than our other cousins. Bella is mean and Cissy is boring.”
Regulus looked scandalized by his brother’s words. “Sirus don’t talk about them that way! They’re family.”
Ron got down on both boys’ level. “Regulus is right Sirus, it is rude to talk about someone behind their back. And Regulus remember that family can be mean to each other and you should inform others when they hurt your feelings.”
Both boys solemnly nodded before Regulus asked Pandora if she wanted to play. When Ron gave his permission, she yelled gleefully before the Black Brothers pulled her towards a gaggle of children.
He recognized some of the children in the group and knew Pandora would have the time of her life.
Morag and Siubhan, Rad and Fiona’s seven-year-old twins, were the oldest in the group and loved to wrestle with anyone. The next oldest was Evan Rosier, the same age as Sirus. The four-soon-to-be-five year old and wouldn’t let you forget it was Trixie’s and Paul’s daughter Peggy.
Ron looked for his other friend’s children. Felix Rosier was asleep in his father’s arm, while Tristan listened to a little Lucius Malfoy tell him of the latest Quidditch game he watched. Ron could never meld the future Lucius he knew with the current bundle of energy that was Lucius.
The elder Felix had a kid on the way with his wife that he met through Gergori Krum. Gregori and his brood unfortunately couldn’t make the party. Augustus was just happy being able to play uncle to the Dolohov-Granger kids. And as much pressure Saoirse Malfoy and Mary Riddle put on Tom to get married and pass on his bloodline, he was adamant to remain a bachelor.
Unbeknownst to the two Matriarchs, Tom blood adopted Hermione, Fiona, and Paul into the Gaunt family. Muggleborns did not have family magic that would interfere with the Gaunt and Slytherin magic. And those three were the only muggleborns that Tom trusted not to try to kill him for the title. Also to keep the secrecy, only Tom knew who his heir is.
Ron had money on little Roza Dolohov-Granger. She was the only one besides Harry that would look concerned at Tom when he hissed. Harry had told him once, that Riddle mainly cursed in parseltongue. Hopefully he’ll figure out soon that he needs to clean up his language around Roza before Hermione washes his mouth out with soap for teaching her child a swear word, even accidently.
While he was musing about his friend’s children, Harry appeared next to Ron and handed him a fresh drink. “Is that Luna’s mother?”
“Yup.”
“Does she also say the weirdest yet wisest things?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Can she read auras?”
“Even worse, she knows we are from the future.”
“Tough, mate.”
“More like bloody hell mate. I don’t know how I’m supposed to raise her.”
“So you’re adopting her.”
“I don’t think she’s giving me a choice, mate.”
“She seems like a good kid. I think you’ll do just fine. You were always better with the first years than Hemione. And if she can raise a kid, so can you.”
After that prep talk, Ron was trying to figure out just how had Harry led an army or convinced them to do anything, because that was an awful pep talk.
His disbelief must have shone on his face since Harry added onto his last statement. “You care. You want to be good a parent. That’s half the fight. I’m still figuring out the other half, but I got you and ‘Mione to help me out. Saoirse is always offering advice, same with the rest of our friends. I know you probably wished Molly and Arthur were here to help but you will not be alone on this journey. We would not let you do this by yourself.”
Harry ended his small speech by bear hugging Ron.
“And the lot next to us is for sale!” Harry brightly added.
Ron shook his head, but a small smirk graced his face. “All we need is to get Hermione to buy the lot on the other side of you and we can finally be neighbors. Co-dependency at its finest.”
Harry patted him on the back, “See you finally understand my master plan. Golden trio forever.”
Ron started to laugh so hard that he was in stiches.
A week later, Ron signed Pandora’s adoption papers and brought the piece of land next to Harry.
September 1st, 47 years after graduation:
Harry sighed as he started to grade his student’s essays. Little Hermione, not surprisingly, wrote the longest essay in the stack even compared to the seventh years. It was going to be a long year as the DADA professor with her in the class.
He couldn’t remember a student as dedicated to their studies as Hermione.
His musing of past students was interrupted by a shadow passing over his desk.
“It was you.”
Harry looked up from the essays to see Albus Dumbledore. “Huh?”
“You were the boy raised as a lamb to slaughter! Is that why you came back, to prevent that and everything else you accused me of?”
“Damn, I owe Hermione money. I thought for sure it would be Antonin that would figure it out first. What gave it away?” Harry sad with a goofy grin, unconcerned with this turn for the events.
The future was so far changed from when they left it, that if anyone even tried to get information about the future, it would be useless. And they destroyed the ritual page from the Black Grimoire, no one else would be able to travel back in time.
Dumbledore just looked at Harry dumbfounded. “How did I know? You three are horrible at choosing names and backstories! Two muggleborn Hermiones with super curly hair? A Red head named Ron that has six siblings? You might as well stamped time travelers on your forehead!”
It made sense that Albus figured it out, Albus was still the alchemy Professor at Hogwarts which meant that he saw the first years and it would be the first time that their younger selves were seen together.
“We had more important things on our minds.” Harry said with a shrug.
“Like what?”
“The UK went through two devasting wars. Did you know my class only had 32 students in it? And four of them died by the end of the war.”
“32? That would end up collapsing the school system.” Dumbledore slowly lowered himself into the chair in shock. For the first time in a long time, Dumbledore truly looked old.
“Too be honest Headmaster, that’s only part of the reason we came back. We had to stop the monster that caused both wars. But killing him wouldn’t fixed the underlaying issue of blood purity.” Harry looked at his old headmaster. “For that we had to actually get people to change their minds. And we started with the people who would have power.”
“And you went after Tom.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.
Harry smiled, “He was already building a power base with his charisma and lack of morals. In our time he did become a dark lord. This time, we steered him into a more productive and less dark career path.”
Dumbledore gave him a grandfather look before he started to scold him. “The Minster of Magic still holds a lot of power.”
“And yet look at what he did with it- what we have accomplished. Laws to protect children from abuse, squib rights, standardized education before Hogwarts. We have saved children, professor. And in seven years, Harry Potter is going to graduate. His parents will see him walk that stage. He will never have known what it like to die. Unlike me. In my opinion and Hermione’s checklist, we succeeded.”
“And what are you going to do now?”
“Retire. As much as I love being the DADA professor, it’s odd seeing my younger self. I think I deserve a break after all this time.”