Letters and Bequeathed
Five more days and then we are leaving… I hope I get to see you before then, Genesis. She thought as she got up out of her makeshift bed, the Phoenix materia glowed in the darkness of her blanket.
The days went on with her helping out the youngest Weasley with preparations for the wedding.
After going through an interrogation by Molly about why they were not returning to Hogwarts, Hermione took note that Molly never gave jobs out to Harry, Ron and herself as a group, most likely out of fear that they would be discussing battle plans for after the wedding.
Little did Molly know; Hermione already had a battle strategy for after the wedding.
As the days turned to night, Hermione felt a surge of disappointment when, after the first night, Genesis did not appear in her dreams, nor did she travel to his world. Silently she wondered if Other had something to do with it.
The day before the wedding was Harry’s birthday, he had already said that he didn’t want a fuss and Hermione hoped that he would like the present she had bought him.
“Happy birthday, Harry!” she greeted as he came downstairs.
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Hermione didn’t see the Other stood at the other end of the kitchen, stood beside her was another other, this one was called Brother, he was Other’s brother by birth. Whilst Other had been overseeing Hermione’s side of the story, Brother had been overseeing Genesis whilst she was away.
“Are you sure he’s ready for this? He has just been injured.” Brother spoke softly knowing that the chatty Hermione would hear them regardless of where her focus was.
“Yes, I am sure. He could do with a friend outside his little circle to confide in.”
“Very well, sister. I shall remain here, this time. You can go and see Genesis, the last time he thought I was you; he actually threw a fireball at me! I have never had to run so fast in my short life-time!”
Chuckling the herself, Other returned to Gaia, leaving Brother to watch over her Chosen One. “Watch her carefully, Brother, for she is an interesting sight.”
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Genesis was in pain. His shoulder was hurting as though a Chocobo had just decided to kick him. He knew what had caused it, his own jealousy over Sephiroth’s hero status.
As he walked through the corridors towards their shared apartment, Genesis felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, glancing out of the left corner of his eyes and never breaking his stride knowing all too well that the Turks were watching him, Genesis saw that the reason for his unease was Other.
“You will see her soon, Genesis Rhapsodos.” Other spoke softly to him before vanishing once again.
Shaking his head and flinching at the sharp pain that raced through his shoulder, Genesis entered the apartment to find Angeal and Sephiroth already there.
“Sephiroth…” Genesis spoke to get his attention.
“Yes?” The General stood to face him, he was half a head taller that Genesis himself, even so, Genesis kept his eyes on Sephiroth.
Taking in a deep breath, Genesis walked up to Sephiroth and held out his hand. “I apologise for what happened today, I’m afraid I got a little carried away.”
To Genesis’s surprise, Sephiroth smiled and shook his head, placing a gentle hand on what he knew was Genesis’s injured shoulder. “It’s alright; I was as much to blame as you.”
“I think we all are.” Piped up Angeal.
That evening Sephiroth invited Genesis and Angeal to join him for a meal with the second in command of the Turks, Tseng. So dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a grey shirt, Genesis had left his red long-coat at the apartment and instead wore a dark green-fleeced jumper, Genesis joined them at the door.
He was a dear friend to Sephiroth and obviously, by the way he greeted Genesis, he knew about the injury.
“So, any luck on locating her?” Sephiroth asked as Genesis took a sip from his wine glass. For the best part of five weeks, Genesis had not seen hide nor hair of his golden flower. Sephiroth and Angeal had convinced him to go and see Tseng, who had been looking for her in his spare time for the trio.
After what Genesis and Hermione had described to the other two, even Sephiroth and Angeal were concerned for the young witch, though not as much a Genesis.
“I have searched the planet-wide databases that we have on people who have a natural ability to use materia, even searched for the specific materia that Genesis had given her just to try and narrow the field.
However, nothing has come up. I’m inclined to say that either the girl is a very good liar,” this caught Genesis’s attention, “or she was a clone of some sort. I cannot say that she was a figment of Genesis’s imagination because the two of you have seen her twice as well…” Tseng’s eyes wandered to the TV and paled.
“What in the name of Leviathan is that?!” Tseng leapt out of his chair and backed up behind his chair, gun in hand.
What could only be described as a potato with legs as it came running across the room, being chased by...
“Hermione!”
“Stupefy!” the young witch called catching the walking potato with a gleeful laugh. “This’ll teach you for biting Mrs Delacour’s ankle!” the young witch levitated the walking potato and threw out and away to what they guessed was a sunset as the girl shielded her eyes, a frown of confusion suddenly crossed her face.
To the surprise to everyone in the room, Hermione turned to look directly at Tseng. “Who are you?” Her eyes travelled over the still stunned Turk before widening, “oh my god… y-you’re… Ah!” Hermione jolted forward, her usually lightly bushy hair now hanging in wet rat’s tails as she turned and faced her attacker.
“George Weasley you are going to be losing that other ear when I’m through with you! Take that!” Suddenly it was as if the three SOLDIERs and the Turk were in a movie scene, they were all still stood watching a large-scale water fight ensue. None of them moved for fear of startling the people.
“Genesis… was that the girl I’m supposed to be looking for?” Having finally regained his composure, the second in command of the Turks turned to face an equally stunned third in command of the ShinRa army.
Genesis could only nod in reply.
He was the first one to move, he looked around the garden in wonder. “It looks like they’re planning a party of some sort.” He stated motioning for the others to join him, “it’s okay, they can’t see us. WHOA!” Genesis had been stood behind a young girl with dark red hair as another water bomb was thrown in her direction; it had missed her and gone through Genesis.
“Haha thank Gaia that was transparent, otherwise that would have been a good shot!” Genesis stuck out his tongue at Tseng’s remark and went back to searching for his golden flower; there!
“There she is!” he pointed in her direction to see her stood with two more boys, one was a redhead, must be his house, Genesis thought. The other boy had black hair, green eyes and a lightning bolt scar on his forehead.
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As it stood now Hermione, Harry and Ron couldn’t see their transparent guests, the two divine beings saw to that. Other and Brother were watching from a distance.
Genesis watched the trio before him; he wanted to see how close they were to her…
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“Urgh I swear George did that on purpose!” Hermione exclaimed as she ran her wand over her hair drying it instantly.
Her head shot up, however, when she heard someone calling her name, “Genesis?”
Harry and Ron spun round to face her, “is he here”?
“N-no, I just thought I heard him.” She didn’t tell them about the stranger in the black suit, that man was to be in her future… Hermione didn’t want to tell the boys that, otherwise they may have gotten the wrong impression.
The Delacour family had arrived about an hour ago and Fred and George had become bored, so they started throwing water balloons at Harry and Ron who, in turn, threw them back, suffice to say, the Delacour’s didn’t mind one bit.
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The image of the soaked and exhausted group soon faded away and Genesis felt himself torn between wanting to go back to Tseng’s apartment and staying with Hermione…
“Genesis?” he turned to see Sephiroth frowning at him.
“What?” Did he have something on his face?
“You’re… disappearing…” Shocked, Genesis looked at his hand and saw that he was indeed disappearing.
“Whoa!” The ground beneath him vanished and Genesis fell…
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“It is done. Now Genesis will get to see Hermione safely through this war.” Other stated.
“No! Not yet he won’t!” Brother stated suddenly, Other looked at him.
“What do you mean?”
“We still have to wait for his degradation to give him his wing then he can stay with her. Until then Genesis will be back and forth from his world to hers, and Hermione, Harry and Ron will be back and forth from their world to his.” Brother waved his arm towards the trio who were setting plates up.
“I wasn’t planning on letting Harry and Ron go with her…” Other frowned, now this was going to get serious.
“You can’t expect them not to notice her gone once they’ve left, sister. Besides, it will only be three times that Harry and Ron will be able to go and come back, the fourth time they will either stay or leave for good.”
Brother had a good point, but Other just couldn’t shake the feeling that it may hinder Hermione in what Other had planned for her…
Or it could spur her on.
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SPLASH
Hermione, Ron and Harry stilled, as did the rest of the guests, “what was zat?” asked Fleur, everyone had their wands out and pointing in the same direction, they rose higher when someone walked out of the reeds.
“Urgh where the hell am I?” Hermione gasped at the sound of a very familiar voice.
“Genesis?!” Hermione exclaimed, lowering her wand, Hermione dodged the hands that tried to grab her and raced to catch the Crimson Commander as he tripped over a garden gnome.
“Whoa, hello Hermione! Ow, oh no be careful!” Hermione had caught him underneath his left shoulder, he must be injured, she thought her mind suddenly flashed back to what Other had said.
“Hermione?” Genesis stilled; Hermione could feel the unease in his body language.
“Erm…” She looked over at the large table; this is going to be difficult.
“Whoa!” Genesis pushed the two of them to the ground, pulling Hermione close so that he hit the floor before she did as he dodged several stunning spells that were aimed at him but would have hit her as well.
They got back to their feet… or at least Hermione got back onto hers. Genesis fell to his knees with a groan.
Turning Hermione checked him over to see if he had been hit, she saw a slight tear in his coat but other than that, he seemed unharmed.
Once she was certain he was safe she drew her wand on her friends and stood over him.
“What the hell was that for?”
“He’s a stranger, Hermione, one that didn’t set off any of the alarm systems surrounding the house.” Remus stated.
Many of the others had back off from both Remus and Hermione; they were at a standoff, one that Hermione was not going to back off from.
“Yes he’s a stranger, but you wouldn’t believe me if I told you how I know him -"
“Crap!!” exclaimed Fred as he pointed out to a box, one of the garden gnomes had somehow got hold of a match and had proceeded to light up a crate of fireworks, with the fireworks still inside. The crate exploded and sent fireworks and debris flying everywhere, including in Hermione’s direction.
Hermione felt herself fall backwards.
“Genesis!” Hermione looked up to see Genesis with his hand extended, in front of the two of them was a barrier. However, Hermione saw the materia glowing in his arm.
“Barrier materia. Good job I still have my bracer.” He stated as he glared in the direction of the twins.
Not wanting further quarrel, Hermione placed a hand on his arm and looked at him with pleading eyes, “please, don’t be angry with them, they didn’t know it would happen. It wasn’t deliberate.”
His eyes softened and he smiled down at Hermione.
“‘ermione, who eez zis?” Fleur asked, stepping out to calm the atmosphere, “s’il vous plaît, tell us ze truz.” Her face hid the seriousness of her request, it looked like Hermione had no choice.
Looking at Genesis she took a deep breath and pulled out the memory of when she had first seen Genesis, this would be a first for him too. “Where to start? I guess every story has to have a beginning so I’ll start there…” Genesis’s chuckle could be heard behind her as she recollected what she had seen, using the images to help get everyone to understand.
Other than the occasional comment from the table or Genesis, Hermione was able to tell all gathered about the man behind her without interruption.
“It’s hard to believe… and yet here he is stood in our garden…” breathed Molly as, one by one, the wands lowered, Tonks and Remus were the only ones that didn’t lower theirs.
“Just to appease our concerns, Mr Rhapsodos, would you object to a dark magic search?” Tonks, ever the Aura, asked calmly.
Hermione turned back to Genesis who flashed an equally calm smile. “Of course, I have nothing to hide. Whatever you find on me isn’t dark magic and I will gladly explain it.
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Other nodded in satisfaction as she watched over the two.
“Materia should not be able to work in this world.” Brother stated, walking up to his sister’s side.
“What, did you expect me to let them to get hurt? Besides, Genesis wanted to protect her. Don’t worry, though. I’ll tell them the dos and don’ts when they’re alone.”
“I don’t think they will be alone, not after this visit.” The group was now eating, all of them, Tonks and Remus included, had now relaxed around Genesis, it was almost as though the images that Hermione had created in the air had been created in the minds of her audience…
Other frowned, realising what Brother had said.
“What do you mean? What visit?” there was a pop and the two divine beings looked as the now calm group once again became tense.
Only Harry, Ron and Hermione stood up this time, Hermione’s hand was on Genesis’s shoulder.
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Hermione’s heart stopped when Arthur’s Patronus disappeared followed, seconds later, by Arthur and the Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour marching across the grass towards the party.
Leaning down she whispered into Genesis’s ear, “this man runs the Wizarding World, do not speak to him unless you are spoken to, read this, I made it for you a second ago. Just in case something like this happened.” She handed Genesis a piece of paper as Scrimgeour approached.
“I would like a word with you,” he stated to Harry, “as well as Mr Weasley and Miss Granger.”
“Why us as well?” Ron sounded as surprised as Hermione felt.
Genesis’s hand found hers. “You’re gripping my bad shoulder.” He murmured, instantly Hermione removed her hand and followed Ron and Harry into the house.
“Keep an eye on him you two,” she whispered to the twins as she passed entering the house where Scrimgeour sat on a nearby stool. The trio sat on the sofa.
“I have some questions to ask you all, I think it would be best to do it individually, if you two,” he pointed at Harry and Hermione, “could wait upstairs, I’ll start with Mr Weasley.”
“No,” Hermione nodded in agreement with Harry. “You speak to all three of us or not at all.”
Scrimgeour gave Harry a look that Hermione didn’t see, her eyes, instead, had found reflected in the glass face of the old grandfather clock Genesis stood next to Hagrid, talking to him, but Hermione could see his eyes flicker every now and then to his own reflection to look at her.
It turned out that their late Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, had left something in his will to all three of them.
Hermione and Scrimgeour got into a slightly heated discussion over the Ministry before she listened to Scrimgeour questioned each of them in turn before handing them their items. Ron’s was Dumbledore’s Deluminator; Hermione’s was a book of Wizarding children’s stories; The Tales of Beedle the Bard and Harry’s was the Golden Snitch that he had caught in their first year of Hogwarts.
When Scrimgeour began questioning Harry about the Snitch Hermione began to lose her patience with him and made her anger known to the Minister.
“The fact that his birthday cake is in the shape of a Golden Snitch has nothing to do with Harry being an excellent Seeker, there must be a message hidden in the icing!” her eyes took note of Genesis chuckling about something and waving his hand at Hagrid to indicate it was nothing, could he hear them?
Scrimgeour and Hermione glared at one another before continuing. “There is no message hidden in the icing, but a Snitch is a very good hiding place for a small object.”
When Scrimgeour handed the Snitch over to Harry, nothing happened. “That was dramatic.” Harry stated, Hermione and Ron laughed.
“That’s all then, is it?” she asked, about to prise herself from the sofa that she was jammed into with Harry and Ron.
Scrimgeour looked bad-tempered now. “No, Miss Granger, not quite. Dumbledore left a second bequest to Mr Potter.”
This turned out to be the sword of Godric Gryffindor. “So where is it?” he asked.
This again caused more argument between the trio and Scrimgeour. “According to reliable historical sources, the sword may present itself to any worthy Gryffindor. That does not make it the exclusive property of Harry Potter. Now why do you think -?”
“Dumbledore wanted to give me the sword? Dunno. Maybe he thought it would look nice on my wall.”
“This is not a joke, Potter!” Growled Scrimgeour. Hermione felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, her hand unconsciously wrapped around the Phoenix materia, she did not see Genesis, who was having quite an intellectual conversation with Charlie about dragons, stiffen no sooner had her hand come into contact with it.
“Was it because Dumbledore believed that only the sword of Godric Gryffindor could defeat the Heir of Slytherin? Did he wish to give you that sword, Potter, because he believed, as do many, that you are the one destined to destroy He Who Must Not Be Named?”
Hermione felt sick with anger, Ron shifted nervously on his side of the sofa and Harry hummed sarcastically in thought. “Interesting theory. Has anyone ever tried sticking a sword into Voldemort? Maybe the Ministry should put some people on to that, instead of wasting their time stripping down Deluminators, or covering up breakouts from Azkaban. So, is this what you’ve been doing, Minister, shut up in your office, trying to break open a Snitch?
People are dying, Hermione, Ron and I were nearly three of them, Mad-Eye Moody was one of them, Voldemort chased me over three counties but there has been no word about any of that from the Ministry, has there?” Harry let out a dark laugh, “and you expect us to trust you!”
“You go too far!” Shouted Scrimgeour, he and Harry jumped to their feet, Scrimgeour’s wand it touched Harry’s chest and singed a hole into Harry’s t-shirt like a cigarette.
“Oi!” Ron and Hermione were on their feet, their own wands pointing at Scrimgeour, Harry called them off, but Hermione’s anger was now getting the better of her, things had started to float behind the Minister, only Harry and Ron could see it, but she could no longer hear the conversations outside.
“It’s time you three learned some respect!” snapped Scrimgeour.
“No, Minister, it’s time you earned it!” Hermione snapped, startling the three men, her wand flared and so did the materia around her neck.
“Calm yourself, Hermione.” The inhabitants of the room turned to see Genesis stood leaning against the doorframe. His eyes flashing dangerously at Scrimgeour as he pushed himself off the doorframe to stand next to Hermione, his hand on the other shoulder as Harry had his hand on one as well, Ron was stood directly behind Hermione, she could feel him holding onto her t-shirt.
“Miss Granger…”
“I think it’s high time you left, you have succeeded in upsetting these three and it happens to be Harry’s birthday. You have out-stayed your welcome, Minister.” Genesis’s voice sent a noticeable shiver through the spines of the three wizards and the witch; he had taken many lessons from Sephiroth, one of which was how to intimidate people with only your voice.
“Very well,” Scrimgeour recovered fast, and held out an envelope to Hermione, only to have it snatched out of his hand by Ron. So, they are protective of her, thought Genesis as Scrimgeour just walked out of the room.
“He’s gone,” came Molly’s voice. Ron handed Hermione the envelope, and followed Harry and his mother outside.
Without saying anything, Hermione gave Genesis’s hand a squeeze and led him back outside as she opened the envelope.
She read the letter as she approached the table coming to a stop just as she reached the head of the table. “No…” she breathed, clutching the parchment tighter a few tears slipped from her eyes and something went bang.
“Hermione?” Harry and Ron were beside her seconds before she began to sob openly.
“Whoa! Bloody hell what’s the matter?” she fell into Harry and Ron’s arms and sobbed harder, not saying a word.
The letter had fallen from her hand and Genesis, who had fallen with Hermione, picked it up to read it aloud.
“Miss Hermione Granger, we hope this letter finds you well.” Genesis frowned, “as you made a personal visit to the Ministry of Magic on the eve of the 26th of July to ask us about a protection detail for your Muggle parents April and Keith Granger we have written to you personally.
Upon your explanation for extra protection after your memory alterations you asked for ‘the next best Auras you have as the best will no doubt be too busy to protect common Muggles’, the Ministry obliged to protect the now renamed Wendell and Monica Wilkins with the use of the next best Auras available.
It is with the greatest sadness, however, that we inform you of the deaths of Wendell and Monica Wilkins, previously known as April and Keith Granger. Our sincerest condolences on the loss of your family, Rufus Scrimgeour, Minister for Magic… oh Gaia!” Genesis sucked in a deep breath when his stomach dropped in sadness as he read the letter.
“Oh Hermione, I’m sorry.” Ron said as the two boys pulled the crying witch closer to them.
“Arthur, the Fire Whisky. It’ll help…” Molly breathed.
A cold wind blew through the garden causing Hermione to shiver, she jumped when something was placed over her shoulders, it was Genesis’s coat. “Come on, up we get.” He held out his hand to her and pulled her to her feet, before they ate a quick meal and the guests disappeared one by one, but everyone present knew Hermione only answered questions that were asked to her automatically.