—————A—————

"Why does it sound like a herd of elephants is stomping through your house?" Aurora asked Harry just after seven o'clock, not thirty minutes after Molly sent them up to the library for cake.

Harry frowned, pushing himself off the floor. He crossed the room to the library door and peeked out, then stretched a bit further. He darted quietly out of the room, then swooped back in. "Order meeting," he announced, and the rest of them moved as quietly as they could to snoop with him.

From the banister, they could see people coming in, many still in their cloaks.

"Those're your parents," Draco pointed out quietly. "Why didn't they say anything when they dropped us off earlier?"

"Probably didn't want you guys snooping," George offered as an explanation.

"Which is why we should use this," Fred said, showing them a set of ears connected by a string.

"What are those?" Harry asked quietly, glancing over the rail to see who else was coming in.

"Extendable Ears," George replied. "We can stay up here and listen, even when they think we won't be able to."

The door opened again, and everyone glanced down.

"Professor Dumbledore is here," Luna observed. "I suppose they'll be getting started soon."

"We should wait a bit," Draco said. "If it's a meeting, they'll probably wait for stragglers. It won't work if we drop that thing, then a last-minute arrival sees it and rats us out."

"What do you know, Malfoy?" Ron asked, though there was no heat in his accusation.

Ginny smacked him for being a prat. Draco rolled his eyes.

They had spent a lot of time together the last four weeks. Aunt Cissy had given Draco permission to be at the Snapes as much as he liked, and so was able to go with Aurora to the Weasleys' or the Black/Potter residence. And while Ron still seemed perturbed by Draco's presence, their bickering and animosity had abated. At least, most of the time.

But they weren't normally in Grimmauld Place when there was an Order meeting. It had always been conveniently timed when they were playing Quidditch in the field between the Lovegoods and the Weasleys; Mr. Lovegood supposedly watching over them, though he was far more focused on his magazine than the children. That, or they were encouraged to explore Muggle London, asking Harry and Aurora to teach the others a bit about Muggle life.

The fact that all of them knew that Harry and co. were there was interesting enough as it was, but the fact that they chose to have an Order meeting regardless made them all that much more interested.

After a minute or two of silence, Fred lowered one of the ears over the banister, and all of them fell silent, straining to hear what was being said.

"...followed. I refuse to let him out of the house on his own. Who knows what the Ministry might try to do," Sirius's voice came over the ear.

"Anyone—and I mean anyone —who Fudge thinks might be spying for you, Albus, or even on speaking terms with you, has been threatened. We were told we might as well clean out our desks," Mr. Weasley said.

"The Aurory is only investigating matters concerning Dark wizards in the utmost secrecy. Fudge doesn't believe, but if there was even a slight possibility that something could be related to Death Eater activity—" an unfamiliar female voice explained before she was interrupted.

"Which there won't be," Aurora heard her father say. "The Dark Lord has no interest in revealing himself just yet. Not with Potter in the press, and ultimately because he failed to kill the boy."

"So, what is he after?" Remus asked. "Same as before?"

"Yes. That, and a weapon. He thinks it's at the Ministry; he's asked some people to search for it, and they all have legitimate reasons to be there."

"So, there are Death Eaters in the Ministry?" a formal-sounding man asked.

"Always were, Kingsley," Professor Moody replied, and Aurora really hoped it was the actual Professor Moody.

"And that reminds me," her dad interjected, "you'll have them in the Aurory now, too. He's recruiting, not just those who are not human, but also those who feel underappreciated in society. Except, unlike before, I don't think the people who join him will know what they're getting themselves into."

"Any word on that thing you told us about?" Moody asked. There was silence.

"So, what do we do about the Ministry going after Harry?" Sirius probed.

"Nothing," Dumbledore replied.

They all looked at one another in confusion and betrayal.

"But—"

"But nothing, Sirius. I've been against him living in the wizarding world from the moment he was orphaned, and I continue to believe he should have remained with the Dursleys."

"But why?" Aurora was startled to hear her mother's voice unaltered. "What good is it if Harry knows nothing of what's going on?"

"Because we need not worry him, my dear. We need not make him feel—"

"Bullshit." Aurora slapped a hand over her mouth at her father's vehement outburst.

"I beg your pardon, Severus?" Dumbledore said with a very tight voice.

"I agree with Severus," Sirius interrupted. "He could have gone with his godmother... Okay, fine, he couldn't have, but that's beside the point! There were other wizarding families that could have taken him. Hell, Remus could have. Min could have. So many people in this very room would have gladly taken my boy into their home and you denied that. And fine, make sure the boy doesn't grow up like James, but why, why would you be so convinced, even still, that Harry remain in the dark about all of this? What aren't you telling us?"

There was a long silence, and Aurora could hear her heart pounding as she waited with bated breath.

"A discussion for another time," Dumbledore finally replied. "But there's something else we should discuss: We need a qualified person to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"And I am not qualified?" Aurora heard her father ask in a mocking tone.

"You know precisely why you cannot, Severus."

"What about me?" Sirius asked. "I can keep an eye on Harry."

"I need you elsewhere, Sirius. And Remus."

"I wouldn't want to go back for another round, anyway. I much prefer the scouting missions," Remus admitted, and Aurora noticed the angry flush that came over Harry for a moment.

"What happens if the spot doesn't get filled?" someone asked, the same unknown woman from before.

"The Ministry has passed an act that they will send someone," Dumbledore explained.

"Well then why not let Hermione—"

Sirius Black never finished his sentence. Or he had, but they just never heard. Aurora was quite certain there was a slight buzzing sound, indicating a Muffliato , just before Draco conveniently bumped Ron and caused the oaf to bump the Extendable Ears in just the right way to break the string.

"Great, now we'll never hear what's going on," Ron grumbled.

"Did you lot hear who Sirius was going to suggest?" Fred asked.

"Voice got right muffled, didn't it?" George agreed.

Aurora noticed that the only one who seemed to hear was Harry. But if anything, he just seemed thoughtful, as if it had never occurred to him that there could be more than one Hermione in the world.

"Might as well go finish off the cake." Ginny shrugged.

"That sounds delightful," Luna agreed.

—————H—————

Before Sirius had her name fully formed on his lips, Severus' wand was out and he placed a silencing spell around the room in a blink.

The silence that followed was heavy, most of the Order confused, those in the know uncomfortable. Well, except for Albus, who seemed quite pleased with Sirius' outburst.

"Hermione," Molly laughed. "The only Hermione I know of is Ron and Harry's friend."

"The Hermione Sirius mentioned and Harry's friend are one and the same," Albus informed them with a gleeful glint in his eye. Hermione felt her husband tense beside her, and she rested her hand on his knee beneath the table in an attempt to comfort him. Albus smiled at the table. "If you would reveal yourself, Ms. Granger?"

Hermione almost didn't simply because of how he addressed her, but with a sigh, she waved her hand and her altered appearance melted away. "It's been Mrs. Snape for sixteen years, Albus."

"Her-Hermione?" Molly stuttered and gaped at her, blinking as if she wasn't sure she was seeing properly. Arthur's jaw dropped and Bill Weasley looked utterly flabbergasted.

"Hello, Molly," she greeted with a smile. "I do hope it's okay to still call you that. I would feel quite awkward going back to Mrs. Weasley."

"But... but how? And... you married your student, Severus?"

"When I first met Hermione Granger, she was nearly fifteen, and I was fourteen," Severus corrected.

"You married your professor?" Molly asked Hermione in disbelief.

"I'd like to point out that I'm now nearly thirty-six. If I avoided everyone I knew as a child, I'd be a spinster."

Severus, Sirius, and Remus all snorted at that, and Molly was instantly put out.

"I'm not sure what's going on," Nymphadora Tonks said, looking around at the others. They were all somewhat baffled by the turn of events, which Hermione could understand.

"Hermione, as most of you know, was quite helpful to us during the first war. The reason for that was because of a slight mishap that sent her back in time. Harry was her classmate and fellow Gryffindor until her fourth year."

"And they believe I'm in the States," Hermione reminded Molly, who looked ready to bolt up the stairs to tell them. "The only ones that know who I am are Draco and my daughter."

"And I believe, Miss Lovegood has figured it out," Severus added.

"Wait, just... wait," Molly demanded, hands in the air as if she could hold back the conversation. "Your daughter. You went to school with your own child?"

"Well, I didn't know she was mine at the time." Hermione shrugged. "I certainly hoped she was since about 1975."

"That's... that's just... and you allowed this?" Molly wheeled around to stare Dumbledore down. "You let a student marry her professor and go to school with her child?"

Albus chuckled. "Molly, my dear, I promise you I did everything I could to... make things better without altering the timeline as Hermione knew it."

"This is all well and good, but we still haven't found a solution to our Defense problem," Minerva interjected.

"I say we let the Minister send someone," Alastor said, and at the wild disbelief Minerva flashed his way, he shrugged. "Not like the ones you've hired have been much better than whatever toad Fudge sends. And he might think he's sending a spy, but works both ways, doesn't it? Whatever the toad wants to do or change helps us get insight into Fudge's plan."

"Or we could just hire you again, since you actually didn't teach last year," Minerva suggested.

"I'm jumpier than I used to be," Alastor mumbled. "Might curse a kid or worse."

"So, we agree to let Fudge spy on me, then?" Albus smiled as if it were all a great joke.

Hermione, while liking Alastor's thinking, was not pleased with how easily Albus was going along with this. When no one argued, Albus nodded.

"Moving on to the next order of business: escorting Harry to school. There will need to be at least two of you with him, preferably four, and he shouldn't be seen with the Weasley children, nor the girls," Albus explained, glancing at Molly, then Hermione.

"Can we have your word on that limitation?" Severus asked, quirking his eyebrow. What was he up to?

"Yes, Severus. The Weasley children, Miss Lovegood, and Miss Snape would all draw attention. The former because they are infamously recognizable, and known for their affiliation with Harry, the latter because of the charming article in the Prophet last year."

"Very well, I shall have Draco board with Potter."

Albus tensed, and either ignored or didn't notice the satisfied nod Molly gave.

"Severus, no. You should not risk exposure by going to the Malfoys—"

"There is no need to go to the Manor, Albus; Draco has spent the summer with us," Severus said.

"He's upstairs with Harry as we speak," Sirius added, pointing in the general direction of the children.

There was a tense silence before Albus whispered, "I would like to know why there is a Death Eater's child in the same building we are holding an Order meeting, and no one saw fit to warn me."

"If you would like to get technical," Severus said through his teeth, "there are two children of Death Eaters in this home, possibly three, since I never knew if Orion Black took the Mark or if he was just an avid supporter."

"He'd never blemish his skin," he commented, waving it off.

"There is a difference," Albus said with deceptive calmness.

"Albus, if you spent any time with the boy, you would find he is nothing like his father," Minerva interjected.

"I have to agree," Arthur said. "I was uncertain of Draco at first, but he has shown quite a different character than Lucius."

"We can't be too careful," Albus said cautiously, and Hermione narrowed her eyes as he smiled. "A boy who has strayed from his father usually feels he is not appreciated. If all it takes to earn back Lucius Malfoy's affection is for the young Mr. Malfoy to share some of his knowledge, it would be easy for him to be persuaded."

"Albus, if Snape trusts the boy, then I trust him," Alastor affirmed, and Hermione's lips quirked with appreciation. "We ain't telling Potter anything, so what difference does it make who his friends are? And he's extra protection."

—————A—————

"It was bloody weird," Harry said as the train started pulling away. "I mean, Sirius was with us, of course, and Remus. But there were so many glances and whispers."

"Because there were Aurors?" Ron asked.

"No, because Draco was with me," Harry retorted, frowning a bit.

Draco smirked, flipping through the Daily Prophet in an utterly relaxed position. Aurora suspected he enjoyed it all a bit too much, being seen walking beside Harry. It was the first time the Malfoys hadn't dropped Draco off, though Aunt Cissy had come to dinner the evening before to ensure he had his school things and to wish him well. There was something off about her, but Aurora couldn't put her finger on what.

"Much as Fudge tries," Draco said, stopping at a page near the back, his smirk threatening to become a smile as he tapped his finger at something on the page, "he's not having any luck discrediting you."

"He has nothing to discredit," Harry replied. "Sirius explained that we can't just go shouting about Voldemort being back. The fact that there are people who know, people who can actually do something about it, makes it a bit better. And he said that without an army, without whatever this weapon they're looking for, Voldemort and the Death Eaters are essentially powerless."

"Sirius told you that?" Ginny asked.

Harry shrugged. "Sirius doesn't keep things from me."

"Must be nice," Ron snarked, and Draco glanced his way.

"Your mother still sheltering you, Weasel?" he asked, setting the paper down on his lap. "Snape hasn't been entirely forthcoming with Rory and me, but he deals with information a bit more sensitive than 'don't draw attention to yourself, let Fudge fudge himself.'"

Ron glared at the Slytherin darkly. "She isn't sheltering us. Bet we know more than you do. We're trusted."

"No, you aren't," Aurora cut in, and he turned his dark look to her. "Oh, don't get your robes in a twist. We're kids, you heard what we did, Dumbledore doesn't want us to know anything."

They hadn't been able to fix the Extendable Ears, but Aurora knew that they wouldn't have needed them; Professor Dumbledore had made it very clear he didn't want any of them in the same building for the next Order meeting. He all but shouted it when he was leaving the meeting, the Weasleys, Snapes, Professors Lupin and Moody, and Aunt Min the only ones left by that point.

"That actually really bothers me," Harry admitted, shifting nervously. When he realized everyone was waiting for an explanation, he cleared his throat. "I've been having... dreams."

"No! Really?" Ginny asked, nearly sounding authentic in her amazement. "Dreams? That's amazing, no wonder you're the Chosen One."

Harry shrugged. "Weird dreams. Flashes, feelings. I had them last year, now and again. There was a man, a Muggle man, and I saw Wormtail and the guy that impersonated Moody. Anyway, Voldemort was there, like he was before he was dropped in the cauldron. He killed the man. I told Dumbledore, and he seemed worried but said nothing. But I'm really, really sure that it meant something, considering what happened. Like maybe we have... I dunno, a connection? When Voldemort used my blood, he said he could touch me now. And my scar hurt when he was around. So maybe there's a connection there?"

"Careful, Potter," Draco said, folding the paper and tapping the front page. "You'll end up here if you keep talking like a nutter."

Aurora glanced at the headline, assuming Draco was talking about the front page itself. There was a picture of Gilderoy Lockhart in the Janus Thickey Ward, the truth of what happened to him coming to light as Fudge tried to showcase Dumbledore's incompetence.

Harry rolled his eyes. "My point was, Sirius wanted me to mention it to Dumbledore, but after how he treated the whole thing last year, how he's making such a point to exclude me from something I'm supposedly destined to lead..."

"Perhaps you should do something separate from the Order of the Phoenix?" Draco suggested thoughtfully. "They're going to be there, of course. But in the end, it'll be you who has to deal with ... Snake-face, so why not have those you really want with you?"

Harry seemed thoughtful, leaning back in his seat and appearing to consider it. "Maybe."

—————A—————

"Why wasn't Hagrid there?" Ron asked after they were seated in the carriage.

"Probably still away, doing that thing for Dumbledore," Harry replied.

"Did your dad say if there was a new Defense professor?" Ginny asked Aurora.

She shook her head. "Last I heard, he was still complaining that Fudge hadn't bothered to send a name."

"My guess is the Ministry doesn't want Hogwarts to know who's coming," Draco mused before they all fell silent again.

"I have a bad feeling about this year," Ginny said softly. "With You-Know-Who back, and the Ministry turning against Dumbledore."

"And no Mione round," Ron muttered as he gazed out the window.

Aurora and Draco glanced at one another.

"Weasley," Draco said, leaning forward to look around Harry at the back of Ron's head, "did you love her or something?"

"No!" Ron whipped around, his cheeks turning pink.

"Oh, Weasel was definitely in love with Granger. Or still is."

The thought made Aurora's stomach churn, imagining Ron getting all heart-eyed and dopey around her mother. Not that she didn't think her mum was pretty, and she recalled quite clearly the reaction many had at the ball when she entered on her father's arm. But her sort-of friend having a crush on her mother? She was quite well without that thought, thank you.