Semper Fidelis

Chapter 3.4

Hermione glanced through the window display and saw her son grasping his new wand. She let out a breath of relief that she had been holding onto since he entered the store. Half of her was happy that he's found a wand, yet half of her was absolutely terrified of what the future has in store. She couldn't help but question herself. Is she doing the right thing? Would it have been easier if she continued to hide him away? Hide herself away? What's going to happen now that his magic has surfaced? All throughout her life, Hermione learned to seek the answers to her questions. That's why she was so drawn to books - she's a naturally inquisitive girl and books always had answers. But now, the answers she's looking for can't be found in any book.

Steeling herself, Hermione grasped the door handle and pushed it open. The two occupants turned to look at her. The one with shining brown eyes quickly ran to her side and gave her a hug around the waist. She heard him exclaim and tell her that he now has a wand. The other occupant behind the desk simply regarded her with warmth. She broke free from his silvery gaze before crouching down to look at James. "Love, I need to speak to Mr. Ollivanders for a second. Why don't you run along and check out the joke shop across the street and we can meet outside in fifteen minutes?" Hermione slipped a galleon into his palm as he nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Yes! Thanks mum! And thank you for helping me find a wand, Mr. Ollivander!" James exclaimed before giving his mother a loud smacking kiss on the cheek and issuing a nod to the older man. With one last wave, he ran outside through the chiming door.

"He's beautiful, Ms. Granger," Hermione heard. She looked back to the desk to see Garrick Ollivander rising from his chair. He walked to the front of the desk and Hermione could not contain herself any longer. She ran to the older man and was enveloped in a tight hug.

Hermione could not have pulled her disappearing act eleven years ago without the help of a couple of friends, one of them being the man in front of her. There was a celebration at Hogwarts the night when she left and all the people who had a hand in The Defeat were present. While everyone else was in the Great Hall listening to a speech by Professor Dumbledore, Garrick Ollivander chose to talk a walk through the castle grounds instead.

Saturday, May 9th 1998, 10:30pm

Nighttime had fallen and the grounds were empty. Ollivander treasured the silence as he walked the path to the lake to watch the stars. As he got nearer to the water, Ollivander could see a figure doubled over by the edge. It was a small and slender figure; her long, curly hair tumbling down her back as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the lake.

Ollivander walked to the figure's direction when he recognized that it was Hermione Granger. He alerted her of his presence by calling out her name before tenderly holding her hair back as her body convulsed once again.

"My dear girl, let's go inside and take you to Madam Pomfrey. You're as sick as a newborn pup and I bet she has the right potion to perk you back up. Do you want me to call Mr. Potter for you?" Ollivander said, running a frail hand up and down her back in a soothing gesture.

Hermione's head whipped up and Ollivander finally noticed her tear-stained face. She pushed his hand away and stumbled, falling onto her backside by the lake's edge. Her body was wracked with sobs as she wrapped her cloak tight around her body. She shook her head furiously. "No! You can't. You can't tell Harry, or Ron, or anybody! No... especially not Harry." She whimpered.

Ollivander was at a loss for word as he watched the broken girl sob on the ground. He'd seen Ms. Granger less than ten times in the past seven years and she had always left a very strong impression on him. In fact, with the events of the past few months in mind, Mr. Ollivander would consider Hermione Granger as one of the toughest, strongest witches the world had ever known. But now, looking at this girl who looked so lost and so broken, Ollivander didn't know what to think.

He crouched down and enveloped her in a hug. The girl meekly returned his action and he felt her body shake as she tried to breathe through the tears. "Ms. Granger... I promise not to tell anybody of this. But dear girl, tell me how I can help you." Ollivander said, almost pleading.

Hermione paused before she raised her head. Tear-stained, tired brown eyes met concerned silver orbs. "Do you really mean that, Mr. Ollivander? You will help me?" Hermione asked in a whisper.

Ollivander looked at the girl in front of him. Her eyes were so inquisitive, so smart, so much more mature than they have the right to be at seventeen and he felt the sheer weight of her question. Meeting her eyes, Ollivander nodded his affirmation. "Yes, Ms. Granger. I will help you."

Hermione considered his response before breaking into a teary smile. "Thank you, Mr. Ollivander."

Garrick Ollivander and one other were made secret keepers of Hermione Jane Granger. He and another trusted witch casted a modified Evanesco charm on Hermione that night by the lake which hid Hermione to all whom she wanted to hide from. Garrick never questioned her reason for this, and it wasn't until three months later when he received an owl from one "Jane Watson" that he started to piece together the reason of her disappearance.

Enclosed in the envelope was a non-moving picture of a baby boy. The baby had a shock full head of dark, black hair and chocolate brown eyes. Its small mouth was curved into a cute, gummy smile, and his arms were outstretched as if reaching for the photographer. The baby was tiny, adorable, and reminded Garrick of two very special people. He looked into the envelope hoping for a letter but found none. Flipping over the picture, he noticed a line of cursive writing on the back.

"Daniel James, August 1st 1998," The writing said. "Thank you for helping me keep my greatest secret safe. - H"

From then on, Garrick Ollivander would receive owls from Jane Watson every Christmas and every August 1st. The owls never had letters; only dated pictures of the growing boy. He had tried to send replies but the owls never failed to fly away immediately after delivering their package. Ollivander barely kept his shock hidden when the same boy he had seen growing up in photographs entered his shop.