Forever Knight [Harmione]

Chapter 31: Mole

The Order of the Phoenix, once their worse wounds were properly treated, at least to first aid, immediately took themselves and the Death Eaters straight to the Ministry for processing.  Gryffindor’s staff was taken by Remus, and he was tasked to spirit it away to the Department of Mysteries where the Strigoi chamber was kept.  

Harry and his party stayed a bit to talk to Viktor a final time before he and his children were sent off to their new, anonymous life the following day. 

Unspeakables from the Ministry arrived to administer to Viktor’s affairs.  There were quite a few things to settle in terms of Viktor’s properties, and once Viktor had the papers signed, they would all be forwarded to Gringotts until such time as he decided to return from exile.  The rest of the matters concerning Viktor’s new identity and home, though the necessary documentation had to be initially processed by the Ministry, could only be completed by Viktor and his secret keeper. 

Harry was surprised when Viktor told them that he already chose a secret keeper, and that this person was someone he trusted unconditionally.  That Hermione couldn’t hide her own surprise was testament to the fact that she wasn’t Viktor’s secret keeper.

With that, they said their goodbyes to Viktor and his kids. 

Jaroslav and Todor sat seat-belted in their strollers, blinking wide-eyed at the strange people while their cousins, Stefanya and Gavril, fussed over them.  Stefanya and Gavril were still unaware of their parents’ plight and it would be Viktor’s burden to make them understand.  Perhaps that was what the small wrinkle on his forehead was for. 

Hermione crouched down to the babies’ eye level to examine them. The boys stared at her, their hands reaching out curiously for her hair. 

“Mai!” gurgled Jaroslav.  “Mai!”

For a moment, Harry thought he was calling her by her name, but Hermione later explained to Harry that it was toddler Bulgarian for Mayka, which meant mother. 

Hermione’s eyebrow arched at Jaroslav’s burble and she looked up at Viktor, smirking.  “Your children need a mother, Viktor.  You ought to get them one.”

He smirked back.  “Even Jaroslav knows that was the plan from the beginning.”

Harry just pretended he didn’t understand that last bit. 

Lucien and Solomon looked everywhere but at Harry. 

Ron was not so tactful, wincing openly and nudging him with an elbow. Harry shot Ron an annoyed glare. 

Hermione took it better than the rest of them.  She stood, planted her hands on her hips and cocked her gaze.  “Plans change, da?”

He smiled wanly, the tender look in his eyes escaping no one, right before he wiped his eyes expressionless. “Da.”

Seemingly satisfied with that, she nodded.  “We have to go.  Lots of things to do in London.”  She looked over her shoulder at Harry.

Harry found that he could stifle his feelings of irritation for Viktor Krum as he stepped forward and shook Viktor’s hand, giving his goodbyes and sincere well-wishes.     

Ron did the same, offering his left hand.  His right one was still in a sling, though the potion he’d been given earlier was already beginning to heal it. 

Solomon and Lucien, having mostly rid themselves of blood, looked extensively patched and bandaged, but they gave their goodbyes in the enthusiastic manner they did most things. 

“I’ll miss mooching off of you, Krum,” said Solomon.  “I think maybe those were the most comfortable six months of my life, living here.  I’ll never forget that.”