The following days are spent with endeavours to distract each other. They’re still jumpy around people, a different continent doesn’t change that, but they are going to make the best of the situation. They Apparate to places all over the outback. Sometimes they march through the terrain, sometimes they sit back against a tree and simply let their thoughts wander. They walk through the tourist parts of Brisbane. It’s not what they came here for but it helps. They’re more relaxed here than in Britain where you never know how many supporters of Voldemort are still out and about.
Hermione considers staying, if her parents choose to live on their new life. Hermione considers staying, even if her parents choose to go back to being Robert and Jean. Maybe this is the right place for them. They can be whoever they want to be here. They’re not The Boy Who Lived and his two best friends here. They’re not the Golden Trio, not the defeaters of the Dark Lord here. They’re just themselves and it’s all they need.
They don’t impose on Hermione’s parents even though they haven’t called back. It’s a difficult choice to make, they all reason. More than two weeks after their visit to the Wilkins’ house they’re surprised when there’s a knock on the door of their hotel room and it’s not room service.
Wendell and Monica made their decision and now they’re standing in the hotel room, pointedly ignoring that there’s only one bed and a cake on the coffee table. They’re ready to tell them. Hermione has to sit down on the bed and it’s Harry who pats her hand when Wendell speaks up and tells her in no uncertain terms that they want to go back to being Robert and Jean.
She jumps up to embrace her parents and nearly crashes into them. It’s the best birthday present Hermione could’ve asked for.
The trio asks them to sit down on the sofa, to ask questions if they have any. They do, of course. They’re not Hermione’s parents for nothing. Questions are asked and answered to the best of everyone’s abilities. And then it’s time.
The spell itself isn’t complicated, it’s simply “Restituo Memoriam”, but it’s the casting that they had to work hard to learn. And of course the power. They hadn’t been able to acquire one of the spell amplifiers the Ministry used for Memory extrication or restoration. They had to do it this way, but The Unspeakable had been sure of their success. All they had to do was cast it together.
Wendell and Monica look a bit ill at ease when Harry, Ron and Hermione begin to start casting. It doesn’t last long and there’s no expression left on their face, only empty eyes, and a minute later they nod off and another minute later they raise their heads and suddenly they’re Robert and Jean again.
Jean is the first to say something. She almost runs over the table in her haste to get to her daughter, to hold her close, to kiss the top of her head. Robert is a bit slower, he’s suspicious of the boys like any other father would be. And then he throws it away and shakes their hands and introduces himself as Robert Granger and then he hugs his daughter and his wife until one of them complains that she can’t breathe.
It takes a long while until they’re all ready to sit down and eat the birthday cake that has been waiting for them. It’s a simple cake, but it means so much more for all of them. It’s reunion and gratitude and freedom and love. It’s the beginning after the end.
The Grangers notice that the story that Hermione had told them before the restoration of their memories was just a survey of everything that had happened. They notice that she’s easily startled by people other than her two friends. They ask them to leave the hotel and come to their house for the remainder of their stay, however long that may be.
Hermione explains that they’re not sure how long they want to stay here, that they’re survivors and need time to cope. The Grangers are fine with that. They’re still not sure if they want to return to their old life. Australia is a nice place after all.
R/Hr/H -- I'm Just A Little Bit Caught In The Middle (3/5)
Hermione considers staying, if her parents choose to live on their new life. Hermione considers staying, even if her parents choose to go back to being Robert and Jean. Maybe this is the right place for them. They can be whoever they want to be here. They’re not The Boy Who Lived and his two best friends here. They’re not the Golden Trio, not the defeaters of the Dark Lord here. They’re just themselves and it’s all they need.
They don’t impose on Hermione’s parents even though they haven’t called back. It’s a difficult choice to make, they all reason. More than two weeks after their visit to the Wilkins’ house they’re surprised when there’s a knock on the door of their hotel room and it’s not room service.
Wendell and Monica made their decision and now they’re standing in the hotel room, pointedly ignoring that there’s only one bed and a cake on the coffee table. They’re ready to tell them. Hermione has to sit down on the bed and it’s Harry who pats her hand when Wendell speaks up and tells her in no uncertain terms that they want to go back to being Robert and Jean.
She jumps up to embrace her parents and nearly crashes into them. It’s the best birthday present Hermione could’ve asked for.
The trio asks them to sit down on the sofa, to ask questions if they have any. They do, of course. They’re not Hermione’s parents for nothing. Questions are asked and answered to the best of everyone’s abilities. And then it’s time.
The spell itself isn’t complicated, it’s simply “Restituo Memoriam”, but it’s the casting that they had to work hard to learn. And of course the power. They hadn’t been able to acquire one of the spell amplifiers the Ministry used for Memory extrication or restoration. They had to do it this way, but The Unspeakable had been sure of their success. All they had to do was cast it together.
Wendell and Monica look a bit ill at ease when Harry, Ron and Hermione begin to start casting. It doesn’t last long and there’s no expression left on their face, only empty eyes, and a minute later they nod off and another minute later they raise their heads and suddenly they’re Robert and Jean again.
Jean is the first to say something. She almost runs over the table in her haste to get to her daughter, to hold her close, to kiss the top of her head. Robert is a bit slower, he’s suspicious of the boys like any other father would be. And then he throws it away and shakes their hands and introduces himself as Robert Granger and then he hugs his daughter and his wife until one of them complains that she can’t breathe.
It takes a long while until they’re all ready to sit down and eat the birthday cake that has been waiting for them. It’s a simple cake, but it means so much more for all of them. It’s reunion and gratitude and freedom and love. It’s the beginning after the end.
The Grangers notice that the story that Hermione had told them before the restoration of their memories was just a survey of everything that had happened. They notice that she’s easily startled by people other than her two friends. They ask them to leave the hotel and come to their house for the remainder of their stay, however long that may be.
Hermione explains that they’re not sure how long they want to stay here, that they’re survivors and need time to cope. The Grangers are fine with that. They’re still not sure if they want to return to their old life. Australia is a nice place after all.