Wafty Smells

A story close to my heart. Sometimes Addicus and I would imagine silly situations that our family would find in years to come. Wafty Smells came from one such conversation about poor friends of our kids who were in for fun torture as they learned the super silly intricacies of our family. It was also written in a time when Poppa was immortal. Reading it now, that Poppa has passed through the gates of Valhalla, is hard. To know there are some things our kids and their friends will never get to experience now that Poppa is gone.

So we will read of what could have been, and I'm sure eventually we'll sprinkle in stories about what was. Through both, maybe our kids can feel closer to Poppa, until we're all together again.

Wafty Smells
For Poppa and Vicky

“Max! Come on! We’re going to be late for wafty smells if you don’t hurry.” hollered Icky from the bottom of the stairs. Icky (short for Icarus) was here to pick up Max. They were spending the weekend at Poppa and Vicky’s house, they’re Icky’s grandparents.

“I’m coming. Ya know! You could come help!” Max yelled down to Icky. So Icky ran up the stairs to help his friend. “What,” asked Max, “are wafty smells?”

“You. Will. See.” was the reply. Just the same answer Max had gotten all week, when he asked about wafty smells.

On the first day that Icky told Max that he was going with them to Poppa and Vicky’s, he said, “It’s the best there, there’s a huge trampoline that we’ll both fit on, a couple of dogs to play with and a whole room full of neat old toys and cool videos of cartoons that aren’t on TV anymore and Poppa will put them on in the morning while we eat cereal. But the best thing,” Icky continued, “is the wafty smells.” Icky gazed off into the sky, thinking about wafty smells. Max didn’t know what they were so he asked. That’s when this nonsense began. Max tried all day, but Icky always said the same thing. By the end of the day, Max was tired of “You’ll see” and tired of Icky. Max got home that day and started to tell his mom and dad why he was so mad at Icky. When he got to the wafty smells part, they exclaimed,

“We forgot about wafty smells!” Max looked at his parents,

“You know what wafty smells are?”

“Sure!” they replied. They told Max that they used to go to Poppa and Vicky’s and loved the wafty smells the best. Max was very excited! Finally someone would tell him what wafty smells were, so he asked.

“Mom, Dad, what are wafty smells?” And do you know what they said?

“You’ll see.” Max got so mad, he threw his hands in the air and announced,

“Well! I’m not going!” and went to his room. But everyone knew that wasn’t true. Max was mad, yes, but he was more curious about wafty smells and wanted to know why they were so great.

Icky came back down the stairs with a sleeping bag under his arm and Max right behind him. Max had two back packs on. One on his back and one on his front.

“Max, we’re only going for two days. What’s in all the bags?” asked Ickys’ Dad.

“Well, this one,” Max answered, pointing to the bag hanging in front of him, “is my clothes and toothbrush and clean socks. And this one,” he continued, turning a little so they could see the bag on his back, “is full of comic books for us to read in the trampoline tent.” Icky looked at Max and then to his Dad.

“Oh, yeah, Dad, can me and Max sleep in the trampoline tent?”

“That’s not up to me, that’s up to Poppa.” his Dad said. Icky leaned back and whispered to Max, “Then we’re definitely in.”

The car ride is long to Poppa and Vicky’s but that’s okay because they’re not in a hurry so they stopped whenever they wanted. First Ickys’ Dad had too much coffee and had to stop. Max and Icky got out to stretch while they waited. It had been raining and the moment they opened the door the smell of wet desert rushed in and everyone took a deep breath.

“Is that a wafty smell?” Max asked.

“The rain? No. But it is a pretty great smell.” replied Ickys’ mom.

“Hey rain-smellers! Let’s head out.” called his Dad as he came back from the restroom, “It’s good you stayed to smell the rain, because that bathroom was not pleasant.”

“That’s not a wafty smell, is it?” asked Max. Icky’s Dad laughed and said no. Max was relieved. After a while more of driving, Quinn, Icky’s dog was whining at the window. That only meant one thing,

“Quinn needs a potty break.” Icky told his parents. They stopped at the next rest stop and Max and Icky walked Quinn around a little bit.

“Oooo. Roses!” Hollered Icky. So they walked over to see the roses.

“They smell like heaven.” Ickys’ mom commented. Max and Icky bent to smell the roses. They did smell extra sweet.

“Is this a wafty smell?” Max asked with his nose still buried in the beautiful blooms. Icky looked at his mother, who said,

“Max, if you have to ask… then it’s probably not a wafty smell.” Max stared at her. He was very confused. Quinn pulled at her leash and Icky walked away. Ickys’ mom walked with Max and said,

“Max, don’t sweat it. When you smell a wafty smell, you’ll know.... You’ll just know.” She patted Max on the shoulder and called Quinn to the car. Quinn came running with Icky holding tight to her leash and running behind her to keep up.

They drove the rest of the way without stopping. Just before the tunnel though, they smelled something. It was sort of sweet, and sort of tasty, and sort of scary, all at the same time. As they drove through the tunnel, Ickys’ Dad honked the horn two times. Max asked Icky why his dad honked.

“For safe passage through the tunnel.” he answered. When they came out of the tunnel, it was obvious where the sweet smell was coming from.

“Looks like a control burn, guys.” said Ickys’ dad.

“What’s that, Dad?” Icky asked.

“It’s when they burn the plants and shrubs so the soil can start over and be fresh again. And so that it’s less likely to catch fire during the dry season.” he answered.

“Hey!” Icky yelled, “We passed the tunnel. We’re in Bisbee! Just a few more minutes to Papa and Vicky’s.” Max thought about asking if a control burn was a wafty smell but remembered what Ickys’ mom had said and decided that it’s probably wasn’t.

Only a few more minutes of driving and everyone started shouting ‘we’re here, we’re here!’ so Max shouted too. They unpacked the car and walked into the yard. Max had his back and front packs on, which made reaching the latch on the gate a bit hard.

“You must be Max!” shouted a voice from the front door, “Let me help you.” A not so tall mexican woman with dark brown hair came to the gate and opened it for him.

“We’re so glad you could join us this weekend, Max. I’m Vicky, Ickys’ grandmother. Icky, take Max to the bedroom and drop off your stuff, then you’d better head to the library. Poppa’s waiting.” Icky leaned over to Max and said,

“Poppa always tapes wrestling so we can watch it together.” Max smiled. As they stepped into the house Max took a breath so long and deep that he had to stop walking, when... **wham**.

“Oh, Max, are you alright hon?” Ickys’ mom had run right into him. Max turned to her and said “I don’t smell anything…” Ickys’ mom looked at him for a moment,

“Oh! You’re sniffing for wafty smells? You’ll see.” Max and Icky ran upstairs and threw their bags in the room. Then they almost tumbled back downstairs in their rush to get to Poppa. Icky stopped so suddenly at the bottom of the stairs that Max bumped right into him and they both went thump into the library door. The door was painted with a tree and people’s handprints were the leaves. “There’s mine.” Icky said and he pointed to a small hand marked ‘Icarus Rex’. Icky opened the door and ran and jumped onto someone's lap.

“Max, this is Poppa.” Icky said.

“Nice to meet you.” Max said softly as he shut the door behind him.

“Nice to meet you too, Max. Do you like wrestling?” Max and Icky shouted their agreement and Poppa turned on the T.V.

They had just settled in to watch a match between their favorite good guy and their favorite bad guy, when suddenly, just as Kevin Nash had Goldberg pinned to the floor… Max wifted something. He couldn’t be sure so he sniffed again.

“Wafty! Smells!” yelled Max as he jumped off the couch and headed for the door. Icky started laughing and ran to follow him. Max opened the door and all three of them took a very deep breath. Max followed the smell down the hall, through the living room, around the corner and into the kitchen. Vicky was standing over a large steaming pot. She looked up at Max and Icky as they slid around the corner. She smiled as Max took another deep breath,

“Wafty smells.” he proclaimed.

“Mexican Feet” Vicky said.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” asked Max, sure that he had heard wrong. Icky leaned over and spoke slowly,

“She said ‘Mexican Feast’ Max”

“Ohhhh!” Max exclaimed, That makes more sense.”

“What did you think I said?” asked Vicky. Max lowered his head, a little embarrassed,

“I thought you said ‘Mexican Feet’” Vicky laughed so hard that Poppa came to see if she was ok. Icky explained to Poppa what Vicky was laughing at and Poppa started too.

After setting the table and helping to get everyone’s drinks (that was Icky’s job, so Max helped), Poppa announced,

“Okay, everyone. Mexican Feet is ready!”

It was a delicious meal and Max had SO much fun with Ickys’ family, and SO much fun with Icky, his best friend.

Now every time someone asks Max what wafty smells are, he answers, ‘Mexican Feet’ and he and Icky laugh till their stomachs hurt.

ING

!jen

Fan Fiction?? Didn't see that coming...

I'm a writer... in the loosest sense of the word. 

I wrote children's stories for and about my preschoolers before I had my own kids. Then I wrote stories about my own kids, real and imaginary adventures. At some point I started writing a novel... it's still in "progress" because no publishing house has randomly entered my life/house and demanded to read it, thereby falling in love with it and shoving money at me to finish it. So I let it stew. It's seems like the legit writer thing to do. 

I've been in a few different writing groups. Where we get together and discuss writing, edit each others work, celebrate publishes and rejections alike and generally support one another. It was in the most recent group that one over zealous friend gave us an assignment... Like a serious story starter and challenged us to write it. Challenge? Uh. Yes! Accepted. 

Her challenge was simply: Found a Key

The following is what I wrote. I've NEVER done Fan Fiction. Never would have thought I wanted to. Honestly have not been inspired to write any other fan fiction since this... but here it is. 

For better or worse. No agenda. With no plans or hopes of being seen by Rowling and taken to epic book and/or movie proportions ;) Just a little writing I did. It may not even make sense. And if you comment as such, I promise not to unfriend you, as I honestly don't care what you think of it. I wrote it for fun. I wrote it straight from my heart and my imagination. And those sometimes defy reason and logic and fact checking. ;) So, read it, or not. Enjoy it, or not. I'm just putting it out there because I need to start getting my writing off my desk and into the world and the sharing had to start somewhere.

Hermione drug her slow feet, sliding the dead leaves out of her path to allow her eyes to search the ground. Her back is too frail these days to bend down and search with her hands as she had when she started. Now it goes, slide left foot in a circle, slide right foot in a circle, repeat. This morning is foggy, which means her daily search will be slower for the next few weeks. Until Rose and Hugo come home for the holidays. Rose searches with her mom every chance she gets, since before she and Scorpius were even married. Now Scorpius and their daughter, Lilith search alongside them.

    Hermione's eyes wander about the ground by her feet and catches a glimpse of something shining. She labors down to the ground and lifts the thing up for inspection. A key? She has found a key. Her heart stops beating, her breath shoots from her body and her mind goes dizzy with excitement, only for a second. There's no way she’s actually found it. She's been methodically wandering in these woods for so many years, she had honestly given up on finding it. It was such a long shot. She has been leaving Ron, sleeping in the early morning hours for so many years, it was just a habit now. The key to Hogwarts, lost just when they thought their kids were safe to learn magic for years to come. But it couldn't be! After all this time? Could she really be holding The Key?

    She dropped the key into her winter coat pocket and finished her day’s path, out of habit and out of disbelief. Tomorrow she would continue searching with no lost ground. The next few days held Hermione in a foggy haze, like the day she found the key had somehow set up camp in her brain. She pondered how to find out if the key she found was The Key. Head back to Beauxbatons? Look back through the books she almost memorized? In the first months and years after she found the legend, Hermione made so many trips to that library. Claiming she was researching one topic or another so no one would get wise. Although, honestly? She could have made no excuses and no one would have thought it strange; Hermione, spending every free moment in the library. The only one more likely to do so was Rose. She surpassed the achievements of both her parents and every Weasley in recorded history in her few short years at Hogwarts. There was nothing that Rose didn't excel at. Hermione realized during her nursery years that when they did magic together, it was always more powerful and she knew it was because of Rose. By the time Rose made it to Hogwarts she was the best student out of the entire family. It made Albus frustrated sometimes because back then, Rose liked to rub it in his face. But it was Rose he went to first, anytime there was a question to be answered. It was Albus who had introduced Rose to Scorpius. They were partners on a potions project and enlisted Rose as their ‘ace in the hole’. Scorpius still calls her Ace when he's feeling especially grateful, or loving, or… all the time actually. Hermione hadn't noticed until now, how frequently he used the pet name. She used to wish Ron would do things like that, but Ron was pretty straight forward. He wanted things to be the way they were supposed to be. She remembered back to when they camped in these woods, constantly running from Death Eater search parties, before the Dark Lord was vanquished. Ron had been a real prat then, but it was when she realized how much she really loved him. These very woods, where the key would be discovered. If only they had known this legend too. Maybe they could have prevented losing Hogwarts before it ever happened. Rose and Hugo could have graduated instead of watching Hogwarts disappear, one room at a time. Like it was packing up for a long journey that no one was invited on. Instead of taking tests and playing quidditch, Rose and Hugo spent their days wondering if their next classroom would still be there. It started with rooms that very few people noticed, like the Room of Requirement and then some of the restricted wings. Then the first fall that Hugo attended Hogwarts, they lost the Quidditch pitch. Hugo never got to see or play a game at Hogwarts. That’s the year they finally started preparing to officially close the school.Then during the summer after Rose and Scorpius’s 6th year, Hogwarts was completely lost. Lilith never even came close to being able to attend. Lilith was the hardest for Hermione to watch. She watched her granddaughter spend every hour since she could read and thus research, trying to figure out how to bring Hogwarts back. She greatly wanted that letter of acceptance next year. Knowing it would not come for her was a reality that Hermione could not bear. So she searched, with the key in her pocket, a few more weeks until Rose, Scorpius and Lilith came home.

Hermione wasted no time. The first morning when Rose and Scorpio met her at the gate to search the woods, she pulled out the key. She told them about finding it a few weeks back and not knowing what to do next. Scorpius suggested visiting Hogwarts… or rather the grounds that used to be home to the ancient school, maybe something would…. happen. That was the best he had... it was the best anyone had. No one told Lilith about it. They didn’t want to get her hopes up too high. So they spent a few more days searching the woods and brainstorming more ideas for the key. Hermione and Rose tried a few spells, to reveal the keys lock, to divine it’s purpose, to link it to prophecy or legend…. all coming up empty handed. So they arranged the portkey to Hogwarts grounds. Hermione packed her beaded bag, still enchanted with the “undetectable extension charm”, with the necessities they needed and a few extra tools, they told Ron they were going into town and headed out.

They walked through the woods until they came to a small pond, where they saw a bike tire half buried on the bank. They each walked up to it and placed their hand on the rim, just as Hermione felt the familiar feeling of being tugged into the air, she also felt an extra person squeeze in beside her. They flew off the rim and onto the cold damp ground and all 3 stood over a dazed and confused Lilith.

“What are you doing here!” exclaimed all three at once. Lilith smiled nervously and sat up slowly.

“I know you found the Key, I want to help.” None of them could argue, Hermione had done SO much in her youth to fight for Hogwarts, Rose and Scorpius had continued the fight when Hogwarts started packing up and now Lilith was following their lead. Doing what she knew was right; to fight for the future of magic. Scorpius leaned over and offered her a hand. They all walked toward the grounds and what should be the giant bridge into Hogwarts.

“What now?” asked Scorpius.

“This was your idea, you tell us.” Rose retorted. Hermione started,

“Well, I guess we start by checking the perimeter, just in case…” but she didn’t finish. Lilith had started walking off, so they followed her.

“Lil.” called Scorpius, “What is it?” She didn’t answer. They walked around the grounds until they saw the Whomping Willow.

“Are you mental? I’m not heading into that things range.” Scorpius scoffed. The tree is the only part of the school that remains. There have been many theories as to why or how, but no one knows for sure what it means that the tree still stands. Some even say it’s bewitched to guard the grounds until Hogwarts returns. Lilith lead them as close as a person can get without being pelted by a knobby branch. The tree didn’t move. She stepped closer, Hermione gave a small gasp. Nothing moved. A wind picked up from behind them and swept them right under the tree and into its’ trunk. Still no movement from the branches. Rose spread her hands out into the air to quiet the group after being shoved into the tree. She heard a noise, coming from inside the trunk. But that passage was lost. It disappeared from the Marauders Map a few years before the Quidditch pitch. They all stared at the knot in the tree trunk where the hole used to be. Footsteps. They split and curved around the tree to the backside, as silently as possible, waiting with their breath held tight in their throats. A figure poked it’s head out of the tree’s trunk and looked around a bit. Long, white blonde hair, fluttered in the breeze.

“Luna?!?” exclaimed Hermione.

Luna Lovegood, well it was Scamander now, turned slowly to meet Hermione’s gaze.

“Hermione, How lovely to see you. Won’t you come in?” Rose and Scorpius exchanged looks with Hermione as Lilith took the lead and followed Luna. Just like Kings’ Cross station, they walked straight into the bark of the tree trunk and found themselves inside the tree. Following the narrow path they emerged in the Shrieking Shack. Luna and Lilith stepped into the living room,

“Tea?” asked Luna.

“Yes, please” replied Lilith.

“Wait a minute!” hollered Scorpius. Luna and Lilith whirled around to see the other three staring in disbelief.

“Dad, what’s wrong?” asked Lilith.

“What is going on? Luna, why are you here? Does no one else think it’s weird? What’s happened to the shack? Why is it so clean? Lilith! Why are you acting like this is normal?” Scorpius finished, out of breath and red faced. Lilith took stock of her parents faces, stared into her grandmother's eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to explain.

“Luna and Neville, started fixing up the shrieking shack when Hogwarts started to disappear.” Luna put the kettle on the stove and placed a charm to heat it without turning on the stove. Luna continued as Lilith ushered the group into the living room.

“We wanted to create a safe house for students after the Room of Requirement went missing. So we starting working here, fixing the shack, inside and out.” Rose, finally finding her voice said,

“But we’re in Hogsmeade all the time. The Shack looks the same.”

“Charms & enchantments. A true safe house is safe because no one suspects it.” answered Luna.

“Lilith, how did you know this?” asked Rose. Luna and Lilith exchanged looks and Luna gave her a nod of approval.

“Do you remember last year when I took that counter curse during sparring?” Everyone nodded in agreeance. “Grandma, gave me The Tales of Beedle the Bard to read while I was healing. The book Dumbledore left her, the one that lead them to the Deathly Hallows. Anyway, I was so excited about reading Dumbledore and Grandma’s notes, I went looking for more books that they loved and owned. I went asking around to everyone who knew either of them and especially people who knew both.” Luna smiled at them.

“When Neville and I started working on the shack, we also started sneaking into the castle and removing books, we started with one textbook from each teacher and then we took from the restricted section, before heading into the regular stacks in the library. Once the library disappeared, I started reading everything we had compiled. I came across a book written by the founders of Hogwarts. It was not a published book but rather a handwritten one. Each had taken turns jotting down their hopes for the school and plans on how to build it. Then I noticed that Dumbledore had made a few notes in the margins. Odd that Dumbledore had such a rare and priceless book in his possession and yet failed…..” Luna trailed off and then got up and left the room.

“Are we supposed to follow her?” asked Scorpius. Hermione and Rose, looked at Lilith for an answer,

“Oh! no, she’ll be right back. I imagine she just went to get the book.” Rose, still looking at Lilith, asked,

“I still don’t understand how you know about this!” she gestured to the entire house.

“I asked Luna about books that Grandma or Dumbledore owned and she brought me here.” replied Lilith. Luna returned with a package in her hand. She laid it on the table where everyone could see and began unwrapping. One corner at a time came away from the treasure hidden inside until finally, the oldest book Hermione had ever seen. With the hogwarts crest painted on the cover, the beautiful colors had not faded and were so intricate that Hermione reached to run her hand over it. As she did so, Luna continued, “The founders wrote that book, and it’s the key to bringing Hogwarts back.” Hermione, Rose and Scorpius shot their heads up and stared at Luna. The Key. She had said ‘The Key’. They shared glances back and forth waiting to see who would break the silence.

“Luna, what makes you think this is the key?” asked Scorpius.

“Oh, it says so.” came her sweet and distant voice. Luna proceeded to open the book and flip almost to the end. She indicated a passage for Scorpius to read. He read aloud,

“From the Earth we all have come and so it is to the Earth we turn to protect us.

Godric brings the ferocity of Fire.

Helga brings the stillness of Earth.

Salazar brings the deep mystery of Water.

Rowena brings the wisdom of Air.

Together we call the elements to assist us in creating and protecting

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

Hermione stared at Scorpius then at Luna.

“I’m sorry, Luna, I don’t understand how this passage, while beautiful, is the key to bringing back Hogwarts.” Luna smiled,

“I didn’t understand either, until Lilith read it.” Lilith gave an embarrassed smile. “She’s very bright, this one.” Luna continued, glancing over at Lilith. “She saw more than pretty words of poetry, she saw a spell.”

“If that is a spell,” started Hermione, “then what? We just work the spell again and Hogwarts returns?” A frown turned down Luna’s lips. She nodded a simple ‘no’.

“Then how is it the key?!” screamed Scorpius in frustration.

“We’re not sure yet.” answered Lilith. Rose stood and paced around the room.

“I think it’s the key to Hogwarts disappearance more than it’s return. It’s the oldest and most powerful kind of magic, Earth magic. I’ve read about the history of magic and there are theories that state muggles actually created magic, when they started putting their faith in the Earth.”

“Those theories are folklore and children's’ tales.” Hermione responded.

“Says the woman who proved the Deathly Hallows existed, by reading a children’s book and destroyed Tom Riddle’s Horcruxes.” Rose retorted and continued. “Mum, I think it’s time to widen the circle and search together. We start by telling Luna about the legend.”

“You mean about the Key to Hogwarts?” asked Luna. She took the look of shock to be confirmation. “Lilith told me. So I asked Neville to send over my dad’s old things because I remember an edition of the quibbler talking about an old legend where the founders of Hogwarts placed a protection spell on the school and the key to it had been lost. People always thought that it would save the school from Voldemort. They searched for the key, thinking it would help them keep the school safe, somehow. After reading in the Founder's’ book there, I believe that the spell was already in place and the key in the legend is for bringing it back.” Scorpius raised his hand like a school-boy, they all glanced his way until he started talking,

“This protection spell that the founders cast, if it even was that, obviously didn’t work, Voldemort got in anyway. Why would we want to bring back magic that failed?” Rose walked to him,

“Sometimes you can be really dense.”

“Dad, the key to bringing back the school, not the spell.” offered Lilith, sympathetically. “Besides,” Luna offered, “I think the spell was to protect the school on a daily basis and it did for hundreds of years. Scorpius, I don’t think the spell failed, I think its’ energy was depleted by the Battle at Hogwarts and so the school literally packed it’s things and left. Without it’s protective charms, muggles could have found it. Evil could penetrate it more easily. The founders magic was so old and simple and brilliant that it was turned into a bedtime story, much like the Deathly Hallows or muggles creating magic. So no one ever gave it a second look or thought as being the cause of Hogwarts being lost.” No one spoke for a long time. They were all so busy processing what Luna had said. Could it be true?

“But what I’d like to know,” continued Luna, “is why you lot have come to the Shrieking Shack? It is curious, that you visit now. I assumed, when I saw you at the Willow, that Lilith had told you about the book, but that obviously isn’t the case..” She let her slightly unfinished sentence hang in the air, waiting for someone to offer an explanation. Rose started, “Mom found a Key…” Luna looked at Hermione with her slightly vacant eyes that always made it hard to read what she may be thinking. Rose went on, “We thought bringing it here might help us find out if it’s the key. Ya, know. To bringing back Hogwarts.”

“But,” Hermione interrupted, “it sounds like the key was never an actual key, but more of a metaphor. How could I have been so simple and naive and stupid? Of course it’s not an actual key…” Hermione stopped talking so she could wallow in her mistake somewhat privately.

“So let’s look at what we’ve got, for sure” offered Lilith. “We know there are several different references to a Key that will allow us to return Hogwarts to the grounds. Gram found it in a book at Beauxbatons, Dad found it in scrolls at Malfoy manor when Grandad passed away, and Luna found the Founders book here at the school.” No one knew what it all meant. They just sort of stared at one another or off into day-dreams. Each wondering what the connection was, if there even was one, how to find it, how to complete it. It all seemed so much and there was so much to gain. To bring back Hogwarts? What an honor. What a feat. What a celebration there would be. Luna spoke the words as if reading them from everyone’s minds, or maybe just because she’s the only one willing to say what others cannot,  

“Honor, Feat and Celebration. It truly would be all these things to bring the school back.”

“It’s like the Tri-Wizard tournament” came Ron’s voice from the corner. Everyone jumped, except Luna. Hermione spat out,

“How long have you been there? What are you doing here? Why do you have the cloak? Why are you soaked? Ron!! How long have you been standing there? Answer something!” She finished when she ran out of breath and stood, gasping and staring at Ron, waiting for him to speak.

“Um, well, I’ve been standing here for a while, since you got here actually, I followed you in.” Ron explained.

“Then how and why are you soaking.” She continued with her interrogation.

“Yes, ok, that. Well, I borrowed your time turner before I left home….” He paused for the onslaught of yelling that Hermione was about to unleash, Luna placed her hand on Hermiones’ shoulder, she took a deep breath but said nothing. Luna nodded to Ron to continue.

“I heard what Luna said just now about ‘Honor, Feat and Celebration’, it made me think of the tri-wizard tournament. They won honor by completing great feats and had a wonderful celebration, well, wonderful for most.” he added quickly when he thought of how he and Hermione had fought at the Yule Ball. Hermione moved Luna’s hand from her shoulder,

“But why are you wet!” she asked again. “I turned the time turner to when my portkey landed just after yours,” Hermione gave him the ‘we’ll talk about all that later’ look. Ron knew it well so he continued “I went to see the mermaids. They protect the school or they did and they were part of the tournament.” He stopped, honestly expecting praise for his brilliance,

“AND?” they all shouted at him in his silence.

“Huh… ok. And, they know about your spell,” he indicated the book, “the one in there. They said it was forged in old Earth magic, by the founders, just like you figured. But they also said that only a being of true peace among the houses can recall the Elements of magic that old.”

They all sat, a bit deflated, looking at various spots on the carpet, wall or ceiling. Until, again, Luna braved to break the silence, “True Peace.” Ron echoed her, Hermione echoed him, they looked at each other. Lilith continued, “and not specifically human, ‘a being of true peace’.” Hermione jumped and yelped. They all turned to her in alarm.

“What’s got you up and bothered?” asked Ron.

“The key.” Hermione started, as she brought it out for inspection, “It… vibrated.” Each person in the room exchanged a glance with someone else and all finally back to Hermione. “It DID! Right as Lil said ‘true peace’, I felt it.” Every head turned to Lilith. “True peace.” she said, as if to prove her grandmother wrong. And there it was, everyone saw the key move in Hermione’s hand as if struck by a tuning fork. Scorpius and Ron gasped. Hermione mused how they were more alike than Rose would ever admit. Hermione said, “true peace”, nothing. Luna tried, “true peace”, nothing. Ron squeaked, “true peace”, and when nothing happened for the third time, he sighed a little. Lilith took the key from Hermione’s hand and held it out in front her, palm up, for everyone you witness. “True peace.” she stated in as calm a tone as she could muster. The key did not vibrate, it lept into the air and darted around. Everyone ducked as it poked into the walls and ceiling as if trying to get out. Rose stood sharply and tried to grab it but it was too fast. Lilith tried to stand but was almost pelted in the head, so she crouched by the chair and held her hand out, palm up. The key flitted down and rested on her palm, but continued to vibrate. Ron pointed to the key and then wildly through the air around his head, “What was that?!” Luna spoke right up, “I believe we may have found our ‘being of true peace’.” Lilith shot her gaze up to Luna, “What? Me? No. How? Me?” “Just because Voldemort was vanquished doesn’t mean Peace is automatic. True peace… takes time.” Luna offered as she looked at Rose and Scorpius. Scorpius finally caught sound in his chords and said, “Let’s assume for a minute that Lil is this being,” making quotation marks in the air at the word, “what now? What does it even mean?” Lilith spoke softly, “Let’s see what it means.” and with that she left the shack the way she had entered and everyone filed, single file, out into the night air of Hogwarts grounds.

“Accio Brooms!” she shouted. Everyone quickly realized what she was doing and fanned out to receive their own brooms. Once everyone had broom in hand, Lilith checked each of them with a firm gaze and each nodded slightly in affirmation. “True Peace.” she said and off the key flew, with all six of them flying after it.

Flying was the one thing Rose did not excel at. She didn’t like the wind in her hair. She didn’t like the feeling of being perched in the air. She didn’t like tight corners, heights, or going too fast. Riding a broom was like riding a bike, you had to pick up speed to be balanced. Rose disliked that part most. Always feeling like she needed to go faster but not wanting to urge the broom onward. So as the group sped toward the lake, Rose sputtered behind them, staying just fast enough to stay aloft and to see where they were going. ‘Please be stopping near by, near by, near by’ she pleaded silently.

The Key stopped short and quick, just above the boathouse and plummeted down through a hole in the ceiling. Rose, breathed a sigh of relief as she saw everyone descend toward the door of the boathouse. She straggled in behind them, just in time to see Lilith hold out her hand and the key floating gently to her. It rested there as if it’s rouse of being a regular house key had not just been shattered.

Luna gave a reassuring glance to Rose as she entered the boathouse. Rose was always embarrassed about her riding skills. She hoped the others didn’t notice her delayed arrival.

“Why the boathouse?” Ron wondered out loud.

Everyone startled around at a noise, whirled around, wand at the ready, and found Harry, having freshly apparated. Harry let out a small scream at the obviously unexpected sight of all the people and reached for his wand before realizing he knew this lot. Smiles spread over everyone’s faces. Harry, moved to hug Lilith, then each of the others in turn. Stopping finally at Luna, hugging her and staying close enough to allow them to hold hands as he spoke.

“What’s going on guys?” He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. Everyone laughed but no one answered. “Really. What’s everyone doing here? Ron? Is this why you needed my cloak? Why are you wet?” But before anyone could answer he turned, “Scorpius, spill it.” Harry had always been able to get the truth out of Scorpius. Draco had made sure his whole house knew the power Potter wielded, he had seen death and lived, he has mastered all three deathly hallows, something the Dark Lord never managed, so he was something of a saint to the Malfoy kids, and it paid off when Draco needed answers, he just called Harry over for a, conveniently timed visit.

“Rose and I have been helping Hermione to look for the key to bring back Hogwarts, and Hermione finally found a key, so we brought it here, but it’s not the right key, or maybe not the only key, we’re not sure. Luna found a book and Lilith might actually be the key, so she used the actual key to find the real key and we were led here. And then you showed up.” He spewed out without breathing, stopping or breaking his gaze from Harry’s. Lilith laughed and everyone laughed.

“Oooo-kay. So what’s next?” Harry knew enough to just join the task and figure it out as they went.

“We’re not sure. The book said ‘a being of true peace’ and when Lilith said it, the key came to life, we followed it here but then it just stopped. I’m glad you came when you did, we’ll need as much help as we can get on this one. I’m sure bringing back the founders magic will not be an easy task.” Luna explained.

“What are you doing here?” Hermione asked.

“I come here every year on this day.” Everyone looked at him as if they expected him to go on, so he did, “the day Snape died. Here. In my arms.” No one met his eye, how could they have missed that? Luna gave his hand a gentle, comforting squeeze.

“The founders magic?” Harry finally asked. Luna handed him the book and opened it to the right page. “I know this book...it’s from the Head Masters study. How did you get it?”

“Neville and I collected many things from the school before it disappeared.” Luna answered. Harry started to read the passage, Lilith jumped.

“The key.” she said simply and motioned to Harry to keep reading. As he did, the key, warmed in her hand, vibrated, bounced and finally jumped into the air once again. It shot back and forth from over Harry’s head to over Lilith’s and back again. Everyone stared at Harry as he finished reading. He was crying.

“Harry. Dear.” Luna spoke softly as she placed her arm around his shoulder. Lilith came to add comfort and the Key that had been jumping back and forth, began to swirl in circles so fast it made a small tornado above her and Harry. Everyone watched it for a moment and Hermione said,

“Harry! It’s both of you! You started true peace amongst the houses in this very spot when you forgave Snape. Your friendship with Malfoy… sorry, Draco, paved the way for Rose and Scorpius. Lilith is the “being” of true peace! Don’t you see?! She’s the product of true peace between the houses. Try saying the spell together.”

Harry and Lilith looked at each other, Lilith spun around to read the book. They started reading and the key started bouncing. With each word the bouncing grew. It got SO big they thought for sure they would be pelted in the head. Finally as they spoke the last line, the key shot into the air, busted a hole in the roof of the boathouse and continued into the night sky above them. It rose until no one could see it. They ran outside for a better view. They squinted and searched among the stars. They murmured to each other about where it had gone, if it was coming back, or if it was lost… again. When suddenly, it burst. Like a firecracker, it rained down brilliant colors of light and spark on the boathouse, on the lake, on the whomping willow, and over the entire Castle.

The Castle! It was there. As if it had never been anywhere else. The last bits of light and spark fell in a wide circle around the grounds and the spell sealed itself, in the earth. Then shuddered back through the ground to where they all stood outside the boathouse. Each of them felt it surge from the ground, up through their shoes and into their hearts. Hogwarts. Home. The group of old friends and new family, stood in disbelief for a moment.

“Shall we?” Luna said softly. And led them all into the Castle.

ING

!jen