=== September 2 1996 ===
The rest of the summer was relatively quiet for Harry and Hermione. Before they knew it they were packed up and on the train for their sixth year at Hogwarts. They sit in their modified train car, with the twins playing at their feet as their friends start coming in.
The car soon fills full as Ron, Lavender, Draco, Amanda, Neville and Hannah all find their seats. "Now that we're all here we have news." Amanda says. Everyone looks at her expectantly. "I'm pregnant."
"Did you confirm it with magic?" Hermione asks.
"I cast the spell." Draco says. "Though we got an unusual result. An owl to Professor Flitwick told us why."
"Fraternal twins," Amanda says. "A boy and a girl."
"Guess twins skip a generation, huh?' Hermione asks and everyone laughs as they give their congratulations.
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Once at the castle Harry and Hermione head up to the daycare where they are immediately greeted by Magnus . "Rose! Iris!" He says as he hugs the two girls and then they all run off.
"Bundles of energy as always I see." Maria says.
Harry and Hermione both nod. "They normally wear each other out at home." Harry says.
"And the three of them do it here, " Maria says. "Though now that they're all talking I'm going to try to start teaching them the basics."
"Oh?" Hermione asks.
"I went to a muggle bookstore over the summer and found some books just for that." Maria says.
"Sounds good." Harry says.
Maria nods. "I'd better do my job, see you later." She walks into the room the toddlers all went into.
Shortly after Shannon comes out and hugs Hermione. "Nice to see you too." Hermione says as she hugs her back.
"I remember you." Shannon says.
"I should hope so, I saw you a little over a month ago." Hermione says.
"I mean from before," Shannon says, nearly whispering. "You helped me."
Hermione gasps. "You remember what happened to you?'
"It's coming back in pieces." Shannon answers.
Hermione nods. "Anything else you remember?"
Shannon shrugs. "Mostly the stuff beforehand, like primary school."
"That reminds me," Hermione says as she pulls a bag out of her robes. "In here are my books from when I was in primary school."
Shannon takes the bag and looks inside then grins. "Thank you, I'll take care of them."
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The feast is already under way by the time they make it to the Great Hall. McGonagall comes up to them. "I need to see you about your schedules when you're finished eating"
"We'll come by your office." Hermione says.
"Very good." McGonagall heads back to the head table.
"That's odd." Harry says looking at the Gryffindor table. "Ron and Lavender aren't here."
"Yeah, it's not like Ron to miss a meal." Hermione says, "I hope they're alright."
"Me too." Harry says then they sit to eat. They finish right as the prefects start escorting the first years to the dorms. They watch McGonagall leave and head off shortly behind her.
They enter her open office. "I trust you both already know what classes you are going to take so this shouldn't take long." McGonagall says as she hands them each a piece of parchment.
They both fill out the form and hand them back to her. "Missus Potter, are you sure about taking 10 O.W.L. level classes?" McGonagall asks. "These classes are significantly harder than you are used to."
Hermione nods. "I want to try and do it, I'll drop classes if I have to."
"Very well, I'll make your schedule." McGonagall says. "Now for Mister Potter, let's see: Defense; charms, transfiguration; herbology; and ancient runes. Not a bad curriculum, but I thought you wanted to be a healer."
"I do, but I only got an E in potions. Professor Snape only accepts students with an O." Harry says.
"Professor Snape is not doing potions. Professor Slughorn is, and he'll accept students that made an E." McGonagall explains.
Harry's eyes widen as he realizes what she said. "Then sign me up, though I'll have to order my book and supplies."
McGonagall nods. "Bring your previous supplies for now, I'm sure your wife will help with anything you're missing."
"Of course I will." Hermione says.
"I figured as much." McGonagall says. "You two have a good night."
=== September 3, 1996 ===
Harry and Hermione are already sitting in the Great Hall eating with the twins feeding themselves when Ron and Lavender join them. "Good morning?" Hermione teases.
"After an equally good night." Lavender answers with a grin.
"That's what it takes for you to miss a meal Ron?" Harry asks.
"I'm certainly not complaining." Ron says and they all laugh. "So, did either of you get surprised by the change in potions?"
"I did." Harry says.
"I had the O." Hermione says.
"I'm sure you had straight O's." Lavender says.
"Actually I missed two." Hermione says.
"Oh," Lavender says, finding herself otherwise speechless.
#####
After breakfast Harry and Hermione take the twins to the daycare then find themselves in potions. Inside the room they see three cauldrons all being tended to by Professor Slughorn, "Mister and Missus Potter, welcome, please take a seat." Slughorn says. They take their seats. "Welcome one and all to O.W.L. potions, you know why you are here, so I'm going to get right to it. I want you all to come examine the three potions behind me."
One at a time the students all go and look at the potions, Harry and Hermione go last. The first potion had the appearance of molten gold, bits of the potion leap within the cauldron; the second appeared to be thick, dark mud that bubbled slowly; the final has a mother-of-pearl sheen and steam rising off it in spirals. They return to their seats along with everyone else. "Now, who can tell me what the first one is?" Slughorn asks.
Hermione raises her hand, and smiles when Harry raises his, out of the corner of her eye she sees Draco and Amanda both raise their hands too. Slughorm points to Amanda. "The first potion is clearly Felix Felicis, more commonly known as liquid luck."
"10 points to Gryffindor, now the second potion?" Slughorn asks and the same 4 raise their hands. "Mister Malfoy."
"Polyjuice potion, waiting for its final component." Draco says.
"10 points to Slytherin." Slughorn says. "Now the final potion." Hermione raises her hand quickly. "Missus Potter?"
"Amortentia, a highly controversial love potion." Hermione answers. "Don't you have to have a special license to brew it?"
"20 points to Gryffindor. You are correct, I'm one of the few legally allowed to brew amortentia. I have to sell it all to the Ministry, what they do with it I don't know." Slughorn admits.
Slughorn claps his hands. "Now, I wish to see where your skills are, so if you would open your books to page 67, you'll see instructions for the draught of living death." Harry and Ron raise their hands. "Yes, Mister Potter and Mister Weasley?"
"I just found out last night I'd be able to take your class, so I don't have my book yet." Harry admits.
"Same here." Ron says.
"There's some old copies in the cabinet," Slughorn motions to said cabinet. "You may each borrow one until you receive your own."
Ron and Harry get up and head to the cabinet. Harry opens the cabinet and sees two copies of Advanced Potions on the shelf, one of them looks well-used the other looks practically brand new. "You mind if I take the nicer one?" Ron asks.
"Sure, I can always look at Hermione's book if its illegible." Harry says as he grabs the book and takes it back to his space. He opens the book and sees Property of the Half-blood Prince written in the cover. He turns to the page and sees that the previous owner had also written notes on how to improve the potion.
"Now that we all have books, I want you all to brew the potion. As an extra bonus, I will give a vial of finished Felix Felicis to whomever I deem has the best potion." Slughorn says.
Everyone scrambles to make start to potion. Harry reads the annotations and uses them. "What are you doing?" Hermione hisses when she sees him deviate from the book.
Harry slides the book over to her. "Look and see."
"I can't believe you'd just follow some random student's notes!" Hermione angrily whispers.
"It's not some random student's notes, look at the handwriting." Harry says.
Hermione gasps. "That's Professor Snape's handwriting."
Harry nods. "Recognized it immediately."
Hermione rolls her eyes and goes back to working on her potion. "Alright class, time for me to examine your potions!" Slughorn says, then starts going through the class. "What do we have here?" He says as he looks in Harry's cauldron. "I can't believe this, your potion is a full step ahead of everyone else's, bravo!"
"I can't take credit, sir." Harry says. "I didn't exactly follow directions."
"Yes! Intuition, that's the secret to great potion brewing!" Slughorn says.
"That's not what I meant." Harry tries to explain.
"It doesn't matter what you mean, the potion is yours." Slughorn says placing the vial in front of Harry then walking away. "Now, class dismissed."
The others, including Hermione quickly leave the room. Harry grabs the vial and catches up with her. "Mione! Hold up!"
"Why so you can gloat?" Hermione snaps.
"No, I want you to have the Felix Felicis, we both know you would have gotten it if I hadn't used the book." Harry says handing her the vial.
Hermione snatches the vial from Harry's hand. "Fine!"
"Mione are you okay?" Harry asks.
"I'm fine." Hermione huffs.
"Just checking, you sound angry." Harry says.
"I am angry." Hermione says. "Wait, why am I angry? I shouldn't be angry." She starts crying.
Harry quickly hugs her. "Mione?" She hugs him back as she cries. "Is something wrong?"
"I don't know." Hermione says between sobs.
"Come on, let's go get you checked." Harry says. Hermione nods and go with Harry to the infirmary.
"Mister and Missus Potter, how can I help you?" Pomphrey asks them.
"Hermione has had some uncontrollable emotional outbursts." Harry says.
Pomphrey nods. "That's certainly not normal. Let me do the standard diagnostic charm." She casts the spell and sighs. "Did you forget to take your contraceptive potion?"
Hermione gasps as her eyes go wide. "I did."
"She's pregnant?" Harry asks.
"Looks that way." Pomphrey responds.
"Might as well confirm it." Hermione says.
Pomphrey nods. "Fetus Revelio!" She says while pointing her wand at Hermione's belly. Hermione's belly glows purple.
"What's purple mean?" Harry asks.
"You're getting your son." Hermione answers, "and another daughter."
"There's a chance there's more than two babies." Pomphrey says. "Given that twins are so common in your family, triplets or more are highly possible."
"Is there a spell to tell that?" Hermione asks.
"There is," Pomphrey answers and casts the spell. "Just as I suspected, two boys and a girl."
#####
That evening they enter the common room and find Draco, Amanda, Neville and Hannah there. "Hey everyone." Hermione says.
"Everything okay?" Neville asks. "We noticed you two came to lunch late."
"Yeah, I was feeling off, so we went to the nurse so I could get checked." Hermione says and sighs. "I'm pregnant."
"More babies?" Shanmon asks, excitedly, having had been just out of sight.
"Yes, more babies." Harry says.
"How many?" Shannon asks.
"I have 3 inside of me this time." Hermione answers.
"Triplets." Shannon says in amazement.
"Hey Shannon," Amanda says. "I've got twins."
Shannon smiles. "Congratulations."
"It's too early for us to know." Hannah says.
"Didn't you take the contraceptive potion?" Draco asks.
Hannah shakes her head. "We discussed it, and since the odds were I'd get pregnant anyway I took a fertility potion instead."
"That makes sense, the two potions are nearly identical." Hermione says. "Just maiden's bloom instead of maiden's weed."
"Wait!" Ron says, and they all turn to him as they didn't know he was there. "They're not interchangeable?"
"No," Neville says. "Not even close."
"Why wasn't that in your notes last year?" Ron asks, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Probably because it is wasn't covered in class." Hermione admits.
"That's something that definitely should be." Ron says. "Because now I'm not sure I brewed the right potion." He runs off to get Lavender.
"Should we tell him that the potion increases the odds of multiple babies?" Hannah asks.
"One thing at a time," Harry answers. "We don't want to melt his brain." With that they all laugh.