=== January 5, 1997===
"We made it!" Lavender says as she enters the train car.
"Everything okay?" Hermione asks.
"Yeah," Lavender answers. "Molly insisted on cooking a huge breakfast for me and the babies."
"I take it she's a little excited?" Hermione asks.
"More than you can imagine." Ron says as he comes in behind Lavender. "Before we get comfortable." Ron pats his sweater. "Do you have the letter?"
"Oh, yes." Lavender opens her purse and pulls out a letter. "Molly wouldn't trust this to an owl." She hands the letter to Hermione, who takes the letter and opens it.
Dear Harry and Hermione,
First off, Ron and Lavender tell me you are expecting more children, and I'd like to say congratulations.
Now, let me get straight to the point of why I wrote you. I'm hoping that as two of Hogwart's governors you might be able to help me. As you well know Lavender is due to deliver my first grandchildren before the end of the year, and I was hoping to be able to be there when that happens.
Thank you in advance,
Molly Weasley
Hermione hands the letter to Harry. "Lavender, do you know what the letter entails?"
"Molly's hoping that she can come be here when I give birth." Lavender answers.
"Is this something that you want?" Hermione asks.
"What?" Lavender asks.
"Do you want Molly here when you give birth?" Harry asks.
"Not really." Lavender answers. "She's not my mother."
"Tell her that I voted no." Hannah says.
"Us too." Amanda says.
"I'm sure Dumbledore will shoot the idea down." Harry says.
Hermione nods. "There's your answer."
#####
Since the twins want to see Shannon they head to the Daycare where they find her and Maria. The twins run and hug Shannon. "I missed you both too." Shannon says, then she looks at Harry and Hermione. "Guess what?"
"What?" Harry asks.
"I received my Hogwarts letter!" Shannon exclaims.
"Congratulations!" Hermione cheers.
"Did you tell them the rest?" McGonagall says, causing them all to turn to see her fully enter the room.
"I was about to." Shannon answers. "Mum took me to get my wand." She pulls out her wand. "Though I don't know any spells yet."
Harry kneels down so he can look Shannon in the eyes. "Let me teach you my favorite spell."
Shannon's eyes light up like it's Christmas morning again. "Really?"
McGonagall steps forward to say something only for Hermione to put her hand out and shake her head.
Harry pulls out his wand. "Now hold your wand comfortably, and move your wand in a small wave motion, like this." He demonstrates the motion and Shannon copies him. "Good, now do it again, and while you are doing it say: Lumos!"
Shannon motions her wand. "Lumos!" The tip of her wand lights up. "I did it!" She says proudly, then looks at Harry. "Is this really your favorite spell?"
"Yes." Harry answers. "It's the first spell I learned, and also because it reminds me that even when things seem their darkest, you can still be the light."
=== January 11, 1997 ===
Inside the Room of Requirement, Draco stands in front of the vanishing cabinet with his back to it. Harry and the others are there with him.
"Thanks to Amanda and Hermione's help the cabinet is almost done." Draco says. "All I have to do is add these runes and it will be complete. Once I do matching runes on the other one will glow, they'll know it's ready."
"Do they know you're that close?" Harry asks.
"Yeah, they caught me copying the runes." Draco says. "I can stall for a couple hours, but after that I need to finish or they'll get suspicious."
"Once you complete it we won't be able to come back to this version of the room." Ron says. "I don't doubt they'll have someone watching the cabinet."
"Correct, the runes will show gold anytime this room is open." Draco says.
"Then let's go through more of the items in here while we can." Neville says.
"Good idea." Hannah says.
Hermione hands out the bags as usual. "Let's get to it."
#####
As Harry and Hermione walk a shelf suddenly slides in front of them. "What in the world?" Harry asks, surprised.
"I think something doesn't want us going this way." Hermione replies.
"Then we should definitely go this way." Harry says as he summons his sword and grabs the hilt with both hands as he slashes his sword clean through the shelf, dispersing the illusion, and causing him to stumble forward from the force.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asks as she rushes to his side.
"Yeah, just expected resistance." Harry chuckles as he dismisses the sword. With the obstacle removed they take account of their surroundings, in front of them is a stone corridor. They both turn around and see that they are still inside the Room of Requirement.
They follow the corridor, and make the turn when it does. There directly in front of them is a large portrait of the Hogwarts founders standing in front of the school.
"This must have been made right after they finished building Hogwarts." Hermione says as she walks up to it. She reaches out and touches the frame, The begins to run her hand along the frame, then suddenly jerks her hand back.
"Mione?" Harry asks, concerned.
"I'm fine, edge was sharper than expected." Hermione replies, showing Harry a small cut on her finger.
"At least you didn't get a splinter." A female voice says.
Harry spins around summoning his sword as he does, but finds nothing except the empty corridor they just walked down.
"Impossible." Hermione says from behind him.
"Turn back around.* The voice says. Cautiously they both turn back to the painting. "There we go." In the painting Rowena Ravenclaw moves.
"Wait a minute." Harry says. "You weren't moving a moment ago."
"Aye, I wasn't." Rowena says. "T'was the blood of my descendant that woke me."
"That would be me," Hermione says. "I'm your heir."
"You haven't summoned the grimoire have you?" Rowena asks.
"I have," Hermione admits. "I already know about Morgan le Fay too."
"Then you need my diadem; it will protect you." Rowena says.
"I'm afraid it won't be protecting anyone." Harry says. "It's been destroyed."
"Impossible." Rowena says firmly.
"I'm afraid it's true." Hermione says. "A dark wizard used it as a soul anchor and it had to be destroyed."
"Sounds like this dark wizard found the fake one I made." Rowena says. "The real one is impervious to all outside magic."
Hermione's spirit noticeably lifts. "How do we find the real one?"
"That's easy enough." Rowena answers. "It was enchanted to return to my refuge upon my death."
"Great, where's your refuge?" Hermione asks.
"I'm surprised you haven't found it yet." Rowena says. "Ravenclaw tower isn't that big."
"I've only been in the Ravenclaw common room." Hermione admits. "I was sorted into Gryffindor."
"Really?" Rowena asks.
"Yes," Hermione answers. "The sorting hat said I would do well in Ravenclaw, but I'd do better in Gryffindor. I think it knew where my husband was going to be placed."
"Is that you boy?" Rowena asks.
"Harry Potter, Heir of Gryffindor, guilty as charged." Harry says.
"Godric's descendant?" Rowena asks and Harry nods. "I don't suppose you'd be nice enough to cut yerself so I could talk to Godric, would ya?"
"Sure, I'll help you." Harry says.
Rowena nods. "You'll find my refuge at the top of Ravenclaw tower. It's spelled so only those of my blood can find it."
Hermione nods. "Is there any way to defeat le Fay?"
"Aye, you'll need the descendant of each founder to do it though." Rowena explains.
"That's not happening." Harry sighs. "The last of Slytherin's line wants to kill us."
Rowena sighs. "I'll think on it."
"Thank you." Hermione says.
"A deal is a deal." Harry says as he reaches out to the frame and cuts himself on it.
#####
The Ravenclaw common room is empty when the door swings open letting Harry and Hermione in. "Looks like coming at lunch was a good idea." Harry says as they make their way across the common room and go up the stairs to the dorms.
They climb the stairs until they come to landing where Harry sees a set of stairs to the right marked boys dorms, and a set of stairs to the left marked girls. "Guess we separate from here?" Harry asks.
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asks.
"Girls stairs and boys stairs like in Gryffindor." Harry says, pointing to each set it turn.
Hermione chuckles as she takes his hand and suddenly a third set of stairs appears straight ahead of them. "How about now?"
Harry nods and they go up the new stairs to a door that opens for them. They enter it and find a small room filled with empty bookshelves all labeled: On Loan To Hogwarts Library.
"There!" Harry exclaims as he points to Ravenclaw's diadem sitting on top of one of the bookcases.
Hermione pulls out her wand and levitates the diadem down. "Put it on me?"
Harry nods as he takes the diadem and carefully places it on Hermione's head. It shines for a moment then vanishes. "What happened? It's gone."
Hermione reaches up. "It's invisible, and it's working."
"Meaning?" Harry asks.
"Let's go get my book." Hermione grins.