A/N All H.P. Characters belong to the rich lady in England.

BLINK

Location: Kings Crossing, Outside Platform 9 3/4s

Time: September 1st, 1991, morning.

A young boy, dressed as Mr. Darcy would be from "pride and prejudice", stands waiting near the portal for the hidden magical platform waiting for Her. He checks every person that walks by, everyone that enters the portal, anyone on platform nine or ten. After about thirty minutes he spots a young girl with brown bushy hair, wild ringlets causing it to have an untamable quality, as she gets closer he notices her chocolate brown eyes, and oddly perfect teeth except for the top front two. A glint of silver catches the sun from somewhere. Her and her parents look around, appearing to count the columns so they can determine which is the one for the portal. The boy steps forward, as he can see the magic swirling around the girl, and a considerably smaller amount around her mother. There is almost none around her father.

James: "Can I help you, miss? You appear to be looking for something? Maybe something that most people couldn't find? I can help, if you like. My name is James Evans."

The young boy notices the girls father, conveniently wearing a shirt with Crowley's rugby shirt.

James: "You play rugby sir? It's a great social sport, isn't it? You remind me of a team captain from the RAF team, Captain Granger? Do you know them? You could be their brother."

Dan: "I used to play but it was ages ago, I can't imagine you're old enough to have seen me in action. My name's Dan, by the way, Daniel Granger"

James: "Pleasure to meet you sir! My father used to take me to all the games, as young as one I'm told. I don't remember it so much, but he tells me you were one of the best, second only to a guy by the name of Potter. I'm told he had the nickname of Brigadier, I had to look this up as it didn't make sense to me, turns out it's a type of general. My father said he never lost a match or came out less than even in an engagement. He seemed to think Potter playing with you had something to do with it."

The man looks wary now. Dan: "I don't know about that, I just did the best I could."

The boy looks at him sharply. James: "And earned an award for it to, I'm told."

The man looks sharply at the boy now. Dan: "How do you know about that?"

James: "My father told me about it. I wasn't sure it was you sir, or I'd have done this a different way. I was given a chance to balance a debt, you saved a life there, at great risk and not small cost. I can promise to watch over and protect your daughter, if you but ask it. I've been training to do so the last five years. The choice though is yours, yours, your wife's, and your daughters. The level of commitment on your families part plays a small role in how much protection I can offer. I can grant house protection if she will swear not to reveal the name of the house. If you read all of the paperwork for her schooling, you know the headmaster acts 'in loco parent-is' as they say, as her De facto guardian. I can do so in your stead, at your behest. I can swear to look out for, and promote, her best interest. The power of my house in not insignificant."

Dan: "Why would you do all that? Based on that paperwork it's a lot of benefit for us with little gain for you, without more of a behest on our side."

James: "A number of reasons. One, no mater what you think, you did earn what you feel you didn't. More importantly for me, you saved my dads life, or so I'm told. My father explained it to me."

Dan: "You're …. James' son? I was told he died."

Looking sadder now, James says: "Right on both sir. October 31st, of 91. I was adopted by someone that cares for me though, and am happy with the arrangement. Because of the cultural differences I was able to be emancipated for legal reasons prior to attending the same school your daughter will be attending. This allows me to offer the protection and aid of my house if a sufficient debt of the house exists. As head of house, I and … err... our cultural heritage determines what is sufficient. As you saved the life of the then heir, my dad, I can offer almost anything that falls within the power of my house. I can not however offer things from my adopted fathers house without an appropriate debt from myself or their house. Kind a lot to take in, but the dice roll again today."

Dan looks startled: "What?! Today?!"

James gives him the steely look again: "Riddles first gambit to return starts today. The offer has been made. The choice is yours. The dice roll today. Even with an oath, there isn't more I can tell you."

James looks at the woman briefly, then at the girl slightly longer. : "Rugby isn't the only thing that can be played by the RAF. They also play instruments. You might even say that fate herself lends our boys a hand."

The woman looks shocked, the girl curious.

James looks at Dan pointedly : "And who is this vision of beauty?"

Dan looks startled, then realizes he hasn't introduced his family. : "I'm sorry, introductions escaped me. This is my wife Emma, and our daughter Hermione."

The boy approaches the woman first, taking her right hand and kissing it between the first and second knuckles. James: "A pleasure to meet you. I see where your lovely daughter gets her beauty from. Also her grace."

Emma looks startled at the grace comment. Emma looks thoughtful, then whispers "You know about … that?"

James, also whispering : "Aye, I can see the statue has been passed from mother to daughter, but not the knowledge. Otherwise I would not have said."

Emma, still whispering: "Would you stand in my stead for this?"

James : "Alas, I can not. Almost anything else I would do for you Lady, but that torch must be passed from mother to daughter, or it will go out."

Emma : "Betrothal, bonding? Companion, Champion?"

James : "Any or all, provided she agrees as well and it is informed consent, except for the last. The last I can agree to at your behest alone."

Emma : "So, it's all true then? What my great grandmother told me?"

James : "Aye Lady, I wish it were not so. I risk my first love today, but the dice roll no matter what I do, so I must weight them as I can."

Emma : "I will pass the torch of knowledge, and you will act as her Champion. Pax?"

James : "Not here, come through the portal first. Then."

Emma nods. James turns to the girl, "Hermione, fair lady, winters queen of Sicily, might I lead you to your destination to the best of my limited ability?"

The girl giggles, shocking her parents. Hermione : "Do you know where the silly platform is? We couldn't find the number given."

James : "I do fair lady, and if I might take your hand, I will lead you."

The girl blushes, then after looking at both her parents and getting small nods, pushes her hand forward. James takes her hand, and kisses it between her first and second knuckles, causing her to blush some more. The boy then takes her mothers hand and leads them through the wall to platform 9 3/4s. James nods at Emma and says : "Pax." A burst of blood red and old gold light leaves him and enters both Emma and Hermione. A burst of yellow and black light leaves Emma and enters Hermione then James.

James says in an odd two tone voice: "The house of the griffins offers troth, protection, sanctuary, and companionship to the house of the badgers. As you requested it, so I mote it to be, champion till Pax is broken. Your part must be done by midnight on her next naming day, or Pax is broken."

Emma responds in the same two tone voice : "We have an accord."

The light fades out. James seems to slump a bit, and Emma almost falls over, she appears to stay standing via sheer force of will.

James looks at Hermione: "Fair winters maiden, please wait here with your Matriarch, I will bring your father through momentarily."

The boy heads back through the portal to platform 9 3/4s to get Dan. Once through the portal he rushes over to him. James : "Dan, we don't have a lot of time as I told your wife and daughter that I'd fetch you. I need a minute alone with you though. My dad served with you, I figured you might have thought that was the case but I needed you to know. The magical world has some dangers specific to it that I can help protect your daughter from, if you let me. As her de facto head of house, I need your permission for some, and hers for others. I can promise not to do anything she doesn't want me to unless her life is in danger, then I might have to do something she'd protest about. What I needed to ask was, would you swear a vassal oath to my house? It's normally sealed with a betrothal however the two of us do not necessarily have to do that, it could be our kids or grand kids even. This allows me to extend the protection of my house to you and in this case more importantly her, as long as she does not take direct action against my interests. I ask now as a crux is coming, a decision point where the outcome currently balances on a razors edge and if the seer I know is right your daughters life hangs in the balance. We're not sure when, but the threat is soon, best intelligence is sometime between today and when she returns for Christmas break."

Dan "How good is your intelligence?"

James "Excellent. This particular probability falls into the 89 % range."

Dan "What would you require of her?"

James "As I said, the only requirement is that she not work against my interests. I don't know her yet, I just know she's important, and needs to be protected. Anything else that happens will be at her request and her pace. If that means nothing, fine. Be aware though, based on the intelligence I've acquired if it means she wants to be hand-fasted to me before coming home for break I will honor her request."

Dan "Best guess on the likelihood of that?!"

James "50/50. If her life is in danger and IF I save it, her magic will react creating something called a life debt. She might react as a big sister, or she might want to pay the debt the traditional way, with marriage. Multiple marriages while rare are legal in our realm."

Dan "Any way that might happen?"

James "Don't ask a question you aren't sure you want an answer to. Remember I said it IS legal in our realm. Now, Dan Granger, head of the Granger family, do you accept my offer of protection to your house, in exchange for your house becoming a vassal to mine, to be sealed with a marriage no more than three generations from now unless one of our houses die out or we both reconsider?"

The world seems to hold it's breath.

Dan "I do accept and swear to uphold the vassal oaths as long as they do not conflict with my oaths to the queen and country."

James takes his hand "Come through the portal for this part, can't let anyone see."

James leads Dan through the portal. Once inside he leads Dan next to his wife. James "Sir Granger, head of House Granger, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, do you agree to the vassalage of your house in consideration of the protection of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter and all of it's allied houses, in particular the protection of your blooded daughter by the sword arm of House Potter during the entirety of her schooling, from all threats no matter their nature, this alliance to be sealed with a betrothal as early as this generation and no more than two additional generations from now, with the understanding that this offer is made in this fashion due to the life debt that my blooded father incurred upon your saving his life?"

Dan "So that's why your offer was so open ended and so much better than what was in the books we bought Hermione. Who is the sword arm of House Potter?"

James "I am. I will answer her call, if required. As the heir to one of the lordships of the six original lords of this realm none shall gainsay my right to do so, no matter her status, nor yours. They risk forfeiture if they do. Only one of the other five original lords could contest. Emrys has passed into history, Le Fay with them. Ravenclaw is allied through marriage. Of the three left, I have vanquished one in mortal combat granting my all rights, privileges, and assets. I am the closest blood heir to one, and the other, well I really don't think they will object." James looks at Dan, then Hermione. Dan "As Head of House Granger, I accept on behalf of myself and my family. I am aware of the chance this presents, and as long as the choice is given, accept the consequences that might arise. Pax."

James seems to settle some, and slump again, sadly, resignedly, says "May your daughter not need our aid. The call will be answered if she does, even at the cost of mine life. As the sword arm of House Potter I accept the charge of her safety. Pax." An eldritch wind rises around Dan and James, then surrounds Hermione. The ghostly light reaches out from Hermione to Emma. Red and blue light flows around Dan, Hermione, and Emma then into James. Red and gold light, then Blue and Bronze, then green and silver light flows around James and into the Grangers. James appears completely exhausted, Dan and Emma look like they might fall over any second, while Hermione seems to be energized by the influx of magic. James looks at the time, "We should hurry. Hermione I beg your indulgence until I have time to speak with you. Please forgive the rush. For now, please take this, wear it always. It must be touching your skin to work." James hands her a silver necklace with a silver knight on horseback wielding a sword charm on it. Hermione "Help me put it on?" James "Lets load your trunk and find a compartment, then I will. Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, good day. The door out is just there." The elder Grangers leave via the portal. James helps Hermione onto the train and they find an empty compartment near the back. James stores their trunks and looks at his watch. "A friend of mine should be meeting me soon. I hope you like her. We should have a few minutes first. I'm sure you have questions but please, the necklace first. It's a token of the binding of the agreement. I'll explain. Still, you'll be safer with it if you're not with me." Hermione hands the necklace to him, and lifts her hair off her neck. James carefully drapes it around her neck and fastens it. He whispers "Impervious". James "Okay, first. If you need me, if you're in any kind of trouble, particularly life and death trouble, while you're wearing that necklace say 'I need a hero.' and I will come as fast as I can. If it truly is life and death, and you doubt I can make it in time, say "Swordsman Arise!" and the knight on the charm will come to life and fight for you until he is defeated or I can get there. Be warned though, you can call for me as needed but the knight can only be called for once. Also of note, I can not make another of these charms for you without a sacrifice on your part. The life debt my dad owed your father powers this charm partially."