Disclaimer. As usual I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters, things, or animals, that are mentioned in the Harry Potter books, I do how ever own the plot in this little venture into the Potter verse.

Chapter 10

Hermione's wand lit up a huge cavern, in the middle stood what appeared to be a large crystal with an old man trapped inside it. On the outside of the crystal sets of runes were engraved. Struggling closer to the crystal Hermione began to decipher their meaning. She had almost finished when the first of the contractions came. The pain forced her to grip her stomach and bend forward until she was almost doubled over.

With no way out of the chamber and not knowing what to do Eleanor helped Hermione sit with her back resting against the crystal. Hermione's contraction caused screams echoed around the large chamber and seemed to be amplified by the silence.

To try to help take their minds off their situation Hermione had Eleanor copy the runes into the dust that coated the floor. In between contractions she deciphered some of the runes; the first set read 'Only the magic of a new born's touch has the power to break the bonds that hold.' Hermione read as Eleanor traced the runes out in to the dust. It was going to be a while before they got around to deciphering the rest of the runes.

"MERLIN!" Hermione yelled as another rather painful contraction came on.

Eleanor was getting worried, Hermione's contractions were getting closer together and they appeared to be getting stronger, she did not understand why her sister had yelled out Merlin and was about to ask when Hermione spoke in between gasps.

"It's… Merlin… the crystal… he was magically… imprisoned… by… evil witch." As she finished speaking she had yet another contraction and screamed out in pain once again.

Richard Granger asked those working around him to be silent, and as they each stopped to listen they heard the unmistakable scream of a woman. The scream had given them a burst of renewed energy to reach who ever was trapped. Just a few minutes later Richard was looking down into a deep black hole.

Harry clambered down to Richard and placed his wand into the hole they had uncovered, having cast the Lumos spell below them what they saw was a huge cavern, both men heard a voice they new well.

"We need some help down here, my sister is giving birth," Eleanor shouted up to them.

Unable to apparate to his unseen wife and sister in law Harry leapt into the darkness and cast a levitation charm on himself as he dropped to the floor. With the tip of his wand lit brightly Harry made his way over to the two women, it took him only seconds to find out neither had any serious wounds from their ordeal. With a few waves of his wand Harry conjured several candles. Eleanor informed him that they could not move Hermione while Hermione was having another contraction.

"Oh Harry… Harry the baby's coming!" Hermione said through gritted teeth while she attempted to crush his hand.

As soon as the contraction eased Harry apparated out of the cavern, he wrapped an arm around Poppy Pomfrey and apparated back to his wife's side, as quickly as he could Harry apparated the rest of the group in to the cavern.

Harry managed to apparate Mr and Mrs Granger along with Minerva McGonagall into the cavern before Hermione had her next contraction, Harry stood by the head of the bed his wife was now lying on courtesy of Poppy. As he took Hermione's hand she once again squeezed it for all she was worth while informing him through gritted teeth that if he ever so much as mentioned sex again she would emasculate him.

While this was all happening Richard, not wanting to see his daughter giving birth wandered over to the huge five sided crystal, the odd looking carvings had him intrigued enough to call Minerva over to take a look. Like Hermione had, Minerva quickly discovered that they had found the place where Merlin had been imprisoned over a thousand years ago.

After walking around the crystal and gradually deciphering the runes Minerva did something rather unusual for a magical person, she conjured up some sticks of chalk, then she began to write her translations onto the crystal, the glaring white of the chalk stood out perfectly as it reflected the light from Poppy's and Hermione's conjured candles.

As the newest Potter made his appearance in the world the ghost of Dobby the house elf appeared again and promised Hermione that he would join the Potter family in watching over the new little master. Dobby's faithfulness and loyalty was praised by everyone, while Harry gave the elf a new name. "Dobby Potter, I was not able to thank you before but I want to thank you now for saving our lives. Never was there a braver elf, thank you little brother." Harry told the little ghost.

The little ghost of Dobby proudly accepted the name of Potter and vowed to watch over the future Potter generations and to help them when he could.

Harry looked lovingly at his wife then bent over and kissed her before whispered an emotional thank you. Hermione gave him a tired smile and returned his kiss, she then placed their son into Harry's arms, "Say hello to your son my love," she said as she lay back on her pillow.

Having already chosen the name Harry proudly introduced his son Andrew to everyone. After all the cooing and congratulations died down Poppy was preparing to transfer Hermione to the proper facilities at Hogwarts but Hermione insisted on finding out what the runes on the crystal said, she reacted almost as though she had been given a pepper up potion when she saw that Minerva had deciphered them all. Reading what Minerva had written Hermione looked around at those with her.

Whether Minerva had realised the significance of those around her Hermione did not know, but she did and she refused to be sent to the hospital ward when Poppy had told her what she was about to do.

"Read what it says on the crystal, each of the five requirements are together right here and now, together we could end Merlin's thousand year incarceration, and from what it says it should not take long," Hermione announced looking at the five people she knew would be involved.

Every one of them walked around the crystal and read Minerva's translations.

1st side said, 'Only the magic of a new born descendant's touch has the power to break the bonds that hold'

2nd side, 'Only the magic of a teacher, wise and just's touch has the power to break the bonds that hold'.

3rd side, 'Only the magic of a Wizard, honest and true's touch has the power to break the bonds that hold'.

4th side, 'Only the magic of a great healer's touch has the power to break the bonds that hold'.

5th side, 'Only the magic of a Virgin born without magic, touch has the power to break the bonds that hold'.

"It looks like that evil woman that lured Merlin into this trap, set conditions that would free the great man to what she thought impossible to fulfil. I understand now what the book was doing, each of us here helps to meet those conditions, each of us are only here because of the book. Had we not been sent to save the ones we did, then none of us would exist to be here." Hermione said to her confused looking family. "Potter, Granger, McGonagall, Pomfrey, each of us had an ancestor saved, except Minerva of course, she herself was saved from sinking with the Titanic."

Each face took on a look of understanding as Hermione went to place their new born sons tiny little hand on the crystal, she then looked at the others and simply nodded.

Eleanor, Minerva, Poppy and then Harry walked to the side of the crystal that referred to them and placed their hand on the runes just as Hermione had done with Andrews hand.

Harry was the last one to touch the crystal and as he did so a darkness seemed to leave the crystal and enter the chambers walls, the darkness was followed by soft lights of every colour of the rainbow, each light slowly left the crystal and entered into the chambers walls just has the darkness had done.

They all stood around the crystal for a minute or so waiting after the last light had gone, when nothing else seemed to be happening a very tired Hermione sat back down on the bed, "I can't see how I could be so wrong," she said sadly.

Hermione was quickly joined by every one else, they were all looking at the crystal simply waiting, though they had no idea what they were waiting for. Another minute dragged by and then the cavern began to fill with a soft and delicate golden glow that appeared to be coming from the very walls. All around the cavern walls areas began to glow stronger until the entire cavern seemed to be made of gold, the light had them all closing their eyes for a short time before it began to fade back into the walls. As the golden glow faded there were eleven ghostly looking men standing around the walls, each of them looking on the crystal.

One of the men stepped forward, he stood about six foot tall. Looking from the crystal to Harry he bowed before speaking in an odd language which they for reasons they did not understand, they found they knew.

The man introduced himself, "Greetings wizard, I am Arthur king of the Britons, these are my knights, we thank you all this day for freeing our souls from this cursed place."

Harry not having a clue about what to say simply replied "You are most welcome, King Arthur."

Arthur bowed again this time to each of them in turn, he then drew his sword Excalibur and walked up to the crystal, he was then joined by his knights, each held their drawn swords in their hands. With a silent nod from their king eleven swords all struck the crystal at the same time.

Slowly as though someone had slowed down time the crystal began to fall apart, it seemed to them watching as though an hour had passed before the crystal finally shattered. There standing where the crystal had been stood the great wizard Merlin.

The eleven ghostly figures welcomed the wizard warmly each bowing to him before giving a short one armed hug. Once the greetings from his friends were over Merlin walked over to the group who had freed him.

"I see my book found you last of my descendants, I owe you a great dept for what you and your friends have done," Merlin said to Harry while taking his hand and shaking it.

Harry a little awed by the things that had happened swallowed hard before he spoke "I am no longer the last of our line, I would like you to meet my wife Hermione and our son Andrew," he said smiling at Hermione.

Merlin greeted and thanked each and every one before he declared it was time to leave. "Before you go Sir, might I ask why you are the only one revived today that is quite alive and solid?" Hermione asked quietly.

"That is simply magic, daughter," Merlin replied as he and the eleven ghosts walked away, they then simply walked straight into the wall and were gone on to the next great adventure.

It was a very tired group of people who sat around a bed in the Hogwarts hospital ward, watching as Hermione and her son slept. Harry along with the Grangers were all proud of their new family member and planned a party to introduce him to the world, that is if Hermione agreed with them.

Minerva McGonagall went off to her study to write down the story of the days events.

Poppy sat in her old office and with a cup of coffee she celebrated another successful day in which she had once again treated a Potter.

Harry could not have been happier than he was, he now had his greatest desire, a family of his own.

Hermione slept and dreamed of raising her son, sending him off to Hogwarts where he would become head boy.

Little Andrew Potter slept snug and warm without a single thing to mar his future.

The end.