Main Title: Core magic

Chapter - last

Chapter title: the return

Author: Billybob

Category: AU, alternate universe …set in DH

Main pairing; rbwHJG

Rated: M, - just to be safeguarded from the prudish criticism of the overly sensitive. The rating is what it is for adult language and banter, some UK profanity / slang and implied sexual innuendo. I do not write blow-by-blow smut.

Warning (one): Unbridled butchery of the King's English is a common facet of this writer's modis operendi and I have also been rightfully accused of: - gross punctuation and grammar errors, obscene ramblings on tangents that distract from the main plot and repeating already stated facts and plot points over and over. (I warned them, 'BuckNC' – what more can you ask)

Author's disclaimer: This story is based in the world created by J. K. Rowling, she owns all legal rights to the characters, setting, etc. - I am merely borrowing the contents of the JKR world for my own amusement and that of my few readers. In other words…her characters…my plot…savvy?

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Chapter 25 – the return

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Roll film

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The clerk was bored; he had taken the position in the pork-key office after Hogwarts thinking that visitors from other magical lands would be as fascinating as sitting in Diagon Alley and watching the young witches walk by. Plenty of attractive young women did pass through the landing area in the Ministry fourth sub-basement… but most birds were in a huge rush to get to their destination and that meant that precious few were in the mood to waste time being chatted-up by an entry level… poor-as-dirt …ministry clerk.

Part of Rupert's daily routine was to undergo a foreign language spell just to understand most European tongues - at least enough to get through the few questions required of visitors to England. But over time he came to cherish speaking to the English talking tourists and business wizards. Today - regretfully - there was only one – a middle-aged wizard in a very dusty travel cloak. He appeared to be twice Rupert's age and more journey-wore than most. He carried a bed-roll held together by ropes instead of a suitcase - another point of interest that made this stranger stand out from the crowd.

Long reddish-brown shaggy-hair pulled back behind his head and held in place by a bit of black ribbon, this seventeen century appearance contrasted his neatly trimmed bread making this wizard a walking contradiction, His clothing as Rupert noticed under his cloak was neat and clean if mended in spots which instantly ruled out any notion of a rich tourist. The clerk was half-tempted to laugh as most travelers put on their best robes when traveling and this bumpkin looked like he had come straight from mucking out a barn. However the urge to chuckle died in Rupert's throat when the clerk finally made eye contact, for the dangerous steel hard cobalt blue belied the wizard's scruffy easy-going appearance.

Instinctively the clerk knew that this wizard was not to be teased or toyed with. A chill went down Rupert's spine as he realized the caliber of the wizard before him. This man had seen war, loads of it - - there was an aura around such men, that Rupert knew all too well …for his older brother had fought in the English civil war. He had only made the last battle - but that had been enough to taint his brother attitude on life.

"You were in the war – weren't you?" Rupert began unable to stop himself.

"I beg your pardon" the wizard replied a bit surprised in heavily accented English.

"Your British – aren't you?"

"No, I'm actually a citizen of Tasmania; I have a small shop in the all magical village of Coven, located near the Muggle city of Hobart"

"But – but, I can tell you've seen combat?"

"You British truly are a self-absorbed lot," the older wizard chuckled in a good natured tone. "Do you really think that England is the only country with dark wizards …or the only nation to rise up to fight such evil? Only those dead and buried are totally free of war."

"But we achieved peace – our war here is over."

"Don't fool yourself boy - peace is nothing more than a brief interval between conflicts. I've read about this Voldemort of yours - and I have always wondered – if this Voldemort was so dangerous - why did no adult oppose his take-over? The way I understand it …he was brought down by a bunch of underage school children."

Rupert felt an instant dislike for this strange foreigner, "how dare he insult England" he said to himself. "You weren't here, so you shouldn't pre-judge how we do things."

"I wasn't judging boy, just pointing-out the perception of many of my countrymen. Harry Potter was what? - - Only fourteen years old, when he killed Riddle?"

"Harry was seventeen almost eighteen …damnit," – Rupert snapped hotly in defense of his hero.

"No worries mate" the dusty older wizard said raising his hands in mock surrender. "No offense meant I assure you. I'm done my share of fighting and don't want any more …not even with a fine and upstanding immigration clerk …such as your-self!"

"Sorry – I didn't mean to sound so short-tempered. Let's forget the whole thing."

"Fine with me,"

"Let's start again – name?"

"Benedict R. Stratford"

"And the 'R' stands for?" - Rupert asked as he filled out an entry form with his quill.

"Ronald. In fact my friends sometimes call me Ron."

"Reason for coming to England?",

"Business, - primarily - Firstly; I'm here to purchase a supply of English hardwoods in bulk. And secondly to see if there is a market for my products,"

"Do you make – clocks or Furniture?"

"No – I manufacture hand-made Wizarding chess sets."

"Really," Rupert said suddenly interested again. "I tried to make one last year - but my charm work was rubbish and wore off in no time at all."

"That happens more often than most people realize, it takes real skill to make a chess-set that will keep working for generation after generation. For example - anyone can make a wand – it is taught during the last year in most Wizarding schools - but only a professional wand maker can make a wand that is absolutely dependable year after year."

"Sounds reasonable to me, - Okay Mr. Strafford just a few more question; how long will you be staying in England?"

"No more than a week."

"Do you have a contact here – a vendor for your wood? The Ministry will be happy to assist you - if you do not."

"That's kind of you and Yes, I sent my wife ahead of me, she went to school here and knowing her - she'll already have a list of wood vendors all set-up for me - the moment I see her". The clerk didn't notice when Benedict's hand briefly glowed white - and as there wasn't anyone else in the port key office at that precise moment – there was no-one to see Rupert stamp a second passport that Benedict presented to the dazed clerk – this time with a woman's name of the top. Suddenly instead of one visitor coming in to England from Tasmania - there were now two.

"You seem to have the situation well in hand, Mr. Stratford." The clerk said when a moment later he came out of his semi-daze.

"I try to plan ahead."

"Where will you be staying?"

"Whatever is convenient?"

"Are you fluent in Muggle customs, money - automobiles and such? If not the statue of secrecy prohibits foreign-born wizards from staying in Muggle areas or living in their Hotels."

"Not half as well as my Muggleborn wife does - She generally, keeps me out of such trouble. Would it help if I promise not to make war on the non-magical natives?" The traveler said good-naturedly.

"It wouldn't hurt," Rupert replied with a chuckle - suddenly very fond of this odd stranger. "Anyroad – Welcome to Magical Britain and please enjoy your stay."

"I will boy – you can depend on that."

Leaving the Ministry, the chess maker made his way without incident to Diagon Alley - where he spent a pleasant hour and a-half in the Leaky Cauldron Pub - savoring the taste of his first butterbeer in a twelfth-month. He sat out in the open - unrecognized at the bar - and watched as a young Irish wizard by the name of Seamus Finnegan flirted shamelessly with the barmaid and now owner of the pub - Ms. Hannah Abbott. The two of them were less than two feet away from the Tasmanian citizen, even spoke to him at length and yet neither made then connection between the foreigner and the long-dead "killer Weasley"

Fortified with a few butterbeer's, and having rented a room above the Pub, Benedict walked with confidence into Diagon Alley. His core-based unbreakable glamor as a twenty-eight year old tourist was perfect and his spirits were high - - two hours later, he left the shopping center furious and depressed.

The first downer was the discovery that his brother George had apparently sold the Joke shop. Benedict understood it on one level, for the shop must have been full of painful memories for the surviving twin. He did not know the new owners; 'James and Oliver Phelps' and personally had nothing against them. It was just the thought that Fred's business was now in the hands of strangers - that depressed Benedict to no end.

Already in a foul mood, Benedict was unprepared for what he found in Flourish and Blott's shop window. Several books were predominately displayed at the bookseller - - among the titles were: Potter and Granger – the tragic story of lovers torn asunder by distance and fame – by Rita Skeeter. Then there was: The Twin Heroes and the Killer – with a subtitle on the inside flap that described how the two heroes overcame the influence of the evil Weasley to win the war - almost single handedly – Again, this pack of lies had been written by Rita Skeeter.

There were also four unauthorized biographies of Harry and two of Hermione for sale in the showcase widow. Benedict didn't recognize the names of the authors of any of these personal histories and seriously doubted that the writers of theses questionable biographies actually interviewed either Harry or Hermione in person.

Going inside the book-shop Benedict found to his great dismay – another a half-dozen… tell-all books - all allegedly penned by intimately close friends of the two national-heroes. That Benedict found these books in the discount barrel near the door - under a bulletin-board, hastily-thumbtacked newspaper article interview given by Hermione that indicated to the public that there was no – truthful biography in print about either her or Harry – which spoke volumes to the big discounts on these so-called …tell-all the dirt …books.

Next to the check-out was a small stack of books written by Dean Thomas entitled; The Truth about the Resistance. Andit was asmallcomfort to Benedict to see with his own eyes that these books were outselling the Skeeter trash - two to one. Benedict couldn't resist the urge to buy one of Dean's books for it offset the anger he felt over the number of magazines with pictures of Harry on the cover.

Nothing about coming home again depressed Ron more than what he had managed to read about his former best-mate, the hero-playboy of Great Britain. Harry – the nice shy boy from first year had become a member of the semi-idle rich. He attended the Auror Academy when he felt like it - and seemed to chase everything in a skirt… so marriage and settling down seemed equally unlikely. Benedict knew the reason behind this growing dread - and was greatly saddened by it.

A familiar whisper – with the same voice that told him to spare Tom - told Benedict that Harry would never serve as a regular Auror either – he would never chase-down any of the remaining Death Eaters still at large – for what Politian in his right mind - would dare risk the national hero being cut-down in his prime …in the lane by some luck punk high on drugs. Benedict shook his head sadly, realizing that his childhood friend would never get the normal life he craved. He stood in the center of Diagon alley and thought back to the day the war had ended.

OoOoOoOo flashback

Ron/Benedict had been overjoyed when he had heard from Fred's ghost - that - Harry had survived his duel with old-Tom and it had taken a-lot of convincing by his dead relatives to keep his own survival from his former best friend. The arguments got so out of hand - that it took a blindfolded Abe guided by Gideon down to the cave - during a face to face row with his protégé – to forcefully remind Ron of how much Harry had changed - that finally convinced the resistance Leader to remain silent.

Ron's Mum attitude toward Hermione had also been unintentionally benefital – Molly Weasley by blaming Hermione exclusively for Ron transformation into a killer meant that all Weasley's had washed their hands to Grangers fate – even a reluctant Ginny - and with no other family alive in England - Abe had convinced Dean during the brief vacuum of National leadership before Kingsley became Minister – to let Dumbledore's younger brother take care of the clearly mentally unbalanced Granger girl.

With the Wizarding world too busy above-ground …restoring order to their society and repairing the damage to Hogwarts - no-one bothered to object to Aberforth sequestering Granger from the public as a method of restoring the girl to mental health. Hermione's abrupt disappearance proved so successful that after a short period of time – a fortnight – a surprised and delighted public welcomed back a fully recovered Ms. Granger with almost everyone pleased at the result - except for Molly Weasley. That Harry also avoided his former friend and lover as if she had the black plague - made it easier for a certain Deadly Hallows stone to find its way into Hermione's hand less than twenty-four hours after Ron's death.

That stone had allowed Hermione to see and speak to Fred - in the hospital-wing privately – although the beds around her were all full of sleeping injured from the battle. The ghost of George's brother had informed Ms. Granger about certain top-secret things – which… greatly reassured the otherwise heartbroken witch.

With a new found reason to live Hermione had quickly agreed to allow Abe to overlook her recovery. Twelve hours later Hermione supported by Abe Dumbledore were seen leaving Hogwarts Castle by duel apparition. Everyone thought that the pair was going to Abe's cottage outside of Hogsmeade but the boathouse by Hogwarts Lake was their actual destination.

Although it had been a tight fit - the construction of a certain very familiar canvas tent (found in the abandoned ruins of Malfoy Manor by Abe - along with three months' worth of canned food) within the hidden cave underneath the damaged Castle – in this canvas structure the national hero to all Muggleborn's, her officially dead lover and his mentor – spent days discussed at length the married couple's future together in exile.

Hermione emerged from seclusion a fortnight after the last battle - a very sad care-worn young woman. There was an darkness in her grimly determined eyes - as if she had a unpleasant task ahead of her – that nothing seemed to lighten. She did her duty at the Minister and then repeated her seventh year at Hogwarts with a heavy heart – that lasted - all the way to her last school-sponsored Christmas Holiday. After Christmas and to the end of her formal education, classmates noticed a spring in her step that hadn't been there before. She even smiled all twenty-four hours of March first.

Benedict understood the improvement in Hermione's attitude and wore on the ring finger of his left-hand the gold proof of the moment her outlook on life had taken a dramatic upswing.

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Arriving back in his room at the Leaky Cauldron, Benedict threw Deans book on his bed and said: "Tweaky"

"Yes Master" the house-elf said after popping into the room.

"Did you deliver my message?"

"Yes master – Mistress Beatrice awaits news from her beloved lord husband, and asks me to warn you that her submission to your will - shall match in eagerness that of Katherine the shrew's obedience to her lord Petruchio's will."

"I would expect nothing less of my Lady Disdain, for I love her no more than reason."

"Are you quoting Shakespeare again master?"

"Yes it is a game I play with my lady wife."

"The flower develops – master,"

"You checked on the child?"

"Yes of course master, little flower was upset at the year delay at first - but is now very eager to be born."

"Tell her to practice patience, we need to take her mother home first, for if flower is born in England the name of her parents will appear on the registry of future students at Hogwarts - and my real name as father in that book would make things very awkward." Ron said playing-along with Tweaky's notion that she could speak to Ron's unborn child. Hermione had declared the whole concept utterly absurd a long time ago - But Ron wasn't so sure - after all he'd been through and seen …Ron/Benedict tended to be far more open-minded about the power of Elves than his Muggle-raised spouse

"Flower fully understands master. But she can hardly wait to see her daddy – who she loves very much."

"I love her just as much; Tweaky and so does her mum – but remember – don't tell Mistress about …"

"Lady Beatrice does not believe me about talking to flower, Master."

"Mistress is a down to earth – practical witch, respect her wisdom in other areas, Tweaky - leave the more abstract areas of magic to others."

"Yes master."

"You're a good elf – Tweaky – and I would be lost without you."

"Thank-you master,"

"We head home tomorrow –Tweaky. Our properly stamped Tasmanian passports with please the Muggle container ship captain, making our departure all nice and legal."

"You won't be leaving by port-key, Master?"

"Too risky, Mistress's Face is to well known to British magical authorities, Using Muggle transport to Quebec will throw off any possible pursuit long enough for us to use the illegal pork-key I made to get us home. Besides if no one comes after my wife - it'll be a nice honeymoon crossing Canada by train."

"But your family – master, - Won't you try to see them before you go?"

"I'm taking my entire family with me."

"Flower does not like abandoning the Weasley side."

"I don't like it either, Tweaky – but to them – especially my mother - I'm better-off dead."

"It's sad master – very sad,"

"Civil-Wars tear families apart all the time; Tweaky. Magical and Muggle wars are alike in that. Maybe someday flower can come back and try to reconnect with my sister Ginerva in France, but I won't. For now she'll have two grandparents around to spoil her – now that I've found the Grangers. But when we leave the Weasley name stays behind – forever."

"Masters new name of Stratford gains fame every day, wizard chess sets Master makes – are best in world"

"Yes, Thank-you for saying that, Tweaky," Benedict said kindly.

"But Wezzie's will never know," Tweaky said

"As you said – it's sad. Sometimes one thing ends so that something better can begin."

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Finis

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An: here it ends, I hoped you liked it