As January continued to unfold, Hermione suddenly got an onset of morning sickness, so she had to keep dry crackers around at all times. Thankfully, Severus provided her with a Disillusionment Charm, which applied to food and its scent, so no one saw her eating anything, or any crumbs about her person. However, she had to watch out for chewing, but she claimed that she was gritting her teeth, nerves coming on due to the upcoming NEWTs and all, and so the vast majority of the student body left her alone.

"How's it going for you?" Hermione asked Harry one evening; it was a weekend, at the end of the month, wherein Sirius was out in his Animagus form, Severus was searching for some potions ingredients in Ireland, and Ron was over at the flat with Tonks. "I haven't seen you chewing on crackers like your life depends on it..."

Harry laughed. "Madam Pomfrey says that not everyone gets morning sickness," he explained carefully, shrugging his shoulders. "Of course, it could always crop up later." He deliberately lowered his voice then. "Male pregnancy is considered to be extremely rare. Because of this, we're pretty much flying by the seats of our pants here. She's reading all she can about it in her spare time, and poor Severus is up half the night worrying about our baby..."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "Sirius always wants to fetch and carry for me," she told him, relieved to finally talk to someone about it. "He holds me so tightly at night that I almost can't breathe. I have to physically shove him out the door to get him to go for runs on the grounds and in the forest... Tonight was no exception," she whispered. "I'm just hoping that I'm not right..."

"Right?" Harry asked. "Right about what?"

Hermione nibbled upon her lower lip. "Well, I'm wondering if this is the calm before the storm, as it were," she told him. "I mean, maybe they're worried about something coming..."

"Well, there is the little matter of the lose Death Eaters," Harry said softly. "Plus, Draco hasn't heard from Mrs. Malfoy since August. She wasn't ever as heavily into it as Lucius or Bellatrix were, but maybe they saw that as a means to get rid of her or something..."

Hermione swallowed, leaning back upon the couch; she'd long put away her Ancient Runes essay, as it wasn't due for two weeks, and she could hardly concentrate on it now. Not to mention the fact that she was extremely caught up in all her other classes... "You don't think that the Orders' been meeting secretly, do you?"

Harry straightened up at that, his Transfiguration assignment forgotten. "You don't think they'd actually do that to us, do you?" he asked. "I mean, Dumbledore himself apologized all over himself at the end of fifth-year, telling me he wouldn't hide anything from me anymore... And then all those lessons sixth-year, to prepare me for the inevitable..."

"Old habits do die hard," Hermione said softly. "And, as you well know, it's not like he entered into an Unbreakable Vow with you, or a Wizard's Oath, swearing never to keep anything from you again..."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "You think he should've done one of those?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I can't be certain," she replied. "What I am certain of, given our husbands' behavior since second-term began, that something is definitely on the horizon. We just need to figure out what it might be..."

Harry gave her a small smirk. "Guess it's time, then."

Hermione sighed, wondering if she should summon Dobby or Winky to bring them both something for dinner, as neither fancied going down to the Great Hall. "What?" she asked, turning her head as Crookshanks sauntered into the room.

"I guess it's time to take my dad's cloak out again," Harry told her, and Hermione's eyes snapped to his, wondering if her best friend had gone as mad as their husbands.

~*~

"Harry, I don't like his," Hermione hissed through clenched teeth; it had taken a week to formulate their plan accordingly, and they were now trekking to the headmaster's office, where Sirius and Severus had gone after dinner. "Harry, I don't like this at all..."

Harry sighed from where he stood beside Hermione; tucked beneath the cloak, they walked as quickly as they could down the corridor. He had, of course, invited Ron to come along as well but he'd decided to spend the weekend catching up on assignments, taking a break from trying to get Tonks pregnant. "I know you don't, 'Mione," Harry whispered back. "But you're the one who said it was sort of exciting, breaking the rules..."

Hermione grimaced as her words were thrown back at her; of course, she'd been running on a high at the time for, combined with going against Umbridge, they had all been invited to Grimmauld Place for Christmas and, at the thought of seeing Sirius again... "You know those were exigent circumstances," she said softly, accusingly.

"Well, at least now there aren't any blood quills involved," Harry said darkly.

"Or threats of the Cruciatus," Hermione put in.

Harry swiveled his head to face her. "You know good and well that the pink toad would've followed through, had you not stepped in."

Hermione swallowed, reaching down and clasping Harry's hand. "We don't have to think about that now," she told him firmly.

Harry clutched at Hermione's hand, and they ventured into the final corridor, so as they could just make out the gargoyle guarding the staircase. Harry stopped walking then and peered over at Hermione, and she quickly flashed him a smile.

"This way," she said, and hurried him past the gargoyle, and towards the stone wall just on the other side. Pressing her hand into it, she focused her magic for a moment, leading the wall to give way, and a small alcove to appear before them. Grasping onto Harry's hand, she pulled him inside of it, and the wall closed up behind them.

"What the hell is this?!" Harry demanded, looking around.

"A small antechamber," Hermione replied easily. "Hogwarts: A History tells you all about secret passageways and whatnot, plus the places where people can sneak out of the castle to get to Hogsmeade or the Forbidden Forest."

Harry nodded. "Okay...?"

"In the footnotes," she continued, in full lecture mode now, "Bathilda Bagshot informs the reader about the hidden alcoves that the Founders made in times of danger, when they wanted to not be seen, and merely watch the goings-on within the castle. They didn't want to abandon it or escape, but merely bide their time and watch when would be a good time to attack."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "That's bloody brilliant! How does it work?"

Hermione held up her finger, and deftly removed her wand from her other sleeve. "First, we have to decide which way we want to look," she said quietly, and threw the cloak off them.

"Hermione!" Harry squeaked, fumbling for it in the dark.

"Oh, please," she said, looking over her shoulder and tutting at him, "I casted Disillusionment Charms on us when we left my quarters." Shaking her head and turning back to the inner wall, she whispered, "Pondero murum aperire," and the wall shimmered for a moment before seemingly falling away.

Harry immediately darted behind Hermione. "What the bloody hell do you...?!"

"It's just a mirror, Harry, honestly," Hermione said impatiently, "sort of like the police have in the Muggle World."

Harry blinked, easing himself away from Hermione. "What?"

"We can see them, but they can't see or hear us," Hermione explained. However, at Harry's questioning look, sighed and said, "The alcove is equipped with Silencing Charms."

Harry visibly relaxed from behind Hermione. "That's good, then," he said quietly, looking around her, and watched as the small room before them began filling up—Dumbledore, Sirius, Severus, Molly and Arthur, Bill and Fleur, Charlie, Fred and Alicia Spinnet, George and Angelina Johnson, Elphias Doge, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout; Mad-Eye Moody, Minister Shacklebolt, Arabella Figg, Dedalus Diggle, Hagrid, Sturgis Podmore, Hestia Jones, and Tonks all trooped into the room, with Aberforth Dumbledore bringing up the read. Harry and Hermione turned to look at each other as Sirius and Severus not only sat together, but began whispering in an animated manner at one another.

"Are we all here?" the headmaster asked, looking around as Professor McGonagall and his younger brother, Aberforth, assumed their places on either side of him. On the other side of the table, Hagrid sat, flanked by Professors Flitwick and Sprout.

"I believe so, headmaster," Severus replied, his tone respectful, and Sirius leaned back in the chair beside him with a smirk, which prompted the potions master to roll his eyes.

"Sorry I was nearly late," Aberforth put in, and the headmaster promptly turned to look at his last living relative. "Had to leave the Hog's Head in that new barkeeps' hands..."

"I'm quite sure that young Mr. Jordan will serve it well," the headmaster put in.

"He's our best mate, after all," Fred piped up, and Alicia promptly curled into his side, making him blush.

"He knew you'd be just the person to apprentice for, Ab," George put in, and Angelina smiled indulgently at her boyfriend.

"Quite right, you two," Dumbledore replied with a nod, and turned to address the rest of the Order of the Phoenix. "Sirius, how have your evening runs been going?"

"I Apparate to the locations that Severus provided, and go sniffing around, as ordered," he reported to the headmaster, and Hermione let out a small squeak at the notion that her husband was literally walking directly into danger.

"Finding anything pressing?" Professor McGonagall asked, leaning forward.

"As suspected, Riddle House is completely abandoned and wholly derelict," Sirius informed the company, and Severus nodded, as if he'd been expecting that. "Malfoy Manor let me into the wards because I am a part of the bloodline, and only Narcissa and the house-elves remain, although she appears to be under house arrest..."

"We have eyes on her," Mad-Eye Moody reported gruffly, directly leading both Kingsley and Tonks to nod. "Her Floo is locked, and her magical signature can't Apparate off the grounds. I assume the only way she can contact anyone is through owl post."

"'Ow abou' Portkeys?" Hagrid asked, speaking up. "Mrs. Malfoy was a bright o' witch back in 'er 'Ogwarts days. Surely she knows th' magic to make 'em..."

"Portkeys have to be registered with the Ministry of Magic," Kingsley told the half-giant calmly and patiently. "While I'm sure she's certainly capable of making one, the wards we've had placed around the manor would alert the ministry immediately if something going against her house-arrest transpired."

"I didn't see anything untoward," Sirius went on. "She merely spoke to her house-elves and read in the library. Of course, this could mean dark books..."

"Cleared out, as part of the house-arrest agreement," Mad-Eye Moody growled. "We even had top Dark Arts experts scan the library for hidden books, plus books that could've potentially been disguised."

"You can Polyjuice a book?" Charlie asked.

Professor McGonagall moved to answer, shooting a glare at Severus when he scoffed. "It is merely an advanced for of Transfiguration," she explained patiently, and huffed audibly when Severus moved to speak.

"Perhaps if you had spent less time on the Quidditch pitch and more in the classroom, you'd have remembered something like that, Mr. Weasley."

"I am so going to kill him for that," Harry muttered beside Hermione.

"The Lestrange home was also deserted, and the wards have held on Grimmauld Place since I revered its control to the ministry," Sirius continued. "At this point, I'm tempted to go to Gringotts with special permission to attempt to find other properties that the Malfoys, Lestrange's, and Black families have access to. It could be some obscure property in the middle of nowhere that they're doing their nefarious deeds."

"I'll have the paperwork drawn up forthwith," Kingsley said.

Dumbledore nodded in approval. "So, no new leads or reports, then," he said softly. "This could either mean that they've given up, there's nothing to report..."

"Or they've gone underground," Severus said softly, staring down at the table, "waiting to make their next move."

"Likely the third," Professor Flitwick squeaked, and Professor Sprout nodded.

"The safe houses are still there for the three couples directly linked to the new prophecy," the headmaster continued, and Sirius, Severus, and Tonks all nodded. "Sirius, how is Hermione's pregnancy progressing?"

"He can't talk about it!" Harry hissed. "Hagrid's there!"

Hermione sighed. "Dumbledore takes precautions, so that anything said in the room cannot be spoken about outside the room, as long as you don't have permission from the source of where the information is coming from."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh."

"Hermione's progressing quite well," Sirius said, beaming at the thought of his wife, and Hermione felt her cheeks flushing at that. "We have an appointment very soon with Poppy, and she may be able to tell us the sex."

"Good, very good," Dumbledore said, and turned to Severus. "And Harry's pregnancy?"

Severus smirked to himself, and Sirius moved to kick him from beneath the table, but Severus carefully avoided it. "Very well," he confirmed, his coal black eyes dancing with love for his young husband. "We should know by mid-March what we're having."

"Excellent," Dumbledore said, and finally turned to Tonks. "Any news for us yet, my dear?"

Tonks deflated then and shook her head. "None yet, headmaster. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, dear girl," Dumbledore said, reaching out and patting her hand. "These things happen in good time, never fear."

Tonks nodded. "We'll keep trying..."

"I know you will," the man confirmed, turning back to the meeting. The headmaster kept up with his lecturing within the group, until many members excused themselves for the evening—Hagrid to feed Fang; Aberforth to check in on Lee Jordan; Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout to go over marks or examinations for future classes; Arthur and Molly to go home to bed; Bill and Fleur to get some rest for work the following morning; Charlie to catch his Portkey back to Romania; Fred and George to go over their weekly accounts; Alicia and Angelina heading out together, as they shared a flat, and would need to be in tip-top shape for Quidditch practice and their shift at St. Mungo's respectively the following day; Mad-Eye and Kingsley to return to settle things up at the ministry for the night (with Harry and Hermione mutually shocked that the pair left holding hands); and Diggle escorting Mrs. Figg back to Little Whinging.

Once everyone had cleared out, the headmaster sighed, permitting himself to look exhausted for the very first time since the meeting began. Sirius, Severus, and Tonks all looked worriedly at one another, wondering why they had not yet been excused. Something was happening, Harry and Hermione knew it, and they would soon find out what it was.

"While Riddle never ensured his immortality completely," the headmaster began, "I fear that one of his followers could easily attempt to resurrect him."

Severus shivered. "Which is why you had Sirius checking on the Malfoy library when he was spying on Narcissa," he said, worry and fear evident in his dark eyes.

"Makes sense," Sirius replied darkly, briefly reaching across the table to squeeze Tonks' hand. "I don't have to tell anyone how dark the Black family has been over the centuries. You did meet Great-Aunt Druella, didn't you?"

Tonks swallowed, lowering her eyes at the direct mention of her maternal grandmother. "Yes, I unfortunately had the pleasure," she said darkly. "She said more than once that I would have been a fine addition to the family, had I not been Half-Blood, or sorted Hufflepuff."

"Both attributes from your father, who is a fine gentleman and upstanding wizard," Severus put in, obviously quick to defend anyone who was willing to fight for the side of the Light. "I am sorry she put such a devastating weight upon the shoulders of a young child, although the Wizarding World is known for such things," he said, looking over at the headmaster, his eyes full of protection.

"I love my husband," Harry said softly from Hermione's side.

"Danger could be lurking behind every corner, now more than ever," Dumbledore informed the three surrounding him. "As such, I have a meeting scheduled with Kingsley and Alastor later this week."

Tonks straightened up. "This can't be about the wedding?" she asked.

Harry and Hermione looked at one another. "The wedding?!" they hissed at one another.

Dumbledore smiled kindly at the young Auror and shook his head. "Not that I know of, but I encourage you all to inform your spouses post-haste, as you're all invited," he explained in a patient manner, before turning serious again. "No. The main topic of my meeting with our esteemed Minister and Deputy Minister is this—to have emergency Portkeys made as soon as possible for the three of you, your spouses, and anyone you've requested to have one."

Sirius straightened up at the man's words. "Surely, it won't come to that..."

"Nevertheless, it has to be done," Dumbledore replied. "The remaining Death Eaters have been far too quiet for my liking."

Severus, meanwhile, was staring down at the table. "What do you suggest we do then, Albus? I won't have Harry making any more sacrifices..."

Sirius nodded firmly. "The same goes for Hermione."

Tonks clasped her hands together. "And for Ron."

"Nor am I suggesting it," the headmaster said firmly. "However, I am going to have Minerva alter their schedules accordingly, so as they only take necessary classes."

Sirius smirked, looking down at the table this time as he crossed his arms. "My Hermione won't hear of it, because she thinks every class is necessary. She is the brightest witch of her age, after all," he said proudly.

"I love my husband," Hermione said dreamily beside Harry.

"I may have to call in a favor from the ministry for a Time-Turner if that's the case, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Dumbledore said, pulling at his beard.

"Why the changes to the schedule, Albus?" Tonks asked him.

"Because we have to prepare them for their NEWTs," Dumbledore said patiently.

Severus leaned forward at the man's words. "That's what they're supposed to be doing as we speak," the potions master said, obviously confused.

"I know that," Dumbledore said calmly. "However, I want them to have their final examinations taken care of so that, if necessary, they can run at the first sign of danger."

Sirius looked up. "It's closer than we thought, isn't it?" he asked softly. "You wouldn't be wanting them to go through all this trouble if it wasn't. Albus, what aren't you telling us? This is my wife, my unborn child, my godson, my godson's unborn child, my cousin, her husband and my wife and godson's best friend, plus Severus, that we're talking about here. What have we missed?" he asked, spreading his hands.

"The Trace of Underage Magic breaks at seventeen, a goal which the three of them have already achieved, so it can't be that," Tonks said softly.

"It's got to be something far more complicated than that," Severus told Tonks, before he turned and regarded the headmaster again. "Albus, please. Tell us what's going on here."

"I fear that, if Lucius, Bellatrix, or someone else manages to get into Malfoy Manor undetected, or if Narcissa manages to secret several dark tomes out of there, then they could perform a ritual, similar to that done in the graveyard during the final task of the Triwizard Tournament," came the headmaster's steady, yet soft, reply. "A resurrection ritual, at this point, would be dire, obviously, although there is an upside..."

"An upside?!" Severus demanded, launching himself to his feet, fire likely pumping through his veins at the headmaster's train of thought. "How could there be an upside to Riddle coming back into our world?! He's nothing but a deranged monster who made my husband's life a living hell from the time he was eighteen months old! How could his return, even a potential one, mind you, possibly have an upside to it?!"

"Because," the man said simply, staring up at Severus and ignoring the man's outburst, "he no longer has a connection to Harry."

Severus sputtered. "What?!"

"Think about it, Severus," Sirius said, gently easing the man back into his chair, "Harry killed him once upon the Astronomy Tower."

Severus huffed, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. "And so?"

"And so," Tonks continued, obviously having caught on, "Harry killed any connection he previously had to Riddle!"

Severus looked over at the headmaster. "Are you certain?" he breathed.

Dumbledore nodded. "I am. The prophecy said that Harry had to vanquish him, and that neither could live if the other survives. However, Harry already vanquished him in his previous form, a form that was bonded to him through blood. The only way they could possibly reanimate him is through use of his own wand, and dark ingredients, possibly some skin, all of which were destroyed when Harry killed him last June."

"Let's just hope that, if they do find skin, it's not from his previous resurrection attempt," Sirius said darkly.

"I was ordered to take skin samples from him regularly before I defected in 1981," Severus said softly, "for experimentation purposes. I'm quite positive Bellatrix knows where they are, and, as far as I know, they're the only skin samples in existence."

"Merlin, let's hope," Tonks said softly.

"How can Merlin possibly help us now?" Severus asked bitterly.

Sirius sighed, and turned to Dumbledore. "He leave any texts behind that you can think of that can help us here?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Perhaps ask your wife," he replied, looking up at the wall that Harry and Hermione were currently hiding behind, and smiled at them, leading the pair of them to believe that he had known they were there the entire time. "After all, you've just informed us that she's the brightest witch of her age."

~*~

As her pregnancy progressed, Hermione continued to worry about Ron and Tonks's lack of accomplishment in that area. Thankfully, Harry was there to confide in, for both accounts, and he seemed to be just as worried as she was. As time went on, winter ended, and with it, the snow melted and various flowers cropped up all throughout the Hogwarts grounds, as well as within the Forbidden Forest. Harry would delight Hermione with tales about accompanying Severus during weekends to harvest various ingredients, and Hermione was so pleased to see that the young man she considered her brother was so happy.

"How are the preparations for Easter going?" Sirius asked, breezing into the Head Girl rooms one Friday evening in March, and pressing a kiss onto her cheek.

"Fine," Hermione told him, forcing a smile onto her lips, while stroking Crookshanks with one hand and writing her latest essay for Ancient Runes with the other. Although she didn't subscribe to superstitions, the headmaster had asked that both she and Harry remain at the castle for the entire day, and Ron was given a room in a hidden chamber to accommodate Tonks. "Our esteemed headmaster is arranging for the Portkey, and Bill is on assignment for Gringotts to ensure that the wards are in place and up-to-date."

Sirius nodded, stepping into the kitchenette and cobbling together a sandwich; he had gone all out in utilizing the space provided, and quite liked Hermione to ask him instead of Winky or Dobby to procure something if she had a craving. "Can I make you anything, love?" he asked her gently, while mixing together mustard and mayonnaise for his own sandwich.

Hermione pursed her lips, gazing down at her Ancient Runes essay; it was their final large assignment in the class before their NEWTs, and was due one week before the exam. There were little assignments here and there but, since she had informed Professor McGonagall about her intent to make it a NEWTs course for herself, she had already completed the others. "Yes," she told him, knowing that she had gone as far with her first draft as she could, and packed away the rest of her assignments and such, knowing that she could work better during the weekend ahead, anyway. "I would love something."

Sirius grinned at her. "Well," he said, reaching into his trouser pocket and pulling out a carrier bag, which he made quick work of enlarging, "I stopped at Charity's Cheesemonger's & Convenience in Diagon," he told her.

Hermione's hands flew to her mouth, remembering the shop that had opened up just next door to Fred and George's, and was run by their co-worker, Verity's, twin sister, Charity. "I was so delighted when I heard that she wanted to open a shop. It was such a shame we couldn't go for the grand opening at Christmastime," she mused, watching as Sirius set the bag upon the island, and proceeded to remove its contents.

"Molly and Arthur were kind enough to give our excuses," Sirius said with a small smile, and was particularly pleased to see that his wife looked so pleased at what he'd procured. "Charity and her husband, Dougal, are very proud of their shop. Once people understand the familial connection between the two of them, all they want to do is go to both."

"And how is Jeremy?" Hermione asked, naming their little son.

"Three-years-old now, believe it or not," Sirius said fondly, "running about the place and already performing accidental magic. Charity's mother and father, Temperance and Duncan were going after him as fast as they could."

Hermione smiled wistfully as she got to her feet, caressing her belly. "I can't wait until this one does amazing feats," she mused, looking down at a cheese she had been particularly fond of since her admittance into the Wizarding World. "You remembered how much I liked Celestine's," she said softly, tracing her finger along the brick of aged cheddar.

"Too right, I did," Sirius said, and pulled a second carrier bag out from his pocket and enlarged it, revealing it to be from Tesco's, and that it was a bag of Spirali Pasta. "In addition to your favorite cheese and shape," he said, and Hermione gasped with delight, "as you can see, I've also procured butter, evaporated milk, flour, garlic powder, and we already had salt and pepper. Can I interest my beautiful wife in some macaroni cheese?"

"Yes, my darling husband," Hermione replied. "Won't you join me?"

They ate together that night, with Sirius forgetting about his sandwich for the interim, and his kind wife informed him that they could pack a sandwich lunch for the following day, and perhaps invite Harry and Severus, plus Ron and Tonks, along. She was very pleased with Sirius's efforts to behave around Severus, as well as accept his relationship, and marriage, to his one and only godson.

However, there was one thing she just couldn't shake, and it worried her to no end. As the preparations for Easter continued as March went by, she wondered if something was just upon the horizon. Dumbledore hadn't broken Harry and Hermione's confidence, although he had told them that eavesdropping was not an attractive quality. However, both she and Harry were miffed that neither one of their husbands', nor Ron's wife, had informed them of the secret meeting of the Order of the Phoenix, nor had they told them of the discussion.

It was in the final week of March that the three of them were called into Professor McGonagall's inner office after Transfiguration. It had been their final class that day, and all three were anxious to get to dinner, continue revising for their NEWTs, and do any assignments. Their Head of House rose slowly to her feet, and regarded them with an insurmountable sadness in he expression, and Hermione found that she looked much older in that moment.

"Mr. Weasley," she said to Ron, after she had spelled the door shut and locked behind them, "I believe that now is an appropriate time to tell your friends your news."

Ron turned red to his ears, but faced Hermione and Harry as they looked at him questioningly. "I went to the hospital wing with Tonks a few weeks ago," he said softly. "Madam Pomfrey confirmed her pregnancy. She's three months along, now."

"Oh, Ron, that's wonderful!" Hermione crowed, throwing her arms around him first, before stepping back so that Harry could have his turn.

"Congratulations, mate," Harry chirped.

"Thanks," Ron said effusively, and he truly looked proud of himself. "Madam Pomfrey says we're having a boy, and I can't tell you how happy I am."

"I am pleased to hear that as well, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, a small light of happiness in her eyes. "I trust you've informed your family?"

"Yeah, and Headmaster Dumbledore wasn't right pleased to be booted to second-place," Ron said with a laugh, and the Head of Gryffindor House appeared as if she was attempting not to laugh at that statement. "They're all mad with joy."

"They should be," Harry said firmly.

"You'll make a wonderful father, Ron," Hermione told him.

"My sentiments exactly," Professor McGonagall said with a nod. "However, I must inform the three of you of recent developments."

"Developments?" Harry asked, looking unsure. "Is something wrong, professor?"

"Not as far as we know, as of yet, but we believe that Death Eater presence is mounting throughout Ireland," came her reply with a shudder. "They are using abandoned Magdalene Laundries as hideouts, our sources say."

"Magdalene what now?" Ron asked.

"Does that have something to do with religion?" Harry queried.

"Honestly, you two," Hermione huffed, re-situating her bag onto her shoulder and smoothing her swollen belly, and was rewarded with an almighty kick for her efforts. "It was a despicable practice of the Catholic church throughout Ireland for over two hundred years, wherein young girls were effectively kidnapped from their families for being too promiscuous, which includes pre-marital sex, having a child out of wedlock, or merely just being a victim of circumstances. It was a rotten and inhumane thing to do, and people could do nothing, unless they escaped and found help, or if another family member saw fit to bring them out of it."

"Blimey, all that was legal?" Ron whispered, and both his and Harry's expressions were a combination of bewilderment and revulsion.

"Unfortunately so," Professor McGonagall said darkly. "My father Robert, bless him, was a church-going man, a Presbyterian minister, but his practices and beliefs were far more liberal, and he believed in nurturing about all things."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "You're a Half-Blood, professor?" he asked, not accusingly, but, rather in a curious manner.

"Indeed, Mr. Potter-Snape," the witch replied with a smile. "My dear mother, Isobel, hid her abilities from my father, until it was revealed that I, as well as my two younger brothers, were magical." She looked far away for a moment, before she suddenly snapped to attention and cleared her throat as a means of calming herself. "Anyhow, the headmaster and I have agreed that the previously-mentioned safe houses would be a good idea."

"What does that mean, professor?" Hermione asked.

"It means that you three will take your NEWTs before Easter," she explained. "Harry and Severus will then go to their safe house immediately, with Horace Slughorn taking over for potions," she said. "As for Ron and Tonks, you will be permitted to go to the Burrow, and Tonks will be placed on leave from the ministry. As for you, Mrs. Black," she said, turning to Hermione with a look of sadness, "you and Sirius will still be permitted to go and see your mother and father in the Lake District. Take the time to say goodbye, before you will both be transported into your new homes and new identities."

"New identities?" Ron demanded.

"Precisely, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall confirmed. "In addition to your NEWTs—no need to worry about smaller and inconsequential assignments now—you will also be meeting with dialect coaches."

"A dialect coach?" Harry sputtered.

"Quite right, Mr. Potter-Snape," she said with a nod. "As you three are being relocated to Australia, New Zealand, and to the United States, you will need to blend in as if you're from there, and, as such, have been born and raised there."

"Will we have to alter our appearances?" Hermione asked tentatively.

Professor McGonagall nodded approvingly at Hermione. "Mr. Weasley, Professor Snape, and Mr. Black will certainly be at liberty to do so," she responded. "However, as you may or may not know, Polyjuice Potion has hazardous ingredients within it, which could compromise yours, Mr. Potter-Snape's, and Mrs. Weasley's pregnancies."

"The bits of leeches could mold together within the potion, and suck the blood from the unaware fetus," Hermione said, shuddering, as she and Harry automatically wrapped their arms around their expanding stomachs.

"Ten points to Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall said with a tight smile. "Headmaster Dumbledore will have your new identities prepared—birth certificates, social security numbers and cards, not to mention marriage licenses."

"But what about me and Severus?" Harry asked, shaking all over. "Gay marriage isn't allowed in the Muggle world, although it's certainly tolerated a lot more than it was centuries ago." He bit his lip, his green eyes flashing with worry as he caressed his pregnant belly—at the end of his third month, he was definitely showing slightly, and would not be able to hide it much longer from strangers. "How are we to have a relationship, let alone cope with my pregnancy, in an area that wouldn't understand?"

Professor McGonagall nodded. "Severus, too has expressed concerns about that," she told the three of them. "However, after much scouring, he has come across a non-invasive Glamour Charm that can be utilized on you without bringing harm to you or your child. It will cause your hair to lengthen, and give you the outward appearance of a young woman."

"Is there a way to counteract it?" Harry asked, blushing slightly.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat in an attempt not to laugh. "Yes. The wards of your home, which will have protective enchantments within them to be sure that no one untoward can come in, will wash away the spell. If you have company over, Muggle company, they can be applied again. Severus has thought of everything, Harry," she said consolingly, and smiled down at him. "Don't you worry." She asked if the three had any further questions, before she excused them all to get ready for the evening meal.

Harry sighed, trudging along the corridor directly outside of the Transfiguration classroom. "I don't know how I'm not supposed to worry..."

Hermione bit her lip. "Very true."

Ron put his arms around them both. "This can't last forever, you know. Someday, we'll all be back here together, here, in this thousand-year-old castle..."

"Except it won't be out school anymore," Harry said softly as they passed by a group of fourth-year Ravenclaw girls, chattering animatedly amongst themselves. "You heard what McGonagall said back there. We have to be ready to take our NEWTs before the Easter holidays..."

"What NEWTs are you planning on taking then, mate?" Ron asked.

Harry grumbled under his breath. "Potions, Defense, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, Herbology, Apparition, History of Magic," he replied.

"I'm taking all those, except for History of Magic," Ron replied, turning to regard Hermione, who was clutching at her belly as they walked. "And you, Hermione?"

"All those, plus Ancient Runes, and Advanced Arithmancy," she said softly, already thinking ahead, past the exams, and saying goodbye to her parents, and the life she had once known. She had known that, once she had accepted that she was a witch and would attend Hogwarts, that nothing would be the same. However, she never imagined it could be like this...

"Hermione?"

"What?" she asked, stumbling, and Ron immediately darted out and steadied her. "Sorry. I think I'm just a bit tired..."

"I know what you mean," Harry sympathized.

Hermione sighed, adjusting her bag again. "Would you hate me if I begged off dinner in the Great Hall tonight? I want some quiet time to revise, and be with Crookshanks..."

"Not at all," Ron assured her. "Just make sure you do eat. That little princess needs all the food she can get."

Hermione tried to smile at Ron, but it turned out to be reminiscent of the gargoyle close by Dumbledore's office. "Yes, well... I'll do my best," she said, squeezing Harry's shoulder as she brushed past, and made her way towards the staircase.

At the end of the day, it was all she could do—do her best at keeping her head up before her NEWTs, during and after; saying goodbye to her mother and father for what she hoped wasn't the last time; and finding anonymity with her husband, a world away. Once she reached the first landing, she leaned up against the stone wall of the castle, blinking back tears. Had she known that accepting her attendance at Hogwarts would have led to this, giving up everything she had ever known, she wondered, just for a moment, if she would re-think that decision.