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Lumos

Summary:

A “stray” obliviate from a dissenting blood purist hits Hermione as she’s debating on the Wizengamot floor for Elf rights. As a result, she loses the last 5 years of her life. Her most recent memory is Fred coming back to life in the Battle of Hogwarts. She doesn’t remember marrying or falling in love with her husband. In fact, when the healer asks her if she’d like to see her husband, she thought Ron would walk through the door. Instead, it was George.

This story follows two, parallel timelines. In the first, Hermione struggles to find her place in a world built by a different version of herself. In the other, George traverses before, during, and after the Wizarding War, finding himself more and more drawn to the most dedicated witch he knows. Too bad she's in love with his brother.

Notes:

Hey Loves! This is prequel to a longer fic that I'm still fleshing out. That being said, I posted this it because I kind of needed to publish a fix-it, you know? The world is afraid right now, and I wanted to inject a story of hope into that, to remind us all that there is light in the darkness.

Consider this as a short, stand-alone one-shot for now. :) Eventually, I plan to add more to this, but until then, I hope you're safe and well.

I'm sure this idea has been done before, but this is just my spin. Feel free to take inspiration from it or to write using the same concept!

Also, a note on my personal headcannon: Unless otherwise stated, from this point out, I'll probably be writing under the headcannon that Fred Weasley lived due to the events laid out in this small chapter. While the rest of what this fic may eventually contain is not applicable to my other fics, unless otherwise stated in my notes, you can assume that Fred's still kicking. It's my own, tiny rebellion. :P

As always, I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter universe, and I am merely playing with these characters for the enjoyment of my friends and I.

Edit 06/27/2020: Hey friends! I made a couple small adjustments to this prequel, just for continuity's sake.

Also: https://youtu.be/H1swTmJLdLo --A wonderful reader/friend (iamtherubric on tiktok) made a trailer for the fic, so here's the link for that!

Chapter 1: Lumos

Chapter Text

Prequel

 

That night in the castle, in the midst of the final battle, George wept over his brother’s broken body. Horrible, strangled sobs that tore through the Great Hall and wounded all who heard them.

Hermione stood nearby, helpless. There was nothing she could do. There was no way for her to take his pain from him, just to hold it for a moment and give him time to catch his breath. Something inside her spurred her to take George into her arms, but the boy was so fractured that he didn’t react as she reached around him. Not breaking his gaze on Fred’s empty shell, he took in an agonizing, shuddering breath. When he exhaled, it came in the form of a choked, plaintive cry. His hands found her forearms around his hunched shoulders, and he gripped her like a lifeline.

And yet, in the midst of the storm of grief, they’d all seemed to have forgotten the deeper magic within the school. Something older, and far more wild than any of them could imagine. The walls of Hogwarts pulsed and thrummed with displeasure.

And if any of the witches and wizards present had known how to listen to that great, kind castle, they would’ve heard it say: “Not this boy,” deep down, rumbling in its foundations. “Not this boy that pressed his hands to my walls and studied my mysteries, not this boy who brought life and smiles to my children in the darkest of times. Not this boy who gave so much of himself. This boy’s sacrifices will not be forgotten. These children will not be so cruelly separated, and the world will be a better place for it.”

The castle’s ever-changing staircases and hallways lengthened and distorted. Time itself seemed to bend, slowing, moving backwards and forwards in a tangled river, and then there was shimmering, golden pop around Fred’s body, and breath found its way into his lungs once more.

“This is my gift,” the school’s words sang past their ears, whistling and fading into the night. Hermione blinked at the monumental shift, and something clicked inside of her, like a key being placed into a lock. 

George’s sobs stilled. Fred stirred, groaning.

His eyes flickered open.

To the rest of the world, it had felt as though a warm breeze passed through the room. Like they’d forgotten what they were doing for just a moment, as the timeline shifted and groaned to accommodate the miracle. But to the children grouped around the cot, everything had changed.

Embers of that wild magic flickering in Fred’s eyes. Letting loose a fierce cry, George lunged forward, crushing his twin in his arms.

Hermione stared, happy but perplexed at the storm of magic inside of her and how it seemed to reach towards the redhead that she called her brother. The voices around her sounded distant, and her head was light. When Ron’s arms snaked around her waist, she turned, expecting the familiar tide of longing to sweep over her, but instead, darkness rushed to meet her.