Till Forever Falls Apart

Chapter Seventeen: A Perfectly Natural Summer

July 2, 1992

Val considered the summer between her first and second year to be the best one she ever had.

After their first year of studying magic, Harry and Val spent their summer days flying on their brooms, swimming in the pond behind the Lupin-Black cottage, and traveling with the family to various parts of the wizarding world until they could no longer fit any more souvenirs into their luggage.

    Since Harry and Val's number of friends had increased over the course of the school year, they had developed a sort of schedule between them, in order not to be separated too often from the other. All of their friends had written just days into the start of their summer, asking if they could come over, and when they would be able to. So, Harry resolved to spend many of his weekends with Ron, and would come back to spend the weekdays with Val. Hermione often went back and forth between the two when she wasn't busy studying their texts for next year, and Anthony stayed almost two weeks near the end of June, until his mother asked him to come home, insisting he spend at least some time with his parents.

    One day, Hermione had accompanied Val to the summer cottage, where she would be spending the next two days with the girl and her fathers. They had been reading in the large cloth hammock between the two holly trees near the front of the home, and decided that it was too hot outside to continue any longer. Knowing that Harry and Ron were in the field behind the house, they put their books inside on the oakwood dining table and went through the back door, squinting to see where the two boys were as they tried to adjust their eyes to the bright light of the day.

    "I didn't know that there were animals in the field behind your house, Val!"

    Val turned to the direction where Hermione was pointing, a soft spot of land near the edge of the pond. A big, black dog and a broad stag were butting heads, seeing who could shove the other into the pond first.

    "Oh god," Val cursed under her breath, opening the door they had just gone through and pushed the other young girl back inside. Hermione was stubborn and resisted Val's pushes, but nevertheless, she shoved her friend into the house, whose eyes were bright with annoyance.

    "What on earth," Hermione folded her arms, "was that all about?"

    Val did not know how to explain such things. She knew well that her father and James were not on the Ministry's registry-that she was sure of.

    But Hermione was reasonable, and loyal at the very least. Val gave her an unsure look, and stepped closer until they were only a foot apart.

    "Can you promise me you can keep a secret?" Val twisted the hem of her shirt. Hermione gave her a blank stare. Val could almost see the gears in her friend's head turning, deciding what would be the best choice of words.

    Hermione nodded slowly. "I can."

    Val looked back at the large animals, who were edging closer to the pond.

    "They're not animals. They're animagi."

    Hermione's gaze flitted in between her and the stag, who was standing on its hind legs.

    "I've read about animagi."

    Val bit her lip. "I'm not surprised."

    With slow realization, Hermione continued calmly.

    "They're not registered?"

    "No," Val breathed. "They did it for... they found out how to do it sometime between their fifth and sixth year."

    Hermione's expression was utter shock. "That's impossible. It's well beyond seventh-year magic."

    Val shrugged. "They figured it out. Please, 'Mione. Don't tell anyone."