Ron was gone. They couldn't find him. Anywhere. What a load of rubbish, thought Hermione. You idiots could find him, if you were even looking. You just don't want to risk your own necks to find him, that's all. The ministry wizard sighed. I bet your tired. Lying is hard, isn't it? You know you are. Don't deny it. Don't lie to me. I can tell. The feeble old wizard turned around. "We are terribly sorry, Miss Granger. We know this might have come down hard on you…" You mean like the brick I wish I could smash on your overlarge head? "…but we really did try. There is no hope left. He has been gone for almost four years now…" You think I don't know that? "…and like I said, we are terribly sorry. It will cost us too much money to continue..." Oh. It's MONEY that is causing you this terrible suffering. My gran's rear end it is. "…Christopher, will you please escorted Miss Granger out?" A man came walking towards her. His face… those eyes…so familiar…

Yep, Hermione was still having that dream. Ron knew this, because either she or Lydia woke him up about twice a night. It didn't mean anything to either of them any more, but Ron still wondered what it ever meant.

Ron's thoughts were interrupted by a loud squeal from Molly. The four year old ran to Ron and he scooped her up. "Hey Molly Bolly!" Molly laughed at the nickname Ron had used since she was born. "Daddy, Harry says that farmers need carrots in their baskets, not a bunch of orange jelly beans."

Ron smiled. This could be interesting. "Harry, come here."

Molly's twin came runnning, and tripped over his toy broomstick. He started wailing. Hermione reached over with her free arm and picked him up. "It's okay, Harry. See?"

She gave him a kiss on his forehead, and put the jellybeans back into his basket. He smiled and came over to Ron, who popped a jelly bean into both of their mouths. He had to fight the urge to laugh when he saw the way their eyes widened.

"EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!" The twins spit out the carrot flavored beans. They both grabbed their juice boxes and slurped away, as if trying to get the flavor out of their mouths.

"Ron, can you finish getting then ready? I have my hands full." And she did. Ron sometimes wondered how she did it. Being a mother of five, ages 8 to eight months. Right at the moment Hermione was holding a bottle in Lydia's mouth with her toes, while rocking her baby seat, trying to convince Emma that her costume (Emma was going to be a fortune teller) was perfect, and keeping Nicholas from setting the kitchen on fire with her wand. She was good.

Ron put hats on the twins and gave them an animal cracker. "Harry and Ginny should be here soon, shouldn't they? If they want to take them trick-or-treating before it gets too dark, that is." That was a dumb thing to say.

Harry and Molly's eyes were wide open, and in two seconds flat they were going out the back door. Ron ran to catch them, and holding by the suspenders of their overalls, took them back to the kitchen.

"Ron!"

"What?"

Hermione gave him a look. "Don't hold them like that!"

"How else am I gonna hold on to them?"

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed again. "You carry them."

"Well, at least I don't feed the baby with my toes."

"Shut up."

"You," Ron murmured, staring at Lydia's sweet face. He was thrilled she had Hermione's hair and eyes.

BANG! the house shook. The bottle dropped from between Hermione's toes and Harry and Molly screamed in terror. Hermione grabbed Ron's arm, and their eyes frantically darted around the room.

A windswept form appeared before them. Ginny Potter, clutching her stomach and laughing and crying at the same time, stumbled into her older brother.

"What the-" Ron nearly swore, smiled at the twins, who were staring at him, wide-eyed, and choked, "heck" -Hermione laughed- "Are you doing?"

Harry Potter, (Known as Uncle Harry when Ron and Hermione's son named Harry was around) who had stumbled into Hermione and was now embracing her, said, "Coming to visit. Can't you tell?" He grinned. "We were trying a new method. Things didn't go so well."

"I'll say," Ginny gasped, and Hermione realized one-year-old Lily was clutched in her arms. (Both the Potters and Weasleys had named their children after favorite people)

"Hey, Lily Billy," Hermione cooed. Lily was adorable, dressed like a bumblebee.

The tiny girl giggled, her dark red hair seemed to be a mix of Harry's and Ginny's. She began to speak. "Twick-twee! Twick-twee!"

Harry walked over in time to hear his daughter speak. "That means trick-or-treat. She keeps saying that, though, honestly, I don't think she knows what it means."

"DAAAADDDDYYYY!" Lily squealed. It was as though she hadn't seen him five seconds ago. Harry picked her up and twirled her around.

"She's a Daddy's Girl," Ginny told Hermione.

"My little bumblebee is gonna sting you, Ron and Harry and Molly!" Harry exclaimed. The twins squealed and hid behind their father.

"Oh is she?" Ron laughed, winking at his best friend. "I don't see a stinger."

Harry laughed. "Ginny excluded it. Said her daughter didn't need a stinger. Her sweetness would harm any person attempting to touch her."

Hermione and Ginny were chatting with Emma, who was busy telling 'Aunt Ginny' all about school. "...And we have math which is really easy but Daddy says I will go to Hogwarts and learn magic. Plus I will be able to zap mean guys too, right? Right? That's what they said on the radio, that Aurors are bad-guy zappers, like the cowboys on the telly! And then he says I will be top of the class because my mummy will make sure of that, right, Mummy?" She paused to draw a breath.

Hermione giggled at her daughter's exhuberance. "Oh, Sugar Quill, it doesn't matter to me. I won't be mad if you aren't top of the class."

Ron came over and wrapped his arm around Hermione. She grinned at him and Ginny inwardly smiled, knowing how much the little things like that meant to her friend and, now, sister. "Ready to go, Hermy-own?" He loved to embarrass her. He thought she was pretty when flustered.

"Shut up," Hermione hissed, so Emma couldn't hear her. "I can't," She added, louder, "I will stay with Lydia."

Ron sighed. Didn't she want to go? "I will stay if you want."

"No, no, no!" Hermione exclaimed. "You go with Harry and Ginny, and I shall stay here. I will keep everything under control. Really," She added, for Ron looked disappointed.

"Okay," He said reluctantly. Then he kissed her goodbye, and he, Ginny, and Harry gathered the children. "Okay, do we have everybody?"

Ginny took attendance. "Emma?"

"Here!"

"Nicolas?"

"President!" Nicolas exclaimed. He clearly thought that one said 'president,' rather than 'present'. Hermione smiled.

"Molly? Harry?"

"Here!" The twins chimed. Harry added, "We still need carrots! Not carrot candy!" The adult Harry shushed the younger one.

"Lily?"

"Hi!" Lily giggled.

"Ready," Ginny said lightly to Harry and Ron. Then she tossed her gorgeous hair, hugged Hermione goodbye, and led the children out the door. Harry and Ron followed.

"Hello?"

"Ron! They're coming! I swear, I didn't do anything!"

Ron gasped at her franic tone. "Who's coming?"

"They are...AAAAAHHH!" There was a crash, a bang, a zap, and the phone line went dead.

Ron said nothing. The horrified look in his eyes as he gazed at the phone clutched in his hand was enough. Harry and Ginny grabbed the children, grabbed Ron, and Apparated back to the Weasleys'.