January 22, 1999

Everything had been planned out. The grimoire Hermione had found while researching in the Time Chamber was clutched in the witch's hands. Try as she might she could not stop them from shaking entirely. Both were dressed in heavy layers as they'd traveled deep into the Nordmarka Forest in Norway. Harry had just placed the final runestone in the hexagonal formation that the spell called for. Each stone contained a different Ancient Norse rune. Harry found it ironic that the spell they'd discovered was written in Norse. Hermione, however, found it fitting.
Stepping back Harry looked at his friend. He took in how rundown she appeared to be. Her hair was lying flat against her back, her shoulders sloped down, and her face was forming a wrinkle due to the constant frown she'd sported since the beginning of this seemingly impossible journey.

"This is stupid." He tried to keep steady and seem as confident as possible however doubt snuck its way in anyway. "Go through the plan again."

Hermione turned to look at the man she claimed as her best friend. She was aware that they had both memorized their roles in what was about to take place. The spell called for strictly two people. No more. They'd placed powerful warding spells over 100 yards in all directions to ensure complete privacy. She knew that once the time was right, exactly seven minutes after the seventh hour of the morning, Harry would step into the spell ring and perform the interior incantations of Ritorno Per Sempre. At the same time, Hermione would perform the exterior incantations. As the grimoire had stated that the external caster of the spells could be sent into magical exhaustion, they had Ron on standby with a portkey that would allow him to travel through the wards when he was needed.

"We've gone through it many times Harry," the older of the two reasoned, "You step in, we both say our part, you'll be off, and I'll signal the portkey for Ron to come and get me."

Irritated, the young wizard turned to fully face his friend. "Don't make this to sound as if I'm simply stepping onto a train to go on holiday Hermione," nerves had fully kicked in at this point, "I'm going into the past, 2000 years into the past, permanently! It's insane!" He was all but yelling by the end of the statement. The witch before him could do little more than stand before him biting her bottom lip.

"I know Harry," Hermione's eyes started to fill with shallow tears, "I know it's insane, and that the odds are stacked against us, but we have to try!"

"Hermione you could die!" The wizard exclaimed, guilt and nervousness fueling his tone.

"So what?" The witch tried to reason.

Harry stepped back at the words. Eyes wide with disbelief at what his best friend was saying, "So what?" the question came out in a whisper. "Hermione, I can't ask you to die for me. Too many people already have. I won't add you to that list as well."

Hermione wanted to feel the guilt and reason that Harry was trying to put on her, however, she stood firm. "We don't need to worry about that. I'm confident that this will work, and we will both walk away fine."

"And what if we don't, huh?" Fear of what they were about to do settled deep into Harry's bones, "What if it doesn't work? What if I'm sent to the wrong time? What if I'm not sent at all and you die while trying? What then Hermione? I can't live with that!"

Seeing true fear in her friend's eyes for quite possibly the first time in her life, Hermione closed the space between them. She wrapped her arms around Harry's taller frame and held tight. "I am not afraid Harry; I know this is dangerous. I know everything that could go wrong but I would rather I die tonight helping you find a life with those that you can actually live with than live a long life knowing that while I will age and eventually die anyway, you will be left to watch and live alone forever." The tears that had been previously held at bay were now cascading down the young witch's face. "Let me help you, Harry. Let me help you find hope again." Her eyes were desperate. Pleading with her friend to continue along with this plan.

Harry pulled away slightly before raising his head to look up at the sky. The early winter sky was alight with stars in the early hour of the morning. Doubt was still settled firmly into his being, however, the fear of what his friend had stated was apparent as well. He knew he would be driven mad if he was left to wander the world alone forever. It was that fear that had led them here in the first place. Months of looking for an answer had finally brought them to this moment. Looking down into Hermione's deep brown eyes he knew she was right. This was his only chance to find those he could create some type of life with. Taking a deep slightly unsteady breath, he nodded, "Okay. Okay, Hermione."

Hermione then pulled Harry back into a tight hug before stepping away again to make sure everything was in place before their time ran out. Looking at her watch the time read 6:38 am. Just enough time to mentally and physically prepare for what came next.

"Right, now as we discussed this forest is where the celebrations took place. According to our research, you should be quite close once you arrive. Odin will be at the head ceremony table. Once you get him alone show him everything you've brought to convince him of the truth. I put your Pensieve in the bag I packed for you. As well as some modern-day books on magic. They should help to prove your point."

Knowing that she was mainly talking to help with her nerves Harry simply nodded along. Just as they'd memorized their equal parts in the spell, they had gone over every detail of what Harry should do once arriving in the past.

Harry moved to sit on a fallen log while he watched the brunette witch double and triple check the placement of the runestones inside the spell space. Once satisfied Hermione too made her way over to sit on the log. She looked up into the early morning sky and took in the vastness of the stars before her.

"I wish you didn't have to do this alone," The witch whispered, "It's the only part of this plan that makes me nervous." She turned to look at Harry while he forced himself focused his gaze at the stars, "I truly don't want you to be alone."

Knowing that this was his own fear being spoken aloud, Harry could do no more than simply pull one of Hermione's hands firmly into his own. His eyes were focused on the Canis Major constellation he'd been lucky enough to spot at the moment.

"There's one thing we haven't really discussed yet, Harry" He turned to Hermione with a raised eyebrow.

"What's that?" He questioned, trying to rack his brain to find any holes in their current plan.

Hermione bit her lip slightly before she answered, "How you let me know it worked."

Harry regarded the question deeply. He left the initial, 'what if it doesn't' to himself and sat quietly trying to think of an answer. It would be 2000 for him. If making it to Asgard with Odin didn't work would he even be sane? Would he even remember them? 'Of course, I'll remember them,' he chastised. If he were to remember anyone from his original life it would be Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. There was no doubt in his mind. It was the former question that had him worried.

"I don't think it would be wise for us to see or speak to each other," The witch's statement interrupted his thoughts. He had to agree with her though. There was no telling how much Harry will have changed by the next morning. Good or bad, however, he would render to his friend's wishes. It was more than slightly painful to know that this was the conversation that Hermione Granger and Harry Potter would have together.

Tightening his grip on the hand he was already holding; Harry returned his green-eyed gaze to Hermione's brown. He smiled wistfully and raised his other hand to push back a stubborn curl that had fallen into his companion's face. "Tomorrow, January 23rd, 1999 I will place a white feather on your doorstep. One feather for every moment of happiness I have felt in the past 2000 years."

Tears again formed in the witch's eyes. She grasped the hand holding hers just as tightly and whispered a simple, "Okay."

Harry brushed a fallen tear off of Hermione's cheek and confirmed their plan with an equal, "Okay," before they both returned their gazes to the stars.

After a peaceful last moment together, Hermione again checked her watch. It now read 7:02 am and she quickly urged them both to get into position. Harry picked up the items that would be traveling with him. Hermione had placed an undetectable extension charm on a simple backpack before packing it with as many items as she could think of. The vast majority of the Black Family Library was contained inside as well as many of the Houses magical artifacts. Harry's photo album as well as his Firebolt and Holly and Phoenix Feather wand were currently housed there as well. More importantly, she had made sure she sent him off with Professor Dumbledore's Pensieve which she had borrowed recently from the current Headmistress.

Making sure the Invisibility Cloak was wrapped firmly around his shoulders and the ring containing the Resurrection Stone was placed on his right ring finger, Harry stepped into the spell space firmly grasping the Elder Wand in his hand.

Hermione placed herself three feet outside of the hexagonal space and held her wand firmly in her grasp. Looking at her watch she raised her wand and stated, "On my count…"
Harry squared his stance and readied himself to raise his arm to cast as the spell indicated.

Both witch and wizard looked into each other's eyes. Absorbing every detail, they could in these last few seconds. Counting down the seconds in her head Hermione said, "I love you, Harry," before raising her wand to point at her best friend and begin the spell.

Harry responded with a smile and an, "I love you, too," before raising his wand to the sky and readied to begin the incantation.

With determination in her eyes, Hermione counted the final, "Three, two, one…" and together they both cast their separate spells.

Harry chanted a steady stream of, "sendu mig aftur til stundarinnar. að snúa aldrei aftur. aftur að tíma guðanna að eilífu."

While Hermione chanted her own, "senda hann til tíma liðins tíma. Farið að eilífu héðan. Að snúa aftur aðeins í framtíðinni."

Powerful magical streams of blue shot out of both their wands. The winds picked up as they repeated their individual phrases again and again. Hermione's arm was shaking as she held the spell steady. Harry looked almost ethereal as his true power radiated through his entire being. His normally wild black hair blew about his face and his green eyes brightened to a point where they were practically glowing.

She had just reached the point of no longer being able to maintain the spell when suddenly a light engulfed Harry entirely and in the next moment, he vanished.

Before she could even completely register the fact that she was now alone, Hermione felt herself beginning to sink into the darkness of exhaustion. With her last conscious thought, she grasped the coin in her coat pocket and said a simple "Paratus," signaling to Ron to come and get her.

She'd collapsed to the ground and only just noticed a pair of boots running over to her before fatigue finally won over.

0000000000

When she awoke the next day, Hermione found herself back in her bedroom. The light outside was soft indicating that it was either early evening of the same day or early morning of the next. She was now wearing sleep clothes instead of the heavy jeans and sweaters that she'd been wearing in Norway. She smiled slightly in thanks to Ron for the thoughtful gesture. Deciding that she didn't have the energy to fully care to leave the confines of her bed just yet she resided to lie in and digest the events that had recently taken place. 'He's gone.' She repeated the phrase multiple times in her head. Each time it sounded more and more absurd. Other than the summers between school years, they hadn't been apart and during those times they usually had the opportunity to exchange letters. For the first time since she was eleven, Hermione knew she was completely unable to reach her best friend. 'And I never will again,' she thought to herself solemnly.

She remembered the empty feeling she'd had when Harry had gone off to face Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest during the war. The hour she'd spent believing him to be dead had been the worst she'd ever felt.

This current feeling was new. Hermione knew Harry was alive. He was the Master of Death; he couldn't die. He was out there somewhere. Over 2000 years old now but out there none the less. Shaking herself of the uneasy feeling of the unknown, Hermione steadied herself to believe that their plan worked.

"It had to," she whispered to herself.

Deciding that she would drive herself crazy if she stayed in bed, the brunette witch climbed out and made her way out of the room. She walked down the stairs and entered her living room to find Ron sitting on the couch flipping through one of her muggle magazines. The couch held a blanket as well as a pillow and he too was wearing sleep clothes making her believe she'd slept through the entirety of the previous day.

"Hey," he stated as he stood, "you okay?" His eyes spoke of how she felt. They both already deeply missed their friend.

"It worked," she whispered, "I know it did."

Ron nodded and took a deep breath. He ran a hand through his hair and looked around the room. "Want a cuppa?"

Smiling softly at her boyfriend, she nodded and lead the way into her kitchen. She took the kettle and filled it at the sink while Ron readied the mugs and the two sat together at the small table Hermione had in her kitchen while the water heated. Both gave each other silent support while understanding the grief they felt at losing their closest friend.

"How long was I out?" The witch asked, breaking the silence.

Ron looked up, jolted out of his thoughts, "Hm? Oh, um, all of yesterday," he replied. The redhead was unusually quiet as he sat waiting for the water to boil. "Once I got us both back here, I assumed you'd need all of the rest you could get. I hope it's that I crashed on the sofa." He looked a little unsure as he said that, "I wanted to be close by."

Smiling again, Hermione reached and took both of Ron's hands in her own. She grasped them tightly and responded with, "Always."

Ron smiled back and squeezed back before releasing her hands when the kettle began to whistle. "So," he began while filling each mug with water, "did you two decide on a signal to let us know he's okay?" He asked while walking back to the table. Hermione accepted the mug offered to her and told Ron what Harry had planned to do. The wizard smiled and told her that he found the white feather to be quite fitting for their friend.

The couple spent the rest of the morning simply enjoying each other's company. They made breakfast and, in the afternoon, they sat on the couch together; Hermione reading a book while Ron listened to a quidditch match.

The later was just about to ask if Hermione wanted anything to eat when a knock sounded on the front door. The two looked at each other, their stomachs equally filling with butterflies. They'd waited all day for this moment and now that it was finally here neither was sure if they were ready for their answer.

"One feather for every moment of happiness I've felt in the past 2000 years."

That was the agreement.

'What if it's only one? What if it didn't work?' dread was filling Hermione's entire being and she grasped Ron's hand as they both approached the door.

After taking a moment to prepare herself, Hermione placed her hand on the knob and slowly turned it. Once fully opened, Hermione took in the sight before her and fell to her knees. She grasped the giant bouquet of white feathers lying before her and openly sobbed in relief on her front step.

"He did it," She sobbed, "he did it!"

She could not contain the emotions flooding through her. The months of anxiety over the fate of the boy she called a brother poured out of her very being. It all worked. Their outrageous plan had worked. He's okay.

Ron stood in the doorway with tears too streaming down his face. He looked around the predominately muggle street hoping to see a sign of his old friend. However, he knew he wouldn't. That was the deal and he was okay with it.

After a moment, Hermione collected herself and stood continuing to clutch the giant bouquet to her chest. She'd never experienced relief as she was at the moment. She had turned back to Ron when she noticed something else leaning against the stairs that led to her home. Reaching down she found a book. It looked rather old and held the title, "Hetjur Ásgarðs."

She gasped and immediately turned running back into the house. Ron followed close by as the two returned to the couch. Setting the feathers on the table before them they both focused their attention entirely on the book before them.

With a shaking hand, Hermione gently opened the old tome, and immediately after a piece of parchment fell out.

Ron picked it up, smiling as he noticed familiarity in the somewhat messy writing and began to read the small note aloud.

"Ron and Hermione,

This book holds the most accurate depiction of our stories that I could find. I will never be able to offer enough to truly show how grateful I am for what you both have given me. I hope these stories help to fill the void and answer the many questions I know you have. I placed a translation spell on the pages themselves to allow for ease in reading. I beg you to live your lives fully knowing that I am more than simply happy. I have a true family and many companions. I do not look back and regret the choices that we made. I live every day knowing that I have a purpose and am loved dearly. I ask you both to do the same now. Remember your old friend but do not live in the past. You both have too bright a future to limit yourselves that way. Hermione, I beg you to please leave the Unspeakables. You are far too bright to waste your knowledge on them. Ron, you are more than capable of being the leader you've always feared you're unable to be; take Kingsley's offer. I hope you enjoy the many true tales this book holds. Rest in knowing you succeeded Hermione, I found hope again.

Always,
-H"

Once finished, Ron looked up to see Hermione holding the book close to her with tears having once again filled her eyes.

"He's okay Hermione. Harry's okay."

A sobbed laugh escaped from her as she finally got the confirmation she needed. Holding the book in front of her she carefully reopened it to find a single white feather sticking out from the pages. She turned to the marked page to see an illustration of a warrior wearing black armor wielding a ruby-encrusted sword and adorned in a shimmering black cloak. The chapter was titled: Haraldr Odinson: God of Magic and Master over Death.

Both Ron and Hermione's smiles turned to astonished gasps after reading the first line of the chapter: "Easily recognized by his wild black hair, uncommonly green eyes, and the signature lightning bolt scar cascading across his forehead the God of Magic was the adopted eldest son and heir of Odin the Allfather of Asgard…"

Neither was aware of the illusioned green-eyed gaze peering into the living room window from across the street. Haraldr smiled as he watched the two before him dive into the book he had provided. Comforted in the knowledge that he'd settled the many worries he knew they had both previously had.

The god then turned around and began making his way down the sidewalk, blending into the muggle crowd seamlessly. No one the wiser of the immortal being amongst them. Knowing his mission was completed the Asgardian slipped into an alley and once he was sure no one was watching the God of Magic apparated away with a CRACK.

A/N Hello All! I hope that answers your questions about what happened with Ron and Hermione! After posting the last chapter I felt like Harry's history before meeting the Asgardians wasn't completely told and I couldn't sit with that any longer. I received so many questions regarding Harry's past friends and family that felt you all deserved the answer and honestly this was just so much fun to write that I no longer care about my original plan for this section. Again, I pray you all like this as much as I've been enjoying writing it. Your encouragement has meant more than you know!
Please, Please, Please comment or review! It means the world to me and the conversations I'm able to have with you all spark so many ideas. Like this chapter! Love you all! Until next time
-Mack