11Authors Note: To contradict all my previous notes and statements to the contrary this will in fact not be the final chapter of this story, but hopefully my next posting will! :o) I'm enjoying writing Hermione and Ron's 'Antipodean Adventure' so much I decided once again to extend this tale one last time. Hope you like the ideas so far.
Many Blessings, Oriondruid, (John).
Chapter Four: Sightseeing and dinner for four.
Ronald and Hermione had awoken late, the newly engaged couple had spent a blissful night in their hotel suite, making love and chatting about their future together until first light. As a result they slept in and woke too late for breakfast. However when they did eventually awaken they shared a brunch, which they'd asked room service to deliver to them. After sharing a 'fun' shower together and getting dressed they eventually emerged onto sunny Sydney streets at about 12.30 in the afternoon.
The first stop on their itinerary for that Monday was to revisit the Australian Ministry of Magic and thank all who had helped them their for their invaluable aid in locating and contacting Hermione's parents. Since they had completed this 'mission' the couple no longer had the use of the Ministry car, but had a fairly large amount of local currency to spend, supplied by Kingsley Shacklebolt and the Ministry back home. So they caught a Muggle cab from their hotel to the Ministry's location, buried as it was deep beneath the iconic and beautiful Sydney Opera House, set by the side of the harbour.
However, upon arrival they realised that the other time they'd been there they had visited by Ministry car and that the 'magical helter skelter' which they and the car itself had ridden down from the entry car ramp might not be safe or appropriate for magical visitors who were on foot. So after spending some time acting as 'normal tourists', taking photos of the Opera House building and each other, plus the lovely views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the harbour, bustling with tourist craft and private yachts they decided it was time to telephone a number they had for the Australian Ministry and arrange to get shown the visitor's way in.
Within minutes another of the magical lifts identical to the one they'd ridden to a rooftop terrace on the Opera House earlier appeared, just as they had been told, in an apparently empty photo supplies booth near the building. It ascended through the floor of the small structure and the door slid open, revealing a smiling Dave Marsham, who'd been their Ministry 'escort' when they first arrived and had met them from the Airport. It had been down to his presence and help that Ronald had not been too 'intimately' inspected when he's arrived in Australia following his clash with a Border Official and both of then were very grateful to Dave and happy to see him again.
The smiling, tallish, handsome and blond man, looking every bit a fairly typical specimen of local males, except for additionally being a wizard greeted the couple in typical Aussie style, saying; "G'day, how's it goin' you two? From the way you both look like dingoes who've caught a possum I'd guess bloody well!"
The younger English couple smiled back at him and Ronald replied; "It sure did go well Dave, thanks for asking. Hermione's parent's memories are restored, plus my brand new and brilliant fiancés excellent magic meant they got to keep 'Monica and Wendell's' memories about living here too, so they know all about what happened to them. The were a bit upset at first, but soon came round, realising what Hermione did was purely to protect them. We're meeting 'em tonight for dinner at our hotel. We've been told the waterside terrace restaurant there is good and it has amazing night-time views of both the Harbour and this place too when it's all lit up."
Hermione added "Mum and Dad needed to go into work today, to re-arrange dental appointments for their patients, pass on the urgent work to other colleagues and reschedule some of the less urgent stuff for a week or so, to allow us all to spend a few days holiday together, before we go back to England. I guess it'll take 'em a while to arrange to sell their house and business here and move back to Britain."
"Sounds great." Dave replied, "I'm glad you two don't have to rush off and you'll get to see a bit of 'The Lucky Country'. We got some great places to visit here, you must go to Uluru, or Ayers Rock as it used to be called. The Ministry can get you special permission from the Aboriginal Affairs section to visit parts that the Muggles don't get allowed to go to and they'll even permit you to Apparate to the top. The view is stunning and at night there are a billion stars in the sky, it's a bloody amazing place, you've gotta go there! I love Alice Springs slap in the middle of the desert too, though it's not everyone's 'cup of tea'. Plus you mustn't miss the opal mines and the underground cave dwellings there, an incredible place that is! There's even a subterranean hotel, bars, shops and such, 'cos it's so stinkin' hot 'up top'. I'll set you up with our Magical Tourism section, who'll have tons of ideas I'm sure, but first we'd better get you down into the Ministry."
Hermione looked at the fairly ordinary lift as they entered the door, which slid shut and it began to descend. Knowing how it would work she felt completely relaxed and simply commented; "So the Muggles don't see this thing popping up out of the ground and up into the old photo booth I take it? It's fairly similar to the Visitor's Entrance of our British Ministry, only we use a red London phone box to do the job."
"Yep, that's right Hermione." Dave replied. "The usual 'Notice Me Not' spells, Muggle repellers and such, plus of course in any case nowadays few Muggles even buy film and such anymore, so they rarely look twice at an old closed down photo supplies place. Their cameras and video gadgets tend to be digital these days anyway."
..
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Reaching the vast underground cavern that housed the Australian Ministry and it's wonders Hermione and Ron were once again led along the palm tree lined 'oceanside' boulevard to the building they had previously been to and thence to a reunion with both Ronald Compton, the senior official they'd met earlier and Pam, his secretary and Dave's girlfriend. Both of whom were most happy when told about the outcome of their previous visit and to hear all was well with Hermione's parents and that they now had their full memories back. Also all three were particularly delighted to learn that the young couple were now engaged. As a result another 'tea party' ensued in the older Ron's office, this time with both Dave and Pam joining in and with a lavish spread supplied by the Ministry's House Elves. Hermione was delighted to hear from the senior Ministry Official that these creatures had long been legally free and paid employees in Australia and were both respected and valued for the work they did.
..
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Some while later Hermione and Ron emerged, stuffed full of tea, sandwiches and cake, up from the Ministry below having said fond goodbyes to their new friends and promising to see them before they left. Hermione's magically 'extended' bag was full of brochures and official permission documents for their forthcoming holiday, supplied by the Ministry at the older Ron's request. Back at the surface level they caught another Muggle cab to a place they had been told about by Pam, who'd suggested they might like to visit it to 'kill' some of the remaining time before they returned to their hotel for dinner.
The cab dropped them by a nondescript, tatty looking old bar, called The Roo in the Bush. This did not look like the sort of place they'd normally frequent, it seemed a little squalid, dirty and 'down at heel' from the outside. There was a paint peeling sign hanging above a door with paint just as shabby, the window glass set into it was filthy and completely impossible to see through. The sign, (if you squinted and shaded your eyes), showed an amateurishly painted and sun faded picture of a kangaroo, peaking out from behind a half dead looking and bedraggled shrub. But then again the young British couple knew it's secret, for a start the whole place was invisible to Muggles and in fact was Sydney's equivalent to London's famous Wizarding pub The Leaky Cauldron. The place in front of them in fact being the main Wizarding pub in Sydney and the gateway to the local magical district Nothere Lane. They walked up to the door and without hesitation walked inside.
To say that inside it was very different would be an understatement, it was crowded, heaving in fact as, Witches and Wizards Flooed into it in bunches, emerging from two large fireplaces set into the walls in flashes of green flame, then brushing off soot from their clothing as they went began to queue at the bar, forming a substantial clientèle. It being just after five o'clock the Sydney working day was coming to an end and it seemed like every Witch and Wizard in the city was in the bar clamouring to get served. It took Ronald and Hermione a good ten minutes before they got through the 'scrum', leant on the chrome steel bar top and ordered a local drink that most there ordering seemed to favour. It was a type of ice cold beer simply referred to a 'Suds'. This was dispensed from a nozzle on the end of a flexible pipe, a device that reminded Hermione of a Muggle petrol pump, which one of the 'buxom' and cheerful barmaids used to fill two pint glasses for them. They paid her for the beverage in the local wizarding currency and when they tried it, discovered it to be delicious, not unlike a local Muggle lager, but slightly sweeter, creamier and with a thicker head on it. Having had a refreshing pint of the drink each whilst leaned against the cool surface of the old fashioned tiled wall they then headed out through the back door to the pub yard. There instead of a brick wall as was the case in London they found a large stack of old wooden barrels blocking their way, but they had been told which ones they should strike with a sequence of wand taps to gain entrance.
As Ronald did so following the instructions to the letter and the barrels began to move of their own volition and re-stacked themselves to form a short arch shaped tunnel about ten feet long, leading to a tall wooden fence, set within which was a wooden garden gate. Hermione and Ron walked into the tunnel of barrels and when they reached it Ron thumbed the simple gate latch and it swung open to reveal what was beyond. They both saw a long, sunny, shop lined lane, wider than the Diagon Alley they were used to back home, leading progressively but not to steeply downhill, towards a view of the Harbour in the distance. Stepping through the gate and joining hands they entered the magical heart of Sydney, and it's magical Shopping District called Nothere Lane.
As they stepped through the gate into the street beyond Ron, looking puzzled asked, "Hermione, the name of this place, is it pronounced Not Here or Not There?"
Hermione grinned at him and simply but cryptically replied, "Yes, that's right Ronald. Just take your pick."
Hand in hand the couple began to stroll down the bustling lane which was full of people, who although Witches and Wizards almost all of whom, except the oldest amongst them, were in Muggle style light and casual dress and with many in colourful shorts and shirts, making them almost indistinguishable from Muggles in other seaside parts of the city, as indeed were Hermione and Ron themselves. It seemed that this was the fashion tendency amongst the younger witches and wizards, robes, cloaks and such being less suited to the local climate. Indeed the couple had been surprised to see the two Floos in the pub, but upon asking one of their fellow drinkers they had been told that even though it was mostly good weather sometimes in winter, in rare cold spells, the pub landlady did light real fires in them, but mostly they were there for convenience of the customers, as transport for those who might have had a few too many drinks to Apparate home.
Looking closely at the bustling crowds of magical shoppers Hermione noticed also that there were not many 'pointy hats' in sight, but they did see some men wearing the more iconic and typical 'bush headgear', which they'd both seen worn in an old comic Muggle film that she and Ronald had both watched together and enjoyed on Hermione's DVD player, a movie called Crocodile Dundee. Hermione assumed these more rugged and bronzed, 'outdoorsy' types wearing this style of headgear must have Apparated in from remote areas in what Aussies call 'The Outback' for a day in the city.
One particularly ruggedly handsome young man, with long blond hair in a pony tail and wearing an earring in one ear (and pretty dishy looking Hermione secretly thought) had a huge and colourful tattoo of the local species of dragon, an Antipodean Opaleye, on his shoulder and down his right arm, revealed by his cut off denim jacket. Some other areas of exposed skin on his other arm, hands and legs showed evidence of minor and in one case quite a major but well healed burn, that one located on his calf and visible as he was wearing shorts. The young man also had some minor facial scars, which just made him look more attractive, Hermione thought to herself.
She must have been staring at this 'Adonis' for a little too long and a little too obviously however, as she was gently nudged back to reality by Ron, who issued a mild complaint simply saying, "Oi you! Don't forget I'm your fiancé!
Caught staring 'red handed' Hermione decided the best policy was honesty and sounding slightly guilty replied, "Sorry Ron, but he is gorgeous, and you know I've always had a little crush your brother Charlie a bit too. There must just be 'something about' dragon wranglers, it's pretty much the way most Muggle girls feel about firemen I suppose. But you know it's you I really love Ron." Then to reassure her man she leaned in and kissed him."
Ron smiled at her and replied; "Gotta admit he was a handsome bugger, sod 'im. Even I could tell that. I suppose just looking's OK, but just remember I'm your fella young lady. And as to Charlie, you've no chance there Hermione, he's more in love with dragons than women and he tells me the local girls out there in Romania are more than capable of satisfying whatever other 'requirements' he might have from time to time. I've seen pictures of some of 'em he hangs out with and all I can say is I see his point, bloody gorgeous they are."
Hermione winked at him and replied, "Well then, that's Romania off our list of future holiday destinations then. Best not let temptation cross your path as well." Hermione wrapped her arm around Ron's waist and they again began to saunter down the lane towards the shops
The crowds in the lane were both shopping and just strolling, as the British pair made their way through them and headed towards the distant seashore at the bottom of the shopping street. They looked in all the shop windows as they went by, amazed to see the many similarities as well as differences in the magical goods on sale. However two shops drew the couple like magnets, in Hermione's case a magical bookshop called Dreamtime, which held a great many magical tomes, some familiar to her from back home, but some very new. In particular books about Aboriginal Magic and something called Earth Magic drew her attention and she browsed for a while, then chose and purchased the two books she thought the most detailed about the subjects, placing them in her magically extended handbag, which action made them almost weightless and much less bulky to tote around with them.
Meanwhile Ronald was not bored, as although nowhere near as much of a bibliophile as his fiancé he was a sports fan and he spent the time whilst Hermione was browsing by doing the same himself in the book store's magical sports section and indeed also decided to buy a book, about Australian Rules Quidditch. This he'd discovered was a slightly different version of the game which he enjoyed back home, both as a fan and amateur player, in which he always acted in the role of Keeper, as he had ever since playing for his house team whilst at Hogwarts.
He could see having a rectangular goal at ground level as well as two 'conventional' hoops either side as the local version of the game used would present new challenges for the person playing in his Keeper's position. Goals could be scored by bouncing the quaffle off of the ground and kicking it as well as by direct throws through the hoops. The way the Quaffle bounced was very difficult to predict, due to it's ahpe and it could fly off the ground at a tangent, much like a Muggle rugby ball. Australian Rules keepers therefore had to be 'ready for anything' and used a lot more kicks to clear threatening low balls from their 'ground goals'. Ronald couldn't quite see how they remained seated on their brooms as they did so and the book's moving wizard style pictures of Keepers swooping down from hoop height to give an almighty clearance kick to a threatening ball bouncing towards their lower 'goal' looked very hard to do. From his experience getting too close to the ground at high broomstick speeds almost always resulted in broken bones and a trip to the nearest Mediwitch. It certainly looked a tough game, maybe even more so than the version he played at home with even more shoulder charging and 'contact' permitted. Definitely a 'he man's' game he thought and one to watch, not to play. Although he'd never admit it to anyone else he was glad he didn't have to play to the local rules, but he felt he might enjoy watching a game sometime.
The other shop they entered was a sports store, as Hermione and Ron both had said before leaving Britain that they'd get local Quidditch team shirts for both Harry and Ginny. Which they duly did, purchasing two appropriately sized Sydney Soarers shirts, whose team colours coincidentally were very similar to Gryffindor's red and gold, but with an Australian Kestrel emblazoned on the chest and back, instead of a Gryffindor lion.
Then having done sufficient shopping for now they headed to the end of Nothere Lane, where they found a nice cocktail bar with a lovely terrace, looking out onto the sea and seated there beneath the shade of a large umbrella they sipped a speciality drink of the house, a combination of Muggle Pimms, with added gin and Pumpkin Juice, served in a very tall glass with ice, which tasted delicious, refreshing and fruity but had a kick like a mule. Both of them fell instantly in love with this wicked potion and they had to make a firm 'executive decision' only to have one and head back to their hotel with their purchases, in time to prepare for dinner with Hermione's parents.
..
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As arranged the previous night, at eight that evening Hermione and Ron were seated on the restaurant terrace of their upmarket hotel, at a table with lovely Harbour views, when Hermione's parents Anthony and Rosemary Granger arrived and were politely ushered to their table. Rising to greet them Hermione kissed them both and Ron shook Anthony's hand, but upon trying to do so with Rosemary's he found himself gathered into a motherly hug, reminiscent of the ones his own mother Molly was famous for. The older couple beamed at the younger pair and Rosemary, having let go of Ron but obviously barely able to contain herself asked him. "Well Ronald I hear you've got some news for us, Tony told me what you were planning to do last night, so is it true?"
Hermione, feeling both happy and slightly trepidacious, not fully sure how the news would 'go down' replied for the slightly tongue tied Ronald, who was still recovering from the unexpected hug. She said; "Yes Mum, Ronald proposed to me last night when we got back to the hotel and I said yes, we're now engaged so this is to be a double celebration, including that for the restoration of your memories and our reunion. I'm so happy that we finally decided to submit to the inevitable, as we have been in love for ages, since back in our time at Hogwarts, once we both got over our mutual loathing that is."
She smiled a her parents and winked at her fiancé, who added. "Yep, once I worked out our constant bickering was just camouflage for how Hermione and me really felt about each other it was plain sailing all the way, with just the tiny matter of disposing of the Dark Lord to deal with. But once old Mouldyshorts was out of the picture then last night was bound to happen." Ronald beamed at Hermione's parents, adding, "Shall we sit down and order? I'm famished, I could eat a wombat."
Hermione laughed at that and said to her parents, "We'd better do as he says Mum and Dad, or else he might drag one out of the bushes and barbecue it right here. If there's one thing I have learned over my years of experience amongst the Weasley clan and that is, 'Never, ever, let a male Weasley go hungry!'
The conversation over the meal was light and happy, memories of family life back in Britain that had been recently restored to the older couple were shared, tales of their early days in Australia when they'd first arrived also discussed and the younger couple gave a brief and very 'downgraded' and less than dramatic explanation of what had happened within the Wizarding World after the older pair had been compelled to leave the country. It was one which glossed over the worst aspects of the end of the war, which was apparently accepted by Hermione's parents, although not being fooled they knew it had been 'sanitised' and the details of which they were determined to probe more deeply into later on.
Finally plans were made for the next four days, during which Hermione's parents would be travelling along with herself and Ronald, visiting the many wonders of the country which had given them sanctuary and which, as busy professionals setting up their new business and working hard to build a new life, the older couple had not yet had a chance to see. To that end all four of them would be 'hopping around' the whole country from place to place, for brief holiday. The older couple would be travelling by Portkeys, arranged by the Australian Ministry's Magical Tourism Section, in order to cover as much ground and see as much as possible in the time they had before Hermione and Ron's flight home was due to leave.
Anthony and Rosemary were a little worried about this, never having travelled magically before, but Ron and Hermione managed to reassure them and they agreed to give it a try experimentally, by using Side -Along Apparition to get the couple back to their Sydney suburb house after their meal ended.
To ensure some of the known 'side effects' of initial Apparition and Portkey travel experiences didn't spoil the enjoyment of her parent's meals for them Hermione pulled two small phials of a pink, creamy looking potion out of her purse. She said, "Here, drink this Mum and Dad, it can cause nausea and dizziness the first few times you Apparate or travel by Portkey, even we Witches and Wizards often get affected in the same way. This is a new potion that has been recently developed by St. Mungo's researchers to help prevent it. She passed the small glass bottles to her parents telling them to swallow the contents, which with a little trepidation they did, surprised to find the potion perfectly palatable, a bit like a raspberry flavoured milkshake.
Then having signed for their meals Ron and Rosemary and Hermione and Anthony strolled off to a secluded rear service area of the hotel and behind the kitchen 'dumpsters' the two pairs Disapparated to the former 'Wilkins' home. Arriving with the sound of a double 'crack' in the lounge. Hermione's parents felt none the worse for their novel 'travel experience' apart from a momentary mild dizziness and disorientation, but nothing worse. The potion they'd taken seemed to have worked well and thankfully no worse side effects seemed to have resulted from their 'jump'. Their excellent meal remained exactly where it was.
After saying a fond goodnight and confirming they'd be there the next morning to collect the couple Hermione and Ronald then Apparated back to their hotel, feeling tired but happy after a busy, but successful day and looking forward to their holiday still to come.