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Wands and Wheezes	By : auntlynnie Category: Harry Potter > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 40170 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Anti-Litigation Charm: Sadly, I don't own any part of the Harry Potter franchise. Nor do I own any canon characters, locations, or situations. I make no money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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MANY thanks go to my very talented and patient beta, LiterarySpell, also known as LiteraryBeauty.
My idea for the use of Ley Lines was inspired by scifichick774's fic titled "Compromising Position" on Granger Enchanted. It's a great fic, with a rare pairing. If you haven't read it, give it a try! (Heck, give anything she writes a try! It's all good!)
Credit for the concept of �Grey Magic� goes to ginnyginny at ff.net in her story �Dragon in the Lion�s Den�. It�s an unfinished WIP that hasn�t been updated in ages, so be warned.

~*�*~

Hermione leaned back from her work station, satisfied at the end of a long day. She tidied up her bench, released a deep sigh, and felt a sense of personal pride in a day well spent. Her work was taxing; physically, mentally, and magically, but it thoroughly enthralled her.

Her life's path certainly had not gone according to her well-laid plans.

She knew that almost all her classmates had expected her to become a Healer, or a high-level bureaucrat using her good name to propel a brilliant and powerful career in the Ministry of Magic, but she had really seen too much pain and death during the War to become a Healer, and she was much too independent to become a cog in the machine of the Ministry. After all, the Ministry was still a bit of a sore spot with her, even after all these years. It still rankled how effectively the Ministry was manipulated to evil ends for so long when she was a child.

In fairness, when she had been in school, she'd had almost no idea what she wanted to "be when she grew up." She hadn't really had a chance to ponder such a thing. She had spent most of her first six years at Hogwarts either studying or trying to keep herself and her best friends alive, and then she'd skipped her seventh year entirely, sitting her NEWTs after a short period of self-study. She hadn't had many chances to think of the future. Most of the time, she simply hoped she would have a future. In school, she was only hungry for knowledge and experience, and she'd gained both, in spades. She had always known she wanted to make a difference in this wizarding world she had come to love so very much. Although a first-generation witch (she still disliked the quasi-derogatory term Muggle-born; she felt that it placed much too much emphasis on blood status), Hermione had a deep, primal connection to her magic of which many, if not most, wizards and witches could only dream. She knew plenty of witches whose primary use of their magic was to make up for their lack of a house-elf. Not Hermione. Her life was full of magic... it was steeped in it.

Part of what helped her fill her life with magic so completely was her dedication to her craft. She never stopped researching and experimenting, even while working in a field of magic that most people considered "complete." This amused Hermione, as she was certainly by no means "done" with her work. She was working toward making some pretty amazing breakthroughs. She wasn't the cleverest witch of her age for nothing, after all.

The thought of that title inspired a small, wry smile. She shook her head and got up from the workbench. While she relished being an intelligent, competent witch, that title always gave her pause. It gave her a small sense of personal pride, but sometimes it also put up barriers. Many people would keep their distance, as if she were an intimidating person, which couldn't be further from the truth. Thankfully, this was never a problem with Fred or George. The Weasley twins were no respecters of name, station, or title. When she was a girl, it irritated her. She thought it was improper. Now, as an adult, as someone who was frequently treated according to her name or reputation, she appreciated the democracy of their approach.

~*�*~

Five years ago...
Ollivander was becoming too old and fragile to continue making wands much longer, and as he had no children, he had to determine what would become of his shop. It was his pride and joy, his family legacy, and as such, he was very protective of it. He also knew that the skills required to be a wandmaker were not skills every witch or wizard possessed, which further complicated decisions regarding any future plans for his business.

After the war, Ollivander and Hermione had struck up a tentative friendship, having tea once or twice a month when she visited the shops in Diagon Alley. At first, Ollivander had been nervous about meeting with her; he wasn't entirely sure why Hermione Granger, of all people, would invite him to tea. Nevertheless, he had accepted, even though he was wary about her purpose. He still carried a bit of self-imposed guilt for betraying the secrets about Harry's wand and the twin cores to Voldemort, even though Harry, Hermione, and Ron had assured him that they understood that he'd only given the information under torture. Hermione truly didn't bear the old wandmaker any ill will; she had really only wanted to create a friendship with a man who seemed so very frail and lonely. She was ever the one to pick up strays, and Ollivander had become her newest project.

As she continued her monthly visits, Hermione and Ollivander's friendship grew from hesitant beginnings into a comfortable companionship, and the frequency of their visits increased. They would sit and chat about anything or nothing. He became something of an honorary uncle to her, and she would spend a good amount of her free time in his shop, observing him and helping him choose wands for customers. Few things gave her joy like seeing a wand choose a young witch or wizard. Every time was just as thrilling as the first, and she loved trying to ascertain which combination of wand materials would suit each customer.

Over the course of a few months, Ollivander came to realize that Hermione had indeed earned her reputation as a brilliant, powerful witch. Hermione, while confident and proud of her abilities, was never one to boast. She hadn't claimed to be any of these things. But as Britain's wandmaker, Ollivander knew thousands of witches and wizards. He understood talent and power, and he could see these traits in Hermione. These qualities were critically important and essential to being a maker of quality wands. At this point, Ollivander decided to watch Hermione closely.

Over the course of the ensuing months, Ollivander decided that there was no one else to whom he would rather entrust his beloved shop; certain that she would be a brilliant wandmaker, he approached Hermione about becoming his apprentice. At first, she was stymied. She had never considered being a wandmaker, but she also realized that perhaps the reason she had never decided on a specific career was that the proper opportunity had not yet presented itself, and she allowed herself to ponder this opportunity.

Ever since they had learned of the Deathly Hallows and had seen Harry's struggles with the blackthorn wand that Ron had stolen from the Snatcher while they were on the run, bolstered by the repulsion she had felt when using Bellatrix Lestrange's wand, not to mention the intriguing story of the Elder Wand, she found herself captivated by wandlore, and she was so excited to learn more. So, she decided to take a chance and embark on a new adventure.
The apprenticeship began. She was hooked, and once Hermione Granger was hooked, there was no going back. She knew what her contribution would be to the wizarding world. She would be their wandmaker.

~*�*~

At the start of her apprenticeship four years ago...

At the outset, making wands sounded simple. Some wood and a magical core. Simple. In all her life, there was only one spell that gave Hermione a challenge - the corporeal Patronus - and she eventually mastered that, as well, with a bit of practice. Aside from her failure at Divination, which she considered a useless discipline unless one was truly a gifted Seer, and her inability to fly a broom, Hermione thought that wandmaking couldn't be too terribly difficult, but she was wrong.

"Hermione," Ollivander said, "there are different types of wandless magic. There are witches and wizards who normally use a focus object - a wand - who can learn to do some commonly-used spells wandlessly, but they are still by and large dependent on their wand; and the more powerful spells and charms almost always require a wand. Beyond that, there is a form of wandless magic that is more elemental - that is, more ancient. This magic predates the use of wands and this is the magic that is used to create wands. Wielders of this magic must connect with the energy of the elements - the ebb and flow of magic in the natural realm. Have you heard of Ley Lines?"

"Ley Lines? I thought they were a fallacy - a Muggle New Age whim - an attempt to find magic."

"Oh, no, Hermione," Ollivander chuckled. "Ley Lines are like rivers of magic that flow through the Earth, below the surface. They are definitely not Muggle flights of fancy. In fact, Diagon Alley is built along a strong Ley Line, and another Line intersects the main Line just under my shop. It is why we are located here. While some Muggles believe Ley Lines exist, they don't truly understand them. However, it doesn't make them any less real.

"The magic that is used to create wands is timeless. It is neither dark nor light, it is neither good nor evil. This magic is called Grey Magic. Grey Magic simply exists, just as rivers and mountains exist. This magic is a gift from Mother Earth. It is part of the natural realm; therefore it requires the wielder to commune with the elements... connect with the primal source of Magick immemorial. To do so, you must learn to connect to the elements. To make this connection, you must meditate and focus on the four elements: earth, fire, water, and air. The location of the shop above the intersection of two Ley Lines is key to helping you in your meditation. Your purpose in meditation is to focus your magical power and temper it with proper balance. You cannot connect with and wield Grey Magic if your magical powers are not properly balanced within you and aligned with the elements."

"Oh, but Mr. Ollivander, how do I do that?" Hermione huffed. She was a cerebral witch who had learned to depend on her skills and research; while she loved to learn the mechanics of magic and how a spell could come together and actually work, the thought of how her magic connected to the Earth was an entirely new concept.

"Hermione, you are a brilliant witch. Your depth of knowledge will eventually help you in your career as a wandmaker, but you must first learn that there are many ancient forces at work in the magical realm about which most modern witches and wizards - even the most adept and skilled - know nothing. Most modern magic is fairly easily labeled as 'dark' or 'light' based on a set list of criteria: what is the outcome? What is the method of spellcasting? Is it blood or sex magic? What is the intent?

"Grey Magic is not quite so cut and dried. Almost all Grey Magic spells are the same; as I said before, there are no good spells or bad spells. There are only good and bad intentions, good and bad wizards. The same spell that can be used to mince potions ingredients can be used to sever a limb or decapitate a person. It's the same spell, but with vastly different intents, not to mention the force required to complete the task at hand."

"I understand this, Mr. Ollivander, but how do I meditate? How do I stop thinking and focus on the elements and balance my powers?"

"My dear, I can only tell explain to you what I do. You will need to find your own way. This is just the beginning of your path to becoming a wandmaker. When I meditate, I light a candle and open a window. I listen to the sounds around me. I focus on the scents of the Earth coming in through the window. I find it is especially fruitful to meditate after a rainstorm, as the scents of the elements are especially strong. If I am worried about something, I write it down in my journal before beginning the day's meditation, and I always go back to it after I am finished. I do not permit myself to think about what is on that list until after my daily meditations are complete.

"This may be hard to hear, and it might be the most challenging task I will set you, but I think you may need approach your to-do list and your schedule with a new attitude. It is time to learn how to allow the list to wait while you tend to more important things. Your lists should not rule you; you must rule your lists. I daresay that in the past, you have been a slave to your schedules and lists. It is time to grow past that stage and allow yourself to be the master of your day. If you place something on your to-do list, you can remove it from your mind until you are ready to deal with it. Once you are able to do this successfully, I daresay you will be able to stop thinking, focus properly, and meditate effectively."

~*�*~

While meditation challenged Hermione to still her always-buzzing mind, she did ultimately conquer this obstacle. She found that it not only helped her balance her magical power, meditation also brought great emotional balance and clarity and aided greatly in her breakup with Ron.

What she hadn't anticipated was how the increased balance and serenity in her life would allow her to be more accepting of and patient with others' perceived faults.

It was no secret that Hermione disapproved of the Weasley twins' pranks. She had been quite a vocal critic of their shenanigans and even their joke shop since she first met them. While she didn't quite come to the point of appreciating the pranks, she learned to appreciate the skill and the magic behind them, not to mention the work ethic the young men had in order to become so successful at such a young age. A side benefit to her newfound appreciation of the twins was that they were helping her find her playful side, a part of her personality that was previously very well-hidden.

Her three closest friends - Harry, Ron, and Ginny - had decided that they had grown up entirely too quickly by their participation in the war. Therefore, they decided to pursue Quidditch careers once they took their NEWTS. There would be time to train for other, more serious careers, if they chose to do so, once their Quidditch careers were over. With her friends traveling so frequently during the Quidditch season, Hermione found herself spending more and more time with her neighbours from #93 Diagon Alley.

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Wands and Wheezes