Hermione Jean Granger was a witch. A witch. A real potion making, wand waving, magic using witch.

At least that's what the grey haired woman in front of her was saying. She looked very stern, and Hermione wasn't quite sure what to make of her.

"Am I really?" Was the only thing Hermione could say. The stern woman, Professor McGonagall, nodded. Hermione thought back to several instances in her life that hadn't ever made sense. Making books float towards her, turning her teacher's hair blue when the woman had graded her wrong, making all the kids who bullied her lose their voices…

"Okay." Hermione shrugged. The stern woman raised her eyebrows and Hermione pretended not to see. She couldn't help a tiny smile though, when those eyebrows raised higher as her parents also shrugged.

"Now what?" Hermione asked, injecting more eagerness in her voice than was absolutely necessary.

This would change her plans significantly.

Hermione sighed as she finally found an empty compartment. Getting to this spot had been horrendously trying. First she had go to Diagon Alley with Professor McGonagall, and that had been hard. First, it was pretending to be an eager little student, which don't get Hermione wrong, she really was, but kissing up to the Professor in a way that she would find annoying at first, but eventually come to love was hard. Getting her wand had taken forever, and that annoying little man took his precious time finding exactly the right one. Then getting rid of the Professor at the bookstore so she could buy all the books she wanted without raising those eyebrows again… That was slightly more difficult. But she had done it, and had spent the entire summer pouring over wizarding history, etiquette, school books (first, second, and third year just to be safe), and common spells just so she could feel even slightly ready for her massive change in plans.

This first year would be all about the connections and perceptions. And then Hermione would really start to put her plan into action.

Her door slid open and a chubby boy who looked as lost as one can get asked, "Have you seen my toad?"

Hermione plastered a too eager smile on her face. It was time to take over the world.