THE BEGINNING

Author's Note: My first fanfic! please do review. Chapters will get longer. Be assured.

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. (Sigh)

Miss Hermione Granger

The last room on the left,

First Floor,

Grangers' Residence,

27, Fleet Street,

Greater London, London

Dr. Helen Granger was perplexed as she stared at the envelope in her hand. The material felt entirely too thick and the green loopy font too artistic. Moreover, it was sealed with wax and imprinted with a seal from which stared a lion, a badger (or a hedgehog), an eagle and a snake. The tall, hook nosed, handsome man who had handed it to her was watching her reactions carefully, his obsidian eyes giving away nothing. He was dressed in a black suit over which he wore a robe of some sorts held together on his collar bone with a clasp in the form of a silver lily with emerald encrusted leaves. He motioned with his hand for her to call her daughter. In a slightly shaky voice, Helen called out, "Hermione darling, come downstairs will you?". As the bushy-haired girl with large front teeth scampered down the stairs, the man in the robes seated himself on the chair. "Mrs. Granger, Hermione, have you noticed any strange reactions she has when angry or upset?", he asked them with a slight smile. And so it began, the journey of a lifetime for little Hermione Granger.

Unbeknownst to her, not far away, a half-giant broke down the door to a cabin on the sea and in Wiltshire, a family of three celebrated.

'Madam Malkin's Robes For All Ocassions', she read out loud. Her large honey brown eyes were sparkling ever since they had walked into the colourful, magical Alley. Her hand loosely clutched her book-list and letter. Turning to look at the tall 'wizard' who called himself Professor Snape, she said, "Is this our first stop?" in an extremely excited voice. Shaking his head at the resemblance to a certain red-haired witch from the past, he gestured for her to go in. "Do you accompany all the other Muggleborns as well, Sir?" she asked, skipping into the shop. Her excited eyes roving the rows and rows of robes. "Only some.", he answered, not acquainted with hyper 11 year-olds apart from his godson. Think of the devil and suddenly he heard a squeal and a thump as a blur of platinum blond hug his legs with a raucous "Uncle Sev!". Hermione stared at the taller blonde-almost white haired boy who called the Professor 'Uncle Sev'. Turning to her and giving her a curious glance he held out his hand "Draco Malfoy", he smiled and tilting his head towards a shabby raven-haired boy, he said "And that's Harry. Harry Potter." Smiling her buck toothed smile, she said "Pleasure" and firmly grasped his outstretched hand and then politely shook the other boy's hand too.

The older wizard standing behind in the alcove flinched at the sight of his son touching a lowly Muggleborn but repressed himself as he remembered the promise he'd made on that fateful Halloween day.

Severus Snape smiled at the unfolding scene. It was just the beginning.