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Chapter 1: Ambassador to the Court of St James.
Hermione Granger witch and one of the brightest of the age had taken a family holiday during the summer of her third year visiting New York State with her parents. While visiting over in the United States she learnt more about mutations that she previously only had briefly skimmed over before in the science magazines. Not that she got much of a chance anymore to read the latest scientific developments since she had started at Hogwarts.
It was on the brief trips home for a few short weeks with her parents that the young witch tried to catch up with the last 10 months she had been away. Between trying to keep up with her non magical education over the summer Hermione really didn't get much of a chance to do any reading for pleasure such as the science magazines like Nature and the New Scientist. Hermione Granger maintained a silent watching brief on the USA Mutant Registration Act while continuing on with Hogwarts and her role as a key supporter of Harry Potter.
This interest in the outside world was unknown to Hermione's peers during the pre-war years. However, her interest in world events, muggle politics and science became known thanks to her acts as an 8th year student when she returned to the post-war Hogwarts and proceeded to complete her NEWTs. As part of Miss Granger's mission to continue lobbying for a better world she had pushed the new Minister for Magic to improve the Muggle Studies and History subject national curriculum so now it covered a greater range of topics including the heightened tension in the muggle world concerning the mutant problem.
It had been in late spring just before Miss Granger's completion of her final exams that she had been horrified to hear about the events at Alcatraz Island in San Francisco. Again the divide between two sections of humanity and the fact they were at war with each other had touched the witch. As a result of her kind hearted empathy Hermione Granger had ended up writing a letter of condolence to the current headmistress of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Children.
It was the beautiful penmanship on the ivory parchment along with the heartfelt words of sympathy that had led Ororo Munroe to share the young witch's letter with the others in the leadership of the Xmen and mutant affairs. Reading the sympathy letter Hank had taken note of the author's name since he was to visit the UK later in the year as part of his new role as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Dr Hank McCoy had made a number of observations about the writer thinking that he would like to meet this intelligent sounding woman little knowing that he would run into her as part of his official duties.
When Hank McCoy had to travel in August to the UK he had managed to convince Ororo Munroe to come along as his official escort. Storm had needed a break and the holiday where she was treated like a queen touring the sites while he had to smooze the politicians seemed like a good deal. The down side for her holiday was she had to attend a couple of party's with him. The planned visit to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen had seemed to seal the deal for Storm.
x0x0x
The briefing for the new US Ambassador for his visit to the Royal Court of St James was a bit of a shock for Dr Hank McCoy, as he thought he had his finger on the pulse for the range of genetic mutations. That witches and wizards were real was a little daunting in all his time as an Xmen he had never remembered encountered one. Looking at the data Dr McCoy was introduced to the International Statue of Secrecy as part of his briefing at the state department that had included meeting with the US Deputy Secretary of State for Magic.
The petite woman who wore a normal business suit had been a shock with her southern belle accent along with the fact that she was a witch. Her ability to manipulate objects with the assistance of a wand had been a shock especially when Hank had not smelt any mutation from the woman when she entered the room. Loren Campbell had a tinkering delighted laugh at the bemused looks she had gained from the two obvious mutants she was briefing before going on to explain the history and the purpose of the International Statue of Secrecy.
Magical users had much the same problem that mutants had in the past in relation to discrimination and physical violence. To avoid problems like the Spanish Inquisition and the Salem witch trials for example the witch explained that they the magical community had separated themselves from the mainstream society.
The recent British Magical Civil Wars had been a very enlightening conversation for the mutants. The history and the identification of key names involved in the war on both sides were provided in the magical briefing. The southern belle was able to provide analogies to recent local events to help her students understand the background influences on the political climate. Unfortunately there were so many examples from recent modern history that could be used as analogies to underscore her briefing.
The fact that there had been such a conflict going on in the UK and they had nothing on their boards at all made the scientist Dr Hank McCoy wonder why? How come an anomaly was never noticed in the maintenance and construction of cerebro?
x0x0x
It was at a small mixer held by the US Ambassador where Miss Ororo Monroe and Dr Hank McCoy were introduced to some representatives from the British Ministry of Magic. As part of the official line up both mutants had been surprised to meet the young woman from the UK Ministry of Magic Department of Dark Creatures. Miss Granger seemed to be so young for a fairly high ranking official in a government department invited to this type of soiree. The young witch must be all of 19 or 20 years of age. It was then looking at her eyes did Storm realise that this young woman had a wealth of experience much past her chronological age.
Storm as a self proclaimed weather witch found it highly interesting to speak to the young witch who had accompanied her Head of Department from the British Ministry of Magic. It was some minutes into her conversation did Storm make the connection with the girl's last name and the signature of the condolence letter.
Apparently the Head of Department was a werewolf so had some similarities to Hank with his feral tendencies however he was an extreme danger to the population on the full moon each month. Hank McCoy was deep in discussion with Remus Lupin about the issues when he explained that his wife and mate was currently on duty tonight since she was a magical policewoman, an Auror. Ororo Munroe wished that she had telepath to communicate with her old friend that the witch was the writer of the letter they had both discussed.
"Thank Goodness, Hermione here was not busy and willing to come out with me. It also helps that I am her boss so I was able to order her to put the books and files down and come out to speak to people", explained the tall lithe man with tawny golden brown eyes.
"Behave Remus or I will feed your child sugar the next time I babysit for you and your lovely wife," warned the young curly haired witch with a glint in her eye that Hank McCoy read, as I don't make idol threats I make promises and keep them. There seemed to be some excitement in Storm's eyes but Hank could not deduce the reason why. It slightly bothered him.
"Children on a sugar high the bane of a housemothers life. Remus how old is your child?" asked Storm interested in the age and sex of the tall sandy haired man's child.
"Teddy is almost three and is with his grandmother tonight. He has the same gift as his mother but I wonder if you would class it as a mutant ability," postulated Remus Lupin.
"What ability?" was Hank's reply he couldn't help himself he was a scientist and needed to find answers like most people needed oxygen to breathe.
"My wife has what is known as Metamorphmagical abilities within the magical community. She can change her external looks and shape by manipulating her physical features. So I live with two Metamorphmagi. Really the whole family are shape changers it is just the two of them have control while I am ruled by the phases of the moon," the former professor explained to the foreign visitors.
This led to a long discussion between Hank and Remus Lupin as they hypothesised the possibility that the metamorphmagical ability was the mutant x gene. At the same time Ororo who was a little bored of the highly technical scientific discussion that was going on tried to engage the young lady in a discussion by getting to know her better. Talking with the young witch she could she the empathy and honesty that she had expressed in her condolence letter.
"So how long have you worked with Remus?" Storm politely inquired of the young witch trying to get to know her better.
"I have known Remus since my third year of school when he was my Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. We then worked together as members of the Order of Phoenix during the recent magical war. We continued to work together in the war crimes trials and then the rebuilding of Hogwarts. I had missed my last year of schooling thanks to the war so I went back and sat my final year exams as an eighth year student. My completion of my magical education was also a sign of support for the reopening of Hogwarts. My attendance at Hogwarts last year was important in the rebuilding as many are nervous about many public institutions. We have to get some normality back within the magical community. I just started in the Ministry of Magic in June when I finally got my marks for my NEWTs. I have known the Alpha Lupin for about 7 years now" explained Miss Granger.
"What are the NEWTs?" was the next query from the woman wondering about the life this child had had to live. The young magical woman was explaining a complex period of her life as though it was an everyday social event.
"They are like magical A levels which give you options for post secondary education and training. At the moment I am hoping to complete my non-magical K12 qualifications the A levels so I have the option to do a joint degree both in muggle and magical subjects. I just have to settle on a field first. Too many areas of interest and too much choice for this bookworm," she disparagingly mentioned. There was a vulnerability within the girl's behaviour that warmed Storm's heart and instincts. Yes she was carrying scars from the recent troubles.
"We were wondering why we didn't even register that you had a war going on here?" inquired Storm as she tried to get her emotions under control hoping it was a relatively safe question. Well it was a fairly safe question. Storm may actually get an answer that the X men could understand.
"Could have been the notice-me-not charms and the obviations. Add a splash of fidelius charms and the statute of secrecy so who knows. Surely you knew about magical users in the USA although they are not so separated as we are here in the old world," suggested Hermione who herself was wondering how this diverse community didn't know of witchcraft and wizardry before now.
"No we got knocked off a pedestal when we had the briefing before we came over for this visit," explained one of the leading representatives for one faction of mutants. Hermione Granger did a double take at the self-declared weather witch before accepting that the woman was truthful on this matter. Her rapid mind quickly developed a plan that she promptly put into action.
"What are you doing when the Ambassador has official meetings and that? Do you have any free time would you like to see some of the magical community here in the UK? You're a school principal would you like to visit another school for gifted children to do some bench marking. I am sure that can get permission from the current Hogwarts' Headmistress. We can learn from each other," suggested the excited young witch one Hermione Granger.
"Gods Storm you have done it now has Hermione have another project. I dragged her out of the office tonight to ensure that she got a break of some kind," grumbled Remus Lupin with a smile at Storm letting the woman know it was all right and a bit of a joke.
"I would of thought a young girl like yourself would be out on the town frequently with a beau in tow," advised the US Ambassador to the UN who was enjoying the young witch's enthusiasm for the development of further knowledge. Hank was surprised when the wizard placed a warning hand on his forearm at the same time seemed to go into a hyperaware mode. There was some tension in the man and he could smell the sent of stress and concern from the feral smelling man while the young woman the witch smelt angry.
"The trouble of being me is do interested young men want to be with me for my charm or for the publicity. So there is no beau at the moment or likely to be for some time. It is one of the many reasons why I want to do a muggle degree, as I could attend somewhere that offers both enabling me to mingle into the muggle community without the constant spotlight on me," was the terse explanation. Hermione was attempting to hide her anger about her personal life and the situation she had found herself in since the end of the hostilities.
It was then Storm could see how lonely this girl no woman was. While she had friends like Remus and his wife to help protect her they could not help with the search for a lover or friend of the same age group. The Lupins were married with a child while Miss Granger was a young singleton. Yes they were comrades in arms thanks to the magical war but they could not help the young woman with the relationships or the issues of loneliness. This was so similar to many of the individuals who lived at the Xavier Institute. Some were lucky to pair up with a life partner if their mutation was not too extreme but others were forced to be loners by their individual circumstances.
The plan for the semi official visit was devised before the visiting ambassador moved onto the next group to meet and greet. Talking to Remus as they circled and mingled with others in the room Hermione reviewed her plan of action. Like many females she could multitask. So while holding polite conversations with other bureaucrats she reviewed her life plan in the back of her mind. Why not make it another country when she got her A levels and go to university some else in the world where she wouldn't be so recognisable? It wasn't as though she really had any reason to stay here in the UK.
x0x0x
Life for Hermione post war was pretty lonely. Ron and Harry had gone into Auror training when she had returned to complete her 7th year at Hogwarts. The boys were busy with their new lives separated from her. They had different experiences and it seemed at times like the trio was growing apart now they had no common goal the defeat of Voldemort.
Harry and Ginny were that sickly sweet in love couple that if you were a singleton in the same room as them just made you want to hurl in the nearest bucket. That or find a bucket of icy cold water to throw over them to get them to break up the constant liplock. The kiss with Ron during the last battle had been pure adrenaline. Hermione had come to her senses pretty quickly post battle to realise that she had nothing in common with Ron other than her shared friendship with Harry.
They two famous Gryffindors were too different and had different priorities in life. Not that Molly Weasley had paid much attention to her choice. In the end Hermione had to hex Ron pretty hard for him to come to his senses that No, Hermione was not being difficult and just wanting him to chase her like his mother believed and repeatedly suggested to him.
Hermione had tried letting Ron down gently but no in the end she had to apply a pretty hard 2 by 4 clue while being very brisk with the young man concerned. Her relationship with Ron was non-existent they would meet up and be polite to each other but there was nothing between the two of them. Now there was no common foe or common need to protect Harry there was nothing to force the two of them to gel together. The trio of best friends was a trio no more. There was noting left to bind them together as friends.
Family wise Hermione Granger was all on her lonesome. Her parents had died in the autumn of her fifth year in a motor vehicle accident. Hermione had chosen to have them cremated and the Lupins along with Sirius had travelled with her to Lands End were she had shaken the ashes into the wind so that they went out to sea. The dental practice and her family home had been sold off and Sirius Black through his links with the goblin bank had helped to set up a suitable trust fund account for her. Hermione had not told the boys, as there was just so much stress at the time thanks to the toad woman. Dora Tonks was easily named as her magical guardian, as a half blood there was not too many eyes raised at the ministry.
Sirius Black had put her under the protection of the House Black and after the war she had explained to Harry she did not want to discuss why his godfather Sirius had done so just months before his death but she had been grateful for his willingness to protect her. It was hard to explain to Harry about her relationship with Sirius and why he declared her a member of the Black family.
When Harry asked about her parents but she cheerfully advised that they wanted to stay in Australia. Who would a thought she could do a bare faced lie? It was a much better performance than in first year over the troll. She didn't need him to feel even guiltier about her role in the war and what being his friend had cost her personally. Ron with the emotional range of a teaspoon had never once even asked after her parents in the dark days after the battle of Hogwarts.