Chapter 1

A New Year, A New Name

I had spent the beginning of my summer helping rebuild the castle. It had been hard work but after everything I had been through, I was determined to finish my degree. My boys didn't understand it. Why would they? Kingsley had offered to let any of us who had been on the winning side right into Auror training. The boys had been all for it. Last week they had started training alongside Dean and Seamus. I wasn't mad. I knew that had been their goal. Harry had always been smart enough to get there but Ron had been worried he wouldn't make the grades. I, on the other hand, turned him down. I wasn't sure if I was ready to go back out into the field. Plus as the brains of "The Golden Trio" it just made seemed like the right thing to do was go back. Now as I stood in the lobby of King's Crossing I was wondering if I had made the wrong choice.

As an 8th year student, things were going to be a little different. Ginny was to be Head Girl, any of us returning 8th years would be living together, 8th years also didn't have curfew but we could be disciplined by the Heads, and as part of his probation Draco Malfoy would be there. That last fact alone had almost been enough to change my mind. Ron had gone nuts when we found out. It had taken the reminder that he had helped our side in the end to take the fight out of Ron.

"Hermione!" I was startled out of my thoughts by Ginny's voice. "Come on, it won't look good if the Head Girl misses the train because of the Gryffindor Princess."

"Ginny, you know I don't like being called that," I chided her gently. "Besides the train won't leave for another 45 minutes."

"Sorry. I'm just excited." She smiled at me and took my hand. I let her pull me through the station and then out onto Platform 9 ¾. The train was there and waiting. If I closed my eyes I could almost pretend that the last year hadn't happened. That I didn't have the scar on my arm and that I hadn't made one hell of a discovery because of it, but both of those things had happened and I was trying to learn to live with it.

See that's the funny thing about blood magic. You never know when it's going to rear its ugly head and change your world. Although, I was overly sensitive now that I knew who I really was: Hermione Jean Nott. It turns out I was the long lost twin sister of my Slytherin classmate Theodore Nott. I hadn't told him yet. I wasn't sure that I wanted to either. That was my one requirement/request when Kingsley and Professor McGonagall came to notify me. I was still staying with Harry at Grimuald so he knew as well. Apparently, my name changed on the official student rooster some point after my not so lovely stay at Malfoy Manor. At least McGonagall was going to let me decide when or if I would change my name. I was still torn.

Nobody was totally sure how I survived any of it: my torture or my birth. Our mother supposedly died during childbirth with Theo. That was a lie. She died giving birth to me. There had been a mix-up with the medi-witches and somehow I was labeled squib and transferred to a muggle hospital. That's how the Granger's ended up adopting me. They couldn't have kids and thought adopting an orphan baby was the right thing to do.

The only thing that comforted me about the whole ordeal was that McGonagall and Kinsley got to me before I could go find them again in Australia. I had wiped me from their memories and hidden them before the war. I only wanted to protect them. It felt like the right thing to do at the time. Knowing what I do now, I felt no desire to go and track them down again. They lied to me. They never told me that I was adopted. Not even after my letter came from Hogwarts.

I was jolted from my thoughts once again as the train started to move. Ginny must have gone to the Head car to meet the Head Boy and McGonagall. It was so odd to think of her as Headmistress now. It was hard to acknowledge everything that had happened. From Dumbledore dying to our year on the run, hell even my recovery from torture seamed surreal. As I watched the moving landscape, I heard a knock on the compartment door. I looked up as Neville and Hannah came in. I was so proud of Neville. He had been instrumental at Hogwarts those last few years. From the war to helping to rebuild, he had shown true courage. I was glad he had gotten together with Hannah. She was a nice girl.

"Hermione, I wasn't sure if you were coming back this year. I know the boys were excited to start training."

"I don't think I really decided until last week. I figured if I at lease take my NEWTs then I can really decide on what job I want."

"Of course. Makes sense. So let me guess…medi-witch or magical law enforcement?"

"Yeah. What about you and Hannah?"

"Well, I want to take over for Professor Sprout."

"I actually ended up with the Leaky Cauldron after the war." Hannah's response was so quiet I almost missed it.

"Oh Hannah. I'm so sorry about your loss. I didn't realize that you were related to Tom." Neville shook his head as well. I guess he didn't know either.

"It's ok. Not many people did. He was my uncle. He didn't have any kids and I used to help him over breaks."

"Do you guys know who else decided to come back?"

Before either of them could answer, our compartment door opened again and the three returning Slytherin boys entered.

AN: This is my first story. Reviews are welcome. I'm also looking for a Beta.