Disclaimer: Sadly this world and it characters do not belong to me. They are JKR's.
Hermione's Dark Secret: Chapter One
"No! Hurry get the girl!" Aurors swarmed around the mansion. The dark stone had a reddish tinge to it after the fire inside grew. Two shackled adults stood inside a circle of magical law enforcement officers. Neither looked to the house where the search was progressing.
"Found her!" A junior member rushed out. He carried a bundle of blankets in his arms. "She was in the basement, a hiding place. I had to stun her." He jerked to a halt in front of his superior. The two Death Eaters scowled at the young man who had taken their child.
"Let me through." Alaster 'Mad-Eye' Moody was the head auror there. He showed them their daughter. "You see her? Get a good look, because you're never going to see her again." He spat on the ground in front of them and retreated from the circle of guards. "Take them to Azkaban. Lock them up real good. They'll never see the light of day again."
Another junior auror took the one and a half year old from him. "I'll take her to child services right away sir." Moody nodded to him. "And I'll start on the report while I'm there." He walked to the edge of the property where the anti-apparation wards ended. A turn of his cloak and he was gone.
Four figures in robes stood outside a small room. The room's walls were clear but covered in thick curtains. All of them were starring at it, as its contents was the topic of their heated discussion.
"Minister, I think you would find it more beneficial if the child's heritage was not hidden from her during her childhood." Albus Dumbledore's eyes weren't twinkling and he was almost glaring at Minister Fudge.
"No look here Dumbledore. The girl's not your responsibility. We'll send to Hogwarts when she's eleven and you can worry about her then. Right now she's the ministry's problem. And we'll deal with her." He opened the door. "This muggle family will raise her. She'll grow up happy and non-magical."
The oblivator and child protection officer entered the room. A sleeping spell was quickly cast on her before she was apparated out. Fudge smirked to Dumbledore.
"Besides, if you wanted the job you could have taken it. It was offered to you after all." He fingered his wand before stalking off to some other job.
Dumbledore starred into the small room that had held Hermione. "Poor girl." He murmured. "I promise I will not hide the truth from you." He slowly turned and walked out of the corridor.
The oblivator knocked on the door. It was a very muggle door, in a very muggle neighborhood. It was opened quickly by a young woman with long brown hair.
"Hello can I help you?" She asked. These kinds of people, strangely dressed and carrying a baby didn't frequently come to the door.
The child officer smiled. "Yes Dr. Granger. We've brought your baby home."
Hermione bounced out of bed. School had been out for almost a month now and she was looking forward to go back to the library. She dressed hurriedly and grabbed her book bag, before hurrying down the stairs.
Her parents were already sitting at the table eating pancakes. An empty spot with a covered plate had been left for her. She slid into it quickly before turning to her parents.
"Good Morning dear. How did you sleep?" Her mother asked her. Both of the adults had to leave for their shared dental practice shortly. "Do you have any plans for today?" Both of them smiled at their young daughter.
"I'm going to the library." Hermione stood up having already finished her own breakfast in a matter of seconds. "My books from the other branch are due in today." She ran to the front door and slid on her shoes before opening the door.
Just as the door was opened, the woman outside it looked in. "I hadn't knocked yet." She stepped smartly over the threshold. "Hello Drs Granger and," She looked at the child. "You must be Hermione."
Her parents starred at the woman. They were astonished at the authority she thought she had and the strange robes she wore.
Hermione's farther stood up. "Nice to meet you. Is there some way we could help you?" He asked, wondering if she had escaped from a mental hospital nearby.
"Aw, yes. I'm here to tell you about Hermione. Let's move to your sitting room." She carefully led the Granger's to one of their couches. After they sat she began again. "Have you ever noticed that strange things happen around your daughter? Especially when she's angry or upset?" She paused to let them think.
Hermione's mind was racing. She remembered a fire starting one day when she was playing a game. And when she decided to play doctor and had given her cat a real operation. The organs had started coming out and she'd had no idea why.
"Hermione is not a normal child." The woman looked to their faces. It was quite obvious they were busy remembering strange occasions. "That is because you're daughter is a witch. She has magic."
The three Granger's were struck dumb. They weren't religious and they didn't believe or encourage the beliefs of magic and other such nonsense. Her father looked at the woman. "Is there anything you can do to prove this?" He asked her skeptically.
The woman smiled before drawing a wooden stick out of her pocket. She pointed it at an armchair and after murmuring a few words it turned in a large pot. "AS you can see magic is very real." She put her wand away again.
Hermione's mother looked thoughtfully at the pot. "So why are you telling this to us now? Is something going to happen?" She looked at Hermione worriedly.
The woman but a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "There is a school for magical children in Scotland. Hermione has been enrolled there. It starts on September 1st. You'll need top take her to King's Cross station to get the train."
Her parents starred at her. "You mean she'll have to leave?" Her mother cried.
"But, couldn't we send her somewhere closer?" Neither of her parents wanted to lose their only child.
The woman's face hardened as she looked at them. "This is the only possibility. If your daughter does not receive training she is a danger to everyone, even herself." The woman looked meaningfully at Hermione.
"What do you mean, a danger?" Her father was far too curious for his own good.
"Her power could kill her, or those around her if she became angry. She must attend Hogwarts."
Hermione felt tears in her eyes. She really wanted to go to this school. To learn about magic and this other world. But she'd never had to stay away from home for that long. And she was nervous enough about starting a new school. She didn't know anything about magic!
The woman handed them some papers from her shoulder bag. "This is Hermione's school letter." She indicated a envelope addressed in green ink. "The rest are introductions to the magical world. You'll also find instructions on how to get to Diagon Alley in there. That's where Hermione will need to purchase her supplies."
"Diagon Alley, where's that?" Hermione's mother was always the practical one. "I don't think I've ever heard of it."
"It's a wizarding area hidden in London. Hermione will be the only one who can see it, so you'll need to follow her." The woman stood up and walked to the front door. "Please feel free to mail us if you have any questions. The address is on the back." She smiled and walked smartly out the front door.
The three Granger's starred after her in shock. They turned to their daughter. "Did you know anything about that?" Dr. Granger looked as if someone had just told him the world was actually flat. It was almost as if someone had.
Dr. Granger smiled. "Well this gives us a chance to get together." She walked over to the entrance hall. They quickly dressed to leave and briefly examined the directions to the entrance. Charring Cross rd. A twenty minute drive from their house.
They scrambled into the car. Hermione's parents were looking forward to discover more about this new world. Hermione just wanted to fin better, more interesting books. The wizarding world was bound to have a good collection.
They parked the car a decent distance away. Hermione followed the directions to the muggle stores. Between them she saw the dirty pub. "Look!" Hermione cheered. "There it is!"
Her father peered between the stores with renewed interest. "I don't see anything. Are you sure dear?" He looked worriedly at her.
"Of, course. You can't see it." Hermione seized their arms and carefully walked into the pub. Just as it looked they were going to walk straight into the wall, Hermione's parents felt themselves pass into another building.
"You're here." The old man from behind the bar stood up. "'m Tom. I'll be showing around to the entrance." He motioned them outside, they followed timidly. Tom showed Hermione how to make the bricks move to let herself in. "You've got a real smart one here." He grinned toothlessly to her parents.
The expanse of Diagon Alley spread out before them. If was slowly drifting toward lunch break and shops would be closing. After changing a good portion of muggle money the Granger's split up. Hermione's mother was getting robes and a telescope. Her father was getting a cauldron and potion kit. Hermione was getting her own books. They decided to meet in front of Ollivander' wand store in an hour.
Hermione was overwhelmed by the sheer size of Flourish and Blots. She quickly gathered all the books on her list. They were less expensive then she had expected and therefore had money left over. A section on Dark Books caught her eye. But as she approached a white line appeared on the floor and pushed her away when she tried to cross it.
"Can I help Miss?" A clerk appeared and asked her.
"Yes, I want to look at those books." Hermione indicated the Dark section.
The clerk smiled. "I'm sorry. You must be at least fifteen or have your parents with you. Would you like to purchase those?" He indicated the books in her arms.
"Oh, yes right away." Hermione followed him to the cashier. She purchased her school texts, a few books on wizarding culture and two novels. All of them looked informative, interesting and Hermione was mesmerized. But those Dark books were the ones she really wanted.
After leaving the shop and checking her watch Hermione decided to do some exploring. She was ahead of schedule. After wandering aways she spotted a small bookshop at the end of a darkened street.
She cautiously passed under the 'Knockturn Alley' sign as she hurried to the book shop. This area gave her the creeps. Strange people lurked in the shadows and the stores had sinister appearances. She entered the book store with a sigh of relief.
That relief disappeared quickly as she was grabbed by the collar and roughly hauled around a shelf. A tall blond man starred down at her. His eyes seemed to pass through her as though someone else was inside of her.
He looked into her eyes. Tears rose briefly in his own before he bent close to her ear. "You are not who you think you are. You are one of us." The voice was low she wasn't exactly sure if she had heard it. The man spun and walked quickly out of the store.
Hermione was dazed. Was that attempted kidnapping? What did his message mean? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She wasn't going to let anything ruin her experiences in the bookshop. The books lining the shelfs in this stone were not friendly and new like at Flourish and Blottts. She looked closely at a lower shelf.
'Beginners Guide to Dark Magic. By Ebony Brindle.' The title was intriguing. She carefully lifted the book off the shelf. Checking the price she noticed it was quite low, having been reduced three time. She made her may to the back of the store and stopped at the owner.
"Excuse me, sir? I'd like to purchase this book." Hermione held up the book in question.
The owner yawned tiredly. "But the money on the table." He gave another jaw wrenching yawn and settled back to his nap.
Hermione smiled happily. Her new wand (14 inches, with a core of Dementor skin) felt comfortably warm against her leg. Her new robes fit perfectly.
It was September 1st. The platform 9 ¾ was filled with people moving in every direction and talking about everything at once. Hermione boarded the train quickly. She stowed her trunk away easily. She knocked and entered a compartment with two young boys in it.
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger." She smiled as she delivered her greeting.
The red haired boy smiled. Small bits of chocolate fell from his mouth. "'m Ron." He said trying to talk with a full mouth.
Hermione looked at the bits of food falling on his lap. "You could so down a bit." She told him before turning to the boy with wild black hair. "Who are you?"
He swallowed his mouthful before answering her. "Harry. Harry Potter."
Hermione looked at the two of them. "Are you born wizards or do you have muggle families?" She was interested in learning more about her new world.
"Hello Hermione." A cold voice behind her made her jump. She turned to see a blond boy. He offered her his hand "Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."
Ron looked thunderstruck. "Listen, leave her alone. She's done nothing to you!"
Hermione looked at Ron oddly. "What are talking about? He hasn't done anything?"
Draco smiled at her. "Ignore him. His family abandoned wizards long ago. Their as bad as mudbloods."
Ron jumped to his feet. "Watch your language Malfoy! Why don't you go jump in a lake?" Harry nodded in agreement.
Hermione was disgusted by this behavior. "He just came in here. Why are you so hostile?"
Ron glared at Malfoy before turning to address her. "His family are as bad as they come. Dark wizards, everyone."
Malfoy considered Ron's words. "I didn't think that mattered to you. Considering who you're sitting with." He motioned to Hermione. "Would you like to join me and my friends? We don't spit food everywhere." He indicated the crumbs on Ron's lap smirking. "Then again Weasley it probably coast your family a year's income to pay for this."
He offered his arm to Hermione. "Join me fair lady." Hermione smiled. People usually teased her for reading and this boy didn't seem to want anything from her. She stood gracefully and took his arm, not sparring a backward glance for the two boys left behind.