Author's notes as of 13 Nov 2009:
Dear god! It's been years since I've even thought about checking out my old fanfiction. If there are still people out there who are (miraculously) reading this, I apologize for the horrible writing in the first few chapters (and plenty of grammatical mistakes throughout). It's so embarrassing that it doesn't reflect my current writing style any longer. But I also apologize for not wanting to edit the story in any way. I want to keep my past the way it is, and keep the story genuine. The writing may be messy... but I know that I wrote it with all my heart. I hope you still enjoy it, and please review if you do!
love, M.
Formly known as Hermione Granger Is it Love? Story
on the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Dialogue Center - Rumor Monger
Summary: Summer time, 11-year-old Hermione gets a sealed letter from a school unheard of. She doesn't know yet, that when she accepts the invitation to attend Hogwarts, her normal life was going to change, forever. An unrefined but genuine coming to age story. Storyline loosely follows first four Harry Potter books. Generally non-canon pairings.
I The Letter
July the 15th, Hermione Granger was preparing to go to one of the most famous school in England, Paul Winston's School. She flipped through her chemistry book, hoping to memorize everything before school starts.
"Hermy dear, come down and get your letter, won't you? It's from your pen pal Linda!" Mrs Irine Granger called from the stairs.
At the moment Hermione heard Linda's name, she ran down the steps excitedly, her chocolate brown eyes gleaming with joy, her long bushy brown hair flowing freely behind her. "Where is it, mom? Where's Linda's letter?" she asked, out of breathe.
"Here it is silly girl," Mrs. Granger smiled at her 11 years old daughter as she passed her the letter.
Hermione took the cute pink envelope from her mother and started to rip it open. "And here is another one, from a place called Hogwarts, I knew you applied a lot of schools to be sure you'll be in one, but I wonder where THAT school is," she gave the skyblue-colored envelope to Hermione, leaving her to read the letters alone.
Hermione stood there in the hallway and started reading her letter from Linda Moraine, her bosom friend since 9 years old.
Dear Hermy,
Hi Hermy! How are you doing? It's been a while since we last met. Here
in California I am preparing for school, which is a boring thing to
do.
Linda hates school work, just the opposite the Hermione.
I really miss you and everyone from school, I have some new friends
here now and they are really nice but I still can't forget the times
we had together. Remember the time we picked berries on the way home
from school?
"Oh yes I do. I remember Linda and me being spanked by our moms because we stole other people's berries! After that I swore never to do things that are wrong." Hermione smiled in her thoughts.
Well now I'm always thinking about those days we played so merrily
TOGETHER. I hope we can meet again someday.
Wish you good luck in the new school, WINSTON'S SCHOOL! Wow! With All My Love, Linda
Hermione smiled heartily, "I've got to write a reply at once!" she thought.
As she was writing her reply to Linda, she noticed the other envelope she got from a place called Hogwarts, that's what her mom said.
"Hmm...did I apply for this school?"
She looked at the back of the envelope. It was stamped with red wax in the middle, and there was a beautiful school badge with four animals drawn on it: A lion, a raven, a snake and a badger.
"That's cute! What kind of a school would use animals for a badge!" she exclaimed. She was getting interested in this letter.
A sentence was written under the animals, "DRACO DORMIENS NUNQUAM TITILLANDUS" "I wonder what language THAT is," Hermione felt puzzled, "is this letter really for me?" She read the address written on front:
Hermione Granger
The bedroom facing the Haden Sea
1320 Greens' Road
Haden City
England
"This letter IS for me," she thought, "but what a queer way to write an address. How did they know I sleep in this bedroom? Weird address."
Surely, Hermione's bedroom was facing the beautiful sparkling sea, she can hear the seagulls screaming and the waves splashing, it was a wonderful summer day.
Hermione read through the letter. Her eyes got bigger and bigger as she read down the letter, her eyes got bigger and bigger as she read each sentence. 'Magic'? 'Wizardry'? 'Witchcraft'? WHAT IS THIS? She ran down the stairs once again, confused.
"Mom! Mom!" She screamed, "What IS this?"
"What's the matter, my dear?" Irine Granger looked at her with concern in her eyes, she had never seen her daughter messing around in this kind of matter.
"Mommy you should read this! This...this...is impossible!" Hermione was still screaming, hands trembling, as she passed the mysterious letter to her mother. Irine Granger read through the letter, making the same big eyes expression as Hermione did, and fainted.
"Mom!" Hermione grabbed her mother's waist before she fell to the floor, then a familiar voice rang through the hall, "I'm back! Irine? Herm?" George Granger, Hermione's father, the town's famous dentist, walked into the hall heaving his exhausted body.
"You remember Mr. Jones? I couldn't believe it! He actually came to see me! You remember how he hated to see dentists?" he closed the door, still talking about his day at work. Turning around, he saw his daughter holding his wife in her arms.
Surprised with the extraordinary scene, he dropped his suitcase to the floor. All the paperwork inside it flew out making the hallway look like a rubbish dump.
"Hermione? What happened?" George Granger was astonished. Hermione had been quiet all the time when her father was talking and shouting because her mother was too heavy for her. George ran to his daughter and picked up his wife as if she was as light as a feather and brought her up the stairs to their bedroom with Hermione following in behind.
"What can I do to help?" she asked as she opened the master bedroom door for her father. Inside the room was a sweet aroma of roses which Irine had prepared for George when he came home. "She always does that, "George sighed as he carefully laid Irine on their king-sized bed. "Hermione," George stated as he scratched his head, "all you can do to help is to tell me what had happened down there. What did you see? A cockroach? Spiders? Or an alien?" he joked.
Hermione looked tired, she replied, "It's not funny daddy, it's a serious problem. I got this today." She handed him the letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
George Granger read the letter, it was only a few sentences, and then he sighed and said, "This is all nonsense, how could there be a school like that? There's no real magic in this world! It's just some kind of rubbish people who have lots of time to waste will send to others. Or maybe it's just a school to train magician's on stage."
George laughed, "And your mother faint because of this?" Hermione nodded.
Once again George Granger sighed, "Come on girl. Throw this away and go and prepare supper. I'll look after your mom."
Hermione closed the room door and looked down at the letter in her hands. "Is it really just nonsense?" She had a strange feeling that that wasn't true...
The second morning Irine was cooking in the kitchen. A sweet smell of pancakes floated out of the open kitchen door. Flipping the pancakes over, she called, "Hermy! Can you help me get the letters? I'm busy working on these pancakes!"
There was a minute of pause, then a creak of a door upstairs. Hermione rubbed her eyes as she yawned, "Ahhh...I'm coming mom...I'm coming."
Down the stairs she went, walking unsteadily through the hallway to the front door. She opened it, a sprinkle of sunlight sprayed on her. Hermione stood there for a moment, her eyes adjusting to the warm light. Birds were chirping on the trees in her garden. The sky overhead was a beautiful blue and the sea sparkled in the distance.
"I'm really going to miss home when I leave for Winston School." She thought as she opened the postbox. She took out the letters and looked at the names written in front, "Is there a letter for me today?"
There were a few letters for dad; probably from the government or his clients. A letter from Aunt Pie living in the L.A., this must be for mommy. And... the sky-blue letter from Hogwarts again.
Hermione, puzzled, went back into the house. She went into the kitchen and handed her parents their letters. George Granger was reading the morning paper while Irene Granger placed plates of
"Oh, thanks, Herm. Hmm...this must be from Mr. Portman." George said, "I believe you didn't get the silly letter today?"
"Err...actually..."
"Ohhhh! Dear me, it's a letter from my sister!" Hermione was interrupted by her mother, "I am glad she is okay over there in LA, I was afraid that she'd feel lonely over there!"
Her mother went on talking about the letter from aunt Pie and her father didn't wait for Hermione to make a reply and said, "I knew it was just a joke! Did you know my dear that the letter said it will send one more letter to you today because you are a ..er...muggle?...muggy? What ever that means, and now there's nothing like that! I knew it was all nonsense!"
"My goddness, George, you are still talking about that letter?" Irine Granger looked surprise, "I cannot believe I fainted for such nonsense yesterday!"
The two Grangers laugh aloud, "What nonsense it was!"
"I couldn't believe I believed it for a second!"
"And did you think..."
"But it did come!" Hermione screamed. She had to because her parents were laughing so loudly.
There was a minute of silence. The only thing heard was the sound of the leaves moving in the wind outside.
George was the first to break the silence, "What came? My darling.?"
"The letter, dad. The letter you were just talking about. And it seems it's not only for me. It's written here on the face of the letter - Mr. George Granger, Mrs. Irine Granger, and Miss Hermione Granger..."
George scratched his head. That was one of the gestures he did when he was tired. He looked up at his beautiful daughter and sighed. "Okay girl, read me the letter."
He decided to listen to what the letter wants to say.
Dear Miss Granger,
"Now how did they know you would be the one to read?" George asked.
"Magic," said Hermione, she was starting to believe.
We are pleased to inform you that you have been one of the chosen ones in muggles, that is, people who have no magic powers, to have a little magic in you.
"That is the answer to your question of what are muggles, daddy," Hermione was enjoying the letter. George Granger winced a bit, and Irine sighed as she sat down.
We believe you think all these letters we are sending you are nonsense
and that you have no such ability to learn magic powers even at this
school, for that is what most muggle families think. The Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry does exist. We want to inform you
that a lot of muggles do graduate from our school to become wise
wizards and witches, and that you are not the only one to be a muggle-
born student in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
For more inquires and information about the school and your required The wall with the safety road sign for children Bring this letter with you to the pass way. We wish to see you on the 1st of September with all the other first Vice Principal, Minerva McGonagall
school equipment, please contact the Ministry of Magic. The pass way
to the Ministry for Haden City muggle citizens is:
The General Post Office
Haden City
England.
year students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Hermione wanted to go and see. She tried to convince her parents to let her go. Irine Granger gave in the moment her daughter said she wanted to go. But George Granger opposed to the idea of going to the pass way.
"I have no time for this nonsense!"
"But Dad!" Hermione pleaded, "It is Wednesday! The Clinic's weekly holiday! Please..?" She wanted to know. She wanted to solve the mystery of the letters from Hogwarts.
"Err..." he had no good reply to that at the moment.
"Please?" Hermione tried once more.
"Oh alright," He gave in, "but only once, okay?"
"Yeah!" Hermione jumped up and down uncontrollably.
THEY WERE GOING TO THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC!
If it really exists...
"The Wall with the safety road sign for children," Hermione read out loud from the letter, "Does that mean this?" She pointed at one of the walls of the General Post Office.
"Ah... Yeah...I guess so," her yawning father replied, "Have you seen enough, girl? There's no so-called-pass way here, is there?" he laughed, "Let's go now."
Hermione felt horrible. She hadn't think that there would be no passway. Or maybe she hadn't think that there WAS one. But standing in front of a wall that is just a wall and nothing else, she couldn't think what to do next. She felt so dumb. But she still wanted to believe what the letter said were true.
She touched the wall, kicked the wall, looked for secret buttons, pleaded it the open up or something, but nothing happened.
"Come on lady, don't waste our time. Let's go home," George said happily as he came out of the post office, posting a letter of his.
He pulled Hermione by the arm and put his arm on her shoulder, taking her away from the wall. Hermione was so upset, "If only there was a book or something to tell me what to do..."
Suddenly an idea flashed past her mind.
"God! Daddy! I forgot!" She screamed.
"What Hermione? Forgot what?" Mr. Granger questioned in confusion.
Hermione ignored her father's shouting and flipped open the letter from Hogwarts.
"Here! I knew it would be like this!" Hermione screamed out excitedly.
It was the queerest sight for a muggle. The letter was the one written from Hogwarts a minute before, now; there were only 8 figures in it!
"YOUR NAME?"
"What should I do dad? Look!" Hermione was EXTREMELY excited.
She shook her father so hard that he shouted, "Wow! That hurts! How will I know what to do? Aw!"
"But Daddy! This means...that...that.."
"Oh heavens! So it's true that the magical world exists!" George shouted out loud.
Hermione noticed everyone around was looking at them. She clamped her father's mouth shut and pulled him into a cafe.
Still shivering and extremely excited, the both of them sat down at a table near the windowsill and examined the letter carefully.
"Tea or coffee?" a waitress came asking.
"Err... please," George replied.
George and Hermione felt embarrassed, they almost forgot this was a cafe. The waitress went away and the two of them started to think of the solution to this mystery.
"Hmmm...should I write it here? I mean my name?" Hermione asked.
"Well...give it a try, I think...there won't be any harm," Mr. Granger replied, he wasn't sure at all.
Hermione borrowed a pen from a waiter and wrote neatly under the 8 figures in the letter, "Hermione Granger"
They waited, nothing happened. "Huh｡KI guess we have to think the other way," George Granger sighed.
"What other way Dad?" Hermione asked him curiously.
"I don't know, Hermione," George laughed.
Hermione sighed, "What do I have to do to make something change?"
She stared at the letter. She wanted to ask the letter, "How are you going to change?"
Then she gasped, "Dad...dad, look."
"Hmm...?" He answered, looking down at the letter.
Then he gasped too, the letter had changed.
There was no "YOUR NAME?" printed on the letter, no "Hermione Granger" written by Hermione, now, it was only written:
"YOUR SC"
"What does that mean?" Hermione was more confused then ever, so was George Granger, "and why did it changed?"
The both of them started to think what had they done till now.
"I wrote my name but nothing changed, right?"
Her father replied, "Right."
"What else would make it change?"
"It needs to know your name..."
"Oh! Oh! Daddy! I got it! You just joked 'I don't know Hermione', didn't you?"
"Yeah I did...but...OH! I see!"
"So maybe...Should I say..." Hermione turned back to the letter, and said in a whisper, "Hermione Granger?"
The remaining half of the sentence appeared as if someone was writing it, and now it was written:
"YOUR SCHOOL?"
The two Grangers stared at the sentence surprisingly. So they've solve the mystery to the letter!
"Go on! Hermione! Tell it!" George excitedly shouted.
"Err, Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Hermione tried to make out the name of the school.
Lo and behold, the sentence melted away and the next question appeared:
"PASSWAY ADDRESS?"
"Quick! Tell it!" George was much more excited than Hermione herself. Hermione trembled as she said, "The wall with the safety road sign for children, The General Post Office, Haden City, England!"
The two of them waited.
Then the sentence appeared:
INFORMATION CORRECT
PASSWORD TO PASSWAY THIS MONTH :
YELLOW MONKEYS AND GREEN BANANAS
Without hesitating, they ran out of the cafe, surprising the other customers and the waitress, who brought the coffee now forgotten by the Grangers.
Hermione and her father rushed to the wall once again. Out of breathe, Hermione said, "If this is a password, am I supposed to say it?"
"I think so honey," George leaned on the wall, exhausted.
"Here goes, YELLOW MONKEYS AND GREEN BANANAS, what a silly password," grumbled Hermione.
Suddenly, George Granger fell into the wall and disappeared.
"Dad!" Hermione clasped her mouth with both hands.
She walked to the wall unsteadily. She thought, "So this isn't solid...any...more..?"
She touched the wall, something like water ripples were formed where she touched. Her hand melted into the wall and a strong gravity sucked her in Hermione disappeared.
"Hermione! Hermione! You should see this!" George Granger pulled Hermione's sleeve and jumped up and down as if he had grew young suddenly.
If you knew George Granger before, you would be surprised to see the always- serious-looking dentist jumping up and down like that but when you saw what he had seen, you wouldn't be surprised.
It was a whole town behind the wall but not the Post Office anymore. Behind the wall, everything was curious and extraordinary. The zigzag streets were packed with men wearing cloaks and tip-topped hats; children were crowded in front of sports equipment stores bustling how speedy the newest broom would go. There were shops packed with owls and monkeys, wands and poles, potions and curious looking herbs. Everything was new to the two muggles staring and gapping at the view beyond the post office wall. Where did this all came to be?
The two of them looked at each other and giggled, chorusing, "Magic."
"Let's go Hermy," George said.
"Lets," Hermione replied merrily as she held out her hand for her dad.
They are going to explore a bit before they get to the ministry of magic.
George Granger was interested in the broomsticks and sports wear shops but Hermione wanted to see the wands. They argued which to go first.
"Now young lady, if you ask me, I think broomsticks and sports are more interesting than..."
"Dad, but I think the wands are the core of magic! I've got to take a look!"
"No, no, no, wands are silly. You just wave them and..."
There was no end to their argument.
"Okay, calm down. You go to see the wands; I go to see the sports shop, alright? Don't go anywhere else!"
"I'm not a baby, dad. I'll take care of myself. See you later!" Hermione skipped towards the wands shop.
Mr. Granger watched his beautiful daughter skipping away into the crowd, "That is why I'm worried, Hermione..."
THE WILLOW WILL'S WAND SHOP, the name was carved on a redwood-made plate above the shop window. Hermione peeked into the window, it was pitch black inside. She tip-toed to look closer, she could see a figure sitting comfortably on a rocking chair, moving to and fro.
Hermione gulped as she pulled the door open. A clinging sound of a rustled little bell rang from somewhere inside the shop, she went in with a little mixture of hesitation and excitement.
The shop smelled of a mixture of all kinds of wood. Hermione opened her eyes wide to capture as much light as she can. Slowly, the figure of an old woman started to appear in front of her.
"Excuse me... Um..." Hermione didn't know what to say, she didn't expect to buy anything, she just wanted to look around. But the woman's eyes looking at her seem to tell her that she have to buy something to stay. Hermione felt uneasy, she started to regret of coming in.
"A muggle?" the old lady suddenly asked.
Hermione jumped at her voice. It was as rusty as the bell that rang earlier. She stared at the old woman's face; she looked like a hundred years old.
"Err...yes...I am," Hermione answered meekly.
"Then you are not welcomed in here, missy, leave at once," the old lady stated rudely.
Hermione was surprised at this statement; never in her life had she thought that she was unwelcome in the magical world since the letter from Hogwarts said there were a lot of other muggle-born people in this world too! She wanted to say something, but hesitated, and chose to leave.
The bell rang once more, Hermione stepped out with tears rolling down her cheeks. "I guess I'm not welcomed in the school too..." she thought, " the school doesn't｡?t mind muggle-born students...but maybe my classmates will...Maybe I should head for Winston after all..."
Hermione started to run to the sports shop without looking ahead. Then there was a loud crash! Hermione fell onto the ground. She had banged into someone and his things were scattered everywhere.
"I...I'm sorry, I...I'll help you," Hermione started to pick up the books lying around her. She didn't look up. She had to hide her tears.
"It's ok, nothing to worry about, it always happens," it was a man's voice, mature than her, husky and low, but young and excited.
Hermione smiled a bit, she swiped dirt off her knee and picked up another book.
"Are you alright?" the boy said.
"Oh, I'm ...I'm ok, it just hurts a bit," Hermione struggled to stand up as she picked up a book called "Quidditch - Steps TO WIN".
"No, um...yes but...err..."
"Huh?" Hermione looked up for the first time; she blushed furiously, from her rosy cheeks to her normally-brown-hair, which seemed to be a little bit red now.
A boy of 16 or 17 was crouching in front of her. He was quite tall, his short brown hair blowing in the wind. What made Hermione blush so hard was his handsome brown eyes. They were so focused on her that they gave her a feeling so special, so mysterious.
Hermione almost forgot she was crying until the boy gently wiped a tear of her cheek. She blushed more than ever.
"Um...want to have tea with me?" He asked in a friendly behavior.
"Um... ok," she agreed.
"Good. There's a nice cafe over there. I promise you the ice-creams are great," the boy said with a grin.
At a corner of the cafe, Hermione enjoyed her gooseberry ice-cream as the boy gazed at her, drinking a cup of black coffee quietly.
"What made you cry?" he asked suddenly.
Hermione's spoon stopped in mid-air. She hesitated. She had the same uneasy feeling as she had in the wand shop. Hermione assumed this boy was a wizard, of course it was just her guess, but the possibility that he was a non-muggle born was high since he knew a lot about this world.
"Come on, tell me," the boy leaned a bit closer, "I can listen."
"Um...well... Yesterday, I got a letter from..." Hermione started.
She slowly told him the whole story. The boy nodded whenever he felt that Hermione needed a response, but he never made a sound until Hermione finished.
And when she did, he thought for a moment, he seemed to find the right words to say, then he asked Hermione, "You are going to Hogwarts, right?"
Hermione nodded.
"Well, if you are, you can relax. Professor Dumbledore, that is, the school head master, welcomes all kind of students to our school. If they are eager to learn, if they have a tiny insty-bitsy magic in them, Professor Dumbledore will let you into that door of Hogwarts, and everyone would welcome you. Besides, there are so many muggles in Hogwarts that there may not be much truly pure magician-blood after all!" the boy grinned at Hermione to assure her that it was ok.
Hermione smiled finally,"Thank you...I feel better now."
The uneasy feeling had evaporated into the air, nowhere to be seen. Hermione started to scoop some more sundae (half of it is melting off), then as if she thought of something, she stopped again.
"So you are from Hogwarts too?" Hermione asked the boy suspiciously.
The boy grinned again as he nodded.
"Yes I am, and I'm in the Gryffindor House, you bet it's the best house of all," He laughed.
Hermione's heart thumped faster and faster.
"Uoops, I think I have to leave now, time does fly, I got to go and find my friends," the boy stood up swiftly.
"Oh...sorry for wasting your time," Hermione said uncertainly.
"You forgot that it was I who asked you to stay? It was a great time chatting with you...um...your name?" he asked as he stood up.
"Oh, Hermione Granger," Hermione straighten herself up as she said this.
The boy smiled, "Hermione...ok, bye!"
He walked out of the cafe, Hermione stood up, she watched him walking off, when suddenly he turned back.
"I'm Oliver, Oliver Wood!" He waved her goodbye, Hermione waved back then he disappeared into the crowd.
Hermione stood there for a while, "Oliver Wood"...
"Where in the world have you been!" Mr. George Granger, hair all messed up, totally out of breath, asked Hermione as he shook her arm harshly.
"Sorry, dad. I went to the cafe to eat ice-cream since it was so attractive," Hermione didn't want her father to worry about her, so she just told him half of the story.
"If you were to do that ever again I'll have to reconsider if I am going to let you go to that school, Hermione Granger!" George shook Hermione hard.
"I won't, Dad. Does that mean you ARE going to let me go to Hogwarts?" Hermione apologized, and then asked with sparkling eyes.
"Well...if you want to...what matters? IF you really want to be a wizard, I can't stop my little girl, can I?" George laughed.
"Oh Dad, I love you!" Hermione hugged her dad hard, "and dad?"
"Yes?"
"I am going to be a witch, not a wizard," Hermione giggled.
"Whatever," George smiled and suggested, "Lets go to the Ministry of Magic!"
"You know the way, dad?" Hermione asked.
"I heard from the sports shop-keeper it's just up ahead this road! Now let's go," George put his arm on his daughter's shoulder, and they walked into the moving crowd, towards the Ministry of Magic.
THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC was written in block letters with gold above the lobby of the Ministry. George Granger looked excited. Hermione gulped as they walked in. Looking up, there were paintings of all the former Minister of Magic. They were moving, talking, and drinking tea, dancing with each other...
The two Grangers stopped and starred at the paintings for a while. Many queer things happened since they got the letter from Hogwarts but this was the queerest of them all.
Hermione heard one of the paintings said to another, "Look, a muggle again."
"That's the fifty-seventh today, Mclloy. And it is annoying," The other one replied.
Hermione looked down for a moment embarrassingly, but then, she remembered what Oliver Wood had said. She looked up once more, and read the name plate of the man in the painting.
"Sir Louis Mclloy, 17561879"
Hermione rubbed her eyes and thought, "This Minister lived for over a century?"
Then she heard Sir Mclloy saying again, "In my days, no muggles were allowed to enter our schools, but now? Hah! That Minister lets anyone into this marvelous magical world! What a disgrace! What a ..."
Hermione didn't need to hear what the former Minister wanted to say anymore. She turned around to see a tall man wearing a navy blue suit standing there, gazing at the paintings. All the people drawn in the paintings flew back to their places without making a sound.
"Are you for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, young lady?" the man's voice rang through the great hallway.
"Yes, sir," Hermione replied.
"And you must be her guardian?" the man turned to Mr. Granger. "Yes, sir," Mr. Granger replied, "excuse me, but you are..."
"I am the Minister of Magic," Sir Mclloy coughed on purpose and the Minister of Magic looked up at it as he replied, "Cornelius Fudge. Well then, I think we shall take you into the office. I believe you came here to ask information about the school, are you not?"
The two nodded, and in they went, into the Office of the Minister of Magic.
Mr. Fudge said as he opened the door to his office, "Sorry for those insults you got from the paintings, err...Mr..?"
"Granger, George Granger," George told him.
"Mr. Granger, those are men from centuries ago, so they do not understand the world of magic at present. I have been always thinking what I will look like being painted and hooked on the wall like that," Fudge laughed.
And your daughter's name is?" he was asking Mr. Granger but looking at Hermione.
"Hermione Granger, sir" Hermione replied before her father did.
Mr. Fudge took out a list of names and ticked Hermione's, "And I believe that before you got here or maybe even you got here to the Libran Alley you could not much believe that magic exists, could you?" Mr. Fudge put both hands together in a prayer position and focused on Hermione's face.
"I am trying to believe sir, and...This is called the Libran Alley?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, yes...the alley is shaped of a balance, like the Libra sign, so...our ancestors chose this name," Mr. Fudge smiled.
"And Mr. Granger, Do you believe now?" Mr. Fudge changed to look at Mr. Granger.
"It is still hard to accept although I believe I have to believe now," Mr. Granger said in a confusing way.
"All muggles have the same problem like you Mister Granger, since we, the Ministry of Magic, had worked hard on the prevention of muggles knowing our existence, and, Oh have seat," Mr. Fudge pointed to a row of comfy chairs.
Hermione and Mr. Granger sat down, and Mr. Fudge went on, "and muggles had never had contact with magic although a few like you have magic in their blood, in their bones, it is inside you Miss Granger."
Hermione gazed at Mr. Fudge.
"Here is what we all want to know," Mr. Fudge straightened himself up, "Are you going to choose to come to our world and become a witch, or back to your muggle world and become a normal muggle? Miss Granger?" the question came.
"I'll go to Hogwarts," Hermione said determinedly.
"Are you sure Hermione?" George asked.
"Yes, I am."
"Thank you Mr. Fudge, you helped us a lot," Mr. Granger thanked Mr. Fudge as they shaked hands.
"Anytime, Mr. Granger," Mr. Fudge smiled, "And here are some booklets about the magical world, it includes...maps, a brief history of the Ministry of Magic, the introduction to Diagon Alley, that's where Hogwarts students can get all they need for school, etc."
Hermione nodded as she took the booklets from Mr. Fudge, "Thank you Mr. Fudge."
"You're welcomed, and Miss Granger? Just to remind you that you cannot use magic until you get on the Hogwarts Express Train, do I make myself clear?"