It was an ordinary day in the Granger household.
Mike was whistling as he shaved. Most people would see that as distinctly dangerous, but he had his routine down quite well. Jane was in the kitchen, putting away the morning's dishes. The Grangers all liked to eat their breakfast before getting ready for the day ahead. It was just so much better for the teeth that way.
Jane wondered, not for the first time, if Hermione, their daughter, would be sure to keep up with her good dental hygiene as she went away to boarding school this year. Jane knew how hard it could be, especially for an only child like Hermione, to share a dorm room, as well as a bathroom, with so many people for the first time. She still had a little more time to drill the good habits into her though, since school wouldn't be starting for another few weeks.
Hermione was in her room getting ready for the day. She had already finished her bathroom rituals and was making her bed. She lovingly smoothed out the blanket at the foot of the bed. It was a blanket her grandmother had gotten her the week before, so she would have the comfort of home at her new school.
She was nervous, of course, but she was happy to start a new chapter in her life. Her primary school hadn't really challenged her enough as a student, and she was glad that her new school had a much broader curriculum. Now she just had to choose what classes to limit herself to. Not for the first time, Hermione wished there were just more hours in the day.
Her and her mother were to go shopping today. She still had quite a few essentials that needed to be purchased, as well as her school supplies. She wanted to get a head start on the selected reading for each course.
She dawdled for a while longer, taking in her room, thinking how different things would be this time next month before finally venturing downstairs.
Mike had already left for the day, heading out to her parents' dentistry practice alone. Her mother would be taking the day off so that she and Hermione could avoid the crowds the weekends brought.
Jane sat at the table, reading the morning's mail. Hermione realized then how much she really would miss her mother when she left.
"The post's here," Jane called, not looking over her shoulder, apparently assuming Hermione to still be upstairs.
"Thanks," she answered. Hermione was always respectful of her parents. She had seen so many 'rebellious' children and teens 'acting out,' and had vowed long ago to never do such silly things.
She sat down in the chair across from her mother, just waiting for her to finish.
"Oh, look, dear; here's something for you." Jane passed it over, not giving it a second glance or thought.
Assuming it to be a note from some distant family member, Hermione casually accepted the letter. In green ink was written the address, specifically noting the bedroom she occupied, and, she noticed, it lacked a stamp. She turned it over in her hand to discover it was closed with a wax seal.
As peculiar as it already was, the letter within was headed with the name, 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' Surely this was a joke. She read the page twice, before finally looking up at her mother.
"Uh… Mum? Did you say this came in the post this morning?" she asked, panic only slightly concealed.
"Yes, dear. Why?" Jane answered distractedly as she read a note from her brother.
"Well, it's a letter from another school. One we didn't visit." Hermione wanted to believe this was all just a joke, and somewhere in her psyche, she did, but someone had gone through a lot of trouble just to fool an eleven year old.
It seemed her mum had finally gotten the message that Hermione was disturbed by something, because she looked up with a slight crease in her brow.
"A school we didn't visit? Which school is it, then?"
"Well…" Hermione didn't really want to sound as stupid as she felt, and just passed both the note and the envelope back across the table.
Her mother studied it for several minutes, reading it a second and a third time.
"What's this about a visitation?" she asked Hermione.
That had been the only part of the letter that Hermione had understood, and so answered her mother promptly. "Apparently, the Deputy Headmistress… What was her name? Professor McGonagall, I think. Apparently, she'll be coming by this afternoon to answer any questions we have and to help us familiarize ourselves with the Hogwarts system."
"Oh. Well, then perhaps we should wait around for her. We can always do our shopping another time. Perhaps this weekend…" Jane trailed off, picking her brother's post back up and continuing to read, never noticing Hermione's displeasure.
Looking back on it now, Hermione wondered if the Hogwarts letter had been charmed in some way or another. Her mum had just seemed so relaxed and casual about a letter from a school boasting of magic and wizards.
Even McGonagall's visit had been odd and very fascinating. Hermione's mother had taken everything in stride, finding most things peculiar. Minerva had given several demonstrations and spoke of all the different subjects of magic. She had helped Hermione to understand herself and what her future held much better.
Minerva had also shown them Diagon Alley, with its many shops and people. Hermione remembered the wonder on her parents' faces and still wondered if that same look had graced her face that day. She supposed it probably had for at least the first two or three weeks after that, and then again when she reached Hogwarts. She had been thankful that the other first years' faces had reflected that same awe; she desperately had wanted to fit in.
Discovering she was a witch was one of the greatest things that had ever happened to her. No, she wouldn't change the experience for anything in the world.