Chapter 1: one year after the Battle of Hogwarts

The Weasley's, of two hundred, South St Catchpole Lane, were proud to say they had a large, Loud, Magical family. They were the first people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, Especially George. Because they refused to accept rules and limits. Mr. Weasley worked for the ministry of magic studying Muggle artifacts and actually loved his job. He was a Tall, plump man with bright red hair, although he did have a very friendly looking face. Mrs. Weasley was much shorter than her husband but the same red hair and a jolly disposition. The Weasley's had many sons including one named Fred who had recently been murdered and in their opinion, there were no finer boys anywhere except for maybe their beloved friend Harry Potter. Now that the war that had taken the Weasley's son Fred was over, and it seemed life was beginning to go back to normal. The Weasley's had everything they wanted, but everyone in the family seemed cursed with awful luck, so they all knew it was only a matter of time before something else went horribly wrong.

Our story begins a bit over a year after the Battle of Hogwarts on July second nineteen ninety-nine. The morning started like any other Harry and Ron attended their Auror training at the ministry of magic while Hermione stayed at the Burrow with Molly Weasley as she had decided to go back to Hogwarts in order to finish her seventh year and had just graduated from Hogwarts a week prior Receiving a perfect score on her Transfiguration N.E.W.T and Passing grades on all her other N.E.W.T.S which is remarkable considering she also became an Animagi during this time. Hermione had graduated along with Ginny and Luna, who she had become very close with since Harry and Ron were no longer monopolizing her time. Hermione had received several job offers upon graduating and had decided to take the summer after graduating from Hogwarts off to explore all her Job offers before deciding on one. This seemed like the typical thing for Hermione to do carefully consider all of her options before coming to a logical conclusion. Harry and Ron both had always wondered how she had ended up in Gryffindor instead of in Raven claw, but alas their school days were behind them.

For Hermione, however, this day was most decidedly not like any other for starters after her typical duty of waking Harry and Ron up for work and sending them off Misses Weasley immediately turned to buzzing with excitement about the wedding. Hermione knew she was supposed to be happy, but instead was cringing how often did Misses Weasley need to say "Oh dear I can't believe you and Ronald are getting Married!" Hermione had been dating Ron since Bill and Fleur's wedding, and Ron had proposed to her at dinner the night after she'd graduated from Hogwarts which although she was excited to be engaged it annoyed her that it seemed all misses Weasley could think about. Hermione understood she was probably just distracting herself from Fred's death, after all, there is no greater pain for a mother than the loss of a child, but that still didn't stop Hermione from being rather annoyed. That's why when she heard a knock on the door, not a moment passed before Hermione yelled "I'll get it" and bolted for the door.

When Hermione opened the door at first, she didn't see anyone till she heard a small voice saying "Hello Hermione I am Winky the House-elf I am currently employed at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Hermione looked down at the little Haggard looking elf with pity and replied: "Yes Winky it's me, Hermione; we met awhile back." Winky then looked up at Hermione as if searching for what to say next and decided just to reply "Of course Headmistress McGonagall requested I deliver this letter to you." Hermione was shocked and confused why was McGonagall sending her a message and why had she sent Winky to deliver it to her instead of an owl? Then Hermione graciously took the letter from the frail elf's hands and dug a gallon out of her pocket to pay the elf for her troubles. Winky adamantly refused the money, but Hermione insisted until the elf agreed to take the coin. Hermione then went to shut the door, but the elf piped up saying "Wait! Hermione miss I was ordered to escort you on the first train leaving for Hogwarts tomorrow! "Hermione replied, "Winky may I ask why I must travel with you to Hogwarts?" Winky replied "Winky does not know Mistress would not tell Winky. Mistress only said that Hermione must come back with Winky."

Hermione replied, "Well, in that case, would you like to come in for some tea?" Winky said "I would like tea", and walked inside the burrow and sat down on the nearest couch. She then continued saying "Dobby used to make Winky tea. Winky misses Dobby; Winky misses Master Crouch; Winky misses everyone." She was close to tears at this point, and Hermione felt compassion for this small elf for her of all people understood what it was like to lose people she cared about she said: "I'm sorry Winky, but I miss everyone too." Winky looked confused and said, "Winky does not understand who does Hermione have to miss?" Hermione hated to bring up the past, but she felt the elf needed to know so she said "when Voldemort was after me I had to erase my family's memories of me entirely, and my dear friend Fred died who would have been my brother in law as well as many of my other friends including Dobby perished in the war." Winky gave Hermione a sad but understanding look and said: "Winky did not know about your family Winky is Sorry Winky Should have been more considerate Winky is a bad elf." Winky then began hitting herself. Hermione tried to console the elf by saying "it's okay Winky I didn't expect you to know." When wink's sobs subsided, she got up to get Hermione and herself some tea. Hermione began to protest the gesture saying she'd get the tea since Winky was her guest but like any good house elf, Winky refused to let Hermione do anything for her so instead Hermione pointed Winky toward the kitchen and opened the letter McGonagall had sent her. The Letter had the Hogwarts letterhead, but it appeared different from her school letters it was a less formal handwriting and was friendlier the letter read.

Dear Hermione,

First, I would like to congratulate you and Ron on your upcoming nuptials. I am very excited for you too. It sounds silly, but I always thought you and Harry would end up together not you and Ron not that it matters now the point is I'm happy for you both, and I have some wedding presents waiting for you that I'll give you when I see you next.

Now on to the heart of the matter, I have something I've been keeping from you a secret of sorts that I've kept for far too long. A secret I feel telling you through an owl would be too cold and impersonal, so I shall wait till I see you tomorrow. I do, however, want you to know you do have some family in the wizarding world that care about you very much so don't feel as though you are alone.

I know that giving up your relationship with your parents was a painful sacrifice. A sacrifice I wish you didn't have to make, but one that may help you to understand what I have to tell you tomorrow. Have a goodnight Hermione and remember I love you very much, and I always have.

Sincerely Minerva

Hermione was lost in thought mulling over the words of the letter when she was snapped out of it by Misses Weasley screaming "Hermione why is there a strange house elf in my House?" after Hermione's quick explanation to Molly the two of them and Winky drank Tea and talked about wedding plans till Ron came home from Auror training with Harry and the discussion switched tones from girly nonsense to politics and evil Wizard conspiracies Just like old times Hermione thought except we're not kids anymore are we? Then something occurred to her with everything that went on with Voldemort were any of them ever really kids?

Then she shook her head and pulled herself away from those thoughts because she knew if she went down that rabbit hole there was no coming back she would start thinking about her parents again and how simple her life was before Hogwarts before Harry, and she just couldn't do that to herself. It was too depressing, and she had no reason to be depressed after all it wasn't like she was running for her life anymore, on the contrary, she had a great fiancé, good friends, her life couldn't be better except she knew it could be if only she had her family.