Summary: It only takes one strange finding in your mundane routine to change the way your life was headed. Join Harry and Hermione in the summer before the 5th year as they hone their skill to battle the forces of Voldemort. AU. Harry fights for independence and political stance. Eventually h/hr mild bashing of Weasley family. Helpful Sirius.

Starting notes that might not be obvious throughout the story:

Voldemort is back and the public believes it after Cedric's death during the tri-wizarding tournament

Sirius will have a large roll in this story

Harry will gradually learn how to become independent of Dumbledore and Gradually take his position of the Wizengamot seriously and use it to his advantage

Hermione is smart but not all-knowing.

'thought'

"speech"

Before we start: A reviewer has expressed their… disappointment I guess, for the mentioning of the weapons that Harry will find in this chapter. I want to make it quite clear that although something is mentioned, and not remotely close to the canon HP franchise (as this story is not meant to be as noted in the summary by AU meaning Alternate Universe for those who may not know.) it does not mean that it is or will be used in this story for anything other than an object of observation. If you have any more questions or concerns please reach out and I am more than willing to explain without spoiling the story.

As you were fellow readers.

Rowena's Secret Wardrobe

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.

Year: 1995 summer before year 5

16 Heathgate, London 1042 am

"Why can't you do anything right?" Hermione's Stepfather yelled at her. "Get out! And take your freakish pagan religious crap with you!" After my mother had married this buffoon of a man, John, we both decided it best to keep my magic a secret from him.

It's been a year and a half since the accident that took my father's life. I try my best to not think of it, but as the war of the wizarding world is now leaking into the muggle world I have to come to terms that people die. Especially the ones that are closest to the front lines, like me Harry and Ron.

Maybe it's just time for me to say goodbye to the muggle world permanently, or at least until this war is over completely.

John forcefully closed the closet door.

"BOOM!"

-Flashback-

Hendon Central shopping district

"CRASH!"

There were yellow and purple curses flying everywhere. Building faces were being blown inwards. People were running and in dark robes were appearing and disappearing just as quickly as the spells left their wands.

Is this the end? Is this where my fate falls to? To believe I could have a non-magical day with my dad, and to have left my want at home of all places! How stupid of me!' I heard my dad yell out my name and I whipped around.

"NO!" I screamed. To my horror, I saw him on the ground reaching out to me. He was bleeding heavily with a twisted metal rod sticking out of his back.

"Dad," I start weakly. Tears pooling and clouding my vision. "I love you." In those few seconds, I'm sobbing. "I'm so sorry" hiccup "I'm so sorry, this was supposed to be a normal day" I reach for his hand grasping it tightly. Willing him to stay with me, willing for this to be a nightmare that I could wake up from " I'm so sorry, I couldn't protect you, I should have brought my wand, we shouldn't have come out today" the ache in my heart, the regret for my carelessness became overwhelming and I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. Vaguely, sirens could be heard getting closer.

"Sweetie, this" he grimaced "this isn't your fault. You didn't know this was going to happen." he coughed, roughly and some blood showed up on his lips. " tell your mom that I love her, will you pumpkin?" his breathing became labored

"I promise," I said weakly.

" And know this princess, I love you too. And I am so proud of the women you are becoming. Keep that strong head on your shoulders," he started coughing more violently "keep that strong head on your shoulders and nothing will be able to stop you." he squeezed my hand, his breathing became a struggled attempt. "You will do great things Hermione…" and with his final words, Daniel Granger no longer existed in the plans of humanity.

He was gone. Gone from this world, this war, but most importantly- me. He was gone forever, I couldn't help but scream in agony and frustration and anger.

"Dad..." I whispered. "Come back..." I knew he wouldn't move even though with all my strength I willed him to. I closed my eyes and stood up, my fists so tight that my knuckles turned white. Getting my bearings, I could see the lights from the emergency response units and the damage that was done. Bodies littered the ground, young and old alike, smoke rose from buildings and rubble covered the sidewalk and streets. I gathered the keys and wallet from my dad and rushed home in hopes to find my mom and tell her the devastating news.

-End Flashback-

Ever since that day loud noises have caused me a bit of distress and would throw me back in time. From the reading that I've done, it is normal for such a traumatic experience to cause such a lasting effect.

"Fine then, stepfather," I said bitterly. He hated it when I call him that. Always tried to get me to call him Dad, but he could never earn that title "I guess I'll just go and pack. Wouldn't want to leave you with any cursed items to cause you more problems." I ran up to my room and started packing.

Hermione had made up her mind and wrote a note to her mum explaining what happened, that she would be ok.

Mum,

We both know how hard it has been for the past year. And I know that even though you don't say it outright that you blame me for not being able to protect dad. I understand. What good are these magical powers if I cannot use them to save the ones that I love. Because of this, I will be leaving. You know that the hostilities between myself and John have been anything but healthy, and I can see how much it destroys you as well… I will be leaving so that you may move on. So that when you look at me you and not reminded of dad. This will be good for the both of us. We all knew it would one day come to choosing between staying here in the muggle world with you and dad or going into the wizarding world. So I'll make this choice easy for you for us and make the decision now. I love you and always will.

With all my heart,

Hermione

Once she finished packing and set the letter on top of her pillow Hermione excited her childhood home and walked to the corner of her street. Looking around to not cause suspicion she rose her wand above her head and summoned the knight bus.

4 Privet Drive, Surrey 9:00 am

With a sigh Harry looked around his unorganized room, it has been about one month and one day since the end of the term. His uncle and aunt have been working him since the moment he returned to the house. So much so that keeping his 'room' clean and put together became a chore in itself. With another smaller sigh, Harry knew that his room would not get clean just by looking at it. Determining what was dirty and not into two separate piles he opened his wardrobe that his aunt had given him. It was collecting dust in the attic and Vernon had hired people to bring all that was in there to toss out. She saved this one so that even the freak of a boy he was a messy room was not tolerated and that all of his clothes was to go in the wardrobe.

Tossing in his clean clothes, making a mental note to hang them tomorrow, he heard a sifting of something weighted towards the back the wardrobe. After a slight hesitation, he knelt and shoved his clothes over to one side. There he saw that a panel had moved over just enough so show some dim light through. Almost as if it were a laundry shoot connecting to the lower level of the house. Unsure if he had missed it from the many years beforehand, Harry quickly got back on his feet and moved his wardrobe just enough to peek behind it. There he saw no shifted panel and no previously obscured laundry shoot.

Going back around his wardrobe and back to the shifted panel harry stuck his arm in tentatively. Pulling back quickly as a spike of fear ran through his system harry threw an old shirt instead, quickly and awkwardly twisted his body to check the back of the wardrobe once more to no avail. The hole did not, in fact, go through.

"Well..." Harry said out loud to himself. "It can't be worse than the chamber right?" he pushed the board over some more and it gave him just enough room to slip his body through, with one last hesitate thought he pushed himself onto the slide and hoped for the best.

Once he landed Harry was in aw. The small gap opened to a large room that easily could compare to a school gymnasium. On walls closest to him that wrapped around the corners were filled with weapons sorted in a way as though to be shown off for a museum display. Assortments of guns, swords and what looked like crudely carved sticks filled that side of the room. The floor by it had blue mats to provide some cushion from the cemented floors. The wall with the firearms display had pistols, sniper rifles, grenade launchers, submachine guns, automatic shotguns, assault rifles, flamethrowers and heavy machine guns which he thought were quite excessive in nature and stayed away from them.

In the sword area, there were Samurai swords that looked to be from the first Japanese era all with a nameplate next to each one. Harry read the ones that he came to first; the Chokuto, Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, and Yoroi-Doshi. By this section, there were wooden dummies with a large log for the body and straight branches for arms. They were mounted on what looked like large sandbags to hold them upright.

Each plate had a small information note just as most museums do, he read that the Chokuto and the Tachi were the first swords intended for the Samurai. Harry noticed the only difference between the two was that the Tachi had a curved blade.

The Katana, being the longest sword standing at over 24 inches, and most recognizable, stated that it was generally used for outdoor combat. The Wakizashi was a third shorter than the Katana and was used for indoor establishments. The Tanto was a knife used in the same matter of the Wakizashi. Finally, the Yoroi made to have a thick spine and was deemed the armor piercer.

The rest of the walls that were not covered in a display of weapons but were stacked to the top with books on shelves. From floor to ceiling. As Harry walked down the side of the shelves he was able to notice that some of the books looked rare, or at least overly loved. "Something Hermione would like," he thought. Despite the ornate arrangement on the walls, there was nothing else much to the room. It was lit with what seemed like ceiling lights but when looking up none could be seen. Not knowing how long he had spent down in this secret room Harry started to panic about being gone for too long and actively looked around to find a way back up. He was greeted with a rope with knots that hung from the shoot that he had come from above. Harry climbed up the rope with some difficulty, muttering to himself that he needed to find an easier way next time, he pulled himself through the shoot and back to his room where he was just in time to hear the doorbell ring.

a/n: So here is a newish story. I took the Skeleton and notes from my old story that I (shudder) published back in 2006 thinking I was hot shit. really though, with the amount of purposely misspelled words, and lack of actual plot or flesh in the four chapters I had published I took it upon myself to see if I could actually get this story somewhat close to what I can remember from my completely unorganized notes for this plot. Give me some feedback on if I should continue this. I do have Chapter two just about finished but I really don't want to continue with this story if its a little too far-fetched. 'l take following and reviews of this story my reason to continue it. happy reading!