Chapter 1
"Miss Hermione Granger is expected at the principal's office." The hyperacute voice of a woman said via a loudspeaker inside the classroom.
"You may go Hermione." Miss Sulley the teacher told her as she interrupted the lesson she was giving to the class.
Hermione stood up from her chair, put her things away neatly in her desk and walked up to the front of the class. Every child present in the room had their eyes fixated on her as she walked up to the front of the class and took the hall pass the teacher was handing her. As she passed the group of popular kids, she heard them speak in her back.
"Finally, she's getting kicked out of this school. Father was beginning to worry that I would have had to spend my entire scholarship with her" a girl with a bright, nearly fluorescent pink dress whispered loud enough for Hermione to hear but not the teacher.
Shut up Melanie Hermione thought as she passed her row as quickly as she could; walking over the bag that was in the middle of the alleyway.
Once she had gotten the hall pass from her teacher, she exited the classroom as quietly and quickly as possible, walked through the corridors, and up the old flight of stairs leading to the administration offices. She made sure her black and red quilt skirt fell right, that her blouse was not too crumpled and that her bushy mane was somewhat tamed; before knocking on the door and entering the principal's office secretariat. A tall blonde woman with a pair of black Mary-jane shoes, pencil skirt, and white blouse was looking at Hermione from above her pair of glasses that were laying on the tip of her nose.
"Miss Hermione Granger?" She asked looking at the clipboard in her hand.
"Yes. It's me, madam. I was called a few minutes ago to the principal's office." Hermione said, in the politest fashion she could.
"Ah, yes." The blonde said going behind the desk and taking the handset of the telephone in her hand as she pressed a button on the right of the keyboard. "Mr. Theodore, Hermione Granger is her… very well sir" She said as the line was connected to the principal's office. Then to Hermione "You may go in."
Hermione mouthed a thank you and went for the door between the secretariat and the principal's office. She counted to three in her head (she always did that to concentrate when she was under a huge amount of pressure or just to calm herself down) and opened the door.
"Ah, here she is." Mr. Theodore, the principal said as he stood up. "Come in Hermione. Come in." He continued.
Hermione walked in and closed the door behind her. She then saw that a tall, semi-long black-haired man with a long buttoned-up black, black pants and black dress shoes. He was tall and thin and the small skin that was visible was of an extreme pallor. His onyx black eyes bored through her as if he was analyzing her, examining her, testing her even
"Hermione, may I present you, Professor Snape. I want you to sit down and listen very carefully to what he has to say to you." The principal said very seriously to Hermione as if she was only a small child. She didn't like adults to treat her as such, even though she was only just a child. She already understood some basis of economy, politics, sociology or global issues; due to the numerous hours spent at the library reading every single book she could.
The director of the school then left the office and Hermione was left with the other man alone in the office.
"Miss Granger, I think it would be best if you would sit down." The man said raising from his chair and presenting her the other plastic chair next to him
Hermione walked to the chair and sat down. She was glad that the man didn't speak to her as if she was a child but as his equal. When she was comfortably set in the small plastic chair, he sat down and crossed his legs.
"Miss Granger, I am going to speak to you as an adult. I do believe on the contrary of some people that you are no longer a small child which cannot understand serious matters. You, Miss Granger are a witch." The man said as simply as if he had told her what the weather was like today.
Hermione was looking at the man with her eyes opened wide in incredulity. She couldn't believe what the tall dark-clothed stranger was saying. Surely, she couldn't be a witch. If she was a witch how come she never remarked it previously, how come no one told her anything, and how come she was unable to defend herself when her classmates bullied her.
"Miss Granger, miss Granger. Can you here me?" The man said, placing a hand on the hand that was gripping the armrest of the plastic seat.
She shook her daydream away and looked at the man beside her. "You must think I am incredibly rude sir, but what if I am a witch. It doesn't affect anything. Does it? I mean…" she tried to say sounding as polite as possible.
"I was coming to it. You see, you are not the only one in this situation. Actually, you are far from being the only one. You see, wizards exit since the dawn of the universe. But we live hidden as we are afraid of how the muggles would react if they knew that wizards existed." He explained to her.
"I'm sorry sir to ask. But what are muggles?" Hermione asked confused.
"Muggles are non-magic folks. So as we have to educate the children from the magical world. Wizards have created a great number of schools and magical academies. In France, there is the Beauxbatons, in northern Europe, there is Durmstrang, in America, there is Ilvermorny and in the UK, it's Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" he said, his voice filled with pride. "In Hogwarts you will learn how to control your magic powers and use them. You will learn everything the wizarding world can provide. Now, the choice lies with you. For the moment, you are the only one to know. The only one to know who you truly are. You can either choose to come to this school and be part of the magical world or to disregard it all. In this case, your magic will be taken from you and every memory you have that concerns magic will be taken from you." He said.
What she loved the most about the whole thing was the possibility to learn more things. What has she got to lose? She is bullied and miserable in this school in the middle of nowhere. Her only prospect here is to become like her parents a dentist and take over the medical cabinet they own after they retire. She didn't want to be a dentist. She wanted to study law and defend the people who couldn't afford a good lawyer. Maybe if she went to Hogwarts, she could do just that. Her choice was made up in her head. She would go to this school and learn everything there is to know about the wizarding world.
"My choice is made up. I want to go and study at Hogwarts." Hermione said with as most braveness she could.
"You won't be able to see your parents apart from holidays Miss Granger. You won't be able to tell your friends who you really are. You are sure you can cope with all that?" Professor Snape asked her.
"I don't see my parents a lot anyway. They stay at the cabinet until at least 9 p.m. every day even on Sundays. I don't have any friends. They call me the freak as I am always in the library reading books and I work a lot. I am not losing anything if I am leaving this place. On the opposite, I am gaining a lot from it." Hermione explained. "So yes, I am sure that I can cope with all that sir." She said, her head held up high.
"In this case Miss Granger, I shall inform the Hogwarts' headmaster of your decision. Your parents shall get a letter in the afternoon explaining to them everything and you will receive a letter containing the list of furniture you will need. I shall help you get your furniture in late August and accompany you to the train to Hogwarts." The man said standing up.
"It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Granger. Oh, by the way if anyone asks what they wanted from me tell them you have won a scholarship to a chemistry school abroad. They won't ask any questions that way. Remember you are not to talk to anyone about who you truly are, except your parents. Of course." He continued as he accompanied her back to the door of the office.
As she went back to class, she was practically hopping with joy. Finally, she was going to be something else than the bushy-haired freak or the tooth monster. She was going to study in a good school, well she thought it was a good school. She hadn't asked the man what results they got for graduation and what was its standings.
There you go Hermione she said to herself you've rushed to conclusion. You didn't consider all your options and now you'll have to assume the responsibility. She chastised herself.
When she arrived in front of the classroom's door. She inhaled once and knocked on it. A pupil opened the door and she entered the class before going to the teacher desk and placing the hall pass back on it.
"Surprised you're still there bushy-haired freak" the same girl in the flashy pink dress.
Ignore them, Hermione. They are not worth it she told herself as the other children laughed at her.
"CHILDREN. Calm down. You will all have to do two extra exercises for disturbing the class. Hermione. Sit back down please and take out your French book. Page 394" Miss Sulley said severely. "And if you would please read us the first paragraph and translate it…" She then said more kindly this time.
"Bien sûr madame" Hermione replied in a perfect French.
"Je m'appelle Noémie. Je suis une fille et j'ai onze ans. Je vais à l'école à Paris et j'habites le 7e arrondissement près de la Tour Eiffel. J'adore aller me balader sur le Champs de Mars. Mon papa est fleuriste et ma maman est dentiste. J'ai un petit frère Jean et une grande soeur Claire."
"Very good Hermione. But you should put more emphasis on the 'r's. Remember. Now translate the text please." The teacher continued.
"My name is Noemie. I am a girl and I am eleven years old. I go to school in Paris and I live in the 7th arrondissement, near the Eiffel Tower. I like going for a walk on the Champs de Mars. My father is a florist and my mother is a dentist. I have a little brother Jean and a big sister Claire." Hermione said remembering that an arrondissement was a district of Paris.
"Excellent Hermione. It's an A." Miss Sulley said to Hermione with a large smile.
"Thank you, Miss Sulley." Hermione said bowing her head in shame. She didn't like to be praised in front of the class.
The rest of the day went by without any incident and she went back by foot to her home. She arrived to both of her parents who were sitting at the kitchen table and she joined them.
"Hermione. Dearest, I think we have to talk" Mr. Granger told his daughter.
"I think we do dad" she said to her parents with a small smile.
