Title: Beginning
Author: Forever Change
Genre:
Rating: PG
Character: Hermione
Summary: Hermione knew her life would change when that cloaked man appeared at her house, but she didn't believe that her life would be changed this dramatically.
Author's Note: Oneshot

Hermione spent the entire first week of summer indoors as usual. It wasn't something new to her, or her parents. As she believed that summer is a great time to get some reading done, as well as get ahead of her other classmates and the jealous faces of the other children was was the reason why she would spend her summer reading. It was always like this for her, each passing summer, even though she and her parents spent their vacations like a normal family.

She finally looked up from her book after reading and walked to her wall. She had a list of books that she had to read over the summer, and she crossed out another off her list. Tomorrow, she would have to ask her mum to take her to the library for the sequel. She turned around and stared at her room, thinking about the offer her mother and father gave her. Right now, she had a small room she was perfectly fine with, but her mum said that she'd like to renovate the room. Her walls were a creamy color, bordering the top and bottom were light blue swirls. On the walls were the quotes of her favorite authors.

Millions of written works spread across her wall like a collage. She thought it beautiful, in it's simplistic way.

"Hermione!" a shrill anxious voice called.

Hermione heard her mother's call and ran down the stairs. Upon hearing her name and the way it was announced, she believed something was wrong; her mother never spoke that way. Perhaps it was just instinct or rather intuition, just like the time she knew there was going to be a pop quiz on a certain day. Or like the time she was ridiculed by her classmate, Matthew. She imagined him to be stuck on the flagpole and later that very day, he was on it, crying for his mother. She didn't really think that would happen but it was a surprise that it worked in her favor.

Hermione walked quietly down the stairs, before turning the corner she sneaked a peak and saw her father. Why is father still here? Isn't he working the late shift at the office? From the reflection of the china set inside the glass case of the wooden show cabinet, she saw a stiff-straight cloaked figure. She couldn't see the face but she obviously though that this person was not good looking. Bracing herself for what was to come, she rounded the last step of the staircase.

Hermione saw the man and noticed she was right. When the man saw Hermione he stood rather uptight, and if she could look closely, she noticed a scowl on his face and black eyes looking at her in disdain. He was rather tall, dark, and intimidating, and she shrunk back in his gaze. Greasy black hair contrasted with his pale skin making him seem more inhuman than he already seemed. She jumped at the touch of her mum's hand and suddenly felt slight more at ease.

"This is...Severus Snape, honey. He wants to talk us about your schooling." Her father said in a small voice. Hermione nodded, feeling bewildered. What school would send this scary of a man to recruit her in?

Hermione and her parents sat down on the sofa. Snape 's eyes seem to dart around the whole bet he was taking in the wonderful souvenirs her mum collected from her trips around the world. He sat down (albeit hesitantly, almost as if he didn't want to) and began to speak,"Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I presume." he had a cold voice to match his cold appearance.

She nodded. What a stupid question. He had to have known that.

"Miss Granger, have you ever thought about events happening, and then they really did happen?" said Snape, reverting right to the point. He was not a man of excuses and elaborate words, he would rather be out of this muggle house as fast as he could. Snape put an emphasis on thought. She nodded again.

"Well, Miss Granger, you are a witch. A female being with supernatural powers. There is a school called 'Hogwarts', that you will attend. I am the Potions Professor there." There was a no-nonsense tone to his voice, and the finality he spoke with was clear.

Hermione wanted to nod her head but couldn't. She couldn't believe that this man could sprout up such an unbelievable lie. This was extremely ridiculous.

There is no possible way that I am a witch. Illogical.

She looked at her parents who were sitting beside her with their eyes widened and mouths her parents turned to her and stared at her. Hesitantly she responded," There is no such thing. It is impossible." She kind of liked the idea of being called a witch in the good sense of course, but this man was just ridiculing her.

"Miss Granger, you are a witch and there is no point in denying that fact." He frowned and started again." You will go to Hogwarts because witches and wizards who do not go, become unstable and therefore something wrong happens to them." Snape wondered why all kids had to question being a wizard or witch. There was nothing wrong with being one, but of course he had to be the one dealing with this matter. He hated this job.

Hermione thought why don't the kids just stay home, but of course he answered her question. Maybe this man had mind-reading powers. Oh no, now she was actually thinking about this as if it was a serious matter. "If it really is true, then why don't you show us some magic?" She couldn't believe she had asked him to do magic. Now if he could do magic then it is settled, she would be going to this school, Hogwarts. It sounded so weird. What type of school would be named ,'Hogwarts'. It sounded more like a hog having warts, maybe a place to store hogs and the like but students.

Oh joy, now Snape had to do a magic trick. He silently thought to himself what he should do, over the past years, he had done various things. Standing upright, having everyone's eyes follow his movements, he reached from under his dark cloak and held his wand.

Hermione watch Snape as he took out a dark colored stick, a wand she presumed. After reading so many fictional novels it was obvious that he really would perform magic. He pointed the wand at Hermione in a quick moment and said loudly,"Ascendio". She didn't realize anything at first but then she felt as though she was moving up. She saw her parents from the birds eye view then turned around to Snape who still had the wand pointed at her. She couldn't speak, it was too much? Too much of what though, to think that all her storybooks with magic were true. To know that when she daydreamed of being a witch that it was an actual dream that in this moment came true.

Mr. Granger said,"Put my daughter down." After Snape lowered his wand and Hermione was put down did he start again in a low but stern voice," I understand that Hermione has to go to this school but how will it help her? Are there any other magical schools in the region?"

Snape looked at the man with an intimidating look that made Mr. Granger shrink back."As I have already said before, your daughter will have to go to this school because if not then her future is bleak." Snape wanted this over with already. It was taking too much time." Now, these papers are Miss Granger's admission forms and supplies" handing Mrs. Granger a wad of papers," and after sending them to the school, someone will come over to take your daughter to get the supplies." Snape got up and straightened his cloak and headed for the door.

"Wait one moment,"said Mrs. Granger," Hermione do you want to go to this school?" Snape made a noise and thought he did not have to do this. Hermione almost forgot that she was in the room until her mother called her. "She gave a hesitant ,"yes" and gave her goodbyes to Mr. Snape before running upstairs to her room. Snape said nothing but remained quiet. He closed the door behind him leaving the awful muggle home and then apparated.

Hermione locked herself in her room after watching Snape leave. She thought to herself that this will be the best time of her life. Magic will be her life. Magic will be her everything and she couldn't possibly wait for the coming school year.