A seemingly insignificant problem
Hermione didn't like her hair. It was a mess and inconvenience to a very bright witch like her. Who wanted to have this hair that looked like a bird's nest? Last year she had enjoyed having it straightened by the miracle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion and wondered if there was a more permanent solution. There had been none of course since a trait of her magical inheritence was her hair. It was like Harry's unmanagable hair that proved he was a Potter. Her parents weren't magical so it made little sense to her but that was something she had to accept.
All that was true last week. Something was happening to her hair that was starting to concern her. Well she had mixed feelings about it but seemingly innocent changes in magical world could indicate disasters in future. The change had been gradual but persistent and constant as her hair had started to straighten. At first she had blamed the new shampoo but another change had dismissed the idea. If she looked really well she could see a very mild color change close to the hair roots. It was a bit lighter and it was becoming more evident as it grew.
Her mom had dismissed any concerns. She said that when she was her age a very similar thing had happened to her skin and she too had been wired about it. Hermione should have known, she wouldn't understand. Her father had dismissed the change itself, and said that he saw nothing different in her. She was his beloved princess as always.
The very next month Dumbledore had paid them a visit. She had taken the opportunity to ask him about it.
«Well Miss Granger I am no expert of hair problems, but I guess this has to do with your magical puberty. While such changes are not commen they aren't unexpected either. I myself grew a very long beard when I was fifteen in a week. It was very unsettling and my brother made fun of it constantly but I later learned that it wasn't dangerous or bad. I assume that you're very lucky considering the speed of the change.» He had smiled kindly and said nothing more. Instead he told her to pack her things if she wanted to spend the summer with Ron and Harry. He didn't say where, so she assumed that they would go to the Weasleys. She was surprised when he took her to house Black, the headquarters of Order of Phoenix.
She had met Sirius there and he was the only one who had taken out seriously.
«There are many reasons for sudden changes in appearance but very few for slow changes like this. When did it start?» Sirius had asked with concern.
«Five weeks ago. It's pretty visible now.» Hermione said smiling.
«hmm… Let me take look.» Sirius said as he sat next to Hermine and probed her hair. Then he asked permission to use a few diagnosing spells. He just sat and looked at her for a few seconds before he said:
« Well there is nothing wrong with your body. No slow progressing curse or dysfunction as far as I can tell. You're OK, but your hair is changing and while you might think its going to be red it's actually going to be much lighter. I think it'll eventually turn blonde. The color shift is going to become more drastic. The other problem is your skin. A cellular anomaly was detected by one of my spells while it's not dangerous at all ... oh don't worry.» He smiled and continued. « It tells me that your skin is changing as well but I can't really tell how. Melanin production is decreasing so use a sun protection spell or skin safe potion. What?» He looked amused at her amazement.
« I guess we never asked but what was your job Sirius?» She asked.
«Oh I actually intended to become a healer. I know it's ironic so don't tell people.» He laughed lightly. « Look this change is just superficial, it's not going to change what's inside. You're Hermine Grabner now, and you're going to be Hermione Granger then. I must warn you that some of the changes might not have had time to manifest themselves so have Poppy check you regularly. I think I detected something in your bones, but it's really insignificant. I expect the change to be completed by next summer.»
«I just… why'd this change happen to me?» Hermione asked exasperatedly. He looked at her sadly.
«You know during the war we lost a lot of children. Many were lost without a trail. Some parents never went after their children afraid of being rejected or endangering their children again.» He paused as he looked at her incredulous face. « Have you ever asked your parents if you were adopted?»
«Of course not! I look just like them. Why would I ask such a horrible thing?» Hermione said as he barely managed to stop he tears.
«Your biological parents could have used complexed transfiguration using your parents' blood. I know a few methods courtesy of my beloved mother.» He looked like a person who just had something really sour. «The basis is blood of the adopted parents. They make a potion that evaporates rapidly. The baby gradually inhales the potion and in a month you have a completely different baby. It's quite effective and lasts for years but when puberty kicks in it interferes with the effects and brings the original features back. You could of course use it again when your magic becomes more stable ,but that would be pointless really.»
Another month went by and they hadn't managed to clean the house. She and Ron were forbidden from contacting Harry. Dumbledore's request was to keep them contact minimal. It was bothering them.
Hermione's hair now was half red with a slight curl, and half brown and fuzzy. She had to cut it eventually and now she looked like a long lost Weasley. Fred had commented on what Malfoy would say when he saw that and made everyone laughed.
Soon very bad news arrived. Harry had used magic. It was looking really bad. Two weeks later they brought him in and briefed him just enough. He was angry. No that wouldn't describe it. He was furious. Worst of all he had been angry with them and he was right. The only person who had backed him was Sirius and he was stuck in the house angry and bitter like him. Hermione's changes had been a fotunate distraction for Sirius as he had taken to himself to monitor them closely. These days he spent a lot of time in Black library. It had pleased Kracher the house elf very much as he tought that Sirius was finally embracing his heritage and becoming a somewhat noble person.
The most amazing thing was the portrait of Walburga Black. It screamed non-stop and couldn't be removed by any means. Dumbledore had tried but failed so no one was up to the task of removing that horrible insulting artefact from the wall. Hermione suspected that Sirius could actually remove it but for some unknown reason he wouldn't. Remus had actually held a few private conversations with the portrait and she had seen it once by accident. Apparently he was one of the few people who she approved as a friend of his son. Yet she wouldn't call him anything but werewolf.
Harry at some point started to calm down and then he noticed the change in her.
«Did you dye your hair Hermione?» He had asked and she told him everything.
«I suppose Dumbledore has a lot of wrong assumptions this year. Are you sure it's not … you know… dangerous?» He looked worried a bit «In my limited experience these things could be a sign of something worse.»
Hermione smiled fondly at him. « Don't worry I had myself checked. Sirius said it was OK.»
«Sirius?» Harry exclaimed. « Are you serious?» They laughed.
«Yes the one and only Sirius Black. He was planning to become a healer you know?» Hermione said. Harry was confused. «A what?» he asked.
«Healers e magical doctors.» Hermione explained.
«Oh? I didn't know that. Did he say why it was happening?» Harry asked.
First she considered not telling him. She was afraid of his reaction, but then she thought about what had happened lately and how they had avoided telling him anything. This could be their secret. This would distract him a bit.
«He said that I might be adopted and the potion that makes me look like my parents is wearing off. Apparently puberty is responsible for that. I … I'm scared to be honest. I don't know who they might be. They might be dead nnow.» She said.
«Hermione this doesn't change anything. You can be Goyles sister and it wouldn't matter to me. You are my friend … always.» He assured her. «Could you be a Weasley, considering the hair colour?»
«No the Weasleys keep their children one more wouldn't be a problem. Ron and I are six months apart so that's impossible. Also my real hair won't be auburn. Sirius says it will be blonde. My skin is becoming lighter too.» She explained.
Harry shuddered a bit. «Well you might end up looking like Malfoy.» He burst into laughter as he saw her horrified expression.
A/N: English is not my first language. Kindly notify me it there are any mistakes. I would appreciate it. Thanks. Enjoy.