Disclaimer: I own nothing :)

AN: Canon up to winter break of fifth year.

"Mum?" called a voice, sounding exasperated.

"Yes dear?" Rose Granger looked up at her only daughter, suppressing a smile.

"D'you know where all my old skiing stuff is? I can't find a thing, and I've got half a mind to just Accio it all." replied Hermione, with a huff.

Rose rolled her eyes. Her daughter was as organized as her father, and went spare every time she came home and couldn't find everything she needed.

"You're perfectly welcome to, except for the fact you're not quite legal yet darling," she said fondly.

"Well, technically Mum -"

Rose interjected "Let me rephrase that. You can't start summoning things without explaining certain things to your father and the Ministry, which I don't think you want to do."

Hermione looked chagrined. She had shared some of the events of the past few years with her mother, like the excessive(at least in Rose's opinion) use of a time turner in her third year that added 10 months to her age, making her magically an adult. However, the two of them had agreed that under the current circumstances with the government and the Order, it was safer for Hermione to keep that little tidbit of information to herself.

Rose Granger, although she was a muggle, had made it a point to keep up with her daughters adventures ever since Hermione had returned half a year ago shaken by the return of a madman. She had made a deal with her: disclosure of everything that had happened and everything that happened from that point in order for Hermione to stay with her friends that summer. Her daughter often teased her by saying that if Rose had gone to Hogwarts, she would have been a Slytherin, and she wasn't far off.

"Anyway dear, it's all up in the attic. We moved it up there when we redid the spare room."

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

Hermione Granger had become used to clutter and dark places over the summer at Grimmauld Place. While it was unlikely that any of the things up here were cursed, she wouldn't put it past her mother to have stored some thing equally dangerous.

The clothes were easy enough to find, but as she turned back towards the entrance she felt something odd.

Something magical.

After being friends with Harry and Ron for four years, Hermione felt an urge to go investigate it. Though the logical side of her advised against it, the rebellious side that had been cooped up for so long decided to sod it and check it out. She was almost pulled towards a small wooden chest that she had never seen before. A closer inspection showed that it had been intricately carved with runes, a few of which she could recognize right away. An attempt to pry open the lid proved to be useless, but some of the runic patterns looked familiar, as if she had seen them before.

Hermione grabbed the clothes, and quickly took them to her room. She then returned for the chest, which was surprisingly light, as if it had a featherweight charm on it, which was actually possible. She stared at the chest, trying to remember where she had seen the runes, running her hands along the sides. A small section felt strange under her hands, and she pushed the spot, causing a small drawer to pop out of the side.

It was engraved with picture of what looked like a knight, dagger in hand, kneeling in front of a castle. The picture reminded Hermione of a story her mother had told her years ago.

She ran downstairs, her mind racing a mile a minute. Something magical in her house, connected to a story her mother had told her. As soon as she walked into the parlor, she opened her mouth, only to close it as she registered the presence of her father.

Although Rose Granger was very supportive of magic, Dr. Robert Granger didn't necessarily share that view point. As academic as Hermione, he was a man of science, but more than that, he was a father. He had pushed her to leave Hogwarts after the incident with the basilisk, and it was only intervention from both her mother and Professor McGonagall that stopped that from happening. Hermione would have normally told her mother about the chest, but she had a distinct feeling her father would not approve. Rose, though she had her misgivings about magic, had realized it was better to accept the circumstances and know the truth, then stay in the dark, but her husband didn't necessarily agree.

"Not packed then? Your mother was just mentioning that we had a case of missing ski clothes on our hands." said Robert, smiling fondly at his daughter.

"I found them actually, though I'm surprised I did in that chaos Mum calls an attic" replied Hermione, smiling at him.

"Now hang on you two, is that a request to clean out the attic? Because as I recall, there is a great deal of books up there that belong to certain people that I can easily get rid off," said Rose, giving her husband a look.

Robert hastily backtracked "I think it fine, love. Nothing that needs to be fixed."

Hermione laughed at her parents. "Actually Mum, I had a question about something, a story I remember you telling me. About a knight, a castle, and a dagger."

Rose looked thoughtful "I think it's a fairytale from a book of my mother's. I don't remember it, but I'll see if I can find it."

"Thanks Mum."