Ancient Magic
Chapter 2
Hermione stared at Daniel sitting on the floor of her bedroom with her books piled around him and her trunk sitting open. 'I knew I should have gotten a lock.' Was the first thought to cross her mind. She had no idea what to do now. Daniel had read her school books, and now he knew something, something that he, being a muggle, should not know.
"Look, Daniel." Hermione said slowly. "I can explain, really."
"Okay." Daniel said prompting Hermione to go on.
"I would say that it is not what it looks like, but I know you wont fall for that." Hermione paused before continuing on. "I know that those books all speak about magic, and it's is because I am a witch." She paused again hoping Daniel would interrupt her, but he just waited for her to continue. "I go to a school of magic for children and that is where I have learned everything and that is why I have all those books and the other things in my trunk. I know you probably don't want to believe me, but you can ask my parents, and you have even read through those books yourself. You can't play dumb."
"Um, Hermione." Daniel said looking at her sheepishly, "I didn't read those books."
"What?" She asked almost hysterically.
"I haven't read your books. I had just pulled them out before you walked in the door."
"I couldn't have messed things up any more could I? I could have told you a lie, and you would have never really known any different. But now I have open my mouth and you know. Granted you don't know everything" Hermione said thinking about everything he didn't know. Voldemort, the ministry, her adventures. "But you do know too much."
"I'm sorry Hermione, I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Daniel said giving her a sad smile.
"There is nothing to be done about it now. But can you keep it a secret? I mean it Daniel, please don't tell anyone." Hermione said pleadingly.
"Alright, I won't tell, I promise." Daniel said reassuringly.
The rest of Daniel's stay with the Grangers was pretty good. There was a veil lifted off the family as magic could be freely spoken about. Evelyn and Miles bragged about how well their daughter was doing in school, "Top of her class she is." and "She is also a prefect." Daniel also learned a lot more about Hermione and magic.
"So who are your friends in the photos?" Daniel asked Hermione curiously one morning.
"In that photo, is my best friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley." Hermione said shocked when Daniel didn't perk up to Harry's name. 'Oh yeah, he doesn't know any of that business, Harry's name would mean nothing to him.' "Ron is the red head and Harry has the glasses."
"How long have you guys been best friends?"
"Well, since first year, when they saved me from a troll, and then I lied, to a teacher, for them."
"That must have been pretty serious for 'our top student and prefect.'" Daniel said playfully mimicking her parents. " What is that on Harry's forehead by the way? It kind of looks like a scar, or a cut, or something."
"It's a scar. Maybe someday I will tell you how he got it."
"And your other friends?"
"Well, the red head is Ginny, Ron's little sister. The blond is Luna and the guy is Neville."
"So what kind of classes do you take at school?" Daniel asked.
"Well there are a lot of different classes. Like Herbology, Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Divination, History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, and so on. I remember that in my third year I tried juggling to many classes. That didn't work out so well." She ended laughing, knowing he wouldn't know the true meaning to her story.
"Yeah, I know what it's like to overwork yourself. You try to deny it, but in the end you're hit hard."
"What do you do?" Hermione asked. "Mom said something about archeology and linguistics. So you're an anthropologist?"
"Yes, I am." Daniel said wondering how best to use the 'Deep Space Radar Telemetry' cover. Everyone knows it's the most ridiculous cover story, but they still have to use it.
"So how many languages do you know?"
"I know over 20."
"Really, wow, that's a lot of languages to know." Hermione said, then adding, "Now I know who I get my memory from."
Hermione then walked away only to reappear a moment later with a book in her arms. It looked to be a very old book, with a hard faded cover, metal hinges, and raggedy pages. She then handed the book to Daniel. "Well, since you know all about magic now, do you think you would mind doing me a favor?"
"Do I get to guess as to what that favor is? Daniel said teasingly.
"Well, this book is only a copy of what there once really was. And no one in the Magical world has every been able to translate its writings."
"Really?" Daniel said looking through the book. "I may be able to figure it out."
"Thank you Daniel." Hermione said happily. "And don't worry, I won't be mad if you can't translate it. It's not like anyone else has been able to before."
"I probably won't get it done before I leave tomorrow, so is it alright if I take it home with me?"
"Go ahead, but please remember your promise."
"I won't forget."
"So what do you do now Daniel, that you're not digging up the dirt?" Hermione asked curiously, never actually finding out what his job is.
"It's a secret."
(A/N: I'm sorry. But I needed this filler before I could get on with the story. Thank you every one for your feedback. And if anyone wants to give me feedback on this chapter, go ahead. I won't complain.)
