Hermione awoke sometime later is a luxurious bed wrapped in silk, she blinked owlishly as she took in her surroundings in awe. The room was grand, open and airy with large windows to let the light in and so...pink. She pushed back the heavy blankets and unsteadily got herself onto her feet. It took a moment for everything that happened the day before to come back to her with disorienting clarity. Looking down at herself, she grimaced. Her parents dressed her in a silky silver slip that left little to the imagination. Before she could search for her wand so that she apparate far far away, a house elf popped into existence at her feet and looked at her expectantly.
"Little Mistress needs assistance?" The female house elf bowed so low her nose nearly touched the floor. Hermione raised a brow at the clean, sterile white uniform she was wearing, unlike the pillow cases and tea cozies she was used to.
"Who are you?" Hermione asked a bit harsher than she intended but the elf didn't seem affected at all by her tone. In fact she turned on her heel and threw open an ornate oak door to reveal a walk in closet filled with high end witch's robes.
"I's be Poe, Mistress." The elf sniffed haughtily as she grabbed a set of emerald green robes and held them out to Hermione. She could only accept the offered garment as she stared at the house elf in wonder. Her experience with house elves was limited to interactions mostly with only three elves and the Hogwarts elves while Poe was completely different from what she expected.
"It's nice to meet you, Poe." Hermione held out her hand out to the elf with a sheepish smile but the elf just looked from the offered hand to her face with a frown before turning away.
"I's be meeting Mistress when Mistress be a babe." Poe scoffed as Hermione's hand dropped to her side, the house elf walked over to the vanity table and started moving the toiletries around absently. "Is Mistress be needing assistance bathing?"
"Uh...I don't know where I am?" Hermione said slowly, clenching the high quality material in her fists.
"The Ancient and Noble House of Shafiq, Mistress." Poe said imperiously, her chest puffed out in pride as she moved towards the French doors. Hermione gasped as the doors opened to show the sprawling landscape of English country side. The rolling hills were a patchwork of different shades of green that took her breath away as she absentmindedly stepped forward onto the balcony. Looking down, she saw she was at least three stories above the ground, right above a well manicured garden filled with different magical flowers. "Shafiq Stronghold."
"Wouldn't a stronghold need walls?" Hermione wondered aloud as she looked around the beautiful grounds in awe.
"Walls be knocked down when Poe's mother be a girl." Poe said quietly looking up at Hermione with a wistful smile. "Poe be so happy Mistress finally be home with family."
"I don't really need an elf." Hermione mumbled uncomfortably at the adoring look the elf's face.
"Mistress not be wanting Poe?" The little elf cried out indignantly, her face set in a harsh scowl as she looked at Hermione.
"It's not that...wouldn't you rather be free to do what you like?" Hermione asked slowly with a tinge of hope to her words. She was shocked as the elf rocked back on her heels and looked back at her with pity.
"I's be free to tend my Master and Mistresses, what would they be without their Poe?" Poe asked with her hands on her hips, her thin lips pinched in a line that rivaled her former transfiguration professor.
"I assure you, I would be fine." Hermione said softly, kneeling down so that she was eye level with the elf. "I'm used to taking care of myself."
"Mistress not be caring for herself!" Poe shouted indignantly, looking at Hermione in horror. "Poe's be reading the papers! Mistress stomping around England! Mistress be starving herself! Mistress be needing Poe!"
"It had to be done, Poe. While I greatly appreciate your offer to help, I don't need a house elf." Hermione said sternly as she stood to her full height, belatedly realizing her height was not nearly as impressive as it once was.
"Mistress wants Poe gone?" The house elf looked heartbroken as she took a step away from Hermione.
"I just want you to be free to do as you wish!" Hermione quickly assured the elf, feeling terribly guilty as she noticed the tears welling in Poe's eyes.
"Then let Poe care for Mistress!" Poe cried as she flung herself at Hermione's legs, her body shaking with sobs.
"I'm sorry!" The curly haired witch cried out anxiously, patting Poe on the back awkwardly to try and sooth her. "I didn't mean it, of course I need your help!"
"Excellent, Mistress!" Poe cried happily, pulling herself away from Hermione with a bright smile. For a moment Hermione was silent as she looked down at the house elf and wondered if she'd just been manipulated. "Is there anything Poe can do for Mistress?"
"How did we get back?" Hermione asked curiously, running her fingers over the soft material in her hands, feeling overwhelmed by the unexpected events of her reunion with her family and house elf manipulation.
"Master used emergency port key." Poe said shortly before pushing Hermione back into the room with a frown on her face. "Mistress be needing to get dressed!"
"Why?" Hermione paused, staring at the tastefully decorated room with trepidation.
The house elf stood at her full height, barely reaching Hermione's ribs, and put her hands on her hips as she leveled her with a stern glare. "Mistress be needing to look nice. Mistress family be coming out today!"
"Coming out?" Hermione whispered weakly but before she could say anything else Poe snapped her fingers, vanishing Hermione's clothes. With a startled gasp, she didn't hear Poe snap her fingers again, and she found herself once again fully dressed. Poe shoved her down into the seat at her vanity table and started sticking combs and clips into Hermione's curls.
"Mistress be needing to be looking nice for pictures." Poe said absently as she poured a fruity smelling oil into Hermione's hair. The curly haired witch looked at her reflection with a grimace, still refusing to believe that it was her face staring back at her.
"What I-" Hermione asked, quickly looking away from the porcelain face in the mirror but her mouth snapped closed as the house elf gasped loudly and grabbed her arm.
"Who's be doing this to my Mistress?!" Poe demanded in a high pitched, hysterical voice. Hermione was rendered speechless as Poe tightened her grip on her arm, shaking her slightly. With another snap of her fingers, the combs and clips disappeared from Hermione's hair and the house elf was dragging her from the room.
Hermione was silent as she was lead through winding corridors, not pausing to look at the beautiful landscapes or haughty portraits of who she assumed were her ancestors. The long hallways started to blend together until they finally came to a bright airy light blue room where her mother was sitting with the last person she ever expected to see.
"My darling!" Violet Shafiq stood gracefully and walked towards Hermione to embrace her in a loving hug. She noticed for the first time that she was the same height as her mother and as she looked around to see Rita's quick quotes quill flying across the parchment.
"Mistress." Poe whispered, her eyes narrowed as she saw their guest watching them hungrily. Discreetly the house pulled Hermione's sleeve back to show Violet her daughter's arm. "Little mistress be needing you to look."
"Who did that?" Violet demanded in a low voice full of venom, her eyes flashing dangerously as she looked to her daughter expectantly.
Hermione took a deep shuttering breath before she looked up to meet her mother's eyes. "Bellatrix."
"I'll kill her." Violet whispered harshly, reaching up to cup Hermione's cheek tenderly.
"Molly Weasley beat you to it." Hermione sighed as she leaned into her mother's touch. Even if she looked and acted like a complete stranger, with one touch it reminded Hermione that it was her mother standing before her.
"Miss. Skeeter, I know you are not going to publish anything that would be detrimental to our return to polite society." Violet turned on the scandalous reporter with a wolfish smile, her amethyst eyes twinkling maliciously.
"Of course not!" Rita paled dramatically as she clutched her chest, even after two decades it was hard forget the vindictive Violet Fawley from her school years. "I was just so touched by this reunion! It's wonderful to see you again, Miss. Granger...or do you prefer Miss. Shafiq? To go along with your new appearance."
"Miss. Skeeter..." Violet cut off Hermione with a silky purr, stalking gracefully across the room to sit at the little round table. "I know it may seem complicated, what with the startling changes but Hermione Granger is the same as she always was, just in a new wrapper. She is still that same girl you met in her fourth year, I seem to recall that was the year you became so well acquainted?"
"Yes, I remember." Rita mumbled absently as she reviewed her notes, unable to meet the petite woman's probing gaze.
"Yes, we became close acquaintances, mum." Hermione smiled as she watched the foul reporter who caused her friend so many problems squirm. "I don't believe in secrets with my family, Rita."
"Come sit." Violet waved absently to the seat at her side as Hermione lumbered forward with much less grace than her mother. Poe was at her side in an instant, preparing her tea just the way she liked it before disappearing into the shadows.
"So, Miss. Shafiq...were you aware that you were truly a pureblood this whole time?" Rita asked after moment of awkward silence.
"No, act-" Hermione started but her mother put her hand on Hermione's arm to silence her.
"Unfortunately, the one who was supposed to come and release us from the charms hiding us passed during a battle for the light. My daughter grew up thinking she was nothing but a muggleborn." Violet said primly with a polite smile, raising her cup to take a delicate sip. "Obviously, blood will out since she is a decorated war heroine and hailed as the brightest witch of the ages."
"I see." Rita said in a clipped tone as she reviewed her notes once more. "And your relationship with Mr. Weasley? How does he feel about your new found heritage? Is he relieved to be marrying a witch from the sacred 28?"
"My daughters relationship should not be a topic of interest for the Daily Prophet." Violet cut her daughter off once more with a tight smile, absently brushing a curl from Hermione's face. "Also, we have yet to be approached by the Weasleys for permission to court my daughter so I think wedding bells may be a bit premature."
"Is it Mr. Potter?" Rita was unfazed by Violet's pinched glare. "We have reports of seeing Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter out and about with eligible young witches while you had your little trip."
"Rita!" Antonio's deep voice startled the trio and Rita nearly spilled her tea on her robes when she jumped in her seat. "Sorry I'm late, I was detained trying to reconnect with some old friends."
"You're never late, dearest." Violet cooed as her husband leaned down to kiss her cheek before moving to sit on the opposite side of Hermione, resting his arm casually on the back of his daughter's chair. "We were just discussing some of our daughter's friends."
"Ah, yes. I remember she spoke highly of them when she came home for the holidays in school." Antonio said vaguely as a house elf Hermione didn't recognize came to fix his tea. "Tell me, Rita..." He trailed off as he took a sip of the monogrammed cup and his obsidian eyes zeroed in on the fidgeting reporter. "Is it true my daughter kept you in a jar?"
"I-" Rita squeaked as she knocked over the cup in front of her, Poe was at her side in an instant cleaning up her mess and mumbling under her breath. "I well-"
"You see, I was just thinking back to it..." Antonio continued as if she had not spoken at all with an air of nonchalance. "While I was posing as a muggle, I thought it was just the oddest thing...a reporter posing a dung beetle of all things...but then as I pondered about it some more...A fine for not reporting that you were an animagus really didn't seem like all that bad of a punishment, I couldn't believe that you actually buckled under my daughter's threats..."
"Then we were able to review over a decade worth of issues of the Daily Prophet..." Violet continued for her husband while he took a drink form his tea. Hermione looked between her parents with wide eyes, the subtle glances and touches made her head spin. "You're responsible for reporting a lot of corruption in the ministry...admiral, really...especially with the old families having such long memories."
"It would be awful for them to realize how you came upon their secrets, wouldn't you say dearest?" Antonio asked lightly, turning to his wife with a besotted smile but his eyes were glittering cruelly, making Hermione shiver.
"Of course." Rita said thickly as she laid down her notepad and quick quotes quill, looking slightly green as she read over the words already written.
Less than two hours later, Violet was reading over the final draft of the article and Rita Skeeter was biting her nails as she watched her like a hawk. Antonio was sipping something brown and strong from his sifter and Hermione was in awe of her parents, wondering how she was the product of two obvious Slytherins. Her parents worked flawlessly together, completing each other's sentences and they never missed a beat as they intimidated the famous reporter into writing the article they wanted.
"Lovely work, as always, Rita!" Violet exclaimed with a bright smile as she pushed the parchment across the table. Rita picked it up with obvious trepidation before reading it over, her face steadily losing color the more she read.
"But this-" Rita started to protest but shut her mouth with an audible click as Antonio slammed his crystal sifter down on the table more force than necessary.
"As I was saying, absolutely wonderfully written, Rita." Violet simpered as she stood up with an expectant expression on her face. Rita was quick to stand as well and Antonio offered Hermione his arm so that they could walk the reporter to the floo. The curly haired witch was in a daze at her father's side as they walked through the large stately home in silence.
"If there's anything else you need..." Antonio said with a charming smile when they reached a large drawing room with a magnificent crystal chandelier. Even grander than the room she was tortured in, Hermione thought bitterly.
"No, thank you. I have everything I need." Rita said quickly, edgily stepping towards the large fireplace. Violet offered the ornate porcelain pot filled with powder and with a flash of green flames, Rita Skeeter was gone.
"I cannot believe the woman still uses a quick quotes quill!" Violet exclaimed as soon as the family was alone. Antonio stepped forward and gave her a lingering kiss, making Hermione feel uncomfortable.
"Well, I have appointments to keep." Antonio sighed sadly as he pulled away from his wife and turned to his daughter with a tender smile. "Apparently my cousin Kingsley Shacklebot has been chosen to be interim minister."
"You know Kings?" Hermione gasped before the words registered. "We're related to Kings?!"
"Mm, yes you know Kingsley?" Antonio nodded absently as he gathered up some parchment from the desk drawer.
"Yes, we're both Order members." Hermione nodded eagerly, once again feeling hope that her parents were good people.
"Oh, that reminds me." Her father stood at his full height and watched her critically. "I know you were pretty adamant about keeping the muggle name, given any more thought to that?"
"Well, of course she'll be going by Sienna!" Violet gasped before Hermione could reply, she put her hands on her hips and rounded on her husband with a scowl. "It a lovely name and it follows the Fawley tradition!"
"Actually, I would rather be Hermione...I know that it might not have been the name I was given at birth but I don't feel comfortable changing it." Hermione said firmly, brushing aside the errant thoughts that it technically wasn't even her name but some frizzy haired muggleborn that was lost somewhere in the world.
"Actually..." Antonio spoke over Violet's objection with a sly smirk. "It might be better for her to keep her name...at least her first name. She is up for an Order of Merlin and she's considered an national treasure. Reviewing some of the notes and news clipping...some witches and wizards may be upset to find she wasn't a...muggleborn. It will help associate her with the war heroine that saved their lives."
"What?!" Hermione shrieked after her father turned his back on them to continue looking through the oak desk drawers.
"Your father has a point..." Violet said primly as she brushed a stray curl away from Hermione's face tenderly. "Don't worry so much! Your father will deal with all of that and after the evening edition of the Prophet come out we will be making or first appearance in Diagon Alley for nearly twenty years!"
"Wait! No!" Hermione gasped at the sudden realization that the entire wizarding world would soon know the truth of her birth, including her best friends whom she had not yet managed to tell. "I have to owl Harry and Ron!"
"Invite them for tea." Violet smiled brightly, looking completely serene even though her eyes narrowed at the names of her best friends. "Tomorrow."
"No!" Hermione shook her head hysterically as she grabbed the floo powder and rushed to the hearth. Before her parents could stop her she shouted the passcode for Grimmauld Place and she was gone. She landed gracefully in the sitting room of Harry's home and just as she was about to open her mouth to call for her best friend, Harry rushed into the room with his wand drawn.