Chapter Two – Hogwarts Express
"'Scuse me ma'am," said a distantly familiar voice. Hermione, startled, turned to her left to address the speaker.
"I was just wonderin' why…" the voice trailed off as the steam cleared to reveal a sandy haired man in a conductor's uniform.
The man looked at her a moment, "Hermione?"
Hermione studied the man for a moment. The sandy colored hair and thick Irish accent… so tantalizingly recognizable… then it hit her.
Hermione squealed girlishly at the sight of a fellow ex-Gryffindor, "Seamus!" she ran and hugged him.
"Wow, Hermione! I 'aven't seen you in about fifteen years! How 'ave you been? What are you doin' here? Why are you so damn early?" he glanced at his watch, "It's only 9:45, an' we don't usually expect people 'til about 10:30." Seamus, having exhausted his oxygen through his rattling, inhaled quickly and flashed Hermione a beaming smile.
"Breathe, Seamus!" she giggled. "I've been okay, and I'm here because I've accepted the post of Transfiguration Professor. Is it a problem that I'm here early?"
"No, no, course not," he replied. "I guess I'm not used to sharing the platform 'til later."
"Ah, well, I'm suffering from 'stage fright' I guess. I was practically pulling my hair out, sitting around at home." She laughed somewhat hysterically.
"Oh, don' worry about that. You weren't the brightest witch of our age for nothing! Besides you look a lot calmer than the new professors last term. They were in a right state; couldn't stop fidgeting!" Hermione fixed Seamus with an unconvincing smile as he laughed heartily at the memory.
"What new professors? What subjects?" Hermione was curious. She hadn't been told that there were new teachers. McGonagall hadn't mentioned who she'd be working with. She had just assumed it would be all the familiar faces. The more she thought about it the more she realized how stupid she was. Of course there had to be new professors. Flitwick alone had to be nearing at least seventy.
"You don't know?" Seamus smiled slyly. "Hmm… well, it's not me place to tell you then." He smiled knowingly. "Anyway, as you can tell from this ridiculous getup I have to wear, I'm the conductor, and I have a few things to double check before people start swarming in. I'll see you 'round, Hermione."
Hermione managed a weak goodbye before he left. What was this? Her nerves seemed to have doubled in intensity. How many new professors were there? She knew they couldn't have replaced the whole staff. Hagrid, at the very least, should still be there. At least some familiar faces should be present.
She realized with a start, that she was still standing in front of the fireplace. She locomotored her trunk behind her and made her way to the train before another floo traveler pummeled her. She found an empty compartment on the train and settled herself in at the window seat. How many more familiar faces was she about to see? She closed her eyes and tried not to feel too overwhelmed. If just being at platform 9 ¾ was having this effect on her, she couldn't help but fear a mental shock when she saw Hogwarts castle.
"My time there was amazing… so why am I so nervous," she pinched herself for saying it out loud. She was sure people would think she was crazy for holding conversations with herself. "Oh well, at least I'm not answering my own questions yet," she thought. She allowed a smile small to play at her lips when she realized she hadn't talked to herself again.
Forty-five minutes later, Hermione was snapped from her reverie by a light tapping on the compartment door. She looked over to see four girls, about thirteen years old, walk into the compartment.
"'Ello, sorry to bother you, we were walking by and saw you alone in here. We wondered whether you were an exchange student or something. You don't look familiar." One girl said. "I thought you looked too old to be a first year though."
Hermione smiled. Being thirty-three years old and out of school for the past fifteen years; this was her kind of compliment.
"You'll have to remind me to give each of you five points to your respective houses once we get to Hogwarts," she said and then giggled at the incredulous looks on their faces.
"You must be the new Transfiguration professor," exclaimed the nearest girl. "My dad told me that McGonagall was finally relinquishing her classes. You look far too young to be a teacher though." The other three girls nodded their agreement.
"Better make it ten points each," Hermione smiled.
Hermione held out her hand to each of the four girls in turn. "I'm Professor Granger, lovely to meet you all." She felt surprisingly less nervous now that she was actually interacting with the students.
"I'm Lily, this is Matilda, Abby, and Robin," Lily said, introducing her friends.
Hermione let her eyes take in their appearances. Lily had very dark red hair, a pale complexion, and bright green eyes…very familiar bright green eyes. Matilda also had familiar features; red hair and freckles all atop slightly pink skin. Abby had a fair skin tone, with pale blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. Robin was somewhat the odd one of the quartet. She was shorter and more filled out than the other three, but she had a very kind face topped with light brown hair tied into pigtails.
"So," Hermione asked, "what houses are you girls in?"
"I'm in Ravenclaw," replied Matilda. "Most of my family has been in Gryffindor, so it was kind of surprising when I got sorted. I guess I take after my mum."
"I'm in Gryffindor," said Abby. "I guess that means I take after dad then, eh Matty?"
"Oh, you're sisters!" Hermione gasped.
"Twins actually," Abby stated. "It runs in the family I guess."
Hermione suppressed a smirk. She was starting to get a good idea of whose kids these were.
"Robin and I are both in Gryffindor as well," Lily said. "It's a good thing, too. My dad would have flipped had I ended up in Slytherin."
"I don't think mine would have cared," Robin giggled. "He always told me he should have been sorted into Hufflepuff!"
The four girls giggled.
"Are you going to be our new head of house as well?" Lily asked. "Dad said that the position is open now that McGonagall is purely headmistress."
"Professor McGonagall. Now, how is it that your father knows so much about the goings on at Hogwarts?" Hermione inquired.
"Oh, it's not just my dad," giggled Lily. "All of our fathers work at Hogwarts. Abby and Matty's mum does, too."
Hermione did a double take. "Well, in that case," she laughed. "Who are your parents and what subjects do they teach?" Hermione felt confident that she knew the answers but felt she should let them divulge the facts.
"Well, my dad is famous," Lily blushed.
"Let me guess," Hermione faked a thoughtful look, "Harry Potter?"
"Well, that was quick." Lily giggled.
"You have your father's eyes, Lily," Hermione said gently.
Lily blushed again. Hermione caught something in her eyes that reminded her of someone, she just couldn't place who.
"Well, Dad teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts." Lily declared. "He's been at Hogwarts for a year."
Hermione laughed out loud. So, that was one of the new teachers Seamus had mentioned. In her mind, she could picture Harry, as nervous as she was, fidgeting and running his fingers through his hair; his signature move.
Abby cleared her throat. "Our Dad's name is Ron. He's been in charge of the house Quidditch teams ever since he left Hogwarts… "
"Technically he never really left, just graduated and came right back! Mum says Dad will never call another place home," Matty said.
"Ladies, I could tell you some great stories about your fathers," Hermione chuckled.
"Our Mum's name is Luna. She teaches Charms and is the head of Ravenclaw," Abby continued. "Do you have any great stories about her?"
"Actually, yes, I do," Hermione answered, "but before I go into the dirty details, I would like to know who Robin's father is."
"My Dad's name is Neville. He's been teaching Herbology for the past eight years," Robin answered. Hermione got the distinct impression that Robin was very proud of her father.
Hermione grinned at her, "Well, Herbology was always Neville's best subject!"
She was having a blast. She couldn't have asked for a better quartet to be seated with. It took getting to know her old friends' children to make her realize how much she missed them. 'Why haven't we spoken for so long…?' Hermione asked herself. The girls were looking at her with a barely controlled air of anticipation. If she hadn't busied herself with after-Hogwarts schooling, would her child have made it a quintet? Hermione felt a quake beneath her feet. Looking out the window, she was startled to see the train lurch forward, and then gain speed. 'Oh boy…' she thought. Her nerves were starting to creep back.
"So, tell us some stories!" Lily exclaimed. The other three nodded in agreement.
"Well, Robin, Neville doesn't come into the stories much until our fifth year is that okay?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, of course is it!" Robin said with a smile. "Our families are close; Harry and Ron are like my uncles!"
Smirking, Hermione started her tales. She told them about her, Harry's and Ron's first year adventures with the Sorcerer's Stone; about their second year and the Chamber of Secrets; she left out certain details about third year, but told them about helping Buckbeak the hippogriff escape from the Ministry executioner. She told them about fourth year and the Triwizard Tournament, elaborating on Harry's courage and strength. After detailing the escapade in the Department of Mysteries in their fifth year, she was interrupted:
"Are you telling us, that all of our parents, except Robin's mother, fought Death Eaters when they were only fifteen years old?" Matty asked.
Hermione was startled for a moment. "All of your parents…" she thought for a second, "Are you telling me that Harry married Ginny!?"
"Yup," Lily said simply.
Hermione was astounded. She couldn't believe that she was the only one left out of the loop all these years. She felt loneliness she hadn't let surface in almost fifteen years. How was she going to face them after all this time without being bitter towards them for forgetting about her for all these years? She couldn't even count the amount of owls she'd sent to them, and no reply had ever come.
"We'd better go get into our robes; I can see the lights at Hogsmeade station," Matty said, interrupting Hermione's train of thought.
She looked out the window, and in the distance… she could make out the many towers and turrets of Hogwarts castle.
