Hey guys! Thank you for your wonderful reviews! To those of you who are asking if I will continue this story, the answer is yes = ) Anyways... on with the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Anything familiar is owned by her but the plot of this story is mine :)
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In the well lit streets of muggle London, two figures were walking briskly, brushing past the evening strollers. The two, a man and a woman, seemed peculiar in the jean-clad community. They were both wearing robes, too heavy for a summer night. They seemed so out of place that if people saw them, they can't help but crane their necks for a second glance... that is if they saw them. In fact they seemed to mimic the ghosts, unseen by the ordinary human eye.
The man wore grand robes of magenta, his beard all long and silvery, boosting up his regal. "Albus tell me again why we should bring the letter to this specific family personally?", his woman companion asked. She was wearing black robes and her hair in a tight neat bun.
"Because this family has little knowledge about our world and something tells me that they are a little, should we say freaked out by their child's abilities.", he stated as he lead the woman to an open archway leading to a narrow path.
"I thought they already accepted their child's..er... uniqueness", the woman asked confusedly.
"They did about a year ago. The child did seem to be different, but it was minor and petty. However about a couple of months ago, things went all wrong", Albus Dumbledore said with a frown.
"wrong? How?",
" Despite the child being different, it didn't seem to be so pronounced. So they decided to enroll the child in a muggle school to achieve a little normalcy... this way", they turned to a curb and continued to walk at a steady pace.
" Even with a regular institution of learning, the child did not fit in, and she was ridiculed because of it. According to her parents, they would find her all alone in an empty classroom after class reading books and muttering. Her parents, scared of her behavior reprimanded her and sent her to see one of those muggle doctors, as expected, he saw nothing wrong with her.", he flicked his wand and opened a grandly fashioned gate. "The parents were relieved when the medic told them that it was only a defense mechanism to hide her loneliness. So as any parent would, they encouraged their daughter to social and school work, which she had top ranks. Unfortunately, her peers did not take a liking to her sudden popularity with the teachers. They teased her, and as the average student would say "made her life a living hell". She lost it and almost burnt the whole building down."
"How did you come to know her and her family?" the woman asked curiously.
"To tell you the truth, Minerva, I have been searching for her for two years now. She and her parents were victims of a death eater attack two years ago. It seemed like it was an independent occurrence. Voldemort" the woman flinched upon hearing the dark wizard's name. " you shouldn't fear the name Minerva", Dumbledore looked at her pointedly. "As I was saying, it was an independent occurrence and Voldermort did not know anything about it during that time. How they survived the attack still remains a mystery" he declared his face full of thought. "After the incident I searched for them but they mysteriously disappeared and couldn't be traced."
"Fortunately, the doctor they consulted turned out to be a half blood and found out that Hermione, though has muggles as parents, developed our abilities. He contacted me immediately and reported to me about his discovery. I urged the doctor to continue seeing the child to guide her and explain to the muggle parents the uniqueness of their daughter" Dumbledore knocked at the white door of the house indicating their arrival.
"but ever since the fiasco a couple of months ago, Hermione has been in the confinements of her parents mansion away from the outside world.
"You don't want another Tom Riddle", Minerva McGonagall's eyes widened as the realization seeped in. "Albus do you..."
"No my dear. Though she seems very powerful, she is not Tom Riddle in the making. She has the heart of an angel but the temper of a dragon" he chuckled and the old woman looked at him questioningly.
Before she could ask more questions an impeccably dressed man opened the door. "Yes?" the man asked politely.
"Good evening", the old man's eyes twinkled. " I am Albus Dumbledore and this fine lady is Minerva McGonagall. The Grangers are expecting us", he looked at Mineva who seemed to be suddenly interested on the thread on her sleeve.
"This way please", the buttler lead them to the foyer. "The master would be with you in a minute" The buttler went up the stairs to collect the Granger family.
The Granger family, though muggles were very well of. Mr. Granger came from a very wealthy family and he and his family survived through his trust fund. He and his wife were both dentists but they did not get any commission from it. They volunteered their services to the poor and needy.
"Professor Dumbledore... Professor McGonagall", Mr. Granger and his wife greeted their guests warmly. "Our daughter is upstairs studying." his smile faltered a little. "Since the incident in her old school, we decided to home school her. She seems to like it though." he laughed.
"Should we call her?", Hermione's mother asked politely. "Headmaster?"
"Not yet my dear. The professor and I will explain to you two first the implications of her stay in Hogwarts", he said.
"Alright... lets get more comfortable shall we?", before Mr. Granger could lead them to the sitting room, Dumbledore flicked his wand and four plush chairs appeared into thin air.
"A little demonstration on what is to be discussed", Dumbledore smiled at the couple.
"As your doctor explained to you Hermione is very unique. She is a witch, a muggle born" Minerva McGonagall started.
"Muggle-born?", Jane Granger asked with open curiosity. " How come I've heard of that word before?", she frowned as she racked her brain trying to figure out where she heard the word before.
"Magic people of non magical heritage", Dumbledore explained with a smile.
"How did she come to have this... er.. ability?" Hermione's father asked.
"sadly, the answer to that is still a mystery", Dumbledore said solemnly. The Grangers nodded indicating to the witch to continue.
McGonaggal nodded " As stated in the letter that Dumbledore is handing to you, Hogwarts is a school of witchcraft and wizardry" she proudly said. 'The school will train magically inclined students of all blood and ranks of life how to adopt and live in and out of the magical world."
"We will teach them the basics and will advance as each year goes", Dumbledore added. "Your daughter will be safe in our hands. She will be with children with the same abilities as hers and she will not feel left out anymore", he smiled reassuringly.
"I'm going to miss her so much", Jane wept through her hankie. "Dear whatever shall we do without our princess?"
"Mummy...Daddy...", before Mr. Granger could answer his wife. A girl went down the stairs. Apparently she was eavesdropping from upstairs. "I want to go to this school" she said determinedly, squaring her shoulders to make her self look more confident.
"but dear.. do you understand what this means?", her mother beckoned the girl to sit in her lap. " You will go far far away from everything you are familiar with... away from us..." she explained to her almost grown up daughter. Her confident voice quivering a little.
" I want to learn mummy... you know me... and besides, I can still write to you and I will be home during holidays..", she said in a small voice "please?" she pleaded.
"Are you sure princess?" her father asked now crouching down to where his two girls were.
"yes father. I want to learn... I want to develop my skills", she said with much determination.
"Alright", her father finally gave in and her mother affirmed, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Splendid!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Hermione... here is your letter of acceptance. The instructions are there for your guidance. I'm glad that you will be a part of the Hogwarts family", Dumbledore stood up and so did Minerva. "See you in the great hall in a weeks time", he added and headed towards the door.
'Woudn't you like to stay for dinner?", Jane Granger frantically asked.
"I'm afraid not my dear. We have other matters to attend to. As for now goodbye, goodnight and thank you for your time", he winked at Hermione and McGonagall smiled at the family. They walked out the door and what seemed like magic, they disappeared into thin air with a crack.
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Draco woke up with a start. He looked around his train compartment to see if anyone noticed that he had another bad dream, a dream which has plagued his sleep for months now. He sighed. As usual nobody of his friends noticed. Crabbe and Goyle were busy pigging out, Pansy was busy looking at her pug-nosed self in the looking glass. However when he looked at Blaise Zabini's direction, to his surprise the Italian was looking at him intently.
Blaise nodded towards the door signaling that they should talk outside. Draco stood up, without looking at the other students in the compartment, slid the door open and stepped into the hallway.
Blaise shut the door behind him."You had the dream again.", it was a statement not a question. Draco just nodded his head in confirmation. "What do you think it means mate?" Blaise prodded his brows furrowing.
"I have no idea.", Draco pinched the bridge of his nose to ease his frustrations. "It's getting worse by the day" he leaned his back to the door and crossed his arms toward his chest. "and this time I saw a face. It was blurry but it was definitely a she.
" Maybe you're just subconsciously nervous about the first day of school?" Blaise asked.
"Malfoys don't get nervous. What is there to be nervous about? We're rich, we're pure blooded and most of all we are not Weasleys" he smirked as his head nodded toward another compartment. "Shall we visit the little blood traitor now?" he sneered.
"I'm not in the mood", Blaise said. "Scaring people of inferior birth may be your idea of a good pass time but it isn't mine" He smirked. "Why don't you take the two oafs with you. They aren't smart but they seem to do the job" Draco nodded and slid the door open.
"Oi! You two. Don't you ever stop eating?", Crabbe and Goyle looked at Draco and kept on munching stupidly. " Stop eating and come with me", he commanded. Before the two big boys could complain, Draco stepped out of the compartment and approached his destination. The two boys looked at each other, having no choice , followed their "leader".
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In another compartment two boys were getting to know each other. They were talking about a little girl who just entered their compartment asking if they saw a toad.
"She was bloody bossy", Ron, the red head boy complained as he rubbed his nose where the little girl said he had a speck of dirt " telling me that my spell does not work... the witch", he stated as he looked at his reflection on the window.
"Well... well what do we have here?", a voice at the compartment's entrance spat. " A little, filthy Weasely and his boyfriend", he smirked menacingly. " I didn't know that you have a thing for blood traitors Potter. If I had known, I wouldn't have bothered to introduce myself to you at Malkin's"
"that's funny Malfoy... I didn't know you were interested in Harry to be your boyfriend" Ron laughed and Harry snorted at Draco, who was now scowling. To add to his embarrassment, the two oafs he was with, his two "body guards" were also laughing.
"What are you two oafs laughing about?" he snapped at his little minions. " Shut your traps and lets go. The air is suddenly polluted", he added as he looked at Ron. "Oh and Weasely you have some dirt... just right here", Draco smirked, as he pointed to his own nose where the speck of dirt is located on the red head.
"Bloody hell!!", Ron moaned and continued to fiercely rub his nose.
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DONE! I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER AS MUCH AS I LIKED WRITING IT! AGAIN PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!! I JUST LOVE READING YOUR FEEDBACKS! THEY ARE MY MOTIVATION : )