Rowling doesn't want to give away the Harry Potter franchise because it'll mean she can't post embarrassing TMI details on Twitter anymore.
That being said- still don't own HP.
It came as a shock to everyone when Harry said he was going to move into Grimmauld Place following the war, especially since he had enough money to buy his own house. Even before the war, the Black home was a glum and wretched place, so most couldn't understand why he would want to stay there. Shouldn't he want to make his own memories in a new home?
Last May, Harry had had the Auror Department check over the building and they found Jugson (who fought in the battle at the Department of Mysteries). According to the department head, Dale Miles, the crazed death eater tried to fight off seven aurors by himself and, after being subdued, admitted he didn't know Voldemort was dead. Harry knew Sirius would have thought this was hilarious and probably would have let him keep the place.
Deep down, he understood Sirius would've wanted him to demolish the house and everything in it, but he couldn't do that yet. Sirus wouldn't have understood, he reasoned. Harry didn't have bad memories in this house like his godfather did. This was the house he'd come to know his godfather in.
12 Grimmauld Place came to serve a purpose again when Harry invited Hermione to come stay with him and Ron, who was also living there. They still didn't completely understand her situation, but knew they would feel the most comfortable with her in their sights. If her family that came to claim her turned out to be dangerous, the Burrow wouldn't offer nearly enough protection.
Hermione found living with them to be infinitely better than before and, unlike the Weasleys, she could actually confide things in them. Harry had sent Kreacher to the Hogwarts kitchens, so Hermione was the one cooking all their meals, but she found that she actually didn't mind. She wouldn't have admitted it aloud, but she liked being depended on- it was just like they were all back at Hogwarts again.
When her list of supplies came, she was surprised to see a Head Girl badge and list of instructions for what to do on the night she arrived at Hogwarts. The boys were, of course, incredibly proud of Hermione for earning the position of Head Girl, but they had known she would get it. Ron went to Diagon Alley later that day to fetch her school books and came back with ice cream from Florean Fortescue's. It was the happiest Hermione had been in a long time, and she'd only been staying there for a few days.
Although they were trying to stay inside as much as possible, they decided to take her out to eat that night to celebrate her new status in the school. The boys told her they could go anywhere in Muggle London, and Hermione picked a quaint, family-style restaurant that she'd always wanted to go in, just a few blocks from the cafe that they visited on their last trip.
Walking in, the bell over the door rang, and a waiter greeted them from behind the front counter. "Welcome to Aunt Pearl's. I'll be right with ya'." An older couple handed the man their bill and £40.
The restaurant was sparsely decorated, but cute nonetheless. White and red checkered tablecloths sat atop a dozen or so tables situated around the white-walled room. Along the wall behind the counter and all around the room were black and white pictures of the restaurant when it was first built and managed. Shifting her gaze, Hermione saw two or three overgrown plants that towered over the tables, desperately needing to be trimmed back. The room was riddled with history and Hermione instantly knew she liked the place.
"Just the three of you?" Harry nodded and the waiter grabbed three menus. "Follow me."
He led them to one of the few unoccupied table booths, against the back of the restaurant, and left to tend to other customers. After they had decided on their meal and their orders were taken, Harry spoke up.
"It feels weird to not be going back to Hogwarts, even though I didn't go last year."
Ron looked up. "I know. It's like I should be dreading school, but I've got no reason to."
"You guys could always go back with me," added Hermione, hopefully. "I'll need people to talk to."
"Nope."
"Not even for you, Hermione."
They laughed together. Even if they did go back to Hogwarts with her for their seventh years, Hermione would end up doing their homework anyway and being stressed out. The only reason they would ever have for returning would be Quidditch. Still, it didn't feel like Hogwarts without her best friends.
Suddenly serious, Harry and Ron assured her they would write everyday and she wouldn't ever be lonely. "We'll write so much, Hermione, you'll beg us to stop. There won't be enough time over breakfast to get all of your post, so the owls will follow you around Hogwarts," Ron told her.
". . . On second thought, maybe I'll make new friends," Hermione joked. The group laughed again.
"When do you guys start training?" She asked them.
"October 1st, although it's going to be awkward," Harry answered. "Kingsley already told me that I'll be made the head of the department as soon as I finish training in February, so Miles is just a stand in until I'm trained up." He shifted uncomfortably. "Its got to be weird to know you're training some kid who's immediately going to take your position."
They all knew Harry wasn't just "some kid" and that he was stronger in Defense Against the Dark Arts than many of the other trainees.
"You really can't understand what Miles is like until you meet him, 'Mione," Ron explained, "He has been wanted to be head of the department forever. Now that he has that position of power, he won't want to give it up."
"'Forever', Ron?"
"Well, no," he replied, "but for a really long time. You know what I mean."
Hermione considered this. So what if this Miles guy wanted to be head of the department? Kingsley was the Minister of Magic and his word came before everyone else's.
Sensing Hermione's gears were turning, Harry explained, "Miles is in charge of the drills and will probably be really hard on me. You know, giving me extra work, making an example out of me, that sort of thing."
Hermione was about to tell him that he would do just fine, but the surprised look on Ron's face stopped her. His gaze was set toward the front door, behind Hermione. She turned around and started to laugh at who just came through the front door. She wished she had a camera to capture this perfect moment.
"Welcome to Aunt Pearl's, be right with you," the waiter chimed. He turned around and a huge grin spread across his face.
"No need. I'm with them," spoke Nott, his eyes connecting with Hermione's. The usually impeccably dressed pureblood obviously never took Muggle Studies, as he wore green cat-eye sunglasses, a bright Hawaiian patterned shirt, and olive green corduroy short shorts that showed off his thighs. He had on a pair of white loafers to complete the look, as though he didn't have time to find matching shoes. The whole ensemble was hilarious to anyone with a shred of common sense.
He walked toward the table, his gaze serious, as though he didn't look like a complete wackjob. All conversations in the restaurant seemed to come to a halt as everyone turned to stare at his outfit. "You're a tough girl to find," he declared upon reaching the booth.
He stood at the table awkwardly, waiting for an invitation to sit. "Budge up," he said pointedly to Ron when he didn't receive one. After Ron moved over, Theo sat down.. Hermione and Harry were grinning from ear to ear. Theo cleared his throat and they snapped out of it.
"So. . . what? You want money? Is that why you're suddenly claiming your heritage," Theo bluntly asked Hermione. "Or is this a publicity stunt?"
Hermione sat back, definitely not thinking the situation was funny anymore. "How did you find out? Only my family is supposed to know I'm not a Grang-" She suddenly realized why Theo Nott was here. "No. . . I'm- I'm a Nott?" Ron and Harry realized this at the same time as she did and were lost for words.
Theo rolled his eyes. "Smartest witch of her age, huh? Catch up." Ron and Harry began to speak up at his obvious disrespect toward their friend when Nott continued, "Don't get your knickers in a twist, I was only joking."
They now noticed Theo was. . . smiling?
Hermione thought about why she claimed her heritage. She knew it wasn't for money or publicity like Theo suggested, but rather because she just needed to know. She couldn't live with herself if she didn't at least find out who her real family was. She voiced her thoughts to Theo.
"Okay, then," he replied easily after a moment's thought. "Come by the manor tomorrow."
Hermione scoffed. "What?"
"You didn't think it was that easy, did you?" he asked with a smirk. "The Nott family has to claim you back. I'll send an owl with the address." Completely ignoring the fact that Harry and Ron were sitting right there, he said, "Feel free to bring Pott-head and Weasel with you for protection," spitting the last word. At that, he stood back up, adjusted his short shorts, and walked through the silent crowd of tables, everybody's eyes on his retreating back.
"The nerve of that guy," Ron murmured.
