It was another three days in the infirmary under Madam Pompfrey's watchful eye, and Andromeda Black's help before Hermione was discharged. In those days Hermione's views shifted from wondering how Nymphadora Tonks could come from such a woman, to wondering how such a caring and surprisingly nice girl could have gotten into Slytherin. She had to remind herself that they weren't all Death Eaters in Slytherin, and that sometimes blood was thicker than water. Especially Black blood.
When she was released from the medical wing she was quickly sent to the Headmaster's office, not wanting to get stopped and questioned more.
It was in-between classes and students were on their way to the next lecture. She knew she stuck out amongst the others and it made her walk a bit faster. As she passed students she felt as though she were seeing ghosts, seeing those that she recognized, and those that she knew to be gone in her own time.
She made it to the gargoyle that blocked the Headmaster's office. "Fizzing Whizzbees." Hermione smiled a little to herself as the gargoyle turned out of the way and she made her way up the stairs.
The young Gryffindor girl felt a bit guilty for already creating a persona for herself without the Headmaster's approval, but she had been under pressure and she hoped that he would be understanding of that.
The older man was sat behind his desk, reading a book when the girl appeared. It would really take some getting used to to see him not quite the same way as before. Luckily he looked more or less the same compared to anyone else she had come into contact with thus far. He peered up over the silver rims of his glasses, smiling as he noticed her come in. "Ah Miss Granger. I'm glad to see you up on your feet. How are you feeling?"
"Very well Professor, just a bit nervous I'm afraid." She said standing before his desk.
He nodded, marking his place in the book before putting it away. "I'm sure you'll do fine Miss Granger, or should I say Miss Green."
Her cheeks burned as she looked up at him "I-I'm sorry professor. I wasn't sure what to do. There were so many of them and I just panicked."
The Headmaster chuckled softly as he shuffled through his desk, pulling out parchments and papers. "If that's panicked thinking out of you, then it is a wonder you were not sorted into Ravenclaw. It was very clever thinking on the spot. I would advise you though that word travels quickly, so be careful as to what you say and to whom."
She nodded slowly. She had no intentions of telling that bunch much more of anything anyways. She'd rather spend her time locked in a room with Gilderoy Lockhart. "Understood Professor."
He smiled and nodded, handing over some of the papers to her. "I have taken the liberty to creating your registration details, as well as a set of school record from your previous 'school' I have good faith in you Miss Green so I believe I was quite generous with your grades as well."
She took the papers from him. Birth records, ministry registration, school transcripts, wand identification cards from the MACUSA, it was all here and it all looked perfect.
Her 'mother' Rebecca Prewett was a deceased witch who had married an English doctor Robert Green while traveling for her studies. She was meant to be the only child of the marriage and her parents prided their daughter's education over all others. Her school records showed that she has been in the Horned Serpent house, and her course grades seemed to reflect what her own transcripts in her own time would look like. Top of the class. The older wizard had even got her wand information down correctly on the registration card. He must have checked it over while she had been incapacitated. Hermione was floored by the precision and depth that the man had gone to to help create her falsehood for her. "Thank you Professor Dumbledore. This is amazing."
He stood from behind his desk as she handed the papers back to him. "Yes, well I have some previous experience dealing with the U.S. Congress." Hermione thought she could see his eyes darken slightly, but the next moment it was gone. "I shall have them sent off to the Ministry after dinner tonight, along with Madam Pompfrey's notes of how your miss-apperation to Hogwarts castle had you end up crashing through the Ministry. They ought to buy that, especially thinking that you learned though the American school system." He said with a small twinkle in his eyes.
Hermione smiled a little at the backhanded remark, she didn't know how to apperate yet anyway, sure she had read up on it, but had yet to test it out as Hogwarts students were not allowed to practice apperation until their 6th years. "As for now," He said bringing her attention back to the discussion. "It is time to bring you into the Great Hall and have you sorted. Preparations are under way to make sure you have the appropriate materials you will need, and you will start your classes tomorrow."
The idea of returning to classes was a bittersweet one for Hermione. She found comfort in the idea of returning back to her books and studies, but was nervous to meet and interact with anymore students if those that she had already met were any indication of what she faced.
The Headmaster stood from behind his desk, gliding through his office to the gargoyle passageway. "After you miss Green." He said motioning to the staircase.
Hermione followed the Headmaster through the now deserted hallways towards the double doors of the great hall, the idle sound of student's chatter permeating the heavy doors. However, Dumbledore led her towards the professor's entrance to the side. "If you don't mind waiting just a moment, I will call you to be sorted shortly." The young girl nodded nervously as she scanned the great hall, watching as the Headmaster took to his podium.
"If I may have your attention students, I have a few brief statements before we begin this evenings feast. Care of Magical Creature's Professor Kettleburn and groundskeeper Hagrid would like me to remind students, that while swimming in the black lake is not forbidden such as the forest, it is indeed strongly suggested against. While some younger students might believe that our giant squid friend is the most intimidating creature in the lake, the kelpies are far more likely to attack and perhaps more daunting than the squid. While I'm sure Madam Pompfrey is more than capable of resuscitating recently drown students or minding broken bones, I doubt it would like to be an ongoing task to deal with. So if we could all be a bit more careful around the lake it would be most appreciated."
Murmurs filled the great hall again as students talked amongst themselves. A few Slytherins snickering and shoving each other as scared Hufflepuffs awkwardly watched them from across the hall.
"Second and lastly, as many of you may know from whispers in the corridors, we have a new late addition to Hogwarts. A transfer from across the pond as it were. The staff and I would like to offer a warm welcome to Miss Green to our school and hope that students will be just as warm and inviting as I know you are capable of. Now, Miss Green if you will?" Suddenly Hermione felt all eyes on her and the murmurs seemed to soften as began to take the platform.
Professor McGonagall came forward holding the sorting hat in hand, giving the girl a slightly sceptical look. It pained Hermione to see her favourite teacher look at her as though she had two heads, but she tried to push it aside as she sat on the stool that the headmaster had summoned from thin air. The bushy haired girl felt a lump growing in her throat as she looked out at the four tables before her, eyes trained intently on her, all seemingly trying to size her up or judge her along with the sorting hat. Hermione was terrified, but chose to at least try not to show it. She held her head high as the deputy Headmaster placed the tattered sorting hat upon her head.
"Ahh Miss Green is it? What a complicated mind you have. So much knowledge, so many secrets." Shh they're called secrets for a reason. Please keep them that way. "Yes… well… I can see many things about your character here. Fiercely loyal to your friends, quite capable of Hufflepuff, but you could be so much more. The knowledge you have could rival many 7thyears in this room, perhaps Ravenclaw? Green would be such a fitting name for Slytherin as well." Are we going to chit chat all day or are you going to sort me? Honestly this is becoming ridiculous. I can't believe I was terrified of this when I was 11. "Ah yes, you seem to know just how to battle those fears and secrets don't you dearie? Yes, you're right, I know just what to do with you, you've shown ample amounts of courage and bravery, though perhaps quite a bit of hard-headedness and know-it-all-ism as well" Hey! "It's got to be, GRYFFINDOR!"
Immediately Hermione felt a massive weight lifted from her shoulders, along with the sorting hat as professor McGonagall lifted it from her head, giving the girl a slightly surprised look before a small smile pulled at the deputy headmistress' lips. Hermione hardly noticed however as the scarlet and gold table erupted in cheers. She smiled softly at the familiar warmth of her house, ignoring the idle boos and hisses coming from the Slytherin table. Hermione merely ignored them as she stood, walking down the few steps to join her old house and new housemates, many giving the girl a warm welcome as the Headmaster took to the podium again, smiling down at the girl.
"Yes welcome, welcome, Miss Green. I'm sure you'll feel right at home in Gryffindor." Dumbledore said giving the girl a knowing look. "Now without much further delay, dinner is served." The elder wizard said with a gentle wave of his hands as food began to appear on the serving plates in the middle of the tables.
Hermione began to prepare her plate, watching a few students from the corner of her eye do the same, taking in their faces one by one, trying to see if she could place them within her memories, comparing the young faces to the much older ones she knew from her own time. Hermione was interrupted from dinner as someone cleared their thoat from behind her before taking the seat to the left of her. A smiling red headed face looked down at her, hand proudly outstretched to take hers in a firm handshake "Gideon Prewett is the name. I'm the prefect for Gryfindor house. I'll be showing you the ropes as you Yanks like to say."
Hermione blushed softly as the older boy shook her hand, perhaps a bit too enthusiastic, but she was happy for the warm welcome. "Thank you, and you don't have to treat me too special, I'm still very much English, I just attended school at Ilvermorny, but I'm glad to be attending Hogwarts now."
His smile was warm and infectious "Well It's a good thing you came to sense and moved to a more respectable school. No offense, but you Yanks are bloody awful when it comes to a Triwizard Tournament, and not much better when it comes to Quidditch. Do you play by the way?"
The bookworm merely chuckled and shook her head. "Brooms aren't my strong suit if I'm quite honest. I'm a much better spectator than participant."
"That's alright, we can always do with more support in the stands, or cheerleaders as you might say. My brother Fabian down there is the team captain for the Quidditch team, and a decent beater I suppose." He said motioning down the table to yet another ginger boy, shovelling food in his mouth.
Hermione had to do a double take as she watched the boy, easily a double for one of her best friends. Red hair, pale skin and freckles. Hermione could feel the blood draining from her face some as she turned back to the elder boy "R-Right, Fabian, a-and you're uhh"
The prefect raised an eyebrow, nodding slowly "Gideon. Blimey, you look as if you've seen a ghost. I haven't even introduced you to Sir Nicholas yet."
The gears within Hermione's head were cranking in overdrive and she knew she had to calm herself before steam began to shoot from her ears. That's because I have! I saw a photo of them once in the Order photograph that Sirius gave Harry! Gideon and Fabian Prewett! They're Ron's uncles! Suddenly Hermione wasn't feeling quite as hungry as she once was, and the sight of Fabian eating in much the same manor as his nephew merely added to the feeling.
"Sorry no, just still not feeling quite 100% yet I suppose." She said, trying to cover her tracks.
Gideon nodded a little, reaching up to squeeze her shoulder "I should let you eat then. Though if you need anything, I'd gladly fetch Madam Pompfrey for you."
The girl quickly shook her head, pushing up a small weak smile, his hand feeling heaving on her shoulder "No, I'm sure I'll be alright. Thank you though."
The boy smiled at her once again as he stood from the seat next to her "Well alright then. If you are in need of anything, you'll find me down opposite my brother eating. I'll send someone your way later to show you back to the common room and up to the girls' dormitories. While I'd be glad to show you myself, the school has some heavy charms on it, especially around the dormitories, boys aren't allowed up the girls' wings, nor girls the boys' wings. Some people get around it, but as a prefect, I can't really go around encouraging that kind of behaviour. Anyways, welcome to Hogwarts Hermione. I hope you find it home like many of the rest of us." He squeezed her shoulder one last time before starting to walk back down the table, sitting opposite his brother.
For the rest of the meal Hermione pushed the food around on her plate with her fork, occasionally eating a parsnip or small bit of chicken, but her stomach was too much in knots to enjoy it. She seemed to have a million thoughts going through her head, hardly noticing as a few additional students made their way round to introduce themselves to her and welcome her to Gryffindor. No names really stuck to her the same as the Prewett boys' did however. Hermione looked up at the Slytherin table across the room and instantly began to see red as she stared at one of the five Death Eaters whom she knew to be responsible for the men's deaths. While she was never charged with it, Hermione had heard a few stories of the dark haired witches' involvement along with Antonin Dolohv and a few others. The woman was a cold blooded murder, Voldemort's right hand, and here she was, flicking peas across the aisle at first year Hufflepuffs. It seemed so unlikely, so impossible, yet here it was right in front of her. The same air of confidence she had witnessed at the Ministry, evident in the girls' smirk.
Hermione's line of sight to the girl was cut off as another stood in front of her.
"Hello, Gideon sent me. My brother wants me to to show you to the common room and the dormitories whenever you're ready." The soft eyes and warm smile looked down upon Hermione, and instantly she wanted to weep with joy. "Oh, where are my manners, I'm Molly by the way."
Update time lovelies! Just as planned :)
Hermione is getting to meet Some Weasley family too! I have had to be a little liberal and estimate ages at times with characters because I'm not exactly sure. Especially with some of the characters where there isn't as much information (like Fabian and Gideon) I'm just creating who I think they would be like. Little bits of some of the Weasley brood compiled differently such as Gideon being head of house and Fabian being captain of the Quidditch team.
Hermione is still stalking Bellatrix some too. It may take a little bit of build up get to the action between these two, but hopefully it's worth it in your guys' eyes! I want it to flow naturally and not force it along too much. But I promise we will be getting to stuff soon!
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
kpop1392as - Thanks for the feedback! :D Of course Bella is going to tease lil Lucius! In my opinion Bella probably always thought less of Lucius as Cissy's betrothed and husband. In her eyes no one is good enough for her sister, even if he does do a decent job of protecting them from backlash in the first war.