Hermione, sitting in the back of the car, told her mother where to drive. Once they were on an empty road, Hermione apparated them to Andromeda's driveway.
"What was that?" Jean had turned an interesting shade of green.
John, however, had lost all color in his face, turning a grey color.
"Apparation." Hermione answered as she stepped out of the car. "Of course, the Wizagmont has passed laws on what you can and cannot apparate." Pulling her trunk out of the car, she turned back to her parents. "By law, I can only apparate with a license, I don't have one; you can only side apparate one person; and you can't apparate over fifteen kilograms of objects."
Jean nodded. "Because of the nausea?"
"No." Hermione snorted. "Most people vomit the first time they apparate, it's just a side effect."
"Great." John groaned, there were times he really hated magic.
"Come on!" Hermione chirped happily. She couldn't wait to see Andy, perhaps Cissy would even come over.
Nearly bouncing up the side walk, Hermione rapped on the door.
A young witch with bubblegum pink hair opened the door.
"Is Andy here?" Hermione was nearly vibrating with excitement. Here were people who would know who she was, without wanting to kill her.
"Nymphadora, who's at the door?" Andromeda asked as she approached the girls.
A huge smile split Hermione's face when she saw the middle Black sister. "Andy!"
"Mum?" Andy looked down at the younger witch for a moment, before gathering her into a fierce hug.
John exchanged a confused glance with Jean. First, Andy was a woman and second she had called their daughter 'mum'.
"'Mum'?" Nymphadora frowned. "She's younger than I am."
Andy looked over at her daughter. "Nymph, this is Hermione."
Understanding dawned on the metamorphmagus' face.
"We were just about to start dinner." Andy cuddled up to Hermione. "Did you shrink?"
"I hit a growth spurt at fifteen." Hermione muttered.
"Nymph, could you set out three more plates at the table?" Andy asked, smiling brightly at her daughter.
Jean walked into Andromeda's house filled with trepidation.
"You've gotten big." Hermione commented to Nymphadora as they entered the kitchen.
The Metamorphmagus paused. "Excuse me?"
"You were about five the last time I saw you." Hermione eased herself into a chair. "You changed your hair to match Bella's."
Floating the plates to the table, Nymph frowned. "Was this when dad died."
"Yes." Andromeda pursed her lips to hide a smile.
"Are you smiling?" John asked, more like accused.
Andy sighed. "Yes, and by died, we mean sacrificed."
Jean started in her seat, what kind of people did her daughter hang out with? "Sacrificed?"
Hermione hummed. "Don't look so shocked mother."
It slowly dawned on Jean that her daughter had left somethings out when she told them about her year(s).
"How have you two been?" Hermione asked, slipping into the role of mother easily.
"Cissy and I rekindled our relationship after the trials." Andy smiled, she had missed her little sister while they were separated.
Hermione smiled proudly, glad that her daughters weren't estranged.
However, the smile slipped from Andromeda's face. "Bella was sentenced to Azkaban."
"I know." Hermione growled. Her magic swirled around her, sucking the light from the room and causing her hair to crackle. "I plan on getting her out as soon. Even if I have to take Azkaban apart brick by brick."
Nymphadora snorted. "Good luck, I had to do a rotation at Azkaban and it's impenetrable."
Eyes widening in fear, Andy glanced at Hermione. The Dark Queen had punished her followers for such disrespect.
"It's okay Andy." Hermione smiled. "She sees me as a young child." A wisp slowly approached the young auror. "Okay, Auror, what do you see?"
Lifting her wand, Nymphadora cast a few revealing spells. "It's magic manifest."
"Touch it." Hermione smirked, then then laid a comforting hand on Andy's arm when she fidgeted.
Reaching out the metamorphmagus paused. "Is this a test?"
Hermione shook her head. "No."
When Nymphadora's fingers passed through the wisps, it pricked her finger, "Ouch!" She yanked her hand back, looking slightly betrayed.
"What did you feel?" Hermione asked, leaning forward and placing her chin on her steepled fingers.
"Power, so much power." Nymph breathed. "And pain."
Hermione smirked at the accusation. "Sometimes my magic has a mind of its own. It was just being playful, your finger isn't even bleeding. It did bite you, but healed you. It can easily drain a grown man dry."
The Grangers shifted nervously in their chairs as they realized their daughter had killed at least one person.
"It felt playful." Nymphadora murmured as she ran her thumb over her finger. She looked up suddenly. "You killed my father."
"Yes."
"Why?" Nymphadora asked.
"Because I could." Hermione shrugged. "Because your mother needed an alibi, we did beat her up pretty good though. Your father had information we needed and he wasn't going to give it up without a fight."
Nodding, Nymph bit her lip shyly. "Can you teach me that magic?"
Hermione leaned back in her chair. "It's a side effect of multiple, complex rituals – most involving blood magic."
"That's blood magic?" Nymph's eyes widened glee, she was always wanted to learn that branch of magic.
"Yes, poppet." Andy giggled. "Why do you think it took some of your blood, mum can recognize your magical aura now."
"Will you teach me, mum?" Nymphadora asked Hermione.
Hermione's eyes shined with happiness. "I will try, but it is very difficult and not every can learn it."
Sharing a fearful look, the Grangers wondered what exactly happened to their little girl.
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A/N: I'm back! :):)
