'As far as Harry could tell from the vague hints in their letters, Hermione and Ron were in the same place'
16th July 1995
The car rolled to a halt outside the square of green that had now burnt in the summer heat to a dull brown. The street was quiet but a few small children rolling about in the park, screaming and laughing. The red hair of any Weasley's was nowhere to be seen yet. As soon as the car stopped all three Granger's immediately got out, desperate for some air. The car had been stifling and all of their legs had ended up sticking to the upholstery. Hermione fanned herself, trying to lift her thick hair away from her sweaty neck. In the end she sighed irritably and twisted her hair into a giant very messy knot on top of her head, sticking a clip through it to hold it in place. Strands immediately fell down onto her cheeks and she blew them away. She was dressed in denim shorts and an loose fitting tshirt but she was still roasting hot. Her mother was also fanning herself quickly and her father looked irritable as he wiped sweat from his brow.
"My god this is ridiculous!" Her mother muttered, running her hands through her hair "I actually think I'm going to melt!"
Her father grunted in agreement and walked to the boot to fetch Hermione's trunk. Hermione reached into the back for Crookshanks who was mewling in his basket, clearly as uncomfortable with the heat as the rest of them. Yesterday had been warm too but not this unbearable. The Grangers had gone down to the river than ran past their town and taken a picnic before whiling away the hours playing cards. Hermione's father seemed completely normal since the day of Hermione's request to leave her parents house early but her mother still seemed annoyed, she wasn't as chatty and Hermione kept catching her mother looking at her shrewdly.
The time ticked past two o'clock and no one else had made an appearance on the street. Hermione was watching the two children in the park with a kind of detached interest. It was a girl and boy who were around nine years old, they were chasing each other around, throwing handfuls of grass at one another then dissolving into play fighting and tickling before one jumped up and began to run off again. They looked so happy and wrapped in their own world Hermione actually felt a little envious of them – what did they know of You-Know-Who's return or of the ministry burying their heads in the sand?
"They're late," Mrs Granger said, glancing at her watch.
Hermione sighed "Well Ron's not exactly known for his timekeeping skills"
Her mother made a noise in the back of her throat and stayed silent and Hermione didn't push it. This was the last time she would see her mother for at least the next few months and she didn't want to cause an argument, yesterday it had felt like one might bubble over at any moment.
Finally at twenty minutes past her father pointed towards the other side of the square.
"There they are!" he said, raising a hand to signal them over.
Hermione watched as the red headed figures of Ron, Ginny and Mrs Weasley appeared. Ginny barrelled over when she got the corner of the road, almost tackling Hermione to the ground with the force of her hug. Hermione laughed and hugged her back. They broke off as Ron and Mrs Weasley arrived.
"Alright?" Ron said, giving her a brief hug.
Mrs Weasley then stepped forward, looking all around them nervously. "Hello dear," she said, embracing her tightly before turning to her parents to greet them.
Once the greetings were finished an awkward silence lapsed over the group. Finally her father cleared his throat.
"So are you absolutely sure you can have Hermione for this long?" He asked Mrs Weasley "It seems like it could be huge inconvenience for you for six weeks, especially if it's not a house your … well I don't know if it your house Hermione hasn't explained …" he trailed off.
"Well she wouldn't have been able to explain properly," Mrs Weasley said, glancing at Hermione as if unsure how much to say to them. She was still shooting furtive glances up and down the street. "It's been difficult to … put things in writing. But it's absolutely not an inconvenience. The house isn't ours, it's a … well it's a friends and there'll be a lot of us there."
This clearly did not clarify thing for her parents at all as her mother now looked even more confused. It didn't explain a lot to Hermione either.
"Hermione said she would be helping with something?" her mother asked, still looking confused "Something to do with Professor Dumbledore…?"
Mrs Weasley nodded quickly, glancing at Hermione again as if for confirmation "Oh yes Hermione will be helping us tremendously. All the children are pitching in with … the task and Professor Dumbledore has said Hermione is … encouraged to join."
Her parents looked a little more relieved at these words. Although her mother continued;
"And it's not dangerous is it, whatever she'll be doing. Hermione told us about that man, what did you call him Hermione just 'You-Know'Who?'" Hermione nodded at her mother "anyway him coming back or something. That sounds like something that children definitely shouldn't be involved in"
"Oh no they absolutely won't be!" Mrs Weasley said immediately and Hermione watched her shrewdly, wondering if what she was saying now was the truth or not. She lowered her voice considerably to say "I won't lie to you, Arthur and I are involved in a group that is firmly against that man but the children have nothing to do with it. Dumbledore wants to keep them safe more than anything."
A flash of confusion hit her fathers face "Are you saying Hermione isn't safe at the moment?"
Mrs Wealsey faltered slightly and Hermione felt guilty that she was having to fend off these questions from her parents.
"No no no she's perfectly safe!" She said, her eyes wide "It's just that she's friend with Harry so Dumbledore is keeping an eye on her, and Ron and all of mine!"
Her parents nodded slowly, not looking completely satisfied but they seemed to have run out of questions. Ron and Ginny had stayed silent throughout this entire exchange and had been looking back and forth from Mrs Weasley to the Grangers as if watching a tennis match. Hermione turned back towards her parents and gave a weak smile.
"I guess I'll say goodbye then," she said quietly.
"Goodbye love," her father said, pulling her in for a hug and kissing the top of her head.
"We'll see you at Christmas dear, okay," her mother said firmly to Hermione.
Hermione faltered slightly "Mum, I don't know what my plans are yet so…"
"No, you'll be coming home for Christmas," Mrs Granger said firmly, then she attempted a smile that didn't seem to reach her eyes "Although it won't be home. Your father and I have decided…" she glanced at Mr Granger who nodded "well we decided to book a skiing trip for the three of us over your break. Switzerland! So we'll see you in December yes?"
Hermione stared wide eyed at her mother, slightly taken aback they'd made this decision without consulting her. The last time she'd been skiing she hadn't been amazing but it was nice of them to book something for her and it was clear her mother really wanted to spend time with her. "Wow I didn't realise … yes of course I'll … I'll see you at Christmas then!"
And she hugged her mother tightly. At first Mrs Granger was stiff beneath Hermione's arms but after a few seconds she softened into the hug, kissing Hermione's cheek and squeezing her back.
"I love you mum, you know that right?" Hermione whispered.
Mrs Granger sniffed "Of course I do darling, I love you too. So much"
They drew back from each other and Mrs Granger patted Hermione's cheek clumsily.
"Big year this one love. You've got your … what did you say they were called O.W.S's?"
Hermione shook her head "O.W.L's dad."
"Yes those! So work extra hard okay. You'll ace them at the end of the year!"
Hermione hugged him again and stepped away from her parents towards the Weasley's who had been turned away to look at the children playing in the park and having a conversation so as not to interrupt the Granger's goodbyes. Upon seeing that they were done Ginny nudged Ron who frowned at her then followed the direction of her eyes. He seized Hermione's trunk which had been standing next to her and Hermione smiled in thanks and lifted Crookshanks from the ground. The four of them waved goodbye to the Mr and Mrs Granger as they climbed into their car and drove off down the street.
Hermione turned towards Mrs Weasley as the four of them headed down the road "I'm sorry they asked so many questions, thank you for trying to answer them all Mrs Weasley,"
Mrs Weasley gave her a small smile "That's alright dear, it must be difficult for you to know what to tell them,"
Hermione nodded "It's been really difficult, I didn't even know whether to say anything about You-Know-Who but it was so difficult to not talk about anything when they ask me about school and Harry and everything"
Mrs Weasley nodded understandingly.
"So where are we going, what is this place?" Hermione asked, glancing round at Ron and Ginny.
"Wait until we're inside dear and I'll explain everything. We can't talk about it when we're out here on the street," Mrs Weasley answered.
They had walked to the other side of the square and were now heading down a tiny alley in between two of the identical houses. Once on the other side they emerged onto an almost identical looking street, the tall London townhouses were unkempt with peeling paint and a few broken windows. There was nobody about here. The four of them came to a halt and Mrs Weasley pulled a small piece of parchment out of her pocket and passed it to Hermione. On it in a thin slanting handwriting were the words:
The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
Hermione breath caught in her throat. She had read about the Order of the Phoenix in Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. There hadn't been much written about it but she knew it had been a secret society set up to fight You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters during the last war. She looked up at Mrs Weasley, opening her mouth to ask a question.
"Don't say anything at the moment. Have you memorised what's on the paper?"
Hermione closed her mouth and nodded mutely. Mrs Weasley took the parchment from her and after a furtive look all around her, tapped it with her wand, setting it alight. The scraps of ash fell lightly onto the pavement below.
"What…?" Hermione began.
"Just look and think about the words," Mrs Weasley said, nodding towards the houses in front of them.
Hermione looked and as she ran the sentence over in her head a door appeared between numbers eleven and thirteen. As Hermione watched in amazement a house just like those around it began to expand, pushing the two beside it out of the way.
"Let's get inside," Mrs Weasley said, hurrying up the front steps and tapping the door with her wand. There were a series of clicks and scrapes and the door slowly opened. All four of them hurried over the threshold.
"Was that the fidelius charm?" Hermione whispered in amazement as she took in her surroundings. She didn't know why she had whispered but the house had immediately made her feel as if she'd just entered the home of a dying person. She was standing in a gloomy hallway that was covered in faded wallpaper and thick cobwebs. Crooked portraits hung on the walls and the carpet beneath her feet was threadbare and patchy.
Mrs Weasley brought a finger to her lips and motioned for Hermione to follow her down the hallway towards a door at the far end.
"Ron go and put that trunk in Ginny's room please," she whispered and Ron nodded and headed up a dark staircase.
Hermione was starting to feel rather uncomfortable now. This wasn't what she had been expecting and her heart was beating rather quickly in her chest. Mrs Weasley led her down a short flight of steps and through a door into a basement kitchen. Here it was also dark and dingy. The room was large with rough stone walls that seemed to be covered in green fur and blue mould in places, tarnished pots and pans hung from the ceiling and the middle of the room was taken up with a long wooden table with many chairs sat around it. Sitting on two of the chairs were people Hermione recognised immediately.
"Sirius! Professor Lupin!" She said brightly.
"Hello Hermione," Professor Lupin said, standing up to greet her "you know you don't have to call my professor any more."
Hermione smiled and walked further into the room, looking all around her.
"Where are we?" she asked, turning back towards Mrs Weasley who had headed over to the stove to check on a large pot that was standing there "Is this really the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix?"
"It's my parents old … well it's my house now," It was Sirius who answered her question. He looked a lot better than when Hermione had last seen him. His hair was shorter and clean and he looked as if he'd now eaten a few square meals "I offered it to Dumbledore to use as headquarters. You know what The Order of the Phoenix is?"
Hermione hesitated. Ron entered the room just as she began to answer "Sort of. I saw it mentioned in a few of my history books. It's a secret society that was created to help defeat You-Know-Who right?"
Lupin smiled at her "Correct as always Hermione. Dumbledore's re-started the group a couple of weeks ago now we know You-Know-Who is back."
Hermione nodded and accepted the glass of cold pumpkin juice Mrs Weasley was offering her. She went to sit at the table with Ron and Ginny.
"So who's…"
CRACK! She cut off her question as the sound cut through the quiet kitchen and Fred and George appeared from nowhere. Mrs Weasley had shrieked at the noise and Hermione had managed to spill some her juice when she'd jumped in shock.
"Alright Hermione!" They said in unison, coming to sit at the table.
"How many times have I told you not to do that!" Mrs Weasley shouted, glaring at the twins "Just because you've passed your test doesn't mean you've lost the ability to use your legs!"
The twins rolled their eyes and didn't reply. Mrs Weasley bristled but went back to stirring the pot on the stove. Hermione went to continue her question.
"So who's actually in the order?"
"Quite a few people," Lupin said evasively "You'll see people coming and going as you're staying here"
Mrs Weasley had approached the table now "You can't know anything about the Order Hermione, you're too young,"
At this all of her children made noises of annoyance and rolled their eyes.
"That's all we've been hearing for nearly two weeks," George muttered to her.
"And it's all you will be hearing!" Mrs Weasley said fiercely, glaring at the twins "You're still in school, it isn't your business"
Fred muttered something darkly under his breath but didn't push the matter. Hermione swallowed the hundred other questions she'd been wanting to ask.
"But you said I could be helpful," she said, looking towards Ron "In your letters."
"Oh yes I'm sure mum will find a way to make you helpful!" Ginny said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, helpful like a house-elf" Fred agreed, shaking his head.
Hermione frowned at his phrasing and glanced towards Mrs Weasley.
"We're going to be cleaning the house, we started two days ago" She said, shaking her head at her children "It hasn't been lived in for years so really isn't fit for people so we're trying to make it fit for habitation," she glanced at Sirius as she said this but he didn't reply.
"Right," Hermione said, feeling slightly wrong-footed. She thought she'd be able to know a little of what was going on in the house but it sounded like everyone who was still at school was being left completely in the dark.
"And you'll join in, won't you Hermione," Mrs Weasley said, a glint in her eye as she looked at her.
Hermione nodded quickly "Of course!"