Hermione was sat on the carpet,playing with a toy horse.She put it on the sofa and pushed it off,watching as it flew around her.It was so exciting-she could make things move!Over the past week,she had been experimenting with bigger and bigger things.First,a grape then a pen,a block and now a toy horse!She was just like Matilda!Her mummy had been reading her that story to her.Maybe I'm a witch she thought.Witches and wizards were the people who were in charge. You had to bow to them and do everything they said.I could boss all the mean girls at school around she realised.
In the next room,her mummy and daddy were arguing.
"We have to report her soon.Her magic's getting stronger-they'll detect it.We'll get punished if we don't!You know the rules Stuart!"Mummy said in a loud whisper
"I'm not reporting my daughter!You know what they'll do.They'll take her away and we'll never see her again!"Daddy argued
"They'll discover soon anyways.They can trace magic.Then we'll be tortured for not telling them."Mummy argued back
"Fine,we'll report her.Then we'll never see her again!"Daddy said and walked off into the study.Mummy sighed and came over to Hermione. "I think it's time for bed now darling,"She said and picked up Hermione "We'll read some more Matilda,eh?"
"What were you and Daddy talking about?" Hermione asked.Mummy stiffened slightly then smiled. "Oh,nothing much.We were just making a joke.A joke you're too young to understand."She explained in a breezy voice as she carried her up the stairs.
"Daddy didn't like the joke."She commented
"No,he didn't.But don't worry about it,"Mummy put her on the floor. "Now go brush your teeth."
Hermione did so then Mummy tucked her into bed.She read a bit of Matilda to her-the bit where she goes to Miss Honey's house.
"We're going to have a special trip tomorrow.We're going to London.We'll go get sweeties and visit the zoo! Then we have to go somewhere special." Mummy told her and kissed her forehead.She turned off the lights and shut the door.
The day was so much fun!Hermione got a giant lollipop and saw tigers at the zoo!The unicorns were very pretty too.Afterwards,her parents took her to a tall glass building.They went through the door and into a bright reception.
"Muggle Contacting Centre,how can I help?"A woman asked from behind a desk.
"My name is Mary Granger and my husband is Stuart Granger.We think our daughter,Hermione,is magical."Mummy said.
"Can you lift this pen?"The woman asked Hermione and held up a pen.Hermione concentrated hard and the pen lifted in the air.
"Well done," The woman said and picked up the phone. "Hello sir.We have a Muggleborn witch here with her parents.Her name is Hermione Granger.Please send someone down to deal with it."She paused and asked Hermione her age "5"Hermione said
"Yeah,she's 5.She was able to levitate a pen.Yes,okay."She asked Hermione for her birthday and then told the person on the phone.She finished the phone call. "Sit down for a moment, Hermione."
Hermione sat down on one of the soft sofas.Her parents stayed standing. "Come sit down Mummy and Daddy!We've been walking for ages!"She told them
"They're not allowed.They're Muggles,you are a witch."The receptionist said.
"But you're sat down and you're a Muggle,aren't you?"Hermione asked.Wizards and Witches were very easy to distinguish from muggles.It was in the way they walked and the way they talked in their smooth,high-pitched voices.Plus they wore robes and the woman was wearing a blue shirt and a skirt.
"I am.But I work here."The woman said.Just then,three men came through a door.Two were in red robes and the other was wearing blue robes.
The man in the blue robes smiled at her. He was quite young with brown hair and warm eyes."Hermione,I assume,come with me," He said.She clung to her mummy. "Your parents will be fine.Now please come with me"
She reluctantly let go and followed him.As they walked off she saw the men in red robes take her mummy and daddy down another corridor.They went up an elevator and through a corridor into a large room.There was a sofa,lots of toys in a box and a chair.The man sat down in the chair and gestured for Hermione to sit on the sofa.She sat down. "Who are you? Why do you want to talk to me?"She asked
"I'm Castor Avery.And I want to talk to you because you are a Witch.You will need to be looked after properly,by a magical family,not by some filthy muggles."He explained
"My parents aren't filthy!"She shot back
"Yes they are.They're Muggles,they're beneath us.We have been blessed with magic.We are important and powerful-Muggles are weak and foolish.And they're not your parents anymore.You have a new family.They'll be coming now."He said
"I want my real parents!Not strangers!"Hermione shouted and began to cry.
Castor hugged her."It's okay.It's safer this way.If you stayed with the Muggles,then they might hurt you when you did magic."
She shook her head. "My parents would never do that."
"They might.Muggles are foul,lunatic creatures"
"What does lunatic mean?Is it to do with the moon?"Hermione asked
"No,it means that you are crazy.That was very clever of you though,knowing that luna means moon."Castor praised
"My daddy told me.And my parents aren't crazy."Hermione retorted
"They may not seem it,but all muggles are crazy deep down.Do you know about the witch burnings?They burned witches-some as young as 14!They called them wicked names and locked them up before tying them to a stake and burning them!"
"That's horrible!" Hermione said
"Yes,it is.That's why wizards and witches are in charge-because muggles might hurt us.And maybe your parents might not hurt you but someone else might.We're just trying to help."He said.He noticed that Hermione looked a little scared
"Don't worry.You won't get burned.The muggles don't do that anymore.But they might,if we didn't control them.There's nothing to worry about though."He reassured her
"So who will my new parents be?"She said
"They are called James and Lily Potter.They are the Duke and Duchess of the House of Potter.They have a son your age called Harry and a daughter called Clara who is 2 and a half.They'll be here in about an hour.For now,you can play with some toys."He said
"What about my muggle parents?Can I speak to them?"She asked.Castor stopped smiling and frowned.
"I already told you,Hermione,they are not your parents.They are filthy muggles who are beneath you!"Castor shouted.Hermione began to cry again
"I know some muggles are mean but my parents are nice.They wouldn't hurt me!"She sobbed "Please let me stay with them!Why can't I have muggle parents and magic parents?Please!I want my Mummy and Daddy!"She screamed and a toy car flew in the air,hitting him in the face.Castor looked furious now,all hints of kindness gone from his face.
He slapped her in the face and she began to cry more. "Listen to me,"He growled "I have been very sympathetic and kind up until now but if this is what it takes to get it into your head,then so be it.Your name is Hermione Potter.Your parents are James and Lily Potter."
"No!My parents are Mary and Stuart Granger!My name is Hermione Granger!"She shouted.
"That is not your name and they are not your parents!"He took out his wand "Crucio!"
Immense pain burned through Hermione's body.Every part of her was in agony.
"Your parents are James and Lily Potter! Your name is Hermione Isadora Potter!"Castor told her.The pain was too much and her vision blurred.Then suddenly it stopped and Castor spoke "What is your name?Who are your parents?"
"Her-Hermione Granger.My parents are Mary and Stuart."She sobbed and snivelled.The pain started again and seemed to last longer.It stopped again and Castor repeated the questions.Hermione knew what he wanted her to say "My name is Hermione Isa-Isadora Po-Potter and my parents are James and Li-Lily Potter."She said softly.
"Hmm.I'm not convinced.Crucio!"Castor said and the pain began again.It was shorter but not less painful.After he had stopped it,Castor asked again.She answered correctly and Castor smiled. "Play with the toys until your parents come to pick you up."He ordered
Her parents came soon.The woman-her Mummy-had deep red hair and grey-green eyes.She was carrying a girl with reddy-brown hair and the same eyes-My sister Clara Hermione realised.The man-Daddy-had messy black hair and hazel eyes and next to him was a boy who looked just the same but with green eyes.This was Harry,Hermione guessed
"Good afternoon.Thank you for taking Hermione into your care.We'll just give her the potion then you can take her home."Castor said,his voice calm and polite-not like when he was screaming at Hermione.
"What potion?"Hermione asked
"The blood adoption potion.It will make you a part of the Potter Family,"Castor explained
"I'll just need a strand of Hermione's hair and a bit of blood from both of you."He said to Lily and James-no,Mummy and Daddy as two women brought in a stand with a pot on top.In the pot was a dark blue liquid.They each used a sharp needle to take the blood from Mummy and Daddy.They also pulled a bit of Hermione's hair out.It was all mixed into the pot then the liquid was poured into a cup.
"Drink this."One of the witches handed the cup to Hermione.It didn't smell nice but she drank it,remembering the pain from earlier and not wanting it to be repeated.It tasted awful,like brussel sprouts,marmite and mushrooms combined.
"The potion will take effect during the night."The other witch said to Mummy and Daddy.
"You're free to go now."Castor said.
Mummy took her hand and they walked out of the room.They took the elevator back down to the reception.They turned a corner and went into a room with an ornate fireplace.There were tall green flames in the fireplace and a large pot of green glittery powder. "This is a Floo Fireplace.Just take some of the powder,step into the fire,throw the powder down and shout Blackbriar Station" Daddy explained.Hermione was terrified suddenly.Castor had said that Muggles burned witches and wizards-maybe they were Muggles who were going to burn her with the flames.
Daddy took a handful of the powder then stepped into the flames and threw it down as he shouted "Blackbriar Station."But instead of burning,he disappeared.Harry went next and he too disappeared. "You go next."Mummy said and shoved her towards the fire.Hermione decided that if they hadn't burnt,then she wouldn't either.She took a handful of the powder then closed her eyes and stepped into the fire.She dropped the powder into the fire and shouted "Blackbriar Station."She felt like she was falling for a moment then her feet touched solid ground.She was in another fireplace which she stepped out of.She was in a dimly-lit room with a tiled floor and a row of fireplaces behind her.She saw Daddy and Harry by the stairs and went over to them.
"My everything hurts.The man used a spell to make me hurt and everything still hurts."She told her daddy.He frowned.
"What spell did he use?"He asked
"I can't remember.It started with Cru,I remember."She replied
"Crucio?"He said
"Yes,that was it"She said and Daddy frowned further. "Castor should know better than to use that spell on a child."He muttered.He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"We'll give you a potion to help the pain when we get home."He told her
"Okay.Where are we,by the way?"She asked
"We're in a Floo station!"Harry piped up "They're how you travel everywhere.This place used to be called a Tube station and they had underground trains in them."He explained
Mummy and Clara approached them.
"Right,let's go then."Daddy said and they walked up the stairs onto a road with grand red-brick houses.They walked down the road and stopped in front of one of them.
They walked up the stairs and into a huge entrance hall. "Welcome to Phillimere House" Mummy said