Chapter 34: Letters Again

Dear Ron,

Guess what? My parents are taking me to France this summer! I'm so excited; I'm going to get to see so many historical wizarding sites! Mum and Dad will probably want to do some of the Muggle attractions too, and I'm sure those will be just as educational. I'm going to call Harry on the phone tomorrow to tell him.

Also, there's one thing I forgot to mention before I left King's Cross. Don't leave your homework until the last minute again this summer. You're going to regret it if you do! I know I helped you with your school work last year even though I said I wouldn't, but this time I'm serious. If you're going to learn, you need to write your own essays.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Love from, Hermione

I wrote the letter as soon as I arrived home but couldn't mail it right away because it was already past closing time for the post office. Instead, I left it on my desk to be taken care of first thing in the morning and headed downstairs to join my parents for dinner.

"So, Hermione," Dad began once we'd loaded our plates and had started eating. "About your school situation – "

"I'm not leaving Hogwarts," I insisted obstinately. "You can't force me to leave."

"Hermione, we're not trying to force you to do anything," Mum insisted. "We're just worried about your safety."

"Look at me!" I insisted, suddenly glad that Mum and Dad didn't know the whole story of what had happened at Hogwarts this past year. "I'm fine. So, I was petrified for a couple of months, so what?"

"Well in her letter, Professor McGonagall mentioned something about a monster?" Mum frowned.

"Yes, we're just not sure you should be boarding at a school that has a monster creeping around the halls," Dad agreed. "When we found out about this school, we didn't think it would be so dangerous."

"But it's not dangerous anymore!" I cried. "The monster is gone."

"What if there are more, honey?" Mum asked. "I'm not sure we should take that risk."

I shook my head. They weren't understanding. They were afraid of magic, and so they were convinced that the school itself was a threat. They couldn't see that with the basilisk dead, the threat was gone.

"We just want you to consider the Academy as an option," Dad said gently. "We've already been in contact with them, and they're willing to meet with you to discuss options – "

"I won't go!" I cried. "I'll fail the interview on purpose. I'm telling you; I want to stay at Hogwarts!"

"Now Hermione," Mum said very sternly. "While we don't want it to come to this, you must realize that in the end, your father and I have the final say in this. You're only thirteen years old. You don't get to make these decisions on your own."

I shook my head frantically. They couldn't do this to me. They couldn't force me to go to muggle school. They couldn't make me leave the first place where I'd felt truly myself.

Unable to sit at the table with them anymore, I pushed my chair back, my dinner barely touched, and ran upstairs.

To Professor McGonagall,

I'm sorry to bother you over the summer, but I have an urgent issue that I may require your assistance in resolving.

My parents are very concerned about the safety of Hogwarts after the letters you sent them regarding my being petrified. They don't seem to understand that the danger has passed and seem to have decided that they want to pull me out of Hogwarts and send me to a muggle school, where they think I'll be safer.

I know that Hogwarts is not mandatory. Parents have always been allowed to choose whether to send their children to Hogwarts, or to another wizarding school aboard, or even to school them from home. However, I feel that my situation would fall under the category of a special circumstance.

My parents are muggles. They don't understand magic and they don't understand why it's important that I, as a witch, am allowed to continue my magical education. While parents usually get the final say in the nature of their children's education, should I not also have the right to a magical education if that's what I want?

Your swift reply would be most appreciated, as my parents are already making plans to transfer me to a muggle school next year.

Again, I'm sorry to have bothered you, but I didn't know who else to ask this.

Sincerely,

Hermione Granger

After composing this second letter, I set it with the first and got started unpacking for the summer. I refused to leave my room. I didn't want to see or talk to my parents at the moment, knowing it would only lead to more arguments.

Later that evening, I could hear my parents outside my door, debating whether they should check on me or not. In the end, they elected to let me sleep on things, hoping that I would be more amenable to their plans after a good night's rest.

The next morning, I slept in so as to avoid having to see either of them, then hurried down to the post office as soon as they'd left for work. Then, I spent the rest of the day waiting with bated breath for a response from Professor McGonagall.

I spent most of the day staring out my bedroom window, and when I finally caught sight of an owl approaching in the late afternoon, I felt my spirits soar. However, as it flew closer, I realized it was just Errol, and I found myself a little disappointed.

Still eager to hear from Ron, I opened the window and let the old owl in, untying the letter from its leg and unrolling it.

Hermione,

You can stop your nagging; I'm going to do my homework. There's just no point wasting the summer doing it when I can spend a perfectly good train ride back to Hogwarts copying Harry's essays.

I tried to call Harry, but it didn't go very well. His uncle answered and I'm not sure if he could hear me – I had to scream into the thing-a-ma-jig and he still didn't understand what I was saying. Then he yelled at me and told me not to call again. I wouldn't suggest trying to call him because his uncle will probably just get madder and take it out on Harry. You should probably just write him a letter.

I'm really glad you get to go to France. Mum's always talked about going with Dad someday, for a second honeymoon or something, but I don't think they're ever going to go. We couldn't afford something like that anyway.

Ron

I sighed. As I prepared to pen a response, I tried to decide whether to tell Ron about the new developments but decided against it. If Professor McGonagall and I were successful, there was no reason Ron or Harry ever needed to know that I almost didn't return to Hogwarts.

Dear Ron,

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR HOMEWORK FOR THE TRAIN! It seems like a good idea now, but when you're actually on the train you're not going to do it. Besides, remember last year? You didn't even get onto the train. And when I see Harry, I am going to give him strict instructions not to let you copy him. You should take his example. He did all his work last summer and the work was actually better than the work he does during school.

I've been thinking about contacting Harry, and I don't think I should. If his uncle's already mad at him from your call, another call would certainly set him off. Also, remember how last summer he had Hedwig locked up? If we try sending Harry letters, he'll probably just get in more trouble.

I'm so excited for France! I'll be returning just in time for school, so I'll probably go to Diagon Alley in the last week of holidays. Maybe we could meet up there?

Let me know,

Love, Hermione

It was a while before I heard back from Professor McGonagall. I avoided my parents as much as possible during that time, as I didn't see any point in arguing until I had more information to back my side of the argument.

My parents tried bringing the topic up a few times, but I deflected it, instead asking questions about our upcoming trip to France. I also spent a great deal of time in my room alone, working on my summer homework. Since I had every intention of returning to Hogwarts in the fall, I had to make sure I completed it all at the same high level my professors had all come to expect of me.

Finally, after waiting what seemed like eons, Professor McGonagall sent her reply.

Hermione,

While I sympathize with your situation, I'm afraid there is no law that forces muggle parents to send their muggle-born children to Hogwarts. If your parents want you to attend a muggle school, they are allowed to make that decision.

However, you are also correct in saying that you have a right to a magical education. Every witch and wizard are entitled to the most basic level of magical education and also have the right to write their Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations, regardless of their circumstance.

Unfortunately, this does not mean that I can force your parents to let you continue to attend Hogwarts. If they feel that your safety is at risk, they have every right to keep you at home, and even to enroll you in a muggle school.

If this is the path that they choose, it would be your right to request that they also provide you with a magical tutor. The Ministry of Magic has an assemblage of tutors that they employ, and I would be more than happy to put you in contact with the individual in charge of the program. The tutor would visit you in your home a few times a week and provide you with the education that you would need to be comfortable writing your O.W.L.s in three years' time.

I'm sorry if this isn't the news you wanted to hear. Feel free to owl me if you have any more questions or concerns.

Regards,

Professor Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

At first, all I wanted to do was to rip the letter to shreds. I'd been hoping that Professor McGonagall would be planning some sort of magical intervention for my parents. I'd been hoping that she would tell me that I had every right to return to Hogwarts if I wanted to, and that even my parents couldn't stop me. Instead, she'd confirmed my worst fear. That my parents could, if they chose, pull me out of Hogwarts and force me to attend the Academy, or some other muggle school.

If Professor McGonagall thought that the prospect of a tutor would brighten my spirits, she was wrong. My biggest problem right now wasn't that my parents wanted to deprive me of a magical education, it was that they wanted to deprive me of the place where I'd finally started to feel like I belonged. Hogwarts was the first school I'd ever had real friends. I wouldn't find friends like Harry and Ron at the Academy. And a tutor coming to my house a few times a week wouldn't make up for everything I'd be missing at Hogwarts.

But as I continued to think about it, I realized I could use this to my advantage. Mum and Dad were terrified of magic. While my reasons for wanting to remain at Hogwarts weren't necessarily directly tied to magic, my parents' reasons for wanting to remove me were. They thought magic was bad and wanted to cut it out of my life.

But they didn't have that right.

And maybe, just maybe, if I made my case well enough, I could make them see that it was in their best interest to let me stay at Hogwarts.

Hermione,

Don't worry. It seems Mum's thinking along the same lines as you. She's revoked flying privileges until I finish all my work as I haven't even started yet, so I guess I'm going to have to do it. And of course, Harry's summer work is better than his work at school. What else is he going to do in the summer? If he wasn't living with those horrible Muggles, there's no way he would do his work.

You're probably right about not sending Harry letters, but his birthday's coming up and I'm going to send him a letter then. It wouldn't be right for him to be completely alone on his birthday.

Also, did you see the article in the Prophet? Dad won the Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw! We're going to go to Egypt to visit Bill. I've included a clipping of the paper in case you didn't see it. I'm so excited!

We'll also be returning just before school, so we'll probably be in Diagon Alley around the same time as you. Hopefully we can meet up, maybe even Harry could come.

Ron

Excited for Ron and his family, and also feeling badly for leaving Harry in relative silence all summer, I penned a quick response to Ron.

Dear Ron,

Congratulations on winning the draw! I'm so happy for you and your family; you're going to have a great time in Egypt. I hear there are so many historical wizarding sites to visit there. I actually did know before you sent the article, I've been getting the Daily Prophet delivered. I enjoy keeping up with the wizarding world during the summer.

I'm glad your Mum took the initiative to make you do your work. Imagine if you'd left it for the end of the summer and you'd had to do it while on holiday in Egypt?! I've finished mine, of course, as I'm about to leave for France. I don't want to be burdened with work while I'm on holiday.

I do want to send Harry something for his birthday, but I don't know how. Do you think I could borrow Errol for the trip? Would he be able to handle a trip like that? My parcel is quite big.

Hope to see you in London,

Hermione

As I finished my letter, I heard the door slam, indicating that Mum and Dad were home from work, and with a deep breath, stepped out of my room, ready for the discussion I'd been avoiding all summer.

As I'd indicated to Ron, we were scheduled to leave for France soon. Things had been strained all summer. After Professor McGonagall's letter, I'd spent most of the time I wasn't doing homework planning my case to my parents. I needed it to be perfect, as I was likely only going to get one chance at it.

I wanted to have everything sorted before we went on holiday. I intended to enjoy our trip to France as best I could, and in order to do that, we had to have this sorted. So, I nervously descended to the main level, walked up to my parents, and said, "I think we should talk."