Dear Hermione,

Have you heard from Harry? He hasn't been replying to any of my owls and my father believes we need to organise our meeting with Madam Bones as soon as possible. I've sent him half a dozen letters in the past fortnight and haven't received anything at all in reply. I don't suppose you've got a muggle method of contacting him? Perhaps he can't let Hedwig out around muggles?

The summer has been good otherwise; I've been flooing over to Neville Longbottom's house to practice joining our magic, like you taught us. His Grandmother is terrifying, and although she really approves of the magic that you're teaching us, I'm sure she hates me. Yesterday, Neville managed to use our combined magic to make a witchlight, but I find it very difficult to make his magic do anything and then to stop it once it starts.

Father says that I should invite you to the Summer Ball. It's hosted by the Parkinsons on August 10th, and you'd be welcome to stay with us until school.

Can't wait to see you,

Theo.

Hey, Hermione.

Have you heard from Harry? He's been ignoring my letters all summer and Dad said he got a caution for using magic at home. If he doesn't reply by Friday, we're going to go and rescue him.

Ron.

To The Lady Hermione, High Priestess of Gorlois and Ward of House Grindelwald.

It was a dream come true to hear that a young witch had appeared at the Malfoy's Yule Ball in one of my dresses, particularly one so distinctive. I had almost started to believe that you would not arrive in my lifetime.

In October last year, Gellert made contact through the bond that we still share and despite all that had passed between us since our childhood, I managed to arrange a visit in June. He took me into the family, and named me as Locum Matriarch so that someone might stand as your magical guardian in this time.

Perhaps I could take you to lunch in Diagon Alley and we could discuss the affairs of the family and your future.

With love,

Lady Anneken Krum, Matriarch of House Lintzen, Ward of House Grindelwald.

Hermione smoothed her robes and patted her hair down, checking her reflection in the wing mirror before letting her father kiss her goodbye through the window. Her mother reminded her to write often and study hard, reaching across her father's lap to pat her hand. Then, with one last goodbye, they drove away. Hermione watched the silver sedan disappear around the corner, waving until Tom coughed meaningfully. Then she turned and followed him into the Leaky Cauldron.

Her trunks were shrunk with a tap of Tom's wand, and the barman pulled out a little draw in an apothecary cabinet to store it. She gave him five little bronze knuts, and in exchange he handed her an enamel disk with a large gold fourteen on the front.

'Hermione?' A voice said from behind, and the young witch spun.

'Anneken!' She exclaimed.

Anneken looked stunning. She looked much younger than her age - gentle wrinkles creased her eyes and the corners of her mouth but her skin seemed to glow with health. Her hair had turned into a pale silver and was clasped behind her head before flowing down the back of her light summer robe. Otherwise, little had changed; her neckline plunged only a little less but the lacy shoulders still covered very little and made the dark, runic wolf that had been tattooed over her shoulder very eye catching.

A moment later, Anneken's arms were wrapped tightly around her.

'Oh, Hermione darling. I have missed you so much.' The older witch murmured into her ear, then she pulled away quickly. 'But of course, you must have seen me much more recently. I shan't guess, in case I give something away.'

'Shall we go into the alley?' Hermione asked after a moment. She felt very awkward and had no idea what to say but thankfully Anneken was an even more accomplished socialite than she had been in the 1800's and she seemed to have enough to talk about for both of them.

'Certainly, I have a booking at The Dragonet. It's a bit of a walk but it does the only good lunch in Wizarding England!' Anneken led the way out into the alley and tapped her wand against the correct brick.

The alley was much quieter than the last time Hermione had visited; most of Hermione's peers were still enjoying their holidays as it would be a week or so before their school lists arrived. Whilst some shops seemed quieter, others such as the apothecary and Madam Primpernelle's seemed far busier.

'You made an excellent impression at the Malfoy's Ball by the way. You got a whole page in Witch Weekly's Yule edition - did you see it? No? I probably have a copy, I'll owl it to you. Anyway, they were very impressed with your dress of course and you arrived with both The-Boy-Who-

Lived and the Nott family. You were the talk of society for weeks. Will you be attending the Summer Ball? Excellent, I'll sketch some designs for your dress over lunch.'

They reached Horizont Ally, where Anneken led her into a restaurant. It was predictably posh and a bowing waiter - and seriously, the muggle who thought up the penguin suit had never seen these wizard's dress robes - led them to their table. The entire room had been enchanted to look like it was outside - warm sunlight streamed through the leaves that knotted through the trellis above their heads and an artificial breeze blew thick perfume from the purple wisteria flowers that hung in luscious bunches. The tables were covered in gauzy white table cloths and the menus were printed on thick, creamy card.

Pansy Parkinson was already seated with a gaggle of witches at one of the larger tables and she looked bored to tears as she picked at her salmon. One of the witches glanced up at their entrance and her eyes widened when she saw Anneken.

'Lady Krum!' The witch waved and every eye swivelled to look at them.

'Lady Wimborne.' Anneken replied cooly. Hermione bit her lip to hide her amusement. It was evident that Anneken was just as much a society doyenne as ever, but she clearly disliked all the witches at the table.

'Oh, it's such a pleasure to see you in England over summer.' Pansy Parkinson's mother tittered.

'That's a lovely dress you're wearing today, the colour makes your skin look fabulous. Is it one of yours?' Lady Wimborne tittered.

'I rarely wear dresses designed by others, Lady Wimborne.' Anneken replied condescendingly, completely ignoring Madam Parkinson.

'Your dresses are spectacular. Perhaps you could come up with something for me - I'll be hosting the Summer Ball this year, you know?' Madam Parkinson said pointedly, fluttering her artificially long lashes. Anneken's countenance grew even colder.

'Unfortunately I'm a little busy at the moment. Hermione needs her own dress for Summer, and I certainly cannot let her attend school this year with the awful sacks that Twilfit and Tattings make.' Anneken laughed lightly and every eye flicked down to Hermione, noticing her for the first time.

Pansy's expression twisted unpleasantly and Hermione smiled innocently at her.

'Oh, is this the Grindelwald girl?' Lady Wimborne peered down at her as if she was a specimen in a lab.

'Gorlois.' Anneken corrected sharply as Hermione nodded in greeting. She outranked every woman here, and therefore had no need to show deference.

'Oh, Pansy, she's in your class isn't she? Perhaps you two can get ice creams whilst we talk to Lady Krum.' Madam Parkinson pulled a pouch of galleons from her snakeskin purse and jingled them winningly towards her daughter.

'Pardon, but Hermione and I have a lot to catch up on. Perhaps she can get ice cream with Pansy another time?' Anneken cut in, resting her elegant hand on Hermione's shoulder. 'Now, we really must be going or I'll miss my portkey back to Germany.'

Anneken swept them away from the table and the waiter, who had been hovering in the background whilst the witches were talking, took them behind a trellis of climbing blue roses to their own table. Both witches sat gracefully and Hermione glanced at the menu. The waiter arrived a moment later with crusty bread and they both ordered. Then, just before the waiter left, Anneken asked for some flowers. The waiter nodded, and a moment later he returned with a jug of water, two crystal glasses and a delicate vase with a single iris. As soon as the vase touched the table, a gentle wash of magic flowed over them and the sounds of the women's tea party muted. The waiter bowed and left.

'Excellent. Now none of those bats can overhear.' Anneken sighed in relief. 'Every ball, at least one of Wimborne's little posse pressure me for a dress - I'd never design for any of them of course, I don't like their type.'

'Their attitude?' Hermione confirmed, glancing over at Pansy. She was obscured by a particularly large bunch of wisteria, but Hermione could see that her elbow was propped on the table in a display of ill-manners.

'Yes, their attitude. No magical aptitude, no intelligence and no ambition beyond marriage but a conviction in their own false superiority just because they have a membership of some meaningless "society".' Anneken wrinkled her nose, somehow managing to still look sophisticated whilst she did. Then she reached into her purse and pulled out a pad of paper that logically shouldn't have fitted in there, along with a quill and pot of colour changing ink. 'Now, you on the other hand... even if we hadn't grown up together, I would still design gowns for you. Let's see, white this time - it's summer and everyone will be wearing pastels, so that shouldn't be too incongruous and it will show off that lovely tan from Hexemeer. We will trim it with red though, how about some embroidery like this around the hem, and I can put some little garnets in for some glitter...'

Hermione leaned over, watching as Anneken sketched out the design in bold, confident lines. The older witch had been a formidable designer in the 1800's, but she was even better now and Hermione was certain that the dress would look stunning even if she had no real clue what the difference between a boat neckline and an off-the-shoulder neckline.

'Wonderful, I'll have it delivered to you tomorrow.' Anneken finally finished, flipping the book shut and tucking it away. 'Now, on to more serious matters. I met with Gellert a couple of weeks ago, and he asked me to take on the role of Locum Matriarch. He believes that you need someone to stand against Dumbledore.'

'He isn't wrong. Professor Dumbledore hates Slytherins.' Hermione replied bitterly.

'Dumbledore also currently holds the Grindelwald seal.' Anneken said grimly and Hermione's face twisted in horror.

'So its true! There were rumours, but nobody knew for certain. I assume he kept it instead of destroying it when Gellert surrendered?'

'So it would seem.'

'We think he has Harry's - Harry Potter, that is - seal as well, but we won't know for sure until we can organise a meeting with Sirius Black.'

'Albus Dumbledore has never had any respect for the old ways. He wouldn't have respected the rules around a family ring if it meant giving up power.' Anneken sneered. 'Never-the-less, he does not have the Heir's ring, which is apparently safely in your family holdings in Scotland. If we can get that, you can petition the ministry for the Head's ring. I also need you to take me to the Grindelwald's family centre to complete the adoption ritual. Perhaps we could do both of these over the Christmas holidays?'

Hermione nodded quickly.

'Are the portals still intact?' She asked curiously.

'In Germany, yes. Although most people apparate now.'

'Even though it destabilises the magical core?' The young witch exclaimed incredulously.

'It's very rare that anyone uses wandless magic enough for that to matter these days. You repaired the one at Blau Berg, and you repaired the one in Orkney but I imagine most of the others in Britain are still too worn to work.'

'I bet there's one in Hogsmede somewhere, and Lord Nott believes that there was once one near his manor as well.'

'It would be convenient if you could repair more of them.' Admitted Anneken. 'Now, tell me what you've been up to and don't leave out any details. There's nothing to hide anymore.'

And so she did.