A/N: Ooops I've started a new fic hahah! This one should be a lot shorter than AVM and UT I think, but who knows honestly. This came to me one night when I was falling asleep hah.

I don't know when more will be posted because I'm focusing mostly on UT right now, and I want to see what people think of this first chapter :D

With writing this, it's going to follow the trio through their schooling, but I'm not going to be re-writing everything (there's no point hah!), so just assume if a scene isn't included in the fic, it happened the same as it did in the book. We'll go through to the end of the war and then their eighth year at Hogwarts :D

4th November 1981

She looked down at her daughter, only just turned two, curled up in her small bed. She slept like she had no cares in the world. Her heart clenched in her chest as she watched her sleep, her mind whirring with plans.

She was the only thing holding back her emotions, the knowledge that she couldn't let herself go in front of her daughter; the stone holding back a flood. Three of her best friends dead, her godson orphaned, and her husband being locked away - the reason for it all.

Mary watched her for a moment longer, letting the knowledge that the man she had loved above nearly everything else had betrayed his best friend - his brother -, and then killed another of his best friends (and a dozen Muggles in the process) wash over her. She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, allowing herself that weakness, before she left the nursery to start packing. She didn't know what else was going to happen now, but she wasn't letting her daughter be at any more risk (or be associated with her Death Eater father), so they'd go into hiding.

She pulled her long blonde hair up into a utilitarian ponytail and began packing the few precious things she had, something in her not allowing her to get rid of the beautiful engagement and wedding rings she wore. She shoved everything to do with him into one box and shrunk it down, hiding it amongst other things in another box. Soon their whole life was packed away into a series of four shrunken boxes tucked into her handbag.

She took one last look around the house - named The Beeches rather obviously by her husband for the large Beech tree in the front garden. They'd made it theirs for the last few years, and she would miss it. She dashed away her tears, and scooped her still sleeping daughter into her arms. She stepped out of the house, looking back at it with longing, glad that it would always be there under the fidelius she still protected, just in case she ever needed it.

She dropped the letter she'd written to her last remaining friend at the doorstep, casting an impervious charm over it, knowing he'd come looking and find it. With one last look, she apparated herself and her daughter away, disappearing into the darkness.

Dear Remus,

I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I wish I'd known. I still can't believe he did it, but that rage he'd been storing for so long apparently fuelled him in horrific ways.

We're leaving, going into hiding. I don't want Astra to have to grow up with the stigma of being his daughter hanging over her head, and I'm worried about retaliation from his Death Eater friends. I heard about what happened to Ally and Frank, and I can't imagine how Neville's life is going to be without them - and he has Madame Longbottom - so I can't do the same to my little girl.

Don't try to contact me. I've got a friend who'll help me, so please don't worry. We won't be Mary and Astra any more, so you won't be able to find us.

Look after yourself.
We love you.

Mary

19th September 1990

Richard Granger watched his two girls happily. Hermione had just turned eleven, and was joyfully devouring the first in a new series of books they'd gotten her. Helen glanced back at him, and smiled just as happily as their daughter, brushing her thick dark brown curls out of her face irritatedly. "Tea?" He asked jovially, pushing himself up out of his chair.

"Yes, please dad." Hermione said, not even looking up from her book. He chuckled and sent Helen a questioning look. She nodded her head briefly, her gaze drifting back to their daughter like she was expecting something to happen, watching her intently.

He headed out the room, making for the kitchen just as there was a sharp knock at the front door. He frowned, not expecting anyone. "I'll get it, love!" He called as he headed for the door. He pulled it open to a tall woman, with a severe bun dressed in an odd looking emerald green suit.

"Good evening." She said brusquely, her Scottish brogue thick and surprising, "Mr Granger?"

He blinked, "Good evening. Yes. I'm sorry, who are you?"

She held her hand out, "Minerva McGonagall."

He shook automatically, "Richard Granger. How can I help you?"

"It's more about how I can help you. I'm the Deputy Headmistress at a school for special children like your daughter."

He frowned, a little uneasy now, "Special?"

"Indeed. You must have noticed your daughter doing unbelievable things. Moving objects with her mind, the like?"

Richard blinked a couple of times, wondering briefly if the woman in front of him was mad. He ignored the little voice in the back of his mind murmuring that there had been some very odd instances over the years.

"We have, yes." Helen stepped up beside him, and he blinked in surprise, not having noticed that she was listening, "Please, come in."

"Helen-"

"It's fine, Richard." She placated, pushing him out of the doorway so the woman could step in. "Go make that tea. Would you like some?" She offered to the Deputy Headmistress as though they were old friends. She nodded, and Helen led her into the living room with a smile, shooing Richard into the kitchen. "Please, take a seat." Helen held her hand out graciously and gestured to the empty couch. Hermione had put her book down, and was watching with interest, obviously having heard the conversation at the door.

The three sat in a surprisingly comfortable silence whilst they waited for Richard to bring the tea through. He did before long, setting it on the coffee table and pouring everyone cups, then taking a seat.

"I think it would be best if Miss Granger read her invitation letter first, and you all asked any questions that arose from it." The Professor reached into her suit and pulled out a thick envelope, which she passed to Hermione.

Helen watched with eager anticipation, trying to hide it, whilst her daughter opened the envelope and pulled out her Hogwarts letter. She could see the confusion on Richard's face, and did her best to school her own expression.

"Well, what does it say, love?" She asked, holding her hand out to read the letter once Hermione was finished, eyes as wide as saucers. Hermione happily handed the letter over to her mother, who read it through, doing her best to appear shocked at the contents. "Magic?" She exclaimed when she reached the end, handing it over to Richard to read, whilst Hermione perused what Helen could only assume was her list of essentials.

She sat quietly whilst Professor McGonagall, her old Head of House, explained everything to Hermione. Her daughter fired question after question at the impressed looking witch. Helen felt pride swelling in her breast. Richard looked shell-shocked as he started firing questions at McGonagall too.

Once Hermione had exhausted her slew of questions, the Deputy Headmistress rose. "I would be happy to escort you to Diagon Alley, the Wizarding shopping district, over the Christmas period, so you may purchase any books you'd like." Hermione nodded eagerly, sending her mother a pleading look, seeing as she seemed to be taking the news that Hermione was a witch better than her father.

"Of course, we'd be very grateful Professor."

"Very well, I will send you an owl detailing when I'll meet you."

Helen escorted Professor McGonagall to the door, watching the Witch leave wistfully. She glanced back inside and pulled the door shut behind her as she stepped out onto the front stoop. With no one watching she carefully reconstructed the strong warding that was usually up around their home, layering it all together until they were fully protected. She'd only lowered it today in anticipation of Hermione's 11th birthday.

The rest of the evening passed happily, Hermione gushing about all the new information she'd just learned. When her and Richard were safely ensconced in their beds, Helen double-checked the wards and headed upstairs to the bathroom.

Mary looked at herself in the mirror, examining the features of the woman she pretended to be sadly. However long she had been Helen Granger, she desperately missed her long blonde locks and blue eyes. She missed seeing her daughter, her real daughter, not the glamours she'd placed on her for the last nine years. However, she couldn't say she missed the reminder of her husband, locked away in Azkaban to rot.

She didn't drop her glamours though, they would take too long to replace and she knew she wouldn't want to replace them once they came down. She angrily wiped away the tears that had fallen, feeling just as alone as she had when her friends had all died, but she wouldn't give in to it. She had to be strong for her daughter, who should've grown up knowing about Magic, but hadn't. There had been no way for Mary to feel safe hiding them without pretending to be Muggles.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself that everything she did, she did for Hermione.

A/N: Let me know what you thought! And remember, there might not be more for a while, but I will finish this.