Tom walked into their chambers with a huge smile on his face. He held a package in his hands as he greeted his wife and child with kisses. "What has you in such a jovial mood," Minerva asked curiously.
"Druella Black came to visit me today," he answered. "She brought this present for Hermione."
Minerva took the offered box and opened it carefully. She gasped in suprise as she peered in the box. Inside laid a child-sized golden charm bracelet. It was designed beautifully with protection runes etched on it. It had two charms already attached to it. One was a black onyx star-shaped stone which was a typical Black family gift to friends. The other was a detailed miniature book. She noted the title was a muggle fairy tale. "It's gorgeous," she breathed.
"It is," Tom agreed. "She studied on what I told her during the dance at the Ministry event. She disowned Bellatrix, brought Andromeda back into the family and provided a treasure trove of incriminating evidence to the aurors regarding Lucius Malfoy. The only stipulation she asked of the aurors was to keep her daughter out of it. As of this morning, Narcissa is officially a Black again and starts her apprenticeship in the Unspeakable Department tomorrow."
"Really," Minerva asked suprised beyond belief. "How did Druella go against her upbringing so quickly?"
"She used her Ministry contacts to search the official records of pureblood deaths and the OWL and NEWT results," Tom answered. "It shook her very foundation when she realized that pureblooded families were declining because of lack of knowledge and not introducing fresh blood into their lines. I daresay the changes at Hogwarts since you have been here has helped the cause as well."
"Hopefully this will cause others to follow suit," Minerva commented as she placed the lovely charm bracelet on her daughter's wrist. Hermione was happy to investigate it as her parents watched on.
Minerva walked into Potter Estate on the first day of break during Christmas 1980 with Hermione looking around curiously. "Welcome Professor," James Potter greeted.
"I thought we agreed on Minerva when you graduated," she said with a smile.
"Sorry Minerva," he said sheepishly. "Old habits and all that. Come on in. Lilly just went to get Harry from the nursery."
Minerva settled down on the couch as directed and settled Hermione in her lap. "I figured Sirius, Remus and Peter would be around," Minerva said conversational.
"They are catching up on work but should be back anytime," James offered. "Well Peter probably won't be by. Harry cries nonstop when he is around."
Minerva looked thoughtful for a moment as she processed what she had been told. She knew Peter was a traitor or at least he was in the past lifetime. "I find young children possess an excellent sense of judgment," she answered carefully. "Most have the amazing ability to see what others cannot."
"You don't trust Peter either I take it," Lilly asked as she walked into the room with Harry in her arms.
Minerva smiled at Lilly before admitting, "He is not like the rest of you. He is insecure and will betray you if it befits him. That is just my opinion."
"Lilly's as well," James sighed, a frown marring his face.
"I'm sorry," Minerva said quietly. "I didn't mean to cause you distress."
"You didn't," Lilly argued. "James has been seeing Peter in a different light lately and you just confirmed his fears. Now would you like to hold Harry?"
"Baby," Hermione squealed in delight as she held out her arms for the baby.
The adults chuckled in amusement as Minerva shifted Hermione in her lap and accepted Harry in her arms. She maneuvered the baby so Hermione could help hold him as well. The small girl smiled happily before asking, "I take Harry James home?"
Minerva smiled at her daughter and raised her eyebrow in suprise. "Sorry love," Minerva answered. "Harry James needs to stay with his parents right now. Maybe we could come back and visit."
"But Harry James needs me," the little girl insisted with a determined face.
"He does," Lilly asked as she curiously watched the child. She knelt down near Hermione and held her hand before inquiring, "Why does Harry James need you?"
"His destiny," the little angelic voice answered. "I saw it in a dream."
Before Lilly could utter anything else, Minerva caught her daughter's gaze. "When did you have dreams," she asked concerned.
"Hogwarts says not to tell Momma," Hermione says, chewing on her lip in worry. "Hogwarts says Momma needs to be suprised so Momma don't change things that are supposed to happen."
Minerva frowned at her daughter before asking, "You will tell Momma or Daddy if you are scared of your dreams or if Momma needs to change something." Hermione nodded solemnly.
"She has visions," James asks suprised by it. Seers were rare even in the wizarding world.
"Hermione is Rowena Ravenclaw's magical heir," Minerva confessed with a tight smile. "We are attempting to keep that bit of information from most people but apparently you are going to be seeing a lot of us. Hermione feels strongly about helping Harry James it seems."
"You have our discretion regarding it," James offered just as the fire roared to life.
Remus and Siruis stumbled out of the fireplace while laughing out something. They took in the scene and both quickly greeted their old Head of House with full smiles. "And what is your name little lady," Remus asked as he looked at the small child eyeing him curiously.
"Hermione Cait," she said properly much to the room's amusement. She tilted her head sideways and studied Remus. "You werewolf," she accused and looked at her mother. "Momma help him," she pleaded.
"How did you recognize Remus was a werewolf," Minerva asked bewildered by Hermione's knowledge.
"His mind," Hermione answered simply.
"His mind," Minerva repeated as she tried to figure out what her daughter was telling her. "His mind is stronger?" Hermione nodded. "Can you still see in his mind?" Again Hermione nodded.
"She is a natural Occlumens," James asked suprised by the talented little girl. "Those are rare."
"Remember she is Rowena's magical heir," Minerva said.
"That's a secret we shall keep," Lilly said to Remus and Siruis with a glare. Both nodded their acceptance. "Is she able to control it?"
"For the most part," Minerva said. "It's her fire ability she is unable to fully control."
"Fire ability," Sirius breathed. "A natural occlumens and a fire elemental both?"
"You missed the her being a seer part," James informed with a smirk.
Minerva nodded. "She scared Poppy the night she was born. She pushed her magic through mine and set me ablaze."
"Ablaze," James said in awe. "I'm assuming since she was pushing her magic she didn't burn you."
"It astonshing," Sirius corrected with a look of awe directed at the young child. Hermione smiled before wiggling out of her mother's arms, careful of Harry James, and walked clumsy to Sirius. She placed her wrist on his lap and showed off her bracelet. "Is that what I think it is," he asked as he looked at Minerva wide-eyed.
"It is," Minerva answered with understanding in her eyes. "Druella Black gifted Hermione with that charm bracelet and she adores it. Druella is unaware of Hermione's magical gifts. That bracelet was a thank you to Tom for opening her eyes to the pureblood bigotry."
"Andy had told me Druella had came to her, apologized to her and begged her forgiveness," Sirius breathed. "I didn't believe it though. She honestly changed her opinion?"
"She did," Minerva replied. "Andromeda was brought back into the family, Narcissa was granted a divorce and accepted back even though she is currently pregnant with the Malfoy heir, and finally Bellatrix was cast out of the family. Tom offered her a different perspective and gave her a trail to follow when she sought answers. It shook her foundation."
Hermione smacked Sirius' leg and got his attention. Remus, James and Lilly laughed at the expression on his face. Hermione reach up demanding to be picked up by the wizard which he did. "You are a fiesty little one, aren't you," James asked amused as he got a crying Harry from Minerva and passed him to Lilly to feed.
Hermione grabbed a fistful of Sirius' hair and smiled delighted. He chuckled at her. "You're going to be a Gryffindor, aren't you?" he asked. Hermione smiled widely at that.
Determined, she pushed herself forward and pecked his lips with hers. A golden mist surrounded the couple. "What's happening," Lilly asked suprised.
"A soul bond is forming," Minerva uttered in disbelief. "What are the chances?"
"Considering you and Tom were one of the first soul bound couples this century I would say very slim," Remus said then snorted. "Padfoot would be the one to find his soulmate."
Sirius stared at Hermione in shock and delighted wonder. She giggled and turned to her mother before asking, "Momma, I take Siri home?"
James and Remus fell to the floor as they gave in to their laughter. Lilly was struggling through her laughter as she tried to not interrupt her son's feeding time. Minerva groaned and dropped her face into her palm. "My mother is going to be so amused by this," she muttered under her breath.