Chapter One:

Hogwarts Is Calling

It was a dark, cold night when the letter came. A girl sat at her desk, shivering, though her chills were not a reaction to the cold. Her wild brown hair had been forced into a messy ponytail, but a few strands were sticking out very adamantly. She was wearing mismatched socks with her favorite pajamas; that alone was enough to alert anyone of the fact that Hermione Jean Granger was a mess.

It had been a rough day. She'd spent most of it studying for an examination, even though the exam in question would only be written in roughly three months time. The studying was supposed to distract her from her raving thoughts, which were not pleasant. She missed him, and she did not know how to deal with that.

The fact of the matter was that Hermione had just broken up with her boyfriend, Ron Weasley, two days before. It was not an easy decision to make, but Hermione knew it was necessary. Had she ignored the situation, their relationship would only have made both of them unhappy. She'd ignored it many times before, but this time had been the last straw.

There were many lovely things about Ron. He knew her, and respected her. He was considerate. He'd been her best friend, along with Harry Potter, for nearly 8 years. He made her laugh. He was silly, but adorable. She loved so many tiny details about him.

But there were some things about him that infuriated her. He did not understand any matter of intellect, even though he could be very smart if he made some effort. It seemed like he did not want to understand. He also had this annoying tendency to be very jealous and possessive. His ignorance and jealousy were two constant obstacles in their relationship and until recently, they were fairly easy to overcome. But a week ago, Ron made a very disturbing comment, and Hermione had been haunted by it for a while before she'd made a decision. Eventually she decided that they ought to take a break from their relationship for some time. Perhaps it would be refreshing for both of them.

What had Ron said that had been so harmful to their relationship, you ask?

It made her furious just thinking about it. Hermione had been working with a new friend of hers on an assignment, and Ron was not very happy about it. He decided to tell her about his displeasure over dinner one night, and his exact words were,

"Bloody hell, Hermione, you're mine! Only mine. You can't forget that!"

He made it sound like she was some sort of object that he could possess. When she'd told him that, he'd just looked confused. She was not an object, and she needed to make sure that she didn't allow anyone to make her feel like that.

Eventually, she'd decided to tell him that they needed to take a break so that both of them had the opportunity to think, and consider things. Ron was quick to apologize when she proposed a break, but Hermione was strong in her convictions. It wasn't a complete end to their relationship, she'd said, but they needed an interval.

Hermione had been avoiding Ron ever since she'd declared a break. She knew she'd done the right thing, but she still felt bad for hurting him. Ron was sensitive, in a peculiar way. This break was unexpected to him.

Plus, she missed laughing at his silliness, and simply spending time with him.

Now, however, Hermione sat at her desk, faced with a new problem. She'd just received an owl, and the stamp on the envelope brought on an unexpected wave of nostalgia. It was from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a place she'd left in ruins after the notorious Battle of Hogwarts.

Her fingers shook as she opened it, expecting bad news.

'Hogwarts Schoolof Witchcraft and Wizardry

Dear Hermione Granger

It is with great trepidation that I inform you of a newly uncovered secret that has made an appearance at Hogwarts. It is grave and concerning. I cannot disclose much about it in this letter as it could be intercepted by parties with the intention of abusing this information.

It is with a heavy heart that I call you to Hogwarts to discuss this matter further. You are not the only recipient of this letter; it concerns many of your acquaintances. I understand that you may need to abandon some priorities in order to heed my request. But Hogwarts, your home, needs you. I would not ask if it were not urgent.

Hogwarts will be hosting an event on the one year anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts; I formally invite you to attend this event. I will gather you all privately to discuss this matter during the course of the event so as to avoid any suspicion. This letter, and this secret, must remain confidential.

We await your arrival on May 1 in preparation for the event.

Yours sincerely

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress'

Hermione took in a sharp breath. She reached for a quill and a fresh piece of parchment, and hesitated for just a moment before addressing it to both Ron and Harry to ask them if they had received the same letter. She would have to face Ron at this event, but she knew that was the least of her concerns. Hogwarts was important to her. She needed to help, and she would.

May 1 was only three days away. She had much to do before she left, and she had a feeling her workload was about to grow exponentially once she found out what the secret at Hogwarts was.

She was ready though. Hermione Granger was always ready.