Chapter 06-No Trust
The next morning with a heavy heart Hermione said goodbye to her parents and set up for fire curse to stay in stasis for a day then she would not have to return. Hermione apparated back to headquarters and entered the house. Her pockets were heavy with bother hers and her mother's trunk. She planned on converting to just one trunk soon, but she didn't have time last night to explore the trunk.
She was restless and worried about what she would be walking into but decided to be the Gryffindor she was and walk into the house. Mrs. Black was already yelling, and Sirius was trying to close her curtain, but it wasn't working she was in a right mood. "Filth, blood traitor, mudbloods," the portrait yelled.
"Oh, shut up you worthless canvas," Hermione yelled over the ruckus in the entrance hall.
Suddenly, the portrait was moving but no sound came out and Mrs. Black was getting redder and redder by each minute. Everyone was looking at Hermione in surprise. Hermione didn't even think but turned to the portrait. "You see what I can do. Do you wish to be burned off the wall?" Hermione asked the portrait.
Mrs. Black was glaring but nodded. Hermione waved her hand and Mrs. Black could talk again, "How dare you mudblood, and in my own house."
"Say mudblood one more time," Hermione threatened with flames in her palm "This is the last time we will warn you. If you yell any derogatory remark to anyone in this house again, I will burn you."
Hermione infused the words by scorching a little corner of the painting. "As you will," Mrs. Black said hotly "Just shut my curtain and leave me in piece."
Hermione waved her hand and the curtain closed swiftly. She then turned to the crowd that just stood there watching her. "What was that, Hermione?" Sirius asked.
"Wicked," the twins said together.
"I was tired of her," Hermione simply said.
"Go flew Dumbledore," Mrs. Weasley said to Bill.
Hermione knew she had just let a little of her talents show. "Hey guys, sorry for interrupting Sirius but I'm tired of your mother calling me a mudblood."
"No worries," Sirius said "She needed to be knocked down a few pegs. Just didn't think any of us could do it. None of us have succeeded before."
"Well, my magic is still iffy but I'm working on controlling it," Hermione confessed.
"Are you sure, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore said walking into the room.
Dumbledore again tried to use legilimens on her and she pushed him out. "It's not nice to try and look into someone's mind uninvited, professor," Hermione declared with some anonymously,
She needed to remember that she had to see where they really stand but she now knew never to let down her guard around Dumbledore. Laughter filled the room from the doorway to the kitchen. "I told you Albus that reading minds isn't always unnoticeable. You've been doing it for too long old man with out being caught," Professor Snape said from the doorway.
Dumbledore did not look to comfortable with being called out for the invasion. Hermione just smiled at Snape and said, "Well I'm going back up to my room and unpacking."
"After that Miss Granger I believe we have a few things to discuss," Dumbledore called after her.
Hermione simply nodded as she continued up to the third floor and her room with Ginny. Hermione let out a breath. She refused to unpack because she did not want anyone snooping in her things. She quickly made her two trunks their proper size then lifted her school trunk and opened her mother's trunk to the study. Once in the trunk she realized there were doors off the study. She placed the trunk by the desk then went to check out the doors one lead to the lab, one led to the bedroom, one led to the dressing room, and the last led to a bathroom. Hermione did not explore much she wanted to be able to get this conversation done quickly.
As she went downstairs, she heard the tail in of a conversation. "We must keep an eye on her," Dumbledore told the crowd that had vacated to the sitting room "You see her new powers. We must make sure that they are controlled."
"You mean you want to control them," Snape interjected.
"No Severus," Dumbledore chided "we just need to make sure she is truly on our side before we can trust her. I do not like what her growth and change of appearance could me for all of us."
"Alright, sir," Ron said "Why does she look like a Malfoy though. I can't even stand to look at her."
"You bloody fools," Severus said "Hermione hasn't changed just because of her appearance. She is still the same student, friend, and child as she was before."
A rushing came from the room and the Snape started to come out of the room. It did not seem to surprise him either to see her on the steps. He motioned to follow. He pulled her into a broom closet and told her. "Miss Granger if you need anything please just owl. I will be leaving but as you heard be on alert, they fear you. Those that are feared normally aren't looked on kindly unless you are useful."
Hermione just nodded. What else could she do, but she heeded his warning and before anyone got suspicious left the closet joining the people in the sitting room. Hermione noticed that everything got eerily quiet as she walked in. No one said a word. She went to sit by Ron, but he got up and went to stand against the wall. It was obvious he had no love for her. He never did or he would at least test the waters before just acting the way he is toward her. "Now Miss Granger,' Dumbledore started "Did your parents have anything to add to this situation that could shed light on what's is going on."
"No, I'm afraid not sir," Hermione said again feeling him prop her mind "They took me home because they could tell that the situation had me stressed out. I was frantic sir. Nothing was making sense I don't know why my appearance has changed but I could add a glamor if it will help."
Hermione was adding tear at the end to grab sympathy for she knew that is how to get most of the room. "Oh Headmaster, lets stop this," Molly said eying the crying girl with sympathy "She has been through enough right now. She just got back, and we are interrogating her like we have not known her for 5 years. Severus is right we need to talk and not judge right away."
Hermione was shocked by Mrs. Weasley she was normally the first to always let hatred win but for some reason this time she was on her side. It seems with her outburst most of the room agreed Hermione could just tell that Ginny, Ron, and Dumbledore had doubts. Dumbledore just nodded and left leaving the interrogation to another day. He was not done with her yet but for the sake of the group he was. Everyone else disbanded. Hermione herself followed the other teens out of the room and to the library for what she could tell was another interrogation.