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So far... On his seventh birthday, Harry Potter was inspired to never stop asking for help. He learned about magic early, and with Mercy Fuller launched a junior academy mainly for Muggle-raised children aged seven to ten. Friends were made but Hermione needs Professor Fuller's help with relationships. Mercy adopted Harry and they destroyed the potency of the Prophecy. Now read on...
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Chapter 4
Friendship
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Passing The Test
Three dark October weeks passed by during which Mercy gave Hermione private instruction on becoming a friend. They were hard lessons.
"Abandon every desire to get Harry to be your friend, Hermione. Surrender all hope that he might appreciate, admire, and respect you, because your happiness need not depend on what others think of you. Ponder everything I've taught you about being a friend when someone needs one. Do not look for opportunities to prove this – you've absorbed enough to naturally grasp them as they arise. If you are focused on being a friend then you already are everyone's friend even if they don't know it yet. You will have succeeded with every second in which you care."
Hermione was trying to write down all these words, but Mercy stayed her hand. "Heart not head, Hermione. Do not try to apply your friendship in any way; it's not a sticking plaster but the healed situation itself. Don't celebrate having friends, instead, rejoice in your own friendliness and let that be sufficient. Friends are just a reflection of your own companionable nature; the proof, if it were needed – but it's not."
The professor smiled as she watched the girl now carefully writing her own observations instead of Mercy's words. "So... what will be your goal?"
Hermione's head tilted thoughtfully on one side. "To be as friendly a person as I can."
"Why? To what end?"
"To no end. To be friendly is the end."
The wise teacher nodded. "Let's rehearse again. I'll be Harry this time. ... So, hey, Hermione, looking forward to Hogwarts next year?"
"Of course, Harry! Aren't you?"
"Mmm... might stay here actually."
"WHAT!"
"It is my home after all, and it's so brilliant here."
"But what about – surely you can't – don't you want–" – Hermione's lower lip was trembling – "Harry, all your friends will be going!"
"Maybe not. We've been talking together about it for a while now. Hogwarts is overrated."
"But I'll – you'll be – we – how –" Hermione was blinking away real tears.
"Don't tell me you'd miss us?"
"Of course I'd–" Hermione was suddenly shaking with the realisation that she'd feel empty without the familiarity of them all – Luna with her funny way of talking – Harry's reckless lack of discipline – even Megan's teasing, mild as it was in perspective. "Please, please don't–"
"–Hey, hey! Hermione!" soothed Mercy, grasping the poor girl by the shoulders. "It's not real. We're playacting remember?"
Hermione's eyes came back into focus. Sniffling, she groped for a tissue but her bag was out of reach. "C–can we p–put this lesson off f–for another day, please, Professor?"
"There won't be another lesson, Hermione. You've passed the final test. Now you have to live it."
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Making a Difference
With a private moment facing the gloomy back of the library, Justin Finch-Fletchley reached into his pocket, pulled out a well-read letter from his father one more time, and smiled fondly through the words.
"I'm sure they're very proud of you, Justin," came a tentative voice from behind.
Startled, he turned. "Oh, Hermione ... yes ... Mother wasn't sure about me coming here, but now they're both thrilled that I'm so well prepared for Hogwarts. They had me down for Eton originally, you know. Seems so strange after these last few years..."
"Yes, nothing will be the same anymore. I wish I'd–"
"–Shame they'll divide us all up into houses. I expect you'll be in Ravenclaw. Harry will be a Gryffindor."
Hermione felt a lump forming in her throat. She hadn't considered this additional separation. "We'll see each other in classes though – well, some of them anyway."
"And at meals," nodded Justin, brightening up a little. "Hey, perhaps we could form a club: 'The First Academicians' ... 'Class of 87' that sort of thing. Wonder what rules they have about–"
"–To hell with the rules!" cried Hermione, startling Justin for a second time. "They can't stop us meeting together. Not after all we've–"
–Justin was staring at her as if he'd never seen her before. "You've changed since you got your letter."
"Yes, well–"
"–Who's changed?" called Harry, who was heading their way, scanning the shelves for an obscure book on European magical migration. "Did you two finish your History homework? What did you put for the start of the Norwegian Ministry?"
"You don't need the date, Harry," said Hermione. "Just show you have a basic idea of the spread of magic to form communities."
"Ah, right." Never stop... "But what about–"
"–Hermione and I were discussing Hogwarts, Harry," said Justin. "We don't want to get split up."
Harry nodded. "Yeah, Luna's upset she'll be separated from Neville by a whole year."
"I'll speak to her." Hermione looked up at the mezzanine, but Neville and Luna were not reading their favourite comic on the balcony.
"You'll speak to her, Hermione?" frowned Justin, looking askance at Harry.
Hermione murmured, almost to herself, "I read something about Hogwarts that might help her."
"Try the roof then." Harry watched her nodding back thanks as she hurried off. A strange thought occurred to him which he voiced aloud: "She's different."
"That's what I said." Justin waited for Harry to look at him, then he grinned.
Never stop asking. "So anyway, Justin, about the spread of magic through Europe..."
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Good Grief
"Hello, Hermione," said Luna, who was sitting, motionless and alone, on one of the two swings that had recently been installed in the roof garden. "I was hoping you'd come visit me."
"You were?" said Hermione, taking the other swing.
"Yes, I'm feeling sad because you and Justin are already eleven but I won't even be ten until February. Everyone in our year will be going to Hogwarts next year except me and all the younger children think I'm a little peculiar and I told my best friend Neville to forget about me because I cannot stay with him over Christmas and Mummy died last week so Daddy is lost in confusion and I can't leave him on his own during the holiday so I don't know what to do anymore about the voice talking in my head."
The poor girl covered her face with trembling hands to hide a flow of tears, but her shoulders visibly shook as new grief poured out.
Overcome with her own surging emotion, Hermione dropped down beside Luna, hugging the youngster as best she could and rubbing her back. "There, there, we'll come through this pain. We all care about you, and Neville simply will NOT forget about you and nor will anybody else. I lost my nan when I was little and Daddy said he's sure he felt her watching over us, so your mum is looking out for you still. Mourn a little from time time but occasionally say 'enough!' I used to lift my chin at those times and nod to myself. Sometimes I waved up to the heavens at nan, and said I'm alright now for a bit. Oh, the pain eventually returned but by asserting that control when I could, eventually the hurting faded. Yours will too."
"Really? It feels like my heart is dying, my chest is so painful."
"Then try it now just for half a minute. Stand up, look up, straighten your shoulders, be awake to your mind only and nothing outside, and say, 'Even if I can't stop sad things happening, I don't have to put up with sad feelings as well – at least I can turn away from them while I'm focused.' Take charge even if briefly. Ponder that for a short while, then we'll sit down and rightly grieve together a little more. You are in control of the balance, Luna. You have the right to these minutes of relief without feeling guilty."
Luna did so. After a while, a grim smile touched her lips and she nodded slowly.
"Feeling a tiny bit better?" said Hermione. "So now let's sit down and mourn a little if you want."
Wiping away a tear, Luna said, "I don't think I need to right now."
"That's good then, but remember, when the sadness comes back, respect it, experience it for as long as you must, but then take a stand again. The more you do it, the longer the periods between the sorrow. Now, let's go and find Neville and ask him..." Hermione lapsed into whispering as they departed the roof, and Luna's wan smile turned into a giggle...
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A Brilliant Idea
A peel of laughter from above interrupted Justin's library quiet time.
"Luna's cheered up a little," Megan told him, as she came back down from the mezzanine, "and it ain't just because they're reading Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn again."
"Yes, Neville's going to ask his gran if Luna's father can stay with them over Christmas too – Hermione's brilliant idea."
"It was?" Megan nodded her approval. "Where is she? Hermione, I mean?"
Harry looked up from the next table. "Probably with Mum – I mean the Headmistress – arranging her own Christmas break." He was pointing towards the Head's office. Through the frosted glass window in the door, they could just make out the bushy hair...
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Building Bridges
Mercy Fuller nodded eagerly and jotted something down in her notebook. "That's a wonderful idea, Hermione; I'll find out as soon as the holidays are over. Are you looking forward to seeing your parents?"
Hermione smiled. "Yes, it'll be a real family Christmas. It'll be wonderful to chat and do things with Mum and Dad everyday."
There was a slightly wistful tone in Hermione's voice which Mercy picked up on immediately. "How's progress with our friendship project going?"
"Uumm, well, I think like you said I'm beginning to feel more friendly with everyone..."
"But...?"
"I still don't think anyone sees me as their best friend yet though."
"Except myself and your parents, you mean. Don't worry, you're building bridges and they will come across. Just don't watch for them or think about what you can get from them. Concern yourself only with being a friend, remember?"
"I will."
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Included
Only Harry remained at the Academy over Christmas, but he was looking forward to the new year and most especially starting at Hogwarts. His thoughts turned to how he might console Luna. "Her birthday's at the start of February, Mum; I want to give her something really special. Any ideas?"
"She's an unusual girl, Harry, so I'm not sure. Perhaps you'd better ask around for suggestions when the others get back."
Never stop asking. Through January, he pestered Megan, Hannah, and even Neville, but if any of them had any good ideas they were keeping them as their own gifts for Luna. Never stop asking. The answer, when it came, was from an unexpected source while he was studying simple textile Transfigurations in the common room with Dean and Justin. Some of the other fourth-years were listening in to the heated debate.
"So it's still a cotton shirt?" snapped Dean. "What's the point if we're only changing the weave? And what's it got to do with learning girly makeup!"
"And the colour. Suppose you were walking towards a high class restaurant wearing a bright red shirt; you could turn it white."
"Big deal! Like I'll be doing that everyday."
"Well, that was just an example off the top of my head. It's really an easy introduction to Transfiguration proper. Look, Mum knows what she's doing!"
"With girls," cut in Justin, "but boys don't need to–"
"–That reminds me," said Harry, glancing around to see who was about. "Any clues as to what I can get Luna for her birthday? I was thinking maybe a cosmetics charm kit?"
"WHAT!" blurted Hermione from the next table. "Luna will be only ten and anyway her tastes are far too eccentric for the standard kit to be of any use!" "She'd..." The girl's cheeks flushed suddenly, and she dropped her head. "sorry..."
Harry frowned at the intrusion, then corrected himself. Never Stop asking. "No, no, that's alright, Hermione," he said hastily. "I'm not very good at gift-giving. What do you reckon would make her happy?"
Hermione's expression brightened somewhat. "Well, the most important thing to Luna is friendship. She's scared of losing that when you all leave for Hogwarts in September. Why not throw a big party on her birthday to show her she'll never be forgotten and everyone will keep in touch by owl and so on?"
Silence.
"That's BRILLIANT, Hermione!" cried Harry. "We'll surprise her and–"
"–No, tell her almost everything you're planning to do – and why. She'll happily look forward every day from now to her birthday in anticipation!"
"'Almost everything?'" grinned Harry.
"Well, a few extras here and there wouldn't hurt, would they?"
Harry's eyes widened. "Was that a wink? Did Hermione Granger just wink at me, everyone?"
"Sure did," smirked Justin.
"I saw it too," said Megan. "Unless that's an... IMPOSTER!"
"Yes, prove you're still Hermione!" laughed Hannah. "Say something really smart and bossy!"
Hermione was so flushed with excitement at the ribbing, her mind went slower than a constipated sloth stuck in a bog.
Never Stop prompted Harry to her rescue. "I have a tough question for you, Hermione that will prove you are who you appear to be once and for all." He smiled. "I mean, you're a girl, but why do we boys have to do makeup class as well?"
"Huh, that's easy. You don't have to actually do makeup – it's an optional part of the general classwork on personal appearance for those boys who erm... want it. It's called 'gender equality', Harry. Muggles are still learning this because physical force dominated for several millennia, but Magicals live by magic, not bodily strength, and wizards have always known witches share magical equality. Muscular advantage is irrelevant to them. However, 'equality' doesn't mean 'identical' especially in certain activities such as dress sense and glamour. Allura Charis provides a complete exposition of these ideas in her book: À Bas L'Indifférence! if you wish to do further research. There might be an English translation in Flourish and Blotts if your French isn't strong enough for the more subtle passages."
Silence.
"That was nowhere near know-it-all enough to be the real Hermione," Justin said with a straight face. "I suggest we search her for birthmarks or even name tags on her underwear."
Hermione was chased squealing and giggling out the door. She didn't stop running till she reached her room where she sat on her bed shaking. They'd been laughing with her! Not at her! Like friends joke with each other. She'd felt included in a group for the first time. Had she imagined it? She didn't think so. They might not have yet fully traversed her bridges, but they sure were looking across!
And Mercy had been right to not search for ways to be friendly – it had all happened naturally just because Harry couldn't be trusted to–
–Hermione's bushy head jerked back with a jolt as a faint memory tickled the back of her mind. 'Not very good at gift-giving'? Couldn't be trusted to think of something appropriate? Trusted?
Her thoughts went way back to the day her parents had invited Professor Fuller to their home: 'This institution is entirely supported by a private trust fund so there are no charges whatsoever, and all supplies, books, and related items are provided.'
Hermione went over to her own little bookshelf and picked out a book at random. Like most of them, this one had a dedication page near the front: A gift with love from the Mercy Fuller Junior Academy – a Place of Asking.
Why had these thoughts come to her? What was the connection? And it hit her: the day she'd carried the mail upstairs and stumbled, spilling them down the steps. She'd been too preoccupied with receiving her Hogwarts letter! She'd forgotten the other envelope! The one marked on the back:
The Harry Potter Trust Fund,
Gringotts Wizarding Bank!
Behind the scenes, without saying a word, it was Harry that had been secretly funding the entire Academy and every student who lived and worked there! 'Not very good at gift-giving'? Not much!
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The Finest of Gifts
Hermione had been right about Luna looking forward to her birthday. By the start of February the eccentric blonde was sizzling with excitement! The thirteenth was a Wednesday, but Mercy cancelled lessons for the afternoon, provided they each promised to refuse one request to dance so as to keep in practice at handling rejection. Luna's party began in the main common room. Her father had been invited too. He'd printed a giant birthday card for his daughter – "Well, it's not every day you get to be ten, is it?"
Megan had arranged for a third-year boy called Colin Creevey to take magical photographs of everyone waving which she then mounted in an album and presented to Luna. Someone had even given the delighted birthday girl a cosmetics charm kit but nobody knew who (though Hermione swore she saw Harry wink.) But the best gift was not announced until after the evening dinner when Mercy Fuller stood up to make an announcement:
"Sometimes the finest of gifts can cost nothing but an act of great friendship: a gesture, a conversation, even just a shared thought. One particular idea has borne fruit. I have here a special invitation which arrived this morning. Come forward please, Luna."
Smiling, the Headmistress offered up a thick, yellowish envelope which Luna accepted with trembling fingers. Her name was written upon it in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp. Luna turned it over. On the back she saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'. Luna stared in disbelief, not daring to open it. "Is this...? Is it real? How is this happening?"
Mercy explained. "The Hogwarts Rules and Guidelines were researched and it was confirmed that transfer students are placed in the year most fitted to their skills; fifteen-year-olds are mostly placed in fifth year for instance. However, this is not always so. All of you here, including Luna, are halfway towards second year – and well beyond in subjects they don't even teach. I convinced the Hogwarts Headmaster to accept you as a first-year Luna, along with all your friends."
Luna seemed unable to move. Her lips quivered silently, and her gaze was fixed dreamily on the envelope in her hands. But everyone else made up for her mute paralysis: Roars of approval! Handclapping, foot-stamping, and shouts of congratulations were almost drowned out by those chanting, "OPEN IT! OPEN IT! OPEN IT!"
Finally, eyes shining, Luna obliged, unsealed the envelope with a charm, then triumphantly held up her Hogwarts acceptance letter!
But after the hubbub had died down, Harry raised a hand, a suspicious frown on his face. "Whose idea was this, Professor? Who did the research?"
Mercy was still smiling, anticipating the question. "Why, Hermione Granger of course."
Hermione had the grace to blush as all eyes swivelled her way. She was hoisted up and carried around in celebration along with Luna herself of course. And Dean jumped up on one of the tables pushed at the side and attempted a jig, and even invited Harry to join in (without success), but it was a pathetic, too-much-Butter-beer type of jig which made it all the funnier in the circumstances and started up the music one last time. And Harry asked Hermione to dance but as quickly as her face lit up, disappointment replaced it. She'd remembered the promise to reject at least one request – so that's what she had to do.
Harry and Hermione both looked at each other with regret, especially Harry, who wasn't handling the refusal anything like as good as he'd been taught. But Hermione, being smart and not an impostor at all, had another brainwave which was that there was nothing in the rules saying she couldn't ask Harry to dance. So that's what she did, and Harry, who had already rejected Dean's invitation to jig, was free to accept Hermione's. It was a great end to a wonderful party, and the promise of a new beginning come September at Hogwarts!
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—oOo—
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Author's Notes
Wow! Nice reviews without any tricky questions to answer or explanations to give, so I must be doing something right at last! (Or you readers are getting smarter?)
With that encouragement, I'm launching yet another new story today or tomorrow; a sidequel to 'Broken!' called 'Broken Utterly' where baby Harry is totally crushed by the Dursleys into a shuffling, subservient mind-slave. This is nothing like 'Broken'. Harry is not street-hard; he's pathetic! (Bit like 'Chary Potter' without the steroids.) How can he survive Hogwarts let alone Voldemort! Fortunately, there's a smart little witch to help. Look out for that one. And don't forget 'Chance of a Lifetime' is not forgotten but still brewing in the cauldron!
Many thanks for all comments and reviews. These are most welcome and very encouraging. Let me know of any weaknesses or faults – I'm always trying to improve my writing so feedback is really useful. :)
– Hippothestrowl
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