PSA,

PREWARNING-I DO NO CONDONE ANY ACTS OF RAPE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, or Anything of the like.

Hermione Granger was in a very tight spot as of right now. There was two weeks until September First, the day as to where her parents would decide her fate considering Hogwarts. They also refused to let her write back to the Weasley residence.

"Hermione Jean Granger! Come downstairs now." That was the second time they had called her, she would be wrong is Hermione ignored her parents again. She had never been the rebellious type of child, but her...mood swings lately, coupled with the fact that she felt as if her parents were taking every decision away from her, pushed Hermione over the edge.

"Yes, Mother?" Hermione came to a stop at the edge of the stairs, daring not to join her parents at the table. "I have summer work to accomplish, so if you would?"

Hermione's father froze. "I wouldn't invest too much time into that if I were you, Hermione."

Hermione wanted to give her father a look, but she didn't feel like going through the motions.

"Mione, do you remember when I told you I had friends of yours coming over last week?"

Hermione mentally cringed, but managed to keep her poker face. "Yes, but I told you, I have work, and I don't even like those girls-"

"That'll be enough. You're going to get used to this, girl."

Hermione didn't like that. "They're walking to the movies, and I would like for you to go?" Hermione began to get aggravated. "You might not know, they might've changed. And plus, my boss is going through with this as a favor from me."

"What?" Hermione almost toppled over from the flashbacks. "Do you mean?"

"Yes, Nancy Lane will be going with you all."

"Dear lord..." Hermione frowned. Nancy Drew wasn't a popular girl, nor a dumb blonde. In terms of actual popularity, Nancy Drew was even lesser than Hermione. In fact, Hermione pitied the girl. She had braces, greasy black hair, and dull eyes. She spit when she talked and had no friends at all. Her only plus was that her mother was the millionaire boss of almost everyone in Hampstead Garden. The company "Garden Gates" was a scientist's haven that involved many different types of jobs.

Aside all of that, Hermione did not want to go on a movie date with Nancy Lane. But, here she was, her parents forcing her out.

Hermione stormed upstairs, took a shower, and prepared for a terrible night out.

Knock, knock.

Hermione answered the door. Standing in front of her were three blonde girls. First, there was Hannah Apple. She was a bland girl that signified the meaning of 'dumb blonde.' She had sparkling blue eyes and a pretty face, but that's literally as far as her personality stretched. Beside her was Ria Montgomery, a girl who moved from America when she was young. She was the most popular girl in school, using Hannah as her lackey most of the time. She had quite the forehead, and was taller than most girls. She played every sport each year, and was an exceptional student.

And then to the right, there was another girl. She had a different type of blonde hair, not dirty like Hermione's but not very light either. It glistened almost. Her stormy grey eyes held maximum intelligence. Her air, it was the type of air that Hermione wanted people to see her as. Regal, welding knowledge and smarts as a weapon. This girl exemplified that.

"Where's Nancy?"

Ria gave a little smirk. "I never thought you would develop a sense of humor in just a year. She's right here." The stormy eyed girl gave a little wave, and for a second, Hermione saw her flicker into a pimple filled girl with braces and greasy black hair. And then, she was back to normal.

Hermione immediately caught on. The girl was covered in 'Mist.' It was something McGonagall had elaborated on to the students. The Mist was a veil that separated muggles and wizards, stopping non magical people from seeing all the magical things that went on around them, every single day. Mostly to keep them sane. There were some muggles who could see through the Mist, and even some wizards who could use it against other magical people.

Why was the girl using the Mist against these girls? What was her agenda? Hermione decided to play along. "Yeah, I've become a bit of a jester." Hermione played along with the gambit.

She said her goodbyes to her parents, then walked down the street with the girls. "Do you go to the theaters often, Hermione? It's so close to your house." "No, most of the time I'm reading, if not sleeping. Maybe a little exercise with Jackson and Michelle." "Who?"

Hermione stopped. "Friends. Of mine."

Hannah giggled. "From the eleven years we've known you, who would've guessed you had the ability to make friends? Unless they're all bookworms, of course."

"Michelle hates school. Almost as much as Ron."

"Ron, Jackson, Michelle, who else?" The blonde girl said.

"Well, there's Harry, and Ginny, who's Ron's sister..." Hermione cut herself off as she looked at the faces of Ria and Hannah. They were trying their best to hold their laughs and giggles back. On the other hand, the stormy eyed girl seemed captivated. "Jackson? Jackson who?" "Wheeler. You wouldn't know him." A flash of something shone in the eyes of the Mist-shrouded girl, but Hermione didn't ask right away. That could wait.

Hannah finally let go of her laughter, tears pouring out. "What, did you meet them at summer school? Summer camp? Maybe a road trip to the Netherlands? As far as your parents say, you've been cooped up in the house all summer, only going out for groceries and fresh air. Then, you're off to your little private school. But not anymore, you're back here, aren't you? With us regular, non-nerdy people."

Hermione hated that she had to keep that lie, the one that she stayed at the house all summer. Not able to shout to the world that she had friends, and all because of what? Her parents were afraid that they were magical? Or was it more? Was it not so much about the friends, or did they not want to admit that their daughter was a freak of magical proportions?

Hermione grabbed at her back pants legs, and pulled a picture out of her pocket. Barely avoiding the wand she had stuffed back there, too. It was a picture of Jackson taking a panoramic selfie, horizontally. Behind him on his left, Hermione and Ginny were in the garden, planting plants. Mr and Mrs. Weasley had been caught kissing in the background, Ron, Michelle, Bill, and Harry were playing backyard quidditch, and on the right Charlie was trying his best to keep the dragon from fighting and burning the garden gnomes.

It was a wholesome picture. Everyone had a copy, and it was in their hearts. Hermione had reasoned that even thought Hogwarts was a great place, where she could learn so much, she found the most comfort at her real home, The Weasley House. It was big, but it wasn't a mansion. It was pretty tidy, not really expensive, but they made it work. And to be honest, Hermione preferred the hard work, grit and grind scenario the Weasley family had. She liked it much better than comfortably sitting in the suburbs. The Weasley place was an escape from the real world, yet at the same time, was the real world. It was authentic, and a place of happiness. They had their troubles, arguments, and disagreements, but still, it was real. Not some fairy tell Hermione's parents were forcing her to live in. The Burrow was where her heart was.

With that in mind, Hermione was proud of her revelation. She had already packed her things, and mapped out a reasonable route to the Burrow, without much detection and fare. All she had to do was summer her trunk, which was packed with essentials. She could get the rest mailed before school started.

Hermione showed the picture to the girls.

"Lalala, who's that boy holding the camera?" Hannah said. Hermione rolled her eyes, along with Ria. "You're twelve, don't get any ideas."

"No ideas, don't get me wrong. He's just, tall and kinda muscly, in the lean muscle type of way. Where'd you meet him?"

Hermione smiled. "Like you said, summer camp."

"What's his number?"

Hermione, did in fact, have Michelle, Harry, and Jackson's phone numbers. The phones only worked outside of the house(the magic always scrambled the signal.) They were the only ones with phones anyway. Hermione decided to keep those to herself."

"Didn't ask. He writes sometimes. Can't bring your phone to summer camp..."

The girls nodded. Hermione put the picture up, careful not to show her wand. For a second, the stormy eyed girl just happened to look at Hermione. She must've caught the blunt end of the wand, because her eyes made a calculation. Fortunately, she didn't tell the other girls, which meant that she was up to something. What could it be, Hermione wondered.

The girls reached the movie theaters. "What would it be?" The teller man asked the ladies. "Scary, Romance, we even got an action film tonight."

Ria stepped up, collected everyone's money, and gave it to the man. "Four tickets, two popcorn buckets, and four Cola's. We want to see The Banker Man." Personally, Hermione had seen that movie forty times at least, and it got worse with every watch. Her, Ginny and Michelle sometimes sat in the Burrow's common room, and watched tv tapes in the magical tv box Mr. Weasley had fixed up. This was the only movie that worked for the first days they had the tape, so the girls would sit and pick apart the movie.

But, since this wasn't her orchestration, and she wanted to play nice, Hermione just went along with it. Pretty quickly, the four were ushered into the theater, and sat near the middle.

Just before the movie started, a duo of boys ran from behind the big screen and into two rows in front of the four girls. On was Todd Johnson, a popular baseball prodigy, who was three years older then them. He had stayed back a year, but was still allowed to play baseball, since he was the best in his school. He had brown hair, with brown eyes to match. Kind of bland, just like Hannah. Hermione didn't like the fact that he was so my older than them, it made her uncomfortable. It was as if he was preying on Hannah.

And what Hermione guessed was Ria's date, a kid that had the same brown eyes as Todd, but blonde, curly hair that shielded most of his face.

"Yo, Ria, Hannah, who's the ride alongs?" Hermione figured they were referring to the girl and her. She again kept quiet. Ria smiled, her inner fraudulent def coming out. Her and Hannah got up to move, giving the girls a sinister glance back. "Just some girls holding your seats."

"Well, move up then." Hannah sat beside Todd and Ria sat beside the stranger boy. "Ria, I want you to meet my cousin, Jacob. Five star futbol commit...American schools already looking at him."

Ria smiled. "Really? How old are you?"

"Sixteen." He was a bit short to believe that, but the acne and lick of facial hair he had conceded the fact.

Instead of being repulsed and calling the police, Ria simply smiled. "I'm fifteen."

So, she was lying to him. That made it a teeny bit better.

Not, Hermione thought.

She glanced over to the other girl, the one posing as Nancy. She was flickering in and out.

"You're...doing a thing..." Hermione tried to hint.

"What?" The girl acted dumb. She wasn't very good at it.

"Nothing." Hermione let it go, thinking it must just be her eyes.

Then, Jacob looked back. He gasped, then blinked and sighed. "Woah there...for a second, I thought there were two blonds chilling back there."

Todd laughed. "Bro, must be the sun all in your eye. Too much time on the field. Todd gave a nervous smile, while the girls giggled dumbly. 'Nancy', on the other hand, jumped up and ran towards the front of the movie. Hermione made an excuse.

"My friend, Nancy, she's having a bad time. Her...'time' is on. Excuse me." Despite the fact that the girls had ditched them, Hermione played along with their story. The quicker she got out of there the better.

Hermione ran to the front of the theater, and out the door. On the sidewalk, there was the blonde girl, glittering between blonde and black, pretty teeth and braces. Hermione chased after her as she ran down the block, and to the left. The girl was quick, and if Hermione knew the streets any less, she would've lost her.

Finally, Hermione chased the girl to a dead end.

"Hey, it's ok, I'm not gonna hurt you!" Hermione shouted as the girl darted her eyes around.

"Damnit, no exit." The girl murmured.

"Who are you? And how can you wield the Mist?"

"I can't. And my name isn't important."

"Yes, it is. And you can." Hermione pulled out her wand. The girl, who was fully blonde and stormy eyed now, seemed shocked. "You wouldn't...he said you weren't a scientist...he said his people weren't scientist."

"I'm not a...scientist...or whatever your saying, but I will get an answer out of you. One way or another."

"Ok...I...I...I met your friend. Jackson. He caught me stealing fruit, I think. And he let me go."

"Is that the day Michelle found him in the woods on the ground?"

"I don't know. I do remember taking him down before I left, just so he couldn't chase me." That made Hermione pretty mad, so she aimed her want straight for the girls chest.

"What the hell is your name?"

"Annabeth...Chase."

"And how did you disguise yourself? In front of those girls?"

"My friends...they know magic."

"You have wizarding friends?"

"No...well, yes, but not like you think. They are different."

Hermione has the distinct feeling this girl was lying. But she ignored that.

"Why are you here? In my town, my city. Why did you come to England?"

"A change of scenery." Hermione stepped closer and put the wand to the girls neck, almost like the sharp end of a blade. "Ok...ok...I came here...for you, Hermione Jean Granger."

"What?"

"My mission? To warn you. And help you. The prophecy tells us to assist you in any way, but you must be the one that figures the problem out."

"What problem?"

The girl's eyes turned dark, like a storm was on the horizon. "If I knew that, wouldn't I be there, trying to stop it. That's what we are trying to find out. Believe me, if I knew, I would've told you. But the way the prophecy lines up, it must be you that figures out the great danger headed to Hogwarts."

"Danger?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. Something dark...so sinister, sneaky, and prominent, that it's been hiding for years. Granger, I warn you with all my heart: if you don't find out what it is...a lot of people will pay."

"Pay?"

"With their lives..."

Hermione's arm went slack for a split second, and the girl took advantage. She pushed Hermione back, the girl rolling on the ground. Hermione got up, but Annabeth blew dust into the Hermione's face.

"Stupefy!" Hermione fired in the general direction of the girl. She must've missed, because the girl kept running without a noise.

After collecting herself, Hermione stormed back to her house, which was less than a minute away. She stormed up the stairs, into her room, not bothering to close her door. She grabbed her trunk, her poncho, and some rain boots. She put all of that on, and made her way downstairs. The thuds alerted her parents out of the kitchen.

"Hermione Jean Granger, just what are you doing?" "I'm leaving, I'm going where I'm needed. Not in some bubbly, fake community."

Hermione's father frowned. "Is this what you think this is? A bubble? Maybe you're right. We are trying to protect you! That boy and the others are dangerous!"

"Not as dangerous as you! Trapping me under some roof. If something wanted to get me, if I was a dead woman walking, how would this stop me? I'm safer and more prepared over there. You can't stop me, I'm going." Behind her father, Hermione's mother was crying. "My baby girl...she's gone..." Hermione grabbed her trunk, and stormed out the door, her parents powerless to stop the brave girl.

"Now, how do I contact the Night Bus?"