Hey guys, hope you enjoy this chapter
Chapter 37: Tutors & Shadows
August was rolling around quickly and Hermione could only watch in misery as her parents began to pack the house up, ready to return back to Hogwarts. Much to Hermione's dismay, Minerva had decided to begin with her room first which agitated the small girl as she watched her mother pace around her room waving her wand.
"Don't put Teddy in my trunk" Hermione gulped grabbing her stuffed bear much to Minerva's agitation as she flicked her wand at Hermione's books, stacking them into the nearby leather case. "And Tiger" She grabbed the other stuffed animal on the bed that Abeforth gave her when she was ill. Minerva scowled at the girl before nodding and cleaned up the last of her possessions. Well, tried to; Hermione reached and grabbed one of the books that went flying across the room. Hogwarts: A History. The older woman sighed and bent down to the small girl who panicked eyes settled on her mother.
"Hermione, we are only returning to Hogwarts. Your father and I need to return to teaching and you need to go back to school"
"But you said-"
"That you will be home-schooled at Hogwarts until you are of age" Minerva flicked her wand towards her open door summoning a piece of parchment from her across the hall.
"This will be your study schedule for the new term. Your father is spending the afternoon gathering your required equipment from Diagon Alley whilst we pack"
Hermione took the piece of parchment before looking up into her mother's eyes. "Papa didn't say he was leaving"
"He does not have to inform you of all his travels Hermione" Minerva sighed, tired of the days arguments. She had been constantly dragging the girl away from Severus' bedside to pack. After awaiting a few hours to find that the girl had not bothered to listen and instead disobey her, she had had it and decided to keep an eye on her and assist her in packing. She couldn't blame her daughter for wanting to take care of her god-father but he needed his sleep not a bat falling from the ceiling every now and then trying to fly or a cat playing with his greasy locks in an attempt to try and entertain themselves.
Albus still had yet to explain what had happened that evening. The bloody bugger.
"I would of gone with him. I wanted to look at the magical ani-anmin...alls"
"You mean familiars, kitten" Minerva quipped as she closed the chest finally finished packing for her daughter who was only staring deep in thought at the list of activities. It was a lot, Minerva could admit that. Especially for Hermione who was coming near to the tender age of seven. Time had flown by so quickly. She couldn't even imagine her child beginning school, then Hogwarts. Albus had given Minerva much food for thought over the girl's future.
"I like the kitty-cats"
Minerva nodded before bending down to her daughter's height and lifted her chin. "I know you want a familiar dear, however you are still young. Show me you can be responsible and we may consider purchasing you a familiar"
"R-Really?" Hermione couldn't help but smile so brightly. Minerva smirked thumbing the small girl's cheek, "if you follow the rules and do well in your subjects then at the end of the semester we will consider looking at a familiar" Hermione's eyes brightened for a second before she looked down at her schedule.
It was busy.
Really busy!
So busy in fact that it made her think that there would be a lot less time for cuddles and exploring. The schedule was set out in one hour blocks with different colours highlighted on the paper to represent different subjects.
It seemed, she had lessons from Monday to Thursday starting from 8AM until 4PM. She took a quick read through her schedule noticing that she had revision periods scheduled from 7AM-8AM every morning. During the day, she would have a mixture of History (Mixxy; twice a week), Mathematics and English (Remus; four times a week), Theory of Potions and Herbology (Grandmother, Severus and Pomona; three times a week), Piano Lessons (Filius; once a week), Physical Activity five times per week (Aberforth and Hooch) and Care of Magical Creatures (Hagrid and Silvanus; twice a week), French, Gaelic and pure-blood etiquette lessons (Grandmother; once a week) with her only period of Healing lessons with Poppy on Friday.
Hermione looked worried about the five periods of physical activity her parents were forcing her to attend but was happy that they had at least considered putting in place regularly scheduled nap times, during the day for her.
"I don't like PT"
"You will enjoy it with your uncle and Hooch"
Hermione glared at the sheet of paper, "I didn't like it in my other school either" she muttered earning an eye roll from Minerva.
"Well tough," she stroked her daughter's fringe before standing up and stretching her back. "exercise is good for children and especially for you, considering your previous injuries"
Hermione huffed unhappily and crossed her arms. "Don't forget the other list kitten" Minerva smirked as she stood at the door.
"Hermione stared at the list of rules written on the back of her door. She had 10. Ten? Why would they do such a thing?
She drifted her eyes back to the rules hanging up on her door and read them to herself.
1. Must take my potions every day - she gulped
2. Bed to be made everyday - that was easy; she could do that
3. No running around Hogwarts without proper supervision - She blushed
4. Complete assigned homework
5. Bedroom routine - including baths time
6. Always tell the Truth
7. Knock on closed doors before opening
8. Toys and books are to be packed away if you are done using them
9. Always says please and thank you
10. No desert if you don't eat dinner
11. No food in bed - She looked up at her mother for a second looking slightly agitated
12. No screaming or yelling
13. Always tell the truth
14. No toys at the table
15. No destroying the house - sliding down the railing/braking anything
16. Chores first then play
"Telling the truth's written twice" Hermione looked up at her mother who nodded. "You should always tell the truth Hermione" She pulled her daughter's chin up so they were both looking into each others eyes. The young girl looked nervous and decided to nod at her mother's words, knowing what it meant.
Three weeks later: Hogwarts
Hermione breathed heavily as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her hands shook with anxiety as she fiddled with her buttons on her shirt. She felt sick, she felt so sick at the moment. She immediately ran to the toilet and opened the lid feeling as though she was going to vomit. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to take deep breaths.
'Creak'
"Meow!" Hermione turned to see the dark black cat enter the bathroom. She immediately closed the toilet down before sliding against the bathroom sink.
"Good morning, grand-momma"
She heard her purring as she moved forward into her granddaughter's arms. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest before the cat snuggled into her arms. She cuddled the cat in her arms, burying her face into the cats hair. Isobel comforted the shaking girl as much as possible almost subliminally telling her that everything was going to be okay.
"I-I feel sick" Hermione muttered quietly.
She felt the shift in her arms and was suddenly pulled into her grandmother's lap. "How 'bout I come to your class with ye darling?"
Hermione looked up to see her grandmother warmly smiling down at her.
"Y-youw'd come wit- me?"
Isobel smiled at her granddaughter's desperate eyes. She was so small and becoming more dependent on them, "of course dear," she brushed her small cheek before looking into her gold flecked eyes staring hopeful at her, "W-would maither and papa be okay with you staying?"
She smirked and bopped her nose with her index finger, "leave that with me, now-" She pulled Hermione up with her hands before cupping her face and staring at her rats nest of hair.
"Now, we need to go and get ready for today" Hermione smiled excitedly as she followed after her.
Severus grunted as he felt his coat being pulled to the side as he sat at the table reading the latest Daily Prophet. A cigarette in one hand, and a brandy in the other. His recovery from the 'mauling' was going steady, although the tendons in his hand were scarred and adhered badly. And his back. His back was killing him and his pain killers were currently being washed down with the soothing brandy in his left hand. It was 7AM but he felt as though he needed it. Needed it to get through the day of dealing with pesky first years, annoying second years and hormonal third years just to start his day.
He took a sip of his drink before he noticed a young, busy haired girl running into the main room with a mangy cat running behind her.
"Do I look alright?" He rolled his eyes not even bothering to raise an eye at the girl. "I don't know why your parents would bother dressing you up in front of that mutt"
"Mutt?" Hermione pulled herself onto the chair next to him before grabbing hold of the black cat following her and cuddling the skinny animal, much to Isobel's shock. Severus smiled, "your teacher"
"He's not a mutt, he's a man"
"Debatable" He muttered as he sipped his drink again. Hermione arched her eyebrow at him not noticing the cat wriggling from her arms before escaping. Hermione tried to grab the cat again but ended up transfiguring into her human form.
"Not appropriate to be drinking prior to classes, boy" Isobel glared at the man before ripping away his drink. He growled watching as the older woman walk away before staring down at the young girl trying to run a hand through her tangled hair.
"I see your father hasn't tamed that mane of yours" She felt her arm being grabbed before he pulled her over to him. "My hair's fine. I b-rrushed it myself" He grabbed his wand and aimed it at her head. Hermione winced her eyes in pain as she felt the knots pulled from her hair before being plated into a braid. "Ow" Hermione winced, trying to struggle away from him. "Stay still young lady" He grabbed her arm again only for pain to shoot through his tendons. He yelped in agony, wand clattering to the ground as he clutched his wrist.
"Ah bastard" He hissed in pain.
"Sev?" She looked up at him worriedly. He shook his head staring into her golden eyes. For a split second he could see the features of her father planted across her face. She really did take after him. He rubbed his eyes, an image of the night flashing in front of his eyes. Bright golden eyes burning hatred into his. "Sev?" He heard a young girl's voice call out to him. He closed his eyes, knowing it wasn't real.
"Sev?" He opened his eyes to see the small girl staring up at him with such innocence. He gently smiled at her before seeing his wand in her hands. "You okay Sev-rus?" He nodded, taking his wand from her and placing it back into his robes before pulling her into his arms. "I'm really sorry about your arm, Sev"
"Yeah, me too" He stared down at the thick scar tissue covering his forearm where his dark mark used to be. Hermione laughed making the dark haired man frown for a second before he felt the girl's arm near his. He noticed the triangular burn marks lashing her skin, "look Sev, now we're matching".
Later that day:
"Alright dear, now you have your apple juice in your bag if your blood sugar gets too low, Remus is aware that you will need your medication at 10 o'clock, Poppy will come up to make sure you have your dosages, I will be in classes all day today however your father & I will come in and check on you every chance we get" Hermione breathed heavily as she sat in her chair at the front of an empty classroom. In front of her, a blackboard with a desk, just like her mother's classroom. She was so scared. She hadn't been to school in over a year and now she was finally going back. Back to learning. Back to...part of her old life.
"It's going to be okay. We'll start out with a half day and see how you go then maybe in a few days we can try a full-day. Hmmm...How does that sound, kitten?" Minerva cooed as she bent down next to her daughters ear and kissed her cheek.
Hermione could only nod and gulp as she held the straps of her back pack in her hand. She really didn't want to leave her family. But her parents worked full time and they had already hired additional tutors to take her through the rest of the days.
"Ooch don't you look so smart in your new clothes" She pinched Hermione's cheek.
"Momma" Hermione complained before glancing back at the school, "Now you be good for Mr Remus now and if you need anything I will only be down the hall"
Minerva looked into her big brown and gold eyes, scarred and wanting her mother, "You will be fine dear. You need to give this a chance"
Hermione nodded her head before moving towards her mother, wanting a hug.
"Ooch, my piseag bheag ("little kitten")" Minerva brushed her hair behind the small girls ear as she hugged her tightly.
"It will only be a half day of classes today and some physical education in the afternoon" She kissed Hermione's forehead before standing up.
"Now you best get your books out of your bag. Oh and Hermione,"
She looked up to her mother as she stood at the doorway, "Don't forget to be a good girl, màthair loves you very much"
Hermione ran into her for one last hug, "I wove you too, mommy"
Minerva smiled before shooing her daughter off to her desk.
Hermione could only take a few sharp, deep breaths as she glanced up at her teacher, despite the girl sitting on her own in the room she felt as though she were with hundreds of people.
She fiddled with her feather as she stared down at the sheet of paper.
One day, a person went to a horse racing area. Instead of counting the number of humans and horses, he counted 74 heads and 196 legs. How many humans and horses were there?
She rubbed her eyes, not able to concentrate. I'll do the next one.
What is the square root of 3 to the square root of 2 power times the square root of 3 to the negative square root of 2 power?
She tried to do her workings, but she couldn't concentrate any further. She raised her hand, catching her teacher's attention as he continued to flick his wand at the white board writing later periods questions. Fractions. Hermione gulped rubbing her eyes. She hated fractions.
"What can I help you with, Ms Dumbledore?"
She winced at her last name, "Mr Lupin, may I p-a-leeze go to the bath-room?"
"Ms Dumbledore, you have been to the bathroom three times already within the two hours" He leaned down closer to the girl concerned, "is everything okay?" She whispered to the girl.
Hermione nodded, and pushed her chair away from the table before standing up and leaving.
Hermione cupped her hands under the running tap and splashing her face. School hadn't meant much to her after her parents had passed away & she had been locked up by 'what-once-was'; her uncle.
"Mrrreow"
She flinched, jumping at the black cat running passed her feet. "Hermione, it is unacceptable to be skipping classes. Your parents-"
"IT'S MY FIRST DAY-" Hermione screamed back at her, her face flushing with anger.
Isobel glared at her before relaxing slightly. She knew this was a lot for her granddaughter. She sighed and rubbed her temple before looking back at her daughter who was on the verge of tears.
"Ay, come now ghràdhaich (dear). No tears now" She bent down to wipe away her child's tears. "This is hard"
"I know, however you cannot simply run away from your problems. You are not a mouse"
Hermione looked away but her mother grabbed her chin before pulling her in for a hug. "I don't want to be here. I want to be maither"
"Hermione, you promised" She gulped. "I-I change my mind"
Isobel shook her head. "That is not how-"
"Ms Dumbledore?" They turned to the door only to hear the soft knocking of Remus Lupin.
"Um...I-I'm busy"
"Hermione!" Isobel pulled her grand-daughter's chin back around to her. "Alright, fine" Hermione rolled her eyes before marching back over to the door and wrenching it open. "Ms Dumbledore" Remus looked down relieved at the young girl.
"I was beginning to get worried. Are you feeling alright?" She nodded. "I just have a tummy ache"
He smiled.
"First day nerves. I understand. Are you ready to come back to class. We can begin looking at Algebra equations, from what your mother had said - you love it" She smiled up at the scared man's face seeing his genuine smile. She knew even he too was trying to his best. "okay" She raised her hand to hold his as they walked away leaving the skinny black cat to follow after them.
Hermione closed her eyes as she leaned on her stack of books. Tired from her first lesson. Sitting in a button up white sleeved shirt and a black skirt with stockings, Hermione placed her quill onto the table and continued to watch as Mr Lupin spoke about a mathematics calculation. Every now and then her parents would pop their heads through the door checking to make sure the lesson was going well which to the young girl meant that she was staying awake and not having a breakdown.
"Do you understand that Ms Dumbledore?"
Hermione looked up at him for a second, confused about what he had meant. Why did he call her by her fathers name?
"Y-Yes Sir"
He gave her a small smile before placing his pen down, "this is rather complicated mathematics. If you need a break you're more than welcome too"
The young girl shook her head before picking her pen back up and continuing to write. Lupin smirked. "You're a lot like your mother"
She smiled at her work and continued on.
Minerva had come around a short time later, checking in from her daughter from afar. She seemed to be doing well and Remus appeared to be an excellent tutor for the girl. He had been understanding and calm for the whole session and had managed to engage the girl for the whole time with only very few interruptions. Better yet, Hermione seemed to be enjoying it. She did however, wonder how she would handle the afternoon.
Hermione scrunched her face in exhaustion, sweat dripping from her forehead as the last class of her day came to a finish. Her uncle, Aberforth was relentless with physical education and she was beginning to hate every fibre of it.
"Over the obstacle course again my dear" He called to her as he relaxed back in his seat drinking only-god-knows from a pitcher. Standing nearby the man, Poppy stood flicking her wand and arranging the new course which was a combination of balancing, jumping, running and throwing exercises. In actual fact, it had looked like something the teachers who had taught her kindy classes had set up.
It would have been fine with other children, however both her kin's postures didn't help her confidence. Moreover, she felt like a small lab-rat, Aberforth lazing in his arm-chair acting as though he had somewhere better to be and Poppy constantly scribbling on her 'field-notes' of Hermione's progression through each obstacle. By guessing at the insane amount of notes Poppy had been scribbling – Hermione could only guess that she had not been progressing as much as the adults would have liked. She had tripped over the tires and fell off the balance beams too many times to count within the last half an hour. Hermione was exhausted, embarrassed and ready to call it a day.
"Not again!" Hermione yelled back, her face flushing even redder.
"Don't back-chat me dear. Again or you can go through again after this one"
Hermione groaned, closing her eyes before she fell to her knees and began to crawl through the blue tunnel before leopard crawling onto her stomach for the smaller tunnel.
"Very well done" She could hear Poppy's gentle voice from outside the tunnel. From not being able to see her expression, Hermione could only think of it as patronizing.
Next was a zig-zag of balance beams a foot from the soft grass to catch her fall. Poppy extended her hand as the small girl climbed onto the balance beam and acted as a support. After the balance beam was several boxes to climb under and over followed by bean bag throws in combination with hop-scotch, tire hopping and a rope swing onto a trampoline.
By the end of the course, she had felt like the world had been spinning. Her muscles, bones and even skin ached from the pulling of her scar tissue. Poppy however, smiled down at her as the two relaxed on the trampoline – Hermione resting on her back, staring up at the sky whilst Poppy sat next to her enjoying the afternoon view of the lake.
The young girl listened to Poppy prattle on about how good physical exercise was good for recovery. Hermione thought it funny after over a year she would still be going through rehab. However, she supposed she was still seeing a psychiatrist and having to do extra homework on top of her usual maths, English, etc.
"I've always loved watching the sun-set. Somethin' beautiful about watching that golden sky" She heard Aberforth from afar, likely still sitting in his chair and drinking "pumpkin-juice". Hermione could only nod at the thought of a memory just in-front of her eye-lids. A small memory of her biological parents sitting on a rug at a park. They were near a lake and were enjoying a tray of cheese, biscuits and what-she-could-remember, her parents drinking wine together. They were happy, the only problem was. She couldn't seem to really remember their faces. They features appearing more like blobs of distortion. Hermione rubbed her eyes and blinked trying to picture them. Small memories flashed of her mother and father but they felt so distant.
She jumped as she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Poppy smiled down at her asking her if she wanted to go for a swim before heading back to her parents. Hermione could only agree. The Summer had been extra warm this year and, despite the course being in the shade – Hermione felt as though she were still melting. She took a sip of her water bottle before standing up and toddling towards the water nearby.
"Oh Hermione wait!" She heard Poppy trying to race to get up but Hermione could only giggle, jumping into the water in her clothes. Behind her Poppy, palmed her face, wanting to conjure the girl some bathers – not that it would have occurred to the girl who was currently splashing about in knee deep water.
Poppy sighed, deciding that she might as well join the child since there was no turning back.
Hogsmead:
Not far from the castle a lone figure stood. His black cloak staring through the window as he sat at the Three Broomsticks, his leather cloak, ripped and tared at parts covering his body. He looked absently into the night, seeing the warm glow of the castle in the distance. On the table in front of him laid a newspaper article, the front page showing a picture of a man named Albus Dumbledore shaking hands with Cornelius Fudge at the front gates of Hogwarts. The man's eyes quickly darted across the page as he noted the dark haired figure in the background standing bored in between several other teachers of the school. A lady dressed in green robes and a small man.
"Fill your glass up dear?" The blonde haired barmaiden asked. He smiled gently up at her and nodded as he continued to pretend to read the newspaper. "Planning on sending your children to Hogwarts. Finest school around" She made polite small talk as she topped his glass. He smiled again. "I have a daughter who goes there. She only just started"
"Aw, I hope she's enjoying her first year"
"She couldn't help brag about her teacher's. In actual fact, she spoke about this one" He pointed to the dark wizard, "the most. I just can't seem to remember his name. Must've escaped me"
The barmaiden scarfed, "oh that's Professor Severus Snape. I'm not surprised to see she's spoken of him" The blonde haired woman's tone did nothing to settle the man, his features becoming increasingly worried. "Oh, but don't worry about your daughter. All professors are extremely qualified in their profession"
"Why should I be worried?"
"Oh, I-" She exclaimed embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, I had just assumed...Professor Snape can be a bit brash with students. Particularly Gryffendor's"
"I see" His expression turned, looking slightly annoyed. The barmaid gulped, "oh please, forgive me. I didn't realise he was a friend of yours. I didn't mean to speak bad of a teacher - I -"
"No, you're alright. It is good to know the reputation of someone whose taking care your child"
She looked both startled and embarrassed wanting to leave the conversation immediately. "And Professor Snape is not my friend. He's more of an acquaintance actually. I have been planning on paying him a visit whilst I'm in town"
"Oh well, I guess you're staying for the upcoming Hogsmead visit?" She asked trying to change the conversation however, it seemed to intrigue the brunette man more.
"Sorry?"
"You know, when the children visit Hogsmead. It it usually restricted to third years and above to visit however, there is always exceptions if younger students have parents or guardian's visiting. I was just assuming that is why you were here? To see your daughter and Professor Snape?"
He nodded and wiped his mouth attempting not to looked stunned at the new piece of information. "I was just surprised it was restricted to older students. My girl had only said that she was allowed to visit"
The blonde haired woman gave a slow nod before stiffling a cough. "W-who did you say your daughter was again?"
"I didn't" He said politely as he folded his paper and sipped on his beer.
"Her name is Jean" He smiled.
