What If? By Spunky
Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.
Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins.
Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.
I solemnly swear I am up to no good!
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Ding Dong! The doorbell at the Granger's house rang. It was the next morning and Hermione had been eagerly awaiting the doorbell as it meant the arrival of the professor. Hermione raced downstairs. After one last check in the mirror to make sure she looked good for the person the Wizarding school was sending, she stood up tall and opened the door. Hermione groaned. It was some of Chad's friends'. Hermione let her perfect posture drop.
"Is Chad here? We're playing football (Americanese: Soccer) in the park and we want to see if he can come."
"CHAD!" Hermione called.
Chad thundered down the stairs with Orian at his heals. "Yes?"
"Your friends are here. Go play with them." Hermione didn't need Chad at the house on this particular momentous day.
"I was going to stay here today."
"No you don't! You may ruin a lot of things but you're NOT ruining my interview!"
"It's not an interview! They're just coming to get you!"
"How would you know? You're not a wizard!"
Chad opened his mouth to say something and then shut it. Orian whined.
"Now go." Just get out of here! Hermione thought. She could arrive any minute!
"I'm staying here."
"MUM!!!! DAD!!!!" Hermione called. "Chad won't leave! He's going to destroy my interview! I know it!"
Mrs. Granger appeared in the entry hall "Now Chad, go and play with your friends. This means a lot to your sister and I'll not have you ruin it."
"But-" Chad was cut off by Mrs. Granger.
"Now."
Chad shot a last glare at Hermione and stalked out of the house. Orian stayed in the doorway of the house.
"And take your dog with you!"
"Come on Orian." Chad mumbled and Orian slunk behind him.
Satisfied, Hermione shut the door.
Barely 10 minutes went by when the doorbell rang once again. Once again Hermione sped into the hallway, straightened herself up in the mirror and opened the door.
Standing in the doorway was a tall, stern-looking lady with black hair, glasses and the most peculiar cloak-like clothing with something resembling a cape on her back.
For a moment Hermione stared up at her taking in all of her features. Then, realizing she was gawking she shook herself back into focus and timidly said "Hello."
The lady surveyed Hermione for a moment from over the rim of her glasses then cleared her throat and started speaking. "I am Professor Minerva McGonagall. I am looking for a Miss Hermione Granger. Would that be you?"
Hermione nodded slowly, still entranced by the lady before her. "Please, come in."
The professor entered the hallway and removed the cape-like object. Hermione could now see that the cloak she had on was the color of indigo. Hermione led her to the living room as butterflies began to form in her stomach. The professor contemplated the living room's appearance as she entered, noticing all of the details with her cat-like eyes.
"Would you like anything to drink?" Asked Hermione, unsure of what to do. Despite all of the books she had read about how to behave with guests, this new guest made her self-conscious.
"No, thank you. Are your parents here?"
Of course! That's what she should have done! She ought to have had her parents seated in the living room when the doorbell rang. How embarrassing!
"I'll go fetch them right away." Oh, why did she just say that? 'Fetch' was for dogs not for parents! Hermione left the living room quickly to get her mum and dad. They were seated in the kitchen sipping tea.
"Mum! Dad! The Professor's here! She wants to speak with you!"
"All right, we'll be there in a minute."
"No, please come straightaway."
Her father smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Why, I do believe, Miss Hermione's nervous."
"Please Dad. Don't make fun. I just so want to go to this school and I don't want to make a bad impression."
"All right we'll come now."
"Don't forget, her name is Professor McGonagall."
"Don't worry! It will be fine."
Hermione almost pulled them into the living room.
As they sat, Mrs. Granger and Mr. Granger shook the Professor's hand.
"Hello," said Hermione's dad. "Our Hermione is rather excited about the idea of going to this school of yours. However, before yesterday, I am afraid to say that I had never heard of witches and wizards except for in the imaginary sense. I know absolutely nothing about your school. Is this real and do you think you could explain it to me?"
"Certainly." Professor McGonagall said. "The Wizarding world is most defiantly real. Unbeknownst to the world you live in there is another world. The Magical World. We have a government and towns. We have stores, a bank and schools, just like your world. However, that is where the similarities end. In the Magical World there is one vital item that changes everything. That is the wizard's wand. A wand is the channel of the wizard's magical energy. With a wand a wizard can preform magic. That is what your daughter will be learning if she elects to attend Hogwarts. We have many subjects. I teach Transfiguration. There is also Herbology, Flying, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms and Astrology. In your third year you are able to choose from several other elective subjects. Two are required. There are seven years of schooling at Hogwarts and during those years you will be placed in a House. There are four Houses at Hogwarts. Gryffindor is for the brave, Hufflepuff is for the quick-witted, Ravenclaw is for the clever and Slytherin is for the cunning. Each house is named after one of the four founders of Hogwarts. Do you have any questions?"
Throughout the professor's explanation Hermione listened aptly, entranced by the professor's description. Now she was left in awe. This was the world she would belong to. It was superior to anything she had fantasized. Her mother's words tore her form her euphoria.
"I have two questions. First of all, in your letter you mentioned that Hermione was 'muggle-born', what did that mean? Secondly, do you think you could show us some of the magic you were talking about?"
"Muggle-born means that she was not born to magical parents. That is not anything bad, it is just a distinction that is made. Also, yes I can show you some magic. What would you like to see?"
"Well, what is there?"
"I could transfigure your table into a pig."
"You can?" Hermione's mother raised her eyebrows, "I suppose that is all right. Anything is fine. Well, so long as I get my table back. I'm just wondering what it is like."
Hermione watched as Professor McGonagall took out a stick that Hermione assumed was a wand, held it up and whispered a few words. The tea table transfigured, into a pig. Hermione goggled at the pig. It was about as large as a bath tube, rosy pink, and had a spiral tail. It's beady black eyes' search out Hermione and it grunted. Hermione's jaw dropped. Professor McGonagall again raised her wand and murmured a few unheard words and the pig became a tea table again complete with lace and flowers in the center.
Hermione's eyes widened.
"Now, if you are still interested, I will take you to get your school things."
Unable to speak, Hermione nodded yes.
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Harry kicked the football as hard as he could. It flew up in the air and landed on the other side of a large fence.
"Not again!" moaned Andrew, a friend of Harry's. "That's the third time you've kicked it out of the park, Chad. What's the matter with you? You usually have perfect control over the ball."
"Nothing." replied Harry. He couldn't tell Andrew. Andrew didn't know anything about the Wizarding world.
"Come on! What's wrong?"
Well, maybe if he told him only parts of it... "Hermione got accepted at a school."
"What's new?" Andrew rolled his eyes. "Is that what you're worried about?"
"I've wanted to go there forever. It's like-"
"You? You've wanted to go to a school forever? You're joking right? Because I've never known you to care whether or not you pass of fail anything, even though you always do good."
"Never mind. You wouldn't understand."
"I probably wouldn't. You're not making any sense Chad."
"Forget about it. Let's go and get the ball. I'm going home."
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When Sirius and Harry returned home the house was empty. Sirius followed Harry into the den. There, Sirius and Harry went on the computer until the door downstairs banged open. Hermione almost flew into the room and Sirius barely had time to change into his canine form.
"Chad! It was the absolute best place in the world! Magic is amazing! I'm going to love Hogwarts! I purchased my school books and a few others so I can learn all about it!"
"That's great." replied Harry without enthusiasm.
"Look at these books! The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, The Standard Book of Spells (grade 1), Quiddich Through the Ages, Magical Drafts and Potions, Magical Theory, Modern Magical History, A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration, All About the Wizarding World, One Thousand Magical Spores and Fungi, Hogwarts, A History, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century, The Dark Forces: A Guide to Protection, A History of Magic, I'm going to read them all tonight!"
"Have fun." replied Harry with the same flat tone.
"Well I'm going to go start reading! I've got to learn all about the magical world!" Hermione bounced out of the room.
Harry looked down at Sirius, "Did she have to flaunt it in my face?"
Sirius changed back into his human form, "She doesn't know any better."
"So now you're taking HER side? I thought you'd agree with me. But, no. Everyone's against me. Everyone's against me and it's all your fault!" Harry stormed out of the den and into his room, slamming the door behind him.
Sirius sighed. Harry was right, Sirius thought. It was all his fault. But there was nothing he could do. Sirius was miserable. He couldn't go to the Wizarding world, he'd probably be killed before he could say 'I didn't do it' and Harry couldn't go to Hogwarts it he didn't alert the Wizarding world of his whereabouts. It was a Catch 22.
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Professor Mivera McGonagall entered the teacher's lounge at Hogwarts. She softly chuckled to herself, an action she allowed herself rarely. That Miss Granger girl was something else. Mivera had never seen someone so eager to learn. Well, maybe Lily Potter. The former Head Girl had always been slightly obsessed with her schooling. Speaking of the Potters, Mivera could have sworn she had seen a picture of James Potter at Miss Granger's house, but that would be impossible. Miss Granger had also been the photo and James had looked about her age. There was no possible way James Potter could have been in the picture because he, unfortunately, was dead.
"Mivera McGonagall."
Mivera jumped and turned to find Albus Dumbledore behind her. "Oh, hello Albus."
"What are you doing here? You do realize that its summer vacation, don't you?"
"I just finished visiting a muggle-born first year. She seems like quite an overachiever. Very eager to learn. Her names Hermione Granger."
Dumbledore's eye's twinkled, "I must say, we don't get many of those here. Eager students, I mean. How would you describe her? Where would you place her if you were the sorting hat?"
"Ravenclaw, maybe? I really couldn't tell. My mind was on other things." She sighed.
"Is there anything wrong?"
"I could have sworn I saw a picture of James Potter at Miss Granger's house."
"Peculiar. Most peculiar."