Chapter Two: Death Eaters

Hermione wrote back to Harry and Ron told them that she would be there on Tuesday. She thought about staying at the Burrow for the rest of the summer then she got a letter from Ginny warning her that Percy was home. It wasn't that Hermione didn't like Percy it was just Percy "liked" her. She was hoping his feelings would go away since in her second year he was dating Penelope. But he broke up with her saying he was in love with some one else. But Hermione thought Percy was obsessed. Every time she went to the Burrow and he was there he would follow her around like a wounded puppy. Hermione just happened to look outside her window, which faced the front of her house. She frowned noticing that is was too dark outside; sure it was 11:30pm but what happen to the street lights. She got up and went to the window to look out. For some reason she felt a little strange and decided to turn off the light and stay hidden behind her curtains. She look out upon the street, the large houses were well spaced and most stood dark. She never invited Harry or Ron to her house because she didn't want them to feel weird in her house which was large. Then she notice figures melting out of the darkness. They had on black cloaks and when the looked toward her house to size it up Hermione almost freaked. She saw their black and silver masks even though the street was dark. 'Death Eaters' her brain screamed at her and they were coming toward her home. Hermione remained calm but reacted quickly she went to her night stand and got her wand then she ran out of her room to her parent's room. She burst though the door with out knocking. Her parents were still awake, her father was reading a book and her mother was working on her lap top. The looked up with great surprise at their daughter.

"Mum, Dad come on we have to get out of here." Hermione said then ran back to her room to write a letter to Harry and Ron to warn them. Luckily for her Mr. Weasly had connected her house to the Floo Network last year. Her parents met her in the hallway in their night cloths and she rushed them downstairs. She had a small bag of Floo powder and handed to her mother as they reach the fire place in the living room. The bag only had enough powder for one trip. Then Hermione noticed shadows creeping up to the front door and quickly placed wards on it. But she knew that wouldn't last long.

"Hermione what is going on," Her mother started, "You are using magic." Her father stood there knowing something was very wrong. He knew his daughter would risk getting expelled form Hogwarts unless she had a good reason. Hermione turned around to face her parents.

"Death Eaters are outside!" She said. Then she noticed her parents go very pale. She told them all about Voldemort and Death Eaters. "Mum listen I am giving you Floo powder and you need to go to Hogwarts to get Professor Dumbledore. Don't worry the only place you can go is his office, since Hogwarts has its own wards. Tell him what is going on and that I used magic to put wards on the house."

"Come on dear get going I will keep Hermione safe." Her father spoke up. Hermione frown she meant that they would both go. There were about half a dozen grown wizards outside and they were just outside the door now. So she followed her father closely behind and her mother step into the fireplace as she drop the powder and said Hogwarts Hermione pushed her father in and they both disappeared. Hermione knew that she had to get out of her house and that being inside would be more of a hinderercence then a help. So she ran though the house and got to the kitchen, which was visible from the front door, then the front door exploded with blue light and pieces of the door landed in large splinters in the hall. The first Death Eater entered the house and raised his wand to her but she quickly slipped out the back door in the kitchen. Hermione knew she had to get them away from the house and other homes to the beach which lay a short distance from the back of her house.

Meanwhile at Hogwarts

"You see professor, he wanted me to take the mark tonight and I knew that this was the only place I could go." Said a rather disturbed Draco Malfoy. The heads of the houses, Dumbledore, and of course Draco were sitting in the headmaster's office. Professor McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick were standing around the office. Snape had moved to Draco side as he finished his story and place a hand on the boy's shoulder. Just then a purple cloud of smoke appeared in the fire place then two middle-aged people came falling out. Draco stared at them, the man was about 45 with bright wavy golden blond hair and light ice blue eyes and when he stood up he looked at least 6 feet tall. While on the other hand the women, who the man had helped up, was about 5'5" and had short straight strawberry blond hair and dark blue eyes. Professor Dumbledore was the first to speak.

"May I help you?" Dumbledore asked and for once he looked surprised.

"I am Alex Granger this is Helen," The man started, "We are Hermione's parents,"

"Alex she pushed you though she is all alone and she used magic," The women started, "Hermione all alone with those people." Draco felt bad for the women, she looked like she was about to faint. Then he thought to himself as he looked these people over, 'If these are Hermione's biological parents then I am a muggle' He wasn't that stupid, last year his father had told him to take muggle studies to keep the heat off the family name. One thing he learned and loved the best was science, genetics his favorite. He knew that blue eyes were a recessive trait and since both of Hermione's parents had blue eyes and she had brown. Then he wondered what happened to make Hermione do magic illegally.

"What people?" McGonagall asked, "Why would she break the rules?"

"She put wards on the house," Alex Granger said. "Because Death Eaters are trying to get in to our house." The whole room was silent for a few seconds later everyone would say it felt like an anon. Draco noticed that Snape had a weird look about him and he couldn't place it.

"Serveus, Minerva come with me," Dumbledore said then added as an afterthought, "You to Mr. Malfoy, you might be able to identify them." Draco thought that Snape was going to argue about him going but Dumbledore gave him a stare before he could say anything. "Professors Sprout and Flitwick take the Grangers to see Poppy, to make sure they are okay," Dumbledore said and raised his hand and gave the Grangers a nod when they tried to speak. When they left Dumbledore pick up a small silver ball that was lying on this desk.

"Portkey?" Draco asked aloud not noticing that he did until he looked at Dumbledore who gave him a small smile. They all touched it and then they were gone.