~*~ A quick note before I begin again. Thank you for all the reviews.
It's more than I had hoped for. And I am sorry for not updating.Organic got
in the way. Thank you Lesmes and Blondie. ~*~
Hermione was nervous. This was not good. She walked slowly towards the fireplace and took the floo powder from Professor McGonagall and firmly stated: "Headmaster's Office." Nervously the young woman entered the acid green flames.
~*~
She had the distinct feeling that she was being dragged through a storm though the young woman never saw any of the traditional signs. Then she found herself in the warm office of Albus Dumbledore surrounded by the portraits of past headmasters. The fireplace from which she had entered was ablaze with the green flames again as Professor McGonagall stepped through. Brushing off a bit of soot she vented, "Floo really is an inconvenient way to travel."
A voice sounded from the entrance as the silver haired wizard made his appearance. He was wearing deep purple robes of a more somber mood than his school time attire. Hermione's surprise must have been visible for the wizard replied: "I have been at the Ministry for the past few hours trying to get us out of, shall we say, unwelcome circumstances. Please sit down. Minerva, you must calm down." He smiled at the older witch. Hermione let herself sit down in a rather soft wing backed chair with red and gold upholstery. "Taffy?" He offered both women.
Hermione stiffened feeling uneasy because her Transfigurations teacher was visibly agitated. She accepted the candy from the Headmaster. "Now, we must get to the point of all this. Due to your use of the time turner in your third year, Ms. Granger, the Ministry have decided tack it onto your age. I received this," he held up a scroll. "This morning, and went immediately to the Ministry offices in London." He paused to let out an exhausted sigh. The man looked very old indeed. The twinkle which his bright eyes normally possessed now seemed only a memory.
It was an age before he spoke again. He removed his half moon spectacles to lock eyes with the brunette. "Ms. Granger. It is officially your birthday, and today you are of age despite my arguments on your behalf. You are now subject to the new abomination of a law." This came out of the old wizard in a slow and deliberate pace which left Hermione feeling completely hollow inside. "I am deeply sorry my child. It seems I have not failed Harry alone."
Hermione was in shock. 'Did the man say what I think I heard? No! It's not possible; I'm not old enough.' Her mind was reeling. If she had not been in the great squishy chair she surely would have fallen. Somehow she must have made a gesture to see the document rolled up on his desk. She scanned it when it was placed into her shaking hands. Her worse nightmare was real. Any wizard could claim her, and there was no legal action she could file against him. There was no recourse. She was now out of time and more importantly out of options.
"Surely no one wants me." She stammered almost to herself. In all her years at Hogwarts the only boy she had ever dated was Viktor Krum. He was a friend to her when she needed him. She did not feel for him what he did for her. Not one Gryffindor had looked her way seriously in all her years with the loud, brash group. 'No, I am safe. No one wants a bookworm know-it- all,' she thought as her rational brain crept back out from the hole it had been hiding in. Looking up at the Headmaster she searched his eyes for a sign of hope.
"I'm afraid these have come for you as well. The last came shortly before your arrival with Minerva." He handed her four pure white scrolls closed with the Ministry certified seal.
"Ha, have you opened them?" She stammered dumbly.
"No, my dear. We thought it would be best for you to read them first." He glanced at the wizened witch who in turn nodded her assent. He offered her the delicate parchment the same way he had the candy. The irony was not lost on the young witch.
Hermione took the scrolls and set them in her lap. She shivered subconsciously and broke the seal of the top scroll, quickly scanning its contents. The first words that caught her eye were 'Malfoy' and 'proposition', not proposal but 'proposition'. She felt the anger that was so well hidden well up in her stomach. That greased-up, lousy excuse for an albino bouncing ferret would pay. She ground her teeth in irritation and tossed it over the back of the chair. "Not an option," she said aloud as McGonagall reached for the discarded scroll.
The girl did not see the strained glance the Deputy Headmistress over the wing backed chair to the Headmaster fore she had moved on to the second scroll. This one was much thicker than the one from the Malfoy family. Her luck was waning it seemed as the scroll contained a very detailed account of what would be expected of a Zambini woman. Every detail of day to day living was spelled out on the many sheets of parchment which Hermione stopped reading after "33. Betrothed will speak only when spoken to as befits a woman of grace." Blaise's elder brother appeared to be no fool. This time instead of chucking the proposal over her shoulder she handed it to the witch at her side. "This one is not any better," was all she said.
Hermione's calm was a very thin screen of gossamer around a hurricane of anger, fear, and shock that was the young woman's mind. There were only two more left. The smallest was next it seemed. It was from Casper Goyle for his son Gregory. It was not as well written as the rest, and it was clear to Hermione what it was. It was only a fake option for Lucius to throw in her face should she ever become trapped with the ferret boy and have to spend time with his git of a father. "Goyle," she stated flatly.
The last scroll was the thickest by far, and the brunette mentally groaned. She could just see the announcer in her head, 'And the winner is.' Hermione was too scared to look at the last name on her limited list of choices. It couldn't get much worse than Malfoy, so she opened her cinnamon eyes to read the final name and burst out laughing. Tears were rolling down her now rosy cheeks. McGonagall took a step towards the young witch eyes filled with worry. She took the papers from the girl. Her eyebrows raised considerably behind her square glasses as she handed the last parchment to Dumbledore.
His half moon spectacles flashed in the firelight. "Severus is not going to be pleased with his father it seems. Perhaps we should call him in here?" He suggested.
"Wait," Hermione interrupted the wizard. "Give me a quill. It can't get any worse than Malfoy." She looked as if she would be sick on the spot, but her hand hardly shook as she signed the contract with her delicate script.
Dumbledore walked around his desk and to the fire where he threw in a pinch of floo powder turning the flames acid green for the second time that night. "Ah, Severus." He spoke with amusement in his voice. Hermione could almost see the twinkle in his eye despite the fact that his back was to her. "Would you please join us in my office?" His voice allowed for no opposition though the Potions Master looked like he was sorely tempted.
His slender, black robed frame soon stood in the Headmaster's office. He looked agitated and as always darkly hostile. Hermione did not think it was possible, but the Potions Master's frame became even stiffer when he realized he was not alone with the heads of staff. He ignored her presence and addressed Dumbledore. "Headmaster, what may I do for you?" His voice dripped with sarcasm and Hermione felt her blood run red hot then freezing cold.
"Sit down won't you, Severus? We have some things we need to discuss. It seems your father has decided to make an appearance in your life once again, and has dragged another along with him." He handed the younger wizard the parchment with the Ministry seal. Hermione watched her teacher's face for any emotion, but none came. His expression was of perfect stillness. Only his eyes betrayed him as they had gone blacker than the deepest ebony and were all but a whirlpool of rage. With one fluid movement the dark form had fled the room with his black robes billowing behind him.
Hermione was nervous. This was not good. She walked slowly towards the fireplace and took the floo powder from Professor McGonagall and firmly stated: "Headmaster's Office." Nervously the young woman entered the acid green flames.
~*~
She had the distinct feeling that she was being dragged through a storm though the young woman never saw any of the traditional signs. Then she found herself in the warm office of Albus Dumbledore surrounded by the portraits of past headmasters. The fireplace from which she had entered was ablaze with the green flames again as Professor McGonagall stepped through. Brushing off a bit of soot she vented, "Floo really is an inconvenient way to travel."
A voice sounded from the entrance as the silver haired wizard made his appearance. He was wearing deep purple robes of a more somber mood than his school time attire. Hermione's surprise must have been visible for the wizard replied: "I have been at the Ministry for the past few hours trying to get us out of, shall we say, unwelcome circumstances. Please sit down. Minerva, you must calm down." He smiled at the older witch. Hermione let herself sit down in a rather soft wing backed chair with red and gold upholstery. "Taffy?" He offered both women.
Hermione stiffened feeling uneasy because her Transfigurations teacher was visibly agitated. She accepted the candy from the Headmaster. "Now, we must get to the point of all this. Due to your use of the time turner in your third year, Ms. Granger, the Ministry have decided tack it onto your age. I received this," he held up a scroll. "This morning, and went immediately to the Ministry offices in London." He paused to let out an exhausted sigh. The man looked very old indeed. The twinkle which his bright eyes normally possessed now seemed only a memory.
It was an age before he spoke again. He removed his half moon spectacles to lock eyes with the brunette. "Ms. Granger. It is officially your birthday, and today you are of age despite my arguments on your behalf. You are now subject to the new abomination of a law." This came out of the old wizard in a slow and deliberate pace which left Hermione feeling completely hollow inside. "I am deeply sorry my child. It seems I have not failed Harry alone."
Hermione was in shock. 'Did the man say what I think I heard? No! It's not possible; I'm not old enough.' Her mind was reeling. If she had not been in the great squishy chair she surely would have fallen. Somehow she must have made a gesture to see the document rolled up on his desk. She scanned it when it was placed into her shaking hands. Her worse nightmare was real. Any wizard could claim her, and there was no legal action she could file against him. There was no recourse. She was now out of time and more importantly out of options.
"Surely no one wants me." She stammered almost to herself. In all her years at Hogwarts the only boy she had ever dated was Viktor Krum. He was a friend to her when she needed him. She did not feel for him what he did for her. Not one Gryffindor had looked her way seriously in all her years with the loud, brash group. 'No, I am safe. No one wants a bookworm know-it- all,' she thought as her rational brain crept back out from the hole it had been hiding in. Looking up at the Headmaster she searched his eyes for a sign of hope.
"I'm afraid these have come for you as well. The last came shortly before your arrival with Minerva." He handed her four pure white scrolls closed with the Ministry certified seal.
"Ha, have you opened them?" She stammered dumbly.
"No, my dear. We thought it would be best for you to read them first." He glanced at the wizened witch who in turn nodded her assent. He offered her the delicate parchment the same way he had the candy. The irony was not lost on the young witch.
Hermione took the scrolls and set them in her lap. She shivered subconsciously and broke the seal of the top scroll, quickly scanning its contents. The first words that caught her eye were 'Malfoy' and 'proposition', not proposal but 'proposition'. She felt the anger that was so well hidden well up in her stomach. That greased-up, lousy excuse for an albino bouncing ferret would pay. She ground her teeth in irritation and tossed it over the back of the chair. "Not an option," she said aloud as McGonagall reached for the discarded scroll.
The girl did not see the strained glance the Deputy Headmistress over the wing backed chair to the Headmaster fore she had moved on to the second scroll. This one was much thicker than the one from the Malfoy family. Her luck was waning it seemed as the scroll contained a very detailed account of what would be expected of a Zambini woman. Every detail of day to day living was spelled out on the many sheets of parchment which Hermione stopped reading after "33. Betrothed will speak only when spoken to as befits a woman of grace." Blaise's elder brother appeared to be no fool. This time instead of chucking the proposal over her shoulder she handed it to the witch at her side. "This one is not any better," was all she said.
Hermione's calm was a very thin screen of gossamer around a hurricane of anger, fear, and shock that was the young woman's mind. There were only two more left. The smallest was next it seemed. It was from Casper Goyle for his son Gregory. It was not as well written as the rest, and it was clear to Hermione what it was. It was only a fake option for Lucius to throw in her face should she ever become trapped with the ferret boy and have to spend time with his git of a father. "Goyle," she stated flatly.
The last scroll was the thickest by far, and the brunette mentally groaned. She could just see the announcer in her head, 'And the winner is.' Hermione was too scared to look at the last name on her limited list of choices. It couldn't get much worse than Malfoy, so she opened her cinnamon eyes to read the final name and burst out laughing. Tears were rolling down her now rosy cheeks. McGonagall took a step towards the young witch eyes filled with worry. She took the papers from the girl. Her eyebrows raised considerably behind her square glasses as she handed the last parchment to Dumbledore.
His half moon spectacles flashed in the firelight. "Severus is not going to be pleased with his father it seems. Perhaps we should call him in here?" He suggested.
"Wait," Hermione interrupted the wizard. "Give me a quill. It can't get any worse than Malfoy." She looked as if she would be sick on the spot, but her hand hardly shook as she signed the contract with her delicate script.
Dumbledore walked around his desk and to the fire where he threw in a pinch of floo powder turning the flames acid green for the second time that night. "Ah, Severus." He spoke with amusement in his voice. Hermione could almost see the twinkle in his eye despite the fact that his back was to her. "Would you please join us in my office?" His voice allowed for no opposition though the Potions Master looked like he was sorely tempted.
His slender, black robed frame soon stood in the Headmaster's office. He looked agitated and as always darkly hostile. Hermione did not think it was possible, but the Potions Master's frame became even stiffer when he realized he was not alone with the heads of staff. He ignored her presence and addressed Dumbledore. "Headmaster, what may I do for you?" His voice dripped with sarcasm and Hermione felt her blood run red hot then freezing cold.
"Sit down won't you, Severus? We have some things we need to discuss. It seems your father has decided to make an appearance in your life once again, and has dragged another along with him." He handed the younger wizard the parchment with the Ministry seal. Hermione watched her teacher's face for any emotion, but none came. His expression was of perfect stillness. Only his eyes betrayed him as they had gone blacker than the deepest ebony and were all but a whirlpool of rage. With one fluid movement the dark form had fled the room with his black robes billowing behind him.