Authors Note: This is a WIP.  With work and what not, I can't guarantee how often I'll be able to update the chapters of this one.  Please, bear with me in this.

Also, I do not own any of the characters or places in this story.  The belong to J. K. Rowling and Warner Bros.  I am making no money off this (would be nice though…laugh) 

Sins of the Father

Chapter 8

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"I never want to do that again," Cho said as she walked into the rooms that she, Hermione, and Penny would be sharing while in the US.  "I don't understand how Muggles can do that all the time.  No wonder their life spans are shorter than ours."  Hermione and Penny laughed at Cho's shudder, setting their own things down.

"Relax Cho.  I've ridden in planes plenty of times before.  I just wish your first flight had been more pleasant.  That storm we rode through was rough."  Hermione smiled at Penny as she began to take their rain soaked robes to hang on the wall to dry.  "All right, first order of business is that we need to change and have the kids change as well."

"I can't believe that they live so closely to the Muggle world over here," Penny said as she walked back over.  "I mean, I realize that there really isn't that much physical space between our world and the Muggle world in England but they don't even bother to hide the school here."

"I know, we ought to ask Sirius and Remus about it when they get back with the children."  Hermione began to pull clothes out of her suitcase, setting out the clothes she had also brought for Penny and Cho.  All three women were approximately the same size, the main exception being Hermione.  She was a bit bustier than the other two.  "Here, I made sure I brought enough clothes for all three of us while we're here.  Plus, Sirius and Remus are going to exchange our money for us so we'll be able to go shopping for more clothes later."

She watched the other two women take the clothes and begin to change.  She busied herself with beginning to put her things away since she was already in Muggle clothing, having put on a pair of jeans and a polo shirt before leaving home for the airport with Remus and the children.  She had been a bit surprised to find Penny and her two children waiting in the terminal with Cho and her three girls.

She found out from Sirius that Harry had managed to convince Ron to allow them to take Penny and their kids with them since their children were on the list as well.  Harry had scared Ron with showing him the lists and other documents that Draco had discovered, leaving out the fact that they had come from Draco and not another source.

Ron had, reluctantly agreed to send Penny and their two children to safety in the states.  Their two children.  That was a worry spot for Hermione.  The youngest was a doll.  Nimue was all smiles and giggles.  Of course, what little girl at the age of three wasn't like that?  Narcissa wasn't but that's an entirely different scenario.  She smiled to herself as she remembered the twins at that age.  Phillip had been a spit and vinegar, getting into anything he could get his hands on while Narcissa had stood back and watched, then would do him one better and somehow never get caught. 

Ron's son was another matter entirely.  Magnus was a very dour young man.  The same age as the twins and Lily, he hadn't interacted with either of the children on the flight over.  He had not talked to any of the adults either, just sat next to his mother the entire time and read.  In a way, he reminded Hermione of herself at that age.  She had always been reading, just about anything she could get her hands on.  But she did know for a fact that she had been a friendly child and very outgoing.  Magnus almost seemed as if he had eaten something sour and was going to bite the head off of anyone who said anything to him.

At that moment, the door to the room flew open to admit three laughing little girls, and four older much reserved children.  Reserved until you looked at their faces.  Philip and Lily were walking with Narcissa, their heads bent in conversation while their eyes twinkled with mischief.  Narcissa walked next to them shooting glares at Magnus out of the corner of her eyes and he walked a little in front of her.

Hermione glanced at the older boy and then did a double take.  He was strutting like he owned the place.  Yes, he was definitely strutting.  Being married to the infamous Draco Malfoy would make anyone an expert at recognizing that strut.  Turning to watch Narcissa she found her daughter watching her instead.  Giving her a questioning glance she nodded as Narcissa motioned her outside the room.

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Closing the door, she gazed at her daughter.  Narcissa was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and her long blonde hair, held up in a ponytail hanging down the front of her.  "Narcissa?  What is it?"

"It's him.  That boy."  Narcissa got straight to the point.  Hermione could tell by her tone that she wasn't very pleased with 'that boy.'

"Magnus?  What about him?  You don't even know him."  Hermione kept her voice calm and a bit detached, knowing that would spur her daughter into telling her everything that was on her mind.

"He's a menace is what he is.  Mother, he's up to something.  I know it."

Glancing at Narcissa she was bit taken aback at the bluntness of her tone.  "What do you mean he's up to something?"

Narcissa shook her head and walked over to the window across the room and stared out at the rain.  "I don't know exactly but he is.  I can feel it.  Something's not right with him.  I wish I had my wand."

Raising a single eyebrow at her, Hermione shook her head.  "So you can hex him?  I don't think so young lady.  I know you and your temper all too well.  Besides, you're going to be learning wandless magic while you're here."

"We're going to be learning what?"  Narcissa spun to stare at her mother in amazement at this news.  "Wait a second.  I didn't think we were going to be here long enough to attend classes."

"Well, let's be honest about this Narcissa.  We aren't entirely sure how long we're going to be over here.  Plus, since we're staying on the academy grounds you and your brother would benefit from some early education in magic with you're here.  Besides, it'll be nice to be able to bring some of what we learn here back home.  You and you're brother aren't going to be the only ones taking classes while you're here."

"Wait a moment, you're taking classes?  With the students?"  Narcissa looked like she was about to actually smile.  Hermione grinned at her and shook her head in a soft denial.

"No.  Remus is going to instruct Cho, Penelope, and myself while you children are in class.  He's free for this quarter and offered to show us the basics, so we accepted the offer.  Harry's already asked him to come back to Hogwart's next year and teach the subject there."

"Amazing.  Well, I guess I had better go and tell Phillip and Lily that we'll be able to get away from the Weasel for a bit each day."  Narcissa turned and headed toward the door only to be stopped by her mother's soft response to her statement.

"Don't be to sure about that.  Magnus is going to be attending classes with you."  Hermione waited for the explosion that would come.  If there was one part of her own personality that Narcissa possessed, it was her ability to yell, quite loudly.

"WHAT?!?!  I don't believe this!  You expect me to take lessons with that…that…prat!?"  Narcissa was furious.  Standing up from her position against the wall, she started shaking her head.  "No.  Absolutely not.  I won't go.  It's a simple as that."

"Oh you'll go young lady, and that's final.  No," Hermione said as she held up a finger to forestall any further arguments.  "Not another word on the subject.  We're here to blend in, remember?  You are going to go to classes and that's the final word on the subject.  Is that understood?"

"Yes mother."  Narcissa glowered at her mother. 

"Good.  Now, you need to go and change.  I have your clothes laid out for you in your room.  They don't wear wizarding robes here so you're not going to either."  Hermione pointed at the door and waited for her daughter to move.  "Now Narcissa."

Narcissa shoved herself away from the wall and walked into the room, glaring around and she stormed into the room she was sharing with Lily and Phillip.  Closing the door quietly behind her, Hermione sighed and shook her head.  Looking up, she came face to face with Cho and Penelope looking at her questioningly.

"What's wrong, Hermione," Penelope asked.  "You look a bit frazzled."

"Narcissa, she seems to have taken a disliking to Magnus, I'm afraid."  Hermione looked at Penelope with open apology on her face.

"Oh, don't worry about that," Penelope told her lightly.  "Unfortunately, he seems to have that affect on people.  I was hoping that being around the twins and Cho would change that.  I had hoped that they could be friends when they attended Hogwarts next year."

Hermione nodded, willing to let the subject drop.  She noticed Cho gazing skeptically at Penelope and caught her eye.  When Cho looked her way, she mouthed, "Later."  Hermione nodded and turned toward the children's room.  "Are the three of you dressed yet?  We're going to be late for dinner."

The door opened to find the twins and Lily dressed in muggle clothing.  Narcissa and Lily were in jeans and sweatshirts emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest above the left breast.  Phillip was wearing a pair of jeans and polo with the same crest on his.  Hermione had had them commissioned before they had left, giving them to the children when they arrived.

"Well?  Do we pass?"  Phillips question brought a snicker from Lily and an eye roll from his sister.

"You look fine, come on."  Hermione walked toward the door and looked back at Cho and Penelope. 

Penelope and Cho both waved them on.  "Go ahead, we'll catch up."  Turning toward the room the three small girls were sharing, Cho walked in and announced that they needed to stop playing and begin dressing 'or else.'  Penelope headed toward the room she would be sharing with Magnus and walked in without a word or a backward glance.

"Well, come along, we don't want to miss anything."  Hermione turned and led the children down the hall to meet with Sirius and Remus for dinner with the school.

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Dinner at the American school was definitely different from anything that any of them were used to.  The dining hall was set up with small tables that seated about ten children each, with a long rectangular one for the staff in the center of the room.  Instead of House Elves bringing the food out by magical means, there were servers setting out tables of food along the four walls of the room for everyone to help himself or herself to whatever they desired.

As Hermione walked up with Remus she gazed around, looking for her children. Spotting them across the room with a table of children their own age, all laughing merrily, she relaxed.  "It takes a bit getting used to, I'm afraid."  Remus's statement brought her out of her reverie as she looked back at the older man.

"What's that?  I'm sorry Remus, I was wool gathering."  Hermione blushed as Remus laughed aloud.

"Don't worry about the children.  They'll be fine." Remus smiled at her, his eyes twinkling with merriment.  "I was just telling you that I understand the rather daunting presence of the dining hall.  It takes some getting used to."

"Not that I'm complaining for anything, but don't they have House Elves working here?" Hermione hated the thought of the elves being enslaved here as well as in England.

Remus shook his head.  "No, the House Elves are free to do as they please here, with the exception of serves as slaves to the members of the American Wizarding world.  They were classified as a part of the abolishment of slavery, in secret of course.  Most of the employees of the dining hall are parents of the students or spouses of the staff."

"I see, so they have…"  Hermione's statement was drowned up by a startling squeal of outrage from a table near them.

"How dare you!"  Hermione turned to see a girl a few years older than the twins rise up from her seat and regard Magnus for a moment before slapping him full across the face.

Remus moved toward the table with a purposeful stride as the sound of the slap silenced all conversation in the room.  He reached the table and grabbed Magnus by the neck as he lunged toward the young woman.  "What is going on here?"

"He insulted me!  He called me a mud blood!"  The young woman was livid.  "I know I shouldn't have struck him Mr. Lupin but I couldn't help myself.  He's so damned arrogant."

At that moment, Penelope strode into the room with the potions master and stopped as she took in the scene before her.  Taking on a cool, detached expression she walked toward the trio.  "I assume there is a reason you are restraining my son like a common cur, Remus?"

"Yes, you should teach your son some better manners, Penelope.  Even over here, it's inappropriate to call someone a mud blood."  Remus let go of Magnus with a push in his mother's direction.  Before he could straighten up, he found his arm in Penelope's grasp.

"What?!  Go back to the rooms, I'll deal with you later."  Penelope released him and placed her hands on her hips.  "Well?  I'm waiting.  Move."

"But, mother, I haven't eaten yet."  Magnus voice was quiet and carried a ring of…confusion?

"I'm well aware of that, Magnus," Penelope said coldly.  "It is of little consequence to me.  Now go."

"Yes mother."  Without another protest, Magnus walked from the room.  Penelope turned and apologized to the student and walked toward Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"Children, the things they come up with," Penelope said lightly as she reached Hermione's side.

"I wouldn't take this so lightly Penelope," Hermione said matter-of-factly.  "You might want to talk to him and then tell Ron what happened.  Calling someone a mud blood is a very rude thing to do."

"I'm well aware of that Hermione," Penelope snapped.  "I don't need to be given parenting lessons from you.  Not with that arrogant brat you have for a daughter."

"She might be arrogant Penelope," Hermione said, her voice filled with saccharin sweetness.  "But at least she isn't crude."  Without another word, she turned and headed toward the buffet to gather her dinner, leaving a fuming and red faced Penelope behind.

After she had filled her plate and turned to head back toward the staff table, she spotted Penelope leaving the hall in quick strides, her cheeks flaming and her expression furious.  Shrugging off the residual anger at the other woman, Hermione walked back to the staff table and took her seat, determined to enjoy her meal.

Ignoring the looks that Cho, Sirius, and Remus were exchanging, she ate her dinner in silence and then excused herself to return to her chambers for some rest.  Before anyone could say anything to delay her departure, Hermione strode away from the table and toward the privacy of her bedroom.

TBC