Sisters and Owls
Christmas passed by quickly, as did the months following. Maria discovered several things about her new family in this time; she uncovered that the Granger's already had a daughter, a fifteen-year-old girl named Hermione. Maria had an older sister! It was just unbelievable. Mark and Elizabeth told Maria that they were deciding to wait until Hermione returned home from school to tell her that she had a new sister, just so they could tell her face-to-face. They honestly had no idea of how Hermione might react, but they knew that she is a brilliant, levelheaded girl, and hopefully she will accept Maria into the family with a wide smile, instead of loathing her from the start.
The end of June arrived quickly. Maria had gone through half of fifth grade and emerged from it with top marks.
Just like our Hermione. Elizabeth thought, smiling.
The next day, July 1st, the Granger's would have to drive to Kings Cross Station to retrieve Hermione from the Hogwarts Express arriving at Platform Nine and Three Quarters prompt at three o' clock.
Maria was nervous and excited at the same time; she could not wait to finally meet her older sister. She had seen pictures of course. Hermione had bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth, and Maria found this quite strange, because she also had these features.
At two o' clock, the Grangers and Maria left the house and set out for Kings Cross Station. The day was hot and sticky, but the sun shone brightly over all of London, so Maria wasn't complaining.
As they arrived at the train station, Maria slipped her hand into Elizabeth's; they both seemed to be squeezing rather tighter then necessary, which were signs for each other that they were both extremely nervous.
Maria had never been to the train station before, so she was fascinated at seeing all the trains pulling in and amazed at all the busy people getting on or off the trains. Elizabeth had informed her that they were picking up Hermione at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, but as Maria drew closer and glanced at Platform Nine, then at Platform Ten, she realized that Platform Nine and Three Quarters was nonexistent.
"Um, Elizabeth-" Maria started to question.
However, Elizabeth quickly interrupted by pointing out Hermione. "Oh, look! There she is!"
Maria turned to look. She was bewildered; within the two seconds that she looked away, a large group of kids ranging from what looked like eleven years old to seventeen years old emerged from out of nowhere. It was like magic; one minute they weren't there, the next they were.
Maria noticed Hermione right away. She was much prettier in person then in the pictures; she had definitely grown over the year she had been gone. A plump, red-haired woman hugged Hermione, and then Hermione hugged a red-haired boy that looked just like the woman's son. There were three other red-haired children, a set of twins and a girl. Next, Hermione hugged a boy with black hair and a strange looking cut on his forehead. Maria suddenly noticed that the group was much bigger; along with the red-haired family, the black-haired boy and Hermione, there was also a group of adults. One woman with bright, bubblegum colored hair, a tired looking man and a man with a bowler hat pulled over his head, as though he were trying to hide something. The group walked over to a modern, traditional-looking family; a very large man with an even larger son and the man's wife, a skinny woman with an judgmental look upon her face. After the adults had all exchanged a few words, Hermione hugged the black-haired boy one more time and finally walked towards her family, smiling and waving.
As she drew nearer, she caught a glimpse of Maria. Her face fell slightly; it was replaced not by an angry face, but a face full of curiousity.
"Hi, mum." Hermione greeted, hugging her mother. "Dad." She said, walking over to her father and hugging him as well.
"Who are you?" Hermione asked, politely.
"Um, Hermione, take a seat." Elizabeth offered, directing her hand towards an empty bench in the station. Hermione sat down apprehensively.
"Who are you?" Hermione asked again.
"My name is Maria." Maria introduced.
"Honey, we adopted Maria." Elizabeth explained, holding hands with Mark.
"You have a new sister!" Mark declared.
"Wow! No way! This is totally unbelievable! When did this happen? Why did you tell me so late? Does she live with us? How old is she?" Hermione was exploding with questions, but the huge grin on her face told the Grangers that she was okay with the news.
"Well, it happened during Christmas, and we wanted to tell you to your face. And of course she lives with us!" Mark explained.
"And I'm ten." Maria interjected, answering Hermione's last question.
"Wow, a sister!" Hermione scrambled over to Maria and gave her a big hug. "I've always wanted a sister."
So, the Granger family left for home to enjoy the rest of the summer, all of them in high spirits.
However, the spirits could not be any lower during the first month of summer. Maria could not explain why, but she did not dare ask; she did not want the Grangers thinking that she was nosy, and she certainly did not want to be sent back to the orphanage.
Mark, Elizabeth, and Hermione's spirits were brought down because of the news Hermione had brought home. The Grangers already knew about Lord Voldemort, the most feared wizard of all time, and they knew that he had returned last year, but so many things had happened during Hermione's fifth year that they were just astonished at what she had accomplished and terrified of what the future may hold.
"Do you think it's safe for you to return to Hogwarts?" Mark inquired, in a voice that sounded as though he would definitely prefer she not.
"Dad, you know Professor Dumbledore is the only wizard that You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. As long as I am under his protection, nothing will happen to me. I'm just really upset for Harry." Hermione said, sympathetically.
"Losing the only family he has." Elizabeth said, shaking her head.
"He has his aunt and uncle." Mark replied.
"Ho!" Hermione muttered. "I'm sure Harry would rather have no relatives then have them."
At that moment, Maria walked into the kitchen.
"Hello." She said.
"Hi, honey." Elizabeth greeted, warmly.
"What are you guys talking about?" Maria asked casually, buttering a piece of bread.
"Oh, nothing. Just Hermione's year at school." Mark said, smiling.
There conversation was over, for now. Hermione thought it best that Maria not know about the wizarding world, and the Grangers agreed. It was something that the Ministry of Magic approved of. Of course, they could tell Maria without getting into trouble, but Hermione just believed that for the time being it was not necessary. Maria was too young; she'd want to learn magic and have fits that she couldn't go to Hogwarts.
As the summer progressed, Hermione and Maria got much closer. Hermione told Maria all about Harry and Ron, her two best friends, and Maria told Hermione all about what it's like to live in an orphanage.
Hermione kept in contact with Harry and Ron all summer. She had sent Harry words of wisdom, comforting thoughts and a listening ear if he ever needed it. Harry was grateful, but just could not get over the fact that his godfather, Sirius, had died. Hermione knew he wanted revenge, and she had the feeling that her attempts at trying to tell him that revenge won't do anything good were going unnoticed.
Maria was flabbergasted by all of the owls that appeared swooping around the house. She was unaware that they were bringing mail to her older sister; she just thought that this was a very owl-infested area. Never seeing an owl before she came to live with the Grangers, she thought that these birds were amazing to watch.
Other then the anxiety in the house of Hermione and her parents waiting for any type of news about Lord Voldemort, things were going great. Hermione loved her younger sister, and loved teaching her everything she knows about everything, since Hermione is very smart. She was preparing Maria for sixth grade, even though Maria was already above the student average.
However, this training became unnecessary because of an occurrence that happened on the 31st of July.
Mark, Elizabeth, Hermione and Maria were all sitting down, enjoying their breakfast on an early Saturday morning, when an owl appeared right outside the window.
Maria gasped. "Look at what that owl is doing! I think it's trying to get in!"
Hermione and her parents shared a look as Hermione walked over to the window and let the owl in. Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, eyed it suspiciously, as though looking for an early morning snack.
"You're letting it in?" Maria cried, quickly pushing her chair back from the table, as far away from the window as possible.
"It's just an owl." Hermione teased. Elizabeth walked over to the counter and filled a bowl with water. After Hermione finished untying the letter from the owl's leg, it scurried over and began drinking from the bowl of water gratefully.
Hermione looked at the letter and noticed right away that it was from Hogwarts; she could never miss the purple Hogwarts seal on the back of the envelope. However, the letter seemed much thicker than usual. Hermione's questioning to this though was answered immediately.
"Why are there two letters?" Mark inquired.
Hermione flipped the letters over. The first letter was addressed to Ms. Hermione Granger, but the second was addressed to none other than-
"Ms. Maria Thompson?" Hermione asked the letter, curiously. Then it dawned on her. "Oh my gosh! Mom, dad, Maria's been accepted into Hogwarts!"
Elizabeth looked as though she were about to faint. Mark smiled broadly at the thought that both of his daughters are witches, but Maria looked dumbfounded.
"I'm sorry, but where am I accepted to?" Maria asked.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! It's my school!" Hermione answered, bouncing up and down with joy and hugging Maria continuously. She was being swarmed with hugs from her sister, her new mom and her new dad.
All of these hugs seemed to make her a bit lightheaded, but after awhile she suddenly realized something.
"Did you just say Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Maria asked, totally confused.
"Maria, we never told you this, but Hermione is a witch." Elizabeth explained, smiling so much she looked as though her face were stuck that way.
"Do you really think you should call you daughter such names?" Maria asked, her eyebrow raised.
"No, no, no." Mark countered. "She's an actual witch! Hermione's been going to this school for the past five years learning magic."
Hermione's grin broadened.
"This is a stupid joke isn't it? Haha, you guys got me! That's really clever of you, all of you." Maria felt a bit saddened that her new family would be playing a prank on her.
"No, really!" Hermione said, rather dejectedly because her sister believed that she was lying to her. Hermione handed Maria her letter.
Maria took it, still disbelievingly, and opened the purple seal on the back. She took out a letter and began to read:
Dear Ms. Thompson,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Maria's eyes widened in shock. The letter looked genuine. She was lost for words.
"But… but… but I'm not a witch." Maria stuttered.
"Apparently you are!" Hermione squealed, very excited. "Wow, and your parents were muggles, too."
"Excuse me?" Maria retorted, angrily.
"Oh, it means people who do not have magic in their blood." Hermione explained. "But I was accepted into Hogwarts when no one in my family are magical, and now you are, too!"
Maria smiled, amazed at what was happening. First, she found out she would be going to a family, finally. Next, she discovers that she is a witch! She will be going to a school that practices magic along with her older sister whom she simply adores.
Looking at things now, Maria realized that she could not be any happier than she is right now.