Chapter 8

As the potion was being prepared turned a dark purple color, Severus felt his heart break. Hermione, the girl who caused him frequent headaches with her inquisitiveness and domination, is his daughter. His daughter.

- Take it easy, my friend. The black-haired wizard barely registered Lucius Malfoy's voice, ignored Narcissa's hand on his forearm. - Do I interpret the result correctly?

- It depends what you think? - Severus' voice was very emotional despite his best efforts. - Miss Granger is my daughter. My child. My blood. - the man sat down. He felt himself weakening.

Lord Malfoy looked at the wizard he had appointed as godfather to his son. - What do you think? How did this happen?

- I thought that after Draco was born, you should probably know how to have a baby. Explain it to you? - the potions master replied sarcastically. After a while, he added calmer. - I know Jean wouldn't willingly take away from me being a father. Even if she didn't want me anymore, she would notify me about the pregnancy.

Thorus Nott mentally confirmed what the younger wizard had said. He had spoken to Jean many times and knew that this woman loved Severus. - Something might have happened. She is a Muggle. Tell me what chance she would have had contact with you when you had Dumbledore and the Dark Lord over your head, what I remember at the end of the First War you had a threat from all sides.

The Potions Master paused for a moment and then said - If someone intercepted her letters, he could cut off all contact between us. At that time, I preferred not to risk that someone would track her down and she, due to her non-magical origin, could not get to where the wizards are. - Severus turned to Lord Nott. - Why didn't you recognize her?

- After the first war, I created a Diary of Memories and ordered my house elf to destroy it. I didn't know if the Aurors would come for me, and I figured the less damaging or suspicious memories the better. It is not known how the Ministry would react to it. Due to the fact that after removing the memory there is a "hole" I had deja vu when I saw her.

Narcissa had been silent so far, but she finally managed to ask the question that stuck in the minds of both her husband and Thorus. - What are you doing now? What will you do to the one who separated you from your family?

Severus didn't even think. - What do you think? - A grimace appeared on the wizard's face - This someone will regret not having died before I found out about everything. I will get that someone and even though I will leave him alive, I will tear him apart bit by bit. Both his body and soul.

The ex-Slytherins knew something had changed. The question was whether it was a good or bad change.

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Days passed from the unfortunate, for Harry Potter, meeting with Hagrid's Cerberus and the boy did nothing but learn the name of the three-headed dog. According to his calculations, he should now be researching what might be hidden in a castle full of children. He will have to think of another way to convince him to act in the desired direction.

Albus Dumbledore felt he had made a mistake somewhere. A mistake with consequences. But where and when could he make this mistake?

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Hermione was playing with the wand in her fingers. She tried to get her hands used to both wands. She has already found a spell in the library that can charm them so that they both look the same. It comes in handy when she wants to use the black wand in class as well.

- What are you thinking about? - she heard the voice of Harry Potter. - I know you must be thinking about something.

- I wonder if we could practice spells every day. - The witch said, determined to persuade the boys to follow her idea.

- Daily? - the redhead gasped - Why everyday? - Ron was terrified. He still hadn't gotten used to the amount of assignments they had to do as homework from professors.

- It should be obvious. It is better to repeat the material in small batches every day than to spend an unknown number of hours studying before the exam. After all, we want to have time for other things as well. Quidditch training will begin soon. Harry refused to join the first squad despite the director's urging, but Flint will not let him go anyway. You Ronald said you wanted to train regularly too to try and join next year. We want to find Founder Portraits. You also need to put on decent security ...

Hermione's speech was interrupted by Harry's giggle - I understand Mione. Ron our friend is right. The weight distribution will be more effective. - Before he continued, he winked at the red-haired boy. - I can agree to it if you also spend some time learning to fly. You may not like this game, but this skill may come in handy someday.

- Okay ... I agree. - the annoyed girl quickly changed the subject - I'm looking forward to the Christmas break. I miss my mom.

Ron scowled - I love my family but on Christmas I see them all ... at once. Bill and Charlie don't know about my sorting yet. Mom doesn't talk to Bill because of his career choice. Charlie in his Dragon Reserve has difficult contact with anyone, not only with his family.

- What am I going to say? - Harry grunted. - I don't like going back to the Dursleys very much.

The girl thought and thought that she had found a solution. - I will ask my mother if you can come to us. Anyway, both my mother and grandmother want to adopt you.

- Are you serious? - Ron asked. The boy was worried about his friend and even though he knew that his mother could easily take Harry in, he did not want to burden the family with additional costs. After that, he saw how his sister reacted to "Harry Potter" itself. It was as if she was in love even though she hadn't met him yet.

- I already told her about the conditions in which you live. You would only have to convince her to find out how you can stay in her care.

xxx

Dressed in a suit with her hair combed in a tight bun, she looked professional. The formal style was not something she felt comfortable with, but she wanted to make a good first impression on the family of her daughter's friend. She had to check whether what she had sent her in the letter attached to the Philosopher's Stone was true. If it was as Hermione wrote, Harry Potter would be included in her family.

Determined, she stopped in front of the house on 4th Privet Drive, hesitatingly knocking. She had to wait a moment for the door to open. She saw a plump blonde of medium height. Before he could say anything, she introduced herself by surprising the man.

- Hello, my name is Jean Blackthorn. I'm from Social Services. We received a notification of irregularities in the use of parental authority over minor children.

- Vernon Dursley. This must be a mistake. Aside from the irregularities, one child lives in this house. My son Dudley.

- Can I come in or we'll talk on the threshold? - she didn't even have to try to sound strict, did this family even register the presence of the second child?

The man shifted and indicated the entrance to the house with his hand. - Please. I didn't mean to be rude. You surprised me.

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According to Ron, the search for the reason why Fluff was placed at Hogwarts was in itself more interesting than the search for portraits. On one point, however, his friends were right. It was most interesting to know that their professors would not have access to the corridor that influenced the imaginations of most of the students.

- Bill gave me a few books that we might need to build covers. - the redhead was pleased with himself. He knew that he was not the brightest one, but he wasn't stupid.

The boy noticed the crease appearing between his friend's eyebrows. - Did you explain to him what you need it for?

- I didn't have to. Unlike my mother, I've always been interested in what my brother does. It was enough to tell him that he needed some information to secure my belongings.

Harry laughed, but after seeing Hermione's and Ron's surprised expressions, he quickly added - Did you ask your brother about the books and you didn't write him about the sorting?

- Ah ... When I wrote him that letter, I didn't even think to write him about it. - Redhead sighed - So you want to know if I found something or not?

xxx

Jean looked around the house cautiously. She noticed the lack of pictures of the boy she saw on the platform. She saw a room that looked more like a mess of broken things than a teenager's room. Returning to the ground floor, she finally noticed the hiding place under the stairs that her daughter wrote about.

- Harry's room? - she asked the couple in a biting voice. - Does anyone live here?

Jean achieved what she needed. Driven by habit, Petunia Dursley replied - He lived. - After a while the woman was scared of what had just escaped from her mouth.

- Could you explain that to me?

Seeing Petunia and Vernon Dursley speechless, Jean Granger knew she would achieve what she came here for. The boy, despite his questionable origin, became important to her daughter. She would not hesitate to help him even if it meant helping James Potter's son.

xxx

Harry and Hermione looked at Ron silently.

- Will you say something or should I still feel like a fool? - Ronald Weasley asked sheepishly. He hadn't expected such a reaction from Hermione. The young witch hugged him.

- You are genius. This spell will be your layer of protection. I'll put on Fidelius. Now you have to find something for Harry. - A broad smile spread across her face.

- I have an idea too. I found it in the book you made me read. - after taking a dramatic pause, he said - Confusion spell in the middle of the only stairs that touches the third-floor corridor. This won't stop the professors, but most of the students. It will make them think they are lost on the way to the library. Or another place where we connect this spell.

Hermione looked proudly at the boys sitting by her side. She was delighted with what they managed to agree on, but she had the impression that she was missing something. As if they forgot something.

- Fluffy! We have to do something about Fluffy. - she screamed in a fit of sudden revelation.

xxx

Leaving the house where Harry Potter lived, she knew that now everything would change. In her hands among the forged documents signed by the Dursleys was the one she cared about the most. The surrender of parental rights towards a minor in favor of her family. Now all you have to do is arrange blood adoptions. Fortunately, it can be done remotely. She hoped that her blood needed for the ritual would reach her children sooner than Albus Dumbledore would know of her visit to Privet Drive 4.

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Mereditch was worried about her granddaughter. From the moment she found out about her reaction to the Death Eater's touch, she knew something was wrong. Only later did she realize where her gut had pushed her. It was a reaction to her grandfather's magic in the Mark. The mark on that particular wizard had to be made when Tom was not ruled by himself but his Hyde.

- Mom! - The woman heard her daughter's voice coming from the ground floor.

- Honey, I'm on the terrace! - It was only a moment before she saw Jean's face. - How'd it go? The boy didn't exaggerate in describing his situation?

- Unfortunately not.

The old woman's fingers tightened on the armrests so much that they turned white. - What we are going to do with it?

- We don't have to do anything else. I gave Mr. and Mrs. Dursley a lot of papers to sign. They were about taking the boy from their care. They did not notice that among them there were documents entrusting me to custody. I've also already sent my blood sample to Hermione with the adoption spell. So mom ... You have not only a granddaughter but also a grandson.

Mereditch wondered what was it about the women of her family. Her mother seduced HIM. She married Tom. The daughter gave birth to a child with Severus. She was curious who might turn out to be her granddaughter's chosen one. One thing was for sure. The boy will not be a wizard considered only good. He will have his darkness to overcome.

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And I'm with the next chapter;). Many fanfiction emphasizes that Lucius Malfoy is proud to "breed" his family. The Mereditch family also has a key according to select quite specific partners. Can anyone guess what? How do you like this chapter? Feedback is much appreciated. Regards, katie-krum