"How is Ms.Granger doing?" McGonagall asked Remus Lupin one night after an Order meeting.
"Better than expected" Remus replied. "I mean she is still sad of course but she seems to be bouncing back."
"Very good"McGonogal said sounding relieved. She looked at Remus for a moment. "Maybe you should tell her"
"You're kidding right?" Remus asked looking choked. "No, I can't do that. What good would it do?"
McGonagall sighed and shrugged her shoulder, 'I thought maybe it could help fill the hole in her heart"
"No, it will just make everything worse" Remus replied.
McGonagall cleared her throat, "have you spoken to Nora?" she asked.
Remus looked at her sharply, "Not since she left" Remus told her as he started out of the room, "and I prefer it that way.
"Denial" McGonagall murmured as she followed him out.
"Hermione what are you going to do with their paperwork on the desk?" Mr./.Weasley asked gently
Hermione sighed and walked over to her fathers oak desk. "I guess pack it all up and take it to their lawyer"
Mr.Weasley nodded and reached for pile and started to organize the papers. His eyebrows rose as he read one, 'I didn't know you were adopted" he murmured.
Hermione looked at him oddly, "I am not" she said. Mr.Weasley looked stricken.
"Oh, ok" He stammered, 'I must have-must have made a mistake"
"What is on those papers?" Hermione cried she yanked the pile out of Mrs.Weasley's hand and read. "It's an adoption certificate"
"Maybe it's mistake" Ron said as he sat on the floor beside Hermione
"I don't think so" Hermione replied still looking at the paperwork. "This is odd, the names of my biological parents are crossed out in black marker, and I can't read them"
"What are you going to do?' Mr.Weasley asked.
"I need to figure this out" Hermione replied.
When they were done packing up the stuff in Hermione's house she took her parents. To their lawyer and long time friend, Stan Lewiston.
"Hermione" he greeted her warmly. He gave her a small hug and looked at her sadly, 'I am so sorry about your parents.
"Thank you" Hermione replied. She handed the files to hi, 'I found these things and I didn't know what to do with them. So I brought them to you, in case there is something important there"
"Well, I will take a look at them tonight" Stan replied sitting them on his desk. "Are you leaving tonight to stay with those friends of yours?"
Hermione nodded, 'The Weasley's, I go to school with their son and daughter."
"Right" Stan answered, 'Well please come back and see me whenever you want to ok?'
Hermione nodded again and screwed up the courage to ask, "What do you know about my adoption?"
He stopped and stared at her for a moment, and then he smiled sadly, "Not a lot. I handled it, I am the only your parents trusted with it, I handled it discreetly for them"
"How old was when they adopted me?" she asked. He walked over to a safe and took out a file. Stan sighed and handed it to Hermione, "this has some answers. I was told very little."
Hermione took the file from him and put it in her bag. "I can't believe they kept this from me" Hermione whispered.
"Don't judge them too harshly, they loved you very much. All they wanted was to protect you" Stan told her. Hermione didn't say anything she just turned around and headed for the door silently.
