Stepping out of the fireplace in her parent's living room, Hermione was immediately engulfed in a bear hug by her father. Hermione smiled at this, and returned the hug.
"Hi, Daddy," Hermione said.
"Hello, dear. Your mother is in the kitchen making some tea. Is everything alright, baby? Do you need to tell me, before we go face your mother?"
"No, Dad, she'll understand this, and it's really good news, not bad."
"Oh, good. Albus had us worried," David Granger said, a look of relief on his face. "After you."
Hermione walked into the kitchen, and was again embraced, this time by her mother. "Oh, Hermione, I'm so glad you're here! Nothing is wrong is it? Oh, you look wonderful, honey."
"Everything's fine, mom. But you might want to sit down." Hermione's mother sat at the kitchen table, and her dad stood behind her. Hermione hesitated, wondering how to start. Instead of trying to explain, she just reached into her robe, and pulled out the Key. Hermione set it down in front of her mother, who looked overwhelmed.
Helen Granger stared in shock. "But Mom said it was lost… What? Where? How did you find it?"
At his wife's outburst, David Granger sat down. "That looks expensive, Hermione. And what does it have to do with your Grandmother?"
"It's the Key of Circe, Dad. It's Grandmother's talisman," Hermione then launched into an explanation of what it was, and how it came to be in her hands. Her parents nodded and took the information in. As she finished the tale up to this point, she said, "And I need to get in touch with Grandmother tonight, so I can consecrate the Key to me. If I don't do it tonight, then I'll have to wait until next year."
"Why tonight, Hermione?" her mother asked, "I thought it had to be consecrated the day you come of age? That's not until next week, is it?"
"Mom, it's September nineteenth today. It's my birthday, TODAY. And I still can't believe that you two forgot!" Hermione seethed, remembering one of the reasons the day had been so bad.
The Grangers looked suitably chastised, and David quickly apologized for their lack of memory.
Helen quickly shook off her guilt and confusion, and stood up suddenly. "Goodness, Hermione, it's getting late. I'll go call my mother. You run upstairs, and make yourself presentable." With that, Mrs. Granger went into the back yard and yelled "MOTHER! We need your help."
Through Hermione's bedroom window, she watched the ground buckle and form itself into a topiary in the shape of a woman. Suddenly, the grass shook itself, and fell to the ground, revealing an older woman with white hair standing in front of her mother. The woman hugged Helen Granger, and immediately exclaimed on how thin she was, and how she needed to take care of herself better. Seeing the two women walk toward the house, her mother obviously explaining the situation to the new arrival, Hermione quickly splashed water on her face, and brushed her hair into some semblance of order.
Hermione ran down the stairs toward her mother's voice in the living room, slowing only when she reached the bottom. Peering into the room, Hermione saw her mother sitting on the couch with the woman from the back yard. "Hello, Grandmother," she said nervously.
"Now in Zeus' name, Helen," Circe said, for Hermione's grandmother was indeed the Goddess of Grain, "Hermione has grown up to be so pretty! How is Hogwarts, my dear?"
"It's wonderful, Grandmother," Hermione said, "I'm learning so much there. The library is fantastic. I have something to show you, though." Hermione nervously reached into her right sleeve, and retrieved the Key. The deep blue of the lapis lazuli glittered under the electric lights, and the top stone shown brightly. Circe reached out and took it from her granddaughter's hand, and smiled.
"I haven't seen this in two centuries, my dear. Your mother told me you had it, but I didn't believe it! Oh, and today, of all days! You came of age today, didn't you, child?" Circe said, a smile on her face. "I couldn't have timed it better myself!"
"I'm glad Harry found it, Grandmother. I know the ritual needs to be performed tonight. Is it alright to go ahead?"
"Of course dear, the Key needs to accept you before you can make use of it. After all, your wand is not half as strong, and this way, you'll be able to call me yourself!" Circe clapped her hands with glee, then stopped as she took in Hermione's clothing. "Oh, but you can't wear your school clothes, Hermione. Let me fix that for you." With a wave of her hand, Circe changed Hermione's clothing into a pure white cotton robe with dark blue heads of wheat on it. Hermione realized that she was wearing nothing beneath the robes, and her feet were bare. With another wave, Hermione's hair was bound with a fall wreath of wheat and ivy. The Goddess placed the rod back in Hermione's hand and said, "Come with me, child, and we shall consecrate the Key."
With a kiss from her mother, Hermione took Circe's hand, and Circe brought them to a field of standing grain. In the center of it was a clearing with a white temple in its center. Circe nodded at her Granddaughter, and entered the temple to sit on the great throne within. "You may begin, child," she said, as her own clothing shifted into an elegantly folded gown of light green, and her arms were wrapped with vines and flowers. She suddenly looked every inch the Goddess.