CHAPTER FIVE: BACK TO HOGWARTS

Harry had been camping the cemetery for less than a week, and he was already in love with the place. The wildlife alone were amazing, the abundance of birds was astounding, but it was the deer that really made an impact. At first they were shy and unsure about the small boy who had invaded their refuge, but after only a day of him watching them, they were used to him. By the end of his stay, a few even allowed him to pet them.

Hedwig also loved the place. She helped keep the local rodent population down, silently hunting the rats at night and therefore keeping them from raiding the local birds' nests. For that alone the birds had welcomed the quiet boy and the snowy hunter.

Hedwig had carried a few letters for Harry, the first was to Hermione and detailed Harry's first meeting with Draco, including the shopping trip, and asking her opinion on the Friendship Plan.

Hermione had sent a letter back wholeheartedly agreeing with the plan, and also informed Harry that she had visited the Ministry of Magic and changed her name in the wizarding world to Hermione Jean Dagworth-Granger. She had to provide proof that she was a legit claim to the previously thought dead line, but after that she was apparently welcomed with open arms and informed of her seat on the Wizengamot, which she couldn't actually claim until she was 17 but she was able to assign a proxy, which she denied doing at the time since she didn't know anyone well enough yet, having 'recently learnt of her heritage' and all.

Harry had then sent a letter to Draco, asking if he would be able to meet Harry and his friend on the muggle side of the station as they weren't told how to access the platform, a little white lie on Hermione's side as she had in fact been informed, but this was a great opportunity to get to know the blonde.

Draco had happily surprised to get a letter from the beautiful snowy owl, and astounded to see that it was from Harry Potter, and that he was asking for his help! He showed his mother the letter, Lucius was regrettably away on business and wouldn't be seeing his heir off for his first year at Hogwarts. He had bought Draco a regal eagle owl to make up for that though…

Narcissa had agreed that they would help Harry and his friend on the first of September, they would floo to the station, and wait on the muggle side for the wayward magicals.

And so it was that on the first of September, Harry packed up his tent, shrunk his trunk and made his way to Kings Cross Station. He had sent Hedwig on ahead, not wanting to get asked any questions by the muggles again about why he had an owl in a cage. Honestly, it was a wonder the statute of secrecy hadn't been blown years ago.

Hermione was bouncing excitedly outside the station waiting for Harry. She had convinced her parents to just drop her off here, actually it hadn't been that hard, the Drs Granger weren't entirely happy with the idea of their daughter being a witch. It had thrown off the whole life plan her mother had put together for her. Anyway, there she was, waiting impatiently for Harry to arrive.

'Hey, are you lost?' A deep voice said from behind her.

Hermione squealed and spun around with her fists raised, ready to fend off an attack, only to see Harry laughing so hard he was almost falling down.

'Harry James Potter you absolute ass!' Hermione yelled as she smacked his arm and tried to calm down her rapidly beating heart.

'I'm sorry!' Harry laughed, 'I couldn't resist. How are you Mione?'

'Better now that you're here,' she said. 'It's been tough, you know, being back?'

'But you're with your parents again,' Harry frowned. 'Isn't that a good thing?'

Hermione sighed. 'There's something I never told you the first time Harry, about my parents. Don't you think it's odd that you never met them before?'

'Um, actually I never thought about it, I don't know why, but I'm sorry.'

'It's fine. The truth is, my parents never supported this whole 'witchy phase thing' as they called it. They had these big plans for my life, get great grades, make it to college a few years early, become a dental surgeon, take over the clinic from them one day, and then Professor McGonagal showed up one day out of the blue and just derailed all of that. You remember when I said I altered their memory for their own good?'

'Yeah, it was at the start of what would have been our seventh year right?'

'Yeah, I lied. I actually altered their memory a few years beforehand.'

'How many years? And why?' Harry demanded.

'Remember at the World Cup, when those muggles were being tortured by the Deatheaters?'

'How could I forget?'

'Well, seeing that, what they were doing to those poor people, I realised, these people wouldn't leave my parents alone if I gave myself in, or even died, they'd do it just for the fun of it. And it wasn't like my parents were going to miss me anyway, we hadn't really spoken for years anyway what with me being away at Hogwarts all year and not being able to follow their plan, so after the World Cup, I sat them down and explained to them what I could do if they wanted. They jumped at the chance to start a new life Harry, they wanted to leave me behind and never think about me again. They confessed that they loved me but I just wasn't what they wanted. So I took them to Diagon Alley where my underage magic wouldn't be detected and, and, I altered their memories. I obliviated myself from their lives. Then I sent them to a hotel for the night while I went back to the house and packed up my room and replaced all the photos with me in them. I watched from across the street as they came back home, and oh my god Harry, they were so happy! They were smiling and laughing like I hadn't seem them do in years. I listened as they told a neighbour that they were moving to Australia, something I didn't tell them to do, but apparently they'd been wanting to do that for years and without me around there was nothing holding them back.'

Harry held Hermione as she cried. There was nothing he could say to make this better. It had already happened, but it also hadn't happened yet.

'What are you going to do this time?' He asked her when she stopped crying and was just leaning into him.

'I don't know,' she whispered. 'I just don't know. Everything is different now, but also not, you know? I'm thinking of giving them this year, test the waters at Christmas, and maybe give them the option earlier. They're still the same people as they were before. What are you going to do about your muggle relatives?'

'Oh right, I didn't tell you,' Harry laughed nervously, running his hand through his hair. 'I uh, well I kinda just left that night I returned.'

'What do you mean you left?' Hermione demanded. 'Where did you go? You couldn't have stayed in Diagon, no one would let an 11 year old stay alone like that. And I can't remember where, where, oh damnit, that place is, so there's no way that you do either. Spill it, Potter.'

'Okay, okay, calm down. I bought a wizarding tent in Diagon and have been staying in Islington & St Pancras Cemetery. Before you say anything, remember, it's a wizarding tent with muggle repelling charms, Hedwig was with me, and that cemetery is all but abandoned and Hermione, it's such a mundane magical place, I really loved staying there.'

Hermione just shook her head at him. While she didn't like the idea of Harry staying in a tent, alone, in a cemetery of all places, she had to admit that he looked a right sight better than when she had seen him a week ago, which just goes to show how horrid those muggles of his were.

'What about the blood wards? Wouldn't Dumbledore know that you left already?'

'Actually, I found out something the last time. Did you know there's no such thing as blood wards? To make wards you need to make runes, they can be carved or engraved or even tattooed, but they need to be there. Blood wards have been theorized and yes, proven in the past, and while strong, they're not permanent. To make a blood ward you need to mark the runes in blood, but blood isn't forever. You can write in blood but eventually it will fade or flake away, usually sooner rather than later. The wards maybe have lasted a few weeks after being placed, but that's being generous.'

'Oh wow, yeah you'd be right, now that I'm thinking about such a thing in muggle science terms. So what do you plan to do next summer?'

'No idea. I'd love to go back to Islington I suppose, but I also want to travel and see more, do more, you know? Nothing is holding me back this time.'

'Well, wait until I know my situation with my parents, I might just join you, if that's okay?'

'Yeah, it would be great to have your company.'

The two began walking into the station, and Harry asked where Hermione's trunk was. She reminded him she had also gotten a new one that day in Diagon, it was snugly hidden in her pocket like his.

After buying some muggle snacks at a kiosk, they moved to wait where Draco had asked to meet them so he could show them how to access the station.

'Harry!' Draco called as he approached.

'Hey Draco,' Harry greeted, stowing his M&Ms in his pocket. 'How are you?'

'Good, really excited to finally be heading off to Hogwarts. yourself?'

'About the same,' laughed Harry before turning to Hermione. 'Draco, this is my friend I mentioned, Hermione Granger.'

Draco held out his hand to Hermione and introduced himself.

'Forgive me Miss Granger, I forgot my manners in my excitement. Draco Malfoy, at your service.'

'Please, just Hermione,' the bushy haired girl said, shaking his hand. 'and I understand, I'm excited to go to Hogwarts too.'

'I don't know the name Granger,' Draco said after they shook hands. 'Are you a halfblood?'

'Actually,' Hermione grinned, 'I thought I was muggleborn, but Harry convinced me to do one of those family tests at Gringotts when we met up there earlier in the week, and turns out I'm not muggleborn at all. My legal name in the wizarding world is Hermione Jean Dagworth-Granger.'

Draco gaped at her.

'You're of the Dagworth line?' He gasped. 'But that line died out ages ago!'

'Not really,' Hermione mused. 'There was a squib that was never officially disinherited, and they had a family and so on until magic finally resurfaced in me. The goblins confirmed I'm the latest in the line and am therefore entitled to claim the heiress-ship.' She showed Draco her ring quickly before willing it invisible again.

'Wow,' Draco said, still reeling from this revelation. 'My godfather will want to meet you, he's the potions professor at Hogwarts, and the youngest ever to reach Master Brewer level.'

'I look forward to meeting him,' said Hermione with a smile. 'But first, where is the train?'

'Oh right,' Draco said, blushing slightly. 'Come on, it's this way.'

He began leading them to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, explaining how it worked. They were still a few metres away when a large group of redheads began making their way along the station. The trio froze when they heard the mother complaining loudly about all the muggles and asking her gaggle of children what the platform number was again.

'Mum, keep you voice down!' Said one of the twins, looking around nervously.

'Yeah, you know the platform number, you went to Hogwarts years before us and have been taking the older ones for years.' The other said just as nervously.

'Quiet you two, I know what I'm doing,' snapped the woman quietly. 'Now,' she said, louder again, 'So many muggles. Does anyone remember the platform number?'

The twins rolled their eyes at each other and just went through the barrier. An older boy followed, putting his book away. He didn't seem to have heard his mother at all. The two youngest stayed with their mother while she continued loudly.

'She's risking breaking the statute!' gasped Hermione.

'She is, and I don't understand why she's doing that,' said Draco, just as shocked. 'Come on, let's go before anything happens.'

The three made their way to the platform, avoiding the three remaining redheads, and casually leant on the barrier and slipped through before they were seen.

'Awesome,' said Harry, gazing at the scarlet Hogwarts Express. 'what a sight.'

Hermione agreed. The last time she'd been at the station it had not been such a happy scene, what with the impending war and all.

'Come on, I want to introduce you to my mother.' Said Draco as he headed over to a tall blonde woman. 'Mother, this is Harry Potter and his friend, Hermione Dagworth-Granger. Harry, Hermione, this is my mother, Narcissa Malfoy.'

'A pleasure to meet you both,' Narcissa smiled. 'Dagworth?' She asked, looking at Hermione.

'Yes ma'am,' Hermione said with a smile. 'I only recently discovered this myself, with the help of Harry and the goblins of Gringotts. Thought, I must confess, I am not sure exactly what being an heiress will entail for me.'

'Well, when you come of age, there should be an especially large inheritance for you, which the goblins would have already informed you of I assume?'

'Yes ma'am, and I have access to a school vault now, which will be helpful in the coming years I'm sure.'

'Yes, in addition to that, you may find yourself invited to various events and balls, many a young wizard will be after your hand as well, the Dagworth line was very well respected back in its day, and for it to return now, you will be in quite the demand. Please, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.'

'I will, thank you for the offer.'

Narcissa smiled at the children, and herded them onto the train as it was due to leave soon. She kissed Draco goodbye and reminded him to write to her that night with the results of his Sorting and how the train ride was. Draco smiled at his mother and promised.

The three waved goodbye to Narcissa from the train before heading down the carriage to find an empty compartment for themselves. They had settled into one on the platform side of the train when they saw the remaining redheads rushing onto the platform. The youngest boy hurried onto the train and just barely made it onboard before the doors closed and the train began to pull away from the station. The three shook their heads at each other before grinning with excitement, they were finally on their way!