Hermione woke up early that morning, looking at the inside of her four-poster bed with the hangings closed tightly around her. She curled up under the covers wishing she could stay in the warmth of her bed, but she had work to do. She curled up under the sheets as she thought of her classes for the day and what was due. This was how she got into work mode. First was Herbology, where she had a test on Thursday, in Arithmacy she had a homework assignment, which she had already finished, and for Charms she had to read the finer points on Apparition, which was also already done.
She stripped off her warm sheets and got used to the cold on a late September. She got up and dressed groggily, and fruitlessly tired to pull a brush through her hair. She eventually gave up and just put up her hair with a clip. She looked in the mirror and made a face. Laughing at herself she made sure uniform was neat. She looked taller now that she had grown and was getting thinner. Now she ate everything she could get her hands on, and no matter how much she ate, she was still extremely skinny. Her hair never obeyed and was currently in a great big clump on the top of her head. Her nose and the top of her cheeks were covered in black spots as her almond eyes flashed with intelligence. She had on her overly baggy uniform, which was perfect for storing her school supplies in.
Hermione bent down and picked up her tattered school bag, which weighed a ton due to her extra reading. She was trying to find out how Harry's scar tied Voldermort to Harry. If Harry ever found out about what Hermione was doing she knew he would flip out. She was trying to find out how about Harry's scar and the Voldermort's tie to Harry. She went down the stairs with her schoolbooks in tow. She got down to the common room only to find Ron and Harry sitting in one of the couches looking groggily awake, but aggravated and Harry looked positively furious. Her stomach fell; she could tell by Harry's expression that Voldermort was on the move. Hermione sat opposite them and said, "Good Morning." She looked at Harry and his apparent disheveled appearance she could tell he hadn't slept all night and in his eyes she could see his worry and frustration. Ron yawned widely and said, "Good Morning." Harry was shifting in his chair making eye contact with the fire. Hermione sighed she knew what probably had happened, he ad another dream last night and was scared out of his mind. Harry looked in pain and it looked like he had to cut himself as he said, "Voldemort's daughter is in Hogwarts." He sighed outward and started shifting his feet. This was not the response she had been waiting on and her face dropped. This couldn't be happening, "How could this possibly be? We have to tell Dumbledore." She jumped to her feet ready to go find a teacher. She knew that if Dumbledore knew he would fix the problem. Harry wrung his hand in frustration, "We already have." She instantly pluffed into her chair. Harry told Ron and Hermione his dream from last night and how Dumbledore had handled Harry's news. The whole time Ron had his mouth open. After Harry finished his story Hermione felt betrayed by Dumbledore. How could he possibly have allowed this to happen? Voldemort's daughter in Hogwarts, this was an outrage! Hermione knew what this meant, Voldemort's reign could continue even after he was dead. This thought sent shivers down her spine and her toes curl. Hermione thought about every detail Harry had just said, and analyzing all the data. This, her auto response to any information that she received seemed like she was trying to reason her way out of this hopeless situation. Then she saw a clue Dumbledore had let slip. "Harry didn't Dumbledore say that you'd find out today who his heir was?" Harry looked helpless as he stared at the floor. "Yes." "Well," said Hermione, "how would we know?" Harry shot up and looked straight at Hermione and nodded his head, "The only way the entire school would know would be through a howler." Hermione nodded her head, relived a little bit at Harry's countenance. Harry's face lit up with possibilities as he completed Hermione's thought. Ron nodded his head, "Yeah that's sort of the point behind a howler." Ron looked a little relieved to see Harry happy again. Ron and Hermione started to frown as Harry dropped his head and pulled on his hair as he asked, "Why would Voldemort want everyone to know who his daughter is?" Harry looked confused again along with hopeless. She stared at the fire realizing the rational behind a howler; Hermione looked in the fire and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know Harry." She let out a sigh, feeling terribly hopeless and lost. Ron jumped up and said, "Well we can figure that out later, in the mean time let's find out who it actually is first." Ron broke through the confusion and looked ready for action. Hermione caught on quickly and followed Ron's lead and said, "He's right Harry, one problem at a time." Harry got up shaking his head and sighing and followed Ron and Hermione out of the common room and down to the great hall. Everyone was already eating in the great hall. You could hear the clink of silverware against plates. It was an average Friday, but the air was filled with excitement today, as there was a Hogsmeade visit tomorrow. Everyone was acting normal and it was apparent that no news of Voldemort's heir had reached anyone's ears.
Hermione, Harry and Ron all sat down at the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked towards the other tables trying to find out who his heir was. Her heart started beating faster and her senses heightened. She heard the familiar swoosh of wings and hoots that announced the mail had arrived. She was shaking on the inside now Hermione didn't look up towards the owls but looked for the crimson red of a howler on the other tables. She didn't see it though as the owls landed though. She started panicking wondering if Harry could've been right. Hermione was confused could it possibly not be a howler? What then would announce to the other students who Voldemort's heir was? She felt a tug at her shoulder, and she turned around to see the absolute horror Harry's and Ron's faces. Her body started shaking, "Who…" Ron pointed with a quivering finger down and Hermione saw the crimson letter addressed to her in perfect handwriting. Her heart felt like it had dropped to her feet and she started shaking so terribly she could barely keep her seat. Neville said, "Just open it." She sat frozen in space with complete separation, but reason soon griped her. Hermione felt her hands bouncing in every possible direction as she eventually opened the letter. Everyone in the entire hall went quite when they discovered Hermione had a howler. The normal curiosity surrounded the letter, and jeers of classmates. Little did they know what was in this letter. It ripped through the hall piercing everything.
"Hello my beloved daughter. I hope Harry did send you the message along with Dumbledore. How I've missed you. As you have probably already discovered you belong to my lineage, surely you didn't think that with you brilliant mind you were born of mere muggles. You can write me at Lord Voldemort's mansion. Till then your dear and loving father Lord Voldemort."
All of this was spoken more in a hiss than in a voice, and to top of the entire letter the letter exhaled a ghostly butterfly as it blew outwards. The butterfly flitted above the letter and stayed there for a while. Hermione fell out of her chair literally paralyzed. All the students sitting at the Gryffindor table ran away with screams and wands pulled out. Her mind was screaming, No it wasn't true! How could she of all people be Voldemort's heir? She felt the fear sinking into her and numbing her mind. Harry and Ron sat there almost as paralyzed as Hermione. The truth slowly trickled into Hermione; she was his heir. She was his daughter. She let the tears flow out of her. Truth flooded and she was sinking. The first person she saw in her view was Dumbledore who stood above her and stared at her with a grim expression, "Miss Granger we need to talk." Her rage filled with her, she wanted to slap him. He knew, he could've told her. Dumbledore slowly helped Hermione up, she still felt paralyzed and weakly held onto him. As he tried to help Hermione up another owl landed on the table with a package and a letter attached to it. Hermione rushed at the package not hesitating and opened the letter.
Dear Hermione,
Please except this as a gift from me to you.
Don't fear I wish you no harm.
Please write.
Your father,
Lord Voldemort
She untied the white string that bound the package. She opened the box and inside saw a snake coiled around a sheet of rolled up paper. She took up the snake and tried to put it on the table. The snake however wouldn't budge from her hand and wrapped itself around her tighter. She gave up trying to put the snake down, and withdrew the piece of parchment. She slipped the black ribbon holding the piece of paper off and unrolled the dense piece of parchment. She saw what the piece of parchment was for, it was a ticket for one owl to be picked up at the post office. Hermione practically broke down after this after this and just let the tears flow form her eyes. He wanted her to write her. Her enemy wanted her to write him. Dumbledore carefully lead her out and coaxed her into his office. Hermione stopped shuddering once she entered his office, and instead just looked dumbfounded at the headmaster's office. It was filled with beautiful artifacts that Hermione recognized, and she saw Dumbledore's phoenix. She had been told about Fawkes from Harry, but he had failed to mention how beautiful he was. Fawkes let out a note and it was as if she had just swallowed a butterbeer. She felt the snake on her wrist tighten. She slowly stroked the snake as it let go just a little bit. Dumbledore sat down and motioned for Hermione to sit down. She sat down and sunk into a squishy armchair. It felt so comfortable sitting in his office. It was so warm and comfortable, and yet she felt a sinking sensation taking place in her stomach. Dumbledore leaned over his desk and said, "Lemon drop?" He offered her a tin box filled with yellow candies. She took one out of the tin box and started sucking on it. Dumbledore stood up and took out his wand, opening the windows to allow the bright sunlight in. He say back down at his desk and sighed, "Miss Granger I think it's about time I tell you about your past. I'm sorry I haven't told you before, but I was afraid you might run away or worse. You are Miss Granger Voldemort's only living heir. I'm afraid I can't tell you who your mother is, because I just don't know. I'm also afraid that you should probably write him or else he might send you another howler. I would ask before you send any letters that you show them to me. Hermione although you are his daughter this doesn't mean you are a different person or that I expect any less from you. Remember you are first and foremost who you chose to be. If you have any questions just ask."
Hermione looked at Dumbledore's grave eyes and said, "Professor could you tell me how you got to me and how I ended up in a muggle residence?" Dumbledore sighed and nodded as he looked at Hermione as she stared out the window trying to take everything in. "I found you at the Riddle Manor long ago. The house was abandoned and the only living soul left was you. I entered the house and picked you up out of the cradle. One of the death eaters came for you after Voldemort fell. It was Barty Crouch in his death eaters uniform, and I think he was trying to save you. Even if his master was dead then he could hop that you would live to continue his master's work. At that time however I had no idea who it had been, all I remembered were his eyes. He battled and left immediately I took you to my house and soon realized you couldn't stay with me. I couldn't let anyone harm you, too many people started to suspect who you were. I found a muggle couple desperate for a child. I gave you to them and you have stayed with them ever since." Hermione took in all of this information about her past and said, "Professor I have one more question to ask you, why did you take me in? Why didn't you just kill me?" Dumbledore slightly smiled and said, "Because everyone deserves a second chance, and life should never be wasted." Hermione held her head in her hands crying. Dumbledore went over to Hermione and patted her on the back. "You can go back to bed if you wish Miss Granger." The first thought that raced through her mind was missed classes, but she couldn't face the school, not today at least.
