Chapter 5: Meeting the Order

Breakfast was awkward to say the least. Neither of them talked about her crying, or the fact that both of them knew he knew about it. Instead he just asked what her plans for the day were. She also discovered that there was an Order meeting tonight with the purpose of inducting her.

He initially suggested that she take the Hogwarts express back to London with the returning students, but the thought of getting on that train without her friends when everyone else was enjoying their last day sounded horrific. Instead she was going to apparate because her body was technically 18, meaning that the trace was longer keeping tabs on her.

Aberforth had agreed to go with her in the morning because they first needed to go to the Ministry to sort out a birth certificate if anyone checked. Hermione was dubious that this would work but he said that he had a friend who owed a favour and they would forge it. She also intended to get her apparition test passed.

By lunchtime, they were eating lunch in the Leaky Cauldron before parting ways. Despite her predilections, she now officially existed and was the daughter of two deceased friends of Aberforth's, named Colin and Joan. She also could now legally apparate. She was unsurprised to say that the Ministry had not changed at all and still had the same tasteless statue in the main foyer.

When Aberforth left, she wandered down Diagon Alley, glancing at a few shops that had not been there in the future. First she went into Madame Malkins to get measured for some robes and to choose a few patterns, and then left to continue the day whilst they were getting made.

After that she went straight to her favourite shop. Flourish and Blotts was also very similar to Hermione's time, which she found incredibly comforting because it was here where she had always felt safe and cosy. Unfortunately she did not have enough money yet to buy anything other than clothes so she just longingly looked at the book spines.

She soon left Diagon Alley to explore Muggle London and the clothes shops it contained. She almost laughed aloud when she first got onto the street because she had completely forgotten about 70s fashion. Clearly flared trousers were still in style.

She circulated around a number of shops and collected some jeans and other comfy clothes in this style for her everyday wear. Thank God that the British currency had changed in 1971 because if she had to work out how to pay using pennies and shillings then she would be in real trouble.

With that settled, she took in her greatly depleted supplies of cash; it turns out that if you buy an entire new wardrobe it costs quite a lot. Hermione concluded that she would need to return again when she got her school supplies in order to get some more wintery clothes when she had the money.

Finally, she returned to Madame Malkins to collect the 3 robes that she could afford; one in black, one in navy blue, and one in maroon. After shrinking all of her bags she made her way back to the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron before flooring back home to Aberforth's. She needed to strategize a plan for her induction into the order.

The maroon robe was actually quite flattering, she pondered as she looked at herself in the mirror. Hermione had decided that the plan of action would be to blend into the background so that the older members would not think that she thought best, and knew much more than all of them put together. After all, no one liked a know it all.

From experience, she knew that although no one in the order would think her lesser than them because of her blood status, they may see her as less educated if she were to turn up in a state and talk rudely. As unlike her as it was, she knew that she must pander to the pure bloods in the way they expected in order to get them to respect her on first impressions. After that, she would drop all pretense and get down to business.

Aberforth met her downstairs by the floo with a look of shock on his face. This new Hermione was much different from the one he had seen, and she wore her cool expression as if warpaint along with her steady stance and broad shoulders. She was not afraid and she would not go into that meeting letting them think that she was just a little child again.

After arriving at the headquarters, Hermione was surprised that it was not at Grimmauld Place, before she remembered that the Blacks were all alive and would still be living there. Instead, they arrived in a castle-like room with fires on each wall. Hermione would find out later that this was in fact the home of her favourite professor, Professor McGonagall.

When she had stumbled out of the fire she had been sidetracked by brushing the soot of her robes to notice the looks that were shot her way. When she looked up the majority of them had disappeared, and she decided to settle in one corner away from everything, in order to scope out the situation.

Aberforth had agreed to arrive with her earlier than usual so not many people were there yet. The first that she saw was a significantly less scarred Mad Eye Moody, still with two eyes and a whole nose. This man had not taken his eyes off of her since she had arrived and she met his eyes in a level manner, refusing to look away first. A noncommittal grunt of acceptance was all she got before he looked away to carry on his conversation with a stranger.

Next was McGonagall who gave her a small smile and continued to talk to a young Kingsley Shaklebolt, who looked like he had only graduated a couple of years prior. As her eyes skimmed the room she noticed a couple people that she remembered from her 'Death Book' and grimaced before arriving on a group of redheads.

The Weasleys were in much fewer supply than the last time she had attended an Order meeting. This time there was only a considerably younger looking Molly, Arthur struggling with a toddler holding a toy dragon, and two adult twins, one holding a baby Percy and the other talking to a young Bill. Hermione gasped as she realised that she was looking at Gideon and Fabian Prewett, Molly's brothers who would be murdered in 1981.

Noticing her stare, one of the twins looked up and met her eye, a suspicious and questioning glint taking over as he began to walk towards her. Fortunately for her there was suddenly a flurry of activity as a few more people arrived. Hermione glimpsed faces of the McKinnons and a Benjy Finwick before the Potters arrived.

Harry's grandparents were exactly as she had pictured them. They were quite old and greying but both of their features were filled with huge smiles that lit up the room. She saw many people jump up to greet them as she was beyond glad that they were well liked. Over the clammer of new voices she was sure she heard them talk of how happy they were to finally have their boys back at home for the holidays.

Her perusal of the room was soon stopped when Dumbledore stepped from the nearest fireplace and stood at the top of a table in the centre of the room. Everyone else followed and sat down, a few remained standing, Hermione included. Albus noticed this and gave her a warm smile, before beginning the meeting.

It was some time later that the attention was brought back to Hermione, in order to close the meeting and initiate her. "I'm sure you have all noticed that we have one more head than usual at today's meeting," Dumbledore began and everyone's eyes swivelled around to her. "Hermione here has recently come to me with some information and I have decided to bring her into The Order. However, due to the circumstances surrounding her arrival, I cannot fully disclose where she has come from."

Immediately a bout of muttering of disapproval sprung up, either regarding her trustfulness or about her age. Predictively, Moody seemed to be the most suspicious and demanded that Dumbledore explain more about Hermione's information and situation. Surprisingly, the Potters viewed her in a similar way, which hurt Hermione slightly, but she could also see the pitying look in Mrs Potter's eye regarding her age.

It seemed that no matter what timeline she was in, Mrs Weasley still thought that she was too young and her loud complaints filled the room. Although initially touched by the gesture that reminded her so much of her own time, Hermione was annoyed to have to deal with the same old story as before.

Fed up, she looked at Dumbledore to see if he would butt in to help her but he seemed to find the whole ordeal amusing. Suddenly, she was reminded that this was the man that had forced three underage students to take down the most powerful dark wizard who had ever lived, without much help at all. Uncaring of how rude it may be considered she strode around to the front of the table and stood with Dumbledore, causing the room to quieten.

"Hello. I don't expect you to fully trust me…" she began and a few people huffed in agreement, "...but know that I will do everything in my power to take Voldemort down." Now she had their attention as even during his early rise to power, barely anyone dared to say his name. She smirked at the small gasps and shocked faces before glancing towards Aberforth, and then taking in the room again.

"I have recently had my family and friends ripped away from me by that monster, and nothing will stop me from killing him. I know I look young but I have been battling the same evil from the day I came into your world and I don't intend to stop anytime soon." Appreciating the silence her little speech had created, she took the time to explain that her muggle family in France had been murdered by the Death Eaters and she had transferred from Beauxbatons to stay with Aberforth and study in the safety of Hogwarts.

It seemed that this didn't help her as much as she had expected because everyone broke out into argument once more.

"You are letting a traumatized child join…"

"What could she possibly contribute to…"

"She can't be much older than my Jam…."

"How do we know that she is not lying about her story…"

"Oh poor dear, she should be resting rather than dealing with more fighting…"

"How could a muggleborn girl such as this have information…"

Amazed by the backwards views of these people regarding not only her age but also her sex and blood status, she had to remind herself that this was twenty years earlier and she was used to. Furthermore, many in the room had grown up with the staunch attitudes of wizarding society that seem to be fifty years behind the muggle world.

Annoyed that her play at intimidation had not worked, she sighed and signaled to Dumbledore to step in. He reminded the room that he trusted her and had chosen to protect her, but it was up to her guardian whether she joined. Many eyes turned to Aberforth but he didn't seem to be listening, so they gave up and let Hermione join.

After waiting years with Harry and Ron to join the Order, Hermione found that she was a bit disappointed with the initiation. It wasn't anything special, she was just asked to repeat a vow and asked to sign a sheet that reminded her greatly of the sign up sheet she had made for Dumbledore's Army.

When that was finished and everyone began to disperse, Dumbledore took Hermione aside and introduced her to Moody, explaining that she would be spending her time training with the auror all summer. Although he still looked suspicious of her, his curiosity had won and he had agreed.

When they finally left, it was just Dumbledore, Aberforth and her remaining in the room, and she didn't miss the frosty way the brothers departed. Deciding to file that away for later she turned to her guardian when they were back in his kitchen.

"I didn't know it was up to you whether I could join or not, but either way thanks for letting me,"

"Well, technically you are almost 19 so it shouldn't really be up to anyone other than you, but seeing as no one else still at school is usually allowed to join, I had to pretend to maintain the story."

"Oh," she replied, "Thanks anyway, I don't think I could have dealt with someone else being patronising after your brother left me to the wolves." She replied with a huff of annoyance.

It seemed that her willingness to view Dumbledore as less than perfect had heartened Hermione to Aberforth and she could see the semblance of a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Up next is Chapter 6: The Summer Holidays