Chapter 40: Madame Eugenie
Lydlow Manor, Aldborough St. John, Yorkshire, England
January 3, 1987
Hermione glanced once again at her Magical Guardian seated beside her on the sofa of the receiving parlor of Lydlow Manor, the home of Madame Eugenie Dagworth-Granger. Hermione and her Guardian had been sitting drinking tea and awaiting Madame Eugenie for some twenty minutes. It was making Hermione feel terribly anxious. She so wanted to make a good first impression upon her Great-Great Aunt.
The last few months had been a whirlwind of activity. There was of course, the usual festive activities associated with Christmas, but that had been compounded by the acknowledgement that she was a Witch. Finally, Hermione had an explanation for why those strange things seemed to happen around and to her. It was a phenomenon known as accidental magic. Accidental Magic happened as a magical child grew, at least that is how they had explained it to her. Once again, Hermione counted herself fortunate that she had met Harry and Dudley and that they had chosen to befriend her. And just think, now she was related to them, albeit distantly.
She was a child born of the bloodline of the House of Black. Now in Wizarding Society she had the right to introduce herself as Hermione Granger of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black or simplified to Hermione Granger of the House of Black. She was an Heiress of the Black family. Her Magical Guardian, Andromeda Tonks, had explained to her that there were two types of Heiresses in the Wizarding World.
The first type of Heiress was one who would one day rule over her own House. This was rare in Wizarding Britain due to its archaic laws that favored males over females, but it was more common in some of the countries on the Continent. An Heiress one day ruling over her own House only occurred when there were no sons born to the Lord of the House. In ancient times a girl in such a position would still be referred to as Heir instead of Heiress and that appellation was still correct today, though most referred to them as Heiresses today due to the current standards on gender.
The second type of Heiress was a daughter of a prominent House who had a rich monetary dowry and property dowry. Since both had been settled upon Hermione by Lord Black, she now fell under this category. This type was the most common in Wizarding Society. It was considered shameful for the prominent families to not bestow some sort of dowry on their daughters. As Andromeda had explained it to her, business owners would bestow a monetary dowry on their daughters and perhaps even a share in their business or businesses while the gentry and the nobles often bestowed money, heirlooms, and land as dowries.
Hermione liked Andromeda. The woman was patient in answering all of Hermione's questions and she was kind. There was an air of sophistication about Andromeda Tonks that Hermione found herself admiring and attempting to emulate. The woman could be stern at times, as Hermione had witnessed on their second meeting. The woman had not gotten on to Hermione, but she had gotten on to her own daughter. Andromeda had a single child, a daughter named Nymphadora Tonks. Nymphadora was in her second year at Hogwarts and was also an Heiress of the House of Black. Hermione had been absolutely fascinated by Nymphadora, or Tonks as the girl preferred to be called.
Tonks was a Metamorphmagus, it was a special type of Witch or Wizard who could change their physical appearance. The girl often sported changing hair colors depending upon her mood. Generally, when the girl was just her normal self her hair remained a pretty shade of purple. She had tried to make Hermione laugh by turning her nose into strange shapes. It had been amusing, but the trouble was that they had been in a Muggle Café at the time. Andromeda had very sternly threatened to remove all of her daughter's music records and tapes from her room if she didn't behave herself.
Hermione glanced again at Andromeda and smiled. She thought Andromeda to be a perfect Magical Guardian. She thought it was clever of Lord Black to have appointed a woman like Andromeda Tonks to be Guardian to both herself and to Eleanor. Andromeda had married a Muggleborn Wizard and she had managed to raise her daughter in a Muggle neighborhood for many years. She knew a lot more about Muggles than most of the other people in the Black Family. Due to this, plus her own experience in raising a daughter, Andromeda really was perfect to protect and support Hermione and Eleanor.
Hermione turned her head to look out the window and held in a wistful sigh. She wished that Eleanor could have come with her today, but Andromeda had said that it wouldn't be proper for Hermione to have a friend with her for the first meeting with her distant relative, Madame Dagworth-Granger.
Eugenie Dagworth-Granger was Hermione's paternal Great-Great-Aunt. The woman had never married and had no children of her own. She was the last of the Dagworth-Granger's or at least she had been the last until the discovery of Hermione's lineage. Though the adults had not discussed things with her, she had gotten the feeling that Madame Eugenie had not been eager to acknowledge the blood connection between them. It was due to this that Hermione was nervous rather than excited about this meeting. It seemed that Madame Eugenie's endorsement of Hermione as a member of the Dagworth-Granger family was conditional on whether or not Madame Eugenie approved of her at this meeting. Hermione felt as though it were a test that was sprung on her without warning and without giving her the time to study for it.
"You'll do fine," Andromeda spoke firmly, attempting to reassure Hermione.
Hermione looked back at Andromeda and smiled slightly. "How can you be so sure?"
"Your parents raised you well," Andromeda pronounced. "You are a polite child with good manners. You have a good bearing, one that I would wager Madame Eugenie will count as impressive considering you have been raised by Muggles."
Hermione's expression revealed her anxiety. She and Eleanor had been told that there would be members of the Black family that were such extreme blood purists that they would hate them on principle because they were Muggleborn, despite their lineage coming from the Black family. Was Madame Eugenie one of those blood purists?
"Is Madame Eugenie a blood purist?" she asked of Andromeda.
"I'm not sure," Andromeda admitted to her charge. "I do not know Madame Eugenie well. She is one of the Old Dragons of society. She was once a member of the Crones Council. She retired from her position some years ago."
Hermione's brow furrowed and her brown eyes were alight with curiosity. "What is the Crones Council?" she asked of Andromeda.
Andromeda smiled as she answered. "The Crones Council is a social council that was set up a long time ago. It is made up of thirteen women who make decisions about what is fashionable and respectable in society. They give time and money to charities and encourage others to do so. There have been times in the past where they have been able to make great strides in our society with their pushing for improvements. The Maternity Wing of Saint Mungoes was built due to the work of the Crones Council. Before that, Witches gave birth to their children at their homes. Most still do but now they can do so by choice rather than due to lack of option."
Hermione slowly mulled over Andromeda's words. She liked the idea of the Crones Council working for charities and making strides to improve their society. Perhaps someday she could sit upon the Crones Council. "Who sits on the Council now?" she asked.
Andromeda was silent as she mulled that over. "I'm not sure I remember all of the women. There are thirteen on the Crones Council. They are split into three sections. There are the Crones, the Mothers, and the Maidens. To be a Crone you must be older and have been a mother. The Mothers are obviously mothers, and the Maidens are women who are not married," Andromeda explained. "The Crones are Regent Callidora Longbottom, Lady Caisonia Vaisey, Dowager Meliora Burke, and Dowager Arabella Flint. The Mothers are Lady Narcissa Malfoy, Lady Laurel Dunbar, Lady Evelyn Greengrass, Lady Olivia Macmillan, and Lady Sabrina Brown. The Maidens are Madame Cassiopeia Black, Madame Berenice Bulstrode, Madame Avice Parkinson, and Madame Charlotte Goyle," she recited the names. She then pointed out "Regent Callidora Longbottom, Lady Narcissa, and Madame Cassiopeia Black are related to you. Narcissa is my sister and Callidora is a cousin a few times removed. Cassiopeia is my Great-Aunt. You'll study the family genealogy soon enough," she said comfortingly. "It will help you to keep the members of the family straight."
Hermione could only nod. While she was elated to be related to the Black Family, she was more than a little bit overwhelmed by just how large the family really was. She was looking forward to learning the family genealogy just so she could keep straight who was who within the family.
"Eleanor and I are looking forward to that," Hermione admitted. "We are both still terribly confused about just how we are related to Harry and Dudley," she revealed.
"You'll sort it out as you study," Andromeda said. "For now, just call them cousins."
Hermione nodded her agreement. She would likely call them cousins even after figuring out just how far removed they were in relation to one another. It seemed much simpler. She was grateful that Lord Black had consented to permit her to call him cousin as well. Andromeda had approved of being called Auntie by both Hermione and Eleanor. Andromeda had been named as Magical Guardian to the two girls and was going to be listed as a God-mother to both girls. In Magical Society, female children were given two god-mothers and one god-father. Eleanor had made several jokes about Andromeda being their Fairy God-mother.
She turned her attention back to drinking her tea. She had just placed it back on the saucer when she noticed the unusual feline that had entered the room and was now studying her. She blinked as she stared at the cat and slowly sat her saucer down on the coffee table before them. She had never seen such a feline before. The cat looked like a small little lion. It had a thick mane and sleek golden fur with a puff upon the tail.
"Beautiful," Hermione said in awe of the unusual cat.
The cat blinked and then seemed to preen at the praise. It came closer to her and began to purr as Hermione tentatively began to pet it. She cooed over the lovely animal. She had always wanted a cat, but she had never dreamt that a cat such as this could exist.
"Cadis really!" A feminine voice exclaimed from the doorway.
Hermione raised her head from paying attention to the cat to watch the woman enter the room. She had a slim figure that was encased in what looked to Hermione like an old-fashioned dress that she would have expected to find in a Jane Austen book. The color was a pale blue hue. She wore a long chain of sapphires and diamonds and there were likewise sapphires and diamonds dangling from her earlobes. Her hair was steel gray and was swept up into a loose bun. There were laugh lines around her mouth and her eyes. Her eyes were a pretty brown that reminded Hermione very much of her own eyes.
"Thank you for this audience Madame Dagworth-Granger," Andromeda said politely as she arose and dipped into a curtsy before the older woman. Hermione ceased to pet Cadis, the unusual feline, and she too dipped into a curtsy.
"Well, your Head of House was not going to let the matter drop," Eugenie said with a sniff of disdain.
Andromeda's smile was genuine when she responded, "Of course he would not. It is his duty to take care of those of his bloodline. Unlike some Lord's, Lord Black takes his duties quite seriously."
Eugenie's brown eyes narrowed at this but she said nothing against Andromeda's words. She turned her gaze to Hermione and suddenly Hermione felt like she was under a microscope or worse, about to be dissected.
"You must be the girl," Eugenie Dagworth-Granger stated with a sneer of disdain.
Hermione tried hard not to frown at this. She had been warned that she might not find welcome with her Great-Great Aunt. "I am Madame," Hermione answered politely. "My name is Hermione Jean Granger."
Eugenie nodded in response. "Jean? Such a common name," she declared.
"It was my grandmother's name," Hermione declared. "My father's mother."
"Yes, Lord Black supplied me with a copy of your genealogy," Eugenie informed them. "He wishes for me to acknowledge you, what do you think of that?"
Hermione again felt as though she were once more taking a test that she had not been permitted to study for. "I think that you must do what you feel is right Madame," she responded.
"A good answer child," Eugenie spoke approvingly. "Tell me, do you like cats?"
Hermione smiled then. "Yes Madame," she said. "My parents have said that I might have one someday when I have proved myself responsible enough to properly take care of one."
Eugenie nodded approvingly. "I have already received a copy of your grades. Top of your class. Impressive. And your parents own some sort of business that is a specific type of healing. This shows that they too are quite intelligent and hard working."
"Yes Madame," Hermione said. "My parents are what is called Dentists. They specialize in taking care of mouths, specifically teeth."
For a moment, Eugenie looked fascinated but then her face returned to a cool mask. "I see," she said. "Do you like books?"
Hermione smiled at this. "Oh, yes Madame," she said. "I love to read. In fact, until I became friends with Harry and Dudley all I did was read because," she paused feeling an echo of her past sadness.
Eugenie seemed to soften then and her brown eyes held a terrible understanding. "Children can be cruel," she said softly.
Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Hermione is a powerful young Witch," Andromeda said gently. "She started having bouts of accidental magic when she was two and these bouts of magic have made it hard for her to make real friendships among the muggles."
"This Harry and Dudley you spoke of," Eugenie began. "Do they know of your being a Witch?" she asked even as she began to pet the cat who had come to curl up beside her on the opposite sofa.
"Yes Madame," Hermione assured her. "Harry is Harry Potter the Lord Potter and Dudley is Antares Dudley Black of House Black," Hermione said very proud of her friends.
Eugenie's eyebrow rose then. "A lucky chance indeed to have met the Boy Who Lived," she declared. She looked then to Andromeda. "And they are very good friends with young Hermione here?"
Andromeda nodded. "Both boys are fiercely protective of her," she informed Madame Eugenie. "They refuse to let anyone speak ill of her."
Hermione blushed at that but couldn't argue it. It was quite true that the two boys were protective of her. She didn't think that was going to ease up anytime soon. She wasn't sure she wanted it to, at least not yet. Everything was still too new. Friendship, Magic, integrating into her magical family.
"Very good," Eugenie declared. "Our Hermione shall need good companions to be getting along with. What about female companions?"
Hermione blinked in surprise. Eugenie had sounded possessive. She had said "Our Hermione" as though she were claiming Hermione. Was she?
"Hermione has become very good friends with Eleanor Branstone of the House of Black. Eleanor is also descended from a Squib of the House of Black. The two girls have that in common as well as a background of living among Muggles," Andromeda declared.
"Eleanor is a very good friend," Hermione said. "She likes books like I do and she and I shall be taking lessons under the tutelage of the Dowager Burke. We start lessons next week."
"Meliora Burke," Eugenie said the name aloud of the Dowager Burke. She looked pointedly at Andromeda then. "Tell me, are the rumors about her and your grandfather true Andromeda?"
Andromeda blushed at that. "Yes Madame," she answered. "At least if you mean the rumors about my Grandfather and the Dowager Burke being lovers. That rumor that he is the father of the current Lord Burke is false. Grandfather didn't take up with Meliora Burke until she was a widow and came to him for help."
Eugenie smirked at that. "My, what sort of help did she have in mind?" she asked and then waved a hand to forestall Andromeda from responding. "Ignore the query my dear. It is improper of me to ask such a question. I should not have inquired about Pollux Black's personal life, I would not have except that you say that Meliora shall be taking charge of Hermione's education."
"Meliora will oversee Etiquette, Wizarding Society, Government, and History. She is already teaching these things to her own granddaughter, Estelle, so adding both Eleanor and Hermione to the lessons is easy enough to do," Andromeda said. "However, other tutors shall be attending to their other studies. Dancing for example."
Eugenie nodded her approval. "I shall want regular reports upon Hermione's progress. At least once a month."
"Madame, does this mean," Hermione began only to trail off as she stared at the steel-haired woman. "Does it mean that you are claiming me?"
Eugenie looked at her for several moments and then she slowly nodded her head in agreement. "Yes child, you are a Dagworth-Granger and so you will be claimed as such."
Hermione felt a burst of warmth rush through her. "I," she couldn't quite articulate just how happy the woman had made her. She really had gone into the meeting hoping that Eugenie would claim her, even though Lord Black had warned her that it might not happen. He had been very kind in trying to caution her. He didn't want Hermione to get her hopes up only to be dashed, she could easily tell.
"Yes, well no need to be so emotional child," Eugenie said even as she smiled a true smile full of warmth at Hermione. "I will get reports on how you are doing in your studies. Also, you will write to me at least once a week to tell me how you are and you may ask me questions if you like. I might not answer the questions, because you may be too young for such answers but I will one day answer your questions. Does that satisfy you?"
Hermione smiled. "May I visit you and Cardis sometimes?"
Eugenie looked momentarily surprised by the question. It was as if she had not thought that Hermione might want to visit her. "I, well yes of course. We can easily arrange for you to visit."
Andromeda nodded her agreement. "I can bring Hermione to see you whenever you like," she promised.
"So long as it is you and not that blackguard of a grandfather of yours," Eugenie sniffed. "I knew he was a troublemaker when he was nine. He's broken too many hearts and fought too many duels not to be an impossible blackguard. I knew I was right when he was nine."
Andromeda smiled at that. "I'll be sure to tell him you said so Madame. He will so enjoy hearing of your opinion of him."
Eugenie hmmffed at that. Then she turned her attention back to Hermione. "Don't let that man charm you Hermione, he's an impossible man."
Hermione giggled then. "Mr. Pollux is very kind to Eleanor and I," she assured Eugenie.
"Well, you are family, so I suppose you are safe from him. It is the rest of the ladies of society that have had to worry," Eugenie declared. "But enough about that impossible man. Come here Hermione and pet Cardis," she ordered.
Hermione was all too happy to obey. "I never knew a feline like he could exist. He's beautiful!"
"You've never seen a Kneazle before?" Eugenie asked of her.
Hermione shook her head in the negative and only just recalled that Andromeda had warned her to always speak. "No, Madame,"
"Well, let me tell you a few things about Kneazles then," Eugenie said. Hermione spent the rest of the afternoon learning about Kneazles and playing with Cardis. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.
Later that night when she was snuggled back into her bed at home, she couldn't help but think of Eugenie alone with Cardis and her House-Elves in her lonely manor. She wondered if she could convince Eugenie to spend Christmas with her. It was a year away, but that was plenty of time to slowly work on ways to get her to say yes. She would talk with Eleanor, Harry, and Dudley about it. They would help her come up with great ideas. She was looking forward to telling them all about Madame Eugenie.
She had told Andromeda that she wanted a pet Kneazle, but Andromeda had said that it was not such a good idea to have a Kneazle in a Muggle house hold. Hermione was saddened by this but she understood where Andromeda was coming from. The very first thing that her Magical relations had drilled into her head was the importance of the Statute of Secrecy. She couldn't let Muggles know about the Wizarding World. A marvelous Kneazle would certainly cause people to ask questions.
Andromeda had however told her that she would need an Owl to write letters to Madame Eugenie and she could use the owl to write to other friends in Wizarding homes. She really was quite lucky thus far in having friends like Harry, Dudley, and Eleanor. All of them lived with a foot in each world now so they still had Muggle means of communication like regular post and telephones. Andromeda had convinced her parents to accept the fact that Andromeda would be buying a Post Owl for Hermione to use to communicate easier with her Wizarding relations. She had promised to take Hermione to Diagon Alley soon to pick out an owl. Hermione smiled as she hugged her soft blanket to her. She was so happy with how things were going in her life now. She couldn't wait to tell Harry and Dudley in the morning.
Thank you dear readers and reviewers for your support. It means a lot to me. Next Chapter: An Auror Raid on Malfoy Manor.
