A perfect plan
Hermione couldn't believe Harry had detention with that horrible woman. She and Umbridge had bickered a bit, but Harry had gone into war. She had expected him to be more careful. However, Harry had brought up Voldemort on their very first session with Umbridge.
She wasn't surprised when McGonagall had requested to see her in her office. Hermione had clearly lost her control on Harry.
"Good evening, Miss Granger. Close the door, please." As she sat she noticed McGonagall's peculiar look on herself. She was silent for a few seconds and then she sighed.
"I was going to talk with you about Mr Potter, but it seems that we need to have another discussion." She pointed to the plate of biscuits on her desk, "Have a biscuit."
Hermione was surprised. She hesitated a bit and then she took one.
"Hermione, are you unsatisfied with your appearance?" asked the professor with a concerned tone.
"What?" Hermione spoke with her mouth full of biscuit bits. As a result some of them flew off which made Hermione embarrassed. Her face flushed a bit as she wiped her mouth.
McGonagall didn't seem to be happy.
"Even if you're unsatisfied with your physical features you shouldn't result to transfiguration to fix them."
"She thinks I'm doing this to myself?" Hermione thought and contemplated for a while before answering.
"Um … Professor, I didn't do this to myself. It's happening on its own. Professor Dumbledore's old crowd know all about it." said Hermione
"Ah I see." McGonagall responded taking the hint. "And for how long has this been going on?"
"It was this Summer when I noticed it. It started with my hair, but it's progressing to other parts as well." Hermione explained as her head of the house was nodding. "At first, Snuffles thought it would be completed by next summer, but now he says it will be completed by Spring."
"Does anyone have a theory why it's happening?" asked McGonagall. Her worrisome glance never left Hermione's bright orange hair.
"When I asked professor Dumbledore, he said that it was puberty."
McGonagall raised her eyebrows much like Snape. Hermione smiled and continued. "But Snuffles, Professor Lupin and Professor Snape think otherwise."
"I hope they have a feasible theory at least," said McGonagall dryly, "Could you disclose it with me?"
"Yes professor." She sighed deeply. "They… think… that…that I belong to a wizarding couple who left me with my parents to protect me… or … or to get rid of me." A drop of tear ran on her cheek as she smiled forcefully. She wiped it up immediately and continued. "They think a potion has been used to make me similar to my mom and dad. Magical puberty is wearing it off, so professor Dumbledore was somehow right."
McGonagall stood up and hugged Hermione.
"I'm sorry." McGonagall patted Hermione as she wept, "I don't know who your parents are, but I don't think they ever wanted to get rid of such a lovely and brilliant child."
Hermione smiled and went back to her chair.
"Hermione, I think we shall talk about Mr Potter another time. You should go and rest a bit."
As the days passed, Hagrid's absence started to bother Gryffindors even more. Grubbly-Plank would not give them a straightforward answer, so they were in the dark. Mafoy kept teased Harry during one of their sessions. He distanced himself when Hermione approached them.
Harry's new interest in Luna Lovegood was a bit worrying. Not that she was a bad person, but Harry could do better, couldn't he? A few seconds after telling that to Harry a much darker thought came to her mind. What if it was her bad genes talking. They had been suppressed for a long time. If the change had been happening to body, couldn't it happen to her brain as well? It was a petrifying idea.
She couldn't reach anyone to ask her question from before Herbology was over. Hermione had her dinner and tried to finish it as quickly as possible. She needed to ask Sirius.
She didn't get a chance to think about it as Snape approached them.
"Potter don't you have something to deliver to me." He looked at him questioningly.
"Um … yes sir. I'll bring it for you before my detention with Professor Umbridge." Harry answered nervously.
"See that you do. Miss Granger, may I see you in my office now." He didn't even wait for an answer and left the Great Hall immediately.
Hermione went to dungeons and Harry went to Gryffindor tower to grab his Draught of Peace. Snape was waiting for her in his office. He was standing next to a door.
"In my private quarters, please." He pointed at the door.
As always her pessimist mind warned her how many varied horrible things Snape could do to her. It screamed to Hermione as she entered his office and panicked once Snape began warding the door.
"Please sit next to the fireplace, Miss Granger." Snape instructed her.
There were four chairs and two were next to the fireplace. The moment she sat she yelped.
"Jeez, little bird calm down." said Sirius who was sitting in front of her. On his left Lupin greeted her, "Hello Hermione."
He looked at her amiably and continued, "You've changed a bit. Your cheeks look a bit like Padfoot's."
"How?" asked Hermione, "Are you insane, Sirius? Why would you come here? And you're in this too, professor?"
She looked at Lupin incredulously with her eyes wide while Snape sat on the remaining chair next to her.
"Ah good to see you Lupin, Black. Are you enjoying the holidays, Black?"
Sirius looked a bit irritated, but he didn't dignity the question with an answer.
"Good to see you as well, Severus." said Lupin, "Hermione don't worry. We haven't smuggled Sirius there. We're in fact sitting in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place safe from Madam Umbridge. I'd be really glad if you stopped calling me, professor, as I no longer teach."
He then explained, "This is a mirroring spell. It's relatively easy. We carved some runes on the bottom of the chairs and initiated a simple mirroring charm. As long as we sit on these chairs we can communicate as if we're in the same room."
"We should go to the main topic, Lupin. You can explain our method of communication to her at a more appropriate time." interjected Snape.
Lupin nodded in agreement.
"Are you okay, Hermione?" Sirius asked. "You seem troubled."
"It's nothing really. I was wondering if my brain would change too."
"Are you worried that you might turn into a less of a bookworm and know-it-all Miss Granger?" asked Snape. "Potter will soon arrive, so make it quick."
Sirius smiled. "Hermione, I'm really glad to tell you that no potion can alter your brain like that, so your brain didn't change when they gave it to you. You're brain isn't changing so don't worry about it, OK?"
"We had a question from you as well, Hermione?" Lupin said. He pressed his lips tightly before saying, "We have devised a plan for you. We can develop a cheat by making a syrup made by a mixture of bodily fluids of Sirius and Lucinda's…" he gulped hard. "… ovule. It's not a real baby, I assure you, just a few strands of hair ." He sighed and closed his eyes.
"It will introduce Lucinda and me as your parents." Siruis explained what Lupin had failed to say.
"It's not a real baby, yet you have a name for it Lupin." Snape pointed out.
Lupin hid his face behind his palms.
"Well it's good that you asked me, because we're not going to do that." Hermione responded firmly, "I won't lie to my friends."
"That's not what we're asking, Miss Granger. We simply want to keep people safe from harsh truths that might explode their brains." Snape said tactfully yet somehow sarcastically, "You won't be lying, simply misdirecting. We will do the real test privately with Mr. Potter present if you insist."
"Harry isn't my only friend professor. I'm not surprised that you haven't noticed but…" Hermione was saying calmly as Snape raised his hand to silence her.
"I'm aware of that fact. However, Potter is the only one amongst your friend who is less likely to freak out when your true parents are revealed." he continued, " We will do the real test a day before and if it turns out that your real parents are among the so called good people, we won't cheat as Lupin put it."
"You might be Marlene's, Hermione. She had blonde hair and gray eyes, too." Remus whispered hopefully.
Sirius shivered a bit. "Moony, that was a one time thing."
"It's still possible." insisted Lupin.
"And you being her daughter would be significantly better for us. That could actually turn you into a symbol of hope." said Snape as he looked directly into Hermione's eyes.
There was a knock on the door. Snape left them to open the door.
"Look Hermione it's your decision to make, but we're going to make preparations in case you change your mind." said Lupin.
A few seconds later Harry came to sit with them.
"Hey 'Mione. Why are you sitting here?" He asked. She simply pointed at the chair next to her. This time it was Harry's turn to yell, "What the hell?!"
Hermione laughed. Harry seemed to be ashamed of his strong reaction.
"Don't mind her, Harry. She did the same when she saw us first." said Sirius as Lupin nodded.
Harry smiled. It was going to be heartwarming talk before his detention with Umbridge.
A/N: Thank you NatRose17 for you idea.
