Chapter 4: You're a Wizard, Harry
The first time Hermione saw Smoky was towards the beginning of winter. The weather was getting colder, and the Granger house darker and more lonely then usual. So, to keep herself sane, Hermione took long walks. Bundled up in her thickest jackets, boots and scarves, Hermione was glad to move her solitude outside. Sometimes she had a book under her arm, other times she didn't. And sometimes she even had Harry with her, though those meetings were few and far between in the early afternoons.
If she were being honest, Hermione had always enjoyed walking by herself. She liked to observe things and be intuitive. It was what she was good at; asking questions. Why is Privet Drive called that? Why do so many people own town cars with two doors? Why are or aren't there yellow lines painted on the curbs? Some of the questions Hermione could figure out for herself with a bit of thinking, other times they remained a mystery. It was on one of these walks that she saw a strange cat. Hermione had always loved cats, and dreamed of having a big golden-orange one someday (she told Harry that once). So when she saw the furry creature sitting across the street at No. 4 Privet Drive, Hermione felt herself questioning it.
Why is there a cat sitting outside Harry's house? It was a strange looking cat too. It's jowls we're all droopy, reminding Hermione of an old grandmother, and it was smoky colored with black markings. Hermione guessed the cat was a she. It looked like a she, didn't it? The funny thing though was that the cat had two dark rings around it's eyes. It reminded Hermione a bit of Harry's round spectacles. 'I've never seen a cat that looked like it was wearing glasses before,' so Hermione stopped her walk to observe.
Smoky (as Hermione so lovingly named her) was just sitting on the garden wall by herself, watching No. 4 Privet Drive with seemingly little interest. Her tail would flick on occasion, or she would lick at her foot and follow a bird with her eyes. But Smoky never left her spot. At least not in the five or ten minutes which Hermione watched her. Then, as if realizing she was being watched, Smoky left. Hermione was slightly disappointed considering she hadn't seen very many animals. Her parents thought they were dirty. But it was a welcome distraction from her usual dull questioning of Privet Drive.
Hermione continued to take her after school strolls despite the changing weather. Soon, she would start to estimate how many quarter meters of snow had fallen the night before, or observe the different foot trails the patrons of Privet Drive left behind. She would count how many crows sat on the snowy lampposts, or make assumptions about why so many neighbors had their drapes closed. But even with the snow and the cold, Smoky returned every day to sit on the garden wall of No. 4 Privet Drive. Hermione passed by every single day, and every single day Smoky was still sitting in the exact same spot, watching.
Why is she still sitting there? Hermione questioned the cats odd motive every day, and every day she found no answer. Soon enough, she asked her best friend about the strange creature,
'Do you ever see the cat sitting on your garden wall, Harry?'
The boy would merely move his head to one side confusedly. Harry never saw Smoky, despite the fact that she sat outside his house. All day, everyday, Hermione assumed. Eventually, she wondered if Smoky were hungry, or cold. So, being clever, Hermione outfitted a shoebox to make a little home. It wasn't as if she had much else to do while Harry was still with his awful family. So the next day, Hermione set up Smoky's box on the garden wall. At tea time, the cat arrived. Hermione watched from the front porch of No. 1 Privet Drive as Smoky sat for a minute in the snow, swiveled her head, poked at the box. Then, to Hermione's delight, she sat and waited. Just like every other day.
Hermione didn't mean to watch Smoky for as long as she did, but soon the sky was getting darker and Harry had yet to come out of No. 4 Privet Drive to greet her. Once the lamps had come on for the night, Smoky stood up, stretched, and jumped gracefully down from the garden wall. Hermione, being curious as to where the cat lived, followed her. She kept her distance, and walked lightly. Eventually, she stood in a small little alley between house No. 8 and No. 9 with one lamp illuminating where Smoky had disappeared. Peeking around the corner, Hermione was expecting a cat. She nearly gasped out of pure fright as a woman in a green cloak appeared instead, wearing black spectacles.
Hermione wanted to run off, to go screaming down the street to find Harry. But she was shock still, watching as the woman smoothed out her cloaks, adjusted her pointy hat, and greeted a bearded man who had suddenly appeared at her side,
"Any changes in circumstances, Minerva? My good friend?"
The man spoke first, croaky, like he had smoked too many pipes in one sitting,
"Other than the fact that I've been freezing to death for the past three days, Albus,"
"Now, now Minerva,"
"Was it you, Albus, who left the box? Because if it were-"
"No, Minerva. I do believe the Granger girl has been watching you. Nearly as long, I believe, as you have been watching over young Harry."
Hermione blanched slightly. These people knew her name, and Harry's name? Why? How?
"Yes, I'm aware of that now. Either way, these people you have entrusted the boy with are the worst people imaginable. I've been watching them, Albus, it's not what his parents would have wanted,"
Hermione lifted a brow, mentally taking notes. How do these strange people know Harry's parents? Why?
"I understand he's not living under the best of circumstances, Minerva. But he must remain here-"
"Poppycock, Albus. He has a fortune waiting for him at Gringotts which can care for the expenses! And surely we can find a nice wizarding family to take him in? The Weasleys perhaps?"
The Weasleys? Who are they? Where is Gringott's? Why does Harry have money there? Wizarding family?
"Now, now Minerva. Young Harry has the Granger girl to look after him until he's of age to return with us. And his Gringott's key is with Tom at the Leaky Cauldron-"
"Certainly that old coot can't be trusted-"
"Tom is a close ally, Minerva. Harry's key will be safe there,"
"We should have let him come to Hogwarts, Albus, or at least try and find his Godfather. Leaving him here is a mistake! He's a wizard living amongst muggles-"
Harry is a wizard? What does 'muggle' mean? Where is Hogwarts? Godfather? Harry is a wizard!
"It's only for a few years yet, my good friend, until young Harry is 14,"
"And what of the girl? She cannot come with him. The Ministry of Magic simply won't allow it,"
"We will have her memory wiped. A simple obliviate should do the trick. She'll forget she ever met Harry Potter,"
"It's cruel, Albus."
"Perhaps, but it must be done to keep her here-Minerva, I have a sudden feeling we're being watched..."
Hermione stopped breathing as she pressed up against the wall, praying her heart wasn't beating too loudly for either the bearded man or Smoky to hear, "I will return. Goodnight, Minerva,"
Hermione released a relieved breath as there was an odd noise (like a whooshing sound) and Smoky - in cat form again - trotted down the opposite side of the alleyway. Glancing around the corner, the bearded man was gone as well. Where'd he go? Hermione bit down on her lip and ran as fast as she could back down Privet Drive, her nose red and raw from the cold as she tried to remember every single detail from the conversation she had overheard. It seemed impossible, and Hermione knew it too. There was no such things as Wizards and ladies transforming into cats, and bearded men who could vanish into thin air. But at the same time, Hermione believed every word.
She believed there was a place called the Leaky Cauldron, Gringott's, Hogwarts, and an old coot named Tom. She believed that her best friend was an actual wizard! She believed Harry had a godfather. And she believed that the bearded man would make her forget ever knowing Harry Potter. I could never forget him. Hermione thought, heaving with exhaustion as she came to No. 4 Privet Drive. Harry was sitting on the front porch, waiting for her. Hermione was practically bursting at the seams with excitement as she hurriedly wrapped many of her scarves around her best friends neck, sitting him down on the curb to tell him everything.
"I saw magic Harry, real magic. Not just abracadabra. The woman I followed could turn into a cat!"
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Would I lie to you Harry Potter? I saw her do it, and-and there was a man, a bearded man who appeared out of thin air. They were talking about you,"
"Me?" Harry pointed at himself as Hermione nodded rapidly and took his cold hands into her own,
"They knew our names, both of us. They said that this," Hermione waved to No. 4 with a hand, "isn't what your mum and dad would have wanted, and that they left money or something for you, and that you have a Godfather,"
"These people knew my parents? That doesn't even seem possible. And a Godfather? Why didn't anyone ever tell me?
"Exactly. And Harry...you're...well," Hermione stopped. How could she possibly tell her best friend he was a wizard? It was bloody insane!
"What is it Hermione? Is everything ok?"
"Yes, but it's just...it's kind of silly,"
"Nothing you say is ever silly," Harry insisted, "what's wrong?"
Hermione patted the tops of her knees with the flats of her hands, lips twisted into a deep frown. Would Harry believe her? Yes, of course he will.
"You're a wizard, Harry,"
The phrase was so simple and so quiet, yet Harry blinked confusedly,
"I'm a what?"
"A wizard," Hermione insisted, "they performed magic, Harry. Real magic. It makes sense! How else can you do those weird things you do?"
"I can't possibly be a-a wizard...can I?"
Hermione shrugged slightly, relieved Harry wasn't laughing at her,
"But you can do those things too Hermione. Does that make you a witch?"
"I don't know." Hermione leaned into her best friend, watching the flickering of the lamps reflecting off the snow as she clutched at Harry's hand, "but what if you were a wizard?" Hermione smiled and sighed slightly, "How wonderful it would be. Don't you think?"
