Authors Note:
I don't own Harry Potter or any associated characters nor do I make any money from works puplished here.
I have changed the rating due to language and future scenes please be aware of this if you are a returning reader.
Hermione is a bit OOC - if she was a Rowling had written her it would be a very short story mostly with Hermione trying to avoid being spotted or getting obliviated - that won't happen here.
As a thank you for the wonderful reviews of the second chapter and an apology for taking so long to update between chapter 1 and 2 here is Chapter Three. Enjoy!
Chapter Three
During Hermione's last year at Hogwarts there had been many rumours about her. She had been busy sitting her six NEWTs as well as independently researching History of Magic, Astronomy and Magical theory. So while she listened to the rumours that Ginny told her she would always just smile and turn back to her work.
Of course this did nothing to dispel rumours such that she was having Harry's baby (time did help her out on that one and she did explain to Ginny that it wasn't true) or that she had tortured Bellatrix Lestrange in revenge for Malfoy manor or that she had terrified a group of snatchers so badly they had quit and Voldemort had killed them on the spot.
This had led to Hermione being treated with a strange reverence as she walked around the castle. Even Malfoy stayed out of her way which she was thankful for, although she would quite like to see him as a ferret again one day. Over the course of her sabbatical, as she called it, Hermione had changed. When the Headmistress offered her the Head Girl position she turned it down, claiming t not truly be a seventh year and therefore not eligible. When the child of a death eater tried to curse her in the hallway she forgave their short sightedness and warned them not to do it again. They had tried of course but Hermione was quicker on the draw and they found themselves in the Hospital Wing hurting for a while as Madame Pomfrey dosed them with Skelegrow. They had no memory of how they ended up there as well as an aversion towards Hermione Granger that could not be explained. Oh yes the year Hermione had helped track down Voldemort's soul to kill him piece by piece had changed her. She still loved to read but now it was more politics and law. Hermione Granger wanted to change the world. And now she had been given a change as Jean Carr to do just that.
"…so all in all it's a lovely home with such a wonderful garden. What do you think Miss Carr?"
This was the first house that Hermione had looked around after leaving the Department of Mysteries earlier that morning. It was a chocolate box cottage with a short garden path leading to a painted front door. Hermione had been reminiscing so much she hadn't really taken note of the inside. Oh well if I don't like it I can always decorate while waiting for Riddle to fuck up badly enough that I catch him.
"It will be perfect, can I collect the keys this afternoon?"
"Indeed you can I will just need you to sign some paperwork at the office."
"Will 2 O'clock be alright?"
"Absolutely fine Miss Carr. I'll see you there."
Hermione took one last look around her new home and smiled. It certainly wasn't the grand base of operations Riddle was sure to have but no one would suspect the two bedroom cottage as being the hub of the resistance against him. Smiling Hermione disappeared with a pop.
She reappeared in Diagon Alley and made her way to the bank. If she was going to defy Riddle she would need a warding system far beyond her capabilities. And she know that the goblins at the bank could supply her with those.
Looking around as she strolled down the sunny street Hermione could see that Voldemort already had too much over these people. Shops asked you to knock the door for service. Witches and wizards scurried busily from place to place as quickly as possible with their heads bowed, not meeting anyone in the eye.
Entering the bank Hermione made her way over to the nearest teller.
"Good afternnon, I wish to make a withdrawal and speak to someone about warding my home if it isn't too much trouble"
"Madam, we can have Snarktooth assist you at once if I can just see your key?"
Hermione silently handed over her vault key, her eyes darted from side to side as if watching for danger and despite being in the goblin bank her right hand was curled around her wand.
"This all appears to be in order, if you could follow Snarktooth? He will take you to see the warders after the visit to your vault."
Hermione inclined her head to the goblin as she voiced her thanks. She follows the short squat goblin out of the main atrium and towards the vaults. She found her mind wondering as to what she should do after having the wards set. Insider information from the Dumbledore and Riddle would be needed. She would also need to work out just how many Horcruxes Riddle currently had.
Although if I kill Riddle now and clean up the death eaters I'll have a lot more time to find the horcruxes. Also if I can keep Trelawney from Dumbledore she might never make the prophecy. Bloody waste of time Divination a woollier subject I have never come across and I've worked with people who keep brains in a tank for heaven's sake!
"Vault two hundred and forty-five" intoned the goblin.
"My thanks, I won't be long."
"Take as long as you need madam."
Really goblins aren't so bad as long as you are polite to them, no wonder the Malfoys always had problems with them.
Hermione stepped into her vault and quickly amended the paperwork so that she would be able to make transfers. She then took two pouches filled with gold and watched as the records updated themselves. Seeing that everything was in order Hermione left the vault and re-entered the spinning cart Gods I hate these things! With that they were off, zipping and spinning through the bowels of the safest bank in the magical world. Hermione felt her stomach turn but refused to lose her lunch. Luckily she had remembered how badly cart travel affected her and had a stomach soother in her bag but it would do her no good until they stopped.
"Warders Offices, from her someone can show you the exit to the atrium."
Hermione once more thanked the Goblin and stood from the cart. Once on solid ground she opened her bag, rootled around and then chugged the pale pink stomach soother that tasted like peppermint. Waiting for a moment to let the potion take effect Hermione then straightened her shoulders and entered the offices.
"Good afternoon, I wish to have my house warded." She smiled at the goblin on the reception desk.
"Basic, standard or elite level?" Asked the bored looking goblin.
"I was hoping for something a little more…robust if possible?"
"Robust?"
"Hmm you know something that could keep out a certain dark lord and his followers should they ever think they need to come round for afternoon tea."
"We can certainly provide the service madam, but the cost just to ensure ones home is safe…"
"But it is not just the homes he's destroying is it? People are being murdered unable to escape thanks to the anti-apparition and portkey wards that they are using. I don't much care to die in my sleep while my house burns down around me so something more robust is going to be needed."
"As you wish madam, please follow me."
Hermione followed the goblin passing door upon door until they reached the end. The plaque on the door read; Hookhand Chief Warder. Hermione nodded to herself here was someone who would get her job done.
"Hookhand a Miss Carr for you she would like something more robust…"
"Send her in"
Hermione entered the office and waited to be offered a chair. Hookhand gestured impatiently and she sat down watching the goblin finish the current paperwork.
"So Miss Carr you are not happy with the current wards on your home?"
"Can't say that I am, I purchased it today and it hasn't got any."
"Well at least that makes a bit more sense. Our current warding schemes would not offer enough protection?"
"Well no not really."
"What do you plan on doing that would bring the dark lord calling round for afternoon tea as you put it?"
"Well nothing yet but as a muggleborn I doubt he'll need much more than that, will he?"
"Unfortunately you are correct did you have anything in mind or were you going to throw money at the problem and hope it goes away?"
"I have a ward scheme designed that would hinge on forty-nine ward stones around the property spaced evenly apart with a further ward stone in the centre of the basement that I can activate more wards from. The basics will prevent anyone not on my list from entering and stop those that are on one list from performing magic while the others may perform certain spells. They will also include the fidelious charm, muggle repelling wards, provide safety from fire and water damage as well as stop anti-apparition, floo and portkey wards being placed over the top of them."
"If this is your everyday ward scheme what will the optional wards do?" The goblin looked impressed so Hermione continued.
"Several option will be open to me under the case of an attack. Firstly would be to warn the Auror department and then enchant the furniture to become hardened and attack anyone not on either list. Then there are the wards against bombs and bombardment hexes this would be for if the death nibblers weren't brave enough to come in through the front door. Then there is the last option which would take myself and any named on my list to a location here in Gringotts and as soon as a critical amount of hostiles were in the house it would explode with the force of a nuclear bomb."
"I would hope that this action were never necessary Miss Carr."
"Be that as it may these are the wards that I wish to have plus anything you feel I have missed out. Other than the secure room at Gringotts and the fact it would take be weeks to source the stones and carve them I would do it myself but the sooner my home and I are protected the sooner I can get on with business."
"We can have this done by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, would that suffice."
"It will I have my room rented for another night anyway so will stay there until tomorrow."
The goblin drew up the contracts, which Hermione then signed. She sighed at the cost but knew it would take too long to complete her comprehensive ward scheme alone.
"If I may ask Miss Carr what business are you in?"
"I can't say yet, but I'm sure you'll hear about it."
With that Hermione swept out of the office and wondered back to the Leaky wondering if Anne would let her raid the kitchens for chocolate.