Author's Note: Okay so I finally have an update for you! It's a little shorter than my previous chapters but this was a good stopping point so please forgive me for that. For some reason this chapter gave me a ton of problems and was quite difficult to write so I really hope you enjoy it. As always please review! I love hearing everybody's opinions.
In regards to updates, I will be alternating updates between this story and The Unexpected Lady Potter, so there won't be another Correction of Time update for another 2-3 weeks, but please stick with me. Okay that is the end of my babbling. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's all the creation of Queen Rowling.
Chapter 10
The next week saw the three Potters falling into a routine. Charlus was usually up first and took his breakfast alone before retreating to his study to conduct business. This mainly consisted of managing the Potter Family estate. As it turned out, the Potters were even wealthier than Hermione had first believed - if the stacks of portfolios containing stocks and shares were anything to go by.
Dorea and Hermione typically woke up around the same time and ate together. Then they either retreated to the library, where they read in silence, or Dorea would give Hermione a tour of the Manor and grounds. Both activities allowing mother and daughter to get to know one another. Naturally, Hermione's favorite part of the Manor was the Library.
Dorea was eager to hear more about the less dangerous aspects of Hermione's life, while Hermione was eager to pick Dorea's brain about any number of topics from life at the Manor to ancient runes, a topic she discovered they both shared a passion for. Dorea had spotted her tracing some out runes on the coffee table one day, and from there they had been chatting non-stop about their love for the subject.
Tea time saw all three of them together in the gardens chatting about nothing and everything. Sometimes she would catch one of them staring at her with unmasked sadness or joy. They were happy that she was there with them, but they were still hurting over how many years they had lost with her. Normally, they looked away before she caught them, tucking their pain away and giving her a carefully practised smile.
One time, she actually managed to catch Dorea giving her one of those wistful looks. Hermione had then made the mistake of smiling back at her, which had Dorea excusing herself from the table. To cover up the tension Charlus took it upon himself to entertain Hermione for the rest of the afternoon: telling her about the family history and showing her around his potions lab.
Hermione was delighted to discover that the Potters were descended from a long line of potioneers. A talent that seemed to skip her, and eventually Harry as well. She didn't count Harry's sixth year, as she remained firm in the belief that Harry's use of the Half-Blood Prince's book was cheating, and while she was competent at brewing, she didn't hold any particular skill for it, unfortunately.
In the evenings, Hermione preferred to be alone, so she spent them wandering the halls of the Manor until she could barely stand. Sometimes she would chat to a portrait of a Potter ancestor who was happy to have her home, or she would just aimlessly walk around. She was adjusting to her life in the 70s reasonably well, but she still missed her family and friends. Despite how amazing the Potters had been to her, she was grieving her old life. She knew that she would always miss her friends and family, and each day was slightly easier than the last. Not to mention, walking to the point of exhaustion typically kept her nightmares at bay.
A little over a week after her arrival at Potter Manor, Hermione came down for breakfast to find both of her parents sitting at the table talking in hushed whispers. It seemed like a conversation they didn't want her to be a part of, so she cleared her throat to make her presence known.
Both Potters looked up and smiled at the sight of their daughter. Even though it had been a week, they were still deliriously happy to have her back in their lives.
"Good morning darling," Dorea greeted. "How did you sleep?"
"Well, thank you," she responded, feeling bad for interrupting whatever conversation her parents had just been having.
"No nightmares?" She pressed her daughter, the same way she did every morning. While Hermione did appreciate the concern, she was getting a bit tired of being treated like glass or a ghost. One wrong word or move and she would be gone from their lives.
"Not last night." Hermione gave her a soft smile before asking a question of her own, "What are your plans for the day?" She changed the subject.
"Actually, all three of us have plans," Charlus spoke up and cast a quick glance at Hermione, "if that's alright with you?"
Although it felt more like she was being told rather then asked, Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh?"
"Yes. We need to go into the Ministry. The Aurors would like to talk to you about where you've been so they can close the case. Well re-close the case I should say," Charlus began to say but was soon cut off by Hermione.
"I can't tell them where I've been," Hermione exclaimed, her voice going up a pitch in panic. "Nobody can find out!" She frantically looked between her parents for some sort of explanation.
"We know. We would never ask you to do that," Dorea said, reaching out to take Hermione's hand. "Both your father and Albus have been quietly calling in favors. You will be interviewed by two members of the Order, who have been informed not to look too closely at the story, and Albus has a friend in Australia. He has managed to get records stating you are registered as a muggle-born student there," Dorea explained.
"That…" Hermione thought aloud, "could actually work. Does the Ministry know how I was found?"
Charlus answered, "Yes. That is what we were discussing when you came in. Albus said you don't know much about Family Magic, is that correct?" At Hermione's nod, the Potter patriarch continued. "We believe it's best to keep it simple then. You were attacked and your adoptive parents killed. Close to death yourself, your magic transported you to your closest living relative to save you. No one will question it if we say Family Magic is involved."
"Why would it take me to James though and not to either of you?"
"You and James have almost identical magical signatures as you are both a combination of your mother and I. His magic was more equipped to handle helping to heal you rather than either of us individually. It's best not to go into too many details though. Family Magic is supposed to be a protected secret of each family."
"Alright," Hermione acquiesced. "That seems easy enough. Who am I supposed to be meeting with?"
"Alastor Moody, he's been a friend of ours and Dumbledore's for years, and a trainee Auror by the name of Kingsley Shacklebolt. We haven't met him yet, but Albus said he is trustworthy," Dorea informed her daughter.
"Oh yes! Kingsley is wonderful. We've fought together. I would trust him with my life." Hermione felt relieved. Mad-Eye was gruff, but she knew she didn't have to worry about him, and Kingsley was one of her favorite members of the Order. She fought side by side with him while removing Harry from his Aunt and Uncle's home, and she remembered fondly the number of debates they had during dinners at Grimmauld. He even helped her with her Defense homework before her fifth year.
"You know them?" Charlus was slightly surprised, though he really shouldn't be. Hermione had admitted to being involved in the Order, so obviously if the two current Order members were alive during the Second War they would have joined again.
"Yes. Mad-Eye was our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor my Fourth year, well sort of," Hermione began.
"Mad-Eye?"
"What do you mean by sort of?"
Both parents asked at the same time.
"Does he still have both his eyes?" Hermione questioned.
"Yes," came from Charlus. "Why wouldn't he?"
"I'm not sure when it happens. He never told us, but at some point, he loses one of his eyes, so he has it replaced with a large magical one that is strapped to his head. It can see through walls, invisibility cloaks, really anything." Hermione shrugged.
"Can you go back to what you mean by he was sort of your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?" Dorea asked a little to casually.
Hermione paused for a moment, before deciding on how to answer her mother. "Well, he was supposed to be. The day before he was supposed to start, he was attacked in his home. It was then reported as a false alarm, but he was overpowered by a Death Eater who nobody knew had escaped from Azkaban. The Death Eater used Polyjuice Potion all year to masquerade as Professor Moody."
Dorea shook her head. "Every time I ask questions it's always answers I don't want to hear. Just how did Albus run that school?"
"Love, let's just move on from it for now. No use worrying about anything just yet," Charlus tried to stop his wife from going on a rant.
Dorea took a deep breath to calm herself. She rose from her seat, having finished her breakfast and announced, "I'm going to get ready for the day. Hermione, I'll have Pippy lay out some robes for you. After we're done at the Ministry, we can go to Diagon Alley and spend the afternoon shopping. Is that alright?"
Hesitant about spending the afternoon shopping, but having already convinced herself to go along with it as it seemed something her mother was eager to do, Hermione nodded. "Of course. Sounds like fun."
"And after we're done getting all of your necessities we can spend some time in Flourish and Blotts. I'm sure you would love to continue to fill our library up." Dorea hoped Hermione would enjoy this. She didn't seem like the type of girl to enjoy an afternoon of shopping, and after seeing Hermione's reaction to the extensive library at the Manor, Dorea assumed an extended trip to a bookstore would be something that appealed to the young girl. Seeing Hermione's face light up while she nodded enthusiastically proved Dorea right.
With a kiss on both her husband and daughter's cheek, the regal witch swept out of the room to get ready for the day, leaving her family to have the rest of their breakfast in peace.
A little over an hour later, the three Potters stepped out of the Floo into the Atrium of the Ministry. Charlus led his family to the Welcome Witch to check in before they proceeded to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"This should be over quickly dear," Dorea assured her daughter, to which Hermione simply nodded. "We also will need to stop by the Department of Records at some point," she mentioned to Charlus.
Curious, Hermione asked, "Department of Records?"
"Yes, for your name change."
"I don't understand," Hermione said.
"Well, you were officially born as Charlotte Dorea Potter. You've said you would prefer to go by Hermione since that is the name you have grown up using. Is that not the case?" Charlus questioned.
"No, no it is. I just didn't think that we'd have to officially change my name."
"Yes, just for legal purposes. Why don't we discuss this later? That is something I can do alone when I'm here next week for the Wizengamot session," the elder Potter suggested.
Hermione conceded. "Alright."
The family walked the rest of the way in silence and before she knew it, Hermione was facing a much less scarred Alastor Moody and a much younger Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Charlus, Dorea, nice to see you both," the gruff older Auror greeted, shaking both of the elder Potter's hands. "You must be Charlotte."
"She actually prefers to go by Hermione," Dorea informed the two gentlemen.
Hermione held out her hand for both men to shake. "Pleasure to meet the both of you."
"You as well Miss Potter," Kingsley spoke for the first time. "Why don't we go into Alastor's office to talk. Lord and Lady Potter, you can wait out here."
"Absolutely not," Dorea protested.
"Ma'am," the younger Auror explained, "It's our procedure that we speak with kidnapping victims alone."
"I do not care what your procedure is. My daughter has been through a traumatic experience, and we have finally found her after twelve years. After your department refused to believe she was still alive, so you will not be speaking to my daughter alone."
"Dorea," Charlus tried to calm his wife. "It's okay. We can wait out here. Hermione will be fine."
"Over my dead body," she declared.
"But," Kingsley attempted to reason with the formidable witch.
"Mum, Dad. It's alright," Hermione comforted her parents. "I trust them. They both can be trusted." She gave them a look trying to convey that she knew the two Aurors without coming right out and saying it.
"But," Dorea began before Hermione cut her off.
"It's alright," she repeated. "I'll be quick."
Dorea crossed her arms over her chest and began muttering about stubborn Gryffindors, while Charlus put his arm around his wife trying to muffle his laughter at his daughter's willfulness. The two Aurors then escorted Hermione down the hall and into the Head Auror's office, closing the door.
"Alright girly," Auror Moody began the interview while moving to sit down behind his desk, Kingsley taking his place behind his boss. "What can you tell us about where you've been?"
"I was raised in Australia. My par - my adoptive parents were British, but we moved to Melbourne when I was five."
"What do you remember from before your kidnapping?" Kingsley asked.
Hermione thought for a moment. She actually hadn't thought much about her life before her muggle parents. She was four when she had been kidnapped, but her first memories were of her life with the Grangers. How could she not even have a hint of her life before? "I….I don't know actually. It's like everything before is just….blank."
"So you have no recollection of ever being with the Potters?" Moody questioned.
"No, I don't actually," Hermione admitted after a moment's hesitation to truly think about her earliest memories.
"And you appear out of nowhere. How did you prove you are who you say you are?" Kingsley asked suspiciously.
Before she could answer, Moody added while narrowing his eyes in her direction, "How did you wiggle your way into the Potter's home? What are you trying to accomplish?"
"Excuse me! Just what are you saying?" Hermione sharply responded.
Kingsley could sense the tension in the room rising and tried to calm the young witch down. "We are just trying to get to the bottom of this. It is quite odd that you appear out of nowhere, in the middle of the night on the Hogwarts grounds, wouldn't you agree?"
"I understand that this seems odd to you, but I promise you this is even more confusing and unusual for me. I never knew the people who raised me weren't my biological parents. I didn't want to believe it at first. I'm not trying to, to….trick the Potters! Professor Dumbledore performed a Familial Spell, and you are more than welcome to perform another one. I would like to know what happened just as much as everybody else would. The family that raised me is gone, and I've been thrown into this. My life has been turned completely upside down, yet you're treating me with such suspicion." By the end Hermione was on her feet, yelling at the formidable wizard, somebody who in her past life scared her a little bit. But with both of his legs and eyes, he was a lot less intimidating to her.
The door burst open, and Dorea Potter came storming in with a dark look on her face, followed by her husband who looked almost as murderous. "Just why can I hear my daughter shouting down the hall? Albus assured us he spoke with the both of you regarding this matter. What did you do to upset my daughter?"
"We are just asking her the necessary questions, Dorea. Albus may have vouched for her story, but I have an obligation to get to the bottom of this on my own," Moody growled out, annoyed at being interrupted.
"Perhaps we should all take a seat and continue this calmly and rationally," Kingsley tried to de-escalate the situation.
"No, we will be taking our daughter home now," Charlus demanded.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that Charlus," Moody stopped the wizard. "We aren't done here."
"I understand you want the truth, Auror Moody," Hermione addressed the older wizard with as much composure as she could muster. "But I don't know what that is. All I can tell you is I was raised as muggle-born witch. My family and I were attacked simply for my being a muggle-born. My family is dead, and I believe our attackers thought I was dead as well, the next thing I know I was waking up in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts where James refused to leave my side until the Headmaster ordered him to. When the Potter's showed up, we did a Familial Spell at the insistence of the Potters, not me. I had no idea I was adopted or that they had been searching for me for so long. There is no more information I can give you. Now if that is all?"
"That most certainly isn't all," Moody argued.
"Yes, it is," Dorea declared. "She gave you her statement. You have a statement from Albus as well. We can provide you with no more information. We will now be leaving. Take care gentlemen." Dorea then wrapped her arm around her daughter and steered her out of the office, swiftly followed by Charlus.
"The nerve of that man!" Dorea began to rant as they exited the offices of the DMLE. "How he could treat you like some kind of criminal. As if we wouldn't know our own daughter, OR make sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are Charlotte. And after all the years we've known him."
"I believe I will be having a word with Albus. He assured me Alastor would treat this with discretion," Charlus added.
At this Hermione began to giggle, which turned into all-out laughter. Both Potters stared at their daughter incredulously.
Seeing the looks on their faces, Hermione tried to calm herself to explain. "I'm sorry, but you think that was him being indiscreet? That was positively tame compared to the Mad-Eye I know. He was practically a teddy bear in there."
"Er...care to explain dear?" Charlus asked.
"Auror Moody becomes much more paranoid as the years go on. He's a lot more intimidating in his later years if I'm perfectly honest."
"So you're not upset at the way he spoke to you?" Dorea questioned, confused at Hermione's reaction.
"Not at all. I honestly expected a little worse. I mean we were in his office and not even an interrogation room. I'm more upset that he brought up a really good point. I have zero memories of my life before the Grangers. I was four when I was taken, I should have had at least some impression of my life with you, but it's all just….blank."
The family had made it to the lifts and began to make their way back to the lobby, luckily they were alone. "Hmmm…." Dorea thought aloud. "You have a point. Well, I guess Alastor has a point. Once we get home, we'll test you for any memory or mind-altering spells that have been placed on you. There is always a chance you were Obliviated."
"Perhaps. It's a decent theory," Charlus agreed. "Let's worry about that tonight though. The two of you have fun shopping. Try not to buy out the whole bookstore," he joked, winking at Hermione, which earned him a smile.
The lift screeched to a halt, and the doors opened to pandemonium. The Potter family was swarmed by witches and wizards with cameras, parchment, quick-quotes quills, and lots of questions.
"Charlotte! Where have you been?"
"What made you decide to return now?"
"How did you contact the Potters?"
"Is it true you were found at Hogwarts?"
The elder Potters immediately surrounded their daughter, attempting to protect her from the onslaught of reporters and just general nosy people, trying to get to the newly found Potter heiress.
"We are not answering any questions at this time. Please leave my family and I in peace," Charlus attempted to shout above all the questions.
The family of three made it to the Floo, and by some unspoken agreement between Charlus and Dorea, Charlus dragged Hermione into the fireplace and Flooed home, closely followed by Dorea.
"What was that?" Dorea shouted as soon as she stepped into the sitting room. "How did anybody know we were going to be there today!"
"Dorea, please calm down," Charlus tried to help.
"Calm down? Clam down! I can't calm down! We were just accosted inside the Ministry of Magic! This is not how we planned to announce this at all!"
"Announce? Why would we need to announce anything?" Hermione asked, confused.
"Darling, it was a big deal when you went missing. Our family is relatively prominent in our community, not to mention you were the first Potter girl born in oh about three hundred years or so," Charlus explained. "It was always going to be a big deal that you returned. However, we were hoping to keep it quiet for a little bit and allow you some time to adjust. My guess is somebody saw you walking into the Ministry with us and going to the DMLE. They must have put two and two together and tipped off the press."
"I want to know who did that and I want them ruined!" Dorea continued to shout.
"Love, you can't go ruining the life of everybody who has ever crossed you," the Potter Patriarch placated his wife.
"Oh I can and I will," Dorea threatened, storming off, shopping trip forgotten for the moment.
"You can really see the Black side of her when she's upset, can't you?" Hermione questioned.
Charlus had a slightly stupid grin on his face while chuckling, "Yes you can. It's been over thirty years of marriage, and it never fails to entertain me. It's one of the things that originally attracted me to your mother. She complains about Gryffindor stubbornness, but she can be quite stubborn herself when she puts her mind to something."