Hermione grinned, her hair whipping around her as her hands gripped her seat, she decidedly liked the Knight Bus. By the pale greenish colour of her Melissa, Hermione deduced that her mother did not.
"Deep breaths, deep breaths," Melissa chanted before squeaking as the Knight Bus tilted on one side dangerously before coming to a violent stop with a bang.
They had made it to Kings Cross Station, right on time.
"Come on Mum, can't be late." Melissa just growled in response.
Hermione only ever went into the human or the Wizarding world when the pack need something. The pack would go into little towns that would barter for animal pelts, fresh game and flora that wasn't easily accessed and when the pack needed wands or potions a small group would head to the Wizarding world. The chaos - as there could be no other word to describe it - of King Cross Station at twenty to eleven surpassed even the bedlam of Diagon Alley and moved straight into pandemonium with children rushing between feet, parents calling wayward children, the noise of familiars and the hum of bodies chatting.
It was all a bit overwhelming.
"You'll get used to being around a lot of people after a while at Hogwarts," Hermione's Ma assured her, her hand coming to rest on Hermione's shoulder with a reassuring squeeze.
"I know Ma," Hermione replied.
"Now," Melissa began after she had pulled Hermione to a semi-secluded area and cast silencing and privacy spells, "If you need anything just send an owl, but make sure to send it to the locate wizarding post and not to write our real names. If you have any trouble go to the teachers or if you really need us just call for us. Make sure to take care of yourself around the full moon, and I know you know but remember you can't tell anyone about being a werewolf."
Hermione cut in telling her mother that she knew all this and pulling her adoptive mother into a tight grip. "I love you Ma. I'll be fine. You and Papa have raised me right, I know and I understand."
Melissa gripped her daughter closer with tears sting her eyes, to her, it seemed only yesterday that Fenrir had found the abandoned toddler wandering around in her light up shoes, and now she was a werewolf and off to Hogwarts. After an extra tight hug Melissa let her girl go.
The Hogwarts Express was humming with people, people wandering up and down the corridor, calling to friends and generally being kids. This is where Hermione found herself, trying to find a carriage, she'd already tried two carriages, one compartment had been filled with girls that had dismissed Hermione before she had begun to speak and the other had said they were full, though there had been two empty seats.
Finally to the front of the train, an empty carriage was found, Hermione hadn't worried that she wouldn't find one, Hogwarts, A History, had written that the carriage appeared and disappeared at the need of the students.
Taking the window seat facing forward Hermione sighed, her nose already hurt and her heavy book bag had started to tear. She was happy to be sitting down, at least for a few hours, it would take until early evening for the Hogwarts Express to arrive at Hogsmeade Station.
It was an hour later when Hermione was interrupted, there was laughing outside her cabin. Unlike when the laughter before it seemed to grow and the people responsible for the noise wasn't moving on.
With an unhappy purse of her lips, Hermione placed her bookmark in the cease of the spine and went to investigate. Opening the compartment door Hermione was greeted with the familiar scent of the woods, though it was dull and stale, like long ago the scent was potent but had long since faded. Shaking the scent away Hermione focused on the group congregated outside.
"Sirius?" Hermione asked, seeing the boy for the first time in months. He was one of the first people she had talked to when she had gone to Diagon Alley.
The black haired boy squinted at her, "I remember your face but I can't think from where," Sirius told her.
Hermione re-informed the boy where and when they had met.
"Oh yeah, hello," he said somewhat awkwardly, "these are my mates, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew and this is Remus Lupin, we just meet him."
"Nice to met you," Hermione told the boys, eyes on the Lupin boy, he was the one with the scent of stale woods. "What are you doing out here?"
"I'm getting away from my cousin and I dragged James and the boys with me."
The conversation began to fall flat. Hermione hurried to intervene before the air between the preteens could grow too uncomfortable, "you can sit in my compartment if you want, nobody has disturbed me in the last hour."
When Sirius failed to answer quickly enough the young girl turned to Lupin, "I'm Hermione Granger," she told him with her hand outstretched. She was almost sure that Remus was the other werewolf her mother had mentioned - he had yellowish tinted eyes and scars littering his arm - but she wanted to be a hundred per cent sure, touch would confirm.
Lupin nodded in return but didn't take her hand. Hermione had to fight down a disgruntled snarl, werewolves were social creatures, they didn't like to be snubbed.
"I think we'll find our own compartment thanks," James Potter spoke for the first time, an easy going smirk gracing his face.
Hermione just hummed in response, downtrodden that the boy she had thought she was somewhat familiar with didn't want to interact with her, and not a little annoyed that the only other werewolf - for she was sure that Lupin was a werewolf - didn't want to even touch her. A deep ache built in her chest, this loneliness, she hoped wouldn't be a continuous feature in her schooling.
Sitting alone, Hermione assured herself that she wouldn't be alone, she would have a pack, her own wizarding pack.
After the boat ride, and the first glimpse at Hogwarts under a starry sky the first year were all huddled together on the steps before a huge set of wooden double doors. In clusters the first years talked in groups, Hermione stood somewhat off to the side, next to a gangly boy with rather unfortunate features and a starling pretty redhead.
"I want to be in Gryffindor," the girl was telling the boy. "They are brave and loyal."
"I don't think I am brave or stupid enough for Gryffindor," the boy snarked.
"Severus," the girl smacked his arm, "would you think me stupid if I went to Gryffindor?"
"Of course not Lily, I just think you'd be better suited in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, that's all."
"I want to be in Ravenclaw, but I don't mind too much which House I'm in," Hermione spoke to the pair.
The redhead turned to her, "Hello, I'm Lily Evans, this is my best friend Severus Snape. Ravenclaw would be my second choice but I really want to be a Gryffindor."
Severus didn't say anything, turning his body slightly towards Hermione but still through body language telling her that Lily was his and that he didn't appreciate Hermione's interrupted. Hermione didn't care, Lily was the first person that had been nice to her today, and after the disappointment of the failed friendship with Sirius, Hermione was going to latch on to anyone that was nice to her. Her parents wanted her to have friends at Hogwarts.
Before Hermione could continue the conversation a tall tartan wrapped woman appeared, her featured were stern and her stance was strong. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Turning on her heel, the Professor gave the young students a few moments to straighten up before tapping on the large heavy doors, at her touch they swung open, affording the unsorted students their first look at the famed Hogwart's Great Hall. Hundreds of students sat seated at four tables that ran the length of the hall, each pair of rows had students dressed in one of four colours. At the front of the hall was a long table seating a row of adults that were no doubt the Professors. The hall was warm with a golden glow, the night sky was startlingly beautiful, highlighted by hundreds of flowing alight candles.
Seeing Lily's bewildered - who she had made sure to stay close to - face she launched into an explanation, "It's enchanted, it's in Hogwarts, A History."
Lily only gaped in response, in awe over the grandness of the magical world. And it was awe-inspiring, her mother had often told Hermione that the biggest folly of those that grew up in the Wizarding world was their lack of respect for their gift, for taking their otherworldly powers for granted.
The large group of eleven and twelve years old come to a stop in front of the steps of the dais the professor sat upon. On a wooden, weathered brown hat sat an aged and frayed hat. The whole hall, teachers and students focused on the hat.
"To Hogwarts, you have come,
To walk the path of wizards past.
To join a Noble Hogwarts House,
Of those traits you possess.
Gryffindor the proud and reckless,
Welcomed into the House of Griffins,
Wit and Knowledge abound,
Shall find themselves flying on the windows of eagles,
Heart, loyalty and kindness are traits that fair Lady Hufflepuff revered,
Protected and protective as the Badgers that are,
Slytherin, those cunning and ambitious will find a home,
In the House of the green serpent.
Now up you step,
For I am the Sorting Hat."
Hermione fought the urge to curse, yes, she had lived years technically in the Wizarding but she had been immersed in it, a talking hat was far from what she had suspected. It was a tradition for the details of how the sorting occurs a secret from those joining Hogwarts, her mother had refused to divulge how it happens, even with months of Hermione badgering her.
"A talking hat," Hermione heard Lily whisper from just in front of her. "A magical talking hat."
The stern Professor stepped up beside the now silent hat. "When I call your name you are to come and take a seat, once you have been sorted you will the join the table of your appointed House." When she deemed that all the children were paying attention she called the first name.
A dark headed boy by the name of Gaspar Avery was placed in Slytherin, then it was Sirius's turn. Hermione - despite him not being as friendly as she had hoped - hoped he'd get into that House he wanted, he clearly didn't want Slytherin, anyone could see he feared wearing green and silver by his darting eyes. Still Sirius Black almost sauntered up to the stool, his every step grounded in confident he didn't entirely have.
When the hat sat upon the Black Heir's head, Hermione could make out Sirius lips moves, 'Not Slytherin,' he seemed to mutter. A few seconds past before the hat called out the House of red and gold.
The hall looked to be shocked at the turn of events, but Sirius grinned and ambled over to the Gryffindor House, the first to be sorted there for the year.
Garrett Douglas was sorted to Slytherin and Lily Evans got her wish to be sorted into Gryffindor. A few names were called before Hermione heard her alias. Taking a deep breath Hermione walked past her peers and sat down where an innumerable amount of young witches and wizards had sat before.
'Secrets, secrets,' the sorting hat spoke into her, it was all Hermione could do to not startle off the seat, instead, her fingers dug into the underside of the stool. 'Not a Granger but a Greyback, and a hint of something long forgotten. Many secrets. Your loyal no doubt, but not kind, Hufflepuff wouldn't suit you at all. Gryffindor is ill-fitting for such a witch as yourself, their recklessness and thoughtless bravery, not a path you could follow easily. Ravenclaw and Slytherin would bring out the best in you, but which would make you into the witch you need to be? Hmm, Ravenclaw where knowledge would be at your fingertips, or Slytherin where your ambition will be nurtured.'
"Slytherin," muttered like she had seen Sirius do minutes go, although he no doubt had pleaded for anything but Slytherin. Though she had originally wanted Ravenclaw she couldn't help but think was what was knowledge without the ability to reach goals. No, the Hogwarts house she would join would be Slytherin.