Chapter 2

Hermione didn't understand what was happening. Just two days ago she was harassed by the Slytherins at every opportunity and now they went out of their way to avoid her. It was as if they were afraid to upset her for some reason. Even Malfoy stopped badgering her, she could not figure out what was going on. She was afraid they were planning something nasty for her. She had just finished her breakfast when the mail arrived. A beautiful black owl landed next to her plate with a letter for her. The bird hooted softly and settled in to wait with her. She assumed that the writer expected a response so she carefully opened the strange seal on the envelope, it looked almost like the Slytherin house crest.

Hermione was floored by what the letter contained. Inside was a letter from the Dark Lord himself claiming to be her real father. He claimed not to know how she came to be with the Grangers but assured her that she is in fact not muggle born. She had known that the Grangers were not her biological parents but she had never imagined that Voldemort would be her dad! In the letter he told her that he wished to get to know her and hoped that they could stay in contact using Onyx, her new owl. He said he charmed the bird to be able to find him yet he would not be able to be tracked. He also said she could call him Tom if it would make her more comfortable and even if she chose not to write him that Onyx was hers.

Hermione peered at Onyx. If not for the owl staying with her and cooing as she petted him she would have assumed it was a sick joke of someone's. As it was, she knew she was not a Granger so it was possibly true. Making up her mind she placed Onyx on her shoulder, the letter in her pocket, and headed towards the head table. "Professor Dumbledore, may I speak with you in private please."

After handing Dumbledore the letter to read she sat back in the overstuffed armchair and tried to breathe steadily. The phrase, "Could it be true?" kept repeating through her mind, not allowing her to concentrate on her surroundings. It wasn't until Fawks let out a comforting trill that she snapped out of her daze and waited for what the headmaster would say.

Albus was dumbfounded, he had no idea how Voldemort could have found out that Hermione was his daughter. He was glad that the girl came to him first, that at least shows that she won't be running off to join her father right away. He knew he would have to reveal everything to her in order to keep her on their side. She would understand why she was given away once she learned of the circumstances of her birth. She was a smart girl, she understood rape and she already respected Minerva. He would re-unite mother and daughter. With Minerva looking over her shoulder all the time there was no way she would turn towards the dark.

He called Minerva into his office and then he explained the situation to both of them. Where as he had always known Hermione was Minerva's daughter, the stern transfiguration professor had no idea. Hermione watched stunned as her normally cool and stern professor began to weep. Minerva was overjoyed that she was able to meet her daughter. She never wanted to give her away in the first place but it was the safest way for both of them. "Oh my precious girl, I have thought of you every day since your birth and never given up hope that one day we would be reunited." Minerva said holding Hermione close to her. "Ever since you started here I always hoped my daughter would be like you, and here you are!"

"You're not disappointed?" Hermione asked timidly. She thought her mother would have wanted her to be a Quidditch player or more popular.

"How could anyone ask for a better child?" Minerva asked her with a smile. "You have the best grades in the school, are head girl and are a Gryffindor to boot. You have always been polite, are loyal to your friends and stick up for what you believe in. I don't think I could have raised you any better myself. Your parents did a wonderful job."

"Thank you; I do love my parents very much. We were very close before I found out I was a witch. They have been very supportive of my having powers and there being a whole world they knew nothing about. I am grateful that I was placed with them and not in an orphanage. I had a very happy childhood." Hermione told Minerva.

"I don't want to take the place of your parents, but I would love to get to know you better. I know it will be awkward at first but I know we can work it out." Minerva told her and hugged her again before leaving to prepare for her first class of the day.

"Hermione, I know I don't need to tell you to keep this information to yourself. I don't want the student body treating you poorly for who your father is." The headmaster told her, wondering how he could keep his involvement in the situation a secret. "I also don't think I need to tell you that keeping in touch with the man that fathered you is a bad idea. He is a very evil man Hermione and it would be best for you to stay as far away from him as possible. Don't forget that his main goal is to destroy your best friend and eliminate muggle borns. You may no longer be a muggle born but you know what it feels like to be discriminated against, I don't want you to fall into the same trap."

"Of course Headmaster," Hermione said with respect before leaving for her class as well. What she didn't tell him was that she intended to keep writing her father. She wanted to know more about him; maybe she would find something to help Harry.

Ron and Harry did not react well to her news. She told them first so they would not find out from another source and think her evil. "I know you're the same person you always have been, but your father being Voldemort is a lot to digest." Harry told her, sinking deeply into the sofa he was sitting on. "I won't hold your parentage against you, but I can't imagine too many people will be able to overlook it."

"Of course they won't overlook it!" Ron yelled. "She's the spawn of the most vile and evil creature on the face of the earth!"

"Now I'm just spawn huh?" Hermione asked him icily. "Does it mean nothing to you that my mother is our head of house and a member of the Order? Do you really think finding out who my real parents are makes me any different than who I was before I knew?"

Ron just looked at her like she had two heads. "Ew, I can't believe I kissed someone who is related to that snake!" He cried wiping his mouth off like he had kissed her lately when it had in reality been almost a year.

"I don't know what your problem is; you slept in the same bed as his most trusted servant for three years. I'd suggest you shut up and think about what you're about to say before you say it or Hermione here will hex you." Harry warned his best mate.

"Of course she'll hex me. It'll probably be something totally dark that her daddy taught her. I bet she already knows all the dark arts spells." Ron said with a sneer.

"You really are a moron," Hermione told him. "I have only ever had one owl from Tom Riddle and I let you read it. How would he teach me spells? Besides, I despise the dark arts and would never use them. I am on Harry's side of this war even if my biological father is the enemy. I am not going to change all my beliefs just because I found out that he forced himself on my mother to bring me into existence."

"Don't listen to him Hermione, you can't help who your parents are." Harry told her with a small smile. Ron continued to sneer at Hermione and she decided to leave for the library to finish her charms essay while he thinks about if he really wants to throw 6 years of friendship away.

"I'm going to the library. If you want to continue being my friend Ronald Weasley I suggest you think about accepting this. Like Harry said I can't change it, in fact they have been my parents the entire time you knew me so nothing is different now. Please don't ruin our friendship over this. I will not allow you to treat me like garbage so make your decision soon." She told him and hurried out of the room so no one would see the tears in her eyes.

The week went by slowly. The Slytherin's had taken to calling her 'My Lady' when they passed her and it was causing her already strained relationship with her friends to become worse. Every time a Slytherin was polite to her she could see a vein pulsing in Ron's forehead. Harry tried to stay neutral but he really had a lot more in common with Ron than her. He still did his homework with her but would always end up back hanging out with Ron discussing the newest Quidditch gossip or playing games.

Hermione was invited to that night's Order meeting. She was going to be allowed to join since Minerva had given her permission as her mother. At the meeting she was introduced to a few of the people she didn't know and then sat quietly next to Minerva while the adults discussed mundane information. Finally Albus announced who Hermione really was and asked for ideas as to what to do now that Tom was aware of her existence. It was finally decided that she would become another spy for the Order as Severus was no longer bringing them much information.

"You are already on the outs with your friends so your switch to the Dark will be more believable. You will have to take Occlumency lessons from Severus to keep your mind from Tom and also for him to tutor you in some dark arts magic. You will need to demonstrate that you can cast dark spells before you will be fully accepted into Tom's ranks." Albus told her and she wondered how she no longer had a say in her own life. She also wondered if this was how Harry felt after a meeting with the old man. "You will continue a written correspondence with Tom until you are trained well enough for a face to face encounter."

The meeting was over quickly after that and she made her way back to the castle with Minerva, wondering at how much her life was changing. "I don't know if I can do this. I have never even thought about learning dark magic." She told her mother.

"Don't worry too much about it," Minerva told her. "Severus won't teach you anything too dangerous. Remember that until Albus became headmaster every student in 5th year and up studied the dark arts as well as defense against them. They are not inherently evil; it's all about the intent of the caster. The same way that harmless levitation spells can be turned nasty by levitating someone off a cliff; it is about the intent of the spell."

"I know, I guess I am just scared and overwhelmed. Last week I had no idea who my real parents were and now I am an undercover operative for the Order of the Phoenix, my head of house is my mother and my father is the Dark Lord bent on destroying my best friend. Things have just changed so much in so little of time and it's hard to deal with." Hermione told her with a smile.