The grounds of Hogwarts had been very much similar to Hermione's recollection of it. The similar magnificent iron gates, the Whomping Willow swaying with the wind, the magical green grass on the wide Quidditch pitch and the splendid clock tower with the hour-glasses recording house points. She could also glimpse Hagrid's smoking hut from the distance away, a reminiscent of her previous adventures with Ron and Harry under the Invisibility Cloak, trudging up to his cabin; this caused something to stir at the back of her mind, something which she was sure looked uncannily like a giant dragon egg in a kettle.

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione whirled round to find Minerva McGonagall hurrying towards her across the field.

"Professor McGonagall," Hermione greeted as she broke into a wide smile and embraced the professor, who was wearing dark green robes.

"You are, after all, part of the faculty of Hogwarts now, dear girl, so call me Minerva, Hermione," Minerva McGonagall locked her gaze fondly at the witch in her arms.

"Minerva," Hermione echoed, and tittered. "It feels weird calling you by your name, Professor."

"You'll get use to it. Come, we need to get to the Great Hall; there's Sorting to be done."

Hermione followed suit. Students skittered out of the way as the two witches cantered down the gravel path towards the Great Hall, and a few pointed eagerly to Hermione and whispered to their friends, gesticulating animatedly to them. Hermione caught a few hushed voices and she swept passed the students.

"Look, isn't that Hermione Granger?"

"Who is she?"

"She's Harry Potter's friend, you know. Harry Potter, the boy who defeated the You-Know-Who! I can't believe you don't know her, Carter. I've read The Wizarding World: A History and The Legendary Golden Trio! She's amazing, isn't she?" the girl breathed in wonder.

"Well, if you say so," the boy answered distractedly, stuffing a few Dr. Filibuster's Wet Start, No Heat Fireworks into his rucksack, one item Hermione knew was prohibited in Hogwarts.

Hermione felt the corners of her mouth twitching as she remembered two certain redheaded twins she caught in a secluded corridor doing the very same thing during her fifth year when she was patrolling around the school as a Prefect.

She entered into the castle and ascended the stairs, feeling the cold temperature of the castle and hearing the incessant, thrilled babble of the students. Smiling, she walked up the dais and sat at the old spot of Severus Snape, feeling another pang of grief. She drained all of the pumpkin juice, realising how thirsty she was, and with a flick of her wand, refilled the goblet.

Dumbledore, as always, was perched on the high chair in the middle of the long stretch of golden table, watching the students in the Great Hall with his prominent twinkle in the eyes. He had been revived shortly after the war, by Harry who used the charm he had learnt from Snape's memories.

Minerva McGonagall now entered the Great Hall, holding the frayed Sorting Hat and placing it carefully on the three-legged stool. The chatter slowly subsided, and the Hat opened its mouth to sing.

We have seen the worst come through,
all of Hogwart's different hue.
Now here sits the daughter and son,
of previous Hogwarts; united as one.
Slip me snug above your ears,
no more doubt, no more fears.
I will tell where you belong:
Gryffindor where bravery dwell,
Ravenclaw where wit does tell.
Hupplepuff where loyalty counts,
Slytherin where trickery mounts.

Now that my song is half done,
there will be a selected one.
Sent to swirl back in the past,
revive the brave serpent; correct his cast.
The Lioness and Serpent will then link,
save the catastrophe from its brink.
One chance, one odd and one end,
choose carefully the choice to fend.

There was silence for a brief moment, bewilderment and puzzlement flicked across every student's face. Slowly, the cacophony of murmurings increased, and the Great Hall broke out in tumultuous applause. Minerva McGonagall conjured a larch roll of parchment, and started reading names off it.

"Attering, Brian."

A boy with bronze coloured hair stumbled forward and scrambled up the stool, lifting the hat and slipping it on his head and the hat dropped a few inches lower, covering his eyes.

"Gryffindor!"

Gryffindor gave an earsplitting ovation for their new member, and Brian Attering hurried down the stool; in his frenzied motions, fell face-first onto the marble floor, and Hermione, who had been watching the petite boy closely, hurried to pull out her wand to turn a big patch of the floor into a cushioned dent on the floor.

The boy turned a furious shade of scarlet as he stood up from the cushions and scurried towards the Gryffindor table where some of the older students thumped him lightly on the back. Hermione smiled slightly, Transfigured the floor back to marble and kept her wand. Some people stared, impressed at her, while most of her previous teachers nodded their heads, and smiled at Hermione. Hermione beamed.

After two Hupplepuffs, two consecutive Slytherins, and Terry Finnigan, Seamus Finnigan's son, were sorted, Hermione heard a familiar but most astonishing name.

"Potter, James."

The Great Hall fell completely still, as a boy with jet black hair trudged forward to the stool, his face a little pale. He looked like a complete replica of Harry, Hermione mused.

The young wizard lifted the hat and was about to put the hat on his head when it yelled, "Gryffindor!"

The whole of Gryffindor rose to give Harry Potter's offspring a standing ovation as he skipped to join Brian Attering.

"We got Potter's son! We've got a Potter!" a wizard with conspicuous red hair cheered.

A Weasley, Hermione grinned. Bill Weasley's son, in fact.

Hannah Gladys came next, classified into Ravenclaw and Hermione heard another astounding name for the second time.

"Candara Malfoy!"

A girl with sleek blonde hair pulled into a French braid approached the Sorting Hat confidently. Hermione's eyes sparkled with interest.

"Slytherin!"

The Hat declared, even when it had barely reached the girl's head. Smirking smugly, she strode to the Slytherin table with her nose in the air.

A recognisable Malfoy all right, Hermione sighed.

After Melanie Zallers had been sorted into Ravenclaw, Minerva McGonagall levitated the Hat across the Great Hall where it zoomed out of sight.

The clinking of the golden goblet was heard, and the students fell silent again.

"My usual two words: tuck in," Dumbledore spoke, beaming down at the wizards and witches seated.

The golden plates and bowls filled itself miraculously, and Hermione saw that her plate had filed itself with creamed spaghetti accompanied by shredded chicken. Feeling immensely ravenous all of a sudden, she started devouring the food enthusiastically.

Once dessert, chilled apple pie, was served, Dumbledore cleared his throat. The persistent chatter soon subsided into hushes and dissolved into nothingness. The Great Hall was quiet again.

"Our new Potions Mistress, Professor Hermione Granger." Dumbledore announced cheerfully and shifted himself so he was looking at Hermione. The students, most of them wearing welcoming smiles, began on their eager murmurs again whilst applauding for Hermione. Hermione stood up and bowed, after which she glanced at Candara Malfoy and caught her muttering something into her companion's ear with a nasty smirk on her face.

Something which sounded, from interpretation of lip movement, very much like Mudblood.

Hermione let out an exasperated groan. Chip of an old block, Candara Malfoy was.

Dumbledore clapped his hands, waited for the noise to fall, and continued. "Mr. Filch would like to remind the students (here, Filch, who had been lurking around the corners of the Great Hall, scowled darkly), for the eight hundred and seventy-fifth time, to examine the list of forbidden items, which is pasted on his office door. Some of these items consists of a very fine set of Dr. Filibuster's Wet Start, No Heat fireworks and all Weasley's Wizards Wheezes products, which in my opinion, are rather fine products of magic," Dumbledore broke of in a chuckle as McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

"Excuse me, now where was I? Ah, yes. Quidditch matches would take place as usual this year, and it is of great importance that I represent Mr. Filch, again, to remind you, that underage students are not allowed Hogsmeade visits, and if any student creeps out of the gates without consent, you will have a very fine surprise waiting for you. Right, all of you, off to bed!" Dumbledore waved his hands and Prefects began to gather the first years as other students headed for the dormitories.

Hermione stood up from her chair and descended from the raised platform, looking everywhere around the Great Hall, from the enchanted ceiling (which was a starry deep blue today) and the House Tables; from the dais to the double-door entrance of the hall. Tears filled her eyes again and the image if the Great Hall turned bleary.

I am home.