I'm sorry for taking so long but school has just started and I had to get back in the rhytm, so this one was late.

This is not a 'real' chapter but one done to tell all of you who are waiting for chapter 5 to know I am, in fact, still alive! It's more of an interlude of sorts, filled with unimportant things that might or might not have an influence on the plot. And for those spotting what can be perceived as a 'what are you doing, that is wrong!' in Olivander's scene, it is in fact planned and intentional. Once again, if you have any questions don't hesitate to pm me.

Also, thank you for the reviews, alerts and favourites, without the support I would have let you wait for longer while trying to write the real Chapter 5.

- Chapter five should be up in a week or two, just give me some time to get used to school again -

Labyrinth

The mind of a prodigy is a scary thing. Hermione Granger's however is downright terrifying.
AU. Slytherin!Hermione, Slytherin!Harry

Interlude 'Scrapped Scenes'

The sound of the doorbell rang through Privet Drive 4's living room and Petunia hurriedly dusted off her hands on her skirt before making her way over to the front door.

"Hello," she said when she opened the door only to pale very quickly as she realised just who was standing in front of her.

"Hello Mrs. Dursley," Hermione said innocently as she beamed up at the horse-faced woman, "I was just hoping to have a quick chat with you, if it's convenient."

"Yes, yes," Petunia mumbled obediently as she ushered the girl inside. Once they entered the living room Vernon choked on his cookie while Dudley suddenly screeched something unintelligible before darting up the stairs faster than the heavily obese boy should be able to.

"Now," Hermione said as she sat down on the armchair Dudley had just vacated, "I'm sure Harry just received a letter just like mine."

"You mean that-" Petunia started before a glare cut her off mid-sentence.

Hermione's face relaxed once the woman silenced and she smiled delicately at the older woman, "yes we were both invited to this special school. Now, I'm here to make some arrangements with you. First of all, you will drive Harry to my house two days from now so we can get our supplies together. Secondly, at Christmas Harry will receive the Lord of The Rings trilogy, all brand new of course, with a polite card attached. Third, he will only be here during the summer so you won't have to worry about me for a long time. But, if you don't honour our agreement I'll make your lives hell. Am I understood?"

Vernon and Petunia could only manage to nod shakily at the tiny girl sitting in front of them so delicately as the girl grinned back at them maliciously.

"Great!" Hermione said happily, "I'm so happy you are all such wonderful people!"

oOoOoOo

"I want it," Hermione stated coolly as she stared at the slightly old and possibly demented salesman in front of her.

"The wand didn't choose you!" he retorted angrily as he tried to snatch the object from Hermione's hand.

"It is a piece of wood with something stuffed inside it," Hermione said dryly, "I doubt it is conscious, I however am and I choose it."

"It did not react to you the way it should have!"

"It blew up your roof," Hermione pointed out while her parents and Harry watched, grins on their faces while her father just shook his head. "So it did react."

"The wand didn't focus your magic the way a wizard's true wand would focus it, so it is not your match and will only be a hinder-"

"I'm supposed to be a witch."

"Doesn't matter, the wand is not meant for you," Olivander said, a vein popping up near his temple as he tried to grab the wand again.

"Will it do magic?" Hermione asked calmly as she stared up at the man with a blank gaze, her face disturbingly stoic.

"Yes, but-"

"Then I'm taking it," Hermione said as she stepped back and threw a handful of galleons on the counter, "thank you very much!" The group then left the store leaving Olivander behind.

The old man watched them go, secretly glad that at least Harry Potter had found his matching wand, phoenix and holly, such an amazing coincidence.

oOoOoOo

"What're ye doin' 'ere, kiddos?" a raspy voice asked from a shady corner in Knockturn Alley, one of the very first shady corners the place had.

"None of your business," Hermione responded while Harry just glared at the person.

"Well ye jus' listen' ere, filthy mudblood or whadevver ya are," the person said as it rose from its previous hunch-backed position.

Hermione just grinned toothily before flicking her wand at the person happily, an explosion soon throwing the person against the wall of a nearby shop where he continued to lay motionlessly.

"You just had to do that, didn't you?" Harry asked dryly as he shot her a knowing look.

"Of course," Hermione responded lazily, twirling her wand around, "I can't seem to get this stupid stick to do anything but explosions. Good thing I like blowing things up."

"Whose whole idea was this again?" Harry muttered as he shot his surroundings a distrustful look.

"Yours," Hermione retorted with an innocent smile.

"Why again?" Harry asked with a roll of his eyes.

"To, quote, 'see how clichéd the rest of this place is', unquote."

"Well, it's cliché alright, it's as if sunlight doesn't shine here while stereotype villains lurk about. Bloody idiots-"

"Harry!" Hermione snapped as she pointed her wand at his nose, "language!"

"Fine, fine, don't blow me up, I'm sorry."

Hermione shot him a sunny smile before they walked back to Diagon Alley, leaving Knockturn behind mostly unexplored.

oOoOoOo

"Hello!" Hermione said as she smiled up at the unfamiliar woman, "I'm Hermione Granger, Harry's friend."

"The freak?" Petunia said haughtily as she readied herself to close the door, "then you're not welcome." She started to close the door only for it to get stuck, she looked down quickly to see the girl's foot stuck between the door and the doorpost.

"Oh, but I most certainly am," Hermione responded as she pushed to door back open and stepped inside, closing the door afterwards.

Petunia was ready to scream angrily as she followed the girl into the living room where the girl promptly sat down on the couch as if she owned the whole place.

"Lovely house you've got," Hermione commented as she watched the room with disinterested eyes.

"I want you to get out," Petunia snapped, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she glared at the girl, "the freak's friends aren't welcome here."

Hermione's eyes snapped up to Petunia's in an instant and the woman felt a shudder go up her spine as she quickly averted her eyes. Something the girl had scared her.

"What did you say?" Hermione said slowly, as if she didn't believe what Petunia just said.

"I said," Petunia repeated, "that your kind isn't welcome here-"

CRASH

All the pictures hanging on the wall suddenly fell down, the glass bouncing off the floor and coating the carpet with millions of tiny shards while the wooden frames cracked and broke.

"What," Hermione repeated angrily while standing up, "did you say?"

"I said-"

CRASH

All the silverware in the kitchen suddenly fell from the shelves in a sudden crash. Antiques, porcelain, family heirlooms, everything fell to the floor and broke.

"What did you say again?"

"You're welcome here anytime you want," Petunia said hurriedly, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes as she stared at the ruined room.

"Lovely," Hermione responded dryly, "and if you stop calling Harry a freak I'm sure we'll get along wonderfully."

Thank you for reading.