Part 1: A Journey to Remember
Hermione Granger's first real experience with the magical world happened when Professor McGonagall gave her the acceptance letter to Hogwarts. After Professor McGonagall proved to the Grangers that magic was indeed real she took them to the Leaky Cauldron in London.
The outside of the pub was unassuming but she could not deny that she felt a pull to go inside. Hermione was startled to learn that her parents could not see the pub until they grabbed her hands. This new revelation led to young Hermione peppering the professor with question.
It was in Diagon Alley that Hermione was introduced to her first wizard born children. The little ones toddling after their parents in jewel colored robes fascinated her. The clothes looked like they belonged in a Victorian film.
Hermione looked down at her parchment school list confused. She could not figure out where she was supposed to get many of her supplies listed.
"Come along Miss Granger. Our first stop shall be for your school robes."
Hermione and her parents hurried along after the professor glad that someone was going to show her all that she needed to know. Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions was a deceptive store with a small store front. The inside turned out to be large with several pedestals around the front room.
"Ah professor good to see you again. You've brought me a muggle born student I presume?" A plump pleasant woman asked giving Hermione a kind smile.
"She is. This is Hermione Granger and her parents Doctor and Doctor Granger."
Madam Malkin looked confused for a moment but seemed to shrug it off. "Well step onto the platform."
A tape measure came to life at her feet and started measuring her as Madam Malkin chatted away with Professor McGonagall. The tape measure was around her waist when the bell over the door rang and a small round blonde boy entered the shop.
The two elder witches straightened considerably upon his entrance, a serious stillness coming over the shop. Hermione frowned when she saw Professor McGonagall's lips thing into a stiff line. It was obvious something was not right.
"Good afternoon professor," the boy greeted softly.
"Good afternoon Mr. Longbottom."
Madam Malkin jumped into action calling for one of her store hands to finish with Hermione as she led the Longbottom boy towards another pedestal. Hermione did not understand the serious atmosphere that had descended over the store but she was too afraid to break it.
"Mother requests that besides the usual school robes I also obtain two of my usual casual robes in blue and green."
Hermione watched in awe as the sturdy store owner tripped over herself to serve a little boy. The dirty-blonde 's eyes flickered her way with curiosity.
"I'm sorry I don't believe I know you," his soft voice lulled her into security.
"That's because I am…"
Professor McGonagall quickly shook her head out the corner of her eye. The gesture gave Hermione pause. Hermione did not understand why the professor did not want her to continue.
The Longbottom boy stared blankly at her as the tape measure fell to the floor as Madam Malkin hurried towards the backroom. A strange look suddenly sparked in his eyes.
"You are a muggle born."
"Yes I am" she said slowly as her mother and father stepped closer to her.
"That would explain why I do not know you."
The boy turned back to facing forward seemingly ignoring her. Her mother rubbed her back trying to take her mind off the strange encounter.
"All done dear," the shop assistant said helping Hermione down. Professor McGonagall showed her how to pay for her purchases and the small group was gone from the store.
"Professor, where can I get wizard currency?"
"All money can be exchanged at Gringots. They can take your muggle money and turn it into our currency. Would you like to? It is of course not required today as Hogwarts pays for all first year muggle born supplies."
Hermione of course was eager to see more and jumped at the chance. It amazed her that the magical world still used real and pure precious metal for currency.
The wizard bank was an intimidating marble building. The goblins that ran it were fascinating to Hermione. She could not help staring at them as she went through the opulent bank.
Professor McGonagall led the Grangers to a small queue at the left of the bank where other nervous families stood. Dan Granger stumbled in line as a green-eyed blur ran into him.
"Sorry!" The kid shouted at Dan as the Longbottom boy barreled into him.
"Watch yourselves," Emma hissed at the boys. Hermione grinned knowing the boys were in trouble with her mother for not following the rules. Emma Granger was a firm believer in strict rules and these boys were obviously breaking rules.
Mrs. Granger was cut off from a possible tangent by a furious shriek from the front of the bank. A woman with wild black hair and dark smoldering eyes swooped towards the Granger family like a hawk towards prey. Hermione could not help the shudder of fear that rippled through her small frame.
"Oh Merlin," Professor McGonagall breathed.
The green-eyed boy and the Longbottom boy straightened as the woman grabbed the green-eyed boy and pushed him behind her. Her manic eyes raked over the Granger family. Hermione was sure that if this woman had the ability to she would have killed them with a look.
"How dare you talk to my son!"
Hermione shrank back against her mother. This woman looked crazed. Emma Granger held her daughter close sensing that the woman before her was not one to tangle with.
"That will be enough Bellatrix," Professor McGonagall scolded the woman.
Hermione felt her new professor was very brave for approaching the crazy woman. The woman's dark eyes scanned the bank wildly before they landed on Hermione.
"Taking another muggle born I see," the woman drawled.
Her dark eyes never left Hermione. The green-eyed boy stood beside the woman looking only mildly interested. The woman smirked as she took in the money Hermione's father was holding. "Come along Harry dear we must visit our vault. Your father and Frank are waiting for us. Come along Neville."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when the three were far enough away. The air seemed to settle the farther away the trio got. What unnerved Hermione the most was that Professor McGonagall seemed relieved as well.
"I am sorry about that. This was not how I had hoped you would be introduced to your fellow students."
A deep sadness seemed to seep out of the stern woman as she ushered the Grangers forward in the line. The professor showed the Grangers how to exchange their money before she quickly led them out of the bank.
"Who was that woman professor?"
"That Miss Granger was Bellatrix Potter and the boy with her and young Mr. Longbottom was her son Harry Potter."
"Well she seemed entirely rude" Dan Granger huffed.
Professor McGonagall chuckled and nodded. "Oh she is. I taught Bellatrix and her husband James when they went to Hogwarts. Bellatrix has always been a bit abrasive."
"Professor, she seemed not to like us. She does not even know us."
The stern professor nodded pulling the Granger family into a smelly store. This was the place to get Hermione's potion kit. Once the professor told a clerk that Hermione needed a first year potions kit she turned back to the family of three.
"Bellatrix Potter unfortunately shares her family's political beliefs. Bellatrix comes from a pureblood family…"
"Pureblood?" Hermione asked. She really did not like the sound of that.
"Yes, pureblood, meaning she comes from an all magical family for at least three generations. Bellatrix's family, the Black family, goes back thousands of years."
"Why does that matter?" Dan asked.
"Oh it doesn't, not to most anyway. Several of the pureblood families though are firmly against including muggle born students into a magical education and many deeply dislike and distrust muggles. Nonsense if you ask me."
Hermione was baffled when the professor did not expand further. The explanation did not feel as though it barely scratched the surface. Hermione vowed that once they got to the bookstore she would by several books on wizard history.
In no time at all the Granger's found themselves back in their quiet home. The piles of newly un-shrunken packages were the only evidence that something out of the ordinary had happened. The train ticket in Hermione's hand felt real as she tried to convince herself that the day was not just a wild dream.
The rest of the summer Hermione and her parents read as much as possible from her new books. After two weeks Hermione was able to make minor repairs to her mother's dishes. Besides her course books Hermione read about the history of the magical world.
The Potter and the Longbottom families appeared numerous times in the history books as well as the Black family. It unsettled Dan and Emma that the magical world had such a volatile history. With magic they had thought the world might be better than the muggle world they lived in. It seemed that having magic just made the violence that much more fantastic.
Before Hermione and her parents knew it September first was there and the journey to King's Cross was upon them. The whole night before Hermione had fluttered around her room preparing her trunk again and again; she wanted to make sure her first day in her new life was perfect.
"What was the platform dear?" Her mother asked as Dan pushed the luggage trolley through the station.
"9 ¾. Professor McGonagall said that all I have to do is run at the pillar between platforms nine and ten and I will go through a barrier."
The elder Granger's shared a look knowing they were not going to be able to follow their daughter through to the other side. Hermione was entering a new world and a new life that they were not a part of. They kissed and hugged their eleven-year-old daughter goodbye and watched her race towards the stone pillar. Then she was gone.
Hermione gasped as she entered the other side of the barrier. A bright red steam engine gleamed in the sunlight as the sign 9 ¾ hung above the platform. Hundreds of people mingled about. The crush of the small crowd was overwhelming and unexpected. Kids lugged their trunks onto the train before they raced back off to say goodbye to their parents.
"First year?"
Hermione turned towards the voice and saw a gorgeous boy. "Yes," she managed to squeak out as he grinned at her,
"Figured as much. Come on let's get you all set in a compartment. So what's your name?" the boy asked.
Hermione hurried after him as he pushed her luggage cart towards the train. He had on Hogwarts robes with what she assumed was Hufflepuff yellow.
"Hermione Granger."
"Why hello Hermione, I'm Cedric Diggory a third year Hufflepuff."
Cedric cast a quick spell on her trunk that made it float onto the train after them. He led her through the corridors heading towards the front of the train. "In the first car there are a few compartments of first years."
Cedric led her to the third compartment that was occupied by the Longbottom boy and a redheaded girl. He pushed the door open and stowed her trunk without even asking if she was okay there or if they were okay with her being there.
"Cedric!" the redhead laughed.
"Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones. Guys this is Hermione Granger."
"We've met," Neville chuckled. "Sorry about running into your family at the bank, I didn't know Harry had already run into your father."
Cedric rolled his eyes at Neville as Susan giggled beside him. "Harry got into trouble I take it," Susan giggled.
"Mrs. Potter shrieked at him all the way down to the Potter vault."
Hermione sat there in a daze wanting to jump into the conversation but unsure how to. If she was honest with herself she would admit that the Longbottom boy unnerved her. He looked unassuming but there was a quiet strength about him that she did not understand.
"That is such an exaggeration," a boy huffed from behind Cedric.
"Hello Harry," the older boy greeted the short boy with emerald eyes. Harry was trailed by two blondes, a boy and a girl.
"Cedric, Nev, Sue it is a pleasure as always," Harry said stowing his trunk before he helped the blonde girl with hers.
"Harry she made the Goblin driver cry and she was not even yelling at him"
"No, but she sent a stinging hex at him when he laughed at me for getting yelled at."
"Who might you be?" the blonde boy drawled. His cold grey eyes raked over Hermione as he sat down next to Susan Bones.
"Manners Draco," the blonde girl sighed as she fixed her robes.
"Hermione, Hermione Granger."
"The one Professor McGonagall was showing around" Harry said. At her shy nod he motioned to the blonde girl in front of him, "This is Daphnee Greengrass and Draco Malfoy. I'm Harry, Harry Potter."
Daphnee stared at her as if she were about to dissect a frog in a lab. "You're a muggle born."
Daphnee's soft voice surprised Hermione. The girl before her not only looked fragile but she sounded breakable as well. Hermione did not know what answer the girl was looking for so she stuck with honesty knowing that Harry and Neville already knew the truth.
"Yes, I am."
"I have never met a muggle born before, nor a muggle actually."
This did not seem possible. There were more muggles in the world than wizards. Daphnee had to have come in contact with muggles.
Harry laughed at Hermione's baffled expression. "Most pureblood witches are sheltered. My mother and her sisters were growing up."
Susan nodded in agreement. "Several of my girlfriends are still horrified that my Aunt Amelia took me out to the muggle world."
"That is because your aunt is a fan of that muggle loving fool we have as a headmaster."
Hermione could not help the horrified gasp that left her upon Draco's comment. Albus Dumbledore was the greatest headmaster Hogwarts had ever seen, all the books said so. To hear a mere student slander him was unthinkable.
"How dare you the headmaster is…"
"Someone you don't know," Harry sighed.
She wanted to railroad on but Neville held up a pudgy hand to silence her. "Hermione you said it yourself you are a muggle born. While a lot of people love Albus Dumbledore our families are not among them, well except for Sue here."
"My father used to be one of Dumbledore's most loyal supporters."
Hermione did not like the dark emotion that settled in Harry's green eyes. There was a pain there she did not understand. His eyes suddenly cleared and his face was once again emotionless.
"What, surprised an authority figure might not be loved by all?" Draco asked.
Harry shook his head at Draco before turning back to Hermione. "Dumbledore was my father's idol until my father learned of his betrayal."
"Betrayal!"
Betrayal, that sounded like nothing the great Dumbledore she had read about. Dumbledore was the symbol of the light. Yet Harry seemed resolute that his father had been betrayed.
"She's intrigued," Daphnee whispered.
"Should we tell her?" Neville asked seemingly uninterested in the whole conversation.
Daphnee studied Hermione for a moment. Her deep blue eyes trailed over Hermione as if she were looking for the missing piece of a great puzzle. "No," Daphnee whispered. "She will not believe us yet."
Hermione tried to get them to tell her but none of them ever gave her a hint. Instead Sue pulled out a wizard card game called Exploding Snap and the young witches and wizards tried to teach her the game. When it came time for them to put on their school robes Hermione had to ask Daphnee and Sue for help. She thought all she had to do was slip them on. It turned out that robes were a bit more complex than that. After a quick robe lesson the girls were dressed and allowed the boys back into the compartment. They were joined by two Indian girls Parvati and Padma Patil.
In no time at all the students were disembarking from the train. Sue directed her towards the giant man shouting for first years to follow him.
"That's Hagrid," Sue whispered leading Hermione along.
"Is he a professor?"
"Merlin no. He is the groundskeeper."
Hermione quickly got into the boat with Sue and the Patil sisters. They seemed like the nicest bunch of the group. She could not help but feel fearful of Draco, Daphnee, Neville, and Harry.
"Ignore them," Sue whispered when they began to sail across the Black Lake. "There are things about their past that…"
"Sue don't," Parvati hissed. "They will tell her when they are ready."
The redheaded girl reluctantly nodded giving Hermione a sympathetic smile. It was as though there was a huge secret looming over the group of students that she had just met. Hermione did not know why but she sensed that when she was finally let in on the secret her world would shatter around her.
"On to more pressing matters," Padma giggled. "What how do you think you will be sorted into?"
"I am hoping for Hufflepuff, my family has been in that house for ages."
"Why do you want to be in the same house as your family Sue?" Hermione asked.
What Hermione really wanted to ask was why anyone would voluntarily be put into Hufflepuff. From what she had read the house was considered by many to be the weakest of the four houses. It was said that if there was no place else for the witch or wizard they would get placed in Hufflepuff.
"Well Padma and I don't have a history at Hogwarts but many of the English families do. Many families find themselves sorted into the same houses."
"Even Slytherin?" Hermione asked unable to hide her horror.
The three girls in the boat looked at her funny. Sue was finally the one that spoke up.
"What is wrong with Slytherin?"
"Well all the books I have read say that dark wizards come from Slytherin."
Padma shook her head, "Hermione, dark witches and wizards come from everywhere. The only reason Slytherin produces more is because they are a house full of people with relentless ambition."
"Now jus' 'round the bend here you can see yer firs' glimpse o Hogwarts" Hagrid yelled.
Hermione had of course imagined what Hogwarts would look like but nothing could have prepared her for the breathtaking castle. The castle was large and blended with the cliffs as it flickered with light in the darkness. Her new school looked more like a fairytale than a boarding school for magical children.
The first years followed Hagrid out of the small boats and up the stone steps into the school. Professor McGonagall stood waiting for them as imposing as Hermione remembered. Hermione listened raptly as the professor described the four houses she had read about and the school point system. She was proud knowing that she already knew what the professor was describing from having read Hogwarts a History.
As soon as Professor McGonagall left the students in the side room nervous chatter broke out. Hermione was about to ask Sue a question when a loud snide voice broke through the din.
"Well if it isn't Prince Potter and his lap dogs Longbottom and Malfoy. What, couldn't get daddy to send you to Drumstrang?"
A small speckled boy with red hair, a dirty face and watery blue eyes glared at Harry. Drumstrang was another magical school Hermione had read about. It was a school known for their dark arts emphasis.
"Actually dad wanted me to go there but mum insisted on Hogwarts."
"Unlike you Weasley our families can afford to send us wherever they want," Draco hissed. "Your family has to get by on Dumbledore's charity."
Hermione was shocked at the venom coming from Draco. In the short time she had known him; Draco was mostly cold and standoffish. This Weasley seemed to get right under Draco's skin.
Startled shrieks and gasps stopped the argument from escalating. Hermione froze as cloudy ghosts sailed through the stone walls floating through several of the students. Some of the ghosts stopped to chat until Professor McGonagall showed them into the Great Hall.
Sue Bones walked next to Hermione into the Great Hall with the throng of first years. Hundreds of faces gazed at her in the flickering candle light. The ceiling was even more beautiful than she had read about. She was about to tell Sue that it was enchanted to look like the night sky when she remembered that Sue grew up in the magical world and probably already knew that.
"Oh no!" Hermione gasped as they drew closer to the front of the hall.
"What?"
"I forgot to go over the spells I know while we were waiting."
"Hermione you will not need to know any spells to get sorted. They don't expect students to know any magic since half the students are muggle born or muggle raised."
What Sue said made sense but Hermione could not help but worry. She never went into a situation unprepared but in the magical world that was all she was, unprepared. The hat on the stool singing amused her as the older years applauded its effort.
"Now when I call your name, please come forward and place the sorting hat on your head. When it calls out your house you may go and join your new house."
Hermione's palms began to sweat as Abbot was called. She heard someone hiss for her to calm down but she couldn't. The hat's choice would determine where she spent the next seven years of her life.
"Bones, Susan."
Sue gave her hand one last squeeze before she shuffled forwards towards the stool and the sorting hat. Hermione was thrilled when the hat shouted Hufflepuff knowing that her new friend Sue was hoping for that house. Other names went by in a blur before her name was called.
"Granger, Hermione."
"Okay, breathe," she whispered as she sat on the wooden stool before the school.
The hat came down over her eyes. She sat in darkness for a moment before a voice started whispering in her ear. "Hum a good mind, rich with knowledge and a drive to prove yourself in this new world. You also want friends, friends that you did not have in the muggle world. Friends that accept you for who you are."
She was about to chime in that what the hat said was true. All Hermione wanted was friends that did not hate her because she was intelligent. "Oh I know dear I can see it all here in your head. I know just where to put you."
"Ravenclaw!" The Sorting Hat shouted to the hall.
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as the blue table erupted in cheers. It made Hermione feel good when she saw Sue clapping at the Hufflepuff table with Neville sitting next to her. She did not remember Neville getting sorted but he looked happy where he was.
"Welcome to Ravenclaw," a tall girl with a prefect badge greeted her. "I am Penelope Clearwater or Penny."
"Thanks Penny. I am thrilled to be sorted into Ravenclaw."
Hermione sat and listened to the others being sorted. Now that she was no longer stressing over her own future she could take in where other familiar faces were going. Daphnee went to Slytherin along with Draco. One Patil sister went to Gryffindor while Padma joined Hermione in Ravenclaw. The two were glad that they already knew someone in their house. Potter, Harry was then called and Hermione sensed a great hush sweep over the hall.
"One galleon that he goes to Gryffindor," one of the older Ravenclaws whispered.
"No way, with his mother being who she is Potter is going to in Slytherin for sure. The Potter's shuffle between the houses but the Black's are always in Slytherin."
"You're on."
"Slytherin!" the Sorting Hat shouted.
The green and silver table erupted into cheers as Harry glided over to their table. He gracefully took his place next to Draco who looked smug. Hermione chuckled when she saw the older Ravenclaw hand over the gold coin to his friend.
Hermione was enjoying the sorting until she heard the Weasley bragging about the sorting that had just taken place. "Knew Potter was going to be placed in Slytherin. With his snake of a mother he was bound to go there."
"Ron better watch it," Penny whispered to her fellow prefect. "if Potter or Malfoy hear him they will retaliate."
"Padma," Hermione whispered.
"Yes Hermione?"
"Why does everyone seem to be afraid or nasty about Harry's mother? I mean she was horrible when I met her but everyone has their bad moments."
"Well I don't know the woman Hermione, but I know why she has such a negative reputation. It all started in the last war when she was the Dark Lord's right hand. Well that was before the Dark Lord started killing pureblood families. See Mrs. Potter was not in favor of any pureblood being shed even if they stood against the Dark Lord."
"So she went to Dumbledore's side?"
"Merlin no! Especially with what happened to Mr. Potter."
It seemed as though whenever Hermione was given new information more questions came with it. She wanted answers desperately, but it seemed as though she truly was only going to be let in when the others let her.
The feast ended up being spectacular with a wide assortment of food. The conversation with her fellow first years flowed and Hermione found Su Lee and Padma to be very interesting girls. She could just tell that they were going to get along great with their shared desire to learn as much as possible from Hogwarts. As Hermione lay in her new bed in Ravenclaw she could just tell that things were going to be better for her at Hogwarts.