After the war, Hermione finds that she had drifted apart from Harry and Ron, as their lives head in different directions. As new opportunities come to her and she makes new friends, will the Golden Trio ever reconnect? Cedric lives. HG/CD.
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Disclaimer: Not mine, don't own it – I wish! Unfortunately, Harry Potter belongs to JKR and not to me; I'm just playing in her sandbox.
Author's Notes:
» Updates will be infrequent, however, I do intend to finish this story, no matter how long it may take me. Thank you to everyone who has the patience to wait for updates.
» This is a longer chapter than the others in this story but I didn't want to divide Hermione's conversation with McGonagall into two chapters.
» Thank you to my beta, the wonderful StrongHermione, for all her help and support. I highly recommend having a look at her stories – especially her multi-chapter fics, "Lily Potter's Biggest Secret" and "Against Their Will." They're well worth reading.
» Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and follows; they're all appreciated.
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Chapter 8
Facing the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance, Hermione realised that she did not have the password. "Excuse me," said politely to the gargoyle. "Headmistress McGonagall asked me to visit her but she didn't give me the password. Is there any way you could let her know that I'm here, please?"
The gargoyle shimmered and disappeared, returning a few moments later. "Enter," it croaked. The circular staircase appeared and Hermione stepped on it, letting it bring her up to Professor McGonagall's office. She knocked on the door at the top of the stairs and waited.
"Come," came the familiar voice and Hermione entered the office. Looking around she saw that it was much the same as it had been during Professor Dumbledore's tenure as Headmaster, but without the clutter and mysterious instruments.
"Miss Granger, how lovely to see you."
Hermione looked up at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore which, despite being paint and canvas, was twinkling at her. "It's good to see you too, sir," she replied politely. She then looked at Professor McGonagall, "Headmistress," she began but Minerva interrupted her.
"Call me Minerva, please, Hermione. Won't you sit down?"
Hermione sat and watched as Professor McGonagall bustled around nervously serving tea. The older woman took a sip and the tea seemed to calm her.
"I owe you an apology," she said awkwardly. "It has been brought home to me that I all but ignored you after the war. I never checked on your well-being but instead just expected you to be available to help with the clean-up, regardless of your physical or emotional state at the time. At first, I was quite annoyed with Kingsley and Bill when they somewhat forcefully pointed that out but after I thought about what they had said, I realised that they were quite correct. I was so used to you being strong and putting others first that it didn't occur to me that for once you needed to take care of yourself and for that I apologise."
Hermione smiled at the woman who had been a mentor to her throughout her school years. "It's quite all right, Minerva. To be honest, you were probably suffering from the aftermath of that last year and the battle just as much as anyone else but you avoided giving into it by focusing solely on what needed to be done. However, that's avoidance rather than coping, so I hope that you've taken some time to yourself over the last few months to rest and recuperate?"
"I haven't really had the opportunity to do so, no. However, keeping busy keeps me steady so I'm fine, but thank you for your concern, Hermione."
"Minerva, I understand you've been appointed Headmistress? Does that mean that you have to stay in the school during all the holidays or can you leave it in very capable hands of Professors Flitwick and Sprout for a few weeks?"
"I don't know, I hadn't thought about it. Albus always stayed but I suppose I could leave for a break if I needed to. Of course, school starts again shortly, so there really isn't time for me to go away now. Why do you ask?"
"I wasn't actually thinking of now; I know that it's too close to the school year for you to go away. You'd be very welcome to visit us in Australia over Christmas, though. You'd be able to get away from all the demands on you and truly relax," Hermione suggested.
"That brings us to the other reason I wanted to talk to you, Hermione. I didn't just want to apologise, I also wanted to ask if you would be interested in a teaching job at Hogwarts? I will continue to teach Transfiguration this coming year but with my responsibilities as Headmistress, I can't keep teaching indefinitely. I would like to offer you an apprenticeship in Transfiguration, together with on-the-job teaching training. We would share the teaching post at first while you develop your Transfiguration skills further and then you would take over from me completely a year or two later. I can't think of anyone better for this post. You would also take over as Head of House for Gryffindor."
"Well, that was unexpected!" Hermione was very surprised by this offer, and a bit flattered too, if she were being honest with herself.
"Oh, Minerva. I'm so honoured that you thought of me for this but I'm afraid I have to decline," she said regretfully. "If you had suggested this to me a couple of years ago, I'd probably have jumped at the offer but times change and so do people and, right now, the cons far outweigh the pros for me."
Feeling that she owed Minerva more than just a flat rejection of this very flattering job offer, Hermione began to explain. "There are a number of reasons why I can't accept the position. Firstly, I'm sure you're aware that Harry, Ron and I broke into Gringotts during the war and caused rather a lot of damage while escaping?"
Minerva nodded and Hermione could have sworn she saw a twinkle in the older woman's eyes and a hint of a smile being repressed.
"Well, I've finally reached a settlement with the goblins and, apart from a certain amount of monetary reparations, I also owe them time in service. I can't really take on any other positions until I've completed my service to Gringotts."
Minerva looked very thoughtful at this. "That's very interesting. I do believe that Mr Potter and Mr Weasley still have not faced up to their responsibilities in that matter and Arthur informs me that he's been warned by Bill that the family vault may be frozen if Ronald continues ignoring the issue. He asked me if I could have a word with Ronald because nothing that he or Bill have said to the boy has made a difference. I know that the Weasleys can't really afford to pay for any of the damages but service might be an acceptable alternative and it may help Ronald become a responsible young man."
"I'm sure that Bill will have mentioned it, as he helped me negotiate with the goblins," Hermione explained.
"And yet he hasn't opened a dialogue on his brother's behalf, despite knowing the penalties his parents may suffer?" Minerva asked incredulously.
"One of the first things I did after the Final Battle was to ask Bill if he would represent me and to inform Gringotts that he would be my agent in this matter. When Bill asked Harry and Ron if he should negotiate for all of us, the boys didn't want to think about it. From what I understand, Bill's asked them a number of times to get up off their backsides and deal with this but they seem to be completely oblivious to the need to make a settlement with Gringotts," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
"Arthur didn't want to worry Molly about this after everything else that's happened but I think it may be time he did so. I'm sure she can light a fire underneath Ronald where no one else can. And the concept of service will be a great relief to Arthur, as I know he's been worrying about where to find the money. I'm not so sure Ronald will be happy about being expected to work without pay but he's just going to have to grit his teeth and get on with it," Minerva replied with an evil grin.
Hermione smiled back conspiratorially, "I'm sure it'll be good for him. My parents assisted me with the monetary aspect of my reparations because I wanted to settle with the goblins as soon as possible but I fully intend to pay them back once I'm earning a salary."
"And how do you plan to do that if you're not interested in teaching at Hogwarts?" Minerva asked dryly.
"Minerva, I'm so sorry I can't accept," Hermione gasped, worried that she had offended the older woman.
"It's all right, child. I'm sure you have good reasons, although if it's just the goblins, I can wait a year or two if that's what it will take to secure your services."
Hermione shook her head. "No, that was only one of the reasons. I was also in quite a deep depression after the war and I've been happier and freer in Australia than I've been here in Britain for years. I've also neglected my parents shamefully since I started Hogwarts, as I became more immersed in the wizarding world and the war, and I want to spend time with them now. I can't do that if I'm living and working at Hogwarts. Nor would I be able to pursue my relationship with Cedric. It's serious, but a teaching career at Hogwarts would be incompatible with it developing any further."
"I'm pleased to hear that you and Mr Diggory have developed a serious relationship. I think you'll do well together. Better than you would with Ronald, the way the pair of you fight," Minerva said decisively, before adding slyly, "There have been married members of staff before, you know. We could easily find you married quarters if you wish."
"He's going to be training as a curse breaker for Gringotts Australia when we return. Once he's finished his training, he could be stationed anywhere in the world and I want to be free to go with him."
"So what are your plans, then? Don't keep me in suspense, child."
Hermione began to explain, just like she had done to the Diggorys a few days earlier.
"I'm glad to see you've finally understood what I spent years trying to tell you," came a very familiar, sardonic voice from behind her.
Hermione looked round in shock, thinking that Professor Snape himself was there, only to see a portrait of him, tucked away in a corner.
"Unfortunately, a portrait of Severus didn't automatically appear on his death as it would seem that the castle felt he deserted his post – not that he was given a choice in the matter – but everyone agrees that he deserves a Headmaster's portrait regardless of the castle's decision, so we had one commissioned," explained Minerva. "That was the only space available to put it, I'm afraid."
"It's good to see you again, sir, even like this," Hermione said, as she stood up and approached the portrait. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you more. I knew things didn't add up but I just accepted them at face value because I couldn't work out what was really happening."
"You weren't supposed to be able to work it out, Miss Granger," the portrait of the dark man replied.
"I know, and I blame Professor Dumbledore for that," she replied staunchly as she turned to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. "Did ever you consider, sir, what would happen if Professor Snape had not seen Harry to give him that message that he needed to allow himself to be killed by Voldemort? Your propensity for keeping things close to your chest and not sharing information could have been disastrous, and certainly dragged the war out longer than needed. It could have been finished much earlier if you had simply shared the information about horcruxes back in our second year, after Harry showed you that diary and you realised what it was. You could have already had people searching for the horcruxes five years ago and the war could have ended much sooner if you had just trusted the people who were loyal to you.
"And did you even consider what would happen to Professor Snape if he had survived the war? You made no effort to protect him in any way, to clear his name and absolve him of your murder. You were a great wizard, Professor, but you used people. Your vaunted greater good denied your pawns humanity. I appreciate that a general has to make hard choices and can't consider every individual soldier he sends into war but as soon as he forgets his people are human, that's when he becomes like Voldemort, sir." That last was said with enough sarcasm and disdain as to be worthy of Severus Snape himself.
A silence spread over the room as Hermione finished her impassioned speech. Professor Dumbledore's portrait looked as shocked as it was possible for an animated painting to be and Minerva looked like she was holding back tears. To the side, the portraits of Dilys Derwent and Phineas Nigellus Black were nodding in approval.
Professor Snape cleared his throat. "Thank you, Miss Granger," his portrait said hoarsely.
"You're very welcome, sir," she said in a far more respectful tone than she had used when speaking to Professor Dumbledore. "I spoke nothing but the truth."
"Indeed you did," agreed Professor McGonagall. "She's quite right, you know, Albus. You used Severus shamefully and you made no provision for him. How could you just discard him once he was no longer useful to you?"
"I… I…" the portrait stuttered.
"Perhaps it's better he doesn't answer that, Minerva," Hermione remarked. "I'm not sure any of us actually want to hear his attempts at explanation, least of all Professor Snape. There is no possible way Professor Dumbledore can justify his actions."
Minerva nodded resolutely in agreement. "You're quite right," she said. "Severus?"
"I concur," he said abruptly.
Hermione turned back to him. "Professor? May I ask you something?"
"Is that not what you are doing now?"
Hermione grinned in appreciation. "Sir, do you think I have what it takes to become a Potions Mistress?"
"Had you asked me that a couple of years ago, Miss Granger, I would have said assuredly not. You had the knowledge but not the instincts; not then. Now, however, you still have the knowledge and you finally understand the need to use original thought and not just follow directions slavishly. I know the Potions Masters who work with Monash University and I think they may be able to help you develop your burgeoning instincts. If, after they have taught you for a year, you ask them for their opinion as to whether or not you should follow an alternative career path, you can trust them to be honest with you. Should they support you in a Potions Mastery, ask Minerva for my potions journals from my chambers. You will find in those journals the work I have already undertaken in the search to cure lycanthropy; you may make use of my journals as you will."
"Thank you, sir," she said overcome by this offer. "You do me great honour."
"I would rather my journals go to someone who will appreciate them and make use of them, rather than leave them to rot."
"Sir, if I choose a different path instead of that of a Potions Mistress, may I still receive your journals? You seem to respect the Potions Masters working at Monash University, so perhaps their Potions Department would appreciate the journals? With your permission, I would donate them there."
"That would be acceptable, Miss Granger."
"Minerva?" Hermione turned to Professor McGonagall, raising an eyebrow in question.
"We still haven't sorted through Severus' chambers. We couldn't bring ourselves to do it yet…"
"Sentimental nonsense!" Severus portrait interrupted irritably. "For Merlin's sake, woman, I wasn't a saint and stop trying to make me into one. Don't, I beg of you, turn my chambers into a shrine. As you already know, I left everything to Hogwarts, to be disposed of as you deem fit. Sort through my things, donate my clothes to the second hand shop in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, add my books to the Hogwarts library and throw out everything else. I assure you, apart from my books and journals, there's nothing else of value there. You'll need to make sure the Dark Arts volumes go to the Restricted Section, of course, and I'd appreciate it if you gave the Masters level potions texts to Miss Granger if she does choose to pursue a Potions Mastery. I moved all my books and journals from Spinners End to Hogwarts to protect them, as I wasn't sure you wouldn't burn down my house last year, so everything is here."
At that last comment, Minerva blushed.
"I see you thought of it," the portrait commented wryly.
"We thought you had murdered Albus," she snapped defensively. "We didn't know it was planned between you, that it was… it was…"
"Assisted suicide," said Hermione. "That's what muggles call it."
"Assisted suicide then," the older woman agreed.
"I know," Severus' portrait sighed. "And I truly didn't blame you, Minerva. I didn't blame any of you."
"We didn't serve you well, Severus, but I hope to make up for that. We will treat Slytherin better than the way it was treated under Albus' leadership. I take much of the blame for that on myself as I never stopped the Marauders from bullying you, but I will make sure it never occurs again."
"You need to watch all the Houses, Minerva. Not just their relationships with the other Houses but also their internal relationships," Hermione warned.
"What do you mean, Hermione?" the older woman asked, bewilderment showing clearly on her face.
"Luna Lovegood. Did you never wonder why she dressed so oddly? Part of it was her own, unique style, of course, but much of it was due to the fact that her fellow Ravenclaws used to steal her belongings and hide them from her. She was left to dress in whatever remnants of clothing they deigned to leave her."
"Why didn't Filius put a stop to that?" Minerva demanded indignantly.
"I imagine he either didn't know or else he didn't think it was important. I'm assuming the former, as I sincerely doubt Luna would have said anything to him. She used to claim the odd creatures she believes in took her things. I don't think she wanted to admit to herself that her Housemates hated her that much."
"Understandable," Professor Snape's portrait concurred.
"Severus!" Minerva exclaimed in shock.
"Oh, I'm not denigrating Miss Lovegood, Minerva, far from it, so come down off your high horse. Rather, as one who has been in Miss Lovegood's position, I think I can speak to her frame of mind better than anyone else here. My fellow Slytherins may have supported me in public against the Marauders, but I was no more popular inside my House than I was outside it. It's not pleasant to admit that those who are supposed to be your family, if I correctly recall your speech to the first years before sorting, hate you."
Minerva sighed. "We seem to have let down a lot of students," she said sadly.
"You need to implement anti-bullying policies, and what's more, enforce them – what muggles call a No Tolerance Policy." said Hermione sternly. "It's not enough just to say that magic is forbidden in the corridors and to take a few House points to those who transgress. You can't just say the words, you need to make sure students know there are consequences for bullying. Serious consequences. Some House points or a few detentions will be easily shrugged off. Make the punishment fit the crime if you can," she said with an impish grin.
"A very interesting notion," Phineas Nigellus said dryly.
"Come, come," said Albus. "A few harmless pranks…"
Hermione interrupted ruthlessly. "No, sir. Once or twice is a harmless prank. Year after year after year of unrelenting, remorseless victimisation is bullying and the fact that you can't – or don't want to – understand that makes me very glad you are no longer Headmaster of this school."
"Hear, hear," said Severus' portrait. To the obvious displeasure of Dumbledore's portrait, all the other portraits also agreed with Hermione and Severus, loudly drowning out his protests.
Once the portraits had calmed down, Minerva said, "While I like the idea of the punishment fitting the crime, I'm not sure how we can implement that."
"I'm sure that Headmasters Snape and Black, as sneaky Slytherins, could help you with that," Hermione smirked. "However, what you really need is not necessarily a punishment that reflects the crime itself but rather a punishment that reflects the severity of the crime. Most muggle schools have a measure before expulsion, called suspension, whereby pupils may be sent home temporarily for a few weeks. A number of American States, in the muggle criminal justice system, have what they call a three-strike system, whereby the third time a felon is committed of a crime, they are automatically imprisoned, even though they might have received a lighter sentence for the same crime had it not been their third conviction. You could implement that. The students get two warnings and the third time they're caught bullying they get an automatic suspension. Send them home for a week and see if that makes them realise the severity of the issue. From then on, they get no further warnings. The next time they're caught bullying, they get a second suspension, this time for a month. If that has no effect on them, then three suspensions and they're automatically expelled."
"Minerva, I must protest. What you don't realise, Miss Granger, is that you must give people a chance to repent," Albus said condescendingly.
Minerva and Hermione both rolled their eyes, while the portraits again expressed their displeasure with the deluded old man.
"Like we were supposed to keep forgiving Death Eaters while they continued murdering innocents with no remorse whatsoever?" Hermione queried derisively. "That's why it's a three-strike system. The students get two warnings before their first suspension and two suspensions before they're expelled. That's plenty of time to show remorse and if they don't utilise those chances they're given, then they never will repent. You would offer absolution without due cause, sir, but forgiveness shouldn't be given without reason: it must be earned."
"The muggles have some interesting ideas," Minerva considered. "We should perhaps take on board more of their procedures."
Hermione snorted. "Minerva, when I took Muggle Studies, it was taught by a pureblood who had never spent time in the muggle world. The course was nearly a century out of date. Magicals have no concept of what muggles are capable of. The Death Eaters would have had you believe that muggles are all coarse, primitive savages, little better than animals. Even Arthur Weasley, who claims to be fascinated by muggles, treats them as though they're feeble-minded simpletons. Muggles have to be extremely innovative to compensate for their lack of magic and the twentieth century alone has probably seen more developments, innovations and inventions than during the previous few centuries put together. I can't begin to tell you how advanced muggles have become and those who dismiss muggles, do so at their own peril. Do you know that today, in 1998, there are nearly six billion muggles in the world and that number is increasing by the minute? The total magical population is a tiny fraction of that number. They can kill us all just by pressing a few buttons from such a distance that magic would be utterly useless in defence. We can't even come close to wiping out the muggles. If the magical world is to survive, we need to give the muggles no reason to eradicate us. Muggles can't be ignored or destroyed. Rather, they'll destroy the magicals if we try. They have the capability and the sheer number of them, combined with their advanced technology and weapons, means that they will win in any war of muggle versus magical.
"Do you know that muggles have cameras on every street corner, recording everything that happens? They have weapons that can kill people, or even destroy cities, from great distances. Nuclear weapons, which have been around since the 1940s, have developed to the extent that a nuclear war would annihilate the entire world. Muggles have equipment that can allow people to see in the dark and equipment that can practically see through rock. They have means of instant, global, mass communication. Nothing can be hidden any more. If the wizarding world doesn't learn from its mistakes, it will repeat them, and that could mean the disclosure and ultimately the end of the magical world. It's no longer solely about common decency and acceptance for muggles and muggleborns, although that's obviously important, it's about saving our world."
"Are you sure you don't want to teach here, Hermione?" Minerva asked sardonically. "You should be teaching Muggle Studies."
"I'm afraid not, Minerva. You need to find a teacher who is at home in the muggle world though. I would suggest a muggleborn or muggle-raised instructor. I'd say a squib but I don't think the purebloods would respect them. You also need a course that introduces muggleborns and muggle-raised to wizarding culture and traditions because we're just thrown in at the deep end and left to sink or swim. If we show more respect to wizarding culture and traditions, even if we don't adopt all of them, then perhaps we'll become more accepted. And it shouldn't be two separate courses – Muggle Studies for the purebloods and magically raised half-bloods, and Wizarding Culture & Traditions for the muggleborns and muggle-raised – because that will just increase segregation between the two groups. Rather, you need a joint, compulsory Social Studies course, starting in first year, which covers both aspects. A course that encourages discussion between the students, that has field trips, that allows them to get to know each other and each other's world. In third year, when it then becomes an elective, it can then expand to include study of other magical beings. Not like Care of Magical Creatures, taking care of hippogriffs and flobberworms, but the customs of other intelligent magical beings, like goblins and house elves and centaurs. I said recently to my parents that I don't understand the attitude of wizards to the goblins, for example. How can people risk being so rude to those that hold their money? That's the height of stupidity. And I know that elves don't want to be freed but does that mean they can't be treated well?"
"You're really sure you don't want to teach here, Miss Granger?" Professor Snape asked when she paused to take a breath.
"No, sir," Hermione said with a smile. She recognised she was letting her mouth run away as usual, but once she was on a roll, she could not seem to stop. All of this must be said. "I'm quite sure that I don't want to teach. Not at this stage of my life anyway. I don't know anything more than school and I need to experience life more – normal life, not trying to survive while on the run during a war – before I could consider trying to guide students."
"A wise decision," Minerva approved. "I myself spent a few years at the Ministry before returning to Hogwarts to teach."
"Miss Granger is quite correct in her analysis of muggles and how far they have advanced and developed. She is right that the course needs a major overhaul and I do believe that her proposal for a compulsory Social Studies course in first and second year has merit. I hope you would include muggle culture in that, Miss Granger?" Severus asked.
"Literature, theatre, movies, dance in as many forms as possible, music, art, sports – of course. Why is it, Minerva that there is no sports programme in Hogwarts? There is Quidditch, of course, but no provisions are made for those students who are not selected for their House team. That's seven students from each House receiving physical education. We need healthy bodies to support our minds and to strengthen our magical cores. There are countless numbers of sports in the muggle world. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to include some of them for other students to enjoy? And martial arts or self-defence classes could be included in Defence Against the Dark Arts. As it is, if a witch or wizard is disarmed, they have no other means of defence. Muggles have many types of physical defence. Teaching some of those techniques would both improve overall fitness and give people a backup means of defence when needed. There are also many more leisure activities than just chess, Gobstones and Exploding Snap."
Minerva began to laugh. "Hermione, you're quite right, of course, but you're overwhelming me. I know you don't want to teach at this time but would you be willing to put some of this in writing? Perhaps even put together a suggested course outline for Muggle Studies as you believe it should be? It would help me to prepare proposals to suggest to the Board."
"I'd be delighted to do that, Minerva. One other thing, however: isn't it time to retire Professor Binns and revise the History of Magic course? As far as Professor Binns is concerned, History of Magic means the witch burnings and the goblin wars. Those things should of course be covered but not to such an extent that they comprise the entire History of Magic course over a seven year period. Modern and contemporary history – Grindelwald and the two Voldemort Blood Wars – should also be included. In the muggle world there are a number of sayings about those who don't know history or who forget the past being doomed to repeat it. If we don't want another Dark Lord arising in twenty years' time, then in addition to improving the magical perception of muggles and muggleborns, we also need to teach events of the twentieth century. If we don't teach them, then in ten years' time, the students who didn't fight this war will have forgotten about it, or won't realise the seriousness of it."
Minerva was nodding in agreement. "I'm not sure where we'll get the funding for all this but you're quite right that it's all necessary. Please, Hermione, put this in writing for me and I'll do my best to get as much of it as possible implemented."
Hermione agreed to help Minerva with proposals for the Board and then the two ladies settled down to tea. Before leaving, Hermione once again thanked Professor Snape for the interest he was showing in her career plans, exchanged a few words with Phineas Nigellus and left, without acknowledging Professor Dumbledore again. She really was quite cross at all his manipulations and did not feel at all inclined to exchange pleasantries with his portrait.