The Forsaken Child

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Hermione was in awe over the streets of Hogsmead. It looked just like an old London. She tried to look at everything despite her arms being loaded down with books and a musty smelling cauldron. McGonagall couldn't help the small smile that broke her strict expression. She knew that she would have to talk to the young girl about her glamour, but right now she just wanted Hermione to soak in these moments of peace. Her smile fell away.

The Wizarding World was still at war. Voldemort's silence was unnerving. Some speculated that the Potters had killed him that night in Godric's Hollow. Others said that he is merely recuperating from the injuries dealt him by Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James and Lily Potter, and the other members of the Order. She still didn't understand what had possessed Pettigrew to embrace then betray Voldemort, but she was thankful he had turned on him. It made her wonder if all of it had been one of their elaborate plans, but she knew it was unlikely. The Marauders were a solid group. They would not have cast one of their own into the wolf den-no pun intended.

McGonagall was pulled from her thoughts by a prescient tugging on her hand. She looked down at the younger girl who was pointing toward Honeydukes.

"Can we go in there later?!" She asked. As McGonagall looked down at her, Hermione realized just whose hand she had ahold of. She let go quickly and blushed. "Sorry, ma'am…" She whispered. Hermione had forgotten that she wasn't with Mrs. Sterling. She kept her eyes on the ground as she waited for the rebuff. If she had looked up, she would have seen the slightly sad look on McGonagall's face.

'Why does a child have no smile lines?' She wondered. Fred and George Weasley, second years, had smile lines a mile wide. Hermione Granger didn't have them. McGonagall found herself studying the little girl closer. She had felt callouses on the little girl's hand. She worked hard. Was it by choice or was she forced too? Dumbledore had said that Hermione was raised in the same orphanage Voldemort had inhabited years ago.

"Later, dear," McGonagall couldn't help but cave. Hermione's head snapped up to her quickly. A blinding smile crossed her lips. McGonagall returned it. That, after all, was what she had wanted to see. Children should smile and be happy even in uncertain times like these. They were her reason for hoping for a better future.

"What else do we need to get?" Hermione asked. Her hazel eyes locked longingly back at the candy shop they were leaving.

"A wand," McGonagall said. Hermione looked over at her with a small tilt of her head. McGonagall glanced over at her. "Aside from accidental magic, every spell needs a wand as a channel."

"Is my glamour," the world felt strange on her lips, but she was happy to finally have a name for what she had been doing, "considered accidental magic?"

"No. You are conscious of what you are doing," McGonagall said. She had tried to put this conversation off, but since Hermione had brought it up. "You could get in a great deal of trouble for it now." Hermione's hands instantly darted to her lightly curled brown hair. McGonagall raised her eyebrows. So, her hair was her problem. "Do you alter anything else?" McGonagall asked.

"No," Hermione whispered. McGonagall looked down at her.

"There are ways to alter your appearance without magic," McGonagall informed her. Hermione looked over at her now. Her hands fell gently from her hair. "We'll stop by that shop after Ollivanders."

"Okay," Hermione muttered. She was unsure. What if the products didn't work just like the ones Mrs. Sterling had bought her? She nibbled her bottom lip as they walked toward Ollivanders. "Mrs. McGonagall?" Hermione posed timidly. McGonagall stopped and looked down at the child. "Are the children at Hogwarts mean?" She asked. McGonagall furrowed her eyebrows. Her eyebrows smoothed out and her eyes softened as her mind processed the question. The reason for her glamour was obvious now: she was bullied in the orphanage. Sadness flushed through the woman as she realized that the bullying was so bad she unconsciously created that glamour.

"Some of them are unpleasant, but you should be able to find friends soon enough," McGonagall said softly. "Even if we can't do anything with your hair," McGonagall added. Hermione turned her hazel eyes up to the woman in front of her.

"If you say so…" She whispered. McGonagall's heart hurt for the young child. Growing up without your parents was bad enough, but to be bullied every day for something you couldn't change? That was just horrible.

The wand was heavy and unfamiliar in her hand as they left the place. She looked down at it in curiosity. The other four wands she tried before this one had been powerful even though she still didn't understand how. If not for the designs around the handle of this wand, she would have thought it was a simple stick that she saw in the backyard of the orphanage. Like the ones Johnny chased her with. She shook her head to dispel the memory.

"You may want to put that in your pocket, dear," McGonagall said. Hermione blinked and pushed it into her front pocket. For a moment, she swore she saw a small smile flicker onto McGonagall's face. "Never put it in your back pocket though," she muttered. Hermione tilted her head curiously. McGonagall caught her curious look. "You'll lose your buttocks." Hermione's eyes widened; she stopped. McGonagall continued walking, not noticing that her small charge had stopped. Hermione was so busy staring at McGonagall in horror that she didn't see the two bodies moving toward her. She didn't have time to side step them. They crashed into her. Hermione clenched her eyes tight and prepared to meet the ground. A pair of hands wrapped around her arms lightly.

"We weren't paying attention."

"Terribly sorry." Two identical voices said one after the other. She opened her eyes to see two redheaded boys holding her up. Instantly, she realized that they were twins. Hermione quickly stumbled back out of their hands and blushed deeply. She could see McGonagall standing a few steps away from them out of the twins' view. Her brown eyes seemed to be studying their interaction over her spectacles.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going," she instantly apologized. Internally, she readied for the emotional beating she was about to get from the two boys, but then she realized that seconds before they had apologized to her.

"It's quite alright," the one on the left told her. She noticed a small difference from the other. There was a small scar over the eyebrow of the one on the left.

"Perfectly fine," the one on the right said. He had a small, almost invisible freckle on his throat.

"We weren't really watching where we were going either," they said together.

"Fred! George!" Came a muffled shout from the crowd. Hermione stood on her tiptoes as the boys turned around slightly. A red, curly head was pushing through the crowd. A woman elbowed her way into view. The panic melted from her face the moment she spotted the two boys. She scowled and stomped over to them. "How many times do I have to tell you not to run off?!" She demanded; her tone hit an impressive screech. Hermione flinched.

"Sorry, mum."

"We were just helping this young lady," they motioned toward her together even though the one with the light freckled throat was speaking. Their mother seemed to suddenly notice her. The anger melted slightly from her face, but Hermione could tell that she was still suspicious of the boys' story.

"She is quite lost you see."

"I got separated from my guide…" Hermione muttered. It wasn't a complete lie. She did get separated from Professor McGonagall, but she wasn't completely alone. McGonagall's head dipped slightly. Those brown eyes became much more severe looking. She didn't approve. Hermione fought off flinching. Her words seemed to be just what the woman needed to hear. The redheaded woman's brown eyes softened deeply to her. Hermione flushed, not used to seeing such a gentle look from anyone but Mrs. Sterling.

"Don't worry, dear, we'll find your parents…" Hermione truly flinched now. McGonagall's brown eyes softened. 'So, I was right…' She thought mournfully. 'It does bother her…' She took pity on the young girl and adopted her best acting face. She pushed past the young man in her way and called out to her young charge. Mrs. Weasley and her boys turned instantly at her voice.

"There you are, Miss. Granger!" McGonagall convincingly said. She forced her brown eyes to be stern. Shock faded from Hermione's wide hazel eyes. "I told you not to let go of my hand!" Hermione blushed.

"Sorry, Professor McGonagall…"

"Never mind, dear. We must be going," McGonagall didn't know how to feel about her young charge meeting the Weasley twins so soon. They were only second years and already they were so close to beating the Marauders record at pranks. McGonagall nodded to Molly as she passed her. Molly nodded back with a slight smile. They would see one another again at the meeting for the Order of Phoenix; any friendliness now other than simple hellos would cause suspicion.

Hermione let Professor McGonagall lead her through the busy streets. Her mind was drifting back to the twins that had been so kind to her. They hadn't sneered at her hair or picked at her for anything else. They had simply been kind. She glanced toward the woman who was to be her teacher. 'Maybe she's right…maybe I do have a chance at making friends as I am…'

(A/N: I know some of you may be like "what the hell was that?!" about this chapter, but the Weasley twins will be important to the story and I wanted to introduce them. As well as establish a supportive, softer relationship between McGonagall and Hermione than just the strict teacher-student relationship they have in the books. :P)