Author's Note: Here it is, as promised!

Chapter Nine:

"Unexpected Battles"

A month after she was released from St. Mungo's, Hermione returned to Hogwarts to teach. It appeared that she was greatly missed by her students, for when she, rather than the substitute who'd been teaching in her place, walked in through the door, the entire class ran up to her with open arms. Hermione smiled and sighed to herself. Life just could not get any better.

"So you've already finished Wingardium Leviosa? And Expelliarmus? How about Alohamora?"

The class answered with a silent no, to which Hermione couldn't help but smile.

"Well…The Alohamora charm will unlock simple locks, however locks that are locked magically require a much more complex spell; magic way advanced for a first year. In fact, it is not taught at Hogwarts until the very end of your seventh year and generally the only students to master the spell are those who are the best in their class."

The lecture on the Alohamora charm continued on until the last thirty minutes of class, at which time the students, who had remained enthralled in the lecture, to Hermione's pleasant surprise, began to practice the charm on small locked chests, rather than locked doors; they would move on to that in the next lesson. Lauran, of course, was the first to unlock her chest, wherein she found a gorgeous, antique locket that was adorned in a pattern of diamond cut emeralds surrounded by pearls. It was so picturesque that she couldn't help but gasp at its beauty. It was no doubt a family heirloom, but what was such an artifact doing in her chest? I'll have to ask my mum about it after class, she thought to herself, not able to take her eyes off of the heirloom. True to her words, she stayed in her seat until every student had left through the door. Hermione glanced at her questioningly as she walked towards the girl.

Reaching the girl's seat and with an almost knowing smirk, she asked, "Is something wrong?"

Lauran almost laughed, "In my chest I found an antique. I was thinking it was put in here by accident."

"Well let me see it," Hermione softly ordered and when the girl put the locket in her hands said, "Well, this is surely an antique, no doubt from about 1880. If I am correct, it was worn by one Elizabeth Scott. It's quite beautiful, don't you think?"

Lauran was confused, "Yes, but what was it doing in my chest?"

Hermione only laughed, "Well, it's a family heirloom, of course! Surely, you guessed that?"

Comprehension dawned on the girl's face, "You mean to say, this is yours?"

Hermione smiled at her daughter, "Indeed, it is. It has been in my family for one hundred and twenty-three years. And now it is yours. I want you to keep it with you always, that way, when you go back to your adoptive family, you will remember me," there were tears in Hermione's eyes now, but she blinked them away for the sake of her daughter.

Lauran looked up at her mother with tears in her eyes and requested, "I don't want to go back to them, I don't belong there. I belong here, with you! Please let me live with you; I've only had you for such short time, please let me have forever!"

Hermione couldn't help but allow her tears to fall down her cheeks, "Oh, dear, I'm sure your family there loves you. They would miss you, if I were to get custody back."

"Yeah, they would miss me alright," Lauran said sarcastically, "They would miss being able to shun me, and yell at me whenever I slip and do magic, even though I don't realize what I'm doing."

Hermione was stunned, "They did what?! Are you sure this is the same family that I met with to arrange your adoption? They both seemed so nice and down-to-earth…oh Merlin, what have I done?"

"Mum! I'm fine, we're here now…together. Everything will be alright."

Hermione smiled, "Yes, it will. But we're doing this the legal way, so it may take a while, depending on the Ministry and just how well my connections turn out to be. That lot just cannot make up their minds on the pace they have."

Lauran sighed and smiled, but obviously wanted something else, "Mum? Can I ask something else?"

"Yes, dear, anything."

Lauran sighed once again and braced herself, "Who is my father?"

Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin at the question, "Why don't we wait on that one, love?"

Lauran glared, "You don't know, do you?"

"No, I know and that is precisely why I want you to wait."

***

Hermione knocked on the door once again, pulling her jacket close around her; for March it was fairly cold. What, in the name of Merlin, can these people be doing? she thought, as she checked her watch to be sure it was not a late hour, Four-thirty…definitely not to late. Fidgeting in her stance, the door opened to reveal the woman she'd met eleven years ago. Her features had not changed, though her hair had grayed a bit.

The woman answered, "Can I help you with something, Miss…?"

Hermione took a deep breath and said, "Granger, Mrs. Courtinger, Hermione Granger. Perhaps you remember me as a young girl in unfortunate circumstances?"

Hermione nearly laughed as she watched the woman's jaw drop, just before the woman said, "Am I to presume you are here to see your daughter? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, she is at that--excuse me, I mean your school."

Hermione smiled, "Yes, I am aware of that. Actually, Mrs. Courtinger, I was wondering if I might come in for a moment to talk? Is your husband here?"

Mrs. Courtinger tensed, "Yes, of course, how rude of me. You may come in. My husband, however, is not here. He is on a business meeting in London. I trust that will not affect your reasoning for being here?"

"No ma'am, it will not," Hermione said, trying so hard not to laugh at the woman's obvious discomfort with her presence, while following her into what appeared to be a sitting room, "Forgive me, I feel as if I am intruding."

"No, do not feel as such, Miss Granger. I'm sure you have a perfectly plausible explanation for being here."

"Uhm, yes. I was wondering if I could--if it would be possible--if maybe I would be able re-obtain custody of my daughter," Hermione said, struggling to get the wording right, Oh Merlin! It had been so easy in my mind!

The woman's face began to redden, "Right! And what makes you think she'd actually want you to have custody of her? You've never come looking for her for all of eleven years! Think of that, Miss Granger!"

"Actually, Mrs. Courtinger," Hermione said using the very same tone the woman had just used on her, "I do not think that she'd want me to have custody of her, I know for a fact!"

"And how would you know such a thing?"

Hermione smiled in anticipation of the woman's reaction and spoke very calmly, "I would know, because she asked me."

The woman gave a shrill and exasperated gasp, "Well! You can tell Lauran that when she gets home, she is not to leave this house again! EVER! Not even to go to that underdeveloped site your kind has the nerve to call a school! Nor will she be leaving to go live with her meddlesome, irresponsible birth-mother! And that is final!"

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see what the Ministry of Magic thinks of it then, won't we Mrs. Courtinger," Hermione's smile widened, "May I suggest that you be expecting an owl from the Ministry soon regarding a Hearing for custody over Lauran?"

Hermione got up and went to the door, "Good day, Mrs. Courtinger."

With that said, Hermione left to Apparate to the Ministry of Magic, where she set up the aforementioned Hearing. Due to Hermione having connections through Arthur Weasley, who had now traveled high up in the ranks at the Ministry, so far as to create a new department, the Hearing was set for Wednesday the following week, which gave Lauran and Hermione ten days to prepare their cause. Oh, how I wish I could see that wretched woman's face when she receives the owl notifying her, Hermione thought quite smugly as she returned to Hogwarts.

Hermione nearly jumped at the sound of someone calling her name, but was relieved to hear it was Ron. Good…I need to have a word with him, she thought to herself, recalling their last conversation together.

Author's Note: If you would like to see the locket that I modeled Lauran's heirloom after, go to the link below (just take out the spaces.)

http : / / www . heritagejewellery . co . uk / Lockets / Lockets % 201 / antique % 20gold % 20emerald % 20pearl % 20pomander % 20locket % 20 + chain % 20 ( 3584 ) % 203 . jpg