Wow, I have never gotten so much feedback so soon after I posted a story. So thanks to everyone that reviewed, I'm touched I had 20 emails within 4 hours of posting so thanks this chapter is for everyone who made a review, or put this on story alert.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

At exactly five o'clock, Minerva stepped out of the manor and apprated back directly to Miss Granger's back yard. Albus had given her permission to do this to save time. She knocked on the back door and waited for about 3 minutes. She grew nervous, and looked into the window. All the lights were off and she couldn't see anything. Fearing the worst, she unlocked the door and slowly walked into the house.

"Lumos." She whispered and walked into the living room, it was freezing in the house. The only light in the room was the small Christmas tree in the corner.

"Miss Granger." She called. "Hermione?" She than jumped as an electric light turned on behind her. She spun around, "Miss Granger, what are you doing?"

Hermione was standing in the entrance of the kitchen, with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a can of fruit in her hand.

"I'm eating Professor, I'm sorry if I scared you." Professor McGonagall took a good look her young charge, she wasn't happy with what she saw. Miss Granger looked smaller than she had this morning and why had all the lights been off.

"No you just took me by surprise, and aren't you cold Miss Granger. It's freezing in this house."

"I have a blanket." She mentioned, and became quiet.

"Where are your parents Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall was getting a bad vibe about all of this.

"Their …ugh… still at work Professor." The girl mumbled and wrapped the blanket around her tighter. "How about I call them?" Even though she said it she sounded unsure.

"Yes that would work." She put her hand to her forehead and moaned. She looked back at her student. "Where are your shoes," she pointed to Hermione's bare feet, "put some shoes on you'll catch a cold." She must have come off a bit too harsh, because Hermione's answer was to run out of the room.

Minerva McGonagall was confused, it didn't happen often and she didn't like it. She couldn't understand what was going on with her student, her favorite student who she thought she understood. Hermione was lying, running around bare foot, her house was freezing cold, and where in Merlin's name were her parents. Hermione was so jumpy to, gone was girl who never stumbled over words. I have to find out what's wrong with Hermione she thought as the girl walked back into the room.

Hermione punched a few digits into her family's phone and it started to ring.

"Hi, Mom."

"No, it's fine."

"My Professor from school is here, to talk to you. I had to call you because you're … at…work."

"Ok" Hermione turned to her Professor. "Here you go." She handed her Professor her phone. Professor McGonagall took the phone and walked into the kitchen. Hermione took the hint and stayed in the living room.

"Hello Mrs. Granger. I'm Professor McGonagall from Hogwarts."

"You're the teacher she's always talking about."

"Yes, well I'm here to talk to you about the problems that we have been having at Hogwarts this year."

"Problems as in your closing the school?! Please tell me you're not closing the school."

"No." McGonagall paused "The school is still open, the reason we sent everyone home for the holidays is so we could search the school. So we could keep it open, the rest of the school year."

"Good because I don't want to deal with her more than I have to."

"Are you talking about your daughter?"

"Who else would I be talking about."

"Um excuse me, but that's no way to talk about your daughter."

"I'll talk about her any way I want to she's my daughter."

"Well there's a monster that is hunting students like your daughter, in the school right now aren't you the least bit worried about her?" The Scottish lit was becoming stronger the angrier she got.

"I see no reason for her not to go to school. After all, with all those books she reads she should be fine, if she learns any thing from them that is."

"Maybe you don't understand, there is a chance your daughter could be killed or hurt and you don't even care."

"Well you're her professor, aren't you going to keep her safe, isn't that you job?"

"Well, yes I'll do everything I can to keep her safe…"

"So I see no problem."

"Mrs. Granger where are you right now." Professor McGonagall was getting really mad. She was use to dealing with parents, who sometimes didn't care about their kids, but they were normally pureblood families. And those children normally did something to cause their parents scorn.

"Me and my husband are in France, enjoying the holiday." My husband and I, Professor McGonagall thought.

"Your daughter told me you were at work, that there was an emergency at your office."

"My goodness no, we closed down the office a week ago, and came to France."

"Are you aware that your daughter is here by herself!"

"Yes, she was suppose to stay at that school of yours over break, but you sent her back, we weren't going to bring her along on our peaceful vacation."

"That's dangergous, leaving a 12 year old to fend for herself for 3 WEEKS, how can you stand yourself." It took every ounce of the Professor's patience to not yell completely at the stupid woman.

"Well what are you going to do about it. You people have a different government you can't do anything to me. You and my daughter are just a couple of freaks."

"Good bye Mrs. Granger." With that being said she hung up the phone and slammed it down. How DARE they treat there daughter like that, they should be sent to jail she thought and pulled out her wand. "Expecto Patronum." A small tabby cat appeared out of her wand. "Albus I hope you can forgive me." With that message the patronus took off into the night.

Professor McGonagall walked back into the living room where Hermione was eating fruit out of the can. Minerva felt her heart go out towards the girl, who she now saw was shivering under the blanket.

"Miss Granger." Hermione turned and looked at her professor. "Go pack your school truck and anything else you need, and hurry."

"Where am I going Professor?" She looked nervous and scared.

"Just go get packed Miss Granger."

"But I don't want to leave Professor." She looked up at a picture of her parents on the wall. "They'll be back." But she didn't sound sure.

"Just please go get packed Hermione."

"Am I going to the Weasley's, because I love Harry and Ron but I really don't want to tell them, about this, and I think I would feel like I'm imposing on Mrs. Weasley." Professor McGonagall turned to her student and gave her the look that said do what I say now. Hermione went upstairs.

Professor McGonagall walked back into the kitchen and opened the cabinets. They were empty except for a few cans of soup and fruit. She opened the fridge next and saw only milk and what looked like a bowl of noodles. She cursed the muggles, and walked back into the living room. Miss Granger came back downstairs dragging her truck behind her and she had a muggle back pack on her back. Her professor took the trunk and shrunk it and put it in her pocket.

"Let's go Miss Granger." She led the girl to the back of the house.

"Professor where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere safe and away from here and it's not the Weasley's" They had reached the back door.

"But?"

"Miss Granger, first things first," the professor put her hands on her students shoulders, "Why did you lie to me about your parents?" Hermione looked at the ground. "Hermione please tell me, so I can help."

"I don't feel like talking about it Professor McGonagall." She wouldn't meet her teachers eyes, and continued to stare at the floor.

"Alright." As a teacher Professor McGonagall knew when a student wouldn't talk, and she knew that if she kept pushing the matter the girl would never open up to her. "Time to go."

"Where are we going?"

"My house."

Cliffhanger, not really but I need to have some fun. Albus is back in the next chapter, as well as more. So please review.