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Chapter 19: Moving into the Castle
When she flooed back to Grimmauld Place Hermione found that Harry had been baking with the assistance of two pure bloods that were fascinated that he knew how to cook. Harry had put on the roast dinner and then started to make a coffee cake for Hermione. It was a shock to Pansy to learn that the boy who lived spent the 10 years of his life worse off than house elves. So that was why he had always supported Hermione and her ideals about house elf rights. Teddy was scampering about the mat in his large playpen while his mother was trying to write lists of items that they needed to be transferred up to Hogwarts.
There was much laughter when Hermione wheeled into the kitchen to see the amount of flour that had been spread round. "Are you a witch or not?" she asked Pansy when she cleaned her up with a well placed couple of spells. Apparently Harry had confiscated their wands so they did the baking purely a la Muggle and it had been a considerable learning experience for both the purebloods. When Harry returned their wands the pair assisted in the clean up.
Remus shot some more cleaning spells out so that he could cross the kitchen floor and put the kettle on. "Tea?"
"Do you think I can have some of that strawberry tea? Kreacher do you want some? I will do a pot, Winky?" Hermione enquired.
Remus prepared a pot for the strawberry tea. There were a couple of mugs with the ubiquitous PG Tips teabag and after talking to Tonks, who looked a little tired, he put a peppermint teabag in a mug for her. Turning to Pansy and Draco there was an enquiry with a raised eyebrow.
"We will join Hermione," advised Pansy as she got some more cups out to put on the tray. Hermione was closely thinking it was obvious to everyone as she was worrying her lip again. After checking her wheels were clean she scooted into the living room to rescue Teddy from his prison walls of the playpen.
Remus brought in a bottle of milk for the lad and Hermione fed the baby laughing at his antics where he was holding her hand holding his bottle in place. The young wizard wanted the bottle and he was not going to let his Mia move it from what Teddy thought was the correct position; filling his gullet. When the kettle whistled Harry advised that they were going to handle it and apparently the two pure bloods were getting a lesson in the art of brewing tea from scratch a la Muggle. There was a running commentary from Kreacher who was confirming Harry's actions of warming the pot before adding the loose strawberry tea mix to the pot based using spoonful's' based on the number of cups and one for the pot. The peppermint tea was steeped. Harry also made the two mugs of PG Tips builders' style tea for the rest of the adult population.
To make sure he was not spiflicated by Mia, Harry got the tea bag tweezers out along with the plate to display the Oscar Pescheck traditional wafer biscuits. Harry had to slap Draco's hand when he tried to filch another pink wafer from his display as it was unbalancing the colour pattern he was laying out on the plate.
There was much discussion over Hermione's new accommodation at Hogwarts and the new facilities in the school. Tonks asked for Hermione to review her lists cause she seemed to be more scatter brained than normal. There was a look from Hermione to Remus and he shook his head negative at her so she kept her suspicions to herself.
Winky looked at the lists for the Lupins and added a few more items including baby gates. "It wont be long before he will be scurrying along on all fours Missus Wolf. He has been doing that rocking thing which is always a sign that it won't be long."
"What are you doing about childcare when you need it in the castle?" inquired Pansy.
It appeared that there were several old hands at raising babies in the house elf population at Hogwarts and there was some demand to be carers for young Teddy. Tonks could not see that they would often need to use the elves help to which Hermione thought she was kidding herself if her earlier suspicion turned out to be true.
"Now that you are staff will you be joining us on the train or will you just floo up there?"
"I am a little unsure. When I was an ordinary student I was going to push the point and make sure I got on the train but now I am sort of not sure about putting myself out there with Ginny's attitude. The Headmaster left that ball in my court so I am six and half the dozen. I know I promised to sit with you on the train but I don't want to make the journey even more difficult" explained the conflicted witch who was also thinking of the safety of one of her minders who could be pregnant and not even realizing that she could be in that state.
"There are going to be Aurors on the platform and Harry here will be there to see you off" countered Draco remembering from his last parole officer visit a briefing about how there would be increased security on the platform.
Remus confirmed that he was travelling up on the train as part of the teaching staff that would be patrolling the corridor and compartments. There were going to be several professors on the train.
Tonks suggested that Hermione floo to the platform and based on how she felt made a decision then about going on the train or not. Tonks explained that she was flooing to the platform to see Remus off and then she was going to floo up to the castle with Teddy and most of their luggage.
After burping Teddy he was quiet happy to sit on Hermione's lap and gum at a pink wafer. Draco was a little put out as he quite fancied the pink wafers over the other colours but there was no way Teddy was going to get his hands on some chocolate at his young age.
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There was a nice roast pork dinner and Harry had demonstrated his technique for his jumbo roast Yorkshires that were filled to brim with a lovely brown onion gravy. Draco then said that cooking was bit like potions and Harry laughed before explaining that he only had a limited repertoire but he wanted to improve this aspect of his life skills. Harry wanted to get a better balance of healthy eating, as many of the recipes he mastered were not meant for the every day.
There was some last minute packing completed by Tonks and Hermione after dinner before there was hot chocolate and more of the wafer biscuits for supper. Everyone appeared to be turning in early as tomorrow was going to be a long and busy day.
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Hermione was out on her private patio enjoying the early morning birdsong when Remus and Teddy joined her.
"Is she pregnant?" was the pointed questioned fired at the husband.
"Still too early to confirm that but she could be. I have not said anything to her as yet," he explained.
Teddy was enjoying an early morning feed with his father when he decided it was the perfect time to fill his britches. Remus' poor werewolf senses got the full brunt of his son's smelly nappy. With that she was left to enjoy her peace while Remus returned inside to clean his son up. There were times with Teddy that Tonks swore you needed a peg for your nose and after this morning's effort Hermione could well believe it.
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The residents and guests of Grimmauld Place flooed to platform 9&¾. Harry was there to see off Hermione and the Lupins. Hermione cut a shock wave of silence on the platform when her presence was detected as many students and their families stopped to gawk at the tragic heroine with her escort of Harry Potter. Those gossips present in the crowd took it as confirmation of the Daily Prophet reports. There was further speculation behind the backs of two thirds of the famous trio when it was observed that the two Slytherin students were also in their party as well. There was a new collapsible ramp put out for Hermione and Hermione was loaded onto the Slytherin carriage where she joined Pansy, Draco and Blaise in one compartment. Harry made sure she was settled before kissing her good bye and wishing all the best in her new job.
Blaise proceeded to demand the latest gossip on the Girl-who-saved-so-many. Other Slytherins joined the group and soon Hermione found the compartment rather crowded so she transferred from her chair to the seat before waving her wand to collapse her chair and the shrink it so she could put it away in her pocket as there was not enough room in the carriage with everyone visiting Hermione. With a bit of bossy rearrangement provided by Pansy the carriage was more comfortable.
Millie Bulstrode was highly interested in the on going care of Hermione, as she had helped to save her younger cousins when Hermione had helped Pansy. It was interesting for this half blood Slytherin to hear how the two pure bloods that were the known leaders in their house had been learning about Muggle life from Harry Potter. Details of Hermione's new position in the school had come out on the journey especially when Hermione had retreated into one of her new books about dyslexia. She was feeling a little overwhelmed with all the attention.
When the train arrived at the Hogsmeade station Hagrid was there waiting with a portable ramp. Hermione sent a patronus message to the half giant to let him know which carriage she was in. The Keeper of Keys set the ramp down on her carriage as the train emptied onto the platform. After the carriage had thinned out a little Hermione re sized her chair to its normal dimensions and then transferred into the seat. Hermione then proceeded to wheel herself off the train via the ramp towards the carriage pickup point.
The train professors were calling the first years to one side and encouraging the rest of the years to head to the carriages. Guiding Hermione up to the front of the carriages queue Hagrid lifted Hermione into a carriage before packing her chair and putting it in with her. The half giant also assisted Pansy and Draco into the carriage with Hermione before sending the carriage on its way with brisk smack to the Threstral's rump to encourage it on its way.
Once Hermione had been loaded up Hagrid returned down to the station platform to collect the first years from the Professors who had corralled them so that they could take to the boats and cross Black Lake as per the tradition.
On their way up from the station Hermione noticed that there were new lighted pathways from the gates to the school entrance along with a ramp so she could make her own way into the building. The carriage stopped at the front entrance of the school and Draco jumped out. Pansy passed out the chair and while Draco opened it up helped to guide Hermione out of the carriage. When she reached the carriage step Draco picked her up and placed her in her wheel chair. The wizard then assisted Pansy to disembark the carriage before slapping the Thestral in a similar manner to Hagrid to encourage it to move on so the next carriage full of students could disembark.
Hermione took control of herself and she had already moved to the ramp and was wheeling herself up to the main doors when a small elf appeared. "Miss Mia" cried Tinky, "You are here!" The little elf informed her that the Headmaster had agreed to let her look after her as part of her normal duties and she was so thrilled that she had been given this responsible post.
Draco and Pansy had to head down to the Slytherin dorms to see the new rooms that they had been allocated so they said goodbye to Hermione once they had crossed the entranceway into the foyer. Moving through the corridors towards her new apartment she said hello to the familiar faces while Tinky provided Hermione with her schedule before dinner.
Arriving at the staff accommodation corridor Hermione found that the door opened for her automatically and she was ushered into her new room where Tinky proceeded to unpack her belongings. Just before the dinner hour an elf rang a bell in the corridor to indicate that dinner was in fifteen minutes. After making sure she looked professional Hermione wheeled her way out where she met Tonks and Teddy in the corridor. Tinky took Teddy from Tonks and sent the DADA professor off to dinner with Miss Mia. Teddy seemed to be very happy to be in the arms of the friendly house elf.
Tonks escorted Hermione down the lift and into the left hand staff entrance waiting area. This year as per normal the staff members eating at the top table were all going to process into the Great Hall. All the new staff would have to wait until they were announced to the student population. Hermione was informed that there was a full faculty staff meeting in the staff room at 9pm.
After seeing the professors' promenade in to the Great Hall Hermione started to get nervous. She listened to the sorting of the first years before Dinky was there at the waiting room doorway waving to her indicating that it was her time to face the crowds. She wheeled to the doorway and Dinky asked her to take her place next Professor Min. It was obvious to Hermione since it was the only place where there was no chair.
The Headmaster had started to introduce her and when she reached the table she used the arm of Minerva's chair and the table to lever herself up and give a quick wave to say thanks to those who were thunderously applauding her. Yes she still had some friends in Gryffindor and she had new friends in the other houses. Professor McGonagall was beaming with pride for her lion cub. When Hermione had sat back down in her chair the Headmaster called for quiet please so he could introduce the rest of the staff. Remus and Tonks joined her fairly quickly so she was sitting in Gryffindor territory on the main table.
The rest of the new staff members were introduced. The staff table was pretty full Hermione observed when everyone was seated.
Hermione got her meds box out of her pocket and placed it on the table so she would remember to have her evening dinner dose of medication. Minerva was interested in the plastic segmented pillbox. Hermione explained that the box was one of a set of seven and the dots were braille a communication system for those users of the pillbox that could not see.
Looking down on the Gryffindor table Hermione could observe a female 7th year red head that was definitely not looking at her in a friendly manner. Ginny looked like her temper was going to erupt like Krakatoa. Yes the Twins were right to warn her about their sister's misunderstandings and assumptions. The youngest two Weasleys both had notorious tempers very much like their mother. It must be a Prewitt trait thought Hermione.