Author Note: These Reaction stories are based on an idea given me by OfficerDonNZ. How would her parents react to the situation that these various changes brought about. They are based on the earlier chapters in this montage of ficlets. They are also a sort of origin story for some of the earlier chapters as the earlier ones are all joined in media res. Sadly some of the earlier chapters are not as well polished or expanded as others but I am not certain if any of these will be expanded out at some point into an actual story as I already have 205 idea in my notebooks now. (As of June 2022) With more popping into my head daily, various permutations, and observations. And not all of them entirely Harry Potter. So we'll see what happens. Thanks for the support and glad you are enjoying.

Anyhow this is a call back to Chapter 8 Mermione. This is not going to be a loving supportive Dan and Emma Granger. This is a Charles and Helen story. For those that pay attention to the stories when I use Charles and Helen as Hermione's parents it is not a warm, happy, loving home. It is at best a snooty, cold, boring home. To a downright abusive place. I do this both for my own coordination and coding as well as the public. Thank you.

===xxx(Story begins)

Fourteen year old Hermione Granger was working in her kitchen. Her parent's estate had enough rooms she was able to set the former summer kitchen up as her potions lab. Not that her parents cared or minded. Sir Charles Granger Esquire, dentist to the rich and powerful of Crawley and its environs, husband to trophy wife Helen Carstairs, and generally rich snob barely remembered they had a daughter unless they needed her for some social event. Further they neither understood nor seemed to want to understand magic. They treated it like some sort of odd little hobby that Hermione would eventually outgrow and become like the other girls her age, learning how to be socialites and snag a rich husband.

She was trying to make a water-breathing potion and the formula called for Plimpie eggs that had been softened into a gelatinous paste. To speed the process she put them into the microwave and then mashed and mixed them.

Looking at the slimy mass she shrugged and swallowed it. Gagging slightly as the contents settled into her stomach with a sodden heavy sensation. Suddenly she had a clenching writhing cramping sensation worse than anything she had ever experienced before. She doubled over as she fell to the floor. She seemed to be losing control of her legs as they felt strange and disconnected to her. She had no idea what was going on as she twitched and groaned. She mercifully passed out.

When she came to she felt strange. Her lower body felt cooler and the air tasted funny. She opened her eyes and went to stand up but she couldn't move her legs the right way. She struggled to sit up and almost passed out again as she had from just below her belly button down there was a long red and golden scaled mermaid tail. She touched it as she realized she would not be able to move her legs side to side only up and down. She still seemed to have knees about the half way point and maybe ankles.

This was not what was supposed to happen. Not at all and she was going to have to get help. Her wand was in her room as potions did not require a wand. Unfortunately that was up an entire level of stairs. She could call her parents at the office but what could they do. She was a mermaid. That was magic. She remembered the phone number that muggle-borns had been given to call Saint Mungo's Hospital if anything happened to them. The only trouble was the nearest phone was in the den down the hall.

She rolled over onto her stomach and began to try and drag herself along the floor. She discovered if she wriggled her tail a certain way she could push herself along a little bit. Pulling with her arms and flopping with her tail she managed to slowly, painfully, make progress.

By the time she had reached the den she was covered in sweat and her arms were aching. Her lower body was sore as she had flopped her way here. Now all she had to do was open the door. Forcing herself against the door frame she managed to struggle until she had reached the door knob. Turning it she fell into the den. Laying there for several minutes to catch her breath she got to the desk and used the cable to pull the phone down to her.

She dialed and reached the hospital. "Saint Mungo's Please state the nature of your medical emergency."

She had to cough and clear her throat twice before she managed to choke out in a harsh, hoarse whisper "Help me. I need help."

"Okay, stay on the line and we will send a team to your location."

A moment later 3 people popped into existence in the room,. Two men and a woman dressed in paramedic coveralls.

"Whoa. Okay. Transfiguration incident class 1." The one male said into the phone once he took it from Hermione.

"Right. Prepare the portkey pad."

The others had taken Hermione and lifted her onto a stretcher. Making her comfortable and checking her over. Within minutes she was in a room at the hospital and resting in a bed. She had been able to ask for a notepad and a pen as her voice felt so odd and people kept flinching when she spoke. She had tried the sign language she had learned but no one seemed to know it. So when her head of house entered and signed hello to her she almost felt like crying.

===xxx

Charles and Helen Granger were sitting in their dental office having a quick break between patients when their Office girl Marjorie knocked on their door, "Uh Sir, ma'am there is a gentleman here to see you."

"Oh who is it? Better not be another salesman or he'll be out on his duff."

"No someone named Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore?" Charles repeated in confusion.

"Oh yes dear, the headmaster of Hermione's school." Helen informed him.

"Ah. Well Marjorie let him in. I wonder what this is all about." He said with a frown.

"Yes sir." Marjorie said.

Dumbledore soon strode in. His bright purple blazer over a crisp lavender vest and a brilliant white shirt made Charles recoil. "Ahh Mr Granger."

"Sir Granger."

"Excuse me?" Dumbledore said.

"I am a member of the Order of the British Empire. That means I am entitled to be referred to as Sir." Charles haughtily said.

"Yes well. Regardless I am here to inform you that your daughter was taken to hospital not long ago. She has been involved in an accident."
"What sort of accident that you are here?" Charles asked grumpily. "If she was in a normal accident she would have gone Crawley Regency Hospital."

"Oh no. You see this was a magical accident."

Helen gasped, "Oh dear. Is she badly injured?"

"Well the healers are determining that but as of right now she is a mermaid."

"A WHAT?" Charles loudly exclaimed.

"She has the lower body of a merperson and her normal upper body. She is otherwise unharmed, my assistant Minerva is there with her now." Albus explained. "However as her parents it was felt that the two of you should be there."

"I have the son of the Earl of Grantham coming in thirty minutes. I can't go running off now. If she's not suffering then I shall come when business hours are over. That should be in about two hours, with a drive I'll be there by no later than seven."

Albus' mouth fell open as he looked at the man who was calmly talking about not rushing to his daughter's hospital room. This was a first. Then again they had not reacted very strongly when they were told about either previous time Hermione had been injured either.

"Well. I suppose I could go dear." Helen suggested. "My schedule is not very heavy. Just that horrible American girl that moved here."

"Ah. Yes. Her. Well then I suppose I will meet you at the hospital then." Charles said.

Helen stood up, "Please let me get my things Mr Dumbledore."

"Oh yes please." He said politely. Turning back to Charles who had sat back down to look over the record of the next patient. "Aren't you at all concerned?"

Charles looked up in surprise like he had not expected Dumbledore to still be in the room, "Oh. You said she is relatively unharmed. I sure they'll have all of this sorted out soon enough. You've managed that the other times you've placed our daughter into trouble."

"Yes well this time might be a bit more complicated as it involves a partial transfiguration." Albus tried to explain.

Charles looked like he had no desire to understand, waving his hand dismissively he said, "Yes, yes. But she had been partially turned into a cat, this shouldn't be that much more different."

Albus just closed his mouth, "We will have to see what the healers say."

===xxx

Hermione looked at her professor in surprise before signing, 'You know sign language?'

Sighing Minerva nodded, "You are not the first mute student we have had. Although technically you are not mute. Your vocal cords have been transformed to be most effective underwater."

Hermione nodded, 'Oh. That makes sense. Although why am I not drying out in air?'

"Because merbeings are amphibious dear. And it seems that you are magically one. At least according to the initial tests." Minerva explained.

'Is this like the poly-juice incident?' Hermione signed dejectedly. She remembered how painful and unpleasant it had been to be turned back to herself.

"Perhaps. I'm not certain. The healers are conferring with each other. Your case is rather unique."

Minerva sat quietly as Hermione relaxed. Healers came in and spoke with her for a few moments about her ingredients, her formula, her potion lab, as well as how she prepared everything when she listed the microwave he had to have what one of those was explained to him as he left Her mother and Professor Dumbledore arrived.

"Oh dear. How are you Hermione?" her mother asked as she came in.

'I am fine.' Hermione signed using one of Harry's favorite lines.

"What happened to her voice? Why isn't she speaking? What are those things on the side of her neck?"
"Her vocal cords have changed is why she is not speaking. They are more efficient underwater. And those things on the side of her neck are her gills. How she is breathing." Minerva explained quickly.

"Oh. Well they'll be rather difficult to hide won't they?"

"You can't hide them. She needs them to breathe." Minerva looked at the other woman in astonishment.

"Oh yes. Well." Helen said. "How long will she be staying here?"

"We do not know yet." Minerva said crossly.

Helen sat down beside Hermione and patted her hand.

Hermione signed 'father?'

"He'll be along. The Earl of Grantham's son had a root canal scheduled." Helen reminded her.

Hermione nodded. Of course business and socializing came first with him.

Eventually a pair of healers came in. "Miss Granger. I'm sorry but it seems that your pattern has been scrambled and locked. We tested the ingredients and not only did you have gulping Plimpie eggs instead of normal Plimpie eggs your microwaving them altered their properties. As a result you were transformed."

"So how long before you can restore her to normal?" Helen interrupted. "How she got like this is all interesting I'm sure but the only important thing is getting her back to normal. She had plans over the summer as did we."

"Ma'am she will never be restored. Her magical pattern has been rewritten by the effects of the potion. This is her normal now."

Helen looked at Hermione in worry, "Oh dear. That will make it rather difficult to find a husband."

Hermione glared at her mother.

Minerva thought stood up, "Ma'am. Do ya really think th'at's the 'biggest theng ye should be worrying abou?" Her Scottish brogue thick and tense with her anger. Albus knew she only let her accent out that much when she was angry.

"Well. She won't be doing this magic trick thing her entire life. She has a career at University, then a successful career of her own with a good husband that will be an effective partner. So of course I'm worried about all of that. This could ruin her entire life. Plus how would we explain having a fish girl for a daughter at the social club?"

Hermione's mouth hung open in shock as her mother did not seem to be upset that she would never be allowed among muggle society again. That her entire life was going to be in the magical world now. And then only in the black lake at school maybe.

"All yer wurried abou is yer social club? Yer daughter is not going to be going ta any social club among muggles like this."
"Yes well. What are we supposed to do then. I suppose we could put her in the pool in the garden, but then that would make having a dinner party difficult."
Minerva's brows had grown very close Albus observed and he was about to speak when Minerva stated with a finality that even he would not argue with, "As her magical guardian I'll take her to me home. The clan McGonnegal will be responsible for her and happy ta ave er!"

Helen actually looked relieved, "Oh well. Thank you. I suppose we can tell everyone she is off at a school project, or maybe at a foreign boarding school. I'm sure you can send for anything she wants from the house."

Minerva put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Yes I'm surre we will."

===xxx

By dinner time that evening she was on an island in the Hebrides. It was several miles long and a few wide. There was a deep slow moving fresh water stream originating in the middle of it by the castle and running to the sea. A small collection of cottages and farms took up the rest of the island with fishing boats bobbing around the island.

Hermione was sitting in a wheelchair with her tail displayed in front of her. She was still grumpy about the representative from the department of mysteries who had talked to her about signing up to be a test subject, getting pregnant to see what her children would be like and if she would give birth to more mer-people or humans. Among other things. Fortunately Minerva had chased them out of the room.

A tall dark haired man came out of a side room with a pair of teenage men. Hermione blushed a little bit as she felt awkwardly naked for some reason. Even though she was wearing a shirt and bra.

"Ah Minerva. This is the young lass that ye was telling me abbou?" The man said.

"Yes. Hermione this is my nephew Angus, his sons Caelan and Argyle. Gentlemen this is Hermione. She will be staying with me. This is the things from her former home she needs brought here."

Angus looked at the list then with a nod the two teens departed with a resounding pop. Turning to Hermione he smiled, "Well lass. Welcome to Isle McGone. Ancestral home of the McGonnegal clan. Minerva's cottage and the castle are connected by a paved walkway so you'll not have any trouble. I have workers extending the walkway to the beach at least and the river right outside. So ye can go swimming at your leisure. Alright."

Hermione signed 'thank you' which Minerva translated.

She settled into the cottage with Minerva who when outside school was still a stern woman but had a sense of humor and cared about Hermione. Helping her research the possible ways of transforming herself. Nothing that would alter her pattern would work so becoming an animagus or any variants of that was impossible. She was able to use poly-juice though but it had half the duration and was instantly negated if she got into any amount of water.

She enjoyed being on an island as she could use the wheelchair to get to the causeway by the castle, use a pulley they had installed to pull herself out of the chair and lower herself into the water. Swimming off into the cool water, her bikini top the only thing she wore.

Her eyes had a clear membrane that closed over them like goggles which helped her see underwater amazingly. Her hearing and sense of smell and taste were outstanding. She had to admit being optimized for underwater almost didn't make her want to go back to the surface.

Finding out about the attack at the World cup though made her redouble her research efforts to transform so she could go back and help Harry. She had felt scared and troubled by the thought of Harry being killed while she was off swimming under the sea.

One other thing that happened on the island she was not entirely certain about but Dumbledore showed up with her mother and father one day.

"Hello Hermione. Albus says you are doing quite well in researching a way of dealing with this." her father said neutrally.

'Yes father.' she signed back.

He licked his lips, "I fear your mother and I may have come off rather unpleasantly." He said sitting down to be on an eye level with her. "We're sorry for that."

Hermione didn't know what to say. Her dad sounded like he was trying to be sincere.

"You came rather late. I always thought that I could never have children. So we were rather set in our ways dear." Helen said.

"And magic, well we never put much stock in that sort of stuff. Only for you to be apparently one of the best and most powerful witches in quite sometime according to your headmaster." her father said with a trace of pride.

"Plus you're rather dreadfully important to your friend Harry it seems." Helen agreed.

"So you see not only do we not know anything about how to deal with a child, but a very special and wonderful child like you takes even more effort and we failed in that." He admitted.

Hermione frowned looking at the headmaster before signing 'What did they do to you?'

Charles chuckled ruefully, "Well aside from talking quite honestly and impertinently to us he showed us a few things. Suffice to say we realized we were wrong. And if you'll forgive us we can try and work to be better people?"

Helen put her hand on her husband's arm, "Maybe better parents too. We won't be perfect."

Hermione smiled tearfully, 'I don't want perfect. I just want family.'

Charles and Helen took her in their arms and cried.

Minerva gave them their space while pulling Albus to the side, "You did nah do anything to them did ye?" She said. Having spent the last month among her kinfolk her brogue was rather thicker Albus chuckled.

"No. Aside from speaking with them rather sternly and honestly. Reminding them that a child is a precious gift and that no matter what Hermione is their daughter. They are her parents. Hopefully this will turn out well."

The Grangers stayed with Hermione for he next several days. Working to be better people as she worked with several professors on a belt that would allow her lower half to at least while it was worn become human.

A week before school was to begin she had crafted a fine silver scaled belt that tightly clasped over her waist. Putting it on and clicking the buckle to activate it she felt a strange melting bubbling sensation as her tail fin soon found itself melting into a pair of legs. Smooth legs. Her toenails though were still red and gold scales but that was minor. She was so excited it took Minerva clearing her throat to realize she was bare from the waist down in front of everyone. Leaping behind a convenient screen the headmaster had transfigured from a chair she pulled on a skirt.

"So how do I look?" She asked walking out on wobbly legs.

"You look normal." Albus said while her parents smiled happily at her.

"You look wonderful dear." Helen said.

"So this belt is what allows this?" Charles asked.

"Yes. Its made from goblin silver so it'll be rather durable. Which with her life is probably a good idea." Flitwick said.

"Good. We're very happy."
Hermione smiled as she walked over to her parents, "I'm glad we figured it out. I would have missed you."

Charles gave her one of the first unreserved true smiles, "We would have missed you as well."

===xxx(Review Responses)

Sparky40sw: Thank you. Look in Chapter 3 of this story for the continuation of the story line. Its not as good as my modern writing as it was pretty early. As for Termione thank you as well.

N0wa5t3r: About Termione first. Thank you. Now as for the rest of your questions and observations. Yes this was the first of the prequels to the ficlets. Hence the subtitle The Reaction. '-)

Yes a runic tattoo would be a permanent solution if she wanted to be permanently visible and once she retired from the war effort she would probably do that. But during the war she would see the usefulness of being invisible, even if one had to be naked to do so.

Chapter 3 of the story is the ride to Hogwarts and such. This Reaction was the prequel to that specific one. I just fleshed it out and got better at writing. Looking back to remind myself about it I realized I sucked at writing. Lol. As for Luna I had not considered her when I wrote the original but if I ever do expand it out I might bring her in.

The Invisibility cloak is a artifact from Death herself. So it would supersede all other forms of invisibility under the form of magic I use for my story worlds. So probably the answers to the questions involving it are no.

As for Homenium Revilio she is still a human so yep There she is. I didn't say anything about her hair, nails or other things leaving her body but I suppose by the way I have it developed they would return to normal visibility. Anything attached to her or within her body cavities would be rendered invisible.

As for a baby that is an interesting question. Like any genetic mutation the possibility of it passing onward would be rather random and complicated. Her child might not but her grandchild might. Or might fade out at puberty which could be one more fun thing for the kids to deal with.

She would probably join the Weasley twins as the Usual Suspects for anything that happened indeed. I see McGonnegal and the staff acting like Louie from Casablanca when anything happens sighing and saying "Round up the usual suspects."

I'm not sure how most magicals would react to microwaves. Probably based on how adventurous they are and if the effects are all negative or not. I bet Molly would blast the thing into orbit as an abomination as she's a bit traditional..

I have quite a few things going on right now before I could expand this out but I do have a few notes in the book for that effect. I have no plans to sop doing this as I'm having fun.

Anyhow thanks for the well thought out and intelligent review.

IdlemanRPG: Interesting Ideas. It may have caused a spark. Both of those indeed. Mwahaha.

Jadesabrexiv: Indeed. An invisible high strung girlfriend that appears to have no moral restriction to setting professors that threaten her boyfriend on fire. Probably not a good idea to cross her.