She examined her beginning of the year list. She had completed it all in time. Third year will be different. Last time was maintenance the escapee Sirius Black and trying to freak with an her classes using the Time Turner. She didn't feel that way anymore. She kept up her good grades but didn't raise her hand for every answer or go total swot on everyone. She wasn't trying to prove herself anymore. And she wasn't going to work in the Ministry again so she wasn't really worried about that.
She has no real experience being the fun one or the pranker or corrupting the system of things. Maybe that will be something to work on this summer for next year. Harry can help her. And training. A whole year of training to deal with the Triwizard Tournament 4th year. Ugh. She needs to have Harry socialize more so the lies aren't so believable this time.
--
"I never did ask, what did you tell McGonnagall on your choice on career?" Harry turns to her on the train. Now that his brain was more clear he had been reading about Occumulency. Surprisingly Ron had ditched their compartment to go talk to Dean and Seamus within an hour into the trip. Harry didn't seem too bothered how often that started happening. He simply just turned to Neville and discussed plants. She was proud of his growth, really of all 3 boys.
"I was thinking of starting my own business but I told her I wasn't sure what kind yet. We still have time so I'm sure I'll have a better idea within the next few years.," she tilts her head in wonder.
"Really? I figured you were destined to go towards the ministry like Percy wants to do, you are the Brightest Witch of our Age," he smirks.
"Ugh, that title. Lets agree you don't call me that and I won't call you the Boy Who Lived or the Chosen one, yes?" she grunts unladylike.
"Oh I see your point. You have a deal. Just Harry and Hermione Granger Potter-Black," he says.
"That is a very long name, especially when you add in our middle names. Hermione Jean Granger Potter-Black. Harry," he cuts her off.
"Harrison," he corrects her.
"Huh?"
"I was so fascinated by all the details at the bank I completely overlooked one. My name is Harrison James Granger Potter-Black." he explains.
"huh...maybe we were meant to be siblings. We even have the same initials now," she thinks it over aloud.
"Maybe we were. I wouldn't change it for th world Hermione. I couldn't have been given a better sister," he leans in to hug her. She tries not to cry at those words. They made her feel whole. "Hey maybe we can push people to call me Harrison. Make people go out of breath just calling our names to get our attention. Harrison.Hermione. It's even the same length. You know what, yes. We are doing it. Maybe we can put it in the paper too!" She giggles as he gets excited over his idea. She was sure a part of it was to separate himself from the brava of Harry Potter the Boy who lived. She didn't mind. He was happy. She was happy. That was all that mattered.
"Have you 2 decided on what we are eating tonight?" Richard Granger pops his head into the kitchen where his 2 teenagers who laughing over ice cream. He liked that. His 2 teenagers. He had a son and daughter now.
"We were thinking Italian," Hermione decides.She turns to Harry, "Hey, did you ever realize what they serve at school is pretty limited? I think we should bring back cookbooks for the elves. Italian will be great to have every now and then. Pizza, burgers, indian, Greek! whhoo chinese, korean, thai!"
"Turkish! Mexican! Jamaican!" they continued the ideas as they went out the door to drive to the italian restaurant down the street.
'Hey is it street looking different than usual?" Harry looks around them as he opens the car door. Hermione turns. It was different, but she couldn't say how.
"Hello neighbor!!!" They turn to the sound of Sirius Black. He was waving over the wall next door.
"Sirius?!" Harry runs around the wall to hug him. "What are you doing here?"
"I bought the house!"
"More like he bought the whole street!" The turn again to see another man coming out of the house across from Sirius's. She remembered him from the photos.
"You're Remus Lupin, correct?" she ask
"Yes, dear, and you are Hermione. Sirius bought the other houses on this street to take it over. Wards protect it from muggles and I am now in this house. I'm sure he will be moving people in until they are all full." he explains. Sirius was jumping for joy, their parents were chuckling at his excitement and they themselves couldn't believe their ears.
"That's so great! Does that mean magic can be done here? OOh! We should have a floo set up outside so no one can floo into the houses! It's will be like a bus stop but through a fireplace!"
"Alright alright, How about you join us for dinner? We are going to the little italian place down the road," Richard directs everyone to the vehicles. Harry and Hermione in the car with their parents, and Remus guides Sirius to his own car.
The summer started off with jumping between the 3 houses. It reassured the Dentist that their kids were able to reach an adult if they had any troubles while they worked.
At the beginning of July, the 6 of them went on a family trip. This year it was to Chamonix France. It was while there that the teenagers discussed Hogwarts and what they could bring there from the muggle world. Remus and Sirius listened in often on their ideas even if most of them got discarded.
"What about sports?" Hermione brings it up. "There is only Quidditch despite the thousands of sports across the world. And don't think I am only saying this because I don't like flying. Fear or not, its a valid point. Maybe we can bring a futbol or tennis or cricket. Rugby. While most people fly, not everyone plays Quidditch. More options available mean more chances for students to gain indurance when they do something like duel. Strengthen your body, strengthen your magic. You should just as much be able to throw a punch as you are able to cast a hex."
"She's got a point," Sirius agrees. "The training camp for aurors involves just as much physical training as it does magic wise. I heard about your career day. The aurors brought a mini obstacle course, didn't they? I heard the whole event was a blast. They want to do it annually by the way. It's not just a way to bring attention to the choices out there but also for 7th years to possibly get their foots in the doors of said careers and for those jobs to scout potentials.
Ideas jumped back and forth like that the whole 2 weeks of the trip when they weren't just out having a great time.
When they got back, Andromeda Tonks was moving into House #1 with her husband and daughter who they learned was a trainee Auror. They took the chance to discuss the obstacle courses and training she has gone through.
She ended up tagging along with the teens and her cousin to go shopping for all their ideas to attempt at school.
"Do you think they would notice if we brought 2 or trunks each?" She frowns at the stuff across Sirius's living room, not counting their uniforms and supplied that still needed to be purchased.
"We have magic Mi, see if Sirius or Remus can do a stronger expansion charm on one truck so there's only one extra," he scoffs at her in disbelief. He had been at the Burrow the day before working on a shed to place ask the new equipment when they got to school. Hermione had in that time, went to a muggle bookstore to buy books about the sports they had chosen.
Arthur Weasley had agreed to work on a devise to follow the games, including Quidditch, and the view will appear on a screen out in the air depending on what is being played.
She collected the Mauraders to do the charm and in no time it was complete. Sirius was taking them to Paris to buy their school supplies like they did the summer before.
"I think we should go to the Burrow after we get back from Paris, " Harry casually comments.
"Just say you want to fly around in your new broom, " she laughs as she bumps him with her shoulder.
Harry had been gifted the Firebolt by Sirius for his birthday. She got him new Quidditch gloves and his very own Snitch with his initials engraved on it. Their parents had got him a video game system with 6 games and Remus gave him a book on becoming an animangus promising they will walk him through the spell when he turned 16. Tonks got him a wand holster and her parents gave him a book on beginner healing spells for minor situations.
"If you go, you have to get started on your school books when you get back," she narrows her eyes at him. He makes himself look like he's trying to decide when really he knew his answer.
"Fine, deal," They shake hands.
--
The train was nearly full by the time they arrived. The siblings blamed Sirius for being late. They barely had time to place their trunks inside and say goodbye before the train was blowing its horn to leave.
"We are seeing alarms for him next time, " she grumbles. Crookshanks meows in agreement.
"He needs one of those muggle alarms that can wake up a whole neighborhood. That way he can't go back to sleep because the sound will still be echoing in his mind, " Harry beams.
"Don't let dad here you say that, he'll buy one for the Burrow!" Ron jumps up to help them with their collection of stuff "What did you do, buy a whole bookstore and bring it Mione?"
"The third truck is our projects to bring to school Ron, did you forget we were doing that?" Harry laughs.
"Oh yeah. Hey think I'll get some good muscle with this rugby game?"
"Definitely possible."
"Boys." Hermione settles in with her book while boys from all years for the next few hours come and go to talk Quidditch and the new sports they were bringing.
"I can't believe he didn't tell us!" Harry tosses his have in the air in disbelief at the sight of Remus at the head table during the Welcome Feast.
"Who's that?" Neville looks across.
"Remus Lupin, Sirius's best friend since school. He's pretty much my uncle."
"DADA?"
"Probably."
--
Hermione left it to the boys to set up the shed next th the brooms with Madam Hooch for the new sports equipment. Dean and a Hufflepuff had joined them in excitement.
She runs up to her dorm to pull out the dozen cookbooks and slips them into the expandable backpack to carry down to the kitchen.
"Hungry miss?"
"Pumpkin juice miss?"
"We have cake!"
She had to hold her hand up to quiet them down.
"I have brought a gift in appreciation for ask your hard work, if you are okay with it?" She smiles nervously, her history with house Elves not always the best.
"There is no need. We good house Elves, " one says. She decides to at least show them to let them decide. She stands at the table to pull out the books and lays them out for them to see.
"They are recipes from food around the world. I thought you might like to try something new every now and then, " she tries explaining but she gets cut off with cheers of joy. They loved them. She spent a little time with them which had them brining her tea and snacks while she went through the books with them.
She left the kitchen feeling good. She learned some things from the elves and they got to feed her which made them happy. She pauses to roll her hair up into a bun at the top of her head and head to the office of Professor McGonagall to ask for use of an empty classroom to turn intimate a library of muggle literature and knowledge. She technically already asked through owl during the summer but never went through the details.
