Janet eyed them warily as they entered the room, still talking quietly to each other, "Is everything alright?"
Robert hummed, smiling reassuringly at her "Just speculating."
"On what?" Janet demanded, her suspicions immediately aroused given the look on his face.
"The book showed some interesting concepts," he hedged, avoiding his wifes glare; nothing good ever came from her resorting to what he fondly thought of as her scolding stance. She had used it to good effect over the years, the moment her hands hit her hips and her eyebrows rose, children everywhere confessed their sins. If he didn't know any better he'd think she used magic, unfortunately, he was no more immune than the children.
"Such as?" she asked, sounding dangerously uninterested.
Robert's eyes shot to his granddaughter. Recognising his silent question, and hating it, Hermione nodded minutely knowing it was the only option; there was no point in speculating without having any facts. Both of them knew they needed to speak to someone else, Charlus perhaps, before they voiced their suspicions out loud. To do otherwise would only cause upset.
"The book showed Hermione a soulmate potion."
"It did?" Janet's eyebrows shot to her hairline, having clearly not expected that.
"Yes," Hermione muttered, "I think it was trying to irritate me."
"A book was trying to irritate you?" Janet repeated sounding far too amused, which Hermione supposed was the point. One grandmother successfully redirected.
"Well what else was it doing?" she demanded.
"Proving a point?" Janet replied smugly. "What does it need?"
"Pearl dust, moonstone, rose thorns, a silver caldron and a new moon," Hermione recited with a sigh.
Janet's grin widened, flicking her wand. "New Moon…tenth. That's today, lass!"
Hermione groaned, refusing to be impressed by the spell. "So it is."
"Well then, let's get things organised after lunch." Janet clapped her hands, reminding Hermione viscerally of her teenage roommates. She barely repressed a shudder.
"Or we could do it next month…" she offered, despite knowing it was futile, "or you know, not at all."
"Nonsense," Janet scoffed, guiding her into a seat. "Eat your soup. You'll want to know before your lunch with your young man tomorrow."
She'd never admit it but Hermione whimpered. Her grandfather shot her an apologetic look but in the interests of self preservation said nothing, which was how she found herself in the potions lab her grandparents apparently kept in a small outhouse in their garden, gathering ingredients as her grandmother fluttered around talking nineteen to the dozen about topics Hermione couldn't keep up with. Stories of a Selwyn cousin who had tried to marry a centaur, another who had ended up in Azkaban for cursing a band of Aurors, a great-Uncle who had campaigned to abolish the statute and on it went, leaving Hermione reeling and understanding why that side of the family hadn't been mentioned before now.
"Now then, darkness will fall around five, so to make sure it's properly nightfall, we'll aim for after dinner. I'll let your father know you're staying, maybe it'll persuade him to come," Janet informed her, biting back a sigh, Hermione nodded. "Wonderful, why don't we pop to the Ministry and speak to your father in person, after that, there's a new shop on the Alley I had intended to visit if you'd join me?"
"Oh?" Hermione murmured hesitantly, wondering what on earth her Grandmother was planning now.
"It has the most wonderful soaps or so they say," Janet smiled.
"That's not what I was expecting," Hermione admitted, biting back a smile as she allowed relief to flow through her. Soap she should handle. "Why not? Can we go to Flourish and Blotts while we're there?"
"Aye, I imagine we could. We'll pick up some butterbeer for dinner. I don't buy it often but your grandfather's got an awful sweet tooth and adores it."
Laughing, Hermione headed in search of her cloak, allowing her grandmother to hustle her towards the floo.
"Hermione!" Izzah smiled, spotting her.
Hermione's head jerked up spotting Izzah clutching a raft of paperwork as she hurried down the hallway looking slightly harried. "Hi! How are you?"
"I'm good. Busy, but good. You've just missed Alex."
"I saw him yesterday, I'm sure he'll forgive me," Hermione dismissed as Izzah snorted.
"Yes I heard about that." she smirked, "He was…less than impressed with a certain Mr Dearborn."
"Gods don't!" Hermione groaned, "He was absurd."
"Yes I can imagine." she agreed before a wicked grin took over her face, "We can double date next time, at least I know you have a brain."
"I'm not…were not…" Hermione spluttered, making both Izzah and her grandmother laugh. "Ugh, you are awful! Both of you! Izzah, have you met my grandmother?" Izzah shook her head, looking at the tiny woman curiously, noting that her new friend's stature was clearly inherited from this woman. "Ah, Janet McGonagall, Izzah Shafiq." she introduced. "Izzah's Alex's girlfriend."
"It's lovely to meet you," Izzah smiled, pushing open the door to the department, "are you here for Auror Moody?"
"Yes, he said he was training new recruits?"
"Yes, room 44."
"Thanks, Izzah, we'll let you get back to that delightful-looking stack of paperwork."
Izzah grimaced, "Thanks," she replied sarcastically. "I keep hoping I'll lose it somewhere…or it'll magically sort itself."
"Good luck with that," Hermione replied with a sympathetic grimace just as Charlus bustled out of his office.
"Hermione! And…Janet…" he looked between them with obvious confusion, "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, Gran just wanted to invite Dad to dinner but he's still in with the new recruits," Hermione explained, accepting the hug he offered.
Charlus nodded slowly, clearly wondering what he was missing. "Alright, do you want me to take you there?"
"Please?"
Shaking his head, he looped Hermione's arm through his "How are you?"
"Alright," she shrugged.
"Alex was in the right state yesterday, he said you remembered some things?" Charlus probed, deliberately keeping his voice low.
Hermione sighed but nodded, "I've been told we're going to fix things," she muttered.
Charlus hummed, looking over at Janet, "It's been a long time, Madam McGonagall."
"Ocht, I was Janet three minutes ago, don't turn me into my mother-in-law now Charlus Potter!"
Charlus laughed, "How is the lovely Isobel?"
"Vicious and grumpy and we think, bored. A dangerous combination."
"Indeed," Charlus muttered, well acquainted with Isobel McGonagall's particular brand of chaos. "Dorea and Effie are heading up a luncheon for Hogwarts student funds, perhaps she could help?"
"I wasn't aware you were a masochist, Director Potter," Janet chided, mischief clear on her face, "Dorea will hex you for even suggesting it."
Charlus looked at her for several seconds before he laughed, "Probably." he conceded. "Miranda Travers is talking about organising an Imbolc ball?"
"Oh she'd like that," Janet beamed, "And Miranda always did need a…firm hand."
"Indeed," Charlus grinned, knocking on the door.
"What?" Alastor barked, wrenching it open.
"Hello to you too, Alastor." Janet greeted pointedly.
"Janet." he stared at her dumbly before his eyes drifted from Charlus to Hermione. "Is everything alright?"
"It's fine," Hermione assured him quickly, seeing a slight hint of panic on his usually stoic face. "Gran intends to keep me for dinner and she wanted to invite you too."
"She wanted to invite me to dinner?" Alastor checked looking bewildered.
"Apparently." Hermione nodded.
"Right…I…" he frowned, "You couldn't have sent an owl?"
"I could have but that would have given you time to think up an excuse." Janet retorted, spotting the wide-eyed recruits behind Alastor listening to their every word. In the centre of the room, two red-haired men looked more than a little amused. "Oh, those'll be the twins I suppose?"
"What?" Hermione turned to her grandmother before she groaned, spotting a now laughing Fabian. "For the love of Merlin."
"Well, do introduce me," Janet demanded.
"Gran…can we not?" Hermione whined.
Janet tisked, as Charlus' shoulders shook. "Nonsense." Striding into the room with her hand extended, Janet looked the twins over, "Janet McGonagall."
"Will someone obliviate me please?" Hermione muttered, her head thunking onto a still laughing Charlus' shoulder.
Alastor's mouth twitched with suppressed amusement as the twins greeted Janet. "Now I've heard about this one from my granddaughter," Janet nodded to Fabian once she'd gotten their names, "But what about you young man?"
Gideon looked momentarily like a deer caught in headlights, before he recovered himself, "Well I am of course the better-looking twin." he smiled integratingly.
"And does your head still fit through the doorway young man?"
Several of the new recruits laughed as Gideon flushed. "Duel lass?" Alastor smirked down at his daughter where she was hiding her face against her godfather's arm, "Work off some of that humiliation."
"With you?" she mumbled, not lifting her head.
Alastor looked at her consideringly, before he smirked "No. With Director Potter I think."
"With…" Hermione looked up at him in horror, "No."
"Why not?"
"Because I think that might add to my humiliation not work it off," she retorted wryly, her cheeks still pink.
"Nonsense. It'll do you good," Alastor dismissed before he turned back to the room. "Right you lot, on the viewing platform."
"Ah Miss Moody," Fabian grinned wickedly, "If you wanted our attention all you had to do was ask, no need to go to these lengths."
Hermione growled, making him laugh. "Best of luck, Miss Moody," Gideon offered with a slight smile. "I'm sure the Big Boss won't leave you in too many pieces. If you ask nicely, maybe my brother will kiss the sore bits better for you."
"Fucking arseholes," Hermione muttered as they sauntered out of the duelling ring. Forcing herself to breathe, she eyed Charlus warily, knowing he had something to prove as the head of the department.
"On three," Alastor commanded.
Hermione wasn't sure she'd ever moved so quickly in her life as Charlus gave her no time to do anything other than cast and dodge. She was suddenly grateful that her father had held back with her, this was horrific. A quick flashback to being fifteen and out skilled by grown men shot through her head.
Taking a brief moment to breathe as she sent her canaries flying at him, Hermione scanned the room for anything she could use, spotting a line of robes. she could use them. Snarling, Charlus finited her birds, muttering something she thought was "going to buy a kneazle" before firing back at her with more determination than before.
Sending off a slicing hex, followed by a Ventus, Hermione used his momentary distraction to summon the robes, watching with interest as they got caught in her previous spell, swirling around him, tangling in his limbs. She accioed his wand, unable to get a clear shot at stunning him as he attempted to move out of her spells range, knowing it was likely her last victory for the day when she spotted his face as the robes fell in a tangled heap at his feet.
She wasn't wrong. Twenty minutes later she was wandless, bound and panting. Charlus looked smug as he released her.
"I have never in my life been attacked with robes." he groused as he helped her up.
"Got to use what you have." Hermione shrugged.
"Unusual tactics, Miss Moody." Gideon looked her over consideringly, his usual smirk gone. If she was being honest, she might think he looked impressed.
"They worked for a little while," she agreed.
"Well done lass, feeling better?" Alasor smirked.
Surprisingly, she was. "A little." she agreed.
"Good, now, I'll see you later, this lot needs a debrief and, Merlin help us all, some more practice. Although if any of them set robes on me, you and I will be having words."
"Well then, let me walk you out," Charlus grinned. "I always forget how bloody exhausting duelling with an audience is, can't let the new kids think you've lost your touch."
Hermione snorted, as Janet bustled over, "Hermione Isobel Ailsa Moody, what in the name of Merlin was that!"
"A duel?" Hermione responded, sounding bewildered.
"A duel!" Janet screeched, "You are bleeding!"
"Am I?" Hermione looked down at herself in concern as Charlus scanned her body before he preemptively cast a privacy charm.
"Oh for the love of the wee man!" Janet prodded her wand sharply at Hermione's arm as both Charlus and Hermione watched her warily. "Now explain to me where you learned to duel like that!"
"I thought we'd already established that," Hermione replied pointedly, "Necessity."
Janet blanched, "It's one thing to hear it lass, and another thing entirely to see it" she replied softly, "Your mother was a competent witch, but she never fought the way you just did."
Hermione shrugged awkwardly, "I don't think many people who aren't forced to do."
Janet made a small sound of distress before she visibly gathered herself, "I don't like it."
Hermine sighed, "I'm not sure what to say to that," she admitted, "You knew I was training."
"Aye," Janet sighed, "I did but…are you sure you can't…let someone else deal with it?"
"Who?" Hermione asked bluntly. "And people are helping. Saul has a list he's working on, Dad is location hunting."
"He is?" Charlus interjected.
"Yes. You didn't think we were doing nothing, did you? I might need to get my strength back up but that doesn't mean we're all doing nothing at all."
"I thought I told you I wanted in on the next conversation with Croaker?"
"It was arranged before that!" Hermione protested. "I'm meeting with him in a few days, Wednesday, I think."
Charlus hummed, "Then I'll be there."
Hermione sighed, "Fine, he's coming to the house at ten."
Charlus nodded, "Expect me then."
"And your grandfather," Janet interjected "He won't want to be left out of this. I wouldn't rule out some of the others either."
Hermione bit back a sigh, "And if I object?"
"You can object if you like lassie, doesn't mean we have to listen. This is not just your fight. From what you've said there were a lot of people affected."
"I'll mention it to Alex." Charlus nodded as Hermione groaned.
"Wonderful. Let's be heading to the Alley then lass, Merlin knows I could do with a fortifying cup of tea." Janet commanded.
A still-subdued Janet fluttered around the kitchen, trying to remind herself that Hermione was here and safe. The duel had been jarring. While she had known that her granddaughter had suffered, she had known she was practising, and ultimately, on some level, she had known that no daughter of the paranoid Alastor Moody would be anything less than formidable, even without factoring in time travel, seeing her throw herself into a fight with an opponent with vastly superior experience had been horrific to watch. She had seen the moment Hermione had accepted she'd lost, and wondered if the girl knew because she'd experienced it before. The fact that she'd still fought, had still thrown herself into getting as many hits as she could, indicated that she had and that made Janet want to sob. Because Charlus undoubtedly loved her, he would no more have seriously hurt her than he would cut off his wand hand, but the same could not be said for those she'd faced before, and altogether more frightening, those she was yet to face.
"Are you alright, Auntie Netty?" a voice came from behind her, startling her out of her rapidly spiralling thoughts. "Godric, you're shaking!"
"Callum!" Janet tried to force her voice to sound normal.
"Auntie Netty!" his voice took on a warning tone as he stared her down.
Janet sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I watched your cousin duel Charlus Potter today."
"Director of the DMLE Charlus Potter?" Callum checked incredulously.
"Aye."
"Why?" he barked.
"Because Alastor thought it was a good idea," Callum frowned, clearly confused. "He was training new recruits, we'd gone to see him to invite him to dinner. It wasn't…Charlus would never hurt her but seeing the way she fights was awful. It was just awful."
Callum nodded slowly "In what way?"
"She's good!" Janet exclaimed, "she's better than good! And when I think of where she learned it…."
Understanding finally dawned on Callum's face, "It made it real" he sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Aye."
"Aunty Netty," he began slowly, moving closer to her, "her being good… that's a good thing. She's going to need to be."
"I know but why can't she just leave it be?" Janet asked, looking close to tears, "Why can't she let us keep her safe and away from all of that?"
"Aunty Netty, it's not going to happen." Callum replied gently, "And you know it. She lost her entire life, of course, she's going to want to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Janet nodded slowly, "I know but I don't like it."
Callum looked at her sympathetically, "There's nothing you can do about it."
Janet felt her shoulders slump further, "I know," she admitted.
"Let's go and introduce the children to their terrifying big cousin," Callum sighed, not sure how to offer comfort on this. "Isla was practically flying at the thought."
In spite of herself, Janet laughed, "Merlin help you when Hermione teaches the lass some tricks. Is wee Josie here?"
"Not yet, Scott doesn't finish work until a bit later tonight, they'll be by soon."
Janet hummed, "Well then let's go and supervise the children."
"I'll tell Sarah you included her in that." Callum teased.
Janet scoffed before she followed him out of the room. Walking in to find an exasperated Sarah scolding her bouncing daughter.
"Isla Catriona McGonagall! For the love of Helga, if you want your cousin to answer your questions then you need to stop talking long enough to let her speak!"
Callum's eyes travelled over to his cousin, she was watching Isla with a strangely fond smile. She didn't look like a witch disturbed by her earlier duel, if anything she looked completely at ease which, despite his earlier words, disconcerted him slightly.
"Hermione," he smiled, glad he'd managed to remember to call her by her new name. "Sorry for the bairn, she's always been curious."
Hermione shrugged at him, "I don't mind," she admitted honestly, "She reminds me of me."
There were several beats of silence, Janet in particular looked glassy-eyed. "I can imagine," Callum murmured softly, "You asked questions from the moment you could speak. You once had every Hufflepuff girl in my year sat around a table in The Three Broomsticks answering them."
Hermione laughed, her cheeks pinking at the thought, "You cannot be serious!"
"Oh, I am! It was hilarious, you could only have been two? Half of what you said was unintelligible but you were such a cute little thing that they all pretended they understood." he grinned, sitting down beside her so he could nudge her with his elbow.
"Oh, my god," Hermione muttered, her blush darkening.
"Does that mean you'll answer all of my questions?" Isla interrupted, hopefully, dropping to her knees in front of her new cousin. "Everyone else gets bored."
"I'll try," Hermione agreed, biting back a smile.
"Oh! Oh!" she looked momentarily startled, her tiny face scrunched into a frown, "Well now I don't know what to ask first."
Laughing, Hermione moved to sit next to her on the floor, as Lachlann scoffed, "Does it matter if I'm going to answer them all?" she asked, nudging the small girl with her shoulder.
Islas face lit up in a way that was painfully familiar. Hermione vividly remembered the first adult that hadn't told her to be quiet, who hadn't told her to wait, or that she didn't need to know and who had taken the time to try and satisfy her own seemingly endless curiosity.
"No!" Isla breathed, her eyes widening, "it doesn't! What does polyjuice feel like?" she blurted, "Have you tried it?"
"Where did you hear about that potion Isla McGonagall?" Callum asked sharply.
"Uncle Scott was talking to Auntie Marie about it," Isla answered promptly, making Robert snort. "So have you tried it cousin Hermione? Hermione's quite long isn't it? Were you ever called anything else? Do you like your name? I like mine, Isla…easy. I was named after you, did you know? Isla Cat-tree-oh-nah….only you're not Catriona anymore, does that mean I need to change my name?"
"Oh my goodness," Hermione breathed, attempting to formulate a response. "So yes I've taken it. More than once it's…it's not nice. It hurts and makes you feel like you're going to be sick. But it can be useful. I don't mind my name, but it is long. My friends used to call me Mya. And no, you don't need to change your name, it's yours!"
"Oh. Mya….I like it, "Isla announced, grinning at Hermione. "Why did you take polyjuice?"
"Oh. ah, well…" Hermione floundered for several minutes as the adults in the room watched with interest, wondering how she was going to get around answering. "Well, my friends and I once made it because we thought someone was up to something they shouldn't be. It…it worked, for my friends."
"But not for you?" Isla frowned, immediately catching what wasn't said as she cocked her head to the side in a gesture that made Hermione smile, seeing herself reflected in the mannerisms of the tiny girl.
"No," Hermione smiled wryly, "I turned into a cat."
"A cat!" Isla shouted, her mouth dropping before a hit of mischief stole over her face, "Did you have a tail!"
"I did." Hermione agreed ruefully as everyone else laughed.
"Do you still have a tail?" Isla checked, looking around Hermione as if she could see it.
"No." Hermione laughed, "My very clever potions professor helped me get rid of it. And the whiskers."
"Wow!" Isla breathed. "That's so cool!"
"It was very silly," Hermione corrected, "Polyjuice isn't meant to be used for animals. I was very very lucky I wasn't stuck with the tail."
"I think I'd like a tail." Isla mused, looking wistful.
Hermione shook her head, "You wouldn't, it makes sitting down uncomfy."
Isla giggled, covering her mouth. "Have you ever flown, Cousin Mya? Sasha at school said she's flown on a magic carpet but Daddy says they're not allowed here." she paused, "He also said that Sasha's a muggle so she's telling fibs."
Hermione hummed, biting back a laugh, "I have never flown on a magic carpet, but I have flown a broomstick, a hippogriff, a thestral and…a dragon."
"A dragon!" Lachlan shouted as Isla's eyes went so wide Hermione thought it had to be painful. "You flew a dragon?"
"I think I'd like to hear this story too, Lass," Alastor's voice came from the doorway.
Hermione groaned, "Well…we might have been ah…fighting some bad people."
"What bad people, Cousin Mya?" Isla asked with a frown.
"Not bad people you have to worry about," Hermione soothed, not willing to lie, but desperate not to scare her.
"Did you get them all?"
"Some. We're…we're working on it."
"Did you get them with the dragon?" Lachlan asked with interest.
"Ah no. We might have…stolen the dragon because the place it was living was hurting it."
"That's sad," Isla frowned, "why was it hurting it?"
Hermione sighed, "Because sometimes even adults make silly decisions."
"But it's free now?" Isla checked.
"Well…yes we freed that one."
With a horrified gasp, Isla scooted closer to Hermione, "Are there more?" she asked softly.
Hermione grimaced, "Probably," she admitted, thinking of the dragon that was probably already in Gringotts.
"Are you going to steal them too?" Isla probed curiously.
Hermione choked, "Um. I might see if there's a way to free them without stealing." she replied finally.
"Where in the name of Merlin did you steal a dragon from?" Alastor muttered into her ear.
"Gringotts," she mumbled, hoping Isla didn't hear her. The look on his face would have been funny under any other circumstances.
"Mother of merlin," he breathed.
"Isla!" A voice screamed from somewhere in the house as a tiny girl with curls resembling her own barreled into the room.
"Josie! Josie, this is Cousin Mya! She's really Hermione but it's long and her friends called her Mya so I am too!"
Josie turned, looking at her with wide eyes, "Oh." she whispered, "Uncle Rab said you'd know how to get back at Lachlan."
"Maybe," Hermione agreed, biting back a smile as she looked over the little girl who looked remarkably like herself at the same age.
"Well, that's not fair!" Lachlan protested.
"Hermione," Scott smiled, "I feel like I should apologise for the things we've told the children."
Hermione laughed, "It's fine. Let's hope I live up to the hype."
"She rode a dragon!" Isla squealed.
"I don't think living up to the hype will be an issue," Callum muttered dryly.
"Did you really?" Josie checked, eyeing this cousin that had appeared from nowhere, a cousin that everyone told her she looked like.
"Yes,"
"What was it like?"
"Terrifying." Hermione retorted, "I don't ever want to do it again."
Lachlan pulled a face at her, "It must have been so cool though! How many people can say they've ridden an actual dragon!"
"Fair point," she conceded.
"Do you have a favourite spell?" Isla asked, determined to get her questions out. "Daddy's is Accio, mummy says it's because he's lazy."
Hermione grinned at her suddenly sheepish-looking cousin. "I quite like the Patronus charm."
"What does that one do?" Josie frowned.
"Oh. It's mainly used to protect against dementors but they can also be really useful and send messages."
"They can?" Sarah asked, cutting off whatever her daughter was going to say.
"Yes," Hermione nodded with a frown before remembering that the discovery was one of Dumbledores. It wouldn't be well known yet. "It's not difficult, you just have to cast it with that intention."
Callum's eyes met Alastor's questioningly and he nodded. "It really is that simple," he agreed.
"Can I see it?" Isla asked curiously. "Or does it just talk like the airs talking?"
"You can see it," Hermione assured her, "it usually looks like an animal and everyone's is different."
"What's yours?" Josie demanded.
Smiling, Hermione raised her wand to call forth her Patronus, grateful that she'd practised so often with Harry that it no longer needed her to focus; she wasn't sure her happy memories were currently strong enough. The girls gasped as her otter materialised, waiting on instruction. Hermione whispered to it, hoping it would work. The otter took off, wrapping itself playfully around the girls before it nosed Isla's ear and whispered its message, moving to do the same to Josie.
"I like her!" Josie declared. "She said Auntie Netty bought butterbeer for tonight!"
"She said the same to me!" Isla beamed. "When can I learn that?"
"Not for a while," Hermione admitted. "It's very difficult, even adult witches and wizards have trouble with it."
"Why don't you?" Josie frowned.
"Well…my best friend taught me. And we practised lots."
"Have you ever met a dementor?" Lachlan asked suddenly.
Hermione froze, shivering against her will. "Yes," she admitted. "They're not something I want to run into any time soon."
"Have you ever met a werewolf or a vampire?" Josie asked curiously.
"Yes. One of my teachers was a werewolf. And I met a vampire at a party once."
"Cool!" Josie breathed.
"Daddy, how come you and mummy are boring?" Isla asked suddenly with a pout, "We've never met anything as cool as a vampire."
Callum choked on a laugh, "Oh I do apologise, little witchling."
Isla nodded, "It's ok," she sighed, looking thoroughly confused when everyone laughed.
Dinner passed with lots more questions, teasing and a strange sense of comfort Hermione hadn't realised she'd been missing her entire life. Big family gatherings weren't anything she had any experience of but despite her initial surprise, she felt comfortable here, even as she missed her parents.
"Can I have a word?" Callum asked softly once dinner was over, Isla finally running out of questions but promising to come up with some more before she saw Hermione next.
Nodding silently, Hermione followed him into the kitchen, squeaking in surprise when he turned suddenly and hugged her fiercely.
"I'm sorry…I just…Gods, I never thought you'd be here. And you are…and I hate that you're all grown up but, I'll accept it because you're here." he straightened, looking sheepish before smiling slightly, "Thank you for entertaining the bairn. She can be overwhelming."
Hermione shrugged awkwardly, "I wasn't kidding when I said she reminded me of myself," she admitted softly, "I vividly remember the first adult who didn't get exasperated with me."
Callum nodded slowly, "Fair enough. How are you settling in?"
"Better than I expected," she hedged, "It's hard sometimes, especially when I think about all the things that could still go wrong. We have…such a long way to go and balancing that with an entirely new family is…new."
"I can imagine it's slightly overwhelming."
"Sometimes," she admitted. "It's…I feel guilty."
"Guilty?" he asked, startled.
"I loved my parents. They were busy a lot of the time, but my Dad, in particular, used to make sure to squeeze in little pockets of time just for me. I lied to them for years, you know. I was so scared that if I told them what was really happening at school they'd make me leave, and I couldn't do that. We…drifted because they couldn't even begin to fathom the things I could tell them, let alone all the things I couldn't. And I...I was away for ten months of the year, their lives didn't stop. By the time I had to run with Harry, we barely knew each other. They tried, they tried so damn hard, but the gulf between what our lives truly looked like was giant. And here… there's still a bit of a gap between what you know and what I've lived but its…easier. It might be outwith your comprehension but not to the level it was with them. And so yes I feel guilty because there's a sense of relief at not having to lie, to know that this time, they should be safe, and I don't hae to worry about them being in danger because of me. It's just…easier here Does that make me a terrible person?"
Callum was quiet for several beats. "No." he replied finally, reaching for her, and pulling her into a one-armed hug, "No it doesn't. I can't…I can't imagine how challenging it is for a muggleborn in times of peace, let alone when it's war and you're as prominent as you were. What happened to them?"
Hermione froze, "I obliviated them and sent them to Australia," she whispered.
"Mother of Morganna," Callum breathed.
"I had to keep them safe," Hermione winced at the pleading tone in her voice, only just realising that she needed him to understand and not judge her for it. "They'd never have gone if I'd told them but I…gods. I used magic against them. They had no defences. And it…I stole their entire identities."
"To keep them safe from murderous madmen who wouldn't think twice about using them to get to you," Callum interjected sternly, "Jesus. I can't even imagine…you can't feel guilty for wanting them safe, Hermione."
"What do you think will happen this time?" she whispered, not looking at him.
"With what?"Callum frowned.
"My parents? They only had me because of a ritual."
"I don't know," he admitted softly. "Do you want me to keep an eye on them?"
"Please" she whispered.
He hummed, squeezing her closer for a moment. "Give me the address and I'll set up some wards."
"Thank you."
He felt his lip twitch, "What else is family for?"
Hermione smiled sadly back. "Do you…do you think there's anything we can do?"
"About?"
"Muggleborns."
"I don't think I understand," Callum admitted slowly.
"Well…later, once this is over…the gulf would still have been there without war. My parents couldn't come to Hogwarts, they just had to trust Aunt Minerva was telling the truth. They couldn't go to St Mungo's. They had no idea about half of my life, and before that, my accidental magic was terrifying quirks or they were obliviated. Surely there's something we could do?"
Callum nodded thoughtfully, turning that over inside his head, silently acknowledging that he'd never thought about how challenging Hogwarts must be for the families of muggleborns. "Probably. Perhaps… perhaps you'll let me help? Meet every so often."
She huffed, "I'll agree to meet without a project you know."
He grinned, "Aye but Alastor has his duelling, Director Potter apparently has some training going on, Professor Croaker has the Department of Mysteries to tempt you, and Aunt Minerva has your animagus training from what I've been told. Alex Potter is well…Alex Potter. Can't I want something that's just ours?"
She smiled shyly, "You can," she agreed. "Although what is it you do?"
"I'm a curse breaker with Gringotts. Mainly old Manors and cursed family heirlooms these days, it's too much with the kids to be galavanting off all over the world."
"It sounds fascinating."
"It can be." he agreed with a smile. "No two days are the same. And some of the magic I get to see… it's breathtaking."
Hermione hummed, "The eldest Weasley was a curse breaker, he lent me some of his books once. The warding schemes in them kept us alive."
"Then I'll keep an eye out for the eldest Weasley," Callum smiled.
"He's six apparently, you have a bit of a wait," Hermione warned him with a smile.
Laughing, Callum went to return to the others, before pausing at the door, "You said your parents had to blindly trust Aunt Min."
"Yes. she came to do my visit to tell me I was a witch."
Callum frowned, "And she didn't notice anything?"
"I don't…" Hermione paused, thinking back to the expression on her former Professor's face the first time she saw her. She hadn't understood it at the time, the look of surprise mixed with what she now recognised as grief as her eyes had seemed to rake over Hermione for several seconds before her father had cleared his throat uncomfortably. "She was startled the first time she met me, and she…we were always closer than just student and Professor, but…how could she have predicted this?"
Grimacing Callum conceded the point. "Shall we go back and see if Isla has drempt up more questions for you?" he asked, "And if you could keep the pranks against Lachlan at least slightly benign when the girls write to you, I'd be grateful. Merlin help me when they've both got wands."
"I promise to not teach them the Bat Bogey hex until they're at Hogwarts and are Aunt Minerva's problem," she replied solemnly.
"Thanks…wait..what the fuck is the bat bogey hex?"
"Ginny Weasley's speciality, it makes bat-shaped bogeys fly out of your nose," she giggled. "They flap their wings and try and land on your face."
"That is absolutely disgusting," he muttered, as he steered her back into the living room.