December 1990 - 8 months before Hogwarts
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'New Blood', Hermione determined, wasn't a thing.
It was December, and Hermione had finally finished all the extra books she'd bought at Flourish and Blotts. Hermione was glad she had the extra year before starting, and that Luna had guided her to some books she wouldn't have considered herself – they were the books that helped her realize what she was up against. The books talked about Pure Blood, they talked about Half Blood, and they talked about Muggleborn. One even called Muggleborns 'Mudbloods', which kept in with the theme of 'something-blood', Hermione supposed. But none of her books mentioned New Blood at all.
But Luna had been very specific. She'd called her 'New Blood'. And she'd repeated it three times.
From what Hermione could derive from her books, being 'New Blood', whatever it was, had to be better than her other option – being a Muggleborn.
Her history books told her about the recent Wizarding War, where an evil wizard called 'Voldemort' (though he was typically referred to as 'You-Know-Who', which Hermione thought overly dramatic) had recruited followers and attempted to eradicate the wizarding world of Muggleborns. Though Voldemort had been defeated (or had disappeared, as one book suggested), Hermione got the distinct feeling that Muggleborns were still prejudiced against in some parts of society. The Pureblood Etiquette Guide, for example, offered a section on how much to scowl at a Muggleborn if one touched you, depending on the societal status of the person and whether or not they smelled.
Hermione already knew she'd be going into the Wizarding World at a disadvantage, having not grown up with magic, but to go in facing such prejudice?
It seemed cruelly unfair.
If 'New Blood' wasn't a thing, Hermione would make it a thing, she decided.
After turning the word over and over in her head, Hermione decided on what New Blood would be.
New Bloods would be when Magic itself gifted a person, and they would be destined to found their own Great House (whatever a Great House consisted of). A New Blood would count as a Pureblood, because magic blessing them would make them 'pure', so purebloods wouldn't be able to discriminate against them. And a New Blood would be astonishingly powerful and an amazing witch or wizard, and everyone would be envious of their powers.
That way, Hermione shouldn't have to face the disadvantage of this stupid blood prejudice, once she established herself. Then, she could try and right any wrongs and unfairness from the inside instead of the outside. That was always easier. As a New Blood, she would be someone valued in this magical society, not someone despised.
Or that was the plan, anyway.
Hermione looked down at her written definition, gnawing on the end of a pen. Her definition assumed that all other Muggleborns were products of long-lost squib lines, but Hermione thought it plausible – it seemed from the books that Purebloods were ashamed of squib children and sent them away into the muggle world, so no one would ever really be able to check and see if Muggleborns came from squib ancestors.
It also assumed that as a New Blood, she would be very powerful. Hermione bit her lip at that one.
Well, she'd just have to make sure she became very powerful, then, wouldn't she?
Hermione's mother, Jean Granger, was amusedly humoring her daughter the week before Christmas by taking her to London. Hermione had insisted that it was crucial that she take care of some 'magic things' so she wouldn't fall behind in her studies, and Jean had acquiesced to accompanying her through London as a Christmas treat.
They were now standing on a perfectly average street, though, that did not seem to have anything special, but Hermione was insisting there was a pub between a bookstore and another shop.
When Hermione took her hand and dragged her in, Jean was surprised to realize there was a store there – a dingy sort of pub, that- was that a troll drinking whisky?
Hermione was talking to the barkeep, who nodded and gestured, and then Hermione led her mother over to a large fireplace.
"We're going to travel to the Ministry of Magic this way," Hermione told her mom, gnawing on her lip anxiously. "I've never done it, but I've read all about it, so this should work."
Jean eyed the fire apprehensively. She could feel its heat on her face.
"Hermione," she said gently. "I know your magic can do many things, but…"
Hermione was clearly ignoring her, reaching up on tiptoes to grab a handful of what looked like sparkly dirt from a flower pot, which she threw into the flames.
Jean gasped as the flames turned emerald, and Hermione grinned up at her mom, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the fire.
"The Ministry of Magic!" she cried, and Jean lost her breath as they were abruptly swept away.
Hermione was quite pleased with herself.
First, she'd gone to register her house on the Floo Network. This involved filling out a form with her address, having her mother sign it, and showing the clerk a piece of mail addressed to her mother at their address. Hermione had brought just such a thing, to her mother's consternation, but the bored Ministry employee had acknowledged that yes, Jean Granger really lived there, which was all that was needed. A fee of 3 sickles later, the Granger household was linked up to the Floo Network, and Hermione was nearly bouncing with glee.
Next, Hermione dragged her mother to the Office of Underage Magic. After quickly explaining what needed to happen here, Hermione watched as her mother straightened her back and adopted a haughty, insulted expression, took Hermione's wand, and marched into the office, demanding that her house be listed as a Magical Household.
The Ministry worker looked shocked, but Hermione's mother insisted that she'd just moved, that her new address somehow hadn't been registered, and that she refused to get warning letters for casting magic in her own household. She held the wand threateningly at the worker (even though she couldn't use it), and the worker, upon seeing the house was already linked up on the Floo Network, and therefore clearly a magical household, filed the correct paperwork to register it as a magical household, removing it from the Trace.
Now, she could practice her spells. She'd be able to actually do magic, not just practice thinking the incantations and tracing her wand through the air. And the Ministry would be none the wiser.
When they left, Hermione was nearly skipping with glee.
