Chapter 12

Hermione was sitting in her usual compartment on the Hogwarts Express with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. They were on their way to Scotland for their 5th year, she had been able to handle the reunion quite well she thought to herself.

Almost immediately, she buried herself in a book, and used the time to think back on the last few weeks while pretending to read.

After the initial shock had worn off, and she had multiple conversations with her godmother, Professor Snape and Percy, she basically moved into Riddle Manor.

She was able to take part in multiple meetings, from the organisation of Sirius Black's trial, the in-depth meetings to understand the history of Voldemort and his death eaters and who actually controlled them.

She had been quite afraid to go back to Hogwarts after that conversation, to be under the eyes of a great legilimens who would likely get rid of her if he knew what she knew, or who she was. Thankfully, her father had given her the Gaunt heir ring, which was equipped with mental protective charms and spells, creating an artificial occlumens shield as well as cancelling any mind-altering charms, spells and potions like a loyalty potion, the confudus charm or love potions. It didn't protect completely from the imperius curse but did make it easier to throw off.

Her father didn't try to have her meet the Malfoys but did explain Abraxas Malfoy had been a Knight he completely trusted, and Lucius had taken the Knight mark and was acting as a spy for him in the death eaters circles, which did mean having and maintaining a hateful public persona.

The last conversation she had with her father had been long overdue...

Flashback

"You never told me who my mother was." Hermione said, more a statement than a question.

Tom sighed, but realised that conversation needed to happen at some point.

"She was my wife, we married a couple of years before you were born. I loved her, but she sadly passed away a few days after your birth from complications. It's been a long time, and while I still love her, I have been able to grieve.

I met her at a party at Malfoy Manor in 1973, she was an ethereal beauty with long blonde hair and light blue eyes. I fell for her hard and instantly.

I courted her for almost 3 years before we married.

Her name was Aquila Black, she was from the French branch of the Black family." Tom ended with a smile.

Hermione stared at him, rather happy it meant she was related to Sirius, but stopped abruptly.

"I'M RELATED TO THE FERRET?"

That last conversation had been quite a shock, but she was able to move on from it. Her father had given her a photo album filled with memories of their life together. She recognised her small nose in her mother's face, as well as her height and curves. She had never felt like she looked like the Granger but without the glamour she looked a lot like her real parents and it felt nice to feel like she belonged.

The heir ring was invisible to those who didn't know she had it but she could still feel it and feel the weight of it, it was a reassuring presence she was not alone.

The ride to Hogwarts was spent in quiet contemplation, while the boys played Exploding Snap and talked Quidditch.

She could see Harry was lighter, being around a free Sirius seemed to have done wonders, but she didn't know how much Sirius had told him and wondered when or if he would.

Albus Dumbledore was at the staff table in the Great Hall, looking around the students he knew and the newly sorted ones. His plans were going well.

He looked around the Gryffondor table, picking up stray thoughts from Ronald Weasley, which didn't amount to much. He wasn't able to pick up anything looking at Hermione Granger and Harry's emotions and thoughts seemed harder to catch.

He frowned.