Chapter 2 - New York
Hermione sat on the discovery of her birth parentage for a few weeks, but eventually she sent an owl to Headmistress McGonagall asking for a private conversation with the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.
While trying to come to terms with what she learned and still dealing with her grief, she continued to see Healer Wayne, and eventually quit her job instead of extending her leave. Thanks to the inheritance she had received from her grandfather she had enough money to not have to work for a long time, wealth she had added to with her parents' inheritance.
She had tried looking into the Stark name, and so far had come up with nothing within the British wizarding world and she wasn't sure how to go about finding information like this in the Muggle world so she was waiting for her conversation with Professor Dumbledore to do further in her search.
Her request was granted for mid-January and she was currently walking up the stairs of the Head Office at Hogwarts. She had put on a dark blue long sleeves dress with black tights, and a heavy winter cloak in shades of grey to protect herself from the harsh Scottish winter, despite being allowed to come via the Floo, she had instead apparated to Hogsmeade and walked the rest of the way.
Hermione knocked on the door and waited less than 30 seconds before she heard 'Enter'.
"Hello Miss. Granger, how have you been?" Headmistress McGonagall asked with concern in her eyes.
"Professor" she nodded in greeting, I'm doing better." Hermione replied succinctly.
Headmistress McGonagall nodded, "I'll leave you to it, I'll be back in 30mins and we'll have tea."
Once Professor McGonagall had left the room without room to disagree, Hermione looked around the office and finally settled on the portrait she was here to see.
"Professor Dumbledore."
"Ah Miss. Granger! How are you doing my dear?"
"Well, I've recently learned I'm adopted and even though my birth parents are dead, I do have a brother out there. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Professor?" Hermione asked bluntly and straight to the point, while ignore Professor Snape's sneer from his own portrait.
"How did you find that out Miss. Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asked sternly.
"A letter from my mother, I did a heritage next so I know their names. Explain yourself, please."
"She wasn't supposed to ever tell you." Dumbledore sighed, then continued "However, the reason why I did what I did is done. There was a prophecy you see."
"A prophecy?" Hermione asked with a frown.
"Yes, let me see if I remember the phrasing correctly... Yes
In the shadow of the lion's reign, when the serpents rise anew,
A Stark daughter from the Creator of Death shall cross the boundaries of realms,
At the school of the wise, she must stand tall,
To awaken the true savior.
Only with the merging of mind and might,
Can the darkness be banished and the light take flight.
Unlocking the power of the chosen, with her guiding hand."
"Where does it say you had to take me away from my family? Besides, there's bound to be many people with that name!"
"Only one known for making lethal weapons however." Dumbledore retorted.
"Still, why have me adopted? I would have come to Hogwarts either way!"
"No, you'd have gone to Ilvermony."
"They were Americans?" Hermione probed.
"Yes."
"You could still have convinced them!" Hermione replied.
"It was for the Greater Good." Dumbledore replied with his annoying twinkling eyes.
"Gods, you really believe that.
So they're Muggles? Not a Wizarding family?"
"Oh yes, there were Muggles yes." Professor Dumbledore confirmed.
"They died in 1991, not in 79 like you told my adoptive parents, any ideas where I can find my brother?" Hermione asked, venom lacing her tone.
"I wouldn't know, no. I don't even know where I was when I came to find you, and I wouldn't dare presume to know where they went afterwards or where their son currently is."
"What do you know about them?" Hermione continued.
"I know Howard Stark's company was a weapons manufacturer, hence the Creator of Death title, but I don't know more than that nor did I try to keep up with them." Professor Dumbledore explained.
Following that conversation, Hermione Granger was not much better off, even if her brother was still in his country of birth, it was large. At least, she knew now he was a Muggle, like her birth parents, but that didn't narrow down anything, instead it made things much more difficult.
As well, learning her birth family was involved in weapons didn't sit well with her, and she even debated if meeting her brother was worth it if his morality was questionable at best.
However, he was all she had left. She has no job, and her few close friends were busy in their own lives. She needed something to change or she would simply drown in her grief.
Eventually, she decided to try a Blood ritual, although it was banned but it wasn't actively monitored either, so she felt okay with it. She did the ritual with her own blood to try and narrow down the whereabouts of closely related people and her only hit was in New York, Manhattan specifically so she had packed her bags heavily, and took a one way Portkey at the end of February.
She had arrived in New York a couple of days ago, she knew she simply had to re do the ritual on a city map to narrow things down further but instead she was delaying the inevitable and feeling sorry for herself on a park bench in Central Park. The park wasn't that busy but people didn't seem to notice her, sitting cross legged on the bench with tear tracks on her cheeks, observing the squirrels and sniffing quietly. She had put on black leggings with knee high boots and an oversized light blue jumper, which was enough despite the cold, with a few precise warming charms.
"Hello Miss, are you alright?" a male voice suddenly asked her, and Hermione looked in his direction, noticing for the first time a tall and well built man with light blonde hair and kind blue eyes wearing light faded blue jeans, a black jumper and a heavy winter coat.
"Hi, I'm fine." Hermione finally murmured back.
The blond man's eyebrows rose, "British, huh? Long way from home."
However, that innocent and perfectly normal comment only led to Hermione sobbing again, "Gods I'm a mess, I'm so sorry, home is a sore topic right now."
The man was clearly startled by her reaction but instead of running away, he sat down next to her and offered her a handkerchief, "No, I'm sorry. Don't apologise for not being okay."
"Thank you." Hermione managed to say while wiping her eyes and nose.
"I'm here if you wish to talk about it."
"That's really nice of you, I didn't think New Yorkers were that kind to strangers."
"No, they're not, they used to be though." He replied with a look of pain in his eyes.
"Right, well, yes I'm a long way from home. I've only arrived a couple days ago. I lost my parents last year and recently found out I have a family member I never knew about here." Hermione finally said, unsure what she was telling all of this to a stranger. Harry had understood and supported her decision, knowing how important family was but he had been so busy with his young children, they barely had time to talk.
"I'm sorry for your loss. Losing someone you love is... painful in a way few can understand. I hope you'll find some peace with this family member you've discovered." He said.
"Thank you. Yes, I hope so too." Hermione replied with a small smile.
"So, why are you here admiring squirrels then?"
"Delaying it. I know nothing about him, but I also know nothing about New York, or the country really. I'm feeling quite lost."
The man hummed, "Well, I'm sure it isn't that different from London or other big cities on the other side of the pond."
"Maybe, although I haven't been to proper London since I was a child, I'm more a countryside girl. Besides, I've had a rather isolationist education and adulthood even. I'm feeling quite out of my depth."
He nodded, "Yes, I understand that feeling. I've only come back to New York last year after a long time away and I've lost all my familiarity with the city, it's disorienting to say the least."
"I won't ask you to be my guide then." Hermione laughed.
"No, I wouldn't recommend it. Although I'm good at History if you ever want to know what the city used to be like decades ago." He replied with a small smile.
"I might take you up on that. I'm Hermione, by the way." she said, while putting her hand out.
He shook her hand, "I'm Steve. Shakespeare or Greek?" he asked.
"Shakespeare." she replied with a full smile.
"Queen Hermione is a good choice."
"Yes. My parents met at university in a Shakespeare lecture and bonded over The Winter's tale, they said it was love at first sight and chose my name to honour that."
"That's a beautiful story, very romantic. You don't hear that often anymore." he replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"I quite agree. I come from a more old fashioned way of life back home and this city isn't meshing well with me."
"Yes, I understand. I would say it's quite similar for me."
They shared a look of understanding and then Hermione got up, "Well, I do have to go back to my hotel to work on my nerves for the family reunion, but I hope to see you again soon?"
"I would enjoy that." Steve replied.
Hermione smiled and left with a small wave, "See you around Steve."
