June 1997
"Ha ha ha ha ha!
Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want—"
"Fuck me." Hermione groaned. "Fuck me and Merlin's left saggy ball."
She rolled over and slammed her hand down on her unkindly, boisterous Muggle alarm clock. She grumbled something else that would have made her best friend, Ron, exceptionally proud. Then, almost at once, she hissed as her skull seemingly cracked.
"Ungh."
Gasp.
The pain was splitting her in half. It reached a crescendo as she fisted her bedsheets and remained catatonic as two planets apparently collided in the space where her brain was supposed to be. As much as she wanted to she did not have the strength to string more swear words together as the blinding pain took her out. Clambering clumsily, as if inebriated, Hermione got out of bed and staggered to her bedroom door. Mindlessly her hand came down upon the light switch on her lilac wall. The lights blinked on with the full force of the sun. Or at least, that is what it felt like. Hermione hissed and slapped the light switch again. The lights blinked off.
Through her screwed eyes Hermione caught a glimmer of light in the morning dimness of her family home. Breathing heavily she frowned harder through her migraine and with a hand to her forehead she leaned in closer to examine the curiously pretty tendrils of light that shimmered and swayed before her. It almost reminded her of the Veil in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries from back in fifth year when they had broken in. Her other hand came up to the soft almost invisible ripples and then it happened again.
Her head.
The pain.
Like a supernova.
She stumbled through her bedroom doorway before she could stop herself. Before she could brace herself against the wall again.
She managed to break her fall and before the thought could fully develop in her mind she non-verbally and wandlessly cast the Summoning Charm and out from somewhere in her room came flying a small bottle full of white liquid. Hermione—quite savagely—ripped its stopper off and took a sip. The instant the Numbing Potion was down her throat she felt it begin to work. A film of numbness wrapped itself around her brain and eased the pulsing to where it felt like an ordinary headache. Like one she would usually get when she studied too hard. Hermione could not remember having ever suffered with a migraine before. She took another sip of the potion and stoppered it before laying her head upon the cool, wooden floorboards of the landing.
When she opened her eyes, the shimmering swirls by her doorway were not there to be found again.
Hermione flicked the kettle on and decided to make herself a cup of chamomile tea. She stared, absentmindedly, out of the kitchen windows to the garden as the water began to heat. It was mid June and beyond the patio all the summer blooms had flowered in her mother's English garden. Bluebirds tweeted and swooped from tree to tree as squirrels hopped from garden fence to garden fence. Hermione was not paying attention, however, as her mind was elsewhere. So much so that she was not listening when the gargle of the kettle finally settled with a soft sounding click. Nor when a floorboard behind her creaked from the pressure of being stepped on.
"Hermione?"
Hermione jumped out of her skin. She whipped her head around.
And instantly relaxed.
"Merlin you scared me, Maddy." She said with an exhale.
"Sorry—I didn't mean to." Maddy said with great difficulty, clutching her head with both hands. Her hair was covering her face like black-out curtains. "You wouldn't happen—owww—to have—"
Before Maddy could finish her sentence Hermione had summoned her bottle of Numbing Potion.
"Take a sip—if it's as bad as mine was take two." Hermione instructed. "It must be the weather or something."
The blue summer sky behind them stood proudly without a cloud in the sky.
"How bad was yours?" Maddy asked with a strained voice.
"Felt something like having my head stuck between a chair and a giant's arse."
Maddy nodded. "Definitely like yours."
She took two sips. And Hermione watched as her whole body started to ease and unclench with blissful pain relief.
"Better?" Hermione asked.
"Yea—thanks."
"Tea?"
Maddy's nose crinkled. It made Hermione laugh. Genuinely. It felt good. Strange, but good. As if she had not laughed for years. Hermione frowned at herself. She was sure Ron had said something the other day at King's Cross, back from Hogwarts, that had made her laugh so hard she had cackled like a mad—
"I'll have a cuppa joe if you've got any?" Maddy asked.
Hermione smiled. "You ask for a cup of Joe at Hogwarts and I'm sure the house-elves will deign to serve you a wizard-sized goblet with Joe Goldbatts in it."
"Who's Joe Goldbatts?" Maddy asked, nose crinkled again.
"Just a Hufflepuff guy." Hermione said returning to the kettle.
"Hufflepuff?"
Hermione took a deep breath in as she placed her mug down upon the kitchen counter with a clip. "Right—tea for me—coffee for you—and then we need to get started, because you've got an erumpent-measure of shit to learn before starting at Hogwarts—which reminds me—I've got to send an owl to Dumbledore."
An hour and a half later and Hermione and Maddy were dressed in Muggle clothes riding the banshee-shrieking Northern line, southbound for the City of London. Hermione grinned as she watched Maddy from the reflection of the window opposite them. She had her hands clamped over her ears. She turned to Hermione, her long black hair swaying with every jerk of the tube, and said something. Hermione pointed to her ears in an I-can't-hear-you manner.
"Why is this thing so loud? Damn it!" She yelled.
A few Muggle passengers turned to eye Maddy. The tube screeched to a halt as it made its stop at Old Street Station. The window opposite them oddly framed a section of a large The Lost World: Jurassic Park film poster.
Hermione chuckled and lowly muttered, "I know, the tubes on the Northern line make a spanked mandrake sound like a nymph singing."
"I don't know if I can take much longer." Maddy moaned.
"Don't worry—not long now. Two stops left."
Hermione and Maddy made their way up the stairs and out of Bank Station. A six minute walk—continuously saving Maddy from mad London cyclists and fishing her out from tour groups—later and they were stepping into the low-lit Leaky Cauldron. As soon as the door to the outside Muggle world swung shut behind them Maddy blew out a passionate puff of air.
"For all of Merlin's hats—that was something." She exclaimed, flicking her dark, silky hair behind her.
Hermione's lips quirked to the side. "Oh, that? That was nothing—summer tourists? You'd love Oxford Street at Christmastime."
Maddy eyed her unamused. Hermione laughed then pulled her toward the back of the inn. There she tapped against the bricks and finally they made it. Diagon Alley.
"Oh," Maddy said admiring the bustling alley. "This is cute."
"Absolutely darling." Hermione quipped, giving a quick scan across the crowd to make sure she did not recognise anyone from her house. "Come on—we need the Owl Post Office."
After dragging Maddy through the mildly crowded alleyway—saving her from a few trip-ups from odd jutting cobblestones—and past shops and restaurants that piqued the new witch's interest, they finally came up to an establishment with a sign of a wooden owl on it. The carved owl fluttered its wings and gave a dignified hoot much like Harry's owl, Hedwig. The Owl Post Office. Hermione led the way in and behind her Maddy followed, awestruck by everything.
The post office was full of murmuring service birds and the pungent, sweet smell of hay. They joined the cue and as they waited Hermione pulled out her letter and reread it.
Dear Professor Albus Dumbledore,
I hope you're well and safe. It's by a family misfortune that I'm writing to you today, and I have a favour to ask of you. I'm writing to you in my parent's stead as they're currently out of the country on holiday in celebration of their 20 th anniversary.
Upon my return from school my parents introduced me to a long-lost witch cousin of mine from my father's side of the family. Made has suffered the tragic loss of her family and because she's still seventeen and underage (by Muggle standards) authorities in Jakarta managed to contact the only remaining relative they could find, my father. We have since formally adopted her and she is now my sister. Therefore, Professor Dumbledore, I was wondering if it would be possible to have her enrolled at Hogwarts?
Made has never received any formal education as in Bali, her place of birth, the wizarding community is almost nonexistent and dangerous—although I assure you she is not a threat herself, she does not suffer from any magical ailments due to her lack of magical training. She was kept hidden from Muggles and traffickers for her protection as her family could not afford to send her to Mahoutokoro. With your permission I shall endeavour to teach her myself as much as possible before the start of term. And if it's necessary for her to continue with private tutoring whilst at Hogwarts then I shall continue to teach her myself.
Please professor, I am in need of your help.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Hermione Granger.
Maddy peered over her shoulder as Hermione folded the letter in half again and slipped it back into its already addressed envelope.
"Do you think I'll be accepted?" Maddy asked anxiously.
"Well, you are a witch," Hermione began. Then sighed. "No one knows exactly how the Book of Admittance at Hogwarts works—I read about it. Like the school it probably runs on ancient magic—but hopefully, your name will be in it. Then Dumbledore will have to have you enrolled."
Maddy nodded. Somewhat unconvinced.
"Next? Good morning dear, where to?" Asked the postal clerk.
Hermione slipped the envelope toward her and the clerk adjusted her bat-eye glasses as she read the address.
"Certainly." She said, reaching over for the wax seal stamp. "Which flying service would you like?"
"The fastest one you have, please." Hermione replied.
Maddy craned her head to watch as the clerk sealed the letter with wax. An 'O' sat proudly upon the ruby, red seal.
The clerk gave a nod jerking the gold chain around her neck connected to her glasses, and said, "Eagle it is—10 knuts, dear."
"Right," Hermione announced as soon as they were back outside in the middle of Diagon Alley. "We have a lot to do—we'll faff about with errands today, but starting from tomorrow, Maddy my newly adopted sister, your tutoring begins."
"But you don't know if I'll be accepted yet?" Maddy said.
"Permission or no permission you're attending Hogwarts—even if I have to drag you there myself." Hermione replied simply. "Now, we need to pay the bank a little visit and then purchase some supplies for your tutoring. Then, we're going to do one of the things I most detest and go clothes shopping—Madds you're in dire need of a new wardrobe."
Maddy crinkled her nose softly and looked down to her current outfit.
"What's wrong with the one I have now?" She asked.
"It's mine." Hermione said. "That's what's wrong with it."
She then grabbed a hold of Maddy's hand and began dragging her through the crowds again but this time toward Gringotts.
"But—but I like it!" Maddy called out behind her.
Hermione smirked and called back, "You look like a fairy in Wednesday Addam's attire from the Addams Family!"
Behind her, Maddy crinkled her nose and then had to profusely apologise to an old wizard as she accidentally knocked his walking stick making him almost fall.
"I don't know of an Addams family!" She finally called back.
"You wouldn't—they don't exist." Hermione called out. "Now watch where you step—if you remember goblins aren't exactly warm and fuzzy beasties, so if you step on one—well, I'd rather avoid the wrath of such a pointed teethed creature. What do you say?"
They paused by the bottom steps of the stairs leading up to the wizarding bank. Maddy looked up at Gringotts.
"Legend has it that they keep a pet dragon—somewhere down there." Hermione added.
Maddy swallowed.
"Ok—no stepping on goblins." She said. "But you know I don't do it on purpose—I'm just—I'm just very clumsy."
"I wholeheartedly agree, Madds." Hermione said. "It's like you've been crawling for most of your life and only just figured out how to walk—come on now. Time waits for no one."
A mad shopping spree later and Hermione and Maddy were back on the shrieking underground heading toward home. They sat nestled amongst all their shopping bags from Muggle and wizard clothing shops and wrapped parcels from Diagon Alley. All their bags labelled with wizard's fashion brands appeared to Muggles with a name that was similar to a Muggle brand. A name that their eyes would brush across and think no differently of. Hermione sat spaced out as she looked out the window. There was nothing but black to see—not that she was looking, not really. Maddy, beside her, had her hands clamped down on her ears for almost the entire journey.
Once they made it back home Hermione immediately dropped all her bags down in the living room and marched into the kitchen. She put the kettle on.
"Merlin, I hate shopping." She muttered.
"You seemed happy in Florish and Bots." Maddy said coming up behind her.
"Flourish and Blotts, yes, that's because bookshops are interesting and highly valuable. Clothes stores are mind-numbing and give me a headache." Hermione replied as she fingered through the take-away leaflets stuck on the side of her family's fridge. "What do you fancy to eat? Fake Chinese? Fake Turkish? Fake Indian?"
Maddy's nose wrinkled as she joined Hermione by the fridge. The kettle clicked and Hermione turned her attentions to tea.
"Can we not have anything real?" Maddy asked eyeing the leaflets suspiciously closer.
Hermione laughed. "They all make real food, I just call it fake because they don't make culturally authentic foods."
"Oh," Maddy said. She shook her head when Hermione offered her tea. "I chose… Fake Chinese then."
"Excellent choice," Hermione nodded. She took a sip of her herbal tea and gave a quick pleasurable sigh. "You go and put your stuff away—leave all things study related on the dining room table—and I'll order food."
"Gotcha," Maddy said nodding.
Maddy left Hermione to call Xin's Crystal Lotus. She ordered a portion of Chinese spare ribs, Singapore fried rice, vegetable spring rolls, Cantonese roast duck and Thai special fried noodles. Sufficed that that would be enough food for the two of them, with left overs for later, Hermione ended the call and went to her pouch to get Muggle cash out from her purse. She was counting and splitting up her galleons from her pounds when she heard her name being called out from upstairs.
She paused.
"Maddy?" Hermione called back.
"Hermione?" Maddy repeated.
Hermione frowned and went toward the stairs. Maddy was waiting for her at the top of the staircase. Hermione looked up to find her sister staring, with a mix of worry and curiosity, down at something that was clutched in her hand. Hermione followed her gaze.
"What is it? What's that?" She asked.
Maddy shook her head. "I—I can't remember."
Hermione slowly made her way up the stairs with a light frown upon her face.
"What do you mean you can't remember?" She asked.
"Well, I found it under my pillow, but I don't remember putting it there and I don't—I don't know what it is…"
Maddy passed a small corkscrewed vial to Hermione. Hermione observed it. Then frowned harder. She had never seen them before but she had read about them and Harry had described them to her. But that was not the issue. Identifying the bottled contents in her hands was not of concern. However, what was of concern was how Maddy—a witch of very little magical competence—had come in possession of them.
"Why do you have a vial full of memories?" Hermione asked slowly as she scrutinised the silver, hair-like wisps weaving in and out of each other like worms. "How did you even know how to extract them?"
Maddy shook her head harder this time. All curiosity had left her face, she looked anxious and worried now.
"I have no idea." She murmured. "I don't—it's possible—maybe they're not mine?"
Hermione stared at Maddy. Then down at the vial of memories in her hand. It made no sense. Maddy knew almost no magic. She could only do weird accidental things like children did. She had no idea how to perform a Levitation Charm let alone how to extract memories from the mind. She had no wand—not until they bought one for her today. Hermione's hand subconsciously went to feel the unmistakable bump of her wand in her pocket. She could not remember it going missing at any point, so Maddy had not stolen it. Or maybe she had and Hermione had not noticed. Unless…
"Hold it a second, I need to check something." She said as she thrust the vial back into her sister's hand.
Hermione briskly walked to her bedroom and tossed her pillows aside. Nothing. She completely undid her bed. Nothing. She paused, then thought.
Where do I keep things I want to hide?
She went to her wardrobe and grabbed the only pair of shoes that no longer fit her. She tipped them upside down and out spilled a quantity of things that should not have been able to fit in the black leather loafer. Hermione quickly rummaged through her secret stash of stolen, Hogwarts prohibited or gifted goods. Packets of condoms. A small vibrator. Zabini's pinky ring—a family heirloom. A moving Snap It photo of Cormac McLaggen shirtless. A small bottle of Amortentia. And another bottle of a potion banned at Hogwarts, but no glass vial.
Hermione slipped everything back into her shoe again and swivelled around to find Maddy nervously standing by her doorway. She ignored her.
Alright no—where would I put something I wanted to keep safe? Maybe to access easily at a later date?
Hermione summoned her pouch and with her wand she tried to summon a possible vial full of stashed memories from it.
"Accio memories." She half chanted.
Nothing still. At least not from her illegally Extension Charm-med pouch.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Hermione?" Maddy asked cautiously.
They both turned to stare at the place where the light knocking was coming from. Her bedside table. Hermione rose to her feet and slowly made her way to the trembling small table as whatever was inside was trying to escape.
"Alohomora." She chanted.
Instantaneously the drawer in her bedside table unlocked and out whizzed a glass vial full of silvery threads. Hermione caught it. No, the vial was not full. It was crammed with memories.
"What the—" Hermione began.
She brought the vial up to eye level and examined it. There was no way to explain this. Hermione had no way to explain this, because she had no memory of it.
She looked over to her newly adopted sister. Maddy stood, still frozen by her doorway, with long, jet black hair and dark eyes rounded with worry, fear and confusion. Hermione and Maddy could have been easily passed off as half-sisters. They were almost the same skin tone, they both had round button noses, full lips, and dark hair and eyes. Only thing was Maddy had slanted, hooded eyes and Hermione had afro hair.
Both sisters then looked to the vial in the other's hand.
"Fuck?" Hermione softly whispered.