Clueing in those who matter most
Minerva smiled tenderly as she gazed at the scene in front of her. Hermione and Fleur had followed Minerva to her chambers when they got back from Andromeda's and invited themselves in. They had both claimed Minerva's sofa, lying across it infront of the fire. Fleur pulling Hermione down to lie on top of her as she wrapped her arms around the younger girl protectively. Minerva had gone into the kitchen to grab a pot of tea for the three to share but when she had come back both witches were already fast asleep, curled around each other.
Her heart melted at the tender scene and she felt saddened st the realisation that for the next however many years the young witches will find it extremely difficult to achieve the level of contentment they currently were while they were awake. She knew they had a long and difficult path infront of them, she only hoped that she would be able to help ease their burden somewhat.
She made a mental note to test Hermione to determine just how advanced she was with her magic. It would be helpful for them if they knew exactly what skills they were working with in their journey to defeating the dark.
Minerva put her tray down on the table infront of the fire before summoning a warm fluffy blanket and moving to drape it over the younger witches. She chuckled as she noticed that both witches were wearing hufflepuff jumpers. She could only assume that they belonged to a certain metamorphmagus. Trust Dora to be so direct with her claiming of the youngsters. Not that she could blame her. If it were her in Nymphadora's position, having to be apart from her soulmates after being without one of them for 15 years and not even knowing the other one until that day she would also have gone out her way to make sure she marked them in some way.
As marking goes, the jumpers were relatively tame in approach, something she was quite thankful for. The duo could explain a jumper away they would not be able to explain away something more permanent.
Making sure both witches were covered securely with the blanket she dimmed the lights in her chambers and made her way to her own room. She cast a quick patronus to Madame Maxing, Fleurs headmistress, explaining she had had Fleur busy all day and the young witch had fallen asleep in her chambers and she would send her down to the baubaxton carriage in the morning before breakfast. Before changing for bed and sliding into the warmth of her covers.
------
The next morning saw Fleur dash to her schools carriage to converse with her headmistress quickly before floo calling her mother and grandmother to ask for their presence in hogwarts that evening. She was glad when they agreed to come as soon as they could, knowing that Fleur would not have requested this of them if it was not extremely important.
Hermione had found herself at breakfast with her friends looking at them nervously. She wasn't sure what their reaction would be tonight. Part of her was scared that she would lose them, another part if her was scolding herself for thinking such silly thoughts. They were her friends and they loved her. They would not abandon her no matter what.
"Guys, do you know how I've said there is a lot going on in my life and I wasn't ready for you to find out?" She quiried softly, glancing at each of their faces.
"Yeah course Mione" Neville replied kindly.
"Well I'm ready to fill you all in. I feel as if it is important you know but I cannot tell you right now. Would you all come to Professor McGonagall's chambers tonight at seven? I will explain everything there I promise" Hermione told them, looking at them hopefully.
"Sure we will mione" Harry agreed, Hermione smiled as she saw each of her friends nodding in agreement. She truly hoped that everything went well tonight because she could not imagine her life without them.
------
The day seemed to fly in amd seven o'clock rolled around rather quickly for the young brunette.
She currently sat in between her two soul mates on her grandmother's sofa, which they had moved to have its back to the fire so that their guests could sit infront of them. Fleirs Grandmother and Hermione's Aunt with Nymphadora had arrived within minutes of each other through the floo network connected to Minerva's rooms. They were just waiting now on Hermione's friends.
At exactly seven, there was a knock on the door to the professors chambers. Minerva wordlessly opened the door from her position to the trio's right as she made tea the muggle way for those in attendance.
"Come on in guys" Hermione called gently and smiled as the curious faces of her best friends came through the door.
"Take a seat it'll all make sense soon enough" she laughed at their awkwardness.
"Har har Hermione" Harry snarked playfully. "You cannot make comment you already know why we have been gathered" he laughed as he led the group to sit on the stools that Minerva had transfigured for them.
"I am agreeing wiv ze likle boy" Fleurs Grandmother, Emilia, laughed playfully. Winking at her granddaughter who was sitting next to the rather beautiful looking young brunette witch.
"Grandmaman please behave yourself this iz important" Fleur pouted at the Veela elder.
"Leave her be Fleur, I'd be the same if three teenage girls had summoned me to another country with less than twenty four hours notice" Hermione chided her soulmate gently much to the amusement of all the adults in the room. The veela elders smiled knowingly at the brunette. If they did not know better this little witch was their heirs soulmate, who else could get away with telling a veela off like that they thought to themselves.
"Before I go into detail I must ask each of you to take the unbreakable vow that the information we are about to share with you will not be passed on to anyone by any means without the explicit consent of myself, Fluer or Nymphadora" Hermione said as she gestured to her soulmates when she said their names.
"Are we about to 'elp you three cover up a crime, because if zo i really cannot" Fleurs mother Appoline joked. Laughing quietly at her eldest daughters glare.
"Sure Hermione, we will do whatever you need, you should know that" Luna said confidently in a rare show of sane speech.
"How do we do it then?" Asked Harry.
"Hold on a minute Harry. Andromeda, Nymphadora's mum is here to officiate the vows but we will get to that. I can promise you we aren't covering up a crime Mrs Delacour, the information we are about to reveal is just extremely sensitive and if it gets into the wrong hands it would put Fleur, Nymphadora and my life in great danger, hence the need for the unbreakable vow" Hermione examined politely. Bowing her head respectfully at her soulmates mother.
"Well why didn't you zay zo, ofcourse we vill take eet, we will never knowing put our family in ze danger" Emilia said seriously, Appoline nodding her agreement. Hermione smiled at them gratefully at her veelas family.
"Okay, one at a time I would like you to grasp Hermione's arm, I will say the vow and you must reply with the words 'I do'" explained Andromeda, gesturing to Harry to go first.
Sometime later everyone in the room had taken the unbreakable vow and Hermione was ready to explain to those she considered her family exactly what had happened.
"For you to understand what I am about to reveal I must explain more about who I am. This is going to be extremely difficult for me to talk about so I ask that you hold any questions or interupts for the end please or I do not think I will be able to continue and tell you all that you need to know.
Now the reason we are telling all of you is because you are the people we considered our family and we cannot knowingly keep this information from you all, we simply love you all too much to do that to you." Hermione began softly.
"For as long as I can remember I have been Hermione Jean Granger, daughter of two muggle dentists. Making me a muggle-born witch. I had no reason to question my parentage before I became aware that I was a witch. I was happy, my parents were loving and my grandmother was my bestfriend. When I found out I was a witch my parents were extremely proud at first. Full of praise for their brilliant daughter and claimed they always knew I was special. When I first met Professor McGonagall she told me that I was more magically advanced than any eleven year old she had ever met as I was able to wandlessly and wordlessly complete transfigurations as well as summon things and levitation was easy for me. For some reason this worried me a little and I decided to keep that information to myself. But still I practiced magic whenever I could. By the time I stepped onto the hogwarts express in first year I could wandlessly and wordlessly perform almost every spell in the first year text books and had mastered some of the material from other years. I kept practicing and exploring whenever I was alone and by the end of second year I had read through and mastered every spell, charm and potion in the textbooks for every year. Still there was this voice in the back of my head telling me I couldn't let anyone know yet that I was so advanced. I didn't understand it much but knew my skill would be helpful especially seeing as Myself, Harry and Ron kept getting ourselves in dangerous situations. I figured if I was to keep the three of us alive I needed to keep learning. So I did. I had no reason to doubt my own instincts and no reason to doubt the trust my friends had placed in me. The summer before this year I went home feeling really apprehensive. I didnt know exactly why but I had noticed over the years that my parents were pulling away from me more and more. They avoided me any chance they got and forbade me from using my owl which had me feeling extremely isolated in the muggle world. My parents couldn't understand magic and began fearing it. I tried ensuring that I kept my magic around them to a minimal and only openly used it when I was behind my bedroom door." At this Hermione paused and drew in a deep breath. Smiling greatfulky at her soulmates as they each took one of her hands in theirs, providing her with silent comfort as she was about to explain the hardest part of this.
"My parents had told me not to let my grandmother know I was a witch because despite her being my bestfriend she was extremely religious and would not except me if she knew. I complied with their wishes however last summer she came to visit without notice. I was in my room practicing some complex transfiguration spells when she came in to see me. I had my back to the door so did not see her enter. When she saw me using magic she flipped. It was like she had turned a switch off internally. She went from my living grandmother to something I can only describe as cold and dark. She began screaming at me. Telling me I was worthless, the devils child, that I was evil and needed to be punished. For the remainder of the summer she beat me near enough every day. Often resulting in me falling unconscious. I had more bruises than I could count and my parents knew but did nothing. When they were ever their to witness her cruelty they would shake their heads and leave the room. They began taunting me with her and the whole experience shook me in ways I cannot even explain" Hermione sobbed, pausing to gather herself. She was grateful when Luna and Harry stood up and drew her into their arms silently. Holding her between them until she had calmed herself again.
"Thank you" she whispered to them as she sat back between Fleur and Tonks.
"When I came back to Hogwarts this Year, Professor McGonagall noticed that I wasn't eating and seemed rather withdrawn. She asked me to meet her here and asked me to tell her what was wrong. That was the same day she told me we shared a familial wizarding bond, hence the reason I call her Grandmama. She is my bond-grandmother. I couldnt verbalise what had happened so she told me about mindlink a form of telepathy between bonded magicals. Using this I let her see what had happened. Understandably she had to inform Headmaster Dumbledore who informed the ministry. The ministry held a meeting here at the school between myself, McGonagall, my parents and Professor Dumbledore. It was then I found out that I am infact adopted. The grangers are not my biological parents. They adopted me when I was a week old from an orphanage in muggle London. They didn't mean to tell me but they were angry that I had told someone what they had done to me and my mother let it slip. In the end I was handed a large envelope with my name on it that had been sealed magically. Amelia Bones said she thought it might be a blood ward that was placed on it to ensure that only I could open it. She left it with me and said I could open it in my own time but advised I open it with a professor present incase there was anything unpleasant inside. A the end of the meeting Mrs Bones had Kingsley Shaklebolt arrest my parents and my grandmother and transport them to Azkaban to await trial. Which is the 15th of December. Mrs Bones also gave Orofessor McGonagall legal guardianship over me, ensuring that I would not end up back at an orphanage and this is when things get complicated." Hermione and those in the room that already knew what was coming chuckled at this.
"The day after I opened the envelope here with McGonagall. Inside was this blanket" she said wandlessly and wordlessly summoning it from her grandmothers spare room. Catching it and holding it up gently as it flew into her hands.
"There was also a rather detailed letter from my birth mother. Neville this bit is going to be difficult to hear but please let me finish explaining the full story before you try to counter what I say" Hermione said softly, aiming a determined look at the boy in question. Neville gulped rather visibly, bracing himself as he nodded his head and offered his friend a reassuring smile.
"The letter explained that my parents gave me up because it was far too dangerous for me to grow up with the world knowing who my parents were. They were working undercover in the dark lords inner circle for Dumbledore. Had been for six years before my mother became pregnant with me. She wanted out but knew that until the dark Lord was brought down once and for all her only option for leaving would be death and that wasn't something she was willing because she did not want me growing up in a world where she was gone. So she concealed her pregnancy from everyone bar our family and on the day I was born she and my father hid me in a muggle orphanage only leaving me with the letter and my blanket. She explained that Albus had taughter her how to fake torture, torture damage and fake the killing curse. All her victims disappeared as albus had hidden them away until the time came when they could come back into society. That hasn't happened yet as they know the Dark Lord is not dead yet. So Neville to answer your question, no your parents will not be insane forever. My mother cast a spell on them that has locked their minds. She can undo the spell but will only do it when he who shall not be named is gone permanently as she wi not risk their lives. For those of you who haven't quite grasped who I'm talking about Harry, my mother is Bellatrix Black- Lestrange and my father is Rudulphus Lestrange. They have not actually ever killed in the name of the dark Lord nor have they ever actually tortured anyone but because the world thinks they are his most loyal they did not want me growing up being associated with them and they did not want him to get a hold of me because they knew I would be powerful and refused to allow the dark Lord to turn me into one of his soldiers. They wanted me far away from the war. Hence muggle London. They had already arranged for me to disappear with my aunt Andromeda when they discovered that I was the subject of a prophecy and knew that it was even more important that no one found out about me until I was strong enough to defend myself when needed" The young brunette breathed deeply once more as she summoned the Black family book and opened it to the correct page.
"This is the Black family book. It magically update itself with all the happenings of the Black family. It contains our entire history. In this is the only remaining copy of my prophecy. I had aunt Andy destroy the prophecy orb so that it can never be found by the wrong people because if the dark lords followers got wind of it, I would become target number one only equal to you Harry. They would hunt me until I either joined them or died and we all know I would never join him" she hissed before she began reading the prophecy.
"The prophecy is in here in the section that details my life, it reads as follows:
"Born the child of the eldest star,
The one with the power to steer the war.
Hidden among the ordinary,
She will prove the best in all that she does.
Born as the ninth month becomes the tenth,
She will have power beyond any that have come before her.
In the wrong hands her gift will be coveted,
Sought by the dark at any length.
Though she will never go dark when surrounded by those she loves.
Her destiny will be secured with the union of three, the destined trinity.
A metamorphagus, that shares in her blood and a Veela born of nobility- when joined the Trinity of light they will become. Three soulmates fighting side by side.
Guided by their heart they will bring her family home.
With power never before felt,
They will aid the one who lived and end the reign of terror once and for all. " she paused as she finished. Watching the different looks of understanding, confusion and determination cross the faces of her and her soulmates family.
"In other words you are saying Bellatrix Black has secretly done more for the light than the light has, you have two soulmates and you with them and I have the fate if the entire wizarding world resting on our shoulders mione!?" Harry whispered in disbelief looking at his bestfriend amd then at the two witches either side of her.
"What are we going to do Hermione" he cried his voice breaking as tears streamed from his face. Hermione reacted faster than anyone could anticipate as she moved to crouch infromt of him. Taking his hands in one of hers she placed her other hand under his chin. Lifting his gaze to meet hers.
"We fight Harry, we fight" she said softly. "You would never forgive yourself if we didn't. We train. We find out as much as we can about what is to come and we hold those we love close" she smiled tenderly as she wiped his tear stained face.
"From what I can deduce from my prophecy. There should be one in the ministry belonging to you. Your first task is to retrieve it. Then we plan okay?" She said. Harry drew her into his arms and hugged her tightly.
"Okay" he whispered "we fight" his voice louder this time with his conviction. If Hermione could fight through all she had already experienced and still be willing to fight for a better future he would stand and fight at her side. Fluer and Nymphadora stood and went to Harry and Hermione's sides, wrapping their arms around the two friends.
"We fight" Fluer said determinedly.
"Together" Nymphadora added.
"Always" Harry and Hermione replied at the same time before they broke apart and retook their seats.
"Hermione, I'm so sorry" Neville said. "All this time I have been so full of hate for a woman who has sacrificed her life to protecting people from the dark. I hated her for taking my parents from me, I never knew that in doing so she saved them from so much pain and likely death. I want you to know that I will stand with you. We will bring your family home and when the time comes I wi stand with you in clearing your mothers name" he said softly, smiling at his friend.
"I do believe we are in for a fight with a lot of nargles but I do believe we will prevail" Luna added as she smiled at Hermione sweetly.
"I agree with Neville mione, I stand with you" Ginny chimed in.
"Thank you" Hermione replied to them smiling at them with watery eyes.
"You will never know how much we appreciate your support. Together we can make it through what is to come" she to them.
"Oui you will" Apoline said smiling at the young witches and wizards infront of her.
"If youz are needing any 'elp from ze Delacour clan we promise you have it. We will stand with you little witch. You and your friends are ze bravest witches and wizardz I have 'ad ze pleasure of knowing and I could not wish for better mates for ma petite-fille" Emilia said seriously "as I 'ave said zo mote it be" she continued, smiling at the youngsters infront of her as a soft gold glow surrounded her, sealing her oath.
"Thank you Grandmaman" Fleur said standing to hug her clan leader, Emilia nodded and hugged her grandchild in return.
"Now we cannot do anything until we have Harry's prophecy so Grandmama, how about we break out the muggle game twister I know you have hidden in your cabinet" Hermione said cheekily.
"I don't see why not I need a good laugh at someone's expense" Minerva replied before glaring playfully at her granddaughter "but stop snooping through my things young one or their will be consequences hmm" she retorted before moving out the room to retrieve the game.
"Consequences hmm, I wonder if they are as pretty as the consequences I am imagining" Nymphadora whispered in Hermione's ear seductively. Both Fleur and Tonks laughing at Hermione's scarlet blush that covered her face quicker than they had ever seen.
"Shut up" the brunette replied, swatting the pink headed witch playfully in the arm.
"Zo 'ermione how do we play zis muggle twister?" Fleur asked, saving the trios youngest from further embarrassment.
The large group spent the evening laughing together and playing twister. Hermione and Harry kept winning. The others swearing it was because of their muggle upbringing. Both youngsters couldn't even begin to tell them they were wrong. They knew they had the advantage having grown up with the game.
Albus Dumbledore walked in sometime later to find his deputy head, Mrs Tonks, Young Nymphadora, Fleur and what looked like her family and Hermione and her friends in various degrees of entanglent with one another as Neville called out random colours.
"Well I did wonder where half the gryffindors had disappeared too, may I ask what game this is?" He enquired, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Muggle twister Albus" Andromeda informed him laughing just before her arm gave way and she fell forward bringing down everyone around her.
They all laughed heartedly as everyone ended up in a tangled heap of twisted bodies on the floor.
"Merlins balls" Andromeda exclaimed.
"I am in agreement with that sentiment Dromeda, I am surely going to feel this in the morning" Minerva complained.
"Oui" the two French Veelas called in unision.
"Why don't us oldies extricate ourselves from this hoodlum bunch and watch them while sipping on some tea" Andromeda enquired hopefully.
"Agreed, Albus would you care to join us" Minerva enquired as she finally managed to stand up amd started helping others to their feet.
"Certainly Minnie, though I have to say it is good to see you embracing your role as grandma so readily." Dumbledore agreed. Mentally telling himself that whatever it was Minerva and Hermione were hiding from him must be hidden for a reason. The most important thing to him was that his longest friend and her family were happy and as he gazed at the mixed group infront of him he smiled softly, as he began helping the youngsters to their feet as Minerva hauled the adults up.
They certainly seemed happier than he had ever seen them and that was all that mattered to him.