Chapter 1
She’d had students with all kinds of genders, of course. It was that, among other reasons, that these past decades had found her arguing with the castle’s very bricks, swearing that she would find an enchantment to fix the stairs in the students’ dormitories to allow children like Remus and Molly to share dormitories with other students of their own gender if it killed her.
So, before she said the name on the scroll before her, she looked down at the first year whose long, curly hair had clearly just grown out in a hastily researched (but impressively well done) manner by the student’s own wand. She leaned down ever so slightly toward the child.
But the first year was clearly going to talk to her first. “Excuse me, Professor McGonagall. I believe my name is next in alphabetical order on your scroll, and I know that the last name is right, but I doubt very much that the first name is accurate.”
Minerva hid a smile from her lips, but not from her eyes – an expression she’d spent years perfecting with her students – and she nodded. Yes, this girl definitely had just grown her hair out, probably on the Hogwarts Express, with her own spell. Or just sheer willpower.
But Minerva McGonagall didn’t play favorites. So she nodded, somewhat grave and somewhat assuring. “And why would I have the incorrect name? Are you suggesting perhaps that your parents sent inaccurate information to the school? It happens more often than you’d expect.”
She hoped the child understood the implication – that she would not be alone, not here at Hogwarts – and sure enough, the girl’s eyes glistened. But only for a moment.
“My parents didn’t mind my turning out to have magic. They loved it, really. They were so excited to have a young wizard in the house, that was easy for them. But you see, Professor McGonagall…”
The girl blinked, just for a moment, fear shining out from behind the cloud of her confidence.
“It was easy for them to accept that their child had magic like a wizard; but they have a harder time accepting that their child is a witch.”
Another nod, crisper, this time, her initial assessment of the first year confirmed. “Well, go on then young lady, tell me the proper name to put on all the school’s papers.”
Minerva let the smile reach her lips this time – just slightly. Nothing over the top, of course.
But the girl’s smile was brighter than any Minerva had seen in quite some time, and she was reminded once again of how very much she loved these students.
“Hermione, Professor McGonagall. My name is Hermione Granger.”