A Familiar Beginning
A church clock off in the distance chimed midnight, the only movement on the street were the dim flicker of jack-o-lanterns whose candles had not yet gone out and one stray grey tabby cat who was slowly winding its way around a tall sign post, the top of which held a sign which read 'Prospect Place'.
The cat seemed to be waiting for something, glancing up and down the street and momentarily batted at a foiled wrapped piece of chocolate that had no doubt fallen out of some trick or treaters' bag earlier in the evening and whose orange wrapper was glinting in the moonlight.
A loud crack, not unlike the sound of a car engine backfiring, sounded across the empty street and the dim streetlamps suddenly flickered out, the glow of the jack-o-lanterns along with them as a silhouette began to move in the darkness towards the cat.
"Evening Minerva, I see someone has been kind enough to leave you a halloween treat, though I do believe chocolate is considered to be poisonous to felines." Came a man's voice from the darkness
In the cover of the darkness, the cat's silhouette shifted until a tall woman stood where the cat had been, glaring at the man, her shoulders visibly bristling with her annoyance. "I assure you Albus, I have no intentions on eating anything found on the ground." She replied, brushing out the folds of her skirt and cloak before her face became more somber.
"Albus, I'm afraid to ask but..is it true, are the Grangers..?" The woman asked hesitantly and the man paused before slowly nodding his head.
"I'm afraid it's true Minerva, they're no longer with us. Hagrid has gone to fetch the girl, he should be along soon." He replied and the woman let out a choked sob.
"To not even know what they were up against...who was after them...Godric rest their souls." She whispered and lowered her head, glancing at the house to the left of where they stood. "Albus, I know its not the usual way of things but I wanted to offer to raise and look after the girl myself, she has no relatives nearby and-"
Her question was interrupted as the man Albus shook his head.
"I'm afraid not Minerva, it would not be appropriate, you've no connection to the girl. I understand your grief over the fate of the Grangers but it is against the law to bring a muggle child into our world until they are confirmed to have powers, her name does not even appear in the admittance book yet. She may yet still turn out to be a muggle. Until we know for sure, we must keep our distance and adhere to the Statute of Secrecy."
Minerva looked first hurt and then a look of pure fury crossed her thin lips and eyes. "Albus, surely these are extenuating circumstances! If She-Who-Must-Not-be-Named went out of her way to attempt to murder her-"
Again the man interrupted with a shake of his head. "I'm afraid the decision had been made Minerva, I don't doubt she will show promise of being a great witch, at which time our world will welcome her with open arms but until such a time, she will live here in the muggle world. She will be safe here." He gestured to the house to the left.
"This will be a safe house for her, an acquaintance of mine runs this home you see, a squib by the name of Harriet Stewart. Here she will not be isolated, the home is full of other girls with similar family situations. She will have a great many friends here." He added with a small smile and Minerva feeling the fate of the girl was not up for further discussion simply nodded.
A rumble like thunder, sounded in the distance coming closer and closer until a rather large motorbike began to descend from mid-air, the man who sat astride the bike even larger than it was and as it came to park in front of both Minerva and Albus, a small bundle wrapped in a pink blanket could be seen in the sidecar.
The engine to the motorbike shut off and the man riding it stood up and removed the goggles he was wearing, before stooping to pick up the wrapped bundle in his arms. From beneath the pink blanket peered the very pink and freckled face of a small girl, no older than a year or so, her huge brown eyes wide open and gazing around curiously.
"Thought she'd fall asleep on the way, didn't cry or nothing either but just stared up at the stars." The man who had gotten off the motorbike said, handing over the bundle to Minerva.
"Thank you Hagrid, she doesn't look hurt, no scratches or anything?" She asked, looking up at the giant man who rubbed his neck.
"Nothing 'cept that mark on her arm, almos' like a bolt o' lightning. Reckon You-Know-Who gave it to her, couldn't look too well, had ter get a move on, them muggle officers were coming up, lights blazing and all." Hagrid answered and almost as if sensing she'd been asked something, the girl wriggled in her blanket to free her left arm.
Up the forearm were several thin and jagged red lines all beginning from the same place near her elbow and branching off, just like a lightning storm had struck up on her skin.
"To come face to face with You-Know-Who and leave with only a mark like that is quite a feat indeed. And to have beaten You-Know-Who..there won't be a child in our world who doesn't know her name. Hermione Granger." Minerva said softly, gazing with marvel at the tiny child in her arms.
"Minerva, it's getting late. We need to deposit the child and be on our way." Albus said gently, adjusting the half moon spectacles perched on his nose.
Minerva and Hagrid both stared. "Deposit the child? What on the front stoop Albus? She'll freeze! No, no we ought to knock on the door and tell Ms Stewart what's what. If, as you say, she's a squib she should understand Hermione's predicament perfectly." Minerva stated with a tone which indicated she would not accept any other solution and even held the girl protectively in her arms.
This seemed to surprise Albus and he paused, stroking his long white beard in thought before finally nodding. "Alright Minerva, but as I think the three of us may be a bit overwhelming for Harriet, perhaps Hagrid and I had best go and you see to it that Hermione is settled in."
"Aye, right you are Dumbledore, I gotta get this here motorbike back to young Sirius Black anyways." The motorbike started up again and he gave another look at the girl before taking off into the sky, hoping he'd get a chance to see the girl again in the future.
As Minerva climbed the steps to the porch of number 7, Albus took out what appeared to be a small lighter and flicked it several times to return the lights of the streetlamp and jack-o-lanterns before disappearing with another loud crack as Minerva knocked on the door and waited anxiously.
The story of Hermione Granger was just beginning...