Harry Potter 1. Prologue

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

Disclaimer: Do not own.

Hermione Granger ran into the bathroom, sobbing. She had thought it would be different at Hogwarts, that she would make proper friends. But it was the same. The ridicule, the shunning. Her classmates only came to her so she would think and work for them. She wasn't sure how much more she could take. In the past she could go home, to her loving parents and her novels. Curl up in the big chair in front of the fireplace and read a good book. But now? She had to share a dorm with these strangers.

Magic was great, but the rest of the things she liked were gone. Her Lackey Mercedes books, her computer, her Usenet discussions and e-mail pen pals. She hadn't written a line of code in weeks.

She tried washing her face to calm down but couldn't. It was just too much. What could she change? Her academic excellence was a part of who she was. Should she cave in? Become someone's homework servant in exchange for friendship, or at least appearance of one? She knew enough about social networking to understand the pitfalls of ending up alone. She had learned that lesson the hard way.

Every time she thought of giving in and becoming a useless vapid _girl_ her tears welled back until she finally gave up on calming down and slid to the ground, hugged her knees and just cried. She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she felt something, like a wind in the air and a strange humming noise. She looked up and saw it, several feet in front of her, a blue vortex swirling into existence in front of her, impossibly real in the middle of it and wafting into smoky nothingness along the edges.

_'Oh, that's just like what a stable micro singularity would look like.'_ She thought and didn't find it at all unusual that she, a mere eleven year old would even know what a micro singularity was. For Hermione Granger liked to know things. She wanted to know everything she could learn, and she learned quickly.

Plus her father was a science fiction fan.

The small whirling blue vortex just hovered there for a moment, until a small, flat, white square hurled out of it and hit her in the forehead and fell to the floor. For moment she stared at the offending improbability as it hung in the air in front of her practically mocking her in it's magnificence and then the moment passed the swirling stilled and the barely stable space time construct just collapsed into itself with a whooshing sound.

Everything was quiet again.

"That was a bit more odd than usual." she muttered to her self as she rubbed her forehead and looked at what had hit her.

She would have been more disturbed a few months ago, before she was let into the secret of the magical world. She had already seen too many impossible things lately to feel the _wrongness_ and _dread_ that had permeated her when Professor Sprout pulled out her wand at her parents house and proved magic existed. She understood the basic principles now, even if they were a little on the vague side.

Never the less something about the small but thick envelope, perhaps eight inches across set her teeth on edge and made the hair on the back of her neck raise on it's own accord. Perhaps it was the letters H. J. G. that were written on it in familiar cursive writing. Her own handwriting.

She stared for along moment and then quickly, afraid she would change her mind and take this to a teacher she opened the envelope. A small leather necklace with a small blue stone fell out. She gasped and picked it up.

Hanging from the leather strap attached by a fragile and totally inadequate looking setting was a blue gem of some sort that glittered in the light. A tiny silver dragon wrapped itself around the stone protectively.

She extracted the letter from the envelope and started reading.

_**Dear Greenhorn Mirage**_

_**Get a hold of yourself and stop panicking.**_

_**Now, If I timed this right (And my calculations are perfect, thank you**_

_**very much) then you need a little metaphorical kick in the buttocks. **_

_**I know it's bad but it gets better. Honestly you should know better than to **_

_**expect respect from children. They won't change until they are older. **_

_**And some won't change even then.**_

_**Good news though, if you are reading then I just became the first **_

_**person to completely circumvent the tempo-spatial barrier. **_

_**Guess what! It is possible to manipulate the time line through high **_

_**dimensional physics. Who's the most brilliant magitech sorceress in **_

_**the world?**_

_**We are. Well. I am. You might be.**_

_**I know, I know, but what about temporal paradox? I call it the **_

_**branching world theory. Basically, I never received the letter you **_

_**are reading. **_

_**And thus a new temporal branch has formed to accommodate your **_

_**universe. Or perhaps more accurately our universes touched at one **_

_**specific moment so they could interact.**_

_**Unfortunately the power levels rise exponentially with mass of the **_

_**object sent. Honestly you wouldn't believe how much power this **_

_**experiment is going to need. Let's just say it takes really big effort **_

_**and avoid the use of the prefix penta in the sentence.**_

Hermione's mind boggled. She understood the idea of time travel but she believed what Einstein said about the impossibility of it on a macro scale.

She wanted to know how it was possible. And she would not find out until she could duplicate her counterparts achievement. And she was sure her counterpart knew this. She was evil.

She shook her head to prevent her thoughts going off on a tangent and continued reading the letter.

_**I won't tell you the future (make your own)**_

_**Here's some free emotional advice though:**_

_**1. Ronald Weasley is a git, with an emotional range of a teaspoon. **_

_**He will always be a git. He has his good points, and can actually learn **_

_**when it's beaten into his head but he's still a git.**_

_**Best case scenario to get him to listen is to make him fear you. With his **_

_**fiery temper and pure blood arrogance snuffed with a cool dose of **_

_**fear he is much easier to get along with.**_

_**It took me breaking his arm during childbirth. **_

_**Yes I'm married to the git. He's my git now.**_

_**True love is a myth and I like him well enough.**_

Hermione felt faint and vaguely nauseated. Married to Ronald Weasley. "Ah hell no! I'm not marrying that lousy git. I'd rather die!"

_**2. Potter is a mess. If you make friends with him prepare for a rough **_

_**ride.. He had a rough childhood and really wants someone, anyone, **_

_**to be there for him.**_

_**He'll be a loyal friend though and a good man to watch your back in**_

_**trouble. (Don't wear tight jeans in tricky situations, it distracts him **_

_**something awful.)**_

_**Then there's the whole Voldemort situation. He's a wraith, he'll **_

_**want Harry dead. Perhaps a body for himself.**_

_**I'll say it again. Prepare for a rough ride. It was fun though.**_

_**He's boring in bed though. Too much of a bottom. Ginny is a **_

_**top. Surprise!**_

She blinked and re-read the last sentence. Apparently she had, ehem, relations with Potter. She vaguely had an idea that a bottom had something to do with spanking and wondered if she even wanted to find out what the terms meant.

She paused at the Voldemort part, realising that her counterpart was warning her and felt a vague lump of anxiety and excitement in her stomach. It implied the monster was alive and that she had been involved in fighting it.

She had read about this you-know-who lunatic. She wondered what was wrong with the magical people to try to erase the name of a man, even an obviously made up one. Well, perhaps. Or perhaps the man's parent's were just cruel. She had noticed that names in the wizarding world were sometimes oddly appropriate for a person's profession or outlook on life.

_**3. Draco Malfoy. His family is dangerous, the boy is spoiled, a bully **_

_**and a borderline kleptomaniac. If he crosses the line stomp his ferret **_

_**ass. Try to make it a formal duel so he can't run to daddy, or make **_

_**certain you have some other leverage. **_

_**Get a hold of 'Formal Etiquette' by Amanda Greengrass from F&B. **_

_**I wish I read it while I was in Hogwarts. (Your allowance should cover it.)**_

_**Pure bloods disrespect us muggle born, partly because, to them, half **_

_**the time we act like manner-less buffoons. The other part is sheer prejudice.**_

_**A show of power will get you some respect. Showing eloquence and wit will get you more.**_

_**Draco is as much of a git as Ronald Weasley. Those two are much alike. **_

_**Draco is a much better shag though, all that anger and self loathing is **_

_**a nice spice in bed.**_

Hermione was getting a feeling of a pattern here. Troublesome men that she slept with.

_"What was I some sort of a scarlet woman?" _she wondered as she continued reading.

_**4. Luna Lovegood. You won't know her yet. Befriend as soon a you see her. **_

_**She is your intellectual equal. Even if she is coming to it from the other side. **_

_**Nargles are nine dimensional beings. Don't ask to see them until you wrap **_

_**your mind around non euclidean geometry in Arithmancy. **_

_**(And for gods sake keep up with your maths. You'd be surprised what a **_

_**calculator and college level mathematics will do when used properly. **_

_**Not to mention what I got once I ran some "Impossibly long" Arithmancy **_

_**equations through Matlab on a fourteen gigahertz quad core processor)**_

_**Well, that is for the people that are close to me in my life. Even if Draco is **_

_**more like a familiar pet, or perhaps a nosy wild cat that pops in occasionally **_

_**for some food and a good scratch, then an actual friend. Poor guy, it took him **_

_**until his thirties to evolve into a human being, and twenty more to become a **_

_**productive member of society.**_

_**And Luna is Luna. Without her I'd have snapped and went**_

_**'Dark and terrible, **_

_**treacherous as the sea, **_

_**all would love me and despair.'**_

_**on the stupid corrupt misogynistic bastards that ran the wizarding world **_

_**before The Fall.**_

_**There are other people in my life but frankly you can handle them on your **_

_**own. Keep an open mind.**_

She felt slightly better, after reading this. She always wanted a friend she could talk to. At least it wasn't another conquest she had to kick in the gonads. Non-euclidian geometry sounded intriguing. Though she remembered reading something about the concept driving people mad or something.

That quote on the end seemed a bit sinister and she wondered where she had read it before.

_**5. Life debts. Try to avoid them. **_

_**When confronting trolls: stay calm, and see if you can escape. If you're trapped, **_

_**use Lumos Maxima to blind it and try to levitate something heavy onto their head. **_

_**Like a club for instance. **_

_**If all else fails just focus, pool your power and overpower a **_

_**Reductor curse into it's head. Most things die without their head.**_

_**(Wand Diagram enclosed, touch the words with a wand to see. Tap again to revert to letter.)**_

_**Seriously. I'm stuck with a life debt to Potter, and while he is truly a good friend he **_

_**can be a bit of an ass himself at times. The nagging need to help him however I can is **_

_**kind of annoying and sometimes counterproductive when he actually need a swift kick in the buttocks. **_

_**I cancelled out Ronald's by marrying him. I can hex his arse into a puddle if he annoys me now. **_

_**Yes I'm smiling.**_

_**Also, and I cannot stress this enough. STUDY WIZARDING LAW. There **_

_**are loopholes and vaguely known sub clauses that will make your life easier **_

_**if you know them before you are of age.**_

She eagerly pulled out her wand and studied the spell as a part of her wondered what about wizarding law was so important. The Reductor spell was interesting. It was a type 3 spell with variable yield concussion damage depending on the amount of power channelled into it. Dangerous. And this life debt sounded horrible. She smiled at the thought of hexing Ronald Weasley and then felt sorry for her counterpart for her apparent inability to do so, even for a little while.

_**6. Hint about magic: Arithmancy is the Assembler while Runes are Higher programming language. **_

_**Wanded Spells? Self executables.**_

_**But only European and American mages use wands.**_

Hermione _grinned_ in glee finally seeing an explanation of magic that made sense.

She made a mental note to study runes as soon as possible.

"Needle to matchstick indeed" She grumbled taping the letter to continue reading it.

_**And last but not least?**_

_**7. Power. **_

_**Don't listen to anyone in the wizarding world that claims that ones 'magical core' is fixed at birth. Ones natural inclination is but magic is composed from mental energies of the mind, the chemical energies of the body and of spiritual energies of the soul.**_

_**Soul is fixed. This is the 'magical core' that everyone is yammering about and is actually not powering your spells directly. Magic is the light of the soul. Let's not get too metaphysical for now.**_

_**The other two, mind and body can and will increase with practice. Meditative practice, mental and physical will do wonders for a magic user.**_

_**In fact if you focus enough into the mind arts and exercise your body the light of your soul will grow match the energies of your mind and body.**_

_**And then there is external magic, channelling the dragon lines, elemental magic, spirit lines, magical focal points,and so on. **_

_**You wouldn't believe how much of a rush it is, calling down a lightning strike and absorbing the energies to replenish your own. Don't try it if you don't know what you are doing. A good benchmark is this. If you can produce lightning you can absorb lightning of similar strength**_

_**So enough with the inadequacy issues. Seriously. You are a witch, you have it within you to be a sorceress and no one is allowed to bully you!**_

A warm feeling spread through her heart. She was wrong. Maybe she did belong here.

_**Work on your mind and your body in your spell casting from the start and you can pretty much write your own ticket.**_

_**The enclosed amulet is designed for you protection wear it at all times. It has been charmed with a 'notice me not' enchantment, the cord and the jewel are unbreakable, and no one can take it off you without your consent.**_

_**It will help you replenish your energies faster by channelling outside energies into you when yours are low. The net result is that you will naturally heal twice as fast, fight poison, foreign magic influence and disease more easily. The excess energy will also shore up your mental barriers once you have them up and generally help you advance a bit faster then with just your light of the soul doing all the work.**_

_**I haven't needed it for a long time now, having learned to channel energies on my own. It is my gift to your future and safety. **_

_**I also took the liberty of enchanting the silver dragon with some protective wards of my design, when you learn enough runes you can pick them apart and learn what they do. At that point you may choose to detach the dragon and use it separately. The stone will retain full functionality.**_

_**Oh, the stone can also act as a powerful yet undetectable portkey focus when you learn to make one. I call it the ward crasher. **_

_**Best wishes.**_

_**Rhea, Reign Monger**_

_**aka**_

_**Hermione Jane Granger (formerly Weasley)**_

_**P.S. If and when you choose to have sex do NOT make your first time in a tent with no access to proper shower while hiding from people who wand to kill you. **_

_**P.P.S. If your version of Potter tries to name his child Albus Severus hex him until he changes his mind.**_

_**P.P.P.S. Please do peruse The Book List and the brief financial overview of the 1990's**__**(I could **__**have extended it into the first half of the 21st century, but why spoil the fun.)**_

Hermione's mind was a whirl of thought as she looked at the necklace with a new sense of awe.

She knew the letter was true because no one knew of the handle she peddled 'grey' software under. She hesitated for a moment and then placed the leather cord around her neck. She put it under her shirt and sighed.

She always wanted a dragon pendant of some sort.

She took a deep breath and set out to imedeately re read the letter and explore the hidden parts of it. She had much to think about. Least of all what the letter implied on the nature of the universe. Or that she possibly cheats on her husband. Ex Husband? And who was Luna Lovegood?


	2. Chapter 1: Dancing with trolls

Disclaimer: Do not own

**Battle awareness is merely a self defense reaction of the human brain to life or death situations. It is a well documented occurrence, where time seems to stretch and seconds seem like all the time in the world. This so called 'bullet time' is a magically induced version of this that plays on the initial event. It hinges on the brain developing the connections on it's own, through fear and determination.**

**Chapter 1** _Dancing with trolls_

The heavy footsteps, crashes and grunts called her back from deep thought.

'It's couldn't be' she thought as noise came closer. She quickly put the letter and the journal in her bag and got out her wand.

Whatever it was stood just outside the door making sniffing noises. She looked around for a place to hide. The bathroom was simple, six stalls along one wall, large enough for an adult to stretch his hands and not touch the walls, a row of mirrors and sinks along the wall opposite from the stalls. A comfortable looking bench was at the back wall, opposite the doorway. Like all rooms in the castle it was a rather large room but the stalls were the only place you could conceivably hide in.

She decided to stand her ground and see what it was, hoping against logic that it wasn't a troll.

The doors slammed open and something hunched down to pass through the frame. The troll was at least seven or eight feet tall, though it was difficult to tell with it hunched over like that. The beast was an ugly green thing with leathery skin, black nails and beady yellow eyes. She looked down. Ah, it was a he, and he seemed to have lost that little loincloth trolls in books wore.

"I so don't need this." Hermione muttered as the troll stepped towards her and she stepped backwards towards the middle of the room. The floor shook faintly from its footsteps.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and her mouth felt dry. She was shaking, and the floor was slippery beneath her feet, but strangely, calm and clarity had settled in her head, like a white bubble of purpose. And the world narrowed itself to her and the troll.

She gripped her wand as the troll raised it's club to the creeling and swung.

"Lumos Maxima!" she exclaimed and threw herself backwards, falling on the hard tiles, hitting her head. The bubble of white light actually detached itself from the tip of her wand and then flashed just in front of the trolls head. The troll roared as the blinding light exploded in front of it's eyes. His swing went awry, violently shattering the first stall and a piece of the floor bellow it, peppering her with shards.

"Wingardium Leviosa." She carefully enunciated, lying on her back, aching from her awkward fall. She tugged the club out of his left hand while he was still busy rubbing his eyes with his right. For a moment it seemed it would work but the monster blindly grabbed at the club that she tried float out of his reach and pulled. It was a close thing, her magic versus his strength.

But she was only a first year. Her magic slipped and the troll yelled in rage and triumph, stepping closer and _kicked _her across the room and into the middle of the back wall. She hit the bench on the way down and then found herself lying face down on the floor. Her wand had slipped out of her hand and rolled to a stop under the last sink. Just next to the trolls leg. It had come closer to her while she was dazed from the hit.

She eyed her wand in horror and the impossible five feet of distance between her and the wand and then she looked up at the troll. The darned thing's knee was level with her head!

"I am not letting you kill me you green skinned monster!" She yelled at it in defiance as she raised herself to her knees. The troll tilted it's head in puzzlement, blinking it's beady yellow eyes trying to get a better look. Finally he shrugged and lifted his leg over her head, intent on crushing the annoying thing into paste.

Her eyes slipped past the impossibly large foot and a feeling of calm and clarity crackled around the edges and shattered with a fresh surge of adrenaline and anger. That damned thing was here to kill her end she'd be damned if she will let it. She raised her hand and concentrated on it's middle .

"Reducto!" she yelled pouring every ounce of her will and remaining strength into the spell imagining the wand in her hand. A wave of magic burned across her hand and along that thing's leg, leaving burned blisters before it made contact with it's groin and lifted the troll into the air and and sent it crashing into the middle of the room.. The floor shook and Troll let out a deafening roar, dropping the club and clutching his unmentionables just as Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley ran into the bathroom, yelling her name. They stopped and stared as the troll that as trashing and screaming in the middle of the room.

Unnoticed by anyone the small pendant hidden in her shirt stopped glowing blue.

She got up from her knees, heart pounding, hands shaking, and stepped out of the way of the thrashing, wailing beast in front of her and stared in a semi detached manner.

_'Is this what shock feels like?'_ she thought as she lifted her hand. Her wand absently floated back into her possession. She glanced at Ronald, smiled sweetly and then pointed her wand at the club. _'It feels kinda good'_

"Wingardium leviosa." She carefully enunciated and lifted the club into the air controlling the movement carefully with her wand and then she slammed it into the beasts head, once, twice, three times.

The wailing stopped.

The boys stared.

"B.. Blimey." Ronald exclaimed and she _knew_ he would never dare ridicule her competence again..

And Hermione sighed, letting the club float back to the floor. No one could harm her now, she was safe she had the power to protect herself, and she would use it. The feeling of something leaking down her face distracted her from the look abject terror on Ronald Weasley's face..

_'Oh no! Am I crying again?' _she touched her face and looked it was red, she tasted it. Salty. _'When did I get blood on me?'_

She wavered on her feet feeling a bit dizzy as the world greyed around the corners of her eyes.

"That is how you cast a proper levitation spell, Ronald." She said to the boys just as someone entered the doors. She turned her head to look who it was but the world swirled around her and then went black.

Just moments before the troll incident Ronald Weasley was wavering between fear and anger. Potter had forced him to go find the know-it-all and judging by the sounds down the hallway she was in trouble. And it was his fault. Potter might ditch him for this. Why'd she have to go all emotional anyways? Stupid useless girls.

He glanced at his friend jogging just ahead of him and towards the bathroom when he heard Hermione yell something and saw a blinding flash through the doorway. The troll's roar made him shiver and he looked at Harry. The boy sprinted full speed towards the bathroom, wand out, and Ron joined him almost a second behind pulling out his wand as he ran.

Ron and Harry ran into the bathroom to hear her cast a spell and troll fall down. They winced as the electrified feel of concentrated _magic _prickled across their skin and turned pale as they watched the troll grab his crotch and trash about, bleeding on the floor.

The boys watched as she calmly got up with her face all bloody and clothes torn. She stepped out of the way, _levitated her wand from the floor,_ and mercilessly beat the screaming green, _huge bloody_ _troll_ with his own club.

"B... Blimey!" He exclaimed "I insulted that! I'm so dead!" He muttered to himself and shuddered.

"That is how you cast a proper levitation spell, Ronald." The battered and somewhat deranged looking girl said in a soft, dangerous tone of voice and Ron paled further while Harry turned back to look at him with something akin to fear or perhaps horror.

He was shoved out of the way by Snape, and he realised that the bushy haired terror had passed out.

The professor rushed right past the troll, letting out a casual stupefy into it's head as he passed it and started muttering and passing his wand over the girl.

Professor McGonogal heard the beast roar in anger and _ran_ with all her speed towards the sound; professor Flitwick, despite his small stature was only a few steps behind her. Yet she knew she'd be too late. She took in the devastated bathroom when she entered; Professor Snape was preforming diagnostic charms over the prone, bloodied girl her, and heart clenched flashing back to the war and the battered forms of her students dead at her feet.

She blinked and shook of the memories and looked closer at the troll. It looked too messy to be a castration hex; Now that she thought about it, it's head and chest looked a bit misshapen as well. No wonder the two Gryfindoor boys looked pale. She conjured a white sheet and with a flick of her wand it settled across it's midsection.

"So what happened?" asked McGonogal in a calm neutral tone of voice while professor Flitwick carefully approached the beast. She knew Snape was too busy making sure the girl was not going to die to bother him with questions. Not that she was going to die. Kids don't die at Hogwarts. Not any more. Not since the war. Not ever. Not again.

The boys looked at each other and Mister Potter visibly pulled himself together and started to calmly explain. The boy truly had his father's mannerisms down.

"We heard Hermione was upset and shut herself in here, since she didn't know about the troll, so we came to warn her." Potter started to explain. "By the time we came to the corridor we heard noises and the troll's roaring. Then there was a bright flash of light from the room as we ran towards it."

"We wanted to save her." Added a pale looking mister Weasley in a shaky voice. "She didn't know about the troll, she missed the feast you see."

"Only she didn't need saving. By the time we got there she had already dropped the troll and was beating it with it's own club!"

Potter added, the boy was obviously impressed by the girl's feat. She was slightly sceptical about the beating the troll with it's own club part, however the boys probably misunderstood something. If the girl truly had beaten the thing on her own after a scant few weeks of training...

The possibilities whirled in her mind.

She had initially though that Snape had saved the girl, the devastation the troll suffered was exactly his style. Although, now that she thought about it, he probably wouldn't go for the groin. Men usually didn't.

"Blimey I'll never get on that girl's bad side again!" Mister Weasley added somewhat redundantly.

Snape came over levitating the girl. "That's the first intelligent thing I heard from you all year, Weasley."

"How is she?" McGonogal asked, concerned. Her clothes were damaged and her face was scratched and bloody. _Oh goddess Bast let her be aright_

"She has a minor concussion, cuts and bruises, cracked rib, magical exhaustion and her right hand is burnt from the inside for some odd reason, probably a burst of accidental magic of some sort. She'll live." He said in a monotone. He glanced at unconscious troll that was still bleeding on the floor raised an eyebrow. "Though I'm not that sure about the troll," and raised an eyebrow at Flitwick.

"It's dead." the diminutive professor said cheerfully as he joined them. "I'm not sure if it's the cracked skull or the bleeding."

McGonogal could see the wheels turning in the diminutive professors head and she growled inwardly as she cocked an eyebrow. No way he was getting this one. She was training her and that was final.

Flitwick looked at her for a moment and smiled sardonically. Accepting the challenge.

Later that evening the rumours were going wild in the Gryffindor common room.

"Hey did you hear? That Granger girl got cornered by the troll and got clobbered. She's in the hospital wing with a concussion." A voice could be heard, and overheard.

"I heard the troll was in a worse shape then she was." Someone else would correct.

"I heard Potter say she took it out." Dean Thomas said, and him being a dorm mate that practically made him an eye witness.

"Ronald Weasley is scared witless and muttered something about her clubbing the thing to death." was added to the grapevine as fact.

There were a few sceptics, but they were quickly convinced.

"Oh come now, that's ridiculous. An ickle firstie taking out a troll, with it's own club?"

"I saw the troll when the prefects transported it." Intoned Percy Weasley gravely "It was covered in a sheet. Professor Snape confirmed that Granger did it in. Now enough gossiping! Headmaster will clear things up later, so off to bed with you lot!"

In the end, it would always stay in the back of the minds of Gryffindors, how the stray Ravenclaw was truly one of them. Even if she was a know it all.

That evening an emergency staff meeting was held in the Teacher's Lounge.

"How is your Gryffindor Minerva?" asked Albus Dumbledore.

"She is stable but Poppy wanted to stay and monitor her condition. She has some sort of head injury but will probably be fine." an agitated looking McGonogal explained.

"I want to know how a troll got past the creature wards?" asked Professor Snape.

"I had to take it down temporarily to help set defences for you-know-what. It must have snuck in then." Said Dumbledore "We must check the grounds tonight to ensure nothing else made it past the ward limit. Quirrel? Do you have an idea how we should go about sweeping the castle?"

The meeting and patrols lasted into the night to some time after midnight. No other creatures were found.

Hermione woke up to a pounding migraine and laid very still, she stopped breathing, fearing her head would fall apart and half hoping it would.

She opened her eyes, abruptly closed them again and groaned the light was way too bright.

"I am glad that you are back with us, Miss Granger." She heard a voice and she carefully opened her eyes again. Madam Pomfrey was preparing a salve next to her bed.

"Now relax relax, this will help with the cuts." the nurse said as she lightly dabbed the potion on her face and shoulders. The liquid was warm and stung a little but quickly cooled and soothed causing a tingly feeling to spread across her body and she closed her eyes again.

"Don't go to sleep yet. How are you feeling?" a voice asked and Hermione opened her eyes again.

"Think 'm ok." she said. "Head hurts. My jaw hurts if I move it to much. Can't feel my hand?" She looked. Her hand was wrapped in bandages.

"Yes that would be the concussion and magical exertion combining." Madam Pomfrey nodded. "Reaction headaches are bad enough without getting your brain physically scrambled."

"What about the hand?" Hermione asked concerned.

"Strange tissue and skin burns, I'm not sure from what. Did you botch a spell?" The healer asked with curiosity.

Hermione tried to nod and then reached for her head with her left hand. Her right arm just lay there uselessly.

She helped Hermione sit up and handed her a potion vial. "Drink this. It will help with the concussion and the pain. Your magic will recover soon enough."

Hermione gulped the foul liquid barely tasting it. The soothing sensation spread across her head almost instantly and she thanked whatever gods were listening. It still hurt but it was much better.

"What about my arm?" She asked.

"I immobilised it to avoid further injury." Pomfrey said, passing her wand over Hermione's head. "Yes, this should alleviate the danger from your concussion. Sleep now, I'll be waking you up periodically.

"Th'k y'." Hermione mumbled already drifting off to sleep.

"You are welcome Miss Granger. Rest and heal child. Just rest and heal." Intoned the mediwitch, gently swiping a sheen of sweat from the girl's forehead.

Madam Pomfrey stayed there all night carefully monitoring the girl's condition, her body and ethics easily remembering wartime reserves when sleep was a luxury and medication scarce. She remembered the strokes and the burnouts that the simple potion she gave the girl could have prevented.

"Rest child. I will care for you."


	3. Chapter 2: The Weasley Twins

Disclimer: Do not own.

"**I believe it was The Reign Monger who first came up with the concept of Scenario Divination. It was when she started to seriously delve into the mind arts when she first began to notice that the inherent randomness of the universe can not be predicted without fail. What one can do is use situational awareness, and gently nudge probability in the direction we wish it to go. Please understand that this is more a degree of manipulation and less a magical art in it's own right. The intangibility of the art is summed up in the quote by The Reign Monger herself: **_**'You will find that Scenario Divination is like condensing your reality from the vapour of nuance around you. If you wish to become a Sorceress you must work on your awareness or you cannot lead troops in battle. Power, afterall, if useless if you do not know where to apply it.' "**_

**Hogwarts, Sorcery 101 class**

**Chapter 2. **_The weasley twins (of doom)_

Hermione made her way down to the great hall feeling vaguely pleased with herself. She had a nagging feeling something was off but the smell of food was driving most thoughts out of her head. As she entered she noted that is was only half full, but a relatively busy Silence fell around her as she neared the Gryffindor table. Suddenly the Weasley twins noticed her, exchanged looks and grinned. They jumped to their feet and approached, bowing exaggeratedly.

"All hail Hermione Granger, Slayer of Trolls" Stated Fred in a loud voice

"Destroyer of Bathrooms." George interjected

"The Girl Who Kick Troll Buttocks." his brother continued

"Patron of Tile Layers" George added as he grabbed her left hand and bowed his forehead to it.

"Annihilator of..." Fred started to say when he was interrupted by a loud growl. As they stopped for a moment to look at her and then her stomach Hermione blushed. Ordinarily she'd have been annoyed by such childish antics, but she was feeling cheeky this morning. Life was too short to forego fun. She stood up straight and intoned in a most sombre and haughty voice.

"Thank you my loyal knights, You may worship me later. Right now there us a new quest before us. I will be slaying toast, a couple of eggs and about half a pig." She paused, struck a heroic pose and pointed at the table. "To battle!" she called out and then broke into chuckles as the twins took up her call grasped her elbows and took up her cry by yelling "Victory or Toast!"

Laughter spread through the hall at the twins usual antics as they made room for her between them and attended her with exaggerated manners. Occasionally bursting into declamation and commentary on how the Battle of the Breakfast Bacons was going to break the Hunger Wars of Tuesday.

The silliness of it all would have made the old Hermione miffed, and yet now she found the attention comforting.

She glanced at the teacher's table to check if the antics were being frowned upon and encountered the twinkling warmth of the headmaster's amused gaze. He nodded at her and stood up.

"May I have your attention for a few moments please." His strong voice echoed across the great hall and the students quieted.

"Last night a Troll somehow entered the castle. Exactly how he passed through the wards is being investigated. One student was unaware of this and was caught off guard and cornered by the troll. Miss Hermione Granger." He calmly reported.

"Troll's Bane!" Called out one of the Weasley twins.

The Headmaster nodded at Fred, smiling indulgently. "Indeed mister Weasley. I was getting to that."

"As I was saying. Miss Granger displayed remarkable resilience and bravery in the face of adversity, and it is my pleasure to award Gryffindor fifty points for her actions yesterday."

A small applause and yelling came from Gryffindor, and a scattered rapport from the rest of the houses as well, mostly Hufflepuff.

"Also, after consulting with the rest of the faculty, I have decided to submit to the Hogwarts board of Governors a request to award Miss Granger a certificate for special services to the school. Trolls, after all, are tricky to overcome, even for several wizards and witches working in tandem. That is all."

The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind of questions, congratulations and hero worship. To Hermione it was like a surreal dream to have all this positive attention. That evening, when the questions and congratulations has run it's course, Ronald had approached her, apologised and asked her, polite as you please, to show him how to properly cast a levitation spell.

'Aparently miracles do happen.' Mused a still half dazed Hermione as she made the boy read his charms book for the first time.

The Weasley Twins kept a close eye on the Granger girl over the next few days. Originally they had dismissed her as a female version of Percy. But a firstie that can defeat a troll, be up in time for breakfast, and then joke about it? Well. Let no one say that the Weasley twins were unfair.

For the twins Granger was a puzzle. They had pretty much stalked her shamelessly, using The Map to keep track of what she was doing. She seemed to be reverting to her former shell what with all the time she was spending in the library. Always studying dusty tomes, writing on scrolls of parchment and generally being a boring Percy clone. They had even taken it upon themselves to remedy that, drawing her into conversation and sometimes it seemed to work especially when they started to shamelessly read her work under the pretext of helping the ickle troll slayer with her homework. Sometimes she would let them help, and sometimes she would put away her work and try to draw them into a game of exploding snap. Most suspicious for a little bookworm especially since they noticed she was spending a lot of time in the restricted section.

It was, after all, their duty to help a fellow Gryffindor. Satisfying their curiosity about what she was up to was merely a side benefit.

It was after classes on Friday that Fred and George decided to ambush the girl in the back shelves of the library.

"Well hello hello hello, what do we have here Gred?" asked twin one conversationally.

"I'm not sure Forge." Twin two answered.

"It looks like an ickle firstie." George mused

"But no icke firstie would be interested in the mind arts." Fred added wisely nodding at the books on his left.

"Or wizarding law." George added nodding to his right.

"Or manage to get access to the restricted section at all." Fred concluded, finishing their rapid fire conversation and turning to Hermione who was still shuffling her feet, looking slightly guilty.

"Why are you here ickle slayer of trolls?" They asked in unison and smiled at her confusion.

Hermione's head went back and forward between the twins. While the boys were fun and it was nice that they found her company amusing, she was still not quite used to their ways. At least they weren't finishing each others sentences again. She opened her mouth to say it but the twins started talking in rapid sucession.

"We could."

"Talk like "

"This all the"

"Time but it"

"Would loose"

"Impact."

She looked at them and gaped her mouth dropping.

"How?" she finally asked. Was it possible that they really read her mind?

"Yes. We can. Twins have a faint bond that can be strengthened by using the _Leglimens _and _Oculumens _branches of mind arts." The left twin spoke and his brother continued. "You have been organising your mind but only built the most basic of shields in it. You are basically shouting your surface thoughts at anyone within ten feet of you that has any leglimency training"

Hermione was horrified and then tried to quiet her mind. _They were reading her thoughts damn it!_

The twins glanced at each other.

"You just got a bit quieter. What shielding method are you using? The one from 'Mental Barriers' or the 'Minds and shadows' ?"

Hermione was confused and finally sighed.

"I'm not using any method. The two books on mind arts I read so far only mentioned 'calming the mind' and 'quieting ones thoughts', whatever they mean by that." Hermione grumbled bitterly. She was feeling vaguely betrayed by the books on the mind arts she had been reading.

The twins snorted and exchanged glances.

"Ministry approved material." Said Fred shaking his head

"I know just the thing for you." Said George and reached behind the books on third shelf of the mind arts section, his hand reaching _into_ the shelf, and pulled out a small booklet.

Hermione took the small book bound in brown leather. She opened it to the first page and noted the clear, beautiful penmanship.

_**Protecting your mind **_

_by_

_**Aisling of Kells**_

_Dedicated to the bastards in the ministry_

_who refused to publish my work _

_and the amazing work done by the_

_Hogwarts Extracurricular Literary Preservation Society_

Hermione stared at the hand written book, marvelled at the small, concise and neat penmanship as well as the beauty of the hand drawn illustrations.

"Aisling?" She asked, clutching the leather booklet to her chest and hart beating in her chest. "Aisling of Kells? I thought she was a muggle myth?"

George smiled and shrugged. "Who knows, we know better then to underestimate muggles. They know all kinds of useful things."

"Aisling of Kells knew her mind arts though." Added Fred. "Even though chapters Four and Five are beyond us. They seem to refer to an earlier work or something and we can't make head or tails of the whole 'singing your mind into existence' thing. Go over the first few chapters and let us know if you wish to get more practice at this."

"Granger, you have to tell us, How's you get a pass for the restricted section?" Asked George suddenly. "It took us two months of hard work last year to trick our DADA teacher into giving out an unlimited pass."

"I didn't." Hermione said honestly. "The library seems to like me or something." She said.

The twins looked at her sceptically.

"Honestly!" Hermione said with a sombre tone. "The library wards never complain, and sometimes a book will slide halfway out and it would be exactly what I am looking for."

"Well, if the library liked anyone it would be you, wouldn't it?"

With that the twins passed her by, patting her on the head and left the shelf area.

That evening, as she went to bed after she performed the barrier building exercises proscribed in the book she had a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she was forgetting something. Like a _deja vu_ hidden just around a corner or perhaps a forgotten memory.

And on the hollow of her neck a pretty necklace rested, glittering in moonlight.

Hermione was keeping an eye on Longbottom to try and divert another catastrophe. It was happening just like she had predicted. He has been preparing ingredients adequately, didn't miss timing and learned the difference between clockwise and counter clockwise (She had helped by carving a reminder on his cauldron. Dyslexia is a tricky thing.) He looked pale and nervous but he was doing a passable job of making a pepper up potion. His potions should _not_ be exploding so much. She took careful note of her surroundings.

She noted a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye, having almost been expecting she whipped her wand out of her sleeve and flicked it towards the fast moving pebble forgoing incantation. It stopped just over Neville's cauldron, hovered in the air for moment and then floated into her open palm. She frowned for a moment and then recognised dried fire salamander liver.

She held it in her hand and carefully considered the implications.

"Miss Granger, I hope you are not thinking of using that in your potion?" She looked up to see professor Snape frowning at her.

"Of course not professor Snape. I was merely considering if it has any non destructive uses as I waited for my potion to settle."

"Finished already?" He asked as he came closer to inspect her potion.

"I shortened the preparation time by steaming the pepper with the ginseng and crushing them together."

"And what did you use to counteract acidity imbalance?" He asked taking a sample and dropping it on a piece of paper and nodding.

"Two drops of lemon juice. It tastes better."

He blinked at her as it dawned on him. "Lemon juice?"

She smiled, he was actually decent when talking about potions. "Magically neutral, tastes better then caterpillar acid and reacts well with peppers."

He looked into her eyes for a moment and she felt him touch her shields. He retreated and nodded. "It would work. Not quite medical level but very good, economic substitute for domestic use. I'll grade it Exceeding Expectations. One point to Gryffindor as well for innovative logical application of potions knowledge."

Hermione stared at him, the man never, ever gave Points to Gryffindor.

He turned around suddenly. "Longbottom! Have you ruined your potion yet?" he yelled, causing the poor kid to spill the peppers from the measuring cup into the potion; it let out a poof of dark smoke and the liquid in the cauldron turned from murky to clear. Luckily the boy had measured correctly.

"S... S... Sir." Neville stuttered as Snape took a sample of his potion and tested it. He looked at the result and then the boy for a moment.

"Acceptable effort Longbottom. This can actually be used for a mild cold. Could it be you are capable of learning? Next time you make this add the peppers slowly while steering clockwise to get better results."

"Oh, and Granger, stay after class."

With apprehension Hemione watched her classmates leave after the potions had been graded. Severus Snape confused her. It was obvious the man was a cold hearted bastard. And yet he, on rare ocassions, acted like a professional. She wasn't quite sure what to thik of the potions professor.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" She asked as the the last Gryffindor shuffled out of the classroom.

"Why did you have that piece of fire salamander liver? It's not in the standard potions kit." He asked frowning. "You should not be experimenting with restricted ingredients just yet."

"I..." She paused considering. "I caught it. Sir." she said finally feeling slightly embarrased, knowing he was just going to dismiss this as a babbling of a schoolgirl.

"Caught it?" he raised his eyebrow at her and Hermione realised he might actually take her seriously.

"On it's way to Longbottom cauldron, with a Levitation charm." she added in explanation. She was nowhere near his station after all

"I heard no levitation charm being cast." Snape asked her sceptically.

She looked at him for a moment and then pointed at an empty vial and flicked her wand. It rose into the air and floated rapidly towards her. She caught it in her hand. Snapes eyebrows rose towards his forehead. He nodded.

"I see. I suppose once you levitate a ninety pound wood club it's easier to do the little things silently. Even so, silent spell casting at your age..." He trailed off in thought before remembering himself and looked at her sternly.

"I am glad you stopped shouting your throughts, verbally and mentally, in my classroom Granger. Practice the subtlety you displayed today more often and try avoid being infected by the dunderheads. You may leave."

As she left she could have sworn she had heard him murmur the words 'five points to Gryffindor' with a disgusted tone of voice. But of course she was merely imagining things.

(((LINE?)))

Things had been looking up for Hermione in the last week or so. Harry and Ron sometimes sat with her during meals and Ronald seemed to be more inclined to listen when she was speaking. Potter would sometimes look at her funny when she silently hung out with the twins, but that was just fine. She knew what he did not, after all.

The twins seemed to like her for some odd reason, and helped her practice by whispering comments in her mind across the Gryffindor table, and whenever they came across her in the hallways. She had already learned to project back a feeling of agreement or disagreement and felt good about her progress. Her classmates also seemed to be more respectful to her now. Possibly because she was beginning to feel what behaviour set them off and learned to restrain herself from showing off. She was still the first to raise her hand in class, but she was less noisy about it..

Unknown to her it also had something to do with her starting to perform one of the exercises described in the hidden parts of her letter. Learning to channel a small portion of her magic through her blood. The constant effort to access her magic without expending it on a spell was an excellent mental exercise, improving her stamina and helping to learn and maintain better control over her magic. The subtle magical aura that she exuded as a side effect of her exercise probably had something to do with even the Slytherins nodding at her when passing her in the hallways.

She was just leaving the dungeons thinking of how things can change so radically in the course of a week when she came across Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy exchanging insults in the hallway. Both were getting their steam up and Harry was holding on to Weasley's arm to stop him from advancing when she snuck up, channeling a small charge into her voice called out:

"Presentation Mr Malfoy! Ronald, you really should know better then to fight in the hallways."

Draco automatically stood straight like someone put a rod in his spine and Weasley reflexively flinched and muttered "Sorry ma'am."

They turned fearfully, and then stared at her in surprise. Draco looked like the epitome of grace and projected puzzled inquiry by an expert use of a single, slightly raised eyebrow while Weasley mostly looked dazed. Behind them Harry Potter stared at her with his mouth dropped open.

"Really boys, I understand about rivalry but shouldn't you be settling differences in a more civilised manner?" She projected calmly and reasonably.

_'Yes! It works!'_ She exclaimed mentally as they blushed and murmured apologies

"Well then do go play chess, or exploding snap, or what ever it is that boys do. Remember, you have your family names to uphold." She then turned and left before Ron had time to realise she had no authority over them, or Malfoy remembered she was a 'mudblood'.

Harry promptly followed after her, staring at her on their way to the the common room.

"What did you do to them?" he finally asked.

She looked at him for a few moments and smiled. He shuddered at the evil glint in her eye.

"Presentation, Presence and Poise. It's something all Purebloods are taught, especially heirs, since they can walk. Basically it comes down to body language, grooming, and manners. It's wired into their brains practically from birth to listen to the lecture after you call them on the three P's. Of course the moment they leave the sight of their parents it all evaporates from their head."

"What does that have to do with what happened back there? They actually went off together!" Harry asked, completely bewildered.

Hermione sighed and turned to the fat lady and murmured, motioning for Harry to follow her. She was going to try to explain what she was merely beginning to understand herself.

"What you have to understand is that wizards, mentally are very different than muggles. They... we are practically at the top of the food chain true, though there are a few species like dragons that are better than us by an order of magnitude, but this is offset by the fact that we have a much greater pack instinct then muggles." She continued settling into one of the large leather armchairs.

"What does that have to do with etiquette?" He asked intrigued.

"Everything. Might makes right in the wizarding world. And Alpha's lead the way." She said matter of factly. "I just used their training to remind them how their parents would react to uncivilised behaviour, and gave them a slight push."

"If that pack instinct thing is true, why do they react that way? Aren't Purebloods Alphas?"

"We are not wolves Harry. Anyone stronger than you is your superior. Thus parents and authority figures are Alphas. I just evoked myself as an authority figure in their minds."

Harry opened his mouth to ask something and then stopped tilting his head to the side, puzzled.

"Hermione? Why are your teaching me all this?" The boy asked her curiously.

"You came to help me freely, by your own choice. I take my friendships seriously." She told him, mentally organising all the books she would have him read. "Besides you should have been taught about social necessities already and will definitely have to know them if you ever want to claim your birthright and stand amongst your peers after your leave Hogwarts."

"So, it's not just about magical power?" Harry asked, trying hard to understand.

"Yes. Magical Power is dependant on the wizard, his training, his body and his mind Harry, not the bloodline. Sure you can breed for a trait, up to a point. But it's not a certain thing. As far as I can tell the wizarding world apparently works on perceived power. The more power you have, the more people are inclined to listen and follow your example instinctively. As such, over the millennia a unique and yet oddly familiar social structure has evolved. The core rules have not changed significantly since 869 BC, even when they try to keep up with times. What it boils down to is establishing your place in, and on top of, the pecking order and finding protection from someone stronger than you if you cannot. And you, my friend, are the reason Weasley and Malfoy clash on a personal level. They both want under the cloak of your influence. Their families having a history only worsens the issue."

She continued, taking note of Harry perking up when she called him a friend.

"Hold on. Malfoy hates me. Why would he want my help?" He stated, puzzled.

"Oh Harry. Picture this: Malfoy comes into your train compartment, seeking the arguably most powerful figure of his generation to befriend and sees you with Longbottom, Weasley, and an unaffiliated female. He was looking for you to try and get a head start on a possible alliance and instead he finds you with two members of Old families, one of which his family has a Family Feud with on a level just short of Blood Feud, and the other is a long standing rival of his House." _And the female is an Alpha in her own right._

"He panics and offers you his alliance in stead of his rivals, Weasley violently opposes and you take his side, which implies an agreement. He believes you have declared him your enemy by siding with the Weasley's and so he is attacking pre-emptively."

Harry stares at her, waving his hand as if to ward off something.

"Wait, stop. They _all_ think complicated like that all the time?" He rubbed his forehead, No one tells him these things. "What else has been going on? What have I been telling people without even knowing?"

Hermione blinked at him and then realised her error.

"Wait, slow down. It's not like that. Most of it is Instinct. Malfoy has been trained as an heir so he is a bit both more able to influence others and more susceptible to such influences. I suppose if you want to let him know you don't think him as your enemy?"

She paused briefly to see if that was indeed so.

"Well sure. I don't want enemies. I don't like him. He's a pompous arse, but you are talking about getting in the middle of a feud here."

"All right then, here's a short crash course in neutral mediation and your families social standing according to Formal Etiquette by Amanda Greengrass. If you want to learn more about the families I'll lend you my copy of '_The great Five Hundred_.' when I'm done with it."

She failed to notice the perked up ears of a passing Gryffindor prefect who took note of the subject of her lecture and suddenly had a lumos spell going off in his head. The Potter heir was being trained in the finer points of social necessities by Hermione Granger, muggle-born. Or was she? There was no way she was really muggle-born. No muggle-born comes to school with skill and power to take out a troll, or knows enough about pureblood structures to be selected to teach an Heir of a Most Ancient and Noble house. His Magical Guardian must know something about Granger that is unknown to the rest.

After all only, an Heir could possibly teach an Heir.

_**OMAKE**_

"Hermione? Why are your teaching me all this?" he asked pointing at the book on male and female anatomy she was having him study.

"You came to help me freely, by your own choice. I take my relationships seriously."

She said going over the books she was going to have him read when he was ready. Magical Kama sutra chief among them.

After all, she needed to avoid taking up the last name of Weasley. At all costs.


	4. Chapter 3: Of quiddich and warding

DISCLAIMER: When in doubt empty the clip and reload.

**"The first of the three essential skills is Rise. The first and most basic part of Rise is learning to cycle your magic through your blood and at higher levels through the very cells of your body. Even a child can learn to do basics of this skill, I know because it kept me alive. Remember: basic Rise will increase healing, efficiency and endurance of your body as well as temper pain and sharpen your reflexes, thus enabling you to explore the natural limits of the human body more easily and increasing your life span. I will teach you this by hitting you in hand to hand combat until you relent and start using it. If and when you master the limits of the human body, I will teach you to shatter them."**

**Chief Unspeakable Harry Potter, before The Fall.  
**

It was the beginning of December and Harry was seriously annoyed at his classmates.

The start of the quiddich season was nearing and Wood had been dragging the entire team out of bed before dawn for 'secret' practice the entire previous week. And now the point was moot.

The habit of the students from other houses to stop in the halls to whisper and point had mercifully stopped, however now that the news he was a seeker had leaked half of them were cheering for him and the other half were jeering and telling him he would fail.

He was very glad that Hermione was his friend. With Wood taking up most of his free time he hardly had time to go over his homework, let alone read _quiddich through the ages_. Bless her for offering to go over his homework and grade it. Sure it took some revision to fix his the holes in his magical theory but he was now getting the grades that he was used to getting before coming to Hogwarts, not that the Dursley's cared one way or another.

'In fact.' He put away his _Quiddich through the ages_ and looked at the girl that was going over yet another of Ron's scrolls with her dreaded red tipped quill.

"Hermione?" He asked, warming his hands on the blue _faerie fire_ Hermione had conjured for them. Ron was was busy with going over his scroll with her, wincing at every spelling, fact and form correction.

"Yes Harry?" the girl asked, not lifting her head from slashing red lines through Rons scroll. He smiled. His scrolls were no longer red nightmares as they were at the beginning. Ron seemed to be taking a bit more time on learning the proper forms for writing an essay, but then again Ron was home schooled.

"You know that I really appreciate what you are doing for us?" He finally blurted out and Hermione looked up, a closed off look on her face. "I mean without you I'd barely be scraping by with an Acceptable grade in most classes and would still come off as a stupid spoiled kid when addressing my peers and faculty." He stood up straighter and smiled. "So thank you on behalf of clan Potter for teaching me what I need to know."

Hermione looked at him for a moment and then blushed. She had though in her darkest depths that he was, like many others had, just using her. But he really appreciated her help. She knew because a formal thank you like this basically puts him in a minor sort of debt to her. She could ask for compensation, shelter or small favour from him if she was inclined to and he would be obliged to come through.

"You are welcome Mister Potter, your friendship is just as important to me. Granger, at your service." She returned his little bow.

Ron looked at one then the other and frowned. "Oy you lot! What's with you two going all formal like?" He glanced at Harry in confusion. His friend had been avoiding formality of all kinds from the day he had met him and then realisation hit him that this must be really important to Harry.

"I..." He started uncertainly. "I appreciate your assi..." he stumbled over the words he never used for a moment "...assistance as well Miss Granger."

He blushed at his fumbles as he bowed to the girl. Father insisted he learn the basic forms even though he was the youngest son and he had never thought he'd actually use any of it.

Hermione had been dragging his average to EE's kicking and screaming and he had been lamenting the amount of work he had to put into studying. And in this moment, for the first time Ron realised that his mother might actually be proud of him. And that he indeed owed Hermione for her help.

Hermione stared at him for a moment and then a beaming smile hit the boys like a ray of sunlight.

"Aw you guys." She gushed and grabbed them into a hug a tear leaking out, breaking the awkward formality of the moment.

Ron exchanged looks with Harry while they were patting the girl's back. '_Bonkers!' _ He mouthed as Harry shook his head and smiled.

Girls really were completely bonkers.

* * *

Severus Snape was limping across the courtyard, the bite from the Cerberus fueling his temper when he noticed Granger and _bloody Potter_ with Weasley. He knew they were probabbly up to no good and started to make his was to them when he saw Potter bow formally to the girl. He quickly snapped off a _notice me not_ and hid behind a pillar to listen_._

Yes, it was a formal thank you. So, Potter had some manners after all. The blasted brat merely elected to forgo them in his class. He frowned and stepped behind the pillar when the Granger girl started to sniffle. What in the nine hells was that girl getting all emotional about, they were merely thanking her!

"Potter!" He snapped off. "Loitering are we? Skipping class perhaps?" He smiled as the three first years sprang apart and looked about in fear. He stalked over. He glanced at the _faerie fire_ in a jar and frowned, open fire was against the rules but they seemed to have it contained. He looked for anything else to hold against them and after a few moments of scrutiny he stalked off ignoring their stammering.

_'Damn bloody Potter for denying him even the simple pleasure of removing points.". _

_

* * *

  
_

It was a good day for quiddich and Hermione was cheering with the rest of the Gryfindoor when Harry drew the attention from an excellent shot by Katie. She watched him waver and narrowly dodge a bludger, the broom was buckling wildly in the air and she realised that someone was casting a jinx of some sort on Harry's broom, probably a dominator of some sort. She looked at Hagrid's crazed muttering about powerful dark magic and shook her head. She grabbed his ominoculars and scanned swiftly through the audience, finally stopping at Snape.

"Oh no you won't. " She growled, angered by the thought that she had so misjudged them man. She took out her wand and muttered the syllables of a projecting jinx to guide her fairy fire to the man. It licked under the seats and the rushed forward folding in on itself as the flames moved like water. She carefully kept the temperature down until the flames hit his cloak and them let the control go and she smiled in grim satisfaction she placed it back in her sleeve and watched as the flames grew in intensity and volume.

She paled when she realised Harry's broom was still buckling and watched in horror as he finally lost control an hung from the broom by his hands, the broom now actively trying to shake him off.

'It hadn't been Snape.' She realised and fumbled for her wand, stuck inside her left sleeve, panic blooming through her veins as she struggled to remember the poem like tongue twister that was the universal counter spell. She had neither the time nor the knowledge to run through modern counter jinxes in sequence.

"Ronald!" She yelled as she threw the ominoculars at him and used both hands to untangle her wand from the seams of her sleeve. "Find who's doing it!"

She pointed her wand and sped through the universal counter spell syllables in old Greek melding together into a chant, readying her self for the mental feedback as she caught and pushed against the foreign presence that had settled inside the control charms of Harry's Nimbus. The world outside her body and mind had slowed to a crawl, and it was now just her and the evil presence pushing behind the jinx.

She felt malignant tendrils try to lash out at her and strike painfully against her fledgling oculumentic shields and realised that Hagrid might have had guessed properly on the dark nature of the spell. '_This was going to hurt.' _She realized as she sent out more magic to burn out the dark presence. It was working. Her magic was purifying the spell, but it was going to take forever, she wondered if she was going to endure untill it was done. She huddled, whimpering behind her thin, oculumentic shields every lash spreading stinging echoes through her mind and imagined her own spell as cleansing flames that would purify the evil.

* * *

Ron stared for a moment at Hermione after he caught the ominoculars. She was pointing her wand at Harry mumbling nonsense, but he knew better then to disobey. He frantically scanned the audience and hoped he would be in time. All he could see were people rushing about in panic, knocking over people and each other.

The headmaster sat up from his chair and glanced at Severus who was already going through counter jinxes and took up his old wand to weave a web of half strength cushioning charms beneath poor Harry, just in case. Not that and unprotected fall would kill the boy, just that involving St Mungo's would be troublesome.

He could have, of course, end everything now but the lad needed some adversity in his life to prepare him for what was coming.

Snape cursed as faerie fire ran along his robes and he had to cut off his attempt to save _Damned Potter_ and divert his attention to saving his own skin. The blasted fire was persistent as most types of conjured fire tended to be when unleashed. He wove a web of counter spells and snuffed the blasted thing after a handful of seconds. He glanced at _Potter_ and frowned. He was still holding on, even though he looked like he was choking and the broom was oddly quiet. He prepared to try and hit him with a levicorpus if he fell when it happened. The specific blue green of a successfully shattered jinx enveloped the broom and the brat was safely climbing back n the broom coughing. Perhaps one of his counter jinxes had worked. He ignored the pleased echo of his life debt as it settled down a bit and scowled resisting the urge to smack himself on the forehead.

"Oh bloody hell the brat has more luck then sense!" He growled as Potter strutted in the air displaying the snitch.

* * *

Hermione struggled with the foreign presence lashing out at her and pushed the last of her reserves into her flagging defences when she felt a warmth engulf her in energy and her mental shields stabilize. She could feel it, the warmth of the silver dragon resting against her breast bone as it flushed the blood in her heart with more energy even as it shored up her mind.

Jaws still clenched in grimm determination she channelled her suddenly freed magic into attacking, lashing out with all her remaining strength against the evil git that had bee hurting her, wanting nothing more than to hurt him back. She sent forth the entirety of her still undeveloped magics through the point of contention in Harry's broom and back, back at the attacker lashing out at _his_ shields bombarding him with pain and anger even as he battered her freshly reinforced shields.

And then the original spell to subvert the broom shattered under the additional strain. Hermione reeled back and stumbled physically as a stabbing backlash pierced into her. She sucked air into her lungs with a hiss and clucked at her head blind to the outside world as her eyes roled back and she fainted.

* * *

That afternoon in Hagrid's hut Hermione was nursing a headache and sipped black tea laced with headache potion. Oh now she knew why the universal counter spell was no longer used. Prepare yourself for pain. That was the only warning the book gave her.

She knew reaction backlash had to be endured when she broke the spell but she hadn't been expecting a full fledged migraine complete with fading vision and burst blood vessels in her eyes. Even with the potions she could barely sit there and function while Ronald was producing the most idiotic theories in spite of the evidence that made her want to cast a permanent _silencio _on him and damn the cost.

"I'm just saying that it was a perfect way for Snape to kill of Harry! The stupid bat had it in for him from..."

"Shut up Ronald and _think_!" She hissed massaging her temple and thanking whatever gods were listening that Haggrid stocked a headache potion in his cupboard.

"If Snape was jinxing the broom it would have ended when..." She trailed off and looked at Hagrid. "...when _someone_ set his cloak on fire." She frowned. "It was someone else, someone well versed in ritual chants and curses or curse breaking. And his shields were like a bloody fortress."

"But I..." Ron tried to say something in his defence but Hermione had had enough.

She growled at his stammering and stood up. "Excuse me Hagrid, I'm a bit tired and I'll go back to bed. I thank you for your hospitality." She said and excused herself leaving the boys alone with Haggrid. She had to get herself into bed and a dose of sleeping potion into her.

* * *

It was a few days after the quiddich incident. She had spent the weekend recovering and now Hermione had a very busy schedule. She had been learning about broom enchantment, looking for Nicholas Flammel, and helping the twins brew a most fascinating experimental potion in an abandoned classroom. She was also working on her regular class projects (where she was still half a day behind schedule), her Oculumency and looking into wizarding law. She had to cut her sleep during the week to six hours a day to keep up and by Fridays she'd gotten a bit grumpy with lack of sleep. Which prompted Harry and Ronald to try to cheer her up with an aerial game fo tag.

Right now she was feeling better but sweaty from exertion and felling particularly disgusting in her clothes. She came back to Gryfindoor tower and aimed straight for the showers.

The adrenaline and magic rush from the latest flying lesson had run out and she was feeling a bit tired, however the last remnants of the tension she had been feeling was washing away with the water and sweat.

Flying turned out to be more fun that she would have imagined. Mind you, she would never voluntarily do some of the crazy stunts Harry performed but she understood why he dared to to them much better now that she made a point out of studying the theory behind broom enchantment. The broom wasn't just flying on it's own. Her magic was what controlled the ambient charms in the broom. Saying 'up' was merely a mnemonic tool that helped assert ones will over the demi-sentient objects.

The old school brooms, having developed sevreal quirks over the years, were a bit tricky to ride sometimes and she took particular delight in ordering an especially stubborn broom the others had been having trouble with to _heel._ It eagerly did this, like a playful concluded, by empirical evidence that flying was part power, part skill and part pure strength of will. She had noticed when she consciously tried to infuse her magic into the broom it moved a little better and turned more precisely. She had to wonder what that said about Harry's ability to get on the quiddich team so easily. A seeker would need power speed, precision, and cantankerousness of a mule to hold perfect control of his broom during the coruse of an entire quiddich game. Teamwork and personal safety came secondary to catching the snitch as far as she could tell.

_Insane game for insane people._

She got this particular piece of enlightenment on the sanity of the magic endowed during her adventurous aerial version of capture tha flag with some of the Gryfindoors. Harry still flew circles around her and Ron held an edge in experience but still, she pulled her weight when she concentrated and her fear of heights was not so bad since she was in control. For one insane moment she had forgotten common sense and performed a twisting corkscrew manoeuvre that helped her evade being tagged.

Apparently insanity and reclesness was catching.

Afterwards Professor Hooch had praised her for finally mastering flight after her shaky start. She had wondered for a moment where her recent recklessness came from before putting it out of her mind as silly nattering. Afterall it had finally dawned on her during her studies that wizards were just generally tougher then muggles. A 30 foot fall could be healed in days. As long as you didn't fall on your head. A cracked skull could take weeks.

The shower was hečping to ease the tension in her muscles and she used the time she had dedicated to drying and brushing out her hair to rebuild her still slightly vague mental filing system, and check on the double layer mirror shields in her mind when a shudder went through her and the world seemed to dull a bit as her focus retreated into her mind as threads of consciousness snapped together. A flood of magic poured out of nowhere into her blood, taking down her mental barriers. After a moment of panicked confusion Hermione realised she was consciously expiriencing her first magical growth and basked in the feeling of strength the expirience brought with it. Pretty quickly the flood of magic receded and woth it the weariness she had been feeling during the day.

She quickly refocused on rebuilding her shields and they snapped into place faster then ever.

Realisation hit her while she sorted her latest memories through 20/20 eyes of perfect recall. She took stock of her memories of the entire year and clenched her hands. In retrospect she had been acting odd ever since the troll._ I had never felt this good inside my skin before Hogwarts. Confident. Strong._

_Insanity of wizards indeed.  
_

She hadn't thought twice about sneaking into the owlery to order a book from Flourish and Blots after curfew the day she got released from the hospital wing or helping the twins with a tame prank or two.

'_And that aerial madness I have been doing with Potter, Thomas and Weasley._' A shiver went through her part thrill part fear. She had been having fun. All week. True, she was working harder then ever on her studies as well as personal projects, like that Flammel fellow Harry and Ron had gotten Hagrid to slip about. But during her down time she had been having fun like she hadn't been in a long long time.

_'No. I wasn't just been having fun. I've been having fun with people. Friends. I actually told jokes! And people laughed.' _She relaxed and smiled reaching for a towel, the feel of oddness passing as she mentally classified happiness.

A happy cheerful made her way to her dorm, her hair still slightly damp but as dry as she could make it with just a towel. She sat on her bed, checked her schedule and smiled. Tinkering hour was the time she set aside each day to do whatever had recently caught her intrest and she thought might be fun to try.

She pulled out a seemingly blank piece of parchment out of a stack of essays and tapped it with her wand mumbling the password she had chosen for it.

**"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!**  
** The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!**  
** Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun**  
** The frumious Bandersnatch!"**

The letter she had received from her alternate self appeared and she quickly looked for the underlined book list tapping the words. She just loved the ingenuity that went into it's creation.

She want down the alphabetical list of books she had been advised to read over the years. Ocasionally most titles would be underlined with quick summaries of the book content. But some titles had an asterisk, usually titles that didn't exist yet and were stored in the letter in their entirety. About twenty books in total contained hidden knowledge from the future and if she tried to open those she'd get a fifty question quizz to answer. She loved a challenge.

She tapped _**Warding 101**_ and smiled as a mostly filled out question list emerged. She eagerly answered the last question.

"_**Why is the Universal counter spell rarely used despite it's effectiveness."**_

She had tried answering it with logical explanations derived from books and it was always rejected. She hesitated her pen in the air above the parchment and then finally she simply wrote, somewhat cheekily in the space provided.

_Blinding sodding headache of DOOM._ _Oh and caster versus counter-caster mental connection/battle that is mind-numbingly dangerous. Energy inefficient._

For a few seconds nothing happened and she wondered if her answer was a bit too off kilter for whatever heuristics this enchanted piece of parchment that used to be a letter used. Finally words appeared.

_**Correct. If a bit melodramatic. And crude. Try borrowing **__**A witches etiquette**__** from the Hogwarts library.**_

She smiled as the contents changed into a by chapter index of a book. She didn't mind being lectured by a piece of enchanted parchment. Not if it supplied knowledge.

She tapped the first chapter _**Runes 101**_ and started reading.

Later that afternoon an excited Hermione Granger sat on her bed curtains drawn. Most of the chapter went over her head, referencing other works and using concepts she was only vaguely familiar with. But the exercise was straight forward and she was confident that her newfound levels of magic could power it.

Use a flame to trace a fire rune in the air, shape it, draw a containment bubble and feed power into it.

It would create a semi permanent globe of orange light that would turn on under the influence of magic.

She took a deep breath and traced the symbol in the book in the air using _faire fire. _It was easy to do, the large fire rune practically snapped into place when she drew it. She then circled it and coaxed it into a sphere mentally etching the control and shaping runes into the surface of the fire construct. Hermione found that the effort was bit more involved but very similar to the mental exercises explained in _**Work on your mind any body**_. After about twenty minutes of work she put a binding rune to set it and with a quiet hum the construct became an independent entity. Floating in the air without her input.

Her confidence restored Hermione smiled as her first runic work _worked_. She smiled as the globe of fire hovered in the air eagerly obeying her mental instructions or just sitting quietly when she ignored it.

He had done it! She had made her first runic construct. True, it was the magical equivalent of a 'generate six random numbers in a circle using the following script' instruction in her very first pascal book but still. This wasn't computers! It was _Magic!_

Happily she played with the magical light for a few minutes before deciding to call it a day. She reached out to touch it and started to disperse the magic when the ball bucked and shattered, the backlash throwing her against the bed and rattling the curtains around it.

Hermione stared in horror and confusion at the circular hole in the sheet and bedding, just in front of where she was sitting.

Her curtains were ruedly opened and daylight streamed in displaying her mistake for all to see.

"Bloody hell Granger what was that?!" Lavander yelled, relief giving way to anger.

Hermione shook her head, her mind processing what just happened and she couldn't find words to speak with.

"I made a mistake." Hermione finally croaked. She was busy trying to figure out what went wrong and this _airhead_ was bothering her. "And what business is it of yours."

"What do you mean what? I know what that felt like! You shouldn't be messing with elemental runes! Or any runes for that mater." Lavander yelled and then sighed looking somewhat shaken. "Look, for a moment I though I'd find you passed out bleeding from your eyes or something."

"Can you clear that last thing up for me a bit? What do you know about runes?" Hermione asked, touched by her room mates concern and making room for Lavander on her bed and motioning for her to sit. She put the privacy issue aside for now, the girl had been concerned. Lavander nodded, the vacant look in her eyes she usually had when discussing fashion with Parvati Patil gone, replaced by passionate expression of her favourite subject Hermione knew from staring at the mirror.

"Well there's a reason we take runes in third year you know. Most of our classmates would hurt themselves trying to power a rune. Mother says you need power and precision when constructing or deconstructing runes. Heck even activating the wards in my house exhausts me and that's a pre powered runic cluster, and I know what I'm doing." The girl explained her knowledge of runes.

"You can flash entire arrays?" Hermione asked her curiosity awoken, suppressing the stab of jealousy. "Wow, and to think you were having trouble in other classes: It's warding or nothing huh?" She added, smiling.

Lavender tilted her head to study her. "Sure. Runes are interesting! Transfiguration is just bleh, I mean beetles and needles and matchsticks, oh my." She giggled and dismissed the subject with a wave of her hand.

"Can you show me the basics? I'm having issues with some of the terminology and concepts." Hermione asked.

"If you promise to help me raise my average to EE in transfiguration?" Lavander smiled.

"I think this might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Hermione intoned with a smile as she pulled out some parchment so they could work out a schedule

Learning was, after all, fun. And learning Magic of all things? Just bloody amazing.

AN

Will try to add more secondary persepctives from peopleother then Hermione like I did with Harry at the begining of this part and snatches of thought trought the rest instead of trying to write entire chapters from the perspective of a single character. I'm still (Even after a failed rewrite of my first version of the first year) working a propper balance of point of view. (and tense XD)

Also I'm trying to keep from ading too much content. Should I describe things more? Slow down the pace and delve deeper into intrepersonal relationships and emotion?  
Or is the level fine and I should get to the action?

Yes, not describing the quiddich match was deliberate. Had a thousand words of chasing brooms and plays before I realised the entire thing was superfluous.


	5. Chapter 5: Memorable moments

Disclaimer: Disclaimer.

_**The difference between 'true' magic and the pure mental energies of a mind melter or a precognitive warrior is in theory merely academic. It all depends on what their energies can affect on the Chaikovski-Granger scale. What confuses the issue is the proven fact that some squibs and even muggles may gain profoiciency in this, arguably most involved of the three basic arts.**_

_**Academician Dementova, on the nature of magic.**_

**Memories**

A few days before Christmas break Hermione woke with a vague feefling of wrongness and foreboding in her gut, which was did not make much sense. She had been doing well in classes and winter break was coming up.

She gave things some thought during breakfast, trying to pin down why she was feeling off, her friends having already learned what that little crease in her brow meant, by unspoken agreement left her to think in peace until after breakfast.

On a social level were going well; Harry and Ronald who were staying in the castle were doing well, Lavander Brown was fast becoming her first female friend, tho Hermione still got mental whiplash whenever Lavander changed from giggling schoolgirl into a scholar or back at moments notice, Parvati Patil, who she had initially dismissed as even worse then Lavander actually knew an astounding number of charms that were used for cosmetics, quite a few of them relatively advanced, especially for a first year. Her illicit research with the Weasley twins, was something new, slightly dangerous and just plain _fun._ Who knew you needed vast amounts of diverse magical knowledge to run pranks of all things. She had been a fool to think them all childish. They were all children after all

Needling Malfoy about lack of manners was also very amusing. She loved watching him snap from spoiled brat to pure blood social automaton and wondered when he was going to realise both were conditioned responses from his parents.

Her academics had never been better. She always came first in Transfiguration, half the work in the subject was merely balancing mental flexibility and hard focus. Her practical Charms work was above average. Only thing that stood out was the ease and control she exhibited over the levitating charm and it's variations which drove professor Flitwick to challenge her even more. The more academic studies were, of course. Perfect recall combined with a quick flexible mind was her ticket to the top and she knew it.

True, not all was roses and sunshine, there was something fishy about the third floor corridor, she still couldn't believe she allowed herself to be talked into exploring it. Damned curiosity. The relationship between professors Snape and Quirell seem to be increasingly strained to the point that professor Snape was now openly glaring at Quirrel during meals. And she still hadn't found anything on Nicholas Flammel.

Perhaps she did have a reason to be slightly nervous. What with a great big _Cerberus_ in the castle and all_._

The old Hermione, the one that was terrified of stepping even a little out of line would have been trying to ignore the great big puzzle the happenings in the castle presented but the new Hermione, the one who killed an adult mountain troll on her own and was relatively liked by the school populace and the teachers? She wanted to crack the puzzle oh so _very much._

Still it didn't do to dwell on things too much, soon she was going to see her parents. And be able to use some of her new found knowledge for tangible financial gain. Even the thought of collecting a massive personal library by the time she was fifteen was enough for her to feel like grabbing one of her classmates and waltzing down the corridor. She ruthlessly quashed _that_ idea and concentrated for a moment on her Oculumency and tightening her control. Even if the exercise was giving her some difficulty ever since she finally finished sorting her memories last night.

Her mind put at ease and her more chaotic ideas rejected she tried to pay more attention to her fellow Gryfindoor as they chattered about the first class for the day.

Neville and Lavander were discussing their Herbology assignment and Hermione listened carefully because she knew that Neville always had good insight into that class when a feeling of nausea hit her from nowhere and the world greyed around the edges of her eyes. She stumbled for a moment the people around looking at her with concern.

Someone called out her name as the world tilted on it's axis and she felt arms around her the world faded to black.

_She was three years old and she was having a ceiling tea party with her toys just like Marry Poppins did, her mother staring at her in wonder when some men in funny dresses and holding pointy sticks appeared in her room with a loud crack _

_"I'm sorry dear. Them's the rules." _

_One said and pointed the stick at her mother and said. "Oblivate" then turned to her._

Hermione woke with a start and shuddered.

"Drink this now miss Granger." asked Madam Pomfrey, offering her a vial.

"What happened." She asked after she downed the foul smelling concoction. Why where medical potions always so vile? She knew for a fact that at least some could be made more palatable.

"Well, according to my scans you had some sort of seizure. You brain activity was elevated almost three hundred percent above normal. How do you feel now?" The matron asked.

She took stock of herself. Clenching her hand and unclenching.

"Good. No ache, pain or discomfort. I'm not sure what happened?" Hermione approached the subject fearfully. The idea that something was wrong with her mind had tethering on the edge of panic.

"How far did you get with your oculumency?" Madam Pomfrey asked out of the blue.

Hermione looked at her for a moment apprehension making her feel a little queasy but answered without hesitation

"Just arranging my mind and meditating to get into my mind scape." she finally responded.

"And did you perhaps see something? A memory you had forgotten?" The mediwitch asked with interest.

Hermione nodded frowning. She briefly described how she had relieved a memory of herself being oblivated by aurors along with her mother.

The mediwitch sighed in relief "Good, the other option was that the knock to your head damaged something. I am glad."

She glanced at Hermione and patted her head reassuringly. "This should not have been a problem. All childhood blocks are to be removed when you are accepted to Hogwarts." She shook her head. "I'll talk to professor McGonogal and get an Oblivator in charge of your district here to help remove them."

"Childhood blocks?" Hermione asked, the idea of someone tampering with her head felt _wrong_ on so many levels she didn't even know what to feel about the whole situation.

"It takes a lot of work to protect Secrecy miss Granger. I have to applaud you your study of personal mind arts. Most people don't even bother until their NEWTs and then work only enough to improve their memory retention. Here drink this one." She said, handing Hermione a small vial. Hermione took it and drank without hesitation. Drowsiness hit her almost immediately and just like that she was asleep.

Hermione was annoyed that Pomfrey had snuck another sleeping draught on her. They awakened her from her nap in the late afternoon and still refused to tell her why she had her memories not been restored earlier. She had her suspicions but the tall, thin ministry man with glasses was not talking.

Professor McGonogal assured her it will be fine and she stopped asking questions, for now. The ministry Oblivator was not a very likeable person..

"Now miss Granger this will take no time at all. All memory blocks on children are designed to be easy to break." Oblivator Tipple intoned. "Just close your eyes relax and try to stay calm."

_She was six when the car swerved and rushed directly at her. She screamed and the car crumpled around her. With a bunch of pops the men with sticks were there one of them pointed a stick at her when it all went black. "Sorry dear, it's the Law."_

_She was nine when a man tried to pull her into a van and she set him on fire. _

_"You should be more careful How am I supposed to explain this. Spontaneous Human combustion?" He sighed as he oblivated her while his colleagues did it for the rest of the street._

_She was four and her toys came to life to play with her, her nanny found out and started screaming when a man in a silly dress came and made her quiet. __"Hello again. Powerful little thing aren't you?"_

_She was eight and she learned she could float books from the highest shelf all by herself. "Not until Hogwarts little one."_

_She was five and she could fly just like Peter Pan. He caught up to her on a broom. The man gave her a same kind of smile mommy did when she wrote a letter to daddy on mommy's papers. __"This will take all day to fix you realise?"_

_More and more times when they took magic away from her._

_Memories swirled in a kaleidoscope of events._

_Men with sticks._

_"Obey the rules kid, seriously normal wizarding kids never give us this kind of trouble."_

_Compulso._

_Oblivate. _

A kaleidoscope of memories snapped into being in her mind, instantly fitted into the empty spots she had failed to understand before. It was almost automatic by now, to withdraw inwards and catalogue new memories. The feeling of uneasiness that had followed her all day vanished even as her mind reeled at the gross violation of it's sanctity.

With a mental effort she dragged herself into reality and opened her eyes to the Oblivator's sweating face. The room was spinning and her heart was beating rapidly as she stared at the ceiling. She touched her lip and realised her nose was bleeding.

"Merlin's beard!" he called out and stared at her. "Miss Granger I..." he trailed off and dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief.

McGonogal stepped up, a worried expression on her face while madam Pomfrey was already waving her wand.

The man got a hold of himself and sat down in a chair.

"Times like this is why I hate the new amendments to the Secrecy laws." He intoned. "Most Muggleborn have an incident or two per year." He shook his head and looked at Miss Granger with something akin to pity "Eight years, one or two interventions a month at the least."

"You took it away" said Hermione quietly as she shuddered. "Every time I found it you took it away."

"I'm sorry child. Secrecy is of utmost importance. We had to do it." He intoned sadly.

"What about my parents?" She wondered. "Can they remember?"

"I'm sorry Miss Granger but reversing oblivation on muggles is a long, difficult and expensive endeavour Also you need an adult family member to ask for a court order. And Granger family has no magical adult representative untill you are of age." He said, waving his hand and dismissing her parents as unimportant.

She looked at him for a moment, nodded. "The Law is the Law." She couldn't really blame the aurors for doing their jobs. Even if it was wrong wrong _wrong. _She took a deep breath and clenched her hand to stop it from shaking.

"I'm tired now." She announced and turned her back to the adults in the room and covered her self with the sheet pretending to go to sleep. 'They messed with me so mouch and so often. No wonder I had been diagnosed with minor obsessive compulsive behaviour.'

She suppressed shivers as waves of homesickness almost overwhelmed her as she catalogued memories of laughter play and awe their parents displayed every time they witnessed her accidental magic.

She wanted to go home.

* * *

Fred and George were not happy. Something had happened to Granger and she was walking around sulking. You could practically visualise a storm cloud lurking over her head. And she avoided them! Walled herself off behind her, admittedly effective oculumency shields and just brooded.

The twins were not so easily turned away. It was a question of honour, gallantry and prankster solidarity to help their little troll killer and part-time accomplice. But mostly they were curious and slightly worried.

They cornered her in the library on the last day, slipping from the bookshelves and sitting on either side of her and stared at her with their heads propped on their hands, big cow eyes staring mournfully at her with maddening persistency. She could also _feel_ them projecting cheeky sort of curiosity at her, laced with a faint undertone of concern.

She finally snapped, closing her book.

"What do you want!" she practically hissed at them caught between wanting to yell at them and staying quiet in the library. She damned them, mentally, they were so bloody adorable just then. Amusing even when not saying anything.

"We miss our little slayer of trolls." Intoned Fred

"We need your sharp wit to keep us from blowing up any more classrooms." Added George.

"What's bothering you ickle slayer?" Fred asked, concerned.

"How can we help?" Offered George.

Fred was concerned. He could feel with what little leglimency they bothered to learn that it had something to do with worries about the future. Possible trouble with the law. For a moment he wondered if she has found a dark arts book somewhere before his brother gave him a metaphorical smack on the head over their link.

George was worried. Their adorable, bushy haired, quasi-sister had faint worry lines and the underside of her eyes was dark from lack of sleep and worry. He could feel her agitation with just a touch of fear. He paused noting his brother's train of thought about her practising dark arts and mentally let him know not to be an idiot. He was glad the girl was getting better at shielding and doubly so about the fact that she just didn't bother keeping them out completely.

Hermione frowned. The world of magic was not what she thought it would be. But she could trust the twins with some of her thoughts. They treated her almost like she thought big brothers would, an exasperating mixture of teasing and protecting. She sighed and started to explain.

"I had to grow up a little. I though magical world would be spells and unicorns. Not trolls and memory charms."

"Memory charms?" The twins exclaimed in unison, mentally promising retribution If someone has caused her harm.

Hermione nodded and started declamating.

"Since the secrecy laws addendum of 1964 all Muggle born are monitored for accidental magic and anyone involved is oblivated including the child. And I just found out that they amended the law again three years ago. As a time saving measure they now remove the blocks on children only if an adult wizard in position of authority over the child asks for it to be removed. My parents hold no rights over me in the wizarding world. And it's not all. After I graduate? Muggleborn Integration Act: When I turn twenty I won't be able to keep my wand unless I hold a magical job, marry a wizard or enter into an apprenticeship. I can forget opening a business due to all the Muggleborn specific tariffs and extra licences and my taxes will be two percent higher then those of pure bloods and half bloods." She let it all out in one fast sentence before finally quieted putting her hands on her face for a moment.

"Your wand? Bloody hell Granger where did you dig that up?" Fred was boggled. Taking the wand from a wizard was usually the most heinous of insults and mostly done only for most hardened criminals.

"And how come we never heard of this before? Muggleborn taxes?" George asked, intrigued yet horrified. No wonder he noticed in his economy studies that the wizarding economy was slowing down. He had heard of the Muggleborn Integration act but history books claimed it was a way to ensure Muggleborn were not forced back into the muggle world. He was secretly glad they were not muggleborn. Opening a magic shop by the time they left hogwarts was going to be difficult as it is.

"As I said I appreciate the offer for help boys, but as you see you can't help me." she said, grimly.

"The hell we can't!" said Fred angrily. "Our dad works for the ministry We'll ask him about this over the holidays. Maybe you missed something. They can't just take people's wand away if they had done nothing wrong."

"I appreciate it but I'll be all right I'm just going to have to prepare better. Perhaps get my degrees in the muggle world just in case so I'm not stuck waiting tables in the Leaky Cauldron or something." She said, trying not so sound gloomy about the prospect. She wanted to be an enchantress not a archaeologist or a mathematician damn it. Sure she had the capacity but she found magical theory to be vastly more interesting than most muggle professions.

"Aw, come not Granger. Chin up! You have nine years to work something out. And I'm sure you won't have trouble finding a job! A witch with your mind!." Fred tried to cheer her up

"Don't forget the troll slaying abilities." Interjected George.

"And if all else fails George here will marry you, he has no romantic prospects whatsoever, being the ugly twin and all."

"Hey! Who are you calling ugly trollface!"

"Who are you calling trollface Butnose."

"Freckle face!"

"Carrot top!

It lasted for a few minutes until their increasingly absurd insults of each other's looks brought a small smile to Hermione's face.

The twins smiled proudly.

"That's the spirit, chin up! I know. Let's go prank the Slytherin Quiddich team." said Fred

"Yeah, We made this time delay modifier charm. We can cast it now and have their hair turn into Gryfindoor colours on the train." said George.

"We'll teach it to you!" offered Fred.

Hermione perked up. "Time delay charm? Tell me more."

_'Perhaps things won't be so bad.' _She she thought to herself. '_After all, I have enough time to prepare and decide what I want to do. Thanks to my counterpart."_

The twins were right. She shouldn't brood about the future. She should prepare in stead.

_

* * *

  
_

Her gloomy descent into moping forgotten, the train ride home was a bit more fun then the first one. Harry had decided to stay at Hogwarts and Ronald had decided to stay with him as a solidarity gesture. She made a mental note to look into both boys family lives.

Currently she was holding a fascinating discussion about the potency of fresh plants versus preserved ones when used as potion ingredients with Neville Longbottom, Parvati Patil and Lavander Brown when a screaming Malfoy ran past their compartment.

"Was it just me or was Malfoy dressed in scarlet and gold?" Asked Neville

"No it isn't you. His hair was also bi-coloured." Lavander confirmed.

"And his was trying to remove his shirt, I believe." Parvati put in her two knuts. "Itching solution perhaps?"

"Well shouldn't a _Finite Incantem_ reverse most spells and even neutralise the effects of most externally applied potions?" Wondered Lavander.

Hermione chuckled. "Not really. Some spells or potions may be altered to, oh I don't know, Itch for instance, when hit with the magical energies of a spell, _Finite Incantem _included"

Parvati Patil frowned at Hermione "What did you do to him Granger?"

Hermione smiled. "Well, I can't really confirm that I had something to do with this. But perhaps a person was in the process of assisting someone else in a prank on the Slytherin quiddich team when Malfoy annoyed that person with insults about a persons parenthood. It would be simple to hex the arrogant little prick with a modified version of a time delayed spell."

Longbottom laughed. "That's brilliant! So It needs a specific counter curse?"

Hermione shook her head. "Actually, If I did it, which I couldn't as such spells are too advanced for a mere first year to cast, it would be a charm, not a curse. Perhaps set to activate when external magic was applied to the target? And It'd make it affect, after a delay, any clothing he puts on instead targeting the clothes. It should wear of in a day or two unless he keeps fuelling it with magic."

"How did you do it?" Asked Lavander.

Hermione waved a finger at her friend sternly.

"Now now, I never said I did it. I think the Arithmancy work would be a little beyond an icklle firstie like me, not even a year in school. Don't you agree Neville, Parvati?" She needed to change the subject and so turned to Longbottom. "Now, are you sure that Wolfsbane is actually more potent when dried Neville? It sounds dodgy to me."

Neville looked offended for a moment and launched into an explanation. She smiled. The boy was a bit shy but get him talking about plants and he forgot that he is supposed to be incompetent and shy. She really did like it that some of her classmates actually knew how to hold a discussion. Heck even Parvati Patil displayed hidden depths when pushed.

Who would have known she'd learn so much about enchanting and illusions. '_Well I suppose when one wants to be a magical beautician one has to know her charms and potions.'_

The rest of the train ride was spent in pleasant conversation that somehow devolved into a game of exploding snap.

It was probably the last round and she had been carefully trying to manipulate the way cards were exchanged by using her superior memory. She had a vague idea on what everyone was holding and she was aiming on a Full Victory Cascade when it happened. Neville looked at her and asked he innocently. "Do you have any fours?"

Her plan fell apart from there and while the Full Victory cascade happened it went off as soon as Lavander took her missing Mermaid. Yes, the cascade ended up exploding into Hermione's face.

_"There's a lesson in this somewhere" _Hermione musedm, wrinkling her slightly singed forehead "_As soon as I can think again I will contemplate it, perhaps write it down."_

She sat on the floor, half dazed and laughing like crazy at the irony of getting a face full of her own plan. The cascade has been a glorious series of explosions that left them all looking singed and ridiculous. Except the visctorious lavander. A prefect came into the compartment while they were still giggling or trying to catch their breath. Noting the cards strewn all over the compartment he smiled. "Cascade?" He asked.

"Full Cascade." responded Lavander smugly.

The prefect whistled appreciatively. "Well, that sounded fun. But I suggest you pack up, we' will enter the station in ten minutes or so."

He waved his wand and a stream of bright coloured magic gathered the cards into a single deck and aired the smoke from the compartment at the same time.

Hermione looked at him with stars in her eyes. "Was that a layered spell composite you just cast?" She asked in awe.

The Hufflepuff looked at he quizzically. "Why yes it is. My Uncle is an arithmancer and showed me how to mesh spells together for a specific purpose. It took a bit of work to to the calculations and modify wand movements but now I'm practically guaranteed an O on my charms NEWT."

"You must play a lot of exploding snap then to bother creating that particular combination." Lavander giggled.

He nodded. "As a matter of fact I do. I placed twelfth last summer in the Essex Exploding Snap championship. Now, less talk and more packing up!"

After they arrived it was a somewhat singed whirlwind of family introductions and goodbyes before Hermone could finally go look for her parents outside platform nine and three quarters.

Author's Note.

Yes I am sticking to the plot of the first book somewhat. To it will slowly change untill at some point the plot will go on a tangent. A slightly saner one then my first draft but still quite different then the storybook feel of the JKR's work.

Now tell me. For those of you that interact with teenage girls. How would they react if they found out everyting Hermione did in the previous four months? Yes that was a hint on the vacation chapter's.


	6. Chapter 6: Greetings and Sanity

Disclaimer: JKR owns HJP and KITAoWW on FFN is No$

**Very little is known about the person under the name Incantabile. Her name is listed as Francesca Incantabille. Her birth day listed is January 1****st**** 1900. She has strong ties to all of the families of the Cosa Nostra, and occasional ties to other influential families in Europe. No proof or even conjecture has been offered about her being involved in anything illegal. Many powerful figures come to her, humbly asking for advice. The only other bit of hard fact on her is that she is **_**always**_** asked to attend births and weddings. She is also a godmother to a very large number of current bosses.**

**MI6 Summary excrept**

**"Incantabille is one of the last true elves left in our world. She is very old, very powerful and had stayed behind when last true elves left our world before the Great Change. Over seventeen thousand years old she had taken up hobbies to amuse her self while she watched. During 1900's she had posed as a seer with ties to the Cosa Nostra. In the 1990's you could find her in London. She spends her afternoons drinking tea at Mama's Diner in central london. She is willing to offer clarity and answers to those brave enough to ask. Remember this though. The Fay may be benevolent, but their sense of humour is alien and sometimes cruel. If you politely explain that you are in distress she will stop. In time you may come to understand what she sees and does. And then you will be friends. In a way. Just don't drink too much of her wine. It won't damage you no mater how much you drink and yet you could use the sweet delicious stuff to spike a vat of absinthe. In fact, stick with absinthe if you are in public rather then her wine. Speaking of absinthe, did you know that as a witch you have three times the capacity for alcohol of an ordinary human, no negative side effects and a much faster recovery time? Your body doesn't care if it burns sugar or alcohol to fuel the magic. Just don't go for the hard stuff for a few years. It still impairs judgement."**

**Hermione Jane Waesley to Hermione Jane Granger.**

**in **_**Compilation of useful things to know.**_

**Chapter 5ish**

**Hello's and Sanity. In.**

When she finally laid eyes on her parents Hermione just stood there for a long moment as it hit her how much she missed them.

Her Father was a tall strong man with strong wide shoulders short black hair and sensible features softened somehow by a small well groomed goatee and moustache. Despite his somewhat harsh features his eyes were warm and his large hands surprisingly dexterous when he tinkered with his springs and watches.

Her mother was a head shorter then her father, and that included the two inches added by the untamed brown tresses so reminiscent of Hermione's own. When working Her mother used haircare products and kept her well tied to tame it somewhat but during holidays she allowed her very curly hair to spring to freedom it struggled for. Her mother was a strong willed and sensible and it showed.

She stood there for a moment and could see how much they struggled to keep from gushing at the sight of her. she relented and threw her self at her mother with a grin. She had missed them, and that distance that she had tried to build over the last few years had seemed so foolish now. Stupid ministry Oblivators and their blasted laws and meddling. They almost took her parents from her.

"Mummy! I'm so glad to see you." she said giving her shocked mother the fuzziest, cuddliest hug she could imagine.

* * *

"Hermione! I'm glad to see you too" her Jane Granger intoned happily. Hermione hasn't called her mummy since she was nine years old. One day she had come back from school and Hermione had started calling her mother. It damn near broke her heart. She had forgotten how vibrant her daughter could be when she was genuinely happy.

"Hey there sparrow! Don't I get a hello?" ohng Granger asked and after a squeal of 'Daddy!' was promptly engulfed in a hug. He exchanged happy looks with his wife. Over the years Hermione had retreated into an intellectual shell and hardly ever acted like his little girl any more. But now his little girl was genuinely happy just to hug him.

"Let me look at you." He said and frowned, noting the black smudge on her face and her somewhat singed eyebrows. "What happened to you?!" He growled. If some bully was messing with his daughter magic or no magic he was going to...

His beloved daughter's ringing laughter rang across the platform and pulled him out of protective father mode.

"Oh daddy!" She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You know I wouldn't let anyone harm me. They'd get the patented Granger right cross." She said taking up a playful boxing stance and playfully swiped at her father before leaning in like she was sharing a confidence.

"Not to mentioned what I would do to them with my levitating charm. I can actually do it wandlesly now for a pound or two of weight. Don't tell my charms professor. He is still processing the fact that I can lift two hundred pounds when using my wand." She added mischievously. "Imagine what I could do to a hundred pound bully."

"Explain the smudges then." he asked, amused by his daughters antics but unwilling to be distracted.

"Exploding snap." She intoned. "A magical card game that is a sort of a cross betwean a game of hot potato, bluffing and some basic mathematics. The incentive to the win is thus: if you win your cards don't explode."

"Explode!" Her mother exclaimed.

"Oh relax mum, it's perfectly safe. The worst snap explosion ever recorded was during world Snap championship and that was a mild second degree burn that was healed in minutes with some burn healing paste." She smiled.

"I'll teach you how to play."

Both parents unknowingly shared the same thought.

_If Hermione was willing to just play around perhaps this boarding school, magic thing moght not be so bad after all._

"Shall we go?" Hermione said tugging at John's jacket. He looked around like he remembered something.

"Um, where is you luggage sparrow?" He finally asked.

"Oh daddy, I _am_ studying magic you know. Runes are great!" She pulled the matchbox size trunk out of her pocket and smiled at him. Jane took it out of her hand and studied it, unsure if her girl was joking.

"Here, you carry it John, I'ts much too heavy for poor little old me." She handed the miniaturised trunk to her husband and smiled mournfully.

Jonathan Granger was amazed. He remembered the size of the thing and how much trouble they had getting it into and out of the car. He looked at his cheeky wife and then theatrically picked up the tiny trunk and lead the way to the car, her looked at the trunk for a moment and then cheekily went to the front and stored it in the glove compartment.

"So, Sparrow, how about a lunch in town?" He asked.

"Oh daddy! I know just the place! It's a small Italian place in Beak street. Polpo or Polpo's or something like that. It came highly recommended and it's not that pricey." She smiled in excitement. Oh this was perfect. She had wanted to try this, supposedly divine, linguini's ever since she read about it in the 'places to visit' folder in her letter.

Her parents agreed and followed her directions. They found parking nearby and as they passed by a small kiosk Hermione suddenly got excited.

"Oh daddy, look they are selling Christmas lottery tickets! Can I fill out one?" She looked around and leaned in like she was sharing a secret. "A girl in divination did my horoscope and it said my lucky numbers were seven and thirteen, that I will have a windfall, financially but that I should beware of old enemies and blue cats." She paused. "Though I'm not sure that last part was right."

Of course, she knew that the part about windfall was accurate, when you had financial predictions for the next ten years or so, as well as all major lottery numbers, arranged by country and date. As long as she didn't make too many big financial waves the stock market the next few years would net her millions.

Her father smiled indulgently and took her to the booth, paid the man and handed her the form to fill out, a bit bemused by the sudden interest in gambling.

She filled in the numbers of the Christmas lottery she had memorised the night before. She hesitated with the last two numbers and then filled them out wrong. Twelve thousand pounds was more then enough for now. The pony farm could wait.

"There you go sir!" She smiled cheekily giggled at the old man's indulgent expression. She mused not many girls come and fill out a lottery ticket at a random booth on the street.

John was content. They had talked to Hermione about school and aside from quickly mentioning some unpleasantness about a troll sneaking in while the professors were doing some security maintenance her friends seemed interesting. She mostly talked about this Harry Potter fellow and the Weasley brothers. Though they sounded like troublemakers to him, he refrained from commenting. His girl knew where the lines are and he trusted her to keep to them. Her dorm mates sounded interesting and her studies also while a bit esoteric for John were intriguing, if somewhat pintless. Why would anyone wish to turn a matchstick into a needle and vice versa, he had no clue. That levitating charm sounded useful though. He just wished he could brag to his navy buddies over the poker table about how his daughter could lift two hundred pounds above her head using one hand and a stick.

Lunch was a decidedly pleasant venture he concluded at the end of the day, the food as very good, and the service impeccable. Though why would Hermione leave them at the table while they were deciding what to order to go pay respects to an old woman that was drinking tea, he had no clue.

* * *

Jane Granger was a woman with a mind like a steel trap. While her husband took about three quarters of the actual work load she handled finance and the legal issues as well as all the schedules. Where her husband had his poker nights she indulged in math puzzles and created the crossword puzzle for the local gazette and made the occasional guest lecture at Oxford on cryptology. She still consulted, for a flat fee, with MI5 when they were short staffed or had a tough nut to crack. After all you could never truly leave the company even if the stress got to you.

She saw details and nuances and she had seen the moment more clearly then her husband. Her daughter had seen the booth, wheels had spun and pro's and cons were weighed in a split of a second. She wasn't sure about divination but her daughter knew _something _that made her _sure _about the lottery ticket. Of course with magic, she might have actually been sure because someone read numbers in her horoscope.

She listened to the conversation between her husband and daughter as she drove and made a mental note to talk to her daughter about trolls. She glossed over awfully quick over what had really happened.

The lunch place was well selected and while she trusted her daughters judgement she ordered lasagne for herself. She would steal the linguini from John.

She surmised that the old woman Hermione went to greet was magical and put it out of her mind. Then she realised she had put it out of her mind too quickly and tried to look again. After several tries she realised it was indeed someone magical and that she couldn't ponder the matter to closely. She wrote down Ask Hermione about Old Tea Lady in her notebook and let the slippery thought escape from her head.

She was glad her daughter was happy and all else came second.

* * *

Hermione had excused herself from the table and went over to a booth in the back. Unknown to her a few people watched her with raised eyebrows as she bowed politely to the Incantabille. She waited nervously, for acceptance or dismissal.

The kind elderly grandmother looked at her with coal black eyes and smiled. "Sit child, speak to me."

"Greetings Syse'rlee of the east, Ever vigilant watcher. I am Hermione Jane Granger." she intoned politely.

"Ah! You are wise for you age child! Hidden names are a true pleasure to puzzle." The old woman laughed merrily. Even as she somehow changed and grew without seeming to. The woman had a _presence_ that was potent and humbling. "Tell me, Jane, Mirage of the Horns of green, witch, what would you ask of the Keeper of East Lines?"

Relieved that the Fay seemed pleased Hermione nevertheless chose her words carefully.

"I would not presume to ask such. But perhaps Incantabille could help me?"

"Perhaps she could." The disguised fey nodded. "Speak your need to me, slayer of..." She paused her eye widening. "Slayer of trolls? Have you truly, slain such a creature at your age? Yes, of course you did. I see it now. Your magic was raw and unfocused, but effective, and brutal. Yet you are not a warrior. You consider yourself a scholar first. How refreshing. I see you more clearly now. You will seek your way through a path riddled in traps." She chuckled at this and nodded her head. "Ha, Riddled indeed!"

She poured the girl some of her tea and offered her the cup. "Drink, then speak to me of your present need. The future will come as it may. What scenario do you craft in you mind I wonder?"

The Fay moved forward, an inhuman vissage ghosting across the edge of perception as a vast power looked away from the world and focused her whole attention on a twelve year sitting in a restaurant in london.

Hermione refused to break into a gibbering wreck at the attention tightening her tenous grip on her own mind, steeled herself and looked at those _sharp, alien, deep_ clear black eyes for a moment and realised she was being tested somehow, inhaled the strong tea in wonderment. It smelled of a summer breeze and honeycombs. It tasted of warm sunlight and growth. She closed her eyes and committed the feeling to memory before taking stack of herself, it was all so _clear! _Her mind on fire, her voice distorted and her mind clear she spoke.

"I see_ (know/Taste) _the traps you speak of, and _know_ unknown obstacles await just out of eyesight and beyond. I need _(want desire crave)_ freedom to act in the muggle world of finance, someone who would do as I instruct them and prepare for a future that would not come. I see _(dream/perceive/know)_ a change _(Death/fire/cleansing)_ coming, many years from now that many will feel _(Despair/rejoice/endure)_ We will struggle _(hold a vast anger)_ and against _(smite)_ those that would harm _(Eat/corrupt/challenge)_ us. The lines of Dragons will _glow_ with fire as the _rebirth_ of the world starts with a _Fall. __**Wielding the Sword of light and the Hammer of fury across the stars Humanity will..**_. _Humanity_... I." Hermione faltered there and shook her head her hand over the heartm grasping a little dragon on a chain. "No. Too much. Too far. No fate is certain" Her voice faded down to her usual inflection and looked at the elf struggling to comprehend what she had seen and _knew/hoped/feared_ might/_never_ come about.

"I could tell, If I look too far I will loose my self and shatter." Her eyes shining from the potent brew. "What is this tea?" She asked.

"Earl Grey." At Hermione's incredulous look the Fay smiled and relented. "Brewed in tears of fey that were dilutedin waters found in the deepest caves of the dwarven clans. Sweetened with honey created by the only Sun Bea colony left in the world. Seasoned with seeds of poppy and the essence of a kind of cactus from what you now know as Mexico as well as some others that have no name in human tongues since they are extinct in all places aside from my own home." The fey had a gleam in her eye. "No mortal can withstand the clarity of _knowing_ without changing vastly. Or shattering." And yet you do little child_. _

"It makes one _see _things. True things. Beautiful things of light and sinew. Terrible things of teeth and butterflies." Hermione spoke in a quiet voice. "Even now I can't seem to remember details. Yet I have perfect recall"

"Calm child. Some things the mortal mind refuses to remember in order to protect itself. You have told me enough to make me curious. And I wanted to see your potential. I could never see so very far." The fay trailed off looking at her ow cup and them seemed to straighten, even as she seemed more like the old frail woman that she never was or will be.

"I wish to see what will become of you and those around you. I will send a man to you, who will create a company In Your Name that you may gather resources that you _Desire_. Did you have a name in mind?"

"Magi technologies? No. MagiTech." Hermione murmured, slightly dazed as the preassure of that vast_ terrible beautiful _attention faded_._ She could still feel the echoes of the vastly widened perception the so called 'tea' caused. _What scenarios do you craft. _Incantabile And Hermione only now realised that she could. "Yes. I came for advice on starting a company of my own. I remember now."

Leaned back, fading even more into her guise as a frail old woman.

"Then hear my advice and decide your future."

Incantabile spoke of proxies and codes, of post office boxes and company structuring. Of seed money she would need and salaries. Hermione stored it in her in mind, but all the rest of Hermione could think of was that _horrible _clarity that engulfed her, the moment she had balanced above a deep abyss and shuddered at what she could become. Tolkien was wrong. If you ask an elf for advice they will not tell you both yes or no. They will show you the consequences of your actions and leave you to decide your own faith while _knowing_ the cost of failiure.

* * *

She had came to her self as she sat down at the table with her parents a mere minutes after she had left. The _clarity _was gone from her own mind, a part of herself sheltered until she could absorb it in tiny pieces without harming herself. She remembered a vague conversation over tea, the financial part of the conversation clear in her mind and smiled as her mother threatened her father with linguini theft. Pleased that the Fay had not asked for some scary price for her help. Not knowing it had already been paid with a tiny sliver of her sanity.

The Secret Service agents that monitored the local organised crime took photos of her family, wondering who this child was, that so casually shared tea with the most influential woman in the world.

And hidden in the folds of her thick shirt the eyes of a tiny silver dragon stopped glowing and faded back into silver.

* * *

Incantabille had been pondering the great change that had rushed across the higher plains a short time ago, not even a year when a presence stopped near her. She had not seen_ (sensed/tasted the light of her soul) _her before she stepped in front of her table then and it was an anomaly in it's own right. She looked with her eyes and wondered in puzzlemen as the girl spoke.

The child had somehow divined her old titles, and by calling that old name unwittingly revealed her own secret name to her. What unusual child to have so many hidden names. And was that? Yes it was. Rise, and Manifest! A mind so sharp many would cut themselves on it. Using the pure magic of her soul! A Witch. A troll killer at that age. And the most dangerous of all. A girl with secrets. Ones even herself could not see. Excitement rushed through her, the likes of which she had not felt in a long millennia.

_She HAD to test her!_

Rang across her mind as she poured _pure_ tea to the girl.

_And indeed the girl was a marvel._

Incantabille smiled to her self as the long moment passed. The girl had revealed little. And much. She could feel threads of fate shifting across the higher dimensions. That child was most unusual, to have that effect on her, as well as the future. To see beynd the vail of a few decades, to see so far and stay sane. The fay sipped her tea and pondered what had possessed her to give an untrained child the essence of madness and ecstasy that was the brew of second sight. And how in the world had the human child withstood it without her help. She had planned to stay the madness and guide her back, but the child drew herself from the brink, using some sort of anchor.

Mirage of the green horns. Illusion, yes. But what had green horns. Trolls? Dragons? The child's secret name is even more confounding puzzle. Hermione Jane Granger was beyond her influence, and thus _interesting._

_Show me what you will do to the world child. And perhaps I will see you some time in the future. If we still stand._

She felt hopeful, The Star of Morning did. And young again. Change was coming. Soon. Perhaps a century or less. Incantabile would go into retirement a bit earlier then she planned. Too long has she been an old woman and would not wait the turn of human century. It was time for a new guise. She wanted to play again. Frolic like a young girl in Sunlight and Sea.

What should she call herself? Dawn perhaps? Yes, Summers Dawn.

Now where she could go to have some fun?

* * *

Hermione had had a wonderful Christmas eve.

She had snuggled between her father and her mother as they watched a fantasy film about a girl, wishes and goblins. Yes, it was traditional to watch it's a wonderful life however their family was never _that _traditional.

She had loved the look on her parent's faces when she wandlesly levitated the star tot he top. She weighted the risk getting a warning from the ministry against the notion that under age magic was being tracked through her wand signature.

The looks of wonderment on her parent's faces would have been worth any official warning anyway.

She did an impromptu dance when the Christmas lottery had been announced. The second number was different then what was supposed to come up but it was the one she deliberately skipped anyway.

"Good for you Honey! What will you do with all that cash?" Her mother had asked.

"Well I always wanted a farm of little ponies." Replied Hermione innocently.

She laughed at the flabbergasted look on mum's face and explained that, while she did in fact want to own a horse that would have to wait a few years and then changed the subject by going to the front door to listen to the carollers.

She had been glad when Hedwig showed up to pick up Harry's chocolate frogs, like she had asked her. The beautifull white bird had preened at her Jane's attention and coaxed far too much tasty bacon out of her before heading out.

The midnight mass has been wonderful and she could actually feel the positive energy from the people singing flowing into the sky and ground, and felt a loving presence give her a fond look when she sent her considerable energies to join them. After Incantabille she was not quite as shaken by the experience as she might have been.

_Joy to the world indeed._

Now she was snuggled in her own bed tired but happy giving a final touch to her oculumency, to ensure she would always remember the day. She knew something had happened with Incantabile. Something disturbing and life altering but out of reach. But she took comfort in knowing that all was right in the world. And if at some point that changed it. _She could, and would make things better._

Her dreams that night were filled with ideas and possibilities that clashed and merged. Dreamsn of wars and games and wargames. Of herself as dark and benevolent, shining and horrible as well as all in between.

And once during the night something with twisting armour carapace, strong impossible sinew and sharp deadly teeth the size of a mountain came for her and then decided to look for nourishment elsewhere as something even worse stood in it's way and protected her as was it's duty. It gave her a fond _sniff_ when it noticed her _looking_ and it slithered comfortingly through her bones, patted her fondly on the brain before it flowed in and side and flew away from her into the night to protect others. It was disturbing and comforting even if she would never quite remember it properly.

As the night furthered along, her options became clearer even as her sight faded She found her worries ebb away with the potent brew still in her veins and she frolicked with a girl named Dawn, on a sandy beach somewhere, feeling completely good about herself.

Just before dawn she perceived the snow gently fall across her home as she slept and the last of the tea broke down in her body. The clarity of millions of gently falling works of art each heartbreaking in it's fragile, passing beauty was something she would remember for the rest of her life as one of the most beautiful things she had dreamt.

**_AN:_**  
Well. in the original draft Incantabille came out of nowhere and i actually thought of her as Arwen that didn't fade away. I managed to step away from LOTR and am incorporating her into some other stuff.

No I'm not crossing this over with Buffy.

Hermione's parent's meeting out of country during some sort of insurgency (black op?) in the 80's ('75?) the idea originally came from fleshing out their characters some time during the second half of the christmass break. I see Jane as some sort of data analist and john as a (special ops?) sailor that bailed her out. Both elected to pursue a less morally ambigous career. They are in their late 30's a the time of the story but look younger due to the same quirk of breeding that spawned a witch. :)

I'm in the middle of reworking the next chapter slightly.

Thanks for the teenage views Morganna and SJ.

And thanks everyone (and Snowdove XD) for reviews.


	7. Chapter 7: Old enemies and Insanity

**"When your mind gets used to the increased flow of incoming data caused by expanded mental perceptions, you will learn to anticipate events and predict the behaviour of others. Scenarios will begin to emerge, malleable according to your will. Much will go your way even if the odds appear the same. You must envision a goal, act in the crucial moment of balance and tip the scales so the future will fall into place. Be warned. If you are too rigid, too committed to a single strand of probability your scenario will most likely shatter and cut the hands that form it. Only the flexible Mind may take advantage of an opportunity. Be it a momentary slip in your opponent's fencing skill or exploiting an advantage caused by the movement the planet's tectonic plates."**

_**'Doctrine: flexibility' by Hermione Jane Weasley.**_

Hermione was genuinely content. She had spent Christmas day snuggled between her parents drinking hot cocoa as they watched (the Labyrinth?) on video and playing games with her parents. Somehow the stress of the last few weeks in Hogwarts has evaporated from her. She couldn't get even mildly annoyed when her father got the call and had to go to work for a few hours. If someone is willing to pay emergency rates for a Christmas day tooth extraction she was not going to object. Her mother was assisting and Hermione had a few hours on her own to kill.

She decided to go to the local park. The day was clear and while somewhat chilly there was no wind to make it worse. The sun was shining as best at it could under the circumstances and the sparrows were out to beg or steal bred from the park goers. In essence it was one of the rare winter days that were just perfect for a snowball fight. The sound of small children playing in their snow forts and the sparrow's chirping was a soothing background noise unlike any other.

She sat on a bench, her wamnd snug against her arm in its still a bit stiff new leather holster. She hadn't been expecting trouble but she carried her wand in a wrist sheeth ever since the quiddich was never ever going to be fumbling for her wand again.

She placed herself as far away from the children's escapades as possible and studied the hefty form of the Self Updating Tome Of Law. It wouldn't do to be caught by something stupid like that rule that stated that if any unescorted unwed witch spends three consecutive night in the house of an unwed pureblood male it is considered as initiating the first stage of a betrothal arrangement. A short few steps after that and she'd be married before she blinked.

Stupid misogynistic old farts never repelled the law even if it has last been actually used in the thirties. Eighteen hundred and thirties. She made a mental note to get a competent lawyer on retainer as soon as she managed to put some of those financial charts in to good use.. Who knew when someone would try to rail road her into something.

Still the day was perfect and the subject of her study was both intriguing and useful. Even if it took a bit of effort to interpret legalise. She was at peace and she should have realised it was not meant to last.

"Oy! Beaver breath! Have you get kicked out of that 'Special' school no one has heard of yet? Too annoying for them?"A familiar and hated voice rang across the small park.

Hermione sighed, she knew she was forgetting something about the local park.

Margaret White has been the bane of her existence through her schooling, a year older then her yet still in the same grade. Hermione had been a borderline case, age wise, and has been enrolled in school early. Her bright mind working against her social prospects, she had outshines the highly trained child of a politician on the first day of school and her eternal tormentor just had it in for her ever since. Of course, all physical confrontations ended after her father thought her how to throw a punch, way back in second grade. But there are many forms of bullying. The girls parents wealth and influence extended like and umbrella and Margaret had managed to make the Granger girl a social pariah in the early years.

Oh she had learned to cope and even started to snipe back the year before she got her Hogwarts letter but it had been lonely five years.

She turned to look. There was the bint. She was wearing a short white skirt, half see-through embroidered stockings and an expensive looking white fur lined leather jacket. The fur was the exact same shade as her shoulder length extremely blonde hair of course and matched the fur on her boots. High heeled boots.

Her jacket was unzipped, probably because she wanted fore everyone to see she had 'grown' in the chest area. Hermione chuckled softly. Who dressed like that. What's the point of a sweater if you removed the neckline and put in a V cut. High heeled boots? _During winter?! _The girl was just begging for a cold and a sprained ankle.

Her gang had changed as well, all going for that hip adult look. Wearing makeup and was one of them actually smoking? Yes, yes she was. Mental, the lot of them! As a witch she could never get cancer or have lung problems and she still thought smoking was a stupid stinky habit.

She slowly closed the book and looked at the spoiled bitch.

"For your information _Snowhite_. Hogwarts school for gifted is by invitation only. You can't buy your way into that one, daddy's girl." Hermione intoned sarcastically over the self styled nickname. Like she could ever pass for princess.

"You watch your mouth beaver!" Margaret White growled and stalked forward trying to intimidate the smaller girl and her cohorts followed, some of them grinning, probably anticipating another random beating. Margaret stopped just in front of Hermione who looked up at the angry girl, meeting her eyes, unconcerned. 'Oh did I hit a sore spot' She wondered as she relaxed her mind and extended a fledgling leglimency probe into the girl's unprotected mind and caught a glimpse of her surface thoughts. Snowhite would have flunked school last year but daddy made a donation.

For the first time since she started her expanding her mind Hermione could _feel _a real scenario forming. Yes she could _see _the outcome. People were already glancing their way. It would start with a simple sentence and end with that little bitch getting her just reward for tormenting her all those years. All it would cost her was a few days of pain.

She hated Margaret. She hated her so much. And now she had the means to give her some pain as payback. Letting out a short breath she flooded her blood with what magic she could muster, she felt her perceptions sharpen and knew that she was artificially making herself a little bit stronger, faster, tougher. She hoped it would be enough.

"Oh, I didn't mean anything by it. I am sure daddy just donated the new gym to celebrate you passing your class somehow." Hermione intoned sweetly, still sitting down. Oh this was perfect. Margaret shook for a moment. She could see it even without leglimency. _She knows! No one knows! Just me, Father and the principal!_

* * *

Jenifer Johnson, the oldest of the lot frowned. At fifteen she had lived on the streets and used to be in a real gang and not this prissy suburbia knock off. She was accepted into the Snowhites gang after she transferred here, even though she was a charity case because she knew how to score good weed, had scars to display and cool stories to tell. She had heard about the Granger girl but she couldn't really connect the bushy haired, buck tooth, know it all with this young woman in front of them, sitting there oh so casually closing the overly large law book of some sort. And she was deliberately riling princess Margaret "Snow" White into a frenzy. Jenny wasn't stupid. She heard the venom in the girls voice and saw it in her eyes. She saw that kind of eyes before, but never on a smallish thirteen year old. Cold calculating eyes brimming with old coldanger that would only be sated by blood.

She didn't know what private school the girl had moved to, St Trinians could have done it, if the school was real, but the Granger girl definitely was not the pushover she had heard of. This would turn ugly. The way the Granger girl held herself was setting alarms in her and there, when she shifted her balance, still sitting oh so casually, leg ready for a jump, Jenny glimpsed a hint of leather up the girl's forearm and the way the shirt fell over it. _Bollocks that blade is at least thirteen inches long._

"What are you insinuating bitch!" Margaret White the stupid bint practically yelled in the girls face. Totally open for a knife to the ribs.

"I think we should just let it go Snow." Stated Jenny. She had no intent of upsetting her case worker or be implicated in participating in another bloodbath. She was out and home free if she kept her head down and her ass covered until she turned eighteen and her record was sealed. She really wanted to avoid becoming a career criminal.

Margaret, the stupid bint actually turned to her, displaying her back to the knife carnying girl she had been screaming at.

"What?" She hissed at her. "You are not here to think Jennifer. A charity case druggie like you should keep her mouth shut. If you want to leave leave!"

Jenny actually took a step back, stunned at the hypocrisy. This was what the H using bint really though about her? She looked at the other girls who had malice in their eyes Jennifer had somehow missed during the past few months and then there was the Granger girl who was for the moment ignoring everyone else and looking straight at Jennifer, only she seemed to give her a look of appraisal, and a raised eyebrow. 'What the heck are you doigng with these idiots.' those eyes asked her. Jenny nodded and shrugged. You fit in where you can.

* * *

"Actually she seems to at least have some brains unlike the rest of your lot." Hermione smiled. That new, older girl looked dangerous at first but seemed to be a reluctant participant and seemed determined to stay out of the beating Hermione was about to receive and she nodded at her in recognition of this fact. The girl nodded back and shrugged. She could see the headlines. Local gang beats up honour student in a public park brawl. Prominent politician's daughter implicated. _'Let's see your daddy cover up this.'_

"That's It. You'll get yours." Margaret yelled stepped back a few steps and pointed. "Get her!" she ordered and all the girls except Jenny obeyed. Hermione reacted as the rest of the girls came after her pushing herself off the bench and into the throng of girls, all knees and elbows, breaking through them in their confusion and pain and quickly stepping past Margret, flipping the girl's skirt up as she passed for the whole world to see. _'Alright where in the world did she find french lace in her size.' _wondered _'And why the heck was she wearing them?'_

"What is it Margret, can't teach me a lesson yourself? Perhaps daddy should hire some thugs to beat me up for you?" she asked and that was all it took to push Margared over the edge from mad to insane with anger.

Of course, no plan survives execution intact. With a scream of furry Margared actually pulled out a _switchblade_ and it flicked open with a 'sknit' sound.

Hermione frowned, still riding the edge of adrenaline. This wasn't in the scenario. She weighed the pro's an cons in the second it took Margaret to yell out "I'll kill you myself!"

The world slowed. A split of a second seemed like all the time in the world to think things over.

Attempted homicide would get Margaret into a magnitude more trouble then her original scenario of being beaten black and blue. On the other hand she would actually need to allow herself to be stabbed somewhere, otherwise lawyers could sweep it up under a rug.

The question was. Did she want to be stabbed just for revenge? Did she hate the her that much? Enough to do whatever it took? Then again, what was the actual danger? Margaret was always way slower then her. And worst case, her magic would keep her alive under most circumstances. A few days of pain until she was back in hogwarts in exchange for ruining the bint's life? Why yes. Yes she would consider this a fair deal. The spoiled princess ruined her childhood. She deserved it.

And then everything was too fast again. Right in front of her was Margaret, a wild, crazy look in her eye, lunging at her with a slashing strike at her throat and Hermione tried to guide the blow the best she could, letting it cut a long but thin line across her collar bone in stead. The enforcer squad was still down in a tangle behind their boss and the new girl was lunging towards her from the left. No. She was lunging at Margaret. _Note to self, thank the girl later. _Somewhere in the back of her mind permutations to the scenario continued to churn.

"No! Get away from me Margaret!" She screamed in the loudest girliest voice she could produce. "Help!" she added as she grabbed the stabling hand and guided it away from her stomach and into the back of her left arm while planting a magic enforced knee directly into the girl's groin actually lifting her foot or so in the air. She read that despite the myth, girl can be stunned with a well placed strike. Not quite as painful perhaps, but girls didn't have the protective instinct the male species had of their equipment.

"Oh my god! You stabbed me" She continued screaming as she fell to the floor pulling the girl on top of her, careful not to injure herself to much by falling on her left side that still had the switchblade stuck in it. The pain was distant and negligible, she had prepared and carefully cut off the pain behind a mental dam. Although it was going to hurt like hell once she let it go.

"Get away from me!" She yelled, striking a well placed elbow into the arrogant bitches ribs and breaking her nose with her forehead.

"Help!" she screamed as someone pulled the now semi conscious girl off of her. "Someone help! I've been stabbed!"

Surprisingly it really was that new girl that came to help her. Though the panic in the girl's eyes was confusing until she saw the girl look at the approaching patrol man and mutter something about case workers and jail. The scenario _shifted _again and she threw herself into the girls arms thanking her loudly and profusely before bringing her lips to the girl's ear and whispering instructions.

* * *

As Jenny watched Margaret pull out a switch-blade and started running, knowing she would be too late when the Granger girl's screaming confused her. That malignant look on her face did not go with the voice of a scared little girl, screaming in fear.

The next few seconds were a bit too fast for her to follow but she had seen Margaret actually lift in the air by a well placed knee. By the time she pulled Margaret off of Granger the crazy bint had a switchblade through her hand and Snowhite was liberally bleeding from her face. Wait. Was Granger actually using Margaret's blood to make herself look hurt worse then she was? What the fuck?! She let Margaret drop to the ground and looked at the girl. Her forehead was bleeding, her shirt was slashed open and the ruddy knife was still in her arm. Jenny never saw anything so bloody _insane_ in her life! She could understand Snowhite going completely insane she took a line of white earlier that day and that impaired ones judgement on the best occasion. But this girl was just plain _wrong._ And scary as hell.

She looked around, the idea that she should have been long gone dawning on her.

And there it was. Adults running over. The man that was taking snapshots of children playing raised his camera in their direction and started taking photos. The rest of the girls we scattering, and look! It's a bobbie running down the street and here she was, two injured and bloody girls at her feet. The absurdity of the situation and the impending ruination of her life made her groan. "Oh bloody hell my case worker is going to give up on me and send me straight to jail this time."

Granger looked at her for a split second and then threw herself into her arms yelling "Thank you" over and over. Only, in between thank you's she had whispered in her ear. "Play along and I'll not only get you out of this mess but make you into a local hero."

A chill wen't' down Jenny's spine. Part of it was fear and part of it was hope. She might actually have a future. Perhaps she could even keep her soul and only pay in blood. She doubted that someone capable of pulling off what she had just seen would accept less.

* * *

Chief Mellows was having a nice day until his telephone rang and some over excited sergeant started talking. He was appealed. A stabbing! In a playground! In broad daylight!

"What the hell do you mean councilman White's daughter! Who stabbed her?!" He blanched and then turned green as he was corrected.

"What the bloody blazes do you mean she tried to kill an twelve year old girl?!" He could feel his blood pressure rising.

"What does the press have to do with this?!" Oh and there goes his ulcer. Truly his day, no his month was going to be down right vexing.

"Well bloody well arrest her and be extra careful with proper procedure!" He carefully intoned, trying to keep his temper..

"I don't care if her father is the bloody pope! You book her call her parents and I want it handled YESTERDAY!" He finally snapped his face turning purple and breaking out in sweat. He slammed the phone down and buzzed her secretary.

"Simone! My pills! Quickly!" he moaned out. Oh yes, there were the spots. The lovely spots. _'Medical leave here I come'_

* * *

She sat in the emergency room and watched in amusement as the attending nurse finished turning wrapping her arm in a bandage. When her father barged into the room looking ready to kill something, her mother running in seconds behind him. She smiled at them as they fussed and searched her for injuries like they expected her to be bleeding to death on the floor or something.. She felt no pain, the drugs made certain of that and while they made her a bit woozy she keep a tight leash on her oculumancy, letting her think and act almost normally.

"Oh mum. Quit fussing it's sounds worse then it is." Hermione said, feeling a bit guilty for putting them through this. Perhaps she hadn't weighed _all _the factors like she initially thought.

"Relax Missus Granger, she'll be fine. That one one of the cleanest stab wounds I ever saw in my life." The male nurse that had been helping Hermione tried to utilise his training in dealing with distraught patients and their family. He was quite bad at it.

"Oh my baby!" Jane Granger called out, crying and holding Hermione in her arms. Yes. Hermione was now feeling the tiniest bit of guilt for deciding to go through with the, in retrospect, crazy 'oh she pulled out a knife, let's let her stab me so she'd get into even more trouble' plan.

"Oh mother. I'm fine. It hardly even hurts after that horse shot they gave me." She glared at the orderly who insisted on giving her a full dose despite her protests and he smiled cheekily back.

"Yes, your daughter was really brave and seemed to mind the anaesthetic more than the wound itself." The cheeky bugger intoned and Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. She was ignoring him so there. Now she was feeling kinda hungry. She wondered if it was possible to conjure food.

John chuckled at the medical attendants comment and smiling fondly at his daughter who seemed to be examining her hands intently. "Ah yes, she was always like that, hated needles all her life. I remember she sprained an ankle once and cried more about the tetanus shot then the sprain itself.

"Now young miss, you need to tell us what happened." said her mother in a no-nonsense tone.

"Ah yes. If I may participate also in this?" They turned and Hermione smiled. That was that helpful bobby that refused to leave her side until the knife was removed by emergency care professionals. He was nice. She wondered if he was hungry too. Perhaps they could order some pizza? No. Wait. They had to do... Stuff. And she was doing something with... Mind. Ah.

"Ah, yes, mister chain of evidence." She murmured as her grasp on oculumency slipped. She shook her head and snapped her thoughts into place. "Ah. I apoligise, hospital workers seem to be keen on turning my brain into a useless mush. I don't believe we've been propperly introduced."

"That's all right miss, I now realise I never introduced myself. Sargent Potter's the name. Would it be alight if we get a statement out of the way now?" he looked at her parents "Ordinarily I wouldn't ask but miss Granger seems to be on top of things after she calmed down a bit. Down right sensible the girl is."

"Ah," started Hermione drawing attention back to her. "I took the liberty of writing up one as you were busy storing the knife." At his surprised look she elaborated. I had to keep myself from thinking about horse injections, irrigations, strange hissing powders and stitches and what not."

The policeman blinked taking the sheet of paper into his hands. "Well, I'm not certain if..." He started to say but trailed off as he read.

"Well. This certainly seems to be well written." He mused, adding the date in the cornet and his signature at the bottom. "Allright, if your parents sign this I won't bother you for now. You say you do not wish to press charges?" He asked.

"Well, it seems a moot point. I'm certain the judicial system can handle this without my pressing a civil suit." She intoned and then bit her tongue. Al right that was a bit over the top there for a sensible little girl. She'd been reading too many law books lately.

"You seem well informed for an eleven year old. What do you do for a living Mister Granger?" The policeman asked. Something was off about this. Now that he though about it the girl was a bit too cold blooded about being stabbed.

Her father seemed a bit surprise at this non sequiturbut answered promptly that he shared a dental practice with his wife.

Hermione realised that this man was too competent for his own good. Time for a little smoke in the eyes before he started to connect things and she had to resort to the confundus charm. She really didn't think the ministry would fine her or place a warning in her record if she convinced them it was about protecting secrecy.

"Well 'f course I'm informed I go to a very exclusive private school for the vary gift'd." She slurred a bit and shook her head again. It was getting progresively harder to think straught. "Blo... Fu... Merlin's beard man what the hell _did_ you give me!? Horse tranqulisers?" She glared accusingly at the orderly, while her father choked on her language. The orderly was looking at her puzzled and then looked at his watch.

"Well, to tell you the truth miss the tranquilliser should have kicked in and caused more than drowsiness. In fact you should be asleep by now. Standard procedure for physically stable children in traumatic situations you know." He said.

And of course she did know. She was keeping herself awake with mind arts and internal magic. She looked at Sargean't Potter.

"Can I go home now?" She asked. The childish whine in her voice only a bit exaggerated. She really was tired, and the long depleted adrenaline had left her feeling empty. In retrospect getting stabbed was foolish and reckless. _'Maybe I really am a Gryfindoor._

She missed the softening of the policeman's eyes as she drifted off to sleep a wheezing sound that was _most definitely not snoring_ emanating from her person.

If she had still been awake she would have resented being referred to as cute.

**AN**

All right, allright, I know, insane much?

Could it be that Hermione isn't exactly thinking clearly. Memory charms, crazy elven teas, stress of the happenings in school, hyper dimensionally perceptive dreams, keeping a secret letter from the future...

Think her seeing a way to lash out at a long hated adversary she had been powerless against all her life is a bit Dark? :)

She'll have to work on it for a while to go back to her old self and regain some balance. Even if her old self did commit theft to brew an illegal, ministry controlled substance in her second year with a minimum of prodding. In cannon.

Now. My original draft had her getting into fights with the ravens over academic differences when she gets back to Hogwarts, she'd follow a pattern of prodding them into attack and then cleaning their clock just to re-expirience the rush and I'm leaning towards cutting _that_ out along with McGonogal freaking out. If I do cut it I think I'll still post some of it as omakes. :)

Basically Hermione should be more cerebral, not a brawler. She should be _minoring_ in kick ass and being more bookish and cerebral.

We'll se what actually happens. (Well. Ok. I know what will happen. Still. Things have a way of popping up.)

OOC are will not be affecting the main plot much. Probbably.

Potter is a common surname in England right? :)


	8. Chapter 8: Fluffy interludes

Disclaimer: Disclaimer

**_Human _****_is not as resilient as one might think. And not as fragile either. They are both the most hardy and dangerous people I've ever met and the most fragile._**

**_The dissonancie is delicious. They are a delicious as pray and deadly when predators. Cycle on their world with caution and keep your plumes high.  
_**

_**D'einsos I'charta, on natue of humanity.  
**_

_**Chapter: A fluffy interlude**_.

She woke up with vague throbbing in her arm and a dreadful taste of something down right _rotten _in her mouth.

"Oh yuck!" She exclaimed and sat up promptly freezing when her wounds protested and started to sting. She remembered what exactly she had been doing yesterday and resisted the urge to hit herself on the forehead. The urge to just go back to bed and cover herself over the head hit her and she barely resisted.

"Reap what you've sown Hermione." She muttered and dragged herself out of bed her body protesting that is wanted no part of this sitting up insanity. She slipped her feet in her fuzzy wise owl slippers and staggered to the bathroom to wash out whatever had died in her mouth.

She was busy gargling some mouth wash when someone knocked at her door.

"Honey? Are you all right?" Her mother called and Hermione spit the mouthwash out.

"Just a minute!" She yelled and wiped her wet face with a towel as she made her way to the door. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and frowned. She looked pretty normal for someone whose muscles felt like wet noodles. Aside from a band aid above her left eye. She had no idea why it was there.

"Hey mum, what can I do for you?" Hermione asked as she opened the door to let her mother enter, wondering how did she know she was awake.

"Honey we need to talk." Jane said, sitting on the bed and turning off the baby monitor.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and Jane flushed. "I was worried about you."

"Oh mum. I'm fine." She sad, wondering why her mother was all serious.

"YOU ARE NOT FINE!" Jane raised her voice and then took a deep breath. "I hope you realise, that I had, yesterday at work received word that my daughter had been involved in a knife fight."

Hermione couldn't help herself and she chuckled.

"It's not funny! I almost had a stroke on the spot." Jane said, wringing her hands.

Hermione realised her mother was on edge and went over, climbed on the bed, engulfing her mother in a hug.

She saw her father peek into the room and Hermione shooed him away with a gesture.

"You know, I never expected her to go that far, but you must realise, I was hardly in any danger." She carefully said rubbing her hand in soothing circles across her mother's back. A faint tapping noise drew her attention. She looked to the window and noticed an owl had landed on the outside and was holding an official looking letter. A plan formed.

Jane extricated herself from her daughter's hug and stared at her for a moment incredulously. "Elucidate." She intoned neutrally. Hermione smiled. Her mother could be emotional whn she let herself but never allowed emotions to get in the way of facts.

"I'm a witch mother. Worst case scenario and she stuck that thing in my heart? I'd say secrecy be damned and stun her. It being a public surface Oblivators would be all over the park in twenty seconds. I'd be in St' Mungos in forty. And with magic? My heart would refuse to stop beating. I'd be out of there in a day or two. I'm just that darn resilient. A bloo... blasted troll kicked me into a wall in school. This is an eight foot tall beast that lugs around ninety pound piece of wood like it's a twig. I was on my feet tomorrow morning like nothing had happened and the dratted thing was dead by my hand."

Jane glared at her daughter. "Ah, I knew there was more to it that 'troll snuck into the school yesterday had a bit of excitement' business. You are a terrible correspondent young lady. When were you going to tell us?"

Hermione looked away. "I was waiting for the right moment."

"And when would that be?" Her mother asked sternly.

"When that letter came?" She intoned pointing at the window.

Her mother looked and went over to the window. The owl hooted and flew over to Hermione.

"Thank you beautiful." She intoned knowing owls were both hard working and vain. "Do you need to rest for a moment?"

The owl hooted, shook it's head and flew off.

"What's in the letter." Jon, who had obviously been listening in just out of sight.

Hemione cleared her throat and began to read.

_Miss Hermione Granger_

_I am here by saddened to inform you that the notion for awarding you the Special services award has been rejected by the board of Governors, seven to six. The general reasoning was that while your feat was most impressive, the troll would have been subdued by the staff if you had not intervened._

_On the bright side the Governers agreed you should be rewarded for your valour and ability. I am here by proud to inform you that you Hermione Jane Granger have been awarded a Full Honors Hogwarts Scholarship, this includes school fees, books, supplies and a five galeons a month allowance for the full seven years in Hogwarts._

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, _

_Order of Merlin, First Class;_

_ Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, _

_Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Grand Sorcerer_

"Ah, that's my girl." He smiled. "So, troll huh?"

"I want details Missy." Jane intoned. "And don't skimp."

Hemrione nodded and began her tale, her parents were suitably occupied with it and for the moment forgot about her stabbing and her mother didn't start crying. No oculumency in the world would keep her calm if she saw her mother crying. Hermione made a mental note to spare her parents as much grief as she could and still come out ahead in the world. Perhaps she needed to be a little more careful.

* * *

"So, Sparrow what _do_ you intend to do with the money you won?" Asked John curiously after their talk of magic and trolls and stabbings had turned the holidays a bit too serious.

The smile on his daughters made him think he should have stayed quiet. Her mother sometimes got that look. Right before they'd expand business or change a major supplier. For a profit, of course. He hated signing paperwork.

"Well, daddy, originally I intended to spend a bit of it and use the rest to relieve pyou of the burden of financing my schooling. But now considering considering the scholarship means you and mum won't have to come up with three thousand pounds per year for my education, room and board. I'd thought to try to follow in mum's footsteps and try my way in the world of finance myself." Hermione announced smugly and took a sip of milk.

Jane choked on her orange juice at her daughter's ambitious answer. And somehow, pieces of a puzzle fell into place. Wrong place, mind you, but it clicked.

"You knew!" She accused her daughter. "That divination thing works! And you plan to take over the world of finance through magic!"

It was Hemione's turn to choke on her drink.

John look at his two favourite girls and then just laughed at their expressions. Naturally they turned to glare at him but he didn't care.

"Aw, like mother like daughter. My little financial sharks." He grinned cheekily.

"So, what are you going to do?" Jane asked her daughter.

"Stock market." Said Hermione. "And then invest into technology."

"You can use magic to tell which stocks will go up?" Asked Jane, her eyes lighting up.

Hermione shook her head.

"Not quite. In fact those that try usually and up losing everything. What I plan on doing is to study the market make informed decisions and if my horoscope say I'll have a bad day be conservative."

"How do you plan to do all this." Asked Jane, mentally reviewing her schedule and trying to dig up time to help out her daughter.

"Proxies and mail. It is possible to set up a box in the muggle world that would automatically go to own post and vice versa. It's a flat monthly fee that I plan to get the most out of."

"I want you to put eight thousand pounds in you college fund. The rest is your to do with as you please." Said Jane in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Now wait a minute, Jane you're not going to let her..." John tried to be the voice of reason.

"No John. I believe in our daughter, and it is her money to do with as she pleases."

John looked thoughtful for a moment and then shrugged. His wife's business acumen is what enabled two college students with a few ten thousand pounds savings a small child and college bills to pay to end up with two top of the line cars, a paid off student loan, a paid for house in London a substantial nest egg and a booming dental practice. In nine years.

"You're the ex government employee finance shark my dear. I'm just a poor sailor turned dentist." He smiled and gave his wife a big hearty kiss.

"Oh gross. Dad stop snogging mum!" Hermione intoned, disgusted by the byplay. Like she needed another reminder that she wasn't made _in vitro_.

"Hey now, It's not my fault your mum is an attractive secret super spy."

"John! Just because my government work is classified doesn't make me a spy!" Jane complained.

"I don't care, classified government work equals super spy in my book.¸Complete with suits and a Walther PPK" He grinned cheekily and dodged her attempt at slapping his arm.

"John!"

"My name is Granger, Jane Granger. I have a licence to kill." He intoned huskily.

"Well then why don't I just get rid of you! No one will know!" She growled as she chased him around the table to Hermione's amusement. She carefully folded her napkin and went to grab her jacket.

"Now now, dear, if you vanish me using your secret government superpowers who'll do the barbecue!" He laughed and dodged her grab.

"I end up doing half the work anyway."Jane growled and picked up a newspaper.

"You need me to do heavy lifting." He intoned looking at his mildly annoyed wife and smiling cheekily, dodging into the living room.

"Hermione can do that now with magic." Jane said dangerously wrapping the newspapers into a tight roll and lunged at him. John dodged deftly out of the way.

"No one gives massages like I do!" He tried to sway his wife with romance.

"I'll hire a masseuse!" She said gaining on him and grinning like a shark.

"I keep your feet warm at night." he said somewhat desperately as she cornered him on the sofa.

"Hm... You do make a good foot warmer." Jane intoned as she weighed the newspapers in her hand. "All right you may live, after you have suffered for spreading your deluded accusations."

John watched the look in her eyes and gulped. _Oh please god yes let her be in one of those moods._

She swatted him on the head once and smiled, sliding closer. "I'm still not a secret agent!" She growled in his ear dangerously.

"Hem hem." Hermione cleared her throat behind them and they sprang apart like naughty teenagers. "I took a hundred quid from your wallet mum. I'm taking a cab to leaky cauldron and taking care of some business, buying some supplies and such. I'll eat out and probably go to a cinema afterwards. I'll be back by six and I expect both of you to be dressed."

"And what makes you think we'll let you go to London on your own young lady?" Asked Jane. "It's not safe for a girl your age to..."

Hermione gestured with her good hand, her magic surfacing surprisingly easy to her. A butter knife gently floated into the room from the kitchen. She made a sharp gesture without looking and it sped off and stabbed into a dart board that hung on the wall of the living room. She smiled.

"...be out on her... own." Jane trailed off looked at the butter knife for a moment and then looked at her magnificent daughter and then smiled. "Keep your wand handy, stay safe, don't wander around London and don't buy drugs or McDonalds food. And if you hit ((ARGH WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THEAT DISTRICT) wear leather glo... No wait. Actually. Don't go there on the pain of eternal grounding."

"Will do mum! I'll bring you a butter beer Dad!" Hermione intoned happily and was out of the house in an instant.

"You know. As far as I remember that butter knife is rather dull." said John conversationally and walked to the game board. He tried pulling it out and after putting some muscle into it he pulled the whole board off the wall. He yanked the knife out and placed the board back. He looked at his wife his eyes large. "It went straight through the layered oak panelling Jane. A dull butter knife. I've never seen anything like it."

Jane shrugged. "Come now John, you knew she could be dangerous, she had to beat the troll somehow. Why do you think I let her go out on her own?"

John nodded thoughtfully. "I guess it never really sunk in until now. I guess I don't have to worry about boys getting fresh with her."

He walked into the kitchen humming a song and tossing the butter knife into the air.

It took Jane several seconds to realise that he was humming _secret agent man_. She smiled, so he still wanted to play.

"Oh John! What have I told you about that song." She intoned sweetly and stalked dangerously into the kitchen, hips swaying.

* * *

She had a very productive day with few difficulties. Even if talking to subservient Jennifer Johnson was a bit odd. Still Hermione felt an obligation dragging the girl into her mess. The look on the girls's face when Hermione offered, on a whim, to pay for the girl's college if she had good enough grades to get accepted was priceless. Even if the girl was a bit too keen on what field of study Hermione would recommend. She stepped out of the taxi and paid the driver his due and stretched.

Walking down the street Hermione transferred her bags to her right hand and looked at her newly bought watch as she made her way to the house. She was right on time. She hesitated at the door and then rang the door bell. Her parents were acting like teenagers again ans she was not going to have a repeat of the great bedroom incident of '88. The subsequent Talk was embarrassing for both her parents and Hermione. She still could not look at a coil of rope without blushing.

Still, while a part of her thought the idea of her parents indulging in romantic pastime was disgusting her pragmatic side of her was very glad they were happy with each other. Even if they refused to say anything about how they met, aside that it was somewhere in the East.

Dad had joined the royal navy as soon as he was eligible to save up money for college and her mother had been recruited as a cryptologist out of high school by the government when she graduated at 16. They were both unhappy with their shady life, both romantic and professional until they found each other.

When dad's term was up they both enrolled in college and by their third year of college they were married and Hermione was born.

She always knew they met some time before college but whenever she asked what made them change careers they'd get this faraway look in their eyes and say that it was classified.

Her father was forty and her mother was thirty nine. And they both looked like they were still in their late twenties.

She suspected that was because they were borderline squibs but couldn't confirm it until she got deeper into magical theory.

Her father opened the door and smiled cheekily before letting her in.

"Had fun?" He asked.

"Of course." She said and plopped down in her favourite armchair.

"Well, how was your day?" he asked her as he sat on the couch and reluctantly turning off the cricket match he was watching on the telly.

Hermione studied her father for a moment and then shrugged. He was entirely too neutral and talkative. He was hiding something.

"Well, I did some shopping in diagon alley, met up with an attorney and afternoon I met up with that girl that saved me from Margaret. You remember Jennifer right? She is kind of all right. Then I went to a cinema and took a taxi home."

"Sounds like a busy day. What did you buy?" He asked looking at her bags curiously.

"A couple of books, some new quills, a PO box and a stock broker."

John looked at her funny. "You bought a stock broker? Care to clear up that statement?"

"Well I leased him to tell the truth."

"Hermione!"

"Oh all right. Basically I went to an attorney that was recommended to me, had him draw up some paperwork. As soon as you and mum sign off on it he'll make arrangements with a reputable broker through whom I'll be able to engage in trade in the stock market." She paused. "Well. I'll be able to do it once the lottery money comes through."

John shook his head. "I still cannot believe you scored thirty thousand quid on a tea leaf prediction."

"Daddy! It wasn't a tea leaf prediction. It was a horoscope chart." She nudged him with her foot. "Now it's your turn. What are you hiding? Did mother switch my fifteen meg hard drive for the five meg in the office computer again?"

John knew he was busted but he knew he only needed to stall for a little longer.

"Me pumpkin? Why would I be hiding something" He asked, a picture of puzzled innocence.

Hermione smiled and started counting on her fingers.

"One. You turned off cricket. Two. You volontarily asked about shopping. Three. You are acting entirely too neutral and innocent to be my daddy."

John hesitated nervously and then he smiled.

"All right pumpkin, you got me." he asked after glancing behind her.

The hissing and the fain smell of sulphur were her first hints. She turned around and there was her mother carrying a cake with sparkles stuck in it.

"Surprise!" thy both said at flabbergasted Hermione.

"What? Why? What?" Hermione said eloquently as her smiling mother put down her patented, mouth watering Sugarless Death by Chocolate Strawberry Surprise(TM).

Jane gave Hermione a big hug and then explained to her still stunned daughter by counting off reasons just like Hermione has been doing before Jane walked in.

"One. We never had a Congratulations you're a witch party. Two. My baby can defeat an eight foot monster on her own. Three. You got yourself an Achievement Scholarship _during_ your first year. Four. You stood up to Margaret. True I'd have felt better if it was sans the knife fight but that wasn't your fault. I am just glad that however it happened you are here with us and she is in the hospital is a proof that my baby is growing up into an independent young woman." Jane was frowning a little when mentioning Margaret and then shrugged.

John smiled at his wife and expertly added anther finger into the count. "Five. If we bribe you with enough cake you'll visit more when we are old and decrepit."

With that the sombre mood was banished before it got a foothold Hermione smiled watching her mum banish her cheeky husband into the kitchen for plates and cutlery.

Yes, all was right with the world.

AN: Just a simple transition chapter. I'll skip to hogwarts next.


	9. Chapter 9: Dragons and Friends

Disclaimer: Totally Not What JKR would write. Oh and No$ is made by this.

**_With this you can see why the term 'muggle' as it is was commonly understood fell out of use. So far only six percent of the so called 'muggle' volunteers show zero ability at using the crystal amplifiers to manipulate Tchaikovsky-Granger fields. And all of those are capable of generating a null-null effect. You'd think this makes them weak? So called 'true muggles' are among the deadliest soldiers we have. You try fighting a well trained, seven foot tall power armored, Gauss rifle wielding, null field generating behemoth in your battle robes and waving a wooden staff and tell me about wizarding superiority. Personally I thank the gods they exist when a non euclidean demon, comes through with blood on it's mind. Then WE blade in the blood of OUR enemies for a change. I'd yell blood for the blood god every time it happens but Komissar Abbot would kick my ass for invoking chaos. What can I say, it's a remnant of my muggle upbringing. I just wish they'd let me design a bolter shaped gaus pistol.  
_**

_**Major Atsu Sawalha**_, **_Blood Jackals_**,_ **Egyptian portal enclosure.**_

Stepping through the platform and seeing the Hogwarts express felt like a small weight had fallen from her shoulders. It was a relief being able to put her guard down, in a manner of speaking, and turn off that section of her brain that constantly feared letting something slip to the muggles. True, the magic world had it's dangers but here she had allies and friends that would share the burden. She loved her parents dearly but she was going to keep them out of the grimy side of magic as much as possible.

"Hermione! Over here!" A girl in Badger colours waved her over and Hermione smiled recognizing Susan Bones. She was standing next to a tall, imposing woman dressed in professional looking robes.

"Hello Susan. And Madam Bones?" Hermione greeted them after she walked over.

The woman had warm friendly eyes but exuded a presence of command that was unmistakable. She wasn't pretty in a classical sense but she cut a fine figure and her face had a strength about it.

Amelia nodded, confirming her identity and offered her hand to Hermione.

"Yes, you guessed correctly. Susan has been telling me about her Gryfindoor friend who loves books and fights trolls. Somehow I thought you'd be taller. I am pleased to meet you." She smiled wryly " We could use some competent Auror candidates one of these years."

Hermione blushed as she shook the woman's hand. For once, out of words. She was used to praise on her academic achievement, but this was the first time a stranger complimented her on her fighting prowess. It felt good.

"Well, I would like to stay and talk but duty calls. If you and Susan remain on good terms you may visit over the summer. I'd like to discuss that muggle war poetry book you lent my niece. Fascinating read."

Hermione could only nod and mutter some nonsensical agreement, her tongue still tied.

She turned to Susan. "You be good now and don't fight any trolls with your new friend unless you have to."

And just like that, with a wink and a smile Amelia Bones stepped over to the apparition zone and quietly dissapated.

"Wow, your Aunt sure has a presence about her" Hermione said once her head caught up to her.

Susan looked at her funny and then shrugged.

"You should know." She muttered and started for the train, dragging her huge trunk behind her and leaving a puzzled Hermione to catch up.

"Wait, what did you mean with that?" Hermione asked.

"Well you know you can get intense yourself when you feel strongly bout something." Susan explained patiently. "Auntie gets the same way. That was how I knew I could trust you."

They ran into Hannah Abbot on their way to the train, well, more like Hannah Abbot patiently tracked them down like prey.

"Hey guys! Nice to see you, listen Hermione I'll never doubt you about muggles again. I used the advice from the Art of War and totally trounced my cousin in Goblins and Wizards! I'll never forget the look on his face when my goblin sappers set fire to his mobile potions laboratory and healer tents at the same time his Hitwizard Elite was caught in a flanking maneuver by the three squads of goblin regulars. His remaining auror force never stood a chance!"

Susan laughed at her friends enthusiasm about that silly game.

"Well glad you have your priories straight Hannah. It's good to see you too." Said Susan. Hannah blushed and gave her best friend a hug.

"Sorry Suse, but you know how close I was to dropping the game. My figurines had started to ignore my orders sometimes, the war leader was always glaring at me and to be honest I was getting frustrated at always loosing. If I couldn't win against my cousin there was no way I could afford to enter tournaments or build a proper two thousand points army on my allowance. I barely managed to scrap together my five hundred point Hannah's Merks as it is."

"I'm happy For you Hannah." Said Hermione. "I was considering playing the muggle version called Warhammer myself until I realized that the figurines were kind of pricey. You have to tell me how the battle went."

"All right you two. First we find a compartment then you can talk." Susan said, putting her foot down.

And so the train ride home was spent With Hannah showing off her Goblin figurines. (Which kept singing her praises) learning about more about the game and even trying a short skirmish between one hundred point goblin squads.

They talked about their families and their holidays and for a time Hermione completely forgot about the Mystery that awaited at hogwarts.

* * *

She had only been back in Hogwarts for two days and The Ravenclaws were already starting to get on her nerves. Honestly, accusing her of cheating because you had better mid term results then they did. Of course she was better, she had already done all the work from the books and had been systematicall going over the second year materials and looking up some of the more useful spells from higher years. Her reading and retention speed was at it's peak thus allowing her more time for practical exercises. The only area Harry had been giving her the run for her money. Amazing how well that boy could cast when his mind was into it.

The Ravens just refused to leave her alone and took to quizzing her in the halls in the hopes of catching her in a lie or something.

In self defence she had taken up, riling up the Ravenclaws that did so and it was quickly becoming an amusing pastime.

Even if she pushed it too far sometimes. Like just no. Chang had beligerently confronted her about her recent transfiguration essay and Hermione had calmly and logically dissected his _erroneous_ suppositions, winning the argument and then in a pique of whimsy made a casual comment about her intelligence and now the girl was incoherent with rage and rushing at Hermione with fists raised of all things. She had expected a hex not a fistfight. Well there goes trying that protego spell.

Perhaps she should have toned down on the sarcasm?

* * *

Harry watched Hermione dissect another Ravenclaw's overly large brain and smiled to himself. The girl was bloody brilliant, somewhat violent and absolutely crazy. Yet she was no bully, and more importantly still wanted to be his friend. Heck, she actually beat it into his head that he is not merely expected to think and excel here at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, but actually encouraged him, on the pain of brutal hexing to learn all he wanted. Not that he didn't have fine grades back in the muggle world, it was just that he had very limited time for learning back then and no one cared anyway. Here? He could learn all he wanted and was expected to excel!

And learn he did. He couldn't keep up with Hermione's insane levels of theory and study but he could already cast all first year spells with ease and actually knew how to navigate the twisted tangle of pure blood logic. Or at least pretend he could by beeing mysterious. History was just boring, though watching Hermione drag obscure references and quotes out of her _arse_ and verbally club Ravenclaws with them over the head was amusing enough that he actually remembered some of it.

Snape stopped openly spitting at his work and would settle for saying his work was barely passable. He compared his potions often with Hermione's and knew they were more than passable.

But it was a start, another thing he learned from Hermione. She had been teaching him to think politically. And complaining loudly that his potions were bloody well more than passable would only land him with points lost and detention. In stead he present Snape with his best distant but obedient student face and waited for the day he would get a bloody O on his Potion NEWT. Then he would rub the bloody piece of paper in the ruddy git's' face.

Of course the only reason he had not snapped by now at Snape's caustic comments was this Oculumency thing she had been teaching him. Internal and Mind arts were something he could do over the summer. Improving your Body and Mind with magic was something he was very interested ever since Hermione had promised him that if he worked hard enough he'd never get beaten up by Dudley's little gang again. He was in awe of the way she wheedled him to talk about his home life and even mention Harry hunting to her. It was probably because she had shared what happened to her over the holidays with her own set of bullies. He had forgotten himself and said he wished he could do that when his cousin came Harry Hunting again.

Ron had been weary of additional study until she set up twenty chess boards and challenged him to speed chess. He was better than her one on one, winning eight or nine times out of ten. He snorted to himself remembering the first time he watched those two play and how after four games, she finally forced a draw. She stalked off muttering about annoying idiot savants.

But twenty games at once with only six seconds per turn? Ron got creamed sixteen to three with one tie.

One '_Want to be able to split your concentration, keep keep hundreds of games in your head and create your strategy faster then you ever could Ronald?' _later and Ron was hooked into mental lessons with him. He even stopped grumbling when he realised he actually had _less_ study time now that he could remember things after he read them only five or six times. Suddenly revising made sense. And so did his classes!

Suddenly Hermion's discussion went from words to fists and he tensed for a moment when that silly bint went for Hermione and then suppressed his protective instincts and just moved to watch her back. He stopped the other Gryfindoor as well and said only one word.

"Watch."

* * *

Hermione was touched by Harry's confidence as she watched Chang come at her at full speed. Well, full speed for her anyway. She didn't know much about martial arts and only had the basics of pugilism taught to her by her father. She did know a lot about momentum, and speed. And for her the arrogant bint was ways too slow. Her father had only shown her a couple additional things during the holidays. Mostly concentration on dodging and counter attacking. She knew it was his own way of coping with his little girl being stabbed and anything she did with daddy was always fun.

By the time the fight really started, in a typical instinct inherent to students everywhere they had gathered in a circle and started calling out jeers and encouragement.

Hermione concentrated on the girl's movements, felt the magic flow through her, the buzz making her want to laugh. She hadn't let loose like this in years until the Snowhite incident and she had missed beeing a bit wild at times. If only her oponent was better. For all her quiddich ambitions Chang was so _slow_ and inept. Hermione slid to the side in her basic boxing stance and dodged to the left, Chang's punch missing by a mile.

Her own non-enhanced punch was much faster, a left cross and she jumped back to see how she handled it. She had no intention of ending this too soon. The girl shook his head and came back for more. Her respect for the girl went up a small notch, most girls didn't know how to take a punch. Of course now she was wondering why Cho could. She danced around for a bit more, mostly dodging his punches when she heard the her head of house yell at the boys in the back.

She frowned at her fun being ended and dodging one last inept punch she planted a beautiful, magic laced right hook into the girls gut. Cho Chang fell to the floor like someone cut his strings sucking in air and just shaking.

"Miss Granger! Miss Chang! Fighting!! Twenty points from Gryfindoor! Chang detention with Flitwick!" The loud stern voice of her head of house rang across the courtyard and just like that the fun was over. She could see the woman was upset, and it was understandable up to a point. But she could clearly see barely suppressed something behind those stern eyes that she could not understand. Why would her head of house despair over a little scuffle.

* * *

About three weeks before Christmas break Hermione was wondering if friendship with Potter and Weasley had been such a good thing. Why would she be wondering that? Hagrid, the friendly neighborhood half-giant had been trying to raise a _dragon_ in his hut. Harry had decided he needed to help the man avoid time in jail and here she was, dragged into it twenty minutes before midnight. Sneaking beneath an invisibility cloak and levitating a disillusioned, silenced crate, dodging prefect patrols and Filch, all in the effort to smuggle and _illegal_ dragon out of the country. Oh allright, she would never admit it but it was a bit fun. She was just glad Malfoy had decided to keep his mouth shut. She was certain he'd be back to his old self soon, however he was still too shaken by what happened when her tried to ambush her on the second day after the holidays. One hit KO and he has been singing soprano for the day.

Hermione knew her way around the castle and cut their trip in half by leading them through several secret passages and Harry showed them another that the twins never showed her.

"All right the coast is clear." Whispered Harry and they shuffled toward the Astronomy tower spiral stairs.

They huddled in the corner of the astronomy tower, cold winds buffeting them even through the astronomy tower wards. Hermione had lit her now patented _fairy fire_ in an effort to keep them and the dragon warm and made mental note to learn the warming charm as soon as possible.

"Where are they?" Hissed Harry trough chattering teeth.

"Charlie said midnight." Whispered Ron who was for once grateful for his thick Weasley jumper.

"Well it's five minutes past midnight." Complained Harry.

Hermione was too cold and too irritated at Hagrid to participate in the conversation and tried to stave off the cold by circulating more magic through her body. It seemed to help a bit and she managed to regain enough warmth to start looking around.

"Will you two be quiet." She hissed "There they are!" She pointed.

"Where?" Asked Harry. "I can't see a thing in this snow."

Ron looked longer and shook his head. "You must be seeing things Hermione."

She looked at them and let out an indignant huff. "Well really Ronald. How about a little wager. They come from that direction in the next minute you do everything I say until the Summer break. If I'm wrong I won't bother you with homework until next year"

"Deal." Smiled Ron eagerly and shook her hand.

Not twenty seconds later. The outlines of four broom riders descended on the tower.

"Bugger." Mumbled Ron and Hermione hit him on the shoulder.

"Language Ronald." She cautioned him, but you could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Hello kiddies! Good thing you lot had a fire going, It's a bit tricky finding the tower in this weather." said the large, dark haired leade of the party. The three others expertly looked over the sleeping dragon and put some charms on the box.

"You must be Ronald, Hermione and Harry. We discussed it and think your way has merit. Carrying a sleeping hatchling in a warmed box is much better for it then the way we were going to take it."

By the time the children were introduced to his cheerful companions they were already harnessing the improvised, lightened box to their brooms.

"Well, We're off, want to be across the channel as soon as possible. Take care kiddies." The cheerful dragon handler intoned and just like that they took off in a formation and were gone.

"Efficient fellows." Hermione murmured admiring their precise way of flying as Harry and Ron made their way for the stairs, looking smug.

"Hey guys wait up!" She called as she picked up the invisibility cloak and tried to catch up.

She went after them and froze in the middle of the stairs as a sound of faint footsteps echoed past them. "Shh, quiet!" She tried to warn them but either they didn't hear her or they ignored her and continued on their ways down chatting and laughing.

"Well now. You two are _really_ in trouble!"

The boys froze as Filch emerged from the darkness and gloated about their punishment.

Hermione wavered for a moment and then loyalty won over. She stuffed the invisibility cloak in her bag and came down the stairs.

"Three sir." She said, emerging from the darkness, trying to seem as neutral as possible.

Filch blinked at her for a moment and then shrugged, leading them without his usual gloating.

After leaving them in McGonogals study Filtch resumed his patrol without a word.

Back in McGonogals Office, under the watchful eyes of the portrait of Angus McGnongal the children squirmed as they waited for their head of house.

Harry sat quietly, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse.

Ronald stared at the wall dazed. His mother was going to skin him alive. And Hermione! Heaven help him if she knew he had ignored her. He really should stop doing that.

Hermione trembled, wondering if she should have turned herself in. This was going to cost her. She glanced at Ronald and he looked away guiltily. She frowned and made a mental note to find out if the boys had ignored her deliberately.

* * *

Professor Mcgonogall stalked down the corridors of hogwarts, one of the portraits had awakened her just after she had finally fallen asleep and she was furious. Honestly, Students in the astronomy tower! _Of all the stupid, indecent places for a liaison..._

She stalked into the room, furious ready to read the couple the riot act. The fluffy white robe with pink and blue flowers and had hair curlers in her hair surprisingly did nothing to make her look less intimidating. She looked taken aback by who was waiting for her and then her fury redoubled.

"You three! What?! I thought you knew better!" She raised her voice and started pacing in front of them.

"First years in the astronomy tower past midnight! Miss Granger! How could..." She stopped pacing and really looked at them. "No. Never mind."

She looked at Harry and Ron. "Detention and thirty points each. You two may leave."

She cut off their protests with a stern look and shooed them out before they knew what was happening.

She sat down across from Hermione and looked tired. "Miss Granger. I know you are at a time when your body is going through changes." She started carefully. "And I suppose you are almost a year older then those two but I honestly thought I would not have to have to have this conversation with a twelve year old."

Hermione blinked. _Wait. She can't honestly be thinking...'_

"No one can forbid romance but I have to warn you that if you continue to succumb... I mean you will get a _reputation_._.. _That is to say..." McGonogal trialled off looking pale and lost.

Hermione just looked at her for a moment and an explanation that didn't involve mentioning dragons snapped into place.

"Um. Professor." She started carefully and McGonogal looked at her, but couldn't look her in the eye for long.

"I must point out that it is far too windy and cold tonight for that sort of liaison in the astronomy tower, ward or no wards."

McGonogal looked at her and frowned.

"Second. It's Harry and Ronald." She intoned, her tone showing her still healthy disgust regarding actually kissing any boys_. _She shuddered in horror, remembering what her counterpart from the future wrote.

"Honestly professor. I can't say that I won't change my mind when I'm older but just... Ugh..."

The professor now looked more puzzled and amused then her earlier mix of exasperation and embarrassment.

"I promise the information stays in this room will you tell me what you were up to? I reserve the right to punish according to Hogwarts charter but the exact reason will stay in this office."

"Intent based wards." Hermione blurted out the first thing that popped into mind that wasn't dragons.

"What?!"

"I've been learning about intent based wards and decided to try out a basic array by placing a hair dying spell on the astronomy entrance that would activate only if a couple with _indecent_ intent walked through the door. Harry and Ron thought it was a really good prank and wanted to watch me build it."

McGonogal looked at her for a long moment and finally relief showed on her face, that was almost immediately replaced by exasperation.

"Be that as it may in addition to the thirty points I just took for being out after curfew, I am taking another ten for various offences of spell casting in the hallways and twenty more for getting your classmates into trouble just for a prank."

Hermione looked like she was going to complain and then sighed. "I guess I earned that."

"In addition I apologize for jumping to conclusions miss Granger. While you may occasionally get into trouble I had no reason to jump to conclusions." She paused for a long moment looking at the girl and then nodded to herself.

"That is all. Well, I trust you can find your own way to the common room?" McGonogall intoned.

"Naturally. Good night professor." the girl said somewhat stiffly and left.

Professor McGinogal walked to her desk and dropped, boneless, into her chair. She sighed and reached into the bottom drawer taking out a bottle of purple label.

She poured a shot into a glass and downed it. She put the glass on the table and placed her head into her hands.

"Intent based wards." She muttered, her eyes far away. "The most brilliant witch of her age and she uses her talents for pranking and getting into fights. It's bloody Lilly Evans all over again."

* * *

Hermione closed the door and leaned against them in relief. She smiled, shook her head and suppressed a giggle. She cast a lumos spell and made her way towards the common room. Her head of house had been worried about her _virtue._ She giggled. She wondered what would happen if the professor misheard about being married to Ron and that she knew about Harry's bedroom habits. Not that she'd ever tell anyone. After all she looked up what a 'top' and a 'bottom' are. Each to his or her own she supposed.

She tried really hard not to laugh at the absurdity of her counterparts romantic life.

As she made her way down the hallways of Hogwarts she couldn't help herself and started chuckling. The notion was absurd. But then again what else would a girl be doing with two boys on top of the astronomy tower. Aside from smuggling a dragon.

Another giggle.

She made a eerie picture, a small girl walking down the halls of an old castle, giggling madly. She, Hermione Jane Granger had lost her first points for pranking, lied to a teacher and in a way she had gotten away with the real mischief. And yet the world was still standing.

The boys had been waiting for her in the common room, pacing and worrying and stared in disbelief as a barely standing Hermione popped in through the portrait, giggling to herself. She looked at their faces and burst into laughter, in the end succumbing to gravity and falling to her knees on the floor clutching her sides.

The boys looked at each other, and with an exchanged "Girls" and "Nutter" comments they went over to help her into an armchair.

And each time she calmed down to a snicker she only had to look at them and she'd start laughing again. They'd caught words like "sixty points", "snogging", "Detention" and "pranking" but failed to get the story out of her.

In the end it took a half an hour and a sleepy prefect with a calming potion to calm her down.

In the end the entire house 'knew' that Harry Ron and Hermione cost the house one hundred and twenty points due to a failed prank.

It took weeks for Hermione to stop snickering when ever she saw Harry, Ron or Draco Malfoy for some strange reason. She absolutely refused to tell what was funny. The world filtered through the grapevine that Malfoy had taken to locking all his possessions in his blood based trunk during the night and had started to use a substance detection ring over his food carefully before eating it.

It was probably paranoia that finally pushed Draco Malfoy into a better prepared preemptive strike one morning. He had employed Crable, Goyle and a third year, Vetrix Bluttson in a carefully planned ambush scheme a corridor down from the library on her usual route from the common room to the library. Unfortunately for them Hermione was wide awake and alert at six a clock in the morning.

* * *

"Well that is it for schedule conflicts and patrol arrangements for this month. Please talk to your prefects and pass down the relevant portions of our discussion." Intoned Dumbledore with a small glimmer of relief. "Now, are there any disciplinary issues left unresolved?" He looked over his staff and nodded to himself. Severus Snape looked amused, McGonogal looked put off and Flitwick appeared embarrassed. Yes, Miss Granger was still at it.

"Minerva?" He asked, in a kind, inquisitive tone.

"I swear Albus! The girl has me at wits end!" McGonogal looked at her old mentor sternly. "Why won't you let me do something about her?"

"Which girl was that Minerva?" Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling slightly as his eyes slid over Severus. The corners of the man's lips were twitching. Would he actually smile?

"The Granger girl! All that talent and yet she still keeps getting into arguments. That devolve into Fights! And she keeps trying to write in muggle subjects into transfiguration essays! Quarter Physicas and Chemnistry! When everyone knows transfiguration is about Will and Intent." She sighed. "And she started of as such a good girl."

Severus Snape listened to his colleague's pained diatribe and only by his iron self discipline kept from laughing in her face at her mispronunciation.

"Ah Minerva, you of all people should not be surprised at the Gryfindoors fighting." Snape intoned wryly. He wondered for a moment if it was unusual these days for an eleven year old know what quantum physics were but he dismissed it. He had been out of touch with the muggle world after all and they kept teaching their children all the latest scientific breakthroughs.

"But It's not proper! The girl keeps losing almost as many points as she makes and it does nothing to make her keep her head down. And the Twins are egging her on! Last week I actually had to push through a bunch of students to break up a fist fight between her and one of your second year boys Filius. A fist fight! With a boy! _Over charms theory!" _By the end of the sentence the usually composed Tranfiguration professor was standing and hitting the table in indignation.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore, Head master and Supreme Murgwurp was amused. In fact, he could remember the last time he was this amused. It was back in '36 during a wizengamot trial. His brother's trial for casting improper charms on goats to be exact. He had watched the prosecution and defence tie them selves into knots with legalise and his fellow Judiciaries turn pale and green, imagining the worst of perversions, when in fact his brother had been merely engorging his goats three times their size and sold their increased milk yield.

"Minerva, do you remember Arthur Weasley in his first year? Scrappy little boy he was, always getting into fights with Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin? I also seem to remember a young Minerva McGonogal in a three way cat fight with her dorm mates over young Thomas Bones"

Minerva blushed like a schoolgirl. "She's a first year fighting boys." She mumbled, her accent thickening a little. "It's nae proper."

"Indeed fighting will be properly punished, but we must understand the modern times Minerva. She is a strong young lady and will not let her self be cowed. She only started establishing herself in the pecking order sooner then we are used to, and with more enthusiasm. Independent women in the muggle world are more numerous then in ours and she has been exposed to the idea earlier. That and after the troll it is not suprising she can't really be intimidated by a larger boy like an ordinary girl might be. And surely you felt her magic. She's well ahead of her class already."

"Well, you do admit that a young girl establishing herself with her fists is a bit unusual headmaster." Interjected Pomona Sprout.

"True, but I've watched her during one fight. She is using proper fighting stances for fisticuffs. She has been taught, either in school or external classes. So for her the notion of bowing down to a physical challenge may be as alien as the idea of a little girl fighting, physically, with boys is to us. Would you be pressing this if they were using their wands?" Interjected Dumbledore.

McGonogal considered this for a few moments and then sighed sitting down. "I will consider this further Headmaster. There is is still the unusually high number of fights this year."

"Filius? Your take on the matter?" He asked and the faint itch in his eyes warning him that he really should remove that twinkling charm. It was not calibrated for this level of merriment, after all. With a discrete gesture of his arm he adjusted the strength.

The diminutive man stood and tried to shake his embarrassment, finally he took a breath and started declamation.

"My findings, at least when altercations with my students are concerned are thus: Miss Granger was both right an logical in her sometimes unusual notions and never attacked first. She can also get very creative in use of simple charms to defend herself from the rare magical attack and has mastered the levitation charm to a level I have never seen before. Aside form her learning curve everything else about her is quite normal."

An odd noise from Snape that turned out to be a supressed cough interrupded him for a moment before he continued.

"In conclusion I would point out that miss Granger never complains about her punishments and concedes to authority. No further disciplinary action is recommended. So far it has not been escalating into a inter house issue. It is simply that less muggleborn are willing to let things slide." His piece said he sat down. Also he would have words with the entire house tonight. Picking a fight when loosing an argument was supposed to be a Gryfindoor trait. Once was a lesson. Twice was folly any more and they'd be Gryfindoors.

Dumbledore nodded, that was well in hand with the information he had as well. "Severus?" he asked and widened his eyes in wonderment.

Severus actually smiled. True, it was a slightly sinister, vicious smile but it was a smile never the less.

"As you know, some of my more studious Slytherins had similar discussions with miss Granger but nothing even remotely heated has happened since the Incident." You could practically hear the capital letter.

"Ah, you are perhaps referring to Three of your first years and a third year being found disrobed, petrified, silenced, under a fading disillusionment charm and stuck to the walls of the great hall?" Dumbledore wondered.

"Yes, I believe Filius managed to remove the charms that kept spelling Unsubtle Gryfindoors in gold and scarlet on their forehead?" Severus nodded to the colleague in question. The charm work was tricky in it's simplicity.

"Ah, yes, he did, I had to assist a bit. Though I thought miss Granger was not implicated in that?" Wondered Dumbledore.

"Well, the boys claim they fell down the stairs and that someone must have found them and did it to embarrass them. I'd almost say it was the Weasley twins, however I have seen the looks on their faces when the disillusionment wore off during breakfast."

He of course did know the entire sequence of events, having gotten it out of the boy's minds. They had known that Miss Granger often went to the library before breakfast and planned to ambush her. Miss Granger showed considerable situational awareness, almost like she had been expecting something to happen. And he delighted in the brutal irony in her beating them senseless with the considerable heft of a tome on pure blood families. _The great five hundred _if he was not mistaken. At six in the morning most of the castle was still asleep and while she was having trouble actually casting the disillusionment charm on the boys she managed to do it in about ten minutes. She then levitated them, stunned and petrified but quite concious, stopping to speak with a sleepy Gryfindoor prefect on morning patrol in a narrow corridor, _levitating the disillusioned boys above the prefect,_ the cheeky girl, and finally making her way to the great hall. It took about a minute or so to divest them of clothing, stick their undergarments to the wall and leave.

The rest he had seen in person. She had been eating breakfast with _Potter,_ and the four Weasley boys. when the disillusionment wore off. She had every right to be smug about it, never the less he took twenty points from Gryfindoor for it from the twins. He didn't want to seem soft after all. Still, at that point he made a mental note to keep an eye on miss Granger. Malfoy had kept his big mouth shut after the incident and actually opened his eyes to the world around him. Anyone who could scare some of his stupider students and his own spoiled godson into a semblance of subtlety was one to watch.

"Besides, most of the Slytherin house knows batter than to tangle with a girl who can take out a troll and live. Verbal sparing is one thing, actual physical confrontation would land my Slytherins in big trouble and they know it." He concluded and sat down, looking smugly at McGonogal just to see that eyebrow twitch again.

"I'd have thought the Slytherin pure bloods would be more upset at her muggleborn status?" Wondered Flitwick. "I know some of the fights were about pureblood pride."

"Ah Filius but there is a rumour going on that my little snakes are heeding. Apparently Miss Granger is and Heir to a dormant line and is only pretending to be a muggleborn, in a long term plot. I've even had Narcissa inquire with me as to the truth of this rumour. Incidentally my godson still considers her an enemy on par with Weasley but has not used the word mudblood ever since he came back from the holidays."

"Any truth to this?" Wondered madam Pomfrey who had been keeping quiet so far..

"Who knows?" Snape shrugged. "Look hard enough and you'll eventually find a magical ancestor for over half the muggleborn."

"What about your Seedlings Pomona?" Asked Dumbledore, trying to keep the speculation to a minimum.

"Not much to say. Some of my girls are participating in miss Grangers book of the week project and one of them is in her Study club. My Hufflepuffs know a genius of hard work when they see one and do not get jealous over success." She intoned and as far as she was concerned the matter was ended.

"Ah, yes. The study club." The headmaster was twinkling again. "I believe it is Miss Granger's two dorm mates, Miss Patil And Miss Brown for Gryfindoor. From Slytherin it is Miss Greengrass and from Hufflepuff it is Miss Bones and on occasion Miss Abbot. How unusual to see Ravenclaw, instead of Slytherin being excluded, isn't it Filius?"

"Indeed it is Headmaster. I will have a word with my Ravens about our our house qualities and excessive pride not being one of them." It wouldn't do. If the _Slytherins_ can be civil to the girl then by Merlin so would his Ravens or else!

"Now, Hagrid has asked for several pairs of eyes, four or five at least to help him look for a wounded unicorn. Do any of the first through third year children have detentions assigned?"

"I have only one Slytherin with detention assigned Headmaster but Parkinson is still in the hospital wing." He looked at the school healer. Who shook her head.

"Out of the question. I'm not releasing her for two more days."

"My Seedlings don't get detentions much Headmaster."

"Weasley, Potter and Granger Headmaster. A little jaunt in the forest will do them good."

"Edgcombe and Thompson Headmaster. I wouldn't recommend sending the girl into the forest, she is far to timid."

"Well that settles is then. Thompson, Weasley Potter and Granger. If this is all for this month?" Asked Dumbledore and at everyone's nods he concluded the meeting.

He wanted to get back into his personal study to resume his work. The enchanting of the mirror of Erised with traps was tricky business but he was finally making headway. A week or two and the trap would be set.

He sighed as the last of his colleagues left for breakfast. If he managed to trap Tom for a few years or perhaps even decades it would do much for Harry's quality of life. He wished that the boy didn't have to die to get rid of the horcrux. The best he could do is provide an ordinary, happy childhood for the boy while preparing him for the final confrontation. If only he could find the last Hallow. Then the boy might stand a chance. Plus he could tell Arianna he was sorry.

**Author's note and mini omake.**

OMAKE**  
**

"My Hufflepuffs know a genius of hard work when they see one and ceirtanly do not get jealous over success!" Pomonna sprout exclaimed indignantly displaying her strong white shiny teeth. "FOR NOTHING CAN STOP THE POWER OF YOUTH!"

AN: Alright, first of all the reviewer going by the name Victoria should take up divination. I suppose when you read enough stories you start seeing the patterns. Also for her. The 'old lady' is explained in the bold text precluding the chapter.

Snape is mistaking Hermiones age. She is in fact twelve years old.

I had more but I just ran out of time.


	10. Chapter 10: Forest of Death

_**It's not that unusual that our ancestors did. People are lazy. Oh true a ritual will give you slightly more bang for your buck but the difference is insignificant and you actually have to put more mental effort into it. We only came back into ritual and cadence for a while when we realized a traditional wand can focus our personal reserves. And even then we had to rewrite the rulebook and find new magical foci. Blood of my enemy and all that. Still, the wand is still widely used outside of combat. You rarely need a lot of magic to clean your clothes or build a house. Tossing a lightning bolt with is a bit trickier but still possible, if barely. Wide scale combat though? Well you see what an dragon class sorcerer can do when they tap the dragon lines. Try channeling THAT through a piece of wood.**_

_**Jared of the Flames, a foci craftsman on the subject of reasonable expense of infusing demon blood crystals into a staff core.**_

_**Forest of Death  
**_

The three dragon smuggling Gryfinddor were having an odd day. Half the Gryfindoors were miffed at them for losing point, mostly the lower years. Some of the older ones thought they were in a love triangle and teased the mercilessly, while some of the more boisterous Gryfindoors (IE the twins) egging them on to do more pranks. They were eating a somber lunch when the notes with their detention assignment arrived.

_Filch will take you to your detention with Hagrid , meet him a 11PM in the entrance hall. _

_Professor McGonnogal._

Filch was quiet and walked with a limp that evening and left them quickly when they came to the edge of the forest. Hermione considered it odd that the usually perpetually angry man kept quiet lately and then shrugged it off. Everyone was entitled to feeling off on occasion.

They looked around nervously when Hagrid came out of the woods with a second year Ravenclaw who was looking around curiously. Hagrid himself was a mountain of a man and he was wielding what to Hermione looked like a slightly downgraded siege crossbow. Next to them stepped Fang who was sniffing around happily. She was unsure what sort of breed he was but the over sized fangs protruding from his closed jaw implied a magical breed of some sort. The sight made her felt better about the whole traipse in the woods in the middle of the night business. Not that she was afraid of the dark forest or anything. She was just cautious. Yes.

"Well now you three. Right on time. Listen up, what tonight will be a bit dangerous for you four, so I want you to be careful and keep on the path. No unnecessary risks." He intoned somberly and motioned for them to follow. Hermione mentally swore that if she died she was coming back to haunt professor McGonogal for at last ten years. While singing horrible songs. At night.

He led them into the forest down a long, uneven forest trail. As they went deeper the forest took on a more ancient feel to it. Large trees dominated some parts, with smaller ones nestled around them and there were moss covered remains of broken trees indicated a large predator had passed through a while ago. After about ten minutes Hagrid stopped them at a point where another trail crossed the one they were taking and pointed out a silvery-blue splash.

"Right then, that's unicorn blood. We are trying to find the injured beasty before what ever has been hunting the unicorns does, if we can we'll help it and if we can't we'll give it the mercy strike we will. If the unicorn 's a' right I'll need you kids to keep it calm while I look it over. Unicorns respond well to children and tha is why you're here."

He pointed down the intersecting path. "This one circles about quarter mile and then meets in a clearing. I want Ronald and Thompson to go that way..." he started explaining when he was interrupted

"What? On our own?" Gulped Ron.

"Isn't splitting up an unnecessary risk?" Asked Thompson politely.

"Don't be silly Ronald, I'm sendin' Fang with ya e knows tha way. And mister Thompson the path you are going down leads near the forest edge and will be a bit safer, a smaller group makes less noise and the sooner we finish the better." Hagrid explained having experience with leading children through the forest.

"Now Harry and Hermione, you are with me, I need cool heads with me since we'll be passin near the acromantula colony and the dragonbee nest."

Hermione gasped in alarm at this. Dragonbees were similar to dragonflies the size of a man's head. Only with nasty stingers full of paralysing poison, the temperament of African killer bees and a penchant for generating a confundus field in large enough numbers. Oh and they can eat nectar, magic and meat with equal gusto. The only reason they are not much of a menace is their strict nesting conditions a limited distance they could move from the main nest before dying and the fact that the queen can only spawn one egg per month.

Now, no worries about the Dragonbees, they should be asleep. Acromantulas may be hunting but ol Aragog likes me and wouldn't hurt a fly really. Now, if anyone sees anything or runs into trouble just shoot off red sparks and Ill be there in ten seconds. Oh, If Fang whines and starts running I suggest you shoot red sparks and follow him out of the forest. Most of the mischievous little darlings won't leave the trees. You lot know the jelly legs jinx by now? Most beasties are not immune to magic you know. Just a little hint eh?" He chuckled to his joke and stroked his black tangled beard.

They split up and soon Hagrid was moving and talking with much less noise.

Hermione found the forest dark and foreboding, even as Hagrids unusual stealth reassured her that he knew what he was doing. Her eyes quickly got used to the darkness and she could not understand why Harry kept stumbling over roots. She finally resorted to holding his hand to keep him from falling on his face. In no way was she clutching his hand due to fear of the forest.

She concentrated on their task to keep from over thinking things. The silvery-blue blood shone in the bright moonlight like a beacon and she often pointed out the tiny specks to her companions.

"I say Hermione, you have good wood craft there. Most folks can't do well in the forest after dark." Said Hagrid approvingly.

"Well the full moon is rather bright so it's not that bad."

"What'cha talking about it's only a half moon. I wouldn't take a bunch of kids out in the forest during the full moon. Good eyes tho if you see that well in the dark." Nodded Hagrid

"Oh, so no werewolves then." Said Harry a little happier and stood a little straighter. He had been clutching Hermione's hand as tight as she was holding his.

"Ok spill it. How can you see in this murk?" He whispered to Hermione while Hagrid bent down to examine the forest floor for a moment. "I know you aren't part cat!"

Hermione stared at him and then gave herself a mental hit in the head.

"All right, remember that channeling trick I taught you? Try doing it." She whispered back.

"That stuff is hard to keep up and gives me a headache!" Harry complained and then sighed and did as he was told. After a few minutes he blinked and looked around, Hermione noted his eyes now reflected light like a cat. "Oh. It slipped into my eyes when I was straining to look around. This stuff has some use then. Why didn't you tell..."

Hagrid froze in front of them. "Quiet! Behind step behind me!" He hissed and pointed his crossbow at something in the dark. A feeling of foreboding suddenly permeated the forest.

Hermione could barely some tall figure skulking in the darkness and faint sound of cloth scraping against something before the presence was gone. Hagrid relaxed a fraction and motioned for them to continue.

"That was something foreign to the forest." He whispered. "I'm not sure what kind of critter it was:"

"It was tall, manlike." Said Harry. "It had something in it's arms it was long and darker then his robes."

"I couldn't make it out. Only a tall figure." Added Hermione. "I suppose that whisper could have been cloth across the grass.

Haggrit looked at them. "Good senses that. Aye, I could mostly hear it and smell it. Like something dead but I felt a faint smell of garlic so it ain't a vampire so no need to worry."

They continued making their was down the path. A moth covered tree had fallen across the path and they had to climb over it before they came across a clearing.

Hermione stared in wonder. Outside the trees it looked like a really murky day, beautiful. Some nocturnal flowers shining in the night. The silvery light sparkled off the grass. Unknown to her anyone else would merely see a dark meadow. In straining to see in the darkness her magic was amplifying the light many times and her brain was trying to use her other traditional senses to amplify the effect, as well as straining to the extra senses she had forgotten she had used once before to see glimpses of magic.

"It's beautiful," she whispered and Harry gave her a strange look. He supposed the meadow was kind of nice and he could see well enough but it was nothing special. Girls were a funny breed he mused.

"Who's there!" Bellowed Hagrid suddenly and pointed crossbow again. "Show yourself!"

A centaur in his prime stepped into the clearing. His human half was strong and muscled and his horse half was black and shiny. His tail flickered nervously.

"Now there Hagrid. You wouldn't shoot a friend?" a deep strong voice intoned in an amused tone.

"Oh, It's you Ronan. How are you doing?" Intoned Hagrid, relaxing.

"I am well. What are you looking for in in the forest with two foals?" The centaur inquired curiously.

"There's sommat fishy goin on around these part. Something is Hunting unicorns. The children would help calm it. These are Harry and Hermione, students at Hogwarts. Children, this is Ronan, a Centaur."

"Ah, students. And do you learn well in your Hogwarts school?" The centaur asked.

Harry shrugged, still staring awed at the centaur.

Hermione just nodded. "We do, there is much to learn in the Hogwarts library. The classes too I suppose, even if they go a bit slowly for my taste."

The centaur nodded in agreement. "Learning is good. You should not be too hasty to skip any lessons. Steady learning is best." he intoned sagely before looking up.

"Mars is bright tonight."

"Yes." intoned Hagrid. "Listen Ronan, have you seen anything unusual in the forest, the hurt unicorn perhaps?"

Ronnan sighed sadly. "The innocent are often the first victims. Mars shines brightly tonight, more than it has for some days."

"Ah, I understand but did you see a dark presence perhaps. Anything unusual? Said Hagrid. "In the forest I mean."

Ronnan looked at him for a long moment and then shrugged.

"The forest holds many secrets." He said finally.

With hardly a noise another centaur stepped out at the far end of the clearing and approached. This one seemed more warlike to Hermione then the other. Probably the large bow strung across his shoulder and large, long knives resting on it's flanks.

"Ah. Bane good evening." Said Hagrid to the newcomer. "Have you seen anything unusual tonight."

Bane stepped up to Ronan and looked at Hagrid for a moment then looked up.

"Mars is bright tonight. Unusually so."

"Well, um, yes, I meant in the forest." Haggrid tried to explain more clearly.

Hermione frowned and looked up trying to see what was so different about Mars. Centaurs couldn't be misunderstanding Hagrid that badly. She found it easily enough and it was shining brightly with a nice, red sheen. She squinted trying to figure it out and for a moment something snapped into place and she could see it. The vast expanse of the solar system, just like in the documentaries and the dusty, cold red planet, spinning peacefully, a small storm raging across a portion of it's equator. Phobos and Deimos were on the far sides of their orbit. reflecting light back at the earth. A comet skimming across it's atmosphere. A part of her shied away from the distances involved and retreated into that safe place it could go to hide from the big uncaring universe.

"No wonder it's bright. Phobos and Deimos are reflecting light back at us. And there's a small comet skimming Mars atmosphere. If it crashes it'll make a big fuss and perhaps even rain, probably feed the storm something fierce. And even if it passes on it will have left some water to the planet. A one more step to a new life I guess" She commented absently to herself, remembering some fiction she read on transforming Mars. She paused for a moment realising what she was saying and the the moment passed. Her eyes stung painfully and she stumbled averting her gaze. She rubbed at her eyes and opened them carefully blinking spots from her eyes. Had she really just turned her eyes into telescopes? No. She must have been imagining some of it. She couldn't have been orbiting Mars. That was just silly. She smiled at her imagination for filling in the blanks and shook her head. That was probably it. Her brain was not wired for magnification and she dreamed up the detail.

In the mean time the two centaurs looked at her wide eyed. Finally Ronan spoke.

"The twin sons of war look down on us. A calamity that may leave the chance for a new life behind." He nodded sagely. "Yes. It fits, even though your wording is unorthodox."

Hermione looked back at him thinking about the mythology, and some understanding of how centaurs spoke. "Mars is bright tonight. I see."

She smiled. And they smiled back, faintly.

Hagrid in the man time had had enough of this talk about the stars.

"Well I thing we'll go look at summat closer to home tonight. Let's go children that unicorn won't find itself. Good evening Ronan. Bane."

Ronan and Bane stared after them for a long moment after they left. Finally Bane spoke, hessitantly.

"I didn't know human can stargaze."

"Never heard of one that did. No like that. That sounded like it came from the mouth of the shaman. Speaking of the elements like that; The coming storm and a chance of a new life indeed. Do you still think all humans are worthless my brother?"

Bane considered this for a long time and then finally spoke. "Perhaps not all. Hagrid is half human and he is tolerable if a bit simple in his patterns. And this foal is wise beyond her years. One is an accident but two may be a beginning of a new pattern. And the lightning child. He just stayed quiet and observed with clear eyes. Like a young apprentice would. None of that pointless human rashness and folly, asking questions that would be answered if they stayed quiet and observed."

He finally placed his hand on his comrades shoulder and sighed. "I guess only most humans are a plague. Some might be symbiotic after all. Gaia save us, they just might not fall this time."

* * *

Hagrid led the children along the trail still into the darkness of the forest and spoke

"Good lot centaurs are, even tho you can't get a straight answer from them."

"They seemed clear enough to each other. They seem to be fond of divining the future from the stars and speaking in metaphor. We just don't speak the language." Said Hermione shrugging.

"Do they always speak like that." Asked Harry curious.

"Dat they do! Almost never talk about anything closer then the moon that lot. Nice to talk tho, always willing to chat when I want some company."

"So are you..." Started Hermione and then trailed off. She grabbed Harry's arm. "Did you see!"

"I did! Red Sparks, the others are in danger"

"Al right you two go on along the path, I'll go help those two. Green sparks if you find the unicorn, red if you find trouble." Hagrid said and ran for it disappearing into the forest like he was never there.

"Quick man." Harry said looking after him.

"Yes. Come on," Hermione said pulling Harry's sleeve. "Did you notice, we can see the blood better on this path. Like it's fresher."

The made good time, walking quickly along the path. The blood did come faster now. And you could see hoof marks now, like the animal had gotten heavier somehow.

"I read about that. If it gets weak it can't sustain the magic that makes it so difficult to track them." Hermione spoke

"Look." Harry pointed at a large patch of crushed vegetation and blood. "It must have fallen down here!"

"Poor thing must have been in agony to toss about like that." Whispered Hermione. "Let's go check that clearing up ahead."

They came upon a clearing soon and saw it. A pure white, mare with an ivory horn on it's forehead. It was lying on it's flank, it's side smeared with blood, a long deep gash along it's ribs and flank. It's eyes were closed and it's body was twitching in spasms it's breath quick and shallow. The wound was had tiny black veins along the edges, from poison perhaps or gods knew what Dark magic.

They approached it quickly but cautiously.

"All right dear, it's all right" Hermione said soothingly. A flick of her wrist and her wand was in her hand. "I promise to do my best for you."

"Harry, send out green sparks. Keep watch. I'll try to help it." She said as she tried the blood clotting charm. The flow stopped for a moment, the unicorn twitched and then the flow restarted, a little slower. The mare went into another spasm letting out a faint whinny.

Hermione swore mentally, remembering their inborn resistance to foreign magic. She concentrated and then tried to match the pattern of her magic to the one she felt from the mare like she did when altering a rune array. It came much easier tonight then usual and Hermione was thankful, for the pattern was so much different then what she was used to and she was just learning to sense magic. With glacial speed she spread the pain numbing charm to make it cover the whole body. The unicorn shuddered and then relaxed a bit and Hermione sighed in relief that it would work.

"That's it girl. I'll help as much as I can." Hermione said soothingly, trying to fight back tears despite the oculumency. Someone harmed such a beautiful creature was a monster, no doubt about that.

She concentrated again into matching the patterns and started on a cleansing chant. Rituals and chants were about as effective as spells but took much longer to cast, got progressively intricate to cast with greater effect and were mostly abandoned in the last five hundred years or so to the modern and much more convenient spellcasting. It was considered exotic and useless, except as a curiosity. Hermione liked them. Most spells were just streamlined, condensed or just plain better versions of chants and rituals anyway. You could precisely control the effect, so if she had the time she would pick a chant or even a ritual circle for anything fiddly like programming a runic grid, not that she'd be trying to do that any time soon. The Hogwarts library was a priceless treasure trove and Hermione was glad the wards on the place liked her so much.

She had just last week read this one. It was a five minute prayer/chant in greek that invoked balance and nature meant for cleaning minor poisons and removing dark residue. She wasn't sure if she was quite strong enough for it, like spells chants and rituals took a certain amount of magical strength and experience. She lacked both but if she did not try she would never forgive herself.

She allowed herself to fall into the cadence and let the magic flow, it pushed her to the very limit and it was just barely enough. She dug as deep as she ever dug to maintain her magic flowing into the slowly building pattern. Because once she let up she doubted she would have the stamina to start it again. She closed her eyes to better feel the the growing pattern and just held on, begging the gods not the let such a magnificent paragon of beauty perish in pain and darkness, bleeding helplessly on the floor of the forest.

As the final erg of energy left and the final syllables were sung Hermione shuddered, collapsing to her knees and opened her eyes.

The blood stopped flowing and the wound looked like a shallow cut. Hermione felt a faint hope. She felt for a pulse and it was so very faint she almost did not find it. She looked at the pool of silvery blood around the unicorn and shuddered. It finally opened it's eyes and looked at her with warmth and sentience but made no effort to rise. It's head falling back to the ground and it sighed.

It started to shiver now, and Hermione could just feel it getting cooler under her hand. And Hermione knew she had been too late. It was dying.

Knowing it was futile but took off her cloak and laid it on the unicorn.

"I'm sorry girl." Hermione whispered petting the unicorn's side. "I don't know enough. I'm too weak. I can't save you."

* * *

Nyarra the Storyteller let out a soft soothing whinny, relaxing completely now that it understood the human foal was not a predator or a slaver. Just another shaman, doing her work.

As their mothers brood mother's told the mother to her sire, she had listened and found her calling as the keeper of the past. Once they had spoken of the human shamans, the ones that sang the magic in the proper ways. A fading breed among humans, even in the times when gods still walked the earth. It warmed her heart that humans have not quite forgotten.

She could fade away into the eternal fields safely now. Her pain gone, the taint faded to nothingness. A thought stayed her for a moment. Her duty to the tribe was unfulfilled. Her line was long yet her only foal barely into her growth. She knew not half the stories and was destined to grow alone amongst the brood of her sire and for the memory of times untold to fade into the night. And yet she was happy. For her spirit would fade in peace and not suffering. As she faded, something Alien tugged at the edge of her consciousness and she Looked. And her heart skipped a beat and almost stopped.

* * *

"Hermione!" Called Harry and she looked at where he was pointing.

A black cloaked figure glided into the clearing, the feeling of dread returning. It hissed at them angrilly. Hermione watched Harry grab his scar and stumble. She grasped her wand and stood up, refusing to let it see how weak she really was.

She hear Harry whimper in pain but it quickly stopped and he stepped to her side, only a small sheen of sweat showing her how hard whatever it attacked him with was had been to resist.

"You can't have it." Harry said defiantly his voice flat and determined.

"Over Our dead bodies." She agreed and carved it in stone.

"That can be arranged, nosy children." A cruel, inhuman voice hissed in the darkness. It sounded like it was coming from everywhere. And yet it was hesitating.

Harry winced as it spoke and Hermine could see his scar was red, inflamed.

As for Hermione she felt the first stirrings of that anger at the wizarding world she had been feeling all year drift from under her fading oculumency. She had kept her anger at the injustices percieved down but now it was leaking through with a vengeance and she was already feeling her magic sluggishly replenish itself from the warmth on her chest.

"Reducto that tree behind it as soon as it moves." She hissed. "Smash through it's base as close as you can to the ground, clean through like you did that one time when we practiced." She told him in a whisper.

The creature, or man, or whatever it was finally finished considering and stepped towards them raising the long black sleeve of it's hooded robe and Harry shot his spell. The creature laughed, not even bothering to dodge the apparent miss. It stopped laughing at the terrible explosion behind it. It turned to look and then just as quickly turned back to block a stunner that was flying it's way and the battle was joined.

Hermione raised her own wand and the falling tree suddenly rushed across the air and into the clearing and then her eyes widened in surprise when the flying tree burst into flames, courtesy of Harry's well timed incendio. Once more Harry proved he could overpower spells better then Hermione.

The tree shattered against a large bronze shield that the figure had conjured in an instant. The Shield had a silver snake on it and it was obvious now from the wand protruding from it's long sleeve that the dark thing was a wizard.

The burning tree smashed against the shield, sending loud gonging noise across the clearing as Hermione gritted her teeth, gripped her wand and with a wild slashing motion and tried to smash the dark wizard to death with a large burning tree.

Harry in the mean time was sending out stunners, but the man was deflecting them with his other hand. Wandlessly.

With a wave of it's hand a wall of force crashed into the children and it took one step closer as Hermione and Harry landed on their backs. The tree that had been keeping the wizard bussy faltered. He raised it's wand to finish the job.

Suddenly with a loud crashing noise a large chestnut centaur jumped into the clearing through a tall bush. In a moment it took in the inferno dancing around the slightly singed dark figure, the children suddenly pushed back by the dark presence, the unicorn that the children had been guarding, the unicorn which was struggling to stand blood stained cloak over it's side and raised it's bow and let loose an arrow. The cloaked figure saw this and with a gesture of it's wand the bowstring was severed and he received a small gash along the back of his wand hand. The centaur drew a sword and prepared to charge and sell his life dearly even as the wizard slashed another deep line not quite missed his right foreleg.

* * *

She lay helplessly at her side as it stepped into the clearing, the thing that had drunk the blood of her sisters apporaching. She had seen abominations in her long life, like the monstrous spiders that prayed on their young. all of which the stallions had defeated but this one was so much more foul and twisted.

And as the foals stood to protect her she felt sadness for they could not stand against it. And then as her cousin stepped into the fight she felt shame and tried to stand. And finally as it laughed she felt anger. She could not just lie there and fade as foals and younglings fought for her. A burning spiked deep within her that she had never felt before. A deep red fire in her veins that felt like it would burst her failing heart. She remembered her line and her duties. And the rising darkness that killed her sisters and left her daughter alone.

She was Nyarra the Storyteller, descendant of Niista the Bold, descendant of the goddess Eponee. She would stand. And she would fight. No darkness no abomination, not even death would stand in her way of her will. She had things to do.

Muscles clenched, flanks burned, breath came. And then she was free.

* * *

A light shone brightly across the clearing and outlined the mare which had managed to get to it's feet.

It let out a loud whinny that rang like golden bells along the clearing that sang of warmth and passion, of freedom and and duty of lights in shadow and a cleansing fire. The dark wizard flinched as the unicorn charged straight past the children at him engulfed in light and silvery flames.

With a large crack the dark wizard dissapated.

The light around the unicorn faded and the children stared at the silvery ghostly figure of the horse as it reared in challenge and screamed in fury. Then they looked behind them and there was it's body, dead and lifeless.

The ghostly Unicorn trotted towards the children, pranced a little in front of them happily, nibbled at the children's hair and then with a huff it galloped off into the forest fading out of sight.

The centaur stared after it for a long moment before he slowly limped over to the children

"Are you two all right?" He asked

Harry nodded while Hermione smiled happily and said. "We'll live, thank you. Cast the green sparks again Harry. I'm dry. The healing spells took a large chunk of my magic. "

Harry slapped himself on the forehead and then winced at how sensitive it was.

_'We forgot to sent red sparks.'_ He kicked himself mentally as he sent out green sparks.

"You tried healing the unicorn?" Asked the centaur looking at the girl.

"I failed." Said Hermione in a weary. "It had lost too much blood and I didn't know enough healing to counteract that."

She sat down on the grass, to rest, just for a minute.

"Then you did more than it could dream." He said with an odd tone of voice. "Why are you here children? Fighting with that monstrosity?"

"We came with Hagrid." Said Harry "To look for the unicorn."

Th centaur nodded and then stared at the boy's forehead.

"You are Harry Potter. You should not be here in this forest tonight. The stars you are in deadly peril, and indeed the forest can be a deadly place."

Harry snorted and Hermione chuckled tiredly.

"Yes. We kind of realised that before we came." He said. "Forbidden Forest and all that."

"Well come with me, I am Firenze and I will lead you out of the forest."

"We can't just leave it's body like that!" Hermione tried to stand up but her knees wobbled. And she sat down back on the grass.

"My people will guard it and take proper steps in your name. You have done a great thing foal."

"What do you mean?" Asked Harry as he offered Hermione a hand to help her stand up.

"When unicorn that dies of natural causes and echo of it's spirit will usually linger in a glade it died in, making it into a holy place for seven years. A unicorn that shed's it's form to fight evil becomes a spirit protector of an entire forest for the same time. You made sure it didn't die in pain, and fear and even inspired it to fight. After all if children could fight the Dark how would anyone else do any less. You just may have made the entire forest a better place." He explained as they walked each with their own light limp. Hermione leaned heavily on both of them and kept silent, listening. She was very sleepy suddenly and concentrated mostly on staying awake.

"So what will become of the. Um... Spirit unicorn?" Asked Harry curiously, she never read anything about this.

"It will guard the forest as long as there is need for it and then it will depart for the great pasture in the stars like all ghosts do."

"What was that thing after?" Harmione asked. "How could anyone harm a unicorn."

"What do you know about unicorn blood young..." It paused for an obscure word. "Young childling?"

"Not much, we don't use it in potions. We use their hair in wands and it's shed horns if some potions." Hemione explained.

"Fresh unicorn blood straight from the vein is a very potent healing agent. It can save a man on the brink of death. And yet, to kill a unicorn for it's blood will curse who ever does it in their life and after their death. Doom them to an existence of half-life, of torturous un-death. A cursed existence."

"But who could be that desperate?" Harry asked. "Or that evil?"

Hermione snorted.

"Didn't you listen to what the man.. um, centaur said. Who is already undead, after something nearby, is obscenely evil and has nothing to lose?"

"Yes, even if it a question if he has enough life for it to be cursed. Or enough humanity to care..."

Harry's eyes widened.

"Vol.."

"Thar you are!" Called hagrid a shaken looking Ravenclaw and a dazed, white faced Gryfindoor trailing after him. Firenze looked at Hagrid and pushed the children to him.

"I leave the children to you then Haggrid. Good evening." And with that he fled. Too many humans in one place. And much to do before the night was over.

"Sorry It took so long, the boys ran into some of Aragogs spawn and took a bit of talking to make things right."

Harry looked at him blandly while steadying a half asleep Hermione. "Right, we are just peachy. No need to look for the unicorn any more, the centaurs have it."

* * *

There was little fuss when they came back to the castle. The children were sent straight to bed and Haggrid went to talk with the Headmaster.

Only some of them were too wired to even consider sleep.

"How could you want to play chess at a time like this Ron?" said Harry, pacing around the common room after Hermione had went off to sleep. He was too full of nervous energy to follow.

"I don't want to think about the s... spiders Harry." The still shaken Ron explained. "Can you clear up what happened to your scar when it... He came."

" I'm not sure. Like I said, for a moment I was panicking, about to run, my head was splitting open. And then I saw Hermione there, gripping her wand tightly, anger surging in her eyes and my oculumency shield just slid into place like it did in practice. The pain was quartered instantly. And Voldemort fled once the unicorn joined the fray."

Ron flinched at the name. "Look mate let's just forget the whole thing. I know I want to forget those bloody huge spiders and never even see the forest again.

Harry walked over to Ron and grabbed his shoulder. "Look mate, we have to work harder on the stuff she teaches us! Oculumency saved my life! I bet on it! Voldemort is after the stone Ron! Not just any wizard! Voldemort!"

"Enough!" Yelled Ron shaking shying away from his best friend. "Stop. Saying. His. Name."

Harry just sighed theatrically and went back to pacing.

"Quirrel or Snape. One of those two will steal the stone for him. And Voldemort wants me dead. I have to learn to fight. I have to learn fast." He stopped and stared at Ron.

"Look mate, step up or step down. I have to stop larking around and prepare or one of these days I'll turn around the corner and it will be goodbye Harry potter. And if you stick with me you'll be in the middle of it. And I don't want you hurt."

"Aw come on Harry You-know-who is afraid of Dumbledore, he'll keep us safe!" Ron tried to reassure his friend.

"Yes Ron, not even Dumbledore can be everywhere. And even if he does, sooner or later we have to leave Hogwarts."

To that Ron didn't have an answer and he remained silent.

And as he went to bed that night a shudder ran down his spine. He might actually have to study outside of classwork. He would have to do if he wanted to stay Harry's friend and live.

And if You-know-who really was alive... A shiver went down his spine and turned into full fledged fear. And he silently wept. For he was a Weasley. He would have to stand by his friends and allies. He could do no less. Even against You-know-who. And since he was not powerful smart or talented he would die.

And as his dreams turned to nightmares a few of the red hairs on the back of his neck turned white as he dreamt that he sold his life dearly, far above it's cost. He could never find something of his own to separate him from his brothers. It was for a reason it seemed. He had a calling. He would die young, standing against the darkness like many Weasley's through the ages had.

AN:

In the beginning I was sorely tempted to sideline Ron, probably the influence of all those fics that marginalized him. But then I realized he just needed to focus better on what was important.

This part is the first turning point. Deviation from cannon has begun. Even if it won't be that obvious untill second year.

Was it just me that was annoyed about how JKR wrote in the casual killing of Unicorns? Just like that they die and QuirrelMort feeds. Not in this epic they don't.

I'm probbably forgetting something but my online time is very limited so i'll have to live with it.


	11. Chapter 11: Plot?

_**While children are more than capable of wielding the new crystal matrix array I strongly disapprove of lowering the admittance age bellow sixteen. There will be no child soldiers on my watch. I will concede that teaching everyone over the age of twelve in how to use and power shield crystals and elemental amplifiers for city defence purpose only. But under no circumstances will I allow children to participate in a war with those monstrosities. Once was enough. Children should not watch their friends die gruesome deaths and I will bend my considerably power and influence to ensure that it. Does. Not. Happen. Again.**_

_**Admiral Hermione Jane Weasley-Granger-Harris. Sorceress, Dragon class. Head of The Ragnarok War Council. Mother.**_

* * *

Albus Percival Ulfric Brian Dumbledore pondered his age for a moment as his deputy paced his office on the verge of unleashing her legendary temper and then accepted the notion that he was, in fact getting too old for these kind of excrement explosions.

"Calm down Minerva, I do not think this could have been predicted." He intoned amicably. He certainly didn't think an actual duel would erupt. He was just wished he knew more than what Haggrid told them. Harry's explanation of; 'We found the dying unicorn, Hermione tried to heal him. A dark wizard came we fought, a centaur showed up, the unicorn turned into a ghost and the wizard ran away. Do you really think it could have been Volemort?' had been somewhat lacking in detail but Hagrid had sent the children to sleep by then. And now, after the meeting he was left with a furious, protective Minerva McGonogal to placate.

"Calm down? Calm down!" Minerva bristled at him. "While the rest of us were sleeping my cubs were fighting a dark wizard in the forbidden forest! Alone!"

"I am sure Hagrid had everything under control." He tried to placate her. He realised his mistake when Minerva stopped her pacing and turned and lashed him with an icy look.

"Hagrid is a competent woodsman, an excellent fighter and a caring man. He was also has difficulty understanding that the rest of us are somewhat little more fragile than him. And Headmaster? As far as I could tell he wasn't even there. He was saving the other two children from the spiders."

Albus stared at his deputy for a long moment and then sighed. She wasn't buying it. But he just could not understand why she was fussing.

"Well whomever the children faced couldn't have been a competent wizard if a couple of children defeated him Minerva. I will talk to the centaurs for a bit more detail and we will continue this discussion tommorow? I'm afraid these old bones are not what they used to be. " He reasonably buying himself time to ponder which secrets to share. Perhaps sharing his idea on capturing Tom? After all if it was Tom they faced Harry's protection probably activated and had to be kept a secret. And if it wasn't? A wizard who can't hold his own against untrained children was hardly a threat to anyone.

Albus Percival Ulfric Brian Dumbledore was a well meaning old man with a lot on his mind. He performed his duties to the best of his considerable ability and tried to be progressive and stay in touch with current events. But even after more then half a century as an educator he still could not conceive the idea of dangerous young children seriously. After all, children were undisciplined and lacked the wisdom, knowledge and power to stand up to a grown wizard. They had to be carefully molded into their destinies.

* * *

A few days after the forest incident Hermione had been minding her own business taking a short cut on her way to the library through the false wall next to the cracked statue of Uthgar the Unlucky. It was an odd few days and things were just getting back to normal. McGonogal had been asking a lot of questions lately and Hermione tried to answer what she could without giving up her own secrets. Harry had agreed to keep one or two things a secret between the two of them and Ronald was not speaking much with anyone, twiching every time he saw a spider.

On the personal side she was glad that according to the financial times her investments were going along nicely. But the question was should she be more agresssive in her investment. How much money was enough? And what kind of expences could she expect in the future?

Thus she was deep in thought when she was ruthlessly ambushed again. And unlike the Malfoy incident she had been taken completely by surprise.

The Weasley twins literally popped up out of nowhere and positioned themselves at her side, diverting her gently from the library path.

"There you are, our sister of the heart." Said Fred fondly. "You have been busy."

"You sneaky little rule breaker you." Intoned George cheekily as he put his hand around her shoulder gently encouraging her to turn left towards their lair on the second floor in stead of the library. Hermione didn't even bother with a token protest. She had been neglecting the twins lately.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Hermione intoned innocently as they changed hallways and floors via a small secret stairway behind the tapestry of the third goblin rebellion. Or was it the fifth? She made a mental note to reaserch that.

"No use pretending." They intoned in unison.

"We know all about it." Added Fred.

"Percy mentioned you were in the library early in the morning before breakfast on the day of the Malfoy incident." Said George

"I always visit the library before breakfast to avoid crowds."

"And one of our snake year mates said Malfoy has been bragging in the Slytherin common room how he'll get you in front of the library right up to that morning." Explained Fred.

"Malfoy always brags about things."

"And you did get us to teach you the sticking charm after the holidays." Pointed out George.

"Withches curiosity. It was merely for academic reasons. I had no plan to do anything to Draco Malfoy and his catspaws. Or are you saying I should take Divination classes early?" Intoned Hermione smugly as they emerged near the kitchens. It was even true. The actual even was improvised on the spot.

She lowered her shields a smidgeon and felt the twins projected amusement and curiosity.

"How did you do it?" Fred finally asked while George was busy getting a pear to laugh.

She ignored him as she greeted the house elves with a polite bow and sat down at one of the small unused tables. She was at least teaching them to avoid bowing to her. It amused her to see them get flustered every time she bows back, deeper then they did. They were learning fast to treat her with the least amount of pomp as possible.

"C'mon! Tell me! How did you do it?" Fred whined to her and Georges amusement.

"Do what?" Asked Hermione while maintaining her innocence. She looked at the house elves bustling around happily, by now used to their presence. Sheepishly she recalled the conversation she had with the twins on the life expectancy of a freed house elf. That was one of the rare times she had seen the twins completely serious. Society for Promotion of Elvish Advancement and Kindness has been born. With the twins as first members Ron and Harry were next. The S.P.E.A.K. goals were simple and plainly stated in the organisations very title.

"How did you get Malfoy and his goons from the library to the great hall under Percy's nose?" Snapped Fred exasperatedly.

Hermione looked at him and exchanged looks with George. "I don't remember him always being this impatient?"

George laughed. "I'm curious too, but it has been driving him mad in the last couple of day. According to our investigation the timing was off unless you had accomplices. Which you didn't since most Gryfindoor were still asleep "

She could feel exasperation flowing from Fred and amusement from George and decided to be a bit cheeky.

"Well, I better elucidate before one of you bursts something." She said while discretely levitating her wand out of it's holster and into her hand and performing precise, minute movements, just out of sight.

Suddenly George, Fred, their chairs, the table and her own chair lifted into the air along with her. Tricky bit of work splitting her concentration and a leviation charm four ways but just within her grasp. She just loved the chalenges inherent in magic and streaching what everyone said was possible to the limit and beyond.

"Does this answer your question, Frederic dear?" She asked him sweetly as the twins gripped their chairs and spluttered. Two butter beers and a cup of Earl Gray appeared on the levitating table and Hermione smiled at the elves unflappability when it came to service. She sipped her tea, milk and a dash of honey as she liked it, and waited for them to finish spluttering. She carefully concentrated on steadily lowering everything to the floor to avoid spillage.

"And Percy didn't notice anything?" Asked George in wonder at the sheer cheekiness of her action. Honestly. Levitating students all over the school?

"Well to be honest I did, stun, petrify, silence and disillusion them first." She said, projecting a smug sense of accomplishment. Then she paused. "Though the disillusionment charm on Gregory did waver occasionally, now that I think about it."

The twins shared one of their looks and nodded to each other, decision they had been pondering confirmed.

"All right Miss Granger. My brother and I would like to invite you into our super secret elite order." Said George

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And what would that entail?"

"Pretty much what we have been doing. We share knowledge, you keep our secrets to yourself and vice versa and occasionally we expect a prank idea from you. We help you with your pranks and occasionally offer advice." Intoned George solemnly.

"Oh and you have to explain how in the world are you performing multiple levitations at once." Added Fred.

Hermione shrugged. "I have a knack with the levitation subgroup of spells. I am unsure where the proficiency came from. So far I don't have anything else that I can cast as powerfully or easily. It is also the only spell I can cast wandlesly and not for the lack of trying. Even if it much weaker when I do it like that."

She saw how that tidbit about wandless magic resonated with the twins and smiled, in advance, at all the ideas they might cook up to take advantage of that.

"As for the rest of your offer?" She asked. "You basically wish a formal alliance between individuals? It sounds a bit innocent for all your super secret club talk."

"Well. There's the mandatory illegal animagus training when your we get to know enough transfiguration." George said and smiled.

"Ah, my dear brother, it's only illegal if we fail to register after we take our NEWTs. The law says so!" Added Fred.

Hermione perked up. To become an animagi? And what was the mischief she was sensing from fred when he spoke about the law.

"What the heck! Where do I sign?" She said, shrugging nonchalantly. She was going to join them anyway, the twins knew so many Hogwarts secrets and such diverse range of magic she was constantly exasperated at how low they scored in class. The Literary Society hidden tomes was worth pretty much anything they asked of her. Not that she would tell them that.

"Well you first swear a solemn oath." Said Fred as he pulled out an old looking piece of parchment.

"A most sacred and ancient oath." Added George as his brother spread the parchment on the table.

"The oath of the Marauders." They intoned together sinisterly.

At this point Hermione would have been a touch weary if she couldn't feel their surface emotions. There was no hidden, malicious trap here, just the twins usual antics. She might get pranked as a part of the bargain, but she could live with that. As long as they could live with their under things hanging from the top of the quiddich goals like a giant flag.

* * *

Time passed. The rumours about the forbidden forest incident died down somewhat. The children continued their investigation, spell practice and extracurricular studies. Ronald rejoining them after a week of asocial brood... ehem, contemplation. But it was a while until they actually got any real proof that hogwarts professors were involved in the recent hapenings.

It happened some time after Harry won yet another match for the Gryfindoor. A definite proof of a conspiracy.

"All right, concentrate one more time and try to repeat what you overheard, verbatim." Hermione calmly intoned perched on the desk of a remote, abandoned DADA classroom they had been using for their meetings.

"Give it a rest Hermione!" Ronald exploded. "It's obvious. Snape and Quirrel are trying to get to what ever Flammel guy has the Headmaster hiding down there."

"No you give it a rest Ronald. Look. Professor Snape hates Harry, I get it. I think it's unprofessional and irrational. I haven't been able to find formal evidence of a formal feud between Snapes and Potters but the tension is there. And it's obvious the professors are not working together! In fact from what I can tell Professor Snape loathes the man." Hermione yelled exasperated.

She still couldn't believe the boys had found he answer to the puzzle in a box of chocolate frogs she had sent them for Christmas.

"He did tone it down somewhat ever since I limit my interaction to simple, neutral Yes professor , No Professor. Using his title with the strict neutral inflection and body language gets him to back of somewhat." Harry added. He didn't like Snape but he knew the value of subterfuge.

"Well maybe they both want it and are racing with each other over who will get it?" Ron acquiesced.

Hemrione nodded thoughtfully. "That might be possible. Although I'm still stumped on why the Headmaster would keep the darned thing in school. Supposedly dangerous traps or no dangerous traps. If I wanted to hide something I'd put it in a Fidelus charmed box and put the darn box on my night stand."

Harry nodded. "I can't get over how how ineffective the first trap is? Unwarded doors with a sleepy Cerberus?"

"I see your point, but it could be a false opening gambit, to lull someone into a false sense of security." Said Ron thoughtfully. "But what do we do now?"

"Well, We could follow them around?" Harry said and grinned cheekily. "With my shiny and oh so useful invisibility cloak?"

"Let me talk to the twins first." Hermione said thoughtfully. "They might help."

"How?" Asked Ron suspiciously.

"Can't say." Hermione smiled mysteriously "I swore an Oath."

The boys knew well enough to leave it alone if they wanted to keep their hair colour static.

* * *

It was approaching midnight as the two cloaked figures snuck into the dimly lit room. A third figure that was perched regally on a shadowy throne.

"Report my minions." A hushed voice spoke.

"Zis iz zuperz zpy Gred, we haf a feekly report for you." Said Fred

"Superspy Forge agrees. We have mucho reporto for you." Added George.

Hermione couldn't help herself and she giggled, breaking the sinister scene. She lit up a lumos spell, hopped down from the professor's desk and raised an eyebrow at George. "Mucho reporto?"

The 'serious' twin scratched his head sheepishly. "I drew the short straw so Fred took the cool accent and I got stuck with fake Spanish. Which I can't use."

"Why not just be a british spy in stead?" she asked him.

"Oy! Why didn't I think of that?" George slapped himself on the forehead.

Fred snickered at his brother and then proceded with his report.

"Well, as you know the man in question has been meeting with some fellow named Tom Malvoro Riddle from the edge of the forbidden forest, every third evening. Though lately he has been leading him into the castle." explained Fred

"And letting him sleep in his quarters and in his bed." George made a face.

Hermione blinked. "Wait, you mean together?"

Fred nodded. "We couldn't think of any other reason for their dots to practically crawl over each other all the time."

"Well that was one thing I did not wish to know."

"Also they have been hanging around third floor corridor a lot but Snape or another professor would come after about ten minutes."

"Anything else unusual?" Asked Hermione

"The head boy and head girl had been spending a lot of time alone in the prefects bathroom after curfew every Friday and Saturday?" George waggled his eyebrows.

"As in all the way until early morning." Added Fred.

"Anything else?"

"Filch has been spending a lot of time in the dungeons lately. With Jarvis Mangrove, Sixth year Ravenclaw prefect."

Hermione made a face. "Not quite what I meant but never the less, I thank you gentlemen." Hermione said and handed them a small leather bag which clinked as it changed hands. "Fifteen galeons like I promised."

"It has been a pleasure doing business with you my lady." Said George bowing theatrically.

"Even if monitoring the map from midnight to five AM every night did cut into our beauty sleep." Said Fred.

"If you ever need to hire minions to do your bidding again let us know." George added cheekily. "Your tasks are both a business and a pleasure."

"Zie Merzenaries Gred and Forge are alfays gut hilfe. Und Zis is fun Ja?"

"Oh hush your two and let's get back to the common room before Filch catches us."

* * *

"All right. You have a point. It's Quirrel." Said Ron, reluctantly after she sheared her new information.

"So what do we do?" Wondered Harry.

"We could tell the teachers?" Offered Hermione half heartedly. Someone had to play devils advocate "Dumbledore perhaps?"

"And tell them what? Quirrel is after the Philosophers Stone along with his lover Tom Malvoro Riddle?" Asked Ron.

"We should at least try. This is his last, best chance to do it. He's bound to go for it any day now." Said Harry with a sigh. "We'll talk to Professor McGonogal after class tommorow."

None of the children quite believed the adults could be relied on to take them seriously.

* * *

Of course, it went pretty much as she had expected.

"I assure you that Professor Dumbledore knows what he is doing, and that Professor Quirrel is not working with You-know-who. His liaisons are also his business. You will drop the matter immediately before I start taking points from Gryfindoor for your invading a professor's privacy!" McGonogall told them off sternly.

"Yes professor." Hermione said before they calmly walked away. She had tried the rules, and now she was free to do things her own way.

**AN:**

I honestly thought this would be done by now, unfortunately I accidentaly downloaded a life and it got in the way of revising. Also got bit by a Twilek plot bunny that keeps nibbling at me.

To answer MorganaLeFae the parts in the begining of a chapter. Some are from texts Hermione is reading and some are glimpses of potential futures.


	12. Chapter 12:Traps & Tricks

"_**No plan survives contact with the enemy. This has been true for a very long time ladies and gentlemen. I add to this that backup plans and go to hell plans can fail as well. When that happens all you have left is your skill, your inherent human ability to improvise and sheer guts. Remember: What you can't dazzle with glitter confuse them with bull shit."**_

_**Sargeant Selena Lovegood-Jones**_

**Part, 12?: On Fertiliser and Glitter.**

"Harry Hermione, It's starting!" Ronald Wesley rushed into the common room and announced to everyone.

Hermione groaned and placed her hand into her palm.

"What is starting Ronald?" Asked Percy Weasley glaring sternly at his brother.

"Um... Er... Nothing Percy." He mumbled.

"Ronald Wesley!" Percy started to say when Hermione walked over.

"Honestly Ronald if you didn't want anyone to know that you listen to the Witches hour on the wireless you should not have announced it to the common room." Hermione announced from her seat and snickers spread through the common room.

"Come on boys we can listen to it on Harry's new wireless." she said and dragged Ron upstairs.

Harry sighed and stood up to follow.

"Harry! You can't be serious!" Dean Thomas announced incredulously. "That's a sappy girl's progarm."

Harry shrugged. "Some times you have to take a hit for the sake of friendship."

And with that they were safely in the boys dorm, wireless turned up loudly. The game was afoot.

"What do you have Ronald?" Asked Hermione.

"I overheard Flitwick say Dumbledore will leave for Brussels tonight on an urgent business to the ICW and would not be back until morning." Ron said.

"So it's tonight." Harry said.

"We'll have to wait until after curfew. The staff meeting breaks up at eleven and we should have enough time to get to the stone before Quirrel." Hermione said and everyone agreed.

They met down in the common room at ten and silently made their way towards the exit.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Take these and put them on your wrist." Hermione said handing the boys a simple rubber hair bind. "It's for..."

"And where are you three going?" A voice rang loudly across the common room.

They turned and there Neville was, sitting in a large leather armchair like a James Bond vilain, petting his frog, half hidden in the shadows. He was far off from the shy stuttering boy he was at the beginning of the year.

"Neville! We..."

"No. We are third in points this year, and you lot will not be dragging Gryfindoor just so you could keep up your amusements. I knew something was off. Ron hates that ruddy show. I'm calling a prefect right now." Neville growled and stood up.

"Neville, I'ts not like that..." Harry tried to explain.

"I cant! Hermione! You cost Gryfindoor as many points as you earn. Probably more with those Hundred you lost traipsing around in the middle of the night. I hate pranks! Uncle Algie always played pranks trying to get me to s.. show magic!" He stuttered at the end and started walking toward the dormitories.

"Neville you can't..." Started Harry at the same time as Ron said

"Mate please..."

Hermione sighed and snapped off a petrificus and levitated him back to them.

"Now you listen here Neville Longbottom. You picked a ruddy bad time to start standing up to people. I agree with you in pronciple but not in this case. You don't have all the facts. Now. In case something happens and we don't make it back. Quirrel and Riddle are working for Voldemort. Don't look at me like I'm mad Neville.. The Philosophers Stone is being kept under the third floor corridor. Dumbledore is away and the professors don't believe that there is any danger" She glanced at her watch.

"In one hour and thirty five minutes the end of the year staff meeting will end. Quirrel and his accomplice Riddle will try to steal the philosophers stone while Dumbledore is away and use it to revive their master. We are going to steal it first. You will stay in this sofa until someone releases you." She sighed. "If it wears off on it's own it means I'm dead."

They left and Neville was stuck in the common room his body frozen, but his thoughts a rushing a mile a minute.

(((LINE)))

Hermione stood in front of the chessboard and frowned.

Fluffy was easy to circumvent. Harry had practised and played him a simple lullaby on the wooden instrument Hagrit gifted him with which lulled the beast to sleep. The plant beneath the trap door wasn't worth mentioning.

The brooms and the keys were a bit trickier until Hermione's diagnostic charms made her realise that the doors were warded but the hinges were not. Transfiguring steel into sleet was an extra credit third year effort.

She had been getting worried, thinking the obstacles had been too easy. And then this.

"Professor McGonogal you reckon?" Asked Harry.

"Yes. The figurines look dangerous. And I don't like the way the black queen is eyeing us. Or the way the knights are gripping their swords." Hermione frowned. "Are you certain you can get us across Ron?"

"Just relax Hermione. Look closer. It's a standard Creative Combative Chess set. Only enlarged. Ever since you taught me oculumency I've been slaughtering it. The patterns are tricky but easy to read. Piece of cake."

((LINE))

"Piece of cake Ronald?" Hermione growled at the redhead.

He had been posed to check mate the black king when the black knight checked their king. It went downhill from there and now Ron was being threatened by the black queen.

"Look. Hermione, it'll be fine. I just have to let them get me and you can check mate their king."

"Ron no! Those things are vicious." Harry tried to talk him out of it but Ron was already moving.

The white queen ruthlessly bashed him in the head, causing him to crumple like a sack of potatoes dragged him off the field and then grinned at the remaining players. Hermione took the king and the chess pieces stood down the queen returning to her position with a bow.

Harry and Hermione rushed to Ron and checked him for injury. With a groan he opened his eyes. "Man I certainly felt that..."

"Ron!" Harry called out. "Talk to me mate."

"I'm fine." He said trying to stand up while Hermione restrained him.

"Lie still Ronald. You could have a concussion." Hermione chided.

"Will you relax Hermione! I had a cushioning charm on. I knew the queen always went for the head." Ron explained smugly.

"Dammit mate you could have told us that." Harry grumbled.

"I couldn't. Who knew what else McGonogal changed. Those things were smarter than any other chess set I played." He grinned excitedly. "She could make a profit if she marketed that."

Harry smiled as he helped his friend up. "Shall we see which professor is next?"

"Snape or Quirrel." Hermione responded. "Dumbledore'd be last."

The trio went through the next set of doors and then just as quickly turned back. An impact against the reinforced doors reverberated through the chess room.

"Blimey." A white faced Ron swore.

"That one's even bigger then the one that you took out Hermione." Harry whispered.

"A different breed." Hermione whispered back. She thought for a few moments and then nodded to herself. "We sneak by under the cloak. We just need something to distract it."

She drew her wand and with a few gestures drew a circle and a set of fiery lines in the air. The rune pulsed and the circle shifted around it's axis, forming a glowing orange sphere. Hermione touched a wand to is and a series of symbols rushed about it's surface before vanishing.

"I call it the guiding light mark two." Hermione whispered smugly. "Auri" She whispered to it and giggled. The sphere giggled back perfectly. She opened the door slightly and whispered. "Go baby. Dance for mummy."

It worked like a charm. The sphere shifted to and fro, letting out Hermione's giggle occasionally the troll followed it and the children snuck into the next room, bunched up under the cloak.

The third room was an empty aside from a table that had several colourful bottles on it and a piece of paper.

It looked innocent enough until they stepped inside. Then a circle of fire sprung around them.

Hermione yelped and startled reflexively.

Harry gasped and whirled about.

Ron cringed and pressed closer to the other two, earning an elbow to the arm from whirling Harry.

"Bloody hell." Ron swore at the collision and the fire. "What the hell!"

Hermione frowned. The lethality of the traps increased progressively so far. Approaching the table carefully and targeted it with a diagnostic charm. Nothing. She picked up the paper and read the riddle on it. She sighed.

"Seems simple enough drink one to go in. Drink another to leave. The rest are poison. However I'm not certain professor Snape would leave an easy way out like this." She pondered this for a few moments. "Yeah. I seem to remember him leafing through it in class." She mumbled to herself.

She hit the flame resistance potion with a charm that was listed in the back of 1001 potion ingredients. It was a diagnostic charm that listed the ingredients used in a substance in the air in front of her. The flame resistance charm had a superfluous neutral ingredient. She checked the return potion and chuckled at the visciousness of their potions professor. Sometimes it paid to have an eidetic memory.

"Check it out boys. Neutral ingredients on their own. Acts like a binary poison when combined." She said. "Sure, the potion's will get you one way or the other. But go both ways and ten minutes later you go to sleep and never wake up. Mixing the potions would act as a primitive but effective form of the draught of the living death"

"Blimey Hermione I''m not sure what's scarier, him doing it or you figuring that out." He paused. "Um. Why do you know that?"

"Oh she memorised one thousand and one magical ingredients and it's uses. And she made me promise to do it by the end of second year too." Harry answered him in stead.

"Well honestly Harry, what use is improved memory if you don't use it?" She complained.

"So what do we do now?" Harry asked her.

Hermione shrugged. "If it was a normal fire I'd just cast a flame freezing charm, but It's blackfyre. Just one step down from fiendfyre. Dark magic, kind of. It doesn't spread but you can't magic it inert either. It burns as long as a wizard is in the vicinity."

"So we're stuck?" Asked Ron. "We can go back but we can't leave without the stone. But if we go forward we're can't go back?"

"Not really. I've been reading the unabridged version of Hogwarts a history. The original version that had current events and gossip constantly added to it until eighteen sixty four when Headmaster Bones restricted additions due to the sheer presence of the book's concision charms had it threatening to unravel the library wards." Hermione smiled.

"Get to the point." Growled Ron.

"Apparition is impossible in Hogwarts. And the portkey wards added in sixteen sixty seven cause any portkey not sanctioned by the headmaster to bounce off course and into the lake."

"So?"

"There was an amusing anecdote on page three thousand and sixteen about the entire Ravenclass class of Sixteen Sixty Eight using a portkey to travel to and from classes in protest of the newly installed portable staircase defence system. Portkeys have been added to the ever growing list of forbidden items in sixteen sixty nine after and incident involving the head girl, a miss-aligned portkey and the prefects bathroom towel rack."

"But if the portkey wards... Ah." Harry nodded and glanced at his arm.

"Where does it go?"

"Infirmarry and the third floor corridor depending on the codeword."

"Did you make them?"

"Nah, I don't have the skills yet. I bribed a seventh year Ravenclaw to make me a couple of blank sets as an 'intellectual exercise'. I then bound and tested the destination points myself. That much I could do."

"What!" Ron complained. "Yo know I hate it when you guys jump the conversation around like that."

"The hair binders Ron. They are portkeys and they work inside Hogwarts only." Harry explained.

"Well what are we just standing here about. Which one is the flame resistance potion?" Ron complained.

((LINE))

"Hermione!" Harry yelled and yanked her back.

"The image in the mirror swirled in a fractan patterns and broke apart."

"Harry! I was so close to figuring out what I was doing!" Hermione hissed.

"It wasn't real." He said.

"What are you talking about?" She frowned.

"That's the Mirror of Erised."

She stared at him for a moment and then her shoulders slumped. "Oh."

"Hey guys?" Ron called out. "That fog coming from the mirror is looking kinda creepy to me."

The duo looked around and then back at Ron.

"What fog?" Hermione asked.

"That fog coming from the mirror and gathering around you Hermione." Ron hissed. "Get away from there."

Hurriedly they stepped away and saw the fog disperse.

"What was that?" Asked Harry.

"I have no idea." said Hermione and frowned. She checked her watch. "Thirty minutes left unless they end early."

Her mind whirled with the myriad of rituals and diagnostic charms that would tell her what it is, a large portion of them still out of her league.

She tried several charms but all she got was the strong magical signature of the mirror. She tried a minor revelation chant but it failed to even register. She paced. She frowned she tried more obscure things. Twenty minutes past as she worked herself into a frenzy. Ron and Harry exchanged glances at the beginning of it and wisely kept quiet.

"Argh! The trice damnable thing is like a stone wall! And if I get too close the damn thing tries to dig it's claws into me again." She kicked the stone floor and pouted. "At last I know what the fog does."

"What does it do?" Asked Harry cautiously. Hermione wouldn't ever hurt them but her temper was an eerie thing to be on the receiving end of.

"It's the mistakenly named Lethe's fog. It will leech the magical strength of a person while he or she is gazing at the mirror. A side effect is loss of short term memory causing time to seemingly condense for the recipient of the effect. And the effect has both been strengthened as well as masked from anyone standing near the mirror. I'm guessing Dumbledore's work. A brilliant trap." Hermione frowned. One designed to weaken and..."

A pale looking Hermione turned her back to the mirror. "We have to go back and fix the..." She paused. "too late."

"Hermione?"

"It doesn't matter any more." Hermione spoke. "My guiding light reported and intruder. He'll be here in about five to ten minutes." She cringed. "Make that a few minutes. He just killed the troll with the killing curse."

"Bloody Hell." Ron said.

"You're repeating yourself mate." Harry quipped. "Even if it bears repeating."

Hermione's brows scrunched up for a moment. "One of us has to go get help. It's safe to say we boloxed up Dumblerore's plan. Quirell will know someone is down here. The other two stay here and distract him and Riddle. It might end up a fight."

"Then I'm staying." Harry announced. "And as much as it pains me so are you Hermione. Ron is a we noodle when it comes to magical fighting. Er. No offence mate." He glanced guiltily at Ron.

Ron shrugged. "Hermione's the brain, you're the power and I'm the muscle. Say it as it is."

"For now Ron." Hermione cautioned. "You'll get a lot better soon enough. Go. Get help."

Ron nodded and pulled out his wand, tapping the rubber band and mumbling the infirmary password; Hogsmeade.

"So what's the plan." Inquired Harry.

"We improvise. You hide under the invisibility cloak. I'll pretend I wanted to steal the stone for myself."

"Why not the other way around?"

"Who is more likely to steal it? Harry Potter the saviour of the wizarding world or Hermione Granger the muggleborn trouble maker with a lust for forbidden knowledge?"

"When do I reveal myself?" Harry asked even as he put on the cloak.

"A stunner to the back if they try anything dangerous or you have a brilliant idea. Use your own discretion. If you can get your hands on the stone somehow portkey out immediately. Accio is your friend. Do that as well if you see a wand pointed at you and hear the word Avada. Now stay quiet. They could be here any minute."

As Harry faded away Hermione quickly got to work. A flick of her wand and the approximation of a butchered dead cat appeared. She took out a fistful of chalk from mokeskin pouch and threw it in the air. With a twirl of her wand it settled into a circle.

Four swishes and four tiny flames of fairy fire sprung to life hovering above the circle on four sides. She then took out her potions knife and a small cup. She pricked her finger, smearing the blade with the blood for realism and then murmured a minor healing charm. A small Aquamenti and a colouring spell later and the transformation from silly firstie to Dark Witch was almost complete. She traced the wand along her cheeks and two streaks of red ran across her cheeks and across her eyes. Nodding to herself in satisfaction she conjured two more guiding lights and set them to hover above her casting a dark red light over her to complete the illusion.

The stage set, she held up the cup in her hand and settled, cross legged to wait.

Not even a full minute later the doors opened.

**AN**:

There is a reason for the delay. I didn't like the ending I wrote. It left me so disgusted that I gave up every time I tried to 'revise' it for 'publishing'. It took me a bit of time to figure out a non yawn/uber endgame that fit my overall plot.

_Alrissa:"You have a plot?"_

Hush.

Another reason is that another plot bunny bit me. It's official. My muse (Who as named Alrissa as you might gather.) is sticking around again after leaving in disgust and is once again making me improve the lot of underestimated female characters. Yes that is a shameless self plug to go check out my title page.

Now If i could just resist writing Sailor Moon with a personality transplant from Wensday Addams...


	13. Chapter 13: Best laid plans

"_**The difference between cold blooded murder and wartime execution of collaborators? Legality. I do what I must with the full backing of the council. The only concession to humanity I can afford is to make SURE they are collaborators."**_

_**Guinevere Weasley-Longottom. Ethics of War.**_

Professor Quirrel stepped through the flames and stopped. He had expected many things, Potter, Severus, or perhaps even an (unlikely) ambush by Dumbledore. What he hadn't been expecting was the last cadences of a chant and a customised necromantic ritual circle right under Hogwarts castle. "Miss Granger?" He spoke in surprise, forgetting to stutter. Seeing a supposed child of muggles performing a necromantic ritual of was violating his world view somewhat fierce.

She calmly drained the cup and looked at him, lips red from blood, eyes ablaze with unholy energies.

"Professor." She smiled at him politely then looked behind him curiously. "You came alone?"

"You don't seem surprised to see me." he spoke, gathering his shattered thoughts.

"I knew you were coming. I just thought you _special friend_ be with you." She spoke with a sly drawl. Quirrel didn't like that all knowing look in the classroom but here it took a whole other meaning and it looked like some of the rumours had merit. She stared at him for a moment and then she turned away from him.

"Now give me a moment to check the mirror and I'll give you my full attention."

She turned her back to him fully and gazed upon the mirror murmuring alien sounding words to herself just on the edge of hearing.

* * *

Quirrel swallowed, unsure of what exactly the girl knew. Who could tell what secrets the spirits could whisper in her ear. He was somewhat used to dark magic, by the nine hells he was a vessel for the dark lord himself. But this girl's casual dismissal was causing an unpleasant feeling in his gut. Only the most powerful had the arrogance and the ability to dismiss someone like him as insignificant.

"_What is she doing Quirrel."_ A voice quietly hissed in the back of his head and he shuddered.

"It looks like a variation on the ritual of second sight my lord. A necromantic variation judging from the unholy light in her eyes and actual imbibing the blood of a sacrificed animal. She seems to be studying a large mirror my lord." Quirrel whispered cautiously.

"_Show me."_ The his master ordered.

"My lord you are still..." A stabbing pain in his mind stopped him. His master was not happy. Quirrel was just glad the master could not leglimens him while in this state. He had started regretting his choice when he killed his first unicorn. By now it was far too late to go back and his master would merely punish him for his doubts..

"_Show me Quirrel!_ _I wish to observe this supposed mud blood performing long lost rituals."_

Resigned Quirrel removed his turban and turned his back to the girl.

After thirty seconds of muttering Hermione started yelling. "Do not shy away spirit! Push through! You owe me. Obey!" She yelled out. "OBEY!" She bellowed. An eerie screech could be heard and suddenly the lights on the circle snuffed out and the Mark II orbs hovering above her shattered on command.

Hermione stood there for a moment and then sighed.

"Subtle magicks." She spat. "You win this round Dumbledore."

Lord Voldemort suppressed the urge to cackle in glee. She truly knew what she was doing. Perhaps she even had the talent, the spark, the affinity with the dead that a born necromancer inherited. The spirit not turning on her after a failed conjuring was evidence enough for him.

The venom in the girls voice as she cursed Dumbledore was music to his ears. Oh if the old man knew what serpent was hidden amongst his precious Griffins.

He had to draw her in and make her one of his.

* * *

Her ideas for theatrics running out and her knowledge of the ritual expended Hermione knew it was time for a little verbal slinging of bull. She just mentaly thanked her mother for that acting thing she signed her up for two years ago. Don't act the character, be the character indeed.

She turned to Quirrel and all thoughts fled from her head. The professor had his back turned to her. And this _thing_ stared at her with cold serpentine eyes.

The best she could do was throw up her mental barriers and flee into her mind to stop herself from screaming. Luckily for her because a moment later an unsubtle but powerful probe across her mental barriers snapped her out of it. Mind working a mile a minute she bowed in the manner of a house lord greeting a guest and took a shot in the dark.

"Greetings Tom Malvoro Riddle." She spoke. "We meet again."

The _thing _let out a hiss and reeled like it was physically struck. She felt her words resonate in the chamber. _Words have power in the spirit world. _She recalled a snippet of a passage. _Rule of three._

"_If you know that secret then you know not to take me lightly."_ It hissed at her menacingly and then blinked when the name did not fully resonate. _"And when have we met before?"_

"I know many things. Tom Malvoro Riddle." She answered somewhat cryptically. Really, if she could say anything else. Being too specific would give the whole game away if she said the wrong thing. "And we clashed over the Potter child when your servant tried to hex his broom. I felt you magic in him as I feel them now."

He hissed again and his eyes darted to and from, riding the first beginnings of panic, Quirrels body trembling with the anger of his master and then his red eyes landed on the broken circle at her feet and his apprehension faded completely.

"_I greet you Hermione Granger."_ He finally spoke. "_I know no other name for you. Attempt to bind me and feel my wrath._"

"I never planned on binding you in any manner, Tom Malvoro Riddle. But some rules must be followed. I would speak with you without malice." She spoked and felt something settle in the room. A kind of pressure. She could feel his presence in truth and not in fiction, a foul red stench of corruption. Perhaps she should have used a different wording. Somewhere in the back of her mind the words wraith and an anagram snapped into place and Hermione realised who exactly she was speaking with.

"_You seek a deal little necromancer?"_ He spoke next and she shuddered as _that_ resonated. Technically he was right. By invoking the old ways and binding his spirit to parley she could be called a practitioner of necromancy. He seemed to sense a truth in this name as well and smiled a wicked, inhuman smile. It was not a true name but it would work at least partially.

"I seek the stone." She spoke simply. "It's in." She paused a compulsion settling over her to speak the truth. A double edged sword she realised. "I think it _may _be in the mirror."

"_You want to live forever little necromancer?"_ he hissed in glee. _"Perhaps we need not quarrel. I already have my path to immortality. I need it only for my resurrection. I would share." _He paused and then added grudgingly._ "Work for me and I would share."_

Hermione smiled. So the compulsions extend to him. Now to see how far she could stretch the truth. Compulsions do not lend themselves to philosophy after all. She busied herself tidying up the remains of her false circle with a couple of vanishing charms, trying to look casual and practised at it.

"Who wants to live forever." She shrugged. "Who_ dares_ to live forever?" She seemingly corrected herself. "I'm not certain your kind of immortality is the best thing since sliced bread. Ask me again in a couple of hundred years." She joked and he chuckled obligingly.

"_So you__,__ do y__ou __want with the stone little necromancer." _He repeated the title he bestowed her a third time and the peace of the room vanished. He grinned and pulled out his wand. _"Alliance or death?" _He asked calmly.

Hermione sighed. "And we were getting along so nicely. I will keep my theories to my self for now." She stepped aside. "I don't want to fight you for the stone. I am curious about it but I do not need it to live a long life and fulfil my plans. And what I will do during it will grant me a form of immortality I desire." Literal truth. She planned on stealing the stone from him. And ending up in history books as a multiple Nobel prize winner was a form of immortality she could easily crave.

This statement seemed to puzzle the dark lord but he could not find fault with it.

"Go ahead. You try getting it. All I get from the mirror is patterns and stars." She stepped aside and bowed graciously biting her tongue.

She frowned as she almost blurted out more. The truth compulsion still lingered. The dark lord waved the wand over his joints and stepped towards the mirror. He stood facing Hermione.

"What do you see Quirrel?

"I see myself by your side, using the Stone My Lord. But not where is it now." He muttered"I don't understand?"

Hermione suppressed a gasp at this. And somewhere in the back of her mind a puzzle fell into place as Tom Malvoro Riddle rearranged itself into I am lord Voldemort. It was anticlimactic. She had expected a dark lord to be a bit less susceptible to deception.

"_Let me have a look"_ Voldemort swore impatiently. _"You keep an eye on her."_

With a shudder Quirrel turned toward Hermione. The Dark lord gasped.

"_It's showing the ritual I gathered fragments of! One of those that can restore me! And how to use the stone in stead of the bone of the father and flesh of the servant!"_

Quirrel turned and the Dark lord yelled at him.

"_No you fool turn back I missed it!"_

They bickered like that for a while, repeating themselves, seemingly forgetting about Hermione as the white fog gathered around them. Hermione sighed in relief when she felt Harry step next to her.

"What now?" He whispered faintly.

Hermione dared not speak and extended a mental probe towards Harry.

_'If they get caught in Dumbledore's trap I'll be happy. If not you could ride to my rescue like a good confused white night.' _She projected hardly believing the ruse worked and they considered her a potential ally. She felt him get the idea and sneak off towards the entrance.

It seemed to be working, she could practically feel the trap close around them when her waterproof wizarding watch chimed midnight. Hermione winced as Voldemort glanced at her.

"_This is not working!"_ Quirrel's master hissed. _"We will have to use the girl."_

Hermione did not like the sound of that.

"Nothing personal my dear." Quirrel said as he lifted his wand. A reductor curse flashed from the entrance. Quirrel whirled and hastily put up a shield staggering him under the force of Harry's enhanced magic. The shield held. Hermione made a mental not to find a stealthier way to ambush someone with magic.

"Hermione! I'll save you!" Harry yelled, playing his part.

"Harry! Help! He kidnapped me!" Hermione switching from sinister figure to helpless child in a flash. She called up her magic and filled her blood beyond what she had ever used. She was going to need every edge she had to actually _fight_ a spell duel. She tried not th think about the whole Voldemort part.

Quirrel looked from Hermione to Harry for a moment and then shrugged. "We'll just use you both!"

Harry and Hermione fired stunners while Quirrel talked and the red beams rushed towards the possessed teacher.

Quirrel snapped up a shield which barely absorbed two full powered spells. He stumbled backwards in surprise and thus was barely missed by Hermione's blasting curse. It hit the stones beneath his feet and peppered what was left of his shield and the mirror behind him in debris.

He stumbled backwards as his doubly weakened magic failed him and his shield shattered. Another round of stunners flew directly at him. Quirrel threw himself to the floor while Voldemort raged. "_What are you doing you pathetic excuse for a wizard!"_

The spells missed Quirrel and hit the mirror of erised in stead. The surface bulged like a stone had been thrown into a pond. The wave travelled across the mirror and then it shattered, sending pieces of the mirror and small shards of a red stone flying everywhere, Quirrel's back included. The dark lord hissed and finally had enough swiftly taking complete possession of Quirrel's body. The magic hummed as he burned what was left of Quirrel's life force to fill some of his almost depleted reserves of magic, further ravaging the man's very soul for a brief surge of barely sufficient power.

The children did not know this, to them Quirrel seemed to have woken up as his masters incoherent cursing stopped. With a short efficient gestures of Quirrel's wand the dark lord send back a series of cutting curses at the children. He had to finish this quickly before Quirrel's last vestiges of magic and life force ran out. He lamented his weakness. A killing curse and an imperious would have cleaned things up so nicely.

The children realised the stakes had been raised and pushed their game up as well.

Harry already quick reflexes were boosted by Hermione's internal magic teachings. He was a blur as he dodged everything sent at him and responded with blasting curses, forcing the man to waste energy shielding. Hermione realised she was barely keeping up, pushed more magic into her body and felt her bones protest. Still, it worked, the world slowed down around her and she had time to act and cast. The magic flowed through her veins for a time, her mind working much faster then her body and she moved to flank their opponent. And then her body failed her, something in her back tore itself apart as she whirled to avid a barrage of low level but still very dangerous curses. She stumbled and hissed in pain. Her perception was still working at full speed even as her body failed, in slow motion she saw she would not be able to avoid all of the spells that were coming towards her. She tried to put up quickened _protego. _The fourth year variance of the shielding spell proved a bit too much for her. It shattered after the first hit. She got clipped by a cutting curse along the ribs, near her heart and then a stunner hit her. She went down like a puppet with severed strings.

* * *

"_Ennervate."_ A voice whispered in the recesses of her mind..

The word echoed in her head and she thanked the gods for contingencies and her counterpart's genius. A faint screaming grew louder as she swam towards consciousness. She opened her eyes and looked.

Quirrel had his hands around Harry's throat and Harry was gripping Quirrels head clawing at his eyes. They were both screaming and black cracks were spreading along Quirrel's hands and face and Harry's throat. She tried to get on her feet but a harsh acidic pain sent waves of blackness across her eyes. She could barely move her head about and her hands felt like they were encased in jelly. She would not be getting up any time soon.

_Overuse of rise will damage the body. Know your limits or suffer the consequences._

The passage echoed in her head and she cursed silently. She knew this might happen but did it anyway. Not that she had much choice.

Hermione was starting to panic. Harry was dying, she couldn't see her wand anywhere and the only spell she could do wandlessly was too weak to pull Quirrel and Harry apart. She looked around for anything light enough to lift and her eyes fell on a long thin glass shard of the Mirror of Erised that lay several feet in front of her. An idea popped into her mind and for a moment she shied away from it.

_The difference between cold blooded murder and wartime execution? Legality._

She looked at the smoke raising from Harry's and Quirells hands and decided. Shakily she forced her hand to move and a long, thin shard of glass rose at her will. For a long, long moment she held it in the grip of her magic, knowing that this would change everything. And then her hand twitched towards Quirrel.

The shard flickered followed by a squelching noise, the screaming ebbed as both Harry and Quirrel fell to the floor. A screaming wraith fled straight down through the floor. Hermione closed her eyes and let herself come to rest on the floor once more as a wave of fatigue overcame her.

* * *

Crunching footsteps echoed through the room, some time afterwards. Fearing he somehow came back she barely had strength to peer through her eyelashes. A wave of relief spread through. Dumbledore was walking slowly towards Harry.

He placed his finger to the boys throat to look for a pulse and sighed.

"You are alive my boy. I am glad. You deserve to live at least a little longer."

She watched him stroke his old hand through the boy's hair and shake his head sadly as he looked at the shattered mirror.

"The best laid plan of mice and men my boy." The old wizard said as he gathered the boy in his hands. "I suppose the power of prophecy will mould events towards resolution. Yet to fulfil the prophecy you have to die. Unless I find the third Hallow."

He started to turn towards her and she hastily closed her eyes.

"At least you have friends to stand by your side. You may yet live dear boy, you may yet live."

She felt herself rise into the air and float and allowed herself to drift away. She was too tired to think, too tired to care.

And somewhere in the depths of her mind she moved Dumbledore from '_Respected-competent-but-crazy'_ to _'Enemy?'_.

And as she drifted off to unconsciousness she mentally slapped herself on the forehead remembering the portkeys. Which they hadn't used.

**AN: **

**In answer to some questions:**

The fay of many names (Summer's Dawn) will show up on ocasion yes.

The Literary society, as well as hermione's book club (separate entities) will feature a big part at some point.

Naru-chan hit on the special training purebloods and even half bloods get. It never made sense that purebloods learned nothing usefull at home, at least theoretical knowledge.

As for hermione's parents. Well... Look far enough and everyone has a Wizard in the family some place. :)

Older character will participate. Even after they leave school. First year is mostly setup. Older years don't hang with firsties. For more hints on future story wait and see. :P

As for spelling of some words from HP universe. i do my best and sometimes my spell checker REMEMBERS the spelling. And then autocorrects. And Sometimes? It remembers the errors and autocorrects. I won't make promisses but if I get some free time I'll fix the old errors.

As for this chapter:

I wanted to illustrate Hermione was not perfect and how things can be forgotten in the heat of battle. They are not soldiers but children. Exceptional children but children non the less. I also shy away from stealing Harry't thunder completely. But in stead of heroes and sidekicks this will be a partnership. Even Ronald will find his niche. Side lining him seems to be a standard practice in fanfiction. Personally I don't like him as he was. But what if he found that thing would set him apart from his brothers. A talent or calling or his own. I wonder what it may be. :)

Anyone care to beta for me in the future?

I really need a kick in the arse.


	14. Chapter 14: Year's end part I

"**Communication is an essential part of warfare as well as civilian life. Imagine our lives without GlobeNet? Without the ability to establish live chat or conference call with anyone on the globe? Without the ability of deep immersion and global scale databases. And what would we have done without SpellNet to InterNet Converters to tide us over until the Crystal Revolution had run it's course? Magic and Technology are both sides of the same coin that is keeping us alive and thriving in the harsh world we live in today. Information wants to be free my friend, and we have _set_ it free while maintaining privacy for those that crave it."**

**Chairman Chang, MagiTech Incorporated.**

**Chapter 12: Years end Part I  
**

Hermione floated in a cloud of nothingness glimpses of scenes flying across her vision. Every time it started the same, a vision of Quirell and Harry, and every time she didn't kill Quirrel, he would still die, and sometime Harry would die with him. Or only Harry would die and Voldemort would rise.

_I guess I did what I had to do._

And with that thought the images shattered and she woke up.

"Ah, good afternoon miss Granger." Madam Pomfery intoned happily. "You gave us a bit of a scare with how long you slept."

"How long?" Hermione asked feeling heavy and sluggish.

"Three and a half days. Mind you there was nothing wrong with you to prevent your awakening, your botched celerity spell did some damage to your back and the spells that hit you did not help. You needed a lot of rest to heal. And refrain from casting NEWT level spells until at least third year." The Matron added wryly. That a first year could achieve even partiall sucess at a complex piece of body magic only was astounding. It required a basic understaning of anatomy on a level only healers usually bother learning.

"Harry, Ron?" She asked groggily.

"Harry is fine. He woke this morning as well." She gestured with her head to the bed on the other side of the room. "Your Weasley friend's concussion forced me to confine him for a day but he has been up and about for a while now. The the trip from the third flood didn't help. He was barely coherent when he walked in and collapsed immediately afterwards. Luckilly he told me enough that I could send a message to Headmaster Dumbledore and urge him to return quickly."

"What was wrong Harry?"

"He used up a bit too much magic doing whatever it is he did to Quirrel. So I gave him a draught to fix that. He should be up by leaving feast."

"What? That was my fault." Hermione said struggling to get up.

"Don't you worry yourself about that. The Headmaster performed a priori incantem on your wands and looked at the traces of magic in the mirror room. Your Reductor curse broke the mirror but the man was dying on his feet. Harry's blood protection was rejecting his presence, he had a piece of the mirror stuck in his kidney and the possession would have killed him in a matter of hours at the most."

Hermione blinked and laid back chewing on that statement. Wandless magic leaves little trace and she killed a man that was dying. Somehow it didn't make it seem beter even in her still fuzzy state.

"Ah, the sleeping beauty is awake!" The headmasters announced as he entered the room.

"Headmaster, I..."

"Now now Miss Granger, do not worry yourself about anything. We owe you and Harry a great thanks after all. Rest up and be ready for a the leaving feast. I dare say it will be entertaining." That said he took Madam Pomfrey into her office.

Hermione frowned at the dismissal and the annoyance sent a tiny pulse of magic through her body. She gasped in surprise at how easily it flowed through her body and how much better she felt. She realised what was wrong with her. She was used to constantly channelling a tiny bit of magic through her body, a fraction of what she drew upon during the fight and without it she felt slow and heavy. This was both good and bad. Good because it indicated her magic has grown an bad because the word addiction came to her when she thought if _needin_ something to feel normal. It merrited some carefull study over the summer.

She applied what she head learned about internal magic and pushed more into her ears to tried to listen in on the conversation.

"...will be able to power the blood wards without falling ill?" The headmaster asked sounding relieved.

"Yes, he'll feel a bit weak in the first day or so until his own magic fully recovers but you know how I feel about that kind of magic."

"It is necessary."

"But if he was a normal boy that kind of ward would leave him with barely enough magic to stay alive!"

"Harry is strong, and the Ward IS keeping him alive. Or did you forget the assassination attempts, or what happened in this very school recently."

"All right headmaster, but I want him out of those wards for a part of his summer. His puberty will be slowed and his growth stunted if he stays in there for that long."

"Have no fear my Madam Pomfrey, he only needs to stay for about five weeks, six to be sure. After that I'll get him to the Weasley's. Will that do it?"

"Yes, If he stays in a magic rich environment afterwards he will have no ill effects in his development. And for heavens sake explain to his guardians the dietary needs of a wizard. He probably still eats like a muggle! A wizard needs energy high foods to thrive!"

"You are the Healer." Intoned the headmaster merrily and bid her good day.

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed, realising she was not the only one with plans and agendas. The heamaster puzzled her. She seemed like he would let Harry get killed to fulfill some prophecy, put him in a bad environment and seemingly planned his life for him. Something was not quite right there.

She submerged herself in deep trance ignoring the outside world for the clarity of the fledgling mental construct that depicted her mind.

Her mental landscape was still a simple one. A large room with a single wall and no ceiling floating in the mist. Bookshelves that contained a sum total of her knowledge were lined up in the middle of the room. A large comfortable leather armchair was s there, a small board flled with post it's where she kept her mental notes and a small cinema projector for when she wanted to go over her memories.

An antique telephone stood on a wooden stand, representing her fledgling leglimancy.

The fog outside her room represented untapped potential of her mind. A warm everlasting fire of her magic burned merrily in a fireplace.

She walked along the shelves of her mind, pulling out a projector reel here and there. What she learned recently deserved a second look and careful consideration.

((line))

Harry Ron and Hermione were taking the scenic route to the feast and making small talk. Hermione casting a sound distortion charm arround them made the boys perk up.

"Time to talk about what happened yet Hermione?" Ronald asked teasingly.

"Not really." Hermione retorted. "Walls have ears. Even now. What I want to make sure we use our summers productively and to give you something to keep in contact with."

"Hermione? I thought we'd be visiting each other during the holidays?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"I think you will have to spent a few weeks at the Dursley's first, if my suspicion is correct." She said frowning.

The boys waited patiently. They knew that look. Harry perked up knowing he was going to learn something new about his world and Ron squirmed knowing a lecture was coming. They were both right.

"Blood magic was used even before the first Olivander made the first staff in 203 BC. I won't go into refinements his descendants performed later I will just point out that a wand core filled with powdered blood of it's recipient will always be compatible with the caster. To make a long story short: Due to the action of the Dark Lord Sangvinus Blood magic was deemed Dark by the precursor to the Ministry in 1673. It was made illegal and cast as immoral. The benevolent uses of it were restricted to ministry approved casters and largely unused. This was amended in 1934 but the damage is done and most of blood magic of old lies forgotten."

"Who is this Sangvinus?" Asked Ron in puzzlement. He had never heard of any dark lord aside from Grimwald.

"Ministry directives." Explained Hermione.

"You need to get your hands on books published before nineteen hundreds to really get data on history. Now hush, I'll finish quicker if you don't interrupt."

"Blood magic is potent when used with wards. The only drawback is that it need a power source anchored in blood of a living being an protects along the similarity principle. Like draws to like."

Harry saw where this was going. "Dursleys." He muttered darkly. Hermione nodded.

"Yes. Their blood protects you and them. You fuel the wards with your magic when you stay with them and when you leave you take a portion of the protection with you. I didn't have much luck in finding details of how it works. I only had three hours in the library."

"How long?" Harry asked.

"Three to five weeks. I suspect Dumbledore will let you go somewhere else then." She explained as she pulled out what looked like plastic bricks out of her bag.

"I transfigured these to look like cellular phones similar to the one daddy uses. There is an enchanted mirror inside that will enable us to see and talk to each other."

Ron whistled. "When did you make this?"

Hermione smiled at him. "That's NEWT level work Ronald. Thank you for your faith in me but I paid Mary Anne to make these last month and she came through today. I designed the casing myself but she did the rune work to adapt the mirrors."

"How do they work?" Asked Harry who had never seen anything like a cellular in person.

"You just press the red button and say call and then a name of the person you are trying to get or you type in their name on the numerical pad. If someone is calling you the phone will emit a ringing noise. Say 'answer' and the mirror will pop out of the expanded space inside the casing. If you are in a muggle area you just press the green button then put this part near your mouth and this part on your ear. Talk normally."

"What if someone wants to borrow it for a call?" Asked Harry taking his phone and studying it.

"The fake display will show it is having signal trouble." Hermione explained with a smug expression on her face.

"Won't we get in trouble with my dad's office?" Ronald asked hesitantly.

"No, It's not a muggle artefact, it only looks like one. It actuallyhelps Secrecy by hiding magical activity into a muggle accepted form."

"Brilliant!" Ronald exclaimed and took his.

"So what is it called?" Asked Harry.

"A Spellphone."

* * *

The leaving feast was magnificent. At the start of the year Hermione had considered the food to be heavy and too rich. The deserts too generous. She knew better now. Magic was fuelled in part by the energies of the body. How this worked eluded her but it was true none the less.

She still avoided the cakes, stuck to fruits and drank pumpkin juice when she needed the energy boost. Still, eating twice then what she ate before coming to Hogwarts barely sent a pang of guilt through her any more.

She knew she was not attractive, but she was damned if she was going to become obese on top of everything. She had been carefully monitored her figure for excessive thickening and after a year of heavy eating she found none. On the contrary the most of her puppy fat she had melted away some time during the year.

So now she happily dug into the delicious food that was served with no compulsion to go easy on the gravy, poured cream liberally over her masher potatoes and essentially ate like a well mannered pig.

Still one of her mental notes was a scheduled visit to the doctor over the summer and check her blood especially for cholesterol. Just to make sure.

She glanced around the table, to her right girls were exchanging last minute gossip, Lavander Brown was hastily scribbling something with her quill for Parvati while the Weasley twins deftly levitated something into her goblet.

To her right Dean Thomas was edging away from Ronald Weasley who once again was losing his grip on his manners. She sent a discrete stinging hex at him and he looked at her sheepishly slowing down a bit and chewing with his mouth closed. She made a mental note to have words with the boy about hiding things from her. If she knew his head bump had been that bad she would have never let him use his portkey.

She winced every time she thought about the portkeys and recalled her reckless stupidity. She shook her head and turned to find Harry.

Harry was deep in thought, probably thinking about their plans for the holidays.

Finally the Headmaster rose and the chatter in the hallways dimmed.

"It has been a long and successful year. Your minds are a little fuller with knowledge now, and I am glad that everyone here took the effort. As you know, the time has come to award the house cup to a house that gathered the most points."

The Slytherin cheered loudly and the rest of the houses grumbled. The headmaster smiled indulgently.

"Yes I see the Syltherin have been monitoring the standings. The Slytherin are first with a convincing lead of four hundred and seventy points followed by the Hufflepuff who have Three hundred and ninety points. The Ravenclaws are third with Three hundred and fifteen points followed by the Grfyindoor with two hundred and ninety nine points."

He smiled and clapped with the cheering Slytherin and politely clapping Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff.

"Well done Slytherin. How ever, I must admit, due to some recent events some points still need be awarded."

The hall quieted, the Slytherin looking a bit put off.

"First of all, for a dedicated year round Research and Investigation into a security issue Ronald Wesley, Harry potter and Hermione Granger are awarded ten points each."

"For pragmatic logic and self sacrifice, Ronald Weasley is awarded forty points."

The Gryfindoor, clapped, while the rest of the houses have been confused.

"Finally, for excellent teamwork and courage in protecting this school and each other mister Potter and Miss Granger are awarded fifty points each."

The Gryfindoor held their breath, while the Slytherin looked al little green Everyone was adding up points.

"Now, there is one more person to today who deserves points. The courage needed to stand up to friends when you believe they are making a mistake is harder then the one needed to stand up to enemies who are a threat to you. So to mister Neville Longbottom I award a single point."

The hall fell silent as everyone did their maths and then after several long moments a single voice rose in laughter. Malfoy of all people was laughing as he stood up and started clapping followed by the Wesley twins who got the joke.

The rest of the hall was silent mostly in confusion looking from the twins to Malfoy, wondering who won.

"Professor Snape, Professor McGonogal, since the points are tied according to the Hogwarts charter you could either share the victory or choose a champion and hold a competition for supremacy?"

"Flip for it!" yelled one of the twins.

"Bob for apples!" called the other.

"Duel!" Yelled a Slytheryn prefect.

As the hall rang with more propositions and ideas the two heads conferred with the headmaster.

**AN:**

I still cannot find a fun way to end this. What sort of competition would the professors engage in I wonder. If someone makes a brilliant suggestion I'll use it in stead of my arguably lacklustre one.

One more chapter I think and year one is done. And Summer Dreams start.


	15. Chapter 15: Years end II

**_"Some compare the future to rivers or branches of a tree. I say this to them: The future is a series of avalanches, each being set off by a single original pebble."_**

**Maya Trelawney, Two Eyes.**

**AN:** I have to thank the person that goes by siaru74 on cearazkaban for pointing out a constant grammatically error I had been making. Tara Li is another such person, or the same person helping me twice. I was too dumb to ask. :)

I also have to admit my original plan to finish the year before the end of November has failed. In stead you get another short chapter.  
One more chapter left, and then the epilogue before I start on Midsummer Dreams.

Chapter 13. Years End II

Profess or Flitwick sighed, dabbed his mouth with a napkin and put away his desert. He knew where this was going. He was uncertain what the headmaster's agenda was this time and in truth did not care. Two more days and he would be on vacation. His duty now was clear.

He stood up as Dumbledore announced a formal duel would take place, and took his rightful place officiating the school yard scuffles that the so called civilized people passed for combat. A flick of his wand and space for a standard size, six meter circle was cleared in front of the faculty table.

"This will be a standard personal, non lethal three round duel. Magnitude three or lower spells only, knock outs or pinning count for victory. If one opponent is too injured to fight or safety margins are exceed I will end the duel and award the victory according to current standing." He announced officially as the duellers took their place.

"Are you ready?" He asked and as the duellers nodded their assent his surroundings faded and his consciousness connected to the duelling circle, enchanted perception noting every detail of the duel and the duellers.  
A golden hourglass appeared above the dome as Flitwick took a deep breath.

"Round one. Fight!"

* * *

Severus Snape was a potion master. He loved the subtle art for its complexity, precision and grace. Yet he held mastery in Defence, his other love and was a superb dueller in his time. True he was slightly out of practice but he felt he could hold his own against his slightly older colleague.

After all she had spent the war mostly in a support role and he had been a death eater. He settled in the duelling stance most favoured in the last twenty five years for it's power and defensibility. It pointed the wand directly at the opponent while presenting the least profile for a counter.

He noted the light shake in his opponent's wand arm and the deep breath McGonnagal took before she closed her eyes and smirked.

The duelling circle closed around them and he felt it's confining, ever present grip cause a small surge of adrenaline in his fight of flight system. His opponent's eyes were still closed. Too bad. He sent out a quick, silent paralysing hex gambling on a quick finish.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall looked at her opponent with false calm as the duelling circle was built. Her hands shook slightly as she wondered how on earth she had managed to get into a duel after so many years.

Oh she knew the direct reason: Albus was up to his games again trying to salvage or redirect things after the spectacular failure of his plan to trap you-know-who.

What was bothering her was that she allowed herself to be pulled into this scheme so easily and against her better judgement. True Professor Snape has been incessantly smug lately and she had been feeling generally restless in the past year. With miss Granger's antics reminding her of things best left forgotten.

The officiator inquired upon her readiness and she reluctantly assented as reality faded around her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the duelling circle snapped fully closed and a familiar tingle rushed down her spine.

She had thought it was all behind her, the danger, the pain and the other things that made the pain worth it. She was almost seventy years old. Combat was a game for the young. Or so she had thought. Apparently her spirit animal had other ideas. Honour of ones pardus was a serious thing. And she was still not too old to smack down the young tom that had challenged her. Hogwarts, reality, her thoughts, fears and reluctance faded away into the darkness and her own steady heartbeat.

"Round one. Fight."

The world narrowed and slowed as blood pounded liquid fire through her veins and a small, wicked smile showed itself on her usually stern face as the white fire spread outward from deep in her belly.

Her eyes snapped open and it was like she had never stopped. Magic from deep within rose and crackled along her fingertips, eager to do her bidding and as her opponent, her prey, snapped off his first hex at her she knew she had lost none of her edge.

The curses path was obvious and she stepped casually sideways letting the spell ray pass her. She returned a simple impediment jinx just to keep him guessing and settled into a modified manticore stance that was her favourite in one on one duel.

Wand held high in her right and behind her, left palm palm thrust in front for shielding and fine manipulation she began to stalk her prey while a distant part of her mind easily kept tracks of the limits of todays hunt. She would taste blood some other day.

* * *

Severus Snape frowned slightly as she sidestepped his curse casually and settled into an unknown and awkward looking stance. It took him half a second to realize she had sent a return jinx at him which he blocked with a casual and only seemingly effortless flick of his wand. "Interesting." He thought and conceded that there was more to his counterpart then he surmised.  
Her smile unsettling and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as instincts to use deadly force rose to the surface. He quashed them ruthlessly and analyzed the changed situation.  
Apparently he was going to give this duel his full attention.

* * *

Hermione Granger watched in awe as the first probing hexes descended into a furious exchange of curses and counter curses. She could barely follow the fight and resorted to boosting her own perception so she could take everything in. She began to take note of the radical difference in style. Professor Snape preferred counter curses and deflection, fighting with calm precision, his movements crisp and efficient, deflecting and casting at the same time.

Professor McGonnagal on the other hand moved with sleek grace and intensity. Her curses were sent at odd angle from on high, her left hand shielding or deflecting curses that she could not dodge while her right attacked, matching her opponent curse for curse.

The students watched in silent awe. Most of them having never seen a duel of this class or intensity before. An eerie silence descended on the great hall, the only noise the sound of a boot upon stone, the swish of a wand and the sound of shattering stone.

"Time up!" The voice of professor Flitwick. "No clear winner. The Next round starts in three minutes and will last six minutes, class four spells allowed."

The diminutive professor then set about fixing the stone floor for the next round. The great hall exploded in excited conversation and as the next round started shouts of encouragement could be heard for both sides.

* * *

The three Gryffindors sat in contented silence as the Hogwarts Express plodded on steadily through Scottish scenery. It has been a hectic last day and the display of skill and ability at the end of the year feast was unlike anything they had seen. Now that they were finally getting home everything had slowed down to a nice serene pace and the Gryffindors were enjoying the tranquility.

Hermione was absently leafing through the new Flourish and Blot's catalogue marking down an occasional book, Ron was eating the chocolate frogs he won betting on McGonnagall and Harry was looking out the window.

"I'll never be able to look at professor Mcgonagal the same way again." Mused Harry absently.

Ron snorted as he unwrapped a chocolate frog. "Tell me about it Harry. Who knew the old biddy had it in her."

"Ronald!" Hermione swatted him on the shoulder with her palm. "You can't talk about her like that, especially after that display. Professor Snape was pretty good too."

"I have to hand it to Snape, he knows how to duel." allowed Harry grudgingly. "He's still a bastard."

Hermione glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Well come on Hermione, he is!" he whined.

She just stared at him while Ronald chuckled at Harry's crumbling expression.

"Ooh fine. He's not a bastard. He's rude to me and an unprofessional teacher even if he can fight and tried to help me not die once or twice," he sighed.

"She wiped the floor with his arse in the end mate when he summoned those snakes. I wish I had pictures of his face when she transfigured them into mongooses and turned them on him," snickered the redhead. Hermione stopped glaring at Harry and chuckled at the memory. That had been an amusing moment.

"Yeah and the way she confunded them into thinking Snape was a big tasty snake. What she made them say to the man was hilarious," laughed Harry. The other two looked at him funny.

"What the Mongooses were saying?" Hermione asked intrigued. "You could understand them?"

"Blimey Harry. I dind't know you could speak to mongooses?" Ron stared at his friend before getting distracted as a chocolate frog made it's bid for freedom.

Harry blinked stupidly. "You mean they weren't speaking English?"

A feeling of dread spread inside his chest when a slightly mad grin spread on Hermione's Face. He knew that grin.

"I just became a research topic," he said with resignation.

She nodded happily.

"And I have to participate since it's my ability."

Again with a happy nod. She paused and glanced at Ron. Her smile changed and she nodded at the busy redhead redhead. Harry nodded back.

"And since we'll be doing research we will expand the topics a little," he added knowingly, his voice seeped in doom and grave feelings.

"Ha, I don't envy you mate. Spending your summer in a library," commented Ron as he happily bit the head off the fugitive chocolate frog.

Harry glanced at his best mate and grinned. "Oh don't worry mate, you get to help."

Ron stopped chewing and his eyes widened.

"Oy! Hold on..." He trailed off at a pair of mad grins aimed at him.

"Don't worry Ronald, I'm sure we can set aside some time for having fun. A day or two." Hermione

"You're just having me on right?" Ron retorted pleadingly.

"Oh fine you can have Sundays off too," Harry allowed amicably.

"Harry!"

"Only Sunday afternoons Hermione, he'll earn it by working extra hard in the morning," he amended quickly.

Ron stared at them, dazed as his lost vacation time flashed before his eyes. He blinked the spots from his eyes from the flash and realized a laughing Harry was holding a battered looking camera. He looked at Hermione and realized by her giggles that he had just been had.

"You guys stink" Ronald declared and then looked at Hermione. "We don't really have to do research?"

"Only if you want to and are able to visit at my house in London. That's where I'm assembling my new library."

"There is no way Mum will let me out of her sight for that long. An hour or two, maybe. Longer? No way," he sighed.

"Don't worry Ronald. We can still talk on the spell phone," Hermione patted his shoulder comfortingly.

Ron nodded and then seemed to recall something.

"You can really talk to mongooses then?" He asked Harry.

"Sure he can," Hermione corrected her eyes glinting with realisation. "But only because a magical mongoose speaks snake."

Ronald gaped at her like she was a nutter and Harry stared at her with confusion before holding his hand up.

"Stop right there," he intoned feeling slightly miffed. "You are right about me speaking parseltongue. What I want to know how in the name of three laws of flaming decompression did you figure that out. I only found out what it was called last month and have never even hinted at the talent."

Hermione smiled mysteriously fiddling with her dragon pendant. "Oh, I have my ways."

"Hermione! Come on spill it!" Harry begged, angle of attack changing rapidly. He looked at her mournfully with big green pleading eyes.

"Oh fine, I'll tell you," Hermione seemingy relented. She took a deep breath, leaned closed to share the confidence and after a significant pause she said: "I cheat."

Harry slapped his forehead in frustration and growled at her as Ron laughed at his friends misfortune. "She got you there mate!"

"Tell me," Harry growled.

"No," came a mirthful reply..

"I'll buy you candy," he offered.

Hermione was relentless and shook her head.

"I'll cook you lasagna," he increased his bid.

Hermione cocked her head to the side seemingly in thought and then smiled mischievously.

"You already owe me half a dozen meals. No."

"Hermione. Don't make me torture it out of you," he leaned over menacingly and flexed his fingers.

"You wouldn't dare," she countered hesitantly and leaned back a little.

Harry smiled at the weakness in his stubborn, secret keeping enemy.

"Last chance," he said leaning over further his fingers wiggling. In a fortuitous discovery during one of their practice sessions the boys have discovered Hermione's dreadful secret. Hermione Jane Granger, genius extraordinaire was... Ticklish.

"Harry I'm warning..." she was cut off as Harry pounced on her and exploited her secret weakness.

"Haaaaaary!" Hermione yelled and then collapsed into helpless laughter.

"Spill it and the torture stops," he relented slightly after twenty seconds

"Ron!" Hermione gasped in between giggles. "Help!"

Harry and Ron exchanged glances and Ron smiled joining the tickle fight. On Harry's side.

"RONALD!" Hermione squealed Ron pulled her hands up and the boys made her beg for mercy.

* * *

Hermione was trying to find a moment of weakness to try and turn the tables on the boys while thanking the gods she had just been to the bathroom when the compartment doors opened and Draco Malfoy walked in. The tickling stopped and Hermione gasped for breath as the boys instantly stood to face the newcomer.

"Malfoy," growled Ron.

"Mister Malfoy," nodded Harry somewhat formally.

Hermione took a gasping breath and finally managed to pull out her wand he glanced at Malfoy. Sensing no malice from the boy, only weary respect she hastily drew a shining circle in the air and infused a splitter rune into it.

"I wanted to propose a truce for next year," he glanced at Hermione and his eyes widened slightly as Hermione drew glyphs around the circle. She smiled at him it was not a nice smile.

"However as you are going to be busy I'll come back in say... Twenty minutes?" he added questioningly. At Hermione's nod he bowed slightly and hastily left the compartment.

"Oy Harry what was that abo..."

"FORTIS RICTUSEMPRA MULTIPLICO!"

A combination of hysterical and evil laughter ensued in the compartment. A prefect briefly considered stepping in but realising whose compartment it was hastily moved along.

* * *

Draco hurried down the hall to his compartment his mind again reeling from what he saw.

Draco Malfoy was no fool. Oh he knew he had everything served to him on a platter and that he might be considered a bit spoiled. He didn't care, he liked the splendour of a life of privilege . He was no great book learner but he was smart enough to see which way the winds were blowing.

He had listened to the rumours, he heard what had happened to the Ravenclaw prefect that accosted her. He himself had felt Granger's magic on his bones. Potter was being civil to him, due to Granger's counsel. And even the Weasley was wrapping his contempt into curt, sharp words.

He wasn't sure if Granger was an aberrant Mudblood retainer under Potter's wing or if she was a hidden heiress that took Potter under her's. Either way her magic and poise commanded a certain respect and her willingness to backstab her two friends in revenge spoke of a certain ruthlessness. True they were just playing around but that amplifying circle was something straight out of his grandfather's repertoire. Splitting a spell while retaining it's potency wasn't something a first year student should know. Or be able to do. He knew he couldn't.

As for the other thing, what Potter and Weasley were doing? Tickling someone without magic? What a novel idea. He opened the doors and smiled at his Pansy and her friend Daphne who was kind enough to keep them company.

"How did it go?" his fiancée asked and he shrugged and plopped down next to her. It was good to let his metaphorical hair down in the privacy of his own compartment.

"Bad timing, I'll have to come back when they are finished. They seemed willing to listen, at least."

"Oh?" Daphne inquired eloquently.

"Granger is currently busy torturing the boys in revenge for a transgression."

"What kind of transgression?" Pansy asked.

Draco looked at his fiance and smiled.

"Oh, Potter and Weasly had taken certain liberties upon her body and she used my arrival to escape and turn the tables on them. Hexed them right in the back she did."  
Daphne's eyes widened and Pansy licked her lips intrigued by the potential juicy gossip.

"What kind of liberties?" His fiancée asked barely containing her interest and Draco smirked. He knew how his betrothed thought. Perhaps it was time to see if he could push that alliance of mutual respect into actual friendship. It would take something drastic and informal to signify such a desire and he had learned just the thing.

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order," he flexed his fingers experimentally and pounced ignoring the voice in the back of his head that screamed breach of etiquette. He was a Malfoy. He made the rules.

End Chapter

**OMAKE (A crossover with BuffyTVS)**  
**As is, spelling errors abound. :P**

Voldemort looked up at the red haze that was the sky these days and wiped the  
sweat off his forehead.

The lesser demons were relentless and the Old One that he had been barely  
fighting to a standstill had been weakened by the dawn and fled. He slowly  
loosened his grasp on the lesser dragon line and sighed in relif. He looked  
arround the battlefield and grimmanced.

"Sargeant!" He hissed

"General!" A powerfull figure in magitech mark III power armour snapped to  
atention.

"Status?"

"All twelve Basilisk knights ready and accounted for Sir! Jenkins took a beating  
during te minute he held off that Old One when it showed up but he'll be fine in  
a few days. The guardsmen suffered twelve percent casulties. Three permanent  
fatalities."

Voldemort nodded at his fillower. How a man can puff his chest and look smug while  
wearing a mark III he had no clue.

"I could expect no less. Fall back to position delta and assist the defenders on  
New Delhi. Your men can take six hours for R&R when you get there. You can take  
two."

"Hurrah sir!"

As the squad fell back from the once more dormant hellmouth and the guardsmen  
arround them gathered their wits he pulled out a comunication crystal.

"Connect to White Witch." He spoke.

"Xander I told you the reinforcements are... Ah. General Voldemort. My  
apologies. What can Central do for you?"

"Delhi Hellmouth Sealed for the month."

"Already?"

"An Old One manifested and pinned my men down."

"And you popped in there on your night off and held it off until sunrise so the  
knights could seal the breach." Willow smirked "How very noble."

"I'm a dark lord. I don't do noble." Voldemort growled and cut the connection.  
Silly girl couldn't understand that these things are a matter of cost and gain.  
And the Basilisk knights were worth far more then his night off. Even if thy  
used to be muggles. He sighed. Things he did for survival. If he ever gets his  
hands on the idiot that opened the Hellgate...

He shook his head. No time to dwell upon plesantries. Bella was waiting and she  
hinted she had acquired a bottle of chianti and would keep it on ice until he  
came back.


	16. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Do no own.

AN: See notes after epilogue

_**You want to predict the future? How silly. You can't predict the future. It is always in motion to paraphrase an old movie. The best you can do is listen to it's tune and hope for the best.**_

_**Selene Lovegod**_

Epilogue: **Of Musing Minds** (Or how it all went off the rails)

* * *

The old Scottish castle was empty for the summer and high in one of it's towers silhouetted in a window a figure stood deep, looking outside deep in thought..

Albus Dumbledore was troubled. Tom had been right under his nose the whole time.

Was he getting old? He failed to get even a whiff of dark magic from Quirrel.

And his brilliant plan backfired when those children tried to "Save" the stone. And he could not tell them it was all a ruse. No no. They had to keep their spirit.

And that Girl! She was powerful. Merlin! She could become almost as great as himself! Could he have misinterpreted? Was the power friendship?

Well. Friendship was a form of love. And who knew what might develop.

He would have to change his plans a little. Fit her into the possibilities. Yes.

He would test it before changing the final scenario.

To be sure.

He would not fail them.

Never Again.

The old man stepped back and went to his desk, dipped a quill in some ink and started adjusting entries that were written inside a small red book.

* * *

The invisible specter of Voldemort dated through the streets of London dipping in and out of pedestrians like a black demented butterfly.

Each touch would return a minuscule portion of power to him. Enough to keep him lucid and moving. He needed the lucidity so he fed on these lesser beings.

Tom Malvoro Riddle was troubled. Has he fallen so low to be defeated by children using school jinxes?

The boy. He was powerful for a child. Hellfire! He was powerful for an adult wizard! He had to be killed!

And the girl, Oh he so wanted to get his hands on that girl. The arrays her blood would fuel!

And yet. They should not have won. Even if he was weakened.

Could it be that he had spread himself too thinly? Could he have misjudged the power of a human soul?

But how could that be? If that was true then what else had he misjudged in choosing this path to mortality and power?

No it could not be.

And yet.

He had to test it.

Yes.

He would re-absorb one.

Just one.

To test it.

* * *

Hermione Jane Granger was quiet on her car ride home. She Glad as she was to see her parents, she neded to think and thus acted as if she was sleepy and too tired to talk. Her eyes closed she pondered her actions.

Had she been arrogant to think she could stand with a boy against a Dark Lord and his minion?

Had she been naïve to think there would be no bloodshed?

What had she been thinking when she first walked this path?

What if she had died? And for what? Friendship? Alliance? What if she fails?

But no. What ifs are useless. Voldemort knew her face now. Saw her as an enemy. The unholy spectre.

She would have to delve deeper and faster into the mental labyrinth of her mind.

Studies could wait. Magic could wait. Homework... Yes. Even homework could wait. She needed a clear head from now on.

And when the time came...

She had killed once. She could do it again.

As many times as she had to.

Until she and her's were safe.

* * *

Ina another quiet car Vernon Dursley was troubled. The boy had come back changed.

It was subtle but Vernon was no fool.

The boy was changed. He kept his hand near that blasted stick at all times, his eyes searching the world around him. Constantly looking for god knew what, like he was expecting trouble. Yet the boys was not a nervous wreck. No. He looked like he was waiting. Calm dead eyes watching the world around him.

Like a coiled snake ready to strike.

Sliding over Vernon and dismissing him as a non threat.

He had seen eyes like that before. In a zoo.

Yes Vernon Dursley was no fool.

He would not push the boy. It had happened.

Like he had feared.

And now it was too late to try and kill him.

Wasn't it?

* * *

Lying in his bed that night Harry Potter was troubled.

Voldemort was alive and promised revenge.

And he was not going to stay quiet in his suburban home and keep his head down.

He felt as he had been asleep all his life until he met Hermione. And now he was awake. And he was not going back to sleep or putting his head into the sand. No. His soul was burning brightly and he would no longer suppress it. Dursleys may like it or not. If Vernon tries raising his voice he would ignore him. If he tries raising his hand Harry would break it. They were by no means his family. He would find one some day though. A family that would love him.

For now, he had friends willing to stand beside him. Two of which had the sheer gumption to risk facing a dark lord with him.

When he asked why the rigorous study Hermione gave him books that studied the previous three wizard wars. He never complained after that.

He was aware that there was a good chance Voldemort would spark the fire of a new war. Possibly very soon.

And Harry would be right smack in the middle of the blaze.

Carefree childhood my arse.

* * *

**Author's note.**

Yeah. I'm a bad person for leaving this like that. I had intended to post first few chapters of the sequel at the same time as I posted an epilogue. I failed. While I have some things written it is not what I need to continue this. The drive is not there.

On the bright side I have two things to say:

1. I plan to continue this. I might do a time skip or go by year. It will be somewhat slow unless a muse hits me over the head with an Inspirebat (TM)

The main difficulty I am experiencing is that I have no intent of rehashing the HP series and possibly I will only use materials from first four books. (Or even first three)

2. Several people had mentioned this and I concur that there is potential in this so:

**Kick In The Arse Challenge**

-Pick a character (Not the lead, if possible. Pick a female if possible)

-Pick a Fandom (Or Crossover)

-Give that character a Kick In The Arse

-Watch the whole thing snowball.

Rules:

1. When possible the kick should come from an older and wiser version of the person involved.

2. No direct time travel or Resets. Message in a bottle only, restricted in how much can be sent.

3. Include juicy future tidbit that will blow that character's mind.

4. Feel free to add some crazy awesome.


End file.
