Hermione, no longer Muggle

Ana screamed.

"Get it away! Get it away!"

Hermione wasn't sure of what to do, something she didn't really like. Something she was sure of, however, was that it was her who had turned Ana's desk into a large and angry cocker spaniel, which was threatening to leap.

"Everyone outside! I don't know what happened, but it's not safe!" cried Ms. Tomkins, Hermione's teacher.

Most of the class fled to the door and onto the playground, it being only a few minutes until morning break anyway, but Hermione straddled, thinking to herself.

This was not the first time something unusual had happened. There had been all sorts of goings on of the sort throughout her life, but recently, it had gotten almost common. Just the other week, she had somehow flown a football over the school fence when Gregory Fitzhugh had walloped it at her head. And the week before, Carly Richards' skipping rope had started snaking out of control and through round her ankles when Carly had inquired what kind of house chipmunks lived in.

Hermione ran over these events in her mind, considering todays as well. Ana had been pelting rubbers at Hermione, who was trying not to retaliate, but somehow did, hence the five foot canine. Being a logical girl, she realised that all the strange happenings seemed to come about when she was angry or upset. This still didn't really tell her how she was doing it. Maybe it was something to do with her brain waves -

"OW!" Hermione yelled, for she had just been hit on the head by another football

"Yes! Right on target, ha haaa!" It was Andy Mengon, one of Gregory's friends.

Hermione calmed herself. "If you knew what I could do," she muttered at their retreating backs, "you wouldn't go near me."

Well, they didn't really need to know what she could do to not go near her. Most of her classmates stayed away from Hermione, unless they were coming up to taunt her. She was so glad that it was finally the last day of term, and the last day of of her final year at primary school. Maybe she'd actually make some friends in her next school. A clean start. Of course, some of the people from her old class would be joining too, but she'd just have to talk to people before they did. St Dunstan's just had to be better than her current school.

When the bell went for class to begin again, the caretaker was bringing in a replacement desk for Ana, scratching his head in wonder of the cocker spaniel. Another unknown oddity performed by Hermione Granger, she thought sadly.

***-***

"Oh, afternoon, Pumkin," said Mrs Granger as Hermione pulled her house key out of the lock and closed the door. "How was your last day of school?"

"Oh, all right. Not too eventful," Hermione mumbled warily. She hadn't told her mother about her talent for strangeness and didn't intend to do so very soon. She was then given what her mother called a "snack", which consisted of carrot sticks, cucumber, celery and lettuce on non-slated crackers. Hermione gave a small sigh, which Mrs Granger unfortunately heard, so she went into her "Dental hygiene" lecture once again.

Hermione had heard this many times before, and had it timed so she knew when to nod and murmur something like "Yes" or "I understand" without having to listen. Having a dentist for a mother and an orthodontist for a father was none too interesting. Having no friends didn't really make it any better. Still, at least now there was no school for six weeks, and no Cuddington Croft ever again. She did like learning, but that was all she liked about school.

Hermione went to bed at ten 'o clock, still thinking of her tedious and boring normality. She wasn't even strangely normal. Just regularly normal.

"That's probably the reason no one likes me," she thought to herself. "There's nothing special about me whatsoever, or at least nothing they know about. Maybe my emotional powers will develop enough to set me apart from the crowd..."

And she fell asleep, still considering this possibility.

***-***

Then next morning, she woke up at 7:43, according to her digital alarm clock. She tried to get back to sleep and have a lie-in for her first day of summer holidays, but couldn't. She resolved to go downstairs and maybe prepare breakfast for her parents.

While the kettle was boiling, she came out of the kitchen to watch some early morning television. Just as she stepped into the hallway, she saw an envelope fly through the letter box. It was only five to eight, she thought. Far too early for post, which usually came around nine. She was also intrigued by the way it had swooped into landing. The kettle and cartoons forgotten, she went to pick up the letter and was shocked at the address on the front, which said;

Miss Hermione Granger

The Left back-bedroom

67, Christopher's Avenue

Oxford

As it was obviously addressed to her, Hermione turned the letter over to open it, noticing as she did a wax seal which looked like a letter H on a shield. She pulled out the paper, which was more like old fashioned parchment, and read what was written. Once she had finished, she gleefully yelled "I'm special!" at the letter from a school which changed her life...

... and the rest... well, I think you know that!