Power Within

Chapter 13

Hermione's News

Dumbledore raised his hand for silence.

"First, you will all receive a week of detention." He then turned his gaze toward Pansy and Millicent. "I now need a few words with these four. You two will receive the details of your detention afterwards." Dumbledore dismissed the bewildered girls. The remaining four students did not know whether to be frightened or happy they were only receiving detention.

Draco looked from Hermione to her parents as the girls left.

Odd--Granger's parents at Hogwarts.

Apparently, Hermione had the same thought.

"Professor, may I ask a question?"

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"I am a bit confused. I-I thought Hogwarts had charms that prevented Muggles from seeing it?"

"And it does, Miss Granger." Hermione looked from Dumbledore to Harry and Ron and then to her parents. Her parents looked at each other and then to their daughter, but they did not look as happy. Something obviously was not right.

Draco sat quietly watching this. He could not have asked for a better seat. For the first time he was right in the first row to the trio's mayhem and madness.

Nevertheless, why is my mother here?

"The answer lays partially in the memory you had in ah--Professor Snapey's class." Snape looked livid, McGonagall stifled laughter, as did everyone else--including Draco's mum? Hermione explained that she was clueless to the memory and everything was so dark except for the few things she seemed to see through someone else's eyes. Dumbledore listened quietly and then brought a question up to Hermione. "Miss Granger have you ever heard the theory of memories being imprinted in someone's DNA?"

"Yes?"

"When your mother was carrying you were you not one entity?"

"Yes, I see. I was having pre-natal memories and what I did see was a memory of what my mother saw." Dumbledore nodded and smiled at his bright student. Harry and Ron looked utterly shocked. The portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses listened almost as intently as the morning Dumbledore explained to Harry about the Prophecy. But there was still something not clicking in Hermione's head.

"Professor, I still don't understand. I come from Muggles." Dumbledore looked at Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Draco was shocked at what was happening and enthralled at the same time. Suddenly the flames in the fireplace turned a sudden green and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stepped out.

"Oh Blimey! I'm in trouble." Dumbledore smiled at Ron.

"As you bloody well should be!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked at Ron. "Even Fred and George never pulled such a stunt!" Harry could not stop the small smile on his face from this comment, but it soon disappeared when she turned to Harry. "And you! How could you! What would your Mum and Dad say if they were still alive! Harry, I would have thought you would know better." Draco could not help but laugh at the Weasley's mother now turning to Harry as if he was one of her own children. Yet, he had heard that he spent a lot of time at the Burrow, where she took on the motherly role. He and Granger spent a lot of time there. His laugh was stopped by his mother's glare. Suddenly the fireplace went green again and Remus Lupin came out.

"Molly, calm down. James would have beamed with pride at his son following in his footsteps at Hogwarts; Lily would be a different story. However, Harry, you knew better." Draco was finding it quite hard to maintain a straight face about the boy-who-got-busted being reprimanded by several adults--none of which were his parents. Yes, the entire Wizarding world had adopted Potter and was acting as so at the moment. He was not Saint Potter right now, but a 16 year old who was caught having a party. Draco found his straight face when he glanced at his mother though.

Finally, Hermione's mother spoke. "Well, dear, yes what you saw was through my eyes at the time I carried you. A memory I shall never forget and a memory I wanted to keep you from. But I knew one day you would have to know." At that, her father sighed and walked up to his beloved bewildered daughter and squatted down in front of her.

"Everything was done for you. To keep you safe." Her father sighed and rose up his shirtsleeve. The Dark Mark stared back at Hermione. Even Draco couldn't believe what he was seeing--Granger's father a Death Eater? Hermione on the other hand felt all the air leave her lungs.

"What? What..."

"No, it is not what you think sweetie." Her dad reassured her. "Yes, I was a Death Eater--yes, I know what they are. Obviously, I am no Muggle. We did, however live in the muggle world and maintain a muggle life."

"But why?"

"You-Know-Who sent I to find your mother and I found her, but I did not return with her and I ignored the burning each time he beckoned. I would not hand over the woman I fell in love with."

Hermione could not believe what she was hearing--her father was a run away Death Eater? How could this be! Hermione felt her world, as she knew it crumbling around her.

"I don't understand. Why--why would Voldemort want my mother?" She looked at Ron. "Will you stop? It's just a name for Merlin's sake!" This is where Hermione's mother came back to explain.

"Your grandmother ran from him when she was young--about 20."

"And?"

"Well, she ran because after she left Hogwarts..."

"Whoa! Wait a minute! My dead grandmother that I never knew went here and you never told me?" This was getting to be too much for Hermione to take and in front of Malfoy! He seemed to be enjoying watching her life fall apart.

"Yes, honey. Grandmother was a witch. Did you not ever wonder why I never spoke of your grandfather, my father?"

"Yes and no." Hermione had never given it a second thought. She never knew her grandparents to question her mother so it appeared insignificant.

"We were hiding honey. Your Grandmother and me. As you know my maiden name was Dildre." Hermione's heart was racing. Something told her she did not want to know the next part. Draco was no longer smiling in enjoyment. He had a feeling what was coming and was not looking forward to Hermione's reaction. Some part of him wanted to save her from it and Harry seemed to be experiencing the same sensation. Harry reached a hand out and took Hermione's hand stroking it. Draco wished he could do that. Mrs. Granger smiled at Harry and then went back to her daughter. "Honey, that was not my true maiden name. It is the French name we were given in hiding by the ministry and I did not go to Hogwarts as your Grandfather would have expected--but Beauxbatons Academy, where I met Narcissa here." Hermione's only comfort was Harry's hand. She looked to him with tears welling in her eyes. Draco was going mad. He felt as he did in the tower common room in the tower the day she had the memory, but this time he could not comfort her.

"Okay, so I come from witches not Muggles?" Her parents nodded. Hermione took a deep breath. "Okay, so if that was the name given to you by the ministry to go into hiding and you went to a school your father would not expect you to be at--why the big secret? Who is your father? Who is the grandfather I never knew?" Every adult in the room seemed to stop moving and breathing for that moment. Harry squeezed her hand for comfort and Draco stared into the fireplace now wishing to be anywhere but there. Hermione's mother finally sighed and let the walls of Hermione's life collapse on top of her.

"Tom Riddle."