Chapter 21: Hermione's Choice
July 9 - Hogwarts - 10:15am
Harry stared around him at the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Where the teachers table normally sat was a podium decked with flowers and pictures of those they were all here to remember. Several smaller pictures of Sirius included him with the other Marauders, and Harry had felt tears burning in his eyes as he watched his dad and Sirius in the pictures. Dumbledore had asked if he wanted to say something about Sirius, but Harry couldn't imagine trying to say anything in front of people. Hermione squeezed his hand reassuringly.
"Dumbledore says my uncle should arrive soon," Hermione whispered softly. "You'll stay with me, right?"
"I won't leave your side unless you tell me to," Harry replied squeezing her hand back. The two moved away from the front of the room until they found themselves by Neville, Ginny, and Gretchen near the back of the Great Hall.
"Hey, guys," Ron said coming up alongside them as well. He looked at his friends clasped hands for a moment, then looked away. "I brought some extra glasses of pumpkin juice if anyone would like some." Hermione released Harry's hand slowly and took a glass of juice.
"Thanks, Ron," she said before taking a drink.
"I think I'd like something a little stronger than pumpkin juice," Neville said much to everyone's surprise as they turned to look at him in shock. Neville had yet to approach the front of the room to look at the display for his grandmother. Ginny and Gretchen had stayed by his side the entire time even though he basically had just listened to them talking rather than saying anything himself.
"I could talk to Fred and George," Ron suggested thinking he'd probably want a large drink himself had he lost someone from his family.
"Thanks," Neville replied. Ron looked at him for a moment. Neville had really changed a lot since the department of mysteries. He nodded at the thanks, as Ginny took the other glass of juice.
"When do the others get here?" Ginny questioned curious breaking the silence that had descended on the group.
"Dumbledore said he would keep things private until 10:30 when others would start to arrive, mostly the D.A. and close family and friends who lost someone," Harry answered raking a hand through his messy black hair. He missed Hermione's touch, but understood why she had let go of his hand. Neither had told Ron yet of their relationship, so it wouldn't do to look too friendly in front of him until they had a chance to sit down and talk to him. It bothered him that he had yet to manage to find the words to tell his best friend. So far, every time they had started to tell him, something would happen and the moment would pass. The secret weighed on him, and he knew Ron had noticed a change in his and Hermione's behavior. So far, Ron hadn't said anything to him about it.
The group fell into silence again each lost in their own thoughts, much like Harry. No one really knowing what to say or if anything they could say would make things any easier for any of them. Luna approached them several moments later and handed a butter beer to both Neville and Harry. Both looked at her in surprise. She just smiled one of her odd smiles and said mysteriously.
"That will have to do until this evening." The others looked at her wondering if she somehow knew of their talk to get fire whiskey later. "A woman has to have her secrets," she said as if answering their unspoken question and moved away from the group to join her father as he talked to Moody.
"How did she do that?" Ron questioned scratching his head.
"She always seems to know what to say," Harry said wondering himself. "Could she have some sort of legilimens ability?"
"Eye contact would be necessary for that, at least in most cases," Hermione pointed out, "perhaps she just knows how it feels to lose someone. She could see the thestrals as well." A light seem to go off in Harry's head at that remark.
"Her mother, she saw her mother die when she was a child, that's why she can see the thestrals," Harry confirmed thinking back to his conversation with Luna.
"That's horrible," Gretchen gasped eyeing the blonde haired girl from afar in a new light.
"I remember her saying that now, well at least the part about seeing the thestrals because of her mother," Hermione added looking somber.
"Miss Granger," Minerva McGonagall said coming up behind Hermione, "your uncle will be arriving shortly. You are to follow me to a smaller room where you can talk to him."
"Harry's coming with me, professor," Hermione replied once again taking Harry's hand and preparing to follow her head of house. McGonagall looked at them both for a moment before turning and leading them away from the group.
"Hermione has an uncle?" Ron asked surprised at this piece of information.
"Her uncle Elias lives in France, and according to Hermione, he is supposed to become her guardian after her parent's death," Neville explained realizing quickly that he was the only one other than Harry and the adults who knew about Hermione's uncle.
"Is Hermione leaving?" Ginny questioned feeling bad at the small part of her that hoped Neville would say yes. She pushed it aside quickly.
"No, Hermione says that no matter what she's staying and returning to Hogwarts this year," Neville replied taking a drink of his butter beer. He decided not to tell the others of their research into how she could do this.
"Is she just going to hide out until September?" Ginny asked a little curious as to how Hermione intended to evade her guardian.
"Seventeen is the majority in the wizarding world, but it's eighteen in the muggle world. She's got over a year until she reaches majority there," Neville informed the others.
"We should probably find some seats as it looks like the others are arriving," Gretchen said pulling the others from their thoughts of potentially losing Hermione to look around at the new arrivals who seemed to pour into the Great Hall.
* * * * *
Harry and Hermione followed McGonagall into the small room off from the Great Hall that Harry remembered from the Tri-wizard Tournament his fourth year. Dumbledore was already there waiting for them along with Tonks who gave them both a reassuring hug.
"Your uncle should arrive momentarily, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said looking at a gold pocket watch he removed from his robes. Seconds later, Elias Granger appeared with Kingsley Shacklebolt via portkey. Kingsley's arm held the other man steady so he didn't fall over upon arrival. He was a tall man with brown hair similar in color to Hermione's and the same cinnamon brown eyes. He wore glasses and a gray business suit. He blinked and stared around him bewildered.
"You!" He said upon seeing Dumbledore, "What sort of nonsense is this?"
"Uncle Elias," Hermione interrupted and the man's gaze swung to his niece.
"Hermione, you're alright? I've been so worried about you?" Elias Granger said as he rushed towards his niece and embraced her in a hug. Harry stepped back slightly as Hermione hugged her uncle. "I was so worried when I couldn't find you and no one seemed to know where you were." The man looked obviously relieved to see his niece.
"I'm fine, unlce, I've been staying with some friends," Hermione replied pulling away from him. He looked down at her for several long moments his expression unreadable.
"Friends?" The word held a question, and he searched his niece's face for answers.
"Friends from school, they're more like family really," Hermione said trying to figure out how best to explain things to him. Dumbledore informed her that he had not believed him when he told her uncle about the wizarding world.
"But you have family, Hermione. You've got me, and your grandmother, and your cousins, Elyse and Emilia," Elias Granger pointed out, "besides you've always seemed to enjoy visiting us in France."
"I know, and I do want to visit you again, but my place is here, my home is here," Hermione said stepping back and taking Harry's hand in hers.
"Who is this young man?" Elias asked not missing the way his niece had moved away from him and to the young man standing next to her with messy black hair, glasses, and wearing some kind of black robe.
"Uncle Elias, meet Harry Potter, Harry meet my uncle Elias Granger," Hermione made the introductions. Elias eyed the young man warily. Harry didn't flinch under his gaze, but worried that he might have if Hermione's hand had not been clasping his so tightly.
"Who are the others, besides the old man of course," Elias questioned. Hermione bit her lip before introducing McGonagall, Tonks, and Shacklebolt.
"And what is this boy to you?" He questioned his gaze turning back to Hermione. Hermione looked at Harry. They had never really discussed what to call each other.
"I love your niece, Mr. Granger," Harry said quickly. "She's been my best friend all through school, and now, well, umm…"
"I love him, too, uncle," Hermione said coming to Harry's rescue. He smiled at her gratefully and she returned the smile.
"Your place is with your family," Elias Granger responded. "I appreciate that you have feelings for this young man, but you are too young to be on your own. Perhaps Harry may visit you in France sometime," he added trying to be magnanimous.
"I'm not going to France," Hermione replied. "I'm staying here with Harry and my friends."
"You, young lady, are going to return to France with me, and once there we will discuss what school you will attend in the fall. I am afraid your current headmaster, if that is what he is, and I disagree as to your education. Frankly, I am surprised that Mendelous and Jane would allow you to attend such a place."
"I'm a witch, uncle. Hogwarts is one of the top schools for witchcraft and wizardry and Headmaster Dumbledore is one of the greatest wizards of our time. It's an honor to be a student here," Hermione informed him. The others smiled at her words. She was handling herself brilliantly.
"Nonsense, I don't know what sort of rubbish these people have been feeding you, but it's a common fact that magic doesn't exist," Elias insisted stubbornly moving forward as if to grab Hermione's arm. Harry blocked him immediately and had his wand pointed at the other man instantly.
"Harry, it's ok," Hermione said softly. "We've got to work on your always insisting on protecting me when I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Harry smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, Mione, force of habit," he answered as he moved back to her side and put his wand away. The others smiled at the exchange.
"I think it is time that we left now," Elias Granger said though he did not attempt to take Hermione's arm this time.
"If magic doesn't exist, how do you explain how you got here?" Hermione pressed him.
"I don't know, and I don't really care to know."
"I'm not going with you, uncle," Hermione said, "my life is here."
"You cannot be serious," Elias protested staring at her as if in shock.
"You cannot make me go, uncle, and there's no need to search for me, you will not find me," Hermione informed him sounding sad but determined.
"This is insane. What have these people done to you? Hermione, we are family. Your mother and father wanted me to be your guardian."
"And I respect that. I do love you uncle, but I am needed here. I've thought a lot about this, and it
wasn't an easy decision. My place is in the wizarding world," she turned away from her uncle and headed
towards the door pulling Harry along with her as she had a death grip on his hand. She stopped at the door and turned.
"Goodbye, uncle," and with that she and Harry left the room closing the door behind them.
The others watched as Elias tried to follow them but the door would not open for him.
"Kingsley, I suggest it is time to take Mr. Granger back to his hotel room," Dumbledore said as he rose to his feet. Kingsley nodded and reactivated the portkey that he had used to bring Elias Granger to Hogwarts.
"I'm not leaving without her. You cannot keep her here," Elias protested struggling furiously with the door.
"It was her choice to stay," Dumbledore said, "and a tough decision it was." Elias lunged at Dumbledore but Kingsley held him back.
"Three, two, one," the auror said counting down just before the portkey sent both he and Elias Granger back to London and the man's hotel room there.
"I think she handled that amazingly well," Minerva said after the two had disappeared.
"Yeah, but at a price," Tonks added sighing. She and Hermione had spoken briefly on a couple of occasions now. She knew the young woman's decision had not been an easy one. She loved her family, including her uncle.
"It is almost exactly 11:00, and we have a memorial service to get through," Dumbledore reminded the two who followed him from the room.
* * * * *
Author's Note: Thanks so much for sticking by me, and continuing to read this story, even though I am unpredictable when it comes to updates. I really appreciate your support as readers, and love all of the reviews. Enjoy!