Unofficial Portkey Archive

Title: Year of Discovery
Chapter: (3) Enter, Hermione Granger
Author: Laen
Beta: hazeleyes15
Summary: When given a chance to embark on a new journey away from the Wizarding world once and for all, Harry takes it. However, each hero has a task, and Harry learns the hard way that he can't escape his destiny.
Disclaimer: If you honestly think I'm J.K. Rowling, I'll take it as a compliment.

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'We'll see you soon mate,' Ron said anxiously, while shaking Harry's hand.

She should have seen him by now; she had, after all, promised him that she would. However, she hadn't - she hadn't seen him yet. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to be the last time she saw her best friend.

Before Hermione had left King's Cross station, she had made the promise that she'd see him soon, but she couldn't hold onto that promise. Not anymore.

Eyes shut, she leaned back on the wall parallel to where the window was. She couldn't believe it, she wasn't to return to Hogwarts with her friends the following fall.

Hermione thought back to what had occurred several weeks ago upon her arrival home, as she wiped a tear from her cheek. She had noticed something was different the moment she met up with her parents at the station. However, it wasn't until she had arrived at the house, did it all sink in. Boxes were scattered everywhere, furniture was missing, a 'sold' sign had been stabbed into the lawn in front of the house, and Hermione noticed that her mother looked exhausted, and defeated.

"We're moving," was all that her father had said.

News of the incident at the Ministry of Magic had reached her family's ears, and as much as Hermione regretted it now, her subscription of the Daily Prophet to the house also assisted to her downfall.

Of course, she tried to argue with him by telling him that running away was not the answer. It didn't work though; but then again, why would it have? If there was one thing that Hermione Granger knew about her family, it was that her mother would always be on her side, as Evelyn Granger always did understand her daughter. But her father, David Granger? He was a stubborn man.

And that was why Hermione was where she was - in Scotland, just a short distance away from her 'home away from home' - Hogwarts. It was ironic how her parents had decided to move there, of all places.

Hermione had to admit, the final destination of where they moved to had honestly surprised her. When her father had first informed Hermione that they were moving because of the upcoming war, she had expected to move to America, or Canada. The Netherlands or France, at least. Scotland though? She would have never believed it, had it not actually happen.

Then her mother explained the reason to her.

A new private school by the name of Scotland High had been founded - a school that publicized itself as 'something different'. It contained combination of different schooling systems around the globe, and was said to be able to help students prepare for dozens of different exams.

From the pamphlet that Hermione had flipped through, Scotland High could not only prepare her for the usual GCSE, IGCSE, and DiDA, the school could also prepare her for Canadian Provincials and even American State Exams! The upper education system Scotland High offered also prepared the students for the UK A-Level exams, as well as SATs should any students decide to persue their post-secondary education in America. And to her disbelief, they even had an IB program on top of it all!

Evelyn Granger had spent an entire afternoon discussing the idea of attending Scotland High with Hermione, trying her hardest to persuade her daughter to try and adjust. In the end, she had finally successed.

Hermione wasn't to return to Hogwarts in the following fall. She was to attend Scotland High.

"Oh Hedwig, what am I supposed to do?" Hermione asked in a whispered, raising her head to stare at the owl that had been sent to her by her best friend.

Hedwig hooted twice, and flew across the room to land on Hermione's shoulder, careful to not dig her talons into the Gryffindor too deeply.

Sniffling lightly, Hermione raised a hand to the owl and began to stroke her feathers gently.

"Where could he be Hedwig? He's been gone for two days and no one's heard a thing. I received an owl from Ron earlier... there's been another attack, but you knew that already didn't you? You're smart. You must've caught hoot of it from another owl. Do you know where he is Hedwig?"

Hedwig hooted twice again, and Hermione took the reply as a no.

"You don't think he's mad at me, do you? Because I broke my promise? Or maybe because that last letter I wrote had been too long? Oh Hedwig, I knew I should've stopped after six feet. He must be ignoring me!"

Hedwig gave a loud hoot, and jumped off Hermione's shoulders, only to crash into a stack of Hermione's books and some pamphets for Scotland High.

"Oh Hedwig! Are you alright? You must be feeling cooped up, here, I'll open a window so you can go for a fly!"

Hermione got to her feet, and moved to the window to open it so that the owl could go out. After a few seconds of holding the window open though, the Gryffindor noticed that Hedwig had not moved from the pile of pamphets for Scotland High.

"Hedwig? What are you doing?" Hermione squated down, and stared at Harry's familar as she moved one pamphet after another, as if searching for something.

At last, Hedwig stopped and stared at her findings. Hermione grabbed the pamphlet and opened it - it was designated for American and Canadians students who had moved to Europe but wanted to finish their original schooling.

"Are you trying to tell me something Hedwig? That Harry's across the pond?"

Hedwig hooted once, and then moved her right wing to a section of photos in the pamphet.

Hermione stared.

The biggest photo showed a student playing football with his teenmates. Could that be what Harry was doing? Moving her attention to the other photos on the pamphet, Hermione found a photo of students students, cooking, and in one photo, what looked like martial arts fighting. Yet, that couldn't be what Harry was doing... could it?

Opening the pamphet completely, Hermione decided to re-read the course options and electives available should she decide to enter that program. As she sat there, reading silently, she failed to notice Hedwig give a light nod to her before flying out the open window.

Hermione Granger would adjust, slowly... but she'd adjust.

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