Granger, Hermione Granger

IanC

Rating: PG
Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 6
Published: 01/08/2011
Last Updated: 01/08/2011
Status: in_progress

Harry never became a wizard and knows nothing of magic. Now with Voldemort on the rise only novice aurour Hermione Granger can protect him.

Chapters

1. one

1. one

I started this story as a way to try and get past the massive block I've gotten while writing my other story. This is unbetaed so all mistakes are my own hopefully this will still be enjoyable.

“Hush now!” Petunia's voice cracked through the car, Harry stopped crying but gave small sobs as his cousin did his best to hit him while both where strapped into car seats. “I don't want another freak like my sister in our house, but that man has made sure we can't get rid of him”

“We'll stamp the magic out of him and make him normal. Try not to fret dear, I'll deal with ...”

The full glare of headlights flooded the car, a moment before the screech of tearing metal fills the air.

The wreckage of the two cars litters the road. The only sounds are the moaning of a woman and the cries of a single child.

Shapes appear from the mist around the road, four men in black robes, only one has his face revealed. His pale face and light hair make a stark contrast to his robes and dark eyes. “Macnair, kill the woman and get the child, Potter has more lives than a phoenix.”

A green flash cuts off the woman's moans, a car seat is quickly dumped on the crushed remains of the cars roof. A red scar flashes in the moon light.

“Should we kill him Barty?”

“I'm not sure we can. See the scar, a powerful curse hit him to have caused that. It must be blood magic. Nothing else could have given him that type of protection. A rebounding spell must have caused the Dark Lord's disembodiment.”

He looked around the small group, all their gazes were upon him, Voldemort's unofficial research master.

“Any one here want to bet their lives on surviving the attempt?”

“We could try more direct means.” said Macnair, hefting his axe as he spoke.

“Blood magic, with a life willingly given to fuel it,” Crouch was speaking more to him self than those with him. “No telling how powerful the protection runs. No. I will bind a spell of concealment to his soul, so no magic will find him. Let him become lost among the mass of vermin.”

“You should all leave now, find out if Bella has returned from venting her anger on the Aurours and send this message through our ranks. Scatter among the world. We shall hide in plain sight and gain power and influence until our Lord returns.”

The sound of the four others apperating from the scene quickly faded. Leaving only the gentle sobs of the baby Harry. Crouch pulled parchment from his robe and began to scribe a complex chain of runes on to it, unconcerned he was standing in a pool of blood from the car they had hi-jacked to cause the crash.

“Blood protection... muggle heritage...,” he muttered to him self as the writings became evermore intricate. “Mars overhead and a new moon.” He had been working on the parchment for almost twenty minutes, the sounds of sirens in the distance was carried on the breeze as he looked up.

He drew a speck of blood from the baby and placed the centre of his newly created rune on to the blood. He began to chant and feed power from his wand into the spell. The sirens were splitting the air as he finished and the ink glowed golden before sinking from the parchment and into the baby. A purple flame quickly consumed the construct leaving no trace of it.

~ ~ ~

Amelia Bones, the director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, watched as Dumbledore walked though the floor of her hit wizards and aurors. He took his time, never lingering with anyone too long and missing no one out. The very picture of an amiable old man. Amelia knew the truth, this man had made hard decision and had forced her to make some of the most difficult decision of her life.

He reached her office and smiled, “May I come in Madame Director?”

“Of course Headmaster,” She sat behind her desk and watched him he settled him self down. She was already getting a sick feeling in her stomach. “You don't leave your castle very often these days. What can I do for you Dumbledore?”

“I understand you have heard the same rumours that I have? About Voldemort's return and new obsession?”

“Reports. Albus,” Amelia scowled slightly as she spoke trying to keep her annoyance out of her voice. “I hear the same reports that my aurors and hit wizards give to you. Secret reports.”

The silence stretched on, Dumbledore unwilling to insult her further with denials about how much he had infiltrated her department. Amelia had been expecting this visit for the last two years, as soon as it had been confirmed that Voldemort had achieved some type of resurrection. Voldemort and Dumbledore two enemy's always circling but rarely striking directly at each other.

“In that case you know he is growing ever more desperate to find young Harry Potter.”

“Yes, but unless something has changed over last two decades that I'm not aware of, no one knows where he is and no magic can find him. Or do you know something I don't, Albus?”

“Voldemort has people actively searching for him now, but he has begun to make more bold strikes and the morale of the general public is beginning to drop.”

“I haven't heard of an active search for Potter. How reliable is your information?”

“I would trust the source with my life.”

“You want us to find him first to keep him safe,” said Amelia, watching the Hogwart's Headmaster carefully, “There's more, you want to use him don't you?”

“I don't believe there is any other choice, he would be a potent symbol and could provoke a rash move from Voldemort.”

“Yes a move to kill the boy. Would you at least ask him before you dangle him out as bait?” venom dripped off Amelia's voice.

“Of course and if does not agree I will use every power at my disposal to keep him safe, but we both know that may not be enough to keep him alive.”

“Yes I know. How do you propose we go looking for him, we don't want to lead the death eaters to his door.”

“My thought were that a suitably talented muggle born would be able to do it with out drawing attention to themselves.”

“And who do you trust to do this with out their disappearance being noticed?” Amelia didn't like to think about it, but she know there were several people in the ministry working for Voldemort and reporting back to him.

“None of my … 'friends' would escape Voldemort's notice for long. But if you can't trust the fruit in the barrel, you should go to the tree.”

“You want to use one of the trainees. Granger. You want to use Granger to find Harry.”

“Miss Granger is a muggle born and the most talented witch to come out of Hogwarts in centuries. I believe her training marks are also excellent.”

“Okay. I will consider it, but no one can know. So none of your 'friends' can know.”

“I accept, we two shall be the only ones to know.”

“I'll contact you once I decide.”

Dumbledore stood up and gave a small bow to Amelia before leaving her office. She didn't want to do it. She didn't want to drag someone into the centre stage of a war they would know nothing about. But she had to trust Albus wasn't lying to her and that finding Harry first would be the only way to protect him.

She strode to her office any delay and she would talk herself out of it. “Tonks!”

The purple haired woman's head popped out of her cubicle, “Yes director?”

“I've had an idea for mad eye's apprentice. Go over to training and bring a trainee called Hermione Granger here. Flemming,” she shouted at a man in the next cubicle. “Send an owl to moody I want him in my office within the hour.”

~ ~ ~

Hermione sat in Tonks' cubical, the tension inside of her slowly rising. She had been fetched from the training wing just over half an hour ago. Tonks sat next to her and gave her a large smile, “Try not to worry, she said it was for an apprenticeship. You're really not in any trouble.”

“I know, but that doesn't look like good news.” Hermione waved her hand at the window of the directors office, where mad-eye moody and the director had been arguing for the past twenty minutes after he had stomped into her office. “Maybe he turned it down doesn't think I'm good enough. He never said anything bad during training sessions.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about, he always makes his bad opinions known.”

As Tonks spoke Moody came out of the office clearly displeased about the outcome of the argument. He stopped in front of Hermione and looked her up and down. “You'll do well Granger, but I think its a bit soon. Meet me in the leaky cauldron at nine tomorrow morning.” He left quickly after throwing a last dirty look at the director's office.

Heroine looked up to see the director standing in her doorway, unfazed by the hostility of Moody. “Granger, come in now.”

Hermione got up and quickly entered the office and watched as the director quickly cast several sound proofing and secrecy charms. Hermione concentrated on keeping her breathing smooth and tried to keep Tonks' advice close to heart, but she worried slightly that she was in trouble.

“Now Granger, tell me what you know about Harry Potter?”

“Yes, ma'am. I just know what's in the books. The Potter family was targeted for death by you-know-who and went in to hiding. They were betrayed by Sirius Black and killed, but Harry survived and broke the Dark Lords power. The ministry announced on November second that they had captured and imprison Sirius Black and confirmed that Harry Potter had survived the attack on his family. Harry is never seen or heard about again.”

“But?” Amelia raises an eyebrow as she speaks to the young woman. Impressed at way she was handling herself.

“The rumour is he was taken to a secret D.M.L.E facility and is protected and trained by an elite cadre of hit wizards.”

“Yes, that rumour was one of my better ideas. The truth is we believed Harry survived because of the sacrifice made by his mother. He was given in to the care of her Muggle family so that protection would be extended to keep him safe growing up.”

“Then why didn't he attend Hogwarts? He should have been in the same year as me.” Hermione's nerves had fled as she began to sort through the new information she had been given.

“A few days after being taken into his family's care they were killed in a car accident. We suspect the involvement of death eaters as a spell was cast to ward Harry's location from all magic spells. By the time this was found out he was already lost in the muggle world and it was decided that for his safety it should remain that way.”

“Why didn't they kill him?”

“Voldemort had apparently died trying to kill him, would you be willing to try?” Amelia noticed that Hermione had not flinched at Voldemort's name, but had went to lengths not to use it.

“I suppose not but then why attack them in the first place?”

“We don't know. I'm sure your wondering why I'm asking you this,”

Hermione nodded not trusting her self to speak. She had a suspicion of where it was going.

“I want you to go and find him. As a muggle born you shouldn't draw any unwanted notice in your search.”

“And once I find him you want me to bring him back here?”

“No. Harry is a powerful symbol, but it isn't right that we should drag him into a war he knows nothing about. I want you to find him and protect him, others are searching for him. Should they find him I want you to bring him back here but only if necessary.”

“Once the war is over and Voldemort dead we can tell him the truth and he can have the choice of weather he wants to be a wizard or not. I realize I'm asking a lot of you, do you believe you can do it?”

“Yes I'll do it. I take it my apprenticeship is just a cover story?,” a nod from the director is all the answer Hermione requires. “Will I be working with mad-ey … I mean auror Moody on this mission?”

“No. I have other plans for mad-eye. You will be working completely alone on this job.”

“I understand I'll begin by...” Hermione trails off at the directors upraised hand.

“I don't want to know any details of what you are going to do or where you will be. Tell no one any part of this assignment. What I don't know can't be tortured from me.”

“Yes ma'am. Will I be checking in with you at all?”

“Yes, every second Sunday night at this location,” Amelia handed Hermione a scrap of paper with an address on it. “You'll need this as well, it all we know about Harry's family.” She handed a folder with the name Dursley written on the front of it.

“Yes, ma'am. Is there anything else I should know?”

“This could be a dangerous mission. You don't have to accept it.”

“I know. I want to do it. I'll take tonight to say good bye to my friends and then meet auror Moody tomorrow to keep our cover intact before we split up.”

Amelia smiled, she had waited to see if Hermione would realize the need to meet mad-eye.

“I'm impressed Granger, seems your instructor's reports on you are accurate. Good luck.”

~ ~ ~

Hermione apparated into Hogsmeade outside the house that Ron shared with Fred and George, It was along the street from the Zonko's shop that Fred and George had taken over the year before. Heroine hesitated before knocking on the door, she would have to lie to Ron and that knowledge didn't sit well with her.

She took a deep breath and then quickly rapped on the door before taking two steps to the left. The jet of water narrowly missed her, she let the insta-mud puddle dry up before standing back in front of the door. She had given up on lecturing the twins on the practical jokes they embedded in the door. She hoped Ron had heard the knock as she was not going to try the doorbell.

“Come on in, I didn't think would see you for a few more weeks.” said Ron as his face appeared around the door. Hermione smiled as Ron opened the door, glad to see her friend despite the reason for her visit. The past three years of auror training had been hard for her, to be separated from her friends who she had seen almost every day for seven years at Hogwarts.

“Thanks Ron. I know, I just wanted to see you, it could be last time for awhile, I need to go away for work.” Hermione looked away, not wanting to see her friend's eyes. She already felt guilty and Ron's acceptance would only make her feel worse.

“It's okay Hermione. Do you want me to floo Lavender. We could get some food and make it a proper night.”

“Thanks Ron I'd like that.” Hermione gave a smile, the thought of spending the night with her two closest friends make her feel better.

“Make yourself a cup of tea and have a seat.”

Ron got every thing together so quickly it was as if Ron had already planned it all, or her had inherited more from Molly than she thought he had. Hermione smirked at the idea of Ron reading Witch Weekly for recipes.It didn't take Lavender long to arrive and she swept into the house, quickly pulling Hermione into a hug.

“I won't ask where your going or what your doing. I know you can't tell me.”

“I'm sorry...”

“Don't be sorry Hermione its your job, we both understand.” Lavender sent a big smile Hermoine's way, trying to put the other girl at her ease.

“Thank you, both of you.”

“Don't worry you can thank me after you have done the dishes, since I cooked,” said Ron with a crooked grin.

“That's a fair deal” Hermione smiled as the food was dished out. The chance to relax with her friends was something she treasured and she know it could be a long time before she could do it again. The night past too quickly for Hermione's tastes, the banter and memories of their times at Hogwarts filled the house with a lot of laughter. As it neared midnight she didn't want to leave, but couldn't risk staying any later she hugged both of her friends at the door, idly wondering if Lavender would leave or if her and Ron's on off relationship would be heating up again.

She aperated into the hallway outside of her small flat, taking a few minutes to disable all of the charms and wards she had set up when she moved in. The first thing Moody had taught, after 'constant vigilance', was that an aurors home should always be protected. It took Hermione almost twice as long to put the wards back up, she also added a few new ones. As she made her way to bed, the full weight of the job she had agreed to fell into her mind. She had agreed to leave her friends, family and colleagues. To go alone with no support to hunt down a lost hero and keep him alive. A hero who couldn't do magic and was number one on the Dark Lord's hit list.

~ ~ ~

Hermione quickly wolfed down a roll as she left her flat, so much to do and not enough time. She had grabbed a selection of things from the flat, but hoped she could buy more from Diagon alley with out risking her or Moody's cover story. She walked in to the leaky cauldron with ten minutes to spare, she ordered a cup of tea from Tom and took a seat in the corner. Hermione could tell by the hush that filled the room, that Moody had arrived.

“Back to the wall, line of sight to all the doors, excellent choice miss Granger. Be back here at twelve, get any supplies you need before then,” he walked away a few steps before speaking again, “One last thing,” Moody's wand quickly sprang to his hand sparks flying at Hermione. They fizzed against the shield, that Hermione had cast on reflex without thought. “Excellent miss Granger, Constant Vigilance!”. With his last words he stomped off glaring at several people, Hermione suspected purely on general principal than any possible threat they represented.

Hermione leaned back, doing her best to ignore the stares from the other people in the pub. She knew half the wizarding world would hear the story by lunch time and rest would hear it by sundown. She ran through a list of things she she had to do before leaving. Her bag had some clothes and books in it, but she would need more of both and some special supplies. Fortunately she was in diagon alley and if you could imagine it, you could find it here. She slung her bag onto her back and walked from the pub, giving Tom a quick nod on her way past. She entered the courtyard wand in hand and quickly tapped the right brick with barley a second thought. So different from the shy and scared girl that had held tight to her mothers hand when given a tour ten years before.

~ ~ ~

Hermione walked in to Weaslys Wizard Wheezes, dragging a magical trunk on wheels behind her. This had been her first purchase, it wasn't as fancy as some models since it only had three locks but would do for her needs. She walked through the shop dodging and sidestepping the various toys, fireworks and traps the where laid out through the shop floor. She barley noticed the din as children ran amok trying to buy as much as possible.

“May I help you today?” asked a young girl, just out of Hogwarts and wanting extra spending money Hermione thought.

“No thank you, I just need to see Fred and George.”

“I'm afraid that both Mr. Weaslys are in the back and can't be disturbed.”

“They two were born disturbed,” muttered Hermione. “It's okay they will see me.” Hermione kept waking towards the back, where Fred and George's workshop was located.

“I'm sure they would, but they have locked the door and only members of their family can open it.”

Hermione stopped in front of a large, stout oak door, that had a huge steel lock covering almost half of it's surface like a bank vault. She put her hand flat on the door and began to talk, a slight grimace escaping between the words. “All hale the great and wonderful Gred and Forge. The greatest whizzes there ever was who brings all the joy in my life.”

The wooden door reshaped it's self into the image of the twins face. “You should smile when you say that Hermione or I may not open up next time.” the door turned to liquid and flowed into the cracks of the walls.

Hermione picked up her trunk and walked into the room. Stopping just after the doorway as the portal sealed its self behind her. She didn't move not trusting their shop any more than she trusted their home. “Fred, George. I'm here for work and don't have time for games. Can you disarm your pranks and traps?”

“How do we know your Hermione and not a dark wizard who stole one of her hairs and is polyjuiced into her shape and trying to steal our new ideas?”

“Because George likes kissing cows. And could you have come up with a more stupid password?”

“Got to get my laughs some how Hermione.” Said George as he walked down the stairs flicking his wand in random directions to disarm the various spells scattered around the workshop floor. “What can we do for you today?”

“I'm going away to apprentice with Moody so I want some supplies,” she patted her trunk, “I've got loads of space, I'm stacked up on potion ingredients, but I would like a few of your first aid kits and a few boxes of your fireworks. I might need a distraction or two.”

“Sure no problem Hermione. Half a dozen kits and big banger boxes do you?”

“That should work, I might need some custom work done so keep some of the good stuff on stand by for me. How much do I owe you.”

George throw a glance at his twin, Hermione knew they suspected something else was going on, but she trusted them to stay quite.

“We'll put it on the Ministries account, we couldn't charge you.”

“I don't want any trace at the ministry. I'll pay cash. How much?” A harsh edge to her voice.

“If your sure we'll do it at cost. Fifteen galleons. “ said Fred, worried at Hermione's tone.

“Thanks,” she put the boxes the trunk and checked her watch, a few hours left, time to shop for more muggle clothes and then see her parents.

~ ~ ~

Hermione appeared in the gap between two sheds in her parents back garden. She carefully made her way across the grass, the neighbour's dog didn't always use the right patch of grass, to the back door and slid it open. She walked through the house to the living room, finding her mother sitting with a magazine and a mug of tea.

“Hi Mum”

Hermione's mum looked up and smiled at her daughter not too surprised, she had gotten used to her daughters unexpectedly appearing over the last few years. “Hello, dear. Would you like a cup of tea?”

“No thanks, Mum. Is Dad in?”

“No he had to be at work, did you need him?”

“Just wanted to see you both. I'm going to be away awhile with work and I don't know if I'll get a chance to see you both again soon.”

“I'm sorry dear, but what happened I thought you were still in training?”

“I got promoted early,” said Hermione with a slight grin. “I'm getting some advanced training.” Hermione hoped her Mum wouldn't ask anything else about what she was doing, she hated the thought of having to lie to her more.

“I'm so proud of you Hermione. You grown up to be an amazing woman.”

“Thanks mum, I can't stay long, could you get Dad to drop my car off here,” Hermione handed a slip of paper to her mum.

“It's going to be dangerous isn't it.”

Hermione's only answer was a shallow nod, unable to speak the lies she wanted to tell. Her mum pulled her into a hug, holding her close.

“Be careful. I don't want to lose you,” unshod tears made her voice tremble.

“I will Mum, I'll try and see you both again soon. I need to be going.” Hermione almost ran form the house, trying to get away before her composure broke. She reached the edge of the wards she had set up to protect her parents, now pinning her in place, and disappeared.

~ ~ ~

Hermione re-entered The leaky cauldron, after a few minutes spent out side composing herself. Mad-eye was already waiting for her and handed her a broken plate.

“Portkey, it will activate in a minute and take us to camp. Are you ready?”

“I've got every thing I need,” said Hermione nodding at her case, while taking in the much more elaborate trunk on the ground next to Moody.

“Then time for us to leave,” said Moody as a clock in the bar began to chime. Hermione gripped the plate harder as the familiar, gut wrenching nausea of portkey travel flooded her body. She really hated travelling this way. The appeared on the top of a small hill, the sudden cold making her shiver. “Time for us to split up. I don't know what the director has you doing and I don't want to know. There should have been a better time for this.”

Hermione is confused both by his words and tone, almost guilty.

“This is normally done in front of your peers, but that's not an option right now,” He pulled out a small pewter shield from a pocket, it was barley the size of his palm. “This is the auror's shield, it marks you as a full auror.” He passed the small device to Hermione, nerves making her hand tremble a little. “Now remember what we are. We don't catch criminals. We protect the innocent from dark wizards. Wizards who have twisted their souls and perverted the light of their magic. We are protectors. We are not killers. We are not assassins.”

Hermione could feel the weight of his words, this was the code he lived by, this is what made his sacrifices worthwhile and gave him strength to keep fighting. He paused looking like he was going to say more, but simply gave her a small bow. “Good luck auror Granger.” With that last word he apperated away and for the first time in her life, she was truly alone.