Meeting the Blacks

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Hermione drove down her gravel rode and started looking around for other houses. She saw some but they didn't look like anyone was home until she got to this little red house, with a truck parked in the drive way. She slowly pulled in and knocked on the front door. When it opened an older man in a wheelchair looked at her.
"Hi sorry for bothering you. My name is Hermione and I just bought the ranch down the road. I was going to turn on the well but then realized I didn't know how, so I came looking for help." Hermione rambled on and the man chuckled.
"Welcome, Hermione. I'm Billy Black welcome to the Rez. Come inside let me get my son and we will follow you back to the house." Walking inside so that they could close the door Hermione noticed how sparse the place was. Maybe she could hire the son to do some work around the ranch to get some extra cash.
Billy came back with a kid who looked to be about fifteen with long hair.
"Hermione this is my son Jacob."
"Hello there." She smiled. "If your ready we can just take my truck and I can bring you both home after supper."
"You don't have to do that." Billy started to protest.
"It's the least I can do to remember repay you for your help."
"Well thank you Miss Hermione I think we would like that very much." Billy nudged Jacob in the side to get him to stop looking at her.
On the way back Jacob decided he would break the ice.
"So Hermione was it." She gave a nod. "Where are you from?"
"I'm from England."
"Ohh a Brit then, what made you want to move all the way out here?" He asked.
"I needed a change. I was in the military deeply classified stuff. Went to war came back my friends I made along the way were all moving on and starting families and I thought it would do me some good to have some new experiences."
"Oh wow, so how old are you?" He asked innocently.
"Jacob!" Billy tried to reprimand.
"It's ok Billy, I'm twenty-five. You might not want to ask any other women that though. So Billy I am going to need some stuff done around the ranch do you know anyone looking for a job."
"What kinda of job?" He asked skeptically.
"Well I plan on getting some horses and I need a paddock built as well as the barn being fixed. The house needs repaired too the roof needs to be replaced with tin then and the bedrooms and kitchen need to be gutted and redone they are currently usable but I want to customize it as well as add a library." Her face got an excited look. That made Billy chuckle.
"I can help out school doesn't start for a few more months!" Jacob volunteered.
"Thank you Jacob I appreciate the offer." She chuckled at his eagerness.
"I know a few boys who could help out I will give them a call while Jacobs showing you how to work the pump." I nodded at billy as we pulled up to the house. Jacob helped Billy into his wheelchair as I led them around the house and to the pump shack. 'Note to self add a wheelchair ramp.'
Jacob showed me how to work the pump and then it was back to Billy.
"I've gotten a few of the boys from the Rez to come over they would like to meet you do you have room for some more people?"
"Of course especially if they are going to be working for me. Let me go get supper started. Jacob do you think you could build a ramp while I'm cooking?"
"Sure thing Miss Hermione!"
He helped his father up the stairs first.
"There's wood and tools in the back of my truck!" He nodded before taking off back to the truck.
Billy chuckled as he wheeled inside.
"He sure is eager to please isn't he?" She chuckled.
"You will have to teach me I can barely get him to do anything around the house."
"I don't think what I have can help. So how much food do you think we will need?" Billy sighed.
"A lot the boys will eat you out of house and home if you let them." He chuckled.
"Do anything I need to know about these boys?"
"Well There's Sam Uley he's close to your age. Then there's Paul Lahota, he's nineteen kinda of a hot head and a ladies man. Then last is Jared Cameron hes seventeen and a complete goof ball. I think you will get along with them well enough. As long as you have food around they should be fine bottomless pits each and every one of them."
An hour later the kitchen counter was covered with different foods there was lasagna, spaghetti, chicken legs, chicken Alfredo, garlic bread, rolls, and salad.
Billy helped her make some American iced tea. A concept that was incredibly strange to her but it didn't taste so bad.
Then Jacob came inside with three other boys. He had a scowl on his face.
"Hello boys is like you to meet Hermione Granger she's new to town and looking for some help around the ranch." I pulled the last pan of garlic bread from the oven before I turned to look at them. My magic felt restless. Then I met a pair of eyes. A deep chocolate brown not so different from mine. He stared ate me as I put the pan down. My magic was singing in happiness. I walked in front of the man.
"Hi I'm Hermione." I said softly.
"Beautiful" he breathed out. I could feel my face heating up. He was nudged in the side by one of the others when he snapped out of it. He took my hand and kissed my knuckles.
"The names Sam Uley, Princess." Oh my magic likes that it was pulsing with joy.
"Nice to meet you, I assume you are Paul and you are Jared." The one on the right who I assume to be Paul nodded. "Well let's eat shall we before it gets cold." The boys took their seats. Sam sat next to me I hadn't realized he was still holding my hand until I tried to pick up my fork. I sent him a sideways look and he let go. I filled my plate up.
"So Miss Hermione. It is Miss right? No boyfriend or husband?" Jared asked will false innocence.
"No, there's no husband or boyfriend. Maybe in the future," she sent a look at Sam who beamed.
"So where are you from, you sound British" Paul asked.
"I am, I was born in England, I've lived there my whole life."
"So why did you move here of all places?" Jared quized. "You could have lived anywhere but you chose here."
I chuckled, "would you believe me if I told you I threw a dart." He shook his head. "Well that's exactly what I did first I took a map of the U.S.A then I threw a dart my first one landed in the ocean. Obviously I couldn't live there so I threw another and it landed on Washington. After that I got a map of the state then threw another dart. It landed here literally this exact spot. Kinda like it was meant to be." She squeezed Sams hand under the table.
"So what did you do for a living?"
"Well my final year of Boarding School I was recruited by a covert branch of British Military Intelligence, my two best friends had also been recruited, we spent a year on the run from a terrorist who happened to be the same guy who killed my best friends family when he was a baby. Finally we had had enough of running and set a trap for him. We got him and his followers, Then I spent another two years with my unit before taking a spot in administration. I loved my job, I was helping people. But there was something missing. I wasn't happy, so I figured a change is what I needed." She said sending them a smile before she looked at Sam "just what I needed." She whispered the last part so only he could hear.
Soon diner was finished and unsurprising the only thing left was some salad.
"Why don't I show you around!" We all made our way outside and Billy went down the new ramp.
"You did a good Jacob! Have you though what you wanted to do after high school?"
"Yep I want to open a garage a car repair shop!" He was excited. I saw Sam and Billy share a look.
'I wonder what that's all about' she though but it didn't matter she would find out later.
"Well the thing is I was thinking about opening up a little coffee shop/bakery/clothing store. But that's still a little ways off. I think I need the tribal councils permission first, don't I Billy?" I asked the man rolling in front of us.
"You do once you have the plans for it come see me again and I'm sure we could get you approved." I smiled gratefully at him.
"Alright well right here we have the hay barn it doesn't need much work but all the hay needs to be moved out since I don't know how old it is or what could possibly be living in it. Probably going to have to burn it just to be safe." The boys nodded.
They made their way to the next barn.
"This one needs a little more work then the other. The inside needs to be gutted nothing stays. I will come up with a floor plan when we get ready to rebuild. It may even need to be expanded but that can wait until it's a necessity. Then the outside needs to be sanded and repainted. And the roof needs to be touched up just to be on the safe side."
"It's going to be allot of work, you might need some more help." Billy told her.
"I will appreciate any given. If you want to spread the word I welcome anyone who wants to work food and drink will be provided and of course a pay check at the end of the week."
"Are you going to be able to afford all of that?" Jacob winced as Billy elbowed him in the ribs.
I laughed. "Don't worry about it. I'm pretty rich. The top secret jobs I did paid very well. Unfortunately my parents got into an accident while I was on the run and died. Their life insurance payouts weren't by any means small. Then I've also written several school books. So I'm pretty self sufficient. This has been the only chance I've really gotten to spend my money so I'm going to use it to make this my home. But that's not the least of my money making adventures. I own several shares in companies back home. Which reminds me I also need a green house. I should probably start making a list." She said the last part to herself.
The men gave each other a look they sure had their work cut out for them.

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