Tap. Tap. Tap Tap. Tap Tap Tap.
A rectangular shaped object, most likely a pillow, flew across the room and collided with a curtain covered window and was proceeded by a very bleary "Ugh would you shut up..." immediately after that the tapping stopped. However the occupant of the room, which was being assaulted by the tapping menace, would not be allowed to go back to sleep this fine morning as the the rather persistent tapping creature had a rather important letter to deliver.
Hermione finally got up and crossed sleepily to the window rubbing her eyes as she went. The bright sunlight that jumped from the space where she had parted the curtains almost blinded her for a moment so she raised her hand to shield her eyes. Once her sleep filled vision had acclimatised to the bright day she looked out of the window to find herself staring into the the yellow orbs of a silvery brown short eared owl. Clasped in its right taloned foot was a letter with the blood-red seal of Hogwarts. Her tiredness all but forgotten she threw the curtains away and ripped open the sash of her window. The owl flew in and circled the room twice, once narrowly missing the small chandelier that hung from the ceiling, and then deposited its letter into Hermiones' hands. Once it had gracefully circled the room once more it landed on the rear right bedpost of Hermione's bed. The bird let out a happy hoot and started to preen itself while Hermione tore open the seal and grabbed the letter inside.
'Dear Miss Granger,
On behalf of Professor McGonagall and myself we are glad to except you as the new appreciate of Advanced Potions.'
"Snape glad to have me? Yeah right!" Scoffed Hermione. Shaking her head she carried on reading
'Clearly you have enough experience in the field to merit this appreciate so I do not wish to be disappointed.'
"If he thinks he's getting rid of me that easily then he's got another thing coming!"
'You will report to Hogwarts three days before the start of the new term. Professor Mcgonagall and myself will expect you at noon. Your accommodation is yet to be sorted out, please collect the needed supplies before you start the apprenticeship. I will enclose a list for you...
Finally, and I would hope this goes without saying, but this is a job Miss Granger I hope you treat it like one.
S. Snape -Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry'
"How charming! The bloody cheek of him to insinuate that I don't know a job when I see one!" With a huff Hermione dug out the supply list and read over what she would need to buy and what she already had.
Hermione instantly skim read most of the list until she got to one part of it that really interested her. She rolled her eyes to see that Snape had left her foot notes for most of the books in brackets.
'Books you will need:
~Potions Opuscule - Advanced by Jigger (less well known, but I am sure your know-it-all tendencies will come in handy procuring it)
"Got."
~Book of Potions by Zygmunt Budge (we'll excuse the pages with mistakes)
~An Apprentice's guide to Potion Making by Xavious Draughtnought
"Oh what a joy that is going to be to read! Draughtnought does go on a bit..."
~Potionibus pro communi pythonissam et veneficus by Galen (though his work as a muggle scientist may have proved to be incorrect his work in potions has been proven to have its merits)
"Got. Read it at least seven times..."
~Alchemical duodecimo (for if you have any need to become an alchemist or use alchemy in your work. Oh and Miss Granger the latest translation if you please)
"Oh the cheek of the man! I always have the latest translations. As if I would settle for anything less!"
Hermione finished reading through the list and packed all the sheets of paper back into the envelope. She then threw the letter onto the bed gave the owl a treat and then collected her scarlet dressing gown (nothing to do with Gryffindor as her muggle uncle bought it for her one Christmas) and made her way downstairs to tell her parents.
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"We have had this conversation before Jean! Hermione is twenty-one she can make her own decisions in life. Especially those of which we don't fully understand!" Jonathan Granger had been in a whispered argument with his wife ever since Hermione had told them of her position as apprentice to a potions master.
"I thought we had agreed that Hermione could go to that ridiculous school of hers as long as she come back to the real world to do her degree." Jean Granger said whilst walking at a fast pace over to the kettle to re boil it for a cup of tea.
"No... That is what you tell yourself in the car every time we drop her off at Kings Cross. Jean! Listen to me! Stop making the tea, turn around and listen! Thank you." With a sigh Jonathan reached up and rubbed the back of his neck before continuing. "This is Hermiones' life. To you the world she goes off to for nine months of the year may not be the real world to you, but it is for her. She has never thought of this world as being her own you know that. Ever since she was able to read she's had her nose stuck in a book. She belongs in that world. And I know your worried to lose her, so am I, but come on love she's been through a war and come out the other side." His wife began to interrupt, but he held up a hand to silence her. " Yes, I know that we didn't know about it and if we had she would not have been there at all, but we didn't know and she still survived and you know why. She's our Hermione. She's brave and clever and stubborn, which she most definitely gets from you." He paused for a moment and gave his wife a reminiscent smile. "But most of all she had something worth fighting for. And she still has that now. You've seen the way she goes on about this Professor Snape -she wants to prove to him that she's not just a know-it-all and that she is really as brilliant as we both know she is. Please love let her prove this Professor wrong. Let her do this. I think she needs to. Please." He gave his wife a pleading look while biting his bottom lip (a trait Hermione had picked up from her father) and hoping he wouldn't have to go onto his knees to beg.
Jean's face was one of slight annoyance and her mouth was twisted into a thoughtful pose. After five minutes of Jonathan preying his wife wouldn't make him get on the floor and beg she finally made her decision. "Fine, but! Only because I know Hermione would go anyway."
Jonathan closed the gap between him and his wife and enveloped her in a tight hug and whispered in her ear a small thank you before letting her go.
They walked out of the kitchen hand in hand and back into the living room where they had left Hermione waiting for her answer. She sat on the sofa chewing her bottom lip to the point of drawing blood. Her mother rolled her eyes at her bad habit, but said nothing. Both her parents came and stood in front of her. They looked at each other before one of them decided to speak. That person was her mother much to Hermione's surprise.
"You young lady have a very persuasive father and you are lucky for that." As soon as the words came out of her mouth Hermione cracked the widest smile and enveloped her mother in a huge hug.
"Oh thank you so much mum! Thank you thank you thank you!" She laughed as she squeezed her mother tightly. A sturdy hand on her shoulder made her release her mother and move to hug her dad. As her head lay on his chest she reached up and whispered in his ear. "Did you have to beg?" Her dad chuckled and told her that he didn't.
She stepped back and smiled once again at her beloved parents. "Thank you so much. And you know this isn't goodbye. I'll be back as soon as you know it!" Hermione gave her parents one last squeeze and then clapped her hands. "Right I'm off to pack!"
She all but skipped out of of the living room and bolted up the stairs. Mr and Mrs Granger turned to each other and smiled.
"Well that went rather well don't you think love?" Said a still smiling Jonathan Granger.
"She called me mum. She hasn't done that for almost ten years" Said a flabbergasted Jean Granger.
Jonathan took his wife's hand and lead her to sit down. "See she will give you nice things if you giver her them. Hermione loves you either way -if she calls you mother or mum -she will always love you."
They smiled to each other both excited and terrified for their daughter's departure. In fact they were having similar feeling to Hermione at that current time...
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I know it's not a very long chapter, but I wanted to give you guys something as I feel I have kinda neglected people on both of my books.
I have everything planned out it's just finding the time to write...
Anyway there will be more soon ish so I hope you enjoyed it.
-A :)
P.S. Sorry for any mistakes haven't had time to prof read it as I'm falling asleep at my keyboard...