The Muggle Project

After the war of Hogwarts ended I had waited anxiously for the reopening so I would be able to return for my final year of magic school. To my own amusement, it didn't take long to restore the castle. Just a week ago I read in the Daily Prophet that it had opened and was in the process of sending out letters to its prospective and returning students. "Hermione, dear?" My mother called from the sitting room. I had been in my bedroom, reading the revised edition of Hogwarts a History. This version mentioned the accounts at Hogwarts between Harry, myself and Ron, starting from year one. The story of Dumbledore and his knowledge about Voldemort, along with Severus' role. The final chapter of the book read about the war, the deaths and the final downfall of Voldemort. It also had a memoriam that was almost 100 pages long, reading on each life that had been lost - minus the death eaters and Voldemort himself. My eyes teared up as I had flipped through the pages, not wanting to really see. If I saw that meant I had to acknowledge that these lives were truly gone. Setting my book aside I rose to my feet and walked out of my bedroom and into the sitting room. My mother greeted me with a large grin on her face as she held out the familiar parchment envelope. "You letter, it is here." She said, as I crossed the room and took it. I stared at the envelope, reading the writing on the front. I recognized this writing, it was Professor McGonagalls. I felt my heart sink as I was once again reminded that Dumbledore had passed, and so had Snape. After the war had ended and we had time to start moving on and get things, somewhat, back to normal, Harry had confided in me with what he had seen in the pensieve. He had taken me into the memories and I stood there beside him, watching every moment. When we finally exited the memories I was on my knees, in hysterics, tears streaming down my face. Knowing everything that Snape had gone through, loving Harry's mother, the bullyin from Harry's father, losing his love to the man who tortured him on a daily basis. Then the death of his love and everything leading up until his death. It tore me apart. He was never the enemy, he was protecting us, protecting Harry, because he loved Lily. "Hermione?" My mother called, pulling me from my thoughts. I took a breath and glanced up at her to see a worried look upon her face. That was when I realized I was crying. I quickly wiped my eyes and forced a smile on my face. "I promise, I'm fine mum." She rose from the couch and pulled me into her arms and held me. "I've watched you grow since you were in my arms, I know you are not fine, daughter." She whispered to me as she rubbed my back. "If you don't want to go back I will understand." I leaned away, shaking my head. "No," I wiped more tears from my eyes, "I have to go back mum. I need to face this and finish what I started or I will never be able to move forward." My mother held me, her hands on either side of my shoulders. Looking into my eyes she smiled. "That's my girl," She kissed me on my forehead, "I still can't believe how much you have grown. It seems like just yesterday that you were leaving for your first year at Hogwarts." "Mum, I love that school." "I know, that is why you are going to return, now open that letter of yours and lets see what is needed for your final year," my mother smiled. I looked down at the letter and carefully slid my nail under the seal, opening it. Taking out the parchment I unfolded it and found 3 letters. The first letter read about how Hogwarts had reopened, talking about the new construction of the Hogwarts Houses, the new Quidditch pitch, and a few other changes that happened. The second letter was a list of items I would need to get from Diagon Alley. The third and final letter was my class schedule. I looked my schedule over and saw that my schedule was the same as the previous year. The only difference was that this was the year for N.E.W.T.S meaning everything had to be perfect when it came to my grades. "What is this?" My mother asked as she bent down to retrieve what looked like a fourth piece of parchment. She handed it to me and I began to read outloud, "The Muggle Minister and the Minister of Magic have come together to create a new law which has been signed and passed. It is the Muggle Cooperation Act. This new law is very important to our magical community, especially after the attacks on muggles during the past war." I glanced up at my mother and with a look I knew she remembered what I had done in order to protect her and my father. "A new program has begun in Hogwarts, that must be passed in order to graduate. The first students to take it will be our 7th years. More information will be given on the first day of this class." I reread the letter again to try and get more information out of the letter than what was given there, but I found nothing more. "What if I don't pass mum?" I asked, worridly. My mother and I moved to sit down on the sofa, she turned to me and placed her hand on my leg. "Hermione, love, if anyone is going to pass it will be you. You know why?" She asked. "Because I know both sides." I answered. My mother nodded her head, "You, my dear, have the best of both worlds." She was right, if anyone was going to pass it was going to be me. Not only was I a very bright witch but I was a very bright muggle too. I should be the least worried about this class, yet here I was. "Now, how about a trip to Diagon Alley, I believe there are just a few days until you leave for the train." "A few days, yes." I repeated. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around my mother and held her. I knew that Voldemort was gone and the Death Eaters have fallen and are in Azkaban but I still worried about my parents. It took me six months to find and locate them in Australia and another two weeks to successfully remove the charm I had placed on them and recover their memories. When my mother and fathers memories were back they didn't remember anything. They thought they were still waiting for me to join them for tea and didn't understand why Harry and Ron were with me. Then I had to explain everything I did to them and why. I even told them what Harry, Ron and myself had done from the second we started planning until the final moment when I found them and reversed their memories. My mother and father we in tears, especially when I confided in them the incident between myself and Bellatrix at the Malfoy Manor. My parents weren't too fond of the Malfoys, especially after my second year in Diagon Alley. Now I was going back to school, the place where it all started.