14 14. Hermione

Taking a moment to compose myself, I rang the doorbell. The door swung open and I saw a very excited looking Hermione followed by a smiling Emma who paused for a moment after seeing my get up.

"Hey Hermione, hello Emma. I hope I'm not too early."

"Hello Harry, you arrived just at the right time. Come in and make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks. I was excited to finally be able to talk to a friend."

"That's very sweet of you dear. Hermione has been up, waiting for you from 7 o'clock."

"Mom!!..." Hermione cried feeling embarrassed.

"Hello Harry. How are you" Daniel came downstairs and asked.

"Hello Dan, thank you for having me here."

"So Harry, did you use the knight bus to arrive here? " Hermione asked, too excited to listen to anything else.

"Haha. Yes Hermione, I hailed the knight bus. But I suggest you only keep it as your last option."

"Huh, why? "

"The ride is not exactly comfortable. Scratch that, it's very very uncomfortable. The bus is so fast that you will be thrown everywhere if you do not hold onto something very tightly. It is a scary and vomit-inducing activity."

"But... But... That's very illogical." Hermione stammered.

"Sigh-" I decided it was time to drop the bomb. "- Emma, Dan, Hermione, now I'm gonna say some things. Don't react before munching on my words carefully. Okay? " I said with all seriousness.

"What is it about? " Emma asked seeing my expression.

Taking a deep breath, I first took out my mom's trunk which has been laying inside my pocket all this time. Then I took out three papers from my other pocket and gave one to each of them.

"Please listen carefully. There is a magical vow written on the papers. It says that what I'm about to tell you guys, you will never let anyone else about them in any way possible. Hermione just has to hold her wand in front of her and say the vow. And for you two I will assist in doing so one at a time."

Emma and Dan looked at me deeply while Hermione was curious and a bit scared because of the tense atmosphere.

"Why do we need to do this? " Dan asked in all seriousness.

"For your safety. The Wizarding world is not as safe as you think it is. And you can not even run away from it unless you decide to leave Hermione behind, which I know you will not. There are powerful beings out there who can read your mind, make you tell everything truthfully, and even erase any and all memories.

It's a scary world and this vow will make it possible for me to save you three."

"And why would you go to all these lengths to save us. We are not close at all and we barely know each other." Dan asked.

"I saw some glimpses of the future, that is all I can tell you before you take the vow." "Trust me Dan, Emma.... I'm only doing this for your own good. I have nothing to gain from this, except maybe a best friend."

Someone might wonder why I'm really doing this. After reading the books, many many fan-fics and watching the movies, I realized that the one who was most likely to die always is Hermione. She is muggle-born and the best friend of Harry Potter, this already paints a very big target on her back.

She could have died so many times, in the first year- by troll and the traps. Second year- Basilisk, third year- dementors, werewolf, Pettigrew. Fourth year- The tasks, world cup. and let's not talk about years after that.

Yes, she is bossy, a know-it-all, jealous and dumbly stubborn. But she was the one who never completely abandoned harry. Going against her family, her love( i still believe Ron used love potion) she was putting her life on the line every moment she was there. She could have run off to Australia with her parents, but she didn't.

I'm not romantically interested in her, not yet at least. What I value about her is that she is fiercely loyal and only listens to logic. If I can make her idolize myself, she has the potential to become my Vinda Rosier or Bellatrix Lestrange( if you know what I mean) .

"Alright Harry, we agree. Just know that we are putting our faith in you, don't make us regret this." Emma said taking a deep breath.

"You will forever thank yourself for this decision Emma." Without any nonsense they took the vows.

"Now tell us young man." Emma said.

"Not here Emma.-" I opened my mother's trunk and started walking down the ladders. "- follow me."

When We all reached the office, I said."Alfred!! " startling them.

"Yes sir. "

"arrange a table and 4 chairs and get us some snacks." Alfred did everything in under 2 minutes.

"What was that Harry? " Emma asked curiously.

"That Emma was my personal house elf. let's sit down and then I'll explain everything." Nodding, they all sat down. Hermione was still looking around in wonder.

"Harry, now please explain."

"Emma, when Professor McGonagall came to give you the letter, did she tell you that by agreeing to join Hogwarts you can't join any other magic school under ICW jurisdiction at least not without making authorities believe that your reason for transfer is reasonable."

"There are other magic schools? " Hermione exclaimed in surprise while Dan and Emma frowned at the implications.

"Yes Hermione, there are many other magic schools around the world. One each in France, Bulgaria, Japan, Africa, America etc."

"But she said Hogwarts is the best magical school." Dan interrupted Hermione.

"She says so but how can you be sure if it is true. Hogwarts indeed is the oldest magical school known throughout the world. it was also the best at some point, but not anymore."

"But just this will not warrant that vow, right?. There's more of it.. go ahead, tell us." Emma said shrewdly.

"Today's magical categorize themselves in three groups- Pure-blood, Half-blood and muggle borns. like Hermione here is a muggle-born, I'm a half-blood. There runs rampant discrimination and bigotry in the magical world so much so that muggle borns are treated like disposables many times.

Muggle borns are not given employment opportunities, they have to face constant humiliation, and even if they die those in authority just dismiss it. There are even many laws that promote this behavior.

Did you ask McGonagall whether they even inform you if something happens to Hermione. And this is the case with most of the magical population around the world. Even in America, they dislike British wizards."

"What if we don't let her attend any school and make her a career in the non magical world? " Dan asked grimly.

"They will not stop you, what they will do is snap her wand and wipe all of your memories of anything related to magic. Magic is inherently chaotic, if not learned to control properly can take lives." I tell them the truth.

"Harry, You must have thought of some solutions, right? . You just said that you are half-blood." Emma asked in a trembling voice causing Daniel to hold her hands.

"My situation is much more complicated, Emma. When I was one year old, a lunatic but very powerful dark wizard attacked me and my parents with the intention to kill me. My parents died protecting me and when that man tried to kill me, he himself died somehow leaving me with this lightning bolt scar.

I was then raised by my maternal aunt and uncle, who hates anything related to magic with a passion. I am also very famous in the magical world and known by masses as Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived.

Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore is a man of many titles and a very powerful wizard. He is known as the leader of light but the man has a penchant for sacrificing good people, manipulating masses, and forgiving bad people all for some sort of greater good.

The dark wizard who killed my parents is actually not dead. there will be constant face-off between the Leader of light and the Dark lord, and I will be the target of both of their attention. Wherever I will be, it will become a war zone."

"Then should we not just stay away from you, it will be better to be discriminated against than killed." Daniel said looking at me critically.

"Dan" "Dad" Shouted both Emma and Hermione.

"Please calm down everyone. To answer your question Dan, I called that man a lunatic for a reason. He wants to be the strongest, to rule the whole world and his agenda is elimination of muggle-borns and half-bloods.

Now do not think for even a moment that he will spare anyone. If he feels it, he will kill any and all. Dumbledore is not capable of leading a war and so if Voldemort, that's what he calls himself, wins then he will attack other countries one at a time. He will not spare any magical civilization.

Next, there's a thing called the statute of secrecy, to stop muggles from knowing about magicals. But that man will not care about that, which will eventually start what we know as witch hunts. This time it will be more brutal as magicals will be captured, experimented and even forced to breed."

"Please stop... Harry, just tell us our options. I know you have thought about it, Tell us. Please help us." Emma asked in a pleading tone.

"Emma, after listening to all my explanations do you still think I'm a normal boy? " I let my voice linger for a bit. Slowly their faces changed as realisation set in.

"Dan, Emma... I am confident that I can face the whole world myself when the time comes. Both magical and non magical. And I'm not boasting about it. I know the seriousness of the matter.

And I can guarantee that all of you will be safe if you listen to me.

I also promise you that I'll keep Hermione safe and happy if she puts her complete faith in me." "Or I have one other option for you, let them wipe your memories and go hide in some other country. I'll tell you everything once again creating new memories. This way she will again be able to practice magic secretly, you will just have to continuously flee from one place to another." I told them sincerely.

"Harry, can you tell me what you saw in the future?" Hermione asked quietly. Dan and Emma also looked at me curiously.

"Alfred!"

"sir! "

"Tell Bogrod to lend me a pensive for a month. "

While he was gone, I told them what a pensive is. "Wizards can also time travel up to 5-6 hours in the past, beware of this before doing anything."

"Harry, if you don't mind me asking, who is this Bogrod? " Dan asked.

"Bogrod is a goblin. He is the account manager of my family vaults. Now generally goblins are very rude to humans but I was able to make them respect me, so don't keep your hopes up that they will treat you well."

Alfred arrivals interrupted further conversation. Setting the pensive, I taught them how to see the memories as contrary to the belief (fandoms) there is no holographic setting in it. Taking out some memories of Harry Potter movies, I dipped it into the pensive.

"Let's go. Let me show you what I saw." Entering the memories, it all started with my first meeting with Hermione in the Hogwarts Express then came Halloween where I saved her from the troll. The scene changed to a petrified Hermione with me sitting next to her and then me saying the Basilisk responsible for it. Next came the scene where we both rode buckbeak and then quidditch world cup and death eaters attack. Second task of tri-wizard tournament, then our couple dance during Yule ball and then at last Voldemort's resurrection.The memories ended there and they just silently sat there, trying to digest everything they just saw.

"What happened after that Harry?"Hermione asks looking intently at Harry.

" I don't know Hermione, this is all I saw. Maybe Voldemort killed me there. I have no idea." I lied because things become more and more bad from that point of time. The place again falls into silence.

After some time, Emma suddenly stood up and came in front of me. She took my hand and helped me stand in front of her. And she did something that I least expected her to do. She enveloped me in a tight hug causing me to freeze in surprise.

"Thank you Harry.. Thank you so much.. Thank your future self for looking after Hermione, saving her life and now even telling us everything. We saw how important Hermione is to you and how close you both are, but still you are willing to let her go to hiding and bear all the weight alone. I don't think Hermione will ever find someone more caring than you.

And Harry, if it is too much for you at any point, please let us know. We all can leave this country together and delay our deaths as much as we can."

At first I froze not knowing how to respond to this sudden gratitude and care, but then I relaxed. "it's what we do for our loved ones Emma. Don't thank me for this."

"Dan, let Hermione follow Harry. He will protect her better. And even if we die in between, we will die a brave and honorable death." Emma said looking towards her husband.

"Emma, what the hell are you talking about?.. Don't make decisions in haste. Your sentiments are clouding your judgement. We are totally taking the other option. He is telling you that he will remind us everything later. We should not risk Hermione's life. "

"No Dan. Your love for me and our daughter is clouding your judgement. Can you guarantee that there will be no unfortunate accident before Harry reminds us everything. Do you really believe you will be a better protector of our daughter than him? " Dan didn't know how to respond to this.

"Dad, I agree with what mom said. Harry has done everything to protect me. To protect me He fought a troll even when I was always bossy and rude to him before that.

I'm not going to run away. I will always be with him and support him." Hermione suddenly said silencing everyone and putting a smile on my face.

"Thanks Hermione." to which she just shied away causing Emma to let out a chuckle.

At last Daniel had to agree with his wife and daughter.

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A/N: This single chapter is nearly 2500 words long.

For those who doubt my judgement of telling Grangers all those things, just know that Hermione Granger will be Harry's biggest and most loyal supporter during the whole book.