Changing Destiny

Ten: The (Not So) Social Call

Minerva

In a very real way, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts welcomed this shake up in Albus's plans to dispatch Tom Riddle, or the despot, as she often liked to call him privately. First, came the arrival to Hogwarts of the two Hermione's on the night of the sorting ceremony. Second, the very real imminent threat of Quirrell acting more jumpy and flaky as time went on. Third, there was the minute lightening up of Severus Snape. Severus, who she observed talking with the older Hermione Granger in private on the night of the sorting ceremony.

They poured their hearts out to one another, and even in her cat animagus form, she could feel the magical energies in the very air around them bringing them closer together. She didn't need feline senses to see that they were falling in love, and she missed that emotion sorely in her life. She had always had a soft spot for Albus Dumbledore, even when she was his Transfiguration student years ago in Hogwarts. She knew he preferred wizards, but after she became a teacher herself after her stint in the Ministry as an Auror, whose animagus ability was highly valued, there were a few drunken nights where they did engage intimately.

He teased that he was a drunk bisexual, and she laughed, and said maybe he was that way consciously, but needed alcohol to bring that predilection to the fore. Watching Severus interact with the elder Hermione Granger that night was interesting, because she had never seen such tenderness from him, and wanted that same tenderness from Albus.

As the days led up to Halloween, the teachers did all they could to set up the booby trapped rooms to traverse before moving on to the next to get to the philosopher's stone. She had formed the lifesized chess set, and the other teachers used their skill sets to form their own traps. When that was done, she questioned herself whether or not to just return the damn ruby to Nicolas Flamel to begin with. He needed it to continue to live forever, and it was merely a lure to trap Voldemort anyway.

But when Minerva had heard that Albus was going to use Harry Potter as bait, that was what made her seek out Hermione Rosier to begin with. She found that she was using the London Black residence for a home, and decided to invite her to tea personally, rather than send her an owl invitation. She used the floo network, and a team of well dressed house elves helped her out of her outer robe.

"Is your Mistress home?" She asked the main Butler house elf. "It is of the utmost importance."

"Kreacher will ask," The house elf remarked curtly, "But she has been quite indisposed due to work and health issues."

Minerva rose an eyebrow. "Nothing serious, I trust?"

A maid dressed house elf rolled her big blue eyes. "Kreacher, that was most uncooth," She piped up, "Smocky asks that you forgive him his rough manners, Miss. He knows better than to speak so of Mistress Hermione's person. Smocky will tell Mistress about your presence at once."

She disapparated away with a soft pop, and Kreacher left as well, scowling at her. Grimmauld Place was immaculately clean, and remodeled to its past elegance, while having modern touches like electricity, running water, and a very sizeable entertainment center, and adjustable leather chairs with holes in the arms to place things in them, apparently.

She was examining some of the framed photographs of Hermione with her friends displayed on the fireplace when she heard the Mistress of Grimmauld Place stir. Hermione wore a dark blue skirt and off white peasant top that showed off her shoulders, but she had a slight curve to her belly, and wondered about when she would have time to get pregnant.