Loki's magical friend? - ON HIATUS

11.

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Chapter Eleven : A Surprise Visit

***************************************************************************************After a long week of education, homework and getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule, finally it was the weekend.

I had particularly been looking forward to the end of the week, because it was the day I would be calling my family, via the bracelet Loki and Tony had given me. Today was also a test, to see if their efforts had paid off. If they had, this could be revolutionary and could change the Wizarding World as to communication.

I got up early for a Saturday, and went to breakfast in the Great Hall with Harry and Ron. We chatted while discussing the day's plans, I told them of my plan to contact my family to whom they were most eager to talk to. I felt the bracelet vibrate and, pressing the lit-up bead, accepted the call. The bracelet produced a small hologram, about a ruler length in width and height. I smiled widely as the famililar face of Tony came into view. He grinned. "Hey kid!" He yelled, loud enough to attract the attention of the others, who ran over. 

"Hermione!" came the numerous greetings as everyone clambered to get into the frame.

"Hey guys! Merlin, I'm so glad this works! How are you all?" I asked, radiating with excitement.

"We're all just dandy, kid. We really miss you, it's been so quiet without you." Clint spoke, pausing for a few seconds as he reconsidered his statement. "Alright, so it's not been THAT quiet, but you get what I mean!"

"How have things been at school, Mia? Loki said you had concerns about a new teacher? Umbritches or something?" Bruce asked. My friends and I snickered at the nickname for the pink hag. I opened my name to reply but was interrupted by a sickly-sweet voice called from the staff table.

"Hem Hem. Miss Granger? What is that... contraption you have currently in your possession?"

I glanced at my friends and my family, who had grown silent with the new voice, and now had serious expressions on their faces. I motioned to them to wait one moment and turned to answer. "It's an invention my Uncle Tony made fo me. It allows me to contact him from here to his home in New York. I'm talking to my family at the moment." 

"Miss Granger, I'm sure by now, you are well aware that the Wizarding World has magical means of contacting your loved ones? More... superior methods, dare I say?"

I frowned. So she was a bigot as well. This lady was becoming more unpleasant by the minute.

"Professor, are you insinuating that because a Muggle inventor made this, it is therefore inferior? Because that would be incredibly prejudiced, as well as untrue. We all know how much you dislike lying, after all." I retorted, raising a single eyebrow for intimidation purposes.

Aunt Nat had trained me, after all.

She said nothing, but pursed her lips and continued eating her breakfast. I looked out of the window and saw sunshine. "The day beckons. I think I'll go to the Black Lake for a bit. See you guys later." I told my friends before walking out of the Great Hall. 

"MY NIECE IS BLOODY AWESOME! Did you see the look on her face?! She looked like she was sucking on a wasp!" Uncle Clint cackled, while the others looked both proud and amused at Clint, who had fallen off the sofa, still laughing. I giggled.

"Thanks guys. As you may gathered, that was Professor Umbridge, the new D.A.D.A teacher for this year. If you think that little speech she just did was bad, you should have heard her at the Start-of-Term Feast. She even interrupted Dumbledore, and NO-ONE does that. EVER. I did some digging, and found out she's the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, which means she's working directly under Fudge."