The Uncle From America

Chapter 13

It was two and a half week till the Christmas holiday and Hermione couldn't be beside herself. She was excited and jumping around that she could go home to New York and have good old fun in the New York snow this year with her friends.

While in the Hogwarts library Viktor Krum had asked Hermione to go to the Yule ball with him. But Hermione had declined the invitation saying she was expected to make an appearance in America with her Aunt and Uncle the same night as the ball. The Aunt part was a lie. Clint hadn't married Natasha yet. But Natasha still told people who listened that she was Hermione's Aunt no matter if she was married yet or not.

But today was a serious day. Today was the day of Sirius Black's trial. The day everyone was waiting for since June.

Harry and Hermione were nervous as they could be without doing accidental magic. And in Hermione's case, she had to control her excitement as well. And being nervous and excited at the same time was never a good combination for a young witch like Hermione.

Ron, who had kept his distance, was still looking to the two like he wanted over. Like he wanted to have the same fun Harry and Hermione were having.

When Ronald had gotten his summons for the trial last week at lunch, he was not, what the muggles say, a happy camper. He stormed straight up to the headmasters office in a fit of rage to complain about it.

"I cannot do anything Mr. Weasley. For I only have so much pull over here in England with Fudge thinking the way he is, that I can't do anything for Mr. Black over there." Dumbledore had said to Ron while Harry and Hermione was having a meeting with the headmaster about transportation for the trial. They had gotten their summons for the trial earlier that day, flown in by Maria's personal Oreo looking owl.

Ron had fully expected that if Sirius had gotten a trial of any sorts it would have been in Britain where he had been born. And he expected the British minister of magic to stop being a butthead and grow a pair.

And this worried Maria a little bit. She had never heard of a reaction like Ronald's before. People that she was around were either happy that a trial is happening or mad that the trial taking place. Not what Ronald blew up about.

Hermione calmed her down with some of tactics she learn from Maria and Natasha for her SHIELD training (Hermione had gotten a magic resistant computer with built in WiFi and connection to satellites (it was basically a sat phone in a computer) and a solar and wind powered changer (which Hermione kept out her window at all times) from Maria two days after their meeting in Hogsmead).

Hermione had said that Ronald was not a very good person and couldn't see anyone's reason except his own. And Hermione admitted that the temper tantrum that Ron had in the headmasters office gave her a nasty headache.

Harry and Hermione hadn't seen Remus yet, so Hermione had introduced Harry to her American teacher (and she didn't tell Harry that she's thinking of dating the man who was whispering into her ear) and her American friends and said if they were to use a nickname for him they were to use Prongs. She had explained that Harry's patonus was a stag and that it was his father's nickname in school. They all agreed to use the nickname. Harry was touched that Hermione's friends were letting him into their weird little group. Fish and Paint especially.

But as Hermione was standing by the door leading to the court room talking to Gretel (Gemma) and Don (and leaning on Don was more like it with Don wrapping his arms around her) about the New York snow themed Christmas party they were having at Don's house (it was way bigger then any of the other people's homes (and it would most likely be in his magically heated backyard)), when she saw the moon driven werewolf known as Remus John Lupin come in.