Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Harry Potter. I am only borrowing the most beloved characters for awhile.

A Real Family

Minerva McGonagall stood in front of a nice two storey brick home. She looked around and noticed it was an ideal place to raise a family. She looked down and shook head she'd never get use to wearing muggle clothing even though it was a deep green button up shirt and pair of black dress pants. She wanted nothing more then to get back into her green robes. She had to meet the last muggleborn witch of the year. Minerva pulled out piece of parchment and checked the address one last time. Hermione Granger, age 11, birthday September 19, 1979. She nodded her head at correct house.

"Miss, I wouldn't if I were you. You see that's the Granger's house." said a young girl with short black hair had a chubby body.

"I need to speak with Hermione Granger and her parents. Do you know if they're home?" asked Minerva.

The girl shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know lady, but be warned that girl's parents are mean."

"What do you mean by "mean?"

"Well, my dad told me to stay out of it. I wanted to help Hermione really."

"Lass here's your chance to help Miss Granger. Please tell me what you know so that the correct people can be contacted." said Minerva gently but sternly.

She hoped she wouldn't have to contact her husband, Richard McGonagall at the children's affairs office. She had seen too many muggleborn children abusive and neglected because they were different. She shook head and waited for the young girl to tell her what went on in the Granger house.

"Well, for starters I've heard they make Hermione do all the house work. I mean not chores you have to do each day. I mean like, cook each meal, and clean the entire house without her parents helping. She has to do all the yard work. I hear they barely feed her and they lock her away in her room."

"I'll look into this before I tell Richard." whispered Minerva. "Thank you for telling me. But I still must meet with Miss Hermione Granger and her family."

"Do me one favor Miss, don't let them fool yea? They be very good at that one. They fool the police plenty."

"What's your name just in case I need to find you again?" asked Minerva.

"Candace Flinch. I live just there." she said pointing to the house across the road from the Granger's house. Minerva nodded her head. "Good luck," and she walked towards her house.

Minerva waited until the Candace went inside and quickly transformed into a gray and black striped tabby cat. The tabby jumped into the window seal of the kitchen when she heard voices enter the room. She poked her head in the window and watched the interaction between daughter and parents.

00

"I told you to have these dishes washed before you went outside to the garden." hissed Jane Granger. She had long shoulder length frizzy brown hair, fare skin, brown eyes and a slender womanly figure.

"I'm sorry Jane." mumbled Hermione not looking at her mother. She had frizzy light brown hair; doe like brown eyes, full lips was thin and small for her age.

"Do it now." hissed Jane and smacked Hermione upside the head.

"Yes Jane." said Hermione and turned to the sink to the wash the load of dishes that sat on the counter and in the sink.

"The poor child." thought the tabby cat. "I think I better watch a little longer before I go in."

Three hours later…

Hermione tiredly exited the house with a bag of trash. She walked over to the trash bins and lifted the lid and put it away. Hermione looked around and saw no one looking and quickly untied the string and found the Ziploc bag those leftovers in them. She pulled it opened and hungrily ate the hamburger paddies that were in the bag. She jumped when she heard a soft "meow," come from the window.

"Oh, are you hungry too kitty?" asked Hermione. "Here you have the rest." She sat the last paddy down on the ground ignoring the growling in her stomach.

The tabby jumped down from the window and slowly made her way up to meat and gave it a sniff. She crinkled her nose at the old smelling meat and she knew the young girl would be sick from it. The cat ran around the corner she had seen enough.

Hermione sighed and made her way back inside. It was almost time to fix supper. She didn't need Jane and John getting mad at her for not having dinner fixed by 6:30.

00

"Richard, I haven't spoken to the Granger family yet." Minerva told her husband through a two way mirror.

He had short salt and pepper hair, fare skin, bright blue eyes, thin mouth and had a broad muscular frame. He wore finely cut black robes.

"Darling, are you sure of this?" asked Richard.

"The poor girl was eating rotting meat out of the trash bin." snapped Minerva. "Please I want you to interview this family with me. You're natural when it comes to telling lies."

Richard sighed heavily. "All right Darling. I will join you shortly."

"Thank you." said Minerva with a sigh.

Richard appeared in front of his wife 46 years. He kissed her gently on the cheek. He placed his finger tips on her temples and gently entered her mind. He found the memory quickly and easily. He felt his stomach do flips at the sight of the poor girl. He witnessed the parents beat her with a belt make her clean unseen amount that no child should do. He nearly lost it when he saw her eat from the trash. Richard pulled back and nodded his head.

"All right lets do this." said Richard giving his wife's hand a gently squeeze. They made their way to the Granger's house.

The well trained auror looked for anything that was out of place. He had to admit everything seemed in order. He noticed the house. It was too well kept. As if it just about gets repainted once a year. The flowers were well kept without a single dead petal. It was too perfect. It screamed something was going on.

Minerva knocked on the door. The couple quietly stood waiting for someone to answer the door. It didn't take long for the door to open. The couple stood face to face with John Granger. He had short blonde hair, lightly toned skin, blue eyes and large frame of a quarterback player.

"Mr. Granger. I am Professor Minerva McGonagall. I'm here to discuss your daughter Hermione Granger."

Richard studied the muggle careful and saw rage in the man's blue eyes. He quickly entered the man's mind and at that moment he wished he hadn't because of what flashed in the muggle's mind made him sick. John had already had plans on what to do to Hermione for informing her teacher of her home life.

"We are here to discuss young Miss Granger's acceptance into our school of the gifted. May we come in please." said Richard hoping that would change John's mind about Hermione's punishment.

"Please come in." said John stepping aside and opening the door wider allowing the couple to enter.

The McGonagalls' stepped into the finely kept seating room. Richard studied his surrounding carefully. He knew with a normal home even with it being clean things would be somewhat out of place. But the room was too well kept. He was interrupted when Jane Granger entered the room with a tray of tea followed by Hermione, who looked very nervous and scared.

"Hello sweetie, you must be Hermione?" said Richard as he knelt down to the young girl's height.

"Y-yes sir. I'm Hermione." She said and turned to her father. "I didn't do anything I promise. I swear I didn't I-"

"Easy child." said Minerva placing a gentle hand on Hermione's shoulder. "May we sit down and explain things." The young girl nodded with a small smile. "Good."

Jane sat the tray down on the coffee table and prepared everyone's tea. Richard studied the mother carefully. He shifted through the muggle's memories on the way she treated her child. He mentally gasped at the sight. He witnessed Jane shoving Hermione in the basement and locking the door. He saw flashes of Hermione being beaten with a belt. Richard pulled out of Jane's memories when he felt Minerva give him a warning touch to take his tea from Jane.

"Thank you Mrs. Granger. Please allow my lovely wife to explain what brought us here. Professor if you will please hand Hermione her invitation to Hogwarts."

"This is an invitation to a very special school. A school for specially gifted. Not everyone gets in." said Minerva handing Hermione the envelope.

Hermione took the envelope from the professor and saw it was addressed to her. She turned it over revealing the Hogwarts seal. She slowly cracked the seal and pulled out the letter. She read it herself.

Dear Miss Granger,

We would like to extent invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The term will begin September 1, 1991. Due to the fact that you are a muggleborn. A person with no wizarding family members. A professor will be there to collect you and help you with your shopping.

Please return your reply to the visiting professor no later then July 31. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Minerva A. McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Mastery of Transfiguration and Head of Gryffindor House

Hermione saw her list of supplies. She looked up at the couple that sat on the couch. She couldn't believe it was possible. Was this the reason behind her able to make this float or disappear? Could she really be a witch?

"Is this the reason why can do things ours can not?" asked Hermione.

"Yes Miss Granger it is. I am witch. Watch carefully." said Minerva as she pulled out her wand. She transfigured her tea cup into mouse. "See it's real. Just like you and me." She gently handed it over to Hermione.

"Oh, wow. It's really a mouse!" said Hermione in excitement. "So at this school I'll learn how to do this?"

"Yes and much more." said Minerva taking the mouse and turning it back into a cup.

"You little freak!" yelled John and raised his hand to hit Hermione upside the head.

Richard quickly grabbed John's wrist. He smirked at the man. He hadn't lost all of seeker skills. "That will not be necessary Mr. Granger. I'm an auror and you are both under arrest for child endangerment and neglect. I will be contacting the muggle/wizarding force and you will be questioned." He turned to his wife and said gently, "Minnie, please take Hermione some place safe. Go to the placement office and have Hermione signed over to our care."

Minerva nodded and gently took Hermione hand, "Come along sweetie. Is there anything you want to take with you?"

Hermione looked at the man that had her father's wrist in a tight hold and then over at the woman that had her hand gently. She shook her head. She grabbed her letter and stuck it her pocket any place was better then her home.

"Good let's go. Now hold on tightly I'm going to apperate us to the affairs office. You might feel sick to your stomach for a moment." Hermione nodded and they were gone with a faint pop.

"Now, to deal with you." said Richard and sent out his patronus in the shape of an eagle to the correct people.

000

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