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It was early July, 1992, and the Granger family was eating breakfast. They were having the usual, toast with bacon and eggs, with blues music in the background, just the way Mr. Granger liked it. Today it was Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pride and Joy".
"So when do you find out your marks for the year?" Mr. Granger asked Hermione. It was an innocent question, as most Muggle schools sent out their report cards at the end of the year, and not during the summer. Despite the fact that it was over a year since Hermione had been given her letter, he still felt relatively new to the wizarding world, and out of place.
"Well, Professor McGonagall told us that our marks would be owled to us in the beginning of the summer, so I think it would be any day now," Hermione answered, taking a drink of her orange juice.
Just then there was a screech, and a whoomph sound as something came through the mail slot in the door. Mrs. Granger rose up from her seat.
"I'll go get it," she offered. As she walked into the front hall she exclaimed, "Hermione, it's from Hogwarts!" Excited, she brought the letter, which appeared to be quite thick, into the kitchen, and sat down with it at the table. She opened the envelope and pulled out the first piece of parchment.
"Dear Ms. Granger," she read, "here are your marks for the 1991-1992 school year.
Potions - Outstanding
Defense Against the Dark Arts - Outstanding
Transfiguration - Outstanding
Herbology - Outstanding
Astronomy - Outstanding
Charms - Outstanding
Note that Flying, while a class during the school year, has no final exam and therefore no final grade, as it is not a core class."
"You'll have to explain these classes. They look confusing," Mr. Granger said. "All Outstandings! Wow! It's a pity we can't show this to your relatives."
"Yeah, you can't do that," Hermione said. "We have to keep the wizarding world a secret. Anyway, Potions is kind of like chemistry, or cooking, because you're making something. Defense Against the Dark Arts is very practical and hands-on." She declined to say that it had been taught by a professor who had had a mass murderer sticking out of the back of his head.
"Transfiguration is changing one thing into another, Herbology is plants, Charms is simple stuff like levitating a feather and other stuff, and Astronomy is pretty self-explanatory."
"So what's Flying?" Mrs. Granger asked.
"Uhh... we fly." Hermione said.
"With what?"
"Brooms."
"Brooms? How do you fly with brooms?"
"It's magic, Mum."
"Oh," and she fell silent, so that the music in the background was clearly audible.
"She's my sweet little thing, she's my pride and joy," Stevie Ray Vaughan sang. Mr. Granger sat, ignoring his plate, listening to the music.
"You know, I think this song is oddly appropriate," he said. "You are my pride and joy, and my sweet little thing. Now if only the lyrics read 'She's my sweet little pea,'" he mused.
"Dad!" Hermione blushed and rolled her eyes.br />
"Come on, let's finish breakfast, and then we need to pack for our vacation," Mrs. Granger said.
"Vacation? Where are we going?" Hermione demanded curiously.
"It's a surprise. Eat your toast."