Veil of Time: Chapter 2
Hermione, like her parents, also suffered with Hector. From the age of seven, when she finally understood that Hector would perish without outside help, the girl began to actively help her parents in everything so that they could pay more attention to her brother - she herself really did not want to. She helped around the house, did her homework on her own, looking for information and ways to solve her childish, but important problems. Deep in her soul, she, albeit a little, disliked Hector - he is the source of a simply phenomenal number of problems and worries! And because of this, her parents almost never devote time to the girl. Even if in reality this is not so, but children see everything in a completely different light.
And Hermione also had a big secret. She could do incredible things, albeit mostly by accident, uncontrollably. The girl hid her gift for various telekinesis and the like from her parents, because they had enough trouble as it was.
And now, on the fourth of July, ninety-one, no one expected anything unusual. Another modest holiday, quiet and calm. Hector will eat cake with everyone else, receive gifts in the form of drawing kits, because he simply does not have enough time for anything more complicated due to his "glimmers of consciousness". In general, he will receive gifts and go home, and the rest of the family will catch their breath and congratulate each other on another difficult year. Hermione will definitely talk about her successes at school and modestly look down at the question about friends - no friends, no time for them.
Everything was going on like this, and Hermione was modestly staring at her knees, sitting at the table - the very question was voiced. But then came the unexpected and not at all musical sound of the doorbell.
"I'll open it," Robert, a medium-height, fair-haired man, the father of the family, stood up from the table and headed for the door.
Emma, a beautiful brunette with short hair, put her cup of tea aside, listening to the conversation at the door. Hermione did the same. The girl took after her mother in her face, but her hair was a mixture of both parents, a curly, wilful, unruly mass of various shades of blond, from dark to very light.
A couple of minutes later, Robert returned to the living room to the set table, and behind him walked a tall, stately lady in an emerald, closed, floor-length dress and a black robe. Her age was indefinite, but not young - light, rare wrinkles and gray hair gave her away as a lady much older than Emma, although if you didn't look closely, you wouldn't give her more than forty.
The lady introduced herself as Professor of Transfiguration and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall. With a deft movement of her wand, she convinced those present of the existence of magic, which pleased Hermione and surprised her parents. In short, she came to deliver two invitations to study at Hogwarts. To Hermione and Hector.
"Professor," Robert's face literally darkened. "There may be some problems with Hector."
- What is it? - the professor was surprised, sitting at the table with everyone else and sipping the offered tea. - Where is the young man, by the way?
"He's in," Emma answered.
Everyone got up from the table and headed up to the second floor. They stopped right in front of the door, and Emma spoke again:
— Are you familiar with a disease such as autism?
"I have an idea," McGonagall nodded, turning her stern gaze to Emma and Robert.
"A very similar situation, but not this," Robert nodded, and Emma opened the door and they all stepped inside.
A simple room in light colors. An ordinary bed, as always, neatly made. Chalk and plastic boards on the walls are covered with completely incomprehensible symbols, signs and diagrams, rarely interspersed with familiar numbers. From the far corner to the window stretched a wardrobe, obviously for clothes, and next to it was a low table, at which you need to sit on the floor - Hector sits on chairs only when necessary, for example, in the kitchen. Leaning his back against the wardrobe, a black-haired boy sat on the floor, the empty gaze of his blue eyes directed somewhere into the distance. McGonagall was even slightly surprised at how cute the child's face was. True, this face did not express any emotions and did not bear any traces characteristic of people with mental disorders - just a mask without emotions. And this caused subconscious anxiety and fear.
"Let me clarify," the professor said after a minute's pause. "Does Hector sometimes become more adequate?"
- Rarely and not particularly noticeable.
— Has he been like this since birth or after some incident?
— Since birth. We conducted all conceivable and inconceivable analyses, visited various specialists, but the only thing we managed to find out was abnormally high brain activity.
McGonagall pursed her lips and adjusted her glasses with her finger.
— I would advise calling a healer from St. Mungo's.
Seeing the puzzled looks of the adults and the girl, McGonagall explained:
"St. Mungo's is a magical medical facility. Perhaps our healers can help, or at least determine a course of treatment."
Of those present, only Robert noticed the shadow of sadness on the professor's face. The professor had obviously encountered something similar, but it was not worth getting involved in this matter.
Having received consent to call a medic and realizing that the Grangers themselves would not be able to handle this issue, McGonagall conjured a ghost cat, whispered something to it, and it galloped away, dissolving into thin air. As the professor said, she thus called her familiar healer, and a couple of minutes later the doorbell rang. On the threshold stood an elderly and slightly plump man with light gray hair in his dark short hair. He was dressed in an ordinary dark robe and introduced himself as healer Smethwick.
For about half an hour the healer circled around the still motionless Hector, waving his wand, muttering something, and curiosity and enthusiasm were clearly visible on his face. Robert indignantly clenched his fists, but Emma patted him on the shoulder.
- Now you understand how the parents of that boy felt, around whom you hung around during the examination and kept saying: "What an interesting case!"
A few minutes later, Healer Smethwick put away his wand and approached the watching adults.
"What did you find out?" asked the professor.
"It's strange and unusual, but not critical," the healer answered with a slight smile. "The boy has become more adequate over the years, hasn't he? I see that's true. And no oddities, magical manifestations, or anything like that have been noticed in him?"
- And for Hermione too.
Of course, Hermione's mother couldn't help but notice some oddities that could easily be attributed to superpowers. That's why McGonagall's appearance wasn't perceived so acutely. But Emma, like Robert, was now wondering if their little girl would get out of it, and if so, how?
Smethwick glanced at Hermione, who was blushing in embarrassment, and grinned.
"Is there something we don't know?" Emma asked with a smile, but that smile hinted at a mandatory educational conversation.
— It's not that you don't know…
"That's not the point," the healer interrupted the moment and looked at the boy's parents again. "He is physically healthy, although a little thin, but I think it's because he doesn't get much exercise. The problem is that his brain and magic are completely occupied with a much more important task. It's as if he is restoring the integrity of his soul."
"Soul integrity?" McGonagall literally took the question right out of Hector's parents' mouths.