DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANY CANNON CHARACTERS, I CAN ONLY CLAIM THE PLOT AND ANY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS PRESENT

The only test Hermione Granger ever failed.

Prologue: A letter came today.

It was a very sunny day and as per usual. I was on my annual holiday with my parents to our villa in the south of France. I was nearly in my fifth year at Hogwarts, nearly ready to see Harry and Ron again I just a few short days I was to be collected. I didn't know where I was going to be going but I assumed it was somewhere safe, given Voldemort's return just a month and a half ago; which Minister Fudge was still denying at every turn and making Harry out to be some sort of attention seeking brat, or a nutcase.

I was out lounging by the pool, reading, when a large grey owl swooped down and landed beside me. I frowned; I never got any owl post here. None of my friends ever sent my post here; it was always left at my house in England. I did get my Hogwarts letter here once but it was way too early for those. "Hello, what have you got for me there?" I asked as the owl put out its leg so I could untie the letter. It was heavy. As the owl flew away I opened the letter and a large gold medallion with a large 'G' on it fell out onto my lap.

Dear Ms Granger,

We at Gringotts are sorry to inform you that we have a matter of great urgency to discuss with you. You are requested to appear at Gringotts at one pm tomorrow July 15th. You're parents are also invited but are not required to be in attendance. Just hold the Gringotts amulet accompanying this letter and no later than ten minutes before your appointment and say 'Aurum' the portkey will transport you to Gringotts London.

May your gold forever flow and you enemies' heads fall at your feet,

Ragnok

Account manager

Gringotts Wizarding Bank

I was slightly confused. All I had in Gringotts was a small savings vault and a trust vault set up for me by my parents when I started at Hogwarts, with the help of Professor McGonagall. I went inside to see if Mum and Dad knew anything about it, they were inside eating lunch at the kitchen table

"Dad do you know anything about this?" I asked handing him the letter. I sat down opposite him and stated eating my warm chicken salad. He and Mum read the letter through twice and were still stumped about what it could be.

"So do you guys want to come with me?" I asked. They exchanged an uneasy glance; as if they knew something I didn't, but didn't want to tell what it was. "Of course we will dear" Mum said with a soft smile. "I'll have to talk to your father about it, however you know he's not too fond of magical travel."

The rest of the day was spent trying to figure out what Gringotts would want with me. I stayed up most of the night thinking about it. Breakfast was tense the next day, nobody said anything, it was complete silence. That was beyond weird for my family. By the time quarter to one rolled round I was beyond irritated with my parents' silence. We all stood in the kitchen and grasped a part of the Gringotts amulet and I quickly said "Aurum" so Dad couldn't wimp out and let go.

We landed in the entrance hall of Gringotts London in Diagon Alley as the letter. The three of us approached a rather grumpy looking goblin teller who simply grunted at us to tell us he was listening. "Hermione Granger, to see account manager Ragnok…" I said clearly. He looked up at us got down from his chair and disappeared for five minutes. When he returned he just mumbled something that sounded like 'follow me' so we did. He led us to an office with Ragnok's name on it, we knocked and a loud shout of "ENTER!" came from inside. "Ah Miss Granger, please sit" a goblin that must have been Ragnok said gesturing me to a seat in front of his desk. Mum and Dad sat in chairs by the door.

"Now onto business, Miss Granger. The goblins here at Gringotts were doing our once every decade full general audit of all the inventory of all the vaults and paperwork in the bank, as to why only once every decade; well it takes nearly that long to complete. Whilst conducting said audits we found some irregularities in the Granger vault both in your own savings vault and your trust vault. These particular vaults using the bank's magic paired them with the vaults of one Hector Dagworth-Granger. Are you aware of any familial connection between yourself and Mr Dagworth-Granger?" the goblin asked leaning his elbows on the desk. "Um… Not that I'm Aware of I had intended investigating the matter myself as I had hear that he was the founder of the 'Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers' but I was unable to perfect my Parens potion enough to confirm the connection" I replied. Ragnok nodded and looked down at his paper for a moment, then continued with the report. "Gringotts can of course provide you with the inheritance test, should you wish. However there was another irregularity…upon further investigation of vaults and paperwork pertaining to you in particular we found a document signed sixteen years ago with a clause that did not allow anyone to inform to inform you of it until your sixteenth birthday. After that no one may stop the bank disclosing the information to you" he said glaring at my parents, who shrunk a little in their seats at his gaze. He handed me a single sheet of paper. I took it from him and gasped.

Magical Adoption Contract

I do hereby, being of sound mind and body grant custody of my daughter Hermione to the muggles, Richard and Jean Granger, to raise her until she reaches the age of sixteen, at which the goblins should make her aware of this document. Upon such a time as she is made aware of this adoption she is to be emancipated in the magical world and I should I be deceased in receipt of the full contents of any and all vaults in my possession, superseding all wills made by my as in all possibility they were made under duress. Also at the time of which she is made aware of this give here letter number 394, which at the current time is stored in the Black family vault for safe keeping.

Signed: BBL (Birth-mother)

Signed: Richard Granger (adoptive parent)

Signed: Jean Granger (adoptive parent)

Signed: Bogrod (officiating Goblin)

I was stunned, not only was I adopted, my birth mother at least was a witch. I felt like jumping in joyful squeals but was conscious my adoptive parents were sitting right behind me. Also I was magically emancipated now, I could do magic outside school, That would make homework and research a whole lot easier, I could finally crush Draco Malfoy so hard from the usual joint first into second place on the exam results table that he'd have to go all the way back to first year to relearn everything after he recovered from the shock.

Then Ragnok handed me a small envelope with the number 394 written on it in red ink. As much as I wanted to read what was inside, I'd heard a little about the (secretive) Gringotts inheritance test before and was intrigued. I wanted to see how it worked but I knew I had to read the letter first.

To my darling daughter Hermione,

I you are reading this it means that I have went through with the adoption to muggle parents.

I am truly sorry that I couldn't raise you myself, but circumstances would not allow.

I implore you not to take the inheritance test; there are things you aren't ready to hear yet even now.

I'm so sorry it had to turn out this way…

Your loving mother

BBL

"I suppose it wouldn't get me anywhere to ask what the initials BBL stand for" Ragnok shook his head 'no' and I leaned back into the chair. "Then I wish to perform the inheritance test" I said with utter conviction. Ragnok called another goblin to bring the equipment. A few agonising minutes later the goblin finally returned with a large sheet of paper and a dagger with different runes carved into it. "Hermione dear, are you sure you want to do this?" My 'Mum' asked cautiously behind me. She probably thinks I'm going to blow up at them and why didn't they tell me etc. I'm not mad at them, although I'm not necessarily pleased either.

"Now Miss Granger we are ready to begin."

A/N so that's was the first chapter of my new fic' what did you think of it? Please review If you don't I'll be all :( and also go check out my other story(s)

Next chapter up next week.

~Slygrifflepuffclaw