=== September 1, 1997 ===
Early morning at the Granger household the floo flares up and McGonagall steps through. She walks into the kitchen and sees Shannon helping Hermione feed the triplets while Harry and Ginny are cooking breakfast for everyone else. In the chaos her presence is missed so she clears her throat. "Good morning."
"Mum!" Shannon exclaims as she puts down the baby food and runs over to hug McGonagall.
McGonagall hugs her back. "It is good to see you too. I'm sorry I haven't been able to be there this summer."
Shannon looks up at McGonagall with her mismatched eyes and smiles. *It's okay, really, I had a lot of fun with the twins, learned some spells and made a friend."
"Should I be concerned about these spells?" McGonagall asks.
"We didn't teach her anything we didn't know our first year." Hermione says.
"That's what has me concerned." McGonagall says and they all laugh. "So, tell me about this friend."
"Her name is Gabrielle Delacour, and she's going to be starting Hogwarts this year too." Shannon says obviously excited. "We're supposed to meet on the platform."
"Is this the same Gabrielle Delacour that was held during the tournament?" McGonagall asks.
"It is." Hermione answers.
McGonagall smiles."Excellent, if she is anything like her sister you have a trustworthy friend."
"Thank you." Shannon says.
"Now, do you have everything?" McGonagall asks.
"I have my trunk in my pocket, I'll enlarge it once I'm in my dorm." Shannon answers.
"Then you are missing just one thing." McGonagall says and suddenly a cage appears with an owl in it.
Shannon's eyes light up. "For me?"
"Yes." McGonagall says.
Shannon hugs McGonagall then takes the cage. "Thank you, Mum."
"You are welcome." McGonagall says the kisses Shannon's forehead.
Shannon heads off to the other room carrying the cage. "What shall we name you?" She asks the owl as they walk off.
"Now Potters," McGonagall says. "I have something special planned, and I need your assistance."
"How can we help?" Harry asks.
#####
Thanks to a notice-me-not charm the Potters and Shannon all make it to platform 9 ¾. "We're going to go get our usual car." Hermione says. "You are welcome to join us."
"Thank you." Shannon says as she looks around the platform as the Potters all head into the train.
"Shannon!" Gabrielle shouts, drawing her attention.
Shannon smiles as she runs over to Gabrielle and Fleur. "You made it!"
"Oui!" Fleur says. "Bill knew the way."
Shannon nods. "Of course." She grabs Gabrielle's hand. "Are you ready?"
Gabrielle looks at Fleur. "I'll write to you as soon as I can."
"I have an owl you can borrow." Shannon says.
"What's his name?" Fleur asks.
"Archimedes," Shannon answers.
"I look forward to seeing him." Fleur says.
With that Gabrielle lets Shannon pull her into the train. She leads her to the usual car, which Hermione has already enlarged. "I see you found her." Hermione says.
"I sure did." Shannon grins.
Gabrielle looks around, marveling at the car. "This is amazing."
"Thank you," Hermione says. "I've been working on making it better each time."
"Why don't you two take a seat?" Harry asks.
They each take a seat, everyone introduces themselves, after Luna does Gabrielle speaks. "So which Hogwarts house is the best?"
"There is no best." Hermione answers. "True, most of this group consists of Gryffindors, but we have at least one friend in each of the other houses. Hannah is a Hufflepuff; Luna a Ravenclaw; and Draco a Slytherin."
"Isn't Slytherin evil?" Gabrielle asks.
"Unfortunately," Draco answers. "The majority of dark wizards in the past have been from Slytherin, but the house itself isn't evil."
"After all, I'm a Gryffindor and I'm married to a Slytherin." Amanda says.
"Besides one of the best wizards ever, Merlin was a Slytherin." Hermione says. "Everyone forgets that, it's not the house it's the individual."
"I think I understand." Gabrielle says. "No matter where I end up I hope I have friends like you."
#####
Once at Hogwarts, Hermione vanishes with the triplets only to reappear seconds later. *Maria says hi." Hermione says.
"Did you just apparate silently?" Harry asks, and Hermione nods. "How?"
"Don't you remember? McGonagall set it up so we can apparate on school grounds." Hermione answers.
"I remember." Harry says. *I meant how did you do it silently?"
"Oh, I'll teach you later." Hermione answers.
Harry nods and they help usher the students out, making sure the first years are all directed to Hagrid. Hermione smiles as Shannon walks towards Hagrid, practically pulling Gabrielle along. "Evening Hagrid." Shannon says.
"Evening Shannon," Hagrid says. "Who's your friend? Wait! I remember you, welcome to Hogwarts Miss Delacour!"
"Gabrielle, please."
"Right, now you two get on a boat with the others." Hagrid says and they listen.
Once the train is empty, Harry and Hermione get Iris and Rose and head inside. Once inside they find a table set up with all the first years sitting at it.
McGonagall stands up at the head table. "Hello, and welcome all to another year at Hogwarts. I know traditionally we start by sorting the new students, but I'd like to do something a little different this year."
McGonagall waves her wand a bunch of red balloons, all with the Hogwarts emblem embellished on them in gold, appear in the middle of the room. "In honor of our previous Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore's years of service to the school, I have summoned these balloons. I would like to ask each and every first year student to grab one, then remain standing." The first years all get up and grab a balloon.
"Now, I will ask the prefects to each grab a balloon and lead the first years outside." McGonagall says.
All the prefects grab a balloon. "First years, follow us." Draco says and they do so.
"Now, if the rest of you will join them, those that feel like it grab a balloon until they are gone." McGonagall says
Harry, Hermione, Rose and Iris watch as the rest of the students go outside, grabbing the balloons as they go. Once the last of them go out McGonagall steps forward. "Come along now." She says and they follow.
They are lead out to the courtyard where the prefects have the students gathered in a circle, leaving space in the middle for them. "As I'm sure some of you have already counted there are 98 balloons here, one for each year Dumbledore was either a teacher or Headmaster here."
McGonagall creates one more balloon in her hand. "This balloon represents the new age he helped usher in." She hands the balloon to Iris. "Now, count down from 3 with me and everyone let your balloon go when we say release."
"3…2…1…Release!" The entire school shouts at once letting the balloons go. They all stand there watching the balloonw float up I'm on the sky, the stars shining brightly.
After a few moments McGonagall speaks. "Very well, prefects please escort there first years back to their table, and the rest of you return to your respective tables."
Everyone calmly files back into it he Great Hall and returns too their respective tables. Soon the sorting is well underway, each one nervously awaiting their turn until McGonagall calls out; "Gabrielle Delacour!"
Gabrielle nervously gets up. "Go on," Shannon says. "We're friends no matter what house you end up in."
Gabrielle nods as she walks up to the stool and sits down. McGonagall takes the sorting hat and places it on her head.
"Gryffindor!" The hat shouts, all the Gryffindors cheer as the hat is pulled off Gabrielle and she goes over to the table and sits, watching the proceedings.
Eventually McGonagall says: "Shannon McGonagall!"
The hall gets quiet as they realize who was called up. Shannon gets up from the table and walks up to the stool. The hat is placed upon her head.
"There's a lot of expectations upon you, isn't there?" The hat asks.
"That's putting it nicely." Shannon says.
"Where is it you want to go?"
"Gryffindor," Shannon answers without a pause. "That's where my friends are, it's also the house my mum was head of."
"Aye, but wouldn't that put more on you?" The hat asks.
"If it does, then I'm up to it." Shannon says.
"Then so mote it be." The hat says before shouting. "Gryffindor!"
Shannon can't help but grin as her mum pulls the hat off her. She quickly makes her way to the table and sits beside Gabrielle. "You made it!" Gabrielle says as she hugs Shannon.
Shannon hugs her back. "I did."
=== September 2, 1997 ===
Early in the morning, Harry and Hermione are working on getting the triplets ready when someone knocks on the door. "Enter?" Hermione says.
The door opens, Shannon enters followed by Gabrielle. "We wanted to see if you needed some help." Shannon says.
"If you want, you know their routine." Hermione answers.
Shannon nods and grabs one of the triplets. "So how was your first night as an official Gryffindor?" Harry asks.
"Just fine." Shannon answers. "We share a room with twin sisters."
"Big sis!" Iris shouts as she runs in and hugs Shannon.
Shannon smiles as she looks down at Iris. "I just saw you last night."
"I know," Iris says, "today is our first day at Daycare without you."
"If I have free time I'll come see you." Shannon says. "Otherwise I'll see you in the common room tonight."
Iris nods. "Thank you." She runs off.
"Don't forget your schoolwork." Hermione says.
"Don't worry, I won't." Shannon promises.
"Remember your friends too." Harry says motioning to Gabrielle.
Shannon nods as she passes Clover to Harry. "Good point, shall we head to the Great Hall then?"
"Sure," Gabrielle says and they run off.
=== September 3, 1997 ===
The Potters are eating breakfast, the twins helping feed the triplets, when an owl drops a paper in front of Hermione. Harry looks at her curiously as she opens the paper and a small note sits on top of the paper.
I thought you would find this paper interesting.
~Grimlok
Hermione puts the note aside and reads the paper, thankfully she's not drinking something when she reads the headline as she starts laughing.
"What's so funny?" Harry asks, Hermione pushes the paper towards him.
Balloons Almost Lead to Airstrike
Early yesterday morning radar detected an unidentified object in German airspace. Fighters scrambled into the air to figure out what it was. Much to their surprise they discovered that the object was a large group of red balloons. Investigation is still underway to determine the origin of the balloons and how they stayed together.
Harry chuckles slightly as he puts the paper down. "I see why you laughed, though we should probably show this to the Headmistress."
Hermione nods. "Good idea." She takes the paper, gets up and heads to the facility table.
"Missus Potter, is something the matter? McGonagall asks.
"Potentially." Hermione says handing her the paper.
McGonagall reads the paper. "I see, thank you for bringing this to my attention."
"You're welcome."
"Could I borrow this?" McGonagall asks holding up the paper.
"Of course." Hermione answers then heads back to the table.
=== September 4,1997 ===
A knock on the door pulls Harry's attention from getting their kids ready for Daycare. "Enter," Harry says.
McGonagall enters along with Shannon and Gabrielle, who both grab one of the triplets and start helping get them ready. "Good morning," McGonagall says.
"Morning, Headmistress, how can we help you?" Hermione asks.
McGonagall smiles. "I just wanted to update you on the matter mentioned in the paper. The Minister is dealing with any fallout from the balloons, nobody here will get in any kind of trouble for what happened."
"Good to know." Hermione says.