Disclaimer:

Harry Potter and all associated characters as well as Stargate (in all it franchises) and all associated characters belong to the respective holder of the right. Any similarities to any other work is unintentional. I write this for fun and don't profit from this story.

The Tok'ra Queen

Chapter 3: Settling in at Hogwarts

Hogwarts 1991

After a nice quiet ride over the Lake including a fantastic view on the castle they were greeted by Professor McGonagall. She gave them a welcome speech talking about the houses, the rules and of course the peer pressure discipline system (also known as house points). Leaving them alone was certainly part of the same tradition as the spreading of ridiculous rumours about what the sorting will entail. She made an attempt to calm a very nervous Neville down: " Neville the houses stand for character traits so any sorting that tests magical knowledge would only be good to find out Ravenclaws and even that only if one assumes that learning ahead equals the traits it stands for. The same is true for fighting a Troll not to mention that we can rule that one out by the simple fact that there are living and breathing students of higher years." He gave her a little smile. Some ghosts flying through the chamber produced a few shrieks but shortly after that they were led to the great Hall. Hermione really was fascinated and decided that a few scans of Hogwarts might help her formulating a more complete theory of how magic links to the known science. Several of her experiments have already shown that energy matter conversion still holds true so her basic assumption that most of the magic powers deal with energy and matter manipulation and transformation still seemed the best one so far. For real deep scans she would need her Tel'tak or construct a drone or probe but first she needed to pin down Hogwarts's location. Well she will be here for a few years, so there was no need to rush things. The sorting ceremony seemed to be quite easy you just had to put on a magical hat but Hermione was worried since it seemed to be based on legilimency and that could reveal her nature. While she was confident that she could block any attempt to enter her mind, it would certainly draw unwanted attention, if a first year was able to do so or not? On the other hand it would be easier to explain than what the hat might find, if she does not block it, so she would close her mind when it is her turn.

Susan and Hanna both went into Hufflepuff. When it was her turn like expected the hat began to talk to her through a mind-link but luckily it wasn't surprised when the mild legilimency probe failed.

"Oh a natural occlumen hadn't one in the last forty years. Seems we two will need to have a little chat to determine where you belong."

After chatting some time it expressed regrets that she couldn't be placed in Slytherin

"Had you been sorted hundred years back or even in Salazar's time you would shine in Slytherin but currently I'm forbidden to place you there. Those stupid blood purists would hurt you in their misguided belief of following Salazar's work. Those pea brains wouldn't recognise a true Slytherin even if Salazar himself pointed them out to them!"

Hermione began to mould her answers in the direction she wanted to be sorted. After some time the hat came to a conclusion and called out loud:

HUFFLEPUFF

She got some polite applause from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw and some honest cheering from her new house while she joined them at their table. The sorting continued Neville got his wish and was placed into Gryffindor and everyone was astonished that the Patil twins were separated. When Harry Potter was announced everyone began to whisper Hermione did her best to turn it out while the girls around her acted like five year olds who spotted the ice man coming down the street. After some time the boy was sorted into Gryffindor which lead to some tumult of celebration at the Gryffindor table.

Hermione had a great time talking to Susan, Hanna and the other two new first year girls in Hufflepuff: Lily Moon and Megan Jones. Egeria was a bit ashamed that she never noticed Hermione's wish to have some more normal childhood experiences but the girl buried them very deep because she didn't want to risk the acceptance she found since she melded with Egeria and became a prodigy. So Egeria vowed to use the Hogwarts time to give her young other half some fun time, even if it would mean to work on a less strict schedule. Neville seemed to be a bit left out by the others in his house, Hermione decided to seek him out next Thursday, Susan and Hanna seemed to have no problem with him so it should be easy to include him into some activities. She could accept Dumbledore's opening speech as eccentric (she really had met enough strange fellows on conferences and other scientific get togethers) but his announcement of certain death for each one who explores the third floor was just insane. It was only a short walk for the Hufflepuffs. Their common room was round or a bit oval in warm earthy colours. Since it was already dark the new house members couldn't see how the sun will light up the room through the round windows placed near the celling. The room had several cosy seating areas and also a few work places and was currently lit by the light coming from the large fireplace as well as several lamps. Professor Sprout introduced all the Prefects and encouraged all students to come to her or the Prefects with questions and problems. After she left the Prefects organised a quick introduction round and then send them to their dorms. Exited the girls started to chat rather than sleep, at first they managed to whisper but after some time they must have become loud enough for the older students to notice. So one of the female Prefects came to their dorm and told them that it really is time to sleep for them.

Next Morning Hermione flooed back home just as planned but against her preliminary expectations she couldn't wait for Thursday. Ever since meeting Egeria she never really missed friendships with children of her age and was happy to find acceptance with the adults she now worked with. Still her short time at Hogwarts so far let her long for more age appropriate fun. Egeria apologised, the Tok'ra had no experience of joining with underage hosts so they had to do some learning by doing. Both agreed to make some changes to the OWL schedule especially at Hogwarts. If necessary it was always possible to put more effort into the Canadian summer workshops. Using the Floo made Hermione curious how magical transportation works and if it is better than ring transporters and similar concepts she knew of. Maybe it was even possible to combine magic and technology just like she did with her scanners and the satellites she was placing as part of the Hyperspace warning network. She made this her first quest of knowingly improving Goa'uld technology with the help of magic. I might also help finding a link to the Transfiguration branch which she already understood on a theoretical level to a great degree. Ultimately a true transporter would deal with energy-matter conversion and such technology would allow most of the things done in Transfiguration done by a machine.

After her arrival back at Hogwarts on Thursday and re-joining her new friends at breakfast, she had a lesson with McGonagall on transfiguration and a practise period in a prepared classroom for such occasions in the afternoon she had potions with the other Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws. Snape was an appealing teacher, no safety instructions, petty bullying of students. It seems he decided that she would need some special attention, because she was "an arrogant know it all". He actually deducted points from her for giving correct answers, when he took points from her for not stopping an explosion on the other side of the room she decided to drop this class.

After classes were over she sought out her head of house and informed her of her decision:

"Professor Sprout, a teacher who just copies the recipe from my book and declares I have one hour without any safety instruction, explanation of the theory and the tricky and dangerous parts of said potion does actually hinder me to learn the subject rather than helping. I also don't appreciate to be insulted and punished for answering questions correct or for events out of my control. So I inform you that I'll drop attending regular potion class since it was agreed that my attention so far was on trial basis only. Oh and you might want to visit the hospital wing since two students of our house are currently there because they did not receive a safety instruction or proper supervision."

Professor Sprout was gobsmacked and could only manage a nod at first. After a moment she willed her thought-process to restart and gave the girl a real answer:

"Miss Granger you can't simply decide to give up potions. We need at least confirmation from your parents. But I can assure you that I'll have a word with Professor Snape about his conduct!"

Hermione signed and replied:

"You'll get the confirmation on Monday with the post. Calling for a meeting would only result in extra work for everyone since my parents let me make my own choices regarding my education and career for several years now. The important thing about potions in absence of sound teaching is the save environment and the student labs will give me that. For the required potion lecture I'll sign up for the summer workshops in Canada. Now excuse me I'll ask my friends, if they would join me in a study group with special emphasis on potions since I fear they wouldn't learn the subject without one very well."

Sprout didn't know what to say and really wanted to visit her badgers in the hospital wing, so she let the girl leave. Hermione met the girls at dinner and invited Neville over. Neville who already heard stories about how Snape hated Gryffindors gladly agreed to join the Thursday evening potions study group in the student labs. They agreed that their first project will be the potion the Hufflepuffs brewed today and Neville most likely will brew tomorrow. Hermione suggested adding instructions on safety and proper preparation of instruments and ingredients. Their work went flawless and all brewed a perfect boiling cure potion before they had to return to their common rooms. Next day after lunch Neville told the girls about his potion lesson and thanked them for the study group. He was sure that he would have great problems brewing the potion for the first time while Snape questioned every move he made. The girls were happy that Neville was able to complete his potion in defiance of Snape trying to distract him but they were also appealed about his repeated poor treatment of non Slytherin students, especially Harry.

Hermione used Friday night to slip into the library under cloak and search it for books on magical transportation. She used a recording device so she just could sweep through books that seemed to discuss the right topics. Her computers will transform it into digital texts so that several algorithms could exclude obvious false sources. She would start the process after returning home and start working on it on Monday since her parents insisted that the rest of Saturday as well as Sunday were family time. On Saturday Hermione had a schedule of one on one lessons, exercise time in sufficiently equipped class rooms and self-study time either in the library or at the work places in the Hufflepuff common room. They combined the exercise and self-study time with their study group that was extended to subjects beyond potions and had much fun during Hermione's regress time playing outside at the lake since it was still warm.

Emmet and Daniela were glad how happy Hermione was when she returned. She told them of her time at Hogwarts and they were not surprised at how serious she took her work there but they were pleasantly surprised that she actually used the regress times to goof around with her new friends (of course they didn't tell her this). The family had a nice weekend but first thing on Monday Hermione reviewed the information on magical transportation. She quickly ruled out learning apparition unsupervised the danger of splinching while learning it through self-study was just too high. The Floo Network was only described in general terms. The specifics could only be learned through an apprenticeship in the right department. Portkeys however seemed to be just what she needed. The instructions for creation needed of course a wand or knowledge in runes that were beyond her. In order to learn using her Kara kesh or merging it with known technology she would have to study them first. While she was allowed to use her wand to train the spells approved for home study she wasn't sure if creating or using portkeys wouldn't be noticed. She solved the problem by choosing the moon as location for her portkey test series. The first week was frustrating, her scans confirmed that her casting left a magical residue on the object it didn't work as a portkey should.

Returning to Hogwarts she was scheduled for her first flying lesson while she heard about the Gryffindor & Slytherin flying lesson and how Harry Potter showed Malfoy up and got into the Gryffindor Quidditch as youngest seeker in a century. Flying worked reasonable well for her but it was clear that wasn't born to fly a broom. Snape tried to punish Hermione for not showing up for class and was outraged that she simply ditched his class, but since Dumbledore supported her decision there was little he could do. Later he found out about the study group and tried to forbid it. Professor Sprout intervened and told Snape that the student labs existed so that students could practise and that the study group has her approval. For the next few weeks Snape tried to vent his anger on the Hufflepuff students but learned that Sprout unlike McGonagall had no problem to fight back by using her head of house status to review punishments and dish out the same treatment to his snakes. Little time later they relented into an uneasy cease fire. Snape began to take it out on Neville the only member of the study group that wasn't a badger. The girls doubled their effort to improve Neville's brewing and without Snape's sabotage Neville proofed to be really competed at understanding the reaction of plant based ingredients and became a competent brewer. Little by little his successful experience with the group boosted his confidence and over the weeks he managed to survive Snape's classes with no further accidents. Finally Snape moved to targets that where easier to wind up.

In early October Gryffindor faced a massive loss of points. Harry, Ron and Neville were clearly held responsible for it by the other Gryffindors. After some persuasion Neville told his friends that Harry and Ron sneaked out for a duel with Malfoy while he was unable to return to the common room since their guardian was currently absent. He decided to go with them rather than to wait in the dark floors for the Fat Lady. Of course it was a setup and Filch chased them through the castle, they ended up before a closed door in the third corridor with no way to open it. When Filch caught them they could hear growling and barking behind the door, the floor literally began to shake. In the end they were happy that they weren't able to open it. While Neville faced a hefty loss of points and had to serve a harsh detention set by McGonagall he now was a close friend of Harry and Ron. Hermione smiled at that and remembered the time she visited the University of Heidelberg in Germany and was told the story how it was tradition in the not too far history for students to serve time in the Studentenkarzer (student detention room) on purpose. She was happy that Neville made some friends outside the study group since he was already being teased for hanging out with four girls so often.

On Halloween she had charms class with her fellow badgers and the Gryffindors, Professor Flitwick arranged them in pairs to practise the levitation charm. Her partner was of course Ronald Weasley who had problems to get the charms done. She tried to lead him step by step to perform the charm but he felt insulted and challenged her to perform it, which she did flawlessly. To overplay his embracement he tried to put her down in front of some Gryffindor boys after class:

"She is a nightmare, no wonder she has no friends."

He didn't expect Neville to instantly stand up for his friend:

"I'm her friend Ron. She just wanted to help you and when you couldn't accept it you challenged her."

Moments later the Hufflepuff girls arrived and then the Hufflepuff boys got involved. Someone of the group called Ron

"a talentless stupid boy who'll never leave the shadow of his brothers"

he couldn't stand it anymore and fled the scene.

Harry and Hermione didn't notice the tumult since both stayed behind, Hermione to discuss her upcoming session on saturday and what she should prepare in her self-study with Professor Flitwick and Harry to ask Hermione, if he could join the Hufflepuff study group, especially the potions session each Thursday. Hermione gave Harry green light to come to their Thursday session but itwould be up to the whole group to decide, if he can come regularly. Later Harry and Neville found in their dorm, the boys made peace and Ron agreed that he shouldn't have insulted Hermione while Harry and Neville assured Ron that they valued Ron as a friend. When Ron learned of Harry's plan to join the badger study group he couldn't stop himself from commenting:

"That's mental. Exams are weeks away! With Quidditch practise you will have little free time left."

But Harry had a good argument:

"Ron I won't be able to join all sessions because some of them are on the same slot I have Quidditch practise. But I'll certainly take the potion lessons in the student labs. Those got Snape of from Neville's back after all. You should try it, too"

"Maybe you are right Harry. But I have to think about it first. Those girls certainly will nag me about my homework several days before it is due."

Right before the Halloween east the twins boasted about their expedition into the forbidden corridor telling their tale of narrowly evading the Cerberus that is guarding the entrance to whatever is hidden there. Of course everybody thought that they were exaggerating a lot but Harry, Ron and Neville remembered the barking and growling they heard when Filch caught them.

During the feast Professor Quirrell stormed into the Great Hall and delivered a warning of a Troll running around in the dungeons before fainting. Dumbledore wanted to send all students to their common rooms but Hermione instantly objected to her head of house:

"Professor the Slytherin common room is IN the dungeons and our common room is in the basements. So you would send both our houses right into th direction the troll is supposed to be!"

The objection was sound and thus the teachers divided into two groups, one stayed back and guarded the entrances to the great hall together with several 6th and 7th years while the other group would go hunting down the troll. A short time later Quirrell got up again and declared to follow the second group to aid them hunting the troll down and left the hall. Little later the troll was caught and the feast could continue.

On Saturday after the feast it was time for the first Quidditch match of the season. Hermione had a conference at her University that weekend and decided that since Hufflepuff wasn't playing she could leave this one out. The Thursday after the match the girls told her that she missed a thrilling game. Harry Potter the new star-seeker had problems with his broom and ultimately fell off but wasn't injured to bad. The Slytherin seeker had no problem to catch the Snitch after that but Slytherin only won by a close margin after all since they were so far behind on point. While Oliver Wood still believed in Harry's talent he told the boy that he has to get his stage-fright under control before he could play again. For the time being Harry was put back to the reserve position. Harry still maintained that someone must have tampered with his broom but all teachers who looked into it couldn't find anything.

Later in November Hermione finally managed to create her first working portkeys but they were not really safe yet. All canisters she sends with them became damaged to various degrees so she had no other option but to further practise until she gets stable results and if possible a way to tell, if a given portkey is safe or not.

She realized that her estimates for getting the ancient outpost online were too optimistic. She lacked knowledge and material to produce power sources that could start the systems she deemed necessary should the need to defend earth arise. The only suitable option would be to construct an antimatter fusion reactor but with the material she had at her disposal she would need decades to produce enough antimatter for more than a few minutes activation. She would have to decide next summer if mining materials for advanced reactors and other components would be advisable. It could lead to unwanted attention towards earth but also speed up the process significantly. For the time being she would concentrate on the sensor-satellite network as well as on her research on portkeys, teleportation and energy-matter transporters.

AN:

Sorry the first upload wasn't the final version, so I took it down again. It seems 2 week updates suit me best after all (at least for the time being).

A little note on the class schedule:

Potions:

Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw on Thursdays afternoon

Slytherin/Gryffindor on Friday morning

Accordingly Hermione's flying class is on Friday (this is one of the classes she can't do through home schooling at all).

It seems necessary to comment on a few things:

As you might have noticed being in different houses and the alteration of several other events lead to more distance between her and Ron/Harry. So this story will explore how things will turn out if Hermione is in a more outer circle of friends (at least for now).

Since many asked for the ship. I give you the general direction. I also warn you that there is a good possibility that the first date isn't directly the happy ever after. Think in terms of: Neville, Cedric and Krum or for the SG side of characters: Daniel, Jonas, Narim. I don't rule out that Harry and Hermione might become girlfriend/boyfriend for some time and date but I don't see them long-term in this setting.

On some other wishes/comments:

Hermione/Egeria is a Tok'ra (a group of undercover spies) so just spilling her secrets is out of questions. Don't expect her to do it anytime soon to any of her peers. She'll need VERY good reasons to do so. Letting someone she is in a relationship with joining with a symbiont is no easy decision. First of all it would have to be a Tok'ra who is not one of her children (because that would be gross) and second it is not a given that the joint being will have the same feelings as before (i.e. Jolinar is already in a relationship with a different symbiont so what would happen if host an symbiont have different romantic prospects?). There are other options to achieve a long live in both verses (via magic and/or technology) so it isn't strictly needed anyway.

I also want to mention that her view on magic and the magic community is not meant to be bashing of the HP-Verse. She is the founder of the Tok'ra and thus extreme suspicious to anything that is called magic since the Goa'uld claimed to have magic powers while it was all only superior knowledge and technology.