Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

A/N: This was written almost two years ago. I've had the idea for this story for ages, but it's going to be at least novel-length, if not epic, and I am notorious for abandoning stories. But since I love this idea so much, I didn't want think about abandoning it, and so refused to post anything until I finished it, self-edited, peer-edited, and beta'd it to perfection.

But two years, 27 chapters, and 200,000 words later, I'm not even halfway finished with part one, and it's gotten to the point where if I don't post it now I never will.

So, be prepared for inconsistencies, OOCness, and overall crappy scenes. But I put too much work into this to just let it die, and maybe having some of it out here on the internet will inspire me to finally finish the damned thing.

And so, I present to you, chapter one of Part One of...well, the working title was Shades in the Strictest Sense, but I always thought that kind of sucked.

How about _And Time Will Tell Us All?_

Full Summary: Pairings: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape, with some Hermione Granger/Remus Lupin, James Potter/Lily Evans, Frank Longbottom/Alice Longbottom, Peter Pettigrew/Mary MacDonald, and Sirius Black/Petunia Evans.

* * *

><p>"Oh, well, the night is long,<p>

The beads of time pass slow."

- _The Battle of Evermore_, Led Zeppelin

All she wanted to do was sleep.

She was on her second full day without sleep. Well, early morning actually. It wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't stayed up the night before last studying. But who would've known that she would have had to spend all of last night locked in a life-or-death battle with Death Eaters?

Now it was over. Harry had told her and Ron everything. Dumbledore was dead, and Snape had betrayed them all. The Horcrux was a fake, and everyone else was resting now. There would be time to figure out their next step in the morning.

But Hermione couldn't sleep.

As much as she wanted to, as dearly as she needed to, she was pacing the floor of the common room instead. Logically she knew that yes, Dumbledore was dead_deaddeaddead_, and it was by his own folly, because he trusted Snape_._

But she couldn't understand how.

Dumbledore had always stood up for Snape. He had defended him against the entire wizarding world, given the man a home, a job, a friend, and a cause to fight for. How could Snape just throw all of that back in his face?

As nasty as he was, Snape had a code of honor. Hermione was under no impression that she understood the man, but she at least understood that the cruelty he employed while teaching was merely a façade to deceive his pureblood companions. She understood that his hatred of Harry was due to James Potter's own hatred of Snape as a child. In traditional wizarding society blood feuds are quite common.

Hermione trusted Snape as much, if not more than, Dumbledore did. And not only was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore always right, but so was Hermione Jean Granger.

Whenever she had a problem that needed solving, there was always one place Hermione would turn to.

Disillusioning herself wordlessly, she slipped out of the common room, and headed to the library.

* * *

><p>Hermione screamed, knowing full well what was happening as she tumbled down the stairs, watching the Time Turner spin out of control. Ironically, time seemed to stand still for a moment. Her necklace seemed to pull her through the air while it spun, and it wasn't until she heard a resounding <em>crack <em>and hit the floor did time seem to move again.

Then it was all pain.

She let out a cry, crumpled on the floor at the bottom of the staircase. The room seemed to be spinning, and she wasn't sure if it was still the effects of the Time Turner, or if it was the pain in her ankle. Dimly, she recognized the sharpness as similar to when she had broken her ankle when she was six, learning how to ride a bike.

But that wasn't important. What was important is that she was sprawled out on the floor in Hogwarts at goodness knows what time or day, someone could find her at any minute, and she couldn't walk. At least, didn't think she could walk.

She looked around, biting her lip hard to keep from crying out again. Desperately hoping she didn't alert anybody when she screamed, she grabbed the edge of the railing and tried to hoist herself up. It was still dark out, so maybe with luck she had only gone a few hours back. Then again, a few hours back everyone was battling in the tower.

She cursed her luck, and looked up the two flights of stairs toGryffindorTowerwith dread. Up there was perhaps safety, until she could figure out what time she had landed in. She looked down at the ground, and saw the Time Turner smashed to pieces. So much for her mysterious Christmas present.

And really, who did she think she was? Wearing a dangerous necklace from an unknown sender. Now that it was off her, she really couldn't understand why she had put it on in the first place. Hell, she hadn't even asked McGonagall or Dumbledore to look over it for her. There must have been a compulsion on it, or something. She couldn't understand it. It had come with a copy of the _Illiad._ The handwriting on the inscription was familiar, but she hadn't been able to place it.

That, however, would be a mystery for another time. Right now, she took a deep breath, and tried to climb the first stair with her broken ankle.

Her reward for further idiotic behavior was, of course, a sharp pain in addition to the throbbing one already present, and unsteadiness enough to land her back on the floor.

"Are you actively attempting to be caught, or are you just so incredibly stupid I can't fathom it?" came a voice suddenly from the darkness.

Hermione turned her head to where it seemed to coming from. "Who-who's there?" she asked shakily, McGonagall's warnings echoing through her brain. So much for not being seen. Dangerous things happen to witches who meddle with time…

"I asked you a question first," the voice responded, and soon a body emerged from the darkness to be attached to that voice.

Pale skin. Rather long, lank, greasy hair. An oversized nose on a too-skinny, too-tall body. Dark, angry, accusing eyes.

If she didn't know better, Hermione would have sworn this was the teenage version of Severus Snape. _Snapekilleddumbledore trustedsnape._

_Evanesco, _she whispered, swishing her wand behind her and vanishing the traces of the broken Time Turner.

"Actively attempting to be caught, actually," she said when she finished. If this was indeed a younger Snape, she was in much bigger trouble than a broken ankle. "I need to see Professor Dumbledore, and, seeing as how I can't possibly hobble up to the seventh floor in this state, I thought being caught and summarily discharged to his office would be the best way to do so."

Younger Snape look-a-like looked at her incredulously. "In that case, I would go with incredibly stupid. It's quite obvious that you're in need of the Hospital Wing, which is downstairs, not up," he replied, trying to get a better look at the strange young woman in the darkness.

"That, I believe, would garner more questions than answers. Now, if you would be so kind as to either mend my ankle, carry me to the Headmaster's office, or leave me be, I'd be much obliged," Hermione replied, surprised at her own rudeness, which was not like her at all, but desperate to have as little interaction with the past as possible. _Dangerousthingshappen._

"What's in it for me?" the boy asked in response.

"What?" Hermione replied, confused, not giving his personal feelings the slightest thought.

"If I mend your ankle, you fool. What's in it for me?" he repeated slowly, as if talking to a child.

She was perplexed, and momentarily speechless. "Well, um…"

The boy scoffed. "Nothing, I see. Well, then, have a good night," he said, and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Hermione called, and he stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Yes?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes. Fond of the dramatic, was he? Oh, well. So she'd play into his hand for a few minutes. If she could walk at the end of it, it was worth it.

"Can you really do that?" she asked. "Fix my ankle, I mean."

"Of course," he said. "But for a price."

"Name it," she demanded, having to get back, needing to get back. Dumbledore, maybe, but he was dead. d_umbledoredead ewhywhy. _The library, definitely.

"_Lumos!"_ he said in return, momentarily blinding her as he shoved his wand next to her face. "Who are you? A Gryffindor?" he asked, looking at her robes. "I've never seen you before. What's your name?"

"If I told you," Hermione responded. "I'd have to kill you."

He laughed then, and it occurred to Hermione that she had never seen Severus Snape laugh. Still desperately holding on the last vestige of hope that this wasn't him, however, she did not name him as such.

"You couldn't kill a fly," the boy said, after he finished his low chuckle.

"Could too!" she responded, unsure of her sudden desire to prove to a murderer that she, too, could be a murderer. She was too tired, too unsure, confused, what had happened? _dumbledoredead._

"Prove it," he said, and pulled out his wand, conjuring wordlessly two buzzing flies. He waited a moment to make sure Hermione was looking at him, then flicked his wand, and one of the flies hit the floor, dead.

"No problem," she said, more confidently than she felt. She took out her wand, and pointed it at the fly.

But all she did was point.

The boy snorted in derision. "Pathetic," he said.

"Speak for yourself," Hermione muttered angrily, pocketing her wand, _tootiredtootired._

"What did you just call me?" he growled, whipping around in a fury.

"The same thing I would anyone who spent their spare time killing off flies. Pathetic," Hermione repeated, wondering where her sudden bravado was coming from. After all, it wasn't like she could defend herself if it came down to a duel.

"I'm not the one limping around Hogwarts, trying to go see the Headmaster like one of his Gryffindor pets!" he retorted.

"What's that, precious?"

They both froze. "Filch," they whispered, simultaneously. Hermione visibly paled, staring at the lantern coming closer, unable to move with her bad leg.

"Well, you wanted to get caught, didn't you? Seems like you got your wish. Good luck with it!" the boy said, turning around.

"No!" Hermione whispered desperately. _dangerousthings. _"Please! Fix my ankle and I'll tell you everything you want to know after I get back from Dumbledore's office!"

"I've got better things to do than to wait around for a Gryffindor to make up some bullshit," he replied, starting to up the stairs.

Hermione glanced at Filch-lantern anxiously, and decided to go with her last resort. _dangerousthings dumbledoredead dangerousthings trustedsnapesnape TRUSTEDSNAPE._

"Snape!" she called after him, and her suspicions were proven correct when he turned around.

"How did you know who I am?" he whispered, conscious of every movement closer that Filch was making.

"My ankle!" she insisted.

"How do I know you'll tell me?" he asked.

"Students up and about after curfew, my pet, that's what it is…" Filch said to Mrs. Norris, and they were so close that Hermione could see the light on his face. In just another minute, the light would be on her.

"Snape!" she whisper-shrieked.

"You're in my debt, girl," he said harshly, waving his wand.

She felt the bones realigning, stifling what would be a blood-curdling scream, and sprinted up the stairs without a moment to lose.

"Did you hear that? They're running away!" Filch cried.

"_Deprimo!_" Hermione shouted, aiming her wand over her shoulder to behind Filch. A loud, explosive noise sounded behind him, and he immediately turned around to look for the source.

"You fool!" Snape yelled. "He heard you say that!"

"Yes, but he doesn't know my voice, does he? Yours, however, is rather distinctive, so I would keep my mouth shut and run!" she replied, flying up the stairs.

Snape stared at her in bewilderment, before following her up the several flights of stairs to the Headmaster's tower. Hermione stopped to catch her breath, panting heavily while leaning against the gargoyle.

"We lost him," she said, happily.

"You owe me one," he said in reply. "When you come out of there, I want a full explanation. Just who, precisely, are you?"

_dangerousthingshappen. _She shook her head, feeling almost bad for the lie. "Thanks about the ankle, though."

He looked at her in shock, and she turned around, grateful for Harry's many misadventures, and said seriously to the inanimate statue, "I need to see Professor Dumbledore."

It leapt aside, and Hermione started up the staircase. The gargoyle jumped back into place just in time for her to hear Snape's incredulous, "Hey! Wait just a minute - "

She did, of course, feel bad for deceiving him. But, she reasoned, he was a traitor, murderer, and Death Eater to boot. A little white lie didn't mean anything to him. _deaddeaddumbledoredead._

She walked into Dumbledore's office, suddenly realizing the late hour and hoping that she didn't wake him. What were the chances he was up late, doing work?

Slim to none, she sighed, seeing him come out of his private chambers into his office wearing dressing gown and slippers.

"Sit down, my dear," he said, and Hermione could have cried. Just how far back had she gone? If Snape was a student and Dumbledore still had traces of auburn in his beard… Why, that was twenty years at least! Her lower lip trembled, and she felt herself about to cry.

_Don't be stupid. Now is not the time to cry! _she told herself. _But he's dead! _her inner voice wailed. _And we'll all miss him so much, and how are we to win the war without him, and how will Harry find all the Horcruxes, and who's going to lead the Order, and who will Voldemort be afraid of? How will any of us survive without him? How can I get back home to help them?_

"You must have many questions. But first, please do sit down. I find a lemon drop always makes things better, for a little while," Dumbledore said, sitting at his desk and gesturing to both the chair and bowl of candies next to it.

Hermione plopped down very unladylike into the chair, and took three candies and put them in her mouth all at once. After all, what did a few cavities matter when all the world's about to fall apart?

"Now, do you think you could tell me what is troubling you?" he asked, and Hermione found herself crying. Not just little sniffles, either, but full-on hysterical sobs.

"Oh, sir!" she cried. "Everything has gone all wrong!"

If she was in her own time, she never would have been sitting here. She had never been on personal terms with the Headmaster like Harry had, and would never think to bother a professor in the middle of the night. She could figure things out on her own, and always did. But the incident with Snape and Filch had frightened her, and she was haunted by Professor McGonagall's words.

"Sometimes, just when it seems like nothing can ever be right again, that's precisely when things are at the most right they can be," he said, patting her arm affectionately.

"But sir!" she wailed. "You, and Harry, and Snape, and, and, and, me! And I don't belong here, sir!"

"Of course not. Do you think you should tell me where you do belong?"

She hiccupped, vision blurring from tears.

"N-no," she replied, feeling as if this were a lesson. "Or, or perhaps not precisely. But I do need your help to get back, so you do need to have some sort of an idea…" she trailed off, suddenly glad she wasn't more coherent when babbling about Harry and Snape. After all, it just wasn't polite to tell such a pleasant man that he had just died two days ago.

"Well, you speak English without a trace of an accent, so I'd assume you are from this country. And you're wearing Gryffindor robes, so I'd also assume that you're a student here. In which case, if you aren't referring to the present location, you must be referring to the present time," Dumbledore said, waiting for her crying to die down.

"Y-yes!" she said happily. "That's it! O-only, I'm not quite sure how far back I've gone."

"Then instead of you telling me when you're from, I can tell you that right now it is June 22, 1977 at 5:03 AM."

Hermione's hiccupping and crying abruptly stopped. She didn't cry at theBattleof the Tower when disaster struck, she wasn't going to cry now, four hours later when disaster struck again.

"I take it that you've gone back quite far, Miss…?" he trailed off, unconsciously asking her name.

"Gra - " she started, but he cut her off.

"On second thought, Miss Grey, perhaps it would be better if I didn't know, yes?"

She nodded, brain whirling about for possible logical explanations and solutions.

"But Professor, how am I going to get back?" she asked, not really caring about her name just then.

"Well, it's always easier to get lost than find your way again, isn't it? I'm afraid that I'm not sure. I assume you came here with a Time Turner?" he asked.

She nodded. "But not on purpose. It broke."

"Ah, yes, well, that would explain it. That does, however, make things slightly easier. At least we know it wasn't some unknown spell and ancient ritual. We do have Time Turners in this time, though they are rather undeveloped. I have some friends in the Department of Mysteries, and I will write to them seeking their advice."

He was handling all this quite well. She was suddenly glad of her seemingly childish decision to run to the headmaster. Of course he knew what to do. In fact, he had probably even been in this situation before. He was bloody Albus Dumbledore_dead dumbledoredead snapekilled trustedsnape._

"So, there's no way to get me home right now?" she asked.

"Not at this moment, no, and I doubt at anytime within the next few weeks. In fact, we would be extremely lucky to have you home before the start of the new term," he replied.

"What?" she cried. "Professor! They need me! They can't wait months! We have work to do, a war to win, we - "

She cut herself off, staring in horror at the headmaster. "I mean, not inBritain. Back home, you know with the muggles," she tried to recover, unsure of how much he'll remember, or want to remember.

Dumbledore laughed aloud. "Well, now isn't that an interesting cover story? Miss Grey, an English muggleborn, at the center of the struggle between the wizarding and muggle communities in a foreign continent, sent home toEnglandby her parents who thought that last battle was too dangerous for such a young girl to fight."

Hermione laughed nervously. He had struck far too close to home. "Quite the imagination, Professor."

"Oh, it was all you, Miss Grey! That last story makes being a transfer from Beauxbatons seem so dull, doesn't it? Besides, I doubt any student here could point to a specific African country on a map, let alone know its political history. As long as you're not talking to the Ambassador to Zimbabwe at the Ministry, that story should work fine," he said, chuckling.

"Am I going to be here that long, sir, that I'll need a cover story?" Hermione asked sadly.

"Unfortunately. Don't worry about your home, though. Have you forgotten that no time passes for them while you're here? I'd imagine many of your friends haven't even been born yet, so there's no need to fret. We'll have you home eventually, but you should know that we're fighting a war here, too. Most of our resources are devoted to defeating a certain dark wizard by the name of Voldemort, and so few people will bother spending time – forgive the pun – on such research."

"I should have gathered as much. I may do my own research, though, Professor?"

"Of course! But I wouldn't suggest devoting too much to it. I assure you once the Department of Ministries is fully concentrating on the task, you will have your answer in but weeks. Time travelling was a heavily funded area rior to the war."

"So the sooner Voldemort is defeated, the sooner I can go home?" Hermione asked.

"It would appear so, yes," Dumbledore replied.

Hermione sighed. _dangerousthings dangerousthingshappen meddlingwithtime. _"We've a while to go, then. I suppose I must settle in for life here, as it were. I just completed my sixth year, sir. May I continue my education next term as a Gryffindor?"

"You know when he will fall, then?" Dumbledore asked, yet not asking at the same time.

"Yes," she said despondently. "I can't tell you when, but I would ask permission to join the Order of thePhoenixas soon as I'm out of school." What was she saying? She should hide in libraries and underground caverns and never show her face! She knew too much. The Order?

_dumbledoreDEAD snapekilled TRUSTEDSNAPE TRUSTEDSNAPEkilled killed killed killed_

"Granted, conditionally. We can examine that more once you graduate. I'm afraid, Miss Grey, that we will be unable to grant you the title of Head Girl. I'm unsure if this was an aspiration of yours in your time," he said regretfully.

"It was," she admitted. "But I'll likely be repeating these next few years when I go home, anyway." Head Girl? Who cared about that? She wanted to cry. Images from the last battle kept flashing through her head, and she heard the screams. _tiredsotired._

"That is true. Sitting through a school year twice may be quite difficult."

"Boring, if anything. At least it'll give me something to do. Oh, goodness, there's so much to think about. I need money, a place to stay, new clothes, a new appearance, a new first name, a calendar, certainly…" she trailed off, talking to herself more than Dumbledore now. _dead. killed. tired. trust. harryharrywhereisharrysotired._

"You may want to let me help with some of those," he said, eyes beginning to twinkle. "Though you are, of course, welcome to stay in the castle this summer, I believe that next year's Head Girl, Miss Lily Evans, would be delighted to host you. This way you can become more accustomed to life in this year, as well as secure for yourself several friends for next term. After all, as long as you're careful not to let anything slip, there's no reason not to have friends, especially if you'll be here as long as you say you'll be."

Hermione visibly paled. "L-lily Evans? Oh, no, Professor, I wouldn't want to impose…" Too tired now, too tired to argue. Look, it was Ginny dueling Amycus Carrow, she was so good Ginny and it was good they had the Felix Felicus, but she was so tired was that Bill Weasley screaming?

"It should be quite alright. I'll just send an owl off to her this morning, and you can go with her on the train tomorrow. You are muggleborn, correct?"

She nodded, unable to do anything else. If she was in Lily's year, then she was also with James, Sirius, Remus, Pettigrew, and Snape_killed dumbledoretrustedsnape_. Don't let anything slip?

"Then perhaps she can help find you a muggle job in her neighborhood for pocket money. I believe the stationary shop in Hogsmeade may be looking for help next term, as their current Hogwarts part-time employee just graduated. I will suggest you to them. I have an extra datebook here that someone gave me as a Christmas present, but of course I already had my own…" he said, trailing off to search through his desk for a datebook.

"Ah! Here it is!" he said, and tapped the small, brown, leather book with his wand. "And now you have all the dates for next term in it as well.

"Thank you, Professor," she said, taking the calendar gratefully, carefully, exhaustedly. That big blond Death Eater, shooting spells all over the place. Was Ron okay? Harry, Harry...

"And don't worry about tuition," he said. "And I believe I can help with your appearance somewhat."

He conjured a full-length mirror behind her, and stood up. "Stand in front of the mirror, Miss Grey."

She obeyed, and was curious as to what she was about to look like. "Black eyes, I think," Dumbledore said. "They give nothing away." Hermione thought of Snape, and agreed. "Straight hair instead of curly, and a couple of inches taller. I shalln't fiddle around with your weight, my dear, I know how touchy women are about that sort of thing. But what color would you like your hair to be, and how long or short?"

Hermione bit her lip, thinking. She always rather liked brown. Blonde was too much like Luna, rather ditzy and dreamy, and red too much like Ginny, athletic and outspoken. "Black, I suppose," she said. "And short. Long is annoying. But not too short."

"In that case, I hope you don't mind me taking the liberty of making you a couple of shades paler. The dark eyes and hair wouldn't look natural on such an in-between complexion." Seriously, sir? You're dead. dead. dead. dead.

"That's fine," she said, and closed her eyes and Dumbledore waved his wand again.

When she opened them, she found that she was beautiful.

She gasped. "Sir!" she exclaimed. "Thank you!" Dreaming on her feet, dreaming, who was this woman? So tired, look so beautiful, like that war, like Homer's Helen, his Helen, that stupid girl, don't be like that fool, started a war_warwarwarwarwarwizardsatwar. _Not a dream, a nightmare, to look this beautiful, like this...

The short black hair was in a perfectly cut bob, with fringe bangs covering her forehead. If she had tried to put her old hair in a bob, it would have frizzed into an afro right away. But this hair was smooth, silky even. Whereas before she was about 5'2, she now stood at least as 5'5, and knew that with heels, she could even pull of being "tall" instead of always being so short. Another way for people not to remember her. And although Dumbledore hadn't modified her weight, by making her taller he inadvertently made her slightly skinnier too. She was indeed several shades paler, but not noticeably ghost-like. Her eyes were bottomless inkwells, and she fell in love with them instantly. Determined to make all sorts of intimidating faces with those eyes, she resolved to practice in front of a mirror later.

"Ah, your robes!" Dumbledore remembered, and adjusted them for her new height. "No need to thank me, Miss Grey. It's a simple glamour. I'll show you how to take it off, but I don't recommend you do so often. Now, about a name…"

"I'm Helen," she whispered, stuck in a nightmare of a world.

"Well, Helen, I should hope your newfound beauty isn't quite that dangerous," Dumbledore said, smiling.

"I assure you, sir, there'll be no men fighting wars over me," Hermione smiled.

"Be careful what you prophesy, my dear. Now, you look as if you're about to collapse. You've been days without sleep?" he asked.

She nodded guility. "Not all of it was self-inflicted."

"I'll firecall Madam Pomfrey to expect you. Take some Dreamless Sleep, and go sleep all day. The train leaves at eleven tomorrow morning, but I'll send Miss Evans to wake you by nine."

"More than twenty-four hours of sleep?" she asked.

"You need it, Miss Grey. And possibly more than that. But we'll do what we can for now, and maybe you can do some more thinking and planning this summer. We will keep in touch regularly. I'm sure Miss Evans will have no problem with you borrowing her owl. Expect a letter from me within the week."

"Thank you again, sir. You've been so much help," Hermione said, realizing she was being dismissed.

"Not as much as I wish I could have been. You'll be home soon, though, don't worry. And until then, might I suggest keeping a diary of sorts to remember your time here? You and Miss Evans will be great friends, I'm sure. I plan on asking her to join the Order upon graduation as well."

"I certainly will, Professor. Thank you again." She added, taking her gift datebook from the desk, and heading down to the Hospital Wing, where, ironically, Snape had told her to go in the first place.

* * *

><p>AN 2: I was having some trouble with formatting this chapter, so if anyone notices anything funny-looking, message me.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Not crazy about any of this. Looking for a beta reader, if anyone knows anyone.

* * *

><p>"Suddenly I knew that you'd have to go.<br>Your world was not mine; your eyes told me so.  
>Yet it was there I felt the crossroads of time,<br>And I wondered why."

- _The Old Ways_, Loreena McKennitt

"Helen?"

She was flying.

Flying or falling, she wasn't really sure which, but it didn't really matter, because she was spinning, too. Or maybe she was still and everything else was spinning around her? Harry was yelling at her for telling McGonagall about the Firebolt, and it seemed strangely important that she remember this, but all she could see was Harry's disappointed face floating in front of her.

"Helen?"

She tried looking for Ginny, because she knew Ginny would understand, but the sandstorm that she was floating through suddenly became much worse and Harry disappeared, and if Harry was gone she knew that Ginny would be, too.

"Helen? Wake-up!"

But strangely enough, when she opened her eyes, Ginny was there.

"Sorry! Professor Dumbledore said you could probably sleep for another day and a half, but the train leaves at eleven, and you still need to eat, and you probably want to shower, too."

Dumbledore said what? And why was Harry's face on Ginny's – or was Ginny's on Harry's? It looked like Ginny, but Harry's eyes were –

Oh.

Everything from yesterday came flying back at her. This wasn't Ginny, this was Lily. Lily Potter. Or, well, Lily Evans now.

"Ulgh," she groaned, turning over to bury her face in the pillow. She was spending the summer, hell, the entire year, with Lily freaking Potter, wasn't supposed to let anything slip about the future, and yet was supposed to be good friends with this girl, and calmly reconcile to spending what was about four years in the past, only to go back to a present where Dumbledore was dead, Snape was a traitor, and they had five pieces of a soul to find?

"I brought some breakfast up, so you don't have to go down to the Great Hall, I'd imagine you'd be quite overwhelmed."

'_Overwhelmed' would be an understatement, _Hermione thought despairingly.

"My family's going to be meeting us at the train. I'm sorry you'll have to share a room with my sister and me, but we're going to be a sharing a room next term, anyway, so I guess it'll be okay!"

Hermione rolled over, suppressing another groan. "I'm sorry. I'm not usually such a grouch in the morning," she said, sitting up in the bed.

"It's totally understandable!" Lily exclaimed. "Professor Dumbledore said you had been up for two days straight traveling from - where was it in Africa again?"

"Oh, just a small little country. You wouldn't have heard of it. I'm originally from England, anyway," she bluffed.

"I'd love to hear all about it! But here, have some toast. You're probably much hungrier than that, but you shouldn't ruin your lunch," Lily replied, handing her the comforting and familiar breakfast staple.

"Thanks," Hermione said, noting her rumbling stomach. How long had it been since she last ate? Dinner before the battle? That was two days ago, now!

"You can borrow some of my clothes until we go shopping. Dumbledore says everything you have is back home? You look about my size, so it should be fine. We can head up to the girl's dorm as soon as you finish so you can shower and change. I'm all packed already, but I have a separate bag you can use for what you do have."

Hermione was grateful for Lily's chattiness, because not only did it give her time to wolf down her breakfast, but it also meant that maybe she wouldn't have to talk _to _her as much.

"In that case, let's go now," Hermione said, getting up out of bed.

Lily looked surprised. "You're ready already?"

"Well, it's not like I was actually sick. And I'm rather anxious to be off, to be honest."

"Good!" Lily said, smiling. "Gryffindor Tower is all the way on the seventh floor; can you make it? Madam Pomfrey said it looked as though you had a bit of a weak ankle."

"Oh, uh…" she stumbled for an answer. Snape wasn't going to recognize her as the girl who's ankle he had healed, so she should really just avoid mentioning that incident altogether.

"I stumbled on the stairs on my way to Dumbledore's office last night," Hermione explained. "I just twisted it a little funny, nothing too serious."

"Great!" Lily replied brightly as they exited the Hospital Wing. "Mary and Alice might still be in there; you can meet them. I'll try not to overwhelm you with introductions, but they're my two best friends, and we'll be sitting with them on the train."

Hermione nodded. It might be good to have friends whose futures she didn't know.

"Although Alice has been spending so much time with Frank lately, I wouldn't be surprised if she sat with him. In any case, you don't care about Hogwarts gossip! The Library is on this floor," Lily told her, walking up the stairs, and Hermione realized that she was in for a tour.

"What classes are you taking, Lily?" she asked quickly, interrupting the tour.

"Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Astronomy. What was your schooling like back home? Did you take similar classes?" Lily said, giving up on the tour pretty quickly.

"Well, we pretty much had a British-based system," Hermione said, making things up as she went along. "The only difference was that our Defense program was stronger, which was just a practical necessity."

"That's right, Professor Dumbledore said that your home country was in a civil war," Lily said curiously.

"And so mum and dad sent me away. The last battle was too dangerous, they said. They want me nice and safe tucked away here in Britain," Hermione sighed.

"But you're too young to be fighting, anyway!" Lily exclaimed.

"I've been fighting since I was twelve," she told Lily. "But the fight only really picked up in the last two years."

"Well, your parents should have sent you away earlier. Could you really be helpful that young? Surely you were only getting in the way?"

"Well, it's complicated. You see, my best friend is kind of…I don't really know how to explain it, but my two best friends are still there, fighting. We've been friends since we started school and fought a troll. I wouldn't leave them if my life depended on it, but, well…"

"It did depend on it," Lily sighed. "You must miss them terribly."

"More than you know," Hermione said, suddenly realizing what four years without Harry and Ron would be like.

"Can you write to them?"

Hermione shook her head. "It's too dangerous. Someone could trace it to their hiding place. They're in hiding, fighting underground."

"When will you be going back?" Lily asked. "After graduation?"

"Not for awhile," Hermione said, tears threatening again.

_Don't be ridiculous! _She told herself. _You'll see them again and no time at all would have past from when you saw them last. Weren't you just saying that you needed a break from Ron, anyway?_

"You're so brave," Lily said. "I could never fight in a war, let alone sacrifice so much for my friends."

If the situation wasn't so dismal, Hermione would have laughed. "Oh, Lily," she said. "You'd be surprised what you can do when it comes down to it."

_You have no reason to be moping! Poor Lily has four years left to live, will never get to see her son grow up, and be betrayed by one of her best friends. How dare you complain about missing Harry and Ron?_

"Here we are!" Lily exclaimed in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Right now the password is 'vision,' but it changes all the time."

At the mention of the password the Fat Lady moved aside, and Lily clambered inside the portrait-hole. Hermione followed suit, and found the common room alive with activity. It looked like Lily was the only one who had actually finished packing. Used to this kind of last-minute rush, however, both girls navigated the crowd seamlessly to climb up to the dormitory.

"Lily!" a girl cried as Lily and Hermione opened the door. "Where've you been? Have you seen my Hobgoblins t-shirt? Mary said she thought she saw it by your bed, but it wasn't there when I went to look! That's my favorite shirt, Lil! I can't go home without it!"

"You threw it in the corner by my bed two days ago, and I put it in your trunk because I knew you'd go crazy looking for it," Lily replied.

"Oh," the short-haired brunette replied. "Oops! Thanks, Lils!"

Lily laughed, and then gestured towards Hermione. "Alice, this is Helen Grey. Helen, this is Alice Selwyn. She and Mary are the Gryffindor girls in our year."

"Nice to meet you," Alice said, shaking Hermione's hand. "Our year? Are you a transfer student?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but I'll be spending this summer with Lily to adjust first."

"What fun!" Alice exclaimed. "Transfers at Hogwarts are very rare. There's barely one every seven years. Where are you from?"

"Oh, somewhere far away," she replied. "But I was born in Britain to British parents, so they decided to send me back to finish up my schooling."

"Helen's country is in the middle of a civil war," Lily informed her roommate.

"A civil war? How exciting!" Alice exclaimed.

"Oh, you're horrible, Alice!" remarked a blonde girl coming out of the bathroom. "A civil war is a dreadful thing. Poor girl. I'm so sorry, Helen."

"Mary!" Lily exclaimed happily. "I didn't see you. Helen, this is Mary MacDonald, our other roommate."

"Pleased to meet you," Mary said, shaking Helen's hand.

"And you," Hermione replied.

"I have to run down to the library to return a few books, but I'll see you all on the train, okay?" Mary said, grabbing a stack of books on the nearest dresser.

"Mary's a bookworm," Lily teased.

"Me too," Hermione confided. "We can study together next year, Mary."

"No, she reads silly things. Lily's the one that studies," Alice laughed. "Mary reads fantasy stories and romance novels."

Mary blushed lightly. "I keep my grades up!" she defended.

"We're just joking," Lily grinned, and Mary smiled back before leaving the dorm and heading down the stairs.

"I'm worried about her," Alice proclaimed as soon as Mary was out of earshot. "Ever since Mulciber - "

"I know, Alice," Lily said, cutting her off. "But what can we do? Dumbledore refuses to do anything - "

"I just don't think he understands the severity of the situation! Maybe he doesn't realize just what that bastard did."

"Oh, he realizes all right. Madam Pomfrey - "

Lily shot a look at Hermione quickly, and then cut off.

"Sorry we're standing here rambling on and on, Helen. Why don't you take a shower? Here's the bag with your clothes in it," she said, reaching over to her bed and taking the large black duffel off of it. She handed it to Helen and gestured to the bathroom door. "You don't need to rush – we're not leaving for another hour at the very least. Why don't you take a nice bath and relax? You've been through hell these past few days."

Hermione really wanted to know what precisely it was that Mulciber – who she was pretty sure was a Death Eater in her own time – had done to Mary MacDonald, but knew it would look suspicious if she insisted on knowing the full story. So instead she nodded. "You're right, Lil. A hot bath would do me some good right now. Will you be here when I get out, or should I meet you somewhere?"

"I should be here," Lily replied. "I finished packing, so I was going to help Alice and then maybe get an early start on my summer work."

"That's a good idea," Alice said. "I might start that, too. I think my shampoo and stuff might still be in there, so you can use that if you want."

"Yeah, my hair's probably disgusting," Hermione said, for a moment forgetting her new look and thinking of her former mane.

"Not at all!" Alice exclaimed. "You look fabulous for having traveled for two days and then slept for another two."

Hermione blushed then, realizing that she did indeed look quite beautiful, and was probably coming off as a bitch. She had always hated when Ginny said how horrible she looked when she looked fine.

"Thanks," she mumbled. "I'll be out soon," she added, then headed into the bathroom for a relaxing time to mull over her thoughts.

* * *

><p>"Like I said, Alice is with Frank, but she said she'll join us about halfway through. His friends have been making fun of him lately for all the time they spend together."<p>

"They're cute, though," Hermione replied, a little while later when they were boarding the train. "How long have they been together?"

"Since the middle of this year," Lily replied. "Frank's a good guy. He really balances her. Alice is kind of crazy and loud, and he's more subdued and studious. They're both good students, but Alice isn't as stressed about school as Frank is. Everything comes naturally to her."

"I've always been so jealous of those people," Hermione laughed. "People always think I'm like that, but they don't understand the hours of work that non-prodigies put in."

"Prodigy is definitely the right word for her," Lily giggled. "She's had the easy life. Her parents give her everything she wants. Frank's mom is really strict, so I'm hoping he'll knock some sense into her soon."

"Well, we'll see. Are they spending the summer together?" Hermione asked. She had always spent the summer at her friend's house, but didn't know how that worked for other students.

"Half at Alice's place and half at Frank's. I'm anxious to see how she and Frank's mother get along. I'm sure we'll get some interesting letters!"

Hermione and Lily laughed together, before spotting Mary in an otherwise empty compartment and going in.

"Hello again!" Mary said cheerfully. "Are you feeling any better, Helen?"

"A good bit cleaner. But I'm still very tired, and I'll probably fall asleep on the ride back," Hermione admitted.

"That's fine," Lily said, shutting the door and sitting down. "I usually doze off for a bit, too. But I have to go to the Prefect's carriage first to get the patrolling schedule. You don't mind if I leave you here with Mary for a little bit, do you, Helen?"

"Of course not!" she replied. "Poor Mary'll have no one to talk to, though, because I'm ready to fall asleep any minute!"

Mary laughed. "I usually read the whole way, anyway. Lay down," she said, taking her wand and conjuring a pillow and blanket.

"You're so sweet!" Hermione exclaimed, and took them from her. She stood up to put them down on the seat when the compartment door was wrenched open.

"Oi, Evans!"

"Oh, leave her alone, Sirius!"

"It's not me who's bugging her! It's James!"

"But I wasn't the one who decided to ambush her in the compartment!"

"Yeah, I take Remus's side."

"You stay out of it, Pete!"

Hermione whipped around, and paled to see the Marauders in all their youthful glory. Sirius, handsome and devilish, with a smile that could seduce anyone; Remus, easygoing and exasperated at the antics of his friends; Peter, always happy and proud to tag along; and, dear lord, was that Harry? Had someone sent him a Time Turner, too? James, it had to be James, but he looked so much like Harry, it was uncanny. She felt slightly faint just looking at him, and suddenly knew that she was going to have a difficult time next year living without Harry and Ron if she had to have such a exact reminder of him every day.

"Listen, Evans, I just wanted to say - " James started, and then she realized that the eyes were different. So, so different. And without Lily's eyes, James couldn't ever be Harry.

"Out!" Lily insisted, putting one hand on her hip and the other pointing to the door.

"But you haven't even heard what he has to say!" Sirius protested.

"I really don't give a gnome's arse what he has to say. You are all annoying, and are crowding our compartment. Now get out!"

"Lily!" James whined. "That's not fair. You never give me a chance. You haven't gone to Hogsmeade with me once, and I've been asking you for three years. All I wanted to ask was if - "

Sirius suddenly interrupted him a long, low whistle, and the Marauders and Lily all stopped talking to stare at him.

"Who's your friend, Evans?" he asked, and Hermione turned beet red. _He recognizes me, _she couldn't help but thinking in horror.

"None of your business, Black. Now get out of here, before I - "

But Sirius didn't listen to her, and pushed past her to come up to Hermione and kiss her hand.

"Sirius Black, at your service, ma'am."

"Lay off the new girl, Sirius," Remus said from the corner.

"New?" Sirius echoed, staring at Hermione.

"I'm a transfer," she explained uncomfortably. "I'm staying at Lily's this summer."

"All the more reason to pay a visit to the Evans household!" Sirius exclaimed.

"If you lay one hand on my guest, I will personally castrate you," Lily threatened. "Helen, don't be deceived. Underneath all that charm is a heartbreaker. Don't trust him."

"I wasn't planning on it," Hermione assured Lily, shuddering from the visual of dating Harry's godfather. How did Sirius not recognize her? She felt as exposed as she would have naked. Sirius Black was flirting with her. Sirius Black! He was dead! Dead, dead, dead… She had watched him die, for Merlin's sake!

"I've yet to find the right woman!" Sirius argued. "Why stay with them longer than it takes to know they're not the one?"

"You mean, why stay with them for longer than it takes to sleep with them?" Lily asked, rolling her eyes.

"A sexual connection is important for any relationship!" he continued, and James sighed.

"Sirius. We're leaving. Come on, guys," he said sadly, and opened the compartment door.

"I'll go with Lily to the prefects meeting," Remus said. "You guys go on back."

Remus stayed in the compartment while Sirius, Peter, and James walked out. Hermione saw James punch Sirius on the arm and whisper something angrily, but couldn't hear what it was since they closed the door behind them.

"I'm sorry about that, Lily. They really do mean well," Remus said, trying to defend his friends and apologize for them at the same time.

Lily didn't say anything, but sighed.

"And I'm sorry about Sirius, Miss Grey," he added to Hermione.

"Please call me Helen," she said.

"I'm Remus Lupin," he told her. "It's nice to meet you."

Hermione looked at him for as long as she could without being rude. He looked the best that she'd ever seen him. His hair didn't have a single strand of grey in it yet, and his robes, while certainly second-hand, were nowhere near as shabby as they were in the future. But most shocking of all was that he looked…happy.

"It's nice to meet you, too," she managed to get out, and if she felt faint before, certainly did now. How was she going to get through the next year seeing them all? She felt certain that at any minute, Remus was going to yell, "I know you! Look everyone, it's Hermione Granger!" and take her glamour off. She didn't belong here. She didn't deserve this time with them. Why was she sent back, and not Harry? Oh, Harry should be here in her place! Harry should have this time with his parents, with his godfather, with Remus, even with his grandparents! Why her? Why was she chosen for this? Who had sent her that Time Turner?

"Helen? You look a little pale. You should sit down," Mary said, speaking up for the first time since the Marauders had entered the compartment.

"I-I…" She meant to assure them she was really okay, but instead found herself sinking down gratefully.

"Helen?" Lily asked, concerned. "Maybe I should skip the prefects meeting. Are you okay?"

"No, I'm fine," Hermione choked. "I'm just tired. I hate to be rude, but…"

"Sleep," Remus insisted. "Dumbledore briefed the prefects this morning about your situation so rumors don't get started. You've been through a lot. Sleep now. And Lil, she should probably sleep all day tomorrow, too."

"No, I've already slept too much…" Hermione argued, but even as she said it, Lily and Remus started to blur, and Mary's voice seemed to lull her off to dreams.

"Remus…" she started to say, to thank him for not revealing her to Lily and Mary, but he transformed into his wolf, because Hermione's eyes were the full moon and he would never be Remus while she was Helen, but wait wasn't he still Remus when he was a wolf? But she wasn't sure, so she and Harry started running, and the Forbidden Forest flew by, and they were flying too slow, so Buckbeak started to run with them, but Mary was Buckbeak because someone tried to hurt her, and she and Harry needed to save her, but they couldn't untie her in time because Buckbeak didn't recognize Harry, because he looked too much like James, so he didn't bow, and they were flying on a headless Buckbeak and she hated flying, but they had to help Sirius and Sirius was in trouble…

* * *

><p>"Will she be okay?" Lily asked as they left the compartment a few minutes later to walk to their meeting.<p>

"She'll be fine. From what I understand, she left for Britain without even resting from the last battle she was in," Remus replied. "Add two days traveling straight without sleep, and being Sirius's latest victim, and that's enough to make anyone a little faint."

"I guess you're right. I just want her to be really happy here. She left all her friends back home and doesn't know anyone here. I feel like I need to make sure she's as comfortable as possible," Lily confided.

"You're doing all you possibly can right now. The best thing for her is rest and compassion, and you're giving her both."

"I couldn't protect her from the deluge of Marauders," Lily teased.

"I don't think anyone could protect her from that," Remus laughed.

"What did they want, anyway?" she asked.

"All James wanted to ask was if he could write to you this summer," Remus told her.

"When will we understand that I'm just not interested?" Lily said, frustrated.

"Just give him a chance," Remus pleaded. "He's gotten so much better recently. He really has. I think he's trying really hard. I mean, he still has a long way to go, of course, but he's been head over heels for you for years."

"I understand you're trying to do the right thing for your friend, but James Potter and Lily Evans just don't mix. I'd hex him into next week during our first fight," Lily told him.

"Then he'll deserve it. I really don't think he'd mess it up on purpose if you just give him a chance. You don't even have to go on a date with him. Just let him write you some letters. You don't even have to reply; just read them," Remus argued.

"Remus…"

"Just read some letters, Lil. That's all I'm asking you to do. For me. You'd be reading recreationally over the summer, wouldn't you? He really cares about you a lot. He's not like Sirius."

"I know," Lily sighed. "It's just that I don't think I'll ever be able to see him as anything but that annoying eleven year old boy who pranked me and Severus on the train first year."

"Please tell me you don't still have a grudge about that," Remus worried.

Lily laughed. "No, I'm not that bitter. I just mean that I can't see him in a romantic light."

"Then don't," he said simply. "It's just a few letters."

"It starts with a few letters," she reasoned. "But then where will it end? Then he'll think he can talk to me in the common room, study with me in the library, shop with me in Hogsmeade, and before you know it, we'll be walking down the aisle!"

"Don't over-think it. Just a few letters, not an engagement. Think of it as doing me a favor since I lent you that charms text last week," Remus pleaded.

Lily sighed. "I guess I do sound a bit ridiculous."

"A bit?" Remus teased.

"Stuff it," she said, smacking him playfully.

"So, he can write you this summer?" Remus asked, determined to have her answer before they walked in the door for the meeting.

"Oh, I suppose," she said, rolling her eyes. "But that's the last time I borrow any books from you! They come at too high of a price!"

Remus laughed, and they walked into the meeting still chuckling together.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry for the sporadic updating. Constructive criticism encouraged.

* * *

><p>Can I wake you up<br>Can I wake you up  
>Is it late enough<br>Is it late enough  
>There's a story in which my eyes shut<p>

- Bombay Bicycle Club, _How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep?_

"Helen? Helen, dear, wake-up! I'm so sorry to have to do this to you again, but once we get home you can sleep as long as you want, I promise."

Hermione groggily forced her eyes open, only to be confronted by the Harry/Ginny specter once again. She slowly remembered that this specter was, in fact, Lily Evans, and she would, in fact, be staying with her this summer. She hastily discarded the clinging wisps of a nightmare that seemed to be too familiar, and sat up.

"We're there already?" she asked.

"Last stop, King's Cross, London!" Mary quipped cheerfully. "Oh, I do miss my dad something terrible!"

"I better run. Frank has no idea what my parents looks like," Alice said, grabbing her bag. "I'll write you all soon! See you!"

"When did Alice show up?" Hermione asked, stifling a yawn as she vanished the pillow and blanket.

"About two hours ago," Lily replied. "Grab your stuff; we're one of the last ones off."

"I'll write you two as soon as I get home," Mary said when they walked out of the compartment door. "We should meet up in Diagon Alley again this year."

"Yeah, it was tons of fun last year! Although with Frank's mum, who knows if Alice will be able to come?" Lily laughed.

"I'm sure she can't be that bad!" Hermione argued.

"Mrs. Longbottom? Not that bad? You'll soon learn, foreigner!" she teased, and she and Mary broke into giggles again.

Hermione froze. Longbottom? Like, Neville Longbottom? Like, Frank and Alice Longbottom? She cursed herself for not realizing it earlier. Great. Not only was she to spend the next year with Harry's parents, and personally send them off to well-executed murder scene, but she was also going to get some quality time with the current long-term inhabitants of St. Mungo's ward for the tortured-to-insanity-by-death-eaters, who happened to be the parents of another one of her good friends. At this point, it was just a countdown to when Molly and Arthur would show up.

"Helen?" Lily asked, and Hermione decided to start counting the number of times a person's name could be used as a question.

"Sorry," Hermione said, rushing off the train to follow Lily and Mary on to the platform. "It's just so impressive."

"Isn't it? I remember the first time I came through the Platform - " Lily began, but was suddenly enveloped by a shrieking blonde mass.

"Lily!" the mass cried, and Mary laughed.

"I'll see you soon, Helen," she said, and used the opportunity to leave to find her own parents.

"Bye, Mary!" Hermione replied, and then turned back around to stare in amazement at the pretty woman who was clinging to Lily for dear life, and whom Lily was hugging back happily.

"Petunia!" she exclaimed, and Hermione was once again shocked. Harry's aunt? Harry said that his aunt hated his mother!

"Now, Pet, share Lily with us a little, will you?" asked a beautiful red-headed woman who looked almost exactly like Lily, eyes included.

"You'd do the same thing if you got there first, Rose," a blond man laughed, and Hermione realized that she was staring at Harry's grandparents.

Lily quickly extricated herself from Petunia's embrace and hugged her parents.

"We've missed you!" her mom exclaimed.

"I've missed you all, too. I'm happy to be going home. This year has just been crazy," Lily replied.

"We just got your letter before we left. Is that her?" Lily's mom asked, shifting attention to Hermione.

"Helen, these are my parents," Lily said, turning back to her, and looking apologetic for forgetting her momentarily.

"Please call me Rose," her mom said.

"And I'm Harry," her father waved

_Great,_ Hermione thought. _She __couldn__'__t __have__ thought __of __a __new __name __for __her __kid?__ Just__ had__ to __name __him__ after __a __dead __dad.__ No __wonder__ Petunia __treated __him __like __crap. __And__ seriously,__ Rose, __Lily, __and__ Petunia?__ What __were __they __thinking?_

"And this is my big sister, Petunia."

Hermione turned to look at the evil aunt, and was very surprised. No snotty remarks, no disapproving glares…In fact, she looked rather friendly. She was smiling, and was that a handshake coming towards her?

"Pleased to meet you," she said, and Hermione shook her hand nervously.

"I'm so sorry to be such a bother!" she exclaimed, and all the Evanses rushed to reassure her at once.

"You're not a bother at all!"

"We'd love to have you!"

"We'll have so much fun together!"

"Don't even think such a thing!"

"Come, our house is connected to the Floo network, and there's a fireplace on the other side of the tracks that we can use," Lily said, anxious to get home. Her father took her trunk from her and led the way to the end of the platform.

"We live up north, a little outside Manchester," Rose explained. "It's a little silly for all the students to take the train down to London when so many live closer to Hogwarts than they do King's Cross, but that's the way it's always been done."

"So there's a Floo available?" Hermione asked, curiously. Except for the first year when she and her parent had driven in, she had always come to King's Cross with the Weasleys.

"Yes. Usually only muggles use it, though, because many wizarding parents side-along apparate with their kids. Those who live within a certain distance will drive, or take public transportation, but this isn't the case for everyone."

"I never even thought of that," Hermione admitted.

"Most people don't," Lily said. "The fireplace isn't very well kept; just look at it."

Sure enough, said fireplace was rather small and rather dirty, and not many people were going through it. An old grandmother and a young boy, two girls and their parents, and one older-looking boy by himself waited in a short line to get through.

"Hello, Severus," Rose said cheerfully to the boy who, upon closer examination, turned out to be none other than Severus Snape himself. Hermione groaned inwardly.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Evans," he said. "Mr. Evans, Petunia. Lily," he added, nodding his head to each one of them.

"Severus lives in our neighborhood," Rose told Hermione. "It's a quaint little town, and Severus and Lily have been friends for years, right Lils?"

Lily gave her mother a rather strained nod, and Hermione wondered how Rose was possibly oblivious to the tension between the two.

"I don't know if you met Helen Grey, Sev, but she'll staying with us this summer and will be going to your school next term," she prattled on, and Hermione was suddenly very aware of her interactions with the boy before her glamour was on.

Snape looked at her sharply, and under his scrutiny Hermione found herself praying to every god she knew for him to just _not__remember._

"I don't believe we have," he said slowly, and she let out a breath of air she didn't even realize she was holding. "I trust, Miss Grey, that you arrived at Hogwarts safely? No illness, broken bones, or anything hampering your mobility?"

_Damn._

Lily looked at both Hermione and Severus strangely as the family moved up in line and waited for Hermione's response.

"Your concern is touching, Mr. Snape, but I assure you that I came to Hogwarts exactly the way I planned to," she replied. _Which__is,__of__course,__to__say__not__at__all._

"In which case, I look forward to our interactions next term," he said as a parting, grabbing a pinch of Floo powder. Somehow, Hermione felt it to be more of a threat than goodbye.

"Snape House, Spinner's End!" he yelled, and stepped into the fire.

"He's such a nice boy," Rose said, and Hermione caught Petunia rolling her eyes behind her mother's back.

"You first, mum," she said.

Rose complied, and took a pinch of powder. "Evans House, Spinner's End!"

"You next, dad," Petunia bossed, and Harry followed suit. Hermione made to go grab some powder, as well, but Lily and Petunia both grabbed her arm at the same time.

"Don't listen to my mother," Lily said.

"Snape is horrible person. He appears all courteous and polite on the outside, but underneath he's a nasty bastard," Petunia added.

"It's kind of hard to explain politics in Wizarding Britain right now, but he's not to be trusted, at any cost," Lily warned. "I'm sorry for scaring you like this, and I'm sure our little crises here are nothing compared to what you have to deal with back home, but…"

"No, I understand," Hermione reassured the two sisters. "And you don't want to explain things to your parents, since they're muggles and might not understand. The worst that could happen is they try to protect you and keep you away from your own world."

"Is that what happened to you?" Petunia asked.

"Something like that," she said. "But you don't need to worry about me. I daresay I'll pick up on the political climate pretty quickly."

"You next, 'Tune," Lily said abruptly, and Petunia didn't question the change of topic. She took a bit of powder, threw it in the fire, yelled, "Evans House, Spinner's End," and disappeared.

As soon as Petunia was gone, Lily asked,"When did you meet him before?"

Hermione stopped breathing for the second time in five minutes.

"Wh-what do you mean?" she asked carefully.

"I used to be friends with Snape," Lily told her. "I know when he's trying to say something between the lines."

_Lily__ Potter?__ Friends __with __Severus __Snape, __Voldemort__'__s __right__ hand__ man?_Hermione thought in amazement, and garbled out a version of the half-truth to explain herself. "I didn't exactly seek out Professor Dumbledore's help…in an orthodox manner. I was a little, um, unrecognizable when I first got to Hogwarts, and I happened to run into him then."

"He thinks he has something on you," Lily gathered.

"Something like that. It's just that, well, people look a lot different when they run from a foreign land straight from the battle scene to travel for two days to the Scottish wilderness to seek out some random old man they've never heard of it on the basis that he _might _be able to have _some__ idea _as to how to help them," Hermione elaborated, unsure just how much of her Snape saw before Dumbledore gave her the glamour. Hair could be explained by days without washing it. Complexion and eye color could be a trick of the light…

Lily let out what sounded like a growl, and Hermione's musings were interrupted to turn and look at the girl in shock.

"He's such a …ulgh! I can't stand him. I hope he rots in hell. He better not try to start anything with you, because let me tell you, he'll be in for the fight of his life. I've been telling James to leave him alone, but if he so much as says one thing…" she muttered angrily, and Hermione was suddenly intensely curious to understand the drama that was, or would be, the life of Lily Evans for the next four years.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. We'll see enough of him next year; no reason to start worrying now. Take some powder, Helen."

She obeyed, and after stepping into a whirlwind of sand – no, fire. She must still be sleepy, not sand, fire – found herself squarely in the living room of the Evans family.

"What would you like for dinner, Helen? Tonight you're the guest of honor," Rose called from the kitchen, and the busy noises of pots and pans clanging made it seem like dinner was already underway.

"Um, whatever's easiest for you. I'm really not picky," she replied uneasily. The last thing she wanted a sit-down dinner where the entire family would likely be asking questions about her "hometown." Really, there was only so much she could make up.

Lily came tumbling out of the Floo behind her, but somehow looked much more graceful than when Hermione did it.

"We're going to go upstairs to unpack and get Helen settled, mum," Lily said, taking control of the situation immediately.

"I'll call you down for dinner, dear," she said in reply, and Lily led Hermione up the stairs to the room which Petunia already seemed to be tearing apart.

"Just let me do it, 'Tune," Lily said when they arrived at the mess.

"Oh, alright," Petunia huffed. "I don't know why I bother trying to be helpful when you're around."

Apparently this was a common occurrence, and Lily took her wand out and in a second, a third bed appeared, the clutter vanished, and the room arranged itself to accommodate the extra person.

"Why don't you just go downstairs and cook dinner, too?" Petunia grumbled.

Lily laughed. "Oh, hush. You're the only person I know who complains about not being able to do housework."

"You're allowed to do magic outside of school?" Hermione asked, curiously.

"Well, no. But this is my first summer home when I'm of age," Lily explained.

"Not that it ever stopped you before," Petunia mumbled, busying herself around the room.

"It's a silly rule, anyway," Lily mumbled right back.

"I'm surprised you haven't gotten in trouble with the Ministry," Hermione laughed.

"They don't really care too much. They have more on their minds then scolding a teenage girl for a few household charms," Lily shrugged.

"I suppose that's sensible when you put it that way," Hermione agreed.

"What about where you're from, Helen?" Petunia asked. "Are you allowed to do magic outside of school?"

"Not before we're of age. The same as here," she said.

"But you do so anyway, like Lily?"

"Well, we do it anyway, but my friend got in serious trouble several times because of it," Hermione said, thinking of Harry and the hearing in fifth year, and letter from the Ministry in second.

"What happened to him?" Lily asked, and Hermione shrugged.

"He got off, but that's because it was used in self-defense."

"Self-defense?" Petunia's head shot up in alarm.

"Just a few loose Dementors, but he handled it quite nicely. In fact - " she cut herself off abruptly, realizing that Petunia had to have witnessed, or heard about, Harry and Dudley's little adventure.

"It must be hard to talk about it," Lily concluded after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah," Hermione agreed. Not emotionally, but in trying not to let anything slip? Definitely. But if she could use the cover of nostalgic pain to avoid talking about her past, she'd take it.

"Well, not to worry!" Petunia said cheerfully. "We'll keep you busy enough that you'll forget all about it!"

"Yes, of course. Dumbledore said you needed a job for some pocket money?" Lily inquired, changing the subject.

"Mostly to save up for a place to live after graduation, but yes," Hermione said. "Do you know anywhere around?"

"They're all muggle places, but you're muggle-born, aren't you?" she replied.

Hermione nodded, and Petunia piped in, "I work at a restaurant during the year, and they always need extra help during the summer. I'll recommend you and Lily to them."

"That would be great," Hermione said happily.

"Don't worry about clothes and all that," Lily told her. "We're going to take care of everything tomorrow. Mum, you, Petunia and I are going to go shopping, but only after you wake up. You can sleep as late as you need to tomorrow!"

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but suddenly realized just how exhausted she did feel. Maybe it wouldn't be so horrible to sleep in a little bit. After all, next year were NEWTS, and she certainly wasn't going to be getting any sleep then.

Just then, a large barn owl tapped on the window, and Petunia jumped a foot in the air. Lily laughed. "It's just a school owl, 'Tune. You always get so jumpy."

"I'm just a nervous person, Lils. Why do you always need the beginning of summer to a readjust to me?"

"It must be for me," Hermione interrupted, remembering that Dumbledore said he was going to send her a letter, and the tension between the girls making her uncomfortable. Lily untied the letter from the owl's leg and handed it straight to Hermione. The owl, of course, flew away, but Lily assured Hermione that she could use her own owl if a reply was necessary.

"Let Helen read her letter in private," Petunia said. "Let's help mum with dinner."

"I'll be down as soon as I'm done," she told them, and they left her in peace.

Hermione sighed, and plopped down on the bed Lily had just conjured, which she assumed to be hers. "Well, here goes," she said aloud, and opened the letter.

_Dear Miss Grey,_

_While I would hope this finds you well, I've also recently become aware of the effects long-term time travel can have on the health. Besides the weakness you may have from the last battle you struggled in, the physical effect on the body of being thrown back years in the past is destabilizing. You will, of course, be fine, and there is no need to worry; however, both Madam Pomfrey (who knows nothing of your situation, fear not) and I suggest a good amount of rest. You may find your magical abilities slightly weakened for a short while, but they should be at full capacity again in time for the school year. Any previous illnesses you may have had might resurface for awhile, and your immune system will be compromised for a short time, but there is no need to panic. Your body will adjust to the new time soon._

_If you could let me know what classes you were hoping to continue in for your NEWTs, I will be able to register you for next term and let you know what books you will need when supply sheets are sent out in August. _

_Also, I have sent inquiries out to my friends in the Department of Mysteries, and abroad. Though I have little hope for any definite solution to be found with the current political climate, there is no reason not to try. If you at any time find it too difficult to forget about or ignore memories that could have dangerous repercussions in this time, please let me know and you may have the unlimited use of my own personal Pensieve. I would not recommend this as a first resort, however. Please send me periodic updates as to how you're dealing with this situation. I could gather from your facial expressions that Lily Evans was someone you knew in your time, and might not be the best choice of host. But based on your house and year, she was also the most obvious choice._

_With regard to your glamour, all it takes is the conscious effort channeled through your magic, to become your true self once more, and it will drop. To wear it again, the conscious effort to become Helen Grey, channeled through your magic, will cause it to come upon you again. A warning: to hold the glamour indefinitely will drain your magical resources slightly. So in addition to the physical pressure of readjusting to another time period, a part of your magic will also be devoted to holding the glamour at all times. Because of this, I advise you to never let yourself be too drained, exhausted, or injured where your magical levels drop dangerously. This rarely happens to students – it would apply more commonly if you were an Auror, or, upon graduation, a member of the Order of the Phoenix. As such, I would not worry too much about it this year. During induction to any profession or initiation where you will find yourself in battle, you will be given all mandated briefings on health and magical levels, and your questions should be addressed then. However, if you wish to discuss this with me further, feel free to stop by my office in September. I'm afraid to go in depth would require quite a bit of explanation on magical theory, which would be more properly explained using some demonstrations and passages from books._

_I have the utmost confidence in your ability to adjust physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially to your new situation. In your own time you have proven yourself to be a competent, capable young woman, and I am sure this will transfer over to the past._

_With Highest Regard,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

* * *

><p><em>Dear Professor Dumbledore,<em>

_ While I have yet to experience any recurrence of previous illnesses, you are certainly correct in regards to my late sleeping habits! Since arriving here, it seems that all I have been doing is sleeping. Lily, her sister, and mother had planned a shopping trip me for the first day, but had to postpone it because yet again I had slept twenty-four hours straight! At first I slept around fifteen hours a day, but now it's closer to twelve, and my habits will likely be back to normal by the beginning of term. The Evanses have been very kind to me, and quite understanding of my recent exhaustion. I have procured a job, however, despite the constant fatigue, and have been working full-time for the past two weeks. Lily assures me that I will not need to complete any coursework over the summer, but as I am taking the same courses as her, I have decided to do the assignments, regardless. In addition to the regular curriculum, I'm also attempting NEWTs in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, so I would greatly appreciate if you could register me for those courses._

_ In my own time, I did not know Lily Evans personally; however, I do know what ultimately happens to her and many of her friends whom it appears as if I will be spending much time with. Though I appreciate your offer of a Pensieve, I'm hoping to adjust well enough that knowing what not to say will become second nature to me. _

_ If you don't mind, I would love to take you up on your offer of a discussion of magical theory in September! I was sorely disappointed upon entering Hogwarts as a first year that this was not, in fact, a class that was offered, and even more sorely disappointed when I discovered that the Wizarding world has no universities which might offer this subject. _

_ I believe I'm adjusting well, though the fashions of the 1970s are slightly traumatizing. The Evanses have been like a family to me, and the few students I did meet at the end of term were very friendly. While I still have hope that I can find a way back soon, at least my time spent here will not be in misery._

_Many thanks,_

_Helen Grey_

And it was true; she was adjusting well. After the first week of being in a near comatose state, and finding waitressing much more difficult than she ever would have expected, Hermione found that she loved living with the Evanses. Rose and Harry were almost exactly like her own parents, just a little quirkier. Lily and Petunia soon became like sisters to her, and she experienced some strange revelations about Petunia. Obviously, whatever happened to her to make her the nasty, abusive aunt she was to Harry hadn't happened yet. She was, of course, slightly neurotic, and obsessive compulsive about keeping the house clean and orderly, and was very jealous of Lily and Helen's magic, even though she tried not to show it. Underneath all of that, though, was a kind, caring soul who genuinely did her best to make everyone in the family happy. Petunia went to the local university during the year, and was hoping to become a teacher for young children. She just had so much _love _in her. Lily, too, though she wasn't as obvious about it as Petunia and Rose were.

Hermione had vowed almost as soon as she came to this time that she wouldn't meddle in anyone's affairs, and almost took a blood-oath not to save Lily and James, but she certainly couldn't see what harm there would be in trying to save Petunia from herself. What could have possibly happened to her that would make her the way Harry said she was? Whatever it was, that was one thing Hermione swore she would try to stop.

In fact, her summer was going so well that she was almost sad that time was passing by. She, Lily and Petunia were both working over forty hours a week at the restaurant, and she and Rose had gone to Gringott's a couple of weeks ago in order for her to open her own account. By the end of the summer. Hermione believed she would have enough saved up for a down payment and first few months' rent on a flat after graduation.

She and Lily both received weekly letters from Mary, and Hermione was proud to say that she now considered the Scottish girl one of her best friends. They had also heard, sporadically, from Alice, who was apparently having an all-out war with her soon-to-be mother-in-law. Alice's letters were a huge source of entertainment for the Evanses, and Lily often read them aloud at the table. Lily also received letters from Remus Lupin occasionally, and would share these with Hermione, as well. He was, Hermione concluded, as kind-hearted now as he was later in life, and she found herself anxious to get to know the younger professor. His tales of the escapades of the Marauders were almost as amusing as Alice's letters, but these didn't get read at the table.

True to his word, James Potter also began to send Lily letters. These she rarely replied to, and never shared with Hermione or Petunia, and often ranted to them about how annoying he was being. But Hermione paid close attention, and saw her hold them carefully, read them several times, and keep them all together in a special drawer at her desk. Hermione seemed to recall Sirius saying something about Harry's parents starting to date in their seventh year, and she vowed to take as many pictures of them together as she could, and save them for Harry when she finally got back.

A camera was the one big expense Hermione did invest in with her paychecks. She decided to document her entire experience in this time by taking pictures of other people. She destroyed almost every picture with her in it, but had rolls and rolls of film of the Evanses, and soon their other friends as well. She kept detailed photo albums of dates, events, and people in every picture. While she planned on giving the majority of them to Harry, she also decided to keep a few herself. After all, she was going to miss these people terribly when she left.

And so, at the end of summer, when she and Lily received their book list, Hermione was equally excited and upset about the inevitable trip to Diagon Alley. For it meant that, while a new school year was starting, time was also passing.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: LadyNorth76 pointed out that the formatting of this chapter was all messed up. I deleted the chapter and re-uploaded it, so hopefully this will fix it. Thanks all!

* * *

><p>So follow me down<br>Out of this town  
>Girl you're moving way too slow<p>

- _Follow Me Down_, 3OH!3

"You'll love Diagon Alley, Helen!" Petunia exclaimed over breakfast. "It's just so… well, magical!"

They laughed at her joke, and then Lily turned to Hermione.

"Have you ever actually been to Diagon Alley? When did you move?"

"Um…I've been once or twice, but just with my parents doing errands. I don't remember much; I was really young," Hermione lied quickly.

"Oh, then we'll have to give you the whole tour!" Petunia said, excitedly. "It's so amazing! I could just spend hours there, but, of course, we don't need to stay that long…"

"I'm sure I could spend a long time just in the book shop," Hermione assured her.

"Well, maybe we can take a little longer than usual today," Rose said sympathetically, placing a pot of tea on the table.

"We don't have work until 7 tonight, so it'll be fine," Lily told her mother.

"We'll leave as soon as you girls are done with your breakfast," Rose said, and Petunia promptly pushed her plate away from her and put her fork down.

Lily and Hermione burst out laughing, but Rose looked a little sad. "Do you girls have your lists?" she asked. They nodded, and she sighed. "Alright, we might as well go now, then."

The three girls stood up, and Lily took out her wand, flicked it, and the dirty dishes were clean. Another swish, and they were all put away neatly. Hermione had become accustomed to Lily accomplishing all the housework with some simple spells. It certainly made life easier for Rose and Petunia when Lily was home!

"I'll get the Floo!" Petunia shouted, and ran off into the living room to grab the rarely used Floo powder. The others followed her, and each took a pinch of the powder she held out.

"Diagon Alley!" Lily shouted, automatically going first. The flames turned green, and the second they were normal again, Petunia rushed through.

"You next, dear," Rose said, when Hermione looked over at her.

"Diagon Alley!" she shouted, and tumbled through the fire. She always hated Floo, but wasn't sure which was worse: Floo or Portkey. She definitely preferred to apparate, but since Petunia and Rose couldn't, and it would be unfair for her and Lily to leave them behind, they all took the Floo. She came out, and almost fell flat on her face, but Lily caught her.

"I fell," she said sheepishly. "And figured I'd spare you the pain."

"Thanks," Hermione replied. Rose came out right afterwards, and Hermione turned around to see Petunia already skipping ahead.

"Come on, slowpokes!" she called. Lily laughed, and started running to catch up, but Hermione and Rose followed at a more leisurely pace.

"So you're meeting Mary here?" Rose asked, and Hermione nodded.

"We're going to have lunch together," she replied.

"Oh, that's nice. At the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Yes, but we're going to go to Fortescue's for ice cream afterwards."

"Now that's exciting!" Rose exclaimed. "I don't know what it is about wizarding ice cream, but it does taste so much better than the muggle kind, doesn't it?"

Hermione laughed. "That's just Fortescue himself!"

"You've had it?" she asked.

"Oh, of course," Hermione told her. "What good parent doesn't take their child there?"

"That's true, I suppose," Rose smiled. "I think I'll buy Petunia something special while we're here."

"She does love it, doesn't she?" Hermione said sadly.

"She should have been a witch, too," Rose said aloud, echoing Hermione's thoughts. "I never understood why only one of them was chosen. Lily's not better than her; She's not a terrible person. She deserves it just as much as Lily."

"It's so much worse because she knows about it. I can't imagine someone knowing about and just…" Hermione trailed off.

"Not being allowed in," Rose finished. "It's like standing at the gates of heaven, and Saint Peter won't let you in, even though you've done nothing wrong. It's not your fault, and there's nothing that can be done, but that's just the way it is."

"Can we go to the bookshop first?" Lily turned around to ask, effectively cutting Hermione and Rose's conversation short.

"No," Rose replied. "Then you have to carry those heavy books around all day. First stop is Madam Malkin's. I don't care what Professor Dumbledore says; a girl needs more than one set of robes to wear."

"It's going to be mobbed with little firsties," Lily grinned.

"Don't make fun, Lil," Petunia said, slowing down to their pace. "You're Head Girl this year; you have to take care of them."

"Yeah," she said, smile growing. "Can you believe it? Head Girl…"

"You've earned it, honey," Rose said, echoing what she said when Lily first received her letter.

"But still. I only ever hoped…"

"Do you have any idea who Head Boy'll be?" Hermione asked, wondering who she and Lily would be sharing their common room with.

"Maybe Remus," she said thoughtfully. "He's a prefect, after all. But he hasn't said anything about it in his letters, and Alice didn't say anything about Frank getting it. He would have been my next choice. If not Remus or Frank, then he won't be from Gryffindor. A Ravenclaw?"

"But there're all so quiet," Hermione pointed out. "Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs are rarely chosen for Head Boy and Girl, because they aren't the type to take charge, break up fights, take away points and whatnot."

"A Slytherin?" Lily questioned, and Petunia shuddered.

"If you two have to share a room with Snape all year - "

"Oh, don't even joke about that, 'Tune!" she grimaced. "Maybe Remus just doesn't want to brag."

"That would be most logical," Petunia said, but Hermione wasn't sure. Wouldn't Remus had said something about him being Head Boy back in her own time?

"Lily!" shrieked a familiar blonde. The four women turned around to see Mary running towards them.

"Mary!" Lily cried, and Mary crashed into her for a bone-crushing hug.

"How are you?" Mary asked. "I know we said we'd meet later, but I was just getting my shopping done, and I happened to see you all!

"I'm great!" Lily replied, and they let go of each other so Mary could give Hermione and Petunia each a hug in turn.

"Have you gotten your things yet?" she asked, after all the greetings were finished.

"No, not yet. We just got here," Lily replied.

"Well, you better get moving! I bet Helen has a huge supply list," Mary said, and Hermione laughed. It was a verbatim copy of what she needed to buy her first year.

Apparently Dumbledore didn't realize that students needed a lot more than one set of robes and a couple of books.

"Well, let's see. I need three sets of plain black work robes, a pointed hat, a pair of dragon hide gloves, a winter cloak, a pewter cauldron, a set of glass phials, a telescope, and set of brass scales," she said, taking out the letter from Hogwarts.

"That's quite a lot," Mary replied. "You have nothing from your old school?"

"Not at all," Hermione said. "Just a set of robes and my wand."

"Poor girl didn't even have any extra clothes," Rose chimed in.

"Well, let's do this methodically, then," Lily said, taking charge. "We'll go straight down to Gringotts, then work our way back up the alley until it's time for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, and then we can leave from there."

"Yes, ma'am," Hermione teased.

"You can tease all you like, but I bet you if we do it my way we'll be done in no time, and then we can spend all the time we want just looking around."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Petunia asked. "Come on, Gringotts is this way!"

Lily and Hermione laughed, but followed her down the long alley.

"Oh, I need to run into Magical Menagerie, too," Lily said while they walked. "I need to stock up on owl treats."

"No problem," Rose said. "Petunia and I will look around for a bit and meet you at Madam Malkin's."

"Ooh, thank goodness. I really do despise Gringotts, I'm sorry," Petunia apologized.

"I wish I could not go," Mary sympathized. "It gives me the goosebumps!"

The three girls commiserated on the generally frightening atmosphere of Gringotts throughout the entire walk there, and just as they were walking up the stairs, Lily added, "And it's not like the goblins are particularly friendly." Hermione shushed her, but the effort came too late, as one of the goblins standing guard at the door glared at her. They giggled together when they walked through the doors, disrupting the solemn air that Gringotts always had around it. They walked up to one of the goblins at the desks, and presented their keys.

"Follow me," he said, very unfriendly-like, and the girls had to stifle more giggles in order to follow him to the cart in proper decorum.

Mary sighed as they sat down. "This ride always makes me queasy," she managed to get out before the cart shot off, speeding along the underground passageways in record time. Lily looked concerned as Mary turned alternate shades of white and green, but Hermione was confidant they'd arrive at one of the vaults before the contents of her stomach rebelled. Sure enough, it took all of forty seconds before they stopped in front of Hermione's relatively new vault.

"Miss Grey," the goblin said, nodding his head politely.

Hermione climbed out of the cart, and walked over to her vault. She was pleasantly surprised with the amount of gold in there. Though it was nowhere close to what Harry's looked like, working all summer had definitely paid off. She scooped a handful of galleons into her purse, and resolved not to spend any more than that the whole year. She needed a down payment on an apartment, for goodness sake!

Lily's vault held a similar amount, and even though she had been working summers much longer than Hermione had, Lily apparently also spent a good deal of it throughout the year. Mary's vault, of course, made Lily's and Hermione's look destitute in comparison, but she explained that it was actually her family's vault, and she didn't have her own account yet.

Mary very nearly vomited on the way back up, but managed to keep it down. She did, however, stumble a bit when they were walking out of the bank, and Lily frowned worriedly.

"Mary, I went to Gringotts with you three years ago, and you weren't this affected by the ride then," she said questioningly.

Mary blushed, and shrugged. "I don't know," she mumbled. "I guess I'm just weaker now."

"Mary - "

"Drop it, Lil," she said firmly, and Hermione was reminded of the conversation Alice and Lily had at the end of term. What had Mulciber done to Mary MacDonald?

"Let's go to the Magical Menagerie," Hermione said, changing the subject, and the three girls walked next door in silence.

"I'll just be two minutes," Lily said as they walked in. She then promptly disappeared amidst the racket of animals and things you could buy for them.

"Maybe I should buy some owl treats, too," Mary thought aloud. "Do you have an owl, Helen?"

"No," she said. "I used to have a cat, but I left him home."

"Why don't you get a new one?" Mary suggested. "I'm sure you miss her."

"Him," Hermione corrected automatically and realized that she did, in fact, miss Crookshanks. She had been trying so hard to push thoughts of Harry and Ron out of her head that she hadn't even thought about a new cat at all. "I don't know," she told Mary, and the two began strolling along the aisles of cages.

"Well, it's up to you, but I always did love cats. It would be so nice to have one underfoot this year."

"He was just such a unique cat," Hermione said sadly. "I don't know if I'll ever find one like him again."

"What breed was he?" Mary asked, and Hermione was about to tell her a half-Kneazle, when she saw a flash of orange fur that made her think she was hallucinating.

"Helen?" Mary repeated, but Hermione had totally blocked her out, and slowly walked towards what simply couldn't be.

"Christ, Crookshanks!" shouted the cashier, who was ringing Lily up on the other side of cages. "Just give me a second, miss," she said. "This kitten is always opening his own cage. I frankly don't know how he does it."

Hermione rounded the corner to be faced with a familiar scene. A small ball of orange fur was shrieking at the cashier, and racing all around the store. The cashier looked quite foolish trying to chase it down, and Hermione had the distinct impression that when customers weren't around, the cat had free rein of the entire store.

"It can't be," she breathed lightly, transfixed by the kitten. She quickly did some math. Even if this kitten was just born a couple of weeks ago, it would have been well over twenty by the time of her sixth year. Yet Crookshanks back home was as healthy as can be. Was it the kneazle in him? Whatever it was, Hermione knew that she had to have him.

"How much?" she asked suddenly, interrupting the frantic cashier.

"I'm sorry?" she said, looking up at Hermione confused.

"For the cat. How much?" she repeated.

"This little crazy furball? Seventeen sickles. But you can't bring him back," she said hastily.

Hermione immediately took out a galleon and handed it to her. The cashier happily went back to Lily to ring her up, and Hermione knelt on the ground. Crookshanks immediately went over to her, and Hermione picked him up happily.

"Hello, love," she whispered. "Remember me? Of course you don't, but you will. I'm Hermione. Helen. Your new friend."

Crookshanks purred happily in her arms, and Hermione stood up and left the shop. Mary laughed at her when they all met up inside. "I thought you weren't going to get a cat," Lily teased, having apparently been filled in by Mary.

"This one's special," she said happily, and refused to speak anymore on the subject. "Shall we head to Fortescue's?"

Lily and Mary heartily agreed. But as they crossed to the other side of the alley and passed the intersection of Knockturn Alley, Mary caught sight of Severus Snape.

"Look," she said, nudging the other two.

"Walk faster," Lily said in response.

"It's the middle of the day, Lil," Hermione said. "We can't get hurt walking past the entrance to it."

"I don't care," Lily insisted. "That place gives me the creeps, and him too. It's only a matter of time now until he becomes a Death - "

"Don't say it!" Mary whispered.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Hermione rolled her eyes. "A Death Eater. He's probably one already. They recruit as soon as you're of age, don't they?"

"Let's not even talk about it," Mary said, distraught. "It's not a topic for polite conversation."

"It's a reality we have to deal with," Hermione argued. "These people exist, and they have to be stopped. Being scared of it isn't going to change a thing."

"He's coming this way!" Mary whisper-shrieked, and sure enough, it appeared like Snape was heading in the exact opposite direction of them, which of course meant he was walking straight to the three girls.

"He's just a kid like us," Hermione said. "It's the middle of the day in a crowded street; he can't hurt you. And even if we were alone in a dark alley, there's three of us and one of him."

"Helen, shut up!" Lily said firmly, but they were already face to face with him.

"Snape," Hermione said, nodding her head in recognition as they walked by. He seemed surprised, even taken aback, but nodded in reply.

"Grey," he said. "Evans. MacDonald."

Mary let out a terrified squeak, but Lily just ignored him and kept walking.

"See you at the start of term," Hermione said, before following Lily and Mary. Snape looked confused, but kept walking, as well.

"What's your problem?" Lily asked harshly after he had left.

"Listen, the problem isn't going to go away if you just ignore it," Hermione argued, the warm weight of Crookshanks in her arms giving her a bravery she thought she left back home.

"I can't even believe you," Lily said angrily.

"How do you know so much about British politics?" Mary asked, since Lily seemed determined to be angry at Hermione.

"It's very similar to what was going on back home," Hermione explained. "Pureblood bias against muggleborns. It hasn't escalated into a full-out war yet here, has it?"

"It will any day now," Lily snapped. "Do you just attract trouble? Why do you feel the need to get mixed up in this?"  
>"You mean you don't?" Hermione asked, shocked. "Lil, it's our duty to fight these people. To make sure they stay out of power. To stop them from hurting innocents. You can't honestly say you just want to stay home and protect your own?"<p>

"While my parents are alive, I do!" she yelled. "They can't defend themselves! Hell, Helen! Do you not understand that things are more complicated than blindly rushing in and asking to be a target?"

"I know, but you can't just - "

"Can't just nothing!" Lily shrieked, and by now they were starting to make a scene.

"Lil, just let it go," Mary said quietly. "People are staring."

"No! I'm not going to just let it go! You're just like James and Sirius! You can't see that your own foolish actions could get somebody else hurt! Snape is just small fish compared to the others like him! What if I said something or did something to make my family a target? Do you know how many muggleborns and their families have been killed already? We can't all be soldiers, Helen!"

"Lily, calm down, I'm not saying anything like that. I just - "

"I don't even care," she said, and Hermione just happened to see tears in her eyes before she turned away and walked ahead of them.

Hermione stared at her retreating form, before turning to Mary in confusion. "What happened?"

Mary sighed and was silent for a moment, but seemed to understand the need for an explanation of Lily's completely out of character and erratic behavior.

"Would you believe me if I said she and Snape used to be friends?"

"What?" Hermione asked in disbelief, but then she remembered what Lily said in the train station.

"Best friends. Apparently he was even the first one to tell her she was a witch. But then he started getting mixed up with some of the kids who everyone knew were Death Eaters, and he and Lily started arguing. Like, all the time. She'd come back to the dorm crying almost every night in fifth year. Finally, he called her a . . . Well, you know what they call muggleborns," Mary said, almost apologetically.

"So what happened after that?" she asked.

"She stopped talking to him. He tried to apologize, but when he came to her house, Petunia wouldn't let him see her, because Lily told Petunia about what he called her. So he threatened Petunia. Of course, when Lily heard about it she hexed him, but she's stayed far away from that crowd ever since. I don't think it every occurred to her beforehand that they could hurt her family."

"He wouldn't actually hurt her, though, would he? I mean, if he really cared about Lily…" Hermione wondered, biting her lip in thought.

"That's just the thing. Even if she was going to accept his apology before, she would never after he threatened her sister. It was his own undoing."

Hermione sighed. "I would have never thought that those two…"

"He had a hard life, he did," Mary said, shrugging. "Lily told me once, when Alice and I were lecturing her for being friends with him. His mom didn't tell his dad that she was a witch when they got married, and his dad flipped out when he found out. Eventually he wound up killing her. He's an abusive drunk, apparently. They were destitute, too, and Snape almost couldn't afford to go to school. The Malfoys took him in, after his dad got locked up in muggle prison. I don't know if you know the Malfoys, but they're this rich, pureblood, very anti-muggle family. Snape didn't seem so bad until he started living with them. Now he's on his own, though, since he's of age. I think he started working in Hogsmeade. Dumbledore gets the poorer students jobs in the village during the year."

"Wow," Hermione said in amazement. "I had no idea."

"Most people have no clue. But it's an important part of Lily's life, and you should know. Besides, you look like you can keep a secret," Mary said, and Hermione was suddenly reminded of Luna, and of her basic trust in the goodness in people. Mary was like that, she realized, and was overwhelmed with homesickness. She also realized this was the longest speech she ever heard from the shy, quiet Mary MacDonald.

"Helen?" Mary asked. "Are you okay? You look sad."

"You just remind me of a friend I had back home," Hermione replied, and clutched Crookshanks to her tightly.

"I'm sorry. It must be very difficult," she said compassionately.

"Everybody has their own problems to deal with. I have mine, Lily has hers, and I'm sure you have yours. Life is hard," Hermione shrugged. "We have to deal with it as best as we can."

"Well, I'm sure some ice cream will make it better," Mary said cheerfully. "Come on. I'm sure the Evanses are waiting for us."

Sure enough, Lily was enjoying her ice cream, and it looked like Rose and Petunia had already finished when they got to Fortescue's.

"I'll get mine to go," Mary laughed when they met up again.

"I used my spending money on a cat," Hermione joked. "So I'm ready whenever you are."

"Ooh, let me see!" Petunia exclaimed. "She's so adorable!"

"He," Hermione corrected, and while Rose and Petunia squealed over the cat, Hermione could tell that Lily was still angry with her.

When Lily finished her ice cream and Mary had hers in a cone to go, the five girls left and starting making their way down the alley to do their shopping. The first stop was Madam Malkin's across the street, and since Hermione was the one being measured and ordering robes, she had no chance to get Lily alone to apologize. Flourish and Blott's next door was just as crazy, since the three of them needed new books and the store was packed. When they went into the magical instruments shop for Hermione's telescope, however, she finally cornered Lily.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out quickly before Lily could move past her. "I didn't think about it from your perspective, and I was rash in assuming things I shouldn't have assumed."

Lily just stared at her for a moment, before enveloping her in a hug. "I'm sorry, too, Hel! Things are different where you're from, and you don't know everything about what goes on here, and maybe I'm being silly, and I'm still not sure how I feel about everything, and…"

"I know," Hermione laughed. "It's dangerous territory, and it's silly for friends to fight about."

"Promise we won't ever fight about the war again?" she said, holding out her pinkie for a promise.

"Of course! We'll just fight about important things, like boys and clothes," she joked, taking her pinkie with her own. Lily laughed, and the two of them left the store arm in arm, with Hermione's new telescope.

They eventually got all of their shopping done - cauldron, dragon hide gloves and all - but they took hours doing it. Even before lunch, Petunia insisted on stopping in every store and buying some trinkets for herself. Though what a muggle was going to do with a poster of one of the beaters of the Appleby Arrows was beyond her. Lily apparently echoed similar sentiments, to which Petunia replied, "He's hot!"

"He's all brawn and no brains," Lily retorted, and the sisters soon became drawn into an argument about the merits of different types of men, to which Hermione and Mary teased them about. Rose laughed at all them, telling Lily and Petunia to stop focusing on the boys, and somehow at the same time telling Mary and Hermione that they should be more interested than they are. Only a mother, Hermione concluded, could possibly give such conflicting advice and still come off as wise.

Petunia looked close to tears when it was time to go home, and Hermione and Lily felt sad as well, embracing Mary tightly.

"I'll see you all on the first of September," she said, and Hermione was once again painfully reminded of the passing of time.

"See you then!" they said, waving goodbye as she disapparated.

"Ready to Floo again?" Rose asked after a moment.

"I'll go first," Hermione volunteered, and took a pinch of powder.

"Good luck," Lily laughed, and Hermione grinned.

"Evans House, Spinner's End!"

The world spun around, a mesh of soot and flame and dizziness, until she fell out of the Evanses' fireplace flat onto the carpet. Harry happened to be in the living room to laugh at her, but he got up from reading a book on the couch to help her catch first Lily, then Rose, and finally Petunia. As soon as she came through, she ran up to her room to, Hermione suspected, have a good long cry.

She and Lily sighed almost simultaneously, and then settled down in the living room to let Petunia have her privacy. The first of September was approaching quickly, and Petunia certainly wasn't the only one who wanted to cry about it.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Writing-wise I'm getting up to the good part. Maybe that'll get me to post faster, hahaha.

* * *

><p>Oh you know I was on the honor role,<br>got good grades,  
>and got no soul,<br>raise my hand before I can speak my mind,  
>I've been biting my tongue too many times<p>

_School of Rock_, Jack Black

September the first arrived not only too soon, but too early for Hermione's taste. Even though they didn't have to leave until around ten thirty since they were going by Floo, Petunia had the whole family up at the crack of dawn.

"Wake-UP, Helen!" she insisted, shaking the sleepy girl out of the strange dreams she had almost every night since arriving. Thankfully, she no longer called Lily by Ginny's name when she saw a pretty, redhead girl nudging her awake. Lily didn't seem to mind, however, and was even flattered that she would confuse her with a best friend.

"It's too early, 'Tune," she mumbled, turning over to ignore her. Lily laughed from across the room.

"It's no use, Hel. Petunia won't rest until we're all dressed and sitting down for breakfast."

Hermione sighed, but knew that she couldn't complain. She had been just as bad when she first starting going to Hogwarts, and was an early riser still to this groaned nevertheless, and opened her eyes to look out the window. The sun was barely coming up!

"Helen!" Petunia whined, and Hermione gave up.

"Okay, I'm awake!" she said. Lily laughed again, but Petunia ignored them both and loudly announced that she would be downstairs helping their mother with breakfast, and that Lily and Helen had better be downstairs before the eggs were done or There Would Be Consequences.

Eggs which were, of course, delicious. Of course, there was nothing as good as the food at Hogwarts, but there was something about a simple muggle breakfast that reminded Hermione of home almost painfully. She really should see about getting protection for her parents when she eventually went back. She had barely thought about it before, but after the conversation with Mary about Lily and Snape, she realized how naïve she had been. In fact, there were quite of number of things that she decided must be done upon her return, not least of which was digging up the photo albums that she planned on making soon. She would give them to Petunia after she left, she planned, so maybe Harry might see a little more of his parents that he had in this timeline. She didn't want to change the future, but what harm could a few pictures do?

But as good as the eggs were, they didn't take that long, and pretty soon everyone was ready to leave way ahead of time. Lily laughed at her confused expression as they all approached the fireplace, and Hermione wondered if a new term was the only thing that had her so giggly and happy this morning.

"We always wind up going early," she explained. "I mean, the train's always there, so it's not like we have to just stand there waiting for it to pull into the station. And Petunia likes to spend some time just in the area, seeing all the students and whatnot."

"Petunia likes this, Petunia does that," Petunia grumbled. "Just because I have a genuine appreciation for what you take for granted doesn't mean you have to make fun of me."

"Patient indulgence isn't teasing," Lily argued, and Petunia rolled her eyes and mumbled something about "patronizing little sisters."

Lily chose to ignore the comment, and instead helped her dad with getting her trunk through the Floo. She grabbed a pinch of powder and was the first one through the fire. Hermione followed suit, scooping up Crookshanks, and grabbing her trunk with Rose's help, in order to shout, "Platform Nine and Three Quarters!"

Flooing was worse with a trunk of course, but Lily was there to catch her when she and the heavy piece of luggage arrived, flying through the fireplace.

"I hate the Floo," she muttered, and Lily grinned.

"Nothing to hate today, Helen, dear! Aren't you excited to go back to school?"

She nodded automatically - school was always fun, wasn't it? – but then took a moment to think more deeply on it. She missed Harry and Ron more than anything, of course, and school could never be the same without them. And what would any of her classes be like without Neville, Lavender, Seamus, Parvati, and Dean? Many of the teachers would be different, and the curriculum might not even be as advanced as it was in the future! But beyond that…

She was going to get to know Harry's parents. Well, James, at least. Lily was already her best friend! And being able to know Sirius Black and Remus Lupin like they were as teenagers was an exciting thought. Maybe she would be able to figure out what the other Marauders ever saw in Pettigrew. She might even be able to make some proper female friends, if she was going to be spending time with Mary and Alice. They didn't seem half as vapid as Lavender and Parvati, and she knew for a fact that Alice later joined the Order. To actually meet Neville's parents, too! Frank and Alice were two of the bravest Aurors in history. Even if the academics weren't up to par, Hermione was now experiencing living, breathing history. How could that not be exciting?

Petunia crashed into her from behind, and Hermione belatedly realized that she hadn't moved out from in front of the fire in time.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed, though the crash had hurt her just as much as Petunia.

Petunia didn't answer, almost pushing past her to get into the station proper. Lily and Hermione exchanged a knowing look, and had to work to keep from laughing aloud. Rose came through, and Hermione caught her before they all followed Petunia into the station.

"We'll go load our stuff, and then come back out to meet you," Lily told her parents, and the sight of the familiar scarlet train made her heart ache, though either less or more, Hermione wasn't sure which. She followed Lily, though, and realized that one of the perks of getting to the station so early was that essentially had their pick of the compartments on the train. Lily chose one right in the middle, and together they loaded their trunks and cat inside.

"I'm going to have to go talk to the prefects and assign patrols once the train leaves, but it shouldn't take too long. Mary should be here soon, and Alice and Frank as well. I won't leave until they're here," she reassured her, and Hermione grinned at her friend's concern.

"Don't worry about it!" she told her. "I can handle myself for an hour. I need to learn how to meet people anyway, don't I?"

Lily smiled, but didn't agree, and Hermione was once again touched by how kind all the Evanses had been to her.

"Come on," Lily said once their trunks were put away. "They're waiting for us outside."

Hermione nodded and followed her off the train, where more students were slowly claiming space, to say goodbye to her family. Suddenly realizing that she had absolutely no idea what happened to Harry and Rose, she desperately hoped this was not a final goodbye.

"Helen," Rose said when the two girls came up to the three waiting muggles. "Thank you so much for coming to stay with us this summer. We really enjoyed having you, and do hope that you'll come for Christmas holidays."

Hermione warmed at the invitation, and thanked Rose profusely before being enveloped into a tight, motherly hug. Harry didn't have as much to say as his wife, but his sentiments were clearly the same in the way he hugged her, too. Petunia didn't so much as hug her but crush her, and Hermione was forced to remind the emotional girl that she needed oxygen to breathe.

"You have to write me all the time!" she exclaimed. "Just because you're not technically my sister doesn't excuse you from detailed letter-writing!"

"Of course I'll write you! I'll even fill you in on everything Lily will conveniently leave out," she said conspiratorially. Lily rolled her eyes, but a faint pink tinged her cheeks, and Hermione found herself wondering just what was in those letters from James Potter after all. But then it was Lily's turn to say goodbye, and she was likewise crushed in hugs from her parents and sister. Lily and Petunia apparently wrote letters twice a week, so there was no admonition to write from Petunia to her.

All the goodbyes were said, and Rose and Harry looked ready to leave, but Petunia stood looking wistfully around the station.

"You'll be here to pick us up and drop us off at Christmas, and pick us up at the end of the year, too," Lily reminded her sister, and Petunia smiled sadly in return.

"Yeah, you're right," she sighed. "I'll see you then."

"Bye!" Lily and Hermione called simultaneously as Petunia finally started walking away with her parents.

"Bye!" the three of them shouted back, and the two girls turned around to go back inside the train.

They walked back to their compartment, and while Hermione understood that to some families it might have seemed silly for them to leave their family, drop their trunks off, and then go back out to say goodbye, to the Evanses it meant that Petunia had just a few more minutes in this world that she loved so much and yet couldn't penetrate. In a way, she mused, it would have been so much easier for her to hate everything magical. What had happened to make this Petunia so different from Harry's Petunia?

Her thoughts were cut off from too much speculation, however, since they saw Mary already waiting for them in their compartment. All three of them let out girlish squeals, and found themselves in a group hug.

"I knew this was your compartment because of Crookshanks," she confessed, before changing subject. "I'm so excited. Think about it; it's our last year! We have to make this the best one ever."

Hermione noticed a difference in Mary's demeanor. She seemed much less subdued than last year. Was Mulciber out of school now? Did he graduate last year? What happened to poor Mary, anyway? Not that it mattered if she was happy now, but it would still be nice not to have mysteries surrounding her.

Then again, who did she think she was? Some omniscient seer to know everyone's past and future? She was so used to knowing everything that not knowing something was almost disabling.

"You need to hang out in our rooms all the time," Lily told Mary, and Hermione was reminded of their unique living situation. Usually the Head Boy and Girl have their own, private rooms, sharing a common room because traditionally the two need to work on many different projects together. But this year Hermione would be sharing Lily's room because of her transfer status, and since half the Gryffindor seventh year girls would be in one room, and half in the other, she expected their common room to be a veritable maelstrom of femininity.

Unless, of course, the Head Boy likewise had his friends there all the time. It wasn't likely, because traditionally their many responsibilities have led to them spending most time in the library, doing homework or tutoring or the like. Maybe hanging around Lily this year would be good practice if she found herself in the Head Girl position next year. Or, rather, she reminded herself, five years from now.

"Of course!" Mary said happily. "Especially if Alice and Frank are still spending every minute together. You know how they get."

Lily rolled her eyes and nodded. Hermione completely understood how boisterous Alice could be quite fond of public displays of affection. Hermione was reminded not too fondly of how Ron and Lavender had acted last year, and found herself wondering what Lily and James would be like when they started dating.

And speaking of the devil…

"Um, Lil, it looks like James Potter wants to talk to you," she said, pointing Lily's attention to the Harry look-a-like knocking on their compartment door.

"What?" Lily exclaimed, turning around quickly, and Mary giggled knowingly.

Hermione swore she saw Lily turn slightly pink as she opened the door, but her greeting was anything but embarrassed.

"When did you learn how to knock, Potter? Your mom finally sent you to training school?" she asked, hands on hips.

James blushed, and Hermione was pleased to see how hard he was trying. She made a note to take a picture of them when they didn't realize it.

"If anyone needs training school, Evans, it's me," Sirius piped in, coming into view from the hall. Hermione found herself laughing at the image of Padfoot being told to sit, stay, and roll over, and James must have too, because the joke had the desired effect on the nervous, would-be _courter._

"I was just wondering if you wanted to head over to the Prefect's compartment to set up for the meeting," he asked, and Lily looked at him, confused.

"You're not a prefect," she said. "Where's Remus?"

"Remus isn't here yet," he said. "It's still early. I'm not a prefect, but I am Head Boy."

Lily's eyes flicked to the badge on his chest and she gasped. "You?" she shrieked. "You're my partner this year?"

"Yeah. Guess we'll be living together, eh?" he grinned.

"But-but… You're a troublemaker! A rulebreaker! You've lost more points for Gryffindor than the rest of the seventh years combined!" she exclaimed

"Not counting myself, of course," Sirius interrupted proudly.

"You're not even a prefect!" Lily protested desperately.

James shrugged. "Hey, I didn't ask for it. But if Dumbledore thinks I deserve it, well, who's going to argue against his judgment?"

Hermione was sharply reminded of a time when no one did question his judgment, and he wound up dead because of it.

"I am!" Lily insisted, furious, but James didn't seem to be afraid of her anger. On the contrary, he seemed amused.

"So, do you want me to not help you with this meeting, then?" he teased.

"Oh, no, you're helping me!" she fumed. "In fact, let's go right now!"

James was promptly dragged out of the compartment by his sleeve, and Lily stormed to the front of the train without so much as a "see you later," to Mary and Helen. Not that they minded, and as soon as she was out of earshot, they burst out laughing.

"Poor Evans," Sirius laughed. "Bets on when they start going out?"

"Two months," Mary giggled.

"Two months?" Hermione said. "I give it two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Sirius teased. "How about two days?"

"I'll take that bet," she laughed, momentarily forgetting how their last interaction ended.

"And if I win our little bet," Sirius said, grinning and sitting down next to Helen, "Will you go on a date with me?"

"Oh, goodness, here we go," Mary sighed.

"Listen, Sirius, I'm really not interested," Hermione replied, still very uncomfortable from being hit on by Harry's godfather.

"Nonsense! Everyone's interested in me!" he exclaimed, and Mary gave a very uncharacteristic snort from her corner. Hermione and Sirius looked at her in surprise, and she felt the need to explain,

"Everyone except the girls in your House and year. Neither Lily, Alice, Helen, nor I have ever, nor will ever, succumb to your advances in the slightest."

"But Mary, darling, that's because you're as dear to me as my own sister."

"That's only because you've never had a sister," she teased, and Sirius shrugged.

"That's for the best. They might've turned out like Bella and Cissy."

"Or Andromeda!" Mary said brightly. "How's she doing, anyway?"

"I got a letter about a month ago after she heard about me moving out. She offered to let me stay with her, but I told her the Potters were like family to me, anyway. I'd just get underfoot. I haven't met her daughter, but I hear she's a handful. No need to add me to the mix when I've got my buddy James!"

He sounded falsely cheerful, and Mary seemed to pick on this as well.

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry, Sirius! I didn't mean…I forgot about…" Mary turned beet red and started apologizing profusely, but Hermione wasn't exactly sure what had happened.

"No big deal," he said crossly. "It's not like we can't discuss my family since I moved out. After all, how else could we prank Regulus?"

Then Hermione remembered what he had said about being disowned and moving in with James at sixteen. That's why he hated Grimmauld Place so much. It must have been this summer that it happened, for it to still be fresh enough for Mary to forget.

But Mary was ridiculously embarrassed, and Hermione could tell it was because, not only was she a nice person who would never want to hurt somebody, she also had just recently let her guard down at school and not be so quiet and shy. Bantering like they were wasn't something Mary did often, and she was appalled to have messed up such a normal teenaged activity. Hermione vowed to find out just what had happened to Mary, but thankfully Remus Lupin appeared in the doorway to break the awkward silence.

He seemed to get both the wrong and right impression at once and immediately starting berating Sirius for flirting with the new girl.

"It's not like her friends haven't warned her about you," he told his friend. "A few sweet-talking words aren't going to seduce her." But he flashed a look at Hermione, anyway, double checking that she was indeed not the type to be swayed easily.

"I told him I'm not interested," she shrugged. "But he seems intent on ignoring me."

"You guys are no fun," Sirius complained. "I'm running out of girls who don't hate me, Remus. Don't make her hate before she even knows me!"

"Oh, I couldn't hate you," Hermione rushed to assure him. "I'm just impervious to your advances."

Remus let out a low chuckle before informing Sirius that Peter was waiting for him in their compartment, and that he personally was on his way to the Prefect's meeting. As soon as he finished his sentence, the whistle blew announcing the time to leave, and Remus and Sirius both excused themselves.

"Alice should be here soon," Mary said, taking her book out. "She's probably still with Frank."

Hermione nodded, and took advantage of the seat Sirius had vacated to spread out. "I'm going to take a little nap, but wake me when Lily and Alice get here."

Mary agreed, and Hermione fell asleep almost instantly, seeing the retreating King's Cross station out the window as her strange dreams crept up on her.

She was woken up some hours later by Lily, who had apparently finished her meeting long ago, and Alice, who had walked into the compartment only minutes after she fell asleep. They had apparently ingrained the habit of letting her sleep, which Hermione sincerely hope didn't carry too far into the term! But they decided to wake her with just enough time to change into her robes before the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and, reflecting on the eventful night she'd be having and busy morning, Hermione quite appreciated it.

"Firs' years this way!" she heard a too-familiar voice call when she and the others stepped off the train. She looked over, and sure enough, there was Hagrid, completing his annual duty of bringing the first years across the lake.

"It's too bad you can't take the boat across, Helen!" Mary exclaimed. "It's such a beautiful way to see the castle."

"Oh, please," said cynical Alice. "There's a million ways to see the castle. She'll be sick of it by the end of the year."

"No one ever gets sick of the castle," Lily reminded her.

Hermione laughed. "I'm okay with the thestrals, don't worry," she assured her friends, and the four of them climbed into the nearest carriage.

"They're so creepy, aren't they?" Alice asked fondly, looked down at the invisible creatures with a smile. Lily sighed and Mary shook her head in exasperation, but Hermione was suddenly reminded of Luna, and smiled widely.

"Misunderstood beasts," she agreed, quoting Hagrid. Lily looked at her like she had grown another head, but Mary suddenly burst out laughing for no reason. Lily and Alice were so shocked by the sound of her laughter that Hermione found herself laughing at their expression, and soon they were laughing, too. Students in other carriages were looking at them strangely, but that just made them laugh all the harder. Every time they would start to calm down, one of them would have a strange expression or would start laughing again, until they wound up in tears by the time they reached the castle. They eventually managed to control themselves enough for Lily to act like a proper Head Girl. She hushed her friends, even while still giggling herself, and started to direct the second-years to where they were supposed to be.

"Come on," Alice said. "She's going to be such a bore while she takes this job seriously."

Hermione and Mary laughed, but followed Alice into the Great Hall, where they took their seats at the Gryffindor table across from Remus, Sirius, Peter, and Frank. James, it appeared, was outside with Lily still trying to usher everyone in.

"Hello, Alice," Remus said pleasantly. "How was your summer? Frank was just starting to tell me about the beginning of it."

"Bearable," she said, rolling her eyes. "Love, don't get me wrong, nothing against your mum, but…"

"I know," Frank laughed. "She has quite the dominant personality."

Knowing Neville's grandmother, Hermione found herself she didn't think she had given any outward indication of such agreement, something must have brought her to Alice's attention, because she immediately found herself being formally introduced to Frank Longbottom.

"A pleasure to meet you," he said, reaching across the table for her hand. She shook it, and was distinctly reminded of Neville in a different way than Alice's physical resemblance. The same kind, compassionate, yet introverted soul was present in Frank, Hermione thought.

"The pleasure's all mine," she said honestly, but before they could exchange further niceties, Lily and James slipped in, bickering all the while.

"You can't give them wrong information - "

"It wasn't wrong information! I just didn't mention that the horses - "

"Not horses, James, honestly, and there's no need to scare them to death!"  
>"Not to death, but just a little - "<p>

"Here we go again," Alice said, rolling her eyes.

Remus grinned. "What, you didn't miss this all summer?"

"Spare me," she groaned. "Poor Helen is stuck living with the two of them this year."

Even Sirius looked slightly sympathetic as they _all stared at_ her in pity.

"Maybe they'll just start ignoring each other?" Mary suggested, and Sirius snorted loudly. Everyone stared at him, but Peter knew what he was thinking of, and explained.

"Remember that time in fourth year when she tried to give him the cold shoulder?" he asked, and everyone collectively winced. Hermione looked around for a further explanation, and Frank told her.

"He hexed her right shoulder so that a little cloud followed her around and snowed on it for a week."

"In the middle of January, no less!" Alice exclaimed.

"He refused to undo it until she started talking to him."

Hermione found herself laughing out loud at the soon-to-be couple, but before said couple could finish their debate, the door swung open, and in filed the first years for the sorting.

"They get shorter and shorter every year," Sirius said, but Remus shushed him so they could listen to the hat's song. "It's the same thing every year," he protested, but was now shushed by all the Gryffindor seventh years at once.

But sure enough, it was the same thing Hermione had heard for the past sixth years, complete with the stress on unity in times of war.

"Really, at this point we know that the Ravenclaws are suck-ups Hufflepuffs are doormats, and Gryffin - " Sirius started to say, but once again…

"Sh!"

He rolled his eyes, but was quiet except for obligatory applause and cheering all the way from "Applegate, Frederick" to "Zeflin, Marjorie."

As soon as Marjorie, the last Slytherin, made her way to the table, Dumbledore stood up to encourage them to start the feast.

"Thank Merlin. I'm starved," Alice said. She then began the annual gossip over the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "Well? What's the verdict?"

"On Professor Bode?" Remus asked.

"No, on Professor Binns. Yes, Bode, you lackwit," Alice said sarcastically. Hermione listened intently. She had no idea the DADA curse went so far back.

"I heard he's doing Dumbledore a favor," Peter said. Frank nodded in agreement.

"He's an Unspeakable, but took the year off for sabbatical."

"Pretty young for a sabbatical," Sirius commented, but Mary shook her hand in disagreement.

"Not for an Unspeakable," she said, and the four boys looked at her in slight surprise, before Remus broke the silence to agree. It was frustrating for Hermione to have to piece together Mary's story without any confirmation or refutation from the others. Either way, Hermione took the surprise to mean that Mary was recovering: either she was very comfortable with all of them, or Mulciber was indeed gone. She turned around to look at the Slytherin table to examine the students there and found herself staring straight into the eyes of Severus Snape. She let out a small squeak before turning right back around to her own table.

The others broke off their conversation to look at her in confusion. She blushed, but tried to explain.

"He's staring at me," she mumbled.

"Half the Hall is staring at you, Helen. You're the transfer student. Get used it," Sirius said flippantly. She glared at him, but supposed it was true. She suddenly desperately hoped that Dumbledore wasn't going to introduce her in front of the entire school, but seeing as how they were trying to keep her existence low-key, she didn't think he would do that.

"Who's staring at you?" Mary asked in concern.

The name Snape was barely out of her mouth before being met with a flurry of outraged reactions. Sirius immediately starting cursing the boy, Frank tried to warn her to stay away from him, Alice started to threaten him if he ever came near her, Peter echoed Sirius's sentiments, and Mary looked horrified. Only Remus appeared unchanged, as even Lily and James turned to see what all the fuss was about.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Hermione tried to tell them. "Like Sirius said, everyone's probably staring at me."

"That's just because you're so beautiful, love," he said, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"No, Sirius is serious, Helen," James said. "Stay away from Snape. He seems intent on harassing pretty Gryffindor girls."

"If he comes within ten yards of you, just tell us, and we'll take care of it," Peter assured her, and Hermione was faced with the irony of being offered protection from one spy on the wrong side against another spy on the right side. Or, actually, technically, the wrong side, too, she realized despairingly. Snape isn't even to be trusted when he gets older. He was playing Dumbledore the whole time. In reality, then, the irony is being offered protection from a spy who will later be on the same side as said spy who was…

Oh, whatever.

"I can handle myself, thanks," she said to Peter rather coolly, and suddenly hoped she would be able to make it through the year without killing the rat.

"No, Helen, really," Lily insisted. "They're not saying that you can't handle yourself, but these four might be able to handle it better."

Hermione was shocked at Lily's reaction, and supposed that hatred of Severus Snape had to be a prerequisite to being a Gryffindor_. _Realizing that the only way out of the now awkward situation was to agree to everything they said and then change the topic, she did so quickly.

"So, Remus," she asked after assuring everyone she would stay away from Snape. "What classes are you taking?"

He looked rather taken aback, but the rest of the seventh years then began to compare schedules with Hermione, and by the end of the night, her transfer status had been all but forgotten.

In bed that night in the room she shared with Lily, ignoring an argument taking place in the common room between Head Boy and Girl, Hermione reveled in the feeling of having a large group of friends. Like it or not, James and Lily would be dating soon, and then the Marauders would be her friends as much as Alice and Mary were now. Add Frank and Petunia to the mix, and Hermione found herself extremely happy in this convoluted seventh year of hers. She still missed Harry and Ron, and Ginny, and Luna, and Neville, and her parents, and everyone, of course. But somehow 1976 was feeling just as much like home as 1996 did.

If she could somehow overcome the immediate, on-sight revulsion she had for Peter, whom everyone else seemed to like a good deal, then she would be well on her way to becoming fully assimilated in this past society. Obviously she could never share all her secrets with her friends, and of course she would have to avoid looking like some crazy seer, especially since she had already let Lily know of her feelings on Divination. But it wasn't like she was the only one alone and without a family. Sirius had completely moved out, after all, and Remus's father had died a while back. In fact, both James and Lily's parents were going to die soon as well, as Harry had no family left except for Petunia in 1981. That was a horrible thought, really. Poor Rose and Harry! She wondered what was going to happen to them... Was there anything she could have done to stop it? If she bothered to learn of their fate back home, could she have tried to saved them here?

She shook her head vigorously. No, it wouldn't do to dwell on such thoughts. Things were going well here, and Hermione was determined to make the best of it. Scratching Crookshanks behind the ears in a comfortingly familiar gesture, she slowly drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: So what do you guys think so far?

* * *

><p>And I fortunately know a little magic.<p>

It's a talent that I always have possessed.

. - _Poor Unfortunate Souls_, Disney's _The Little Mermaid_

The first day of class was just as exciting for Hermione as it always was.

DADA was her favorite class by far, simply because every Gryffindor in her year was in it, and seeing all the Marauders together in their prime was an awesome sight. She liked them. Sirius was a prat, and Peter was a fool, and Remus was a doormat, and James was, to use Lily's choice of words, an arrogant toe-rag. But beyond that, they were really good people. In fact, Hermione was seriously considering asking Dumbledore to use his Pensieve so she could forget that Peter betrayed Lily and James. Death Eater status notwithstanding, he was a rather likeable guy, and certainly a good friend. In fact, she felt a little bad because she was constantly giving him mixed signals. One minute she'd be joking and laughing with him like everyone else, and the next minute she'd be cold and sarcastic. The poor guy was probably confused out of his mind.

The first few weeks of school were passing splendidly. Even Lily and James had toned down their bickering, and Hermione was wondering if she or Mary would be closer to winning the bet. Just when everything startle to settle in, however, Hermione walked into her common room from the library one evening to find Lily and James screaming at each other at the top of their lungs.

Not the lighthearted, flirtatious teasing they had been doing recently, but honest-to-Merlin, battle-cry, screaming.

"Why won't you ever leave me alone?" Lily shrieked, and Hermione froze in the doorway, staring at the couple standing on opposing sides of the room.

"Why don't you ever calm the fuck down?" James yelled back, and it occurred to Hermione that she had never actually heard James raise his voice in anger.

"Get out of my life, Potter!" she screamed, and Hermione suddenly felt that this was about much more than the shredded Arithmancy text that lay destroyed on the coffee table. Especially since it looked like they were studying happily minutes ago.  
>"I'm stuck in your life, Evans, and you better get used to it! Why can't you just accept me for who I am?" James roared. Hermione really wanted to go to her room, but to do so would cross the war zone, and it appeared as if they hadn't noticed her yet.<p>

"Because you're an arrogant prick with an ego larger than a giant's skull!" she cried back.

"Just admit it: you like this arrogant prick! Stop acting like a twelve year old and own up to it!"

"Just who's calling who immature?"

"Dammit, Lily! I've tried to grow up; why haven't you?"

"How dare you?"

"I - "

But Hermione never find out how, exactly, James had dared. She had backed out of the doorway, deciding to spend the night in Gryffindor tower, if necessary. Their argument was private, and she shouldn't eavesdrop.

"Helen?" asked a voice from behind her, and she jumped a foot in surprise. She whipped around and drew her wand quickly, hexes forming in her throat before realizing that she had her wand pointed in the face of Remus Lupin.

He looked shocked, and immediately threw his hands up in surrender. She breathed a sigh of relief, then promptly colored and lowered her wand, apologizing profusely.

"I'm so sorry, Remus," she exclaimed, but he assured her it was fine.

"I was just wondering if Lily was in? We were supposed to study Runes tonight," he explained, and Hermione grimaced.

"She and James are…um, a little busy at the moment."

"Oh, god," he said, making a face. "You didn't walk in on them sucking teeth, did you?"

Hermione burst out laughing, primarily because of old Professor Lupin saying "sucking teeth," but she passed it off as the irony of the situation.

"Opposite, actually. They just might kill each other this time," she said happily.

"Would that they would do the world the favor," he said, and they shared a chuckle.

"Are you busy, then?" he asked. "I don't know about you, but my translation of that poem doesn't make any sense."

"That's because you're probably confusing purizaz and wunjo. They look practically identical in the font in this text. I did the same thing. Can we go to Gryffindor Tower? I just got kicked out of the library and they're busy in there," Hermione replied. Remus nodded, and as they studied that night, a new and special friendship was born.

* * *

><p>The next morning, breakfast found Lily and James oddly quiet. But judging by how close they were sitting and the quick looks they kept stealing at each other, along with the fact that Lily was wearing a turtleneck in the middle of September, Hermione thought that last night had ended in "sucking teeth," after all. She caught Remus's eye, then briefly looked at the silent couple to indicate such. He grinned, but no one else seemed to notice except Mary, who notices everything. She made a mental note to fill Alice in later, and was sure Remus would do the same with Sirius, Peter, and Frank. In the mean time, it would be nice to give Lily and James some privacy, or at least not shout of the newest development in their relationship in front of the whole school, as she was sure would happen were Sirius to realize it right now.<p>

But on their other side, Hermione noticed Alice and Frank staring at each other more dreamily than usual. She didn't have time to think on it any deeper, though, because Sirius started calling her name.

"Helen? Hello? Hel?"

"Sorry," she said. "What did you say?"

"I said Hogsmeade weekend this weekend. You game?"

"Already?"

"You can't go, Sirius," Remus told him, and Sirius looked shocked.

"Whaddya mean I can't go? Of course I can!"

"You have detention for turning Bode's hair blue last week," his friend reminded him, and Sirius frowned.

"Oh, yeah. Still can't believe he figured out that was me. Takes most new teachers at least a month…" he muttered.

Just then the mail flew in, and Hermione surprisingly found herself with two letters. One was from Petunia, of course, but the other one…

_Dear Miss Grey,_

_I hope you're finding your seventh year of schooling at Hogwarts to your liking. As there is a Hogsmeade weekend coming up, I'd like to meet with you discuss your new job at Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, as well as the magical theories we mentioned over the summer. _

_I am free tonight at 7:00. _

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

"I can't go to Hogsmeade, anyway, Sirius," Hermione said, folding the letter up and putting it in her bag. "Dumbledore got me a job and I'll be working."

"Boring," Sirius replied, but Remus looked up interestedly.

"Where?" he asked.

"Scrivenshaft's," she said, and Remus grinned.

"That's next door to me!" he told her. "He got me a job, too, at Gladrag's."

While initially shocked, Hermione quickly deduced that Remus was not from the future, as well. She must not have noticed it in her time, but Dumbledore must work with the store-owners in Hogsmeade to get part-time jobs from lower-income students. Mary had said something of this sort in Diagon Alley. Remus would be a logical choice for this… work-study? As a werewolf, it would be extremely hard for him to get a job after graduation. If he's saved up all the money he's earned since he started working, it would be enough to get him by until he could find another job. And having students work there only on Hogsmeade weekends is helpful for the owners who only need the extra help when there's an influx of several hundred customers, and to the students who can't afford to shop, but still want to go to the village and be part of the merriment.

He's a very smart man, that Albus Dumbledore.

"We can walk there together, then!" Hermione said, finding an opportunity to keep up her charade. "I don't know the way there."

"Guess it'll just be me and James, then," Peter said. "Since Frank looks a little busy. Right James?"

But James looked a little busy too, and Peter was just about to open his mouth to ask a question when Remus dove in to distract him.

"Hey, Pete, did you ever finish that Charms essay?"

Peter made a face. "No. I don't what the hell Flitwick is talking about when he says he wants us to write three feet on how the different wand cores affect the type of charm subject that we should have been studying…"

Remus winked at Hermione, and she felt the urge to a giggle. He had distracted him alright, but now Peter was going to go on and on about how much he hated Charms for the rest of the morning.

Hermione stood up abruptly. "I just remembered that I forgot my Potions textbook in my room_. _I'll meet up with everyone later."

Peter looked surprised, but barely paused for breath as he continued his story. Remus took the opportunity to stand up as well, and followed Hermione out of the Great Hall.

"I didn't know you hated him that much," Remus laughed. "Everyone knows you don't need your potions textbook, Hel."

Hermione blushed, but accepted the praise for what it was. Snape taught a much more advanced curriculum in her time, because much of what Slughorn was teaching now she had already learned in her fifth year. She supposed that Snape had briefed him last year about what they learned already so he didn't cover it twice, but, in 1976, she felt like she could takes the NEWTs now and pass. Lily was actually quite jealous, though she tried to hide it. Hermione of course wasn't better than Snape himself, but once Slughorn understood that Hermione had a more rigorous curriculum in her "home country," he made her partners with Snape, the best in the class. Twenty years in the past and she was still learning Potions from Professor Snape! But she couldn't complain, really. It was just one less class she had to study for.

"You know as well as I do that if we let him go on for much longer he would never stop," Hermione replied. Peter had a love/hate relationship with Professor Flitwick. "You couldn't have thought of another way to distract him?"

"I didn't exactly see you jumping in to save the day," Remus teased. "I had all of a half a second to think of something so Lily and James didn't immediately break-up of embarrassment."

"Yeah, well, they'll have about a day to adjust. People are going to start noticing them staring at each other with love instead of hate soon."

"Ah, you may be wrong there. James has always looked at Lily with love," Remus informed her. "Ever since day one when she hexed him on the train for making fun of Snape. It was like love at first sight."

"Or hate, in her case," Hermione replied, ignoring the bit about Snape.

"Speaking of love-filled looks, were Alice and Frank more…in love than usual today?" Remus asked.

"I noticed that too!" she exclaimed. "Maybe they just had a good night? I don't know."

"I don't know either," Remus frowned. "Could you ask her about it?"

"Why don't you ask Frank?"

"Guys don't talk about stuff like that."

"You're talking about it now."

"Yeah, but with you, and you're a girl, so it's okay."

"A secret romantic, Remus?"

"You didn't know? I'm the most popular women's romance writer this side of the Channel!"

"That's right. You wrote that one about the dangerous Scottish noble in a kilt."

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and they both burst out laughing.

"Oh, Remus. What do I need girlfriends for when I have you?" Hermione asked happily. Harry and Ron were always just that – guy friends. And Ginny was just a girl friend. She didn't have that best friend who had the straightforward male thinking she needed and yet still picked up on subtleties only women could. Except maybe Luna. But she was a whole separate story.

"Fine. I'll ask Alice, but try to be subtle about finding something out from Frank," she continued.

"And we'll reconvene with our findings over butterbeer after work Saturday?" Remus suggested.

"Perfect!" Hermione exclaimed. "I haven't had a butterbeer since– Um… Could you meet me after work? I don't know the way from there."

"No problem," Remus said, looking at her a little strangely.

She winced. She was really going to have to get better at this whole lying about your past bit.

"I really did forget my potions text, though," she lied, desperate to not fudge up her past even more. "I'll see you there!"

She ran off towards the Head Girl's room, leaving Remus as confused as Peter over her sudden mood swings.

* * *

><p>"Do you know the basis for the existence of magic, Miss Grey?"<p>

Later that night, she was sitting across from Dumbledore in his office, resisting the urge to take out a quill and parchment.

"No," she replied sadly and honestly. "I'm afraid that was never covered in my first-year classes, and Professor McGonagall was rather vague about it when I asked her."

"You are, of course, aware of Darwin's Theory of Evolution?"

"Survival of the fittest," Hermione replied, curious about where this was leading.

"In the muggle world, aren't there some people who are called lactose intolerant?" Dumbledore asked, leading her with the question.

"Yes. They can't have dairy products without feeling sick afterwards, because they're unable to metabolize lactose."

"Why is that?"

"Well, it's sometimes based on environmental factors, but more often than not it's genetic," Hermione answered.

"Could explain what you mean by that?" Dumbledore said, confident she'd figure out the direction of the discussion soon.

"Humans simply weren't made to consume so much dairy. Almost all of our dairy consumption, biologically speaking, is supposed to be within the first four years of life when mothers breast-feed. But a mutation on one of our chromosomes made lactose tolerance a dominant allele, while lactose intolerance is a recessive allele. Therefore, as humans interbred through thousands of years, most people now have that dominant mutation of lactose tolerance. Lactose intolerance, though once normal for all humans, is now rare," she recited

"Now I'm going to ask you to make a bit of a leap. How do you think lactose intolerance is similar to magic?

Hermione thought for a moment, and then answered, "Magic must be recessive. It's so rare, after all, and the majority of humans in the world are either squibs or muggles. And in order for muggleborns to exist, both parents had to have had at least one magical ancestor in their background."

"And this wouldn't be as difficult as it appears…" Dumbledore prompted.

"No, of course not, because if you're paralleling lactose intolerance to magic, why then at one point in history everyone was magical!" Hermione exclaimed, entranced by the idea. "And so muggle genes are merely dominant mutations! That's incredible. And it would explain the birth rate in the wizarding world. If everyone in them magical world had the recessive allele, then there's likely to be other genetic similarities, as well. If the genetics are too similar between the couple…"

"Absolutely correct, Miss Grey," he said, smiling.

"But sir, that doesn't explain how one's magical reserve can be so low," she said, frowning. "That would only make sense if magic was like… a particle in the air."

"Here's the next leap we have to make. What if the gene merely allowed us to channel magic?" he suggested, wondering what she would make of that.

She frowned. "Like our wands? We can do magic without our wands, of course, but it takes enormous skill or uncontrolled emotion. We would have the gene that makes us magical, but the magic is in the air around us? Like an element? So the magic isn't inside us?"

"More or less. Your comparison was very good. Think of magic as an element in the air, like oxygen or nitrogen. The gene allows us to draw the magic out of the air and concentrate it into a single form, such as a spell. Wands help us do this, but like you said, any strong force can pull the magic as well."

"And if we pull too much of it out of the air at any given time…" Hermione began, chasing the thought.

"Which is, of course, very rare. It would only happen if say you were trapped in an airtight container and doomed to suffocate. If you tried using spell and after spell to get out and nothing worked, eventually you would not only be exhausted from lack of oxygen, but unable to perform any more magic because all of the magic was used already."

"So my glamour works by pulling a certain amount of magic out of the air constantly?" Hermione asked, looking at her reflection in one of the silver objects adorning Dumbledore's desk.

"Precisely. Which is why you have to be careful any time you're performing a great deal of magic in a very short time, especially with other people around. Hogwarts isn't isolated so far from civilization just to hide it from muggles, you know. We here have access to the air for miles around," he said matter-of-factly.

"But then how is the magic regenerated?" Hermione asked. "It can't just disappear forever, or there'd be no magic left in the world."

Dumbledore laughed, throwing Hermione for a loop. She didn't think that was a silly question at all.

"You truly are the brightest witch of your age. And, I daresay, of several others as well. Nobody thought of how the magic is regenerated for centuries. A decade or so ago, some American theorists and scientists starting working on it. They noticed a correlation between water and magical strength. That is to say, towns and cities near a lake or the sea or another large body of water had a stronger magical capability and less instances of the loss of magical reserves. They believe that the element released when a spell is completed, the carbon dioxide of magic, so to speak, is somehow restored to magic by a process involving water. They haven't quite figured out the exact scientific way this is done, but we've come a long way."

"That makes sense," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Each person has some magic that clings to them. There's a bit of air that follows every person around, just because your body attracts it almost magnetically. This is the magic that most people work with, and that's where magical signatures come from. Truly powerful witches and wizards are able to harness the magic of the air around them for miles."

"Like Voldemort," she frowned. "Maybe that's the key to destroying him. Is there any way one could limit the amount of magic that someone else is exposed to, short of putting them in a box?"

"That wanders into dangerous territory, Miss Grey. If we could figure out how to limit their magic, it wouldn't be long until they could figure out to limit our magic. And if we were to choose a battle field far away from the sea, say, then we run the risk of depleting our magical reserves as much as theirs," Dumbledore said, looking fondly at the girl who was trying to solve all the world's problems. "In any case, as long as you understand the basic of magical theory, you should be able to manage without your glamour accidentally falling off. The only other way to remove it is to stare at your reflection for about a minute, willing the magic to be at ease and drop the form."

"And to put it back on?" she asked, and he frowned at her.

"I would not suggest taking it off every night and putting it back on in the morning, if that's what you're considering," he told her.

"No, not at all!" she exclaimed. "But I do need to know how to put my own glamour on."

"Merely do the same thing in the reflection, summoning the magic to take the form," he said, conceding to her logic.

"Is that like wandless magic, then?" she asked, and he nodded.

"In a way. But there is neither an incantation nor a need for a wand for this particular spell. A wrong flick of the wrist might make you come out looking like a fish on accident."

Hermione laughed. "That's very true, I suppose. I should like to learn wandless magic one day."

"There are several books in the Restricted Section on the topic. As you're in a NEWT-level DADA class, you should be able to access them freely," Dumbledore told her, positive that now she would have wandless magic mastered by graduation, even with the hindrance of a 24/7 magical depletion.

She thanked him gratefully, then, remembering one of their original purposes, thanked him again for finding her a job.

"Oh, it was no problem at all," he said, dismissing it. "We usually have one student working at every shop, and Scrivenshaft's employee graduated last year. They were asking me for a replacement, anyway. And I know that you take your work seriously, so I was happy to recommend you."

"Remus says he works at Gladrag's," she said, interested in the program he had going.

"Splendid! He can show you the ropes, in a way. Most of the retail positions are very similar. You get paid a galleon an hour, and work a ten hour day from eight until six. You help with opening, but not closing. Or something like that. Frankly the details aren't known to me, but all the students seem very happy with their jobs," he said cheerfully. She nodded. Remus had certainly perked up when she mentioned Hogsmeade, after all.

"So I should show up at Scrivenshaft's a couple minutes before eight?" she asked.

"That would be ideal. And then merely introduce yourself to the owners, and your first day can be learning on your feet! Don't worry; I don't think they receive much business from the students, and the students who do shop there tend to know exactly what they're going for."

"I know," she laughed. "I used to be one of them."

"How did I know?" he asked, smiling. "Well, if that's all, Miss Grey, you should head back to your dormitory. Curfew is soon."

Hermione looked at the clock and realized that curfew was indeed drawing near. She rose and thanked him again for his time.

"Please never hesitate to come to me at any time. Any problems or non-problems you seem to be having I would be more than happy to address," he said.

"You've been so helpful with the entire transition, sir," she said. "I don't know how I could ever thank you enough."

"Somehow I'm sure you'll think of something," he laughed, and they parted.

She began the walk down the spiral staircase, mulling over magical theory and wandless magic. When the door opened, however, she walked out straight into Remus Lupin.

"Remus!" she exclaimed as he said,

"Helen!" at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" they asked simultaneously again. They laughed, and then Hermione explained.

"He called me to talk about me starting work on Saturday."

"Oh," Remus replied lamely.

"What about you?" she asked, when it seemed obvious that he wasn't going to tell her on his own.

"Oh, um…We just, uh, meet sometimes. Like once a month or whatever," he said vaguely, but Hermione understood that Dumbledore was just checking in with him and how school was going for a werewolf, in the same way he was checking in with her and how school was going for someone from twenty years in the future. She decided not to push it, and Remus seemed grateful.

"That's nice," she said, and Remus rewarded her concession to his privacy.

"I heard about Alice and Frank," he told her excitedly.

"Did you?" she asked. "Frank was eager to talk, then? What happened?"

"They got engaged."

"Engaged?" Hermione shrieked, feeling her life flash before her far too quickly. "They're only seventeen!"

"Frank's eighteen, and they're both of age. He asked her parents for permission, and his mother supported the match. He gave her a ring that's been in his family for ages," Remus said, and Hermione found herself examining pureblood culture much closer than she ever would have thought.

"That's incredible," she breathed, and Remus nodded.

"They've only been going out for a year, but well… With the politics going on now everyone's eager to settle down quick. And they're both smart, and they'll definitely be Aurors like they want to. I've never seen a couple more in love."

"I'm so happy for them," she said honestly, and started wondering when Lily and James were going to get married now.

"Just keep it quiet, okay? They're going to tell everyone on Saturday, and Frank made me promise not to tell anyone."

"Tsk tsk, Mr. Lupin. I never took you for an oath-breaker," she teased.

"I promised you I'd share information first," he reasoned, but grinned back at her. "We're all going to meet in the Three Broomsticks after we get off work and Sirius gets off detention. They're going to buy us all butterbeers and announce it, so act surprised."

"Will do. I can't wait."

"I better go. Dumbledore's waiting for me. I'll catch you tomorrow morning."

"See you then!" she said, and they hugged before Hermione ran back off to her dormitory, determined to start taking pictures of Frank and Alice for Neville, too.


End file.

Harry Potter, Romance