Harry Potter 1. The Diary

**Author's Note: This is my first Sirius/Hermione but not my first story...I love writing and hope that someday I can write my own book. It is a great dream to have and one that I certainly hope to achieve. Now with school and other stuff I am working on at the moment this is not my main priority. **

**This story is also in need of a beta...anyone interested e-mail me. You'll find my e-mail in my profile along with some pictures for this story. I don't think that I have anything else to say other than that I love this pairing and that this story will be slightly different from other time-travel. For it is time-travel. Hermione will not be in school...and this is set after HBP...there are a lot of OC in this but they are somewhat important to my plot. **

**Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of these characters. They are all J.K. Rowling's. I am also not making any form of profic from this just the knowledge that my writing is being practiced. Practice makes perfect.

**Summary**

Hermione Granger decides to go to the past after she discovers that there is no use to stay in the future. After all with all the deaths and the fact that the order is barely helping she knows that this is her best course of action. A diary is all she has left of him, one that makes her see the depths of his soul. And now, now she will get to see him again. Time travel is a hard thing but with the right push and the right help she will go back. Sirius Black/Hermione Granger, Lily Evans/James Potter.

**Introduction**

_I never though I'd ever see the day when the infamous ladies man that is my best friend settled down. Yet he did settle down. James once told me that Love conquers all and that even he would someday be caught in the web. He never said I would, but that is a different story. _

_I never believed him, then again why would I? Sirius was always after some girl or another and he broke many hearts. Why would he ever settle down? He had told us all already that he never would. He said he might someday in his thirty's but not right after leaving Hogwarts. No, he wanted to be a bachelor for a long time. He wanted to keep on living the life of a dog, and I say this literally. _

_Then he met her. _

_I still can't believe that he fell for her, and she a teacher. I still don't think it was right but Dumbledore allowed it and so, I guess, everything turned out for the better. Sirius got the girl he always wanted before he expected her and yet there was something about her, something that I didn't like back then. Turns out sometimes even an old wolf like me is wrong._

_She was a great professor, she taught us all a lot and she was also a great friend. I remember how much Sirius liked her at first and then how he continued on and on and on about her sort of like James did of Lily. I should have seen it then. It was a little scary, to tell the truth. But I guess you should hear the entire story and for that you shall need to see the beginning. It begun on one late afternoon in July of 2003, and a simple day it was, too, or maybe not so simple for it begun at a funeral; one that would change the life of Hermione Granger. _

_Have I forgotten to tell you who the girl is? Oh, yes, of course. It is Hermione who he fell for; sweet Hermione Granger. _

**Chapter One**

_The Diary_

"Fear isn't the absence of courage but an emotion or a feeling that is needed so you can have courage. Without fear there would be no need to have bravery." Hermione said these words to the order members, her friends, the ministry of magic and every other person that had shown up for the funeral "Harry Potter was very afraid. He didn't want to die and he didn't deserve to die and neither did Ron. When you think about the fact that they gave up their lives for us and yet they did not succeed in their task you begin to see how the world works.

"The unfairness that drives us to this point in time and that in the end will destroy us. I remember, and so will you, a time when darkness did not empower us. When death was not something that was routine, it was such times that did not last but we can have them back.

"We can destroy him!" she looked around and took a deep breath "They did not die in vain" she wiped a few tears "Harry Potter may have died but the cause has not and we will succeed in bringing him down.

"In memory of Harry Potter we can say that he was a great friend. Helpful and insightful he was a powerful wizard and he shall be remembered. He was our hope and he will continue to be for the years to come." Hermione then smiled at them but did not move. "But then we have Ron. Ron who died for Harry, Ron who sacrificed himself for us not only did he save our last hope but he made it so we would have hope again once he was gone.

"They were loyal and brave and they always took the harder path. When their death came about we are the ones that will mourn him but so will Voldemort for he will know that, we, the ones still left will avenge him. The innocent are always martyred."

Hermione stepped from the podium tears still rolling down her cheeks and she walked towards the front row where she was seated between Neville and Remus. Remus squeezed her hand "it will be alright, Hermione" he said.

She nodded softly and she watched him stand up and begin his speech. Hermione's mind drifted to what happened during the final battle. But then it wouldn't be the final battle. Not if she could help it.

_It was a trap. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all walked towards Hogwarts. Hogwarts had been closed down the year after they graduated and had been having a few interesting things happen around it so that the trio was always checking it out. If it wasn't them it was other order members. _

_Tonight was just a routine check up. Nothing that really offered a lot of things to do but this was just as Voldemort had wanted. He had wanted to get them when they were alone and unprepared. _

_It was Harry who first saw the sign of trouble. He did not say a thing but just looked to Hermione and she knew in the way he looked at her. "Go inside and check out some stuff" he said. _

_Hermione ran towards the castle as Harry told Ron. _

_The order had begun using a ring that shinned with a message when they were needed and this was what any member could activate. Hermione's job was to do this. And so inside the school she took out her wand and pressed her ring with it "help" was on her ring in a moment and the message would flair in everyone else's. _

_This had been the beginning and when she went back out they were there surrounded. _

_The order did not arrive in time. Hermione was spared and she felt guilty for being alive. In fact when Bellatrix hit Ron she had fought Bella and even managed to make a lot of damage but then he came and he pushed her away taking Harry. _

_They duelled, Voldemort and Harry. It was a mixture of curses and hexes going from side to side but in the end it was Harry who died. Voldemort smirked then looking at Hermione. _

"_Shall I kill the mudblood, my lord?" Lucius Malfoy asked then _

"_No" he said "let her suffer in the misery of losing them"_

_This is had been his mistake. _

_When the order members found her Hermione was not exactly in a right state. She was crying and a complete mess. It took Remus and Tonks to get her to the Burrow and into bed. Tonks stayed with her for more than half the night soothing her. _

That was two weeks ago and Hermione was still as mess as much as she didn't show it to the rest of the world. At night she would curl up in a small ball and just lay there thinking about Harry and Ron. She missed them terribly.

Remus sat back down and smiled at her "It's almost over" he said.

"Yeah" she whispered back "but they are still dead and Harry's will is to be read tomorrow"

Remus nodded but said nothing more.

-

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-

The next day Hermione woke up with a groan. She barely had any sleep the night before and tonight she needed to attend the reading of Harry's will. Ron had left nothing but then again he didn't own much that would need to be passed on.

Harry on the other hand had two houses in his possession, and a lot of money most of left from Sirius and his parents but some of it from being an Auror.

12 Grimmauld Place was still as empty as it had been the days that followed Sirius' death. Hermione figured that only Kreacher had been there and the place was probably very dirty.

Harry's house which was where he lived with Ginny whom he had been previously engaged to was at the moment just as empty.

As soon as she was dressed in full black Hermione walked into the kitchen of her flat where she found her cloak. Hermione picked it up and draped it over her arm. She was off to the ministry of magic.

-

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-

Hermione walked out of the ministry of magic surprised. Harry hadn't left Ginny a cent. He had left her their house but nothing else. Remus had gotten most of his money and a few odds and ends while Hermione who had expected nothing more than his most prised possessions the marauders' map and his father's cloak. But Harry had left her a large sum of money, 12 Grimmauld place, the map and the cloak as well as a few other things like his mother's engagement ring and a letter.

_Dear Hermione, _

_I know that when you read this you will hate me. I know that you won't like my choice but I had to do this. I knew he would be there tonight and that is why I sacrificed myself for you. There are a lot of things in life that for the most part you will not understand. Knowing you, Hermione, I know you will want to. I was part of his soul. I needed to die so that you can finish off what is needed to be done. It is you, Hermione who will do it. _

_When I thought of your reaction to everything I left you I knew you'd want to just give it up but you can't. I left everything, or mostly everything, to you because I know you are the only one that I can leave these things with. Ginny and I have not been together for a long time. In fact I believe she was dating Draco Malfoy and this is my reason for leaving her nothing but bad memories with that house. _

_You are the last one remaining that can save the world. For all times sake, Hermione, just be the heroine this time. Be the one they all adore. Be their hope just as you have been mine for all these years._

_Your loving friend,_

_Harry Potter_

Hermione cried after the letter for a long time in the confines of her room. It was that night as the hour reached midnight that she made a decision. She would move into 12 Grimmauld Place. She would lead the order and hopefully to some victory.

With the help of her wand Hermione was packed in half an hour. As she looked around the small flat she had gotten soon after she got out of Hogwarts she sighed. It had many memories but they would soon be forgotten. Her life was changing and she felt that it was for the best.

-

-

-

The Black House was in the same state it was when the order first used it in her fifth year. Hermione left her things which had been shrunk down in the drawing room and then began to look around the familiar room.

Hermione had never gotten any time to actually explore the house. In fact beyond the kitchen, her room, Harry's room, the twin's room, the drawing room, and a large office like room she hadn't been to the entire house and now was the perfect time to begin her explorations.

But first she knew she needed to start a bit of cleaning. So summoning anything that would help her she made them magically begin sorting out the place. Of course not everything could be done with magic so she would have to check some of the things and begin to actually make up her mind as to what she would keep but Hermione knew that there were a lot of things that were expensive and some from the dark arts.

As soon as she put the things to clean Hermione walked towards the attic. She wanted to see if there was anything that needed any fixing up there. After all she didn't want to find that some ghoul had moved into said attic and that would annoy the rest of her days in the Black House.

After making sure that everything was in over Hermione went to the second floor of the house and began with checking the room she and Ginny had shared which beyond the dust was perfectly clean. Harry and Ron's had nothing on them, in fact it was closer to being the cleanest room in the house. Hermione wouldn't be surprised if Harry had made this happen.

She walked then on to other rooms glad that they were actually clean and she didn't have a lot to actually get through. As soon as she had looked into the rooms she had entered through her time in the house Hermione went into the first room that she found she had never explored.

It was generally messy with different things thrown about the floor but there was no spot of dust or anything that could indicate that no one was living in the room. Hermione sat down on the bed and took the room in. It seemed familiar to her as if she had once seen it but she knew she hadn't. The déjà vu that hit her then made her frown for a single moment.

Hermione stood when she saw a black leather notebook on the floor. She picked it up and began flipping through it. There was nothing written inside it but then a piece of parchment fell out.

_To whom it may concern,_

_I have never felt the need to want to explain myself to anyone ever before. I have never felt true love for anyone and I guess my life has been a pain. I mean I had fun during Hogwarts. James, Remus, Peter. I loved them and I know they cared for me. Lily was a great friend and I cared for her too. _

_She once told me that she thought I should settle down. I never did and maybe if I had met the right girl and maybe if I had found someone that was actually capable of understanding me none of what happened when the Potters were attacked would have happened. _

_Remus was with me the night before I went after Peter. In fact had it not been for his girlfriend he would have come with me. In fact had I listened to her nothing would have happened and I would have been happy. _

_Peter was always a follower I just never knew how truly smart he had been through those years but then he was smart enough to somehow rat his way into the marauders. _

_To whom ever is reading this note, you must have found my notebook. It is generally just a notebook but you must understand that marauder secrets must not be given out so if you know Remus Lupin or myself Sirius Black give one of us this book. _

_Only those that actually see can find this and those are special people, people that I once loved or will love. Either way bring the book to us. _

_Padfoot_

Hermione frowned at the confusing note but decided to talk to Remus about it when she saw him again and so she put the book into her pocket. It was then he saw her hiding behind a bookshelf. She was around 5 year old with amber eyes and black hair. She let out a soft growl.

Hermione approached the young girl extending her hand towards her "I won't hurt you, I promise" she said "My name is Hermione. What's yours?"

"Emily" she answered and took Hermione's hand. Hermione pulled the girl out and looked her over. She had a long cut on her cheek and a few bruises on her legs and arms.

Hermione knew by just simply looking at the girl's eyes and the fact that her clothes were rather ripped that the young girl was a werewolf. While the Black House had many spells on it to prevent anyone from getting inside it anyone could now see the house because it had no secret keeper.

The young girl clung to Hermione's arms as she took her to the kitchen. Then Hermione took out her wand and looked at her. She fixed her cuts and bruises and then looked her over "you are going to take a shower and then I shall dress you in something clean and we shall go visit a certain friend of mine"

The girl nodded and walked with Hermione to the bathroom. After a quick shower Hermione transfigured a cloak into some clothes to fit the 5 year old and then she took her in her arms and then apparated to Remus Lupin's house in Derbyshire.

She knocked on his door and waited for it to be opened. Nymphadora Tonks grinned at Hermione and then looked at the girl "and who is that?"

"Emily" Hermione replied "I found her at 12 Grimmauld Place. She was just there hiding in what I believe to be Sirius' room. She was really hurt clothes ripped and everything and I know this is the state Remus gets into and her eyes are a give away. This girl is a werewolf."

Tonks nodded and let her in "he's in the study. Just go right on in. I was just cooking for a change. Not promising that there won't be at least four dishes broken of course"

Hermione laughed and then walked towards Remus' study. Emily was looking around and then when Hermione set her down looked at her with surprise. "Come on, my arms are tired" she took the girl's hand.

Remus was surprised to see Hermione and even more surprised at seeing the young girl. "Who is she?" he asked.

"Emily" Hermione then explained about her.

"So she was in the Black House" Remus said "odd" he shrugged "but you know she reminds me of someone"

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"Look at her eyes"

Hermione did as she was told and was met with something different. The Green in her eyes that seemed to flash back to amber and then back again, it was the shade of green that made Hermione come to the realization that Remus had made. "That's why he left me the house knowing I would go to explore it"

"I think this is also the reason he left Ginny nothing" put in Remus "Ginny and Harry were breaking apart. You could see it in their eyes. I just wonder who the mother is"

Hermione nodded as she looked at the daughter of her best friend "I guess we'll have to keep her around. I don't think that he would want her to have the kind of life he had."

Remus nodded and watched as Hermione smoothed the black hair of Emily Potter and allowed her to sleep. She was somewhat perfect to take care of the five year old.

"Remus I have something else to give to you" Hermione looked in her pocket and brought out the book and handed it to him.

Remus looked down at it "I haven't seen this in years" he said flipping through it. "Sirius was always such a pack rat" he grinned "I wonder if Harry ever went through his things"

"I don't think he did" Hermione said "Harry never went into that house" she sighed "but then again he might have. I didn't know he had a daughter. That's a given."

Remus nodded.

"Well, I have to go" she said "I guess I'll put her to bed and…"

He stopped her "take the book. It is of no use to me. You found it, there are so many spells on that book and you finding it means something, Hermione. Padfoot" he said to the book then "read it"

Hermione opened it to the first page and saw that now there was writing on it. She smiled at Remus "I guess that's what he meant by the letter. Did you see it?"

"What letter?" Remus asked.

"Never mind" Hermione at this point knew that Sirius was somewhat very powerful even while dead.

After a hasty goodbye to Tonks and a promise that Remus would explain to her about Emily, Hermione left Remus' house.

-

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-

July 6th 1976

_The name is Sirius Black and this is my journal. No, not a diary, a journal and I won't bother with any of the formalities. I don't do the Dear Dairy scenario. _

_But I guess you must know a few things about me. I am 16 years old, hate my family in general, have three best friends and we all part of the marauders. This is the summer before my sixth year at Hogwarts and I cannot wait until it begins. _

_I begun writing in this after my uncle gave it to me telling me that this would help me in the long run. I don't know what he was talking about but I trust him._

_She was at it again. Yelling, I mean. My mom, that is. She has gotten into the habit of thinking I actually listen to her. Go figure that one out. My brother of course just stared at me and then began to snicker. I hate the little bugger; he is just so disturbing buying into everything that they drive into that little head of his. _

Hermione stopped reading and shook her head. It sounded like Sirius. A more carefree Sirius but she was still wondering about the fact that Remus had told her to read it. It was his diary. A journal or diary of any person was secret but here it was for her to read and she felt a little odd doing so.

_**July 7**__**th**__** 1976**_

_**Hello! The name is James Potter. I have just recently stolen Sirius' notebook and here I am writing to you. Then again I can't say I stole it because I just wanted to write a bit. Explain myself. He gave me not so much as a paragraph explaining. **_

_**16 years old of course with beautiful hair. Though no one likes to admit, old whiners, what can I say? Anyhow I must explain why Sirius is here. He ran away from home. His mother drove him to the edge and he nearly used magic on her but then he just told them he was leaving. I guess it is sort of for the best because this way he won't have to worry about them so much. **_

_**Anyways this was all I had to say so goodbye!**_

Hermione laughed at this. Harry's dad, she was pleased to say was a very interesting person. He would have been funny and nice and he would have been a great person. Hermione felt a small bit of pain at that. He had a very short life and Harry never got to know him. He never got what Hermione was getting at this moment while reading this. He never got the sense of actually knowing more than people that knew him knew, if that made any sense.

_July 7__th__ 1976_

_So there you go, that's my best friend, and mind you a very conceited one at that. But I'm here to write about the single fact that life is great or at least great when your family isn't breathing down your back. _

_I have been coming to James' house over the summer since the end of my first year at Hogwarts but I still returned home every summer. I still stayed there for at least two weeks. Not this year. I don't plan on ever going back. I mean I have two more years at Hogwarts. _

_The Potters already told me they will let me stay. James' parents rock! _

Sirius had a lot in common with Harry it seemed. Hermione now thinking about the Dursleys remembered what Remus had told her to do. As much as they hated Harry they needed to know that he was dead.

Hermione had been dreading sending them a letter and now that she had begun thinking about it she wanted this letter out of her mind. Something did get it out of her mind; the doorbell ringing.

Ginny was as pretty as ever with long red hair that fell to her waist. She was rather skinny and stood there in front of the door waiting "Hermione" she said "I was looking through his things. He left a letter for you"

"Okay" she said and took what Ginny gave to her which was a very crumpled up piece of parchment that Hermione knew had been read by Ginny, or at least Ginny had tried to read it.

In the trio's seventh year Hermione had come up with a way to write down messages and have only Harry or Ron read them. She had taught the spell to her two best friends and they always used it. Ginny had not been privy to this information.

"Thanks" Hermione said and then "do you want to come in?"

But before Ginny could answer there was a cry from inside and Hermione heard Emily walking down the stairs. She ran towards Hermione and wrapped her arms around Hermione's legs.

Ginny looked at Emily and then to Hermione "who is she?" she asked then softly.

"Emily Potter" Hermione answered "she is Harry's daughter. I don't know who the mother is"

Ginny looked at the girl once more before simply apparating; she didn't seem to care if any muggles saw her. Hermione shrugged and closed the door "come on, sweets, what's the matter?"

Emily said nothing. Hermione didn't pick her up but took her hand and led her back to the kitchen "hungry?"

Emily nodded and watched as Hermione prepared her a quick sandwich and handed it to her "there you go" and then she set down a cup of pumpkin juice in front of her. Emily smiled and began to eat.

Hermione on the other hand was confused. Why had Harry not allowed his lawyer to have this letter and instead left it for Ginny to find her.

_Hermione, _

_I never planned on ever telling anyone that I got married in a spur of the moment to a death eater. She wasn't a spy, and I knew it. Amelia Greyback hated her father and what he stood for and while she was a death eater she hated being so. I loved her. _

_We met while looking for the Horcruxes. Do you remember that night when I just didn't show up? I was with her. I guess that at first it was just a one night stand and then we corresponded through a diary that she gave me. Then she disappeared and I looked for her. _

_You must remember how much I stayed away for some time. While I had cared for Ginny it was different with Amelia and so when she told me that she was pregnant I told her to go into hiding and so she went to live in what will be your house now. The Black House seemed perfect. I went there only on occasion to see how she was doing and to see Emily._

_I want you to take care of her. Amelia could never stay with her one week of the month. I told her that you would help her. Ron and I had to go Hermione. I am writing this right as you are telling Ron something outside the door. _

_I love you. _

_Harry _

Hermione blinked back tears and stared at her best friend's daughter and that was when the doorbell rang again.

She was a tall woman with long black hair that fell down to her waist, amber eyes looked at Hermione with hope. She looked a bit sick but she was also very beautiful.

"Amelia Potter" Hermione said

"Hermione Granger" she said back "is Emily alright?"

"Yes, she is eating in the kitchen. Come on in" Hermione smiled at her "I just read Harry's letter of explanation. I'll help you out"

Amelia seemed nice enough to Hermione and the way she looked at her daughter was enough to tell Hermione that she understood love and that because of this that Harry loved her.

"I have something for you, Hermione" Amelia said before she and Emily left "Harry left this in my possession" she added and then handed Hermione a large leather bound book.

-

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-

Later that day after Emily left with her mother Hermione was in what she still assumed was Sirius' room. She was looking at the diary again.

_July 13__th__ 1976_

_I am back, my journal, life has been so much better here at the Potters even though times have begun to be harder now. I mean the simple fact that Voldemort is out there killing people with those followers of his just freaks me out and I just hate the fact. _

_My family is dark, did you know that? Yes, it is very dark in fact. I hate it for this. They may not be his followers but they think that it is a great idea what he is doing. It is so wrong that I come from people like them! _

_-_

_Had to go eat some of Mrs. Potter's famous double chocolate chip cookies, let me tell you, if you haven't tried them yet, you haven't lived. _

_They have very soft middles with crunchy like tops and bottoms and they have very melted chocolate that nearly makes up the whole cookie and they are warm and smell nice and they are yummy in the tummy. _

_Sorry, couldn't help myself. _

_Anyways, James is shouting for me now. Remus should be here soon. _

_-_

_**July 15**__**th**__** 1976**_

**Hello, Remus Lupin here saying hello to a diary. Okay, this is a little odd. I have never written in a diary. Sirius told me to write a bit about myself. **

**So here goes:**

**I'm a werewolf, a very hairy one at that—according to James that is. I am the top of my class and a prefect. I believe Dumbledore made me prefect to keep my trouble maker friends in line not that it works in any way. **

**I feel it is better to ignore them than do anything even though I know that it is totally wrong. **

**My parents once told me it is wrong anyway. They're always telling me that sort of thing. They're annoying really specially mum always worrying about me. I'm a werewolf, I get it but it isn't like I needed taking care of. **

**But besides that I believe I am done and Sirius is glaring at me because I can't seem to finish quickly enough. Maybe he wants to write something in here or maybe he's thinking about his family. **

**I can't believe he ran away for good this time. **

Hermione stopped reading and smiled. That sounded like Remus alright. She smiled to herself a bit more and thought about how Sirius felt about things. She was beginning to see a different side to him than the crazy marauder. She was seeing the feelings behind the man and while she had wanted to look at the book Emily had given her this was much more interesting.

The entry ended there and then no one seemed to have written for the next three months.

_October 20__th__ 1976_

_Back at Hogwarts now, it is October now. Sorry for not writing, I guess that things just got out of hand. There was an attack in Diagon Alley and James' parents went to check everything out. They are Aurors you see. Then with James, and Remus a lot of things seemed to just make me forget to write. _

_That's just how my best friends are and I love them for this. Our sixth year has been interesting so far. Our teachers are still very wary of us waiting for any prank to be played, many have in fact. _

_But now I shall turn you over to my other best friend. The one you did not meet over the summer and the last member of the marauders, Peter Pettigrew. _

_-_

Peter Pettigrew that is my name; not a very great one, I agree. That isn't the point. I'm the last of the marauders and one of the most overlooked. All of my friends are good at something but not me. I am the black sheep of the group and I hate it. 

I'm generally not good at anything and this annoys me, a lot. You know my friends are the best at least at something. James the quidditch star, Sirius the ladies man and he's also pretty smart, Remus the general bookworm and know-it-all he can tell you anything and everything about just about everything. 

It sucks being the one that no one notices and I just want someone that does. Anyhow, I think that is all I can say. Sirius must want this back. He hasn't been writing in it after all. He explained all of it to us earlier when he was looking for his socks, Sirius tends to like matching his socks and can't have an unmatching sock as he had this morning. 

He is so weird but I just wish to be like him. Like Sirius and James. 

-

**November 2****nd**** 1996**

**I don't know why he gave this to me but here is a go at it. Sirius is a marauder and I guess a friend to me seeing as he is my Potion's partner. I don't know why Slughorn did that this year. Maybe because I am good at it and he isn't. You go figure that out, tell me when you do. **

**Anyways the name is Lily Evans and I am the subject of James Potter's annoyance, I seriously do not know why either. I mean I shall admit that he isn't bad looking but he is so conceited and annoying. **

**The bane of my insistence and he should really stop asking me out. He knows that I always say no anyhow. **

**Anyways I guess that is it.**

_-_

_Had to give it to Lily, she was there at the moment. Lily is James's subject of affection not of annoyance. James loves Lily with all of his heart which makes me a little confused because Lily hates him. _

_Anyways off to sleep. I need to look good in the morning. _

Hermione shook her head and set the book down. Sirius had a point. It was very late and she too needed her sleep. Not wanting to walk back to her own room Hermione just left the books on the floor and laid back on the bed that had belonged to Sirius Black and fell asleep.


	2. Final Cry for the Dead

**Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews…that is the first thing I must say. Now a few other notices about the fic before I bore you about how retarded I was this past week; This is post-Hogwarts and set in 2002. Meaning that Hermione is 24, Hermione was born on September 19 1979 and you add the extra year or so from when she used the time-turner in her third year. **

**I felt a few of you needed that cleared up. Or maybe it was just one of you…anyhow thank you for those that pointed out mistakes and those that just said they love this fic. Reviews make the fic keep going…they encourage my writing though I hardly need them but when I am in a thick spot I do look to them. **

**Now as for my retarded-ness of this current week…I have hurt my foot by stepping on a glass while heading to the bathroom which still hurts and I can barely walk on my right foot. **

**I have said, out loud during class, "My spork is better than yours" after a small argument on-line with a friend. No more needed to be said…people thought I was weird…**

**And lastly I seriously thought that this room people call 'The Blue Room' was actually blue and it was white…**

**Anyhow on with the chapter, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them…you know what goes here…lol**

**Chapter Two**

_A Final Cry for the Dead_

_November 6__th__ 1996_

_Sometimes I think I'm surrounded by people but very alone at the same time. James has been obsessing over Quidditch lately and has actually begun letting the Lily argument go instead and choosing to talk about Quidditch. _

_I think this might be a good thing. In fact I believe that it will be more than a good thing. I've been tired of listening to James whine about Lily and how much he wants her to notice him. Yet he still calls her by her surname and pranks her all the time. Are you still wondering why she hates him?_

_Anyways back to my angsty moment. I have been thinking too much and while in a crowd I can get lost way too easily. I didn't mean to sound so, well, odd. _

_Anyhow, Remus wants to write something. He's just so excited. _

**-**

**I have discovered recently that no matter what I do it will always come back to haunt me and it did today, the werewolf thing, I mean. You see your dear owner here had a certain amount of craziness in him enough to manage to trick a fellow student into going into the Whomping Willow. **

**Whomping Willow: tree planted so I could get into the shrieking shack to transform every full moon. Now this tree was to keep students out. But I guess you can say it was also to keep me in. **

**Now my friends became animagi for me when they found out what is was. **

**Sirius: shaggy dog**

**James: stag**

**Peter: rat**

**Which would explain the nicknames which no doubt Sirius didn't explain; you know it is strange how a small little thing like this can be thought of like a person, anyways, like I was saying. **

**Sirius: Padfoot**

**James: Prongs**

**Peter: Wormtail**

**Me (Remus): Moony**

**Okay, anyways let's continue on. **

**They come with me to the transformation and they help me keep cool and they help me not hurt myself and they help me in general. I love my friends. **

**Anyhow, Sirius was mad at Snape and so told him to go down there and how to get into the Whomping willow. **

**The stupid, very stupid, dog made him go down there and I could have killed him had James not pulled him out at the right time. **

**He was teasing me today…I stole the journal from Sirius because I needed to say this much. One day I will poke Sirius Black to death. After all the poking I've received today I will declare a poking war…**

**-**

_Crazy wolf! I'm rolling my eyes as I write. He is insane not that I am most sanely normal. I don't believe anyone of the infamous marauders aren't insane. _

_Anyhow I shall try to write later. _

Hermione smiled to herself as she read a bit more. She got out of the bed which she was happy to say was very comfortable. She had had a better night sleep there than anywhere else since their deaths.

She took the journal with her to the kitchen where she made herself a breakfast of toast, bacon, eggs, and tea and then sat down to eat.

There was a knock on her door half way through her breakfast. She ran to open it and found Tonks with Remus. Remus grinned at her as the two of them walked inside.

"We brought breakfast" Remus said "thought we'd join you this morning"

Hermione smiled and took them to the kitchen. Tonks began fixing up food for Remus and herself. Hermione poured tea while Remus had taken the diary and was flipping through it.

"Have you read it?" he asked.

"Not all of it yet" she shrugged "I mean reading it is great of course but sometimes you just cannot finish something as this in a night like I could other books"

Remus knew what she meant and nodded "they were some great times" he said "I miss them. James, Lily, Sirius" he didn't mention Peter but then who would miss the traitor that led to their deaths.

"Where is Emily?" Tonks asked then.

"Her mother came by yesterday. Amelia Greyback now Potter I guess. She was nice enough"

Remus seemed surprised "he was married? I think that Harry has hidden a lot from everyone" he sighed "I guess he had to"

Hermione nodded. She understood why Harry hadn't told anyone, it would put Amelia and his daughter Emily in danger if anyone knew about them.

-

-

-

Later that day Hermione was sitting in the newly cleaned drawing room reading. Remus was still there with her looking over a box of things Hermione had found which was all marauder stuff. He was sitting on the floor of the drawing room looking at so many old things.

_February 14 1977 _

_Sorry for not writing, again. Christmas was great of course. I stayed at Hogwarts with the rest of them this year. Usually we went to James' house but his mum sent us a letter telling us that she thought it would be better if we were at school. So we stayed. _

_Anyways it is February now. Valentine's day to be correct and surprisingly I have no date. Neither does James, does he ever? I mean he is always obsessing over Lily. Yes, he's gone back to that. _

_Remus of course is as well dateless though I did catch him eyeing someone the other day but he thinks that no one will ever love him because he is a werewolf. I know for a fact that some girls do like him. _

_Peter out of all us is surprisingly the only one with a valentine's date. Some girl from Hufflepuff asking him out, I really don't know why. _

_Throughout my years at Hogwarts I have always had a date and don't get me wrong girls asked me but I couldn't say yes. It didn't really feel right. I know, odd. _

_-_

_Thank god this day is over and done with. I have to say that it was better than expected this morning. Anyway I must say that James has reached a very low point in his life. _

_You see Lily got a date today._

_With some Ravenclaw who is actually an okay guy. James was fuming and ended up hurting him. Poor guy, I have to say he did nothing wrong and even after James hexed him he understood and didn't, Like Lily suggested, tell on him. _

_Now I am off to sleep. _

Hermione looked at Remus who was now looking through a photo album. He seemed to know she was watching him "I didn't know that he actually kept this" he said "this is from our seventh year. We were always taking pictures of everything and everyone that year.

"Memories and such but the book was never finished. He put some pictures of your fifth year though. The summer before you guys went to Hogwarts anyways. I guess he was bored.

"He did spend so much time in this house. It must have sucked for him. I remember that he was pretty okay during the summer when all of you were here as well as Christmas but he just lost himself when Harry wasn't around." Remus looked at Hermione "he held a very high respect for you."

Hermione looked at him confused "He usually thought I was a hindrance and an annoyance because I always told him that he was wrong about things"

Remus grinned at her "he liked that you were not afraid to get him into his place. He liked being bossed around. I do believe he liked you a lot and wished he could be a closer friend to you"

-

-

-

_March 8__th__ 1977_

_Have you ever fallen asleep in class? James did today but he can tell you more about that in a minute seeing as he expressed the want to write it in. I will say this much though. Remus is very interesting when he doesn't want anyone to bother him from his notes even when I am trying to tell him that James fell asleep. _

_-_

_**It wasn't my fault that I was thinking about Lily so much. You know it isn't. I love her, yes love. I love Lily Evans. I was still thinking about the Ravenclaw that shall remain nameless because I care not to see his name on print. **_

_**Anyway I stayed up half the night thinking about her and in History of Magic I sort of fell asleep. That ghost is a very boring person, let me tell you. **_

_**So I guess that like always Remus was taking notes. He cannot be annoyed while taking notes otherwise he'll poke you throughout lunch. **_

_**Anyhow I fell off my chair and woke up when Remus tried to hit Sirius. Lily who was behind us got a glare from me, she seemed happy that this had happened. **_

Hermione stopped reading there and sighed. Remus had left already and Hermione was now stopping for a small bathroom break.

-

-

-

When she went back and opened the book up again she was surprised to see that everything had changed. The way he wrote, everything.

_July 1__st__ 1993_

_I found you again, dear diary. I lost you, you see after the last entry. My brother stole you I guess. I found you in my old room at home where I went for two weeks after I escaped Azkaban. _

_It has been a hard life since I last wrote. My seventh year is all a blur in my mind now. I remember all the pain, all the deaths, everything but none of the happiness and innocence that followed James, Remus, Peter, and I. _

_I remember how Lily and James got together with the help of Remus. I remember everything that happened that year and I guess that from the beginning of that year to the end of it we grew up. _

_In the years that followed only one good thing happened in the mix of all the bad. James and Lily got married. I remember how happy they both were. _

_Hard times followed until Lily announced she was pregnant. And then Harry was born eight months later. _

_Harry was a gift for all of us. _

_James, Lily, and Harry went into hiding soon after his first birthday because of some stupid prophecy. I was thought to be the secret keeper but it was Peter. Only the three of us knew because James suspected Remus of being the spy. We knew there was a spy between us. We never knew it was Peter. _

_I went after Peter after they were attacked by Voldemort and Harry was taken to Dumbledore. This was my mistake and I paid for it with 12 years in Azkaban. _

_I escaped the first one to ever do it but then I knew I was innocent. I knew that I hadn't done it and in my dog form the Dementors couldn't hurt me. Not that much anyway. I escaped when I saw a picture of Peter as a rat on the Daily Prophet. I wanted to get to him. _

_Now I am here planning what I will do once I get to Hogwarts but first I want to see Harry again. I want to see how he is doing so I will go to Surrey for a small while. _

Hermione stopped reading and closed the book. She wanted to hug him and to tell him that everything would be alright and even though she knew he was dead Hermione wanted nothing more than to meet him because she now knew a whole different side to him.

He could be sweet when he wanted to and he was very loyal, so much like a dog.

-

-

-

Hermione took the book back to his room and left it there and begun to clean the room. He had a bookshelf in there and had tons of books. She began looking at the titles of some of them and was very surprised to see that most of the books were about the dark arts.

She didn't know why he had them but didn't mind that he had because she too had researched a bit on the dark arts. She continued cleaning until the owl arrived.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I'm back in the country and would love to meet up with you. I heard about Harry and Ron. I'm sorry for what happened and hope you are dealing with it alright. I would love to know where you're living now so I could come over to catch up. _

_Neville Longbottom_

Hermione smiled at the letter. Neville was an active member of the order and had been doing some research in Romania for a few years.

_Dear Neville,_

_It's good to hear from you. I'm at The Black House now, come by any time. I don't believe I'll be doing anything too important. How is Luna?_

_Hermione_

She sent the letter off with the owl that had brought it and then she sunk back onto Sirius' bed and took his diary up to continue reading for a bit.

_July 17 1993_

_I saw him. Harry, that is. He was just as I imagined he would be. I scared him a little but that isn't the point. He was leaving in the knight bus when I saw him. _

_I was so happy to see him but I was still on the run. I am heading to Hogwarts now._

_September 19 1993_

_I am not there yet. I have been hiding for weeks at a time in different small towns and just staying low. I don't have the time to get there too quickly. I have discovered though by looking through some books that so much has changed since I was lst around. _

_October 31 1993_

_I'm here. I tried to break into Gryffindor tower to get Peter but the Fat Lady wouldn't let me and I got sort of mad. My temper has really changed as of late. They nearly caught me but thank god for my knowledge of the castle. I saw Remus there and he is against me. Then again he doesn't know what went on back in October 31__st__ of 1981. It has been 12 years exactly since they died._

_January 7__th__ 1994_

_He is just as his father in quidditch but James was a chaser not a seeker. I watched him and I learn that the Dementors affect him worse than ever. I sent him a broom because his got broken. I wanted to make it up to him for missing so much of his life. _

_I met a cat. He's been helping me out for a while to get that rat and yet I am getting nowhere. _

_June 28 1994_

_Everything has turned out for the better. Harry knows I'm innocent as does Remus and Harry's friends, Ron and Hermione; I'm glad that while I still have to hide and run around that things are easier. _

_Peter was not caught though. _

_I really don't feel like writing everything down anymore though so I might tell you everything another day. _

Hermione sighed getting up. She had heard a knock again and so walked to the door. Neville stood there. Hermione hugged him and let him inside "you look different" she said "a little odder" she smiled at him "care for tea?"

"Yes, that would work perfectly for what I need to tell you" he said.

Hermione led him to the kitchen and put water to boil. "Now, tell me what you need to tell me" she giggled.

"Harry was a Horcrux" he said "The night that Voldemort went to kill him he accidentally made Harry become a horcrux. The magic that was released that night destroyed the entire house, that in itself doesn't happen because of the killing curse.

"I think that Harry knew this and that is why he allowed himself to be killed. I wonder why so early though unless he knew someone else. Unless he hoped that someone else could destroy him"

Hermione watched Neville with a frown. She didn't know how it would work out in any way and she had hoped that Harry left more clues but it appeared that he hadn't.

-

-

-

"Mysterious things are happening in Diagon Alley, send for Hermione. She can check it out" Minerva McGonagall told Bill Weasley. They had been staying at the Burrow when Fred told them that something was happening there.

Diagon Alley was now nothing compared to its past glory. The shops that once stood proud were now either broken down, or closed down. People no longer shopped with a happy face but just walked about trying to hurry and finish their shopping quickly.

"I will" Bill said and then went through the floo network to the Black house.

He appeared in the kitchen "Hello, Hermione, Neville" he said "Can you go check out Diagon Alley, Hermione? Neville can join you of course."

Hermione nodded "come on the, Neville"

The two of them apparated to Diagon Alley, it seemed alright and yet the feeling of something going on was felt by the two of them. "I guess we should look around" Hermione said hoping that this wasn't another sort of trap.

It was as they neared Gringotts that they came out; Lucius, Bellatrix, Greyback, and two others that seemed a bit familiar to Hermione.

Hermione and Neville took out their wands as did the death eaters. Neville and Bellatrix went to one side. They had been duelling at every chance they got and were very well matched. Hermione called for the rest of the order as she too threw hexes and charms in all their directions.

Lucius stopped the others and walked towards her. "Hermione" he said "Hermione" he circled her "But you must be feeling very bad with the death of Potter and Weasley"

He laughed and then cast the cruciatus. Hermione did not scream and when the curse was lifted she shot out a string of spells at Lucius. He blocked about half of them and the ones that hit did not hurt him a lot. The other death eaters were just shouting spells her way and Neville's way.

They knew they were out numbered and Hermione was tired of shielding herself and not being able to throw any hexes or curses their way. Neville had his wand taken soon enough and none of the order showed up.

Hermione watched while she and Lucius began to duel again as the light from his eyes left him. Hermione knew he had more information than he had let out and now he was dead. They had known he knew something. This was why they killed him. Lucius smirked at her and then apparated away.

The others also left.

The order never arrived. Not until Hermione had already left her hope was not gone yet but it was nearing that time.

-

-

-

_July 8 1995_

_Voldemort's back, he came back last month and no one will believe it. We're living at 12 Grimmauld Place now. I am still in hiding which isn't too much of a good thing when you think about it. _

_I've been watching everyone clean not wanting to help myself but being forced to. Ron is funny and I can see why Harry is his best friend. Hermione is smart, clever, and she is rather insightful. She is sort of bossy and dead annoying but I like her all the same. _

_Tonks has expressed to me that she liked Remus but that a certain werewolf is very stubborn. Remus keeps saying he will never settle down. He will sometimes, I can see it and I knew he likes my cousin as well. _

That was the last of it. The moment Hermione left Diagon Alley she apparated directly to Sirius' room and sunk down on the bed. She fixed herself up as best as she could and then put wards up around the room not wanting to talk to anyone and then she opened the book and read the last entry.

Hermione had tears in her eyes then knowing that he had died months later and that so many others too had died. She cried for Harry, Ron, Sirius, Dumbledore, Neville, Cedric, and many others that had died.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading…go and click the purple button…also I am still searching for a beta for this fic…if there are any mistakes point them out…criticism is also very welcome…**

**Lupin's Mistress**


	3. Her Decission

**Author's Note: So here we are with another chapter…thanks for all the reviews….I hope you are enjoying this fic as much as I have enjoyed writing it. **

**I am so happy OOTP is coming out two days earlier…also very excited about the Harry Potter theme park…too bad it won't open until 2010…that is too long from now….hehe…**

**Anyhow thanks again for the reviews and enjoy the chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own them…you should know better…**

**Chapter Three**

_Her Decision_

"He was my husband and my friend. He was brave and loyal and he died in the way that he wanted to die. Neville Longbottom believed that life wasn't easy and because of this I will agree that his death will give us power because now we can fight for him. Fight for his loving spirit and await what will happen in the end" Luna finished talking and then walked from the podium.

She sat down an looked around. The entire order was there, Neville's family, her family, and other close friends. No ministry official was there and neither was Hermione.

Luna knew that he and Hermione had been there. She had gotten the call from Hermione and yet when she finally got there his body was the only thing left. She hadn't seen Hermione yet and wished that the bushy haired woman had come to the funeral.

-

-

-

Hermione at the current moment was hidden under Harry's cloak and watching the funeral. The order was not a help anymore. It was a hindrance that she had relied upon and now she would never expect anything from them. She would work against him not with them but away from them.

The order of the phoenix was failing and its time was ending and Hermione knew that it was time enough that she would start working for the cause like Harry had wanted her. Harry had known that she would be in this spot soon enough.

As she walked away from the funeral she saw Luna there just standing lost. Her husband was gone and all she had now were memories of him. She had nothing too important in her life anymore.

-

-

-

Amelia Greyback sat with her daughter on a couch reading. A thought crossed her mind. She didn't know if Hermione had opened the book yet and if she knew what would await her.

Emily looked at her mother and smiled. "Can we read?" she asked.

Her mother nodded and continued. But her thoughts still went to Hermione. Hermione was at the moment someone that she was worrying over a lot. After all Harry had given her specific instructions to keep an eye on her.

-

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-

Hermione went back to the Black House and went up to Sirius' room. It had become somewhat hers now seeing as she was sleeping in that room every day. She had even put some of her clothes in the room and it had most of her belongings anyway.

She sat on the bed and took off her shoes and then she smiled slightly as she looked at some of the things that were not hers. She would never move any of Sirius' things and so she was just sitting there and not doing a thing. It was then she saw the book that Amelia had given her.

Hermione took the book and looked at the title "Tempus" she read out loud with a frown and the opened the book. There was a small note there.

Hermione was now really getting tired of all these little clues that Harry was leaving her.

_Hermione,_

_This will help you on your quest to destroy him. Enjoy! Turn to page 487_

_Harry_

Hermione opened the page Harry had recommended and looked at it. "Time-travel" she read.

Still a little confused Hermione began to read and then gasped. Harry wanted her to go back in time, but how much? As she looked down at the book again she saw writing on the right hand corner 1977.

"He wants me to save his parents and Sirius" she said with a gasp "he wants me to stop him from becoming the boy who lived, the chosen one"

She read a bit more and learnt that she would be needing a potion, and that she could take as many things as she wanted to the past. But she needed help. She needed someone to do the spell that would send her to the past.

Hermione thought hard about what she would need to do and then of how she had hardly spoken to anyone for the past few weeks. She needed to speak to one of them and soon. She wanted to do this and she knew that she needed to hurry everything and leave as quickly as possible.

This was what she needed to do.

Hermione got off the bed and then after deciding that Remus would be her best bet she went off to get a piece of parchment.

_Remus, _

_Come over, and hurry!_

_Hermione_

She smiled at her 'urgent' message and sent it off with Hedwig who had been staying around her since Harry's death.

Hermione then began grabbing things from the room that she would be taking. This included the marauder's map, Harry's invisibility cloak, Sirius' diary, a photo album, some book that would help her with everything she was willing to change, and many more other things.

-

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-

June 30th 1977

James Potter grinned out into the cloudless blue sky. "Ah, Padfoot," he said "another year gone and now the summer awaits us"

Sirius "Padfoot" Black looked up from his notebook where he had been writing his journal entries lately since his journal was stolen. He was currently not writing but in fact drawing. He was drawing their other friend who was currently standing as still as a rock in front of him.

"Yes, a new summer." Padfoot sighed "Moony, don't move" he warned the sandy haired boy in front of him.

Remus "Moony" Lupin was as the current moment fighting all he had to not scratch his nose.

Sirius bent his head again only lifting it to look at the other boy while he drew. People didn't know it but Sirius was very artistic. Not only was he a great writer but he was also a great drawer.

"So how is it coming out, Sirius" the over excited voice came from next to James. It was the last member of the marauders, Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrew.

"Just leave me alone" Sirius said "you're making me stop concentrate and Moony is just dying on us, look at him"

Remus was turning paler by the second.

"What's wrong, Remy?" asked James.

"Nose, itchy" he said through the corner of his mouth while Sirius glared at him.

James chuckled and reached over with his finger and scratched his friend's nose. Remus regained his color and still did not move a muscle.

Sirius finished drawing him and smiled "okay, you can move now"

Remus grinned and then stood up. He stretched and then walked towards Sirius and looked at the drawing of himself. "Pretty good" he said with a small smile "are you finished yet?"

"No, I still need to draw the moony part of you. Of course that will be rather easy" he shrugged. "Just a wolf" he then put his notebook away "so what are we doing this summer?"

James grinned at him "well, you're coming to the manor this summer of course. You and Remus, that is. You'll join us in August right, Pete?"

"Yeah" he said "mom wants me home for July"

"Prongs" Remus said "tell me exactly what you are up to this summer"

James shook his head "that is something that you shall just need to find out, my dear Moony, you'll just have to find out" he grinned "but now I am bored, what shall we do?"

"Padfoot, any ideas?" asked Remus, "I am completely out"

"I don't know, Moony" he replied back "I mean there is nothing to do. It's our last day. We can't exactly pull off a prank because it doesn't give us much time to think, gather supplies, and actually perform"

They were all surprised when Peter spoke "we can go to Hogsmade" he said "Dumbledore said that we could go if we so choose to spend the day there." He said and when they looked at him surprised at his knowledge he added, "He said this during breakfast. My mind isn't always on food you know"

"I'm more surprised that Moony didn't know this than that Peter actually did" Sirius said with a grin "well come on, fellow marauders, Hogsmade awaits"

-

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-

July 2003

When Remus arrived Hermione had already packed most of the things she was taking. She had her clothes, gold, books, and possessions that she just couldn't live without. "What happened?" he asked looking at her concerned.

Hermione handed him the book "read" she said.

"There are many ways to time travel. The most used way is by using a time turner but that will only work for hours and even then you cannot go to the future. But there are other ways that will allow you to go to the past, by years. One is a recent discovery and will allow the user to go to a time they want to go to. This will not work if the user isn't aware of what she or he will be doing, if the person doesn't understand that for every little change made in the past there will be consequences."

He looked to Hermione "and this means?" he asked "Hermione, are you planning on using this to go to the past"

"Yes" Hermione said eyeing him.

"And you want me to help?" he asked then

"Yes" she answered still eyeing him. I will make the potion tonight but I wanted you to help me out with the spell part and I wanted you to know what it was"

Remus chuckled at her "and where did you find this book, and why are you doing this"

Hermione stared at him and then answered "Harry" she said "his wife gave me it and he wrote me another note telling me I have to do this. He knows that I know enough about time travel and that I am very knowledgeable in History. He knows that I will be able to do this and I think that it will be for the best.

"I can save Harry's parents as well as Sirius, and I can save Harry from his fate" Hermione said "I can change so much and start the order earlier as well as the search for the horcruxes. There is so much I can do"

Remus frowned and thought for a few minutes "alright, I guess you can do it" he said "and I will help"

Hermione threw her arms around him "thank you, Remus" and then she pulled away and handed him a few books "okay, you go start learning everything there is to know about that spell and I will begin to the potion."

-

-

-

June 30th 1977

"Where should we go first?" asked Sirius looking around.

"The bookstore" Remus said just as James had said, "The quidditch store"

Sirius looked at Moony and Prongs "how about we go to the quidditch store then the bookstore, then Zonko's then Honeydukes, and then the three broomsticks"

Everyone agreed and so they head off to the small Quidditch store that would go out of business in the years to come. James was running around the store like a kid at Christmas. Remus and Sirius watched from the door while Peter was looking through a few things. Remus found a few odd things and so walked farther into the shop. Sirius on the other hand walked out of the shop.

While Quidditch had always interested him and he liked the sport he wasn't quite interested in looking around the store. He wanted to think and maybe finish the last touches of his Remus drawing.

Hogsmade was full of students. He even saw some second years that had probably snuck out with older students, he remembered doing that with James back when he was a first year.

"Hey" Remus looked at him "what are you doing out here all in your lonesome"

The werewolf had found that his friend had changed a lot. Ever since he saw him that summer he had become more thoughtful and more fully aware of everything. He was still the same Sirius who joked about and the one that was always planning pranks. Yet Sirius had stopped dating anything that walked past him and had stopped being the old dog he used to be, and Remus used this term loosely.

Sirius had then suddenly begun drawing anything and everything. He had started out easy with drawing his stack of books, then it had gone to drawing his sac and then he had sketched a picture from a book right onto paper and then he begun by drawing Severus Snape. It had been a comical picture.

But then he had drawn James and his broom, he drew Peter and then he had drawn Remus. There were many drawings of the four marauders and then soon after some time some of the other Gryffindors. Sirius was also becoming a great writer and Remus was a little surprised that Padfoot had so much artistic potential.

"I got bored" he shrugged. "Are they coming out?"

"Yeah, James is paying for something and Peter is just waiting for him. Bookstore next" he said "you could probably find a new diary in there"

Sirius grinned "you're so smart, Moony; I forgot they sell them there"

Remus laughed at him just as James and Peter came out "bookstore" said Remus simply and lead the way.

If there was any place that Remus could consider his safe place it was the Hogwarts library or the Hogsmade bookstore. He was a regular at the bookstore sometimes alone but most of the time with his friends. It was small but always had the newest books both muggle and wizard alike. It had something on every subject and if not every book you could special order what you wanted. This was something that Remus had done many times for books on werewolves or more things about defence against the dark arts which was his favorite subject.

They entered and he walked directly to the shelf where information on magical creatures was situated. He always checked this shelf first.

Sirius walked towards the back where bookmarks, pens, pencils, parchment, quills, and empty notebooks, journals. He was looking for one in particular. One that was leather bound. His uncle had given him his first journal and it had been special to him since then and now he was looking for something that was somewhat the same.

He didn't find it. It was as if that journal was one of a kind. He had looked before in Diagon alley, even in muggle stores and had found nothing. He had even gone as far as to ask his uncle about it but nothing. All he had been able to say was that it was special and that it had come to him and it had told him to give it to him. But could a journal have a mind of its own?

-

-

-

Hermione smiled at her friend knowingly "I'll change your future" she said "truly, I will"

Remus nodded "I…" he stopped and then just took her in his arms in a hug "I'll miss you. Just know this in my seventh year, that is when the incident with Snape happened if you could make that not happen, I would be very grateful"

She grinned at him "of course" and the light that was usually in her eyes when she laughed was now there shinning through to him.

"Go on get in your place"

Hermione moved away and then stood in front of him and then took the potion. She was about the drink it when a house elf appeared before her.

He was older than the time she had seen him and much more dishevelled than ever but he wore clothes and he seemed to be looking at her with admiring eyes "I be sorry missus" he said "Kreacher was away doing master's bidding, he was"

Hermione looked at the house elf that had once belonged to Mrs. Black and that had then been Sirius' and then had passed down to being Harry's. She was surprised he was still around after all the last she had seen of him was when Harry took him into his room at the burrow. The house elf had been sent to Hogwarts and then later of he just disappeared from everyone's mind.

But Harry had been in touch with him and had used him for many things. Looking at him now and comparing him to how he had been back in her fifth year at Hogwarts she saw how much difference Harry had made on him. And he made her proud.

"Kreacher" she said "did Harry ever tell you to tell me anything.

He couldn't lie and she saw he didn't want to in anyway.

"Yes" he said "He told me tell you, mistress, that you would find something useful in my late master's room"

"Harry's room or Sirius' room?" Hermione watched Kreacher.

"Master Black's" he said. He didn't even utter a single complaint about Sirius and Hermione knew that he at least felt somewhat bad about what had happened to Sirius. It had been his fault.

Hermione shared a look with Remus. They were in the drawing room at the moment. She looked at Kreacher "show me" she said and followed after him. Remus walked after them.

Remus had yet to actually enter Sirius' room. He hadn't been there in such a long time. He remembered it had been right before he went off to be undercover with the werewolves that he enter to tell him goodbye.

_He had been drawing again. It was the trio; Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He had already finished the two boys and was working on Hermione. _

"_It's beautiful" Remus told his friend._

"_Only because I have someone beautiful to work with in the first place" was his reply but he didn't seem to know that he had said it. "Why are you in here anyway, Moony?" he was looking up at him now and had set his drawing notebook down. _

"_I'm going to be getting on the good side of the werewolves." He said "I am going underground to join their clans and finding anything I can about them"_

_Sirius nodded "I understand, when are you leaving?"_

"_July" he said "I'll be going back and forth of course" he shrugged "but tonight I am meeting with a few of them and won't be back for a week. I came to say goodbye just in case I…"_

_He didn't need to say it. They knew the risks. _

Remus snapped out of his thoughts as Kreacher handed Hermione a few books from Sirius' bookshelf.

One of them was the drawing notebook he had been using that night. Hermione looked at it with a frown and then opened it. She gasped at the drawing of herself reading in the drawing room. She was sitting in her favorite chair.

"He drew this" she said turning the pages. They were all of her. She looked at Remus "did you know he spent so much time watching me?"

He shook his head "I saw him drawing you once but it was with Ron and Harry, I figured he wanted one of the golden trio but I never knew he was doing tons of you. He probably has tons of everyone, actually. He spent a lot of time in this house"

Hermione nodded but there was just something. Maybe it was the way that her eyes looked; maybe it was the fact that as she looked at herself there on those drawings she knew she had changed a lot over the years.

"Is this all, Kreacher"

The house elf nodded. Why would Harry want her to see that thought? Unless he knew much more than she had expected of him, he seemed to know a lot already.

All of them walked down to the drawing room again. Hermione stood where she was supposed to in the middle of the six pointed star. Remus stood in front of her with a book. Her things surrounded her and then she picked up the potion again. She took a deep breath and then poured it down her throat just as Remus waved his wand at her. Then everything began to spin and she was gone with a pop her things gone with her in two separate trunks.

**Author's Note: Please review! Thanks for reading! Also I am still in search of a beta for this fic…anyone interested just send me a pm, e-mail me, or tell me over your review…**

**-Lupin's Mistress**


	4. Professor Granger

**Author's Note: It's been a while...The begining of this month was the last, I believe. So I am finally out of school. Just got out this past Wednesday. Finals were terrible not to mention other things like fundraising and a french project and trip. Anyway finally I am here with the next addition to our wonderful story. **

**I am so glad by all of the feedback that this story has had. I love all of you guys!**

**Jessie: as I do not have your e-mail seeing as you are not signed in I couldn't reply but I would love it if you could be my beta. E-mail me. My e-mail is in my profile. **

**Finally we have reached the part in this story that we have all been waiting for. This is a time-travel story, as I have said before. It is also, very different. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them...just look at my despicable writing...-sob-**

**Chapter Four**

_Professor Granger_

June 30th 1977

Sirius was still a little put out at not finding a journal that looked at all like his previous one. He walked towards the quidditch section of the library and found James. Peter was at his side. Remus was walking towards them as well three books in his arms. "Are you ready?"

James had two books with him and nodded. They walked off to pay for their books while Sirius and Peter waited for them by the door. It was as he neared the door that something strange seemed to happen. It was as if something told him to go back towards the diaries.

It was there that he saw the book. It looked just like his and yet it looked older and worn. He picked it up and flipped to the first page. The name Hermione Granger stood out to him. It was right on the top of the first page. A shadow fell over him. He looked up. She was about a foot shorter than him with messy brown hair and big chocolate eyes.

"I was just looking for that" she said. My bag fell open and everything scattered everywhere" she gave a small laugh

"Hermione Granger?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, how did you know?" she asked with a smile.

"It's on the first page of this book" he replied eying her.

She nodded as if remembering if that was true after a moment. Sirius handed it back to her "um, do you know where you got that diary?"

She looked at him and then shook her head "a friend gave it to me" she shrugged and put the diary into her bag "I must be going" she turned to go but Sirius noticed a book that looked a little battered on the ground.

"Is this yours?" he asked.

Hermione chuckled "yes, thank you" she stared at him "who are you?"

Hermione knew who he was but he didn't know that.

"Sirius Black" he said as Remus walked towards them followed b James and Peter.

"Nice to meet you" she said.

"Oy, Padfoot, where did you go?" James asked as Hermione walked away from him and out of the shop.

He smiled a little goofily "I just met a bird" he said.

Remus laughed "why doesn't this surprise me?" he said "whenever he goes anywhere he meets some girl" he shook his head and then smiled at his friend.

They walked out of the bookstore and walked to their next destination.

-

-

-

Hermione on the other hand was making her way to Hogwarts wanting to talk to Dumbledore before she met anyone else. Her mind was on the diary that had fallen from the bag she had gotten out of her trunk and where she had put both her trunks as soon as she made them smaller with a shrinking spell.

Hermione had not expected to see any of the marauders yet but when Sirius held the diary in his hands she had been afraid that he would find out her secret. She had been in this time for only five minutes.

But the fact that the diary said her name and not his like when she had looked at it in the future scared her. It was as if the diary had some sort of magic in it. But Sirius had asked about it as if his had gone missing somehow. But, yes, Hermione remembered seeing the gap in entries.

She was nearing Hogwarts now. Hogwarts was just as she remembered it and as she stepped into the grounds she realized that beyond the fact that it wasn't as warded that the place in general was great.

-

-

-

"I quit" he said. "I can't take it anymore, you said I didn't have to stay here the entire year so I figure that if I quit now you'll have enough time to get a replacement."

Albus Dumbledore stared at the now former professor of defence against the dark arts and sighed "alright, Albert" he said "I'll find a replacement"

It had happened year upon year. Every defence against the dark arts teacher had quit on him and now he had to place another advertisement in the daily prophet, and then there was meeting whoever was interested in the position.

"Thank you" Albert Tanner said and then left the office as fast as he could.

Taking out a small bag he choose a few lemon drops and put them in his mouth as he began to write what would go on the paper the next day. If only there was someone normal to teach the students, someone that knew the dark arts and someone that was willing to break the rules. Particularly now when the threat on the wizarding world was growing even bigger, he needed someone that wasn't afraid to show the students what they would be meeting in years to come.

-

-

-

"Lemon drops" Hermione said "no? How about, Berti Botts every flavour beans? No, I guess not, he doesn't like them anyway. Sugar quills" Hermione was getting frustrated. She was having absolutely no luck with getting into the headmaster's office.

"I believe the password is pepper imps" the voice came from behind Hermione.

She turned just as the gargoyle sprung open. Hermione had no doubt in her mind that the girl standing in front of her was Harry's mother. She was beautiful with Harry's green emerald eyes. The red hair that fell slightly messily around her face and just how she stood, Harry was more like his mother than anyone had ever realized.

"Thank you…" Hermione said.

"Lily, Lily Evans" she supplied "you're welcome" then she walked away not even bothering to question Hermione about her name. Hermione liked her.

-

-

-

Professor Dumbledore was standing by his window having just sent Fawkes with the ad. He turned around when there was a knock on his door. "Come in" he shouted.

The door was pushed open. Hermione entered and looked at him "Hello, Professor Dumbledore" she said with teary eyes at seeing him again. Not being able to restrain herself she dropped her bag and hugged him "it's so good to see you again"

Dumbledore stared her somewhat confused "I'm sorry" he said "I just don't remember meeting you miss?"

"Granger" Hermione said "but you can call me Hermione" she then smiled at him before saying, "I'm from the future, by the way"

He stared at her for a long moment and then he frowned "prove it; I don't think that at this time I am ready to, for any reason, to accept some claim such as this. For all I know you could be a death eater"

Hermione smiled "constant vigilance" she said softly "I do have something that will prove it" she said and then took out a folder from her purse, after picking it up of course. She handed him the folder "you can look through it. It is my Hogwarts records and such"

He opened the folder and began flipping through the papers. He nodded after a spell "Yes, I believe you. Now, I would love to know how you get here and why"

"Alright" she said and then began her story beginning with the marauders. She didn't give away their secrets but only what was needed to begin the story behind Harry Potter.

-

-

-

"Bye, guys!" Peter said "I'll see you at Diagon Alley"

James and Sirius waved at their friend as they walked towards the Potters. Mr. and Mrs. Potter smiled at the two boys and hugged them "you said Remus was staying as well" Rachel Potter said.

Rachel had hazel eyes with pale skin and dark brown hair. She was a few inches shorter than James and her husband who were both the same height. Her husband, Nick, had the Potter hair. Messy and jet black it was one of the more prominent features in the Potter line. His eyes were gray but seemed to change under the right light.

"Yeah, he was involved in a very deep discussion with Lily Evans" Sirius said with a shrug "something about a book or other" he rolled his eyes just as Remus walked towards them.

"Hi, Remus" Rachel hugged him and then they began walking towards the exit of King's cross station. "So, boys, how was school?"

"It was okay" James looked at his father "so, how is it at the ministry?"

James' parents were both aurors. His mother worked less than his father but they were still always working for the cause and lately things have begun to get worst for them.

"Lot's of work, you know that, James. Dumbledore has lost another teacher" he then commented "I believe the job is cursed" he said then, "I mean, the actual class is very important but no teacher remains. I wonder who will be up for the post next year"

Sirius and James shrugged. Remus on the other hand began conversation "I believe that Dumbledore already had a professor" he said "I saw her earlier. Professor Granger" he said "she and Dumbledore were walking down the hall while I was heading to the library and she said something rather odd, I like her"

Sirius and James grew interested. "What was that, dear?" asked Rachel.

Nick Potter also waited for Remus to respond.

"She said, and I quote, 'the ministry of magic will not care, they don't have to know what I am doing. Teaching them by the law will lead us nowhere. I mean Voldemort…' Yes, she said the name anyways, '…will not stop and consider the guidelines that are set. He will use the killing curse, he will use the cruciatus curse, and he will use the imperious curse. I fear for them. For the future, it is already bad enough. The seventh, sixth and fifth years will be learning the dark arts, not how to fight them but what is there. They will learn this along with how to defend themselves. Spells beyond the curriculum here at Hogwarts, things I taught myself over the years. They will need it' after this Dumbledore spoke. I only heard a bit of it. 'Miss Granger, the problem is not the ministry but the parents. Would they allow you to teach the students more than there is to know about a subject? Of course you also have the changing of…' that is when they turned another corner and I could no longer follow."

Sirius was the first to comment "Granger" he said "I've heard the name before. I just can't seem to remember when"

Nick frowned "This seems like an eloquent woman, how was she?"

"I don't know but I believe somewhere in her twenties, not too old, I wager" Remus responded.

"Hermione Granger!" Sirius burst out then "it was the girl, the one with my diary. Well, not my diary but one just like it. She too didn't know where it had come from. She didn't seem much older than twenty three and was very cute" he sighed. "Petty too, and beautiful"

James pat his best friend on the back "you are not seriously falling for our new professor, pads"

"Of course not" agreed Sirius after some thought but there was a gleam in her eyes.

"Get in, boys" Nick said as he put their trunks in the trunk of the car. Rachel was already in the front while Remus, James, and Sirius sat in the back.

-

-

-

Hermione laid back on her four poster bed and sighed. Everything was going according to how she wanted it to go. She was in the past and she would be in contact with Lily and the marauders. She could watch them from afar, or from a close proximity depending on how you looked at it. She would be their new professor in the coming year.

She had a whole two months to prepare and to start planning for anything that would be needed so she could begin the few changes. Dumbledore had not agreed with her wholeheartedly in what she planned. Even after telling him how grim the future would look he had asked her what she would do if everything she changed went completely bad. If everything became worst than what she had, had.

Hermione had thought about it but she knew the rules of time-travel better than anyone. She knew that she would be breaking more than half of them but she also knew that with the right precautions and the right thought that she would be able to make it.

The small rooms that had been given to Hermione fit her perfectly and already her things were scattered throughout. She had her own small kitchen, a drawing room, and her bedroom.

Getting up from the bed she stretched her arms upwards with a happy sigh. She was already dressed for the day and had been awake for hours but she had managed to fall asleep into a nap. Looking around the room her eyes focused on the diary.

Hermione Granger, her name was written in her own hand writing which surprised her but it was empty inside. She had looked around but this was the only diary she had been able to find. It was Sirius' and now it was hers. It was as if the diary was asking her to write in it. And she made a simple resolve to go ahead and do so.

_June 31__st__ 1977_

_I guess I must begin somewhere, and telling you who I am should be the beginning. My name is Hermione Granger and I was born in 1979. Does that tell you anything about me? It should, you know. Seeing as I was born two years from now towards the future, that is. _

_You see, I am a time traveller, I come from 2003. I come to change the past, and this is all that you should know about me. _

She closed the book feeling a little odd writing in a journal. Hermione had always thought of the idea of having one to be somewhat childish or much too girly. After all Hermione was never the kind of girl to dress up and talk about boys. She hung around with the boys and was considered one of the guys. That was why the idea of actually writing down her feelings and talking to generally herself was somewhat inconceivable, especially with her standards. But another factor was that she couldn't really keep a diary. There was not enough time in the day for her to write in it every day. Sirius had in fact proved that with all the skipping around that he did.

There was a knock on her door. Hermione put the journal on her bed frowning and walked to the door.

"Just wanted to say hello and welcome you to Hogwarts" Professor Slughorn said "and also I wanted to inform you of a few things" he looked at her with a half smile "I will be retiring this year, I already have a replacement set up of course. Young Lucius Malfoy will be teaching for a year, he needs some money, his father is not allowing him to use any of his inheritance and he is up to something or other.

"Now, Lucius Malfoy was a smart and bright student, one of the best. He was head-boy while here but he is no good. I would watch out for him if I were you."

Hermione nodded. She hadn't expected to have to deal with one of the men she hated most in life. This didn't make her too happy but she would deal with it when the time came. She was glad to be warned of it.

"Is that all, Professor?" Hermione asked

"No" he said "May I come in and tell you about someone else, there are many things you should be aware of."

Hermione raised one eyebrow and then nodded deciding that she wanted to get rid of the potion master quickly and so would need to allow him to tell her whatever it was he wanted to tell her.

"Now, as you must know, we have apprentices, us teachers. They are usually here for two years. Some three depending on what they will be teaching. Now we do have someone set up to be an apprentice for this year. I don't know who it is yet, Dumbledore should. Now, I know that you are new at teaching and such but I also know that you are better at this than Lucius Malfoy. Now the student wants to learn a bit of Potions, defence, and history. The apprentice will be with you for your seventh year classes and your first year classes. I just wanted to let you know"

Hermione blinked and then nodded "is it someone that graduated Hogwarts or a seventh year student?"

"I believe the he or she graduated but I have no idea of any of it. I just wanted you to know what to expect"

"Thank you, Professor Slughorn. How much longer will you be staying at Hogwarts?"

"Just until tomorrow night, if you need anything at all just send me an owl, I'll be happy to help someone as accomplished as yourself. I read your transcripts, I have to say, very impressive" he then stood "I'll see at dinner"

Hermione nodded and walked him out to the door. He waved good-bye as he walked away. Hermione closed the door and sighed, leaning against it. She had never liked her old potion's professor; he was just an annoyance that she had not wanted to be dealing with it but Lucius Malfoy now that was a different scenario that she did not want to deal with. The long haired blond with his love of the dark arts as well as his manifestation of pureblood was not someone Hermione would be happy meeting but she would have to. Maybe she could even change him, but that was highly unexpected. He was probably already his father's son, and a death eater.

Deciding that she had better start preparing for what was to come in the next two months Hermione walked towards a door next to her fireplace. This door led her to her office. From there she could go into her classroom. The same classroom on the third floor that had been used for her defence against the dark arts class back when she was in Hogwarts, or rather when she would be in Hogwarts. Timing was very confusing.

-

-

-

"What's for dinner?" James asked running from his room down to the kitchen and grabbing an apple.

Rachel Potter stared at her son, "can't you see?" she asked from her seat at the kitchen table where she was reading a letter from her sister who was vacationing in the states with her husband and two kids.

"Yes, but sometimes I can't tell what is what" James shrugged "but I believe that we are having steamed vegetables, and pork loin. At least that is what my nose is telling me. Of course Sirius would be completely sure. His nose is so much better than mine"

Rachel laughed "Yes, vegetables and pork loin, James" Rachel agreed "now, can I get back to my letter?"

"Of course, mother dear" James said and then went back up the stairs his teeth sinking into his apple. "Hmm" he said "very good"

"Prongs!" Sirius called from the top of the stairs "so, what's for dinner?"

James told him "so where's Moony?" he asked then.

"Trying to make that cat of yours stop following him around the house, I really don't understand why the cat would follow him. He hates me" Sirius shrugged as if it wasn't his fault that the orange fluff ball named, Lily. Yes, James had named his cat after the object of his affection.

"Lily!" James called for the cat who looked at him pointedly and then jumped onto Remus' lap where she closed her eyes and purred.

"See" Sirius cried indignantly. "She likes him better than me" he pouted.

James grinned at Remus "it's just because Remus has chocolate in his pocket, plus, you're a dog"

Remus and James burst out laughing.

-

-

-

Severus Snape leaned back onto his bed. He had just gotten home and he was rather tired. He had apparated home seeing as his parents had most likely forgotten to fetch him from the station. His mother wasn't home but his father was. He said nothing to Severus but just gave him a look that told him quite plainly to stay out of the way.

Severus was the only child of Eileen and Tobias Snape. His father was a muggle that hated everything magic but his mother had somehow made him let Severus go to Hogwarts not that his father was too happy about it.

As he laid back in his bed he frowned to himself. He was thinking about the meeting with Lucius Malfoy that he had during the last day in school out in Hogsmade. Lucius Malfoy was an old friend. They had known each other since he got into Hogwarts. He, Lucius, that is had been a fifth year then.

But Severus' advanced power and knowledge with the dark arts had gotten him in with the older students. He had hanged around them and had learnt a lot more than someone his age should have, that had been the beginning of everything really. And now he was in a position that he didn't really want to be. Severus didn't want to think about what his mother would say if she ever found out that he was considering joining the death eaters.

Being offered to be a part of them was something that didn't happen to many but it was still something that Severus did not know how to take. He was still very young and didn't want to rush into something he might regret later and yet he knew that Lucius wouldn't leave him alone until he had an answer.

The answer was to be expected by the end of his seventh year. He had some time but this did not comfort him. Now, going back to Hogwarts, to his safe place, was going to be harder than ever.

Having come from a bad home life Hogwarts had been something he expected to be wonderful but nothing had come from his expectations. It wasn't exactly his fault that he got on the bad side of the marauders. They were popular, liked by all the teachers, and great at whatever they wanted to be great at.

He hated them. They were everything that he wasn't.

Of course out of everything all of them had done to him only one good thing had come from it. That one thing was Lily Evans. Beautiful Lily Evans whom he liked beyond anything, she had tried to help him out many times but he was stubborn and he didn't like the fact that she pitied him.

Lily had not helped him since his fifth year when he called her a mudblood, a word that he hated beyond anything.

Thinking about Lily made him want to decline the offer but he knew that Lily now hated him, he knew that the red head would somehow end up with James Potter. It was just a guess on his part but he had seen the way she looked at him when he wasn't acting like himself.

-

-

-

_July 5__th__ 1977_

_God am I tired, James and Remus just got me awake at four am for the fifth time in a row. What is up with those two? Then again they've been waiting to go the ministry to get our apparation tests over with. Remus wasn't too worried but James was and so he barely slept. He usually awoke Remus. Remus found it amusing to wake me up. _

_**Plus, you snore! –Remus**_

_See, he's a crazy lunatic, I think he's had too much chocolate. Anyhow I am very tired and it is four am. Today we are getting everything in order. Today we are all legal and allowed to use magic. No, Remus could do it before so could I as well as James it's just today we are somehow proving it. _

_You know what, I can't explain it. It's just there in our hearts…no that sounds too cheesy. _

_Anyhow, I'm off to take a shower. _

Sirius put his notebook under his pillow, even though he would care less that his friends touched it. It was a habit. After washing behind his ears like a good boy Sirius dressed and decided that he would be glad when everything was over.

"Nick, are you sure you'll be alright with taking the boys, I could do it" Rachel said "I mean don't you have a lot of work today?"

Nick shook his head "I said I would take them, and I will. I'll leave them to get their test. Minerva will be down there today, she sent a letter telling me she's taking a few of the muggle-born students down there.

"The boys can come find me, they know where I am and then they can apparate home. The plan was already set"

Rachel nodded "alright" she said and then turned to James, Sirius, and Remus "eat up, you'll need your strength today"

-

-

-

"Hermione, could I ask for a favour" Minerva McGonagall asked as Hermione took the seat next to her for breakfast.

"Yeah, what would that be, Minerva?" Hermione asked taking a bite of her pancake.

The transfiguration professor smiled at the younger witch she had learnt to think of as a daughter. "I was supposed to be taking a few of the muggle born students to the ministry of magic today so that they can get their apparition license but due to something that has come up, I can't. I was wondering if you could go instead of me. They'll be getting to Hogsmade on the Knight bus and will be in the three broomsticks. Lily Evans, Marco Strep, and Trina Putt" she continued "they should be there soon"

Hermione nodded and finished off her breakfast. "I'll get my bag and then head over there" she told the professor.

This was the perfect opportunity to get to know Lily Evans a little better. Maybe become a friend of sorts. She was also meeting two other students whom she wanted to get on the good side of. After picking up her bad and making sure she was presentable Hermione took one of the carriages to Hogsmade.

The all wizarding village wouldn't change much over the years. In fact beyond the fact that two stores that were there now would not be there later on the place looked the same as ever.

Madame Rosmerta was just as pretty as ever but younger, only a few years older than Hermione in fact. When Hermione entered she looked up from cleaning cups. Hermione was the first person to walk into the pub of the day. "What can I help you with, dear?" she asked.

"I'm just waiting for Lily Evans, Marco Strep, and Trina Putt" Hermione said "they are getting their apparition licenses today. My name is Hermione Granger, I'll be teaching defence against the dark arts this year"

Madame Rosmerta shook Hermione's hand "Rosmerta" she said "care for anything?"

"No, not really" Hermione said "I'll just wait for them."

It didn't take long for the three to get there. Lily recognized Hermione and so smiled at her. "Where is Professor McGonagall?" she asked.

"I am taking you the ministry seeing as she got caught up with something. Come on, we will be going through the floo" she lead them to the fire place in the three broomsticks and handed Marco the floo powder to go first "just say, the ministry of magic" she instructed.

He did as he was told and so left. Lily went next and finally Trina. Hermione followed after them. "So, who are you?" asked Trina once they were in the atrium.

"Hermione Granger, Professor Granger to all of you. I'll be teaching defence this coming year" she looked at them "come on, let's go to the main the desk.

After getting badges and getting their wands looked over Hermione led them to the lift so they could go to level six where they could go to the Apparation Test Center. The lift doors opened as they stood in front of them. Hermione ushered them inside. Just as they were about to close a man that reminded Hermione a lot of Harry stopped the doors.

He chuckled as he held the doors and allowed Sirius, James, and Remus inside and then entered himself. Sirius saw Hermione just as James saw Lily.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading hope you enjoy it, please review!**

**-Lupin's Mistress**


	5. Summer of 1977

**Author's Note: I guess it has been a while but I have been rather busy; what with Deathly Hallows finally being out not to mention the fact that we are currently remodelling my room. **

**The book was great. Of course most of the time, while reading it, I was in tears but that is beside the point. I hate that two of my favorite characters died but I guess it had to happen but I also was so happy about the entire book, I think that one is by far my favorite. The Ron and Hermione pairing was never something I liked but it had to happen and while I will never write fan fiction for that pairing I do accept it now. **

**Anyhow hope everyone enjoyed the book as much as I did even though it is a sad event to see such a wonderful series come to an end. **

**And now this has turned AU, I will not say that some facts from the 7****th**** book won't find their way in if they somehow fit. The Severus/Lily relationship is something I already touched upon and will be lightly involved. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own them…**

**Chapter Five**

_Summer of 1977_

Hermione returned to Hogwarts after lunch having offered the marauders, Lily, Trina, and Marco to take them out to lunch. After talking to Nick the boys agreed, as did Lily. Trina and Marco on the other hand did not think it was a good idea and so Hermione told them to just apparate home and so they left them.

As Hermione entered her rooms she sighed remembering how everything had gone during that lunch. They had gone to Diagon Alley to a small pub.

_After ordering food Hermione had gotten into a conversation with Remus about what she would be teaching them the coming year. Lily, James, and Sirius also interested were listening to the two of them. "We'll be looking at magical creatures for a small amount of time; the more dangerous ones anyway. Then there is also the dark magic, the unforgivable curses, many different things, you'll see" _

"_How old are you?" Sirius asked. _

_Hermione smiled at him, "twenty-three" she answered. _

_Lily looked at her with a frown "you just left school five years ago" she stared at Hermione for a while longer "Why are you aloud to teach? I mean, have you even studied to become a professor?"_

"_No" Hermione said "but I am an auror in so many words. I never got through the entire thing but I did the training. I have spent the five years out of school learning the dark arts. You have to know what you are against before you can beat it. I have lost many people in my life and I know what is out there, what you'll be facing the moment you are out of Hogwarts"_

_Their food came then so the silence that followed what Hermione said was broken with James trying to steal something or other from Sirius. "Leave my food alone!" Sirius cried out "if you wanted what I'm having you should have ordered it"_

_James pouted at his friend "but I figured I could steal some from you so I ordered something else" _

_Hermione laughed. Lily glared at James while Remus just shook his head. _

"_So, what are you going to be doing after Hogwarts?" Hermione asked them. _

"_I'll probably become an Auror like my parents" James said "I've grown up around it so I know what is expected of it, and I do want to work against him" he didn't say the name but everyone sitting there knew who he was talking about. _

"_Say the name" Hermione said "fear of a simple name; it gives you more fear for the thing itself, for him, for Voldemort"_

_Everyone shuddered, James flinching. _

"_How about you, Remus"_

"_Oh, I don't know. I am interested in teaching though. It's a valuable thing to be able to impair knowledge upon someone. After all someone said that knowledge was power, and it is, isn't it?" Remus said taking a bite out of his food and then grabbing a napkin when ketchup dribbled down his chin. _

_A grin covered Hermione's face, "very thoughtful, Remus."_

"_I'm going with auror" Sirius said "I see that being a good thing for me" he shrugged. _

_She was tempted to show them her views on the ministry but she felt that it would influence them a little too much and she wasn't there to brainwash them. _

"_How was the training?" Sirius asked then "I mean, was it hard?"_

_Hermione frowned thinking about what she could tell him, "It was generally not the hardest thing I have encountered. But then I had great teachers. My best friend was great at defence, he taught me well. It will be easy if you're a good dueller. How about you, Lily"_

_Lily looked at Hermione "I don't know really" she said "I was thinking of getting some sort of job at the ministry and maybe save up to open a bookstore or café in Hogsmade or Diagon Alley"_

_Hermione nodded as she finished her lunch and took a sip of her butterbeer. "Did you always want to be a teacher?" Remus asked._

"_Not always" Hermione said "I didn't know what I would do in the long run. I did want to help the house elf rights as well as abolish any laws against werewolves and all the discrimination to magical creatures but I got a little side tracked and I never got around to continuing any of it. Then Harry and I got into the auror training program. I backed out at the last moment and then stopped working for a year. _

"_I always had enough money so that I didn't need to work. My parents left me quite a bit after they died. So it wasn't like I really needed to do it. I was more focused on trying to stop Voldemort and working against him. The ministry of magic has always been an annoyance to me. They get in the way a bit too much. _

"_Anyhow, I did nothing but work for myself books and such. Teaching this year is just about being at Hogwarts. My uncle wanted me to come and teach and so, I will." _

_Sirius looked at her confused "who is your uncle?" Sirius asked. _

"_Dumbledore" Hermione answered looking around. "I'll go pay, and then we can head our own ways"_

Hermione smiled to herself. It had been interesting to meet the marauders and Lily. Lily hadn't said much—Hermione guessed it was because she barely spent time with them. Remus, James, and Sirius on the other hand seemed to like her well enough.

But they were different. Remus and Sirius anyway, she had never known James so she had no say on how much he would change. But Remus was definitely more loose, and much more fun, he was happier with his friends. He didn't have the yearning in his eyes to talk to them once more. He wasn't as worried about things but just lived life to the fullest.

Sirius hadn't suffered through Azkaban yet and he was still the mischievous marauder that loved life. But he had begun to grow up. She had seen it in his eyes. The way he just seemed to know more about the world than his friends.

It was beginning, they were loosing their innocence and before the end of the year—if she was correct—they would lose it all. Hermione smiled to herself sadly. If she would do anything in this time it was to keep them together somehow and to make sure that nothing ever ruined their friendship.

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"How did you all do?" Rachel asked them as they entered the house through the kitchen.

"It was great. We all passed" Sirius said "and James is still a little odd from having met Lily there. We met Hermione Granger too. She was there with the muggle borns"

Rachel stared at him "so, what do you think of this new professor?"

Remus answered this time, "She seems to know exactly what she will be doing all in all. I think that she'll be great"

"Yes, and she was really pretty too" Sirius said with a sigh to which Rachel and Remus shared a look because James was at the current moment in a trace.

Remus decided that he no longer wanted to stay in the kitchen. He knew from the way that Rachel Potter was looking at Sirius that she was going to off on a rant. He also knew that James wouldn't help with his outburst of 'Lily did this or that' which kept happening every few minutes. So he headed up the stairs to the room he was using while at the Potter's. The Potter's home was large and very well hidden in a small village of Godric's Hollow.

It was as he sat there that an owl began tapping on his window. He opened the window and allowed the owl inside. It was a brown barn owl that carried a letter addressed to him.

After giving the owl a treat Remus opened the letter wondering who would be writing to him other than his mother or aunt. But the owl was not his mother's or for that matter his aunt's.

_Dear Remus,_

_Now, I know that this will be a little odd of a question but you are the best in the class so why not question you. If you are bitten by a werewolf not on the night of the full moon should you be worried that you could become a werewolf? You see I'm writing a paper, the homework for defence. Werewolves was my topic, tell me what you think would happen. Also give James and Sirius a poke for me._

_Kerri _

Remus frowned. Yes they had to write some paper on any topic but he hadn't expected her to ask him about it. And why write on something you didn't know. In truth he didn't know what would happen. Thinking about it for a few minutes he decided that he would write back to her and tell her about Hermione. After all, he didn't think that their new professor would care about an assignment made by a former teacher.

_Dear Kerri, _

_It isn't too much of an odd question, you've made me curious now and I will have to ask Hermione if I see her again this summer other wise in class. You see, Hermione Granger is our new professor. I just had lunch with her with Lily, James, and Sirius. She took Lily, Trina, and Marco to get their apparation licenses. That is besides the point. _

_I don't know if you would turn into a werewolf really if you were bitten when there was no full moon. But the question is why would a werewolf bite someone when it wasn't the full moon? _

_I also don't think you need to write the paper seeing as our professor resigned. I'll see you at Hogwarts. _

_Remus_

He frowned to himself and then sent the owl off just as Sirius entered with his notebook "tell me, Moony, can you wait for September?"

"No" Remus said "but then I will be saddened when it is over" he sighed "what kind of job will someone like me get, a werewolf" he huffed "I bet professor Granger would hate me if she knew what I was. I bet everyone would"

Padfoot shook his head at his friend "she would understand and so would a lot of other people. Lily understood after she figured it out last year." He pointed out to him "but come on, James just snapped out of his mood and we're going to go toss the quaffle about in the back"

Moony rolled his eyes "alright but he'll still be on about Lily. Lily this and Lily that. It is all he speaks about for god's sake."

"He's in love and you know it" Sirius said "I on the other hand will never fall in love. Not for a long time, if I can help it. I want to be single for a long while." he looked as if he would hold himself to that promise but I wouldn't. The way he had stared at Hermione Granger throughout the lunch and then what he had stated once they got home.

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July went by in a flash and before Hermione knew it she was submitting the books she had picked to Dumbledore so that he could start sending off letters to the students.

Hermione knocked on his door. "Come in" Dumbledore shouted from inside.

Hermione walked inside "I have the books" she said and set down a piece of parchment in front of him.

"Prefect" he said and then looked at Hermione, "how are fairing with the change, with being here?"

Hermione did not take long to answer. "It's been wonderful. I think I will fit in perfectly here but of course the thing is that times will get darker hopefully they won't be so bad but then what are we to expect? I do grow tired by the moment when I start thinking of what might happen if I make one simple mistake. I know I won't, after all I know exactly what I am doing"

Dumbledore nodded "You have a few weeks left, what will you do during them?"

Hermione hadn't really thought of what she would do. After everything that she had been doing by recording everything that had happened in her life and everything she knew that would happen between Harry's birth and 2003. Of course she had also prepared Dumbledore and informed him of everything possible about the order of the phoenix making sure that he made plans to begin the group.

"How goes the preparation for the order?" she asked when the thought crossed her mind.

"I have talked to Alastor, Rachel and Nick Potter, The Prewett brothers, Alice and Frank Longbottom who graduated last year and are in Auror training—Head-boy and girl, you know." Dumbledore sighed "but while they believe that something like this will, in time, be needed most of them are happy at the moment to just work against Voldemort in their own way and I feel the same, the threat is not too big. But I will think about the order soon."

Hermione smiled at the head master and then stood "I must get going, Albus, Minerva invited me out for lunch today with Poppy"

"Have fun, dear" he said "take care"

Hermione nodded and then left the office.

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Severus Snape smiled to himself as he finished creating a new spell to add to his book. Creating a spell took a long time even for someone like him who had already made enough of them. The magic focused and the words made all the difference of course there were many things to consider as well.

"Sectumsempra" he said to himself as he looked down at his battered old Potions book. Well, it wasn't really his but his mother's. The book was special to him. This was the only book he had been able to look at to learn more about the wizarding world until he turned eleven.

It was because of that book that he had begun to be so prominent in Potions. He had found ways to make them better in the confines of his room. Of course his mother had helped sometimes.

He wrote the new spell down and how to use it. Then Severus laid on the floor with a tired sigh. It was then he heard the pop. "Severus"

He looked up to see Lucius Malfoy standing above him. He forced himself not to groan and instead sat up "Lucius" he said.

"I have great news" Lucius said "I am teaching Potions this year. I was hoping you could help me take a few things to my chambers"

Severus knew that he couldn't really say no and so nodded now standing up and looking at Lucius "to your house then?"

Lucius nodded. The two of them apparated to Malfoy Manor where Lucius was staying for the moment to his father's disappointment, his mother was not too amused either.

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"Thanks for lunch, Minerva" Hermione with a smile at the older witch. "I'll see you later"

Minerva McGonagall nodded and walked into her classroom. Hermione kept on walking heading to her office where she would finish reading the textbook she had assigned the third years. She had finished every other book except for that one.

Hermione's thoughts wondered when she passed by a painting of the moon. The full moon would be in a few days. She wondered how Remus would fair about it. Hermione knew that she could help him by giving him the wolfsbane potion which she had learnt to make over the past years to give to her werewolf friend. Of course the questions that would come from her knowing about a potion that wouldn't come to be created for some years were a big risk.

She decided that she would speak with Dumbledore about it. She wanted to take away the pain that the lycanthrope would feel for so many years until the wolfsbane was available to him. But even when it was created she knew that he lacked the money.

As she neared her rooms someone ran straight into her. Hermione stumbled but didn't fall like the young man did. Severus Snape looked to Hermione just the same as ever. She helped him up. "I wasn't paying a lot of attention, are you okay?"

Severus nodded "thank you" he said and continued walking. Following soon behind him was someone that Hermione still dreaded meeting. Lucius Malfoy looked at her "who are you?" he said.

"Professor Hermione Granger, I teach defence" she said "you must be Lucius Malfoy."

He nodded "I'll see you later" then he walked after his friend and soon to be student.

Hermione shook herself. She had just met the two people that would make her life hard. Severus Snape was very important to everything that would happen and she needed to keep him close but she could do without the blond colleague.

She entered her rooms and walked to her bedroom and sunk onto the bed somewhat annoyed knowing that she should go to her office and finish reading that book but she didn't want to do it. Hermione wanted to just get a little bit of rest while she could. She would get to the book eventually.

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Lily squealed. She was head-girl, she couldn't believe it. She was head-girl. Her mom entered her room "Are you okay, dear?" she asked.

Lily hugged her mom "I'm head-girl" she said laughing "I can't believe it. I wonder who the head-boy is"

"That's wonderful, Lily" her mother said "I'll go tell your father"

Lily nodded and began to jump up and down around the room but then decided to actually look at her letter. She would need to go to Diagon Alley soon.

"I am so happy for you, Lily" her father enveloped her in a hug. Lily noticed that behind him her older sister, Petunia, stood watching her.

Lily remembered a time when Petunia was the over protective big sister; when Petunia helped Lily out with anything and everything. That, of course had ended seven years previous when Lily got her letter to Hogwarts for the first time. Lily remembered that day like it had been yesterday.

_She was playing outside with the boy next door and her sister. They were playing hide and seek and she was having a hard time not giggling and alerting Petunia, who was catching, where she was. _

_As she tried to stifle the small giggle that did escape she saw the owl. Lily had never seen an owl before. She was amazed by the graceful bird that swooped down towards her and dropped the letter at her feet. _

_Lily surprised at this but somehow knowing that she needed to keep the letter secret for a while put the letter in her jeans' pocket. _

_An hour later after lunch Lily took the letter out in her room and read it. Knowing that the bird had delivered it she knew it was true and couldn't wait for the next day when a man named Albus Dumbledore was going to her house to talk to her and her parents about her abilities. _

_The next day when Albus arrived he was allowed inside the house. Lily excited sat with him and her parents. Petunia also in the room was more than confused and annoyed that no one told her anything. From the moment everything was explained the thirteen year old Petunia grew colder and colder towards their guest and Lily. _

_Petunia did not speak to Lily for the next two days and when she did it was to just tell her to stay away and stop being such a freak. Lily never hated her sister and she knew that she wouldn't ever hate her but Petunia made it easy for her to do so. _

Lily shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled to herself. She was head-girl. Remus Lupin was likely head-boy so it wouldn't be so bad as long as it wasn't James Potter or Sirius Black she would be perfectly fine but it was just wishful thinking on her side. She knew somehow James Potter would be ruining her life this last year even if he wasn't head-boy.

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Padfoot laughed pointing at his best friend "you're kidding, right?" he asked as he waved his Hogwarts letter around "you are not head-boy, you can't be"

Prongs frowned at his best friend "but I am, not would you leave me alone. There is nothing bad with being head-boy"

"Right" Sirius said but couldn't help but point at James and keep on laughing.

Remus laughed at his friends. "Congrats, Prongs"

James nodded "finally someone friendly, look at that git" he rolled his eyes at Sirius who was not rolling on the bed.

"But you're head-boy, you do realize we can't get away with half the stuff we used to because of this" he calmed down suddenly and was deep in thought.

"Au Contraire" James said "we will get away with more things. I can stay out later and I don't have to report us to some professor" he grinned at Sirius who not had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What were we doing before the owl so rudely interrupted us?" Sirius said then "ah, yes, planning a prank for our first day back"

**Author's Note: The next chapter will be up soon…please review! **

**-Lupin's Mistress**


	6. Her Biggest Fear

Author's Note:

I was just about to update chapter 7 when i realized that I hadn't even put this up...I am just complete out of it which isn't really a big deal seeing as I am out of it constantly. Anyways thanks for everyone that has reviewed so far...you make writting so much easier...anyways enjoy the chapter keep on reading and reviewing...enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own them...

Chapter Six

Her Biggest Fear

Hermione entered the great hall just in time. She had already seen the students heading for the great hall. They entered just as she took the last seat available, which had no doubt been left for her, by the headmaster. The students eyed her as she sat down next to him.

"Almost late" Dumbledore said to her "what were you doing?"

"I fell asleep" she shrugged at him "I did wake up just in time and ran here, I do hope my hair is alright"

"Perfect, my dear" Dumbledore said and turned back to the students that had stopped filing in and were now seated. Hermione saw James, Sirius, Remus, and Lily not sitting too far from each other. Another boy sat right by James. Peter Pettigrew was just as podgy as ever. His light blond hair fell to his eyes which were small and watery.

Hermione looked away from him and watched Professor McGonagall, who had walked out of the room after she sat down, entered once more with the first years.

After the sorting Dumbledore stood "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts" he said looking around "before the food, which I gather we are all awaiting with not much patience, I would like to make one announcement in welcoming of two new professors; Professor Granger who will be teaching defence against the dark arts and Professor Malfoy who will be teaching potions."

Hermione stood when Dumbledore motioned for her to stand. The Gryffindor table clapped following Lily, and the marauders. From the Ravenclaw table Marco and his friends clapped as well while Trina and some of her friends also clapped from the Hufflepuff table.

Lucius, when he stood, did not get so much attention as Hermione did seeing as nearly everyone knew him and he had been a Slytherin.

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"She's sitting where McGonagall usually sits" Remus said "blimey, I think she's very important to Dumbledore"

Sirius wasn't listening. He was watching Hermione intently while Dumbledore clapped his hands saying a few last words. When the food showed up Sirius snapped out of his trace, albeit his eyes did wander towards Hermione every so often throughout the meal and Remus seemed to share a look with Peter every time this happened.

Just next to Sirius a small fight was going on between James and Lily. James was ignoring Lily as she tried to tell James that he should start acting like the head-boy he was supposed to be or that she would report him.

"Would you two stop!" Sapphire Smith said. She was Lily's best friend, whom had a large crush on Sirius Black. She had light brown straight hair of medium length. It had choppy layers and long bangs that nearly went to her eyes. Her eyes were almost almond shape of a sapphire blue color. This was the reason for her name. Her body was thin and her skin a fair pale shade.

"Yes" agreed Lily "this is childish" she gave James a last glare.

Remus and Sirius chuckled at them. James glared at his friends and then begun to eat once more.

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Hermione was laughing alongside Dumbledore as she listened to a joke. As she took a bite of food the doors to the great hall opened though and everyone stopped eating. The noise in the great hall receded and everyone was staring at the door. Hermione knew who the young man was. She had yet to meet him though but she knew that he was the apprentice.

He stood holding a bag that looked somewhat old and worn. It was of a dark green color. No one seemed to recognize him but he seemed to be only two years younger than Hermione.

He was handsome; it was quite plain that he was. His dark brown hair fell to his eyes covering them from view at the moment. It was slightly wavy. As he stood there he blew his hair out of his eyes and Hermione saw even from where she sat eyes that reminded her greatly of someone. His eyes were a bright blue but it was the emotion behind them and the deep hollowness to them that made Hermione remember someone.

"Hermione" she snapped out of watching him.

"Yes, headmaster?"

"Put a chair next to you" Dumbledore said softly

Hermione did as she was told.

Everyone was surprised at his presence. He seemed to stand there watching them for a moment and then he walked forward towards the staff table and then around it to stand next to Dumbledore. He and the headmaster spoke for a few seconds and then he walked towards the seat next to Hermione. As soon as he had sat down everyone begun to talk again; girls were already awing at his looks, some scoffing that he was probably pompous and conceited. The guys looked at him some with annoyance and some in welcome.

"Hello, Professor Granger" he said next to her as he put some food onto a plate. He only used his right hand. Hermione wondered why but then she saw his shoulder.

A large gash was upon it. Taking out her wand she muttered a few words to mend his shoulder and smiled at him.

"Thanks" he smiled. His smile was breath taking though Hermione was not affected girls not far off who had seen it were sighing in contentment. "I was always bad at these sort of charms" he took a bite of food "my name is Evan Ripred" he looked her over "I did not expect you to be so young. I heard a lot about you of course"

"Oh?" Hermione said surprised. She hadn't heard much about him.

"Yes, I got a few things by owl about you. You're amazing" he grinned at her.

Hermione blushed this time and waited until he continued.

"I mean your grades and the number of N.E.W.T.s plus the fact that you trained to become an Auror. You have an order of Merlin and you're probably one of the most powerful witches in the wizarding world at the moment."

Hermione did not like where this was going. She was appalled that he had brought up her order of Merlin which had been given to her in the future simply because of the incident with Neville. Not that it had been a big ceremony. It had been in the papers and then everything had come to her by owl because she hadn't gone to accept it.

Evan seemed to know that he had said something wrong because he turned back to his food and did not speak again until he was finished.

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"Wonder who he is" Sirius said watching Hermione blush. He was slightly jealous that it wasn't he who was making her blush.

"Don't know" James shrugged "might be an apprentice. But why would they give Hermione one? I mean she just started teaching"

Remus shrugged and turned away and began to look down the table. He had been meaning to find Kerri so he could talk to her about the letter she had sent him during the summer. He caught her eye and smiled. She knew what he wanted and so nodded.

Kerri O'Connor had dark red hair that had a few dark brown streaks as well as a few light red. At the moment it was in a messy bun. Her eyes were bright blue with flecks of green in them. She had olive colored skin and was a very fit person from Quidditch which she was rather crazy over. She was a chaser.

Remus turned back to his friends with a final smile at Kerri.

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Dumbledore stood up. "I would like to make a few announcements" he said and begun once more with the usual stuff. Hermione chose to ignore it and instead began to look around the great hall to see if she could recognize anyone at all other than the marauders from the future.

She saw a couple of people whom were rather familiar. Sirius' brother was unmistakable. He was a sixth year Slytherin sitting next to Severus Snape and another girl whom also seemed somewhat familiar. Bellatrix Black was a seventh year.

Hermione would never disagree that she was a beautiful girl. In fact she was quite pretty in her own way. Dark hair fell to her mid-back. Her eyes were blue and piercing. She looked just as Hermione expected her to look.

Everyone began to file out and so Hermione stood. She watched as Remus seemed to stay behind from his friends and then a girl joined him. She was pretty and Hermione wondered if they were more than friends.

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"Did you figure it out?" Remus asked Kerri "the werewolf thing, that is?"

"Yeah" she said and looked at him "can, can I share a secret with you?" she said then and began to look around at the students "do you know where we can go?"

Remus nodded. The two of them were silent as they went out the doors of the great hall. Not heading towards Gryffindor Common room Remus led Kerri outside and towards the lake.

"What did you want to tell me?" Remus asked her.

Kerri looked out to the lake and then turned to him "you know I have a brother. Kyle. Well three days before I sent you the letter he was bitten by a werewolf. I know it was a werewolf because my brother told me later. Greyback or something or other" she shrugged "Kyle told me that he wasn't transformed but he bit him."

Remus looked taken aback. "but he's alright, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he's just suddenly very interested in rare meats" she laughed.

Remus chuckled along with her. As he turned back he saw a figure wearing a hooded black cloak walk out of the school heading towards the forbidden forest. He nudged Kerri and pointed the person out. "Want to follow whom ever that is?" he inquired.

"Yeah, come on" she said.

The two of them walked after the figure hiding and being as quiet as possible, as they did not want anyone to see them.

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Hermione made her way back towards her classroom. "Professor Granger" she heard someone call from behind her. She turned and saw Evan making his way towards her. "I wanted to ask if you could give me a syllabus"

"Yeah, just come to my quarters." Hermione said with a smile.

They were both quiet as they headed down to Hermione's rooms. Hermione said her password and the two of them went inside. "If you ever need anything just come here. I know where your rooms are and we are connected by the floo. Just wait here, I'll get you my plans.

"You'll be in my seventh year classes and my first year classes, right?" Hermione asked.

Evan nodded, "that would be correct" he said watching her. She looked through a few papers and then handed him a copy of one and then began rifling through more papers before handing him another.

"That would be the first term. I have yet to work on the second." She grinned "I'll see you tomorrow"

He nodded as she walked him out the door.

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"So, the prank will go off tomorrow during breakfast as planned?" Sirius said to James.

"Yeah" he agreed looking towards where Lily was sitting with her friends Dawn, Jen, and Sapphire. "Padfoot, where do you think that Remus went off to?"

"Don't know" Sirius shrugged as Peter entered the common room carrying a few books which he handed to James. He took a seat next to him.

They were sitting by a window looking out towards the grounds. The window was open. While the castle was somewhat cool the three boys were still a bit too warm.

"So, what did you think about that guy showing up halfway through dinner?" Peter asked putting his feet underneath himself.

"He seemed alright, I guess" Sirius brought out his notebook. "Sit still, wormtail, you're in a perfect position for a small sketch. I'm making the cover for our photo album. I can have all four of us, a few professors, the lovely Lily Evans, and any girl that might get interested in Mr. Moony and Mr. Wormtail of course. I don't believe I'll be able to fit in every conquest I make and you, my dear James, are enamoured of Miss Lily."

James hit Sirius on the shoulder and then glared at him with a small smile.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

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Katariina Smith sat down with a heavy sigh next to Severus Snape. "Severus" she said.

"What?" he snapped not looking up from the book on his lap.

Katariina wasn't ordinary. She liked being unique and different which made her not so ordinary hair color not something that everyone worried themselves over. Her hair was a deep purple color falling to her shoulders with side bangs. Her eyes were brown and were at the moment covered by rectangular shaped glasses which had a black rim. Her skin was a pale white color which made her hair stand out more.

"I was acknowledging you" she shrugged "what are you reading?"

Severus said nothing and just kept reading. If he ignored her maybe she would go away. He was wrong.

When he didn't answer Katariina took his book from him. "Is it interesting? I was never great at most potions." She looked over at him "you really should pull that hair back, you know. It would look so much better.

"I know why it's so greasy" she continued on "It's because of the fumes and all that potion making you do. I have something for it, if you want"

Severus was getting more and more frustrated.

"Would you leave me alone, woman?" he asked as he took the book from her hand and stood up.

"Will you help me in potions this year?"

He stopped. "You know the answer" he snarled at her and then with a last glare he headed off to his dorm. Katariina fell over the couch in a fit of giggles at his wake.

"He's such a grump" she said to herself as one of her peers who had been watching approached. Bellatrix sat down next to her.

"Why do you chase after him, so?" she asked with some sort of amusement in her voice.

Katariina shrugged "there's something about him and I love him. Yes, love" she added the last bit when she saw how surprised Bella was "He's different." Then Katariina stood up and left the common room.

-

-

-

Remus and Kerri lost the figure. "You know, this is hopeless" Kerri said leaning back against a tree. Remus nodded and began to laugh. "What's so funny?" Kerri eyed him.

"It's just that I don't know why we came into the forest" he continued laughing "I mean I know why but I don't know why we were following him. Her, Whatever into the forest"

Kerri began to laugh as well and fell to the ground. Remus joined her. "Yeah, why did we? You know we are both retarded?" she kept on laughing.

Remus nodded his agreement as he managed to stand up. He offered his hand to Kerri. She took it and managed to stand up. Remus grinned at her, "I will admit that tonight has been interesting. And it has made me rather hungry. Want to come with me to the kitchens?"

"Alright, I'll come" Kerri smiled as she wiped off the dirt that got onto her clothes.

The two of them walked out of the forest and then towards the castle. "What time do you think it is?" Remus asked as he looked up to the sky. It was dark out now and seemed past the time for them to be out of bed.

"I think curfew was about half an hour ago, still want to go down to the kitchens?" Kerri asked watching Remus.

He began to laugh "you're asking me?" he continued to laugh. "Honey, I'm a marauder. I think you should be asking that yourself"

Kerri laughed along with him "I guess since you aren't as bad as James and Sirius I forget that you are, then again, friends with them" she continued laughing. The stopped until their laughter receded before they once more entered the castle.

-

-

-

She was late. Running around her room Hermione managed to pick up a random cloak which after she put it on felt a little big. She was still wearing flannel pyjamas and a tank top underneath the cloak but she did not care. She would be late for her first class which just happened to be the seventh year N.E.W.T.s class. Not even bothering to don shoes Hermione grabbed the first pair and a rolled up pair of socks before running out of the room her hair in a messy bun which she had managed to do while finding her notebook. This was the notebook which held her lesson for the day.

Her class was empty when she got there but the only reason for that was that her door was closed and so as soon as she made it into the classroom—falling through the door of her office—Hermione opened the door.

Every one of her students seemed amused at her state. None of them said a thing though.

"I am going to pass a piece of parchment around the room. Write your name on this so I know you are here and who is in my class, for that matter. As you all know I am Hermione Granger and I will be your professor this year. I do realize…" she stopped as four boys entered the classroom late; the marauders.

The four boys gave her small grins and then went to the back of the classroom where they sat down together. Hermione nodded at them before she continued, "As I was saying, I realize that my attire for today is a little less than even normal, but this, I hope, will not bother you."

"Can we wear pyjamas to class?" Sirius from the back of the room asked.

"No, Mr. Black" Hermione said, "not unless you are running late, which by the by, will not be accepted of you and your friends again regardless of who you are"

This made Sirius shut up. It was at this moment that Evan Ripred entered the classroom looking just as perfect as ever. Hermione's familiarity with his eyes was still not something that bothered her because it wasn't the color; it was the deepness, and the emotions behind it.

The parchment had now reached the back of the room. Hermione walked towards the back of the room and took the parchment from the black haired girl that Hermione knew was someone she had known in the future.

"Today we are not here to get to know one another. There isn't much time before full on war begins" she stared around the room. "I have decided that first we must face our fears." She looked around, "as I understand it you have never seen a real boggart. You have read about them and you know all there is to know about them but you have to this day never met one."

The students in front of her nodded. Lily Evans sitting near the front raised her hand.

"So, we're facing boggarts today?" she asked.

"Yes." Hermione said. "Now stand up, everyone. Leave your books in your bags. Just keep your wand with you. Step to the front of the room, now. I don't want any of you getting hurt."

As soon as everyone was near the front Hermione waved her wand making all the desks move to the sides of the rooms. The bags of each student sat on the desk they had left them on.

"Professor, what does the boggart turn when you look at it?" Sirius who was standing closer to her than many of the other students asked.

Hermione looked at him with a questioning glance, "that is something I do not know myself. I have not faced a boggart in a long time. It was already in the wardrobe when I was given him. Anyhow, come along line up. No pushing there."

Hermione did not open the wardrobe but instead looked out to all of them, "the spell, if you haven't forgotten, is Riddikulus, all you have to do is say the spell and think of something that will make whatever it is that you are scared about, become funny.

"Laughter is what really works against a boggart. But before we begin I want you to think about what will show up. I want you to picture what will stand in front of you" she looked towards James who was having a silent fight with Lily. Sirius and Peter seemed to be whispering to each other. Remus was talking to a girl Hermione knew only as Kerri, and this was only from her list of names.

After a few seconds Hermione approached the blond girl that had given her the parchment. She was first in line. "Are you ready?" she asked and checking the parchment knew the girl to be Narcissa Black.

"Yes" she whispered back.

Hermione nodded and then turned back to the rest of the class, "does anyone need any more time?"

No one said they did so Hermione brought out her wand and allowed the boggart to come out of the wardrobe.

Hermione was distracted when Evan touched her shoulder. "I think this is a brilliant lesson. One they should have had long ago"

"Yes" Hermione nodded in agreement, "when I found out they had never faced a boggart, it wasn't something I was too happy about" she then turned back. Narcissa had already used the spell perfectly well.

Hermione gave her a nod.

A few more students went and then Lily Evans was up.

Lily stood in front of the boggart somewhat fearless. As it approached her she pulled back slightly and then it changed to the thing that scared her the most. It was a body lying on the ground which Hermione knew had to be someone dead. Soon Lily gasped and then before she could even say the spell she just ran out of the room in sobs. Her friend Sapphire looked to Hermione who nodded and then ran after Lily.

The next person to go was Severus Snape. This was someone Hermione was very interested in and so she was paying a lot of attention to him.

The boggart faced him and then began to change shape from the dead body and then in front of him stood a large man. He resembled him slightly with his short black greasy hair and pasty skin. He wore muggle clothes (a t-shirt and jeans) his glare was hard and the expression on his face showed that he was a hard man.

Severus seemed stunned. He stared at the man that towered over him even though he wasn't really much taller than him. Tobias Snape was only six inches taller than Severus.

"Ri—Riddikulus!" he shouted and the man and watched as he turned into some sort of clown.

Severus looked towards his professor shakily and then moved aside. He walked towards where the other students who had gone already stood. Hermione thought stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her. "Yes, Professor?" he questioned.

"It's alright, you know, to fear" she said softly. "We all fear. But it is in our nature to have those fears simply because if we didn't we wouldn't be brave, we wouldn't have courage. Never let a fear drive you to something that you may not choose to be or that you may not choose to do if the circumstance was different" she offered him a smile and then patted his shoulder once more.

Hermione looked towards who was next and watched as Peter Pettigrew approach the boggart who began to change from shape to shape until finally landing on what appeared to be a cat. Many laughed but Peter shuddered.

"Riddikulus" the words uttered from his mouth came out stronger than Hermione would have expected but then, she had to remind herself, he was strong and he was clever.

The cat began to cartwheel around the room making everyone laugh. Hermione was slightly offended though remembering Crookshanks who had looked somewhat like this cat though not as young.

Peter stepped away and received a small smile from Hermione who felt she shouldn't be holding him already to his future.

Sirius Black stepped forward with a certain confidence that Hermione admired slightly. He seemed like Lily had before fearless but with a little more flair.

His boggart was something Hermione did not expect. His friends dead; they lay there at odd angles, James, Remus, Peter. Sirius seemed to just stare at it and Hermione saw the glistening tears willing to fall from his eyes.

"Mate, it's only a boggart" James reassured him.

Sirius nodded but still he did nothing.

"Sirius" Hermione set a hand on his shoulder. As she touched him he broke down. Hermione pulled him away and held him in her arms as he sobbed softly on her shoulder. Remus and James had stepped away and gone to comfort their friend.

"I'm alright" he said somewhat shakily, sending a grin to Hermione who shook her head.

James went back to the line, right in front of the next person in line while they waited for a thin girl with dirty blond hair to go.

When James stepped forward Hermione knew Harry was his father's son. The dark creature that emerged was a dementor. Looking at him surprised and wondering if he had ever met a dementor Hermione watched as James uttered the spell making the dementor become a rather funny looking woman with bright green hair. They all laughed and James vowed stepping away and giving Hermione a small wink. Hermione laughed and watched Remus step forward.

Hermione couldn't help but think that it had all gone a lot like it had gone in her third year because when the dementor shaped boggart began to change Hermione's thoughts went to what it would change into. Knowing that there were a few people in the classroom that were smart enough to figure it out if they saw this piece of evidence she moved in front of him before it had changed. The irony at knowing that Remus had done, in her past, the same for Harry made Hermione very aware of it.

Remus seemed very surprised at her stepping in front of him. The boggart turned into something Hermione was very surprised to see. She had not faced a boggart in quite some time and staring at it now she was very surprised.

Tom Riddle stood tall looking at her. But the thing that made her scared was when he stepped forward. She was stunned as he began to talk.

"Tsk, tsk," he said, "I wonder how they would feel if they knew why you were here. I wonder how I would use this to my advantage. You're a filthy little mudblood, Hermione. He is dead and it is your fault, isn't it? This is why you're here, to stop everything, to change everything" he seemed to smirk. Hermione was still stunned.

"Is it enough that you have so many secrets, you know so much? You want to kill me, don't you? You want to get rid of me. I'll never be gone, you know. You know it will take you a long time to find all the horcruxes and what if they find out? What if they die before you can stop it all"

Hermione was crying now, "No" she whispered, "I won't let it happen, not again"

Tom just continued, "I will have power. I will rule. You cannot stop me, Hermione Granger, you cannot, I will find out your secret, they all will. You can't hide for ever, my dear, you can't hide him forever."

"You will not win" Hermione whispered before Evan stepped in front of her.

He got rid of the boggart that had turned into another dementor and he then sent it to the wardrobe before looking to Hermione who was still shaking herself.

"I…" she looked around at all of them, "class dismissed. Thank you, Evan" with a shaky voice she looked around at all of them and then wrapping the cloak around her closer she ran to her office and closed the door. Everyone heard her sobs.

It was all a mistake to bring the boggart into her classroom. Two students not including herself had broken down, some of them had ended up a bit shaken up, and those that did well had also been affected by all the chaos.

-

-

-

In the classroom Evan had taken charge of everyone watching them as they left the classroom. The marauders were the last ones there after the last lingering student had left.

"Class was dismissed" Evan said from where he stood by Hermione's desk. He had set his notes down and was looking at them.

"I want to know if she is alright" Sirius said walking towards the door to her office and knocking.

Hermione opened it. She was a mess. "Oh, you're still here" she said softly looking at the marauders and then towards Evan. She had a tissue in her hand which she used to wipe away the last of her tears.

"Hermione," Evan ventured, "are you alright?"

"Yes," she said, "thank you, Evan. You can go, if you want"

"Yes, of course" he then, taking his notes, left.

He turned back to her as he opened the door, "You are sure you will be alright…" he seemed to have wanted to add something.

But Hermione was not focused on this. She was focused on the fact that he reminded her highly of someone. When she felt a hand on her shoulder she nodded softly and turned towards James who was watching her and then it hit her.


	7. The Order of the Phoenix

**Author's Note:**

**Here you go, Chapter seven...the first chapter to be beta'd...thanks agian to Jessie...anyways just enjoy the chapter; nothing much else to say but that school has begun. Now, I want to say something else to one of my reviews. Whoever it was, said that Hermione was strong and wouldn't have broken down like she did in last chapter but you have to look at the fact that Hermione is strong but she did go to the past and she practically lost everyone she ever loved save Harry and perhaps Remus but you'll see more of that later. **

**Anyhow, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them...how many times must we go over this?**

**Chapter Seven**

_The Order of the Phoenix_

"Lily" James called, "will you, will you go out with me?"

Lily Evans, the beautiful red haired girl that James had been bestowed upon from the moment his eyes landed on her, stared at James before saying, "No, I will not. How many times must you ask?"

Sirius Black who didn't stand far from the others laughed, "Isn't it the four hundred and fifty-seventh time?" he asked.

Lily glared at James and Sirius before she left to her dorm in a huff.

James sank down onto the couch in front of the fire, "She'll go out with me this year, I'm telling you, it will happen" he told Sirius with determination, "I will not give up"

Sirius shook his head at him, "Prongs, I'm bored" he then said looking towards where the other marauders sat working on an essay for defence against the dark arts about the unforgivable curses. They had been looking them over just the previous week; meaning that Hermione had actually used them on an enlarged spider. The imperious though, after a few laughs had escaped some of the class had needed to be shown on a human being. Evans had volunteered at once but Hermione had decided it was to be a student.

The use of any of those curses was illegal. Lily had pointed this out to their professor. Sirius remembered how well that had gone over.

"I know that very well, Miss Evans" she had said, "but unless you would like to volunteer please do not speak out of turn. Now, who wants to try it? Oh, and Miss Evans, I wish to speak to you about the magazine you are reading behind your books."

Lily had turned a deep red as Hermione began to look around for any raised hands.

Sirius had of course raised his hand as had James. For some reason though Hermione had ignored the two marauders and moved onto the Slytherin side where Severus Snape had his hand up in the air, looking determined.

"Mr. Snape" Hermione nodded in consent, "come to the front, now."

He stood up and moved to the front of the classroom. Hermione looked at him and then at his nod of approval she lifted her wand, "Imperio" she said in a small whisper.

Severus had seemed to be fighting it for the first few seconds but then he began to roll around on the ground and then he was standing and walking towards the window. Hermione made it so that he looked as if he was about the jump out of the window. It was then he finally fought it off.

"Good" she said to him. "Do you see why this curse is an unforgivable? Fighting it off takes so much concentration and it takes a bit of power. Of course with this curse you are at the power of someone else, not yourself. This is why times will be getting dangerous" she looked around the class, "how many people, if Voldemort--"

Most people in the classroom shuddered and flinched at the name.

"—come on, people!" Hermione said, "Get used to it. It is only a name. Anyhow, if Voldemort" she ignored the flinches this time, "were to be destroyed somehow, how many people would claim to have been under this curse? It is a dangerous time, we live in. You are the future."

Sirius sighed in memory of his last lesson with her. "We should go see Professor Granger. I had a few questions about the essay, anyway, and there is nothing to do here."

James seemed to think about it for a few minutes before he nodded getting up. Maybe Hermione could give him some advice on how to get Lily. He seemed to be in need of good female perspective.

Hermione's classroom door was open when they approached it. But Hermione was not seen from where they stood in the doorway. The two boys did notice that a door that probably led to her office was slightly open. They approached it and heard voices. Sirius and James didn't mean to over hear what she was saying but when they approached it they heard her say something that interested them.

"In five years the order will first be formed. In five years it will be too late. You need to start it now. He has formed his alliances. He had begun. Students here will be getting involved. As much as I hate to say it, it is true. How many of them will become death eaters? How many of them are considering it, especially with our new Potion's professor."

James and Sirius shared a look but did not move from where they stood outside her office door, in her classroom.

"Hermione" Dumbledore said in a warning tone, "he is here to be kept under my sight."

Hermione nodded, "alright then, Albus. Take it as you may but the order should be formed. I gave you a list of names of who were involved including those that ended up in probation of being spies for Voldemort."

There was a scrapping of a chair and Dumbledore was walking to the door.

James and Sirius ran for it. They went out into the hallway. James got caught up in Sirius' feet and went sprawling to the ground bringing Sirius with him. It was at this exact moment that Dumbledore came out of the defence classroom.

"Hello, boys" he said, "I trust you are here to see your dear professor?"

"Yes" Sirius said as he dusted himself. James still sat on the floor. He got up after a few minutes and they watched the headmaster leave.

The two marauders shared a grin and then they walked into her classroom once more. Hermione was now sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. She looked like a perfect mess of dust and dirt as if she had been hanging around a garden and decided to pot some plants.

"Look at you" Sirius said outraged, "do you not know where the showers are?"

Hermione swatted at him, "I do know but I was interrupted on my way to them and then I remembered that I had to deal with a certain amount of things for the headmaster." And now she looked at them with a certain surprise, "why are you here anyway?"

Sirius shrugged, "nothing else to do, really, and I wanted to ask you a few questions about the essay. Prongs here just wanted to give me a little company. I can't very well walk the halls alone, now can I? With all those fan girls trying to jump me" Sirius shuddered.

Hermione laughed. She did love having those boys around. They always made her smile. Looking at James though she noticed he was looking slightly defeated.

"What's wrong, James?"

He didn't answer.

"He asked out Evans again" Sirius said, "she said no."

Hermione knew now from having watched them as much as she had that Lily liked James. The red head just hated how James acted. Hermione had caught her best friend's mom looking at James so longingly.

"Have you ever tried not acting as arrogant as you tend to? Lily is a simple girl. She isn't someone that is attracted or impressed by your antics. She likes simple and all she wants is for you to just ask her out when not ruffling your hair, possibly alone." Hermione told him wisely.

James frowned, "I don't like simple" he said and then sat down on her desk.

Sirius laughed, "You're a marauder" he informed his friend, "of course you don't like simple."

-

-

-

Remus gave up on his reading. He had already finished all of his homework in the confines of the library, the one place his friends wouldn't bother him in.

"Hey, Remus"

Two girls sat opposite him. One was Kerri and the other a girl by the name of Dawn Dolohov. She was one of Lily's friends and a fellow seventh year Gryffindor. Kerri and she got along fine seeing as Kerri was friends with anyone and everyone.

Dawn had glossy golden blond hair with blond highlights. Her eyes were green but Remus knew from experience—he had walked into her crying after her old rabbit died—that her eyes turned blue when she cried. Her petite body made her the envy of many girls but it was much bigger attraction for the guys. Sirius Black had mentioned, many a time, how much he had enjoyed holding her in his arms during a good snog. Dawn and Sirius had dated just the year before. They had lasted more than the usual; a month.

"What have you two been up to?" Remus asked with a nod of hello to each of them.

Kerri shrugged, "Nothing really. What have you been up to?"

"Trying to get some reading done but I guess nothing good has come of staring at the same page for more than an hour" Remus gave a laugh.

"What time is it?" asked Dawn suddenly.

Remus shrugged not knowing. Kerri looked at a muggle watch that she had on her wrist and then said, "Around four" she said, "why?"

"I have to go" she stood up, "see you both later"

"That was a little odd" Kerri commented.

Remus nodded in agreement. "I don't think I'll be getting anything done, care for a walk?"

-

-

-

Lily Evans groaned. She was lying in her bed thinking about James Potter. This was something that Lily tended not to do and yet today her thoughts had strayed to the messy haired bespectacled boy. He was always pestering her. As if she didn't have enough things to do as of late she had to deal with him too. But what bothered Lily the most was that he was the head-boy. How he could have gotten the position was beyond her. Luckily though she didn't have to do everything with him, patrolling she could handle as well as planning school events. It wasn't much but it was just that he always seemed to know where she was. Lily did not appreciate his almost stalking ways.

Getting up from the bed Lily decided to take a walk to clean her thoughts. When she entered the full common room though Lily didn't know what the point was. If Potter wasn't in Gryffindor common room leaving it would mean meeting him. Maybe she could go talk to her favourite professor about the head-boy. Maybe Professor Granger could give her some advice. She seemed like the kind of teacher that would help.

Lily pictured herself asking McGonagall and shuddered at the mental picture of that not to mention the outrage that Minerva McGonagall would experience at that sort of question. Lily giggled as she walked out of the common room and out towards Professor Granger's classroom. Lily hoped that the defence professor would still be in there.

When she entered the classroom though, Lily did not expect to see Potter and Black.

-

-

-

Severus groaned. He was sitting in the library trying to finish his essay for defence but he had just been joined by someone; a very annoying someone that he would rather not have around.

"Severus" Katariina said, "What are you doing?"

"Homework" he said through the corner of his mouth, he was trying not to growl at her.

Kat giggled. Severus groaned once more and then stood up, taking his things with him. Katariina followed him, "want to go out to the lake. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"No" he growled trying to get away from her.

Kat though was not giving up. She needed to talk to him and she would talk to him, nothing was going to stop her from this. After all he needed to know something and nothing that he said was going to change her mind.

-

-

-

Hermione laughed. "But how did that happen?" she asked.

"Well, James had just asked her out when I entered the room. And I guess that she was just extremely mad at him so that she threw some spells at him. Of course after the first spell which made his hair turn a nasty shade of green James ducked and I was the one that ended up with pie on my face."

Hermione continued to laugh. Sirius who was standing next to her grinned at her; he loved her laugh.

Lily entered the room surprised to see James and Sirius there. She was about to turn back and leave when her professor called her back.

"Miss Evans, was there anything you needed?" she asked.

"I—I can come back later" Lily said, "I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You won't be" Sirius said, "we're having some fun, then again when have we ever known you to have fun."

James hit his best friend.

"Sirius," Hermione said, "That wasn't nice."

Sirius grinned at her, "it's the truth. Lily Evans has always been a nag. She never does anything fun and is always the rain on our parade."

Lily looked at Sirius and then at the apologetic looking James. She glared at them and then ran out of the room.

Hermione sighed, "Really, Sirius, was that necessary?" Hermione asked.

Sirius shrugged.

"Padfoot, you are the reason I am getting nowhere with her. It's you, isn't it? You don't want me dating her." James said and then he too left the classroom.

Hermione shook her head and then walked around her desk to where Sirius was standing. "You have to understand that he loves her. He'll still be your best friend."

Sirius shook his head, "Lily hates me. She hates us, the marauders except perhaps Remus. But you see that is the thing. Lily likes to be in control of everything. She doesn't accept things like being random or being having the kind of fun that we like to have"

Hermione laughed, "Pranks and making fun of other people. How do you explain that sort of thing, eh? She is a nice girl. I haven't known her for long but she would never try to stop your friendship would she? I think she knows how close the two of you are."

Sirius nodded even though he wasn't exactly happy about it. He was just about to change their subject onto other things when they heard running outside in the hallway. Hermione walked to the door followed by Sirius.

-

-

-

"Would you leave me bloody well alone?" Severus snapped. He couldn't believe just how annoying Kat was turning out to be. He had been trying to get rid of her for the past half hour but she wasn't giving up.

Deciding that taking it at a run might work better for him Severus shrunk most of his things so that they wouldn't stop him and then he began to run. Maybe he could get to the room of requirement and hide out until she gave up on talking to him. He could work on his spells and maybe perfect his potions in there anyway and she wouldn't be let in as long as she didn't know where he was, what kind of room he had wished for.

-

-

-

Hermione walked out into the hallway just as Severus came around the corner. He ran right into her and fell. Hermione managed to be thrown to the floor with him and began to laugh. She got up and then helped him up just as Kat was coming around the corner.

"Help me" Severus said. Right now he did not mind looking weak but he just wanted to get away from her.

"Go into my office, Mr. Snape. I needed to talk to you about something, I'm so glad you weren't late but running in the hallways is not something I will allow. Five points from Slytherin."

Hermione led him inside her classroom just as Kat neared them. She seemed to think it was better for her to just talk to him later when she saw that their professor was taking him into her classroom.

-

-

-

Dumbledore entered his office and sat down. Fawkes flew to him and landed on his knee. "Ah, Fawkes, I know she's right. But to start the order so soon, it will show everyone just how bad the situation is getting. But this would make us more prepared and if we take this in a quiet way." He sighed.

Fawkes cocked his head and then flew back to his perch. Dumbledore stood up and began to pace around his room. He knew Hermione was right. The order of the phoenix needed to be formed and soon.

He would make all the necessary arrangements for the order and then he would talk to Hermione about who would be involved in the order. While she had given him a list of who was in the order the first time, how they had died, and the ones that had ended up becoming spies he still needed her help with some of it.

-

-

-

"Come along, Severus, now I will not give you detention as long as you tell me what that was all about" Hermione told him.

Sirius was laughing on the floor, "I've never," he gasped, "seen" he let out a very girlish giggle, "him" he continued laughing but this time he was holding his stomach, "run so fast."

Hermione glared at him, "Sirius, go find James and apologise. You should also do the same for Lily and when you see her tell her I want to see her. I am rather curious as to what exactly she wanted when she came in before."

Sirius still letting out the low giggle nodded and left with a wave which Hermione returned with a smile, "That boy" she said, "he is just so silly."

Severus merely grunted and watched her as she walked around her classroom, "come now, tell me what happened. Detention with me is not something to look forward to."

Severus sighed, "I don't know what her problem is but she has been annoying me and annoying me for what seems like forever and I do not like this one bit." He looked at Hermione, "I really just don't know how to get rid of her, and you know something, I hate myself because she is going to get hurt and I don't want that."

Hermione walked towards him and engulfed him in a hug, "you can tell me anything." She said, "I can help you. Why would she get hurt?"

Hermione watched him as he just stared at her and then suddenly he was breaking down in her arms and he was telling her everything and Hermione found what was happening very odd. Here was her old professor crying in front of her. A man who had never, ever, wanted to show emotion and who didn't let anyone see him like this was just a scared teenager who was crying in his arms over a girl.

"I'm in some trouble, you see" he said "by the end of this year I will most likely be a death eater and I don't see any of this changing. And I know that if Professor Malfoy or the dark lord realise the doubts I am having that they will use her because I care about her if only as a friend because she is the only person that has ever been there for me and I think if she knew what I was that she would turn on me and I just don't want her getting too close to me."

"It's alright, Severus" Hermione said, "It is definitely alright."

But he was not even close to being done.

-

-

-

Lily had been found by James who told her that Sirius was just being Sirius but she had like always pushed him away. James was always being a prat and his friends didn't help much. She hated how great they thought they were because they could make fun of someone. They were just bullies and were not better than anyone else as much as they wanted to think themselves better than anyone else.

But it was Sirius who had come to apologise who made Lily look at them differently because she realised they weren't the bad guys. They were just obviously very annoying but they had their hearts in the right place.

"Look, I'm sorry" Sirius said, "but you can't deny that sometimes you take things too far. Anyway, Granger wants to see you. She's really great, you know and she just wants to help."

Lily nodded at him and decided that she needed to talk to her and she was most likely alone now that Potter and Black weren't with her.

-

-

-

"I also would hate to see Lily Evans hurt" Severus said, "I love her, I love her just so much and I hate how Potter treats her and I would love to tell her but she is a muggle born and if they knew she would be really hurt and I wouldn't be able to bear that."

Hermione stared at him, "I never knew" she whispered and she never had known that he loved Harry's mom. Was this maybe one of his many reasons for hating Harry, because he was her son and because he was James' son and not his?

"I want to help you" she said, "I am convincing Dumbledore to form a group so that we can begin fighting Voldemort. Students aren't allowed into this group but I might be able to actually get him to allow you and a few others in. It will depend on a test I will be making for all my seventh years in a week. The group will go on with or without Dumbledore. I want to be prepared and this can give you protection from him. I mean if you have to turn death eater you will but you will work for us. How would you feel about learning Legimency and Occlumency? I want you to be able to block your mind. I can help you with this so that in case of anything you can hide your thoughts from him."

Severus grinned at her, "that would be wonderful" he said, "I…when can we start?"

Hermione laughed. He was very eager.

"I will not have any time tonight but come on Monday and we will begin then." She said just as there was a knock on her door. "Come in, oh, hello, Lily."

Severus looked at Lily and then to Hermione, "I'll see you Monday then, professor" he said, "Thanks again but how will I get rid of her?"

Hermione chuckled, "talk to her." She advised, "That is all I can give you."

He nodded and then left.

Hermione turned to Lily, "now, what brings you here?"

-

-

-

Remus laughed. He and Kerri were seating by the lake. They had been talking about anything and everything that came to mind. He had always been able to talk to her and he really liked her but what could he do? She was his friend and he wasn't too sure that she would like him a lot if she knew he was a werewolf, he wasn't even very sure that she liked him in that way.

"Hello, Kiddies."

Remus looked up. Sirius was standing there holding his drawing book.

"What's up, padfoot?" Remus asked.

"Nothing really, I'm just bored and I decided to come out here and draw and what did I find myself but two lovebirds and little old me decided to draw them. So here I am to show you my drawing"

He opened his book and brought out a picture which he handed over to a blushing Kerri. She awed at it. Her head was resting against Remus' shoulder and she was smiling peacefully while Remus looked down at her.

"Can I keep this?" she asked, "It's just so good and I…" she didn't finish her sentence because Sirius had taken the picture and said a spell to it and then handed it back to her. Sirius was not someone to just give out his work but when he had to he would make a copy to give out and he would keep his original work though you could tell no difference.

"And now I am leaving you to yourselves." He said with a grin. "See you later, Moony, Mrs. Moony" and then laughing like a maniac, he left.

-

-

-

"I wanted some advice on James Potter." Lily said with a frown, "I really just don't like him but he just keeps on trying and it is so annoying."

Hermione giggled, "that's because he loves you" she said, "James Potter will never give up on you until he knows that there is no hope and he has a lot of hope so I wouldn't count on him giving up on you any time soon. But aren't you a little flattered that someone would go so far for you? I would be."

Lily shook her head, "but he is just so arrogant and big headed. He can't help but ruffle his hair and it just gets me so annoyed because he is just so, so annoying. He thinks everyone should bow down to him and he is always playing with that stolen snitch not to mention torturing Snape just because he can. I mean Snape can be a nasty piece of work but not to be treated as he is. I feel sorry for him. He can't have had the best home life and they make it so much worst for him and they don't even have a reason for hurting him other than the same thing they say every time, 'just the fact he exists' which just isn't fair."

Hermione smiled at the ranting girl. "Do you want to hear my opinion, Lily?"

Lily nodded eagerly.

"I think you wouldn't be so worried about this if you actually did not care for him." Hermione said, "If you did not like him, you wouldn't spend so much time analysing his every move."

"But, its just he pesters me so and when he enters a room you can't help it but look at him." Lily said.

Hermione laughed this time and stared at Lily, "do not deny your feelings for him."

Lily groaned, "I like him, don't I?" she said.

There was knock on the door and then the door opened. Dumbledore entered the room, "Hello, Miss Evans" he said and then, "Hermione, I have thought about the order and I have to say you were right. I shall need your help of course."

Hermione grinned, "That's great" she said "we can begin after dinner which is in five minutes."

-

-

-

Later that night Hermione was found slumped against a chair in front of Dumbledore's desk. It was well past midnight and they were not even close to being done with who they were allowing into the order and Hermione hadn't even brought up Severus' case yet.

"So the first meeting will be in a week, that's settled, but where?" Dumbledore said.

"How about here, at Hogwarts. I think maybe the order should include certain students, to give some protection and others because they should belong in this group. Some of them are ready. If not now maybe as the year goes on but I do believe some of the students should become involved. Severus Snape for one could become a great asset." She stopped there.

Dumbledore eyed her. "Why do you want him in the order, Hermione?"

Hermione shrugged, "he will make a great spy. He becomes one but later on and if, if I could train to become what he was earlier" she smiled, "he is a wonderful person, really, misunderstood but still wonderful. He gave up so much for the good of everything. I know it was you who taught him last time just as he taught me but the point is that I want to be the one that teaches him and becomes his mentor."

"Alright" Dumbledore said, "I will allow him to be under the protection of the order, he will not be allowed in the meetings and the other members will not know about him but he will have allegiance to the order and you."

Hermione grinned, "So, are we done for today?"

"Yes" he nodded, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Hermione nodded and then picked up her stuff and walked to the door, "You will contact all of them soon, right? I want to be here when you do."

"Of course" Dumbledore nodded.

-

-

-

Lucius Malfoy entered his classroom that Monday morning with a small smirk. Everyone grew quiet when they saw him. He possessed the power to make them pay attention to him. "Today you will be brewing, starting to brew, Polyjuice Potion. It is very complicated. Anyways the instructions are on the board. You can work alone of with partners, only three or two per group."

While everything had begun to get the necessary ingredients for that day's work Lucius had motioned Severus near his desk.

"Have you thought about it? Have you come to a decision yet?" Lucius asked.

"No, I will soon. I just haven't thought about it much." Severus said. He had always been a good liar.

Lucius nodded; "I will need an answer soon, Snape" he said in a whisper and then pushed him towards his desk.

-

-

-

Severus looked at Kat. She had been staying away from him since they talk just the night before. She still talked to him; she had walked by his desk earlier in Potions to tell him she had seen everything that had gone on with Lucius. Of course now she was staying away from him and instead she was sitting with her nose in a book by the fire. He wasn't sure about approaching her and decided it was best if he didn't and instead meet Professor Granger. He would be late if he stopped to chit-chat anyways.

"Call me Hermione" she told him the moment he entered her classroom, "I just wanted to point out that it was what I wanted. I want you to trust me and this way it is easier." She said.

Before he could say anything the apprentice whose name had escaped him entered the classroom from her office.

"I left everything you and Dumbledore will need for the order, 'Mione, anyhow I'm off to meet a girl at the Three Broomsticks. She seemed interesting; I mean she could be a great asset to our work."

Hermione laughed, "Is it…?" she asked while giving him a small punch on the shoulder and a look, "or is it someone else?"

"Someone else" he said, "I loved her, but I have to move on, don't I?"

Hermione shrugged at him. "Well go on, I have to talk to Mr. Snape here. Good bye, Ha…Evan."

Severus looked at the two of them confused. Who was Evan, really? Why had she almost called him, what ever it was that she had almost called him anyway, and why did they seem so close? It wasn't close in a romantic way but close in a brotherly sisterly way. Maybe they had known each other long before they had come to Hogwarts. Come to think of it he had never seen Evan before and he was supposed to have just graduated from Hogwarts.

Hermione looked at Severus. "Come on, we'll be doing this in my office." She said and led him through the door Evan had come from.

Her office was just like any other office he had seen. Yet there were small subtleties which he noted would never have been seen in other professor's office. Things that he knew shouldn't even be in their offices but Professor Granger was different, he knew this.

"The order of the phoenix will be formed" she said as she took a seat behind her desk. "You will not be known to many of the members but you will be under the protection of the order and you will take an oath—as will all the members—of loyalty to the order."

Severus nodded, "what will we do today?" he asked.

She gave a great sigh and then, "The basics." She said. "Before you can learn how to close your mind you must be very able to hide your emotions and feelings and be able to lie without giving yourself away."

"Alright" Severus said, "I can do that."

Hermione gave him a smile and then said, "I know you, from having watched you and I have seen that you are very able to hide your emotions but there are certain things that make you loose them and express them. The marauders and Miss Smith are these people. I cannot teach you how to get rid of all emotion. I can only tell you that you can hide them but it is much easier to get rid of them entirely and only use them when you are in a comfortable situation.

"It isn't an empty feeling being devoid of all emotion. The only way to do it is to be careless about the feeling and not want it. You need to push it back and not allow it to be you. You need to practice on your own when you feel yourself getting a strong feeling. Love, anger, and fear are such that take time to get used to being without. I could never be without my feelings so I only hide them when I need to even though I believe that it is a weakness because others will use it against you. My occlumency is different from that, I guess, but it is better to learn this way because you become very disciplined in already mastering your mind so that when you begin to close the entire of it, it does become easier."

Hermione had been taught by Severus Snape back in her own time and he had given her a speech such as the one she had just given him.

"Is that all I have to do?" Severus asked. He had been expecting something more.

Hermione gave another sigh and nodded. "There isn't much for the first few weeks. The thing is that beginning is somewhat hard. I don't have much else to teach you today but I did want to take a walk with you."

Hermione stood up just as he did. She followed him out into her classroom, warding her office as she did. "We can walk by the lake, I always enjoyed doing that."

Severus nodded wondering why they would be walking. He was a little disappointed that nothing had really happened in this so called lesson but she seemed to know what she was talking about and he knew that this was going to take a while for him to get good at occlumency.

"It's beautiful, Hogwarts, isn't it?" she asked when they reached the grounds and walked towards the lake. "The grounds and the castle" she gave, once more, a sigh.

Severus stared at her, "The grounds look better in the winter" he said lightly, "but they are passable at the moment."

Hermione grinned, "and that is how you hide your true feelings" she told him. "I know you love Hogwarts; winter or not."

Severus frowned. How could she read him so well?

"It is very obvious you love Hogwarts. I can tell it is your escape. I fear your family life may not be the greatest and while the marauders tease you and most of your house ignores you, there is really nothing you hate about it."

-

-

-

Standing on a hill, the cottage looked too small and too fragile to be able to stand on its own against the weather and yet for years it had stood there for years uninhabited. But on this glum looking Friday two people approached the cottage. One was a young woman and the other a man with a long white beard that even though he looked old seemed to have an air of being able to live for a long while more.

"This is perfect" Hermione said, "yes, it will do. How did you come upon this?"

Dumbledore did not reply for a long moment. "This is my friend's. He passed away a few years ago and since then it was left in my possession, I have never before required a need to use it but for a first meeting this shall do fine."

Hermione nodded and then looked at him, "but we are in agreement that the rest of the meetings will take place at Hogwarts?"

"Yes." Dumbledore said, "If they must."

-

-

-

The cottage was full of people, all sitting around a table in the kitchen. Hermione couldn't help but think about how in her time they had done the same. Of course back then there had been more active discussions as to the cause than now. The discussion, now, revolved around why the order was being formed and if all of them truly wanted to be there. Hermione had yet to speak but was watching with amusement as they all put in their thoughts on the matter. But as things began to get out of hand she moved from her corner of the table where she had been sitting away from the prying eyes of everyone in the room.

"There is no use in fighting amongst ourselves over a matter that can be easily resolved. Now, as Dumbledore explain this is a secret organisation that will in the end work towards stopping Voldemort. All of you here tonight are known to be working against him in a way or have beliefs that Voldemort must be stopped. If you will work for this cause and if you understand the risks—for there are risks—you will sign this paper which will set you under an oath to the order of the phoenix."

Everyone stared at her as she looked down at the piece of parchment, set it down in front of her and signed her name and then passed it to the person next to her. As everyone signed Hermione gave a grin. The order of the phoenix had begun.


	8. The Begining of Things

**Author's Note: and here we are with another chapter. I've been really busy lately and I don't know when i'll get you guys the next chapter...so keep on reviewing, if you get bored check out Time Heals, nothing else need be said, just enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them...**

**Chapter Eight **

_The Begining of Things_

At 5 am in the morning no one would really be expected to be up. The few owls returning to the owlery, most likely with a dead mouse on their beak were about the only creatures to be awake at the time. Perhaps the few animals that scurried around the forbidden forest were up as well but it was the small scuffle of feet and grunting that broke the silence around the Hogwarts grounds.

Four boys, all looking ragged and messy, walked towards the school. One of them was being supported by two others and looked as if he had been in a nasty fight with someone or something, an animal, most likely. The last one looked wary and somewhat scared. He was different from the others and anyone would be able to tell. His demeanour was different and cautious, he was much less confident than the three other boys, not that he was any less than they were.

"Open the doors, Wormtail."

Peter did as he was told and opened the door allowing them inside. It was always the same every month. It was routine, now, between the four boys ever since they found out what Remus was. As they entered the school they did not expect to find someone there, waiting for them.

Professor Hermione Granger stared at the boys for a moment and then rushed forward, looking at Remus.

"He's quite heavy." Sirius said. "Can we go to the infirmary?"

Hermione laughed and then walked with them towards the hospital wing. Remus was laid on a bed that already awaited him.

"How did you know?" Sirius asked Hermione when she and the others left the hospital wing after leaving Remus and Madame Pomfrey.

The nurse expected the boys to bring in their friend every month so she did not worry about going to get him ever since they had found out. But the moment they brought him in she would kick them out. Of course this time there had been the new professor with them which she found to be odd but Madame Pomfrey did not allow her to stay either.

"I had a friend who was a werewolf once" she said. "I could see that he was one and last night I was worried about him."

It was about a month since the first order meeting and Hermione had become much closer to the marauders. They were nearly always in her classroom, Sirius more than the others though Hermione barely realized it, she enjoyed his company as annoying as he could get.

The three boys seemed to accept this answer. "Do you always wake up at five am to see him?" she asked innocently, after a moment.

James blushed, "we…well…"

Hermione chuckled, "I don't want to know. Go back to your rooms and get some sleep. You look terrible. You are excused from my class but I shall expect to hear that you went to your next class."

Sirius gave her a hug and then a large doggish grin.

"Thank you, professor" Peter said. He was still not calling her Hermione as much as she insisted of it.

"You're welcome, Pete." Hermione said. She knew he would betray them but there was something about Peter that she truly liked and there was just no way to shut him out. He was a sweet boy who was slightly broken and she was trying to fix him hoping that this would stop his from betraying them all.

He gave her a small smile before he left after his two friends whom, yawning, had already began to walk away. Hermione smiled and then shook her head before heading back to her rooms. All she had wanted to do was made sure that Remus was in a good enough state, something that she had been wondering about for the entire night. Hermione doubted whether she had gotten any more sleep than the boys.

Hermione did not expect to find anyone in her classroom when she entered it intending to mark a few more papers from her third years. This is why when she found herself looking out at Severus and Lily she was very surprised. The two were in a heated discussion. Not a friendly one, but a discussion nonetheless. They didn't even realize she had entered the room.

"You do realize that it is five am in the morning and that you should be in bed." Hermione said.

Lily and Severus jumped, startled. But before they could say anything the door to her office opened and Evan, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and wearing pyjama pants, looked around at them all. "You seriously need to let me sleep, 'Mione,"

Hermione let out a giggle, "I'm not stopping you." She said with a laugh.

Lily was eyeing the shirtless Evan with interest while Severus rolled his eyes and looked away towards Hermione. She didn't seem fazed, just amused.

"Of course you aren't." He said with a yawn, "what time is it, anyway?"

"Five" Hermione replied, "You should head back to your rooms, and I would advise you to put on a shirt."

"Oh, yeah" he scratched his head, "I don't know where I left it." he walked back into her office.

Hermione shook her head at them. "Why are you here again?" she asked.

"Well…" began Severus just as Lily said, "I…"

Hermione gave them a shake of her head as she looked for the papers she was meaning to get marked, "Severus, go ahead."

"As you know I am under a position of not wanting to be involved with a certain group. He talked to me again. Just about fifteen minutes ago. I couldn't sleep. I generally don't sleep on these kinds of nights; anyhow, he told me I must make up my decision sooner for Halloween. He wants more people and soon."

Hermione stopped shuffling papers around and looked at him. "I will talk to Dumbledore. Stay here for a bit while I help Lily. Go ahead, Lily."

"They're gone" she said, "Potter and his friends. They haven't been back since dinner and I fear they may be up to something."

Severus snorted, but refrained from saying anything on the matter after Hermione gave him a look.

Hermione smiled softly at Lily. "You tell me you don't care and then you stay up all night worried about them. They are fine; in fact I have just gone to see them, if that will make you less worried. This is why I wasn't here when you arrived. I needed to see to them. You may go, Lily."

Lily nodded and left with a small smile on her face.

"James Potter is a prat and so are the rest of his friends." Severus said after the red head had left them.

"They are not so bad and anyway, as of late they have not been picking on you." Hermione stared at him. "Now, as for your decision, you know what it is. You will take the mark. Your occlumency has improved a lot, after all. Tell him you will take it."

Severus nodded, "what will I do then?" he asked not wanting to really know.

Severus knew what the death eaters did but only to some extent. He knew that they killed muggles for sport and many important people from the wizarding world and muggle alike seemed to disappear and they were, most likely, behind it. Severus also knew that they were for pure blood and even though he was a half-blood he needn't worry because no one knew this fact.

Hermione seemed to be thinking back to something or someone. She was thinking about Professor Severus Snape. The man she had watched, hurt and broken walk back into Hogwarts after one of the many revels and calls he received from the dark lord. Here was a boy that would go through much the same things. Lord Voldemort did not care a lot about age.

"You will play the part" she said. "I know he will hurt you because that is the way with him. I want you to come to me. Don't go to the infirmary, come to my rooms. If you can manage tell me when he calls you."

Severus nodded regarding her. She had something in her eyes. It was worry, over him. No one had ever truly worried about him and seeing her laced with worry for what would happen to him made him realize that there was someone that cared about him.

"I'll be okay" he whispered to her.

She nodded, "you're strong, one thing you must remember is that mentally you must not break to him."

Severus nodded and in impulse he walked around, towards her and took her in a hug. "Thank you" he whispered into her hair, "I think I would have died the moment I was standing in front of him."

Hermione smiled into the hug before pulling away, "You're a good boy, Severus." She said.

-

-

-

The order of the phoenix met again three days after the full moon. Hermione was not at all excited about the fact. The order had proven to be just as useless as it had been back in her own time but this time she could mold them to be what she needed them to be. Making her way to the room of requirement where they met nearly every week Hermione found that she was not going to enjoy this meeting. Nothing seriously interesting or remotely concerned with Voldemort had happened.

Hermione was the first one to arrive in the large room. With tall yellow decorated walls and a long table which seated all thirty of them. Beyond Hermione the room was empty and seemed to be devoid of any noise. Hermione liked it this way; it was very unlike the way it got once they were all there and ready to voice their opinions on some matter.

The door opened.

The young woman that entered the room wasn't someone that Hermione had talked a lot to. She was opinionated, that was for sure, but Hermione had never actually gotten to speak to her. She was just eighteen, having graduated from Hogwarts just the year before. Her name was Monica Woodfairy, it was all she knew about the girl.

"Hi" Monica said.

Hermione said nothing but just nodded and watched her choose a seat. Hermione wondered how she had gotten involved with the order because she did not remember her in the original. No one had told her about a Monica being in the order the first time around. Maybe Dumbledore had something to do with this or perhaps Harry-Evan-he had some control on the members of the order.

Turning back to Monica, Hermione introduced herself, "I'm Hermione. Of course you would know who I am but I know you only by name and I wanted to know how did you get involved with the order?"

"It was Evan Ripred, he and I met a few times and he talked so passionately about Voldemort and how much he hated him and I said I would love to help so I joined last week. I would love it if you could call me Muffie; by the way, that's what everyone calls me."

Hermione nodded and then turned away wondering if she could be trusted. The girl seemed different, there was darkness there but just something more and Hermione couldn't help but feel that she was unnaturally beautiful with jet black hair that had a blue shine and deep blue eyes.

-

-

-

"We cannot wait for him to show himself. We cannot be expected to wait for him to kill someone. There have been disappearances already, doesn't that mean something?" Hermione said.

The order had been arguing again over what to do about Voldemort. Most of them wanted to do nothing until he did something, until he showed himself outright. Hermione argued that he had already done so and that to wait was to lose time and instead that they should be sending out people on missions to figure out what Voldemort was doing.

"Yes, but what are we to do?" one of the Prewett brothers asked, Hermione wasn't sure which one and neither did she care.

Dumbledore spoke this time, "by spying and by following people around people we believe to be death eaters, it will be hard and many of you will have to commit to long weeks of doing nothing but tailing someone but that is what will allow us to know more about what is going to happen."

Hermione nodded at him. "The first thing I must bring forth is that Voldemort is a great at reading minds so no one must come close to him unless it is truly necessary. The order, for the moment, is very well hidden and we do not want word of us to reach him."

They all nodded in agreement, finally they were getting somewhere.

-

-

-

"Boys!" Hermione said in a scolding tone.

"Come on, Hermione, can't you just enjoy the day?" James asked. He was sitting on the lowest branch of a tree the five of them had come upon on their walk. "I mean it's a nice autumn day, can't you enjoy it?"

Sirius, lying down on the grass, let out a snort. "The only reason you say that is that you finally tricked Evans into going out with you."

Remus and Peter laughed while James gave a pout. Hermione just smiled enjoying their company. Hermione knew that without them she wouldn't know what to do and even though she scolded them about the things they were up to and the conversations that they often had around her she really did not know if she could even be sane if they weren't around to stop her from just sitting around with her books.

"I'm quite surprised, from having heard about your reputation that two of your mates have found themselves girlfriends but you are still single." Hermione commented after a while.

James glowed with pride while Remus took a deep red tint color to his cheeks. Sirius though laughed and then looked to Hermione.

"I don't do girlfriends" he said, "I have dates and how can I go after other girls when the one I want is right in front of me."

"Plus," added Peter, "He's already dated most of the seventh year girls except the Slytherins and then he has been with the sixth years and some of the fifth years. No one will take a dog like him."

Sirius looked indignant and turned from them as if mad.

Hermione gave a small laugh; she had wondered why the person that she knew to be a ladies man hadn't been seen with any girl during the entire time she had been at Hogwarts. He was handsome she would agree to that and sometimes Hermione felt that she liked that he wasn't dating around and then she remembered that she was his professor and beyond that, that she had no such claims on him. This was when her diary would make an appearance and she would write about her feelings for hours without ever concluding what, in fact, she was feeling.

"Alright, so explain to me, James, how you got her to say yes to you." Hermione said looking up at James.

James grinned while Peter and Sirius gave a groan. He had told them this so many times but Hermione had just recently heard of the new improvement and was very happy for James and Lily plus, she wanted to tell Evan.

"You've got him started" Remus said. "Wormtail, fancy a walk around the lake?"

Peter stood up at once and followed his friend.

"What about me?" Sirius asked in a whine but he did not make a move to get up and follow them.

"So, James, what happened?" Hermione asked.

James grinned and leaned back against the trunk of the tree where he sat on the branch. He closed his eyes, "so there I was, just sitting there, you know and I saw her walk into the room and I don't know what hit me but I just walked towards her and then I kissed her. She was rightly mad, I guess, but then I told her that she was just so kissable and I couldn't stop myself from doing it and then we were fighting. The usual thing, you know. 'selfish git' 'can't you see I love you' that sort of thing and then suddenly we were kissing again and then we were on the couch and then I told Lily I would never give up on her and that led to another fight about my stubbornness and then I asked her out and she said, 'if I must' and then kissed me again before glaring at me and leaving."

James gave a sigh and with a dreamy look jumped off of the tree, "I'm off to see her." He then ran towards Hogwarts.

Hermione laughed and then fell silent. Sirius looked at her and then stretched out on the ground. "I wonder how their relationship will go" he said. "I know Moony and Kerri are perfect for each other even though Remus refuses to say if they are together or not but now that we have discussed the love lives of everyone present but yourself I must know how is your love life?"

Hermione didn't know how she could answer this question so she stood up. "I have to go." She muttered, "I needed to meet Dumbledore, I completely forgot."

Sirius wasn't having any of it though and caught her around and waist and threw her over his shoulder.

"Sirius, set me down!" Hermione said as she hit him numerous times with her fists. He wasn't budging.

Sirius led her towards the Whomping willow and after touching the knot at the base of the tree he set her down and pushed her through the entrance to the shrieking shack.

"Now, tell me" he said, "I want to know."

"But why go to such lengths?" Hermione asked instead.

"Why won't you tell me?" he countered.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Why can't I just ask a simple question?" he replied with a grin.

"Why are we talking in questions?" Hermione looked at him perplexed.

Sirius shrugged and then, "Do you think I have any idea?"

Hermione let out a frustrated growl, "I have nothing to say really seeing as I haven't had a boyfriend since I was in my seventh year and that did not work out."

"Then why wouldn't you tell me this before?" Sirius said. "I mean it isn't that big a deal."

Hermione didn't know why she hadn't wanted to say anything either. Maybe it was because saying something about her love life would lead him to know that she had none and then it would probably go to the question she feared his name was the answer to.

"I don't know" she said then. "I do have to go though." And then she ran off just as she had been meaning to do before.

Hermione walked quickly towards her classroom. Sirius Black was getting to her and in the worst of ways. He was. What was he? Different came to mind, but that wasn't it. Thinking back to when she was in her time Hermione remembered being attracted to the older man when she was staying at Grimmauld Place before going to her fifth year. Then again she remembered staying in his room, reading his diary and finding out so much about him that had been hidden. His talent for drawing not to mention his feelings about so many different things; Sirius was a mystery. Hermione knew there was much more to be discovered in Sirius and he intrigued her but even more than that she cared for him and in more than friendly way because she knew he was like her.

-

-

-

"Do you think he went into a rant about how beautiful every little piece of Lily is?" asked Peter, "he wouldn't let Sirius and I leave." Peter shuddered.

Remus laughed. "He's probably done by now." He said

"Yeah, but you can never be so sure about that." Peter said pointedly.

Remus nodded but regardless of that the two of them headed back towards the tree they had been sitting under but there was no one there. Remus only found a book sitting on the ground which he knew to be Hermione's. Where had they gone and why? Remus took the book and decided to go to Hermione's classroom and leave it there for her.

"Peter, get the map and meet me at Hermione's class." Remus told his friend.

"I wonder where they all went off to." Peter said as he strode away, heading for a secret passageway that would lead him directly to the Gryffindor common room. This was something they had found quite recently so they were still in the process of adding it to the map.

Remus walked to Hermione's classroom but did not expect to see her on the floor in tears.

"Are you okay?" he asked running to her side.

Hermione shook her head and continued crying but she had moved a bit so that she was crying against his shoulder. "I don't know what's wrong with me" she said. "It was just a simple question" and she kept on crying.

Remus had been there for her in the future throughout a lot of things and he had become a very close friend to her so that having him as her comforter was very welcome to her and she was hugging him as if she hadn't seen him in a long time and Hermione realized that she missed this. She missed having her Remus tell her that everything was going to be okay even with everything that had happened to her; even after everything.

-

-

-

Attack in Diagon Alley

Late last night a surprise attack shook Diagon Alley and its occupants. It is believed to be the work of You-Know-Who and his death eaters. "His threat has been known for a long time but we never expected something like this to happen." says Abraxas Malfoy who was at the time buying a book in Flourish and Botts. However, now that the threat has been put in action, how is the wizarding world to respond? The Minister of Magic has made no comment and neither has Albus Dumbledore who was seen entering the Ministry this morning.

Hermione spluttered on her morning coffee and leaving everything on top of her half eaten eggs and bacon Hermione ran out of the great hall. The marauders, Lily, and Severus said this and grew worried about what could have caused her to leave the great hall as she did when usually she was one of the last ones to leave the table.

"We need to have an order meeting tonight" Hermione told Dumbledore as soon she was in his office, "Call them for tonight. Now about the attack, why didn't you tell me about it?"

"I would think you'd know." He said.

Hermione shook her head, "of course I didn't know. This didn't happen originally which means something changed and it has to do with me or Evan. Why did they attack though, what was the point of letting everyone know that they were up to something."

Dumbledore shrugged, "I don't know, we will discuss this later."

"It's started then, hasn't it?" Hermione said from the open door. "The war, I mean, it has begun."

"Yes, and it has a long time coming." Dumbledore said with finality.

Hermione walked out of Dumbledore's office knowing that she had to work quickly. Teaching would be her second priority from now on and she needed to figure out how to get close to Voldemort and then it hit her. Professor Snape had been a spy. Severus was also becoming a spy soon, could she somehow manage to get herself into the thick of things. It wasn't that Hermione didn't trust Severus but just that she knew he wouldn't be that important to Voldemort like she could be.

It was beginning and in many ways than one.


	9. The Dark Side

**Author's Note: **First of all, Dumbledore is gay! I was so surprised by the news...lol..but I guess it should have been suspected, anyhow enjoy the chapter. I have the next written but I don't know when I'll update...check out my profile, I fixed it up a little...anyhow, that's it...enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter Nine**

_The Dark Side_

Hermione wrapped her black cloak closer around her. It was getting cold outside but she didn't really mind it. September had passed quickly into October and now Hermione found herself waiting for Severus to get back from his first ever meeting with Lord Voldemort. Hermione had promised him that she would wait for him in her rooms and that she would allow him to come to her but Hermione couldn't help but worry about the seventeen year old. So there she was, standing by the gates that led to Hogwarts, hiding in the shadows.

She heard a small crack. They were here. Lucius looked around and then looked to Severus, "You did well" he said, "He was impressed with you. But come on, you need to get back to your common room. Go to Pomfrey in the morning. You have a pain potion, don't you?"

Lucius opened the gates and strode past Severus, leaving him to walk towards Hogwarts on his own. As soon as Hermione was sure the Potion's Master was long gone Hermione walked towards Severus. He was limping and Hermione could tell he was in more pain than he was allowing anyone to see. He had a bruise on the side of his face and Hermione could see blood on his robes. As she helped him walk Hermione realized that Lucius would have left him this way until the morning and wouldn't have cared what happened to him.

Death eaters really were cold and heartless.

"Hermione" muttered Severus.

"I'm here, Sev" Hermione said leading him to her rooms. Madame Pomfrey wouldn't be easy to convince on what happened to Severus and Hermione wasn't willing to go through question after question from the woman so she took him to her room and laid him down on her bed.

-

-

-

Severus woke up with a groan. He didn't open his eyes just yet but he could feel the warmth of light on his face and knew that wherever he was sunlight streamed in through the windows. After a long moment, he opened his eyes and then closed them again; he had never woken up to light shinning in his eyes, being a Slytherin.

"You're awake."

Severus turned towards the voice and opened his eyes once more. The light no longer shone in his eyes but it was still there. He looked around the room. It was nice enough with pictures lining the walls along with two bookshelves.

"What happened? The last thing I remember was entering your office and seeing Evan." Severus said.

"You passed out. I fixed you up as best as I could. I figure you'll have to go to Madame Pomfrey for your leg. I couldn't fix the ankle all that well without a potion so I think you should tell her you fell down the stairs." Hermione said, "Now tell me what happened."

Severus looked at her and then nodded. He closed his eyes as if trying to remember how his night had gone.

"You can see it" he said after a moment, "I don't think I could explain it to you."

Hermione sat down next to him on the bed and then reached towards his temples. She put her forefingers to them and then looked into his black eyes.

-

-

-

"Hello, Evan" Sirius said. "Where is Hermione?"

"Probably in her room; it's Sunday, she usually stays in there reading, you should know that." Evan said. He had forgotten all about Severus.

Sirius and the marauders had begun to spend so much time with Hermione that they were usually in her rooms with her while she graded papers. Some of the time they would work on their homework but most of the time they just talked about anything even though Hermione would berate them about it.

Sirius entered her small drawing room and looked around for her. After a moment he decided that she was in her bedroom. Sirius had never been in there but the door was open, even though he had not looked inside he knew she was most likely in there reading so he walked towards the room but stopped at the doorway. He watched as Hermione and Severus Snape sat on her bed still looking into each other's eyes. Only their breathing gave away that they were still even alive for neither moved an inch.

-

-

-

Hermione watched the memory as if she was right there following Severus.

Severus and Lucius walked briskly towards a large manor house. They entered it and while Severus was surprised at the state of the inside Lucius was not. It was a mess. The walls had chipped paint and the floors were dirty. Nothing inside the house would suggest that it was inhabited but it was, according to what Lucius had said. A few death eaters stayed there from time to time and then there was the dark lord who was there for every meeting.

The room in which Lord Voldemort and some of the other death eaters already were in was the cleanest in the house though it was unfurnished except for the large throne like chair that sat next to the fireplace; it was this throne which Voldemort sat upon.

"Ah, Lucius," he hissed. "This is Severus, I take it?"

Lucius nodded and then gave a bow before walking away towards the other end of the room where there was a space for him. Severus was left in front of Voldemort who had stood up.

"Severus." He said in a low whisper, "Are you loyal to me? Will you be willing to die for me?"

"Yes, my lord," replied Severus, bowing his head.

"You need to pass a test before you take the mark." He said to Severus, then turning to another man among them he said, "Bring me the prisoner."

He was hardly dressed, rags covered his body and he had blood on his back from what must have been a punishment of some sort. Severus did not show his emotions of disgust and hate for the people that had done this to the man but instead he looked at him passively for a moment before turning back to Voldemort.

"Hurt him." Voldemort said. "He was the senior assistant to the Minister of Magic; he has given me the information needed. You will hurt him and then kill him."

Severus was a mess inside. This was taking another life, a human life. How could he do it? He had never expected this to happen so soon. He hadn't been prepared for this. Hermione hadn't prepared him for this. She hadn't expected that he would need to do this on his first time here.

"Cru…cruc…crucio"

Nothing happened except the man falling back and hissing in pain when his lashed back hit the floor.

The death eaters laughed. Who it was at, Severus didn't know but he just looked down at the man and tried the spell again but nothing happened. He didn't want to hurt this man, what had he done to him?

"Lucius, you said he had backbone, that he could do this." Lord Voldemort said.

"He does, my lord," Lucius said, glaring at Severus.

Severus did not move and just watched as Lord Voldemort got out of the throne like chair and then walked towards him, his wand in his hand.

"Crucio!" he shouted.

Severus writhed in pain; he whimpered at first and then-after a moment-let out a scream. His body felt like it was being trampled by a large animal, there were needles being pushed in and out of his body and he felt as if death would be welcome.

Voldemort let the spell die down and then he motioned for a death eater to bring Severus to his feet. Voldemort pulled hard, then, on Severus' left arm. He moved the robes out of the way and then moved his thin, cold, pale fingers along Severus' skin. His wand was then pressed against the newest recruit's forearm.

Severus let out a long hiss. His whole arm felt like it was on fire and he felt as if a hot poker was being pressed to his skin. He screamed when the pain intensified but then it began to die down. A small throbbing still stayed with his arm but it felt better than before. The dark mark burned black and stayed that way for a long while. His skin had a red tinge near the mark and his arm looked slightly pink all throughout.

"Have fun with him." Voldemort said before dropping Severus' arm and heading back to his chair.

Severus fell to the floor with a thud, he grasped his throbbing arm. His whole body hurt, however it was all going to be getting a lot worse. This happened to everyone on their first time. It was a sort of initiation rite. Severus was beat up in the worst ways possible. Not only was it with magic but muggle combat.

-

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-

Sirius watched as Hermione pulled away. She was crying now. "Go back to sleep, Severus, I'll be back later. I cannot believe they did that to you. Just sleep for now, I'll take you to Madame Pomfrey later. I shall need to speak to the headmaster; I haven't had a chance yet."

Hermione then stood from the bed but before she could turn around Severus had taken her hand.

"I didn't show you what happened after they began to beat me but he said something more. He told us about his want to take over the ministry of magic. He is already planning something. He has spies in the ministry. It's turning bad, isn't it?"

Hermione nodded, "I shall inform the order, I really wish you didn't have to do this, I wish I could take your place. I would rather not see you this way. Anyway, go to sleep."

Hermione turned and jumped. Sirius still stood there looking at them.

"Couldn't knock, could you?" she asked.

Sirius just shrugged, as if it was of no matter.

"Well, come on, we can go out to my living room." She said, pushing him from the door and then closing it behind her.

"Why was he in your bed?" Sirius asked the moment they were out of the room.

Hermione said nothing for a moment instead she went to a window that looked over Hagrid's hut. She had yet to visit Hagrid, maybe that would make for a good afternoon.

"He is here because he is badly hurt. I did not feel right taking him to Madame Pomfrey for fear that she would wonder about why he was so badly hurt. He has been taking extra classes from me and I have a soft spot for him. I was once very much like him, isolated from all others. I have taken a liking to Severus Snape and he has been working with me on some business. What you heard today, Sirius, is of none of your concern, regardless, you heard what he said and you must have guessed what he meant by it." Hermione said.

Hermione looked at Sirius and he nodded, he did guess at what they had spoken. Voldemort was involved somehow and if he didn't know any better Snape was a death eater, but he didn't voice this.

"Voldemort has spies in the ministry and he wants to take over it. How does he know this?"

Hermione smiled. "Sirius, did you know Lucius Malfoy when he was in school here?"

"Just in passing, I know he married one of my cousins." Sirius said.

Hermione nodded, "Yes, Narcissa. I heard the same. Now, Lucius Malfoy is a not so known death eater. Money will get him everywhere with the ministry. He is probably here under orders from Voldemort. Now, the thing is, he and Severus had a disagreement. Severus does not want to become a death eater. Last night Lucius and Severus had a bit of a fight and he came to me afterwards which is the reason he is here.

"Anyhow, Severus heard something afterwards. I am guessing it was some sort of meeting and that is how he came to tell me what you heard. Now, I want you to keep this quiet because we do not need the entire school finding out that Severus was hurt by a professor and for that matter that Lucius is a death eater.."

"As long as you can answer something," Sirius said. "Does Dumbledore know he is a death eater?"

Hermione nodded, "he has no proof to apprehend him and if he did there would be no point. Lucius would be able to get out of anything with money and it is better to keep an eye on him. Now, go on, I am heading to talk to Dumbledore and then I shall be in a meeting with some people about this matter.. I shall be at Hagrid's after lunch, will I see you there? Bring the others." Sirius nodded and then headed out of the room.

"Why did you tell him so much?"

Hermione turned and found Severus leaning against the door. All of his energy seemed to be going to keeping himself upright. Hermione led him back into her bedroom.

"Do you want him asking questions? Maybe looking into things far more than if I had given him something? Stay in bed, will you? At least until I am back from Dumbledore's office."

Severus nodded.

-

-

-

"Hey, Padfoot, what's the matter with you?"

Remus had been sitting outside by the lake thinking about the upcoming full moon and the future when he had seen his best friend just walk out onto the grounds with a deep thoughtful look.

"Nothing, I just, I don't know.." He said and flopped down next to Remus.

"Is this about a certain professor of ours?"

Sirius stared at Remus open mouthed.

"It is isn't it?" Remus asked, a smirk playing on his lips. "I know you like her. I can see it, I mean in class you are always just staring at her and you are always finding a way to go see her. I get it, but she's different from other people and I see it, she's a bit like you. I won't tell you that you shouldn't pursue anything. I mean you are a student and she is a teacher but I know she cares about you if only in a friendly way."

-

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-

"I would never ask you to do this. In fact I do not ask you to do it now." Dumbledore said.

Hermione frowned at him. "I will do it. I don't expect the order to accept my decission but that is of no such matter."

Hermione had just told Dumbledore everything she had learned from Severus as well as her plan to become a death eater. Dumbledore wasn't exactly overjoyed with her plans and had expressed it to her many times.

"I want to do this." Hermione said. "this will further our advances with the order, I can be the greatest death eater, his right hand, Severus will not get to this possition until the second war and even then it is at your death. I on the other hand, I'll have more luck. Severus will never be trusted until he is out of Hogwarts, until he has killed."

Dumbledore said nothing for a long moment. When he spoke again it was to say, "bring it up with the order at the meeting. I will not tell you that it will be easy to get them to your side or that you shouldn't do it if they don't want you to but it would be better to have them on your side. The order will not take your word or plans well if they do not trust you."

"I know that." Hermione said, thinking back to how the order had treated her in her time.

"Okay. Now, what were you saying before about Caradoc?"

-

-

-

A week later Hermione stood, looking at the order members, waiting for approval or doubt about what she wanted to do. Already she could see their expressions, most of them did not approve of her decission but that wouldn't matter.

"How can you think to do this?" Muffie asked. "It would be a terrible thing to back you into the death eaters, it will make no such difference."

"It will make a difference." Hermione said. "I'll be a spy and I will get some things done.."

"I think this is a great idea." Caradoc said. "How are we to know what he is planning if there isn't a death eater giving us information? I would go myself if I was qualified for the job."

"Thank you." Hermione said, smiling, "I do not look for your approbation, I will do this regardless. I wanted only to be honest about my intentions."

No one said anything else after this. Hermione looked towards Evan and then she left the room.

-

-

-

Lucius Malfoy would always hold his father in high esteem, his father had been his hero growing up, it was just that simple; he loved his father so when the news that his father had died of a heart attack upon hearing that his wife was having an affair Lucius had gotten pretty upset.. This was the main reason Lucius found himself in Malfoy Mannor yelling at his mother, a woman he hadn't, in the least, trully cared about. Mrs. Malfoy wasn't mother material. Lucius had been raised by a nanny while his mother ignored him and went out with her friends. His father had taught him everything Lucius knew when he had time. Malfoy enterprises was always in need of Abbraxas Malfoy.

"How could you?" He asked his mother.

"You think he was loyal to me?" she asked.

Lucius said nothing, he didn't really feel like arguing but his father was gone and he was now Lord Malfoy and as good as it felt to be the one in charge he missed his father and his mother was at fault.

"I don't care if he was, you can very well move out of this house, I expect you out in a week."

His mother shook her head, "but the will hasn't been read yet, dear, you'll soon see you cannot easily kick me out."

Lucius frowned. His father had always been very stubborn about marriage; Lucius expected his father to have put some sort of clause on his will so that Lucius had to marry before being the true owner of the Malfoy properties. His mother was probably in charge of everything until this happened. Maybe he could contact Narcissa, she was always pretty enough and smart enough for him. However the first thing he had to do was listen to the will.

-

-

-

"When will you do it?"

"Do what?" Hermione barely looked up from her papers.

"Get involved with the death eaters, of course." Evan said.

Hermione did not answer and just gave a shrug, it was at this moment that Remus and James walked in. James was grinning from ear to ear.

"Hogsmade today." he said.

"Then what are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

"Why, we were here to get our favorite professor. Sirius is out with Dawn today, as friends really, they always go together on the first visit to Hogsmade. I'm going with Lily and Peter is stuck in detention so poor old Moony has no one, his girlfriend went home for the weekend, he needs some companion so why not you. In the past week you have been working a lot."

Hermione sighed, but they were right, ever since the meeting the week before she had been working on ways to get into the death eaters as well as other stuff.

"I'll come." she said. The two boys grinned. Hermione smiled at them slightly. "I'll go get my cloak." she told them and then walked towards her office.

-

-

-

"So what's got you so thoughtful?" Remus asked.

"Nothing, really, when you think about it, but, I don't know, I just have a lot to do. You know it's getting darker and darker out there and Voldemort is rising and there is just so much I have to do and..." Hermione stopped talking, "do you think we could go in there?"

The Hog's Head was just as Hermione had remembered it. It was dark and dirty and nearly empty save for a witch in the corner of the room, the barman who was undoubtedly Dumbledore's brother, and two other men. One of them sat, hooded by a corner, just watching everything that was happening. The other had just entered and was talking to the barman.

"Oh, hello, Professor Malfoy," Hermione said. "fancy seeing you here."

"Granger" he muttered, "I do not need you to annoy me today."

"And I thought you just liked my company." Hermione smiled at him, "I heard about your father, its too bad. I'm sorry this happened to you. Now, I wanted to talk to you about something that I found slightly interesting during dinner two nights ago." she looked throuhg the window to Remus who stood outside waiting for her. "I never knew you had a tatoo, especially one of those. I want to make a propossision, I want to join him. I've been looking for a way in but its hard, anyhow I want in."

Lucius eyed her, "do you really think you could handle this?"

"Yes." Hermione said. "I've gone throuhg a lot this will be a peice of cake."

Lucius gave her a glare, "so you say, I don't think you're loyal to him, anyway. I will talk to him about it but I wouldn't expect anything less than death."

Hermione stood up and glared at him, before walking out of the pub. She was finally getting somewhere. Hermione had been trying to find a way to end up talking to Lucius but every time something came up or someone else was around but this time it had worked perfectly.

-

-

-

James smiled at Lily. "You know, this wasn't so bad." he said looking down at his coke. "the bubbles and everything, it's different."

Lily grinned, "I knew you'd like it. Now, can we go somewhere else?"

"Of course." James said. "You know, I wanted to talk to you about something. Have you noticed how much time Sirius spends talking about Hermione or wanting to go see her? I was wondering if maybe he had some sort of crush on her."

"Oh, yes, of course she does." Lily said. "I think Hermione likes him too, I mean she hides it well but there are times in class when she just stares at him."

James smirked, "maybe we could get them together, do you think that could be possible?"

Lily nodded, smiling. A plan was already forming in her mind.

-

-

-

"Could you just shut up for one minute!" Dawn said, twirling her blond hair around her finger.

Sirius glared at her, "what?" he asked.

"It's just I don't want to hear about you and whoever it is that you are talking about now. Sirius, I love you and everything but you are being insuferable now stop talking, will you? I'm trying to stop thinking about what happened last year."

Sirius shut up. He couldn't believe he had been acting like such a, well, a dog.

"I'm sorry, Dawn" he said. "I was, oh, being me, that's all."

Dawn nodded and gave him a small smile. Her smile was somewhat sad and held back, she wasn't truly happy. Back in their third year Sirius had saved Dawn from what could have been one of the worst things to happen to a young woman. Her boyfriend of the time, Derek Green had gotten mad at her because she had told him to stop with the show of affection. He had hit her and she had fought back for as long as she could.

His pants had been down to his ankles and he was already on top of her when Sirius stepped in and hit him, taking Dawn to the hospital wing and staying with her until she was allowed out. Dawn was like a sister to Sirius and since that day they had become much closer than before. He had started going to Hogsmade with her on the first visit of the yer every year since that night. No one other than the two of them, Derek, the nurse, and the headmaster knew what had happened.

"So, you were going on about a girl, anyone I know?"

Sirius thought about telling her, maybe he should, but he didn't know if having a crush on your professor was something that you could tell to anyone. Maybe not.

"No, you don't know her." he said.

-

-

-

Hermione and Remus walked on in silence until they arrived at the three broomsticks. The two of them walked to the back of the pub and then Hermione stood up and got them butterbeers. When she sat down once more Hermione looked at Remus, truly looked at him. He was very different from his friends and already he knew a bit about her. He was the closest one to knowing about her past; his future. The night he had found her crying Hermione had wanted to tell him everything but in the end she had changed her mind, but now, maybe she would tell him. It wasn't that she had no one else to talk to, no, it was just that Harry was always busy and Dumbledore wouldn't understand.

"Can I tell you something?" she asked.

"Of course." Remus said, "is everything alright."

Hermione looked at his worried expression. Yes, he would be the only person she could tell, he had been a friend in the future, and he was a friend now, and she needed someone she could talk to. He was like family already and she hated hidding things from him.

"Hermione" Remus said, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah?"

"Why do I find such a calming presence when I'm around you?"

Hermione looked at him. "I'll tell you as soon as we go back to my classroom. Remus, I don't know why but I feel as if I have to tell you this. I could tell so many people, including Severus but it is you, I will tell. I need someone other than Harry, other than Dumbledore to rely on."

The butterbeers were finished within moments, both wanting to get back to Hogwarts as fast as they could. The two of them walked out of Hogsmade talking about things like quidditch and how much James had exprssed his love for lily in the past week.

"So, how is Lily taking it?" Hermione asked, as they neared the gates.

"She yells at him, still, but deep down you can see how much she actually likes him." Remus laughed, "you know who those two remind me of?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Have you ever read _Pride and Prejudice_?" he asked. "I want to tell you something about James and Lily. James was very hard to impress when he first got here, and I guess it was Sirius and I who got him to the place he is today. Now, James didn't like Lily, he thought she was just a silly girl, I guess he was sort of jealous when Sirius began spending time with Dawn. They dated for a little while. Anyhow, he broke them up and then he began liking Lily. Doesn't it sound a little familiar.."

"Yeah" Hermione agreed, opening the door to her classroom. "Now, however, we should change our subject. I have quite a few things to tell you."

-

-

-

Katarina watched as Severus worked on his potion's homework. They were sitting in the library together. Severus doing a great job at not paying any attention to what Katarina was saying.

"So then she just looked at me as if I was crazy or something."

Severus looked up, he had, had enough. "Can you please just shut up?" he asked her, "tell me what you want"

Katarina moved her chair closer and pressed her fore finger to his chest, "you, Severus Snape, I want you." she said, huskily.

Severus opened his mouth to speak and tell her something but he felt a small pinch and then searing pain. He gave a small gasp and looked at Katarina.

"I, I have to go." he said, standing up. He left his books and just ran to Hermione's classroom.

-

-

-

A knock on her door made Hermione frown, she hadn't been expecting anyone. She had just opened her mouth to tell Remus and an interruption just had to happen. Severus ran in not seeing Remus.

"I need my robes." he said. "He's calling me again."

Hermione gasped, "that means Lucius will be here soon." she said, "go into my rooms."

Remus watched this in confusion.

"Keep your mind closed, start practicing, I'll test you in a second." Hermione called to Severus, "grab one of my black robes." she then turned to Remus. "I want to see you tomorrow. I'm afraid that I will need to explain to you more than I had thought I would have had to, however, I do not want you repeating this. All shall be explained, do not think wrong of me."

Severus had his black death eater robes on, holding his mask in his hands. He handed Hermione her own black cloak before walking to the door.

Remus had yet to leave, he was picking up his things.

"Legillimens" Hermione said. She saw nothing. "Allow him to see a few things, he must not know you are good with occlumency. I'll see you soon. You must not show anything when you see me, I will do some things that I wish you would not have to see."

Remus listened to all of this confused, he watched Severus left the room and before he had even walked to the door there was a knock. Hermione opened it.

"Professor Granger." He said, "as per your request I am here to escort you to him."

"Yes, of course, you work quick, don't you." she said.

Lucius hadn't spotted Remus so he stayed in the classroom and just watched as they left, he was very confused but knew that he would know what was happening soon enough.

-

-

-

Lucius took Hermione by the forearm once they were out of school grounds. He apparated the two of them directly in front of a small, broken down house. Hermione looked at it, this was different from the house Severus had shown her. Maybe he met them in different places every time. She walked next to Lucius, and as they neared the door her throat got dry and she didn't know if anything would happen to her.

The house unlike the outside was different though and Hermione recognized it, she was in the same place Severus had been taken to. When she and Lucius entered the other room everyone turned towards them.

"Bring her forward." Voldemort said.

Lucius left Hermione standing right in front of Voldemort, in the middle of the circle. She had just stepped into darkness.


	10. Harry Potter

**Author's Note:**

I've been really busy lately so I'm really sorry for the lack of updates but what can you do. Now I want to adress the Hermione Death eater thing before I continue. I think that maybe a lot of you, or at least some of you aren't too happy with her choice but I don't believe that people's choices are always right and that sometimes people have to do things that they don't want to. I guess I'll leave it that, take it how you will it is something I planned from the begining. I will also be adding many pictures to my profile soon, one for every chapter so look forward to that...there might also be a change in title...I've been busy, like I said. Enjoy the fic and happy holidays...you'll probably get another post before christmas, to those of you who like Draco/Hermione fics I am currently in the process of writing one with one of my friends. The prologue will be up tonight...

**Disclaimer:**

I own nothing but the plot and perhaps my christmas tree...happy holidays!

**Chapter Ten**

October 27th 1977

Remus came in, earlier, he was in some sort of frenzy, I guess. He mentioned Hermione before leaving the room once more and I began to worry, you know, because you worry when your best friend mentions the name of the person you are confused over, I like her, I think. Am I in love with her? I never really expect things to go that far, however, I guess they could go to that level. I mean she's wonderful, just wonderful. Beautiful and just, I don't know perfect. I love that she is so different and that she's older and I guess that's part of the reason, I'm not sure. Every other girl I've tended to date has never really been anything new and I guess it might be something to do with that diary, I'm not entirely sure, but when I saw it, looking exactly like my old one did, I just couldn't help but wonder about it, because, you know, I'm into that kind of thing.

I still haven't figured out what Remus was on about, its really bothering me, so here I am sitting in my bed, wearing only a bath robe over my boxers, writing in this dratted notebook. I hate Regulus. I miss my old diary, I wonder what old Regulus did with the diary, I really don't like the idea of not having it. I wrote so many things in there, oh, alright, not many. So, anyhow here I am sitting alone in the room and I can't help but wonder as to why I, Sirius Black, would be the one stuck in my room at eight o'clock on a saturday. Dawn had gone off to find Lily, who I knew was off somewhere with James. Peter was out on his date still, they were probably both giggling and blushing about something, what else could be expected of wormtail, afterall? As for Remus, I expected he was somewhere with Kerri, which was good for him though sometimes I felt a little odd about how Hermione sometimes felt more comfortable with Remus than the rest of us.

Some time ago I found her staring at James with this longing expression, it was a little odd, but what can you do? She also looked at Lily the same way and this one time while she was hanging out with us in her classroom, she sort of had a far away look in her eye and she was glaring at Peter, she muttered something and I don't know but after a moment she looked at me and then Remus and she was smiling.

So I'm listing everything that I find odd about one Professor Hermione Granger, and I can't help but think that I barely even know her. I don't even know what she is doing right at this moment, the wonders of what. Maybe she's somewhere hanging out with someone like Professor Malfoy for all I know, or Evan.

I personaly don't like Evan. He's an okay guy in reality but I just hate how close she is with him, too close in my opinion, and that is saying something, isn't it? I mean you can't become that friendly with someone you've just met unless you knew them previously or, and this is something I will refuse to believe, she is together with him. And yet, I don't know, maybe he's just a really good friend kind of like James and I became extremely good friends within minutes of knowing each other. I guess that could happen.

[bOoo, a new journal. Just snatched you out of dear Padfoot's hands, I guess I miss his journal, I always found fun in it, afterall. So, I might as well relate my dare to you, dear Siri's diary, Lily was wonderful, so beautiful my Lily flower is, I will always enjoy being around her. The fact that now she is much more accepting of me, it means a whole lot to me. Oh, look, Remus just walked in. He's looking a little odd but as far as I know the full moon isn's for a while. Sirius asked him what's up but Remus just went to bed, probably pretending that no one is around. He loves playing his little games.

Anyhow, the date was wonder...[/b 

Oh, he'll get to continue later, and I fear then it will be orally, oh what woes will fall upon me. I'm kind of glad that James got the girl. He and Lily sort of deserve each other and I am just so glad that things like these can happen even with a lunatic like you-know-who out there.

October 28th 1977

She wasn't at breakfast. Hermione, I mean, and she never showed up. I knew something was up when I looked towards the Slytherin table and I saw a very sickly looking Snape. Remus, too, looked pale, and while he didn't know where she was I expect that he knew something, suspected something perhaps. He went off somewhere five minutes into lunch, I still don't know where he is, he took the map with him. He probably doesn't want any of us looking into it. James asked me to go to the library with him to finish his homework for some class or other, why he is dragged me along is beyond me, what can I do to help him? So I am here, just writing in the old journal, well, no, I'm writing in the muggle notebook that is subjecting to being my substitute journal until I find the other one...I wonder how long it will take...

Anyway, I want to go see Hermione, I don't know but I think I should go see her, there isn't anything else to do and I feel as if she may be in some trouble, I'm not sure, I have slight problems. Maybe I just want to see her. Oh, who knows.

It's later, I went to see her, okay, and no one answered the door so I'm suspecting that she isn't there. Oh, well. So I went outside, and its kind of cold out here but its also kind of nice, but what am I doing dicussing the weather? That's when I saw her. I think her name's Monica, I'm not sure. She was walking with Evan, and I don't know why but when I spotted them I felt like walking around the lake myself, and I started just walking around, then I got as close as I could to them and began listening to their conversation. Here's how it went:

Monica: How is she?

Evan: Fine, I expect she'll be better by tonight, she was in a bad state when she arrived. I wish she didn't have to do this.

Monica: Yeah, but it was her choice. I don't feel right having her do this for us.

Evan: She doesn't care, I think, I don't know but I don't think she cares too much for the order, I mean she's shaping it in a way she wants it but I can see how much she seems to just do things herself and keep so many secrets. I wonder sometimes if maybe she hasn't begun doing something else secretly. Who's to say she will tell us everything she gets at the meetings?

Monica: Can we stop talking about Hermione? I'm tired of the topic, I wanted to know what you though about my idea.

It was at this time that Kerri and Dawn walked up to me and the conversation drifted. I guess it isn't that interesting, I will admit to that, but Hermione was hurt? She was also up to something, it made me think and want to do something about it. I hated to know that she had gotten hurt and I hadn't been there to stop it from happening, so maybe I do love her, as for now, I am off to lunch.

Octobr 29th 1977

I finally saw her today in class. She looked a little pale and there was just something different about her. I stayed after class, this is how everything went:

Me: Hermione?

Hermione: yeah?

Me: are you okay? You look a little pale.

Hermione: (shakes head) I'm fine, I have a cold, otherwise I am fine.

Her eyes seemed to give something away, I don't know but there was just something there and it made me slightly worried. She gave me an excuse to go at this point so I ended up leaving but, I don't know I think there's something there...off to draw.

-

-

-

Hermione gave a great sigh, she couldn't believe this was affecting her in such a manner. Never had taking a life hurt her so much. From the moment she stepped into her rooms with Severus she had known something in her had changed. It was only that it had never happened before. Hermione had killed before, once. It had been a kill or die sitution and she had choosen to live, she had killed. The man then had been a faceless death eater, she never found out who it was and now, she had killed a muggle woman and she was taking it harder than before. Would being a death eater kill slowly?

On that Saturday day when standing in front of Lord Voldemort, Hermione had been questioned, many of her answers now escaped her and she didn't want to think about it, but she had been reasonable to his cause. He seemed to have enjoyed her answers for the most part and Hermione found herself being liked by him. But then her test had come, this was what had changed everything.

"You will kill her." he said.

A young woman, muggle, no doubt, looking as if she was around Hermione's age was thrown to the floor at Hermione's feet. She had bruises, cuts, and wore dirty, soiled clothing. At some point she must have been pretty but now she looked older than her age, and in terrible pain, she was crying.

Hermione frowned upon seeing her and then braced herself. The words slipped from her mouth without feeling but deep inside her a peice of her heart died.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The woman fell, let go of her misery but missing life.

Hermione made her emotions go deep inside herself and waited while Voldemort considered her.

Hermione shook herself, she needed to stop going back to that moment, hadn't she been the one that wanted to do this? Had this been a mistake?

-

-

-

The strange face reflecting back at him from the water made Harry, at first, jump. Even though he should have been used to it, it still confused him, seeing Evan when he used to see glasses, green eyes, and a scar. He gave a sigh, he hadn't really thought about his plan since it was first formed. Get to the past, that had been all that ran through his mind. Figuering it all out had taken him months. Amelia had been very helpful in that font. So had Muffie, for that matter. She had been very crucial to the plan. If it hadn't been for her, he could very well be dead, so would Hermione, and everyone else. He gave a second sigh, this time joined by a groan. Three people alone knew how he had come to be in this time, and he had debated on whether to tell Hermione about it, the thing was he didn't want to tell her because she probably wouldn't like that he had changed so much and that he was hidding the prophecy from her which he knew she had to figure out herself.

He leaned back onto the ground so that he was now lying there on the mossy grass just staring at the light blue sky. His eyes closed and he moved his arms to be folded underneath his head. He continued thinking and analyzing how he could explain to Hermione, at least his part of the story. First he should begin to peice together what had happened and for that he needed to go back to a night just a few months before.

-

-

-

June 2003

Harry Potter could be called many things, some of those things would include the-boy-who-lived, and the chosen one but he had never been called a coward. However, as things stood Harry didn't know how everything was going to end up being figured out. It was on a late night that he found himself trying to fall asleep but having problems with it, maybe it was his position on the bed, or perhaps his thoughts were driving him insane, it didn't matter, sleeping just wasn't comming to him, and so, rather than to stay in bed and consider why he wasn't in the land of dreams Harry got up. The bed gave a small creak. A woman lying next to him opened her eyes.

"Harry?" she asked.

"Go to sleep, Amelia, I'll be right back."

Amelia nodded, sleepily and went back to sleep. Harry walked out of the room and continued walking around the flat. His mind wandered and he didn't know why but he was uneasy, it was as if something was happening to him, and then he looked towards a painting and a woman motioned him towards her. She was somewhat familiar but Harry wasn't sure about who she was.

"He wants to talk to you. Dumbledore does." She said. "He's waiting in his office."

Harry looked at his watch. It was well past midnight. Sneaking into Hogwarts wouldn't be that hard. He wasn't doing anything anyway, and he had been sort of expecting something like this. Harry rushed to his room, pulled on some jeans and shirt and then his shoes, he didn't bother with a cloak, it would just bother him and it wasn't like it was terribly cold outside.

He apparated. Hogwarts looked much different than how he liked to remember it of his school days. Now the magic was gone, it was a sullen and lurid place and he didn't really like it much. He opened the gates and continued on, walking towards the door to the castle. He then headed up to the seventh floor and to Dumbledore's office. All the pictures were empty save for Dumbledore's. He walked towards the man that had been his mentor, they hadn't spoken like this in a year.

"Harry" Dumbledore said. "it's good to see you."

Harry smiled, "you needed to tell me something?"

"Yes. Harry I am very sorry for ever trying to hide everything from you but I have always felt that you needed at least some normality in your life, I guess I was slightly wrong in that, however I hoped you had gotten this information earlier, but now it is up to me to tell you what I guess you have been dreading.

"You are a horcux, and I am sorry to say that you must die to kill him."

"How do I kill someone once I am dead." Harry asked.

"You will die in all aspects of dying, bodywise but, you see, there is something that will happen, Voldemort will not die if you don't die but he will be killed by you, the thing is when he kills you, in essense he is killing the horcrux so that you, Harry, still live but you will come back in a different body, this is to your advantage but there is something you must know, Harry."

Harry frowned, he hoped the news weren't overly bad. However nearly everything Dumbledore kept from him was bad.

"About, I guess, 1977 maybe 1978 a prophecy was made. Yours came later however this prophecy never was proven to happen and neither was a named attatched to it until your first year at Hogwarts when one wonderful young lady started her magical education. The prophecy called for a girl of great knowledge, she would defeat the dark lord when he was at the height of power. However he was not defeated at his height of power, 1980, but he was stripped of body in 1981 so the prophecy went unthought of until Hermione arrived at Hogwarts, you see she has a certain something that is clear to anyone that studies her and she fit the description, her birthday, her parentage, everything. So I wondered if he could have another height of power but then a date was mentioned, 1980.

"Harry, the two of you need to go back in time. However she must do it on her own and she shouldn't know about the prophecy until she hears it herself, there is someone that will help you, a friend of mine who has been working for the order. Monica Woodfairy."

Harry stared at him, "let me get this straight, Voldemort has to be defeated by Hermione and myself, and it must happen around the time I am born, and I have to die to kill him but then how will I go back? If I come back in a different body will everything else be different? My feelings, how I think."

Dumbledore nodded, "sadly, you will lose some of your feelings, it is for the better, you see in this different body you won't conider James and Lily your parents, you won't really remember your girlfriend or for that matter anyone other than the people you need to focus on like Hermione. This will make everything easier in a way for you, you will need to see Monica about all of it, of course, she will help with the time-travel and how to set things, Hermione needs to figure out things by herself, and I think that's really it. One thing you must remember thought is that once there neither of you could ever return."

Harry nodded, sighing. He walked away from the painting and began to pace, "where can I meet her?"

"Monica?"

"Yes, I need to see her." Harry said.

"She is currently working in the leaky cauldron, you could probably find her there...I guess that is it, good luck."

Harry said nothing but just walked out the door, he wouldn't go see Monica that night, it was too late, he would go home and try to sleep and in the morning he would go see her but Harry didn't really want to go through all of this for the destruction of the dark lord, in fact he didn't want to think about leaving his girlfriend, Amelia, not when he had finally found someone, neither did he want to leave his daughter much less forget her.

-

-

-

The next morning, however, Harry found himself heading to the leaky cauldron to find Monica. He hadn't said anything to Amelia but instead stayed up the rest of the night before, watching his daughter, Emily, sleep. It had been rather hard thinking about not seeing her everyday and missing out on so much but it had also been hard to imagine a world where his daughter could die at any moment because of Lord Voldemort. But if he went to the past she wouldn't exist. He had confused himself greatly with thinking about the changes that would happen. But now he walked into the pub which had been the first real magical place he had set foot in. The Leaky Cauldron had only a few occupants, generally this was the case of any place in the wizarding world lately but it was emptier than usual.

Two men sat in the back, both dressed as muggles discussing the ministry of magic from what Harry managed to hear. A woman sat at the bar conversing with Tom, and a couple sat close together feeding each other breakfast. Harry walked towards the bar.

"Is Monica here?" he asked.

Tom shook his head, "she'll be here in a few minutes. You can wait, have you had breakfast yet?"

"I'm not hungry, I'll just wait, coffee would be helpful."

Harry had begun drinking coffee every morning since he started his Auror work, waking up in the morning hadn't been that easy.

Monica came in about ten minutes after he had. She was about twenty years older than Harry but was still looking beautiful. He watched her for a moment before approaching her.

"Monica Woodfairy?" he asked.

She nodded, "Harry Potter, aren't you? I knew your parents, from afar obviously but I knew them, nice people. So, what can I help with?"

Harry stared at her, she really was an unusual kind of person. "Dumbledore; his painting obviously, told me it would be a good idea to see you about certain problems, that you could help me."

Monica nodded, "Yes" she said and then turned to Tom, "Is there a point for me working today? Can I take the day off?"

"Go ahead, Muffie, see you tomrrow." Tom said, rubbing his hands together.

Harry left a couple of sickles on the table and then he and Monica walked out of the pub together.

"Where shall we go?" she asked.

"The best place would be my house. I don't think Ginny is home, we'll apparate together since there are apparition wards on anyone but certain people." he offered her his arm which she took readily.

The house was large and homey, Harry had originally bought it with Ginny when thoughts of marrying the red head and having children with her had been heavy on his mind. However now the house just held bad memories of seeing Ginny with Draco Malfoy. Draco had gotten away with almost killing Dumbledore probably because of all the money his mother had donated to the ministry.

Harry and Monica entered the kitchen and sat down. Harry looked around, there had been some changes, it was dirtier than usual and it seemed smaller somehow. He decided he didn't care what Ginny did with the house anymore and so changed his attention to Monica who had been staring at him for the last minute.

"Before we start, can you call me Muffie, it's just I like that name better."

"Yeah, of course." Harry said. "I want to know, what do you know about time travel?"

Muffie looked at him for a moment, as if deciding on what to tell him, "I know quite a bit, when I was arounf twenty-two I did a lot of it, I never changed anything or got in the way but I did a lot of it. I know that is what Dumbledore needs me to help you with and that is fine, but what will you do once you are back in time?"

Harry pondered how to phrase what he was planning on doing. Changing the past was illegal, he could go to azkaban for this, "I want to change something." he said, finally.

"If you want a persona there then we will have to go back before hand, and maybe talk to Dumbledore about getting you some identity, a job, that kind of thing, so you just don't show up out of nowhere."

It seemed like a good idea, he had never travelled in time this far, he was sure just showing up somewhere wouldn't be the best idea, he would prepare things for Hermione, telling Dumbledore about her, and she was smart enough to know what to do, he knew she didn't need any worrying over.

"Okay, that sounds good."

-

-

-

Over the next two weeks Harry and Muffie worked on Harry's or rather now, Evan Ripred's, identity, the only thing they had missing was what he would look like and they had no way of knowing what form Harry would take part. Harry had even told Amelia everything that would happen. It had led to a row that he was afraid to admit she was completely right about. No one should be asked to do what he had been asked to do, it was just that simple. However now that the identity was set Harry had to set everything else in order, and he did, first going to his lawyer so as to change his will, Hermione needed specific things and he was going to give them to her. Even if before he had, had the option of giving them to his other best friend. After all of this was set in order Harry did the next thing that was important for his plan to work. He let out specific information that he would be at Hogwarts one of those nights.

Two nights before his death Harry sat down next to Amelia. "I love you." he whispered, "just remember that."

"How can I when you are leaving me." she replied.

Harry sighed, "I know Harry Potter will live on and not leave you, it will create a paradox, you see, so in reality I will never leave you. Everything will change the moment I arrive there and you will have your husband, your Harry Potter, I'll make sure of it, for now we have two nights in which I am Harry and from then on I shall be Evan. I love you, I really do."

Amelia nodded. The two of them made the best of the time they had and when it was time to leave Harry handed her the book, "give that to Hermione, from me."

-

-

-

"Avada Kedavra"

Harry's body fell. However some feet away Harry looked at his body, he was in some sort of ghost form, he watched Hermione cry and be spared and then he watched her leave, and he followed her, watching her grief, and then when he was least expecting it he was solid again but his body was different, everything was different, he had changed a great deal only his eyes remained slightly the same but even then he knew that no one would know who he was.

Harry did not leave as quickly as he could, instead he went to see his family and then he went to his funural, soon after he went to Grimmauld place and there he did the spell that sent him back in time.

-

-

-

October 30 1977

Harry shook his head, he couldn't tell her yet, but reliving the story was helpful. He stood up and began walking towards Hogwarts and suddenly he wished that Muffie was around so they could talk about it. The Muffie of this time was his confidant. He had told her everything simply because she had been a great friend to him, and he found that she was rather trustworthy and maybe he was changing too many things concerning her but something about Muffie pulled him to her, maybe she had replaced Hermione as his best friend or maybe she was begining to replace Amelia. He barely remembered Amelia anymore, much less Emily. He knew there had been such people but to him it had been in a previous life. The same could be said about his parents. He saw Lily and James every day and yet he never found a reason to ever want to know them but he knew they had been his parents, it was odd in a way but he had no reason to care for them or for Amelia or for Emily, he could only care for what was right in front of him.

-

-

-

Hermione sat up in her bed, it was late and she knew she needed the sleep but she also knew it wasn't comming, something was wrong with her, she just needed to tell someone everything and have that person just hold her like there wasn't anything wrong with what she had done. She had been planning on telling Remus about the time-travel but after what had happened she never told him and now she wished she had shared everything with him. Hermione had found sometimes that Remus looked at her as if he knew she had a secret and knowing that he knew in a way made Hermione even more stressed out because he had been her best friend back then and she had told him everything.

1:30am

Hermione shrugged at the time, knowing that sleep wouldn't be knocking on her door. Instead she got up, dressed and walked out of her rooms and then towards the Gryffindor common room. She wouldn't sleep until she saw him and she knew it, so she said the password, glad that teachers had all the passwords, and then she walked into the common room. As expected, it was empty. She had yet to see it again and she stood in the large round room for a moment, it was just as it had been back in her seventh year, the few papers strewn about, a quill on the floor, a forgotten book. The dying fire, the loveseat by the window, the couch in front of the fire, the tables, the chessboard. It was as if she had gone back in time, or in this case gone forward in time, and in the boys dormitory she would fine Neville with his frog and Ron dreaming of spiders, and Harry, the most mature one of them all, dreaming about his parents. She wipped away a tear. She missed being so innocent, not being too sure about the world, dreaming of a world where Voldemort was gone, never having killed.

The seventh year boy's dormitory was just as Hermione remembered with its messiness. Clothes were thrown around the room, all their hangings were open and Hermione heard slight snoring comming from whom she assumed to be Peter. James was mumbling under his breath, 'Lily' was mentioned more than four times. Sirius on the other hand had a serious expression, no pun intended, he kept frowning and moving about the bed, Hermione wouldn't be surprised to find out he was having a nightmare.

Remus was reasonably lying on his side, his breathing steady. Hermione hated waking him up but she didn't know if she would tell him other wise. She reached with a hand towards his shoulder and lightly shook him. He opened his eyes at once.

"Hermione?" he asked.

"Yes, Remus, hurry up, get dressed, I'll be in the common room."

He nodded, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Hermione walked down to the common room and waited for him, she did not need to wait long and soon the two of them were walking back to her rooms. Once there Hermione made them tea and they got comfortable in her couch.

"Let me tell you a tale" Hermione said, "about Harry Potter."


	11. Changes

**Author's Note:**

I hope everyone had a good Christmas. I meant to have this up Christmas Eve but what I had then was too, I don't know, but it was just so unlike the rest of the story, that even though I spent an hour on it I deleted it and re-wrote it and now here we have what I had planned on doing next chapter, but that isn't the point. Anyhow, I just want to wish all of you a Happy New Year and just please review. Hopefully I will get a new chapter up soon. I really appreciate all the reviews and just enjoy the chapter. Go check out my co-written fic.

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own anything, sadly.

**Chapter Eleven**

_Changes_

The grounds looked majestic in Hermione's opinion with the layer of snow that covered them. October had, without notice, turned into November and with it the snow had arrived. Currently Hermione was walking across the grounds with a companion. She was holding her cloak as close to her as humanly possible while her Gryffindor gold and red scarf flopped around in the air. The scarf wasn't hers but he had given it to her upon her mentioning that she was going out onto the grounds. Sirius had become as much a gentleman as anyone when it concerned Hermione. Something that Hermione was keen to notice. However it was not Sirius whom she walked with but a sick looking Remus Lupin.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather go back inside?" Hermione asked him.

"No, I'm fine."

"The full moon isn't too far off." she told him.

He gave her a look.

She laughed nervously. "This is so weird." she stated after a moment.

"What is?" he asked.

Hermione laughed again.

They continued walking in silence much like they had been doing for the past hour. Neither knew what to say, both frustrated. Remus wanted to ask so much, what would happen to him? What about everyone else, did she know him? He restrained himself not really wanting to know his future. What about Kerri, would she and he still be together? Hermione wanted nothing more than to tell him everything but didn't know how to begin.

"It's alright to be curious." she stated.

"Only about certain things." he retorted.

"It's of no matter I'm changing it all anyway." she said. "I told you, that's why I'm here."

"The same reason you can't stand being in the same room alone with Sirius?"

Hermione stopped walking, she hated herself for what she was doing. Hermione knew his sentiments. How much he seemed to care about her but she was in a bad spot, not only was she a spy but she was also from the future and she had a task she couldn't get distracted from and he did distract her even from afar. Not to mention that she was his professor and that her connection to the order, though not well known, could also get in the way.

"You would do the same thing. I couldn't bare it if, I don't know, if he got hurt because me. Lucius is a death eater and I don't want him knowing there is anything, anyone that could be my downfall."

Remus nodded, not understanding, truly, but knowing that he didn't need to understand to know that by her saying that she meant that she too had feelings for his friend.

"Ask me anything." she said then. "I told you the basics. Nothing about the lives of your friends."

"I don't want to know." Remus said.

"Not one thing?" she asked.

He glared at her. "No" he said in a voice that made it final.

Hermione took his arm laughing. "You won't change, you know. I did know you, you were always there for me when Harry and Ron were gone. You were like my best friend, even then."

Remus glared at her playfully as she leaned her head against his shoulder and they continued on with their walk, this time in a calm silence.

-

-

-

"Hey, Pads" James said, sitting down.

Sirius looked up from his transfiguration essay which he was nearly finished writing. "Let me finish this, only two more sentences." he told his best friend as he dipped his quill in ink and wrote his conclusion.

James waited patiently, ruffling his hair.

"Hasn't Lily told you to not do that anymore?" Sirius asked, blowing on the wet ink.

"Yeah, and?" James asked, cocking his head to the side.

Sirius laughed. "Nothing, Prongs. What are you up to anyway?"

"I don't know. Bored, actually, Lily's off somewhere with Dawn and Peter's with Lucy."

"Lucy?" questioned Sirius.

"Lucius Malfoy. He has detention." James explained.

"You call him Lucy?"

James shrugged.

Sirius checked to see that his essay was completely dry before he put it away with his ink and quill. He hadn't bothered using a book, he knew all there was to know about animagi.

"Hey, you know what I was thinking." James said. "We haven't made one prank happen in a while, I mean the odd small thing here or there. Making paper dolls dance on McGonagall's head during class, but nothing big."

"Our reputation is at stake here." agreed Sirius with a nod.

"It's our last year, we can't just not have something." James said.

"It's not like it will hurt anyone."

"Everyone's been a little down cast lately."

The two marauders smirked at each other, a plan already forming in their minds. They had justified it well enough.

-

-

-

"Come on we better get inside." Hermione said.

"Alright." Remus said. "What are you going to do?"

"Grade your essays harshly and give you all failing grades." Hermione said.

"But we didn't have an essay." Remus pointed out.

Hermione smiled. "Exactly. I'll probably cuddle up and read for a bit."

Remus nodded. "I guess I should rejoin my other halves."

"They mean a lot to you, your friends." she said. "My friends meant the world to me as well. This is why you have to look after them, stop them from making foolish choices."

The werewolf nodded, wondering what she was hinting at. They approached the castle and went their separate ways once they had reached the third floor. Hermione grinning after him.

Remus walked up the stairs, thinking about their walk and how it had turned out. So he had known her in the future, they had been friends but her last comment just now scared him. To look after his friends, would he be loosing them? Would the infamous marauders get separated sometime in the near future. He knew someone from the future, someone that could tell him everything about it and yet, did he really want to know. She had come back to change it, it had to have been bad, it just had to.

-

-

-

Two figures stood together against what appeared to be a small hut. Both had hoods over their heads and seemed to be waiting for something. This something was unknown to both of them but both knew that when it came they would know what it was. A sign, he had said. Nothing more had been established and so there they were waiting, unmoving.

"What do you think it is?" one of the figures said in a feminine voice.

The other figure, turned, "I don't know." he said, clearly irritated that his companion was even voicing that question.

She heaved a sigh, "fine." she stated and turned from him, looking around, she slipped her hands into her cloak pockets, sighing again.

They continued waiting in silence until a bird somewhere in the distance squawked.

"Was that the signal?" the female asked.

The man frowned, buried his head in his hands, lifted his head and glared at her. "Will you shut up? This is why we shouldn't even be working together, when we work together things always end messing up, you're so annoyingly cheery and bright, now will you shut up?"

She frowned at him. "You want to do this alone?" she asked. "I'll leave if I have to and when the dark lord asks why this wasn't done I will blame it on you. You don't want me around, you told me to leave, you wouldn't let me do my work."

He glared at her. "Just keep quiet will you otherwise we could probably miss the sign."

She found this as an acceptable reasoning for her to be quiet so turned once more from him and sat down, drawing her knees to her chest.

-

-

-

Hermione entered her rooms tiredly. She couldn't believe how much had happened, how many things had changed and just how many things had happened within the span of just over a month. It had began with her telling Remus her secret and then she had begun to notice Sirius even more than before, he was always around her, the way he looked at her, the things he did for her had scared her at first and she still didn't like them too much; didn't welcome them because she did want his attentions and she did want to return them. It was just the circumstances.

Hermione walked into her room and sank down onto the bed, taking off her shoes and socks. She lay back against her pillows and looked up at her ceiling for a while, thinking about how white it was and how life was no where near close to how that was. How a person was only ever so innocent in their childhood and she contemplated how that was magic, a child's innocence.

Hermione fell into a deep sleep after a long moment and she became lost in a strange dream.

She was running, a small bundle in her arms, pressed against her. Her cloak flew back but she didn't seem to mind the cold air that hit her skin, she just held the bundle closer and she kept on running, her feet hitting the mossy, wet grass. And suddenly she was standing in front of Peter and he was turning into a rat and running off. Then Sirius was running after him in dog form and Harry, in his real form, scar and all smiled at her and he seemed to be whispering something and then she looked at the baby for the first time and she knew it was Harry. The eyes alone told her so. She smiled at him and hugged him close. He was wretched out of her arms. Severus looked at the baby and smiled at her. He kissed the top of his head and handed him back.

"You're the only parent he will ever know." Severus whispered.

And then she saw their bodies. Lily and James dead and the shadow of a man that wasn't a man stood next to them and then baby Harry began to bleed. On his forehead was the scar that would make him famous and from said scar blood poured out.

Hermione woke up with a start. Her heart beat fast and her face was sweaty, hair clinging to her forehead. She began to regain her breathing as she shook the pictures of her dream away. This wasn't the first time a dream like this had come to her, sometimes Harry was dead, in other times all the marauders were dead but every single time it showed her failing at her task and she was always the one left behind.

-

-

-

Caradoc Dearborn yawned sleepily. He looked at his clock and groaned. It was too early to be awake but he had to go patrol. If anything happened in the small village of Little Hangleton it would all lie on his hands and he didn't want that to happen. He sighed, deciding it was about time he got dressed and got going. Nothing exciting ever happened during patrols but Hermione and Dumbledore had stressed the importance of them, especially the one he was taking on this day. It was as if they knew that something was going to be happening there.

Slipping his shoes on, Caradoc didn't bother getting himself breakfast, it was too early to eat, anyway, he reasoned. He could have something to eat later. Maybe he could find something in the way. It wasn't like he had anything to do after his patrol, he could go back to bed, wake up and then have a good breakfast.

He apparated to his desired destination, near a small house which he knew was inhabited, or had been inhabited--for it looked quite empty now--to a wizarding family. He looked at it for a moment, feeling that maybe it was important, but regardless of this assumption he moved away and walked down the street, looking at the muggle homes and wondering if there were people sleeping inside the confines of the walls, or someone was up getting ready for work, or some odd soul looking out the window and watching him, wondering why he was out there when he did not belong to the village.

It was quiet, a bit too quiet in his opinion and as he walked past a small looking pub Caradoc wondered why the village was so important. He saw a figure walk out of the pub clearly drunk. She was a young woman, not much older than he was wearing robes. She nodded at him and continued on her stumbling walk. He looked after her but did not bother to actually follow her, she wasn't important to him.

He continued his walk, wondering, now, about the order, when there would be another meeting and what it would next be about. Hermione, their spy, hadn't been giving them much, lately. Stuff they already knew wouldn't come in handy in

the long run.

Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. There was no use in continuing his walk around the place, he knew, but for some reason he felt as if he had to. It wasn't that it was his duty but perhaps it was that he sort of expected something to happen.

He continued on walking.

From afar he could see a large house in the distance and wondered who lived there. It seemed to have been beautiful at one point but now it was just there, gaining age. Even from afar he could see the broken windows. For some reason he wanted to go to the house, to see what it was about. He walked towards it. As he came closer he began to notice movement about it. A thin looking man was walking into the house. Caradoc could tell, even though it could have been a long shot, that the man belonged to the wizarding world. He placed a disillusionment charm on himself and then walked slowly to him, entering the house after the man.

"Is he here?" he asked to an unseen person.

A voice responded, "Not yet, we do not expect him tonight."

Caradoc frowned, wondering who was talking now. He couldn't see the second person but he seemed important. He waited for them to talk again but no one did and then the man Caradoc had first seen enter left the room and walked out the door. The other man remained for a few minutes before he too left.

-

-

-

Hermione watched as her class filed into the class room. She smiled at them and nodded at the ones that greeted her. She waited until they were in their seats before she began class.

"Today we are beginning with the werewolf."

The third year Ravenclaws looked at her attentively. Hermione was about to continue with her lesson when a knock on her door distracted her. She went to open it while nodding to the class to just relax.

Muffie looked shaken and seemed to be containing her tears. "Something's happened. Voldemort attacked the minister of magic's family. They're dead. There's chaos at the ministry, no one knows what will happen. Dumbledore has gone there but the house is a mess and there might still be someone alive. Aurors aren't trained for this. Evan has been taking in for question, he seemed suspicious according to a ministry official. We, the order need to go in there. I cannot, I don't know what to look for."

Hermione knew what Muffie was getting at.

"Take my classes. Give them a free day, I don't care what you do. The attendance is on top of my desk. The house is?"

Muffie explained to Hermione how to get there. Hermione ran back into the classroom and through to her office while Muffie told the class she would be the sub for the rest of the day.

Hermione wrapped in her cloak with Sirius' scarf ran out the door. She ran down the hall and onto the grounds, surprised to find the marauders sitting out there. She didn't stop to talk but kept on running. Sirius and James were the first on her trail, Remus and Peter following. She reached the gates and brought out her wand.

"What's wrong?" James ventured to ask.

"Nothing, go back to class. I'll be back soon." she told him.

She began lowering the wards. Sirius watched with interest as she waved her wand in a sequence, then she opened the gates. He didn't let her close them and went out with her.

"What? Sirius? Go back in there." she tried to push him back inside.

"Not until you tell me where you are going." he said.

Hermione glared at him. "I don't have time to do this. I need to get there before the ministry. It will probably be in the daily prophet later anyway. The minister of magic and his family were killed tonight. There might be something in the house, something that will give me a clue as to why."

"I'm coming with you." Sirius said. "I can help you."

Hermione shook her head. "No, I can't take you there. You might get hurt. If someone were to come I would never be able to help you. Please Sirius."

"Sirius stay." Remus said from behind the gate.

Sirius shook his head. "No, I won't."

Hermione glared at him.

"You're waisting time arguing, just take me with you."

Hermione nodded, reluctantly. "You stay with me the entire time and if I tell you to run you will run, you won't stay with me and if I tell you to hide you will. I'm not sure but they might go back. Now, I don't know exactly where it is so we'll have to use side-along apparition."

Sirius nodded. She closed the gate and muttered a word to set the wards back up. Hermione turned back to Sirius. "Take my arm." she told him.

He did. Hermione turned on the spot and both apparated. They now stood in front of a large looking house. The front door was slightly open but not obviously so. They approached it. Hermione motioned Sirius to follow her. The moment they entered the house Hermione knew something was obviously wrong. The bodies were still there. A scantily clad woman on the couch, dried blood on the floor. Hermione frowned when seeing this. Sirius looked as if he was going to be sick. Hermione quickly threw a nearby blanket on top of the body and pushed Sirius to move forward. He couldn't move on his own, he was so shocked.

"You alright, Sirius?" she asked in a whisper.

He nodded and shook himself. They continued walking. The body of a young man was in the living room. No blood was in sight. Next was the minister. Dead in the kitchen. Hermione covered all of them and then walked up the stairs. Neither expected to hear someone crying but then a small girl rushed out of a room, looking scared. Hermione took her in her arms.

"It's alright, sweetheart." she muttered. "It's alright. You'll be okay."

The girl continued crying. Hermione held her in her arms as they continued their search. They went in room after room until they reached was seemed to be an office. They riffled through everything, looking for a clue about anything. Maybe something that would point to a higher reason for them to be killed. The girl they had found had finally fallen asleep. Hermione had set her down on a chair and was now looking through old letters.

"Anything?" Sirius asked.

"No." Hermione said.

Sirius was about to say something else but she heard the door being opened. "I'll go check it out." Hermione told him. "put everything in order but keep looking."

Sirius nodded. He watched her walk toward the door.

"Be careful." he told her.

Hermione smiled slightly at him and then walked out the door. She didn't use any spell on herself but walked quietly down the stairs. She heard voices.

"It should be in his room. No one must find this."

Hermione recognized the voices of fellow death eaters and wondered why she hadn't been informed of the attack. She decided it was about time to leave and went back up, deciding to first go to the master bedroom. She quickly went through things and when she was sure she had found whatever it was she put it in her pocket and walked back to the office.

Sirius had put everything back and was now looking through a drawer.

"I've got it. Death eaters are downstairs. Come on. Give her to me. Apparate to the gates."

Sirius nodded and left with a pop. Hermione was sure they had heard. She concentrated and apparated as well just as she heard their footsteps.

Sirius was waiting for her by the gate. The apparition had jostled the girl and she was now awake and looking around her, scared.

"Stay calm, honey." Hermione told her. "You're safe, you're alright."

She nodded burying her head in Hermione's neck. Hermione though handed her to Sirius. She whimpered but Sirius was whispering something to her and she quieted. Hermione removed the wards, opened the gate and allowed Sirius inside before following him, and then settled the wards back down.

"Take her to my rooms. Classes should be over. I'll meet you there soon. I must see Dumbledore. Sirius, thank you." she touched his cheek and smiled at him. He pulled her back to him before she left and brought her hand to his lips.

"You're wearing my scarf." he told her before she ran towards Hogwarts.


	12. Memories and Masks

**Author's Note: And another chapter is up and I have to say that I had a really hard time writing this chapter, mostly because I didn't know in what direction I wanted it to go. I could have easily made it start off directly after ch. 11 but that didn't really feel right and so I spent just enormous amounts of time, mostly during Biology, thinking over how I wanted it to go and then when I finally wrote something I didn't like it. Anyhow it took about two weeks to actually write the chapter and I have to say I like how it turned out. **

**Another something I wanted to adress was just that I wanted to thank all of you who are reading...nearly a 100 if I go by how many people have this story on their alerts: 97. I'm also kind of glad we reached the 100 reviews mark...I hope to at least reach 250 by the end of the story, maybe more. We can get there, so keep on reviewing and keep reading the story and kudos to amrawo, I believe, who had the 100th review! So just enjoy the fic and keep on reviewing. It kind of helped while I was writing this chapter to know that so many people were reading it. **

**Chapter Twelve**

_Memories and Masks_

Pain flooded through her. She took deep breaths, trying to maybe forget the pain. Severus next to her looked concern but she made no move to show him her distress; he had enough things to worry about. The meeting they had just left had been one of the more stressful ones, to put it in an understatement. To put it plainly, Voldemort had been in a bad mood. The way Hermione saw it, Voldemort was like a pregnant woman, changing moods at every minute of the day. The reasoning behind it hadn't been explained. Hermione, however, knew exactly what had happened to change his mood from the day before--happy, not that Voldemort, now that she considered this, could have a happy mood, but the closest he could probably get to one--to this murderous one. Five death eaters, all from his inner circle--a circle Hermione had yet to reach, it wouldn't be long now, she was sure of it--had been captured by none other than Rachel and Nick Potter. His mood had led to the capture of a muggle family consisting of a young couple, perhaps only four years older than Hermione, and their six year old daughter. He had expected all of the death eaters called that night to torture the three. Maybe more than half of them would find pleasure in doing so but even Lucius Malfoy did not seem to want to do it.

He shot out the first spell.

She had gone next, using a cutting hex and slicing the man's face with a cross. He had gasped in pain at the sting left behind, but that hadn't been the worst of his torture. The cruciatus had been thrown at him twice, and some had even decided it was alright to use muggle fighting, beating him with baseball bats. He looked more than ready to leave the world but Hermione knew it would take just a while more if Voldemort allowed his life to end. He often liked to keep suffering victims to set in front of new members. The way Hermione saw it, she would rather they died than for them to stay suffering for weeks with hard bread and water as the only nourishment. She had walked by the cells once. A little tour, or so Voldemort had called it.

The man died, his eyes leaving their sockets by the end of it, his blood not only covering his body but the ground and the clothes of his sobbing wife. She was next. The little girl however, in not knowing what was happening looked at all of them with such open trust, she was being hugged tightly by her mother one moment and then she was alone, the screaming tearing out of her mom, echoing against the walls, however, made her clearly aware of what was happening and she sunk to the ground next to her father, crying out his name, not knowing he wouldn't be replying.

Hermione from were she stood clenched and unclenched her fist, her eyes moving from face to face, not daring to look at the girl. Then came her turn to take on the mother. She was no longer screaming, her throat sore and as she looked at Hermione, her eyes begging her to put an end to it Hermione hesitated for a moment. No one seemed to notice. No one but Voldemort who gave her a look before raising his wand. Everyone assumed he too would be joining in when the cruciatus landed on Hermione who fell to the ground, writhing, whimpering, letting out the odd scream when the pain became too much. Once it was over Hermione knew to get up, she knew she had to prove something. Focusing her entire hate of Voldemort from her lips escaped the killing curse and the woman fell back dead. Only the loud scream of "Mommy" alerted Hermione to the little girl. Hermione's jaw clenched as she tried to find a way to maybe make the pain easier for her but nothing came to mind.

A groan escaped her companion and Hermione allowed herself to stop thinking about the murders of the night. Severus sported a broken rib courtesy of another death eater. Severus had made the stupid mistake of stepping on his foot. Hermione had managed to stop it by mentioning that Severus was still at Hogwarts and shouldn't be roughed up too bad. Another cruciatus had been her payment.

"Do you want to stop for a minute?"

Severus shook his head. "If I sit down I don't think I'll be able to get back up."

Hermione laughed, "Come on then, Sev."

They continued walking, both trying hard to not show each other their pain. Hermione's mind once more drifting to the little girl.

She had been wearing a white dress and her hair was in pig tails. Her big blue eyes were filled with tears while she looked for one person to trust. Hermione couldn't do it, she couldn't hurt someone so innocent. She had looked to Severus to find that he was following her instruction, keeping his emotions at bay. This alone had allowed her to keep up her strong front, to watch her be pushed around, slapped and thrown to the ground, for her white dress to be covered in the rouge of her blood. They had no Mercy on her as if everything would be better if they made her scream more. She watched Lucius when it came to his turn, he slapped her across the face. She fell to the ground but Hermione saw the slight anger--at what, she couldn't be sure--he had in his eyes. By the time the girl had come to Hermione she was more than ready to die, she begged for it much like her mother had done and Hermione, gulping, knew that she would be punished for it for some reason before she slapped the six year old hard, her neck cracking, she fell to the ground dead and Hermione vanished her emotions from showing as the cruciatus for the third time fell upon her. Hermione had not been the only death eater to be punished, in fact they had all been punished in some way. No one had left without the odd punishment.

"Come here." Hermione said. "Take my arm."

They had finally reached the end of Voldemort's wards.

Severus moved slowly and took Hermione's arm. Hermione apparated them to Hogwarts' gates. "I should talk to Dumbledore about allowing me some way to apparate into Hogwarts. I could probably work with the wards somehow, only allow me to apparate into a certain spot."

Severus nodded as they began walking towards the castle. Hermione no longer thought about the night's activities and instead walked with Severus, trying to keep from using her right leg to support much of her weight. She had a sprained ankle from a nasty fall she had taken when Voldemort shot her with a new spell created by one of the spell mistresses. It had literally made her entire leg feel like it was on fire, her skin turning a deep shade of red which Hermione knew would still be in tact. She had transfigured her jeans into a skirt while walking out of the meeting and her leg was still throbbing with pain.

They arrived in her rooms. Hermione smiled in relief. "Come, lie down." Hermione said, pointing to the couch. "I'll get you some potions and tea. Scones?" she said this as if she wasn't in pain and as if it was just another normal day.

"Yes, you might as well bring out those brilliant scones." Severus replied, he too acting as if nothing was wrong but his mask had fallen and swimming in his eyes was concern for her.

She shook her head at him, still smiling, and then walked to her bedroom, coming back out not five minutes later, her leg still red, her limp still evident. She handed him a number of potions and walked into her small kitchen where she began brewing tea, not once complaining of her injuries or the pain that still flowed through her.

Severus on the couch drank three potions and sighed as his broken rib stopped hurting and as all pain in his muscles left his body. He closed his eyes contentedly. The smell of Hermione's tea made him smile and when she placed the cup in his hands, still not opening is eyes he just sat there.

"Scone ?" Hermione asked.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. She looked terrible and he knew she still hadn't taken care of herself, as if she thought she deserved the pain.

"Thank you." Severus said, knowing that Hermione wouldn't like it if he mentioned her current state, instead he took a long sip of his tea and then a bite of his scone. "Lupin should be here soon. He must have felt your presence."

Hermione nodded, still not using a spell or potion to right herself. It was always like this with her, Severus noted.

"I should go." Severus told her. "He'll be here soon. He can't see me."

She nodded, indifferent. "Take some scones."

She always acted so strong around him. He took two more scones, finished his tea, thanked her once more and then left.  
-  
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In the Gryffindor seventh year boys dormitory two boys stood by a window, looking out at the empty grounds. Neither voiced their thoughts on the two figures they had seen walking across the grounds towards the castle for a long moment.

"Where do you think she and Snape were coming from?" James asked, breaking the silence.

Sirius said nothing, turning instead to the muffled ringing coming from their werewolf friend's bed.

"Sirius?" James said.

"She's always with him." Sirius muttered.

James nodded. "And what about that?" he asked. James had been trying to get Sirius to admit that he was in love with their professor.

Sirius shrugged, knowing fully well what James wanted him to admit. "They spend a lot of time together."

James laughed. "Poor lovesick puppy."

Sirius glared at his best friend and walked towards Remus' bed. He wanted to figure out what kept ringing but when he opened the hangings he found his best friend putting on his socks.

"Going somewhere, Moony?"

"Yes." Remus answered. "And no, I'm not telling you where."   
-  
-  
-  
"Her blue eyes. They were so beautiful and the pain that flashed through them every time they struck her." Hermione cried, tears rolling down her cheeks and dampening his shirt.

Remus continued stroking her hair, letting her cry over him like he did every night after a meeting. She was always so broken afterwards, so ready to take all the pain the night had brought her and still, even now, she wouldn't let him try to heal her.

"You could do nothing to help her." He told her in a whisper.

Hermione shook her head. "But I just stood there, I let them do it and I didn't even try to protest." She moved against him, resting her head on the crook of his neck. "Remus." she said, now, still sobbing. "Do you think me a bad person?"

"No. You're very good person, Hermione. You're such a good person. No one would give up as much as you're giving up right now for something that they're not even sure to be possible."

Hermione allowed a small smile. "I killed her." she muttered after the smile, however. "She was in so much pain."

"You did the right thing." Remus said. "Now, come on, let me heal you."

"No. I need to feel something. Every time I leave a meeting something in me dies and it makes it impossible for me to even feel human. I need to feel the pain, that is the most important thing right now."

Remus sighed, knowing that he could do nothing to change her mind. "That you cry shows you feel something. That you care so much."

She didn't respond and instead, moving her leg gingerly, she settled herself closer to him on the couch and closed her eyes trying hard to stop seeing the blue eyes.

"Everything will be okay." Remus assured her, looking at her concerned, not believing that she could act so strong and yet feel so weak inside. Half the time when he saw her these days he found himself wondering if she was using one of her masks again to hide whatever feeling she was in fact feeling.

It was scary to think that someone could act so well as to fool so many people and then burst into tears the moment she was behind doors. To think he was privy to this information that he was like a brother to her and that they had gotten so close she let him comfort her like he let no other.

"Why do you bother with hiding everything you feel?" he asked.

She groaned slightly, "Pity" she spat the word out, "is something I do not want from anyone." and then she pulled away from him and standing. "I have yet to report to Dumbledore."

"It can wait." he told her, knowing that she only wanted to get away because she thought he was pitying her.

"Yes, I suppose." she said, taking a seat on another couch, looking the same way he had found her, hidden behind a facade, putting a strong front up as if everything that she had done was normal and that she was simply having tea with a friend.

"Hermione." He tried.

She looked at him.

"Please, don't hide, don't pretend everything is okay because then you would be just like them."

And then she began crying again and he rushed to her side.  
-  
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"The map, James, where is the map?"

"My trunk, I expect." James said.

Moments after Remus had left Sirius had felt the need to know where his best friend was going so instead of following him he had decided that using the marauder's map would make things simpler if not too much fun. And so Sirius found himself throwing the contents of James' trunk around the room until he found the blank piece of parchment.

Tapping it with his wand and muttering the marauder mantra Sirius watched the words appear before opening and finding Remus. He was walking down the stairs. He watched him for a while before wondering if there was anybody else awake. He noticed that Snape was leaving the third floor, walking to the dungeons probably. He also noticed, then, that Professor Malfoy was just walking into Hogwarts. Sirius wondered where he could have been though it was probable that he had gone out for a drink in the Three Broomsticks, he doubted it.

Turning back to Remus he saw him now at Hermione's door. Hermione seemed to have allowed him inside and then he watched their dots in her rooms together and he began to wonder what this was about.  
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Lucius arrived in his room, nursing a wound on his shoulder. The new burning spell really was a favorite of Voldemorts it appeared but Lucius had other things to worry about than a sting on his shoulder. He had to find a wife otherwise his mother would probably use up all of his inheritance for something stupid. His first choice was still Narcissa Black and maybe he could get Dumbledore to agree to let them marry under certain circumstances but it was unlikely. He needed someone pure and strong, not only magically but emotionally. He knew Narcissa was perfect what with a sister like Bellatrix and she was just as pure as himself. He sighed, a headache was coming on and he didn't feel like getting a potion. For a moment he allowed his emotions to show, the distress and pain he was feeling mixed in with the betrayal he felt from his mother. His father had long ago taught him that the thing that made him a Malfoy was his control, the mask he held for everyone in the world, even his family would never be aware of his true feelings. It wasn't only a Malfoy trait, he knew, most Slytherins used it. They hid their hand, as it were.

He stood up, deciding that he had felt enough pain but convincing himself that it wasn't the pain that bothered him but that he could look so weak and undignified to others, something that no Malfoy could show.  
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"I'm scared, Remus." Hermione mumbled onto his side. He sat on the arm rest of her chair one arm around her as she continued to cry. It was terrible seeing her like this.

"Scared of what?"

"That I won't succeed. This task of mine, it's too much for me, believe me when I say it."

Remus smiled slightly. "If I didn't know you I would fear that you would fail but, Hermione, it is you we're talking about here, you won't fail, one way or another you will figure it out."

Hermione began to laugh. "You always said that, all the time even when we--" she stopped to listen for something, "--did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Remus asked.

"Maybe it's just me, a little attuned to my wards. I rather check it out. I wonder if that's Harry or perhaps Muffie. I have been meaning to see one of them. I wonder how Elanor is doing."

There it was again, her mask. She didn't even seem to be recognizing the pain her leg probably was in. He could see her limp, however as she walked into her office calling for "Evan". Remus doubted it was him, he usually knew when to not show up and this was one of those nights. Muffie on the other hand, from what he had come to understand of the girl, would show up unexpectedly.  
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Lucius reached for the salve. He was standing in his bathroom now and had fixed everything but his shoulder. It was just that he couldn't find the right salve. He couldn't very well go to Madame Pomfrey either and he didn't want to make himself a salve.. He stood in front of his mirror, shirtless, thinking about two things, how to fix his shoulder and how to find a willing woman to become his wife.

Sighing, he knew who he had to go to. His fellow professor and death eater, Professor Hermione Granger. Putting on his white shirt again, Lucius walked to his door and began walking up the stairs to the third floor.

Her classroom was empty, just as he expected but it seemed she had heard him because she was calling out for Evan the apprentice. Did the apprentice always visit her so late at night? She seemed to have lighted her wand and she stared at him, surprised.

"Malfoy." she said.

"Granger." he lifted an eyebrow at her.

"What do you want? It's been a stressful night so please make this quick."

Lucius eyed her. She looked tired, a mess and yet there was something in the way she held herself, something in the way she spoke; something regal.

"Your leg." he said, instead, having noticed her slight limp as she walked closer. "It's burnt."

"Nice of you to notice." Hermione said. "Now what do you want?"

"To talk, maybe you could help me with a couple of things." He said.

"Not tonight, I'm afraid, another day perhaps, if that is all, good night." Hermione said, growing frustrated at the blond man.

"Do you have any salve for burns?" He asked now.

"If I did would my leg still look as it does now? I would expect you to have some, you are the potions master." Hermione said even though she did have the salve. The only thing was that even if she had enough she didn't want to have to give some to him if he could make his own. While she was good with potions, for this was what the salve was, she didn't have her own lab or the time.

Lucius groaned, turned away and walked to the door. "Expect me here tomorrow afternoon."

Hermione walked back into her rooms. Remus was waiting for her, holding a cup of steaming tea. She smiled. "You really are a great friend Remus. I really needed you tonight."

She took the cup and brought it towards her.

"Hermione, I think it is about time you let me heal you, then you will take a bath and afterwards you will go to sleep." Remus told her.

Hermione smiled. "Alright." she said, deciding that she had felt enough for the night and knowing fully well that she would feel it again soon.  
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Long after Sirius had fallen asleep, James remained awake. He was thinking about his parents. In the Daily Prophet that morning a picture of them in their blue auror robes had been shown for all to see about their capture of five death eaters. Instead of feeling proud--not that he didn't feel like that--he had been worried. This alone, their picture, their names mentioned for the world to see put them in a bad position. Voldemort and possibly all of his followers would be after them within the day. It was bad enough as it was and he didn't like it one bit. James loved his parents and losing them just wasn't an option.

The human brain works in odd ways, soon after James had begun thinking about his parents a memory came forth, one he hadn't wanted to ever think about but which plagued him every time he thought of what scared him the most.

"James, honey, hurry up. I don't even know if I should take you with me. I can't very well leave you with someone else, however. Oh, your father will never hear the end of this." Rachel Potter said.

A five year old James smiled at his mother sweetly. She shook her head at him and then took his hand.

"I really shouldn't be taking you with me. " she muttered, as she apparated the two of them into the Ministry of Magic's atrium.

James looked around, excited, this was only the second time he had ever been in the ministry and it was bound to be a good trip. His mother held his hand tightly as they walked through the crowds and then they arrived at the lifts from which four to five memos had flown out followed by two men.

James watched the doors open at every spot and yet they weren't getting off. He waited as patiently as he could and then when they had reached the last floor his mother and two other wizards got off with him still attached to his mother's hand. It was apparent that they weren't in the floor they wanted to be in yet, so they continued down stairs and then down a long hallway until they had reached a round court like room. People were already inside and James was looked at oddly, some muttering as to what kind of person would bring a child his age into the room.

Rachel Potter too seemed somewhat reluctant to stay and have her son in the room when the doors opened and a strange black hooded creature stepped inside, pulling a man behind him.

James shivered at the sight of the creature and it seemed to have sensed him, the creature seemed to turn his way it was then James began to cry, only like a five year old would cry when faced with something as scary as a figure in a black hooded cloak.

Rachel shook her head, mad at herself for allowing him to see the dementor. What had she been thinking.

James tried to get the picture of the dementor out of his mind. He hated the dementors, they were all so dark and scary looking. He had never feared anything as much as he feared them and not only because of what they did but rather how they looked.  
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She was finally asleep.

Remus brushed a stray lock away from her mouth before walking towards her bathroom to put her potions to order. She would kill him if she found them out of place. He loved how organized she was, much like he himself was. When he walked back into her bedroom she was shivering slightly and her face was set in a frown. Then she sighed and rolled to her other side gasping. He winced.. He had fixed her leg as best as it was possible to do even though the burnt skin would continue to be pink for next two hours and would hurt her when brushed against something. Her twisted ankle he had not been able to fix but knew she could do it herself in the morning. He watched her shiver again.

He took an afghan from a chair and threw it over her, careful with her leg. He then watched her for a while wondering if she had told him everything about the meeting. She often ommited things she felt were too gruesome for him to hear, things that he would cringe at even though eventually she would mention them.

"Good Night, Hermione." he told her, grinning slightly at the peacefulness that had settled over her.

He exited her rooms after cleaning up like he did on many nights and then he walked back to his now cold bed wondering how many nights like these there would be in the future and if somehow he could get Hermione to accept someone else that already cared so much for her.

**Author's Note: I know many of you are probably slightly frustrated with the non-Sirius/Hermione action, I am too, lol. Sometimes I end up looking at this fic and thinking doesn't it look like it's turning into a Severus/Hermione or a Remus/Hermione, but it wouldn't make sense that way. So it is still a Sirius/Hermione even if it is taking a while to get there...even now with this whole Death eater business that this chapter dealt with, I have to say, it might be getting darker soon. **

**hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	13. Et Tu Brutus

**Author's Note: **Alright, so I am putting this chapter up again mostly because I wanted to explain something and basically just say something to you all. I am very grateful for the appreciation you all have for this story and all the reviews you guys give you, you're the best, and I know that this fic is going to be around 30 something chapters long...so we're in for another like year, laugh, so thanks for sticking so far and to not sound mushy or whatever I do love you guys and I am so sorry for what happens in this chapter. I had a hard time writing it at all, mostly because the begining could have been anything...I tried to start it with a Voldemort/Hermione talk or something of the like but nothing seemed to work so I think it is fitting how it is at the moment even though it isn't as good as I would have liked.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing...nope...nothing...not even my pants...well maybe my pants. -shrug-

**Chapter Thirteen **

_Et Tu Brutus_

The dark clouds reflected her mood as she walked in between the two death eaters, both her students. Next to one of the younger death eaters, Lucius Malfoy, his face emotionless, walked, trying hard not to think about his father. He wasn't completely sure that killing the Potters would stop anything but questioning Lord Voldemort wasn't something he could do without expecting terrible punishment. Out of the corner of his eye he looked at his fellow professor and tried to hide a grimace at her cold expression. Did she really not care? He had seen how close she was with the marauders, act or no act; this was taking one of their student's--in her case--friend's parents.His eyes turned to look at Severus Snape and he sighed, he looked nervous but that was to be expected but there was something else in his eyes, something Lucius couldn't determine; maybe even though he thought this was farfetched, that it could be excitement but then James Potter had made him suffer but could Severus really be that angry, that hateful? Soon his eyes went to the last of companions, the youngest of them, the 6th year student walking next to him, eyes downcast.

Regulus Black was much like his older brother, Sirius Black, not only in looks. He had once looked up to his brother and now while going down the completely opposite way than his brother was, his thoughts were drifting to Sirius and he was wondering why he hadn't seen how right his brother was until this moment, until now that the task was ahead, a task, he was sure, would change his life forever. Sirius was with the Potters now, this thought bothered him, it would hurt him just as much as it would hurt the Potter boy. A groan almost escaped him and he looked up, meeting Lucius' icy eyes. He gasped. Lucius looked away.

"We're here." The voice wasn't more than a whisper and coming from Hermione Granger. "It's that house over there. Lucius and Regulus, you will go through the back while Severus and I will enter through the front. They'll be waking up soon. Don't enter the house until that time. After Mr. and Mrs. Potter are dead, leave, the boys are good duellists; they'll be a match for us if we stay."

"Shouldn't we get rid of them too?"

Hermione shook her head and the others nodded at least she could keep them alive if she couldn't keep James' parents alive.

The ceiling was much too white in Sirius' opinion. He had been sitting up in bed for the past ten minutes contemplating how white the ceiling seemed to be and how much more amusing it would be to see some color, maybe all the colors like in a rainbow, gracing the ceiling. He grinned to himself wondering, now, what the time was. It had to be early; he didn't think anyone else was awake, unless they like him were in bed thinking about such things as the ceiling's color. He was startled when the creaking door to what he liked to call his "bedroom"--even though it wasn't really his bedroom considering that it was actually one of the guest rooms--was pushed open and Remus entered the room.

"Padfoot," Remus said. "I want you to be honest with me."

Sirius looked at his friend, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Sirius, I've known you for how long? Seven years" Remus said, one hand running through his hair. "I've never had trouble making out your feelings. I know you, James, and Peter so well but…" Here he trailed off, fixing his gaze on Sirius. "Your feelings about Hermione are not clear to me and I would…"

Before Remus could finish whatever he had wanted to say, Sirius stopped him with a motion of his hand. "What do you care?" He spat out coldly.

Remus frowned, "Why are you upset at me?"

Sirius shook his head. "Why do you think?"

"Because I am her friend, because I care about her and I spend time with her? You have no hold on her so don't talk to me about such matters. She is my friend and I want to know how you truly feel about her, she's been hurt enough as it is and you always tend to hurt girls--women--I don't want that for her."

Sirius looked at his friend in confusion. "I would never hurt her. I love her."

Remus smiled slightly "just keep in mind that she is our professor."

"Yeah, I know." Sirius said, running a hand through his hair. "It's what worries me. I hate knowing that she won't feel its even remotely normal. I hate knowing she doesn't think of me the way I think of her."

Remus nodded, slowly. "Just remember how much you love her." He said, when he heard the door to the room across the hall open. "I'll go get changed now."

"Just a little longer." Hermione said, making sure that her mask was in place.

Severus nodded a frown on his face.

Hermione watched him for a while, wishing that he and Regulus wouldn't have to be part of this but Voldemort had ordered it so, here they were, ready to kill Mr. and Mrs. Potter. She regretted, now that she stood here, even thinking that anything could be done to change everything that had happened. Two more people were going to die and it wasn't even noon yet. How could this be the right thing to do? To take the lives of two people if only to get one thing in return. It was a great thing, she amended with herself but, this made her frown, was the cost of it really going to be so many lives? The answer was yes, there was no other way around it that she could think of, anyhow, death would happen; it was all part of war.

She noticed some movement in the house and looked up.

"I do believe they're awake." Hermione muttered.

Severus nodded. "Is Lupin trusted enough to keep them up there?"

"Yes. He doesn't quite know what will happen but if those boys were hurt..." she trailed off.

"They're going in." Severus said.

"We should as well." Hermione said in her resigned tone.

Severus stepped forward and opened the door.

When a terrible event happens, no matter how awful or horrendous the event, life moves on, even if a few things remain the same. While James Potter stood, covered in white from head to toe, in front of his parent's twin coffins he was thinking about the fact that the color white was such a better way to express sorrow than black. Who wore black to a funeral anyway? Apparently everyone did. He looked around at all the black clad people and frowned. Only one other person didn't wear black and he hated to see her. She was wearing a pearl white dress with an expensive looking white cloak. Her hair hung loosely around her, the wind whipping it around her face but still a calm expression remained on her face. She stood next to Albus Dumbledore but he could tell they weren't talking, and then he saw it, the lone tear that just ran down her face as she stared at the coffins and the whispered words she was muttering before she touched Dumbledore's elbow, nodded once, lifted her cloak's hood to go on her head and she walked away.

He hadn't seen her since that other day and he knew that he should confront her, ask her why she had done it, why she had betrayed them all, but he had told Dumbledore and he was doing nothing and he had to stay at the funeral, how many people had spoken about him already, for not wearing black. He snorted and suddenly noticed movement next to him. Remus was walking after her. He should have known that was going to happen, considering how Remus had reacted when seeing her; it hadn't been shock or even surprise but worry, about _her_, no doubt. James didn't quite understand why his friend had decided to act so uncaringly about the person that had murdered his best friend's parents but it seemed like something more was going on. He hated Hermione Granger and all she stood for.

"You're not coming back are you?" Remus asked.

Hermione stopped, not turning to him.

"I knew it." Remus continued. "How can you do this? Run away like you are doing currently."

"I'm not running away." Hermione muttered in an almost silent whisper.

"I see the ring on your finger. That might as well have announced it." Remus spat. "Hermione Malfoy will it be, then? I thought better of you once."

Hermione turned to him now. "How dare you, Remus? To come here and accuse me of such things. It's funny how one single line keeps coming back to me upon this situation. Muggle literature sometimes has a way of making situations in life quite ironic. Et tu Brutus is such a line, don't you think?" She had tears running down her cheeks and she seemed ready to snap. "I do what is best for this war and if that makes me a sacrifice then I am willing to make it, for all I love. For you and for your friends and for mine."

"He loves you!" Remus all but screamed.

"Who? Sirius?" She let out a cold, harsh laugh. "Yes, he loves me; the idea of me but when he saw me that morning it wasn't love that shone in his eyes."

"What you did was--"

"Terrible. Horrendous. Unforgivable. So many adjectives to describe my actions, so many different bloody ways to describe how wrong it was. Oh, I know what I did but I also know that I had to do it. You are my best friend, Remus, and I care a whole lot about you but I--I have to go, take care of yourself, I'll be seeing you soon."

"What, you won't move into the dungeons once you marry him?" Remus asked.

Hermione stepped closer to him. "Won't you let it go?"

"He loves you, more than you will ever know."

"Do you believe he loves me more than I love him?" She asked, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Yes." Remus said.

Hermione laughed again, not quite like before but still without feeling.

"I think I always loved him but I know there is so much more to life. I know that I have so many things to accomplish and he would be a distraction, and he would get hurt. I love him that much more because I can marry someone else for his own good."

"All you need is love." Remus told her.

Hermione laughed. "No. Love is a great thing but something I can live without but not seeing him live his life. That I couldn't live with."

"So you will marry another."

"Yes." Hermione turned away.

"Why him."

"He's Lucius Malfoy."

"Do you even remotely like him?"

Hermione said nothing for a long moment and then, "He's pleasant to look at and he's very rich, not that I'm not, but...He's also an honourable man and he has a conscience. Like many he's made mistakes and while I do not love him and I will not grow to love him, perhaps, one day, we won't disagree on everything and perhaps one day we will go our own ways."

"Wizarding marriages are forever." Remus stated.

"Not necessarily." Hermione whispered. "There is a law, you see, made by the first woman minister of magic. It's not often used but it shall be used again. I really will miss you, Remus, you're like the brother I never had and my best friend and I just want you to know that if anything ever goes wrong, if after your graduation I don't contact you, within a week you must continue on for me. You know the history and there is a book that will open only for you if I die. You'll know it then for what it is but I can't say more than that. Take care of them. Particularly Peter. Pay attention to him and make sure he feels involved. I'll see you soon, Remus John Lupin."

"Won't you say good bye to them?" He asked.

"I'm sorry but I can't." She said and walked farther away and he watched her as she continued walking.

The long emerald dress that hugged her form perfectly was all anyone noticed, seeing as no one could see her face. As she walked into the room, escorted by another death eater wearing expensive black dress robes everyone turned to look at them, some appreciative of the couple, others mad with jealousy, while others disapproving, believing them to be from the lower order of death eaters.

Hermione grinned at Severus when she saw him and he raised a glass to her. Lucius next to her was looking around the room. "They think we are from the lower order, how wrong they are." He whispered to her.

Hermione nodded once.

"Shall I get drinks?" Lucius asked as they stopped by Severus and Regulus both of whom were now of the inner circle.

Their mission had easily shown Voldemort what they were capable of and he had given them an honour he rarely gave to many of his older death eaters and tonight at his birthday ball on New Years Eve he would announce it to the rest of the inner circle. While the ball was attended by all his death eaters the real party didn't begin until afterwards with only the inner circle.

Hermione hadn't wanted to attend the ball but what else could she do, considering what she was to become. A Malfoy. It still bothered her that she had chosen to say yes, that she had agreed to it. It was for the best, however, in her opinion even if sometimes she believed that maybe she wasn't making the right choice. This brought her to thoughts of how he had asked her.

"Granger--Hermione--can I talk to you?"

Hermione had been in her classroom, packing her things. She had resolved to leave after the funeral in two days.

"Yes?" She asked.

"You're leaving?" He asked surprised.

"Teaching wasn't what I've always wanted to do. I have enough to live on and I would rather work for the dark lord full time." She said. "Evan Ripred will be taking over after I leave. I don't know if I could face James Potter knowing what I did, regardless."

"I know what you mean; I don't look forward to knowing what happened that day. I loved my father. I know how it feels to lose a parent and I would never have wished it on anyone." He said, "And going to that topic I wish this could be something more. I wish that maybe this could be done properly and with the right steps. I'm sorry to just spring it on you, but you must understand, it's for convenience and not out of other sentiments." He walked around her desk and managed to give her a smile before he put a box in front of her. "You may answer when you want to answer. I do not require it to be quick. I know it is something to think hard on."

Hermione looked at the box, not knowing what to think. It wasn't a generally small box but not too large, just big enough to pass for a shoe box.

"I shall leave now." He stated and walked out of the classroom.

Hermione opened the box and found an even smaller box. She opened this box and gasped, in the midst of green and silver confetti a small black velvet box sat. With shaking hands she took the small box out and opened it. The ring that sat inside it made her shiver. It was beautiful, a large diamond with green emeralds on the sides. She took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto the ring finger of her left hand. She examined it for a moment and then she bit her lip, not knowing what she could possibly say to this.

Hermione was taken out of her reverie when Lucius handed her a glass of wine and slipped a hand around her waist. "I've always loved a good ball." He told her. "It's quite amazing how much can happen during one."

Hermione reached to her mask and straightened it. "When will the dark lord arrive?"

"Soon." Severus answered for Lucius. "I do believe that you owe me a dance, Hermione, after all in two months you won't be single any longer."

Lucius glared at the younger man but when Hermione walked away with him onto the dance floor he let her go, knowing that he would never really be possessive of her. He didn't love her, after all, she was only a means to the end of the rule his mother had over him.

Hermione giggled against Severus as they swayed to the music. "He'll treat you like a queen, you know." Severus said.

"Yes but will I treat him like the King he pretends to be?"

Severus chuckled. "No." He murmured.

The rest of their dance was quiet and then when the music stopped Severus and she made their way back to Lucius and Regulus who were now in a conversation with a woman Hermione recognized as Bellatrix Black, or was it Lestrange now? Even with the mask Hermione knew who she was but she was surprised at her companion. Narcissa Black stood there, unmasked, looking at Lucius with something akin to amazement and Hermione could clearly see that she was in love with him.

When Hermione and Severus rejoined them, Bellatrix grinned at Hermione.

"Ah, my dear, why you look beautiful. Perfect to play the part of a Malfoy." She hugged Hermione and then turned to Lucius. "So, when is the wedding to be?"

While Lucius answered the questions while Hermione turned to look at Narcissa and noticed the glare that was being sent her way and she felt terrible for it. She had never really wondered about how much love--if there had been any--the Malfoys had shared but seeing this made her wonder even more if her choice was wrong in all aspects.

_January 10th 1978_

_I can't yet understand what happened that day two days before Christmas. It isn't that I don't know what happened but that while I do know, such things as what she did I can't understand why Moony refuses to explain his blind trust in her. She betrayed us all with her talk of hating the dark lord and with her work against him but I like James saw her face, the malicious grin that had made its way onto her face and the way she clutched her mask. I love--no, loved--her. What bothered me the most was my ready admittance of how much I loved her that morning and why Remus had wanted to know in the first place. _

_I hate knowing that she's gone, too. I wish to talk to her because as much as I hate her I can't help but love her and want to be around her... _

"Sirius?"

Sirius looked up at his best friend.

Remus didn't say anything for a moment. "I've been meaning to talk to you. I have to do this tonight, seeing as tomorrow we are going back to school. What you have to understand is that she told me her reasons behind everything she is doing. You have to trust me to know that what she told made sense. I will not tell you what she told me but every choice that she makes isn't for her but for us, for the wizarding world."

Sirius looked at him confused. "Why are telling me this."

"She's getting married."

Sirius threw his diary across the room as he stood up. "Married?" he asked. "Married."

"Yes." Remus said. "I'm really sorry Sirius but this is one of those things that she feels she has to do."

"She doesn't have to get married." Sirius said in a nearly silent voice.

Remus said nothing, making his way to the door but a question stopped him.

"To whom?"

"Lucius Malfoy." Remus muttered and then left the room. He heard a number of crashes as he walked to his room.

"Poor guy."

"I wonder if he's alright."

"Did you see them?"

"How do you think he is doing now?"

Whispers followed the marauders as they walked into the great hall soon after they had arrived after their extended break. James walked with an emotionless face, not really taking in what was right in front of him. He had been like this since the funeral, hard, numb, as if made out of stone. Remus walking next to him looked grim but much like he always had and while there was a certain change about him, Remus was still the same Remus. It was in Sirius that everyone found the most change. He didn't look sad or as if the death of the Potter had remotely changed him unless you counted the way he was grinning, confidently with a come hither look in his eyes that would make any girl swoon. Many did. Only Peter looked just like he always had even with the sympathetic looks he was giving James.

"Oh, James." Lily Evans threw her arms around her boyfriend. "I wanted to come see you but my parents wouldn't let me and..." she continued talking in a fast pace while James brushed her away and continued walking. She followed after him and when he sat down took the seat next to him but kept quiet.

Sirius had taken a seat next to Sapphire, a fellow Gryffindor and had already thrown an arm around her shoulders. "Hello, gorgeous." He said, making her giggle.

Remus looked at them with a frown. How could Sirius just fall into that role again, the one of the womanizer just because Hermione was getting married. How could he just go back to his old self when he had been so different, even before Hermione came into the picture? As he took his seat Remus noticed that Sapphire had nearly made it to his lap. It was disgusting. And he said he loved Hermione. Remus looked up at the staff table and was surprised to see that Hermione was seated next to Lucius, her face in a mask. Her eyes met his and he knew she was hurting.

"Meet me in my old rooms." She seemed to say to him. He nodded.

"So, she's here." Lily said venom in her voice.

Sirius looked up and noticed her. He shot her a glare. "Come to see her fiancé no doubt." He muttered.

Remus looked disapprovingly at him but Sirius didn't seem to care.

"The glares those Gryffindors shoot at you." Lucius commented. "Betrayed, aren't they."

Hermione let out a forced chuckle. "Ah, Lucius, I must say that coming here was not the best idea."

"But, my dear, I wished to show you off." Lucius whispered.

Hermione laughed. "Yes. The paper didn't do enough, did it?"

He chuckled and looked around the room. Hermione took a moment to look towards the Gryffindor table and found that she was looking at Sirius with some girl practically sitting on his lap. She knew she had no right to feel even remotely jealous but the feeling couldn't be helped and she wanted to walk towards them and take her off of him but she knew that wouldn't do well with her plan. Suddenly her eyes met Remus' and she mouthed to him, hoping that he understood. She continued watching them but turned away when Sirius took off his scarf and put it around his new friend.

"What was that?" Lucius asked.

"What?"

"That look, the one you just gave Black."

"Nothing." She stated.

"You liked him more than you should a student, didn't you?"

"Am I that obvious?" She asked. "What about you? Narcissa Black?"

He chuckled. "So we have things for Blacks." He said, reaching to put a bit of her hair behind her ear.

"I guess so." Hermione said. "But what could we possibly do about it."

"Cheat." Lucius suggested. "She's a beauty, is she not?"

Hermione laughed. "I cannot do that but I will not hold you to this marriage. She is beautiful, however, and I think, she's in love with you."

"Before I considered marrying you, she was first on my mind but to wait for her, it was going to take too long. The engagement has at least led to my mother moving out of the manor." His brow furrowed. "Perhaps if we were to hold the wedding until June, maybe we wouldn't have to even marry."

Hermione smiled. "Yes. It wouldn't be odd or anything. I mean, taking it this quick would make them talk. It would be preferable this way. It would look as if we were planning a proper Malfoy wedding." She looked around the hall. "I believe, even though I said this was a one time thing, I might be coming to Hogwarts more often."

"So a young spry Gryffindor does catch your eye." He stated.

Hermione glared at him. "I rather think I'm helping you and your young Slytherin."

"So Sirius Black holds nothing that you desire?"

"Perhaps." Hermione said. "Though I shall not act on it. I'll not come back to Hogwarts as often as you think, after all I do have things to do, weddings to plan. Once in a while."

"At least once a week." He said.

"No. Won't I let you sneak around a bit? No, I believe once in a while, meaning, once in two to three weeks. Maybe even four."

**Author's Note: **Alright, so a lot went on in this chapter that I had planned for a while. The Lucius/Hermione relationship and Hermione finally leaving Hogwarts. No worries, I will say this now under no conditions will Hermione marry Lucius...so if any of you were planning on leaving me and the story because of that...don't...actually they relationship will last this chapter...I couldn't make it stay longer and you can see that neither love each other anyway.

I also needed James' parents to die...I am really sorry about that but there is a motive behind it. I also know that they were older and died of natural causes but again I have my reasons. Also a way to make the fic progress into the next chapter which, I will tell you now, is set about a year after this one.

The title by the way is in latin and comes from the Shakespere play, _Julius Caesar. _Before Caesar dies, right after he is stabbed he sees Brutus and he says the lines: Et tu Brutus, meaning And you Brutus because he's surprised that his friend, Brutus was part of the conspiracy, I thought it fitting.

I have finally put up my new Severus/Hermione fic. Three chapters so far so check it out...marriage law. Also, I need a beta for a Sirius/OC one-shot that I am not quite done writing so anyone interested contact me for that.

Please Review!

-Erika


	14. The Return

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the lack of updates but I accidentally broke my flashdrive not to mention I was busy with school work so now that I finally have a new chapter up, aren't you proud of me, I expect all of you to love it, no, I'm kidding, even though it would be fantastic if you did...anyway before reading this is set a year or so after the last chapter...and things have changed drastically...this was originally planned to happen so even though the atmosphere in the fic changed a lot from ch. 12 to ch. 13 to now ch. 14 it is for a reason...anyways enjoy! And I don't know when the next update will be...

**Chapter Fourteen**

_The Return_

"Just stop being so bloody stubborn." The voice was faint and coming from the corridor.

Sirius opened his eyes and looked first at the door and then at his best friend sleeping in bed next to him before turning to the empty bed of his other best friend. Sirius didn't know where Peter had gotten to; he hadn't even shown up at headquarters the night before for the meeting. He sighed and looked, then, at the window from which light from the full moon fell into the room. He wished he could be with Remus but it was impossible on this night. Remus was spending it at Hogwarts and Sirius needed to be at headquarters to the order for the meeting which was to take place in an hour. But if Peter could ignore a meeting why couldn't he and who was out in the hallway anyway?

He got up and walked silently to the door ignoring James who mumbled something as he turned. How James could sleep was beyond him. He pressed his ear against the door and heard only a groan and then a curse escape someone in a weak voice. Then there was a small stumbling of footsteps and then the groan of the door across the hall opening and then the closing of it. Sirius frowned. That room, he had come to understand, belonged to someone of the order from the inner order who seemed to be on some important mission. He had yet to see whoever it was that it belonged to but it was clear whoever it was had made it for the meeting. It had to be an important meeting, he reasoned, when Evan had mentioned it he had seemed worried and bothered by something.

Sirius sighed and instead of walking to his bed went to his window and looked up at the full moon hoping that Remus was alright which of course led to thinking about how much Remus seemed to know while within the order. He unlike Sirius, James, Peter, Lily, and so many others had been entrusted with much more. He had also been part of the reason that they had joined the order when they left Hogwarts. Sirius didn't understand it most of the time how much Remus seemed to know about what was happening as if he knew the informant of the order. He could have for all the things the inner order. The informant was a death eater, a spy. It could have been anyone even James--that was improbable. Too many secrets bothered Sirius. Especially when it was within a group that was supposed to be working together. He jumped suddenly when the sound of the front door of the house opening and then the loud crack of apparition. He suddenly felt the ring in his pocket burn and he turned just in time to see James jump out of bed and stumble over a misplaced shoe leading to him lying on the floor, face first.

Sirius laughed at his friend who glared at him before getting up and getting dressed. Sirius who had already been dressed walked to the door and opened it. He looked back at James who nodded, groaning at his lack of sleep. Sirius chuckled once more as he left the room and walked down the stairs. He continued towards the drawing room where they would be meeting but stopped when he spotted Fabian Prewett holding a conversation with Muffie Woodfairy. He walked towards them.

"...he said to not worry about it. He needn't come and he's right, you know, the order isn't really his--oh, hi, Sirius." Muffie said. "How is everything?"

"As well as it can be." Sirius answered. "Is Dumbledore here then?"

"No. He's not coming." Fabian answered this time. "Not too much of a strange thing if you ask me but I think even if he would have been here he wouldn't have been the one leading today's meeting. We should head in there."

Sirius nodded and walked after them into the drawing room. It was a large room with a fire roaring on the hearth. Sirius took a seat by said fire and watched as more and more members poured into the room still there was no sign of Peter and this worried Sirius, granted the animagus had been distant but not to the extent as to miss an entire meeting. James entered the room and sat down next to him.

"Bigger crowd than usual." He stated, taking his glasses off to clean them.

"Dumbledore's not coming." Sirius told him. "Fabian said it wouldn't have mattered and just fifteen minutes ago someone went into the room across the hall. This is to be some important meeting if it can't be held off for Dumbledore."

James frowned, then, "No Peter?"

"No. I don't know where he went." Sirius said and was about to continue talking as he looked around the now full room save for three chairs when the door opened once more and talking amicably two boys entered. Sirius' eyes narrowed at the two of them. One was his brother and the other Severus Snape but it wasn't their presence that surprised Sirius more than when Hermione entered the room.

A year had changed her drastically. She was much skinnier than Sirius remembered, her robes served to hide this but they still fit around her loosely. Her eyes were dull and lifeless and her skin pale as if she hadn't seen the sun in a long time but it was the way she stood that took his breath away. She had always emitted a certain aura of power but now it was more impressed upon everyone. She held herself more regally than before and when she walked into the room the first person she spoke to was Severus Snape. They had always been close during Hogwarts.

"Do you have them, Sev?"

"Yes. Lupin did a good job, I must admit."

She nodded and he handed her a parchment with what looked like a map drawn on it. For a long moment everyone watched as she seemed to read from this map and then she smiled, a chuckle escaping her cracked lips. "Oh, yes, very amusing. Tell me, Fenwick, how much has Dumbledore spoken of concerning horcruxes?"

Benjy Fenwick didn't say anything for a moment. "Until this moment I do not believe any of us have heard of them."

Severus snorted and whispered something to Regulus.

"I expected as much." Hermione stated. "He dislikes giving bad news. Come, now, tell me what he has told you."

"Most of what the new members know is of little importance." Caradoc Dearborn spoke now, "They deal with the raids and the such, the information they are trusted with is not of much interest. As for the inner members, few know the identity of the informer--the spy--and many work in secret missions for Dumbledore such as the one Hagrid is on at the moment trying to let the giants know we offer a hand of friendship."

"And you, Dearborn, what are you doing."

"Little Hangleton still gets a lot of strange things." He responded.

"Yes." Hermione murmured. "Dumbledore has kept a lot of it to himself, then, makes my work harder, however, I must explain everything I possibly can about, well, the things he has hidden from you lot. I have never felt that everyone should know everything, no, but to say nothing about it. Unthinkable." She seemed to be talking more to herself than anything.

-

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-

Hermione sank down in her chair. She looked out the window and sighed, the dark sky was being painted in many different colors, shades of red and orange drifted from the raising sun. A new day, just like the new beginning she was forming. It had been a long meeting and not one that wouldn't be repeated in the months to come, in fact she awaited these to happen. She continued staring out the window. How could it have been possible that a year had passed already? Too much had happened already and yet...she felt like everything was the same. She had tried to change so much to no avail, people were still dying and more than once she had realized how untrained and unorganized the order was. She hadn't seen half the people in the order these days, staying away for as long as she could with Regulus and Severus meeting Remus from time to time. It had been an odd friendship that had been formed between the three boys, one with callous wit and careless comments. She smiled at the memory of how they had reacted to each other at first. They had all claimed to be too different from each other to attempt something like working together but still they had been at her request. They, her boys, as she had taken to calling them, had been probably the only thing to keep her sane and human in her own eyes. They had kept the self-disgust in check knowing that all she did was for the good of the all. How many times had Remus, whom she considered to be the strongest out of all of them, told her that one life was so much better to lose than that of many? The sun was finally up, lighting shone in through the window and into the somewhat darkened room. Hermione welcomed it and continued staring out the window thinking about Sirius. She knew she had no right to think of him, no right at all. She had been the one to go and get engaged with Lucius Malfoy; Lucius who was getting married in a month to Narcissa whom he had managed to woo during those last remaining months of school after she had left after the admittance of their feelings for other people.

Hermione felt a ghost of a smile make its way to her face. The plan had worked perfectly for both of them. Hermione had a good excuse for staying away from Sirius and Lucius had gotten rid of his mother. Hermione had also let James grieve in his own time while allowing Remus to help the hate that they must all have had for her die. It had been flawless and left all of them to remain happy and ignorant. Even to this day only Remus knew her and Evan's--Harry's--secret. Thinking about Remus made her wonder if he was alright. His friends had probably gone to get him, no doubt, and she needed to just wait a few more minutes and he would be back to the house and she would be able to see him.

When the door opened it was unexpected but Hermione did not let show that it had startled her. She had learnt a lot in the past year. She had changed a lot and she knew it. She also knew that Remus and Severus worried about her cold demeanour but it wasn't to be helped. There was nothing they could do without affecting everything that she was. She was distant and cold for a reason. If she was unfeeling her tasks would be easier but still one person still came to her mind that could break the walls and the ice that she had put around her heart. Sirius Black had too much power over her and he didn't even know it. She cursed the diary and everything it had taught her about Sirius. She cursed the way he made her feel and how much she wanted to protect him. Even as he approached her now, a scowl hiding the smile that was bursting to come out, she knew that it wasn't healthy for her to be faced with someone such as Sirius and that she didn't deserve him. Not one bit.

"Hermione."

She looked up and met his eyes.

"Oh, Hermione." Sirius threw himself at her.

Hermione barely managed to wrap her arms around him before they were both on the floor weeping. Hermione couldn't stop herself from burying her head in the crook of his neck or taking in the musky scent of old leather and mint that seemed to just emanate from him and she knew his face was in her hair. Hermione mused that she had never admitted her feelings to him or his to her but that they had always somehow known. It had been the way of things between them and not something that had been likely to change. Although the moment had been wanted and long awaited, however, Hermione knew she couldn't be with him. She couldn't allow him to get hurt. She pulled away and stood up, a flick of her hand righting the chair. Sirius quickly got to his feet and stepped closer. She shook her head.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I love you too much to let you get hurt this way." She said. "You know this."

"I had a year to contemplate." He said, not smiling, "Of course I was sure you didn't care for a long time and I did convince myself that I didn't love you for another but...I do, don't I? I can't change it and you can't just push me away."

"I can." Hermione said, once more looking out the window. "Do not pretend to know me. I have changed, Sirius, I am not who I was last year and I cannot expect anything less than for this--whatever this is--to change."

Sirius began to pace. "Is love not enough?"

"Not in everything, I'm afraid." Hermione said, softly. "I resent it, yes, but until this war is over love is not enough." Hermione in her mind snorted at what she had just told him. Love was enough to end the war but not the kind she and Sirius shared, not a mistake that they would later regret, that he would regret for her only regret would be to have him hate her when the truth was uncovered.

-

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Sirius didn't know why he even bothered. He walked out of the house holding his cloak tight against his body as he played the conversation that he had just had with Hermione back to himself. She loved him, that was his only comfort. She had told him she loved him. Even if it had been when rejecting him he still he was elated by the development if a little put out that she didn't want anything to happen between them but he had seen a glimpse of her wish for them to be together. He had enjoyed having her in his arms and he knew she had enjoyed being in them and he also understood, now, how much power Hermione held in the order and just how much importance she had within Voldemort's ranks but in Dumbledore's eyes and he begun to understand just how hard things probably were for her and how her choice to keep away from her hurt. However, even while knowing this, Sirius couldn't help but wish things were different and that he could have more than a memory of her in his arms.

He stopped walking, sure that he had reached the wards and apparated to stand inside the Shrieking Shack. He looked around the room and found his friend leaning back against one of the wooden walls.

"Sirius?"

Sirius grinned. "I didn't know you had any contact with Hermione."

Remus shrugged. "It was a secret but is it safe to assume she told you guys nearly everything there is to know about everything?"

"Yes." Sirius sighed. "It was unbelievable all that stuff about what she had been working on and her role as a spy and just the horcruxes. Peter wasn't there you know, and I felt a little annoyed about that, I mean he had no excuse to miss the meeting, but maybe he does. I don't want to think bad of him but I was so surprised by her being there and Regulus? I didn't expect that either. I thought he was still in Hogwarts."

Remus watched his friend ramble on about the meeting wondering how he had really reacted to Hermione; something was bound to have happened between the two of them.

"Pass me my cloak."

Sirius handed Remus his cloak, "Do you need to go anywhere else before headquarters?"

"No." Remus said, finally clasping his cloak on and standing up. "Did you talk to her?"

"Yes." Sirius said with little hesitation. "I don't like that we can't be together but I understand it, she's too important and I could be a weakness for everything that she's worked for. I can't ruin this for her."

-

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-

In a small cottage sitting directly in the middle of a large forest a tall pale woman looked out of a dirty window as if she was waiting for something to happen. She sighed in some sort of relief when she spotted Albus Dumbledore walking toward the cottage. She continued watching him and heard the knocking on the door but she allowed her house elf to get it and then he was being shown into the drawing room.

"Arwone." Dumbledore said, looking at the woman that looked ageless and was smiling slightly at him, her green eyes, the only show of how old she was, glinting brightly at him.

"I have been expecting you, Albus." She stated. "Things grow worse out there. I can see them changing; however, you have something that will change everything. It is the first time it's happened and it will be enough, I must say, it will be enough." She walked around the room, stopping to look at him. "It's strange you know how different things are with the actions of one person, the butterfly effect if you will. Hermione Granger by just meeting certain people, by letting her ideas be known, changed the entire course of history."

"Is it is a bad thing, then?" Dumbledore asked. "She's a powerful leader and everything she has been doing has been for the greater good."

"Greater good." Arwone scoffed. "You said that last time and then I had to clean up your mess." She sat down and motioned for him to do the same. "I wish to meet Hermione soon. I have seen her in a few visions but nothing more than that and--" Here she stopped and her eyes glazed over.

-

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-

When her dark mark began burning, Hermione hissed in pain. Even with an entire year of having felt this she was still wary and surprised at the feel of the burning at her skin. She barely had to look up to see that Severus was already leaving the table and Regulus was already up and out the door. She stood up and looked over at Sirius and Remus giving a nod at Remus. He made no change of expression but he was now aware of where she was going. When she left the room no one noticed. She made her way towards where Severus and Regulus stood already in their black robes and holding silver masks with specific markings that identified them to other members of the inner order. Hermione brought out her own "costume" her mask going into place not only literally. She had for all extents become the death eater, unfeeling and ready to do whatever she had to do for the so called greater good.


End file.

Harry Potter, Adventure, Romance