Rewrite Time

Returning To Hogwarts For The First Time

That week passed easily, Hermione officially became a part of the Potter family, and she and the Marauders (Minus Remus) got up to all sorts of mischief. Hermione blatantly ignored the rat, or as you may know him, Pettigrew. James and Sirius were slightly suspicious of 'Mione's behavior towards Peter but planned to just add it to all the other things they wanted to know about her.

Finally, it was Saturday and they were going to Diagon alley to see Remus and get their school stuff. They all flooed to the Leaky. Hermione ran after the Marauders and into Diagon alley, the bright light assaulted her eyes as she walked into the wizard version of a shopping mall. The last time she had been here doors and windows had been boarded up, there had been little to no light, people had sat on the ground wearing ragged clothes, and not to mention that she had broken into one of the highest security places ever, impersonated Bellatrix the crazy witch who had tortured her, and rode out of the bank on a blind dragon.

Coming here brought back so many memories both good and bad, but she had to stay in the present or at least this present, maybe it was the past. No, that doesn't sound right, stay in the past, this was confusing. She snapped her attention back to the Marauders and after doing this saw Remus waiting for them outside of Flourish and Blotts. "Remus!" Hermione yelled as they ran towards him.

Remus laughed at their enthusiasm but the truth was he was just as happy if not more to see them. This most recent full moon transformation had been very difficult without his friends. He could see the way 'Mione was looking at him with a mixture of concern, guilt, and betrayal. He thought she might know something, but he didn't know how as she had barely known him for two days.

The bit of betrayal he saw in her eyes was curious, as he didn't know how he could have possibly betrayed her and he would never. Remus crinkled his nose at her and she laughed a little saying, "Remus, are you sure you're not the one who's sick?" Hermione said this with such humor that he knew he was off the hook for now.

Sirius watched this interaction and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach, he didn't know why exactly but he didn't like it when 'Mione was like this with other people. He couldn't be jealous, could he? Nah, anyways he had more pressing matters to attend to like finding the best new broom around.

James watched everything that happened with rapt interest, it was like watching the best teenage drama books, not that he read any of those, cause he didn't. He saw Sirius looking at Hermione and Remus with pure unrefined jealously and it was hilarious. He knew that Sirius had a little crush on 'Mione and was going to be threatening him about it later. Everyone was too wrapped up in what was happening to notice the little rat sneaking away.

The rest of the Diagon alley trip went very well, but no one knew where Peter had gone and most simply didn't care that much. Euphemia said that Peter had probably gone home with his parents she had seen them in a shop and they had chatted a little.

~Kings cross station~

Hermione ran at the brick wall in between platforms nine and ten, disappearing as soon as she hit. Hermione reappeared on the other side with the Marauders. She was back in platform nine and three quarters except for this time she was with her best friend's dead father and his dead friends.

They walked over to the steaming scarlet train determined to find a seat before they were all taken. Hermione laughed at one of Sirius' dumb puns as they climbed onto the Hogwarts express. Hermione sighed in recognition as they sat in the Marauders' respective compartment. This was the place where she and her friends had sat every year when they came to Hogwarts.

She was too lost in her memories both happy and sad that she didn't notice everyone had already sat down. "Hey, 'Mione, sit down," Sirius said pulling her into the seat next to him, almost on his lap. Hermione blushed and attempted to move away, but the boys were too caught up in a conversation to notice.

"Do any of you know where Peter is?" James asked looking around and realizing his 'friend' wasn't there, Hermione scoffed not caring where that traitorous rat was. Sirius looked at her in suspicion, wondering why she didn't seem to like Peter very much. Remus shook his head and continued explaining to Sirius about transfiguration, his worst subject. James quickly forgot about Peter and jumped back into Remus and Sirius' conversation.

After a while, he glanced over at Hermione, she was still sitting at Sirius' side with his arm around her waist but she didn't seem to mind. She had a book in her hand he didn't know where she could have possibly got it, but she was Hermione she always had a book. He had noticed that she was with them over the week whenever he would look at her if she wasn't already doing something she would be reading.

James took a closer look at what she was reading and almost jumped back in surprise and fear. The cover of the book was old and tattered but it plainly stated in big red letters, "Secrets Of The Darkest art". He knew that he didn't know that much about her but he didn't think she would be reading books on the dark arts. But come to think of it he was sure he had seen her with that book more than any others that week.

"James, James, earth to Prongs!" Sirius half-shouted in his face. "What?" he asked in exasperation, "You were staring off into space," Moony told him, covering Sirius' mouth before he could retort. James waved for them to come with them telling Hermione they were going to harass some Slytherins.

"What is so secretive you had to drag us away from, 'Mione," Sirius pouted, "Did you see the book she was reading?" he asked looking at them. James explained everything and they had a big talk about all the suspicious things surrounding the girl. After a while, though they had to go back to the compartment to get Hermione and get to the feast.

~The carriages~

Hermione stared out the window at the grand castle that was Hogwarts, it looked exactly like it did when she had first arrived here, a few years in the future. The last time she had been here it was almost a pile of rubble and she had been fleeing for her life, fleeing from her life.

She was running from reality, all her friends dead, almost everyone she knew dead or to be dead, her second home burned down and soaked in blood, swarming with the murders known as death eaters.