Not Our World (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Best Layed

She didn't run into Harry.

That was the first disappointment of the day as Hermione turned her head, hoping to run into her friend and in turn some form of familiarity with the world she'd found herself dumped into, and yet he was nary insight, her hopes of running into him slowly crashing apart as the day progressed.

Which—the day did proceed instead in the same manner it had in the other world when she'd been brought to collect her school supplies, even ending up with the same wand. The one difference—Hermione would be stopping at Magical Menagerie, her heart set on one beautiful, orange flat-faced half-Kneazle. "My Crookshanks."

She'd asked her mother to let her get a pet, one of the ones listed on the supply list, but there was no getting around the fact her heart was set on Crookshanks, her lovely half-Kneazle, who was smart enough to tell Scabbers was, in fact, Peter Pettigrew. That was her plan when she walked into the shop with Professor McGonagall.

Hermione's plans didn't include the possibility of there being another person in the entire magical universe who would, in fact, fall head over heels in love with Crookshanks. Yet, there he was—something familiar about his curly black hair and gray eyes despite the fact she was sure she'd never met this wizard before.

"He's stealing my Crookshanks!" It was childish of her, yet she found being in an eleven-year-old body left one prone to childish bouts as the young man turned, beaming at Professor McGonagall as he snuggled Crookshanks in the crook of his arms.

"Professor McGonagall!" the man said, all smiles, all—reminding of Hermione something she pushed to the back of her mind because it brought on a feeling of hurt, her mind telling her she was simply upset that the man was stealing her Crookshanks. "Look what Sirius got me! Isn't he adorable! And fluffy and very orange!"

"Sirius? As in Sirius Black?" Hermione turned her head, her mind still taking in what was unfolding here, and indeed there was Harry's godfather standing there, his body not being affected by the toll of Azkaban or even being on the run from the Ministry of Magic, looking very much like a proud Black.

Which—given the black hair and gray eyes, the other person must be—

"Regulus! You idiot!"

"Regulus Arcturus Black is alive in this world," Hermione thought, only to suddenly realize, "Wait! Regulus Black is stealing my cat!" She stared, confused. "And I thought Sirius wasn't on speaking terms with his brother. Actually, why did I expect his brother to be more like—Draco, I guess?"

"You're not setting a good impression for your future student, Regulus."

"And he's going to be one of my teachers? This idiot who stole my cat?" Hermione stared.

He then, like an idiot, blurted out how he thought Professor McGonagall was "Lucky" because "I've not had the chance of helping the incoming first years with their school shopping."

"He's supposed to be a professor?" Hermione stared, watching as Sirius apologized to Professor McGonagall. At the same time, Regulus rambled on about making a cake with Lily and Harry, meaning Harry's parents were alive. After all, he wasn't coming to Diagon Alley today, not when he could celebrate his birthday. "Is Harry okay having a former Death Eater at his birthday?"

"Oh, dear," Professor McGonagall. "Professor Black can be..."

Hermione's head jolted up, looking at the woman, noting she needed to change her plan as she would not be going home with Crookshanks as there was no way she'd stoop to being just as childish as Professor Black obviously could be. "Professor Black?"

"He's a bit eccentric. Even when he was a student, to be honest. But he means well, I guess?"

"Wait? He wasn't a Death Eater?" Hermione asked, her mouth clamping shut. In the back of her mind, she should have thought about using the World Wizard Network to figure out what had changed or not, such as whether Death Eaters would be a thing. She pretended to be looking at the various creatures to try and find the one she wanted to take home.

"Oh my," the older woman. "You actually dug that up?"

Hermione pressed her lips together, wishing she'd not had that kind of luck, particularly since that conversation—she honestly didn't know what kind of differences there were between the two worlds. "I shouldn't have?"

"Well," McGonagall tilted her head slightly. "I'm not against you knowing that there are prejudices even with the addition of the World Wizard Network towards Muggleborn, but that was a dark period of time for us. And we don't like worrying Muggle parents over that."

Hermione frowned. "But you didn't say he wasn't one."

McGonagall looked at her with that look, that looks where her eyebrows lifted, and she was questioning whether or not someone really did something they just did. "You're going to be trouble just like he was, aren't you?"

"What do you mean by that?" Hermione's mouth twisted into a pout, and she crossed her arms, no longer concerned with looking around the pet shop. Being compared to Regulus Black—it didn't feel flattering.

"Inquisitive," McGonagall replied. "Wanting to know everything without actually understanding what it is you're learning. You can't learn everything from books, you know. And, I'd say Professor Black learned that the hard way."

That still didn't answer the question of whether he was a Death Eater or not. Hermione frowned.

"Professor Black may have a rather strange way of thinking, but he won't judge you for being Muggleborn."

"That's still avoiding the question! I'm not a little kid, so..." Except, she was.

"Are you finding a creature you'd like to take home with you?" McGonagall asked, deftly changing the subject.

"I liked that cat," Hermione admitted. "The orange one Professor Black had."

McGonagall looked at her and then said. "Don't judge Professor Black for being a former Death Eater."

"Judge him for being a Death Eater?" That hadn't crossed her mind. "He died, so one of the Horcrux to be destroyed." Having actually met Regulus, what had crossed her mind was that he didn't act like a proper Pureblood. "And he stole my cat! Regulus Arcturus Black stole Crookshanks! The champion of House Elves stole my cat!" She sighed. "I don't see anything."

"Maybe next year," McGonagall said. "You'd be able to come with your mother to pick one out."

"My mother and not my father." Hermione nodded her head, following McGonagall out. "I guess it would be easier if it were just mom, given how upset he was after seeing Mr. Weasley get into it with Malfoy's father." Hermione looked at the ground, finding herself disliking this world when she froze, looking at a window. "Owl."

"Oh. You don't have to get an owl as an m-mail works just fine these days."

"But there are wizards who don't use the World Wizard Network?" Hermione asked.

"Well, yes."

"Then having one and getting used to using one will be advantageous," Hermione thought, pushing the door open. And then. Her eyes blinked.

Hedwig.

There was Hedwig, having never been bought in this world for Harry on his birthday by Hagrid. She pointed her finger at the owl. "I'll take her."