Rewrite the past

Chapter 5

Mid-march, 2001, New Headquarters, Scotland

"Neville, you're back! Where are the others, though?" asked Molly Weasley as the young, bruised man entered the big meeting room in their hidden hideout.

"There are no others any more. They caught us before we could actually spy on them. We fought, but they were more. Michael was the first one to go down, followed by Lewis and Terry. I had to get out of there. It was like hell." answered Neville as Molly set about healing the cuts and bruises on his face and hands. "Something new with you here?"

As the others were about to object to that, Hermione spoke up.

"Actually, yes. I have an idea to help us out of this situation. I still do have the time-turner I used in my third year to take on all the classes I could. Now, what if I were to alter it so that I could go back in time and help Albus vanquish him before he made his Horcruxes? He'd be mortal then, and we know that he feared Albus because of his power." Hermione looked up at the others assembled around the big metal table. They were all wearing the same things, short-sleeved tops and cargo jeans, and most had their hair just as short as she had. Severus and Molly were actually the only exceptions.

"What if you fail? Everything would have been for nought. No, I think that you should stay here and help us spy on them to check out all of their weaknesses." A tall, scarred man sitting a few seats away from Hermione looked at his former student for one year.

"Remus, our food is nearly all gone. Most of us have died already. There's no hope left. This is our only chance, we must take it," argued Hermione.

"We can ration our food, and we will have to plan our spy trips better, but it's still a better alternative. We need everyone here," countered the werewolf, growing more impatient by the minute

"Don't you understand? I have to do this! This may be the only chance we'll ever get, Remus. What other options are there? Waiting for him to die? Not very likely, he's still immortal and that won't change even if we were to wait 3 years or 10 years or 100! All that would accomplish would be our ultimate deaths and the loss of even the smallest spark of hope anyone ever had. We'll die sooner or later, but that won't change anything in this world. It would still be the same for all those children this world has!"

The young woman was standing her ground against the much taller man opposite her despite her petite form, glaring at him through her formerly warm caramel-coloured eyes that were now just a dull brown colour. Her formerly unruly brown hair was now only a mere 5 millimetres long, just for convenience. There were some rather nasty gashes visible on her arms, and she had many more hidden under her short-sleeved shirt and her cargo jeans. She looked just as rogue as she was at the moment, with her army boots and her cargo jeans. Hermione, who hadn't really spoken up since her mentor had died, was near shouting now, to which Remus stood up while the other members just looked on between them.

"Remus, she's right. This might be our only chance at saving this world. As much as I loathe the idea, we have to use it." A man stepped out of the shadows wearing a black shirt, cargo jeans and army boots just like everyone else in the room did. His formerly long and inky black hair was now cut short, albeit slightly longer than his former students' and it no longer had its intense colour. He seemed to have aged those past three years considerably, his hair now completely grey and the lines much more edged into his face. His nearly black eyes were dull, now looking more like a muddy brownish-grey mixture. His biggest mistake was still clearly visible on his left forearm, but here, in the new headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, nobody cared about it any more. They all got to know the truth, and they all trusted him.

Remus Lupin slumped down into his chair again and massaged the bridge of his nose.

"It is settled then. I will leave in a few minutes," said Hermione, to which Severus nodded in agreement. The order members all stood from their seats and bid her their goodbyes, as Severus stood by her side. The last one to walk up to Hermione was none other than Remus Lupin once Molly Weasley let go of her.

"I hope that you'll succeed. It can't get any worse, can it?" asked the sheepish-looking werewolf, scratching his neck.

"It definitely can't. Stay alive, won't you?" asked Hermione, shaking his outstretched hand. He smiled at her before nodding towards Severus and leaving the room.

Severus programmed the time-turner before gently lowering it over her head.

"I trust you. You are the only one capable of doing this." He stepped back from her.

"What makes you so sure about that, Severus?" He went to the door, opened it, and walked halfway through before turning.

"You already managed it here and now, so why not then. Good luck." He looked at her and both of their eyes seemed to have at least a tiny spark of life, and he smiled at the baffled young woman before he left her alone.

She stood there, in the middle of the big room staring at the door in disbelief at what her professor just said as he left her standing there quite puzzled.

Mid-May 1966, Hermione's bedroom, Cokeworth, England

Hermione was sitting at her new desk looking out of the window at the old swing set where she made the acquaintance with the six-year-old Severus who already showed some characteristics the older Severus showed during the last few months they spent in hiding. He already had a vast intellect and was rather reclusive, and he had already left her quite puzzled a few times that afternoon.