Time Boat

{2}

{2-A Close Eye}

Hermione knew she was found out as a girl, but she wasn't sure if he would have directly stated it out like he did. Really, she just thought that he would have cast her out on her bum and told her to play elsewhere.

"Sir, I-"

"I can see right through your enchantment, clever as it is. I would be worried you would attack me, but the fact you went through such great lengths to merely disguise yourself as a student makes me curious as to your motives."

Honestly, Hermione didn't even know her own motives, bar the fact she had just wanted to have a normal year at Hogwarts. Of course, that was completely impossible now, and she suddenly had twenty years to merely just kill time. It was too bad she couldn't get away with being a first-year and get seven of her years out of the way. Of course, being a seventh-year, she could easily do more research on time-travel and attempt to get herself back home, but even for her that was a stretch. Doesn't mean she wouldn't try.

"I merely want to learn, Headmaster."

More narrowing of the eyes, and Hermione nearly rolled hers.

"And yet you know me. You had to have asked for me directly with some familiarity for DeLancey to even allow you past him and into the castle."

"It's not hard to hear about you, Sir."

"You know more than that, but I am a man of many secrets, Miss-"

"Granger," Hermione blurted out, cursing her good nature and wondering just how she was to keep herself private in the future. Of course, she knew how time worked, and obviously Dumbledore didn't mind too much, for he never mentioned anything in the future, and even gave her a time-turner to use in third year!

"Right, Miss Granger. As I said, I too possess many secrets, so I shall let you to yours. If I find that comes back to hurt me, beware that I will not take kindly to it, and you will find yourself in a great deal of misfortune."

Hermione nodded vigorously.

"And what name have you chosen for yourself as a boy?"

"Florizel Granger."

"Ah, your parents fans of Shakespeare, by any chance?"

Hermione was surprised and not all at once, that Dumbledore knew who Shakespeare was, but nodded regardless.

"Well, then, I suggest you sit down, and we'll get you sorted, then."

Hermione wondered how the sorting hat would see her when it was placed on her head. Would it be true to her original Gryffindor and out her even more to Dumbledore, or would it re-sort her just to watch her squirm?

A whole new wave of nerves hit her, and she wondered exactly how this was going to go. Dumbledore reached for the hat and then gingerly walked back over to her, placing it on her head and stepping back, a smile of satisfaction on her lips. With all the first years coming, she was surprised it wasn't already in the Great Hall.

The hat mumbled some things to itself, mostly about her various traits that had come out, but it did not seem to recognize that she'd been through this process before. It felt odd, reliving her eleven year-old dream that hadn't ended. The only difference was, there was no pressure to make friends or be liked, no, she had all that waiting for her back in her time. Here, she would merely lay low and hope no one noticed her.

"Well, I think it'll be, GRYFFINDOR!"

Dumbledore clapped, pride in his own house showing blatantly as he took the hat back and placed it on the table.