Since 1970

Chapter 29

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 29:

September 21, 1976

(nineteen years ago)

"So, Lily made it to Potions N.E.W.T. level?" she whispered to Alice while they settled beside each other in their Potions class. She was to her right and Frank was on Alice's left.

Her Hufflepuff friend rolled her eyes. "Where have you been living, Hermione?"

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" she replied with guilt.

Alice chuckled and patted her shoulder. "Just kidding, Mione. Yes, she made it, thanks to Sev. But I don't think she will last this time without a good partner. And in case you don't know, Lily isn't in D.A.D.A. newt."

Hermione's eyes widened. Was Lily not allowed? "Why?"

Alice shrugged. "Not sure if she wasn't allowed to enroll or she decided not to take the class. Poor thing, she'll never be a Healer."

"She better marries a pureblood wizard, or else, it'll be hard for her to find a job," commented someone from behind them: Helena Abbott, Alice's fellow Hufflepuff.

"You should have let her get expelled," whispered Alice, nudging her shoulder.

She gave her friend a disapproving look.

"Yes, Hermione, you should have," commented Helena. "The poor girl's been scrubbing all weekend in the hospital wing. I also caught her mistreating some books in the library and was reprimanded by Madam Pince."

"So, what? She's still doing detentions all year? This year?" she asked.

"Yep. All thanks to you, because you didn't want her expelled. She's banned in Hogsmeade visits, too. You know, you're too kind, and it scares me, honestly," her friend said, giving her a knowing look.

"My mum told me that, too," she shrugged.

"Good morning, class!"

All heads turned to their walrus-like professor. Professor Slughorn looked full, his stomach was bigger than ever.

All of them murmured their greetings. The professor gestured at the three steaming cauldrons in front of him. "Miss Puckle!" he called her jovially. "Please come over and identify the potion on the first cauldron."

Hermione obliged and saw the mother-of-pearl sheen, with spiraling steam. She frowned. "It's Amortentia, Professor," she replied, sniffling. But she could not smell anything.

"You are correct, of course, Miss Puckle," the professor smiled and peeked. "What do you smell?"

Hermione looked at Professor Slughorn rather hesitantly.

"Oh, it's all right, Miss Puckle. You don't have to tell me. But just in case you did not smell anything, it only means that you found your true love; so pure and sincere that even the most powerful love potion in the world wouldn't affect the two of you."

Hermione blushed and nodded quietly, before turning back to her seat. She could feel Sev's gaze, so she met his eyes and reached for his hand under the table. "Looks like I found my true love," she whispered and was rewarded by a genuine smile from her boyfriend.

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October 9, 1976

(nineteen years ago)

"Grandmother's asking again if we could stay with her the entire Yule break," Sev told her while walking to the Great Hall from the Ravenclaw Tower.