Summary: The Time Turner from the Ministry came with strings attached. Unspeakable McGeoch asks Hermione Granger to get ahead in her subjects, aim for an apprenticeship two years earlier than average, and… learn French? Hermione's flourishing correspondence with her new mentor reveals one of the Department of Mystery's more drastic long-term plans, and her place in it.

Genres: Adventure, Friendship, Romance

Pairings: [Hermione Granger, Lucius Malfoy], [James Potter, Lily Evans], [Arthur Weasley, Molly Prewett]

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from the use of J.K. Rowling's estate.

Words: 500

Posted: 1/2/15

Prologue

"Are you sure?" asked Minerva McGonagall, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. The Unspeakable sitting across from her nodded; the hood of his silver robe obscured the upper half of his face. She eyed him suspiciously. Long association with the Department of Mysteries had taught her that a trust-but-verify approach was generally best taken in dealings with them. "You must have an ulterior motive."

He shrugged. "We don't often take them so young," he said noncommittally.

"Come off it, McGeoch!" exclaimed the Transfiguration Professor in a rare use of colloquialism. "You've granted permission for a third year to use a Time Turner with no more justification than 'she wants to take every class on the course catalog'!"

"You wouldn't have asked unless you thought she was something very special," pointed out McGeoch, the visible portion of his face twitching into something: Whether a smirk or a frown, Minerva couldn't tell. His fellow Scot glared at him for a moment but soon deflated.

"You're going to ask for something," she said in resignation. "I'm sorry but I haven't the time to help with any of your projects at the moment. We're only in the early stages but the plans for the Tournament next year are already taking up all my free time, not to mention Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban."

The Unspeakable tilted his head to the side. Although he wasn't glad that they wouldn't have access to the most accomplished Transfiguration Master in Europe, her plea of over-work wasn't entirely unexpected. But it was comforting that Minerva had no idea what his plans were, because that meant that Dumbledore didn't either.

"We'd like her to learn French," he said.

"Pardon?" asked the professor at the apparent non sequitor.

"The girl," he repeated patiently. ("Hermione," she interjected absentmindedly.) "Yes. We'd like Hermione to learn French."

"I'm sure… I'm sure that can be arranged," she said hesitantly. "Anything else?"

"A hastening of her education in other areas as well, perhaps," he said, waving a hand in the air and giving off the impression that he was thinking out loud. "With the aim of an apprenticeship by her sixth year, in the subject of her choice."

The wheels in Minerva's mind turned rapidly.

"And I'll be writing to her," he tacked on nonchalantly once it was clear that her mind was already busy. "I like to keep tabs on anyone renting the Department of Mystery's property."

"Of course," she said. "And I imagine you'll be doing some research."

He inclined his head so she couldn't see even part of his face, hiding the small untruth. "Of course," he repeated. "Therefore we do ask that any communication between the Department and—Hermione—remain strictly confidential."

Minerva rolled her eyes, her mind already returning to his earlier statements about her student's new curriculum.

"She's not going to have enough time for any of this," she muttered to herself.

"Minerva," McGeoch chided her, smirking. "She'll have all the time in the world."

A/N: This story won't leave me alone. I'm not the fastest with updates, but I also don't abandon projects. It's Hermione-centric, as per my preference, with secondary focus on Fleur and, when he arrives, Lucius. Pairings listed above are set in stone. Who ends up on what side (e.g., is Snape a Death Eater?) is mostly decided but not concrete. As you'll find out in the next chapter, it's a time travel story, but we won't be leaving the present for a while yet; the Ministry might be a hot mess, but the Department of Mysteries has its shit together. Our friend McGeoch has A Plan.