It was a well-known fact that Hermione Granger had lived her seven years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in constant danger. Being friends with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasely had thrown her into several life threatening situations, and far too many close calls with death. After such a life, Hermione had learned to accept that without some danger and mystery after the war, she wouldn't know what to do with the simplicity of her own life. That is what found her accepting a job at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Mysteries shortly after graduating from Hogwarts.
Both boys were rather disappointed in her lack of interest in an Auror career, but grudgingly accepted that their friend was more of a researcher than one to instantly fight and take action. Now, that isn't to say that Hermione wasn't a force to reckon with; quite the opposite in fact. Hermione did what was necessary with a vengeance. She was as quick with her wand as she was with her tongue. She had a brilliant mind and a fierce love for those she called her own. Hermione's brilliant mind and ability to do whatever was needed without hesitation, knowing full well what consequences she would inevitably endure afterward, is what made the Department of Mysteries captain Hillary Stubman, cast her keen eyes in the direction of the young Gryffindor girl and send her a letter of inquiry.
Hermione had been working for the Department of Mysteries for three years now. Harry and Ron had both been accepted and long since graduated from the Auror Academy, and Ron now worked as an Auror while Harry was the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione had started a relationship and had been together for all three years since Hogwarts. Both knew that their relationship was pretty much over. No matter how much they loved each other he just couldn't stimulate her mind the way she needed, and he was also very bored with her bookworm tendencies.
So much had happened in the two years after the war. Memorial services and funerals were held for those who had died including Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora "Tonks" Lupin, and Fred Weasley. Harry and Ginny got married and were expecting a child in just four months. They suspected that it was a boy. Molly still cried regularly every day just before breakfast and just after dinner. Harry took Remus' son, Teddy in not too long after he and Ginny were married, leaving him with his grandmother, Andromeda every weekend. Ginny, though almost as ambitious as Hermione, only less of a bookworm, stayed home despite how much she wanted to get out and have a job of her own. George worked at the joke shop and created pranks with a vengeance. It was almost as if Fred was still right there with him creating the pranks with how well they were thought out and planned. George swore that the jokes were created in loving memory of his twin, a tribute to all they shared and how bravely he fought until he breathed his very last breath.
Hermione roamed the corridors absentmindedly. Everyone knew she never truly healed, and sometimes they believed that she refused to give herself the chance; which she had to admit was, in part, completely the truth. So many of her loved ones had died. Her parents lost to her because of her Obliviate being too strong, and she felt that no matter how much love in her life, she didn't deserve to feel so happy when so many were lost.
Hermione sighed, pausing in front of one last door, "Better get this over with so I can go home."
She opened the door for one last patrol and stepped in. "Lumos," she whispered.
Everything seemed to be in order except for a small, red flower pot; a flower pot that didn't belong in this department. Distractedly, she reached out and grasped the flower pot and suddenly the world as she knew it was ripped away from her.
She was spinning fast. There was a deafening howl in her ears. There was a blinding light. And then she felt the solid ground beneath her feet again. She lost consciousness as everything became blissfully still again.
o~O~o
When she came to she knew she wasn't alone. Her wand wasn't on her like it was supposed to be and there were quiet voices around her.
"Where does she come from, Albus? She just landed on the ground and collapsed."
"I don't know, Minerva but I suggest you do not touch what was in her hands. It seems to be behind her arrival. I suspect a portkey, but the state she was in suggests that it's more than that."
"Albus, she's covered in scars, do you think she's a Death Eater?"
Hermione scrunched up her nose in annoyance. 'Death Eater? Do these people have any idea what I've done for them?'
"I highly doubt that, Poppy. But she seems to be awake now, we can just ask her."
Hermione heard the rustling of a curtain around her and she tried opening her eyes, shutting them instantly when the light was unforgiving to her sensitive eyes.
"Miss, I hope you'll forgive us, but we need you to open your eyes and talk with us."
Hermione opened her eyes bit by bit, slowly letting her eyes adjust to the light. But when her eyes were open all the way she let out a horrified scream, and threw herself from the bed she was in.
"No no no. I must be dead...There's no other explanation. But...wait...Minerva, Poppy? This doesn't make any sense."
Hermione's panic only increased as she continued to back away from the man whom she knew had been dead for five years. "This can't be happening. I know better than to grab without thinking! I work in the Department of Mysteries for Merlin's sake!"
"Miss, please come sit back on the bed!" Poppy demanded. And Hermione, never being one to deny orders, sat down obediently on the bed, head still reeling.
"Now, can you tell us where you were before you came to us, dear?" Albus Dumbledore asked.
"The Department of Mysteries. It was 7:00 at night and I was just finishing up my nightly rounds, sir."
"Department of Mysteries? Not just anyone is able to work there and you barely look older than 20," Minerva gasped.
"Professor...This might seem strange of me to ask, but what is the date?"
"It's January 5th," Professor Dumbledore supplied.
"Year?"
Professor Dumbledore seemed to catch on, "1979."
Hermione gulped in panic.
"My dear, what is your name?"
"Is it even safe to share that information?"
"Perhaps a nickname then."
"Hermia," Hermione responded. "It's what my friends call me back home."
"And when are you from?"
"2001, sir."
"And how do you suspect you came to us?"
Hermione looked around and spotted the flower pot. Only now, it was no longer red. It was blue. "Wasn't that red before? The flower pot?"
"When you arrived here it changed to blue the moment you collapsed," Minerva answered with pursed lips. "What was the purpose of the portkey?"
Hermione looked up at her former or future professor. "I think it's a Timekey, ma'am," she whispered. "They are exceedingly rare, even in my time and they have a habit of only showing themselves to someone who..." Hermione's voice faded as realization hit her. "I was thrown back for a purpose. I was thrown back to change something, to change the course of history."
"If you change history, Hermia, your world will be lost and therefore so will you in the end. It's very dangerous to tamper with time."
"I know that, Professor. I know that better than most my age. The repercussions could be severe, but the benefits of being sent to this specific time and place are astronomical. The Timekey wants me to save lives, and there are so many lives I can save just by starting in this year."
"Hermia, it's very dangerous."
"I have no choice, Professor. It's either I change what the Timekey wants me to and fade out of existence, or be stuck repeating this year over and over again until I appease the key." Hermione looked the Headmaster in the eyes, "I have no other choice, and I know for a fact I won't be able to do it alone."
"Very well. Poppy, is she free to leave the Hospital Wing?"
"Yes, of course, Albus. I was just waiting for her to wake up."
"Well, I'm taking her up to my office."
The walk to the Headmaster's office was tedious to say the least. Hermione's mind raced with the many ways she could approach certain events that could potentially change the future for better or for worse, but the only thing that brought her any comfort was that until the Timekey was appeased, either she, or someone equally qualified, would be thrown back again and again until they changed what it was that needed to be changed. It was risky business, Timekeys; but necessary.
Dumbledore cleared his throat when they arrived at the gargoyle guarding his office, "Care to guess?"
"I know it's a candy of some kind but you go through them so often, and there are so many types I'd rather not list them until I discover it. If you don't mind, sir?"
Dumbledore chuckled.
"Sugar quills," he said, and the gargoyle jumped aside allowing them entrance. Dumbledore moved behind his desk, offering his usual tea and lemon drops as he sat. Hermione politely declined.
"Now, if you believe that change is necessary and that is the reason you were brought here, then I highly doubt that you telling me your name and your basic history will damage the timeline any more than what you undoubtedly will do anyway."
"No sir, I suppose not. Where do you want me to start?" Hermione sat patiently, knowing exactly where he wanted her to start but wanting to be polite and ask first.
"First off, you can start with your name and basic, very basic, identity."
"My name is Hermione Granger. I was born September 19th, two years from now. I am 20 years old. I graduated Hogwarts a year late. I was in Gryffindor. I have ties to this time, nobody I'm related to, but I know at least three of them personally and a few others that I have met at some point or another. I'm a muggleborn and I work in the Department of Mysteries."
"I did say basic Miss Granger, but that helps me a bit as well. Tell me about the war effort in your time." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, not quite expecting the epic tale she would tell.
Hermione explained to Dumbledore her life's story, starting with the Sorcerer's Stone and ending with the Deathly Hallows, Horcruxes, and Voldemort's death.
Dumbledore sat and stared at Hermione for what seemed like an eternity. She felt his presence in her mind and opened her walls completely, flooding him with image after image of the stories that she told. She watched his eyes grow wide when he found her torture by Bellatrix Lestrange, but she didn't mind. The scars were there physically and mentally, but she pushed through her days and didn't let the deranged woman's petty antics affect her daily life, even if today couldn't really be considered ordinary.
"To think we had children fighting our battles."
"Too many of the adults were too afraid to fight. Those of us who were at Hogwarts with you as our Headmaster were extremely loyal to you, and fought for you even after you died. Since the day I left, and even now, I remain more loyal to you than even the Minister himself. I have broken laws because of my loyalty to you, for the greater good," Hermione smiled reassuringly at him.
"It is good to know that you are loyal, especially in these circumstances," Dumbledore smiled.
"Speaking of circumstances, I'm not supposed to be in existence for another two years and I am no longer of Hogwarts age. What do we do?"
"You are an animagus, are you not?"
Hermione froze momentarily, forgetting that she had given him access to her mind freely. When she remembered and recovered, she nodded.
"I am going to give you your own chambers here in the castle. You have free reign so long as students don't see you. If you are in your animagus form, I want you near me. You will act as my familiar when there are others around, except for the staff. I also wish for you to act as an extra set of eyes and ears around the castle for protection. You may roam the grounds, but be wary..."
"Be wary of an occasional once a month furry visitor?" Hermione smiled, "I am aware of Remus' condition."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in their usual maddening way, "There are guest chambers on the seventh floor. It will be a portrait of Madam Lezoli. You may choose your own password. Be sure to be in your animagus form until you get to the portrait." Dumbledore nodded to the door, and Hermione took that as her cue to leave.
Shrinking into her furry form, she nuzzled the door open and bounded out. She felt powerful on four legs, like she could take down a dragon without a problem, not that she would. There was just something about her wolf form that exhilarated her. Her honey brown fur was long and bushy, but silky to the touch, and her eyes were a bright shade of amber. She felt free as she raced through the corridors, not even bothering to run up the stairs to her quarters. When she reached the front doors, they recognized her and opened for her as she padded through to the outside. The night smelled wonderful. The grass under her paws made her pause to just let her feet sink in as she breathed the night air, watching the stars.
A sound in the distance made her ears twitch and glancing in that direction, she noticed the Whomping Willow begin to twitch violently. She broke into a run and raced to that direction, stopping just a few feet to watch who she knew to be the Marauder's in their animagus form. Sniffing the air and smelling the scent of a well-known rat, she couldn't contain the growl that escaped her throat which made the shaggy dog pause.
'Shit,' Hermione thought, and turned in the other direction. It wasn't time for her to make any of those changes yet. She had to start directly after school. They still needed Pettigrew to help them get into the Shrieking Shack every month, even though Hermione knew she could help them herself. A sound right behind her of heavily padded feet made her push herself to run faster. She couldn't be found out by Sirius yet. It wasn't time, but suddenly, he jumped and landed straight on her back, pinning her to the ground.
Grey eyes stared down into amber, black fur mixed with honey brown. Hermione was frozen to the spot, not knowing whether to phase or not, but just as she thought to swipe at him, he moved off of her and phased back.
"I know you're human," he said boldly.
Hermione glared.
"You don't smell like any of the students, but I know you are definitely an animagus."
Hermione scoffed.
"I could force you to phase you know," he threatened, and Hermione glared at him in challenge. Sirius whipped his wand out and cast the spell before Hermione could even blink, and suddenly her work robes were very wet, and she was very cold.
"What if I was in that form to stay warm, hmm?" she snapped, getting to her feet. "What if I was in that form for a very good reason?"
"Like spying on my friends and I?"
"Maybe. You will never know." Hermione raised her eyebrow challengingly. Sirius smirked.
"I'm sure I will eventually." He held his hand out. "Sirius Black."
"Hermia," Hermione answered, not shaking his hand. "Would you mind taking that spell off of me. I'm not supposed to be in this form."
"Why, Dumbledore's orders?" Sirius raised his eyebrow in return.
Hermione huffed. "As a matter of fact, yes. I'm added security for the school and was ordered to stay in my animagus form unless in an emergency. Even in school you aren't totally free of Death Eaters, you must know that."
Sirius' face dropped. "Yes, unfortunately I do know that. So you aren't a student?"
"No."
Sirius lifted his wand and sent the counter charm to allow her to change back. Hermione smiled, "I'd love to run with you if we run into each other again, not on the full moon." She winked before phasing back and taking off.
Sirius just stared in her direction in disbelief as she ran back to the castle. She knew about Remus. He didn't know how, but he was sure to figure out exactly who this Hermia girl was.