Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It is owned by J. K. Rowling.

Chapter One: Time Opens Old Wounds

"Hurry Hermione!" Harry's voice drifted down the long hall and up the stairs. "We're late!"

"You guys go on ahead! I'll catch up!" Hermione shouted back down to her two best friends. "You can't afford to be late again." She shoved her potions book inside her bag, and pulled on her robe. She straightened her tie, and took one last look at her reflection in the enchanted mirror and turned to go.

Hermione began to run down the spiral stairway, blasting the door open with her wand and taking off at a sprint down the passageways, turning abruptly several times.

Before Hermione knew it, she had gotten herself turned around, and couldn't figure out where exactly she was. She was down a long, dark corridor. There were no candles to be seen.

"Lumos "Hermione whispered. Her wand's tip began to glow softly. She wandered a little further down the hall, in complete amazement. "I didn't know this was here…" Hermione spoke to the darkness. She stopped as her wand lit up a portion of the wall. Her eyes scanned the Latin looking words etched into the cold, dark stone.

Hermione spoke the words aloud, "Ex tendo vicis, sic vadum ego eo ut preteritus lest tragity offendo nos totus." The light of her wand was instantaneously doused, and she was covered in a shroud of darkness once more.

"Bloody hell!" Hermione swore crossly as she relit her wand. She pointed it toward the wall again, and blinked back her surprise. The words had vanished. She shrugged it off as one of those things that just happen at Hogwarts.

Balancing her wand upon her outstretched palm, she muttered. "Point me."

Her wand spun in a circle several times before pointing her in the proper direction of the dungeons. Hermione took off at a run, turning when the wand directed her. She had several close calls with ghosts, and peeves, which she narrowly avoided.

"Where is Harry and that damned map of his when I need him." Hermione muttered to herself as she approached the door to her potions class.

Flinging the door open she gasped loudly, out of breath. "I'm so sorry Professor! I was running late and I didn't realize the time…" she stopped abruptly, staring at the Professor in shock. She glanced at her classmates, and her face turned a ghostly white. "I … I need to talk to the headmaster…excuse me…" she turned and ran from the classroom. Ignoring the portraits yelling at her to go to class, she stopped in an empty classroom. "Gods…"

"It isn't polite for young witches to curse so." A deeply amused voice sounded from behind Hermione.

I know that voice. Hermione thought to herself as she turned around. She gasped once more in shock.

"And what would your name be Miss…"

Harry and Ron kept glancing at the closed door behind them, "Where on earth is Hermione?" Ron asked Harry.

"I don't know, she was right behind us wasn't she?" Harry replied quietly. She was going to be in deep shit if she didn't get there soon. Harry's thoughts were loudly interrupted by a cold voice from the front of the room.

"Mister Potter." Professor Severus Snape said angrily. "To my desk. Now."

Harry glanced at Ron for a split second before getting to his feet and walking up to Snape. "Yes Professor?" Harry asked him.

"Where is that insufferable know-it-all Granger?" Snape snarled, while leering at Harry. "Class started fifteen minutes ago. Where is she?"

Harry gulped silently before answering him. "I…don't know sir." He said, flinching as Snape glared at him. "She was running late this morning, but she should have been here by now."

Professor Snape stared, unblinkingly at Harry. "To your seat Potter!" he snapped. Harry turned and made his way through the rows of desks, to his seat at the back of the room. Sitting down, he immediately turned to Ron, and in hushed whispers, relayed the whole conversation to him.

The professor stalked into his office, with a simple, yet effective command. "Stay seated, do your work, no talking." Striding to the fire place, he took a pinch of Floo powder, and tossed it into the flames. "Albus Dumbledore's office." He said in his commanding tone.

The flames immediately turned emerald green and shot up high. "Albus." Snape called into the fire. "I must speak with you. It is of the utmost importance."

Professor Snape stood back as the flames shot even higher than before, and watched as the form of the headmaster pulled itself from the ashes. "Severus?" Professor Dumbledore said solemnly. "Miss Granger is missing from your class I presume?"

Snape nodded. "Is it as I fear, Headmaster?" he asked, unsure of what his answer would be.

"I am afraid so, Severus." Albus replied sadly.

Severus Snape strode toward his desk, and collapsed into his chair. He waved his wand, and a bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey appeared in mid air. He plucked it out of the air.

"Accio." He muttered. Two glasses flew into his outstretched hand. He filled both with a generous amount of the gold liquid. He held one out to Dumbledore, who took the proffered glass.

Professor Dumbledore watched in dismay as his colleague gulped down the entire glass. Filling it for him, he then set the bottle down, and sat himself in a bright pink armchair that he had transfigured from thin air.

It's happening again… Snape said to himself.

A/N: The incantation: Ex tendo vicis, sic vadum ego eo ut preteritus lest tragity offendo nos totus, is latin for: From the present time, so shall I travel to the past, lest tragity strikes us all.

Also this is my first Harry Potter story. so please review if you like it, and even if you dont. Constructive critisim is welcomed.

Authors note: Wow...I never realized how short this chapter was...hm. Anyway... this chapter has been edited, and I will be editing the other chapters as well.

Kiera