A/N: nothing really, just I hope you like it i guess?
A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation.
Hermione shot up at the voice and looked up into the face of a much younger but in some strange way, the exact same looking Albus Dumbledore. Hermione steadied herself to her feet and brushed off her clothes. She took in her surroundings quickly before turning back to Dumbledore. She was infront of the Headmaster's office. Hermione quickly took into account from her own knowledge that Dumbledore was the Tranfiguration master at this time, not Headmaster of Hogwarts. He was looking at her with a calculating yet kind stare, still waiting for her to respond Hermione realised suddenly and almost stammered out a reply. "W-Why yes, I-it seems I had fallen, You see Mr..?"
She looked at him pretending to not know his name and he suddenly caught on and said "Ah its Proffesor Dumbledore."
"Proffesor Dumbledore.." Hermione repeated thoughtfully and faked a sign of sudden recognision. "I have heard about you, Proffesor, It's an honor."
Dumbledore smiled warmly at her but his eyes were still skeptikal and eyeing her suspicialy. "And may I ask who you are?"
Hermione's quick thinking froze for a second as she picked through a set of sirnames to find one suitable. "Of course, I-I'm Hermione Stonem, sir, I-i'm new, today's my first day."
Dumbledore raised his eyebrow at her and clicked his toungue before saying, 'Strange, Miss Stonem I believe their are no enrolements for a new student this year." Hermione was at a loss of what to say, she hadn't thought this through well enough and cursed herself for it.
She had to come up with something quickly. "I-I know this is not a p-planned enrolement proffesor, You see, I am a half-blood witch." Hermione lied hardly close to smoothly, "My dad being a muggle but he left me and mother when i was very young, G-Grindleward's men killed my mother last m-month, but she managed to hide me away and i was saved and had been taken to an orphanage against my w-will."
Hermione gulped and wondered where this story was going, she knew Dumbledore was thinking the same thing by the strange looks he was giving her. "I had been homeschooled by my mother all my life but it was always her dream to send me to Hogwarts. We had enough money for robes, books and all of that but not enough to enroll me, we were considerably unwealthy y-you see, The orphanage wouldn't let me come here, but I wanted to grant my mother her dying wish so i r-ran away. Please sir, could you help me? I j-just want to do as my m-mother wished, s-she was my best friend."
Hermione was even impressed by her acting in the end, tears were streaming down her face and she looked down in embarrassement. "That is quite a story i must say, Miss Stonehem, a unlikely but very touching story indeed, I am very sorry forall your losses."
Something about Dumbledore's knowing tone and smile made Hermione think he didn't believe her one bit. But as long as he pretended to, that was fine with her. As long as she got into the school, all was well. She looked at Dumbledore, waiting for him to say more to her, "Of course, I will convince Headmaster Dippet to take you into Hogwarts. I hope you feel at home here."
"Thankyou Proffesor! You have no idea how much this means to me!"
He nodded and smiled before telling her to wait where she was while he went inside Dippet's office. Hermione was left alone standing in the corridor, anxiously waiting for Dumbledore to reappear. After 10 minutes the door of the Headmasters office creaked open and a smiling Dumbledore ushered Hermione in. Hermione wasn't surprised when she saw Dippet, he just looked like a regular old man, Frail and nearly bald. Though, Hermione did sense there was genuine warmth in his smile that was comforting as she sunk into the seat provided for her. "Miss Stonem I believe it is?" Dippet's voice was croaky and worn and his left eyebrow seemed as if it was permanently raised upward.
Hermione merely nodded in response.
"Professor Dumbledore has told me your truly devastating story and I must say I am terribly sorry for what you've gone through in the past week." From his expression Hermione could tell Dippet truly believed her story, causing relief to flood her because if she could trick the Headmaster than the students she knew would also easily believe her.
"Miss Stonem, do you have enough if not, any money to purchase your school item? I trust your mother left you with a few galleons at the least?" Dippet inquired, Hermione thought again in her head quickly, glancing slightly at Dumbledore before answering.
"Yes Headmaster, I have a few galleons from my mother and also the orphanage had given me a bit of an allowance, before coming here I already visited Diagon alley. I-I asked a wand-shop keeper, Ollivander, I believe? What I would need and so I think I've got all the essential items sorted." Hermione tried to avoid the fact her voice faltered mid-sentence, she would have to work on her lying skills later, she gave herself a mental note before focusing back on Dippet.
"Wonderful! Now that that's settled, I believe a private sorting is to take place." Dippet lifted himself of the Headmaster chair and retrieved the ever-familiar tattered hat from a top shelf in his office.
Hermione smiled slightly as her first year memory of being sorted rushed through her head. She had been so happy to be sorted into Gryffindor. But before any memories that would upset her came, she shook them out of her and sat up straighter in her seat as Dippet walked towards her, sorting hat in hand. Hermione bit her lip lightly, in nervousness as he placed the hat gently atop her head.
Immediately the hat's drowsy voice filled her head, for only her to hear and respond to.
Hermione Stonem is it? Hermioneā¦Granger suits you better does it not? Yes, Miss Granger flows rather well. Hermione gasped in utter amazement, the hat had found her out! Impossible! She thought worriedly.
Do not fret, yes I see your past which will be our future, I know your purpose here I will not reveal your true identity, Oh! But what's this, ah yes; my future self has sorted you before I believe?
Hermione nodded, trembling slightly from how much the hat knew.
Gryffindor? No that cannot be, you have changed Miss Granger, yes you may be brave as can be, noble as well but you are clever, cunning, there is something that tells me I know exactly which House I must put you in. AH yes I see it clearly now, this will help the lives of many, my decision is "SLYTHERIN." He belted out the house name for Dumbledore and Dippet to hear.
But Hermione didn't even bother looking at what their reactions were. She was stunned, angry, scared even. How in Merlin's name could I be placed in Slytherin? SLYTHERIN! The same house as⦠Hermione nearly let out a gasp as it suddenly clicked together in her head. The hat knew her purpose here. He said his decision would 'help the lives of many' Hermione was set out to change Tom riddle and how could she do that any better than being in his house? But she was still frustrated. No matter the situation, she could NEVER be happy to be placed in the house of snobby pure-blood snakes.
Dippet took the hat off her head and eyed her curiously. Hermione looked at him with equal confusion and averted her gaze to Dumbledore who also had a puzzling look in his blue eyes.
"Is there a problem, Sir?" Hermione asked innocently to Dippet who seemed to snap out of a trance at her voice and cough slightly.
"Not at all Miss Stonem, It's just it is very surprising a half-blood witch has been put in Slytherin, very strange indeed."
Dumbledore, still trying to figure something out, looked at Hermione pointedly and nodded slowly in agreement to Dippet.
Hermione began feeling uncomfortable and Dippet noticed and his whole expression softened and he began talking using wide hand gestures.
"But of course, that is completely fine, Miss Stonem." He said nodded reassuringly, "You know, our Head boy is also a half-blood in Slytherin, a very charming young man indeed, very pleasant boy." Hermione's breath hitched in her throat as her Headmaster continued fondly of the boy, that Hermione could bet everything, she knew the name of. "Infact, He should be here soon to collect you, show you around, make you feel welcome all that." Dippet smiled warmly at her and Hermione knew how fond he was of Riddle. From the information she had researched about him she knew everybody was pretty much fond of him. She felt sick just thinking about how he had fooled everyone. But she kept herself composed until she heard the door creak open and slow footsteps walk into the room. She tried to regulate her breathing, failing miserably.
(Just to clarify, please picture Tom Riddle as the hot one from COS, not the ugly ass one in the newer film.)
"You asked for me Headmaster?" Hermione shoved the gasp forming at her lips back down her throat at the sound of his voice, she refused to look at him because she knew if she did there was a 99.9% chance she would kill him right there and then. But his voice surprised her. It was normal. Well not really, it was soft and sort of soothing; truthfully, Hermione admitted he had a very nice voice. Better than most boys she knew and she resented that.
Dippet grinned to space behind Hermione's shoulder widely and gestured his hand towards Hermione as he said. "This, is Miss Hermione Stonem, she is new, infact Tom she is in your house and your year and I thought you could show her around school, help her on her first day perhaps?" Hermione felt awkward with being introduced with her back to the person so very reluctantly she got up from her seat and turned to face Tom Riddle.
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