Author's note: I finally finished rewriting chapter 2! I like it much better and it is even updated to fit with the HBP, so be warned! Actually it hasn't really changed since those who have read my story will know that the character I killed prior to HBP was the one that ended up dying in HBP.
Anyway, I hope you guys like it and I went with my lazy, but satisfying method of rewriting: Just by taking the same chapter and adding and subtracting stuff. There is a little conversation between Ginny and Hermione. It is pointless to the plot, BUT not for their relationship. As I wanted Hermione to be close to Ginny in my story, I needed them to have some time together before Hermione's departure.
Thanks to Anuksunamun-Kalia who reviewed my chapter 1 rewrite (the only one) and who has been there for me since the original chapter one. You have been great and really supportive! I have added more of Hermione's thoughts (as I reread this chapter I was horrified to find there were so few!)
Disclaimer: All Harry potter names, and stuff belongs to Warner Brothers and JK Rowling. I am neither.
Charlie, Luna, and Neville and Ron all looked astonished and murmured to each other how wonderful that is. And how now the Order had a chance to actually win the war. Or so they thought, Hermione thought bitterly. She vaguely found it remarkable how the meaning of sentence could change with use replacing 'the' with 'a'.
" I can hardly believe it," Charlie spoke so low he was almost talking to himself, " We actually have a chance win this thing." He looked around for the others agreement.
"Really?' asked Luna in her usual dreamy voice and taking a sip of some weird bluish drink (Probably to protect herself from snockiggles or some other made up creature. Hermione wouldn't waste her time keeping track of all the mythical creatures to wizards), " I thought we always-"
" And the object?" Ginny and Hermione spoke out loud at once and upon noticing this they look at each other and gave each other a rare half-smile. Ginny and Hermione could be so different from each other yet share the same thoughts. Hermione was most pleased that someone or than herself had managed to get the deeper meaning of Harry's sentence.
It didn't surprise Hermione to discover that although Harry said little, the little he said were worth more than picture or a thousand words.
" I don't know," said Harry. Hermione wanted to strangle him, but as of late this was normal. If he could just spit out what his plan was. She could tell he had one. If Harry could only say why he stressed the word "a". If Voldemort didn't get him, Hermione herself might do the deed. And it wasn't helping that he seemed to take a sudden interest in the floor. It wasn't the same as Hermione's little floor game… she was desperate and bored.
" You don't know what the object is?' asked Charlie. But before Harry answered no, Charlie let out a great sigh and he to looked at the kitchen floor as if it were a work of Picasso. Hermione could see he was clearly disappointed (as was she).
Not to mention nervous and anxious which either were synonyms for one another or went hand in hand. Like tea and crumpets…but Hermione didn't want to take a stroll down memory lane, not even a short one. Oh no, even a ride through the best memory, would be ruined by some bad incident, like a flat tire.
"Arggghhh! What is the point of knowing where this object is if we don't even know what it is!" Ron half yelled.
" Look," Ginny started, " Let me tell you something, to know where we can get this object that V- V- Vol- Voldemort can use against us all and not know what the object is, is better than to not know either.
Everyone murmured in agreement. Hermione, however, remained silent. Ron wasn't going to let Ginny outwit him as she usually did.
" Oh, Okay, so let's go to this location and go get it! There we are at the location and all we have to do is grab something and hope it's what we are looking for!" Ron said mock seriously. " Am I right Hermione?"
Hermione was barely paying attention, but she watched enough to know that Ron was correct, but Ginny hadn't said to do what Ron suggested she was saying. Everyone always looked to her for a correct answer and her word was final. She used to enjoy it, but these days, everyone started to ask questions that she wasn't sure of the correct answer. She wasn't sure of anything anymore. Like she wasn't sure of Ron and Harry….
Hermione opened her mouth to say what she thought before Ginny did it for her.
" Ron, More knowledge on ways we can win over You-know-who, the better. I didn't say, nor imply what you said. I thought I was merely stating the obvious!'
" Well-I… that's not…" Ron said nothing else. He knew that he was defeated and thus pouted his lips and crossed his arms over his chest. To top it all of he began to watch the floor.
Hermione was starting to dislike the kitchen floor and gave it a nasty look. Maybe she was going crazy…
" Look," said Charlie, " Time is precious, and seconds of it is being stripped away by pointless bickering. Urggh! Ron, Ginny, you bicker more than Hermione and Ron used to! (Everyone did a small appreciative laugh in agreement) We need to get together and organize a plan of how we can best use this fact. Maybe-"
" Interesting," said Luna, " I don't recall the location. Harry I am sorry could you repeat that?"
" Or say it in the first place," suggested Harry. He smiled at Luna and she smiled back. Hermione wondered if it meant anything more, but Luna was too…weird…no…well she was too something, Hermione decided for Harry.
Besides, Harry decided not to date at Dumbledore's funeral at the end of sixth year. He had hurt Ginny, but luckily she of all people understood. Hermione didn't want to think about Harry and Ginny either, in any way. Friendly or not.
However, she was grateful to Luna for bringing it up.
" Wait a second," said Neville, " You said a location. Is there two objects or something? Because that suggests that there is more than one location. Unless it can be in two places at once!"
Harry smiled. He was always proud whenever Neville showed he wasn't so incompetent. Although Neville was saddened by the death of his Gran (dragon pox at an elderly witch age is deadly), with her gone, Hermione found Neville to be more confidant, far from egotistical, he still had low self esteem issues. Issues, Hermione pondered, that might actually be scars and never go away.
" So it is in two places at once!" Neville exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement for being right.
Harry finally looked at Hermione expecting her to realize. Now it was Hermione's turn to be confused.
Then she thought about it.
Two places at once meant… then it hit her.
Third year, She was in just about every class, minus Divination later, and Ron mentioned that she would have to be in to places at once in order to take both classes. The only way she was in two places at once was when she used a time turner to take Ancient Runes while her near-future self would be in Divination at the same time. Therefore there would be two Hermiones, technically different ages by only a couple of hours, at the same time. Except, this was an object and surely time already would have passed when there was two of it at once. Unless, she thought, Harry is referring to get the object in a whole other time frame. To get the object not in the present, but to get it years ago in the past!
" When is it?' she said excitedly, her eyes lighting up the same way Neville's had just moments ago. Even though she had a vague idea where this was going, and it wasn't good.
Harry smiled to know she had deduced it so quickly (how he could smile so much was another mystery to Hermione, but not one that cared to solve). The others of the New Order remained in a confused state.
" 1943," said Harry promptly.
Hermione blinked. Ginny blanched. Harry sighed.
Hermione knew it would be in the past, but why at that particular year or decade? She would laugh if Harry said it was at Hogwarts…was that why Ginny blanched, Hermione wondered? It couldn't be, she thought. Harry probably doesn't even know where to look in 1943.
"What is going on?'" said Ron, as he gazed upon Ginny's and Hermione's facial expressions.
" Ron, do you remember third year? Everyone, the reason, as Neville correctly guessed, this object is in two places because it is in the present and in the past. We now know one of its locations is in the past in 1943…" Hermione said
" Well," said Charlie, looking slightly displeased, " Say we go back in time. Where exactly are we going once we get to 1943?"
" Hogwarts" Answered Harry as though it were simple. Hermione was to busy trying to breathe let alone laugh.
" Harry," Charlie said, "Not that it's bad that we know where and when, but everyone, even Hermione, is getting too wound up. We still do not know what to get! All we know about the object is that we need to get it and little help that is."
" Yes," said Hermione finally regaining control over herself, " Not to mention how dangerous it would be to travel back in time!"
" Hermione! You used it in third year to get to your ridiculous load of classes and to save Sirius!"
Before Hermione was about to tell Ron why this was different Charlie did it for her.
" Yeah, But Ron. That was going back hours. When you guys went back, you were still in a time were you existed. We are talking about years here. Years where you guys don't subsist. You would be adding another person to a place where they shouldn't be," Charlie said and he pushed his mug of coffee away as though, it too, was suggesting a mission into the past.
Hermione nodded her head in complete agreement. People may look to her for answers but when it comes to missions and ideas, her suggestions are often ignored.
"Actually, said Harry, " That's not possible. I don't know why. The reason this could actually work-"
" What?" said Hermione she put her hand to her forehead from frustration, " You are suggesting that going back in time will work? I thought Charlie had just established that that is very unwise decision? Time travel is immensely complex and risky. I thought, Harry, you learned this in third year. One cannot simply travel back to change the future! And if we do decide to go back in time-which would be incredibly irresponsible- and obtain this object, who dare I ask, is going? One mistake can cost everything and I-"
"Hermione! We don't want to change the past to change the future. As, I just stated, you can't do that! We just need to get something from it!"
" That is changing the past! If it is there, then it should stay there! Harry, I need to know what could make you possibly think this is a logical plan! Just how-"
Hermione was about to ask what he thought she had to do with all of this specifically. She had an idea, but just maybe…
Her thoughts were interrupted by Ginny. She seemed almost hysterical, but wasn't quite there yet.
" I am not going. 1943! (She paused and shook her head violently in disbelief) 1943! Am I the only one who realizes who was a student at Hogwarts in 1943?" thankfully Ginny decided to look out the sink window instead of the floor. Hermione didn't think she could handle it if anyone else looked at that floor. That- Hermione swore and called the floor a bad name.
Before anyone could answer Ginny turned sharply around with her arms folded across her chest like Ron and started again. Ron and Harry looked a little freaked out, but they definitely knew whom she was going on about.
" Riddle. TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE! THE GUY WHO POSSESED ME, TRIED TO KILL HARRY A DOZEN TIMES, MURDERER OF HIS OWN PARENTS, MURDERER OF MYRTLE, HATER OF MUGGLEBORNS AND MUGGLES, AND VOLDEMORT! I refuse to face him again. Harry, I am sorry I can't. Part of me wants to cry at the thought of him and the other half wants to hurt him…"
Ginny's tear ducts starts to spill tears, but for anyone could really notice she looked at all the dirty dishes in the sink. Hermione was sort of shocked to see this behavior; usually Ginny had the attitude that she could kick anyone's…derriere with her infamous Bat Bogey hex.
" Wait," said Ron," so the plan is to go back in the past and get the object?"
"Yes," Harry replied and then said to Ginny, " I wasn't referring to you Ginny… I was referring to Hermione."
Everyone looked at Hermione and became silent. All Hermione could hear were crickets outside. She could feel everyone's eyes on her and didn't know if this was better than them looking down on the floor. She secretly wished she had the comfort of her wicker chair.
"Yes. Hermione would be prefect," Said Luna breaking the silence and gulping down the last of her…drink.
" Excuse me, this a horrific idea! If I went to the past, surely Dumbledore would remember me from then. He would have told me. I don't look that much different then I did when he was alive. He never said he remembered a girl looking like me at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was not stupid. He maybe may have made few wrong decisions, but he was brilliant! Even if I disguise myself or did, saying I went back, he would know. And Harry, I know you that you know that he would know!"
" You right Hermione, Dumbledore was clever and almost knew everything. And you are right that he never said anything, to you." Harry stated calmly.
Hermione pushed her curly, frizzy hair back. The look on her face told Harry she needed to know what he knew.
" This whole plan, to go back, get the object, and come back, was his idea. He told me before he died to tell you, to tell everyone... he told me you must have went for an imperative reason. He said he was never sure it was you. But as time passed he grew more confidant you were Mary Jane Locke, a transfer from a private magical tutor in New Zealand while you and your magizoologist parents were traveling the world." Harry said in a matter of fact kind of way. It sounded down right bizarre to Hermione.
Hermione was also stunned. "Who came up with all that?"
" You did, Mary Jane, I think. Except that you were in the past, which is you in the future. You must already have known from when I am telling you currently. Funnily, Dumbledore didn't think of it either. I know it's confusing but this is what Dumbledore told me, Mary Jane."
" Harry, I am not Mary Jane! So please refrain from calling me such a prissy name. And I am most certainly not going to the past-"
" Hey Mary Jane," said Ron, " you always said that Dumbledore knows best. So according to Hermione conduct, you have to follow Dumbledore's orders. Beside it has already happened, or it will happen, or both? Look Mary Janie, Janie Mary, We are counting you…"
Just then Ron cupped Hermione's chin in his hand. Looked her chocolate brown eyes with his, leaned in slightly, closed his eyes while Hermione closed hers, and kissed her on the forehead.
If you couldn't call what Hermione felt before mad, then you could now. Her hopes were so high. Ron was not romantic (not that kissing her on the lips even would have been romantic as the timing was bad). Yet, then again, Harry was no Romeo either. Harry probably wouldn't give a passionate kiss in front of other people either.
It had brought her back to reality, though. She would have to trust Dumbledore on that she existed in the past as this Mary Jane Locke.
" I will do it." After all, she thought, what would happen if she didn't?
Everyone looked greatly relieved, especially Harry. Ron looked particularly Slytherinish with his smug face. For the first time in a long time, Hermione wanted to smack him. He probably thought it was his pathetic kiss that got her to agree. She couldn't believe she thought his kiss was pathetic. It was... simple... innocent... and downright lame for a couple who had been together for almost two years!
" One question, like Ron said much earlier, I cannot just go in and get it. Everyone has gotten way to excited, that they forgot we don't even know what were are looking for. How will I ever find out what it is? And what is it doing at Hogwarts in 1943?"
" I do not know Hermione… Dumbledore said you would know when you get there."
" Did Dumbledore say anything else?" Hermione some how doubted he did, but she would ask just in case.
"He said- no he said nothing else" Harry looked away. Unfortunately for Harry, Hermione didn't, and caught that Dumbledore did say something else.
What was he lying about? Hermione wondered as she made fruitless attempts to catch Harry's eye. She figured it was something personnel and once everyone went to bed she would pursue the subject.
" So when are we going or when I am I leaving for the past?"
" Tomorrow. I have already picked up some stuff you will need. Like the turner for example and proper clothes, except the uniform. I believe they were the same. That should be every-"
" Harry! That is not much time to be organized! Although, I have accepted this operation, that doesn't lessen the danger and I want to be as prepared as prepared can be."
" Yes, But Hermione, We need to do this as soon as possible."
Hermione put her hands up in defeat. He had a point, but this was still quite hazardous.
" Well. I suppose we could go to the platform at ten since no one will have arrived that early to get on to train."
" Yeah, Hermione. You will have to take off the Gryffindor patch on your robes seeing as you are supposed to be 'new'."
Hermione took a deep sigh and suggested that everyone take a task and get ready since they only had less than one day to prepare as Harry wanted this done as soon as possible.
Hermione closed her journal. She had been given it as a present for nothing (those were the most thoughtful kind of presents. You expect to receive gifts on your birthday, but to receive one at random for no reason is delightful, no matter how lame the gift may be) from her parents. They were murdered only a week later in a mass murdering by Voldemort's followers. But Hermione wasn't about to dwell on that, as there was no time.
Its black leather binding filled with white pages was no longer empty. Inside were details about Mary Jane Locke. A girl she would have to be starting ten o' clock tomorrow. This girl was not an exceptional student. Mary Jane Locke was an average girl, despite seeing the world with her parents. This Mary Jane would not speak up in class whenever she could. Mary Jane Locke would not be Hermione granger for obvious reasons.
Inside this little book were major details that were necessary for Hermione to keep her identity safe to minor details of Mary Jane that were sort of extra precautions. These were things like her favorite color (blue) and food (pasta, typical, but Mary Jane would have to be typical) and such.
She heard the old wooden door creep open and heard someone walk into her relatively small room. Finally she could to talk to Harry alone.
" Hi Harry"
But it was not Harry who answered. It was Ginny who answered in a hug.
It turned out Ginny was worried about the plan, even though Dumbledore did suggest it. She and Hermione became close over the years and hated to see Hermione in danger. Hermione personally still agreed that this plan was one they could do with out. It wasn't as if Dumbledore was always right. He made a huge mistake in trusting Snape.
"Hermione. Be careful. If anything happens-"
" Ginny, you know I am not a big Risk taker, even though I would consider this a major risk. If there is anyone to trust to do the job, then that would be me."
" I wasn't talking about trust. I was talking about Riddle. He-"
At that moment Luna walked or Hermione though it was Luna as she entered with a dreamy "Hello". Her arms were full of black robes that covered her face.
" Well, I finished taking care of removing the Gryffindor patches off your old robes, Hermione. Now it will be more convincing that you are a new student. I should also warn you about the amount of wrackspurts in the air in 1943. Their numbers were by far larger. Oh hello, Ginevra!"
With that, she left to supposedly take care of the quacklingers that were attempting to eat everyone's wands. Had Hermione been in a more uplifting mood she would have at the least scoffed at such imaginary beings. Her mind was much to busy thinking about going back to Hogwarts. It was almost nice in creepy way.
" It' so odd to be going back, Ginny. I thought for sure that once Voldemort got hold of it, I would never see it again. Or at least until the light side prevailed"
" That reminds me," said Ginny, " we need to fix your robes to ensure they fit you. You haven't worn them in quite a while. "
Ginny took the wand out of her shabby black robe. Or at least Hermione believed it was black. It was faded now and Hermione had a hunch it was her old school robes that were already secondhand when she first got them.
" Ginny don't bother, I stopped growing. This is as tall as I am going to get. You stopped growing too.
" Great. I'm stuck this height forever." Ginny lay back on the pillow of Hermione's bed.
" There's nothing wrong worth your height!" Hermione said indignantly.
" No…I don't suppose there is, but I was secretly hoping to reach a height near Bill's."
" Yes, well Bill is very tall. That would be achieving a lot."
" You could do it though said Ginny admiringly, " you one of the few people I know who can accomplish anything."
" Not everything. Besides I can't control height." Hermione replied fingering with her removed Gryffindor patches.
" Hermione, can I ask you something?"
" Isn't that what your doing? - Yes, of course."
" Are you a witch?" Ginny asked curiously.
Hermione blinked. What was wrong with Ginny…was she being possessed?
"Yes" Hermione answered uncertainly. If anything happened to Ginny, even though Ginny was the girl who Harry…Hermione reached for her wand.
" Than you can change you height."
Hermione was instantly relived and set her wand back down on the little nightstand by her bed.
" Ha ha, Ginny. Actually that wouldn't be a bad idea, but I currently like my height and if I change my height, I might have to change my shoe size and other things. It's not as simple as looks and as you know, Harry has given me little to no time to prepare. I am wasting time as we speak."
When Ginny left for bed after another two hours of their "girl talk", Hermione had to restrain herself from almost crying as she looked upon her old robes. They were black and in satisfactory condition because she had the money to get new ones often, unlike Ginny. She decided once she returned, she would give them to Ginny or maybe once the war was over and the light side won, she would buy Ginny a whole new wardrobe.
That night, Hermione couldn't sleep (she wasn't surprised) and found herself wandering around the kitchen in the dark. She needed to get herself a warm glass of milk because she knew tomorrow would only be worse if she had no sleep.
The place was so creepy at night and since there was no fridge to open for light, she had to use her wand.
That was thing about times like these. You had to carry you wand wherever you went and it had to be effortless to get a hold of.
"Lumos"
Hermione fell over into some pots and pans. What they were doing out she didn't know. She was probably going to have a bruise in the morning, not that she really cared. However, she'd rather have gone into 1943 pain free.
" Sorry Hermione I didn't mean to scare you." Said Harry, looking very disheveled from sleeping, but apologetic nonetheless.
Now was Hermione's opportunity to ask Harry more about what Dumbledore said about her. Or rather, Mary Jane.
So please tell me what you think! Keep in mind my goal is for it be the same, but better (to put it simply)