A/N: THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER HAS BEEN EDITED.

I changed a detail in the previous chapter. Hermione is in SEVENTH YEAR.

Thanks to my lovely reviewers.

CherryGrlZuli

linoy

Marie- Thank you! I'll try and delve more into it emotionally than story-wise. All you TRHG readers know at least the basic plotlines.

f i r e f l y o f h e l l - I kind of did it like "Take My Heart Away" by Hatusu (another reallyreally good TRHG, but instead, I decided to make her travel and return earlier than her death.

Ms willow gosermer - I found the quote a while ago in one of my books, and it's actually one of my favourites. I've been trying to see how I can fit it in, and voila!

Fantasmorfic - Yeah I'll try, mandar. Gimme a draft once you're done.


Chapter 1 - Bastard


Hermione, bravely watching the images flicker past her as she passed back the years, couldn't help but feel lonely. No one would know her, the real her, and she would be stuck fifty years in the past, at a time when she would not exist, with a homicidal maniac.

With an ungraceful landing, she found herself sprawled on a blood-red carpet; the one she recognized was in Professor McGonagall's old office. A firm hand stretched out to her, to help her stand, and she grabbed it, raising herself to her full height.

Dusting off her robes, she saw a younger Dumbledore, smiling at her, his eyes twinkling madly as they used to. As he used to…

"Now, Miss Granger," he said, motioning her to sit down while he moved behind his desk, "My future self has told me of your situation."

She wanted to warn him. She wanted to warn him about how his death could have been prevented. Even though Snape was good, Dumbledore…

"No, Miss Granger. Do not reveal the future to me. You have already changed enough by coming back in time," he declared, suddenly becoming grim his hand up to stop him, "I am to only assist you as best I can, and deliver you this…"

Dumbledore handed her a flask. Another blasted potion. "This contains the blood of both Belvina and Herbert, who were both friends of mine. Once you take them, you will be a pureblood. Permanently. Your appearance will also be changed, but that will not be permanent."

To stay in deep cover, she would have to leave the old Hermione behind. No more bushy-haired Mudblood Granger whose two best friends were Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. Grabbing the potion, she drained it, knowing she would never be the same again.

"I'm sorry that we must do this to you, Miss Granger," he whispered sadly, "But from what my future self said, it was deemed necessary for this to happen…"

Pricks of tears appeared, but she knew had to hold back the tears. Look up. Look up and hide them.

"I'm sure you're skilled enough at Occlumency, so you should be fine when facing Headmaster Dippet. We will need to visit him to sort out some things."

--

Let the games begin.

Entering the Headmaster's Office, she looked around. The room was a lot different from the way Dumbledore kept it – Professor Dippet was a whole lot more messy. Books were carelessly stacked, leaving the shelves empty, and various trinkets dangling from odd places. However, they were not alone. She noticed a boy her age, dark hair with piercing eyes, boring into her, glaring at her if she was interrupting an important conversation.

"Tom, do you mind? I have something important to discuss with Albus… and ehh..." he pondered.

"Miss Burke," corrected Dumbledore, his eyes locked onto Tom's own, as if having a staring fight. He won, and Tom obediently paced out of the Office, his mask of indifference put up again.

Bumbling towards her, Dippet scanned Hermione up and down, examining her. "Albus, what brings you here? And who is she?"

By this time, Dumbledore had both hands on a short, young Hermione Granger, presenting her to him. "She is Anaïs Cliodna Burke, daughter of Belvina and Herbert Burke."

Eyeing her carefully, he continued, "I'm sorry for your loss, Miss Burke. You came from Beauxbatons, am I correct?"

Hermione nodded, and finally found her voice, murmuring, "It was my mother's wish for me to come to Hogwarts for my final Year." She averted her gaze from the headmaster, to keep up the charade of a recently orphaned child.

Scratching the large, shiny bald part of his head, Armando Dippet swept back to his desk and smiled jovially at her. "Well, then it's sorted. We'll sort you tonight, along with the First Years tonight at the feast."

Turning to Hermione, Albus whispered, "I have sent for a house elf to go to my Office and help you take your stuff after the Sorting. You can wander around later."

Her thoughts were interrupted by a young, handsome Tom Riddle entering, and he gazed at her curiously. "Well, we best be off, Armando," beamed Dumbledore, "Best let Miss Burke here settle in." and he frogmarched her out.

Once they were outside the Office, Dumbledore turned to her sternly. "I must warn you, Tom Riddle is a dangerous boy, Miss Granger. Tread carefully, and watch your words when you are with him."

He handed her a familiar piece of parchment. "Oh, and, you might need this. My future self sent it over."

The Marauder's Map.

--

From the Astronomy Tower, she watched the Thestrals drag the carriages to the castle. She could see the creatures alright – black, reptilian horses with wings – since she had seen death. She had ridden them too, with Harry and Ron, and all of them.

Footsteps made their way up the stairs behind her, and Hermione turned, to see Tom Riddle, whose expression was a mix of curiosity and irritation.

"How did you find your way up here?" he growled, observing her suspiciously.

Just when she was thinking of what she left behind, he had to appear. "I was walking around the castle, when I just came across here. The view from here is so…"

Tom gave a snort. "You sound oddly Gryffindor-ish for a Burke. You must be a black sheep."

She needed to keep up the ruse of a Pureblood. Giving him a disgusted look, she snarled, "Both my parents and brothers were Slytherins, Riddle."

With a sarcastic air, he hissed, "So another uppity Pureblood, aren't we?" He waved his hand royally, his head tilted back, mocking her.

Prick in his teenage years, homicidal maniac in his seventies. Great.

"Whatever. Go mope in silence by yourself here. I'm going, you pathetic bastard," she stormed off, towards the stairs. When she passed him, she knew she had hit a nerve.

"How DARE you call me a bastard!" he roared, throwing a Leg-Locker Curse at Hermione as she started walking down the stairs. Hermione's honed reflexes kicked in, and she held up a Shield Charm to deflect it.

With a note of repugnance in her voice, she sneered, "Cursing people behind their back is cowardly." and left an annoyed Tom in her wake.

--

Thank Merlin the First Years get Sorted first.

After the last nervous First-Year had tottered off to join his house, Headmaster Dippet stood up; not regally and emanating power like Dumbledore did, but more like a haphazard stumble.

"We have a new transfer student from Beauxbatons, Anaïs Burke, who will be joining our Fifth Year."

Timidly, she approached the stool as all the students clapped politely. She glanced over to the Slytherin table, a band of what she expected were Blacks clapping more enthusiastically than others. Tom, on the other hand, maintained a haughty smile, and stared her back, egging her on to sit and be Sorted.

Plopping herself on the bench, she felt Dumbledore place the Hat on her dark hair.

"Oh-ho! Well if it isn't Miss Hermione Granger…"

What?! How can you tell? I'm in the PAST!

The hat gave an audible sigh. "I'm linked to the Past, Present and Future, Miss Granger. Unless I get destroyed of course. So you want to be Sorted into a different House?"

Hermione was unsure.

"Well, you got a tough mission here, it says. And you're imitating a Burke. Well, the best House to put you in would be.."

"SLYTHERIN!" boomed the Hat, after an eternity. The students were shocked at the delay of the announcement…. No student had ever taken so long to be Sorted.

Oh great. Now I just got known to be "The Girl Who Took Ages to Get Sorted". Sheepishly, she went over to the Slytherin table, her hands shaking slightly.

A boy shuffled over for her to sit. "Hello, cousin. I don't think you've met us, since…"

Another boy, who seemed to be a spitting image of Sirius, but was in Fourth Year, grinned at her. "I'm Orion Black, your distant cousin, and he" he pointed at the younger boy, "Is Cygnus, who is my second cousin." He winked mischievously at him.

Once she sat down, they were silenced by Tom, who sat at the head of the table, his 'Head Boy' badge flashing at her.

"So… Burke…" he mocked, "You decided to grace us with your presence…"