A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I'm really thankful for the kind and encouraging words :)

My skin.

"There's so much here

That I don't understand…"

WRATH

.

.

At one time or another every one feels angry. It is one of the strongest feelings people can ever experience and it can drive them to the most different course of actions, of which people often regret after calming down. But regret was not on Hermione Granger's mind as she trashed the man's office, "This cannot be happening!" she shouted angrily, despair shimmered in her brown eyes as she looked back at the much younger looking Albus Dumbledore. She tried to shrug his hands away when he tried to have her take a seat, ignoring how his blue eyes seemed to display quite the amount of pity and concern. "You're supposed to be dead!" she whispered as she finally sat down, hiding her face into her trembling hands.

The office was suddenly immersed in a disturbing silence. Professor Dumbledore finally moved from where he was standing and with a flick of his wand, everything went back to its place, a few glasses were put back together, books flew back to their respective shelves and all the papers scattered on the floor were once again organized and piled perfectly on his desk. He looked at the young girl as he sat down, "Miss Granger, I am sorry that I cannot be of help at this very moment. However, I will give you my word that I will do everything in my power to return you to your timeline…" when she lowered her hands, he offered her a reassuring smile, gladly noticing that her anger was beginning to subside.

She nodded and looked rather ashamed as her eyes met his, "I'm so sorry… all the things I said-"

"Do not apologize Miss Granger," he said shaking his head, "I know that you will have a difficult time until we find a way to get you home. However, I will ask you not to give any details of your time away…"

"I know! I'm so sorry. I don't know what came to me! I'm not usually like this…" tears began to fall down, clouding her vision. "W-what about the book sir?"

Dumbledore cleared his throat as he looked back at her, "My dear… there was no book in Miss Thorne's room."

"What?" she asked and looked up at the younger Albus Dumbledore with trepidation. This made no sense! How could a book send her back in time? She had read about time turners and other magical objects that transported people back in time a few hours or even days but these objects were also transported along which made returning back possible… but if there was no book then she was literally stuck here. "It can't be… that means… that-"

"That you are to stay here until I find a way to return you home." The transfiguration Professor added sadly, "Miss Granger. There is no such book in Hogwarts Library."

"But I found it there!" her eyes widened as it finally hit her. Of course there wasn't. Hogwarts would never allow a book written by Godric Gryffindor to simply lie in the library for every one to read. "I don't understand…" she whispered as she moved her right hand to rub her red swollen eyes, "Why would anyone do this?"

The war was over. The wizarding world was finally at peace. Lord Voldemort was dead and most of his followers had received the same fate; others sent to Azkaban. She had been giving the opportunity to return to Hogwarts to complete her studies. She should have known better than pick a strange book from the floor and take it with her! But this was not just some book. It was Godric's Gryffindor book. Why did it send her back? Why to this particular year?

"I do not know," was Dumbledore's quiet and short reply. "But I do know one thing. If this book that you speak of was really Godric's Gryffindor then it must have sent you here with a purpose. Godric was known to play with his students and fellow professors. He loved puzzles. Perhaps this journey it's one puzzle that you need to solve."

"With all due respect sir, Godric Gryffindor can just shove his damned puzzle up his arse!" she said as she stood up and began looking around with a worried expression stamped on her young features. Then she froze in her tracks, "My wand's gone."

The Great Hall was more agitated than usual. Students chatted loudly about the 'transfer' girl. They had heard the story about how her parents fell prey to a terrible accident and how Albus Dumbledore was the sole guardian. Some said that centaurs far in the north did it. Others claimed that they heard that it was the work of Giants, that the girl's parents were some freaky explorers thus always putting themselves in danger in order to observe danger magical beasts.

"Riddle." Malfoy acknowledge the head boy with a short nod, making room so that Riddle could sit next to him. He smirked as he filled his cup with pumpkin juice, "I take it you heard about it, being head-boy and all."

"Yes Riddle, do tell us." Felicia Madison asked as she leaned forward trying to have Tom Riddle looking at her. She frowned when he did not even glance her way and reached for a piece of bread.

"I know as much as you do." Tom replied simply. He arched an elegant dark brow as he looked at the excited Malfoy. He couldn't tell why the agitation was all about. So what? She lost her parents to an accident, big deal. He couldn't care less. Transfer students were rare but not unheard of. He just hoped that this girl would not get sorted into Slytherin. He had better things than babysit some idiotic girl, showing her around the castle or worse; tutor her. Yes, most definitely she would need tutoring. It was almost December after all and this was their last year.

The Great Hall grew silent all of a sudden and he raised his head to watch Albus Dumbledore escort the new girl. He watched as she walked with her head held high – a proud one wasn't she? She walked confidently and nodded at something that the old man said. He noticed then, the dark circles around her eyes and her red nose. He wanted to snort. She had been crying. She suddenly reminded him of some of the little children back at the orphanage that cried away for the first time Miss Cole walked them to school.

She sat down then, her hands pressing hard against her knees as the sorting hat was placed on her head. She seemed to stiffen as the hat was most likely talking to her.

"Gryffindor!"

He smirked then as the duty of babysitting would most likely fall on the head-girl's shoulders instead. Good, he had time to plan and practise his newly discovered dark spells.

"Isn't she the ugliest thing ever?" Felicia commented aloud, making Malfoy turn his head to look back at her. Yet, Riddle's eyes were still settled on the new girl. Her lips formed a thin line at this. Why was he always ignoring her? She looked back at Malfoy who chuckled.

"She's not so bad if we try to ignore that she's a Gryffindor." He replied with a smirk on his face as Felicia looked absolutely livid.

Tom put on a polite smile as he finally looked at the tall blond-haired girl. She was a very attractive young girl but unfortunately she could be just as stupid as a troll. "Now Malfoy… why would one even consider looking at a Gryffindor when we have such a beautiful girl like Madison right here." He was disgusted with the way she blushed at his petty compliment but he did not let it show. Women were rather easy to manipulate, especially Felicia Madison. Her father was an important man and he had strong ties with the Minister of Magic. She would be an asset in the future.

"Oh Tom!" she said smiling, showing of her perfect teeth, "You are such a gentleman."

"Not at all." He replied smoothly, "I'm just being honest."

He watched as she opened her mouth to speak and he considered casting the silencing spell right there. However, he was thankfully saved by Black. Alphard Black sat abruptly by Felicia's side, bumping roughly against her shoulder. "Sorry love." He said with a not so apologetic tone. "Well? Where is this new girl?" he asked while he stole Felicia's plate, ignoring her protests.

"You've missed the sorting." Malfoy informed as he looked at Black with a disgusted look on his face, "Do you mind chewing your food with your mouth closed? Honestly Black, where are your manners?"

"Why, dear Malfoy. I must have left them somewhere in the Malfoy manner. Perhaps you ought to ask your lovely mother if she has seen them?" Black retorted with a nasty smile.

"You're disgusting." Felicia added as she looked away.

"I love you too." Black added as he swallowed his food and let out a small burp. He looked at Malfoy and then at Riddle, "Well?"

"Gryffindor's table." Riddle replied coldly and instantly Alphard sat up straight in his seat. He knew Riddle's patient was not as lenient as Malfoy's. He looked over his shoulder and his eyes stopped on the quiet girl surrounded by curious Gryffindors.

Bianca Thorne watched as everyone smothered the new girl. Despite being genuinely curious about her, they were being incredibly nosy. Her heart went for Hermione Granger as she remembered the story Professor Dumbledore had confided in her, she couldn't even begin to think what it was like to lose her loved ones. Apparently, Hermione had arrived earlier in the morning and without her medication she began hallucinating, which explained why Granger believed her head-girl room was hers.

"Alright! Enough. I'm sure Granger is tired." She said while standing up, "Let's go. I'll show you the way to the common room."

Hermione blinked as she immediately recognised the girl. She nodded shortly, "Yes… I do need to sleep." She retorted quietly. She offered everyone a shy smile and walked away with the Head-girl, "Thank you." She muttered as she looked down at her own feet.

"You'd do well to memorize the way towards the common room." Bianca said simply, surprising Hermione with the way she spoke. Back at the Great Hall everyone watched their words and their tones of voices rather carefully.

The bushy-haired witch smiled, "Thank you. For not treating me differently."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Bianca added with a smile of her own.

The way towards the common room was rather pleasant despite the silence between the two of them. Hermione welcomed it. She needed it to be able to think straight. Why would Godric's book send her back in time? Maybe it had been partly her fault. Okay, it was definitely her fault. What had she been thinking? What on earth possessed her to read aloud that foreign text?

"Your room is that way. Professor Dumbledore has taken care of your school supplies and I'm sure you'll find your timetable there as well."

Hermione looked up startled as she found herself already inside the common room. She had been too lost in her own thoughts that she missed the password. She simply nodded and whispered a 'thank you' as she climbed her way towards her dorm.

This was unreal. She felt at home and yet the longing feeling clawed at her; Ronald and Harry.

They weren't here… they didn't even exist in this timeline. Ignoring her trunk and her timetable, she simply laid down and stared intently at the ceiling. Why 1944?

"Godric was known to play with his students and fellow professors. He loved puzzles. Perhaps this journey it's one puzzle that you need to solve."

What did she know about 1944? Grindelwald was still at large… Oh and Voldemort was still attending Hogwarts.

Her eyes widened and she sat upright, "No! no.. no!"

Was this a sick joke?!

Her blood boiled and the heat of her body rose steadily forcing her to take her robes off.

"Calm down." She told herself as she took deep breathes. "You got this Hermione. You'll find a way back home…"

Her eyes scanned the timetable carefully once more. Why of all classes they had to start with Defence against the dark arts? To her dismay, she noticed that certain class was shared with Slytherins. She was not worried about meeting with you-know-who. She was more anxious about her wand and she hoped that Professor Dumbledore would have gotten her a new wand by now. She felt naked, defenceless without it.

She was not surprised to find the common room empty. Everyone was probably down at the Great Hall for breakfast which suited her fine. She didn't want all that attention back on her, in fact the less people she saw or spoke to would be for the best; this way she was sure that the future would not suffer major changes. She glanced down at her schedule and then groaned out loud as after defence against the dark arts was Advanced Divination. Surely, Professor Dumbledore had gotten it wrong. She remembered specifically telling him she had no interest in this subject at all.

"The little old bugger!"

He had done it on purpose! Maybe he even found this whole thing hilarious! She knew Albus Dumbledore was not the ordinary man but to think that he'd have his fun at her expense… well she was going to prove him wrong! She then froze in her tracks as she looked up to find a Slytherin boy look at her with an amusement expression stamped on his face. Her eyes stopped on his Head-boy badge and she stiffened slightly.

"Is something wrong?" his smooth and surprisingly pleasant voice caught her off guard, "The Great Hall is in the opposite direction."

You don't say? She thought sarcastically as she studied the boy in front of him. Harry did tell her that Tom Riddle looked nothing like the monster he would become. "I know it is." she replied and almost winced at how hostile she sounded. If he did notice it, nothing in his handsome features betrayed him. "I'm on my way to the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom." She added in a softer tone.

Riddle cocked a brow as her tone softened up. "I'll escort you then. I'm not really a fan of taking breakfast. It upsets my stomach."

Before she could help herself, she snorted loudly, "You must have quite the delicate stomach."

He looked back at her and smiled politely. He watched as she hesitantly approached,

"It must be strange to suddenly find yourself in a new environment."

She nodded quietly wondering where he was trying to get at. When he didn't say anything else, she allowed herself to look at him discreetly. This boy had already killed his own father and was on his way or maybe already succeeded to tear his soul apart. Somehow it made her sad. Even though his features didn't give him away as a psychopath obsessed with the dark arts, she was perfectly aware that he was a manipulative bastard. She needed to stay away from him as much as possible.

"Is there something on my face?" he queried with a cocky smirk decorating his pale face. He was perfectly aware that he was popular with the female population. This girl was probably the same. However, the smirk disappeared when Hermione shook her head with a strange look in her eyes.

That look was the very same look that Albus Dumbledore gave him; that annoying knowing look.

But it was impossible that she knew anything at all. The old man would not confide his suspicious with his protégé. Would he?

Both of them were standing by the door to the classroom facing each other. He arched a perfect eyebrow and she looked away, suddenly aware that she had been staring way too much. She straightened her back, "Well here we are. Thank you Riddle for escorting me."

Tom's mask of amusement disappeared for slight seconds to be replaced with a suspicious one. Before he could ask her, the door was yanked open.

"Ahh I knew it was you Tom! Always early as usual." Professor Merrythought said as she smiled brightly at her favourite student. "Ah you must be Hermione! Well then, get inside. The others must be arriving soon." She added in a sing-song voice. The professor's good mood seemed to have affected Hermione because she found herself smiling as she sat by herself absentmindedly reaching for her school bag.

Tom frowned intently. He was sure he had not introduced himself to the new girl and yet she already knew his last name? He stood up from his usual spot and sat next to Hermione. He watched as she stiffened and looked at him as if he had been infected with the plague. "I thought I'd sit here next to you." He spoke in a seductive manner making her scowl at him.

Ah, yes. Hermione Granger was proving to be quite amusing.