Slave To The Moon
'Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again'
The Sound Of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel
2nd September 1977, Hogwarts Hospital Wing, Scotland,
Curious red-rimmed brown eyes cautiously watched the old wizard standing in front of her. Her pearly white teeth worried the bottom of her chapped lip.
"Miss, do you know where you are?" questioned the old wizard, glancing with narrowed eyes at the thin girl, over the top of his half-moon spectacles.
Her caramel eyes stared at him, unblinking. Dumbledore shifted uncomfortably beneath her piercing gaze. For a moment, he was not sure that the girl in front of him would answer him. Her dark eyes were haunted and her face as white as the cotton hospital sheets she lay on.
"Yes. I'm somewhere safe" she murmured, casting her eyes to the bed she lay in.
Hermione was not called the brightest witch of her age for no reason. She had recognised the infirmary in Hogwarts immediately, she had spent a lot of time as a patient or visiting Harry and Ron in there. After she had heard Madame Pomfrey say to someone she needed to fetch Dumbledore, Hermione's alarm had grown even further. She had snuck into Madame Pomfrey's office and found a newspaper. The date had read 1977. At first, she hadn't believed it, after all, it was not possible to travel more than a couple of hours back in time but then she realised that there had been a time she had not believed in magic and that had been possible.
Dumbledore's next question roused her from her exhausting thoughts, "How did you get into Hogwarts? Who are you?"
She had practised this over and over, in the time it had taken for the mediwitch to get the headmaster, so the lies fell from her mouth easily.
"My name is Hermione... My family were tortured by You-Know-Who and his followers. I wanted to go to somewhere safe and I had ended up here".
His bright eyes appraised her suspiciously, as he sat beside her bedside.
"Why were you targeted?" he enquired, the words rolling off his tongue carefully, half surprised that Tom would go after a family for no reason.
"Because I have a gift" she replied, quickly, her nails biting into the palms of her hands. She hated lying, it had never come as easily to her as it had to others. Ron had always said her tell was the way she tensed but luckily she was a quick learner and had kept her hands under the sheets.
"A gift, my dear, what gift?".
"The gift of the future. A true seer, Sir".
Hermione knew she had him then, he would keep her close, protected and sheltered. And while, she was living under him, she would use the library to find the way back to her boys. Forcing back tears at the thought of Ron and Harry, she watched the want in his eyes grow. Dumbledore was rather more like Slughorn than he probably wished to be, he had a habit of collecting those who were useful to him, or those that would give him full loyalty. His kindness was not as 'pure' or as 'good' as people claimed; he had given Hagrid the role of groundskeeper and allowed Lupin to attend Hogwarts merely as ways of ensuring loyalty. After all, a half-giant and a werewolf would be precious reinforcements in the war to come. It was also the reason that Dumbledore had deserted Sirius Black when he was unjustly thrown into Azkaban without trial. Sirius had been too unpredictable, and he would've been extremely reluctant to live his godson in the hands of the Dursleys. Dumbledore's withered hand reached out and grasped Hermione's thin one, squeezing gingerly.
"Oh, my dear, what a terrible thing to happen to one so young. I will offer you sanctuary here. You'll have to be sorted into a house, of course but we will see to that all when you are better. What is your last name?".
"Miss Percival, Hermione Percival. Your offer is so very kind, but I have no money, I cannot buy anything. And surely the other students will be suspicious of a new transfer" she whispered, her thin fingers playing with the sheets.
"I will provide you with money to purchase uniform and equipment, as well as money to spend at your leisure, Miss Percival. We shall also say that you are my Goddaughter and with the demise of your parents, you are my ward. You need not worry, Miss Percival, I will make sure you are safe. After all, there may be something you can do for me".
XX
7th September 1977, Hogwarts School, Scotland,
Her sharp nails bit into her palms and she could feel her teeth tearing into her bottom lip, before the taste of metal bloomed in her mouth, painting her white teeth red. She was nervous, anxiety coiling in her stomach. Deep breaths, 'Mione, she thought to herself, remembering the breathing exercises that Harry used to go through with her when the fear became too much. She knew Harry would have held her while she cried and then he would've have picked her up and told her that she could do it. The oak door hid her from view, and for that, she was most grateful.
She could hear Dumbledore's clear voice ringing out through the great hall and she knew it would be soon.
"Now, please may we welcome a new pupil to Hogwarts. Miss Hermione Percival is my goddaughter and she will be in her seventh year. She is to be sorted now that the first years have been, and then the dinner will commence".
Hermione steeled her nerves, sticking her head high in the air. She entered the Great Hall, not daring to look around. She knew there would be people she knew, and she didn't want to see them yet. At least not, until she could prepare herself. She walked onto the platform at the front, a faint blush across her pale cheeks. She was glad now that Madame Pomfrey had insisted that she stayed in the hospital ward while her bruises and lacerations healed. Luckily the bite marks and other scars were able to be hidden by her uniform.
She sat carefully upon the stool and allowed Professor McGonagall to pop the sorting hat upon her head. She felt the hat settle itself onto her head.
Hmm, I feel as though I have sorted you before, my girl, but how can that be? There's a cunning streak in you and a deep dark desire to succeed but alas as a muggleborn, Slytherin would not suit you. You are certainly loyal and hardworking, yet you lack the patience and humility required to be a Hufflepuff. Your mind is full of knowledge and there is an innate desire to learn. You would do well in Ravenclaw. But I think you must be a…
"GRYFFINDOR" announced the hat.
Hermione flinched at the loudness, standing quickly and scrambling to the Gryffindor table once Professor McGonagall had removed the hat from her head.
XX
7th September 1977, Hogwarts School, Scotland,
Hermione kept her eyes downcast once she was seated at the Gryffindor table. She gingerly reached for some of the beef stew and dumplings, popping a small portion onto her plate. She knew she needed to eat with how thin she was now but anymore than a few bites, and she found herself on her knees, retching.
"Hello, Hermione. I love your name. Shakespearean right?" smiled a pretty girl, plopping down next to Hermione.
"Yes, The Winter's Tale" whispered Hermione, keeping her eyes firmly on her small plate of food.
"Yes, that's a brilliant play. I adore Shakespeare myself. Though I much prefer Hamlet. Oh, apologises for my rambling, Ally says I never know when to stop talking. I'm Head Girl and my name is Lily Evans" grinned the talkative girl.
Hermione's eyes shot up in surprise, meeting the bright green eyes that she had seen so often on her best friend. Lily Evans was a beautiful girl, all porcelain skin and freckles, kind eyes and fiery red hair that floated around her slim shoulders in loose waves.
"And I'm Alice Fortescue. Yes, yes, I'm cousin to Florean. No, I can't get you free ice cream" a happy, round faced girl laughed, her head resting on the shoulder of her tall boyfriend. Alice was blonde with bright eyes. The man next to her was easily recognisable from a photo Harry had shown her years ago.
"Frank Longbottom" he greeted awkwardly, he obviously wasn't a man of many words, but Alice's bubbliness more than made up for it.
Lily pointed out a few more people to Hermione such as the golden haired girl sat on the other side of Alice or the Scottish girl laughing loudly before falling on the individuals that Hermione really wanted to avoid.
James Potter really was Harry's doppelganger (if you excluded Harry having green eyes and James having hazel), his circular glasses were sat askew on his slim nose and his black hair was sticking up him all directions. He waved distractedly, his mouth full of peas as he tried to introduce himself.
"Ignore Prongs, he is an idiot. Gods know how he became Head Boy" laughed an incredibly handsome man with high cheekbones and dark hair pulled into a pony.
Hermione's heart sunk in her chest as her eyes fell on Harry's godfather. She could see the damage Azkaban had done to him. Here he sat, full of life with piercing steel grey eyes and aristocratic features. A single ring wrapped itself around his lip.
"I carried you to the hospital wing, so I guess I'm your knight in shining armour" he grinned, a cheeky smirk on his handsome face.
"Sirius Orion Black, at your service".
"Padfoot, leave her alone. She's just got here, and you are already trying it on".
Remus Lupin was just how she remembered, soft eyes and tentative smiles, tall and lanky. Only he was less scarred. His robes were obviously second hand and a tad scruffy, but he looked happy none the less.
"Remus Lupin, fellow prisoner at this table of lunatics".
Hermione waved shyly at him; she had once liked him, a mere school girl crush that had dissipated when he had married Tonks. Looking at around her, she could feel the panic growing, feel its claws gripping her chest. All she could think about is what would happen to those around her.
She was in a room of ghosts.
XX
Notes:
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All credit goes to J.K. Rowling and the Warner Brothers.
I know the story is a little slow now but I'm just setting the scene. Things will start picking up soon, although expect the romance side to be a slow burn between Remus and Hermione.
I will warn you all now that this will be updated as and when I can. I am judging a part-time job, a full-time degree as well as running after a very hyper toddler.
I will however run a chance of being in this story. My 10th reviewer (provided you are not a guest) will receive a private message from me and will be offered a chance to a part of this story. I will offer the chance again to the 20th reviewer too.
Thank you to all the reviews and followers I have received. And thank you to everyone who had favourited this story. Your support means a lot to me!
Fan cast:
1. Lily Evans - Eleanor Tomlinson
2. Alice Fortescue - Carey Mulligan
3. Frank Longbottom - Nick Robinson
4 - Scottish Girl (Marlene McKinnon) - Freya Mavor
5. Professor McGonagall - Dame Maggie Smith (obviously)