Disclaimer: don't own.
"Miss Karkarova? I will give our new blood a try."
"The most powerful love-potion in the world. If taken excessively it can cause an obsession that cannot be reversed easily." Hermione recited at top speed, Harry and Draco looking bored.
"Very well, Miss Karkarova. Ten points to Ravenclaw." Slughorn bounced happily on the balls of his feet.
Hermione and Tom looked at each other a long time. Wow, an intelligent girl that could rival his own. That he was impressed was an understatement.
He raised an eyebrow. "Very well Miss Karkarova." he whispered, his face remaining impassive.
Hermione's lips quirked but she didn't answer. However, her lips were raised in a half-smile.
"Now, instructions are on the blackboard." Slughorn said and Hermione got up. "I'll get the ingredients, ok Mr. Riddle?"
"Very well. I'll warm up the cauldron then." Tom told her his voice lacking of any emotion.
Her hands trembling, Hermione went to the storage cupboard and got the needed ingredients. She noticed that Tom seemed very apt at potions. To her relief, he was a nice young man to work with. Intelligent, quiet, diligent … and… charming.
They were the first ones to finish. "Perfect." Slughorn cried when he saw their potion. Hermione filled the flask and labelled it.
Harry and Draco, however, looked furiously at the pair. Draco had soot on his nose and Harry's face was sweating.
"An Outstanding again. Thanks Natalija." Tom grinned and shook her hand. To her dismay, Hermione blushed.
"Thank YOU." Hermione blushed even deeper. A trait, Voldemort was quick to notice.
'That's so sweet when she's blushing. I wonder why, though.' Tom thought and eyed the pretty witch curiously.
"It was a pleasure working with you." Tom kissed her hand.
Hermione replied, her hand shaking: "The pleasure is all mine."
THTHTH
"Abraxas is soooo sweet!" Sarah readjusted her blue and bronze tie when they were outside the potions classroom waiting for the Ravenclaw boys to emerge and go to the next class with them. Hermione was quick to notice that they wouldn't like to see it if they went to the next class with the Slytherin boys.
Which was transfiguration by the way. Their first lesson with Dumbledore himself.
Pretty out of breath, Richard, Matthew, Hermione and Sarah arrived at the transfiguration classroom, Draco, Harry, Abraxas and Orion behind them, panting as well. Hermione was quick to notice that Draco was shooting glances at Abraxas. 'Don't be that obvious, Malfoy.' she thought furiously.
"Good morning, Slytherins and Ravenclaws." Dumbledore greeted them as well.
This time, Hermione noticed, they could choose their seats and she was quick to sit down between Richard and Sarah who was sitting next to Darius, her boyfriend.
"Today we are going to learn how to transfigure stones into coins." and the whole class looked excitedly at Dumbledore, except Hermione, Draco and Harry. Hermione furrowed her brow. Wait. Wasn't that forbidden to transfigure stones into coins? Harry and Draco looked at Hermione, shocked. They gave her a pointed glance that she wouldn't do what they expected her to do. Well, she wasn't placed into Ravenclaw for nothing.
But obviously this transfiguration was allowed in the forties. In that case, she couldn't say anything. It was probably only forbidden by law years later. But Hermione remembered what she had read in Hogwarts, a history about Durmstrang or rather about the Eastern European countries. They had introduced this law in 1938.
"Professor?" she raised a trembling hand and Harry and Draco rolled their eyes simultaneously from what she could see, Harry pale in the face and staring intently at her
"Yes, Miss Karkarova?"
"I was wondering, in Durmstrang we learnt that it is forbidden by law to transfigure stones into coins and so I am surprised that it is allowed here." Hermione said in a brave voice.
"That is quite correct, Miss Karkarova. The Bulgarian Minister, Ivan Vavilov, introduced that law. Am I correct?" Dumbledore asked and his eyes were twinkling. She could have sworn that he had given her a small wink.
"Yes, that's correct, sir." Hermione stated with a neutral voice. Didn't he have more to say on that subject?
"And with that you are going to practice that transfiguration on your stone in front of you." Dumbledore announced. Hermione was stunned. Was that all?
She needed to talk to Harry and Draco. As soon as possible. But Dumbledore was watching her and she was keen on practicing that spell. After all, it was something new, something that she hadn't been allowed to try out before as it was banned.
Sighing happily, she excitedly took out her wand and circled the stone with it while saying loudly and clearly: "Enumero!" and a fat golden coin was in front of her desk, gleaming in the daylight.
"Wow!" Richard said next to her, clearly impressed.
Smiling smugly, Hermione examined the coin and looked around the classroom. Only Riddle and she had mastered the spell.
Their eyes met for mere 4 seconds and then Hermione turned away looking at Harry and Draco who had difficulties mastering the spell. To her horror, she realized that Riddle was still watching her intently, a strange look on his handsome face, something between incredulity, admiration and… something else that Hermione couldn't place. But something else was bothering her.
She quickly scribbled a note to Harry and Draco. To her dismay, Riddle spotted Harry catching it in his outstretched fingers and he glared briefly at him.
In England it has been forbidden since 1967. I wonder why. Do you think that this will change now that I have told everyone?
Don't worry, Hermione. Nothing will happen. Besides, the future is supposed to be changed. That's the reason we are here.
But we shouldn't change everything. We should only change HIM.
Right. But we have already changed a lot BECAUSE we are here.
It will not be easy to change Riddle. I mean how shall I do-
"What are you writing, Miss Karkarova?" Dumbledore asked in front of her. Hermione jumped in shock. She had just written one of the important key phrases.
"Hand that in, please." he looked sternly at her.
With a silent groan Hermione handed him the letter exchange. Draco and Harry looked shocked. They obviously hadn't expected Dumbledore to react like that.
"You will not receive detention and you will not lose any points as you and Mr. Riddle were the first who perfectly transfigured your stones. However, I would like to have a word with you and Mr. Poliakoff and Mr. Krum after class." Dumbledore said. To Hermione's confusion, he still wore the same twinkle. What was that about?
Tom looked at the three newcomers with interest. They were hiding something. But what? He would find out soon enough. He was Lord Voldemort, after all.
Class seemed to drag on as Hermione had already mastered the spell several times and she didn't have anything else to do. Out of sheer boredom, she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair and her eyes fell on Riddle, who wore the same bored expression. A fat golden coin was also in front of him and he eyed it disdainfully. Their eyes met – again – and Hermione flushed red. Why oh why was she watching him and he had to look at her at the same time? He probably got the wrong expression.
FINALLY the bell rang and Hermione slowly packed up her things. "See you at lunch." Sarah told her and Richard and Darius waved good-bye.
Hermione, Harry and Draco went up to Dumbledore when everyone had left the hall. Dumbledore murmured some silencing spells so that they couldn't be overheard.
"Miss Granger, I believe it was quite foolish of you to write notes with important information as that. Please refrain from doing in the future. Imagine what people would do if they found out." Dumbledore told them and Hermione shuddered at the thought of what people would really say or do.
"However, I am impressed. You mastered the spell perfectly although it was banned in the future. You are a remarkable witch." Dumbledore praised her.
Even Draco and Harry looked at her encouragingly. To her horror, she flushed scarlet.
"But something in that letter surprises me. You don't know how to do your task."
"Not really, no." Hermione groaned honestly.
"He doesn't have any friends for example. He doesn't love. He doesn't care. Offer that to him."
"Why me?"
"Not you alone. ALL of you. And you Mr. Malfoy, please stop staring at your grandfather. He might get the wrong expression. And you Harry, don't act too hostile against your Slytherin classmates. You are one as well. And Slytherin is a house like any other." Dumbledore said.
"Okay sir." Harry and Draco nodded politely.
"Have a good lunch. Let's talk about that in one month again. The things will most definitely be different then." Dumbledore smiled.
Hermione shook her head. "I doubt it." she said quietly but Dumbledore heard her.
"The unexpected will happen. Trust me."
THTHTH
After Defence against the Dark Arts that the Slytherins had with the Gryffindors - the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had a free period – it was time for charms.
When the Slytherins entered, they all looked disgruntled and worn out. Everyone except one. The always-perfect Tom Riddle strode into the classroom as if he owned it, face expressionless or rather concerned, perfectly pressed robes, perfect hairstyle.
Hermione quizzically raised an eyebrow at Harry and Draco whose usually sleek hair was rumpled and hanging in all directions. Harry was even sporting a small cut right above his cheek.
What was going on?
"What's the matter?" she heard Darius ask his girlfriend. As a reply Sarah just shrugged. She was as clueless as the other Ravenclaws.
To Hermione's displeasure, Harry and Draco didn't look at her. She wanted answers. NOW!
But she didn't have time to dwell on that. The charms teacher of the 40s was standing in the doorway in all his beauty. "That's Monsieur Patrique Du Reau." she heard Sarah sigh dreamily next to her. A Muggle? Hermione was now really surprised.
Hermione noticed that all the girls smiled dizzily up at the teacher. Just like Lockhart, the teacher was very good-looking and he knew so. Hermione just hoped that he wasn't as dim-witted as her former favourite Defence teacher. Hermione grinned inwardly. DEFINITELY just like Lockhart as all the boys were shooting glares at the teacher.
Even Riddle.
Even Riddle?
It seemed as if Tom was completely against the charms teacher. He kept glaring at him and … her? Yes, Tom Riddle was glaring at Hermione as well.
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen." Professor Du Reau had a soft velvet voice that almost sent Hermione into another dimension. Still smiling brightly at the teacher, she was entranced by his beauty.
"Good afternoon, Professor Du Reau." the class chorused.
Then Hermione noticed that something was odd. The skin of Du Reau was too white. His hair was softly flowing in the wind – although there was none and his body too perfectly built. His smile was too dazzling and his eyes were… too dark.
"Richard." she whispered. "Is Professor Du Reau really a Muggle? He doesn't seem like one…"
