A/N: Originally, I wasn't going to say this, but seeing as it might be a deal breaker for some readers, I am going to clarify something: Hermione is going to change the future/destroy the Horcruxes. I prefer time travel fics in which the person makes a change rather than just lets everything happen so that is the direction mine will be taking shortly. Oh, and thanks to show me the stars who told me I forgot to mention Peter in the last chapter. He was just casually absent from my mind when I was writing it haha :) Also, thanks to all who put TTTB on story alert and reviewed. You are all fabulous. Anyway, on to the chapter!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine (most unfortunately).
Chapter 4 - Trust
Dinner was a surprisingly comforting affair for Hermione. The antics of the Marauders, Mariella, and Calenna distracted her from the deluge of emotions threatening to drown her at any given minute.
Wormtail arrived midway through the meal. Hermione's knuckles grew white as she clutched her goblet of pumpkin juice, willing herself not to Avada Kedrava him on the spot. In the eyes the Marauders and her dormmates, she had no reason to feel unadulterated hatred towards Wormtail. Keeping in mind that he hadn't done anything evil yet, Hermione forced a smile on her face and shook his hand as she had done everyone else.
After eating until they were fit to bursting, the Gryffindors trooped up their dormitories, where most of them dropped off into sweet sleep. Everyone but Hermione, that was.
It took her an hour to fall asleep and when she did, she slept fitfully. Every time Hermione's eyes drooped shut and she let sleep overtake her, she saw the empty, dead faces of her schoolmates and members of the Order and a vivid blue light.
After waking up trembling for the fourth time, Hermione saw the beginnings of the sun rise through the dormitory window and gave up on sleep completely, laying still in her warm bed, thinking of Harry and Ron. It felt almost unnatural for her to be here, at Hogwarts, without them with her. The Golden Trio had been reduced to the Golden Girl. Although she finally let the sadness consume her, no tears came to her eyes. Hermione felt almost like a shell of her former self; empty and alone.
No, she thought bracingly, it will not do to think this way. I must act like nothing is wrong, lest I will attract unwanted attention to myself. Using every bit of emotional strength she had, Hermione shoved away thoughts of her best friends and carefully extricated herself from the confines of her bed. She silently changed out of her nightgown and into her school robes. Grabbing her heavy school bag from the floor, Hermione wandered down the steps into the Common Room and meandered over to the window.
Hermione stared pensively at the grounds at Hogwarts, smiling absently at Hagrid's hut, smoke billowing faintly from the chimney. At least another familiar, friendly face would be at Hogwarts with her, even if it was one sided.
"I see I'm not the only early bird," a smooth voice issued from behind Hermione, frightening her. She turned and pulled her wand out her school robes simultaneously, training its tip at the intruder's chest, only to see Sirius, his hands up in surrender and a surprised look on his face.
Hermione blushed and hurriedly tucked her wand away, "Sorry Sirius," she said embarrassedly.
"It's fine, Jumpy. I'll just be sure not to sneak up on you again," he said with a wink as he draped his body across the couch. Hermione took this time to nonchalantly examine Sirius. His dark hair looked glossy and soft, his blue-grey eyes dancing with mirth. It unnerved Hermione to see him so handsome and alive when she seen him with a waxen face and deadened eyes with a likeness to a skeleton.
"Like what you see?" Sirius questioned, his mouth twisting into a smirk. He had noticed Hermione discreetly eyeing him.
Hermione glowed a faint pink and glared at him. Ignoring his question, Hermione took a seat on the couch and pulled Spellman's Syllabary out of her school bag.
"Whatcha reading? She heard Sirius question in a sing-song voice.
Hermione sighed, "Don't you have anything productive you can be doing? Being a nuisance will get you nowhere in life."
Sirius took a moment to think about her statement and finally said, "You're right. Let's get breakfast!" He bounded off the couch and pulled Hermione up by the hand. The skin-to-skin contact sent a surge of energy through both of their hands. Sirius felt pleasantly surprised at this occurrence; Hermione felt nothing but unbridled terror.
"-And that's Professor Flitwick. I'm pretty sure he's half-Goblin, half-gnome, but he's a pretty solid teacher. That there is Professor Slughorn. I hope you don't have an aptitude for Potions because then he'll jump at any chance he can get to recruit you for his Sluggy Club or whatever he calls it." Sirius and Hermione were sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, feasting on bacon and eggs. Sirius had taken it upon himself to give Hermione a run down on every teacher. Hermione giggled in response to every statement he made, not because they were funny but because she already knew each of these teachers.
"And there's...wait! Where's Minnie? Have you seen her?" Sirius asked James and Mariella, who had come downstairs only minutes before. James just shrugged, not even bothering to look up from his plate while Mariella smirked but gave no answer.
"Anyway," Sirius continued to Hermione, "Minnie – or Professor McGonagall to everyone else – is the hardest teacher in this place. Super strict too. I think she's given me and James over two hundred detentions apiece. It's too bad she's late today. I guess she's losing her touch."
"I beg to differ," an icy voice said from behind Sirius. His eyes widened as he swiveled in the direction of the voice. "I'll see you in detention tonight Mr. Black. You know the drill."
"But Minnie -" Sirius began.
"Silence, Black or I'll make it two detentions." In a kinder tone, she said, "Miss Granger, here is your schedule. I hope you have a pleasant first day at Hogwarts." She handed Hermione a rectangular piece of paper and walked back to the Head Table.
"You – you said nothing!" Sirius was accusing Mariella hotly. "She was right behind me that whole time, wasn't she?"
"Maybe, maybe not. You'll never know," Mariella answered in a misty tone.
"God Mariella you're such a b- oh, Hermione lemme see!" Hermione's schedule was snatched from her hands before she could even begin to read it.
"Ooh you're smart, too! We have most of the same classes except Ancient Runes and Arithmancy," he grinned. As he said this, the rest of the gang arrived at the table.
"Good morning, Hermione, Mariella," Lily greeted tiredly as she took a seat at the Table. Calenna, Remus, and Peter sat down heavily next to her.
"Hey, what about us?" James said, lifting his head from his plate indignantly, indicating himself and Sirius.
Lily just rolled her eyes and turned to Hermione, "You look dead on your feet. Are you alright?" Lily asked, concerned.
Hermione gave her a tired smile and lied through her teeth, "I'm fine. I was just a little nervous about my first day and couldn't get to sleep properly, I guess. Actually, I think I'll be getting to Charms now. Its my first class and I don't want to be late." Hermione waved goodbye to the Lily and the others and made her way to the Entrance Hall.
"Wait!" Hermione heard a voice behind her. She turned to see Sirius running to her. "You don't know how to get to Charms so I figured I'd lead you there," he said, flipping a lock of hair to the side.
Hermione almost answered, I can lead myself just fine, but she remembered that she was supposed to be uneducated about how to make her way around Hogwarts. They started heading in the direction of the Charms classroom when an all too familiar voice came from behind them. "Well isn't it my dear cousin and the new girl. I could tell she's a Mudblood just by looking at her."
Sirius stopped abruptly and turned, a fire igniting in his dark eyes. "Watch your mouth, Bellatrix." Hermione was shocked at the appearance of the girl she was looking at. At seventeen, Bellatrix had long, dark, well cared for hair and dark brown eyes alive with pleasure at getting a rise out of Sirius. Two men flanked her, one who looked almost exactly like Sirius and the other with dark blonde hair and wild eyes. Skulking behind Bellatrix was none other than Severus Snape, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
"I can say whatever I want, dear cousin. Don't you have anything to say to your lovely brother, Regulus? He openly cavorts with such filth," Bellatrix said, contempt tangible in her voice.
Color flooded Regulus' face as he said, "He's no brother of mine."
Hermione grabbed Sirius' robes just in time to stop him from lunging at Regulus. Bellatrix, Regulus, and the wild eyed man laughed derisively while Snape tried to avoid being brought into the conversation, preferring to remain a watcher of the action. Hermione spoke up to Sirius, "Let's go." she said forcefully, dragging him down the corridor.
"You better watch who you decide to mess with, Mudblood!" Bellatrix yelled down the hallway.
Once they were a safe distance away and Sirius' angry breathing had calmed, Hermione spoke, feigning confusion, "Who were they?"
"Bellatrix Black, Roldolphus Lestrange, Severus Snape, and...Regulus Black. My abominable brother." Sirius spat. "All training up to be You-Know-Who's best Death Eaters."
Hermione nodded sadly but not for the reason Sirius thought. She was thinking of poor Regulus Black, killed for defying Voldemort. Sudden anger flared up in her at the thought of the future cruelties Bellatrix and Lestrange would commit, a sick taste coming to her mouth.
Sirius looked taken aback at the hatred spreading across Hermione's face. Mistaking it as anger at being called a Mudblood and Bellatrix's threat, Sirius said, "Don't worry, Jumpy. Bellatrix or any Slytherin will never lay a hand on you. The Marauders – I won't allow it. Okay?"
Hermione peered into Sirius' grey eyes shining with an emotion Hermione couldn't identify.
And to her own surprise, Hermione did something she hadn't done in a long time. She trusted him.
A/N: Thanks for reading!
Hint: I love reviews :)
~Amanda aka leafhouse
