Chapter 4: Of Tours and Introductions
Hermione couldn't help but immediately like the fiery redhead who, the moment they were introduced, came over and hugged her. She'd never had a close female friend, especially one her own age and she was glad that Harry's mother would be one. She didn't think she'd like to be on Lily's bad side.
"So, you're dating James?" she asked, a grin on her face as Lily drew away. "How do you keep him in line?"
Lily grinned widely as Sirius and Remus laughed. James sighed.
"It's my misfortune to be misunderstood," he said with a dramatic air before making his way to Lily and wrapping an arm around her waist. "Shall we go work on Binns's assignment, o mighty slave driver?"
Lily laughed as she was steered away, calling back to Hermione.
"We'll talk again later, Hermione," she promised. "Don't let Sirius flirt your ears off. Remus will help you keep him in line."
Hermione laughed and turned to the two boys who were regarding her with smiles. She raised her brows, placing her hands on her hips.
"What?"
"It's nothing really, Hermione," Remus said with a shrug. "I had thought outside the Hospital Wing that you reminded me of someone. Now I remember who it was."
Sirius nodded, flashing white teeth in a wide grin. "I agree. Other than looks, you are the spitting image of Evans. I believe you'll have no problem fitting in around here. Now, shall Remus and I give you a tour of the castle? You'll be in classes tommorow so you'll need to have an idea of where you are going. Of course, most of your classes are with me or Remus, and even most of those we all take anyway."
Hermione raised a brow and Sirius withdrew a sheet of paper that she could only guess was her schedule from the pocket of his robes as they left the Common Room and started down the corridor.
"McGonagall gave it to me while you were in the Hospital Wing. You have Potions with all of us and then Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, and Astronomy with Remus. Lily's also in Arithmancy and Astronomy. By the way, do you play Quidditch? James, Remus, Lily and me are on the Gryffindor team. James is captain and he's looking for a new chaser. James is a Chaser, as are Remus and Lily. I'm a Beater and Pete- who you'll meet later tonight; he's in detention right now- he's Keeper."
Hermione raised a brow. So all the Marauders and Lily were on the quidditch team? Make up the Quidditch team is more like it, she thought.
"You just said he's looking for a new chaser, but then you said Remus is chaser and that makes three with James and Lily. Don't you need another Beater?"
Remus nodded. "I'm trying out for Beater. I'm stronger than I look, so I think I'll do fine. So, you'll try out for Chaser?"
She laughed and shook her head. "No, you really don't want me on your team. I can't fly worth Every Flavor Beans, and I really don't like playing sports anyway. Sorry. I'll watch all the games and cheer you guys on though."
"So Peter... was that his name? What's he like?" she asked as they left they turned down another hall.
"Pete? Well, he's pretty smart in Potions and Herbology, but he's kind of quiet and reserved. It might take him a little to warm up to you but he's a good guy. Plays a mean game of chess and is the best Keeper Gryffindor's ever had."
Hermione forced herself to look as if she'd never met or heard of Peter. Though she hated the man she knew that here, in this time, there still might be a chance for him. Perhaps it was with Peter that she could start her work of fixing her time. She was stuck here, in this time, so surely she was here to change things.
"He sounds wonderful," she said, though she had to work hard to keep the sarcasmn out of her voice.
The two continued to show her around until Professor Flitwick stopped them and told them, after being introduced to Hermione, to head back to Gryffindor Tower.
As they entered the Common Room, James looked up from a game of chess with a small, surprisingly good looking boy who could only be Peter Pettigrew and called her over. Taking a deep breath, Hermione pushed all of her ill thoughts of the man to the back of her mind as she mad her way over to them, Remus and Sirius on either side of her. This was, after all, Peter Pettigrew the boy who was still innocent and not Peter Pettigrew the man who'd become a Death Eater and betrayed his friends to Voldemort.
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Disclaimer: Characters and places recognized belong to J.K. Rowling.