As the three boys began to pile food onto their plates, Lily looked at the staff table. "Boys! Where's Professor Smith?" she asked.
"I haff no idea." Sirius said spraying food everywhere.
"Oh, that is disgusting Black!" Lily exclaimed.
Remus quickly leant over to James and Sirius. "Once we've finished lunch let's go talk to her." he whispered. The two boys nodded. They quickly finished their lunch and bolted out of the Great Hall. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Remus muttered. Hermione walked behind them and stopped. The Marauder's Map! How could she have forgotten? She leant over Remus' shoulder and watched the map anxiously. She saw her name, and was relieved to find that her alias was there, but in a lighter shade.
"So, where is she?" James asked excitedly.
"Right behind us." Remus muttered.
"Hey Pidgeon!" Sirius cried.
"Mr Black! Please treat your Professors with respect, no matter how young they may be!" Professor McGonagal reprimanded as she walked past the four of them.
"Yes Mr Black. Please call me Professor. Mr Lupin, Mr Potter. You may call me Hermione when we are not in class. After all, I am younger than you, I think it only fair." she told them smiling.
"Yes Professor." Sirius said glumly.
Remus was beaming, he had just found out what his very pretty, younger DADA professor's first name is. It's a beautiful name very unique. He smiled. "Thank you, Hermione..."
James nodded. "So Hermione.... Does this mean that we're friends?"
Hermione hesitated. She had to do her training, and teach all her classes, could she really keep friends if she was going to carry out her dangerous mission? "Sure. But, you must excuse me if I seem to disppear off the map, so to speak..." All three boys smiled.
"Good. Then, you have to call us by our first names. It's what friends do." Sirius said kindly.
Hermione nodded. "Very well, Sirius... I have to go now, but I'll see you at dinner." she smiled, and quickly ran off down the corridor.
"Is it bad of me, that I think our teacher is really hot?" Sirius asked confusedly.
James shook his head. "Believe me, it would only be bad if you thought it was Minnie dear. But I know of someone else whose heart has been captured by our mysterious maiden." he said looking slyly at Remus who was busy studying the map.
"Huh, wha-oh. Yeah, I can't deny it, she's possibly the first girl in a long time that has made me feel normal... I do like her...I really do." he said embarassedly.
"Good! We shall do operation matchmake Moony!" Sirius announced loudly. Remus groaned, punched Sirius in the arm and sprinted down the corridor away from Sirius. Sirius began to chase Remus and ran straight into him as he rounded the next corner. "Moony! Don't stop in the middle of the corridor!"
"Look. She's disappeared off the map. She actually meant it when she said she might go off the map." Remus said confusedly.
"WHAT?! That's not possible. How can she go off the map? We've plotted every room in Hogwarts! She hasn't even been here that long. She can't know her way around." Sirius exclaimed worriedly.
"Oh. Holy. Merlin." James said realisation dawning on him. "She's not from around here."
"No shit sherlock!" Remus said exasperatedly.
"NO! Remember last night, when we did that spell? And how we thought it didn't work? Well, what if it did, and she came from the future, instead of arriving in style like we originally thought?"
Remus and Sirius looked at each other. "NAH! You know Prongs, that was probably the most intelligent thing you've said in a while."
James smiled. "Thanks-OI!" he chased his two best friends down the corridor before running into the one, the only, Severus Snape.
"Well well well. Potter." Snape sneered.
"Snivellus." James said curtly, before walking on. Snape drew his wand on James back.
"I'm not done with you Potter! Turn around and face me like a man!" He cried.
James sighed. "What do you want Snivellus?"
"I want revenge for everything you've ever done to me!" He cried.
"You're pathetic Snivellus!" James sighed and walked away. Lily watched this exchange from the shadows and smiled proudly. Potter really was growing up. She was even beginning to like him. Snape rounded on him and cast a spell. James flew forwards and hit the wall. Sirius and Remus rounded on Snape as James tried to stand up. Lily hurried over and helped James up. Curses were flying everywhere until Snape cast "Sectumsempra" at Remus.
"Protego!" a voice roared down the hall. The curse was deflected and hit the wall next to Snape's ear.
"Accio wands!" Remus', Sirius' and Snape's wands flew out of their hands and downthe corridor, into the waiting hand of Hermione 'Smith'.
"Professor!" Lily cried anxiously. Hermione rushed down the hallway to James and Lily. She quickly leant down and checked James body for any major broken bones.
"Okay. Lily, levitate him to the Hospital Wing and tell Madam Pomfrey that he has several broken ribs, and that there's a serious chance of lung damage. Be careful." Lily nodded and quickly levtiated James.
"Right. As for you three boys." Hermione said severely. "Mr Snape, that was bad conduct. Fifty points from Slytherin and a weeks worth of detention starting tomorrow. Black, Lupin. I know it wasn't your fault, but you have detention tonight. Go talk to your Heads of Houses. They will have been notified."
The three boys walked off in opposite directions angrily. "Boys! You need your wands." They walked back and took their wands off. Remus stayed behind.
"Um. Hermione?" Hermione nodded. "I'd just like to say, thanks. You know, for stopping that spell from hitting me."
Hermione sighed. "It's fine Remus. Do you know what that spell does?" Remus shook his head. "That spell was barely legal. It makes deep slashes in your skin, making you bleed lots. If you're hit with it, it's a complicated spell to fix you. That is, if you're found on time. You could die within 5 minutes."
Remus stared at her. She nodded. "Yes. That spell is vicious."
"Hermione? I'm sorry if I'm prying..." Hermione interrupted him.
"You'd better get to class Mr Lupin. I'll see you for detention tonight." and with that Hermione had turned the corner.
