Misadventures in Time Travelling

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate any opinions given; it means that my story is being read. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

Chapter 9: First Week

BRNG BRNG BRNG BRNG

Hermy's old fashioned muggle alarm clock broke the silence early the morning of the first day of classes. She grumbled to herself as she looked at the clock and realised exactly how little sleep she had achieved after the adventures of the previous night.

'I COULD have had an easy life… I could have just let this world go by, but nooooo I had to be a hero," she thought sarcastically.

Hermy sighed as she pushed aside these thoughts; it was her destiny as the subject of a prophecy and her duty to mankind to save it. A few hours of sleep leaving her grumpy and tired for a few days would be worth it in the long run.

"Too early," Hermy heard Parvati mumble from her own bed.

Hermy replied, "Shh... Go back to sleep. You have a little bit of time left."

Hermy quietly gathered her things and went to the bathroom. She showered quickly, being very aware of her feminine body since that moment last night. She felt lucky that being only eleven, there was not much to worry about yet.

She fumbled in the quietness of the dorm, looking for her parchment, quills, ink and textbooks. She could only hope that the classes of this first day would be the same as the classes on the first day experienced so many years ago. She walked downstairs and stared into the roaring fire, waiting for Jamie to emerge.

Meanwhile, Jamie too was getting ready. Like Hermy he was the first person up in his dorm, but had not disturbed anyone as he had set a magical alarm clock which only alerted him. He showered slowly as he mused.

'At least the boy's dorm doesn't smell too badly yet. I could never believe how bad it was when I came up here before… Why are none of them up yet? It is the first day of school. It will be great being at school again…'

He dried himself and dressed, with no one stirring, not even a mouse. The only sound in the otherwise quiet dormitory was that of Ron's whistling snoring and Neville's muted sleep talking. Jamie set privacy charms and a curse on his trunk to ensure that no one would discover the basilisk fangs, vial of venom and the Diary. It was imperative that for their mission to work, it had to remain secret.

- PAGE BREAK -

The time travellers met at the fireplace and hugged each other, smiling in glee. They looked around the empty room and upon seeing no potential eavesdroppers in the room at this early hour, cast a Muffliato charm before chatting.

"We are brilliant!" boasted Hermy with glee. "Only the first morning and we have already got one Horcrux, captured Pettigrew AND got the means to destroy the horcruxes!"

Jamie sat with his head in his hands, staring into the fire and pensively said, "It is only the beginning. We have done nothing. We have the means to do something, but haven't done anything yet."

Hermy put her arm around Jamie's slumped shoulders and held him close.

"We cannot afford to be so pessimistic!" she said in a comforting tone. "Do ya reckon anyone apart from the teachers found out about last night?

…. PAGE BREAK…

That morning Jamie found out what had plagued Hermy for so many years in the last timeline. As they sat at the breakfast table, he could feel the glances of other students on him as he ate his bacon and eggs.

He groaned as a smug Hermy whispered in his ear, "Ha, ha… You never believed me when I said it was this bad."

Jamie tapped his fingers on the table, looking towards the head table, waiting for McGonagall to walk down the length of the table and hand out the timetables so they could leave. As he tapped, he could see students popping their heads up like meerkats, trying to catch a glance of the new celebrity.

Finally, McGonagall placed the time table in front of them, "Mr Potter. Miss Granger."

Jamie jumped up so quickly that his chair fell over, drawing the attention of all those in the Hall. He blushed as he saw Snape smirk and the other students stare at his misfortune. As they walked quickly out of the hall, their progress was followed by hundreds of students, whose eyes returned to their food once the Boy-Who-Lived exited.

Whispers followed Jamie every-where as Hermy and Jamie pretended to search for the correct route to their classes. They waited at the door for the first class, creating a bottleneck as students still craned their necks to see the young hero. As the other students walked past, rubber necking, Hermy and Jamie could hear snippets of their conversations.

"OMG There HE is!"

"Where?"

"Next to the girl with THE hair."

Hermy grumbled and Jamie elbowed her, saying quietly, "Now you know what it is like…"

"Ha," she laughed in response. "My hair has always been unmanageable and I have always had attention.

"Smug and self-righteous," Jamie muttered.

Hermy muttered something unintelligible, very possibly a word learned from Fred and George as their hanger-on's, the boys and girls who watched Jamie's every move, were confused; why were the two eleven-year-olds bickering like an old married couple? Surely they were not a couple.

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Jamie glared at Hermy as they walked into their first class. They were not surprised to see that their classes, over the whole week, were identical to the ones from the first timeline. The teachers were slightly more tired due to the late night adventures, but still gave the same lectures about the same content.

Despite their tiredness, Jamie and Hermy excelled. They attempted to moderate their success to some degree but could not help by show off a little. In Transfiguration, they were the only ones to succeed in changing their matches into needles, received 10 points for Gryffindor and no homework. They had time to people watch and enjoyed the sensation of being children, of not worrying.

They physically took part in their classes, taking notes and practicing incantations, but their minds were elsewhere, as they pondered. They began to get to know their classmates again, making effort to reach out to everyone. It had not yet happened, but they were deeply appreciative of their support in the other timeline.

Quirrel was as terrible as ever. He stammered and avoided any questions about his teaching experience or experiences with the Dark Arts. After their first lesson with him, OWL and NEWT students walked out, thinking that all was lost with regards to their marks. Why had Dumbledore hired yet another useless DADA teacher?

"Arrgghh," Hermy groaned quietly as she whispered to Jamie. "It is aching; why is it me AGAIN? I thought the residue would not bother me."

Jamie and Hermy stepped carefully during their lessons; they were careful to avoid any attention and acted as normal as possible to avoid alerting Voldemort that something was wrong.

"Is it too early for the D.A?" asked Hermy when Quirrel turned his back to write on the board. "I forgot how bad this was."

"YES. Quiet. Do not draw his attention, you idiot," hissed Jamie.

Hermy walked out of the class with an aching head and continued trying to convince Jamie to help her do something about the abysmal standards in the DADA class.

"We can ask about a duelling club. That is all. We have to wait for our other plans to come into play. No more."

… PAGE BREAK …

As the week progressed, the first years began to get into a routine and learned how to get around the castle. Hermy and Jamie could often be seen with a line of first years following them from class to class.

"Jamie! They are like ducklings, can we get rid of them," grumbled Hermy.

"Hermy! No. You cannot do that. Remember what it was like for you? Remember the first time you saw the three headed dog?" asked Jamie.

The two friends bickered constantly and were glad to see Flying Lessons advertised for Friday afternoon.

"Yes! Finally," said Hermy with a huge grin on her face as she read the notice left on the noticeboard.

Unlike the first timeline, the first year Gryffindors had grown more tightly as a group because of Jamie and Hermy reaching out. They would be a force to be reckoned with one day. Lavender and Parvati still had a tendency to gossip and giggle and Seamus, Ron and Dean still had a tendency to make crude jokes and cruel comments, but they presented a united front to the rest of the school. They claimed a large table in the common room every night to study and helped each other with the homework.

….. PAGE BREAK …

On Friday morning, Jamie received two lots of owl mail.

He opened the first with excitement and read aloud to Hermy, "Dear Jamie. Come down to my hut after Flying lessons for a bit of tea. Hagrid."

"We get to meet Hagrid again! What is in the other?" asked Hermy.

Jamie showed her the letter:

Dear Mr Potter and Miss Granger,

Please be present at the Chamber of Secrets at 9 am for an examination of the Basilisk carcass. You will be needed to open the Chamber and be present at a meeting regarding finances.

Sincerely, Griphook

They looked up from their letter as a they caught a flash of light in the corner of the eyes and saw Neville unwrapping a Remembrall.

"It's a Remembrall," he said with sadness. "Gran reckons that it will help me remember stuff."

Seamus looked at the ball with interest and asked with an Irish accent, "What have you forgotten then?"

Neville placed the ball on the table and said softly, "I don't know. I really don't know."

A hand reached out and grabbed the ball. Malfoy tossed it from hand to hand as he laughed, flanked by his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Has poor widdle Nevypoo finally got a brain," he mocked.

Nevilled quivered visibly, and Ron was held back by Seamus as he lunged for Malfoy. Like magic, McGonagall appeared and after one look from her, Malfoy and his toadies returned to their table.

The first years walked reluctantly to the dungeons for their first Potions lesson. Just like in the previous timeline, Snape prowled the dungeons while the students watched him in fear and listened as he lectured about brewing glory and stoppering death.

He called the roll, and upon seeing Jamie's name stopped.

"Mr Potter… Our ne y…" Snape slowly drawled with a sneer on his face.

He held his hands to stop the sniggering coming from the Slytherins and finished calling out names. He glared at each of the cringing Gryffindors in turn until his glaze set upon Jamie.

"Mr Potter… Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?" Snape asked smirking and nodding at the openly laughing Slytherins.

Jamie looked Snape in the eye and without breaking eye contact, lazily said "A Draught of Living Death… SIR." He almost spit out the last word and Snape pursed his lips before continuing.

"An adequate GUESS Mr Potter. Tell me, where would you find a bezoar?" he asked.

The class watched in unusual silence. The Gryffindors hoped to avoid attention as the Slytherins waited for another moment to laugh.

Jamie looked around the room; under desks and at the walls and finally answer, "In any first aid kit, apothecary, infirmary, … Oh, and it is originally found in the stomach of a goat. SIR"

Jamie grinned, looking at Snape and then at his classmates, all of whom, even the Slytherins, were starting to giggle.

Snape grew visibly angry as he leant over Jamie's bench and spat at him "What are the key differences between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Uncharacteristically, Jamie was beginning to enjoy the attention and without knowing it seemed to become a reincarnation of James Potter. The class watched with eyes open, wishing they had the guts to bate the greasy bat.

"They are practically the same thing SIR. They are both from the Aconite plant. One comes from the root, while the other comes from the stem," Jamie confidently said, brushing his hair off his face and making his scar evident.

"10 points from Gryffindor Potter for your infantile answers and supreme arrogance!" Snape yelled with venom in his voice. "The instructions are on the board. FOLLOW THEM."

Hermy waved her hand in the air and shouted out, "Sir, do we need to know about how the ingredients interact? My chemistry teacher from my muggle primary school…"

"THIS IS NOT A MUGGLE SCHOOL," complained Snape. "That information comes from assignments. Another 10 points from Gryffindor!"

Hermy and Jamie split up for this lesson to work with Ron and Neville to make their burn ointments. They forced their inept partners to read the instructions carefully, pointing out the special warning about porcupine quills. Steam filled the air as the first years worked, whilst Snape hovered over the Gryffindors making disparaging comments while the Slytherins were praised for their substandard efforts. Snape forced them to work in silence, apart from partners talking in a low whisper.

Jamie felt his head stink and tendrils feeling his mental shields. He allowed images of the Dursleys to flow around the shields. His memories showcased many years of abuse, neglect and loneliness. Snape fell back… This image was totally incongruent with the brash attitude displayed at the beginning of the lesson. Was Potter NOT an arrogant toe rag like his father? Was his brash attitude an attempt to hide the abuse?

Snapes attention was drawn to an exploding cauldron at the back of the room, where Malfoy cowered in pain.

"Malfoy! Leave NOW. Go to the hospital wing for treatment," he said with care before turning to face Seamus and Dean. "You DUNDERHEADS, how dare you ignore him, allowing him to hurt himself. 20 points from Gryffindor."

The lesson was calm until the end when they handed their potions in to be marked and left the room grumbling.

"40 points!" whinged Seamus.

"Fred and George always got points taken away. He has a thing against Gryffindors and favours Slytherins," said Ron.

The complaining continued at the first years walked from the dark, dull dungeons to the bright Great Hall for lunch. Hermy thought reflectively. Was it really Harry's fathers fault that Snape treated to Gryffindors like that, or was it a by-product of his spying role for Voldemort. The first years sat down to a lunch of roast meat sandwiches and fruits and continued talking about the lesson.

"Didn't know you had it in you Hermy," said Dean.

"You really BURNT him, but PLEASE be careful we cannot afford to lose MORE points," cried Lavender in a light, airy voice.

"He hates us. There is no denying that, BUT we can mitigate the effects. He is going make us nervous and we have to ignore his hovering! It is first year! All we have to do is follow the recipe," said Jamie with passion.

Lunch ended and it was finally time for the first years to have their first flying lessons. Walking to the pitch, they shared stories of triumph and disaster. Jamie thought that listening to them it seemed as if they had spent their whole lives on brooms. Hermy thought that, to be frank, the boasters were full of crap. According to Ron Weasley, he had managed to narrowly avoid hitting a kelihopter (helicopter), and no one had even noticed…

They were disgusted to see that they would be sharing lessons with the Slytherins. As they walked over the hill, they saw the greying, short-haired Madame Hooch standing in front of near rows of broomsticks. They each picked a broom, fighting to get the least dilapidated broom.

After the chaos and noise had abated, Madame Hooch instructed in a clear, loud voice, "Now. With CONFIDENCE talk to your brooms. Hold your hands above the brooms and CLEARLY say UP. Imagine in your minds that the brooms are rising towards your hand."

First years shouted UP with varying degrees of success and confidence. Hermy held her above her broom and casually said UP. She was pleased to see that her broom met her hand straight away and looked around to see the others struggling. Jamie was pleading with his broom to rise, and Neville was stuttering and failing. As in many other times that year, Hermy resolved to find a way to give Neville confidence and to get him a new wand.

Soon after Hermy experienced success, others began to succeed as well. Hermy bathed in the sunlight, drinking in the unusual weather, listening the sounds of success and failure until the others got their brooms to rise.

Madame Hooch said cheerily, "Mount your brooms as such and DO NOT MOVE OFF the ground."

Madame Hooch's hawk like eyes narrowed as she walked up and down the rows of brooms, correcting form and giving encouragement. Hermy swore that she saw a look of glee in Madame Hooch's face as she correct Malfoy's form.

"I have been doing this for years!" cried Malfoy.

Madame Hooch sniffed snootily, looking down on Malfoy with a wry grin on her face, moving onto the next student.

"Push gently up and DO NOT GO HIGHER THAN A METRE," she instructed

Neville pushed up a bit too much and rose as high as the nearest tree. He began to shift uncontrollably toward the edge of the forest while his classmates looked on in glee or in horror.

"Don't fall, Nevy poo," said Pansy with derision, her classmates laughing at her cruel and unimaginative comment.

"Neville! Point the broom down at a gentle angle," advised Seamus.

"Neville, Aim the broom up down and across," shouted Malfoy.

Neville tried to follow all directions at once and to the horror of the Gryffindors, fell from 20 metres. He fell, his arm both breaking his fall and breaking.

"GROUND NOW," yelled Madame Hooch as she ran towards Neville. "I mean YOU Malfoy. EVERYONE. NOW."

She cradled Neville in her arms as she helped him up and told the rest of the class, looking over her shoulder, "If ANYONE has gotten on their brooms, you will be GONE."

They made their way to the castle and the first years gossiped happily, enjoying the sunshine.

"I cannot believe that I am learning so much about theory and that I understand it! The practical work I have been doing has been standard BUT WOW!" exclaimed Hermy.

Jamie looked at her with raised eyebrows and asked with a mock serious voice, "Are you saying that READING and studying HELPS?"

Hermy looked at Jamie with a look of horror on his face.

"I am turning into YOU! No!" she said, attempting to keep a straight face.

The two friends fell back on the ground, laughing, their hilarity disturbed as they saw Malfoy rise from the ground on his broom.

"Not again, here we go," said Hermy.

"Poor widdle Nevvy Poo has lost his special toy," smirked Malfoy, pretending to drop it and then catch it again.

Hermy rose on her broom, shouting with confidence, "GIVE IT BACK YOU LITTLE TOE WEED."

Malfoy pretended to think and then smirked and said, "Come and get it … "

Despite their focus on Neville and the blonde idiot, Hermy and Jamie laughed, hearing his words in their minds as if they were spoken by the Terminator. Malfoy's face reddened and he flew away from the group towards the castle.

Hermy was cheered on as she chased Malfoy on the aging, somewhat unresponsive broom. She could not resist doing tricks, revelling in the freedom of flight after such a long absence. When she was within touching distance Malfoy held the ball as if to give it to her. He looked her right in the eye, and dropped it.

The ball was pulled by gravity towards the hard pavement surrounding the courtyard and Hermy pushed her broom to point almost vertically down, not seeing an angry witch wearing emerald green robes rushing towards the scene. Hermy loved the feeling of wind on her face and showing the purebloods that a common witch could be successful. She reached out and caught the ball inches from the ground, pulling her broom up and doing a barrel roll before falling off at the feet of McGonagall.

"Well, I NEVER. You could have been KILLED Miss Granger. Malfoy, see Professor Snape. Miss Granger, come with me now. The rest of you INSIDE IMMEDIATELY," she ordered, anger and worry appearing on her face.

The stern faced teacher dragged Hermy inside the castle at fast pace while her classmates trialled behind her. She ignored Hermy, but muttered to herself constantly.

"I never. I haven't seen anything like this for years. So insensible for a muggle born…" she grumbled.

McGonagall stopped at a classroom and knocked, speaking to Flitwick. Hermy grinned. She couldn't wait for history to repeat itself. They had a mission to complete, but could not get through it without friends, fun and family. A confused Oliver Wood walked out of the classroom and greeted McGonagall politely.

"Professor?" he asked.

In her thick Scottish brogue, McGonagall told him with a slight hint of glee in her voice and the faintest whisper of a smile, "I have found you a Seeker Mr Wood. She caught a ball after a fifty food dive!"

Oliver's expression grew interested and he walked around Hermy, examining her.

"Light build. Fairly small. She has the perfect build for a Seeker," he said without sounding too creepy.

"Mr Wood. You have a very inexperienced team this year. Miss Granger will be your secret weapon," McGonagall warned. "Miss Granger, you will need a decent broom."

… PAGE BREAK …

Before dinner, Hermy and Jamie dragged the other, nervous first years to Hagrid's hut.

"Come on… we have something to tell you," Hermy said sadly.

The others followed them, thinking that consolation was in order after the severe punishment doled out by McGonagall for her behaviour earlier that day. They crowded in Hagrid's hut and sat awkwardly holding tea and rock hard cakes as they listened to Hermy's story.

"What?" ask Ron incredulously.

"Youngest Seeker in one hundred years," Hermy said, puffing out her chest.

"Well done Hermy!" stated Hagrid.

The Gryffindor first years crowded into Hagrid's shack, drinking tea and pretending to eat the rock hard rock cakes. Seamus, Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Neville and Ron sat uncomfortably as Hermy and Jamie chatted amiably with the gently giant.

"Do not tell anyone! We don't want the Slytherins to find out," said Ron with an evil grin.

… PAGE BREAK …

The week had ended well. Jamie and Hermy got into bed happily that night. They knew the weekend would be tough- with negotiating with the Goblins for the Basilisk and then destroying the Horcrux on the Sunday. They needed to start putting pressure on Dumbledore for Sirius' trial.

… PAGE BREAK …

Late Friday night the teachers took their hair down and relaxed with a bottle of FireWhiskey, having their weekly "staff meeting" to address "concerns about students." They took turns to drink from the bottle, passing it from staff member to staff member.

"This has been the worst first week since James Potter and Sirius Black stole every single toilet seat in the school and made a sculpture on the lawn to welcome the minister," moaned McGonagall.

"I don't know about that… That was pretty funny," giggled a slightly tipsy Sprout.

Snape said with closed eyes as he lay back on a plush couch, "Lets count the ways in which our DARLINGS have been complete and utter dunderheads this week. Why don't we ignore the Weasley twins and focus on the first years?"

He stood, and swayed slightly on his feet, pointing at invisible people. "Mr Longbottom. Talentless buffon. Ron Weasley. Red headed menace. Seamus Finnigan. Could blow up anything. Do not get me started on our CELEBRITY… Mr Potter and his BEST friend Miss Granger."

The others looked at him in anticipation.

"They were out of bed and got REWARDED. They KILLED a majestic old snake. They are arrogant little toe rags. Mr Potter is exactly like his FATHER," he said with venom as he fell backwards onto a hard wooden chair.

"HA," McGonagall laughed. "They are BRILLIANT and smart. They will be a credit to the school and will earn a lot of money from the remains of that snake."

The teachers continued drinking and complaining. Happy hour was marvellous and they were grateful that they were magical as they drunk a pink potion designed to combat the after effects of too much alcohol. They did not notice, nor would they have cared, that Quirrell was conspicuously absent.

Authors Note

Most teachers I know drink like fish and the staffroom fridge is full of alcohol. I am sure that with the stresses of their jobs, teachers at Hogwarts would let their hair down and leave the junior teachers to take control.