The End Or The Beginning?
The one with a dirty book.
Hermione pulled out her wand. Who could it be at this hour? It was usually peaceful in the Diagon Alley. But as everywhere, sometimes something happened. She, of course, knew about this Riddle character, after all he and his band of purist were trying to fight their dominance over muggleborns, other magical beings as well as muggles. Thankfully despite her commitments they had never attacked her directly. She was worried, however, when she had heard about the last attack. There were rumors that they were gaining power and that their leader, Tom Riddle, was becoming very powerful.
Before she decided to open the door, Hermione lifted the anti-apparation wards from her little foyer. She would apparate to the Ministry if someone attacked.
There was a knock again.
With a huff, the young witch opened the door and saw two, swaying figures, in front of her apartment. The one in front she recognize immediately.
"Mr. Black! What are you doing here!" She paused and sniffed the air, "Have you been drinking! What are you doing here!"
"Hello my love." Smiling Black slurred happily, "I've come to rescue you! Where is this excuse of a wizard who think he can claim my maiden!" He strode into the flat kissing shocked Hermione on her cheek.
She missed completely the look the other wizard was giving her when she recovered enough to turn and dashed after Sirius Black who was already looking into her fridge.
"I asked what are you doing here Mr. Black? You should be at home."
"My home is missing," he chuckled to himself. "Don't you have anything stronger than butterbeer?" He glanced at her from the kitchen seemingly unconcerned with her angry look.
"Err…, no. I asked…"
He walked to her and handed her a butterbeer. Two more were in his hand.
"You live in a bloody library," he scolded, "Did you read all of them?"
"Yes, I…, What..?" She was numb with shock.
Solve a riddle, write a very long and detailed essay, that was her thing. But deal with a drunken man, who acted like he owned everything around him, that was just to much. Hermione was never bold enough to do something reckless. She never attacked anyone, not that she didn't want to, like Mr. Black in that moment, but she never thought about herself as brave enough to do so. And now in front of this man she didn't do anything. Partly because she knew him enough and was confident that he wouldn't hurt her but partly because she just didn't know what to do.
He slumped heavily on her couch and with a mischievous glint in his eyes asked interrupting her again.
"Do you have any dirty books here as well?" He was scrutinizing her intensely.
"I..." Hermione couldn't help the blush, "I…, What are you doing here?" The question was asked for the tenth time.
Of course Sirius Black ignored her again.
"I'll be damned! I couldn't believe when he told me about all your adventures. But evidently you have it in you." He laughed.
Hermione was completely baffled. Who? What adventures?
"See, mate. She's alive and she has some naughty books in this library."
"Alive?" Hermione whispered confused. Black decided to answer this question immediately.
"Oh, He was just arguing with me that you were dead. I, of course, am always right, and you are alive and gorgeous." He flashed her one of his famous smiles that made every girl go weak in their knees.
But Hermione wasn't paying attention, she just remembered that there was someone else with Sirius Black. The only right solution for her was that the other person, still standing in the hall, was Mr. James Potter. And sure it was, however, his stance was very different from what she was used to, when meeting him in the Ministry. He was visibly drunk like Black, but somehow he emanated a warning to all those around him.
Hermione knew that Sirius Black, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Frank and Alice Longbottom and James Potter apart from Alastor Moody, were the best Aurors in Europe. She had never seen them in action but had heard from Remus that the pair Black and Potter were even more effective than the Longbottoms. A few times she was wondering how come the two, always laughing and joking people, that often visited Remus Lupin, could be anything but cheerful. But seeing Mr. Potter, she started to understand why he was one of the few that Riddle was supposed to be afraid of. But something was not right.
"Mr. Potter?" Hermione asked slowly. He looked the same but seemed somehow different. It wasn't the totally shocked expression on his face, although, that should worry her a lot.
"Are you alright, Mr. Potter?" He seemed immobilize with shock. Hermione saw that his eyes, extremely sad and full of pain, were foggy with tears. Sad? Pain? Green?
But that thought had never been finished because, with unbelievable speed, he had shortened the distance between them and engulfed her in a strong but surprisingly tender hug.
She didn't even had a chance to protest and managed only the quiet squeak.
"Oh, Merlin. Hermione, you are truly alive. I'm so sorry. I tried to get there on time. We've came as soon as we've got the tip that there was trouble. Oh, God. I' so sorry."
He broke completely, hugging her closely.
To say that she was speechless, would be a crime. She had never seen any man who would allow himself to cry that freely. Of course she didn't see many drunk wizards. But her intuition told her that his behavior wasn't due alcohol. He was acting like he knew her. Gone was the first impression of a intimidating Auror, in front of her was a man, he had willingly shown her his fears and weaknesses. In spite the bizarre situation, remembering her first impression, she felt honored by his trust.
But her mind was swirling a hundred miles per hour, something was very wrong there. First, she had never known Mr. Potter that well, sure he was always nice to her and she even visited Professor Potter once or twice, but to gain the level of familiarity to cry on her shoulder. Impossible. Second, he was still mumbling that he was sorry that she died and that he somehow didn't manage to save her. Well, that never happened. A nightmare? Next, there was something strange with his eyes, she thought that James Potter's eyes were hazel, a little similar to Remus', if brighter. But here, she was sure that his eyes were green. And there was none of the laughter and mischievousness that she associated with the man. Only pain and sadness. They were so sad.
A gasp from her sofa made her look at Black. He was sitting with his mouth hanging open and a sudden realization on his face. He looked like someone who had just figured out how much trouble he had gotten himself into.
Hermione raised her eyebrow at him in a questioning manner. He was gaping at her and Mr. Potter and couldn't utter a sound.
Mr. Potter was mumbling about someone named Ron and how he loved them both, confusing her even more.
Suddenly something clicked inside her mind, and a part of a puzzle was solved.
It wasn't James Potter!
"Who are you?" she asked more sharply than she had intended, pushing him of her and rising her wand. Somehow she didn't feel endangered by the presence of this person, but the fact remained, she didn't know him.
"What do you mean? I'm Ha…" She saw that his confusion, quickly was replaced by shock. He stumbled back, probably not even noticing her raised wand, and looked around her flat, finally meeting Black's equally shocked expression.
He absently waved his hand behind himself and sat at conjured armchair, looking up at her. Hermione had noticed that he did magic without a wand.
"I…" he glanced at Black and asked, "Can we trust her?" He looked much more sober, and again emanated with power.
Looking at him, she discovered that he was younger than Black and Mr. Potter. She estimated that he was few years older than she. Maybe the same year that Skylar, maybe a year older. She scolded that he dismissed her and asked Black the question, but refrained from saying anything, still too confused.
"I think that we can. But we should tell Albus first, and ask his opinion." Sirius Black answered. He seemed more sober as well. Hermione suspected that shock and adrenaline had vanished some of the alcohol from their veins.
The man scolded and his expression hardened when Mr. Black had mentioned Albus Dumbledore. Hermione couldn't think the reason for that but it worried her slightly that someone would react like that to The Albus Dumbledore.
"I will decide what to do with the knowledge of my life." He said quietly but firmly. And she saw that Mr. Black blanched under his gaze.
Then he looked at her, his green eyes boring into hers, she felt that he was seeing directly through her. He was judging her soul. Hermione couldn't move, she couldn't even blink. How long that lasted she didn't know, it could be seconds, minutes, even days.
She felt that he had reached his decision, and that that decision would affect her life. In that moment she realized that her wish, from few hours earlier, would be granted, her life would be changed forever. She just wasn't sure she wanted that anymore.
"I will truthfully tell you who I am, and answer some of your questions, if you make a Wizard's Oath that you wouldn't tell anyone without my approval, what I am going to tell you." His eyes were still holding her in place, waiting.
Hermione knew that she should decline his offer and ask them to leave. But between the lines, she felt that he needed her, he was asking her for help and promising with new knowledge.
She nodded slowly.
"On my magic and my life." She didn't even registered that she had just promised to guard his secrets with her life.
His eyes winded slightly but he replied.
"By my magic." The magic rushed through her and she felt that the oath had been made.
The silence had stretched for a while until Sirius Black asked rather cheerfully.
"Well, I think that some good potion for us would be in order. Do you have anything, honey?" She shoot him a glare for calling her that but went to the kitchen to retrieve some potion. She had made them some time ago.
"It's few years old but it would have to do for now." She handed them two cups and waited for them to finish.
"I think that you should sit down. It will take some time." The Potter person waved his hand again and another armchair appeared in the room.
Nodding she sat and waited for him to continue.
After a short silence he said.
"My name is Harry James Potter and where I came from you were one of my best friends."
"What?" Hermione felt her mouth was hanging open.
"I happened here when I crossed the Veil in one of the Chambers in the Department of Mysteries."
After a moment of silence Hermione whispered with wide eyes.
"Parallel Universe."
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"I was a Gryffindor? And your parents were dead? And Dumbledore died? I saw earlier that you can do wandless magic. Did someone teach you? Could it be taught? I mean, there are so little references in the books about wandless magic. Of course, there was Merlin, and the Founders and some ancient Greeks, like Zeus or Hades, and Osiris or Isis. Most of them are thought to be gods in the eyes of muggles. I don't blame them they did ruled their lands after all."
Hermione knew that she was rambling, but so much knowledge, so much possibilities and the veil!
"What did you do when you were beyond the veil? Did you have to choose where to go? Where there some exits, like in the room or something? If so can you imagine what was the probability that you ended here? One to infinity. Maybe there is a way to communicate with other worlds? Here, it's called the Veil of Whispers. Those whispers might be the voices of people from the other worlds."
"Hermione." Harry said trying to gain her attention.
It was seven in the morning. Sirius had passed out about two, two and a half hours ago, when Harry was still talking about his world.
The potion was wearing off and he knew that in a short time the effects of his drinking would comeback. But he was sure that it was worth it. Hermione was different. It was hard to miss that she was so shy. His Hermione was very outgoing. But it looked like after few hours of talking his Hermione was somewhere inside. He was wondering what had happened here to prevent her from becoming who she could be. She looked different as well. More strict. He was wondering if this Hermione had ever broken any rule? Probably not.
"Maybe we could..."
"Hermione!" he said more forcefully. "Mr. Flamel thinks that we shouldn't tell anyone about it," he raised his hand when she started to protest, "he said that the circumstances of me being here might be unique and that we should wait. For now I will be staying as James Potter's nephew. There are other things that I think I would like to talk to you about but maybe we could do it later today. Now, I think I need some sleep. And you probably should show yourself at work soon."
"Oh, my. Its past seven." She didn't feel tired but he visibly looked like someone who needed sleep. "You're right. When can we meet. I mean…" she blushed, she never was so forward with anyone. But in a twisted way he was her friend. Now he knew her better, but she would like to change that.
"Do you know when the Potters live? I don't know about the wards, but you could ask Remus or I could ask someone to bring you in?"
"Oh, no. That wont be necessary. I've been there to visit Professor Potter."
"Who?" Harry asked confused.
"Lily Potter, she teaches at Hogwarts."
"Ah, right." He paused and looked at drooling Sirius and laughed. "Well than, I better take him with me." He looked at her seriously, "Thank you. And I am sorry that we came like this. I just…" he sighed "I think I needed a friend and somehow… thanks."
"I am glad that I met you, Harry." Hermione said slowly. "It is nice to know that somewhere, even if in another world I had such a good friend."
Harry chuckled quietly.
"I think I'm to tired for your logic now, but I understand."
He stood up and walked to sleeping Sirius.
"See you tonight?"
"Tonight."
He grabbed his godfather by his arm and with a wave they vanished from her living room.
How powerful this Harry Potter was, because her anti-apparation wards were lifted only from her small entrance hall.
It would be the first day of her life that Hermione Granger would be late for work. It would be the first day that she would spend her work thinking about her new-old friend, rather than doing anything else.
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AN:
I am really sorry for a long wait.
Thank you all for your Reviews, please keep doing it.
Welcome all new readers, Remember to leave a Review, as well.
How are your feelings about Harry – Hermione after this chapter? I wont tell for now if it will happen.
On my author's page there should be a part of the prophecy Tom Riddle had heard. What do you think about it?
I will address your questions in the next chapter.