Tempus Magia
Part One
Chapter 1: A Break in Monotony
Hermione Granger made a grave error during the final battle that resulted in Remus' death. Working as an unspeakable she spends two years working on a spell using powder from time turners to go back to Remus's greatest hour of need. What if Remus's greatest time of need wasn't in *this* war?
Hermione Granger hunched over her research, hair splaying in all directions. Her robes were clean aside from one minor coffee stain and her shoes had only two small scuff marks that she would charm off as soon as she got a chance. She'd been saying that since Yule when she got the scrape originally.
Honestly though, on days when she bothered to look in the mirror, she resembled someone who had been hit with a full body static charm. She hardly resembled a respectable witch who befuddled even the most brilliant minds in the Department of Mysteries.
She was currently attempting to ignore the rapping on her office door. Most of her co-workers left her alone after two knocks and sent her a memo that they knew she would most likely ignore.
"Hermione?" Unspeakable Croaker called from the doorway. Hermione rolled her eyes, Saul Croaker was in charge of their department. He was also known for riding Hermione for not taking proper breaks and forcing her to use her vacation days, of all things. Hermione tried to remember if she ate lunch that day and winced when she realized she hadn't.
Saul crossed the threshold and entered into her cramped office. She hurried around her desk and cleared the piles of books that were stacked on the chairs. She really needed to return them to the archives. Hermione snatched the back of a bright yellow memo and scribbled the reminder on the back before sticking it on the top of her purse.
"No need to set a reminder, Hermione. I'm sending my secretary to the archives, I'll have her return the books you are not using." Saul sat on one of the empty blue paisley chairs as Hermione returned to her own seat. She lay her fingers atop her paperwork trying to keep the amused grin off her face at the revelation that the chairs had a color. "I assume you know why I'm here, Hermione?"
Hermione resisted the urge to remove her hands from the desk and clench them in her lap."I forgot about lunch today. I'm sorry Saul. Honestly, I really want to finish this last equation before the anniversary in two weeks and-"
Saul placed a gentle hand over Hermione's, "Hermione, dear. I am not trying to add stress or upset you, but you need to take better care of yourself. I spoke to Harry today and he says no one's spoken to you for over a month. Shutting yourself away from your friends and family-" Hermione stiffened at the mention of her family. Croaker noticed her reaction to his words and sighed, "I apologize that was insensitive of me, however, I do have a point. Hiding away from your friends will only hurt you in the long run."
Hermione ignored the pang in her chest that reminded her of her parents' deaths during the war. "Sir, I've been seeing the mental health Healer as you suggestion back in September."
"Yes, I know and April has mentioned that you don't get out much and you blame yourself for your Professor's death."
"Greyback was trying to kill me," Hermione whispered brokenly. "I froze. I froze and because of me Teddy Lupin has no parents."
"Hermione, I witnessed many of my colleagues' deaths under Voldemort's regime and even more fall under his influence. It takes time but you have to remember that itisn't your fault. It's of paramount importance to celebrate the good as well as to mourn your losses."
Hermione felt like she was a broken record. Everyone she had ever come into contact with since the end of the war had told her more or less the same thing.
It's not your fault.
Stop drinking so much.
Hermione, count your blessings you're alive.
Just leave your house, Hermione! How hard could it be?
"Have you met Teddy Lupin, yet? I heard he is having his third birthday Sunday and I know you were invited." Sending her to a toddler's birthday party? This was a new tactic, especially on Croaker's part. She knew he had a charm on her office that alerted him when she wasn't taking care of herself. It was a sneaky charm that she knew Percy had created for George after the war.
If Croaker wasn't old enough to be her father, Hermione would think he was interested in her. Not that she had any interest in anyone or anything these days. She was pretty sure she had developed cobwebs in her lady parts.
Hermione looked over at her supervisor and shrugged. In reality, she couldn't bring herself to meet the toddler who was an orphan because of her. She was an orphan because of her own stupid choices and she could barely live with herself, why would she inflict herself on poor unsuspecting Teddy Lupin?
"Hermione?"
"Sorry, sir." Hermione wiped at her stinging eyes. "I… don't know if I'm ready to meet Teddy Lupin. I'm… I'm the reason he's an orphan and I don't forgive myself. Why would he?"
Saul smiled kindly, "Hermione dear, he's turning three not thirty. The boy likes Quidditch, treats, and stuffed animals. Go to the party, Hermione." Hermione avoided his eyes again twiddling her fingers. Croaker ran his hands through his hair. "Hermione, if you really want the boy's forgiveness, be there for him. Being absent only proves that you did something wrong, which you did not . Greyback killed his father, not you."
Hermione looked up at her supervisor as he leaned back in his chair, "Actually, I just came from the weekly Tuesday meeting in the Auror office. We were finally able to put together all of our witnesses statements and have concluded that Greyback's pack was actively hunting Remus and Tonks. We believe it was because Greyback saw Remus as a threat, regardless of the outcome of the war.
"They knew Tonks wasn't a werewolf but they didn't want to take any chances, Greyback's beta hunted and killed her pretty early on in the battle. Lavender Brown, who was bitten by Greyback before Remus's death said that she felt drawn to Remus and vengeful when he was killed. The running theory is that he was an unregistered Alpha."
Hermione straightened in shock. "But Professor Lupin hated the idea of packs and werewolves..."
"Actually, we were friends during the first war and I know for a fact that he didn't hate the idea of packs. I'm pretty sure he lost his mate because of a pack he was spying in and he was trying to avoid any mention of her. I remember when Tonks was trying to get him to date her. The fights those two used to have…" Croaker smiled wistfully.
Hermione had heard about their outburst in the hospital wing after Professor Dumbledore's death. "I thought Remus was holding out because he was too poor for her?"
"That too, but he didn't want her to feel like she was ever second best. Mind you, Tonks never thought she was second best at anything. Even when she was tripping and falling on her arse, she would insist she was the best at it." he chuckled.
"I didn't know you knew them so well."
"I wanted to hire Remus for years. He was brilliant, but Umbridge and her ilk wouldn't allow him in the damn building. Over the years I work with muggleborns who owned small businesses and tried to secure Remus as many jobs as I could. It was hard though, he needed a week off every month and people were only accommodating for the first month or two.
"Tonks… Tonks was something else. Her father and I were in the same house at Hogwarts, though he was two years older. When she came to work for the Auror department… well, let's just say it didn't go over well with either of her parents. Can't say I blame them though, Tonks was brilliant but she was clumsy as hell. It's generally not a good combination for a field officer."
"But even Moody thought she was a good Auror, he wouldn't have let her help with Harry's transfer if she wasn't." Hermione supplied. This was why she liked talking with Saul. He was a well of information, all you had to do was lower the bucket and it would come back up with facts and tidbits that would surprise you.
"She was one of the best, up there with Minister Shacklebolt when he was an Auror. I was invited to their wedding, you know? It was quick and private, with only a ministry official they trusted and several Order members."
"You were in the Order?"
"No," Saul chuckled. "But I passed on information well enough. I was an … informant of sorts. How do you think Albus managed to get actual Order members to patrol in the Hall of Prophecies? Only an Unspeakable can open the back doors."
Hermione almost choked at the sheer quantity of department rules and Ministry laws her supervisor had broken just sneaking unauthorized patrols in.
"There's no need to look scandalized, Hermione. I was protecting Harry. I went to school Lily Evans, you know. She was three years below me and we used to do study groups together for extra-curricular clubs. She wanted to be an Unspeakable but loved healing the sick and brewing potions more. I was actually asked to try and recruit her once I graduated and started working in the department of mysteries."
"She didn't want to join?"
"No, she did but she was already together with James Potter and they all joined the Order shortly before they graduated. I found out about the Order through Lily. She warned me that someone I worked with, Augustus Rookwood was a Death Eater. He was imprisoned after the war, but before then he was an honorable Unspeakable that I would have trusted with my life. He was even keyed to my wards." Hermione blanched in shock. Not even Harry was keyed to her wards, the only people one keyed to their wards were family or lovers… oh.
"When Augustus was arrested... it was hard for a long time," the look on his Saul's face made Hermione wonder if it was still hard for him. "Eventually it got easier though. Albus approached me and asked me to keep an eye on Harry's prophecy. Between that, actual work, and Remus, I was able to keep busy for a while. Next thing I knew Harry Potter was going to Hogwarts and weird things started happening. It's been a whirlwind since."
Hermione snorted.
"You should have been there when we went up against a troll in my first year."
"Jesus!" he swore. "I thought that was a rumor!"
Hermione giggled.
Saul ran a hand through his greying hair, "An actual troll?!"
"A fully grown mountain troll," she quipped.
"What skills did three first-year students even have to use against a fully grown mountain troll?"
Hermione smiled remembering Ron's face, "Wingardium Leviosa."
"I don't believe you." Hermione nodded remembering Ron's shocked face when the club hit the troll in the face. "Nope, there is no way you took down a mountain troll with Wingardium Leviosa."
"I didn't," Hermione giggled. "Ron did."
There was no doubt in anyone in the department of mysteries minds that Ron was… simpler minded than Hermione. It had taken months for news of their breakup to surface in the tabloids and the overwhelming response had been mostly one-sided. According to the countless conversation she had overheard or had been a part of, everyone was of the opinion that the Hermione Granger could do infinitely better than Ron Weasley. Saul, even though he never voiced it, agreed.
"I need a drink. How did his parents react?"
"No idea, but given that they had Fred and George before Ron, I doubt much of anything surprises Molly and Arthur."
"Good lord," Saul murmured. "I'm going to have nightmares. I've never been happier that my sister moved to America after the first war broke out. All my nieces are tucked away safely in Ilvermorny."
Hermione smiled at the mention of the American school. "I've always wanted to visit the other magical schools. Viktor took me to see Durmstrang after the war when I was visiting Bulgaria. Fleur's is friends with Madam Maxine and she gave me a tour of Beauxbatons for my birthday two years ago. I would still like to see the other schools though."
"Why don't you go for your vacation this year?"
Hermione scoffed. She knew what she was doing with her vacation time this year and if her boss, friendly or not, found out she'd be in Azkaban faster than she could say, 'highly illegal time travel charms.'
"I have more… personal plans for my forced time of leave this year."
Saul's smile fell, "Have you secured a portkey to Australia? If you need any help transporting-"
Of course, he thought she was bringing her deceased parent's bodies back home. Everyone had been asking her when she was going to do it since the war ended and Hermione found out her parents had been killed by a sleeper cell in Brisbane.
Hermione's greatest secret was something that she shared with absolutely no one not even Harry or Ron. Her secret may not sound scandalous but given the war and the wizarding community, Hermione chose to keep her maternal grandmother who was very much alive and knew about everything Hermione had done, a secret. Nana had been the one who suggested Hermione obliviate and send her parents away, to begin with. She was also the one who insisted that she allow her daughter and son-in-law to rest in their final place of living.
Hermione could hardly argue with the cantankerous woman even if she wanted to.
"I have everything planned," hopefully. "It's going to be exhausting but I want to see it through." There, she was vague enough that if things didn't go according to plan Saul would not be blamed or held accountable for Hermione's choices. Choices that she needed to make to correct the choices of her past.
"Well," Croaker stood and shook her hand affectionately. "If you need anything at all, and I mean it, you know my Floo address. Also, I want you to leave early since you didn't eat lunch."
Hermione nodded. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."
"How many times have I asked you to call me Saul?"
Hermione checked the tally on her desk, "Four hundred and twenty-seven times, sir."
He winked and made for the door, "Make that four hundred and twenty-eight!"
Hermione smiled to herself as her supervisor left the door open on his way out. She got the hint and gathered her things to leave for the day. It was almost four o'clock, so she was only leaving an hour early. An hour that she missed because she skipped lunch.
As she approached the door she looked down at her scuffed shoe and sent a quick charm to remove the mark. Maybe she could cook dinner before she started working on The Project? She was sick of takeaway and could use a nice home cooked meal.
Maybe something simple? One pan chicken, perhaps. She would have to go to the grocery store.