Welcome to Second Chances and thank you for stopping by. I originally posted this story on AO3 but decided to cross post. This is my first fic here so my apologies for any weird formatting stuff, still getting used to it. There are 43 chapters and I'll update regularly on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Before we get started, this will be a time travel fix it AU but with many twists along the way, so if you're expecting just a rewrite of GoF and beyond, not gonna happen.
This is also a F/F and futa, so if that bothers you, might want to think twice. That being said, I will put warnings before the spicy scenes so you can avert your eyes.
I do enjoy constructive critique and suggestions, so please feel free to drop a review if you feel so inclined.
There's probably more but I can't think of it now. Again, thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy.
Ash and dust filled Hermione's lungs as she frantically ran through the ruins of Hogwarts castle. The halls that she had called home for the past six years were almost unrecognizable. Huge portions of the stone walls were missing and most of the tapestries and portraits were burned beyond recognition. The marble statues and suits of armor that had once lined the alcoves were all gone, set into motion by Minerva's impressive charm work.
"Has anyone seen Harry?!" she yelled at anyone she passed as she jumped over crumbled statues and huge chunks of the stone and debris. Everyone just shook their heads and went back to whatever task they were working on before she flew past them. Those who were still able were checking the rubble for survivors or trying to put up wards and protective enchantments. Unfortunately the ratio of able-bodied to incapacitated witches and wizards was not in their favor.
The Great Hall was full of the fallen, some already gone, some still clinging to life. She couldn't think about the friends and peers she had grown up with and would never see again. She didn't have time to stop and mourn, silently vowing that she would honor them later. She sprinted past the giant double doors, not sparing a second glance. Even in the 'cease-fire,' the war was still raging, the danger ever-present, just waiting to roar to life again. And their one hope of winning was missing. She was not going to waste a second of what precious time she had left.
Where could he possibly be? Hermione growled to herself.
She was clutching the Marauder's Map right in her hand, her trusty vinewood wand in the other. How Harry managed to get her wand back from Draco during their 'stay' at Malfoy Manor would forever be a mystery to her. She was almost certain that Bellatrix had snapped it and burned it… but that was the least of her concerns at the moment.
She checked her enchanted timepiece. Bright red numbers were slowly counting down the seconds, like a digital Muggle watch. Voldemort had given them one hour to collect their fallen and turn Harry over to him in the Forest. 55 minutes had passed and she had seen neither hide nor hair of Harry since Snape had given him his memories before his death in the boathouse. She thought he was going to the Pensieve in Dumbledore's office, but when she checked the previous Headmaster's room, it was empty. The silver Pensieve was still floating in the air so she knew that Harry had been there at some point.
They were running out of time and she needed to find him so they could plan their next steps. Surely Harry wasn't stupid enough to give in to Voldemort's demands and turn himself over. He wouldn't do that. He couldn't! So much depended on him and his survival. That's what the prophecy had said. It was either Harry or Voldemort. Not that she ever put much stock into Divination and prophecies, but now wasn't the time to ask questions. Too much was at stake.
She slowed to a stop and did a more thorough map check. While she had learned how to expertly navigate walking the halls of Hogwarts while nose deep in a textbook, the debris made the halls into an obstacle course and she didn't fancy a sprained ankle. And she desperately needed rest. She braced herself against the partial wall, doing her best to ignore the burning in her lungs, the ache in her legs and the fact that she felt completely drained of magic from hours of dueling.
She carefully flipped through the pages of the map, unfolding various flaps and inserts for any sign of the Boy Who Lived. Nothing. But there was a place that didn't show up on the map! Her heart jumped slightly, her skin flushed with hope. But that spark quickly died out. They had already been to the Room of Requirement and destroyed Rowena Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem, so it would be impractical for him to have gone back. Plus Goyle set the entire room ablaze in Fiendfyre…
She was pulled from her musings when she heard a laugh ring out, breaking the silence around her. Her blood instantly turned to ice in her veins as she heard Bellatrix Lestrange's triumphant cackle ringing in her ears and her vision swam. Her heart raced as a full blown panic attack threatened to take her. Instinctively her right hand clutched her left forearm, the scar suddenly throbbing. Molly had done what she could to heal the scar but the dagger was cursed and the wound never fully healed. She squeezed the old wound for something to focus on, using the pain to keep her from slipping into the darkness.
Once she had control of her thoughts again, she crouched low to the ground and crawled over to look out one of the new 'windows' in the wall she was hiding behind. Her heart stopped when she saw rows of black-robed Death Eaters were assembling in the courtyard. Bellatrix was doing a strange tapdance on top of a huge block of marble, still laughing maniacally to herself. She clutched her hand over her mouth to hold back her scream when she saw Hagrid, beaten and bloodied and looking defeated. And in his arms he carried… No!
She hid in the shadows when she saw people making their way out of the castle. The Light was facing off against the Dark. One last stand. McGonagall stood tall next to Kingsley, both had a fire burning in their eyes that she had never seen before. The remaining Weasleys grouped together, she noted that only one twin was present, clinging to Ron like his life depended on it. Flitwick had a massive gash above his eye but was present, standing next to Slughorn and Madame Pomfrey. Luna, Padma and Parvati, Cho, Seamus, Dean, and Neville were the only students she saw from Dumbledore's Army. There were a handful of people she didn't recognize, perhaps family members of students. But overall they were vastly outnumbered.
Her heart clenched when she heard Ginny's anguished cry when she realized that Hagrid was holding Harry's lifeless body.
"Silence, you stupid girl! Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort shouted triumphantly. "HARRY POTTER IS DEAD!"
A wave of laughter rippled out from the Death Eaters but was quickly cut off when Voldemort went into a monologue about a new order rising to usher in a bright day for magic and wizarding kind. Hogwarts would cease to exist, and a new school would be built as a place where only the most pure and worthy would study magic. He offered everyone the chance to join him because he was a benevolent and forgiving god.
Hermione clenched her teeth when she saw Draco step forward. Fucking ferret. She regretted saving the idiot from the Fiendfyre. She was shocked to see Neville step forward next but her heart swelled with pride when he stood tall and effectively told Voldemort where he could shove his boot. That pride was short-lived when a flash of green struck the young man in the chest and the Gryffindor crumpled to the ground. She barely heard Bellatrix taunting something about "finally joining dear old mummy and daddy."
After that it was utter chaos. Flashes of red and green started flying. Some of the survivors grabbed whomever they could reach and Disapparated to safety. Hermione's logical brain flashed to a passage in Hogwarts: A History that stated that Apparating and Disapparating from Hogwarts was impossible. Hermione knew in her heart that this meant. The ancient wards protecting the castle were broken, the school as they knew it was gone. Hogwarts, deemed to be the safest place in Britain, was lost.
She watched in silent horror when the Death Eaters that were not currently dueling raised their wands and pointed at the remaining group of rebels and in unison shouted Bombarda Maxima.
The explosion was deafening, almost enough to drown out the panicked screams and cries. The ground shook with the force of the combined spell and a huge cloud of dust engulfed the remaining ruins of the historic castle.
Hermione didn't have the heart to watch anymore. Even though her Gryffindor nature made her want to stay and fight, she didn't have a snowball's chance in Hell in this situation. She knew that she couldn't do anything to fix this if she was dead, too. She was the 'brains of the Golden Trio' after all. The brightest witch of her age. If anyone could figure out a way to fix this, it was her. But first, she needed to get out of here before she was caught, tortured and killed. She could hear Bellatrix screaming out "Find me the Muddy!" so it was only a matter of time before she was found.
A small puddle of tears was the only evidence she had been there.
Hermione was numb, blank eyes staring at a small blue flame she had created. She sat in the kitchen of an empty house, the Muggle occupants were long gone. Probably just another casualty of the War. The Death Eaters and Snatchers were relentless and unrestrained, killing Muggles for sport while they tracked down the remaining non-Pureblood witches and wizards. From what little news she was able to gather, she was still highly sought after when it was reported that her body was not among the dead from the Battle.
Four months had passed since the fall of Hogwarts. Four months on the run. Four months of absolute solitude with only her nightmares as company. For all she knew, everyone she loved was gone. The Weasleys. McGonagall. Neville. Luna… Harry. She had been on the run ever since she fled the Battle, never staying more than 24 hours in one place.
She stayed mostly in Muggle communities, since there were very few places left in the wizarding world that she felt safe going. Grimmauld Place was out of the question after Yaxley managed a side-along Apparation after their attempt to infiltrate the Ministry. Diagon Alley had been turned into an extension of Knockturn Alley, where Dark objects were now being openly traded and sold without fear of repercussions. Hogwarts...
She felt a sudden wave of anger surge through her body, surprising her out of her daze. It was the first time in months that she felt anything. She couldn't keep going on like this. Thinking and attempting to strategize had gotten her nowhere. It was time for rash and bold action. Just like Harry…
"Harry…" She whispered. Hearing herself speak aloud sounded so foreign. Her voice was raspy and hoarse from lack of use. Why talk if there was no one around to listen or respond? She tried to visualize her best friend. His shaggy black hair. His glasses that she had to constantly repair. His laugh and the way his eyes twinkled when he was excited about something. The corner of her lip twitched slightly at the memory of her friend. Not a smile, she didn't have any of those left to give. She thought a little harder, her brain trying to fill in some details that had grown fuzzy over time. What color were his eyes? Blue? No. Green. They were definitely green. Like emeralds.
"Harry. What should I do? What would Harry Potter do?" She spoke again, then paused, slamming her fist down on the table. "No! What would Hermione Granger do?" She could almost see her friend smiling back at her, nodding encouragement.
"I'm going to save the fucking world. That's what I'm going to do." When she spoke her voice was steady and full of conviction and determination. For the first time in months she felt a little more like her old self, not this hollow, unrecognizable shell.
"Okay… where to start…" she tapped her chin thoughtfully and an idea popped into her mind. "Back to where this all started."
She knew it was risky. It was likely that there would be wards and alerts, possibly even curses, but she had no other ideas. She knew that Voldemort's new 'school' was being built in a different location. He didn't want his vision tainted with the memories of the past.
She took out the Marauder's Map and unfurled it across the table. As expected, it was empty. She took a deep breath and steeled her resolve, shoving the Map back into her bewitched knapsack "It's now or never."
She scooped her flames into a little mason jar and added it to her knapsack. She moved through the kitchen, grabbing random supplies that she thought might be useful. Her eyes swept over the room one last time and with a twist of her heel she disappeared with a pop.
Hermione stood on the edge of the Forbidden Forest as the sun started to set, staring at the place where the castle had once stood. It was gone. She clutched her left forearm to break her from her mental spiral and cautiously stepped forward, wand held aloft.
She was surprised that there were absolutely no wards or protections around the ruins. Such hubris. She thought to herself. Of course Voldemort wouldn't think that anyone would want to come back here.
She walked through the courtyard, trying to clear her mind of the horrible mental images that kept flashing through her brain as she approached what used to be the Great Hall, now just a crater in the ground. Her heart and head felt like they were about to burst. She fell to her knees, overcome by her grief and she finally allowed herself to cry as she whispered quiet prayers under her breath. She never considered herself to be a particularly religious or spiritual person, relying on science and logic to explain the world around her, but right now? Fuck logic. Nothing made sense. She had also made a promise to honor the fallen. Might as well be now. She muttered everyone's names. Harry. McGonagall. Fred. Ginny. Tonks. Lupin. It felt like the list was never ending, she thought bitterly. So many lost because of hatred and prejudice. She took a deep breath and said one final name. Despite his faults, she believed that he really meant well… Dumbledore.
Suddenly a piercing cry rang out, pulling Hermione from her thoughts. She jumped to her feet, drawing her wand and looking around for the source of the noise. What she saw made her eyes fly wide open.
A flash of orange, red and gold streaked across the sky, heading right for her. The ball of bright flames morphed into the shape of a giant bird.
"Fawkes…" Hermione whispered reverently, bowing her head slightly as the phoenix landed in front of her.
The phoenix cooed softly at her, taking a few steps forward and pressing its head into her chest.
Hermione felt life surging through her. Her sorrow was still there, but it didn't hurt quite as bad. She closed her eyes and let the warmth spread through her body, content to just sit in silence. She opened her eyes and looked down when she felt something wet on her arm. The phoenix was… crying?
After a moment, Fawkes looked up, tilting his head down toward her arm, then looking back at her expectantly. He repeated this action a few times before the message sank in.
Hermione stared at him then looked down at her arm and pulled up her sleeve. MUDBLOOD was gone, her skin smooth as it had been before Bellatrix bestowed her 'gift' to her. "Of course, phoenix tears have healing properties!" She exclaimed excitedly as she recalled that bit of trivia, "Thank you!"
The bird chittered quietly, as if pleased with itself.
"Why are you back, Fawkes?" Hermione spoke to the bird, excited to have something to speak to for a change. Even if he didn't respond with words, there was an intelligence in his eyes that let her know that he understood and he replied in his own way. He looked mournfully over the rubble.
"Yes, it's sad what happened." Hermione nodded "If only we could change the past… I'd do anything to bring them back."
Fawkes snapped his head forward, looking at her with determined stare.
"You have an idea? I'm all ears because I've thought about this for months and I have no idea what to do…"
Fawkes looked over at the ruins again and made a noise that sounded like a bird equivalent of an exasperated sigh. When he looked back at Hermione there was a deep understanding and hope in his beady black eyes. Without warning, he burst into flames.
Hermione jumped back, the heat was more intense than Fiendfyre. She knew that phoenixes burst into flame when it was their time to die, but he looked healthy. After a moment the flames subsided and there was a pile of ash where the mighty bird had been standing not seconds before. She watched with bated breath, expecting a newborn phoenix to rise. Nothing happened. How long did it take for a phoenix to arise again? She didn't want to touch the ashes but she could feel the wind picking up.
She got out her jar of blue flames and poured out the contents, not caring that they fizzled away. She reached out and started scooping the ash into the mason jar. She retracted her hand quickly when she felt something solid and cold in the ash pile. She reached back into the ashes and pulled out an object. Something she had never expected to see again. An hourglass encircled by two intricate hoops of gold. She quickly scooped the rest of the ash into her jar and carefully placed it in her knapsack before turning her attention to the magical object.
Her fingers trembled as she held Dumbledore's Time Turner. Clever of him to have hidden it with an immortal being such as a phoenix. Forever protected, though it saddened her to think that Fawkes had sacrificed himself to give her this rare gift.
She quietly examined the object. It was more elaborate than the one that McGonagall had given her in her third year. How naive she had been! She had the gift of time in her hands and she used it to attend extra classes. And what professor in their right mind would give such a powerful device to a teenager?! She shook her head at the memory and brought herself back to present, studying the Time Turner with great focus. The outer rings were covered in elaborate designs and runes, but she didn't recognize any of them. And she knew runes, having practically memorized Spellman's Syllabary. She would have loved to take months to study it and try to unravel that mystery, but time was not on her side. Waiting would just make it difficult to travel so far back in time and open herself to greater risks.
An hour ago she would have given anything for the opportunity to fix the past but now that it was here, she felt like her body was made of lead. Usually a Time Turner was used to travel back hours, not months. A lot could go wrong. Her plan was to travel back four months to just before the Battle. Perhaps she could get back in time to stop Harry from giving himself over. She took a deep breath and started to adjust the knobs on either end of the hourglass.
One turn… As she started turning the rings, she heard Dumbledore's voice in her head, clear as day, warning from her third year. "Mysterious thing, Time. Powerful, and when meddled with, dangerous."
Two turns... Another message from Dumbledore drifted into her mind. "It is important to fight and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then can evil be kept at bay though never quite eradicated." "I'm doing this for everyone. I'm doing this for the world." She whispered. "I'm going to keep fighting."
Three turns... "Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right."
Four turns... "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."
Hermione closed her eyes and muttered the incantation. If she had been checking the map, she would have noticed a set of footprints approaching her.