AN: So before I started this fic I had the first ten chapters outlined, and by Chapter five she was supposed to be heading to Hogwarts for her fifth year. BUT the pace of the beginning is actually a lot slower than I anticipated, and it might be a couple more chapters before she actually gets there! Now that I think about it I might revise my first chapter to clarify that this story is written in parts.

Anyway these ramblings are more for myself than anything! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Hermione had been locked in her room for precisely six and a half hours before she checked the time and realized she only had a half hour left before Dumbledore arrived. She quickly snatched up all of her parchment and grabbed a spare quill before running down to the dining room where she knew the rest of the household to be.

Sirius had been in the middle of telling Dorea and Charlus how their son wouldn't remove his hand from Sirius's arse earlier when Hurricane blew into the room like a hurricane. Her hair was somehow even larger than it had been that morning, she looked decidedly flushed, and parchment was spilling out of her arms where she was holding it to her chest. She had a quill tucked behind one ear where curls were wrapped around it in what was sure to be an impossible tangle. Despite her entrance, she still had that steely look in her eyes. She walked quickly, so that she was standing at the opposite end of the table from where they were all sitting.

"Hullo. Where can I set up for my meeting with Dumbledore? I need somewhere private and preferably with a lot of table space. Mrs. Potter, I would also like to request your presence." Dorea raised a single eyebrow. It was only then that Hermione faltered and shifted nervously. "I need to stay calm. I think you would help with that. Please."

"Of course, dear. If you won't call me Mum, feel free to call me Dorea."

Hermione's already flushed cheeks turned even pinker at that, but Charlus was smiling at the entire interaction.

"Yes, and I'm just Charlus. How does my office sound? If the desk isn't large enough we could transfigure something for you, I'm sure. I'll go set it up now." He got up and walked out where she'd entered. Dorea followed closely behind him. Hermione stayed and looked at the three boys at the table. Sirius had an odd look in his eyes. Hermione tried to ignore her warm cheeks and looked at James.

She definitely did not have time for boys.

"Don't you want to eat something? You barely had anything at lunch," said James.

"No, thank you, James, I'm quite alright," said Hermione. She thought about the conversation she'd heard right before she walked in. "James?"

"Yeah?"

"You know, I think if you preferred the company of men, your parents wouldn't think any less of you. You should just tell them."

James sputtered, Remus gaped, and Sirius burst into a fit of loud guffaws.

"WHAT!"

She smirked at him before turning swiftly and walking out the archway in the direction Charlus and Dorea had left.

"Oh, she's turning out to be one cheeky witch," said James. His face was somehow even more red than everytime he attempted to flirt with one, Lily Evans during school.

"I think I'm in love with her," said Sirius. He laughed and pretended to faint. James scoffed.

"I didn't think you were capable of falling in love with anyone, Sirius," added Remus. Who was managing to look simultaneously amused and miffed.

"Maybe I just haven't found the right witch." Sirius wiggled his eyebrows.

"For some reason, I don't think that's it, Sirius," added a still red James.

They all laughed before Remus said, "So, why do you guys think she had to 'prepare' for her meeting with Dumbledore?"

"Why do you think she has so many issues with him in the first place?" Added James.

"She's a bit batty that one," said Sirius.

"You would fall in love with a batty witch." James was thoroughly amused. Remus was not.

"Guys seriously. What do you think happened that makes her get so… angry when Dumbledore is mentioned?"

Remus didn't like the idea of anyone distrusting Dumbledore. He owed the man so much. Remus hadn't even thought school would be possible for him until Dumbledore had shown up at his home with a letter and a full-fledged plan to convince his parents.

"I think we should do what my mum says, and just let her decide what she wants us to know. I also think it might have to do with what happened to her family if I had to guess," said James.

"You think he had something to do with it?" Remus was affronted.

"No! I'm saying, that maybe she thinks he could've done something to stop it."

Remus nodded thoughtfully, but he doubted what James said held any truth.

"So, do you think she has a boyfriend back where she's from?"

James slapped Sirius hard on the back of his head.

"You really have no shame, Sirius."

Dorea watched quietly from her perch on a stool as Hermione mumbled to herself and shuffled the parchment around. She raised her eyebrows when Hermione took one particular roll and spread it out. It was probably about six feet of parchment, and on it was something that looked like a timeline. Dorea had no doubts that the girl shuffling in front of her was their best shot at winning the war. The memory of the force she'd proven herself to be at the original meeting was finally returning. Dorea had been nervous the past few weeks as she'd watched the effects of what had happened to her became evident, but Hermione had shown that she was also quite good at compartmentalizing. Dorea wondered if she was truly as skilled at Occlumency as the letter had said. She had little to no doubt that she was.

She is one of the most skilled Occlumens I am yet to meet.

"Hermione, do you need any help?" Hermione jumped at the interruption like she'd forgotten Dorea was there at all.

"No, thank you, Mrs… Dorea." Hermione cringed, but Dorea smiled at the correction.

Dorea cast a tempus charm and Hermione looked up to see she only had a few minutes left. She rolled up her "timeline" in a hurry and moved it so that it was sitting behind her on Charlus's desk.

At Dorea's questioning look Hermione said, "The timeline is more for me. He doesn't have to know everything."

Right after she said that there was a knock at the door, and Charlus poked his head in.

"Dumbledore has just stepped through in the traveling room. Should I bring him in here?"

Hermione frowned. "He said seven sharp. He's a few minutes early." Hermione looked a bit frazzled.

"Dear, you've been preparing all day. You're ready." Hermione looked up at Dorea for a moment before turning towards Charlus and nodding.

Hermione took the few seconds she had to pull her fingers through her hair, pull her sleeves up, and take a few deep breaths. She flinched when she saw her wrists and forearm but kept the sleeves up. Dorea was sure leaving the scar carved into her arm and the white criss cross scars from the chains on display was a tactical move on Hermione's part. Hermione, with every breath she took was looking less frazzled and more like she was preparing for battle. Dorea took a moment to marvel at her. She imagined she would be quite proud to be the girl before her's mother.

Then in walked Dumbledore in a swish of deep violet robes and twinkling eyes.

"Good evening, Miss Granger. Mrs. Potter." Dumbledore seemed mildly surprised to see Dorea. "Miss Granger, perhaps it would be best if we spoke in private." Hermione shook her head and crossed her arms. He was now standing across the transfigured table from her.

"No I don't think so, Albus." She pointed to herself, "My terms."

Dorea smiled, and that was that.

"As you wish." Then he held his wand up and cast silencing and locking charms. "Now, I feel it pertinent that we discuss the matters of the war. It would be wise to put your plan into action immediately, yes?"

Hermione nodded. "The war, as I am sure you've noticed is already starting to escalate. In my time, I had read every resource available to me about the first wizarding war a few times over in an effort to study Voldemort's tactics and the previous mistakes made by The Order. I surprised to find that my months of… isolation… didn't hinder my memory." Dorea assumed by isolation she'd meant her capture and torture. "There are a few things I need to assist in my plan that are of utmost importance."

Dumbledore gestured for her to continue, and Hermione pulled a piece of parchment out of her stack. Hermione knew she'd already memorised all the information, but she held onto it like it was some semblance of a life line.

"First, I will need a list of all known Death Eaters. Second, a list of every member of The Order." Dumbledore nodded. "Good. Next, I will need to have access to The Order. This means I need to be able to call meetings if the need arises, so I will need access to your floo at Howarts. I need to be initiated again."

Again.

This word rattled Dorea for a moment. The war effort must have been truly desperate if they had been initiating fifteen year-olds.

"I think that can be arranged seeing as nearly all Order members already know of your existence and role in the war."

"Yes I imagine so."

"As far as you being allowed the constant ability to call Order meetings, I am not so sure."

"Excuse me?" Hermione had a fire behind her eyes.

"I can't imagine what kind of panic that would cause if meetings were constantly being called by a Fifth Year Hogwarts student."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. She imagined he was questioning her credibility.

"Albus, with all due respect," she started and the corners of her mouth twitched upward for a moment before her stoney expression returned, "I can tell you with complete certainty, that if I need to call an Order meeting, not only will the reason be credible, but more than likely dire. I doubt you want to see what happens when I am refused the ability to meet with the Order when I deem it necessary. It's going to get messy."

Dumbledore calculated her for a moment and then said, "The best I can do is give you the ability to request I call an Order meeting."

"That's not the best you can do. That's just the most you're willing to do. You will do well to remember, that I know exactly what is going to come to pass in the next few years. I will know when it's necessary. Part of my original request was that we do this on my terms. Are you failing in that already, Albus? May, I also remind you that, not just some, but all of your lives are at stake?"

The implication was clear. Though, she knew Dumbledore didn't die until the Second Wizarding War, she wanted him to feel threatened.

Dumbledore bristled. "Fine. I will give you this privilege. But I do believe that access to just those present at the meeting where you appeared will suffice."

Hermione almost snarled out, "Perfect." She glanced down at her paper before continuing, "Next, I will need to return to Hogwarts in the fall and be resorted. You will tell the students I am a transfer from Beauxbatons. I am fluent in French. It would be believable."

"Why do you insist on being resorted? What house were you in in your time?"

"Gryffindor. But I think I might be more successful in my efforts from a different house."

She wasn't actually sure about this. She'd been thinking about possibly begging the hat to put her in Slytherin. Afterall, Regulus Black was a major turning point in their war. She also knew going into the snake's den was a death wish. They would know she was a muggleborn. There was no way around that. She would automatically draw unwanted attention. There were known Death Eaters at school that she knew she'd run into. They surely would alert him to the new muggleborn that had been sorted into Slytherin. All day she'd been toying with the idea of playing this war from both sides. Taking him down from the inside, but she wasn't sure if she was mentally capable at this point. Maybe if she hadn't been captured… Maybe if her sanity wasn't still such a tangible thing…

She shook herself out of her thoughts.

"I would like to leave the option open, if you don't mind." It was the first time she had stated a term as more of a request than a demand. Dumbledore almost smiled.

"Excellent."

"Finally, I think it would be best if I had my own rooms in whatever house I get sorted in. It might be necessary for me to be in and out of the rooms in the middle of the night. I also have nightmares. Waking up screaming will raise unwanted questions. There's also the matter of them seeing my scars."

"Don't you believe that having your own rooms would raise questions?"

"I'll just say I'm shy, and I wasn't ready to be in a room with new people."

Hermione almost rolled her eyes at the notion.

"As a fifteen year old starting at a new school this is believable."

"Very well."

"Good. After I get my wand I would like to call my first Order meeting. Everyone that was there before should be there this time. Only then, will I debrief on the course of action we will take."

Dorea spoke for the first time since Dumbledore had appeared, "I will take you the day after tomorrow. Albus, you can call the meeting for that evening. I will ensure we will be there."

Dorea had to admit she had ulterior motives in wanting to take her so soon. What had been made abundantly clear was that Hermione Granger had secrets. Dark secrets.

"That can be arranged. Is there anything else you'd like to speak on Miss Granger?"

Hermione hesitated. After a few seconds of silent contemplation she sighed and pulled out all the notes she'd been able to take on time travel. Which she'd discovered wasn't much. The topic still appeared to be rather taboo and kept in secret at the Department of Mysteries.

"Yes…" Hermione shrunk into herself for a moment before straightening and holding her chin up. "I have done my own research, but it appears there's not much known in this time. What is to come of me in this timeline if I don't perish from war efforts?"

Dorea flinched at the seemingly careless way she mentioned her own death.

"That is, I know from my own experience in using time turners that time is a loop. Which means that you would have known in my time that I had traveled back. If this is true, then I won't succeed in ending the war. You know this, which makes me think what you used was much different than a simple time turner."

"You are correct in this assumption."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Then I think it is safe to assume that by sending me back you have intentionally created a Time Paradox?"

"It was never my intention to send back an actual person. Whoever sent you either disobeyed my orders, or is privy to information about my intentions that I have yet to have."

"You don't know who sent me?"

Why hadn't Snape signed his note?

"No I do not."

"Interesting. So by creating this paradox have we branched off into a parallel universe of sorts? Does the result of my own universe remain unchanged despite my efforts?"

"I believe what I used to send you back has destroyed your timeline all together."

"It's gone?"

"I believe so."

"What will happen when I am born in a few years?"

"I don't think that will happen at all. There can only be one of you."

Hermione was physically taken back. A small part of her had hoped that she'd be sent back when she was born. She could find her parents in Australia. Live a quiet life among muggles. All of that was dashed with this new knowledge, and she could feel the fog returning to her mind. She would remain here, and her parents would never even know a Hermione Granger. Knowing Harry, Ron, and everyone else's fate had been haunting her, but this was too much.

"I think this is quite enough talk for the night. We will see you at the Order meeting day after next, Albus."

Hermione barely registered Dorea's words, and then she was being quietly led to her room.

When she got back to her room she cried for the second time that day. She felt so weak. Her mind was whirring with all the information she'd taken in. Dorea held her hand tightly from where she was perched on the bed next to Hermione. She seemed to know her line of thinking.

"You are not alone here, Hermione. We'll take care of you. You are not just a weapon in this war."

Hermione couldn't help but think that she was so, very wrong.

AN: Sorry if any of you are experts on time travel theory. I clearly have surface level knowledge, so I'm using my creative liberties and making some stuff up. lol! Do you guys think I overuse italics? I try to only use them when I need to show their emphasis in conversations, but I feel that I might be overusing them. Let me know!