Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic.
July 11, 1976 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence
It was getting late, and still Hermione sat in the little library, surrounded by books. She had spent the last two weeks going over and over the books McGonagall had brought her with Remus, up until Friday night. He'd told her he'd gotten an owl from his father, saying his mother was ill and he was needed back home. Hermione had expected the excuse, and didn't question it. She knew the full moon was tonight and she was surprised that he'd been allowed to stay even that long.
James and Sirius had made appearances every so often, usually for an hour or two to check on the pair of bookworms. But by and large, the boys spent their days playing wizard chess, or exploding snap, or chasing each other through the field behind the house on their brooms. Tonight, though, the boys were nowhere to be found.
Hermione's exams were to begin tomorrow, and while she still felt grossly unprepared, she knew that cramming and more would get her nowhere. She closed her books, stacking them neatly, and stretched, moving to the window and looking out on the darkened gardens below. It was then she noticed something odd.
The gardens were illuminated by little fairy lights, as always, as Aunt Euphemia liked sitting outside in the evening air. But there was a shadow, sticking close to the edge of these lights, sulking its way across the gardens. When it reached the far end, she watched as the shadow changed shape, from a roughly man-sized shadow to that of a large dog. She instantly knew who it was, but she was curious about why Sirius was out this late.
She turned away from the window quickly and padded to the stairs, turning the corner and coming face-to-chest with James.
"Oi, watch where you're going, 'Mione." he said, grabbing her upper arms to steady her. She looked up at him suspiciously. He almost never came up to the library without Sirius, and the fact that she'd just seen Sirius transform in the garden, then immediately after, she ran into James told her that James was running interference. If she had been anyone else, it would have worked, too. She was surprised by how intelligent the pair actually were, but she still had a burning curiosity about what it was exactly that Sirius was doing.
"Sorry, James," She murmured. "Where's Sirius? Aren't you two usually attached at the hip?" She asked teasingly.
"Dunno. I'm not his keeper, after all." he said somewhat indignantly, crossing his arms over his chest. If she hadn't been looking for his tells, she would have believed he honestly didn't know. James only really sounded indignant when he was joking or lying, Hermione had come to find out.
"So if he were, say, out in the gardens, you'd have no idea?" she said, testing the water with him.
"How-" He started, his eyes widening before he caught himself. "Why would he be out there? It's nearly eleven!" he claimed. It was Hermione's turn to cross her arms over her chest.
"That's an excellent question, James." She said, stepping around him and moving down the stairs. She made it to the landing before he caught up with her.
"I'm sure it's nothing. Sirius can be a bit… odd sometimes. He probably just needs some space." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked down the stairs beside Hermione.
"Well, I hope he doesn't come up the stairs at two in the morning, making a fuss and waking me up. I have an exam in the morning." She said, turning to face him when they reached the second floor. "And I don't know about you, James Potter, but I'm dog tired." She said, turning and marching into her bedroom, leaving behind a shocked James.
July 24, 1976 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence
Hermione sighed, pushing yet another book away. Remus looked up at her from across the table, looking tired. He'd returned to the Potter house a few days ago, with fresh, pinkish scars along his face. Hermione knew better than to ask how he was; she knew the first week after the change was always rough for him. He'd been in the library all day with her, quizzing her and trying to keep her focused. She only had four more exams, and she was absolutely worn out from the first weeks' exams. Her hardest exam, Arithmancy, was scheduled for wednesday, and she was so anxious for it to be over, she couldn't stand it.
"Hermione, you'll be fine. You're brilliant, I can see that by how easily you've been getting questions that I couldn't figure out for the life of me." Remus chuckled, looking her over. Hermione sighed again, but smiled at Remus and closed her book.
"Maybe I should take a do usually do right before a big test?" She asked. He shrugged.
"Study until my brain is mush, then go hang out with Sirius and James and beat the snot out of Sirius in Wizard's Chess." He grinned. That made Hermione laugh. She stood, pushing her books back into their places and looking to Remus.
"Let's go find them and see if we can't talk them into a game, shall we?" She said, a twinkle in her eye. He smiled at her followed her down the stairs in search of the other boys.
July 29, 1976 Hogwarts School, Scotland - Headmaster's Office
Hermione had finally finished her History of Magic exam and had handed in her paper to Professor McGonagall, who'd administered all of her exams. Now, she stood in Dumbledore's office, anxiously awaiting his return so that she could be properly sorted in this time.
She jumped a little when she heard Fawkes squawk, and she turned to see Dumbledore sweeping into the room, clapping his hands together.
"Testing is done, and now we're ready for Sorting." He said pleasantly, pulling his wand and conjuring an overstuffed chintz chair for Hermione. "Take a seat, dear, while I fetch the Hat.
Hermione sat, rather rigidly, in the chair, some of her nerves she remembered from first year coming back to her. She took a deep breath before Dumbledore sat the Hat atop her head.
My, my. It seems you remember me, Miss Granger, but I do not remember you. A time traveller, then. It's not often you see one of those, now, is it? The hat said, ponderingly.
What do you mean, not often? You've seen people in my situation before? Hermione thought toward the Hat.
Not quite in your exact situation, but time travellers nonetheless. Now then, it seems, in your time, you were sorted into Gryffindor. You have all the merits required, but perhaps you'd like a change of pace? Perhaps Ravenclaw, or even Slytherin this go round. You are a half-blood in this timeline. The Hat said.
I think I'm safer in Gryffindor, where my cousins will be able to stay close should anything happen. She thought.
Hm. Very well, then. We'll put you in…
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Hermione beamed at being placed in her old house. She was quite glad that she would be sharing a common room with Remus, Sirius, and James; it made her feel better about being in a different time, really. After Dumbledore put the Sorting Hat away, she stood, feeling suddenly and inexplicably exhausted. Her vision began to swim and she knew this feeling by now. She sharply sat back down, as quickly as she had stood up. She looked up, ghost-like blurs all around her, as though she was standing still and the world was moving in fast-forward. The blurs finally slowed, and Hermione could make out the form of Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Slughorn, and Sprout gathered around the desk of the Headmaster.
"The Bones family was attacked this morning. The two Bones children remaining, Susan and Thomas Bones, will need to be notified. Their parents and older brother Edgar, along with their sister-in-law and nieces and nephews, were all killed."
"Susan will be of age by summer. Until then the two can remain at Hogwarts during holidays." Professor Sprout said. "As their Head of House, I will pull them aside at breakfast and handle the arrangements, Albus." The woman said.
"Thank you, Pomona. The Order will help out as much as we can; Edgar and his wife were among our ranks, if you recall."
Hermione's vision swam again, the ghostly figures disappearing. Dumbledore came back into focus and Hermione felt a massive headache coming on.
"Bones… family, murdered. Death Eaters." she stumbled over her words before passing out.
July 30, 1976 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence
Hermione awoke the next morning to find Remus sitting next to her bed, reading a book. He looked up at her when she stirred, relief washing over his face.
"Finally, Hermione. You gave us all quite a scare." He said, marking his spot in his book and sitting up aa bit straighter. "James and Sirius especially. You should have seen them. I knew they were all about family - well, the family that matters- but I never expected they'd get so bent out of shape over a cousin they just met."
"Funny, those two." Hermione said, groggily. "How long have you been sitting with me, Remus?" the boy checked his watch.
"Since about three this morning. I made Sirius go to sleep, promised I'd watch over you myself." he told her. "Mrs. Potter was quite concerned, too. When James and Sirius insisted she let them watch over you, she agreed at once. I just think she didn't want you to be alone when you woke up." Hermione sat up, her stomach growling a bit as she did.
"What time is it?" she asked Remus.
"Nearly nine. Mrs. Potter should have breakfast almost done. Would you like me to bring some up for you, or do you want me to help you downstairs?" He asked her.
"I need to move, so let's go downstairs. I'm sure the boys are anxious to see me up and moving around, anyway." Hermione said. Remus nodded at that, smiling.
"Hermione, I've been meaning to ask- and please don't take this the wrong way. James told me that we had to watch out for your dizzy spells and vertigo on the stairs. Why is that such an issue with you?" he asked. Hermione sighed. She knew sooner or later Remus would get comfortable enough to start asking her questions. Luckily, this one, she didn't even have the answer to herself.
"When my parents and I were attacked, I sustained a rather hefty head injury. I'm not sure it's completely healed, and sometimes my vision goes black and my balance gets all wonky. I'm not exactly sure why." There, that was mostly truth. She wouldn't feel so bad about that answer later. Remus nodded, his brows still furrowed as he helped Hermione out of bed.
"Well, let me know if I can help, alright?" He smiled at her. She nodded and followed him downstairs. When Hermione and Remus made it to the ground floor, Hermione was instantly taken aback by a large volume of red and gold streamers that draped every visible surface. Balloons in the same colors littered the floors, and at the table, peering up at her with broad grins on their faces, sat James and Sirius, both wearing their Gryffindor ties loosely around their necks.
"Heard you were sorted into the best house, Hermione." James called.
"So we decided to throw a little celebration. How are you feeling?" Sirius said.
"I'm alright, just hungry." she told them.
"Well you're in luck; Mum's just finishing up breakfast. Your favorite: French toast and sausage links." James grinned at her as she sat across the table from him. Hermione chuckled.
"Perhaps I should pass out more often, if this is what I get when I wake up." she joked.
"How about you pass out less often and save James and I from a heart attack?" Sirius said. Hermione shrugged.
"Not like I can control it, you know." She said. But as she said that, something clicked in her head. What if she could?
She was having visions, seemingly at random, triggered by what seemed to be people and locations that had to do with the vision. If she could control the visions, not only would she be able to stop herself from passing out at random, perhaps- and this was a very big perhaps- she could control what she saw and when she saw it.
She knew it was a big jump and she would have a lot of research about Seers and time to verify if it was even possible, but if it was, it was her best-case scenario. Hermione shook her head, clearing it of the plans she'd made which had been spurred from an errant comment just as Aunt Effie brought breakfast in. She tucked into her French toast and settled back, watching her cousins, and Remus, talking animatedly about everything from quidditch to their anticipated O.W.L. scores, surrounded by Gryffindor red streamers. Yes, she decided. She was glad to be a Gryffindor.