Chapter 4: Goats and Other Furry Beasts
Aberforth seemed lost in contemplation of his own knotted and veined hands. After a long pause, he said, "How can you be sure, Potter, that my brother wasn't more interested in the greater good than in you? How can you be sure you aren't dispensable, just like my little sister?"
—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling
I woke up to Harry sitting on the edge of my bunk, shaking me gently awake as had become our usual routine. Damn, I guess it's time for my bloody watch again. Maybe Ron found something to eat for breakfast this morning, or maybe, I thought hopefully, we at least had enough teabags for a pot of tea.
Dream big, Hermione. Dream big.
My heart warmed a little as I thought of Ron. Ever since he had returned, he always made it a point to be the first one awake. He'd gone out every morning in search of breakfast for the three of us. Although he often returned to the tent empty handed, I knew he was just looking for any way possible to make up for his absence. Maybe I should have a talk with him soon? Tell him that I've fully forgiven him?
I groaned and rolled over, kicking away my blanket. "Haaaaaarry…" I moaned in mock annoyance, my eyes still closed. "Urgh, is it time for my watch already? Did you see anything overnight?"
"Er—I'm not Harry," an unfamiliar male voice replied. "But it is time for you to get up."
My eyes shot open and my wand, which was always tucked beneath my pillow, was in my hand in a flash, quickly pointed at the neck of the intruder.
"Woah, woah, calm down, Hermione! I just wanted to let you know that Mipsy brought you breakfast!"
I blinked stupidly at him.
A young Sirius Black was standing next to my bed, wearing jeans and a worn leather jacket, holding his hands up in surrender. I glanced around the room, attempting to get a grip on my bearings. The scene was almost comical. Remus was sitting up in his bed, frozen in place with a slice of toast halfway to his mouth, and looking at me as if I had lost my goddamned mind. A tiny house elf wearing a neat little tea towel stamped with the Hogwarts Crest was standing next to Sirius, holding a breakfast tray and looking very alarmed.
Oh, right.
1977.
Fuck.
I slowly lowered my wand, resisting the urge to validate his identity.
And failing.
They're going to think you're a total whack-job.
But I couldn't stop myself.
I raised my wand again.
"Oh, er, sorry, Sirius. You startled me. But—if you don't mind, I have to ask you a question. What was the first thing I said to you when I arrived here at Hogwarts?" I asked him, wand still pointed at his head.
Smooth, Hermione. Really smooth.
Sirius looked at me curiously, hands still in the air. "After I found you? The first thing you said was 'What's the date?' Are you sure you're okay?" he said, eyeing me carefully.
I sighed as I lowered my wand. I'm fucking it up every which way, aren't I?
However, I knew that Professor Lupin would be proud. My Remus would commend me for never letting my guard down.
"I'm okay, promise. Sorry about that, I just had to be sure…" I replied. I ran my hand through my tangled mess of hair, attempting to make the unruly curls lie flat.
Thankfully, he didn't question me further as he lowered his hands. However, his eyes were no longer on my wand, or even my face anymore. At that moment, I realized I had kicked my blanket to the ground, and my hospital pajamas left little to the imagination. I quickly snatched the discarded blanket from the floor and covered myself. I shot him a reproachful look, but he simply smirked back good-naturedly.
"Well, Mipsy here has breakfast for you," he said, gesturing to the house elf. The elf's enormous blue eyes were moving quickly from Sirius, to me, and then back to Sirius again, as if trying to understand what the hell was going on.
Suddenly remembering that she had a job to do, the tiny house elf stepped forward, short little arms stretching as she placed the breakfast tray in front of me. She then gave a low bow, her large pointed ears flopping forward. Straightening up again, the elf said, "Hi, miss! Mipsy has brought miss breakfast! Mipsy wasn't knowing what miss likes, so she's bringing miss a bit of everything!"
A bit of everything, indeed. I glanced around the loaded tray and decided to start with a cup of tea. One lump of sugar, a splash of milk, as always. I took a sip and the warm liquid felt soothing as I attempted to overcome my embarrassment.
"Thank you very much, Mipsy. I really appreciate it. My name is Hermione," I said as I held out my hand. I might have come a long way since the days of S.P.E.W., but house elves still deserved polite and proper treatment.
Mipsy eyed my outstretched hand warily, but she placed her tiny hand in mine and shook it gingerly before quickly pulling it away and bowing again. "Of course, Miss Hermy! It's Mipsy's pleasure, always Mipsy's pleasure! Mipsy must be getting back to the kitchens. Only one more day 'til the feast miss, and the house elves has work to do!" And with another bow, she Disapparated with a crack.
Smiling at the spot where she had left, I took another sip of tea and began to dig into my breakfast. I tried not to eat too quickly, but it was a struggle. I didn't want to make myself sick from the rich Hogwarts cooking, but the meal tasted magnificent after what seemed like ages without proper food. Someone nearby cleared their throat, causing me to look up, my mouth still full of fried egg.
Apparently Remus had recovered from his shock.
"Are you sure you're okay, Hermione? Those were some very impressive reflexes," Remus asked, still staring at me.
Fantastic.
Trust Remus to not let it go.
In a manner that was reminiscent of Ron, I swallowed down the egg almost whole. "Er, yes. You can never be too careful, right?" I replied vaguely.
No, of course I'm not a soldier. Of course I haven't been fighting in a war. Of course I haven't been living in bloody a tent for the past year, on the run from the greatest dark wizard of our time. Of course I haven't been hunting down pieces of Lord Voldemort's fucking soul.
I took a large gulp of tea and swallowed thickly.
They'll never understand you, Hermione. They're just children. Unlike you, they haven't yet experienced the horrors of war.
I shuddered.
Sometimes the voice inside my head sounded exactly like Tom Riddle—the nasty little voice that had haunted my thoughts whenever it was my turn to wear the locket, insidiously preying on my every worry, every little insecurity.
Remus continued to eye me strangely, but I suppose he decided that now wasn't the time for an interrogation. He instead sipped his tea before saying, "Of course. I think we might be able to learn a thing or two from you about defense." He smiled warmly, as if to tell me that it was all right.
I flushed slightly, but thankfully I was saved from another uncomfortable situation, again by Professor Dumbledore's impeccable timing.
"Ah, good morning, Mister Lupin, Mister Black, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said as he strode into the hospital wing, beaming around at the three of us. "I trust you're all well this morning?"
We all murmured our good mornings at the same time, causing Dumbledore to beam even more brightly.
Turning to me, he said, "Now, Miss Granger, I was hoping we might be able take a stroll of the grounds this morning. If you're agreeable, that is?"
Oh, a walk on the Hogwarts grounds. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to spend my morning.
"Yes sir, of course! But, er, is Madam Pomfrey okay with that? I know she can be quite strict when it comes to her patients," I said, glancing at the door to the matron's office.
Sirius shot me a strange look at this statement, and I flushed again.
Once again, as if her name was a bloody summoning charm, Madam Pomfrey entered the hospital wing.
"You're quite right, Miss Granger. How are you feeling? Any pain whatsoever?" Madam Pomfrey was standing next to my bed before I had even blinked, wand flourishing in complicated movements as she performed silent diagnostic charms.
"Only a little sore. Other than that, I feel completely fine," I said as I crossed my fingers beneath my blanket. I didn't want to spend any more time here than I had to.
Ginny's small voice saying, "Ron—Dumbledore's dead."
The phoenix song lilting in through the open mullioned windows—a song filled with equal parts mourning and hope.
Fucking hell, get a grip, I chastised myself. Now is not the time. I scrubbed my hand across my face as if to wipe away the onslaught of memories.
"Wonderful, wonderful," she acknowledged curtly. "Yes, Headmaster, she seems perfectly ready to be discharged."
Madam Pomfrey flicked her wand and a small box came soaring to us from the direction of her office. She opened it, levitated out four small vials, and said, "Miss Granger, before I allow you to leave, you'll need to take each of these potions. I'll be sending you along with a week's worth as well. Please take them as directed on the label and return any unused vials to me in one week. And no strenuous activity for at least the next month. You've had quite an ordeal. Your body needs a chance to properly heal."
I nodded quickly in relief and used my wand to uncork each tiny bottle, gulping down the potions in a rush. "Absolutely," I said to her as I finished the last potion. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. Thank you for everything."
She smiled kindly, and I saw a tear forming at the corner of her eye. "Of course, Miss Granger. Please come back to see me if you need anything at all. And that's not only limited to my healing abilities."
I thanked her profusely, touched by her sentiment, and turned back to Professor Dumbledore, lowering my voice. "Sir, would it be okay if I went somewhere to get ready for the day? Perhaps the Prefect's Bathroom on the fifth floor?" I asked quietly, looking up at him hopefully. I simply adored that bathroom, and honestly, I needed to escape to any location in the castle not haunted by tragedy.
I couldn't help but notice the way Remus's eyebrows shot up as I said this. Bloody werewolf hearing.
I needed to be more careful.
He smiled and replied under his breath, "Of course, Miss Granger. The current password is 'rubber duck.'" Then, his voice returning to normal, he said, "Why don't I meet you in the Entrance Hall, in say, approximately an hour?"
"Perfect, Professor. Thank you."
He turned to leave, stopping at the foot of Remus's bed to address the two wizards. "Mister Lupin, Mister Black, I trust you'll be remaining in the castle until the start of term tomorrow?"
"Yes, Professor," Sirius said from his seat at Remus's bedside. "Today is the last day of my internship with Professor McGonagall, and if Madam Pomfrey says it's okay, Remus was looking forward to joining me."
Dumbledore beamed once more at them, clapping his hands together. "Splendid! I'll see you two at lunch then, I imagine." And with that, Dumbledore turned on his heel and exited the hospital wing.
"Madam Pomfrey?" I said, turning to the matron. "When I arrived, there was a bag in my pocket. A beaded one?" I inquired, praying my little beaded bag had made the trip back in time as well.
"Yes, yes, all your belongings are here," she reassured as she retrieved a paper bag from the end of my bed.
Thanking her, I opened it and peered inside. There was no other wand in the bag. I suppose Tonks's wand was probably stuck somewhere between here and 1998. And dear God, the clothes I had been wearing when I arrived smelled absolutely foul. Come to think of it, I probably smelled awful. When was the last time I had showered? Probably the closest thing to it was the little swim our dragon-friend had forced upon the three of us. I snatched up my beaded bag from inside of the paper one. It felt comforting simply to hold it.
"Er, well, I'm going to change. Be right back," I said to no one in particular as I pointed my wand at the curtains, drawing them closed and casting a quick Muffliato out of habit. I opened my bag and summoned a set of clothes from its depths as quickly as possible. I dressed in the first ones I found, ready to get to the Prefect's Bathroom for a proper bath. I glanced down as I pulled on my jeans. Freezing in place, I gazed at my arm as I was reminded of the word etched there.
Mudblood.
I shivered.
Revolted at the sight, I closed my eyes and pointed my wand at my arm, casting a quick charm to shield the word from view. The Concealment Charm was generally used to cover minor blemishes such a pimples, but with a few adjustments, it seemed to hide the obscene scar perfectly. Hopefully it would last all day. I added the box of potions Madam Pomfrey had given me to my bag and drew back the curtains surrounding my bed.
"I guess I'll see you around, then?" I said to Remus and Sirius as I made to exit the hospital wing.
Sirius eyed me up and down, then snorted. "The Chudley Cannons? Really?"
I flushed and looked down at the orange emblem emblazoned across my chest. Of course I had grabbed one of Ron's shirts.
"Er, well—let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best, shall we?" I quipped, quoting the Cannons's motto I'd heard so many times from Ron.
Sirius laughed even harder. "You're a strange witch, Granger, you know that?"
I smiled and with a wink I replied, "Of course. It keeps things interesting, don't you think?"
Giggling quietly to myself at the audacity of what I'd just done, I left the hospital wing.
Sirius was still laughing behind me.
As I exited the Prefect's Bathroom and passed the statue of Boris the Bewildered, I realized that I felt better than I had in ages. Apparently a proper meal and a relaxing soak—complete with bubbles the size of footballs—was exactly what I needed. I walked along the fifth floor corridor, humming Weasley Is Our King under my breath, feeling downright invigorated and ready to discuss with Dumbledore what was to come next. As I reached the marble staircase, I spotted Professor Dumbledore waiting in the Entrance Hall, his silver hair and beard shining in the light streaming through the opened oak front doors of the castle.
"Perfect timing, Miss Granger," he said, offering me the crook of his elbow to escort me.
I smiled as I accepted his arm. "Thanks, Professor."
We made our way out of the castle and down the front steps to the grounds. We chatted about nothing of great importance as we walked, discussing our favorite Muggle bookshops and how delicious we both found Madam Rosmerta's Cornish Pasties. Our conversation ceased as we reached the edge of the Black Lake, halting beneath the shade of my favorite beech tree. My mind wandered back to lazy Sunday afternoons with Harry and Ron, and occasionally Ginny, lounging by the lake as we finished our homework. I smiled sadly at the memory.
Dumbledore conjured a small wooden bench and we both sat in silence for a while, staring out at the dazzling sunlight reflecting off the lake. The Giant Squid was drifting lazily near the surface, tentacles floating in swirls about him.
I broke the silence, deciding to take the plunge with the most difficult question first. "What am I supposed to do now?" I asked him quietly, my voice slightly strangled.
He was silent for a moment longer as if considering his response. "I'm not quite sure," he replied finally. "But for now, my best advice for you is to simply live your life. It appears you weren't offered that opportunity often in your past."
However, 'simply living my life' wasn't enough for me.
Not anymore.
"But sir!" I said, jumping to my feet. "I have so much information. I know things that could save countless lives! Are you asking me to sit back and do nothing?"
Dumbledore looked up, surprise etched on his face. "Why, of course not, my dear!" he replied incredulously. "But do you have any idea of the difference you could make by merely being here? By befriending those in need of it? By simply being in the right place at the right time? I would never dream of asking you to sit back and watch the future unfold. I don't know the specifics of what your future held, but from what I can gather, it was a very dark place, indeed. I think you were sent here for a purpose, Hermione." He paused for a moment, then added, "Not just to the past, but to August of 1977 specifically."
I paced back and forth in front of him for a few minutes as I contemplated this statement.
Was my purpose here in 1977 the same as it had been in 1998?
I stopped abruptly and turned back to face the Black Lake. The Giant Squid's long tentacles were rising up out of the water now, swaying slightly in the breeze. I returned to my spot on the bench beside Dumbledore, tugging on the ends of my hair as I considered how best to approach the next portion of the conversation.
"I know how to defeat him," I whispered quietly.
"I thought you might," Professor Dumbledore said with a nod. "I take it that it's not an easy task?"
I shook my head. "You left the job to my best friend Harry, and he also entrusted me and Ron with the secret. We'd spent the past year trying to accomplish it."
I took a deep breath. Dumbledore needed to know.
"He has Horcruxes, sir," I managed get out, choking a little on the word Horcrux.
Dumbledore was silent again, but I felt him tense next to me. After a long moment, he asked, "Horcruxes, as in plural, Hermione?"
"Yes. A seven-part soul," I whispered, recalling Professor Slughorn's memory that Harry had described to us. "'Isn't seven the most powerfully magical number?' he had asked. He didn't just want to be immortal, he wanted to make certain he could never possibly be defeated. But I know what they are, and I even know where some of them are hidden. As of now, I think he has created five, and I'm confident of the locations of at least two."
We both continued to gaze out upon the lake, letting my revelation marinate in our brains.
Dumbledore was the next to speak, his voice, too, barely more than a whisper. "Hermione, do you want to destroy them? Do you want to change your future?"
I looked up at him in astonishment, "Of course I want to destroy them! One of them almost killed one of my best friends. The horrid diary opened the Chamber of Secrets again! And the rest, well, suffice it to say that they are the most vile—the most evil—sir, he defiled some of the most ancient and powerful of magical objects for his own gain. I can't not get rid of them!"
Dumbledore patted my hand comfortingly, and with a nod, he replied, "No less than I expected from you, Miss Granger. You are quite a clever witch indeed, aren't you? So young, yet so much has been asked of you…"
I laughed hollowly. "Professor Lupin once said I was the 'cleverest witch of my age'he'd ever met."
If only my Remus could see me now.
"Professor Lupin? I have to say, that certainly has a nice ring to it." Dumbledore hummed slightly. "Well, Hermione, I hardly think this is a job that could be accomplished by one witch or wizard alone, do you?" he said matter-of-factly.
I looked up at him, desperately hoping he meant what I thought he did.
He sighed. "I think it would be best if left this conversation here for now, don't you agree? I propose that we meet in my office once a week to discuss our plans further. This is not something we can enter into lightly, after all."
We.
Oh, thank Merlin. From my experience with his future counterpart, I was expecting much more secrecy than this.
Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Now, on to other pressing matters. You need a story."
"A story?" I asked, looking over at him blankly.
"We can hardly tell the rest of the school you've attended Hogwarts before, can we?" he chuckled. "No, we need to devise a previous life for you, Hermione—one that others won't be able to uncover as false. You are also in need of a guardian."
I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, but sir, I'm already eighteen. I'm of age, I don't need a guardian—"
"I am aware of that. However, I find that having someone—oh, what is it that the Muggles say?—always in your corner, can never hurt, after all. I've taken the liberty of calling in a favor for you. Have heard of my brother Aberforth?"
I scrunched my nose in confusion. Where was Dumbledore going with this?
"I've met him, yes," I responded slowly. "The owner of the Hog's Head, right?"
"Precisely," Dumbledore nodded. "Aberforth owes me a favor. I helped him out of a spot of trouble with the Ministry recently—some accusations of improper goat charming—so he has agreed to assist us. How would you feel about allowing him to be your 'father' of sorts?"
I stared at him, dumbfounded. "But sir, I'm Muggle-born. You've seen my arm—"
"I am also very aware of your parentage," he said patiently. "However, you also know of the danger that would befall you if your true identity were to be exposed. I think disguising you as a half-blood, the half-blood niece of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, no less, would be sufficient protection. We'll spread the story that you retained your Muggle mother's surname and studied in America at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to avoid claims of favoritism here at Hogwarts. But sadly, due to your mother's untimely death last month, you were forced to return to Britain.
"And as for your arm, I am sure we can find a way to keep it hidden from prying eyes." He paused, looking down at me over his glasses, before asking, "So what do you say? Are you willing to become part of the Dumbledore family?"
I was quite literally speechless. I simply stared at him for a moment before nodding. "And Aberforth…" I said slowly, still trying to wrap my brain around the question. "Aberforth is… okay with this? When I met him, he didn't quite seem like the sort to warm up to a 'daughter' he's never met?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, Aberforth is certainly the gruff type, isn't he? But I think you'll find that once you get to know him, he can surprise you."
"Er, well thank you, Professor. This is far more than I could have asked for." I stared down at my hands for a moment before asking, "Why are you helping me so much? Not that I'm complaining at all, but—"
Dumbledore stood, holding out his hand. "I simply believe we have the same goals, Hermione. Would it not be mutually beneficial for us to assist one another?"
I nodded silently as he helped me to my feet.
"Now, I think you can call me 'Uncle Albus' from here on. You are my niece, after all." He reached a hand inside of his robes and pulled out a small bag of gold. "How would you feel about a trip to Diagon Alley for your school things? Hagrid is around here somewhere, and I'm sure he would love to accompany you."
My heart soared as I pocketed the gold.
Hagrid.
(A/N): So we're almost to the start of term! Many more characters will be introduced soon, so I thought I'd take this chance for Hermione and Sirius to have a little one-on-one time. What do you think? Is there anything specific you'd like to see in the upcoming chapters? Anything you don't? I'd absolutely love to know!
And as always, thanks for reading :)
-liz
