The first years all stand on the stairs just outside the Great Hall, anxious for the sorting they nervously chitter.

Hagrid is stood off to the side speaking to Harry who is glaring at Malfoy - they must have met on the train.

Hermione stands unfazed with a wonder-filled expression on her face, trying not to worry about her sorting, out of all the factors she considered, she had not contemplated the sorting, discarding the thought altogether by thinking she'll be in Gryffindor again, but what if the sorting hat knows, it uses some type of passive legilimency to sort students.

The giant towering doors in front of them open and Professor McGonagall steps out. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," says Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here" is the reply, Hermione almost smiles at her favorite Professor's voice, it's been so long since she has heard that comforting yet strict Scottish accent.

After being herded into the small room where they waited for everyone in the Great Hall to settle before they could enter to be sorted, Mcgonagall went to check something.

On-time the Hogwarts ghosts came swooping in, immersed within their own conversations. They then tried to boast about their former houses, they didn't get far, Professor McGonagall came back and told them to move along.

Her nerves slowly crept up again as they walked into the hall, she didn't realise that last time almost all the students were staring at them, she did now.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History" she comments offhandedly to Susan Bones while looking up at the ceiling, feeling nostalgic of a time that was once long past.

Standing in front of the sorting hat in a giant cluster, they wait as it sings its song, she hears Ron mutter to Harry "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll." She almost laughs at the normalcy of it, it's good to be back.

Professor McGonagall calls each name; Hannah Abbot - Hufflepuff, Susan Bones - Hufflepuff, Terry Boot - Ravenclaw, Mandy Brocklehurts - Ravenclaw, Lavender Brown - Gryffindor, on and on went the names, each one putting her more on edge.

"Granger, Hermione" the Professor calls her name, dread fills her as she sits hesitantly upon the stool, the hat resting gently on her head, "A witch out of time, eh, a brave one at that, cunning and clever too..." is all the hat says before shouting "GRYFFINDOR" relieved and giddy Hermione rushes towards the Gryffindor table, almost too hysterical to listen to the rest of the sorting.

She flies through the rest of dinner, too tired to care about keeping up everything she did the last time, she's set up the basics, Harry and Ron find her irritating and she's in Gryffindor.

She can now focus on collecting the diadem and creating a safe place for it, while practicing her magic to prepare herself, she'd love to at least do the basic wandless and wordless magic.


Her days mostly consist of lessons, she recalls the humiliating way she had to act in potions, homework then sneaking off to the room of requirement to practice her wandwork, luckily it didn't take Hermione long to recall some spells and their wand movements, her power was not what it used to be but that was expected, she is now again a growing witch.

After successfully producing a Patronus, of which she was surprised to learn had changed, it was now a fox, she didn't know what to make of it, her playful otter was gone and replaced by a fox.

Foxes were cunning and sly yet ambitious and intelligent, well she supposed it was fitting, she is basically a spy with knowledge of the future trying to change things.

Thinking of the future reminds her, how could she be so stupid as to forget, she needs to improve on her Occulmency, Dumbledore wasn't even really trying when he came over with the Auror when she was four, she needs to protect what she knows until she knows who she can actually trust.

Dumbledore could use her information for the 'greater good' and actually cause harm, Hermione honestly thought he was mad - he entrusted a sixteen-year-old boy to search and destroy five Horcruxes all on his own and told him not to inform anyone of it. All along he had planned for Harry to sacrifice himself for the 'greater good' it made her sick, Harry was a child when Dumbledore had these plans.

Mentally thinking of when to fit in Occulmency, she exits the room of requirement, not looking where she's going she bumps into someone, the someone lets out a loud oomph, it's Fred Weasley, George stands behind him snickering, "Little firsty lost?" he asks, his voice taunting.

Sighing internally and cursing under her breath she plasters an irritated expression upon her face "I'm not lost" she counters "my cat ran off" she lies, hopefully, they believe her, she can't have anybody figuring things out.

"Hmmm, Forge you believe her?" questions George, "Not really Gred" he remarks.

Hermione sighs aloud and declares "I don't really care if you don't believe me, I'm late for a lesson anyway so bye" she claims while turning and rushing off, honestly can she never get a break.

Tomorrow is a very important day, tomorrow she will show off in charms and almost get killed by a troll in the bathrooms.


Hermione fidgets while listening to Flitwick describe the wand motions to Wingardium Leviosa, Ron glares at her, he's actually trying to listen and is annoyed she isn't, well he's going to hate her soon enough as if reading her mind Flitwick asks the class to practice the spell, Ron lifts his wand and says the spell flinging his wand and arm around, "You're saying it wrong" she snaps, she doesn't fake the annoyance in her tone "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa"."You do it then if you're so clever" he snarls, rolling her eyes while lifting her wand she does the spell successfully, shooting a boastful look at him.

The rest of the lesson is spent listening to her classmates complain about not perfecting the spell, she purposely walks a distance behind Harry and Ron on her way out, listening absentmindedly to Ron talking about her, once she hears 'nightmare' she barges past them, trying not to look back at their faces she scurries towards her dorm.

Just a few hours then they'll be friends, then she can finally change things.

When the Halloween dinner starts she makes her way towards the bathroom where the troll will trap her, locking herself into a stall she waits, it's tedious and long so she pulls out her wand and tries to unlock the door wordlessly.

The walls of the bathroom stall shake, the troll is coming, she stands and waits trying to keep calm - if Harry and Ron are not there she will have to take on the troll, she might end up exposing herself.

Unlocking the door and stepping out she forces herself not to look yet, hearing the boys approaching she looks up and screams, last time she didn't notice how grotesque the troll looked, too terrified to care, Harry runs in first and shouts for her, she dives under the sink as the troll lifts his club.

Harry ends up on the trolls shoulders as Ron drops the club on its head, Professors come rushing in and berating the boys "Actually Professor, Harry, and Ron saved me, I came looking for the troll - I've read all about them" she lies for the second time, Professors Mcgonagall's expression is the same as last time, disappointed.

It was worth it though, now Harry and Ron will start respecting her, then friendship will form.