- Chapter Two The Past -
Hermione stared at the young man for a moment, there was something different, yet strangely familiar about him.
"Are you daft?" The boy sneered as he creased his forehead in a very familiar fashion.
Then it struck Hermione, those penetrating dark eyes, that greasy black hair, the Slytherin robe.... she was staring at a young Professor Snape.
"N-n-no," She stammered.
"Well, where did you come from? I've been alone in here all afternoon and I hear a noise, turn around, and then, there you were." His voice was smooth and silky, but it wasn't as deep as the voice that had delivered lectures on potions for the past seven years.
"I – I – I'm new," She said slowly. "I was looking for --- Professor Dumbledore's office."
"On the second floor, down the North corridor," The boy said, while nervously stuffing his hands in his black and green robe. "My name is Severus, what's yours?"
"Herm…" She started, but realized she was changing history as she spoke. "Haylie," she smiled, amused by the entire situation. "Haylie Greene."
"See you around, Haylie," Severus said, as he turned back to his acid green potion.
Hermione suddenly had an idea, completely for her enjoyment, she asked him, "Severus, would you like to show me the way to Professor Dumbledore's office?"
"I'm a bit busy," He said, counting a few drops of liquid as they fell into his potion.
"Oh," Hermione didn't hide her disappointment. She was positive Dumbledore would know of a way to get her back to her own time, but it was a real let down to not be able to spend a few minutes with a young Professor Snape.
Snape sighed and put the vial down with a soft clink. He turned back around to face Hermione once again, "I'll take you to Dumbledore's office."
Hermione smiled brightly. She looked up into his big dark eyes and couldn't help but notice how good he actually looked. He reminded her a bit of Viktor Krum, but Snape's nose wasn't as prominent. She figured he must have broken it later on in life. His hair didn't really seem as greasy as it was slick and it hung just above his chin. Also, he didn't seem to tower over her as much as Snape usually did, he was a bit shorter, or maybe he just appeared shorter due to the lack of layering black robes.
He slipped his Slytherin robe off and draped it over his left arm. Hermione noticed his sweater sleeves were rolled up and his left arm did not have the Dark Mark on it. "I got a bit of liquefied Asphodel on it before," He said, quietly. "Well come on, Haylie, I don't have all day."
He strolled from the potions lab and Hermione followed. She couldn't help but glance down at his bottom in the dark grey pants. She immediately blushed, it was, after all, Professor Snape.
"Where are your robes?" Severus asked as they walked down the long corridor that led to the upper levels.
"I suspect they'll be delivered to my dormitory," Hermione answered quickly.
"Do you know what house you'll be in yet?"
'Gryffindor of course!' She thought, but something inside tugged at her. This was a chance to be different, to not be the bookworm Hermione. Even if it was just for a little while, the idea was appealing. "I hope to be sorted into Slytherin," She said proudly.
Severus threw a half smile to her. "I hope you'll be sorted into Slytherin as well."
Hermione felt her cheeks burn with a blush. Severus Snape was flirting with her. She instinctivly glanced at the floor, a warm feeling wrapping itself around her neck.
"What year are you in?" Severus asked.
"Seventh, and you?"
"Seventh, so you're seventeen?"
"I'll be seventeen on September nineteenth."
"Oh that's this Saturday," Severus smirked. "I hope you realize I wont be buying you anything."
Hermione giggled and bumped his shoulder playfully. "No, you don't have to buy me anything, Severus," It felt odd to say his name, with out it being flanked by Professor or Snape. So not only was she twenty something years in the past, but she was also now in the month of September. Her mind started to calculate exactly how the Tempus Novo Potion worked. Professor Snape never gave her much detail, other than "add this" or "stir that". There wasn't much literature on it either. She considered the amount of Potion she drank..... maybe the more you ingested the further back in time you would go.
"Haylie?" The young Severus Snape voice called, interrupting her thoughts.
"Yes?" she responded.
Severus arched a black eyebrow. "You seemed to have drifted off there for a moment."
Hermione blushed again. "No, I'm sorry. A lot on my mind you know. First day of school and all."
"Right," He gave another small smile. "Well here we are."
They stopped in front of the large phoenix statue that hid the spiral stairs.
"How do you plan on getting up there? No one knows the password but Dumbledore." Severus asked, looking up at the enormous statue.
Hermione thought carefully for a moment before saying "Fizzing Whizbees!" As she said it, the spiral staircase began winding its way up.
"How did you guess the password?" Severus looked mildly shocked.
"Its quite simple really, everyone knows Headmaster Dumbledore loves sweets. Fizzing Whizbees just came to mind first."
"You already know about the headmaster? You've just arrived today though."
Hermione glanced at the stone floor before looking back up into Severus' big dark eyes. "I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."
"Oh, alright then. I suppose Ill see you at dinner tonight," He gave another lopsided smile.
Hermione felt a wave of disappointment spread over her. She wouldn't be seeing Severus at dinner. She was about to go upstairs and Dumbledore would send her back to her own time. She took a good look at the seventeen year old Slytherin and wondered how such a attractive, sweet guy turned into the Potions Master all of Hogwarts feared.
"I'll see you later, Severus," She said quickly, before ascending the tall staircase.
When she stepped into Dumbledore's office, it was just like it always was. Silver trinkets moving on their own, littered the tabletops, and the pensieve was on his desk, cool smoke coming from it.
"And who might you be?" Dumbledore asked kindly. He looked very much the same as he did in Hermione's time. His beard was a bit shorter and his robes were deep red.
"I'm Hermione Granger," She said quickly, and she began to tell him what had happened.
"So as I understand it, you were sent here by 'mistake' and now wish to go back to your own time."
"Yes, this whole thing was just an unfortunate accident."
"Miss Granger there are no such things as accidents," He said softly "Would you like a lemon drop?"
"No, thank you," She smiled. "How do I go about getting back to the future?"
"Ah, a very good question," The Headmaster looked very thoughtful for a moment, his gaze staring just past her.
"You mean you don't know?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"Well, my dear, time travel is a very tricky matter. Stay at Hogwarts for a few days while I think about it."
"A few days?"
"Yes, you're more then welcome to stay here. Shall I have a room set up for in Gryffindor tower?"
Hermione slumped down a tad, she was going to be here for awhile. She thought of Snape and how interesting it was talking to him. She was definitely curious as to what he was like at seventeen. "Actually, I'd like to stay with the Slytherins."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Of course, anything you'd like, Miss Granger."
"Id also rather not alter history at all," She said. "I think I'll be going by the name of Haylie Greene while I'm here."
"Very well. Professor Lacerta will be waiting for you downstairs. She is head of Slytherin House and will show you the way."
"Thank you very much, Headmaster," Hermione smiled graciously and proceeded downstairs. At the bottom of the staircase, Professor Lacerta waited. She was a short, plump witch in dark purple robes. Hermione knew her, or knew of her actually. She was an Astronomy teacher at Hogwarts. Hermione never had her, for the past five years she had Sinistra. She remembered reading that Lacerta was head of Slytherin House for a few years but resigned that position when Snape became professor.
"Hello Miss Greene!" The blonde professor said cheerfully. "Dumbledore says you're new! What school were you attending?"
"Beauxbatons," Hermione lied.
"Oh I attended Beauxbatons! Tell me, is Professor Jouet still teaching Divination?"
"Yes I believe so!" Hermione smiled, feeling utterly guilty about lying.
"Oh I did love her!" Professor Lacerta beamed.
They walked through the castle, discussing Beauxbatons and Hogwarts, then they finally came to the dungeons.
Professor Lacerta stopped in front of a blank stone wall. "Haylie it's a bit tricky remembering where the common room is.The best way to tell is by counting the torches. Our common room is the fifth from the stairwell."
"Ill try and remember that," Hermione said. She knew perfectly well where the Slytherin dormitory was, after all she, Harry, and Ron had spied on Draco on more then one occasion.
"Leaping Lethifolds," Professor Lacerta said to the wall. A doorway appeared before their eyes and the professor let herself in.
Hermione followed her in and looked around. She had never been on the inside of the Slytherin common room before. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy hit her. Gryffindor tower was of course warmer, but the Slytherin area was just - cooler The walls were made of frosted glass and the lake was clearly visible on the other side. Several black velvet couches were strewn about and a fire roared in the tremendous fireplace in the corner. She looked around at the students that littered the common room, some studying, some just messing around.
A girl with long black hair sat at an oversized mahogany table, she was accompanied by a boy with short blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Next to the blonde boy was a girl with long honey colored hair, she was examining herself in a small mirror. Another girl sat alone on a sofa, her wavy black hair tucked behind her ears as she read Stars, Galaxies, and the Zodiac.
Finally Hermione's eyes rested in the seventeen year old who had a potions textbook in his lap. He brushed a greasy strand from his face and smiled at her.
"Attention everyone!" Professor Lacerta said loudly. "We have a transfer student from Beauxbatons. This is Haylie Greene. She's a seventh year and very proud to have been put into Slytherin House."
Hermione smiled awkwardly, this wasn't her at all. The Slytherins all smiled and waved at her and Severus put his textbook down, and walked towards her.
"Well then, Miss Greene, you're all set then?" Professor Lacerta asked kindly.
"Yes, thank you very much ma'am."
"Excellent! I'll be seeing you at dinner then!" The Astronomy teacher disappeared out the door and Hermione was left in a room full of Slytherins.
"So you did make Slytherin House then," Severus said in a happy tone.
"I told you I would," Hermione smirked.
"Hello there," Came a voice from behind her. She turned to face the blonde boy who was at the table with the two girls. He was tall and muscular, and his eyes looked so familiar….
"My name is Lucius. Lucius Malfoy. Seventh year," He said proudly as he extended his hand.
Hermione swallowed hard as she shook the hand of a Death Eater who had tried to kill her just last year.
"And I'm Bellatrix Black, also seventh year, but you can call me Bella" The girl with the long dark hair said, smiling brightly. "This is my little sister, Narcissa." She motioned towards the blonde girl. "She's a sixth year."
Hermione continued smiling, feeling very odd about the entire situation. Meeting a seventeen year old Snape was one thing, she saw him everyday and liked to think she knew him fairly well. On the other hand, seeing a seventeen year old Lucius Malfoy was unsettling.
"That girl over on the couch with the astronomy book is my cousin, Stella" Bella said happily. "Nearly my entire family is in Slytherin House."
"Yes everyone except for that nasty little prat cousin of yours," Severus said angrily.
"My cousin, Sirius, is in Gryffindor. Nasty shock for the entire Black family when he was sorted. Blood traitor," Bella said as she crossed her arms.
None of this information was new to her of course but to experience first hand was, again, strange. She was a tad fascinated with seventeen year old Stella Sinistra who would later become her astronomy teacher for five years in a row. Hermione had to use all her will power to restrain herself from asking Stella why she only received an O on her astronomy final instead of an E.
"So why did you transfer from Beauxbatons?" Lucius smiled slyly.
"My mother received a job with the Ministry of Magic."
"Excellent!" Lucius said happily.
"Lucius wants to be Minister of Magic someday," Bella smirked. "Good luck."
"I will be Minister of Magic, you'll see," The young Malfoy said.
"Last year he swore he would be playing Quidditch for England, this year its being the Minister of Magic," Severus gave a small grin.
Hermione couldn't help but giggle.
"Well then I'm starving., lets head down to the Great Hall," Malfoy said, walking towards the door, Narcissa and Bella following.
A/N: I just wanted to say that I realize Lucius, Snape, and Bella probably werent all the same year, I always imagined Lucius as being a few years older then Snape, but nothing is certain. So for the story's sake, the three of them as seventh years fits for now.
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