AN: Heyo! Long time no see! I'm so, so, so sorry for the lack of updates this year. Life has been... well... life. I'm sure life has been really fucked for a lot of us these passed few months but, here we are! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. As always, any CC is greatly appreciated.
Chapter 7
September 4, 1977
"Where's Pete?" Hermione asked the other three Marauder's while slathering strawberry jam on a piece of toast.
"Oh, he's… around. Should be here in a few seconds, actually," James said, nonchalantly.
"What did you four do?" Hermione and Lily asked at the same time. The red haired girl grinned at Hermione.
"'You four'? I, Sirius Orion Black, am completely innocent and I'm offended that you both think that I would 'do' anything. Moony, Prongs, how do you both feel about being accused of 'doing' something?" Sirius pouted, glancing between his best friends.
"I'm wounded, Pads, absolutely wounded and I for one won't stand for this nonse-" James's sentence trailed off as Professor McGonagall came into view with Peter in tow, she had him by his ear. A grin spread across his face at the sight.
"Minnie! My love, you look positively ravishing this morning. Are those new robes?" Sirius asked, tossing a wink Hermione's way.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Black. Sit down and eat your breakfast, Mr. Pettigrew. Twenty points from Gryffindor for each of you. The school year just started, boys. Can't you give me at least a week before you start your shenanigans?" Professor McGonagall took a breath before looking at Hermione. "Ms. Granger, here is your schedule. I hope you have a great first day here at Hogwarts." After one final glare at the Marauder's she stalked off towards the staff table.
James was grinning like that cat who caught the canary until his eyes landed on his girlfriend, who was fuming. Before she could say a word he placed a finger over his lips.
"We only lost eighty points, love. We can easily make them back, hell, you'll make them back by the end of Potions alone," James said, flashing a crooked grin at his girlfriend.
"James, that's not the point. I've already come to terms that we're never going to win the House Cup because of you lot. We're negative house points right now. NEGATIVE, Jamie. Besides, we're Head Bo-" Lily was cut off by a loud screech coming from the entrance to the Great Hall.
"PETTIGREW! YOU SNIVELING PILE OF HIPPOGRIFF DUNG!"
Hermione knew that voice, although it's not quite as deep as she remembered. She turned her gaze and did her best to hold in her laugh as her eyes met with a younger version of her old Potions professor, Severus Snape. His normally straight, black hair was in tight coils all around his head and was the brightest shades of red and gold Hermione had ever seen. The rest of the Slytherins began piling in the Great Hall, each of them sporting the same hairstyle as young Snape, glaring at the Gryffindor table.
Snape stomped to the Gryffindor table and leveled his glare at all four of the Marauders.
"This is fucking childish, even for you lot. We'll get you back before the year ends. You can count on that," he snarled, looking at everyone in their group. His gaze faltered on Hermione before he sneered at her.
"Fucking load of gits. I don't know what she's ever seen in them," she heard him grumble as he walked away.
"And that's what happens when you charm all of our trunks to stick to our hands while loading them on the train last year. Took forever to get them off. We had to ride the Express back to London with our trunks in our laps," Peter laughed at the memory. He looked over at Hermione and gave her a large smile.
He had stuck close to her after the reveal the day before. Making sure she was settled and needed anything. Peter was actually very sweet and smart. She never would have guessed that based on the man she knew. His blue eyes lit up when she brought up potions the night before and he launched into an enthusiastic discussion about different herbs and ingredients. She softly smiled back.
"Okay, now that they're done playing with the Snakes, Hermione, what's your schedule like?" Remus asked.
She had forgotten about the piece of parchment in her hand and glanced down to read it quickly.
"I'm taking Potions, Herbology, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes, Charms and DADA," she told the other werewolf.
"Looks like we have the same schedule then. Lily and I both take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes so, it seems like you're stuck with me as an escort through these corridors and staircases."
"Oh, woe is me," Hermione laughed, he grinned with a shrug and tossed a grape into Sirius' open and waiting mouth.
She turned back to eat more of her eggs and toast, listening to Lily berate James, Peter and Remus more.
Before she knew it they were all off to the dungeons for their first class of the year. Hermione was full of nervous excitement. And guilt. She missed Harry and Ron fiercely. Why did she have the chance to go back, be alive, when they did not? Why did she get to laugh and smile along with the Marauder's, all of whom were dead in her time? She shook her head of those thoughts, remembering her mission this time. Harry and Ron will live happy and healthy childhoods. Even if she isn't right there along side them.
"I am your new Potion's Master, Professor Gibbs, and welcome to your first Potions class of this school year. You may only refer to me as Professor. There will be no dilly dallying about in my classroom. I have this semester's potions on the board, please copy them down. We do have a new student here with us today. Ms. Granger, welcome. I do hope you enjoy this lovely school. Now, everyone, I expect ten inches on the brewing process and uses of Baneberry Potion by the end of class," a short and skinny woman said, entering the classroom. She was dressed in yellow robes with orange dots on the hem and had her white hair in a bun on the top of her head, secured with her wand. As she sat at her desk her bright green eyes found Hermione's and she smiled.
"Look, all I'm saying is that if Professor Gibbs gave the go ahead, I'd snog her senseless. Perhaps a bit more if she were up for it," Sirius shrugged as they left the dungeons.
"Pads, no one questioned you when you said it the first three times. Why do you insist on repeating yourself, mate?" Peter asked, laughing.
"I just want to make sure that you know it'll be my fault if she ever starts blushing in our class. She's a good looking bird. I wonder if she has a husband."
Sirius kept talking on about Professor Gibbs as Hermione was pulled to the back of their group by Remus.
"So, Hermione, how was your first Potions lesson of 1977?" He asked quietly, pulling on the straps of his book bag.
"Very different from my other potions lessons. We had a very rude git for professor in my time. One time a Slytherin student charmed my front teeth to grow down to my chin and he said he couldn't tell the difference. I was twelve. He constantly picked on Harry as well and made his life harder than it already was," she sighed, thinking back on Professor Snape. While it was revealed that he was working on the side of the light in the end, he had no right to bully children.
"Oh, that's harsh. Why did he single Harry out?"
"Well, let's just say that our old professor didn't care much for James. Or Sirius. Or you for that matter."
"Shit, it's Snape isn't it? How in the world did Snape become a professor?" Remus asked, looking up at her quickly.
"I'll tell you about it later, Remus," she laughed.
The remainder of the morning went by quickly for Hermione and the Marauders. Herbology was the same as it ever was with Professor Sprout.
As they were leaving the greenhouses the boys were all throwing simple jinxes at one another, causing them to stumble and trip. James sent a jelly legs jinx into Remus, causing him to fall into Hermione. The ground met them both quickly. They laid there, eyes locked on one another, a tangled mess of limbs until they heard a light cough.
"Mr. Lupin, Miss Granger, may I ask why you're both in such an intimate embrace in the middle of the courtyard?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Remus and Hermione both stood, dusting off their robes.
"My fault, Professor. I tripped and fell into Hermione," Remus said, smiling brightly at the Professor.
"Very well. Headmaster Dumbledore would like to see the both of you in his office as soon as possible. The password is Licorice Wands," she said before briskly walking away.
"Well, you both looked quite comfortable down there if I do say so myself. What about you, Pete?" James laughed, helping Remus brush dead grass from his back.
"I'd say the same, Prongs. Very comfortable, indeed. Pads, your thoughts?"
"Yeah, yeah. They looked like they were having a jolly good time down there," Sirius huffed and began following behind Professor McGonagall.
The four remaining students looked at each other in confusion.
"What's got his knickers in a twist now?" James muttered, before jogging to catch up with his best mate.
"James, don't forget! We're supposed to meet Kingsley and the others on the pitch in two hours!" Peter yelled as the retreating form of his friend. Hermione's eyebrow shot up and a grin stretched across her face at hearing Kingsley's name.
"I am going head to the kitchen and see if I can talk the elves into providing a little sustenance for this evening's activities. Mr. Moony. Miss Granger." Peter gave a mock bow to each of them before leaving them as well.
As the pair made their way to Headmaster Dumbledore's office Hermione noticed Remus kept glancing at her, seeming to pick up the courage to ask her something. She cast a quick wordless and wandless muffliato.
"Out with it, Remus. I'm an open book so long as others aren't around."
"Well, I'd like to ask you a personal question. If you don't mind," after Hermione's nod he continued. "How long have you been… like me? Do you know who turned you?"
"Not even a month. The twenty-seventh will be my first transformation. As for who turned me, well, let's just say that we have a mutual acquaintance. Greyback would have killed me if it weren't for Kingsley." A small frown marred her features thinking of her older Order member and close friend.
"Greyback? I am so sorry, Hermione. That… that's fucking horrible. Greyback is a horrid person, if he can even be called a person anymore. Last I heard he's so intune with his wolf that he's always in partial shift, was he like that in the future?"
"He was even worse. He got to the point that he was able to infect people a few days before and after the full moon. No one, light or dark, understood how he was able to manage that," Hermione told her companion.
"Bloody fuck, Hermione, that's… that's insane. How in the world could that even be possible?" Remus quietly said the last part to himself as they reached the entrance to the Headmaster's office.
"Licorice Wands," Hermione said and the Gargoyle guarding the entrance stepped aside as the stairs twisted down to greet the pair of wolves.