Chapter 4

Dumbledore stood by the stone wall, patiently waiting, as Hermione said her last of several goodbyes to the Weasley family. Molly had dug out her old school books and packed them up for Hermione to take with her and made sure Hermione knew that she was welcome to come by any time, especially Christmas break if she would like to. Hermione was glad of the sentiment, but doubted they would have much time for her once Percy was born.

Finally everyone was thanked and bags were shrunk down and it was time to leave. Hermione had noted as she gathered things to leave that she must have dropped her camping bag either while being chased or somewhere near the standing stones. She walked quickly toward Dumbledore. "I'm sorry, I know that took much longer than 10 minutes."

"No need to apologize. It usually takes me hours to leave places sometimes. The fact it took this long just means you made a good impression and formed a bond. Bonds like these are important, especially when one's world seems to be falling apart." Dumbledore looked at her knowingly before turning to the side and holding out his arm for her to take. "We will be aparating to the small village of Hogsmeade. I am sure you are familiar with it as you have attended the school, no?"

Hermione nodded in the affirmative and took hold of his arm at the elbow. Suddenly they were outside of the Three Broomsticks and Hermione quickly let go and took a couple steps. She looked around at Hogsmeade. She was thankful that in 22 years the place had not changed all that much.

"Well, as long as we are here, we might as well grab a drink." Dumbledore looked down at Hermione with a kind smile. "We can discuss the plan for the foreseeable future-" at this he laughed at his own joke for a moment, "and figure out what you will be doing for the fall term. Come along."

Dumbledore led her into the pub and took a table near the back of the building. It was not long before a very young Madame Rosmerta showed up to take their order. Dumbldore ordered both of them a butterbeer and the landlady was off.

"I have sent word to one of my colleagues, Professor McGonagall. She is currently getting a room ready for you. Until the start of term you will be staying in one of the unused staff quarters. Once the term begins, you will be allowed to stay in the student housing. That is, if you would like to continue your education this year."

Hermione almost said yes right away. She missed out on her last year at Hogwarts in her time and always told herself she would go back eventually and finish once the War was over- that is, if there was a school to go back to. This could be her only chance to finish her education, but she also wanted to make sure she would have time to figure out her time-traveling problem. "Sir, I do want to continue with my studies, but I feel that studying for the NEWTs right now would just slow me down. It might be best for me to sit this year out if possible?"

Dumbledore took a long pause before he answered, "It would be fairly difficult to explain your presence in the school if you are not enrolled in classes. You said you are a 7th year student, yes? You've completed your 6th?"

Hermione nodded again. "I actually should have almost graduated already but I couldn't attend my 7th year. I was… busy." She had almost given away something again. Thankfully Madame Rosmerta came back with their drinks. Hermione quickly took a large swallow of hers.

"It is possible that we could avoid trouble and give you more time by putting you in 6th year again. In this way, you would still be taking classes but you would not have to study as hard or as long." Dumbledore was ignoring his butterbeer and looked to be deep in thought. "I could talk to your teachers about giving you less work and obviously you would not be required to pass. I expect to have you home by Christmas, if not Easter, depending on the necessary requirements of the standing stones."

Hermione thought through this plan. It seemed like the most logical answer and she could easily keep up with the basic classes while still having room for extra reading. "I think this could work. I can look through the books Molly gave me but I'll still have to take you up on that trip to Diagon Alley to get some things."

"Of course. We can discuss that tomorrow at breakfast once you are settled." Dumbledore finally took a sip from his drink. "On to other business. Would you like to stay in your current house or would you like to be sorted again by the hat?"

Of all the things that needed to be dealt with, this wasn't a question she thought would come up. Hermione took another large swig from her drink before answering. "I was a hat stall in my first year. It would be interesting to see if my sorting would change since I'm older now. Would I have to take the hat's decision, even if I don't like the answer?"

"Yes, that is usually how it goes. I, myself, have always wondered if we sorted too soon. This would be an interesting experiment." Dumbledore finished his drink and set the glass on the table. "I think that is all we need to discuss for now. They will be waiting for us at the castle. Are you ready to go?"

Hermione finished her glass quickly and stood up. They went to the counter and Dumbledore fished some coins from deep in his robes to pay. Hermione could tell he overpaid by quite a bit, even for her time, and then they were off to the castle.

They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the large front doors. "Hermione, I have just realized that you have not given me a last name. The professors, I'm sure, would be glad to have something to call you." Dumbledore turned and looked her way expectantly.

She realized that he did not ask for her last name, just a last name. It seemed even Dumbledore thought it foolish to give away all her secrets for now. "Wilkins." The name almost brought tears to her eyes. This was the last name she gave her parents as they went into hiding. "Hermione Wilkins."

"Well, Miss Wilkins, let's get you sorted and into your rooms."

"You're going to sort me now?" Hermione wasn't sure when she thought it was going to happen but it sure wasn't today.

"Of course. We need to know what color to decorate your room. We cannot just go with basic, dull furniture can we?" Dumbledore's eyes lit up jokingly as he pushed through the front doors.

Hermione almost cried again as she stepped into the entryway. This was the Hogwarts she remembered- warm and welcoming. She couldn't imagine what the students in her time walked into with Snape as the headmaster but she was sure it was not the inviting atmosphere of her youth.

Dumbledore led them down the corridor to his office. Minerva McGonagall was waiting at the bottom of the gargoyle and had a very severe look on her face. "Well, it did seem to take you long enough to fetch the girl, Albus. I was about to leave you to it and get myself supper. Do you even know what time it is?"

The headmaster didn't even flinch at the harsh words, even as Hermione looked down at her shoes as if she were the one being scolded. He still had a boyish gaze when he looked at McGonagall and said, "Of course. I am deeply sorry for not thinking of your precious time, Minerva, but we did have many things to discuss. Miss Wilkins and I are headed to my office to see that she is sorted and then you may take her from there. Would you like to join us?"

McGonagall frowned even harder. "I suppose. I haven't anything else to do except wait down here otherwise. Lead the way." She waved her hand at the gargoyle. Dumbledore stepped forward and said the words "jelly babies" and the gargoyle moved out of the way to reveal a staircase.

Dumbledore motioned that Hermione should go first and she quickly went up the stairs with the professors following behind. Hermione pushed open the door to the office and stepped inside, allowing room for the others to file in. This office looked much the same as she remembered with a few less bobbles and knickknacks. Fawkes, looking full of life at the moment, let out a squawk but did not move from his perch.

As she looked around, Hermione's eyes finally landed on the Sorting Hat. The hat was placed on a shelf behind the headmaster's desk, looking as shabby as it ever was.

The Headmaster stepped up to the hat and dusted the rim a bit before bringing it over to Hermione. "If you were a hat stall before, this could take some time. Would you like to have a seat?"

The young woman nodded and found a small chair beside the desk and sat down. Dumbledore gently placed the hat on her head and took a step back. Hermione had just had time to notice that the hat fit her head much better than it did when she was 11 when she heard a whisper in her ear.

"I see that you have been sorted before, yet I have not yet done the sorting. Peculiar this is… yet I will decide where you will belong now. The question is, are you still a Gryffindor? You are clever, with a well maintained mind to back it up. Ravenclaw would suit you nicely as well. Loyal as you have been to your friends, Hufflepuff would not send you in the direction you will need. No… And cunning, yes, you have been… but a war will make any survivor cunning… Slytherin is not the place for you…

"But I see here the bravery that bursts forth. All of your decisions, made on the spot. Protecting your friends, even in the face of certain death. Yes… I stand by where you have been sorted before…

"Gryffindor!"

"Well, I guess some things never change," said Hermione as she smiled.

Minerva gave a thin-lipped smile and Dumbledore clapped. Hermione gently took the hat from her head and handed it back to the Headmaster who put it back on the shelf.

"Well, that is that. I will have the house elves set up your room accordingly. Minerva, can you take the girl to her rooms on the way to supper? The Weasleys have given her a few items and she needn't carry them around much longer. I will meet the two of you in the Great Hall shortly."

McGonagall led Hermione back down the staircase and into the corridor. "I have set up a room near the library for you on the first floor. The Headmaster told me you have some research to do before the term so I tried to make it as easy for you as possible."

They reached the library and McGonagall kept walking until there was a small alcove off the corridor where a wooden door stood out. "You can set a password if you would like, but for now it is open. I will leave you to get settled in. You can find your way back to the entrance hall, the Great hall is there as well. If you need help finding it, just call out for a house elf and they will be glad to lend a helping hand."With that, Professor McGonagall left Hermione and walked back the way they had come. Hermione got the uneasy feeling that Professor McGonagall did not fully trust her yet.

Hermione pushed open the door and was met with a small common room dressed in crimson and gold. There was a desk near a window in the back of the room and two plush armchairs to the right in front of a small fireplace. To the left there were two doors that she assumed led to her bedroom and bathroom.

She pulled the shrunken bag of school books out of her pocket, put it back to its original size, and placed it in one of the armchairs. She settled into the other chair and took a deep breath. Here she allowed herself to fully relax- something she had been unable to do in over a year.