DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 12: Severus Snape and Harry Potter

"He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape." -Percy Weasley, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

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July 2020

(the present)

"Maybe my father would've been pleased if I was sorted in Hufflepuff, like Teddy."

Cedric frowned at the boy sitting in front of him, eating a cup of ice cream. One of the perks of being an Unspeakable assigned in the Time Division, they didn't have a lot to do. He only made sure that all was well in the Time Room, call the Aurors if someone was saying the Taboo (the spell used to complete at time-turner, thanks to the Great Albus Dumbledore), and if there were a time-traveler, he would report and babysit them.

And now, he was babysitting one while Ian was guarding the Time Room, and Terrence was doing paperwork.

"Who's Teddy?" he asked.

Albus Potter froze for a moment and stared at him. "Do you happen to know an Auror by the name of Tonks?"

"Oh, yeah, a fellow Hufflepuff. She's the Head of DMLE," he replied promptly. That woman was already married, but still famous for her maiden name because she refused being called by her first name. But when she got promoted, everyone called her Madam Lupin. However, for some people who worked with her, she preferred to be called 'Tonks'.

Albus frowned. "Who's the Head of Auror Office?"

"Harry Potter."

"Who's your Minister?"

"Amelia Bones."

"Oh, she didn't die," he gasped.

Cedric raised an eyebrow. "What kind of universe where you're from? People keep on dying."

"Well, my parents fought against Voldemort. My father was left with a task by Headmaster Dumbledore. After turning seventeen, he was on the run with two other teenagers - Ron and Hermione - hunting Voldemort's pieces of soul, and lived in a tent for ten months. Aunt Hermione had to alter her parents' memories to save them and sent them to Australia with new identities. She was able to reconcile with them after, of course. People died during the Final Battle, including one of my uncles, and Dad said Grandma Molly was never the same."

Silence. Ced could not believe what he was hearing. What sort of great wizard would leave a teenager with a dangerous mission? "I don't know what kind of Albus Dumbledore you had in your universe, but clearly, you did something great in 1991, kid."

"Because of me, the headmaster had to call Professor McGonagall and she had to send Professor Sprout instead of going to the Granger house herself. You influenced Aunt Hermione to be a Hufflepuff." Albus was now crying silently. "She should be best friends with Dad. She should be my Aunt Mione..."

Cedric exhaled and Vanished the ice cream he was holding. "But this world is safer," he replied carefully. "They were never on the run. Hermione never sent her parents to Australia and none of your uncles died."

Albus Potter nodded without meeting his eyes. He just toyed with the napkin on the table. "Yeah. I guess this one is better."

But Ced knew that Albus was a bit forced to say that.

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1991-1992

(Cedric and Hermione's past)

"First-years!" called the fifth-year Prefect, Henley Abbott when she entered the common room. "You're going to have a flying lesson on Friday with Madam Hooch. It is a tradition in Hufflepuff House for the Quidditch players to teach you how to ride a broomstick beforehand."

"Why?" asked Hermione from her seat by the window.

Henley Abbott smiled at her. "So that students from other houses wouldn't say we're clumsy, dumb, and stupid. We want to prove them wrong, so we do extra activities that could help everyone, and flying is one of them."

"I don't think I'm learning anything from Professor Quirrell. Is there a sort of study group for D.A.D.A.?"

"Oh yeah. Just ask Cedric about it. Aspiring Ministry workers formed a study group."

Susan poked her, and when she met her eyes, they grinned at each other. "Brilliant."

"How about a Potions study group?" asked Neville nervously.

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"Hey, Sue!" Cedric greeted his cousin when Hermione and Susan met the three boys at the common room that morning. It sort of became a routine - the three third-year wizards would wait for her and Susan every morning and they would walk to the Great Hall together. During meals, she would be sandwiched between the two cousins while Ian and Terrence would be on the opposite side. But for the rest of the day, they didn't spend time together.

Cedric placed an arm around his cousin's shoulders, squeezing Susan again. "I heard you firsties are going to have a flying lesson later with the team. Mind if I watch?"

Susan pulled away from Ced and elbowed her cousin. "No! Stop annoying me," she replied nonchalantly.

Ced placed a hand on his chest. "You wound me, Sue. I'll ask Hermione, then."

Ced stopped a bit to wait for her, and they walked side by side while Susan, Terrence, and Ian went ahead. But Cedric's behaviour became gentle. "Mind if I watch you later?"

She shook her head. "I don't. But don't laugh at me, all right? I've never seen a wizard's broomstick before."

To her confusion, Ian and Terrence laughed and turned around to look at her. And Susan, too! "Oh, Hermione. With your prim-and-proper attitude, I think it would be seven years from now before you see a wizard's broomstick."

"Hey, watch your words," Cedric scolded his cousin. "Or else I'll write to your aunt."

Hermione suddenly realized how they interpreted her words. She felt her cheeks warm, then she felt Ced's hand on her head, smoothing her plait made by Susan. "Don't mind them."

She just smiled at him. "Thanks. Hey, I saw you reading a book called Quidditch Through the Ages. Do they have a copy in the library, or may I borrow your -"

"You can borrow mine, anytime," he grinned broadly.

She grinned back. "Thanks... and oh, do you belong to a D.A.D.A. study group?"

Cedric released her and his hands were in his pockets again. "Yes. Why?"

"Can I join? I'm not learning anything from Professor Quirrell and I'm afraid I'm too slow. But the other classes are fine! Even History of Magic!" she said nervously.

Cedric chuckled and patted her shoulder. "It's fine, honestly. We're not learning from our new D.A.D.A. professor, either. We meet on Friday nights, just in the basement so no one would catch us after curfew. And anyway, Professor Sprout is aware of the activities, so no need to worry."

"Oh, that's good. I guess that's one of the perks of having the basement on our own," she chuckled as well.

"Hey Ced, can I join, too?" asked Susan who turned to them.

Ced faked a sneer. "In your dreams."

"Prat!"

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"Have you heard, Potter is the new Gryffindor Seeker?"

"But he's just a first-year!"

Hermione, Susan, Cedric, Ian, and Terrence, who were in the courtyard, listened very carefully to the other students chatting nearby - some Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

"Well, apparently, during the Gryffindor-Slytherin flying lesson, Malfoy taunted him and the Boy Who Lived couldn't stand being belittled, so he went after Malfoy who was a decent flyer -"

"And Professor McGonagall spotted him and suddenly, he is the new Seeker!" The person who spoke sounded bitter.

Hermione turned to her friends with a disapproving look.

"Madam Hooch was also impressed with Ced's flying skills when we were in the first year," Ian told them in a rather low voice. "She urged Professor Sprout to have him join the Quidditch team."

"Really?" she exclaimed. "What happened?"

"Well, Professor Sprout is a great follower of school rules, so knowing that no first-year joins the team, she brushed off the idea."

"I guess every Hufflepuff is a great follower of rules," commented Susan.

"Not true," Ian told them. "One of our House Legends, Newt Scamander, broke some school rules."

"But Dumbledore came to rescue him," said Cedric, lying on the grass, his hands behind his head.

"Dumbledore. If you're on his side, you can break rules, eh?" said Ian who mimicked Ced's position.

"Well, yeah. Professor McGonagall, for example. They're both Gryffindors; she's his Deputy... and Potter. Of course, the Boy Who Survived the Killing Curse."

"And then there's Professor Snape," whispered Susan.

Hermione frowned. "What about him?"

"My Aunt said he's a reformed Death Eater - You-Know-Who's follower, but then he threw himself at Dumbledore's feet to be a spy. Dumbledore vouched for him at his trial, so he wasn't sentenced to Azkaban."

"Maybe he was a double-agent," she commented, remembering one of the Muggle movies she watched with her parents before.

Her four sets of eyes turned to her. "Oh, come on! How could he be useful to Dumbledore as a spy if he didn't continue being a Death Eater? How would he know You-Know-Who's plans? So for You-Know-who, he was a spy he could use against Dumbledore; and for Dumbledore, Professor Snape was a spy of the good side. He had two masters and we don't know which one he is loyal to, and which one he fooled."

"Bloody hell! How did you know that?"

The five Hufflepuffs were all startled and they turned around only to see Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley behind them.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Ian asked the two Gryffindors angrily, stepping forward. "Why are you eavesdropping."

"We're not -"

But Ronald Weasley was cut-off by Harry Potter. "Er, we're here to ask Hermione Granger to return the book Quidditch Through the Ages in the library. I... sort of need it."

Hermione frowned and stepped forward, beside Ian. "What makes you think I borrowed it?"

"We saw you reading it outside the Potions classroom!" exclaimed Ronald Weasley.

She rolled her eyes. "It wasn't a library book. I borrowed Ced's copy."

"Oh," said Potter dumbly. "Er, sorry... We should get going." He yanked Weasley by the sleeve of his school robe and they walked away.

"Nosy brats," commented Terrence.

"I'm starting to dislike those two," she commented.

"Never mind that," said Susan who hooked her arm with hers. "Let's talk about you and Ced's birthday."

"When's my birthday?" she asked innocently.

Susan slapped her playfully. "I thought you've seen the one posted on our common room's bulletin board? That thing about September babies?"

"Yeah, Hermione," Ian quipped. "You and Ced share the same birthday. You must be soulmates," he teased.

Hermione's cheeks warmed, but she glared at her older friend.

"So, let's plan a party!" squealed Susan.

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Dear Mum and Dad,

Thank you for the birthday presents and the card you sent. Mum, as much as I love the ballet shoes you brought me, fuchsia is not my colour - Dad knows that. Good thing, Ced was adept at Charms, so I asked him to turn it to carnation pink. But still, thank you. Dad, thanks for the scarves. Love them.

Apparently, Ced and I share the same birthday! Yes! What a coincidence, right? He's exactly two years older, and we're both getting teased by our classmates for being 'old' - he's fourteen and I'm twelve.

Our friends Susan, Ian, and Terrence brought us cakes from the kitchens - they asked the kitchen staff. We ate our lunch by the lake on our birthday and our friends gave us a couple of presents. Also, at the Hufflepuff table, our housemates sang a birthday song for us. They're all nice and friendly. Of course, we're not friends with all of our housemates, but everyone's respectful. I never thought I'd find a place, a group of people in school who accepts me for who I am. Really, thank you for encouraging me to pick this house.

Talk to you again soon. Thanks again, Mum and Dad.

Love,

Hermione