DISCLAIMER: I HAVE NO RIGHTS TO HARRY POTTER.
CHAPTER TWO: COMPLEXITIES
A/N: This is an edit of the original chapter. The edits for further chapters of this story might take a while, so do not be confused by the difference between the quality of the writing for the first two chapters of this story and the rest. This story was written at a very young age, therefore it's filled with MANY grammatical errors and in bad chapter planning in general. My writing may still be terrible, but it has improved, so yeah.
Hermione stood up from the ground with her mind spinning in both confusion and awe. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before her. Hogwarts, complete, untouched, unaltered, a perfect replica of the greatness it had once contained, stood before her. She wondered how far back in time Bellatrix had sent her, she guessed around a week or so. Completely intrigued, Hermione began to walk towards the castle entrance, stopping as she sighted two figures moving towards her at an alarmingly fast rate. Her initial thought was that it was Death Eaters, but the lack of curses coming her way banished the idea. Her second thought, although less likely, was students trying to escape, but the calm composure of the figures deterred that idea as well. Finally, she thought of teachers, but why were they moving so fast? She squinted to get a better view of them as they neared her, the dark sky was a problem, but the light from the moon was just enough for her to see the young, smiling face of Albus Dumbledore, and the rather grim one of the former headmaster, Dippet.
Hermione awoke to find herself staring at the blank white ceiling of the Hogwarts hospital wing. She shuffled under the light blanket and groaned at the pain that shot through her body, she realised that she hadn't relaxed in such a way in a while, and her body was now feeling the effects of being extremely overworked. She slowly turned her head to the side and was startled to find the smiling young face of Albus Dumbledore. He sat it a chair right next to her bedside and was slightly slumped over, he straightened up when he found her looking at him.
"Ah, I see you're awake," he said, Hermione was surprised by the cheer in his voice, she hadn't heard such cheer in a long time. "You gave us quite a shock," he chuckled and Hermione nodded in agreement. Why wouldn't she? She looked like death and probably smelled like it, too, the fact that she had blood and dirt all over her didn't help to lighten the situation.
He clasped his hands together and smiled, Hermione had missed his smile. "Do you happen to know where you are?"
Hermione frowned inwardly, she'd just come from the future and had absolutely no idea where in time she was, should she know where she was? And even if she told him she knew where she was, how'd she got here and why was she here? She had absolutely no way of telling him anything or answering his questions. Should she pretend that she was mute, no, that wouldn't work, what then? She resolved to shaking her head.
He nodded, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Well, do you know what year it is?" Hermione was stumped, but how could she not know what year it was, wouldn't that just seem absolutely strange? She nodded.
He smiled again. "Could you perhaps, if it's no trouble that is, tell me what your name is and where you are from?"
She nodded, pushing herself into a sitting position. She was going to tell a lie, and boy was it going to be a scrambled one.
"My name is Hermione Bellove," she crocked, she was parched, but she wasn't going to stall. She swallowed and proceeded with her fib. "I-I'm seventeen years old and I'm from France. I do not know exactly where I am or, or how I got here, but I do know that I'm somewhere in Britain in the wizarding world. I, uh, I had to," well she didn't know about that part but It'd seem odd if she didn't. "I had to get away from-"
"The war," Dumbledore said slowly. Hermione was confused, war? "Grindelwald, he recently attacked France, I'm sorry you had to go through such an unfortune." His smile was gone, and he hung his head in an odd way. "Well," he looked up at her. "Nevermind that for now, you're safe."
Hermione nodded but inside her head wheels were turning, war, Grindelwald? He attacked France in 1943, so that would mean...no. Was that even possible? Time turners could go back that far, could they?
"Miss Bellouve?"
Hermione looked up to see Dumbledore looking at her concerned. "Sorry, yes?
"I'm Albus Dumbledore but you may call me Professor Dumbledore, you are currently in Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And today is Monday the Thirteenth, 1943."
Hermione nodded, her skin paling. So it is true, its 1943 and I'm not going to be able to leave any time soon. Dear Merlin, why me? But on second thought, it was 1943, that meant that Voldemort...Voldemort was still a child, her age in fact and attending Hogwarts. If she could somehow convince Dumbledore to let her stay and attend Hogwarts, she could easily, well, perhaps not easily, but she could try to stop him from becoming who he was so determined on becoming. Perhaps she could stop the war from ever happening, Harry from losing his parents, anyone from losing anything, and Draco...stop Draco from dying. The two sat in a comfortable silence as Hermione pondered over how she could convince Dumbledore to let her stay, she knew that this was a thing done often in Hogwarts, letting orphaned, homeless children reside in the castle and continue their education, so perhaps the same could be done for her.
Just as Dumbledore was about to leave, Hermione called out to him. "Professor?" She asked, he turned around to face her.
"Yes, child?"
"Do you think it'd be possible if I could stay here? I don't have anywhere to go an-"
""Of course you can, Hogwarts is open to all." He winked and walked out. Hermione sighed in relief and leaned back.
She surveyed her aching body. Bandages were wrapped around wounds that she'd been too busy to heal, most of them caused by dark magic and although Hermione was certain that the medi-witch had done all she could, her remedies would not suffice. She'd have to heal them herself once she got out of the hospital wing. They all stung but none stung as much as the one on her arm, the one that she'd never forget was there. She slowly peeled back he bandages on her arm to stare at the large jagged letters, she'd use magic to cover it from view but it'd never heal. She started at it, tears pricking at the back of her eyes, it was a constant reminder of what she had been through and what she'd continue to go through. A reminder of what she was to the wizarding world, a mudblood.
XXX
Hermione was dressed in Hogwarts attire, the only thing missing from her uniform was a house badge and tie. Dumbledore would be arriving shortly to escort her to her sorting in Dippet's office. She thought it unnecessary, seeing as she already knew what her house was, Gryffindor. After the sorting she was to take an exam to place her into an appropriate year and then given a timetable.
Dippet differed in many ways to Dumbledore. Hermione picked up on that the minute she walked into the office and shook his hand. He was cold, impatient, he wanted things done, and he didn't care which way they went. His office was the same as him, old and grey. The sorting hat was already set out for her next to a stool, Dippet guided her towards it. She sat upon the stool and her placed the hat on her head, muttering some words underneath her breath. Hermione let out a sigh, it was nerve wrecking to have the old thing looking through her head.
"My, my what do we have here?" Its voice ran through her mind. "You've been through so much child, it's a wonder why you're here. Oh I see, a time traveller are you?"
Hermione closed her eyes and clenched her fists, this was simply infuriating.
"Perhaps Ravenclaw, you are truly brilliant...no, you're brave too, very brave. Gryffindor?"
Hermione nodded, "Yes, Gryffindor."
The hat chortled, "No, no not Gryffindor and most definitely not Hufflepuff. You're on a mission aren't you, one that you want to accomplish so very much?"
"Yes, but-"
"No buts child, my job is to place students into houses where their skills can be put to use, Gryffindor will not do that for you, no it won't"
"Please-"
"No dear, no, no, no," the hat chortled once more. "I believe it'll be best to put you in Slytherin, don't you think so?"
"N-"
"Well, I do so, SLYTHERIN!" The hat yelled. Hermione scowled inwardly, son of a bi-. Her train of thought was cut off by Dipppet clapping his hands together and smiling, no, more like leering, at her.
"Well," he said. "There we have it."
Hermione turned to see Dumbledore smiling at her as well. She hopped off the stool placing the hat onto the stool, wanting to wring it but refraining.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Bellove," said Dumbledore. "Now you shall be taking a few tests to set an appropriate timetable for you and to pick your subjects, so if you don't mind," Dumbledore gestured at a desk on the far left of the office, "please sit."
Hermione obliged and walked over to the desk, Dippet then handed her her first test which was followed by many others. She didn't mind, she had missed the serenity of school work no matter how odd it sounded. She completed them all within a time span of about three hours, she was certain she passed them all. Dippet nodded at her.
"These shall be marked and graded and shortly after you shall be given your timetable. As for now, Dumbledore shall take you to meet your head of house."
"Thank you," she said and walked over to Dumbledore. Dumbledore nodded down at her and escorted her out of the office.
XXX
"Your house head is Professor Slughorn, if you have any enquiries about your house you should go to him. He is also your potions teacher," Dumbledore explained to an oblivious Hermione. She nodded along to his words but wasn't listening, she just looked around her, fascinated by the fact that she was in a perfectly unaltered Hogwarts. The two finally reached Slughorn's office, Dumbledore knocked on the door gently and waited for Slughorn's reply. It wasn't long before he shouted for them to come in.
Dumbledore opened the door and Hermione's eyes landed on a boy sitting opposite Slughorn who was at his desk. He was handsome, his raven hair was perfectly done and his blue eyes sparkled in a way that deterred you from looking directly into them. This boy that Hermione recognised as none other than Tom, fucking, Riddle.
It was hard but she forced a smile.
XXX
The girl's smile was fake. That was the first thought that entered Tom's mind when he laid eyes on her. It was obvious to anyone who looked at her, it faltered too often, she showed too little teeth, and she kept digging her fingernails into the flesh of her palm. Hatred radiated off of her and Tom couldn't help but feel that it was directed at him.
From the little he heard she was a transfer from France and had just been sorted into Slytherin, but what ticked him off was that she was a mudblood. A god-damned mudblood. In Slytherin. He fantasised about where her body would be found after the other house members found out. It'd be fun to see her die. She looked nothing like a Slytherin, more like a damned Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw, she fumbled too often ad couldn't seem to keep herself straight, odd. The more she fumbled the more infuriated he became, perhaps he'd just…
"Tom m'boy," came Slughorn's rather annoyingly jolly voice, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Would you mind taking Miss Bellouve here on a quick tour of the castle before dinner?"
What? Of course, he didn't but it wasn't a question, it was something he was expected to do. He had to.
"Not at all Professor," he replied smoothly, getting off of his chair and walking over to the trio. "Nice to meet you, Miss Bellouve,"
"Pleasure's all mine," she replied, the sneer behind her tone was not completely concealed.
"I'm Tom Riddle," he held out his hand, she took it begrudgingly shaking it before dropping it back to her side.
"We best get a move one, we don't have long before dinner."
"Lead the way."
Tom walked out of the office and Hermione followed him, scowling at his back.
XXX
Ten minutes till dinner. Tom had shown Hermione part of the castle, Hermione thought it unnecessary and had simply nodded at everything he said. Tom had tried to be friendly to her, no matter how hard it was for him, but Hermione shut him down whenever he asked her anything although she had been equally polite.
They entered the great hall as Tom explained that it was currently Christmas break and that most of the students had left to be with their families. Hermione nodded, not looking at him. She walked with him to the Slytherin table, and they both sat down and proceeded to eat in silence.
XXX
Tom surveyed the girl closely as they ate. She was an oddity that he couldn't quite describe, she made no moves to talk to him and seemed to be dead set on ignoring him. He couldn't comprehend why. When she moved, she was stiff, as if it hurt and when she talked, she talked softly as if that hurt too. There was a mysterious aura around her that bothered him extremely. He'd have usually decoded a person by now, but she, she wouldn't let him do that. It made him hate her more.
XXX
Hermione wanted nothing more than to curl up in nice warm sheets and sleep, undisturbed by the terrors of war. She supposed that the only upside of being back in Hogwarts was the serenity of it all. But as Tom walked with her down to the dungeon, she couldn't help but feel that perhaps she'd die before her mission even went into action, she could tell he disliked her and although the feelings were mutual, she knew that his hatred was uncontrollable. She was conflicted, and this time around she had no one to help her.
She raised an eyebrow as they came to a standstill, staring at a wall.
"Wha-" she began but stopped herself.
Tom turned to her, raising an eyebrow before turning to face the wall again. "Salazar," he muttered and the wall slid open, revealing the slightly eerie Slytherin common room. She followed him in, taking in her surroundings with both awe and fear. The walls were rough and stone, black leather chairs were situated in comfortable places, high emerald green curtains hung from closed windows and high backed armchairs were set in front of the fireplace. It wasn't as comforting as the Gryffindor common room but it was more comforting than she thought it'd be. Oddly enough, she liked it.
Tom walked her to the stairs that led up to the girls dormitory and nodded at the door at the landing.
"Up there you'll find your belongings, unless you have yet to buy them and it that case I suppose you better talk to Dumbledore," he said, his tone had changed, he sounded slightly impatient. He sensed that she realised this and smiled at her, he had a nice smile. Hermione believed that she would have fallen for that smile had she not known what lay beneath it.
She nodded at him and proceeded to walk up the stairs.
XXX
Tom held back a sneer as he watched her disappear into the girl's dormitory. Strange girl he thought, very strange indeed.
XXX
While Hermione lay in bed that night she thought of a plan. She had to be rational and not stupid, but in this case she couldn't tell sense from its opposite. She was confused, she knew that anything she planned would be stupid either way. She couldn't kill him, she knew that much, but then again what could she do? Frustrated, she turned onto her side and closed her eyes, hoping that some proper sleep would help clear her mind.