IV. She's the Savior

September 6, 1975; Saturday

"Ah, Mr. Chronos. Just in time." Dumbledore said as Hermione entered his office.

"Good afternoon, sir." He greeted cheerfully. Hermione was in a good mood today. It was a Saturday, thus, his roommates were still asleep, finally leaving him alone for the first time since his arrival. Hermione didn't even know how he lasted a whole week with their pranking him left and right.

"Take a seat, Horace should be here in a few moments."

"How are we going to identify what ingredients were used in the potion, sir?" Hermione couldn't contain his curiosity. He's never heard of a spell or a potion that could do such a thing.

"Professor Slughorn is bringing a potion that will—ah, good afternoon, Horace!" he said as Slughorn shuffled into the office.

"Likewise, Albus," he nodded. He turned to Hermione and held up a vial containing pale blue potion. "We're going to be using an experimental potion, Mr. Chronos. I hope you can give us your consent?"

Hermione nodded. It wasn't like he had a choice.

"First, I must ask you, though, have you taken any other potion after your—er—transformation?"

At Hermione's negative answer, Slughorn popped open the vial and passed it to him. Hermione took it from him and eyed it warily. "Am I supposed to drink it?"

Slughorn gave a booming laugh. "Good heavens, no, child!"

"So what am I supposed to do?"

The Potions Master pulled out his wand and motioned for him to come closer. He took one of Hermione's hands. "This may sting a bit." He then murmured a spell and jabbed his wand at his hand.

It wasn't exactly painful, Hermione surmised. It was like a pin was pricking his finger.

Slughorn took her finger and squeezed it over the vial, letting droplets of Hermione's blood into the potion. He healed his wound then focused his attention on the vial in his hand.

"What now, sir?" he asked a bit apprehensively. Hermione was not used to not knowing.

"Give it a few minutes." Was his teacher's answer.

A few moments later, the potion turned dark blue. Slughorn instructed Hermione to keep on swirling the liquid until it turned to a lighter shade.

After that was accomplished, Slughorn took a quick-quotes quill, dipped it into the potion, and placed it on top of the parchment. He said a few words—a spell Hermione was going to search later—and the quill started listing down the ingredients.

"Skittles?" someone asked from behind them. Hermione started. He had forgotten that the Headmaster was actually there. He gave Dumbledore a smile before getting a few pieces of the proffered candy. He almost never had the chance to eat candy as a kid, his dentist parents made sure of that.

The quill finally stopped writing. Slughorn took the list and read through it. Hermione watched his professor's eyebrows shoot upwards as he did.

"What is it, Horace?" Dumbledore asked patiently.

"You said you were making a blood-replenishing potion?" Slughorn directed the question to Hermione. At his nod, the potions professor's expression turned disbelieving.

"Sir?"

"It's just—I have to wonder how some of these ingredients even made it to your classmate's cauldron."

Hermione took the list and read through it. Much like her professor's, his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. Slughorn was right. Some of the ingredients weren't even in the students' potions cupboard.

Ingredients

Crushed Sunbeetle eyes

Syrup of Hellbore

Newt Skin

Dried Scorpion Sting

Chopped Peppermint Leaves

Boomslang skin

Fluxweed

Ambrosia

Aconite

"If I didn't know better," Slughorn said. "I'd say someone brewed this potion on purpose."

"On purpose, sir?" Hermione asked skeptically. It would have been impossible for Neville not to have done it accidentally.

"Fluxweed, Boomslang Skin, and Ambrosia are all very rare potion ingredients—"

"I know professor, but…Neville—my classmate—wouldn't have been able to create such a potion on purpose." He defended. "As much as I don't want to admit it, sir, he's pants at Potions. He can't even create a simple boil-clearing solution!"

"He is not implying, my dear, that it was that specific classmate who made that potion." Dumbledore replied gently.

"Then what—?"

"Was there anybody, in the classroom who acted quite…suspiciously?" he interceded.

Hermione thought back to that day, but could not recall anybody who acted out of the ordinary. "No," he shook his head. "No one."

"Perhaps a pensieve?" Dumbledore directed them towards a large gold basin at the right side of his office.

"Umm, Professor?" Hermione asked timidly.

"Yes, my child?" he peered down at her through his half-moon spectacles.

"About my memories…" he shifted uncomfortably. "I don't really think that's necessary. I mean, I'm sure there was no one who did this on purpose." Sharing memories meant having them see what would happen in the future, and Hermione was quite sure that would not be a good thing for the space-time continuum.

Dumbledore gazed at him for a moment before speaking, "Very well. I understand your reluctance. Know, however, that whatever information of the future—limited as it is—that I would get from your memories will not be shared to anybody, even those who are privy to your condition."

He flushed, for some reason feeling chastised, and nodded in understanding. He then remembered his question. "Sir?" he directed at Slughorn.

The said professor turned and faced him.

"This potion…I've never heard of it, sir. It isn't even in Moste Potente Potions…"

Slughorn's smiled at him. "As I said earlier, this is an experimental potion. You wouldn't find it in any books."

"That's amazing, sir! How'd you make it? How'd you know which ingredients to mix?"

"So eager to learn. There aren't many students like you nowadays!" Slughorn beamed at him.

Hermione flushed in delight. Not many praised him for his zeal.

"I am sorry that I cannot answer, dear boy—girl," he hastily corrected himself. "For I am not the one who created this potion."

"Oh," Hermione rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly. He got too excited at the prospect of getting Potions-related answers that he didn't even consider the idea that Slughorn didn't create the potion. "Then who did, sir?"

At this question, Slughorn's smile became a full-blown grin. "One of my most talented students, Severus Snape." He said proudly.

"Wow." Was all Hermione could say in response. He was shocked still at his answer. He knew Snape was talented; he knew he had become a Potions Master at the tender age of nineteen, but nobody ever told them he was a bloody child prodigy!

"Yes, he is one of the more talented students of this year." Dumbledore agreed. "Well, if you'll excuse us, my dear, Horace and I have something to discuss. Do rethink your decision about the memory, Mr. Chronos. " he then dismissed Hermione and turned his attention to Slughorn.

Hermione descended the steps from Dumbledore's office feeling conflicted. On one hand, he wanted to tell the headmaster everything. With the knowledge he has, he could save a lot of people from dying! However…he understood the Butterfly effect. Changing one small thing could result in horrible consequences.

He paused before the portrait that led to the Gryffindor common room, deliberating. He wanted to lie down on his bed and think, but did he really want to spend the entire afternoon in the presence of the four oafs who call themselves the Marauders? Before he could make up his mind, the portrait swung open to reveal a fuming redhead.

"Lily?" Hermione asked tentatively. Lily ignored him and stomped away. He turned and stared at her retreating form.

The portrait swung open once again. This time, he found himself face-to-face with a distraught looking James Potter. Upon seeing him, James schooled his expression into that of arrogance, but Hermione had already seen the desolate look on his face.

"What?" he sneered, but there was an underlying tone of worry in his words.

"What happened to Lily?"

"That's between me and Evans." He crossed his arms.

Hermione eyed him. James was becoming exceedingly difficult. "Do you really think you would get her to go out with you by continuing what you've been doing for the past years?"

James was momentarily taken aback by his question, but soon returned to his arrogant demeanor. "No woman can resist the James Potter charm." He ruffled his hair as if to make a point.

No wonder Lily wasn't interested in him; he treated her like she was a challenge. She recalled a line from Aladdin that she wanted to repeat to James:

She's not some prize to be won!

James' progress with Lily was moving at the same pace as legless turtle. At this rate, Harry would never be born.

"Good luck then." Hermione said to him. "You're going to need a lot of it." He added in an undertone. He ran off to catch Lily, faintly hearing James' indignant squawk from the portrait entrance.

He managed to catch up to Lily just as she entered the library. As he went inside, he accidentally closed the door too loudly and received a glare from Madam Pince. Hermione sent the librarian an apologetic smile before following Lily to the secluded part of room.

Lily continued walking towards their customary table, probably not noticing that it was already occupied by one Severus Snape. To his utter surprise, Lily plopped down on the seat next to Snape and buried her head under her arms with a groan. He was even more shocked as Snape moved his seat closer to hers and patted her on the back.

"What's wrong?" Snape asked in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"He—Hogsmeade—Potter—!" she seemed to be too angry to answer coherently.

Snape chuckled lightly. "You know he's been doing that for ages. You just have to learn how to ignore him."

"Oh no, Mister!" she raised her head from the table and poked Snape on the chest. "You did not just give me advice."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean I can't give you advice."

"It's not because you're a Slytherin; it's because you're Severus." Lily laughed lightly before placing her head on Snape's shoulder. He, in turn, draped his arm over her shoulder.

"Lily…"

"Mm-hmm?"

"We're friends right?"

"Bestfriends." Lily emphasized.

"Do you want to come with me to—"

Hermione felt like he was intruding in something very personal, so he turned around to walk away.

"Daniel?" He froze in his steps and turned towards them. Lily immediately took her head off Snape's shoulder, and brushed his hand away.

"Oh, umm, hey?" Hermione rubbed his neck. Snape was looking at him sourly and he couldn't help but feel guilty.

"What're you doing here?" she asked.

"Well, I—er—needed to look through the Transfiguration book we needed for McGonagall's essay." He lied.

Lily looked confused. "But I thought you finished that essay yesterday?"

Hermione mentally kicked himself. Why, oh why, couldn't he have thought of a more plausible reason? "Oh—er—yeah, but I needed to edit something."

"All right then." Lily smiled at him. "Grab your book and come sit with us." As soon as she spoke those words, Snape's eyes flashed dangerously at him.

"No, it's all right." He replied quickly. He definitely didn't want to sit with an irate Snape, but Lily was not a person who could easily be dissuaded.

"Come on! Sev doesn't mind." She paused before adding, "do you?"

Snape smiled at her—at least, his lips twitched upward—and he shook his head.

"You see?" As soon as Lily looked away, the smile dropped from Snape's face, and he fixed him with a glare. Hermione found himself having the urge to shrink from his gaze.

"Really, it's okay."

Lily huffed. "Sev, help me out here."

Snape looked like he wanted to do anything but convince Hermione to sit at their table; however, he said, "Come sit with us."

Hermione gaped at him in shock. Not just because of his words, but also because a thought entered his mind, one that he could not wrap his mind around.

Snape fancied Lily Evans.

Professor Snape, their feared Potions Master was utterly smitten with Lily Evans, Harry's mother.

He could only imagine what Ron would say in this situation: "BLOODY HELL!"

And frankly, Hermione couldn't agree more.

"Come on, Daniel." Lily's voice snapped him out of his reverie, though he still hadn't gotten over the fact that—using Ron Weasley language—Snape was totally whipped.

"No, it's quite all right. I just—I need to do something else anyway." And Hermione all but fled the scene, wanting to put some distance between him and the two.

He came back to the library after dinner, when he was sure that Lily and Snape weren't going to be there. He had concluded that he needed to do a little research (surely he wasn't the first to travel back in time?), and the library was going to be his best friend until he found what he was looking for.

He pulled out a few books from the shelves and skimmed through them. As he finished the last book, he slammed it onto the table. They were useless.

The time-turner is the only known tool to go back in time. The traveler, though, can only go back a maximum of twelve hours. People have killed either their future or past selves blah, blah, blah! These are useless! He thought in frustration.

Hermione stifled a yawn as she cast tempus. The glowing numbers said it was half-past nine. He had thirty minutes before curfew. He spelled the books back onto their shelves and stalked out of the library.

The Restricted Section probably had more information on time traveling. To get in there, he needed to either get a pass from a teacher, or sneak around after curfew. The former would be difficult; there was no idiotic DADA teacher (read: Gilderoy Lockhart) to give it to him this time. The latter, on the other hand, was even harder, not to mention the numerous amounts of detention he would get if he got caught. He could get Dumbledore to sign his slip, but wouldn't Madame Pince be suspicious?

His thoughts wandered to the conversation he had with the Headmaster earlier. He still hadn't made a decision yet. It was oh-so tempting to inform Dumbledore of everything, but he just couldn't. He had used a time turner before, and he knew the rules.

You must not be seen.

You must not interfere.

He had already broken the first one; he should at least endeavor to follow the second.

A noise which sounded like a muffled cry snapped him out of his thoughts. He stopped in his tracks. Whoever it was probably needed his help. Did saving that person constitute as interfering? As another muffled scream tore through the air, Hermione all but ran in the direction of the sobbing. As it got louder, he noticed that the cries were accompanied with jeers and taunts. He rounded the corner and saw a group of Slytherins kicking around a lump on the ground.

"What are you doing?"

The five Slytherins started and turned around, shock flittering on their faces. He recognized them as the group that called out to Snape yesterday.

Parkinson was the first to recover. He pointed his wand at him. "Stupefy!"

Hermione erected a shield and cast back the stupefy. He rolled out of the way as Nott tried to disarm him.

"Incendio!" Avery hissed at him and Hermione's robes caught fire.

"Aguamenti!" He put out the fire on his robes.

"Confringo!" Nott shot back at him.

Hermione ducked out of the way and sent another stunner that found its mark on Goyle. Parkinson snarled and slashed down with his wand. Hermione felt hex slice his cheek. Annoyed, he decided to use his favorite tactic. "Avis!" he conjured birds. He aimed in their direction and screamed, "Oppugno!"

"Argh!" Nott growled as the birds continued pecking them. "This isn't over, mudblood!" He screamed at him before retreating. The others followed suit, leaving behind Goyle and the person they were beating up.

Hermione crouched beside the boy and rolled him over, so that he could see his face. He gasped as he recognized him.

It was Sirius Black.

A/N: Sorry for the late update! XD But here it is! :D I promise to update at least once a month. ;D Reviews please? :)

Replies to reviews:

Isabelle Francois: Changed the plot last minute. XD See? Update soon. ;D

Sweet-tang-honey: Thank you!

Rory: Thank you, dear! You are awesome as well! :D

Paritheikae: We shall see. XD

Kati: I hope you continue reading!

You go girl: Thank you! XD

Emeloo2: Thanks for reviewing! It's an awfully awkward situation for Hermione. Poor her. XD

Zeruzu: Thank you! I hope you keep reading. :D

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