During the week following the Halloween dance, much speculation was going on about what had made Dumbledore end that night early. No one knew for sure, but it was widely suspected to be connected with the expulsion of a sixth year Slytherin.
"I just know it had something to do with those Slytherins," James ranted to the others in the Gryffindor common room. "They didn't want the dance to happen in the first place because it was Muggle-themed. Most of them boycotted it, refused to dress up in Muggle costumes."
"A girl from Hufflepuff told me there were a few Slytherins waiting in line behind her to get into the dance," Kirsten chimed in. "She said they weren't dressed up in real costumes, just their regular school uniforms and white masks. They must not have passed Filch and McGonagall's inspection, though, because she said she never saw them inside after that."
"They probably only wanted to get in so they could pull one of their so-called pranks," surmised Lily.
"I'm glad they didn't get the chance," Kirsten replied. "I'm glad McGonagall foiled their plans."
"Maybe they changed plans," Remus suggested. "Once they were denied entry to the dance, they must have been upset. Maybe they tried something else."
"I heard a fourth year boy from Ravenclaw, a Muggle-born, was hurt that night," Marcia said. "He's still in the Hospital Wing, but his friends have no clue how it happened. You don't think—?"
"Of course," said Sirius. "The Slytherins did it! That's why that guy was expelled— he got caught. He must be attacking Muggle-borns because he's trying to get into You-Know-Who's circle."
Hermione sat in silence as the group speculated about the incident. She had almost forgotten that in this time Voldemort was alive and a great threat. He had prodigious power and was gaining more and more followers, more and more Death Eaters. People were disappearing and the wizarding world was afraid, unsure of who to trust. Times were dark, especially for Muggle-borns like her.
She looked over at Peter. He wasn't partaking in the conversation either. Hermione remembered James saying at the dance that Peter wasn't coming, that he hadn't dressed up. Was it because he was already aligning himself with the future Death Eaters in Slytherin House? Had he participated in their latest prank? Had he already become a traitor to his supposed best friends? She couldn't help but feel a deep revulsion for the rat at the moment, a strong surge of anger for his future betrayal and the deaths he would cause. Worse still was the knowledge that she couldn't and shouldn't do a thing about it.
Hermione tried not to think too much about Voldemort over the next few days because it terrified her whenever she did. Was she in danger? What if a Death Eater from her time had known she'd been an integral part in bringing about the downfall of Voldemort and had cursed her back to this time in order to kill her? But if he'd had the opportunity to curse her at Harry's party, why hadn't he just killed her then?
Maybe he'd sent her back to 1977 hoping that her presence would alter the timeline of events from that date forward, which could possibly work to Voldemort's advantage. But if the Death Eater had figured out a way to send people back in time, surely he would have figured out a better scheme for his time traveling discovery. He would have come up with a better plan to ensure that Voldemort and the Death Eaters had never fallen from power in the first place, that Harry Potter had never been born. Hermione didn't understand how her presence here would prevent Harry from being born. That plan didn't make sense.
Like every other time she'd pondered how and why she'd been sent back in time, her head began to hurt and she became frustrated with the lack of answers. Fortunately, Saturday provided a helpful distraction from her thoughts on Voldemort and the questions she had about her time travel. It was a Hogsmeade weekend.
Saturday morning, Remus and Sirius joined Hermione, Marcia, and Kirsten as they walked the path from Hogwarts to the nearby wizarding village. Lily and James had gone ahead of them. They planned on spending the day alone together.
"This is Jean's first time in Hogsmeade," Kirsten informed the boys. "We want to show her everything."
"Where should we start?" Marcia asked. "Honeydukes or—?"
"Let's go to Zonko's first," Sirius said. "They have some new products I want to check out."
And so they went to the joke shop and amused themselves for a while, browsing through the large variety of potions and charmed objects designed to produce laughter and hilarious humiliations.
"What are you doing with that?" Marcia asked Kirsten when she'd caught her contemplating a love potion.
"Nothing," Kirsten replied, hastily stuffing the product back on its shelf. "I was only looking."
Marcia grinned at her. "Sure you were."
"I know they don't work anyway. I just thought it might be fun to try it on someone… you know, just for a laugh…" Kirsten mumbled.
"Maybe on someone from Hufflepuff? A boy named Jeremy, perhaps?"
"You know I wouldn't."
Hermione lost track of their conversation. Some wizarding money gleaming on a nearby counter caught her attention. Somebody had left behind a few Sickles and a couple of Galleons. She looked around the shop, wondering to whom the coins belonged, but no one seemed to be aware that they were missing anything. She looked back at the coins. The Galleons appeared strange to her. She thought the wizarding money in 1977 must be different than the currency she was used to in the 1990s. She was about to pick up a Galleon to examine it more closely, her hand reached out and she was centimeters from it, but then—
"Don't touch that," Remus warned, and his fingers enclosed around hers, preventing her contact with the coin just in the nick of time.
Startled, Hermione asked, "Why? What is it?"
"The coins, they're not real. They're a product," Remus explained. "You drop one on the floor and wait for somebody to see it and pick it up, and when they touch it, it gives them an electric shock. It doesn't hurt much, but it'll make your hair look an awful mess."
"Oh. I wouldn't want that," Hermione said.
She thanked him for saving her from that embarrassment, but he hadn't exactly saved her from getting shocked. The feel of his hand over hers was producing a different kind of electricity, a much more pleasant kind. She glanced down at their touching hands and Remus, realizing he was still holding her, promptly released his grip.
"What is that?" they heard Marcia ask over in the next aisle.
"Truth or Dare Potion," Sirius answered. "It says on the label here that it's a wizard's supplement to the Muggle game. Do you know how to play?"
"Yeah, of course. I've played that loads of times. Haven't you?"
"No, but it sounds like it could be fun. It says the participants of the game have to drink some of this potion before they begin play to ensure that they honestly tell nothing but the truth and to bind them to carry out any dares they are assigned. This has the potential to be extremely entertaining. What say you, Remus?"
Remus agreed, and Sirius bought the potion.
After Zonko's they visited a few more shops around Hogsmeade, and everywhere they went the shop owners seemed to know Remus and Sirius. Hermione noticed the two Marauders were given special treatment. They were either treated with more friendly familiarity than the other students, like at Zonko's, or they were regarded with a higher measure of distrust. The old couple who owned Honeydukes were amongst those who were especially nice to them. The woman seemed very fond of Remus in particular. When Hermione told that to Remus, he smiled.
"She's only nice to me because I'm one of her best customers. I nearly wipe them out of chocolate every time I'm here."
After they'd all stocked up on sweets from Honeydukes, Kirsten excitedly announced to Hermione, "It's time for the Shrieking Shack."
Hermione glanced at Remus. "The Shrieking Shack?"
"It's the abandoned house at the end of the road there, the one that's all boarded up," said Kirsten, pointing it out to her. "It's one of the most haunted places in all of Britain. You have to see it, come on."
They made their way over to the ominous looking house but stopped quite a distance away from it.
"No one ever goes any closer than this," Kirsten said, looking scared.
"Whatever lives in that shack, you definitely don't want to meet it," Marcia told Hermione.
"The villagers say that violent spirits reside there," Kirsten went on. "They say they often hear screaming, thrashing and crashing, and howls of pain…"
They stood there quietly for a few moments, waiting for the spirits to make their presence known, and Hermione glanced over at Remus. He was staring up at the Shrieking Shack broodingly. If the girls only knew that he was the one who haunted the place, that the screams that the villagers heard were his as he transformed into a werewolf every full moon…
"Enough of this," Sirius said, sounding bored. "The spirits or whatever are obviously taking a nap or something. Let's go get some butterbeer."
They headed over to the Three Broomsticks. The boys went to get drinks while the girls searched for an empty table in the popular pub. They found one at the corner of the room and sat down.
"Look at Sirius," Kirsten said. "He's flirting with Madam Rosmerta again."
Hermione looked over at the counter where the curvy bar lady was laughing at something Sirius was saying.
Marcia looked annoyed. "She shouldn't be encouraging him like that. He's too young for her."
"She's not so much older than us," Kirsten said fairly. Marcia scowled and Kirsten quickly added, "But she obviously doesn't take him seriously. He amuses her, that's all."
"Right," Marcia said and glowered at the beautiful Madam Rosmerta.
Kirsten caught Hermione's eye, and they both raised their eyebrows. Marcia caught their look.
"What?" she snapped.
"Nothing," Kirsten said innocently.
"I know it's not nothing. If you want to say something, then say it."
"What do you care if Madam Rosmerta's interested in Sirius or not?"
"I don't. I just think that since he's still a student, and she's—"
"You fancy him, don't you?" Kirsten interrupted.
"What? No!" Marcia exclaimed, looking horrified. "He's Sirius!"
"What do you think, Jean? Does she fancy him?" Kirsten asked with a grin.
Hermione smiled. "I think so."
"I do not!" Marcia exclaimed again.
"You do not what?" Sirius asked as he and Remus reached their table with the drinks.
"Nothing," Marcia said and took the butterbeer he offered her, blushing slightly. Hermione knew it must be true now—Marcia never blushed. She caught Kirsten's eye again and laughed.
"Oh, I'm not the only one, Jean," Marcia shot at Hermione.
"I don't—" Hermione began.
"Not him. His friend," Marcia said pointedly. "The one that's with him right now."
She was obviously referring to Remus, and Hermione felt her face warm up. It was Marcia's turn to grin.
"So it's true?" Marcia asked, her eyes lighting up.
"I don't," Hermione told her as composedly as she could. She could feel Remus watching her curiously and tried not to look his way.
"I don't believe you," Kirsten said, smiling at her.
"What in Merlin's soggy bottoms are you girls talking about?" Sirius demanded.
"Nothing," the three girls said in unison, and then they burst out in giggles.
Hermione saw Remus and Sirius exchange bemused expressions and she, Marcia, and Kirsten laughed even harder.
"So, how did your date with James go?" Hermione asked Lily later that evening in the Head Girl's dormitory.
Lily smiled dreamily.
"It was lovely," she said. She put down her magazine to face Hermione on the couch. "But tell me, what were Sirius and Remus talking about at dinner? They said you, Marcia, and Kirsten had a crazy laughing fit at the Three Broomsticks, and they didn't know what was going on or what to do."
"They almost caught us talking about how Marcia fancies Sirius," Hermione told Lily, and the redhead gaped at her.
"She finally admitted she likes him?"
"Not exactly."
"She's still denying it, is she?" Lily rolled her eyes. "That girl is so stubborn."
"How long has she liked him?"
"I'm not sure. I only realized it a few weeks ago. I brought it up to her, but she denied it adamantly. I think she's embarrassed about it."
"Why would she be embarrassed? You said so yourself that most girls can't help but fall for him."
"Marcia doesn't like to be like most girls. And Sirius is exactly the kind of guy she normally despises. He goes out with girls but never seems to take them seriously. Darla for example."
"They broke up at the dance, didn't they?"
"According to Sirius, they were never together." Lily sighed. "I don't know. I think Sirius is a good guy, but he's just having his fun right now. He hasn't gone out with the right kind of girl, one he could really fall for."
"Do you think Marcia could be that girl? Do you think Sirius is interested in her?"
"I don't know. I'll see what I can get out of James. But even if he was and he asked her out, I think Marcia would be too afraid of getting hurt to say yes."
"I think she could be good for him, though," Hermione said thoughtfully. "She wouldn't put up with any nonsense from him. She'd straighten him out a little."
Lily agreed, and the two girls went back to doing their own activities: Lily filling out a quiz in a magazine and Hermione reading a book.
After a while, Lily broke the silence and asked Hermione casually, "What do you think of Remus?"
"How do you mean?" Hermione asked, her eyes going still on the page she was on. Had Marcia and Kirsten relayed to Lily their suspicions about her feelings for him?
"He's a nice guy, right?" the redhead asked, turning the magazine upside down to look at the answers to the quiz. "He's intelligent and kind, and handsome, don't you think?"
"Yeah, I suppose he is," Hermione replied, trying to sound indifferent.
"Well," Lily said, still peering at her magazine while Hermione fidgeted in her seat, "I think he fancies you."
Hermione's book fell out of her hands and crashed to the floor.
"What?"
Lily grinned at Hermione's reaction. She put down her magazine a second time to face the brunette.
"I think Remus fancies you," she repeated, watching Hermione closely.
Hermione could do nothing but stare at her friend, dumbfounded. She'd spent so much energy trying to contain her own feelings for Remus that she hadn't ever considered the possibility that he could have feelings for her.
"W-what makes you think that?" Hermione stammered after a few stunned moments.
"He asked you to dance at Halloween."
"He also asked Kirsten," Hermione noted, unable to hide the hint of jealousy in her voice.
"No, he didn't."
"I saw them dancing."
"He didn't ask her. I was there. Kirsten asked him. But he did ask you to dance, didn't he?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything. He was probably just being polite. I was sitting by myself, and he—"
"He asked you because he wanted to dance with you, because he likes you," Lily interrupted. Then, she added thoughtfully, "It's strange actually, Remus liking someone. You see, he doesn't date much."
"He doesn't? Why not?" Hermione asked, much more interested in the subject than she wanted to admit.
"Dunno. It's not for lack of admirers. Kirsten had a huge crush on him back in fourth year, but she was too shy at the time to do anything about it. I don't think Remus ever realized it. And you know Rachel from Ravenclaw?"
The image of a pretty, dark-haired girl came to Hermione's mind, and she nodded.
"She had a major thing for him last year," Lily told her. "She flirted with him relentlessly during Charms class."
Hermione felt a sudden surge of antipathy toward the flirty Ravenclaw. "Did they ever go out?"
"I don't think so. Remus is more reserved than the other guys, and I think all her attentions made him a little uncomfortable actually. He didn't seem interested in her, but I know he likes you, Jean. I can tell. He's always hanging around with you during class and in the library—"
"We're study partners," Hermione explained. "McGonagall assigned him to help me get caught up in my classes."
"But you're all caught up now, aren't you? And you still study together."
"We have the same classes, and we're friends. It makes sense for us to do homework together sometimes."
"You're together nearly all the time. Remus has always been a dedicated student, but James said he never studied this much until you got here. He studies way more now, and it's because he wants to spend more time with you. And haven't you seen the way he looks at you? He definitely likes you."
Lily seemed so sure of it, but Hermione could hardly fathom the idea and what it could mean if it were true.
"And I think you like him too. Don't you?" Lily asked, observing her closely.
"I…" Hermione looked away from her and answered dishonestly. "I haven't thought about him as anything more than a friend."
"If you did, what would you say?"
"It would be entirely inappropriate," Hermione said without thinking.
Lily looked confused. "How would it be inappropriate? You're both single."
Of course she didn't understand. Lily didn't know the complicated nature of the situation, and Hermione couldn't tell her.
"I don't think it would be a good idea," Hermione said simply. "Things are fine the way they are. He's a good friend."
"What if he's an even better boyfriend?" Lily suggested.
Hermione shrugged, starting to feel aggravated. She imagined Remus would be a great boyfriend, but she knew he couldn't be her boyfriend.
"Well, I think you two would make a cute couple," Lily told her. "I think you're perfect for each other."
Hermione gave her a look. Lily raised her hands and eyebrows and said, "Just saying."
Hermione laughed suddenly, surprising the redhead.
"Oh, Lily. Sometimes you remind me of a friend of mine from my old school," Hermione said, thinking of Ginny. "If she were here, she would be pushing me on this too."
Lily smiled. "It's what a good friend would do."
She returned to her magazine, and Hermione picked up her book from the floor. She tried to resume her reading, but she was too distracted. Were her feelings for Remus that obvious? Sirius, Marcia, Kirsten, and Lily had all guessed that she liked him. And if Sirius and Lily knew, James probably knew as well. And if they all knew, then did Remus know too? Oh goodness, she hoped not. Sirius had once told her that Remus wasn't very perceptive when it came to these things, and she hoped he was right.
Could Lily be right? She seemed sure in her belief that Remus liked her, but Hermione hardly dared to think so. Could it be possible, though? She didn't know. He did spend a lot of time with her, and he certainly was very nice to her… But he was kind to everyone. Did he treat her any differently than the other girls? Did he look at her any differently? Hermione had failed to notice if he had, but Lily claimed he did. What if he did like her? The thought gave her a warm, glowing feeling…
But what did it even matter? Suppose it were true and Remus did fancy her. What if he asked her out? Despite what she wanted, Hermione knew she'd have to say no. It would be wrong of her to date him now (especially without the knowledge and consent of the Remus in her time) given their relationship (unbeknownst to the teenage Remus) in the future. He was her professor and nearly twenty years her senior. The bottom line was she couldn't be with him, not in this time nor in the future. If Remus truly did like her now, it would only make that reality all the more heartbreaking to accept. It would be better, easier, if he didn't have any feelings for her at all. That way there would be no chance for Hermione to be put in a position in which she'd be forced to refuse him.