Turning Back Time
Chapter Three: What is Required

"I didn't do anything," Sirius said, laughing. "This girl comes in here telling me that I'm dead and that I'm not Sirius. I think she's had a fall or something."

"I'll vouch for him on one of those accounts," James Potter said, smiling, "He most certainly isn't dead. As to whether or not he's Sirius. Well, he has been since I've known him but these things change from time to time so one can never be too sure."

"Funny, James," Sirius said with a huge grin. Hermione hadn't fully recognized the face at first. She was so used to seeing him bone thin and aged from years in Azkaban. It had never occurred to her how handsome he must've been in his youth.

"As my esteemed colleague here mentioned, I'm James," he extended his hand. She hesitated a moment before grasping it. She wanted to say I know but what would that accomplish? Then again, unless this was a very vivid dream it would take some serious work to get her back to when she belonged. "And you are...?"

Well that was an odd question. It shouldn't be though. "Hermione."

"Never seen you around here before, Hermione. Nice to meet you," Sirius shrugged. Hermione knew her only hope of finding out what year it was and how to get home was to stay with them.

"You, too," Hermione commented.

"Guess we'll see you around. We're about to head down to get something to eat," James added. "As soon as Remus gets finished prepping himself. I feel like he's going to come down with something soon."

It was a note only Sirius was supposed to catch but Hermione nodded her understanding as well. James disregarded her nod and led Sirius out of the common room.

With a great sigh, Hermione sat at one of the couches by the fireplace and thought hard. What year was it? How can you casually drop that into conversation? "Hi, sir, I've had a head injury. Mind telling me what year it is?"

Suddenly she felt very ill. She had no idea how to reverse the effect of Ron's spell. Surely such a mistake wasn't in any textbooks because it is assumed that you're not a great bumbling idiot if you're doing high-level magic. If she had to stay for any length of time, where would she live? "Excuse me headmaster but I'm a student at this school such-and-such years from now and I need to place to stay until I can figure out how to get myself out of the past. Thanks a bunch."

Headmaster. That was it! If James, Sirius, Remus and Peter are in school then Dumbledore must be here. Surely Dumbledore would believe her. For a moment she thought on that. Before she tells anyone what's going on, she needs to see if she can sort this mess out herself.

So I need some place to stay that's secret. No one can know about it but it needs to be in Hogwarts for me to be safe. Where could it be? Hermione got up and started pacing. For a moment she thought of knocking out a fellow student, stealing some hair and turning herself into someone else but that would 

be too risky. Right? The other student could be found. She wouldn't know anything about that person. And polyjuice potion takes too long to brew. What would she do in the meantime?

Then it came to her. The room of requirement. So far as she could tell, no one had used the room of requirement between the time that Voldemort attended Hogwarts and when Dumbledore's Army had secret meetings there. "Perfect!" she shouted to herself.

Behind her a mumbling, anxious, sickly looking Remus Lupin scurried by and out of the common room. The Shrieking Shack would certainly have a special guest tonight.