A/n: Ooooo, check this out and be proud. I updated this story, twice in a span of two days! (*applause*) It's a record. Anyways, please read, REVIEW, and enjoy.
Chapter 8
When Hermione arrived in Transfiguration, she found that McGonagall had moved her to the very front row, with no other students on either side of her. McGonagall then handed out an extensive pop quiz, all the while, warily and angrily eyeing Hermione.
Hermione didn't mind. It seemed the Professor still really believed her to be cheating. Hermione knew she didn't cheat, and that was enough. She kept her eyes on her paper at all times, not even daring to look up or around for fear McGonagall would dock her points anyways.
When class was over, McGonagall swished around in a huff collecting everyone's papers – done or not. She made a very audible, "Hmph!" when she came and snatched up Hermione's paper, yanking it off her desk and crunching it slightly.
Hermione merely smiled and gathered her things.
"So how was that for you?" Hermione asked Ally and Pansy as they headed to Potions. Thankfully, the two didn't further press about her mysterious letter that morning. It wasn't that Hermione didn't want to tell them, it was mostly just that she really didn't know how they would react and she wanted to talk to Sirius a little before she told her friends about him.
"Brutal!" Pansy shook her head, her face grim. "I just know I failed!"
"It was really tough. I don't know why she does that. Just pop something like that." Ally shook her head also.
Hermione really hadn't thought it had been that difficult. She'd finished in time, and had written an answer for every question except one ("Describe the changes a Mumblolo can go through" – Hermione was quite sure that one was made up, as she had never in her life heard of or read about anything titled a Mumblolo). Still, she didn't exactly want to say it was easy, so instead she murmured,
"Yes."
"Hermione? A moment, if you please." Snape said politely.
Hermione nodded and her friends stared after her, wondering what it could be this time.
"Its just about today's lesson, now run along. She'll catch up." Snape waved his hand at the other Gryffindors. "And won't you please shut the door behind you? Thank you very much."
The others reluctantly retreated to the hallway, closing the door behind them as instructed.
Snape settled behind his desk and raised one eyebrow quite high on his face. "Wish Reversal?"
Hermione sighed and sat down in a chair across from the desk. "Yes sir."
"May I ask what was your wish? It wasn't to be a good student, now, was it? Because if it was, myself – and the rest of the staff, I'm sure – would like things to stay as they are…"
"No sir. I've always been a good student. I had an entirely different life – from the way you and everyone else remembers it, at least. In that life, I found a wishing coin." Hermione explained. "I got really angry with my friends – who were Ron and Harry – and accidentally wished for everything to be different. Now it is, and I only want it to be back to the way it was before, as I remember them."
Snape slowly nodded, his fingers steepled in front of his chin as his elbows rested on the desk. "That's what Professor Dumbledore told me, I just wanted to hear it from you."
Hermione was quiet.
"Hermione, I must warn you that there are several complications involved in Wish Reversal potions. Anything ranging from too little of an ingredient to too long of a brewing time. These things can result in only half of the wish being reversed – which cane be quite catastrophic, as you can imagine – or – "
"I know sir." Hermione cut him off. "I've been reading and studying the book Professor Dumbledore gave me. I know all about the complications."
"I see." He paused briefly. "Then I assume you also know that – "
"I have to do the potion completely on my own, with no other help whatsoever, or the magical properties of certain ingredients could be distorted because I am the one who has to drink the potion." Hermione finished and smiled.
Snape smiled, looking impressed. "My, you do do your homework – now – don't you?"
Hermione smiled back. She could very easily get used to this Snape.
"Alright then. It seems this discussion has turned out to be rather pointless, then. What class do you have next?"
"Oh no!" Hermione slapped her forehead. "Transfiguration again! Professor McGonagall will be furious!" she immediately began rushing to grab her Potions things, still lying open on her desk.
"Hermione! Hermione." Snape held up his hands up to calm her mild panic. "I shall write a note excusing you and your friends." He quickly began scribbling it up and Hermione stopped jamming her things together. "Just remember, you five were staying after class to help me clean up." He handed her the note, and saw the questioning look on her face. "Your friends are right outside, I'm sure, so that is why I am excusing them also." He smiled genuinely. "If Professor McGonagall has a problem with this, I've noted for her to come see me about it."
Hermione gladly pocketed the note. "Thank you so much, Professor Snape." Hermione began speed walking towards the door but was struck with a thought. She turned around to face Snape again. "Er, Professor?"
"Yes?"
"Whatever happened to Fred and George Weasley?" she asked, half-smiling a little mischievously.
Snape was about to ask her why she didn't know herself – why was she asking – but didn't bother as their conversation moments earlier flitted through his mind. "Two of the most serious boys I've met in my life. They dropped out in their seventh year, extremely brilliant – I swear they never smiled once. They are extremely successful business lawyers. Opened their own firm and are thriving. "
Hermione held in her laughter at the image of Fred and George being serious. She started towards the door a second time, but stopped again. "A-and Percy Weasley?"
Snape sighed. "Don't tell anyone this, but – " He glanced around as if to make sure no one listening, then lowered his voice. "Honestly one of the dullest students I've ever had to teach. He's a janitor for the Ministry of Magic, and in my opinion he's lucky to even be doing that job." Snape smirked.
Hermione bit her bottom lip to keep from completely losing control of the laughter filling her up.
Snape grinned, knowing she was trying not to laugh. "You'd better get to class."
She nodded quickly, began towards the door once again, and this time did not stop. She waved over shoulder, "Thank you, Professor, again! Bye!"
Hermione scooped a pile of mashed potatoes onto her already full plate. She was very hungry, and thankfully suppertime had finally come. Right away she started shoveling in the good, hot food. She briefly thought about her day, and how it had been one of the best days so far, despite McGonagall's pop quiz and delayed rage at their being late. She had read the note, gone a little red in the face, taken five points from Gryffindor anyways, and then given the entire class a mountain of homework.
"Oy! Hermione!" someone called.
Hermione quickly took a drink, swallowed and turned around to see who had addressed her.
Cedric weaved through the people finally filing into the Great Hall for supper before he reached the Gryffindor table.
"Hey." He panted ever so slightly.
"Hey." She smiled, feeling her cheeks go a little pinker.
"About those study sessions… I was thinking tomorrow after supper, in the library. Say… 7:00? Does that sound all right to you?"
Hermione thought for a moment. No Quidditch… homework she could do a different time… "Yes, that sounds good. I'll see you then." She answered.
"All right then, good. See you later!" Cedric grinned and then made his way to the Ravenclaw table.
Hermione ignored stares from her friends. Honestly, couldn't they leave her alone? She felt instantly guilty at the thought, however, and took it back in her mind. 'They're just being my friends.'
She turned to Greg and Vinny and smiled. "So, when's our next Quidditch practice?"
Later that night, shortly before bedtime, Hermione decided to send a letter back to Sirius. She sat on her bed in the dorm, with parchment, quill, ink and flashlight, as she didn't feel like being in the well-lit Common Room at that moment.
She thought for a moment – what to say? Then, slowly, she began her letter.
"Dear Sirius,
I got your letter, and I'm sure you can imagine just how shocked I was! I nearly fainted (not quite, but close). I am extremely happy to hear from you, for several different reasons."
She didn't exactly want to write those reasons down, however, because she did not like the sounds of them. 'I'm glad you're not dead, I'm glad you're here….' No, just didn't sound right. Hermione continued.
"Things are 180 degrees different. I'm still in Gryffindor, but Harry and Ron are not, and are not my friends. It is very to hard to see them as I know Draco Malfoy, and Malfoy as I know Harry. To explain: Harry and Ron call me things like filth and other unmentionable names, where as Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson and the lot are my best friends! According to Malfoy, I was dating him! I can't even imagine.
Here is another interesting bit. I'm a Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. It's a laugh, because I've never played Quidditch before, so I'm basically learning it all over again. Thankfully I seem to be a fast learner. Cedric tells me I was – am – brilliant. That's another thing: Cedric Diggory is alive (because there's no Voldemort, obviously) and we're becoming quite close.
Professor Snape is about the nicest guy you'll ever meet – other than Filch, that is. You ought to meet them. It is extremely hard to believe that they could be nice and cheerful unless you see it first hand. But Professor McGonagall is the worst. She's downright horrible, and I recommend staying away from her!"
She wanted to add in there that she was trying to reverse the spell, but for reason felt she shouldn't mention that maybe just yet.
"I hope you are doing well. Maybe you and I could talk sometime? Either by Floo, Hogsmeade… etc…. Anyways, talk to you soon.
Sincerely,
Hermione"
She was just about to fold it up, but decided to add just one more thing.
"P.S. I talked to Snape today and found out that Fred and George Weasley are very, very serious business men, and Percy is a dull-minded janitor for the Ministry!"
She briefly read over her letter. She didn't like how some parts of it sounded, but she didn't care to fix it either. At the moment she had put the letter in and envelope and addressed it, Ally entered the dorm.
"Hey, can I borrow your owl?" Hermione asked.
"Sure." Ally nodded and retrieved her salt-n-pepper owl, Jesabelle.
Hermione jotted a note that she was using Ally Minstrel's owl, then tied the letter to the owl's leg. "Sirius Black." She said quietly, and released it out the window.
She turned around and Ally laughed slightly. "Think he's going to write back?"
Hermione knit her eyebrows. "Yes… why wouldn't he?"
"Oh, c'mon Hermione. I doubt somebody like him answers all his fan-mail."
Hermione shook her head. "What? I don't know what your talking about."
Ally made a skeptical grunting sound.
"What do you mean, 'fan-mail'?"
Ally put a hand on her hip. "Sirius Black? Duh!"
Hermione chuckled. "Oh, no. You got it wrong. I know him personally."
Ally laughed out loud. "Yes, you and every other wishes too."
Hermione shook her head a little. "No, really, I do!"
"Suuuure. Me too."
"I do!" Hermione threw her hands up.
"Then when he writes back, you can prove it to me." Ally flipped her hair slightly, and crawled onto her bed.
Hermione shook her head again. "Fine then, I will. You'll see."
"Whatever you say."
A/n: Nice, looong chapter again. Liked it? Hated it? Let me know.