Here is the second chapter! There is a lot of dialogue in the flashback, but there was just a lot of information I wanted to be said. I'm almost done with chapter 3, so be looking for that one soon!
Thanks so much for reading!
Thank you to my wonderful beta Orodruin. You are awesome.
-EmLights
::::
:::
::::
Chapter 2: New Beginnings
::::
*Flashback*
Hermione cleared her throat and caught the attention of her three companions. "I want to discuss more about what will happen after we perform the ritual. As you know, we are planning to go back far enough to have time before Voldemort returns, so Harry will be the only one capable of doing magic for a while… we all have to be mindful of this. Going back to being six and eight," Hermione winced, "will not be the most fun for any of us, but we will have to make due." Hermione turned to the twins, who suddenly sat up straight and stared at her with rapt attention.
Hermione had taken to commanding some of the more important aspects of the timeline they were planning to change. It was only a few days before the ritual would be conducted, and Hermione was only able to calm herself by telling the other three what they needed to accomplish.
"Fred and George, first thing you two need to do is work out how to expose Wormtail. I'm sure the two of you can figure out a way to spend a day at the Ministry."
"My sleeping potion will work marvelously for this little escapade," George stated with a wry grin.
"Yes, that's perfect. Just make sure that it will last for at least a day, just in case. We have gone over the layouts of the ministry multiple times, and you know the best route for you to take to the MLE without being caught."
"George and I can take some of our notice-me-not potions that we created for our Can't Find Me candies. No one will see us until we want them to." The twins really were geniuses in their inventions.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "Now, Amelia Bones will definitely want some proof before she puts any stock in your story, but I know you guys have discussed what you are going to say, and you two are such good liars that I don't have any real worries about that."
Fred and George wore identical grins, and Hermione rolled her eyes before continuing. "Make sure you at least include Sirius's name in your story."
"Don't worry Hermione. We already have the perfect story that will have Sirius free before Dad can even figure out we have disappeared." George proclaimed confidently.
::::
"Harry, you will need to find a base of operations for us to use. I don't know what exactly you plan to tell your Aunt so that she will allow you to stop attending school and leave the house for long periods of time, but I'm trusting you can handle that. I've been researching ways for you to be able to stay away from the house permanently without the blood wards failing, and I found a pretty simple answer in this." She reached over to show him an old grey book titled Blood Wards and Rituals.
"You will have to leave a certain amount of your own blood under a freezing spell, and it will act as though you are present. The amount of blood to keep the wards working takes precisely three pints of blood for a six year old. You will have to renew the blood annually for the wards to hold up and you have to collect the blood at the house, or it won't work. It will take at least two weeks for your blood to return to normal, and I'm thinking you should at least wait two weeks between each pint. As you get older, you will have to increase the amount of blood used for the wards to fit your size. The max you will have to use when you are older will be about," she tapped her chin thoughtfully, "five pints."
"So you are saying I'll have to stay at my Aunt's house for a month and a half before I can start my plans?" Harry grumbled.
Hermione bit her lip. "Harry, I want you to be as healthy and safe as you can be while doing this. Until you are able to receive blood-replenishing potions to use, this is the only option. If you do something to hurt yourself before you can go out to initiate any of our operations, it will all be for naught." There was a heavy pause. "At least make it a month."
"Fine," Harry agreed grudgingly, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Keeping her boys safe this early in the game would be more difficult than she thought.
::::
:::
::::
Rewriting the past would prove to be very difficult, but Harry knew they were all up for the challenge. He wanted Sirius to not have to suffer in Azkaban for all those years, and to be able to rekindle his friendship with Remus. He was ready to help the people who were forced into Lord Voldemort's servitude, like Snape and Draco, and keep them from falling into the darkness again.
Harry couldn't help but lose himself in his thoughts, as he had many times before, remembering the other boy's courage—always his courage, at the end, because that was what was really worth remembering.
"Harry, I'm sorry this is our only option," Draco said miserably. "Severus has been discovered so I'm the only one who can spy now. I'll have to be the one to find the whereabouts of the book."
"If my loyalty is revealed… if the Dark Lord finds out…." Draco shivered involuntarily and cleared his throat.
"When you go back, if I am not able to accompany you, please accept my friendship next time around. Save me from following in my father's footsteps and making the mistake of taking this revolting mark." He pulled his sleeve up to glare at the mocking tattoo.
"You are the only person I have left in this world, and I want to help you go back and save our world. So I will do whatever it takes to get the book for you."
Before Draco died… Harry swallowed, trying to push the memory from his mind, but Draco's words echoed in his head, regardless of his efforts.
"I'm sorry… I wasn't able to help you change things this time around. But remember your promise. Don't leave me in the dark this time. Don't let it take me so long to discover what's really important and worth fighting for."
:::::
:::::
:::::
"Er, Aunt Petunia?" Harry approached his Aunt as soon as his chores for the day were finished. The last month had been the most boring month of his life, filled with chores and dealing with an annoying six-year-old Dudley. He had no idea how he had survived the drudgery and drama the first time around. He had finally finished filling a sufficient amount of blood in hidden containers in his cupboard, and he couldn't wait another minute to leave his Aunt's wretched house.
"Did you finish your chores yet?" she asked sharply, peering down at Harry with a disgruntled look. He nodded quickly. "Well, what is it then?"
"I need to talk to you about something important that will affect both of our futures significantly." He stated.
She gave him another stare, but this one was filled with confusion and apprehension. Harry guessed that a six year old speaking in such a manner would unnerve just about anyone.
"It's about my being a wizard." Harry began, then realized that dropping a bomb such as his knowledge of wizardry so suddenly was probably not the best idea. Judging by the panicked breathing and his Aunt's red face, he probably should have eased more into a conversation about anything magical. Worse, Uncle Vernon chose that time to return home from work.
The large man took one look at the scene before beginning to rage. "Boy! What have you done to your Aunt!?" he shouted while running to his wife, his face turning purple with anger. Harry flinched instinctively away from his Uncle, but managed to force himself to hold his ground. He wasn't a little boy anymore, and he wouldn't be bullied by people like his Aunt and Uncle.
"I didn't do anything. I only mentioned something that surprised her more than I intended." Harry rubbed his hair, trying to think of a way to regain control of the situation.
"How?" his Aunt rasped through the protective arms of her husband. "How do you know about… that!?"
"I figured it out a while ago. I've been trying to find a solution that would be in the best interest of all of us. And I think I may have one that you will both like very much."
"What the devil are you talking about boy?" Vernon barked out.
"I'm talking about how you guys don't want me to be intruding on your lives anymore, and I don't want to live here any longer. I've found a way to make the blood wards stay intact without actually being present for them. This will enable you to live your lives without any people from my world coming and asking you where I've gone." He saw his Aunt and Uncle's eyes widen considerably, and to his shock, his Uncle was stunned silent.
"I will have to come back here once a month every year during the summer, but other than that, I no longer have to live here. By the way, Ms. Figg down the street is from my world, so I would try to avoid speaking with her about me if you can." Harry had to chuckle at that—as though his Aunt and Uncle ever did anything but avoid talking about him. "I'll make sure she never brings unwanted visitors around to check up on me."
His Aunt and Uncle continued to stare at him in shock, making Harry feel very uncomfortable.
"Er… and that's it, really. I was thinking I'd leave as soon as this conversation was finished."
Uncle Vernon's eyes lit up, and he couldn't hide the glee on his face. "So you're leaving then? Going to live with the rest of the freaks, are you? Good riddance. We'll be a normal family again, Pet!" He hugged his wife happily and let out a joyous cheer. Harry had never seen his Uncle so happy in his life.
"Well boy, do you need a ride somewhere? It would be no problem to take you right now if you are ready." Harry was a little taken aback. It was almost… nice of his Uncle to offer a ride.
"Uh, thanks Uncle Vernon, but I don't need a ride anywhere. I'll be able to make it just fine." He looked into his cupboard to see if anything was salvageable (there wasn't) and wandlessly locked it. It wouldn't do him any good for someone to happen across his blood containers and disrupt the freezer charm in place.
"See you next summer then," Harry offered, with a half wave toward his Aunt and Uncle. Dudley had even emerged from his room, abandoning his computer game to watch Harry leave.
Harry stopped outside of Ms. Figg's house a cast a clever little charm Hermione had taught him. Every time Ms. Arabella Figg thought of Harry, she would remember various memories from Harry's own past of her interactions with him. So whenever Dumbledore asks how Harry was doing, she would be able to confidently speak of him and what he was doing at the time. Even if Dumbledore cast legimens on her, though him doing this was doubtful, he would see only the memories. Harry would have to recast the spell each time he returned so he could provide her with different memories, but that was only a small price to pay for the freedom this gave him.
He took one last look toward number four Privet Drive before apparating away.
::::
:::::
::::
Hermione was bored. Trying to feign interest in children's toys and television shows was proving to be impossible for the now six-year-old. She snuck books into her room at night and bullied her mum into taking her to the library almost every day.
"Dear, I think there is something… different about our daughter." Mr. Granger glanced up from his newspaper to turn his attention to his worried wife.
"We've always known our Hermione was special. She is a very intelligent little girl, takes after her parents, and she is just curious about the world around her."
"But is that normal for a six year old?" she continued, twirling a spoon into her cup of coffee. "I've spoken with some of the other mothers about the other children in her class, and they said the most their kids get up to is playing with dolls or finding bugs outside the welcome mat. And Hermione's teacher, Ms. Gillian, said Hermione doesn't get along with the rest of the children. She praised her however, saying she finishes all her work perfectly and in record time. She recommends we give her a placement test to move her up a grade or two." Mr. Granger did look surprised at that.
"Well, I guess our daughter is even more special than we thought, then. She's just a little mature for her age, that's all. I'm not sure moving her into classes with older kids will help her make friends if she's having trouble with kids her own age. Let's just see how the rest of the year goes and then we'll figure something out. Our Hermione is a wonderful little girl, and I'm sure she'll start making friends before you know it."
"Alright, dear," Mrs. Granger replied, smiling into her cup of coffee as her husband buried his nose back into the newspaper.
Hermione receded from her spot in the hallway back toward her bedroom. She sighed with annoyance.
These next five years are going to be terrible. I hope Harry comes around to visit soon or I think I'll go crazy. Worse yet, my parents will think I am crazy, and I'll get sent somewhere. Hermione shook her head of negative thoughts to instead sink into her reading nook filled with cushions and focus on one of her favorite muggle classic, Pride and Prejudice.
I'll deal with trying to act more like a six-year-old tomorrow.
:::::
Hermione's favorite thing was baths.
"You can never be too clean Mum!" she would say every time her mother asked why she needed another bath. After all those years on the run, she could never really be rid of all the dirt and grime.
Now, she can take long baths with different fragrances of soap every night if she wants to. And she did, with much enthusiasm. She probably worried her parents a bit, because she declared she wanted to start taking her baths by herself without her parents coming to check on her. Her dad stated that is was probably her trying to become more independent, and she let them believe that.
Her real reasons were the scars on her body, especially the prominent white slashes across her back, from when she had been tortured. It was one of the few memories she explicitly would not talk to anyone about, even Harry. It was the single worst moment of her entire life, and she did not wish to rehash the experience with anyone.
The scar that gave her the most trouble though was the one on her neck. It protruded out of any shirt but a turtleneck, and her hair only barely covered it when she wore it down. She'd borrowed a bottle of her mother's concealer and began lathering it carefully across the scar every morning before breakfast. It was the only quick solution she could think of while she was without a glamour.
She dearly wished for her wand again and only felt depressed if she thought about how long it would be until she was able to take that momentous trip to Diagon Alley once again.
Baths also gave her time to herself to think about future plans. Harry was the leader, but Hermione was the brains behind it all. All the miniscule details and specifics for each endeavor were her responsibility to remember and plan accordingly. It was a job she trusted no one else. The four of them had their own tasks and obligations, and her strength was her intelligence and memory.
::::
::::
She began seven journals, one she told her parents was a fantasy story she had began writing, and NO ONE was allowed to read it until she said so.
She wrote down everything. What they studied, which houses were taught together for each subject, who were allies and enemies for each year, all the late night adventures and dangerous encounters the trio had experienced throughout the school year. Most importantly, she wrote everything she could remember about Voldemort and his followers.
When it came to death eaters, she wrote down what year they were in at Hogwarts, what their strengths were in each class that she could remember, the spells they preferred during duels, and anything else she could think of that just might come in useful. She rubbed her neck subconsciously over her concealed scar every time she thought about a certain wizard's dueling habits.
Though Harry was much more in tune with information about Voldemort, she wrote down what she could, promising that as soon as possible, she would make Harry fill in all the blanks about their biggest enemy.
These journals were undoubtedly the most important items she owned, possibly in her entire life—and past life.
If these journals got into the wrong hands… she shuddered to think of the consequences. She very delicately concocted the perfect hiding place in a hidden drawer she fixed herself. Using some of the knowledge of secret compartments she learned from the Weasley twins, she created a secret drawer underneath her top vanity drawer.
The journals lay underneath a piece of wood that acted as the bottom of the drawer. On top the false bottom, she had seven identical journals, all filled with nonsensical writing about swordfights and knights and a fairy princess, who always seemed to act just like Luna, just in case her parents did get curious and took a peek at her writing.
She actually enjoyed writing her false journals, using them as a break from focusing on the inevitable future and all the trials ahead of her. Unlike the real journals that she wrote in the dead of night, her false journals she took with her everywhere, creating the pretense that she was just a creative child who wanted to be left alone to write her stories.
It worked for the most part, except one day when one of the bullies in her classroom decided she wanted to read it. In this case however, accidental magic came in handy and Hermione walked out with a light bounce in her step and the bully was left with singed hair. To her delight, no one bothered Hermione after the incident.
One sunny afternoon after class, she sat on a playground a block from her house at her parent's insistence, absentmindedly swirling her pen while she watched the other kids play. Her patience was wavering, and she huffed indignantly. Here she was with her mind filled with precious information and memories, and she was stuck her by herself at a muggle playground. She felt so useless to the cause of saving the Wizarding World and she didn't know what else she could do.
Harry, where are you?
::::
End chapter.
::::
::::
Thanks everyone for reading this story! I'm really excited about this one, so it makes me happy that other people are giving it a shot. Let me know if you have any constructive criticism or remarks about the chapter, or ask me any questions you have about the story!
Thanks!
-EmLights