The summer continued much the same as it had the previous. Hermione and Remus would begin their days bright and early, venture into the forest, and search for creatures. The only real difference to everything was that Remus now had a spring in his step. Before receiving his letter, Remus was always too afraid to learn more about magic for fear of disappointment. Now, once Lyall came home, Remus would beg him to pull out old textbooks to read to him and Hermione.

Personally, Hermione was overjoyed that he was able to attend Hogwarts. Of course, she knew he would, but the man who was once her professor was now family. And to put it quite simply, she couldn't bear the thought of attending Hogwarts again without him and seeing so many ghosts. As every day of the heat-filled summer passed, Remus grew lighter and lighter in his steps while Hermione's grew heavy and dull.

But at night, Hermione would wait until everyone was asleep. Remus would hole himself up in his room, reading his dad's old textbooks or playing with the kneazle whom he named Art after a member of his mum's favourite group. Soon after Remus, Hope would kiss Lyall and Hermione goodnight and head into her room. The scratch of a record would indicate the beginning of her nightly ritual, and when the A-side stopped, that would be Lyall's cue to tuck in as well.

Then Hermione, after waiting a sufficient amount of time, would put out all the lights and tiptoe into Lyall and Hope's room. Sneaking over piles and around furniture, she would creep over to the bedside table where Lyall's wand rest. With all the care in the world, she would gently pick the wand up, turn around, and tiptoe her way out of the room.

The rest of the night Hermione would put herself to work. Hermione had already gathered a stash of Lyall's potion bottles and with a delicate hand, she would duplicate the bottles before placing the wand to her temple and extracting memory after memory. The horcruxes, her time at Hogwarts, the Department of Mysteries, her parents, Harry and Ron…Then, after the memory was placed in a bottle, she would neatly affix a label.

Hermione slaved away all night, but she understood the importance. As Dumbledore had said, there was no way to go back and things might be different this time around. She could take no chances. Plus, with each passing day, the memories from her previous life grew increasingly dim. She had to remember.

One morning, after her usual night time routine, Hermione sat at the breakfast table, holding back yawn after yawn. Groggily, she scooped corned beef hash onto her plate, not noticing the concerned looks Lyall and Hope were giving each other.

"You know, dear," Hope began, "that you can tell us anything, yes?"

Hermione snapped her head towards Hope. "I'm fine," She insisted. "I just haven't been sleeping well, is all."

"All the same, just let us know if anything ever bothers you. I know that Hogwarts is going to be a big change, but you needn't be afraid."

"Hope's right," Lyall said. "Hogwarts was some of the best years of my life. You and Remus," he paused to smile at his son, "are going to have so much fun that you'll forget all about us. Besides, cheer up, we're heading into London today!"

"I'm not worried about Hogwarts, dad. I'm more worried about what you and mum are going to do without us, isn't that right Remus?" Hermione said with a cheeky smile.

"Yeah, dad," Remus said, agreeing with Hermione. "What are you going to do without us?

"I think we'll get along much the same as we did before you lot came around," Lyall replied while checking his watch. "Speaking of getting along, we'd best get a move on while it's still early. Can't believe we're all out of floo powder."

"Is it already time? Hop up and get ready!" Hope poked Remus with her spoon to emphasize her point.

Fifteen minutes later, the Lupins were squeezed into their little, rusted car. Five minutes to the A55 and then 30 more minutes later, the car stopped in front of an inconspicuous looking shopfront. The sign was a faded blue with the word "Antiques" etched into the wood.

"It looks boring," Remus said with a pout as they unloaded out of the car.

"It's only the outside that looks boring, I'm sure it's much more exciting on the inside, right?" Hermione asked looking to her parents for confirmation. Like Remus said, it was very boring.

"Well, I'm afraid we don't see quite eye-to-eye on this one," Hope said, standing as if the building repulsed her. "I'm not sure what you see, but it's absolutely repulsive to me."

"Really?" Remus asked fascinated. He then began describing the shopfront in detail to his mother before Lyall shushed him.

"I'm afraid we haven't got all day, son" Lyall said with a smile. Offering his arm to Hope he explained, "as long as you hold on to me it's not a problem. I'll break through all the barriers trying to keep you away."

"If you say so," Hope said as she took Lyall's arm. Immediately, the repulsion left her body. With a much more relaxed posture, Hope approached the shop.

The bell tinkled above the door and an older man gave a toothy smile. The interior had two large, lit fireplaces with little signs saying "incoming" and "outgoing". Next to them was a large pot full of floo powder with the lid firmly shut.

"Hello," the older man said. "Where are you off to today?

Lyall placed his hands proudly on the shoulders of Remus and Hermione. "These two are off to Hogwarts in September! How much for a trip to Diagon Alley?"

"That'll be 5 knuts a person, if you please." Reaching into his robes, Lyall drew out his coin purse and counted out the money required. Satisfied with the amount, the older wizard pulled out his wand and banished the coins. Then, he waved it at the pot of floo powder and the lid began to float.

"Each adult with a child," he instructed.

Lyall paired up with Remus and Hope with Hermione. Hermione stood next to Hope and held her hand, smiling up at the woman and trying to reassure her. It certainly is not pleasant the first time and Hermione had no idea if Hope had travelled this way before. Gently, Hermione tugged on Hope's hand and took her over the fire marked "outgoing". Grabbing a fistful of powder, Hermione tossed the powder into the flames. Then she turned to look back at Lyall and Remus.

"Go on," Lyall motioned. "It's perfectly safe."

Hermione placed a small foot into the fire and tugged Hope in to join her. Once both were firmly planted in the fireplace, Hermione shouted "Diagon Alley."

Emerald green clouded Hermione's vision. Hope's hand tightened on her own as fireplaces whizzed in and out of sight. Occasionally, they would hear a noise from one of the homes they passed. After what seemed an uncomfortably long time had passed, they stopped moving and the fire died down.

Stepping out, Hermione's heart filled with joy. This was the Diagon Alley of her childhood, well, previous childhood anyway. The shops were brightly lit with all manner of posters pasted to the brick. Many of the shops were the same, barring a few notable exceptions such as the Weasley shop.

But what struck her the most was the people. Everyone went relaxed about their day. Children ran through the street. Hermione caught a little girl furiously explode an ice lolly that her brother held. Everyone was at ease, there was no large war yet, and it reminded her of simpler times. Of course, Diagon Alley returned to its former glory in the aftermath of the second war, but it seemed greyer, more aged. Fortescue's was gone in Hermione's post-war timeline. Ollivander was forced to relocate. This was the Diagon Alley she loved and remembered and she vowed to never let it change.

"Hermione, dear, did you hear us?" Hope asked, shaking Hermione out of her thoughts. Remus and Lyall stood close by, dusting soot off their clothes.

"No, sorry, mum. What were you saying?"

"We're off to the bank. Gringotts, was it?" Hope looked to Lyall for confirmation.

The bank stood proud and imposing. Two guards waved their wands over the Lupin family as they entered, but no probity probes were in sight. They must have come later. Hope waved Remus and Hermione off to the side while she and Lyall approached the front desk where a gnarled goblin with a sneering face sat.

"I heard there are dragons here," Remus whispered to Hermione.

"I wouldn't be surprised. I bet there's some in the really old vaults. Have you been to Gringotts before, Remus?"

"Not since…before," He emphasized. "Mum and Dad thought it would be too dangerous for someone- "

"You stop that thought right there Remus John Lupin. You're not dangerous, and mum and dad adore you and know you would never hurt a fly," Hermione said firmly.

"I know that. It was just hard in the beginning. Still is…" Hermione grabbed onto Remus's hand and squeezed, attempting to comfort the boy.

"You know," Hermione began, trying to change the topic, "What house do you reckon you'll get in?"

"Nice topic change," Remus teased. "We've been asking each other that question the entire summer."

"Yes, but now that we're here it feels all the more real. We've only got a fortnight left."

"I think it'll feel real once I get my wand."

"I suppose I'll ask you then," Hermione said with a smile.

"You're impossible. You know that, right?"

"I am fully aware. Look up, Remus. Mum and dad are coming back."

Lyall walked over to them, chatting to a goblin while Hope stood a decent pace away from the creature. Once they were close enough to Hermione and Remus, the goblin motioned for them to follow him. Taking them behind the gate barring shut the entrance to the vaults, the goblin pressed his palm against the iron which caused the gate to slither open.

Past the gate stood a small cart. The Lupins gingerly stepped in with the goblin following right behind. After everyone was seated, they were off. Zooming through the vaults, every twist and turn made Hope turn an alarming shade of green. In contrast, Remus would give out a little whoop and raise his hands with every turn, trying, to no avail, to get Hermione to do the same.

"You know," Hermione shouted. "I'm not going to save you if you start to fall!"

"You're no fun!" Remus said with a light-hearted grin.

"And you're an idiot!" Remus responded by sticking his tongue out, which he promptly bit when the cart came to a screeching halt. "I told you."

Everyone got out of the cart and approached a vault door. Hermione pointedly ignored Remus trying to complain about his bitten tongue to her. Hope and Lyall were far too focused on the vault to care.

The goblin placed a gnarled, green hand on the door and ran a dirty fingernail up the engraving. When the vault opened, Hermione was shocked. The Lupins' seemed fairly well-off. She'd never heard any complaints of money, but, of course, she was only eleven. The vault was huge, the same size of Harry's, but only a small pile sat in the middle.

Then, with a shock, she remembered what Remus told her in her previous timeline. When he turned, his parents spent most of their money on finding cures. Up until he was ten and the vault was nearly emptied, but they were known to spend hundreds at even a hint of a cure. Their poor parents, Hermione thought. They would drop a fortune if it meant helping their son.

Lyall asked Hope for a bag and scooped what remained in the vault into the bag. Closing it, Lyall confirmed that they were finished to the goblin. Once more, the four headed into the cart.

A bell tinkled above the door to Ollivander's. The smell of must filled Hermione's nose and she squinted in an attempt to see through the dim light. Everything looked like it needed a good dusting, and wand boxes overflowed from the shelves. The Lupins were alone except for one small, dark-haired boy and his mother at the front. Hermione couldn't place her finger on where she'd seen the boy before, but she knew that he was someone from her past.

Then, he turned around and Hermione had to stifle a gasp. She knew that beak-like nose and sallow complexion. Snape! But Harry had described Snape's childhood as miserable. He wore well-fit clothes and seemed washed, the exact opposite of what Harry told Hermione. She stared at Snape in confusion and his expression became decidedly uncomfortable.

"What are you looking at?" Snape demanded.

"Severus, manners," Eileen Snape said primly to her son. "Hello, Lyall."

"Eileen," Lyall replied. "How goes business?"

Not noticing Hermione's utter confusion, the conversation carried on.

"Oh, just fine. Did you need some more dittany? I dare say you and your creatures keep my business afloat."

"Business?" Remus asked curiously.

"Mrs Snape is where I go to keep my potion stock full. Easier than going to Saint Mungo's every time I get hurt at work," Lyall explained.

"It's actually Ms," Eileen sniffed. "My husband recently passed."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry to hear that," Hope said, entering the conversation.

Suddenly, Severus spoke up. "Don't be," he said, turning puce after the words left his mouth.

"All the same," Lyall replied with a gentle smile. "Your mother is a dab hand at potions, better than Mungo's I think." Lyall paused. "I'm sure you two have places to be, so we'll get out of your hair."

"Yes, we're off to Flourish and Blotts. Enjoy your day. Come, Severus." With that, Eileen led Snape out of the shop.

Hermione mulled over the new information. She knew Dumbledore mentioned some things wouldn't be the same. Could this be one? No matter the case, something was different. But her mere presence alone couldn't cause a butterfly effect that would create the death of Tobias Snape. Could it?

Hermione was snapped out of her thoughts by Ollivander himself. The man stood just as old as ever with wisps of stark white hair sticking out every which way. Giving a wizened smile, Ollivander greeted the Lupins, but his unnaturally bright eyes focused on Hermione.

"How interesting," he murmured, quiet enough that Hermione's parents made no note of the statement. "Welcome back, Mr Lupin. Ten and a quarter inches, unicorn hair and ash wood if I'm not mistaken. Quite good for defence," Ollivander mused, seeming lost in his own world.

"That's the one," Lyall replied. "Still going strong."

"And these must be your children," Ollivander smiled, looking down at Hermione and Remus. "Wonderful…"

"Yes. They're to start their first year in the autumn. Remus, you first." Lyall said, prodding Remus forward. "No need to worry, Ollivander's the best there is."

"Oh, you flatter an old man," Ollivander said. "Now, let us see. Which is your wand arm?"

"Well…I write with my left," Remus offered, holding out the arm, letting the wand selection process begin.

And what a process it was. Hermione sat in a chair, slumped against Hope and thoroughly bored. Thirty minutes had passed and they were no closer to finding a wand than they were twenty minutes ago. Remus had accumulated a sizable pile and broke nearly half the shop. Hermione could tell the boy seemed frustrated, feeling as if he was undeserving of a wand. Lyall worked hard at perking up the boy whenever a wand shot out of Remus's hand or a pot shattered. Ollivander, however, looked as though Christmas had come early.

The old man's grin grew wider with every failed wand. He would simply flick his eyes up to examine Remus's face and then head deeper into the back, all while muttering "interesting." It was a nightmare.

Finally, when all hope seemed lost, Ollivander came out of the back with a simple, faded box. Tentatively, Remus grasped the wand and gave it a swish. A flash of golden light shot out of the tip and filled the room, bathing Remus's face in gold. Ollivander praised the boy and his new wand, proudly declaring "Ten and a quarter inch, Cypress with a Unicorn hair core. Pliable and excellent for defence, just like his father's!"

Remus spun around to face Hermione and Hope. An ear to ear grin split the boy's face. Hermione shot up from her seat and exclaimed, "Remus! That was absolutely brilliant! Is that normal for it to light up so much?"

"I dunno, but look!" Remus exclaimed, moving over to Hermione. "Isn't it fantastic? Cypress, he said. D'you know what that means?"

Hermione scrunched her face in concentration, "I think it means life and protection from evil."

"Quite right, Hermione. She's been reading all my old books," Lyall explained to Ollivander.

"Perhaps there's a future for you in wandmaking," Ollivander said kindly.

"I'm sorry to say that I'm much more interested in runes," Hermione said with a grin while Lyall gave a laugh at his precocious child.

"What a shame. Now come up here, wand arm out, and let me inspect you."

Hermione approached Ollivander and held out her right arm. Lyall, Remus, and Hope sat quietly chatting in the background, but the second Hermione locked eyes with Ollivander all noise seemed to disappear. As she made eye contact with the man, she felt as if he was examining her entire being. It wasn't the first time she suspected the wandmaker of having seer abilities, what with Harry and his wand, but she'd never felt it so deeply before. After a moment more of eye contact, Ollivander turned around and into the back.

"I know just the wand," He muttered.

After a moment, Ollivander came back to the front of the shop and carried a simple red box over to Hermione. With all the care in the world, Ollivander opened the box and Hermione gasped. She couldn't count how many times she had seen this wand. Holly, eleven inches long, and a phoenix feather core. Harry…but how, she thought. Abruptly, she backed away from Ollivander.

"I can't," Hermione said, tears welling up in her eyes. "That's not my wand."

"I think you'll find that circumstances have changed," Ollivander told her. "Though few believe it, wands exist in a plane between animate and non-animate. Wands call out to a wizard and choose him, not the other way around. Very rarely is the bond so strong that one wand calls out louder than the rest. I think you'll find that this wand is indeed yours."

"I-," Tears rolled slowly down Hermione's cheek as her trembling fingers grasped the wood. A soft glow filled the room and warmth filled her body. Someone gasped in the background, but Hermione paid no attention. The glow began to pulse, push down on Hermione's heart, and slowly absorb into her body. The dark atmosphere of the shop returned and Hermione was filled with acceptance and love, overshadowing the feeling of immense fear she felt.

"Blimey!" Lyall exclaimed. "Is that normal?"

"Rare, but not unheard of," Ollivander replied, a speculative look on his face.

"That was aces! I knew you'd get a strong one…Hermione? What's wrong?" Remus said, brows furrowed with concern.

Hermione could say nothing and shook her head, trying to hold back tears. Remus immediately wrapped his arms around her and turned his head to glare at Ollivander. "What'd you do to her?" He demanded.

Lyall and Hope turned to look at Remus and Hermione. Upon seeing Hermione crying, Hope rushed to the girl's side and pulled out a hanky to dab her tears. Lyall looked questioningly at Ollivander.

"Sometimes," Ollivander began, "the experience can be overwhelming. Finding your wand is not an unemotional process, and some react stronger than others."

"It's not his fault," Hermione said, wiping her face. "Just a bit unexpected is all."

"Well, if you're sure you're alright," Lyall said.

"I am, just emotional."

Remus and Hope continued to hover around Hermione as Lyall paid Ollivander. While Hermione appreciated their worry, especially Remus's, she couldn't help but be furious with herself for reacting so strong to the wand. History's different, she reminded herself. That's what Dumbledore said, nothing would be the same.

In an attempt to lift Hermione's spirits, Lyall took the family over to Flourish and Blotts. As soon as Hermione stepped foot inside the old bookshop, she felt more at ease and gave a grateful grin to Lyall. She'd forgotten what it was like to be a child in the bookshop, with the bookcases rising impossibly high and making her feel impossibly small. It was similar to a warm blanket enveloping her.

Now, to purchase their textbooks. Unfortunately, Lyall and Hope were no help to them. At the mere mention of cleaning spells, Hope dragged Lyall right over to the household charms section and chastised him about never telling her anything. Hermione relaxed her face into a content grin as she watched her parents and pulled out the booklist. Forcing Remus away from the books on Bowtruckles, Hermione put him to work. Grumbling good-naturedly, Remus took the list and headed over to the back of the shop while Hermione began searching in the front. Deeply focused on the task at hand, Hermione never noticed the other child staring at her in shock.

Once Hermione finished finding two of every book needed from the front, she headed to the back to locate Remus, but the boy was nowhere to be found. Hermione began to search each aisle while calling out a gentle, "Remus, are you there?"

Then, when she least expected it, Remus jumped out causing Hermione to let out an ungodly shriek before smacking the giggling boy in the arm. "You absolute prat, Remus Lupin!"

"Oh, it was funny. Admit it," Remus said.

"Not in the slightest," Hermione sniffed. "Did you even find all the books we need? Or were you too busy trying to terrify me?"

"Course I got them. I also found this for you," Remus said while pulling a small, emerald book from his shopping basket, which contained an extension charm to make the heavy books easier to manage.

"What is it?"

"A journal, of course."

"What do I need a journal for?"

Remus flushed, "well, after Ollivander's…I just supposed that you have a lot of feelings you might, er, want to get out."

Hermione looked surprised at the boy. Remus cleared his throat to continue, "Besides, you can't exactly take it back. I've only just bought it and with all my pocket change. I just, I dunno, thought you'd enjoy it."

"Remus," Hermione began, tears welling up in her eyes once more, "that is the kindest thing anyone's ever done for me."

"Are you crying again? Pease don't cry, I only meant to make you feel better."

"You daft sod. I am happy," Hermione said, giving a snotty sniff. "Come here you!"

With that, Hermione flung her arms around Remus. What would she do without this stupid, caring boy? Be completely lost for one.

After letting out their feelings, and making Remus wholly uncomfortable with such outward displays of affection, but wholly comfortable and overjoyed on the inside, the pair set off to find Hope and Lyall. Neither noticed the shocked and increasingly confused face of the child staring at the two, having followed Hermione from the front to the back of the shop.

That night, after the record scratched from a bedroom and Lyall joined his wife, and after Remus picked up Art and holed himself in his room, Hermione went on the move. As was usual, Hermione waited an appropriate amount of time before tiptoeing into Hope and Lyall's room. Stepping over odds and ends, she approached Lyall's private bookcase. Using the man's gentle snores to gauge her movements, Hermione carefully picked up a few books on undetectable charms and various protection spells and headed out.

Hermione didn't relax her body until she was safely within the confines of her own room. With a radio gently crooning out Celestina Warbeck, she set out to work. Placing the beautiful journal Remus had bought onto the floor, Hermione grabbed Harry's—her—wand and opened a book to its chapter on secret communication. Twisting her face in concentration, Hermione lifted her wand. The most frustrating thing about this whole experience was that magic grew with age and Hermione, having reduced both her physical and mental maturity to that of a 12-year-old, found that even the old spells she was a dab hand at were troublesome.

"Absconditus scriptura," Hermione said, her voice quiet yet clear. She waved her wand anti-clockwise around the book while chanting the spell. After seven rotations, Hermione stopped. Grabbing a quill, she wrote a quick "My name is Hermione Lupin."

The ink bled into the page for a second before slowly disappearing. Hermione picked up the wand again. "Monstro mihi." The words reappeared. Hermione gave a satisfied grin and began to write.

At the top of the page, she wrote Incongruities. Making a careful list, she wrote down Severus Snape and her acquisition of Harry's wand. Voices continued to croon and soothe from the radio as she worked. Checking her watch every so often, Hermione worked until daybreak. Once she was satisfied with her work, she moved her wand anti-clockwise, chanting "absconditus scriptura."

Hermione gathered the books she had used and disillusioned herself. Carefully re-entering Hope and Lyall's room, she placed all of the books back in their respective places and carefully removed herself once more from the room. Then, she grabbed the small, emerald journal and stuffed it in her wardrobe. Turning her head to the wall, she looked at the calendar hammered to the wall. Thirteen more days.