Hermione forgot summer through the eyes of a child. It was a simple and beautiful time. She whiled away the hours practicing magic and exploring forests with Remus, and the only dark spot on her summer was the countdown. Each day moved quicker than the last, and every night before bed, Hermione would head over to a little calendar on the wall and put a red check over the date, ignoring the growing feeling of dread.

This particular night was much like the other dog days of summer, but now the August spread of Hermione's calendar was covered in neat, red checks and a sturdy trunk perched on her bed. The lovely smell of aged leather filled the small bedroom and the frayed handle and stitching made Hermione treasure the trunk all the more. Lyall and Hope were experts at penny pinching and a simple doubling charm with a strong reparo on Lyall's old trunk fixed the lack of luggage for Hermione and Remus.

Though Hermione missed her muggle parents, she couldn't deny how convenient it was having a wizard for an adoptive father. Her first time around she only had a simple suitcase for her things and she remembered holding back furious tears when Lavender Brown teased her. Thankfully, Professor McGonagall comforted her and made a quick transfiguration job on the suitcase.

Shaking her head of the memories, Hermione went back to work and carefully folded a jumper that Hope had slaved over during last Christmas. After the jumper was folded, Hermione grabbed the box and journal that hid under her bed and packed them both into the trunk.

The journal was now full to the brim with notes. She had one section devoted to remembering the wolfsbane potion—still incomplete. Another was devoted to any future interactions with Dumbledore and what she considered need to know. However, the journal wasn't just planning; pictures overflowed from the pages. Over the summer, Hermione found an old box containing a beat-up polaroid camera. After begging Lyall and Hope for film, Hermione took to it like a fish to water. Lyall joked that there was never a moment's rest now that Hermione had a camera in hand.

To be fair, he did feed her habit with film and teaching her how to make the pictures move. Despite feeling a bit like Colin Creevey at times, Hermione felt this was important. Harry had so few pictures of his parents and their friends that Hermione merely felt she was doing her part. No matter what happened, Harry would always have images of his parents—whether it was to reminisce with them or learn more about them. Hopefully, it was the former.

"Hermione, I hope you're not staying up too late!" Lyall called from the sitting room.

"Almost finished," she called back, putting the final touches on her packing.

"Did you remember enough socks?"

"And don't forget your robes!" Hope chimed in. Her parents were worrying themselves silly at the thought of Remus and Hermione leaving.

"Have you interrogated Remus yet?" Hermione asked.

"Don't worry. He's next on our list," Lyall called, laughing when they heard a loud thump from Remus's room.

After Hermione finished packing, she fell into a fitful sleep, full of worry. She'd get a dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach before shooting up in bed, forgetting what she dreamed of, and repeating the cycle.

Her latest dream was memories more than anything. Harry stood solemnly in front of her; Sirius had just died. Grief was etched into every line of Harry's face and his back bowed against the pressure of being the chosen one and being forced to lose so much.

Harry opened his mouth, about to speak. A noise tore through his throat, much like the shriek of a banshee or that infernal egg from fourth year. Hermione tried to reach out, but Harry fell just before she could catch him. His eyes were wide open; mouth open in a now silent scream. Then he went still, eyes glazed over.

Hermione trembled and stood over him, but the green of Harry's eyes changed to hazel. James Potter lay there dead. Then, James Potter morphed into Severus Snape. Snape into Lily Evans. Then Fred. Then Remus. Then Sirius. All the faces she could save or lose again appeared before her eyes in a sick slideshow that grew with increasing ferocity.

Agony built in her heart. She begged for the images to stop. She tried to close her eyes and turn away, but the second she was able to turn away it was as if the room spun so she was faced with the dead once more. A force pushed down on her, trapping her.

"Hermione…" a phantom voice drifted in and out. "Hermione…"

The force began to shake her. "Hermione!"

The trap came undone. With a cry, Hermione's eyes flew open and she saw Remus looking small and afraid, his hands resting on her shoulders. Without saying a word, Hermione threw her arms around the boy and thanked whatever was out there that she still had him and still had a chance.

"You're alright," Remus said, squeezing Hermione tight. "It's just a dream and a bloody awful one at that."

Remus laughed when Hermione lightly slapped his side and mumbled "no cursing."

"Oh, mum can't hear a thing. She's by the fireplace with dad figuring out the best way to fit all our stuff through."

"How's that going?" Hermione asked while giving a huge sniff and pulling away from Remus. The boy appeared peaky with dark circles under his eyes due to the impending full moon.

"Well, she won't let dad shrink them. Can't believe you slept through that, what with the shrieking. She thought he was making them disappear."

"Now?"

"Dad's pulling out his old books and mum's making sandwiches.

Hermione gave a sigh. "I suppose we should go help them out," she said as she got out of bed, kicking Remus out of her room so she could dress.

Upon entering the sitting room, Hermione stifled a laugh. If she didn't know this was her house she would have thought something terrible occurred. Ash covered every surface in the room. Their squishy, rust coloured sofa was now painted black. The carpet that was typically a soft cream had now turned to grey.

The most humorous image, however, was Lyall. He resembled a chimney sweep at the end of a shift. His hair stood up on end and the whites of his eyes glowed against the ash covering his face. His clothes weren't much better off.

Occasionally, Lyall would dust off a shoulder, as if the ash were simply a spot of bother. Then, he would screw his face out in concentration and stick out his tongue, something Remus did as well. Once he started darkly muttering under his breath, Hermione thought it best to help Lyall while Remus helped Hope.

"Everything alright, dad?" Hermione asked, attempting to tread as lightly as possible over the ash-covered floor.

"Yes, yes," Lyall replied absentmindedly, using his wand to flip through the pages of a text.

"What spells have you used?"

"Since an undetectable extension charm is regulated by the ministry, I can't exactly use that so I'm working on a work around, as it were."

"And mum won't let you shrink them?"

Lyall blanched at the memory of his attempt. "Best if we not."

"What if mum didn't have to know?" Hermione said quietly, sticking her head into the empty fireplace and observing the space.

"And how would you suggest that?"

"Well, we could say that you got it to work long enough for the trunks to fit and sent them through. Then you can quick travel to King's Cross and unshrink them and I'll tell mum that you're waiting on the other side."

Lyall beamed at his daughter and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Guess you and Remus got all the brains in the family."

Standing up, Lyall quickly scourgified the room before starting a fire and shrinking the trunks. Tucking them carefully into his breast pocket, Lyall threw floo powder onto the fire and stepped in.

"Do tell your mother and Remus to finish up," Lyall said before bellowing "King's Cross Station!"

There was no need for Hermione to fetch the two. Lyall wasn't exactly quiet and as soon as he left, Hope entered the room with Remus following from behind and holding a sack of sandwiches.

"Thank heavens he's cleaned up. Has your father sorted out the fireplace as well?" Hope asked Hermione who nodded before giving the phony explanation.

"Well, I suppose we'd better finish up here. Go wash your hands, Remus. Hermione, love, do you need me to brush your hair out for you?"

Reluctantly acquiescing to Hope's thinly veiled request, Hermione sat down on a once again rust-coloured sofa and allowed Hope to grab a brush from her room and begin the attack on Hermione's hair. Every yank would push her head back and cause her to wince and Hope to tut. Remus, apparently, decided to betray Hermione and stood sniggering with the fluffy Art curled up in his arms.

After a few more moments of torture, Hope seemed satisfied and put the brush down, leaving Hermione to massage her sore scalp while Hope grabbed the floo powder. First, she shuffled Remus and Art into the fireplace, a large yowl sounded from the fireplace as the boy left.

"Ready, dear?" Hope asked as she turned to look at Hermione.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Don't you worry. You're bright as a button and you'll make friends in no time."

Concealing her real fears, Hermione just smiled up at her mum before stepping into the emerald flames.

Hope gingerly entered as well and shouted "King's Cross Station!"

After a few whizzing moments passed by, Hermione and Hope stumbled out of the fireplace and into a luggage room. Well, what appeared to be a luggage room. Curious, Hermione asked Lyall what this place was.

"Can't have magical folk getting lost in muggle London, can we?" Lyall replied with a smile.

"Think of it as the wizard's entrance to King's Cross. Easier than driving and easier than apparating with all of the luggage and a family in tow.

Hermione mulled over his answer as a way to distract from what laid ahead. Why was this feature no longer available in the future? It would have been much easier than driving from the Burrow to London. Perhaps the first wizarding war had put a stop to it.

Hermione was still lost in her thoughts when the family left the small luggage room. Remus was practically vibrating with excitement and all his movement caused Art to look at the boy with annoyance.

Lyall was not much better. Hermione could definitely tell where Remus got it from. Her dad was aglow with the thought of seeing the Hogwarts Express. Don't be mistaken, Hermione was happy too, but every spark of excitement was immediately replaced with nerves. She'd see so many people today. Hermione would look at everyone and know their possible future. She'd know the future Death Eaters and betrayers, but they were only children right now. How could she judge someone for a future they might not have?

Trying to not let herself get so worked up, Hermione began to lightly chat with Remus about nothing in particular. Her family walked through the station, ignoring the stares of muggles. Those stares were not directed towards their dress or trunks, but towards Remus and Art. A scarred boy and bat-like cat were apparently quite the spectacle. As Hermione talked to Remus, she would occasionally stare down someone that focused a little too long on Remus's face.

Besides, Hermione thought. I'm not the one dressed like that! She knew it was the style, but some of the outfits muggles wore were ridiculous and right out of the pages of her mum's old scrapbooks. She remembered looking over each image and laughing at her mother's feathered hair, clunky boots, and hot pants. Joke was on Hermione now. She gave a chuckle and Remus was about to ask why when Lyall came to a halt.

"Right, here we are," Lyall said while looking up at the plastic number nine and plastic number ten.

"This may seem uncomfortable, but I want you two to run directly into that brick wall," Lyall said nonchalant as if he were discussing the weather.

"Into a brick wall?" Remus exclaimed. "You never said anything about that!"

"Yes, well, now you know," Lyall said dryly before ruffling Remus's hair affectionately. "Off you go."

Hermione saw that Remus clearly had some reservations, so she volunteered to go first. She approached the wall and looked pointedly at Remus as she pressed herself through the barrier. After a brief moment of darkness, Hermione emerged.

The scarlet steam engine stood proudly next to the platform. Waves of emotion crashed into Hermione, and she held back joyful tears at the sight of the bustling platform. Hundreds of people moved about the platform and kids let out gleeful laughs as they ran around. Hermione looked behind her and saw Remus push through the barrier.

The look on his face was pure wonderment. He spun around to examine the barrier he went through, but saw only a wrought-iron archway.

"Can you believe this!" Remus exclaimed, setting down Art who began to purr and crisscross around Remus's legs.

"Oh, Remus, it's lovely," Hermione said with tears in her eyes. She attempted to scan the platform for a familiar face, but there was too much to take in.

Lyall and Hope emerged a moment later. Lyall bore an easy grin while Hope looked in shock as she marvelled at her surroundings. Loosening the two identical trunks from the cart, Lyall casted a simple locomotor and drifted the trunks towards a train door that was close to an empty compartment. Hope, Remus, and Hermione followed closely behind, weaving through families sending off their children and friends reuniting.

Dropping the charm from the trunks, Lyall heaved the luggage through the train door. This task was made harder by the schoolchildren jumping in and out of the train. After a few more moments, though, the trunks were neatly tucked away in a corner of a compartment.

He looked towards Remus and Hermione, and the two noticed wetness begin to pool at the bottom of Lyall's eyes. The man had the kindest heart in the world, but one would not put soft and emotional at the front of a list on Lyall's traits.

"I'm so very proud of you two," he began, stooping so he was eye level with his children. "And remember Remus, we'll be there this Sunday for you. Let us know if you need anything, son."

With that, Lyall hugged Remus tight, not fully ready to part ways. Hermione heard a sniff from behind her and saw Hope take out a hanky and dab her eyes.

"Oh," she sighed. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry." With that, Hope joined Lyall in hugging Remus and tugged Hermione in to join them.

The steam engine's whistle blared a final warning and Lyall and Hope stepped away from the two children.

"Owl us tomorrow!" Lyall exclaimed. "I know you two will make Gryffindor proud!"

"We love you both dearly!" Hope chimed in as the two stepped out of the train. "Tell us everything!"

With a last look at their children, Lyall and Hope disappeared onto the platform.

Hermione and Remus pressed their faces against the glass and scanned the platform. Lyall and Hope stood right outside the window and were waving furiously as the train screeched out of the station.

Only after their parents vanished from view did Remus and Hermione slump against a seat. Houses and other scenery flashed past the window as the train gained momentum. Remus smiled at Hermione, his tired face shining with excitement.

Hermione began a silent countdown to when Remus decided to don his robes—It didn't take long. After a few more minutes of watching London leave them behind, Remus jumped up from his seat and pulled open his trunk. Black school robes, not yet transformed by the sorting, were pulled out and Remus began a hasty change into them.

The moment Remus finished changing, Art jumped onto his lap and began kneading into the robes. A short while later, Art was curled up purring, Remus was reading a textbook, and Hermione sat writing in her journal. With a loud bang, the compartment door swung open.

"Oh, I can't believe them! What utter prats!" An angry voice exclaimed. "Whatever house I get into…I hope it isn't with them!"

Hermione slowly turned her head towards the door, ice filling her veins. There stood Lily Evans. Harry's green eyes peered around the compartment—not Harry's…Lily's. Her dark red hair fluffed out about her face and freckles stood out against her pale skin. Behind her, an annoyed Severus Snape stood.

"Excuse me," Lily asked, anger leaving her face. "Mind if we sit here? Our last compartment was— "

"Filled with prats?" Hermione filled in. She had a feeling she knew which two prats Lily was referring to.

"Yes," Lily scowled.

Hermione shrugged. "Well, I don't mind if Remus doesn't." She looked at the boy in askance.

"It's not as though there isn't room," Remus said while motioning for Lily and Severus to sit down. "Say, aren't you that boy from Ollivander's? My dad buys potions from your mum."

"Looks like you could use a good pepper-up. Are you ill?"

Hermione began to shoot daggers at Severus, something which Lily quickly took notice of.

"That's not really our business, is it Sev?" Lily said, making a pointed expression.

"No, it's okay," Remus said, desperate to make friends. "I'm just a little under the weather. Nothing a little rest shouldn't fix. Anyways, my name's Remus. You're Severus, right?"

Severus nodded and extended his hand for Remus to shake.

"And I'm Lily," the girl piped up, smiling at Remus and Hermione.

"My name's Hermione."

"Are you two brother and sister?" Lily asked curiously.

"A bit complicated, but yeah. I'm technically Remus's cousin, but I was adopted," Hermione explained. She thought it might be best to explain this before there are questions. Besides, Lily was a muggleborn and Hermione knew how terrifying the first week was.

"I remember my mum telling me about that," Severus mused, adding a quick "sorry about your loss" as an afterthought.

"Yes, well, what's done is done," Hermione explained before changing topics. "It's terribly exciting, isn't it?"

"I can't believe it!" Lily exclaimed, "It was only this year I found out and it's all happened so terribly fast!"

"I know how you feel. I only found out last year after I was adopted," Hermione told her.

"So you're a muggleborn?" Lily asked, relief appearing on her face.

"Through and through! And my adoptive mum's a muggle and dad's a wizard, so Remus here is half-blood."

"It must be nice, coming from a magical background. I'm terrified everyone will already be able to do advanced spells. I've read through all my textbooks just in case."

When Lily said this, Remus gave a bashful smile. "Hermione and I have too."

"I didn't know I was sitting in a compartment full of Ravenclaws," Severus said, attempting a joke. Hermione's brows furrowed for a moment with this realization. Though this Severus was not her professor, she couldn't help but view the two as the exact same person.

"Well, I'm hoping for Ravenclaw or Gryffindor," Hermione said.

"Why would anyone want to be in Gryffindor?" Snape asked, wrinkling his nose.

"They're all about justice, bravery, and loyalty!" Remus exclaimed as his body leaned closer to the others. "My dad was in Gryffindor, and I hope I am too. Better than Slytherin at least."

With that, Hermione saw Severus's face fall slightly and she knew that she had to recover from Remus's unintended blunder.

"Slytherin aren't all bad. Cunning and ambition. Those are admirable traits. I think the house just has a bad reputation from a few rotten people."

Severus gave a small but grateful smile towards Hermione.

"And I guess Gryffindor isn't so bad either," Snape admitted with a pained expression.

"And Lily? What house d'you want to be in?" Remus asked, pulling out a sandwich to munch on.

"They all sound lovely," Lily said. "But I think as long as I'm at Hogwarts I won't care."

"That was my view too," Hermione said with a smile. She checked her watch. "Well, we've still got seven hours to figure it out!"

The four spent the rest of the trip chatting and exchanging sweets. Even Severus loosened up and began to crack jokes and smile. It was an entirely surreal experience for Hermione and she couldn't stop thinking about Harry and Ron. Then, she would look at a smiling Severus and a very much alive Lily. Everything had changed.

The hours ticked down until they were nearly at the station. Night had fallen and the train was illuminated with dim bulbs of light. The four were already dressed in their robes and crouched over a game of gobstones that Severus pulled out.

"My mum was Gobstones Captain at Hogwarts," he said with a shrug before explaining the rules to Lily.

Before long, a magically amplified voice echoed through the dim corridor of the train. The voice belonged to an elderly gentleman who croaked "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." As soon as the voice dissipated, a flurry of movement was heard. Students clambered out of their compartments, robes draped over their arms as they went to find the toilets.

Seeing as Hermione, Remus, Lily and Severus were already dressed, they merely began to clean up the gobstones. Lily, being inexperienced with the game, was drenched in the foul-smelling liquid excreted by the gobstones. The others had small patches of still drying gunk on them.

Giggling, Hermione went over to her trunk and pulled out her camera. Casting a simple locomotor charm, she watched the battered camera hover in front of the window and she pulled the three others by her side. Severus grumbled, a particularly lurid and foul-smelling streak of gunk dripped down his nose. Hermione ignored his complaints and pointed her wand at the camera.

"Acciperus picturae!" Hermione exclaimed before quickly putting her wand by her side and beaming. A faint click was heard and she rushed over to the camera, grabbing it from the air. As she grabbed the camera, the train began to squeal. The four staggered slightly as the momentum decreased. Suddenly, Lily looked nervous.

"I suppose this is it, then," Lily said, wrinkling her nose up just as Harry did.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm rather excited," Hermione said with a smile. "Besides, it's not as though you haven't got friends. You're not even off the train and you've three."

Lily flushed, a pleased smile splitting her face in half. "D'you really mean that?"

"Of course she does!" Remus interjected, turning to face the others while struggling to place Art in his carrier.

"It goes for Severus too, if you'd like," Hermione added, turning to face the sallow-faced boy whose cheeks turned a startling shade of scarlet.

"I suppose you aren't the worst people to be friends with," Severus said, shifting his voice to sound pompous.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," Hermione said with a smile, ignoring how bizarre everything had become.

"Oh! And before I forget, scourgify!" Hermione exclaimed, cleaning the gobstones gunk off the others and herself.

The train slowed to a crawl before reaching a halt. The magically-lit streetlamps of Hogsmeade greeted the Hogwarts Express and students began to impatiently queue next to the train doors. After a moment longer, loud clangs, one after another, sounded throughout the train as the doors swung open.

The moment the doors opened, a booming voice began to shout "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

Hermione's heart practically leapt out of her chest. She began to ardently push her way out of the train and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Ignoring the shiver of cold that went up her spine, she scanned the platform frantically. Remus, Lily, and Severus followed behind with three identical bemused expressions.

Hermione looked up over the crowd and saw a lamp bobbing over the heads of the students. Hagrid towered over the children, his beard dark and untamed, glinting lamplight off the hair. He was considerably younger, an obvious detail considering the last Hermione saw him he was forty years older.

Ignoring the shocked gasps of other first years, Hermione skipped up to the half-giant, who continued to boom "firs' years!" After the trickle of children slowed to a halt and the few remaining stragglers began to meander over to the carriages, Hagrid opened his mouth to speak again.

"Any more firs' years? Good. C'mon, follow me and mind yer step, now!"

Hermione led the charge, trying her hardest to not slip on the rain soaked platform. Her face was furrowed in concentration as her little feet moved over wet rock. The walk was silent. Most of the first years shivered with nerves and cold, not daring to utter a sound. At one point, Lily let out a squeak and grabbed onto Hermione's robe to save herself from slipping. A few titters travelled through the group.

Hermione faintly remembered her own first time to Hogwarts and anticipation built with every step. Any moment now…

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a mo'," Hagrid called over his shoulder, voice disappearing into the darkness.

Hermione's eyes teared up with unrestrained joy as she walked around the bend. Hogwarts stood proudly against the black sky. Windows sparkled with light and life, causing gold to glitter off the black lake. Behind her, Hermione heard loud gasps and quiet ooohs.

"No more'n four to a boat! Careful yeh don't slip!" Hagrid called, pointing a grubby finger at the fleet of rowboats sitting eerily still by the shore. Hermione tugged on Remus's robes to urge him towards a boat. He shocked at her touch, mouth snapping closed as he turned to face Hermione, who merely giggled at his bug-eyed expression.

Hermione and Remus stepped into a boat, followed closely behind by Lily and Severus. Most first years had their eyes glued to the castle, but some cast wary gazes around their new schoolmates.

"All in?" shouted Hagrid, who sat cramped in his own boat, knees pulled up to his neck. "Right then—FORWARD!"

Lily gasped next to Hermione as the little rowboats pressed off the shore. Gentler than a summer breeze, the boats glided across the expansive black lake. A hush fell over the group, everyone fixed their eyes upon the castle, it's turrets and towers standing impressively along the stone. The castle grew impossibly larger as the rowboats made their ways closer and closer to the cliff on which Hogwarts stood.

"Heads down!" Hagrid boomed as the boats began to reach the cliff. In a flurry of movement, they all bent their heads and the boats drifted lazily through a curtain of ivy that hid an opening. The ivy cleared up to reveal a dark tunnel, which seemed to travel into a cavern that lay hidden under the castle. Slowly, the rowboats floated into an underground harbour, rocks and pebbles crunched under the wood.

All at once, the children stumbled out of the boats and flocked around Hagrid. The crowd of children came up to Hagrid's hips at the highest. He scanned through the darkness and made a mental headcount.

"Everyone here? Excellent!" Hagrid said as he turned to face the castle door. He raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door, the children trembled with each knock.

At once, the door swung open. Yet another memory materialised in front of Hermione. Professor McGonagall emerged from behind the door. She wore emerald-green robes and her hair was pulled back into its usual stern bun. Hagrid introduced the witch to the first years, but Hermione was too focused on McGonagall to pay attention.

A body pushed into her back and threw Hermione out of her reminiscing. She began to move forward, the entrance dwarfing the small group. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches that bounced light off the walls, the ceiling extended unseen into the darkness, and a marble staircase faced them.

The sight was awe-inspiring and frightening all at once. Remus slipped his hand into Hermione's and clung for dear life. Professor McGonagall continued to move, leading them across the entrance hall and up to an exquisitely carved oak double-door. Remus's hand tightened on Hermione's when the cacophony of hundreds of voices was heard behind the door. Instead of taking the children through that door, Professor McGonagall led the first years into a small, empty chamber on the left-hand side. Stepping on each other's toes, they crowded in, peering about nervously. One particular boy, unrecognizable in the dim light, was whipping his head about and staring frantically at his peers.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "Before you take your seats at the start-of-term banquet, you will be sorted into your Houses…"

Hermione tuned out the introduction and began searching for familiar faces amongst the crowd. One little girl next to her had a crop of dark hair and a friendly, round face. Hermione started when she recognised the face from one of Neville's old pictures. She knew Alice Longbottom was at Hogwarts around the same time, but she had no idea she was the same year.

Hermione tried to look around more, but the small room was too cramped and she could scarcely twist herself an inch left or right. She turned her focus back to Professor McGonagall.

"…all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you wait," Professor McGonagall finished. Already, her intimidating presence was made known to the first years and many began to frantically pat their hair down and smooth their robes. Even Hermione began to nervously wring her frizzy hair in her hands.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," Professor McGonagall said. "Please wait quietly and remember a sense of decorum."

As soon as she left, a boy to Hermione's left warbled out a nervous question. "How exactly are we sorted then?"

Hermione turned to face the boy and her face froze. A meek Peter Pettigrew stood in front of her, his robes stretched over a slight paunch. Not the same, not the same, not the same, she frantically remembered, trying to ignore the hatred that seethed through her.

"Reckon it's a test. Bet it'll hurt a lot," another boy said with a smirk.

"Oh, shut it Davey, you knob!" The boy Davey's friend called out.

"Surely they wouldn't do anything painful," Lily whispered to Severus who began to reassure her.

"I heard they make you fight a troll," another boy called out.

"What rubbish," Hermione muttered, the classic know-it-all voice making itself known. "You don't really think that they would make us fight a class four creature, do you? Whatever anyone's told you, it's a lie. All we do is put on a hat."

"Are you really sure?" A nervous girl asked. "My sister told me that we'll face a boggart."

Just as Hermione scoffed and began a retort, Professor McGonagall returned.

"Queue in front of me, the sorting is about to begin," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Hermione squeezed Remus's hand in an attempt to comfort the boy. Remus peered at her through his shaggy fringe and gave a grateful smile before dropping her hand. Ignoring her legs turning to lead, Hermione forced her feet to listen to her and not run away from her new future.

She walked close behind Professor McGonagall, with Remus walking behind her and a blonde girl moving in front of her. The doors into the Great Hall cracked open, revealing a splendid sight.

Thousands of candles adorned the room. Some floated, while others dripped wax down the wall sconces. Four long tables were already crowded with students, sparse patches of empty tablespace were reserved for their newest housemates. Some students were whispering to each other, giggling over the events of the summer. Some peered at the empty gold plates and goblets with longing. Most, however, turned their eyes towards the first years making their way to the front.

Professor McGonagall led the first years up to the steps leading to the staff table. She stopped and the queue staggered to a halt. Hermione looked up towards the bewitched sky and began to take deep breaths. While she was doing so, Professor McGonagall silently placed a rickety stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool was the sorting hat, just as ragged as it was during Hermione's original timeline.

The Great Hall grew silent and even Dumbledore leaned in to intently examine the hat. After a moment of heavy silence, the hat cracked open its brim. The hat's singing filled the room.

A sight for sore eyes

I am indeed

Though you may jeer

You are not the seer

I see all and know all

For better or for worse

Your path is laid bare

So where best will you fare?

Gryffindor, the brave and just

Unafraid of the truth

And home to the robust

Then comes Hufflepuff

Unafraid of toil

Home to the loyal

Or perhaps Ravenclaw

Where wit beyond measure

Is man's greatest treasure

Or is Slytherin the place for you?

Where true colours fly

And home to the cunning few

The future is now

And it's yours to be sowed

But why listen to me

For I'm but an old tattered hat

After a second of silence, the hall burst into applause. A few overly enthusiastic claps ricocheted around the hall while the hat bowed to the four tables.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward once more, a long roll of parchment floated beside her and extended to the ground.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Avery, Atticus!"

A pale, sneering boy swaggered up to the hat. Barely a hair was mussed when the hat made its decision.

"SLYTHERIN!" it shouted.

With a proud smile, Avery walked over to the applauding table.

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth again: "Black, Sirius!"

Hermione froze. Time began to move in slow motion as one of the first years made his way to the stool. Hermione could barely move; a weight began to press itself on her chest. When she managed to look up, it took all of her willpower to not burst into tears.

A very much alive Sirius Black sat down on the stool with a serious expression. His young, aristocratic features screwed up in concentration and he began to furiously whisper under his breath. The Slytherin table began to murmur. After a few more tense seconds, the hat decided.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat cried. With an expression of relief, Sirius removed the hat and placed it back on the stool. Hermione looked at him as he walked down the steps. Loud gossip extended from the Slytherin table. Sirius kept his eyes straight ahead as he walked past Hermione, his limbs were stiff as a board.

The sorting continued. Hermione stood processing Sirius's sorting while a few more people went. Then, she heard Professor McGonagall call out "Evans, Lily!"

Hermione whispered a quick good luck to the girl as she trembled past. Lily gingerly sat on the rickety stool and barely a second after it had touched her dark red hair, the hat cried, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione heard Severus give a small groan of disappointment. Lily took off the hat, handed it back to Professor McGonagall, and made her way over to the cheering Gryffindors. Behind the joy, Hermione could make out a hint of sadness as Lily regarded Severus.

The roll call continued. After Loretta Lauren was sorted into Ravenclaw, Professor McGonagall read the scroll again. "Lupin, Hermione!"

Remus quickly whispered a good luck and squeezed her hand. Approaching the stool with hesitance, Hermione gently sat down and McGonagall placed the tattered hat on Hermione's head. She closed her eyes.

"So, another one of you," the hat began in an ominous voice. "Well, well, well…where to put you…"

"Please, just place me in Gryffindor," Hermione begged in her mind. "I need to be in Gryffindor."

"Is that so? I've seen your past; I see your future. Allies come from all sides, and certain houses will put you further down your destined path."

"I don't care," Hermione insisted. "I know where I need to go. Please, sort me into Gryffindor."

"How annoyingly insistent. Your travelling companion was just the same. Well, I suppose it had better be…"

Hermione gripped the edge of the stool, knuckles turning white.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

She sagged in relief. Pulling off the hat, Hermione handed it to Professor McGonagall and walked down the stairs towards the applauding Gryffindor table. She beamed at Remus as she passed by.

Once she approached the table, she sat very carefully next to the spot Sirius deliberately cleared off for her. Willing herself to ignore him, Hermione turned towards the sorting ceremony just in time to see Remus approach the stool.

He walked slowly and carefully, as if he wanted to preserve the memory forever. McGonagall placed the hat on top of Remus's head and his tired eyes closed. Though he wasn't whispering anything like Sirius had, extreme concentration filled Remus's face. The hat almost seemed to be debating with the boy.

After a moment longer, the hat's brim ripped open and it shouted: "GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus happily handed the hat to Professor McGonagall and rushed towards the cheering Gryffindor table where Hermione was clapping the hardest. Slipping next to Hermione on the bench, he sagged in relief.

"The hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw!" Remus hissed to Hermione. "I thought for sure you'd end up there, but here we are!"

"You can't image how relieved I am that you're here," Hermione whispered back. "Now pay attention to the sorting!"

"Yes, mum," Remus teased, rolling his eyes. Happiness shone on his face.

Hermione tuned out the rest of the sorting. She clapped when the other new Gryffindors were sorted. Sirius led a thunderous applause when James was sorted and noticeably kept his hands down when Peter took off the sorting hat.

After Emmaline Vance's sorting into Ravenclaw, McGonagall cleared up the stool and hat. Then, Dumbledore stood up.

Stretching his arms out wide, Dumbledore beamed at the students.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! There are a few announcements to be made, but those can wait. For now, let the feast begin!"

Dumbledore clapped his hands together before sitting down. Everybody clapped and cheered as food appeared on the golden plates. Slowly, Hermione turned towards the feast, ignoring the boy beside her. She was not alone, and she didn't know if she was ready to face Sirius. Too bad he wouldn't let her stay silent.

"Er-excuse me…" Sirius's voice, untouched by age, sounded. Hermione froze before slowly turning to face him.