Not Our World
Limits

"Just because a private forum is off-limits to other students who haven't been permitted to join doesn't mean it's off-limits to the prophesier," Fabian said. Hermione stared at him, as did Draco, both taken off guard. "But then, if you were from this world and more familiar with computers, the two of you would have known that, right?"

Hermione felt her body tense; her head turned to look at Draco, who tried putting on his usual attitude, only to fail. Finally, he turned and looked at the two. "Do you two professors make a habit of spying on your students."

"No," Gideon said. "Though we do often look through the private forums to make sure there's not anything amiss, as do some of the perfect."

"The reason your forum came to our attention was the use of the word Horcrux, which," Fabian narrowed his eyes, "that's not something first-year students should know, nor should they know that Professor Black dealt with Inferi during the war. He died, did he? As did we?"

Hermione let her hands clench her robes. "You wouldn't have normally dismissed the class early."

"No. And you're not in trouble. It's just, that there's only a select few who know about that. Not even Sirius knows as Regulus doesn't want him to," Gideon said. "It's us, Regulus and Dumbledore."

Hermione glanced over at Neville, who was still fiddling with the computer he was in front of, frowning. "So, just to let you know, Neville probably left his wand in the drawer below the other computer."

"You're changing the subject," Fabian said while Gideon went over and fetched Neville's wand and handed it to the boy, who rather sheepishly apologized.

"She wasn't changing the subject. Longbottom was always this spaced out before."

"Confidence issue," Hermione said.

"You're saying we should keep an eye on him a little more," Fabian sighed. "Reminds me how Regulus could get to be when he was younger, though I don't remember him ever forgetting his wand places. Then again, I wasn't teaching when he was at school." He leaned back. "The question is, did we get all of the Horcrux."

"I don't know," Draco said. "I'm not the best person to ask. I know there was a locket, a trophy because I remember my Aunt Bellatrix talking about them and how Harry and his friends were going around destroying them."

"Well, Harry and Nagini were, but the circumstances are different," Hermione said as Gideon continued helping Neville with the computer.

"You mean to say the circumstances which led to them becoming Horocrux didn't happen in this world, whatever that Nagini is?"

"Yes."

"And we have destroyed the locket and the trophy."

"There's also the ring, the diadem, and the journal," Hermione said.

Fabian let out a sigh of relief. "Well, it seems we ended up getting all of them. Gideon and me, so Voldemort won't be coming back. Not unless he ended up making a Horcrux we didn't find out about."

Gideon came back. "So, I went over the day's lesson with him, but I think we may need to be prepared for a little extra time after class for that one."

"Not surprising," Draco muttered.

"You're going to tell Dumbledore, aren't you?" Hermione asked.

"I think that would be best," Fabian said. "But I think he'll believe you if that's what you're worried about." He saw Draco flinch. "But that's not all you're worried about?"

"You're going to ask questions, aren't you? About what we got up to when he returned?" Draco muttered.

"Well, given that you referred to him as the Dark Lord, we can guess what you don't want to talk about, Draco," Fabian said, leading the conversation.

"Malfoy," Draco muttered.

"We're not people you're familiar with, are we?" Gideon asked.

"Should I be?" Draco said, to which Fabian and Gideon looked at each other.

Gideon sighed. "Well, given the fact we have interacted with a younger you in this world at Uncle Ignatius and Aunt Lucretia's home, that would be yes as an answer. What is your take on the Black family?"

"I still don't like Aunt Walburga," Draco muttered. "But she's annoyingly still alive. Outside of her and my grandparents, I really didn't get to know the Black family as they'd withdrawn from Wizarding society after the war. Including Aunt Lucretia."

"I guess Regulus dying would have that kind of effect, but then, I think he underestimates his effect on people, particularly family," Gideon continued. "You don't have an opinion, Fabian?"

"Not really. What did you know about him?"

"My mom named him godfather even though he was dead, and she talked about how he was good at Quidditch." Draco paused, then looked at Hermione, glaring.

"What?"

"If I was picked for the Slytherin team because of family favorites, it wasn't because of my father buying new brooms."

"I don't follow," Hermione said.

"Did Draco play the position of Seeker for the Slytherin team in your world?" Fabian asked.

"Yes, he did."

"That's the position Regulus played. We'd arranged for him to be homeschooled for his final term but still had him go to Quidditch practice and Quidditch matches. Of course, Slughorn didn't want to lose his star player either," Fabian laughed. "And to think I normally root for Gryffindor."

"I see," Hermione murmured.

"So I guess that's Draco's situation, but what about you, Granger?"

"Me?" She looked at him, confused.

"You said something in the forums that it's only you and your mother this time around this time around," Fabian said. "And Draco said something about Crookshank being your cat in the other world.

"Yeah. My dad liked Crookshank's a lot, but…" Hermione frowned.

"But what?" Gideon asked.

"You think she's not fond of Regulus because of that? That he has that fluffy half-Kneezle that has connections to her dad?" Fabian asked.

"I don't think…"

"It's not just that. The day Professor Black got Crookshank's was my dad's birthday, and I've not exactly come to terms with that because I still want to see my dad."

"Wait. Your dad's birthday?" Draco frowned.

"July thirty-first. Same as Harry's."

"Wait…" Fabian frowned now as well, while Draco stared. "You mean…"

Gideon shook his head quickly. "Hey. Granger. Anything else you can tell us about your dad?"

"Well, I'm Muggleborn, so he's a Muggle." Hermione couldn't understand why Draco wouldn't stop staring at her as if she was Hagrid's three-headed dog rather than an average dog, or something like that. "Black hair, gray eyes."

And Draco's mouth opened. Gideon smiled. "I think that's enough. I need to fill Draco and Fabian in non how Reg is doing, which is a family matter. That's okay with you? Right?"

"Yeah. I'll head on out," Hermione said, smiling, passing Neville by, noticing he was glued to the screen, carefully reviewing what he'd been taught, which made her feel bad as he likely already knew it despite not realizing it. She then headed out, wondering where she should run next given class was cut early, but then Draco was out behind her. "So."

"So?" He startled.

"How is Professor Black doing?"

"Better."

"No quip about how that's none of my business, or the use of that horrid word for Muggleborn?" Hermione said.

"I wouldn't say it isn't none of your business," Draco said.

"Why are you following me?"

"I'm not following you. The Great Hall happens to be in this direction," Draco said. "It's not as if I have anywhere else to go, Granger."

"Are you hanging out with Mudbloods now, Malfoy?"

Hermione frowned, looking at Pansy Parkinson, who was smirking. She glared at the girl who was with some of the other Slytherin girls. "You're not very bright, are you?"

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You heard what he said. There's only one path towards the Great Hall which is the logical place to head."

"Know-it-all," Parkinson snapped. "I heard the Gryffindor girls talking about how you came across as one, Mudblood." Hermione's hands clenched together, not wanting to let those words hurt her like they once did, and yet the words hurt. She's also forgotten what it was like to be a preteen whose brain was still developing mentally an emotionally. "But they've also noticed you'd rather make friends with the boys, slut." She tensed. "Nobody wants to be your friend."

She was not mentally prepared, and headed into the nearby bathroom simply because that was the way of getting away from her tormentor. But that didn't stop her from starting to cry.