Hermione took a sigh of relief as they stepped onto the grounds of Hogwarts. It felt great to be back, and the school seemed as if it were speedily recovering from the horrendous battle that took place just weeks earlier. Draco and Hermione awkwardly stood at the huge front doors. They had never had to enter this way before. Draco looked to Hermione, about to ask her if he should knock on the door, but the door suddenly opened. Standing there, looking exhausted yet somewhat relieved, was Professor McGonagall.

"Why hello Miss Granger." McGonagall said as she curtly nodded. "Mr. Malfoy."

"Good afternoon, Professor. We came looking for information on something." Hermione said. McGonagall nodded, urging her to go on. "Um, well. It's a bit...complicated, actually. But I was wondering what you know about 1945."

"1945? Dear, that is the year that Tom Riddle...Voldemort...graduated from Hogwarts. Why do you need to know this?"

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't important." Hermione said.

McGonagall nodded. "Very well then. Follow me to my office."

As they trailed behind her, Draco nudged Hermione in the side and murmured, "How did she know we were at the door if we didn't knock?"

Hermione nearly rolled her eyes at him. To her, the answer was obvious. She had read about it multiple times in her favorite book, Hogwarts: A History. "There's a charm placed on all of the doors. Aspicio Populem. It was first invented so that they could spot intruders before they bombarded in, but today it is more commonly used to see who is standing at the door, essentially."

"You know everything. How is it that you know everything?"

This time, Hermione rolled her eyes at Draco.

Before they knew it, they were finally standing in McGonagall's office.

"Please, sit." She said, and they did. "Firstly, you should know that I came to Hogwarts in 1947, two years after Tom graduated, so I don't know how much of a help I'll be. I know that Hagrid was in his fifth year when Tom graduated. Dumbledore, certainly would be a great help, but..." her voice trailed off as she looked away, remembering all the events of the past few years. "1945. I don't know what you're looking for, exactly, so this is quite difficult...?"

"Did anything major happen in the wizarding world that year?" Hermione asked.

"No, nothing aside from Tom graduating. Dumbledore defeated Gellert Grindelwald, who was then sentenced to life in Nurmengard. But none of this is all that important."

"What about the years around 1945?" Draco suddenly inquired.

"Hmm..." McGonagall thought. "1942...Tom Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets. Several students got injured, as you know, and Moaning Myrtle was killed by the Basilisk. Hagrid was framed for the attacks by Riddle and was expelled. 1943...Tom Riddle murders his father, and his grandparents, for the abandoning of his late mother. His uncle was framed for the attacks by Riddle and was sent to Azkaban. 1947...hmm...oh, The Werewolf Register was introduced, and A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot was first published.

And in 1949...A hippocampus was caught by Merpeople off the coast of Scotland."

Hermione sighed. None of this was useful information. Draco was thinking the same thing.

This is all crap. He thought to himself.

"Professor?" Hermione asked. "We have yearbooks at Hogwarts now, but were there yearbooks back then? In 1945?"

"Why, most certainly. Yearbooks have been a tradition ever since the opening of Hogwarts. All of them are kept in the library."

Hermione had an overwhelming sense that this was what she needed. This was her ticket; her clue.

She nearly jumped out of her chair. Draco slowly stood after her, puzzled.

"Thank you, Professor!" Hermione yelled as she ran out of McGonagall's office. Draco had nothing to do but run after her.