CHAPTER 3

The sunlight streamed into the gap in the curtains, shining directly in Hermione's eyes and waking her from sleep. At first, she thought she was in her regular dormitory in her regular seventh year and had just had a delightful dream about going back in time to meet Harry's parents. It was early, and her roommates were just beginning to stir in their beds. She sat up and looked around, and when she saw the bright red hair of Lily Evans, she buried her face in her hands and her heart sank. It wasn't a dream. Hermione pulled herself up and went to brush her teeth and shower before the morning's classes. As the water beat over her body, she lost herself in thought. How could she do this? How could she cheerfully join Sirius and Lily and James, knowing the future that awaited them? She shut off the taps, taking a deep breath and steeling herself for the day ahead. Dumbledore had said she would be in the past for "quite some time." How many days? She dressed in her school uniform and pulled her hair into a messy bun. Willing herself to cheerfulness, she greeted Lily with a smile and they headed out of the dormitories together. When they arrived in the Great Hall, Hermione saw that the Marauders were already seated at the Gryffindor table, heads pressed together and speaking in hushed voices, but Remus was conspicuously missing.

"Well it's tonight," she overhead James say just as she sat down, "so we'll have to get out somehow."

The three boys snapped their heads up and smiled when Hermione and Lily sat down, Lily greeting James with a gentle kiss on his forehead. Hermione glanced around the table.

"Where is Remus?" she asked.

There was a strained silence at the table and Hermione realized: it must be the full moon. Remus was surely up in his bed, feeling miserable and exhausted, and just waiting for the torment the night would bring him.

"Not feeling too well," Sirius said quickly.

"Oh," Hermione replied, trying not to seem too interested or concerned. "Well, I hope he's better soon."

"He will be," James added dismissively.

Hermione nodded, waiting for the uncomfortable silence to pass. Peter was shifting in his seat nervously, the twitch in his face oddly rat-like. Sirius and James were looking at each other out of the corner of their eyes.

"So, none of you made it to N.E.W.T. level Charms?" she asked, trying to change the subject. The tension at the table immediately dissipated.

"No, only Lily is good enough for that," said James, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend.

"Are you in N.E.W.T. level Charms?" asked Peter, and Hermione nodded.

"You should see her schedule," Lily said, shaking her head. "More classes than I could cram into a month!"

"Wow," Peter said quietly.

"After Charms, she has Transfiguration," Lily continued. "James, will you three take her to class? I don't want her to get lost, and since you usually come by to see me after class, I thought it would be easy for you to show her the way."

James nodded and continued eating his breakfast. Hermione smiled. For all it was awful to think about James Potter's future, she couldn't help but be excited that she would get to spend some time getting to know Harry's father. She longed to tell Harry everything she could about his parents and his godfather. However long she would be in their time, she would enjoy it and learn as much as she could, for Harry. She was just smiling to herself when she noticed that Sirius was looking at her, but when she turned to him, he quickly returned his gaze to his plate.

"Alright," Lily said, dropping her fork onto her plate with a clang. "We're off to Flitwick's."

Hermione stood and followed her, listening to her explain the ins and outs of Flitwick's class. It was interesting to hear the perspective from twenty years earlier, and it seemed as though Flitwick had not changed very much. Lily was a natural at Charms; that was obvious from the first moment. It made Hermione laugh, for Charms was certainly not Harry's strong suit. Lily and Hermione each managed to earn ten points for Gryffindor during the class. Flitwick even clapped his hands excitedly as Hermione mastered a charm on the first try.

"Wonderful, Miss . . . Granger, is it?" he said, and Hermione nodded happily. "Whoever taught you previously has done a marvelous job."

Hermione beamed and thought it was quite ironic that Professor Flitwick was essentially complimenting himself. She gave a bit of a chuckle as she packed up her books and followed Lily out of the classroom.
As they left the room, she saw that James, Peter, and Sirius were already waiting for them. James had his hands in his pockets, grinning, and he greeted Lily with a hug when she stepped out of the class. His casual confidence was evident as he rested an arm around Lily's shoulders. Next to James was Peter, who was pushed aside when a throng of students passed him in the hall. Sirius was leaning against the wall, his long black hair falling into his eyes as he waited to head off to Transfiguration.

"So, why aren't you in Transfiguration, Lily?" Hermione asked, and the boys let out coughs that sounded oddly like concealed laughter.

"Oh, laugh if you must!" said Lily indignantly, setting her hands on her hips. "I barely scraped an Acceptable in Transfiguration, and McGonagall told me, in the nicest way possible, that I ought to focus more on other subjects; you know, ones that I wasn't complete rubbish at."

Hermione laughed and eyed the three boys.

"And how is it that you three managed?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, knowing perfectly well that the boys had practiced quite a bit of Transfiguration during their time at Hogwarts.

"S'pose there's just finally something we're good at that Lily isn't," Sirius offered. He looked like he was trying to hide an arrogant smile as he brushed his hair from his face.

"Yes, just good old practice," James added with a crooked grin, earning a knowing smile from Lily.

Hermione chuckled and said goodbye to Lily. She fell in with the three boys, listening to James plead with Sirius to try out for the house Quidditch team. When this was unsuccessful, Peter jumped in asking James for advice on dating.

"Asking him for advice?" said Hermione despite herself. "Lily said you had quite a time getting her to date you."

"Oh, you have no idea," Sirius groaned.

"It was hysterical!" Peter piped in.

"She was just playing hard to get," said James.

"Right," said Sirius with an eye roll.

At this, James began speaking in the most haughty voice he could muster.

"Well, Hermione, let me just tell you that, while it may have taken Lily a short while-"

"Which means six years," Sirius interjected.

"-I can fully assure you that she is now happier than she has ever been-"

"He's feeding her love potions," Peter said, making Hermione laugh despite herself and James look cross as he continued.

"And I fully intend to keep her," James said, eyeing his friends, "because after fighting for, what did you say Sirius? Six years? I'm not bound to give up!"

"Good luck with that one, mate," said Sirius. "I'm surprised you've been able to keep her for two months already."

"It'll last," James said.

"Oh, I'm quite sure it will," Hermione said, and James wrapped a friendly arm around her shoulder.

"I knew I liked you," he said with a grin.

They had arrived at Professor McGonagall's classroom, and Hermione glanced around for a seat. It was obvious that Sirius and James had a designated table; they filed in and plopped down in the back row immediately. When Peter sidled into the table directly in front of them, Hermione plucked up her courage and sat next to him. He gave her a quick smile when she sat down, and Hermione forced one in return. It was hard to square the nervous young man in front of her with what she knew he turned out to be. McGonagall strode into the classroom and paused at Hermione's seat.

"Alright, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked, eyeing the troublesome boys around her.

"Certainly, Professor," she replied.

For the second class in a row, Hermione was able to earn points for Gryffindor. Professor McGonagall seemed very impressed at her ability to transfigure a mouse into a cat, as mammal to mammal transfigurations were quite complicated. Hermione saw that, while James and Sirius also managed lazily on the first try, Peter was having a bit more trouble. Torn between her innate dislike for the boy and her inner bossy know-it-all, Hermione leaned over to him.

"You're jabbing your wand to far forward," she whispered. "It's more of a wave than a jerk."

Peter nodded, and on the next try, had a small white cat sitting on his desk.

"Very good, Mister Pettigrew," McGonagall said, walking past their desks.

James and Sirius were whispering fervently behind her, and when she turned around, she saw them with their heads together as Sirius absently levitated his cat, who was making small mewing noises. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows at them, thinking of Crookshanks and of how Ron was never very nice to him. When Sirius saw her looking, he let the cat back down onto the table and it jumped off the desk and into her lap. She raised an eyebrow at him and began to stroke the cat's fur, turning back toward the front of the classroom.

Seeing the Marauders in classes, living life as normal teenagers, made her heart ache. She desperately wanted to do something, anything, to give them the lives they deserved. After Transfiguration, she told them she'd catch up with them later, staying behind to talk to Professor McGonagall. McGonagall's face was much more youthful, though no less stern, and Hermione guessed she was probably in her early forties. McGonagall saw Hermione waiting for her.

"Yes, dear?" she asked, her expression softening.

"Professor," she said softly. "Can I… is it really impossible to…"

McGonagall waited patiently. Hermione buried her face in her hands.

"Is it possible that I could change the future? Is there anything I can do to prevent-"

"Stop," said McGonagall, raising a hand in front of her. "Don't tell me what you want to prevent. Don't tell me anything. Miss Granger, awful things happen to witches who meddle with time."

"But I can't just pretend I don't know-"

"You can," she said firmly. "There's nothing you can do to change the future, Miss Granger. I must insist that you not try."

Dejected, Hermione walked to the Great Hall for lunch. Lily was seated next to one of their roommates, waving at Hermione happily to come join her. Hermione plopped down across from Lily and James, sliding next to Sirius and Peter.

"So?" Lily inquired. "How was Transfiguration?"

"The girl's a genius! She turned the mouse into a cat first try," James said. "Mine still had a wriggly nose and a skinny tail when I did it."

Hermione blushed shyly, still reliving her conversation with McGonagall, and trying desperately not to blurt out everything she knew about their futures.

"That's great! Did you enjoy the class?" asked Lily.

"Yes, very much," Hermione replied.

"I knew you'd like Professor McGonagall," Lily said.

The afternoon was filled by History of Magic, one that they were all required to take. Hermione noticed that, as usual in a class that is taught by a ghost, she was the only one paying attention. James's head kept falling backward, and while Lily was trying to keep him attentive, it was obvious that her mind was drifting as well. Sirius had a second quill enchanted to write exactly what he wrote in his notes onto a second sheet of parchment for Remus, and while he spent the first fifteen minutes of the class diligently taking notes, he was now staring blankly at the front of the classroom, his quill resting on his parchment making a large ink spot on both pages. Hermione pulled out a second piece of parchment and took double notes, wanting to make sure that Remus was able to catch up with class.

When class was over, Hermione walked over to Sirius's desk, who hadn't quite noticed everyone leaving yet, and handed her second page of notes to him.

"I saw that you were taking extra notes for Lup- er- Remus," Hermione said. "Since it looked like you drifted off a bit, I thought I'd help."

Sirius looked at her notes, which were considerable, and smiled at her, his grey eyes twinkling.

"Thanks, love," he said, standing from his desk and giving her a wink.

A sudden, surprising, and most unwelcome swoop went through Hermione's stomach. The confident smile, the sparkling grey eyes, the offhand comment . . . He called me 'love', she thought, and a grin split her face. This was Harry's godfather! He was not just any young man she'd met! Hermione paused as she gathered her things, allowing herself one moment to relive his wink and comment. Oh, stop it, he probably calls all the girls that. Still, she couldn't help but smile all the way back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Young Sirius Black was certainly very charming.

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Sirius saw Hermione smile and blush when he'd winked at her and found himself smiling despite his best efforts. Truth be told, he was fairly used to having that effect on women. He'd dated half a dozen of the girls in his year, and even though none lasted, he'd never had any trouble getting a date. Girls tended to go a bit weak in the knees for the old Black charm. A family trait, to be certain, for even his younger brother Regulus, a year behind him and in Slytherin house, always seemed to have a couple of Slytherin girls hanging on his arm. Sirius, of course, preferred to date in Gryffindor, but he'd dated a fair few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs in his day as well. He loved the feeling he had when a girl was interested in him. He wasn't above admitting it boosted his ego, but he'd never really taken dating very seriously. He preferred the company of his friends, thinking of girls as nothing but a fun distraction.

However, there seemed to be something else about this new girl. Something gnawed at him about her in a way that made him distinctly uncomfortable. She looked at him like she'd known him for much longer than two days. The way she'd catch his eye and then look away intrigued him. It was almost second nature for him to flirt; it came as easily to him as breathing, but something about this particular girl piqued his interest in a way no one had before.

After climbing through the portal into the Common Room, Sirius went upstairs to the dormitory to check on Remus. He was lying on the bed looking miserable, his food uneaten on his bedside table.

"How're you feeling, Moony?" Sirius asked, plopping down on the bed next to his friend.

"Do you have to be so loud?" Remus snarled back.

"Sorry, mate," Sirius whispered.

"It's ok," Remus said, rolling over on his back. "You guys coming down tonight?"

"Of course we are," said Sirius. "You don't think I'd pass up a chance to sneak out of the castle, do you?"

"Right," said Remus.

Sirius was lazing in Remus's bed, imagining the fun he'd be having later that night, but then feeling a pang of guilt that he had the privilege of considering the full moon a night of fun while Remus considered it the worst night of the month. Remus was his best friend in a different way than James was. James was all pranks and loudness and "oi, mate, watch this!" Remus was quiet confidence: the one Sirius went to with a problem, the one he went to when he needed someone he could trust. He half wanted to start spilling his guts about Hermione. Which reminded him…

"Oh, I nearly forgot," Sirius said, reaching into his bag. "The new girl took notes for you in History of Magic."

"She did?"

"Yea," Sirius said, handing him the roll of parchment. "So, for the first time ever, you will already have the notes for today and won't have to bother Professor Binns to catch up."

"That was very nice of her," said Remus, glancing over the thorough notes. "I like her."

Sirius felt a bit of a growl in his throat but suppressed it. Remus noticed the sudden shift in Sirius's demeanor and glanced up at him, a quirked smile on his face. Remus was, without a doubt, the most perceptive of the Marauders. Sirius tried to bury his feelings and set his expression to total neutrality. If Remus was interested in Hermione, perhaps Sirius could back off. For Remus.

"You like her, eh?" he said, trying to force his face into his characteristic smirk and raised eyebrow.

"Not like that," Remus said with a sigh. He nudged Sirius with his elbow good-naturedly.

"Right," said Sirius, nodding, the growl in his throat disappearing. "Got it."

Remus had propped himself up on one elbow. While his face was a bit pale and grey with the approaching moon, he was grinning deviously at Sirius.

"Wow, Padfoot," Remus commented. "That was an overwhelming bit of jealousy you just displayed there. It's coming off you in waves."

"Curse your werewolf senses," grunted Sirius, throwing a pillow right at Remus's face.

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Author's Note: I'm trucking along revising the 2007 version of the story. Whew, it needed a lot of rewrites. It will probably get condensed into about 15 chapters or so. And, reviews keep me motivated, so be sure to leave one 😊