Chapter 3: First Steps into a New Life

Hermione gazed out the window of the compartment and watched the families interacting and saying their goodbyes on the platform. She felt a slight twinge as she watched the parents saying goodbye to their children with lots of hugs and tears; and in some cases scolding's and warnings to be on their best behavior. She missed her parents and felt terrible that the last time she had seen them, they had had an argument.

Her parents had only brought her to platform 9 ¾ for her first two years. Each year after that she was always staying with the Weasley's for the end of the summer and had come to the platform with them. Now she just wished that she could see her parents again and tell them how sorry she was and how much she loved them.

Over the years as she went to Hogwart's, she seemed to spend less and less time with them and more and more time talking to them through letters. She couldn't even pick-up a telephone and call them most of the time, because there wasn't a phone at the Burrow or Grimmauld Place. It had bothered her that her parents and her seemed to be growing apart the longer she spent in the wizarding world. With each year that passed Hermione had explained less and less of the events in her world, because her parents just couldn't understand what she was going through. When her parents had become worried and threatened to withdraw her from Hogwart's at the end of her second year, she had decided that she had to stop telling them anything that happened that could worry them. The rift had begun with that decision and continued to grow with each year, but right now she would give just about anything to be able to be saying goodbye to her parents on the platform before the train departed.

Without Sirius around the doubts and worries she felt were harder to keep away. Professor Dumbledore had told them that he would look for a way for them to return to their time, but as more and more time passed Hermione was becoming less hopeful that he would be successful. As the reality set in that they might be stuck in this time permanently Hermione found her emotions running continuously through a cycle encompassing depression, anxiety, sadness, happiness and worry. At the moment the cycle seemed to have settled on depression and was stuck as she continued to watch the families on the platform.

Watching all of the people on the platform made Hermione acutely aware of the lack of Harry and Ron by her side. Their absence felt like a knife through the chest. They weren't just her best friends, they were her family. She had never been at Hogwarts without them and she knew that this year was going to be hard without them by her side.

In addition to Harry and Ron she missed the entire Weasley family, even Fred and George. Her extended family had grown to include so many people over her time at Hogwarts, and now she was locked away in the past away from everyone she loved. She didn't know how she would have been able to cope if Sirius wasn't here with her. They helped each other through the hard times that appeared when something reminded them of the loved ones they were separated from.

Hermione was pulled from her memories by the sound of whistle warning those on the platform that the train would be leaving in one minute. Glancing back out the window she watched as children made a mad dash for the train doors while parents and younger siblings waved.

Sirius had talked Hermione into leaving her trunk at Hogwart's and only taking her bag on the train ride with her. He didn't see the point in transporting her trunk all the way to London just to bring it back to Hogwarts with the train. As the train began to move out of the station Hermione reached down to her bag and pulled out the copy of "Pride and Prejudice" that she had picked-up in Diagon Alley and laid it on the seat beside her before digging back through her bag for her gray zip-up sweatshirt.

This morning Hermione had dressed in a mid-thigh length denim skirt and a pink tank top. She and Sirius had spent the morning walking around muggle London to get their thoughts together before they were surrounded by hundreds of students tonight. It had been unseasonably warm in London as they were walking, but now on the train it was cool.

She put on her gray sweatshirt and reached over to pick-up her book before curling up on the seat and leaning against the window. Starting at the beginning of her book she had only made it to the morning after the Merryton Ball when the compartment door opened and four boys entered almost doubled-over laughing. They closed the compartment door before the first one noticed her in the corner.

Remus had looked at her when he noticed that the compartment wasn't empty. "At least this time you are starting at the beginning." Hermione smiled at him as a lopsided grin appeared on his face and he took the seat across from her next to the window. "Well I decided to take your advice and start at the beginning so I didn't, what did you call it, miss a lot of important events." The other three boys had taken seats by now and were glancing back and forth between Hermione and Remus.

Taking her time to look over the other occupants of the compartment she studied the boy seated to Remus' left. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt with the Tornadoes quidditch team logo across the front. He was tall with uncontrollable black hair, a decent build, a smirk showing itself on his face and amused hazel eyes that were flicking back and forth between herself and Remus. He was lounged across the seat as if he didn't have a care in the world. James Potter looked so much like her best friend in that moment that a sharp pain struck through her chest.

To James' left sat a short, pudgy boy with thin blonde hair, small beady eyes and a nervous smile. He was already wearing his uniform, but not his robes. She had recognized him almost immediately. Peter Pettigrew. Instead of the pain she had felt when she looked at James, with Peter her chest had filled with anger and hate. She decided that she had to quickly look to the last occupant of the compartment before she went through with the thought of cursing Pettigrew where he sat. Although Sirius probably wouldn't mind too much if she cursed Pettigrew now, she wouldn't be able to explain why she had done it.

Turning to look at the boy that had taken the seat next to her, her heart immediately filled with love and a sense of protection. Sirius was sprawled across the seat, mirroring James' posture on the other side of the compartment. He was wearing black jeans and a red long sleeved t-shirt with Gryffindor written across the front in gold script. His black hair was shoulder length and lying gracefully across his eyes. He had a smirk on his face and was looking back and forth between Remus and James.

Hermione could now completely understand the brotherly relationship that her Remus and Sirius had described as having existed between James and Sirius. She could tell that in the short eye contact James and Sirius were establishing that an entire conversation was taking place. With the amusement that she could see in each of their eyes she wasn't so sure that she shouldn't get up and run right then and there. They easily had many of the same mannerisms and were both perfectly comfortable in the present situation, knowing without a doubt that the other would back them up if anything were to ever happen.

Having finished her glance at all of the occupants of the compartment, Hermione returned her attention to Remus. Even though she perfectly well knew each of them she had to act as if she didn't. "Who are your friends Remus?"

Waving his hand to his left Remus introduced his friends. "This is James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black. Guys this is Hermione St. Clair she will be in 6th year Gryffindor with us." As each of the boys nodded their greeting to her, Hermione smiled back.

"So Remus, how do you and Hermione know each other?" asked James as he quickly sent a wink at Sirius.

"We actually met in Flourish and Blott's last week. You know, the day that you and Sirius ran off and left me in order to go salivate over the new Comet 150 that just came out."

A look of comprehension washed over James' face as he recalled the events. "Yeah, but you can't argue with the fact that it is the best broom on the market." Hermione just shook her head at this comment. To her boys would always agree when it came to racing brooms and quidditch.

Sirius drew her attention as he began to speak. "Since this is your first year at Hogwart's where did you go to school before?"

Taking in a breath she had to smile at the fact that it was Sirius that started the inquisition she knew was coming. She would have to tell her "Uncle Sirius" about it either tonight or tomorrow. "Well, until three months ago I lived in Lyon, France with my parents and I was home schooled by my mother. I am staying with my uncle now and since he took the DADA position I will be attending Hogwart's this year."

A mischievous gleam erupted in Sirius' eyes at the pronouncement of her uncle being a professor. Hermione could just see the wheels turning in Sirius' head as he thought over numerous pranks to 'welcome' the new professor with. At the sight Hermione decided to have some fun at Sirius' expense.

"I should let you know that my uncle and I have been forewarned about you and the fact that you guys like to play pranks on students and professors. I should probably warn you guys that my Uncle Sirius can usually give better than he gets when it comes to pranks and you don't want to end up on his hit list."

The comment that their new DADA professor was good at pranks and could possibly be better than them seemed to be accepted as a silent challenge to the group of boys to prove that they were the best. Hermione would have to let Uncle Sirius know to be on the look-out. "Just remember that I did warn you."

***Through the Veil***

The rest of the train ride passed with the group talking and playing a few games of Exploding Snap. After a short time together, it felt as if they had been friends for years. Remus had left to attend the prefect meeting and do rounds, but other than that no one seemed to bother them and the train ride was spent comfortably goofing around.

By the time the train pulled into the Hogsmeade Station they had all changed into their school uniforms and donned their school robes. Instead of leaving her bag on the train Hermione had shrunk it and put it in her pocket. She followed the boys as they lead the way off the train and into the first available carriage. Distantly in the background Hermione could hear Hagrid calling the first years to him for their trip across the lake.

As soon as the door closed the carriage set off down the bumpy lane towards Hogwarts. Now, as Hermione approached the castle she could feel her nervousness and depression setting back in. She had never been a good liar, but over the years through all of the adventures that she had had with Harry and Ron, she had become much more skilled in that area. It was now a reality to her that when she walked through the doors to the Entrance Hall in a few short minutes that a lie would be exactly what her life would be from this point forward. One very large lie with only her Sirius knowing the complete truth. Everyone she would meet would only know the lies that she told them about herself.

As the truth of her situation hit home she felt the lack of Harry and Ron's presence as if she were submerged at the bottom of the Black Lake (again) cut off from everyone else. Harry and Ron had been her best friends since Halloween of her first year. They were her anchors in an unstable life that she had found herself in. They had been there for each other through everything they had come across, and now she was on her own. They weren't here to help her through this. She was truly on her own.

As the carriage came to a stop the boys exited and Remus held her hand to help her down from the carriage. He seemed to sense that she was lost in thought and sent her a friendly smile. Hermione gratefully returned it and took a deep breath to steady herself before following the hoard of students climbing the stairs to the Entrance Hall.