"So, what do you think of Crazy?" Sirius asked lazily.
Remus shrugged. "She seems nice enough, but I don't trust her. Something seems off, like she hasn't been fully honest with us, or she's hiding something big." he said quietly. James and Lily thought about this and agreed.
"I still think we ought to be friends with her." Lily said stonily. She didn't like the idea of creating an outcast on her first day. The boys looked at each other swiftly.
"Can we reserve judgement? See how she acts over the next week?" James said fairly. Lily growled and stormed up to her dormitory. Upon entering the bedroom, she saw Hermione playing with a locket, looking really sad.
"Hey, are you alright?" she asked concernedly. Hermione looked up, her face devoid of emotion and nodded.
"I'm fine." she replied tonelessly.
Lily tried again. "That's a lovely locket. Where did you get it?"
Hermione looked at the locket and smiled softly. "A birthday present from a dear friend." she sighed.
"When is your birthday?"
"Today." Hermione whispered, her expression suddenly blank. "Well, goodnight Lily." and with that, she drew her curtains closed and tried to fall asleep. No matter how hard she tried, one thought remained. Voldemort. He was alive in this time, she couldn't relax, like she had planned to. She needed to talk to her Sirius. The one from her time. But that would have to wait, as sleep had finally come to claim her.
Lily sat on her bed staring at Hermione's curtains. The poor girl, having to move on her birthday. What about her friends? She must miss them so much, Lily thought. "I'll talk to the boys, before they do something stupid." was her last thought before succumbing to the darkness.
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Hermione woke up as the first rays of dawn hit her face. Groaning, she looked at her clock. It was only five am! Unable to return to sleep, she got up and pulled on the tracksuit that she had arrived in. Packing her school bag, Hermione crept out of her dormitory and tiptoed past the sleeping Marauders who were sprawled out in the Common Room. Exiting the tower, she was hit by a blast of cold air. Sighing, she jogged over to the Quidditch pitch, and began to run laps and stretch. Unkonwnn to her, Orion Knight, aka Older Sirius, was watching her with a sad smile on her face.
"I had no idea you were so athletic." he called. Hermione stopped and ran towards him.
"Hey," she said softly. "I'm sorry about yesterday, I was out of order." Sirius waved off her apology.
"You look upset. What's wrong MIone?" he asked gently.
Hermione inhaled. "It's just...Voldemort's alive in this time. Sirius...I'm scared." Sirius wrapped his arms around the distraught girl.
"Hermione, nothing happened during my school years. We'll be fine. However, you are going to have to call me rion, or Professor Knight." he explained softly. Hermione nodded and then smiled.
"Who would have thought that Sirius Black would become a teacher?"
"Oh haha. Let's get back before breakfast. You need to take a shower. " He said, looking at her sweaty face.
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
"Jane!" Lily squealed as Hermione clambered though the Portrait Hole. "Where have you been!? God you look terrible, go have a shower!" Lily babbled, pushing Hermione up the stairs. Once she was out of sight, she rounded on the sleepy Marauders. "I don't want any funny business from you four. She has a rough birthday and I'm sure she'll tell us about herself when she's ready. Behave." she finished sternly, looking at Sirius and James. Remus looked confusedly.
"When was her birthday?" he asked.
Lily looked downcast. "Yesterday."
"No wonder she looked pissed at Professor Knight, he probably forgot!" Sirius chortled, completely oblivious to the problem as usual.
"You. Are. A. Moron!!!" Lily screamed. Sirius looked shocked. "She arrived here on her birthday, she;s probably left her family and friends behind. She's missing them! be nice to her." She ranted.
"oh..." Sirius said abashed. "That's probably what seemed off about her Moony."
Remus nodded slowly."Well, let's be nice to her. See if she opens up to us."
Hermione walked down the stairs slowly. She couldn't help but be sad. She missed Harry, Ron, Ginny... but most of all Remus. Although Remus Lupin was in this time, she couldn't help but note the differences. He was more secretive, more scared that someone would find out about his affliction. She noticed the similarities too though. They were both pranksters and carefree too. She couldn't deny it, She was in love with Remus Lupin, no matter what time she was stuck in. She saw him waiting with his friends and smiled slightly. "Yeah, I still love him..." she muttered.
"Did you say something, Jane?" Peter asked pleasantly from beside her. Hermion jumped. The Peter Pettigrew of this time was completely different. There was no other word for it, he was innocent. Hermione just couldn't bring herself to hate him. "Oh, er, I said where's breakfast?" she lied.
"Really? I could have sworn you said that you loved someone." Sirius said slyly from her other side.
"You caught me! I am hopelessly in love with you Sirius!" Hermion cried dramatically, winking at Remus, who laughed.
"Oho! What's this? Trying to steal my fair maiden? Let us run away dear Lady!" Sirius cried, dragging Hermione out of the Portrait Hole.
"Oh no! Someone help!" Hermione cried. Remus, James, Peter and Lily followed them down the Seven floors to the Great Hall, Lily yelling at Sirius to let the poor girl go.
"Fear nothing fair lady! We three valiant marauders shall rescue you from this fiend!" James cried brandishingg his wand like a sword.
Sirius stopped and turned back. "Fiend? Who is this fiend? I challenge you!"
The two boys began to mock duel, turning each other's hair different colours. Unnoticed by a laughing Remus and Peter, Hermione waved her wand subtly at all four boys and slipped into the Hall quietly, closely followed by Lily, momentarily forgetting her heartache. She saw 'Orion' watching her and winked. Five minutes later, the four marauders walked in, two of them still duelling madly. "That'll teach you for stealing my fair maiden!"
"Stealing? You fiend, you kidnapped her!"
Everyone started to laugh as the two boys realised they were in the Great Hall. James and Sirius bowed, "Thank you, we'll be here all year!"
Orion's jaw dropped as he took in the sight of his younger self and best friends. James' hair had turned bright pink, clashing with his bright orange robes. Sirius had gone blonde, while Remus' and Peter's hair had turned vibrant shades of blue and green. Remus was the first to notice Sirius' new hairstyle. He burst out laughing. "You look like Lucius Malfoy!" he gasped.
Sirius quickly conjured a mirror and screamed girlishly. Hermione and Lily hid their faces behind a copy of The Daily Prophet, so that they wouldn't be seen laughing. "James! I look like Goosey Lucey!" he howled, his voice carrying across the Hall. "Turn me Back!!"
James waved his wand, but nothing happened. "I can't, it's permanent!" he cried anxiously.
"We're stuck like this?" Peter squeaked nervously.
"What do you mean 'we'?" James bellowed.
Remus sighed and threw Sirius' mirror at him. James looked at his reflection in shock. "Lily," he whined "you're the best at Charms, could you pleae reverse the spell?"
Lily looked up, holding back her laughter. "I'm sorry,...James...It's, it''s not a charm..." Lily dissolved into giggles, not noticing the dazed look on James' face.
"Guys, she called me James." he said dreamily.
Sirius waved his hand in front of his face, and sighed. "We've lost him again."
Hermione looked up at their antics. "What lesson's first?" she asked an incoherent Lily. Peter decided to answer for her.
"Well, you have double defence, while I have Divination and a free period. " he answered sweetly. Hermione smiled.
"Right then, I'd best be off. See you in Charms Peter!" she called over her shoulder, hurrying out the door. Orion saw her leave and quickly followed suit, leaving one daydreaming boy, one greedy dog, one confused rat and two smart teenagers behind.