The next two weeks, Hermione prepared for Hogwarts as best as she could by smuggling the most interesting and resourceful books and tomes into her trunk. She hid them well beneath her clothes and placed her normal books above them. If anyone would find them... Hermione shuddered at the mere thought. She got most of what the Black library had to offer about necromancy, some general summoning and some random books she found interesting by their titles.
She tried to contact Isla again, but every time she tried she got blocked out just after she saw the blur inside the circle. Hermione was frustrated since all she really wanted to know was if her eyes had played a trick on her. A few days after her conversation, her rational part kicked in and she was sure that it must've been a different red-haired, emerald-eyed...
"...woman that looks exactly like the one creator saw on the marked ones family photos?" Rukh threw in and cackled at Hermiones dread.
"What do I do, Rukh?"
The mist just beneath the skin of her cheeks and the follicles of her hair felt like firm hands holding her face. They felt encouraging and calming and were so stark in contrast to the cold tone of Rukh.
"Nothing, creator. You do nothing."
Hermione sighed heavily, knowing that the demon girl was right. It was just her wishing she could talk to someone who wasn't bound to her soul. She would have to wait for Isla to make her move, given that she planned on doing so.
Nothing it was for Hermione the last one and a half week until she would go back to Hogwarts. Days went by with nothing to do but play chess with Ron, talk with Harry and step out of the line of sight from Ginny. They listened in on Order meetings, but rarely found out anything of importance.
It was a torture for her to remain silent while seeing the same emerald eyes that stared at the ceiling of the workshop. She wanted to tell him, but even if she could, how would she? She was forced to remain silent and traitorous voices in her head told her that Isla knew that she didn't have a choice in the matter. She would tell no one if she wanted to remain a free little witch.
The day before departure, letters from Hogwarts arrived. Minerva McGonagall made her and Ron, Gryffindor Prefects. Its was, of course, an obvious choice to take Hermione. She however wondered why Ron was taken. Despite his likeable character overall, he was neither a good student, nor known for his love of rules, nor his objectivity towards other students. Especially the ones with green and silver crests on their chests. Taking everything into account, he was probably one of the worst people McGonagall could've appointed, but Hermione kept that opinion to herself. No use in disturbing the on-the-spot celebration Molly Weasley wiped up from nothing.
Hermione would've been happy for the red-haired boy, if it wasn't for the much more subtle disappointment of the black haired one with the emerald eyes.
_-_-_HtN_-_-_
Just as every year, getting into the Hogwarts Express was a hassle. It took ages until everybody said their goodbyes and it took even longer until everybody was in the train and seated in a compartment.
As Professor McGonagall told them in the letter, Hermione and Ron made their way to the Prefects meeting in the first wagon of the train. It was a quick meeting, with the Head Girl and Boy quickly going over the do's and don'ts of Prefects, the expectations and privileges as well as the patrols during the night.
Hermione also had to correct herself. There was someone more ill fitted for the job than Ron. For reasons Hermione couldn't even hope to grasp, Professor Snape had appointed Draco Malfoy as fifth year Prefect.
Other than that, the ride on the old train went by without any disturbance other than Malfoy promising Harry to watch him every step he takes and the girls of Gryffindor taking up on the latest gossip. Namely, that Harry Potter was a lying, arrogant, fame-seeking money-whore whos on the same level of a Gilderoy Lockhart with his stories of reborn Dark Lords – BUT – still available and ready to date one of them. Maybe two of them, since, after all, he's the Boy-Who-Lived. If he can handle a dragon, he can handle two girls easily.
"Are all of creators peers... like...?"
"Whores?" Hermione thought with venom.
Rukh just chuckled in response. "This one finds it funny that creator doesn't mind her language in her thoughts."
"No need to, really."
"No need to outside of her thoughts either."
"I'm not the most popular girl in Hogwarts. Calling those sluts what they are would result in nothing less than social suicide."
"This one thinks that creator worries too much. Worries all the time."
"Hermione, you with us?"
Hermione startled as Ron touched her shoulder to get her attention. They were already in the carriage up to Hogwarts and Hermione figured that she must have looked pretty out of it, speaking to Rukh.
Don't interrupt my conversations with my resident demon, Ron! "I just thought about some things." Hermione answered in a neutral tone.
Ron shrugged it off and continued his discussion about Quidditch with Harry, who took every opportunity to distract himself from the glares and accusation that probably still lingered in the back of his mind.
It took them just a few more minutes until they reached the castle. Just as quickly as everybody else, they walked through the Entrance Hall into the Great Hall and sat down. Their carriage was one of the last ones and the Hall was already bursting with laughter, chatter and the general sound of hundreds together at one place.
Hermione couldn't enjoy the feeling of being back at the place that had changed her life forever. Somewhere out there, the houseelves of Hogwarts were loading up the trunks to deliver them to their dorms. One of those trunks contained books so dark, even the kids of Death Eaters would pale when reading them.
"Why did I let you convince me to bring those books again?"
"Because it was the..."
"Don't say 'smart thing to do'. It wasn't. If they find them..."
With a long sigh she sat down at the Gryffindor table and watched as her classmates conversed about their holidays and travels. Dean told everybody about his day at the football stadium, which left the pureblooded among them stare at him in confusion. Lavender gossiped with Pavati. Ginny told her peers all about the last summer while sending glares at Hermione. An action that made the whole lot of the girls around the red-haired witch join in at the glaring.
Hermione just rolled her eyes at the misplaced jealousy of the Weasley girl and let her gaze sweep over the other tables. There was nothing out of the ordinary and Hermione enjoyed that greatly.
"Who're the new teachers?" asked Seamus next to her and pointed towards the head table. "Wait a minute..."
"Oh Merlin, Snape is gone!" gasped Dean who had just finished his story about Tottenham United.
Dean and Seamus weren't the only ones who missed Snape at the table of teachers. Excited conversations and shouted questions ensured until Dumbledore raised from his chair and announced the Sorting Hat.
It was almost painful to listen to the Hat sing and remind them once again to stick together, when there was a question in the air that just screamed for immediate answers. Where was Snape and who was that witch sitting on his chair with her witches hat drawn so deeply into her face, nobody could see her.
Next to her, the pink-clad, toad-faced woman on the other side of the table was of no consequence, even though her appearance should have been the better eye-catcher.
The process of Sorting was long and required much of Hermione's patience. This year, more children took longer under the hat than ever before. At least Hermione felt like that. It spoke volumes of the tension in the Hall that even during the Sortings, the murmurs never died down completely.
Finally the last student was sorted into Hufflepuff and Professor McGonagall removed the hat and the three-legged stool it sat on.
Necks stretched and ears sharpened – something that rarely occurred when the headmaster started his speeches at the beginning of the year.
"Welcome and welcome back at Hogwarts, everybody. Its truly good to see you all in these troubled times. Before I answer the question that has audibly haunted you since you arrived, I must make the usual announcements. The Forbidden Forest is, as his name suggests, forbidden. Please refrain from any detours or strolls through it. Also, has asked me to bring attention to the extended list of prohibited items which can be found in his office for anyone to see."
Dumbledore graced them all with a bright smile through his silvery beard and the famous twinkle in his eyes grew even more pronounced as the student body went dead silent in anticipation.
Having enjoyed the moment long enough, Dumbledore began to speak in a more quiet voice, taking full advantage of the uncommon silence. "I regret to announce that Professor Snape has resigned from his position as both Professor for Potions as well as the Head of House Slytherin..."
Roaring applause. The first to jump up in euphoric gestures were the Weasley twins, followed by three Houses of Hogwarts. People high-fived each other. Some, like Neville, looked so light-headed that one could fear they would fall to their knees. Just the Slytherin table looked like they got a collective slap to the face and sat stunned in their chairs.
"...I'm sure he will be dully missed." Dumbledore finished with a grin, followed by even louder laughter from the three Houses that had suffered under Snape the most. Dumbledore waited until the cheers went down a bit until he proceeded with his announcements. "I'm happy to announce two additions to the faculty this year. One replacing Professor Moody, the other taking the place of Professor Snape, as well as the responsibility for House Slytherin. Please, welcome with me our new Professor for Defense against the Dark Arts, Dolores Umbridge."
Polite applause went through the ranks of the students and teachers before Dumbledore smiled again, much brighter than when he announced the position of the pink-clad woman. "Please also welcome with me, for the position of Professor of Potions as well as Head of House Slytherin, an old friend of mine and esteemed colleague in several fields of research, Isla Hitchens."
Hermione couldn't help herself. Her mouth hung open and her eyes grew wide as the face of the woman from the workshop, Isla Hitchens nee Black was revealed from under the witches hat. She wore her kindest smile, but her eyes spoke volumes of her authoritarian nature. She almost rivaled McGonagall in her no-nonsense expression.
"'Sooner then you think' indeed." Rukh cackled as she enjoyed her hosts emotional turmoil.
In her shock Hermione nearly missed the social battle between the two new Professors play out. The ugly Professor Umbridge stood up, cleared her throat and was ready to speak in what could only be an annoying voice, when the powerful voice of Professor Hitchens roared up from her seat unannounced.
"SLYTHERIN!" she nearly shouted and the entirety of the school went silent in an instant. "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw. Let me begin by telling you that I am deeply pleased to be here. I am looking forward to work with you all, from starting with the simplest salves..." she nodded at some of the new first-years with an encouraging smile "...to experimental potions challenging the smartest future potion masters and mistresses among you." She gave a small grin to the groups of seventh years.
She then walked from behind the table, her steps powerful and determined. Her white hair billowed behind her and her lilac eyes burned in anticipation of what she was about to say. She straightened before her House and the snakes met her gaze, knowing nothing of what was to come.
"Truly, it will be a delight to teach you Potions. It is a subject that requires not only discipline and simple craftsmanship, but also an open mind to see the worth in new ingredients, the strength in before never seen materials and the potential in the obscure." Her gaze wandered over the Slytherin House as if she was searching for something while making clear beyond any doubt that her speech was about anything but potions.
"Professor Snape, while being one of the leading Potion Masters in the world, is a purist through and through. I, however, will invite you to see a broader spectrum. See beyond perceived borders and reach out for the things you deem... unbecoming? Below you? Different?" She looked over the Ravenclaw table and shortly stopped two times before her gaze traveled further.
"The books state things previous generations have discovered by questioning the status quo and nothing short of that I expect of each and anyone of you. I expect you to ask more Why instead of How." Her gaze wandered over Hufflepuff, but didn't stop even once.
Her eyes reached the Gryffindor table before she continued. "For when we question our comfort zone, when we ask instead of blindly obeying, when we challenge our reasoning time and time again..." Her eyes stopped, having met with the hazel-brown of a still open-mouthed Hermione. A slight grin crept up on her face and for a moment, the strict expression in her eyes made way for kindness. "...then we might find surprises where we least expected them."