Hi everyone! Thanks for everyone who has followed and favourited so far - I really appreciate it :) just wanted to say something quickly in response to a couple of not very nice reviews that I've had. My story is my own and is obviously an AU - we all know that Hermione did not travel back to the Marauders' era. I have changed other things as well to fit my story, like the fact that Sirius is still being invited to family parties (to be honest, my idea here was that Sirius's mother wanted to maintain her family's public image more than anything else) and the idea that maybe the Slytherins could be changed. I know they may not fit with JK's version and that was my personal choice - I'm sorry if you don't like it but you don't have to read. It certainly doesn't mean that I haven't read and loved the books and I'm certainly not justifying Snape's behaviour. This is simply a different approach. I'm all for constructive criticism but I don't appreciate the suggestion that I'm not a real fan because I'm trying something new.
Thanks again for reading!
"Morning," Hermione says, sitting down in between Sirius and Remus. James and Lily are on the other side of the table and Lily flushes as Hermione meets her eyes.
"Hermione, I'm sorry," Lily says. "What I said was unforgivable and I…I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you."
"It's fine," Hermione says. "There are more important things to worry about now." Just then, the owls enter the hall and a letter drops onto her lap. "Like this," she says, opening the scroll of parchment and reading the letter carefully.
"What does it say?" Sirius asks and Hermione sighs, handing it to him.
"Miss Granger," he reads aloud. "I have written this letter to prove to you that I am capable of keeping my word. Although I do not normally deign to treat people as my equals, particularly schoolgirls, I came to an understanding after our conversation that you have certain skills which may be of use to me if you are willing to provide them. For this reason, I wish to continue our correspondence in this manner and possibly arrange some meetings to discuss our shared opinions further."
"I also believe you have certain demands you wish to make of me if I am to expect you to join me in the fight against Albus Dumbledore," he continues quietly. "You mentioned my similar, although not altogether as accommodating, offers to your alleged friends, including Castor Avery, Bellatrix Black and Severus Snape; however, I was not so fortunate as to hear your opinions about them and look forward to this in the future."
"I wrote to the students in question again last night," Remus says, grabbing the letter and continuing to read. "To implore them to join me. As I am sure you are aware, the Averys, the Blacks, the Notts and many other powerful families have sworn allegiance to me and it is my expectation that their children will follow suit. I hope, Miss Granger, that you will help them along this path, rather than do anything to jeopardise this?"
"Please do keep in touch and let me know the next time you are permitted to leave Hogwarts," Sirius concludes. "It was a true pleasure to meet you and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Tom Riddle."
"Tom Riddle?" Lily hisses incredulously. "Merlin, Hermione, you must have done quite a number on him to be on a first name basis already."
"Mm," Hermione says noncommittally, taking the letter back and scanning it again. "I need to go, I'm going to write back before class."
"And say what?" Sirius asks, grabbing her wrist and forcing her to look at him.
"Nothing special, Sirius," Hermione says coolly. "But I doubt it's wise to keep a Dark Lord waiting." She rolls up the piece of parchment and gets to her feet, meeting Dumbledore's eyes as she does so. She waves the scroll and he nods, getting to his feet and sweeping out of the hall without a word; Hermione looks back to the table and says, "If I'm late to class, please tell Professor McGonagall I needed to have a word with Professor Dumbledore."
Before any of them can reply, she's gone, hurrying down the aisle to the double doors. She is stopped in her tracks by Severus and Avery who look at her suspiciously. "What?" she says impatiently. "I have somewhere I need to be."
"What's in that letter?" Severus asks.
"Mind your own business," Hermione says sharply. "Now if you'll excuse me-" She attempts to push past them but they block her way firmly.
"Not yet, Granger," Avery says. "You still need to tell us your plan."
"And I will," Hermione says. "When I think you need to know. I really have to be somewhere, boys, please just leave this for now."
"Hermione, we want to help you," Avery says.
"I know that," she snaps; both boys flinch slightly and she softens. "I'm sorry," she says. "I appreciate it more than you could possibly know but I'm really late and I don't have time for this right now."
"Go," Severus says after a few moments. "We'll speak later."
"Thank you," she says, kissing them both on the cheek and then hurrying up to Dumbledore's office.
"There's nothing in here that particularly concerns me," Dumbledore says. "I assume you knew about the letter he sent to the Slytherins?"
"They told me during the night," Hermione says quietly. "I saw the letter – it was not very…accommodating, as he says. An order, to be frank, for them all to fall in line and join him or…"
"Or die," Dumbledore concludes. "They must be scared."
"They're brave," Hermione says. "Hell, half the time I think they would have been sorted into Gryffindor if they weren't so damn proud."
"Maybe," Dumbledore says, smiling. "You're fond of them?"
"I am," Hermione says, eyes shining. "I didn't think I would be, you know? Like I knew I'd love Lily and James and Sirius and Remus but…Bella killed people I loved and Narcissa was the mother of the boy who made my life a living hell and Nott and Mulciber and Snape and I just…" She breaks off, close to tears, and then inhales sharply. "I want them all safe. I want this over but I don't know how…"
"How many more do you need to find?" Dumbledore asks quietly.
"Three," Hermione says. "I know where they are, I just…I don't know how to get to them without alerting him to what I'm doing."
"Where are they?" he asks.
"Gringotts, a cave and Malfoy Manor," she says.
"If my knowledge is correct, the Malfoys throw an Easter Ball not unlike the Blacks' Boxing Day bonanza," he says quietly. "I'm sure you could talk your way into an invitation – if not from Sirius then from Avery or Narcissa?"
"That's true," Hermione says thoughtfully. "The cave I can do anytime. And then Gringotts…"
"Where in Gringotts?" Dumbledore asks.
"I believe it's in the Black vault," she says. "I could send Sirius anytime but I worry he's watching it carefully."
"So, leave that one for last," Dumbledore says. "Focus on keeping him sweet for now – the longer he thinks you're still in the grey, the better."
"Okay," Hermione says. "And if I need to leave the grounds sometimes to meet him?"
"Hermione, I can't control you," he says. "If you think you'll be okay, you can go at any time."
"Thank you," she says. "I'll write back to him now."
"Okay," Dumbledore says. "Keep me up to date with your correspondence."
"I will," she says, taking the scroll and walking down to the library. She sits at a desk in the back of the room and writes the letter carefully. Half an hour later, she sits back and reads it over.
"Dear Tom," she murmurs to herself. "Thank you for your letter. I must confess, I never for a moment suspected you wouldn't write; however, I was honoured to hear from you so quickly, and was careful to take the same haste in my response. I must also confess to being honoured to see you considering me as an equal, even if it is only for your own personal gain at this point. I would never dare to assume I am anywhere near as talented or as powerful as you; however, you are right that I have useful skills and I appreciate the respect you have shown me because of this. I too look forward to continuing your correspondence and I would appreciate the opportunity to learn from you. I would certainly be willing to arrange meetings with you if this is something which you would have the time for."
She sighs, crossing out a couple of lines from the next paragraph, and then continues, "I would not presume to assume that I am in the position to make any demands of someone of your stature; however, in the spirit of working together, I would like to discuss certain concessions, particularly surrounding your treatment of my friends. While I understand you cannot afford to be so accommodating with all your followers, I also do not think that threatening the lives of people you are attempting to recruit is the best way to do business. Castor Avery, Bellatrix and Narcissa Black and Severus Snape are all extremely intelligent and exceptionally talented and to have wizards and witches like them who believe in you will be very beneficial to your cause. Maybe you will consider me disrespectful, but having people behind you who want to follow you will definitely help in the long run – at the very least, you reduce the chance of them betraying you?"
She rubs her eyes, crosses out another couple of lines and then whispers, "I saw the letter you sent to my friends. I also saw the reaction it provoked in them. Maybe fear was the desired effect but it certainly did not lead to their commitment. You're also right that I was aware about the families' allegiances; however, I would not expect this generation to follow in their parents' footsteps. Our year at Hogwarts is closer than any in history – we party together and we eat and we go out and we work together. Asking us to betray each other is going to be slightly more difficult than before and so I would advise you that your usual tactics may not be as effective. Saying that, I'm not expecting them to swear their allegiance to Albus Dumbledore soon either – I am not exactly quiet about my disdain for the old man and the Slytherins in particular are more than happy to go along with it. At this point, I believe all of them are most inclined not to take part in this war at all – if you want them on your side, which I believe you should, you need to prove to them that you are worth fighting for."
She nods, writes out the whole thing again and then checks the final paragraph, reading, "I am not going to jeopardise your cause, Tom, but I'm also not going to advise them to do something I don't believe in and at the moment I don't fully believe in you. If convincing them is not enough for you, perhaps you should try and convince me?" She sighs again and then looks at the sign off, murmuring, "I will be interested to hear your response to my ideas and look forward to our continued correspondence. I will certainly write to you the next time I am able to leave the castle without drawing too much attention to myself. Until next time, yours truly, Hermione Granger." She rolls it and hurries up to the Owlery, borrowing a school owl and sending off the letter to the Dark Lord. When she checks her watch, she is surprised to see that Transfiguration is already over and she glances out the window to see all the Gryffindors and almost all the Slytherins under the big tree by the lake.
"What are you guys doing?" she asks as she reaches them.
"Talking about you," Bella says frankly.
"What?" Hermione says, surprised.
"We're pooling our knowledge," Avery says and now Hermione's eyes widen as she looks to Sirius and James.
"What?" she says icily and they both wince, shaking their head slightly.
"Okay, so not all our knowledge apparently," Severus says, shooting the Gryffindors a dark look. "But enough to know that you're a lot more than you're letting on."
"In what way?" Hermione asks, sitting down on Sirius's lap and letting him wrap his arms around her; she doesn't fail to notice the way Avery's face darkens slightly but she tries to ignore it, her eyes on Severus.
"You are now in regular contact with the leader of the light and the leader of the dark," Severus says. "And if Sirius is right, you'll also be corresponding with the Minister of Magic – if he gets his way, that is."
"Okay," Hermione says. "And?"
"Hermione, they don't even write to each other," Narcissa says. "You are the only person who has access to them all and you are 18 years old. What do you know which has caused all these people to trust you so implicitly?"
"I'm going to be frank," she says. "I know exactly why Dumbledore trusts me and unfortunately I am not at liberty to share that with you. I do not know what has led Tom to trust me or respect me as much as he does; however, it is useful to me and to my cause that he does and I plan to take advantage of that. Okay?"
"What is your cause?" Bellatrix asks. "Are you on the light side? Or are you on the dark side?"
"Neither," Hermione says. "My sole purpose in all of this is to protect every single one of you, and I will do whatever I have to to ensure your safety. Do you understand?"
"Why?" Avery says. "What are we to you?"
"Do you really need to ask that?" Hermione says, smirking slightly. "You're my friends. I love you all and I need you to survive. But more than that, you're the future. When this war ends, and it will end, you are going to be the ones who pick up the pieces and build the world of tomorrow. It's up to all of us what that world looks like and I hope that we can make it beautiful. But we can't do that if we don't survive."
"So how are you going to keep us all safe?" Severus asks.
"I have plans," Hermione says and everybody sighs.
"You say that all the time," Marlene says. "But you won't tell anyone what they are."
"The more you know, the more-" Hermione begins and everybody groans.
"Yes, yes, the more danger we're in," Alice says. "Have you ever thought, Hermione, that you might do better with our help?"
"Of course," Hermione says. "You're all brilliant, talented and clever and amazing, but I've weighed up the risks and I've told you everything you need to know."
"So what?" Narcissa says. "We're just supposed to wait until you need us to do something?"
"Yes," Hermione smiles. "That's what you'd be doing if I wasn't here?"
"No," James says. "If you weren't here, we'd still be mortal enemies. You've brought us together, Hermione, and I don't think you understand how miraculous that is."
"No, maybe I don't," she laughs. "But if my plans work, you'll never have to go out there into danger. And if you don't, you're going to need good NEWTs, okay?"
"Really?" Bella groans. "You're telling us to stay home and study like good little children? Do you know us at all?"
"Give us something to do, please," Cass pleads. "It's not fair that it's all on you."
"Fine," Hermione says. "If you guys really want to help, there are two things I need to research that I don't have time for."
"Research?!" Bella complains but the others hush her quickly.
"Yes, Bella," Hermione laughs. "But if I tell you this, it's with the understanding that you don't tell anyone what you are doing. Not your parents, not anyone." She turns to Bella and the other Slytherins and says coolly, "Not even Nott or Mulciber."
"Fine," they all agree.
"Okay," Hermione says. "I need you to research Fiendfyre – how to start it, contain it and stop it – and how to kill Basilisks."
"Basilisks?" Avery says, going pale. "Is that why-?"
"Shut up," she snaps. "Will you do it or not?"
"Of course," they agree and she smiles gratefully.
"Did you reply to the Dark Lord's letter?" Severus asks and Hermione shoots Lily and Remus another dirty look.
"You heard about that, huh?" she says. "Yes, I replied. I'm not expecting a reply anytime soon though." As if on cue, two owls fly overhead and drop two scrolls into her lap. She blinks at them, gaping at the impossible timing, and picks up one, unravelling it and rolling her eyes.
"Is it…is it from him?" Bella asks nervously and Hermione smiles.
"No," she says. "This one isn't anyway. This one is from Harold Minchum."
"And the other one?" Avery asks, his eyes on the scroll like he expects it to burst into flames.
"This one is from Tom," she says.
"I cannot believe you get to call the Dark Lord 'Tom'," Severus chuckles but he is slightly awestruck.
"Hey, he suggested that," Hermione says, starting to read the note from the Minister for Magic. She rolls her eyes several times before rolling it back up and turning to the other one.
'Hermione,' it reads. 'Thank you for your quick response. I admit I find myself injured by your assumption that our correspondence and my treatment of you is only for my gain. I would never consider these things if I didn't think you were talented or powerful enough to interest me and I think, given time, we could develop a relationship of sorts which could be mutually beneficial.
I appreciate your tact, Hermione, and I would be partial to discussing your concessions. I must confess your keen interest in school children such as Castor Avery, Severus Snape and, as my sources suggest, all the Blacks, is fascinating me no end – surely you can see that you are above them? While you persist in telling me that they are intelligent and talented, you surpass them in every thinkable way and you can hardly expect me to treat them the way I have decided to treat you. However, you raise an interesting point about reducing the chances of betrayal and I am sure you are wondering how I have to managed to avoid it thus far. To be frank, Hermione, the answer is simple. I trust no one. Nobody in the world knows the full extent of my plans and while it stays that way, I am safe. From my numerous sources, both in and out of Hogwarts, I am coming to the understanding that you operate in a similar manner, never lying except by omission. However, you seem to be much better at getting people to trust you and work for you. This is intriguing to me and leads me to consider you both as a potential threat and a useful ally.
I am sorry that I didn't warn you about the letter I wrote to your classmates. In truth, our conversation opened my eyes to how useful schoolchildren could be in this great war to come. Admittedly, I doubt that anybody in the school can be as useful to me as you; however, I understand your point about provoking fear and I must confess I feel an ounce of regret at not consulting you before contacting them directly.
You raise another interesting point about the loyalties of your generation. Multiple sources have reported to me that you are accurate in your assessment of how close your year group are. Malfoy and Black both observed Gryffindors and Slytherins spending time together at the Blood Ball; Nott reported that his son spent New Year's Eve at the Potter house with your entire class. However, they have also reported to me that this closeness has developed as a direct result of your appearance in the school. Which leads me to two points, Hermione. Firstly, I believe that your year group will follow where you lead. If you choose to swear allegiance to me, the Slytherins at the very least will follow suit. You may also have sway over some of the weaker Gryffindors and possibly even the Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws. Equally, if you swear to join Dumbledore, your friends will follow suit and if I've learnt anything from our correspondence, it's that your year group are not to be underestimated. So, your idea that I should try and convince you to believe in me is not entirely flawed and certainly something I will endeavour to do over the course of our correspondence.
My second point, Hermione, is really more of a question. Who are you? You appeared, by all accounts, out of nowhere at the beginning of September. Nott reported that his son claimed you appeared in the Great Hall in a flash of smoke, despite wards preventing any apparition into Hogwarts. I have heard stories that you have travelled from abroad, which seems unlikely, and that your friends and family were killed by Death Eaters, which I know to be a lie. I don't know why you're lying to everybody but I will find out.
Til the next time then, Miss Granger. Signed, Tom.'
Hermione looks up from the letter and back at the circle to several expectant faces. "Well?" Severus asks. "What did he say?"
"A lot," Hermione says. "Most of it is veiled threats to be honest, but there is some interesting stuff here. I should go and reply – I'll see you guys in Charms."
"No, hang on, that's it?" Bella asks. "You're not going to tell us anything?"
"No, I'm not," Hermione says. "Need to know, remember?"
"Sirius, did you see any of it over her shoulder?" Avery asks and Sirius flushes slightly.
"Sirius, you are already in trouble," she warns, getting up and rolling up the scroll. "Severus, Avery, I wonder if you'll accompany me to the library. I want to discuss something with you."
"Sure," they both say, getting up gracefully. She bends down, kisses Sirius hungrily and then walks back towards the castle, Avery and Severus on either side of her.
"Sirius, I wonder if we could go for a walk?" Hermione asks quietly.
"Oh, you've got time for me now?" Sirius says, only half-joking, and Hermione scowls.
"Never mind, I'm going to bed," she says, getting up off the sofa and starting towards the girls' dorm.
"Stop," Sirius says, catching her arm. "Where do you want to go?"
"Come on," she says, walking towards the portrait hole and leading him up to the Room of Requirement. She paces in front of it three times before walking inside. It has transformed into a large room, full of sofas and beanbags and a beautiful fireplace. Hermione hurries over and throws herself down on the largest beanbag, right next to the fire. She watches him sit down beside her and then waits.
"Are you okay?" he asks.
"No," Hermione says. "I'm not. I don't think I could possibly be okay while we're fighting."
"Are we fighting?" Sirius says. "I didn't think we were doing much of anything these days."
"These days?" Hermione says. "Sirius, this is what I mean. This all started two days ago and you're punishing me like we're an old married couple who have been fighting for years."
"It didn't start two days ago, Hermione," he says quietly. "You've been distant since New Year's."
"That's not fair," Hermione says. "I've been busy but I have been trying. It's just hard."
"But why?" Sirius says. "What are you struggling with?"
"Everything, Sirius," she says snappily. "Don't you get it? I'm getting it from all sides and I just…I don't know what to do."
"What do you mean?" he says. "You're doing so well."
"I'm not though," she says. "It's only a few months until we leave school and then Marlene and Cass could be dying anytime. And for all my talk about plans, none of them are moving fast enough and I'm so scared."
"So, talk to me," he says. "What can I do? What do you need?"
"I need you to be my boyfriend," she says. "I know I push you away and I hide things and I'm probably the worst person in the world to be in a relationship with but I really do love you and I don't think I can do any of this without you. And I know it's so selfish of me to be asking so much of you when you're not getting anything back but-"
"Whoa, hang on," he says. "Who says I'm not getting anything back?"
"Well, I-" she begins, but he cuts her off.
"Hermione Granger," he says gently. "Every single decision you have made since you landed on that bloody table has been to protect me and James and Lily and make sure we have the life you think we deserve. Even more than that, you've seen the good in people that I've hated my entire school life and you've found a way to make me not hate them. And now you're trying to save them too. You have given me so many incredible things, Hermione, and I know I complain sometimes because I'm a drama queen but I love you and I appreciate everything you do for me. For us."
"Thank you for saying that," she says quietly. "I appreciate you standing by me, even though I can't tell you everything."
"You tell me enough," he says quietly. "Where do you go from here?"
"I don't know," she says. "I've reached a point where I can't do much more on my own."
"What do you need to do?" he asks.
"I need to get the rest of the Horcruxes," she says. "I need to find a way to destroy them and I need to kill or change Tom before anyone else gets hurt."
"You know where they are," he says calmly. "We can get them."
"Not alone," she says. "Which is why I need to tell the Slytherins. Avery, Snape, Bella and Narcissa. I need to trust them but I don't know…I don't know how."
"You can trust Avery," he says. "I know of that for sure."
"But the others?" she says. "I love them and I want to trust them but I just can't separate these people from who they will be. Or who they were when I knew them before."
"What about an Unbreakable Vow?" Sirius asks. "If they ever tell, they'll die."
"I don't want to scare them into silence," Hermione says. "I want them to know that I trust them. Which is why I was thinking about the Fidelius Charm."
"With secret keepers?" Sirius asks. "I don't know if that will work with a secret you've already told?"
"Neither do I," Hermione says. "But there's no limit on the number of Secret Keepers you can have, right?"
"It won't stop them telling though," Sirius says. "And the reason you're asking them to do this is because you don't trust them not to tell."
Hermione looks at him tearfully and nods. "I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore," she says. "Do you want to come with me?"
"Okay," he says. Together they hurry to Professor Dumbledore's office, slipping through a secret passage and into the room.
"Good evening," Dumbledore says quietly. "How are you both?"
"I got another letter," Hermione says, handing him the scroll. "And I need to learn more about the Fidelius Charm."
"It won't work," Dumbledore says quietly. "You've already told the secret to too many people."
"So how do I tell them?" Hermione says.
"Do you have to?" Sirius asks.
"Yes," Hermione says. "I need one of them to teach me Occlumency and the second they try, they're going to see everything. It needs to come from me. Under my terms."
"You don't need to tell them for that reason," Dumbledore says. "I can teach you Occlumency."
"Or me," Sirius says.
"Excuse me?" Hermione says. "You know Occlumency?"
"I do," Sirius says. "Every Pureblood family teaches their children Occlumency from a very early age. I expect James could teach you too."
"Okay," Hermione says.
So I would recommend you hold off on telling the Slytherins for now," Dumbledore says. "As for this letter – have you responded?"
"Not yet," Hermione says. "I don't know how to keep him on the hook without telling him anything? Plus, I can only lie for so long - I keep saying what I think he wants to hear but I'm so scared I'm going to trip up and he'll turn on me."
"Hermione, where's all that confidence gone?" Sirius laughs. "You're one of the most amazing people I've ever known and you've handled everything brilliantly so far. You know exactly what you're doing – please don't lose faith in yourself now."
"Mr Black is right, Miss Granger," Dumbledore says. "You are currently one of the only people in the wizarding world with direct contact to Tom Riddle – that is no coincidence. We have to take advantage of the connection we have."
"And the rest of the Horcruxes?" Hermione asks. "I can go to that cave anytime, but getting the diary from Lucius Malfoy's house? And the cup from the Black vault?"
"Lucius Malfoy is going to have to wait until Easter," Dumbledore says. "I assume you're on the invite list, Mr Black?"
"I usually am," Sirius nods. "If not, I'm sure Narcissa will invite Hermione. We'll get into that party somehow."
"And until then?" Hermione asks anxiously.
"We just play the waiting game," Dumbledore says. "Keep Tom talking, keep him interested. Keep your heads down and wait for the right time to strike. I have a feeling it's all going to happen very quickly once it starts."