"We need to go see Hagrid." Harry insisted at dinner the day they finished exams.
Hermione bit back a sigh of exasperation. Hagrid meant well, but he was extremely naïve. "We're supposed to stay in our common rooms."
"Come on 'Mione!" Ron exclaimed, gaining attention from the Head Table.
"Fine." Hermione whispered, biting the inside of her cheek so hard that she drew blood. She hated, hated, the name 'Mione.
After they finished eating, the Trio left the Great Hall and headed toward Hagrid's hut. Hermione watched as Hagrid gave Ron Scabbers back.
"Looks like you owe someone an apology!" Hermione snapped; her anger, and magic, rising quickly to the surface.
"Well, the next time I see Crookshanks, I'll let him know." Ron sneered.
Clenching her jaw, Hermione forced her magic down. They couldn't find out. Not now, not here; she wasn't ready. She had no one but herself, and Merlin she wished she could talk to someone.
Suddenly, a clay jar on the table shattered.
Frowning, Hermione picked up a snail shell. Looking out the window she saw a group of adults headed toward the hut. "We need to go."
"What?" Harry asked.
"Fudge is coming." Hermione hissed as she opened the back door. "We need to go. Now!"
Hiding behind the giant pumpkins, waiting for the adults to enter the hut, Hermione sensed someone watching them. She turned around and her eyes widened and she slowly turned back to the boys. "Let's go back to the Castle."
"What's wrong?" Harry asked.
"Nothing." Hermione lied as she tried to control her breathing. Walking quickly up the hill, she refused to look back. There was a reason wizards didn't mess with time.
As they reached the top of the hill, the boys turned around just in time to see he executioner bring his ax down.
Rolling her eyes at the tears that had gathered in Harry and Ron's eyes, Hermione looked at her watch.
"Ouch!" Ron exclaimed, dropping Scabbers and staring dumbfounded at his bleeding hand. "Scabbers bit me! Scabbers!" Ron ran after his ran and Harry ran after Ron.
Sighing in frustration, Hermione followed them right to the Whomping Willow.
"Ron, Run!" Harry shouted.
Hermione arched an eyebrow, if the boy died from his stupidity, then he died.
"Harry! Hermione!" Ron sounded hysterical. "Run! Behind you! The Grim!"
Turning around a giant, black dog leapt over Harry's head and sunk its teeth into Ron's leg, dragging him under the tree.
Harry darted forward.
Sighing in exasperation, Hermione's wisp shot out and yanked Harry backwards. "Yes, Harry, do run toward the Whomping Willow."
Blushing dark red in embarrassment, Harry looked down.
Whipping out her wand, Hermione cast a silent Immobulus at the tree. Walking toward it, she didn't check to see if Harry was following, she knew he would. Squatting near the base of the tree, Hermione jumped into the hole the tree protected. Casting a lumos, Hermione started walking forward.
"Where are we?" Harry asked.
Hermione closed her eyes, sending her magic outwards. "We're headed toward the Shrieking Shack."
Oblivious to her magic, Harry tilted his head. "How do you know?"
Continuing forward, Hermione smiled ferally. "I just do."
Shrugging, Harry followed her through the twists and turns as they continued down into the earth, before starting upwards. He trusted her completely, deep in his soul he trusted her.
Pushing open the trapdoor, Hermione pulled herself up and sighed. She had forgotten how the boys dragged her on their little 'adventures'.
"What now?" Harry asked, breathless from hauling himself onto the floor.
"They're upstairs." Hermione sighed. Apparently, Harry can't see the footprints in the thick layer of… dirt. I'm going to call it dirt. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Walking carefully up the stairs in order to not cause them to creak, Hermione led Harry to the third story landing. Palming her wand, she crept down the hallway, her wisps muffling any sound she made.
Slowly pushing the door open, Hermione saw a terrified Ron clutching Scabbers to his chest.
"Behind you!" Ron pointed. "It's him! He's an animagus!"
Turning around they were met with a gaunt, filthy, slightly derange looking Sirius Black.
"Fuck." Hermione breathed, shoving Harry behind her. "If you want him, you are going to have to go through me!" While she knew that Sirius had no plan to injure his godson (unless Azkaban had addled his mind worse than his body), Hermione wasn't supposed to know he was innocent. And she really, really, detested the man. If he happened to die while she was 'protecting' Harry, well, she would make sure to be distraught at the fact that she killed someone.
"Only one will die tonight!" Sirius giggled.
Hermione kept a firm grip on her wand. If he thinks he can kill me, he is greatly mistaken. I cannot be killed. She slowly gathered her magic to her, she only had one strike to take down the Order member.
The door banged open and Lupin gabbed Sirius into a tight hug.
Harry tensed behind her.
"It's good to see you old friend." Lupin smiled.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted as he barged into the room. "I told the Headmaster that someone was helping an old friend into the Castle."
"I wasn't." Lupin began.
"You know he won't believe you." Sirius sneered. "Will you Snivellus?"
Oh for fucks sake! Hermione rolled her eyes. "Expelliarmus!"
The spell, laced with Hermione's fury, nocked Snape out before he slammed into the back wall.
Lupin winced.
"You betrayed my parents!" Harry shouted, breathing heavily. "I thought you were their friends!"
"I thought Sirius had betrayed Lily and James, until this year." Lupin explained.
"What?" Harry frowned.
Lupin nodded. "The Marauders Map showed you Peter Pettigrew and that's when I knew the truth."
"The truth?" Hermione asked, refusing to glance over at Ron or, more specifically, his rat.
"I wasn't their Secret Keeper!" Sirius exclaimed.
It was all Hermione could do to keep her magic under control. Merlin, were these two Marauders idiots as they stumbled their way through an explanation of what happened leading up to Lily and James' death. Hermione was startled out of her thoughts when Scabbers leaped off Ron's lap and ran around the room.
Remus and Sirius started casting spells at the fleeing rodent.
Right as Scabbers jumped through the hole in the door, Lupin's spell hit him and Scabbers was not longer a rat… physically, living as a rat for thirteen years will cause your psyche to be more rat than human.
Hermione stood very still and tried not to draw attention to herself as she watched the scene unfold before her.
Lupin grabbed Peter by the scruff of his neck and threw him at their feet.
"Pretty girl, smart girl, you won't let them kill me?" Peter begged at Hermione's feet.
Taking a few steps backwards, Hermione gave Lupin a frantic look.
"Get away from her." Sirius growled, before he leered at the young witch. "I'll protect you."
"Thank you, Mr. Black." Hermione swallowed down her bile. She would bed both Carrow twins before him.
Sirius paled. "Just 'Sirius', please."
"We should get going." Lupin sighed, pointing his wand at Peter.
It was slow going, with a captive and Ron, the latter of which couldn't walk properly.
Hermione sighed as she heard Sirius monologue to Harry. Quickening her pace, she caught up to Lupin. "If you don't mind, professor, I can watch him and you can talk to Sirius." Seeing his reluctance, she quickly added. "At least until we are out of the tunnel."
Grinning like a boy, Lupin dropped back.
Peter swallowed, there was something about this girl that was familiar.
"Listen here, Wormtail." Hermione whispered. "Here's what you are going to do, you are going to escape and find your Master."
"What?" Peter squeaked.
"And I may forgive you for your incompetence." Looking him right in the eye, Hermione allowed her eyes to turn black.
Peter swallowed hard. He was always been a coward, but there was one thing that scared him more than the threat of the Dementor's Kiss and that was the Dark Queen. She was certainly much younger than he remembered, but there was no mistaking her voice or those eyes. Peter shuddered and vowed to find a way to escape as soon as possible.
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A/N: Massive time jump there.