Chapter 3: Meeting the Marauders

Her eyesight was greeted by Albus Dumbledore who stood near the gargoyle statue. "Miss Riddle, your punctuality didn't disappoint."

"Thank you sir."

If he saw the boxes in her arms, he paid them no mind and walked up the stairs after saying "Jelly Slugs." Hermione followed.

After coming into the office he motioned for her to sit down. "Acid pop?" He asked.

"No, thank you sir." She watched him take one and push it into his mouth. She smiled, she felt a sense of safety wash down her spine, this was a mirror image to her past-future.

"Now, I need to ask you, Miss Riddle what were the circumstances of your arrival?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

Hermione considered her answer opting on the truth. "Sir, I was supposed to be born in 1926 becoming a sister to Tom Marvolo Riddle. After I took the potion and chanted the spell I started thinking of 1926 but I got distracted due to some… things… I then fell into a pensive and watched the memories of a wizard who is attending now. After that… my thoughts were a bit mixed up."

A spark of curiosity settled in her Headmaster's eyes.

"There's a question I really wanted to ask sir, the potion should have appeared only under someone's death. Said someone was alive but before I had a chance to see him I felt like someone was controlling me and I read the letter. This obviously, lead me to take the potion but before coming here I saw that person alive. How could the potion appear if the person was alive?"

"I'm afraid that I cannot answer." He continued after a small pause. "Miss Riddle, you have mentioned some memories, might I ask, who did those belong to?"

Hermione bit her lip, she was trying to avoid that information. "It would be too much of a risk for me to tell you."

Albus Dumbledore nodded. "It seems I have send you here to prevent Tom's destruction. How can you help? How will you help?"

Hermione furrowed her brows. "Sir, if you're planning on changing things now I will not help you. There is a timeline which I need followed, that way it would be easier to defeat Voldemort." She paused. "So until a certain time has come, I will not help. I can't afford to disturb the timeline I know. I want to keep it the same until a certain point where I can change it." she explained.

He seemed to be thinking it through. "You were a good choice after all." He smiled. "Thank you for your sacrifice Miss Riddle, my time is running short, as I have a meeting soon but if there is anything I could do to help please tell me."

"Actually sir, I would like to know, how did the potion and spell work? What exactly were its properties?"

"It would be best for you to find out later, I only can say that it no longer exists and there is no more of it."

Lucianna-Hermione sighed in relief. "Can I ask a favour of you?"

"That depends on what you ask."

"I saw how the students in Slytherin treat me, it isn't very pleasant. I know you know what I asked of the sorting hat in 1971." She continued after the Headmaster nodded. "In my time, I was in a different house and this time I think it would be helpful if I were in a different house too. What I'm trying to say is, Professor, is there any chance I could be sorted again?"

"I think that would be justified as long as we come up with something reasonable, but you'd have to wait until the beginning your fourth year."

"I understand. Thank you." She stood up.

"Oh and Miss Riddle, happy birthday." Albus Dumbledore motioned her to the stairs. "Goodbye." she nodded in gratitude.

"Thank you Professor." And then she left.

She was walking towards the stairs when she let her curiosity get the best of her and moved toward the Fat Lady's corridor. She smiled as she watched some second years move there. She had to be in the Slytherin common room soon, she turned around with a huff and moved back to the stairs. Before she could reach them the headache hit her again. She dropped the boxes with the book and pressed her hands to her head. Another memory came toward her.

Lorenzo. Lorenzo was at the door when she entered the house. It was Monday, the 6th of August 1973 when she left but she, only entered the house on the 7th. Lucianna was soaked from the rain and the tears and stood there waiting for his reaction. Lorenzo couldn't move for a few seconds while his brain registered what happened. One, two, three, four, five, six. Lucianna was swooped into the arms of her brother and they both started crying.

"Don't you ever do that again Hermione."

Her father was on a business trip for another week but her mother was returning today. Two days earlier Lucianna stopped taking her dance lessons, after having a huge disagreement with the teacher, it ended with him asking her to 'get out'. Her mother had found out and called her immediately to start the scolding, unfortunately this time, she wasn't as forgiving. The words 'I'll come home tomorrow and I'll kill you' echoed through her mind. This is when her plan started hatching.

Lucianna opened Lysander's hiking bag. She rapidly stuffed some practical clothes, tissues, candy, a hairbrush and a mirror into the bag. She hid her wand under a sleeve and brushed of her tears. She threw the bag out of the balcony along with a pair of boots. It was raining and her mother would come in an hour. Her room was burning with fear. She put on a pair of jeans and a sweater and started walking around the room in her socks. (That was also her mother's idea that she picked up on a trip to Asia. Their shoes were put off in the entrance of the house, it was meant to keep the house 'cleaner'.)

Soon enough, her mother was at her door. She was screaming, shouting, and yelling. Lucianna stood her ground and told her mother that she didn't like the lessons. Another wave of fury was splashed on Lucciana, who refused to back down. The day before, she decided to face her mother, damn the consequences. She was crying now but still refused to apologise. At some point her lamp was smashed inches away from Lucianna and the vase came even closer. When her mother had picked up a ceramic statue Lucianna exploded with rage. 'I hate living like this. I hate living with you!' she screamed before running to the garden door. Her mother was hot on her trail but after leaving into the wet garden her mother couldn't keep up with her.

Lucianna put on her boots quickly and fastened the bag on her back. The next thing she knew was happening, was that she was out of the Riddle grounds and running into an abandoned building. She poured her tears out, whilst the knots in her throat tightened, forcing her to sob hysterically. Her next 4 hours were spent there, in an wreckage of a building, under the rain. She looked as if she had a bath in there. Lucianna decided to return an hour after midnight (not that she knew it). The cause being her thoughts of her father and brothers, but in the end she had to admit that she did it for her mother too. No matter how much she feared the woman, she loved her dearly because of the small moments when her mother had hugged her and told her that she was the best thing in her world.

Lucianna believed her, she always did because she knew it to be true. So this one time, she gathered all the courage that was left in her and walked back to her house. She'd face her mother again, and this time she'd make sure to win. But the fight that she was expecting never came. After Lorenzo hugged her, Lysander followed behind quickly and threatened to steal her owl. She laughed with a sob escaping her and then she came face to face with her mother.

Her mother apologised and kissed her a million times before telling her own story. She found out that her mother was abused as a child and they cried together. Ever since that day her mother had been more cautious around her but she still lost her temper twice. Every now and then she would apologise. Upon her father's return, the family had hugged together and cried. Her father told her how proud he was of her, she was growing up.

Hermione opened her eyes with a distraught sob escaping her. She had lived through all these terrors. She had 4 memories back and they had caused her so much pain and it was only morning. She wondered what would happen by the end of the day.

"Are you alright?" came a voice before her. Her eyes met the golden ones of Remus Lupin, behind him were James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew.

Her body froze, so it was true. All those times people said that Harry was a carbon copy of James, it was all true. The only difference were the eyes but James Potter looked exactly like his son. She looked at her past (for her, future for him) Professor, he already had little scars on his face from the transformations, she felt sorry for the prejudice he'd have to face. Her eyes lingered to her best friend's godfather, she remembered his death and a his unfair life, a tear escaped her right eye. Hermione brushed the hair of her face and refused to look at the fourth one. She knew that if she did, she might take out her anger on him, not that she was against it but it would be slightly problematic with the rest of the Marauders watching.

"Riddle, what are you doing here?" asked Sirius to whom Remus threw an accusing look.

Her body couldn't move.

"Riddle, what is going on? Why are you here?" asked James. Peter, the rat nodded in agreement.

"Stop it, she's clearly disturbed. What's wrong?" Remus addressed his friends before addressing her. James and Sirius looked guilty before putting on a mask of indifference.

Peter cut across. "What's a slimy Slytherin like you doing on our territory?"

Remus threw a glare at all of his friends before jerking his head to Hermione.

"Peter, I think Remus' right." Sirius whispered to his friend. "What's wrong?" He asked her.

Her shock was wearing of and she wiped her tears before looking at them. "I had a headache, I'll go now." She sat down to pick up the boxes with the book.

"Didn't look like a headache." James muttered before helping her with the rest of her books signalling the Marauders to follow.

Hermione was a little shocked, after seeing all their hatred towards Slytherin she assumed that they would insult and bully her. Perhaps, the hatred to her house hasn't settled yet.

"Whoaw, is this a first edition?" Sirius looked at her before setting his eyes on the book.

"Yes." she laughed with tears, there was something strange about seeing him with pure excitement in his eyes.

He passed it back to her. "Where did you get it?"

"I..." Her mind was searching for a way to explain it. "It was a birthday present?" She asked more than stated.

Luckily they didn't seem to notice, Sirius' and James' excitement grew while Remus stared at the book, probably trying to find a way to read it.

"Why are we helping her? She's a Slytherin." squeaked Peter.

Lucianna's head snapped to the irritating sound. "Not all Slytherins are evil and not all Gryffindors are good." She said thinking back to Severus Snape's story. "Some of them will grow into the people you couldn't dream to reach the levels of."

"Well give me an example, if you're so sure."

"Regulus Black." she said refraining from Severus Snape's name as her example would be disapproved by the rest of them.

Peter fought back. "No he's not. He's a little-"

Sirius' face became red with anger and sadness, Hermione noticed it. In an instant she was apologising. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have- I'm sorry." she pleaded, he waved her off. James and Remus were scowling at the brunette and the blond.

"Sirius, I'm-" Peter started.

"It's alright, we should go now." He said. "Bye Riddle." He looked at her and started turning away.

"Wait." Her mind was buzzing, she would probably be sorted back to Gryffindor next year, giving her a chance to win their trust. She also had to stop the traitor from killing her best friend's parents and putting Harry's godfather into Azkaban and leaving Lupin alone. Her decision was made. She saw them turn to look at her. "I want to apologise if I have ever done anything bad to you, any of you. I recently had a change of heart-muggle phrase-and it changed many of my intentions. I'm not asking you to be my friends or acquaintances, I just want to offer you my help, with anything. I can even give you the passwords to the Slytherin common room for your pranks. That is if we put our history behind us."

They looked at her like she'd fallen off the moon. "Are you joking?" James asked.

"No."

"How do we know that you are trustworthy?" Inquired Remus.

"You don't but if I am lying you four can prank me into oblivion." She retorted with a thread of hope.

"What of your friends?" She looked up at Sirius who had his brow raised up.

There was tension in the air. "You can't really call them friends, can you? Well unless friendship means letting people degrade you. I only see them as twitchy little ferrets." She said with the most serious face, wishing for this to loosen the pressure.

They laughed, slightly. "See you around Riddle." Called James, they walked away.

And again she was left alone to her thoughts. She walked down the stairs, carefully balancing the book between the boxes. She couldn't believe that she'd done it. She had actually made a step toward befriending the Marauders. Eventually, she could find a way to get rid of the rat. She promised herself that they would be safe, she would make sure that Harry and Ron had a better life. She smiled to herself, she'd make sure of their happiness. If she couldn't do it in the future and lost the chance to do it from the past (1938) she would save them here, in her now-present.

'Celebrating' her birthday with the Slytherins wasn't as dreadful as she imagined. She expected it to be a dull event where they would gossip whilst making fun of the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. Instead when she came back from her 'trip to the Hospital Wing' her roomates demanded she open the presents. Mafalda's present, in the green package-that she didn't open in the morning-held a leather notebook with a 'L.R.' inscripted on the right corner. Anya and Claire had given her a joint present which was a muggle record player which they later used to put on some music while they played a game of exploding snap.

They played various more games before lunch when they granted her some privacy to go to an extra-curricular and a book club. She returned to the dorm later in the evening when all three of them were out. Taking the book out from the inside of her robes she searched for her wand. She remembered the jealous glances Anya and Mafalda shared regarding the book so Hermione had to make sure to hide it. She wasn't stupid enough to put it under the bed or some hidden pocket of a trunk, she'd place it in a bag with an Undetectable Extension Charm cast upon it and would make sure that the bag doesn't open to anyone but the owner.

All she needed was her wand. Hermione, thinking of the places where she would have kept it found it in the third drawer of the her nightstand along with a schedule and some Arithmancy notebooks. She took it to cast a spell but in a moment something felt terribly wrong. Instead of her 10 and thee quarters, vine wood and dragon heartstring wand there was someone else's. She didn't put it past her mind that she might have end up with a different wand but a part of her hoped that her wand would always be with her. In her had lay an wand with the same size as her previous but it had a different wood that she recognised quickly. It was elder.

She furrowed her brows thinking back to the information she read on elder wands, they were the rarest of the wand woods but considered to be greatly unlucky. Wizards or witches who had a pairing with the wood were said to have a special destiny. She relaxed slightly, she supposed coming to the past to destroy Voldemort was special enough. After a minute or two of thinking she cast the charm, it worked better than with her vine wand. Why hadn't the wand chosen her in the future? Sweeping her thoughts away she cast some more spells for protection and hid the book inside the bag. She could rest now.

Author's Note: I really hope you liked this chapter, I was worried if I made the mistake of Hermione-Lucianna meeting the Marauders too soon. I would be pleased to hear your thoughts and thank you for reading the story, I wish you the best.

-Alli