A/N: Chapter 4 is updated. This whole chapter got a revamp, reworded a lot of it.
Should I remove all the following chapters and post only the updated ones? This way readers would only read what has been edited? Or leave it all up for those that want to continue reading even if not updated?
Chapter 4
Hermione stared at the headmaster for a few moments, her mouth opening and closing as her brain processed the professor's words.
"What?" she finally sputtered, not processing them whatsoever. This was completely unexpected.
"Hmm, well I say five years, but, they have only been dating for four. They are going into their fifth school year as a couple," Dumbledore began to explain. Hermione's mind was whirling, Remus had said history was not as they were told, and this was not what she had been expecting in a million years.
Remus and Lily.
Remus was dating Lily Evans. Harry Potter's mother. He was likely in love with her, especially after five years. She had felt guilty that she would be meeting Harry's parents when that was his biggest wish, yet how would he have reacted if he learned this? He had a difficult enough time with the knowledge that his father wasn't perfect, that he was as arrogant as Snape used to taunt him with. When he had watched James Potter hex Severus Snape he risked everything to reach out to Sirius, to tell him his dad wasn't like that. If he learned that Remus Lupin was in love with Lily Evans and somehow James Potter had come in between them?
This certainly explained why Remus only appeared in their third year. Hermione had always been curious after they learned he was Moony of the Marauders, why he never reached out to his best friend's child years before that. He also disappeared after that year, only really reappearing at Grimmauld Place with Sirius. Harry's godfather that had been on the run had still managed to reach out and provide encouragement during the Triwizard Tournament, but their old defensive teacher was absent. Even at Grimmauld Place, he had only really spent time with her in the library, Harry was generally with the Weasleys or Sirius, but Remus was closer with her. Thinking back, she realized that Remus had only truly interacted with Harry after he married Tonks and had Teddy. He hadn't even been able to say Lily's name without his voice breaking when he passed her the letter before the battle. She had assumed it was the emotion of losing both of his best friends, now she thought it was remembering his first love.
Why would Remus and Lily be separated by Pettigrew, what could he accomplish by putting James and Lily together?
Remus had given her the letter and told her that without Pettigrew there would be more love. Her Remus wanted to protect this Remus and Lily, keep them together.
Dumbledore had stopped talking as he watched the gears turn in Hermione's head. He acknowledged that she was thinking and did not want to disturb her train of thought. He simply waited for her to gather her information and come to whatever epiphany she came to.
Hermione considered the dynamic of the Marauders, what happened when Remus lost Lily?
Remus lost his love of four years, a girl that probably helped him with his condition and gave him comfort and love during a difficult time. Her Remus of the future had taken years to come to terms with Tonk's and a relationship between them.
James Potter would end up creating a rift between himself and his best friend by stealing his girlfriend. James and Lily would be spoken of like they were the perfect couple, but would they be truly happy if they were tricked into the relationship? A relationship that hurt another member of their friends.
Sirius Black would be forced to watch as a woman created tension in his small family. He would never settle for a woman and would always act aloof, was that because he watched one come in between his brothers?
In the end, it results in a break in trust. Sirius refuses to trust Moony with the role of secret keeper, and James agreed, was it because they believed he was the spy? Revenge for stealing Lily from him?
Meanwhile, Pettigrew would not be involved in any of it. He would sit back and watch as Sirius and James turned from Remus to him. They would trust the Marauder not involved in the breakup of their seventh year.
It was only a guess; Hermione had no evidence or insight into the dynamics of this time. However, it made sense. Through one plot to break up Remus and Lily, he would build distrust between James, Sirius, and Remus. It sets the path to his ultimate betrayal.
"I can only guess what Pettigrew is planning, but if my assumption is even remotely close to the truth, we need to stop him before his plan succeeds. He can't break up Remus and Lily, it plants distrust which leads to the future I just described. If Remus and Lily are together, perhaps Pettigrew isn't chosen as the Secret Keeper, they can still trust both James and Sirius," Hermione finally spoke into the quiet office.
"Were you ever provided a timeline to when he received the Mark?" Dumbledore asked her.
"Remus and Sirius only ever shared that he started to disappear a lot in their seventh year. He would always have excuses about tutoring sessions for his NEWTs or the detentions he received for not doing homework. They never really thought about it until they had to look back, they told me that they think that is when he started relaying information about them. It was after they graduated that I know Pettigrew shared locations of Order members, Blood Traitors, and Muggleborns. Without him in the Order, we will already be saving so many," Hermione spoke strongly. She hated Pettigrew, she despised him with everything inside her. She rarely hated; she did not care for disliking someone so strongly, however, the rat made her list. It was a short list, it consisted of the rat, Bellatrix, Dolohov, Greyback, and Voldemort.
"Together, and with members of the Order, I am sure we will succeed in thwarting Peter's plans," Dumbledore tried to reassure her, "For now, however, we must discuss your place in this time. I know this will be hard to hear, but you must share your story with some trusted individuals. If the Order members and Marauders are aware, that is the first step to preventing your future. It will also help you; you need support and people here that understand your past to help you at school. It is too much to ask you to lie to your new friends and keep track of any lies or evasions of truth you would be forced to share.
"I will ensure vows of secrecy will be kept, making certain that they can speak of it only with someone who already knows. We must guarantee your secret cannot get out, if your past becomes known to the wrong person, you will become a prime target," Dumbledore stated, his blue eyes staring at her intently. Hermione nodded slowly, she understood she would be a target, and she had been prepared for that. What she had not considered was looking into the eyes of ghosts and telling them their fate.
"Thank you, professor," Hermione replied, "I understand, I wouldn't be able to hide my scars and my nightmares are inevitable. Even if I am not close with the Marauders and Lily, being in Gryffindor tower, they will likely see and hear something I cannot explain away, possibly a secret I shouldn't know."
Hermione considered who would bring out the most emotion in her. She assumed it would be James and Lily. Seeing Harry's double and the woman with his eyes would break down her carefully constructed barriers.
Dumbledore stood from his desk and walked around it, gesturing for Hermione to follow him. He led her out of his office, down the spiral staircase, and to his right, away from Gryffindor Tower.
"Before school begins, you can stay in a guest room to sleep off your exhaustion. I will also have food sent to you. I will invite the Order and the young Gryffindors to come tomorrow evening so we can share everything. If you require it, I will have a calming draught available for you," Dumbledore explained as he walked down the corridor, his hands clasped behind his back. He walked toward a portrait that was only around the corner from his office, halfway down the corridor.
They stepped up to a portrait of an old woman, sitting in a rocking chair, gazing into a fire. The window behind her depicted a frosty winter morning, snow covering leafless trees, a clear blue sky, and a bright sun. The woman had an expression on her face showing sadness and longing, her eyes glancing to the horizon out the window, almost as if she was waiting for something, or someone, that would never come.
"Trust," the headmaster spoke to the woman in the portrait. The woman regarded the professor, her sad eyes looking at him critically before nodding and opening the portrait hole, and turning back to the fire. "Widows of War; a sad painting that reflects the reality of those left behind to wait for their loved ones. Hermione, I want you to know, you are not alone. This time may be filled with ghosts of your past and strangers, but you could find a future here. You could find a new family, a future without pain, destruction, and loss."
Dumbledore stepped through the portrait hole into the room, leading Hermione into the common room space of the guest quarters. Hermione stayed silent as she surveyed the accommodations she was being given. The reality of her situation had not truly set in, her body was still primed and ready for battle and her mind was still in overdrive.
"Call upon Hokey if you are hungry or thirsty, she will happily assist you in anything you need," Dumbledore said after she did not speak for a few minutes. He walked towards the exit, turning to speak to her once more, "Miss Granger, I will send for you tomorrow evening. Please get some rest and do not let the darkness consume you." He left the room, the portrait closing behind him, leaving Hermione alone.
She continued to look around the room. It was a beautiful room; the walls had been painted a pale powder blue. There was a fireplace with black brick and a dark cedar mantelpiece that held a warm roaring fire. The couches were also dark, made from black leather, that looked so oversized and comfortable she could sink down and never leave. They were the perfect reading couches.
Moving from the living space she moved towards the room that could only be her bedroom. Inside she found a slate grey room holding a four-poster bed with white sheets and a soft black duvet. The colour scheme was the exact opposite of Gryffindor Tower and the Burrow, yet it still gave her a sense of comfort. Comfort was what she needed, she needed to feel comforted and safe. At the other side of the room was a door that likely led to the bathroom, which would be her next stop. However, her stomach let out a large groan and she remembered what the headmaster had said to her about food.
"Hokey?" she spoke hesitantly. Before she had even finished speaking, she heard a crack beside her causing her to jump.
"Oh, the miss needses helpses?" a high-pitched voice squeaked, "Hokey can help the pretty miss!"
Hermione looked down at her elbow to see a small House Elf with large batty ears jumping up and down. She had large blue eyes, blue like the colour of the ocean during a storm, and she was wearing a clean, pressed blue toga held together with a gold pin embellished with the Hogwarts crest.
"Oh, the miss is dirty!" Hokey gasped, "Does the miss need helpses with a bath?"
"Hello Hokey," Hermione finally spoke, her panic ebbing slightly, "No, I will have a bath soon. I was hoping, maybe, you could bring me something light to eat. Nothing too heavy, maybe toast or soup, if it isn't too much trouble?"
"Oh, yes miss, Hokey can brings the miss soups and bread!" the elf squeaked excitedly, reminding Hermione of Dobby, "Hokey is so happy to have the miss here to look after. Hokey misses her Hogwart family when theys go homeses," the house elf's ears drooped, her mood saddening as she recalled her loneliness.
"I am happy to be here too Hokey, can I be your Hogwarts family for now?" Hermione asked, hoping to cheer up the elf, thankfully it worked.
"Yes please, miss! Hokey loveses witches and wizards joining Hogwarts family. Dumbles telled us elves about you miss Hermy, we lookses after yous," the little elf smiled brightly up at Hermione. Hokey disappeared in a crack and returned not even a minute later with chicken soup and buttered bread.
Hermione thanked Hokey profusely, the smell coming from the soup causing her mouth to salivate. She was happy to put her mushroom and forest foraging behind her. Hokey disappeared after delivering the food, leaving Hermione to situate herself on the couch and eat her dinner. Once she had inhaled the soup and bread, she laid her head down on a cushion and she was asleep before her head hit the pillow.
-oOo-
Unfortunately, sleep was not to last for Hermione. Her nightmares woke her a few hours later, her racing heart and the morning light leaking through the curtains preventing her from returning to sleep.
She tried to banish the nightmare from her mind, but she could not get the memory out of her mind. It had started as she remembered it, everything was the same, from the smell of Fenrir's breath to the sensation of blood leaking out of her arm. However, the memory changed and instead of Dobby rescuing her she had been left to Fenrir. She experienced what he whispered to her, what he had wanted to do with her since he scented her at Hogwarts when they had broken into the castle. She had woken in a cold sweat, shivering with goosebumps covering her skin. When she wiped her face she discovered that it was not sweat running down her cheeks, but tears. Her throat was also sore and felt strained, leading her to believe she had screamed throughout the night, resulting in damage to her throat.
Dragging herself out of bed, Hermione made her way to the bathroom and forced herself to look at her appearance. She held back the gasp as she looked at the frightening shell of herself. She hadn't been able to look at her reflection properly since Bill's wedding, there had been no mirrors on the run. If she did happen to find a reflective surface to inspect, it was to ensure that the Polyjuice had worked and she did not look like herself.
Inspecting herself she grimaced, forcing herself to continue looking, to continue seeing what had changed throughout the year. Her hair was matted to her head, yet somehow her curls were still untamed and pointing in every direction. Trying to run her fingers through her hair was impossible, it was filled with knots, tangles, brambles, blood, and who knew what else. Her nest of hair as she referred to it, was now quite literally a nest. Her face was pale and gaunt, her cheekbones sharp and visible as her cheeks had sunken in, and her eyes had bags below them that were so dark they looked like black eyes. Her eyes themselves were bloodshot from sleep deprivation, crying, and smoke from the battle.
She was simply a shadow of herself, a shell that was once Hermione Granger. It did not take much effort to turn away from her reflection and begin undressing. She was not ready to see the effects being on the run and starving herself had on her body.
Hermione wasn't a vain girl, she valued her intelligence and skills, she had never put much stock into beauty, however, seeing her curves and smooth skin replaced with skin and bones covered in scars was too much. How could she ever look at herself again?
She pushed the thoughts aside, she didn't need to think about her looks, what did it matter? She was here to prevent a war, to save people, her looks meant nothing with no one by her side. And who would love someone as physically, emotionally, and mentally damaged as her?
Hermione began turning the taps on in the bath, running hot water from them as well as some lavender-scented bubbles. Sliding in once it had reached an acceptable level, she let out a hiss as the water scorched her skin. She started cleaning her skin raw to remove all of the blood and filth she could see and feel, the blood of her friends, her family, and her enemies. Her eyes began blurring as tears built in her eyes, her skin was turning pink and tender as she scrubbed and scrubbed at her skin, a sob finally choking out of her.
After the first sob, more continued. She had never felt so alone before. She had been lonely in the past, had no friends as a child, and no friends when she started Hogwarts but then she found Harry and Ron. She had never felt lonely after that, even when she was petrified, she knew Harry visited. Even when Harry and Ron had been angry at her for the Firebolt in their third year, or even Scabbers, she still had the Weasley twins, she still had Hagrid, and Remus, she always had someone to talk to that knew what she was going through.
Now, now she was expected to share her story, share her future, and they would listen and understand what was at stake, but they didn't know. They hadn't lived it; they didn't suffer with her. Everyone she had suffered with, had laughed with, had grown up with, they were all gone.
She had lost everyone.
As she sobbed, she continued scrubbing her skin, but when she reached her left forearm the sobs became desperate heaves and she began hyperventilating. No amount of scrubbing would remove the disgusting word. The label she was branded with for life.
Forever tainted. Forever marked.
Not only had she lost everyone she had ever loved, but she had also been left branded to remind her she never belonged. A statement that was truer now than ever, she didn't belong in this time, an outsider.
Hermione was broken, nothing but a warrior in her eyes, she would live her life for the fight and if she died, so be it. When she came to this decision she pulled herself together, she couldn't break down, she had to remain strong and fight until the end no matter what it cost her.
Stepping out of the tub she dried herself with a soft, fluffy white towel and then wrapped herself in a robe. She drained the tub and refilled it before working on her hair. It took three separate attempts at washing and rinsing her hair to remove all the dirt and blood and be left with wet hair she could pull a brush through. Walking into her bedroom she found her little beaded bag that still contained everything she owned, everything from the hunt, she retrieved some muggle clothes and threw them on.
Due to the past year, she had lost a lot of weight resulting in her clothes no longer fitting. Her jeans hung loose on her hips forcing her to transfigure a belt to hold them up, and her white long-sleeved shirt was baggy on her, making it seem like it was for someone double her size. The ends of the sleeves hung over her hands, and as much as she wanted to roll them up to her elbows, she wanted to hide the repulsive scar from everyone's eyes.
She didn't need more pity.
As she turned around, she caught her reflection in the mirror once more and flinched. Hermione resigned herself to forcing nourishment potions into herself over the next few months to regain what she lost during the hunt. She reminded herself of the first time she met Harry, the small eleven-year-old that wore his fat cousin's hand-me-downs. While they had been on the run she had consumed only the minimal amount of food she could survive on. The boys needed more, specifically, Harry needed more, but Ron needed to eat or he became intolerable. He had been so used to Mrs. Weasley's cooking that he had left them when it became too much, he had abandoned them because he was hungry.
Tears began forming in her eyes as she remembered her hot-headed best friend.
"Couldn't he see I was hungry? Couldn't he see how much I gave up for him and Harry?" she cried out to the room, the events of the past year catching up to her. Hermione gave up her parents, albeit shitty parents, but she gave up her existence in their memories, she gave up her place at Hogwarts, in the magical world. She gave up her place in literal time!
Hermione fell to the ground and wailed once more, her fingers dug into the carpet, her nails clawing at the ground thinking of everyone and everything she had lost.
She had nothing, nothing, and no one. No family, no friends, they either weren't born, or they didn't know her, they weren't the people she remembered. She couldn't do this, how could Dumbledore think she was strong enough to do this? She was a bookworm, a know-it-all. Harry had been the fighter.
But Harry was gone.
Harry was dead.
Killed in front of her. She could still vividly remember the blood bursting everywhere, her best friend ripped from her in such a violent way.
A loud crack resonated through the room, startling her from her cries. She found her wand quickly and pointed it toward the source of the noise. Hokey the House Elf stood before her; Hermione's wand pointed directly at her face.
"Miss Hermy?" the elf asked with a quiver in her voice.
Hermione quickly lowered her wand and apologized to the elf.
"Miss Hermy is yous okay?" the little elf asked, reaching her hand out to touch Hermione's cheek. She summoned a handkerchief and wiped the tears that were streaming down her face.
"Thank you Hokey," Hermione sniffled.
"Miss Hermy, Master Dumbles has asked to see yous," the elf explained, "Hokey can takes Miss Hermy if she wishes?"
Hermione was surprised it was already time to meet with the headmaster. Had she spent such a long time washing and crying? She needed to pull herself together and be more aware of what was happening around her, not lose herself to her past.
"Thank you Hokey, I would certainly appreciate your help," Hermione asked the elf. She knew she could walk to the headmaster's office, but standing in front of the door she wasn't sure if she had the strength to enter. Hokey smiled and nodded, offering her hand to Hermione. She quickly stood and fixed her appearance to the best of her ability, it wouldn't do to appear the broken, sobbing mess that she truly was. The Order needed to see her as capable, not vulnerable.
-oOo-
While Hermione was in her chambers, Dumbledore had assembled many witches and wizards in his office. He had many Order members that he trusted, Dorea and Charlus Potter, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Minerva McGonagall, Fabian and Gideon Prewitt, Benjy Fenwick, Edgar Bones, Alastor Moody, Alice Brown, Frank Longbottom, Emmaline Vance, and his brother Aberforth. He had also asked Dorea and Charlus to bring their son James Potter, their adopted son, Sirius Black, and their friend Remus Lupin and his girlfriend, Lily Evans.
"Albus, now that we are all here," Charlus Potter, a black-haired wizard wearing square glasses, spoke as the last member entered the office, "why have you brought us all here? More specifically, why have you asked me to bring my son and his friends?"
His wife, Dorea Potter nee Black, a beautiful salt and pepper-haired woman with grey, silver eyes, nodded beside him. She did not appreciate the headmaster bringing her children into whatever dangers he would no doubt share with them.
"I apologize for the lack of information, I have recently had a great development come to my attention. This information either involves people in this room, or they can assist us," Dumbledore informed everyone in the room, "It is in regards to the future of this war, and unfortunately this war will involve our future generations to my utmost regret."
Whispering picked up throughout the room, each speculating the riddles Dumbledore always gave them. James, Sirius, and Remus caught each other's eyes and shared a look.
"Professor, can I ask why is Peter not here?" James spoke up.
Dumbledore looked over to them, seeing Remus and Sirius nodding in agreement to James' question. They felt wrong being here without Peter. They knew he had insecurities, he felt like he trailed behind the three of them, if he heard they were called to a meeting without them, they knew he would be devastated.
The room all noticed that Dumbledore maintained a very serious expression as he studied the three boys. The twinkle was missing from his bright blue eyes, and a hard gaze had replaced it.
"I apologize for not being open with you, but all will be revealed shortly. I have a guest who will be arriving momentarily. She will be sharing her past with all of you, and what she has to say will be hard to hear. However unbelievable it may sound; it is the absolute truth and I ask that you trust her. I also ask that you do not overwhelm her with questions, she has given up everything she holds dear to be here, and when I say everything, I mean absolutely everything she is," Dumbledore warned the room.
James' interest was piqued, and he put his concerns for Peter at the back of his mind for now. It was not even a minute later when the crack of a House Elf echoed through the room. Standing beside Dumbledore's desk was Hokey the elf holding the hand of a young woman. James stared at the newcomer as he examined everything he could about her. She looked like she had been through hell, yet she wasn't much older than he and his friends. Her hair was freshly washed and still wet, her skin looked pink from a harsh scrubbing, and she had cuts over her face and deep bags under her eyes. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt and a pair of jeans, both of which looked like they were made for someone much bigger than her petite self. He looked up into her face and caught her eyes, after he saw her eyes he could look at nothing else.
When she glanced around the room and caught his eyes, his breath hitched. James was trapped.
Deep chocolate brown with caramel and gold flakes. The colours were stunning but the depth within them was so much greater. She had seen so much, had experienced so much and he was captured by them. They held power and sadness, he could see she was a fighter but there was also innocence in her eyes. James didn't even know her and he knew she needed people, she needed someone to tell her everything would be okay, that would look after her. He didn't understand it, but he already felt drawn to help her, to be that person she could depend on.
James quickly glanced at his friends to see their reactions. Sirius was staring at her with a hard look, a look that James recognized from his best friend. Sirius had an idea what the girl had been through, he saw the trembles in her hands, the lost look in her eyes. It told him that she had experienced similar lessons to what he had from his family, his family before he was disowned. James knew that Sirius saw himself as broken, he hid it with his mischievous ways and active lifestyle with witches, but Sirius could sense a kindred spirit when he saw one.
James looked at Remus next and saw that he too could sense the pain of the girl. He had hated himself for so many years, he didn't know what this girl had been through but he could feel he shared something with her, he could feel some form of connection. When he first arrived at Hogwarts he had felt alone, unaccepted, and undeserving of love and affection. Lily had changed all of that, but this girl exuded the exact emotions he recalled experiencing.
He also looked toward Lily, but she was observing the girl out of interest. There was no automatic connection between her and the newcomer, she was simply intrigued and confused. James knew that Lily hadn't experienced much suffering in her life, very much like him. His parents had sheltered him from the many aspects of life that he never knew true suffering until he understood his best friend lives more and witnessed Moony's transformation for the first time. Lily never saw Remus turn; she never watched the pain he went through every moon. She was from a good family with parents that loved her, perhaps a rotten sister, but overall, she had experienced no true horrors of life.
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore greeted the girl, "I hope you slept well."
James saw the girl roll her eyes but saying nothing.
Hermione observed the room around her, so many faces she recognized from her life or pictures. She wanted to gape at Remus and Sirius, both looked so young, but she refrained and continued looking at each face. After catching James' eyes as she arrived, she actively avoided looking at him. He had looked at her with such intensity and what appeared to be fierce protectiveness, who that was for though had her concerned. Was he already distrusting her and feeling the need to protect his friends?
He also looked nothing like Harry in that short glance. He held himself differently, there was a confidence he exuded. His shoulders were also broader, his glasses were expensive looking and square, and the nose that held them was straight and oozed aristocrat. His eyes were also exceptionally expressive and filled with emotion, like Harry, but the colour was completely wrong. The hazel was so bright they were almost amber.
Hermione also avoided looking at Lily, pointedly glancing over the girl, lest she looks into the emerald green eyes her best friend shared, and break down in front of everyone. However, her attempts to remain composed were forgotten the moment her eyes landed on Molly and Arthur Weasley.
Staring at her pseudo-parents caused her tears to flow freely down her cheeks. She desperately wanted to run to them and wrap her arms around them and squeeze them with all her strength, but she was a stranger.
Stranger.
That was all she was. No one knew her.
Alone.
Trying to compose herself Hermione turned away from everyone and frantically wiped her cheeks to remove the evidence of her weakness.
"As well as expected," Hermione replied to Dumbledore after taking a deep breath and composing herself. Her voice came out hoarse from the screaming and crying she had experienced over the past twenty-four hours. She had lost so much and now she was looking into the faces of two people she had just seen brutally murdered the day before.
James couldn't take his eyes off of her, her voice was much gentler than he expected, even with the obvious injury she had caused to her voice. He could hear the kindness in her voice.
"Albus, I demand an explanation. Who is this girl? Why is such a young girl your answer to this war?" demanded Molly Weasley. She was a mother and could tell this girl had suffered, was suffering. She had no daughter of her own, but she had her boys, and she knew when a child needed motherly affection. This girl desperately needed it.
"I will explain everything shortly, Molly, I assure you. While Miss Granger is young, I promise you that she has important information and has willingly come to us to help us," replied Dumbledore seriously.
Molly eyed the girl and had the greatest desire to wrap the girl up in her arms for a hug. She had never ignored her instincts in the past, thus Molly listened to them once more. She stood from her chair and walked towards the girl slowly.
"Oh my dear child, come here," she spoke softly, opening her arms and inviting the girl, Miss Granger, for a hug. Hermione didn't even hesitate. Her adoptive mother wanted to hug her even though she was a stranger. She ran into the older witch's arms and embraced her tightly, crying the little tears she had left when Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. Hermione savoured the feeling of being physically close and loved by someone again. The older witch smelled exactly as she did in the future, soothing Hermione's emotions slightly.
The other members of the room observed silently, each feeling as if they were invading a private moment. No one wanted to interrupt, they all acknowledged the girl looked like she needed some form of affection. They didn't know why they trusted her but Dumbledore had assured them she was trustworthy, so they would listen to him. The women of the room all had tears in their eyes watching the tender moment between a motherly witch and the stranger.
The Marauders each decided together through a simple look that they would do what they could for the girl, they would make sure she felt safe with them.
After a few moments, Hermione loosened her grip on Mrs. Weasley and stepped back.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," she sniffled, causing everyone in the room to freeze, each holding their breath. Every member in the room had the same question in mind, how did this stranger know Molly's name?
Hermione backed up and saw the confused stares and winced, she needed to be more careful with her words. She sighed sitting in the chair Dumbledore conjured for her and stared at her lap as her hands played with the ends of her sleeves.
Dumbledore, seeing her discomfort and sensing the tension in the room, turned back to their audience and began his meeting beginning with introducing Hermione to each member of the room.
"As I stated before her arrival, everyone in this room is trustworthy and important to our future in this war," Dumbledore began, "Before I explain Hermione's part, first I will explain a plan that I put into place many years ago. It was shortly after Voldemort began to gain more followers outside this castle, I sensed he may become as powerful as Grindelwald. Without evidence I could not demand anything from the Ministry or attack first, thus I was forced to watch as his power continued to grow. I decided that a failsafe had to be put in place, to save us if there came a time when we could not defeat him as I did the last powerful dark wizard.
"I worked diligently with members of the Department of Mysteries and not to sound arrogant, but with my brilliant mind, I was able to create a portal five years ago. This portal would allow only the purest of hearts with no ulterior motives but to prevent great pain and suffering, to step through and travel to the past. It would destroy the present time in which they live, however, it would allow them to make changes if the end of this war was not in our favour," Dumbledore explained.
Every member of the room listened intently, astonished at the abilities Dumbledore had, and how he could create such magic. They were all so awed by his explanation that they did not see the connection between Dumbledore's story and Hermione's presence.
"Last night, Miss Granger stepped through the portal," Dumbledore said after a dramatic pause.
A collective breath was inhaled around the room, each shocked at what Dumbledore was implying.
'The Dark won? That can't be possible,' James thought to himself. He looked around the room and noticed that everyone was still processing Dumbledore's words. Their eyes flickered between the headmaster and the girl Granger, who had her head bowed down, avoiding looking at anyone.
"Albus, explain more about this portal," Charlus Potter demanded, "What kind of portal?"
"As I said, it would allow someone to step through the doorway and travel to the past, to a time I selected. My future self seems to have chosen this time as the opportune time to send someone back. I produced this portal within the Mirror of Erised, combining it with magic to see the heart's desires. If the witch or wizard attempted to use the mirror and had a pure heart, would see those they could save and if they touched the mirror they would activate the doorway allowing them to fall through," Dumbledore explained further, "It seems that Miss Granger was the selected traveler to save us from whatever future we were on track for."
"A child? You expect a child to save us?" Moody scoffed.
Hermione had kept her head down, her hair falling over her face like a curtain, trying to avoid looking at everyone. However, Moody's words sparked her anger, she could feel her blood raging through her body.
"If you have a problem Moody, say it to me, not Dumbledore," Hermione said coolly, "Let's get a few things straight here while we're at it though. First, I am not a child. I am eighteen years old, and I have fought in this war since I was eleven years old. Secondly, don't you dare scoff at the idea of a child saving you. In my time your arse only survived because a one-year-old child saved you all, the wizarding world worshipped an infant, not you, not an older, wiser wizard, an infant. Then they looked to him to save them all from the moment he stepped into Hogwarts until the moment he died before he turned eighteen years old!" Hermione was standing, her hands fisted at her side, her hair sparking slightly, and the darkest glare directed at Moody. Her anger and words left nearly everyone squirming in their seats. The quiet, sobbing, broken girl was now a strong, frightening witch standing against their fiercest auror.
"I don't care who Albus says you are, you should be careful who you speak to with that tone," Moody grunted. Everyone knew how paranoid Moody was, he had never lost a duel to anyone leading to a wizard that had an opinion about everything and argued until everyone relented with him.
"Did you not hear the headmaster? Travelled in time? I know you, Moody, you're a paranoid fool that should maybe think about being careful who you talk to. You spout constant vigilance, to always watch your back and trust no one, yet you were caught and locked in a trunk for an entire school year, only to be saved by my best friend, a fourteen-year-old boy," she laughed darkly, "I am Hermione Granger, I was known as the brightest witch of her age, I was the first girl to beat you in a duel and I was in my sixth year. I would duel you here and now, but I would rather not with a room filled with people. Too many people for you to be embarrassed in front of, I also just fought in a rather large battle yesterday."
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore spoke gently, "Hermione, take a seat and calm down, Alastor will not both you any longer." The headmaster gave Moody a pointed look, advising him to back down. Surprising everyone in the room, Moody listened to Dumbledore and chose not to continue baiting the young woman.
"Miss Granger," a voice spoke out. Hermione looked up and saw Arthur Weasley, she smiled at him permitting him to proceed, "Can I ask you what year you are from? When were you born?"
"I was born September 19th, 1979 and I attended my first year of Hogwarts in 1991. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend my seventh year therefore I did not take my NEWTs or graduate."
"Why ever not?" asked Molly Weasley, scandalized that a child would not complete their education.
"The War," replied Hermione simply, "the Second Wizarding War."
"Second?" gasped Professor McGonagall.
Hermione looked over at her favourite professor and smiled, she was so happy to see another familiar face. Minerva saw the smile on the young girl's face and returned it, she must have taught the girl when she attended Hogwarts in the future.
"Yes, Professor. The First War ended when my best friend, the infant I mentioned earlier, destroyed the body of Voldemort," Hermione said ignoring the flinches at Voldemort's name, "Unfortunately, Voldemort was not dead. He returned in 1994 after regaining a body, and the Second War began."
"I think you need to start talking more, girly," growled Moody. Hermione snarled at him before taking a breath and beginning her story for the second day in a row.
"Before I begin, I want to warn you all that before I left, I was informed by a close friend that there was a betrayal that led to changes that were not meant to happen. There will be events and even people in the future that will not be included in this time, they will not happen," Hermione warned everyone, her words directed mostly towards the Potters and Marauders. Her eyes stayed on them longer than the others in the room, which wasn't missed by anyone.
"I'm going to tell this from my point of view as if these events happened in the past rather than your future," Hermione explained, taking one last steadying breath, "In 1980 a prophecy was made that a child born as the seventh month dies to parents that defied Voldemort three times would be marked as his equal and neither could live while the other survives. As the seer was relaying this prophecy for the first time, a Death Eater overheard part of it and immediately ran to Voldemort to share it," Hermione said, her frustration breaking when she saw nearly everyone flinching again when she said Voldemort's name, "Merlin's saggy balls! It's just a name!"
Hermione threw her hands in the air, he patience wearing so thin she resorted to cursing like Ron. It was just a name, she had been speaking it for years, only refraining when the Taboo was placed on it. He had such a stupid name!
'Should call him Moldywart,' she snorted to herself.
"Miss Granger?" prompted Dumbledore, pulling her from her immature thoughts.
"Sorry," she smiled slightly, a little embarrassed at her outburst, "Voldemort had a choice of two children. A pureblood or half-blood, and as he believed he was the greatest sorcerer of all time and was not a pureblood, he chose the half-blood baby. He chose Harry."
Hermione explained Halloween night to the room, the sacrifice and bravery Harry's parents showed. How they sacrificed everything to save their child, their love for the child so strong it protected him from the killing curse.
"By attempting to kill Harry, Voldemort fulfilled the prophecy and marked him as his equal. Following that night, Harry was known as the Boy Who Lived. In 1991, when I boarded the Hogwarts Express for the first time, I met Harry. I became best friends with Harry and another boy named Ron. We experienced a lot together, we fought against Mountain Trolls, jinxed brooms, devil's snare, giant chess sets, basilisks, mass murderers, dementors, illegal animagus, and Death Eaters, all before our sixth year. In our third year, we learned that there was a spy in your Order, during the First War, and it led to the betrayal and death of Harry's parents. Not only were Harry's parents betrayed, but his godfather was framed and sent to Azkaban. Thus, Harry never knew anything about his parents, he was left to live with his aunt and uncle.
"It was in our fourth year that Voldemort finally succeeded in returning. The Ministry kept their heads in the sand and refused to believe his return, choosing ignorant peace over the truth. Through their silence, Voldemort was able to recruit an army under their nose, the Order attempted to thwart this, but everyone believed we were crazy for believing Voldemort was back. His recruitment tactics included the children of his Death Eaters and students of Hogwarts that were too afraid to stand up against him. He would threaten the children with the death of their parents, and brutal torture of his followers to make their children join him," spat Hermione.
Hermione still felt sick for what Draco was forced to endure. She had watched him in his sixth year and had noticed how withdrawn he had become, how broken he had seemed. It had forced her to confront him, to demand to know what was wrong with him. He had always been her adversary, he had always kept her on her toes, challenging her. But he wasn't, not that year, he had not argued with her once and she had to know why. Confronting him had been the plan, but the physical relationship that followed had not. Harry and Ron would never have forgiven her if they had known. If they had known she was aware of Draco's struggles, of the black mark on his arm. They would never have believed her if she told them she didn't know about the Vanishing Cabinet or Dumbledore. Draco had been adamant that she knew nothing of his plans, only that he had an impossible mission with his and his mother's execution guaranteed if he failed.
"In my sixth year, one of the students that were forced to take the Mark was given the task of killing Albus Dumbledore," Hermione said in the silent room, "The Second War was fought by children, children that were forced to pick sides before they were even of age. That student, Draco, had no choice, Harry had no choice, and I had no choice. Draco would have been murdered along with his mother, Harry was targeted from birth, and I am a Muggleborn.
"With Dumbledore gone, Hogwarts and the Ministry fell quickly. A Muggleborn registry was set up, those found to have no magical ancestry had their wands broken and they were sentenced to Azkaban for stealing magic. Snatchers hunted children and families that did not go to Hogwarts or tried to hide or escape the country, and Hogwarts had Death Eater faculty. Harry, Ron, and I went on the run for those reasons but also because we had a mission, we were off searching for Voldemort's Horcruxes."
Alastor Moody, Dorea and Charlus Potter, and Sirius Black all sucked in a breath when they heard the word 'Horcrux'. James looked at Sirius questioningly, but he just shook his head in reply, he also noticed Sirius looked quite pale and nauseous at the thought.
"Horcruxes? Not Horcrux? Charlus asked, quickly catching Hermione's wording.
"Yes, multiple," she replied. From seeing the confusion in other members around the room, she gave a quick description of the dark magic, replacing the confusion with disgust. "Harry, Ron, and I were the only ones who knew, we wanted to protect our families and friends so we went on the run and stayed in a tent. We foraged and hunted for food; we spent months searching. We found one but we were never told how to destroy them. We were afraid of losing it, so we took turns wearing it to ensure someone always had it with them. It was too much for just one alone to bear it, it brought out your worst thoughts, and it perpetuated your insecurities causing you to hate yourself and distrust everything and everyone around you. Ron was affected the most, he had the most to lose, the youngest son of many brothers, and he always had feelings of never measuring up.
"He had already let his jealousy cause rifts with us in the past, jealous of Harry's fame, and my intelligence. One day those feelings became too much for him again and he left us, he asked me to go with him. That was just another reminder that he was jealous of Harry and my bond," Hermione explained.
James felt a tightening of his heart hearing she had a bond with this Harry. He couldn't help but agree with the boy, Ron's, jealousy, he didn't like this feeling. He had never felt jealous before, not over a girl at least.
"We were like siblings," Hermione continued, unknowingly releasing the clench on James' heart, "We were both new to the wizarding world, raised by muggles, both wishing our upbringings were different, and both only children. Ron returned to us after a few months, but that is beside the point. During our year on the run, we suffered a lot, made many plans that never went to plan, and generally failed and were left scrambling for a new plan. A taboo was placed on his name meaning that anyone who spoke it would be surrounded no matter the wards."
Speaking of the taboo and failing wards was giving Hermione flashbacks to the day they were captured. Memories of her capture by Fenrir, being dragged by her hair into Malfoy Manor, and Bellatrix standing over her. She subconsciously grabbed her forearm, however, the moment she felt the sting from her scar she realized her mistake. She touched her left arm in the same room as the most paranoid Auror in Britain.
"Listen here girl," growled Moody, he stood and moved to Hermione in two steps reaching for her wrist. What Moody was not expecting though, was Hermione's incredible reflexes from fighting for her life in the battle the previous day. In the blink of an eye, she had her wand in her hand, disarmed Moody, and positioned her wand under his chin, digging into his throat.
"No, Moody, you listen," she said evenly, the entire room held its breath as they watched the scene unfold. No one present had ever seen Moody disarmed, let alone so quickly. "In case you are forgetting some key words Dumbledore used, pure of heart, no ulterior motives, prevent pain and suffering. I don't recall any Death Eaters with that."
"You're not proving your innocence with your wand at my throat," Moody retorted. Hermione dug her wand a little deeper before dropping her arm.
"No, I guess not," Hermione replied lightly, "However, a valuable lesson has been learned; don't test me. Now sit down and I will prove my innocence."
Moody glared at her before turning around and sitting down in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. Hermione noted he still had both legs and eyes, but he was still covered in a variety of scars. She wondered when he lost his eye and leg and who managed to pull one over on him.
"I like her," a Prewitt twin stage whispered to his brother in the silent room, attempting to break the tension.
"She definitely has balls, brother," replied the other. Hermione's frown disappeared upon hearing their interaction, they already reminded her of Fred and George. She shook her head at those memories, she didn't need to cry thinking of her favourite twins she had lost.
Sitting in her chair, her shoulders slumped, she directed her thoughts to the task at hand. Her lip trembled thinking of showing the scar, the ugly word, she stared up at the ceiling to stop the tears welling in her eyes from falling down her cheeks. Letting out a final sigh, the fingers of her right hand found the sleeve of her left arm, and slowly pushed it down her forearm. She closed her eyes, unable to look at their expressions when she showed them, she didn't need to see their disgust, their pity, their horror.
A single tear fell down her cheek when she had her sleeve pulled up completely, and her forearm was facing away from them, all she had to do was turn it and they would see.
James watched her, she looked so small and terrified following the strength she displayed against Moody. A part of him was a little wary of her, was he paranoid like Moody? This girl appeared out of nowhere and had somehow caught his entire attention from the moment he laid eyes on her. He couldn't bear the thought of her being Marked. But her left arm, left everyone second-guessing her. Not Dumbledore though, James noticed the pain in the headmaster's eyes. He felt sorry for Hermione.
Hermione bit her cheek and forced her courage to appear. Opening her eyes and staring unseeing ahead she rotated her arm to show everyone her left forearm. She didn't need to see to know everyone had seen it, a collective gasp resounded through the room. She even heard someone throw up and vanish it. Molly let out a sob and turned into her husband's chest, Dorea was silent but held onto her husband's arm tightly. Moody had a hard glaze in his eye, anger at an unknown entity but there was a prideful gleam in them directed at Hermione, he would not underestimate her again. The humour had dissipated from the Prewitt twin's eyes, replaced with anger that looked foreign on their cheerful expressions. Arthur held his sobbing wife, his face dark and somber.
Hermione glanced at everyone, however, looking towards the Marauders and Lily had her surprised at the emotion rolling off them. Remus' eyes were no longer green but had turned into Moony's amber, Sirius was paler than she had ever seen his, his knuckles even whiter as he gripped the arm of the chair. Both boys' teeth were gritted, their jaw tense and twitching. James was the most surprising to her, having never met the boy or known his temper, but it was vastly different from any anger she had ever seen on Harry's face. Whenever Harry had been angry when he saw her scar, he was mostly angry at himself and blamed himself for her receiving it, to the point he refused to look at it. James, though, was staring directly at it with a wave of anger so filled with loathing it could be towards no one but the one who put it there.
Hermione felt self-conscious the longer he stared, she couldn't place why but she didn't want him to be disgusted by her skin. Seeing his anger, though, gave her a warm feeling of safety.
James was angry. He had never been so angry in his life. He thought he was angriest when Snape called Lily that word, his so-called best friend. They hadn't even started that fight, as promised by Remus, the Marauders had backed off bullying the Slytherin but Snape had instigated it by trying to hit Peter with a curse. They had just returned the favour, Lily hadn't known and tried to defend Snape, and then he had called her that nasty, disgusting term for Muggleborns. He had been furious, no one called his sister that word.
Though, now he was seeing that word carved into this beautiful girl's arm. Her smooth silky, ivory skin had been marred by such a vile word. He wanted to storm out and find whoever did it to her and make them pay.
Hermione dragged her eyes from James and glanced toward the other Muggleborn in the room. Lily was staring blankly at Hermione's arm. She had fallen into her memories of Severus calling her that word, but now it seemed so inconsequential. He had been humiliated when James went too far, and his anger resulted in him saying words he never meant. This young woman would need to live with the word on her arm, likely forever if Madame Pomphrey couldn't remove the scar.
The room was filled with the sniffles of Professor McGonagall and the sobs of Mrs. Weasley until James spoke out.
"Who did that to you?" he demanded; his voice cold. His tone drew the attention of Sirius, Remus, and Lily, who had never heard such a dark foreboding tone from their friend. James had been angry in the past, especially with Sirius following 'the Prank' on Snape last year, but he always had an undertone that was strictly James. They teased him calling it the 'joyful Jamie tone' and he could never be an authoritative figure.
This was a question Hermione did not want to answer. If she just outright said it was Bellatrix, Sirius would blame himself. She knew he would, as he had in the past, for Neville's parents when he learned that she had put them in St Mungo's. Her Sirius blamed himself for his family and hated being related to such a dark, pureblood bigoted family. She knew she should answer them, they should understand how dangerous, how unstable Bellatrix Lestrange was.
Hermione stared into James' eyes, determining if they were ready to know now. Nodding slightly, she broke eye contact and turned to Sirius, who jumped slightly at her attention.
"Some families are dark, some families follow in their parent's footsteps, but some break the chain. Some start new paths that lead them away from the darkness," Hermione explained. James glanced between Hermione and Sirius, wondering if she had known him in the future. She must have, she knew Sirius was ashamed of his family and seemed to be comforting him before sharing anything else.
"We were discussing our plans when Harry's temper led to him breaking the Taboo and speaking his name. We were surrounded and taken straight to Voldemort's headquarters at Malfoy Manor," Hermione said, an intake of breath at the mention of the Malfoys, "I was the most famous Mudblood-"
"Don't call yourself that," James interrupted. Hermione stopped talking and looked right at him.
"That is what I am," she replied, angry voices erupting around her. Hermione held her hands up to silence the room, "Too many I am nothing but that word. I will never be recognized as a witch deserving of her wand. They believe I stole my magic and my wand. Somehow my 'inferior' muggle parents stole magic from the 'all powerful' pureblood and gave it to me" Hermione rolled her eyes at her words, "Since I was twelve years old I was taunted and teased, called Harry's 'pet mudblood', the 'know-it-all mudblood', the 'famous mudblood'. Now, now I am literally branded as a fucking mudblood! If anyone, anyone can use that word it is me. I was the brightest witch of my age, number one in all of my classes, I broke records with my grades, all of which I did to prove I belonged. Look where it got me. The famous, branded, scarred mudblood, but now I'm not famous, now I am no one, just the displaced in time mudblood. While you all see me as a person, see Lily Evans as an intelligent, wonderful witch, the majority out there, the ones we are fighting against, see us as inferior. We are nothing but dirt on their show. I could beat them in duels, I could withstand their torture, but to them, I will always be a filthy, waste of space mudblood."
Hermione seethed, years she had fought against the word. She didn't even know what it meant when she first arrived, she heard murmurs and whispers in her first year. Returning their second year though, Draco had spat it at her so angrily. She had never let it affect her, it was just a word, so she continued to try and prove them wrong. Then she experienced a professor, a ministry worker torture her because of her blood and she realized the extent of the bigotry. Bellatrix reiterated that point by choosing her to torture first, her death would mean nothing. Her torture was entertainment.
No one knew what to say after Hermione's outburst. They were at a loss for words because she was right in a sense, if anyone could say the word it was the girl with it branded on her arm. However, that didn't stop the pain they felt at her believing the word.
"We were dragged into the Manor and taken to be questioned by Bellatrix Lestrange," Hermione started talking again, only to pause when she saw Sirius' shoulders slouch in defeat. He dropped his head into his hands and shuddered, his cousin had done this. "A maniacal bitch who you are nothing life," she spoke clearly, staring at Sirius until he looked up and made eye contact. Her stare challenged him to disagree with her, which he refused to do. He nodded slightly and sat back up, forcing himself to listen to her and push away the guilt. If the girl who was tortured did not blame him, he had to listen and not blame himself.
"I was chosen to be interrogated of the three of us. I was placed until the Cruciatus for hours, although it felt like days honestly. She asked me questions, I lied to her, and I held on under her treatment. I knew if I broke, she would kill me and then do the same to Ron before handing Harry over to Voldemort. I had to stay alive because I was the only thing keeping them alive. Unfortunately, Bellatrix noticed I was holding on and refusing to give in leading to her deciding the curse was no longer fun, and turning to her knife," Hermione spoke emotionlessly, lost in the sounds playing in her head. The knife slashing through the air, Bellatrix's cackle, Fenrir's growl in her ear. The smells came next. The metallic scent of her blood, the smell of urine from wetting herself under torture, the stale smell of Bellatrix's breath, and the rotting stench of Fenrir.
"The blade came out and she started cutting. She no longer asked me questions, she knew I wouldn't answer so now I was just her canvas and when she was done she passed me to Fenrir Greyback-" Remus was the one who let out a groan this time and dropped his head in his hands. Lily leaned over and rubbed circles between his shoulder blades and kissed his shoulder.
Hermione heard Remus and pulled herself from her flashbacks. She hadn't wanted to expose how well she knew Remus and Sirius this early, but she refused to let this Remus feel responsible for his Sire's actions. She spoke her next words to the room, working hard not to look at the Marauders.
"Fenrir is a monster and that is not because he is a werewolf. He is a monster because he is more wolf than man, he enjoys ripping throats out with his bare teeth no matter his form," Hermione said determinedly, "Not all werewolves are monsters and their mistreatment and discrimination are no different than how I feel as a Muggleborn."
Even with her attempts to cover it up, James knew she knew Remus in the future. She was defending werewolves and making her opinion of Fenrir known and refusing to look towards them. Why else would she need to defend werewolves after admitting what she was subjected to with the worst of them all?
"Before she was able to hand me over to Fenrir, Harry, and Ron had managed to escape and saved me with the help of a House Elf," Hermione smiled fondly remembering Dobby and what he sacrificed. Her fingers grazed her arm again making her notice the sleeve was still rolled up. Quickly she pushed the sleeve down to hide the word, causing James to frown. He didn't want her hating her skin, she should be proud of her scars, they were proof she was a fighter, a survivor. She was beautiful with or without them.
"After we escaped we were able to complete the hunt, finding all of the Horcruxes and finally knowing how to destroy them. We were led to Hogwarts where the final battle would occur, but before it began I was pulled aside by an old friend. He informed me that something happened this year, a betrayal. While we believed the only betrayal occurred with Harry's parents in 1981, it appears those events only came to be due to an unknown betrayal this year," Hermione knew she was being elusive and vague, but she didn't know how to tell them such life-altering information.
"I didn't understand his message at first, why would he tell me about a betrayal in 1977 before we fought for our lives? He handed me a letter to read-only if the worst happened, which it did. I watched as everyone I loved and fought beside died. Harry defeated Voldemort but his Death Eaters were furious at his win and turned on us all. I read the letter and it led me to the mirror, to the portal that brought me here, where I will fix the wrong of one man."
"Rather interesting story there, lassie," Moody spoke, while he wouldn't underestimate her, he would certainly question her like he did everyone else, "I notice you avoided using names. Let's hear them then and this betrayal." Hermione rolled her eyes at his attitude, while she noticed the hostility was gone, his paranoia was not and never would.
"While what I say might sound unbelievable, I have articles and memories if needed," she said before letting out a small sigh, "My best friends' names were Ronald Billius Weasley, sixth son of Molly and Arthur Weasley."
Molly let out a choked noise while the colour drained from Arthur's face.
"Six sons?! Six?" Molly managed to get out.
"Six sons and one daughter," Hermione grinned.
"Seven children, Arthur, seven!" Molly turned to her husband her eyes wide. She was shocked but not upset. With her brothers, the Prewitt estate could help her, relaxing at the thought of her brothers helping her raise her children she sat back and smiled at Hermione.
"You're a busy man Arthur," winked Fabian, causing a red blush to move up his sister and brother-in-law's faces.
"My other best friend, my brother in all but blood, Harry. His full name was Harry James Potter," Hermione spoke, her words causing James, Dorea, and Charlus to gasp.
James processed her words. He had a son, a son that he died protecting in just four years.
"Harry was the son of James Potter and his wife Lily Potter nee Evans."
Hermione's words rang through the room, everyone looking toward the two students. Lily started choking on air and James burst out laughing. Sirius went pale and Remus' eyes, which had returned to their standard green, turned amber once more. His hand gripped the arm of his chair so tightly a creak could be heard from the wood.
"No, no way do I marry Lily!" James laughed hysterically, "She's with Remus and she's like my sister!"
"You do. I don't know what happened but whatever happens, this year changed everything. Harry, Ron, and I were told so many stories, Harry knew nothing of his parents, so he was so happy to learn the smallest pieces of information. We were told how James fell in love with Lily the moment he laid eyes on her in their first year, how he asked her out every year but she rebuked him because of his arrogance and pranking," Hermione explained, bringing James' laughter to a stop, both Lily and James were now pale.
"Well, he was arrogant and pranked far too often, but he never declared his love. He simply declared me under his protection to the entire school and loved to embarrass me or make me laugh when I was sad or lonely. Remus has only ever been the one for me," Lily spoke for the first time.
"We were told that in your seventh year, you caved to his advances. You noticed he matured and stopped pranking as much, taking his role as Head Boy seriously. Your romance bloomed and following graduation you were engaged and married, having Harry by twenty. The stories I was told, I realized how untrue they all were the moment Dumbledore explained them to me and I finally understood what my old friend told me before the battle. I am to prevent that change, stop the person breaking up the Marauders."
"Why us?" Remus asked quietly. Lily had reached out and taken his hand but he wasn't returning the hold, his hand was limp in hers. He felt his doubt from years ago returning tenfold, Lily ended up with James in the future, what happened to him? She threw him aside for his best friend.
"Wait, before you answer that question," Sirius spoke up, his mind stuck on the thought of Harry being James' son, not caring about his mother currently, "You said Harry's godfather was originally framed for his parent's murder. Who was it?"
Hermione looked at Sirius, saying nothing, the sadness on her face telling him everything he needed to know.
"No! You said he went to Azkaban!"
"He was framed and sent to Azkaban without trial for twelve years," Hermione replied, the little colour left in Sirius' face draining. He slumped against the chair once more, his future was horrifying to think about. How could that be his future? "You escaped, all because you believed Harry was in danger."
James' head whipped around to look at Sirius. His best friend was framed for his murder and sent to the worst place imaginable without trial and he did the impossible, escaping from such a nightmare, all for his son.
"Who is the traitor?" Lily finally asked the question James was dreading the answer to. They were betrayed and he did not want to think about who was missing from the meeting.
"Remus, you asked why the Marauders?" Hermione asked, avoiding answering the dreaded question and returning to Remus, "I cannot tell you why, I do not know why. All I know is that you are important to Voldemort. I can only guess that he wants to build distrust in your group, or he wants to collect you. A Black, a Potter, and a werewolf," Hermione said the last word slowly. Remus' head shot up and stared at her, his eyes wide and frightened.
"You know?" Sirius asked tensely, glancing between Hermione and Remus. Hermione could feel the protectiveness coming off James, Sirius, and Lily. They would protect him against anyone and would hear nothing bad said against him, she smiled at that.
"Yes, Professor Remus Lupin was our third-year DADA Professor," Hermione said proudly, causing Remus to stare at her in disbelief, "I figured out his secret after the second moon but I never told anyone. I respected you as a teacher, you were kind and that does not change due to an affliction that causes you to involuntarily change once a month. Merlin, women become banshees once a month, you just become a wolf," Hermione chuckled, Remus joining her awkwardly.
"If James steals Lily from Remus, it builds distrust in a tight group of friends. Three friends would be affected most, Remus would turn into himself, James would have stolen his best mate's girl, and Sirius would try and remain neutral but he is essentially an adopted Potter. Only one friend would not experience any ill effects from this situation," Hermione said, pausing to let them think through her words before dropping the traitor's name, "Peter Pettigrew."
"Peter? You think Petey planned this whole betrayal? Little tail around Peter?" laughed Sirius.
"A friend who likes to tail after more powerful wizards?" Hermione responded with a quirked eyebrow.
James gulped and looked toward his friends. He had started feeling uneasy the more Hermione spoke about their future, about the betrayal, and the absence of Peter weighed on his mind. He noticed from their expressions that Remus and Sirius' confidence in Peter had also been swayed.
"At the beginning of 1981, James and Lily hide under the Fidelius, as does Frank and Alice Longbottom," Frank and Alice froze. They had been listening intently but had not been singled out yet, hearing that they were married only after they had just started dating was overwhelming but her next words had them sweating, "Frank and Alice were the parents of the second potential child of the prophecy," Hermione looked at them apologetically for bombarding them with information. "James and Lily wanted to select Sirius as their secret keeper, however after a few months he believed he was too obvious and had a large target on his back. To try and protect them further, he suggested they switch to a less obvious choice. Pettigrew was chosen and I am almost guaranteed he pissed himself in excitement to hand them over to Voldemort."
"You said you have memories?" Molly asked, while she believed Hermione's words, it was still so unbelievable. All of the adults knew how tight the Marauders were, they heard so much from Dorea and Charlus, and even Professor McGonagall shared stories at meetings, which she would adamantly deny being impressed by some of their ideas.
"I have articles as well, newspaper clippings of Order deaths that we can prevent while also corroborating my story," Hermione said, pulling her clippings from her beaded bag. She rifled through them until she found two specific articles, "This is the article that resulted in Sirius escaping Azkaban and returning to Hogwarts to protect Harry. Pettigrew hid as his animagus rat form for twelve years, disguised as a wizard family pet," she explained, handing Molly the article depicting her future family.
Molly gasped, her hand covering her mouth as she looked down at a picture of her family. She stood in the background surrounded by tall boys; Arthur was beside her and to her left stood a man that could only be William but with long hair. Charlie was beside him, his hair as shaggy as it was now, his refusal to cut or brush his hair must have continued into his adulthood. Percy was standing there, so different from the young infant she had at home. There were twin boys, the shortest boy could only be Ron, and finally a beautiful girl with flowing red hair. She didn't even search for the rat, she didn't care, she just saw her children. Tears welling in her eyes she passed the photo towards the Marauders whose eyes glanced over the family and zeroed in on the rat on Ron's shoulder. It looked exactly like the rat they spent every full moon with.
"This is proof Sirius Black was framed as the betrayer of the Potters and a mass murdered," Hermione said after a few minutes, slowly handing the second article over to Sirius. It was the photo of Sirius when he was taken to Azkaban, his young face only a few years older than the boy in front of her, screaming and maniacally laughing. Sirius went pale staring at it, he could see the insanity in his eyes, the Black madness looked like it had overtaken him. James placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder and squeezed, a silent reminder that this was not their future, it would not happen.
"I only have two memories that I believe are relevant," Hermione spoke again, "One is mine and the other is Harry's."
Dumbledore who had been silent for the duration of the meeting stood up and pulled out his pensieve. He took two vials filled with the floating wisps of memories from Hermione and poured them into the pensieve. He waved his wand over the object resulting in a projection of the memory to play above, rather than all of them entering the memories.
The first memory she played was the night they met Sirius and discovered Peter. The Marauders stared at the image of their brother, Peter, acting so cowardly, sounding so squeaky on the floor begging Harry for mercy.
Lily and James stared at Harry, seeing a child with both of their features. He looked identical to James yet held himself like Lily. He was missing the confidence and self-assurance that James had that made him the mischievous and playful person he was, there were no smile or smile lines on his face, Harry was an extremely serious version of James with Lily's eyes and posture.
Remus stared at the proof Lily chose another, but he could see his future self was extremely protective of Harry. He imagined he still loved Lily even years after her death, he knew his love for her was strong enough to last forever.
Sirius could not look away from his future self. He became a haggard man who had lost his muscles and the easy-going smile he always wore. He was old. Old and broken. Left to rot in Azkaban by his best friend, framed for betraying his brother.
While the Marauders and Lily had eyes for Harry and older Remus and Sirius, Molly, Arthur, and the Prewitt twins watched the red-headed boy, Ron. They watched him stand up against a supposed mass murderer with a broken leg, watched him prepare to protect Harry. They observed his appearance and noticed he looked like Arthur's father, Septimus. They were so proud of their future son for his loyalty and bravery.
The memory ended before Snape came into the room, Hermione wasn't ready to rehash that situation currently. Also, she didn't want to have to explain that Remus transformed and chased her and Harry through the forest, he would be mortified.
The memory of the Shrieking Shack changed to Harry's memory of Voldemort's return. It began as he and Cedric grabbed the cup and portkeyed to the graveyard. Harry tried to warn Cedric to leave, to grab the cup and get away from there, but Pettigrew stepped out and killed Cedric. The room watched as Peter hit the Hufflepuff boy with the green spell, then tie Harry up and begin the ritual to resurrect his Master. After Harry escaped his duel with Voldemort and the room watched the shadows of Lily and James protect Harry so he could escape, the memory faded, and everyone stared at where the projection was in silence.
No one could argue the future, Pettigrew had to be stopped.
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore spoke for the first time since the beginning, "I believe you have shared enough for today. At our next Order meeting, we will go over your newspaper clippings to determine how we can prevent these tragedies. We will meet up shortly after school resumes, and it will be only Order members. Mister Potter, Black, Lupin, and Miss Evans, I am sorry to say that you will not be invited to those meetings. As you are students and not part of the Order, you were only invited today due to the incredible circumstances."
Hermione quietly nodded at Dumbledore's words, she slumped back thankful she was finished sharing her future. It was emotionally draining telling everyone about her life without breaking down. These were just stories to them, future potential people, while they were her life, the people she cared about.
"Can I go?" she asked quietly, at Dumbledore's nod she stood from her chair and stepped towards the door, saying nothing as she walked past the Order, Marauders, and Lily.
James watched as she left, catching a whiff of her scent as she walked past. He could smell lavender and parchment, causing his heart to flutter. He just knew her scent would be what Ammortentia smelled like to him. He glanced back at his brothers and sister, each nodding to him when they caught his eye. They each agreed this girl was now their responsibility.
The Marauders took in those that needed it. They had taken in Remus the werewolf, Lily the Muggleborn, Sirius the Black sheep, James the cocky Blood Traitor, and now Hermione the warrior.
-oOo-
A/N: Please read and review! I would also love feedback on whether you want me to remove the following chapters until they are edited and ready to be updated.