DISCLAIMER. None of the characters used are a creation of mine. They belong solely to JK Rowling.
Hermione had received her Hogwarts letter. She had gotten all her supplies. School wouldn't be a task. She could focus on her.. extracurricular activities.
The day before the Hogwarts Express would take off from King's Cross at London, Hermione was summoned by her grandfather.
'Hermione, dear, come here.' Papa croaked in a broken voice from where he was seated in his study. His old age was more apparent than ever since his health had begun to deteriorate. His pale fingers beckoned her towards him.
Hermione promptly settled into the chair in front of him and he took her hands within his.
He looked into her eyes, 'You are a brilliant young woman. You hold views .. which might not be entirely acceptable to most people you're going to spend the majority of your school life with.'
Hermione had suspected she would receive a word of caution from her family and was ready. 'I know, Papa. I know Slytherin house is not tolerant of muggles and muggleborns. Rab has told me all about it. But you cannot ask this of me. I will not be forced to pretend.'
Papa nodded his head and stood up, 'I wouldn't expect you to. You're a brave one, you. I wouldn't be surprised if you were put in Gryffindor. But as a part of the Sacred Twnety-Eight, I must insist that you keep your opinions.. to yourself.
Hermione, you know very well that I do not look down on Muggle lifestyle and their ways. I bear no ill towards them. As much as I condone maintaining our position at the top strata of the wizarding society as purebloods, I do not denounce muggleborn heritage.'
Hermione began to speak up but Papa beat her to it.
'You misunderstand me, child. I have never tried to instil upon you the beliefs I was conditioned into having. I have seen grow into an independent and a modern young lady. All I'm asking of you is to not go seeking trouble and always be mindful of your company. Your ideas, as noble as they may be, if spoken in the presence of other blood purist families will be frowned upon. It is my duty to caution you about the future we are heading into.'
Hermione frowned. Had Tom begun his selfish quest already?
'Blood purity among the older families has always been a matter of great pride and these families are rising together. Word has it some radical man has been going around recruiting those who favour such extreme measures against muggles, other lowly creatures and even half bloods. If it ever turns into something much.. darker than it is now, I simply don't want you at risk of any harm.. from either side.'
Hermione had to smile at that. If only he knew. Nevertheless, she understood his concern and was greatly relieved too. So far she had merely been assuming that Papa wasnt entirely hellbent on Wizarding dominance but to have her belief confirmed was a balm. Rab, too it seemed, was quite ahead of his times. She was glad to have returned in time in this family. She wondered how she would have managed as a Malfoy or a Black where "mudblood" would be a common term thrown around the dinner table and slurs against muggles and half bloods a usual occurrence.
But as releived as she was she also worried for her older brother Rolf. Rolf had taken greatly to Bella and Bella had slowly been pushing him further towards such extremist ideas.
Hermione pinched her nose and got up to touch Papa gently on his arm. 'Do not worry yourself on my account, Papa. I will make a capable witch. I'll look after myself. And Rab will be there. I need you to not think about anything other than getting yourself better.'
She hugged him lightly and Papa vent down to drop a kiss on her head.
'I can see you're going to change the world, my dear.'
The next morning Hermione was overcome with jitters yet again.
Not only was she incredibly anxious about being at Hogwarts without the company of her friends.. her true family, she was also scared at the prospect of not finding Harry waiting for her.
The last month had been spent worrying over Harry's absence in this timeline. She could only hope that he would show up during the Sorting.
It was going to be hard enough facing her school life, her true home without Ron and Ginny on her side. If she couldn't find Harry, she feared she would break down.
His absence would conolidate her loneliness for once and all. She might have created a new life for herself in this time. She had found a brother who loved her. She had even found the love of a parent through Papa. She had made great friends in Sirius and Regulus who would often come to see her, but she could never make it without Harry. She couldn't defeat Tom without him.
Rab clicked his fingers in front of her eyes bringing her out of her reverie.
'I'm sorry. Just anxious.' Hermione whispered.
Rab nodded sympathetically. He could see his sister was burdened by something. Surely she couldn't be that intimidated by the prospect of school. She was simply too strong for that. It seemed she was bothered by something entirely different but he chose to keep his.mouth shut for now.
'Come on, let's get you settled in.' He boarded her trunk into the train and led her to an isolated carriage. 'I'm going to have to go up ahead. I'm truly sorry I can't spend your first ride with you.'
Hermione smirked at him. 'Both of us know you're overly excited to get the Prefects' Coach, dear brother. I know what's got you all flustered. It's Melinda, isn't it?'
Rab frowned at his sister's nosiness. One mention of the girl two summers ago had been enough for Hermione to see that however much of a Casanova Rab pretended to be he was smitten with his best friend.
Hermione laughed at his expression and pushed him out.
Rab turned to leave and smiled, 'I am sure Sirius will be here somewhere. He will find you.'
Hermione nodded and sat down facing the window, looking out at the children pouring in on the platform.
She had insisted on coming early. She had wanted to keep a look out for messy jet black hair. She had to find Harry.
As the platform got busier she still hadn't caught a single glance at him and was starting to worry again. Hermione closed her eyes. He would be here. She would see him at the Sorting, no doubt. Or perhaps he was a second year or even higher up. Nonetheless, he would be here. She had to believe it.
Soon after the train had jostled out of the platform with parents waving enthusiastically at their children Hermione stood up and clutching her wand tightly into her hand she left her coach.
It wouldn't hurt to go seeking him in the train.
She began making her way through the crowded lobby often catching a glance of oddly familiar faces she couldn't name. She figured she was just looking at the parents of many students she had shared her classes with.
She was also keeping an eye out for Sirius. He had written to her the previous week telling her he'd save her a seat. So far she hadn't been successful in finding either of the black haired boys.
She kept walking in the direction of the hubub and peeked into the various coaches that lined the length of the train. Once or twice she had to stop to take in the happy faces unmarred by the worries of a war. Children who were in the truest sense completely free. Devoid of any pain left behind by the passing away of a closed one.
This was how it should have been for Harry, Ron and herself.
She kept repeating to herself. He's here. He's here waiting for you.
She didn't see the blur of black hair that came rushing towards her. A gangly looking boy with messy black curls was pushed into her body resulting in the two kids falling down into a heap.
Hermione turned towards the boy and a huge grin adorned her face as she looked into the face of her best friend. She quickly enveloped the boy into her arms and drank in all the details of his face. Two years she had spent imagining him but nothing could have done justice to the boy before her.
Harry. He was here. Harry with his hair that stood up in all directions. Harry with his crooked grin. Harry with his.. hazel eyes?
As quickly as the smile had brightened her face, Hermione found her jaw slacken and her heart being torn out of her chest.
Lying beside her wasn't Harry but James Potter. Tears threatened to pool out of her eyes. Gathering herself she got up and reluctantly offered her hand to the boy still whining on the floor.
James grabbed the hand offered to him and stood up, 'Oh, I am so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going. It's just the excitement of it all, really. I swear it won't happen again.'
Hermione smiled ruefully at the sight of this haphazard innocent little boy. As much as he looked alike her best friend he was nothing like him.
Where Harry chose to spoke in few words James seemed like a boy brimming with thoughts. Where Harry was shy and timid, James was bursting with life.
Hermione cleared her throat breaking the boy out of his rambling, 'Its alright. It's my first time too.'
James grinned widely at her, 'Well I'll be off then. See you at school!'
With that the boy disappeared down the lobby.
Hermione her her way to the lavatories and locked herself inside. He wasn't here.
He wasn't here. He wasn't here. He wasn't here.
She was alone. She was all by herself stuck in a foreign time with foreign people who brought out memories inside her that caused her nothing but pain.
Tears escaped her eyes as Hermione realised the reality of what her life had become. A graveyard of hopes.
What was she to do? How could she ever save these people when she had nobody to call her own. Nobody to help her along the way.
She slid down the wall and buried her head in her hands taking deep breaths.
She had to stay calm.
He would be that the Sorting and if not. Well she would wait. She would wait for however long it took. She knew he would find her. They would be together. The ritual couldn't go wrong. She was proof of it. If she was alive she had to believe he was too.
She stood up and splashed her face with cold water and returned to her coach.
Her mind now tore at her reminding her Sirius wasn't here either. She hadn't found the boy anywhere.
No matter. He was probably looking for her too. She just had to sit still in her own coach and wait for him to find her.
She returned to her coach and entered to find a blond haired boy with iridescent blue eyes who looked up at her and smiled.
Hermione gave a small smile in return and introduced herself.
'Hullo! Everywhere else was full. I hioe I'm not inteuding. I am Peter Pettigrew,' the boy said with an air of tone that suggested nothing but confidence.
Hermione's brows shot up into her forehead. She had imagined Peter to be a mousy boy who was shy and overshadowed. A boy who stuttered and fumbled. But what she saw in front of her was a boy very much secure in his skin.
For a moment a strong hatred surged through her veins. Here sat the catalyst to the greatest wizarding wars. But she yet again repeated her mantra to herself.
She was here to make sure he didn't do what he had done in his previous life.
Quickly regaining composure she nodded, 'Pleasure meeting you. It's your first year too?'
He nodded with enthusiasm, 'Oh yeah. I'm terribly excited. Although I've been told we are going to fight a troll to see which house we're sorted into.'
Hermione chortled, 'That's bull.'
Peter raised his brow in surprise. The girl seemed all iron and steel.
She asked, 'Whoever told you that?'
'Some bloke called Potter.'
Hermione snorted, 'Don't believe a word he says. He's too much trouble for what he's worth.'
The two spent the duration of the ride playing exploding snap and discussing a thing or two about the subjects they'd be studying and their professors.
But as they kept getting closer to their destination, Hermione began feeling her stomach churn in anticipation. She wasn't sure she was ready. She immediately quietened down during the later part of the trip.
As the children got down the train at Hogsmeade station she heard Rab call out her name.
'Hey, you okay?'
Hermione hugged him tight, 'Yes. Here, Rab, meet Peter.' She pointed at her new friend.
Rab grinned at him and shook hands with him.
'Where is Sirius? I wanted to wish him luck before the Sorting.' Rab questioned.
Hermione shrugged.
Rab frowned, 'Well, in any case. Don't worry, you kids. I'm proud of you no matter what, 'Mi.'
He patted her back and left with his friends.
Hermione was then ushered towards the boats by Hagrid.
Hagrid was a sight to the sore eye. He appeared ever carefree and happy with his booming voice, 'Firs' years over here!'
She kept close to Peter. She was completely certain the friendship between Sirius and James had already been forged. There was no other reason she could think of which might have led Sirius to ditch her.
Getting into a boat, the two were accompanied by a black haired girl who introduced herself as Marlene McKinnon. They were also joined by a quiet looking brown haired boy called Frank Longbottom.
Pride swelled inside Hermione's heart for the brave boy he would grow up to father.
The boats moved swiftly over the river. Hermione braced herself for the first glimpse of Hogwarts she was soon going to get.
She shut her eyes completely. As she heard the throng of excited first years gasp with wonder, she was sure they could see it.
She reluctantly opened her eyes and saw Hogwarts looming over them like a wisened sentinel. As majestic as ever, it was everything a child could dream of. And yet as she looked at it her mind conjured up the images of burning towers and shattered walls and tumbling stones.
She rid herself of such morbid thoughts forcing her mind to empty itself.
She finally caught sight of Sirius talking animatedly with an equally thrilled James Potter and a shy boy who kept his eyes averted to the ground during the entirety of the conversation. It must be Remus.
Hermione quickly looked away from him. True, she was a woman well in her twenties but she was still hurt about how quickly Sirius had forgotten all about her.
A snide voice inside her head told her this was how it was supposed to he. Sirius would always be James' friend. Not hers. She didn't belong here.
Peter dragged her to the front of the first years. 'This is going to be amazing! I'm telling you, Hermione. This is the start of something big!'
Hermione smiled tightly. If only he knew just how big everything would be.
'Seven years of our lives will be sealed today. Just like that. In no amount of time. I do hope I'm a Gryffindor.'
The first years gathered together and waited. They were all talking excitedly to each other, chattering among themselves about inconsequential things.
Hermione felt someone tap her shoulder, turn her around and hug her briefly. She looked up to find Sirius Blacks' grey orbs looking down at her with a smiling face.
Hermione scowled and turned away from him.
Sirius' face fell, 'Hermione? I'm sorry. I completely forgot. I met James here,' he complained as he pulled the said boy to his side, 'and lost track of time. I'm telling you the bloke's wonderful. So is Remus. Where did he run off to by the way?' He looked around.
'Think of all the things we could do together if we put our brains together. All the pranks we could subject the Slytherins to.'
Hermione tensed.
'Not all of us are hoping to break the family tradition, Sirius. You know very well I could and most probably will be a Slytherin.'
In fact she was going to ask the Hat to put her in Slytherin. She had made the choice already. It would place her in the prime of things and help get into Tom's inner circle.
Sirius frowned, 'Come now, Hermione. You're completely lacking in the area of cunning. You're a brave soul ' He chortled.
Hermione said, 'Does it matter what house we are in?'
James looked aghast at that. 'Your house means everything. You can't be a Slytherin or I definitely don't approve of your friendship with Sirius here.'
Hermione glared at him. 'Approve? And who would ask you for any sort of approval?'
Sirius tried to placate her. 'He's only joking. Don't worry. You won't be a Slytherin.'
All this while Peter looked on but sensing his new friend's discomfort he tugged onto the sleeve of her cloak and pulled her aside.
Sirius looked miffed and partly annoyed.
Peter whispered, 'You okay?'
Hermione nodded. 'Its nothing'.
He grinned, 'For what it's worth, I won't treat you like a pariah if you were a Slytherin and I turned up a Gryffindor. The infamous rivalry between two houses is senseless and stupid. We're talking about the brave and the cunning. Imagine the two ciming together. They would be unbeatable!'
Hermione was startled by the gentle side she had just seen Pettigrew, the rat treat her with. The boy could simply not turn into a traitorous bastard. What had happened to him?