The group of friends walked briskly along the seventh-floor corridor. The hallway echoed with the familiar sounds of their footsteps, laughter, and the rustling of robes, each engaged in their own walked next to Hermione, Evan had his arms around Lucy and Arabella, while Regulus and Barty strolled a few steps behind.

Suddenly, as if a dam had burst, Alice's voice rang out, shattering the silence. "YOU'RE A FUCKING TIME TRAVELER!?" The words reverberated through the stone walls, causing portraits to shake and disgruntled ghosts to peer out from hidden corners.

Hermione sighed, pushing open a seemingly ordinary door with her ring and motioning for everyone to enter. "Alice, babes, we need to have a serious talk about how loud you are every time I tell you a secret."

Once inside the room, Hermione busied herself with the tasks of a gracious host. She moved to a small refrigerator they had installed and retrieved seven butterbeers and a variety of snacks. She placed them on a table in front of the sofa, where her friends watched her attentively.

"Make yourselves comfortable because this story is going to be a long one," Hermione began, addressing the lingering effects of Alice's outburst. "As Alice shouted down the hall," she shot a pointed look at her friend, who blushed under the scrutiny. "I'm a time traveler."

Evan, munching on some chips, interjected casually, "Future or past?"

"Future," she stated. "My name was Hermione Granger. I was born in 1979 to Muggle parents. During my school years, I was a Gryffindor—"

"Why am I not surprised?" Lucy interrupted with a laugh, her gray eyes gleaming with amusement. "Of course, you had to be a bloody Gryffindor."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Hermione chuckled, taking a sip of her beer as she continued. The warmth of the May evening hung heavy in the air. "My best friends were called Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. And, before you ask, yes. Harry Potter was the son of James Potter."

"Who was the mother?" Arabella asked, intrigued, rolling up her sleeves. Seeing her friend's raised eyebrow, she let out an incredulous laugh, "Don't tell me that, in the end, she did agree to go out with him."

"Harry's mother was Lily Evans," Hermione replied, making her friends snort with amusement. "James matured, okay? They started dating in their seventh year and got married right after finishing Hogwarts."

"It is customary to get married as soon as you graduate, at least to purebloods." Alice stated, "What happened next?"

"Harry was born, what the Potters did not know is that with the birth of their son there was a prophecy. The prophecy spoke of a child, born to those who had defied him, during the seventh month would be able to destroy Voldemort. There were only two candidates: Harry and-" Hermione looked at Alice sadly, "Neville Longbottom."

"In the end, Voldemort chose Harry," Hermione continued. "On Halloween night in 1981, James and Lily Potter were murdered, but Harry survived due to Lily's sacrifice. I met Harry and Ron on the Hogwarts Express, and after an incident with a troll, we became inseparable."

"Before you continue, who the hell is Voldemort?" Barty asked, sitting on the floor due to the heat.

"He is currently known as Tom Riddle," Hermione replied. Gasps of surprise filled the room. "Voldemort tried to kill Harry since he was eleven, and during our fourth year, he was resurrected. The wizarding world was divided into two factions—the light side led by Dumbledore and the dark side led by Voldemort. Long story short, the Second Wizarding War broke out."

Arabella interrupted, surprised, "Second Wizarding War? Did you say 'second'? For there to be a second, the first must have happened before."

Hermione hesitated, nervously running her hand through her hair. "The First officially occurred from 1970 until the night Harry's parents died."

The revelation hung heavily in the room. Evan, with a frown, remarked, "Are you saying we've been at war for five years? Why isn't anything about this in the Prophet?"

"The Ministry is preventing panic," Hermione explained. "We've been at war for five years. Voldemort's followers are called Death Eaters. They believe in pureblood supremacy and attack anyone who opposes them."

"Who is stupid enough to join that bunch of fuckers?" Barty laughed, fist-bumping Evan. "Tell us their names so the next time we see them, we can punch them."

"Mulciber, Avery, the Lestrange brothers, the Carrow brothers, Antonin Dolohov, August Rookwood," she began to list. "Thorfinn Rowle, Wilkes, Travers, Yaxley, Evan Rosier," Evan immediately paled upon hearing his name. "Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy," Regulus paled. "and Barty Crouch Jr." Barty looked at her with wide eyes of horror.

A palpable silence settled in the room as everyone processed the information. Hermione sighed, concluding her tale with a bitter smile."Harry, Ron, and I, after Dumbledore's death in our sixth year, set out in search of Horcruxes—objects that contained parts of Voldemort's soul and made him immortal," she continued. "We spent nine months on the run, breaking into Gringotts, escaping on the back of a dragon, and enduring torture in Malfoy Manor. In the end, the final battle took place at Hogwarts. Harry managed to confront Voldemort and won." She finished, looking at her friends, who were gawking at her in disbelief.

Alice's initial shock had transformed into a mixture of awe and disbelief, her wide-eyed gaze fixed on Hermione. "So, you're a war heroine?" she asked, almost in a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the weight of the revelation.

Hermione met her gaze with a solemn nod, the gravity of her past etched into the lines on her face. "Yes," she replied, the single word carrying the weight of battles fought and sacrifices made.

Lucy, still trying to process the enormity of Hermione's disclosure, let out a low whistle. "And now you're here, in our time, at Hogwarts. Why?"

Hermione took a deep breath, the air heavy with unspoken memories. "The details are a bit complicated," she began, choosing her words carefully, "but there was an incident with a time turner, and I woke up being Remus Lupin's little sister."

Arabella, her sleeves still rolled up,leaned forward with a furrowed brow. "So, what's the plan? How do we prevent all of that from happening?"

Hermione's eyes flickered with a mix of determination and gratitude as she glanced at each of her friends. "We stick together," she asserted, "watch out for each other, and most importantly, we prepare ourselves for what's coming."

Barty, who had been unusually silent since the revelation of his future actions, looked at Hermione with a hint of remorse in his eyes. "I can't believe I became one of those Death Eaters. If that's my future, then I want to change it."

Regulus, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up, his voice a low murmur in the tense air. "What did you—what did Harry, Ron, and you tell yourselves to get through all of that?"

Hermione's gaze turned wistful, memories of battles and loss reflected in her eyes. "Until the very end," she answered.

"Until the very end," echoed through the room, the weight of those words settling over the group like a protective charm.

Suddenly, Hermione felt Evan's strong arms and the soft strands of platinum hair against her fingers as he repeated his gratitude. "Thank you," he murmured, the words sincere and filled with a mixture of awe and relief.

Her response was tender, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you," she affirmed, her gaze sweeping across the room to include each of her friends. "I'm not going to let anything happen to any of you."

Regulus broke the contemplative silence with a revelation that hung heavy in the air. "I died drowning. If it hadn't been for Mia, within a year and a half, I would have taken Mark and died two years later in a cave trying to destroy a Horcrux."

The room held its breath at the confession, and a collective curiosity surfaced. "Who attacked you?" Regulus inquired, his eyes locked onto hers, seeking the missing piece to the puzzle.

"Cauis Lestrange," she admitted, "He tried to recruit me, and I told him that Voldemort could shove the Christmas invitation up his ass. I guess he didn't like the answer because I almost bled to death," Hermione's laughter cut through the tension,"Guys, I'm fine. I've been through worse."

Evan's anger flared, a fiery determination in his eyes. "I'm going to kill that bastard," he hissed, rising from his seat. "Or better yet, I'll kill his children to see if he finds it funny."

Arabella intervened, attempting to temper the rising storm. "No one is going to kill anyone," she exclaimed, her voice cutting through the room. "We're going to try not to kill anyone if we can help it. Many of those you named have already graduated, and I don't think those who are still Hogwarts students will go out there showing off the Mark."

"I know it's a lot of information, but I want you to know that everything I do is for a greater purpose," Hermione emphasized. "Luchesse died because he threatened to kill my godson, not because he cheated on me."

Regulus injected a touch of humor into the heavy atmosphere. "Gryffindors and the savior complex," he mocked, his gaze mischievous. "I think I prefer you as a Ravenclaw, cherie," eliciting laughter that served as a brief respite from the intensity of the moment.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Completely understandable," Alice reassured her with a warm smile, placing a hand in the center of the group. "Until the very end, what do you say, guys?"

"UNTIL THE VERY END!" The resounding shout filled the room with the clinking of butterbeers.

The sun set on the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the Hogwarts grounds as the Marauders rested near the Black Lake. The air was thick with a mix of relief and anticipation, having completed his O.W.L.S. James was lying lazily on the grass, his glasses reflecting the sunlight as he looked up at the sky. Peter was eating some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and Remus was engrossed in a well-used book about magical creatures.

Sirius, however, absentmindedly slid a flat stone across the water, before his stormy gray eyes landed on Severus Snape. The Slytherin walked the grounds, his dark eyes fixed on the Marauders with a mix of suspicion and disdain.

"Look who slithered out of his dungeon," Sirius drew, a mischievous smile forming on his face.

Remus sighed, closed his book and sat down. "Can't we have a day without causing trouble, Pads?"

But Sirius was already standing, wand in hand, an evil glint in his eyes. As Snape approached, he couldn't resist the opportunity to stir the cauldron of animosity. "Well, well, Snivellus. How was your exam day?" he scoffed, his tone oozing mock concern.

Snape frowned and his lip curled in disdain. "None of your business, Black. Go back to your little games."

Sirius laughed, a low, mocking sound. "Games, you say? Well, speaking of games..." Without warning, he swung his wand at him, casting a hex that sent Snape to the ground.

The Slytherin's eyes flashed with anger as he stood up, but Sirius was already laughing. "Soft landing, Snivellus!"

Remus sighed again, this time with an air of exasperation. "Sirius, for the love of Merlin, leave him alone. We're not children anymore."

But Sirius paid him no attention. Instead, he approached Snape arrogantly, wand still in hand. "So, how were the O.W.L.S, Snivelly? Enjoying the thrill of academic excellence?"

Snape looked at Sirius, his face contorted with anger. "Why don't you go to hell, Black?"

Spectators, attracted by the spectacle, began to gather around the place. Sirius, revealed by the attention, couldn't resist one last blow. With a wave of his wand and a smile, he sent a Levicorpus spell that lifted Snape into the air, his legs dangling erupted from some of the spectators, while others exchanged amused glances. Just as Sirius seemed to be revealing in the chaos he had created, a voice cut through the air like a sharp breeze.

"Sirius Black, enough is enough!" Lily, her red hair dancing in the wind, stepped forward with a determined expression. Her green eyes were fixed on Sirius, who had frozen mid-laugh. "Leave him alone."

Sirius shot Lily a cocky grin, but before he could retort, Hermione appeared at Lily's side, a stern expression on her face. "She's right, Sirius. You're better than this, please."

The rebllious wizard, with a deceptively innocent smile, looked at Snape still suspended in mid-air. "Well, Snivellus, it looks like you're lucky today. Evans and Hermione have come to save your sorry ass."

Severus, eyes blazing with fury, fought against the invisible bonds of the Levicorpus spell. "I don't need the help of a dirty mudblood," he spat, his voice filled with disdain. His gaze then turned venomous as he looked at Hermione. "And I certainly don't need the help of a filthy pureblood whore."

Sirius' smile faded, replaced by a dark smile. Before anyone could react, Remus stepped forward and pointed his wand at Snape, undoing the Levicorpus spell. Without a moment's hesitation, the werewolf lunged at the greasy-haired shouting, "How dare you insult my sister, you fucking asshole!"

Severus grunted in pain, trying to protect himself from the blows. Onlookers gasped, some recoiling from the sudden violence. James, driven by similar indignation, joined the fray. His hazel eyes flashed as he landed blow after blow at Snape.

"Apologize, you piece of shit!" James shouted, each word punctuated by another forceful blow.

"PETRIFIC TOTALUS!" Hermione's voice sounded authoritative and a powerful wave of magic emanated from her wand. Remus, James and Severus froze mid-action, their bodies rigid and unresponsive.

"I'm tired of defending you," Lily spat, her voice carrying a potent blend of anger and disappointment. "Fuck you." With that, casting one last scornful look at Severus, she stormed away, leaving her former friends sprawled on the ground, defeated and alone.

Regulus, who had silently observed the entire drama, raised an eyebrow at the unfolding events. "THE SHOW IS OVER," he declared, his voice cutting through the tension and prompting the onlookers to disperse, realizing the entertainment had come to an abrupt end.

Hermione, standing amidst the unfrozen figures, sighed as she muttered the counterspell. Her brother, James, and Severus slowly thawed, the tension still lingering in the air. Hermione positioned herself between the warring parties, acting as a mediator.

"You two, what have I told you about violence?" Her authoritative voice cut through the tension as she turned to her brother and James.

"He called you a whore, Mimi. I'm not letting that fucking slide" Remus hissed, glaring at the Slytherin, " Be careful when you walk alone through the halls, Snape, lest you have an unfortunate accident."

"Remy, stop, seriously. Do you see me upset?" Hermione looked at her brother with a raised eyebrow. "Calm down, okay?" She then turned her attention to Snape, her eyes flashing with suppressed anger. "What the hell is wrong with you? Calling Lily a filthy mudblood."

"I, uh-" Snape began, stumbling over his words, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Snape. Find a way to apologize," she declared with finality. "Now that we've settled the little scene you've made, let's each go our own separate ways." Hermione watched as her brother and James reluctantly backed away, shooting glares at Severus.

Sirius, seemingly impervious to the escalating conflict, continued his mocking taunts. His mischievous smile betrayed a sense of delight in pushing Snape's buttons. "If you're so eager to fight, Snivellus," he jeered, his voice laced with challenge, "how about this? See you Friday at the Shrieking Shack. Alone. Midnight. Let's see if you have the guts."

Remus shot Sirius a scandalized look, his eyes wide in disbelief. He turned to James Potter, urging him to intervene before the situation spiraled further out of control. Potter grabbed his friend by the shoulder, his voice stern. "Enough, Pads."

"You wouldn't dare," Hermione warned, her tone cutting through the tension like a blade. Her gaze, intense and unwavering, possessed an otherworldly chill that seemed capable of freezing even the fiery depths of hell itself.

But Sirius, fueled by his rebellious spirit, paid little heed to James' or Hermione's caution. His attention remained fixed on the Slytherin, who regarded him with a mix of suspicion and defiance, his dark eyes narrowing as he contemplated the risky proposal.

"Afraid, Snivellus?" he taunted again, his voice carrying a mocking edge. "Afraid of a little confrontation?"

"I'm not afraid of you, Black," Snape shot back, his voice dripping with venom.

Shit