Advance Arrangement
by Teddylonglong

All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.


On the morning of the Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match, the weather showed its ugliest sight. It was raining cats and dogs from low hanging clouds. Nevertheless, as it was the first match of the season and rumours had spread that the Slytherin team had new brooms made by first years, almost every resident of the castle went out to watch the match.

Hermione merely shook her head in disgust and strode over to the Slytherin table to wish Harry and Bobby good luck, before she readied herself to spend the whole day in the library, completely alone and undisturbed.

She was completely engrossed in her homework, and it was only when she let her Quill sink in satisfaction that she noticed a lone figure sitting on a nearby windowsill.

'Professor Quirrell,' she realised in surprise. 'What's he doing here? Is the Quidditch match over already?' She checked her wrist watch, confirming that it was just over an hour, before lunch was going to be served in the Great Hall.

"How am I ever going to clear my name?" Quirrell suddenly groaned, apparently unaware of her presence in the same corner of the library. "After all I've done, and I don't even know why."

Hermione listened to his moans and groans for a few minutes, before she made a decision. Her

hand slipped into the pocket of her robes, where she held her wand tightly, before she cautiously approached the man.

"Professor," she addressed him in a soft voice, "is something wrong?"

"No, no, why do you even ask?" the teacher replied, hastily, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

""Because I've been listening to you moaning and groaning ever since I finished my Potions homework," Hermione informed him. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Quirrell let out another groan. "I don't think so, but maybe you can. After all, you're one of the brightest students in your year."

"Thank you, sir," Hermione replied, casting him a small smile.

"Can you swear me a witch's oath to not speak to anyone about what I tell you without my explicit permission?"

"If you teach me how to do such a thing, I will," Hermione promised, wondering what was wrong with the man.

Much more patient than expected, Quirrell taught her how to make the oath, and Hermione complied. "I swear on my magic to not speak of what Professor Quirrell tells me without permission," deliberately leaving out 'his' and 'explicit'.

As expected, the professor did not notice it but gratefully nodded, before he rose from the windowsill and motioned her over to the table, which she had previously occupied. He then swiftly cast a silencing spell around the two of them.

Letting out a deep sigh, he began to speak. "Please listen me out. I promise that I'm not going to hurt you."

Hermione nodded, wearily.

"Professor Quirrell was killed by the troll on Halloween."

Hermione stared at him, wide-eyed, but forced herself to remain silent.

"I am Tom Riddle," the man informed her. "I attended Hogwarts many decades ago, together with Minerva McGonagall."

Hermione's thoughts went haywire. 'Tom Riddle? I never heard of him,' she thought.

"I don't know who did it, but sometime during my fifth year at Hogwarts, I suddenly felt forced to do evil things. I assume that someone put me under the Imperius curse, but I neither know who or why."

Hermione gasped unconsciously and put her hand to her mouth in shock as the man continued.

"I became Lord Voldemort, and I did many bad things." Apparently noticing the shock and horror in her expression, he added, "I never did anything by my own free will. This went on for decades. I was forced to kill people, to torture others. I made Horcruxes. They are the worst kind of magic. They claim a life, usually an innocent one, to create. This is why I'm alive now. I remained in the form of a spirit, after baby Harry Potter killed me. By chance I got to know Quirinus Quirrell and bonded with him, as I saw a way to return to Hogwarts, which has been the only real home I ever had. When he led the troll in on Halloween… The reason for that will be another story… Anyway, it killed him and I gained his body for myself."

"Wow." Hermione stared at the man in front of her in shock.

"I can't show my true self. I don't even know how to get my own features back, but even if I did, I'd get arrested immediately. This is the first time since my fifth year at Hogwarts that I have a mind of my own."

Hermione nodded.

"I need to find out who put me under the Imperius curse all these decades and prove it, before I can hope to reclaim what's left of my life." Apparently noticing her weary look, he added, "I swear on my magic that everything I've told you is true."

When he cast the Lumos charm to prove that he still had magic, Hermione nodded.

"Thank you," she replied, smiling, "for the oath and for telling me the truth. "The problem is that I have no idea how to help you. I suggest that we speak with the Potter twins. They are extremely knowledgeable, and as far as I know, they have connections with the founders of Hogwarts and to the Unspeakables."

"I am also a descendant of Slytherin, and the Unspeakables might be the only people able to help me."

"I will speak to the twins as soon as possible and contact you in the Great Hall. I am sure I'll be able to come up with a few questions concerning our homework," she added, smirking.

"Thank you, and please do so." A small smile played on the professor's lips, as he cancelled the privacy spell and left the library.

HP

Meanwhile on the Quidditch pitch, the Slytherin team absolutely dominated their match against Gryffindor. Bobby was a brilliant Keeper, and although the Gryffindors had a good team, they failed to score even once, while the Slytherins received points every few minutes.

Harry struggled to find the Snitch through the low clouds, and it was not until nearly three hours into the match that he managed to catch a glimpse of him. Before the Gryffindor Seeker knew what was happening, he went into a deep dive, grabbed the Snitch and held it up for Madam Hooch to see.

"Harry Potter has caught the Snitch. Slytherin wins," the referee announced, and everyone landed on the ground.

Harry and Bobby were soon surrounded not only by the team, but the whole house gathered around them to congratulate the team on their victory, as Madam Hooch announced, "340 – 0 for Slytherin."

"Well done, Slytherins," Severus commended his team, while the Gryffindors tried to convince Minerva that it had been foul play, as the entire Slytherin team had better brooms than they did.

"Just because the Slytherins have better brooms, which I know for a fact have been made by their first years, does not make it foul play. Maybe, if you ask them nicely, they might make brooms for the other teams as well."

'Go, Granny Mina,' Harry thought to Bobby in amusement.

HP

The party in the Slytherin common room was loud and joyful and lasted for the rest of the day.

It was late in the afternoon, when Hermione entered the common room. "Seeing your party, I suppose that congratulations are in order? May I join the festivities?" she asked, shyly.

"Of course, Hermione, come and join us." Draco was the first to see her and motioned her over to where the first years were gathered on the floor in front of the fireplace.

One of the older students pressed a mug of butterbeer into her hands, before she lowered herself to the floor between Harry and Bobby, who readily made room. Her classmates gleefully informed her of the match, before Dudley enquired, "Do we have to feel sorry for you, considering that you're in Gryffindor?"

Hermione chuckled. "No, I am not interested in Quidditch, which is why I spent most of the day in the library, and frankly speaking, I feel like I belong to you much more than to my own housemates. So, I am glad that you won."

Turning to Harry, she whispered, "I need to talk to you and Bobby in private for a moment."

Harry stood up immediately. "Sorry, everyone, Bobby and I promised Hermione we would help her with something. We'll see you all at dinner."

Bobby quickly followed his example, and the three of them left the common room, closely followed by Paws and Claws.

tbc...

Thanks to the kind rewiewers. I appreciate you very much.