Sea of Constellations
Rose_Quartz_Cloud
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling
Year Two-Sept 1992
9. Snakes
Charms was with the Slytherins and Hermione noticed the offstandish vibe they all gave to the rest of them. Like they were better than them and it reminded her of the people she used to know…
She didn't have much understanding of how pure blooded families operated but it seemed like a lot of the Slytherins got a summer reminder as to where their true loyalists were to lie.
Even worse, halfway through their first lesson in which "Engorgio" the engorgement charm was being taught, Professor Flitwick paired Hermione with Pansy who outwardly sneered at her…
Hermione knew it was an act, and that Pansy actually liked her but just seeing her treat her like this… like she was a Gryffindor again, triggered her anxiety.
They were practicing on small pumpkins and the task was to see who could make the other person's pumpkin larger by size by the end of the period.
Hermione tried to ignore her as she wanted to treat their soured social status as neural but Pansy played her part well before loudly protesting to those around them that Hermione wasn't very smart if she managed to get her pumpkin as least twice the size after 10 minutes of wand casting, and potion sabotaging…
Hermione curled an eyebrow , hoping to convey that this isn't what she wanted to do during classes, being publicly ridiculed.
Mandy quickly came to Hermione's defense.
"Pansy, stop belittling her on this assignment, we are all trying to learn this spell and for heaven's sake stop with the tormenting of the muggle-borns it doesn't look good on you…" she chided.
"...Well your family isn't all that much better, Brocklehurst, your family is known to fraternize with muggles" Pansy bit back.
Mandy's mouth dropped, stunned that she was treating her like this after last years where they were all so close…
Tracey Davis popped up from nearby and grinned evilly at the group before the professor appeared behind her.
"Ladies… is there an issue over here?" Professor Flitwick inquired while examining Pansy and Hermione's progress on the assignment.
"No Sir '' answered Hermione as she finished her attempt at getting Pansy's pumpkin larger and she knew that she was capable but it wouldn't help her to be extraordinary at this stage of living a new life.
25 points were granted to Slytherin for Pansy's excellent execution and Hermione packed up her stuff and darted to her next class, leaving everyone behind.
Next class Hermione had was History of Magic with the Hufflepuffs and it was a much needed break from the unfolding drama that she did not want to participate in.
She had the mind to write quite the message/letter to Pansy about her behavior and that of the other Slytherin's jeering her way in the last 24 hours and she noticed it was anyone who wasn't from one of their "pure" families and like she knew that this was going to happen already but it definitely hurt in a different way now that she had entered a friendship with them compared to before.
She also misjudged her Slytherin companions in that they believed in what their parents did and what they were capable of as they were growing up.
She felt torn also in that she wanted to judge again but knew it was a waste of her mental energies as nothing would change.
Afternoon rolled in quicker then expected and instead of going to the great hall with everyone else, Hermione escaped to the Library for some alone time as she was being suffocated with all of the new social pressures of being mean back to the Slytherins who were being condescending to anyone who was muggle related.
She found an excellent book to help her with her History of Magic homework and got settled in for a good writing session, on her first essay of the year.
It was lunch time and Theodore found himself sandwiched between Draco and Pansy who were trading tales of those muggle-born students they tormented so far, like it was some kind of sick contest and well he couldn't openly complain as he was in the same sad boat as they rest of them being reminded that they were a in a whole different class than the rest of the student body and they should expect more respect than they were getting… or something to those lines and it just tasted like fresh ash in his mouth.
He glanced over at the Ravenclaw table and noticed that Hermione was absent… he had heard Pansy's story from first period and thought that Hermione must have not taken the treatment well and he couldn't blame her when she treated them all as friends and they were betraying her now by bullying her blood-status.
Well screw this…He got up and packed his satchel as Pansy and Draco asked what was his issue and for his opinion on whatever they were talking about, but he just reached into his pockets and eased his spectacles onto his face before dashing for the door.
The two left behind halted in their cheerfulness, seeing the signs of Theo wanting nothing to do with it. He wore his glasses in public when he wanted to be left alone and it usually meant he was going to study.
Draco also glanced around the great hall and noticed Hermione's absence before it made sense as to Theodore's attitude.
He sighed, conflicted in how he should now react before mumbling to Pansy to lay off Granger a bit… before moving onto Quidditch talk with the other boys at the table.
Pansy pouted at his dismissal before catching Mandy and Sue's matching glares across the space.
Hannah was stirring her soup with her wand hand while flipping through her potions textbook when Neville unexpectedly sided up to her with offerings of fresh tea.
She stared at him questioningly? But he just shrugged and sat next to her.
"Sorry, I was just getting tired of the banter between Harry and Ron arguing about their friendship with Hermione" he spilled before enjoying a sip of his beverage.
Raising an eyebrow now, Hannah turned to the Gryffindor's table to see a heated exchange between Hogwarts golden duo.
"...Now I know Harry has been a friend to Hermione so far as of the train ride here but Ronald Weasley has actually spoken to her this year?" Hannah questioned, not appearing as convinced.
"There was truce made apparently but no I don't think he has willingly spoken to her since, but that is also only yesterday so it's not expected as she is in a different house," Neville responded looking over to the Ravenclaws.
"She's not here… Mandy and Sue are pissed … Apparently Hermione was harassed during Charms first thing from Pansy of all people… The Slytherins are getting quite mean to the muggle-borns this year so far…Their parent's must have not taken to them treating everyone as equals well over the summer and it's a pity, really" Hannah explained.
Neville just sighed in agreement before sipping more tea.
Nothing was going to be as easy and nice as it was last year.
Theodore knew that Hermione was either in one of three places. The Library, outside and walking around the lake, or in her dorm… he hoped for one of the two options as he would be forced to wait till later to find her.
Being the first day of classes, there weren't many people missing lunch to get ahead of the already large workload they would probably begin by the end of that day but there were a few older students hiding amongst the stacks already.
Scouting the corners and the perimeters he came across Hermione scribbling loudly and brushing her face with one of her other sleeves.
He crept up behind and peered over shoulder to see blotchy spots all over her decent looking history essay.
Sensing a presence hovering above her, Hermione sharply turned towards him, eyes red and spilling over with new tears before she rubbed at them with both sleeves and slamming her notebook closed.
"...What do you want… Nott" she pressed emotionally.
Theo walked around the table to sit opposite of her, dropping his bag into the seat beside him and pulled out some transfiguring homework.
"I have to go…" she tried pathetically, motioning to get up but Theo struck her with a stare over the rim of his spectacles…
"I know you aren't a brave Gryffindor Granger… but don't give the other's ammo to use against you…help me out with this assignment and I will teach you how to defend against Pansy's poorly executed attacks" he offered now with a smile.
"Why?" Hermione questioned his motives.
"I wasn't lying in my letter that you have now gained my loyalties… I dislike my family and I will make my own path without them and by being your friend, I see a bright future." he responded.
Hermione questioned what it was about this boy she knew nothing about originally that gave her hope to believe that things would be okay.
The rest of the day went by smoothly and people eased off of her for the rest of the day which was a relief.
Post dinner, Hermione snuck away from everyone to go and inspect something she was meaning to check out since arriving back at school and made her way to the second-floor girls bathroom, haunted by the ghost known as moaning Myrtle … and the opening to the chamber of secrets…. Only known to her at this point in time.
As she entered the hallway, leading the bathroom, Hermione heard giggles and not the typical sounds Myrtle made and knew someone was having a hard time in there as others hardships were usually a joy and amusement to the bitter ghost.
Tiptoeing to the entrance…. She caught sight of the ghost giggling madly towards one stall where someone crying could be heard and splashes of water.
Coming up from behind, Hermione opened the stall to find a disheveled Ginny desperately trying to flush a dreary looking black journal.
Hearing her open the door behind her, Ginny turned and tried to jinx Hermione, attempting to flee now but Hermione grasped Ginny's cardigan, stopping her before pulling the poor girl into a hug, asking her to calm down and what was wrong.
Ginny just cried, too distracted to explain what was going on…
Hermione knew and this was the pivotal moment she knew had to choose…
The Chamber of Secrets might have already been opened and the only one who could close it was Harry, but he wouldn't know how to… Hermione hesitated… What damages could happen if the Basilisk was free to roam the grounds without a master? Surely it would be okay if the professors knew about it? Right and one less Horcrux would be worth that price…
Making her decision, Hermione pulled a relic out of her expanding storage bag… one of the Basilisk fangs from the battle of Hogwarts and plunged it into the sopping wet diary that Ginny had dropped when Hermione embraced her…
A black ooze and bright light engulfed the room as echoes of Tom's scream died with the diary and Hermione put away the fang before also the diary to dispose of later.
Ginny looked shell shocked as she looked at Hermione scared now.
"... Who are you?" she demanded falling back on her butt now.
The truth was too far fetched so Hermione was forced to wipe the poor girls memory.
"... Sorry Ginny but you won't remember" Hermione told her before hurling an obliviate at her, wiping the minor memory of her coming across her that night in the bathroom.
Knocked unconsciousness now… Hermione set her up in the bathroom to make her think that she passed out and that's why she would be on the floor when she woke up.
Peering up at the ceiling, was Myrtle cackling.
"Magic of that sort won't work on a ghost" she jeered.
"I'm well aware that I can't force you to forget… but how about a personal favor for your silence on the matter?" Hermione proposed.
Glaring now, Myrtle sneered at her menacingly before escaping to the pipes of the school's plumbing.
Hermione expected this and well her next stop was to talk to the Headmaster…. So if she tattled on her it was of no consequence…
A/N: Did you see that plot twist coming? 🐍 but what are the consequences of changing the present timeline and will Dumbledore understand and sympathize with Hermione's choice?