The letter sat on the counter top of the bar, taunting her with its scrawled invitation. The Weasleys had opted to have a New Years Eve Party and wanted everyone there. They believed that should include Hermione, but the curly-haired witch was uncomfortable with the thought of being around so many people. She had barely made it through dinner with the Weasleys for Christmas, and that was not even all of them. Bill and Fleur had been in France to visit her parents, so that had been two less people to encounter. Charlie had also been unable to attend as he was stuck in Romania.
By the following night, the Weasley house would be overflowing with people. Some of Arthur's friends from the ministry would be in attendance, as would Harry and Ron's friends from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. A few of Ginny's school friends had agreed to come ring in the new year, as well. It was going to be a full house, and Hermione absolutely hated the idea.
Harry, on the other hand, loved the idea. He was ecstatic at the thought of having a party and being able to celebrate with all of his friends again. He kept owling Hermione insistently, trying to receive confirmation that she would attend, but she could not bring herself to respond with an affirmative.
She scowled at the letter before her and considered burning it, but shook her head in hopes of clearing the violent thought. She drummed her fingers and hoped an answer would come to her.
Andromeda entered the kitchen with Teddy on her hip. "What are you looking so glum for?"
Hermione glanced up at the smiling witch before gesturing at the letter. "Harry has written to me again. His letter said that you agreed to come for the celebrations, and he was wondering if I would also be attending." She scowled at the witch, feeling as if she was expected to go now that the older woman had committed.
Andromeda sat on a stool beside the younger woman and placed a hand on her arm. "You don't have to go, Hermione. I think it will be a good time, but I know that it will be a lot to handle. I am only going for part of the celebration. I don't want to keep Teddy out very late, so I will probably floo home long before midnight rolls around." She shrugged as she considered how she had entered a stage of her life that was limited by motherhood, or grandmotherhood as it was, yet again. "We can always have a small celebration here if you would rather not go."
Hermione's scowl disappeared and was replaced with a slight smile. "Thank you for the offer, Andromeda. I don't know what to do, however. I want to see everyone and know how they are all doing, but I don't think that I can handle the questions. I don't know how to deflect all of them without only causing more to pop up."
Andromeda hummed softly to herself, trying to find a solution that would meet the criteria. "You could always come up with a cover story and make sure that it makes it through the gossip chain early on in the night?"
Hermione shook her head. "I hate to lie, and I feel like that would only turn into a huge mess. When I finally did come out with the truth, who would trust me after I told them something different?"
Nodding, Andromeda queried, "But everyone who really matters already knows, correct?"
Hermione considered her question for a moment, trying to decide who else might be important for her to inform. "None of my friends from Hogwarts know to my knowledge. Some of them are relatively important. I mean, they pale in comparison to Ginny and Harry, but they are pretty important. I would hate to completely lose their faith in me."
"No, you're right. It's a bad idea. Let's see..." The older woman trailed off and wrapped both arms around her grandson, rocking him softly.
He responded by grasping tightly to her forearm.
As his grip tightened around her muscle, his hair changed from lilac to a brilliant violet. The sheer will power that was utilized for his grip was displayed by the drastic change in hair color.
It gave Andromeda the idea for a potentially simple fix. "Come as Lillian. We'll come up with a cover story for her. She can be a distant relative on the Tonks side of the family who just so happens to be a witch, as well. We didn't find out about the connection until after the war. No one will have to know who you are. We all know that they will accept a member of the Tonks family without question. You'll be able to see all of your friends and know that they really are okay."
Hermione considered her proposition. "What do we say if they ask where I attended school? They will all know that I didn't attend Hogwarts, but I cannot formulate a proficient enough accent to pretend like I went to one of the other schools."
Andromeda closed her eyes and pictured what Hermione looked like when she wore Lillian's face. "You could pass for twenty-six or twenty-seven if you wanted to. Just tell them you are older, closer to Nymphadora's age."
Hermione nodded her head slightly. "Lillian Matthews, then. A ravenclaw who is twenty-six years old. That would have put me graduating from Hogwarts around the time that we should have started at Hogwarts. I should be able to pull that off fairly well."
Andromeda grinned as their plan fell into place. "Good, good. I am happy to have been able to help figure something out." She paused her sentence and stopped rocking her grandson for a moment. "Still, if it becomes too much, you are welcome to come back to the manor when I leave the Burrow, and we can have our own little celebration here. That way, you still get to ring in the new year. It is a standing invitation if you want it."
The next twenty-four hours passed quickly at the Tonks residence. Hermione spent the majority of her time pouring over books in the library. The cryptic note that accompanied the gift of golden powder weighed heavily on her mind. "Only time can heal old wounds." She tapped her quill against the side of her finger, trying to decipher what it meant. It would be logical to assume that the gold powder was actually sand from a time turner, but Hermione was not comfortable with jumping to conclusions. She needed to research and perform experiments before she could be sure of anything.
She wanted to know everything there was to know about time turners. She had spent the majority of her third year at Hogwarts using a time turner, and she had researched them some at the time. Still, she knew that there was more for her to know.
The ministry purposefully hid information on time magic. It was difficult to find and oftentimes, it was also falsified information. The facts never seemed to add up when Hermione tried to compare details from different examples of text.
Her latest research endeavor led her back to one of the gifts from Barold. The book with the condescending notes inside of its covers seemed to have information on time that no other book had. It told the stories of people who had tried to go back to change circumstances. They almost always ended up being the catalyst that led to the exact event that they were trying to prevent. Nothing ever changed except for the person who went back in time. Perspectives changed. People came back bruised by jumping through time. They came back jaded and weary. Many of them were weaker and died soon after returning to their own times. Hermione grimaced as she remembered some of the sketches of those afflicted by what the author called 'time sickness.'
How could time heal old wounds if going back in time would make someone so ill? She shook her head, still not understanding the note's purpose.
Old wounds? What old wounds did Hermione have? She had a few scars, the most notable being the carved word on her forearm, but she would not consider that an old wound. It was still fresh: the memories were still raw and angry.
Maybe the note merely meant to inform her that she would feel better about it all as time passed.
Hermione sighed and leaned back in the plush armchair. She felt bad about hiding the envelope from Andromeda, but she was unsure if she should share whatever this note was with the older woman. She was worried that Andromeda would worry about the author's intentions. Hermione was paranoid enough for the both of them and did not think that she could handle listening to her own insecurities being voiced by the other woman.
She reached into the pocket of her robe and opened the folded piece of paper. Tracing her finger across the curly script, she lamented, "Who are you and why have you sent me this?" She touched the small bag of powder in her pocket. She had not left her room without the pouch of powder somewhere on her person. There was a strange comfort in carrying the golden powder. She could feel the magic pulsating through the thin plastic. It made her skin feel warm when she touched the clear barrier, but she had yet to bring herself to actually open the bag.
How could she be certain that the sender had not meant to hurt her? What if the substance was actually toxic? Hermione shook her head as she removed her hand from her pocket and stared at the scrap of parchment again.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Andromeda walked into the library. "Hermione, you should probably get ready to go to the Burrow if you are still intending to attend?"
Hermione bolted upright, guiltily shutting the note inside of her book before meeting Andromeda's gaze. "Is it that time already?" From inside the library, Hermione had no way of telling time. The last time she had moved from her spot in the library, it had been time to eat lunch with Andromeda.
Andromeda chuckled as she noted the pile of books surrounding the witch. "Yes. It is nearly seven, dear. People are due to begin arriving at the Burrow in the next fifteen minutes. I left you to do your research for as long as I could."
Hermione felt herself blush as Andromeda laughed at the state she was in. She rubbed her achy neck and stood. "Okay. I'll be ready in a flash."
The younger witch dashed upstairs and dressed in navy robes. If she was going to be a Ravenclaw for the evening, she may as well represent her house. She then performed the incantation to change her features for the evening and glamoured all of her scars. She tied her long straight hair behind her head in a braid that fell halfway down her back.
She felt the soft heat of the powder against her breast, where it sat hidden inside of her bra. She did not want it to fall out of a pocket during the bustle of the new year's celebration.
Once she felt that she looked presentable and thoroughly disguised, she descended into the foyer before joining Andromeda in the den.
Andromeda smiled at the sight of the younger witch. "You look beautiful, Lillian." Calling the young woman by that name required a conscious effort from Andromeda, but she was determined not to out the scared woman before she was ready. "Shall we?"