Chapter Text
Hermione Granger paced back and forth at the top of the Astronomy Tower from which Albus Dumbledore had fallen only hours before. She had never particularly liked or trusted Dumbledore, but Harry had. And Harry was her best friend, what hurt him, hurt her. She heaved a sigh and dug one of the time turners she'd taken from the ministry last year out of her pocket. She hadn't used it. But liked to carry it, as a reminder of her past. She put it on now, just for comfort, not with any intention of using it. She fingered it as she continued her pacing.
Before she knew it, she was falling through the air, landing with a thud, on the cold stone floor. She looked around, startled, to find herself on the floor of the Astronomy Tower, but it was much colder. Much much colder. She shivered in her thin robes. It had been a balmy late spring night, even for Scotland, just a moment ago. But, despite the cold, it was all just the same. Then her gaze was drawn to the time turner still in her hand and she cursed her stupidity. In playing with the time turner, she had used it to go back in time. Now she just had to figure out when she was. Pulling her robes tight to herself she darted down the stairs of the tower and made her way to where she knew the Headmaster or Headmistress' office would be. Finding out just who that was would go a long way to figuring out when in time she had ended up.
She reached the gargoyle statue at the same time as someone else and crashed right into them. She fell backwards and looked up to see a somewhat younger Dumbledore staring down at her. Well that narrowed things down considerably.
"Professor Dumbledore! I need your help!" She exclaimed. He frowned at her.
"I don't believe I know you, child, yet you are wearing Hogwarts robes, Gryffindor ones in fact, and I make a habit to know all my students, especially Gryffindors, since it was my old house."
"Yes well, that's because I'm from the future. I, uh, was playing with a time turner and ended up here, but I have no idea when here is.” She admitted, holding up the time turner in question.
“Oh. How many turns do you think you used?” Dumbledore asked, curiously.
“I don’t know, sir.” Hermione replied honestly.
“Well, my dear, the year is 1978. January 18, 1978, to be exact. When did you come from?”
Hermione wasn’t sure how much to tell him, but she decided that telling him the year she came from wouldn’t hurt.
“It was June 1997.” She told him. He frowned.
“Nearly 20 years? That is a very long time.” Dumbledore said, a twinge of disbelief in his voice.
“Yes, it appears so.” Hermione said, guardedly.
“Well, we will have to see what we can do about this. For now, you can stay here and attend classes in your current year level. We can say you are a transfer student. Placement tests are in order, since you said you came from June, and now it is January.” Dumbledore began to muse.
“Well, sir, I’ve just finished my sixth year with top marks and I achieved all my OWLs last year. I have taken nearly every course Hogwarts has to offer, which is why I have a time turner in the first place. Also, I wasn’t sure if I would be returning for my seventh year, due to extenuating circumstances, so I began to read up on seventh year courses, which means I might not be as far behind as you think.” Hermione explained, all in one breath.
“Extenuating circumstances?” Dumbledore asked. Hermione just shook her head.
“It’s best if I don’t say too much, sir, we wouldn’t want to disrupt time.”
“Of course not.” Dumbledore said with a smile. “Come up to my office and we can finalize the arrangements.” He then turned to the gargoyle and said, “Fizzing Whizbees.” The gargoyle jumped aside and Hermione followed Dumbledore into his office. Once inside he offered her a cup of tea which she politely declined.
“So,” Dumbledore began as he sat behind his ornate desk, “You still have not told me your name.” Hermione deliberated for a moment then decided using her own name would be simplest and if need be she could make everyone forget, or at least Dumbledore, once she figured out how to get home.
“My name’s Hermione Granger.” She told him.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Miss Granger. You are a Gryffindor, correct?” He asked. She nodded. “Good, that makes things easier. Our current Head Boy is a Gryffindor and he can help show you around.” That startled Hermione. She knew who Head Boy was in 1978. She had hoped to avoid anyone related to those she knew and James Potter was at the top of that list. If descriptions were correct, he looked exactly like Harry, except for his eyes. Hermione didn’t think she could deal with someone who looked like her best friend but wasn’t. Not when she was trapped in the past.
“That’s not necessary. I know my way around Hogwarts.” Hermione protested.
“Of course you do, but we must keep up the appearances that you are a transfer student and a transfer student wouldn’t know her way around.”
“Oh yes, of course, sir.” Hermione internally cursed the fate that had brought her back to this exact time.
“Good, good. Now. I will speak to all the teachers very soon and we will set up the placement tests. Now, we shall go see Professor McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor House about getting you a dorm.” Dumbledore continued, oblivious to Hermione’s discomfort.
“Okay, Professor.” Hermione said as she followed him out of the office. She had also known that McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor in this time. She had always liked McGonagall and McGonagall had always liked her. She was glad of one familiar trustworthy face in the past. They made their way down the hall and towards the Transfiguration Corridor. Professor McGonagall was teaching when they arrived but Dumbledore pulled her aside and explained the situation. Her face momentarily betrayed her shock but then it was schooled back into her usual cool mask. She looked at Hermione and approached her.
“Good afternoon, Miss Granger. Professor Dumbledore has agreed to take over my class while I show you to your rooms.” McGonagall kindly told the girl. Hermione smiled at her and nodded, following the older witch down the corridor towards the Gryffindor Tower. They went past the portrait of the Fat Lady, which surprised Hermione, as she assumed she’d room with the other Gryffindor seventh year girls. They stopped in front of a portrait of a young woman in a red dress.
“This is Diana. She can be trusted to keep a secret. The rooms beyond this portrait are yours. Not much, a sitting room, a bedroom and a bathroom. But we thought it best to give you private rooms, as our seventh year girls dorms are full. You may pick a password.” McGonagall explained.
“Crookshanks.” Hermione said immediately, in honour of her crazy cat, whom she already missed. McGonagall raised an eyebrow but nodded to the lady in the portrait, who smiled in acknowledgement.
“Good. The House-elves had prepared everything. Dinner is at 6, I trust you can find the Great Hall?” The Professor asked. Hermione nodded. “Well, go on, get settled. I will see you at dinner, Miss Granger.” McGonagall added, with a kind smile. Hermione returned the smile and entered her new room. She looked around with a gasp. She started when a House-elf popped into existence next to her. Normally House-elves avoided her, because of S.P.E.W.
“Missy Granger! Professor Dumbledore be informing Hatty that you needed new clothes. Hatty brought some. Hatty be putting some in the bedroom. Hatty be giving Missy a warm cloak now.” She said as she handed Hermione a warm furlined cloak, which Hermione gratefully took with a heartfelt “thank you”. The House-elf muttered and popped out of existence. Hermione sighed and put on the cloak. She sat down in a chair by the small fire that was roaring in the corner of the sitting room. She glanced at her watch but realized it would not display the right time now that she’s come to the past. Against her better judgement she called for Hatty.
“Uh, Hatty, could you tell me the time?” She asked the House-elf when she popped into the room.
“Yes, Missy, it be 3pm, Missy.” Hatty replied.
“Thank you, Hatty, you can go.” Hermione said as she changed her watch to the actual time and Hatty popped away again. She felt horrible for calling on the House-elf for such a silly thing but she did not want to be late for dinner. Now she had a moment to rest before she faced the brunt of 1978 Hogwarts.