It was certainly a strange feeling walking alongside a younger Dumbledore towards the great hall. He did behave much like the old Dumbledore did, but he looked a great deal younger. The brown hair, she concluded, was what threw her off. She was so used to his long silver hair and beard. This Dumbledore had shoulder length brown hair with a few silver streaks in it, and a beard that only covered his lower face. It was not long enough to put in a tassle. If Dumbledore sensed her eyes on him, he did not say anything about it. He simply led the way towards the great hall. Not that Hermione didn't know the way, but she figured it would indeed be suspicious if she somehow just knew how to get everywhere in a castle she had never, supposedly, been in. So she followed Dumbledore's steps. He led her through the castle, and pointed a little everywhere and explained where certain classrooms were. Hermione nodded and smiled everytime Dumbledore showed her places she already knew of.
At last they stood before the great hall's doors. Dumbledore turned towards her and simply said "Fair warning, the whole school will look at you when we enter".
And then he opened the doors before Hermione had even a second to prepare herself for what was coming.
The sight that hit her was so ravishingly familiar that Hermione felt the need to cry once again. There were no dead bodies scattered around, only thousands of candles floating in midair over the four long tables. The professors was as always sitting at the top of the hall at another long table. The loud noise that filled the great hall abruptly came to an end as every face in the hall turned to look at them. Instead of the noise, murmurs and whispers were heard. She indeed had all the attention to her right now. Hermione blushed. She had never been the center of attention, it had always been Harry. She had just been in the background, providing knowledge from all of her books. Professor Dumbledore started walking towards the top of the hall and Hermione quickly followed, her head bowing down. She swallowed hard. How on earth was she going to pull all this off?
Headmaster Dippet rose to address the students as Hermione and Dumbledore ascended the few stairs up on the podium.
"Dear students, we have a last minute transfer from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France. Please welcome miss Bernard." Headmaster Dippet announced with a big smile.
Applause filled the great hall and Hermione felt everyone's eyes on her. Once again whispers raised alongside the students.
"We will now sort you into your new house, miss Bernard, so if you please..." Dippet gestured towards the small stool, the very same one as she had once mounted as an eleven year old small girl.
Hermione swallowed and seated herself on the stool. How very odd it was to do this as a 16 year old. She tried to calm her nerves, she figured she would feel much worse was the calming draught not in her system. She glanced over the hall, from left, her old house was seated in their bright red and gold colors. Beside them were Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, and lastly Slytherin. As her eyes roamed the Slytherin table she met his gray piercing eyes. He looked at her so intently once again so she startled and averted her eyes quickly.
"Well then miss Bernard, off we go" she hard Dippet's voice as the sorting hat once again was placed on her head and quickly covered her eyes.
Ah, Miss Granger. How good to once again feel your extraordinary mind. I was wondering whether or not my little mission succeeded. I'm glad to see you're alive and well. Welcome to 1943, I hope you will enjoy your stay, considering you won't be able to go back. Maybe you'll even be able to change a thing or two...
Hermione's mind was racing. So the year was 1943. She really had traveled back in time. Tom Riddle really was 16 years old. But could the hat even make her go back in time? She had never come across anything like it in her many books. Was it possible? Was it really? Given she was indeed in the year 1943, then it was 2 more years before Grindelwald was defeated by Dumbledore. And how did the hat even remember her if she really had gone back in time, could it see the future? And how had she even found the sorting hat during the battle? She cursed silently. She just couldn't remember. It was giving her a bad headache.
Do not fret Miss Granger, the amnesia is my fault. It wouldn't do for you to remember the specifics. Just know that it is for your own good. Now, for your sorting. You were an extremely hard one at eleven years old. Mm, yes. And there is no doubt Gryffindor courage in you, as you were forced to have in your time. However, I feel there is a need for a little change this time around. Better be...
RAVENCLAW!
A big roar came from the blue and silver table as the students welcomed their new student. The hat was lifted from her head and she was urged to the Ravenclaw table. A few people stood up, to shake her hand and welcome her. Hermione took their hands and shook them as she seated herself next to two friendly looking girls. They smiled brightly towards her. Hermione glanced down at her uniform and saw that her tie immediately had changed colors into blue and silver. She really was a Ravenclaw now.
"Hello! My name is Millicent Bagnold and this is Alice Fronsac. We are 6th years too, so I guess we are your roommates!"
The girl that spoke, Millicent, had brown hair, a somewhat pointy face and brown eyes. She smiled brightly at Hermione. Her name rang a bell in Hermione's mind. She had heard it somewhere, though she could not place her right now..
"Hello, I'm Hermione G... uh, Bernard" she said and blushed.
Damn her. How would she ever remember that her surname was no longer Granger? She would have to think twice before answering any questions for now on. If the girls thought her misstep was weird, they did not give any indication of it. The girl named Alice, a small girl with braided ginger hair and icy blue eyes, began pointing out people in their year. Some names were not new to Hermione, and it felt like a stab in the heart to hear them. There was a Macmillian. A Lovegood. A Longbottom. And so many more. She saw her friends in their faces. It wasn't a clear resemblance in everyone, but her mind painted a vivid picture. Hermione took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, forcing herself to continue to listen to Alice's explanation of people. As she finished with Ravenclaw house the food had appeared, and Hermione was grateful. She had not eaten in a long time, how long she couldn't remember. Her stomach growled loudly and Millicent laughed at the sound.
"Hungry are we? Well you're in for a treat, Hogwarts have the best food!". Hermione just smiled, since there was no way she could tell her that she already knew that,and started putting some roast chicken and mashed potatoes on her plate.
As they ate, more and more people came to say hello to Hermione. She could not possibly remember everyone's name but she nicely shook everyone's hand and introduced herself.
Millicent and Alice were keen to include Hermione in any conversation, asking her about almost everything. She made a mental note to try and remember the stuff she told about herself, although most of it was true she needed to alter some information to fit her story.
When dessert came she helped herself to some treacle tart and started munching on it. Oh how she loved the Hogwarts cuisine, even though it was made by house elves. She vividly remembered creating SPEW and trying to recruit both peers and house elves, it had been a disaster. She figured they wouldn't want to be free in this era either.
As she was eating she felt a pair of eyes on her, she looked up. A pair of gray eyes were once again staring at her. He looked deep in thought. After a few seconds he caught her looking back at him and he smiled, even had the decency to blush a little. But he still didn't avert his stare.
"Ohhh" said Alice smugly, her blue eyes glinting at Hermione, as she followed her eyes, " You've caught the attention of Riddle have you? You lucky bastard. He's the most handsome guy in our year, if not the whole school. Every girl wants to date him, even the 7th years. Although, he hasn't really dated anyone since fourth year. But I hear he's a devil in bed!"
Millicent nodded matter-of-factly, as to approve these rumors. Hermione frowned and looked away from Riddle's intent stare, suddenly a bit embarrassed..
"I have not caught the attention of anyone, and certainly not Riddle!'' she said, a bit put off.
I mean, it was Tom Riddle, VOLDEMORT, for crying out loud. Who would want him to stare at them.
"Oh you know of him already do you? If you say so, I for one can see that he has not taken his eyes off you during this whole feast. But maybe you're blind." Alice laughed and patted Hermione on the shoulder.
Millicent smiled apologetic and turned to Hermione.
"Alice may be a Ravenclaw, but she is still very boy-crazy. Maybe she didn't get the memo that we are supposed to be the brainy-and-just-into-books-ones" she theater whispered.
"HEY! I heard that" Alice burst out looking very much like a child who's just been scolded.
Hermione laughed. It was her first laugh in ages. It felt good, normal even, to sit there in the great hall with new people, new friends and just laugh. She thought that maybe she could like it here. Alice even reminded her a bit about Lavender, only the good parts of her personality that is.
As Alice and Millicent started bickering about why it was not wrong to be into boys and still get good grades Hermione's mind started to wander a bit again. She remembered the last time she had sat here, at Gryffindor table of course, but with Harry and Ron. She could still feel Riddle's eyes on her. Why would he stare so openly? The whole castle could see his interest in her. Had he no tact? Intrigued, she met his gaze once again. This time he didn't blush, but gave her a small smile once again. He looked so friendly. How was this the same man that became Voldemort?
She held his stare and then she felt something prodding her head, quickly she shut her eyes and cursed under her breath. Of course. He was a legilimens, how could she forget? She wondered if he'd seen anything. Praying to any God that he hadn't. As she opened her eyes and directed them towards Alice and Millicent again she still felt his intense glare, now more than before. It felt like fire on her skin, prodding her to look at him. She did not meet his eyes again. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
As the feast ended Dumbledore once again came to her side and smiled one of his warm smiles.
"Have you enjoyed yourself Miss Bernard?" he asked her politely.
"Oh, yes sir. It was delicious food. I'm quite full!" she answered and met his gaze.
"How wonderful dear. Come along then Miss Bernard, I will lead you to the hospital wing so you can get a quiet and long sleep before all your classes start tomorrow. I'm sure you'd want to be rested."
Hermione nodded and followed her old headmaster through the big doors and up a flight of stairs and then into the hospital wing. Once again she was struck with the familiarity of things. Madam Spudmore came quickly towards them smiling brightly.
"Ah Miss Bernard, how very good. Thank you professor Dumbledore for bringing her."
She gave Dumbledore a quick hand on the shoulder and then began leading Hermione towards one of the beds as Dumbledore left the hospital ward.
"How are you feeling, Miss Bernard? Any better? I sure hope so, looked like you came from a war scene if you'd ask me. Now, you'll get a dreamless potion from me for tonight and I'll continue to monitor you. You had one nasty curse on you when you came. I removed it of course but it'll only do good if I can observe you during the night as well. And please dear, do ask if you need anything."
Hermione nodded carefully. Madam Spudmore sure had an intensity about her, even though she looked well over 60, and a very piercing look. It felt like she saw right through you. She handed Hermione a potion. Hermione sniffed the content before she swallowed it. It smelled a bit peachy. As she put down the flask and laid her head down on the pillow, she was already asleep.