Across the Pathways of Time

Hermione leaned up against the wall outside Dumbledore’s office. She recalled the nasty look upon Snape’s face when she was summoned out of his class. She hoped she be able to make up that potion she missed.

I hope I’m not in trouble, she thought. Course not. Then another thought hit her. What if someone had died?

Lucky for her, Professor McGonagall called her name and told her she could see Dumbledore now.

Hermione stood up and grabbed her bag. She cracked her knuckles as she entered Dumbledore’s elegant and circular office. The door clicked behind her.

“Well, Miss Granger, I must congratulate you on becoming Head Girl this year, but,” Dumbledore sighed and continued, “I do not think you will get to enjoy it.”

Seeing her confusion, he spoke again. “I have to ask a favor of you.”

“What sort of favor?” Hermione asked suspiciously.

“I must ask that you sort out a little mess that I have not seen to. You will have to leave us.”

“What?” Hermione shot out of her seat. “What about my education?” Yes, people thought Dumbledore was nutters, but he wasn’t completely without sanity. He wouldn’t send her away...Would he?

“You, naturally, will still attend Hogwarts.”

“How can I attend Hogwarts if you send me away?” Hermione asked, not completely enjoying this situation.

He opened a pocket in his robes and pulled out an hourglass. A time turner.

Hermione gasped. “A timer turner, professor? But why? You know that’s against one of the codes from the Ministry! You could be fired! Sir, I must advise against this! I must...” She was standing up by now and had just realized that she was shouting at the headmaster.

She quickly sat back down. “I’m sorry..I don’t know what came over me, Professor.” She felt her forehead, breathing deeply. “Oh dear,” she said, trying to calm herself.

“I’m sorry, but I must send you. You must do something for me. I know that I can trust you to get there, do what you must, and then come back,” Dumbledore said.

Hermione gulped. “Sir, I don’t think I’m the one to do this....What ever it is.” She stood up. “I don’t think I am the one for this. You should ask Harry Potter. He is good at this sort of thing.”

“Please, sit down, Miss Granger,” Professor Dumbledore said quietly.

Hermione sat back down.

“You must give a letter to my younger self. I would also like you to stay there for a few months and watch the Mirror of Erised’s sister mirror, the Mirror of Noitatpmet.–“ Hermione’s eyebrow went up. “-- Far too many have been pulled to an unknown portal that I would have loved to have explored, but I must take care of this school. I trust you the most for this journey,” Dumbledore explained, his eyes twinkling.

Hermione sighed. “All right. What year am I do deal with?”

“1979,” Dumbledore replied. “You may find it to be a very exciting year. I only ask that you stay for 4 months, then you must return home. Any questions?”

“Yes, actually. What must I look for in this Mirror of Noitatpmet? Where is it, exactly?”

“That I do not know,” he replied.

“But, you should. You put it somewhere,” the girl argued.

“I cannot remember everything." Changing the subject, he added," You will be treated as a normal student with detentions, though my younger self will know who you really are. When you arrive in Hogwarts you are to give me this letter. It will explain everything to me, or, well, him. You will be in your 7th year. You will be required to do the homework, seeing as it is your only source of education while you are there. The other Dumbledore should allow you to move around to find the mirror at night and to watch it.” Dumbledore sighed. “Any questions?”

“When do I leave?” she asked.

“You leave the day after tomorrow. You have that time to prepare for the trip. I will be sure to give you the things that you will most need. You aren’t to tell anyone what you are doing. Though, you may tell Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, seeing as I know they will not let you leave for 4 months without a plausible explanation.”

Hermione nodded.

“You may go,” Dumbledore said.

Hermione walked out of his office, heading for the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione walked quickly, though hardly paying attention to her surroundings. She couldn’t believe that Dumbledore had chosen her. It was all so exciting. She thought about the year she was going to go to. 1979. Realization caused her to stop dead in her tracks. By doing the math in her head, she figured out that Harry’s father and his friends were going to be there.

She felt a sick feeling in her stomach. How could she go see her best friend’s father and he wasn’t allowed to go? She decided she would take a camera and grab a few pictures of Lily and James as souvenirs for Harry.

She then thought of something very funny: she imagined herself walking up to Lily and James and saying that she was dating their son. The look on there faces would be worth 100,000 galleons, but Hermione knew better than to do that. She could get in trouble!

Speaking the password, she walked into the common room and found Harry and Ron sitting in a corner playing wizard’s chess.

“Hey, guys,” she said, sitting beside them.

“Hi,” Ron said, sounding distant. He always spoke that way when playing chess. So not there.

“What did Dumbledore want?” Harry asked, watching the chessboard.

“Nothing much. He wants me to go on a mission in time,” Hermione said lightly like she was commenting on the weather.

This snapped Ron out of his concentration.

“What?” Harry and Ron said in unison, truly shocked by her words.

“Well, he says he needs my help in the past and is sending me down the the day after tomorrow,” Hermione said, taking particular notice in a loose thread on her robes.

“When?” both boys said loudly.

“Day after tomorrow,” she repeated.

“No, when in time?” Ron asked.

“1979,” she answered, ripping the loose thread off her robes.

She heard a thud. Harry had fallen out of his seat. Ron helped him up.

When he was back in his chair he said, “You’re gonna see my parents?”

"Well, yeah. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? I mean it's not everyday that someone gets asked to go back in time," Hermione trailed off.

Harry and Ron nodded. Then Ron stood, "Well, I'm heading off to bed."

"'Night, Ron," Harry said, watching him go.

"Harry," Hermione began, "I'm so sorry. I wish you could come. I really do."

"It's all right, Hermione. At least someone is going." Harry took her small hands in his larger ones. "Promise me you'll be careful?"

"Oh, Harry.."

"Promise me!" he said, shaking her for punctuation.

"Yes, Harry, I promise I'll be careful and I won't do anything stupid," she said, looking up into his emerald green eyes.

"What stupid things could you possibly do?" he asked, smiling.

"Oh, I don't know, Maybe fall in love with your father then never return home because I'm too busy have your little brothers and sisters....or I could marry Sirius and adopt you in the future! How cute you would be! And...."

"Stop, Hermione. Those thoughts scare me. I really wish you wouldn't do that to me," he said, pulling her close.

"What's so scary?"

"What scares me is that you may never return home and I'll never get to see you beautiful face again or hear about Hogwarts: A History," he said lovingly. He slowly pressed his lips to hers and enveloped her in to the contours of his body.