A Love Lost Becomes a Love Gained

A Love Lost Becomes a Love Gained

Chapter 1-The Beginning

"I must stress to you the importance of this mission. If you do not succeed, the light will be diminished and your body will be lost through the fabrics of time." Albus Dumbledore's eyes had lost their twinkle as he sat perched in his Headmaster's seat in his Headmaster's office.

Melodramatic, much? I sucked in a breath and exhaled sharply as I mulled over whether it was logical to actually go through with this and not just be speaking of hypotheticals as they had been doing earlier this fine evening.

"I understand, Headmaster. And If what you told me is correct, this potion will throw me back in time and whilst I am there changing time, whatever changes I make will change the world from present time and if I kill myself, I will simply vanish from today's date?"

"Yes." A nod.

Well at least no one will miss me. The thought came unbidden and I shoved it away to think of more pressing issues. "What exactly am I supposed to do? Become his friend?"

"I need you to gain his trust. Learn his weaknesses, his flaws. Stop the dark. Make him good. Do whatever it is you can to stop him from becoming Voldemort with his grand legion of followers. Anything." Dumbledore's hands flattened against his desk as desperation and rage flashed in his now stern eyes.

"I understand. I accept, Headmaster. When am I to leave?"

"Tonight, dinnertime. If everything goes to plan you will arrive in my office as everyone is eating and be waiting for me to enter with the letter telling me what I need to know about the situation."

I nodded, dismissed and getting ready to stand and grabbed the file that had hundreds of pieces of information on Tom Marvolo Riddle, the year of 1938 and the people there as well as earlier years and documents for my new familial history.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"I must ask you to be most… cautious. Whilst his story many be tragic and if you feel even a shred of sympathy, be careful. He is extremely manipulative and even at the tender age of eleven, may be able to deceive you, as he had for many others." Fear swam through me, just for a moment but I could still feel in simmering under the surface.

I nodded and left the room in a flurry of parchment and robes towards the Gryffindor Common Room and then up to the fifth year girls' dormitory.

Glancing around the room, I noticed that it was empty and I was free to do as I pleased.

I dropped to my knees and rummaged through my trunk until I had found my most conservative uniform and pajamas and any clothing that would be suitable for the thirties.

What potions shall I need? Aging, I need so that I can be eleven again. Dreamless sleep, my nightmares will need to be stopped and because of Dolohov, only this can help. Veritaserum, no explanation needed.

After I had gathered all I need, I quickly wrote a note to my parents saying that I was not going to be able to be contacted for a while, that I was going researching in Sweden and would be perfectly fine and to contact Dumbledore if they had any questions and put it with my belongings that I will be taking.

Knowing that because it was a Saturday and a Hogsmeade weekend so no one else would come inside any time soon, I got out all my need-to-know information and started filtering through the important and the unimportant.

Exactly 4 hours and 48 minutes later.

I heard shuffling outside my room and quickly piled all my notes and stuffed them into my beaded bag and grabbed a random book from my bedside table.

"Hey, Hermione."

"Oh, hi, Lavender, how was Hogsmeade?" I looked up with a smile.

"Great! I got a pack of Sugar Quills and had a butterbeer with Blaise Zabini! You know him, right?"

Of course I know him! He got an Outstanding on an Ancient Runes assignment once while I got an Exceeds Expectations! "I think so, he's from Slytherin, right?"

"Yes! He's the one with the mocha skin, deep dark eyes, blinding smile and amazing intelligence! What else could you ask for?" And she's simpering.

"Ok, well, it's nearly dinnertime, I have to go." Grabbing my beaded bag and stuffing my book into it, I rushed to the door as fast as I could without arousing suspicion but was stopped by a hand on my arm.

"Hermione, are you okay? You seem a little feverish?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I'll see you at dinner?" A nod. She believed me.

"Bye!"

I rushed up to the Transfiguration classroom, where Headmaster Dumbledore was already waiting for me.

"Good evening, Miss Granger. Do you have everything?"

"Yes, Sir. Am I to take the permanent aging potion now?" Ugh. Permanent. I'm going to be eleven again. Oh, woe, such is life!

A nod from him gathered take out my wand. "Accio aging potion!" I caught it deftly in my hands and downed it in one go.

I shivered as my bones started aching, my skin feeling too big. For a moment I looked old and decrepit, until my skin started to tighten around my now smaller bones and I was now back to my eleven year old physical body. Did I mention my buck teeth were back?

"Now, tell me your name."

"My name is Hermione Gray, I have been home schooled until now and I hope to be accepted into Hogwarts because my parents have just died from a tragedy that I would rather not talk about. I am from an old pureblooded family from Italy but moved to London three generations ago, I have no siblings, I am sad to move away from my friends but happy to have a new start." At least I remembered it.

"Good," a nod, "you are ready. But, as I said, be careful. He is as manipulative and persuasive as he is now, maybe even more so. I warn you to have the utmost amount of caution." His eyes pierced into me, his aged hands stroking his beard. Why so serious, Dumbledore?

"I will." Not.

His eyes got back his normal twinkling and overall jovial demeanor and his hands connected in a clap."Well then, let's get this show started. When this potion takes effect, you will be transported back to the year 1938 and may have a few... minor injuries." Minor? Oh, well. It is definitely worth it.

Clutched tightly in his hand was the potion, I accepted it as he extended his hand to me, trembles soaring over my body and goose bumps forming. I took a deep breath, gulped it down in two swallows and exhaled. And waited. A sudden tightness was all that warned me before my head exploded into sharp pieces of excruciating pain and journeyed down my body until all I could feel was my nerves going haywire and my body feeling as if it was falling from thin air. Then, everything went black.