New Dawn: The Beginning

New Dawn: The Beginning

The radiant, fiery-orange orb sunk behind the tree line, causing long glowing fingers to stretch to the majestic castle and placid lake just beyond the edge. The atmosphere mirrored the relaxed state of the lake, with none of its teenage inhabitants out laughing and soaring through the air. Hogwarts, the distinguished school for England's magical community, was picture perfect and fit into a category tailored especially for it. It didn't seem to be truly built for people, but, rather, for them to admire from a distance as they gazed on its soaring towers and severely-pointed glass windows.

The setting sun's rays absorbed into deep, sparkling cinnamon eyes as they gazed up at the sight. Hermione Granger stared up at Hogwarts, just as she did her very first day of her very first year there. She reflected sadly that this would be her last 'very first day' of the year here because it was her seventh, and final, year. The faintest sound of footsteps caused her to whirl around, surprised, yet slightly angered, at who had interrupted her serene state. Just before the beginning of her sixth year, both of her parents had been brutally murdered by some nasty thugs who had broken into their nice house. Hermione had left early, as usual, to be with the Weasleys. Quickly, the anger seeped out of her as her cinnamon-colored eyes connected with the ever-twinkling blue eyes of one Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore silently stayed beside her on the gentle sloping grasses leading down to the lake. By now, the giant squid had risen from the dark depths of the lake to lazily turn circles across it. In comfortable silence, they watched the giant squid, Hermione's thoughts on what her life was to become; Dumbledore's on her. Shadows now loomed after the lake and grounds, yet the view was still peaceful, with the waking moon and stars and the few stubborn rays of sunlight still peaking out.

"Miss Granger..." Dumbledore started, intending to comfort her about her parents.

"I'm going in," Hermione Granger said in a quiet, yet hard, voice. He looked over at the young woman in mild surprise. She had never, in all her Hogwarts career, used such a tone. Hermione unfolded herself from the ground and stood to her full height before walking back to the castle. He watched until she entered the castle before sighing deeply, also getting up and going in.

"Hey Mione, what do you have?" Ron Weasley asked lightly as he peered over her shoulder at her schedule. Hermione cut her eyes at him before handing it over her shoulder to him. Ron sat back down on the wooden bench and groaned.

"You're using a Time-Turner again?" he asked, whining slightly. Hermione cut her eyes at him, which had remained cold since her parents death.

"So?" she said sharply. Ron looked at her before holding his hands up and turning away to talk to Harry Potter, who had wisely remained silent. Hermione watched her two friends bitterly as they immediately launched into an exciting Quidditch discussion. She stood up sharply and grabbed her books before heading out of the Great Hall.

"She looks a lot like someone I used to know," Remus Lupin said lightly from Severus Snape's right side.

"Good for you," growled Snape in reply. Remus smiled ever so slightly before leaning closer to the Potions Master. "Take a good, long look at her next chance you get," he said before getting up, and, after bidding good morning to the fellow staff, went to prepare for his class.

O|§|*|§|O

Severus Snape looked up from his book as the seventh year Gryffindors and Slytherins noisily entered the room. He gently shut the book, but not before glancing at the neat cursive printed just on the inside cover.

"Sit down, sit down," he said in his quiet, demanding voice. "Today you'll be making Polyjuice potion. Fortunately for the staff, you do not know the last few ingredients. You will make the potion until the specified point on the board, then, I will add the last ingredients and you all get to be someone else for an hour, that is, if it works." Snape looked at Neville Longbottom, who, even in his seventh year, hadn't gotten over his fear of Hogwarts most hated teacher. The class pulled out the materials listed on the board and began following the directions he had written quite clearly. Snape took the opportunity to look at the Granger girl as Lupin had suggested. She had cut her hair, which was no longer bushy, but normal and at her shoulders. She read the directions lazily and began, watching what she was doing through heavily-lidded eyes. Her eyes, Snape noticed, were dull and no longer sparked with the hunger or excitement for knowledge, but, instead contained deeply restrained fury and hostility. Granger's eyes flicked up to Snape's and she held his calm, black stare easily in her hostile cinnamon eyes. She didn't waiver at all, which slightly startled Snape, but he held her gaze nevertheless. Suddenly, it hit him, hard, as he stared back at her. She was in every way a copy of Margaret Cantrell, his dead fiancée.