2nd May 1998 - 10:30am
Twenty-eight hours since she had last slept. Could that have been right, she wondered? It felt like days. In those last twenty-eight hours, she had broken into Gringotts, disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange, escaped on a dragon, fought a battle the likes of her kind had never seen, and witnessed more death and devastation than anyone - especially any eighteen-year-old – should have ever experienced. By all rights, she should have been exhausted. But she wasn't. It was a few hours since Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter left Dumbledore's office for the comfort of their four-poster beds, in the Gryffindor dorms. They begged her to follow, yet for some reason, she could not bring herself to leave. There was something Hermione Granger had felt was just... wrong. There was something that happened, in the early hours of the morning, that she felt was not meant to be. Of course all of those who had lost their lives really should not have, but there was one death, that deep down in her gut, she knew should not have been.
Hermione paced in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk - well, technically, she supposed, it was Professor Snape's. The sun was shining through the windows and, since the sounds of battle had ceased, it was eerily silent. Her brow furrowed as she spoke to herself aloud.
"It should not have been like this," she whispered. "It was unnecessary. All because..." She trailed off.
She continued trekking back and forth in the complete silence. All of the previous Headmasters and Headmistresses had left their portraits, the better to see what was going on throughout the rest of the castle. The only occupant which remained was Dumbledore, who was apparently asleep in his frame.
After Harry had repaired his wand, and spoke to Dumbledore's portrait, he explained everything to her and Ron. They knew about the Resurrection Stone, Harry being the unintentional Horcrux and Professor Snape truly being on their side. Even though Hermione was surprised by all of the information, in a way, she wasn't. She had an idea about Harry, since he was so easily able to look into Voldemort's mind, all of this time. The fact that the Hallows truly did exist, and that the stone had been in the Snitch Dumbledore had given Harry, was the biggest shock of them all.
But Snape... She had a feeling, all along, that maybe he really was working for The Order. Why else would Dumbledore have trusted him so completely? Obviously, she had never spoken her suspicions out loud. Ron would have thought she was mental, and Harry would have been sure never to have spoken to her again, let alone allowed her to come with him on his hunt for Horcruxes. And yet, it was Professor Snape's death that she felt had been so wrong.
"He killed Dumbledore, by Dumbledore's own request," she began speaking to herself again. "Therefore, the wand never really was his, just as Harry had said."
She paused and ran the back of her hand across her forehead. "He should not have been killed."
If there was just a way that she could have stopped it from happening... What could she have done to change things, or make sure he did not meet the same fate? Obviously a Time-Turner was off the table, as they had all been destroyed, so how could she have possibly prevented it?
"His life had been so tragic," she sighed. "The man truly did not know happiness - which is dreadful. Maybe that was the reason he did not even attempt to stop his death from happening? He just - he just let Voldemort kill him. After everything that he has done, and has sacrificed, he deserved to live. To live and to be happy."
Just at that moment, almost in response to her musings, a drawer opened next to where Dumbledore kept his Pensieve. Hermione's head turned towards the noise and she saw a box that levitated out of it. Curiously, she walked over and grabbed it out of midair.
"What in the world...?" she wondered, as the slender box rested in her hands.
She quickly rushed over to the desk to open it. Upon seeing the contents inside, she gasped in shock. Impossible… She blinked, assuming the lack of sleep was causing her to see things.
Laying in the center of the box, partially wrapped with black silk wrappings, was unmistakably a Time-Turner. But that was not the only item inside, there was also an envelope and a folded up piece of parchment beneath the golden chain. Her hands were shaking as she reached in and picked up the envelope. Written on the front in purple ink, the handwriting slanted and vaguely familiar, it read, "A.P.W.B.D." She looked at the initials, not having any idea what they meant and noticed the yellow discoloration of the paper; the envelope was very old. She flipped it over and saw it was sealed in purple wax - the Hogwarts coat of arms. After slowly placing it back in the box, still wondering what all of this could possibly be about, she picked up the, also yellowed with age, piece of parchment. She unfolded it carefully with a trembling hand.
Dear Miss Granger,
If you are reading this, then it is time. As you by now should have noticed,
there is a Time-Turner, which lies in front of you. It has been set
accordingly for you to begin your journey. If you would, please, give
the envelope - also is contained within - to myself once you arrive.
All will make sense to you shortly, I am sure.
Most sincerely,
Professor Albus Dumbledore
Hermione had to read the letter over once more, due to the fact that her hands trembled so badly, she could hardly make out the words after she had read, "Time-Turner."
"The box appeared after I mentioned wanting to save Professor Snape. Is that - is that what I'm meant to do?" She looked desperately at the portrait of Professor Dumbledore, hoping he would give her some answers. "Sir, please. Is that the meaning of all of this?" she pleaded.
No sound came from his portrait, save for a soft snore. Yet, Hermione could have sworn she saw the corner of his mouth turn up in a half smile. Truly she did not need Dumbledore to respond, for deep down, she knew what she had to do.
With her heart pounding ferociously, she looked towards the door and then back at the golden necklace which, for an innocent-looking object, appeared so frightening to her at that moment. Her legs suddenly felt as if they could not support her. She sat down in a chair in front of the desk and put her head in her hands.
"Do I go? And if I do, do I tell the boys where I'm going?" she wondered out loud. "No." She shook her head. "They'll only try to stop me. Or worse, attempt to come with me. This should be something I do on my own. I couldn't lead them into any more possible danger."
Hermione sat and truly began to think this through. She did not have any idea as to when this Time-Turner would take her. She did not know where she would end up, if she used it.
Was it worth it, she wondered? Should she use it? She had no doubt that Professor Dumbledore sent this to her… but why? If she was correct, and it did have something to do with Professor Snape, was he really worth possibly putting her life on the line for?
Hermione twisted the golden chain around her fingers as she tried to work out the reasons she should do this.
He should have attempted to save himself, and he just did not. Maybe if she went back, and could show him that he truly is not a horrible person. That he would, one day, be a true hero. Maybe he would fight. Fight to live. This man put his life on the line, for many, many years, all for the benefit of the Wizarding World. He was forced to kill, what she was sure, was the only man he truly considered a friend. Voldemort could have found him out at any moment and ended his life without a second thought. Surely a man who has sacrificed love, friendship, family – and a bit of himself along the way - in the line of duty, deserves a second chance. A chance to live. Not just to breathe, pump blood through his veins and exist, but truly live. And if there is even a chance that by using this Time-Turner, she could achieve that, then she decided she must use it.
And with her decision made, Hermione stood up with purpose. Before she could change her mind, she took a deep breath, then three shaky steps towards the desk, reached for the envelope, and placed the Time-Turner around her neck. Her heartbeat reached an alarmingly dangerous rate, and sweat formed on her brow. She activated the Time-Turner, and the last thing she saw, before the room around her began to spin, was the portrait of Professor Dumbledore as he winked at her.
Hermione soon found herself thrown to the ground, and judging by the rug near her face, she was still in Dumbledore's office. Or, once again, in his office. Quickly, she stood up - which was not the best idea. She began to feel woozy, and swayed on her feet. She felt nauseated, and attempted to keep down the vomit that was threatening to explode out of her. Her eyes were out of focus, so she heard his voice before she really saw him.
"Dear girl, what has happened to you and how did you come to appear in my office?" Dumbledore asked calmly as he stood up from his chair.
She froze. There was no way it could have been… Dumbledore speaking. Time-Turners only went back a few hours at most. Didn't they?
"You've been attacked." He said, not asked.
"I've been…" Hermione trailed off. Surely she was having some sort of fit.
Hermione was still covered in blood, dirt and wearing torn clothing. She could not believe she had been so foolish not to wash up and change her clothes. As she attempted to gather her wits, she looked down at herself and started to straighten out her shirt, when she noticed the envelope clenched in her hand.
"I'm - I'm not quite sure what is going on, actually," she admitted a bit weakly.
As her eyes finally focused, she saw a much younger Dumbledore in front of her. Although his hair was still long and silver, his face was much less lined and slight hints of auburn could still be seen in his beard. She watched Dumbledore's eyes take in her disheveled appearance as she walked closer to his desk. He looked concerned for her, but also a bit confused - which was certainly something she had never seen before.
"I was told to give this to you," she said and placed the envelope on his desk.
Dumbledore's eyes rested on the Time-Turner around Hermione's neck as he picked up what she had laid in front of him. He glanced down at the initials, which Hermione still did not quite understand, and his eyes twinkled.
"I see. Now this is becoming clearer," he whispered as he tore the seal and pulled out the parchment within.
Hermione kept her eyes on Dumbledore and was becoming more nervous with each moment that passed. "Sir, I'm still not quite sure where, er - I mean, when I am," she said as Dumbledore read the letter.
Looking up, he smiled at her kindly. "Well, Miss Granger, I know you are aware that you are at Hogwarts." Hermione nodded. "As for when," Dumbledore continued, "you have traveled to the 30th of August, 1976."
That was all that Hermione could bear. The thought of being sent back twenty-two years was enough to make her knees go weak. She did not anticipate traveling so far into the past. The vomit she attempted to keep down came flowing out, all over Dumbledore's floor. The room seemed as if it were closing in around her, and it began to look like she was seeing Dumbledore from the end of a long tunnel. There was a ringing in her ears as she felt herself begin to fall; everything went dark.