Chapter 1
Hermione sat in front of Dumbledore’s sleeping portrait in the Headmaster’s quarters, a pile of parchment and dicta quill already poised at the ready. Hermione sighed and pointed her wand at the portrait. “Wake up.”
Dumbledore’s eyes opened and the twinkling eyes began. “Miss Granger, what a surprise.”
“Save it for someone who cares, you wanker. I want the truth.”
“That isn’t very nice Miss Granger.” Dumbledore admonished. Hermione grumbled before shooting off a spell. “What did you do?”
“I want answers and I’ll get them one way or another.” Hermione put up the dicta quill and took out her list of questions.
“Did you put the Potters and Longbottoms up for slaughter?” Dumbledore pressed his lips together, his nostrils flared. “You leave me no choice.” Hermione flicked her wand, the portrait glowing blue briefly. “I’ll ask again. Did you put the Potters and Longbottoms up for slaughter?”
“Yes, they had to be dealt with so the prophecy could come true. The Longbottoms could have been spared but Alice couldn’t be available to raise Harry.”
“Did you make sure that Bellatrix went after the Longbottoms?”
“I made sure the most ruthless ones were sent to the Longbottoms.” Dumbledore said. “Stop this. What are you going to do with this?”
“I’m going back in time to fix your mistakes.” Hermione said.
“Why? Everything is now finally resolved.”
“Resolved?” Hermione shouted, tears forming in her eyes. She started pacing in front of the portrait. “Nothing is fucking resolved. Harry is death. The Weasleys are a shell of what they once were. Molly and Ron are hanging on by a thread and George won’t last the week, not to mention Fred, Arthur and Ginny who are already death. Minerva is in a coma at the moment, but the healers already said that the chances she survives are slim.”
“But you can’t go back Miss Granger. You know the rules of time.”
She abruptly turns towards the portrait and starts poking it, stabbing it almost with her wand. “I don’t care what you say. I’m going back and I’ve already asked the goblins for help. Now next question: Did you know Harry was abused?”
“Yes.” Dumbledore ground out.
“Resistance is futile, just tell me what I want to know, and this will be over very quickly. Why did you never intervene?”
“Because I didn’t care. Because my childhood had been broken after my father had been send to Azkaban and if I couldn’t have a good childhood, why could he?” Dumbledore snarled.
“But why make him think you cared in the end?” Hermione wanted to know, she needed to know. If she was going back to save Harry from this life, she had to know her enemy.
“Because he wouldn’t have gone to the forest and sacrificed himself if he knew he had family to life for. If I made him care about me and made sure that the ones he cared for didn’t survive the war, what would he have lived for?”
“For me” Hermione snarled as she threw one of the silly trinkets on the desk against the wall. It shattered and created a soft blue smoke. “He was my brother, and you just send him to die for your own gain.”
“Of course, Miss Granger. Harry.”
“Don’t call him that. You don’t have the right.” Hermione shouted at the portrait. Tears streaming down her face.
“Mister Potter didn’t do anything that I didn’t approve off. The plans we made for Mister Potter were”.
“Inhuman, stupid, suicidal? Take your pick.” Hermione said, angrily searching the pile of parchment. “Were there other plans?”
“For Harry?” The question came out almost too quickly.
“Or for me.” Hermione looked at Dumbledore, his gaze narrowed, and she knew that she asked the right question.
“Harry was destined to be the saviour of our world and Ginevra would lead him towards a future full off decision that would only prosper the pureblooded faction of our world.” Hermione had to take a deep breath, or she would rip the portrait in shreds. “Harry would have been given monthly potions to make sure that he would continue to obey.”
“Of course, because if you couldn’t have your happy ever after why should he? I mean you were forced to put your lover in a prison of his own making so why should Harry have a choice of partner? Even though he was gay.” Hermione shouted out. She wanted to rage and break everything in his stupid office, but she needed to have a clear mind. “What about me?” She asked, starting to pace in front of the portrait.
“Ron Weasley claimed you after the yule ball. He wanted you as a gift for his management of Harry all those years. Molly tried to put him of that idea and point him towards a pureblooded girl, but he wanted to punish you, belittle you like you did him.” Hermione looked at the portrait.
“I still don’t know how people still believed you to be the leader of the light.” Hermione walked towards the desk, her hands resting on the polished wood.
“The ones who opposed were dead.”
Hermione slowly turned around. “Who?”
“Edgar Bones and his wife, the Prewett twins, Marlene McKinnon,” Albus droned on, the list expanding to great lengths.
“Stop, just stop” Hermione sighed. “Is there a cure for the Longbottom’s?”
“Yes.” The answer was short and to the point.
“Please elaborate.”
“I’ve researched a lot and discovered that the first three weeks after the crucio would be crucial for possible reversal of the damage, but I paid off the healers back then to neglect them. After that, they got the best care that the Longbottom name could provide. But the Goblins could have saved them in those three weeks if they had been asked. But Augusta was too proud to ask, and she didn’t believe those beasts could do a better job than the healers at St Mungo’s. Everything went according to my plan.”
Hermione processed everything he said. She couldn’t believe she trusted and even worshipped the ground this man walked on. She wasn’t sure she could save James and Lily, but she had to try. And even if she couldn’t she needed to make sure that Harry and Neville didn’t suffer. She needed to save who she could and make the world a better place. “What about Snape?”
The portrait of the sour potions master was looking at her. “What about Severus?” Albus asked.
“It’s clear that he doesn’t want to teach. What dirt do you have on him?”
“I kept him out of Azkaban.”
“Is that it?” Hermione asked.
“Yes. He made an unbreakable vow to me that unless he did everything, I asked of him, I would sell him out to the DMLE.”
“Severus how could you be so stupid?” Hermione turned towards the portrait of the dour potions master.
“I had no other choice, Miss Granger.”
Hermione sighed. This was going to be a long day.
---***----
Hermione finally left the Headmaster’s office. The portrait was mostly intact but she knew that when she travelled to the past she would make sure that Albus Dumbledore never got a portrait on the hallowed halls of Hogwarts.
She made her way to the back of the Healing halls and sat next to the bed of her mentor. “Minerva, I hope I’ll make you proud. I have devised a plan to send me back to the past and make sure this never happens again.” She softly grabbed her mentor’s hand. “The only regret I have is that we won’t have the same relationship when I go back because you won’t remember me. I’ll also kick the shit out of Dumbledore, so I think you won’t really like me very much.” Hermione chuckled softly. She gave Minerva’s hand one last squeeze before leaving the healing halls behind and flooing to Gringotts.
*-**-**-*-*
The Goblin King was waiting for her with the account manager of the Potter and Black accounts. Hermione bowed lightly. “Well met, King Ragnok, I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”
“Well met, Miss Granger. I’m glad to catch you before you travel back.” Hermione looked surprised. “I needed to have a word before you go.”
Hermione nodded and followed him down the corridor into his own office. The office wasn’t opulent per se, but it felt cozier, jewels lighting up the dark office. “Please sit.”
Hermione felt on edge. She felt caught in a trap. “You wanted to speak to me?”
Ragnok nodded, he shuffled a few papers around. “I know we have tried to calculate you arriving before Halloween of 1981. But it won’t be possible. The timeline is fluid but there are set points in the timeline we can’t mess with. The deaths of Lily and James is one of them. Voldemort resurrecting himself could have been one of those points, but Voldemort is an abomination of nature.”
Hermione felt a prop forming her throat. She couldn’t give Harry the parents he needed and deserved. It felt like another loss. “Can we save the Longbottoms?”
Ragnok nodded. “Get them to me as soon as possible. We are able to do a lot, but it depends on how quickly we can heal them, how great the chances are of a full recovery. Miss Granger.” Hermione looked up. “I know you tried to save Lord and Lady Potter but the other things you can do and save in the past is still worth it.”
Hermione nodded once again. “I know but not being able to save them feels like I’m letting Harry down one more time.”
“It will be fine Miss Granger. Two things before I let you go back and save us.”
Hermione looked up at him. “Yes Director Ragnok?”
“First, I know you have done a heritage test, and you were too far removed to claim the Dagworth-Granger estate before the Ministry claimed it for themselves. But I have a report here and a letter for Hector Dagworth-Granger for past me to give to him. Before he died, he was a friend of the Goblin nation and needed a heir. Past me knows him very well and I know he will be thrilled to have such a talented witch as his direct heir.”
Hermione’s cheeks turned pink from the compliment. But before she could say anything Ragnok continued. “Second I have taken the liberty to empty the Potter and what was left of the Dagworth Ganger vaults.” He gestured towards the little pouch on his desk. “It’s charmed bottomless and featherlight. Not having to worry about money for the foreseeable future let’s you focus on being a good mother to Lord Potter. Remember, come as soon as you can so we can extract the Horcrux. And bring me the Longbottoms as soon as you can convince Madame Longbottom we are not beasts.”
Hermione took the pouch and put it in her handbag. “Thank you Director Ragnok.” He nodded before leading her back towards the ritual room.