Crash Landing
Crash landing on the stone floors of Hogwarts was never anyone’s idea of fun, however for Hermione, she had the added bonus of being flung through time as well. With a groan, she sat up and looked around to find a very different Hogwarts. Gone was the rubble and holes blasted through every wall. Gone were the fires and scorch marks from missed spells. Left in its place were pristine walls covered in paintings that were looking at her as though she were a science experiment. Knowing she had to find out when she was and whom she could trust, she was quick to push herself up off the floor before asking the nearest portrait the location of Professor McGonagall’s office. Receiving a stumbled out answer, she is quick to take her leave, before any prefects or roaming professors discover her.
Along the way, Hermione noticed that the moon had completely risen. She also noticed there were portraits that were not present in her time. Making it to Professor McGonagall’s classroom; which was in the same location she had always known, she made her way to the hidden door that housed Professor McGonagall’s private chambers. Knocking softly so as not to rouse the portraits, but knowing that McGonagall’s cat hearing will hear it, Hermione waited patiently for the inevitable firestorm.
“Whatever student is hairbrained enough to wake me at the nye wee hours of the morning damn nay better have a good reason.” McGonagall grumbles out upon opening the door, before realizing that one, she does not recognize the girl at her door and two, no student knows where her private chambers are.
“Good evening Professor. I hope I am not disturbing your evening too terribly.” Hermione says with a small sheepish smile.
“Oh, um no dear. However, I do not recall seeing you before and I know that I have never shown a student my personal chambers before.”
“Oh that’s because we haven’t met in this time. See I had a small mishap with a time-turner and you are the only trusted adult I could go to.”
“Time-turners are dangerous items. I’m not sure how you managed to get one at 18, but you clearly aren’t in the proper education to use it.”
“Twenty-one.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I’m twenty-one, thanks to the use of a different time-turner. This however, was fueled by a magical duel and kept me from dying.”
During the course of the conversation, they had migrated into the chambers and settled on the couch. Hermione waving her hand to start tea for them.
“Very well, so you clearly know me well enough to make tea right now. You are proficient in wandless magic, and you were transported here by a time-turner during a duel that otherwise would have killed you. Did I miss anything?”
“I trust you. No one else, even Dumbledore.” Hermione added, looking the most serious she has all evening.
“Yes, I do hope you will explain that to me at some point. However, here is what we shall do. I will tell Dumbledore that you are my niece who surprised me during the night, because you forgot to account for the time difference, and that you will be staying with me for a time. Does that seem plausible to you?”
“Yes, that would be something that I would do. Shall I become a student again or just a visiting family member?”
“Just a visiting family member, who I rope into assisting during my class.”
“Then that is perfectly agreeable to me. As for explaining my feelings about Dumbledore, that is where it gets complicated. Partially to avoid damaging the future and partially to avoid damaging your friendship. Also what should we say my name is? I cannot very well continue to be known as Hermione Granger.”
McGonagall got a strange look at the mention of her name, almost as if she knew it somehow.
“Hermione…” It came out as a whisper of something too good to be true. “Would you be willing to have me perform a magical lineage test on you?”
“Of course, though I am not sure what use it would be. I am a Muggleborn, and I was not adopted. My parents would have told me, or I would have seen it when I wiped their memories of me before my 4th year.” Hermione admitted somewhat despondently.
“It may do more good than you think, as well as explain a few things to me.” McGonagall states as a parchment and anthame fly towards her. Placing the objects in front of Hermione, to allow her to choose what she wanted, McGonagall waited patiently, yet anxiously, as the slight twitch of her fingers gave away. Without preamble, Hermione grabbed the blade and pulled it across the palm of her hand, allowing a few drops of blood to fall on the parchment, before sealing the wound. McGonagall then cast the lineage charm and they both watched as her blood spread across the parchment to reveal her family tree, with a name at the top shocking Hermione to the core.
“I’m a Le Fay…” Hermione spoke, awestruck.
“And a McGonagall. We can trace our ancestry back to her, as you can see.” She states with a proud smile.
“How is this possible?? How did you know?” Hermione bursts out asking, recovering from her shock.
“Now that is a story and part of why I am so close to Dumbledore. Keep your friends close, yet your enemies closer as the muggles say.”
”If you wouldn’t mind, that is a story I would like to hear seanmhair.”
“Aye, but not this evening. It is late enough and we have a full day tomorrow and should retire.” McGonagall answers with a watery smile at the honorific.
“Fair, but I will hold you to sharing that story.” Hermione spoke as they rose together for the evening. She waved her hand again to clean away the cups.
“I trust you know where my guest room is?”
“Yes, goodnight seanmhair.” Hermione states still in awe of the evening, before turning towards the bedroom for the evening.