Chapter 1
Walking through the corridors, the hallways was her favorite passing time. Unlikely others who would be sick of walking towards corridors to moving stairs to corridors again, leading to crowded long hallways to get to their class. But not Hermione, who enjoys the long walk that takes in the sight of moving paintings that greets the students who acknowledge them to other students gossiping to god knows what to a few new quidditch players rough playing with each other on their way to practice.
It's the sight alone that keeps Hermione entertained as she walks to her classes. She enjoys the loudness but will never admit it to anyone. It makes the place feel alive, it makes her more alive as she's aware of her surroundings. She's no Slytherin but she at least likes to keep aware of her surroundings, no thanks to Mr. Someone who always throws a knowing smirk and glances in her way.
"Hermione!"
She stops in her tracks and turns back towards who called her. It was a six-year male student wearing the famous Gryffindor colors. Hermione recognizes the six-year student as Terry Boots' younger brother, Elias.
Stay rooted to where she stopped, She gives him a warm smile as Elias stops in front of her, Hermione gives him a moment to catch his breath. Wondering just how long he was searching for her for him to pant heavily.
" just ... ju- uh give ... me ... a second " Elias heavily lets out.
" Take your time, Eli, " she tells him softly, slightly curious about why the six-year student sought her out.
Catching his breath Elias smiles at Hermione, muttering out an apology on how easily tired he got from running. Hermione assures him with ease, again something she picked on from Mr somebody who was rubbing off on her. She can only mentally roll her eyes as she starts to notice these things.
"Was there something you needed from me, Eli ?" Hermione asked him not to beat around the bush. She had classes to attend to and she was slightly almost running late.
" Ah yes, um professor Snape asked for your presence in the great hall," he told her.
Confusion appeared on her face, professor Snape was looking for me, what for?
" Do you know why? " She asked him, debating whether to head straight to class and tell her professor that Snape was asking for her presence or just go straight to snape.
But Elias just shrugs, " not sure why, but the other six and seven years prefect and student were told to call all eight years to go directly down to the great hall"
" That's odd," she mutters to herself, trying to figure out why all the eight years were being summoned to the great hall.
"Do you mind if you can pass along the message to the other eight years you come across as you head back to the great hall? your professors had already heard of the reasons for your absences. I got to head to class, I have transfiguration next and I'm not very keen on being yelled at"
" Of course, thank you for letting me know," she tells him. muttering out a loud welcome he runs back to where he came from, Hermione almost feels bad that he had to run back down to transfiguration classes which were two stairs down followed by the long corridors that just happened to be the longest one within the school grounds, right after the one in the Slytherin dungeon.
Sighing to herself she follows right after him for a moment not too long.
It's been a year since she came back to finish her education at Hogwarts right after the war; alone. Both Harry and Ron had decided not to attend Hogwarts after the war. To say that she was surprised that Harry and Ron decided not to return to Hogwarts but at the same time she was no less expectant than from them. Though the decision made between them made her feel hurt about how they both decided on their own without her. How they left without saying anything to her and Ginny, even the Weasley family had no idea they left. Their worry about their disappearance was gone after Kingsley had owl Molly about their whereabouts and told them not to worry.
As they left without any letters of where they were going just on how they decided that they wanted to be Aurors without any distractions and that they promised to keep in touch from a Patronus no doubt Kingsley’s idea of him telling the boys their way of communication. But knowing within her, she knew that the two would rather jump on the opportunity of getting a head start of being an Auror than finishing their education. Which was a dumb move on their part. Becoming an auror you had to have excellent grades and perfect O in O.W.L’s and N.E.W.Ts; Either one really, but of course Harry was an exception due to him saving the world and Ron, well harry had put a good word to Kingsley for him. So yeah, Hermione found no surprise there.
Ginny was more livid upon harry departure and had received a Patronus a few days later for her telling her how they should put their relationship on hold saying it was best for the both of them when really, the whole family knew it was an excuse, knowing that Harry wasn’t ready to be tied down yet and what shock everyone was how Ron agree along saying the same thing with Hermione.
Molly had two angry witches that day and had to usher away everyone from the two before their surroundings exploded. Of course, George found the sight amusing and truly laugh that day saying that the both of them were truly such was wus.
A part of her was distinctively angry and felt betrayed while the other part was sad they didn’t tell her nor said any goodbyes’.
She can only scoff at the thought of them passing those tests required to take after the training they have to go through. Knowing that they most likely won't pass at all. She smirks at that thought but catches herself, letting her smirk disappear.
I did not just think that about my friends.
Friends... Hermione wasn't sure if they were still friends after the letters she owls, they returned with no reply. not even a floo message went answered.
She felt betrayed that they didn't keep their promise of keeping in touch. nor they did not even make an effort in reaching out to her or either of the Weasleys. so she did what she thought best was for her, emotionally and mentally. She stopped trying and mainly focused on her life within Hogwarts.
The ministry thought it would be a good idea to add in another year within Hogwarts due to the lack of teaching and schooling during the war. So of course adding an eight-year for those who were Hermione’s year and moving up the previous year that below them. Which made Hermione happy because she had ginny with her and was going to have her in class altogether. Becoming a head girl since she decided to come back, also started making friends outside of her house and towards the other student a year below her. She was content with her life now and had no regrets.
" What got you in the mood?" a deep voice interrupted her thoughts. The tone was a provoking one but not in a bad way. Coming up from the corridors that lead downwards was no other than Theodore Nott, Theo for short. an eight-year returnee student just like her.
The eight-year Slytherin was a foot taller than her, making her height the same height as his shoulder. His hair was all over the place as if he just woke up from a nap. He was prominent with his actions but deliberately doesn't say much.
“ I see your nap was interrupted, I presume " she states teasingly, quite aware how Theo loves his sleep more than anything besides studying and she feels bad for the six-year student who had to wake him up.
“you have presumed correctly, dearest lioness" a mocking tone comes from behind theo who stepped aside for the others to come in sight.
Hermione smirks, oh I got to stop smirking, she mentally tells herself that. Fully aware of how she is smirking very often.
coming into view was not only one but this time five more eight-year Slytherins returnee, coming from their common room from what Hermione assumed. Blaise Zabini, Marcus Flint, Greg Goyle, Daphne Greengrass, and Pansy Parkinson.
"Zabini, Flint, Goyle, Daph, Pans" stating the boy's last name and girl's first name.
Marcus scoff at that "I don't see how you get to call the girls by their names and we get called by our last names. It's hardly fair at all, I'm sensing favoritism here lioness,"
Daphne rolls her eyes at the claim, " you lots already know why lioness loves us more than she claims to love you"
" as if that counts as a reason, there's no one around, you can drop the lion act now"
At that, Hermione fully lets out a smile, the smirk disappearing away from her face. A soft laugh follows after,
" weren't you supposed to be at quidditch practice? Blaise, Marcus, Greg," Hermione ask them letting out her use of both of their first name,
Blaise sighs, relaxing now at the use of his name, but offers a smirk, " we were " pointing to Greg, Marcus, and himself " but some brat came running to the field said something about all eight years having a mandatory meeting in the great hall" he finished, the three was still in their quidditch uniform and it still looks very much clean and tame. which was a usual sight knowing how rough quidditch players can be.
" And Draco ?"
A full-on smirk appeared on all of six Slytherin's faces, knowing well the tone of what the question implied.
"Draco is on his way up, some third years were having a go at each other in the common room," pansy tells Hermione,
“What about Tracy?”
“She’s down with him, apparently one of them got injured during the fallout and is taking care of him, a minor scratch really but better safe yeah.”
Hermione would've never thought she'd be making friends with Slytherin the moment she returned to Hogwarts. At first, she was deadpanned on avoiding all Slytherins as she slightly blamed them for all those tormented years and the cause of the war. But after giving it some thought as she was the head girl, she decided to let the past go and try to make amends to the returnee Slytherins. It wasn't easy at first knowing full well who of those had returned.
Stating her reason why she wanted to mend things between them made an all-out argument between the two famous houses, Gryffindor and Slytherin. It was a really stupid argument really when they look back at how it started. but those who were present know that the argument was what started the bonds between all eight years.
A very tense bond, nobody wanted to cross boundaries regarding everyone being okay with each other. But as the months went by the bond became less tense and more tighter than everyone would've thought less about it. It had created new relationships between the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuff, Gryffindors, and Slytherins.
"I take it you guys got the message too huh ?" A calm firm yet gentle voice interrupted the group's conversation.
The six Slytherins and Hermione turn to the owner of the voice to see Neville Longbottom making his way towards them, right behind him was Ginny Weasley and Dean Thomas wearing their Gryffindor quidditch uniform and Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil wearing their common uniform just like Neville as their cloak was forgotten in their class.
Since they all decided to return to Hogwarts, the headmistress decided that those who decided to return will have to start their eighth year and make the six-year move up to them since there weren’t enough six and seven-year olds who returned after the war. Which explains why ginny and luna are in their year.
" I take it yours was relayed calmly ?" Daphne asks walking towards Neville who gives her a soft smile as he wraps his arm towards her waist pulling her close to him and gives her a slight peck on her forehead.
The affection earned a few smiles between the group. Dean scoffs "And I assume yours was ?" Directing his question towards Daphne, who nods and lets out a knowing smirk meaning it was relayed calmly than I heard yours was.
Dean tsk at the confirmation but doesn't say anything. He was having a blast at practice, the only time where all teams were scheduled for a team beat tag at the same time and day, only for the eight years having no part of it due to the meeting that was called. Dean almost cursed the six-year old that was relaying the message only for Simon, a seven-year Gryffindor beater, telling him not to.
Theo leans across the wall as the group seems to wait for the others unknowingly. Something theo picked on as the months passed but doesn’t bother pointing it out. He watches Blaise going toward the female Weasley and hugging the life out of her as if they didn't see each other out on the field, Marcus following behind Blaise to talk to Dean, including Lavender and Parvati into their conversation. He directed his attention towards Daphne and Neville. The couple amuses him. He still couldn't see what Neville saw in daphne that made him court her.
Don't get Theo wrong, he has no problem with them dating and he loves Daphne as his sister but this was Daphne that Neville was dating. He would hex the latter if he dared to hurt or make Daphne cry, a silent agreement the Slytherin boys agreed on when it came to their Slytherin sisters. He watches Neville talking to Hermione, his left side wraps around Daphne and vice versa. He had to admit, they made a cute couple right after a certain couple of course, but Theo would never admit it out loud, he values his life more than to admit such a thing which was what the whole school agreed on.
" The whole gang's here I see," a new voice entered their hearing, and greetings were made the instant the new group appeared.
" we're still waiting on a few others I think and Draco and Tracy are still down in the common room berating a few third years for having a go" Parvati calmly filled the group in, which consisted of Terry Boot, Michael Corner, and Susan Bones.
The new group was a mix of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw eight-year returnees. All coming from the same class they shared.
“ What did the third years do? Terry asked Pansy, far yet close to him, who gave him no reply. Facing away from Terry, Pansy gave him an unreadable expression. The silent treatment didn’t go unnoticed by the group. Terry walks over towards the female Slytherin seeing how she made no move towards him when he arrived, something she has usually done since they got together. Running his hand through his hair, messing it up slightly.
As he got closer, he stood in front of her leaning down towards her left ear, “are you still angry, love ?”
Pansy doesn’t say anything, looking anywhere besides terry.“ I'm sorry Pansy” he softly tells her, wrapping her in his arms.
Pansy holds his arms but doesn’t hug him back. She rests her head onto his chest as he hugs her tighter, bringing their body closer. “are you ?” she questioned him softly, low enough for him to hear only, still not looking at him. He pulls a bit away from her and lifts his hand to her chin making her look at him directly. Eyes meeting each other, Pansy tries to look away but Terry was having none of that.
“I am sorry. If I knew how much my actions affected you then I wouldn’t have done so to make you worry. I'm sorry love.” He tells her firmly. Eyes directly telling her the same.
Pansy sighed, bringing her arms away from his arms and towards his neck bringing him down, their foreheads touching. “I should be at fault. I should’ve told about how it hurt my feelings but I didn’t.”
“ We may be both at fault but I should’ve known better than to follow along with the jokes, I’m your boyfriend for merlin sake.”
Pansy doesn’t say anything knowing a losing argument when she sees one. So she smiles and brings their lips too close towards each other, letting him know he was forgiven and vice versa.
The interaction between the two didn't go unnoticed by Marcus and Blaise who were close enough towards pansy. Both Slytherin give each other a slight silent agreement to talk later to Terry when Pansy isn’t present.
Hermione looks around her new group of friends and smiles. If she told herself from the past about the offer of telling her that she could become friends from another house, she would pretty sure deny the offer and say that Harry and Ron were enough for her. She would’ve scoffed at such an idea being proposed to her. Hermione now would have agreed with her but now she would have to do everything within her magic to make sure her past self had more friends outside of Harry and Ron.
She wonders to herself how Harry and Ron react to her and Ginny's friendship outside of Gryffindor. They most likely would not approve, once upon a time there was a time where she was afraid she would have to choose between the former latter and the new latter but now she’s certain on who to go for, Her happiness and that involves a certain Slytherin who hasn’t appeared yet.
“ Ahh, I see me and Millie were the last one” a soft voice spoke up and all heads turned followed by waves of laughter.
In comes Millicent Bulstrode and Luna Lovegood, both eight-year prefect who had duties down at Hagrid's cottage and were a mess from their appearance and smell coming from them.
“ What happened to you both ?” Ginny exclaimed trying to hold in her laughter, Blaise doing the same judging by how he faced away but his shoulders were trembling. Susan and Hermione laugh softly.
“Don’t even start Weasley, some third years thought it was funny to try to anger some of the creatures Hagrid brought in and did the opposite of what they were planning,” Millicent growled out
“ they cast a spell which instead of making them breathe out fire, they breathe out something else instead but not from the mouth, sadly” Luna finishes off explaining dreamily.
At that, the group laughed and Theo had to sigh to himself and lean away from the wall, making his way towards his girlfriend followed by Marcus. He take his wand out he cast a cleaning spell over both Luna and Millicent, while Marcus cast away the smell. As soon as the smell disappears, Marcus gives a peck onto Millicent and he does the same to Luna.
“ Hi love” he greeted Luna, taking off his cloak and wrapping it around Luna who had her uniform crumpled.
“How the hell did you get your uniform all messed up” Marcus growled at Millicent who was not amused at how disheveled his girlfriend was. He did the same thing as Theo, taking his cloak off and wrapping it around Millicent. Both couples ignored the sweet awww’s coming from Susan and Ginny, while lavender and parvati giggled at the gesture.
“ You want to try cleaning bird poop, Marcus? Cause if not, then don’t even go there AT ALL”
Millicent was clearly in a foul mood while Luna had no problem since she was well Luna, but it doesn’t stop the laughter that follows the threat.
Millicent’s transformation had been the biggest shocker upon the arrival of the returning students. Traumatized from the war and how her father was almost taken away from her gave her nightmares and depression and a loss of appetite. Something Draco knew when he picked up the sign she gave off when the little sounds made her flinch and how she would always ask if the others were returning sooner.
Draco had confronted her after dinner one night when he noticed she hadn’t touched her food, of course, there was a huge argument between the two but after those arguments, no one really knows what happened after. All they knew was after that argument they saw how Millicent was trying, really trying to eat, and had to ask Marcus to help. It was a vulnerable moment for Millicent which made the whole Slytherin protective of her, something that still embarrasses the witch till this day.
“So what happened to the third years who caused you the mess ?” Michael spoke, seeing how the male Slytherins tried not to anger the female Slytherin more.
“Don’t know, apparently by the time they realized their plan failed and who was caught in it, they ran away. But of course, I remember what house they were in, which is why Millie will handle them” Luna dreamily tells them.
“ don’t tell me they’re in Slytherin?” Greg asked her, all heads turning towards him making him flustered at the attention. Parvati and Lavender smiled at his shyness.
“How did you know?” was the only question the Slytherins needed to know.
Unfortunately, the outside house students were at a loss, “ uh hello, non Slytherins present here too, mind filling you in with what you know?” Lavender tells them,
“ the third years with Draco having a go at it in the common room are probably the same third years that did that to luna and millie” Daphnee filled them in
“Probably,” Greg said, making everyone laugh.
of course. Third-years who not only have Millicent Bulstrode in their house but also have Draco Malfoy, the head boy, and leader of their house that thought caused Ginny, Susan, and Dean to shiver in fear after experiencing an angry Malfoy one time.
A few minutes pass and no sign of Draco and Tracy coming up, Blaise was about to go down and call them when a painter around the right corner of the dungeon calls out to them,
“ EIGHT YEARS FOR MERLIN SAKE, PROFESSOR SNAPE IS NOT KEEN ON WAITING FOR YOU ALL, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TOWARDS THE GREAT HALL”
“but Malfoy and Davis -“ was cut off by the same painting
“WILL FOLLOW AFTER, NOW RUN ALONG WITH RESTS”
Hermione ran her hand through her curls, “ come on guys, they will follow after.”
Having no say on the matter, the group follows after their head girl and makes their way onto the great hall. The walk was a calm one, like always. while everyone was talking within themselves. Daphne, Neville, Pansy, and Hermione were talking in one group. Terry, Michael, Marcus, and Dean in one group. Theo, Blaise, Ginny, and Greg in one, while Susan, Luna, Lavender, Parvati, and Millicent were talking in one group. Each group talks about different topics while offering opinions into other groups’ conversations. All eight years feeling content with their life, happy with everything that has happened within their last two years at Hogwarts.
Almost arriving in front of the doors of the great halls, Hermione couldn’t help but feel nervous yet she had no idea why she would be feeling nervous. Her palms felt wet and she had to rub them onto her robe.
The action doesn’t go unnoticed by Blaise, who raised his eyebrow at her. He notices Ginny doing the same with her hands as they come to a stop.
“ Why are you nervous, love? Blaise asks ginny. Worried written on his face.
Ginny looks towards Blaise and smiles, she shakes her head, “I don’t know, it’s just the feeling I'm feeling right now is making me feel anxious right now and I really don’t know why. I hope it’s nothing too bad.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing, since none of us had done anything wrong this week that's worth detention then I’m sure it’s nothing.” Pansy looked towards her boyfriend and Blaise, raising her eyebrows in question if they had done something that required detention.
“Don’t look at us like that pans, we haven't done anything bad” Blaise said in an offended tone. “Can’t help but be skeptical,” pansy replied, giving him a sorry but not so sorry smile.
“ surely it can’t be bad, since all of us are here, i'm presuming that it’s something professor snape wants to inform us at once instead of seeking one of us out one by one and having to repeat the same info all over” lavender suggest, though she too was also nervous.
The boys seem to notice the girls were nervous about something but not sure what, judging from their confused expressions they seem to have no idea why they were all nervous.being called in by professor snape isn’t something they can just let us pass over them. it’s probably something important.
“Well we won’t know unless we walk in,” Marcus says, stepping up to open the door to the grand hall.
Taking in the lead, he opens the entrance to the great hall and makes his way inside. Coming to a sudden halt, he takes in what he’s seeing right now. The great hall was supposed to be empty with the exception of professor snape. But instead of coming into an empty great hall, it was occupied with students he doesn't seem to recognize.
Narrowing his sight onto the student, he did a full take to see if he recognized any of them starting with those in his house color to those in other houses. No familiar face, he doesn’t recognize any one of them. He looks further ahead and he sees headmistress McGonagall, who had come to rarely see since she became the headmistress. She had a hard look on her face, not too happy apparently. He looks for professor snape who seemed to be occupied talking to a student he again does not recognize. it was a female in ravenclaw robe, judging by the color of the outline he saw from the uniform, he didn't see her face since it was her back that was facing him. she seems to be carrying an arm sling, recognizing the strap that reaches behind her back.
He can hear the others following close behind him. But he pays no mind attention as he takes in the sight. students that he doesn’t recognize but they oddly feel familiar.
“What in the merlin?” exclaims Dean as he sees the reason why Marcus had come to a stop.
Due to Dean's loud exclaim, the group of students occupying the great hall first had come to a silence as they all turned to look at the newcomers. Some of them had their eyes wide as they seemed to have been caught, while the others, mainly those in slytherins, kept a cool calm collected face. The student that had been talking to Professor Snape turned to look at what was happening only to look back at Snape and continued on talking.
No one moved or said a word as they all seemed to be taking in each other’s appearance. Marcus up in front, slightly took one step forward, his facial expressions from earlier have been rid of and a cold expression appears. He senses the guys behind him doing the same as they push the girls slightly back in case anything bad goes down.
Theo takes in the scene. A tilt of his head slightly turned to the left. He’s not sensing anything bad from the group in front of him but he’s being cautious as he’s back at his mansion back when his father was alive.A girl in slytherin robes took a hold of a boy who seemed to be a first year clearly was about to run. a confused look written on the boy’s face only to appear glum as if something the girl said disappointed him. Theo was curious what she told him as he watched her push the boy back behind her, not taking her sight off of theo.
Blaise's sight went automatically on two gryffindors, he presumed they were twins. They had the famous Weasley ginger, famous colored red hair. Typical of the weasleys to pop out another set of twins when their first set of twins were complete clowns. the only difference was their features weren't any of what would scream weasley instead it was almost similar to his family features. He wasn't sure if he liked having relatives who were half weasleys. The only relatives of his that are going to be half weasley were his future kids with a certain red headed witch and these two he’s seeing were going to destroy that. He does not like that one bit.
“Eighth years, please do come in. we have plenty to inform all of you,”