Chapter 3: First Day Jitters
Hermione awoke the next day to the sound of Lily's screaming and pouncing on her bed. Hermione got out of bed and got ready for her first day of classes, which in Hermione's mind made no sense since it was a Friday. Lily assured her that it will be fun, but Hermione wasn't too sure about that. The girls went down stairs and met the boys in the common room. They each looked well rested. What caught Hermione's eye is how innocent they all looked, even Peter. Lily of course was going to be Hermione's guide throughout the day. She hoped that Hermione and herself had many classes together. When they were all set they headed down to the Great Hall together.
At breakfast Lily sat next James, on the other side of James was Sirius, Peter sat across from Sirius and Remus and Hermione sat next to each other across from James and Lily.
"So, how do you like Hogwarts so far?" asked Remus quietly.
"Oh it’s great. I can't wait to get to my classes. I'm actually getting kind of nervous. I like to make good impressions on my professors." It was easy to hear the nervousness in her voice.
"That's always a good thing. Maybe we'll even have class together."
She smiled. "I hope so."
Everyone continued on with there individual conversations, but Hermione just sat and ate. She was really anxious about the day ahead, but didn't know why.
All of a sudden barn owls flooded the Great Hall. Hermione was shocked when an owl dropped a letter in front of her. Who could be sending me mail? She thought. She turned it to the back and saw that it had a Hogwarts seal. She opened it immediately and saw her schedule. She called out to Lily who was getting tired of hearing Sirius and James talk about quidditch. Hermione showed Lily her schedule. Lily read over the schedule and had a huge smile on her face.
"This is awesome!" exclaimed Lily
"What's awesome?"
"You have class with a least one of us, if not two."
"Really?"
"Yeah, look here. We all have transfiguration, defense against the dark arts, and potions together. They you have arithmancy with Remus, history of magic with..." Lily continued talking, but Hermione wasn't listening, she was just happy to know that she would have classes with people she knew she could trust. Hermione's thought left her as she heard Lily call her name.
"Sorry Lily, guess I just spaced out."
"It's okay. I'm sure you'll be okay. Our first class is Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"I'm ready."
Breakfast was soon over and everyone filed out of the great hall. The day had started very gloomy, but was now started to brighten up. The clouds were beginning to move to let the sun shine through. Though it wouldn't last for long.
In the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom, Hermione stuck close to her newfound friends. Remus stood next to her and assured her that everything would be fine and that the Professor was extremely nice. Hermione took Remus' word for it, but still had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. All of a sudden the whole class came into attention when the Professor came down the stairs.
He was a middle-aged man with growing gray hairs and a stiff face. He wore very nice and modern wizards clothing and didn't look shabby at all. The Professor cleared his throat and looked on to the class.
"Welcome. My name is Professor Gaynortees and although all of you know this, we have a new student." He pointed to Hermione in the corner of the room. Hermione blushed as the students turned toward her. It didn't help that she was getting such nasty glares from the Slytherin's. One in particular caught her attention. A skinny boy with chin length black hair, a pale face and a crooked nose. She knew instantly that it was Professor Snape, her least favorite professor at Hogwarts. He looked the same yet different at the same time. He had the same mean demeanor, but there was sadness.
"Ms. Granger, I am happy to welcome you to my class. Through this whole semester there will be review on things you have learnt in the past. They will be random and unexpected. In fact today is one of those days. Ms. Granger since you are new, lets see how much you know. What do you fear the most?"
A small closet moved it's way out of the far corner and positioned itself right in front of Hermione. She wasn't sure what might come out of it. There were many things that she feared, but what she feared most of all was the last thing she wanted to see. The closest shuck for a few seconds then stopped. The door opened slowly. Skinny fingers made their way through the door followed by tattered feet and a trench coat she knew all too well. Hermione froze. She though that she was in the one place where she could escape him, but she realized she could not. Hermione tried to speak, but everything came out in mumbles.
"R-Ri-Ridd..." Hermione began to sweat and panic. Thoughts of what happened to her filled her mind. Her heart rate increased and she was breathing heavily. Remus noticed that something was wrong. He could sense it. Sometimes it helped being a werewolf. Remus walked to the front of the class and stood in front of Hermione, blocking the boggart from her view. The boggart then changed from a man into the full moon. Remus looked at the professor. Gaynortees nodded as Remus lead Hermione out of the crowded room.
When Hermione and Remus made it outside of the classroom they stopped and were in silence. She finally looked at him. He looked worried and concerned about her well being. She rubbed her shoulder feeling very uncomfortable about what had just happened. Remus wouldn't wait for her though.
"Hermione, what happened in there?"
She hesitated to answer. "I just wasn't...I wasn't ready. It's nothing you need to worry about." She faked a smile and a small chuckle. She began to walk off. She would go to the library, but Remus held her back by her wrist. She turned around to face him. "Remus let go of me."
"Not until you tell me what's wrong."
"I told you it's nothing." She protested.
"Don't tell me that Hermione. I could sense your fear when whoever that was showed up. It couldn't have been nothing."
"Why are you in my business? You got me out of class for the day, thanks. Now if you don't mind let me go!" Hermione snapped. Remus could tell she was not in a good mood.
"Fine." Remus released his grip. "But I know something is wrong."
"You've known me a total of less than two days Remus, don't you try and be my psychologist." She said storming off to the library, where she can be alone, where she could think.
Remus stood in the spot where Hermione left him. She was right. He was in her business, but he didn't like her hurting. For some reason he wanted to be able to protect her from anything that caused her harm. He let his thoughts pass him as he rejoined his friends in the classroom. They looked at him for answers. Remus just shuck his head and they got the message.
Hermione sat in the back of the library. She had her head on the table along with her hands. No matter how much I try he's always after me. Not even going back in time can rid me of his memory. I'm really thinking too much. Hermione let out a frustrated sigh. She turned her head to look out the nearest window. The clouds had once again blocked the sun. Blocking all sunlight to make the day beautiful.
The day went on as normal as can be. Hermione continued with the rest of her classes avoiding contact with any of her friends. When it came to Potions class she found it much easier. In potions the professor said that in order to avoid disruption you must pair up with the opposite house. In this case, Gryffindors and Slytherins. The professor began calling names out at random pairing up everyone.
"Any one forgotten?" He asked. Two hands raised in the air. "Alright then. You two pair together." Hermione looked over to the only other person without a partner. She scrunched her nose after seeing who it was. Snape was obviously was not going to make any attempt to go near her so she grabbed her things and began walking over to his desk. As she was walking Sirius stood in her way. "Be careful Hermione. He's a worm that Snivellus."
"I think I'm capable of caring for myself Sirius, but thank you none the less." With that she walked over to Snape's desk and sat down and just for spite she even held out her hand and introduced herself with a huge smile. She knew it would really tick Sirius off. Snape however looked surprised by the gesture. "It's okay I won't bite." she chuckled. For the first time she saw Snape smile.
"I'm Severus Snape. I guess we will be partners today." He said nicely.
"I guess so."
The professor explained to them the chore that had to be done. They would be making a very complicated sleeping drought. He expected it at the end of class. Severus and Hermione got to work immediately. She noticed that he was very diligent with his work. He wanted to get things done fast and with ease. She opened her book and got to work.
Soon enough the class was over. Severus and Hermione actually finished early, so after carrying the flask up to the professor they used the extra time just to talk. He said that he hated Gryffindors, but would make an exception for her. She thanked him. The topic then turned to the marauders.
"Those fools. They think they're all that, but they're not. One of these days they'll get what is coming to them. They will get what they deserve."
"Excuse me, but they are my friends. What have they done that is so terrible." Hermione knew what had happened, but wanted a different side to the story.
"You've only known them for a few days. I've known them for years. They are terrible. Always playing pranks and tormenting others for their own personal gain."
"It can't be all of them. I mean surely Peter and Remus aren't part of that."
"You have a point. Potter and Black are the ringleaders. I can't stand those bastards."
"There is no need for names. It's a natural hatred between Gryffindors and Slytherins."
"It goes beyond that-way beyond that." The conversation ended there. The bell rang and Hermione quickly left the room.
Later on in the day, right before dinner Hermione hung backwards of the end of her bed. She was thinking and didn't want to be disturbed. She wondered why she was still being haunted. She wondered if she was a bad person or if going back in time really made her bait for what she might experience. Hermione sat up and grabbed her pillow. She took that time to just scream into it.
A confused Lily entered the room. "Hermione?" She removed the pillow from in front of her and faced Lily.
"Yes Lily." answered Hermione.
"I was just wondering if you're coming to dinner. I think you need it."
"That's the last thing I need right now Lily." She said going back to hanging upside down on her bed. She didn't really want to be around people right now. Lily took a final look at her friend and left. Down in the common room the boys asked her if Hermione was coming down. When Lily said no they asked her why, but of course Lily did not know. All of them decided to let it go. Everybody as issues, but at dinner it was Peter who decided to open his big mouth.
Peter stuffed some mashed potatoes in his mouth. “I told you all there is something wrong with her.”
"Don't talk with your mouth full, especially if it is foolishness." Stated Remus.
"It's not foolishness. I bet she's up there right now practicing dark magic." Peter contested. He wiped his mouth of and crossed his arms. "It's not my fault he has a crush on a death eater." He then mumbled.
"What was that Peter? Would you say that a little clearer?" Remus was getting a little tired of Peter's accusations. "I'll meet you guys in the common room." He began to get up.
"Remus, how can you stand up for a girl you just met and not your best friend for years. For all you know he could be right." said Sirius.
"Sirius!" gasped Lily.
"Sorry Lily, but it's true. Right now you can't trust anybody. Especially when they pop out of no where."
"I'm out of here." said Remus walking down the aisle to exit the Great Hall. He was a few feet away when the doors opened up. Standing in front of him was Hermione. He smiled and she smiled back.
"Just the person I wanted to find." said Hermione
"Really?" Remus asked.
"Yeah."
"I was heading to the common room anyway."
Remus and Hermione headed back to the common room. At the Gryffindor table Peter was bringing up more unnecessary topic. He insisted that she had to be a death eater because she came down while they were talking about her. They all thought it was rubbish and told him to shut up for once.
While the marauders and Lily were eating in silence. Hermione and Remus were laughing up a storm.
"and...and...then he said I didn't know it was a chicken." They broke out into another fit of laughter. When they caught their breath they just smiled at each other. She thanked Remus for the jokes. She really needed it.
"I never knew you had a sense of humor." said Hermione. "I always thought you were the stiff one out of the four."
He chuckled. "No, I'm just the one who likes to study."
"That's like me in my group of friends. I miss them." She said adjusting herself in the couch. She took a quick look out the window. The sun had not yet set, but that beautiful orange tint was in the sky. Why am I looking at the sky so much? It's seems so fascinating all of a sudden. She must have spaced out again since she didn't hear Remus calling her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. That's the second time today. I think there is something wrong with me." She turned to face him and sighed.
"There is nothing wrong with you. You're just deep in thought."
"Oh well. Anyways off the topic of my insanity. Let me tell you why I was coming to see you at dinner."
"Okay."
"I wanted to apologize for snapping on you early. It wasn't necessary."
Remus felt truly touched by the fact that she wanted to say sorry. "You don't have to apologize to me."
"Yes I do. I don't like to leave bad impressions on people I consider my friends."
Remus smiled. He gave her a hug, which she was not expecting and said to her, "You have a friend in me."