I made sure to get a few of the books that had landed on me from the library before heading to dinner and now I sat in the Gryffindor common room on the floor in front of the hearth with the stack laid out in front of me as I scoured over them in concentration.

I had already been here longer than I should've been. Three days. I'd been trapped here for three days with no change and that was not to be tolerated.

I poured over the books, sitting on my knees on the floor and using firelight from the hearth to illuminate the pages. I sighed, I wasn't getting anywhere; I leaned back to rest against the couch and jolted forward when I realized that I leaned against a person's shins rather than the couch cushions. I tilted my head back and eyed the upside down figure of Norbert Leach grinning down at me. Charlus Potter sat beside him eating a boiled sweet of some sort and Fenrir Greyback was in the arm chair on his other side, sitting sideways with his legs hanging over the arm and moving them back and forth ever so slightly to kick the couch's armrest.

"Sorry," I said quickly, sliding closer to the books on the floor and away from the three boys now sitting in the seating behind me and making me uncomfortable.

"So," Greyback began, kicking one of his feet to prop it up onto the back of the couch beside him and right above Leach's head, "What 'cha workin' on?"

"Things," I replied, slightly defensively, "Important things…"

"Interesting," Greyback, replied, rolling his eyes and letting his head lean back onto the other chair arm so he stared at me upside down. "You look better like this," he said candidly.

"Lovely," I replied, rolling my own eyes at that before going back to the books.

"There's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend before the game," Leach suddenly stated excitedly, "Have you heard?"

I looked back at them, unsure if he was talking to me or not. Realizing that he was I nodded, "I have heard, yes."

"Hello Mesdames Shell; how are you?" Charlus suddenly asked which drew away my attention to the two twin red headed fourth year girls that were giggling to themselves as they approached the seating area by the fireplace.

"Hello Mr. Potter," the first girl said with a smile.

"We're good," the second added, "Just leaving…"

"…the scene of a future crime," the first girl finished, placing her hand in front of her mouth daintily and giggling with her twin. They then suddenly both turned toward me and smiled, putting their hands out to shake. I stood with a huff, my back cracking and shook their hands.

"Her…Myone Macmillan," I informed them to which they nodded and smiled,

"Quintessa," the first girl stated.

"Bessandra," added the second before they both finished with,

"Shell. Call us…"

"Tessie…"

"And Bessie."

"Well it's lovely to meet you Tessie, Bessie," I replied, nodding to each in turn as they grinned. Suddenly screaming erupted from the girl's dorms and a crowd I estimated to be second and third years came thundering down the stairs as a putrid stench began to permeate throughout the hallway and down into the common room.

"Well…" Bessie grinned, and I noticed that her hair was slightly curlier than her sisters, I'd be able to keep them straight that way.

"We're off," Tessie finished and the two looked just like I'd imagine Fred and George would've looked like as girls.

Greyback suddenly started to laugh, still lazing about on the armchair as the girls disappeared out the portrait hole, "Have fun up there tonight Myone."

There was suddenly a stampede from the boy's dormitories and the fifth and sixth year boys had their hands covering their mouths as they coughed and sputtered. I packed up my books into my beaded bag and grinned.

"Have fun up there tonight Fen," I replied, turning toward him as his foot fell off the top of the couch and thumped onto Leach's head and then onto his bollocks.

"Ow," Norbert shouted, wincing as he threw the boot covered foot off his lap and onto the floor to hold one hand to his head while the other cradled his pants in pain. I laughed and moved to the dorms for sleep. Apparently, I wasn't going home tonight either, but tomorrow…tomorrow I'd be gone.

Wednesday I found out quite a few things all at once. I learned that Greyback was in my Potions class. Monday they had left me to my own devices to hunt down the potions classroom saying that they were busy and needed elsewhere, when Greyback was skiving off anyway. What a prat!

Charms was boring as usual, followed by Transfiguration where I sat beside Salvatore again, only this time we didn't fight about me talking with Malfoy and Riddle; this time we were able to settle into a companionable silence. The fight in DADA seemed to have been enough to get on Prince's good side and we went through class as friends.

After lunch was Transfiguration with Professor Dumbledore again, who I was more or less avoiding as to not change too much of the future. He was so involved in everything up until Professor Snape killed him that I knew if he found out what I knew it would change too much so I kept to avoiding him and dodging his attempts at getting to know the new student in his house.

And then finally, Traditional Studies. I don't know what happened, but I'd forgotten about the test on hand shaking. As ridiculous as it had been when the girls were studying it the morning before, it had completely slipped my mind; though in my defense I hadn't planned on still being here when the test came around at the time.

Ottilie ran to catch up with me after the class, her book held tightly to her chest, and her hair cascading over her shoulders as she slowed to my pace, "So; how'd you do?"

"Can I do worse than dreadful," I responded, looking at her rather sadly and definitely embarrassed.

"It'll be alright. You probably did better than you think. Madam Black will post the scores at the end of the week and you'll most likely be pleasantly surprised."

"Perhaps," I thought rather solemnly. I knew I'd be gone by the end of the week and the idea that I wasn't going to get my terrible score was both relieving and frustrating. I'd never been generally fearful…I am a Gryffindor after all, and to be nervous over a grade seemed rather ridiculous; but when seven years of hard work suddenly fall to the wayside because I'm in another time period…no.

No matter how long I was going to be here I needed to show effort. As much as I hated to imagine it, there was a possibility that my confidence in going home was incorrectly placed. Just because I was so sure that I'd be home before the day's end didn't mean it was true. I needed to prepare myself that perhaps it'd be a few days, a week max before I made it back to 1999. And if I was going to be here for any length of time I needed to put in the effort required just like any other student. If I was going to be here I was going to have to work as though I was a student here. I wouldn't be getting another horrific score on a Traditional Studies exam. That was for sure.

"You alright," Ottilie asked curiously, leaning over slightly to get a better look at my face.

"Fine," I responded, taking a deep breath, "Just not quite used to being here yet."

"That's alright," she smiled, "You'll be okay."

I couldn't help but smile at that. She really was very nice for a Slytherin; I couldn't help but wonder if she'd still be this nice if she knew that I wasn't really a pureblood. I began to hope no one here ever found out.

"Myone," a voice called, forcing Ottilie and I to stop and turn to the source, seeing Mal-Abraxas, Tom, and Ryland all just a bit down the corridor, moving to catch up with us.

"Just got out of Traditionals, yeah?" Ryland asked, swinging an arm over my shoulder and grinning, Tom on his right and Abraxas on Ottilie's left.

"Ugh, I don't want to talk about it," I huffed annoyed, pulling away from his arm and walking briskly ahead.

"Wha' happened?" I heard Abraxas ask a bit of a ways back to Ottilie.

"She didn't do as well as she'd hoped," she responded in a tone that suggested that she was surprised that they were even talking to her, as though she were beneath their notice.

"Ahh," Tom said with what I could only assume was a nod of understanding.

"You can stop talking about me as though I wasn't here," I responded, turning and moving toward them quickly, "I get it, yeah. I'm not good at Traditional Studies. I was raised where it didn't matter all that much and in school, I just sort of ignored people who really seemed bothered by my ignorance on the subject. I didn't have to take a class where it was pointed out how stupid I am. But the least you could do is not talk about me like I'm not around when I can clearly hear every word you say." I turned from them then and headed toward the Great Hall for supper in a huff.

"Myone," the boys called at varying intervals, attempting to call me back. I ignored them and continued on.

After supper I went to the library to investigate a way home and was quickly joined by Ottilie herself.

"Look Ms. Mac-Myone I'm, I'm sorry about what I said before, to the boys. I should've thought about how you'd feel."

"Its fine," I responded, looking up at her with a small smile, "It's not as though it's a secret that I'm terrible in that class." My smile grew a bit wider then and I laughed.

Ottilie laughed with me and smiled back, "You are rather terrible at Traditional Studies aren't you? On another note you seem to be rather close to Messrs. Malfoy, Riddle, and Yaxley. I don't know of anyone who can talk to them the way you do without getting hexed; though I never see them bother talking with ladies at all. It was the first time any of them had ever even engaged me in conversation before."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief, rather surprised that they didn't even talk to those in their own house, "But you're a Slytherin."

"Even more reason if you ask me," she responded with a click of her tongue, "Most of the Slytherin girls are part of the Green and Silver Love Patrol."

"I heard Sn-Prince refer to that on Monday. What is that?"

"It's the girls who fancy themselves in love with Malfoy and Riddle and to a lesser extent Black and Yaxley. They practically follow them everywhere."

"I've been around the boys quite a bit the last few days and I haven't noticed anything like that," I responded a bit confused. I remembered those girls flirt with them a bit but not to the degree Ottilie was indicating.

"You're lucky then. When they realize how close you are to the four, they'll probably try to kill you," Ottilie laughed, though I didn't find it a lick funny.

"Sorry," she amended quickly, seeing my face, "It's just surprising how quickly you showed up here and how you're already part of their little quartet. It's just odd, but interesting. I think school will be a bit different for our last year with you here. It'll help break up the monotony."

We continued on in silence for a few moments before she suddenly asked, "Oh, what are you doing Saturday? It'll be your first Hogsmeade day."

"Oh, Alphard is taking me around," I told her and her eyebrows practically disappeared under her bangs, "Alphard? Who's your escort?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I don't need a ruddy escort to follow me round. If I've got to bring someone around with me everywhere what was the point of him coming along to begin with, I may as well just taken the 'escort' instead."

"You better be careful not to be seen by Madam Black on Saturday then," Ottilie said, eyes wide.

"Why? Otherwise she'd lecture me about Traditional Studies and what's proper?"

"Sure," Ottilie nodded, wincing a bit, "That's why."

()

Time seemed to go by quickly and I soon found it to be Saturday morning, Hogsmeade day. Alphard had only mentioned Hogsmeade once since the invitation, just to be sure that I still remembered that he'd asked and that I hadn't agreed to go with anyone else.

Why he thought I was being invited by someone else was anyone's guess. I stood in the courtyard, rubbing my hands up and down my arms to keep warm and knowing that I'd need to purchase a jacket while in the village.

"Well 'ello there," Norbert smiled, Charlus and Gre-Fenrir on either side of him, "What has you out and about on this cold day?"

"Hmm," I responded, pretending to think it over, "What has me standing in the cold with you lot…perhaps…could this be a Hogsmeade day?"

"It is," Charlus shouted, his glove covered hands shooting up into the air in excitement, "Its Hogsmeade DAY!"

I couldn't help but laugh at Charlus' enthusiasm and he grinned widely. Norbert meanwhile, moved toward me and smiled, leaning over me with his towering height and placing his arm on my shoulder as though I were an armrest.

"Well, I just wanted to inform you that if you need someone to show you around, I'd be happy to volunteer."

"Sorry," I replied, stepping away from him and watching him stagger a bit at the loss of a leaning post, "I'm already going with Black."

"Which one?" Charlus asked curiously and I looked at him oddly.

"Which one?" I repeated curiously, "Which one, what?"

"Which Black?" Charlus clarified, "There's Alph and Orion."

"Alph?"

"Alphard," he replied.

"Course it'd be Alphard," Fenrir replied with a shrug, "She's only been with that lot since she's been here."

I scoffed at that but didn't refute it as it wasn't entirely wrong.

"Sorry I'm late," a voice called out from behind the group, slightly out of breath. I turned to see Alphard running to catch up and I smiled.

"That's alright, I was just talking with Fen, Charlus, and Norbert."

"Why are you the only one she has a nickname for?" Norbert asked with jealous curiosity toward his friend.

I did it because it made it easier to separate the boy beside me and the man who attacked Remus, Bill, and Lavender. It was the only thing I could do to not try to rip him apart and I knew I couldn't change time. What if me getting rid of Greyback meant that Remus was never a werewolf? That would mean that the Marauders would've never been Animagi and everything would be different and not necessarily in a good way. No, I needed to think of them as completely different people, for the sake of my sanity.

"Well I still say it's not fair," I heard Norbert huff and realized they were still talking about nicknames. He suddenly turned to stare at me and said, "Call me Nobbs."

"Nobbs?" I repeated with what I'm sure was a very odd look.

"Yeah," he replied with a grin.

"Um, well…alright I guess," I said a bit skeptically with a shrug.

His grin widened, "Wonderful. Well on that note, we'll take our leave so you can enjoy your afternoon with ol' Alphie."

"Don't call me that, mudblood," Alphard huffed, glaring at Norbert before turning and walking down the path toward the village. I stood frozen in place. Alphard had seemed so nice, he'd seemed so kind and helpful that, to hear him say mudblood like that with such hatred made me cringe and grab my scarred arm as it stung.

I didn't hear the word mudblood much anymore now that the war was over but when Harry, Ron, and I had attended some of the Death Eater trials they would scream it at me and it would always make my scar sting. I always thought it was just my mind remembering the pain but there is no telling if Bellatrix used a curse on it that would force me to remember. I'd heard it a few times since I've been here in this time but this was the first time I'd heard it with such malice.

"Are you coming Myone?" Alphard questioned curiously from a few yards away. I nodded quickly and ran to catch up, telling myself that it was just how he was raised, that he didn't know any better, that he'd help Sirius and be blasted off the tapestry; he couldn't be so bad.

We had just gone into a shop where I'd used a bit of my money (from my Order of Merlin that I kept on hand in my bag) to get a jacket, gloves, and a hat. I figured I'd need it for the newly chill weather and I didn't have the appropriate attire in my bag.

We were standing just outside Gladrags Wizardwear when I spotted something odd, a man in a long hooded cloak moving quickly toward Hogshead. Why would he do that? Who was he?

Suddenly my breathing quickened and my eyes widened in shock. A Death Eater. I'd thought they were gone by now. The war was over, we'd chased the remaining Death Eaters into hiding; Harry, Ron, and I. What in the world was he doing out in public?

He was moving about in the shadows, glancing around himself cautiously.

"My…" Harry started before I quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him with me, not bothering to let him finish his statement as we made our move.

"Look Harry," I said rather shocked, pointing toward where the masked man was now being joined by two others, "They look suspiciously like Death Eaters." Harry didn't respond, but his hand was getting a bit clammy which was odd as it didn't usually do that. "But I don't understand why they'd be out like this on a Hogsmeade Day, knowing we were coming into town. And why are they going into Aberforth's place? They're going to get themselves sent straight to Azkaban like this.

"Look Harry, we'd better go in and see Mr. Dumbledore; see if he knows anything."

"Who's Harry?" Harry finally said, retching his hand from mine.

"Wha?" I sputtered out, turning to look at him and yell that there wasn't time for these games, when I realized that it wasn't indeed a game, it wasn't Harry at all; it was Alphard. But why had I thought it was Harry? Suddenly my eyes grew wide and frightened, I'd regressed back to the war. I suspected that I had a bit of PTSD but to go fully back and think that I was back in the war was incredibly unsettling, "I'm sorry Alphard, I'm so sorry."

"What, what happened to you?" he asked curiously, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"It, that….I…we still should see what's going on," I said, grabbing his hand again and pulling him into the Hogshead.

"You still haven't answered my question," Alphard whispered furiously as I pulled him down to crouch behind a table near the bar where I had a plain view of the hooded man.

"Shhh, later," I refuted, crawling closer to the man who I noticed was now being joined by someone else.

"Sigurd," the newly arrived man greeted to the seated cloaked one as he joined him and the hooded man gave him a glass with what I assumed to be fire whiskey.

"Peder," the cloaked man responded, nodding his head slightly.

"Have you heard word?" Peder asked curiously, taking a sip of the drink and scrunching up his nose at it.

"I've heard talk, but nothing definitive," Sigurd replied, running his hand over the mark of the Deathly Hallows on his right hand.

"From word around Nurmengard, I've come to understand that Mr. Grindelwald shall be coming for the teacher soon."

"Have you?" Sigurd replied with a tone that suggested his curiosity, "Very interesting…very interesting indeed."

"Yes, Sir it is," Peder replied, "Once the teacher is dead, we should have no one to stand against us. We shall be unstoppable. I have been told that Grindelwald himself is placing guards around the village to spy on the Auburn haired man and we are to report anything of interest immediately."

"I shall keep an eye out," Sigurd replied with a nod.

"You are in Grindelwald's inner circle, surely you will be privy to the interworking soon," Peder replied, suggesting that he didn't actually have any hard facts yet. "I shall take my leave now to avoid any suspicions."

"Don't be overly concerned," Sigurd replied flippantly giving the room's interior a look over and scowling at its run down appearance, "I chose this…establishment with good reason. Even the old barkeep doesn't seem to want to be here." I looked around curiously and realized he was right, Aberforth didn't seem to be anywhere in sight despite the fact that these men were discussing the murder of his brother; though Aberforth always did have a bit of animosity for the late Headmaster.

"None the less," Peder said with a wary glance over the dimly lit bar, "I shall take my leave." Peder stood, brushed his robes off from the imaginary filth, and nodded cordially to Sigurd, "For the Greater Good."

"For the Greater Good," Sigurd replied before Peder took his leave. Sigurd heaved a heavy sigh and ran his hands through his hair before standing and taking another drink of firewhiskey. He showed a look of distaste down at the glass, growled in annoyance at something I couldn't discern and then suddenly smashed the glass, still half full, onto the floor. Both Alphard and I jumped but stayed soundless.

"Idiot," Sigurd grumbled, wrapping his cloak around him tightly and quickly moving from the bar.

Once we were sure he was gone we stood from our previously hunched positions and stretched, my back cracking from the odd position I'd been in.

"What was that?" Alphard asked curiously, his brows knitted together in apprehension.

"Those were Grindelwald's followers," I replied, moving and taking up a seat at a random table, my head moving to lean on my hand.

Alphard sat down in the chair across the table and seemed to be inspecting me, waiting for something more to come from my mouth and answer his questions.

"What?" I finally asked in an exasperated manner, raising my head to eye him. He really did look like Sirius.

"What is all this?" he finally sputtered out, "Who's Harry, why are you tailing random blokes in black robes, what are Death Eaters, who is Aberforth? Did you know they were going after a teacher? Which teacher? What is all this? Who are you?"

I just stared at him as he ranted, his arms waving about.

"I'm Aberforth," a deep voice suddenly stated, causing us both to turn and eye the man glaring down at us furiously, "And just who the hell are you?"

"Oh, hello Mr. Dumbledore sir," I said without much thought, earning an odd look from Alphard and Aberforth.

"Dumbledore, like our Transfiguration Professor," Alphard questioned confused.

"I don't appreciate students letting themselves in when I'm closed and smashing glasses of expensive fire whiskey onto the floor," Aberforth growled.

"What?" Alphard stumbled, realizing what he was implying, "It…it wasn't us. It was someone else."

"Someone else was it?" he questioned curiously, "I don't see anyone else…they invisible?"

"No, they - they left sir," Alphard huffed nervously.

"How incredibly convenient," Aberforth huffed with a scoff.

"Please Mr. Dumbledore sir," I began fiddling with my beaded bag and pulling out a few galleons, "We humbly apologize for the incident and wish to rectify it…"

"No we don't," Alphard huffed, annoyed.

"How much was it?" I continued, glaring at Alphard for the interruption.

"I don't need your pittance girl, just get out," he grumbled and I sighed, nodding my head as Alphard led me to the door. I set down 3 galleons on the table nearest the door as we left the threshold.