After washing up, trying to sleep without the security of her wand had been a nightmare. Several, in fact. Her body was too drained to avoid resting but, once there, her mind was trapped reliving painful memories and even worse imagined scenarios.

When her cell door finally opened again, James found her sitting curled in a ball in the corner with her still-ripped jacket spread over her knees.

"You lied." She accused dismally.

"What?" James looked startled and perplexed as he shut the door behind him, locking them both inside.

"You said you would fix my jacket." She repeated, not bothering to move or lift her head from the stark white wall beside her.

For a moment, he appeared contrite, but then he shoved his hands in his pockets and stood before her cocky and unashamed.

"You could have asked Snape before he left last night. He should have fixed it for you since he's the one that cut it up in the first place."

"He wasn't the one who offered to mend it." Hermione gave him a level stare, unamused. "You did."

A staring contest ensued that went on longer than it probably should have. Since both were stubborn Gryffindors, it lasted until James eventually sighed and bent over to carefully slide her tattered jacket off her lap.

While he stood methodically patching the sliced bits back together with his wand, Hermione decided to broach a subject she had been curious about but hadn't thought was wise to mention earlier.

"I know why I trust Snape," She started, "But why do you?"

James paused in his mending but didn't look up.

"I don't, really. Lily does." He went back to fixing but his wand movements were more rough and agitated. "Ever since we went into hiding it's like she has nothing left to distract her from how much she misses him." His lip curled as if he had a bad taste in his mouth.

"Was that why you didn't attack him at Godric's Hollow last night?"

"When I ran out to confront You-Know-Who, I shouted to her that I was going to call for help. I called for Sirius." James tossed her repaired jacket back at her, shoving his wand in his pocket. "She apparently decided to do the same. What I don't understand is why she didn't call Moody or Dumbledore. Why him?"

He wiped his face harshly in frustration but it didn't completely muffle his words as he mumbled, "Why is it always him?"

Growing up, everyone had tried to convince Harry that his parents were madly in love. Maybe they had been. But for those long months in hiding, James and Lily hadn't been allowed to communicate much with anyone; things might have been changing.

Maybe Snape hadn't been the only one pining over lost friendship.

"I called the meeting." James interrupted her musing.

He duplicated the chair in the middle of the room and set the copy across from it before plopping himself down heavily. He waved one hand with a pompous flourish to indicate she get off the ground and take a seat.

"Quite a gentleman, I see." Hermione grumbled but slowly eased herself up and shuffled over to collapse in the pretty chair.

Concern flickered across his face along with shame so she was unsurprised when he asked, "Still hurt from yesterday?"

"The actual injuries are healing but excessive magic use takes time to recuperate." She sighed and wrapped herself in her jacket again. The room was a little too chilly for just a camisole and thin shirt over jeans. James' worried expression didn't ease. She took pity on him and said mildly, "I'll be fine."

"Is the meeting happening soon?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject. "Is that why you're in here with me?"

"No," He shook his head. "The meeting isn't until tonight. Dumbledore -"

"Are you serious?" She yelled, forgetting her exhaustion. "Time-sensitive information. That is what I told you." She punctuated her words with a viciously pointed finger stabbed in his direction.

"It's not up to me!"

"People are still in danger!"

"You-Know-Who is dead!" James roared, leaping up from his chair to tower over her. "We have time now to -"

"He's not." Her voice cracked and she stared at him imploringly.

"What?" His posture wilted and he sounded dazed.

"He's not dead."

"But I was there! I watched you burn him alive." James shoved his hands into his messy black hair, knocking his glasses askew. "What are you trying to say?"

"There is more to it than that, James. That meeting needs to happen immediately. Everyone needs to be brought in. The Longbottoms are still in danger."

"It isn't over." He whispered.

She shook her head sadly and repeated apologetically, "It isn't over."

…

Two hours later, Order members were still trickling in to Headquarters. Some were wearing what looked suspiciously like pajamas but, as a muggleborn, she had often found it difficult to understand the odd fashion choices of wizards. Hermione suspected it was still the early hours of the morning since many members were bleary-eyed and threatening to venture out in search of tea.

From the number of glares directed toward James and Sirius, Hermione began to wonder if they had used Howlers to wake everyone up and force the meeting. She felt more sure that was the case when she caught Sirius trying to hide a wicked smirk behind his mug while he slurped obnoxiously.

When he had walked in that morning Sirius appeared much more composed than he had the night before. He had sauntered straight over to her with a confident smile.

"You'll see, little witch." He'd calmly asserted. "When Peter joins us, you'll understand that what you suggested about him is impossible. We'll have a great laugh then you can apologize and all will be forgiven."

Hermione had nodded meekly in reply, not yet willing to argue and be the cause of more pain. She knew Sirius was a smart man. If he wanted to believe in his friend until the last possible moment, that only showed what a remarkable person he was. That stalwart devotion to those he loved was part of the Sirius she remembered but now he practically glowed with it. With James firmly by his side, bitterness and fear didn't seem to touch him, instead they slid away like water off a duck's back.

However, while Sirius turned to greet a yawning dark-haired woman who shuffled in, Hermione saw that James didn't appear quite so sure of a positive outcome. The dark circles under his eyes were in stark contrast to his wan complexion as he rubbed his brow wearily. The grimace fell away from his lips immediately when Sirius glanced back at them but the tense muscle in his jaw remained. Whatever his doubts, James was doing his best to hide his own fears and spare Sirius while he could.

The two reminded her sharply of herself and Harry. She had always been painfully realistic but adored that once Harry grew to care for someone, he was unflinchingly loyal to the end. It was surprising to see Harry so much in Sirius when everyone had always assumed he was more like his father.

The grumbling newcomers largely ignored her, seeming unsure what to think of an unrestrained battered woman in their holding cell. As the only one seated, Hermione felt at a terrible disadvantage. Sirius had scooted her chair into the farthest corner from the door after banishing the bed to give everyone more space to move around but she still felt they were all too crowded. When she mentioned it to Sirius, he rolled his eyes but started arranging stools around the edge of the room.

While most of the group tried to politely shuffle around each other to find a seat, the two Marauders set their chairs neatly beside hers but remained standing. She didn't delude herself thinking it was for her protection or out of solidarity. They were probably there to monitor her. Self-appointed guards, ready to protect the Order from the unknown stranger.

Hermione heard the door open again just before another familiar voice started cheerfully wishing everyone a good morning. She managed to glimpse the tell-tale Weasley red hair and felt a little comforted that Arthur had arrived. He seemed to come alone, so Molly must have stayed home with the children.

"Anyone still not shown up?" Arthur raised his voice to ask the group. Heads swiveled and someone started mumbling numbers, presumably counting the members present.

"Dung isn't here." A young and lanky man wearing Auror robes announced helpfully. If she wasn't mistaken, he looked like Kingsley Shacklebolt but with a full head of springy tight curls.

"Well, I didn't call him," Sirius groused unabashedly, "He's a nasty little weasel. I figured you would, Prongs."

"I don't like him either. I thought, if it turned out we really needed him, someone could fill him in later."

"That probably won't be necessary." Hermione cut in, swiftly drawing the attention of the room. "Mundungus has his uses but he really shouldn't be privy to what we must discuss today."

"It would seem we're still missing Remus, Moody, and Dumbledore." She briskly announced in a businesslike tone. "Minerva is needed at Hogwarts with the Headmaster away and Hagrid is there helping to guard the grounds. Peter Pettigrew is … otherwise engaged though I'm sure we'll be seeing him shortly. And the Longbottoms should still be in hiding, correct?"

She had overheard James mentioning earlier that Lily had begrudgingly agreed to stay with Harry until something else could be worked out. The other people she would prefer to have attend weren't technically Order members yet in this timeline.

"Who told you so much about us?" Arthur asked, wary and distrustful. Then he shot Sirius and James censuring looks. "Dumbledore is aware you've told her so much, right you two?"

"That is part of what we will be discussing once the rest of the Order arrives, Arthur." Hermione smoothly tried to placate but sighed despairingly when she saw her accidental use of his name had only made him more nervous.

"Remus is still on a mission." Sirius explained over the murmuring of the group. "He's been off doing something top secret for months. Who knows when he'll come back."

"But he needs to be here for the meeting." She retorted waspishly, quickly losing her patience.

"Dumbledore said he's needed elsewhere and won't recall him just for a single meeting."

She was silent for a moment, though inside she was seething. Of course, Dumbledore wouldn't want to bring him in when he had such a loyal werewolf undercover. He didn't care that Remus was too much of an alpha to properly integrate with the established packs. He didn't care about the unavoidable fights and attacks Remus suffered, all for shreds of heresay. But she did. Well then, she would have to take matters into her own hands.

"May I have my wand back?" She politely requested as she spun to face Sirius, "Just for one spell. I promise."

He narrowed his eyes at her for a long moment before reaching into his back pocket. "It's against protocol but, then again, I saw you nearly kill yourself defending my little godson."

He sighed as he came to a decision and held her wand out to her, handle first. "I'm trusting you here. Don't make me a fool, witch."

She nodded solemnly and the instant her wand was back in her hand, she conjured her Patronus. Her body jolted when she saw it but she carried on and dictated a message for it to take.

"Moony, come home. Padfoot and Prongs need you. The Prongslet is safe for now but the Phoenix must rise as one."

The room full of Order members was silent as the bright wisp streaked out of the room. A few looked perplexed while several of the older members seemed affronted that she would go against Dumbledore's wishes.

"Girl, that's not your place -" began one ornery voice that she promptly ignored.

"How could you know," James muttered under his breath, more to himself than to her. "Only Sirius calls Harry that…"

"He'll be here." Hermione announced firmly then shoved her wand back at a gaping Sirius.

She primly settled in her corner chair and stared at the floor tiles with her lips set in a grim line. She crossed her arms tightly, attempting to hold back the anguish that sparked at seeing a shimmering puff of smoke where her otter should have been.

"Your Patronus isn't strong enough to form it's corporeal shape?" Sirius asked gently as he watched her quietly strain to hold herself together.

"Not anymore." She whispered.

Abruptly, the sterile white door was thrown open by a rough-looking man. It slammed sharply into the wall and rebounded, nearly bowling over the brightly dressed, reedy wizard who followed closely behind.

"You think you can summon me with a Howler and get away with it, boy?" Alastor Moody bellowed as he loped into the room. His brawny figure was significantly more intact than she had ever seen but his manner was just as caustic. "You call us here, Black, when we have word there has been some sort of attack in Godric's Hollow!"

He continued grumbling loudly to himself, "Bloody menaces can't even respect our holy days. 'Preservers of Our Wizarding Culture,' my poxy arse!"

He quickly rounded on James. "And you, Potter, what's this I hear of you taking your family out of a perfectly good secret location and then traipsing around in the dead of night! The protection charm only works if you remain where you're told to be! Otherwise, it's useless!" Moody harangued them both, waving his arms, before noticing her seated between them.

He shoved Sirius lightly in the shoulder to move him out of the way and reached out to do the same to James. His swing went wide as James side-stepped to avoid it. Moody towered over her chair with a predatory stare. He was well known for being merciless and now his first look at her was while she was wandless and evidently apprehended in an Order interrogation room. She met his gaze unwaveringly and did her best to remain calm.

"Who's this you've got for us?" Moody's smile was all sharp teeth and vicious eyes. "I'll get more information out of her than you two could. A good round of the Cruciatus will loosen her tongue."

Sirius and James both discreetly palmed their wands and inched closer to her protectively. Hermione felt a little comforted that they didn't seem to approve of Moody's suggestion. Maybe she had been wrong and they truly were there as her defenders.

"Now, Alastor," Dumbledore's deceptively caring voice rang out. The reedy wizard had followed Moody's dramatic entrance and smiled benignly as he slid away from the door where he had been watching. "I think this woman may be willing to answer our questions without the use of violence." The twinkle in the Headmaster's eye was conspicuously absent as he turned to address her.

"Young woman, would you care to explain?"

Moody and Dumbledore were formidable even when you were their ally. Though they were vital members of the Order of the Phoenix, both were intrinsically Gryffindors who could easily jump to the wrong conclusion if provoked. They had the ability to be wise but tended to fall back on what was most expeditious regardless of morality. She deduced that cooperation would be key but lingering exhaustion and anger kept her on edge.

"My name is Hermione Granger." Her eyes were wide and alert but she kept her face composed and her voice steady. She tried not to shrink away from the pair of older wizards as they crowded her. "I came to help. I have foreknowledge of certain people and key events that -"

"So she's a snitch. Turning on your Death Eater friends, are you, girl?" Moody taunted.

"No, I -"

"Moody, you mentioned word of an attack at Godric's Hollow last night?" Sirius abruptly interrupted from her side, changing the subject and earning a challenging glare from Moody.

"Aye," He answered begrudgingly after a tense moment, "Ted Tonks alerted us to possible Death Eater activity in the village. He was first on the scene after reports of a hellish duel came in. Bright lights, explosions, someone screaming like a banshee, but no Dark Mark in the sky. There's just one perfect circle imprinted in the grass. Completely obliterated within but not a leaf singed without. Sounds like dark magic to me. Says he found some rocks there or something." Moody shrugged noncommittally at the last.

"That circle is where this woman stood to defend my family" James announced. "And where she ultimately struck down the Dark Lord."

Gasps and several shouts of relief peppered the room before Dumbledore pushed himself into her space. With his bearded face uncomfortably close to hers he asked, "How?"

"The culmination of years of research, an adapted ancient ritual regarding Multiverse Travel and Displacement Theory, and an Adamantine Circle." Hermione baldly confessed with a strong voice and a hard, unrepentant stare.

"There are dire consequences when meddling with time." Dumbledore squinted at her, seeming to take in her appearance. "The only known recorded ritual that could potentially bring you here as you are with any memory intact is very dark magic indeed."

"Wait, are they talking about time-travel?" Sirius asked in an awed whisper. "Prongs, is she honestly saying she's from the future?"

"You consider the dark arts an acceptable avenue in order to get what you want, young woman?" Dumbledore tested her, his eyes searching her face intently while something forbidding simmered under their surface.

"Survival has taught me that grey is an acceptable middle ground between the dangerous naivety of dark and light." Hermione lifted her chin and kept her expression just shy of the glare she wanted to deliver but couldn't resist a sardonic finish. "Sir."

Shocked silence reigned throughout the crowded cell. If it was due to her announcement or her seemingly inappropriate sarcasm, she was unsure. Even James and Sirius looked at her oddly. Though she saw their growing curiosity when they both turned to consider the Headmaster's reaction as he straightened and took a step back.

In this time, Dumbledore was seen as a hero, a savior who selflessly fought against Grindelwald and won. However, she couldn't forget how he willfully ignored the abuses Harry suffered and manipulated all of them over the years. His 'greater good' rhetoric would never excuse rampant child endangerment.

"Why have you come?" Dumbledore's voice rumbled, full of power and warning.

"It took us nearly seventeen years from now to end this war." Hermione shook her head in morose exhaustion and tried to explain. "There was too much loss of life. The balance of power in our society was gone. Just because we won, it didn't mean anything when the remaining Death Eaters were cut loose and at large. There weren't enough surviving Order members to keep anyone safe."

"But the Aurors - the Ministry!" Elphias Doge piped up from the back, his face was white with horror.

"Infiltrated and proven useless long before the real fighting even started." She bit out, still resentful of the derogatory lies and misinformation that sprouted from there to poison the minds of the populace.

An elegant woman with long, vaguely familiar dark hair raised her hand several seats away. She wiggled her fingers and gave a quirky little wave when she saw she had her attention. "Pardon me. I'm Emmeline, though hopefully you already knew that unless I died a grisly early death."

Her words were macabre but her pale face displayed thoughtful curiosity when she inquired, "If you are to be believed, you killed You-Know-Who quickly and without any help last night. Why did it take us so long to defeat him in your time?"

"I didn't kill Voldemort last night." Almost the entire group cringed and hissed in reaction to the name. "I only destroyed his body."

"Merlin, witch, you aren't making any sense!" Yelled an irate older wizard wearing a polka dot suit.

"Voldemort has Horcruxes." Hermione declared grimly. As she expected, there was no light of understanding in anyone's eyes but Dumbledore's. His ruddy cheeks turned ashen as he shut his eyes tightly behind his spectacles and held his wand in a vice-like grip.

"You're saying he has more than one." The Headmaster whispered. His sickened tone alerted the rest of the room that, whatever that meant, it was unimaginably horrible.

"In my time, he had seven." She looked around at the assembled members, seeing their confusion and fear. "Luckily, so far in this time, he should only have five."

"What about the prophecy?" James asked. His voice was calm but tension radiated from his stiff shoulders as if preparing for a blow.

"The prophecy only applies to its own universe. Technically, I'm not from this one. Therefore I'm basically a free agent."

"You weren't originally tethered to our universe," mused Dumbledore, "so by coming here as you did, only you had the ability to thwart the prophecy that bound the rest of us."

"I believe if we destroy the horcruxes before anyone can inadvertently help him regain physical form, the prophecy will then be entirely avoided. If it hasn't been already." Just the thought of it made her want to sigh in relief. Maybe this time Harry could get his wish and be an average kid with loving parents.

"The moment I came to change was not only regarding Voldemort's destruction last night." Hermione attempted to clarify. "That would have happened, to a degree, without my involvement. I came to try to stop the sixth Horcrux from being created. The repercussions would be unbearable. This way, we have the best chance of speeding up the time frame for his ultimate destruction and minimizing impending casualties."

"Speed up the time frame how?"

"In my time, it took you years before you were sure Voldemort created Horcruxes. Then, it was still years after that before you sent my two friends and I to hunt them." She avoided the urge to glance at James or Arthur and sat up straighter in her chair.

"I know how to destroy Horcruxes and I know where most of his are hidden. There is only one that's location I am unaware of but that is where you come in, sir." She looked to Dumbledore again. "In my time, you retrieved one Horcrux on your own and never left information on where you found it."

Dumbledore was beginning to appear more intrigued as he twisted the end of his ginger beard. Hermione felt concerned he might try to retrieve the ring on his own again only to end up mortally cursed just as before.

"Horcruxes fight back, sir, and that one in particular is cursed as well. I will caution you that by going after it alone in my time, you left yourself open to its attack." She waited for his blue eyes to meet hers. "Ultimately, it killed you, Headmaster."

Dumbledore held still, deep in thought, and Hermione could only hope he would listen to her.

She continued firmly for the rest of the group. "This time around, I require those of you hunting Horcruxes with me to do so in groups. At the very least, in pairs."

"'Require', hm?" Moody groused and shot a look to Dumbledore which he ignored.

"'Demand' is a word that would also work, if you prefer." She gave a tight smile that didn't reach her steely brown eyes.

"Now," Hermione continued in an authoritative tone, "Our most immediate concern is protecting the Longbottom family in the coming days."

"They're in hiding." Moody grumbled, narrowing his eyes on James with lingering displeasure.

"Yes, however the moment Frank and Alice step foot outside, several of Voldemort's most trusted Death Eaters will ambush them. Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange along with Bartemius Crouch Jr."

"Barty's son?" Arthur asked incredulously. "Poor fellow."

"His father is the Head of the DMLE!" Sirius loudly added in surprise. "Moody, that Death Muncher's father is your boss."

"This is an opportunity." Hermione stressed. "Organize a team to shadow the Longbottoms while they pretend to leave. Then when they're attacked, we can be there to stop them from being taken to the second location. We can capture four pivotal enemies in one afternoon."

"You have an awful lot of demands, missy, and so far I see no proof." Moody interjected quietly. "Why should we believe any of this?"

Hermione bit her lip for a moment, contemplating her options.

"I think I have a way to show you my memories of the version of history we are to avoid."

"You want to use a Pensieve?" Moody sneered. "Dumbledore and I will look first. I want to make sure this isn't a trick or a waste of time."

"No," She corrected, "I believe I have formulated a way to show all of you at once. A Pensieve Room, if you will."

"Have you truly devised all of these new magical theories yourself?" Dumbledore's dispassionate tone belied his skepticism.

"When I was thirteen I was so ahead of my classmates that you yourself convinced the Ministry to grant me the use of a personal Time-Turner," Hermione smirked, "simply to attend more classes."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose comically but he finally looked at her with a more amenable expression.

"Once you have been able to ascertain my truthfulness, I would like you to consider a partnership between you and I." Hermione proposed with undisguised candor. "You are a very powerful and wise wizard, Headmaster, however everyone has their failings. I would like to be there to help steer you away from your's."

"You presume to know my shortcomings, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore spoke so gently it was almost a whisper but there was no doubt of his growing offense.

It was a low blow but she would rather avoid airing all of the abuses she knew him capable of in front of their allies. She simply said in a clear voice, "Ariana."

A choked gasp from the corner of the cell drew their eyes to Aberforth Dumbledore. He quickly collected himself, wiping the grief from his face to glare at his brother.

"Listen to her Albus. Maybe she will save you from yourself."

Dumbledore remained silent and stared at the wall as his oppressive magical aura seemed to dim, leaving the crowded room to feel colder and more empty than before. Guilt assailed her but if this blunt approach is what it took to redirect his path away from seeing others as little more than chess pieces, it would be worth it.

The cell door opened wide, garnering the room's attention, and a tall brown haired man entered briskly rubbing his palms together.

"Hello, everybody!" Frank Longbottom crowed happily. "Heard there was a meeting and I couldn't sit still any longer. What are we up to?"

"Sirius, he can't be out unprotected!" Hermione cried, jumping up from her chair to grab his sleeve.

"But I thought you just said you want to use him to -"

"Yes, but he just wandered in here without -" She cut herself off and sighed in frustration. "Fine. Now's the time then." She turned back to face Moody.

"Would you mind leading a team to shadow Frank before he goes back to his family? You're most qualified. It may take a day or two to draw them out but it will be safer for all of us once those four are locked in Azkaban where they belong."

"Who the hell made you the boss?" Frank barked incredulously. "Alastor, what in Merlin's name is going on here?"

Moody sent a questioning glance toward Dumbledore and was rewarded with an imperious nod. He heaved a sigh that sounded more like a growl but began to follow her directions.

"I'll fill you in on the way, Longbottom. Hop to it Black. Vance, Caradoc, you're with us as well." He swiveled back around, pushing Frank ahead of him. Sirius quickly followed behind Emmeline and the surly polka dot wizard.

"Moody." Hermione called out to the Auror as he stepped out the door. He stopped to scowl over his shoulder at her. "Constant vigilance."

He squinted at her, assessing, and tilted his head to the side to reply almost pleasantly. "Wise words, those."