Hello! This I recently cleared all my unfinished stories, and am now putting all my attention on my newest favorite pairing of Newt & Hermione! I hope you like it and favorite/follow and REVIEW because I want to know if anyone has any ideas of which direction this story should go in!
77 Years Ago
chapter 1
Hermione Granger's life after the war hadn't been the best-but it wasn't the worst either. Upon returning, Hermione stayed with the Weasleys for the time being, still recuperating from the loss of Fred, Hermione's parents, Claire and Marvin Granger, and the several other who had lost their lives in the war. Truth was, Hermione had taken to Fred's loss very, very badly. During her sixth year, they had started dating, and after months of everyone betting they wouldn't last, everyone finally saw their spark. So after his death, she was devastated, she had lost her spark, They all had each other, and as their whole world mourned, they also began to rebuild. Hermione spent a lot of her time at Hogwarts with Professor McGonnagal, helping to rebuild the castle, and with George, restocking shelves and helping him provide the little joy left in their society to the people. But soon, simply seeing George's face became unbearable.
She didn't have her family but her friends were always there for her; some people didn't even have a replacement for the ones lost. She had a steady job-she was one of the top aurors the ministry had. But while all this was going for her, her life was still, all in all, complete and utter chaos. She wasn't happy for one. She made it through her day, telling herself that she just had to take on one day at a time, yet she still felt like she didn't really have anything to live for. Her friends were one their road to getting married, settling down, having a couple kids, and finally getting their white-picket fence home. To the Hermione before, the white-picket fence home would have been a dream come true. She had her goals, yes, but sixth year Hermione would have given anything to quit the war before it started and start planning the rest of her life with Fred. But that same white-picket fence seemed to be the definition of constriction, and her life the definition of entropy.
She needed excitement. As of now, she had absolutely none. This was partly the reason that Hermione and Ron would never have lasted as a couple. Ron was all for a life of peace, quiet, and a couple of screaming children. But Hermione? She was no longer satiated by that family feel. So, she quit her healer training at St. Mungo's and went off to the Auror academy. Unfortunately, the job wasn't nearly as thrilling as she had hoped. There was the occasional rogue, unaccounted for death eater sighting, but most were just dead ends, reported by paranoid survivors suffering from the aftermaths of war, such as PTSD. They would always go to every sighting to be sure anyway, because there was a murmur of dark witches and wizards regrouping, but this too, was nothing more than mere speculation. The wizarding world had its fair share of criminals, psychopaths, and serial killers, but it seemed to Hermione that after the war, even they wanted peace for a change.
And that, is why Hermione found herself in Minister Kingsley's office the next day.
"I don't understand, dear-I had always pegged you to want a quiet life after everything."
"So did I, Kings. And I wish I still did, but I just can't sit around anymore. I know there's more going on in the world but I can't do anything. It's making me miserable when I should be happy. Why can't I be happy?"
Kingsley was quiet for a moment. "I understand what you are saying, Hermione, but why come to me? Being an auror is just about the most exhilarating job you are going to find right now. And, while I don't want it to happen, in a few years, crime rates will spike again. What will we do without you?"
"I'll be here, when you need me. But can you honestly tell me that you need me now? I am an auror, yes, but none of us aurors are doing anything but following red herrings and slouching in our chairs at the office. I've tried everything, and you've helped me, you've supported me with every different idea or job I have tried to pursue. I'm just," Hermione let out a breath, "I'm just worried that I'm never going to find myself something that will make me find my life worth living for," she finished with a broken voice.
After a slightly teary yet excited goodbye, Hermione apparated to the ministry, where Kingsley was waiting for her.
"Hermione," Kingsley said in attempt to sway her away from the topic, but then paused to reconsider, "I have one, final job offer for you."
Hermione looked up, "Anything."
"Only problem is, it's not on this continent. You'll be far from your friends."
Hermione looked up questioningly, then nodded, "for how long?"
"Well," started Kingsley, "unless there are some major break through in the the science of time turners," he paused again, "permanently."
"Time turners?" Hermione asked, shocked, "I was under the impression they had all been destroyed...I was there when it happened."
"Yes, well, there have been developments. People are so used to the 'excitement,' for lack of better word, of the war, that they are creating it. A time turner has been made, but it is a little different that the others, and it is the only one of its kind."
"How far back?"
"Far. About 77 years."
Hermione stared incredulously. "77 years? Why in Merlin's name do we need to go back so far? Are you trying to change the outcome of the war?!"
"No, no, of course not!" Kingsley calmed himself, "There has been...whispering. Among the elders in our community. They are remembering things, memories, which they are asserting did not exist before the war ended."
"Sometimes trauma can bring out repressed memories."
"Yes, but those are usually from childhood. These are memories of death eater sightings from a time where death eaters did not exist."
"They've gone mad, all of them. The war made them suffer to much, become so terrorized by the death eaters that they still can't find peace. It's the only explanation."
"It's not...Hermione, the elders aren't the only ones with resurfacing memories."
Hermione looked up at Kingsley, "You too?"
He nodded.
"What does this mean?"
"We have discussed this, with some of the previous order members, the one's who are also remembering, and we believe the murmurs of the rogues? They're fact. All of those dead ends we've been having, the sightings were there, but their side must have time turners too. We have outnumbered them and yes, most are in Azkaban but there are some unaccounted for, the ones we did not consider much of a threat, the weak ones, the disloyal, the manipulated, they're still out there, hiding, plotting." He let out a breath, "The truth is Hermione, if you had not approached me today, I would have approached you by the end of the week."
"Why? Why me?"
"You don't have memories of this, the first war. But you also have experience with time turners. You know how delicate, how easily it can be manipulated. There is no one smarter, brighter, better equipped or ready for this job, Hermione."
"I know."
"What do you think? Is it worth the risk, not seeing anyone again?"
"Are you sure, absolutely sure this is a credible threat."
"Yes."
Hermione let out a strangled laugh, "I have nothing, not really. The Weasleys, they're it, but with me around, they can't move on. Every time they see me they think of Fred. And every time I see them I think of the family I could have become a real part of. I need to let them move on and I do too. George is already setting up shop in different countries, trying to get away, Harry and Ginny are going to start their new life together, the rest of the Weasleys are finally settling down, and I think it's time I move on too."
Kingsley nodded sympathetically, "I know, we all do. So, you think you'll do it?"
Hermione swallowed and nodded, "Yeah, might as well," she gave a laugh, "just a question though, why 77 years?"
"That's where the memories start, in 1926, 77 years before now."
Hermione nodded, "Okay, so what do I have to do?"
"Well, first of all, you won't be alone; We don't want to send you off completely by yourself so we asked another auror to go with you.
"Who?"
"Dean, Dean Thomas. You know him, he was in your year at Hogwarts."
This made Hermione feel much better, "Yes, I do. It'll be nice to have a familiar face."
Kingsley started shuffling around papers at his desk and proceeded to pull out a thick binder. "This is everything you need to know and do; most you probably already do know, but they're the unaccounted for death eaters, possible threats, but also information you should know about where you're going and what you need to do. Dean is already an expert on this and I know I don't have to ask you to read it. Oh, and one more thing," he pulled out a smaller book, "Know this book by heart. It'll be a good," he paused, "topic for conversation."
Hermione furrowed her brows, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? I know this book by heart Kingsley...why will I need it? I don't think it would have been written yet."
"It's not...but the person the order trusts with their life to protect and never go to the other side is the one who wrote it."
"Newt Scamander? Am I going to meet him?"
"Definitely, and you will probably get to know him a lot better," Kingsley said, smiling.
"What aren't you telling me Kingsley?"
"Nothing you won't find out soon enough," he smiled, "You need to trust him, and you will be fine."
Hermione then went to the Weasley residence to break the news to her adoptive family.
They were, of course, fully supportive. Were they a little doubtful that it would work? Yes. Did they do everything they could to hide that they weren't completely sure that this would work? Yes. That's what she loved about the Weasleys.
"Will we forget you?"
"Of course not. But if you do, I'm sure I'll find a way to meet all of you again. You know I will."
After a bit of wand waving and help from Ron, Ginny, Harry, and George, Hermione was all packed up and ready to leave to meet Dean at the ministry.
That's all I have for now...and I have NO idea where this story is going but I think it'll be pretty great! How can it not when my two favorite characters (Hermione and Newt) are going to be in it :)I hope y'all liked it and will follow/favorite & REVIEW please!
I'll probably update soon!
~Virason