September 1, 1991

The hall is full of children's voices. They sit along the four rectangle tables, talking amongst themselves, the golden plates bare before them. I notice a few of the older ones glance this way at the high table, their eyes jumping over me as they look at the other professors. Just as well, I do not want to look at them. The table to my far right bursts out into laughter and my lips twitch. My House is loud, but not obnoxious like Minerva's. Regrettably my eyes flicker over to the table on the opposite side of them room, my lips pulling back into a sneer. Gryffindors are horribly annoying.

The large door at the far end of the room swings open and in walks my colleague in her emerald green robes. The irony of her color choice is not lost on me and I smirk to myself. She leads a group of eleven year olds down between the two center tables, stopping when they reach the stairs to the head table, where she turns to face the crowd.

"The Sorting Ceremony is ready to begin," Minerva announces in her crisp voice. "When I call your name, come up and sit on the stool. I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and it will place you in your house."

There is a murmur from the students as Minerva unties the scroll in her hand and calls out the name of the first student. Abbot, Hannah- Hufflepuff. The first one usually is. I settle back in my chair, determined to make myself look as bored and uninterested as possible, when the truth is quite the opposite. My black eyes search the group of children carefully until they land on a boy with a mop of black hair and brilliant green eyes. Those eyes flash to my face and the boy presses a head to his forehead. Beside him, a ginger asks him a question. Harry Potter replies without breaking eye contact.

"Granger, Hermione."

Impossible.

I look away from the boy who looks far too much like his father for my liking, to watch as a girl with bushy hair climbs the stairs to Minerva. Her face is round with childhood, her curls a mane about her features. She settles herself onto the stool, a look of determination on her face as the hat is placed on her head, slipping past her honey eyes. Honey eyes that I recognize just as well as the green.

My hands grip the arms of my chair far too tightly as I continue to stare at her. My breathing is shallow, my heart beep irregular. I should look away, I am no doubt drawing attention to myself. But I cannot. I will not. Albus can deal with me later as he pleases. This girl is a memory. A memory from my days as a teenager; one that certainly has no business being in my present. She is, at the very least, five years younger than she was when I first laid eyes on her.

"Gryffindor!"

The girl jumps up with glee, removes the hat and hurries to the table which has erupted into cheers for her. Hermione Granger. She should have given me a clue when I last saw her. A hint so her presence would not have startled me so much. So I could have prepared myself for her.

A flash of blue catches my eye. Albus is looking at me intently, curiosity swims in his blue eyes and I swiftly look away.

"L-l-look, it's Harry P-p-potter," Qurriell stutters beside me. "I m-met him in D-diagon Al-alley. Did I-I t-tell you that?"

"Yes," I drawl, forcing myself not to roll my eyes. "You have told me, and every member of the staff, at least twice since we arrived here for the start of term."

"Oh, r-right. S-sorry, Severus," he murmurs before turning from me to engaged Flitwick in conversation.

I smirk as Draco Malfoy is proclaimed a Slytherin. The hat had barely touched his head before yelling out his House. In all honesty, there is no other place for him. He is not nearly smart enough to be a Ravenclaw, nor kind enough to be a Hufflepuff. And he is as cowardly as his father. Slytherin was the only option for the young Malfoy.

Just as Gryffindor is the only option for Potter. I sneer as the Weasley twins erupt into a chant of, "We've got Potter! We've got Potter!" As if the boy could belong anywhere else.

The rest of the ceremony is long and boring. My eyes cannot help but flicker back to the girl in Gryffindor; her mouth is going no stop, no doubt asking her endless amount of questions. Her voice is no doubt not as mature as the voice I recall, but I can still remember it, despite the years that have done by.

Albus stands and gives a short introductory speech, where he formally announces the stuttering buffoon beside me the Professor of Defense against the Dark Arts. Qurriell has little to no experience with anything remotely dark. He should have just stuck to Muggle Studies; at least he was good at that.

When the food appears on the table, the students act like animals the way they scarf it down. I notice the look that passes across the girl's face and hide my smirk in my drink; it is identical to the one she use to give me years ago.

I do not allow myself to look at her for the rest of the meal.

September 2, 1991

"Severus, a word please."

I turn to look at Albus and find he is not alone. Minerva is present as always. They both look at me like disapproving parents and I glare back like a child. With a jerk of her head, Minerva turns and begins walking to Albus's office. Albus stays put until I begrudgingly follow.

We climb the stairs to the Headmaster's office. I do not sit at one of the chairs in front of the impressive desk. I am not a child. When Albus raises an eyebrow at me, I lower myself to the armrest, refusing to go any lower. Minerva pushes her lips together before sitting down in the chair beside mine.

"I believe you know why I need to speak with you, Severus," Albus says as he glides to his chair. "Hermione Granger has returned to Hogwarts, and in her own time."

"I am aware."

"Then you must also know how delicate this situation is," Minerva says. "And for Merlin's sake, sit in your chair, Severus. We are all adults here."

I stand and walk to the opposite side of the room, crossing my arms as I go. Minerva lets out a grunt and crosses her legs, annoyed.

"Minerva is right, Severus, this is extremely delicate. Miss Granger must not know that you know her from her past. It is imperative that she does not discover the truth until the moment she is sent back in time. If you show her the slightest bit of uncharacteristic kindness-"

"You can't be suggesting that he torment the poor girl, Albus!"

I turn to Minerva with a raised eyebrow. "Would you suspect anything else from me, Minerva? I have a certain reputation among the students. One that is completely well deserved, might I add."

"I will not allow or condone the bullying of one of my students." Her lips are a thin line, her hands clasped tightly together on her lap. Her eyes are narrowed.

"I am not saying Severus be especially cruel to Miss Granger, Minerva. That would be a completely irresponsible action for me as Headmaster. I just want to be certain that Severus's past with the girl will not affect her future. Miss Granger was sent to the past under unusual circumstances and we must do our best to ensure her safety."

"She could have at least told me when she was coming," I mutter, unable to keep my frustration to myself. "It would have saved me the heart attack I nearly suffered in the Great Hall."

"She was right not to tell you," Albus scolds me. "Had she given you the slightest hint you would have been far too distracted to do your job. Besides, she acted on my orders."

"Your orders?" I cannot keep the anger from my voice. "What do you mean your orders?"

Albus does not react to my anger. He stands to look me in the eye, a calm opposite to my rage. "When Miss Granger first landed in our past, she came to me for help. When I told her that we had to wait until the effects of the… well let's just say the cause of her being sent back in time to wear off, she asked for my help to ensure nothing would alter the future. I instructed her not to tell another soul about her travel through time, including telling me anything more than what I needed to know to protect her."

My lips twitch when he mentions making Granger swear to secrecy.

"Why did she tell you, Severus?" Minerva questions. "I knew you two became close, but Miss Granger was, and is, an intelligent girl. What on earth did you do to her to make her tell you her secret?"

"I did nothing to her. She volunteered the information freely." It is only a half-lie. "I understand how important my treatment of her is. My past experiences with the girl will in no way affect my ability to teach her. You do not have to worry about me."

Albus holds my eyes for longer than I deem necessary, but I do not back down.

"Very well. You may go, Severus."

I exit the office and descend the stairs quickly, eager to get away from Minerva and Albus. They are far too smothering for my tastes. I stalk through the corridors until I reach the stairs to the dungeons. I fly down the stairs and continue along my path to my chambers. I force the image of a young woman with chestnut curls and honey eyes from my mind. I do not have time for memories.

AN: I'm back! Sorry to my readers who I promised a new fic too ages ago! My brain has been filled with writer's block and my days filled with college classes. I cannot promise the quick updates of Practicing Potions and I am very sorry for that, but I will attempt once or twice a week! Perhaps I will have random bursts of creativity, but until that time, I'm afraid you may just have to wait for a little while in between updates.

Anyway, I hope you have a fantastic day! It's good to be back :)