The rest of the weekend went by with little events. Hermione spent most of Sunday in the library, reading up on the runes she would need for her trunk, and making a list of the potions she should brew while she had so many resources at her disposal.

The first week of class was used to try to gauge where each of the professors were in their curriculums. She shared all of her classes on Monday with the Marauders and Lily, as the Gryffindors usually shared classes with each other, but on Tuesday she only saw them first thing in the morning and right before dinner.

Except for Remus, that is.

Remus's schedule was identical to Hermione's. When she had asked him about it, he said that if he had to choose his career at 17, he would like to be a healer. He was a bit taken aback by Hermione's knowledge of the runes that they were covering in class, but she explained to him that her tutor was a bit ahead of the Hogwarts curriculum. She had even begun Animagus studies, a statement which surprised Remus.

Hermione tried to stay quiet and not draw attention to herself in class. It was the first time she ever sat in the back of the room, on her hands to keep them down. She found herself examining Remus for a while. He just looked so young, and healthy. But at the same time she saw the dark circles under his eyes, and Hermione wondered when the next full moon was. The night sky revealed the bright moon, and she marveled that Remus had managed to go through the day with his transformation only a day away.

The next day, after going to the common room to exchange her books for transfiguration, Hermione headed to the great hall for lunch. Remus had been missing, but the rest of the marauders were in class, and Hermione decided to feign curiosity.

"Where's Remus?" Hermione asked, sitting down at the Gryffindor table next to Sirius.

"Sick," he replied automatically, before looking up and seeing who it was, "'Mione!" he exclaimed.

Hermione winced, "Please don't call me that," she pleaded.

Sirius laughed. "Alright, so it's a no-go on the nickname, got it," he joked, "How are you this fine day?"

"I'm alright, and you?" she replied with a small smile, and Sirius flashed her a million dollar grin. "Fantastic."
"How are you liking Hogwarts, Hermione?" James asked, leaning forward to look at her.

"It's... magical, for lack of a more appropriate term," she laughed.

"On the contrary, it's probably the most appropriate term there is," Lily chimed in, taking a seat across from Sirius.

"Really, it's amazing. I've only ever studied with a tutor... this feels so much bigger," Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat, uneasy with the lies she was telling.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing," Hermione said hastily, her face getting bright red. At Sirius' inquisitive stare she amended the statement.

"Just a bit homesick... overwhelmed. It's a lot to take in." Okay, better. Not a lie. Lily looked sympathetic. "It's understandable, you're a long way from home." "Where are you from," James asked. Lily looked up excitedly.
"She didn't tell you? Australia!"

Hermione was saved by Lily telling all of her friends about her fabricated backstory. She ate her food quietly, trying to ignore the pointed looks from Sirius for the rest of the hour.

When lunch was over Hermione reached to retrieve her books from the floor, but Sirius beat her to it.

"I'll carry these," he proclaimed, offering his arm to her. "Shall we?" he asked. Hermione gave him a reluctant smile, taking it. "We shall."
"So, why did you come to Hogwarts?" he tried.
"You know I've promised not to tell."

"Should have known you were a rule-follower," he grumbled. "Well at least tell me what's eating at you."

"I told you, I'm a bit homesick, that's all," Hermione insisted.

"But what specifically? Was it the food... a friend?" he guessed, "maybe a boyfriend?"

Hermione made a face of discomfort, "Not anymore," she said bitterly.

Sirius raised his eyebrows, not expecting that sort of reaction from her.

"As for friends, I had a few that I miss," she continued, looking at her feet, "I probably won't be seeing them again any time soon."

"Why's that?" he asked, before correcting himself, "Right. Dumbledore's orders."

She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."

He flashed a crooked smile. "Not a problem, love. Just gives me more to figure out about you," he said with a wink.

Hermione scarcely saw the marauders over the next two days. All of them but Remus were in classes, but they looked half-awake through transfiguration and they weren't paying attention at all by the end of double charms. They didn't attend meals in the great hall and were absent from the common room between classes.

In their absence, Hermione went to the room of requirement and performed an undetectable expansion charm on the leather bag she bought, and filled her journal with everything she could remember about the first wizarding war that could help her.

In the evening James and Sirius sat in front of the fire looking exhausted. Peter was on the couch next to them, asleep. Remus emerged through the portrait hole later on, looking haggard but unharmed. He made his way over to the fire where he sat on the floor by Sirius with difficulty, obviously aching.

Hermione bit her lip as she looked at him from across the room. She wanted to help. She knew the basics of the wolfsbane potion, and she wanted to help. The only problem was that she couldn't help if she wasn't supposed to know he needed her help in the first place. Not to mention that altering the past could have dire consequences, and Damocles Belby was supposed to invent the potion in the 80's. And of course, that the potion could be fatal if brewed incorrectly...

"Hermione!" Sirius called, waving her over, "What are you doing over there by yourself?"

"Writing my runes essay."

Remus groaned. "There was a runes essay?" Hermione smiled gently.

"You can look at my notes. It isn't due until class on Tuesday, I just like to get things done early. I'm just about finished mine."

"Seriously? When was it assigned?" he asked. "Yesterday," Hermione admitted.

James laughed, "It seems Moony's met his match!" he said, but quickly shut up upon seeing Remus's glare.

"Maybe I'll be studying with 'Mione from now on," he joked, although it sounded hollow.

"She doesn't like that name," Sirius said, as Hermione stiffened again. James looked up in surprise at his friend.

"Really, it's fine, he didn't know," Hermione said with a tight smile. "But he's right, I would prefer another nickname."

"Why?" James asked.

"It's what someone else used to call me. Someone I've lost."

James instantly looked humiliated. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

Hermione took a deep breath and smiled, "Like I said, it's fine. I'm going to head to bed. Here's my notebook, Remus, if you need it," she said, handing the book over.

Once she was gone, Sirius took the notebook from Remus and smacked James upside the head. "Prat."

"You fancy her," James accused, "If a bird ever told you not to call her something, you'd say it more often."

"Hermione's different," Sirius argued, "look at her face when she hears it, it's like she's in pain. Which is why I didn't ask her about it. Because I'm not a prat!" he gave the notebook back to Remus and went up to the dormitory.

James and Remus looked at each other as he left, "He definitely fancies her," Remus agreed.