Chapter Text
It had been a year—twelve months of running and hiding. Dumbledore’s mission had failed. Harry wasn’t fully prepared to fight to win. The Order had fought but failed. She had watched almost everyone die one after the other. Harry fell at the battle of Hogwarts and Ron shortly after. Their spies had been able to arrange an exit but it meant that they were exposed. McGonagall had managed to secure the escape for the young Muggleborn, who almost certainly would have died.
Once she was out of harm, she was rushed away to a safe house established under wards. During the year, though, people had been picked off. Supply runs had whittled down their numbers.
Malfoy and Nott had been the only other Order member to make it to the safe house. They acted as spies and had the security of at least being able to pass as a follower.
She would get a spike of anxiety every time they left. She wouldn’t last long if she were the last one left. If they could just make it to the end of the day today, they could try and change it, to change it all. She had already completed her mission. She went into the Muggle world wearing a disguise. She left her usual wand at home and instead brought a secondary black market just in case a trace was somehow applied. Her goal for her mission was to obtain her most precious childhood object was required as a part of the ritual.
When they started exploring the possibility of this last dash, a hail-mary plan started while Minerva was still with them. Theoretically, it should take them back and plant the boys within their families in that timeline. Lucius would be Draco’s brother rather than his father. He was not looking forward to Abraxas being alive. His grandfather was a hard man with harsh standards he expected from his children. Theo, hopefully, would be born earlier. She secretly hoped that meant he would get more years with his mum. After hearing what his childhood had been like, she didn’t think she could blame the young man if his father had a sudden and unexpected death.
Hermione, however, couldn’t be born into a Muggle family. Not this time. That would make working with Draco and Theo, especially early on, not just difficult but almost certainly impossible. Then Draco found a spell in his family grimoire. A ritual that would allow a witch and wizard to complete a blood adoption on a Muggleborn. A dark and dirty secret they didn’t like to talk about. Desperate parents with a squib for a child would sometimes steal a Muggleborn infant and present it as their own. Hermione suspected this might be the groundwork for the changing myths. The practice died out after the Statute of Secrecy was implemented.
Minerva had completed the ritual. Legally and magically, Hermione Granger was now Hermione McGonagall. A change that Malfoy had difficulty adjusting to, especially at first. Not that he would have minded, but his ‘father’ and ‘brother’ certainly would. If the calculations were correct, she would be born a late and probably unexpected pregnancy for the forty-five-year-old Transfiguration Mistress and her much older husband.
Nervously Hermione tapped her foot, waiting for either to show up. She couldn't go on this trip without them but also couldn't rescue them if the plan failed.
They had nothing left. This was plan z. If this failed there was nothing else. Their one comfort was you had to be crazy or desperate to attempt the ritual. Each of them would have to slit their own throat and would end up bleeding out over everything collected for the ritual. If that wasn't enough the few people who claimed to have attempted it all ended up in the Janus Thickery ward or hunted for their ‘prophecies’
“I'm offended, Granger.” Malfoy’s familiar voice announced from the door. “With a face like that, we will think you expected us to fail.”
“McGonagall or Urquat,” she absentmindedly corrected as she scanned both boys for harm.
“We are alive and successful, Mother,” Draco claimed, entering the small living room tiny cottage.
Theo grinned and added. “Father broke a few ribs when I insulted Snake's face.”
Hermione gave him a displeased look. “You are supposed to have self-preservation, Theodore! Honestly, I should leave you to heal the muggle way.” She had admonished. “Everything would be lost if he killed you,” she said, tears filling her eyes. She didn’t know if they were tears of empathy, frustration, anxiety, or some mix of the three.
“How sweet. We didn’t know you cared.” Draco commented as he sat and put a stuffed dragon on the coffee table.
“Of course, I care, Malfoy. You two are currently the two best friends I have in this world.” She pointed out, a teasing filling her face. It may have started strained but the three of them had been directly working together for three out of the last six years.
Theo grinned as he put down his contribution: a small dog toy the abused and neglected child had managed to rescue. He, too, was keyed up with nerves.
Hermione’s heart broke all over again for her friend. She hated he had to experience a second childhood with his monstrous father.
Quick and efficiently she set up the rest of the rituals contents. Sigils were drawn within the circle they had prepared the day before. As they died in this life hopefully they would be reborn in the past. If they could kill Snake Face before going mad it was a successful.