Past Long Forgotten
Prologue
Written 2002-2003, with Hids

Harry Potter didn't enjoy watching his two best friends fight, but he was used to it. This time it was an argument of which dormitory they were going to hang out in on Christmas morning. Hermione felt that she was hard done by in the fact that every year she had to go to their room.

Ron didn't want to go the girls' dorm - even if it was deserted.

"It's tradition that we hang in the boy's dorm," Ron informed Hermione angrily.

Hermione kicked aside Crookshanks. "But Ron, I am sick and tired of going to the boys' dorm!"

"Harry!" Ron complained.

Harry rolled his eyes and turned his armchair around, away from the merrily burning hearth. "I have three words for you. Scissors, paper, rock."

This seemed to stop Ron and Hermione for a minute. Then Ron said, "What's that?"

Harry expected Hermione to give a long history behind it, but she didn't. Perhaps she just wanted to end the argument or that she wanted to go to the library, because she quickly explained to Ron what scissors, paper, rock was and quickly commenced the game.

"...rock!"

Harry, who had turned back to the fireplace, heard a very long pause. Curious, he turned around again. Ron had stormed upstairs.

"I don't think he won," Hermione remarked mildly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron's temper had not desisted by Christmas Day. He arrived at the girls' dorm half an hour after Harry, a look of deep disgust on his face. Hermione tried her best to ignore him, but sure enough they picked up their argument from where it had left off.

"You're such a control freak!" Ron howled. "Everything just has to be your way, your...your books!"

Harry burst out laughing, but stopped as Ron shot him a glare which reminded him of Professor McGonagall. Harry decided to stay out of it for the most part. Hermione spun on her heel, apparently fed up with Ron's feverish temper. The next few minutes passed by in a painfully slow silence.

Finally, Hermione stormed over to Ron, a commanding step to her feet. As she did, however, she did not expect to fall through the floor.

"Hermione!" Ron cried, all previous emotion gone.

Harry rushed over to the hole in the floor where Hermione had been a few seconds before hand. Ron was laughing now, doubled over and trying to help her up at the same time.

"Ow!" Hermione muttered to herself. "I stubbed my foot on something."

Harry bent over and attempted to pull Hermione up but she wrenched away from him. Suddenly, Harry heard Hermione whisper, "Ooh! A diary!"

This time she took Harry's offered help and pulled the book up with her.

"Great," Ron muttered. "She falls through the floor and finds a book. How like Hermione."

Hermione glared over at him, silencing Ron without a word. She turned her attention back to the front cover.  "Looks very old, doesn't it? I wonder who it belonged to."

There was a pause as Hermione brushed aside a layer of dust off the cover. "Lily Evans. Who is Lily Evans?"

At this name, Harry looked over. "You don't think...?"

"Only one way to find out," Hermione said excitedly.

Ron groaned.

And slowly Hermione opened the diary to the first page.