DISCLAIMED
Fandoms: Harry Potter, Final Fantasy X(10 Years before initial storyline)
Pairings: Hermione/Sirius, possibly Rikku/Auron
Rating: Mature (Eventually)
Summary: A twist on the Hermione as an Unspeakable and retrieving Sirius from the Veil. Nothing is what it's meant to be. This'll change all that. Crossover with the Final Fantasy X world, Lord Braska's period. May contain Rikku.
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She was falling. She had given much thought to how she would die during the war, seeing as she was always a target, being Harry Potter's most loyal friend and a Muggleborn. But all the scenarios she'd tortured herself with had included a great deal of pain before she went. But there was nothing. A sea of black; then gray turning gradually to beige. Her last thought before everything became a blinding white was is this what Sirius saw?....
-Chapter 一
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Hermione supposed it was her fault; becoming an Unspeakable, researching and studying the 'mechanics' of the Veil for years. Harry still never spoke of Sirius. He was with Ginny now and happy, she supposed. But there still came that dark look anytime he was remotely mentioned.
The war was over, as was school, but Hermione still felt the unwavering loyalty to her first real friend in the wizarding world. Perhaps it was a sort of life debt, for though Ron knocked out the troll, she knew the scrawny black-haired boy was the one to come running to her rescue that fateful day.
Ten years later, she just wanted to take that haunted look from his eyes. She wanted to remove it before it became as worse as Sirius' own, before he fell.
Hermione was convinced that Avada Kedavra was the only curse that one couldn't return from or undo. As she was there that night, Hermione knew Bellatrix had definitely not used the curse and felt if she could unlock the mystery of the Veil, she could either restore Sirius or give Harry the closure he never had for once again another lost father figure.
But she ran into problem after problem. First, there was an unbreakable magical confundus charm on it that made a magical scan of it impossible. Though it had never been possible before, she wondered if Muggle technology would be able to pick up something. It was a long shot but she had to try. Which meant she had to convince the powers that be to allow her to either move it out so she could put it in a Muggle laboratory or bring in a Muggle device to examine it. The Minister of Magic had no problem with it, it was once it was leaked to the rest of the staff and the Wizarding World that she had problems.
She'd had the biggest row with Harry of all people about it.
"Can't you just let it go?" Harry frowned. "Sirius is dead. We all know it. Accept it and move on."
Hermione glared. "Take your own advice Harry and maybe then I can."
Harry turned away. Hermione immediately softened, stepping closer. "Harry, they've never used Muggle technology before. Believe me, I've searched the documents. This could finally give us some answers and closure."
He stared at the ground unseeing for a moment before turning to look at her. "Alright. But I don't want you to make me forget. I need to be able to remember to check up on you – I'm not going to lose more of my family to this."
Hermione nodded. "Only you then. Thank you, Harry."
Five years later, she felt she was close. Which was why she now stood in her Muggle laboratory in the depths of the Ministry's Department of Mysteries on Halloween night. Ron had called her mental before Luna had distracted him as she made her excuses from Harry's party. As she was an Unspeakable, Ron forgot entirely about her leaving before she was out the door. Harry let her go, knowing there was no stopping her and said he'd check up on her in the morning.
Now, as she stood going over the most recent schematics printed out from her latest scan, she shifted in her tight costume. Ginny had bugged her about wearing something slutty this year and was disappointed when Hermione chose to play Britain's female version of Indiana Jones, Lara Croft. That is until she saw how much cleavage and mid-drift the video game character showed. And how tight her clothing was.
Hermione rubbed the back of her neck as she straightened, grimacing as she tugged at her shorts. Biting her lip, she frowned at the print-outs. They showed unusual fluctuations of magical activity. From studying the past documented disappearances into the Veil, she noted a pattern of this happening roughly every ten years after such a happenstance. So that it was happening was not a surprise. It was the why that was bothering her. With Muggle technology, they'd been able to take sonar readings and other than the one other magical flare (an employee actually brought his cat to work), this was the only time it had showed anything. And not just anything, actual landscapes.
After discussing it endlessly with her assistant, Charlie Hamil and then with Harry somewhat, she concluded it was possible that the Veil was not a portal to the afterlife, but to other worlds. Farfetched maybe, but then what was not since she'd entered this world?
Hermione argued with herself whether she should really risk it or not. Her assistant was not here as she had given him the night off. If the portal was open, she knew there was only a small window left to enter it and who knew if there were many worlds or just one. If she waited for the next opportunity, it could send her somewhere entirely different than wherever Sirius went. But how would she get back?
She knew she should somehow be more concerned about that. Really, this was all to get Sirius back. But since her life had become this, well…her only joy in life was the next discovery. Harry was slowly moving on, had married Ginny and seemed happy enough. Luna had finally gotten Ron to take notice and they were engaged. Everyone had a life but her. She lived and breathed her work.
The truth was, this other world drew her. It was compelling her to make irrational decisions and she fought to stop the impulse. However it was too strong. Her mind raced with all the horrible places she could possibly end up. Hell. Purgatory. Those were first in mind. Then her chest ached at the thought of Sirius being trapped there, after thirteen years in Azkaban. Could Fate be so cruel?
She had to know. Before she realized it, she was standing directly before the Veil. The accursed spot where Bellatrix's curse zapped her cousin and stole his life. Unsteady, her hand lifted of its own accord, reaching out. The flat of her hand merely brushed the wavering air, and she gasped hearing a distinct 'Hermione' amongst the babble of voices. Ever since the final battle of Hogwarts, she'd been able to hear the voices Harry first mentioned.
Startled, she took a step back. However, she suddenly felt woozy and stumbled. She tried to right herself, twisting her ankle as she did. As she straightened, she winced in pain and hobbled sideways.
"Bugger," she breathed, catching the frame of the Veil to stand up. Glancing around, she realized she'd left her wand on the desk. Slowly, she hobbled her way over to it. Before she could make it very far however, a powerful gust of wind proceeded a loud rumbling. Hermione eased around, her eyes widening at the massive dark cloud billowing out of the Veil. She let out a scream as an ugly head full of eyes and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth came straight at her.
Covering her face she ducked, but it did not save her from being sucked forward. And then there was darkness, and she was falling.
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Sirius was many things but he was not generally a patient man. That nonsense was Remus' thing. Actually, he believed his friend learned patience from dealing with his and James' antics growing up. But Remus was not here and it was Sirius who had to deal with the unruly group of drunk Yevonites.
You might be wondering what exactly a Yevonite is, and the best Sirius could tell you would be trouble. Religious nuts that felt all machina, or machinery, was evil and those who used it were sinners. They were almost worse in their beliefs than the Pureblood propaganda he grew up with.
Right now, they were in his bar, three sheets to the wind and were what looked like cutting up his table with a dagger.
"Ye want me ta handle 'em?" asked his burly young bartender, Garret.
Sirius shook his head, waving him off. Wiping his hands, he made his way around the bar to the commotion.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," Sirius greeted.
The men all looked up at him.
"I trust you've had no problems with the drinks, have you?"
One shook his head. "Damn fine brew."
Sirius smiled and nodded. "Then I will thank you to not destroy my furniture."
The men looked to where he nodded to the man sawing away at the table before him. The man turned to him innocently.
"I's only doin' you a favor. It's got Al Bhed writin' on et!"
Sirius nodded. "That may be, but I would like to be the one to handle it, if you don't mind."
The man frowned in belligerence. "See now, I don' think I like yer tone."
"Well, seeing as I'm the proprietor and you are not, I only care what I think about customers butchering my establishment."
A smart fellow in the group noticed Sirius' icy tone while his friend did not. "Shane, we best be gettin' on anyway."
"No," Shane argued as he stood abruptly, almost falling over.
The tavern had gone quiet, everyone turned to watch the drama unfold, as it were.
His other friend caught him, steadying the belligerent drunk.
"I am the customer. You can't talk ta me tha' way," he slurred out.
Sirius merely crossed his arms, an amused look on his face.
His friends grabbed at him as Sirius leaned in close.
"You smell of a donkey's ass and you have the face of a pig. Now get the fuck," he breathed, his tone deadly, "out of my bar."
The man was obviously too drunk to recognize him, but his friends knew better. While Shane sputtered angrily, his friends dragged him out by the arms, him being too drunk to do anything about it.
Sirius watched them leave before turning about. As soon as he saw everyone watching him they all turned back to their business. Sirius headed back to the bar, nodding at Garret. He'd spent his time in this new world gaining a reputation. He was fearsome to men, mysterious and desirable to women and children played at being him.
His front was owning the bar. No one questioned that he was anymore than that and only a select, and trusted, few knew what he really did.
Leaving the bar to Garret, he headed for the cellar. As he reached row upon row of wine and booze, he pulled on a seemingly random bottle. He released it as a section of the cellar swung inward before stepping through.
He strode through a long corridor, before entering a small torch-lit chamber by pushing aside a tapestry. He released his hair from his queue and strapped on his gun holster and sword sheath. He checked his gun's cartridge before slipping it in its holster and then sliding his newly sharpened sword into its spot at his waist. He finished by pulling on his knee-length black coat. He brusquely adjusted the collar as he gave himself a once-over in the wall mirror. Turning he headed out of the small antechamber and into a larger one.
Groups of men sat about going over maps, or cleaning their weapons, or playing cards. They came to attention when he entered. He scanned them, seemingly bored.
"Captain Black."
Sirius looked to his right to see his second in command, Rhys. He was of one of the wealthier families before Sin took his family and wealth in one fell swoop. Sin being the massive being that showed up randomly to terrorize and decimate Spira. He was fifteen when Sirius fell from the sky right in front of him and had no one. They sort of bonded, as Rhys sported black hair, like his Godson. He taught him the ways of Spirans and Sirius repaid him by claiming him as his own to avoid the lad being put in foster care. This world was no kinder to orphans than his own.
"Rhys," Sirius nodded, looking around. "Report," he muttered.
"The Omega Ruins are proving difficult. Something about an underwater Sin like monster."
Sirius nodded slightly, studying his men. He'd had little to do stuck in Grimmauld place for a year that he'd perfected his Legilimens before he 'died.' It was why he was so good at keeping his operations a secret; he always knew who to trust.
"What about the Southwest Islands?" he asked quietly.
Rhys grimaced. "The Al Bhed are still giving us trouble."
Sirius frowned, glancing at him. "The Al Bhed know I have no quarrel with them."
"Yes, Captain." Rhys agreed. "But they don't believe the men when they say they work for you. Plus," Rhys made a face. "The last Sin sighting was near there."
Sirius sighed and nodded. That meant he'd have to go himself. Which he had no problem with, except that to keep his cover and thus his operation going, he needed to appear at the bar more nights than not. And a trip that far south would take a few days if not more.
"What about the Kilika crew?"
"They're expected back tonight…" A loud commotion cut him off.
Looking towards the main exit, they saw several men enter shoving what looked to be a woman between them. They caught everyone's attention as they brought her before him, bound and gagged. She felt to her knees in the dirt, glaring up at her captors.
"What is the meaning of this?" Rhys asked angrily.
"Bleedin' bird fell ou' of the sky." One man said, yanking off her gag. He glanced up at Sirius. "Poked out Nole's eye and nearly took off me head when we wouldn't tell 'er where ye were."
Rhys frowned.
Sirius blinked. "Me?"
He glanced down at the woman and noted she was staring at him slack-jawed.
"S-sirius?"
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A/N: Alrighty, so if you are intrigued and want more let me know, or just Story Alert it as I like to write the two chapter before I post one, just to be sure of continuity. I think I've finally found an angle on this couple that I can stick with. As for ages, the Veil has had a peculiar effect on Sirius' as it restored him to his proper age before he was thrown in Azkaban, so he appeared in Spira with the body of a 25 year old and now appears to be 35. If that doesn't fit exactly with canon, I don't care.=P
As for Rikku, I like her with Auron. And we may see them in this story in the same way we see Hermione suddenly in this particular time period and world. Same deal as Sirius/Hermione, older male/young female. Please feel free to wikipedia FFX if you're not familiar with the characters/world. All mistakes are mine.
