The carriage stopped on the street outside of 12 Grimmauld Place- the residence which could potentially become her home and place of work if everything went well and according to plan today. The young woman stepped out of the coach and straightened her smart grey jacket. She picked up her briefcase, squinted into the sunlight, and walked up the stairs to the front door.
She no sooner raised her hand to grasp the knocker when the door was opened by a bitter-looking, old house-elf.
"Kreacher is to bring the schoolmarm shrew to Master Sirius." He croaked as he stepped aside to allow her entry.
"Kreacher! That is enough!" A man with wavy brown hair and twinkling grey eyes stepped into the hallway. "Hello, you must be Miss Granger. My name is Sirius Black. And this old coot is Kreacher." Sirius straightened his housecoat and extended his hand to his guest as Kreacher grumbled and shuffled past him deeper into the house.
"Its a pleasure to meet you, Mister Black." Miss Granger accepted his hand and quietly gasped as he brought hers to his lips.
"The pleasure is all mine, my dear." He mumbled against her knuckles. "Now, if you'll follow me to the library, we can have a seat and go over your credentials." He led her through the entry hallway and into a room lined floor-to-ceiling in books. Sirius sat down behind a large mahogany desk and motioned for her to sit on one of the chairs directly in front.
"So, Miss Granger, why do you think you'd make me a good governess?" He leaned back in the brown leather chair and propped his boots up on the desk.
"Well, Mr. Black, I-" Miss Granger fiddled nervously with the handle of her bag.
"Sirius, love. Just Sirius."
"Right, well, Mr... Sirius." She corrected herself at his raised eyebrow. "I am excellent with children. I have some Mediwitch training along with experience in Muggle first aid techniques. I achieved top marks, in fact, the highest that Hogwarts has seen in yea-" She was cut off by a boom.
"Excuse me a moment" Sirius got up and strode out of the room, leaving Miss Granger to take in her surroundings. He walked back in a few minutes later with a mud-covered little boy slung sideways under his arm. "Congratulations, Miss Granger. You've got the job." He deposited the boy in a heap at her feet. "Meet your charge- Teddy Lupin."
"Who are you?" Teddy stuck a muddy finger out at the young woman and demanded.
"Kid, what have I told you about pointing?" Sirius scolded. Realizing he was letting his frustration shine through, he corrected, "That's no way to charm a lady, now is it?"
"Girls is yucky."
"I'm not just any girl, Teddy." Miss Granger leaned down to his level. "I'm your new friend, Hermione." She stuck out her hand for him to shake. He looked thoughtful for a moment, trying to determine whether she was telling the truth, when he nodded confidently, grasped her hand, and shook it exaggeratedly.
"Wanna play potions?" He asked.
"Maybe later, Teddy. Hermione and I have some details to discuss. You run along, and please try to stay out of trouble..." Sirius sighed as Teddy looked crestfallen for a moment, before running out of the room, presumably to do the opposite of what Sirius asked.
"Do I really have the job?" Hermione looked hopeful.
"Yes. And you start immediately. You can owl for your things to be sent over. I have a few extra bedrooms so you may have your choice."
"Oh! Thank you so much, sir! I promise I will do my best to prepare your son for his-"
"He's not mine."
"-future in the magical world... What? I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."
"I said, he isn't my son." Sirius tipped his chair forward and leaned on the desk. "I'm merely his guardian when his father is away on... business."
"Oh... is his father away often?" Hermione's brain processed this new bit of information.
"Yes, unfortunately. He is away for at least week every month. The rest of the time he is in and out. We are actually expecting him home any day now." Sirius explained as thinly veiled curiosity shone through Hermione's eyes. "Well, come on then. Let me give you the grand tour."