Disclaimer: I do not own
Playing God
Chapter 3
"And you know that this wizard did it, how?" Kingsley had asked when Sirius and James brought Hector Lone in, still unconscious and hovering in the air, James wand pointed lazily at him, not really caring if he banged his head against the edges of the many fireplaces that lined the main corridor.
"Oh, he said 'Jacob Gregan fell like the coward he is under my hands. The pure-blood sadist had what was coming to him and I will be remembered.' That kind of gave it away for me." James said, letting Lone fall to the floor with a bang as he moved his wand away, stopping the flow of magic. "Of course, being the amazing Auror's that we are, we'll give him veritaserum just to really make sure he wasn't imperio'ed to say it and then, because you love us so much, you can give us the rest of the day off?" James finished hopefully, his hazel eyes going wide behind his glasses and Sirius snorted in amusement.
Kingsley raised his eyebrow at James and crossed his arms over his broad chest, "well let me think, you're the only two Auror's who are actually working today and I can guarantee that you'll be needed again before 8:00pm when Giles and Willis take their shift…So no, you can't have the rest of the day off. Interrogation room three is available."
James sighed wearily and ran a hand through his black hair, making it stick up even more and glared at Hector Lone. Sirius laughed and clapped him on the back, pointing his wand at Lone and lifting him in the air once more. "It was worth a try, man!"
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Together, Hermione and Rosmerta walked up the marble stairs to the majestic Gringotts bank and Hermione realised what a nice woman Rosmerta really was. She was warm and bubbly and had a great sense of humour. She put her in mind of a more easy going Mrs Weasley and she felt a pang in her heart as she thought of the Weasley family and the devastation that ripped them apart.
"Right then, let's find that goblin." Rosmerta said, standing on her tiptoes and looking over all the counters, "he must be here somewhere...Ah, there he is! Griphook!" She shouted, startling Hermione slightly as Rosmerta moved through the crowds of people, waving her hand over her head and Hermione saw the goblin looking up slowly, glasses perched on the end of his nose, his black coal eyes fixed on Rosmerta as she hurried towards him, Hermione following in her footsteps.
"Griphook, I'm glad I've found you!" Rosmerta said happily, "this young lady here needs a vault." She gestured to Hermione who smiled lightly. Despite having a vault her before she had never actually met Griphook and wasn't sure how to respond to the goblin.
Griphook surveyed her lightly before turning and walking to a large white desk and clambering up onto it, raking through a solid gold box full to the brim of keys.
"How much money do you have?" He asked, extracting a large bronze key that was about the size of Hermione's forearm and seemed too heavy for Griphook to be able to carry.
"300,000 Galleons." Hermione mumbled, not wanting others to hear her. It wasn't all hers, most of it, if not all, was Harry's and everyone had thrown in some of their money for her and she very grateful for it. She had no idea how much apartments cost in these times, but she sincerely hoped that it wasn't such a large amount.
"Name?" He asked her, scribbling on a piece of parchment.
"Hermione Jean." She and Remus had thought it best that they don't change her name. It'll confuse her while she's here and the name barrier will stop Sirius truly getting to know her, because she might act differently under a different name. To avoid confusion when she eventually met up with her younger self, she dropped her last name.
"This way." Griphook told her, jumping from the desk and slowly making his way to the vaults, gesturing for them to follow. Rosmerta grinned at her and took off after the goblin, chatting to him about new drinks that the Triwand were getting in as they climbed into the cart.
They reached vault 826 and the cart, thankfully, came to a stop and the three of them climbed out. Griphook explained to her all about the amount of money she could have and, if it exceeded a certain limit, the precautions that would be taken to protect it as he opened the vault, the key screeching as it rubbed against its lock counterpart in protest of disuse.
After she had deposited her money, she and Rosmerta left the bank and headed to the apartment complex that Remus had told her about in the future and that Rosmerta told her about that morning.
"You know, Remus is lovely. He's bookish as well I think you two would get on great." Rosmerta said with a teasing smile, "and don't be swayed by Sirius' charms. Yes, he's handsome and yes, he is oh so charming, but he is a bit of a player, honey." Rosmerta warned in her warm, motherly way and Hermione smiled, nodding lightly. She already knew that and it was her job to kick him out of that state of mind and focus instead on her.
This was going to take a long time. Hermione had never been comfortable with her own looks but she knew how to use them – she'd had to, to get Cormac McLaggen to 'date' her in sixth year to annoy Ron. So, it wasn't entirely impossible.
"Here we are." Rosmerta said happily and together, she and Hermione entered the small courtyard.
Hermione had to admit, it was very beautiful. The apartments were circled around the courtyard and Hermione counted only three apartments. There was a spiral black staircase that moved like an escalator that led to the upper floor with another four apartments. Hermione liked the simplicity and the seclusion of it.
After viewing the apartment, she and Rosmerta apparated to the realtors and she propositioned for the apartment. Because of her bank statement (that Griphook had given her) and her willingness to get a job, she got the apartment without even trying and she was a little surprised at their willingness to give it to her.
"Hermione," Rosmerta said as they apparated back to the Triwand, "I didn't ask this before out of courtesy," she explained, moving to the bar and grabbing two glasses and placing them on the bar, turning and reaching for the Firewhiskey. "But I'm nosey. You came out of absolutely no-where with no past history and no family or friends." She said, pouring out the golden liquid and she pushed the drink towards her, taking a long gulp of her own. "What's your story?"
Hermione sighed mentally. She had wondered how long it would take for that question to be asked and she reached for her drink. She and Severus had come up with a reason for her appearing out of nowhere and never having gone to Hogwarts.
"It isn't anything glamorous." She started, looking deep into the golden liquid in her glass – she had always had a trouble with lies, but she was adapt at using them if the occasion called for it. "I'm a muggle-born and when I turned eleven I got my letter from Hogwarts and me and my family were shocked to say the least. Then I got a letter from Beauxbatons."
"How come?" Roserta asked her, leaning against the bar opposite Hermione, "I never got one from there."
Hermione bit back a sigh and bowed her head, letting her coffee coloured tendrils fall around her face, almost like a veil. "No, I don't suppose you did. It's because my family has a summer house out there – they own a dentistry, that means they attend to people's teeth," she explained quickly after seeing the confused look on Rosmerta's face, "and I'd used magic in France – unknowingly, of course. Beauxbatons clocked it, traced me and offered me a place. I accepted."
"What made you go to Beauxbatons, honey? What was wrong with Hogwarts?"
"Ah. Here comes the issue. Beauxbatons is a girl's school. My parents weren't comfortable sending me to a boarding school which had boys as well as girls. Besides, France was my mother's favourite place in the world and because of my school, she and my father moved there. Hence the reason I'm here by myself."
Rosmerta nodded slightly, her hand coming to rest on top of Hermione's over the bar, "I understand, honey. You're missing your family, aren't you?"
Hermione smiled sadly, hating the vision of her parent's that filled her mind. Thankfully, her parents were still alive in the future and the lie she was telling Rosmerta now wasn't truly a lie – her parents were in a different country. They lived in Australia, unaware that Hermione even existed, away from the death and torture of Muggle's and Muggle born's and the death and destruction that plagued the Wizarding World. "You could say that. But I'm used to them not being around. I know it sounds bad, but having non-magic parents sort of creates a barrier between us."
Rosmerta sighed in an echo of Hermione and patted her hand once before turning and grabbing a small, white Apron that tied around her waist. "What do you say to a bit of dinner? Then we'll go job hunting!"
After the amazing dinner that Rosmerta had cooked up for them in what felt like seconds to Hermione, reminding her securely of Mrs. Weasley, they left the Triwand again in search of a job. Rosmerta mentioned working at the Ministry (they were always hiring in there) but Hermione remembered Remus' determination that she go work in the book store. Although why, Hermione didn't know; wouldn't she see Sirius more often if she, too, worked in the Ministry? Still, as much as she wanted to follow what her head was saying and agree with Rosmerta, she realised that Remus had specifically said the bookstore for a reason, so Hermione went with that.
She realised why the second she pushed open the door. Standing there behind the counter was the person that she really shouldn't be surprised to see and yet she was. His light brown hair was neat and combed and pushed off of his pale face, which had slight, thin scars and his black robe was more of a dull grey and was slightly shabby. She was looking at a nineteen year old Remus Lupin.
Hermione smiled in pure relief – if she got the job then she would be spending her days here with someone that she knew…Even if he didn't know her. Yet.
"Hello, Rosmerta." Remus greeted her happily, running a hand through his hair briefly, his eyes flicking to Hermione. "I know you. I saw you last night." He said, holding his hand out. Hermione took it with slight hesitation, unsure how to act around this younger, happier Remus. "I'm Remus Lupin."
"Hermione." She said simply, letting a small smile pull at her lips. "I've come to apply for a job here."
"Ahhh," Remus said in an almost knowing tone, reaching under the counter for a piece of parchment that Hermione realised was a form that she was to fill out, "this should take you no more that five minutes." He said, handing it and a red quill over and she started filling it out, hesitating at questions such as Previous job experiences and Previous income.
After filling it out, she handed it back to Remus who took it with a lopsided grin and ran a critical eye over her answers. "You live in the apartment opposite mine," he said, frowning slightly, "just moved in?"
"Yeah, I got it this morning." Hermione said, feeling a lot more apprehensive about lying to Remus. He simply nodded at her answer and reached for his wand, tapping her application with his wand once before it glowed golden and the crème parchment turned a nice, coppery colour. "When will I find out if I've got the job?"
"Right now. You're hired." He grinned at her, shaking her hand once again. "Can you start work tomorrow?"
Hermione stared blankly at Remus and slowly nodded her head, confusion settling in her stomach slightly. "Wait…Just like that?"
"Just like that. See you tomorrow, Hermione." Remus said before going to assist someone in the back of the bookstore.
"Well, isn't that lucky?" Rosmerta said happily and she led Hermione out of the shop with a gentle hand at the small of her back.
It was all becoming a bit suspicious to Hermione, there was no way that she just happened to be involved (however marginally) in a case that Sirius was working on and no way that she was just handed a job and apartment. This was too easy and she was going to get to the bottom of it.
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Waiting around was probably the worst part of being an Auror. It drove Sirius to insanity most days – well, everyday. They had brought Lone in at 11am. It was now 4pm and they had yet to interrogate him. Sirius groaned and threw a quill at the wall just for something to do and nearly hit James in the head as he walked through the door.
"Hey! Don't mess up my beautiful hair." James frowned, but Sirius could tell (which is what nine years of friendship does to you) that he was only just joking and that his anger wasn't real.
"Well, I wanna take my frustration out on something that the world won't miss." Sirius said smugly and he barked a laugh when James' face practically fell at his words. He reclined back in his chair and linked his fingers behind his head, picking his feet up to rest on the edge of his desk.
Before James could retaliate (in other words, throw his spell-o-tape at him) a paper aeroplane soared through the open door and landed with precision on James' oak desk as Kingsley popped his head around the door.
"Well, it looks as if Lone is good and ready to talk. What do you say to some interrogating?" Sirius could have kissed the man at those words and he eagerly leapt out of his seat. With a shake of his head and a small smile, Kingsley left them.
"Come on, Potter, let's show this brain-dead fool how it's handled when Potter and Black are on the case!" Sirius shouted, posing with his balled fists on his hips, his head held high and James stifled a laugh.
"Sirius, you make no sense as a human being." James chuckled, opening the paper memo on his desk as he pushes the chair back before freezing, half-way between sitting and standing, his eyes wide and comical and Sirius thought that he looked a bit like a chicken getting ready to lay an egg.
"James, what are you…?" The joke that Sirius had burning on the tip of his tongue eases as he notices the panicked look in James eyes behind his glasses as they scanned the hastily scrawled words on the parchment before him. "James, what is it?"
"Lily. It's Lily, she's…Merlin, she's at St. Mungo's!"
"What? Why?" Worry for his best friend's wife, a part of his family, settled heavily in his stomach as he tensed up.
"She collapsed at work. I have to go, I'm sorry, but I have to go." He scrambled to stand up right, nearly tripping over the leg of his chair as he practically ran around the desk.
Sirius nodded slowly, his lips pursed into a tight line. "I'll cover for you. Let me know, alright?" James nodded and clapped him on the shoulder briefly before running from the room as if his feet were made from rockets. Sirius leaned against the edge of his desk his thoughts straying to Lily and a hope that whatever it was it wasn't life threatening. James would never recover.
"Auror Black?" He looked up to see a beautiful witch with flaming red hair that curled over her shoulders and a bright, dazzling smile. "Hector Lone is ready to be questioned. Didn't Kingsley come and tell you?" She asked, looking confused. "Where's Auror Potter?"
Sirius didn't even bother to pretend to be happy and instead, breezed past the witch - when one of his best friends was in trouble, here was the last place that he wanted to be.
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James apparated in the lobby of the magical hospital and, with desperation seizing his heart like a metal fist, ran to the reception and was thankful that, for probably the first time he's ever known, that there was nobody waiting to be seen, otherwise he wouldn't have any trouble getting his star out.
"Lily Potter! Where is she?" He practically yelled at the receptionist and she raised her eyebrows at him, unfazed by the volume of his voice.
"Are you family?" She asks icily, flipping idly through some files, looking as though she'd rather be anywhere but here.
James exhaled loudly through his nose and his grip on the counter turned his knuckles a pale white. "She's my wife."
"Room 432. Third floor." She said slowly, not even bothering to look at him fully and he didn't spare her another look, just ran through the corridor and up the stairs – he couldn't stand the thought of being in a lift right now, just stopping and letting himself think about what was happening. He bursts through the door leading to the third floor and nearly hit a Healer in the face with it. With a hurried apology he ran down the hallways, dodging people as the golden numbers on the doors flashed by before he got to room 432.
He didn't even knock. Just opened the door and stepped inside, his eyes landing on Lily immediately who was sat cross-legged on the end of her single-bed, her bright red hair in a messy ponytail, her body wrapped around in a pink quilted dressing gown as she hummed to herself, flipping the pages of a book slowly, a smile on her face.
James walked into the room, his panic and desperation was being doused, as if someone had just poured cold water over them and he fell to his knees beside her bed. "Lily…" He said, his hand cupping her face as she looked at him, her green eyes bright. "What happened?"
"Oh, James," Lily said and James felt his heart constrict again, not being able to override the worry that was filling him up inside.
"What happened?" He asked again, letting his fingers rub over the smooth skin of her cheekbone again.
"James, I'm pregnant." She said happily, gently reaching for his other hand and placing it on her stomach. James blinked vacantly at her, trying to process the words as he stared at her, his eyes sliding down her body to where his hand rested on her stomach.
"Pregnant?" He echoed, his brows coming together lightly, "as in, with a baby?"
Lily laughed lightly, running her hand through his black hair lightly, scratching at his scalp with her nails. "Yes, James. With a baby. A real baby." She shook her head in amusement and finally, Lily's words sunk in.
"YES!" James shouted, punching the air and jumping to his feet, doing some strange Irish jig before grabbing Lily around the waist and spinning her in mad circles, her laughter echoing off the walls of her room. "Wow, we're going to have a baby…Our baby!" Suddenly he stopped and lowered Lily so her feet touched the floor. "Woah, shouldn't have done that! Are you okay?"
Lily shook her head again and leaned onto her tiptoes, pressing a gently kiss to his lips. "Are you joking? I'm fantastic."
"I have to go and tell everybody!" James yelled with glee and ran from the room again only this time, his motions were powered by joy rather than fear.
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Hector lone had confessed (With Veritaserum), James was going to be a father and Sirius had the day off tomorrow. So far, this was turning out to be a pretty good year.
"How far along is she?" Remus asked as they all sat around their usual tale in the Triwand. It had been Sirius' idea to go here and Remus and Peter hadn't questioned it, but James' raise of his eyebrows told Sirius that James knew his real reason for going here.
"6 weeks." James grinned, resting back in his seat. "Oh, life is good!"
Sirius grinned and headed over to the bar to order them drinks. Unfortunately, he was the only one who didn't have a curfew. Remus was working tomorrow and training a new employee, James had to get back to Lily (who was thankfully back at home now) and Peter was seeing his grandma tomorrow, and he really didn't want to show up at her house with a raging Hangover.
He waved at Madame Rosmerta, who winked joyfully at him and grabbed four glasses, filling them to the brim with the golden liquid of Firewhiskey as sliding them across the bar to him. "Rosmerta, where's Hermione?" He asked over the volume of the crowd. For some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about the brown-eyed girl and his thoughts had strayed to her more than once that day.
"She's upstairs in her room, sweetie. She'll be moving into her own place, soon." She said conversationally, leaning against the bar, giving Sirius a nice view of her creamy skin and cleavage before a burly wizard with sandy coloured hair grabbed her attention.
With a dog like grin, Sirius tilted his head at Rosmerta before picking his way back to the table just as his three best friends burst into laughter. "Thanks, mate!" James said, nodding in appreciation as he knocked back his drink. Sirius chuckled lightly as he collapsed in his seat, facing the staircase to the rooms to let upstairs. He leaned one arm on the table, his fingers wrapped around his glass as one leg lifted and the heel of his black boot hooked around the edge of Remus' chair.
"Why don't you go upstairs and see her?" James asked, wiping his mouth as Peter and Remus looked at them in slight confusion.
"See who?" Peter asked.
"This girl that Sirius met yesterday and he can't get enough of her." James sniggered and Sirius rolled his eyes.
"I don't have to take this." Sirius said, thankful for the semi-excuse of going upstairs, "if anyone needs me, I'll be in room number four."
"Oh trust me, I think we'll wait till you come downstairs." Remus sniggered and Sirius pointedly gave him the finger before weaving through the crowd (the Triwand was exceptionally busy today) and walking calmly up the stairs.
He wondered, briefly, why he couldn't stop thinking about Hermione as he knocked on her door, but her answering it seemed to answer his question.
She was stood before him in flannel pyjamas, her hair in an extremely messy bun with not a lick of make-up on and she was so stunningly beautiful. Her big brown eyes framed with long eyelashes showed her confusion at seeing him stood in the other side, leaning against the doorframe with his thumbs hooked around his belt loops of his jeans, and her cupid bow lips were pulled into an 'o' of slight surprise.
"Sirius…What are you doing here?" She asked, stepping into his line of vision fully and Sirius smiled warmly at her.
"To see you." He answered truthfully, "can I come in?" He gestured with his head to the room and Hermione stepped back, opening the door wide. "Thanks, love."
When he set his eyes on the room, it was a total mess. It wasn't neat and tidy like it had been but instead, it seemed as if everything that she owned (which to be honest, wasn't actually a great amount) was thrown all over the place.
"Er, is this a bad time?" He asked, smirking when his eyes caught sight of one of her bra's thrown haphazardly over the bed.
"No, I'm just looking for something." Hermione frowned slightly, her eyes raking over her possessions before sighing and turning to face him.
"Maybe I could help?" He offered.
Hermione shook her head, a tendril of curly brown hair falling from behind her ear and she brushed it away with her hand impatiently. "No, I don't actually know what I'm looking for."
"Uh-huh," Sirius raised an eyebrow and smirked when he saw her skin flush a dull pink colour.
"Did you want anything in particular?" She asked, sitting on her bed and pushing her clothes off of it to make some room for him. Sirius was a little sad to see the red bra disappear.
"Maybe. What do you say to a date?" The words spilled out of his mouth before he could really think about them. Beside him, she stiffened and froze at his words and he tried not to be worried by it, but the feeling of unease crept along his spine. She was going to say no.
"I don't know, Sirius. I mean, I only just moved here and I don't –"
"Okay," he cut her off, placing his hand gently on her shoulder, "how about, instead of a date, we just meet up for drinks?" If he had to build the relationship slowly he would do.
Hermione smiled lightly, which showed him that she much preferred that idea than to jumping into a relationship. And Sirius realised that that is what it would be – Hermione didn't seem like the type of girl to have a one-night stand and, if she was, he would be a teeny bit disappointed.
"Okay. When were you thinking?" She asked, rubbing at her nose slightly, her brown eyes twinkling.
"How about tomorrow? I have the day off." He shrugged like it was no big deal and leaned back on his arms, swinging one foot slightly to give off the air of casual elegance.
"I'm at work tomorrow." She frowned slightly and Sirius's eyebrows rose in surprise. "How about after? I think my shift end when the shop closes."
"Where do you work?" He asked and frowned when her skin began to flush again.
"Err…Flourish and Blotts, the bookshop in Diagon Alley. I got it this morning."
Sirius sighed as he realised that she was the employee that Remus had to train tomorrow and he also felt just a small twinge of jealousy. She and Remus would be with each other practically everyday and that stirred something foreign inside him. "Okay. It's a date. Or not." He corrected at seeing Hermione's slight glare.
A/N: Hey! Sorry I got this up late! I don't really have an excuse, so forgive me anyways?
Sorry to the people who reviewed Chapter 2 that I haven't replied to! My compyter isn't recieving e-mails to tell me that I actually have reviews and it won't let me reply to them on here right now - but the second that I can, I will :D
Oh, also, I know that Beauxbaton's is a co-ed school and so is Durmstrang in the books, but to make it a bit easier why Hermione went to Beauxbaton's, I followed the films image of Beauxbaton's being all girls and Durmstrang being all guys :D
Thanks for reading!
Kelly
xxx