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"I'm listening." Sirius stated, shutting the door behind them.
Raising a brow, Hermione looked around the decently sized bedroom. It appeared Arcturus Black was incorrect, apparently, all the Marauders plus Lily owned a cute little house in the middle of nowhere. When Hermione had voiced her surprise, James had smiled at her cheekily and stated that they wanted a little independence but it was still one of the Black properties. Apparently, the Alphard Black had left all he owed to one Sirius Black last year when he died. They swore that it was heavily warded, dear Uncle Alphard was a wiz at wards better even than Orion and did them himself. After they had entered she realized quickly the amount of extension charms on the place which apparently house 8 bedrooms.
"Why Sirius." Hermione said in a sickeningly sweet voice, fluttering her eyelashes at the wizard. "Is this normally how you treat a girl when you bring her home. For shame."
Chuckling Sirius sat on the bed, motioning for her to sit wherever. Looking around she found a small chair that sat by a lit fireplace, the chair was red and fluffy. It reminded her of the Gryffindor common room. The Chair was unfairly comfortable, Hermione decided as she sat. "Trust me kitten, if I was bringing you home like I do my normal birds you wouldn't be talking." Sirius answered his grey eyes dark. "You'd be moaning now, I'm listening."
"You should silence the room jus incase." Hermione muttered her face red.
"No worries, the room is warded with silencing spells for when I do bring a bird home." Sirius winked suggestively as Hermione hesitated.
"Oh honestly." She replied fondly the heat fading. "You haven't changed much."
"You knew me in the future?" Sirius perked. She could practically see a black tail wagging behind him.
"For a while." Hermione muttered her eyes downcast.
"So, I died?" The wizard asked softly, looking at the witch intently.
"Everyone dies eventually Sirius. But I think those will be my burden to bear." Hermione finally answered. "If everything works out there will be less that die and I don't want anyone to second guess their existence."
Nodding gratefully, Sirius motioned for her to continue.
"I really don't like explaining things multiple times when it can be avoided." Hermione said giving a meaningful look toward the door.
"Just, give me enough so I feel safe convincing the others to take a vow." Sirius muttered running a hand through his hair tiredly. "That is if that's—"
"It's fine." She immediately replied. Thinking she decided on what information would be the best at convincing Sirius of her honesty. "My best friend's name is Harry James Potter. He's the son of James and Lily Potter, and I—I love him and I would never betray him."
"James and Lily's?" He asked with bright eyes. "What's he like, the Prongslet?"
"Looks just like his dad but with his mom's eyes." She answered a faraway look on her face. "But he's kind, acts like Lily but with James's cheek. He's got a wicked temper, not sure who he gets that from."
"James." Sirius answered immediately.
"And sometimes he rushes into things without thinking." She continued softly. "But once you've proven yourself worthy of him, he doesn't falter."
"And you love him?" The wizard continued. "Huh, well I suppose if you love my godson then I'll trust you."
"And how do you know that your godfather?" The brunette witch demanded wryly.
Spluttering Sirius looked stricken for a moment. "Well, of course, I'm the godfather! Who else is going to spoil him rotten and teach him things behind Lily's back!"
Rolling her eyes Hermione stood. "Oh, and Sirius?"
"Yeah?" He asked opening the door.
"I'm not in love with him. I just—love him." The witched muttered as they made their way down the stairs.
Laughing lightly, Sirius continued walking. "I know kitten. I could tell by the way you said it that you weren't in love with him. I know the feeling."
"You do?" Hermione asked catching up quickly. She and Harry both had issues with other people being jealous of the other. Girls would think that she was secretly trying to steal Harry and the boy who lived would never give up his 'sister' so relationships were hard. George and Fre- they understood, probably better than any.
"Sure kitten. I love Lily, but I'm not in love with her. She's like a sister to me..." Sirius replied casually.
"Oh." Hermione said surprised.
Sirius glanced over his shoulder curiously. "Does that surprise you? If you knew me then you should have seen me with—"
"Stop right there Sirius Black." Hermione interrupted quickly. "Please, I'll explain most everything but there will be some things that you'll just have to trust me when I say you don't want to know."
Pausing, Sirius turned toward the witch. "Alright kitten, but that's a pretty big burden to bear all on your own."
"Sirius, why do you trust me?" She finally questioned
Shrugging he answered. "Why wouldn't I? Look kitten from where I see, you've faced my cousin and come away scared but intact and you love my godson. That makes you family, besides even if I didn't trust you the oath I took would ensure that I still did everything I could to help."
Hermione scowled about the oath, she felt as if she was taking away their free will using such a thing.
As they entered the kitchen, the Remus, James, and Lily halted whatever conversation they had before looking at the two curiously.
"Alright Padfoot." James said moving toward the duo. "We're here like you said, now what's this about?" he wouldn't say it aloud but James felt a slight betrayal at Sirius' defensive behavior. They were supposed to be brothers, they didn't keep secrets!
"Before this continues, you all will have to take an unbreakable vow." Sirius muttered.
"Sirius?" Lily asked hurt. "You can trust us!"
"I know!" He yelled strained. "But I'm working on a tight leash here, please trust me on this."
Remus meanwhile sat patiently, his wolf called Hermione pack. She wasn't a danger to them. Standing he held out his arm for Sirius to take. "I trust you."
The animigus smiled gratefully taking his brother's arm. "Hermione?"
Nodding, the witch strode forward, repeating similar oaths she had said to Orion. She watched as they completed the oath, Remus never once looking away from Sirius. "Who's next?"
"Dammit, Padfoot." James cursed holding his arm out petulantly. "I hate when we have secrets, we said no more. After the incidence."
"I know Prongs. I know. But this was an oath I took before I met you." Sirius said softly grasping James' arm in his. After the oath was taken, Sirius released James and turned to Lily. "Alright red your up."
Nodding, Lily stood confidently. She had no idea what was going on but she trusted Sirius with her life and odd as it maybe she trusted Hermione. "Let's do this dog."
Hermione felt her lip twitch in amusement. Once all the oaths were done and everyone was sitting she began. "First, do you know when Peter is to return?"
"Naw." Sirius replied nonchalantly. "When his mom gets sick he can be gone anywhere from an hour to days."
"Ward the house against him." Hermione answered softly.
"What?" James exclaimed jumping from his chair. "Look, Hermione, I don't know what's going on or why we had to take these oaths but Wormtail is our friend!"
A stricken look crossed over Sirius' face as he raised a shaking hand. His wand lit up as he warded the house against Peter Pettigrew. "Prongs, sit. Please." He begged wanting to scream. Not Peter. . . no not Peter.
"Are you insane Sirius?" James bellowed. "Peter is our friend, you remember the boy that we met at 11. The one that you taught how to flirt, I taught him how to dance! The boy that Remus would help with his charms homework, the boy that helped you with your potions! Peter, our friend! The one who stood by us when we trained to become animigus, the one who went out with us every full moon!"
"I bloody well haven't forgotten James!" Sirius yelled flipping the chair back with the strength of his movements. "I haven't forgotten about the little boy we met, the one that made me laugh every time one of my stupid family members said something! I haven't forgot about the boy who was scared of his own shadow until we showed him what he was worth! The boy who dreamed of a future of happiness for us all! You think I forgot about that?! Well I bloody well haven't! He's my brother too and I love him!"
"Then why?" Remus demanded his voice soft but deadly, this was pack.
"Because Peter Pettigrew is a deatheater." Hermione finally whispered.
"Lie!" James yelled, his face red. But Hermione could see, she could see the fear and uncertainty in his eyes because she wasn't anybody. She was someone that Sirius trusted implicitly and that scared him, made him doubt.
"James!" Lily said forcefully, placing a hand on his arm to help him sit. "Please, I want to hear her."
"Lils." The Potter scion whispered, betrayal clear in his eyes.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Hermione said casually as the Marauders froze and Lily's eyes twitched toward her. "That's the password for the Marauder Map that you created in your fifth year at Hogwarts to help you all navigate the castle. In it includes several secret passages that the average student doesn't know. It was especially helpful when you all were sneaking out on the night of a full moon through the Whomping Willow to the shrieking shack where Remus would transform into a werewolf. You would than all go to the forbidden forest to wait out the night."
"Wai-what?" James stuttered staring open mouthed at the witch.
"You don't care?" Remus whispered, gazing sadly at the table.
"Honestly Remus John Lupin." Hermione began, her hair lifting slightly the tips sparking in anger. They were supposed to have moved on from this. How many times had this discussion already happened? Did Tonks not beat enough sense into him! "How many times does someone have to tell you that they don't care about your furry little problem. So, you get a little out of control once a month."
"Out of control?" The werewolf responded incredulously. "I turn into a monster, I'll attack my friends!"
"Yes, yes yes." The witch waved off. "I know, the wolfsbane potion will be coming out soon which allows for a werewolf to keep his mind during the transformation. You can have that. Then you're no different than a girl who has some PMS during their time of the month."
"Did you—" Remus stuttered. "Did you compare my lycanthropy to a girl on her period."
"Moony, mate you won't let a dish sit in the sink for more than three hours." Sirius deadpanned.
"Your tea is more like flavored liquid sugar." James continued. "Please forgive us if you don't have us shaking in our dragonhide boots."
Remus blinked incredulously before shaking his head at the two. "Why haven't I heard of this potion?"
"To be honest, it should already be out." Hermione thought. "Perhaps it is only out in other parts of Europe right now, it should make its way here soon I think. Though it is very hard to make and expensive, I'm certain we can figure it out."
"No." Remus stated shaking his head. "I won't have you all paying—"
"Fine then." Sirius interrupted having heard this plenty. "No more Christmas presents from either myself or James."
"And birthday." Remus conceded.
"No, just Christmas." James retorted. He was already mentally planning on the wizard Santa bringing Moony gifts. Sharing a look with Sirius he knew they shared the thought.
"What was that look?" Remus accused.
"Focus." Hermione restated. "Now can I continue." When the others nodded at her she cleared her throat. "My name is Hermione Granger, I was born on September 19th of 1979. I was a Muggleborn sorted into Gryffindor where I became best friends with one Ronald Weasley and Harry James Potter. This pendant chose me to send back in time, to alter events and that is the mission you will help me complete." Hermione rushed out confidently, in one breathe so as to not get interrupted.
"Padfoot, you brought a lune." James said disbelievingly sitting down heavily.
"She's not lying Prongs, I would smell if she was." Remus spoke immediately. "The wolf said she was pack because it knew somehow that she was in the future."
"How did that pendant send you back?" Lily asked curiously, her eyes gleaming the way Hermione's always did with new information.
"Wait? You believe her!" James screeched looking around himself incredulously.
"Don't you?" Lily fired back. "What do your instincts tell you?"
Huffing James sat. "They're telling me that your being honest, but this is a lot to take in."
"The pendant was created by Magic and entrusted to the House of Black. Only the head and the heir of the house know about it, we take oaths to swear loyalty to whomever the pendant chooses to send back in time to stop something devastating from happening." Sirius answered. "For some reason my family magic didn't accept my dad as heir it accepted me, so my grandfather told me the secret when I was 9."
"That's why you protected her?" Remus muttered dawning on his face. "You saw the pendant, you knew that she was here to help."
"Well, I hoped." The wizard replied. "I hoped that she was on our side because I didn't fancy dying."
"Why would you have died?" Lily asked worriedly.
"The penalty for breaking an unbreakable vow is death." Hermione explained. "And knowing Sirius, if he was faced with betraying you or dying he would choose the later."
The group sat in silence for a moment as everyone took the time process what Hermione had revealed.
"So, time travel?" James finally said wryly. "Sounds like bad muggle movie."
Hermione smiled tentatively at the man. "I had plenty of time to plan, to help defeat Voldemort."
"Not afraid of the name I see." He replied approvingly. "So, does that mean you know about—"
"The order of the phoenix?" The witch finished when he trailed off. "Yeah, we were members during the second war."
"Second?" Remus asked hoarsely. "They're was a second?"
"Yeah." Hermione answered sadly. "It's why I was sent back I guess. First war ended in 1981 and the second started up around my fourth year, well that's when Voldemort came back, and it didn't end until the end of my seventh. It left wizarding Britain in a bad place. I was a part of the Ministry that did the numbers and found that unless people started having children and lots of them quickly, the society was going to fall."
"Wow, okay." Sirius said running tired hands over his face. "So, you're here to kill him and make sure he stays dead?"
"Yes." She smiled weakly. "That's the plan, we planned before I came but the plans need to be adjusted and I'm still working on that part."
"Adjusted?" Lily questioned.
Nodding Hermione responded. "Yeah, we knew that we couldn't necessarily trust the people we did in the future, wars change people. But none of those plans involved me getting deposited in the Library at 12 Grimmauld place and finding out that Sirius was the heir."
"Didn't he tell you that hims—" James began to ask.
"Prongs." Sirius interrupted shaking his head. "Don't ask questions you won't want to know the answer to. Trust me, let's just focus on helping her fix the future so we won't have to worry about it."
"You are oddly calm about this." Remus said surprised.
Shrugging Sirius grunted noncommittedly. "I took the oath when I was 9 so I've been prepared for this situation since. I've had to come to terms with all these possibilities."
Hermione figured that made sense. If Sirius knew from age nine and raised in a magical family he would have been raised to accept such things. Girl from the future wouldn't be a surprise to him and she supposed he may have been hoping that the pendant would bring someone back to kill Voldemort. "I told Orion that I think your family magic knew that you would be better suited to knowing about the pendant. Orion would listen to Arcturus Black no questions asked, but Sirius would have fought tooth and nail. I was prepared to have to figure out a way for you all to trust me before I had talked to Sirius."
"What were those plans?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Seduce you." Hermione answered at first. "There was also the plan to just knock you out and bring you to Arcturus."
"You were going to seduce me?!" The wizard inquired surprised.
"It was a thought. But Harry and I both agreed that would be the last resort." Hermione replied firmly. "He didn't fancy me trying to seduce his godfather, even if we would have been hopefully around the same age."
"Hopefully?" Remus repeated surprised.
"From what I understand of the pendant and it's weird magical thing." Sirius began eloquently. "The wearer doesn't pick the time, they are sent where the pendant deems necessary. For all Hermione knew it could have sent her to when Voldemort was a kid."
"It's all very confusing right now." The time traveler admitted. "No matter how much we planned nothing really prepares you. But here's what I know, he created horcruxes, we go find them destroy them then we can kill him."
"You made that sound much simpler than finding inanimate objects that are probably heavily protected to destroy then going against the darkest wizard of our age." James deadpanned.
"We'll take this to Dumbledore. He'll know what to do." Remus decided, beginning to stand.
"NO!" Hermione yelled reaching a handout.
"You don't—you don't trust him?" Remus asked incredulously.
"You wouldn't either if you knew what I knew." She muttered annoyed. "I know you are all very loyal to him. I understand, I was like that too. I put him on a pedestal and thought he could do no wrong but Dumbledore for as much as he means well and is willing to make sacrifices for the greater good, he is not without fault. No, I don't want to take this to him, he manipulated Harry and that's something I'll never forgive him for. He manipulated all of us."
"But he—" Remus began.
"I know, let you attend Hogwarts even though you were a werewolf, but let me tell you something you told me." Hermione responded. "In this room, I'm the only one that is alive when I was sent back." Pausing she let the group comprehend what she said. Sighing Hermione, tucked into to a long explanation. "A prophecy is made that only your son can defeat Voldemort. So, you went into hiding and Sirius was your secret keeper and the times were straining on everyone. Remus was gone all the time making contact with the werewolves on behalf of Dumbledore so when Sirius thought to switch secret keepers to Peter he didn't tell you Remus. Peter sold out the Potters and Sirius hunted him down."
"No." Sirius whispered horrified. "No no no no. I'm so sorry. Prongs, Lils, no no no."
"It hasn't happened yet mate." James replied furiously, gathering his fiancé and friend in his arms. Lily immediately reached over James, stroking a hand over Sirius' head shushing him. "It's okay, it won't happen."
"Right, Petes a death—" He stopped his voice catching. "What does this have to do with Dumbledore?" Remus asked gazing at the trio sadly, a hand reached out to comfort before retracing.
"Peter screamed for everyone to hear that it was Sirius that betrayed the Potter, he blew sent a blasting curse that killed 12 muggles and cut off a finger escaping as a rat." Hermione continued. "When you came back and found out what happened, I think a part of you died. You went to Dumbledore to demand answers, what happened to everyone. Where Harry was…"
"What did he say?" Remus begged. "Where did he put Harry?"
"You told me that he said everything had been taken care of and that Harry was safe." The witch answered. She didn't want to tell them that he probably said this to keep Harry at the Dursley's where he thought the infant would be safe. She didn't tell them that she thought Dumbledore left Sirius because he was preoccupied and forgot to check in. And she certainly wasn't going to tell them that after Sirius was released Dumbledore still refused to let Harry stay with him, with family. "When Sirius escaped Azkaban and you found out he never had a trial, that Dumbledore hadn't been completely honest. . . You said Dumbledore—he was dead to you. For taking away Sirius, for letting you believe he had admitted the betrayal, for taking away Harry. For taking away our pack."
"Moony." Sirius croaked pulling the shocked wizard toward the group. The hug was tight and secure, family. Everyone was okay, everything was going to be okay. He wouldn't blame Moony, couldn't. If Dumbledore said that Sirius was guilty he understood that Remus would listen, he had never faulted them before. Especially if his other two friends were dead.
"Albus Dumbledore is human and not without fault." Hermione intoned again. "Eventually we can trust him but his obsession with the Deathly Hallows is too great."
"You know." Lily muttered teary eyed, pulling away from the group to look at the other witch. "We can't make sense of every third sentence that you speak."
"I know." Hermione laughed. "When we were planning I was used to talking to Harry, he knew all about this stuff. Eventually, everything will get explained. But is this enough for you to bring me to the Order?"
"Do you need the order?" James spoke up.
"The more people that can help that I can trust the better. The last time it was just Harry, Ron, and me and it nearly broke us. Dumbledore's greatest fault was that he never told anyone everything, when he died the secrets died with him. I won't make the same mistake." Hermione answered with finality.
"Of course, the meetings will be good. We'll have to make up a cover story about you though. The headmaster will know that you haven't attended Hogwarts." Remus begun, a thoughtful look on his face. "We could say that you were born here, raised until you were nine or ten and your parents moved to France."
"Yes, to Beauxbatons!" Lily agreed readily. "That would explain the lack of French accent and why you were gone. We can say you came back to Britain after graduation because—well we can say our parents passed away and you came back to sell their house? That they still owned it but you fell in love with the countryside." The sheepish look she sent Hermione, told her that Lily meant no offense.
"Then from there the truth, you met me in the bookstore and we compared schools." Remus expanded nodding gleefully. "Though we should say that we first met when I got the job, I've been there for five months. That is a more believable time to introduce you to the order."
"Right." Hermione agreed, the issue of timing would work. "I suppose that will work for them, Beauxbatons had visitors at Hogwarts one year I was there and I visited after the war so I should be able to come up with answers. Should anyone ask questions I mean."
"Parlez-vous francais?" Sirius asked curiously. (Do you speak French)
"Passablement." Hermione answered. "Assez pour satisfaire la curiosite." (Passingly. Enough to satisfy curiosity)
"Well, that's a relief at least." Sirius responded, "her accent is terrible. Sounds like she learned it from a book but it'll pass."
"I did learn it from a book thank you, Sirius." Hermione stated clenching her teeth slightly. "And I'll have you know the French boys didn't seem to mind."
"No!" Sirius immediately responded. "I will not have my goddaughter around French boys! They cannot be trusted. Prongs, Moony back me up here."
"Goddaughter!" Hermione screeched. "We are the same age!"
"Ah ah ah!" Sirius mocked wiggling a finger in her face. "If you love my godson like a brother then you are by relation, my goddaughter. So, kitten, no French boys."
"No Sirius it doesn't work that way." Remus muttered in the back.
"Wait, does that make her my daughter?" James asked eagerly. Sirius paused in thought before nodding positively. "Good, I've always wanted a daughter. Lily, look at our girl isn't she beautiful!"
"Are you serious! I'm older than you." Hermione demanded incredulously.
"No, kitten I'm—" Sirius began before Lily hit him over the head.
"Don't even think about it." The redhead turned a bright smile to Hermione. "Ignore them, they get like that when they've been serious for too long, helps relieve stress. Or at least that's what they tell me."
"Order meetings are whenever Dumbledore sends out a notice. We don't have a schedule so deatheaters can find a pattern." Remus began ignoring the bickering duo. "If you would like, you are more than welcome to stay here while we figure things out."
"I'm not sure if that is a good idea." Hermione began. "Normally I would love to but when Peter returns. . ."
"Oh." The werewolf deflated. "Right, well we'll have to discuss how to deal with that. But if you are certain?"
"Entirely." The brunette nodded. "it is one thing for you all to bring me to a meeting because you trust me but another to suddenly have me live here."
"But where will you stay?" Lily voiced concerned.
Shooting a nervous glance at Sirius who had finally come back to the conversation. "The ancestral house of Black?"
"What?" Sirius exclaimed jumping up. "You most certainly will not!"
"Padfoot." James soothed. "You may not get along with your family." Sirius snorted derisively. "But may I remind you that your grandfather took that oath, he won't hurt her—can't hurt her."
"No." Sirius sighed. "I understand it, but I don't like it. No matter the time that has passed since we met your family now."
Smiling Hermione responded. "Thanks, Sirius. I don't know if it's because of the pendant or you're somehow being influenced by the future but—thank you."
"So how are we going to deal with Peter?" Remus asked unsure. Apparently later was now.
"Can he be saved?" James turned to Hermione searchingly. "Maybe to you he's a traitor, and I understand. But he's our mate, he never turned his back on us and we won't on him."
She wondered briefly if she should stop looking for Harry in his parents, after all, they were all their own people. However, in that moment Hermione felt as if she was facing Harry. The boy who once you earned his friendship it never wavered, he was entirely too forgiving and gave too much of himself into his relationships but that made Harry, Harry.
"Hermione?" Remus turned. "Can we—is he redeemable?"
"I don't—I don't know. Maybe? I'm not sure why he defected to Voldemort, or even when." Hermione answered Harry had told her that he had died being strangled by the silver hand Voldemort gifted him. Perhaps, in his last moments of life, Peter Pettigrew showed mercy.
"We won't give up on him then." Sirius finished with finality. What he had done, he has not yet. Perhaps the boy that they befriended was still there somewhere.
Nodding Hermione accepted this, it was their call to make. They knew Peter Pettigrew, she did not.
…
"I'm back." Hermione called walking into the large foyer, a small elf taking her jacket. She left the group feeling like they had ridden an emotional rollercoaster. No one could decide whether they wanted to scream, yell, cry, or break things.
"I see you are back." Arcturus Black stated blandly walking toward her gracefully. "Did you find my grandson?"
"Yes." The witch answered. "He's staying at a Black Property actually, one previously owned by Alphard Black."
The Head of the House of Black hmmm. "Well, Sirius is still a member of this House, as was Alphard so they are welcome to the properties that have been passed to them."
"I thought Sirius was kicked out? Alphard too?" The brunette inquired following after the wizard as he turned to walk back toward his study a glass of fire whiskey in his hand.
"Walburga throwing a tantrum and blasting them off her tapestry means nothing." He retorted dryly. "The tapestry at Grimmauld is not the main tapestry anyway, that house has always belonged to the branch family members."
"But Orion Black lives there, Sirius and Regulus were raised there?" She replied faintly, accepting a glass of fire whiskey. Taking a sip, she shuddered, it was most definitely a strong drink.
"Grimmauld Place belonged to cousin Pollux, when his daughter married my son and she demanded the house no one argued. Alphard probably didn't care much and Cygnus was given another estate." He droned. "Orion brought Sirius and Regulus here every day, they had an expensive education which I required them to learn here. Pollux may have never been able to deny Walburga anything but I had no such qualms. My son is weak when it comes to that witch."
"I see." Hermione trailed off.
"Did you not see the tapestry?" Arcturus inquired. "It is in my study when you entered."
"I was preoccupied." She retorted sharply.
"Well go look at it." The wizard demanded, waving her toward the wall on the east side of the room.
"Oh."
"It takes up half a wall." He muttered. "I've no idea know how you missed it."
"You have a lot of trinkets and books. It's distracting, besides I was busy." Hermione replied already running her fingers over the giant tapestry. "This shows everyone, even lines distantly related to the Blacks."
"If someone was born into this family then their decedents are listed." The wizard explained. "No matter how distant they become."
"I suppose this helps with avoiding inbreeding." Hermione mused, though looking at the crossing lines she determined not by much. "The Potters?!"
"Yes, my cousin Dorea fell in love." Arcturus answered. "Terrible business that is, still Potter is wealthy enough so I am satisfied."
"The Weasleys? Prewetts? Goyle? Crabbe. Flint. . . Bulstrode. . . Rosier. . . Macmillan. . .Longbottom. . . Crouch. . . Malfoy. . . Lestrange." Hermione continued following the lines. "Are you related to everyone?!"
"Just about." He replied thoughtfully. The family needed new blood, inbreeding led to insanity. Blasted Magic and its need to interfere.
"The tree doesn't show the ancestors of people who marry a Black?" Hermione inferred.
"No. That would make the tree more complicated than it already is. Best to leave it as is."
"How does it know when to add people?"
Raising a brow Arcturus answered. "The Family Magic notes when a person magically binds themselves to someone else and also when I knew child with magical blood is born, it is automatically added, the branches adjusting to the new extensions."
"Fascinating." Hermione continued, her hands following the branches. "What is this mean?
"What?"
"These runes alone the branches, their shining slightly."
Arcturus Black stepped forward purposefully, staring at the tapestry. He muttered under his breathe as his fingers followed the smooth surface, his brow furrowed. "The tapestry is moving, its altering itself. The branches are changing."
Stepping back, he poured himself another glass and refilled her glass. "Thank you."
"It has never changed before, not this much. What it means Miss Granger is that your arrival is going to change my House drastically." Taking a large gulp, he glanced at the tapestry. "I only hope that however it is changed, saves us."
AN:
So I know that officially Dorea and Charlus are not James Potter but first I kind of dispise the names JK gave his real parents. Also she mentions that Charlus and Dorea have one son but never states how they all die but they would have had to for Harry to have no other family so I'm taking that as my sign to roll with it.
Also, I put it that sometimes Hermione forgets she's talking to the past versions of the people she once knew and so we'll see her slip up every so often.