I approached Sirius the next week, after I got used to my schedule.

"I need you to teach me how to be an animagus," I told him simply.

He looked up from his essay on Potions and raised his eyebrow, "What?"

"Can you please teach me to be an animagus?" I asked again.

"What's in it for me?"

I cursed, knowing he was going to ask this. "Anything. I just need to know the skill. I have to be an animagus in order to change the," I glanced around us, "the future. Please, Black?"

He assessed me a moment, before nodding, "Very well. You and I go on a date, next Hogsmeade weekend. Promise and I will teach you to be an animagus, regardless of if it works out or not."

I narrowed my eyes, but nodded, "Very well. I will go to Hogsmeade with you. And if it doesn't work out, even if it does, you will teach me to be an animagus."

"Brilliant, let's get started," he grinned wickedly. "The Room of Requirement, tonight, eight o'clock."

I nodded, "Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it, Granger. Just be there and don't be late."

"I swear," I insisted. I spun around and practically hopped to my pile of books. Who knew Sirius could actually manipulate me to get his way? He was damn good at it.

After dinner, I told Lily I was going to study and snuck out to the Room of Requirement. Even though earlier in the week I had thought to ask Remus, asking Sirius would allow me to perhaps find out what was happening with Peter without suspicion. He would know why I wanted to know. Remus would be suspicous. This would work out in the end.

Sirius was waiting on a couch, lounging and flicking through a beaten up journal.

"Finally," he said, tossing the journal over the couch, into the corner.

"I'm ten minutes early," I told him simply.

He glanced at his watch, "So you are. Take a seat."

I narrowed my eyes. I was hoping for something productive and me being able to transform sooner.

"How long will this take to master?" I asked him.

"It took James, Peter, and I four years. We successfully transformed in fifth year. But I think you'll be easy to teach. By the summer tops."

"Good," I nodded. "The sooner the better."

"Can't wait to get rid of me, Granger?" Sirius asked.

I rolled my eyes, "I require it to change the future, Black. I told you."

"Tsk, tsk. That's all?" Sirius asked. "Not to see my charming face, Granger?"

"No," I told him simply. "Let's get to work."

"Very well," Sirius sighed. His gray eyes lazily watched me over. "First, you need to tap your inner magic and discover your shape."

"My shape?" I asked.

"Your animagus form," Sirius said simply. "Like, I'm a dog that's black. You, however, are something fierce. Perhaps a lion? No, too large. A tiger? No, same size."

"How do I find out?" I asked him.

"Close your eyes," Sirius intructed, sitting forward in the chair. I olidged. "Now can you feel your magic?"

I shook my head. I felt nothing. Only who I was.

"Right, okay," Sirius said, moving onto the next step. He grasped my hands, causing my eyes to fly open. "Close your eyes," he insisted. "Do you feel my magic now?"

I shook my head. "I don't feel anything different."

His grip tightened on my hands, "Now?"

There was a slight hum in my hears, but nothing more. "Humming," I told him. "Like a hummingbird."

"Good, concentrate on that."

I nodded and listened to it. Soon, I could pick out the individual thrums. "Keep concentrating," Sirius whispered, slowly letting go of my hands.

I did and he must have moved because he whispered in my ear. "What do you see?"

"Nothing," I said after a moment.

"Concentrate."

"I am," I insisted.

"More," he whispered. "Come on, Hermione."

Thrum... thrum... thrum.

He said my first name for the first time.

Thrum... thrum... thrum.

"What do you see, now?" Sirius asked.

"A...A white landscape," I murmured. "And there is something far off."

"Good, now walk to it," Sirius said quietly.

I nodded and willed myself to move forward. Not in person, of course, but in the vision. The spot grew larger and larger until it was right in front of me.

"Beautiful," I murmured.

"What is it?"

"A brown labrador," I told him. "She's so-"

"Beautiful," Sirius whispered. "Good, you know your form. Open your eyes."

My eyes flew open and I saw Sirius leaning on the couch behind me.

"What's next?" I asked.

"You need to always be aware of your magic and its strength," he told me. "The faster the beat, the weaker you are. The slower, the stronger."

"Okay, so what's a normal beat?"

"May I?" he held out his hand and I watched them a moment.

"What are you going to do?"

"Take your pulse, and tap into your magic," Sirius said simply. "Trust me?"

I nodded slowly and he pressed his hands to my neck. I jumped at how cold they were and he murmured an apology. "You have strong magic," he murmured. "That's the slowest I've ever heard a beat. Mine is slightly faster when I'm fully rejuvenated."

"How do I get my magic strong after it's weak?"

"You're forgetting the question before it," Sirius chatisted, smirking as he let go.

"How does my magic turn weak?" I asked. He nodded.

"Your magic grows weak if you are injured, or strain yourself. If you are supporting another life as well as your own. If you hurt another, your magic weakens."

"So, if I, say, get a papercut-"

"That's not really harming you, but yes, that's the general idea," Sirius smirked.

"And my first question?"

"You share magic with another," he said simply. "You take a hand, or … romp around," he winked. "You can also sleep it off, eat – though I don't recommend that. You have the most stunning figure-"

"Sirius," I snapped as his eyes drifted to my chest. "My face is up here."

"I usually take the route of sleeping or romping around," he winked again. "Care to be a demonstration?"

I frowned, "No, because I do not fancy being a one night stand to anyone. And I don't particularly care to have a romp just to get my magic back to full potential."

"Oh, that's alright, sweetheart, I'm sure I can convince you later," Sirius only looked slightly disappointed. He, instead, though, gave me a bright smile and shrug, covering that up.

"What's next?" I asked him.

"Next you practice concentrating on your energy. And then you meet me here again Monday evening at eight."

"Every Monday then?" I asked him.

"Unless it's a full moon," he told me, winking. "Then, yes, every Monday."

"And if there is a full moon?" I inquired.

"You're very thorough, aren't you?"

"I've grown up to be," I told him. "I have to be. It's war."

"You don't have to be anything," he winked. "But yes, if there is a full moon, we shall meet the next available night."

"Eager to see me, Black?" I asked, smirking.

"Always," he replied.

I grabbed his wrist, seeing that it was almost curfew. "We've got to get back to the Common Room."

"Fancy running for our lives if Lily catches us?"

I bit my lip, thinking. "Yes."

"Wonderful!" he said brightly. "Let's go."

He gripped my wrist firmly, sending tingles up my arm as we sprinted out the door and down the hallway.

"Sirius Black!" I heard Lily shout.

"Shh, quickly, this way," he pulled me through a corridor and I laughed as I heard Lily's furious footsteps.

"Hermione!"

"Shhh," Sirius pressed his hand against my mouth and pulled me behind a tapestry.

"Sirius Black, how dare you pull Hermione out of the Common Room to get her caught. Where are you!"

Sirius took another step back. "Ready for a surprise?"

I nodded quietly as Lily's steps drew closer.

And suddenly we weren't in the hallway anymore. We were in the Common Room.

"How in the world," I breathed, amazed.

"One of my many tricks," he assured me. "Come on. Lily's coming here next."

"Thank you, Black," I smirked.

"No, thank you, Granger," he winked. "Remember, if you're magic's ever low, I'm just a call away."

"In your dreams, Black," I rolled my eyes, trying to control the blush on my cheeks.

He stepped closer, lifting our entwined hands. I didn't even realize he was still holding it. "I'm not ashamed to admit that it's completely true. Oh, and you'd never be just a one night stand."

He was gone before I could even muster up a reply.

Damn him!

The next few weeks continued in that pattern. We would meet up, he'd help me strengthen my awareness for my magic, and then send out flirty inuendos.

The next Hogsmeade weekend was in November. Meaning Sirius was constantly reminding me that him and I were going on a date.

I believe the whole school knew.

"Ready?"

I glanced down at myself and nodded, looking at Sirius, "You sure I'm ready?"

"Absolutely," Sirius assured me. "Your magic will be weak afterwards, but you'll be perfectly fine."

I nodded, "Alright. What do I do?"

He watched me closer. "Close your eyes, think of your animagus form, and I'll say the spell."

"Sirius, I'm not so sure-"

"Trust me," he insisted.

I nodded immediately, "Okay. Will it-Will it hurt?"

"No, I promise."

I nodded and closed my eyes. A golden brown labrador retriever plagued my mind as I concentrated. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I told him.

He said something I couldn't understand and I gasped as heat ran through my body and I was suddenly sprawled on the floor.

"Sirius, it was-" I stopped speaking in shock. I wasn't saying words. They were barks. And Sirius was smirking down at me.

"See? Told you that you can trust me."

I barked in response. My curiosity was killing me.

He guided me to a mirror and I did a quick spin as I took myself in. I ooked great! My coat was shiney and sleak. "For a retriever, I'd so-" I cut him off with a sharp bark. He smirked. "Spend time with you as Padfoot."

I barked once more, hoping I could get changed back.

Sirius seemed to understand what I was looking for. And he waved his wand once more.

And that's where I was found sprawled at his feet once more. He offered his hand. "You can't transform for another week. It's too much stress on your body. But after that you can transform whenever you want."

"And how do I do that?" I asked impatiently.

"I'll tell you then," Sirius said simply. "Come on, it's Hogsmeade weekend. We have a date to take."

I groaned and followed him down the stairs and to the Entrance Hall. "This better be worth it."

"Believe me, it will be."

We first went to the book shop. "Why are we-?"

"Pick anything you want," he said simply, grinning as I practically lit up.

"Anything?" I gasped, looking around.

"Anything," he nodded.

I ran my fingers along all of the spines of the books, unable to pick one. I finally decided on one of healing spells. Sirius raised his eyebrow, but took it from my hands and added it to his pile of Quidittch books. I frowned, "But-"

"I'm getting it," Sirius insisted. He set the books on the counter and passed over the correct amount. He then took my book and held it behind his back. "Want your present?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Sure."

He gracefully bowed and offered the book he had just asked me to pick out. "Yours, my lady."

"Why, thank you, my kind sir."

"Shall we?"

I took his arm and nodded, "We shall."

We then headed to the Three Broomsticks where he bought us brunch.

"So, what's your favorite color?" he asked as we walked, arm in arm, up the path to the castle.

I shivered as I answered. "Gold. Yours?"

"Red," he smirked.

"Gryffindor," I shot.

"Gryffindor," he shot back.

"You can't steal mine," I accused.

"You can't accuse me of returning the statement," Sirius returned.

I grinned and took another step, the early snowfall causing me to freeze. I should have known it'd snow while we were eating.

"Cold?" Sirius asked.

"Course not," I answered.

Sirius rolled his eyes and shrugged out of his leather jacket, "Here you are." He drapped it over my shoulders and I relished the warmth of it. And the smell. Graham cracker, marshmellow, and sugar quills.

"You're going to freeze!" I insisted.

He shook his head, "I've been Padfoot for so long, that it doesn't matter the temperature. My body naturally warms up."

"Sirius-"

"Oh, come on, I promise, I won't freeze on you," he winked.

"So, I had a lot of fun, actually," I told him. "You weren't your arrogant prat self."

"For once," he winked. "But actually, I enjoyed not having you all wound up and studying all the time. Let's do it again. What do you say?"

I watched his face as we walked up the path. He seemed sincere. "Alright."

"You'll be my girlfriend, then?" he asked.

I gave him a nod, "I will."

"Really?" he asked, his eyes wide as he stopped.

I stopped as well and nodded, turning to him, "Yes."

He seized me in his arms and spun me around. I couldn't help it. I laughed. "Sirius, put me down!"

He did as I said, but soon found myself in his arms once more. "I could kiss you until you can't see straight."

"And I could neuter you," I said offhandedly as he got closer.

"You wouldn't," he breathed.

I smirked, "Yeah, I wouldn't."

"So hot," Sirius chuckled, and he pressed his lips to mine. My hands found their way around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. Merlin. We pulled away and the fog of our breath fanned around us in the dark. "Come on, Mia. I'm starting to get cold."

My heart warmed up at the nickname. "Then let's not have you freeze."

He laughed and took me in his arms, picking me up and carrying me up the path.

"Sirius, put me down!" I demanded. "I'm much too heavy-"

"Nonsense!" Sirius insisted. "You're as light as a feather."

We reached the Entrance Hall before I was allowed down. "Men," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"You like it," Sirius insisted.

"Whatever," I told him, winking. "We'll see if I do."

Alice, Lily, Marlene, and Dorcas all were excited that I was dating Sirius. James invited me to his home for the break. And after debating it, I accepted. Sirius and I couldn't go anywhere without each other, really. Every waking moment we sat next to each other. Every non-waking moment, I would with him in them. The Marauder era was becoming my every day life. And soon I forgot to form a plan of action.

When I was given the go-ahead by Sirius to transform whenever I wanted, I used it all the time. Especially if I was alone with one the group of girls. The rest of 'the boys' didn't know yet.

I decided to change that. We were all meeting in the room of requirement the night before we left for break. Peter wouldn't be joining us, instead staying at the castle. That meant that Marlene would be alone, at the Potter's, so she was going home to her parents house.

I walked into the Room of Requirement in my animagus form. Sirius grinned when he saw me and ran his hand through my fur.

"What if it has rabies?" James asked, staring at me. "Who's familiar is it?"

Sirius laughed, "I don't think she has rabies. She is a cute dog, aren't you? Yes you are! And I think she's Filch's dog. I heard he got a new one after his bloody cat died."

I shifted on the spot and stuck my tongue out at Sirius. "Filch's dog?" I demanded. "That is so not acceptable."

"You-You're an animagus!" James cried.

"Yeah, and?" I asked, smirking.

"Who taught you?"

I glanced at Sirius, "Him, the lug that I have to carry on my arm."

"I've already named her Alecto," Lily informed them. I froze at that.

"You knew?" James accused. "Lily-flower, why didn't you say?"

"She swore us to secrecy," Lily said simply.

"Alecto?" I asked. "Where did you get that?"

"It means 'the never ending' and it's a goddess in Greek Mythology. And you look like a goddess. It fits."

I nodded, "Thanks, I, uh, I like it."

Alecto was a Carrow, around Lily's age. She would be in school. The Death Eater that was loyal to the Dark Lord since the first war. Harry said she was at the graveyard.

We had a few drinks, laughed at the stupidness of the boys as they started to belt out a song. And soon, I found that we were starting to grow tired. We fell asleep, all laying on top of each other. Sirius had his arms around me and my head rested on his chest. My legs were draped across Alice's lap as she laid back into Frank, who was pressed up against the wall and had his head on Remus's shoulder. Dorcas was draped on his lap and had an arm around his neck. Marlene was resting her head on Cas's lap, but her feet on Peter's. And on Cas's lap was Lily's feet. Her head on James. Just one big jumbled pile of people.

The next morning, we departed ways, off to do our own thing, before leaving. Sirius promised me a visit to the Shrieking Shack. And so we went. Sirius hit the knot in the Whomping Willow and I sprinted forward, down the tunnel in my Alecto form. I sat in front of the fireplace as I changed back.

"I promised my friend I'd write," I told him as he transformed back too. "I'd leave letters in the fireplace for her to retrieve."

"Well, Alecto, I think it's a great idea." I nodded, a grim smile on my face as I took the bundle of letters from my pocket and set them behind a loose brick. "What's wrong?" Sirius asked, worry in his voice.

"In my time, there is a Death Eater named Alecto Carrows. I'm just worried, because she should be in school now, but I don't see her."

"Oh-"

We were interrupted by the rest of the boys arriving.

"What are you doing here?" James asked.

"I, uh-" I didn't know how to say it.

They all looked between me and Sirius. "You told her!"

I interrupted before Sirius could answer, "Told me what? We all know you're an animagus," I told them. "I know Remus is a werewolf."

"Sirius, how could you break the code?" Remus asked, his frown deepening.

"No," Sirius insisted. "Let her explain, please."

"I-I'm from the future," I told them. James and Remuys stared at me, blankely. "You're my best friend's father, James. And Remus, you are my Professor. I know everything. I know that James is top seeker, and that your son is amazing as well. He beats every house in every game. Seeker, and made the team in his first year. I know that Sirius was disowned by his mother when he was sorted and that his brother, Regulus, is a Death Eater. I know things that aren't even going to happen yet. I know that Snape is a half-blood, a spy. And so is You-Know-Who. I know that in two years, I'll be born. I know things you wish you did."

They were taken aback. Remus looked at me, his eyes never wavering from my own. "What happens in the future?"

"Things have to happen," I explained. "Some bad, some good. But you must understand, that if I tell, only certain things can change. I can't have a butterfly effect."

The boys that were present – Sirius, Remus, and James – stared at me a moment.

"To have a butterfly effect could change the future so much that I wouldn't know what to fix. To change the future would mean I'm blind. I can't be blind. So many people die, and that has to change."

It was quiet.

"You're from the future?" Remus asked quietly.

"Yes," I nodded. "And the future is bright for some of us, but dark for the others."

"Right, we'll talk more about this on the train," Sirius insisted. "We have an hour to load up. Come on."

We followed him to the Gryffindor Common room, the entire time, Remus and James were copmletely silent. Sirius was humming some song by Threstral Zoom. Rubbish if you ask me.

The entire train ride, I explained to those present my story and they promised to keep it secret. I trusted them with it. In return I answered all of their questions. The most common was how they died.

"I know that Sirius is sent through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministries," I answered quietly. "James and Lily are murdered in their home by Voldemort. Dorcas, you are blown to pieces by him as well. No one ever found your body. Remus, you were still alive by the time I left. And Marlene, I know nothing. You may be alive still, you may not."

"What about Peter?" James asked.

I clenched my hands into fists, my nails digging into the skin, "He betrayed you. He betrayed Lily and James's location. And that's why Voldemort killed you two. He was his spy."

"And us?" Frank asked, gesturing towards Alice and himself.

I bit my lip, "You two are tortured to insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange, Barty Crouch Jr., Rabastian Lestrange, and Rodolphus Lestrange the same night Lily and James are killed."

"But we live?"

"Frank, you're comatose in St. Mungos," I sighed. "Alice, you walk around and give your son gum wrappers every time he visits you. But you do not recognize anyone, nor talk."

"How could Peter do that?"

"He was tempted by the dark," I sighed. "I do not know if he already is on their side or not, but it seems as though not yet."

"And my brother?" Sirius asked.

"Regulus," I muttered, shaking my head. "Brave," I told Sirius. "But terribly stupid."

"You knew him?"

"He died," I told Sirius. "Long before I knew you, and the first war ended. He got in too deep with the Death Eaters is what you told me. And he tried to back out. Only... there isn't any backing out. He was murdered for treason. No one has recovered his body either."

Sirius nodded slowly, his eyes trained on his feet. "I'm sorry," I told him quietly, squeezing his hand.

"So in the future, we lose everything. I lose everything," Remus said. "I'm the only one left."

I nodded, "Yes."

Remus was quiet a moment before speaking, "Very well. Let's change the future."

I grinned, "Good. Here's my plan."

"Are you sure these Horcruxes will kill him for good?"

I nodded, "But we cannot let him know that we are destroying them," I told them. "It's extremely difficult. But I believe that if we move swiftly and don't hesitate. Perhaps just find the location and then destroy them all at once given moment, things may be easy."

"And what about our deaths?" Dorcas asked, knotting her hands together nervously.

"We prevent them," I supplied. "Polyjuice Death Eaters that would be given the kiss if taken to Azkaban. Wipe their memory and make them think they're us. Something. But we must let history run its course. Even if we fake it. Harry has to be raised by his aunt and uncle."

"You haven't told us who Harry is."

"I can't," I said simply. "It would mess things up. It's too soon. But you have to trust me."

"We do," Marlene said strongly. "And I'm breaking up with Peter as soon as we get back to school."

I snorted. "The only way we can do this is if we destroy the Horcruxes. I'm working with Dumbledore on a way to do so. So far we've come up with nothing."

"We'll find something," James said simply. "My parents have a huge library. Larger than Hogwarts, and far older. If its not there, then it's not anywhere."

I nodded, "Good. We'll start over break. Marlene-"

"Catch me up on the train ride back," she told me, smirking. "We're going to kill him."

"And he won't know what hit him," I grinned.

"You're so hot when you think up plans," Sirius groaned and kissed me forcefully.

I giggled against his lips and happily kissed him back before pulling away.

Holiday's were going to be so exciting!

Ahh! Holidays! Sorry, if I'm moving fast! I'm trying to get as much in as fast as possible because the end needs a lot of chapters to explain. I hope you enjoy and review to me if you have any questions, complains, or anything, really. I'll be happy to answer!