Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it is the property of the brilliant J.K Rowling. This story is the product of her marvellous characters and world and my imagination.

Any constructive criticism or reviews are very welcome - I adore feedback. Enjoy the chapter.

You'll probably guess, but the section in italics is a flashback.


Everybody Loves Mione

Hermione awoke to lots of voices and conversations all around her;

"You better fix her Snivellus or so help me I'll …"

"Oh be quiet Black, she's merely fainted and will be awake again in a minute or two."

"She'll be ok won't she Mrs Weasley?"

"I'm sure she'll be fine Harry dear, just a bit of a shock for her."

"Would anyone care for a lemon drop?"

"Albus, I really don't think this is the time."

"Does this mean I can't call her mudblood any more?"

"You shouldn't be calling her that name anyway you ferrety prick!"

"Can't you two children get along for five minutes?"

"No!"

She felt her head spinning as she sat up on the leather sofa they must have placed her on. Snape was looking at her with an almost concerned look, "are you alright Hermione?" She nodded, "I'm fine, I think the whole thing just got to me a bit, quite a shock."

She was trying to get her head round the information she had just been told, the truth about her heritage. She looked round the room, "why are you all going to such lengths to train me and protect me. I don't want to cause the Order any worry." Harry answered her question instantly, "don't you see how special you are Mione, you've helped everyone else at some point and we're all just returning the favour. You've looked after me and Ron all these years, we probably would have been died if it wasn't for you." Ron nodded and Remus spoke, "you kept my secret for a whole year and didn't even tell Harry or Ron." Ron added his part, "you're like the top student ever and you can actually get along with Snape." Everyone laughed at this and Kingsley turned to her, "you discuss ancient runes and arithmancy with me and you give us all a run for our money when you duel." Ginny smiled at her, "without you Mione me, Luna and Tonks wouldn't have anyone to get advice from. You were the one who gave me the advice that meant I ended up dating Harry."

Hermione smiled at all their kind words, blushing under the praise. Sirius added the final comment, "you saved my life twice Mione. Once when you and your time turner set me free and again when you pulled me out of from the veil." Everyone smiled at that, it had been one of the happiest days in the Order. Hermione could remember the day so clearly.

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"… Finis."

Hermione sat back absolutely exhausted, the spell had been long and tedious, had tired her hugely. She could only hope it had worked, that the veil spirit would accept her bartering. She sat and caught her breath for a few moments before the veil rustled. She scrambled up and looked closer, praying that it had worked. The veil fluttered again and her hopes soared. Suddenly there was a huge gust of wind and she had to grab the pillar next to her to stop herself falling over. The wind roared for over a minute and then suddenly it was gone and the prone form of a man was at the foot of the veil.

She hurried over to the man and pulled him away from the mouth of the veil. Turning him round she discerned with a sigh of relief that it was indeed Sirius Black, still clutching his wand and breathing. She pulled out her own wand and pointed it at the unconscious man, "enervate."

He gasped and open his eyes, which darted around as if looking for an attacker. She placed a hand on his arm and he noticed she was there. "Hermione, what's going on, where are all the others? I have to get Bellatrix back for that damn stunner. And why do you look older?" Hermione gave him a small smile, "there's a lot you need to know Sirius. When Bellatrix stunned you it made you fall in the veil and we all thought you were dead. That was a year ago and its now the end of Harry, Ron and my sixth year, that is why I look older. I missed you so much Padfoot," she broke off to encase him in a fierce hug, which he returned heartily.

"We all mourned for you when you fell into the veil, Harry and Remus especially and so I did what I always do when I have a problem, I went to the library. I found a book about the veil and it said the only known way to get someone back was a barter with the veil spirit to get the lost person back in the form they entered the veil. I thanked Merlin that you'd only been stunned. So I came and spoke the spell and I bartered with the spirit and it worked."

He looked up at her in amazement, "you are incredible Hermione, you realise that." She smiled at the compliment but his smile faltered, "what did you barter Hermione, what did you give to the spirit?" Her smile dimmed, "nothing important Sirius, it wasn't all physical bartering. I'll let you know when I explain to the rest of the Order." His eyes widened further, "you mean to tell me that you came here to complete a dangerous spell without even telling anyone." She smiled sheepishly at him, "er yes. But they never would have let me try if I'd told them and it had to be done tonight, exactly one year after you fell in."

Seeing her face he couldn't stay mad at her, after all she had saved him from the dark limbo in the veil. When he smiled again she was relieved, "there's an Order meeting tonight at Hogwarts in Dumbledore's office. I told them I would be a little late as I had a package to pick up." He smiled wryly at her description of him and she continued, "we'll leave now, I erm made an unauthorised portkey because I don't trust the Ministry. You were exonerated after you fell through the veil but still, you can never be too safe, especially with Voldemort and the death eaters still on the loose."

Sirius had to smirk at the thought of Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire and strict rule follower, creating an illegal portkey and sneaking around the Ministry without permission. She whipped out a tin can and they placed a finger each on it. Hermione felt sick at the jerking around her naval and decided that she hated pretty much all magical modes of transportation aside from apparation. They landed just outside the school gates and Hermione made a few complex wand movements before speaking her name and the password, Phoenix Fire, to the gate. It opened up and she strode in, followed by Sirius.

Seeing his questioning look she explained, "Harry, Ron and I have been inducted as Order members, though Harry isn't of age yet Dumbledore felt it was wise. Only Order members and teachers can leave the grounds and there is a password and certain wards to break." Before they entered the castle she pulled out a silvery cloak and handed it to Sirius. "I borrowed this off Harry, it's after normal curfew but there is a chance that people who shouldn't see you will be out so I won't take the chance."

He nodded and took the cloak, covering his tall frame. The pair made their way through the castle to Dumbledore's office as Hermione explained the Order news and the induction of Mrs Malfoy, Draco, Blaise and Mrs Zabini. Sirius raised his eyebrows at that but didn't speak, apparently willing to give them a chance. "Bertie Botts" spoke Hermione when they reached the office and the gargoyles parted to allow the two to pass. She turned to Sirius, "I'll go in and explain it to them and then come and get you when you can come in, we don't want to give them too much of a shock." He smiled at her and nodded, remaining where he was as she opened the door and entered Dumbledore's office.

It was full of people, Harry, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, the entire Weasley family, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley and Mad-Eye Moody. Also present were the newly inducted Draco and Narcissa Malfoy with Blaise and Maria Zabini, They all turned to look at her when she entered and she smiled at them. Remus looked questioningly at her, "I thought you went to collect a package?" She nodded, "I did, it's outside. I'll bring it in soon. But before I do I just want you all to remember that sometimes rules are there to be broken and that if I happened to not mention certain things to you it was all for the better."

Smiling nervously she waited for their reaction, some of them looked a bit worried about what she had done and Snape turned his dark gaze on her. "What have you done Miss Granger?" he drawled silkily. She turned towards the door and spoke, "I think it will all become clear when I bring in the package."

She opened the door and called out to someone, "you can come in now and take Harry's cloak off." They all waited with baited breath, the 'package' Hermione had been referring to was obviously a person. No one except perhaps Dumbledore could believe it when Sirius Black stepped through the doorway.

Harry and Remus both went deathly white and Hermione could hear intakes of breath all round the room. Once suitably recovered about half a dozen wands shot out pointed at Sirius' chest. He put his hands up in defence, "hey, what are you all doing. I'm not some death eater." Snape sneered at him, "how are we supposed to know that. You could easily be an impostor, after all we have heard nothing of a plan to bring Sirius back." Sirius rolled his eyes, "weren't you listening Snivellus. Hermione said she didn't tell any of you anything." Snape smirked back, "and how do we know she's not under the imperious."

Remus had recovered enough to speak up, "look, enough of your childish games. We can find out if it is Sirius by asking a few simple questions. Sirius what were our nicknames in school?" Sirius smiled, "I was Padfoot, you were Mooney, James was Prongs and that little rat Pettigrew was Wormtail."

Remus nodded, "it appears to be him." Snape spoke up again though, "Pettigrew would know that and has probably informed the death eaters." Sirius sighed, it was annoying being suspected, he turned to Remus and Snape, "right, ok you want proof. In our sixth year James, Remus and I were walking in a deserted corridor and came across you, Snape. James and I proceeded to use our vast knowledge of charms and our supreme imaginations to dress you up as a Victorian lady complete with makeup. We were about to make it permanent when Remus suggested enough was enough, but we still took a wizarding photo of it. Said photo remains in the Marauder memento box under the bed in my room in Grimmauld Place."

Remus and Snape nodded to each other and spoke simultaneously, "it's him." Harry, who had been rather silent up until that moment launched himself at Sirius and proceeded to sob for a full five minutes in a very un-Harry like manner. Remus looked delighted, as did Dumbledore. Even McGonagall gave a huge smile for her favourite mischief maker.

Once the greetings were over they all turned to look at Hermione who went red and looked away. Dumbledore looked at her, "care to explain Miss Granger." Hermione swore mentally, this was the part she didn't look forward to. She proceeded to explain her research and discovery of the spell, then how she had kept it quiet and gone to the Ministry in order to conduct the spell exactly one year after the incident. The room remained quiet throughout her story but when she finished Remus spoke quietly, "Hermione, what exactly did you use to barter with?" It was the question everyone wanted answering and Sirius looked curiously at her, wanting to know the answer to the one thing she wouldn't tell him. They all knew that some spells required soul or used incredibly dark magic and they prayed that Hermione hadn't got involved in that sort of magic.

"Well it was an interesting experience. First I had to tell the spirit why I wanted Sirius back so much. So I told it about his value to the Order, how he was needed to help end the war and destroy Voldemort. I told it about Harry and Remus and how much they needed Sirius and missed him. I also told it about how much I needed him back, but that is a story for another time." Though curious at this, the group accepted it and Hermione continued. "It accepted that and then asked for a gift, which I gave it." She went silent there and Harry spoke for the first time, "what was the gift Mione, what did you give it?" She had been hoping to avoid that part but they were perceptive as always. "I gave it some of my blood."

She was immediately converged upon by a number of the Order to be checked over. She didn't want to worry them so she spoke again, "it wasn't much blood and I feel fine. The spirit even let me mix it in with a potion I'd created that made sure the blood couldn't be used in a spell or ritual against me. It said it was magical enough as it is and that the potion wouldn't affect it."

This seemed to reassure them though Molly still hovered around her. Now that the tale was over Dumbledore told Harry, Ron and Ginny to go with Madame Pomfrey, who had also been present, and take Sirius down to the hospital wing to be checked over. The rest of the Weasleys, the two Malfoys and two Zabinis left for their quarters, Narcissa and Draco giving nods to Sirius on the way out.

That left Hermione with Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley and Moody, all of whom proceeded to lecture on the importance of having others check over a spell, not running off on her own and informing the Order of her plans. After the lecture had finished McGonagall, Snape, Tonks and Moody all disappeared and Dumbledore asked Remus and Kingsley to escort her to the hospital wing to make sure the blood loss hadn't affected her. Just before she left he gave her a smile, "we never did say well done Miss Granger and thank you. You did a great thing." She saw those blue eyes twinkling just before she left his office.

She walked down chatting to Kingsley, they were discussing ancient runes, a favourite subject for both of them. Remus was silent and seemed deep in thought until he spoke during a break in conversation, "why didn't you come to me or Harry, Mione? You know we would have helped, no matter how many rules we needed to break." She smiled brightly at him, "I know you would of Remus. Both of you would do pretty much anything to get Sirius back. But if I had told you and we hadn't managed it there would have been false hope and you would have been devastated. Harry has so much faith in me, he believes I'm capable of anything. I didn't want there to be any disappointment. If I did it on my own then no one would ever know and you wouldn't have had to mourn again."

Both Remus and Kingsley smiled affectionately at her, "you are too kind for your own good Mione," said Remus. They reached the hospital wing and Kingsley gave her a paternal kiss on the cheek before disappearing down the corridor. Remus followed her into the hospital wing to check on Sirius. They were all so happy, Sirius was back and with him gave more hope for the future.

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Hermione shook herself out of the memory and turned back to the group of people she loved like family, all willing to put their lives at risk for her. "Thanks," she spoke quietly, "thanks for being there for me." They all smiled and she grinned back. "I think I'll head off the bed now, its been a long day, lots of information to take in. They all nodded and Sirius and Remus offered to escort her back to the tower. They told her stories of the marauder days at Hogwarts on the way back in an attempt to keep her mind off the news she had learnt and she was grateful.

As soon as she got to the tower she bid goodnight to Sirius and Remus and hurried up to her dorm where she fell into a dreamless sleep almost as soon as she hit the bed.


Hope you enjoyed this chapter and now understand how Sirius managed to return.

The next chapter should be up in a few days.