First I would like to say thank you to cosmoGirl666, katanamaster4, Perse B.J, chained2love and cutipieeva. For following, favouriting and reviewing this story. Your support is greatly appreciated. Perse B.J, I am sorry that you find the story messy. I hope that as time passes it becomes clearer. Enjoy this new chapter.

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Silence seemed to engulf the entire world for a few seconds. It seemed that neither Sarah nor Hermione breathed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Were Hermione's first words when she had recovered enough to speak. She didn't mean for it to sound so bitter but that was how she felt. With a scowl set on her face she looked at Sarah waiting for an answer.

Sarah stared back and replied with a voice full of sadness and resignation, "Exactly what it sounds like."

Hermione could not believe that Sarah could not only look at her but lie as well. That was too much.

"Well if that is true then how do you know about, are you sick, dying, suffering from some incurable curse, well?"

Hermione was getting desperate. This just could not be true and yet Sarah's reaction was telling her that it was true. So when Sarah gave her the sad look she always used when telling Hermione something she did not want to hear it was too much. Hermione's anger broke a little.

"Hermione I am not sick or cursed. I am dying; I mean everyone is dying though that is beside the point. I can't tell you how I know Hermione or why it has to be this way. What I can tell you is that I will always consider you my little sister. If things were different you would be coming home with me."

It was all too much for Hermione, first her parents now Sarah. Her head fell so that she was looking at her knees without seeing them, images were flashing through her head. Her parents teaching her to ride a bike, her and her mum baking in the kitchen, her father and her covered in grease after working on the car, her last birthday dinner when she was ten and Sarah had laughed so hard at her father's joke that water sprayed out her nose and last summer when she had seen Sarah and they had talked for hours about nothing. They were haunting her and would forever.

She hadn't noticed Sarah get up or move away from her. Hadn't felt her light touch to her shoulder as she passed. When Hermione realised Sarah was no longer across from her, tears began to flow freely down her face once again. Sarah had already left and she was alone. With nobody on her side anymore. Hermione had never felt so lonely. She was so wrapped up that she almost missed Sarah's goodbye. Her last words to Hermione. That held no comfort. Hermione could not even turn around to stop her.

"I am so sorry Hermione. So sorry. Goodbye." It was a sad whispered goodbye that seemed to echo around the room forever. As if a broken record was playing in the room. The only sound in a now empty room bar Hermione's sobbing. Sarah had accomplished what it seemed the universe had set out to do. She had broken Hermione.

As Sarah stepped out of the office she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep it together. Hearing Hermione breakdown had almost destroyed her. She would have rushed off if not for the professor's waiting outside desperate for news on how their star pupil was taking the news. Sarah noticed that everyone but Dumbledore was looking at her with differing degrees of concern. Both Professors Sprout and McGonagall looked like they too would burst into tears. Professor Flitwick was not far behind them; he had apparently been wringing his hat in his hands and would need a charm to reverse the damage if that was even possible.

Both Snape and Tonks were standing behind them. Snape's mere presence showed his concern; it seemed he was even allowing himself to show it a little as his brow had a slight crease to it. The thought buoyed Sarah a little, he was trying. She just hoped that Hermione would try too. Tonks looked terrified. Her hair was still its dull brown; even her eyes were the same colour. She also looked worried as to how Hermione would react to her. Sarah smiled a little on the inside at that, she knew they would get along famously.

Unlike everyone else who stood in front of the door a few feet away Albus Dumbledore stood to the side. Sarah held no trust for the man and him for her. They were on opposite sides and Sarah had fired the first shot. She would not fail.

Sarah turned to face Dumbledore and addressed him," I have told her about her parents and the provisions set out in their wills for her guardianship."

No one else seemed to notice the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes flicker. Sarah recognised it as a sign of danger but felt no fear there was nothing he could do about it.

"Thank you for that; however someone else could have done so." Dumbledore said it with such an air of politeness it seemed that that was exactly how he felt. Sarah knew different and knew she needed to leave, fast.

"I have said my goodbye to Hermione so I will be taking my leave." Sarah said rather quickly and tried to leave, but she was intercepted by Professors Sprout and McGonagall.

"Is she alright? How did she take it?" Professor Sprout asked in her motherly tone, hoping Hermione was alright.

"Will she be okay? Is there anything we can do for her?" Professor McGonagall's voice and face betrayed her true concern. She had a look of indifference on her face but her voice was filled with worry and her eyes full of fear and sadness.

"I am sure she will be fine eventually. Right?" Professor Flitwick squeaked up from behind.

All of them were looking at Sarah desperate for answers. Sarah sighed in her head. She knew she would not be able to leave until their fears for Hermione were allayed but she felt the answers were obvious.

"Hermione took the news as one would expect a twelve-year-old who has found out that they have lost their parents to take it. She is not fine at the moment and won't be for a long time but she is stronger than she looks ... and thinks. Eventually she will recover as much as one can from such a loss. Apart from that she just needs some support and I think you had best see for yourselves." Sarah hated that she sounded dismissive of Hermione's situation and arrogant but it was the only way to get out of there. If she didn't she might break down or worse, lose her nerve. If she didn't get out of here soon nothing and no one could stop her from turning around grabbing Hermione and leaving with her. She had to keep repeating her mantra, that this was the best thing for Hermione. It sure didn't feel like it to Sarah.

It seemed to work as the Professor's except for Snape entered the office. This left Sarah, Tonks and Snape outside as Dumbledore silently slipped inside. Alone with two people she trusted more than anyone else she finally let it break. As the tears slipped out of her eyes she tried to run. Snape unfortunately was not going to allow that. He grabbed her roughly by the arm and swung her back around to face them. His grip loosened when he saw her face.

"You told her about you, didn't you?" Tonks said to her knowing full well it was true. No questions were needed between them.

"She won't hate you Sarah." It was a simple statement made in an authoritive voice. Had he have said these words to anyone else, they would have thought Severus Snape had gone crazy. Unfortunately it did not have the desired effect. Indeed Sarah turned her head to the left, away from them and looked at the floor.

"She will forgive you. You know that right." Tonks tried to reach her with words and a touch to her arm. Sarah went limp, no longer trying to covertly throw Snape off of her.

"I'll be lucky if she will even look at me, let alone listen to me." The defeat and sadness in Sarah's voice shocked both Snape and Tonks. It was something they had never heard before.

"You're wrong. You'll see." Those were Snape's last words as he let her go. Allowed her to flee.

Sarah moved as soon as Snape let go. Neither Snape nor Tonks turned or tried to stop her. Letting her go knowing that it could be the last time they saw her alive, was one of the hardest things either of them ever had to do. For that reason they could not bear to turn around and face her. They might try to stop her if they did.

They took a minute to pull themselves together before approaching the door to start their future. It was then that they heard Sarah. She spoke the words that neither of them had been able to say to her. Once she finished they whipped their heads around but could not see her anywhere. Sarah was truly gone from their lives. Though the words reverberated around the chamber and inside of Tonk's and Snape's souls as they entered Dumbledore's office.

"I am sorry my friends. Take good care of her for me. I love you both. Goodbye." With those final words Sarah disappeared from the castle and their lives.

Hermione had only vaguely understood what had happened since Sarah's departure. Lost in her own grief Hermione could barely think. All she felt was pain. Until she had heard several people enter. Two people whom she assumed to be Sprout and McGonagall had rushed over to her. She was currently bawling into, judging by the boniness of her shoulder, McGonagall who had swept her into a hug. Sprout was behind her rubbing her back. Both trying and failing to ease her pain. She was glad neither spoke, they seemed to hear her silent plea. Words had caused her so much pain so recently she would be glad to never have a conversation again. She could sense two others nearby. She guessed one was Flitwick and the other Dumbledore. Both kept away from the small huddle of women in front of Dumbledore's desk. Probably trying to avoid the water works as she realised that she could feel tears that weren't hers soaking into her shirt from McGonagall and that Sprout kept changing hands. Each time the hand that was rubbing her back felt wet. As Hermione slowly pulled herself back to reality she realised that two presences were missing the strange woman and Snape's. Then she heard the door open and two other people join them. One set of footsteps sounded loud and clumsy whilst the other sounded important and a little arrogant. It seemed that the missing had arrived. Hermione heard Dumbledore clear his throat and then speak softly.

"When you are ready Miss Granger."

Hermione tried to pull herself together. It was harder than she thought it would be.

Snape observed this scene standing beside Flitwick. Dumbledore sat behind his desk waiting for calm. Sprout and McGonagall were trying to comfort the poor girl. Tonks stood beside him, watching sadly. Eventually the girl pulled herself together pulled out of Sprout's and McGonagall's embrace and seated herself across from Dumbldore. He surveyed everyone over his half-moon spectacles whilst Sprout and McGonagall stood and moved back before he spoke.

"Miss Granger as you were in formed by your friend Miss Smith, your parents have unfortunately passed away."- Hermione took a sharp intake of breath before Dumbledore's grandfatherly voice continued.-" We do not have access to both wills so we do not know their contents. As I understand it they have named legal guardians who are currently present... However seeing as neither will has been read you may still choose another guardian."

If Dumbledore had noticed the sharp intake of breath from the adults present he did not show it. Hermione had noticed and wondered why. Were her two guardians afraid of rejection by her? Could she really go against a promise she had made to Sarah. She could hear her words echoing around her head...' Do you trust me?'..." Promise me you will give them a chance.'... 'I won't be alive long enough.' Hermione desperately craved to crawl inside her head and her grief, anything not to think of her parents and Sarah for a while. To put these kinds of decisions off until later after she had had a chance to process them. Then Sarah's voice was back in her head. The words came from long ago after Sarah had saved her life. Hermione had wanted to know why she had saved her life. The answer had surprised Hermione.

'Because kiddo, when I saw you standing out in the rain that day I promised myself I would take care of you no matter what. That if I could be there for you I would be. That I would protect you with my body if necessary. I made a promise and no matter what I keep my promises. Always remember Hermione if you make a promise even if it's only to yourself or to someone who is no longer a part of your life, keep it. If you don't how can you look yourself in the eye. Besides which unlike those kids at school I not only consider you a friend but my family, I would never desert you unless necessary. It also helps that I love you and your parents. You're the family that I never got. I can never say it often enough Hermione but I love you and your parents more than my own life.'

Those words had floored Hermione, Sarah had looked her in the eyes as she had spoken, making sure she did not miss a single word. Hermione had not thought about that conversation in years but it still left her in awe. That someone could care so much about a know it all. To over look the buck teeth and books. Sarah always listened and always made time for Hermione. Hermione knew why she was remembering this now because Sarah had given her a reason to believe and words to live by as she would say. Hermione knew her answer now and latched on to that one thought. Sarah loved her, if she thought this was the best decision than Hermione would follow it. No matter where it led. She had promised and Hermione did not back down on her promises.

"Sir, if my parents have appointed guardians for me then I have to follow their wishes. Besides I made a promise." Hermione said in the most confident tone she could muster, she knew that it wasn't fooling anyone but it was her decision. She thought she heard several people release their breaths, as if they had held them. The flicker of the twinkle behind Dumbledore's eyes went unnoticed by the occupants of the room.

"Very well then." Dumbledore said to the room drawing their attention back to him, most missing the slight steely tone to his voice following Hermione's proclamation. "In that case you and your guardians will return to your house for two weeks to sort out your parents things and attend their funeral. The last month of normal term you will be staying at your main guardian's residence and adjusting to your new surroundings. Seeing as there are no end of year exams due to the Chamber incident the School Board has agreed to this course of action. Is there anything else that you need or any questions that you might have."

Hermione thought about this wondering if there was anything that she needed or wanted to know. In truth she had only been paying half her attention to the Headmaster. The rest had been focused on the fact that both her guardians were in this room. A thought had occurred to her about who her second and main guardians were someone she knew that Sarah- just thinking her name was painful, said need a second chance. Contemplating what he had done to need a second chance she came to the only logical conclusion to his identity. She was supposed to give him a second chance. If it weren't for her promise to Sar- her, Hermione would have begged for a different guardian. Yet she couldn't be sure. Unless.

The group noticed Hermione seem to snap out of her trance and waited for her to speak. She slowly looked at the Headmaster and asked-

"Sar... Sarah said that both my guardians were present this evening. I was wondering if you knew who they were or if they could tell me who they are." Apart from stumbling over her name Hermione had sounded together. She just hopped she was wrong or that she had been telling the truth. Either way she hoped to find out soon.

Someone stepped forward it was the stranger. Now that Hermione could see her better she noticed the witch's robes were dark blue and that she looked as sad as Hermione felt. She looked down at Hermione and introduced herself.

"Wotcha, Hermione. I wish this could have been under different circumstances." The stranger's voice was full of sadness and Hermione felt that she truly meant what she said.

Hermione then heard sharp footsteps coming toward her chair. They stopped just behind her. Nobody said anything, and then the person attached to the footsteps spoke. In a voice Hermione knew all too well. She knew from the moment the footsteps sounded that she was right, his voice just confirmed it.

"May we please speak to Miss Granger in private?"