Chapter 7

Harry James Potter knew a few things for certain in his life.

The first was that he had a large, if unconventional, family that loved him.

The second was that his sister was an absolute genius.

The third was that they were never, ever, allowed outside of the manner's grounds without his mother.

It didn't matter if it was Harry, Hermione or even Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius, without Lily no one dared leave the premises.

They all had their own reasons of course, but Harry didn't know them and he was mostly concerned about following them so that he wouldn't get in trouble.

"Come on Hermione, PLEASE," Harry begged his sister, desperately trying to get her to play outside with him.

"I'm reading Harry, go away," she replied, eyes not drifting from the pages.

Harry rolled his eyes. He should have known. There was only one way to get Hermione away from her books.

"If you come and play with me, I'll do your chores so you can read after dinner."

Hermione's eyes slowly rose from the book and meet Harry's, "fine," she answered as she snapped the book closed.

Placing it on the table beside the lounge Hermione stood and followed her brother outside. As always, the sky above was a strange orange color from the wards but neither child paid it any mind.

Hermione's gaze was torn from the sky as Harry poked her side, "catch me if you can!" he cried before sprinting away.

Hermione groaned but couldn't keep the grin off her face. After all, she was faster than him.

oOoOo

Sirius and Remus had been living with Lily for four years now. At first, they had planned on finding a place for themselves but that was before they had realized just how badly the world had deteriorated.

As the two children ran around the back-yard Sirius leaned on the railing of the balcony that connected to his room.

"You alright there, Pad's?" Remus asked as he appeared by Sirius' side.

"Yeah Moony, just peachy," Sirius muttered rather dully.

Remus looked over his friend in concern. While he hid it well, Sirius wasn't in a very healthy state of mind these days. Remus took up a place beside his friend, leaning on the rail close enough so that their shoulders just barely touched.

"You don't have to lie to me Pads," Remus reminded him.

Sirius let out a frustrated sigh, "it's just… how the fuck did it come to this Moony? How the hell did the world end up like this? My godson is growing up in a world where the sky's fucking orange and the only other kid he's ever met his own age is his sister. They're even being home-schooled because we don't even have a school anymore!" Sirius slammed a fist down onto the rough marble of the balcony, "I'm losing it, Remus. Sitting here with nothing to do, I- I-."

Sirius let out a hollow bark of a laugh.

"Come here Pads," Remus said, pulling the slightly shorter man into a hug. Physical comfort wasn't really something they did, but for once he thought the situation called for it.

"Moony, this is ridiculous," Sirius muttered but, despite his words, Remus felt a set of arms tighten around his middle.

"Of course," Remus agreed, "completely ridiculous."

oOoOo

Lily appeared out of the house's floo with a massive smile. Never mind the soot that covered her clothing or the state of her hair, she had better things to do.

"Sirius? Remus? Where are you guys?" Lily shouted as she headed upstairs.

"Up here Lils!" Remus shouted from Sirius' rooms.

Lily chuckled and practically ran into the bedroom, "We're fixing Hogwarts!" she announced excitedly.

The two remaining Marauders were out on the balcony and both turned towards her with astonished faces.

"What? How? I thought it was completely raised to the ground?" Remus asked.

Lily nodded, "it was; however, the few remaining unspeakables and I have figured out a way to fix it. It's going to take a while, like years, but," her eyes were practically glowing with hope as she spoke, "but it'll be fixed before Harry and Hermione turn eleven."

Both men broke out into amazed smiles.

"Lily!" Remus managed, "that's incredible."

Lily flushed but couldn't get rid of the grin that was stuck on her face, "it is, isn't it?"

Sirius looked between the two of them for a moment and found his own grin just as blinding.

oOoOo

Hogwarts was literately a bomb site. There was nothing but rubble that remained but at least, thanks to the unspeakables, the radiation had been cleared.

Sirius stood with Remus and a crew of ten other wizards and witches at what used to be the front gates.
"Right," Sirius said, addressing the whole crew, "so we can't just cast a simple 'reparo' on the different sections," his statement was met with a collective chuckle from the group.

"So," Sirius continued after a moment, "we're going to have to do this from scratch. The ministry managed to dig up a very old set of plans so we've at least got a floor plan," Sirius met the gazes of his teammates who looked very overwhelmed.

"How the hell are we supposed to replicate the founder's incredible feats of magic?" someone asked from within the group.

Remus found himself speaking up, despite the fact that he didn't really want to, "if the four of them managed it an odd thousand years ago, I'm positive that the twelve of us can get pretty damn close. It's just going to take a little patience and creativity."

Sirius nodded, "too damn right. Now, let's get to work."

oOoOo

"Mum?" Hermione called as she climbed the staircase up to the second floor.

"Hermione?" her mother's voice called back, telling the young girl that she needed to head to the study.

Carefully navigating the last few steps Hermione made her way to the door and knocked, knowing that it would be locked so there was no point in trying the handle.

Suddenly, the door swung open on its own and Hermione was greeted by the sight of her mother sitting behind the large wooden desk that took up a fair portion of the room.

"Hello love, what can I do for you?" Lily asked, setting down her wand and gesturing her daughter forward.

Hermione, who felt rather out of place in such a forbidden room, walked forward cautiously.

"I wanted to ask you something," Hermione admitted, finally reaching the other side of the desk.

With a squeal, Hermione felt her feet leave the ground and the next thing she knew, she was sitting on top of the desk.

"Alright, hit me with it," Lily prompted.

"My necklace..." Hermione began, lifting a hand to fiddle with the pendant in question, "it's magical isn't it?"

Lily nodded, though her expression was a little incredulous, she wasn't quite sure how her eight/nine-year-old had figured it out so young.

Hermione let out a frustrated huff, though the roguish smile assured Lily that her daughter wasn't actually that annoyed.

"What does it do, exactly?" Hermione questioned.

A sad little smile appeared on Lily's face, "you were always so bright love. I should have known you'd figure it out sooner then I'd thought you would."

Hermione stayed silent, waiting for the answer that she knew her mother would get to eventually.

Lily took a steadying breath before confessing, "that necklace changes your eye color. It charms them green, so they look like mine and Harry's."

Hermione frowned, that didn't make a lot of sense.

"Why?" she asked.

Lily chuckled, "I was getting to that, you little monkey, let me finish."

Hermione blushed a little in embarrassment but kept her lips tightly sealed.

Despite feeling the room's wards tingle a little at the presence of a third party, Lily didn't bother worrying over it. There was only one person it could be.

Harry.

She supposed that he deserved to know as much as Hermione did.

"Hermione, sweetheart, it's because your adopted," Hermione didn't understand that word either but waited since she was sure her mother was about to explain, "when you were first born, you lived with a different mum and dad, but then they," Lily paused, "well, they died."

She really hadn't been sure about how much to tell her daughter, should she have sugar coated it? Something about angels and heaven? Lily didn't think so, Hermione was about facts and abstract concepts didn't sit well with the girl.

Hermione took a moment to process it, she wasn't entirely sure she'd understood but wanted to make sure she asked the right questions. Her mum always said that the right questions could get you anywhere in life.

"So, when that other mum and dad died," thankfully Hermione understood the idea of death already, "you started to take care of me instead?"

Lily nodded.

Hermione broke out into a smile, "you're the best, mum."

And then, Lily broke down into tears.

"Mummy?" Hermione asked, suddenly terrified she'd done something wrong, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!"

Lily shook her head and pulled her daughter from the desk into her lap, "you have nothing to be sorry for. I love you so much, Hermione."

Suddenly, there was a third set of arms around them, "I love you too, -mione," Harry mumbled as he squished his face into his sister's hair.

Hermione laughed, "you're so weird."

Despite being unable to see his face, Lily was sure her son rolled his eyes in response.

"Only 'cause you are."