The next morning Hermione took her time getting ready knowing what she was going to talk about today and scared about their reactions. She looked herself in the mirror, she was wearing a pair of black jeans, a green long sleeve shirt and had her hair up in the a braided pony tail. She grabbed her notes, the letters that went along with this year, took a deep breathe and walked down stairs. She heard Lily, Remus and James in the kitchen, she wondered where Sirius was but she found her answer when she reached the bottom of the stairs. Sirius was sitting on the floor of the living room, playing with little Harry. It broke her heart a little, knowing that Harry didn't remember things like this. She walked into the room, Sirius looked up at her and she could see the fear and saddness in his eyes. "Sirius..."
"Breakfast is ready. You guys coming?" Remus called from the doorway. Sirius nodded stood up, lifted Harry into his arms and walked into the Kitchen. Hermione sighed and followed them, she sat in the only seat availible, it was right next to Sirius.
"Good morning Hermione," James smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Did you sleep well?"
She looked at him, slightly seeing Harry and sighed. "No... but then again no one did, did they?" Everyone looked down at their plates, she took a deep breatheand began to eat. "Are the professors coming today?"
"Yes they are, they will be here shortly." Remus whispered. She nodded and they ate in silence.
Ten minates later as they were cleaning up their plates, Dombledore and Professer McGonagall walked through the fireplace. Hermione walked into the living room as the others took their time, not really wanting to hear what they where sure would break their family. Hermione sat in a chair in front of the fire place to put distance between herself and the Marauders. Everyone sat down with Harry playing on the floor in front of them.
Hermione sighed as she looked to Sirius, taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she looked at him. "Sirius this year will be hardest for you, please don't try to do anything rash, if you do I promise I will Hex you. Now Lily, James and Remus just remember that Sirius loves all of you more then his own life and sometimes that isn't the sanest thing."
They all looked at her and nodded. "Are you ready to tell us about this year, Hermione." Dumbledore asked her.
She nodded and looked down at her notes. "Now 13 years old, Harry Potter has been spending the summer at Privet Drive, absorbing most of his time studying new spells. When Vernon's sister, Marge, comes for a visit."
"Oh no." Lily gasped.
"What?" James and Remus asked.
"Marge is a very cruel woman, she is nasty and doesn't care who knows it." Lily whispered.
"Yes well Vernon was unhappy with Harry because Ron had tried to call him on the telephone," Hermione laughed, "Ron was yelling through the phone to make sure he could be heard. Harry says that if hadn't made Vernon upset that he would have laughed."
Lily laughed, then sighed at the Marauder's confused faces. "A phone is a way Muggles communicate, and you aren't suppost to yell because they can hear you just fine."
"Anyways it was our third year, that meant Hogmeade. Harry asked Vernon to sign it, well actually he blackmailed him sort of." Hermione corrected.
"How?" James asked with a smirk.
"Harry said he might forget to behave or remember that ridiculus story that Vernon made up about Harry going to St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Crimanal Boys..."
"WHAT?" Lily screamed. "They told people that they sent my son to that awful place. They beat the boys there, starve them and some have died there."
Before anyone could comment Hermione continued, "Vernon agreed that if he controled himself and kept to the story that he would sign the form. Now before we actually get to the visit I must add that Harry had just gotten a letter from Ron, who had been in Egypt. His father had won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw and they decided to spend the summer holiday in Egypt where Bill was working as a curse breaker dor Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Ron's letter came with the Daily Prophet wher the Weasley's were on the front page. All nine of the Weasleys waving furiously, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny. The letter also came with Harry's birthday gift, a Pocket Sneakoscope."
"I remember those." Sirius whispered, Hermione noticed that it was the first time he spoke since he entered the room.
"Then Harry got my letter, I was in France and didn't know how I was going to send him his gift but then his owl Hedwig showed up one day. To this day I swear it was because she wanted him to have something for his birthday. Harry thought my gift was a book about spell, because I will be honest that is what most of my gifts where," she and Lily laughed. "But this year I got something that he would love, he said it surprized him. I got him a Broomstick Servicing Kit."
"Nice Hermione." James smiled, she nodded.
"The next was a gift, if that is what you want to call it, from Hagrid. It was the Monster Book of Monsters." she whispered.
"Oh no." McGonagall sighed, Hermione nodded.
"Harry chased for a moment then caught it." Hermione sighed, "I should also add that when Harry went down to ask Vernon to sigh the Hogmeade form that the news was talking about the escaped convict..." she sighed and looked down at her hands, everyone held their breath even though they already knew. "Sirius Black."
"Escaped but no one ever escapes Azkabam." McGonagall stated.
"Actually that is not true," Hermione corrected, "One escaped before him but no one finds that out until our fourth year, then in our fifth and six years people escape too but we will get to that later. The Muggle news was warning the people about Sirius saying he was armed and Dangerous and to report any sign of him. But there would be no report of him, not for a while thankfully."
"Thankfully?" Lily asked.
Hemione sighed, "I am sorry, when I first heard about Sirius, he scared me but I know him now or I did. He is loyal, honest, some times to honest and he has a great heart. It only took me moments to know that I would do whatever I had to do to protect him and he told me once that he felt that way about me, Neville and the Twins too."
"The Twins?" Sirius asked.
"Ron's older twin brother, you will hear more about them this year. They were the new Marauders of our time, they gave you guys a run for your money. They left Hogwart in true Marauder/Weasley fashion." Hermione said with a sad smile.
"Are they still alive?" Remus asked.
"Goerge is, not Fred." she whispered, then she sat up and shook her head. "Anyways, where were we? Oh here, Marge showed up to spend a week. She spoiled Dudley, ignored Harry except to talk down at him or about him but when she would would start, Harry would focus on the Handbook of Do-it-yourself Broomcare that came with my gift and he made it the whole week. But then came the dinner of her last night. Marge was talking with Vernon as he offers her some wine. She started talking about Dudley being a healthy sized boy but then she pointed to Harry," Hermione sighed, "She said it all came down to blood but she had nothing against Petunia's family but you, Lily, were a bad egg." James growled." She said the best familes alway have one, and that you ran off with a wastrel," Remus and Sirius growled." and the result was was Harry." All the Marauder growled. "Stop growling at me, damn it." Hermione snapped.
They stopped, "Sorry Hermione."
"No, it is okay. I know you are angry just give me a moment. When Harry first told me this I blew up, started screaming and throwing things. I am trying to keep calm." she took three deep breaths, closed her eyes and contunied. "She asked what James, she called him Potter, did for a living. Vernon said he didn't work. She laughed and called you a no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scounger who.. well that was as far as she got before it infuriated Harry. He stands up for you. Vernon tries to get him to shut up but Marge wants to hear what Harry has to say, telling him to tell her, was he proud of his parents, who got themselves killed in a car crash most likely drunk. Harry said that you didn't die in a car crash." Hermione stood up and turned away from everyone trying not to lose it. "She called him a lier, that they died in a car crash and left as a burden on his decent, hardworking relatives. She called him an insolent, ungrattfull little... once again that was as far as she got before he lost his temper and accidentally causes her to inflate and fly away. Harry then threatens to curse Vernon when he tries to discipline him but flees, fed up with his life at Privet Drive."
"The warning from last year?" Lily whispered, clearly not worried about Marge but no one said anything as they watched Hermione. She was gripping the fire place, trying to control her breath.
Sirius stands up, walks to her and stands behind her, "Mia?" she turns into his arms and cries, he holds her and tries to calm her. "It will be okay remember, we are going to change the future. He wont have to even met that rediculus women."
She doesn't say anything, just nods. For a moment longer she stays there then she stands straight, Sirius lets her go and she smiles. "Thanks, I am sorry. It is just that we knew nothing about how bad his life was there, he never said anything, never complained. When he left every summer, he looked sad, said that his family didn't really like him but he never told us that they treated him like trash, like a freak, like he was the lowest thing on the planet. Even after all they did to him, he still choose to protect them, to keep them safe. I wouldn't have, I would have left them to die but he wouldn't because he cares for everyone, even his enemies some what. I thought my time at Hogwart was tough because I was a muggle-born but it was nothing compared to the life he had there, and was there his whole life, until he was 17."
Lily started crying, James held her and Hermione walked to sit back down. Remus broke the silence, "Does it get better, even a little?"
"Some what but we will get to that. I want to tell you more before we eat lunch." Everyone nods as Sirius sits back down. "Harry grabs his things, makes it a couple of streets before he stops and starts to panic. He had no where to go, he had broken the decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, he thought he would go to Azkaban. He sat there in the dark for a moment before he sees something watching him, he holds up his wand to get a better look and he sees..." Hermione stops to smiles at Sirius, who looks confused, "a large black dog watching him," the Marauders gasp, Hermione laughs and nods, Sirius jumps up and yells causing little Harry to giggle and left his arms up to Sirius. Sirius lifts him up and bounces him on his knee. "Then out of nowhere a buss shows up it was the Knight Bus appears and delivers Harry to the Leaky Cauldron, Harry being cautious told the people that his name was Neville Longbottom. On the bus Harry learns more about Sirius, Ernie tells him that Sirius that Sirius is mad, or insane, and that.." she sighed again, "that Sirius murder 13 people with one curse." Everyone gasped in the room, Sirius held Harry closier. "and that he was a supporter of Voldermort."
"I was not, am not. What do you mean I am a supporter?" Sirius yelled, Harry cried causing Sirius to look at him. Sirius hugged him, rocked him and silently began crying.
"Sirius, I know but I need you to listen, okay?" Sirius nodded, Hermione sighed.
"At the Leaky Cauldron the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge tells him he will not be arrested for the use of magic on his aunt. Fudge tells him that he will be staying there until school starts so that they wont lose him again. Harry wants me to ask if anyone knows about Fudge's wierd obsession with crumputs."
Dumbledore laughes, "Yes he is almost as bad as I am with candy."
Hermione smiles, "After reuniting with Ron and me a couple days later he tells us everything. Ron and I were fighting because my new pet, a cat named Crookshanks, didn't like his pet Scabbers." She said his name with so much hatred that everyone looked confused but she shook her head. "Mr. Weasley pulls Harry aside to tell him more about Sirius Black, he learns that Sirius Black, a convicted supporter of Lord Voldemort, has escaped Azkaban prison and is likely intending to kill him."
Sirius stares at her, she shakes her head, he gets up, hands Harry to James and walks into the kitchen, "Keep talking, I can hear I just need some space."
Hermione nods. "The next day we get on the train, the only compartment left open is one with a sleeping man inside. We go in, sit down and Harry tells us what Mr. Weasley told him. Ron, being Ron, finaly wondered out loud who the man was. I looked over on the case he had was him and said," she paused as Sirius came into the doorway, "Professor R. J. Lupin."
"What?" Remus jumped up, "I can't be a professor, I'm a were... I mean...um."
"Relax Remus, I know you are a werewolf." Everyone gasped, she sighed. "We all do, we find out on later in the year, I do before the others, thanks to Snape. None of that matters Remus, you were and still are the best Professor we ever had. The only reason you quite is because those stupid narrow minded parents don't know that being a werewolf doesn't change who you are as a man."
Remus stared at her, a little shocked at her words. "Thank you Hermione."
"No problem. Don't let them scare you away this time, we are lost with out you and worse off." she added. "Malfoy showed up with Crabbe and Goyle to try and start a fight with Harry but stopped when he found out that Lupin was a Professor. Suddenly the train began to slow down, then it stopped with a jolt, the luggage fell, the lights went out and the train was in total darkness. Moments later Neville and Ginny entered not wanting to be wherever they were before, we all sat there in the darkness. Remus had woken up finally because he told us to be quite as Ginny and Neville were finding sits, he made some light and told us to stay where we were as he began to move toward the door but the door opened before he got there. In the door way was a Dementor..." Dumbledore growled, causing everyone to look at him, "It stared at Harry, suddenly Harry's eye rolled back into his head." Lily gasped, the others looked at Harry, wondering why. "Harry later told me it felt like he was being dragged downward, with this loud roaring growing in his ears. Then he heard terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was but he couldn't move then there was a thick white fog swirling around and inside of him."
"Ron and I had been trying to wake him about, Ron slapping his face as I called his name. Harry asked us who screamed, we told him no one but he said he heard it. We all jumped when Remus snapped off a peice of Chocolate for Harry, he told Harry to eat it, he gave us all some choclate then he told Harry about the Dementor being from Azkaban. He then left to talk to the driver. We got to Hogwarts soon and school went on like normal for a while, Malfoy made fun of Harry for fainting."
"Git." James whispered.
"At Hogwarts, Dumbledore informs us that the Dementors will be guarding the school while Black is at large. Professor Lupin was introduced, and Hagrid was announced as the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
"Really Dumbledore. Are you sure that is a wise choice?" McGonagall asked.
Before Dumbledore could answer Hermoine spoke. "Hagrid is a great teacher, who does not get enough credit. Just because he is a half giant and a little unorthadox doesn't make him any worse then the other professors. In my opinion he is a better then all but one DADA teacher we ever had and half the other teachers we get stuck with."
McGonagall looked shocked at her tone but nodded, "Forgive me, I have apparenly struck a nerve."
"Unfortunatly yes you have." Hermione whispered, "Hagrid is a great man, a wonderful Professor but is looked down upon because of what he is. It hurts Harry to see Hagrid's face when people talk about him when he can hear them and they do it all the time." Dumbledore looked upset at her words. "Lupin's lessons prove enjoyable; he focuses on practice, not just theory, and encourages less confident students such as Neville when he faces a boggart in the form of his worst fear, Professor Snape. Neville pictured Snape in his grandmother's clothes for his spell, everyone laughed. When it was Harry's turn, Remus thought that it would turn into Voldermort and stepped in front of him."
"Thanks mate." James whispered, Remus nodded.
"When Remus stood infront of him it turned a full moon, altough noone understood why. Harry later asked him why he stepped in front of him, when Remus told him, he understood but said that he actually didn't think of Voldermort, he thought of the Dementors. However, Hagrid's first class doesn't go to plan after Harry had just gotten off the Hippogriff, Buckbeak, Draco Malfoy deliberately provokes the Hippogriff who then attacks him. Draco's father Lucius Malfoy has Buckbeak sentenced to death on court."
"How sad, that isn't the Hippogriff's fault." Lily cried.
"Later we find a crowd at the door to their dormitory, and The Fat Lady missing from her portrait. She is located in a different picture, and she tells Dumbledore that Black has entered the castle. Filch, Lupin and Snape secure and search the castle, but they find no one. As the Gryffindor Dormitory has been compromised, the students sleep in the main hall which allows Harry to overhear an argument between Snape and Dumbledore about Lupin's suspected role in helping his old friend Black into the Castle."
"If anyone thought that I was there to kill Harry, Remus would be the first one to kill me. He wouldn't help me, he would attack me first then ask questions." Sirius whispered from the doorway.
"During a stormy Quidditch match, several Dementors approach and overpower Harry, causing him to fall off his broomstick, which is then destroyed by the Whomping Willow. Harry later tells us the screams he hears are that of you, Lily on the night you die. He hears you beg for Voldermort not to kill him, he hears you give your life for him." Lily cries as James holds her and Harry close. "Lupin secretly teaches Harry to defend himself against Dementors using the Patronus charm. As Harry lacks parental permission to visit Hogsmeade, Fred and George, who intercept him despite his invisible cloak due to his footprints in the snow give him their Marauder's Map, a magical document showing every person's location within Hogwarts, as well as secret passageways in and out of the school castle."
"Hermione? He has the map?" James asks.
"Yes and he knows who made it, he finds out later. At first I try to convince him to turn it in but he wont because he doesn't want to give it up and he doesn't want to get Fred and Geogre in trouble." She smiles at them. "Now this next part might be a little harder to hear, Sirius I need you over here by me." Sirius nodded, walked to her and sat down on the floor beside her. "At Hogsmeade, Harry notices Fudge and Madam Rosmerta, discussing Black. He follows them after he hears mentioning his name, and overhears that Black is his godfather and was his parents' best friend. Black was accused of divulging the Potters' secret whereabouts to Voldemort and murdering their mutual friend Peter Pettigrew by blowing him up. Out of anger, Harry vows to avenge his parents, and kill Black."
Sirius starts to growl, Hermione places her hand on his shoulder, "I couldn't have done that, I wouldn't. Not to James and Lily. Not to Harry. And Peter, why would I kill him, there is no reason to? Is all this true? Am a monster? If I am, I want Harry to kill me."
"No, now no more talking for awhile." Hermione snapped as James openned his mouth to say something. "Late at night, Harry is reading the Marauder's map, when he notices Peter Pettigrew's name on it."
"What? How? I thought he was dead?" Remus asked.
"Maybe it was wrong?" Lily stated.
"It is not possible, it is never wrong." James whispered.
"How do you know?" McGonagall asked
"Because they created it, Prongs is James, Padfoot is Sirius, Wormtail is Peter and Moony is Remus." Hermione answered, the Marauders looked at her, she smiled. "Harry exits the dormitory and follows him. He follows Pettigrew, on the map, but is unable to see him anywhere. He instead sees Snape on the map, but fails to avoid him. Snape initially confiscates the map, but hands it over to Lupin who arrives to take Harry to his classroom, keeping the map and admonishing Harry for wandering the castle while Black is at large. Before leaving, Harry mentions to Lupin seeing Pettigrew on the map, leaving Lupin astonished. Now I was add that Ron during this time was upset with me because he thinks that my cat eat his rat because there was blood on his bed. That night Ron woke up with Sirius standing over his bed with a knife in his hands."
"I was going to kill Ron?" Sirius looked at her but she just shook her head.
"After a class of Divination, Professor Trelawney enters a trance and predicts that the Dark Lord's servant will return that night. Later, Harry, Ron, and I visit Hagrid to console him over Buckbeak's impending execution. While there, we discover Scabbers, Ron's missing rat. Fudge, Dumbledore, and an executioner arrive at Hagrid's to carry out Buckbeak's execution, and we hurry away to avoid being discovered. I have been told to add that while we were walking away we ran into Malfoy, who made fun of Hagrid and Buckbeak, I had had enough of Malfoy so I pulled back my hand and punched him in the nose." The Maraunders laughed. "He panicked when it began to bleed and he left, Scabbers suddenly bites Ron, escaping, and as we chase him a large dog appears and drags both Ron and Scabbers into a hole at the Whomping Willow's base. Harry and I are attacked by the tree but also manage to enter the underground passage to the Shrieking Shack thanks to my cat who apparently is great freinds with the big black dog."
"There we discover that the dog is actually Sirius Black, who is an Animagus. Harry attacks Black, but Lupin arrives and disarms Harry. After exchanging a few cryptic words with Black, Lupin then embraces him as an old friend. When confronted by me, Lupin admits to being a werewolf, and he and Black begin to explain that Black is innocent. Professor Snape bursts in, intending to hand over Black to the Dementors, but Harry, having doubts, knocks him out with a spell. Lupin and Black explain that Scabbers is actually Peter Pettigrew, an Animagus who committed the crime for which Black was convicted."
"Peter? Why would he fake his death?" James asks.
"Lupin and Black force Pettigrew back into his human form where Harry and the rest of us find out that Peter was the Potter's sercet keeper. James chose him because everyone would think he chose Black, Peter betrayed James and Sirius knew it that is why he went after Peter."
James and Remus were standing looking from her to Sirius, who was staring at his hands. Sirius looked up, "I want to go kill him but I can't right now, can I?"
Hermione shook her head. "Sirius and Remus prepared to kill him, but Harry intervenes saying that his father would not have wanted his two best friends to become killers. Pettigrew is instead to be turned over to the Dementors. Remus dragged Peter behind him, in ropes, I followed Remus and Sirius and Harry carried Ron out because when Sirius grabbed Ron he bit into his leg and Ron couldn't walk. Sirius talk about James and him being a dog, Sirius told them that James had told Sirius he made a better dog and that he might make the change permentant but the only thing that stopped him was the fleas. Sirius told Harry that once he was cleared that if Harry wanted to he could come live with Sirius. Harry told Sirius that he would love to but unfortuantly it never happened. As everyone minus Snape heads to the castle, the full moon rises; Lupin realizes that he forgot his potion,"
"Potion?" Remus asks.
"Yes, sometime soon there will be a potion that helps you keep control of yourself when you are a werewolf. It helps you stay Remus instead of be Moony." she answers.
Remus sighs and laughs as James and Sirius hug him. "That is going to be amazing."
"Back to our story, Remus transforms into a werewolf, and Pettigrew manages to escape in the confusion and turns back into a rat to escape. Lupin and Black fight in their animal forms, Snape arrives and puts himself inbetween us on the werewolf to protect us," James whispers 'go Snape', "until Lupin is distracted by another animal's howls. Black is hurt and falls down by the lake, Harry follow him,Dementors attack Black and Harry. As Dementors are preparing to suck out their souls and perform the Dementor's Kiss, Harry sees a distant figure cast a powerful stag-shaped Patronus that scatters the Dementors, and sends them away. Harry believes the mysterious figure is his dead father."
"But it can't be me?" James whispered. Hermione shook her head.
"Harry passes out from the trauma, and awakens to find he is in Hogwarts and Sirius has been captured. Acting on advice from Dumbledore, I reveal that I possess a time-turner," Lily laughs, knowing what is coming next. "that I had used all year to take multiple classes simultaneously. Harry and I travel back in time three hours, watching ourselves repeat that night's events. We free Buckbeak, and return to the Whomping Willow. We watched as we, Lupin and Snape disappeared under the tree, and wait for us to return. As we come up Harry tells me what Sirius told him and how he wants to live with him, Harry almost goes after Peter when he escapes but remembers Sirius at the lake. As we watch Remus transform again I realise that what ever animal howled isn't doing this time around. As I watch Remus reach toward us, I do the other thing I can think of, I howl causing Remus to turn from our younger selves and head toward us."
"You did WHAT?" Remus yelled, she flinched. "Are you crazy? I am werewolf, with no control and you howl to get my attention? Why?"
"To save us from you and to save yourself from your guilt. If it happened again, I would still do it." she stated. "Anyways we ran, you chased, and when you caught up, Buckbeck kicked your ass and you ran." Remus sighed, Sirius laughed. "As the Dementors overpower Black and his earlier self, Harry realises that he himself was the one to cast the Patronus, and rushes to do so. Harry and I then rescue Black, who escapes on Buckbeak, commenting that they are both now fugitives. Sirius promises us he will see us again as he leaves. Harry and I race back to the Hospital wing where Dumbledore is just leaving and Ron is there confused. Lupin resigns the next day because Snape let it slip at breakfast that he was a werewolf, knowing that parents will object to a werewolf teaching their children. Remus gives Harry back the Marauder's Map, saying James would want him to have it and Harry's Invisiable cloak. Shortly after, Sirius anonymously sends Harry a Firebolt, the fastest racing broom ever made and gave Ron an Owl from taking away his pet rat. Ron actually hold the owl to Crookshanks to make sure it was a real owl." Hermione laughs. "Oh and when Harry talked to Vernon that Harry told him about his godfather, the best friend of his father, a convicted murderer that broke out of wizard prison, on the run and will be keeping in touch with Harry to keep up with his news and check if he is happy. Harry said the horror on Vernon's face was the best thing he had every seen."
Sirius laughed, "That is perfect, well at least I helped a little."
"So all third year is about Harry finding his real family?" Lily whispered causing everyone to look at her as she stares at a napping Harry.
"Yes. Harry learned of his father's two best friends, their sercets and found that he wasn't alone anymore." Hermione whispered. "Why don't you guys talk and I will get started on lunch."