The grim and the wolf were rolling around, ferociously growling and relentlessly biting at each other in a heap of furry limbs and tails. From Harry's vantage point a bit of a ways from the scuffle, on the other side of the lake, neither would have the upper hand for a while, for what Remus had in size, Sirius made up for in ferociousness and sheer conscious will-power of his human side. To protect Harry.

The boy was unaware of all the multitude of thoughts that ran through his Godfather's head, only that he blacked out for so long, and to have Harry's green eyes, the same shade of Lily's be the first thing he sees to wake up. It didn't matter how he was there- in that cottage with his dreadful and belligerent cousin, he knew he would bite away at the wood until he was out. He just hopes, in the back of his mind, that Bellatrix would stay down in the shack.

Meanwhile Harry may not have known much of who to help and who in the blazes to hex. Cho would advise him to get a professor- McGonagall or Dumbledore- even Snape might have been nice to have around, as much as he grimaced thinking it. His need turned more urgent at the sight of approaching dementors.

He groaned and had wished he was focusing more when Lupin coached him on the patronus spell, after all those attacks specifically on his person by the wraith-like abominations.

He muttered a quick prayer to whoever was listening to him out there and gripped his wand, hoping the mental link with his friends would somehow give him the strength to face the approaching hoard. Merlin help him. He could already hear those screams- the screams of his mother, followed by an unbearable, agonized screech. He blocked it out, perhaps with the help of adrenalin to boost his shields.

Ignoring his trembling limbs, he struggled to lift his wand at eye level, and the spell left his quaking lips with such little confidence a bare white wisp appeared as fast as it was blown away by the biting winds.

He yelled in pain as one of the dementors got too close and started sucking away at his soul.

Come on Harry- focus!

Cho- Cho would murder me if i died- that doesn't make sense at all, but just- he cast it again, harder, trying to stir more intensely, the feeling of the moments that made him happy. It worked, when he started thinking about Cho, and then Daphne and Mione, back when they met, when they laughed together, feasted together, cried and fought and bled together. Rose and fell together-

And yet.

That first year.

Wasn't it the mirror of Erised showing him his true desire- his true happiness? Him and his parents, his family? He cast harder, the spell faltering when his mind strayed away from his friends, and he grunted, struggling to remain upright as the monsters circled him. Out of the corner of his darkening vision. he saw Sirius barking at him panicked- Remus nevertheless hadn't given him reprieve and kept clawing and biting at the tiring grim

"Sirius no! Ah!" At this rate, he wouldn't hold on much longer.

'Hang on Harry!' Cho! She was there- there with him. He can't let her, let them down! He had to save Sirius, his family.

Family. What is family? It was the people who make him feel at home, himself, provide emotionally and mentally more than he realised he would ever need. The support, the reason to keep on going. The people he needed to never let down, or so help him. Hermione. Daphne. Cho. Ron. Ron, his wake-up call when he retreated into himself, back to the solitary lifestyle he was forced into at the Dursleys.

Ron, who dragged him to mandatory quidditch breaks and chess games.

Ron, who stood by him while his reputation is dragged through the mud.

Ron, who stayed up late at his side, as they told each other anecdotes while sneaking in chocolate frogs, till day break.

Ron, who made him feel more like a normal boy when he needed it the most.

He was as much family as the three girls who gave him a place to belong, as himself, a pianist, a student striving to succeed and fit in, to make a family. The Weasleys, Dumbledore. His mentor and guide.

This time, he had the image of them standing by him, of him and the three girls playing together on a brightly lit stage. With that image playing over again in his head, all else faded to white. His body moved on its own, lips yelling out the spell. A white light spurred out of his wand so brightly, the wolf and hound stopped fighting, suddenly blinded by the flash of white. The dementors were all but propelled away with agonized screeches- one or two even burned, their robes floating to the floor in tatters, in remains of darkness. The rest fled far beyond even Hogsmeade with the magnitude and radius of the spell cast. The last thing Harry saw as he was bathed in white, was a stag chasing away some of the wraiths left behind. The rest was history as he collapsed to the floor like a puppet freed from its strings.

It was like that that professors Snape and McGonagall found the boy along with a scratched up werewolf and big grim dog passed out at his side.

"Oh my…"

"What is that black mongrel doing here…" His wand was already inching out of his holster when Minerva glared at the vindictive man, one look from her sending him a message loud and clear that now was not the time for past squabbles. He- very reluctantly- conceded, helping the fierce transfiguration teacher levitate the three on their way to the hospital wing, Severus standing at least five feet away from Sirius.

"I don't know what happened, but I just thank merlin they're all safe... I was worried we were too late, what with helping Miss Granger and Greengrass through that ordeal."

"I always told you that beast has no control- and this time is no different, Minerva, no matter how much you want to turn a blind eye to your precious little cubs who do no wrong-"

"We will discuss this in my office. Focus on saving the boy." Now was the worst time for his petulant outburst.

Early morning rays awakened nature's flora and fauna, the majestic scene sure to mystify any who ventured in the august castle's garden. The squirrels were jumping around, the birds chirped gaily, and the owls hooted and ruffled their feathers in the owlery, preparing to sleep after a long night's hunt. The river squid swam in circles, waking up as the rays of sun seeped into the water in scattered particles. It was a gentle awakening.

And certainly, no end of semester morning would be complete without a certain voice moaning in agony and utter displeasure, said childish voice echoing across the fields and forest, some animals stopping in their movements, perplexed.

"No! No, no no! Absolutely not!"

"Her-"

"No! I refuse!"

"Hermione come on-"

"I'm not listening! Lalalalalalalala-"

"Hermione Jean Granger! Shut up and just take the damn medicine before I throw the damn thing-"

"make me."

"You little chit you asked for it!" Daphne, as per usual grumpy and in great need of sleep in the mornings hopped from her bed, catching the stubborn brunette by surprise as she jumped onto said student's bed, vial in hand, giving Hermione no escape as she straddled her, vial in hand, staring her down.

Hermione, as stubborn as Godrick himself, stared up with the same stubbornness with her one good eye that wasn't wrapped in gauze, refusing to open her mouth a millimeter.

"You know I can just use magic. But I won't, because I'm nice." Daphne spoke condescendingly, hoping to draw out the Gryffindor to open her mouth in retort.

While Hermione chortled at the 'nice' statement, she did wisely to keep her mouth shut.

"Okay, final chance."

They stared each other down, Daphne finally growling and looking away in frustration.

"You leave me no choice then!"

Her one free hand darted like a cobra to Hermione's neck. And it was then, a split second from it happening, when Hermione knew deep inside it was far too late to escape the torture, that she attempted to negotiate a peace.

"Okay wait no- hahahahha" How convenient that Hermione was in fact, ridiculously ticklish. Daphne giggled to herself, not content with stopping just yet. It was hilarious to see Hermione looking mad while laughing like a gasping walrus at the same time. How she wished she had a muggle camera to picture this wonderful moment and frame it on their practice room wall.

"I- hahahah- I concede- haha- s-top i-hahah"

"Alright, hahaha." Daphne opened the vial when the infirmary doors opened, revealing Sirius, Harry, Cho and Madame Pomfrey standing at the doorway in mid-pace.

It was Sirius who opened his mouth first with a sly smile.

"Are we interrupting something here?"

"For Merlin's sake Sirius they're thirteen!"

"I'm just joking Minerva-"

"It's still Professor McGonagall to you, Mr. Black." With her fiercest glare, Sirius's ragged face turned as embarrassed as it could have, had Sirius Black had any sense of preservation, that is.

"Fine then, McMinniegonagall." He chanted under his breath, smiling impishly and looking anywhere but the miffed professor as Harry snickered.

"I for one am a little surprised to see someone imprisoned for 10 years be so jovial." Daphne interjected, off the bed smoothing out the creases on her hospital gown, full medicine vial in hand.

"Having a full meal, a la Hogwarts, can do that for you." Nurse Pomfrey interrupted as she walked in, her eyes falling first pointedly on Hermione, who shrunk into her bed sheets and pulled as much as she could over her head with her bushy hair barely hiding under, knowing exactly what the medic was about to say.

"I see Ms Granger still hasn't taken her medicine."

"Oh, I'm right on that Madame Pomfrey, no worries." Daphne smirked the trademark Slytherin way that had Sirius surprisingly snort.

"Seems like the young ones are an entirely different breed compared to my time. I bet Malfoy's kid would still be a tosser though." He grumbled the last part to himself, through didn't miss the scowl that crossed not only Daphne's face, but Hermione's and Harry's too.

'What is that supposed to mean…?' He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, looking outside to his left at the cold reception to his quip.

"I believe I'm doing just fine, Madame Pomfrey, no need to tend to me, promise! In fact, let me just go ahead and change and head to classes, yes?" She quipped in with nervous pep, trying to slip out of the damned ward she's been in far too often now. Daphne mentally noticed Hermione was antsier than usual after waking up.

"You will do no such thing young lady. Besides, it's the weekend."

"Wait, really? How long have we been out?"

"Not too long- two days I believe." Hermione'd expression revealed nothing, and Sirius was curious as to what constituted as 'long' period for the bushy haired girl. Daphne quirked an eyebrow. She thought the brunette would look impressed or laugh it off. What's got her thinking so intensely? She turned back to Sirius.

"I don't mean to sound rude, Mr. Black, but how is it that you're freely walking around?"

"Not completely. I'm technically under Minnie's custody for the moment. But hopefully in due time, I will be a free man. And that is something I have these two little Gryffindors to thank. Mainly what you managed to find at the vaults in the second year. I had thought that parchment would never see the light, and with Pettigrew scurried off the face of the earth, well… I believed I'd have to be on the run my entire life." His joviality receded for a moment, and the gratefulness and love that shone on his face when he looked at Harry, not Lily, not James, but Harry, made the latter feel all the effort and mischief he'd committed to be more than worth it. It humbled him to see so much genuine love and trust from someone who hadn't even known him for so long, for someone who was such close friends with his parents he'd longed to know anything of. He swore to thank Hermione properly for going with him that day to the vaults. Keeping himself from crying, he tried to shrug it off.

"It wasn't much, just had to break into the most guarded bank in the world with time travel is all-" Before Sirius had the chance to bark out in laughter, Minerva sharply turned toward Hermione.

"You did WHAT young lady!?"

"Oh bugger me-" Minerva's yell pulled the girl out of her reverie in a most unpleasant manner, but comical for those watching.

"Hermione Jean Granger!"

'This was going to be an interesting recovery period.'

"So your hearing is tomorrow. This will be the final one, right? And then you're free, right?"

"I hope so Harry, I sincerely do. Imperio may not be traced, but memory cannot be easily fooled, thank Merlin. Thanks to those three clever friends of yours, I won't be a mad dog on the run any time soon." He smiled uncertainly, tentative hope gleaming in his world-weary eyes. Until tomorrow, he feared believing in better possibilities, but when he glimpsed at the blatant hope and trust his Godson's eyes, those eyes that reminded him so much of Lily, and face of James, he resolved to hope as they once did, and perhaps do, at least now for others rather than themselves, but their family. For Harry. He'd do it for Harry. And Remus. Someone's got to keep their furry little friend from going retreating into his cave again, too.

"You haven't been up to date with your homework, Mione. What's wrong? If you have a problem with the concepts, I'll be more than happy to help." The three had taken turns keeping Hermione company throughout the day, hoping she'll start recovering. As far as they knew, her eye had been recovered, safe for a thin scar than ran from the lower tip of her brow to above her cheekbone.

Hermione told them she could see fine, mostly. But she felt that wasn't what bothered her, she felt her thoughts fall flat. Usually Hermione's thoughts- when they became reasonably close, was loud and excited. This felt extinguished, her inner voice.

"I'm just tired, it'll be alright."

"So you don't want to talk about it."

"…" She laid back in her bed, turning away from Cho.

"No, not really. But I did organize the groupings and piece repertoires for the coming weeks, based off the feedback we got from students. I will finish my homework, I promise. I'm just, not in a really great place right now."

"…Alright."

'I won't prod, but if you want to vent, I'm here to listen. You don't have to tell anyone else either.'

'… I appreciate it a lot Cho, thanks. Maybe some sleep will help, I guess.' Hermione seemed to appreciate the silence more, communicating with hushed thoughts and gentle touches Cho would often use to put her friends at ease. Brief shoulder and elbow touches, a pat to the head, and the like. Her thumb was stroking circles on Hermione's hand as she held it gdntly but firmly, giving the conflicted brunette all the time she needed.

'Actually, can we take a walk outside? The gardens look nice this morning.'

'They do, don't they? I'll let Madame Pomfrey know, don't worry, she won't mind.'

The walk may have seemed silent to observers from afar, but any experienced legilimens would say otherwise. They walked from the courtyard down near the outskirts of the forbidden forest where Hagrid's hut and pumpkin patch was located.

'Is this about McGonagall confiscating your time turner?' THe brunette's brief shudder perplexed the Racenclaw.

'No. No, not really. I had that coming since stealing the documents, honestly. Plus, I felt like I was wasting my time, never using it properly or at all since saving Sirius, or, the incident.'

'You saved yours and Daphne's lives, and Sirius's you know.'

'I'm grateful, don't get me wrong, but… I don't know what to focus on anymore. I feel sort of scattered Cho. I'm embarrassed to admit this, because you were right, and I wasted plenty of time just brooding over the fact that Daphne ignored me for the better part of the semester.'

"I want to pretend it's all okay, but I'm really behind on my studies, I don't know what I'm supposed to train on and what weapons to use and how weak I've gotten, how to keep practicing for my concert and manage the club that hasn't even bloody started, and as a cherry on top, I don't know if I can handle her doing that again. She told me why she did it, but now I'm being stupid and worrying that I'll just be thrown aside again, even though I know she didn't mean to do it in a mean fashion… I don't know, it's all too much Cho, I don't know what to do, and I feel drained and tired…' She lamented, burying her head in her hands and knees to hide the prickling of tears at her eyes. The pressure was crushing her ribs and squeezing her lungs and heart like a load of putty.

Cho remained quiet as they sat by the edge of the lake, waiting for Hermione to calm down as she rubbed circles on the smaller girl's back. Feeling her tense muscles relax, she gently pulled Hermione to her side, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"You'll be alright, Hermione. Breathe with me, okay?"

A shaky nod told her she was still with her. Good.

A few more minutes of appeasing silence. Cho almost felt bad about breaking it.

"You've gone through a lot, Hermione. You write it off as no big deal, but anyone else in your situation would be having worse panic attacks. I know you haven't been sleeping properly. Is it related to that night?'

…

"I… yeah. And others too. I don't know, I just… I'm starting to get scared about, well, seriously getting hurt. Even with magic. I honestly thought with magic there's no way I'd die, but- that night. And t-then the one with Voldemort I thought was bad enough, but that night was b-b-bad."

"Yes Bellatrix is a horrid person, it must have been horrible for you to face her like that, unprepared…" Hermione just shook her head, still silent. Cho waited for Hermione to continue, doing her best to keep calm, and a steady heartbeat. She needed to keep Hermione from breaking down, but she couldn't help feel antsy at the nearly palpable dread weighing down Hermione's shoulders.

"D-did Daphne tell you? What she thought she saw, the first time she woke up?"

"… She didn't, no."

"She saw me bleeding out, Cho. She thinks it was just a dream. I-it might as well be by now. I messed with the time turner in a weird way, C-Cho. I don't think I'm supposed to be here now."

"What do you mean?" Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help letting worry seep into her voice, eyes widening slightly. She held onto Hermione's shoulders slightly tighter, unconsciously worried the girl will simply disappear.

"I supercharged the time turner… I used every bit of magic I had and pushed back that moment with the alternative moments closest to it far back enough that I could react fast enough to Sirius… I-I saw myself die Cho- I-…." She took a shuddering breath, staring into her ghastly expression in the murky waters, and stopped. She looked up at Cho, desperately searching for answers, fearful that she had tampered with the forbidden. That all she had would slip away from her hands.

"…You did what?"