AN: I've always subscribed to the idea that the Lovegood women are seers. Not necessarily super powerful ones, but they just know things ya know? SO of course I had to make Pandora like this.

I find the Order meetings a bit difficult to write, but they are definitely necessary. At least it is sandwiched in between two Marauder interactions.

ALSO: before anyone can point it out, I realize that I am changing some of who the original members of the Order are, but I have my reasons. So don't feel the need to point it out to me.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything

Chapter Ten: Animagi

The boys were being secretive.

At first she assumed it was because they were still mad at her for continuing to sit by Snape in Potions, but when she asked them about that Remus had slammed a hand on Sirius's shoulder and said, "Nope. We've working through that. Right, Sirius?"

Sirius had glanced up from his plate to look at Hermione through his eyelashes.

"Yeah… right."

She didn't bring it up after that, but everytime she came into the common room they were sitting in a corner whispering like mad.

She was going completely barmy. At one point she snuck up on them to try and hear what they were saying, but Remus had shushed them. They'd all given her fake innocent looks.

It took four days for her to break.

She cornered James first. It was a rare moment where he was alone in the common room, so before he could even think about moving she had him backed in a corner and was giving him her most menacing look.

She had her wand pointed at his throat.

"Tell me what you lot are planning!"

James was surprisingly steadfast. He just smirked at her and said, "You know I think this would be a lot more effective if you weren't so damn small."

He regretted that as soon she hit him with Ginny Weasley's bat bogey hex.

Word spread among the Marauders after that, that Hermione was hunting for information, and that she was ruthless.

She tried Peter next which honestly knowing the information she knew, wasn't really fair.

Yet again, she was surprised when the skittish boy got out of it by saying he liked the freckles on her nose and leaving her frozen in shock Long enough for him to run away.

The boys got really careful after that. They were careful never to get caught one on one with her, so she was pleasantly surprised when she saw Sirius sitting alone outside. She walked right up to where he was laying down on his back and plopped down on his stomach so he couldn't move.

"Tell me what you've been whispering about, or I won't move!" She was sitting sideways on him and had her arms crossed.

"This would work except you still weigh about one-hundred pounds and it's rather like having a kitten sitting on my chest. Fitting don't you think?" He was smirking and had his hands resting under his head. "Actually, I'm pretty comfortable I could do this all day."

Hermione smacked him on the head.

"I'm being serious, you dolt!" She yelled.

He grinned rather goofily up at her and said, "No, I'm Sirius." This earned him another smack.

She looked around and realized that the few people that were outside were all staring at them. When she glared at them they looked away like scolded children. Then fast as a panther she had her forearm pressed to his throat.

"I don't like secrets, Sirius Black," she whispered. "I'll figure out yours if it kills me."

Sirius's eyes widened comically before he said, "I didn't know you liked it rough, kitten."

Then she smacked him again and stood up with a growl. This time she hit him with a rather forceful stinging hex that had him yelping like a little girl.

When Remus came in for his second to last dose of Wolfsbane that night she held it behind her back before he could grab it.

She blinked up at him with a mock pout in place.

He immediately backed up looking more terrified than even Peter had.

"Okay, that's not fair. I know what you want," he said.

"But Remus!" She resisted the urge to stomp her feet and turned the pout up about ten notches.

He grimaced and tried to turn away, but she just jumped so that she was standing in front of him. She considered fake tears. He gave her a look and seemed to melting a little bit. She almost had him.

"Remus, please."

"I can't tell you, Mione! They'll kill me!"

The fake pout turned into a real one.

"You called me, Mione."

"Shit," said Remus. He slammed his hand on his forehead.

Then the fake tears turned into real tears.

"I asked you not to call me that," she whispered. She reached out and handed him the Wolfsbane. "Okay. You're free."

She turned around once he took it and crawled into her bed. There was silence for a few seconds as she sniffled.

He sat down with his back to her on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry."

She sniffed and said, "It's not your fault."

He laid down on his back, so he was staring up at the ceiling.

"I'll tell you," he said. He sighed and looked over at her, "Sirius, James, and Peter became Animagi. They're coming with me on the full moon tomorrow."

Hermione felt stupid now. Of course, that's what it was. She knew that happened beginning of fifth year and this week she'd threatened, hexed, and manipulated so they would tell her their big secret.

"They didn't want to tell you because they knew you'd want to be one too."

Hermione smiled softly at him, and wiped her eyes.

"I feel stupid now," she whispered. Remus grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"I'm sorry I called you Mione."

"That makes me feel even more stupid. It's just a name." She laughed but it was a little choked up. "Well I can't promise that I won't become an Animagi."

Remus smiled at her, "I didn't really think we could stop you. That's why I insisted they don't tell you."

Hermione snorted, "I found out you were a werewolf. You think I wouldn't notice if none of you showed up tomorrow night?"

"Well we were talking about one person staying behind."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll be okay."

One night of restless sleep a month would be okay if it meant Remus had some comfort every full moon. She squeezed his hand back and then popped up.

"Come on, let's go tell the boys I won."

She had to leave for another Order meeting soon anyway.

Remus groaned but quickly followed her out the door. He'd downed the Wolfsbane and left the empty vile on her bedroom table.

When they came into the common room Sirius, Peter, and James were staring at them with questioning eyes.

"You broke, didn't you, Moony?"

Sirius's eyes darted from Hermione to Remus. They both looked rumpled and Hermione had her puffy post-cry face.

"Did you cry to get him to tell you? That's dirty, kitten!"

Hermione frowned and took the seat next to him on the couch.

"No, um, the crying was actually my fault," said Remus reluctantly.

Suddenly all the boys were staring him down. He looked extremely guilty.

She decided to save him and smiled brightly, "It worked though! I hear I have three more furry friends than I did last week." The boys' glares intensified.

"She was crying! I had to make her stop somehow." Remus yelled. Hermione glared at him.

"Yeah and who's fault is that!" Hermione huffed and sunk into the back of the couch. "And a hug works just fine for future reference."

"Good to know."

"You didn't tell her the other…" Whatever Peter was saying was cut off when James quite literally jumped over the table and tackled Peter to the ground.

"Oh my…" Hermione stared shocked as James wrestled Peter to the ground and whispered something in his ear that had him growing pale rapidly.

"Subtle, James." Sirius was shaking his head next to her on the couch.

Hermione threw her hands up and stood.

"I'm not asking this time. Anyway, I have a meeting with Dumbledore, so I'll see you lot later."

They all looked up at her suspiciously, but she ran out of the room before they could ask any questions.

James finally let go of Peter and stood up, "Should we be worried about that?"

"For someone who says she doesn't like secrets, she has an awful lot of them," said Sirius. He looked genuinely upset by this.

"I'm not sure I want to know her secrets," Peter squeaked from the ground.

Hermione made it to Dumbledore's floo with a few minutes to spare and quickly called out her destination without even looking at him after casting a few face refreshing charms to hide her tears. When she walked into the order meeting nearly everyone was already there.

"Oh! Excellent." Her surprised exclamation got everyone's attention and a few smiled at her pleasantly.

She only smiled back when she walked to the end of the table and saw Charlus and Dorea. They both jumped up to hug her and she ran into their arms.

"I'm so glad to see you!" When she pulled away she gave Dorea a conspiring look and said, "I'll have you know… the sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin."

Dorea snickered and said, "I would've been proud no matter what."

It was weird, Hermione decided, to have mother and father figures that were magical.

"James about had a heart attack when I told him that," she said fondly.

Then she remembered that she had a meeting to conduct and started heading towards her chair. She pulled her wand from her bun and started unshrinking her notebooks and texts that she had stored in her robes pockets. Once she had all of it out she took the robe off so that she was in her regulation button down and skirt. She glanced up and looked around for Dumbledore. She waited until he stepped through the floo to begin the meeting.

"Miss Granger what is the premise of this meeting?" Professor McGonagall asked from her seat next to Dumbledore.

"Right, so we need to discuss killing a Basilisk and beginning the hunt for the Horcruxes."

Moody grumbled, "Right to the point, you are."

"I don't see the point in pleasantries. The only way I know of to destroy a Horcrux is with Basilisk venom. In my second year the Chamber of Secrets was opened and Harry ended up killing the Basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor which imbibed the venom."

"So what you're saying is that we need to kill this Basilisk?" Asked one of the Prewett twins.

"Yes, precisely."

After much discussion it was decided that a team would be sent down to the chamber to take care of the serpent over Christmas break when most of the students had left. Nearly everyone in the room volunteered, but Hermione had insisted that a small team would be better.

Amongst the team would be Hermione (since she knew the parseltongue to open it), Dumbledore, Moody, and Benjy Fenwick.

"Excellent. Next order of business. I have been trying to lay out a concrete timeline of when and where the Horcruxes were placed." She pulled that out now. "I have reason to believe the Diadem is somewhere in Hogwarts. I have someone helping me with that search." She ignored the curious glances and continued, "In my time Lucius Malfoy was in possession of the Diary before it was passed off to…" She trailed off when she remembered that Molly and Arthur were in the room, "Right, not important. My point is, that I believe the diary is at Malfoy Manor. Since Lucius is still in school I am guessing Abraxas has it." I few people grumbled. "Nagini is Voldemort's familiar, so that one will have to wait until the final battle. The locket gets placed in a cave in a year. He uses the Black family elf, Kreacher, to place it."

"How do you plan on figuring that one out then?"

It was the first time someone had interrupted her and to say she was shocked when she looked up to see someone that looked suspiciously like Bellatrix Lestrange shocked her. She couldn't look away. Same hair. Same eyes. Hermione had been Bellatrix's favorite plaything when she was bored. Hermione got caught for a moment. There was no doubt that the woman in front of her was a Black. Hermione didn't know how long she was stuck focusing on the woman's hair and eyes before she cleared her throat and Hermione shook herself.

Everyone was giving her odd looks.

"I'm sorry. You remind me of…" Hermione grimaced and a rather sour look took over her expression, "her."

The woman understood. "My sister." Hermione's eyes snapped up. This must be Andromeda Tonks then. Of course. She wondered how she'd escaped her attention at the other meetings.

"Yes."

"You've met her?"

Hermione looked pained when she said, "You could say that." She looked upset.

"She's… disturbed."

"I'm well aware," Hermione said quietly. Her hand went to her arm and everyone knew what she was instinctively covering.

"I apologize on her behalf."

Hermione nodded at her, dropped her hand, and said, "That's appreciated, but completely unnecessary. I am of the belief that one should not be held responsible for the sins of their family."

A few people in the crowd mumbled their agreeance while others were frowning.

Hermione cleared her throat and stood up straight, "Which perfectly segways into my plan for the Locket. I'm going to save Regulus Black."

She stated this bluntly and a few people in the room began to protest.

"That boy is on the fast track to becoming a Death Eater," yelled Moody.

She looked at him carefully. "That boy, is under pressure from his cow of a mother and being forced into a position in a war that he doesn't agree with. He is fourteen! He shouldn't have to make that decision, and I have knowledge of the fact that he wants a way out."

She said this forcefully and glared at anyone who still looked ready to argue.

"He is a child, and I am going to save him!"

She slammed her parchment back on the table and crossed her arms.

"He will help me retrieve the locket. Of this, I am positive." Andromeda was smiling at her sadly.

"I hope what you say is true, Miss Granger."

"It is," she said bluntly.

No one else argued after that.

"Now, after that is the Gaunt Ring."

At this she turned and narrowed her eyes at Dumbledore.

"I need your assistance with this one, Albus."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled when he said, "I imagine so. Good thing I have already begun to gather information."

Hermione tried to ignore the bitterness and forced out a quick, "Good." She continued, "Hufflepuff's cup is the one I have no idea on where it might be. We were figuring that out when I got snatched. We had our suspicions. I believe once I have talked to Regulus he will be able to confirm."

The Lestrange vault.

"I want to be sure," she mumbled.

Dorea was giving her a calculating look.

"You have placed a lot of faith in this boy," said Moody.

"I trust him."

Hermione didn't offer up anymore information and no one else pushed. She began to pack up her stuff.

Once she had everything shrunk, she looked up and said quietly, "The attacks are about to increase. People are about to start disappearing. My suggestion is to place wards on family's of Muggleborns and known Muggle-sympathizers. In my time, Voldemort controlled the ministry. Don't trust anyone that isn't in this room. Don't leave home alone. Don't speak openly in public about Voldemort. Play it safe." Some people looked fearful, but she had no words to reassure them.

"Do you know of anyone in this room who needs to be especially careful?"

It was Molly. She was holding her stomach with one hand and gripping Arthur with the other. Hermione had thought about this. Would it be better to warn them?

Yes. It would be.

She resized one of her notebooks and flipped to a certain page.

"This might be hard to hear, and for this I apologize." She scanned the page quickly and looked up. "Fabian and Gideon. In a couple years, you will go under orders to a Death Eater raide in Hogsmeade where you will be ambushed by six Death Eaters." No one had to ask whether they made it or not. Hermione's face said it all. "In my seventh year, the Bones family will be murdered in their home. That same year Benjy Fenwick will disappear and never be seen again. The McKinnon's will also be targets. Charlus and Dorea will both die the year after that. Then Dorcas Meadowes and Caradoc Dearborn. Then in 1981, The Longbottoms and Potters will become the primary targets."

Then Hermione looked up and some people were crying. Others looked determined. She frowned.

"I'm doing what I can."

"Of course, dear. You aren't responsible for all these lives."

Hermione wanted to believe Dorea. She frowned and shook her head.

"Yes I am. I'll do everything I can."

Hermione tried to imagine losing anyone that she'd met in just the short few months since she got there. She couldn't.

"Now, I have studying to do. It's OWLs year after all." Hermione tried to smile, but it fell almost immediately. She hated these things.

Some words were exchanged with a few members before she shuffled out of the floo in Dumbledore's office and scrambled out. It was definitely past curfew. The corridors were dark and spooky. She was almost back when she turned a corner and bodily ran into someone. She as an automatic reaction reached out and grabbed onto the elbows of whoever she'd hit.

"Oh sorry." She breathed out. The person yanked their arms out of her hands.

"What are you doing out right now? It's past curfew!"

She looked up and startled. This person, without a doubt, was Regulus Black. He looked nearly identical to Sirius if it weren't for his slightly pointier features. He was also lankier. Sickly, almost. What is with her and Blacks lately?

"I could ask you the same thing." She tilted her head to the side. He looked surprised that she'd responded at all.

"That's none of your business!"

Hermione smiled, "Well, then I'm not telling you why I'm out either."

Regulus sneered at her and looked her up and down, "Oh, I know who you are. You're my traitor brother's new pet."

Hermione scowled, "Not a pet."

"That's what they all say before he drops them."

Hermione decided then that she didn't really like Regulus.

"We're friends," she said strongly.

"Right." He narrowed his eyes. "Now as riveting as the conversation is I really must be going." He shoved past her and continued down the corridor.

Hermione scrambled for a second before she ended up just shouting, "I can get you out!"

He paused with his back to her. When he turned back around he looked decidedly more dangerous than he'd looked before.

"What makes you think I want out?"

Hermione smiled sadly and said, "You know where to find me when you're ready to admit it."

She turned around quietly at the shocked expression on his face. She'd leave him to think about it.

When she finally made it back to Gryffindor tower it was to the four boys sitting in silence in the same spot she'd left them.

"What are you guys doing?"

At her voice they all swung around to look at her and James launched himself over the back of the couch and barreled straight into her.

"We were worried about you! You were gone for almost three hours!" He was giving her a bone crushing hug which had her squished with her arms sticking out at odd angles.

"Can't breathe, Jamie!"

He pulled away and smiled down at her happily.

"You called me Jamie," he exclaimed.

Hermione frowned at him and looked at the other boys who all just shrugged.

"You guys didn't have to wait up. We were having tea, and lost track of time."

Harry had always told her she was a bad liar, so she went with something simple. Sirius and Remus looked suspicious, but James and Peter seemed to accept this answer.

"Don't do that again, Hermione."

James sounded more serious than she ever remembered him being. If she remembered correctly, this was the year they'd make the map. That was going to be an inconvenience.

"Okay," she said finally.

"Promise?" She pursed her lips.

"You know, I can take care of myself just fine."

James rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay."

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I am overwhelmed by the response I have gotten so far. Never imagined anything I wrote would ever get over 100 followers. So thank you most sincerely!