CEDRIC Sunday
He had sent off a letter hours ago to Hermione. He knew he wouldn't receive one in reply from her until the morning. He missed her dearly but knew that he had to finish at least one term at the muggle school like he had promised Hermione that he would. The home work he had after school today was mostly history, but there was some math and science.
He got home that day and found a note from his father.
Cedric,
It's your father; I've to leave for a few days. I'm going to London on Ministry business. I don't think I will be home this week. I've already told your mother and please take care of her while I'm gone.
Your, Father
There was a short note from his mother tacked onto the end.
Cedric,
I've been invited to dinner with some old school friends. I will then be staying in London with your father.
Your, Mother
Cedric crumpled the note up and tossed it in the trash bin. He walked to the stove and made himself dinner. He ate alone by the light of one single candle since his mother and father were out tonight. He ate quickly then cleaned up the muggle way to waste more time.
He took a shower and then did his home work and then turned to write in a journal he had started to keep after Hermione went back to school.
5th October 1996
I went to Muggle School again this morning. It turning out better than I thought it would be. I still miss Hermione but my studies keep me distracted a little bit. My dad and mum are working more and more too. I guess it is their way a preparing for me to be out of the nest as the muggles like the call it...
Cedric didn't right much else after that. He did do a small sketch of Hermione. It'd be a nice gift for her but he honestly wanted to keep it for himself. He placed the picture he kept of Hermione and placed it in between the page with the drawing and the page with the previous entry and closed the journal for the night.
He snuffed out the candle and climbed into bed. He wouldn't be going to school instead he would be hunting down the perfect Christmas gift for Hermione. It was a bit early in some people's opinion to be Christmas shopping but Cedric didn't feel like putting it off until the last minute considering he really had no idea what to get her.
HERMIONE Sunday
The news of Katie Bells attack the next morning had the gossip mills running on high alert. Thankfully Katie had been taken to St. Mungo's before most students were up. Everyone knew that she had been cursed but most had the details so confused that Hermione, Ron, Harry and Katie's friend Leanne to set them straight on what happened.
"Please, Malfoy knows," Harry said for the fifth time. Hermione rolled her eyes behind his back and Ron just acted like he didn't hear what Harry said.
Hermione ignored him by wondering if Cedric had gotten the letter she sent this morning when the weather had cleared up enough. She and Ron were now in the common room doing home work waiting for Harry to get back from his privet lesson with Dumbledore.
"Ron you are doing it wrong, you don't make the 'e' long." Hermione said. "It's supposed to be short."
"I'm done all this stuff is boring anyway." Ron said throwing his quill down onto the table. "Do you know when Harry will be back?"
"No. It depends on what he has to show Harry or what he wants Harry to do." Hermione replied. "Since you don't want to study anymore I'm going to the library."
"Why?" Ron asked.
"To look up wizarding law, something I'll have to do if I want even the tiniest chance clearing Sirius's name."
"Oh do you need help?"
"Thanks but no. This is something I want to do on my own and I think you would distract me more than I needed if you were there helping me." Hermione told him. "But thank you for offering maybe you could talk to Lavender she looks like she wants someone to talk to."
"You want me to talk to her, why?" Ron asked.
"I've seen the way you look at her. Go put on your big boy pants and talk to her." Hermione said. "You have nothing to lose so why not try."
"I just might do that now since I have nothing better to do."
"Actually if I now you like I think I do you still have homework to do but you just won't do it." Hermione said picking up her bag. "I'll be back in an hour but if I forget and I'm not here when Harry get's back come get me."
Ron gave her a wave with two of his fingers sticking out making it look almost like a salute from a soldier. She pulled her bag close to her and walked out of the common room. She walked down the stone hallways and eventually found herself digging through the library stacks for a law book that could help her clear her father's name. So far the only books she had found had laws that were old and no longer used anymore. There a few books that looked promising but used terminology that the average human couldn't comprehend even if they seemed to be a genius sometimes.
Wizarding Law by Arthur Guthwich was a book that Hermione found just before she had to leave. She grabbed it and checked it out under the careful eye of Madame Pince. When Hermione got back to the common room Ron wasn't there but Harry wasn't either. She instead headed up to her dorm so she could start in on Arthur Guthwich's book and prayed that it would help her with Sirius's whole legal situation.
The names of the chapters caught Hermione's attention and there were only ten.
1 Basic Laws: Every Wizard or Witch Should Know Them
2 Laws for Trials: Laws Lawyers & Criminals Should Know
3 Laws for Arrest: Laws Every Criminal Should Know
4 Marriage Laws: Protect Yourself While Getting Married
5 Wills and Trust: Protect Your Fortune for Future Generations
7 Obscure Laws: They Could Help or Hurt You
She noted the pages for Trials, Arrest and Obscure Laws figuring they would be the most likely help her in her quest to clear Sirius name. She laid the book on her bed side table when she heard the noise of an owl pecking on the window. Hermione walked over and opened the window and let the owl in. It flew to her bed and settled down on the edge and held out its leg. Hermione untied the letter and let the little owl go. The owl didn't leave. There were two letters, one was from Sirius and the second one was from Cedric.
Hermione,
I've got some really good news for you that I can't exactly tell you in a letter. I'll tell you when you come home for Christmas (so please come home). But the news comes from my time in America. On my last they there I was walking back to my hotel (the only wizarding one in the area) and ran into this man. I knew him years ago and thought him to be dead. The name he gave me was not the name I knew him by or the name I knew him to be given when he was born.
The man in question was my brother at least I think this guy is. We are getting the testing done but it's going to take a while because we don't want it out in the open because we don't want you know who to get a hold of him. He's in a safe place right now. Please keep this secret and don't let anyone else read. You can tell Harry and Ron but stress to them that they can't tell anyone about this.
Love your dad,
Sirius
Hermione set that letter aside and read Cedric's letter.
Hermione,
Sorry this letter is short but I don't have much time. I am sorry to hear about Katie Bell, I hope she gets well and can finish school. I sent flowers to her parents saying they were for her and how sorry I was to hear of her attack. Other than that my days have been surprisingly normal, I haven't seen much Death Eater activity but they are operating in London while I haven't been there in months. I have a ton of homework to do. I don't think I ever had this much while at school.
But to answer the question from you last letter on what my muggle thing is so far? To be honest there is so much to choose from that is nearly impossible for me to pick. But I have to say I like the portable music players I've seen people carry around. It would be nice to listen to music any where I wanted to from the park to the library (if I kept the volume low enough). So let me ask you this being raised muggle you whole life what is your favorite thing about being a witch?
I really can't wait to see you again.
Love, Cedric
P.S. Please Be Safe
Hermione smiled at the letters. She couldn't wait to tell Harry and Ron about Regulus possibly being alive. Harry would be happy that Sirius had someone other than themselves to rely on. She folded up each letter and tucked them into the bottom of her truck under books that she liked to read but no longer needed anymore and then wrote back to each of the.
Dad/Sirius,
Sorry about the top of the letter, I guess I'm still getting use to everything. I'm happy that you've found the man you believe to be my uncle. I can't wait to meet him but that can't happen till around Christmas (only a few short weeks away). I'll assume that you know about Katie Bell from Harry. She got cursed by touching a necklace. McGonagall has Snape taking care of that but I'm not sure why I guess he knows about cursed objects or something like that.
Love, Hermione
She sealed it shut with candle wax then started on a letter to Cedric.
Cedric,
What is my favorite thing about being a witch?
That is really kind of hard to answer because there is so much I don't know and so much I want to learn. But since you are making me pick I have to say that I like charms and potions between those two I can't pick and do not try and make me pick.
Since you seem to like music what band do you like most in muggle music? I myself like country music mostly artist from over in America. My favorite artist right now is Reba. She is a female artist so you might not like her. So being the male you are I'll recommend Jonny Cash, he's always a good one to listen to weather you are male or female.
Love, Hermione
She folded the last letter up to and sealed it with wax. She thought about sending the letters off with the owl but it was too late and she didn't' want to wake up Sirius or Cedric for something as small as a short letter from (not that they would care) so she tucked them in to her book and sent the owl off to sleep with the other owl. She closed the window when the owl was out of sight; then slipped under the covers and into a fit full night of sleep. Dreams of Cedric and Sirius in danger kept walking her up all night long. She just glad she didn't wake up screaming.
SIRIUS Monday
I sent a letter off to Hermione a few hours ago. I had put it off long enough but had to tell her that she had a living breathing uncle. Regulus had taken that potion but was now slowly remembering it all. He now thought that he was a Death Eater but Sirius and Remus had him staying at order headquarters under the guise that they were planning an attack. It kept Regulus busy and kept him from trying to get outside.
"Sirius you are not moping again are you?" Remus asked.
"No." Sirius replied. "I'm more or less worrying."
"Why is that?" Remus said.
"I got a letter from Hermione yesterday." Sirius said. "A seventh year by the name of Katie Bell was cursed."
"How I thought they were being checked?"
"Everyone was. They had gone to Hogsmeade for a weekend and Kate came back with a package that contained a necklace." Sirius said. "She and a friend started to fight over the package and Katie touched it and in the process was cursed."
"Hermione and Harry weren't hurt were they?"
"No Katie was the only one physically hurt." Sirius replied.
"Take joy in that fact. They are fine and will be coming home for Christmas." Remus said. "And if you need someone to talk to talk to Molly. She has just as much to worry about at that school as you."
"I don't see how. I have known I had a daughter for just over a year and know that my daughter was Hermione for a few months." Sirius said. "And Harry isn't even mine."
"It doesn't matter how long the person is involved in the child's life. The child can turn out to be anything." Remus told him. "Look at Voldemort, Dumbledore tried to be there for him and was but Voldemort still went dark. Look at Harry he had been through a lot and he is one of the kindest people that I have ever met."
"You make a good point but it doesn't make it any easier." Sirius said.
"I never said it did. Now let's go check on that brother of yours." Remus said.
Remus got up and walked out of the room and went to find Regulus. They found him in the library pouring over books like he was studying for his NEWT leave test. He didn't even register the sound of the walking in the room.
"Reg," Sirius called.
"Leave me alone." Regulus said. "I'm working on something."
"Did you get another part of your memory back?" Sirius asked him.
"Yes and if it is a true memory then I am going to be a giant target from Lord Voldemort if he finds out that I'm alive."
"Why?" Sirius asked.
"Because I discovered something about him, I have no idea how I did but that doesn't matter the point is that I did." Regulus said. "I don't have any clue of what I found out though but I do have an idea of what it might be."
"What do you think it might be?" Sirius asked pulling a chair up next to him.
"Horcruxes," Regulus stated.
"You really think that?" Remus asked.
"Yes, they are bits of someone's soul concealed in an object. Something that likely means something to them." Regulus said. "With Voldemort that could mean anything because no one has any real connection to him, not even his Death Eaters."
"There is no real proof of this. Anything object out there that Lord Voldemort had come in contact with could be one."
"They are not just going to be something he comes in contact with any were they are going to have meaning to him." Regulus contoured. "He was obsessed with the number seven. He sent death eaters out on raids in groups of seven. I would say he had no more than that." He paused. "But I also think one or more of them came from Hogwarts or had some kind of connection to the school or its founders because he was also obsessed with the school,"
"How do you know he was obsessed with the school?" Sirius asked.
"I heard rumors from the other Death Eaters a few time but I was in the room once when he said that he wanted to turn the school into a pure blood only school."
"Thanks for telling us but its late go get some sleep." Sirius said. "We'll go over all of this tomorrow after we have gotten some sleep."
Regulus stood up from the desk and walked out of the Black Family Library after mumbling a goodnight to Sirius and Remus. Sirius and Remus went to work cleaning up all the books and stacking them neatly on the desk. Making sure to mark where the books had been left open. He didn't bother skimming over any of the books because he knew that Regulus would be telling him all about it tomorrow.
Sirius left Remus to his own devices in the drawing room a few minutes later and checked onto his brother who he hoped was sleeping. He was snoring when Sirius looked into his room. After making sure is brother was sleeping just fine Sirius walked up to his room to fall asleep himself but sleep didn't come it eluded him.
He was there lying awake when dawn broke. He was tired but couldn't force his body to go to sleep no matter how hard he tried. Instead he climbed out of bed and found himself pacing the room. He would stop every now and then and look at something he had posted years ago and could hardly remember putting there. The only thing he could really remember is the picture he put of himself and his friends. He had tried taking it down when he first came back to the house but a permanent sticking charm had been used to keep it there. He didn't want the one person there so he focused on the other two.
CEDRIC Monday
He remained a sleep until he was woken up hours later by an owl tapping on his window. It was the morning the sun streaming through his window told him that. It was the daily prophet owl. There wasn't anything of his interest in the paper. There were a few deaths but they were natural and not at all caused by Lord Voldemort's ever loyal Death Eaters.
He heard the rustling of fabric behind him. He turned with his wand ready to face the source of the sound.
"Put your wand down." His mother said.
"What are you doing here I thought you were going to stay with dad?" Cedric asked her.
"I had to come home and get some things your father forgot to take with him." She replied. "How is school going with you?"
"Good. I even got a job." He replied.
"You got a job where?" She asked. "Are your father and I not giving you enough…"
"I've got enough mum. I just got the job to help me pass the time." He told her. "I get my home work done pretty quickly and needed something to do. I don't have friends with me all the time like I did when I was in Hogwarts."
"Fine but you better let me know if you need more money." She said. "Now tell me how Hermione is doing?"
"She is doing pretty well," Cedric replied. "She's busy with school but she is a newt student now so I understand."
"You two are getting serious it seems?"
"Maybe," Cedric replied. "Not entirely too sure and I would have to talk to her about that not my mother."
"Just let me know if you need Grandma Kay's ring."
"I don't think we are at that point but thanks for the offer." He replied. "I'm pretty sure I should give her some other kind of jewelry before I give her that ring and I have no idea what to get her."
"Start simple." His mother replied. "You could get a chain and get different pendants for each thing that reminds you of her that she could easily slip off for another one."
"Where did you get that idea from?" Cedric asked.
"I was passing by some muggle store today and they had a display full of things like that. They had bracelets too but with how much Hermione does with her hands I figured the necklace would the better choice for her."
"Where can I find the store?" he asked.
"I left the address on your desk." She said. "I better get going now. I'm sure your father is worrying about me."
"Send message when you get there." Cedric told her. "I don't need to be worrying about you and father now."
"We'll be fine. We have been protecting ourselves long before you were born." She said.
She left the room after giving him a kiss on the cheek. She picked up the bag of things Cedric's father had left behind and walked out the door. Cedric followed his mother and continued to watch her until she turned on her heel and disappeared just beyond the garden wall. It was where Cedric would disappear moments later after he made sure the house was locked up. That spot was the apparition point.
Seconds later he appeared in front of an old jewelry shop tucked away in the heart of London.
The shop was small, nondescript and tucked in-between two much larger brick buildings. If Cedric hadn't been paying attention to the signs he would have missed the shop completely as he walked down the street looking for it. He saw the display that his mother had told him about. He could already see what he wanted to get Hermione. Since there were no prices listed he could only hope that he had enough money for all of the ones he wanted to get Hermione. He took a deep breath and walked into the store.
He walked over to the display and started looking at the pendants. He picked out the ones that were obviously Hermione, a book, an owl and her birth stone.
"I could pick out each and every charm for the girl you are shopping for."
Cedric nearly jumped out of his skin.
"I didn't mean to scare you."
"I'm okay I just didn't hear you." Cedric replied. "But how could you pick them out?"
"I'm a witch." The woman replied. "I know you are a wizard because of the wand sticking out of your pocket."
Cedric adjusted his wand so it was no longer visible.
"You still haven't told me how you could pick the charms that are perfect for her."
"I can't do that out here. Follow me to the back room."
Cedric slipped his wand in to his sleeve and followed the woman into the back room. It was lighter than the front room but had no lights on so Cedric knew that it was magic. She led him to a large mahogany desk.
"I'll need you to write her name and birth date please."
Cedric said nothing.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Well… the girl I'm buying for was adopted do you need her real name or the one she goes buy."
"The name she goes by will be fine. Be sure to include the middle name."
Cedric quickly wrote Hermione's name and birth date down on a piece of paper and handed it over to the woman.
"How many pendants or charms do you want?"
"Seventeen,"
"She recently had a birthday didn't she?"
"Yes but I got her something else."
"Well she will love this."
She took the paper laid it in a bowl then poured an unknown liquid on to it. She waved her wand over it seven times then lit a match and tossed it into the bowl. The paper and unknown liquid burned up into ashes. She waved her wand again and seventeen little balls of ash flew out of the bowl and over the desk and the charms and pendants that lay upon it. The balls of ash hovered for a few minutes and then zoomed to seventeen different spots on the desk.
"Now would you what type of chain do you want?"
"White gold,"
"Do you want all the charms to match?"
"Could I see them first?" Cedric asked.
"Sure."
The woman waved her wand and all seventeen of the charms zoomed on to a black velvet board. There were the obvious charms like her birth stone, the letters that made up her name.
"Would you like to tell me what you think the charms mean." The woman asked.
"The first row would be the letters for her name, her age, Patronus and her birth stone." Cedric said. "The row below that would represent her house at Hogwarts those could be yellow gold. The next row would be her interest then the last two rows would be her friends and family and her relationship with me. "
"Oh such a meaningful gift," the woman commented.
"Yes," Cedric replied.
"Would you like these wrapped?"
"Yes. I'd like a Yellow gold chain along with the white gold."
The woman just smiled and went to work wrapping up everything. Cedric handed her the money and she handed him the neatly wrapped package. He smiled and was out the door and to Diagon Alley before she could even blink.
Cedric dropped by the only stationary shop left open in Diagon Alley. The shop had gift bags and boxes. He went in for box for the charms and both chains and then a bag to put it in. He chose a box with a red and gold plaid pattern on it. The bag and tissue paper was the same.
He took them all home with him; where he placed the charms in the box himself and made it look like they were nestled into soft velvet. Once he was happy with the way everything looked he put the top of the box on wrapped it in tissue paper then placed it into the bag. Now that he had
Hermione's Christmas gift (weeks in advance mind you) he tucked it under his bed until it was time for him to send it off to her unless she was coming home he hadn't asked her that yet. He probably should ask her before it gets too late.
Before he could even send a letter off to Hermione asking her she had sent him one. He smiled as he read what she had written. He would have to look up the muggle music artist that she mentioned and couldn't be surprised that she didn't really answer on her favorite thing about being a witch after all he couldn't choose his favorite thing about being a wizard there was too much to pick.
Hermione,
Thanks for the music suggestions. I'll have to look him up the next time I am in a muggle record store. I've passed by one on my way home from work. I went shop today and got something for you. I know Christmas is weeks away but I had to get it now or I would have forgotten. Do not worry it wasn't much in the way of money but in sentimental value I would say puts it through the roof.
Since I mentioned Christmas would you tell me what you plan on doing?
Always, Cedric
HERMIONE Monday
Even with the late night she had the night before she was up before dawn the next morning because her body just didn't want to sleep any longer. She was the only one awake in her dorm. She slipped out of the dorm and out of the common room so she could use the Prefect's bathroom. She used one of the shower stalls instead of the large sunken tub that took up most of the room. The shower wasn't long because she knew that she would be getting dirty again in a few hours when she had Herbology.
She took her time and soon found herself back in the common room going over the Guthwich book (after retrieving it and her school bag from her dorm). She soon found that the obscure law wouldn't be helping her get Sirius's name cleared. But she did find out that she would never be able to transport a thousand pounds of watermelons by broom because if she wanted too she would spend three days in Azkaban. After reading up on that law Hermione thought that obscure should have been changed to pointless because she couldn't see anyone wanting to transport a thousand pounds of watermelons by broom.
"What are you reading?" Ginny asked. "Have you found anything?"
"Not unless you have a thousand pounds of watermelons that you want to move." Hermione replied. "But I'm not done with the book yet. I have two other chapters in it before I go and get another book."
"If anyone can find a way to get Sirius's name cleared it would be you." Ginny said. "After all you were working alone on finding out who your dad was last year with only the occasional help from me and the twins when you needed it."
"I'm not at that point yet." Hermione replied. "Right now I need to do this myself but you could go find another book like this one. I would do it myself but I have to patrol the halls tonight."
"Ahh Prefect duty come to call." Ginny said.
"I've only had to do them about once a month sometimes twice if another Prefect was sick." Hermione said. "I'm just glad that I haven't had to do them with Ron."
"Why?"
"Because he's been a little off since the team tryouts," Hermione said.
"Not like turning to the dark side off?" Ginny asked.
"No. It's like he's keeping a secret from us, even from Harry." Hermione replied. "It just seems odd you know."
"Maybe he has a secret girlfriend."
The two cracked up laughing.