A/N: Gosh, I hope this chapter lives up to everybody's expectations, LMAO. I honestly think it'll let everybody down a bit. Now, the muggle festival that I will mention in this chapter actually happened. A LOT of research went into this chapter in particular so the little details are correct to my knowledge...unless my research skills aren't that great and I'm completely wrong. -cough-
Thanks to everybody who reviewed, favourited and alerted this story last chapter. A shout out as well to charlotteo-my 500th story-alerter!
One more thing: HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYBODY! I hope you all had a great one and let's bring on a great 2011! Please enjoy this one everyone!
She's Off Limits, Then?
"I cannot believe the two of you talked me into this." Hermione murmured from under James Potter's invisibility cloak the next afternoon as she, Sirius and Remus (James and Peter, not really as big fans of the punk scene as Sirius and Remus were decided to remain behind in Hogwarts with the other Gryffindor girls and create general mayhem while they were gone) made their way to the fourth floor from the Gryffindor tower. Classes had finished for the day about an hour earlier and the three were already about to leave for London via a portkey that Remus' mate "Pod" had made for the three of them to use in Hogsmeade.
Hermione was slightly wary at the idea of using a portkey made by a man named Pod of all people to get them to London in time for the festival as the place was predominantly a muggle city and it wouldn't be hard at all for the trio to be seen by its muggle inhabitants when they suddenly appeared on the streets seemingly out of thin air. Remus was quick to assure her (though Hermione doubted his words) however that everything was going to be just fine and that Dumbledore wouldn't have any idea that the trio had left the castle on a Monday afternoon at all to go and watch a muggle punk rock festival; even if it was the first punk festival of its kind in the world and had been said to be the festival that really started the British punk rock movement. The 1976 100 Club's Punk Rock Special was legendary even in Hermione's time.
"Oh love, you know you're gonna have a brilliant time. There ain't no concert like a punk rock concert, believe me. Especially one that has The Sex Pistols headlining." Sirius purred in Hermione's ear as he smoothly avoided a group of Ravenclaws walking up the stairs. It really was a tight fit under the invisibility cloak. Remus and Sirius were both roughly about the same sizes as Harry and Ron were at their age (though Ron was still a bit taller than both Remus and Sirius) and it was quite hard for the trio to be manoeuvring around under the cloak in their third year, let alone their sixth. Hermione was so worried about her feet being seen most of the time that she nearly stumbled down the staircase, though Remus and Sirius had both grabbed her by the upper arms before anything awful happened.
"Yeah Hermione, this is going to be life altering!" Remus whispered, having heard Sirius speak before.
"Oh it's going to be life altering alright when we get caught by McGonagall!" Hermione hissed in response. "She'll skin us alive!"
"...You could always plead sanctuary with Dumbledore. He likes you." Sirius suggested with a wolfish grin and Hermione sighed, shaking her head.
"I don't think he would given we're sneaking outside of Hogwarts in a time of war."
Remus and Sirius' expressions immediately turned sombre at Hermione's words and they bowed their heads.
"Here's my opinion on the matter, Hermione." Sirius suddenly stated as they finally arrived on the fourth floor of the castle and spotting no sign of any lingering life in the hall he whipped the invisibility cloak off their heads, grey eyes fierce. "We're all gonna go to war anyway. So while we still have the time to joke and kid around we should take every opportunity to do so. I think that yeah, if we get caught we're gonna get in a shit load of trouble. But I also think the punishment will be worth it. ...And besides, if they haven't expelled us Marauders for all the complete tripe we've done over the years yet they aren't gonna do it anytime soon. So let's live it up for a night...or possibly two. But if you want you both can turn back now and go up to the common room. I wont stop you."
Remus laughed. "Oh Padfoot, the only reasons I'd miss out on this would be if I had my soul sucked out by Dementors or if Voldemort himself comes up and AKs me. I'm going."
Sirius grinned at his best mate's serious tone before turning to the only girl of their group. "Hermione?"
The brunette chewed her lip before nodding quickly. "As neither of you are of age someone with a wand needs to keep an eye on you two. I have a feeling tonight is going to be history in the making. And after all the effort I went through getting ready I'm certainly not going to turn back now. I'm a Gryffindor!"
And Hermione was right; it had taken ages to get ready. Sure, her hair wasn't as untameable as it had been in her fourth year when she had spent hours and two bottles of Sleakeazys just to get her hair straight enough to put in an up do; it still took the combined efforts of Lily, Dorcas and Alice to style it into a wicked perm that suited her outfit that afternoon. And mentioning her outfit, it required a group discussion before they came to a decision on it before they went to bed the night before.
From the few days that Hermione had been seen not in uniform the girls of Hogwarts had already voted her as one of the best-dressed students in Hogwarts. Hermione always looked fabulous on weekends whenever anybody saw her, never wearing the same outfit and every outfit she wore, be it muggle or wizard was obviously designer made. Mrs Potter really had gone all out shopping for Hermione and it had certainly showed. Dorcas had informed Hermione that she was compared often to Suri Zabini, the daughter of the famous wizardry clothing designer Michele Zabini. Suri had never been seen in the same outfit twice since her first year and every outfit she owned was designer. Hermione didn't really know what to make of this assessment. Personally she believed that Dorcas (who designed and created most of the outfits she wore herself) was the best-dressed Hogwarts female, but apparently money also meant a thing or two as well.
For the special Hermione wore a pair of her distressed black skinny jeans cinched to her waist with a studded belt, her black heeled boots and a baggy black and white striped shirt that exposed a tanned shoulder. Her wrists were heavy with leather-studded bracelets that she had borrowed from Remus and she wore her hair loose and particularly wild. Dorcas had caked on the black eyeliner for her as Hermione was afraid she'd poke herself in the eye with the pencil and smeared bright red lipstick on her lips. After Hermione was all dolled up the girls had all crowded her and blabbed on about how sexy Hermione looked and the poor girl couldn't help but get flustered, especially when she wandered into the boy's dorms to meet up with Sirius and Remus. Jaws dropped and fists in the case of James clenched and naturally the priceless moment was caught on camera.
"Wow, Hermione, you should wear punk more often!" Remus exclaimed and Hermione flushed in embarrassment. "It definitely suits you!"
"I don't know," James frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Boys will be all over her in a second and I don't like that."
Hermione looked at James in amusement and laughed at how brotherly the handsome young man was acting. It was really quite sweet.
"Now Jamesy," Sirius bemoaned in mock indignation. "Like we would allow anything perverse to happen to our Mione-moo! Neither Moony or myself would stand for it! We'd hand those bitches their bollocks!"
"That's a bit of a redundant statement eh Padfoot?" Remus retorted playfully and Sirius pouted.
Hermione laughed as Sirius slung an arm around her shoulder, pulling her to his warm chest. Sirius naturally looked as if he'd just stepped off a model runway and Hermione couldn't deny that her eyes roved when she first caught sight of his appearance. He really was so handsome. He was dressed simply in a pair of torn skinny black jeans, a form fitting black shirt and a leather jacket but he practically oozed sex appeal. It wasn't fair at how amazing the young man looked with minimal effort. Remus had chuckled at James' frowning face too and Hermione took a moment to appraise Remus' outfit as well. Black seemed to be the colour of choice for jeans that night, as Remus too wore black torn jeans. His shirt however was a bit of a surprise: it was a long sleeved leopard print shirt. And naturally despite its oddness it suited Remus. The outfit was topped off with a black blazer lined with a number of band badges and Hermione knew she would receive many glares from girls that night for heading in with not one but two handsome men on each arm.
Hermione was called back into the present with Sirius' rather loud exclamation of "Brilliant!" Glancing at the handsome Gryffindor again, she smiled.
"So, this is the fourth floor corridor. How are we going to get from here to Hogsmeade?"
Remus and Sirius both grinned wickedly. "Well Hermione, this here is a special little secret that we Marauders discovered in our third year. Nobody but us knows about this exit, so we'll trust you'll keep it to yourself?"
Hermione smirked. "If it would honour you Lords so."
Remus looked amused while Sirius puffed his chest in a self-important manner. "Of course it would, Lady Hermione. Now, if you wouldn't mind following Messrs Moony while I follow in the rear?"
Remus held out an arm gallantly and Hermione looped her arm through with a soft laugh. "Lead the way, Sir Moony."
"Of course, follow me." Remus walked at a smooth pace down the hall until he stopped in front of a huge gilded mirror.
"This is our way out?" Hermione murmured as Sirius gripped the large mirror in his hand and slid it vertically up the wall revealing a dark passage in the ancient stones. "Oh wow," the timetraveller breathed as Remus led her into the dark while Sirius carefully covered the entrance behind them with the mirror. "You both said this'll take us straight to Hogsmeade?"
"Yup. It brings us straight into the outskirts of the village, though there's a bit of a trek up because we're going pretty deep underground." Remus replied softly. "Also, would you mind lighting us a Lumos, Hermione? We're gonna cross the Hogwarts borders soon and it's better to be safe than sorry."
"Oh sure." With a flick of Harry's wand the dark tunnel instantly illuminated and Hermione could see nothing but stone for as far as her eyes could see. "So how long does this walk take us to get out?"
"Only about fifteen minutes," replied Sirius with a grin. "It's not bad at all, really."
"Could be worse. It could be completely uphill." Hermione shuddered at the idea of walking uphill in this temperature for fifteen minutes. While this September weather was by no means the horror and torture Hermione had experienced in Potter Manor over the Summer, it was still quite warm despite the heavy rain England and Scotland had received on the dying days August and the beginning of September. Chances were an uphill trek would've killed her.
"I'll just leave the cloak here then-don't wanna lose it in London," Sirius murmured and the other two agreed.
Sirius set James Potter's cloak gently on the ground.
The trio exchanged small talk for the next fifteen minutes about the bands that would be playing that night as they walked through the passage, the boys hyping Hermione up too in their excitement to see The Sex Pistols. Hermione herself was also curious to watch the infamous Sid Vicious perform as she knew that while he was not yet a member of the notorious band he had been there for the festival; he'd apparently hurled a glass at a girl on the Tuesday night and had permanently blinded the poor thing. Soon enough the group literally saw the light at the end of the tunnel and with three rather large grins they could see a glimpse of Hogsmeade.
"So this is the famous Hogsmeade, then?" Hermione inquired softly as she gazed at the beautiful scenery before her eyes. From this distance the view was even more spectacular. Remus to her right nodded.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"It is. I can't wait to go down and take a look. They have Hogsmeade visits for Hogwarts students, right?"
It was Sirius this time who replied. "Oh yeah," He laughed. "Remus here practically lives in Honeydukes!"
"Shut up, Padfoot!" Remus hissed and Sirius snickered. "So I think we should just use the portkey in here then to make sure nobody sees us. It's set to go off at six so you guys should be ready to go in about ten." Remus stated as he suddenly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. Noticing Sirius and Hermione's curious expressions, Remus smiled. "Yeah, Pod's portkey was a handkerchief, but take a closer look."
Naturally it was a the Sex Pistols handkerchief and the design on it was very punk. A tattered union jack was pieced together with black safety pins, and 'ANARCHY IN THE UK', 'THE SEX PISTOLS' at the top in a newspaper letter cut-outs.
"Nice." Sirius breathed as his fingers brushed the soft cloth. "I wonder where I could get one of these."
"No idea, mate, but it's time Hermione grabs on as well because it's almost six." Remus replied and Hermione quickly grabbed a corner of the handkerchief, the group standing in a triangle. Within moments Hermione felt a sharp tug at her navel and instantly the three disappeared.
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It didn't take long for Remus to find Pod in the crowd of what Hermione estimated five hundred people strong lined up outside the 100 Club for the special and with a snarl directed at anybody who would complain, the werewolf led Hermione and Sirius through the masses to a rather...interesting looking young man who stood fairly close to the red sign that dangled from the wall marking the entrance of the club. The man's face lit up in a beaming smile as well when he spotted Sirius and Remus.
"Lads! I'm sure as fuck happy to see you tossers!" The youth (who looked as if he'd probably graduated Hogwarts a year or two before) shouted as he clapped his hands on the grinning Marauders' shoulders before dark brown eyes locked on Hermione. "So who's the bird, then?" He asked cheerily and Hermione quickly held out her hand.
"I'm Hermione Potter. Nice to meet you uh..." She trailed off embarrassedly, not quite sure what to call this man.
"Podmore! I'm Sturgis Podmore pretty lady, but call me Pod. Everybody else does."
Hermione's eyes widened in surprise at the familiar name and it took everything she had not to let her jaw drop in surprise.
Sturgis Podmore looked hardly anything like the serious-looking wizard he would one day become, though Hermione supposed looking at the young man's hair at this moment in time she now knew why it had a rather thatched appearance in the nineties. It was an electric blue colour that almost put Nymphadora Tonks' vividly coloured hair to shame and was styled in a pretty spectacular mohawk. Pod, as he asked Hermione to call him was dressed in torn white-wash jeans, black combat boots and over a grubby grey shirt was a leather jacket practically silver with the amount of studs lining it. This Sturgis Podmore of the 1970's was very much a punk and it was quite the surprise.
"Nice to meet you, Pod." Hermione smiled, "And thank you for arranging that portkey."
"Anything for a pretty little bird like you," Pod leered and Sirius snorted, suddenly pulling Hermione to his side.
"I wouldn't go there if I were you, Pod mate. This here is James' sister. She aint no slag. Touch her and I'll break your legs." While the dog animagus' expression appeared quite serene there was a sudden hardness in Sirius' eyes that Hermione couldn't help but pick up.
Pod seemingly sensing the tension in Sirius laughed weakly before smiling. "James has a sister? Since when? But woah, okay mate. She's off limits, then."
Hermione glanced up at Sirius when his grip around her waist tightened. "James has had a sister since Hermione was adopted into the family a couple of months ago. And damn right she is."
Pod looked away quickly and Remus seemed to smile at Sirius in amusement. Hermione peered at Sirius' hard face curiously, smiling when he smiled down at her first.
"So tell me, kiddies, how did you lot get out of Hogwarts without getting caught in the first place? I might've made your portkey but I didn't think you'd make it." Pod suddenly asked to change the topic and save his skin.
"You may have graduated Pod but we aren't gonna reveal any of our secrets anytime soon." laughed Remus with a wide grin, running a hand through his wavy hair.
Pod grinned back and chuckled. "Should've known there are some things you blokes would keep to yourselves."
"Naturally," grinned Sirius before he was cut off by Remus' excited shout.
"The line's moving!"
Pod, Sirius and Remus' faces lit up excitedly and even Hermione couldn't force down the beam that spread across her lips on seeing her friends so excited. This was it! The line quickly dwindled in front of them, and handing over the dosh needed for the entry of the club, the group of four walked inside; but not before Sirius grabbed Hermione's hand and yelled above the music, "You'd better stick with me, Mione! Don't let go, now!"
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It was early in the morning by the time the crowd started filling out of the 100 Club, Hermione herself leaning against an exhausted but elated looking Sirius who was barely listening to a chattering and wide-awake Remus as they wandered down the London streets. Pod had left the trio hours earlier inside the club when he had spotted a scary looking muggle girl with spiked red hair that he appeared to be acquainted with...if acquainted meant dry humping against a wall, that is. But despite that brief moment of disgust, the night had been absolutely brilliant.
Hermione had seen the legendary Sex Pistols perform their smash 'Anarchy in the U.K', watched the first ever gig of the Subway Sect, had screamed with Remus when The Clash had their go, saw Sid Vicious before he was Sid and endured twenty minutes of the Lord's Prayer-punk style. It was brilliant and it was amazing and it was everything Hermione had hoped for and then some. That night was something that Hermione doubted she would ever forget; imagine, seeing the Sex Pistols just before they reached their peak? Before they had the legendary Sid Vicious as their bassist?
"So how long until the sun comes up?" asked Sirius tiredly as the trio disappeared down a small side alley to avoid any nosy muggles who would probably see them activate the portkey to get them home. "We have Minnie today in class too, don't we?"
"Um, it's not too long for the sun now Paddy and yeah, we have Minnie today." A sudden frown tugged at his lips. "Do you think you two will be able to stay awake in class?" Remus inquired, glancing at Sirius who was practically holding Hermione upright, his arm around her waist.
The crowd had gotten a little forceful toward the end of the night and Hermione had fought hard to retain her spot beside Sirius right in front of the stage which they'd held since Siouxsie and the Banshees had gone onstage hours earlier. Hermione had even reached out at one point and pocketed one of the crucifixes that came from Johnny Rotten's outfit she was that close. But being so close to the stage had its downfalls as well. Hermione's body had taken quite a beating by some pogo dancers despite Sirius' attempts to protect her and a few times she'd been whacked by errant appendages. She knew she was going to be aching later and would likely be covered in mottled bruises too. It had been worth it though.
"I think I'll be alright, it's not like I haven't pulled all nighters before." Hermione replied with a smile. "I would however like to get some sleep as soon as possible."
Sirius laughed. "Yeah, same as, Moony. When's our portkey going off?"
"Sunrise."
"You're joking." Both Sirius and Hermione gaped at a smiling Remus in horror.
"I'm afraid not, guys. ...It's a good thing the Special ran so late, huh?"
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Sirius' head was practically resting in his bowl of porridge a few hours later at the Gryffindor table while the rest of the sixth years ate breakfast, everybody rather amused at Sirius and Hermione's extremely tired and frowning (or pouting in the case of Sirius) faces as they too ate and waited for the day of classes to begin.
"So I'm guessing you lot had a good time, then?" Marlene asked a chipper Remus with a wide grin, munching on a slice of toast.
"Oh it was absolutely brilliant, wasn't it Padfoot, Hermione?" Remus beamed, setting down his goblet of pumpkin juice. "And to think there's another night to go!"
"...Which we wont be attending." Hermione murmured as Sirius' head slumped tiredly against her shoulder, the handsome boy softly snoring. Her voice sounded rather hoarse from all the yelling she had done the night before and she doubted Sirius sounded much better. "Sirius and I are just too tired to go again."
Remus looked at Hermione as if she'd just kicked his puppy in the face and laughed in his face. "You're joking."
A smile tugged at Hermione's lips. "I'm afraid not, Remus. I'm just too bone tired. I'm barely awake now as it is and I can't imagine how I'm going to be in a few hours. ...We'd be more likely to be caught by the teachers this way too. And I think Sirius' going to get a detention in McGonagall's class if he keeps falling asleep on me. She doesn't look happy this morning." Hermione added as she glanced up at her heavily frowning Head of House.
Sirius lifted his head from Hermione's shoulder at the mention of his name, yawning widely and loudly. "What's this about me, detention and Minnie?" He asked, his voice sounding as if he'd munched on cement.
James chuckled. "Minnie's not too happy this morning, Paddy."
"She's probably on her rags."
"Sirius!"
"What!" Sirius whined, rubbing his shoulder where Hermione had thumped him. "You know she always gets cranky during this time of the month!"
"Merlin, Sirius! Shut up!"
"Mentioning red things," Sirius suddenly stated with a snicker, "reckon Pod got lucky with that muggle bird last night?"
Hermione flushed bright red in embarrassment and Remus snorted. "Well, I reckon with the way they were practically shagging against that rubbish bin after the show in the middle of Oxford Street we can safely say that Pod got lucky, Padfoot."
"Pod got lucky?" James echoed in surprise. "But he's Pod!"
"You don't need to tell me," mumbled Sirius, frowning. "He tried to make a pass at Hermione last night too, the tosspot."
James' gaze instantly turned to Hermione and he frowned deeply. "That prick did what?"
Hermione laughed lightly at James' enraged expression and she couldn't help but embrace the warmth that flooded through her chest at the thought of James being so defensive of her. It was nice to know that he cared for her so much. His rather brotherly-like affection reminded her again of Harry, though like with Sirius his aggression seemed to be a little bit too much. Hermione was perfectly capable of defending herself, thank you. "Don't worry James," She smiled. "Sirius defended my honour most graciously. And even if he hadn't I would've been able to handle myself."
"Aww, that was quite sweet of you, Siri!" Dorcas cooed at the still frowning Sirius, brushing her hair from her face. "What'd you say to him?"
Sirius was still frowning slightly. "I told him that Hermione was James' sister and if he touched her I'd break his legs. She wasn't or isn't for that matter some slag he could shag and dump, you know?"
James grinned proudly at his best mate and clapped him on the shoulder. "Damn straight you would, Padfoot! I would've done more than break the prick's legs!" James suddenly pouted. "Wait, you got to pull the 'touch her and I'll break your legs' bid before I did! Dammit!"
Remus and Peter both laughed in amusement and Sirius smirked. "Sorry Prongsie, you should get out more!"
Breakfast was a much livelier affair after that, though Hermione and Sirius had to be pinched awake by their wonderful friends every now and then to make sure they didn't slump over into their breakfasts. Remus, much to the annoyance of Hermione was just as lively as he would be if he'd had the required eight hour sleep. It was probably his werewolf stamina coming through, but Remus didn't have to be so darn cheerful about it.