A/N: Thanks everyone for the follows and reviews. I've spent a good amount of time outlining where By Candlelight is headed, so don't worry about finding this fic abandoned at the side of the internet superhighway. I know where we're ending, what the major landmarks look like, and about 3/4 of the turns required. It's about as exact as googlemaps.

Review bait: The tenth person to review this chapter can request a short story from me via PM. Story of your choice, up to three chapters, and it has to be Hermione-centric without Ron as the love interest. Them's the rules, kids.

A/N 2: Edited for a tiny continuity error on 5/10. Next chapter should be up in a few days - I mean it this time!

September passed quickly into October, and Hermione found herself more and more at home in 1976. It was difficult for her to reconcile completely that she would never return to her time, or likely see her parents again, but she could content herself with the fact that one day she would probably see Harry and Ron again... even if it wouldn't be the same.

Though, seeing Harry was seeming less and less likely every day. Despite the fact that Lily and James had managed to not kill each other on their date in Hogsmeade, Lily was now determined to avoid James whenever possible. She ignored him in the hallways, sat as far away from him as possible in class, and escaped to the library with Hermione at every available opportunity. It was starting to get annoying, as it was cutting into the amount of time Hermione could spend talking to Sirius.

Or kissing him.

Or-

"Miss Granger," McGonagall interrupted, "if you would kindly get your head out of the clouds and get on with transfiguring Miss Evans' nose, I would be most obliged." Hermione blushed and nodded, shaking off her Sirius-induced reverie and turning to her friend. Lily smirked at her.

"Someone was daydreaming," Lily sing-songed as their professor moved on.

"Really Miss Evans, do grow up," McGonagall called back sternly.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at a still giggling Lily and waved her wand in response.

"Homorpho Felinius," Hermione intoned smartly, moving her wand through the correct positions. Where Lily's mouth and nose had been, there was now a lioness's snout. Hermione smirked as Lily's green eyes glared at her over a rather impressive set of whiskers.

"Very good Miss Granger! Five points to Gryffindor, though I do hope you can manage to pay attention for the rest of the class," McGonagall said, walking past them again. Hermione's eyes drifted over to Sirius, who was laughing with Remus about something. Their eyes met, and she grinned.

"Oh, I'll do my best." McGonagall sighed.

"I suppose that's all I can ask. If it's not too much trouble, please stay back a moment at the end of class." Her expression implied that, for Hermione's sake, it better not be too much trouble.

"Not at all Professor," Hermione said, though inwardly she was groaning. She had hoped to catch up to Sirius for a few moments before dinner, but it looked like that plan was shot.

After class, McGonagall handed her a sealed note. "I was instructed to watch you read that note and then destroy it before leaving the classroom. Please do not take too long."

Hermione opened the letter and read:

Miss Granger,

After much thought, I have decided to accept your offer of assistance with a certain riddle. Those who also seek to solve it have received a tip that certain clues will come to light on Halloween night. I wish for you to accompany to meet with these other problem-solvers, with the understanding that it might take a few days of intense discussion before and after this most sacred holiday to make any headway.

Be prepared to depart by Floo from my office immediately after lunch on Saturday, the 30th.

As I'm sure you are aware, this will be a gathering requiring the utmost secrecy. Please make the appropriate excuses to your housemates, as I will be explaining your absence to those on the staff who need to be made aware.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster

Hermione read the letter three times to make sure she had it memorized, then destroyed it with a silent Incendio.

"Thank you, Professor," she said. "It seems as though I might be away from class for a few days starting on the thirtieth. Do we have any tests or papers due during that time frame?" McGonagall swallowed.

"No, Miss Granger. I will make sure Miss Evans collects any assignments for you during that time." Hermione nodded and rose to leave the class room.

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall called to her retreating back. Hermione turned and waited, noting the saddened expression on her favorite teacher's face. "Are you certain that this absence will be... necessary?" Hermione smiled a sad little smile.

"Many things are necessary for the greater good, Professor."

On October 29th, Hermione and Sirius were walking out by the bridge. Their faces were reddened and hair disheveled from what had easily been one of the best snogs of Hermione's life, which was impressive given the amount of time they had spent doing that lately. Hermione knew she was using Sirius (though quite willingly on his part) to distract herself from the nerves brought on by going on another mission, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him that she was going to disappear for a few days.

"Sirius," a voice called from the other end of the bridge. The man in question stiffened, gripping Hermione's hand tighter as they turned to greet the Regulus Black. The younger brother jogged across the bridge to reach them quicker, breath puffing out in clouds in the late autumn air.

"Yes? What can I do for Mummy's favorite little prince today?" Sirius replied, voice even colder than when they had encountered Bellatrix in Hogsmeade.

"I had a letter from Mother and Father." Regulus handed a piece of parchment to Sirius. "They said to tell you that you are required to join us at Christmastime. No hiding at Potter's this year."

Sirius read through the letter, eyes narrowing with each successive sentence, pausing halfway through the middle.

"How do our parents know that I have a girlfriend?"

"Because I told them, of course. I figured they would be most interested in any potential candidates for the future role of Lady Black." Regulus's eyes darted to Hermione. "I'm afraid that your girlfriend, however, will not be invited to our family gathering."

Hermione just smiled at him and held on to Sirius's arm a little tighter. He was tensing to strike his brother and she knew that wouldn't do any good.

"That's quite alright. Lily Evans has already invited me to spend the holidays with her family." Her smile sharpened. "Us Muggle-borns have to stick together."

Regulus, Slytherin-in-training that he was, knew not to touch that with a ten-foot pole.

Sirius was shaking with rage, but he finished the letter and calmly disposed of it with a whispered Incendio.

"Wandless magic already, brother? Well, I know you're a blood traitor but at least you're a talented one."

"Why you little-" Sirius broke free of Hermione's grasp and lunged at his brother. The Black brothers rolled to the ground, each trying to simultaneously punch and pull the wand from the hand of the other.

"Sirius, stop!" Hermione yelled. "Let him go!" Both Blacks ignored her, so Hermione took action. She flung her arms apart, her magic carrying the fighting boys away from each other.

"Hermione!" Sirius said. Without pausing, Hermione stopped their backward progress and kept them both hovering above the ground.

"Miss Granger, put me down!" Regulus shouted.

"Not until you apologize to your brother," Hermione said. "Both of you!"

"Hermione!" Sirius tried again.

"I can keep you both up there for hours without tiring. Now apologize!"

The Blacks, unlike other pureblood families, were not well-versed in persuasion. The Malfoys could convince a Knut it was a Galleon and vice versa. The Bones were renowned for their stirring speeches (which some said shook listeners to the marrow of their bones, hence the name). And the Potters, well, they were gifted statesmen all.

The Blacks just liked to yell until they were hoarse, take a deep breath, and then yell some more.

After five minutes, Sirius stopped threatening that he would never kiss Hermione again and started sulking.

After ten minutes, Regulus considered using the word 'mudblood' out of a morbid curiosity as to what would happen.

After twelve minutes, both boys were silent.

Finally, after thirty long minutes, Regulus broke.

"I'm sorry, Sirius." Hermione, who was sitting against the edge of the bridge with a book in her lap, looked up and to her left.

"I'm sorry, young Master Black. I don't think either of us heard that."

Sirius, who had found a way to recline in the air, sat up.

"Yes what was that Reggie?" Hermione shot him a warning look, but he continued to grin.

"I said I was sorry."

"For...?" Hermione rolled her eyes. She had seen this sort of behavior in the Weasleys too. It made her glad that she was an only child.

"For calling you a blood traitor."

"And are you just saying that to get down or do you actually mean it?" Sirius pressed.

"...I mean it." Sirius whooped in triumph.

"Alright, Hermione, you can let us down."

"Aren't you forgetting something, Sirius?" Hermione asked, flipping a page in her book.

"No, you said for Regulus to apologize. He has." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You're lucky you're cute, otherwise I don't know what I would stay with you for. I also said that you should apologize to him. Do so, I'm getting cold and it's almost dinner-time."

"And just what do I have to apologize for?" Sirius asked. Hermione gave him a look.

"I guess you'll figure it out in another half hour, won't you?"

"Hermione," Sirius whined.

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"Fine. Regulus, I'm sorry I called you Mummy's little prince. I should have called you Mummy's big prince."

Hermione screamed in frustration and threw her book down.

"Do you not understand what you're doing, Sirius Black? What all these insults will lead to?"

"No I do not, oh brilliant one. Please enlighten me," Sirius replied, crossing his arms.

"A war is coming, and families will be torn about by fractures far shallower than the one between the two of you. End it. Be a family, be united, or we cannot hope to stand against the Dark."

The Black brothers stared at her.

"You sound like Dumbledore," Regulus said unthinkingly. Hermione whipped her head around to glare at him.

"It's probably the only thing the old man ever got right."

She scooped up her book and turned towards the bridge, the two brothers still suspended in the air behind her as she walked away.

"Hermione! Come back! I'll apologize!" Sirius called out after her.

The brothers fell the distance between themselves and the Earth as Hermione walked toward the castle without looking back.

Lily watched Hermione as she read the Evening Prophet. A special edition had been delivered – apparently someone wealthy had died, leaving his young-ish son in charge of the family enterprise. Lily vaguely remembered Lucius Malfoy from his days at the school – he had been something of a mentor to Severus in the early, violent days of his induction to Slytherin house, and the two still kept up a correspondence.

"Anything interesting?" she asked Hermione, who shook her head.

"Nothing at all," she said, folding the paper and stuffing it into her bag.

"Uh huh. One of the wealthiest, most powerful wizards in Britain died today after a shockingly sudden illness, and leaves his rather young son to inherit the company. Nothing interesting at all." Hermione laughed, but refused to comment.

Hermione had been acting strangely the last few weeks – finding more excuses to spend time with Sirius, leaving Lily in the library by herself. Sure, she'd had more time to secretly meet with Severus, but she missed her friend. Tonight was one of the first nights they had eaten dinner together in almost a week.

"You know, for a Muggle-born you sure are keyed into pureblood politics," Hermione said offhandedly as she shoved her still rather full plate away. Lily shrugged.

"Severus knew Malfoy Junior when he was at school here," Lily said in a low tone. "I pay attention to that stuff, never know when it's going to affect me. Purebloods think they run everything anyway." Hermione glanced around at the other Gryffindors, who were caught up in their own conversations. Sirius and the other Marauders were down near the center of the table, discussing strategy with the other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Hermione's favorite Marauder had arrived a few minutes after the girls sat down, and though he cast longing looks at his girlfriend Hermione was steadfastly ignoring him.

The other girls in their year were talking about some article in Witch Weekly. Lily watched as Hermione steeled herself for something.

"Remember that thing I didn't want to talk about?" Hermione asked. Lily stiffened and nodded. "Well, I want to talk about it. Tonight, preferably."

"Where?"

"Leave that to me. For now, let's go to the library and pretend that everything's normal."

Lily agreed, and the two witches departed the Great Hall. Both found it difficult to get any homework done with the conversation looming ahead of them, but they managed to make some headway before the bells chimed nine.

"Follow me," Hermione said, leading Lily from the library and toward the seventh floor. At a bare patch of wall she paused and walked to-and-fro three times.

"Hermione, what are you-" The appearance of a door cut off Lily's question, and Hermione pulled her through. They entered a room very like the Gryffindor common room, though smaller and done in gentler colors of pink and gold. The room didn't fit what Lily knew of Hermione at all, so she was surprised to see some of the tension leave her friend as they settled on the pale gold couch before the small fireplace.

"What is this place?" Lily asked.

"It's the Room of Requirement. It takes the form of whatever you need at the time, and fulfills all requests within the limits of magic." Lily looked around at the girly decor.

"So what did you need right now?" Her skepticism was clear in her tone. Hermione blushed.

"This is what my room looked like when I was a little girl, kind of. I didn't have a fireplace, but often wished I did. Our house was older and drafty."

They fell into silence as Hermione attempted to compose herself. Lily waited, somewhat impatiently. The seconds ticked by, and the tension rose. Hermione's breathing quickened, and she closed her eyes.

"Hermione," Lily said. "It can't be that bad." Hermione gave a sad little laugh and pulled back the sleeve on her right arm.

Lily gasped.

"Hermione..." She reached toward the hateful words carved into her friend's arm. Memories echoed in her mind, slurs heard in hallways and undertones in the classroom. The pitying looks of her friends, the unwelcome attention of James Potter... all of it stemmed from this hateful slur.

Mudblood.

It was thanks to that word, honestly, that she had trouble in the first place. Back when she was just a little firstie, a few older Slytherins had pushed her down in the hall and called her that name while they ripped up her essay in front of her. James had come charging down the hall like the Gryffindor he was, braving the fourth-year hexes to help Lily gather her things and flee.

They'd hid in a broom cupboard, years before that could be a euphemism for anything, and in halting words James had explained the word 'mudblood' as best as any eleven-year-old could. Lily had cried, James had comforted her... and the next day he'd been shouting to the world that they were going to get married some day.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Hermione said, bringing Lily back to the present. "Well, at least not anymore."

"What happened?" Lily crossed her arms. "Did you do something stupid?"

"It wasn't my idea," Hermione said with a weak chuckle. "The enemy had a few of our friends, and Harry, well, he was brave enough and loyal enough to want them back. I got left behind when the plan went wrong, and someone thought it would be fun to torture the Muggle-born. I escaped, obviously, but my tormentor used a cursed blade. This mark," she spat the word, "is resistant to all glamours I've tried so far."

Lily shuddered. She heard whispers that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named marked his followers somehow, but she doubted their administration was as painful as Hermione's.

"There's something else I need to tell you," Hermione said. She bit her lip nervously.

"What is it?"

"I have to go away for a while. Tomorrow, actually." Lily's eyes widened in panic. "I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I'll be with Dumbledore."

"I thought you said we couldn't trust him," Lily said, strangely calm.

"I said you shouldn't trust him, and I still mean that. But I know how to handle him, and this trip, well, it's necessary."

"What about Sirius?" she asked.

"What about him?"

"Have you told him?" Hermione sighed.

"He'd try to stop me, and then he'd just worry."

"If you're not here for a few days he's going to worry anyway."

"Well, maybe you can stop him from doing something foolish." Lily raised an eyebrow.

"And just how would I do that? In case you haven't noticed, he's a Marauder. They specialize in foolish."

"I don't know!" Hermione said, getting up from the couch and pacing. "I already don't know what's going on, just that Dumbledore said we'll be gone a few days. I should be back in one piece, I doubt he'll let me do much anyway. Just, just keep Sirius calm until I get back, yeah?"

Hermione had tears in her eyes, and she hadn't looked this despondent since Lily was first introduced to her in McGonagall's office. The redhead sighed.

"I'll do my best, that's all I can offer." Hermione smiled.

"Oh but you're Lily Evans. Your best is what others can only dream of."