It's been a really long time but here's the next chapter!

Hermione slipped on her trainers when she heard a certain voice, one she was not expecting to hear whilst at the Potter's. She followed the voice down the stairs and poked her head discreetly into the room, to see if she was imagining it, but Sirius Black was really here. Had they been expecting him? With a glance around, she realised the James wasn't here, he's not usually awake this early anyway.

When she realised that Sirius was talking to Mr. Potter, and that it was tense, she walked in. "Good morning."

"Oh, good morning, Hermione," Sirius said, breaking from his serious look at Mr. Potter to give her a smile.

"Good morning," Charlus said in her general direction, eyes still fixed on the boy in front of him.

Hermione smiled at Sirius warmly and walked towards them. "I wasn't expecting any guests." She stopped a few feet away from them, creating a triangle. "Are you staying for breakfast?"

"No no, I don't think he will," Charlus interrupted in a failed attempt at sounded casual. "You were just stopping in to say hello, right, Mister Black?" He looked at Sirius pointedly.

"No, I was going to ask Hermione if she wanted to do something today, actually," Sirius said defiantly with a forced pleasant smile.

Hermione felt slightly awkward for a moment, but tried to be as relaxed as possible. She didn't want to defy Charlus, especially after he allowed her to stay- but she knew what Sirius' home life was like and knew he'd need a break. Also, she knew that Sirius eventually lived with the Potters, so they must have gotten on at some point. "Can he please stay, Charlus. I'm sure James would be thrilled too," she asked politely.

Charlus looked completely thrilled to say absolutely not, but he looked at her for a moment and his resolve visibly wavered until he gave a tiny groan before pasting on a fake smile. "Of course. We'd be glad to have you."

"Great! Thanks," Sirius replied with a small smirk. "What should we do, then?" He asked Hermione as he went to her side.

"Firstly, you can wipe that smirk off your face before I kick you out." Hermione teased, she smiled triumphantly when his smirk dropped off his face instantly. "Now, let's wake up James."

An evil grin crept onto his face. "Please, leave it to me. It would be my pleasure." He said ominously while Charlus sighed in resignation and returned to the kitchen.

Hermione grinned. "Up the stairs, third door on the left!"

Without another word, Sirius crept up the stairs and disappeared from sight. Seconds later, he could be heard shouting, "THERE'S A SLYTHERIN IN YOUR ROOM!" This was followed by James's screech of surprise and a thud as he presumably fell off his bed.

"Not funny, Sirius!" James cried indignantly, audibly scrambling off of the floor.

"Hey, it was true." Sirius defended smugly.

Hermione looked at a disapproving Charlus. "He's a great guy, a really good and true friend." She told him before darting up the stairs to join the boys.

"James, stop whining and get dressed already." Sirius was scolding when she entered.

An annoyed growl. "Stop telling me what to do, Sirius," James grumbled as a last-ditch attempt at retaining his dignity. He was only in his underwear when Hermione cleared her throat, and he blushed madly. "Don't you knock?" He demanded, shoving his pants on quickly.

She chuckled. "Pu-lease, you ran to the kitchen and back last night when you thought everybody was asleep - no need to be shy now."

James blushed harder while Sirius laughed, elbowing him in the side. "You actually did that? In front of a lady? Have you no decency?" Sirius ribbed.

"I didn't know she saw me!" James defended as he pulled on a shirt.

"Anyway, are we going to do something, or stand around and talk like little girls?" Hermione teased.

Sirius chuckled. "Whatever you want, Madame." He curtsied showily before dissolving into another laughing fit. "James, you ready?"

James pulled on his other shoe before standing and nodding. "Now I am." He led the way down the stairs and fished around in a cabinet for something before coming out with a plastic disc.

"We're just playing frisbee?" Hermione asked, confused. Frisbee could get pretty boring, and thus it was highly unlikely that James would play it.

James and Sirius shared a smirk. "Oh, it's not just any kind of frisbee. It's a wizard's frisbee," James said excitedly. "It's way cooler. Here, we'll show you." They went out into the backyard and Sirius took the frisbee to the far end.

"Watch this!" He called before throwing it right at James, who made no effort to catch, scrunching his face up oddly.

The frisbee slightly altered its course as she watched, swerving and suddenly picking up speed until it slammed into the side of James's face. James let out a cry, rubbing the sore spot before picking up the offending object and throwing it right back. Sirius caught it right before it made contact with his forehead.

"Hey, I thought we were showing her what happens when you don't catch it!" James cried indignantly.

Sirius smirked. "Sorry, Jamie, but I gotta keep this face beautiful."

"I dunno… Maybe a direct frisbee hit to the face would make it beautiful," James muttered rather loudly, making Sirius smirk.

"You're just jealous of my wild good looks," he said, flipping his hair dramatically.

"What's there to be jealous of?"

"May I interject? I'd rather not play a sport where the frisbee, or ball, aims for my face," Hermione replied. Going back in time hasn't changed her opinion on sports one bit- and she's been hit in the face too many times.

"Awww! You're no fun!" Sirius complained, though he was smiling. Without warning, he threw the frisbee at James again. James, having no time to react, was beaned in the face once again.

"Sirius!" James exclaimed, rubbing his cheek and nose.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You two continue playing, I'll see you after you've broken each other," she said, walking back into the house.

"Ugh… Hermione, come on, now!" Sirius yelled after her, jogging to catch up, James right behind him. "It was just a joke!"

"Say that to my face, Sirius," James cut in.

Hermione sighed playfully, it was obvious that she wouldn't be getting any peace today with Sirius here.

Hermione held her sides as she continued to laugh at James and Sirius running around Diagon Alley like lunatics. As she caught Charlus shaking his head in faux disapproval before stepping into one of the shops, she quickly sidestepped out of the way and then quickly made her way down to the store she needed.

Even though she had to be quick and get back to the boys and Mr. Potter before they came looking, she just needed a few uninterrupted minutes. Her hand double checked she had the funds required and then looked around the store. She picked up some paper, a few quills and then her specifically selected quill before walking to the counter.

"Oh, this isn't just a normal quill, and it's pretty expensive." The salesman informed her lightly.

Hermione smiled at him. "I'm just getting it for my Dad, he has to send a lot of documents and wants to save some time."

The male nodded. "Very well, does he know how to imprint it so it types in his handwriting?"

She took a moment to pretend to think. "I believe so, can you show me anyway?" she asked.

With a smile, the male nodded and demonstrated, imprinting his own handwriting into the quill. After writing a few lines, he explained that it can be changed whenever.

Happy with the outcome, Hermione paid for her items and quickly put them in her bag before leaving. She noticed Sirius looking around and snuck behind him, jabbing her fingers into his side.

He spun around suddenly, his eyes wide and surprised and slightly fearful, but his expression instantly turned to relief. "There you are! Where'd you go?" Sirius asked her before yelling. "James! Found her!"

James appeared within seconds. "Where'd you go?"

"I was just giving you both a taste of your own medicine - the number of times you both disappear on me, it was time for some payback," Hermione told them playfully with a laugh.

They both joined in, vowing to get her back when Charlus walked back out. "Do any of you need any more ink?" He questioned.

All three children shook their heads.

"Great, then I think it's time we went for lunch."

Sirius had stayed for just over a week, however, it was clear he was not fully welcomed by Charlus. The fact that he had stayed for that long was a strong message to how much Charlus loved his children's happiness. Hermione still did not consider herself to be Charlus' child, even though she was legally in his care, but knew that it was close enough. The bond was stronger than she could have imagined. Hermione had a family and her parents were alive in this time, but she wasn't born yet and couldn't live with them. It was strange to realise how much Charlus, Dorea, and James meant to her and how - if this hadn't been a mission - she could have called them her family and been okay with it.

Hermione was starting to understand foster care and adoption more, and how losing ones family wasn't the end of the world. Regardless, it didn't apply to her, she wasn't a child but she did need somebody to stay with. She just hoped it was all worth it and constantly had to remind herself to stay focused on the mission.

It was difficult. Feeding information to Dumbledore without revealling her own identity or the fact that she was from the future. Not treating others differently because of who they would become. Letting herself be treated like a child because she legally was one. Not revealing anything about the future, even as a joke, as that could take her down the wrong path - she wasn't a psychic and didn't want to be associated as one either.

Hermione sighed after Sirius had left and found herself in the back garden with a book on her lap. Even now she still enjoyed reading - especially books she had yet to read.

Unfortunately, she couldn't focus. She was now 13-years-old. About to enter year three of her Hogwarts education. Five more years of education before the real work started - the start to the end. After they graduate, Hermione had to remain close to the Potter's and protect them until they are set up and killed. Harry would live and Hermione would ensure that Sirius wasn't sentenced for their death. Though, the latter part of the plan wasn't made for her. If Harry was still going to lose his parents, then she would protect him from having to live with the Dursleys. He deserved to be loved and cared for - Sirius would provide that.

Hermione knew that it would be difficult to keep to the plan, it involved so many sacrafices on her end - some she wasn't sure she was willing to take. She would have to strip her younger self of all magical powers - that was something she was unsure if she could complete but knew it would be essential to not have two Hermione Granger's on record.

Hermione now wished she had changed her name upon entering this time.

It was too late for those regrets though.

"Hermione!" Dorea called from the kitchen.

Hermione looked up and quickly regained composure. "Yes?"

"Dinner time."

With a shaky breath to fully calm herself down, she stood up and walked over. Time to get back to her reality.