8th August

Remus was nervous when he arrived at Sirius's upstairs flat on Saturday afternoon. He thought that he didn't really have a reason to be, he'd met the girl before after all, and she had seemed perfectly pleasant. It was also good to know that she was aware of the werewolf factor, and quite obviously thought nothing of it. Perhaps things were better in the future.

Remus knocked on the door and called, 'Padfoot, it's me are you ready to go?' He almost jumped out of his skin when his friend's low voice replied immediately; he'd apparently been standing on the other side of the door waiting for Remus to arrive.

'Translate this.' Sirius said, without a trace of his usual humour. A piece of parchment slid out from the post slot in the door as he spoke.

Remus took it and turned it over, It was covered in runes, at least fifteen of them. 'Padfoot?'

'Do it.' His friend said bluntly.

Remus ran his eyes across the squiggly symbols, not quite sure whether he should take Sirius seriously, 'You do realise anyone who knows runes could work this out?'

'There's another part.' Sirius said, sounding impatient, 'Hurry up.'

While Remus was glad that Sirius was taking identity proof seriously for once, this seemed rather extreme, even to Remus. But he understood, Sirius was showing him to Hermione's hiding place, the was no such thing as too cautious where her safety (and their futures) were concerned. So he set to work, 'Um … Padfoot?' He asked, 'Do you have a quill?'

There was an annoyed huff, and footsteps stomping away from the door. Then they returned and a feather was pushed out through the hole. 'Thanks.' Remus said. After five minutes he started to laugh. The runes asked a question; "Who was your first kiss?" Or the exact translation was "foreign mouth on yours, original, the possessor was?" But understanding runes was always sort of a guessing game.

'Mary Macdonald, in sixth year.' Remus said promptly.

'No.' Sirius said.

Remus laughed again. 'Oh right,' he said. 'Just for future reference – I don't count Prongs. I thought you meant the first kiss I got that I actually wanted. I still think you planned that whole bloody thing anyway. You brewed the love potion for him to give to Lily. Then you accidentally put it in his pumpkin juice at breakfast, and – for some reason you still won't explain – It made him want me instead.'

Sirius was chuckling on the other side of the door.

'This wasn't going to be my question,' Remus said, feeling a bit hot in the face from the embarrassing memory, 'but because I'm a little worried, it will do – you can't read runes to save your life, who did you get to do this for you?'

'Who else Moony?' Sirius asked with a sigh of affable exasperation, 'The girl version of you, or as I like to think of her now, your long lost daughter.'

Remus grinned, his friend seemed to have returned to his normal irritating self.

When Remus opened his eyes after the apparition, his breath, that he had only just regained, was taken from him by a strong wind. He realised as he looked around that they were on a balcony in central London. It was quite narrow with a steel railing surrounding all three sides. Sirius was knocking on a set of French doors that were the only access to the little concrete perch.

The curtains were drawn back almost immediately to reveal the time traveller, her curly hair was back in a ponytail and she was smiling happily in greeting at them. 'Filius Flitwick fancies finding Fanged Frisbees.' she said through the glass.

'Severus Snape scurries scared seeing shampoo.' Sirius replied.

Remus chuckled to himself. Those overly alliterate pass phrases might be a lot more ridiculous sounding, but the Marauders question and answer routine was getting more and more over the top as they struggled to find questions only they would know the answer to.

They had started it two years ago, after Ewan MacFusty had been killed by a Death Eater in a polyjuice disguise of his wife, who had been looking for access to the dragon wranglers keep. And it did work, it kept them safe, and it was always a reason to have a laugh, something that was often forgotten in times such as these.

Hermione opened the door, 'Remus, I'm so glad you came.' she said earnestly. 'I hope you're not too angry with me.'

'Not at all,' he grinned, 'quite confused and ridiculously impressed, but really just happy to be included. I do have a few questions though, if you wouldn't mind.'

'Of course!' she said enthusiastically. 'Come in, I'll put the kettle on.'

Sirius cleared his throat pointedly and she looked at him, one eyebrow raised inquiringly. 'Hi,' he said, frowning at her, 'Nice to see you too.'

'Hi,' she said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, 'don't worry sad-sack, I got more blue ones.' Sirius seemed to brighten at this cryptic statement.

'I have some notes for you to look at Remus,' she said as she went back inside to start the tea, 'they're there, on the table –' she pointed at a folder that was holding enough pages for it to be a detailed account of Nicolas Flamel's life.

'– I mean,' she continued in the same breath, 'obviously there are some things I can't tell you, but you'll get a good understanding of what we're up to, and the reasons behind it. There is a table of contents at the front if there's something you're specifically interested in. I'm just so glad you know what's really going on. I'd really like your opinion on a few things and –'

She stopped mid flow, Remus could feel his mouth hanging open, and when he turned to look at Sirius, he saw his friend had his back to them, his shoulders shaking slightly in an effort to keep his laughter silent.

'I'll just make us a drink shall I?' she said, seeming a little embarrassed.

Remus lifted the cover of the folder, totally astounded at the woman's enthusiasm. He flicked through the pages of tidy handwriting, impressed by the detail she had gone into. When he found his voice he said, 'This was a good idea, did you find it useful Padfoot?'

Sirius looked at him, still suffering from trying to keep his mirth under control. 'I didn't get a sodding folder mate, that's a Moony special. You forget, she knows us. I got wine and whiskey, not to mention the mother of all hangovers, and you get a book. No doubt she thought you'd actually appreciate it.'

Remus was quite flattered, she'd gone to so much effort. He really did appreciate it. 'Thank you Hermione, this is really great.' Remus said as she bought the tea tray to the table.

'No problem.' she replied. 'I get pretty bored during the day, so since Sirius said he was going to tell you on Thursday, I spent yesterday putting that together for you. I have to admit I was concerned that he might not present the situation in the most, er … logical fashion, and the Remus I know, well he'd like all the facts, rather than just the ones Sirius deemed relevant.'

'Okay,' Remus laughed nervously, 'it's totally messed up that you know me so well, but you're right. You really did all this in one day?' he asked, turning the first few pages again.

'I've been keeping records of everything we've done so far so I just copied those for you, and the war history at the beginning I already had, but otherwise yes.' Then she smiled at him. 'To be honest I couldn't think of a better way to spend my time.'

Sirius took a seat at the table with them, coughing something that sounded a lot like, "Dental student."

Remus punched him in the upper arm. Sirius scowled at him and then started to laugh. 'So Hermione,' he said, 'No graphs for Moony? Didn't you think he'd need pictures like I did?'

'They weren't pictures, they were, as you said, graphs; an illustrative way to show numerical data, useful and easy to remember.' Hermione gave Sirius a slightly haughty look and added, 'And yes I put them in there.'

'You do realise we've lost him now.' Sirius said, in a tone of mock sorrow as he looked at Remus; he was already totally immersed in the collection of information and didn't respond. Sirius always thought he was deaf while reading, but he wasn't. It was just a convenient excuse to ignore his overly chatty friend sometimes, and the notes were very well written.

An hour later Remus was still reading. He'd moved to the sofa, his feet were propped up on the armrest, a cushion behind his head. There was a cup of tea on the coffee table beside him, he was quite content. Hermione and Sirius were playing exploding snap at the dining table, laughing every time the cards decided the game was getting boring and blew up. Seemingly, always when it was Sirius's turn.

Remus was fascinated. The things Hermione had done, and with Harry. Baby Harry was a hero. He was almost able to put aside the niggling fear about the dangerous mission his friend and Hermione were on as he read. But when he got to the final stage of the plan, Fiendfyre and Ambush, he felt it return in full measure.

'Um… Hermione?' He was hesitant about questioning her work, she was obviously very organised, and had everything planned out to the last detail. Would she react badly to his input? It wasn't like he would ever do anything like she had. Breaking the law and risking her life just to save her friends, well, he would risk his life for his friends, after everything they'd done for him, how could he not? But her mission seemed to him to be a whole other level of devotion. What right did he have to suggest things to her?

'SNAP!' Sirius said triumphantly before the pile of cards promptly blew up in his face. Hermione laughed as she got up from the table to come and lean over the back of the sofa, looking down at Remus, worry in her eyes, 'What did I miss?' she asked.

'Oh … um,' he stuttered, surprised that she was so sure he'd found an error. 'No … nothing, I just wondered, the ambush, do you think it's going to be quite … er, risky?' To his great astonishment, Hermione's worried expression dissolved to one of guilt.

'I know.' she said quietly, 'But I can't think of another way. We know Riddle be there then, but what if he gets the better of Dumbledore? And we can't warn Lily and James about any of this because they'd never take that chance. To sit there waiting for him … they'd never do it. They'd never use Peter. I really can't come up with anything else.'

'What are you two whispering about?' Sirius said, his hand chaffing at the singed hair on his forearm from the explosion.

'Remus just pointed out that when Dumbledore ambushes Riddle if something goes wrong, well, we will be quite legitimately fucked.'

Sirius stared wide-eyed as Hermione let out a sigh of exasperation, she plonked down in an arm chair and hid her face in her hands. Then he turned his gaze on Remus. Remus was staring at her too, he thought she might be annoyed at him for implying she'd overlooked something, but her reaction didn't seem to fit. It was like she agreed.

'What the hell?' Sirius was glaring at him, 'She never swears,' he said quietly, 'what the fuck did you say to her?'

'I, um …'Remus was worried he'd just made a huge social gaff. 'Just what she said, only less, er … sweary? I'm sorry Hermione I didn't mean to upset you.' he said tentatively.

Her head snapped up, 'I'm not upset for goodness sake, I'm annoyed at myself. I know this is dangerous but I've been ignoring it. I don't know how to make it safer for them, so I've just been concentrating on the Horcruxes.' Then she fixed Sirius with a sharp look. 'I blame you, you know.'

'Me? Why?' Sirius said incredulously, 'We're going to cast the fyre, Dumbledore is going to get Riddle. Of course it will be dangerous, what am I missing?'

'Common sense.' Hermione huffed. 'Honestly I think we could all fly half way around the world with the frequent flyer miles yours has racked up. It goes on holiday so bloody often.'

Remus gave a quickly stifled laugh.

'Okay I'm guessing that was an insult. Probably deserved, but can you please tell me what the big deal is?'

'Padfoot,' Remus said, 'it's just that what if Dumbledore is killed by Voldemort? Then Voldemort'll go to Lily and James's and they won't be ready. And well …'

'I know.' Sirius said, 'But there's nothing we can do about that is there? It's like you said Hermione, if we tell them about Peter they won't use him and we're fucked – if we warn them after he's been made secret keeper they'll just go somewhere else, with a new one, and we're fucked – so we have to hope that Dumbledore wins, and we're not fucked. Honestly, what can we do?'

'You could tell them that day.' Remus said, he was thinking out loud. 'Why don't you tell them on Hallowe'en? Although, make sure you cast a shield charm first. Lily will string you up for putting them at such a risk.' He was on his back on the sofa again, looking up at the ceiling thinking hard, 'If you told them right before you go to do the Fiendfyre, then they could be on their guard, but they wouldn't have time to change anything … but they might still run … would Voldemort know if they weren't there?'

'Brilliant.' Hermione's voice was muffled behind her hands, she lifted her head to look at him. 'I knew we told you for a reason. But no, we won't have time. We'll be working through the night on the containment charms at the Gaunt shack. They are so complicated, and have to be layered and fresh. We also don't want too much magical disturbance in Godrics hollow, Riddle is attuned to things like that.'

'Okay, but you said brilliant …'

'Oh right, so you can be there. Er … if you want to.' she said hesitantly, 'Sorry I'm just assuming that you want to be involved in this. Knowing about it is one thing but …'

'Of course I want to.' Remus was a little insulted, 'So what, I just drop in for a visit and then at sunset say, "Get ready Prongs, Voldemort is on the way?" Not sure that would go over to well.'

'No. I think it's best if they don't know, they might do something rash. But you would know, so you can be on your guard, and make sure James picks up his bloody wand.'

'What do you think Padfoot?' Remus looked at Sirius, who was still standing watching the two of them, a small amused smile on his face.

'Honestly? If you two reckon it's alright, then it's alright. And I want a drink, tt's Saturday.'

Hermione snorted.

'Sounds good to me.' Remus said, 'this is heavy stuff, awesome, but yeah, terrifying.'

'That it is mate.' Sirius said, 'That it is.'

In Sirius's opinion poker was the best use for a deck of exploding snap cards. There was something frustratingly hilarious about being dealt a promising hand only to have it blow up before everyone had placed their bets.

The game always became less about the hand and more about speed as every player rushed to throw in their galleons, in the hope of making it through without blistered fingers. It also made poker-faces pointless, you could tell who was sitting on a pair of threes because they always tried to draw it out, finicking around, deciding how much they were willing to put in the pot. Thinking that the more time they took, the more likely it was that their pitiful cards would go up in smoke.

So this childish, but enjoyable game, coupled with a large bottle of Ogden's finest and two of his favourite people in the world had put Sirius in a very good mood.

'Call.' he said, as he laid his Queen-high flush on the table. The two frustrated sighs told him what he already knew. Just as he reached across the table to scrape the pile of coins toward him, there was a puff of smoke and the smell of burning fabric. He laughed as he watched Remus put the flames on his sleeve out with a jet of water from his wand.

All three of them looked slightly worse for wear, singed cuffs, soot on their clothes and faces, pink cheeked from the drink. It was close to nine in the evening now, they had been playing for nearly two hours, happily talking about anything that didn't involve Riddle, soul fragments or friends that they may, or may not be putting in a ridiculous amount of danger.

'You know Miss Fehr,' Sirius said smirking at Hermione across the table, 'when I told Malfoy you were a shark at poker I didn't think it would be true.'

'I'm sorry?' she said, cupping a sarcastic hand to her ear, 'What was that? I couldn't hear you over all this gold.'

Remus sniggered beside him, 'I think your rep as poker king has come crashing down Pads.'

'Oh well,' Sirius sighed, 'That's what the whiskey is for, it sooths my battered ego.'

Sirius refilled all their glasses while Remus shuffled the cards at top speed, trying to complete the task before the inevitable explosion. Then they were interrupted by an insistent tapping on the window. Sirius's owl was perched on the sill and pecking at the glass to get their attention. 'Zoff?' Sirius got to his feet and let the dark grey bird in, he pulled the missive off his leg quickly and unrolled it.

Sirius,

I have heard some distressing news. Come home as quickly as you are able.

Mother

'No reply,' he said to Zoff, whose pointy beak had been inching closer and closer to his wrist. The bird seemed to raise an eyebrow, not that owls have eyebrows, and took off back out the window. Sirius's face must have showed the trepidation he felt, because the atmosphere in the room became thick all of a sudden.

'Who's it from? Is someone …' Remus's question hung in the air.

'Sirius?' Hermione asked at the same time, getting up and skirting the table to reach him, she put her hand on his sooty forearm as she looked at the message.

'It's probably nothing' he said, trying to ease their worried expressions. 'Mother says she has heard some distressing news. She wants me to go and talk to her.' Then he smiled ruefully, 'Whatever the news is, I bet it's less distressing than the fact that I have to go and visit my mother. At least I'm drunk.' he added with a chuckle. He wasn't really, but he was just at the wonderful stage when everything was softened by the glorious warmth inside him. 'I might as well get it over with. Hermione can I use some toothpaste? I might be in her good graces, but I doubt she'll want to tell me her distress if she thinks I'm plastered.'

'Sure.' Hermione said, 'Do you want me to come? I'm not really dressed for it …'

'No, she asked for me. Mother doesn't play games. If she wanted you, she would have said.'

'Sirius, has is occurred to you that this might be a trap?' Remus asked, 'What if they've found out about the Horcruxes?'

Trust paranoid Moony Sirius thought. 'Of course it occurred to me.' he said. It hadn't. He was too busy trying to stop Hermione being so anxious, and her hand was still resting on his arm.

'Toothpaste.' he said breaking the contact and crossing the room. On entering the en-suite to Hermione's bedroom, he splashed water on his face and scrubbed a toothpaste covered finger around his mouth. He left the bathroom, running his now soot free hands through his damp hair. 'Presentable?' he asked with a grin.

Remus still looked uneasy and didn't reply.

Hermione said, 'Yes, much better, put this on though.' she shoved a jacket at him. 'You left it here the other night.'

'Handy.' he said shrugging it on. It was the blazer he'd worn to dinner at the Malfoys.

'Take this too,' she handed him a playing card, 'just in case. Portus' she muttered tapping the Jack of Spades with her wand, it glowed blue for a moment. 'It's set for an hour, just rip it up if you don't need it. I already took the exploding jinx off it.'

'Thanks,' he said, smiling fondly down at her. She was so rational under pressure. Remus was looking at him funny, the uneasy expression was gone and a smirk was tugging at the corner of his mouth. Bloody wolf. 'You going to say here Moony? I won't be long. I need to win my gold back.'

'I admire that you can still hope.' Hermione said with a grin as Remus nodded.

'Yeah I'll stay. I still haven't finished reading my novel, and since I can't take it with me I want to make sure I know all of it.'

'Good. I'll see you soon then, don't drink all the whiskey,' Sirius warned, 'I'll need some comfort when I get back.'

'Sirius, thank you for getting here so quickly.' His mother said as he took a seat in her parlour.

He'd been quite surprised when Kreacher had brought him up here. He hadn't been allowed in this room since he was ten. It was her private quarters. An extension of her dressing room, with only a small round side table and two armchairs in front of the fireplace.

'I was worried, Mother.' Sirius said, taken aback that he really meant it. He fingered the Jack in his pocket.

'So am I.' Walburga said, she was not as harsh as usual today, it was off-putting. 'I'm not going to mince words here Sirius. Narcissa came to visit me this afternoon. She said you and Hermione had dinner at Malfoy Manor this week.'

Sirius was confused, he thought his mother would be pleased about such a thing. 'We did.' He said. 'Hermione and Narcissa get along very well. I thought you would be happy.'

'It is not Hermione I am concerned about.' Walburga said, reaching out to nudge a gardenia back into place in the large flower arrangement the sat in a vase on the little table between them, 'Sirius you know as well as I do that Lucius is, involved. While I understand that you are making a great effort to be accepted again after your …'

'Idiocy was how Ma M put it.' Sirius interjected with a tight smile, not liking where this was going.

'Yes well, you are obviously doing all to can to keep Miss Fehr happy, but Sirius you must be careful. Are you …' she hesitated for a moment, 'Are you interested in the cause? Narcissa said Lucius was impressed with you.'

'Mother … I,' Sirius wasn't sure what to say. If he denied it out right was there a chance it would get back to the wrong ears?

'It is your life Sirius.' His mother said quietly, 'But you must think, after what happened to Regulus, I thought that maybe with Hermione, you wouldn't want to risk … her family are not interested in the cause. I had hoped that your … previous convictions, would stop you from becoming involved.'

'Mother,' Sirius said barely containing his sudden desire to smile, 'are you suggesting that you want my Gryffindor nature to win out over family pride?'

Walburga sighed, 'As unpleasant and blasphemous at it is. Yes.'

'I have no desire to join the Death Eaters, Mother.' Sirius said, 'I would be a fool. I am an Auror, the punishment for such treason would not be worth it.' He was careful to make it seem as though the punishment was a deterrent, rather than the fact that he thought purebloods had no rights over muggleborns. Then remembering Hermione's trump card he said, 'And what use would I be as an heir if I go and get myself killed, or locked up, before I have even married?'

His mother seemed to relax, even going so far as to offer him a small smile. 'I didn't think you would. But you have been so head strong all your life, I thought that with your desire to prove yourself you might think joining was what your grandfather and I would want.' There was an unusual feeling in Sirius's gut as his mother smiled at him. He was revolted when he realised it was pleasure, happiness that his mother was worried about him. He shook himself mentally. Enough of that he thought.

'There is something else too Sirius,' Walburga said, reaching for a small green box next to the flower arrangement on the little table beside her. 'I wanted you to have this, you do not want to leave things to chance with a woman like Miss Fehr.' she passed him the box. He lifted the lid and saw a silver ring, an obscenely large diamond glittering in the centre, surrounded by a row of emeralds.

'Mother.' Sirius said firmly, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice, 'I have only been seeing Hermione for three months. I hardly think it's appropriate –'

She cut him off. 'No harm in being prepared is there? Your grandfather said you should have that anyway. It's the ring he gave to my mother.'

Sirius realised there was no point in arguing, he looked at the carriage clock on the mantle; five minutes til the Jack would take him away if he didn't rip it up. 'Thank you,' he said. He didn't despise the ring in any case, he liked his grandfather. 'I should be going.' he said, slipping the box into his pocket.

'Won't you stay for nightcap? Your grandfather would like to see you.'

'I suppose. A quick one.' Sirius said. He just wanted to get back to Remus and Hermione. It was rather unsettling being in his mother's company and not wanting to hex her.

'He's in the library, let us go and sample that deplorable homemade whiskey of his.'

As they walked down the stairs toward the library, Sirius fished the Jack of Spades from his pocket. Before he could surreptitiously rip it in two, it began to glow. He hastily dropped it to the floor, it wouldn't do to vanish and raise suspicion. The card disappeared. Why had Hermione told him to tear it up? He just needed to not be touching it. Weird he thought. But then he realised, if it was torn it wouldn't activate at all, therefore not causing a scene. His mother hadn't noticed – she was a few stairs below him as they walked. He smiled. She had given him a family heirloom, it wouldn't be long before he had access to the vault.

When Sirius knocked on the door of Hermione's hotel room two hours later he was surprised to see that there was a bizarre flashing colourful light filling the otherwise darkened room. The curtains were open, he moved to the edge of the glass to peer inside, it was the television he realised with relief. He could see the back of Remus head over the top of the sofa and Hermione's bushy ponytail on his shoulder. They didn't move at the sound of his knock. He repeated the action. Remus' head jerked and he twisted to see where the noise was coming from.

His friend got up cautiously, Hermione's hair slipped out of view as her leaning post moved away. When Remus came to the window he was yawning and rubbing a hand over his face and Sirius felt his own forehead contract into a frown. They were asleep? Next to each other?

Remus grinned at him tiredly, Sirius wanted to punch him. Probably not a good idea – you're ignoring it. He thought. 'Padfoot, what was your punishment for calling Professor McGonagall "Minnie" to her face during Transfiguration in fifth year?' Remus asked through the glass of the door.

'I had to help her mark all the first year essays for the rest of the term,' Sirius replied. A reluctant grin trying to make an appearance as he said, 'But I wore her down in the end.'

'That you did.' said Remus, his own smile broadening.

Sirius was casting around for something to ask, he usually had time to prepare – and he had expected them to be up waiting for him. Not cuddling on the sodding couch together. 'What was the first thing Prongs said to you when you told us you had been made prefect?' Very fitting Sirius thought.

'No scamming on my girl.' Remus laughed, 'He was so pissed I'd get to spend time with Lily and that she would have to talk to me.' He tapped the door with his wand and tried to pull it open. 'Pads what spell does she use to lock this?' He tapped again turning the handle. It still wouldn't move.

'I don't know.' Sirius said, 'Why don't you ask her? Or would you rather I just go?' the sharpness of his tone surprised him. Too much of Pollux's whiskey no doubt.

'Sirius? Why would I –' he looked over at the sofa and it seemed to dawn on him how the situation looked. 'Don't be wanker Padfoot.' His eyes narrowed. 'We were watching telly, you were gone for ages, and we fell asleep. I'm not that much of a dick you know.'

Sirius felt guilty at once. Of course Moony wasn't a dick. 'Sorry mate.' he muttered through the glass. 'Wake her up, otherwise you're trapped in there and I'll really start to wonder.' he said, trying to make a joke out of it. Merlin he was glad Hermione hadn't heard any of this.

Remus left the door to wake her, Sirius couldn't hear what he was saying, but he could see him leaning over the back of the sofa, then Hermione's arm appeared, her wand in hand. She flicked it and there was a click of the lock.

Sirius closed the door behind him and Hermione's disembodied hand twitched her wand again, still poking upright from where she was obviously still horizontal on the sofa. 'You've been gone for ages.' her muffled voice said as the door locked again.

'Yeah, Grandfather insisted I properly understand the benefits of making your own liquor.' Sirius noticed that Remus had sat himself in the only free arm chair, the other one was taken up by a tall pile of parchment notes and books on everything from wizarding Europe to dark magic. This left him to sit next to Hermione who had shifted and was sitting now, looking at him as though he'd done something terrible. Shit. She had heard them.

Then she flicked something at him, it landed in his lap and he picked it up – It was the Jack.

'I told you to rip it up if you didn't need it,' she said, annoyed, 'not let it come back without you. I thought something had gone wrong.'

Sirius looked down at the little double-ended man. 'Sorry.' he said, but he wasn't really, he actually had to hide a grin, Hermione had been worried about him.