Tempus Magia

Chapter 25: Books and Spells

Hermione Granger made a grave error during the final battle that resulted in Remus's death. Working as an unspeakable she spends two years working on a spell using powder from time turners to go back to Remus's greatest hour of need. What if Remus's greatest time of need wasn't in *this* war?

Hermione woke with a Cheshire cat grin on her face and her head buried into Remus's shoulder. Clad in only black wolf printed boxers, he was sleeping with his arms around her protectively. Last night had started out as a bumbling mess of limbs and hot messy kisses until Remus finally had enough and threw off his shirt and pants, proclaiming it was, "Too bloody hot."

When he crawled back into bed Hermione became fascinated with every inch of his scarred but beautiful body she could get her hands on. In direct contrast of what he had originally insisted on when he first crawled into bed with her, Remus had stripped Hermione of everything but her knickers and the two spent the night experimenting and learning each other's bodies.

Hermione nuzzled deeper into Remus. He definitely knew his way around a woman's body and for that Hermione was profoundly grateful. Most men couldn't find a woman's orgasm if it hit them in the face and they drowned in it. She had spent most of her night being ravished with his hand clamped over her mouth while she cried out in pleasure. She wasn't sure what was hotter, her muffled screams under his strong hands or how turned on it made him, watching her writhe and cry out from underneath him.

Hermione had already informed him that they were never using a silencing charm again. The good old fashion way was good enough for them. He responded by chuckling and burying his head between her legs. In the end, they only fell asleep well after the sun came up and then only because Hermione had to be reminded by Remus that she was brewing for the WSAA in a few hours with Pandora.

She was well and properly exhausted but she had never felt happier. She was going to be brewing with Pandora alone today and then she had to meet Severus later in the evening. There was an Order meeting at the house here as well, but Hermione had scheduled her meeting with Severus so she would miss the meeting. She was already meeting way too many people from the past. She needed to keep her distance.

She shook her head, dislodging all of her busy thoughts. Remus. She wanted to spend all day wrapped around him, begging for more of whatever he did last night. Maybe she could have lunch with Remus before ran to the WSAA?

Remus moaned as he turned over. "Go back to sleep," she whispered.

Hermione rolled over to get up but Remus pulled her back into his chest. "Don't go. Stay with me. You're cuddly."

"Cuddly?"

His eyes still closed, he nodded. "The cuddliest."

Hermione laughed and pried his fingers off of her waist. "I have to meet Pandora in twenty minutes, Remus."

"I'll owl Pandora."

Hermione swatted away his grabby hands. "Oh, and what exactly are you going to tell her?"

"That you're cuddly," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and an extremely valid reason to stay in bed all day.

She kissed his lips and went into the bathroom. After finishing most of her morning routine things, she opened the door and called out to Remus. "I'm jumping in the shower. If you managed to find a cuddly werewolf around who needs a good washing…"

His eyes popped open and he bound towards the loo as if he hadn't been grumbling and half asleep two minutes earlier. Hermione giggled as he picked her up over his shoulder and carried her into the shower stall, narrowly missing bumping her head on the ceiling.

They splashed about teasing each other and snogging up against the tiles. When her wand vibrated reminding her that she was about too late, he offered to wash her. Unable to resist, she moaned as his fingers went in and out of her, the soapy suds sliding off of her body as she gripped onto the wall so she wouldn't fall.

Two orgasms and a blow job later, she was dressed in one of his beige sweaters and she cast a charm to make it long enough to reach her knees. A pair of Lily's boots later and she was ready to go brew.

Remus walked side by side as they walked down the stairs talking about a memory charm a friend of his had. "I'll hop over there in an hour and borrow it. We'll meet for lunch at half past noon?"

"Works for me," Hermione opened the door of the kitchen to find Sirius, James, and Lily sitting around the table waiting. "Umm… good morning?"

All at once they all started cheering and Hermione leaned back into Remus feeling overwhelmed.

"I knew it! I told you, James!" Sirius crowed. "You owe me ten galleons!"

James shoved his hand away, "We have no idea if they had shower sex yet! Why don't we ask them?"

Lily who was in the middle of hugging Hermione shot two hexes at them. "You'll do no such thing! Remus and Hermione's relationship is none of our business!"

Lily let go of Hermione and whacked Remus over the head.

"What was that for?" he complained massaging his head.

"I woke up in middle of the night to barf because apparently, Harry didn't like being jostled around," she looked pointed at James who shrugged innocently. "Anyway, I had a panic attack when I realized that Remus's bedroom door was open but I couldn't find him anywhere in the house." Remus and Hermione's cheeks colored instantly.

"Good thing we had Sirius and his tracking nose, really or we would have never found you," James said sarcastically.

"You're all a bunch of gits, you know," Remus muttered kissing Hermione's head. "You're late love."

Hermione cursed and grab some toast before running to the Floo. How was she stressed and overworked even when she was displaced in time?

"Don't forget there's a secret meeting here tonight at nine!" James called after her as she stepped through the Floo.

Pandora and Hermione flew through their brewing. It was a great feeling knowing that she was helping witches who had nowhere to go. She was also grateful for the opportunity to help her future classmate, even though he was a bully during their schooling.

Hermione felt lighter around the witch and found it easy to confide in her. She was careful not to mention anything that would alter the timeline but she told her as much as she could about Luna. She even mentioned that she was pretty sure she was seeing an American Scamander fellow.

When they finished their brewing and cleaned up Hermione spoke briefly to Xeno, who had come to help bottle all of the potions. Remus Floo called to reschedule their lunch as he was picking up the book for her.

She rushed over to the WSAA and helped with several patients and logging the potion system. She pointedly 'forgot' to sign her name, as she didn't want her magical signature on anything in the past. About ten minutes before she was ready to leave to meet Remus, she sent an owl to Saul with four easy recipes for cooking. The receptionist, Judy, even helped her illustrate it.

Waving goodbye, she hurried out of the WSAA and apparated to the South of London to meet Remus for a late lunch. He met her at the apparition point and kissed her by the way of greeting.

She told him about her day and he told her about his day, while they walked to the coffee shop. They were in a factory and warehouse district and Hermione had yet to see anything that resembled a shop.

"Okay, so the first time I came here I freaked out so just… I don't know… don't scream, okay?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as he pulled her through a heavy oak door that clashed oddly with the warehouse that housed it. The windows were all boarded up and there was only a sign that said, "A room without books is like a body without a soul."

Hermione was about to ask what kind of coffee store they were walking into when the words died in her throat. It wasn't a coffee store. It was a library. The entire store was lined with bookshelves, that stretched from the ceiling to the floor.

There were ladders that ran the entire length of the shelves and slid horizontally to accommodate readers. The aisles were broken up every thirty feet by cozy seating areas with lamps, rugs, study desks, and couches.

Bach was playing softly in the background and although there were at least fifty people visibly inside, it was quiet and calm.

"Remus?"

"Yes?"

"How long can we stay here?"

"However long you'd like. There's a wizarding section on the second floor."

"There's… there's…."

Remus held her hand and led her to the loo. Once he was sure that no one was watching, he tapped it once with his wand revealing a staircase. He guided Hermione up a black spiral staircase with pictures of famous witches and wizards on it. When they emerged on the landing, Hermione balked at the floor.

It was entirely made of glass giving a clear view to the library below them. The wizarding level was similarly built like the regular one, except it had moving paintings and the option to not only purchase tea or coffee but liquor and pastries.

Hermione ran her fingers across a shelf with limited editions of Hogwarts, A History. "Remus?"

Remus was gazing at her with eyes filled with love. Hermione knew her heart shouldn't be soaring in her chest. She was just going to break both of their hearts in the long run. "Yes?"

"Thank you."

He kissed her lips softly, lingering for just a moment. "Let's get you fattened up with some pastries and coffee."

They were an hour into reading a stack of obscure spell books she found when she read a familiar spell in an old crumbling book.

Mortuus Viventem Curse

Or as it was more commonly known the Cures of the Living Dead.

This curse was primarily used during the first age after the fall of Merlin. The original creation of the curse was by a nameless farmer who wanted to escape his wife and move in with a barmaid several villages away. He created a spell that looked like the killing curse and caused a similar reaction to the killing curse.

Following the wand movements and incantation below the person whom the spell is cast on will fall into a deathlike state. With the counter curse, the victim will arise given that it is administered within a half day off when it is cast.

The Wizard's Council decreed this spell dark after it was being used by dark wizards to kidnap and imprison beautiful maidens. The spell, while not lost to time is considered illegal by the Wizard's Council and is not practiced today.

It was decreed illegal by the Wizard's Council, but was it decreed illegal by the Wizengamot? Hermione hurried to the service desk and sent an owl to Saul asking him if he could discreetly look it up in the archives.

Hermione spent the next hour studying the incantations and wand movements. "Hermione, you need to leave for your meeting if you're going to make it there on time."

"Am I allowed to borrow a book, Remus?"

"Not usually, but I'm friends with the manager. I'll ask."

Five minutes later a middle-aged man with a goatee approached Hermione. "Miss, Remus has told me you expressed interest in purchasing a book?"

"Oh, no. I wouldn't purchase it then others would not be able to enjoy it. I simply want to borrow for a bit of light reading. I'd return it in two days."

The wizard smiled at Remus, "You two can return it in a week."

Hermione thanked the man profusely. He hugged Remus and the two left, Hermione's book safe in her bag.

"You two seemed awfully friendly," Hermione said as they walked to the apparition point.

"He's my godfather. He lets me pick up shifts at his bookstore, even though Ministry law prohibits it."

"I'm sorry the wizarding community is a bunch of bigoted arseholes."

Remus hugged her close, "Be careful tonight, okay?"

Hermione nodded. She wasn't sure if she could trust Severus which was why she told Remus her location. She didn't trust James and Sirius not to rush blindly into a deadly situation and Lily was supposed to be on bedrest.

Hermione leaned on her toes and kissed his cheek. She leaned back and the last image she saw before she apparated was of his wry smile and worried eyes.

Hermione entered the muggle cafe, drawing looks. She knew her attire was a tad fashion forward, but given the area and the proclivity for prostitution in the area, she figured she wouldn't draw looks.

"You're early," Severus drawled looking her up and down.

"I find it the height of rudeness to be late," she replied. Severus Snape managed to entirely floor her by chuckling. Hermione must have been looking at him as an idiot because he stopped.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, just you seemed so serious yesterday. I wasn't aware you were able to smile."

Snape chuckled. "My life isn't that miserable, thank you. Now onto the matter at hand."

Hermione drew the two books she acquired and began going over the spells with him. They argued, debating, and consolidated their spell for over an hour until they realized they actually needed three spells and that, like the potion, would diminish over time.

"But how much time?"

"A decade give or take?" Just enough time for Draco to enjoy his childhood and Lucius to revert to himself in time to give Ginny the diary.

Hermione wasn't sure if she should be grateful or miserable. She'd have a lot making up to do with Ginny.

"We'll reconvene in two days. I'll owl you. Can I borrow the books, Hermione?"

"Sure, Severus. They're my boyfriends so please be careful with them."

Severus deflated and nodded. He held the door open for her as they left and Hermione followed him out into the cold. They both had their faces hooded and disguised so as not to be recognized by anyone passing by.

"With a brain like yours… what do you do, Hermione?"

Hermione chuckled. "My brain is the courtesy of very good teachers. As for my occupation… hypothetically speaking I'm a bookkeeper."

Severus's shoulders stiffened. "You're an agent?"

"Yes, from the MACUSA. I'm on leave after my parent's deaths. I'm originally from the UK."

Severus narrowed his eyes, "Where about?"

"I'm a muggleborn, Severus."

He stopped in front of the apparition point. "You're smart enough to know who I am. Why are you trusting me?"

"I live with Lily and she trusts you," his mask fell for only a second.

"How… is she?"

"Happily pregnant. She had some bumps and she's on bedrest, but she's okay."

"Bumps?"

"We were attacked by werewolves and they blew up the house. Albus Dumbledore stopped the house from collapsing on her."

Severus stopped abruptly, "What? Wait, you're that Hermione? Your boyfriend is Remus Lupin?"

Hermione nodded.

"How… he's a werewolf," he said in disgust.

"Yes, and he has never done anything to deserve your ire."

"He told you what happened in school?"

"It was and still is his greatest nightmare."

Severus looked out into the night. "I don't have to forgive him."

"No, you don't. Just try and recognize that sometimes things happen that are out of our control and not our fault. There's no reason to live unhappily and with regret for the rest of our lives, Severus."

"Why do I feel like we aren't talking about Lupin anymore?"

Hermione wondered if this is what Luna felt like, to know everything but be able to say nothing. "Good night, Severus."

He rolled his eyes before disappearing into the night. Hermione raised her wand when she heard a scuffling noise behind her. She hastily threw up shield barely stopped the four Stupefies that hit her.

She crouched and rolled right into a witch that looked too familiar to hex, "Professor McGonagall?"

Her guard down, she was hexed in the back and blackness overtook her.