4th September

Dearest Daughter,

I am happy to tell you we will be seeing each other much sooner than we anticipated. The magnanimous Walburga Black has been kind enough to invite me to the annual Autumn Gala and with a rearranging of my schedule I have found enough time to be able to attend.

I am looking forward to seeing you once again as I do not think I have missed you so much since your school days. I will be arriving in London on the 5th and your uncle has seen fit to ask me to meet with several acquaintances' on his behalf while I'm there, so I will stay for the week.

The package accompanying this letter is something of an early birthday present for you. I was in Milan on business last week and when I received the Gala invitation I couldn't resist. I do hope you're not too old to let your poor mother indulge in dressing you up.

Much love,

Your Mother

Hermione smiled to herself as she refolded the letter. This remarkable woman was the reason they had been so successful in their goals of Horcrux removal so far. She was feeling rather nervous at the idea of meeting her. Hermione hoped she would live up to Frederica's expectations, because she owed her so much. This letter was the first direct contact that Hermione had had from the woman. She knew the letter was written in such a way in case of interception, but the familiarity of it relaxed her. Hermione had been expecting the letter, Dumbledore had told her Frederica would be coming to England when Hermione had seen him the previous evening.

Hermione and Sirius had spent the day before playing cards drinking tea and the occasional glass of wine and talking. Sirius had regained his usual sense of humour and self after a proper night's sleep and the prospect of a day to himself. It had been very enjoyable for both of them to briefly forget about the cup, and Fiendfyre, and Dumbledore crouching behind bushes in Godrics Hollow in, as Sirius had said, fifty nine days' time. So when the phoenix patronus had soared gracefully into the room a little before seven that evening, and asked in Dumbledore's voice for the pair of them to meet him at the Hogshead, they had both been quite disappointed to return to reality.

*3rd September*

'Welcome Hermione, Sirius,' Dumbledore said happily as they entered the basement room of the pub.

'What's wrong Dumbledore?' Sirius asked immediately, he was still standing near the door he had just closed behind them.

Hermione took a seat at the long wooden table, worried that the Professor was about to try and involve her in Order business again.

'Many things are wrong Sirius,' Dumbledore said gravely, 'you however, are lucky enough not to be part of them at the moment. I have received communication from Frederica that your mother has invited her to the soirée at Grimmauld Place on Saturday evening.'

Sirius didn't look nearly surprised enough about this in Hermione's opinion, 'Er … yeah,' Sirius said, 'she mentioned she was going to ask her,' he frowned slightly in Dumbledore's direction, 'Lady Fehr isn't going to come though right? I mean, she's an important woman, I thought she'd use her dignitary role as an excuse to get out of it, lucky for some I guess.'

'Actually, she has decided that it would be a good way to reinforce your cover.' Dumbledore said with a smile.

'Oh no Professor!' Hermione exclaimed, 'She can't come, surely it would do the opposite, I'm nervous enough around those people, but with her there I'll have a whole other reason to slip up. I haven't done any preparing yet,' she glared over at Sirius, 'someone only just told me about it this morning.'

Sirius held his hands up in defeat, 'I've said I'm sorry, what more do you want?'

Hermione just huffed as Dumbledore chortled quietly, 'Ah, Mr Black, I thought you would have known by now not to get between this woman and her research.'

Sirius muttered something about 'learning the hard way' and Dumbledore's amusement increased, 'Incidentally, Alastor tells me you both had some task do with our mission to attend to today, I wasn't aware anything else needed to be done, aside from gaining access to Hufflepuff's cup of course.'

Hermione shared a guilty look with Sirius who said, 'You didn't tell Moody that did you? It was more of a … mental health day.' Dumbledore was looking between the pair of them, amused suspicion in his twinkling eyes. 'You know … like if I didn't have a day off I would go mental and the health of my fellow Aurors would be at stake,' Sirius continued, 'Please don't tell him Dumbledore, he already hates me.'

Dumbledore chuckled, 'No I didn't see fit to inform him, and Sirius, he doesn't hate you, he just thinks you have so much potential and it annoys him to see you coast along - a feeling I am very familiar with,' Dumbledore said, giving Sirius a characteristic, headmasterly look.

Sirius shifted uncomfortably under the penetrating stare, and Hermione interrupted, trying to bring them back to what she considered impending disaster, 'Professor, I really think you should tell Frederica not to attend. I don't know her, how am I meant to pretend to be her daughter?'

'I'm afraid it is too late Hermione, she has already sent her reply to Mrs Black. She will arrive on Saturday morning, I have suggested the two of you meet at your accommodation shortly after her arrival so you may discuss topics of conversation for the evening, and get to know each other.'

'But Sir –'

'Frederica is an intelligent woman Hermione,' Dumbledore cut her off. 'She will play the role to perfection. You are quite adept at your character now, Augusta Longbottom was completely fooled by you, the Malfoys and the Blacks as well, there is no reason to panic.'

Resigned to the fact that she had no choice, Hermione agreed. 'Very well Professor, Sirius and I should getting going then, I need to get up to date on some Swiss-German phrases if I'm going pull this off.'

'And your dance steps.' Dumbledore said, as they rose from the table.

Hermione sighed, god this was more trouble than it was worth. 'Yes sir.' she said.

Sirius opened the door and Dumbledore said, 'Could I have a private word Hermione? Sirius we won't be a minute.'

Sirius looked between the two of them and nodded, 'I'll wait for you upstairs,' he said hesitantly, closing the door behind him.

'What is it?' Hermione asked, confused.

'It seems that you and Mr Black are getting along very well.' Dumbledore said casually.

Hermione's sense of confusion increased, 'Yes Professor, we have become quite good friends, something I had not expected but it certainly makes everything a lot easier.'

'I see,' Dumbledore murmured, 'and you're both comfortable with that?'

'Of course Professor,' Hermione assured him, 'we spend most of our free time together, keeps our spirits up, Sirius's especially, since he's lying to just about everyone he knows.'

'Hermione you must realise the danger of becoming attached to someone here. You will be leaving very soon.' Dumbledore said, looking grim.

'I know that.' Hermione replied, hoping he was not suggesting what she thought he was. She'd had enough of this topic for one day, and it was not a conversation she particularly wanted to have with her old Headmaster. 'I hope when I get back he will still want to be my friend,' she said lightly, 'but I guess it might be a bit odd for him.'

'Sirius is a very strong willed man,' Dumbledore said, surveying Hermione over his glasses, 'I worry that he will not take well to losing your companionship, he seems … invested.'

For heaven's sake, Hermione thought. 'Professor we are just friends.' she said firmly. 'We both understand that my time is limited, do you really think either of us would be foolish enough to become invested? It's really not like that at all, I've always had males as my closest friends, I relate to them better for some reason.'

'That maybe the case,' Dumbledore said carefully, 'but I've never known Sirius to have female friends. He is very protective of you.'

'Yes Sir,' Hermione said through her teeth, 'because we are friends – and because, if something happens to me this whole thing will turn to custard, so don't worry. I think the reward of saving everything he cares about will more than compensate for me leaving. He's only known me for three months after all.' she forced a smile onto her face. 'Now I really should go if I'm going to learn German, memorise a guest list and refresh my dancing skills in two days.'

Dumbledore nodded, seeming not to notice Hermione's frustration, 'Very well, good luck, I will get Mr Lupin to escort Frederica to you on Saturday morning, I think it best if Sirius doesn't meet her until the Gala so he can react naturally.'

'Good idea Sir,' Hermione said as she got to her feet, keen to get moving, 'Goodnight.'

When Hermione found Sirius in the crowded taproom talking quietly with Alberforth, she was still mulling over the Headmasters warning. He must have been talking to Remus. It wasn't like Dumbledore spent enough time around them to see their friendship for himself. And his words, while not a blunt as Remus's had been, were certainly along the same lines.

'What did he want?' Sirius asked, after he'd nodded a goodbye to the barman.

'Oh it was silly,' she said, not wanting to make a big deal out of it, 'he thought we were getting too close, why can't people understand that it's possible for men and women to actually be friends with each other?'

Sirius glanced at her, 'Er …'

'I mean, I know you have a bit of a … um … reputation, but really – it's not like we don't have bigger things to think about.'

'That's right,' he said distractedly, sidestepping a couple of drunken Warlocks who had their arms slung about each other's shoulders, and were weaving unsteadily towards the bar.

As Hermione and Sirius left the pub to disapparate Sirius said suddenly, 'People? His eyes had snapped to her, and his forehead furrowed, 'As in more than just Dumbledore?'

'Yeah,' Hermione said, 'Remus said something this morning – I thought he knew you slept at mine most of the time and he got the wrong end of the stick, but don't worry I set him straight.' She assured him, 'I think he must have mentioned something to Dumbledore though, it seems too much of a coincidence.'

'Yeah … it does.' Sirius said slowly.

Hermione looked up at him, 'Don't be cross with him Sirius, it's kind of understandable from his point of view, what would your immediate assumption be if you found out Remus was sleeping in the same bed as girl every night?'

'That's not a very good example,' Sirius said, starting to laugh as he took her hand to disapparate. 'You see, Moony is insanely honourable, whereas I … well,' an impish grin spread across his lips and he shrugged his shoulders, 'like you say … reputation.' He chuckled and turned on the spot pulling her with him.

When they landed on her balcony Sirius was still grinning. He continued talking as though there had been no interruption, 'Moony shouldn't be saying things like that to Dumbledore though, it's really none of his business, what did he actually say to you?'

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the memory, 'He said that I can't blame him if I wake up with a big black dog humping my leg.'

Sirius snorted, 'Bloody wolf,' he shook his head, and then a thought seem to strike him, 'Is that why you two were laughing at me this morning?' Hermione nodded, unable to form words through her mounting giggles. 'Oh right.' He said, looking amused, 'So Dumbley said you're to brush up on your dancing skills, I'll be busy til Saturday evening so we should do that tonight.'

'Okay,' Hermione said, controlling herself and unlocking the door.

It turned out Hermione could dance quite well when being guided by someone who knew what they were doing, and Sirius certainly seemed to. He led her in several formal routines that she vaguely remembered, though she hadn't had need to dance properly in many years – aside from the occasional wedding. They'd moved the furniture in the sitting room aside and he twirled her expertly around. One hand on her waist, the other held in his, all the while keeping a very polite space between them. 'I think you'll do just fine.' he said after an hour of practicing, pointing his wand at the radio he had tuned to some scratchy sounding concert station, and lowering the volume.

'You're very good.' Hermione said, impressed.

'Why thank you Madam.' Sirius said with an ironic bow, 'we learnt to dance as kids, I hated it. But then, when it comes to getting the girls,' he winked, 'nothing impresses them more than a bloke who's confident in his footwork, so I couldn't regret the lessons too much.'

4th September

The following morning, after Sirius left for the Ministry (looking quite disgruntled that his one day holiday was over) the letter from Frederica arrived. Accompanying it was a large box containing her early birthday present; she was shocked that the owl that delivered it hadn't collapsed with exhaustion.

It was a wide, flat package. Rather heavy too, definitely when carried all the way from Switzerland. It was quite funny considering it really was her birthday in a couple of weeks. She smiled again as she put the letter aside. September 19th 1981, her second birthday, and her twenty-second as it turned out, how strange.

Hermione lifted the lid on the box and moved aside the layers of tissue paper that hid the contents from view. She gasped, the bodice of a beautiful dress was visible, deep royal blue silk with an embroidered pattern of narrow swirling tendrils in black and silver, starting at the hip and crossing the fabric on a diagonal to curl almost like smoke at the bust line. It was a good thing she liked blue, she thought. It seemed to be the colour people liked to dress her in.

As she pulled the dress from the box her smile grew so wide it almost hurt, the garment was magnificent. The soft flowing silk hung in perfectly designed folds, the thin swirling pattern covered the rest of the gown too – Noticeable only when she moved the dress and sections of material caught the light. Deciding she couldn't possibly wait to try this masterpiece on, Hermione carried to the bedroom and slipped into it.

She stood admiring her reflection for much longer than she had ever looked in a mirror before. Possibly longer than all the times she had looked in a mirror combined since arriving here.

The long mirror on the wardrobe door showed her the glorious way the silk hung. The dress was strapless and she bent forward and shimmied about to check the security of her top half, not being the most well-endowed of women Hermione was pleased to see the tiniest hint of cleavage, although she realised when she stood up again that it was not visible at all when she was upright. But it didn't matter, this was the most beautiful thing she had ever worn, it fit so well and the lightness of the silk meant she was able to breathe comfortably. She wondered for a moment if it was magic, surely nothing that looked this amazing could actually be comfortable. That broke all rules of feminine attire she was aware of.

Reluctant though Hermione was to take it off and put her jeans and slightly worn cardigan back on, she did. She looked longingly at the dress as it hung in the wardrobe, would it be so bad to wear it around the hotel room for the rest of the day? Yes. She thought. No doubt she would spill tea down it or something else equally horrific. Instead, she spent the day practicing German phrases, and revising pureblood family trees. Checking up on the dress every hour or so to make sure no harm was coming to it in the deceptively dangerous wardrobe.

'Black, in my office now.' Moody's voice suddenly growled from behind Sirius.

Sirius nearly jumped out of his skin. How anyone could move so quietly on a sodding wooden leg was beyond him. It probably didn't help that he'd been sitting at his desk in a trance of boredom, quill hovering over a map of London - with no memory of what he was supposed to be doing, because he couldn't stop thinking about the look on Hermione's face the previous afternoon when he'd finally - after three and a half hours of playing - regained all his lost poker gold from her. Was it possible to gloat in daydreams? He wondered. It certainly seemed that way. It was kind of pointless considering he'd given her at least twice as much to buy a dress for the thing at Grimmauld Place tomorrow night. But he didn't let that get in the way of his imagined victory dance.

He pushed himself away from his desk, and followed Moody's retreating figure. Wondering what on earth he was supposed to have done this time.

'Right Black, you and me are going on a little trip this afternoon.' Moody said, the minute Sirius had closed the door behind him.

Merlin that sounded ominous, Sirius thought, Head-man-of-organised-crime-ring-ominous. 'We are?' he asked hesitantly.

'Yes, Rosier and a couple of mates have been spotted up in Birmingham, you and I are going to bring them home to London.'

'Really?' Sirius tried very hard to ignore the excitement that stirred in him at the idea of doing something. The mission with Hermione was exceedingly dull at the moment – other than convincing his grandfather that he was trustworthy enough to attend to the banking alone, all he was doing was working, then going directly to Grimmauld Place to eat dinner with Walburga and Pollux, and then sitting about in the library with one, or both of them talking politics - and family gossip, if his mother was present – being forced to match his grandfather drink for drink until it was late. All well and good for Pollux, who didn't then have to get up for a briefing at seven thirty.

Sirius would leave Grimmauld Place with a slightly muddled head and apparate to Hermione's, have half a cup of tea, before he fell asleep in it, and at some point during the night wake up with a numb arm, or leg, or both, and stumble into the bedroom.

But he couldn't not go to Hermione's. He was worried, anyone could apparate onto that balcony. He knew her protective charms were strong – he was yet to figure out a way to break them, even though he tried most mornings when she was in the shower, it was his own little secret challenge. He knew it would annoy her no-end if he figured it out, and that thought made all the effort totally worth it. At least now I get to sleep in the bed all night he thought, though that brought along its own string of problems. Ignore it. Fifty eight days.

But as strong as her locking and concealment charms were, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was just safer for them to be in the same place as often as possible. So, with his current boredom, the idea of doing a little Death Eater hunting was extremely appealing. Much more so than going back to the stupid map of London. Attack patterns! that's what he was supposed to be doing with it! Now he remembered, either way, dull dull dull.

'You still with me Black?'

Sirius grunted, 'Sorry Moody, what was that?'

Moody tapped his cane against the desk leg impatiently. 'I said you're the only one I can take, the others are tied up with the raid at the docklands, or are useless.'

'Moody … are you suggesting I'm not useless?'

Moody growled, 'You're not useless Black – you're the biggest pain in the arse I've ever dealt with, but you're handy with a wand. This shouldn't be too much trouble, I know you've got your other stuff going on and need to be kept safe, but hell – bugger me if I'm going to let a Death Eater get away.'

'Moody old man, don't make promises you can't keep.' Sirius said, winking at his boss. 'Didn't Carrow get away just last month?'

Sirius knew it was totally inappropriate behaviour, but Moody just walked right into them, and it was far too enjoyable to annoy him. Well it had been – until he'd got that bloody cane, Sirius thought, after Moody had swung it swiftly in a shallow arc under the desk between them and caught Sirius's shin on a sharp and painful angle.

It was cold, raining and blustery in Birmingham that early afternoon, Sirius and Moody had found Evan Rosier, Harvey Wilkes and a third man wearing a cloak and hood to hide his face, within half an hour. Moody's source had told him that the two Death Eaters had been seen in a street not far from the centre of the city, talking with another man the informer didn't know. They found them two streets over, huddled under the eaves of an abandoned hardware shop, pouring over what Sirius thought was a map. The street was a dead end, and quite deserted. The local muggles seemed unwilling to go out in the downpour.

'Okay Black,' Moody whispered as he took down his hood so they would recognise him. Sirius and Moody were standing in a deep doorway, with all the appearance of two blokes trying to keep out of the rain, 'I'll apparate in right next to them – hopefully the shock of my ugly mug will scare them enough to come quietly. You cast the anti-disap, and keep your face hidden, don't want your other stuff jeopardised by this, if they give me any trouble come in on my six – code word is Quaffle.'

'Got it.' Sirius said, confidently.

It wasn't Moody's unappealing visage that would scare the Death Eaters, it was his reputation. He tried very hard to bring culprits in alive. It didn't always work, but Sirius admired the sentiment. And being taking in by Moody, was preferable to a messy death at the hands of other, less scrupulous Aurors, so most complied.

Sirius's blood was pounding through him in a way nothing but this could bring – the idea that they were doing their job, rounding up the evil wankers who were making everyone's lives hell. Fifty eight days or not, it was so good to feel like he was achieving something.

'One minute Black,' Moody reiterated, 'watch for trouble.'

'Got it.' Sirius said again.

Moody vanished with a pop and Sirius saw him reappear at Wilkes's elbow almost instantly. Sirius cast the anti-disapparation spell, he could still go to Moody's aid, but the Death Eaters couldn't get away.

Sirius couldn't hear from this distance, but he saw the man recoil at the sudden appearance of the Ministry's most competent Auror, before he drew his wand. The cloaked one went down to Moody's first spell like a marionette with its stings cut, But Rosier had an entirely different reaction. Evan Rosier drew his wand with his left hand while sending his right fist directly into Moody's face, the Auror stumbled and it was enough for Sirius.

He concentrated on the point right behind Moody and spun on the spot.

When the brief darkness lifted, he said, 'Quaffle,' over Moody's shoulder, and stunned Wilkes in the same breath, he turned back to catch sight of Moody's wand flashing; Rosier was a proficient dueller.

The duo were consumed by the fight, Sirius took aim at Rosier but the Death Eater was making the most of Moody's slightly impaired movement, darting around him preventing Sirius from getting a clear shot. Moody might not have been as fast on his feet, but his wand arm was in fine working order, sending off spells rapidly….

Then everything went black.

'Sorry about that, Black.' Moody's gravelly voice nudged at his brain. 'Friendly fire.'

Sirius opened his eyes slowly, he was lying on the wet paved footpath, rain falling on his face with Alastor Moody crouching over him, the older Aurors face was mangled and covered in blood. He was holding the edge of his cloak to his nose.

Sirius shook his head experimentally, he was a bit dizzy but otherwise fine. He hauled himself into a sitting position, there were three bodies not far from him, the hooded one and Wilkes still stunned, but Rosier was quite obviously dead.

'Moody!' Sirius said, shocked as he took in the Aurors face properly for the first time, half his nose was missing. Sirius swallowed the bile that rose in his throat at the sight.

'I had no choice,' Moody said. His eyes were on Rosier's corpse, obviously taking Sirius's exclamation for horror at his actions – instead of the concern for his boss it really was. 'He blocked my stunner and it hit you – then the bastard got my face with a severing hex. He wasn't going to come along, I had to kill him.'

'Moody old man, course you did.' Sirius reassured him, 'Sorry I wasn't any help.'

'You got Wilkes, that was enough.' Moody said gruffly, 'Now, my nose hurts like the dickens. Help me bring this lot back to the Ministry, then I'll go and get patched up.'

Sirius got to his feet, feeling a little embarrassed that he'd not really done anything useful, and resentful at the fact that Moody was off to get his nose fixed, because it meant that Sirius would be lumped with the paperwork – but really, Moody would probably have made him do it anyway. At least they got the Death Eaters.