A/N: Really sorry that it took so long for an update, but R/L kind of kicked my butt for a while. I am picking this story back up now though. i am hoping to update on a fairly regular basis.
I hope you enjoy it
Chapter 29
December 1st 1980
The house was unusually quiet, though it was to be expected at this time of the morning, looking at the muggle clock on the wall Lily saw that it was just after 6 in the morning. She took a sip of her tea, and grimaced, it had gone cold. No surprising given how long she had sat there.
They had arrived home just after ten the night before, having handed over Peter to Moody. She had expected to feel more relief that she had felt, but as news that he had been taken into custody arrived with Regulus not long after they had arrived home, she had only felt sorrow.
James, Sirius and Remus had all put on a brave face of course, but she knew. She could see it. The small glimmer of hope that he would turn back, or that it had all been a misunderstanding had lingered behind their eyes every time Peter had been mentioned, but now, now they knew for sure. He wasn't sorry, there had been no misunderstanding. He would have handed his best friends over to Voldemort if he had been given the opportunity, in one version of events, he had done just that.
Lily could feel the weight of it in the air, it hung heavy and ominous. Only time would heal this would that her friends would not even admit they were carrying.
She knew there was fresh hope, with every death eater captured, with every event that they managed to circumvent thanks to Hermione's prior warning, but for the moment she let the heaviness sit with her.
As the sun started to peek above the horizon on the cold crisp morning, she mourned for the friend and brother her husband had lost. Even if Peter had never seen James and the rest of them the same way. To James Peter had been a brother. So she mourned for what could have been, but never would be.
One by one James, Sirius and Remus came down the stairs, for breakfast, there was no sleeping in when a six month old is in the house.
As he always did, Harry's presence Brough with it a lightness that was infectious and chased away the dark cloud that hung over his mother.
"You were up early" James said passing Harry over to her with a kiss to her forehead.
"Couldn't sleep, nothing to worry about" Lily smiled back.
"Is Reggie up yet?" Sirius yawned.
"I've not seen him since last night." Lily said getting up from her seat at the table.
"Must still be in his box" Sirius huffed.
He couldn't understand why Regulus preferred the trunk he had magically extended when there was a perfectly good room upstairs that he could stay in.
"Honestly Sirius, leave the poor bugger alone about his box" Remus said
"There is a perfectly good room upstairs that he could use, it's rude!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Oh it is not rude!" Lily laughed "he just wants some privacy, it may have escaped your notice but he might want some space of his own, he can't go home, and he's living with a bunch of Gryffindors"
"You're a Gryffindor too you know" Sirius pointed out.
"'Obviously, but he's not, just give the man some peace" Lily said.
"I think he needs to find a bird err woman err lady?" Sirius fumbled at Lilys glare.
"Leave him alone." Lily said
"You know something…" Sirius said getting up and making his way over to Lily.
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Lily hedged.
"Come on…tell uncle Sirius what you know…' Sirius prodded.
"Don't ever call you self that to me again its gross" Lily grimaced.
"You know something, stop changing the subject..has Reggie for a bird? sorry a lady?" Sirius prodded
"No I haven't, and if I did I wouldn't tell you!" Regulus said as he opened the lid of the trunk and stepped out.
"What's Lily going all red for then?" Sirius asked
"I'm not going red." Lily huffed.
"You kind of are love" James joined in.
"Whose side are you on" Lily said to James
"Is that Harry crying, must be going.." James said getting up and running out of the room
"Harry is here you muppet" Sirius said
"Padfoot! I was on your side!" James said coming back into the kitchen.
"What!?" Lily shrieked.
"Enough! For the love of Merlin, you lot are mental! And you wonder why I sleep in a box" Regulus said.
"So have you got a Bird then Reg?" Sirius asked after the noise had calmed down.
"No" Regulus said
"Liar liar pants on fire" Sirius shouted
"I do not have a bird, there's just…" Regulus mumbled
"Do go on.." Sirius said sitting right next to Regulus and leaning his elbow of the table smiling.
"Helens younger sister came over the other day, and I said she was nice, that's all and Lily heard" Regulus mumbled.
"Is she fit?"
"Sirius!" Lily shouted
"What? Is she?" Sirius said wiggling his eyebrows at Regulus
".."
"I dint quite catch that Reggie speak up!" Sirius taunted.
"Yes she's fit alight? Are you happy now?" Regulus said loudly.
"Quite happy yes! So reggie, a muggle, that's progress!" Sirius laughed
"Err she's not actually a muggle" Lily said
"What?" Regulus, Sirius, Remus and James shouted together.
"She's not a muggle, she's a witch, she's Helens half sister, they have only recently got in contact with each other, there was some sort of feud after Helens father left when she was little apparently. Louisa didn't even know she had a sister until he died last year. They've been writing to each other and she came for a visit last week" Lily said conversationally while the men in the room gaped at her. "What?" She said noticing the staring.
"How do you know all this?"
"Helen told me, how do you think?" Lily said.
"You alright Reg?" Sirius said
"Yes of course, why wouldn't I be?" Regulus said clearing his throat.
"She's coming over again for Christmas, she might move here permanently you know, she is so lovely and its fascinating hearing about Llvermoney" Lily gushed
"Why did she go there?"
"She's American" Lily and Regulus said together. Regulus blushed and Sirius laughed.
"He mother was American, obviously her father is English. But both her parents died last year so she's got no family over there now, and when she found out about Hermione she wants to be there for her." Lily continued.
"What do you mean found out about Hermione?" James asked, half worried that Helen was going around telling strangers her daughter was a witch.
"Well when she was over last week, she only stopped for a day, but I was over with there with Harry when she arrived, anyway she waled in and everything was fine, she was introduced, it was a bit awkward, so anyway, Harry started crying and Hermione just did what she always does, started making stuff float about to amuse him, and we all just kind of froze, looking at Hermione and at Louisa, Helen looked terrified, I was just getting ready to explain, when Louisa joined in making stuff float about for Harry. It was kind of sweet, Helen fainted." Lily said going about her business while the men were staring at her with rapt attention.
"I ended up staying for ages, we chatted about Hogwarts and stuff, we need to let her know what's going on, all of it, especially if she's going to move here. I know we can trust her, she's Hermione's aunt." Lily continued.
James burst out laughing and all eyes turned to him.
"Hermione's aunt.." James laughed.
"Care to share mate?" Remus said
"Reg and Sirius and Hermione and her aunt" James gasped laughing/
"Gonna need a but more than that mate" Remus said amused
"Regulus fancies Hermione's aunt" James said slowly "Sirius fancies Hermione"
"I do not!" Sirius and Regulus protested together
"Yes you do!" James said
"She's 1!" Sirius said outraged.
"Not this Hermione you Pratt!" Remus laughed catching on.
"My Hermione doesn't even exist anymore." Sirius said quietly
"Ooo my Hermione" James mocked. Sirius threw a nearby tea towel at his head.
Everyone went quite
"Sorry mate" James said
"It's alright, I'm just going to go out for a while." Sirius said getting up and leaving the room.
Helen burst through the back door oblivious to the tension in the room.
"Sorry to come over so early but ne of you wand wielders need to come an help me please. It's Hermione" Helen said slightly out of breath.
"What's wrong with Hermione?" Sirius said running back into the room
He felt slightly uncomfortable around the toddler who had saved his friends, in truth he had fallen in love with her, not the toddler, but the woman she would never become, they would look the same sure, but Baby Hermione would never live through the things that His Hermione lived through, she would be different, he hoped for her sake she would be happy, it was his job to make sure that happened. Even if she was the same, this Hermione would have known him her whole life, he would be 20 years older than her. No it was easier to think His Hermione would never exist, but it was his duty to protect her toddler counterpart.
A/N: Drop me a note to let me know if you enjoyed it :)
