Disclaimer: All of the characters and world recognised below belong to the author. I do not own any of it, this is pure entertainment.

And the Fire Bright

Chapter 4: Than Our Gentle Sin

No masters or kings when the ritual begins

There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin

In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene

Only then I am human

Only then I am clean

Take Me to Church - Hozier

Hermione Lupin-Black did not like Professor Umbridge. She did not like the speech given at the start of term about 'progress for progress's sake, should be prohibited,' nor her frilly pink outfits and high pitched, childish voice. She did not think she was a very good Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher either; after all, learning theory from a book was not teaching. And even if she did explicitly teach, she would be nothing like what her fathers' have taught her. Even separately, Sirius and Remus showed more knowledge about Defence Against the Dark Arts in a single conversation than Umbridge did in over a month. She tried not to be that person; after all, she was intelligent and was able to pick up on concepts quicker than her peers, but even Ron was over reading chapter after chapter of Defensive Magical Theory. Wilbert Slinkhard dictating that they do not need to use magic for defence, that they were in no danger, as though Umbridge was asleep during the entire events in June; they had not picked up their wands in that class for weeks. It had taken all their practice and mediation techniques for both herself and Harry to hold their tongues and not get detention, not that Umbridge did not try to provoke them. Their first lesson was filled with a denial that Voldemort had returned, for someone who lived and breathed the Ministry, it was interesting that she went against the official statement released by her beloved Minister Fudge. Then there was vitriol about half-breeds, centaurs, werewolves and metamorphmagi, which considering her father was the only known werewolf, was a direct attack at her. Despite it all, Hermione was bored: and a bored daughter of Marauders meant one thing - a prank.

She had not pulled many pranks, wanting to leave them mostly to Fred and George, the self proclaimed experts in that area; however after the tenth time Umbridge called her 'Miss Granger,' it was safe to say that the woman had a large, bright red target on her back. The woman had some obsession with her, even more so than Harry, questioning where she got her magic and how she came into the care of Sirius and Remus. It was unnerving to say the least and Hermione was definitely sick of it, a discussion with Professor McGonagall had made it pause, after all, Hermione always went to authority, especially the woman who was like a mother to her, but Umbridge's noted interest still lingered and Hermione's patience and logic was wearing thin.

'Umbridge is staring at you again.' Ron nudged her whilst they were having breakfast. She looked over her shoulder to see the beady eyes of her Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, who was sitting next to a disdainful Professor Snape. She never thought she would agree with her potions teacher over anything; but it seemed that the whole school was united against their hatred of Umbridge, except a select few Slytherins. She resisted the urge to shiver as Fred put his arm protectively around her, as if to shield her from the view. He was perceptive like that.

'What's her problem with you?' George asked. Hermione shrugged and Harry, having just completed his fifth check for Cedric at the Hufflepuff table (he had gotten incredibly protective since Dementors attacked the Diggory house, rogue Dementors. the Ministry said), turned to stare at the woman darkly.

'Well from the vitriol she spreads in class, I can only imagine it has to do with either one, or both of our dad's.'

'What, she thinks Sirius is guilty?' Ginny piped up from beside Neville. 'But that's all been resolved ages ago.' Hermione shrugged again.

'It's probably that Moony is the only real verified werewolf allowed to roam the streets.' Harry added acidicly.

'She's bigoted against muggleborns, so it could be that she doesn't acknowledge the change in Hermione's societal and biological blood status. She's full of nargles, it can't be good for her mind.' Luna, who had taken it upon herself to sit at the Gryffindor table since term started, with little complaint from the Gryffindor's themselves or the rest of the school as a quick glare from Hermione or Ginny at questioning looks quieted any discontent, added dreamily.

'You're being incredibly calm about this 'Mione, if it were me...' Ginny trailed off, smiling at Luna before glaring at the teacher in question. Fred grinned.

'Nah, she's just planning.' She smirked at him, relishing that he knew how she worked, knew her well enough to know that she would never let a slight about her family go unpunished. She was planning something extra horrible for Professor Umbridge. 'You just tell us what we need to do 'Mione, we're armed and ready.'

'Merlin, help the woman.' Neville gasped, rightly so - after all - she was a Lupin-Black.

And Lupin-Black's got revenge.

'Are you sure you want to do this 'Mione?' Harry asked nervously. It was a major role reversal; normally Hermione was the one making sure that Harry or Ron did not do something reckless, as it was their nature to do. No, Hermione was the logical one, the reasonable one, she normally did things that she knew were going to work out. The nervousness in his voice showed that Harry was not as sure.

'Harry - I've planned this. She won't know it was me.' Hermione said; she did not do things without serious planning. The plan was to replace all the frames of cats with dogs. A low level spell, nothing too disastrous, but symbolic; after all, despite Crookshanks, she would classify her family as dog people. The prank was simple, some charms and transfiguration work, in and out while Umbridge was having lunch. Harry would serve as her lookout; he wanted to test out his animagus form of a Merlin, but they were still having issues completing a full transformation, Hermione thought it would be easier if he had his invisibility cloak.

'I've got a bad feeling, is all.' Hermione rolled her eyes, ignoring him as she unlocked the door to Umbridge's office with an alohomora.

'Just keep guard, Prongslet.' Harry bristled at the nickname, her tone was mocking opposed to Sirius's, who's words always held great affection for the two of them, and he put on the cloak.

'Just don't get caught, kitten.' She giggled at his comeback. She entered the office, eyes adjusting to the amount of pink and white lace strewn about the room. Hundreds of frames of kittens cased the walls. Quick to get it over and done, Hermione lifted her wand.

'Hem hem - what do you think you're doing Miss Granger?'

Hermione stumbled into the Gryffindor Common Room, clutching her right hand. It was late, detention having gone on for a couple of hours, although to Hermione, who was undertaking it, and her friends who were waiting in front of the fire in the common room, it felt like an eternity.

'Mione,' Fred called out, jumping up to catch his girlfriend before she fell. He cradled Hermione against his chest as she let out a small whimper. She was not one to show pain, or weakness, and becoming a Black had only strengthened her resolve and stubborness in this matter. 'What happened love? What did she do to you?'

Professor Umbridge had never gone to lunch, so therefore, when Hermione had entered her office, she received an automatic detention, every night for a week. Harry had tried to come forward to receive the same punishment, but a silent petrificus totalus meant that he was frozen under his invisibility cloak, unable to be detected just outside of Umbridge's office, just long enough to not get into trouble. Not even Professor McGonagall could help Hermione out, as she had clearly been caught breaking into a professor's office and therefore it was up to Umbridge to punish Hermione. It was accompanied by a lecture by her mother figure, as Hermione was a prefect and should have known better. Therefore she sucked up her consequence, a week of detention with probably the worst teacher to walk into Hogwarts - and Professor Quirrel literally had Voldemort on the back of his head!

When Hermione had shown up to Umbridge's office, she was surprised that the punishment was lines. It seemed too easy. It wasn't until she began writing, the painful gasp that left her lips brought a cruel little smirk to Umbridge's face, that she realised it was a Black quill. It seemed ironic that a medieval torturous invention designed by one of her more evil ancestors was her punishment. Not wanting to give the horrible woman any more ammunition against her, she bit her lip, drawing blood as she repeatedly wrote out the line 'I will respect my superiors,' trying to ignore the searing pain as it wrote itself on the back of her hand. She returned to Gryffindor Tower, tight lipped about the detention or the pain it caused, saying simply that it was 'a few lines'; after all, she was the one who decided to prank Umbridge and therefore she respected the system enough to accept her punishment, and only when she was back in her room, in the safety of her closed curtains that she allowed herself to cry and soak her hand in Murtlap essence. It was only after the fifth night that she broke.

She gingerly lifted her right hand so that Fred could see it. Etched, permanently now because of the continuous use, the words stood clearly in her own handwriting: I will respect my superiors.

'Fucking Merlin - 'Mione, you said it was lines!' Fred gasped, disbelief written on his pale face, freckles contrasting against his skin. George jumped from the couch to join his twin.

'Merlin's left ball sack, the woman's a monster - that's a Blood Quill!'

'A what?' Harry asked. George motioned to elaborate but Hermione cut him off with an apologetic look.

'It's a quill that uses your blood as ink. It acts like you're cutting into your own skin. It was banned by the Ministry quite a long time ago - I have no idea how Umbridge got one.'

'Illegally I'd imagine.' Neville said darkly.

'Why didn't you tell us 'Mione?' Harry asked, as Fred and George escorted Hermione to the couch, 'You've attended for a week!' She shrugged.

'It's not a big deal, it's fine.'

'Hermione you're crying,' Harry exclaimed, anger burning in his emerald eyes, he wiped the stray tear from her eyes. She looked down, Fred's arms tightened around her.

'I just, I felt so ashamed that I was caught and in trouble and I'll probably have my Prefect badge taken away and I just did not want Sirius or Remus to worry.'

'I think that train has left the platform, 'Mione, when your dads find out, I imagine they'll go ballistic.' Ginny said from the armchair. Harry shrugged in agreement. It was well known across all of Hogwarts - across all of magical Britain - that Sirius and Remus were protective of their children, if the events of the Triwizard Tournament were anything to go by.

'They won't take away your Prefect badge, 'Mione. You were born for this role.' Ron said encouragingly.

'What can we do to help 'Mione, how can we fix this?' Fred asked, Hermione nodded.

'There's Murtlap Essence on the table next to my bed.' Lavender quickly ran to the dormitory to retrieve it, placing it in front of Hermione. She thanked her and stuck her hand in the bowl. Fred put his arm around her.

'Umbridge can't get away with this!' Fred cried, cuddling her closer, mindful of her hand. He looked at George, a look Hermione knew too well.

'No - I don't want you both to get into trouble either - leave her alone.'

'I'm telling Remus and Sirius.' Harry interjected, Hermione opened her mouth to protest, 'No 'Mione, this is barbaric and if the roles were reversed, you'd be saying the same thing. I am telling them tonight. You are going to go to bed and get some rest.' There was a tense silence that filled the common room; Harry was usually more laid back than Hermione, never one to really raise his voice or command, but here he was, ordering his older sister to bed. Ron was the one to break the silence.

'Sleep actually sounds like a good idea Harry.' Hermione sighed in defeat. 'I should come with you though, explain it to Sirius and Remus.' She said to Harry, not really looking forward to telling her dad's that she had kept mutilation a secret. He shook his head.

'Just rest 'Mione - you're not hiding the fact that you are not sleeping as well as you think you are. I've got this, let someone else look after you.' Hermione looked at Fred, blushing slightly as he still had a grip on her. She let Fred go and hugged Harry tightly before saying goodnight to Lavender, Ginny and Parvati, the three girls exchanging the knowing look between them; it was becoming slightly more frequent that Hermione slept in the seventh year boy dormitory, not that they minded, in fact, unbeknownst to both Fred and Hermione, there was a bet on each night to what dormitory Hermione would sleep in; Harry and George were the winners of this night's bet.

'Cheater!' Ginny coughed as Hermione wished Ron a goodnight. Harry smirked and kissed Ginny's cheek goodnight, ignoring her rolled eyes.

'C'mon love,' Fred beckoned her and they walked up the stairway to the boys dormitory. Knowing the room almost as well as her own, Hermione went to the trunk at the end of his bed and grabbed Fred's pyjama top, which he packed but never wore, so it had become hers. She headed to the bathroom to put it on, folding her uniform neat. She could feel pain, a stretching, cutting sensation every time she flexed her fingers, but attempted to ignore it.

'How do you feel?' Fred asked softly from behind her, gently threading his arms through hers to pull her back into his chest, looking at them both in the mirror with twinkling eyes. He kissed her cheek.

'I'm fine,' she said, blushing slightly. He raised his eyebrow questioningly.

'I know you better than that love.' She sighed and moved out of his arms to turn into him, hugging his chest. 'Why did you keep it from me, Hermione? I could have helped you.' She looked up into his dark blue eyes and was not surprised to see a bit of hurt in them. She did not know exactly why she did not tell her friends and family about Umbridge's punishments. The logical part of her brain told her to do it; Black Quills were illegal and it would mean imminent action, most likely the sacking of Professor Umbridge, but another part of Hermione was sceptical: after all, this was the same Ministry that did not give her dad a fair trial, that shunned her other father because he was different; would they care what happened to a sixteen year old girl at Hogwarts. She was also ashamed, she was the daughter of Marauders and yet, she got caught on a low level prank.

'I think I forget that I don't have to do everything on my own.' She said quietly, but truthfully. Fred brought his hand up to her face, caressing her cheek.

'I can't believe I didn't see how much you were hurting - I am so sorry.' Hermione smiled sadly.

'You have nothing to apologise for, I did not let you see.' He kissed her forehead softly and she closed her eyes.

'You are stubborn Hermione Lupin-Black.' He whispered, 'but you are mine.' She laughed as they made their way towards the bed, peeling back the heavy covers and making themselves comfortable. Fred kissed the still throbbing scar on the back of her hand. 'She will pay for this 'Mione.' Hermione smirked and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

'You're always up to no good.'

'The bitch has to go.' Minerva looked at her abandoned tea on her desk, only avoiding getting cold due to the stasis charm she placed on it. She was sitting in front of the fire on the frosty Saturday morning, drinking a cup of strong black tea; a pre-breakfast ritual that allowed her to reflect on the school week and mentally prepare for the next. So she was slightly annoyed that the rare, almost only, hour she spent by herself was interrupted by Sirius Black's head through her floo. Now that head had a body that was pacing in front of her desk, his other half; the normally more stoic and rational Remus, was seething in the corner, eyes golden in animalistic anger.

'Trust me Sirius, I could not agree more, even before hearing about her punishment,' she spat the word. 'The woman cannot call herself a teacher, she is despicable, even Dumbledore did not want her here. It was an edict from Minister Fudge.'

'She's mutilated my daughter Minnie.' It had shocked Minerva to her core; the fact that Umbridge had used a Black Quill, something so dark to punish her student, was beyond approach. She had not seen it in all her years of teaching at Hogwarts. The fact that Hermione did not come to her after her first detention, she considered Hermione a daughter to her, was also very upsetting. But also Minerva was ashamed, she knew that it was her tendency to lecture Hermione about responsibilities, acting more like a head of house than a mentor, that alienated her from Hermione, that meant she did not feel the need to come to her again over the issue.

'You're sure she did not say anything Minnie? There were no clues?' Remus spoke low and slowly, voice dark and grave.

'No, Remus. Not a word.' Minerva McGonagall did not lie. Silence rang through the room, weighted with the realisation they had let something slip once more, that Hogwarts once again, was unsafe for their children. Minerva knew there had to be a reason Hermione did not tell her about Umbridge. 'But I must admit that I acted quite harshly on her, this is my fault.'

'No, it's not Minnie, even Harry said no one realised until she stumbled into the common room last night. It's unlike 'Mione to keep that kind of secret. Umbridge must have said something, threatened her.'

'Or maybe she's just smart enough to realise that it wouldn't affect Umbridge's position at the school.' Remus scowled, 'Especially if Fudge is behind it.' It was a sobering thought. Sirius stopped pacing the room, running his hands through his hair in an action that was reminiscent to the Potter men.

'Fudge must surely realise that pissing us off would be detrimental to his position?' The frustration was apparent on the young Marauder's face. He had worked hard to not only get himself free, but to keep his family safe. The events of the previous academic year had seemed to be the crux of it, but it had become apparent that they were only the beginning.

'Maybe he doesn't know?'Normally, Minerva would not even think about sticking up for the ministry - however, having witnessed Umbridge's reign of terror in her short time at Hogwarts, she knew that the woman did a lot of things without the knowledge of others. She kept a lot of secrets and used the system to get her way.

'Well he should - now.' Sirius' face turned dark, Minerva recognised it from when he was a student; it was the same look all four Marauder's had and then the next day or week, something destructive happened; it was his planning face.

If ever asked, Minerva McGonagall would deny the very thought, but she was glad that Delores Umbridge would get what was coming for her.

A/N: I know it has been a long time. I'm so sorry. This story, and your support still means absolutely everything to me, and I would love to thank everyone who reviewed and showed love for this story. Eevery time you did, it got me to write a little more!

Dani xx