A/N: Thank you so much everyone for the reviews! it has been such positive feedback for this story that just popped in my head one day. I hope you enjoy the next chapter now tat we're getting into the Marauder era adventures.
Edited August 2021
-oOo-
They took in Remus the werewolf, Lily the muggleborn, Sirius the disowned Black, James the cocky blood traitor, and now Hermione the warrior.
Hermione walked back to her room and sat down to write each horcrux and it's location. She noted that Regulus was needed on their side before going after the locket. She didn't want to throw too much at everyone at once, revealing Snape and Regulus could have destroyed Sirius and Lily. After just learning about their future and Peter, she didn't want to completely devastate them, it would have to be dealt with soon, but she had to think about how to go about it first. She had left Dumbledore with the clippings, he could go over that without her, her solutions however, she would discuss at their next meeting. Once she had finished writing down each item, its location, and known enchantments she called Hokey to pass it along to Dumbledore. Feeling empty but satisfied to have completed part of her mission she climbed into her bed and fell into a fitful sleep.
Meanwhile, up in Dumbledore's office everyone finally come to their senses and were yelling at him. Dumbledore sat there for a few moments before raising his hands and advising everyone to calm down.
"This is a lot to handle I know. We just received a lot of information. Before we proceed though, I do need vows from each of you that you will not share any of this information with anyone outside this room," a magical contract was passed around and everyone signed, "Excellent. Now, James, Lily, Sirius and Remus, I understand that was a lot to hear about your future and best friend. I want you to go about your day with him as usual for now. Do not let him know that we know, we want to see what he attempts, use that ingenious map of yours that Filch confiscated to watch him, your cloak should help you retrieve it. Watch who he speaks with when he has disappeared, with Hermione here I feel he may act a bit reckless as she is an unforeseen anomaly in his plans.
"Her cover story will be similar to her own, she was homeschooled and targeted by blood purists, she escaped and ran for some time before being caught and tortured. She will be Minerva's charge, if that is alright with you, as Granger is a common muggle name." Minerva nodded with a small smile, she liked Hermione. He turned to the Marauders and Lily, "I want you to take her in, try and help her find some fun and humour in the darkness that is her past, she is alone in this world but you are familiar faces, and known for your lively entertainment," he smiled at them.
The boys and Lily nodded, they already wanted to take this girl under their wing and help her, she had lost so much, she needed family, Dumbledore needn't have asked.
"Albus, we would happily take her for any term breaks, she obviously knows us and may have been to our home, it might be more comforting to her," Arthur Weasely said from beside his wife.
"A wonderful idea!" Albus Dumbledore clapped his hands together which generally signified the end of his meeting, before he could speak again however, Hokey appeared with many pieces of parchment, "Ah, here are the locations, Fabian, Gideon and Alastor, I want you to go through each Order and magical death from these clippings," he passed the pile from his desk, "and make sure they are documented for us, with all information we can take from them. Lily I would like you to speak to the girls in your dorm, warn them that you would like their help to surround her in some feminine company to help relate her to her adolescence. I do not want them overwhelming her on her first day," Lily nodded, she knew her friends would help Hermione. She deserved to feel confident of herself regardless of her scars, she was not just her warrior abilities, she knew Marlene particularly would help with her confidence.
"Lastly, term starts in a week, Hermione will be on the platform to take the train. Make sure to meet her, we cannot let any one of Voldemorts spies find out about her, her duelling skills alone will attract their attention. All of you will take Occulemency lessons with her this year, we cannot afford to let this information get into the wrong hands. We have until new year 1980 to complete this mission to avoid a potential prophecy child, however the absolute latest is before the birth of either child," Dumbledore finished. Everyone stood up and started leaving. Dorea and Charlus turned James to them and looked him in the eyes very stern expression.
"You will look after this girl, but you will not pity her. No anger at her for sharing the truth of Peter, he betrayed you, not her," Dorea spoke quietly to him.
"Of course not mum! Peter's the rat, don't know how we didn't guess that," he glanced at Remus and Sirius who snorted. Peter's animagus made so much sense now.
"Good, now let's go home, you can send an owl to her this evening and ask her to join us in Diagon Alley for school shopping. Lily and Remus you are welcome too," both smiled and nodded to Dorea Potter. With that, all of them made their way to the fireplace and floo'd home. Lily went to the Leaky Cauldron to take the Knight Bus home, Remus walked with her to ensure she was safe. From the Leaky, Remus floo'd to Potter Manor to meet James and Sirius.
James wasn't sure what he was going to write to her, but he knew he couldn't wait for her reply, what was her writing like? He guessed it was a beautiful script in cursive, she had small, delicate hands that would hold a quill so easily and move so freely. James didn't fully understand why he was feeling like this, no girl had ever had him thinking about their hands, unless of course their hands were wrapped around something of his. His cock twitched at the thought, he stopped that thought process, Hermione was different, he couldn't just smile at her and pull her into a broom closet and shag her senseless, no she was a forever type girl. She didn't give herself without her heart and he couldn't break that last piece of her. No one could, he would make sure of it. He would protect it at all costs, she deserved so much more than a broken heart, she deserved the world.
James arrived home and walked through Potter Manor to his bedroom, he sat at his desk and pulled out his quill and parchment, thinking about what to write. Sirius watched James stalk past him and up to his room without a word, Sirius wasn't used to this quiet James and neither was Remus when he arrived a short time later. Before Remus made it upstairs to James' room he was stopped by Mr and Mrs Potter.
"Remus, would you like to go home or are you staying for the week?" Charlus asked him. Remus looked at his feet, he hated imposing but his parents couldn't even look at him. Lily and his friends helped him with his self hatred, but whenever he went home and saw the pity in his mother's eyes and his father forcing him in a cage once a month he was reminded of the monster her was.
"Remus you are welcome to stay, the full moon is the day before school and you know we have the cabin. You are not imposing," Dorea put her hand on Remus' shoulder, she knew what they did to him at home, she could see it in his eyes but she wouldn't show him that she knew, no one wanted pity. As a Slytherin, Dorea Potter nee Black was well versed in hard home lives. Slytherin was filled with them, it was considered weak to speak of the horrors of home but the look was the same in everyone's eyes. Sirius had it, Remus had it, and now Dorea saw it in young Hermione Granger. She had protected her son from it, her James was given the world at home, she worked hard as a mother to ensure she never saw that look in her sons eyes. She did not want her son to see the horrors that was the Dark, but she couldn't protect him forever. He saw it today, he heard it today, he now understood what he was sheltered from and Dorea hoped that she had done enough so James could be an anchor for the young girl like he was for his friends. He may be sheltered, but he understood when his friends needed him, he would always be there for his friends, his family.
"Thank you Mrs Potter, I really appreciate you allowing me to stay here," Remus told her.
"Remus, dear, you are family. You are welcome here whenever you need it. Even come without James and Sirius, you know I enjoy our talks before the loud mouths appear," she smiled
"Mama P!" Sirius cried indignantly from upstairs, his head popping out from James' room.
"Oh Sirius, hush now, you know I love you the way you are," Sirius smirked.
"And I love you Mama P! Come on Moony come see what Prongs is writing to our pretty new friend," Sirius called Remus up, who found Sirius staring at James who was in turn sitting and staring at his blank parchment, "hey Prongs! Are you having trouble talking to a girl?" Sirius barked a laugh.
James scowled and looked at his friends, they were so calm already after everything they just heard.
"So, what do you think about all that? Remus, mate, you can punch me if you want?"
"Why would I punch you?" Remus looked honestly confused
"I stole your girl it seems, I thought you'd want to hit me at least"
"Oh Prongs, you idiot, I don't want to hit you, I want to hit our dear friend Peter. In werewolf form, and I've never wanted to even think about doing that to someone. Yet here we are," Remus sat on James' bed and stared at his nails. Remus wanted to rip Peter limb for limb for taking his brothers and his love, all for the power the Dark Lord promised him.
"I cannot believe that rat, our supposed brother, does so much damage. He single handedly destroyed the Light by handing us over to his master" yelled Sirius.
"I don't know how I'm going to pretend he's still our friend. How do I face him knowing he wants all of us dead and pretend we're best buddies?" James grunted from his chair, "Merlin, we will have to be careful whenever we talk about everything, his rat form is sneaky. He can say he's leaving and come right back in and listen to us, especially if he gets suspicious."
"We'll just always have the map open when we discuss the truth then. Sit in our dorm with the map open to our room, we watch it while we talk and if we see him we plant false information. Nothing too drastic because we don't want the Death Eaters to take care of him, we should be the ones to do it. He betrayed us specifically, everyone else is just collateral damage to him." growled Sirius.
"We will. Hermione will help us, she despised him as much as us. She could barely say his name without disgust," James commented.
"She's an interesting one. She screams warrior when you look at her, but when you hear her voice or look at her face there's this gentleness about her. She knew us and it's almost like I know her already. Like my magic does. Do you think our magic recognizes each other even in a different time?" asked Sirius.
James felt a wave of jealousy, Sirius' magic couldn't be familiar with her, how close could they have been then?
"I felt that too, it was like Moony wanted to protect her because he knew her. He didn't recognize the scent but my magic recognized it so Moony was content with that. It was the strangest feeling," Remus dropped to the bed and laid on his back staring at the ceiling.
"I didn't feel any of that, but she definitely drew me in. Her eyes, I couldn't look away from them," James said dreamily, "she gave up her best friend. Ron will be born, I mean Molly and Arthur already have the first three, she's due again soon, but Lily and I will never have Harry. He won't exist. I wonder if it's really hit her, she knows she's saving everyone that died, but Harry James Potter with green eyes will never exist. Lily is my sister, thinking of that is just revolting, no offence Remus."
"Well Lily is beautiful and I do enjoy doing that with her," he laughed, "but no offence taken, in some ways I'm glad you think it's revolting. It's almost laughable thinking of you and her together though, it baffles me that Peter pulled it off, but I think Hermione's theory was right. What else but to target my condition and self doubt, and push two best friends together. If I believed you two were happy while I was at my lowest, I would assuredly tell you to be together."
"Mate, you know we love you and so does Lily. You need to stop with the doubt, Lily loves you with everything she has. If somehow Peter manages to follow through with his plan and somehow Lily and I do something together, know that it isn't what either of us wants. Lily is yours completely. I know my sister and I know my brother, as fucked as that sounds to someone outside of our bond, you belong together. Lily Lupin has a much nicer ring to it," James promised Remus. Remus sat up and pulled James into a hug.
"I was planning on asking her at graduation. I don't have much I can give her, it will be a small ring and celebration, but I hope it's enough for her" Remus smiled. He didn't have much money and a future career would be hard, but he and Lily had discussed it and she was going to stand by him no matter what trials they went through. He wished his future self remembered that before he threw his Lily aside, but it didn't matter now, he would never let her go.
"Moony, you are going to pick a ring from my vault. You both deserve it, I will take nothing but yes as the answer. Consider it my engagement gift," James slapped Remus on the back who teared up and whispered his thanks, he knew James would never back down, "as for work, Sirius and I will help. You're the smartest in our year along with my Lily flower of a sister. Might have some competition now with the brightest witch of her age, but anyone would be lucky to hire you, Merlin, you were her Professor!"
"Alright enough with this mushy girly emotional chat. It's time for some firewhiskey and I swear if we become sappy drunks tonight I will bite someone," Sirius laughed as he pulled the bottle of Ogdens finest firewhiskey from under the bed.
"Where the fuck was that hidden?" James demanded
"I have a bottle in all our rooms dear Prongsie. Can't have Sirius Black not know where his whisky is, or Merlin forbid, run out!" Sirius took a chug from the bottle and passed it to Remus.
James snatched it from Remus when offered and chugged a few gulps. This day was so fucked, he had learnt that his future was bleak, his best friend betrayed them, he took his best mates girl, he had a son, and he had died, wandless. But he had also met the most bedazzling witch. So alluring, her eyes drew him in, he bet her skin was soft to the touch. He wanted to kill the people responsible for tarnishing her beautiful skin, but he would never want her to think he hated the scars. No the scars were part of her, much like Remus' scars. He would make sure she felt confident even with that garish, disgusting word on her arm. He would show her she was so much more than that word. They weren't just scars, they were badges of honour for surviving every battle.
"Oi! James!" Sirius waved his hand in front of James' face, "lost you for a minute mate, what you thinking about? A pretty girl by any chance?" Ignoring Sirius, James turned to Remus,
"Moony, how do you do it? I get you love Lily, you two are made for each other, but how did you just give up the chance to have fun with so many witches throwing themselves at you? I just can't imagine one witch forever," James lied, he could imagine being with Hermione forever but the thought terrified him, he had just met her but he somehow knew, and he hoped Remus could calm that fear.
"Honestly? It was terrifying," James gulped, this wasn't what he wanted to hear, "Not because of the other witches, but the commitment. I'm not just a werewolf, I'm a man too. I feel horrible even saying this out loud, but yes I had fears of committing to her even though I love her with everything. I see what you both are like, part of me always misses that thrill, I love Lily, but we would never have that thrill of our firsts again.
"The first kiss, the first time she made me shiver, the first time she told me she loved me, the constant need for each other. It was all so new and amazing and I loved every second of it. And then one day we had finished all our firsts, the honeymoon phase was over and my self doubt came back, the overthinking and arguments with myself. I told myself it was because I was a werewolf, I shouldn't commit to someone, it wouldn't be fair for her, she deserved more from her future. But really deep down I knew, and I hated myself for ever thinking it, but part of me didn't want to commit. I saw you both off flirting with girls and making them laugh while I was in the booth with Lily, we were talking as normal, touching as normal, but the thrill of everything was over, we were comfortable.
"I went up to the bar and a girl pressed against me, and I felt it, it was that feeling again, the thrill. She apologized and I gave her my charming smile, told her it was okay, a beautiful witch could bump into me any day. She touched my arm and I felt that jolt, that thrill even more, but then immediately following it, I felt sick to my stomach. The guilt, this wasn't my Lily. I grabbed our drinks, ran back to the booth and snogged her senseless and I felt at home. It was that moment I knew. I knew I didn't care about that thrill, I had the girl I could come home to.
"She told me later that night that she saw me talking to the witch, the look on the girls face told her exactly what was happening and at first she was terrified. She thought the worst for that moment too, but when I came back to her and kissed her she also knew. She told me flirting was perfectly fine, as long as it was her I came back to. I promised her no one else could ever compare and then we decided to bring the thrill back," he chuckled thoughtfully.
"Um, how did you do that?"
"We go to the bar and pretend to be strangers. We glamour our hair different colours and act like strangers, it's incredible. Especially when I have to pull a man off her, she likes my possessiveness," smirked Remus.
"You two really were made for each other. Damn, a girl who let's you go out and flirt, shows up pretending to be a stranger and loves your werewolf tendencies," laughed Sirius
"Oh you have no idea," Remus thought of how much Lily loved when Moony made an appearance in the bedroom the day before the full moon. She made sure she was free every single month so they could sneak to the Room of Requirement and have the randiest, dirtiest, roughest sex Remus could ever imagine.
The bottle was almost gone by the time Remus had finished explaining his relationship and the boys were starting to slur their words and stumble over if they tried to move. Remus ended up slipping off the bed and giggling, while Sirius had fallen off the chair and James was spread across the bed.
"S-s-sirius, I had a s-son. An awesome one" James turned his head to his best friends laying on the floor.
"Yeah, he...he killed You-You-Know, You-Know-Who!" he replied
"I think I want a family" James thought out loud. Remus and Sirius pulled themselves up so their heads were resting on the bed and their bodies were on the floor.
"Prongsieeeee, you have usss!" laughed Sirius
"You want your son?" Slurred Remus
"Harry sounded like me, do you, do you, think I could have it? Not, not with Lils tho, that's disgusting. Ugh how-how did he do this?" cried out James. It was hitting him that his future was bleak, he was dead at twenty one. He didn't want his band of brothers to break, not even Peter. They were four, not three.
"When we catch him, we will find out," vowed Sirius. They all nodded and climbed into the bed to pass out until the next morning.
Late the next morning, James was the first to wake, he rolled over with a massive headache and looked around the room. Remus was draped across the bottom of the bed horizontally, while Sirius lay beside him with one arm over his face and one leg off the bed. James looked at his desk and froze, the parchment was gone. He looked to his window and saw that his owl, Ephelia, was gone. He didn't, did he? He didn't write his letter to Hermiome while sloshed drunk, he couldn't be that stupid. He turned to both boys and shook them awake, Sirius groaned and told him to fuck off while Remus sat up and sleepily looked around.
"What did we do last night?" he asked
"I think- I think I sent Hermione a letter," replied James. Remus whipped his head to look at James and he instantly regretted the headache it produced.
"Bloody hell," he groaned clutching his head in his hands, "What do you mean you think you sent Hermione a letter? We were wasted last night, what did you write?"
"I don't know!" James dramatically plopped back on the bed. This was a disaster.
-oOo-
Hermione had woken up from her sleep just after midnight to a pecking on her window.
"Who is sending me a letter at this time?" She said aloud as she took the letter from the beautiful Eurasian eagle owl, she was dark silver grey with dark speckles throughout her feathers with beautiful amber-red eyes and distinctive ear tufts and great talons. She called Hokey for some owl treats and thanked the elf profusely for helping her at the late hour, she also brought something for Hermione to nibble on as she hadn't eaten since her soup. She fed the owl and sent it to the owlery to rest with the barn owls after her flight. It was late and Hermione knew she wasn't going back to sleep right away, so she sat down on the bed and looked at the letter addressed to her. She slowly turned it over and opened the envelope,
Hermione,
I have never been one to lose my words, but you have taken them straight from my lips and rendered me speechless.
The boys and I would be honoured if you would join us on our trip to Diagon Alley?
I may have met you yesterday, but already I trust you with everything, your eyes told me to,
Yours,
James Potter
Hermione's heart was in her throat as she read the words, he was speechless, her eyes told him to trust her? Who was the boy who within such a short letter had stirred something completely foreign in her, he made her feel looked after, something she had never really felt before. She was always the one looking after others. Even Sirius and Remus, they may have looked out for her in her time, but really she helped them just as much as they helped her. With James, all she had done for him was share the dark truth of his friend, yet here he was, looking out for her already.
"Yours," Whispered Hermione as her fingers traced the words. This James Potter was dangerous, she couldn't let herself get caught up in his games, Sirius was likely to flirt with her too. Her mission was to ensure Voldemort fell and the rat was dealt with. She didn't have time for boys and romance, she wasn't worthy of it anyway.
Hermione Granger was broken, tarnished, and scarred.
She could go to Diagon Alley with them, being friends with them wasn't bad and she was sure she would get along great with Lily, she already knew her and Remus got along. Sirius and James made her wary, her Sirius was reckless, immature and haunted, this Sirius was reckless, immature and a womanizer. While James she knew nothing of, except he was brave enough to stand up to Voldemort without a wand. Oh, and he made her heart do strange things and stomach feel in knots. Yes, James was dangerous to be around without her guard up.
Resigning herself to going to Diagon Alley with the Marauders, she wrote a reply. In the morning she would go to the owlery and send it off. For now she would try and sleep again, even if she knew it to be improbable.
-oOo-
Once the James, Sirius and Remus had downed some hang over potion early afternoon, they were enjoying breakfast when Ephelia tapped on the window.
"Is that Ephelia? What she doing out this early?" asked Sirius.
James jumped and ran over, Merlin what did he say to Hermione?
James,
I'm not sure if it is a compliment that I have rendered you speechless? Believe me, I did not wish to bring such bad news with me, I hope I could spare all three of you boys of those horrors.
I would certainly like to accompany you to Diagon Alley with Remus and Sirius, I have a few potion ingredients to collect and new robes as most of mine are in tatters.
I honestly don't know what to reply to you about my eyes, but I am glad that you trust me, I would hate to think you still didn't believe me,
Your new friend,
Hermione
"Phew! I didn't say anything too embarrassing it seems," sighed James. He was so scared he had sent her something very inappropriate.
"Yeah I've seen what you've sent a girl before," said Remus with a disgusted shake of the head, "I had to wash my eyes out with soap, Lily couldn't touch me all day."
"Hey they don't complain," smirked James. Oh his letters had the ladies begging for him, always crying that he left them waiting after reading his letters. He loved to tease them, rile them up until they came running to him. It would be hard this year pushing them away, they would assume he was just playing extra hard to get. He had to make sure that didn't become a problem, he didn't want Hermione to think he was a flirt, that he would use her and move along to the next girl.
"Moony, you really need to try it with Lils, I'm telling you she will come wet and wanting," joked Sirius. Remus raised an eyebrow.
"She already is Padfoot. Where do you think I am every month before the full moon?" He winked. Lily would hate him talking like this, but sometimes he loved to shove it in their faces that he has a partner that constantly desired him, "One day you'll find your witch, you won't wanna put your wand anywhere else. Even James seems to be joining my side."
"I know, traitor," laughed Sirius before he realized his choice of words. Tension filled the room as they thought of their other friend.
"Think he'll come with us to Diagon Alley?" asked Remus
"If he does we need to warn Lily and Hermione. We cannot let him tell You-Know-Who about her, if they learn about the future they'll make sure it comes about in their favour," James could admit he was scared he would give away everything and lose Hermione to one of his mistakes, he barely knew the girl yet he already feared losing her.
"I'll go see Lily today, I think she needed some time last night. But I'm sure she feels guilty the same way you did James, but remember I trust you don't want to steal my girl," Remus smiled at James who returned it.
"Merlin and Morgana themselves couldn't convince me Lily was better for me than you. We would kill each other if we weren't killed in the future, our arguments were legendary,"
"Remember when I stole the girls knickers and flew them in the Common Room? Lily had you upside down as she threw anything she could reach, I didn't even know what a toerag was before sweet Lily flower taught us," laughed Sirius.
"I still don't know how I got blamed for that! The girls didn't speak to me for a whole month!" James cried, Sirius continued to laugh so hard he fell over and wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Our last year boys, I'm going to miss our Hogwarts days," he said once he'd calmed down. James replied to Hermione and let her know to meet at Diagon Alley tomorrow at 2 o'clock and to be warned her in case Peter decided to tag along.
-oOo-
Hermione read James' reply noting that he once again signed with 'Yours' causing her smile to grace her face once more. She found James had succeeded in quite a few times since only just meeting him last night, she thought she would never smile genuinely again. However, Hermione huffed at the thought of spending the day with Pettigrew, she had hoped he could be saved when she originally came back, but once she learnt of Remus and Lily she knew Pettigrew could not be saved, was not worth being saved. He had doomed himself to whatever fate she selected for him. Hermione lost everything because of that rat and she would be sure to return the favour as she saw fit. She would be his executioner this time round, not his silver hand fulfilling a life debt.
The next day she nervously tugged at her sleeves and used the floo to the Leaky Cauldron. When she arrived, she spotted James and Sirius at the bar, with Remus and Lily in a booth with Dorea and Charlus. Quietly and nervously Hermione walked over to the booth, Dorea caught her eye just before she made it over.
"Oh Hermione! I am so glad you could join us!" she smiled. Hermione returned the smile, she quite liked Dorea, she felt that same motherly affection Molly exuded, "have you eaten?"Hermione nodded in reply as she sat down slowly beside Remus and Lily. They gave her a supportive smile as well.
"Then as soon as the boys return we will head off. What does everyone need?" Charlus asked.
"I need quills and parchment, maybe a book or two?" Lily answered.
"I don't need anything, I'm just here to tag along," said Remus. They all looked at Hermione.
"Just some robes and potion ingredients"
"Hermione! You made it," James greeted her as he walked over holding a Butterbeer.
"Boys you were to pay the bill, we wanted to go shopping now," scolded Dorea.
"Sorry Mama P, we thought Hermione had to eat. You can go ahead, we'll catch up!" Sirius replied sipping on his drink. James didn't look to happy at Sirius' decision but Hermione ignored it. They would likely want to go to the Quidditch store, while Remus and Lily were studious like her, they wouldn't rush her from the bookstore. Dorea rolled her eyes and Charlus laughed at his sons disregarding his wife's plans, they were brave.
"Fine. Lily, Remus, Hermione, we shall go now. Where would you like to go first?" Dorea asked as she shooed them towards the entrance to Diagon Alley.
"Flourish and Blotts!" all three replied at once causing Charlus to burst out laughing, and all three blushed as they looked at one another.
"You could lose yourself in a book store too, huh Hermione?" Remus asked her
"Oh yes, you would always find me with a book. I was in the library for hours on end at school, if you couldn't find me there it was the Common Room reading a different book," she smiled, "Harry and Ron thought I was mental, I brought a book to a Quidditch game once and I think they both had an aneurysm," Lily and Remus barked a laughter at this.
"We will get along famously," laughed Lily. Hermione felt her heart swell at this, she was always compared to Lily, the smartest muggleborn witch before her. They walked into the store and each went their separate ways, Lily went to the Charms section, Remus went to the defence spells shelves and Hermione wandered to browse for anything. She started in the magical creatures section but found herself with the transfiguration books. She let her fingers drift over the spines of the books, enjoying the feel of them at her fingertips. She stopped when something caught her eye and took a step backwards, it was a small green hardback book with gold writing.
'Animagus and you'
Should she do it? It would make certain missions easier, she could sneak around more if she was a smaller creature. She saw no harm in at least buying the book. She could ask the Marauders, or Professor McGonagall, for help if she felt the process was too dangerous to do alone. She could at least meditate to learn her form, it would likely help with her nightmares too. Strutting up to the register Hermione paid for her book and sat down to wait for her friends while she skimmed through the book.
"Animagi?" A voice whispered in her ear. She jumped and pointed her wand at the person who snuck up on her, it was James and he had thrown his hands up in surrender.
"Gods, don't do that!" She held her hand over her heart as she tried to control her breathing.
"Sorry! Sorry I should have known not to sneak up on you!" he apologized immediately.
"It's okay, I should get used to it going back to a busy Hogwarts," she replied honestly.
"So, animagi?" he asked again.
"I'm interested, depends on the animal I guess. If it's big I won't bother," she shrugged.
"Not afraid of being a big creature are you?"
"I'd rather be smaller, can sneak around more. A stag comes crashing through the forest and everyone's going to see and hear it," she smirked.
"From personal experience, I can confirm that statement" he laughed, "Well if you ever decide to do it, I can help you if you like"
Hermione looked at James and met his eyes, she was caught by the hazel orbs. She could see he was nervous offering his help to her, he wanted to get to know her but no idea how to start.
"Thanks, I may take you up on that," she told him, his shoulders sank in relief slightly and a dazzling grin took over his face, Hermione's heart fluttered and her stomach turned into knots.
'damn those gorgeous eyes, and that smile- nope, this isn't good, stop Hermione.' she thought.
Quickly breaking eye contact she looked around for the others, Remus and Lily were at the register and Sirius was talking to a pretty blonde by the door.
"You know, you told us everything about our future, but you never really told us about you," he offered his arm to lead her out of the store and wait for their friends outside.
"Um yeah, not much to say about that, my life was always about keeping Harry safe," she answered honestly. Saying Harry's name to James, something clicked. It finally hit her, Harry was gone. He wouldn't be born now, Lily and James would not have a little baby Harry. James saw the tears starting and quickly steered her to the side of the shop for a bit more privacy. He wasn't sure what to do to comfort her so he did what he would do for Lily, he pulled her close and put her head under his chin and rubbed circles around her back.
Hermione sobbed into his chest and grabbed fistfuls of his shirt. He couldn't help the thoughts that went through his head, she felt perfect in his arms, a little thin but that could be fixed with a healthy appetite. She smelled of lavender, parchment and something that he decided was explicitly Hermione. She felt perfect where she was and he relished in being the one to comfort her, she felt safe enough to let him wrap his arms around her completely.
He spotted the others leave the store and look over at him, he shook his head and motioned for them to continue on. After about ten minutes he could feel Hermione's sobs quieten down and turn into sniffles, she pushed back and wiped her eyes. James hands never left her shoulders, he leaned down so he was eye to eye with her and looked directly into her eyes, the chocolate brown flaked with gold flakes throughout, they were mesmerizing.
"I would ask if you're okay, but that would be a stupid question. So instead I will ask, are you feeling a little better after that?"
Hermione looked back at him and nodded. In all her years in her time as part of the Golden Trio not once did her boys manage to comfort her like this. Harry and Ron normally left her to her emotions until she blew up at them, and then they would leave her to cry on her own. Ron and Lavender was the only time Harry had comforted her and in the end he got mad at her for sending her conjured birds at Ron. He called her petty shortly after he let her lean on his shoulder. She loved her Harry and Ron but they sucked at comforting her.
"Thank you, it just, it didn't hit me Harry is gone," James knew this was going to happen. He felt terrible that this girls best friend was his double, how was he to help her see him as something more than her best friends dead dad?
"I wish he wasn't taken from you, I'm sure he was an amazing friend. If you're willing, I'd love to learn about him, as well as you, if it's not too hard?"
"Oh, I didn't think you would want to know about him, since you know, you had him with Lily," she replied awkwardly.
"Well yeah, that still blows my mind honestly. She's my sister, it just sounds so wrong," he said shaking his head, "but he was important to you. Just because you came here doesn't erase everything that meant something to you."
Hermione couldn't believe this man was related to Harry, she wasn't surrounded with boys with the emotional range of a teaspoon anymore, she snorted at that. James' eyes flashed with hurt at her snort, thinking she was laughing at him, but he was about to apologize for even bringing it up, when she stopped him.
"No no, I was just laughing at a memory. You, James Potter are not what I imagined," she looked up at him and felt her face flush. He looked back at her with a puzzled expression.
"Well, what did you imagine?"
"Not this," she waved her hands at him, he frowned a little deeper, "You managed to comfort me and talk to me on a deeper level in the last fifteen minutes than I have had in the last seven years with my Harry and Ron. I used to tell them they had to emotional range of a teaspoon."
The confusion left James' face and a happy grin replaced it.
"Well I have had practice with Lily, can't have a fiery sister without learning how to read when she needs someone to talk to," he shrugged.
"So, you wanted to know about Harry?" she said as they made their way to Madam Malkins, "Hmm, where to start. He was the kindest, bravest boy I knew. He was raised by Vernon and Petunia Dursley-"
"What?!" yelled James incredulously "no no, they are the worst! I met that Vernon fellow last summer at their engagement party. Such a pompous twat! "
"Yes, they were. Harry's bedroom until Hogwarts was a cupboard under the stairs," James stopped walking and stared at her.
"A cupboard?"
"Yes, their dislike of magic never waned. They never told him the truth of you and Lily's death, he believed it was a car crash, because his parents were drunks. He didn't feel like he had a home until he went to Hogwarts, that castle was his home. Even with his terrible upbringing he was a very kind and loving boy. Terrible at dealing with emotions, he was an angsty teenager but who wouldn't be with Voldemort after you? He had his first kiss in fifth year-"
"Fifth year? Bollocks, a Potter should have the ladies at his feet," Hermione glared at him.
"Harry wasn't like that, he waited until he got the girl he liked," James guessed Harry got that from Lily and flushed, not the best impression for Hermione with that one, "He was going to marry Ginny Weasley, after the war. He told me once whatever funerals there were were finished he would ask her, if they both made it. Their relationship added to the romanticized history of Harry. James and Lily; black, messy hair with the fiery redhead, that was what he had. It was devastating to watch him witness her be killed before he died himself," she whispered, "He was the bravest boy I've ever met and I will miss him. But it's curious," she thought aloud.
"What's curious?" he asked
"Well the mirror I came through, it would show me who I could save. Harry was at the front, but it wasn't my Harry. He looked the same but his eyes were different," Hermione shrugged and finished walking to Madam Malkins. James couldn't move, she had still seen Harry but with different eyes. Would he still have a son? Could Hermione be the mother? He broke himself out of that particular thought and ran up into Madam Malkins where he found Hermione being fussed over.
"I just need casual robes, I do not need dress robes" he could hear her tell Madam Malkin.
"But dear, I have a red dress, I know it will look phenomenal on you. It just arrived, you would think I received it for you," Hermione once again told Madam Malkin that no she didn't need dress robes. While she was changing James ran up to Madam Malkin.
"The red dress robes? I want you to buy them under my account, hold them until December and send them to her before Yule. They will be perfect for our family Yule celebration," the woman smiled and agreed to set up the order. Thankfully it was packed away just before Hermione exited the change rooms.
"Can you please send them to me at Hogwarts when term starts? I would rather not repack my trunk," Malkin agreed and they walked out of the store.
"You are already packed?" James asked her, leading her to Fortescues.
"Well-" but she was cut off by a loud voice behind them.
"Potter!" James turned around to see his least favourite blonde prat walking towards him.
"Malfoy," James drawled. Hermione froze up beside James, she knew Lucius defected in the end for his son, but he took so much from her before then. He was in her nightmares of Malfoy Manor, he only turned when his son chose a side. Without Draco making that choice, Lucius would rape, torture and kill til his hearts content.
"I see you have a new pet," Malfoy looked Hermione up and down before turning back to James, "another mudblood I assume"
Before Hermione could stop him James had leapt at Malfoy, thrown his fist back and smashed Lucius Malfoy in the nose. They toppled over and James landed on top of Malfoy and kept hitting him repeatedly.
"James no!" Hermione ran forward and tried to pry James from Lucius but she was too weak, she had no muscles after a year on the run with no food. From behind her Sirius and Remus appeared, with both their effort they managed to pull James off the bloody heap of a man. Blood was spurting from Lucius' nose, it looked broken and his eye was swollen, his cheek was already sporting a very dark bruise, and looked slightly caved in, meaning it was likely also broken. James' knuckles were bloody and split, the beating did not seem to help with his anger, still very evident in his face, his fists clenched at his side, fury in his eyes.
"Never call her that!" he shouted at a retreating, stumbling Malfoy.
"Prongs, mate, what was that?" Remus asked. Sirius looked at Hermione and saw her rubbing at her forearm.
"Ah shit. Moony, deal with James. Hermione come here," he held his hand out for her and she took it, he pulled her in for a hug and let his hand run through her hair.
"I know you said at the meeting that that is what you are, but I need you to listen to me when I tell you it's not," he held her and looked her straight in the eyes, silver to brown, "That is a disgusting foul word that should never be associated with you. You may have it on your arm, you may think out of everyone you have the right to say it. You do. Honestly, you do. But, every time you call yourself that, every time I hear that word, it makes me so angry that people think this way about you, about Lily. Bella should never have scarred you in such a way, if I could kill her for it I would. You need to omit that word from your vocabulary, we can't listen to you degrade yourself, and anyone, and I mean anyone who uses that word around you, will be dealing with three very violently angry Marauders. Promise me kitten?"
Hermione's eyes widened at his nickname for her, it was- it was the same as her Sirius, it brought back the rush of memories of her and her Sirius in Grimmauld Place, he was giving her the same talks after Kreacher and his mother's portrait constantly screamed it at her. Even then she tried to say it was just a word and she wasn't affected by it, but her Sirius sat her down and reminded her that she was brilliant, she outshone every pureblood proving their theories of muggleborns wrong, and she was so much more than what certain bigots thought of her. She wondered how her Sirius would have reacted if he was alive and saw this, he likely would have killed Bellatrix before the battle ended, just for her.
The tears fell at Sirius' words, the acceptance that she was more than a mudblood, and mourning her Sirius once more who fell into the veil too soon.
This Sirius wrapped his arms around Hermione and let her cry into his chest, she was honestly running out of tears. She needed to pull herself together.
"I'm sorry, I can't seem to stop- stop crying, all the time," she said between sniffles.
"Kitten, Hermione, you lost a lot, you've been through a lot, more than any eighteen year old should. You have us now, we won't let anything happen to you," He promised her. The smell of Sirius was different in this time, it didn't seem like he'd been introduced to cigarettes yet as that was missing, and another scent was missing, his leather! His leather scent was missing and that just seemed a travesty, she needed to rectify this as soon as she could. Pushing herself back and wiping back her tears, Sirius looked down expecting a sad smile on her face, but instead was met with fierce, determined eyes, and a small smile.
"You okay there Kitten?" he asked curiously.
"Nothing, just a memory, one that I will make sure happens," he gave her a nervous chuckle and untangled his arms. He turned to see Remus off to the side with James who seemed to have relaxed and was glancing at Hermione and Sirius tensely, when Sirius stepped back, some tension released from James.
"You alright Hermione? I'm sorry I got carried away," he apologized apprehensively, running his hands through his hair. Hermione smiled at that, it was a consistency from the history she was told, a nervous tick; James messing up his already messy hair.
"It's okay, Malfoy's a prat and a coward, deserved it after all. I did punch his son in the face in third year," she smirked at the memory of Malfoy before he became Draco to her.
"What? You punched a Malfoy?" gaped Sirius.
"From the whole story I told you the other night, of all things, you are amazed I punched a boy?" laughed Hermione, turning and walking backwards to laugh at them. She so easily felt comfortable with the Marauders, she had Sirius and Remus, so familiar to her, her magic sensed she knew them and it calmed her. James, James was calming in such an intense and surprising way, she had wanted to stay away from him, she thought he was dangerous for her, but really he made her feel so protected. Maybe it could be like the DA group of friends they accumulated in her time, a tight knit group that could rely on each other and be comfortable and safe together. This time maybe she could rely on others as much as they relied on her, yes she relied on her boys in her time, but in the end they would be dead without her, while she survived. Always survived. She was tired of surviving though, it was exhausting.
However, these boys were already bringing her smile back, her life back into her.
The boys were pleasantly surprised at how easily Hermione seemed to fit in with them but also how comfortable she already seemed to be. She was laughing and smiling, the pain was still there in her eyes, but she was laughing and that meant everything to James.
"So, ice cream anyone?" James called out.
"Chocolate!" Remus yelled excitedly, making them all laugh. They walked into Fortescues where Lily was sitting, waiting for them.
"I knew Remus couldn't skip his chocolate ice cream" she laughed holding a big double scoop cone for him. He ran up to her, taking it from her hands before pressing it up to her lips and covering her chin and nose.
"Remus!" She laughed as he started kissing all the ice cream off her face. Hermione watched for a moment before turning away, feeling like she was invading their private moment together.
"See, that being split is a travesty," murmured Sirius watching his friend, "I used to hate watching it, it's nauseatingly adorable, but to think someone could take it away," he shook his head and walked over to order his cone. Hermione couldn't agree more with Sirius, Remus and Lily were nauseatingly adorable, she wasn't one for PDA, especially after witness Lav-lav and Won-Won. However, Remus and Lily were cute and giggly about it, Ron and Lavender sucked face and slobbered. It was nauseatingly disgusting, complete opposite of Remus and Lily.
"I can't tell if you're happy or going to be sick, Hermione" laughed James, handing her a cone of butterbeer icecream. Hermione laughed as she licked at her cone, James' stopped breathing as he watched her tongue dance across the cold dessert. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he tried to thickly swallow and think of anything but Hermione's tongue.
"I was just remembering Ron and Lavender, they were the last couple I saw really showing PDA. Harry was very private with Ginny, especially with her being Ron's sister, but Ron and Lavender? Most disgusting public performance," she grimaced as she continued with her cone, spinning it and she licked away the cream. James' was working twice as hard to concentrate on her words, and he was glad he did, the next ones really helped with the growing issue in his boxers, "Won-Won and Lav-Lav they would coo and then lick face, I mean, I've seen snogging before and it was like they couldn't find each others mouths"
"Ha! Oh that's priceless, please tell me they did it in the Great Hall" he laughed. She gave him a side look to let him know yes, yes unfortunately so, "Oh how did Minnie take it?"
"Minnie?" She asked curiously before an aghast look took over, "Oh my Godric, do you mean Professor McGonagall? You call her Minnie!?" he burst out laughing at the disbelief on her face.
"Did you break Hermione, James?" asked Lily walking over to them. Hermione was just staring at James, before looking over at an innocent looking Sirius.
"She learned about Minnie's name" replied James.
"Oh honestly boys, she is our Professor!" Lily cried.
"Thank you!" yelled Hermione, "What is it with boys and not using that title?!" she sighed and rolled her eyes, digging back into her cone. James, thoroughly distracted once more did not respond. Remus and Sirius seemed to catch the look in James' eyes as he watched Hermione, they shared a glance and smirked, their Prongsie was besotted and they would likely have to help him.
They finished their day at Diagon Alley with a trip to Zonko's
"I can't wait for the twins to grow up," sighed Hermione as they made their way to the joke shop. It just wasn't the same, she missed her Weasley pranks
"The Prewitts? They're pretty grown Hermione," laughed Sirius.
"No, Molly, she's having twins. I didn't want to spoil that surprise for her, but Fred and George, they're prank geniuses!" she gushed. The Marauders stopped in their tracks, did she just, did she just say prank geniuses about anyone but them.
"Kitten, you are mistaken, you are with the prank geniuses," chuckled Sirius. James was starting to dislike that nickname Sirius had for Hermione, it was too familiar.
"Out of the mouth of Sirius Black himself, he passed the torch onto Fred and George Weasley. Even my Sirius admitted defeat to the genius that were the twins" she smiled, she worked so hard with those boys. Everyone thought she was against their jokes as a prefect, but she was honestly impressed by everything they created. They ran their failed attempts by her, she helped them and in the end they formed a tight bond in semi-secret, no one would believe Hermione Granger enjoyed Weasley Wizarding Wheezes with Fred and George Weasley, except Sirius and Remus.
"'My Sirius' eh?" he winked at her and wriggled his eyebrows at her. She shoved him away from her, laughing, oh there's the Sirius she was expecting.
"Yes my Sirius, my Remus, my Ron, my Harry, they are mine. Different from you. You will never be him, I won't let it happen," the laughter gone from her throat, replaced by a hoarse sadness. Her Sirius suffered so much, and now she knew just how much her Remus had suffered. Sensing the shift in mood, Remus jumped in before it turned into another Hermione break down.
"So, prank geniuses? What did they do?" Hermione's eyes lit up and she started to reminisce about her Weasley twins
"They made skiving snack boxes! I got so mad at them for testing on first years, but I really was impressed with their finished product. It was sweets that got you out of anything, they came in really handy for DADA with Umbridge. Bite one side and you would get sick, bite the other side and the symptoms go away immediately! They had nosebleed nougat, fainting fancies, puking pastilles and fever fudge," the boys were impressed, "in our fifth year they caused a distraction with fireworks they invented. They escaped on their brooms and made this amazing exit, it was known as 'doing a Weasley', Umbridge was tough to deal with and the twins made so many products to fuck with her. The fireworks were amazing, if you tried to vanish them they would double. The teachers, even Professor McGonagall would call on Umbridge to rid the fireworks," she smirked at the memory of Umbridge running around covered in soot, bow askew, and complete disheveled self. "Anyways, they ran off and opened their own joke shop, it was amazing!"
"Okay, now I can't wait for these kids to grow up, especially if we guide them," laughed James.
"They idolized your group, they actually found your map and nicked it from Filch. Even figured out how to use it," the boys all looked at her in amazement, their map, their legacy did move on, and the twins somehow figured out their map without them.
They stepped into Zonkos, the boys ran off to buy all their dungbombs, frog spawn soap, and whatever else they needed for a term of pranking.
"You would think as Head Boy and Prefect that those two would be a bit more serious for their last year, Sirius I don't even try anymore," Lily said, laughing at her boys. Her last year, she was going to miss the easy times with her Marauders but Lily knew even now that this year wouldn't be like her last six. Hermione was here, a real dose of reality, and she had to somehow ask Hermione about her old friend, what became of her friend Severus Snape?
"You know Sirius, the serious in him, is his name," she smirked.
"Ohhhhh! Prongs! Moony! Did you hear that! She made a Sirius pun!" Sirius yelled from across the shop.
"Damn canine hearing" she grumbled. Lily giggled.
"You really knew them didn't you?" she asked sadly. Lily missed a future, dying to protect her son. She would do it in a heartbeat for her baby, she just hoped that wasn't her future, Hermione did mention some people had a destiny, but Dumbledore promised to end this before the prophecy. She wouldn't worry about it, she knew she would sacrifice herself for who she loved. Hermione just brought a future that proved she would, that gave Lily conviction and confidence in her choices, she was true to herself in the end.
"Yeah, we were close. Harry loved them both so much, but he, he had a lot of emotional problems. I was the bridge between them when they couldn't quite figure it out, I was everyone's bridge a lot actually. Sirius was a great help for me in his house, it was a house that did not care for my blood," Hermione frowned, remembering the wards that had to be taken down, wards that would have ripped her skin off just for being muggleborn, "Sirius had a lot of demons, Azkaban was not kind to him, and then his house, being trapped, alone, in a place he only escaped in this time recently? He was angry a lot, but he always made sure he wasn't near me when he was like that. We clashed over house Elf treatment, but other than that he always made an effort to be calm with me, so I made an effort to spend time with him so he would be calm. Remus was the same, and with his intelligent conversations, it was such a stark difference to everyone else, we both debated our treatment in the Wizarding World.
"I think that's what it boiled down to, Sirius wasn't accepted as he was a Black but a Gryffindor, Remus was a werewolf and I- I was a mud-muggleborn," she coughed to cover her slip up, she didn't want to use it after Sirius talking to her, and especially not in front of Lily.
"I'm glad you have them now, I think we'll make a great tight-knit group this year, and even following graduation," Lily smiled at Hermione and placed a hand over her arm in support, "and James already seems to be quite besotted by you"
Hermione blushed before laughing and playfully nudging Lily away from her. The boys joined them shortly after and they made their way to the Leaky. Sirius, Remus and Lily said their farewells to Hermione making her promise to find them on Platform 9 3/4 in a few days. They all left through the floo and James kept his farewell until last, he nervously rubbed the back of his neck while looking at his shoes.
"So, um, I'm really glad you came out today," he finally said with a shy smile, which Hermione happily returned. His heart fluttered every time she smiled at him, he wanted it to always be present on her face, that single dimple on her left cheek was the cutest thing he had ever seen.
"I'm glad you invited me," she replied shyly. Her fingers started playing with the ends of one of her flyaway curls as she looked up into James eyes, the hazel once again causing her breath to hitch.
"I would really like to keep writing you, until term," he wanted to reach out and tug on one of her curls but he kept his hands in his pockets to hold back the urge.
"I'd like that"
"Hermione? I'm really happy you're here, I'm happy I met you," he took a step forward, he was so close he could feel her breath on his neck as she looked up at him. Her mouth went dry staring up at the taller boy, he smelled like freshly mown grass and mint, it was intoxicating.
"I'm happy I came back to meet you," she managed to reply. She wasn't sure if she imagined it but it looked like he was about to reach up and touch her cheek before they were interrupted by a seemingly drunk man tumbling into James.
"Oi watch where you're going mate," the drunk stammered. James gave him a look of disgust before putting his arm around Hermione's shoulders to protect her from the man's leering glance.
James led her to the fireplace so she could floo back to Hogwarts, he wanted to be sure she had gone safely before he floo'd to Potter Manor. Shortly after they both left, a black robed man stepped out of the shadows and Apparated away, sneering at the fireplace they departed from.
For the next few days all James could think of was how he was so close to leaning in to kiss her at the Leaky Cauldron. He wanted to kiss her so badly, but he knew he couldn't move too quickly with her, so maybe it was a good thing they were interrupted.
A/N: Read and Review! Hope you liked that more light hearted chapter getting close to the Marauders! I'm welcoming ideas too in my reviews, not that I dont have an idea where this is 's just nice to hear where some readers would like me to take this. :)