AN: We're hitting 100k words with this chapter. Holy shit honestly. Probably halfway through?
DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything!
Chapter Twenty-Three: Sitters
Hermione was surprised when just a few days after she'd arrived home, she received an owl from Molly Weasley asking desperately for Hermione to watch the boys for the day, so she could tend to a family emergency regarding Aunt Muriel.
Hermione would've owled Remus to come with her, but the full moon was the next night, and being around three energetic Weasley boys surely would be grating. She instead found herself asking James and Sirius to accompany her as they laid on blankets outside to enjoy the oddly warm day.
"Babysit? Your a sitter now, Hermione? Since when?" Asked James.
"Since I encountered the Weasley's at New Years. They have three little boys," she said fondly.
James got an excited look on his face. "We could take them on the brooms, Sirius!"
Hermione laughed and swatted James on the arm. "Absolutely not! Maybe Bill, but certainly not Charlie and Percy."
James wiggled his eyebrows, "We'll see." He turned towards Sirius. "You coming, Sirius?"
Hermione watched as Sirius carefully avoided her eyes. He laid back and stared up at the clouds above head. "Actually, I am quite tired. Think I'll stay in today."
James shrugged and jumped up, but Hermione stayed still and studied Sirius.
"You coming, Hermione?"
"Actually, just give me a moment, Jamie. Will you go tell Mum and Dad where we're going?"
James looked between the two curiously before nodding and disappearing back inside. Hermione turned back towards Sirius who still wouldn't look at her.
"Everything alright, kitten?"
Hermione ignored the question and said, "Sirius, is there a real reason you don't want to come today?" Just this morning he'd been talking about how excited he was to fly around the grounds.
Sirius finally looked up at her, but he quickly looked away. "We need some distance. We shouldn't spend so much time together."
Her eyes widened, and she asked faintly, "Why?"
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose, "You're Remus's."
Hermione's cheeks flushed in indignation. "I'm not anyone's. I'm not an object, Sirius."
He looked up at her and smiled fondly, "It's okay, kitten. He belongs to you also."
It was then that the implications of his words hit her, and she took a deep breath. She was flooded with the memory of that night with the Mistletoe.
"Are you thinking about it?" He asked quietly.
She feigned innocence. "Thinking about what?"
"That night in the common room. With the mistletoe." She looked away, and this time, she flushed for a different reason.
"No," she whispered.
"Liar," he said breathlessly.
When she didn't say anything he sighed and rolled his head away again.
"That's why I need distance, kitten."
Hermione sucked in a breath before standing and brushing herself off. She stared at him for a moment and was about to say something when he interrupted her.
"It's alright. You don't have to say anything."
She let the breath leave her and said, "Please don't pull away from me, Sirius."
He rolled onto his side, so his back was to her. "Have fun today. Don't let Jamie kill those children."
James came running out then and grabbed her hand before pulling her in the direction of the house.
"Come on, Hermione! I want to meet these kiddos you're so in love with!"
Hermione took one last look at Sirius before letting James pull her to the floo.
"The Burrow!"
Once she was through the green flames, she smiled at the complete chaos the Burrow was in. Charmed objects were flying through the air and she could hear Molly yelling at Arthur from the direction of the kitchen. James stepped through after her and grinned at his surroundings.
"Arthur! Don't bring any of your muggle devices! You know how Muriel feels!"
Hermione laughed at the familiarity.
"But Molly, dear, I've just discovered this wonderful thing called a ball-point pen!"
"Arthur, no!"
Just then a small red-headed boy ran into the room and came barreling into Hermione.
"Minnie!"
She smiled down at the boy and crouched to give him a hug. "Young, gentleman Bill! I'm very excited to spend the day with you." Bill grinned toothily at her and pointed up at James.
"Who's this?"
Hermione stood back up and put a hand on James's shoulder. "This is my brother, James. He's going to spend today with us also."
Suddenly Charlie ran in and stood right under James.
"Does he like dragons too?"
James smiled excitedly. "I love dragons!"
Hermione couldn't stop laughing as they spent the whole day playing games, riding brooms, and listening to Charlie and Bill's highly imaginative stories.
Right before Molly and Arthur were due home and the boys had been put to bed James and Hermione had collapsed, exhausted, in the living room.
"I have never been this tired in my life," James said dramatically as he held a hand to his forehead and sighed.
Hermione laughed for the umpteenth time that day before she thought about going home. Going home to Sirius. She frowned and James looked over at her.
"What is it, Hermione?"
Hermione looked at him without saying anything, and he gave her a knowing and sad smile that reminded her so much of Harry.
"I may seem like an oblivious idiot, but I think I know what's going on."
Her eyes widened, and she looked away.
"Sirius isn't very good about hiding his feelings," he continued.
Hermione's frown deepened.
"You know you can talk to me, right?"
"There's nothing to say."
For the second time that day she got called a liar. "That's obviously not true."
Hermione sighed and lay her head on his shoulder, "Sirius said he needs some distance between us."
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, and James wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"He doesn't know how to deal with his feelings, Hermione. You scare him." James clenched his free hand in a fist and rubbed the top of her head with his knuckles.
"Hey!" She laughed and tried to pull away from him, but he was still holding her around his shoulders. "James, stop!"
He snorted before releasing her head and pulling it back to his shoulder.
"It's also understandable that he wants distance since you're Remus's bird and all."
She groaned and whispered, "But Sirius is my friend!"
James pulled away and gave her an exasperated look, "Exactly, Hermione."
That's when Molly and Arthur came through the floo looking thoroughly exhausted. Hermione giggled to herself just imagining the day they'd had with Aunt Muriel.
"How were the boys?" Arthur asked nervously. "Didn't give you too much trouble?"
"They were angels," Hermione reassured.
James smiled and pulled her to her feet.
"I wouldn't say angels, but we had a great day." James shook Arthur's and Molly's hands and said. "We will happily do it again."
Molly looked at them both in disbelief, "Truly?" She asked.
"Of course," Hermione said calmly. "I love your boys."
Molly nodded happily and pulled her into a hug.
"Well, I love to hear that, dear. You two are free to come back anytime!"
James and Hermione exchanged a few more pleasantries before heading back to the Manor.
Hermione was waiting patiently in a small coffee shop in muggle London. She'd ordered a cup of tea to appease the waitress, but otherwise sat primly facing the door and studying every face that walked into the cafe.
When a properly dressed boy with an uncomfortably pinched expression on his face walked through the door, she held her hand up to signal him. He was wearing a black button down and black suit paints. His hair was neatly combed back, and she watched as even at fifteen, girl's eyes around the cafe followed his form. He sat down with an air of disdain, and Hermione smiled at him in amusement.
He raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, and Hermione actually snorted.
"Do you realize that every muggle girl in this room has fallen in love with you?"
He looked around with a scowl. "Yes, I don't even know why I came when I saw the location you'd put on that coin." He turned back to her and looked at her bright yellow sundress and pristine braid. His eyes paused on her bare arms for only a moment before moving back up to her warm brown eyes. "We do not look like the kind of people that should be sharing a table, Pet." She smiled brightly at his deeply frowning face, only reinforcing his comment.
She silenced the table and said seriously, "Thanks for coming, Regulus."
He studied her face for a moment. "Yes well, with you it seems that it would be in my favor to meet with you when you ask," Hermione nodded grimly, but he continued, "I should probably apologize for what happened in that corridor with Evans and my brother. I couldn't think of anything fast enough to get them to give up on you without raising suspicions before Sirius showed up. Then I shouldn't have provoked my brother."
Hermione gave him a secretive smile, "Don't think I didn't notice that you said should apologize without actually apologizing."
The corners of Regulus's mouth twitched. "I have never apologized in my life."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Now what is this about?"
Hermione cocked her head to the side. "How much time do you suppose you have for the day?"
He narrowed his grey eyes and said carefully, "Mother's away today, and my father couldn't care less."
She smiled at him. "Excellent!"
He narrowed his eyes even further. "Why?"
Her smile remained as she asked quietly, "Do you trust me, Regulus?"
He didn't hesitate before saying, "Not particularly." She beamed at him and stood.
"That's good enough for me!"
He rolled his eyes until she grabbed his hand and started pulling him out of the small shop.
Once they'd turned down an alley to an apparition point, she pulled him to a stop.
She turned around and grabbed his shoulders, and he stared at her in surprise. Getting used to her lack of qualms about openly touching him was difficult to say the least.
"What are you doing?"
"Regulus…" She blinked a few times in thought before saying, "You're going to want to leave. There are going to be a lot of people here who don't trust you. A lot of people that are going to think that you're completely loyal to Voldemort."
"I wish you wouldn't say his name," he whispered.
"You just need to stay strong, and not let their comments get to you."
Regulus smiled down at her despite his nerves. "You want me to play the perfect champion of the light?"
Hermione swatted him. "No I want you to play Regulus, but I want you to play the calm, composed, and honest Regulus."
He gave her one of his calculating looks. "Who are these people, Hermione?"
She pursed her lips and avoided his eyes. "If it makes you feel better, you're going to learn why I know so many things."
He smirked at her, "You have sweetened the pot considerably." She took a step back from him and held out her elbow.
"It's your choice."
There it was. His choice. She wouldn't force him to do anything he didn't want to, and that was why he took her elbow.
"I suppose I trust you a small amount."
She gave him a proud look before closing her eyes and focusing.
There was that weird feeling of being squeezed through a tube, and they both landed with grace.
"You going to tell me how you can apparate at sixteen?"
She smirked up at him and said, "I can't tell you all my secrets."
They both turned to the large seemingly abandoned house a ways away in front of them. The clouds in the sky above them were darkening and there was the noise of distant thunder.
"Well, that's only extremely ominous," said Regulus gruffly.
He let go of her elbow as they started walking towards the front door.
Hermione grabbed his wrist to get him through the wards and once they were a couple steps from the front door, it swung open and Regulus's eyes widened.
They had a wand pointed at them and standing on the other end was the constantly vigilant Mad-eye.
"First time we ever met, I revived you and what did you do?"
Hermione smirked and said smugly, "Disarm you. Wandlessly." Regulus raised an eyebrow at her.
Moody grunted and moved his wand to Regulus.
"Who's this, pup?"
Hermione stepped in front of Regulus so that she was in front of the wand again. She stared down Moody and strongly said, "Moody, this is Regulus Black. He's here with me for the meeting."
After a few moments Moody slowly lowered his wand.
"I'll have my eyes on you, Black. One mistake and you'll never see the outside of this house again."
Hermione chanced a glance behind her and saw that Regulus had the same masked expression on his face that he always wore at Hogwarts. "Understood."
Hermione gave him a reassuring look before ushering him inside. They followed Moody's echoing footsteps through the dark home until they came upon a room filled to bursting with people Regulus never imagined he'd have any reason to interact with. All conversation stopped when Hermione stepped into the light and Regulus observed as people looked at her with mixed expressions.
Some looked at her with concern and nervousness as well as a small amount of fear. Some looked at her like they were torn and unsure. But most looked at her as if some kind of angel had walked in. Like their savior. Regulus thought he understood how all three types felt.
He stepped out of the shadows after her and suddenly all attention shifted to him. It was silent.
"Hullo," he said in an attempt to feign confidence in whatever situation Hermione had just dragged him into.
Hermione's eyes shifted around the full room.
"Fashionably late, as always, Granger," said Fabien Prewett with an entertained smile gracing his face. She'd found out on New Years that their distinguishing factor was the small white scar above Fabien's lip.
"Yes, our little bird, always arriving in style!" added Gideon.
"Bugger off, you prats!" She hissed and a few in the room laughed, but then the laughs died down and everyone returned to staring at Regulus who was trying very hard to mask his nerves. Hermione was sure no one else could see his anxiety, but his tell was his clenched fists hidden under his crossed arms.
"Everyone…" She turned back to all the staring faces. "This is Regulus Black. He is here to help the Order."
Similar to the first Order meeting she'd attended last year the gathering of people paused for a few moments before bursting into unmitigated chaos.
It wasn't until Andromeda Tonks stood and primly made her way around the table to stand in front of the two frozen teenagers that it began to slowly die down.
The two Blacks studied each other for a few silent moments before Andromeda reached forward and gently took his elbow.
"You are brave, Regulus."
Regulus could safely say, he had never been called brave before, and he wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. He didn't respond as he looked down on his estranged cousin. Lately, he'd taken to staring at the Black family tapestry every time he woke up from a nightmare. He imagined himself getting burned off forever by his own mother, just as Sirius and Andromeda had been blasted off, and every time it made him shiver. He was pulled from his thoughts when Andromeda gently squeezed his arm.
"I'm proud of you, Reg."
His eyes widened in surprise before looking down at Hermione who was smiling happily at the two.
He didn't have any words, so his lips thinned and he nodded gruffly. He reached up and carefully squeezed her hand on his elbow before looking at Hermione and urging her with his eyes to distract from the current situation.
Her smile melted off her face and she latched onto his elbow to drag him to the end of the table by the Potter's where they'd saved two seats as promised.
Dorea smiled kindly at Regulus as they sat down.
"Hello, Regulus. I'm glad to see you've befriended our dear Hermione."
Regulus scowled and said, "She tricked me into it."
Charlus smiled happily and leaned in, "Did she tell you she was almost a Slytherin?"
Regulus looked at Hermione and laughed. "Checks out."
She swatted him and scoffed.
"They love to tell people that to scare them," She stuck her chin up and observed as the fireplace in the corner burst to life and out walked Dumbledore.
"Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming."
Dumbledore went to the head of the table as usual and his eyes swept the room. She watched as they paused on Regulus in surprise before he turned on Hermione and raised his eyebrows.
"Would you like to explain why you have brought a fellow student to a top secret meeting, Miss Granger?" She could see the disbelief and disapproval in his gaze, and that same bitter, scornful feeling that she'd had in regards to Snape and Dumbledore lately resurfaced.
Hermione arched a brow at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Would you like to explain why you are questioning my judgement in the matter, Albus?"
Dumbledore nodded and didn't look surprised by her question at all. He sighed, "Very well."
Hermione looked around the room and said dangerously, "I'm going to explain Regulus's presence further, but only if everyone in the room understands that I know what I am doing, and I am not in the mood for people to question me."
"I love when she's scary," Fabien said as he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed behind his head. When Hermione scowled at him, he winked.
Hermione refused to comment on that and sighed before starting in, "Before I start I would just like to reinforce that, though it may not seem that way, Regulus has the same goal as us."
She looked over at him to find him studying her suspiciously. She knew if she had told him exactly what the meeting was, he would've refused to come, but she needed everyone in the room aware of his role for the eventual fallout that would occur should they succeed in winning the war. She wanted no questions asked regarding his loyalties.
"And in order to kill Voldemort, we will need his help." A few people in the room still flinched at the mention of Voldemort out of habit she assumed. "Regulus will be working as a spy for the Order."
"But that would mean he'd have to be a Death Eater."
Hermione turned her eyes on the person in the back who had spoken. Someone she'd never spoken to before then.
She looked at Regulus and asked quietly, "Do you trust me?"
His grey eyes burned as he stared her down. She could see the turmoil in his eyes, but eventually he smirked and said, "Not particularly."
She smiled at him and reached for his left arm.
He instinctively pulled away before pausing and holding his arm so it lay flat on the table. He slowly and precisely rolled up his sleeve, and nearly everyone in the room gasped.
Andromeda had tears in her eyes when she whispered harshly, "Reg, what have you done?"
She could see Regulus's resolve crumbling, so she jumped up and slammed her hands on the table. Her braid was throwing off sparks in a way that Regulus had never seen before.
"It wasn't a choice! He didn't have a choice, so I gave him one and here he is!" She looked at Andromeda and said firmly, "You've met Walburga."
Andromeda's expression went from accusatory to apologetic. She looked at Regulus and whispered, "I'm sorry, Regulus. It was just a reaction."
He looked disgustingly at his own arm before saying, "An understandable one." He looked up at the fierce girl standing next to him and smiled, "I assure you, it was a better reaction than Hermione."
Hermione flushed in embarrassment and narrowed her eyes, "Don't you dare."
"The crazy bird burst into tears."
Hermione whacked him on the back of his head and said, "I would be careful if I were you. I'm holding your life in my hands." Regulus scowled at her as he rubbed the back of his head.
She sighed and turned back towards the group, "Moving on from that unfortunate detour… Regulus is going to work from the inside leaking information and helping me with the Horcruxes."
Moody stepped up so that he was standing right across the table from her. "I can see you've got your fighting stance right now, pup, but you need to tell us how you'll make sure this boy doesn't go running to his master at the first sign of trouble!"
Hermione glared at Moody and said, "He's a skilled Occlumens, and he will sign the same agreement that everyone else in this room signed."
Moody glared down at the Dark Mark before looking up at Regulus.
"If pup here trusts you, then that's good enough for me."
Most in the room followed suit at his reluctant admission if their nods were anything to go by. Hermione slowly took her seat and reached over to pull Regulus's arm off the table.
Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "Now that that is settled, let us move on to the update regarding our search for Horcruxes. Hermione would you speak on the events that occurred at the Gaunt Shack?" She gave him a questioning look, and he said, "Feel free to disclose all information you deem necessary. Though, I hardly need to tell you that."
Her eyes darted down to his hand before looking back up. She slowly reached over and grabbed Regulus's hand under the table more for her own comfort than anything else and was surprised when he squeezed it back.
Hermione looked at the table and carefully started, "I found the Diadem in Hogwarts back in October." She opened her bag and summoned the box before setting it on the table. She watched as everyone physically pulled away from it. "Dumbledore and I went after the Gaunt ring in December and ran into difficulties. One of the powerful protective curses that Voldemort placed on the ring is a slow working poison that is activated if the person puts the ring on. Last time it took a year."
Regulus's fingers tightened painfully on hers. Hermione pulled out the box with the Gaunt Ring in it and set it next to the Diadem.
She avoided everyone's eyes when she said faintly, "Albus put it on."
Everyone's eyes turned on Dumbledore as he slowly lifted his hand to display the blackening fingers.
"You knew this would happen?" Aberforth Dumbledore stepped out from the back of the room and looked down at her. "You knew this would happen, and you still let it occur. Aren't you here just to stop these things from happening?"
Hermione's eyes watered, so she squeezed them shut and turned away from the surly man.
"As I have mentioned at previous meetings… the Horcruxes fight back. They turn you against yourself. I had a small moment of weakness and allowed it to get to me. I didn't see him put it on."
She heard the rustling of robes and felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Is what Miss Granger says true, Albus?"
"Unfortunately so."
Hermione ducked her head and dug her nails into Regulus's skin subconsciously. He didn't even flinch.
"Miss Granger should not face the blame alone. She warned me of the ring, and it was my own foolishness that has cost me. I let Voldemort's whispers get to me as well."
Hermione kept her eyes closed and tried to calm her breathing. A few seconds later her eyes snapped open when Moody asked gruffly.
"Are you going to show them to us?"
Her eyes landed on his, and she could feel the tension in the air.
"He killed people to create these artifacts and then finished the process with an act so gruesome I refuse to speak of it. They house parts of his soul, and they whisper things to you. Things meant to break you down." She paused and narrowed her eyes. "And you want to see it?" She asked in disbelief.
Moody didn't waver as he said, "I think we have a right to see the thing that's killing Dumbledore and supposed to end the war."
Hermione slowly pulled her fingers from Regulus's and got to her feet again.
"If you insist."
Before anyone could say anything she pulled her wand from her braid and opened the lids on both of the boxes simultaneously.
It was like opening the floodgates.
Immediately that distinct feeling of dark magic permeated the air along with the hisses and whispers that had surrounded her at the shack.
It's your fault. They're all dead, and it's your fault.
This time she knew what it would say so she kept her head. She glanced around at the horrified and panicked expressions of everyone in the room before slamming the lids back on.
Everyone was silent.
"I think that may give you a better understanding of why it was so easy for Dumbledore and myself to lose our focus."
Every person in the room seemed to be frozen, so she quickly put the boxes back into her bag and pulled out the one with the fangs along with her dragon hide gloves just to be sure.
She carefully pulled one out and held it up.
"This is how we'll destroy them."
That seemed to melt everyone in the rooms terror filled expressions.
"So you killed the basilisk then?"
"Yes. Moody, Benjy, Albus and I killed it over the holidays." She looked down the table at Benjy who was smiling proudly.
"Next Horcrux I suspect we'll go after will be Tom Riddle's diary at Malfoy Manor. Then all we will have left is the locket which is yet to be placed, hufflepuff's cup, and Nagini."
"Do you have any ideas on the whereabouts of the cup?"
Hermione sighed and returned the fang to its place before also putting that back in her back.
"I suspect it is in the Lestrange Vault at Gringotts."
A couple people groaned and Hermione looked down at Andromeda who was lost in thought.
"We still have four years until Sybill Trelawney will make her prediction and the prophecy will come into play."
"You are making good time, pup."
She sighed and sat down.
"I am doing my best."
Hermione spent the rest of the meeting in which Dumbledore debriefed the Order on the current situation at the Ministry, trying to ignore the clanging feeling in her mind telling her that she had already been here for an entire year.
Hermione was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a hand on her elbow gently pulling her from her seat.
"Come along, Granger. As much as it pains me to say so, I need you to take me to home."
Hermione surprised herself when she laughed at him and looked around to see that everyone from the meeting was already gone.
"How long has everyone been gone for?"
Regulus held onto her elbow as they walked slowly back through the house. "Probably ten or so minutes."
She looked up at him in surprise and shrieked, "Why didn't you say anything?"
He looked down at her with his masked expression. "I thought you might need a minute to decompress."
When they made it outside it was pouring rain. Regulus pulled a shrunken cloak from his pocket and brought it back to regular size. He wrapped it around her shoulders and said, "I may be a prick, but I don't exactly fancy the idea of you getting sick again on my account."
Hermione smiled gratefully at him and latched onto his elbow as they made their way quickly to the edge of the wards. Once they were out she immediately apparated to just outside Grimmauld, and paused when she realized she couldn't see it.
How have you been in Grimmauld Place? It's warded against-
Mudbloods?
Hermione cast a charm to ward off the rain, but it couldn't block out the chill. She wrapped Regulus's cloak tighter around herself.
"Before, I leave you for the pleasant family time that is sure to await me at home, I would like you to explain to me a few things," Regulus said while staring in the direction that she was sure that Grimmauld was.
"Okay what are your questions?"
"You essentially led that meeting. I am guessing you're not really from Beauxbatons, so where are you from?"
"You're asking the wrong question. The correct thing to say would be when am I from."
Regulus raised his eyebrows, but overall didn't seem that surprised.
"Okay, I'll ask more about that later. What was that group? You mentioned the Order, and them having a common goal."
"The Order of the Phoenix is an organization started by Dumbledore to take down Voldemort and oppose the Dark Arts."
"What did Aberforth mean when he said you were just here to stop things from happening?"
"I didn't come here on purpose." She flicked a wet curl from her eyes and looked down at her shoes. "I was sent. Didn't have a choice in the matter."
Regulus suddenly understood her righteous anger that flared up so strongly anytime it was brought up about how he didn't have a choice.
"Would you have come if you had a choice?"
Hermione met his eyes. Would she have? If she'd had the choice right after she was snatched, it would've been no. If given the choice after everyone had died, yes. She couldn't imagine not having met the people that were in her life now.
Regulus watched all these dark thoughts flash across her eyes. He was slowly piecing things together in his mind. If this group of people had sent Hermione back, times must have been dire. And if things were as bad as what he was imagining, then Hermione had plenty of experience with dark thoughts.
"It's complicated," she whispered.
Hermione seemed to shake herself out of it and smiled brightly up at him like she had earlier in the muggle cafe.
"Thank you for coming today, Regulus."
She took off his cloak and handed it back to him.
He started in the direction of his house and waved at her over his shoulder.
"Take care of yourself, pet."
"Always."
AN: Thanks as always for the follows, favorites, and reviews!