Chapter 2

Hermione was walking down the corridor with a glazed look on her face. After leaving Harry and Ron who had looked the same way she was currently looking like, she headed to the one place that could make her feel slightly better.

The library.

This past few months had been so emotionally stressful. She had fought with Ron so many times. Every time they had, Harry would always take his side. Only one fight had been with Harry and that had lasted weeks. All because of his Firebolt. She had only been looking out for him. He hadn't seemed to understand that. The whole thing with Sirius Black coming after Harry was one thing that kept eating at her. Why would he hurt Harry? Worrying about him had been a constant strain in her life.

Using the time turner hadn't helped much. It had only made things worse. The extra time was like a ticking bomb that was waiting to blow up in her face. She had figured out Lupin's secret long before Snape had ever made them write that essay on werewolves. It had just given her extra time to get more information on him and his condition. It had been a distraction that had taken her mind of everything but now she had to watch out for a werewolf teacher as well.

Now Buckbeak's death hung around them like a heavy shroud, at least to the boys and her. She had tried helping Hagrid but it all had been in vain. She was about to just head back outside and take a walk to clear her head a bit when she ran into somebody's back. She gave a small gasp and fell down on the stone floor. She looked up and noticed right away the Slytherin color on the necktie of said student.

Hermione glanced up at the Slytherin's face but didn't recognize him. He stared down at her flatly, "Granger." She startled as she realized that he had said her name. He had dirty blond hair and sharp blue eyes the color of the sky. He was an older student as well.

He didn't help her stand, not that she expected him to. Standing up on her own, Hermione tried to think of what to do. She was mentally prepared for the obvious slur he would fling her way but after a while, they never came. He just kept looking at her with a blank expression.

"I don't know who you are." she finally said, as she looked around them. Hoping to see others, but didn't see anybody coming towards them. He shifted his stance as he peered down at her. "I'm Adrian Pucey." When that didn't clear the question in her eyes, he lifted an eyebrow, "I'm a chaser on the Quidditch team." He pointedly looked down at his crest as if saying, bloody blind, are you.

She pulled at her sleeve in obvious discomfort when he continued looking at her. Hermione was about to apologize for bumping into him when two other figures appeared right behind him. She closed her eyes briefly once she saw them. He had more back up now so he would say something ugly now. Hermione forced herself to stand still and not run away. She could attack them but she wasn't sure if she was fast enough to take on more than one at a time.

The Slytherins coming to a stop in front of her stared down at her. One had a scowl on his face while the other one zeroed in on her house crest. She knew the one with the scowl. He was Marcus Flint, Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch Team. He was ruthless when he played but never once did he break the rules. She only knew that since Harry had once said that if he wasn't in Slytherin he would question him on certain things and even try to get some tips. But she never found out about anybody else on the team since Harry didn't know or like them.

She almost took a step back when Flint fixed his scowl on Pucey, "Why are you standing with a third year?" he asked as he looked down at Hermione before looking back at Adrian Pucey. She silently wondered how he knew that she was in her third year.

Pucey stared blankly back him the same way he had done with her, "She bumped into me." he said simply. The other unknown Slytherin male leaned on Flint as he gave her a steely look mixed with confusion and hate. "I know her. It's Potter's muggleborn friend."

Flint gaze became even sharper as he looked down at her, losing the scowl. "Potter? Oh, I remember now." Hermione tried not to flinch as she stood her ground. She stared at Pucey and said, "Sorry for bumping into you. I was lost in thought and wasn't watching where I was going." Pucey nodded once but didn't speak again. She didn't know if that meant he accepted her apology but she was thankful he didn't say anything rude to her.

She took another step away from the three tall boys and turned away, very aware of the three gazes that were fixed on her. She was almost around the corner when Pucey's voice cut through the corridor, "Granger."

Hermione turned her head to see all three still standing there before focusing her gaze on Pucey. "You didn't have to apologize." She blinked at that, she knew that but she was thankful that it hadn't turned ugly between them. She gave him a faint smile that would have surely shocked Harry and Ron. "I know."

Turning a corner she sighed in relief and made her way to the Gryffindor tower only to see Harry running towards her. "Hermione! Scabbers ran away from Ron and was heading out the doors towards the courtyard to get him. I was stopped by Ginny but once she left I checked the marauder's map and he was near the bridge and heading towards the Whomping Willow."

She nodded and started running alongside him. When they neared the clock courtyard, they heard Ron's yells. They glanced at each other before giving in to a full sprint, towards Ron's voice. They came to a stop, only to see Ron a few feet from the Whomping Willow and yelling at Scabbers to get away from the tree. Harry passed her the map as he dashed towards Ron who looked like he was going to jump in and grab his rat.

Hermione gasped as she saw Crookshanks come running out of the dark and head straight towards Scabbers. "Crookshanks!" she screamed, as she ran towards him. The Whomping Willow came to life with a brute thump, heading towards Ron's body. Ron gave a shout as he rolled away from the lethal swing. Harry jumped away as well when it headed towards him.

Out of nowhere a large black wolf or dog came up behind Harry and used its paws to shove Harry away before turning towards Ron who had snatched Scabbers up and tucked into his chest. Crookshanks ran towards the dog and Hermione shrieked his name, "NO! Crookshanks! Get away from him!"

She ran forward but the dog launched itself onto Ron's shoulder before biting down. Ron screamed but didn't let go of Scabbers. Taking out her wand she pointed it at the dog but between it and Ron she could harm Ron in doing so. Harry made another grab for Ron but the dog locked his jaws on Ron and started dragging his body towards the base of the tree. Ron gave a louder scream when the tree slammed down on his thigh with a sickening crack. Hermione winced and almost dropped her wand in shock.

Crookshanks ran towards the base of the tree and jumped on the knot there which made the tree go completely still. Harry ran forward but the dog had already disappeared into the hole right under the knot. Harry looked over at her with large eyes. Yes, it didn't bode well for any of them.

Hermione glanced back at the castle but didn't see anybody out and about. She couldn't leave them both of them by themselves. Crookshanks ran into the hole, following the dog and Ron. She grabbed Harry's arm and ran into the hole. It was dark and wet, it also smelled like a wet dog. But something much stronger filled the space. Shrugging that thought off, she pulled Harry forward. They followed Crookshanks who was bounded down the tunnel. After a few minutes, her cat took a corner and disappeared. Harry glanced at back at her as she raised her wand, "Lumos."

Her wand illuminated the dirty tunnel until they came to a room that had seen better days. Harry looked around the dusty room while she looked for Crookshanks. The room only had one other opening it leads to a beat up hallway with large scratches. We passed them and hurried further in.

A loud and windy shriek blew overhead and Hermione glanced around, "Harry, I think we're in the Shrieking Shack." Harry nodded slowly, "I think so too." They both froze when a shout sounded right above them. They both ran further down the hallway until they came upon wooden stairs. Harry ran in front of her with his wand out.

The stairs led to a small hallway with only one door open. Harry stepped forward but she pushed him aside and walked in first. The first thing she saw Crookshanks laying on a large bed in the middle of the room. Harry ignored the dangers in the room and ran towards Ron who was lying near the bed on the floor. He saw them and gasped out something but she missed what he said.

Hermione glanced around the room and stiffened when she saw the familiar man. Familiar since his face had been plastered all over the Wizarding world. She raised her wand at him and stepped a bit closer to Harry who was still kneeling over Ron.

She faintly heard Ron say, "... he's an Animagus…" Which explained the man standing near the window. He was filthy and gaunt. He was still wearing his Azkaban uniform and had a large cut across his chest that was scabbed over.

Still pointing the wand at him she turned slightly towards Harry, "Is Ron seriously hurt?" Harry shook his head as he too pointed his wand at the dangerous wizard. She stepped in the wizard's direct line of sight. "I won't let you hurt Harry. I'll stop you before you can do anything."

Black gave a light laugh, "I don't want to hurt Harry."

Harry growled, "You escaped Azkaban to hurt me!" Black tilted his head like a dog, "I'm not. But your friend there has the real reason I escaped." He pointed a bony finger at Ron.

"Incarcerous."

The spell hit him and she waited until the bindings forced him to the floor before inching her way towards him. Harry grabbed her arm from behind, "Don't. Dumbledore and the Minister should be in the castle. Go get him while I wait here with them."

She shook her head, "No, we don't know how powerful he is. He might have been locked up for twelve years but the magic of a person never dies." Harry let go reluctantly and moved back towards Ron who had been watching them with wide eyes, a slight glaze of pain taking over them, turning them a bit dark.

Hermione moved towards Black who was now straining against the binds. "Let me go! I need to kill him!" Black shouted, his veins protruding against his skin. She flinched but didn't move away from him. "Kill who? Harry?" She asked, faking a calm even though her heart was racing.

Black glared up at her, "NO! Peter Pettigrew! He has him!" Harry lost his patients and yelled, "He's dead! You killed him! You betrayed my parents!"

Black softened his gaze, "No, Harry, I didn't betray them. He did." His gaze became steely as he looked at Ron who paled and pulled Scabbers closer. Hermione frowned, he must have gone mad in prison if he thought that Ron knew anything about Pettigrew; even if he was alive which he wasn't.

They all froze when they heard somebody coming up the stairs. Harry moved in front of Ron with his wand pointed at the door while she moved to the middle of the room. Professor Lupin stepped into the room with his wand in hand. He startled when he saw all of them but his gaze narrowed when he saw Black to the right of her; bounded up like an animal.

Harry's face showed relief at having an adult and a professor with them. Hermione glanced at Black expecting defeat to be shown on his face but only saw guilt and anger. Lupin glanced at her and back to Black.

"Professor! It's Sirius Black! He's here to kill Harry!" Ron shouted as he clutched Scabbers to his chest with a frightened look on his face. Harry stared at Lupin, his hope slowly fading as he noticed the same look she had noticed come upon Lupin's face.

He looked hurt and relieved to see Sirius Black. Which made her suspicious and angry. Both adults ignored them as they stared at each other. Hermione didn't move away from Black, not with the way he seemed to breath easier now that Lupin was in the room.

"What are you waiting for? Call for help!" Ron shouted once again, his wince catching her attention briefly. He needed help and fast. His coloring didn't look good to her. She snapped back when Lupin walked further into the room and towards Black. He stared at him with a hint of hurt.

"Why? Why did you do it, Padfoot?" Lupin asked, his eyes never leaving Black's. Padfoot? What did that mean?

Black gave a tired laugh, "I didn't do what they said I did. I was framed by Peter."

Lupin frowned, "Can you prove it?" Black nodded as he once again started to struggle. Hermione moved back just as Lupin kneeled by Blacks side. She was now closer to the door and stilled when she caught a whiff of herbs and spices. She frowned, that smell was familiar but she couldn't think of where she had smelled it before, she forgot about it the instant Lupin removed the spell she had cast on Black.

Harry shouted, "No! You can't believe him!" Ron nodded but Hermione only kept her silence. She looked down at the floor and saw Ron's wand near the bed but it seemed to be stuck on a broken floorboard. As long as Black didn't see the wand they could retrieve it.

She pointed her wand at Lupin, "Stop. Step away from him, professor. I know about your secret. Unless you want me to say something about it step away!" Lupin looked shocked as he momentarily forgot about the serious situation.

"What? How?" he asked as he lowered his wand.

"I knew since before Professor Snape made us write the essay on werewolves," Hermione said, not giving him an inch as she stared him down.

Lupin gave her a small smile, "You are the brightest witch, aren't you?" She shrugged and fired the spell at him just as Harry did.

"Expelliarmus!"

Both spells hit him in the chest and he flew back and hit the wall behind him. Black cursed and launched himself forward. Shite, she had forgotten about Ron's wand! Black grabbed it and pointed it at them. Lupin's wand hit the floor just as something solid bumped into her. Turning around in time to see Professor Snape move from behind her, forcing her to move away. It only made her catch that tantalizing smell of herbs and spice once again. That's why it had been so familiar.

Snape sneered at Black, "I'll have you bound-" Black lowered the wand, "Wait! Severus. Hear me out, please. I can prove I'm innocent." Snape gave a bitter laugh, "Why would I ever listen to you? Especially you."

Black flushed, "She would have wanted you to give me a chance." That froze Snape up and he paled, "Do not think to use her against me." Snape said in a deadly tone.

Hermione winced inwardly at his frosty tone and moved to the side, covering Harry once again. Harry seemed to be torn between different emotions as he stared at Black and Snape. Being in front of his godfather, who was as close to a family he had and also knowing that his godfather was a convict of the law was playing with his emotions. Right and wrong were irrelevant when it came to the emotions of a person.

She leaned around Harry to look at Ron who was grimacing in pain. He wasn't paying much attention since he was probably half delirious with pain. A large stillness filled the air and she turned around to see Snape holding Black by the throat, his face full of resentment towards the criminal in his grasp.

"Where is he then? Isn't he in this room? I'm going to fully enjoy having you put down like the dog you are." Without saying anything else he pointed his wand at Black's throat and before he could say anything Harry hit him with a stunner which sent him flying back and dropping to the floor. Hermione gasped and glanced at Harry who was looking down at his wand, almost not believing what he had just done.

Black rushed forward and Hermione pushed Harry behind her but Black passed them and knelt down by Ron who shouted in alarm but Black wasn't interested in him. He leaned down and pried the rat from his hands. The rat started making hissing sounds and his eyes seem to bulge out of his tiny head. There was a shifting to the side and we all looked over to see Lupin getting up and rubbing his chest with a grimace.

Lupin glanced at Black with a perplexed look but seemed to realize right away the reason why Black was holding the rat up. "How did you know it was Ron's rat?" Black gave a harsh laugh, "I saw it on the Daily Prophet and realized that he was living with the Molly and Arthur as a rat. I saw the missing finger and remembered that it was the only thing that remained at the scene when I was taken away."

Black turned to Harry and stunned the rat before dropping it on the floor with a loud thump. "Watch Harry, I never killed or betrayed anyone. Please." Harry nodded warily but kept his mouth shut. His wand was ready but it was with less gusto. Hermione wasn't so sure about him just yet so she kept hers locked on Black, wand ready for anything.

With a sharp wand movement, he shot a bright blue spell towards the stunned rat and they watched as it slowly transformed into an older man about Lupin's and Black's age. His face was saggy, almost like he had been starved when he had been fat before. His face was also blotchy and he had a large bald spot in the middle of where his hair would have been parted. Two of his front teeth stuck out of his mouth and were a yellowish brown color. His stench was another matter altogether.

Harry moved forward and asked, "Is he really Pettigrew?" Both men nodded. Hermione moved back away from them and glanced back at Snape who was still knocked out. Lupin followed her gaze before taking Snape's wand away.

"Expecto Patronum," Lupin said. A large wispy wolf appeared, alert and ready to serve. He sent it to Dumbledore but didn't give any detail as to why he had to come to the Shrieking Shack with the Minister.

Hermione moved to Ron and glanced up at Lupin, "Do you think you could help him?" Ron was half in and out and wasn't responding to her touch. Lupin ran his wand over his body once and sent several spells towards Ron's shoulder to stop the bleeding. He moved his wand over Ron's thigh once and we heard a loud crack that knocked Ron out. It was for the best.

But it also made it clear that she wasn't ready to take care of Harry if something happened to him or Ron. A trip to the library was what she needed. She had to be prepared for anything.

There was a loud crack in the floor beneath them and loud footsteps coming up the stairs. It sounded like the Headmaster was reassuring the Minister. She knew that if the Minister found out that Harry Potter was in contact with Black or even had anything to do with it. He would try and use it for his benefit. She cast the Disillusionment charm over Harry, Ron and herself just as they made it to the door.

As long as Fudge didn't try to look too closely in their direction he wouldn't know they were in the room as well. Dumbledore took one look at Sirius Black and halted the Minister from walking in. Dumbledore looked around the room and stopped briefly on the boys and her before focusing on Pettigrew who was still stunned on the floor.

The twinkle in his eyes left, they filled with a brief glimpse of rage that stunned Hermione. His face went blank the next second, reminding her of somebody else's face. He glanced over at Snape's body before turning to the Minister. While he quietly talks to him in a low tone Hermione pointed her at Snape and stunned him once more so he wouldn't wake up and cast the same charm on him that she had cast on the others so that the only people visible in the room was Lupin, Sirius Black, and Pettigrew.

Black grinned down at the last place he had seen her but wiped that expression as Fudge pushed his way around the headmaster. He gasped out loud and pointed his wand at Black who just raised an eyebrow at him.

"You!" Fudge screamed as he raised his wand high with shaking fingers. Lupin stepped in front of him with his hands out, "It's not what it looks like Minister. Black is innocent. The man you want is Peter Pettigrew. He framed Sirius and stayed in his Animagus form for the last decade. He must have been waiting for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named returned to power to give Harry to him."

Fudge grew red as he pointed his wand around and glanced down at the prone body on the floor. His mouth opened several times but nothing came out. Dumbledore patted his shoulder, "I fear we must take this to the Ministry. We will question Pettigrew with Veturesirum and find out the truth." He nodded at Lupin, "Bring Pettigrew, I am sure some of us want to get back to the castle as soon as possible." he said as he glanced in their direction.

They waited for them to leave before dropping the charm and Harry getting up with a large but hesitant smile on his face. "I have a godfather, Mione. He's going to be proven innocent!" he said. Hermione nodded, "I guessing by the time school lets out you won't have to go back to that awful family of yours." Harry grabbed her by the shoulders and tugged her into his arms. "You have no idea how much I wished deep inside for it all to be a lie. I couldn't believe that he would betray them without reason. I really wanted to believe that."

Hermione tightened her arms around him, "I know Harry." She did. The last two summers she had wondered if he was being fed right if he was okay. Now she wouldn't have to worry as much. But they didn't know who Sirius was as a person. She would keep an eye on him regardless. If he really was faking it all, she would...

"Take Ron to the infirmary, I'll see that Professor Snape doesn't kill anybody."

Harry frowned as he shot Snape a look, "No. He will react badly and we did curse him. We should leave him to Dumbledore." She was already shaking her head, "No, that will only make it worse. I'll deal with him. At the moment Ron matters more."

After a couple of minutes, he levitated Ron out of the shack with Crookshanks following right behind. Hermione took a deep breath before moving towards Snape. It was closer to midnight and she wondered if Lupin was going to come back here for his transformation. Best to get out of the way before that happened.

Pointing her wand at him, "Rennervate." Snape shot up with a glare so fierce that it made her drop her wand and take several steps back. He looked around the room and noticed right away that it was just him and her in it. He zeroed in on her, "You stupid girl! You let him go! You will be expelled as well as Potter and Weasley!" he shouted as he came close to her. Hermione stared up at him with fear in her eyes, as well as a bit of anger. He wordlessly accioed his wand and shot her a sneer.

Somebody cleared their throat and they both turned to see Adrian Pucey and Marcus Flint. Right behind them was the other boy with the easy grin staring at both of them, although it did look like a sneer to her. Snape hissed, "What are you doing here?" Pucey gestured towards Hermione, "She dropped this and we came after her since we are pretty sure it is something she wasn't supposed to lose."

She glanced down at his hand and gasped. Her time-turner was in his hands. She rushed forward and took it. Checking it over to make sure it wasn't broken. It wasn't. Snape's flat voice filled the air, "That is how you have been getting to every class even though they overlap each other. I have questioned the old fool about that but he never said exactly how you were able to attend all twelve subjects."

All three boys looked at her with surprise before masking their emotions. Very Slytherin like too. She knew they would question her later. No other student was supposed to know about it. She had broken so many rules that this one seemed so irrelevant.

Except for the fact that it was Slytherins who had found out about it.

….

I had to end it here since it was a little too long but I'm already looking over the next chapter. Please look forward to it! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

I never believed that George and Fred would have let their little brother alone if they had seen Peter's name on the map so I had it changed so that their names would appear as Moony, Prongs, Padfoot, and Wormtail. But it only worked for them and not the others. Like McGonagall, when she would have changed it would show her actual name.

Vanee