Chapter 6

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She was watching Adrian Pucey and his father. They were both discussing something in low tones as they stood in an unused guest room in their manor. Lady Zephrine had taken Flint with her to their garden outside as to not get in the way of the whole time-turner rules. They couldn't see them until they returned to the right time. Hermione watched as Lord Pucey took out a wand from a bag he was holding. He looked down at her as he shifted the bag and passed it to his son.

"Use this wand. When we were 'active' some of us would use different wands to cast certain curses since some of the followers had been active members of the Ministry."

Hermione looked down at the wand with a hint of distaste. It didn't feel right. It felt like she was cheating on her wand in some way. But it would prevent the trace on her wand from alerting the Ministry that she was using magic. She nodded her thanks as she slipped it into her pocket. She would have to get used to breaking the rules.

Lord Pucey grabbed her arm and nodded at his son. "Meet us at the church, at the end of the road."

He had already looked into her memories to find a good spot to appear without being seen. They would apparate there and wait a few minutes before her parents went home. Lord Pucey cast a Disillusionment charm on all three of them and with a loud crack they disappeared. They landed exactly behind the church and moved back into the covers of the trees.

Pulling out the time turner out from under her jumper she motioned them to get close to her and almost gasped as they both bumped into each other. She wasn't sure how to feel about it as she glanced up at them from under her lashes, both of them were crowding her. She raised her arms and realized she couldn't reach high enough to slip the chain over their heads.

Both men realized that and awkwardly leaned down so she could include them. Once she slipped it on them, she looked down at her watch and counted back the time.

When the time read twelve o'clock she flipped the rings and turned the hourglass twice. Time began moving at a rapid speed and they watched day turn back tonight. Once it was done both men stepped out from under the necklace and watched as she pulled a small notebook with leather binding. She pulled the feather quill out of the small pocket inside of it and marked how far back they had gone and where.

She put it back into her bag and looked up at both men. "I mark the time and whatnot so that I can make the calculations later. My birthday changes according to it. Now yours will too but not by much unless you're with me again. Also, I need to leave a note for...the past me. To leave with Adrian and wait till tomorrow."

Lord Pucey nodded as he glanced around, looking suspiciously at everything. He began walking forward and they followed him. She looked at her side where Adrian Pucey walked. He sensed her stare and turned to meet her gaze. He wasn't staring down at her blankly like he normally would. He had a troubled look in his eyes. She raised an eyebrow at him. He smirked before looking straight ahead as they neared her house. The driveway was empty so her parents weren't home yet so she had gotten the timing right. Lord Pucey dropped the charm as they walked into the driveway.

She pinned the note by the bush they would arrive behind of and made sure to charm it the right way. She quickly walked away and followed the men up the stairs.

Once they neared the door, Lord Pucey moved aside as she could open the door. She did so and they moved inside. She turned the light on and Pucey Jr. flinched. She hid a smile as she moved towards the living room.

"Stay here while I greet them. Father will not take it the right way if he sees you both alone with me."

They both nodded and sat down on the armchairs near the telly. She pulled her hair up into a bun as she set her bag on the floor near the front door and waited by the doorway separating the living room and a couple of minutes, she heard the sound of a car coming down the street. Lights flashed across the window and Hermione stood up as she waited for her parents to come inside.

Her mother came in first followed by her father. They both stopped as soon as they saw her.

"Hemi, are you going somewhere?" Her mother asked as she took off her purse.

Hermione nodded slightly. "Yes, but so are you. Please don't panic okay. Just follow me." Her father frowned as he took in her attire.

"What is going on, Hermione?" His tone sounded sharp even to her ears.

"Father, please just do as I say. We don't have enough time to go into detail."

Her father scowl became darker at her words. She looked back into the living room and at Lord Pucey's nod, she hurried her parents into the living room. Lord Pucey stood up and watched as her parents instantly stiffen at the sight of an unknown man. Mother gasped at the sight of Adrian Pucey at her side. She turned sharply to see Lord Pucey as well.

"You're pregnant!?" Mother staggered back and father wrapped an arm around her. Hermione gaped at her mother. What? Did she really just ask that? It was true that she had never brought a man home before but for her mother to think that?

To her mother, she was only fourteen but it was obviously just the right age to come to such baffling conclusion.

Hermione glanced back towards Lord Pucey. His face was a mixture of shock and amusement while his son, who had stood up to greet her parents, paused to place a hand on the armchair as he looked at her mother with a bit of horror and surprise.

Father cleared his throat loudly.

"I'm sure that it isn't what is going on, Margaret."

Hermione nodded as she moved her hands impatiently. "We need the both of you to stay with his son upstairs. Bad people are coming and I'll explain after. So please, go with him."

Her father stared at her, anger and worry etched on every line of his face. Her mother stared at Hermione with wide eyes but stayed by her husband's side. Her father searched Hermione's face before nodding and turning his wife around and towards the stairs without once looking back.

Pucey passed her by as his dad stayed behind with her and he gave her a measured look before following her parents. She turned back to see Lord Pucey tilt his head as he hid his amusement by looking away from her. She shrugged and turned the light off in the living room, casting them in shadows.

The only light on in the house would be in the foyer, making it seem like everybody was sleeping. Lord Pucey shifted beside the doorway as she moved by behind the door so when it swung open she would be hidden by it.

A few minutes later they heard loud footsteps on the porch before the door handle turned itself. The door swung open, hitting her shoulder hard. They must have used a spell just slightly more powerful than Alohomora. She moved a bit to the side as a tall figure walked in with another much shorter one. They were both speaking in low voices although one spoke in broken English.

Hermione nodded towards the smaller man and Lord Pucey nodded as he moved towards the taller man. She used the wand that wasn't hers and slid it up right against the smaller man's throat.

"Move and you both die."

It felt wrong to say that. It wasn't her. She brushed the thought aside as she pressed the tip of her wand harder into the man's neck. Hermione glanced over at the other man who was also being held at wand point by Lord Pucey. She looked up into the taller man's face. Only one word came to mind.

Vampire.

His face was so pale. No person alive could be that pale except for a certain Professor who had a reason for being so pale.

She had read about Vampires in her first year. But had never actually seen one in person. His eyes were sunken and his face was gaunt. She broke eye contact with him since she remembered reading something about them being able to persuade a victim to willingly give their bodies and blood.

The vampire laughed. "What a smart missy. I had only been told what you looked like but not how sharp that mind of yours was."

Lord Pucey did something with his leg and the vampire went down to his knees with a loud hiss.

The shorter man at the end of her wand gave a snarl, "Unhand me you dirty mudblood. Petrov! Shut your damn mouth!"

Hermione grew angry and stunned him hard. She watched him drop with a sickening thump and cast binds for good measure. She pocketed his wand before shifting her attention to the other men. She noticed Lord Pucey's face showing a bit of open amusement before schooling his features once again. She shrugged and leaned down to pat down the Vampires clothes. She found a wand and a wrapped blood lollipop.

"Why were you sent here?" She asked as she put away the wand and left the candy in his pocket.

Petrov or whatever his name was glanced up at her with a hungry expression. "I'm only cattle. I don't have the mark and I haven't done anything but break into a Muggle home. There is nothing you can say that will make me look anything but a victim."

Hermione shrugged as she pulled away from him. "I tried. You can do what… you said you would do." She didn't look up at him as she moved away and grabbed his bag and hers.

Stepping around them she headed upstairs just as she heard harsh whispering coming from behind her before a loud crack sounded. She knew what he was going to do and it didn't bother her one bit. She just didn't think her parents would stay put any longer. She passed her room and straight for her parent's room. The door was left ajar and she pushed it open to see Pucey by the window with his wand out. He glanced at her and she nodded. He raised an eyebrow but didn't speak.

Her mother quickly made her way to Hermione with a worried look etched on her face.

"Hemi, will you tell us what is going on?"

Her father only gave her a hard but worried look. He was waiting for an answer as well. She had already spoken to him about leaving her and this just made it real to him.

She pulled her mother in for a hug. "Mother, you and dad will have to go away for some time. Visit Grandmother in France and just take a vacation."

Her mother frowned, "Why? We can't just leave you here alone."

Hermione stared into her mother's eyes before locking eyes woth her father . He grabbed his wife and pulled her to the side as he tried to explain what she had to do.

Hermione opened the bag that Lord Pucey had brought and pulled out a large manila envelope. She flipped the flap to it and took out several pieces of written parchment. Each was different locations that they would stay at and money accounts in the muggle world. She wondered if all purebloods did that. Hid money in the muggle world.

She held the envelope tighter when her mother's hesitant voice filled the air. "Hemi, won't you come with us? If it's going to get dangerous as you say then…" her voice broke off when a loud crack sounded and footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Hermione shook her head slowly, "I have to stay mother. Harry will need me soon and I won't leave him alone."

Her mother's hands trembled as they reached for Hermione's shoulders. "Hemi, you're my only daughter, I can't lose you."

Hermione glanced at the door as it opened and in came Lord Pucey who had blood dripping from his arm. She moved away from her mother and went to him. His son gasped softly as he made his way to his father as well.

"What happened?" she asked as she cut through the fabric of his clothes. There was a large bite on the inner side of his forearm.

"Petrov tried getting away after I killed Avery. He bit me before I tore through his mind."

Hermione stopped the bleeding and looked around for something to use as a makeshift bandage. Her father appeared at her with small bandages that Pucey Jr enlarged and handed them to her. Once she was done wrapping them around the wound, she moved back and looked over at her mother.

She was staring at Hermione with a watery smile. "I always knew you wouldn't leave their world. When your professor came to the house, wearing that large witch hat, I knew I had lost you."

Hermione shook her head, "You didn't lose me, mum. I just found where I belonged. I just don't want them to use you or father against me. I would do everything, even betray Harry, to save you both."

Mother nodded, "Ever since you wrote about that boy, I wondered if we should have tried for another baby then. You spoke of that boy like one would a young sibling."

Hermione smiled, "I love him like a brother. And that brother needs me. Or will need me soon. I have to prepare myself before that."

She glanced back at the two other wizards in the room. "I found where I belong mother. I will do anything keep it."

Mother smiled sadly but her eyes showed love and pride in her. "I'll go but you have to promise to write us."

Hermione had avoided looking at her Father but could no longer stall and glanced at him. He was staring at her blankly. She almost thought that he hadn't heard one word of what they had just said but his hands were balled up into a fist.

He had heard everything but was keeping his silence.

Knowing she couldn't leave him like that, she moved towards him until she was standing a few inches from him. She picked up his hands and waited for him to relax his hands before speaking.

"I promise that I will try to come back to you. Just keep mother safe so that when I return I don't find myself orphaned."

Father gave a low curse before pulling her into his arms in desperation.

His warm breath brushing the top of her head as he crushed her. "A father is supposed to protect their child at all cost. To have to leave you willing fills me with dread and worry. But I don't want to fight you over this. You are a part of two worlds. One that doesn't know what to do with you and another that needs you to fight for it. I understand but it doesn't make it any easier to know. I love you and please take care of yourself. Write to us. Call us for anything and we will be there as fast as possible."

Hermione forced herself not to cry as she hugged him back just as tightly.

After a moment she pulled away and smiled softly. "Lord Pucey will take you to where you need to go. Just pack lightly. Everything will be here when it is all done."

Her father nodded and turned to mother. She turned away from them and walked back to the two wizards. Lord Pucey was staring at her parents before looking down at her.

"Thank you," she said, grateful for what he was doing and for what he had done. He nodded but didn't speak as he walked out of the room as her parents began shifted around the room and saw Pucey Jr staring at her.

Raising an eyebrow in question, he smiled, "You look nothing like your mother."

Startled at his comment, she looked back towards her mother. The only thing they had in common was their height and figure. She looked like her father though. He had the same hair as her and the face too. "I know. It's funny since people normally ask if I'm adopted."

Pucey's smile became a smirk. "I can see that."

Lord Pucey took her parents away after another round of hugs. She had watched him take them and now stood in her room with Pucey Jr. She packed a bit more of her stuff as well as some of her father's clothes. Pucey had raised an eyebrow at that.

"I take them all the time. I have more of his plaid shirts than my own clothes." He shot her an amused look before turning to her nightstand. It had a picture of Harry and Ron on it. The only picture she had of the three of them together.

His amused look disappeared as he stared at it. "Hmm, the three of you are really close?"

She paused her packing as she read his expression. "Yes, we are. Although, Ron and I fight a lot more than 'friends' should. Harry is different. I love him."

Pucey didn't say anything else as she grabbed the picture and handed it to her. "Father says you will stay with us but whenever anybody on your side wants to pick you up or something to come back here."

She nodded as she shifted her backpack onto her shoulder and was reaching for her two bags when Pucey leaned down and grabbed. He took them downstairs without looking back at her. She stood around her room, the shock of what had happened in the last couple of weeks hitting her. All of it seemed surreal and life alerting. There were so many things at stake and it was almost suffocating to think about.

She really needed to ask them to teach her Occlumency and Legilimency. The lack of emotions with sharp thinking along with the ability to read others would help her immensely in the months to come. Especially when looking after two troublesome boys.

Hermione moved to her bookshelf and shrunk it, books and all with the borrowed wand. Some were Muggle authors but the majority were books she had taken from Flourish and Blotts. She had bought so many of them on her last trip so she kept most of them shrunk in her bookbag. She slipped them into her bag and made her way downstairs.

The sun was beginning to rise, the light making the house look less dark. She passed the Kitchen and noticed that Pucey Jr was standing in front of the fridge with open curiosity.

"Why are their pictures stuck on here?" She almost laughed but refrained since he was a pureblood and had never actually had his parents use magnets to stick pictures in the fridge.

"It's a way to show them off. The magnet keeps them in place." He still looked a bit mystified by it but turned away from it and sat down on the stool behind the counter. He looked around the kitchen with an open expression, he had probably never been in one before. Only elves ever went into the kitchens.

She turned towards the fridge and took out several eggs and fresh cut ham. Might as well use it since she wouldn't be back for a while. The food would go bad but she would ask Sunmi to bring her back later to clear it out.

"You know how to cook?" asked Pucey Jr, voice full of implied disbelief.

Hermione nodded, taking no offence. "Mother forced me to cook with her all the time. At first, I was rubbish at it. She had to buy me several books on home cooking until I learned how to."

She set to make simple eggs and cooked the ham on the side. She wasn't sure when his father would be back but even so; they couldn't go back until mid-morning.

Several hours later they stood in Lord Pucey's den. Lady Zephrine was sitting at her side while Pucey stood by the opened window to the side.

Lord Pucey was signing forms as he spoke. "I found out that they had been sent by Riddle himself as well as somebody else they couldn't ever see clearly but it might be another of the Death Eater. I don't understand why he hasn't called the rest of us back. The vampire, Brian Petrov ran into Riddle in Albania. He needs somebody to kill for some important reason that wasn't known to Petrov. He hadn't seen Riddle directly but Petrov had no doubt as well as Avery that it was Riddle. But neither of them have any memory of seeing Riddle. Just hearing his voice."

Lord Pucey paused as he glances up at her. "Avery said that Riddle asked for you specifically since he knows you are Harry Potter's closest friend and muggleborn as well. He knows a bit about you from the girl he possessed the year before."

Ah, yes, Ginny. Hermione nodded, "I know who he speaks off. But why me specifically?"

Lord Pucey fixed his blank face on her. "He wanted to make a statement and make Potter fearful of getting close to anybody. And to send a message to Dumbledore as well." That made some sense in a twisted way. But now that meant he would kill somebody else.

"He will know he failed when no news comes out about your unfortunate death. He will send others or might just wait. Which is why your parents had to leave." he said as he leaned back in his chair.

Hermione gave a sigh, fingers struggling to tame her hair, which had escaped the bun she had twisted not too long ago.

Lady Zephrine stood and moved behind her chair. "May I?" she asked, her smile timid.

Hermione stilled, "I don't think you can do much with it."

Lady Zephrine gave a light laugh. "Let me try at least." Hermione shrugged and left her to it. She had tried for years to make it seem less like a birds nest but nothing had helped.

Lady Zephrine began to work on it as Hermione turned her attention back to Lord Pucey who had been staring at his wife with a pained look in his eyes. It took Hermione a moment to realize why. They didn't have a daughter so letting his wife do this was almost a slap in the face; unintentional but hurting regardless. He cleared his eyes as he turned to look at Hermione once more. He leaned his head to the side in a silent thank you.

She cleared her throat and asked. "Can you both teach me how to use Occlumency and Legilimency?"

Lord Pucey halted as well as the hands in her hair. Lord Pucey's eyes became flat as they gazed into hers. "That's something that took Adrian years to achieve. I don't think we have enough time to teach you."

Hermione smiled. "I'm a very fast learner."

...o0o0o0o0o

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