Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" and every one of its characters belong to JK Rowling! I own only this plot, and all the characters you don't recognize. The song here is "Friends Never Say Goodbye" by Elton John, from The Road to El Dorado.

Summary: In the future, Voldemort is no longer the terrible threat that begins to loom over the horizon. How can the survivors of the war believe the truth they have been told - a truth that condemns someone they loved and honored? A story of love, faith, loyalty and the legacy somebody left behind ...

Note: Set in the future. The trio are all 21 years old, and I think some of this story might be A/U.

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Stained Legacy

Chapter Seven: Friends Never Say Goodbye

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Over the following weeks, there was intense activity amongst the Order of the Phoenix. It began, of course, with Harry catapulting across the room and hugging his godfather, nearly crying, and then regaining control of himself. Then it was Remus's turn, and Sirius looked considerably worse for wear. Then came a relatively quiet celebration held at the Burrow, during which Sirius was overwhelmed by all his friends and teammates, interrogated mercilessly, gushed over by Mrs. Weasley and Tonks, and hugged and kissed till he protested by Fred and George (in exaggerated affection, although it was obvious that they were thrilled), and so on.

Then Dumbledore and Sirius spent a day at Hogwarts, during which they discussed all they could about the situation and heavy work began on the subject of the Sphere of Pagnon. Apart from Auror duties, Harry also joined Remus and Sirius in their field world - searching all possible locales for a killer, which stemmed from the reports Dumbledore continually received. Ron, Fred, George and Mrs. Weasley were given the duty of prowling the London streets and magical locales, keeping an eye and ear out for rumours and news from the underworld and other places.

Hermione volunteered instinctively to do research with Professor McGonagall, because not only was it her best area of work and it allowed her to spend a lot of time with Sean, but she also knew Sirius was far too restless to opt for researching. It caused a constant, terrible ache, especially as she saw how happy the others were, but she avoided him as much as possible, and indeed, over the following weeks, they were all so busy and their hours so warped that she saw very little of him.

Remus and Harry both tried once each to talk to her about it, but she had refused to continue any discussions. Maybe they were more forgiving but she'd been hurt. She'd suffered nightmares and terrible guilt over it, and when she thought about how their loyalty, faith and love for him had been tested by the suspicions, his death, the Ministry -

"Hi, Mommy, you're back."

It was the 14th of December, and the watch on Hermione's wrist read ten-fifteen. She had just gotten back to the penthouse after a tiring evening at the British Museum, and Sean was draped in an armchair, watching TV (Harry's latest acquisition into the apartment) and wide awake.

"Hey, sweetie," She kissed him on the head and lifted him up into her arms briefly. "What are you still doing awake, big boy? It's way past your bedtime. Were you nice to Aunt Minerva until she had to leave at eight o' clock? And where's your babysitter?"

"Over there." Sean grinned mischievously, and nodded towards the couch, where Ron was sprawled, clearly blissfully enjoying dreamland.

Hermione snorted. "Some babysitter. Hey, Ron!"

"No, Mum, lemme sleep for longer ..." Ron slurred in his sleep, turning over. Hermione laughed and pointed her wand at him, levitating him and transporting him through the air into his bedroom and onto the bed. Remus was going to be at Hogwarts for the night, Harry was probably fast asleep already in the Burrow as he had a mission at four A.M leading off from nearby there, and she had no idea where Sirius was (nor did she care, she told herself).

Therefore,with all the others irretrievable at the moment, the choice had been between Ron and Mundungus Fletcher, and as much as Hermione liked Dung, she had absolutely no desire to have his influence solely dominating her son, even for a couple of hours.

She returned to the living room and turned off the TV, turning to her son.

"Bed?"

"Will you read me a story first?" Sean gave her his adorably irresistible look that reminded Hermione so forcefully of someone that she stiffened for a moment, and then smiled. "Please, Mommy? Sing me a song! The song about friends."

Hermione pondered the identity of this elusive song, and finally remembered which one her son was referring to. Singing had been a motherly acquisition, and no one except for Sean knew that she could hold a note. Stifling a yawn and smiling, she curled up on the couch, scooped Sean into her lap, and leaned back into the soft cushions in an attempt to get comfortable. Then, through heavy lids and eyes that prickled with sudden tears at the meanings in the song, she sang softly in her sweet voice:

There isn't much I haven't shared
With you along the road
And through it all there'd always be
Tomorrow's episode.
Suddenly that isn't true
There's another avenue
Beckoning, the great divide
Ask no questions, take no side.
Who's to say who's right or wrong?
Whose course is braver run?
Still we are, have always been,
Will ever be ... as one.

What is done, has been done for the best,
Though the mist in my eyes might suggest
Just a little confusion about what I'll lose,
But if I started over, I know I would choose
The same joy, the same sadness, each step of the way
That fought me and taught me, that friends never say -
Never say goodbye
Never say goodbye
Never say goodbye ...

As she hummed the last words, and they trailed off into a whisper, Hermione's head snuggled deeper into the cushion, her cheek resting on Sean's head as he slept curled up in her arms, his head cuddled under her neck. She slept dreamlessly for the next hour or so, a rare moment of peace descending over her, but the hour of rest did not last long.

With soft Cracks, a few people Apparated into the living room. With low murmurs and whispers, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall conjured up a couple more armchairs and sat down. Remus sat down as well, and Harry went into Ron's bedroom and reappeared with him (Ron grumbled and moaned, but stumbled out in his undersized maroon pajamas anyway).

Only Sirius remained standing in the same spot that he'd Apparated onto, staring at the sleeping mother and child. He didn't notice the covert glances the others shot him, but he was aware of it when Dumbledore gently said, "We must wake her."

"Do we have to?" Sirius asked, frowning. "She looks so - peaceful. Why not let them sleep?"

"She has to know, Padfoot," Remus said, his eyes slightly worried, "Dumbledore's kept silent about it for too long. Hermione would want to know."

With a sigh, Sirius nodded in agreement and dropped into the last empty armchair.

Professor McGonagall leaned over, and gently shook Hermione's shoulder. "Hermione? Hermione, dear? It's me - Minerva. Professor McGonagall. Wake up, Hermione."

"Mmm?" Hermione murmured drowsily, and she opened her eyes slightly. Sirius watched her, his control reaching dangerously strained limits, as she licked her lips sleepily and looked about as if in a daze. Her brown eyes clouded and then snapped to life as she realized that there were no less than six people staring at her all around her. Straightening slightly, her arms tightening around Sean, who was still asleep, she said, "What's wrong?"

"Just a meeting that needed to be had," Dumbledore assured her with a smile and twinkling blue eyes. "Why not let Sirius take Sean to his room and tuck him into bed? You look very tired, my dear."

Hermione shot Dumbledore a close look, but he just gave her that obnoxiously happy, benign look.

"All right," She said, as Sirius stood up obediently and crossed the three feet between his armchair and the couch, reaching down and taking Sean from her grasp. She watched as his arms gently lifted the little boy up, and held him securely. Sean stirred in his sleep and turned his head into Sirius's throat. For a moment, everyone stared at the faces of man and boy, one innocent and peaceful, the other wryly affectionate - and then Sirius turned around abruptly, and went into the little bedroom. Hermione had been staring at her hands the whole time, but the others, Remus in particular, saw the flash of a breaking heart in Sirius's fathomless eyes.

When Sirius returned and resumed his seat, Dumbledore said, "Well, first of all, Hermione, there's something you need to know. You and Ron are the only ones right now who still are unaware of it, although I'm sure you may suspect, but I've suspected it for a long time now."

"What?" Ron asked eagerly.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, but grew more concerned behind the half-moon glasses. "I believe we are all aware of the contents of the page Sirius left you earlier, regarding the Sphere of Pagnon. You, Hermione, I'm sure, will recall the passages about a 'Chosen One' - the one who will have the concentrated magic alone to destroy the Sphere of Pagnon."

"Yes, of course," Hermione nodded, "The page said something about - " She racked her memory, " - Oh yeah, about how the Chosen One will be born into the time when the Sphere comes into play, and he or she will be the child of a witch and wizard."

"An excellent memory, Hermione, you're absolutely right," Dumbledore smiled, "Well, I believe I know who the Chosen One is, and I'll be honest: although I have complete faith in him, it worries me that he will be put into danger if the current holder of the Sphere finds out."

"Who is it?" Ron asked, eyes boggling in curiosity. "Is it Harry?"

Harry sighed heavily. "No, but this time, I almost wish it was."

"Why?" Hermione asked. Harry had always wished to be anyone but the Boy Who Lived, so why would he want to be the - her thoughts stopped abruptly. He would want to take the responsibility ... if the Chosen One was someone he cared about ...

They were all staring at her, with that kind of gentle, compassionate sympathy, their own eyes shadowed with concern and fear, and in that instant, Hermione knew.

Her heart plummeted.

"No ..." She whispered, her insides going cold with sudden fear. "Oh, Professor Dumbledore, don't - "

Dumbledore looked at her sympathetically. "There is no other, Hermione, and no other possibility. You remember what I showed you a long time ago; here is where that prophecy comes into play."

"What are you all talking about?" Ron demanded, eternally at sea.

Remus looked at him. "The Chosen One is Sean, Ron."

"Sean Granger? Sean Taurus Granger?" Ron was fast beginning to hyperventililate, and Harry's thumping his shoulder reassuringly did not seem to help his panicked state in the least. "As in, Hermione's son, Sean? My Nephew Sean?"

Professor McGonagall unblushingly conjured a glass of water, and magically dumped half on Ron's head before allowing the glass to drop into his hand for him to drink. "Your fear is quite understandable, Mr. Weasley, but I can assure you your panic does not soothe a mother's feelings in the least." She said tartly, sounding remarkably like the teacher she had been to the redhead.

"Are - are you sure, Professor?" Hermione asked Dumbledore quietly.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Surely you've seen it yourself, Hermione, I know you're far too clever for the signs to have escaped you. Sean is an extraordinarily powerful young wizard - even Harry did not have quite so strong a bond between his willpower and emotions, and his magic."

Hermione swallowed.

"Don't worry," Sirius said abruptly, startling her (and surprising everyone else) with the sound of his voice speaking out gruffly, "None of us are going to let anyone hurt Sean. He'll be fine."

Remus smiled, and so did Harry. "He's right, 'Mione," He rubbed her shoulder gently, "We'll always be there to protect Sean. And don't forget that old saying - damn it, what's the wretched thing? Ah yes - hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn or something like it anyway. Add 'mother' to woman, and you'll have the truth."

"Yeah," Ron added gallantly, seemingly ashamed of his panic earlier, "I mean - mothers are always the most formidable opponents for anyone. Think about Mum! She's a dragon, even with us! And remember Harry's mum Lily, and what - " He broke off, flushing and looking sheepish. "Ouch."

"Indeed." Professor McGonagall said sharply, while Dumbledore looked a little amused.

"If we could return to the actual issue at hand," Dumbledore suggested mildly at this point, looking around, "You do see that we have a problem. The alignment is due in a few minutes less than seventeen days, and as Sean's birth indicates, the Sphere will definitely be put into use at midnight on the 31st. That's been confirmed by the news we've been hearing from the underworld circles: someone has the Sphere of Pagnon, and we still have no idea who that someone is. Unless we can pinpoint our perpetrator - the same one who murdered my brother - we can't hope to find the Sphere, or destroy it."

Hermione considered this hard, trying to banish the demons of her son's fate looming over her. "Well, perhaps I could ask Tonks to get into disguise, and she and I could go and scout out the underworld bars tomorrow ..."

"I don't think so." Sirius growled.

"You're not my father." Hermione snapped.

"Believe me, I feel like anything but your father."

Ron stifled his laughter very unsuccessfully, and Remus hastily intervened to say, "Well, I think this argument is pointless because nobody is going to be doing much tomorrow. Don't forget tomorrow - or rather, today - is the first Gryffindor match of the Quidditch season, and a lot of the kids we knew - including Dennis Creevey, I might add - are playing."

"Oh, yes!" Professor McGonagall remembered. "Albus, I'm sure they could all take a break from work just for the afternoon and come to watch the match."

"I see no harm in it," Dumbledore smiled, "A break would do everyone a lot of good, and recharge the energy stores for the work after that. And Hermione? I'm sure Sean would love his first Quidditch match to be a Gryffindor-Slytherin one, especially as I strongly suspect he'll be sorted into Gryffindor when he arrives for his first year at Hogwarts."

Hermione felt her spirits soar as the others laughed, and the topic became infinitely more inspiring. Just thinking about Sean getting to Hogwarts was enough to inspire confidence in her. She smiled. "You really think he'll be an instant Gryffindor, Professor? What about Ravenclaw?"

"Oh, I think he has all the Gryffindor characteristics ... intelligence, skill, loyalty, devotion, a certain knack for mischief and pranks - and besides, both his parents are Gryffindors, aren't they?"

Sirius scowled darkly. "Oh, really?"

"Really," Dumbledore said serenely.

Seeing Hermione's look of pained reproof at this topic being brought up, Remus nobly intervened to diffuse yet another sticky situation. "Well," he said, "As I'm sure the meeting's contents have been well discussed - perhaps we should all get some sleep now, so that we can have the energy to cheer at a Quidditch match and start hunting down a rising Dark Lord."

"You can get some sleep," Harry said grumpily, "But I have a mission assigned to me by the Ministry at four in the damned morning!"

"I did warn you, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said sternly, her eyes twinkling behind her spectacles nonetheless, "That being an Auror would be very hard work indeed."


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Sean loved Quidditch.

From the moment he sat down in the stands, on Harry's lap because otherwise he would be too small to see over the seats in front and below, Hermione could see that he was about to enjoy every moment of it. Ron and Harry explained the various aspects of the game in simplest language as the game began, and the announcer (Lee Jordan's younger brother) proudly bellowed into the microphone that "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm also proud to inform the school that Harry Potter, Hogwarts' greatest Seeker, is here with us today - in the company of Ron Weasley, Gryffindor's Keeper at one time, and Hermione Granger [The Golden Trio, people!], and many others!"

Hermione cheered herself hoarse, suddenly transported to the old days where she'd been sitting and cheering for Harry, and then for both Harry and Ron. She looked at Fred and George, who had showed up for the match as well, and remembered their tricks and pranks too.

She thought about the years they'd spent here together. The things they'd done, the friendship and loyalty and love they'd formed between themselves and the others like Remus, and Sirius, and Tonks. As she watched the school scream and boo, watched the Chasers duck in and out and Dennis Creevey nearly topple off his broom twice, her mind wandered back over their times ...

She remembered the very first Quidditch match, when Harry had been too nervous to eat, and he'd caught the Snitch in his mouth. The meeting with Fluffy, who nearly bit their legs off, and their reactions upon hearing Hagrid's affection for the wretched creature ... the Philosopher's Stone ... Ron sacrificing himself for them in the chess game, and Snape's supposedly ingenious potion logic that she'd solved ... Harry going ahead bravely, and winning the round against Voldemort ...

Second year ... the Chamber of Secrets ... being Petrified ... Ginny's crush on Harry, and all that drama ... everyone thinking Harry was the heir of Slytherin ... Third year ... the terror of Sirius Black being after Harry Potter ... the Dementors in the School ... the dangerous Quidditch matches and the Firebolt ...

And so it went on. Hermione turned her gaze from the scarlet and green figures streaking across the Quidditch pitch and looked from Harry's excited face as he explained something to Sean, his knee bobbing energetically, to Ron's elation as he leaped up and bellowed himself hoarse as one of Gryffindors knocked a Slytherin out of the path of a goal, to Ginny laughing indulgently, to Remus's smiling, mild gaze as he glanced around the pitch and at everyone, making sure they were all right.

Sirius wasn't there, of course, because no one was supposed to know he was alive until his name was cleared, and although she couldn't forgive him for what he'd done, Hermione suddenly wanted very much for the circle to be complete.

But she supposed the Muggle singers were right sometimes ...

Friends never did say goodbye.

She stood up, requesting Harry and Ron to keep a close watch on Sean, and headed down the corridor. Remus shot her a questioning look as she reached the stairs, and smiling, she said, "I'm going to head back to the apartment. I'll see you guys later, all right?"

"Be careful," came Remus's eternal cautionary. Hermione smirked and headed down the stairs and off towards the Hogwarts gates. She stopped for five minutes to talk to Hagrid, whom she hadn't seen in a couple of days, and then carried on until she was off the grounds. Then the Disapparated -

And reappeared in the penthouse living room. She saw Sirius standing just a few yards away, jabbing frustratedly with his wand at the TV screen, which was blaring out some awful heavy metal music. Sirius looked utterly flummoxed, and despite herself, Hermione giggled.

"You might want to try pushing the red button with your finger," she suggested.

The TV turned off, and Sirius turned to her, grinning. "Hell, but I hate those Muggle inventions. Completely pointless, that's what they are. I mean, what does anyone do, staring at a screen of people who aren't even real. I'm quite content with the Wizarding Wireless, thanks."

"I missed you at the match, Sirius."

He broke off abruptly, staring at her, clearly incredulous. Then, slowly, that sexy grin broke across his handsome face, and he walked towards her, reaching out and gently running his thumb over her lower lip before he kissed her. She didn't protest - everything inside her screamed 'Just this once! One more moment with him!' - and she merely wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

She sank down onto the couch, pulling him on top of her. His mouth tore apart from hers to trace hot, warm breaths down the side of her neck, sucking on her earlobe. His hand slid under her shirt and worked its way teasingly up till he moaned, and she nuzzled into the warm hollows of his neck, leaving a perfect trail of moisture down along his roughened jaw, to his collarbone.

The buttons of his shirt were removed, and he was kissing her again, his breathing shallow and pleading as her hands slid onto the hard warmth of his chest. She drew in a sharp intake of breath as she felt his heart - his life - thump dangerously fast under her searching fingers. She kissed his shoulder, tasting the slightest touch of salt the beginnings of perspiration. His body was trembling slightly, but then, so was hers. As if unable to take it any longer, Sirius uttered a soft growl and hi arms crawled around her waist tightly. He drew her closer to him, sliding his tongue into her mouth so that he could explore the hollows and secret caverns that he'd gotten to know so well four long years before ...

It was over an hour later when, shifted to her bedroom, they fell into a deep sleep, Hermione safely cuddled into Sirius's arms. Before he drifted into his dreams, he stared at her for a long moment, a strange sadness stealing over him as he faced the possibility that he may never get to hold her like this again. How had he stayed away for three years? What inhuman celibate-loving monster had possessed him?

He looked down at her and although the answer lay in his mind, suppressed because he couldn't bear the guilt right then, he wondered where they had gone wrong.


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A/N: I am so grateful to all the reviewers who have done so so far! This story is really coming along (thanks to all of you), and I hope you're all enjoying it as much as I like writing it. Please keep letting me know, and I'll update the story ASAP.

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