DISCLAIMER: See first chapter.

A/N: Thanks to my absolutely wonderful beta, HPFanFicLuvr, and to all my reviewers.

mi again agin again again: Jag tänker inte svara på det. Jag ingnorerar dig.

Paigefreak1: Ja, jag klarade det! Är vi inte lyckliga, gumman? Men iaf, jag dricker inte champagne.

Raclswt: They are, presently. I will do my best to get them out as quick as I can!

The horseless carriage was waiting for them as they stepped of the Hogwarts Express. Only it wasn't horseless. Thestrals were waiting for them to enter so they could pull them towards the castle. Hermione couldn't see Thestrals. She hadn't been in the room when Sirius fell through the veil. She, Ron, Harry and Neville scrambled into the carriage. The mood in the carriage was unusually subdues.

"I think we should lift it," Neville said at last. He meant the memory wipe. "Sirius died without knowing. I don't want that to happen to anyone else."

Hermione nodded mutely.

Harry looked from one to the other. It seemed everyone knew something he didn't. But he didn't care. His summer had been terrible.

The carriage pulled up and they climbed out. Walking into the hall, Ron saw Hermione mutter something to her wand. She smiled.

"It's done. They'll recognise us as soon as we step into the hall."

"I wonder if Sally-Anne perks is Nora's daughter?" Hermione mused in the Great Hall, trying to ignore the stares that came from the Head Table. "Maybe it's her niece."

Ron snorted.

"As if anyone would marry her brother," he said.

"You've been spending too much time with James and Sirius," Hermione said quietly, but scorching. "You're becoming just as arrogant as they."

"But you still loved James," He grinned. He made a very slight attempt at keeping his voice down, but it caught Harry's attention.

"Who?"

They looked at each other. Hermione drew a deep breath. Coming out into the open about their adventure also meant telling Harry, and she dreaded it. What if he decided to use the potion to meet Sirius? Nevertheless, it had to be done.

"Harry, we have something to tell you. But not now, later tonight."

Neville scanned the Head Table. He came as far as the new DADA teacher before his pumpkin juice spluttered all over the table.

The teacher in question scanned the rows of students. She smiled a little toward the Ravenclaw table, and continued along the Hufflepuff. A few known faces, but otherwise just blank. It was when she looked over the Gryffindor table that a cry could be heard:

"Hermione?"

Hermione looked up.

"Did someone call my name?" she asked Neville. He nodded.

"Look at the staff table. You may get a surprise."

Hermione did as she was told, and soon her pumpkin juice joined Neville's on the table. She blinked. She was sure her eyes must be betraying her.

"Nora?" she asked uncertainly. Nora Perks was the new DADA teacher.

"I would never have thought that Nora Perks could be a good teacher," Ron laughed as they walked out from the DADA classroom. "It seems a lot of things have changed around here."

Hermione smiled. She shouldn't be this surprised. She should have known Lily would do a brilliant job pulling Nora out of her depression.

"Wait here, I need to talk to her," she told her friends.

"Hello Hermione," said Professor Perks cheerily. "I suppose many people have told you how incredibly like you are to your Aunt Hermione. I knew her and your father at Hogwarts."

Hermione gaped. Aunt Hermione? Professor Perks must have thought that Neville Granger was her father. She laughed.

"I'm sorry Professor, I don't have an Aunt Hermione. And I'm Muggle-born."

Nora looked at her confused.

"I just wanted to ask," Hermione leaned closer and lowered her voice. "Did you ever find yourself?"

Nora stared at Hermione. Hermione could practically see the wheels in her brain clicking.

"Hermione!" called someone from outside.

"Just a minute, Neville," Hermione replied. "Excuse me Professor, my brother is calling me."

The impact of her words came upon Nora as Hermione walked out through the door, leaving a gaping Nora Perks behind.