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Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" and all other aspects of this fic that you recognize (unless they're from any of my other fics) all belong to J.K. Rowling, and not to me!
Summary: A dark force haunts the trio. When the dead come back to life, can you deal with what they might have to tell you? This is a story about loss, damnation, and a dead man's second chance at redemption ...
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Road to Redemption
Chapter Three: Signs of Evil in the Air
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**
On the following day, Hermione was the source of greatest astonishment to all who really knew her. Although she tried valiantly to remain normal, the fact remained that after one meets a dead man whom one has been missing, and learns that the dead man has come back to protect one – it was impossible to stay precisely normal. This lack of normality was swiftly noticed.
Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were astonished to see Hermione humming in the Gryffindor sixth-year girls' dormitory that morning. Ron was rendered speechless when Hermione offered to help him with his homework. Harry was torn between incredulity and delight at the sparks of life Hermione was beginning to show again. Neville Longbottom nearly fell off his chair when Hermione suggested they all take a break from studying and go out into the sunshine. And every single Gryffindor was utterly flabbergasted when Professor McGonagall severely reprimanded Hermione for *not paying attention* in Transfiguration ("Would you like to go see Madam Pomfrey, Miss Granger? Are you not feeling well?").
Only Sirius, invisible and unheard, knew exactly what was going on and made Hermione suffer from fighting back giggles several times that day, simply because he was collapsed in laughter at her behaviour – and others'.
That evening, Professor Dumbledore sought out a few of the Gryffindors and explained that they would all be going to Grimmauld Place, the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, for dinner that night. When Harry, his expression darkening at the thought of going back there, asked why they were going to dinner, Dumbledore gently explained that they could perhaps keep poor Professor Lupin company for a night, as he was there alone.
But Hermione wasn't a fool. She knew exactly why Dumbledore wanted them to go to dinner there, and told Sirius so when they were alone.
"Poor Dumbledore can't stand seeing us all so pulled-down by your death," she said, as she searched in her closet for some Muggle clothing to wear for dinner, "And so he wants us to go to Grimmauld Place. It's the one place none of us have returned to since you – died. I think he's hoping to give us some closure and absolve our grief." She sighed and turned around to face Sirius. "I don't know if I want to go."
Sirius looked at her, concerned. "Hermione, if you don't go, Harry and Ron definitely won't go either. And you know as well as I do that Harry needs to get over my death." He looked a little saddened. "I wish I could say goodbye to him ... maybe that would help."
"It's hard to be back there, Sirius, knowing you're never coming back, knowing we'll never hear you laugh again ..."
"You'll hear me laugh, won't you?"
"But Harry and Professor Lupin won't, and that's what hurts."
"Listen," he said thoughtfully, "If you really don't feel up to it, tell Dumbledore so. He isn't going to push any of you, you know. But give Harry a chance to deal with this ... and give yourself a chance. I've never known you to be a coward, Hermione."
That was Sirius all over – motivation through insults.
"Oh, you're so exasperating!" Hermione yelled, laughing, flinging the T- shirt she was planning on wearing at him. He caught it, grinning. "All right, I'll go, and I'll drag Harry and Ron with me."
"Who're you talking to, Hermione?"
Both Hermione and Sirius started, and turned to see Parvati standing in the doorway of the dormitory, staring at Hermione with a slightly confused (and slightly worried) expression. Her eyes took in the levitating shirt, which Sirius hastily dropped on the bed.
"Hey, how did you do that?" Parvati asked curiously. "You're not holding your wand; how did you lift the shirt up in the air like that?"
"Magic," Hermione muttered.
"Are you all right, Hermione?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
Parvati nodded, clearly not convinced, and went to her bedside to get a book. Then she left the room, shutting the door behind her, but not before shooting another perplexed look at Hermione. The witch exhaled in relief and grabbed her T-shirt, glaring at Sirius once the door was shut. "Honestly!" she exclaimed. "People are going to start contemplating my sanity when I talk to you!"
"So don't," he suggested, sitting down on the edge of her bed and grinning.
She snorted. "Bit hard when you're constantly talking to me, isn't it? Now, I need to change, so do you think you could either take a walk or turn around?"
"I'll close my eyes," he said, grinning rakishly.
"Like I'd trust you to keep your eyes closed!"
"You're going to have to."
Hermione huffed, her mouth twitching, and watched as Sirius squeezed his eyes shut. She quickly took off her robes and her inner Muggle clothing and donned the jeans and T-shirt she had picked out. She could shower later. Turning, she saw that Sirius's eyes were still closed. Apparently, he *was* trustworthy.
"I'm not a hormonal teenager, you know," he grinned, opening his eyes.
Hermione demanded indignantly: "What are you implying?"
"Are you ready for dinner?"
"Yes, I am."
"Funny ... I always thought girls took longer to get ready."
"Once again, what are you implying?"
Sirius laughed, shaking his head. "Have many people implied that you're not fully female? I wasn't, you know. Listen, Hermione, I hope you're being careful. I'm not exactly around you twenty four hours a day."
"I think I'm quite safe from Voldemort in the shower, thank you."
"Don't be so sure."
"*Oh*!" Hermione gasped and flung her robes at him, before laughing as she collected up her wand and slipped it into the pocket of her jeans. "Sirius, you're the most perverted-minded human – ghost!"
Aggravating man that he was, he just laughed.
***
They went to Grimmauld Place by Knight Bus, and arrived there at nine o' clock to find that a certain Nymphadora Tonks was cooking. Ron immediately wanted to leave, as he had no faith in Tonks' cooking at all. But Hermione shoved him forcibly into the dining-room, and tried not to think about the familiar table and its seating arrangements, knowing that Sirius would not sit down with them again ...
Beside her, Hermione heard Harry sigh and she squeezed his shoulder. He shrugged off the sympathy, typically, but she could see that he was glad she was there with him. Professor Lupin came out of one of the inner rooms, looking tired but younger than he had been the last time they'd seen them.
And he was smiling.
"How you've all grown!" he joked, smiling around at them all. "It's good to see you again. I hope you've all eaten and come, or else you might find yourself suffering from indigestion in here."
"I heard that!" Tonks yelled from the kitchen.
Laughing, they went to their places to sit down. There was a commotion as a tankard of Butterbeer came ricocheting out of the kitchen, helped along by those masters of chaos, Fred and George. Hermione ducked, and the tankard trundled to a halt on the table, some of the Butterbeer sloshing over the sides.
"Thank Merlin that Mum isn't here!" Ron bellowed at his brothers.
Fred grinned. "Oh, we have, Ronnie, I assure you, we have."
They settled themselves properly around the table, and Hermione helped Tonks bring in the rest of the food, as Remus sternly forbade Fred and George from assisting anybody further. Soon, they were able to start eating surprisingly edible food. There were seven of them around the large table – Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Tonks and Remus. There was an empty seat in which Mrs. Weasley was supposed to sit, but as she hadn't come, it was empty and Sirius sat down there, eyeing the table with a mixture of languid humour and nostalgic sadness.
To only Hermione, it looked as if everyone who should be there, was there. She blinked back tears and concentrated on Fred and George's jokes. She wondered whether the empty place had been symbolically kept for Sirius, and that Mrs. Weasley hadn't been supposed to come at all.
"You know, I was talking to my mother today," Tonks was saying cheerfully, "And she and I were discussing new hair colours and styles – and you know what? Unlike most people, she actually said that mottled-green is the best- suiting colour for my hair, in spikes."
They all stared at Tonks, speechless. *Mottled-green*?
Finally, Ron managed: "Uh – Tonks? Are you absolutely *sure* your mother said 'mottled-green'? It couldn't have been – uh – 'bottled-spleen'? Oh crap, that's not much better, is it? Oh, dear."
"She didn't say it. I tried the colour out on my had and she judged it to be the best of the lot, so I thought – "
"But you can't!"
"Shut up, Ron," Fred said good-naturedly. "Tonks, if your mother says so, I suggest you listen to her!"
"Excuse me," Sirius burst into laughter, "But Andromeda is colour-blind!"
Hermione stared at him in astonishment and then started to giggle helplessly. Everybody turned to stare at her, utterly bemused. Tonks ventured to ask whether it was the colour that struck Hermione as funny. Chortling, the girl managed to regain enough control over her voice to say, "Your mother can't tell the difference between colours, Tonks."
"WHAT?"
"She's – she's – c-colour-b-blind!"
"Blimey!" gasped the Metamorphmagus, "She never told me so!"
"Bet she doesn't know herself," Sirius muttered.
Hermione shot him a reproving look, annoyed that he was making her laugh when she shouldn't be doing so around unaware people. "Do you think you could cut the smart comments for a little while?"
"But I didn't make any," George protested, who was sitting nearest to Sirius.
"Not you, George."
"Then who?"
"I suggest you don't answer that," Sirius said, smiling.
Hermione buried her face in her food.
"Has anybody heard any news about Voldemort's latest plans?" Harry eventually asked, after he had exchanged concerned looks with Ron as to Hermione's unusual behaviour.
Ron groaned. "Oh come on, Harry, can't we talk about anything else for one night?"
"Actually," Remus said slowly, exchanging a worried look with Tonks and then glancing almost surreptitiously at Hermione, "We have gotten wind of Voldemort's latest – well, not *plan* – but a sort of – desire."
"He's after something else now?" Fred inquired, looking up from his food.
"Yes."
"Do you know what it is?"
Remus and Tonks once again exchanged that worried look, and Harry frowned. "Professor Lupin, I need to know. You've got to tell me what this 'new desire' is ...?"
"That might not be a good idea, Harry."
"Why wouldn't it?"
"You won't like it," Tonks said, glancing at Hermione again. She looked a little upset. "None of us like it – Dumbledore, Remus, McGonagall or me. Even Mundungus Fletcher was rather upset by it."
Fred put down his fork and he and George said in unison: "Now we *have* to know what this is."
"No," Remus said firmly, "Not yet anyway."
There was an outcry:
"Spit it out right away!" bellowed George.
"I need to know," said Harry.
"You *can't* keep this from us!" Ron wailed.
Remus surveyed them all with a slightly weary expression. "I can and I will. For the benefit of some people, it's best that Voldemort's new desire is not revealed right now. Once we're certain that the danger is at our doorstep, we'll tell you."
"Aren't you curious at all?" Ron demanded of Hermione, who had been silent the whole time.
Hermione was looked at Remus. "If you're trying to protect me from hearing this, Professor Lupin," she said slowly and almost sadly, "I can assure you, you don't have to bother. I already know Voldemort is after me this time, and I'm quite capable of handling that information without any hysterics."
"He wants *Hermione*?" Harry barked.
Tonks and Remus were staring at her. "How did you know that?"
Hermione faltered, suddenly realizing her mistake. "How – how did I know that?" she squeaked. "Oh, I – I went and – uh – I was able to – uh – find out in the library, you know – I was – "
"Idiot," Sirius said.
"Excuse me," she said indignantly, "Like you've never said stupid things in *your* lifetime!"
"You just topped the list," he said dryly, looking around the table.
Hermione closed her eyes, cursing silently, and then ventured to look around at the others as well. As she'd expected, there was extreme worry, confusion and astonishment on their faces. Fred tapped his forehead significantly. Harry looked concerned, Ron baffled.
"Who were you just talking to?" Ron floundered.
"Imaginary friend."
"Imaginary – SINCE WHEN DO YOU – THE SMART, NO-NONSENSE ONE – HAVE AN IMAGINARY FRIEND??!" He hollered, so loud the plates rattled.
"I do have an imagination beneath my no-nonsense exterior, Ron. How can you say something like that about him? Of course he exists. His name is Bruno," Hermione said swiftly, "He likes to be a smart-alec, so I sternly reprimand him when he goes too far."
Sirius was doubled over with laughter; the living people were speechless.
After dinner, Remus asked Hermione if she would like to see a new collection of vampire fangs he had gathered together. They went into the next room, and Sirius ambled after them. As Hermione had expected, there were no vampire fangs.
"Hermione, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Professor Lupin," she said, smiling, "It was a bit of a shock to know that Voldemort was after me – and please don't ask me how I found out – but I'm all right now. I'll be careful, you know. I always am, after all."
"I didn't just mean about Voldemort, Hermione. I like you very much, so I do worry about you. You didn't seem yourself tonight. You were slightly distracted and you seemed to be – well – you seemed to be talking to an invisible somebody. *Was* there someone under an invisibility cloak in the room?"
"No," Hermione said fervently, "I promise."
"But then who – ?"
"Bruno."
"I'm afraid I don't believe that, Hermione," Remus smiled. "Tell me the truth, please. I would like to know."
Hermione sighed and looked at Sirius. He nodded. "Peter never once said I wasn't allowed to let a few other, trustworthy people know that I'm here, even if they can't see or hear me. Go ahead, tell him."
"It's Sirius."
Remus stared. "S-Sirius? Sirius Black?"
"The one and only."
"But – he's dead, Hermione!" Remus said, his voice catching.
"Yes, but he's been sent back." Quickly, Hermione explained the entire situation to Remus, with some added inputs from Sirius. It took nearly ten minutes to explain it all, and by the end of it, Remus looked floored, worried and utterly unconvinced.
"Hermione ... I think you might be hallucinating."
"I thought so too, but he's really here, searching for redemption."
"And his task is to protect you?"
"That's how I found out about Voldemort, Professor."
"I don't believe it. It isn't possible!"
"You're going to have to prove it, Sirius," Hermione said to the Animagus.
He looked at Remus with a brotherly affection in his eyes and thought hard. How to convince Remus Lupin, the most logical and practical of all the Marauders, that the dead spirit of his best friend had returned to the earthly domain? And then he got it. "Hermione," he said, smiling slightly, "Tell him this ..."
"Uh – Professor Lupin," Hermione said to the bemused werewolf, "Sirius wants me to tell you that when you were fifteen years old, you had a crush on a Ravenclaw named Penelope Possum, and that you asked her to the annual ball. Apparently, she turned you down, telling him she liked boys with better health – because you were frequently in the hospital wing on full moon nights."
Lupin stared in utter astonishment, his eyes widening with a mixture of wild hope, hurt and intense incredulity. "But – "
"I couldn't have known that, could I, Professor?"
"Only Sirius knew. I was too ashamed to tell anybody else about any of it, even my having a crush on her. Not even James knew."
"Exactly, and he just told me."
"Hermione, it can't be possible. Perhaps he told you before he died ...?"
"That's nice," Sirius huffed, rolling his eyes, "Hermione, tell him that he's a bloody idiot. Tell him that he made me promise to take his secret to the grave, and that I never break my promises."
Hermione dutifully repeated this. "Technically," she said, smiling, "He's kept his promise because he has gone beyond the grave now, and the promise really doesn't hold. I won't tell anyone, though." She added gently: "I was shocked too, Professor Lupin, but he's really here. He's standing right beside you, looking at you and shaking his head. He's telling you to get it into your thick skull – sorry, Professor."
"Dear Merlin," Remus whispered, turning his head slightly. His voice was choked with emotion as he stammered: "S-Sirius? Padfoot?"
"Right here, Moony. I'd hug you, only I'm slightly intangible to everyone but Hermione."
Hermione relayed this to the stunned werewolf. Struck by a sudden idea, she went to the other end of the room and fished around in a box, coming up triumphantly with a piece of chalk and a chalkboard. Grinning, she said, "I don't know if it'll work, because he isn't really a ghost, but since Sirius can touch inanimate things, maybe he could write his messages to you on the board, and you can reply verbally."
"Good idea," Sirius said, taking the chalkboard and putting it down on the nearest table. He took the chalk and scribbled 'Can you see this?' on the board. The white letters appeared as if by magic.
Remus gasped.
"I think we've confirmed that," Hermione said happily, "I'll leave you two to catch up and say what you like to each other." Smiling, she left the room and went in search of Harry. She couldn't tell him without Sirius's permission, but perhaps she could hint at it and make him feel a little better.
As she walked, Hermione felt a sudden odd tingle. She had realized (upon being able to guess what people were thinking easily) that it was as if being 'fused' with Sirius made her more perceptive to auras and ethereal signals.
And at that moment, Hermione felt a very strong sense that something terrible was about to happen.
**
TBC.
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A/N: I've gotten some reviews in which people have mentioned religion. I'd just like everyone to know that I'm *not* intermingling Harry Potter with religion. I'm just using the concepts of heaven and hell to show a fine line between redemption and damnation!
I'll be updating as soon as I can, so keep reviewing! Thanks!
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Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" and all other aspects of this fic that you recognize (unless they're from any of my other fics) all belong to J.K. Rowling, and not to me!
Summary: A dark force haunts the trio. When the dead come back to life, can you deal with what they might have to tell you? This is a story about loss, damnation, and a dead man's second chance at redemption ...
**
*
Road to Redemption
Chapter Three: Signs of Evil in the Air
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**
On the following day, Hermione was the source of greatest astonishment to all who really knew her. Although she tried valiantly to remain normal, the fact remained that after one meets a dead man whom one has been missing, and learns that the dead man has come back to protect one – it was impossible to stay precisely normal. This lack of normality was swiftly noticed.
Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were astonished to see Hermione humming in the Gryffindor sixth-year girls' dormitory that morning. Ron was rendered speechless when Hermione offered to help him with his homework. Harry was torn between incredulity and delight at the sparks of life Hermione was beginning to show again. Neville Longbottom nearly fell off his chair when Hermione suggested they all take a break from studying and go out into the sunshine. And every single Gryffindor was utterly flabbergasted when Professor McGonagall severely reprimanded Hermione for *not paying attention* in Transfiguration ("Would you like to go see Madam Pomfrey, Miss Granger? Are you not feeling well?").
Only Sirius, invisible and unheard, knew exactly what was going on and made Hermione suffer from fighting back giggles several times that day, simply because he was collapsed in laughter at her behaviour – and others'.
That evening, Professor Dumbledore sought out a few of the Gryffindors and explained that they would all be going to Grimmauld Place, the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, for dinner that night. When Harry, his expression darkening at the thought of going back there, asked why they were going to dinner, Dumbledore gently explained that they could perhaps keep poor Professor Lupin company for a night, as he was there alone.
But Hermione wasn't a fool. She knew exactly why Dumbledore wanted them to go to dinner there, and told Sirius so when they were alone.
"Poor Dumbledore can't stand seeing us all so pulled-down by your death," she said, as she searched in her closet for some Muggle clothing to wear for dinner, "And so he wants us to go to Grimmauld Place. It's the one place none of us have returned to since you – died. I think he's hoping to give us some closure and absolve our grief." She sighed and turned around to face Sirius. "I don't know if I want to go."
Sirius looked at her, concerned. "Hermione, if you don't go, Harry and Ron definitely won't go either. And you know as well as I do that Harry needs to get over my death." He looked a little saddened. "I wish I could say goodbye to him ... maybe that would help."
"It's hard to be back there, Sirius, knowing you're never coming back, knowing we'll never hear you laugh again ..."
"You'll hear me laugh, won't you?"
"But Harry and Professor Lupin won't, and that's what hurts."
"Listen," he said thoughtfully, "If you really don't feel up to it, tell Dumbledore so. He isn't going to push any of you, you know. But give Harry a chance to deal with this ... and give yourself a chance. I've never known you to be a coward, Hermione."
That was Sirius all over – motivation through insults.
"Oh, you're so exasperating!" Hermione yelled, laughing, flinging the T- shirt she was planning on wearing at him. He caught it, grinning. "All right, I'll go, and I'll drag Harry and Ron with me."
"Who're you talking to, Hermione?"
Both Hermione and Sirius started, and turned to see Parvati standing in the doorway of the dormitory, staring at Hermione with a slightly confused (and slightly worried) expression. Her eyes took in the levitating shirt, which Sirius hastily dropped on the bed.
"Hey, how did you do that?" Parvati asked curiously. "You're not holding your wand; how did you lift the shirt up in the air like that?"
"Magic," Hermione muttered.
"Are you all right, Hermione?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
Parvati nodded, clearly not convinced, and went to her bedside to get a book. Then she left the room, shutting the door behind her, but not before shooting another perplexed look at Hermione. The witch exhaled in relief and grabbed her T-shirt, glaring at Sirius once the door was shut. "Honestly!" she exclaimed. "People are going to start contemplating my sanity when I talk to you!"
"So don't," he suggested, sitting down on the edge of her bed and grinning.
She snorted. "Bit hard when you're constantly talking to me, isn't it? Now, I need to change, so do you think you could either take a walk or turn around?"
"I'll close my eyes," he said, grinning rakishly.
"Like I'd trust you to keep your eyes closed!"
"You're going to have to."
Hermione huffed, her mouth twitching, and watched as Sirius squeezed his eyes shut. She quickly took off her robes and her inner Muggle clothing and donned the jeans and T-shirt she had picked out. She could shower later. Turning, she saw that Sirius's eyes were still closed. Apparently, he *was* trustworthy.
"I'm not a hormonal teenager, you know," he grinned, opening his eyes.
Hermione demanded indignantly: "What are you implying?"
"Are you ready for dinner?"
"Yes, I am."
"Funny ... I always thought girls took longer to get ready."
"Once again, what are you implying?"
Sirius laughed, shaking his head. "Have many people implied that you're not fully female? I wasn't, you know. Listen, Hermione, I hope you're being careful. I'm not exactly around you twenty four hours a day."
"I think I'm quite safe from Voldemort in the shower, thank you."
"Don't be so sure."
"*Oh*!" Hermione gasped and flung her robes at him, before laughing as she collected up her wand and slipped it into the pocket of her jeans. "Sirius, you're the most perverted-minded human – ghost!"
Aggravating man that he was, he just laughed.
***
They went to Grimmauld Place by Knight Bus, and arrived there at nine o' clock to find that a certain Nymphadora Tonks was cooking. Ron immediately wanted to leave, as he had no faith in Tonks' cooking at all. But Hermione shoved him forcibly into the dining-room, and tried not to think about the familiar table and its seating arrangements, knowing that Sirius would not sit down with them again ...
Beside her, Hermione heard Harry sigh and she squeezed his shoulder. He shrugged off the sympathy, typically, but she could see that he was glad she was there with him. Professor Lupin came out of one of the inner rooms, looking tired but younger than he had been the last time they'd seen them.
And he was smiling.
"How you've all grown!" he joked, smiling around at them all. "It's good to see you again. I hope you've all eaten and come, or else you might find yourself suffering from indigestion in here."
"I heard that!" Tonks yelled from the kitchen.
Laughing, they went to their places to sit down. There was a commotion as a tankard of Butterbeer came ricocheting out of the kitchen, helped along by those masters of chaos, Fred and George. Hermione ducked, and the tankard trundled to a halt on the table, some of the Butterbeer sloshing over the sides.
"Thank Merlin that Mum isn't here!" Ron bellowed at his brothers.
Fred grinned. "Oh, we have, Ronnie, I assure you, we have."
They settled themselves properly around the table, and Hermione helped Tonks bring in the rest of the food, as Remus sternly forbade Fred and George from assisting anybody further. Soon, they were able to start eating surprisingly edible food. There were seven of them around the large table – Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Tonks and Remus. There was an empty seat in which Mrs. Weasley was supposed to sit, but as she hadn't come, it was empty and Sirius sat down there, eyeing the table with a mixture of languid humour and nostalgic sadness.
To only Hermione, it looked as if everyone who should be there, was there. She blinked back tears and concentrated on Fred and George's jokes. She wondered whether the empty place had been symbolically kept for Sirius, and that Mrs. Weasley hadn't been supposed to come at all.
"You know, I was talking to my mother today," Tonks was saying cheerfully, "And she and I were discussing new hair colours and styles – and you know what? Unlike most people, she actually said that mottled-green is the best- suiting colour for my hair, in spikes."
They all stared at Tonks, speechless. *Mottled-green*?
Finally, Ron managed: "Uh – Tonks? Are you absolutely *sure* your mother said 'mottled-green'? It couldn't have been – uh – 'bottled-spleen'? Oh crap, that's not much better, is it? Oh, dear."
"She didn't say it. I tried the colour out on my had and she judged it to be the best of the lot, so I thought – "
"But you can't!"
"Shut up, Ron," Fred said good-naturedly. "Tonks, if your mother says so, I suggest you listen to her!"
"Excuse me," Sirius burst into laughter, "But Andromeda is colour-blind!"
Hermione stared at him in astonishment and then started to giggle helplessly. Everybody turned to stare at her, utterly bemused. Tonks ventured to ask whether it was the colour that struck Hermione as funny. Chortling, the girl managed to regain enough control over her voice to say, "Your mother can't tell the difference between colours, Tonks."
"WHAT?"
"She's – she's – c-colour-b-blind!"
"Blimey!" gasped the Metamorphmagus, "She never told me so!"
"Bet she doesn't know herself," Sirius muttered.
Hermione shot him a reproving look, annoyed that he was making her laugh when she shouldn't be doing so around unaware people. "Do you think you could cut the smart comments for a little while?"
"But I didn't make any," George protested, who was sitting nearest to Sirius.
"Not you, George."
"Then who?"
"I suggest you don't answer that," Sirius said, smiling.
Hermione buried her face in her food.
"Has anybody heard any news about Voldemort's latest plans?" Harry eventually asked, after he had exchanged concerned looks with Ron as to Hermione's unusual behaviour.
Ron groaned. "Oh come on, Harry, can't we talk about anything else for one night?"
"Actually," Remus said slowly, exchanging a worried look with Tonks and then glancing almost surreptitiously at Hermione, "We have gotten wind of Voldemort's latest – well, not *plan* – but a sort of – desire."
"He's after something else now?" Fred inquired, looking up from his food.
"Yes."
"Do you know what it is?"
Remus and Tonks once again exchanged that worried look, and Harry frowned. "Professor Lupin, I need to know. You've got to tell me what this 'new desire' is ...?"
"That might not be a good idea, Harry."
"Why wouldn't it?"
"You won't like it," Tonks said, glancing at Hermione again. She looked a little upset. "None of us like it – Dumbledore, Remus, McGonagall or me. Even Mundungus Fletcher was rather upset by it."
Fred put down his fork and he and George said in unison: "Now we *have* to know what this is."
"No," Remus said firmly, "Not yet anyway."
There was an outcry:
"Spit it out right away!" bellowed George.
"I need to know," said Harry.
"You *can't* keep this from us!" Ron wailed.
Remus surveyed them all with a slightly weary expression. "I can and I will. For the benefit of some people, it's best that Voldemort's new desire is not revealed right now. Once we're certain that the danger is at our doorstep, we'll tell you."
"Aren't you curious at all?" Ron demanded of Hermione, who had been silent the whole time.
Hermione was looked at Remus. "If you're trying to protect me from hearing this, Professor Lupin," she said slowly and almost sadly, "I can assure you, you don't have to bother. I already know Voldemort is after me this time, and I'm quite capable of handling that information without any hysterics."
"He wants *Hermione*?" Harry barked.
Tonks and Remus were staring at her. "How did you know that?"
Hermione faltered, suddenly realizing her mistake. "How – how did I know that?" she squeaked. "Oh, I – I went and – uh – I was able to – uh – find out in the library, you know – I was – "
"Idiot," Sirius said.
"Excuse me," she said indignantly, "Like you've never said stupid things in *your* lifetime!"
"You just topped the list," he said dryly, looking around the table.
Hermione closed her eyes, cursing silently, and then ventured to look around at the others as well. As she'd expected, there was extreme worry, confusion and astonishment on their faces. Fred tapped his forehead significantly. Harry looked concerned, Ron baffled.
"Who were you just talking to?" Ron floundered.
"Imaginary friend."
"Imaginary – SINCE WHEN DO YOU – THE SMART, NO-NONSENSE ONE – HAVE AN IMAGINARY FRIEND??!" He hollered, so loud the plates rattled.
"I do have an imagination beneath my no-nonsense exterior, Ron. How can you say something like that about him? Of course he exists. His name is Bruno," Hermione said swiftly, "He likes to be a smart-alec, so I sternly reprimand him when he goes too far."
Sirius was doubled over with laughter; the living people were speechless.
After dinner, Remus asked Hermione if she would like to see a new collection of vampire fangs he had gathered together. They went into the next room, and Sirius ambled after them. As Hermione had expected, there were no vampire fangs.
"Hermione, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Professor Lupin," she said, smiling, "It was a bit of a shock to know that Voldemort was after me – and please don't ask me how I found out – but I'm all right now. I'll be careful, you know. I always am, after all."
"I didn't just mean about Voldemort, Hermione. I like you very much, so I do worry about you. You didn't seem yourself tonight. You were slightly distracted and you seemed to be – well – you seemed to be talking to an invisible somebody. *Was* there someone under an invisibility cloak in the room?"
"No," Hermione said fervently, "I promise."
"But then who – ?"
"Bruno."
"I'm afraid I don't believe that, Hermione," Remus smiled. "Tell me the truth, please. I would like to know."
Hermione sighed and looked at Sirius. He nodded. "Peter never once said I wasn't allowed to let a few other, trustworthy people know that I'm here, even if they can't see or hear me. Go ahead, tell him."
"It's Sirius."
Remus stared. "S-Sirius? Sirius Black?"
"The one and only."
"But – he's dead, Hermione!" Remus said, his voice catching.
"Yes, but he's been sent back." Quickly, Hermione explained the entire situation to Remus, with some added inputs from Sirius. It took nearly ten minutes to explain it all, and by the end of it, Remus looked floored, worried and utterly unconvinced.
"Hermione ... I think you might be hallucinating."
"I thought so too, but he's really here, searching for redemption."
"And his task is to protect you?"
"That's how I found out about Voldemort, Professor."
"I don't believe it. It isn't possible!"
"You're going to have to prove it, Sirius," Hermione said to the Animagus.
He looked at Remus with a brotherly affection in his eyes and thought hard. How to convince Remus Lupin, the most logical and practical of all the Marauders, that the dead spirit of his best friend had returned to the earthly domain? And then he got it. "Hermione," he said, smiling slightly, "Tell him this ..."
"Uh – Professor Lupin," Hermione said to the bemused werewolf, "Sirius wants me to tell you that when you were fifteen years old, you had a crush on a Ravenclaw named Penelope Possum, and that you asked her to the annual ball. Apparently, she turned you down, telling him she liked boys with better health – because you were frequently in the hospital wing on full moon nights."
Lupin stared in utter astonishment, his eyes widening with a mixture of wild hope, hurt and intense incredulity. "But – "
"I couldn't have known that, could I, Professor?"
"Only Sirius knew. I was too ashamed to tell anybody else about any of it, even my having a crush on her. Not even James knew."
"Exactly, and he just told me."
"Hermione, it can't be possible. Perhaps he told you before he died ...?"
"That's nice," Sirius huffed, rolling his eyes, "Hermione, tell him that he's a bloody idiot. Tell him that he made me promise to take his secret to the grave, and that I never break my promises."
Hermione dutifully repeated this. "Technically," she said, smiling, "He's kept his promise because he has gone beyond the grave now, and the promise really doesn't hold. I won't tell anyone, though." She added gently: "I was shocked too, Professor Lupin, but he's really here. He's standing right beside you, looking at you and shaking his head. He's telling you to get it into your thick skull – sorry, Professor."
"Dear Merlin," Remus whispered, turning his head slightly. His voice was choked with emotion as he stammered: "S-Sirius? Padfoot?"
"Right here, Moony. I'd hug you, only I'm slightly intangible to everyone but Hermione."
Hermione relayed this to the stunned werewolf. Struck by a sudden idea, she went to the other end of the room and fished around in a box, coming up triumphantly with a piece of chalk and a chalkboard. Grinning, she said, "I don't know if it'll work, because he isn't really a ghost, but since Sirius can touch inanimate things, maybe he could write his messages to you on the board, and you can reply verbally."
"Good idea," Sirius said, taking the chalkboard and putting it down on the nearest table. He took the chalk and scribbled 'Can you see this?' on the board. The white letters appeared as if by magic.
Remus gasped.
"I think we've confirmed that," Hermione said happily, "I'll leave you two to catch up and say what you like to each other." Smiling, she left the room and went in search of Harry. She couldn't tell him without Sirius's permission, but perhaps she could hint at it and make him feel a little better.
As she walked, Hermione felt a sudden odd tingle. She had realized (upon being able to guess what people were thinking easily) that it was as if being 'fused' with Sirius made her more perceptive to auras and ethereal signals.
And at that moment, Hermione felt a very strong sense that something terrible was about to happen.
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TBC.
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A/N: I've gotten some reviews in which people have mentioned religion. I'd just like everyone to know that I'm *not* intermingling Harry Potter with religion. I'm just using the concepts of heaven and hell to show a fine line between redemption and damnation!
I'll be updating as soon as I can, so keep reviewing! Thanks!
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