Hermione, Ron, Sirius, James, Lily and Remus looked at each other sadly; Harry had exited the carriage to give them time to talk.
"Hermione, are you sure you can do this?" Remus took her hand, squeezing it gently.
"I can." She said quietly. "I've known since March that I have to kill him, and I've already spoken to professor Dumbledore… he helped me a lot." She mused, thinking back to the time beside the lake. "I know how he wants to die, and I will honour his wishes. He wants to be killed by Godric Gryffindor's sword, and I will be the one to do it." She sat up, tall and proud. "And I will laugh in the face of Voldemort." The others looked at her with a mix or fear and pride.
Harry pushed open the door and stood, looking at them. "Dumbledore will meet us at the field at half past 7, just before the meeting starts. Cloaking spells, shield charms… anything you can use to make yourself appear invisible, not there, but don't silence your voice, you must be able to speak for the curses. Get some sleep tonight, you will need it."
The group looked at each other nervously, looking much older than anyone had ever seen them.
"Soo…" Harry smiled. "When are the weddings?" and the group launched into a half hearted conversation about weddings, all minds still plagued with the thought of the following evening.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"Bye!" Hermione waved to the boys, who were all, for the moment, going to be staying at James's house until they went to their own homes the next night after the battle, so to speak.
"Transfigure your trunk to a backpack whilst we're still on the platform." Lily advised, and Hermione flicked her trunk into a plain black bag, and made it feather light.
"We'll have to catch the tube and then the bus to my place, my parents will be at work until nine tonight. My sister will be out for a little while…" Her eyes narrowed at the thought of her sister. "She hates me, and my magic. I think she'll be glad to get rid of me." Lily joked lightly.
"Really… do your parents know?" Lily shook her head, grinning suddenly from ear to ear. "Hey, at least you have parents to tell." She said sadly, almost crying. "Mine are dead." Lily stopped and hugged her.
"Shhh… I'm sure someone would be happy to stand in!" She smiled. "Cheer up! And just think, we're going to a normal, muggle house so it will be easier for you to adjust." Hermione nodded.
The train took them closer to the outskirts of London, and the 40 minute bus ride landed them a street ahead of Lily's house. The gardens were neat and tidy, with gnomes, of all things, scattering many lawns. Lily's house was fairly big, with a pebbled front garden with a big boulder in the centre, with water running down from a hole at the very top. Wild grasses littered the rocks, with bright plants filling in gaps.
"My house." She unlocked the door with a small key, pushing it over. "Watch out for kittens… Mortisha just had a litter."
The house was very plainly decorated, the kitchen, where her things were placed. Lily beckoned her to her bedroom, which was pained in creams and coffees, with greens on the curtains, bed and on the green rug that covered a coffee-cream carpet. She opened a cabinet where a record player rested, looking old and battered on the outside. Lily made a face.
"The player is old, but I spent a rather large amount on the speakers." She flicked some switches and pulled out a drawer filled with new record. Hermione was enthralled, seeing these bands when they were famous and still going. "Hm… what do I put on? Well, I don't know if you would really know any of these bands… mean your modern records must be very different…" She babbled.
"Compact Discs." Hermione said. "Not records. They're very small, and go in little players… I might have my portable one in my trunk…" Hermione thought out loud.
"Really?" Lily asked with interest "Can I…"
"Later. Now is time for your music… I know a fair bit of it, let's have a look see."
They searched through the pile of records for something Hermione recognised definitely. Some were lost on her, but others she even had CD's of at home. Hermione had squeaked quite dramatically when she saw a Lynyrd Skynyrd album, and also found Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Slade, which Hermione had to laugh at, and the Steve Miller Band.
"Deep purple." Hermione decided after debating between Lynyrd Skynyrd and the chosen band.
"Nice choice." She said, putting it on. "So, what is some of the music you listen to like?"
"Well, the music I listen to is very alternative… Heavy metal, symphonic metal, Rock, Punk, Indie, and some Emo." Lily looked confused.
"Ok, care to try again in my language?"
"Sure."
Hermione sat and explained through each of the types of music and style, sometimes singing some she could manage, leaving the others to her CD player, which she found was her mini beat-box from when she had stayed over at Harry's house the previous summer.
"I like this." Lily made a point of saying as she listened to Guns n Roses Greatest hits, and Hermione flicked the box on, paradise city blaring sraight out.. Lily almost looked like she was going to crack her face from grinning. "What are they called again?"
"Guns 'n' Roses. They have already become a band, but I think they are really small at the moment… wait until about 1985 sort of time, then they'll be huge." She changed the song to her favourite of the moment, Sweet Child of Mine.
Hermione stood, pretending to hold a guitar and began singing along to the song. Lily soon picked up the lyrics after playing it a couple of times as they danced around the room looking relatively insane.
"Look, freak, will you turn down the damn music!" A head poked through the door, and stopped as the two girls, leaning on each other back to back, turned to look at her. "God, who are you?" The girl sneered. Hermione deducted that age had toned down Petunia's Horse-like face.
"Hermione Megans. You must be Lily's sister; it's very nice to meet you." She held out a hand, but petunia ignored it, glaring at Lily.
"You're not allowed friends unless you've asked." Lily glared back.
"We're only going to be here a month at the most and then I'm moving out, don't worry." She flicked her hair. "I'll silence the room so you can't hear the music. Bye Petunia…" She shut the door in her sister's face.
"Lovely person." Hermione commented sarcastically, whipping out her wand, muttering silencio as she pressed her wand to the wall.
"I could think of several things I could do to her with this wand." She twisted it in her fingers lovingly.
The two continued listening to music and talking about random things that they could be bothered to think about. A head, flame red, popped in the door.
"Lil, Petunia says you have a friend." Lily stood, beckoning in the man.
"Hermione, this is my father, Dad, this is Hermione. Is mum in?" She giggled excitedly.
"Yes sweetie, downstairs. Hi Hermione, it's nice to meet you."
"Mr Evans, would you mind having me stay here for about a month? I just moved from Scotland six months ago, my parents were killed, and I don't have anywhere to stay right now, but ... well, I'll explain later, Lily looks like she's about to explode."
She followed the hyperactive read-head into the living room, feeling excited for her. She bounced until her dad was sat down.
"Mum, dad…" She took a deep breath. "Do you remember James Potter, you met him last summer?" The two nodded. "I'm getting married!" she squealed, and her parents stood, hugging her tightly.
"Oh my goodness, Lily, this is incredible!" Her mother began crying.
"My baby is getting married." Her dad said proudly. Hermione felt out of place significantly, and stepped backwards from the family scene.
"Oh, hello! Lily, could you introduce your friend?" Her mother asked, and Lily nodded, still grinning.
"Of course. This is Hermione Megans, she moved to England only 6 months ago when her mum and dad were killed. Would it be ok if she stayed for about a month at the most whilst Remus finds out where they're going to live?" Her parents nodded in acceptance. "Wicked. I'll sort out a bed for her."
"Why would Remus be sorting them a house out? I remember him, lovely, charming boy, long brown hair, very bookish?" Lily nodded.
"Yeah, they're getting married too! Oh mum, you should see them together, they look perfect… and they're so alike! They are both total bookworms, right? And they love loads of the same things; they are probably two of the smartest people in the school! I bet Hermione got Outstanding in all of her exams this summer." Hermione blushed rosy.
"No, honestly, I'm not all that smart… And you're way too kind Lil, Oh my gosh, if only Remus were here to hear you say all that!" She giggled nervously.
"AND she's shy and modest, like him!" Lily continued, and her parents looked at her admiringly.
"Well, I'm sure we can find space in this house for one more girl for a little while, right dear?" Her father said, and Lily's mother nodded. "You're welcome to stay here for as long as you need. And I am very sorry to hear about your parents." He said, and Lily, noticing Hermione was so far out of the room, followed her out.
"We're just going to get ready and go to bed, because we have to go out tomorrow and won't be in till late, we have to do some things with our headmaster to do with getting a job and some work we have to do." Lily lied expertly. "I took my apparition Licence a while ago, so I'll pop in from time to time."
"Ok, sweetheart, but be careful."
Hermione grabbed her transfigured trunk upstairs, and placed it in the corner before transfiguring it back. Lily, very good at transfiguration and charms, changed an old ornament of a teddy on a bed to a real bed with a big fluffy teddy bear. Hermione giggled as hey lifted and moved the bed around to sit in a good place, with the cupboard ending at the bottom of Hermione's new bed. Hermione, with a grin, changed the covers to a floating picture of Remus, who smiled and waved.
"Next best thing. I can't have the real thing yet, can I?" She smiled as Lily placed a similar charm on her bed to show James flying, playing Quidditch.
We'd better get an early night." Lily said, a tinge of sadness in her voice.
"I guess so." Hermione placed her wand on the bedside cabinet, and curled up inside the warm covers.
With a quick flick of a switch the light went out, and Hermione whispered into the darkness.
"G'night, Lily."
"Night, Mione."