Consequences
By Neurotica
Twenty-Three
The front door of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place opened silently as Remus practically carried Hermione over the threshold. Sirius, Emmeline, Tonks, Harry, and the entire Weasley family followed after them. They'd just returned from the funeral of Hermione's parents. Her father's casket had been closed and empty, save the small bits of his body that could be salvaged from his home. Her mother had required a closed casket as well—Healers had attempted to fix her mutilated neck enough for the funeral, but it had proved futile—Greyback's attack on her was far too horrible to allow the casket to remain open. Hermione's remaining family had been told that the two dentists were murdered at random by thugs—the truth would never have been believed by Muggles.
Emmeline tapped Remus on the shoulder as he made to take Hermione to the kitchen and gestured that she would take the grieving girl upstairs to put her to bed. "Hermione," Remus said softly, rubbing the young witch's shoulder. "I need you to go with Emmeline now, alright? She'll get you settled upstairs and give you a sleeping draught if you'd like."
Hermione nodded into her former professor's chest and removed her arms from around his waist. She'd attached herself to him just after the funeral when he'd offered to Apparate her back to Headquarters. Emmeline smiled softly at the girl and helped her up the stairs. Ron, Ginny, and Harry said they would go sit with her. Fred and George followed. The adults went into the drawing room and collapsed into armchairs and the sofa. When Emmeline returned fifteen minutes later, she sat between Sirius and Remus, and laid her head on Remus' shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her close.
Remus hadn't had a good night's sleep since he'd found the Grangers four nights earlier—apparently, neither had Sturgis Podmore; he felt guilty for not being able to save Hermione's parents and hadn't been heard from since that night. No one could figure out why the Death Eaters hadn't killed Podmore as well. Perhaps Greyback wanted him to report to the Order about what a werewolf could do, regardless of the moon's phase. It made Remus sick to his stomach to think that he would be associated with the attack, even though he'd never done anything remotely like that in his life.
"What's going to happen to Hermione?" Bill asked quietly, watching his mother sob into his father's chest.
"She has a sister, doesn't she?" Remus asked hoarsely.
Molly lifted her head from Arthur's chest. "No, she's an only child," she said before bursting into tears again.
"Oh," Remus said. "I thought she had a sister..." he muttered. He looked to the floor with a furrowed brow before shaking himself from his thoughtful daze.
"Hermione can stay with us," Sirius said quietly. "That way we can keep an eye on her. Harry said most of her family lives in France. If she went out there, she'd have to transfer to Beauxbatons... I mean, it's up to her, of course, but it's a suggestion..."
Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Mad-Eye arrived later in the day to bring the school trunks the kids had left behind. The kids had left Hogwarts the afternoon they'd received news about Hermione's parents, and there hadn't been much of a chance to pack; they'd all been too busy trying to comfort Hermione.
Dumbledore agreed with Sirius' suggestion to have Hermione stay in Order Headquarters if she desired, much to Sirius' shock—it was rare that Headmaster and Head Auror agreed fully on anything.
"If Hermione wishes to live with one of her relatives in France," Dumbledore said, "it will be her decision. But for the time being, I believe it would be best for her and her safety to remain under the watchful eye of the Order."
"Why would You-Know-Who want to kill her parents, though?" Charlie asked. "It's senseless."
Sirius snorted humorlessly. "Everything Voldemort does or has done is senseless, Charlie. Don't you remember what he did at St. Mungo's a year and a half ago? Half the people there were already sick, and the rest were Healers or nurses..." His eyes glazed over a bit and he looked away from the others. Remus reached over and squeezed his shoulder in comfort, knowing he was thinking of Hestia Jones.
"Not to mention what they did to Kingsley," Emmeline said quietly.
Sirius shook his head. "Kingsley was killed because he was my second-in-command. Voldemort knew how close Kingsley and I were, and I'd bet anything that's why the Death Eater was waiting for him to come home that night."
Remus sighed. "Sirius, we've been over this... Kingsley's death was not your fault."
Sirius just shrugged and stared at the floor, picking at a hole in the arm of the sofa.
"Why didn't Snape or Naomi tell us the Death Eaters were planning on attacking the Grangers?" Arthur asked.
"I asked Severus the very same question, Arthur," Dumbledore said. "Neither he nor Naomi had been aware of the plans. Lord Voldemort normally informs Naomi of all plans of attack. The Grangers were a random murder by Fenrir Greyback and Bellatrix Lestrange."
"What a lovely combination," Sirius muttered sarcastically. "The world's most vicious werewolf and the world's most psychotic Death Eater. Who could ask for anything more?"
"So basically what you're saying, Albus," Remus said quietly, "is that Greyback and Bellatrix were bored and decided to have fun with the Muggles?"
"Precisely," Dumbledore said somberly. "Lord Voldemort's followers have proved many times in the past that brutal murders mean nothing to them. I believe the fact that their victims just happened to be parents of one of Harry Potter's best friends was something of a bonus for them."
Harry and Ron perched awkwardly on the desk in Hermione and Ginny's room, watching Ginny hold a sobbing Hermione on one of the twin beds. Hermione hadn't stopped crying for days—Harry was amazed at how many bodily fluids his friend had lost over the last few days, but knew better than to say anything about it. He felt horrible for Hermione. He hadn't known his own parents before they'd been killed, but he was positive he'd be a crying mess if Sirius or Remus was murdered.
There was a soft knock at the door and Remus poked his head inside, gesturing for Harry to come out into the hallway with him. Ron patted him on the back as he slid to the floor to go to his guardian. "What's up?" Harry asked as he closed the bedroom door.
"How's Hermione?" Remus asked quietly.
Harry shrugged hopelessly. "Same as ever... How long can she cry like that, d'you reckon?"
Regardless of the circumstances, Remus' lips twitched at the question. "You'd be surprised. Your mother went on for a week when her parents died. Of course, she was pregnant with you at the time, so I think her emotions might have been a bit heightened."
Harry sighed. "I want to help her, but I really don't know what to do..."
"Just be there for her," Remus said gently. "I can say from experience that it helps to have your friends nearby, even if you don't feel like talking to them. It's comforting just to know your friends are around, just in case." Harry nodded. "The reason I came up here is because Sirius, Emmeline, and I have to make a trip to Diagon Alley for a few things. We'll be back in an hour or two. Molly and Arthur will be here if you need anything."
"Kay," Harry said, not bothering to ask if he could go with them. The three of them were probably going to take care of Order business during their outing as well. "Hey, Remus," Harry called as his surrogate uncle started back towards the stairs. Remus turned and raised his eyebrows in question. "Ron said something about him and his family going back to the Burrow. Is it really safe enough for them to go back?"
Remus looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, no, not really, but there aren't many safe places left anymore. If they do go back to the Burrow, which I think they will, Dumbledore's said he would take care of wards and such. Besides, I think Molly's getting a bit antsy here; it is a bit cramped with everyone who's moved in over the past few months." Harry didn't look too convinced about the Weasleys' safety. "They'll be fine, Harry," Remus said softly. "And look at it this way: if the Weasleys do go back to the Burrow, perhaps Sirius and I can look into us going back to the cottage."
"Yeah?" Harry asked hopefully.
Remus smiled. "I'm not promising anything, but we'll see. I've got to be going. You go help take care of Hermione and make sure Fred and George don't blow up Headquarters, hmm?"
Diagon Alley was deserted.
Not one witch or wizard walked down the semi-littered cobblestone walkways. Since the news of Greyback's attack on the Grangers, the wizarding community felt it safer to remain in their homes rather than spend their days in a public setting. But as Sirius had said upon walking through the stone archway, even in their homes, they weren't guaranteed safety.
Emmeline sighed, shaking her head sadly as she looked around the once overcrowded shopping area. "I haven't seen it like this since those trolls came through in the first war," she said quietly as she walked between Sirius and Remus.
"It wasn't even this bad when Voldemort first came back," Sirius agreed. "You'd think that was when people would have wanted to stay at home, but no, it takes a mad werewolf to run them off..."
"Where to first?" Remus asked uncomfortably, wanting to get off the subject of Greyback.
"I was going to say Quality Quidditch Supplies, but it looks as thought they've shut down, doesn't it?" Sirius said as they passed the shop. The window that once held the newest broomstick models had been boarded up, and a small sign on the door informed them that the owners had gone on holiday. "Probably to America for the World Cup," Sirius muttered enviously.
Emmeline rolled her eyes, and turned to Remus. "Molly said she needed a few things from the Apothecary and Arthur wanted us to pick up some mulled mead from the Leaky Cauldron."
"That'll make Tom happy," Remus said. "Did you see the look he gave us when we said we were just passing through?" The others nodded. "I was thinking we could pick up a few books for Hermione, in case she feels up to reading."
"Moony, if that girl is anything like you, that's all she's going to want to do for the next few months," Sirius said.
"James was the same way after his parents were murdered," Remus recalled. "He didn't want to do anything except study and go to Prefect meetings—and the only reason he did that was because he was Head Boy and Lily made him."
The afternoon progressed without difficulty (unless you counted Sirius trying to buy a book on spells useful for pranking) until the three friends made to leave Diagon Alley. Emmeline and Remus carried their purchases while Sirius kept his hand wrapped tightly around his wand. Even though there was nobody in the alley, Sirius' adopted paranoia from Mad-Eye kept him vigilant. His eyes darted around the boarded up shops, behind rubbish cans, and even on the tops of buildings.
"I never knew you took your job so seriously, Sirius," Emmeline teased.
"And if you make the joke I know you are about to make, I will be forced to hurt you, Padfoot," Remus said lightly.
Sirius was about to reply when his eyes locked on a tall hooded figure walking swiftly down the steps into Knockturn Alley. He watched with narrowed eyes as the person stopped, looked over its shoulder, and leaned against a wall.
"Sirius, are you coming?" Remus asked.
For the briefest second, Sirius looked ahead of him and saw Remus and Emmeline preparing to go back through the stone archway into the Leaky Cauldron. "In a minute..." he muttered, watching the person in Knockturn Alley suspiciously.
Somebody from behind him rammed hard into his shoulder, nearly knocking him to the ground. "Watch it, Black," an unfamiliar voice sneered.
Sirius rubbed his shoulder, glaring at the wizard who was now following the other's footsteps into Knockturn Alley. The first hooded figure greeted the new arrival with a hug and the hood fell to its shoulders. Long blonde hair fell across a witch's back as she turned to glare at Sirius before walking off arm-in-arm with the wizard. "Narcissa...?" Sirius muttered in confusion.
The man she'd greeted had shoulder length brown hair and an air of snootiness about him. If he was a member of a pureblood family, it was one Sirius had never seen before. And he was sure Narcissa wouldn't meet with anything less than a pureblood.
"Who was that?" Remus asked. Sirius pulled his eyes from the pair who'd disappeared around a corner and saw that Remus had also taken out his wand, the bags he'd been carrying lying forgotten at his feet. "Thought he was going to tackle you; he came up behind you pretty fast..."
Sirius shook his head. "I don't know who he was, but if he's meeting my cousin, it can't be good. Let's get back to Headquarters."
There was an Order meeting that night, and Sirius showed no reluctance in sharing what he'd seen in Diagon Alley with the others. Nobody seemed too concerned with the wizard who'd greeted Narcissa Malfoy except Sirius and Dumbledore.
"It is curious," Dumbledore said, "that our mystery wizard is greeting Lucius Malfoy's wife with a hug."
"Maybe she went and got herself a boyfriend," Elphias Doge suggested. "Malfoy's been on the run from the Ministry and Sirius for what, almost ten years now? She's bound to have moved on..."
Sirius shook his head. "No... In a pureblooded marriage, even if the husband disappears off the face of the earth, the wife can't just move on. Only if Malfoy was killed, which I would be glad to take care of, could Narcissa be with someone else. There's some sort of binding spell that's cast when purebloods from really old families marry. Not all pureblood families use it; I know James' family didn't have anything like that going on, and I don't think Emmeline's did, either... Anyway, I couldn't tell you anything about the spell since I've never been married, and I'd never allow anything like that to be cast between my wife and me. I do know it's unbreakable, though."
"So what would happen if Narcissa did get a new boyfriend with Malfoy still out there?" Remus asked interestedly.
Sirius shrugged. "Knowing the families as I do, she'd probably die a rather painful, messy death."
"Does the spell work both ways?" Emmeline asked. "Like if the husband gets a mistress?"
Sirius grinned darkly. "You're pureblooded, Emmeline, what do you think? My father had many mistresses flocking him; he even introduced a few to Regulus and me when we were kids. But Mother remained true to him. So no, it doesn't go both ways."
"Sirius has a point," Dumbledore said. Sirius looked proud of himself. "If the wizard Narcissa Malfoy was meeting today is romantically involved with her, we would be aware in one form or another. However, it will do us no good to ignore the peculiarity of this. Polyjuice Potion may also be a factor—"
"You think it's Malfoy?" Sirius asked before he could stop himself. Remus slapped him the back of his head automatically for his interruption.
"It is possible, Sirius," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling slightly in amusement. "Perhaps you can assign a few of your Aurors to keep watch on Malfoy Manor once again, and Knockturn Alley as well. Madam Bones has been concerned about the goings on in Knockturn Alley, at any rate." Sirius nodded that he would do as asked.
Dumbledore started to continue, but he was once again interrupted. Naomi flew down the stairs, startling everyone at the table. "Giants..." she panted. "Diagon Alley... On their way into London..."
Dumbledore's blue eyes widened just a bit before he gave Sirius a look that plainly told him to gather his Aurors and get to London immediately. Sirius pulled Tonks from her seat where she'd been staring off into the fire, and dragged her up the stairs. Along with the Aurors, Dumbledore sent Arthur, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Sturgis Podmore, and Bill and Charlie Weasley. Remus made to follow them, but the Headmaster gestured for him to remain at Headquarters. The werewolf furrowed his brow in confusion as the headmaster left the kitchen.
"Come on," Emmeline said quietly as Molly handed Naomi a goblet of cold water. "Let's see if we can't get this map of yours working..."
Just as he was about to send a stunner at a giant's legs, Sirius dived to knock a Muggle woman out of the way of another giant's foot. Without waiting for the woman to finish stumbling over her thanks, the Head Auror scrambled off the sidewalk and back into the battle.
"DAWLISH!" he yelled as the third giant knocked over a lamppost onto a car as if it was a toothpick. The other Auror dodged a tree trunk thrown by one of the giants and ran to Sirius' side. "We need to get everybody together and cast a Confundus charm at their eyes—it's the only way they're going to get them. Once that's done have everyone cast a tripping jinx. They're going to fall and they're going to fall hard... Why are you looking at me like that?" Sirius asked irritably when Dawlish just stared at him.
"A tripping jinx?" the other Auror asked incredulously. "Are you mad?"
"Don't bloody second guess me, Dawlish! Just do it!" Sirius yelled.
Dawlish muttered, "Sure, boss," and ran to gather the other Aurors and Order members that had arrived. Five minutes later, they all stood in a line, spread into three teams, one team for each giant. Sirius shouted, "NOW!" and at least fifty voices cried out, "CONFUNDUS!" followed immediately with the incantation for the tripping jinx. As Sirius expected, the giants began to fall, and hard. One stumbled into a building, causing it to crumble under the weight, roaring in protest; another fell straight forward—Sirius yanked Tonks and another Auror out of the way by their robes just in time; the third giant staggered a bit, clawing at its eyes, but remained standing.
"Stunners on three!" Sirius shouted to the group. He'd only got to the count of two when something that looked like a car door was thrown past him, cutting deeply into his chest and shoulder. Tonks cried out, "THREE!" and dozens of red jets of light hit the giant in various places of its body. The final giant fell harder that the other two—it was at least ten feet taller than the others—and a large cloud of dust and dirt flooded the London street, blinding the Aurors and Order members.
Coughing and sputtering, Sirius grasped at his shoulder as someone accidentally fell into him, trying not to cry out in pain. Blood was flowing freely from the injuries—Sirius hadn't known he had that much blood...
Somebody, probably Dumbledore, informed the Head Auror that the Obliviators and Control of Magical Creatures departments had arrived on the scene. "I'm going to Apparate us back to Number Twelve, Sirius," Dumbledore said quietly. "Keep your eyes open..."
Sirius blinked twice and the scene around him changed. They were now standing just outside of Order Headquarters. Sirius felt dizzy and disoriented, and he wanted nothing more than to just go to sleep. Before he fell to the ground, the old Headmaster (Not nearly as frail as he looks, Sirius thought vaguely) caught him by his uninjured arm and helped him inside. He fell to his knees just inside the door, unable to remain standing any longer, with or without Dumbledore's help. As his eyes closed, he saw Remus rushing to him looking pale and worried.