It was tense. The last few days had been the same and Hermione wasn't sure what she could say or do to make Sabrina or herself feel better the elves had been doting on them both and Hermione had made sure she was around and available for the short talks the two had taken to having. Everything Sabrina might need had been purchased and after she found her crying over school robes and what they had been through she decided everything new was better.
That had taken a few trips to the Alley and they had seen more of her classmates. No one had said anything but they had looked it. Disapproving or eyes cast down. She had just tried to keep her chin up. Neither girl had done anything wrong and most of these people hadn't done anything at all. Just hidden and left it to others. It was hard to be charitable or understanding.
So the school trunk was the only thing that had been original. It had been fun to put the potions kit together and they had gone with Blaise to an old witch in a stone house that did amazing things with fabric. The shirts were softer and everything fit perfectly. Then they had spelled them for resistance to everything they could think of. That had been a lesson but a fun one. Just one example of the magical tasks they had taken on.
"You need a token." Sabrina spoke from the closet she was looking through. Trying to decide if she needed another pair of jeans and whether she could get away with taking the Gryffindor hoodie she had since the first night. Hermione just took it from her hands and placed it in the Trunk. She had Ravenclaw ones now too, but still wore hers when they were hanging out.
"A token of what?" She asked and then looked the witch over. Sabrina was serious and gave her a look. So this was related to her brother. Or their House. Both were important to the younger girl.
"Isn't that the sort of thing I should wait and be given?" She asked. Trying not to be defensive. She watched Sabrina blush slightly. Then frown and then finally huff. The girl was expressive when she wasn't hiding it. The token of their families public claim to her was what she meant.
"Yes. Traditionally but it isn't right. You wandering around without one. With the Rites especially. We already look ungrateful and grasping." Hermione laughed a little and then louder before quelling it.
"To some maybe but to others it is me that is grasping. First the Rosier name and then a scion. Greedy." Her tone was wry and the witch deflated a bit.
"Alright. For now but I'll be watching. Thor wouldn't like it either. If it became a reason you were slighted. Another one." Sabrina was as worried about leaving her as Hermione was about the witch going to school. She had the elves and friends out here. It felt like she was sending Sabrina into the unknown and the girl wasn't eleven. It made her wonder about how parents dealt with it. Admittedly their years had been better than Hermione's or Sabrina's or they were muggles and spoon fed what they might accept.
"I'll be fine Rina. Just take care of yourself. Eat. Have fun. Don't worry much about school and wrap yourself in your OWL scores. Most won't have taken them so hold your head up high with the older students. You've done more this summer than I did before sixth and school wasn't much of a problem that year." Sabrina looked a bit more confidant. They closed the trunk and Zavi popped in and disappeared with it. The two witches walked to the apparition room and then Patter popped in and their cloaks were in their hands.
"Miss calls Patter. Patter will come." The elf was firm and didn't let go of Sabrina's cloak until she nodded and then the witch reached for her hand. A last look and she shrunk the trunk, then smiled at Sabrina and spun them into nothing.
The platform was full and there were more whole families than usual. There were reporters too which she didn't like. Sabrina just squeezed her hand and then gave her a determined look and Hermione felt better. Trunk resized the two walked to further down the train and gazed at the steam shrouded train.
"I'll miss you. Write me." Hermione wanted to hug her but wasn't sure. Sabrina sometimes was uncomfortable with the open affection and so she reached for her hand. The next second her arms were full of the younger girl and she squeezed.
"I'll write tonight or tomorrow. Miss you. Thank you." Then they broke apart and they loaded her trunk into a rack and Hermione stepped back. Wanting no one to see her. People waved and she did in return but no one spoke to her. It was weird but better maybe.
"Alright Mione?" Harry asked from behind her and she spun to see her friend smiling at her and ignoring the whispers and pointing. He had seen Ginny off but wasn't watered about her. The witch had been smiling when Hermione had seen her surrounded by ginger heads earlier.
"Yes Harry. Claudia just found her. She's alright. I'm just worried and probably will be for a while." His look said that he understood. They were all jumpier and more paranoid in different ways.
"Come have a coffee with me after?" He asked her and she smiled up at him before the two looked back. Her eyes scanned the windows on the train until two heads were visible, then the window dropped and the golden head was beside the medium brown one. Neither girl was smiling or anything but both looked okay. They waved and she waved back and then noticed Harry to wave. Claudia blushed and Sabrina nudged her and giggled. It made her feel better.
"That was awkward." Harry mumbled and she couldn't help her laugh. The two ignored the stares and whispers until the train started moving and she locked eyes with Sabrina. Then watched the train be obscured in the steam and pull out of the station. She held her hand out for Harry's and allowed him to pull her into apparition.
"So what you are saying is that you expect up to six years. Based on the trials that have been completed." Hermione surmised the long and detailed explanation she had gotten from the lawyer.
Stolford gave her a look that said she was over simplifying but he didn't contradict her. Then she waited. Surely he would add something to that.
"Miss Rosier, it could be less time. Your classmates have received a year or less and with some significant incidents included." He finally responded and she tried to hear his words. Six years. Alone. Six years. Her mind wouldn't even begin working again, stalled on the length of time.
"You mean Malfoy?" She asked him and his nod said yes.
"Do you think he got less time because he is so young. Was school age throughout this whole thing. They had our depositions too. Harry's and mine. Luna's too." The lawyer looked her over closer then. She wondered if it was her scars he was looking for.
"Yes. Nott had none of that and spent more time out of school last year. Still he received 10 months." This seemed like he was trying to convince her and she realised it was visible. Her shock or whatever it was. She took a breath then and tried to calm down. There was nothing she could do. It hadn't happened yet.
"Stolford, I am sorry for my lack of composure." She could tell he was uncomfortable and she hadn't noticed before. He seemed startled and then smiled slightly at her.
"I was surprised. You have taken everything with such grace and forthrightness. I had expected the same and for that, I apologize." He seemed sincere and she wasn't sure what to say but thought her smile was genuine even if it wasn't wide.
"Are there decisions to be made before the sentencing?" She forced the words out and was relieved at the more normal tone to her voice. It wasn't as wooden sounding.
"Yes. Many. Will you defer to them as you have until now?" He asked and she scoffed a bit at the off said comment. That she didn't try and change what was sent to them or get what she wanted. He had taken to being a bit disappointed in her for it. To many Slytherin clients.
"They know more than me. It's their lives. Rowle especially. He didn't pick any of this and doing what he prefers as regards his family business is all I can do." He blinked once at her and then looked her over.
"You are unique Miss Rosier. I will have a few last minute things before your last visit. I will have my elf bring whatever there is and communicate with Barthweight for Mr Rowle's particulars." She agreed and wished they had the same lawyer.
She smiled her thanks and accepted the kiss to her knuckles from the white haired wizard and left the office. Surprised when Pansy Parkinson caught her eye. She didn't stop but the witch looked at her without any malice, or so she thought. In a moment the thought was gone and she could feel herself starting to panic.
Reaching the cobbled side street of the Alley she spun back to the Dale and the silence felt tangible. Suddenly more agitated, she spun away again and landed at the apparition wards of Andromeda's charming cottage. It was far larger than a normal cottage but to a Black it was small.
As she passed under the long row of leafy oaks above her head, she tried to let the peace of this place soothe her. She wasn't alone. Harry was at training and Sabrina at school. She couldn't go to Blaise and Kingsley was at work. Andromeda though, she might be home and wouldn't mind Hermione stopping by unannounced. She was also good at making things straight forward.
Draco had gotten three visits with family in his twelve month sentence and Theo two with his godparent as he had no blood family. Narcissa would see both boys though. Whatever Theo had thought or done to her, she didn't want him not to see anyone for months on end. Kingsley has taken her comments about studying or mind exercise to heart and there were provision for the written portions of the exams that had a practical. It was something and she hoped it helped. Both boys would need something to occupy their minds and were academic enough to even enjoy it. Books and other study materials would be made available to prisoners after sentencing. She had gone to muggle liaison office, and then when they had nothing useful to a bookstore. Several actually but she had come back with all she could find on prisons and their inmates health. Mental and physical. Changes would take time but we're on the docket for implementation. Some at least.
The front door came into view and the witch was standing in it with teddy propped on one hip. Her hair was in a loose braid and she wore comfortable looking trousers and a sweater. Her brows were pinched though she did smile at Teddy when he babbled something.
"He says it could be six years Andromeda." She croaked out and then started crying. The tears just rolled down her face but there weren't any sobs.
"Come in dear and let's have a cup of tea." Hermione let the witch wrap her free arm around her shoulders and lead her in. Settled on a chair in the sitting room, she cradled a cup of tea and was watching the baby try and fit a wooden block in his mouth and drool copiously on it. Still she wiped away the tears that dropped down her cheeks.
"It sounds dramatic but that sounds like forever." She admitted and looked up at Andromeda's silence.
"It is a long time. Even relatively, six years is substantial." She finally spoke and Hermione just blinked. Having expected an attempt to make her feel better. Then she sniffled and accepted the handkerchief she was offered.
"The Rites too. I'm just stuck." She felt selfish. Knew it was selfish to be thinking only of herself. Well she had been thinking of Sabrina too and even Daphne but it seemed like six years of prison to her as well.
"If it is that long, it will certainly be a challenge to remain occupied and keep contact with the life you will eventually have." The words were firm and she watched the witch think. Then looked down at teddy. Trying to imagine him nearly six and a half years old. She couldn't. Sabrina would be a woman. Grown. Having finished her apprenticeship or training. If she did that. What could she do for so long? How could she do this?
"Hermione." Her name was firm and she looked up and then straighten at the expectant look she was receiving.
"When we know for sure how long it will be, and your exams are done. Then we will begin making plans. Until then, you have plenty to keep you occupied. Did you finish the invisibility potion with the results you wanted?" Andromeda asked and Hermione accepted the change in topic.
Hours later she was in her bed. The huge one behind several doors, one that had an ornate H on the door. In the Heome of her brother who might not be here for years. She would be alone. Certain that she couldn't allow anyone to stall in living for so long. Sabrina would have to be shown to live. To carry on. That kept centering in her mind.
She let herself wallow. Then be angry. Angry at herself for not anticipating this. She had known but it hadn't been real. Angry at Josh for doing this to her. Putting her in this situation. No one could bully Sabrina into signing a contract now. The younger witch had mentioned her aunt had been talking about it. That was something. Was it enough to balance against years alone. Her future and her body was promised to a wizard she wouldn't be able to see. Her life was bound to contracts that she couldn't even fulfill. Could she fall in love? What if that happened?
The thought filled her with a cold dread. Loving someone and not being able to be with them. Even if they spent time together, it couldn't be more than that. She would have to wait. Wait for the man she didn't love to get out. Hope the man she did love didn't love her or something. Then she was scrambling out from under the covers and toward the glamorous bathroom just through the dressing room. She made it and for minutes she heaved her meager dinner into the sparkling clean toilet.
When she sat back, she felt her hair be magicked into a braid and a cleaning charm sweep her body. Cleaning her mouth of the taste and her body of the rapidly cooling sweat.
Zavi stood there and Patter appeared with her dressing gown. The elf had insisted she needed one and Hermione tried to smile at the worried elves.
"Miss be's okay?" Patter asked and Hermione didn't know how to answer.