Sabrina had been holding her hand since they had met on the platform. Claudia had made them three until the young witch had gone to her mother after a few minutes. They said hello to Ginny and the Weasleys then Sabrina had given her a look and she had Apparated the two of them home. Then she had gotten a tight hug. It was long and Sabrina gave a wobbly smile when she finally pulled away. Then requested sundaes and leggings in their newly mostly completed hang out room.
There they were now. Rich warm woods with their House colours splashed around and a big U shaped couch. The sundaes were as gorgeous as ever and Sabrina smiled up at her then. Hermione could only smile back and wait for whatever was on her mind.
"I wasn't sure. How it would be here, how you would be." Was her eventual admittance and Hermione frowned quickly at her for worrying.
"I'm alright Rina. I promise. It took a few days and then it became alright. The first trip to Diagon was hellish." Knowing Sabrina wouldn't accept the truth without sharing some of the negatives.
"I know. Heroine holds her head high, or something alliterative like that." Watching the younger witch roll her eyes was funny. She had done the same and Harry had apparated in to ask why they hadn't at least added her H name in. It was reliving that they could laugh about it. Or be amused anyways.
"What about you?" Hermione asked her and watched the witch carefully from under her lashes. A shrug and then something showed on her face.
"You can tell me Rina. Whatever it is. Or not if you really don't want to." The last she added at the frown she could see.
"I do. Some of it was that. Nose in the air comments or just trash about Thor." She looked up then and Hermione nodded her understanding. She got some of that too.
"The unaffiliated families though." Sabrina stopped then and Hermione deliberately took another bite and looked at the sundae while she did. Not wanting to stare. "The comments about being bailed out by a heroine and the shame." At this Hermione made herself take a breath and then another. Spazzing out wouldn't be helpful and she didn't think the witch was truly upset. Bothered was a better description.
"Worse still were the ones about where we would be if he had taken you. The cafe or whatever." It was said in such a quiet voice and she didn't know what to say for a minute. Then those eyes came up and they were exactly the same mix of colours as her brothers. The question and need to know was all she could see clearly on the younger girl's face.
"I don't know. If they really tried to take us or not. They didn't and Dolohov is very good. What does that mean? Your Brother, he was shooting spells but none of us got hit. It's strange to think about it. Even these few months after it's over." Honesty was all she could offer and Sabrina looked at her with anguish then.
"He loves you. Wouldn't hurt you ever." Hermione said immediately. Then watched the girls face. It was resigned but her eyes were less controlled.
"Others though? Did he hurt people?" Sabrina asked and Hermione froze.
"Nearly everyone hurt someone or more than one person since this started. I killed one." She spoke slowly and only let herself look down when she confessed. Sabrina stared at her for a moment and then closed her mouth and looked down. Hermione felt that all she could do was wait and see what she said.
"Was it self defense?" Was the eventual question and she shook her head.
"No. Luna, Nott was looming over Luna and had some kind of holding spell on her. The fear I could see on her face was scary. Terrifying in that moment and I levitated a piece of broken stone at him." Her hand indicated her head and Sabrina flinched. It was hard. To see a girl she loved flinch at hearing what she had done. It seemed normal among her age group or relatively. Not surprising anyways but even just two years younger, it wasn't expected.
"He would have hurt her though. Or you thought so. I don't know when it's okay to hurt people. It all makes me so angry Hermione. My brother, Thor, who loves me and has tried so hard to take care of me. He hurt people and that's. It's just hard to accept."Sabrina spoke with so much emotion mixed together that the prevalent one wasn't clear. Another bite of the delicious dessert helped her feel calmer and think about what to say. What could she say to that. It was true.
"That's understandable. That you have mixed feelings. So do I. Is there ever a good enough reason to hurt someone? I don't know. Draco did. Risked all of us and the school, for his mother. I'm sure other things were weighed but his mother was tortured in front of him. Should he have let her die and then himself instead of taking the mark and his tasks? I don't know Sabrina." Waiting for a moment to see if this was enough for now was hard. It was the best way to speak to the younger girl though. Short bursts of important conversations in the midst of regular chatter. The relaxation and resumption of eating was her answer and so she changed the topic.
"Andromeda stopped by last night. I was surprised to see her at ten but she was holding a letter and her pinched expression was the answer." Hermione spoke gravely and Sabrina perked up and licked her spoon.
"Narcissa finally wrote?" She asked and Hermione grinned at the witch's enthusiasm. Sabrina had been fascinated by Hermione and her friends. Also at her inclusion into their small and rather exalted group. That hadn't come to her mind until Claudia had gasped at the news that The Minister of Magic was practicing magic with her. It was funny and strange but amusing.
"Yes. It was interesting to read a letter like that. So much has happened as she was as vague as possible." Hermione scoffed slightly and this time it was Sabrina that grinned.
"Somewhere in that letter was something or Andromeda wouldn't have been pinched. She only does that when it's not pleasant but the right thing." They shared a smile at that. Andromeda say the two down a few times and laid some things out. It was that expression. We just have to soldier on.
"It was the first line of the second paragraph. It was honest too. Years of no choices have made me reflect on the ones you made when you had the chance. It struck me as true anyway." Sabrina looked thoughtful and scooped the last bit of chocolate sauce from her dish.
"You said she was disowned for her choices. That's hard. To have lost her family and her sisters. Well one at least. Then her family again." Sabrina spoke quietly and then her eyes caught on Hermione's.
"We have been invited to tea. Two mornings from now at two." Her grim tone was honest and Sabrina looked surprised and then uncomfortable.
"Exactly. I think we are armour and distraction. Teddy will be here and tea at her house." Hermione shared the instructions she had been given and Sabrina looked surprised.
"Mrs Malfoy will want to see Teddy, won't she?" Was the question and Hermione answered dryly.
"Meda said she will have to ask." Then she giggled at Sabrina's wide eyes and speculative look. The younger girl laughed then too.
"Where is she then?" Harry asked her.
"With Claudia. They asked to go into Brighton to the market. I've given her a coin and we've been working on her patronus. It's hard. Easier to know we already can and can fake it then try and convince her of that." She answered and Harry looked surprised.
"I thought she would be here." It was a grumble and she laughed.
"Come for dinner tonight or tomorrow if you want. Last night was mostly spent on catching her up on whatever news and gossip she missed. The personal stuff more than the actual news we write more about." Harry looked thoughtful. She just gave him a look that said speak.
"Ginny mentioned a few things." He said after a minute and a bite of his sandwich.
"About?" She asked. Not staring at him though wanting to. Something in his tone was serious.
"Some of the Death eater kids and family members having a rough time." He answered her and then caught her eye at the silence from her.
"Not Sabrina. Or Ginny said she hadn't seen much or heard much. I guess they've kept an eye out through DA members. It helped at the beginning." Harry said and she nodded. Ginny and her had written several times and Hermione was surprised by how much the younger witch had shared with her in those letters. As if she needed a safe place. Almost a diary. That thought had made her write in reply to a comment about not bothering her. Ensuring that Ginny knew she was happy to hear from her. Whatever she wanted to share to talk about. Molly was protective and she didn't like to cut in on her time with Harry but she looked forward to her being out of school and seeing her more.
"What is it then? Obviously you want to speak with me about it so share. I promise not to yell right now." The last was in response to his apprehensive look.
"They've taken up trying to escort Lestrange around the castle or at least watch him. Found him bleeding and crying a few times. Won't say anything. They tried McGonagall but without dosing him, he won't speak. Two of them stayed at the school so he wasn't alone with the chance of whoever getting him again." He stopped and the two were not eating or busying their hands. It was all Hermione could do not to pull her wand. Not to use it but in response to her racing heartbeat.
"I see. No I don't." Was her eventual reply and he nodded in understanding.
"There must be family. Someone." She said and Harry looked at her with something she wasn't sure of. Her mind was racing and trying to see whatever he did. Or a clue at least.
"Please just say it." She nearly bit the words out and Harry looked apologetic.
"They won't let Narcissa have him." Harry said finally and she thought about that. Harry had said she had written but it was something she had asked him in confidence.
"Is this what she asked you? Whatever you were vague about after that significant glance ages ago?" She asked and he did smile at that.
"Yeah. She asked me to look into the regulations for her. It took a bit because of her status. She isn't marked but they did lay a parole sentence on her for involvement." Hermione blinked at him.
"I had no idea. How?" She asked and he looked down and then up.
"A few people got them. It was quiet and I didn't know until Narcissa wrote me. Right after. Kingsley said it was to head of trials. It's two years for her and they gave Parkinson a year." He looked uncomfortable at that and she knew why. Yelling to give him up wasn't worth a year of anything to him. The whole trials and punishment thing made them both uncomfortable. Not for some of them, some were dangerous. Most of those were dead though. The rest were perhaps less than model citizens but Draco had changed Harry's views dramatically. After spending a year thinking him a loyal death eater by choice, his face and voice on the tower had been crushing to Harry. Maybe he hadn't talked about it with anyone but her, she knew though and her look was resigned.
"So? What does this have to do with Sinclair Lestrange?" She asked him. Not wanting the point to get lost. He might never bring it up again. He met her eyes and she stared into the vivid green. Waiting. Becoming more alarmed by the moment.
Her eyes broke from his when he reached into his hoodie pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Then slid it across the table halfway and she looked up at him.
"Kingsley wanted to call you in. I said I would do it. He didn't want to do it in your home but this is preferable. I think so." He just looked resigned and she thought over his words. Then knew the answer was in the paper and reached for it. The magic recognized hers and she thought about Kingsley sealing it like that.
Her eyes took in the paper and then turned it. This wasn't a letter but a copy of a blood tracing ritual. Done in the Ministry and Kingsley's signature was the one witnessing it.
Sinclair Lestrange was her cousin of some kind. If she understood the connection correctly.
"Zavi." She spoke into the silence and the elf popped in.
"Please get me the family grimoire." She looked the elf in the eye and noticed Harry watching her.
"Yes Miss." The ear wiggle was because he had advised she read it and she had resisted. She wanted the family trees in the back though and waited without meeting her friends eye. She didn't have long and the book bound in wood and looking ancient appeared in front of her.
Knowing it would open for her magics, she placed a hand on it and pushed some of it toward the pull she felt. Then it warmed under her hand and she opened it. Now that it was here in front of her she wanted to look through it. Curiosity being enough. Not the time though and so she carefully moved closer to the back and found the family listings. Then flipped until she reached more recent times.
There she and Josh were. Both glowed a copper colour and the rest were a flat black. Dead. She wondered what hers had shown as before her magics were free. Then she found the name. Sinclair's mother's name. Her father's cousin. With the notation she had married Antoine Lestrange. Then she looked up from the parchment Kinglsey had sent and looked again.
"So it's enough then?" She asked him finally and he shifted.
"Probably not for someone affiliated or even a regular citizen without some serious court battles." Harry answered and she just waited.
"It's you and if you go before the Wizengamot and ask for guardianship then." He trailed off and gave her a pointed look. She grimaced then. His nod told her that he understood. She didn't know what to do with this information.
"You think I should." She said after looking him over and thinking about the way he had approached this.
"His file says he lived with his mother from one. Lestrange died in a duel and then she died when he was eight. There was an elf and a nanny. Decent from what it said. Kingsley said he was polite and quiet." Harry looked down then and she thought about it. Her friend who had no one. No one claimed him and he grew up without love or anything. Even support he could count on. From an adult anyways.
"I'll speak to Sabrina when she comes home. I appreciate you speaking to me before we have tea with Narcissa tomorrow." She shot him and look and he smiled at her. Then relaxed into his seat and picked up his sandwich.
"So you've opened it now Mione. And at a table with food on it." Her scowl must have been impressive because his smile dropped and she primly wandlessly moved it to the side table and picked up her spoon.