Hermione POV

Feeling Adrian thread his fingers into hers and send reassurance brought the rising levels of her anxiety to the front of her mind. Adrian wasn't a problem, not her connection with him. Other things though were uncertain and she was having one of those moments where the things she didn't know were crowding out and diminishing what she did.

Forcing herself to breathe slowly she calmed herself as much as she could while following a half step behind the wizard heading towards his mother's sitting room. The way he had said it made it clear that this was different from however many other rooms with seats might exist in this huge home. It was pretty but grand and not something she had ever considered an actual home. Deciding not to judge what she didn't understand, she thought over what she could say to Cynthia and what she could ask. Nothing was clear when they'd stopped at a door open a few inches.

They had just made a left into a hall whose wood paneling had gradually lightened as they approached it. Now the smaller sized french doors before them must contain the witch. Adrian squeezed her hand and then pushed the door open. A quick scan was all she had before the woman's eyes met hers. They were nearly identical to her sons but the look in them unfamiliar to her. She had also gifted Adrian with her dark chesnut hair colour though there was no sign of her curls.

After a moment a smile spread across her face and Hermione thought it looked honest and contained emotions she couldn't read. No bond to explain this Slytherins emotions. Adrian's steady flow of slight anxiety and perhaps impatience didn't indicate something amiss though and that was enough for Hermione to relax a little bit. A teacup and saucer in hand, she waited for someone to begin. Not knowing where to start.

"All is well then?" Her tone said she wasn't concerned and Hermione couldn't help her slight blush but Adrian nodded easily and she felt the triumph and relief he felt at giving this assertion. It was interesting and somewhat uncomfortable to have his mother be the only person who knew about them, anything specific anyways.

"What have you considered Hermione?" Blinking at the question she looked hers and received a nod. Adrian's curiosity also indicated she speak so she decided to do so. Whatever jumbled mess it came out as. Teacup and saucer placed carefully on the table she took a breath then began.

"Please excuse the disorganized way this will surely come out. It seems twisted and well, I'm sure you know. I don't have anything concrete to add. Just more questions. Adrian mentioned his father and that seems, it is the important part I think. For right now." Deciding that she would prefer to get their opinions she waited and was relieved when Cynthia spoke.

"He is marked." Outwardly everything stilled and inwardly she felt like she was moving in all directions. It was Adrian's fear and anxiety that brought her out of her seconds of whirling thoughts.

"I am sorry to speak so bluntly but it is relevant. He was marked two months and twenty one days before his fall." Hermione looked up and tried to remain calm. The man wasn't here and Adrian was panicking. His mother looked as if she wanted to stand or do something, her fingers were white on the delicate teacup handle. A full minute passed and she accepted that she would have to speak. Mother and son were watching her with different but equally wary expressions.

"Since you both spoke of telling him or at least referenced him, I assume that he will not react as I would expect someone with that title to." Her words were careful and part of her felt badly, about the tension and uncertainty this was causing. Adrian was nearly vibrating and the bond was fluctuating. Trying to keep her side even and steady she looked to the witch after glancing at the wizard next to her. Who looked to be made of stone, if movement was her indicator.

"The story is long, and it was a terrible time." Hermione nodded when the witch paused. As much as could be read in the Prophets archived in the Hogwarts library was her only knowledge but it was enough to know that 1981 was a horrible year. After at least five years of things getting progressively worse. Adrian would have been three or so. Fleetingly she realized that she hadn't asked his birthday. "I can't say that either of us know anything about muggles or before you had much interest." Hermione just watched the woman and tried to listen without flares of emotion. It wasn't her usual filter either, even the ones that didn't show were felt.

"With that said, he didn't want to be a slave to a steadily more dangerous wizard either." Cynthia broke off and broke eye contact at that and Hermione looked down at the shiny wooden table before her. The edge had intro cut leaves carved into it that scalloped the edges slightly. There was nothing to do but wait. Not a single thing that she might say came to mind and she tried to ignore the bonds increasing agitation. It was back. That separate feeling.

"Adrian." Hermione's eyes snapped up at the chastising tone in the witch's voice and she looked from her stern face to the wizard beside her. Who was still in the same position as the last time she had looked. "I know that this is difficult. She is here and you are not making this easier. Perhaps if you held her hand." The last wasn't a question exactly but Hermione nodded her acceptance. It was nearly impossible to keep herself on a relatively even keel with him so upset. Nothing changed for a moment and then he looked at her. It was all questions and she didn't have answers for them yet.

Maybe her actual uncertainty would be enough to show him that she wasn't just going to run away. Not because of this. It was complicated though. Loosening her tight hold on the bond she waited and watched his mother. Her eyes were intent on her son and eventually she got a nod. It came after Hermione had felt the emotions shift. Then his hand grabbed hers and enfolded it between his larger ones completely. He wasn't relaxed or content at all but he wasn't panicking either.

She smiled a bit at the woman and watched her face transform in a moment. The smile was gentle and sincere. Her eyes though looked as if they might overflow and there was a pink tint to her pale cheeks. The witch looked beautiful and Hermione relaxed. This woman loved her son and it felt comfortable to have her understand what has been going on. Relief came from the bond too and she knew he had used the older woman's reaction as a weather vane for the situation too.

"So it is entirely relevant whether or not there is substance in the growing unease in our circle. Those not previously involved have shown signs of tension in addition to the things I have observed in Nathan and those more firmly tethered." At that moment, Hermione felt her age. Sometimes how old she was didn't matter but the unpreparedness for this huge situation, if it happened was overwhelming.

"All I can do is release you to tell him things that I have told you or about us." Hermione spoke without thought and then realized how true that was. It felt like a risk. Herself she would risk, but Harry? The thought had her mind made up and she was speaking before she considered how she could phrase it politely.

"Harry. Not Harry. It is known that I am his friend and he will certainly understand what that means but I can not risk him." Her voice was firm and she felt impertinent but didn't lower her chin from the stubborn tilt she knew it had. Several things surged in the bond but none of them were terrible. Resignation was the most prevalent. Nothing to do after that but wait and hope that the woman wasn't offended be her drawing the line.

Cynthia POV

It was reassuring in a way, watching the young witch make a decision and then assert herself so clearly. A flicked glance to her son told her that he had expected or at least wasn't surprised by this. Knowing that this was important for many reasons, she sat back a little bit and surveyed Hermione while she thought this over.

It was relevant to the situation if they accepted the possibility of his return. More so and more immediately relevant was the fact that this was the beginning of a relationship and dynamic that would, hopefully, last her lifetime. The way in which Hermione chose to deal with them and how each interaction affected her trust and openness would have long term impact. The way she approached this would also set the tone, could be one of the ways in which she assessed and trained the witch.

Her background and even house affiliation would put her opposite many and with very few that would approach even something like idle chatter the way Hermione would. Some would like her for her and have no problem guiding her through the mire of social idiosyncrasies, Cynthia would infinitely prefer to do that herself. Perhaps it would be a long time before this could be put into play in drawing rooms or gardens but if it was, this would only be helpful to the young witch in more ways than it would have been originally.

"Perhaps you could share the broad strokes of what makes you so sure than his eventual place among us is possible." Hermione blinked once and she could see the witch's mind turn over her words and the abrupt change in topic. Eventually it seemed like she had decided but wasn't sure. Looking forward to seeing how she responded as much as what information she might impart, she gave a slight nod of encouragement.

The small shoulders straightened slightly and she picked up her tea cup again. Very good. Perhaps she had experienced some teachings of some kind.

"It took me perhaps an embarrassingly long time to begin to be able to see the level of strange as different from my general entrance into the magical world." The look she received from those honey shaded eyes seemed to say this was not what she would expect to be the usual entry into Hogwarts for a muggleborn. Intrigued by the tone and Adrian's soft scoff, she ignored her son and watched the witch. Who seemed to be imitating someone or just portraying a dry persona of her own.

"There was an obstacle course set up in Hogwarts my first year. A warning of a painful death as the only reference to a locked door. Many things happened and by the end of the year I stood before a potions riddle and watched my first friend walk in to face, well we weren't exactly right, neither of us having considered a professor having someone thought dead in the back of his head." A calm sip and then it cracked, something flashed in her eyes. Adrian tensed and she flicked a glance at him, concern, it was disorienting to see them react to each other and would take practice to be able to read them in a more useful way.

"The next year was the basilisk. Perhaps you could explain why other than an attempted sacking of the headmaster, no one seemed to be reacting to the petrifaction of students by an unknown monster. Regardless of the how, it was the why. Again someone was there, in a form that shouldn't have been possible. That was when I began to wonder how common it was for dead people to interact in such a way, with the living." She was finished for now and Cynthia could only decide to think those words over more later. Adrian didn't understand. Neither did she of course but the witch was looking at her with defiance perhaps. Need was another thing it might be.

Not knowing what the girl wanted she looked to her son and he seemed to tear his eyes from the witch beside him. So much showed and then he composed himself and it was only determination, he looked stubborn.

"I will think that over Hermione. What you mean and what I know. Context." Hoping the girl could read her sincerity and lack of outright disbelief, she watched and seen the relaxation first in her sons face and then in the witch. Who was Hermione again, Just herself.

"I don't know what to say other than that. More is there. Other people and things. Pettigrew is alive. The rat." The rage and disgust was heartening. Sometimes people didn't have enough darkness in them to be dangerous. That was something she would like in the witch who would raise her grandchildren, hopefully plural.

"That is interesting." She offered and the witch clearly appreciated her dry tone. This was a bit fun. Never would she have guessed she would get such a young but interesting protégée.

"They only ever did find a finger. Then this summer and things after the main events, both of them, at the World Cup. Were you there?" She looked curious and not suspicious, interesting.

"I went with Marc and his dad." Adrian answered and she nodded in a sort of disappointed way. Maybe she had wanted Cynthia herself to have seen something.

"Anyways after that, which was disturbing and enlightening, the tournament. Harry did not enter himself and has been forced to participate in a way I don't understand. If he did not enter then how did his magic create the contract with the goblets magics? I have been assured this is beyond my comprehension by several people. Events have moved along since then." Hermione looked away and toward the window. Adrian looked a bit upset and she was glad they could do this privately. He would show emotions in front of her and Hermione more than anyone else. Certain ones anyways. Deciding this had worked well, it was easier for the younger witch to be asked, she sidestepped again.

"I am sure this must be difficult for your parents to understand. Petrification for instance would be frightening I'm sure." She did let her concern be heard and the witch winced. Perhaps not all was well after all. Adrian had mentioned that he thought their family a happy one. Colour rose on her cheeks and Adrian looked surprised.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Hermione." He offered and she smiled gently and nodded her agreement.

"They don't know. About anything really except my lessons. Not all of those either. How could I explain Moody demonstrating the killing curse?" Cynthia allowed herself to blink in surprise.

"Nothing? How?" Cynthia thought that a good question and was again surprised that her son didn't know this. They hadn't spoken very often though and much was going on at once, perhaps the mundane things were low on their list.

"I just. It's easier. I mentioned fluffy, the Cerberus that was the first defence on that corridor, and the worry and fear, it just was easier. Professor McGonagall looked at me with horror but accepted the stack of letters I handed her incase of my petrification. The one, the bond, if I hadn't been properly afraid by the things I knew and was looking for then the nearly constant fear and anxiety was enough. I tried to be careful." It was a shrug, not a ladylike way to end but understandable. Cynthia herself didn't know what she could say after that. Had never considered it from this perspective, the parents of muggleborns. The children going home and hiding who they were. Did her parents know her at all? That was very sad and it was easy to understand how an eleven or twelve year old would begin saying nothing and then be unable to explain.

"It would be too much to explain now." She didn't ask the question but Hermione's shoulders slumped and Adrian began rubbing her back with his free hand. It was wonderful today we her son like this, he had not dated nor interacted in the usual way with young ladies. This explained that clearly. It was her. Only her, for him.

"Perhaps that is better, though difficult of course, now. We will take your decision as to whether to approach your parents or not. This may change of course, depending on events." The witch thought that over and nodded. Her son relaxed further and she watched them meet eyes for a moment. He nodded and she smiled, a small one but there.

"Thank you. This doesn't seem like the right time to make any big decisions." Her tone was thoughtful and Cynthia considered her words. Then grinned a little bit and spoke her thought.

"Have you not?" The pink was quick to grace her cheeks and Adrian laughed softly.