Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

AN1 IMPORTANT: So when trying to figure out the timeline for stuff I have realised that there are a lot of dates that aren't exactly right, a lot of inconsistences so I have made my own timeline that makes things slightly different from Cannon, also Full moon dates aren't completely right for late 1993/early 1994.

AN2: Thank you for the support. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW.


July 27th 1993

It is the early hours of a Tuesday morning and as he was just woken by alert hat tells him someone is flooing in Remus is annoyed, until he notices just how early it is and then his annoyance turns to worry as he realises that someone flooing in at this time with no warning doesn't mean anything good. So, getting up and putting on his bathrobe, making sure that he has his wand, Remus heads downstairs.

As he walks into the lounge room Remus's feels his worry grow as he sees Albus standing in the middle of the room with a grave look on his face.

"Albus? What's happened?" Remus asks concerned.

"You may want to sit down." Albus says, not being overly sure how Remus is going to react to what he has to tell him.

"No, I'll stand." Remus responds, "What's happened, Albus? Just tell me." Remus requests.

"It's Sirius." Albus says and with those two words Remus falls backwards and basically collapses onto the arm chair.

"What about him?" Remus asks, stuttering the words out, not overly sure that he wants the answer as either Sirius has done something or something happened to him and neither would be good.

"He's escaped from Azkaban." Albus reveals.

"How?" Remus asks, not being able to see how he would have done that, "When?"

"A few hours ago. Fudge and the ministry are trying to figure out how he did it." Albus reveals, "But for the past few days he has been talking in his sleep, muttering the same two things over and over again, 'He's at Hogwarts' and 'I've got to protect her.'" Albus reveals, "Of course no one at the ministry knows what he is talking about."

"Protect her? Protect her from what?" Remus asks worried as even with everything he may have done Remus knows that if Sirius has escaped from Azkaban to protect Hermione, which is clearly the only she he would talk about, then he must have a very good reason.

"I don't know." Albus answers, "Fudge believes the 'He' Sirius was talking about is Harry."

"Maybe." Remus says, sounding uncertain as it really doesn't sound completely right to him, but he's going to have to think about it to figure out exactly why, "When does the ministry want to see me?" he asks as he is positive that they will want to see him at some point.

"They were going to bring you in as soon as possible, but I told Fudge that you and I will be there at ten am so that you can have a chance to tell Harry and Hermione what's happened." Albus reveals.

"I don't even know how I am going to do that." Remus admits, knowing that he has to figure out a way, "I won't tell Fudge about Hermione. I don't care what he does to me, but I will not tell him about her." Remus reveals, his voice stern, as he knows that if the ministry knows about Hermione they'll use her, maybe even hurt her, to get Sirius back in custody.

"I have no intention of letting the minister find out about Hermione." Albus says as he knows that if Fudge finds out about her he'll see her as Sirius's Black's daughter, nothing else and after all the mistakes he's made that have caused Remus, Harry and Hermione pain, he will not be adding that to the list.

"Thank you." Remus says gratefully.

"Of course." Albus says with a nod.

"I need someone to stay with Hermione and Harry while we're at the ministry." Remus tells Albus.

"I'll ask Minerva to." Albus says, knowing that even though Remus didn't say it that whoever stays with Hermione and Harry will need to be someone who could deal with Sirius, just in case.

"That will be good." Remus says.

"I best be going; I'll see you in a few hours." Albus tells Remus who nods and Albus goes to the fire and floo's away.

After Albus leaves Remus just sits in the arm chair in a state of shock, running through everything that Albus said.

"Sirius is free." Remus says to himself, "He escaped." He says, trying to figure out what that means and how he feels about it. As he does Remus realise that there is a part of him that is happy Sirius escaped as it means he is no longer suffering in that place anymore, and as soon as he realises that he feels even worse.


Hours later Hermione and Harry are both heading downstairs, neither realising the news they are going to get when they get down there, but as the two teenagers walk into the kitchen they both realises that something has happened as Remus is sitting at the table, wearing robes, staring at a cup of tea.

"Papa?" Hermione asks after she and Harry exchange looks.

"Hermione, Harry." Remus says, looking up at them and as he does they both realises that he looks like he has had even less sleep than usual.

"What's happened?" Harry asks worried.

"Sit down, both of you." Remus requests.

"Am I being sent back to the Dursley's?" Harry asks, sounding frightened as he sits down.

"God no, Harry, of course not." Remus tells him, "You'll never be sent back there, not if I have any say in the matter." Remus assures him, giving him a supportive smile, something that is rather difficult considering everything.

"Then what's going on?" Hermione asks as she too sits down.

"Albus was here a few hours ago." Remus reveals, "He was here to tell us that Sirius has escaped Azkaban." He explains.

"WHAT?" Harry and Hermione ask, both sounding completely shocked.

"How?" Harry asks.

"That's meant to be impossible." Hermione comments.

"Yes, it is." Remus answers, "The ministry is still trying to figure out how he did it." Remus says and as he does Hermione gets up and runs up the stairs, "HERMIONE." Remus calls after her and then he turns to Harry.

"Go, I'm still trying to digest." Harry admits and Remus gives a nod before heading upstairs.

After Remus leave Harry just sits in his chair and tries and figures out how he feels about everything. For the last year he has been helping Hermione try and find a way for Sirius to get a trial because he wants answers, and he really, really does, but at the same time he wants the person wo betrayed his parents to pay and basically everything he knows points to that person being Sirius.

Looking around the kitchen Harry realises that Remus hasn't made breakfast and so he gets up and gets started on that, both wanting to do something to help as well as doing something to distract himself.


Approaching his daughter's room Remus sees that the door is open and just as he is about to be close enough to knock he finds himself almost being hit by Paddy, who has been thrown by Hermione.

"Throwing Paddy won't help anything." Remus says from the doorway, looking at Hermione who is lying on her bed on her side, her face facing away from the door.

"No, it didn't." Hermione admits and Remus picks up Paddy, closes the door and walks over to his daughter.

"Talk to me, Hermione." Remus requests as he sits down next to his daughter and places Paddy on the bed next to her.

"You don't want to know what I'm thinking." Hermione admits.

"Yes, I do." Remus tells his daughter, placing his hand on her arm.

"I was happy." Hermione says as she turns to face Remus, "I was happy when you said he escaped because I thought that I could finally get all the answers to all the questions I have." Hermione reveals, "How horrible is that? After everything he did my first thought should have been fear, or disgust, but it wasn't. It was happiness because I selfishly want to know why, I'm a horrible person." Hermione tells her papa.

"Oh Hermione, you're not. You could never be a horrible person." Remus tells his daughter, "You've always wondered about your Dad, always wanted answers. So that being your first thought is normal, it's okay." Remus assures his daughter, not wanting her to feel bad of how she's feeling.

"Do you think he'll try and find us, try and reach out, talk to us?" Hermione asks curious.

"Without a doubt." Remus answers, not even needed to think about that, "Which is why I need you to make me a promise. If your Dad contacts you in any way, if you see him, if you talk to him I need you to tell me as soon as possible." Remus says.

"I promise." Hermione answers, then she looks nervous, "Can you promise me the same thing?" Hermione asks, "If he reaches out to you will you tell me?"

"I will." Remus tells her as he honestly doesn't think Sirius would, he doesn't know what he would do if he did, "I promise."

"Thank you." Hermione says, looking relieved.

"I have to go to the Ministry soon." Remus tells his daughter.

"What? Why?" Hermione asks panic in her voice.

"Albus and I are going because they want to see us. They probably want to know where Sirius is likely to go, what he's likely to do, whether I had anything to do with his escape." Remus explains to his daughter.

"You'll be okay, right?" Hermione asks worried, "They won't hurt you will they? Keep you in custody?" she asks worried.

"I'm sure Albus won't let them." Remus tells her, believing that, "I'm also not going to tell them about you, because you'll be safer if they don't know, so you're going to have to keep going by Granger." He tells Hermione.

"Okay." Hermione says and then her voice turns nervous again, "Are you going to tell the ministry about….." Hermione starts to say, trailing off as she looks at Paddy, causing Remus to realise exactly what she is talking about.

"No." Remus answers, without hesitation, "Your Dad escaping Azkaban has nothing to do with that, and no matter what he may have done I can't betray him in that way, because that's what telling Albus or the Ministry about that would be, and that's something I can't do." Remus admits.

"Okay." Hermione says, not sure how she feels about that.

"And even though it's not fair, I have to ask you not to as well." Remus tells his daughter, "Can you do that for me?" he asks and for almost a minute Hermione is silent.

"Yes, I can. I won't tell anyone, not even Harry and Neville." Hermione tells Remus who looks grateful, though to tell the truth Hermione isn't completely sure whether she'll be able to keep that promise.

"Thank you, Hermione." Remus tells his daughter, "But you should keep a look out for him like that." He reveals.

"I will." Hermione says with a nod, "We should go check how Harry is."

"Yes, we should." Remus says and the two of them head downstairs.


When Hermione and Remus walk into the kitchen about a minute they find Harry serving up breakfast.

"Harry, you didn't have to do this." Remus tells him.

"I needed the distraction." Harry admits.

"Are you okay?" Remus asks concerned

"Are any of us right now?" Harry asks as he sits down.

"No, I guess not." Remus realises as Hermione sits down at the table, "Harry soon I have to go to the ministry and Minerva is going to stay with you and Hermione."

"You'll be okay, right?" Harry asks, sounding worried, "The ministry won't do anything to you, right?" he asks.

"They may want to, but Albus and I are going together and I believe he won't let them."' Remus reveals, and both Harry and Hermione look at him, "Before he escaped Sirius had been talking in his sleep." Remus reveals as he sits down too.

"What was he saying?" Hermione asks.

"Two different things, over and over again." Remus reveals, "'He's at Hogwarts' and 'I need to protect her.'"

"Was he talking about me?" Hermione asks, surprise in her voice.

"I believe so." Remus confirms.

"What could I need protection from? How would he even know that I did?" Hermione asks confused.

"I don't know." Remus admits, as he is still trying to figure that out, "But I do know that you both should be more careful this year, because for Sirius to be muttering that in his sleep then he must have been truly worried." He reveals.

"Yes, Papa."

"Yes, Remus."

"What do you think the first thing means? Who do you think the he is?" Harry asks.

"The ministry thinks he was talking about you." Remus reveals, partially answering the question.

"Me?" Harry asks shocked.

"But you don't." Hermione realises.

"Not completely, he may have been, but I believe that it is more likely that he was talking about whoever he thinks you need protection from." Remus says, looking at Hermione, "That being said, Harry." Remus says, turning to look at him, "As much as there are times when I don't want to believe it all the evidence says that Sirius was one of Voldemort's top followers. So, even though I want to believe he would never hurt you, you need to be careful, because there is a chance he may." Remus says as there is only one person in the world, including him, that he knows, without a doubt, that Sirius would never hurt and that's Hermione, and he'd never forgive himself if Harry got hurt because he didn't warn him

"I will, Remus." Harry promises.

"Good." Remus says and the three of them drift into silence as they eat.


Hours later Remus has left to go to the ministry with Albus leaving Harry and Hermione home with Minerva.

Due to the fact that Hermione has been shut in her room ever since Remus left Harry is becoming concerned so he has decided to go and check on her.

"Hermione, can I come in?" Harry asks as he knocks on the door.

"Yes." Hermione responds and Harry opens the door and walks into Hermione's room where he finds Hermione sitting by her window so he walks over and sits down on the ground next to her.

"Do you want to talk?" Harry asks her as he sits down.

"You shouldn't have to talk about him, shouldn't have to listen to me talk about him, not after what he did to your family." Hermione tells Harry, "I'd understand if you wanted him dead." She admits, it being for her to do so.

"I don't." Harry says and Hermione turns to look at him in surprise, "I hate him, I can't deny that, I won't, but bigger than my hate is the fact that I want answers, that's what I want the most. If he did it I want to know why, how he could, did he even care. If he didn't then I want to know who did. Either way I'm not going to get those answers if he's dead." Harry answers as there was once a time where his first thought after learning Sirius Black had escaped would be revenge, but now it's hope that he may finally know what really happened to his parents, he may finally know why they really died, for sure.

"You're pretty incredible you know that." Hermione tells him, "Most people in your shoes wouldn't see past their anger."

"If you hadn't told me everything two years ago I probably wouldn't have been able to, but I've had time to think, to figure out how I feel." Harry admits, knowing that it would have been a very different story if all of this stuff was kept from him, and the two of them drift into silence.

"I want to hate him." Hermione revels, breaking the silence after a couple of minutes, "I really want to, but I just can't."

"That's not surprising, he is your Dad." Harry tells her.

"But, I don't remember him ever being a Dad to me!" Hermione exclaims, "All I know are Papa's stories and old photos, I don't remember him! I don't remember what kind of Dad he was, and yet, I can't hate him." Hermione says quickly wiping a tear, "It just doesn't make any sense."

"You know; I don't think thinks like this are supposed to." Harry says as he puts his arm around Hermione's shoulder.

"Thanks Harry." Hermione says, lying her head on Harry's shoulder and the two of them drift into silence.


Hours later Harry and Hermione are no longer sitting in Hermione's room but instead are down in the living room with Minerva.

"He should have been home ages ago." Hermione says as she paces back and forth, it being clear that she is worried.

"The Ministry likely just has a lot of questions." Minerva informs her.

"But if it's more than that?" Hermione asks, "What If they're doing thing to him? What if they're trying to throw him in Azkaban?" Hermione asks worried, looking at Minerva.

"Albus won't let that happen without a fight." Minerva tells Hermione who continues to pace.

As Hermione continues to pace Harry watches her go back and forth and as he does he finds himself becoming quiet dizzy.

"Mione…." Harry starts to say, but before he can say more the fireplace bursts to life and Remus steps out.

"PAPA." Hermione says and runs to her Papa and hugs him, seconds later Harry joins in on the hug to.

"I'm okay, I promise." Remus assures the two teenagers, "The ministry just had a lot of questions." Remus explains as the three of them break apart.

"Are they going to call you in again?" Hermione asks curious.

"Probably." Remus answers, "But it will just be for more questions." He explains.

"You're okay, right?" Harry asks concerned.

"I'm fine." Remus says, not overly sure if he is lying, "Now, looking at the time how about I go and get changed and then we go out for dinner." Remus suggests.

"Sure." Hermione answers.

"Sounds good." Harry confirms.

"Minerva, you're welcome to join us if you'd like." Remus offers.

"No, I best be getting back to Hogwarts." Minerva says, "I'll see you three later." She says before leaving.

"I'll be right back." Remus says before heading upstairs and as he does Hermione and Harry feel relief as even with everything that is going on they are both glad that Remus is no longer with the Ministry.


July 31st 1993

It has been five days since Sirius escaped Azkaban and ever since there has been no sign of him and, according to Albus, the Ministry aren't any closer to finding him than they were right after he escaped.

It is Harry's birthday and he has just finished opening his presents with Hermione and Remus.

"Thank you, thank you so much." Harry says to Remus and Hermione.

"You're welcome, Harry, happy birthday." Remus says smiling at him.

"All these presents are so great." Harry says, sounding amazed, being pretty sure that the broomstick service kit he got from Hermione and Remus may be his favourite, "Although I'm not sure why Hagrid thought I'd need a biting book."

"You'll find out." Remus informs him.

"You know why?" Harry and Hermione ask together.

"I do." Remus confirms, "And there is one more thing, but for both of you." Remus says, handing Harry and Hermione each their Hogwarts letters.

"They're thicker than normal." Hermione notes.

"There's a reason for that too." Remus tells them and Harry and Hermione both open their letters and quickly reads them, as they do Remus takes a deep breath as he knows neither of them are going to be happy about what he is going to say, but after a very, very long conversation with Albus and Minerva he knows that it's for the best.

"Hogsmeade visits." Harry says with a grin, "It's going to be so great."

"It really is; you're going to love Hogsmeade." Hermione informs him, still being able to remember Hogsmeade from the times he visited when she was a child.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, Harry." Remus tells them.

"Why?" Harry and Hermione ask together.

"Neither of you are going to be able to visit Hogsmeade this year, at least not at first." Remus tells them.

"WHAT!

"WHY?"

The two teenagers yell, both sounding upset.

"Albus, Minerva and I talked about it and we decided that as Sirius has escaped it would be easy for him to approach either of you if you were in Hogsmeade. So, it would be best if you didn't go on the trips." Remus explains.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR." Hermione yells before running upstairs.

"THAT SUCKS." Harry yells before he too heads upstairs.

After watching them go Remus takes a deep breath before heading upstairs, knowing that he needs to talk to both of them so that they can understand everything.

When Remus gets to upstairs corridor he isn't surprised to find both Harry's and Hermione's doors closed and honestly he isn't overly surprised to find music blasting from Hermione's room.

"Déjà vu." Remus mutters as the album that Hermione is blasting is the exact same one that Sirius used to blast when he was upset.

Looking between the rooms Remus decides to go to Harry's room first as he suspects that it will be a slightly easier conversation. As he gets to Harry's room Remus knocks loudly so that it can be heard over the music.

"Come in." Harry's voice says and Remus opens the door and walks into the room.

Walking in the room Remus finds Harry siting up on his bed, looking upset.

"I am sorry, Harry. I know this isn't fair." Remus says, meaning that.

"You're trying to protect his, aren't you? That's what this about." Harry realises.

"Yes." Remus confirms, "I meant what I said Harry, I want to believe that Sirius would never hurt you, and to a degree I do, but I can't risk the chance that I'm wrong, because then you'll be hurt, and I will always do everything in my power to stop that." Remus explain, "My first priority is keeping you and Hermione safe. So, even though this may seem unfair it's what I have to do because Hogsmeade is too open and Sirius could easily get close to you and Hermione."

"I know." Harry says, realising that this is what it is like to have someone who is protective of him, "It doesn't feel fair, but I get your reasons." Harry admits, "It's okay, Remus." He says, telling the truth as even though he is feeling a little disappointed he gets it.

"If I can make it work, I'll try and figure out a way to take you and Hermione to Hogsmeade another time." Remus tells him.

"That would be nice." Harry says in response.

"I should go talk to Hermione, are you okay?" Remus asks concerned.

"Yeah, I'm good. I should get the last of my Transfiguration homework done." Harry comments.

"It's your birthday, Harry, take a day off, relax. Once I talk to Hermione we can do whatever you want." Remus tell Harry before heading out of the room.

After leaving Harry's room Remus walks across and knocks loudly, but he gets no response, not surprising when Hermione is playing music very, very loudly.

"HERMIONE." Remus calls, knocking even louder, basically banging on the door.

"COME IN." Hermione's voice yells and Remus walks into his daughters' room. Just like Harry Hermione is lying on her bed, facing away from the door, and it looks like, hugging Paddy.

Knowing that they aren't going to be able to talk with the music, which honestly is hurting his ears, Remus walks over and lifts the needle of the record player.

"I'm listening to that." Hermione says, sounding annoyed.

"We need to talk and we're not going to be able to do that with your music playing." Remus explains, walking over to his daughter and sitting next to her.

"You've always told me that Dad would never hurt me, that's always been the one thing you believe, so why have you changed your mind now?" Hermione asks, not looking at her father.

"I haven't." Remus says, and Hermione turns around, "Sirius never hurting you is the one thing that I will always believe."

"Then why won't you let me visit Hogsmeade?" Hermione asks.

"Because Sirius broke out of Azkaban to protect you, and it also seems like he wants to protect you from something at Hogwarts, so it wouldn't surprise me if he'd consider taking you away from Hogwarts protecting you." Remus explains to her as he's spent a lot of time thinking about what Sirius would do to protect Hermione and that's one of the things he thought off.

"And Hogsmeade trips would make that easier." Hermione realises, "It's still not fair."

"I know." Remus tells her.

"But you're not going to change your mind are you?" Hermione asks.

"No, I'm not." Remus says as he has given this a lot of thought and Hermione looks a little annoyed by that, "Now, today is Harry's birthday and we should be helping him celebrate." Remus says.

"Yeah, we should be." Hermione realises.

"Let's go." Remus says and the two of them get up and head out of the room so that they can help Harry celebrate his birthday.


August 2nd 1993

It has been a week since he broke out of Azkaban and ever since then there has only been one thing that Sirius cares about, getting to his family so he can see them, even if he can't talk to them.

Once he got to the main land Sirius's first destination was to go to the place where he and Remus lived when Hermione was a baby, but he found that other people live there now and so after that he decided to go to the people who should be able to lead him to Hermione and Remus, Emma and Dan Granger.

As he knows that Remus will recognize him as Padfoot in a second, and for all he knew Hermione would too, Sirius, after making sure that Emma and Dan still lived in the same place, decided to wait to the Full Moon to follow them.

It was hours ago that Sirius did follow them, or more specifically Emma, who lead him to the house where he's realised for sure that Remus and Hermione live, and after getting a quick glimpse of Remus, Sirius has hidden himself outside of the house, doing so in a place that gives him a perfect view of the house and once night fell and he moved closer but still remained hiding.

Sirius has been hiding close to the house for a few hours when the front door opens and a girl walks outside, the second he sees her Sirius knows exactly who she is, he knows that she is his daughter as her hair is the same colour as Remus's was before it started to go grey, only longer and with his curls, and she has eyes the same brown as Remus's only with grey flicks, just like when she was a baby and the rest of her facial features are like a combination of both of them so it's hard to tell who she looks more like.

As she sits down on the front step it takes all of Sirius's self-control, which he admittedly doesn't have a lot of, not to go to her. So, he just watches her, with a smile, or the closes thing he can manage as a dog, feeling amazed to see his daughter for the first time in so long.

For a few minutes Sirius is confused about what she is doing and then he realises that she is staring at the moon, watching it, and upon realising that Sirius becomes sad as he realises what means.

"HERMIONE?" An unfamiliar voice calls.

"Out here, Harry." Hermione responds and seconds later a teenage boy walks out, a boy that Sirius realises the seconds he sees him is Harry, is his godson, even though he doesn't see the scar that is on his forehead.

"What you doing out here?" Harry asks curious as he sits down next to Hermione.

"There's a better view." Hermione reveals, Sirius being able to hear for two reasons, one he's really not that far away, and two, his dog hearing.

"Oh." Harry says, feeling bad as he realises exactly what that means.

"It's just not fair, Harry. With everything else that is going on the last thing he should have to deal with right now is a full moon, especially with how bad they've been lately." Hermione reveals, causing Sirius, even in his dog form, to frown as he really doesn't like the sound of that.

"Why didn't Dumbledore give him the potion?" Harry asks.

"It hasn't been made yet, it takes a while." Hermione explains, "He's alone, out of control and already hurting." Hermione says as she continues to stare at the moon, "It's going to be a bad one." She says as she just has a feeling about that.

Hearing how upset Hermione sounds Sirius wants to rush out and comfort his daughter, but he forces himself not to as he doesn't know how she will react, or how Harry will.

"You know in the year since Dumbledore finally realised sending me to my relatives was a mistake and I came to live with you and Remus there's something I've become sure of." Harry reveals and Sirius once more frowns at that as he was hoping that Harry had been living with Hermione and Remus for a lot longer than a year.

"What's that?" Hermione asks curious.

"That Remus is the strongest person I've ever met. He raised you alone, he's dealt with all the prejudices he's faced, all the discrimination, he handles the pain of your dad not being here even though we've both seen that it is does really hurt him, and on top of all that he survives every full moon." Harry explains, and hearing that Sirius feels a tear coming to his eye as he hates that his mate has spent so much time in so much pain. "I think he's my hero." He admits.

"Mine too." Hermione says, causing Harry to smile.

"As much as you worry, as much as I worry, you've got to remember that your Papa is so strong." He says

"Thanks Harry." Hermione says, lying her head on Harry's shoulder and as she does Harry puts his arm around her, "I really wish that Albus would have figured out that you belong with us a long time ago. We should have been together a long time ago; we should have always been a family." Hermione says, sadness in her voice.

"That we should have." Harry confirms and the two of them drift into silence.

"Harry, Hermione, come inside." Emma's voice says after about a minute.

"Coming Emma." Harry and Hermione say and with one last look at the moon the pair get up and head inside.

After watching Hermione and Harry head inside Sirius makes himself more comfortable in his hiding spot as he knows, even with it being dangerous, that he wants to spent a little more time near his daughter, and his godson, knowing that he will leave just after dawn so he can be gone before Remus gets home as even though he'd like to see Remus he knows that it's too risky.


It has been a few hours since her conversation with Harry and because she can't sleep Hermione is looking out her window, staring at the moon, but as she does she notices something move in the hedges.

"Big, black, shaggy." Hermione mutters to herself realising what it is.

After a few seconds of debating Hermione grabs her wand, which she puts in the waistband of her pyjama pants, and sneaks' downstairs, avoiding all the places that make noises so that she doesn't wake up Harry or Emma.

Once she is downstairs Hermione carefully opens the door and sneaks out into the front yard.

"I know you're out here." Hermione says once she is a few steps away from the front door, "I'm not going to call the Ministry, I just want to talk." Hermione says before listening closely, but she doesn't hear any sign of movement, "Papa's never completely believed you're guilty, he says that the person he knew would never do those things, but I don't know what to think, because unlike him I don't remember you." Hermione says stepping forward, "I have questions that only you can answer, so here I am, willing to listen. Don't hide in the bushes, talk to me, face me, I deserve that. You owe me that." Hermione says and about a second later there is a rustle of the bushes and a man steps out.

The man who steps out is dirty, is wearing tatted robes, has mattered hair, yellow teeth, haunted eyes, waxy skin and is so thin that he looks more like a corpse than a person. He looks nothing like the photos Hermione's spent her life memorizing, it's hard to even spot the resemblance, and yet Hermione knows him, she knows that it is her father.

"Hello, Hermione." Sirius says as he steps forward, it being clear that he hasn't used his voice much, looking glad, "I….." he starts to say but Hermione cuts him off.

"Did you betray Uncle James and Aunt Lily? Did you kill all those people?" Hermione asks, standing tall and not even feeling afraid as she trusts her Papa and believes that she is safe even though others wouldn't be.

"No, I would have never betrayed them, I would have died first. I didn't kill those people, and I would never and never will join Voldemort." Sirius tells his daughter, answering the question that wasn't said as he feels the need to, "But, it is my fault that they died." He reveals, it being clear that he is feeling guilt.

"Was your fault? What does that mean?" Hermione asks, not sure what she is feeling as she wants the facts.

"HERMIONE." Emma's voice yells.

"Go." Hermione hisses to Sirius who has already turned back into Padfoot before hurrying back to the front door, getting there just as Sirius disappears into the bushes, "I'm right here, Emma." Hermione says as she walks inside, closing the door behind her.

"Why were you outside?" Emma asks.

"I thought I heard something. I think it was a cat." Hermione lies.

"Oh, you should go back to bed, it's late." Emma tells her.

"Okay, night Emma." Hermione says before heading upstairs her Dad's words replaying themselves in her head, Hermione knowing that the full moon isn't going to be the only reason why she isn't going to get any sleep.


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