Chapter 30
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September 1st 1993
Forty minutes later everyone has arrived at Hogwarts and because both Harry and Hermione had to have conversations with Minerva, Harry about what happened on the train, and Hermione about her schedule, during which she was given the amazing privilege of a Time Turner so that she can attended all her classes, she just had to promise that she wouldn't tell anyone and follow all the rules that Minerva explained to her.
"Oh, we've missed the sorting." Hermione whispers to Harry as the two of them sit down across from Ron and Neville, and by the looks Harry and Hermione are getting they both suspects that the story of what happened to Harry has already started to be told.
"What was all that about?" Ron whispers but before Harry and Hermione can respond Albus stands up and the hall goes silent.
"Welcome!" Albus says, "Welcome to another year to Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious I think it's best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast." Albus says and because she realises exactly what that is Hermione tenses and so Harry reaches out and grabs her hand as Albus clears his throat, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."
"He's not happy about that." Hermione whispers to Harry, being able to tell that because she knows Albus so well.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds." Albus continues, "And while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave the school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises, or even Invisibility cloaks." He adds, causing Harry and Hermione to exchange a look, both knowing that that particular warning is for them, "It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors." He says and for about a minute he pauses before once more continuing, "On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teaches to our ranks this year." Albus reveals, "First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Albus says and the room breaks out into rather unenthusiastic applause, something that fills Hermione with anger, as she, Harry and Neville cheer and clap the loudest, causing Remus to smile at them, and Ron and Ginny both clap hard.
"We were right, look at Snape." Harry whispers to Hermione and they both see that Snape is looking at Remus with a look full of even more loathing than the ones he looks at Harry and Hermione with.
"As to our second new appointment." Albus says as the lukewarm applause for Remus, dies away, "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettelburn our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties." Albus says, causing Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville to stare at each other, in shock, before they join the in the applause which is particularly loud from the Gryffindor table.
"We should have known." Ron roared, pounding on the table, "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?" he asks and as once the applause has ended, Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ron being the last to stop, Albus stands up once more, "Let's the feast begin." He says and everyone starts to dig into all the amazing food.
About an hour later everyone has finished eating and Hermione, Harry, Ron and Neville were able to congratulate Hagrid on becoming a teacher before they headed up to bed.
As her dorm mates head fall asleep Hermione doesn't she sits in the window sill that she spends so long sitting in and stares out at the grounds, honestly a part of her is hoping that she will see the figure of a great black dog, though logically she knows that chances of her Father already being at Hogwarts low, and so instead she finds her mind turning to the Dementors.
She has never felt anything so horrible as the feeling that those Dementors gave and honestly she can't understand how her Dad would have handled spending twelve years around them. She can't help but wonder what effect they had on him, whether he is even okay anymore. She's always known that Azkaban was a horrible place, but she has never known just how horrible, and if what she experienced today was because of one Dementor then she can't imagine how horrible more than one are.
For a while Hermione just sits and watches the night before heading to bed, planning on going to see her Papa before breakfast.
September 2nd 1993
The next morning Hermione gets up earlier than everyone else and makes her way to the Defence Office where she finds her father working at his desk.
"Good morning Professor." Hermione says with a smile as she closes the door behind her.
"Hermione." Remus says with a smile, trying to ignore how odd it feels to hear Hermione call him Professor.
"Are you ready for your first class?" Hermione asks as she walks over.
"I believe I am, but I'd have to wait and see." Remus admits, "Truthfully I'm a little nervous." He admits as she isn't overly sure that he is going to do well.
"You shouldn't be. You're going to be great." Hermione tells her father with a supportive smile.
"I hope you're right." Remus says, "I was hoping you would visit." He admits, "Now through this door behind me there is a corridor, the corridor leads to a portrait, that leads to my private quarters. The password is Chocolate." He reveals.
"Really?" Hermione asks with a smile and Remus nods.
"Now, you and Harry can know the password and Neville and Ron can visit, but no one else." Remus tells his daughter.
"Yes, Papa." Hermione answers, "Are you mad that I brought a cat without asking?" she asks, sounding worried.
"No, I am surprised though." Remus admits.
"I didn't really plan to buy him." Hermione admits, "The assistant said that no one wanted him so I felt like I should buy him, should give him a home." Hermione explains.
"That's very sweet Hermione." Remus says with a smile, "And as long as you follow the same rules with…"
"Crookshanks."
"Crookshanks, as Harry has with Hedwig I don't see the problem with you keeping him." Remus tells her.
"Thank you, Papa, I promise I'll look after him. I promise I'll clean up after him." Hermione assures her father.
"Good." Remus says with a smile, "Now, you better get to breakfast." Remus tells his daughter, walking towards him, "Have a great day Hermione, and leave early for Divination, you'll regret it if you don't." Remus tells his daughter.
"I will." Hermione says and she walks the rest of the distance and hugs her father, "I love you, Papa."
"I love you too, Hermione, more than anything." Remus tells his daughter as he returns the hug and places a kiss of her head, "You better go."
"Right, bye." Hermione says heading to the door, but she pauses and turns back around, "Good luck with your first class, Professor." Hermione says with a smile, one that Remus returns before she leaves the room.
For Hermione the rest of the day didn't go as well as the conversation with her father, in fact apart from a rather enjoyable Athermancy lesson, and A Transfiguration lesson on Animagus that made Hermione listened to in interest, the rest of the day, in Hermione's opinion, was horrible.
Not only did she have to get used to using the Time Turner, but by lunch she wasn't talking to Ron after a difference in opinion about Divination, and even though Care of Magical creatures started out great Malfoy ruined it for everyone by insulting a Hippogriff even though Hagrid warned him not to, and ended up in the hospital wing himself.
It is after dinner and Hermione, Ron, Harry and Neville are all up in the Gryffindor common room attempting to do their homework, but instead of being able to focus they are constantly looking out of the tower window.
"There's a light on in Hagrid's window." Harry suddenly says.
"If we hurried we could go down and see him. It's still quite early." Ron comments after looking at his watch.
"I don't know." Neville says slowly, briefly looking at Harry and Hermione.
"We're allowed to walk across the grounds." Hermione says.
"He hasn't gotten past the Dementors yet, has he?" Harry asks and Neville realises that they are right.
So, they put their things away and head out the portrait hole, all four of them being glad that they met no one on their way down to the front doors, as they're not entirely sure that they are supposed to be out.
Once the four of them get to Hagrid's hut they knock and Hagrid's voice growls,
"C'min." Hagrid says and as soon as they walk in it becomes clear to the foursome that he has been drinking, a lot, as there is a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him.
"'Spect it's a record." Hagrid says, once he recognizes him, something which took him a bit of time, "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."
"You haven't been fired, Hagrid." Hermione gasps.
"Not yet." Hagrid answers, sounding miserable as he takes a huge gulp of whatever is in the tankard, "But it's only a matter o' time, I'n't, after Malfoy."
"How is he?" Ron asks as they all sit down.
"It wasn't serious was it?" Neville asks.
"Madam Pomfrey fixed him the best she could," Hagrid says, "But he's sayin' it's still agony, covered in bandages, moanin."
"He's faking it." Harry and Neville say together, "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year."
"And she's fixed worse injuries that I've had." Neville adds.
"Exactly. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth." Harry adds.
"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course." Hagrid says, sounding miserable, "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later, one folbberworms or summat. Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson's all my fault."
"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid." Hermione says, feeling a surge of anger at her cousin.
"We're witnesses." Neville says.
"You said Hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened." Harry says.
"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up." Ron says.
"We will." Neville adds and Hagrid starts to cry as he pulls Harry, Ron and Neville into a bone-breaking hug.
"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid." Hermione says, sounding firm as she takes the tankard from the table and goes outside to empty it.
"Ah, maybe she's right." Hagrid says, letting go of the three boys, heaving himself out of the chair before following Hermione outside.
"What's he done?" Harry asks, sounding worried, as Hermione walks back in a minute later with the empty tankard.
"Stuck his head in the water barrel." Hermione reveals as she puts the tankard away.
About a minute later Hagrid walks back in, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes as he comes in.
"That's better." He comments, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all, "Listen, it was good of yeh to come an' see me, I really…." Hagrid says, before he suddenly stops dead, staring at Harry and Hermione like he's only just realised that they were there.
"WHA D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" Hagrid roars, so suddenly that they jump about a foot in the air, "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY? HERMIONE? AN YOU TWO LETTIN THEM." Hagrid says before he strides over and grabs both Harry and Hermione and pulls them out of the door.
"C'mom." Hagrid says angrily, "I'm talking yer all back up ter school an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that! And if you do I'll tell yeh Papa." Hagrid says, causing Harry and Hermione to exchange frowns.
September 4th 1993
In the days that follow the first day of semester the school constantly talks about two things, what happened to Malfoy and Sirius Black, as the ladder of which is far from pleasant conversation it starts to get too much for Hermione as she is still not sure what to think about her Dad, and adding to that the strain of using the Time Turner, causes Hermione to seriously need a break from everything by Saturday.
So, getting up early than everyone else Hermione packs her homework, and a couple of extra books, into her bag, and then sneaks into the boy's dorm to leave a note by Harry's bed before heading down to spend the day by her tree.
As he found Hermione's note by his bed Harry isn't worried when Hermione doesn't show up at breakfast and instead he, Ron and Neville enjoy breakfast together.
"Did Hermione say whether she wanted to be alone today?" Neville asks Harry curious as they leave the great hall as he knows that sometimes Hermione likes a bit of time alone, and other times she doesn't mind if they join her.
"Alone." Harry answers and both Neville and Ron nod.
"Harry." A voice says and the trio turn to see Remus, and right away Harry and Neville notice that he looks worried, even though he is trying to hide it.
"Professor." Harry says, forcing himself to say that rather than Remus, walking up to him, "Hermione's fine." He assures Remus once he is close enough to be able to speak in a low voice.
"Where is she? Why wasn't she at breakfast?" he asks.
"She's out at her tree." Harry explains.
"He tree?" Remus asks, confused.
"Um, it's a tree on the grounds, not that far from the Womping Willow actually, she spends time there when she needs time alone, or just needs a break from lying." Harry explains.
"Thank you." Remus says before heading to the doors and Harry goes to catch up with Ron and Neville.
Wondering why his daughter would choose near the Womping Willow, when she knows how dangerous it is, as a place to go Remus makes his way towards the place he hates soo much and as he gets closer he sees his daughter sitting, leaning against a tree, only just out of the distance of the Willow's branches.
"Hermione." Remus says as he approaches.
"Papa." Hermione says surprised, "I mean…"
"It's okay, no one's around." Remus tells his daughter, "What are you doing out here?" he asks as he sits down next to his daughter.
"I needed a break." Hermione admits.
"Why would you chose hear of all places?" Remus asks, sounding surprised as honestly he doesn't like the idea of Hermione being so close to the willow.
"I came out here first year. I wanted to see the place that caused you so much pain, and I found this place relaxing. I come out here when I need to be alone, when I need a break from lying." Hermione reveals.
"Do you want to talk about what's wrong?" Remus asks his daughter.
"Nothing's wrong." Hermione lies.
"Yes, something is." Remus tells his daughter, "Your eyes give you away, Hermione, they always have." Remus tells his daughter as they are currently more grey than brown, just like they always are when she's feeling strong emotion, "What's wrong?" he asks in a kind voice, worried for his daughter.
"Everyone's talking about Dad." Hermione reveals, "And I still don't know what to think." She admits, "I think he was telling me the truth, but there's no proof, and it doesn't explain why he still blames himself." Hermione admits, looking confused, "I just don't know what to think, or feel." Hermine admits, looking upset.
"I'm sorry, Hermione." Remus says, hating that he doesn't really know what to say but despite that he tries anyway, "I know everything is confusing right now, and that's not fair to you. I can't tell you what to think about your Dad, because I don't even know myself. Just…. Don't listen to what the other students are saying, and remember that even with everything he might have done your Dad loves you." Remus tells Hermione.
"I don't know if that helps right now." Hermione admits.
"I know." Remus admits, "You know Albus gave me chocolate as a welcome to Hogwarts present." Remus tells his daughter, though in truth Albus also gave him a bottle of firewhskey, "Why don't you come to my rooms and we can share it, you can have your space in a warmer place. What do you think?" he asks.
"That sounds good." Hermione admits and the two of them get up and head back into the castle.
Many, many hours later Hermione has fallen asleep on the couch in Remus's quarters and as he really doesn't want to wake her Remus walks over to the fireplace.
"Minerva McGonagall's office." Remus says, making a floo call.
"Remus, is there a problem?" Minerva asks as Remus looks around the office to make sure that she is alone.
"Hermione's fallen asleep in my rooms and I really don't want to wake her." Remus reveals, "Can you come up with a cover as to why she won't be in her dorm and alert Harry, Neville and Ron so they don't worry?"
"Of course." Minerva answers.
"Thank you." Remus says before pulling out of the fire.
Once he ends the call Remus walks over to his daughter and being as careful as possible as he really doesn't want to wake her, Remus picks up his daughter and carries her into the second bedroom he has in his quarters where he puts his daughter in one of the two beds and tucks her in, like he's done so many times before.
"I'm sorry that things are so hard for you." Remus says, placing a kiss on Hermione's head before heading out of the room.
Once he is in the lounge room Remus walks over to the desk that is in his rooms and opens the top draw, and starts to search through the draw until he finds an old, crumpled photo that he unfolds, a photo of Sirius from just before they graduated Hogwarts, looking so young, so carefree, so happy.
"Where are you?" Remus asks the photo, "Are you coming here? Will we see you again? Will you tell us the truth? Can we be a family?" he asks, a tear coming to his eye, "God, Sirius. Why does missing you hurt much more now?" he asks, not understanding it he's spent twelve years missing Sirius and yet ever since Sirius escaped Azkaban missing him hurts so much more.
Closer to Hogwarts than people would believe, though further away than he would like, Sirius Is hidden in his human form eating food that he stole as Padfoot. As he eats Sirius pulls out one of the two newspaper clipping he carries around with him at all times, the one that is announcing Remus as the New Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, completely with a picture.
"You're not looking out for yourself, you need to do better Moony, our Princess needs you." Sirius says to the picture, "I need you." He adds quietly, "I miss you, so much. Do you miss me? Do you hate me?" he asks the photo, knowing that he may never get a straight answer about that as he isn't sure if he's going to reach out for Remus, he doesn't know if it would do anything other than hurt his mate if he did.
For a few minutes Sirius stares at the photo as he finishes his food. Once he finishes the food Sirius forces himself to folds the clipping up and puts it back in his pocket, before he turns back into Padfoot and continues his journey.
September 9th 1993
It has been five days since Hermione sent a night in her Papa's rooms and ever since then she has been doing her best to ignore people when they talk about Sirius, not giving an opinion when people nearby are talking about him.
It is Thursday's double potions a lesson that makes Harry, Hermione and Neville all feel that they would prefer torture. It is also the lesson where Malfoy decided to make his return and sit down between Hermione and Neville who are working on one side of the table and Harry and Ron who are working on the other, in the position that puts him in the middle of Hermione and Harry.
Within a few seconds it becomes clear exactly why Malfoy chose that particular place to work as he gets both Ron and Harry to do his work, using his fake injury as excuse.
Even though she is attempting to help Neville Hermione feel the common feeling of anger at her cousin and she is about to say something to him when she notices Snape walking towards them.
"Just breath, ignore what he says." Hermione whispers to her friend as Snape looks into the potion and frowns.
"Orange, Longbottom." Snape says as he ladles some of the potion up and then splashes it back into the cauldron, so that everyone can see, "Orange. Tell me, boy, does anyone penetrate that thick skull of yours?"
"Leave him alone." Hermione says angrily.
"Five points from Gryffindor." Snape says, before continuing to speak as if there had been no interruption, "Didn't you hear me say, quiet clearly, that only one cat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?" Snape asks angrily as Neville starts to tremble, looking close to tears.
"I could help him, Sir." Hermione says, "Show him how to put it right." Hermione offers.
"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger." Snape says, coldly, giving her the look of loathing that she is all too familiar with.
"I wasn't showing off; I was offering help." Hermione says, not letting the glare phase her.
"And that's another five points." Snape informs her, "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly." Snape says before moving away.
"Help me." Neville whispers to Hermione.
"Of course." Hermione says with a reassuring smile and she starts to hiss the right directions to him.
"Hey, Harry." Seamus says from the other end of the table, "Have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning, they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."
"Where?" Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville ask together, as Malfoy starts to listen in interest.
"Not too far from here." Seamus reveals, looking excited, "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone." Seamus reveals, and even though she knows she shouldn't Hermione feels a bit of relief at that.
"Not too far from here…." Ron repeated, looking between Harry and Hermione with a significant look.
"What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?" Ron asks and looking between Harry and Hermione he tries to decide which to taunt before finally deciding on Hermione.
"You going to try and find him, Granger, meet up with dear old dad?" Malfoy asks, his voice barely above a whisper, "Of course he would probably rip your head off, but that could be a good thing." Malfoy says with a look of glee.
"I don't know Malfoy, maybe you should watch out. You know what family means to the Black's, I can't see my Dear Old Dad being too happy with someone who threatens his daughter, especially if that person's my cousin." Hermione responds, her voice a whisper too as she forces herself not to listen to Malfoy's words.
Malfoy once more glares at Hermione at that before his eyes glisten with joy as he realises another come back, "Does your Pal know what your Daddy did?" Malfoy asks then turns to Harry, "Do you Potter? You thinking about trying to catch Black single handed?" Malfoy says.
"Yeah, that's right." Harry says while looking at Hermione who is hissing instructions to Neville, giving her a look that says he doesn't mean what he is saying.
"Ohh, that's going to cause some trouble in paradise. Although you really shouldn't feel bad considering who she is," Malfoy says with a smirk before turning to Hermione, "After all she's just a traitor, like father like daughter." Malfoy says with a grin and getting annoyed Hermione picks up the most disgusting ingredients off the table picks them up, then after checking Snape is distracted, walks over to Malfoy, where she squishes them into his hair.
"I am nothing like my father." Hermione hisses at him, her voice only being loud enough for him to hear, "And unless you'd like your pals to know about the blood we share you're going to stop talking about him, and the things he's done."
"Everyone will know about you then, about who you really are." Malfoy hisses back.
"You'll care more than me, Dear Cousin." Hermione tells him and Malfoy knows that she is completely right, "Have a good day." Hermione says with a forced smile before walking back over to Neville.
"SIR!" Malfoy yells, "Granger just put potion ingredients in my hair, for no reason!" he admits, putting an upset voice on, as the Gryffindor's have to fight not to laugh.
"Fifteen points from Gryffindor and two detentions for you Granger." Snape informs her, "Mr Malfoy you're excused from the rest of class so that you can clean yourself up." He says and with a smirk Malfoy gets up and leaves.
"What was that about?" Ron asks Harry in a whisper as he would never think that Hermione would do something like that.
"Doesn't matter." Harry says as he looks worriedly at Hermione has he heard enough of the conversation to know how it would have affected her.
"You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's." Snape says as Crabbe and Goyle laugh.
As everyone else works to clean up Neville sweats and stirs his potion feverishly as Hermione, not letting Malfoy's words cause her to let down her friend, continues to mutter instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth; doing so in a way that Snape won't notice.
After a little while the end of the lesson gets closer and Snape walks over to Neville who is cowering by his cauldron.
"Everyone gather round." Snape says, his black eyes glittering, "And watch what happens to Longbottom's toad." Snape says, his voice almost having joy to it at the possibility of what is going to happen to the toad "If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned." Snape says and as he does the Gryffindors watch in fear while the Slytherin's look excited.
Once he speaks Snape picks up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dips a small spoon into Neville's potion, which is now green, and then, he trickles a few drops down Trevor's throat.
For a moment there is hushed silence, during which Trevor gulps and then there is a small pop and Trevor the tadpole is wriggling in Snape's palm.
Upon seeing that the Gryffindor's burst into applause and Snape, looking sour, pulls a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, pours a few drop onto Trevor, causing him to suddenly re-appear, fully grown.
"Five points from Gryffindor." Snape says, causing all the smiles to be wiped off everyone's faces, "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger, see me at six for your detention. Class dismissed." Snape says and everyone walks out, the Gryffindor's looking far from happy.
"Hermione, what you did to Malfoy was awesome." Seamus tells her as they leave.
"I'm glad you thought so." Hermione says, not looking forward to explaining why she has two detentions to her Father as she slips into a deserted corridor and pulls the time turner from under her robes and turns it back once, not to take back what she did, but to attended another class.
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