Chapter 36
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AN1: Thank you for the incredible response to the last chapter, it was amazing, you're all amazing. Thank you for the support. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW.
March 11th 1994
As Sirius lays Hermione down in front of the doors to the castle every single teacher in the school all go running and once they get outside they are shocked by the sight that greats them.
"HERMIONE." Remus yells in horror as he hurries to his daughter.
"She's alive, Remus, but I need to get her upstairs." Poppy says and Albus conjures a stretcher, and Remus takes Hermione's hand.
"Headmaster." Snape says, pointing to the grass and everyone sees what Sirius burned into the grass.
"We need to get her upstairs now." Poppy says, once she reads the message and recognizes the spells, and that's exactly what they do.
March 12th 1994
It has been about an hour since the teachers found Hermione and since then they have been doing two things, looking for Sirius and helping Hermione.
"She was tortured." Remus says horrified as he paces back and forth, while Poppy works on Hermione, "Who would do that?" He asks, sounding heart broken.
"You know the answer to that, Wolf, your mate." Severus says bitterly.
"Sirius wouldn't hurt her, she's the only person on this earth he'd never hurt." Remus says, still needing to believe that, maybe more than ever.
"You keep believing that and she'll pay the price." Severus says.
"Severus." Albus says in a waning tone of voice, knowing that Remus really shouldn't be tested right now, and as he does Poppy walks out from behind the curtains and as she does Remus rushes over to her.
"How is she?" Remus asks, sounding terrified.
"She's stable, but her body needs rest." Poppy says, "She won't be awake any time soon, not on her own."
"Severus, do you have it?" Albus asks.
"Yes, Sir." Snape answers.
"Have what? What are you going to give her?" Remus asks worried.
"Severus has a potion that will wake Hermione for five minutes. It will allow Hermione to tell us what happened." Albus explains, as right now they need answers and that's the only way they are going to get them.
"Will it hurt her?" Remus asks.
"No." Snape answers and Remus walks over to his daughter's bed as he does he finds, what he knows to be The Marauder's Map, as well as Hermione's wand on the bedside table.
"He left her wand." Minerva says, sounding surprised.
"That is a surprise." Albus says, finding that odd as Hermione's wand would likely work well for Sirius which means if he had taken it he would have been armed and yet he didn't take it, as Remus sits down next to his daughter and takes her hand, not even wondering why Hermione has The Marauders Map or why Sirius didn't take it, "Severus, the potion." Albus requests and Severus hands it to him, once he has Albus walks over and pours a couple of drops into Hermione's mouth and about a minute later Hermione wakes up.
"Hermione." Remus says worried.
"It wasn't Dad, Papa, Dad saved me, it wasn't him." Hermione explains, looking directly at her father, "Please believe me." She begs.
"I do, I do, Sweetie." Remus tells his daughter, as he pushes her hair out his face.
"What did happen, Hermione? Why were you out of the Castle?" Albus asks, his voice calm.
"I was worried that with everything going on with Buckbeak that Hagrid might have forgotten to feed Fang. I didn't want him to starve so I went down to Hagrid's hut." Hermione says, using the lie she thought of just in case, and not looking anyone directly in the eyes as she doesn't want to give herself away, "I was walking over to feed him when I felt a pain in my side and I feel to the ground, dropped my wand, a man picked it up." Hermione says, "I didn't recognize him, but seemed kind of familiar, kind of like I had seen him before." Hermione says, lying because she knows she just come out and say that it was Peter Pettigrew.
"What did he look like, this man?" Albus asks, there being an urgency to his voice.
"He was a really short, no taller than me. He, um, had grubby skin, watery eyes, thin hair, I think it might have been brown at some point, but it's lost its colour, and a large bald patch." Hermione explains, and Remus looks to Albus at that as he recognizes the description, "He used the Cruciatus Curse, twice and then the door broke open, it was Dad. He said you, like he knew the man, and he sent a cruse at me and dropped my wand, he went running. Dad ran to me, he told me everything will be okay, he promised me that it would be, he picked me up and…... I don't remember what happened next." Hermione admits.
"It's okay, Hermione, you told us enough." Remus assures his daughter.
"Hermione did Sirius say anything else to you?" Albus ask, wanting to know everything.
"Just that I'd be okay, that he'd make sure of that." Hermione admits as her eyes flicker open and closed, "Papa I'm tired."
"Then go to sleep, it's okay." Remus tells his daughter and within about ten seconds Hermione is fast asleep, "Albus, I don't know how I could be right, but that description sounds an awful lot like Peter Pettigrew."
"Pettigrew's dead, Black killed him." Severus says angrily.
"You're right, Remus. It does sound like that." Albus comments, "Something more is going on." Her says with a frown needing to think about everything that is going on as it's not making a whole lot of sense.
Hours later, Remus having not left his daughter's side for a second, the rest of the school are starting to head to breakfast and rumours about what happened to Hermione have already started to spread.
Arriving at breakfast, having not heard the rumours, Neville is looking down the breakfast table for Hermione.
"Harry." Neville says to the person who is several seats down, eating with Ron.
"Yeah?"
"Have you seen Hermione this morning?" Neville asks curious.
"No."
"Haven't you two heard what happened to Hermione?" Fred asks, pain in his voice.
"No, what?" Not just Harry and Neville ask, but Ron too.
"She was attacked last night. She's in the hospital wing. All the ghosts and Portraits are talking about it; it sounds like it was pretty bad." Fred reveals and without a word to anyone Harry, Neville and Ron get up and run, all going to the hospital wing.
Down in the forest, past where he knows the Marauder's Map shows because he knows that Remus will now have that, Sirius is pacing back and forth. Honestly he has never felt more useless and he is seriously considering turning into Padfoot and going to the hospital wing, not even caring about what the consequences will be, truthfully the only thing that stops him is that he can still see the look of begging on his daughter's face when she told him to run.
"Please be okay, please be okay." Sirius says as he paces, tears coming to his eyes, "You're dead Pettigrew, I will find you, and I will kill you." He promises as he will not let anyone who hurt his daughter live, no matter what it costs him.
A few minutes later Harry, Neville and Ron run into the hospital wing where they find Remus sitting next to Hermione's bed.
"What happened?" Neville ask worried.
"How is she?" Harry asks, sounding just as worried.
"She'll be okay." Remus assures them, "Hermione went down to Hagrid's to feed Fang and she was attacked by a man." He explains.
"A man, do you mean…?" Neville starts to ask before trailing off.
"No. From what Hermione said he saved her, got her back to the castle, left a message saying what happened to her." Remus explains, "The person who did this is someone else."
"Who?" Harry asks.
"I'm not sure." Remus says, though he has a suspicion, just doesn't know how it would be possible.
"When will she wake up?" Ron asks and as he stares at his unconscious friend he feels bad about the way he's been treating her lately.
"Not for a while. Albus used a potion on Hermione to give her five minutes of consciousness which is going to make it take even longer for Hermione to wake up." Remus explains.
"But she will, right?" Harry asks.
"Yeah, she will." Remus confirms as Harry, Ron and Neville all pull up chairs around Hermione's bed.
March 17th 1994
It has been five days since Peter attacked Hermione and she is now awake, coherent and is moving from The Hospital Wing and to Remus's quarters, though the school believe she is still in the hospital wing, where she will be staying in the second bedroom.
"How are you feeling?" Remus asks concerned as he walks in the room and sits down on Hermione's bed.
"Better than I was." Hermione answers.
"Good, you scared me, Hermione, really." Remus tells his daughter, telling the truth.
"I'm sorry, Papa. I didn't mean to scare you; I was just worried about Fang." Hermione say, telling a lie.
"Please don't lie to me, Hermione." Remus tells his daughter.
"I'm not lying."
"I know you are because I know you. If you were worried about Fang you would have asked Harry to borrow the cloak." Remus reveals, "Do you know something Hermione? Something involving your Dad and Peter Pettigrew?"
"Pettigrew is dead." Hermione lies.
"Hermione, that is the first time in your life that you haven't called him Peter." Remus tells Hermione, becoming even more sure that whatever is going on has something to do with Peter, "Hermione we've always been able to talk to each other, always, that's just what I want us to do now. How long have you had the Marauders map?"
"Fred and George gave it to me, just before Christmas." Hermione reveals, being glad that that is something she can tell her Papa, though she is purposely not mentioning Harry so that he doesn't get in trouble.
"And how many times have you and Harry snuck into Hogsmeade?" Remus asks.
"I didn't say anything about Harry." Hermione says, trying to cover for him.
"I know you wouldn't have used it alone, Hermione, and I'm guessing Fred and George gave it to both of you." Remus admits as he has been suspicious since the Butterbeer, "So, how many times have the two of you snuck into Hogsmeade?"
"Just once, the day we got the map." Hermione reveals, "I take it we're not going to get it back."
"No, You're not." Remus tells her, "It's too dangerous for you to have." He says, "And you're avoiding my other questions."
"I'm not, I just don't have answers for you." Hermione admits, "As far as I know Peter is dead and even though I've been looking I don't know anything about Dad." Hermione lies, doing so because her Dad was right, she has to protect her Papa from the Ministry fall out, "I'm telling the truth, Papa. I promise." Hermione says, hating that she is lying, but doing so because she has to protect her Papa.
"Okay, if you say so." Remus answers, though he isn't completely sure that she is telling the truth, he just can't figure out why she is lying.
"Hey, Hermione, I brought something for you." Neville says as he, Harry, and Ron arrive at the doorway.
"Sorry, are we interrupting?" Harry asks worried, as he looks between Remus and Hermione.
"No, it's okay." Remus says, knowing that this isn't going to be the last time they have this conversation.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione says, sounding happy.
"I think he's been missing you." Neville tells his friend as he puts Crookshanks on Hermione's bed, while Ron gives the cat a look of loathing.
"We've only got a little while before we have to get to class, how you feeling?" Harry asks curious.
"Pretty good, considering." Hermione answers, "How's things going out there?" Hermione asks and Harry, Ron, and Neville start to explain, while Remus is left to wonder what Hermione knows and why she won't tell him.
Hours later Hermione, carrying Crookshanks is walking towards the door that leads out off Remus's quarters.
"I know you don't like this feeling, but just get it too him, he needs to know I'm okay." Hermione tells her cat in a whisper before opening the door and letting him out, with a note in his collar.
"Hermione, are you talking to someone?" Remus asks, walking out from his room.
"Just Crookshanks, he wanted to be let out." Hermione explains.
"Okay, do you need anything?" Remus asks.
"No, I'm okay." Hermione answers as she heads back over to her room, or technically hers and Harry's.
"Okay, just call out if you need anything." Remus tells her.
"I will." Hermione assures him as she walks into the second bedroom, hoping that Crookshanks gets the message to her Dad soon.
In the Forest Sirius isn't doing too well as he doesn't know how his daughter is doing, he doesn't know if she is okay, and he hates that. All he knows, thanks to Crookshanks, is that she is still in the hospital wing.
Speaking of Crookshanks Sirius notices that there is something in his collar so he quickly turns into his human form.
"What have you go there?" Sirius answers and he takes out the folded note feeling joy rise up inside him as he knows that there is only one person who could have sent him a message,
I'm okay. I'm out of the hospital wing and spending a few days with Papa. He also has the Map so be careful. I don't want you to blame yourself for what happened, it was my choice. I'll try to visit when I can. I love you, HJHLB
"I love you too, Princess." Sirius says, trying to decide whether he can risk sending a message back or whether it would be too dangerous.
March 21st 1993
It has been four days' sine Hermione got a message to Sirius and as well as it being the last week before the holidays it is also Hermione's first day back in class, first up Care of Magical Creatures.
"Hermione, can you help me with this." Hagrid requests, five minutes into class and she walks over to help Hagrid get more lettuce.
"Sure." Hermione says and she walks over and once she is next to Hagrid he pulls her in for a hug, "I'm okay." Hermione assures him.
"You almost weren't, what were you thinking?" Hagrid asks worried.
"I was just trying to help." Hermione says, making her voice sincere.
"I appreciate that." Hagrid says, meaning that, "But you could have been hurt, and that's the last thing I would want."
"I know, Hagrid." Hermione says and the two of them head back over to the others.
A little while everyone returns to the castle for lunch.
"Ms Granger." A voice says and Hermione walks over to Minerva.
"Yes, Professor?" Hermione asks.
"The Headmaster would like to see you, now." Minerva informs her.
"Okay." Hermione says as she knew this was coming, she just hoped that she would have a bit more time to figure out what she is going to say.
"Good, come with me." Minerva request and Hermione follows behind her head of house who happens to practically be her aunt.
A few minutes later Hermione is walking into Albus's office, stilling having no idea what she is going to say or do as even if she does lie she is pretty sure that she won't get away with lying to Albus.
"Hermione, good. Sit down." Albus requests and Hermione does as he asked, "Now, I need the truth Hermione, I need to know what really happened that night." Albus tells her.
"I could lie, Albus, but you'll know, but if I tell you truth then people I care about will be in a lot of trouble, I need to protect them. So, please don't ask me what happened." Hermione requests, there being an undertone of begging to her voice.
"Hermione, I promise that if you tell me everything you know no one will get in trouble, it will stay between us, and I will do what I can to help." Albus tells Hermione, his suspicion seeming even more right.
"What if I don't have proof to support what I am saying? What if it's just my word?" Hermione asks.
"That will be good enough for me, and I can try to find proof." Albus informs Hermione, who looks hesitant and runs through everything she knows in her head.
"Dad's innocent." Hermione says, sounding hesitant although she realises that she is over her head and Albus is her best shot at being able to help her Dad, "It was Peter Pettigrew who was Uncle James and Aunt Lily's Secret Keeper, they switched because they thought it would be less obvious, it was him who killed those people, he was Voldemort's spy." Hermione reveals, "He was the one who attacked me that night."
"How did you figure this out?" Albus asks.
"I saw Dad, months ago. He told me that he was innocent, but he blamed himself, so I started to look into things." Hermione explains, "After Halloween I realised that Dad would have only broken into an empty common room if that was his goal, and around Christmas I found out that Dad got a paper a few days before he broke out so I got it too, started to study it, and then after Dad's second break in the pieces fell into place." Hermione explains.
"How was Pettigrew hiding?" Albus ask.
"I can answer that, but I need you no to ask how I know, or how it happened." Hermione requests.
"I won't." Albus assures Hermione, knowing he'll get the entire story at some point.
"Pettigrew is an un-registered Animagus, a rat. He's spent the last twelve years pretending to be a rat, hiding at the Weasley's as a pet to Percy and Ron." Hermione explains, "That's how he's hiding." She explains and Albus looks surprised at that.
"How did you know where he was hiding as a rat?" Albus asks
"There's a map of Hogwarts, my father's, Harry's father and Pettigrew created it. It shows everyone even in Animagus form, I used that, and Papa took it back after I was hurt." Hermione explains.
"Good, he has suspicions about Pettigrew too, he'll be watching it." Albus realises, knowing that it would be good as Remus will likely come to him if he sees Pettigrew, unless Hermione or Harry are in danger.
"Dad said that I can't tell Papa any of this, that it will put him at risk, risk getting him in a lot of trouble with the ministry, is that right?" Hermione asks, wanting to be sure even if he believes it is.
"Yes." Albus answers, "I believe you Hermione, but the Ministry won't, Fudge won't, not without proof. If they know or suspect that Remus knows anything about Sirius, then they will do things that I can't even stop." Albus reveals, "But, with you, being under age, having not sent requests every month to visit with Sirius, confusion or manipulation, or being threatened, are all covers that I can make them believe, but I could only do so once, so no one else can know."
"Dad said the same thing." Hermione reveals, "But how will any of this ever be okay? Pettigrew's gone and he's the only thing that proves Dad's innocent, he's bound to be hundreds of miles away by now."
"Not necessarily." Albus answers and Hermione looks at him in confusion, "Pettigrew spent twelve years hiding as a rat, in a Wizarding Family. That tells me that he became used to comfort, and was waiting on news. As far as he knows the only people who know about him being a rat are you and Sirius, but Sirius can't tell anyone. So, by the end of the school year I wouldn't be surprised if he came back to get his comfortable life back, and possibly deal with the one person who could ruin that for him."
"Me." Hermione realises, feeling afraid as she really doesn't want to experience the Cruciatus Curse again.
"Yes, which is why I want you to hold on to this." Albus says, pulling a tiny object, looking like a button out of his desk, he places on his desk casts a few silent charms and puts it in a tiny pouch, "Keep it on you at all times, it's keyed to your magical signature so all you have to do is touch the button with any finger and I will be alerted to your location. If you see Pettigrew, if he comes after you I don't want you to do anything other than alert me, right away, do you understand?" Albus asks and Hermione nods, and takes the pouch and puts it in her pocket, "Security has already been increased so he shouldn't be able to get close, but he still might."
"I know." Hermione confirms.
"I don't want to know if you are in contact with Sirius, but he should know that I will look into everything you have told me and see if there is a way for me to get his name cleared without Pettigrew, just in case he doesn't show again" Albus says.
"Thank you, Albus." Hermione says, sounding relieved.
"Good, now you better get back to class." Albus says, with a smile.
"Yeah, guess I should. I'll see you later, Albus. Thank you." Hermione says relieved before heading out of the room, having hope that her Dad will soon be free.
March 22nd 1994
It has been a day since Hermione talked to Albus and ever since the conversation Hermione has felt more relaxed and freer, which has caused her to do several things that can be classified as out of character, it is after dinner and Hermione is sitting at a table in The Gryffindor Common room doing her mountain of homework, when Harry, Ron and Neville sit down.
"You hit Malfoy." Neville says amazed.
"You missed charms." Ron adds.
"You quit Divination." Harry adds, "What happened to you today?" he asks curious.
"I'm not really sure." Hermione admits, "But it felt good." She reveals.
"It was better than good." Ron says with an amazed look on his face, "You should act like this more often." He comments as on occasion Hermione does act relaxed and do stuff like this, but not that often.
"Maybe I will." Hermione says with a small smile, and the foursome drift into silence.
"I found something that might help Hagrid." Ron reveals.
"What?" Harry, Hermione and Neville ask together and Ron begins to explain.
March 30th 1994
It has been eight days since Hermione hit her cousin, quit Divination and missed charms and ever since dropping on subject Hermione has been more relaxed, but she is still more stressed than anyone.
It is after dinner and Hermione is sitting alone, trying to figure out a way to ask Harry to borrow his invisibility cloak without him asking why as due to it being the first full moon after she was attacked by Pettigrew Hermione knows that it is her one chance to visit her Dad when her Papa wouldn't be checking the map.
"Hey, you okay?" Harry asks worried as he sits down next to her.
"Yes, I'm okay." Hermione confirms, "Um, Harry, could I borrow your invisibility cloak again?" Hermione asks, sounding nervous.
"Why? What are you going to do?" Harry asks, looking concerned.
"I need to check on something. I promise it's not dangerous, and I will tell you everything when I can." Hermione reveals, hating that she isn't being completely open with him, but knowing that it is the best thing to protect him.
"Why can't you tell me everything now?" Harry asks, with a frown.
"Because I'm trying to protect you."
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Harry asks worried, "Does this have something do with why you were hurt?" Harry asks worried.
"I will be safe tonight. That I know, without a doubt, and Harry I promise that I will tell you everything, just as soon as I can, I just need you to trust me, Harry, please." Hermione begs, reaching out and taking Harry's hand, as she wants to tell Harry everything, she knows that he deserves to know everything but it will be putting him at too much risk if she tells him now.
"I do trust you, Mione." Harry assures her, being able to do so without hesitation, as he squeezes her hand, "But I need to know, when can you tell me?" he asks, not asking what Hermione is keeping a secret anymore as he can tell that she is doing what she is doing because she thinks it for the best.
"By the end of the school year, you'll know." Hermione reveals, "I know it's over two months Harry, but that's the best I can do."
"I'm sure it is." Harry says, "I'll lend you the cloak, but I'm going to wait here. If you're not back in forty-five minutes I'm going to Minerva." Harry tells Hermione.
"Make it an hour, Harry. Please, that's more doable." Hermione asks, worried that she is pushing things.
"An hour, not a second more." Harry says and Hermione nods in agreement, and the two of them drift into silence, neither minding that they are still holding each other's hand.
Hours later Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ron are the only ones in the Common Room.
"I better go." Hermione comments.
"An hour, no more." Harry says as he hands over the cloak.
"I know. I'll see you in an hour." Hermione says before covering herself in the cloak and leaving.
"Are we really not asking any questions?" Ron asks surprised.
"It's probably best that we don't." Neville says, "Mione doesn't do anything without a reason so we've got to trust that she has reasons for this." He says, though he is very worried.
"Yeah, just like we both know that Mione choose tonight to do whatever she is doing for a reason." Harry says, looking at Neville.
"Yeah, we do." Neville confirms as he and Harry both realised, straight away, that Hermione choose the full moon because it would mean Remus isn't watching the map.
"I'm missing something? Aren't I?" Ron asks, looking between the pair.
"Yeah, but it's not our place to fill you in." Harry admits.
"It's okay, I figured." Ron comments and the three of them drift into silence as they wait for Hermione, all three of them watching the clock.
Due to the heightened security it takes Hermine about ten minutes to get to the forest and just like she was hoping Crooksanks is waiting by the edge
"Lead me to him." Hermione says, moving the invisibility cloak of her face to do so and Crookshanks starts to lead the way.
After a few minutes there is enough cover for Hermione to take off the invisibility cloak and a couple minutes later Hermione sees Sirius.
"Dad."
"Hermione."
They both say as they run towards each other and in the middle they embrace.
"I'm so sorry, Hermione." Sirius tells his daughter, "I'm so sorry he hurt you. That was never supposed to happen." Sirius says as he holds his daughter, doing what he never thought he would get to do again after finding her in Hagrid's hut.
"I'm okay, Dad, it's okay. It wasn't your fault." Hermione assures him, as they break apart.
"Why did you go after Pettigrew? I told you not to!" Sirius says, sounding angry.
"I knew if you found him you'd kill him, but I found him I could get him to Albus and you'd be free, we could be a real family. That's what I was trying to do." Hermione explains.
"He almost killed you, never try something like that again." Sirius tells Hermione, his voice sounding more worried than anything else, "God Hermione, if it were to happen to you it would destroy me, and Remus, and your friends. It means so much that you want to help, but I need you to say safe." Sirius says, "Okay?" he asks and Hermione nods.
"Albus knows, not quiet everything, but enough, and he believed me. He's working on a way to get you free without Pettigrew and if I see Pettigrew or if he comes near me I have a way to alert Albus, and if that happens Pettigrew can get captured, you can get your named cleared." Hermione reveals.
"That sounds a lot like using you as bait." Sirius says with a frown.
"It's not, it's a way to keep me safe in case Pettigrew does show his face again." Hermione explains, "I know you want to kill him, and that's not surprising considering what he's done, but Dad, if he lives, if we get him to Albus, you can be free. You, me, Papa and Harry can be a real family. Isn't that more important than revenge?" Hermione asks, pain in her voice, tears coming to her eyes.
Hearing the pain in his daughter's voice Sirius closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "Yeah it is." He confirms, "I can't promise I won't kill him, but I can promise that I will attempt to get him to Albus first."
"Thank you, I know how big that is for you." Hermione says, "I don't have long, Harry said if I'm not back in an hour then he's going to Minerva." Hermione reveals.
"You haven't told him right? Or Remus?" Sirius asks, worry in his voice as it's bad enough that his daughter is in danger.
"No. Albus agreed that I shouldn't." Hermione reveals and Sirius nods.
"It's the right choice." Sirius says, "I'll walk you as far as I can go." He tells her.
"Hopefully soon we can have more than these rushed conversations." Hermione says, wanting that a lot.
"Hopefully." Sirius says, putting his arm around Hermione's shoulder, "Come on, Princess. If Harry is like either of his parents he'll be counting the seconds."
"Why do you call me Princess?" Hermione asks curious.
"It's what I called you when you were a baby." Sirius explains and Hermione nods in understanding as they start to walk, "Hermione, months ago, the first time we saw each other, I heard you and Harry talking, how bad have the full moons gotten for Remus?" Sirius asks, pain in his voice.
"Bad." Hermione answers and the two of them continue to walk in pained silence, both of them hoping that soon they won't just have short snippets of conversation but that they'll be able to really talk, really be able to get to know each other.
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