Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. All characters, places, descriptions, etc (unless original and created by me) belong to her.
Summary: It was a small pack, of course, just the five of them, but together they were something wild. Hermione finds herself in the Marauders' Era with four new best friends.
Chapter 30: Cura Te Ipsum*
New Year's Day came and went with little celebration. Lilly, Remus, and Hermione stayed at the Potter residence for the weekend. Peter came for New Year's Eve, but his mother wanted to spend some extra time with her son before he went back to school. It was a quiet holiday, but perhaps more on par with the true meaning of the celebration.
Something had definitely ended. The small scraps of what came before could be felt around the house, but a new era was dawning. And it scared Hermione. In just days she had seen both Sirius and James show more maturity than she had ever experienced in either of them before. It was a stark reminder of just what these two had yet to face.
The train ride back to Hogwarts felt longer than ever before. Once the Marauders had retired to their usual compartment, James had ushered Lily out the door, telling her to find Marlene, Mary, and Dorcas, and take a break from the boys. Hermione had made no move to follow her, but she did watch closely as Lily's eyes passed over James before she left. She had recently found herself noticing this new habit of Lily's. It was almost as if she kept seeing James for the first time and wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Of course Hermione had a hunch on what Lily was feeling, but she knew this was something the red head had to find out for herself.
The air was thick in the compartment that day. So many words hung above their heads, but instead the Marauders told jokes and ate sweets and napped. Perhaps it was because she was a girl and used to thinking about her feelings, perhaps it was because she knew what else was coming, or perhaps it was her curious nature, but Hermione was itching for the boys to speak, for James to tell her he was okay, for Sirius to relax for a single moment. But they didn't. And she kept her mouth shut.
Instead, Hermione gave them space. She let them joke and laugh and play exploding snap with Peter. She tried not to stare and she tried to focus on the book in her lap, but somehow page 52 just wouldn't end. So instead she put her head on Remus' shoulder, closed her eyes, and thought of happier times.
When they finally arrived at Hogwarts, the small pack had met up in the boys' dormitory. It was subtle and unspoken, but as they sat in each other's presence, there was a clear understanding of caring. The space between words seemed to speak on its own. Are you okay? I'm okay, but are you okay? Yes, I'm okay.
Hermione, content with how her boys seemed, slipped from the room to retire to her own bed.
Hours later, when everyone was asleep, Bretham Wittleby was stumbling home from the Hog's Head when he swore he saw a grim darting around in the snow.
Sirius Black got his first tattoo alone. He had just successfully transformed into his Animagus form for the first time. Sirius Black felt good about himself for the first time in a long time and he needed to commemorate the moment. A big black paw print on the bottom of his foot.
Sirius Black got his second tattoo with his best friend. Sixteen years old, no longer welcome in his child hood home. He was free for the first time in his life and he needed to commemorate the moment. James handed him a bottle of firewhiskey as his new motto was etched into his ribs. Toujours fidèle.
Sirius Black got his third tattoo with his brother. They had escaped the watchful eyes of the brunette and the red head. They didn't bring firewhisky this time. They needed to feel the pain. Greek letters like a ladder down their sides. Δωρεα.
Δωρεα: noun, (dōreá); a gift, freely given.
Sirius Black got his fourth tattoo alone. But he wasn't truly alone that cold January night. He wasn't alone when he slipped into his familiar shade of canine. He wasn't alone when his paws seemed to float above the snow in Hogsmeade. And he certainly wasn't alone when five little x's made their home just under his collarbone. One for each member of his family, his pack. It was a small pack, of course, just the five of them, but together they were something precious.
A/N: *Take Care of Yourself