Augusta's theory
Augusta Longbottom asked Hermione to sit in front of her. Her gaze wouldn't leave her face.
"Is there a chance that you're Lucinda's daughter?" she asked.
Hermione decided on telling the truth.
"No, but Sirius and Lucinda are planning to claim me in case my parents turn out to be unsavory people." she answered.
Augusta laughed bitterly, "And you're telling me this because-"
"I think honesty is the best policy. People are bound to find out the truth eventually." Hermione responded politely.
"An answer befitting Bellatrix's daughter." she said after a minute, "Your mother preferred cold honesty too. She despised lies. You can see what she did to those who she deemed to be liars on the fourth floor." she sipped her tea.
"I don't even know if I'm Bellatrix Lestrange's." she said desperately.
"I do." Madam Longbottom said with a shaky voice. "You're very similar in many ways. I'm afraid if I'm right about your father, you won't like him as well. He's not a very accomplished wizard like your aunt." she gestured toward Lucinda who was standing eight yards away with other.
Her aunt? Did she think she was Lucius Malfoy's daughter? It was bizarre.
"You are talking about my parents as if I enjoy having them." Hermione was a bit angry now.
"And there's the temper I know." Lady Longbottom looked at her knowingly, "I won't stop you from befriending Neville, I won't expose you if you choose to have poor Sirius and Lucinda as your new fake parents." she looked at the teapot between them, "Just remember what your mother did to my son, don't do it to another child." Her gaze was back on Hermione's face again, "and keep Neville out of harm."
She stood up and nodded politely. There was this emptiness in her eyes that made Hermione feel insecure. "It was nice to meet you, Miss Lestrange."
Neville and his grandmother left soon. She refused to speak with Lucinda.
"That stubborn bag." complained Lucinda as they left. "What are we going to do?"
"Nothing." said Hermione, "We can't do anything, but leaving her alone."
Lucinda looked at Hermione. Hermione tried to look into her eyes, asking her to take a look into her mind. Lucinda refused to do it.
"She said she wouldn't tell anyone." She said abruptly. "She's convinced that I'm Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter."
Ginny and Harry smiled uncomfortably. They both prayed that wasn't the case. Ron did there frozen and the twins just stared at her in awe.
When they came back, headquarters fell into chaos. Now the Weasleys knew about the true nature of Hermione's change too, and therefore everyone found out. Even worse Molly found out about Augusta Longbottom's theory. They didn't know how she would react.
Fortunately, she reacted quite openly and said even if Hermione's mother was Bellatrix Lestrange, she wasn't responsible for her mother's actions. That had calmed everyone down. However, that wasn't the end of it.
You see, while Molly did say that to Hermione, she was no more polite to her as if she was a stranger or a guest. Hermione was no longer asked to help with dishes or food. Helping was discouraged even. At some point Sirius couldn't take it anymore.
"Molly, may I ask why won't you let children be alone with Hermione. Why are you treating her like a sodding stranger." he asked as he sat, his arms folded together tightly.
"Language, Padfoot!" said Lucinda from somewhere they couldn't see.
"I - I can't do this, Sirius. I mean - Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter? - That's too much. It's like if You-Know-Who recruited a muggle for his inner circle. I know Hermione is a wonderful person, but -" She jumped away as Lucinda came from under a table covered with dust and oil.
"I'm sorry, Sirius, it's gonna take some time okay. I don't know what you guys did to that bike, but I doubt anyone could do worse to it." she said and then faced Molly Weasleys with a pleasant smile,
"Look, Molly, I get it. When I first saw Hermione, I thought Bellatrix had come here. I almost called Sirius for help." she sighed, "Because fourteen years of Azkaban or not, I could not handle her on my own."
She did a quick spell to clean herself and poured herself an unhealthy measure of wine.
"Then I noticed that there was no way for Bellatrix to be this young. She's capable but not that capable. I knew this had to be Hermione Granger, and hey, it was her. She's not Bellatrix. I know she looks like her and sometimes behaves like her."
Hearing that that Sirius covered his face with his hands.
Lucinda continues non the less, "That girl is unique and kind. Let's not turn her into her supposed mother, alright?"
"Are you seriously buying this crap?" said Sirius in disbelief, "Hermione just can't be that monster's daughter."
"Well, you are Walburga's eldest son," said Molly Weasley. "Anything is possible I guess."
"I'm my family's black sheep." he said as he looked at his wand.
They finally found Kreacher in the attics. Sirius's theory was that he had been searching for more relics to sneak into his den.
Harry was suspicious of that, but he decided not to share it with others. The holidays were almost over and they had to go back to Hogwarts.
A few days days before departure Snape paid them a visit. Harry was about to go to his room when Lucinda called him.
"Harry, Severus is here, and he wants to talk to you?" Lucinda told Harry.
"Professor Snape? Why?" Harry asked, clueless why the man would come all the way to London to talk to him.
He went to the kitchen where Snape and Sirius were sitting opposite of each other with grumpy faces.
"I suppose we should proceed with the plan then." said Severus Snape. His eyes were trying to pierce his oldest enemy, Sirius Black. "If Bellatrix catches wind of this, we might have more trouble keeping Miss Granger alive than Mr. Potter."
Harry coughed audibly so they would notice his presence.
"Speak of the devil and he doth appear." said Sirius with a bright smile.
"Take a seat, Mr Potter." said Snape.
"Harry, do you know why you have these visions?" asked Sirius with a solemn look.
"I have a mental or spiritual connection with Voldemort, don't I?" Harry said as he avoided looking into their eyes.
"Spiritual?" inquired Snape. "As a matter of souls?"
"It's Lucinda's theory." Harry explained. "I saw it through his snake and not through him. Even if Voldemort has been in control of it, I shouldn't have seen it."
"An intriguing theory. To my knowledge it should be possible to see that vision through a mere mental connection if it's strong enough." Snape paused shortly. "Even if Ms Malfoy is right about the nature of the connection, you must take its control before the Dark Lord uses it to his advantage."
"Are you going to teach me Occlumency professor?" Harry asked.
"Not entirely clueless, Potter, as it seems." Snape was satisfied with his guess. "Yet I doubt you have the slightest idea how it works."
"I don't get it." Harry admitted. "Lucinda gave me a book about it. The Secret Enemy In Your Head is a great book, but the more I read the more confused I get."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Harry. Occlumency is the practice of mind and every individual mind has its own way to protect itself." Sirius explained, "The way I do it is different than the way Snape does it. You must find your own way, too. Snape here will attack you with Legilimency, giving you a few pointers to defend yourself. It takes time to learn it, Harry."
"I won't go easy on you, Potter. Occlumency is not something you can learn just by reading about it." Snape pointed out, "If I see you slacking Potter, you won't like the result."
Harry gulped nervously. Sirius stood up.
"If you hurt -"
A sharp look from Lucinda in doorway stopped him and he instantly sat down.
Lucinda entered the kitchen. There was a sense of formality to her posture and words.
"Severus." she said.
"Lucinda." responded Snape as he stood up respectfully.
"You'll be supervising Harry." She looked into his eyes. "Dumbledore refused to do it himself, I suppose."
"Headmaster has better things to do with his time." he responded as he subtly avoided looking at her.
"I promise I won't use Legilimency on you." she said as she took a seat. "Not that I could get in."
"Let's not fool ourselves Lucinda. You're different than any other Legilimens in Britain. It's wise to avoid looking into the eyes of a natural Legilimens as Mr. Potter has to learn soon enough." He explained. "Even if they're as unwilling as you to use it."
"I'm sure you do the same to Voldemort then." She looked amused.
"The Dark Lord is brilliant at Legilimency, but your skill is beyond that." Snape excused. "I have yet to see a natural Legilimens who can perceive people's mind without looking into their eyes."
"What?" said Harry.
Sirius shook his head and huffed loudly.
"Not that again." he whined.
"No matter how many times I ask for your forgiveness-" said Lucinda, her voice broke unexpectedly.
"No need for that, Lucinda. I'm just taking precaution based on previous experience." said Snape.
"I know what I did to you was horrible. I'm-." Lucinda looked at him with sad eyes.
"Please don't! I trust you. That's all you need from me. I know you won't hurt anyone anymore, but please don't make me look into your eyes as if you're an ordinary benign witch." he said as he took a deep breath. "I don't think I'll be ever capable of it."
He stood up and looked at Harry. "I'm expecting you at six on Monday. Don't be late and don't tell anyone about it. If anyone asks, you're taking an extra credit project with me as you have managed to improve your brewing skills."
With that Severus Snape left.
"Sirius, how come your apology gets accepted and mine is thrown into the trash can?" Lucinda said lividly. "I wish I could put this gift of mine into a box, lock it up, put that box into another box and cast it into the ocean."
"Honey, you'd have to put your brain into the box to do that." Sirius responded as he was rubbing his right eye. "Look he's just being a prick. Forget about him, he's gone."
"No it's all my fault." She looked at Harry. "See what happens when you abuse your power? You lose a very good friend."
Mr. Weasley came to headquarters when they discharged him. The Weasleys had never been happier.
Sirius, however, was very depressed now that he and Lucinda were almost done with the mysterious work that they had been doing for Snape. He was feeling confined in the house again, forcing himself to seem happy, but Harry and Hermione could see his frustration. They could only hope that he wouldn't do something stupid.
Lucinda seemed pretty depressed too, and Harry knew why, but he wouldn't tell his friends. Although he hadn't dared to inquire the specifics from Lucinda, he knew it had to do with something she had done to Snape when they were his age. Hermione despite her best efforts had not managed to find out what was wrong with those two. Everything seemed so depressing these days.
To Harry's suspicious mind, Kreacher seemed much less grumpy. He was being more obedient and less insulting. His behavior made Harry and Hermione suspect that he was up to something. Harry noticed that he had been watching him from time to time and Hermione had seen him stare at her face intensely many times. He had stopped calling her mudblood altogether. Sirius fortunately had ordered Kreacher to never talk about Hermione anywhere. This had enraged the elf but he had not complained.
The next morning they all sat in the Knight Bus, and all Harry could think about was Kreacher's nasty smile as they left.
