"Hey Hermione are you alright" asked Ron.
"Yes. Why?"
"No it's just that you seem a little off lately." Ron was the only one that had noticed that something was going on with her. But she knew that she couldn't tell anyone about the time turner. So instead, she said—
"Ya I just miss my parents"
"Oh" said Ron. And that irritated her "What? Don't you miss your parents?"
"I do but not like that. You should have gone home for Christmas if you thought like that."
"But harry needed us. That's why we stayed."
"You don't have to stay just because of harry if you miss your mum and dad. He's got me and I wasn't going home for Christmas anyway."
"Why? Don't you like Christmas?"
"I do but mum just makes me work a lot during the holidays. It's always degnome the gardens, or feed the chickens, or clean your room. We got the house elves to do it here. I wish we had a house elf at home. Then my mum wouldn't have to work this hard."
"What is it with you and house elves Ron?" asked Hermione.
"The best part is that you just have to summon your house elf and they appear before you. And do all your work for you"
"That's not possible what if they are doing some other work at that time? Or resting? They can't always appear when you ask for them."
"I don't know about all that Hermione. I don't have a house elf. I just know that when you say 'come here house elf', they come to you"
"Oh really Ron? 'Come here house elf' I cannot believe why you would want to keep a poor creature slave like that." She said, furious. Suddenly, a loud crack was heard near the couch and a house elf stood in front of Hermione.
"Mistress called me?" it said.
Hermione screamed on top of her lungs and Ron had a bewildered look on his face.
"Go… Get out of here" they screamed.
And just as he had come, he disappeared with a crack.
"Ron what was that? I thought you said you dint have a house elf"
"That was not me Hermione. You summoned the house elf"
"Me huh? Did you forget that I'm a Muggleborn? Or do you think my parents bought that creature in a mall as my Christmas present" said Hermione.
"It might just be a Hogwarts house elf that was listening on our conversation and decided to scare us."
"Do house elves usually scare people? Also, have you ever seen a house elf in the three years we have been in Hogwarts? Why will they show themselves now?"
"I don't know ok. It might be someone's stupid idea of a prank.I'd say fred and George but they don't have a house elf."
"Alright I'm going to go ask professor Lupin about it."
"Ya that is a good idea."
Remus was walking down to the great hall for lunch when Hermione came running towards him.
"Professor I –"
"What is it miss granger?"
"I— something weird happen. I need to talk to you"
"Sure would you like to go to me office or are you fine here"
She looked around the hallway and found it be deserted.
"I think I can summon a house elf" she said.
"You what" sputtered Remus. Whatever he had been expecting to tell him, this was not it.
"I – its, err"
"Tell me from the beginning Hermione. What happen" he said in a reassuring voice.
"Ron was telling me about house elves and he said me that they come to you if you call them and I tried and a house elf just appeared. Out of nowhere."
"Was it trying to attack me professor?"
"It's possible but you told me that you called for it."
"Yes"
"Don't worry, it might just be one of the Hogwarts house elves. Can you describe this house elf to me?"
"He was light colored and bald and wearing what a filthy rag tied around his hip like a loincloth."
"Interesting. Miss granger could you come with me to my office please" he said and started walking towards his office. none of the Hogwarts House elves wore loinclothes.
Ever since that morning, what Sirius had said about them having a daughter had been nagging his brain. Every moment of every day, that was the only thing that he could think about. Now, seems like Hermione granger might not be a Muggleborn after all.
"But professor I did not—" said Hermione panicked.
"Don't worry you're not in any trouble"
Remus pushed the door to his classroom open and closed it behind Hermione.
"Now I want you to do it again"
"What?"
"Try to call the house elf"
"Ok" she said and closed her eyes.
"Come here" she said to the air. Nothing happen.
"Professor I swear it appeared last time."
"I believe you Hermione, now try harder. Try to picturize him in your mind and summon him."
And sure enough, an ugly old house elf appeared with a pop.
Remus recognized it immediately to be Kreacher, the black family house elf that Sirius had inherited when Walburga had died.
"Mistress called me?" he asked.
"Err… yes"
His gaze landed on Remus "Is this monstrous half-blood scum bothering you" he growled.
"I would advise you to leave now kreacher" said Remus.
"I'm not following orders from the sorts of you werewolf."
"Err…Leave" said Hermione.
And just like that, he disappeared with a pop.
There was no way a house elf like kreacher who prided himself on serving the noble house of black would respond to a Muggleborn. He remembered how kreacher had reacted to lily, with utter loathing and resentment.
So there was only one possible explanation, Hermione granger is somehow related to Sirius. And not even like fourth cousin thrice removed related, actually related. This might be the daughter that Sirius had been talking about.
"Professor?"
"Hermione stay here. I'll be back until then I want you to sit on this couch and wait for me" he said.
"But professor I have classes to atte—"
"No, this is more important. You can sit here and write an essay on the various dark creatures we have dealt with until now and how to defeat them. I was going to assign it to the third years tomorrow. Any books that you may need for reference are on my bookshelf. And don't try to contact the house elf again or go back in time." he said
"Alright professor" she said in a scared voice and moony growled at him.
Remus got out of his office and shut the door behind him.
The thought that Sirius might have cheated on him with a woman and sired a child hurt Remus more than he could admit. If there was one thing that Remus had never doubted, it had been Sirius's love for him. He would have never thought that Sirius was having an affair but apparently, that had also been fake like most of the things that Sirius had pretended he cared about.
But he knew that this was not about Sirius alone there was something else going on. Sirius had acted like Remus had known about the child. And if that was the case, why was moony so protective over her. Maybe, this was Regulus's child but that was difficult because Regulus had died more than an year before Hermione was born. He walked towards one place where he hoped his questions would be answered.
The stone gargoyle stepped aside as he said the password to Dumbledore's office.
"Is something the matter Remus?" asked Albus Dumbledore.
"Albus I think some of my memory has been stolen" he blurted out.
"stolen?"
"or lost or hidden" he said.
"What happen Remus?"
"I realized that I cannot remember something some things from my past. I want you to have a look as you are an occlumence"
"Very well and what are these things about Remus? The ones you can't remember"
Remus remained silent.
"At least tell me something what time frame you think they are from"
"The first wizarding war. Before—before James died"
"Sit down" said Albus and pulled a chair for him. He put his index fingers on both of Remus's temples and closed his eyes.
After a minute, he removes his hands from Remus's temple with a huff.
"Some of your memories are missing"
"And who do you think took them?"
"You"
"Me?"
"The energy signatures associated with this magic are yours Remus"
Remus had wiped his own memory for some reason. Why? For a moment he thought about that Halloween night twelve years ago and realized that he couldn't remember much about it. Just a lot of pain and hurt and betrayal. For a moment he tried to imagine what Sirius said was true, they had a daughter. What would Remus have done if he had a little girl with her at the time of Sirius's betrayal, he would have tried to hide her. But none of this made any sense.
"Remus are you alright?" said Dumbledore. His hands were back on his temples.
"I'm fine professor"
"Remus I want you to think now, try to remember something."
Remus closed his eyes and tried to think about that night. Most of the details of a few months before and a few weeks later were fuzzy to him but suddenly, his mind latched on one memory, a pair of chocolate brown eyes.
"Remus I think we need some kind of password to unlock your memories."
"Password?"
"Yes. If you had set a password, then what would it be?"
Only one thing came to his mind whenever anyone said password, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."
A single memory surfaced, a baby in his arms. Wrapped up in a blue blanket, her cheeks were pink because of the cold. She had curly brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Her teeth were just starting to come in. she was smiling contently at Remus who was holding her protectively cradled against his body.
"A baby" said Dumbledore.
"Do you know who this baby is Remus?"
"No but I think I did" he said.
"Professor can you send someone to get Hermione granger. She is in my office."
"Hermione Granger? But she is a Muggleborn.
"She summoned a house elf today."
"Alright Remus" he said and sent out a Patronus with a quick wave of his wand.
"Do you think the baby in your memory is Miss Granger?"
"I don't know"
"But you think she might be"
Remus just nodded his head. He didn't know what the implication of all of this was. Sirius black had a daughter? He had wiped out his own memory trying to hide her? Was it Hermione granger a Muggleborn of all people?
"The house elf that she summoned is kreacher, Sirius's."
He heard Dumbledore take a deep breath "Remus"
"He calls her his mistress" just like he used to call walburga thought Remus with disgust.
"Also, moony feels a connection to her. Though I don't know how to explain it."
"Moony?"
"My wolf"
"Oh. Ok"
In a minute, Hermione came bursting into the office. She was panting as though she had run all the way.
"Come take a seat miss granger" said Dumbledore.
She tentative sat down on the edge of the armchair.
"It's not my fault professor. I don't know anything about that house elf." She pleaded.
"I assure you again miss granger you are not in any kind of trouble." said Remus.
"Yes we just have some questions for you" added Dumbledore
"Alright professor"
"Now miss granger do you know what an occlumency is?"
"Yes sir. It is a wizard's ability to read minds"
"Now I am an occlumence and I need to read your mind to know some information about your past."
"Is this related to the house elf professor?"
"I'm afraid it is."
"But what about my past? I'm Muggleborn."
"We think that somebody may have tampered with your memories so we need to check"
"Ok so you're going to read my mind?"
"Yes dear but I'm going to be looking for something specific, the energy signature of residual magic. I promise I'm not going to be sorting through any of your memories."
"Alright I'm ready." She said hesitantly.
Dumbledore placed his hands on either of Hermione's temples and closed his eyes. He reopened then in half a minute and looked at Remus "these energy signatures are definitely yours Remus"
Remus didn't know if this was a good or bad news.
"Wait" said Hermione. "Professor Lupin modified my memory?"
"Yes Hermione. We don't know why though because his memories been modified too so I need to look deeper"
He resumed his hands on her temple. This time he stayed like that for two more minutes before letting go.
"This is some impressive magic you have done over here Remus." He said.
"What are you talking about albus"
"The password was meant for Hermione"
"So my memories are stored inside Hermione?"
"No Remus Hermione is the key that unlocks the block in your memories."
"So the baby—"
"Is definitely her"
"What's going on? Professor Lupin knew me when I was a baby?" Asked Hermione.
"All your questions will be answered."
"Now Remus do you think the password is same?"
"Yes"
"What password?"
"Repeat after me, 'I solemnly swear I'm up to no good" he said.
"Like the marauders map?" asked Hermione.
"The what?", "how do you know about the map" said Albus and Remus at the same time.
"Oh nothing" said Hermione realizing her mistake.
"Do you want to elaborate on this Remus?"
"No I do not Albus."
"Very well. Now miss granger I want you to close your eyes and concentrate hard. When I say 'now', I want you to think of yourself as the key unlocking something and say the
password ok"
"Yes professor"
Hermione closed her eyes and Dumbledore brought his hands to her temples. "Now" he said.
"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Said Hermione
Remus doubled over due to the excruciating pain in his head. And then, everything went blank.
