Short chapter, my apologies. Please remember, per the book series original canon, Time Turners are NOT widely known about artifacts.

Chapter Four

Not Lacking for Issues

Sirius frowned as he watched the girl on the bed shifting in her sleep. She was muttering something under her breath . . . it sounded like Arithmancy equations. Who the bloody hell thought that complexly in their sleep?

But then he glanced over at the werewolf stationed by the room's lone window. Oh.

"You don't think it's odd?"

Remus frowned, keeping a steady eye out for any suspicious characters—not an easy task on Halloween night. It wasn't as though he expected You Know Who, himself, to come looking for her, but that didn't mean he wouldn't send one of his awful followers to find clues about the mystery woman who'd been at the very-visible center of his plan being foiled.

"There isn't a single thing about this situation that's not odd, Sirius. You'll need to be a tad more specific."

Rolling his eyes, Sirius slapped his palm against his forehead. "This. Her, dead-asleep like that with two strange men in the same room. After the way she'd conducted herself, don't you find there to be a . . . a troubling lack of mistrust, there?"

With a shrug, Remus only glanced over at the witch in question before returning his attention to the street below. "She suffered multiple traumas and had a breakdown—not to mention being rather unceremoniously yanked out of sleep by the two of us. Think that affords her the right to succumb to exhaustion, Pads."

The dark-haired man scowled. "I suppose . . . and don't call me Pads, you only call me that when you're being patronizing."

Snorting a chuckle, Remus shook his head. "You only think I'm being patronizing when I call you that."

"Uh-huh." His expression uncharacteristically stern, Sirius asked, "If not being patronizing, why do you call me that, then?"

A smirk curving his lips, Remus turned his head in the other wizard's direction, just long enough for his gaze to sweep down Sirius' form in a quick once-over. "Because it's cute."

Sirius took a moment with that answer. Nodding, he shrugged and held up his hands. "Well, then, far be it from me to stop you."

Again, Remus chuckled, only to once more shake his head. "But you're overlooking something. In . . . in regard to her, I mean, and any sort of seeming trust."

Pinching between his brows with two fingers as he winced, Sirius heaved a sigh. Merlin's fucking beard, it had been a long day. "Enlighten me."

"She's seen things, yeah? She said, herself, she knew us because of that, saw what would've happened if we hadn't caught Peter when we did." Remus shrugged. "It stands to reason that whatever these divinations of hers have shown her, she probably saw something about us that told her we're trustworthy."

"I do believe you overestimate what other people think of me, Moony."

"Well, maybe she sees me as trustworthy, and puts stock in it that I trust you. You know, like most people."

Just as Sirius conceded his Remus' point with a nod, a knock came at the door.

"Dinner, Miss." Rosmerta's voice rang through the aged wood.

Cracking a smirk, Sirius pointed in the direction of the blond witch. "And there'd be one of those 'most people,' now!"

Remus snickered and nodded toward the window. "You take watch, I'll handle Rosie."

"Oy, now," Sirius said with a head shake as they crossed paths. "Watch you don't get too much fun out of that, now."

Biting back a laugh, Remus gripped the doorknob. "You really need to be stopped."

Opening the door, the werewolf greeted the barmaid with a warm smile. "Rosie."

She noted his subdued tone and arched her brow. "Normally I'd've let one of the other girls bring this up, but I wanted to check on Miss Dagworth, myself, since I didn't see either of you rascals come back down after I gave you her room number."

Looking over from where he stood now at the window, Sirius uttered a scoffing sound and stroked the tips of his fingers over his sternum. "Ouch. You know, your cynicism actually hurts."

Narrowing her eyes at his comment, she shrugged and shouldered her way past Remus with the dinner tray in her hands. "I'll check for myself, thanks."

Both men rolled their eyes at her presumptive measure, but there was little to be done for it without appearing suspicious to her. And there was nothing for them to hide.

"As you can see, she's sleeping peacefully."

As if on cue, Hermione rolled over, mumbling something about the duration of gillyweed's effectiveness based on how much one has consumed. Rosmerta stopped short, arching a brow.

Carefully setting the tray down on the nightstand, the barmaid nodded. "Right, then, that's information I'm sure no one needed." Turning to face the wizards, she went on. "She's a good tipper and she's paid up for the next two nights. If—during that time—you two bring her any trouble, or you two bring any trouble to this establishment, I'll throw you both out that window on your arses."

Sirius opened his mouth to gripe about her attitude, but Remus cut him off. "Rosie, please. Like I said at the bar, we're only here because she's in danger. We just want to make sure she stays safe. Promise."

Her expression souring, Rosmerta seemed to consider his words, and his earnest tone, before she sighed. The stiffness of her guarded posture eased a bit and she nodded. "All right. You two keep me informed if she needs anything. And I . . . suppose I could bring you both up something t' eat, too."

Sirius' jaw fell slack, a marvelously affronted expression on his face as he watched the blond witch leave and shut the door behind her. "Honestly! How do you do that with her?"

Shrugging, Remus crossed to the bed. "Helps not to assume everyone will be won over by your charms."

For the second time, Sirius choked out a scoffing sound. "It's not an assumption. It just bothers her how charming she finds me."

"Dear God, you're incorrigible," Remus said with a laugh. Clearing his throat, he lowered himself beside the bed. His tone gentle, he tried, "Hermione? You should wake up and try to eat something."

That familiar whisper close to her, the voice so much less world-weary than the dozens of hushed discussions lodged in her memories, brought the events of the last few hours screaming through her mind. She awoke with a gasp, her eyes snapping wide open to lock on the werewolf's concerned face.

He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "It's okay, it's okay. You're safe, it's only me." For the second time that night, he thought over the irony of him, out of all possible people, telling anyone that they were safe with him.

Sitting up, she pressed one hand over her heart and the other to her forehead. Her eyes closing as she tried to calm her breathing, she said, "I'm sorry. I . . . I just forgot where I was."

He snickered, nodding in understanding. "I was saying you should probably try to eat. Rosie brought up some food for you. Keeping your strength up will help you heal."

"Of course." Opening her eyes, she lifted the covers and looked down at her bare legs. The sight reminded her that she'd had her earlier meltdown in front of them in nothing but a t-shirt and thong. "And I am suddenly very aware of my state of undress."

The wizards exchanged a glance at her announcement, their brows shooting upward and both of them trying to hide grins. She pretended not to notice that look.

She turned her attention to Sirius and waved her hand toward the jeans she'd apparently tossed across the room after peeling them off before she'd climbed into bed the first time. Honestly, she'd been in such a daze, she wouldn't be surprised to find her shoes in the bloody bathtub, or somewhere equally ridiculous.

"Could you hand me those, please?"

"Hmm?" The dark-haired man looked down. "Oh, right." Scooping them up, there was the soft sound of something metallic hitting the floor as he took a step. "Hmm? Sorry, I seem to have . . . ." Sirius' voice trailed off as he bent to pick up the circles of gold on their long chain.

"What's this?" he asked, shaking the tiny hourglass to watch the sand shivering behind the glass.

Her eyes shooting wide once more, Hermione's jaw fell. "No!"

"I mark the hours, every one, Nor have I yet outrun the Sun. My use and value, unto you, Are gauged by what you have to do."

Remus was on his feet and crossing the room on his long-legged stride in a blink. "What?"

The witch felt her heart hammering against her rib cage as he snatched the artifact from his friend's hands to examine it carefully.

"This . . . this isn't supposed to exist. I've heard of these, but . . . I thought they were only a rumor."

The spark that lit Remus' leaf green eyes then was unlike anything Hermione'd ever seen from the Remus Lupin in her memories. At least unlike anything she'd ever seen directed at her. She'd never seen Remus angry with her before, and the very sight of it caused a lump in her throat.

"This is a Time Turner, isn't it?"

Sirius looked confused. "Wha's a Time Turner?"

As though the Animagus hadn't even spoken, Hermione kept her quickly welling eyes locked on Remus. "I . . . ."

"Is it?" he demanded, trying to keep a handle on his uncharacteristically flaring temper. He didn't like being deceived. Especially not today. Not after what just happened with Peter.

"Yes, but . . . ." She shook her head, feeling a tear break free to roll down her cheek. "Please, I can explain."

Swallowing down his anger for a moment, his expression remained stern as he drew his wand, all the while Sirius looked on in bewilderment.

"Yes," Remus said in a seething whisper. "I'd think you'd better had."