Holy crap, when did this thing get to chapter 45? Thank you to all you wonderful people still reading, reviewing, and hitting those like buttons. My husband bought me a laptop for our 20th anniversary. (How has it been that long? We just met in the movie theater lobby yesterday.) This means I don't have to fight the kids for the computer. Which could mean faster chapters, who knows?

Chapter 45

In the weeks after the Lestrange incident the student of Hogwarts settled into a routine. Draco and Harry held quidditch tryouts, both attempting to assemble the best team possible. Some students expressed surprise that the team included Ron and Ginny Weasley. Harry ignored the questions, Hermione simply shrugged and replied all of the Weasley children were talented players. Ron and Ginny ignored the questions and said nothing.

The second week in October, Dumbledore summoned Harry for their next "lesson." He returned to the common room after curfew. "Dumbledore delivered Riddle's Hogwarts letter at Wool's orphanage. He was a complete prat as a kids, huge bully. He most likely tortured the other kids so they would fear him."

Hermione sighed, "You know wizards and muggles really aren't that different. Hitler had mummy and daddy issues, too. Most depots do."

"According to the evidence, Merope refused to use magic after Tom left her, not even to help her unborn son. She completely gave up. She sold Slytherin's locket at Borgin and Burke for a song."

"Something unpleasant really should happen to those sharks."

"You aren't wrong, but back on topic. Most importantly, Dumbledore didn't mention any of the disinformation we fed Snape. I think we can trust him."

"I agree. You're supposed to meet with him tomorrow. We can come clean then."

Snape nodded approvingly when Hermione confessed their deception. "Very intelligent of you, and prudent. Never trust someone just because someone else does. They may be lying. And just because they are safe does not mean you are." He looked at them gravely, trying to assess their understanding. Hermione nodded thoughtfully, but Harry frowned mulishly. Snape sighed, "Mr Potter, if a manticore attacked the three of us and Bellatrix Lestrange rushed in she would protect Miss Malfoy with her life, she might protect me if she felt so inclined, and she would cheer the manticore on as he devoured you. Miss Malfoy could trust her, you and I cannot. Understand?"

"Yes,"

Hermione spoke up, "For the record, I have no intention of blindly trusting the mentally unsound."

"A prudent decision." Snape agreed. "Bringing us back to the business at hand, do you have any leads?"

"We know the diary was one, how could it not be. But, I don't know enough to make educated guesses. And Dumbledore is taking his sweet time telling me anything useful." Harry groused.

"Then let us use this time to prepare for their destruction." Snape looked at Hermione.

"Basilisk venom is the easiest. The sword of Gryffindor is imbued with it now. Is the carcass still in the Chamber of Secrets?"

Snape's frown deepened. "The sword is notoriously impossible to hold onto. It vanishes on its own whims, only to be pulled out of the Sorting Hat later. I will make inquiries into the remains of the monster."

"The only other method is fiendfyre." Hermione said cautiously

Snape silently pondered her words. "Hmmm, difficult to conjure, even more difficult to control." He trailed off into thought. "Miss Malfoy, Mr Potter..."

"Call Harry," he interrupted, "at least while we're in here trying to save the world. Please, call me Harry, professor."

"And please call me Hermione,"

Snape stared at them for several seconds, clearly surprised. He snapped out of his daze, cleared his throat and continued. "Very well, Hermione, Harry, both of you have shown yourselves to be talented, strong wizards. Your past deeds, determination, and willingness to see this through are the only reasons I am even suggesting this. I am offering to teach you each to conjure and control fiendfyre, but more than that I want to teach you to control each other's fire." He looked each of them in the eye. "I am not going to sugarcoat any of this. It will be difficult. It is dangerous. But I believe that you can succeed. I would not offer otherwise."

Harry looked at Hermione, raising an eyebrow. She silently considered the offer. Most adults couldn't even conjure the flames. Then again most second years couldn't even attempt to brew polyjuice potion, and most adults couldn't produce patronuses, let alone in third and fifth year. She gave Harry a smile. Together they turned back to Snape. "Better than sitting around trying to play guess the dark artifact all year."

Snape nodded. "The first thing we need to do is strengthen your magical cores and stamina. If you can come up with an excuse to add physical fitness to your routines that would also help."

Harry nodded, "I can add it to quidditch practice."

"I'll figure something out."

"I will tell Dumbledore Potter needs plenty of help, we'll meet Tuesday and Sunday evenings. To strengthen your cores I will be teaching you more dueling curses and hexes, along with wordless casting and eventually wand less."

Draco kept his promise to write Lucius about Hermione's Uncle Orville. He investigated how the man had found Hermione. It seemed Orville Granger knew the third golden rule: if you throw enough money at something you will get results. When filling out the paperwork to become Dudley's guardian, Sirius changed Hermione's name on her muggle paperwork and got himself listed in their systems as her guardian. He worried someone might notice her disappearance and make trouble later.

Lucius made arrangements for Hermione to visit his Liverpool retirement home the second Sunday of October. Of the adults he trusted, Lupin had the most experience in the muggle world, so he would accompany her. Draco, Theo, and Harry all offered to accompany her, but she refused. The Slytherins had quidditch practice and Harry needed to finish his Charms essay before they met with Snape for Harry's remedial Potions lesson.

Remus apparated her to Liverpool. From there he drove out into the countryside. Due to a pesky entailment, an enterprising, but down on his luck, gentleman turned his family's manor house into a luxurious retirement home. A verdant rolling manicured lawn greeted guests as they pulled onto the drive. While renovations had modernized the inside, the restorations had paused time outside. Hermione smiled at the ivy covered brick walls of the stately manor house. Remus parked in the lot to the side of the building.

Inside, the receptionist directed them to a room upstairs. Hermione knocked on the door and entered when bid to. "Uncle Orville." she called as she entered the room.

"My little Hermione, well not so little anymore." The elderly man stood, holding his arms open for a hug. Quickly she stepped into her embrace. "I'm so glad you could come." He hugged her, noticing Remus standing in the doorway. "Is this your birth father?"

"No, this is Remus Lupin, an uncle who was available to drive me today." She turned and smiled at Remus. "Remus, this is my uncle, Orville Granger."

Remus stepped forward, extending his hand, "Nice to meet you, sir."

Orville shook his hand. "Thank you for bringing Hermione to visit. I greatly appreciate it." He gestured towards the couch. "Have a seat." He returned to his recliner. "As much as I would love to hear the entire scandal, I also don't want to waste our time discussing the gold diggers." Hermione grinned at his description. "Catch me up to date with you."

"I'm in sixth year now. I just turned seventeen. I have three brothers now, only one biological. And a boyfriend, we've been together almost a year now. It feels pretty serious. Still the top of my class. I don't know what else I can say."

"Tell me about this boyfriend, a good lad? Treats you right?"

"Like a princess, even when I don't want him to. Took me ice skating last year, even though he'd never been, just because I wanted to go."

"Good lad. Ignore the impertinence, but will he be able to take care of you? In a manner in which you deserve? He won't want to chase after your money?"

Remus barked with badly suppressed laughter. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself." Orville gestured for him to continue. "The Notts are as wealthy as the Malfoys, and Theo is an only child- he will inherit everything."

"Well, that's good. Since the gold diggers suddenly came into money, I assume that was your birth family getting them to go away?"

"Something like that. I'm sure if you ever see them again they will deny having a daughter and insist you've finally gone senile." She smiled teasingly.

"I certainly hope to never see them again. Hermione, I know Wendell and Monica never told you about my fortune outright. They couldn't. My brother's will forbids it. To inherit anything Wendell and Monica had to prove they were capable of supporting themselves until the age of fifty. I doubt they will return to England before then."

"Maybe not even then. This day in age they could do everything from their new home in Canada."

"Canada? Why Canada?"

"I have no idea. I never really understood them."

"Me, either. But that is neither here, nor there. I wanted to speak to you about my will." He pulled out a folder. "I have never made it any secret I have no intention of leaving anything to Wendell. And I haven't. I'm leaving everything to you, all my money, and the manor house and its contents. It is my hope that you use what I leave you to enjoy life. No saving anything for a rainy day, not making sure you have something to leave behind. I wasted years doing just that. The estate is in Cornwall, not far from Penzance. It would make a wonderful vacation home, right there along the beach. Enjoy everything."

"I will. Though, do you know why Great-Grandfather's will had such harsh restrictions?"

Orville sighed heavily, "Niles considered Monica common. He had no issue with her background, or blue collar background. He objected to the airs she gave herself. She latched onto the idea of the family money and did a poor job of hiding it. So, he added the clause in his will. It posed no problem for your grandfather, but then he died young, so the money sits there waiting."

"Monica must hate that."

"She did, threw such a fit after the reading. When she learned I was the elder brother and owned the Cornwall house and the bulk of the fortune I thought she was going to have a stroke." He chuckled.

"Well, enjoy knowing that I intend to donate a large chunk of your money to making sure that numerous lower income kids get to enjoy themselves. You know, those programs that take inner city kids on trips to the seaside, or to amusement parks? Well Orville Granger is going to send them on plenty of trips."

Orville threw his head back, howling with laughter. "Brilliant. Simply brilliant."

Hermione presented him with several photos Dudley took with his muggle camera of her with Draco, Harry, and Theo. He insisted they join him for dinner. His friends regaled them with stories of his antics in the rest home. She left him after many rounds of tight hugs and cheek kisses.

In the car, Hermione leaned her head against the headrest. She watched the scenery fly past. Remus interrupted her thoughts. "You noticed the blue tinge, didn't you?"

"I did. He wasn't kidding when he said he didn't have much time. I'll miss him, but he's had a long life." She sighed.

Snape excused her from their lesson. Harry reported the dour professor led him in a meditation exercise. "Hey, Harry?" interrupted Richie Coote, one of the beaters replacing the Weasley twins. "Were you serious about the team running laps tomorrow afternoon?"

"I am. Physical stamina is important for sports, none of the other teams do anything like this, it could give us an edge." Coote nodded and returned to his conversation with Peakes and Ron.

Hermione grinned impishly, "Until I get Theo or Draco to join me in running or something."

"You don't want to join the Gryffindor team?"

"Why would I? We don't need to draw attention to our new habits."

"Good point."

Draco insisted on joining Hermione and Theo when the latter offered other more carnal forms of physical exercise. "I don't know what's more fun, teasing him about us having sex, or getting him out of bed before breakfast to go running." Theo laughed.

The day before Halloween, Professor McGonagall summoned Hermione to her office. She offered her favorite student a cup of tea. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, my dear, Sirius just notified me that Orville Granger passed away last night in his sleep."

Hermione dashed away stray tears from her cheeks. "I'm glad he didn't linger. He would have hated that."

"His solicitor notified Sirius that he requested no funeral services. He wanted to be cremated and left some instructions for his remains. The lawyer will go over those instructions with you at the reading of his will. Sirius arranged for him to come to you this time. Sirius will collect you Friday afternoon to meet the solicitor in Wick."

"Thank you, professor."

"I offer you my condolences."

"I appreciate it."

"If you need someone to talk to, please know my door is always open for you."

"Thank you, professor. It does help that Uncle Orville was ninety-nine years old, and ready. He knew the end was coming, that was the point of asking me to come visit. He wanted to say good-bye. And I'm glad we did."

That evening, Hermione dragged Theo to the Room of Requirement. She asked for the Gryffindor common room, complete with roaring fire. "I just want to cuddle up with you and enjoy some peace, without people staring at me sadly." Theo nodded and dutifully wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and stroked her hair as she stared into the fire.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asked quietly.

"Not really. I'll miss him, he was like a third grandfather, a fun one that invented the craziest holidays that had to be celebrated."

"Like what?"

"Like third Tuesday, where you have to have dessert first. And Christmas Eve eve, where you get to give family members a list of gifts you really want but you don't think Father Christmas or anyone else will get you."

"All family members, or just him?"

"He had me give them to all family members, but he was the only one who got me anything on the list."

"He sounds brilliant."

"He was. I think you would have gotten along well. He liked hearing you treated me in the manner he deemed necessary."

"Oh?"

"Like a princess, and I don't mean buying me things. Taking me ice skating, and sight seeing, those things."

"And I intend to continue as long as you'll let me."

She sighed and leaned further into him. "For quite some time to come, I think."

He kissed the top of her head. "Good."

The Halloween feast proved an excellent distraction. The festive atmosphere lifting Hermione's spirits. After lunch Friday she returned to her dorm to freshen up before meeting Sirius at the Entrance Hall. He escorted her down to the gates and apparated them from there.

Hermione followed him out of the alleyway towards the River Wick. The Norseman Hotel's white walls gleamed in the afternoon sunlight. At the front desk Sirius gave his name and the clerk directed them to the private dining room. A portly man, dressed in a dark brown suit with a matching tie, rose from the table and warmly greeted them. "Lord Black, Miss Malfoy, Alexander Morton, thank you for meeting me so quickly."

"Thank you for meeting us in Scotland, Mr Morton." Hermione replied.

He waved her off. "Education is extremely important. Brought the wife along for a long weekend. She's over the moon. We never get away."

"How wonderful for you." Sirius replied.

"Do you think that was enough banal small talk to satisfy society niceties?"

"If it isn't we promise to lie and say we did." Sirius replied.

Morton laughed, "Oh, I like you. All right, down to business." He moved back towards the table, but remained standing while Sirius pulled out Hermione's chair for her. "Orville left strict instructions for his memorial service and remains. Once his remains are cleared, he wishes to be cremated and placed in the tackiest urn I can find and be passed around like a trophy at Rolling Meadows." Hermione giggled. "The other residents think it hilarious, I'm not sure what the administration thinks, though he left them a very generous endowment, so he might get his way." He placed a small boombox on the table. "He also insisted we listen to this song and think of him." Hermione collapsed into laughter as the Simply Red's version of "If You Don't Know Me by Now" began playing. Sirius and Morton attempted to remain solemn, but Hermione's laughter proved infectious. By the end of the song, all three were laughing so hard they were crying.

"Yes, well, onto more serious matters." He began reading the last will and testament of Orville James Granger. He left Rolling Meadows ten million pounds, and his favorite housekeeper from the past 500,000 pounds. "The remaining balances of my numerous bank accounts, stocks, and bonds shall be left to my great-great-niece, Hermione Celeste Malfoy. I, also, leave her the manor house and grounds in Cornwall known as Bridge Tower. To my great-nephew, Wendell Thomas Granger, I leave 150 pounds, enough to divorce his gold digging shrew. To the gold digging shrew I leave a farthing, just so she can't say I didn't leave her anything."

"Is there anything I need to do?" Hermione asked.

"Not until the probate court ends the inquiry. Which can take a bit of time. I expect it could be Christmas, or the new year. I'll push for things to finish while you're home from school. I'm impressed you haven't asked how much is in the bank accounts."

"I'm indifferent to the money honestly. I intend to spend it doing fun things for other people. So long as I can take care of the manor house, I'm good."

"With a net worth of 500 million pounds you should be able to do that."

She looked questioningly at Sirius, "Less than the Malfoys, Black, or Notts, more than the Longbottoms and Potter, but just barely."

"I'll just pretend that made sense." Morton smiled. "The rest home packed up Orville's belongings he had there for you. I took the liberty of booking you a room so you could look through them in privacy."

"Thank you, Mr Morton. That was very thoughtful of you."

Morton led them upstairs to the small hotel room. Hermione admired the small town charm of the decorations and the beautiful view of the river. Morton left them after that, wishing them both a good day.

Sirius helped her sort through the boxes. Hermione examined the clothes critically. Orville dressed like a much younger man, and a certain werewolf dressed older than he was. "Padfoot?"

Sirius perked up at his nickname, "Do these clothes remind you of someone?"

"Now that you mention it, they do look like they belong in the closet of a certain canine of our acquaintance." His face fell. "He would never accept the charity, Kitten. Our Moony's rather the proud sort."

"Don't give them to him. Have Kreacher start putting them in his closet slowly, one piece at a time. They aren't new. He might not even notice right off. And he'll never know for sure how long you were doing it."

"Are you sure you aren't a Slytherin?"

"Pretty sure." She returned to sorting. Orville lived a streamlined life. Most of the things with him were old letters, photographs, and clothing. One small black box started Hermione's mind racing and her heart slamming in her chest. Her heart and soul knew what they wanted to do with them, but her brain worried it still might be too fast. 'Are you a Gryffindor or not?' taunted the little voice in her head. 'Do it!' Before she could talk herself out of it, Hermione shoved the small box into her pocket.

She sent both Draco and Theo notes letting them know she was back, but going to bed early. Then found Harry. She gave him the run down of the will and her plans. Then she showed him the box. "Are you sure?" he asked, handing it back to her.

"I think so. I'll know for sure before it's time."

"I'll support you no matter what you decide." He hugged her tightly.

"You'd better," she retorted, returning his hug.

My father and my husband both plan playing that song at that their memorial services. I agree it will be amusing to watch people's faces.