Chapter 6

"What on earth were you doing in the forbidden forest?" Andy asked. She took the vial appreciatively and labelled it before putting it on her shelf. Acromentula venom was a very rare ingredient she immediately grabbed a large tome from her small collection Dark Magical Remedies.

"I guess it was the first place to pop into my head when I required alone time, next thing I knew I'm being chased by a giant spider, I'm not sure what killed it I just heard it scream, realised it was dead and took the venom. Pointless going to waste". Hermione left out a lot of the details such as the knife, she needed time to inspect that herself and Andromeda had, had a difficult enough day.

Teddy was currently giggling from the orchard, the elf was ordered to stay for the day and was currently charming a stuffed teddy bear to fly around. Hermione left Andy with her reading and took a mug off coffee upstairs to her room. She could tell the older which wanted to keep herself busy and alone and silent obeyed her wishes.

She picked up her traveling beaded bag, reaching deep until she pulled out the object she was looking for. The silver glinting knife that had penetrated dobby taking the tiny elf's life. She sat on top of her bed legs crossed, placing the knife next to the one she had pulled out of the spider.

The one from the spider was identical, except marginally smaller, almost as if from a set. Hermione rubbed her temples. She couldn't contemplate any possible answer to where the knife came from, she thought she might have seen someone throwing it but she couldn't be certain the forest was dark and she wasn't 100% certain which direction the knife had come from. She took her wand from the desk transfiguring a handkerchief into a thick piece of hessian cloth, wrapping it tightly around the blades. She placed them back into her bag after securely tying them in string, those blades were sharp and cursed and she had no intention of any more scars on her body. She headed back downstairs finding the elf in the kitchen promptly cooking, she took teddy from his highchair placing him on her lap as she picked up a book and began to read him her favourite childhood muggle stories.

"Are you ready?" Andromeda questioned. Hermione was delaying as she slowly and thoroughly tied her cloak around her shoulders, Andy already standing with a well wrapped up teddy draped in her arms waiting by the fire.

"Yes" she sighed. Dawdling back into the living back to the older witch.

"I can make excuses for you" Andy offered.

"No, I need to go its pointless delaying any longer. I owe them that much" she answered. Her last few steps of Gryffindor determination as she grabbed the floo powder and loudly announcing her destination "12 Grimmauld place".

She entered through the lower kitchen, the room was empty, still looking as vaguely abandoned as it had been in all her memories of being in the house from days of Sirius and the order, and their time on the run. She looked at the corner, Kreacher was nowhere in sight but his nest area still looked in use. She was drawn from her thoughts as Andromeda appeared behind her, scanning her own brown eyes around the kitchen.

"It's been decades since I was last here. It's the same yet so different" Andromeda reminisced still scanning her the room her grip on Teddy still as secure despite his attempts to wriggle out of the hold as he looked excitedly at an unknown place.

"I can imagine it looked more glamorous back in that time" Hermione answered.

Just then Kreacher appeared. He bowed slightly at the sight of the visitors. "Mistress Andromeda, Miss Hermione, Kreacher did not hear your arrival, master Harry is upstairs" the Elf gestured the way with his small hands. Hermione took the lead walking up the narrow stairs to the ground floor, turning towards the front living room they had stayed in. this room it seemed had already transformed dramatically, the dark slytherin colours had given way to bright golden walls, dark furniture had been removed and new creamy sofas and shabby sheik units had replaced.

"Hermione!" Harry moved forward pulling her into an Embrace. I'm glad you came I wanted to apologise properly for how I reacted the other day, I just missed you and was worried" he muffled through her hair.

"Thanks Harry." She pulled back,

"Hello Teddy!" Harry greeted the little boy holding his arms out to his godson, Andromeda handed him over.

"This is much better" she said admiring the room.

"Thanks, and thank you for coming Andy it means a lot. I could do with your help on a few things"

Harry had sent an owl a couple of days earlier, requesting both witches help in the Black Family library at the house. He hoped they could help him find a way to reinstall the Black family tapestry including reinstating those blasted off so Teddy could have his rightful place.

"I also wondered if . . ." as if on cue the front door of the house had banged closed, and a high shrieking voice was shouting along the hallway. Ginny Weasley opened the front room door. The noise much louder that it caused teddy to start crying.

Andy pinched her nose in frustration. It had been many years since she heard that voice and now wasn't prepared to hear it all over again

"Filthy Blood traitors leave my house, how dare you stain the noblest house of Black!"

A growl of annoyance and Andy immediately marched out the door and down the hall. Everyone following at her feet.

"Andromeda, How dare you, get out! You bring shame on the house of Black a Blood traitor and staining my home with Mudbloods and a Beast!"

"SILENCIO" Andromeda shouted, her face could be matched for the crazed look of Bellatrix about to throw a Crucio. "How dare you insult my Grandson, you old Hag"

The face of Walburga Black was still scrunched up in a silent scream. Andy was now assessing the side of the portrait, analysing what had it sticking to the wall.

"Ah I thought so . . . Indisposio" she flicked her wand towards the portrait. The sealant glowed yellow for several seconds and then with a slight thud the large portrait fell to the ground, Lady Black facing downwards.

"I suggest you either lock her in the furthest darkest crevice of the house, or burn her, might I suggest fiend fire!" Andromeda spoke walking back to harry pulling Teddy from his arms and hugging him.

"Is the library still on the 3rd floor?" Harry nodded still in shock staring at the wooden portrait discarded on the floor, only turning as he heard footsteps ascending up the stairs. Hermione following close at the older witches heels.

They had been sat in silence for 3 hours deeply studying through the pile of books sitting on the table. The library was vast, still many books had gone unchecked after the last thorough cleaning job from when the order first arrived. Harry had taken teddy back downstairs to introduce him to muggle toys, the boy eagerly favouring Lego. Ginny had briefly spoke to Hermione, glad to see her and how much she was missed at the burrow, before heading back out to Diagonalley.

Andy had placed several tomes to the side some of magic maladies and rare ingredients as well as research in other medicines. Harry had already stated anything of use she was more than welcome to take.

Hermione was scouring through a leather bound book named Ancient Rites and Rituals of the Pureblood Sanctification and Purgation. When she stumbled upon what she believed was the charm that essentially burned off the names on the tapestry. It seemed, the ritual had been tied to the blood of anyone born related to the line via blood would automatically be added to the scripture, an example being the tapestry. This was similar to the charm that marks down all children born magical including muggleborns, and scriptures them down to receive their Hogwarts letter 11 years later. This is detected by their magical core. However this ancient ritual of Blacks is linked to the blood. Some kind of tampering had been placed to only allow pure bloods to be marked clearly. And with thorough reading, the Counter charm had been found to undo the scorching.

"Andy, I think I have it look!" Hermione eagerly showed Andromeda the book, the older witch scanning it for a few moment before a bright smile appeared on her face.

"Come on, let's see if we can get you back on the wall!" she jumped up from her chair grabbing her wand and eagerly running to the door.

They walked together into the room. Immediately recognising the scorch mark of Andromeda's place. Hermione quickly rescanned the book. Her face scrunched up in concentration before pointing her wand towards the mark. "Reduc Sanguis" pure white light shot out of her wand as she whispered the incantation. The light bounced onto the scorch mark blasting the charred substance, obliterating it into the atmosphere like fine pieces of dust, until the light stopped. Hermione lowered her wand slowly as the clear face of a younger Andromeda stood out, her name and date of birth in golden thread. Hermione turned a few pages, her concentration still as stern. "Revelio Impura". A silver silk thread weaving into the name Edward Tonks, which in turn seemed to knit down into a fast appearing portrait of a young purple haired Nymphadora Tonks, it weaved to Remus Lupin, joined beneath them by Edward Lupin.

"It worked" Andy whispered, she looked in shock as she peered closer towards her own portrait, tracing the line to her husband and daughter a tear dropping as her finger traced it to Teddy's name. She smiled her eyes watery.

"I must tell Harry" She lisped before leaving the room.

Hermione pointed her wand once again at the other scorch marks, recanting the words as different members of the household were revealed. Sirius, Marius who was a squib, Alphard, she was surprised at how many they're were. There was no black charred marks left.

The door opened and closed behind her.

"There all here again Andy! Loo. . "Hermione turned around smiling, immediately straightening her face when she realised who had in fact entered the room

"Ron . . ."

"Hermione" he breathed, lurching forward pulling her into a tight bear hug. She stiffened in his embrace her body tense as his grip tightened, his heavy breathing blowing irritatingly against her ear.

"I've missed you so much where have you been" his eyes scanned her face lifting is hand up and rubbing her cheek slightly with the back of his index finger. She flinched at the gesture, pulling back from his embrace.

"I needed some alone time" She murmured turning away from him.

Ron frowned. "Why didn't you tell us where you went, we were worried, I was worried"

"I know Ron I just needed to think"

"Why didn't you come to Fred's funeral, I really needed you Hermione" Ron had closed the small distance between them wrapping his arms around her waist, moving his face forward to brush his lips against the side of her neck. Upon his touch she wriggled free of him.

"Ron stop it please! I was there, I didn't want to be seen"

"Why?"

"It's complicated . . ."

He shrugged, instead of questioning further he moved towards her trying to capture her lips again.

"I said stop it!" she forcefully pushed him back. Finally realising he was being rejected.

"What the hell Hermione?"

"Ron I'm sorry I can't"

"What do you mean?" his voice starting to sound frustrated

"I love you Ron, but as a brother, like Harry. The kiss it was a mistake . . ." she whispered finally looking him in the eyes.

His face was beginning to turn red in anger,

"You're rejecting me now! After all the shit we have been through, your just walking away from our relationship!" his teeth were grinding his face turning as red as his hair.

"There was never a relationship Ron I'm sorry, you're my best friend, but that's it"

He glared at her. His hands clenched in tight fists, his chest heaving as he looked at her in almost hatred.

"Damn you Hermione, you're making a terrible mistake, you'll see were meant to be together, you'll come running back, but don't expect me to be so forgiving" he spat through his clenched teeth as he turned to leave the room. Slamming the door behind him.

Hermione felt relief as he left the room, her heart hammering in her chest she realised her back was clinging to the wall her palms clamped against the newly reinstalled face of Andromeda. She pushed herself forward, turning forward as she looked again at the names, she had only now noticed more had been weaved into the walls there was Deceased dates as well as birth dates, she realised as she re-examined the names of ted, Nymphadora and Lupin as well as many of the other names further up the line. It also seemed many new names appeared in a pale transparent pink colour, they were almost projected onto the wall than actually attached to it. These new names were only linked to certain people, majority of which were males. Hermione looked to the corner of the room. A small corner which stated what each colour meant. As she looked through the context the newly established Pale pink appeared, she gasped at the word next to it marked ILLEGITIMATE. She re-examined the wall, stating all the illegitimate children of the purebloods. She gasped once again at the pink line linked to Lucius Malfoy with three branching off to single forenames Adella, Cristiano, and Roberto with birth dates clearly younger than herself and Draco Malfoy. "Clearly Malfoy Sr likes Italian" Hermione smirked at her thoughts. Another pink line nearby linked to Rudolphus Lestrange also indicated he had his own bastard child. A five year old son known as Adam.

It was the first time since she had entered she realised Bellatrix Blacks portrait, she had seen it before many years ago without paying much attention but now her eyes were glued to it. She looked so much younger, not the ghostly woman she had become but young, plush and full of life.

"Something's not right" Hermione thought she scanned it not sure what her gut instinct was that was saying it was an error. And then she realised. No Death date. Bellatrix had died the same day as Tonks and Lupin yet there was nothing. Her birthdate clearly displayed.

"Are you alright . . . oh my!" Andy's voice distracted her. She realised the older witch had seen the changes to the tapestry, the significance of the pink line and all the new names.

"Least I know Ted was always loyal" she hummed. "Ron didn't hurt you did he? He came down stairs throwing quite a tantrum and a few choice words before harry took him home"

"No he was angry, but I'm fine, it needed to be done"

"Are you ready to go home? Harry has asked to take Teddy for the night, seems he wants to make a room for teddy and have him here regularly once he moves in properly for now they have all gone to the burrow"

Hermione smiled. "Yes, Home sounds wonderful"

They had just finished playing exploding snap as they rested with a cup of coco recuperating from a large dinner. Lazarus perched on the cloak stand chirped a warning as he looked towards the window. It was dark and had been raining most the evening. Both women looked up at the owl's disturbance before turning to the window to a slight tapping noise. Hermione stood up lifting up the sash window as the owl flew in. the fluffy Grey Barred-owl Hooted with gratefulness as it swooped in out of the rain. It landed upon the arm next to Andromeda's sitting position holding its foot out with the scroll attached. She untied the letter, placing it on her knee before summoning some owl treats for the bird. Lazarus seemed to roll its eyes in annoyance at the intruding bird which pecked enthusiastically at is snack. In a swift movement it finished its treats and took off back through the window, into the night.

Hermione pulled the window closed as she observed Andromeda's face of concentration. Her hand hovering over the seal of the letter. Hesitantly pulling it open and reading the contents.

Her almond eyes scanned the letter for several moments. A look of shock yet no words left her as she finally tore her eyes from the parchment and stared instead at the fire.

"Andy is everything OK?" Hermione asked in concern.

Andy made no answer instead handing the note over to Hermione. Who scanned the contents herself before realising the significance?

"She wants to see me" Andy spoke hoarsely.

"Do you want to see her?" Hermione asked rhetorically.

Andromeda seemed deep in thought, the silence thick in anticipation. She looked up at Hermione.

"Actually I think I do" she answered after much deliberation. Hermione nodded, placing the letter back in front of Andromeda, the broken Black Malfoy seal sticking up slightly.

After 27 years of silence, Narcissa Malfoy had made contact.