Chapter 19: Unexpected revelations
22nd of May 1981
Three days of drifting in and out of pain, so much pain, until Hermione finally managed to open her eyes for more than a second and stay awake and coherent for more than a couple of minutes. She still felt weak and achy but it was nothing compared to the pain that had followed her through the last days.
"Hello, sunshine," a now well-known voice next to her bed greeted her as soon as she opened the eyes. It was Fabian who sat by her side and stared down at her with an unreadable expression. "How are you feeling princess?"
"Princess?" she asked with a raspy voice and cleared her throat. "When did I earn that title?"
He laughed. "Just trying to work on my bedside manners," the man said with a wink, before gently taking her hand. "…because it seems to be a common thing for you to throw yourself into mortal peril. It's the third time now that I find you unconscious or worse and it hasn't even been a month." He looked at her accusingly. "Do you have a death wish or something? If not you really have to stop doing that. I swear I've aged at least by a year from the moment you stumbled into our lives."
"I'm sorry," she mumbled and looked into his eyes. "I didn't intend to scare you or anything."
Fabian sighed. "I know you didn't." They stared at each other for a long while, their hands entwined with each other. "You barely made it this time. If Severus hadn't come and taken care of you…" His voice cracked and his eyes were full of fear.
"He has saved me so many times already…" Hermione said and remembered her youth in Hogwarts. "I'll have to pay him back, someday."
"No, you won't," Severus' voice suddenly sounded at her other side and when she turned her head to look at him with wide eyes he smiled at her kindly. "You're my friend Hermione and I value my friends above all else. I'll always be there to help you if I can, no matter what."
"How touching," sneered a voice from the corner of the room and just a moment later Sirius Blacks aristocratic face came into view. "But I wouldn't get my hopes up too much, Snivelius. She's a mudblood after all and we all know that it's only a matter of time before you drive those away."
The other man immediately stiffened and his face took on Snape's trademark sneer. But before he could get out a nasty reply towards his childhood enemy, Hermione took hold of his hand and pressed it gently. "Severus, don't. You're better than him," she said silently but it worked. Her friend's anger seemed to deflate immediately and he didn't utter a word towards the other man. Hermione smiled.
"And now to you Padfoot. Stop this childish nonsense immediately. Severus is my friend and I will not have you insult him in my presence. Is that clear?" she asked the man next to her in a clipped tone, that strongly reminded her of Professor McGonagall. For a moment Sirius looked at her in stunned silence, before his eyes showed something like pity.
"Hermione, this man is a Death Eater, I'm pretty sure he is."
Hermione sighed. "I know he is, Sirius. But I also know that he does no longer believe in their cause, much like your brother. But the Death Eaters are far from a fun club and you can't just quit being a member. To say it's unhealthy would be an understatement I think."
Severus snorted and pressed her hand while his eyes looked at her full of adoration and happiness. But Sirius didn't look convinced at all.
"What if he's fooling you, Hermione? He's a Slytherin and they're a bunch of sneaky bastards."
Hermione squared her jaw to not just snap at him. Instead, she took a deep breath and looked at the man in front of her with a serious expression. "That's the thing with friendship, isn't it Sirius? It makes you blind to see each other's mistakes. I trust Severus and I don't care what house he was in. And now stop harassing him, because I won't hear another word of it."
The handsome wizard next to her seemed to deflate. "Alright, I'll keep my mouth shut."
She nodded with a pleased smile. "Good. Then we can finally move to more important things. Did you find what we were looking for in your parent's home?"
Fabian, who stood next to Sirius, nodded. "Yeah, I spotted the thing in a drawer in a salon upstairs. The thing is scary, filled with dark magic to the brim."
Hermione nodded darkly. "It is. It will be hard for us to destroy, but we'll think of something."
The redhead nodded and Severus gave an affirmative nod, while Sirius just stared at her contemplatively. But before one of them could say another word, a Patronus in the form of a gigantic stag bounced into the bedroom.
"Wormtail's gone," it stated in a to Hermione unknown voice which was most likely James Potter's. "His apartment looks like there has been a fight. Come at once." With that, the Patronus dissolved into mist and Hermione blinked at it confusedly for a moment. This absolutely didn't make sense.
"Death Eaters?" she asked and looked at Severus with wide eyes.
Her friend shook his head. "Not as far as I know."
But Sirius looked at him with small hateful eyes. "I swear Snivelius if you had anything to do with this…" He growled and Hermione could feel her friend tense next to her.
"Stop it, Sirius. You're barking up the wrong tree," she said and sent him a dirty look. "And now go. I believe your friends are waiting for you."
The wizard nodded darkly. "Alright. I'll be off. I'm glad you're better Kitten."
Hermione smiled. "Thank you for helping us. If there's anything I can do for you in the future, just let me know."
He nodded. "Sure." And without another word, he hurried from the room. Hermione looked after him with a frown, before looking back at the two friends that remained in her room.
"This doesn't make sense," she murmured and shook her head in confusion. "Pettigrew wasn't kidnapped by Death Eaters, he should be fine…" Was it something she had changed in this timeline? Was this her fault? Hermione's mind started to spin and she almost could feel the fingers of fate, wrapping themselves tightly around her.
"Calm down Hermione," Fabian said and stroked her hand with his thumb. "It's not your fault."
"How do you know?" she whispered and felt the panic rising in her chest. "What if my meddling with time changed something and…" But she didn't get any further.
"Hermione, listen. It's not your fault, because I know for a fact that Pettigrew was not abducted by Death Eaters." Severus interrupted her and looked sternly at the red-haired wizard across from him. Hermione followed his gaze and saw, that Fabian was suddenly looking very uncomfortable and had started squirming in his chair. Her eyes widened.
"It was you," she suddenly realized and was totally stunned.
"Yeah, the three of us, actually," Fabian confessed with a sheepish smile. "Please don't be mad."
"Mad?" she asked and looked back and forth between Fabian and Severus. "Okay, I think it's time for you spill the beans because this sounds like a hell of a story."
Severus chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that."
Hermione listened to their story with growing amazement and a disbelieving grin that was slowly forming on her face. "Let me get this straight," she said after Fabian had finished his tale with an air of insecurity. "The three of you broke into Pettigrew's house, confined him into his Animagus form and are holding him, prisoner, in a pet cage?"
Fabian nodded awkwardly. "Peter is getting human food though, everything else would be a bit gross I think."
Severus snorted. "I confess I gave his place a little makeover to make the story of the Death Eater raid more believable."
Hermione blinked. "I… I think I'm just a little speechless at the moment. You did that for me?"
Fabian smiled. "Does that mean you aren't mad at us?" he asked hopefully and Hermione snorted.
"I kept Rita Skeeter in a jar," she said and looked at him with raised brows. "What do you think? Of course, I'm not mad. I could bloody well kiss you."
Snape looked at her with wide eyes, whereas Fabian's cheeks coloured just a tiny bit. "No thank you," the black-haired wizard finally replied with a grin. "I was enjoying this little excursion far too much to require any additional reward."
Fabian snorted. "That's actually true. He looked like Christmas came early for him this year." He winked at the man across from him. "And admit it, Snape, you always wanted a little rat as a pet."
Hermione snickered and realized, that she already felt worlds better since waking up an hour ago. Hopefully, it wasn't just the bunch of happy news that made her feel that way. "He'll make a great pet," she said sweetly before sinking back into her covers with a pleased sigh.
"Yeah, for testing potions," Snape agreed.
"You wouldn't!" she breathed and looked at him in disbelief.
"No, but he doesn't need to know that." Hermione found, that she enjoyed the smug look on his face. Time for Severus to hand out a little payback to one of his childhood tormentors, she thought. And if it was helping to keep Harry's parents alive, all the better.
22nd of September 1999
Severus showed up for lunch that day and even though Hermione had been thrown out of her plans by several more flashbacks, she had managed to throw some food together for them to eat. It wasn't much but Severus had gotten used to her attempts of cooking and Hermione could have sworn that she had actually improved her skills.
"You've attempted a stew?" Severus' voice came from behind her and when Hermione looked up she saw the wizard right behind her. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes, probably because he had drunken along with her.
"It's quite decent I believe," Hermione said with an apologizing grin, but her friend looked at her doubtfully.
"Let me be the judge of that."
They ate in silence for a while, though Hermione could have sworn that her friend looked at her more intensely then he used to. But she wouldn't pester him about it. He'd tell her in his own time if something was on his mind. And so she decided to ask him about her recently discovered memory instead.
"Is it true that you kept Peter Pettigrew as a pet? I just remembered that bit of information this morning."
He snorted. "I did until after a war. First I wanted the Prewetts to take him in but they pointed out, that they could easily be visited by one of the Marauders and didn't fancy explaining how they came to keep their friend hidden away in a cage."
She smiled. "Yeah, that would have been bad, even though he must still have told them something afterwards. At least I assume that's why Lupin has a grudge on me."
Her friend smiled. "Quite possibly. He and I are not on speaking terms, not that I care." He shrugged. "And compared to our childhood and youth one could even say, that our relationship has improved, as they simply keep their distance now."
Hermione smiled crookedly. "This still sounds like I should be prepared for a very awkward afternoon with the Potter's. Harry invited me for tea, you know?"
Her friend laughed. "Oh joy. Should I borrow you my ring that detects poison in food and drinks?"
She looked at him with wide eyes. "Do you think I'll need it?"
Severus snorted. "No, but your expression was priceless."
Hermione laughed. "You're such a tease!"
22nd of September 1999
The evening came faster than Hermione had anticipated but at least Severus' potions and the lunch had restored enough of her usual cheerful self, that she felt able to meet Fabian and Gideon for a little teaching session. Even though she was a bit nervous about seeing both of them again, a part of her was also impatient to fall back into the friendship the three of them had once had. And so she took two calming breaths before apparating to the front porch of their home. She didn't even have to knock, as the door opened right away and Gideon looked at her with a happy smile.
"You came," he said somewhat breathless before stepping inside to let her in.
"Couldn't just let such a good offer slide," Hermione replied with a smile.
Gideon chuckled. "Should have known you just came for the lesson. Very well then, Fabian's already in the study. Come along."
They went upstairs into the study that was right next to the library. It was the room of the house Hermione was most fascinated about. She loved all the little magical trinkets that could be found in here. She could spend hours just watching them and trying to figure out how they were made. Maybe today was the day she could finally ask the twins about some of them.
"Hermione," Fabian greeted her with a smile and came closer. "How are you? W haven't really talked since…" he trailed of embarrassedly.
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry for not seeing you sooner. I just needed time to process some things." Hermione sighed.
"Does that mean you can trust us now?" he asked her and looked into her eyes. Hermione swallowed nervously before she nodded.
"You're my friends, I know that now. Sorry for doubting you. It's just, the two of you were basically strangers for me…"
"And now we're not?" Fabian asked with raised eyebrows and looked at her sceptically. "What changed?"
Hermione smiled at them. "You gave me a pet rat as a get-well-present."
Gideon snorted. "Ah, you got to that part then." With that, he led her to the table and offered her a comfortable looking wing chair at the fireplace, which she took gratefully.
"Yeah, kind of. Don't know too much about it though. But that might still come. At the moment I'm just grateful that you helped me to finally get rid of that problem."
"It was the least we could do to lighten your burden," Gideon said matter-of-factly before taking one of the mysterious instruments from the shelf behind the desk. "And the timing was perfect."
She looked at him with furrowed brows. "Why? Not that I'm complaining but why didn't you wait for me to get better and then went after the rat with me together?"
Fabian who had already taken the seat to her left sighed. "Two reasons actually. The first one was to avoid all suspicions about your involvement from the Marauders. You had already taken your concerns about the traitor to them and it would have been too easy for them to see you as the one, who had done something to him. But as it was with you being injured, you had the perfect alibi."
Hermione laughed. "That was actually very sneaky of you."
Gideon chuckled and finally sat down to her right. "We thought so too. But the more important reason was that we were trying to prevent you to make too many sacrifices. We saw what the knowledge of a potential scale that was tipped by your interferences was doing to you and we knew that we alone couldn't do much about the Horcruxes. But we could do something about Peter and decided to take care of him without involving you, in the hope to prevent that your scale was tipped too far as we speak."
She stared at them with wide eyes, unable to find words. And so she just gaped at them, before suddenly leaping from her chair and pulling Gideon into a bone-crushing embrace. "Thank you," she murmured into his shoulder before repeating the treatment with his twin. It must have been one of the most selfless things anybody had ever done for her and the realisation moved her to tears. She let them fall without shame and looked back and forth between the two of them with a thankful smile.
"We were happy to help," Fabian said finally and patted her back, before moving away from her. "And we aren't even sure if it worked anyway. You still lost so much…" He looked at her sadly.
Hermione looked at the two of them consideringly. "Well, that depends. Did you… did you have to pay a price in the end? Did you lose someone you loved?"
Both of them looked at her with sad eyes. "You could say that yeah. But don't worry about us, Hermione," Fabian said and sunk back into his chair.
"Who was it?" Hermione asked wide-eyed but both of them shook their head.
"That's private," Fabian said with a forced smile. "And I actually wanted to enjoy that evening and not spend the time moping around. Should we get started?" He took out his wand and looked at her questioningly.
Hermione nodded enthusiastically. "Alright," she agreed with a wide smile. But in the back of her head, the question kept echoing. Who was it the two of them had lost?