Sorry I've taken so long in updating, I had a family member in the hospital, and so I haven't been home enough to sit and write with a clear mind, but I'm back, and said family member is much better and out of the hospital.
Here is part 6
Enjoy darlings x
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Chapter 6
Returning to school had become a burden for both Hermione and Regulus.
On the train ride to Hogwarts, Severus did not sit with them, Regulus thought nothing of it, but watching Hermione sitting on the edge of her seat, looking anxiously for their friend, he realized that something was completely off.
Hermione worried about Severus, he has been ignoring their letters by the end of the summer, and she didn't think it was because his owl got lost, he was avoiding them, this was clear.
It became even clearer of his intentions when she found him sitting with the likes of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle and their little group of sniveling idiots.
Once they were off the train, Hermione and Regulus made their way into the Great Hall alongside the rest of the students. Severus lost in the sea of people, and once they were sat at the Slytherin table, he managed to slip into a seat next Lucius, making Hermione's lips set into a thin, tight line.
It was clear to anyone that she was not happy. She hated cowards, and she hated that Severus was acting like one.
Regulus tried to calm her down, grabbing at her hand, but she flinched at the touch, and she turned away from him, staring at the table ahead of her.
She felt this horrible feeling deep within her, ever since that dinner, where Bellatrix had brought those dreadful whispers to life, those rumors that were now nothing but the truth. The mark, black and writhing, as if something lived within it, making her skin itch and her forearm flare at the thought of ever taking that mark.
She knew her father would never let her, but she looked over at Regulus, making sure he didn't catch her studying him, he hated that, didn't like it when she observed him as if he was some special specimen that needed to be figured out.
She stared at his own forearm, her eyes burning on that area, and recalling the wide grin that spread on Walburga Black's face when Bellatrix announced the news of a new leader, a movement against the thing she hated most, muggle-borns.
And the thought of the power that it would bring to the Black family name, and the way she looked at her son, who turned a greener shade, looking close to vomiting right there, as if he knew what was coming, and how he could not refuse. Survival, it was key, it was the most important thing, and if he had to be branded like cattle in order to keep himself safe, and his Hermione and brother safe, than that was he would do, and a follower he would become.
Hermione found that Severus was acting strange, and when she was walking out of the Great Hall, walking ahead of Regulus, her head down, she caught sight of Severus itching at his own forearm, and her blood ran cold.
She quickly pivoted, and making her way towards him, determination in her eyes, and she turned her head to see Regulus watching her, eyes wide with anticipation and confusion.
She nodded her head towards Severus and Regulus nodded, making his way towards her, as they both approached their friend.
Severus saw them coming, and tried to find a way out of the crowd, but was stuck, and Hermione latched onto his hand, dragging him to the library, Regulus following closely behind.
Finally finding the corner that she and Regulus claimed as their own, Hermione cast a Silencio and a Notice-me-not charm and turned to look Severus in the eye, studying the way he stood straighter, his eyes darkening a bit, and his lips twitching slightly, a grimace finding its way to his face.
She didn't think, she quickly grabbed at the forearm she watched him itch, and lifted the sleeve.
Nothing was there, and before she could react, he ripped his arm out of her grasp and took a step back, eyes widening.
"What in the bloody fuck do you think you're doing?" he growled, his voice low, and anger pulsing in the magical air that now surrounded them.
"Don't think I'm so stupid Sev, when?" she asked, advancing towards him once again, and he stepped back, Regulus watching the scene unfold before him.
"I have no idea what you are blabbering about. I have important things to attend to Black, so if you would be so kind as to move out of my fucking way, I would be very grateful." He tried to push past her, but she grabbed at his arm.
"When?" she pleaded, her hand gripping his in a fierce way, trying to show him that she truly cared, that she wouldn't turn on him, if he were to admit what his future held.
He looked at her, his eyes softening slightly, and his stiff posture slouching slightly, and she then noticed how tired he looked. He had black circles forming around his eyes, and his face seemed ashen, paler as if he wasn't getting the amount of sleep he required.
She wondered then, what was keeping Severus Snape up every night? Was it the thought of joining this dark wizard on his rampage against muggle-borns, knowing very well that he was in love with the muggle girl in Gryffindor.
"You can trust us Severus, we've been friends for three years. You know we won't turn on you, regardless of the decision you make, or have already made." Regulus finally spoke up, walking forward slowly, making sure to not do anything that would stop their friend from telling them what they already knew, but needed to hear from him.
"The summer before sixth year, is when I am initiated, and that damned mark will be burned onto my flash." Snape muttered, he looked at the ground, his eyes glaring at the carpeted ground, disappointment flashing on his face, and grief lurking in his eyes.
"Who else Sev?" Hermione whispered, her hand still holding his, and he hadn't realized how much he needed this comfort, a comfort that he looked for in the dark summer nights, where his thoughts were filled of the Dark Lord asking him to kill Lily, he almost shivered at the thought of the red-head collapsing after that dreadful green light flashed before her, and his wand pointed in her direction.
He knew that to keep Lily Evans alive, he would have to disassociate himself from her, make sure that no one in Slytherin knew of his love for the girl with the brightest hair, and the greenest eyes.
"Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Avery, all that lot. Malfoy took me to him at the end of the summer, he's heard about me apparently, liked my ability in potions, and my apparent hatred towards muggle-borns." He continued, and Hermione blanched at the sound of such familiar names, she knew of Cissy's relation to Lucius, and she hoped that her cousin would not take the mark, future-husband or not.
"Bella and Rodolphus joined us for dinner at grandfather's house, the night before we were due to head back to Hogwarts, she showed us the mark, it was terrible Severus." Hermione spoke, her voice turning harsh.
"I know of your love for that Gryffindor girl, and I know of her heritage. I know that you wouldn't be doing this if you had a way out." She spoke softly, her other hand touching his chin, and forcing him to look at her.
"I also know that Regulus will soon be asked to join this little group, I don't know when, and I dread the thought of it happening, but I sensed those wheels turning in my aunt Walburga's head, anything that would link her and the Black family to power, she would throw her own flesh and blood into the pits of hell for. I won't let you both go into this alone." She turned to Regulus, gripping his hand so that she was now grabbing onto both of her boys hands.
"When the time comes for you to join Regulus, you will not fight it, or refuse it. You will do it, as should you Severus. And I won't let you do this by yourselves, us three together, we'll have each other." She breathed, her hands tightening around there's, and she felt them squeeze at her fingers.
"Hermione, you can't, your father won't allow you—"Severus tried to argue, but the determination in his friends eyes made him gulp, knowing that they were all in for something horrifying, something that would change them forever.
"Together." She muttered, and she looked at her two companions and they nodded their heads slowly, and she hugged them both, hoping that she was not making a mistake in doing this. That the outcome would be better than what she knew she was going into was.
•••••••••••••••••
Watching James Potter flirt with Lily Evans shamelessly was a source of entertainment for Sirius Black.
He enjoyed it even more when Lily sent a hex at James and he watched as his best friend's hair turned blue, then green, then purple.
James was pale and stricken when he approached Sirius, his mouth opening and closing as if he was unable to comprehend what happened, although he was used to the abuse that Lily constantly put him through. He loved her so much.
"She's brilliant." He finally spoke, his eyes still watching the red head as she laughed with her other friends, Marlene McKinnon amongst the females, her long blonde mane shining in the light, and Sirius found himself slightly entranced by the golden hue that surrounded the girl, and also the fact that the summer had been nothing but good to Marley, whose breasts were bigger and perkier. Oh, how he loved to be a sixteen year-old boy.
"She'll have your balls cut off before you take her out on a proper date, mate." Sirius chuckled, slapping James on the back and getting up to sit next to Remus, who was reading silently, brow furrowed and a concentrated look on his face, whilst Peter and James decided on a game of chess, a game that Peter excelled in and made sure that they knew it, he felt a sense of pride whenever his fellow marauders acknowledged that he was good at something, whether it was chess or a little charm to let them get away with whatever little prank they had up their sleeves.
"Have you spoken to either of them?" Remus asked silently, shutting his book and turning to look at his good friend, his lips set in a straight line when remembering the encounter between Sirius and his family. Hermione's cold eyes were enough to scare away Dementors.
"No, not that I want to, they turned on me Moony! Threw me away as soon as big bitch Wally told them to. And my uncle, he couldn't possibly know about this, right?" Sirius looked worried, but determined to hide it from those around him, family was a very private, and serious matter.
"They're just thirteen year old teenagers, who are unaware of what's happening in the world, and are just doing what they're told to avoid being yet another disgrace for your mother. The woman is scarier than any dark wizard or witch combined." Remus rested a comforting hand on Sirius's shoulders.
"And you know how Hermione and Regulus are, special bond and all, you would do anything for James right?" and Sirius nodded his head.
"And for you Remus, and Peter."
"And that bond, the one we have, where we'd kill for one another, live for one another, protect one another, that's what Hermione and Regulus have, and in a house where Walburga Black breathes, fear is their number one friend, and there's no one to turn to except each other. Do you actually believe that they would leave you like that? It's Regulus and Hermione we're talking about!" Remus was confused, but he was sure that the younger Blacks would never leave Sirius, and certainly not for Walburga, never for Walburga.
"You don't know how my brother is, he's afraid, and he loves my mother. Always was the one to listen to her, always her little favorite. And Hermione is the daughter that the old hag never had, and you said so yourself, where Regulus is, Hermione is his shadow." Sirius was tired, and so he bid his friend a goodnight and made his way into the boy dormitories for a lay down, his brain felt like it was pounding against his skull, trying to escape and find a sanctuary, anything that was far away from the dark thoughts and doubts that flitted in the abyss that was his mind.
Remus remained seated, returning to his book, but the dark storm that was Hermione Black's eyes were pressed to the front of his mind, and he shivered at the darkness that resonated within her, around them, inside of his mind.
He wished that they were okay, he would hate for something to happen to the two people who he'd grown to see as young siblings as well, regardless of their attempts to distance themselves.
•••••••••••••••••
Hermione was packing her trunk for the summer, her hands shaking slightly from the stress that weighed down on her in her third year.
Celia Selwyn was also in the process of locking up her trunk, and the blonde turned to look at the girl with the black curls and grey eyes, the trademark of the Black family.
"What are your plans for the summer Hermione?" she asked, her smile bright, and only slightly sly, a Slytherin at heart, but a kind girl nevertheless, always giving Hermione her space when she needed it, and helping her when she needed it, a good friend for the future perhaps.
"My father and I haven't decided yet, but I would love to catch up on my reading. The library at Hogwarts is magnificent, but so limited to what I want to read." And Celia smiled, understanding the girl's love for books.
"Well, I wanted to invite you to a party that my parents will be throwing in a weeks time, it's my elder sister's birthday, and she turns eighteen, a woman. Anyways, it will be a bore, and I'd rather enjoy your company, you could tell me about all the books you've read, and I could tell you about how cute I find your cousin Sirius." And Hermione giggled, she liked Celia.
"The offer sounds very tempting, I'll owl you with my response once I've talked to my father." And she hugged the girl, before levitating her trunk and walking out of their shared room.
•••••••••••••••••
Arriving home and hugging her father was a routine these days.
Lying to him had also become a routine, where he'd ask her how Sirius and Regulus were doing in school, and how he's heard that she hasn't been speaking to him, only for her to smile and say that she just hasn't had the time, busy with school work, busy with her friends.
She then told him about the birthday party that Celia invited her to, and he nodded his head, telling her she could go.
"Have some fun my darling, you haven't been smiling as much as you used to." And he kissed her on the forehead, walking out of the room and making his way towards his study.
She told the house-elf to inform her father that she flooed to grandfather's house, and that she'll be back right after dinner.
Landing in the fireplace at the House of Black, Hermione comes face to face with her aunt Walburga who was sitting in one of the chairs, reading through the Daily Prophet, a cup of tea resting near her and her black hair piled atop her head, like a heavy crown.
"Hello Auntie" she spoke, and Walburga turned to grace her niece with a smile, one that instilled even more hatred within Hermione, and one that sent chills down the girls spine and froze her heart.
"Hermione! How are you dear?" the woman was a great actress, she'll give her that. No one would even question the way she treated her children, that she beat them, and that she didn't care for them as much as she cared for being the best, the most powerful.
"All's well auntie, how are you? You're looking well." Hermione responded respectfully, the practiced answer out of her lips like it was a common instinct.
"I'm just wonderful, my Regulus is home, perfect boy. You'd be lucky to have a husband like him." She was smiling, beaming, the money and the fame glowing in her black eyes and Hermione almost cringed but she only sent a tight-lipped smile towards the monstrous bitch.
"Where is Regulus?" she asked politely, and Walburga pointed towards the stairs and Hermione thanked her aunt, before bounding up the steps and walking straight into Regulus's room, no knocking required.
"'Mione, hey." He fumbled slightly, walking towards her and wrapping his arms around her, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair, only a day apart and he was already being torn up apart inside, this house would kill him eventually, if his mother didn't first.
"I've just come to say hello, probably stay for dinner. Celia Selwyn invited me to her sister birthday party next week, perhaps we'll become good friends, she's a pureblooded witch, a Slytherin, your mother would approve and get off my back about marrying you." She muttered, taking off her shoes and throwing herself on his bed, watching him as he locked his door and lay beside her.
"Celia's nice, pretty, nice hair." He spoke in broken sentences, as if ticking off the parts that he liked, making sure she was suitable enough for his mother's approval, an approval that was necessary for him.
"Very nice hair." Hermione giggled, turning onto her side to look at him. She studied his face, he seemed okay, no bruises were visible yet, and Walburga seemed happy enough. She let out a sigh of relief and stroked his hair as he closed his eyes and focused on her breathing.
"Don't know how much longer I can live like this. Soon enough I'll be branded like cattle for a madman who'll make me torture muggleborns like Potter's for fun and I'll have to act like I enjoy it." He muttered, his voices hoarse, thick with an emotion she didn't quiet understand.
"I'll be there next to you, so that when we're done, you'll be in my arms, and you can cry for their lives and we'll mourn them together. You won't have to hold your demons within you Reggie, never with me." She whispered, and she leaned her head against his and he sighed heavily.
"I love you, very much Hermione. You're the only family I've got." And she watched as he squeezed his eyes tightly before sitting up.
"C'mon, mother would be royally pissed off if we're a minute late to dinner, and I can already feel Kreacher knocking at the door." He muttered, putting on his shoes, and she zipped up her boots before they bounded down the steps and sat next to one another, discussing school with his mother, and the means of power that they would have to achieve and they held hands underneath the table, squeezing whenever a slur was sent Sirius's way.
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"Hermione!" Celia began running down the steps only to be stopped by her mother who spoke with a stern voice, "Lady's do not run Celia." Watching her friend abruptly change her movement until she reached the final step and flung herself at Hermione, arms wrapped tightly around the Black girl, who seemed shocked by the form of affection she'd only ever received from Regulus or her father, but happily returned to the other girl, who was followed by one other girl who was rather tiny and hiding behind Celia like she was a shadow.
She recognized the girl to be Tabitha Rowle, with her dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. She'd never spoken to the girl, regardless of the fact that they shared a dorm, Hermione had barely spoken to anyone in her dorm this past year, with the thoughts of the Dark Mark, Walburga Black, and the loss of Sirius, and his friends, she felt rather depressed and so she kept to herself, mainly seeking out Regulus late at night in the common room where they silenced themselves and sat in the cold dungeon, huddling next to one another and whispering little secrets.
"You know Tabitha, of course, and Tabitha, this is the great Hermione Black. A real beauty, isn't she?" Celia grinned widely, and grabbed at both girls hands as they smiled at one another, Hermione nodding her head in acknowledgement and the three girls made it out into the gardens where it was filled with people dressed in fancy gowns and sipping on champagne and men sneaking in fire-whiskey.
Hermione spent the day with the two girls, who talked to her about everything, their lives and their time at Hogwarts, the boys they found attractive, where both her cousins, Regulus and Sirius had come up at least a couple of times, and she would let Regulus know that Celia was definitely a good choice for a wife, and she planned to introduce them to one another once they returned to school.
She found herself enjoying the time she spent with her two new friends, and realized that she could see herself trusting them in the near future, when it will be necessary.
They understood each other, with their pure-blood customs and their different rules, they understood the pressure that was put on them and they confided to one another about the struggles of being a pure-blooded girl in a society that viewed women as nothing more than baby-makers and housewives.
They laughed, and joked around. They spoke of boys like they were shiny toys and Hermione felt like a teenage girl, for the first time, since she'd left school.
Leaving Celia's house, leaving a promise to the girl and Tabitha that she'd owl them as much as she can this summer, and with the return of the same promise she left, and returned to reality, where she thought of the end of this summer, and the Severus that will return to Hogwarts, the one that bore the Dark Mark, and hurt innocent muggles, and she threw up the piece of cake she had enjoyed that day.