Author's Note: Greetings! This will likely be my only author's note for this entire story, so it is a bit on the longer side. I just wanted to let readers know that this story is already posted over on AO3 under the same pen name. I know that some people prefer this site to AO3, so I thought that I'd bring it over here for your enjoyment.
My Alpha for this story is fbbbgirl and my Beta/Brit-picker is Lunamionny (Both are over on AO3).
Summary: Harry, feeling broken and betrayed, sides with the Dark Lord after the events of the Department of Mysteries and the death of his godfather, leading to troubled times in Britain. Hermione partners with the House of Black and travels back in time to July of 1976, to defeat Lord Voldemort during the First Wizarding War and prevent one of the darkest families in Wizarding Britain from dying out, in order to save her childhood friend.
Tags: Time Tavel, Canon Divergence - Post-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Marauders Era, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Faux Betrothal Arrangement, Slytherin Hermione Granger, Violence, Minor Character Death, Mention of Past Abuse, Past Abuse, Flashbacks, Sexual Content, Cross-Posted to AO3.
Pairing: Hermione Granger/Sirius Black
Rating: Mature
Status: WIP (Approx. 60 chapters total)
Chapter One
"Good luck," Bill said as he squeezed her shoulder before taking a step back to stand next to Andromeda.
Hermione gave the two of them a curt nod of her head as she checked to make certain that her wand was holstered on her forearm and the long, thin chain of the time turner was secure around her neck. "Thank you." She struggled to find the right words. "For everything."
Bill grinned at her, his scars pulled tight on his face. His eyes were pained, sad. "Don't thank us just yet, Hermione. We aren't even certain this will work. It's just that..."
"It's our only hope. Our only option," Hermione murmured quietly. "For Harry."
"For everyone," Andromeda corrected as she peered around the drawing room of Grimmauld Place. "Remember what we went over?"
Clearing her throat, Hermione repeated what she, Bill, Narcissa and Andromeda had talked about over the last few weeks. "In order to save Harry – in order to save the Wizarding World – we need to save the Blacks."
Andromeda frowned as she began to recall a specific time, decades earlier. "On the night of the fifteenth of July, 1976, Sirius was tortured by Walburga and Orion. He was close to death when he fled Grimmauld Place. So much so that Euphemia and Fleamont Potter had to take him to St. Mungo's after he'd arrived on their doorstep." She paused for a moment. "I was working at St. Mungo's that night. I saw him arrive via emergency floo-travel. It was… it was bad, Hermione. Horrific. You need to prevent that from happening. That was when it all went to absolute shit."
Hermione gave the older witch a sad smile. "And nothing can prevent that better than having a Muggle-born appear in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place, hollering at the top of her lungs about the destruction and eventual extinction of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."
"It'll certainly get their attention, if anything. We know that there is no way they'd listen to you unless they're forced to," Bill muttered dryly as he checked the time on his watch before grabbing his wand. "You need to go now, Hermione. Me and Andy need to leave. At any moment, Harry will know we're here, if he doesn't know already. We can't risk it any longer."
Hermione gave him a curt nod and fiddled with the time turner in her hands. "Be safe, be strong, be good."
"Always."
Hermione double-checked that the device was set to the appropriate date, exactly twenty-one years earlier. Her eyes met both Bill's and Andromeda's once again. "Goodbye."
She spun her time turner just as the door to the drawing room burst open, admitting Harry along with a handful of others that she couldn't make out as time, and spells, began to streak by.
Clutching the dainty chain as tightly as she could, Hermione clamped her eyes shut. The rapid motion was beginning to make her feel queasy. On and on it went. Her ears were humming and her hands tingling. Magic was slipping all around her, brushing gently against her flesh.
She felt time begin to slow down once again, and blinked open her eyes just as she came to a stop in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place.
"INTRUDER!" A hoarse voice bellowed from somewhere behind her.
Hermione spun around and snatched her wand from the holster on her forearm just as the first spell was cast in her direction. She was able to put up a strong shield before it made contact with her. "What year is it?" she bellowed back at the dark haired witch glaring at her.
Two males stared at her in shock from the large sofa in the centre of the room. The older, well-dressed man held up a hand as he slowly rose from the sofa. "Walburga… put your wand away for now."
"Intruder!"
"Yes, we heard." The man rolled his eyes as he took a cautious step closer to Hermione, who was still hiding behind her shield charm. "As did everyone in Islington, I'm sure." He had his hands raised in a placating gesture, indicating that he meant no harm.
Hermione took a reactionary step or two back, bumping into the wall behind her. "What year is it?" she repeated. "I need to know the year. Please."
"1976," the younger male, who looked about fifteen or sixteen, stated as he slowly stood up from his seat. "The twelfth of July, to be exact."
"Sirius?" Hermione questioned sharply. The sharp cheekbones and icy cold eyes were a welcoming and familiar sight. She watched as he deflated ever-so-slightly. "Regulus then…" She swallowed. "My sincerest apologies, we've never met before."
She jumped as the older man reached out and snatched the time turner from around her neck. He had used Hermione's distraction with Regulus to get closer to her and reach through her shield charm.
"A time turner," he murmured knowingly as he curiously peered at the smoldering necklace. "Time travel." His grey eyes pierced Hermione's own. "When do you come from? I won't ask again."
Hermione lowered her wand, disengaging her shield charm and searched around the room, taking in Regulus who was watching her with an intrigued expression on his face, and Walburga who was still glaring at her. "Where's Sirius?" she countered, jutting out her chin.
The man chuckled. "Do you honestly believe you are in a position to negotiate?"
Hermione crossed her arms across her chest. "I know enough to know that the only person I can trust, however small that trust may be, is Sirius Black. So… where is he?"
"Who are you?" Walburga asked her instead. "What is your name, child?"
Hermione cleared her throat and gave the witch a slight grin. "Hermione Granger."
"Of the Dagworth-Granger family?" Walburga questioned sharply.
Hermione snorted. "If I told you I was, would you believe me?" She watched as Regulus bit his bottom lip to hide his smirk. "I'm quite talented at potions, so that's something I suppose. Top grades in my year even, much to Malfoy's dismay. I would love to tell you all about some very interesting topics, like the destruction and eventual extinction of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. But, I can assure you I won't be saying a bloody thing until someone brings Sirius down here." She paused. "I assume he's up in his bedroom, keeping away from all of you."
There was silence as the occupants of the room digested her words.
The older man cleared his throat after a moment. "Regulus, if you could bring your brother down here, that would be most appreciated." He spoke quietly as he continued to cautiously watch Hermione.
"Yes, father."
Hermione watched as Regulus quietly and quickly slipped out of the room. Her eyes darted back to the older man. "Lord Orion Black?"
He gave Hermione a subtle nod of his head. "Yes, Miss Granger. Please take a seat." He gestured to an empty chair near the fireplace. "Can Kreacher get you anything? Some tea perhaps?"
Hermione chuckled dryly as she sat down on the chair indicated. "No thank you, Lord Black. I would hate to ingest some Veritaserum by mistake."
His eyes twinkled as he sat back down on the large sofa. "You know the House of Black well."
"Not well enough," she countered quietly as she clasped her hands together and placed them on her lap. She gave Walburga a tight smile. "Lady Walburga Black."
"Mudblood," the witch hissed back in response.
"Quiet!" Orion waved his wand at Walburga, silencing her instantly. "My apologies, Miss Granger. My wife doesn't understand the meaning of cooperation."
"It's no matter. I've heard the term before, plenty of times." She heard the sound of feet clambering down the wooden staircase just outside the room. "It no longer holds any meaning for me."
The door to the drawing room swung open, allowing Regulus to re-enter. Following closely behind him was none other than a young and healthy-looking Sirius Black.
He raised a brow at her, but otherwise remained silent as he took a seat on the sofa next to his father.
Hermione allowed herself the tiniest amount of relief before focusing once again on the task at hand. Step Two: Convince Orion and Walburga Black to help her. Both Narcissa and Andromeda had warned Hermione that it would likely be one of the more difficult tasks for her to accomplish and had handed her a sealed letter with orders to give it to Orion the first chance she got.
"We did what you asked," Orion interrupted her thoughts. "Now tell us what you meant by the 'destruction and extinction' of the House of Black."
Hermione frowned. "It's pretty self-explanatory, to be honest with you sir. I mean the actual destruction and eventual extinction of the House of Black. I come from a time where there is no longer anyone in the Wizarding World that carries the family name."
"When do you come from?" Sirius asked her after a moment of silence. "Reg said you're a time traveller."
Hermione nodded. "I was given a time turner to come back to this time –"
"By who?" Regulus cut her off as he leaned forward in his seat, placing both hands on his knees.
Hermione pursed her lips at the interruption. "I was given a time turner to come back to this time in July, 1997."
"You're telling us that this entire family dies off in July, 1997?" Orion was unable to hide his shock, his disbelief.
Hermione shook her head. "No, not at all." She took a deep breath as she pulled the sealed letter out of her coat pocket and reached out to hand it to Lord Black. "The last Black was killed in June of the previous year. The rest of you were dead long before then," she said as she sat back down on the edge of her chair.
She watched as Orion thoughtfully brushed his fingers over the intricate wax seal on the back of the envelope.
Sirius started chuckling, drawing Hermione's attention away from Orion. "Good riddance, I say. Why mess with a good thing?" He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms across his chest.
Hermione huffed in annoyance. "Because your death led to your godson siding with You-Know-Who. It led to him killing Dumbledore and murdering his friends." She watched as Sirius' grin melted off of his face. "It broke him. Completely. Please… I need your help." She swiped at her cheek, brushing off a solitary tear as she peered around the room at everyone. "I need everyone's help to make it right; to fix it before it all turns to shit."
"The seal on this letter is that of this House," Orion quietly informed the room. "It is enchanted so that only those who belong to the House of Black are able to open it." His eyes met Hermione's. "It curses anyone who tries to break the seal who isn't a Black."
Hermione nodded as she held out her hands for Orion to inspect. "Narcissa warned me not to peek at her letter to you. She said I would end up with a cursed burn on my hands if I did."
"Let me read over this letter in private," Orion said after a moment or two of silence. "The fact it is from Narcissa confirms that the situation that Miss Granger has found herself in is extremely dire, to say the least. I don't believe Narcissa would willingly work with a Muggle-born girl unless she absolutely had to." He rose from his spot on the sofa and waved his wand at Walburga who had been sitting silently in her chair. "Come, dear. Let's head to the study and read this letter together. It is addressed to the both of us, after all."
Hermione watched in silence as the two left the room, leaving her alone with Regulus and Sirius. She exhaled slowly before turning her attention to the young men sitting on the sofa, both watching her with mistrust and intrigue. "What?"
Regulus frowned. "I've never heard father refer to a Mudblood as a Muggle-born before. You must have them rather nervous."
Hermione snorted. "Your mother called me a Mudblood when you were sent to fetch Sirius. I'm sure your parents are perfectly fine." She swallowed. "Your father is merely being polite. He is showing me the minimum amount of diplomacy only because I have information that he wants."
"The safety and interest of the House of Black is first, Regulus," Sirius lectured quietly. "Everything else is secondary, including blood status." A beat. "At least for the time being."
Hermione cleared her throat. "You seem quite calm for someone who's just been told that their godson is in cahoots with You-Know-Who." She didn't understand how Sirius was so subdued.
He shook his head at her comment. "I have no friends, not anymore. I've burned that bridge entirely." He sighed. "Which means, no godson for me."
"What? Why?" Hermione looked between the brothers. "What the hell happened?"
Sirius snorted. "You tell me." He leaned back on the sofa and tucked both hands behind his head. "You say you're from the future. You tell me what happened if you're so clever, Granger."
Hermione blinked and took in a short breath as she wracked her brain for whatever it was that had happened. "1976..." She muttered as she looked between Regulus and Sirius once again before focusing on the dark wood floor before her. "1976. That means you, Sirius, are going into your sixth year this September and Regulus is going into his fifth. Correct?" She peered at the two teenagers sitting on the sofa.
Regulus nodded. "Correct."
Hermione hummed for a moment as she peered thoughtfully at Sirius. "You told me the summer before my fifth year that people do stupid things when they're fifteen or sixteen. You said that I needed to keep my head on straight."
"Not good enough." Sirius shrugged. "You could've heard that from anyone and said it was from me."
He started to get up from the sofa.
"Just hang on!" Hermione snapped at him. "I'm thinking!" Her mind was whirring with everything that she knew about Harry's godfather.
The door to the drawing room swung open once again. Orion and Walburga Black shakily made their way back into the large room. Their expressions were somber. Their robes black as coal.
"Snape!" Hermione blurted out. "You tried to kill Snape!"
Sirius slumped back on the sofa and held his head in his hands. "Merlin's ballsack."
"Is that why Snape was in such an odd mood after his O.W.L examinations?" Regulus pondered aloud. "He looked like he'd come face to face with a beast and just barely managed to get away."
Hermione merely raised a brow at Sirius as he fearfully peered at her.
"Why'd you try to kill him?" Regulus pressed his older brother. "I mean, I know you can't stand one another, but I'd have never thought you'd go through with trying to off Snape." He paused as he scratched his chin in thought. A small smirk was barely evident on his face. "How'd you not get expelled?"
"Because it would look abhorrent to the rest of the Wizarding World if Albus were to expel the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black," Walburga informed the room as she primly returned to her seat. "A fact that your father and I reminded the Headmaster of when we were notified of the incident."
"While you've been hiding up in your bedroom upon returning from Hogwarts, your mother and I have been contemplating what exactly we wished to do with you, Sirius." Orion sighed tiredly as he stood behind the large sofa and peered down at his children. "You've been a disgrace to the House of Black since the moment you set foot at Hogwarts and began associating with half-bloods, Muggle-borns, and muggle-loving fools such as the Potter Family. Do not think that our prevention of your expulsion was done without expectation of something in return."
Hermione watched Sirius as he sat stiffly and stared straight ahead. His jaw was clenched tightly as he listened to his father's reprimand.
"As a matter of fact, earlier this evening your father and I had come to an agreement with regards to what we expected, Sirius." Hermione turned her attention to Walburga, who was staring at her with a cold expression as she spoke. "However… upon Miss Granger's arrival and after reading Narcissa's letter explaining a fair number of things, we've decided to forego our original plans." A beat. "At least for the time being."
"According to Narcissa, it is imperative that we find a way to help Miss Granger integrate into this time. She says that this is the only way we can prevent the House of Black from dying out. Tell me child, what is your age?" Walburga peered down her nose at Hermione as she waited for her reply.
Hermione cleared her throat. "I'm seventeen. My birthday's the nineteenth of September."
"Cissa mentioned that you were unable to finish your sixth year at Hogwarts."
"That's correct. I fled Hogwarts after Dumbledore was killed at the end of April." Hermione swallowed, her throat was tight with emotion as she remembered that night only a few months earlier.
"Which one of us dies first?" Sirius bluntly asked, changing the topic.
"Sirius!"
"It's a legitimate question and one we're all wanting to know the answer to." Sirius waved off his mother's reprimand. "I'm obviously the last one to go." He raised a brow at Hermione. "Who's the first?"
Hermione held Sirius' gaze for a moment or two. His eyes were the same cold, emotionless grey that his parents and brother all sported. Almost. She could see the smallest hint of concern. He was worried about the news that she had brought with her. His earlier disregard for the House of Black was merely a façade.
Interesting.
Hermione involuntarily stole a peek at Regulus sitting on the far side of the sofa.
"Shit," Sirius muttered in disbelief. "Reggie?"
"No!" Walburga wailed. "My baby? My perfect heir…" she began sobbing loudly into a handkerchief.
"I must remind you all that my mission here is to save the House of Black," Hermione said quietly after a minute or two of listening to Walburga's wailing. "After careful and thorough research, Narcissa, Andromeda, Bill Weasley and myself all agree that, in doing so, the events that I and the rest of the Wizarding World experienced will be prevented." She cleared her throat. "While I fully believe that this family is full of… absolutely vile and horrific individuals, I hope that over time these individuals can change to become better people."
There was silence for a few moments while the members of the House of Black digested Hermione's words.
"When am I supposed to die?" Regulus was the first to break the silence. He peered at Hermione with eyes full of concern.
Hermione shook her head. "It's irrelevant because you won't be dying, I swear." She paused for a moment as she chose her words carefully. "I know how to prevent it from happening."
She shook her head once again and sighed tiredly. "This particular date was chosen as the day I travelled back to in order to prevent Sirius from being tortured within an inch of his life and eventually blasted off of the Black Family Tapestry." Hermione swallowed. "I assume that whatever plan that you – Walburga and Orion – had for him was something that you both knew he wouldn't agree with." She raised a brow at Walburga who was looking at her with narrowed, suspicious eyes. "Which brings me back to my earlier point about the vile individuals that are unfortunately a part of this family."
"It is an honour to serve the Dark Lord!" Walburga bellowed at Hermione as she leapt up from her chair while jabbing a finger at her. "The Dark Lord knows that the proper place for you Mudblood scum is under the heel of us pure-bloods. You're all nothing but filth. He believes in taking our world back from the half-bloods, half-breeds and Mudblood swine that have been destroying our traditions. You are stealing power that is not rightfully yours!"
Hermione scoffed loudly, shaking her head at the woman before her. "Your Dark Lord is a half-blood, you stupid bint." She peered at the others as they watched her in shock before focusing on Lady Black once again. "Your Dark Lord is a half-blood wizard who is desperately grasping for power." She sighed as she slowly rose from her seat. "How embarrassing is it that a family so incredibly proud of its blood purity decides to kneel before and serve a half-blood? You are so blinded by hatred and insanity that you refuse to see what is right in front of you." Hermione peered into Walburga's eyes. "It's pathetic."
A sharp slap met the side of Hermione's face. The loud crack of Walburga's hand across her cheek seemed to echo in the otherwise silent and stunned room. "You lie." Walburga's voice was quivering with a barely controlled rage as she pointed a long finger at Hermione.
Hermione held her hand to her cheek to sooth the stinging heat and shook her head at the older woman. "Tom Riddle," she hissed, watching as the slightest hint of recognition passed across Walburga's face. "A Slytherin student the year behind yours, correct?"
Walburga remained silent but her anger appeared to be dissipating.
"I can honestly say that I don't give two shits whether you or your husband die. The two of you are irrelevant to the survival of the House of Black and unnecessary in winning this war." Hermione removed her hand from her face and peered down at her wet fingers. Walburga's long nails had broken her skin and drawn blood. She met the other witch's gaze once again. "I do, however, care deeply about your children. Both of them. And I will do my hardest to make certain that both Sirius and Regulus survive this war. Is that understood?"
She waited until Walburga gave her a shaky nod of her head.
"Good." Hermione cleared her throat as she returned to her seat. "Now… you mentioned that Narcissa informed you about my inability to complete my sixth year. What is it that you and Orion had in mind?"
Walburga blinked at Hermione but otherwise remained silent as she returned to her chair. She appeared to be lost in thought. Hermione's words to her were obviously sinking in.
Orion cleared his throat. "We'd have to move quickly, but Walburga and I can send you to Hogwarts to complete your sixth year along with Sirius." He paused for a moment and frowned. "Do you feel like that is an appropriate measure for us to take to aid you with your integration into this time?" He gestured to the no longer smouldering time turner on the coffee table. "You cannot go back to your time."
Hermione nodded. "I've nothing to go back to. No one to go back to." It was one of the reasons she was chosen to travel back in time.
"Narcissa has asked us to leave the time turner at our vineyard in France."
"I'm sure she has her reasons." Hermione gave Orion a sad smile. "How are you going to convince the Headmaster to allow me into Hogwarts? I'm sure he'd want to know why a seventeen year old girl, whom he has no record of, would decide to finish her education at his school."
Orion smirked as he gave Hermione a little shrug. "Arrangements can be made quite easily if one has the resources to know which cards to play."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at Lord Black. "A monetary donation, in other words." She paused, frowning for a moment. "Paired with blackmail, I presume."
"You don't think as highly of Albus Dumbledore as most other light-leaning individuals often do," Orion responded curiously. "Why is that?"
Humming quietly as she chose her words carefully, Hermione pressed her fingers against the still-stinging cheek Walburga had slapped earlier. "I've been fighting this war since I was a first year at Hogwarts. Unknowingly selected like a chess piece for the Greater Good because of who my friends were." She cleared her throat. "While I don't know everything there is to know about Dumbledore, I do know that some of the decisions he made in regards to certain individuals in my time has led to my best friend choosing to stand with You-Know-Who rather than against him."
She peered at Orion who was watching her closely. "I can honestly say that I wouldn't at all be surprised if you had something to blackmail the Headmaster with."
"You're right not to trust him," Walburga told Hermione quietly with a wide grin and wild eyes. "Albus Dumbledore has more skeletons in his closet than–"
"Quiet!" Orion abruptly cut his wife off. "Miss Granger," he gave Hermione a tight smile, "please rest assured that you will be joining both Sirius and Regulus at Hogwarts this September to complete your education." Hermione gave him a nod before he continued. "I ask for you to join us for dinner. There's a small bathroom just outside this room for a quick wash, if you'd like."
Hermione gave Lord Black a curt nod of her head as she rose to her feet once again. "Thank you, sir."
She quickly left the drawing room in search of the bathroom.
Hermione sighed into the hand towel as she dried off her face. A slight movement behind her caught her attention as the door swung open. Her eyes met Sirius' in the mirror as he leaned against the doorframe watching her.
"Don't you knock?" she asked him before she could stop herself. She wasn't certain how long he'd been waiting outside the bathroom for her.
He shook his head before holding up a tiny bottle for her to inspect. "I have some Essence of Dittany. For your cheek, if you need it."
Hermione spun around and held out her hand. "I do, actually."
Sirius stepped into the small bathroom and kicked the door part way shut. He gave her a grin as he stepped closer to her, crowding her as she bumped against the sink. "Let me," he murmured quietly, his breath brushing lightly against her cheek.
Hermione swallowed and tilted her head back, giving Sirius a better angle to dribble the healing solution onto her wound. "If you insist."
"Oh… I very much do insist." He unscrewed the stopper and held it just above her cut cheek. "It would be uncouth for the hosts to allow our guest to heal themselves from injuries sustained here at Grimmauld Place."
Hermione flinched slightly as the first drop of Dittany splashed against her cheek and began to smoke slightly as it went to work.
"Even if my mother has gone completely round the twist."
Hermione couldn't hold back her snicker. This was the Sirius she remembered from her previous stay at Grimmauld Place prior to her fifth year.
"Hush," Sirius chided her kindly as he returned the stopper to the bottle and set it on the sink counter. "We wouldn't want mother, or father for that matter, getting any ideas." He hummed quietly as he inspected her cheek. "There… fully healed."
His thumb brushed her ear as he leaned in even closer, causing Hermione to gasp quietly.
"Be very careful with what you say around my mother and father, little lion," Sirius whispered in her ear. "You're in a house full of snakes." He stepped back from her and raised a single brow in warning.
Hermione swallowed, giving Sirius a shaky nod of her head. "I know," she murmured back. "Trust no one. Andromeda warned me before I came back here." She frowned at Sirius. "How'd you know I was in Gryffindor?"
Sirius grinned at her question. "Takes one to know one, I guess." He shrugged as he grabbed her coat that was hanging on the handle of the door and pulled the door open. "Come." He offered his elbow for Hermione to grasp. "I'll show you your bedroom and then take you to dinner."