Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. All characters, places, descriptions, etc (unless original and created by me) belong to her.

Summary: It was a small pack, of course, just the five of them, but together they were something wild. Hermione finds herself in the Marauders' Era with four new best friends.

Chapter 20: Scire Facias*

28 September 1977

Gryffindor Common Room

She was sore. All over her body. Every single muscle hurt. But it was a bit strange.

It was satisfying.

She felt like she had just run and won a race to London and back. She felt sore, yes, but invincible. She looked over at Remus. He was sleeping. He was going to get to leave soon, leave the hospital wing. Although his dreaming face was furrowed with worry, Remus had survived the night with minimal injuries. Despite Moony's fight with Padfoot.

The fight. Hermione's hand drifted up to the healing wound around her eye. Moony had been protective of her, that's what Sirius had said. Hermione's heart swelled at the thought of Remus protecting her even when reduced to his most basic instincts, but… There was always a 'but,' wasn't there.

But Moony protecting her like that, fighting Padfoot like that. It only confirmed her theory. Moony recognized her as his, as his creation. She shivered at the thought. And if Moony knew, did that mean Remus would know as well?

A groan from Remus snapped her back to reality. He was shifting in his sleep and obviously hurting. But how was he in so much pain compared to her? Hermione was in pain, yes, but honestly, she felt like she could manage going to classes. She cocked her head and watched Remus as Madame Trapner returned.

"Remus, dear, you are free to go now." The healer gently touched Remus' shoulder to wake him. She stepped back as he jerked awake. "Remus, you may return to classes if you'd like."

Remus nodded, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He took a pain potion from Madame Trapner and rose from the bed. He looked at Hermione expectantly. Madame Trapner followed his gaze.

"Oh no, Ms. Granger, you must stay in bed a little longer. Don't protest, dear, it's no use. First moon and all, I know you must be exhausted. Mr. Lupin may return after dinner to escort you back."

Hermione sighed. She wasn't that exhausted. She opened her mouth to say so, but Madame Trapner simply held up her hand.

"Move along, Mr. Lupin. If you hurry you can still be on time for class."

Remus took one last look at Hermione before shuffling out of the hospital wing. As Hermione watched him leave, Madame Trapner brought her another pain potion.

"Try to get some sleep, Ms. Granger. It will do you good." She smiled at Hermione and patted her gently on the arm. "Oh, and before I forget, Mr. Black left this up front for you." She placed a small book in Hermione's hands before walking away.

"Sirius? But why didn't he just come in?" She looked up from the book, but Madame Trapner had already disappeared into her office. Hermione looked back at the book in her hands.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Hermione blinked. She turned the book over in her hands before noticing a piece of parchment sticking out of the book toward the end. Confused, she opened the book to pull the parchment out.

It was a card, handmade. Across the top, delicate script read "Get Well Soon." Each letter perfectly formed. Regulus. Under the message was a small sketch. A wolf sleeping on a hill, under a full moon.

He knows. Regulus knows.

Hermione looked up from the card in her hand, half expecting to see Regulus standing at the door. But he wasn't there.

So, he knows. Hermione sighed, unsure of how she should feel about this new information. Maybe he doesn't know. Maybe he just felt like drawing a wolf. This doesn't mean he knows… But would it be so bad if he knew? Would he tell anyone?

Despite knowing Regulus was truly a good person, Hermione found herself worrying that he might spill her secret. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. With a sudden wave of determination, Hermione pushed back the crisp sheets on the hospital bed and left the hospital wing without even a glance toward Madame Trapner's office.

The Library

Regulus was sleeping when she found him. He had potions notes spread out all over their usual table. Hermione sat down opposite him and dropped her book on the table with a bang. Regulus sat up with a jolt.

"Hermione."

"Hi, Regulus," she said, suddenly extremely nervous.

"Your eye." Hermione lifted a hand but caught herself.

"I had a rough night."

"You're okay though, right?" Regulus looked genuinely worried. Hermione smiled at him.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"Good. I really didn't want to have to have words with my brother." He smirked, but his eyes were sad.

"How did you know, Regulus?"

"You appeared out of nowhere and tackled me like I was a stack of parchment," he said with an eyebrow raised. "You honestly thought I wasn't going to pay attention."

Hermione couldn't help but smile.

"So?"

"So what?"

"So what do you think?"

"About what?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"About me, Regulus. About what I am." Regulus stopped to think for a moment.

"I think you're incredibly strong. I think there's a lot more to you than you let on. I think you need to open up a little bit, let people help you."

"That's it?"

"What? Were you expecting something else?" Hermione blushed and avoided Regulus' gaze.

"I'm sorry. I just, I dunno, thought because of–"

"You thought because I'm a Black I would go running to Dumbledore and demand to have the monster expelled." Hermione looked up sheepishly. Regulus sighed. "I don't blame you, but Hermione, you have to know, I'm not—that's not me."

Regulus rubbed his arm absentmindedly. Hermione looked at his arm, the Dark Mark just peeking out from under his sleeve. She wondered if he knew she knew he had it. She looked back up to his eyes. Oh, he knew. Regulus dropped his arm under the table.

"I was alone." His voice was so quiet that Hermione had to rely on her heightened hearing to make out his words. "I'm not going to say I didn't know any better, because I did. But I was alone. Sirius had just left, and I didn't want to be alone anymore. It was stupid, and I've regretted it ever since."

"Regulus, I–"

"No, it's okay. I want you to know I don't believe any of it. Maybe I did once, I don't know, but I don't now." He looked deep into Hermione's eyes, his gaze full of so much intensity it scared her. "I would never betray you, Hermione. I swear. I'll never tell. You can trust me. I mean, Remus is still here. I haven't told anyone about him."

"You know about Remus?" Regulus smirked.

"You think my brother's going to become an Animagus, and I'm not going to know why?" Hermione stared at Regulus.

"Is there anything you don't know?" Regulus laughed and Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Regulus. You didn't have to explain, but thank you. I trust you, even if Sirius doesn't, I trust you. So thank you."

Regulus smiled and didn't stop until Hermione had made her way back to the hospital wing and slipped back into bed. Madame Trapner brought her another pain potion and was none the wiser.

Seventh Year Girls Dormitory

"PMS is a bitch, then?"

"Sorry?"

Hermione had just arrived in the girls' dormitory. After a quick and somewhat disappointing dinner in the hospital wing, Remus had arrived to walk her back to Gryffindor tower. On the way, he had filled her in on what she had missed in class, assuring her that he had taken adequate notes that he was more than willing to share. Remus cast a glamour over her eye before they left, just in case they ran into anyone in the halls. She didn't want to have to explain anything.

When they had walked through the portrait, Hermione had been secretly pleased to find the seventh year girls deeply engaged in a study session. She managed to sneak upstairs unseen, or so she thought. She had barely made it through the door when Lily spoke. Hermione whipped around.

"I said, PMS is a bitch, then?" Hermione suddenly remembered the excuse she had given Lily the last time she had seen her. Saturday. Four days ago. Had it really been that long?

"Oh, um, yeah. Some months are better than others." Hermione turned to her trunk, carefully placing the book Regulus had sent with her others.

"I wish I could have helped. You know, with your Pre-Moon Syndrome." Hermione froze and then turned to face Lily.

"How did you know?"

"Um, you've been "sick" with Remus." Lily made air quotes with her fingers. Hermione sighed.

"Wait, so you know about–"

"Remus? Yes, I do." Hermione and Lily moved to sit on Hermione's bed.

"Does he know you know? How long have you known?"

"Well, I started getting suspicious when he left each month, but I didn't put it together until the boys started joining him during the moons."

"Oh, so you know about that, too."

"Yep."

"And they don't know you know?" Lily shrugged.

"It's their secret. If they're not ready to share, that's okay with me."

"Wow." They sat in silence for a minute. Both witches staring straight ahead, unsure of what to say.

"So… how was it?" Lily shook her head. "No, sorry, was that insensitive? I-I don't know what to say." A small smile graced Hermione's face. It fell as Hermione remembered the change.

"Painful. The transformation at least. Merlin, Lily, I didn't think anything could hurt that badly. I don't remember anything else though. Remus says it's because it was my first one. I'll be able to remember later on."

"Merlin, Hermione, it was your first moon. I-I thought…"

"No, just recently bitten."

"Can I ask who-who it was?" Hermione stiffened somewhat. She shifted.

"I-I can't say, Lily. I'm sorry." Lily blushed.

"No, no! Forget I asked!" Silence fell again. Then suddenly Lily threw her arms around Hermione.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." Hermione smiled at Lily's touch and returned the hug despite her protesting muscles.

"Thank you, Lily." Lily sat back and looked at Hermione.

"I know the boys are probably more experienced and can help more, but I'm here. If you ever want to talk or anything, I'm here for you."

"Thank you, Lily." Lily beamed, but her smile only lasted seconds before her eyes widened in shock. She looked at Hermione as if she was just not seeing her.

"Hermione, your eye." Hermione felt the glamour charm finish fading and looked away from Lily.

"It's nothing." Lily pulled Hermione's chin so she could see the wound better.

"This isn't nothing, Hermione."

"I'm fine, Lily. Honest. It doesn't even hurt that much." Lily pulled her hand back.

"People are going to ask, Hermione."

"I know. I just, I don't know what I'm going to say." Lily smiled and patted Hermione's hand.

"I'll take care of it," she said reassuringly. "Don't worry."

30 September 1977

Gryffindor Common Room

Taking care of it turned out to mean spreading ridiculous rumors about what happened to Hermione, each more ridiculous than the next.

As Hermione walked the halls of the castle for the rest of the week, whispers followed her like shadows. First years looked at her with awe. Older students looked at her with a mixture of curiosity, judgment, and indifference.

Later that week, Hermione sat down in a huff surrounded by seventh year Gryffindors. While stories of what happened to Hermione had been circling the castle all week, none of the Gryffindors actually approached to question her on what really happened. Apparently, the conjoined forces of Lily and James had assured each Gryffindor that it was none of their bloody business.

"This is getting ridiculous." Lily looked up from her copy of Witch Weekly and giggled at Hermione's state of annoyance.

"It's not funny, Lily. These stories are getting out of control. You know I heard some first years talking about how I fought the Giant Squid." A burst of laughter erupted form the whole group.

"Actually that was mine." Hermione looked at Peter sternly before she too let out a laugh. She turned back to Lily, shaking her head.

"But really Lily, a pillow fight? You don't even want to know the description I was hearing from a couple fifth year Ravenclaw boys."

Lily looked at Hermione with confusion written across her face. She then turned to look at James who was sporting quite the fetching shade of crimson.

"James Potter!" Hermione looked at James. The other three Marauders were rolling on the floor laughing at their friend.

"I was just joining in on the fun," he said sheepishly. "'S'not my fault I got a little carried away in the details."

The Gryffindor seventh years fell into fits of laughter. Hermione sat back and watched her new friends, completely ignoring the book in her lap. She was growing accustomed to this. It both comforted and terrified her. This was becoming her new normal.

She was silent for the rest of the night until the girls decided it was time for bed.

"You coming up, Hermione?" Dorcas asked.

"I think I'll stay down here for a little longer."

"Okay!"

The fire glowed softly, sending shadows dancing across the walls. The Marauders and Hermione were alone. Remus smiled at Hermione, nudging her softly.

"So, you survived your first month at Hogwarts," he said. "How does it feel?" Hermione smiled and nudged Remus back.

"I can't believe it's been a month."

"I know. I can't believe October first is tomorrow. I feel like yesterday was the first of September." Hermione looked at Remus with wide eyes.

"October starts tomorrow?" She looked away. "October starts tomorrow."

James looked up from his game of Exploding Snap with James and Sirius. He looked concerned.

"Hermione, you okay?" Hermione looked at the Marauders.

"I-I missed my birthday."

"What?" "Your birthday? When was your birthday?" "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I completely forgot. Oh Merlin. I can't believe I forgot. It was the nineteenth. I can't believe I missed my 18th birthday."

The Marauders looked between each other, identical smiles spreading across their faces. Hermione, staring into space, completely missed the silent conversation taking place between the boys. James got up quietly and ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

When James returned, the Marauders rose. Hermione looked up at them with questioning eyes. She looked at James, invisibility cloak in one hand and map in the other. His eyes were shining with mischief. He held out a hand for her as Sirius spoke.

"Come on, Pup. Time to celebrate."

A/N: *Let Them Know