Harry showed up an hour after Hermione left. It was the first time he came to their house instead of them going to his. The younger man sat down on the armchair and huffed as the Marauders joined him. His green eyes shifted over them in contemplation, and the fact that the orange furball was playing with Sirius's shoelaces didn't help.

"You realize that is her cat, Sirius," Harry said finally.

"It isn't positive. That is quite a distance for a cat to travel in the rain," Sirius murmured with a shrug of his shoulders.

Harry made a clicking sound, and the cat came to him. The man turned the feline over gently and pointed toward the little black pattern on the pad of his right foot. "That is exactly why I know this is Crookshanks, Sirius. She needs her cat. Hermione doesn't have anyone to go home to but him. Please return him," Harry implored with a scrunched expression.

Remus nodded and turned to his friend. "It's the right thing to do, Pads."

"I don't care if it is the next step to sainthood. I'm not giving her the cat," Sirius said with a challenging expression.

Harry shook his head. "Sirius, it's the law. You must give her the cat back. He has been identified as her lost cat," The younger man declared.

"Over twenty-one days!" Sirius hissed with a narrow glare.

Remus shook his head and sighed. "She has six years before he'd be ours, mate. He's her cat. Just let it go, will you?" The sandy-haired man said with a tone of dejection.

Sirius swayed his head and sighed. "Fine, take the bloody cat. Toby isn't going to be happy," The dark-haired marauder grumbled.

Harry pulled out the cat carrier, and the feline hissed before trying to dart. Remus tutted and went to retrieve the animal. "Come on now; your mum misses you. Don't make a fuss."

The Marauders stood at the front down after Harry took the cat carrier to his car. He glanced back up at them and saw the sadness on their faces. It was a shame; they both loved her cat too. "I'll come to see you both later," He announced before walking over to the driver's side.

The men nodded slowly and watched him pull away with their feline companion.


Hermione was… flustered. Crookshanks took off to under her bed all Saturday. He didn't come out for food. Refused to surface for treats and downright ignored her. She was starting to doubt that he really was her cat after all. Ginny decided to come over to lighten her sullen mood that was displayed plainly in texts. Harry took the children to visit the marauders, and the women spent some time together sorting through Hermione's wardrobe.

"So, tell me what happened?" Ginny inquired as she shuffled through the dull clothing.

Hermione huffed as she held up two different dresses. "I was walking to go see them and hopefully apologize to Remus when I came across Crooks in a window. I wasn't expecting it to be them; you told me they lived at twenty-one, not twelve."

"And?"

Hermione continued with the slightly odd conversation. The admission that Remus wanted nothing to do with her. The curly-haired woman followed with the argument with Sirius in the hallway and finished with the kiss.

"He stuck his tongue down my fucking throat," Hermione spat with a glare.

Ginny arched an eyebrow at her. "A very unconventional way to convince a woman to stay," She remarked and tossed the brown suit in the throwaway pile.

"Well, it did the opposite. I slapped him and left. He makes me so pissed," Hermione growled and went to pick up the brown suit.

"Hermione let it go. It is god awful and pure ugly," Ginny retorted with a sneer.

Her body straightened as she huffed, marching toward the bed and casting herself on it. "Gin, it makes me so upset. My cat is hiding. Remus won't talk to me, and his best mate is an arsehole."

"This whole thing with Remus is really getting to you," Ginny remarked as she scratched her scalp.

"I thought we were more than just cordial. I thought we could be friends. I quite like his company. He is wicked smart, and as much as his 'corny dad jokes,' aren't funny, his enjoyment in them is."

Ginny threw a couple more dreadful articles of clothing down; Hermione had absolutely no taste in clothes. She thought a moment on the implications of what the curly-haired woman was saying. If Ginny knew a thing or two about her friend, she knew that Hermione had grown attached to the professor and his odd demeanor.

"He is quite a bit older. Maybe your age difference scared him when he realized Harry was your age?"

Hermione glared over at her friend. "Scared him from what? It isn't like I was running 'round with my knickers out. Friendship has nothing to do with age," She said with a wave of dismissal.

"Maybe it does to him? It is plausible that he finds you cute and quirky. You both ramble on so much about books and science I was quite sure it was putting the children to sleep."

Hermione shook her head and pouted against her arms on the bed. "No, I don't think so. Maybe he has a girl who isn't fond of young women. I bet you a pound that she heard he was working with some college girl and nearly flipped. Might be the reason he avoids me now," She suggested covering her curly mane over her face.

"Girlfriend? Hate to break it to you, Hermione, but I don't know many girls who would line up for him. He is painfully awkward. Sirius only makes it more evident with his unabashed nature."

"Gin, he's an intellectual. I'm certain he has his pick of mature women," Hermione snorted as she looked over at the redhead.

"Mature women, holy shite balls, Granger. You make him sound like some smooth talking published writer. The man can hardly tolerate his best mate's flirtations let alone the concept of dating," Ginny snickered shutting the half-empty closet. "You have a better chance at getting pissed, shagging Sirius Black in a limo outside of the Eiffel Tower than you do getting Remus to admit he has randy feelings for anything."

Hermione glared over at her. "So you mean none then is it?"

"Yes, precisely. Now, will you please let me set you up with one of my old teammates?" Ginny questioned with a pout.

Hermione groaned and rolled over on the bed. "I don't want to, Ginny. I have zero needs for some football player."

"Then quite possibly go out on a limb and date someone?" Ginny questioned as she slumped down next to her friend.

"Why would I want to date anyone? You know I have no interest in it. Not after what happened," Hermione murmured, running her fingers over the pattern on the duvet.

Ginny stroked Hermione's wild locks and exhaled. "Eventually, you have to overcome it, Hermione. The battles you fight daily I couldn't imagine, but just because someone did that to you doesn't mean you aren't worthy of love," She whispered.

Hermione's breathing shifted to a shallow pattern as she tried not to cry. "I know, Gin. It's just too soon, alright? I went to a counselor like Harry asked. I went thought defense classes and even group sessions for victims. When is it going to be enough? I just want to be alone, isn't that alright too?"

Ginny nodded and pursed her lips. "If that's what you truly want. I won't ask again. I just worry about my best friend. Being placed in such a difficult position to get over isn't easy even for the strongest of people. You can always reach out if needed." Ginny finished, and her phone beeped.

The redhead pulled it from her pocket and read the text. "Harry?" Hermione inquired.

Ginny rocked her head. "He wants us to do dinner with Sirius and Remus. I'm starting to feel like they are going to be far more interactive in our lives than I first thought."

"That's good. I'm happy that Harry has a piece of his life he lost back," Hermione declared with a small smile.

"Come with us?" Ginny asked.

"No, not today. I'm still upset at Sirius and Crooks is hiding. I want to see if I can coax him out with some good food."

"Okay. Well, enjoy your night, alright? We'll enjoy Sunday together." Ginny crawled off the bed and gathered the pile of clothing. "This is coming with me. You are not allowed to dress like a spinster. We're going shopping tomorrow," She grumbled with a shake of her head.

"Fine," Hermione huffed.

"I love you, Hermione."

Hermione waved at her. "I love you too, Ginny. Kiss the kids for me." The curly-haired woman watched her friend depart and listened for the door. She was alone with her sulking feline companion… Suddenly, she wished she had at least someone to talk to. The woman gave up and went to find something on the telly for her night in.


Monday was an excellent start to the week as she branched out to the other exhibits and kept busy away from Remus. If he wasn't going to talk to her, there was no reason to beg for it. She was sitting in one of the gardens during lunch when someone had cleared their throat loudly. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a tall, lean man with Remus.

"Hermione, I figured now was a better time than any other to introduce you to the business part of the zoo and all its future planning. Regulus Black, this is Hermione Granger. I believe you have communicated on the phone several times."

Now it hit her in the face like a bucket of chum; Regulus was related to Sirius, and they owned the zoo together. "Oh, hello," she murmured brushing her hands off on the edge of her skirt before reaching for his.

They shook hands, and his eyebrow sought his hairline. "You are younger than I thought," Regulus said as he released her fingers.

Hermione abandoned her sandwich and stood up. "Well, I felt the need to get the whole business of schooling out of the way," She responded with a nod.

Regulus smirked much like his brother. In fact, it was so similar she felt uncomfortable. "I highly doubt you will be done after that. People like you and Remus hardly are satisfied with success and complacency."

"You caught me," she laughed shaking her head.

Regulus turned to Remus. "You can go, thank you," He dismissed him swiftly.

Remus seemed taken back by the disregard but said nothing. Hermione watched his shoulder hunch lightly as he pivoted and left the direction they came from. It bothered her to no end that Remus was sending such mixed signals. The younger Black did not miss a beat as he wagged a finger at her as he sat down on the bench.

"Come, have a chat with me, love. I know you don't mind the conversation because that beast of a man has kept you to himself. My brother told me you could be quite the chatter when you like."

Hermione complied and sat down, folding a leg over the other. "What ails you, Mr. Black?"

"I came to offer you a position after your thesis," He said plainly.

The woman jerked and frowned. "Mr. Black, I don't agree with zoos in general. You know this," Hermione said with a nod.

"Which is exactly why I need someone to help be the go-between to help with a rehabilitation team. I spoke to Mr. Scamander, and he thinks a few animals we have could go to a handful of reservations." Regulus announced with a small smirk.

Her mouth fell open in surprise. "Really- you- I mean, you changed your mind?"

"The type of program we would need would be good publicity and an excellent source of education for the community. Just something to think about," Regulus murmured, waving a hand in the air.

The young woman nodded and shifted her position. "I have to ask; your brother didn't change your mind did he?"

"My brother hardly has control over his mouth let alone my decisions about these animals. There's a reason this place is so put together, Miss Granger. I adore these animals as much as you do and would love to see them in their own setting, but as you know, some of these creatures can never make it by themselves. It is our job to take the initiative. It took some work with the grubby highborn prats, but knowing that you have the potential to shut down a few of our exhibits convinced them."

"But I don't," Hermione stated.

Regulus grinned wickedly and snorted. "They don't know that."

Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "You're wittier than I thought."

"Would you like to have dinner with me and an associate of mine?" He questioned, his wavy hair swayed to the side as he tilted his head.

"Dinner?" Hermione squeaked.

Regulus glanced at her down his nose. "Your boyfriend or husband would have a problem with that?" He asked in almost a snarky tone.

"Well, no, I don't have one. It just is odd, isn't it?"

Regulus leaned back slightly and knitted his fingers together. "Well, I wouldn't think so. Unless you are suggesting, I have an unspoken goal."

"I wouldn't suggest such," Hermione mumbled, hiding her small blush by looking away from him.

The Black opened his sleek jacket and pulled out a candy bar. "Well, we shall see," Regulus hemmed as he unwrapped an edge of it. "What is the story of this orange cat my brother was telling me about?"

"Oh, Crookshanks? When that wicked storm hit a tree, broke my flat window, and he got out. Somehow he made his way over to their house, and they had him for near a month," Hermione declared as she picked up her sandwich.

Regulus chewed and swallowed before making a sound of agreement. "Mhm, that sounds intriguing. Remus was quite in love with your cat. It reminded him of Lily's feline friend when James married her."

Hermione's face dropped as her eyes grew. "Oh," was all that left her mouth.

"You know his story? The poor bloke. Even when I didn't agree with my brother and the company he kept in school, and vice versa… I always left Remus alone."

Hermione glanced at the empty pathway and sighed. "He and I share a very similar tale of woe in the sense of being bullied."

"It is more sinister than that, my dear," Regulus murmured, scratching his chin. "He was mauled by a pair of hybrid dogs. Those half wolf creatures that people love to have for their esthetics. Remus was five when they dragged him off and tried to make a quick meal of him. Fortunately, his parents knew he was missing and found him before any loss of life could happen. The names were pretty horrible from what I hear at his first school. At least at Hogwarts Sirius and Potter collected him for their little club."

Hermione pouted and sighed. "That truly is horrible. Poor Remus."

"Insult to injury… The man that owned the wolves was the man that caused the Potter's car crash. It is a true shame." Regulus finished and wrapped up the other half of his candy bar. "He and I have an understanding. I may not have seen his plight, but Sirius and I knew of a different sort. A sort that mars the heart."

The woman bobbed her head and exhaled. "I can imagine. Remus told me a bit about your childhood."

"Do you think you still would be willing to have dinner? You can name the day," He offered with a neutral expression.

"You aren't, this is, well professional?" Hermione stumbled with her pink cheeks glowing.

Regulus gave her that similar smirk again. "It is," he paused and tilted his head with a thoughtful gesture. "A casual occasion. I'm curious about what I've noticed about you. No, don't give me that look, Hermione," He stopped, and his eyebrow rose as she frowned. "It's not a date."

She relaxed slightly and nodded. "Alright, because I don't do them." Her voice was curt.

"Curiouser and curiouser you make me," He laughed before standing up. "Now, I believe you have some rhinos you wanted to see to, and I have paperwork to file. When you have a free evening, let me know, and I will set up dinner."

Hermione wrapped her sandwich and tossed it into the bag before standing. She walked with the tall Black for sometime before they parted ways. There were many things running through her mind… One of which was how somber Remus's story was. There was more to why the Marauders lived together and why they grew attached to her cat. It made her heart sink.


Later that evening…

Hermione was shaking off the droplets of water from the light showering in the hallway. She was making her way up to her flat, and her feet were sore. A nice soak would do the trick. She saw someone down the hallway outside the door across from her; her neighbor she hardly saw as it was. The older woman was nuttier than a fruitcake, but at least she was quiet for the most part.

"The cards! The cards!" The woman shouted in between sobs.

Hermione would have loved to ignore her ravings, but the woman grabbed her, staring at her through her thick lens. "The cards warned me of this misfortune, my girl!" The woman yanked out a card with six swords.

"Right, Miss Trelawney, I need to go feed my cat," Hermione murmured trying to pull away.

When she turned, she saw a pink paper tacked to her door, and her heart landed in her stomach. Across the top, it was notice of eviction. A new company had bought the building without the tenants knowing, and they wanted her out in ten days. Ten days? Who finds a place in ten days?

"This doesn't make sense," Hermione groaned.

"The cards never lie, my dear. We are all forced to go on a spiritual and physical movement of our lives. The forces of the universe move mysteriously against us this lunar cycle." Miss Trelawney spoke in her nasal speech.

Hermione did not believe in Tarot. She didn't believe in magic or hocus-pocus. But that pink page on her door she did understand. Now, what the bloody hell was she going to do about it?

Hey, guess what sucks about my night? Hermione texted and attached a picture of the page on her door.

Ginny's reply was near immediate. Harry says you can come stay with us. You just need to find a place for Crooks while you are looking for flats. You know that my mum is allergic.

Hermione sighed and bobbed her head before answering. I have an idea who to ask. Alright. I will see you guys this weekend.