Hermione woke up early the next morning, when Regulus had unconsciously tightened his arm around her waist, and nuzzled his face deeper into her hair from behind. Her hand came up and lay on top of his; lacing their fingers together. She gave him a small squeeze and felt him move as began to awaken. She turned her body so that they were lying face to face, and brought her free hand up to caress his pale cheek. Oh Gods, I really hope he doesn't regret everything that we did… Hermione thought to herself with trepidation.

Regulus' light grey eyes slowly blinked open and focused on the small smile that she had on her face. He gave her a little smile in return and looked up into her deep eyes.

"Good morning," Hermione said to him in a quiet tone as her voice cracked.

He chuckled at this and replied. His voice was low and raspy from sleep, and the words almost came out as a whisper. "Good morning, Hermione."

Her smile widened when she saw how content Regulus was, and she leaned forward to give him a small kiss.

Okay, he doesn't seem to have any regrets. This is good.

Hermione pulled away and sat up a little, clutching the thin white sheet to her bare chest. She extended her arm to summon her panties and thought nothing of it when they flew off of the ground, and directly into her awaiting hand.

Abruptly, she felt a small pang of sadness in her chest. It was a split second of disappointment. As she turned around in confusion, she caught a little glimpse of a frown on Regulus' handsome face, as he stared blankly at her hand that held her clothes. She furrowed her brows, and then she began to realize why she had felt that slight disappointment. She turned entirely to the wizard, in sheer delight, and swiftly grabbed both sides of his face.

"Regulus, I can feel you! I could feel your emotions! This is amazing, It really worked!" She grinned at him and laughed. Her happiness was infectious, and the wizard smiled along with her.

Then, Regulus felt the same sort of pang in his chest and furrowed his brows just like she had done before. He looked up at her and noticed that she had a questioning face on, which also seemed to be laced with determination.

"Regulus, what do you say about going to Ollivander's today, for new wands? We can all go, together. Then you will be able to perform magic more efficiently. I can't believe I forgot something as important as that, I apologize."

Regulus looked at her in surprise, and he began to feel giddy at the prospect of getting a new wand. He couldn't do wandless magic like she could, so he hasn't been able to perform any magic.

Now that I think about it, none of the other Wizards have used any magic yet, either. Well, besides using the floo, but we're not really performing any magic when we do that.

Regulus nodded his head at her, and she jumped up and down on the bed like a child, efficiently making him let out a laugh; he'd never seen an adult do something so childish before.

Mother and Father would kill me if I did something like that. I can just imagine their faces now… If only they could have been more like her.

Hermione stopped jumping and fell on the bed laughing. He had no idea how something as small as this could make her so happy.

"This is perfect. I think we should go as soon as possible! I'm going to floo call a friend who works there, and ask if we can floo over before she opens the shop! Then I'll wake up the rest of the guys. Sound good? You can get ready, and meet me down at the dining room table for breakfast at about 7:30? That'll give you an hour and a half."

Regulus silently agreed and watched as she jumped off the bed and scourgify herself, and then picked up her clothes to transfigure into more appropriate attire.

Her large jersey morphed into a medium length, button up jean dress with a collar adorning the top, and a bow that was tied loosely around the middle. He watched her as she began to button the dress, keeping some buttons at the top open. Then, she grabbed her old jumper and transfigured that into an off-white cardigan that she slipped on over the dress. She grabbed her slippers, and they were now a white pair of converse trainers.

Finally, he watched as she picked up the pair of shorts in her hands and smirked at them. She waved her hand at the shorts and watched them change into a new pair of black knickers. She smiled triumphantly as she slipped off the ones that she currently had on, and threw them over to Regulus. He watched her slip on the new pair and looked at her with wide eyes. She winked at this look, as she tied her hair into a messy bun that her curls were spilling out of.

Hermione walked over to him as he still sat in shock while holding her knickers in his hand. She leaned over him and gave him a quaint kiss. He wanted to deepen the kiss, but she was already pulling back. He sighed, and she laughed at this.

"I will see you soon, okay? Now, go get cleaned up so we can get you a new wand!"

"Okay, okay. I'll get ready."

She waved to him as she walked out of his bedroom door.

Merlin, she's going to be the death of me, again.


Hermione had just finished speaking with Luna who now worked at Ollivander's after the war. She was quite good at her job and had a knack for picking out wands, as well as making them. She had married Neville two years ago, and they were hoping to start having children soon.

Luna had told her that she would connect the floos and they could come at 7:45. The store opened at 9:00 am, so she hoped that there would be enough time for each wizard to find a wand.

Hermione began walking around the halls upstairs, opening doors to see which wizard she would find. After opening two empty rooms, she opened the door into Fabian's room.

She walked into the room and opened the curtains a bit to let in some light. Then, she walked over to his bed and crawled up to lay next to him. She put her hand on his shoulder and began massaging his freckled skin.

"Fabian, wake up." She whispered into his ear.

He threw his arm over his face, and he groaned. "Gid stop. I'm trying to sleep, you git."

Hermione giggled at this, and his eyes shot open at the sound, and he removed his arm from blocking his view.

"Hermione?! Bloody hell, I thought you were Gideon! You're lucky I was too tired to push him off, or else you'd be lying on the ground right now."

Hermione continued to giggle and bent down towards him, and put her hands on each side of his head onto the pillow beneath him, effectively trapping him under her. She lowered her head and pecked him on the lips.

He was shocked by this gesture and stared at her with wide eyes as she began to speak.

"Wake up! You need to start getting ready; we're going to go get you wands today! Also, I'm assuming that you're going to Molly's today, so you need to get up and get dressed if you want to show her that you're perfectly fine and that I'm not kidnapping you and holding you hostage for my own gain." She chuckled a little, and he lifted his brow at her and smiled.

"Sweetheart, the position you're in right now isn't helping out your case so much. You have me trapped underneath you! I'm going to tell my sister that you're a mad woman! Now, I'll reconsider this, if you give me a proper kiss. How does that sound, hm?"

Hermione laughed and shook her head as she lowered her head towards him again. This time, he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her down onto him, as he kissed her with passion. He caressed her mouth with his tongue, and Hermione moaned at the feeling. Reluctantly, she pulled back from him, her breath hitching. Her lips were red, and her cheeks were blushing.

"I have to go wake up the others. Now, go get ready, and be in the dining room by 7:30, or there will be no more kisses for you for the rest of the week."

He opened his mouth and eyes wide, as he put a hand over his heart.

"Hermione, you wound me. A whole week?! You must leave this instant so I can get myself cleaned up. But, I will be expecting another kiss today, Hermione!"

He hopped out of bed and ran into the bathroom.

Hermione laughed and walked out, crossing the hall into the next room. She knew that Fred and George liked to stay close to each other, so she wagered a guess that Fabian and Gideon would be the same.

Opening the door, Hermione was in even more of a chipper mood than before. She walked into Gideon's room and grabbed the sheets on the bed, and tugged them off, effectively waking up the sleeping wizard. Gideon jumped up out of his sleep and sat up in bed staring at her with surprise.

"Good morning Gideon!" Hermione said happily.

"Um, good morning? Hermione, what on earth are you doing in here, love?"

"I'm waking you up! We're getting everyone wands today, and you and Fabian are going to go to Molly's later. So, get your lazy arse out of bed and get ready."

Gideon was still looking at her with shock, as he rolled out of bed. He stood up and stretched a bit, and then let out a long yawn as he scratched his head simultaneously.

"Ahem."

Hermione was looking at him expectantly.

He stopped and looked at her in questioning.

"Yes?" He asked.

She smiled at him before she replied, "You forgot to give me a kiss before I leave."

He couldn't believe this sneaky little witch.

He shook his head, chuckling, and walked towards her with opened his arms, intending for her to jump up onto him. She understood the gesture and wrapped her arms around his neck as he grabbed the back of one leg and she jumped for him to catch the other. He held her in the air, as she was wrapped around him like a koala, and quickly sought out her lips. She gasped as soon as their lips touched.

His kiss was passionate, like Fabian's, but just a little rougher. He nipped at her lips and squeezed the back of her ass. She wiggled in his arms as he let go of her and she stood unstably on the ground, still holding an arm to ground herself. She looked up at him shyly, and he smirked.

"Blimey, Gideon, it was just a goodbye kiss. You can ravage me a different time, but for now, you need to get ready, not get sidetracked! Meet me down in the dining room at 7:30, okay?"

He nodded and gazed at her with longing as she walked out the door.


After Hermione had opened three doors, she finally came into Rabastan's room. Her happy mood was a little dampened when she opened the door.

Rabastan Lestrange made her nervous.

She wasn't scared of him; it's just that she wasn't sure how to speak to him. So, when she had opened the door and saw him dressed in a robe, sitting in the bed propped up by silk pillows and a book in his hand, she felt a little more relieved. She held the door open but laid her hand on the wood and knocked twice to announce her presence. He raised his head up when she knocked and looked confused.

Once she saw that he wasn't agitated with her, she slowly walked into the room and shut the door behind her. She looked at him and cleared her throat, "U-um good morning, Rabastan."

His reply was a tilt of his head, and his brows pulling together.

"Hello?"

After he had said that, Hermione gave up her timid act. She couldn't be bothered to worry about what he thought of her. She was happy this morning, and she wasn't going to let him ruin it.

Once she had come to this conclusion, her body sagged and her head tipped forward. She let out a long breath, and then lifted her head again with a small smile on her face. She walked over to him and sat down at the edge of his bed, by his feet.

She waited for him to say something, but he continued to ignore her and read his book instead. She sighed and turned towards his body, and plucked the book from his hands, laying the book down on the page he was currently on. He opened his mouth to protest this, but she maneuvered her body behind his on the bed and pulled some of the pillows out of the way as she leaned against the bed frame, and placed her legs on each side of his body.

He sat there, frozen, and didn't make any movement. Hermione could tell that he was confused and possibly angry, but she couldn't be bothered with his negative mood. She brought her hands up to his long, dark-red hair and began to pull it behind so that it all rested gently against his back.

She combed her fingers through the ends of his hair and gathered the courage to bring her hands up to his scalp, to run her fingers through the thick locks. She saw the way that Regulus had reacted when she would run her hands through his hair and decided it wouldn't hurt to try it with Rabastan, especially with the long length.

"You can relax, I'm not going to hurt you, you know. I'm just going to do your hair, is that alright with you?" She commented to him over his shoulder. A few seconds passed before she heard his low voice reply.

"Yes, I suppose that is fine."

She smiled and hummed a confirmative sound as she continued to run her hands through his long, soft hair.

"Do you want me to tie it back?" She asked him after a few minutes.

Her thoughts flickered back to the way that Lucius had his hair tied back with a black satin ribbon, and wondered if Rabastan also styled his hair the same way. Maybe it's a pureblood thing or something?

Hermione saw him shake his head, and she smiled. "I was sort of hoping that you would say no. I much prefer it down as you have it now. I'm kind of jealous of your straight hair though…" She mumbled a little at the end. Rabastan had heard her though, and she perked up when he let out a small huff.

"As you should be. My mother made absolutely sure that Rodolphus and I kept our hair in pristine condition, and I wouldn't dare let it be anything less than perfect."

Hermione rolled her eyes at his pompous reply. She began to run her fingers along his back, as she finished combing out his hair. She didn't want this interaction to end already, not when he was finally speaking more than a few words to her.

"Do you miss them? Your mother and brother. Even your father?" She asked him quietly. She didn't want to offend him, and she wouldn't be surprised if he didn't answer her question.

"Of course, I miss them. Mostly Rod... We were close when we were younger. He tried to protect me as often as he could, but it got harder the older that we got. My father, he was not a great man, as I'm sure you've guessed. He had told us from a young age that my brother and I were going to serve the Dark Lord. Naturally, we didn't understand what that had fully entailed, as we were only children; but, he was the reason that my family ended up the way it did. When my brother married Bellatrix, my father had made sure to let us know that Rodolphus wasn't to soil this chance we had been given, to merge together with the Black family. They were known as royalty in the wizarding world, and to unite both houses... It was a privilege. Rodolphus would do whatever his wife had wanted, and that led to quite a few problems. He was my older brother, so of course, I would follow after him. I had always looked up to Rod… Bella; she was never a normal witch. She was always mentally unstable, but that was just how the Black family was. They were known for their ruthlessness, and for their affiliation with the Dark Arts."

Hermione nodded her head and was drawing circles on his back with the tip of her finger.

"I regret letting my brother, and I become something akin to slaves, under Bellatrix. But my brother, after awhile, he started becoming just like her. After the torture of the Longbottoms, that's when I knew that I had lost him. I sat and watched them torture those two into insanity. They wouldn't stop, and I just sat there. I had thrown around a Cruciatus curse or two, in the beginning, because that was our mission; but, Bella took it too far. By the time I had realized that I should have stopped them, we were being taken away by the Aurors. I don't regret what I had done to the Longbottoms myself, but I do regret allowing my brother to take that final step into losing himself completely."

Hermione knew that this was hard for him to speak about, and she was grateful that he had chosen to share this with her. She laid her forehead against his back and replied back to him.

"I know that this sounds cliche, but everyone makes mistakes, Rabastan. That's why you're here now. You have a second chance again, and this time there is no Dark Lord or Bellatrix. You get to decide what you want to do, now. Well, outside of this whole marriage thing, but you understand what I mean... You're safe now, Rabastan."

Hermione sighed as she continued on. "I know none of you probably enjoy hearing this, especially coming from a muggle-born witch, but I am determined to keep you all safe. I know that you can fight for yourself, but just know that I will always be there as back up. I won't let this second chance go to waste. There is a reason why you were the one chosen to come back, Rabastan. You were the one worthy of a second chance. Out of all of the Lestrange men, the box picked you; that has to mean something." Hermione said this is a questioning manner, but she also sounded almost wistful in a way.

She wished that she knew everything that there was to know about those boxes. Hermione wanted to know why each wizard was chosen, and what made them different from everyone else. She wanted to know why she was able to bring back so many wizards at once... She craved to know everything. Shaking her head at her straying thoughts, she began to speak once more.

"I am willing to take on this responsibility. I am willing to be your wife and the mother of your children. Now it is up to you. Whether you are willing to let that happen or not, that is in your hands. I cannot make you do anything that you do not wish to do. If you do not want me to be here with you as your wife, then I will be here as your friend. Being around you all, it's different... I don't know how to explain it, but you don't frighten me. You are not the scary death eater that I grew up fearing. You're different now. Not by physical traits or anything like that, but in choices. Your choices are different now; that's the biggest thing. You don't need to serve under a master anymore. Really, the only thing you serve under is that bloody box." Hermione scoffed at the end of her sentence.

Stupid fucking boxes... Hermione said in her head mockingly. She sneered for a few seconds before she continued to speak to Rabastan.

"Listen, I don't know if you want this second chance or not, but if you do, I will help you. I want to be close to all of you, and I want to make you all happy. I want to be happy. So, maybe this is my second chance, too? Maybe this will be my chance at happiness. I don't know… I just… I want you to know that I forgive you. You might not want my forgiveness, but you ought to know that you have it, regardless. All I wish for is the same in return. I don't want to be hated anymore. Not by you, not by Antonin, nor by Lucius or Draco, hell, not even by Professor Snape. I don't want to be hated by the Slytherin children at Hogwarts just because of my blood, or because of what side I was on during the war. I'm just so tired of being hated. I mean, I'm used to it, but I'm getting more tired of it as time goes on."

Leaning her head to the side, so that her right cheek was resting on his back, she closed her eyes and let out a nervous breath.

"Rabastan, I know that you have done terrible things, and I know that you do not have many regrets, and that is okay. I understand that it is just how you are, alright? It's how you've always been, and I am not going to attempt to reconstruct you into some saint. During the war, I did bad things too, and some of them I don't regret… Back then, if I would have come across Antonin again, I would have killed him in a second, without thinking twice. It sounds absolutely wretched to say, but it's true. And I am not going to force you to believe in what I believe. But I know that there is more to you. There is more to all of you, and I intend to discover it... Anyways, I just wanted you to know that, I guess. So, thank you, for listening to me ramble without laughing. Unless you've been silently laughing this whole time, then sod off." Hermione laughed as she lifted her head away from his back.

It was as if a switch had gone off in Rabastan, and he suddenly stiffened back up and cleared his throat.

"Yes... Well. Perhaps, I think it is time that you leave."

Hermione flashed a bitter smile and began to move back in front of him.

"Of course… Um, I originally came in here to let you know that we are going to go to Ollivander's today, so you all can get new wands. So, please meet us down in the dining room at 7:30."

Hermione went to turn around and leave before she stopped herself and faced back towards him. She began walking back towards him and gently grabbed one of his hands that he had laid on the bed. She brought his hand up to her face and gently kissed his knuckles. After doing that, she set his hand down and finally walked back to the door. Just as she opened the door, Hermione stopped to say one last thing.

"Rabastan... Thank you, for trusting me, and for telling me all of those things. I enjoyed speaking with you, a lot."

Hermione didn't look to see his facial expression; she just walked right out of the room and closed the door behind her. She leaned her body back against his door and took a deep breath.

Okay, that was good, Hermione. You've made some progress.

She nodded to herself and walked further down and came to the doors that belonged to Evan's room. She opened the door and realized that he was the bed was already empty, and there was steam coming from underneath the door to the bathroom. She conjured a piece of paper and started writing.

"Evan, Good morning! I decided to take everyone to get some wands today, so please meet me down in the dining room at 7:30, before we leave. -H."

She eyed the paper and decided it was missing something. She moved further down the paper and continued writing.

"P.S. I will be expecting a good morning kiss before we depart. Don't be late." Hermione smiled and slid the note under the door.

A minute later, Hermione found herself standing in the room of Antonin Dolohov. He was dead asleep, laying on his stomach, with his hands trapped underneath his pillow. Hermione walked over and leaned over his back to tap on his shoulder to wake him up.

Before she even touched him, a hand came out and clamped around her wrist, pulling her into the bed underneath his hard body.

Hermione gasped and looked up at the smirking face of Antonin. She growled at him, "You arse! You were awake the whole time!"

He chuckled at this and continued his smirking. "Ah, nice try, Myshka. Now, not that I hate you in this particular position, but what are you doing sneaking into my room so damn early?"

Hermione huffed and gave him a weak glare.

"I was coming to wake you up, arsehole. We're getting wands today, and we're going to meet in the dining room at 7:30 so we can go over a few things before we leave! Now, will you let go of my hands please!"

Antonin's smirked widened and became mischievous.

"What will you do for me in return, Myshka? You were quite naughty the last time we were this close. You got away, remember? I can't let that happen again, witch."

Hermione started trying to wiggle out of his hands, but it was no use. He was holding her arms down onto the pillow that was under her head and was pushing his lower body between her knees to keep her from escaping.

"Fine, what do you want? Name your price, Dorogoy. Within reason please, we're on a schedule. 5 minutes tops, Dolohov." She smiled at him in a teasing manner as she said this.

Antonin's eyes looked ten times darker as he leaned towards her and brushed his nose against hers.

Gods, why does it always feel so intense when I am around him… It's like the moment we touch, I completely melt.

Hermione waited in excitement for him to kiss her when he suddenly turned his head away from her and dropped his face to her neck instead. The stubble from his face tickled against her soft skin, and she whimpered when he started pressing hard kisses on her sensitive skin.

"5 minutes? How about I return the favor, hm? You know, the one you gave me yesterday." Her eyes widened in recognization, and she felt her heart rate speed up.

"Let's see… I think I want to taste you. But, then again, I'm not too sure you deserve that. I think I'll use my fingers for this morning, what do you think?" He whispered this into her neck, and she nodded her head frantically.

Antonin smiled when he saw her getting so worked up, and let go of one arm, only to grab both of hers with just one hand. Now he had one hand free, and he brought it up to her mouth.

"Lick." He commanded her in a deep voice.

Hermione complied and began sucking his middle finger with eagerness. Antonin was starting to feel the effects of this in his briefs, and quickly pulled his finger from her mouth.

It's payback time.

Antonin spread apart her legs and lifted the hem of her dress. He quickly slipped his finger inside of her knickers, and he could feel that she was already wet. He chuckled at her body's response to him and began to circle his finger against her clit.

Hermione was moaning quietly through her breaths and felt her hips jerk when he slipped his large finger inside of her. He curled his finger upwards and began to thrust his hand rapidly. Hermione was bucking her body at this point, and he leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"Does it feel good? Are you going to come, Myshka? I can feel your sweet little pussy tightening around my finger."

Hermione was nodding her head, and her moans were building up. "Yes! Fuck, yes, Antonin… I'm gonna come!"

Right as she said this, he pulled his finger out and cupped her mound with his hand. She tried to grind against it, but he pressed his elbow hard against her waist.

"Aw, isn't that too bad? It looks like our time is up, Myshka. Don't worry; there will always be a next time, isn't that right?" He smirked so intensely as he said this, making Hermione want to scream out in frustration.

She growled and tried to buck her body out from under him, and he rolled over next to her to let her go. Hermione got up and righted her dress, before she turned towards his face, leaned down, gave him a rough kiss, and then slammed his door shut. Dolohov let out a bellowed laugh.

Payback really is a bitch, Antonin laughed to himself.


The angry witch stomped down the hall right up to the last room. She stopped herself from barging in and calmed herself down, taking slow, deep breaths.

Hermione didn't know how to approach Sirius after what had happened at dinner last night.

She knew that he would be feeling guilty about what he said, and he should feel guilty. He had crossed the line, and Hermione wasn't going to let him off the hook so quickly. As much as she wanted to stop fighting with him, Sirius needed to figure himself out first.

Keeping this in mind, Hermione opened the door to his room.

Sirius was sprawled out on his back, with one of the sheets wrapped around his leg, and pillows were thrown on the ground. He had a hand laying on his bare stomach, and the other hand was over his head. Sirius was snoring, and Hermione couldn't stop herself from letting out a small laugh at the sight of him. He was indeed a mess, but it was honestly quite fitting for him.

Hermione felt her heart melt a little when she looked at him. She had missed him so much, and now he was here right in front of her.

No, Hermione… We can say we miss him all we want, but we're still mad at him…

Hermione sighed as she walked over to his bed and stood directly beside him; not on the bed with him, and not even touching him. Just standing at his bedside.

"Sirius, wake up." She said in a normal tone, though she didn't sound the most friendly.

She heard him snort in awakening, as his hand came down from his head, and went to rub at his tired eyes. Letting out a massive yawn, his voice cracked when he began to speak.

"'Mione? Is everything okay?" He asked in genuine worry, as he sat up and turned his head to look at her.

"Yeah, Sirius, I'm fine. I just came to wake you up so that you can start getting ready; we're going to get you all new wands at 8, and we're meeting in the dining room at 7:30. I'll see you down there."

"Princess, wait. Listen, about yesterday... I am so sorry. I really didn't mean it, I was just angry and shocked, and I shouldn't have taken my feelings out on you like I did. Please forgive me 'Mione. I just got you back; I don't want to lose you again."

Hermione could sense the guilt in his words, but even that couldn't sway her to forgive him.

"Listen, Sirius, I appreciate the apology… But, I can't forgive you just yet. Last night, what you said was… It was heartbreaking. When I woke up on the basement floor yesterday, wrapped in your arms, I was so glad. Not just for Harry and everyone else, but for me as well. I thought that you would be my biggest supporter, out of all the other guys. I expected it, especially because I already knew you so well. I needed you to be there to help me… But you weren't. When Ginny started yelling at me, you just sat there Sirius. You didn't even stop her, and then you went on to tell me that Ginny was right about what she said. It felt like a piece of my heart had gotten torn out when you said that to me. I thought that I meant something to you… I mean, you snogged me against the wall, and basically confessed your feelings to me before you had gone to see Harry. But then you practically ignored me for the rest of the night. Did any of it even mean anything?"

Sirius was at a loss for words when she had pointed out all of the things that he had done; only amplifying the guilt that he felt by a ten-fold. The wizard braced himself for more, as he watched Hermione's lips begin to move.

"I will not be treated like some random witch that you just wanted to shag for the fun of it, only to dump her the next day. Do you even realize how degrading that is?! How humiliated I felt?! I was standing there in that kitchen, waiting for you to jump in and save me, and you did NOTHING. I know damn well that you were raised to respect women, Sirius Black. How sad is it, that your little brother can uphold this belief, and you cannot. I know your family life was shite, but that doesn't give you an excuse to treat everyone else like scum, and only think about yourself. Regulus died because you refused to acknowledge his existence! The Sirius I heard so much about was loyal and brave. But where was your loyalty when you got kicked out and left your little brother to rot away in that house all alone? You never even sent a letter, nor did you associate with him in school either. Did you even care when he died? And how dare you preach to Harry about how 'the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters,' when you lived your entire life believing that it was!"

Sirius was angry at this point and retorted back in a raised voice. "Of course I cared when Reggie died! He's my bloody brother, Hermione!"

"THEN START ACTING LIKE IT!" Hermione screamed. "You're so stuck in the damn past that you don't even realize what you have right in front of you. Until you figure that out, I'd prefer if you'd leave me in peace." Hermione said in a hard voice, as she turned around to leave the room.

With her hand on the door handle, she looked deeply at Sirius, and a sinister smirk stretched across her face. "Oh yes, I almost forgot. The next time you try and cross me, you will hear much more than you did last night. I only let you hear what I wanted you to hear… Imagine being able to hear everything. Did you really believe that I would forget to put up a silencing charm? I'm the brightest witch of her age, Sirius."

Sirius sat rigidly on his bed, with his mouth open in shock, and silently fuming on the inside.

That fucking witch...


"Elf?" Hermione called out. The little elf that had been helping her the past few times had popped up again right in front of her.

"Yes, Missy Hermione?" Hermione smiled at this and bent down in front of the little elf.

"I'm sorry, I was wondering if you could show me to the dining room? I'm still not sure where everything is in the manor; it's so large! But before that, would you mind telling me your name? I would like to call you by that from now on if that is alright with you."

The little elf smiled at this and clapped her hands as she jumped up and down a few times. "Oh yes! I's Tillie. Missy Hermione can calls me Tillie please!"

Hermione nodded her head and held out her hand for the little elf to shake. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Tillie. Thank you for helping me."

The elf's ears flopped back and forth as it nodded, and gently grabbed Hermione's hand to begin leading her towards the dining room. As they walked, Hermione was struck by how grand and elegant the manor really was.

At some point, Tillie had taken Hermione past a wall that was filled with portraits of various men and women. Most of the women looked at Hermione with disgust, though it seemed that the men did not agree. Of course, there were a few who had sneers on their face as she walked by, but that was to be expected. It seemed that the longer she walked, the newer the portraits had looked.

She finally made it to a man who she assumed was Evan's father. He seemed to wear the same appraising look that his son wore many times.

"You. What is your name?"

Hermione stopped and turned back around to see the portrait of Evan's father waiting for her reply. He was sitting in a gaudy chair that looked to be placed inside his study, as there were a desk and a fireplace behind him. He sat on the chair wearing all black robes, and his hair was a little darker than Evan's was. He had his hands clasped together in his lap, and had one leg crossed over the other; resting on top of a knee. His eyes were the same light blue as his son's.

Hermione finished her evaluation of the man and faced him head-on with a confident demeanor.

"Hermione Granger. I presume you are Evan's father?"

The portraits around her seemed to all awaken and were watching the exchange with stupor.

"You presume correctly. Granger, you say? I don't think I have heard of a Granger before…"

Hermione knew that her impending reply would stir some reactions. "I wouldn't expect for you to have heard my name before, as I am a muggle-born witch."

The wall behind her, which held all of the females, seemed to either gasp or make noises of questioning. The older men in the family looked at her with raised brows, and the younger wizards seemed to turn up their noses at her.

"Ah, a mudblood, you say? How curious… What, may I ask, are you doing here, in my home, Miss Granger?"

Hermione smirked at this and began her retort.

"What a lovely question, Sir. Though I must correct you, as this is no longer your home; considering that you are, well, dead." Hermione took a step closer to the painting and crossed her arms over her chest. "But, you haven't heard? I opened your box. I brought your son back from where you reside, so, unfortunately, right now."

The man in front of her looked as if he'd been hit with a stunner, and she heard a laugh towards the beginning of the corridor. Everything went silent when the laughter had sounded out, and Hermione tilted her head.

"Bravo, witch. I must say, I was not confident that it would ever be opened. Come, little witch. Let me have a look at you. The woman who opened my own box."

Hermione looked down at the elf who had been standing next to her this whole time, silently watching the scene play out. Tillie nodded at her to listen to the man, and Hermione began walking back.

She came upon a man who had hair that was a dark black color; though, he still held the same blue eyes that all of the Rosier men had.
"I must admit, there are a lot worse witches out there… Yes, you will do, I suppose. The question that we all are asking ourselves is what exactly makes you special, Miss Granger? You do not appear to have any significant characteristics... "

Hermione's annoyance spiked when the old wizard had said this, and she took a step back so that she could eye the majority of the men on the wall in front of her.

"Is that so? I truly apologize, Sir. Unfortunately, I do not adorn the dark hair of the notorious Black family, nor do I have the bleach-blonde hair that the Malfoy family has. You'll have to forgive me for my 'filthy' blood, as your extended family members so often love to ridicule me for."

She zoned her eyes in on Evan's father specifically and leered at him.

"Tell me, did you enjoy doing the Dark Lord's bidding? Did you dirty your knees as you bent over to kiss the bottom of his robes? You were there when he was just Tom Riddle. Am I correct?"

The wizard looked as if he were about to jump out of his frame and strangle her right there on the floor. The other men sat there with furrowed brows.

"You dare speak my Lord's name?!"

Hermione smirked at this and then turned to the older wizards. "You know of Lord Voldemort, do you not? I assumed word had gotten around in this house… Surely, you are all aware of the wizard that your second to last heir had so mercifully worshipped?"

The men slowly nodded in their pictures, and Hermione turned back towards the malicious man.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, Half-blood. Heir of Salazar Slytherin, on his mother's side. His mother, Merope Gaunt, used a love potion on a Muggle named Tom Riddle Sr. He did not love her; in fact, he actually wanted nothing to do with her. This did not matter though, as Miss Gaunt became pregnant with his child. A child, whom Tom Riddle Sr. wanted nothing to do with. Merope eventually went into labor in an orphanage. There, she gave birth to Tom Marvolo Riddle. His mother died while giving birth, and Tom grew up within the walls of the very same orphanage that he was born. He eventually came to Hogwarts, and of course, was sorted into the Slytherin house. This was where you met him, Rosier. Where you assisted in the murder of a young girl named Myrtle Warren; when Tom Riddle had let out a basilisk that only he could command, in the chamber of secrets."

The wizard was sitting as still as a board, and Hermione wanted to laugh. "He covered it up so well, didn't he? No one suspected any of you of murder, though you did commit it. I saw the memory, you know. Of Tom and his 'Knights' gathered together in a ridiculous Slug-Club meeting. You were there, Rosier. I watched you, as you followed every order that the young boy had given you all. Were you aware of his Horcruxes?" Rosier looked shocked as he nodded his head.

The other wizards around him looked scandalized at what they were hearing.

"He originally had six. But, what the ignorant man didn't know, was that he had unintentionally created a seventh. This unknown seventh Horcrux, was my best friend, Harry Potter. In the end, Harry defeated your precious Lord Voldemort. So, now you know. He is dead. I helped Harry kill Tom Riddle. I outwitted him many times. But, what I am intrigued by the most, is the fact that you basically sold your son to the Dark Lord. You know he died, all because you forced him to become a Death Eater. But, I am the one who brought your son back, you blithering idiot. Not only your son but seven other wizards as well. I am the only person who can help your son carry on the Rosier name, as you lay rotting in your grave."

At this, Hermione took a step back so that she looked at everyone once again. "Now tell me, Gentleman, can you still not find even one thing about me that might be special?"

The men looked at her, aghast at what she had said.

"If you'll excuse me, I must meet with my husbands," Hermione smirked and turned back around to begin walking to the kitchen once again.

But, she stopped and looked at the opposite wall where all of the women were sitting in shock. She slowly walked towards the form of Druella Black and lifted her hand that held her wand.

"Druella Black, how wonderful it is to meet you. As you know, I am in a bit of a rush, but I simply couldn't help myself; I needed to speak with you. I was wondering, if, the next time that you see your splendid daughter Bellatrix down in Hell, perhaps you could you give her my thanks for her wand? It's almost as good as my original one, though I, unfortunately, had to part with it. But, now I have this one, given to me- well, actually, I stole it from her… But, as I was saying; now I have this wand instead, and I have to say, it is quite a nice fit. Wouldn't you agree?" She smirked at the woman.

The lady seemed to be speechless, and Hermione smirked as she noticed this.

"Good day, Madam Black."

Hermione waved at the appalled face of Druella and took Tillie's hand a second time as they finally left the hallway. The rest of the walk was silent until they had finally made it to the doors of the kitchen where Hermione could hear the wizards talking on the other side. She looked down at Tillie and gave her a small pat on the head.

"Thank you, Tillie. I will be sure to call you if I need anything."

Tillie left with a smile, and Hermione placed her hands on the doors and pushed them open. As she walked into the kitchen, she saw the space that was left at the head of the table on the opposite end.

She sat down and began to speak.

"I apologize for being late. I was distracted on my way here for a short while. Anyways, we'll leave now so we can get you all some new wands. We will floo to Ollivanders, and my friend Luna Longbottom will be the one helping us out. If any of you say something rude to her, I promise you that it will not end well. She is a lovely girl, although she is also a little eccentric. Just a warning before you all meet her; she will say things sometimes that will not make any sense. Just nod your head and agree, okay? She is a very close friend, and you should all be thankful that she is going out of her way to help us with this. Now, Sirius, will you go through first? You already know her, so I think it would be best for you to be the first one that she sees. The rest of you can follow after Sirius; it does not matter what the order is."

All seven wizards nodded their heads at her, and they all stood up and began to make their way into the living room. Hermione held out the bag of powder for Sirius as he took a handful and disappeared. Antonin went next, followed by Regulus. Then Fabian and Gideon left, along with Rabastan as well.

Evan was the last of the wizards to leave, and before he grabbed any floo powder, he sauntered close to Hermione, and she smiled when she realized what he was doing.

"Is it time for my good morning kiss now?" Hermione asked in an amused tone.

Evan smirked at her and nodded before he leaned his head down so that their lips pressed hard against each other. The kiss was long and hard, making Hermione gasp out when he pulled away.

He moved his head towards her ear as he whispered to her, "Next time I'm in the shower, feel free to join in, kitten."

Evan quickly nipped at her neck, and she giggled at the feeling. He looked at her with a genuine smile on his face and left in a flurry of flames.

Hermione followed after him, and she found herself being guided out of the floo by a smooth hand. She quickly looked up to see Rabastan holding her hand and helping her step out from the fireplace. Hermione was surprised at his gesture, though all she did was give him a broad smile and squeeze his hand in thanks. Rabastan nodded his head when she did this and released her. All of the wizards were waiting in front of the counter, and they parted as Hermione walked to the front.

Standing behind the desk was Luna, with her perfect bright blonde hair and light blue eyes. She wore pale pink overalls, with a blue and white patterned shirt underneath. The overalls were rolled at the ankles showing a pair of mismatched socks, with no shoes. Hanging from her ears were two red cherries, that swung back and forth each time the girl moved. Hermione couldn't help but smile at how little the girl had changed.

"Hello, Hermione. You look quite different from the last time that I saw you. I suspect it's the undead corpses that are standing behind you right now."

Hermione laughed and leaned over the counter to hug her. "Yes, you must be right, Luna. Thank you for helping me out today. We all really appreciate it."

Luna looked dazedly around the room and nodded her head at each wizard. "You're welcome, Hermione. I'm sensing that we should begin now. You, Mr. Dolohov. Please come forward."

Antonin looked a little put-off, but shrugged his shoulders and walked forward anyways. Luna looked at him in questioning, and then her pale eyes began to gaze into the air surrounding the top of his head. She murmured affirmatives to herself under her breath, and Hermione looked over to the wizards to see their confused faces. She caught their eyes and gave them a hard look before she schooled her features into a smile.

"Yes, yes. I believe you are right… Here."

Antonin started to reach towards the wand, but Hermione stopped him before he could pick up it up. She turned to look at all of the other men and began to speak. "I forgot to tell you all, but picking wands is much different than it was before. Luna has a special sense, that will guide her to which wand is the perfect one for you. You will not need to try multiple different wands, anymore. The one that she gives you will be your final wand."

Antonin and everyone else nodded at her and then watched as the wizard grabbed the wand that Luna had set out in front of him.

"The wood is Red Oak. The true match for a red oak wand is possessed of unusually fast reactions, which makes it a perfect wand for dueling. Its ideal master has a light touch, they are quick-witted and adaptable, and they are often the creator of distinctive, trademark spells, making them a good man or woman to have beside someone in a fight. Now onto the core of the wand. Your core is a Dragon Heartstring. This particular core tends to produce wands with the most power, and are capable of the most flamboyant spells. They aim to learn more quickly than other core types, and it also tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts. Another characteristic of the Dragon heartstring is that it is the most prone to accidents, making it, unfortunately, somewhat temperamental. The length of the wand is 12 inches, though wand lengths don't really tell anything critical about the person who wields it. Finally, the flexibility of your wand is unyielding; meaning that, like your wand, you are set in your ways and will never change. Although, personally, I believe that anyone can change, despite what their wand says about them." Luna finished off speaking, and Antonin finally curled his fingers around his new wand. The wand gave the signature glow before Luna chose the next person.

She pointed to Gideon, and within a minute she had grabbed his wand.

"Ah, here we are. The wood is Applewood. These types of wands are powerful and are best suited to an owner of high aims and ideals. This wood mixes poorly with Dark Magic, but of course, it is not entirely impossible to perform that sort of magic or attempt it at the very least. Those who have a sense of great personal charm find their perfect match in an applewood wand. Unsurprisingly, the core of this wand is Unicorn tail hair. You see, Unicorn hair produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. The Length is nine ¾ inch, with pliable flexibility, indicating that you still have a strong connection to your childish ways, or who you used to be, but you have also matured since then." Gideon smiled as he held his wand, and quickly walked over to his brother to show it off. Fabian rolled his eyes at his brother's antics.

Rabastan was next, and he stiffly walked up to the desk. Luna's soft voice was a complete contrast compared to the way the way that Rabastan was acting. "Your wand is Elmwood. Elm wands prefer owners with presence, magical skill, and certain native dignity. Of all wand woods, elm produces the fewest accidents, the least foolish errors, and the most elegant charms and spells. These are sophisticated wands, capable of highly advanced magic, when in the right hands. Which, again, makes it highly desirable to those who support the pure-blood philosophy. The core is made of Doxy wings. Doxy wings - like the creatures they come from - can be unmanageable and mean-spirited. They are second, only to Basilisk wands, in their abilities with the Dark Arts, and as such, these rare wands are most often found in the hands of stubborn Slytherins without the familial connection to obtain a basilisk core. Ten ¾ inches is the length of your wand, as well as obtaining stiff flexibility, showing that you are very strong and secure. You are not afraid to say no, or to speak your mind."

Rabastan gave Luna a polite nod, and quickly pocketed his wand, catching Hermione's eye as he turned back around. She gave him a short smile, and he made no indication that it had affected him, though Hermione could see that his rigid form seemed to relax very slightly.

"The second twin, it's your turn now," Luna said, making Fabian glare a little at her name for him. Luna walked to the back of the shop pulling out a wand, and then she set it in the box right in front of him.

"Your wand is made out of Blue Spruce wood. The difference between Blue Spruce wood, compared to the silly, old, common Spruce, is that a witch or wizard with a strong personality can coax more out of a blue spruce wand than a spruce one. Regular spruce is a strong wood that excels in everything except the Dark Arts, but someone who carries a Blue Spruce wand could 'push the boundaries' shall we say. I expected you and your brother to share at least one wand characteristic, and that seems to be the cores of Unicorn tail hair. I have already explained the meaning of this specific core, so I do hope that I will not need to repeat it. Will I?" Fabian shook his head at the forwardness of the odd witch and watched as she began to finish off with him and his wand.

"The length is 10 inches, and it has pleasantly springy flexibility; springy as in resilient, the positive capacity of people to cope with stress and adversity, and graceful or 'charming' in other words. Well, go on, take your wand." Fabian nodded rapidly and cradled his new wand; his eyes were glittering in awe.

Luna pointed to Evan next, and he carelessly walked forward.

"Your wood is Ashwood. Ash is stubborn, and those witches and wizards best suited to ash wands are not, in my experience, lightly swayed from their beliefs or purposes. It is definitely not a wand for the brash or over-confident. The ideal owner may be stubborn, and will certainly be courageous, but never crass or arrogant. Moving on, your core is Thestral tail hair. Thestral wands generally produce strong magic, but only when the wielder understands themselves. If they do not know themselves, or if they lose themselves, then their spells will suffer greatly. When the wielder does, in fact, know themselves, then this wand can create powerful spells. The Thestral wands work very well for Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. The wands are very temperamental and rare to find with wizards and witches of today. Length is 11 ½ inches, and pliable flexibility, though I think this has less to do with your connection with the past, it has more to do with how much you have changed." Evan seemed surprised at the wand that he had clenched tightly in his hand, but the look of surprise only lasted a fraction of a second before the wizard was back to his calm exterior.

Hermione watched silently as Sirius was called forward by Luna. He looked excited, and Hermione was instantly reminded of the previous day when he was prancing up the stairs at her old house, like a little puppy.

"Hello, Sirius. It's good to see you. Considering that the last time I saw you, you were falling into the veil towards your imminent death… It was terrible, really. Although, it did seem like quite an easy death, wouldn't you agree?" Luna said as she turned around to grab yet another box from one of the many shelves.

Sirius looked at Luna with a sour face, and he cleared his throat as he began to reply in a hesitant tone. "Um, yes, I suppose so…"

Luna ignored Sirius' reply and promptly began to explain everything about the wand that she had picked for him.

"So, Sirius, your wand is made out of Ebony wood. The jet-black wood has an impressive appearance and reputation, being highly suited to all manners of combative magic, and also to Transfiguration. Ebony is happiest in the hands of those with the courage to be themselves. Frequently, non-conformist, highly individual - or comfortable with the status of an outsider - ebony wand owners have been found both among the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix, and additionally amongst Death Eaters. In my experience, the ebony wand's perfect match is someone who will hold fast to his or her beliefs, no matter what the external pressure, and will not be swayed lightly from their purpose. Your core is made of Billywig stingers, which is not common, considering that the creature itself resides in Australia, rather than Britain. Billywig wands bond exclusively with light-hearted pranksters, no surprise there, and are extremely capricious and erratic. Onto the length, which is 11 ¾ inches. This wand has pliable flexibility, which, as I mentioned before, shows that you still have a strong connection to your past self, but you are also prone to change and maturation."

Sirius smiled charmingly and reached over the desk grabbing Luna's pale, dainty hand, pressing his lips lightly to the back of it. "Thank you, Mrs. Longbottom. It's been a pleasure."

He gave her a small wink, as he sauntered back to his original place beside all of the other wizards.

"Hmm, yes… Regulus Black. You are the final recipient today." Regulus nodded slowly at this and walked up to Luna with a nervous look on his face. Hermione gave him a smile of reassurance when he turned to look back at her. Luna then came up to the desk with his new wand laying inside both of her hands.

"Interesting… The wood of this wand is Cypress. Cypress wands are associated with nobility. Geraint Ollivander, a wandmaker in the medieval times, wrote that he was always honored to match a cypress wand, for he knew he was meeting a witch or wizard who would die a heroic death. Wands of cypress find their match amongst the brave, and the self-sacrificing: those who are unafraid to confront the shadows in their own, and others' natures. What is truly extraordinary is the core of this wand, a Phoenix tail feather. This is the rarest core type, you see. This core is capable of the most significant range of magic, though it may take longer to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord. Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners; for the creature from which they are taken, is one of the most independent and detached in the world. The length is 11 inches, with reasonably pliable flexibility. Indicating that the witch or wizard is compliant, but as he or she gets older, they start to mature. They begin to see that what they are doing and what they stand for is wrong. That is quite a rare wand you have there, Mr. Black." Luna looked at Regulus with a small smile, and Regulus stood there, frozen, staring down at his wand.

He didn't touch it; he was utterly motionless.

Hermione could feel his hesitation and anxiety through the bond, so she walked up to him and grabbed his left hand. Giving it a short squeeze, she leaned forward to speak in a low voice to the wizard standing beside her.

"Luna is right, Regulus. That wand chose you because you are worthy of it. This is not a wand that easily chooses someone to be their master, yet this wand picked you. So, take the wand, Regulus. It will be okay, I promise."

Regulus seemed to rid himself of his negative thoughts once he listened to what Hermione had said, and extended a shaky hand towards the wand. As he picked it up, it glowed brightly, even more, compared to everyone else's, and Hermione smiled. She squeezed his hand once again and looked up at him in adoration.

Regulus had a look of wonder on his face, as he whispered to her, not willing to take his eyes off of the wand just yet.

"Thank you, Hermione. For doing this."

Hermione nodded and raised up slightly on her toes, to peck him on the cheek. She then turned back to Luna with a big smile and began to thank her.

"I can't thank you enough Luna. This really means a lot, to them all." Hermione said in a quiet voice so that only the other woman could hear. "Let's have tea sometime soon, alright? I haven't seen you and Neville in a few months, and I miss you both."

Luna smiled and nodded. "Of course Hermione. Have a good day with your wizards. They are most fortunate to have you."

Hermione felt her face heat up a little at this and quickly motioned for the men to start leaving the shop.

Once they all had arrived into the living room of the manor, Hermione began to speak before they all set off to their respected places.

"Thank you all for coming with me and doing that. Now, I am going to go and send off a few letters that need to be written. Fabian and Gideon, would you like me to join you both when you go to Molly's, or would you prefer to go by yourselves?"

The twins looked at each other and seemed to be conversing silently with their odd twin telepathy before Gideon replied.

"We think we're gonna go by ourselves, at least for the first time. I'm not sure how Molly will react, and my best guess is a lot of tears, and then probably some yelling. We'd better handle her on our own first, but thank you for the offer, beautiful."

Hermione nodded her head in understanding. "No problem. Good luck you two."

Hermione walked over to each of them and hugged them before they turned back to the floo and left.

Hermione then looked at Sirius, and she didn't even have to speak before he nodded his head at her in confirmation.

"Yeah, I'm going to head over to Harry's right now. I will see you later, Princess."

Hermione made no move to go anywhere near him, so he just dejectedly left with slumped shoulders.

Slowly she turned back around towards the other four wizards. "I'm just going to go write those letters now. I will come and find you guys when I'm finished, does that sound okay? If any of you need me, just come to my room."

The wizards nodded, and she quickly scurried away from them, before she turned the corner and called out Tillie's name.

"Hello, Missy Hermione!"

"Hello, Tillie, could you show me to a room for myself, and also get me some parchment and a quill? Oh, and, if you could bring me an owl, that would be great too! Sorry, there's so much... "

Tillie didn't let Hermione finish as she grabbed her hand and apparated her into a lavish room that looked completely different from the other bedrooms; this one had a big desk in the room, including a giant shelf filled hundreds of books.

Hermione was staring at the books with an open mouth, practically drooling, until she heard Tillie begin to speak in her squeaky voice.

"Master Evan tolds me to puts in books for Missy Hermione!"

Hermione looked towards the little elf with wide eyes and suddenly bent down to hug her. "Thank you very much, Tillie, I love it. I will make sure to give Master Evan my thanks, as well."

Tillie hugged her back before she popped away from her arms.

Now alone, Hermione went to sit at the desk that had parchment and ink sitting in the middle of it, and two elegant quills laying in a drawer.

Hermione took everything out and began to write.


Notes: I meant to upload this last night, but I lost track of time and never got around to it until later tonight. So, here is chapter 11! It's the longest chapter out of all of the ones so far. I have thought about a lot of reviewer's thoughts on Sirius and decided that I would make him earn Hermione's respect back, instead of just forgiving him right away. Luna is a very tough character to write, and I found myself struggling with capturing her playful personality, so I decided to give her a stronger personality, where she is very straightforward and says things no matter what others may think. I am still debating on the consummation order, so if anyone else wants to comment their thoughts, then please do so, it would be a huge help! SO... The reason that I was so late with all of this was that I was fixing up the website that I was making picture collages on, for this story. I finally have finished it though, and will add on to it as we get introduced to new characters and such. Here is the link: emmahanson465/

I also apologize that it's on Pinterest because I know how fucking annoying it is to have to own an account in order to see things, but it was the most comfortable platform for me to do all of this with, so I apologize if you have to sign up for an account in order to see the pictures. Also, for Fabian and Gideon, I used an image of the actors who play Fred and George in the movie as my inspiration. Obviously Fabian and Gideon are older than the twins, but I couldn't find any pictures of a pair of red-headed twins that I really liked, so I just used Fred and George instead, sorry! Of course, everyone imagines a character in their own way, so please do not get pissed at me if the character pictures that I have posted are not what you personally like. It's just how I pictured each character while I was writing this, and you do not need to abide by what I think regarding visualizing the characters. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy reading!