Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, I just like to play with them
Cliodna Lestrange
Hermione stood in the kitchen, flicking her wand this way and that, preparing breakfast for herself and Sirius. She was up early that morning to do some reading in the library. Her grumbling stomach forced her away from her studying and into the kitchen. Life had finally begun to settle a little and she was able to set a routine for herself. She was concerned about the amount of time she devoted to preparing for her NEWTs. The whirlwind that had been her life over the last several weeks was giving way to something slightly more stable and she was glad of it.
Not that the whirlwind was entirely out of her life. Today she would be taking tea with Cliodna Lestrange at the Lestrange Manor. She would be in the house that Bellatrix had called home. To say that she was nervous was a bit of an understatement. She only knew little bits and pieces about Cliodna that she had picked up from Sirius and others through conversation. It had been made clear that Cliodna was no death eater but she was a pureblood and it was likely she had a few prejudices. Hermione wondered what Cliodna could have possibly seen in her and wondered if she would be learning more about what the Daughters of the International Warlock Convention's interest in her was.
Hermione heard the bedroom door open and smiled. Sirius was a little grumpier in the mornings lately because when he woke up his wife wasn't in bed with him. He missed their early morning romp together, not that he didn't make up for it at his earliest convenience.
"Good morning. What smells so good?" Sirius walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
"I made omelets." Hermione leaned back into his embrace.
"I missed you this morning." He playfully nipped at her neck before taking a plate into the dining room.
"I was up early, studying." Hermione was about to take her plate into the dining room to join him when she heard a tapping at the window. Hermione opened it to let the owl in, she gave it a bit of omelet in exchange for a copy of Witch Weekly.
"Wow! I didn't realize the article would be out so fast." She took her plate and the magazine into the dining room. Sirius looked up to see what she was talking about and raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"That was fast, wasn't she hear just a week ago?" Sirius looked at the cover of the magazine Hermione had placed between them.
"Yeah." Hermione flipped through the pages of the periodical searching for the interview she had given Betty Braithwaite. She took a distracted bite of her omelet as she searched. "Oh, here it is."
"Why don't you eat first…" Sirius chuckled at the slow trek her fork was taking to reach her mouth.
"I can do both." Hermione gave her food her full attention for a brief moment before returning to the article.
"Well, in that case why don't you read it out loud." Sirius felt certain the only way he would get near the magazine was to let her be in charge of it.
Hermione took another quick bite. "Alright."
"Hermione Black – Innocent Bystander." Hermione quirked her eyebrow. "Interesting title."
"Not really, I sort of thought she might paint you as a victim." Sirius gave her a thoughtful look.
"Victim? Well, I suppose that's right in a sense. Not the most flattering characterization, though." Hermione took one last bite of her omelet before turning her full attention to the article.
'Standing outside of the home of Hermione and Sirius Black one does not get the impression of the immeasurable wealth enjoyed by the couple. The modest two story in a quiet London suburb is charming and unassuming, much like it's mistress.
I was warmly invited into her cozy home for tea and a bite of cake and was pleasantly surprised to learn that I would be meeting her husband, Sirius Black, as well.'
"I thought she was a bit surprised to see me," said Sirius darkly, suddenly glad he had chosen to stay, not that it had ever been a question.
Hermione gave Sirius a grateful smile and continued to read.
'The handsome, pureblood Heir of the Black line is just as devoted to his young wife as their recent press has suggested. When I asked Hermione about her interaction with the young Malfoy Heir, Sirius was quick to jump to her defense.
"He attacked my wife," he quickly asserted, his darker character emerging to the foreground. It was hard not to remember the numerous wanted posters from his stint on the run from the law. While he was cleared on all charges his reaction stood as a reminder that this was not a man to be trifled with.
What was most interesting about his reaction was the effortlessness with which Hermione put him at ease. The smallest pat of her hand brought forth the charming man the tabloids have come to love.'
Hermione wasn't sure why but Braithwaite's observation caused her to flush slightly. She glanced over at Sirius who seemed to just be figuring something out. He had the unfocused look of someone caught in a realization. Hermione turned her attention back to the article, a little smile playing at her lips.
'I asked Hermione to detail the events between herself and Draco Malfoy. A protective husband, as Sirius Black certainly seems to be, could misinterpret a harmless act as being something more sinister. These were after all students from rival houses at Hogwart's, the interactions could have been nothing more than a few well placed hexes. Aggravating and irritating to be sure but perhaps not dangerous, strictly speaking. I couldn't have been more wrong.
"My first week back to school Malfoy pushed me down in the hallway, making me fall. Then he pulled me up roughly and shoved me against the wall and called me a common mudblood whore. Then he licked my neck."
I was absolutely stunned that a son of one of our most respected families could behave in such a low manner. Her story wasn't over however.
"When Professor Dumbledore found out that Malfoy had been harassing me, making crude comments and so forth he required that Malfoy make an apology in order to remain at school."
I asked her how Lucius Malfoy took the news.
"Oh, he was really angry. You could just see it in his eyes."
'I was in for quite a surprise when I learned that the aggressive interchanges Draco Malfoy directed at Hermione forced the Blacks on the run. Persecuted for her status as a muggleborn Hermione Black left England because she was no longer safe.
"When Draco was expelled from Hogwart's for threatening my safety his father was livid. He sent death eater's after me, in Hogsmeade, no less."
Their story truly puts a spotlight on just how dangerous this deranged pureblood obsession really is. It is heartening to note that in this current climate where muggleborns and purebloods are attempting to break new ground with each other that this dynamic couple is setting the standard. While Hermione and Sirius recounted their harrowing tale I observed the way he pulled her close and how she leaned into him for comfort. If the Heir to the Black line himself and this lovely young muggleborn witch can find harmony then surely there is hope for our society.'
"She certainly saw a lot, didn't she?" Sirius leaned over in his chair to nuzzle Hermione's neck. She giggled and swatted him back. She continued to read from the article.
'There is much more to the tale of these two. Hermione was recently hospitalized in St. Mungo's under rather mysterious circumstances. I asked Hermione what it was regarding. She became rather quiet and withdrawn and allowed Sirius to do the talking for her.
"For Christmas I wanted to give her an engagement ring. I made my choice from among the Black family's collection of engagement rings. What I didn't know was they were cursed against muggleborns. Hermione nearly died."
I was so touched when Sirius had to take a moment to recover…'
"I did not!" Hermione had to laugh at his look of indignation. "She makes it sound like I broke down and cried in front of a perfect stranger." She cupped his face with her hand and cooed soothingly to him. She knew what Braithwaite was referring to but would never let him know how close to the surface his emotions were showing that day. She gave him one last glance, smiling at the slight pout, before returning to her reading.
"Let's see, where was I…" Hermione looked for her spot.
"You can skip right over any discussion of my 'moment to recover,'" he grumbled, giving the magazine an irritated look.
"Right. Okay…moment to recover…ah, here we are." Hermione found the place where she had left off.
'I asked Hermione what affect the curse had on her.
"I was there a week before Severus Snape was able to contain the curse.He kept the curse from killing me."
"Come to think of it have we ever thanked Professor Snape?" Hermione paused in her reading. After she got her memory back, everything was a bit of blur for the rest of the afternoon. She realized in horror that they had never actually thanked Snape.
"I did," said Sirius quietly. "While you were still in a lot of danger. You were pretty out of it and wouldn't remember."
"Yes, but I haven't. That's just awful of me." Hermione had a horror struck look on her face.
"Well, you can remedy that." He gave her a smile of reassurance, hoping she wouldn't beat herself up over this.
Hermione sighed and nodded, putting it at the top of her mental list of things to do. She turned her attention back to the article. "Let's see…hmmm…contain the curse, oh, here I am."
'Hermione went on to detail that Severus Snape, Hogwart's Professor, kept the curse from killing her by setting up a magical barrier to contain it. The barrier was itself damaging to Hermione resulting in a catastrophic loss of memory. I caught up with Severus Snape in Hogsmeade to ask him about the Toujours Pur curse.
"The intent behind the curse is to keep pureblood families free of halfblood children. No muggleborn witch could ever wear a family ring. I was rather amazed that Black would offer such a ring to a witch he professes to care so much about."
Hermione glanced over at Sirius whose expression had gone to stone. She reached over to him, placing her hand atop his.
"Don't do that. You've got to quit torturing yourself over this." She give his hand a squeeze.
Her touch and her voice reached him, he glanced at her, the guilt still written so plainly on his face. He tried to smile but it came across as more of a grimace. "Finish reading the article," he said quietly.
Hermione paused, unable to tear her attention away from him. She hated that he was hurting, that he couldn't find a necessary bit of forgiveness for himself. "I forgive you. You know that, don't you?" Her gaze felt like a spotlight on his shame. He really wished she would just go back to reading the article.
"I know, thank you, baby. It means so much to me that you do. Now come on, I know you're never going to let me have that magazine, read to me, please." His voice was soft and low with a slight catch, it spoke of just how close to the surface his emotions were. Hermione suddenly realized that her reassurances were only hurting him more. She turned her attention back to the magazine.
'I asked Severus Snape what could break the curse's hold over Hermione.
"Pregnancy. Black got her with child thus breaking the curse's hold over her."
When talking about their unexpected bundle of joy Hermione and Sirius positively lit up.'
"We're expecting!" said Hermione excitedly.'
Hermione paused to sneak a look at Sirius who had visibly relaxed, a small smile was threatening at the corner's of his mouth.
'My final question to Hermione was regarding the rumor that the Daughters of the International Warlock Convention had taken an interest in her.
"Well, I've been invited to attend one of their meetings," she told me. "I'm not at all sure what they want to talk to me about."
And so my interview concluded with a mystery as to what the prestigious pureblood only institution could possibly want with the young, muggleborn witch, Hermione Granger Black.'
"I like her a lot better than Skeeter." Hermione closed the magazine and turned slightly in her chair to face Sirius.
"I thought that went really well, baby. The Daughter's will know that you have no intention of being quiet about the things that have happened to you. That's what you want. I know you're uncertain but I still believe that they want you to join their ranks, although I'm not sure why." He pushed a tendril of hair out of her eyes.
"Time will tell, maybe I'll learn something when I talk with Cliodna today." Hermione got up from the dining room table, taking her plate into the kitchen. She reached for the door that led to basement but was paused by Sirius' voice.
"Uh, uh." His eyes raked hungrily over her form. "You owe me."
"I owe you," she said, incredulity laced with humor.
"Well, yeah…" He moved slowly toward her, a swagger in his step. She got the fleeting impression of a lion stalking prey. "That's how I see it." His voice was low, his tone confident.
Hermione danced away from the door and out of his easy reach. A feral smile was her only warning that a chase was about to commence. She squealed and dashed toward the bedroom with Sirius hot on her heels.
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Hermione sat across from Cliodna Lestrange, smiling nervously, sipping her tea and taking timid bites from the delicious sweets that were on offer. They had already made it through the 'thank you for inviting me' and 'what a beautiful home you have' and were ready to embark on getting to know one other.
Between sips of tea and bites of scone with clotted cream and raspberry jam Hermione observed Cliodna who was currently explaining her family tree, a source of much pride, apparently. The older woman who was dressed in emerald green robes was from a particularly unfortunate looking line of people. Here was not the handsome and beautiful line of Black. This was something altogether different. This was stern and imposing in a rather unpleasant way. Hermione could only guess that Bellatrix had chosen Rodolfus for breeding purposes and stayed for the torture and mayhem.
Cliodna was younger than Sirius yet still a good bit older than Hermione, a spinster who lived in the family home with her father Romulus. At the Queen Maeve event she had kept herself separate from the ladies on the prowl and stuck to a clique of women who were older than herself. In regaling Hermione in tales of her pedigree the unmentioned Rodolphus and Bellatrix were glaring omissions.
Hermione did not ask why.
"Well, enough about me, tell me Hermione did you ever think you would be so fortunate as to marry into such a fine family?" Cliodna had scooted closer to Hermione, the way girlfriends do when discussing matters of the heart.
Hermione was nonplussed by the question, she wasn't sure how to answer that. The intimacy Cliodna was assuming vexed her. "Sirius is a wonderful husband. I couldn't be happier." It was the truth and the closest she could come to answering the question.
"Well, of course you're happy, dear. Quite a feat for someone such as yourself." Cliodna flashed Hermione a genuine smile of friendship and warmth.
Someone such as myself?
Hermione felt a strong wave of annoyance, this woman was talking about her blood status. She didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with the rather rude insinuation that Hermione might not be good enough for Sirius. The weird thing was that she didn't seem to be trying to hurt Hermione. Quite the opposite, despite her words she was warm and friendly toward Hermione. Her tone held genuine affection which was both premature and confusing.
"Erm…I'm not sure what you mean by that Cliodna." Hermione kept the annoyance out of her voice, she wanted the opportunity to understand the other woman before tipping her hat.
"Please, it's Clio to all my friends." Cliodna paused to smile before continuing on. "So, well, as I'm sure you know, a muggleborn has never married a Black Heir before. That family has had its share of blood traitors over the years but never the Heir." Cliodna's tone was light and friendly, as though she hadn't just said something astonishingly rude. "I suppose it makes sense for Sirius. He's never really embraced his heritage."
Hermione popped a bite of scone in her mouth to hide the look of bewilderment. Cliodna seemed to be completely oblivious to Hermione's discomfort and irritation .
"You know I read that article this morning, the one in Witch Weekly. Just scandalous about Draco Malfoy, such low behavior." Cliodna took a sip of her tea. "For a muggleborn you certainly seem to attract the attention of quite a few prominent men."
"What?" Hermione set her tea down, her outrage surfacing. Cliodna seemed to finally sense that she had said something wrong.
"I guess I'm just surprised that Sirius didn't want to handle the situation in a more civilized manner and to go public with it…tsk, tsk." Cliodna sweetly chided the behavior of Sirius.
"Clio, do you dislike me?" Hermione looked Cliodna straight in the eye, searching for some sign that the other witch understood her offence.
"Why, no. I think you are simply charming. What would ever give you the impression that I didn't like you. I'll have you know I'm working very hard to get you a seat among the Daughter's." Cliodna looked aghast that Hermione would consider her any less than a true friend. "Are you feeling well, Hermione? Pregnancy getting you down? Any leftover effects from that dreadful ring?"
"Yes, I feel fine." Her words came out a bit more clipped and snappish than she intended. Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself, when she spoke it was with a bit of forced calm in her voice. "It's just some of the things you say…about my blood status." Hermione's voice betrayed her perplexed state.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I never considered how embarrassed you must be." Cliodna took on an air of sympathy and understanding.
"Embarrassed?" Hermione wasn't sure what Cliodna meant.
"Well, aren't you?" Now it was Cliodna's turn to be confused. "I mean think about it, if your baby is a boy the next Heir will be a halfblood."
"Clio, I'm quite proud of my muggle heritage and my child will be as well." Hermione drew herself up, her chin raised in defiance.
Cliodna took in a sharp breath of air. "Well, you are the genuine article, aren't you?" There was something patronizing about Cliodna's mien mixed in with admiration. "I like you, Hermione, I really do! You've got pluck!"
"Why do you want me to sit on the Daughter's?" Hermione was beginning to understand Cliodna. The older witch couldn't help her prejudices but she was nevertheless somewhat intrigued with Hermione because she was muggleborn. Hermione was an oddity in Cliodna's over privileged pureblood sphere but one that she was trying to embrace.
"Well…you are married to a Black, the Black Heir, no less, even if you are muggleborn…" Hermione couldn't help but feel that Cliodna was holding something back.
"I don't understand, Clio. I don't exactly meet your membership requirements." Hermione observed Cliodna with a small frown.
"Well, that's the good news. We're willing to overlook it due to your marriage." Cliodna spoke as though Hermione we're the luckiest witch alive.
Overlook?
Hermione sighed and shook her head. "I'm just not so sure this is for me, Clio."
The shock was evident on Cliodna's face, she had never considered that Hermione might refuse. "Oh, no, you just have to join. I've been working so hard for you."
"I think it might be a mistake, Clio." Hermione was suspicious of Cliodna's motives for wanting her among the Daughter's. She absolutely would not give an indication that she was considering the offer.
"At least come to the meeting, then decide." Cliodna's tone held a petulant whine.
"Let me think about it. Listen, I promised to meet Sirius in Diagon Alley, I better get going. Thank you for the lovely tea." Hermione stood to leave, she was ready to get away. The afternoon with Cliodna had been unsettling for her. She was looking forward to doing some work on their upcoming ceremony.
"So soon?" Cliodna looked disappointed. "No matter, we'll go together. It'll be nice to see Sirius."
Hermione gazed dumbly at Cliodna for a moment, for a fraction of a second she thought she had made her escape. "Oh, uh, sure. That would be lovely." Hermione hoped she sounded convincing.
"We'll travel by floo." Cliodna showed Hermione the crystal box she kept the floo powder in. "After you, Hermione." One after the other the two witches disappeared in a whirl of green flames.
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Cliodna and Hermione walked slowly past the shops, peering in windows and making comments on things they liked. Hermione was still not sure what to make of Cliodna. To make matters worse, the article had created quite a buzz about her. People she didn't know and had never met called out to her in friendly greeting like they were old acquaintances. One witch even asked for her autograph.
The two witches walked into a little magical curio shop and made observations to each other on the things they found interesting. Hermione turned when she heard a voice she recognized. She looked around the corner of the aisle she was on and groaned. Lyra Edgecomb.
Bollocks!
Cliodna caught Hermione's look of distress and followed her eyeline. "Oh, you don't know her, do you?" Cliodna spoke like she had something foul in her mouth.
"Only that she fancies my husband," growled Hermione, looking daggers at the blond witch.
"Oh, I could tell you stories about that one." A look of surprise suddenly flashed across Cliodna's face. It had just occurred to her that Sirius had a starring role in some of those stories. She changed the topic slightly. "She's been trying to get on the Daughter's for years now, actually turned in an application." Cliodna snorted, clearly amused by what she had just said.
Hermione didn't get the joke but was laughing a little only because Cliodna was. "Why is that funny?"
"Because, silly…no one applies to the Daughter's, only selected. We come to you, not the other way around. She's a bit of joke, that one." Cliodna flashed an evil smile at Hermione and stepped into Lyra's sight.
Lyra seized on the opportunity to lobby Cliodna instantly. "Oh, hello, Clio, how are you?" Lyra rushed over to Clio's side. "Those robes are just sumptuous, where ever did you find them?"
"Lyra, darling, what are you up to these days?" Cliodna gave Lyra a smile so sweet it was sickening.
"Oh, you know…still waiting to hear back from the Daughter's. Have you heard anything?" Lyra looked at Cliodna the way a dog does its master.
"Nothing yet, Lyra, but I'll keep my ear to the ground for you. Say speaking of membership, I have someone I want you to meet." Cliodna beckoned Hermione forward. "We're working very hard to get this young lady to join our number. Can you believe she actually told me she'd have to think about it?"
Hermione was appalled at the cruelty with which Cliodna was treating Lyra. She didn't like Lyra but this was abhorrent behavior. Hermione walked reluctantly forward and prepared herself for Lyra's reaction. She wasn't disappointed, she looked away, unable to bear the hurt and humiliation on Lyra's face.
"Oh, wow…you…really?" Lyra was unable to form a coherent sentence. She was fighting to maintain her composure and not lose it right there in front of Cliodna. When she spoke there was a waver in her voice. "That's wonderful news, how nice for you."
Lyra was devastated, she was a pureblood who had a family member on the Daughter's and yet she still couldn't break through. Hermione was a muggleborn who seemed to waltz into everything Lyra wanted for herself.
"I haven't said yes." Hermione's tone was apologetic.
"Well, I'd better be going, see you ladies later." A thoroughly defeated Lyra walked off in the direction of the Leakey Cauldron.
Hermione rounded on Cliodna. "I can't believe you made me a part of that!"
"I thought you disliked her." Cliodna was affronted by Hermione's behavior.
"That's beside the point, that's a human being!" Hermione's voice was starting to raise, adopting a shrill quality.
"If you're going to be one of us you need to toughen up." Cliodna grabbed Hermione roughly by the arm, her friendly, warm character slipped off and was replaced by something much colder.
"I'm NOT one of you!" Hermione threw off Cliodna and stormed out of the shop to find Sirius.
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A/N: Thank you for the reviews!
I am a little embarrassed to say this but…I have no idea how I develop my characters. My writing is very instinctual, if it feels right then it must be right, is sort of how that one works. I don't have a formula or whatever it is other writer's do. I do this because its fun and only because its fun. I have no aspirations to be a published writer. It's just not a part of my five year plan. Smile.