Chapter Nine
Sirius rolled over on the morning of October seventeenth groggily to the sound of his youngest son's voice. "Father, wake up!"
"Reg?" he asked, not opening his eyes.
"Patronus," Hermione said softly, sitting up. "What is it, Regulus?"
"Genia has gone into labor," the spectral form of the Praying Mantis on his chest said. Merlin, Sirius thought, it was weird as fuck to hear a bug talking. "I'm already at St. Mungo's with her and Melok. They'd like you and Hermione to get here as soon as you're able. It should still be a while."
Hermione jumped out of bed at once. "Up, Sirius."
"He said we have time," he groaned at his wife, not seeing the bloody hurry.
"Genia isn't due for another six weeks, love," she snapped. "Melok is sure to be in a panic, Genia needs to be focusing on laboring right now, and Reg is good for a great deal…"
"... but he's not the Goblin whisperer like you," Sirius muttered, sitting up. "Alright, I get it."
Hermione snorted at the description. "I doubt I'm quite as effective at calming any Goblin, hon. I just happen to know Melok quite well. He's probably my best friend at this point."
"Here I thought my taste in friends was questionable," he huffed. "What's a werewolf for a best mate when you can chum around with a bloody Goblin?"
"My best friend doesn't try to eat me once a month," she grinned.
"No, he just makes you Godmother to his kid," he groaned. "Hey, who did Remus end up making his son's Godparent? I don't think you ever said."
She was nearly dressed by now and so was he. "Well, given that you weren't available and would have been the obvious choice, he picked Harry. Still not sure Harry ever quite forgave Remus for getting himself killed and effectively making Harry a father right out of Hogwarts and as soon as we won the war. Granted, Andromeda kept primary custody, but Harry took his duty seriously and made time for Teddy. He made sure that boy always knew that he was available for him."
"I'm surprised he picked someone that young, to be honest," Sirius said. "I mean I know I was gone by then, but he had others he was pretty tight with. What about Moody?"
"Died the year before," she said. "Harry's seventeenth birthday, actually."
"Minerva?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "She was older, sure, but still spry enough to look after a kid."
Hermione frowned. "Don't you remember? Not long before we lost you, she took four stunners to the chest defending Hagrid against Umbridge and her minions. It was weeks before Minerva was out of St. Mungo's, and months before she was anything resembling healthy again. By the start of our Sixth year, she was still sitting to teach most of her lessons because she didn't have enough energy to stand for long periods. By the time Teddy was born she was doing better, but not well enough to think of keeping up with a baby, if the worst were to happen, and Remus and Dora had to assume the worst could happen. By the final battle Minerva was well enough to be in the fight, but she admitted to me later that she used a potion to give her the extra energy she needed to get through the night, and paid for it in the weeks after."
"What the fuck sort of potion did she take?" he asked.
"She never did tell me what the potion was called," Hermione frowned. "She did admit that it was Erythroxylum coca leaf based."
"That's cocaine!" he exclaimed.
"I'm aware, Sirius," she said, rolling her eyes. "I don't imagine the potion was designed to get anyone high, but it was certainly designed to give the user a boost of energy and focus for a short duration, and for obvious reasons, is highly addictive. Minerva would have needed several doses to get through that night, and while she never said, I wouldn't be surprised if she kept using it in the first few days after the battle as everyone was getting their bearings. I do know that she was in the Hospital Wing for two weeks going through withdrawal when she stopped. Poppy had her sedated through the worst of it. Now, that fun history lesson aside, my Godson is about to be born. Can we go?"
He shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and then ushered her toward the top of the stairs. The couple moved down to the kitchen and Floo'd directly to the atrium of St. Mungo's, unsurprised to find Regulus waiting for them there. "Good morning," he greeted.
"Morning Reg," Sirius said, clapping his son on the shoulder. "You ready for this?"
His son sighed. "It's bittersweet. He's my son, but he's not. I won't be a father to him, and I'm alright with that. Melok's a good bloke and he'll raise Filius well, and Genia is lovely. I know you'll treat them all as family, even after I'm gone, so I take comfort in that."
"Hermione wouldn't have it any other way, regardless of what I think," Sirius smirked. "I think she's taking this Godmother thing pretty seriously."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Shall we go calm Melok down a bit?"
"Merlin yes!" Regulus groaned. "I don't think there's a Healer in the ward he hasn't grumbled at yet. Bugger is testy when he's worried."
She laughed a little, and the men followed her toward the Maternity wing, both amused at how she barked orders at nurses and everyone snapped to at the sight of her, immediately giving her whatever information she required. "Bossy woman," Sirius said fondly.
"She's got that Madam Black thing rather down, Father," Regulus admitted. "If you hadn't told me otherwise, I'd have assumed she'd been born a Pureblood. She's got all the grace, power, and presence of a Witch who was born for greatness."
"She was born for greatness, son," Sirius admitted softly, thinking that while he wouldn't tell his son about who they really were or how they came to be, that his step-mother really was a powerhouse was something Regulus could be trusted to keep quiet. "She's a Mage."
The younger Wizard stopped dead in his tracks, and turned to look at him incredulously. "Are you… are you being quite serious?"
He grinned, loving it when people opened themselves up for that joke. "Well…"
"Now is not the time for that joke, Father!" Regulus snapped, looking annoyed.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "No fun at all. Yes, Reg, she's a bloody Mage. She doesn't like people to know. She's particularly keen on certain people not finding out anytime soon. I think Hermione knows that she won't be able to hide it forever, but for now, we're trying to keep it quiet."
"Is she fully awakened?" his son asked quietly.
"Nearly," he replied. "She's working on the last of the core masteries now. She's got Arithmancy Mastered on top of the other four, as well, so this one will make six Masteries. Not sure what Mastery she'll go for next. That's between her and Melok."
"What's Melok got to do with anything?" Regulus asked, frowning.
"His family has been training Mages for generations," Sirius admitted. "It's his area of expertise, and why we're acquainted. Your son's Godmother is a Mage, Reg. Melok made a pretty solid choice there."
His youngest laughed a little. "Yes, woe be the fool who attempts to harm this child. The wrath of a Mage would not be subtle. Also, remind me never to piss Mum off."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Mum?"
The younger Wizard shrugged. "Been thinking about it for awhile. Do you think she'd mind?"
"You do realize that she's almost two decades your junior, right?" Sirius asked, amused.
"And yet, somehow, she acts older than you," his son bantered. "More to the point, she's been more of a mum to me and Arcturus and Lycoris than Mother ever was, if we're being honest. I can't speak for the others, but I think I'd like to give her the respect of the title."
By now they were walking again, and had managed to arrive at the suite where Melok and Genia were settled, and where Hermione had found them and was currently doing a splendid job talking the Goblin off his high horse.
"If you keep harassing the staff, I'll stun you, alright?" Hermione said sternly, her hand on Melok's shoulder. "I know you're worried, but you're going to get in the way more than help if you keep this nonsense up. They've already checked Genia over, and the baby, and both are doing just fine. He'll likely be a bit smaller than we expected, but he's still far enough along for a healthy delivery. From what the Healer said, the worst case is that Filius will need to stay in St. Mungo's for a few weeks until his lungs finish developing, but that there's no reason he won't be just fine to deliver. Alright?"
Melok let out a ragged breath, his head tipping forward and resting against her hip, before she just pulled him close and hugged him completely. "Alright," he mumbled after a moment. "I'll stand down. Don't bloody stun me. That won't feel good at all."
Regulus snorted in what was clear understanding, his new knowledge that his step-mother was a Mage making the idea of being stunned by her a painful prospect.
Genia smiled. "I should just Floo you every time he's being obstinate, Hermione. He never backs down like that for me."
Melok looked deeply annoyed when the two women laughed at his expense. "Anytime, Genia," Hermione replied. "I find it's helpful with your husband to prove that you will follow through on threats."
"That and getting bit by a Redcap hurts less than getting hit by one of your bloody stinging hexes," the Goblin gumbled.
Regulus snorted in amusement as Melok and Hermione continued to bicker. "Merlin, they fight like an old married couple. Are you certain they're just friends, Father?"
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Completely setting aside the fact that Goblins take that fidelity thing really seriously," he said, voice low, "I trust Hermione. They're just friends. Very good friends, granted, because what they have as Mage and Mentor is something we couldn't begin to understand, but it's platonic in nature."
He was certain of that. Dead certain. Well, pretty certain. Mostly certain. At least, Sirius thought they were just friends, and was at least sure that if there happened to be more than friendly feelings on either of their parts, they weren't acting on it. They were both way too honorable for that sort of thing. Besides, Melok's focus was on his wife and soon to be born son. Hermione's focus was on the million and one plans she had for their near future, her Mastery studies completely aside. If nothing else, they were too bloody busy to have an affair. Probably.
Sirius let out a sigh. "Hey, Hermione, how about we take a bit of a walk now that you've got Melok calmed down, and give the three of them some space?"
She smiled, seeming to agree with his suggestion. Her hand briefly touched Genia's swollen stomach, and then she gave Melok's shoulder a quick squeeze before she followed her husband out of the suite. "Where to?" she asked.
"I hear there's a small bookshop on the first floor," he offered, knowing where to aim.
Hermione grinned. "Well let's go then!"
Sirius shook his head. Predictable, his wife. The pair took the lift down to the main level of St. Mungo's and then followed the directions of the Welcome Witch down a corridor to find a little, out of the way shop near Mungo's Munchies, called The Mungo's Reader. Hermione was thrilled to discover that unlike many Wizarding bookshops, this place carried both Wizarding and Muggle literature, and given she had any number of opportunities to scour Wizarding books, he leaned casually against a wall as she intently browsed the section dedicated to Muggle books. "Find anything interesting?" he asked, hearing her gasp in surprise.
"Gods, yes," she breathed. "First bloody editions, too. Well, of course, it'll be a while yet before second editions are printed for these. I really hadn't thought about when they were published in relation to when we were, timeline wise. I suppose it's a minor concern compared to other things, but Sirius, it's The Lord of the Rings!"
Sirius vaguely recalled Remus mentioning something about those books. "Isn't there a dragon in that?" he asked.
"Oh, that's in The Hobbit," Hermione said excitedly. "I found that one too. The Hobbit is a prequel to The Lord of the Rings, published quite a few years earlier. That one was written to be more of a childrens' story, honestly, but it was popular enough that the author, Tolkien, decided to continue on with the story and evolved it to a more mature audience. A few years after the war, they made film adaptations of the books, because the popularity maintained so well over the decades. Merlin, did I fancy Eowyn something fierce!"
He laughed. "Who's Eowyn?"
"Oh, she was a character in the books, and later movies," his wife gushed. "Her uncle was King of this country called Rohan, and it was her duty to basically mind the household and so forth, but she dreamed of being a warrior. Then, there were this creatures called Nazgûl who legends said no man could kill, and very long story short, Eowyn ultimately defied convention, snuck her way into a battle that she knew could mean her death - it was a fairly hopeless situation, you see - and she ended up having a confrontation with the greatest of the Nazgûl - their bloody king - and just as he's about to do her in, he reminds her that no man can kill him - keep in bloody mind here, she's in armor so nobody can tell she's a woman - and then…"
Hermione began flipping through the pages of the book rapidly. "Then what?" he asked, sort of wanting to know what the hell happened to this Eowyn chick.
She ran a finger along a part of the book, clearly intent on simply reading that part of the book to him. "A cold voice answered: Come not between the Nazgûl and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shrivelled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye. - A sword rang as it was drawn. Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may. - Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me! - Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. But no living man am I! Don't you see, Sirius? It was always men that went to war, and up against the Nazgûl, and legend said that no man could kill them, but the moment a bloody woman went up against the bugger, she defeated him! It was one of the most iconic moments in epic fantasy history, and ahead of its time to say the least. Consider how the world views women now, and these books are being published now. Eowyn inspired a generation of women. She taught them they had power too."
Sirius smiled at his wife. "We're buying the books, aren't we?"
"Oh, definitely," she said, bobbing her head. "I can't wait to read these books to Filius."
He laughed as he began to drag her toward the counter, in hope she didn't find more books to buy. "Are there at least Wizards and Witches in these stories?"
"Well, there's Wizards," she said with a shrug. "They're very rare. One of the main characters is a Wizard called Gandalf. Actually, Gandalf is a bit like the Albus we all wanted to believe in, before we realized he was a manipulative old coot."
"So, good guy?" he asked.
Hermione grinned. "Yes. There's also Saruman, who from what Beta Albus told me, is probably a good deal like Grindelwald."
"Bad guy then," Sirius surmised.
"There's also Radagast," Hermione said, looking thoughtful. "Bit like Rubeus, to be honest. That's about it as far as Wizards who show up in the story. There's plenty of other magic, though. You should just read the books."
"You always want me to just read the book," he complained.
The pair argued about his reading habits all the way back upstairs to maternity, and it seemed they were right on time because not fifteen minutes after they got back upstairs, the Healer determined Genia was ready to begin pushing.
"Only two of you in here for the birth," the Healer said firmly. "I'm assuming you want your husband here, Genia. Who would you prefer for your second?"
Genia winced against another contraction. "Hermione," she let out, breathing heavily. "She's to be Godmother."
The Healer waved Hermione in, and Hermione dumped her pile of books in her husband's arms and joined Melok in the birthing room. Sirius and Regulus both took seats in a nearby waiting area, and by silent agreement, did not make idle chit chat while they waited. Sirius closed his eyes, remembering the last birth he'd been present for. When Harry had been born, James had been so jittery that Lily had kicked him out of the room, husband or not, and it had taken him and Remus both to hold James together while they waited. Petunia, of course, wasn't there for her sister that day, and Lily's parents had already been killed by then. Alice Longbottom, who was one of Lily's closer friends, had given birth the day before, so she wasn't up and about yet and able to support Lily either. Molly Weasley had stepped up, acting as surrogate big sister that day. None of them had met her very many times before that day, because she was too busy popping out kids to really be of use to the Order, but her brothers were in the Order and when Fabian and Gideon had heard Lily was in labor with no support, Fabian had sent a Patronus to his sister without any hesitation.
Sirius was glad that Genia had the support of a husband who was not losing his mind, and a friend who was available. He knew Genia and Minerva McGonagall were pretty good friends as well, so he wouldn't be surprised if Minerva was by later, but knowing Hermione she'd attempt to be gone by then. For some reason, she kept insisting it was better if she delayed connecting with Minerva as long as possible, although even she admitted that connecting with Minerva was ultimately inevitable. They simply had too much in common, and too many mutual friends.
He wasn't sure if it was half an hour or two hours later when Hermione came out of the room with a small bundle in her arms, a look of absolute adoration on her face. "He has to get in the pod to help his lungs finish developing properly in a few minutes," she whispered, "but I was told I could bring him out for a quick introduction. Sirius, Regulus… this is Filius Flitwick."
Helen Magnus had very few dealings with the Wizarding World at large, despite it being her birthright. As the daughter of a Wizard, she was more than entitled to come and go as she pleased in and out of magical communities, although like her father before her, she preferred to focus her efforts on the underserved beings who fell between the cracks of Muggle and Magical. Abnormals were the purview of the Sanctuary, and had been since its inception. The Sanctuary Network was now six locations strong, and still growing. If things went as planned, she hoped to open their next location in Sydney, but that was likely a few more years out. It wouldn't break ground until the turn of the decade, Helen didn't think, and after that there would be several years worth of effort to build the place. Still, slow as it was, growth was growth. The more Sanctuaries she was able to establish, the safer for everyone around. The Crown still gave some financial support, although she'd not had a chance to meet the new Monarch.
Helen smiled a little, remembering Victoria fondly, and thinking that she'd have been pleased to see a Queen in power again. Elizabeth was young yet, certainly, but she'd grow into the job, as all the Royals did. Par for the course of having the Sanctuary funded by the Crown, occasions did merit her meeting whoever was on the throne at any given time, although while she'd been fairly fond of some of them, there had been others she'd made a point to avoid.
Not that she was naming names, and she did hope that when she met Queen Elizabeth, sometime, they'd get on. Things ran much smoother when the Crown wasn't begrudgingly supporting her work.
Helen took a deep breath as her heels clacked on the cobblestone streets of London. So much had changed in a century and yet some things remained very much the same. With a smile, she walked up to the first of her Sanctuary locations, and knocked on the door, schooling her features so she didn't appear as excited as she felt. It had been some time since she'd had occasion to see James Watson, and while they wrote often it wasn't the same. More than being her dear friend, he was an occasional lover, and there really was no telling from meeting to meeting if they'd cross that line on that occasion. This meeting, she suspected, would not be one of pleasure, as she'd come into London specifically on business.
A Mage. Lord, it had been quite some time since a Mage had surfaced, and what lore her Father had on them made her more than a little nervous to meet one, much less one that had issued a demand to meet her. James had said he felt it unlikely that this Mage saw her as anything other than a potential ally, although the eternal soldier in Helen had to consider she might be walking into a trap which she was ill equipped to escape. She'd be hard pressed to do battle against an ordinary Witch, much less a bloody Mage.
"Helen!" James greeted with a bright smile. "Welcome back to London, my dear!"
"James," she greeted in turn, moving forward and hugging him tightly, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "I trust I've beaten your guests?"
"Not by much," he mused. "Melok informs me that Madam Black has similar thoughts in regard to punctuality as you do, so I expect them any time."
She grinned, appreciating at least a starting point for common interest. "You can't be late if you're early," she remarked.
"Just so," James mused.
He'd not even managed to close the front door when a soft pop sounded behind them, and they turned to see a young woman and a Goblin standing in the street.
"Minerva will stay with Genia and Filius until we get back, Melok," the woman said, sounding exasperated. "Bloody hell, calm down. I need you here for this meeting or they're both going to think I'm mad."
"You are a bit mad, Hermione," the Goblin teased.
"Yes, well, shut it," she said, nudging. "Now, where were we?"
The young woman finally looked up, and realized James and Helen were watching from the door. "Won't you come in?" James asked.
Madam Black and the Goblin, Melok, quickly moved inside and James closed the door behind them. Helen was not terribly surprised when the Mage's first order of business was to visually size her up, given it was she who requested the meeting. "Gods," the young Witch said, "Miss Magnus. You look exactly as Nikola described. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Helen's heart lurched at the name, mind quickly trying to figure how a woman this young might have crossed paths with Nikola. She knew for a fact he was currently in South America and had been nearly exclusively since the early thirties, only coming back to Europe for brief supply runs. James, as usual, couldn't contain his own curiosity. "How the bloody hell do you know that name?" he demanded, sounding nothing short of incredulous.
"Now, now, James, calm yourself," Helen said softly. "I'm sure Madam Black has a perfectly reasonable explanation."
"An explanation, sure," Melok replied. "Reasonable? I'm not certain I'd call it that. Shall we find somewhere to sit before we launch into conversation though? We're going to be talking for some time."
"I already have tea waiting in the sitting room," James said, tone of voice suspicious. Regardless, he motioned for their guests to follow, and Helen brought up the rear. As soon as they'd each made a cup of tea, and taken seats, he spoke again. "Alright then, Madam Black. Please do explain."
"May I begin by suggesting we drop formalities?" the young Witch suggested. "I spent a number of months in Nikola Tesla's company, and he spoke of you both at great length. Frankly it feels odd to call you Doctors Magnus and Watson when I've had many conversations about Helen and James, not to mention John and Nigel, and of course Gregory. Of course, please do call me Hermione."
Helen raised an eyebrow. "Very well," she agreed. "I repeat James' question though, as I do know that there has been no time in the last several decades that Nikola has spent more than a few weeks on this continent."
"Ah," Hermione replied. "Not in this time or place, perhaps. Fifty odd years in the future and in another reality, however, he was in fact in London for a number of months, on special assignment with me."
"Another reality?" Helen breathed.
"Another time?" James uttered, disbelieving.
"I was born in September of nineteen seventy-nine," Hermione said with a soft smile. "Rather, I will be, in theory. The world, by then, will look a great deal different than it did last time."
"You're changing the timeline," the Head of the Sanctuary suddenly understood.
"As a preference to a Dark Wizard taking over the world, yes," the Mage replied, looking stern. "I have the means to stop him. I can't prevent the war entirely. That's just not feasible. Too many things are already in motion. I can make it a great deal shorter, and less devastating than it was before, though. I can save a lot of lives."
"But what gives you the right?" Helen wanted to know.
"Nikola said you were pretty big on ethics," Hermione said indulgently. "I suppose Fate gave me the right. First by allowing me to be born a Mage, then by dropping me on my arse in another reality more than five decades into my own past, with all the knowledge I could need to prevent the future that still gives me nightmares. Can you imagine what it's like to be sitting at a family dinner with a four year old little girl on your lap - a girl who adores you - and arguing with her over having sweets before supper, when in the back of your mind you can't forget that in another reality, she grew up, turned to the Dark Arts, and nearly tortured you into insanity?"
"My God," James let out. "How do you… I don't know if I could interact with that child, knowing her future would be like that."
Hermione raised her finger and pointed. "Potential future, James. She is one example of many lives that need not fall to darkness. She is one of many I can save. I don't just mean to stop people from dying in a war where they are fighting for a just cause. I mean to stop children from being recruited by a Dark Wizard while they're still in bloody school, or stop fifteen and sixteen year old girls from being forced into marriages that will mean their wedding night include memories of rape. There is more at stake here than lives. This is about saving souls. What gives me the right, Helen? Many great thinkers over the years have said it and I will say it again: with great power comes great responsibility. I have great power, both magically speaking and in the knowledge I possess. I would be irresponsible to not make the most of that power and pave a secure future for the greater magical community."
"The greater magical community…" Helen said thoughtfully. "I find your phrasing intriguing, and the fact that you are bothering to talk to James and I about this. Do you include Abnormals in your greater magical community?"
"It wasn't until I got here that I got the grand Sanctuary tour," Hermione admitted. "The Sanctuary had been relocated somewhere secure and not of my knowledge by your Father, in the other reality. It was classified top secret, even above my clearance. The only reason I was told anything at all was because I was working on my Charms Mastery and Golems came up. That being said, it was explained to me then why the Sanctuary was founded, and how necessary it is as an offshoot of the Ministry of Magic. If you didn't do your job, Merlin help the poor saps at the Ministry as they tried to contain the things they don't even bother to classify as Magical Creatures. You are fundamentally necessary to the greater magical community, and as I promised the Nikola I knew, yes, I will give you any and all support going forward."
"What sort of support are you thinking, Hermione?" James inquired.
"That's what I was wondering," Melok said, speaking for the first time since the conversation began. "The Ministry will not take too kindly to much in the way of interference."
Hermione snorted. "They'll get over it. I'm a Mage, not a saint. I'm not above blackmail if it's necessary."
Helen decided right then and there, she liked Hermione Black quite a bit. Her lips curled up into a small smile. "Nikola may have commented on my ethics, but I am likewise not above blackmail when the occasion merits it. I dare say we will get along just fine."
"Gods, now there's two of you," Melok groaned.
"My sentiments exactly, Melok," James mused. "I fear a friendship between Helen and Hermione will be something to behold indeed. How does one go about blackmailing the Wizengamot, out of curiosity?"
The Mage shrugged. "In the other reality, Voldemort - that's the Dark Lord we'll be dealing with - had taken over the Ministry. It was his main base of operations. Warding is one of my specialties, and part of our battle plan hinged on my ability to get into the main atrium with a strike team and dismantle the wards protecting the Ministry. It took me twenty minutes to bring them down, and that was prior to being fully Awakened. I'm working on the last of my Masteries required to reach Awakened status at this point, so I imagine that if push came to shove, I could always dismantle every ward protecting the Ministry, in all probability in mere minutes. Something tells me that would get their attention."
Melok sipped his tea. "Was this before or after breaking into Gringotts?"
Helen's eyes widened in surprise. Even Squibs knew damn well Gringotts was impenetrable. "You broke into Gringotts?"
"You'll find that I don't believe in a no win scenario," Hermione said, grinning widely. "If it needs to be done, I will find a way to get it done. My brother once called me an insufferable know-it-all."
James smiled. "Older or younger brother?"
"Older," Hermione replied, "although I suppose this time around he'll be younger by a great deal. He'll be born just after the start of nineteen sixty."
Helen frowned. "Were your parents very young when he was born, to have had a child in sixty and another almost twenty years later?"
"I was wondering the same thing," Melok said, "given she's mentioned to me that her parents are young children right now."
"Severus isn't my biological brother," Hermione admitted with a soft smile. "We have a Kinship bond. I don't care what reality I'm in, he's still my brother. I did have a biological brother who was fifteen years younger than me, however. My mother remarried after my father died and Stephen was a product of that union. Good kid. There's another boy, born in nineteen eighty, who I also have a Kinship bond with, although given I married into his family in this timeline, it'll be hard to look at him as a brother anymore. He'll be raised to view me as an aunt. I'd be his… great-great aunt, when it comes down to it. Merlin, it seems so far away when I think about it that way."
"I'm familiar with Kinship bonds," Helen said, smiling a little. "Squibs can have them as well, and Father made sure I was educated about them, especially given my long life. He anticipated it was likely I'd come across at least a few in my lifetime."
"Have you?" Melok asked, curious.
"Just one, although I spend very little time in the Wizarding world, so it isn't as if I'm exposed to potential candidates often," Helen admitted.
Hermione closed her eyes briefly, and then nodded in clear understanding. "Nikola. His latent Vampire DNA had to imply a magical lineage somewhere down the line, even if it's many times removed."
"Which is the singular reason I tolerate the arse," James said, looking annoyed.
Helen was admittedly impressed with Hermione's power of deduction, although considering she'd purportedly spent a great deal of time with Nikola, it was likely she'd been able to infer how Nikola felt toward her, and made the reasonable assumption the feeling went both ways. "Even without the Kinship bond, the Five are irrevocably bound together," she mused. "Much to our occasional frustration."
Hermione looked thoughtful. "Any idea where John is these days?"
"Last we saw him was in Germany," James reported. "After the war he fell off the grid again."
"He was in Russia as of last year," Helen admitted quietly, wincing at the withering look James gave her. "Oh come now James, you have to know I keep tabs on him."
"I don't know why you bother!" her friend snapped.
"Because like all Abnormals, he is my responsibility!" she snapped back. "Just because I can't bloody catch the bastard doesn't mean I will sit back and allow him to kill unchecked if I see he's doing it again. I've run him off of hunting grounds more than once over the years."
Hermione met her gaze, seeming to be evaluating her. Finally, she spoke. "If you need assistance with handling him, let me know, Helen. I understand that you feel he's yours to deal with, and I'll stay off your turf if you ask me to, but please know the offer is there if you decide at any point you want backup of our sort."
James lit up at the suggestion. "That's a great idea. Send the bloody Mage after the tosser!"
Helen glared, and Melok patted James' arm. "My Mage is not an assassin, Watson. If she brought John in, whatever his issue - mind you I have no background knowledge here other than the impression this fellow is a killer - she'd be incarcerating him, not executing him."
"Oh him I might execute," Hermione said, smirking a little. "Only as a last resort though. At some point, Helen, Jack the Ripper is going to have to stop running."
Melok looked at her incredulously, and it was clear to Helen that for as much as he was a product of Wizarding society, his head was not so far in the sand to have not heard of John's exploits, such that they were. She let out a sigh of resignation. "For now, he's been keeping a low profile. I will keep you advised, though. Now, shall we discuss how my Sanctuary fits into your future plans?"
Then, graciously, it was back to business. She wondered if Hermione could help her persuade the Ministry to stop bloody fining her every time she broke the Statute of Secrecy on a technicality by hiring new staff and showing them Abnormals that also happened to be classed as Magical Creatures…
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