Hanging by a Moment
Chapter Eight – Another Auld Lang Syne
"…and that's it, basically. Dumbledore is contacting people right now through the floo channel. He did not think owl could be trusted." Hermione finished speaking and she and Draco looked to Professor Minerva McGonagall, transfiguration professor at Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall looked over her sharp nose to the young students sitting before her, just like they do in class. Minerva was just a year away from being Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, once Professor Maurice Mundragon retired. She was a brilliant witch and took pride in her ability to be fair and level-headed. What these students were telling her, however, was seriously shaking the core of her belief that time should not be trifled with, and she resisted the urge to send them away.
"Professor?" The young Malfoy boy asked, almost tentatively.
Minerva looked Draco over. She had just watched as the man whom Draco claimed to be his father graduate a little over a year ago. Truth be told, Draco looked strikingly like Lucius, right down to the silvery blonde hair and silver-blue eyes. It was true, it was absolutely impossible for Lucius to have fathered a child of nineteen now. It unnerved Minerva far more than she cared to admit.
"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger," Minerva began carefully. "What you are telling me is that in twenty years or so the world is going to fall to a dark wizard, and the only way to save it is to cheat time itself?"
Hermione winced but Draco nodded, "That is exactly what we are telling you, Professor," he replied. "Everything and everyone falls to Lord Voldemort, known now as Tom Riddle. Hogwarts falls, the Ministry, nearly everyone in this castle right now falls into darkness or into death because of him."
"And you believe you can change this course?" Minerva said harshly.
This time Hermione spoke up. "Professor, if this does not change the course of history then we are all doomed. Voldemort wipes out all the muggles and muggleborns in the entire world. The entire world," Hermione added for emphasis. "You and I both know that purebloods cannot continue to procreate with one another, the human race will die out completely. It is beyond the scope of a wizarding war, it is a world war, a human war, in every single sense of the word."
Minerva looked at Hermione, quiet Hermione, in surprise. "Miss Granger," she said, "Please tell me, is there no other way to do this?"
Hermione and Draco both shook their heads. "Professor, you grant me access to a time turner in my third year so I can take more classes. I know from first hand experience how dangerous it can be to tamper with time, I would not come to this conclusion unless there was simply nothing left to lose. We are all damned regardless."
This time Draco looked at Hermione in surprise. He never thought her to be one who would consider herself, or anyone for that matter, damned.
"I suppose I must believe you then," Minerva stood and Hermione and Draco followed suit. "If Albus says we meet, then I will be there. I have to admit, I did wonder what two of my Gryffindors were doing trying to befriend every student in Hogwarts…or where they came from for that matter."
Hermione managed a weak smile. "Now you know," she said.
Snow was falling on the Hogwarts ground and starting to pile up, making the walk from the castle to Hogsmeade, where Hermione and Draco would catch the knightbus to the Weasley's, a hard journey indeed.
Hermione would never admit it, but she was terrified of seeing her best friend's parents, or would be parents. The Weasleys were always so kind to her and Harry, practically adopting them into their already-large broad. She knew that they had just had their first child, Bill, and that it would not be long before they realized that Charlie was on the way. Hermione was looking forward to seeing baby Bill, a symbol of innocence and hope in a world thrown into disorder.
Draco knew that something was weighing heavily on Hermione's mind. One thing Draco had a hard time wrapping his mind around was the sense of family Hermione found in her friends. Draco was always under the impression that this world would only let you succeed if you worked hard for it and stomped on other people if the need called. Hermione's dedication to her lost friends was mind boggling to him, but for Draco, his increasing dedication to Hermione was something else entirely.
Hermione and Draco entered the Three Broomsticks quietly and sat and waited for their other companions to join them. The Marauders had been busily preparing Sirius on the best way to enter into this circle of deatheater youth, and Hermione was on edge as to how well that had gone.
Draco ordered up a firewhiskey, under Hermione's disapproving gaze. She ordered herself a butterbeer and sipped it quietly.
"Ready for this?" Draco broke the silence.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Hermione replied. "I had no idea everything would progress so quickly now. It feels like everything has changed."
"Everything has changed again," Draco corrected. "Of course your head is spinning, you have just rewritten history twice in the past few months, now we are really going to get in deep. Quite literally, history as we know it is gone."
Hermione remained quiet for a few more moments. "How are you still here, Draco?" she asked. "You are sitting here in front of me clear as day but I still have problems believing it. You are coming with me to meet Ron's parents, before Ron even gets to meet them! And you are so calm. Like you know what you are doing."
"Hermione," Draco said with a half smirk. "If I knew what I was doing, I would be doing it. I have no idea what to expect, I am just along for what promises to be a very interesting ride. That, and I hope to come face to face with Voldemort before he gets his hands on my father…"
"Your father?" Hermione picked up on Draco's quiet demeanor, and was confused about what it meant.
"My father was a Voldemort supporter from the beginning," Draco said angrily. "How else would one be in his inner circle? They went to Hogwarts together, obviously Riddle is a few years older than my father, but that hardly makes a difference when you consider the substantial accounts the Malfoys possess at Gringotts. Money can buy anything, Hermione, including power. Honestly, I just hope we can change my father along with the rest of the world. He's a hard man, but he's the worst to my mum. Maybe without the influence of Voldemort she will have a happy life."
"You don't sound like you are including yourself in the happiness," Hermione observed.
"I'm letting the chips fall where they may," Draco replied, the ghost of a grin returning. "My mother is a kind woman; she doesn't deserve the hand she was dealt,"
Hermione didn't get the opportunity to question Draco further, just the door to the Three Broosmsticks blew open and the cold air hit her. James, Remus, Sirius, and Lily, all bundled up under their matching Gryffindor scarves, shuffled in. Their eyes were overfilling with excitement Hermione observed while Draco downed the last of his firewhiskey and stood up. James looked at his speculatively and Draco explained rather sheepishly. "I'm heading into a den of lions," he said. "I need some liquid courage for this feat,"
Hermione and the others laughed, and it wasn't long before Draco joined in. The group exited the Three Broomsticks and Sirius stuck out his wand for the knightbus.
Hermione jumped slightly as the knightbus appeared in the middle of the street, she had barely seen it coming. The six of then filed into the bus and found an inconspicuous corner on the upper level. They were the only ones around.
"It will take about half and hour to reach our destination," Remus said. "So we need to fill you in on our, well, rather Sirius's developments for the day."
Sirius stuck his chest out proudly and began. "It was really as easy as I thought it might be, unfortunately there's a family matter that made it sadly too easy," Sirius caught Hermione's curious stare and explained, "My older brother, Regulus, well, he has already joined and is apparently a very active member. He has been in touch with the students here and has been telling them since the beginning of term it was only a matter of time before I joined them. Peter was actually trying for some time to get me alone without James or Remus around to feel me out, so to speak. I made it easy for him today,"
Draco looked saddened for a moment, Sirius caught it.
"What?" Sirius asked Draco.
"Nothing," Draco said too quickly.
"Draco…" Sirius narrowed his eyes.
"Your brother doesn't make it to see any real war," Draco said quietly, his eyes to the floor.
Sirius was silent. "He dies?" Sirius couldn't help ask.
"He does," Draco confirmed. "He actually…well, he tries to leave Voldemort. Once you sign up for the life of a deatheater, that is just it, you are in for life."
Sirius looked troubled for a moment, but the a look of resolution flashed across his face. "Well, it looks like I have two jobs to do then," he said.
"Two?" James asked.
Sirius attempted a small grin. "I have to become someone close enough to the inner circle to find out the moves they'll make, and I also need to get close enough to my brother to get him to trust me too. I can change his future as well!"
Hermione felt uplifted at Sirius's statement, but James was frowning.
"You hate your brother," James pointed out.
"I can't hate him, James," Sirius responded. "It's true, we never saw eye to eye, but he's my brother, he's my blood. If there's a chance that his future can be changed too, then I have to try."
James nodded, his eyes still full of concern for his friend. Draco cleared his throat subtly.
Sirius continued his story. "It was brilliant!" He said excitedly. "James and Remus and I made a big show of fighting, over you two, actually," he grinned and winked in Hermione's direction. "I picked a fight with James, saying I didn't trust the two of you, the muggleborn witch and pureblood who were on a mission to turn over all the order of Hogwarts, I said that I didn't like it, and my pureblood roots were more important to me than the agenda you guys were pushing. We made sure that Peter was in the room, just like any other night. A couple other Gryffindors are not too fond of me anymore, but Peter ate it up. James and Remus made a big show of storming out of the common room with Lily following them and Peter came to me the second the portrait closed. It couldn't have gone any better."
"What did Peter say to you?" Hermione asked.
"He loved the fight," Sirius said smugly. "He asked me if I was serious about everything I said. I pretended to still be fired up, I told him I realized with the arrival of Draco and Hermione that my family values were more correct than I had had realized. He ate it up!"
Hermione gave a weak smile. "And what about the meetings?" she asked.
"Tomorrow," Sirius said smugly. "Peter just can't wait to tell everyone he recruited another Black into the fold."
Remus and James smiled grimly. Lily looked worried and Hermione and Draco exchanged nervous glances.
"Can I see the mark again, Draco?" Sirius asked curiously. "I wasn't able to get a look at Peter's, and I want to make sure I know exactly what it looks like."
Draco flinched a little. "I promise, it's not something you can mistake." He lifted back the sleeve of his Hogwarts robe and sweater beneath it and displayed it for the rest to see.
Hermione shuddered involuntarily when her eyes met the horrifying tattoo. Draco flinched at her reaction, but left the mark exposed against his pale skin for Sirius to examine.
"Am I going to get one?" Sirius asked.
"I hope not, for your sake," Draco replied. "Nothing hurts more than having this seared into your skin."
Sirius gulped, but looked resolved. "But if I do my job well, that's where I'm headed?"
Draco nodded, and everyone was silent for the rest of the ride.