Ater Sanguis

Warnings: Rated M for language, potential violence, and occasional sexual scenes; adult themes.

Disclaimer: I do not own the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter. If I did, I could actually afford to attend uni. All characters are property of JK Rowling.

A/N: You guys are too sweet. Thank you for those who left their condolences with their reviews. It's been a tough past few weeks, and it hasn't gotten much easier, but I am so grateful to have people like my family and you readers to give their thoughts and prayers to us. I'm hoping to have chapters 8 and 9 done soon.
Also, someone mentioned that Helen's comment about Filch seemed a bit off; that people didn't like Filch because he was a jerk, not because he was a squib. And I just want to elaborate on that: I think that Filch became the nasty little bugger that he is when we meet him because people were rude to him for being a squib. And after being teased and bullied for being a squib, he hardened up, and became the jerk we know. So when Hermione says that people aren't nice to him, she figures it's because he's a jerk. Helen knows that he's a jerk because of being a squib. Which almost makes me want to write a one-shot about Filch...anyways...
I'm really sorry that I don't have a more consistent schedule...maybe more reviews would help? *wink wink, nudge nudge* (Please understand that I'm not withholding chapters because of a lack of reviews, and I am not threatening to withhold; just suggesting that more reviews could make me more likely to write chapters and post regularly...) Okay this was the longest A/N I've written, and I apologize. Now onward with the story!

The Test


22 July, 1996

Diagon Alley

Hermione was waiting outside the entranceway to Diagon Alley for Sirius and Remus; today was the day that they decided they were going to take the blood test to see if Hermione and Sirius were truly related. Hermione was as nervous about this test as she was about her final exams back at Hogwarts, even though there was no way she could fail. No matter the outcome, she was Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, and member of the Order of the Phoenix. However, she could not find out the outcome without her partner, and she had been waiting for a good fifteen minutes at this point. She debated going back into the Leaky Cauldron and ordering herself a butterbeer, just to ease her mind, when she heard a pop.

"Sorry, Hermione," Remus smiled sheepishly before pointing at his best mate, "this one here didn't want to get up on time."

"Probably because I've got a major headache, you bloody prick!" Sirius groaned. He reeked.

"Went out last night?" Hermione guessed, rolling her eyes. She certainly hoped that if he was her father, alcoholism did not run in the family; not that she thought he was an alcoholic, but with the way he drank, you never knew.

"I'm a free man now, my poppet," Sirius grinned, "Got to take advantage of that. Cleaned up this weekend and hit the pubs. Took home a few gals too, I must admit."

Hermione stifled a gag; she did not need to know about her potential father's sex life. She took in his appearance when he mentioned having cleaned up, though. He did look much better than she had seen him; shaved his godawful beard, trimmed back his hair so it was at shoulder length, and even managed to get some proper muggle clothes for the occasion. He looked more grown up than normal, in his black jeans and red flannel shirt, and he was even wearing red trainers. "We almost match," she noted, looking down at her own attire: a red cardigan and black tank top, her favorite dark washed jeans, and the grey trainers that her mum had gotten her back in the spring. "Anyways, we've got an 11:30 appointment, and I'd rather not be late, since we need to take muggle transportation."

"Like a cab or something?" Sirius asked, dropping the 'g' from 'something.'

"Or…something. We're taking the tube. The hospital we're going to is only a few stops over from the nearest tube stop. We should get a move on," Hermione said before motioning for the two to follow her to the stop. Once they arrived she paid for their tickets and they got on the tube. It was a quick ride, only about 10 minutes, and they arrived at the office at 11:22. A middle aged woman sitting at the reception area gave Hermione a blank stare when she said they were the 11:30 paternity test appointment, and then she handed her two clipboards.

"Fill it out and bring it back," she muttered, turning back to the magazine she was reading.

The trio sat down in a corner; Hermione began filling her form out as quickly as she could, but stopped when she saw Sirius hadn't touched his. "You know you need to fill the form out, right? That's how they get the information on you."

"I don't know most of this information. And I can't put Grimmauld Place down as the address, because it doesn't exist to muggles."

Remus sighed and took the clipboard. "I swear, I'm like your mother sometimes, Pads. I'll fill it out, and we'll put Harry's address down for yours. Just let us do the work."

Hermione laughed and finished filling out her paperwork. What would Sirius do without Remus?

Once the paperwork was done, she returned the clipboards to the unamused receptionist and they waited for the doctor to call them in. The actual appointment was not as exciting as Hermione had thought. Their doctor, a tall, frail, 60-year-old man, asked a few questions about both of them and then, after obtaining the proper equipment, drew some blood. (Sirius had waited until after the doctor had left the room to freak out about the needles about to be injected into his arm. "What is he going to put in my arm?! Why would anyone even want to do this?" "It's much safer than going to Madam Pomfrey's, honestly, Sirius." "It's bloody inhumane!" "Pads, shut up!") The doctor promised that he would take it back to the lab and look through the DNA to see if they shared any. He'd let them know the results by the end of the week, and then shooed them out of his office.

Outside, Hermione suggested that they go to a restaurant for lunch, as it was 12:30 by the time they got out. She had thought a nice muggle place would be good, but Sirius proclaimed that he was not letting her spend any more money on him or Remus.

"We'll go back to the Leaky Cauldron, and we'll have some grub there," Sirius decided. "Since you're paying for our tube tickets, it's the least we can do, isn't it, Moony?"

"We?"

"Well of course; she bought your tickets too, didn't she?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the pair. "Let's get going, you two."

xxx

25 July, 1996

Granger Residence

Hermione was sitting at the dining room table with her mother, Sirius, and Remus; it was just after lunch and they were expecting the phone call from the doctor any minute. Hermione was terrified. The likelihood of Sirius being her father was too high for her to assume anything else, but she was so uncertain of what would happen next. Would she have to call him dad? Would he even want to be called dad, or would he prefer to be Sirius to her? When would he want to go to the Prophet and let them know the news? Would it even matter that she belongs in that world, now that she has a magical heritage? Or would she just be tormented for being the daughter of a squib and ex-convict?

Her train of thought stopped short when the phone rang. Helen grabbed the phone and picked it up, and then put it on speaker.

"Yes, hello. This is Doctor Langston at Hingham Hospital. Is Miss Hermione Granger there?" His voice sounded much frailer over the phone.

"I am right here, doctor. And Sirius is here as well."

"Wonderful. The results came back from the lab, and it shows that you two are in fact related. I certainly hope that this was what you wanted. We will mail the results to your house, Miss Granger. If you ever need anything again, please give us a call. Good day." He hung up immediately after he had spoken, as if he didn't want to hear the celebration that was about to commence.

But no celebration happened. Hermione and Sirius stared at each other, grey and grey. Remus was the first one to speak up.

"Well, at least we have our results," Remus said with a small smile. "That's exciting. Pads, you're a father! And to the brightest witch of the age!"

"I have to be a dad now, don't I?" Sirius said. "But partying is so much fun."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You've missed all the important stuff, Sirius. Mum and Jeff did well enough with me. You don't need to be a dad if you don't want to."

"You could, however, purchase her supplies for this upcoming school year," Helen suggested. "It's such a pain having to exchange our muggle pounds for sickles and knuts. Besides, you've been acquitted, so you can go out in public, as I'm sure you have been already."

Sirius thought for a moment. "I don't mind being a parent, but I'm going to be a cool dad, okay Hermione? You don't even have to call me Dad or anything! But we should tell the Prophet soon so that you can get your mission underway."

Hermione nodded in agreement, while Remus began thinking. "I'll floo the Prophet and speak with someone as soon as possible; perhaps you can come down for the weekend, Hermione? They can come down tomorrow and get the article out for the Sunday edition if they go fast enough."

"I don't see why not. I can do it. Just give me a few moments to pack my things."

As surprising as it was, Hermione was very happy to know that Sirius was her father. It almost explained some of her more reckless behaviors, and the real reason why she had such strong feelings when Sirius was sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss back in third year; she had felt this sort of a connection with him, even though she thought he was a murderer at the time, and now she knew why.

xxx

Sirius Black and Hermione Granger – Father and Daughter! By Jameson Dawes

It was recently brought to light that the brightest witch of her age, Hermione Granger, is not the muggle-born that everyone thought she was! Originally believed to be the daughter of muggles who lived just outside of London, Hermione learned just a week ago that her heritage is vastly different than she was brought up to believe.

"I had always thought I was a muggle-born witch, but when my mother told me that my grandpa Eobard Jones was a wizard, and she a squib, I was surprised. And angry. How could she have kept such a thing from me for so long? The amount of ridicule I received my first few years at Hogwarts was absolutely dreadful, and she felt bad for not letting me know sooner," the young witch explained to me just yesterday morning at the home of her father, Sirius Black.

Yes, readers, you read that right: Hermione's father is the recently acquitted Sirius Black, who was for the longest time believed to be the reason that James and Lily Potter were killed by You-Know-Who. This was a shock to everyone. Hermione's parents met at a New Year's Eve celebration, and had never seen each other again after their one blissful night. Sirius recalls the event fondly, but never thought that anything came of it.

"I was a playboy in my younger days," he admits. "I had laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the pub that night, and I had to have her. But I never saw her again; didn't even get her name, or give her mine. I stopped by Hermione's house a week or two ago, because Remus [Lupin, the former DADA teacher and werewolf] and I were in the area. When Helen – Hermione's mum – stepped into view I realized that she was my mystery woman from so long ago. It wasn't until she had pointed out that Hermione and I had similar features, that I realized we were related. I have a daughter, and I couldn't be more proud of the one I got."

Hermione and Sirius plan on catching up on lost time before she returns to Hogwarts for her sixth year of schooling; like her father, Hermione is a Gryffindor, and is best friends with Harry Potter, Sirius' godson. Funny how fate works, eh dear readers?

The last thing that Hermione wanted to mention before I left was a shock to me, and probably all of you, my readers. Since discovering her heritage, Hermione wants to embrace her father in every way that she can; starting today, Hermione Granger is no more, and there is only Hermione Black.