THE VEIL

Chapter 24

4th July 1995 – Secrets

"Are you sure that you want to do this Padfoot?" Remus asked his friend quietly. Remus, Sirius and Dumbledore stood in the square across from Grimmauld Place. Sirius's eyes were hooded as he gazed upon his childhood home for the first time in over twenty years. He had Buckbeak's harness in his hand to stop the Hippogriff from doing anything in a muggle filled area. Sirius nodded slowly. Remus caught the dark glint in his eye.

"Yes Moony. This is exactly what I want." His voice barely a whisper carried to both of the men with him. Sirius's final act to rebel against his dead mother, turning the seat of the ancient and noble house of Black into the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. Remus sighed; somehow he felt that his friend may regret this decision. Dumbledore had his wand out now and begun casting the Fidelous charms upon the house. The house itself was already hidden from muggles, Sirius's family had ensured that when they first obtained it. The bloody history for that was one of the first lessons that he was taught as a boy. The Fidelous charm would now ensure no one, not even wizards would be able to find the place, unless Dumbledore himself wished it. When the charm was done, Remus felt a slight disorientation. He didn't remember why he was here. Dumbledore smiled at the werewolf, "It is done."
He handed Remus a scrap of parchment.

12 Grimmauld Place.

Remus looked up and turned to see the home appear before him. Now he remembered why he was here. Sirius as the person to stay in the confines of the house didn't require the parchment; he was still glowering at the building.

"Shall we?" Dumbledore stepped across the street to the front door, his wand still out. Remus and Sirius followed suit. Sirius looked down to the wand in his hands. His wand. He missed it so much. The wand he had taken from an unsuspecting drunken wizard, never felt quite right. He now felt whole again, with the familiar wand once again in his possession. Taking the rear with Buckbeak following behind they entered the house slowly. Dumbledore cast several charms in quick succession. When he was satisfied he stepped past the entryway into the hall.

Splitting up they searched slowly through the house. Sirius leading Buckbeak up to the highest room. The house had definitely seen better days. Yet much of it had seemed unchanged. He paused on the landing where his and Regulus's rooms were. He wasn't quite ready to enter either of those rooms. There were two rooms at the highest point of the house, The master bedroom and the Blacks private study, the room in which his mother ruled the house from with an iron fist.

He had already tried to be assaulted on the staircase alone, having missed identifying a cursed stair. Buckbeak had grabbed the back of his cloak to prevent him from falling onto spikes that appeared. Opening the door to the master bedroom he cast several spells to ensure that his mother had not left any nasty surprises. He led Buckbeak in and carefully inspected the room. The curtains parted stretching before him; he kept well back from them and incinerated them with a spell. Buckbeak climbed onto the bed which creaked dangerously with his weight. It collapsed beneath him as the Hippogriff settled onto the mouldy mattress. Sirius satisfied most of the things would not kill the animal he left the room to begin inspecting the rest of the house.

When the search was complete they met in the kitchen on the ground floor. The only room in which there seemed to be no actual danger. Dumbledore however had found one thing Sirius thought would have been dead long before. Kreacher. The old house elf was cringing at Dumbledore's feet, a stream of expletives issuing from the elf. When Kreacher saw Sirius the elf paused, his eyes squinting slightly at the last Black.

"It seems that we do have a couple of minor concerns with this place for Headquarters, but nothing that can be remedied with a thorough clean." Dumbledore spoke, ignoring the elf. "We also need to ensure that your elf will not become a liability, Sirius."
Sirius scrunched his nose, "I do not own that thing." He said in distaste.
"Ah but you do Sirius. You have claimed ownership of this house and everything in it, including the elf. You are the last living person who has the name of Black. You are its master." Dumbledore explained his blue eyes piercing over his half-moon spectacles.

"If you want proof that he is compelled to serve you, give him an order."
Sirius looked down on the elf he barely remembered as a child, the creature was ancient. Curling his lip he ordered "Kreacher you are forbidden to tell anyone about this house, who comes and goes within this house and anything you may see or hear. Is that understood?"

Kreacher looked up sneeringly at his master, both clearly unwilling to be connected in such a way. "Yes Master, Kreacher will not tell anyone that he brings blood traitors, into this house. Kreacher lives only to serve the noble house of Black." The elf bowed condescendingly at his master's feet. Remus and Dumbledore looked on. Dumbledore nodded seemingly satisfied by the order. He pulled out a handful more scraps of parchment and handed them to Remus,

"Remus start with Moody, and round up the Order members. Make sure those are destroyed once they have read them." He indicated to the parchment in Remus's hand "Tell them that our first meeting will be in three days. I have some things that I need to attend to." Dumbledore nodded to the two men and swept out of the house.

Remus looked at the parchment scraps, each had a name on it. He raised a brow as he flicked through them. Pulling out the last one, showing it to Sirius, "Seems like Dumbledore wants to keep an eye on not just Harry."

Sirius frowned at the name on the parchment. The name in Dumbledore's curling script read, Miss Hermione Jean Granger.

"It is getting closer to the time that she was flung back in time. However, if my Hermione comes out here when her present self is here will be dangerous." Sirius said quietly, his brow creased wondering why Dumbledore would risk it. He looked up to Remus who had a similar expression on his own face, Remus made no indication about the inflection of how he described the present Hermione to the one still yet to reach her timeline.

"You better go and get started with the list Moony. I need to go and see if I can start making some rooms habitable for our guests." Remus nodded at his friend and both headed back to the entry, Kreacher left in the kitchen completely ignored. Sirius bid his friend goodbye and stood looking at the portrait of his mother. "Hello Mother." She looked down imperiously at him. She had not said a word as she was asleep in her frame. She had woken hearing his voice.

"MY BLOOD TRAITOR OF A SON RETURNS! BEGONE FROM MY HOME YOU FILTHY LYING PIECE OF TRASH!" She launched into a torrent of abuse. Sirius just stood there listening silently for a minute, before casting a silencing charm on her. "Charming as ever mother." He pointed his wand and cast two curtains to cover her frame, blocking her sight from the room. Sirius looked around bleakly, "Home sweet home" he muttered bleakly. Sighing he rolled up his sleeves and began to clean the entryway of spells and filth. It would not do for someone to be cursed as soon as they entered.

Sirius made his way slowly to the top of the staircase, he had just finished ensuring the staircase held no other nasty surprises, it had taken him hours. It seemed that he was lucky to have missed several old curses that were on the stairs and landings. Yawning he opened the door to the master bedroom with Buckbeak and stopped in the door. Sitting on the bed petting the hippogriff was someone he did not expect to see at all.

"Hermione?" Sirius stepped closer. Knowing the present Hermione would be coming, he knew he needed to be careful. Hermione looked up at him and smiled. A glint of gold on her neck caught his eye. His Hermione was sitting before him. Sirius frowned. Remus would not have given the parchment to present Hermione yet. She was last on his list, as he needed to bring her here himself. His Hermione, already knew this place.

"I think this may be one of the first times you are really not happy I am here" Hermione said quietly, she watched him as his mind was working on the implications that she was here.

"When you will be arriving the first time here tomorrow, and you are here now, it does pose as a slight problem." Sirius focused back to her, he leaned in the doorway, watching as Buckbeak nudged Hermione again for attention to scratch his head where the feathers gave way to his beak. It was Buckbeak's favourite place. Hermione obliged the creature, gently whispering sweet nothings to the bird as she did so.

Hermione's mind raced as she pet the Hippogriff. Her heart beat faster. She was less than a year away. Less than a year when her world would be turned on its head. Less than a year her present self would be flung into a bedroom of a small boy with captivating grey eyes. Less than a year she may finally be free from the veil she had stumbled into saving the man standing before her. Less than a year to be able to tell Sirius everything, though most he now knew.

She looked up and gazed at him, her eyes still troubled. Leaving the Hippogriff she moved slowly towards him. When she last saw him he was sitting comfortably in the library in the house at Coventry bantering with Remus, enjoying one of the first Christmas's he had in a long time. She was pulled away as she stepped out of the giant closet full of clothes, having found a pair of jeans, shirt and jacket. She had taken a while as she discovered that she had what seemed to be a shoe stores worth of boots, heels, sandals, trainers, and slippers. Now she was back in the house where both had too many memories. Too many bad memories. Too few good ones.

"Come here, you are thinking too much for my liking" He pulled her into his embrace, kissing her soundly on her lips cutting off any protest and thought. His hands tangled in her curls as he pulled her in closer towards him, growling softly against her mouth as she pulled away slowly. Troubled brown eyes into intense grey eyes. They both knew this torturous journey would be over soon.

"How much longer Princess?" He whispered to her his voice husky, sending tingles up and down her spine.
"Next June." She answered softly, her eyes gave a pained expression, and she pulled away from him, stepping from his arms. She took a deep breath, "I- I need to tell you something. Something, I don't know that you will forgive me for." Her hands laced tightly together, she paused, struggling now to find the words.

"Princess, whatever it is that has been tearing you up all this time will be forgiven." He said stepping towards her. She skittered away.

"No, I don't think you will. I'm the reason that Peter turned bad." Her eyes were shining with unshed tears, her knuckles white with how tightly she twisted her fingers. Sirius gaped at her, and growled, "No you are not Hermione. He made those decisions on his own."
Hermione shook her head, "No, not quite. He attacked me, that night at the Halloween party." Sirius's eyes widened, remembering how the party ended Peter had been taken to St Mungo's, apparently having fallen and knocking his head.

"He attacked me, blamed me for pulling his friend away from him." She continued Sirius stood staring at her unable to quite believe what she was saying.

"I disarmed him and as she cowered I realised then and there that he was already in You-Know-Who's service. I could not have Peter tell him about me. Peter knew enough to be more dangerous for me in either of my times."
Sirius's face paled as he listened to her, his wand was in his hand. Tears leaked from her eyes, she didn't draw hers; shook her head slowly.
"I had to Sirius. What I knew in that time. If You-Know-Who, knew what I know."
Sirius pointed his wand at her. His grey eyes unreadable, his voice pained "No more. Hermione, I don't want to hear anymore."
He stepped aside from the door, "Go. Please, just go."

Hermione stood frozen, tears still falling from her eyes. She nodded and moved to the door, she stopped and looked at him once more. "I am sorry."
She fled down the stairs, and walked out the front door. She had reached the square across the road when the portal opened, Sirius stood at the entrance, he hesitated to follow or stay. She looked at him sadly and apparated away. Sirius looked at the empty square. His heart heavier than ever before, his mind roiling at what she had said, what he had stopped her from confessing.

Hermione apparated to Hogsmeade and hurried towards the castle. It was time to tell Dumbledore. Sobs racked her as she walked through the gates. The school grounds were deserted she passed Hagrid's cabin and stopped. She heard voices. She recognised Hagrid's, the second she realised was the very wizard she came to see.

Wiping her eyes, she took a shuddering breath, and stepped towards the door. The door opened before she could knock and Hermione found herself face to face with her Headmaster.
"Ah, Miss Granger. I thought you would be at home with your parents?" He smiled at her over his half-moon glasses then took in her appearance, and tearstained face and turned back into the house.
"Hagrid, I will be in touch. Please don't delay." He said his farewells to the gamekeeper and stepped into the night.

"Shall we?" He directed Hermione back up to the castle to his study. He requested for tea to be brought and allowed her time to get her composure.
Hermione could not look at the headmaster. She refused the tea he offered. Albus studied her for a minute before pointing his wand to a cabinet. A wide silver bowl floated out and settled between them hovering over the desk. Hermione's eyes widened at the object.

"You know what this is Miss Granger?" Albus asked Hermione. She nodded slowly, finally finding her voice.

"It is a pensieve. I read about them as an extra credit topic." Albus nodded at her, his blue eyes on her. He pulled out an empty vial from the desk draw.
"I think perhaps, that this may be the best option for our conversation you promised me long ago."
Hermione slowly nodded at him. "That is why I am here."
Albus proceeded to show her how to extract her memories, explaining that this would be a far better way to understand what she avoided to explain to him the last time she was in this office with a much younger Sirius Black.

Hermione looked at the Pensieve, the silver bowl was filled with liquid and the surface changed undulating. She gasped at where she had seen that before. When she was in the veil, the greyness. Light to dark, dark to light, swirling shapeless, ever changing. She turned her red rimmed eyes to Dumbledore.
"I cannot show you everything professor." She spoke quietly. Albus nodded and indicated she should begin. She knew he wanted the very beginning. She could not give that. There was only one memory that she needed to give him. She put her wand to her temple.
"Can you please show this to Remus and Sirius? And tell them it was the only way?" She asked him. Albus looked directly at her, and saw the witch as she was, broken heart and soul. He nodded, "As you wish."

Hermione pulled out the memory. She dropped it into the vial. Her hand shook as she handed it to him.
"Please understand I don't wish to relive that again." She stood, and moved to the door, pausing as Albus spoke to her again.
"Miss Granger, very few manage to survive anything like what is happening to you. You have more strength than you know."
Hermione looked at him with sad eyes, "I hope then you will not judge me too harshly."
She left the office. She walked through the empty halls. Her mind was desolate, her heart broken and sore, her body tired.

Her feet took her to the Astronomy Tower, the stars were always so clear up here. She felt like she was amongst them. The wind was cool, and teased at her hair as she waited. Waiting for the whispering, and the breeze to carry her to the greyness. She waited for this to finally be over for her. The sky lightened as dawn broke over the horizon. The first beams of sun lit the tower. The top of it empty, the whispering carried away on the buffeting breeze.

The sun pierced through the window of the Headmaster's study. He was staring at the pensieve deep in thought. Albus was impressed. Hermione had edited her own memories she had given, yet the core information of what she believed he wanted was there. Most of it was. She left out the one piece he truly wanted. How she was thrown back. But he knew that the answer for that would be answered next year. Reluctantly he pulled out some parchment. He had promised the witch to show it to Remus and Sirius. He knew from the memory that she had already tried to tell Sirius. Neither would like what they would see. He himself did not like what he saw in her memories.

The complications that were involved on this scale, it would require years of study to understand how she managed to fit into the pasts of Sirius, Remus, James, Lily, Peter and even Marlene.

So much was going on and he still needed to organise to make sure that Harry would still be safe over the summer. Albus felt a headache coming on as he sent the scrolls with his phoenix to send for the two wizards. His tasks were becoming more and more complicated by the minute.