Beta Love: Glittergrrrl05

A/N: Thank you for the positive feedback. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Disclaimer: HP & the HP universe are the property of JKR and her assigns. No profit is made from the writing of this story.

Halloween Morning, October, 1981

Sirius & Mary's Home

"Sirius, I've talked to my cousins. They've agreed to take Catriona and are willing for me to alter their memories so that they believe she was adopted from a regular agency. I'll use the most powerful charms I know to disguise her. She'll be safe there, and then I'll come back to you. We'll face this together with her safe, away from this horrible war."

"Will we ever get her back?"

Mary ran her fingers through her husband's hair. "When this is all over, we'll find a way. I can use the Memoria fortior charm. The longer it remains in place, the stronger it gets. So, if this is over soon, then yes, we can. But if this lasts years or the worst happens, she'll be safe forever."

"Return to me, my love."

That night, when Dumbledore brought the bloodstained blankets, Sirius felt all hope die. He'd lost his wife and his daughter; he had to get to James and help save what was left of his family. But he was too late.

He spent thirteen years in Azkaban, looking forward to the day he would avenge his wife, his daughter, and his best friends.

Thursday, Late Morning

Headmistress's Office

Harry stepped through the Floo with Sirius on his heels. His gaze zeroed in on Hermione, curled into a ball on the sofa, asleep.

McGonagall looked up from her seat as Sirius and Harry appeared. "She cried herself to sleep," she whispered. "I've never seen her so - undone."

Harry crossed the room and stroked her hair back from her face. "Hermione, wake up, love."

She stirred and slowly sat up. "What? Where? Harry. What are you doing?" And then it all came back in a rush. She touched her face and ran her hand through her hair. "It's true?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, Hermione, it is. Sirius is here. We can get it all sorted, yeah?"

Identical pairs of gray eyes met across the room.

"Catriona," Sirius whispered. "It's really you. You're alive."

Hermione sought refuge in her academic nature. "So, that was my name, then? Catriona?"

"Ahh, yes. Catriona Pleiades." Sirius's mouth twisted. "I'm not a very good Black, but I still wanted to carry on the tradition of a constellation for my child's name. We named you Catriona to honor your mother's Scots heritage."

"Who was she?"

"Mary MacDonald. She was a Muggle-born in my year. And you, you're so much like her." Sirius blinked rapidly, clearing tears. "I don't know how I didn't see it before."

Treat this like any other academic exercise. What questions would I ask if it were another student? "What happened?"

"It…it's a long story." Sirius turned to McGonagall. "Do you mind if we talk in here, or should we go somewhere else?"

"Of course. Would you care for privacy?"

"No, no, of course not, please stay Professor," Hermione stammered out, abruptly panicked at the thought of her favorite professor leaving. She grabbed Harry's hand. "And you stay too, Harry. Please, sit with me."

Sirius sat in a chair opposite the sofa, facing the pair. "I met Mary when we were both sorted into Gryffindor." A ghost of smile flitted across his face. "You were destined to be a lion, Hermione."

"So, we married after graduation. And to get to the heart of the matter, Regulus warned me that Death Eaters were coming after us. We were desperate to make sure you were safe." Sirius stared into the fire. "Mary had cousins who were childless, and we hid you." He dragged his eyes from the fireplace to look at his daughter. "No, that's not right; she hid you. I didn't know her cousins' names; I thought they were MacDonalds, like her. But she modified their memories, so they thought they'd adopted you from an agency as a small child. I don't have to tell you how ruthless Death Eaters were. It was to protect you all."

"Were you ever going to come back for me?" Hermione's voice was small.

"Yes, yes of course we were." Sirius linked his hands and leaned forward, propping his arms on his legs. "We wanted to, we planned to. But we were at war, Hermione. We had to do whatever it took to keep you safe. And we didn't have the same charms that James and Lily did on their home. So she took you to hide you from the Death Eaters." The grief pouring from him was palpable. "I hoped - " He started again. "I hoped we'd both survive to get you back, to reverse the spells. Your mum, she was amazing at charms. I think you inherited that gene." His smile was sad.

"But she told me that she'd talked to her cousin, the man who raised you, and his wife, and they'd agreed to raise you as their own. And they did. I don't know, I'm so sorry, Hermione. They agreed to have their memories modified, and Mary - she was a force to be reckoned with. Like you. And she'd have done anything to keep you alive, even if it was in the Muggle world. You were the only thing that mattered. You were her world. You were our world. And now you're here, and you're alive, and I'll never leave you again."

"So that's why I can't fix my par - their memories. My biological mother's charm from when I was a child." Hermione surmised. I can't deal with his emotions right now. I can't. I'll think about it tomorrow. She still couldn't process the conflicting emotions raging through her, so she sought to find solace in the facts.

Sirius nodded. "Yes."

"What happened to her?"

"She left to take you to her cousins. We were to meet up again at our home, but she never returned. I received the news from Dumbledore. And he gave me your - " his voice broke. After hauling in a breath, he continued, "blanket. It was soaked with your blood and Mary's. I set out for Godric's Hollow, but by the time I got there, it was all over, and James and Lily were gone. I'd lost everyone close to me, so I went after Peter; you know the rest."

"Are you certain it's me?" Hermione's hand was still clasped in Harry's, but she reached up to touch her changed hair with her other.

"The Black tapestry changed, Hermione. I saw it," Harry interjected. "Your name appeared." He paused. "Well, it said 'Hermione Pleiades Black' beneath Sirius's and Mary's name. It wasn't like that before."

Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head. Godric help me. I know my mother - I obliviated her memories to save her, sent her away to protect her, and I'll kill her if I try to bring her back to me. And now, now she wasn't my mother at all?. NO. Jean Granger is my mother."So many things make sense now. Why the glamour charms wouldn't stick. And when they did, it was only after repeated attempts. It's like we were battering away at the charm my - " Hermione swallowed thickly and choked out the name rather than the relationship, "Mary put on me. Harry, you and Draco must have just been the final straw. And then the memory charm with my parents. Mary used the Memoria fortior, didn't she? It strengthens over time. " My parents. At Sirius's nod, she continued, "That's probably why I was so desperate to save you at the Ministry of Magic; on some level, I knew."

"Yes," Sirius agreed. "And truth be told, it's probably part of why I've been so angry about the newspaper articles. When they were just about Harry this summer, I wasn't nearly as upset, but when they started in on you, Hermione - " He shook his head. "I'm still angry."

"Sirius, she's safe with me; she's safe here." Hermione leaned into Harry as she had so many times over the past year. He'd been her refuge, and she had been his. He wrapped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her even closer, brushing a soft kiss on her head. Harry glanced over to see his godfather's jaw clench ever so slightly. "I promise; she's safe. I'll -" Harry glanced over at the Headmistress and re-thought what he was about to say. "We'll all take care of her."

Thursday, Early Afternoon

Grimmauld Place & the Ministry for Magic

Sirius Flooed home from Hogwarts in a state of shock. He immediately made his way to the Tapestry room and touched the tiny woven portrait of his beloved wife on the Black Family tapestry.

There, for anyone to see, was her death date, Halloween, 1981. She was well and truly gone.

"I'm so sorry; I thought she was dead, Mary!" The tears he'd been holding back flowed down his face. "I'll protect her now, though. And you'd be so proud - she's the brightest witch of her age. Harry and Ron wouldn't have lasted two days without her last year."

With a final stroke to Mary's name and then Hermione's, Sirius turned and stalked out the door to the Floo in the front lounge. Throwing the Powder in the fireplace, he shouted, "The Ministry for Magic!" Upon arrival, he made his way directly to the Minister for Magic's office.

There, sitting guard was a very pretty witch, whose desk nameplate proclaimed her to be 'D.K. Finnigan.'

Sirius hadn't taken the time to change out of his very comfortable, worn-in Muggle jeans and v-neck t-shirt nor his leather jacket before heading for Hogwarts after Harry's unexpected arrival. As he approached, he glanced down and mentally shrugged in resignation.

"Hello, Ms. Finnigan, I'd like to see Kingsley." Sirius had been on a first-name basis with the Minister for years and decided to use any advantage he might have.

The witch behind the desk appraised him with a sweeping look. "Do you have an appointment, Mr. ahhh?"

"Black, Sirius Black. And no, I don't."

"Then I'm afraid the Minister is unavailable at this time, Mr. Black." Deirdre Kathleen Finnigan had been facing down wizards since she'd taken the post as Minister Shacklebolt's personal assistant. Sirius Black, no matter how handsome or charming, wasn't going to get past her.

Sirius set his jaw and tried for polite one last time. "Ms. Finnigan, this is an emergency. If you could please tell him I'm here, and that it's regarding my wife and child, then I'm quite sure he'll be willing to make time for me."

"Sir, the Minister is very busy - "

"Yes, I'm aware of how busy Kingsley is. However, this is a matter of some urgency." Sirius was starting to feel the reins of his temper slip.

"Surely you must understand - "

"No." Sirius planted his palms on the desk in front of her. "You must understand. This matter is of utmost importance regarding Hermione Granger, my –" he cut himself off. Visibly gathering his temper, he continued. "It also involves Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. So I suggest you interrupt the Minister immediately!" Despite his best efforts, Sirius leaned forward with each word he spoke, towering over the witch at the desk.

"Mr. Black." Kate's voice was frigid. "Don't try to intimidate me. Far more powerful wizards than you have tried and failed." Her green eyes flashed in fury as they met his gray ones. "Now, back off."

"Sirius." The deep voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt interrupted the stand-off at the desk. "Stop browbeating my assistant." Sirius straightened at the reprimand and took a step back. "I can see you're upset; how can I be of assistance?"

"Kingsley." Sirius extended his hand to shake Kingsley's in greeting. "I have a pressing situation, and I believe you need to know."

"Ah. I've just gotten the bare bones from Albus. Please come in." He looked at Kate. "Please hold my owls and visitors. I'm afraid Sirius is correct; this is a matter of some urgency."

"Of course, Minister." Kate narrowed her eyes at Sirius. That man is insufferable.

The door to Kingsley's private office shut with a quiet thunk behind the two wizards. The Minister led Sirius to a comfortable seating area by his personal Floo connection and looked at Sirius expectantly.

"Hermione Granger is my daughter, and I wish to acknowledge her as such. Immediately." After thirteen years of wrongful imprisonment in Azkaban, Sirius had lost whatever soft touch he'd ever had dealing with authority figures.

"I wasn't aware you had a daughter until Albus's portrait informed me." Kingsley gestured to a new empty frame on the wall.

"I married immediately out of school. Mary was murdered by Death Eaters the same day Voldemort killed the Potters and vanished. I believed until this morning that my daughter, Catriona, had perished with her mother. I'd just received word from Albus that they were dead, which was why I was in Godric's Hollow that night - I was going for comfort from my best friends and then - " Sirius tightened his jaw and continued, "Peter should be glad he's dead or I'd kill him." He swallowed down his hate for the traitor Wormtail. "You know the rest of the story and how I ended up in Azkaban."

"What can the Ministry do for you, Sirius?"

"I want Hermione recorded as my daughter and given the full protection of the House of Black. Her name should be recorded as Hermione Pleiades Black."

Kingsley leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "She's of age, Sirius. Shouldn't you ask her if she wants that change?"

"She's my daughter." The pain in Sirius's voice cut Kingsley like a knife. "And as you well know, heads of Pureblood families have a great deal of control over blood, regardless of age."

"I'll have her listed as a daughter of the House of Black, but I won't change her name. I won't take that choice from her. As an adult, she should do that. Unless it's already been done." The Minister's voice trailed off as he thought about the situation.

"The tapestry at the Black home records her as Hermione Pleiades Black," Sirius offered. Dammitall, she's my daughter; she needs my name. But I shouldn't take that decision from her. Kingsley's got a point.

"In that case, sentient magic being what it is, you may not have to do anything at all." Kingsley rose and called the Unspeakables on the Floo. After only a few minutes, he had his answer. "According to the Unspeakables, Hermione has now been listed as a daughter of the House of Black and the recording quill has struck out both Catriona Pleiades Black and Hermione Jean Granger, replacing it with Hermione Pleiades Black. It looks like Catriona was removed years ago, and then Hermione Jean Granger was removed today: this morning, actually."

"That seems too easy."

"Sirius, sometimes magic cuts through red tape with extreme efficiency." Kingsley paused. "Of course, when it does something of this nature, the ones most impacted are caught off-guard. Perhaps you should warn her."

Sirius's eyes widened at the thought of Hermione seeing her name changed on literally everything connected to magic without warning. "Shit. I need to get back to Hogwarts."

"Use my Floo."

Minutes Later

Hogwarts

Sirius startled Minerva McGonagall when his face appeared in her Floo and requested entry.

"Come through, Mr. Black." McGonagall gave him an arch look when he arrived.

"Am I to take it this has something to do with Miss Granger?"

Sirius, looking as haggard for his years, nodded. "I went to see Kingsley because I wanted to make sure Hermione was acknowledged as a member of the House of Black." He rubbed his eyes and continued, "This morning, when Harry and Draco finally broke the disguise on Hermione, the recording quill scratched out Hermione Jean Granger and replaced her name with Hermione Pleiades Black." He paused to see McGonagall's reaction.

"Oh dear." The Headmistress immediately grasped the ramifications of his statement and made her way over to the enrollment book for Hogwarts, flipping to Hermione's first year. Her suspicions confirmed, she turned and headed for the door. "Are you coming, Mr. Black? Or perhaps you'd like to wait here while your daughter gets the news."

Sirius matched her stride as they made their way to the eighth tower, pausing before the portrait that opened immediately at McGonagall's "Wronski Feint."

She led the way across the empty common room and stopped in front of the door for number four. Sirius reached out to knock, but stopped when he saw the brass nameplate on the door, flanked by lions. It read: H. Black. He traced the name gently with his forefinger. "By the Founders, I still can't believe she's alive," he whispered.

Before he could knock, Harry opened the door, taking in the two. "Headmistress, Sirius." He nodded at each of them in turn. "Can I help you?"

"Mr. Potter, I understand that you are very good friends with Miss Gran - Black, but really, you should not be in her room." McGonagall immediately slipped into Headmistress mode. "And we need to see her, immediately."

"Professor, Hermione and I shared a tent for an entire winter; I think we can be trusted to spend a few minutes in the middle of the day in her room." Harry's comment was dangerously close to insolent, but he was getting quite tired of everything: the incessant curiosity, the newspapers, the implications that his very presence somehow sullied Hermione - all of it. But he was the most tired of the fact that Death Eaters were still impacting their lives after Voldemort's unequivocal defeat last May.

Sirius's brow darkened as he started thinking about Hermione and Harry sharing a tent, unchaperoned, for months on end. "Harry, we need to see her."

"Sirius, with all due respect, she's had a very bad day - " Harry began.

"Harry, stop; I'll see them." Hermione appeared at his side, wiping the tears from her face. "Professor, Sirius. Can I help you?"

Sirius took in the face of his daughter. Now that her hair had darkened and smoothed out, he could see more of his wife in her and wondered how he'd missed the connection all these years. And her eyes…her eyes were pure Black. "Hermione, I visited the Ministry for Magic after I left here."

Hermione quirked her eyebrow, silently daring him to have done anything regarding her without her prior consent.

"I wanted to make sure you were protected..." Sirius's voice trailed off as Hermione's expression went from challenging to downright thunderous.

"Honestly, Sirius, do you really think I need protection?" Her voice rose as she continued. "I'm at Hogwarts! And I can take care of myself!"

McGonagall and Harry watched the exchange between to the two much like a Muggle tennis match, their heads moving back and forth.

Sirius held out a beseeching hand. "It wasn't like that, Hermione. I just wanted –"

"What, Sirius? To make sure I'm listed as your daughter in the Department of Mysteries? Because that would ensure I'm definitely a Black, now, wouldn't it!"

McGonagall and Harry looked to Sirius.

"Yes, but…."

"Really, Sirius? Why is it you suddenly need to take care of me? You weren't there for eighteen years! I'm fine!"

"Hermione, please stop." Sirius's voice was a combination of command and entreaty. "You need to know something."

"What?" she crossed her arms on her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Your name - it's Hermione Pleiades Black." Her eyes widened and her jaw clenched in fury. "I didn't do it. I couldn't do it. I wanted to, but I didn't take that choice from you. But the recording quill, it records every magical birth, and it recorded yours on Jan 1, 1980 as Catriona Pleiades Black, lined out on Halloween 1981 and replaced with Hermione Jean Granger. And this morning –"

She held up her hand. "Don't say it."

Sirius plowed forward. "This morning, it lined through Hermione Jean Granger and replaced it with Hermione Pleiades Black."

"No! I'm Hermione Granger! That's my name - it's who I'll always be."

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Sirius shook his head. "Your name was magically altered on all magical documents as of this morning. When Harry and Draco broke the glamour, they broke all the enchantments surrounding your identity: it's done."

"No - I don't believe you!" Hermione turned to McGonagall. "Tell me he's lying!" she pleaded. Tears started to roll down her face again, and she furiously wiped them away.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger." McGonagall looked at her star pupil with kind eyes. "I checked our enrollment book; I can assure you it's true."

Hermione shook her head, and her arms fell so that they were crossed at her waist defensively. "I can't do this right now." Her breath sharpened and she turned to Harry wide-eyed. "I can't do this right now."

Sirius stepped forward, "Please, Hermione, let me help."

"No, I can't." Hermione folded into herself. "Harry…."

"Okay. Okay." Harry, unmindful of their audience, gathered her in his arms. "We'll go someplace else." He kept her sheltered under his arm as they made their way past the Headmistress and Sirius. He nodded politely to them both. "Is that all?" At their nods, he continued, "She needs some air; we can talk about this later."

McGonagall and Sirius watched as the pair crossed to the main door.

"Will she be alright?" he asked.

"Your daughter is the brightest witch of her age and easily one of the most talented, Sirius." McGonagall's frosty tone softened. "She's stronger than you know; she'll be fine, especially with Mr. Potter at her side."

Sirius ground his teeth, "I'm her father, Minerva, and I'm not going to be replaced by anyone - not Harry, not the Grangers, not anyone."

"I think you should reconcile yourself to the fact that your daughter is going to marry that young man. I've known them both longer than you have, and those two have been inevitable since they fought off a fully grown mountain troll as first years." She moved for the door, leaving a stockstill Sirius in her wake. "Well, don't just stand there like a gargoyle - come on!"

A/N: Okay - so graduate school is killing me. I will get another chapter up as soon as I can! Thanks for your kind words. I can't tell you how much they mean to me.