Chapter 11
June 2022
Hermione and Ron had read the first letter from their daughter six days ago. They had decided to read one letter together every day. Hermione would read it out loud while Ron held her hand and listened. So far they had read about Rose's first three months in the past. Hermione took the next letter and started to read.
15th December1975
Dear Mum and Dad,
Christmas is coming up and I miss you all dearly but that's not why I am writing today. Sirius' birthday was three days ago and he got a letter from his parents telling him he had to marry his cousin Bellatrix! I know, this isn't supposed to happen and it won't, because he has asked me to marry him instead. You know I think he's an idiot – I told you often enough in my last letters – but how could I refuse?
"She's getting married? To Sirius?" Hermione exclaimed in disbelieve.
Ron just groaned. He wanted to rant and rave but he knew it was no use. It had already happened – before he was even born – and there was nothing he could do about it. Furthermore, the man he wanted to threaten at the moment had been dead for over two decades now. Hermione read on.
We will marry as soon as Sirius turns seventeen. Dumbledore has already offered to officiate our wedding. We decided on Lily as my maid of honour and James as Sirius' best man. They will be the only ones to know about our engagement and wedding since we decided to keep it a secret.
I wish you were here to help me! I'm so confused.
I'm going to spend Christmas here at Hogwarts since I have nowhere else to go. Sirius is staying as well, hopefully we can use the time to get to know each other better and at least become friends.
I miss you more than ever.
Love
Rose
"Our little girl is really getting married to Sirius Black. Why did Sirius never tell us that he's married? How come we've never met or heard of her before if she was such good friends with them all?" Hermione wondered, desperate for answers. She had been researching about time-turners and time travel since she had read Rose's first letter but had yet to find a way to get her back.
1st August 1976
Dora and Sirius had been staying with the Potters for over a month now. She had finally forgiven them for bullying Snape and the three of them had a lot of fun hanging out together. They often played Quidditch outside and Dora had asked the two Gryffindors to teach her how to become an animagus.
They were sitting in the dining room, having breakfast with Frances and Henry when six owls swooped in through the open window. Three of them were carrying official looking letters from the ministry while the three others carried their Hogwarts letters.
The letters from the ministry contained their O.W.L. results and Dora opened hers with shaking hands.
DORA ROSE GRANGER has achieved the following results:
Ancient Runes:...O
Arithmancy:...O
Astronomy:...O
Care of Magical Creatures:...O
Charms:...O
Defence Against the Dark Arts:...O
Herbology:...O
History of Magic:...O
Muggle Studies:...O
Potions:...O
Transfiguration:...O
A wide grin spread across her face as she read through her results. They were even better than her mother's! Professor Dumbledore had even allowed her to sit the Muggle Studies examination and she had managed to get an O there, too.
Sirius was less worried about his marks. As long as he had passed in the subjects he would need to become an Auror he would be fine. He opened his letter and read.
SIRIUS ORION BLACK has achieved the following results:
Astronomy:...E
Charms:...O
Care of Magical Creatures:...O
Defence Against the Dark Arts:...O
Herbology:...E
History of Magic:...P
Muggle Studies:...A
Potions:...E
Transfiguration:...O
Sirius grinned in relieve when he saw that he would be able to take all the N.E.W.T. classes required to become an Auror, even Potions.
James wanted to become an Auror as well. Like Sirius he would need at least and Exceeds Expectations in Potions, DADA, Transfiguration, Charms and Herbology. Nervously he opened his own letter.
JAMES HENRY POTTER has achieved the following results:
Ancient Runes:...O
Arithmancy:...E
Astronomy:...A
Care of Magical Creatures:...O
Charms:...E
Defence Against the Dark Arts:...O
Herbology:...E
History of Magic:...A
Potions:...E
Transfiguration:...O
Relieved that he had passed every subject he showed the letter to his parents. They were obviously proud of him and told him so.
"How did you do?" James asked the other two.
"Good, really good, I've got straight Os," Dora said with a brilliant smile.
"Why am I not surprised?" Sirius remarked dryly. "I've got four Os, one A and the rest Es. I only failed History of Magic."
"We should go to Diagon Alley soon to buy your school supplies. Do you know which subjects you will be taking next year, yet?" Frances said and handed them their Hogwarts letters.
"I think I will only drop Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures," Dora said in a thoughtful voice.
"Muggle Studies? But you didn't even take Muggle Studies last year!" Sirius exclaimed.
"How do you know?" she asked him surprised.
"Because I took Muggle Studies and you weren't there," he said and rolled his eyes.
"Wait, you took Muggle Studies? Why?" she asked him astonished.
"To piss off my parents," he admitted with a slight shrug. "Now will you tell me how you got an O.W.L. in a subject you didn't even take?"
"I took Muggle Studies at my old school so Dumbledore allowed me to sit the exam."
"Of course he did. I think I will take Charms, DADA, Herbology, Potions and Transfiguration," Sirius decided. "What about you, James?"
"Me, too, but I think I will also take Ancient Runes and Arithmancy," James said.
"Alright, then let's go to Diagon Alley next week," Frances said.
August passed quickly and soon it was time for them to return to Hogwarts. Dora was happy to see Lily, Becky and Sharon again after spending two months in the company of James Potter and Sirius Black. She had missed studying and gossiping with the girls, something she couldn't do with the two boys who were only interested in pranking people.
Lily's and Severus friendship was broken seemingly beyond repair now but Dora couldn't bring herself to do the same. She still met him in the library sometimes to study together which made Sirius irrationally and unbearably jealous. Taking nine NEWT classes was hard work and the main portion of her days was spent with homework and studying, something that only increased Sirius' irrational jealousy.
James had nearly stopped bullying Snape since he didn't need to compete with him for Lily's affection anymore but Sirius was bullying him worse than ever. All came to a head when Sirius got the brilliant idea to send Snape after Remus to the Shrieking Shack on a full moon in November.
"James, this is the best prank ever! You won't believe what I told that greasy git!" Sirius came into their dorm roaring with laughter.
"What did you tell him?" James asked eager with excitement. Although he had nearly stopped bullying Snape himself he still enjoyed watching Sirius do it.
"I send him to the Shrieking Shack!" Sirius exclaimed still laughing his head off.
"But it's the full moon! Remus will be there! Never mind the Whomping Willow!" James exclaimed horrified and quickly looked out of the window. The moon was already rising.
Without another word he dashed out of the room and rushed down to the Whomping Willow. Snape was already there, trying to get by the vicious tree into the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack. When he finally reached Snape the sun had already set, the moon was shining brightly upon them and Snape was bleeding from several wounds the tree had caused him.
"Snape, you have to get out of here!" James shouted just as a loud howl filled the air.
"Why should I listen to you, Potter," Snape spat, refusing to heed James warning.
"Because you'll be dead soon if you don't," James told him completely serious.
Another howl sounded through the night, closer this time. James began to panic he had to get Snape out of here before Moony emerged from the tunnel.
Severus looked at Potter and tried to piece the puzzle together. Potter looked completely panicked and there was that howl that seemed to be getting closer. It sounded like the howl of a wolf. He looked up to the full moon and suddenly all the pieces fell into place.
The second Snape seemed to realise what was going on a rat climbed out of the tunnel and pressed the knot of the Whomping Willow, immobilizing it. Right behind the rat followed Moony.
"Run!" James shouted at Snape and transformed into his stag animagus as soon as Snape had turned his back on him.
For once Snape didn't mind following Potter's orders and ran as fast as he could towards the castle. Being maimed by a werewolf was certainly not part of his plan. Damn Black for sending him here! If he got out of this alive he would make sure Black got expelled for this. What was Dumbledore thinking allowing a werewolf into the school?
He reached the entrance door panting hard and slammed it shut behind him. Then he staggered up to the Hospital Wing where Madam Pomfrey proceeded to patch him up. He was forced to stay for the night and resolved he would go to the headmaster right after breakfast the next morning.
The next morning Sirius, Remus and James were called into the headmaster's office. Remus was still quite ill from the night before and mightily pissed off at Sirius. He would be lucky if he didn't get expelled for Sirius' so called 'prank'.
When they entered the headmaster's office, Dumbledore wore an unusually stern expression. On a chair in front of his desk sat Snape, still sporting some half-healed scratches and a deep scowl.
"Good morning Professsor Dumbledore," the three chorused, their hearts filled with dread.
"Please sit down boys," Dumbledore told them, for once without a twinkle in his eyes.
"Mr. Black, I'm very disappointed in you. For all intents and purposes you should be expelled for endangering another student the way you did. Unfortunately it would mean Mr. Lupins expulsion as well even though he was unaware of your plan and as much a victim in this scheme as Mr. Snape here. Therefore you won't be expelled today but let me be very clear on this, one more toe out of line and you will be expelled. You should thank your friend Mr. Potter for preventing worse things from happening," Professor Dumbledore told Sirius in a stern voice.
"But Professor...," Snape started. He couldn't believe Black would just get away with trying to kill him. Those Gryffindors could literally get away with murder just because the old coot favoured the students of his old House.
"Of course you will serve detention for the rest of the school year, Mr. Black. And two hundred points will be deducted from Gryffindor for deliberately endangering Mr. Snape's life," Dumbledore cut him off.
Snape was fuming on the inside but the headmaster had obviously made up his mind and he had no chance of changing it. He stood abruptly, made his excuses and stalked out of the office with a deep scowl etched onto his face.
"Mr. Lupin I'm sure you are still feeling quite ill, you should return to the Hospital Wing. Mr. Potter, I think your classes await you," Professor Dumbledore politely shooed them out of his office. They took the hint and quickly followed Snape out of the room.
Now Sirius was alone with the headmaster who apparently wanted to talk to him in private.
"Mr. Black, I trust you have made all the necessary arrangements for your wedding next month?" Dumbledore asked him.
"Yes Sir."
"Good, good, although I doubt your fiancée will be very happy with you at the moment. I have a feeling she knows about the incident yesterday," Dumbledore remarked.
Sirius cursed under his breath. He had foolishly believed she wouldn't find out, but of course she already knew, probably even before it had happened.
"I will see you on the 12th December at ten a.m. then. Good day, Mr. Black."
With that Sirius was dismissed and went to Transfiguration.
A/N:
KyuubiNoPuma: Thanks for your review. There will be more letters in the coming chapters.