"You can't make the same mistake twice, because the second time is no longer a mistake but a choice"

Unknown

Hermione was in trouble. She was on the ground, surrounded by two Death Eaters who had their wands pointed at her. Never would she have thought a few months earlier that she would be in this situation. Two novices had managed to knock her down. It would make her blush with shame, but she didn't have time to think about it. She had to find a solution and fast.

A spell shot towards her and she couldn't avoid it, but luckily it wasn't a jet of green light. The pain hit her hard but she didn't collapse, being on the ground helped a lot. The two Death Eaters didn't seem to be very powerful, it didn't hurt that much, it was just a weak imitation compared to Voldemort or Bellatrix Lestrange. She did not scream, only a few moans of pain passed her lips.

Her wand had been thrown a few feet away from her when she fell, but she had to pull herself together. She couldn't use Muggle combat, she was too vulnerable. Her second wand, Harry's wand, was under her jacket, but she couldn't reach it, or the two idiots in front of her would see it immediately. She was still analyzing the situation when one of the Death Eaters dropped dead in front of her. The other soon joined him in death and Hermione's savior took her hand and helped her up.

"Need help?" he asked with a smirk.

"Don't make fun of Rem'!"

"You've been fooled like a beginner. Good thing I saw you. How are you doing?"

"I'm not a damsel in distress" she grumbled. "And it's okay, their pain wasn't very strong."

"That does not remove your capacities of fighter because I saved you once."

The two wizards did not have time to discuss more, a spell was coming on them. They were in the middle of a battle, they should not forget it. They separated again. Remus was heading towards three Death Eaters who were terrorizing a child, what was she doing there? While Hermione had spotted the Death Eater she was looking for.

She sent the first spell and he immediately retaliated. He paused when he saw who had cast the spell on him. Hermione could see him shaking, even through his Death Eater mask, as she spoke.

"Hello Black. How have you been all this time? Now that Hogwarts is over you can participate in all the battles?"

"Shut up."

"Are you still happy with being Voldemort's servant?"

"Just shut up. And don't say his name."

The young man didn't seem very sure of himself anymore, if he ever was, which was another question, he was shaking but Hermione could see his characteristically Black grey eyes flashing. A classic reaction to fear.

"Have you seen your brother? He looks good, doesn't he? Looks like betrayal is working for him. More so than you. You've lost weight, Black."

"Stop it."

His voice was a whisper. Regulus was not well. You didn't have to be a mind reader to see that. He was floating in his Death Eaters robes, his voice hoarse and shaky. He probably didn't say much. Hermione couldn't see his face, but she was sure his complexion was sallow and his cheeks were sunken.

"I hope that one day you will understand your mistakes, Black."

It was as she said this sentence that Hermione realized how much time was left before Regulus died. She had no idea of the exact day, but she knew that he died before October 1981. The year 1979 was coming to an end, and he only had a few months to live. She didn't know if he would have the courage to leave the Death Eaters before Kreacher went into the cave, but it was unlikely. The Dark Lord already had the locket in his possession and Hermione was certain that he had already turned it into a horcrux. It was only a matter of months before he hid it in that cave in Ireland. It was only a matter of months before Regulus died if she didn't do something, which was out of the question. She had to find a solution, and fast. For she had no control over Voldemort's actions or Regulus' actions regarding her house elf.

She turned away from him, ready to go back into battle, but he didn't seem to hear her.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to fight Death Eaters, Black."

"I'm here."

"You don't want to be here, Black. You don't have to be a pureblood to have the good sense to see that. I know you better than you think. You are disgusted with your fellow 'friends' when you see them raping and torturing. You only kill muggles to put them out of their misery."

"That's not true!"

"Then why do you get so upset? Why do I hear tremors in your voice? You believe in your superiority, but you don't approve of murder and torture."

Hermione slipped something into Regulus's cloak without him noticing and then turned away once and for all, leaving the young man stunned and questioning.

She looked around at the fighting again and watched in dismay as a spell was directed at Lily and Alice from behind. She ran as fast as she could before throwing them violently out of the path of the spell. They fell hard to the ground, and Alice almost hit her head, but caught herself in time. They saw Hermione get hit by the spell, which turned out to be the cruciatus one, which was meant for them. And the most surprising thing was that she didn't fall, she didn't flinch, no, she spoke.

"Hello Tom" she said in a hateful but perfectly controlled voice.

They saw Him then. Helena had not made a single move after taking a cruciatus from the Dark Lord.

"It can't be possible" Alice whispered in fear.

Lily nodded, and then a light came on. It was Severus who had told her years ago, a few weeks before their friendship broke up. She didn't have time to consider it further as Helena spoke to them.

"Don't just stand there!"

The two young women stood up and for once obeyed without question. Voldemort walked over to Hermione and the young woman immediately responded by casting a dozen spells in a row, both dark and white magic.

"Who are you?" asked Voldemort.

He seemed intrigued by Hermione, she had not fallen under his spell. He hadn't even noticed that she had called him by his real name. He didn't stay puzzled for long as his spells continued to flow.

"Does it really matter, Tom? Or are you asking me this because I know your ancestry?"

His attack spells became even more powerful when Hermione shared her name. However, not many people were listening, so the fighting hadn't stopped. Their duel was almost surreal, with spells coming at them at an insane rate. They were both using dark magic, although Hermione was alternating with a few 'white' magic cutting spells so as not to exhaust herself magically.

Remus was fighting three Death Eaters at once, admittedly quite powerful, when he noticed what Hermione was doing. He went into a rage and shot one of the Death Eaters. The other two were tougher.

"Remember my face Riddle, because I will be the one to bring you down. You feared Dumbledore, you will fear me."

A second of inattention was too much and Voldemort was hit by a spell that slashed his face, while Hermione received a sectusempra in the chest. She collapsed and Voldemort ordered his Death Eaters to leave. Some of them obeyed, while others, too busy fighting, ignored him and continued to cast spells.

The members of the Order continued to fight and paid no attention to Hermione who was bleeding to death a few feet away from the battlefield. A person dressed in a black cloak and mask knelt beside her, shaking. Gradually, her blood spilled onto the tar and soaked her clothes. Her consciousness was slipping away, she could only make out a shadow near her. The shadow whispered in a hoarse voice and she could barely make out the words.

"Vulnera sanentur, Vulnera sanentur."

She knew that voice. It was her last thought before she fell into darkness. She knew that voice and it had saved her.

The Dark Mark must have called them to order as the last of the Death Eaters suddenly disapparate. Remus rushed over to Hermione and saw with surprise, and relief, that her wounds had been closed. He couldn't see who had approached her, but he doubted that many members of the Order knew the counterspells of dark magic. He administered first aid and gradually she regained consciousness. The aurors were counting the dead and wounded while the obliviate were already arriving to forget the muggles who had the misfortune to witness the battle.

Hermione was tired and her muscles were aching. It had been a long time since she had fought Voldemort like this, face to face. One could tell that she missed it. Sure, he wasn't as powerful as he had been in 2002 when she and Remus had left, but still, his magical power and knowledge of dark magic were not to be ignored. Remus made sure they were both fit for disapparate and they landed in the garden at the edge of the protective barriers.

Having such a well-protected house could be a problem in these cases. They had to walk several dozen meters after battles that usually lasted for hours. Then again, today even though Hermione had just taken a powerful dark magic spell that had drained her of blood for many minutes, they were in pretty good shape. Like every time, they had gained a dozen or so extra scars, but there had been no losses on the Order's side, two aurors had died and less than five muggles had died.

They entered the infirmary where James, Lily, Alice and Frank were already present. They turned around suddenly and the two men almost threw themselves at Hermione when they saw her.

"How could you hurt them like that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Lily and Alice! You threw them about ten meters away from you! Lily broke her leg and Alice has a head injury!"

"I saved them from getting a Voldemort cruciatus and you're talking about a broken leg?"

"Did you have to do it so violently? Did you see their condition? We haven't even finished processing their injuries."

"Frank, it's okay…"

Hermione was tired, and she didn't understand why James and Frank were coming to pick on her now, but it was upsetting her. And when Hermione was upset, her Gryffindor-I-don't-care side came out.

"I saved your sons' lives! Do you have any idea what a single cruciatus injury can do to a pregnant woman? You should be grateful to me instead of pissing me off. Yes I pushed them, yes they fell. To have a broken leg instead of being tortured beyond your wildest nightmare and to lose your child? Tell me what you like better?"

The four of them were stunned by his outburst as Remus wondered how they would get through this time.

"How do you know?" asked Frank. "We haven't told anyone, not even my mother!"

Alice nodded while Lily and James still froze at Hermione's words.

"I think you're wrong. I'm not pregnant Helena."

"You're always throwing up. All the food makes you sick, you feel sick. These are the signs that do not deceive. And you, Alice, you keep putting your hand on your stomach and Frank does the same thing."

"I. Am. Not. Pregnant. I can't be."

"We're protecting ourselves" James intervened.

It was not necessary, but he was not thinking very well anymore. Helena said that Lily was pregnant. Pregnant in a time of war when they are both prime targets. A muggleborn and a blood traitor. It couldn't be. They couldn't be that reckless.

"It doesn't matter. If you knew, you should have been more careful."

"I should have been more careful? Are you so reckless as to let your pregnant wife go into battle against Death Eaters whose only goal is to wipe you out last? I saved her from miscarrying. You could have lost your baby and all you can say to me is that I should have been more careful? I've been here for months, years even, to save everyone's ass and I've never gotten an ounce of recognition, but that's okay, I don't do it to be liked. I'm sacrificing my life to help you, to help this fucking country that's going down day by day and I never asked for anything in return. My friends are dead. All of them. So worry about your family before you lecture me."

Hermione turned and ran out of the house. She didn't want to run because of her condition, but she didn't want to stand there and watch them stare at each other in bewilderment. Remus took one last look at the four friends and instructed James and Lily to verify Helena's words, although he had no doubt about the outcome. Keeping up appearances, even if there wasn't much of it left. He left to join Hermione in a hurry, the Time Chosen had to talk.

"Hermione!"

The young woman was walking fast despite her condition, it was a wonder how she was able to stand. He caught up with her at the border between their land and the beach. She was angry, but also incredibly tired.

"How could you be so thoughtless? You're blowing our cover! They already know too much! They know we're lying, and I'm sure Sirius and James didn't really buy our excuses. Do you want us to be found out? Is that really what you want? And what was seriously wrong with you? Your sons? As if that wasn't enough?"

"I DIDN'T DO IT ON PURPOSE! You think I don't realize that? What should I have done, huh? Let Lily and Alice be tortured? Let Neville and Harry die? That's what you would have wanted me to do. He's my best friend! It's killing me and you don't even understand!"

"Because you think this isn't destroying me either? Every day I see my best friends happy, healthy! I can't tell them who I am, I can't show them my gratitude for everything they've given me in life. I can't tell them what happened to the marauders in the future! I'm alone, Hermione. Just as lonely as you are, but you don't realize it. You don't have Harry, Ron or Neville alive, in front of you, happy, who you can't tell anything to. All the people who are here, you haven't seen them die, you haven't seen them torn apart, burned-"

"I saw Sirius die!"

"You weren't that attached to him."

"You can't mean that! Of course I wasn't with him all the time! I barely knew him, he was just out of Azkaban. What could I say to him? He was Harry's godfather."

"It wasn't just that! You bring it all back to Harry. Sirius, his godfather. James and Lily, his parents. But they're not just that. To me, they're not just that. They are whole people, parenthood doesn't define them. I knew them most of their lives without children. When they died, nobody was interested in them anymore. When they were mentioned, they were the parents of the Boy-Who-Lived. My friends no longer existed!"

The two wizards faced each other, both red from their tirade and the December chill brushing their cheeks.

"Every day we take the risk of being discovered. And we won't stay hidden for long by behaving this way. Voldemort will be watching out for you now that you've fought him. Frank, who was already very suspicious of us, is going to be even more so. You need to think about the consequences of your actions! They may remember that you knew the sex of their children months before it was possible!"

"That's just a detail. I knew they were pregnant and-"

"You didn't know. Harry or Neville could have been premature. Lily is two weeks pregnant! Alice is a month and a half. It's these kinds of details that you have to pay attention to. You should never have done that."

"My excuse is plausible! What did you want me to tell them? I pushed you because you're pregnant with my best friends. You, Lily, are carrying Harry. You know the most important person in the world to me. The one who lost his parents when he was a year old, the one who was abused by muggles for years, the one who Voldemort hunted down, tortured, killed. And you, Alice, have Neville, one of my closest friends who lived with his grandmother because his parents went mad from the cruciatus. You know, the spell I took in your place. Neville was also unhappy all his life, his family thought he was a squib! He died too, of course. It was Ron, my third best friend, who put him out of his misery. The Death Eaters had fun with his corpse and hung it up at Hogwarts. Is that what you wanted me to tell them Remus?"

Hermione was shaking and her eyes were flashing. Remus was in the same state. They were facing each other, straightened, anger visible on both their faces. Their magics pulsed in the air. They were so engrossed in their argument that they hadn't heard anyone approaching.

"What?"

The two Time Chosen turned around and saw Fabian Prewett standing in front of them, uncomprehending and with fear on his face. Their faces fell and before they could make a move, the auror turned and ran out of sight of the two wizards. He arrived at his brother's surprised look, out of breath and shaking.

Hermione was definitely in trouble. And this time, she had no idea how she was going to get out of it. At least Remus was in trouble with her.