Hermione stumbled out of the fireplace but caught herself quickly. She looked up to see Sirius with his arms opened as if to catch her. He looked mildly disappointed. She stood up a little straighter and peered over Sirius's shoulder to look at James, who was leaning casually against the sofa with his arms crossed.
"Uh…hey." Hermione said awkwardly. Sirius broke from his disappointment and bounded closer.
"Sebastian!" He cried delightedly before slapping Hermione on the back. Hermione stumbled forward from his enthusiasm.
"Have you guys been waiting long?" She continued. James left his post at the sofa to come over and shake her hand in greeting.
"I just came over here but Sirius has been standing by the fireplace all day." James said laughing.
"I just didn't want to miss him." Sirius pouted. His expression suddenly brightened as he grabbed Sebastian's wrist. "Now that you're here we have to go greet Mummy P!" He dragged her onwards towards another room and Hermione tried in vain to slow him down. "Mummy P! Sebastian is here!" Sirius shouted, turning into a hallway with a series of doors on either side.
"Sirius!" Hermione admonished, "You shouldn't be yelling like that in the house. Honestly." She exclaimed exasperated. Sirius ignored her, dragging her through the threshold of a brightly lit room.
"I've been telling him that for years." A voice called out amused. Hermione looked up to see a beautiful and elegant woman seated at the table before her. She was dressed in an ornate, dark green dress with expensive jewelry around her neck and adorning her fingers. She rose from her seat and walked gracefully over to Hermione. "I am Dorea Potter. You may call me Dorea." She smiled as she held out her hand. Hermione took it, shaking it firmly.
"I'm Sebastian Wright." She spoke mechanically—up close, she could see the Black family resemblance and a picture of a tapestry wall flashed through her mind. Dorea Potter had died in 1977 but Hermione never learned the reason. "It's nice to meet you." She continued.
"Charlus isn't back yet but he should be coming along shortly. Meanwhile, would you care for some tea?" Dorea gestured to the tea set already situated at the table.
"Yes please," Hermione nodded—some tea would be a nice distraction from this fairly awkward circumstance. She heard two groans beside her. Hermione turned in surprise to look at James and Sirius.
"Mum, please. We didn't bring Sebastian here to bore him with crumpets and tea!" James whined.
"Mummy P, we were going to give him the tour and then take him out to the Quidditch field!" Sirius continued. Dorea gave a light chuckle.
"Stop your whinging, the tour can wait and so can Quidditch. You two have never brought anyone else here besides Peter and Remus, you must forgive my curiosity." Hermione's eyebrows shot up. She hadn't really thought much about that—the Marauders were very popular but also very isolated in their tight-knit clique. Sirius and James groaned again before they both sat down at the table. Dorea gestured to the seat across from her and Hermione sat down. Dorea had only been gracious so far but she seemed rather intimidating now. Hermione thought, for once, it was a good thing that she was not Hermione—the woman—invading their space.
"Now Sebastian, dear," Dorea said after she had poured the tea. "I understand you have just transferred for your last year at Hogwarts. How have you been transitioning?" Hermione stirred her tea delicately, barely noticing Sirius beside her with his arms crossed, grumbling.
"It was difficult; I was homeschooled, you see. I think I did well enough on the exams, though." Dorea nodded eyeing Hermione as she took a seat.
"Good. Good. Have you thought much of what you will do when you graduate?" Dorea continued politely.
"Not much, no. My life has gone rather pear shaped at the moment and it's been rather difficult to adjust. I am gracious that Sirius, James, and the others have welcomed me into their group." Hermione admitted. Sirius and James preened from her gratitude. It had been difficult to think of life beyond the war when she was in it the first time and being at the beginning of it now-it seemed wholly unrealistic to focus on anything beside the impending doom. Dorea paused, staring intently at Hermione. She had a devious smile on her face and Hermione struggled to not shift in her seat. Hermione jumped though, when Sirius shot out of his seat to his feet.
"Well, Mummy P, that's a good introduction. I think we can go and tour the house now, yeah?" Sirius smiled brightly, pulling Hermione up out of the chair. James stood as well and Dorea rested her tea cup on its saucer.
"Very well, Sirius. We shall continue at dinner. Let him drop his things off at his room first." They turned to walk out of the room before Dorea called Sebastian's name.
"Sebastian," She called. "You have far more excellent tea etiquette than either of these too ruffians, feel free to have tea with me at any time." Hermione turned to look at Dorea who seemed to have a knowing look on her face. Hermione blanched in surprise. Dorea's knowing look wasn't from knowing Hermione's gender. Dorea…Dorea thought Hermione was gay!
"Th-thank you, Mrs.—uh…Dorea." Hermione sputtered awkwardly before Sirius was bounding down the hall, Hermione in tow.
"Onwards to your room! It's right next to Prongs and mine!" Sirius began pointing out every room they passed. He finally stopped before a door. He turned to face her. "This is yours. Across from you is my room, next to that is James'. Remus' is across from James' and Peter's is next to that. We more or less have the entire east wing to ourselves." Sirius smiled deviously before opening the door to Hermione's room. She took a step in and gaped. It really shouldn't have been a surprise given that there were apparently at least five rooms in the wing alone, but even the Malfoy's house looked small in comparison. In her guest room was a king size bed and walk in closet. The ceilings were high and there was floor length window with large red curtains drawn open so she could peer out into the acreage. She could see Godrick's Hollow in the distance—she hadn't realized the Potter Manor had been so close to the village.
"There are two bathrooms down the hall, one on either side. Towels are in the linen closet there." James spoke pointing out the two doors. "We dress casually for meals-"
"Much to the chagrin of Mummy P" Sirius interjected.
"-so don't feel the need to dress up. My parents are not as wound as other purebloods." James continued. James had picked up her bag and tossed it onto the bed. He looked at it skeptically. "Sebastian…did you bring enough clothing? Do you need to borrow any?" James offered awkwardly. Hermione turned to look at him in surprise.
"No—I brought enough for the week. I think I actually over packed. Why do you ask?" Hermione asked. She had winter clothes, bathing suits, even her female clothes stuffed into her little satchel. When James gestured to the small pack she finally got it. "Oh! The bag is charmed—undetectable extension and a few others." She walked over and reached into the bag, arm disappearing as she reached for a book. "I even brought some books!" She pulled out one of the bigger books in her stash. James and Sirius marveled at the massive thing that had come of her tiny bag.
"That's brilliant! You're brilliant!" James gushed and Hermione was hit with the nostalgia of her friends. James was looking at her appraisingly before he snapped his fingers in decision. "Right. I need your opinion on something. Follow me!" Sirius and Hermione followed after James into his room. His room was similar but much more decorated. There was Quidditch paraphernalia and posters adorning the shelves and walls—along with a few other trinkets she didn't recognize. There was a desk placed against the wall with a single white lily flower. It reflected light in a beautiful way. James picked it up delicately and passed it to Hermione. "I bought it for Lily for Christmas." Hermione peeked up to see James blushing and looking abashedly away. She swallowed her giggle but not her smile as she continued to look at the flower. It was a hair clip. She brought it closer and she smelt the fragrance of the flower. It was a beautiful charmed piece.
"So you want to give it to her but you're not sure if she'll like it?" Hermione asked and James nodded. "James, it really is beautiful—I think she'll love it." James beamed at her.
"I think she'll think it's a prank if it comes from him." Sirius said loftily from the door. James and Hermione winced.
"I think he's right." Hermione agreed. James shoulders fell and he began to pout. "Maybe you could write her a letter?" She suggested.
"She probably wouldn't even open it." James pouted as he turned and dragged himself to his bed, flopping down on his stomach with his face in the sheets. "She haaaates me." Hermione chuckled at his pathetic act. He really was a lovesick fool.
"I'll send her a letter, too. I'm sure she'll at least believe me." Hermione offered. James immediately turned around on his bed. He jumped up and gave Hermione a hug, surprising her with his affection.
"Excellent, you're a true mate, Bass!" He released her and Hermione grimaced at the nick name.
"Bass?" She repeated disgusted.
"Yeah! We all have nicknames: Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail, Prongs—and now Bass!" James enthused. Sirius came over to grimace too.
"Bass is terrible." Sirius opined. He stroked his chin. "What about Sea? Moony isn't an animal name." Hermione grimaced again.
"Are you guys even trying? Why don't we hold off on the nickname for now? James, when are you sending the present?" Hermione asked.
"Boxing day? That should give me plenty of time to write a letter." James looked contemplatively. Sirius slapped him on the back.
"Ought to give Sebastian plenty of time to look over it as well." Sirius laughed. James agreed.
"That'd be good. Or you could just write it! What would you say if you were writing to her?" James looked at Hermione expectantly. She held her hands up in defense.
"I don't feel that particular way about Lily so it'd be rather friendly conversation—not what I imagine you'd want to convey." Hermione twirled the stem of the lily around in her fingers. The scent wafted up to her nose again and she contemplated. "Lily—the name—means purity, beauty, and innocence. Did you know that Victorian era muggles actually came up with a language based on flowers and their meanings?" Hermione looked up. James at least looked interested so she continued. "A white lily in floriography also means purity and modesty, cleanliness of heart and sweetness. I think the name and flower fit her well." James looked pensive as he pulled out a piece of paper and quill from the desk.
"Write it down." He commanded. Hermione rolled her eyes but did so, leaving the paper on the desk next to the flower.
"Alright! Now we can finish the tour of the house!" Sirius said, shepherding them both out into the hallway. Hermione tried not to gape at the luxury and affluence the house alluded. James and Sirius seemed fairly amused at her expressions, especially when she nearly passed out at the sight of the library.
"I think we may have made a mistake, Prongs. I don't think we'll be able to pry Sebastian out of here the rest of the week." Sirius joked and James laughed. Hermione dismissed them with a wave of the hand before skimming over the titles of the books before her. It was with great reluctance that she left for dinner—a request by the Potters that was the only reason she could not ignore.
They arrived back to the room where Hermione had met Dorea. This time she was joined by another man. He was tall with ruffled hair that was lighter than James' and Harry's. He was tall and muscular, but still lean. He was older—as was Dorea—and he held himself with authority.
"You must be Sebastian. Good to meet you, my boy." He introduced, shaking Hermione's hand heartily. Hermione suppressed her cringe at the endearment—it was always frustrating to be reminded of her STILL masculine identity.
"Nice to meet you, sir." Hermione said as they sat around the table. Sirius was sitting across from her and was grinning like an idiot.
"You must call me Charlus, of course." Charlus spoke with a low and appealing timbre. "The boys say you joined them in the dorm, odd that. Not many people transfer their last year. Good on you for finishing, though." Dorea was looking at Charlus, exasperated by his behavior—he was very energetic and enthusiastic.
"Dumbledore was generous to let me continue." Hermione said humbly. Charlus scoffed.
"It's only natural. That's the Dumbledore way; he looks out for people." Charlus reasoned. Hermione held her tongue thinking of the conditions and reasons her stay benefitted the headmaster. "Have you picked up any hobbies yet? Gobstones? Quidditch?" He continued. Hermione shook her head.
"I've been doing a lot of exploration of the library and Hogwarts in general. I'm afraid I'm terrible on a broom." Hermione said, embarrassed. Sirius was looking at her in shock.
"Wha-what?!" His mouth dropped open. "But we were going to play Quidditch!" He whined.
"And I was going to watch you and James play Quidditch. Besides, when Peter and Remus come it wouldn't be equal with me." Hermione said with a placating smiled. "I enjoy watching Quidditch, I just never could do it myself."
"So you just don't fly? We can train you to fly better!" Sirius said determined. "We have a week—we can make you better!"
"It's rather the height than the flying that puts me off." Hermione admitted. Sirius deflated.
"But flying is fun." Sirius mumbled. Food appeared on the table.
"Now enough of that, Sirius. Sebastian, you must tell me about the girl James fancies; these two are being terribly secretive!" Dorea said smiling. James groaned.
"Don't tell her anything, Sebastian." James pleaded. Hermione smiled deviously.
"Why wouldn't you tell your mother, James? Feelings not genuine enough to warrant a conversation with your parents? Or are you embarrassed of Lily?" She teased. James straightened up in his chair, face red.
"Th-that's not it at all! Lily is amazing! There is nothing to be embarrassed about because she is the epitome of everything good in the world!" James began to rant. He spent the entire dinner talking about Lily—much to the amusement of the Potters. Sirius looked like he had heard the conversation a thousand times and he probably had. Hermione smiled as she ate her shepherd's pie. The Potters were no Weasley family—but they did abate some of her loneliness.
Christmas Eve came quickly. Hermione had spent most of time observing James and Sirius playing Quidditch or listening to their stories from earlier in their Hogwarts career. A few times she knew they nearly slipped up about the map, the cloak, Remus, or that they were secretly animagi. Hermione would always ignore the near slipups and they were none the wiser. Hermione had expected a pressure to fit in with them at their home but they seemed fine with her reading or even having tea with Dorea—though they didn't understand why she bothered. They did convince her, however, to play hide and seek.
During the game, Hermione stumbled upon a room with a beautiful grand piano and eventually gave up on hiding to play the fine instrument. Sirius and James found her and she promptly started playing Christmas tunes. She laughed as Sirius and James began belting out carols, prompting Charlus to join in as well. Dorea, ever elegant, sat and listened. Her features lit up at the scene. Once again, Hermione found this world a little less lonely still.
Christmas morning was still a tad depressing, however. Hermione woke before the sun and stared at the ceiling. The curtains were closed but a ray of the sun snuck through. Hermione did not feel pain with the transformation but she still felt compelled to start crying. Then her crying became sobs and soon she was heaving and weeping. She had quieted down by the time James knocked on her door. It was warded like her curtains at school so it didn't budge when they tried to open it. She yelled she'd meet them down stairs before trudging out of her bed and finding the clothes she wore when she arrived in the time period—her George Weasley jumper and sweat pants. After all, Christmas didn't feel like Christmas without a Weasley jumper.
By the roaring fireplace and the massive resplendent evergreen, they opened presents. James and Sirius had plenty from Charlus and Dorea. Hermione was shocked when she discovered a rather large amount of presents from them as well.
"This is too generous, you've already let me intrude upon your hospitality" Hermione begged, pushing the presents back towards the Potters.
"Nonsense! It was no problem at all!" Dorea waved Hermione off. Hermione reluctantly opened the presents to find a series of useful and wonderful books. She felt slightly less guilty because they were at least educational. After presents, she munched on sugar quills and some other candy the boys had given her. Sirius and James were polishing their brooms with the nice set she had bought for them—neither seemed to mind the presents were the same. The room felt silent compared to the hums and dins and Celestina Warbeck that would be at the Weasley house.
That night, Hermione thought to dream of something nice—something hopeful. She thought of Harry growing up with his parents and grandparents, Sirius and Remus. She dreamed to hope that Peter was there too as proud an uncle as the rest of them. She dreamt of Snape and Dumbledore alive at Hogwarts and Remus, Tonks, and Teddy. She did not dream of herself because she found she couldn't see where she belonged.
Remus was anxious. Being home always filled him with a certain amount of dread. His parents loved him—he knew that—but they could not hide their uncomfortable tendencies around him; ever since he had come home for his first winter break, his parents had become easier to read. They had a reprieve from his existence while he was at school. They could talk to other parents as if he was a normal wizard and they could live like any other family that had sent their child to school. Whenever he came back, each visible scar was a constant reminder that he had an affliction and would never be a normal wizard home from school. He disrupted their lives and he hated that.
A week into his winter break and he already felt he had been at home too long. He was thankful that the last full moon was while he was at Hogwarts; the small cottage in the woods where they lived offered no protection like the setup at Hogwarts. He would be happy to give his parents more time as a normal couple—without him.
He also missed the relative calm his friends provided. He was anxious to get to the Potters and their acres of property that separated them from any neighbor. He had spent full moon nights there before; it was one place besides Hogwarts that felt safe for a monster like him. Mr. and Mrs. Potter didn't know about his affliction but they never questioned the boys need to venture into the surrounding woods; James had a lot of freedom.
Remus finished packing his bags and grabbed the books on his nightstand; it was a Christmas gift from Sebastian. The Defense Against the Dark Arts book was one of his favorite gifts. It was a subject he was particularly interested in due to no small part his lycanthropy. Additionally, it was this subject that he longed to teach—though he had admitted nothing to his friends. He knew that teaching children would never be acceptable for someone like him.
Still, it was an extremely thoughtful and interesting book that only served to make him feel bad about the meager gift of sugar quills. It was both the fact that he had limited money as well as limited ideas for the still strange boy.
Sebastian would be at the Potter's, Remus remembered. He had nearly forgotten about the intrusion—it was so rare for any one of them to invite someone into the fold of the Marauders. Yet Sirius was smitten and James wanted Lily and even Peter was beginning to perk up at Sebastian's positive attentions. But Remus was still struggling. He was still pondering about the smells and the girl and the hospital wing. He wanted to know why Sebastian seemed so suddenly confident in all his classes the week after he disappeared. Remus wanted to know why his gestures and movements seemed ill fit for the new guy's body and Remus wanted to know why he had such deep, gruesome scar.
Dear Lily,
I know you must have a certain reluctance to accept James' gift, but I assure you I've checked the present and it is not a prank; it will not explode, sing, dance, or turn you into a newt. I think you'll find it rather nice, in fact.
Happy Christmas!
Sebastian Wright
"Did you write it?" James pestered, pacing anxiously beside her at the desk.
"James!" Hermione exclaimed exasperated. "I'm obviously in the process." She gestured to the letter before her. James flinched and stopped pacing. He pouted.
"I'm just anxious to send it." He admitted. Hermione gave him a look.
"Well, I'm done now." James gave her a suddenly weak and nervous smile before taking the folded scroll from her hands. He did not read it but merely gave it to the owl near the open window. The owl took Hermione's note and James' present. It took off into the morning light.
"Wait!" James exclaimed as he reached back out through the window; the owl did not turn back. "No!" He exclaimed, crumpling to the ground. "She's going to hate it! I shouldn't have gotten it! I should never have sent it!" Hermione gave a small chuckle.
"Honestly, James. That's probably one of the nicest gifts you could've given her. She will love it, you should have gotten it, and it's a good thing you sent it." He looked at her pathetically.
"But-" He began.
"James" Hermione interrupted. "Let it go. Remus and Peter should be here soon enough and they would probably agree that it was a wonderful gift." James rose unsure and followed Hermione reluctantly out the door, looking over his shoulder at the window.
As they entered the same room where Hermione arrived, she could see Sirius poised to greet his friends by the fireplace. Peter came through first and Sirius greeted him—slapping him heartily on the back with enough enthusiasm to make Peter stumble forward. James and Hermione went over to greet him.
Remus appeared shortly after and the five of them moved to James' room. Hermione and Peter chatted pleasantly about the book she gave him and his herbology studies. She encouraged him to work hard in the class and mentioned the multiple careers based on herbology. Eventually she felt eyes on her and looked to see Remus staring at her. She smiled hesitantly and then turned away awkwardly.
They spent the rest of the day playing Quidditch while Hermione read below them on the grass. She scowled as James and Sirius weaved around her, purposefully tossing the ball dangerously close to her.
She sent a stinging hex at Sirius who yelped and dropped the ball. The group laughed as he rubbed his lower back, pouting. It was a good day.
Remus woke with a distinct urge in his bladder. He groaned and adjusted his sleeping position to ease the pressure. He tried to fall back asleep but the urge was insistent and he angrily threw back his covers, sleep lingering in his mind. He shuffled, dazed, towards the door and stepped into the hallway. There was the barest of light emerging from the windows—a sign of the sunrise to come. Yet there was a single bright light amidst the dark that headed towards the bathroom, casting shadows against everything in the hall.
Remus sighed and turned to head towards the other bathroom when it caught him—the scent! His eyes widened. It was impossible. There could be no way that Sebastian could sneak her in here. Remus whipped around and moved quickly and quietly towards the source. Focusing now, he could see the shorter, feminine shape and the outline of the voluminous hair he had spotted on the hospital bed.
His heart beat fast with adrenaline and anticipation. She was about to enter the bathroom when he called out to her. "Wait!" She turned around in shock before hurriedly opening the door and rushing inside. Remus only had time to catch a glimpse of her face and the exaggerated shadows the lumos spell cast on her. He could not help but feel, again, that her features were vaguely familiar. The bath turned on and Remus blushed; there went his idea to burst into the bathroom. Instead, he turned and sat against the wall, facing the bathroom, and stared resolutely at the door. This time, he would most certainly not let her disappear from his watch—bladder be damned.
Hermione woke before the sun again. She sighed. There was an insistent pressure demanding relief. Normally, she wouldn't risk it given the circumstances—but her bladder was going to burst! Besides, she could tell from the emerging rays across the landscape that soon the sun would rise and she would be "normal".
She pulled back the covers and whimpered against the chill of the air. She longed to go back into her warm den of comforters but instead she grabbed her wand and walked over to the door. The hallway was dark and she whispered a quiet lumos before heading to the closest bathroom down the hall.
The hallway was quiet as she passed the other rooms, their inhabitants still slumbering. She tripped a few times on her clothes and her feet—she felt like a stranger in her own skin. Her hand was on the bathroom door when she heard the desperate "wait" behind her. Apparently not everyone was asleep. She turned in shock and saw Remus heading for her. Damn. She thought as she quickly opened and locked the door behind her. Thinking quickly she turned on the bath. She sensed Remus just outside the door and her breath quickened.
She calmed slightly when he did not knock, although she was sure he was waiting for her just outside. She relieved herself before thinking clearly. She took off her clothes and filled the bath. She could just take a bath and stay there until the sun rose and she was masculine again, she reasoned. But that did not quell the foreboding thought that Remus was figuring out more than she was willing to tell. She still didn't have the cure and it would cause more trouble than it was worth to explain and deal with consequences of her condition. Besides, her male persona was a layer of protection in the world and Voldemort was rising.
She turned off the tap and submerged into the warm waters. She needed to shake Remus—but how?
Remus fought down the blush at the idea of Sebastian's woman in the bath. His bladder was nearly throbbing in resentment and Remus found it was appeased when he was distracted by the woman who had tiptoed into the bathroom before him. It seemed ridiculous to fantasize about her in such a way; he hadn't even gotten any good looks at her—just the one time before in the dim lights of the hospital.
Yet he imagined the slopes, curves, and angles. He painted her eyes, hair, and skin—all too dim in the light to be completely seen. Remus closed his eyes. He could still smell her. He blanched as he remembered her connection to Sebastian—probably his girlfriend. Remus wondered why he never saw her around Hogwarts. Maybe she could have been at Hogsmeade, he reasoned. But coming all the way to the Potters' house would require a much more detailed plan. Maybe the Potters' invited her? Maybe James and Sirius were keeping Sebastian's secret? Remus rubbed the bridge of his nose between his eyes.
The sun had begun to rise and the rays filtered in through the windows down the hall. Remus grumbled as he continued to wait. This girl was taking a luxurious bath, for sure—though he doubted in actuality any more than 30 minutes had passed. He heard the water begin to drain, causing him to pop up and stare uneasy but determined at the door. He shifted on each foot as his bladder still throbbed angry.
Another few minutes past before the door creaked open. Remus felt his lips uplift. Finally. His heart was beating fast again in anticipation. He was poised across the door, sealing off escapes and preparing to confront her. The door widened a fraction more before it pulled open, steam billowing from the hot box inside.
Remus took a step closer and nearly fell in shock when the door revealed the bather. Sebastian was staring surprised at Remus, a towel loosely draped around his hips. Remus could see the prominent scar across his chest, dimly noting that Sebastian had not reacted like the first time Remus caught him in the shower.
Recovering from his shock, Remus pushed into the bathroom and closed the door. Remus ignored Sebastian's call that if he had to go so bad, there was another bathroom down the hall. Instead, Remus moved towards the shower, yanking back the curtains that revealed no one. Feeling foolish without his wand, Remus felt around rapidly to make sure there were no disillusionment charms, invisibility cloaks, or anything else. There were no animagi or potential animagi. There was no one in the linen closet—Remus felt particularly foolish when he ripped the towels down to search behind them. There was no one below the vanity and sink. There was no one except Remus.
Remus flopped dejectedly on the closed toilet. Remembering the source of his problems and confusions, Remus stood up and flipped the lid of the toilet up. He finally was able to relieve himself but felt none-the-better given the most recent failure to ascertain the girl's identity. Remus finished up and washed his hands before nearly sprinting back to his room and fishing for his wand. He cast Homenum Revelio as he went back to the bathroom where he cast it in there as well. Nothing.
Determined, Remus marched back to Sebastian's room, casting as he went. He did not knock but he instead pushed the door open. Sebastian gave a cry of surprise. He had changed into pants and a long sleeve but Remus ignored him as he cast the spell again. A flicker of a marker indicated where Sebastian was but it continued to show no one else in the room. Remus felt his frustration rise.
"Remus! You can't just go around barging into peoples ro-" Remus cut off Sebastian's rant by grabbing his arm and pointing his wand at him.
"Where is she?" Remus asked with narrowed eyes. Something crossed across Sebastian's face before a new emotion of rage appeared.
"What are you on about?!" Sebastian exclaimed. He knocked the wand out of his face before shoving Remus away from him. Remus stumbled but kept his wand pointed at Sebastian.
"The girl who was in the bathroom! The one who was at the hospital wing! The one who keeps visiting you at night!" Remus exclaimed, frustrated.
"Are you daft? There's no girl here! I didn't see a girl at the hospital and it was just me in the bathroom!" Sebastian roared. "You saw me going into the bathroom. I thought you were trying to get in before me!" Remus ground his teeth together. He had to be lying.
"I know I saw her. I can sm—"Remus stopped mid-word. It was unordinary to say he could smell her—and fairly creepy as well. "I can see the signs" Remus corrected, a little quieter than his initial rant. Sebastian still looked angry and slightly confused.
"You're barmy" Sebastian said bluntly, backing up and heading back to his bed. "It's obviously too early and your mind's still asleep. Go back to bed." Sebastian went back into his covers and turned away from him. Remus stood there awkwardly for a bit before finally turning to head back to his own room. He shut the door quietly and turned around. He jumped in surprise and fell back against the door with a thump; Sirius was looking at him from across the hall.
"He's right, you know." Sirius said pleasantly enough, though Remus could sense his rage. "You are barmy—an absolute nutter." Remus took his weight of the door and peered around the hallway. No one else seemed to be awake. He crossed the hall and pushed Sirius into his own room. He shut the door and cast a silencing spell.
"He's suspicious." Remus justified. Sirius gave a groan before flopping to sit on his bed.
"This again, Moony? I thought we were past this! Maybe he has a good reason to be mad."
"Padfoot! That's just it. I saw her. She was in the hospital bed next to mine after the full moon and she was here going to the bathroom." Sirius looked at Remus disbelieving.
"Well, what did you say to her at the hospital wing?" Sirius asked.
"She wasn't there when I woke up again." Remus admitted. Sirius still looked disbelieving.
"Then, if she was here, why didn't you ask her who she was today?" Remus looked down at his feet.
"I couldn't find her." Remus mumbled. Sirius was taken aback.
"There is no secret passage out of the bathroom. Who was in there?" Sirius asked. Remus pulled on his hair and made a noise of frustration.
"It was Sebastian—only Sebastian. I ran back and got my wand and started casting to detect people but there was no one!" Remus must have looked dreadful because Sirius sighed and relaxed some of his tension.
"Remus, you haven't got a proper look at the bird either time you've claimed to have seen her. It's not like she could apparate in Hogwarts or here without being added to the wards. You're going a bit barmy, mate." Sirius said as he clapped a hand on Remus' shoulder. "Meanwhile, you're being a right tosser to Sebastian and it's got to stop." Remus shrugged off Sirius's hand, still frustrated.
"I know that she's real. I don't know how or why—but she was definitely here." Remus scowled at Sirius before turning to leave.
"Even if this girl is both real and somehow connected to Sebastian, don't you think they might have a reason to keep it a secret—like you and your furry problem?" Sirius' voice caught Remus before he left. Remus paused. There was no way Sebastian suffered the same fate as Remus—there were no signs for that. There was just something about Sebastian that did not belong and forced Remus to be wary—though he could not determine why.
"You, Prongs, and Wormtail found out about my problem against my intentions—and it took a lot longer after that for me to be convinced that we could still be friends. If Sebastian really has a secret, don't you think he might need it to be uncovered as well?" Remus aimed a leveling stare at Sirius who was paused in thought, doubt flickering across his face. Remus turned around again. "I'm going to go eat breakfast." The hallway was still empty when Remus checked for her again.
It was decided; Hermione would use a chamber pot before she attempted to go out as her other form. Remus had been fairly, rather, annoyingly insistent about her existence. He was right, of course, but he being right was utterly inconvenient. Hermione scowled, still tucked into bed.
She almost felt bad about trying to convince him he was insane. But he had been extremely rude with her and she doubted he would be stopping soon. She heard the knock on the door while was still playing how to deal with Remus.
"Sebastian, you missed breakfast! Come down and eat something!" Sirius's voice called. Hermione groaned but got out of bed. Already dressed, she headed downstairs to the dining room. Dorea was sitting at the table drinking her after meal tea. She looked up from The Daily Prophet and smiled warmly at Sebastian.
"Good morning, Sebastian. It's unusual for you to sleep so late; are you well?" She smiled politely and Hermione looked around. It was just the two of them.
"I'm fine. I just fancied a lay in today. Was that alright?" Hermione asked sitting across from Dorea. Food appeared on the table and Hermione placed some on her plate.
"Of course." Dorea smiled genially. "The boys already finished. I think they were changing to go out and play some Quidditch."
"Right you are, Mum." James said as he entered the dining room. He was wearing a Quidditch jersey and holding his broom. Dorea frowned when he picked up a grape and plucked it in his mouth.
"James. Get your hand out of the fruit bowl." Dorea chided as James smiled guiltily.
"Sebastian, whenever you're done you can join us on the pitch. I know you don't much enjoy playing, but you seemed alright yesterday." He smiled as he remembered Sirius's being hexed. Hermione nodded in response and James continued. "Mum, have you seen dad? We were going to ask him to ref."
"Your father popped out for a bit. He'll be back later. You'll have to make do without him." James frowned but nodded and headed out.
"See you in a bit, Sebastian" he called out over his shoulder. As he left, a noise like an alarm went off in their room. Dorea frowned before standing and tossing her napkin on the table.
"I'm sorry, Sebastian. That'll be the floo. I need to take it. If you'll excuse me." Hermione sighed as she was left alone. She ate a spoonful of porridge before she spotted the forgotten paper. She reached across the table and picked it up.
DARK MAGIC LINKED TO THREE DEATHS
Hermione placed the spoon down beside her bowl and closed her eyes. She inhaled and exhaled a few times before opening the paper and reading its contents. Unlike the final years of the war in her time, these deaths were written openly. Yet Lord Voldemort was not yet the name that inspired the fear that lead to whispers. Hermione opened her eyes. She stood and left the table.
She walked through the halls of the opulent manor. Would it be destroyed? Did Charlus and Dorea Potter fall to the rising Dark Lord? A renewed sense of purpose resonated within Hermione. History was more or less happening right before her very eyes and she was standing idly by.
Hermione summoned her cloak and boots from her bedroom. Dressing for the cold weather outside, she walked left the house, following the path that lead to the Quidditch pitch. She had explored this area before as part of her first tour. She could see the Quidditch pitch down the path a ways but stopped where the path met the tree lines. She looked around. The sky was grey and she yearned for the snow to come and cover the land with pristine powder. She stepped off the path into the cover of the woods, where the wind wasn't as fierce.
She kept walking until a spell and her own innate feel for magic sensed the barrier that protected Potter Manor. There was no glimmer to indicate the barrier existed but Hermione could feel the pulse of the powerful magic near her. She followed the barrier until she reached the runic point that provided some of the power—there were several that made up the barrier and she only needed one for what she planned to do.
Kneeling on the cold ground, Hermione peered into the wards and determined the strength and abilities it provided. Her work with Professor Flitwick and a little with Bill Weasley had provided her a deeper understanding of wards and the highest level of protection they could offer at the time, short of casting a Fidelius Charm. By modern standards, Potter Manor's wards were obsolete. By the time period's standards, Potter Manor probably had the most complex and powerful wards available to them. Yet the modern standards grew because the old standards fell. The old standards fell because they fell to Voldemort. Adapt and adapt again—both sides adapted to overcome each other. If she improved the standard drastically now-for the Potters-would that mean they would be behind the game? Later, Voldemort could adapt now and the future families these wards would protect could perish instead. She felt a breeze leak through the trees, chilling her as she kneeled and cast a warming charm.
If the future was a zero-sum game, as it was often preached, then one family's life took the life of another. But Hermione had already agreed with Dumbledore's biased research—that perhaps by striking the source there would be no second war and ramifications would be nullified or divided amongst the centuries to an inconsequential amount at the time.
Hermione closed her eyes and thought. She had spent her life doing her best and trying to be her best—it was what drove her. Despite her hesitations and fears, it was this part of her that made her a Gryffindor. With that thought, she opened her eyes and began casting. It was new wards that protected the uncaught death eater targets. Hermione had cast them feverishly at the end of the war with the other Order members. Like many spells, she remembered exactly and precisely how to do it. She sat back satisfied when she could feel the correct addition pulsate from the rune stone before her. Small steps. All she could take were small steps—but it was still progress.
A/N: Thanks for all the amazing support and reviews! Sorry for the delay! Coming up next (either the next chapter or after that), the potion no longer seems to be stable and Hermione keeps jumping genders at random! Hooray, inconvenient magic!