My deepest thanks to Ghostwriter1864, GelelTapir, CottonKey, and bloodoftheenemy. You are utterly delusional to think I would update more than a year after it seemed to be over. Yet, it seems you are also successful.
Hermione began walking to meet the boys on the pitch when she realized she had forgotten to grab any sort of book from the library before departing. She glanced briefly towards the field where they would be playing before deciding they would most likely be there all day and she would desperately require some amount of literature to help her pass the time. She turned to head back towards the house.
She took off her shoes when she entered the mudroom and proceeded quietly into the foyer that led to her bedroom's hall.
"Lord Voldemort." Hermione heard Charlus speak the name and stilled, pausing before the entrance of the foyer. She cast a quick disillusionment and silencing charm to blend seamlessly into the wallpaper around her.
"That's what he calls himself." Charlus said.
"Surely that can't be his moniker?" Dorea asked disbelieving.
"He could call himself King Dodgy Twat and people would still fear him—fear what he's doing." Charlus said angrily. "His influence is growing and even Dumbledore thinks it will come to confrontation."
"But James—"Dorea began.
"James will no doubt join Dumbledore and his merry band of birds." Charlus's voice said decisively. Hermione held her breath in the silence.
"Gryffindor like his father." Dorea said ruefully.
"I will protect my family—protect you and James. But I don't owe him anything." Charlus said passionately. Hermione heard Dorea make a small cooing noise.
"Let me think on all this, dear. You may be our protector, but you know I am far cleverer than you." Dorea spoke softly. Charlus huffed but relented.
"Time is of the essence." He rumbled.
"Indeed so, dear husband. So go-enjoy time with your son and friends." Dorea commanded. Hermione held flush against the wall in response—though Charlus passed her with nary a look in her direction. It was more than Hermione could say for Dorea.
"Homenum Revelio." Dorea said evenly. Hermione closed her eyes knowing the inevitable. She heard Dorea sigh. "Come out, little bird." Dorea said mildly amused as Hermione slunk around the corner of the door frame. "Ah, now here is a boy who fits in with my mischievous marauders." Dorea spotted as Hermione's disillusionment dissipated.
"My apologies. I—" Hermione thought of what she could say, but there was nothing. "I'm sorry." She finished lamely. Dorea still looked amused but also exasperated.
"No excuses." Dorea commented mildly before glancing at Hermione in appraisal. "You know far more than you've let on." She said in playful accusation. Hermione tucked an errant hair behind her ear, though it bounced immediately back to its' place—idly she wondered if she cut it in this form, if it would be short when she reverted.
"I dare say I do." Hermione said meekly and Dorea laughed patting the seat beside her.
"You've changed the wards." Dorea mentioned lightly and Hermione glanced at her in shock. "They are the Potter and Black family wards; the Black family wards alerted me to the shift." Hermione had not expected that—none of the Black's she had known had ever mentioned that. "I can't seem to be angry though when they seem remarkably stronger—beyond what I had known to be capable, even." Dorea looked at Hermione wearily who remained stiffly seated beside her. "It will be worse, wont it? Worse for all of us." Dorea asked.
"It appears to be unavoidable." Hermione opined. Hermione looked down at her hand as Dorea grabbed it tightly.
"I won't ask you how you knew such tremendous wards but I can thank you." Dorea said sincerely. Hermione awkwardly squeezed her hand back.
"I will do what I can to protect them." Hermione said and Dorea smiled sadly.
"Charlus thinks we can stay here, protected behind these ancient walls, but I know it will reach us wherever we go." Dorea looked at her grimly. "I know these people—I know what my family will do." Hermione squeezed again and Dorea patted Hermione's hand affectionately. "Go, little bird. Enjoy what you can while you can." Dorea finished and Hermione stood looking at Dorea one last time. She looked melancholy in a way that showed her age—in a way that Hermione also felt.
"King Dodgy Twat can be defeated." Hermione said resolutely and smiled when Dorea laughed.
"Go you cheeky scamp." Dorea said amused. She shooed Hermione off with a waved hand and Hermione headed off to the library to peruse the shelves once more.
Remus always felt guilty after an altercation with Sebastian. That Sebastian seemed to act differently after every altercation was the most prominent reason Remus felt the guilt. In his defense, he reasoned to himself, Sebastian didn't really have "normal" or "average" behavior other than weird so who was to say it was Remus's fault he hadn't been at breakfast? Or that it was nearly noon and he hadn't come down to the pitch?
"I was under the impression there was one more Marauder who would be keeping my company on the ground." Charlus commented as he strolled up to where the Marauders were flying.
"Technically, he is not a Marauder." Remus said in ill-humor.
"Not yet in any case." Sirius added with a stern look at Remus. Remus did not cow at his glare.
"We're still working on his nickname, first." James added jovially.
"He'll never get in if Sirius and James are doing the thinking." Peter snickered as he drifted lazily below.
"Oy!" James and Sirius exclaimed, causing Peter to laugh again. Remus smiled slightly.
"Peter is not wrong." Sebastian exclaimed as he walked below them. Remus felt his smile tighten. "The names they've come up with are a bit pathetic." Sebastian elaborated.
"We can come up with something!" Sirius defended. "Waves! Scales! Tails—"
"Taken!" Peter chimed.
"Gills! Foam! Sand!" Sirius continued to rattle off various relevant nicknames until James threw the quaffle at him.
"I fear you might be correct." Charlus said seriously as he looked at Sebastian. "You should not trust those two with your name at all." Sebastian laughed. "Any suggestions from you, Remus?" Charlus said looking up at where he flew. Liar. Remus thought but refrained from saying.
"No better than those two, I'm afraid." Remus said calmly. Charlus looked at Sebastian again.
"Alas, a project to think on later." Charlus said. Sebastian nodded and laid out a blanket, setting his book down along with a picnic basket he had not noticed.
"Dorea sent lunch and told me to tell you that 'you absolutely must pause to eat and not just play Quidditch until supper-lest you end up eating at the table like savages.'" Sebastian relayed. Peter gave a 'whoop' of joy before eagerly racing down to eat. James and Sirius moved quickly after but Remus followed only reluctantly.
As they ate their picnic lunch they fell into normalcy. James and Sirius joked and everyone smiled and laughed. Yet Remus could see the lines on Charlus's face through his smiles, belying his tension. Sebastian, as usual, maintained a similar tension that Remus had not recognized until now; it struck him that there was something that Sebastian and Charlus both worried about that was most likely inter- related. He would have to ask James and Sirius later, though he imagined they would've said something if they'd noticed.
He felt Sebastian staring at him and unintentionally met his eye. Remus froze not knowing whether to smile or turn away and instead gazed deeply into a muted expression that still seemed to attempt to convey something. Sebastian turned his eyes back down to his food and Remus could move again. He could not translate the expression Sebastian had shown him. Instead he felt, per usual, as if there was something very off with Sebastian—something Remus should know.
Hermione sat on the blanket after lunch, a book open on her lap, occasionally watching the quartet before her. They were riotous, loud and mirthful. It sometimes pained her to see James so utterly carefree—mimicry of the life Harry was denied. Yet it pained her more to think of the kind Marauders she had met who would perish in the wake of the war—a path she was determined to undo. Even Peter, quietest amongst the group, was somewhat endearing when combined with the other Marauders. She had anticipated despising him, but she had not seen him being anything less than the gentle, quiet gardener who reminded her much of Neville. They all had seemingly grown from the bullies Harry had described in their youth.
Charlus had left some time ago and the sun was setting as they finally packed their things and departed. Sirius offered to give her a ride on his broom but she vehemently declined. She was touched however, when they dismounted their brooms and offered to walk back with her, Sirius throwing his arm casually over her shoulders. She felt warmed by their consideration and mourned her own return to Hogwarts tomorrow.
They had offered her to stay longer but she had looked down at her body and remembered her close call with Remus. She felt it prudent to decline. Besides, she was sure the full moon was approaching and knew they would be off in the woods without her. She wished desperately that she could give Remus the Wolfsbane potion. She had struggled watching him suffer his affliction. She agonized as she thought how long he had gone in her timeline waiting until Wolfsbane was discovered—until Snape had brewed it for him in her third year. She yearned to tell him not only that it would exist but that she had learned it in his memory. After his death. She thought mournfully.
Now she was supposedly changing the future and she could very well make him the brew now, years before its creation. Yet he was utterly suspicious of her, distrust overflowing from him every time he looked her way. How could she even convince him to drink it? Let alone convince him not to ask questions after? She felt so very much like Dorea, eager to keep her loved ones—or the closest people to her loved ones—from harm, dangers, and the sobering reality of war. Like death.
She thought again as she peered at the wondrous form of Potter Manor. It alluded to the opulence of the Malfoy Manor, but what it lacked in pretension it made up for in warmth and welcome. She had very much enjoyed her stay and hoped she would be able to return. She thought it again when she stood in their floo receiving room where she had initially arrived.
"You are always welcome to return, little bird." Dorea said fondly, smoothing Hermione's hair down ineffectually. Hermione relished the feeling of motherly affection.
"How come Mummy P gave Sebastian a nickname?" Sirius said petulantly. Dorea turned to look at Sirius critically.
"All of your names sounded atrocious." Dorea said flatly. Hermione smiled lightly.
"I do hope to come again, if I may." Hermione admitted and Dorea smiled.
"You may and I demand it!" Sirius said as he wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders. He escorted her to the floo and she held her bag with her. "We'll be back before you know it, Peacock." He said playfully.
"Peacock?" Dorea asked.
"Yea, well, Sebastian is more of a grounded bird, so peacocks are flightless—" Sirius elaborated.
"Peacocks can fly, actually." Hermione corrected, amused. Sirius gave her a blank look.
"Dodo bird, emu, ostrich—"Sirius attempted until Hermione laughed and swatted his arm off her shoulder.
"Remember my advice, Sebastian. Avoid their names." Charlus said as he patted Hermione on the shoulder.
"And if Lily sends you anything, keep me informed. Right, mate?" James said, shaking Sebastian's hand goodbye. Hermione nodded.
"I'll see you guys soon." Hermione said as she grabbed her floo powder. She stepped into the floo. Peter waved goodbye and Remus stared at her blankly. She waved with her free hand before annunciating her destination. "Dumbledore's office." The world turned green and sooty as she returned to Hogwarts.
"Welcome back, Mr. Wright." Dumbledore greeted a she shook of the soot and stepped out of the fireplace. "How was your holiday?" He inquired. Hermione looked up at his face. The same tired expression rested on his face that she had seen on Dorea—that she had seen on herself.
"The Potters and company were most welcoming." Hermione said. "Very warm and welcoming." She admitted. Dumbledore brightened slightly, though she saw the haggard worry resting below the surface. Hermione approached his desk where she noticed a crinkled Daily Prophet. "And how was your break?" Hermione asked, running her hand across the newspaper lightly.
"Distressing, I'm afraid." Dumbledore admitted. Hermione looked up surprised at his frankness. "I was there to investigate his…work." Dumbledore evaluated her above his steepled hands. "Perhaps we should indeed have that conversation you wanted." He finally said. Hermione dropped her bag beside her as she took a seat. Around them the portraits feigned sleep. She nearly snorted at their thinly veiled attempts.
"I do not mean to overwhelm you so soon." Dumbledore began.
"There is no time like the present." Hermione said with a laugh at the irony.
Before her Dumbledore seemed to be contemplate his words. "This is not the first time I have faced such a growing, terrible evil." Hermione knew that well enough. "I was reluctant to confront the force the first time and I am still loath to confront it now." He paused again, looking morose. "I cannot help but feel that the dark wizards seem to spawn around me." He admitted. Hermione felt flabbergasted at his honesty. She had felt initially that he had been the same manipulative man she had known in the future—vague and obscure. His admissions, though, had reminded her that Dumbledore as he was now, had not seen the destruction of Voldemort's body—had not seen the death of so many of the original order and their family.
"Perhaps it is rather that darkness seeks to extinguish the brightest of lights." Hermione comforted. Dumbledore's smile held a tinge of ruefulness.
"What must I know Sebastian? What must I do?" Dumbledore asked and Hermione felt humbled.
"I can't know that, Professor." Hermione said quietly. "I only know outcomes and my own experiences—which were very dependent on the experiences that came before." Hermione paused. There was only one thing she knew had to be done—though she hardly knew how it would be accomplished. "Accio Secrets of the Darkest Art." Hermione said. She was rewarded when the dark tome sailed into her outstretched hand. She started flipping through the pages but he knew before she reached the pages.
"His claims of immortality…" Dumbledore began, strained.
"Are true." Hermione said solemnly. "Somewhat." She amended. She placed the Horcrux page before him and Dumbledore sat back in his chair distraught.
"I hadn't thought...I couldn't have imagined." He stated-his countenance somber. "To split his soul…"
"Several times." Hermione revealed. The portraits that had been pretending to sleep around them gasped in surprise and began whispering amongst them. Hermione glanced at them reproachfully. Dumbledore looked ill and Hermione shifted anxiously.
"To do so…you must become a—a monster." He identified. Hermione smiled thinly.
"He was horrifying—glowing red eyes and a serpentine face." Hermione grimaced. "A thing of nightmares." Dumbledore still looked shell shocked. "But they were all destroyed when he was finally defeated and must be done so again for the same result." She explained. He seemed contemplative before her.
"Have you any idea where they are?" He asked and she winced.
"I know where they will be but I cannot say if they are there now. Two have yet to exist, but five have already been created. I currently know the location of only one." She said.
"Where is it?" He inquired and she winced again.
"Well… it is with me." Hermione said and pulled the puzzle box from within her extended bag. Dumbledore opened the box carefully and the diadem glistened in the light. The portraits whispered Rowena's name and gasped at the glory of the legendary item. Dumbledore's hand lingered above the fabled accessory and Hermione stood tensely, waiting to intervene if he acted suspiciously. But instead he closed the box just as carefully as he had opened it and took a deep breath.
"I had hoped, until now, that we had both misunderstood. I see now that I cannot refute your claims. This means despite making five Horcruxes, he still has the capacity for seven." He reasoned.
"He knows when you destroy them. We will need to get them all and destroy them at the same time if we are to benefit from surprise." Hermione said.
"How are they destroyed?" He asked. Hermione exhaled.
"About that, Sir…I haven't mentioned, but the castle seems to have a bit of a pest problem." Hermione began and all the portraits quit their soft bickering behind her to listen.
"Remus, I couldn't help but notice your coldness toward my little bird." Dorea said as she came across him in the library. Remus was resentful to say the mood had become melancholy after Sebastian's departure. But now that he was gone, Remus had wandered into HIS usual haunt-the library. Remus was also resentful towards Sebastian's quick ingratiation to everyone he met.
"There was no coldness, Mrs. Potter." Remus negated and Dorea sighed, gliding closer to him until she perched gracefully on the arm of his sofa.
"Remus, please—you know I've asked you to call me Dorea." She reprimanded. "You have been here far too often to call me anything quite so formal." Remus ducked his head. "You've also been here far too often to think I wouldn't notice anything amiss." She continued to stare at Remus who could not resist her gaze.
"Something is off about him." Remus complained. "He just does strange things all the time!"
"You aren't jealous, are you?" Dorea inquired, surprised by his frank dislike. "You've never seemed to dislike anyone quite this much."
"No—it's not jealousy! It's suspicion! No one else seems to care about all the strange things he does." Remus grumbled.
"I seem to remember a similar little boy who clutched his secrets to his chest until he found someone to share them with. You might have been described as suspicious." Dorea recalled.
"They found out those secrets, but the only one who seems interested in his secrets is me." Remus continued to grouse. Dorea hummed noncommittally.
"I think Sebastian will only continue to grow more and more important in our lives as he opens up. If you are truly interested in his secrets—perhaps you should seek to become his friend, in the same manner that the others had done for you." Dorea gave him a knowing look as she left and Remus felt, not for the first time, that Dorea knew his darkest secret. He wondered again if Sebastian had one that was darker.
There were only a few days left in winter break before the other students returned. Dumbledore had learned of the basilisk with no small amount of shock and had planned with Professor Kettleburn for its termination before term began. Dumbledore himself planned to fetch the fang and poison for when the time came to destroy the Horcruxes.
Hermione felt only mildly relieved, despite their plan to utilize a rooster's call. Truly, she would only feel at peace when the creature was dead. She pushed the discomforting memory of chilling gold eyes in a tiny mirror in favor of seeking out Snape. She approached their usual empty potions room and reached for the doorknob. It pulled out of her reach as the door opened only enough for Snape to peer at her through the crack. He made an indiscriminate noise of displeasure before allowing her into the musty classroom.
"You have returned seemingly unharmed." Snape said moderately enough, but Hermione read his concern. "Though I doubt there is any way to ensure your intelligence has not been compromised." He finished and Hermione shook her head at his snark.
"I am fine physically and otherwise." Hermione said amused. "Though I have been wondering if the supposed potions prodigy would have progressed without my assistance." Snape scowled in response.
"I have, in fact, progressed so much so that you are welcome to try the first potion." Snape smirked as he held out a small vial of potion that held separated colors of blue and pink. Hermione looked at him with suspicion but recalling her promise, took the vial into her hand. She eyed it warily but doubted it was anything worse than what she had already tried-she was still male after all.
"Let me see your notes, first." She said expecting Snape to be cross with her peer review. Instead he seemed appreciative and passed her the notes without comment. Her heart raced with adrenaline as she continued to read the notes. As she reached the end she found no glaring error—every theory seemed well thought and grounded.
Her hand shaking slightly in hope, she looked at Snape. "Cheers!" She said with faux confidence. She downed the potion quickly. It tasted sour and sweet, mild and hot, light and heavy. She rolled her tongue around her mouth attempting to cleanse it from the taste. She looked at Snape who had appeared to have grab a notebook. Minutes passed. Snape looked disappointed.
"Perhaps the ratio of ingredients is off?" He theorized. Hermione shook her head.
"Perhaps it takes time to take effect." She said. She could not remember when George and Lee had doused her with potion—it could have even been a day before she discovered it. "Your notes looked sound and I saw no glaring error. I'll let you know if there is any particular effect." Snape nodded briskly but still looked put out. They stilled and quieted, looking at one another without any real reason to be there if the potion was not being immediately changed. She coughed lightly. "How was your holiday?" She inquired grimacing when Snape scowled at her.
"There is no need for idle chit-chat, Wright." He said bitterly. Hermione exhaled.
"There is never a need for idle chit-chat yet people talk all the time." She responded. He scowled at her still. "Fine." She said, slinging her bag onto her shoulder with frustration. "I appreciate your effort with this potion and will let you know of any delayed results." She began to leave when his question stopped her.
"Why do you need this potion?" He asked in quiet suspicion. She turned around to face him.
"It's the ultimate prank!" She said with forced cheerfulness. His eyes narrowed more.
"Try again." He commanded.
"Would you believe it's for misogynistic revenge?" She tried.
"No." He said again.
"To get upstairs into girls' bedroom?" He seemed to contemplate the practicality of using the potion for that reason.
"While plausible that it would enable to breach those particular wards, I don't believe it was your motivating factor." He theorized.
"Look, Snape, I'm not ready to say why I'm so particularly interested in this specific potion but I do know that it will be public knowledge by the end of the year—fair?" She bargained.
"Acceptable." He agreed. "You said you were sabotaging your grades. You said you couldn't get what you wanted. What was that?" He asked and Hermione swore aloud. She made a side mental note to not let foul mouthed boys corrupt her decorum.
"Is there a reason that you've decided twenty questions should be today?" She asked back and she nearly hit him as he lips curled into a smirk.
"I'm merely engaging in…idle chatter." He said mockingly. She resisted hitting him for his cheek by squeezing her hand tightly by her side.
"Snape, I just wanted to go home." She admitted exhausted. She sat down in an empty chair with a flop that her parents would have disapproved of. Snape remained standing and did not approach her, instead favoring to keep the physical distance.
"Why can you not?" He asked, though she imagined her already knew the answer.
"I have no home." She said as she tilted her head back to look at the ceiling. "There will never be a home for me unless I make it." Snape remained silent, still, and she felt the unnecessary need to continue. "I am an orphan. Moreover; I don't have anything to my name. I'm in my seventh year, no one knows me—not really—so I am an orphan without friends. Merlin knows I was pants at making friends the first time and now I don't even have them." She ranted. "I have nothing and no one beyond my mind, my magic, and my memories." She summed, feeling tears well in her eyes. She counted 10 irregularities in the stone ceiling before shifting her head to look at Snape. He seemed indifferent and cold except the slight furrow in his brow.
"The Marauders invited you to their home." He stated with contained disdain.
"I am lucky that the Marauders have even been as courteous as they have been so far but I'm not exactly having heart-to-hearts with them. I don't think they'd be able to understand and I am hesitant to be open with them." She admitted. "Besides, Remus is constantly breathing down my neck in suspicion, James is utterly occupied with…things, and Sirius treats me like some baby bird that needs to be protected." She rolled her eyes and Snape scoffed.
"I cannot imagine Black being a delicate protector. I can only imagine him instigating fights on your behalf—perhaps he fancies you?" Snape said with a vicious smirk. Hermione could not help the flinch at the idea. She didn't want anyone to like her when she wasn't truly her.
"I don't think so…I don't think that's why he's been protective..." Hermione said uneasy and a little unsure. "I always presumed it was because he transferred his older brother complex after his falling out with his brother…" Hermione opined. Snape seemed to weigh the idea for his merit.
"I doubt Black ever qualified as having an 'older brother complex'." Snape said with a moue of distaste.
"Well, people sometimes change and sometimes relationships are complicated." Hermione responded irritably. "In any case it's completely stupid because I'm older than him anyway…technically."
"You are right to be wary of Remus." Snape said, looking even bitterer. "He's a dangerous cur." Hermione blinked at his sudden vitriol.
"I'm sure he has his reasons," Hermione said pacifying. "My appearance and reticence are suspicious." Hermione said honestly.
"You are hardly dangerous." Snape said angrily.
"That's not what you said about my potions habits." Hermione said with an uneasy laugh. Her attempt to lighten the mood failed miserably. She stared at him, hunched over with his arms crossed defensively across his waist. "Boys are stupid." She finally said and he raised an eyebrow at her statement.
"Yourself not included?" He asked. She rolled her eyes.
"Yes, myself not included." She affirmed. "My friends nearly got my killed—multiple times, actually." She reminisced. "A troll nearly killed me once but they rescued me—that's how we became friends."
"That hardly sounds like a set up for murder." Snape pointed out. Hermione smiled thinly.
"One of the boys was the reason I was in the bathroom in the first place. In the bathroom where they happened to lock the troll in to—until they realized I was there when I screamed." She smiled again. "The one just seemed to attract the worst sort of trouble and we were all in the wake of it."
"You stayed friends despite this?" Snape said disbelievingly.
"I told you: I am pants at making friends. They were the first ones I ever had—I couldn't let them go, even if it meant I was in the path of trouble, too." She said with a melancholy humor. "Although, with all the trouble I've gotten into by myself—maybe trouble is attracted to me too." Snape shifted away from her blatantly and Hermione laughed. "Don't pretend you aren't one of us—trouble looms around and we're both in the thick of it." Hermione said with a wan smile though Snape regarded her with suspicion.
"The Marauders will not keep you out of it." Snape said with a certainty that Hermione agreed with.
"Yes, well—neither would you." She said knowingly. "Even if I could, I don't think it'd be possible to avoid trouble. The only thing I can do is prepare myself. Trouble is always looking for an easy target and I won't let myself be considered one." Snape regarded her appraisingly but Hermione shrugged at his consideration. She stood from her chair and shouldered her bag once more.
"I haven't been to my room yet since I've returned. Like I said—I will tell you of any changes if they occur throughout the night and we can get back to it tomorrow." He acknowledged her with a nod. She felt him watch her as she departed. She felt tension in her shoulders despite her feather-light-charmed bag. She needed a nice nap. She looked forward to the warm familiar common room and the soft glowing embers of the fire place; she looked forward to the illusion of a peaceful rest.
Thanks for all the support despite the long absence! As always, please tell me what you think, what you liked, etc. Thanks for holding on and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!