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An: Yet another update. Thank you to everyone for reviewing it makes me enormously happy to know that you guys like my story. And yes it is quite obvious to us that Marguerite is Fleur's Grandmother, but Hermione doesn't know this and she won't for a while. And just who is Hermione's mother? Yes who indeed…

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Heeding Marguerite's warning Hermione profusely apologized to her parents and in the few days she spent with them in her childhood home she tried to lessen the strain between them…despite all this; Hermione had a sinking feeling in her heart. Her father all but ignored her presence when he could and if he couldn't he looked and spoke to her with a sense of distant resignation. And though her Mother put on a brave face, Hermione heard her crying during the night.

A faint pop sounded pulling her from her thoughts and when she looked up to see the familiar smiling face of Arthur Weasley, she sighed gratefully. " 'Ello there Hermione!" He greeted before looking around. "Mum and Da home?" he frowned, for the first time noticing her defeated posture as she came to stand in front of him.

"No Mr. Weasley, they had to work. They know I'm leaving though…I left a note." She tried to give a convincing smile and thankfully it seemed to work.

"Right then, best be off!" He made quick work of shrinking her trunk and stowing it away in his robes before linking elbows with her. "Hold on tight!" With another pop they were gone.

Mr. Weasley deposits Hermione's things in the living room and before she could protest or ask why, he leaves by the flew network this time. It's not long before Sirius and Harry find her both smiling. "Welcome Hermione!" Sirius hugs her and though she's a little taken back she returns the gesture.

"Hey Hermione! How was your trip?" Harry grins as he sweeps her up in his own hug; Hermione notices they're about the same height now.

She giggles as he finally sets her back onto her feet. "Oh it was amazing Harry! I'll tell you all about it while I unpack…where am I staying?" At her words the men sober and adopt more grim expressions. "I am still staying here aren't I?" Hermione frowns.

"Of course you are my dear, but first there's something we need to discuss. Dumbledore and Severus are waiting in the library for us…I'll have Kreacher take your things to your room, you and Harry go along. I'll be right there." Sirius tries to reassure her, but it doesn't work.

"Harry…what's going on?" She whispers as Harry starts to pull her down the hall and up some stairs. "Why are Dumbledore and Professor Snape here? I thought Sirius and Snape didn't get along?"

"It's okay Hermione, a lot has happened over the summer and Professor Snape is the only one to really explain everything. Just trust me okay?" His green eyes implored into hers making her feel as though she really didn't have a choice.

Sirius watched Harry lead the girl out before calling for the stubborn house elf that never truly listened to what he said least he threaten him. "Kreacher!"

With a pop the surly old elf appeared, glaring and baring his teeth at Sirius before he noticed the trunk in the corner. "This be young Miss things? Young Miss wants Kreacher to put young Miss things away?"

Sirius blinked; of course the elf had been listening in to private conversations. "Put Hermione's things away and start preparing dinner." Kreacher disappeared with a sneer toward Sirius but otherwise no usual vocal assault making Sirius shake his head. That damned house elf held no respect for anyone but his late brother…and now Hermione.

With the thought of the girl weighing heavily on his heart, he too now retreated to the library.

Hermione sat in the winged back chair fidgeting as she looked to the men, and Harry, surrounding her. There was an obvious tension between Snape and Sirius, perhaps that's why Dumbledore sat between them? Harry gripped her hand and squeezed it, a sure sign that they were about to start…whatever this was.

"Hermione…have you ever heard about a Regulus Black?" Dumbledore spoke gently, peering over his crescent moon glasses to look at her.

She licked her lips before she answered. "Sirius' brother, right?" The old wizard nodded his head.

"Yes that's correct Ms. Granger. Regulus Black was Sirius' younger brother…and he was Severus' best friend." Hermione's eyes widened at the new information. She wasn't too sure how any of this had to do with her but she had always liked learning new things and Sirius' family was very interesting, if a little psychotic. "You see Ms. Granger, while Sirius rebelled from his family and their views; Regulus didn't, at least not outwardly. Regulus took the Dark Lord's mark just as Severus, but also like Severus, he didn't truly believe in the cause."

Dumbledore paused as he watched the girl take in the information. Snape decided to continue in his silence. "Regulus had tried to be the perfect pureblood son to try and make up for the disappointment of his older brother's actions; at least that's how his parents viewed their eldest." Snape shrugged. "But when we joined with Voldemort we were never prepared for what that meant. It wasn't long afterward that he met her…" Snape trailed, lost in a memory, "Her name was Esmeralda Woulfe, a half-blood from Ireland and coincidentally, a friend of Lily Potter's. Her father was a pureblood who married a Muggleborn, supports of the Order, naturally."

Snape smiled at the irony, "Regulus was torn, he loved her, truly, but he was on the wrong side of the war with no way out. After months of secret meetings he purposed and in secret, they married on January 15th, 1979…and like most newlyweds, Esmeralda found herself pregnant soon after." Severus stood swiftly, going to the desk to make a glass of what looked like Fire Whiskey. Hermione waited, eyes fixed to the man, needing to hear this story in its entirety even as a sickening feeling started to settle itself within her stomach. When he returned to the Dark Lord, he somehow figured out about Voldemort's horcruxes and with the news that he was to bring a child into this world…he fought to change it."

"As the months passed Esmeralda's belly grew and Regulus' deadline started to catch up with him…unfortunately, like what happens to those leading double lives, his lies caught up with him." Severus shook his head, "I saw how desperate he was getting and started to put together a plan, one day in September I went to his room to tell him but he was nowhere to be found. All he left was a note…

'Today my daughter came into this world and so,

today the world will start to change.

Please protect them Severus.

He will surely kill me when he finds out.

Goodbye my Friend,

R. A. B.'

"I never saw him again…but the first week in September I heard word that he had met his death. Esmeralda was dead the next day and the baby was never found. Regulus had stolen Slytherin's locket which was one of Voldemort's horcrux. He managed to hide it away before Barty Jr. caught up with him when he was meeting with Esmeralda. We never knew what happened with the baby…until the Prophecy was made about Harry and Voldemort."

Severus finally stopped, unable to continue, Dumbledore finished the story for him. "As it turns out, Esmeralda had left her baby with the baby's Godmother that day, and when Lily heard about the parent's deaths she did what she was instructed to do. She hid the baby away from the Magical world…and when Lily met her end, the secret of the baby's whereabouts died with her. The only reason we now know is because when I fought Voldemort, he accidentally shared his memories. He had searched through Lily's thoughts before he killed her and had seen what she did for her best friend." Dumbledore explained kindly, then stopped to read Hermione, but the girl looked to be in shock.

"Hermione…you are not the Granger's daughter, you are the daughter of Regulus Black and Esmeralda Woulfe Black. Lily Potter was your Godmother, and Severus and Sirius are your Godfathers. You are a pureblood and the heir to the Black fortune as well as the Woulfe. I'm sorry my dear…I wish we could have found this out sooner, but it's confirmed by the Black Family tapestry…You are not Hermione Jean Granger, but Hermione Esme Black."