"Right then lass, crush the pearls," Janet directed, watching her granddaughter with keen eyes as she moved to follow her instructions. "And once you've done that we'll dice the rose thorns."
Hermione hummed, moving automatically as she prepared ingredients exactly as Professor Snape had taught her, wondering why she was entertaining this. Would it make a difference if she saw someone she knew? It had crossed her mind to wonder what she would do if she saw someone from her time. She wasn't sure she was prepared for that. And how accurate could this possibly be? She'd been given instructions by a sentient book with a questionable sense of humour for Merlin's sake!
Janet continued to watch her with a smile, whoever had taught the lass had been competent if nothing else. She was efficient and precise, even if it was clear she wasn't overly happy about the task. Several minutes later, the ingredients were simmering in a cauldron they'd set up in the garden.
"Well then, let's leave it be. Two hours wasn't it?" Janet checked, peering over Hermione's shoulder with interest. The mixture didn't look particularly appealing in its current state, emitting faint red spirals of steam from its sickly pink base. It smelled faintly of roses which thankfully wasn't too offputting, even if she'd never been a particular fan of the smell herself.
Hermione shook her head, "Thirty minutes. It's to be drunk within two hours."
"Ah," Janet nodded, "Well then, we can wait here for thirty minutes then, no?"
"I suppose," Hermione agreed, casting another warming charm over herself as she settled herself in to wait, allowing her grandmother's chatter to swell around her.
"I think it's done," Janet murmured, having allowed silence to fall during the last five minutes. Peering into the cauldron, Hermione almost recoiled. It was much worse than before, the sickly pink having given way to a sickly peach, with an overly sweet undertone that made her feel sick.
"Wonderful," she mumbled, decanting it into a vial.
"I'll take you up to a bedroom, I think," Janet mused, attempting to keep her face neutral, "I don't know what effect it has."
Nodding Hermione followed her, wondering if she had truly lost her mind. Eying the potion warily the minute the door was shut, she gave a loud huff, steeling her spine she threw it into her mouth, swallowing it before her brain had time to convince her it was a monumentally bad idea. She felt the potion taking hold almost immediately, almost swirling around her, constricting various parts of her body, feeling like it was burrowing under her skin. It was horrifying, leaving her gasping when everything suddenly went still only seconds before the world went black.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she realised she wasn't alone. The room she'd found herself in was decorated in a similar sickly peach to the potion, making her wrinkle her nose in disgust. Huge swathes of sickly pink fabric lined the windows in an overblown dramatic fashion and the sofas almost blended into the walls, only a shade darker than the embossed wallpaper. The one she was sitting on was comfortable, at least, even if the room did make her feel slightly nauseous. In front of her, lounging on the second horrific sofa with an air of amused arrogance, were two men. The sickened feeling increased tenfold when she realised that she recognised them both.
"You have a choice," the first man assured her, moving into a more formal position with an easy smile as he lost some of his arrogance.
"We won't know either way," the second promised.
"So there's no right answer?" Hermione frowned.
"Nope," the first one grinned.
"Although you could always pick us both." the second smirked at her, finally sitting up properly.
"No thank you, I don't think I'd survive with my sanity intact." she paused, "How can you both be my soulmates if there's no right answer?"
The men looked at each other contemplatively, "Soulmate is probably not the right term," the first one began thoughtfully.
"We represent your best chance of happiness," the second continued, "We are not the only options. Just the best. Most people only get one. Some get two, others get more."
"Oh," Hermione murmured. "I am absolutely renaming that spell. If I only pick one of you, would that mean the other get's their second choice?"
"Not necessarily. We are your best options, and you are ours but that doesn't mean you are our only choice. Just as you see us, we might see you and someone else."
"That makes sense," Hermione agreed.
"It's probably best to wake up now," the first man smiled gently. "Your father is worried."
Hermione frowned, "Wake up?"
"You didn't think we were really here now did you?" the second chided with amusement.
"Oh," Hermione frowned again, "So this isn't real?"
The first man smirked, "It's magic."
With a strangled gasp, Hermione opened her eyes to find her father and her grandmother watching her, fear clear on their faces.
"Merlin lass! What the bloody hell was that?"
Hermione grimaced, "Magic apparently," she responded wryly, ignoring the disbelieving looks she was getting.
"Magic?" Alastor repeated, "You've been unresponsive for over half an hour!"
"Ah. It didn't seem that long," she muttered faintly.
Janet scoffed, trying to force her fear back down, "It was. Now, what or who did you see?"
Hermione pulled a face, "Two people. It's not a soulmate spell apparently, just one that shows your best chance of happiness."
"A triad?" Janet squeaked.
"No!" Hermione shouted before she could stop herself, "Merlin no! That would…no. It shows, choices, apparently."
"And who were they?" Alastor frowned.
"I…I think I want to think about it first," she murmured, "It's…I'm not looking for anything right now. I don't really know how I feel about it."
"Alright lass," he replied softly, despite the curiosity on his face, "Let's get you home then."
"Miss Moody!" Caradoc grinned at her as she stepped into the Leaky, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."
"Sorry, I'm late. My father was trying to murder me."
"What?" he looked faintly alarmed so Hermione waved him off.
"Nothing to worry about, we're practising duelling and he's stopped treating me like I'm made of glass." she grimaced, "Which unfortunately means I'm just a giant bruise. "
Caradoc laughed, "Want me to kiss the sore bits better?" he teased.
"Did you steal that line from the twins or did they steal it from you?" she shot back.
Caradoc looked momentarily nonplussed before he grinned, "Damn, is that your way of warning me I'm unoriginal?"
"Well…" she trailed off, smirking at him, making him laugh loudly.
"Right then, note to self, work on some new material so Fab can't use all my best lines before I get the chance.
"Good luck," she replied lightly.
He smirked, "It's not all bad."
"Oh?"
"Well, how can you tell me if I've succeeded if you don't agree to meet me again?" He grinned slightly smugly, obviously pleased with himself.
Hermione stared at him for several seconds before she laughed, "Point to you."
"Wonderful, between Christmas and New year?"
"Shouldn't you wait to see if today is awful first?" she asked, "I might be a horrific conversationalist."
"Nonsense! You understood my ramblings about my Mastery," he smiled slightly wryly, "It's a first, believe me."
"I can imagine," she muttered.
"So, between Christmas and New year?"
"Why not?" Hermione sighed exaggeratedly, "I wouldn't want you to continue to disappoint random women with stale lines."
"Stale lines?" he repeated, looking momentarily offended, "Oh Miss Moody, you have no idea what sort of monster you've just created."
"Having been subject to the twins, I can imagine," she retorted dryly.
"Ah yes, the twins. How is it you became so well acquainted with my dear friend Fabian?"
"I met them when Alex was introducing me to Kings," she shrugged, "And they beat me in a duel. Which I absolutely intended to correct."
Caradoc laughed, "Merlin. Fab warned me you were as tenacious as your Dad but I didn't believe him.
Hermione hummed, "You know my Dad well."
Caradoc shifted suddenly, recognising it was more statement than question. "Well enough," he hedged.
"Dumbledore's little firebirds?" she smirked, making his eyes blow wide.
"How do you…fuck…did your Dad…" he stammered, having not expected her to know exactly how he knew her father. If he was honest, he had expected Auror Moody to want to keep his daughter as far away from them as possible; the organisation was neither legal nor was it safe.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Calm down, Dad mentioned it when Alex informed him we'd met you."
"Joining us?" he asked nonchalantly, dreading her answer.
"No," she responded bluntly.
He couldn't keep the surprise from his face, even as he acknowledged the relief he felt at her answer. He decided not to examine that too closely. "Do I get to ask why not?"
"You can ask," she agreed.
"But will you answer?"
Hermione sighed, "It's slightly complicated."
"I'm sensing a theme," he replied pointedly.
Hermione grimaced, "Unfortunately," she began slowly, "I am limited in what I can tell you."
"Limited by someone else?" Caradoc hedged.
Hermione sighed, casting a wandless muffliato, "Professor Croaker," she admitted.
Caradoc blinked for several moments, "Am I to assume that is not common knowledge?"
"Yes. If you could not mention it, I'd be grateful."
"I quite like my limbs attached to my body," Caradoc replied wryly, "And I have a feeling your father would remove them if I put you in danger."
"Probably," Hermione shrugged, "He thought I was dead for fifteen years after all. It makes him slightly overprotective.
Caradoc paled, "Merlin, I can imagine it would. Is there any way in which I'd be allowed to know at least some of the story?."
"I don't know," Hermione admitted softly, "I assume it'll depend on a lot of things."
"Like whether or not I'm sticking around?" he guessed.
She inclined her head, "Perhaps."
"And if I said I was determined to?"
"I'd wonder why," she replied honestly.
He paused, staring at her. "You intrigue me," he said finally, "You can keep up with me, while not finding me insufferably boring, which is rare. And… you're rather pretty to look at."
Hermione flushed, "Arse." she chided, making him laugh.
"I think you like me, Miss Moody," he taunted.
"And I think you're delusional, yet here we are. Are you ever going to call me Hermione?"
Caradoc pouted exaggeratedly, "I might. But, I rather like the reminder that your father is terrifying, keeps me in check."
Hermione gaped at him for a moment before she laughed, "Jesus, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"
"My best friend is Fabian Prewett," he reminded her with a wink, "We're friends for a reason. I just happen to have a smidge more restraint."
"For which I will be forever grateful," she responded drily.
"See, you do like me!" he beamed, "Now, I lured you here with promises of talk about potion development, don't ever let it be said I don't deliver on my promises."
Shaking her head, even as she laughed at him, Hermione settled in for a hopefully illuminating discussion, wondering idly if she'd ever have found this originally, had she had normal school years.
"Kitten!" Alex beamed as she stepped through the floo, wincing at the sound of boys shouting.
"Ah, schools out." Alex grimaced, "Jamie and Sirius brought Remus with them. Peter had to…well, I'm not quite sure what happened but Mother made it so he went home."
Hermione felt some of the tension leave her with that comment, she'd been dreading coming face-to-face with him. She knew he wasn't marked yet, that he wouldn't be until graduation so Saul had suggested biding her time. Both of them knew that it was the only way Dumbledore would take her seriously, and despite the fact she didn't want to, she had to acknowledge that there was a chance she'd need him eventually. Or, more accurately, she'd need his Order, but she wasn't sure she wouldn't just murder the traitorous rat and deal with the consequences if she was forced to interact with him.
"Thank all the gods for that," Hermione muttered.
Alex frowned, "Something I should know, kitten?"
"Not here," she shook her head, "Those boys are good at finding out things they shouldn't."
Alex hummed, not looking entirely pleased with her answer, "Want to go and say hi?"
"Sure," she sighed as she followed him out. James and Sirius were whooping as they flew at ridiculous speeds through the air, throwing a quaffle at each other in increasingly dramatic manoeuvres. Remus was perched on a bench, absorbed in a book having clearly tuned them out.
"Miss Moody!" James grinned, swooping down towards the ground at a speed that left Hermione's heart in her throat.
"Hermione," she corrected, "I've seen pictures of you in nappies, I'm not calling you Mr Potter."
Sirius snorted, coming up to land beside them, "You're here!" he grinned.
"Apparently," she agreed reluctantly, still not sure what to do with this boy version of Sirius.
"How long are you staying?" James asked, elbowing him.
Hermione shrugged, looking at Alex, "No idea. For a few hours?"
"Can we duel now?" Sirius asked, with an excited little jump.
"No." Alex cut in, "Circe, she's being trained by Uncle Alastor on a daily basis, let her have a bit of peace."
Sirius pouted. "We can organise something after Christmas but for just now, I hurt. Dad's upped the training regime," Hermione offered.
Remus winced in sympathy, "I don't imagine that's fun."
"No," she muttered, "But I've twins to beat so I'm going to suck it up."
"Twins?" James frowned, casually leaning an elbow on Sirius' shoulder.
"Uncle Charlus and I duelled the Prewett twins, didn't he say?"
"No!" James stood up properly, looking excited, "Who won?"
"The Prewett twins," she retorted, "Hence my refusal to complain about the fact my father acts like he's trying to murder me daily."
Alex laughed, nudging her with his elbow, "You really don't like to lose do you, Kitten?"
"No." she shot back, "I don't. And therefore next time, I won't."
He held up his hands in supplication. "Alright then."
"Does he really act like he's trying to murder you?" James frowned.
"Yes," Hermione snorted, "It's not like Uncle Charlus any better, he attempted to murder me in front of witnesses."
"What?" Sirius yelped.
"We duelled in front of the new recruits. He won."
"Yes, but he said you got him with your little birdies and robes." Alex grinned. "He's now threatening to buy a cat."
Hermione laughed, "I might have heard him muttering words to that effect," she agreed, "But unless he's planning on carrying it with him constantly it won't do any good."
"True enough," Alex sighed dramatically, before he grinned nudging her again, "He'll just need to settle for upping his training, he's gotten out of the habit since he became director."
"Schedule gets more intense after the new year," Hermione quipped, "Prewett twins offered to help."
"Fuck seriously?" Alex turned to stare at her.
"Yes. I meant it, I will beat them."
"So you're going to lure them in and learn all their secrets?" James asked with a grin.
"Of course," Hermione replied impishly, "How else are you meant to beat the enemy?"
"You're a little scary," Sirius mumbled, eyeing her warily.
"Good." Hermione retorted, "I'm supposed to be."
Laughing, Alex clapped his hands down onto her shoulders and began to steer her towards the house, "Come on Kitten, let's stop traumatising the kids."
"Oi!" Sirius pouted, scowling at them, "We're not kids!"
Alex looked at him incredulously, "You might be of age, Sirius but you're definitely still a kid. I imagine Uncle Alastor will knock it out of you soon enough, assuming you're still planning on joining the Aurory?"
"Of course I am!" Sirius responded indignantly.
"Me too," James grinned. "Fighting bad guys, cool robes, what more could you want?"
"All your body parts attached to your body?" Hermione suggested nonchalantly, forcing her face to remain neutral despite desperately wanting to laugh.
"What?" James yelped as Remus attempted to hide his laugh behind his hands.
"Have you ever looked at the older Aurors?" she asked pointedly.
"Scrimgeor looks fine!" James protested indignantly, "So does Moody!"
Hermione laughed, "My father has more scars than I can count," she retorted, noting the way both James and Sirius froze, "Not obviously visible ones I grant you but that's luck more than anything else. I'm sure Scrimgeour is the same."
"Seriously?" Sirius asked, sounding alarmed.
"Yes! Jesus, they're going after criminals, and Death Eaters, you don't think they just come in quietly?" she scoffed.
"Well no but….how many scars are we talking?" James asked hesitantly.
Hermione shrugged, "I have no idea about all of the Aurors, but Dad has several whip-like scars on his back, several more from hexes on his chest, his arms are scarred and he tells me he has one running from his hip to his knee. He's strangely proud of that one."
Alex snorted, "Of course he is, your father is insane."
"Without question," Hermione agreed. "Sure you two want to be Aurors?"
"Yes." Sirius and James replied with less conviction than before.
Hermione hummed, not bothering to keep the amusement from her face before turning to Remus, "What are your plans for after graduation?"
"Oh, I ah…" Remus flushed. "I haven't decided," he muttered finally.
"Oh. Do you have too many options to narrow it down?" she asked guilelessly, silently urging him to be truthful.
"Not as many as I'd like," he mumbled.
Hermione's eyes narrowed, "You know I was considering looking into finding and abolishing all the outdated laws, perhaps that would be something to consider. I know Uncle Charlus was all for getting rid of some."
"The Ministry won't hire me," he muttered, his eyes darting around the garden, clearly attempting to find an escape route.
Rolling her eyes, Hermione stared at him for several minutes, "We'll see about that." she retorted. "Did Alex tell you that one of my best Defense Professors was a werewolf?"
Remus turned so pale that Hermione almost apologised. "You…you what?" he stammered.
Hermione scoffed, "You heard me. Don't look so alarmed. He was lovely."
"Lovely?" Remus repeated faintly.
"Yes! Lovely. He was kind and patient and was a wonderful Professor."
"But he…he…fuck," Keeping his eyes on her, he seemed to slump, sounding resigned when he asked, "How did you know?"
"Your scars mainly," she shrugged, ignoring James and Sirius gaping at her as she focused on Remus' pale face, "I've seen scars like it more than once."
"Fuck." Remus hissed. "How are you so calm! I'm a monster!"
"You are not a monster!" Hermione retorted incredulously, cutting off whatever James had opened his mouth to say, "For the love of Merlin, Remus you're wearing a sleeveless pullover."
He looked startled and then confused, "And that means I can't also be a monster?" he checked hesitantly.
"It's hand knitted!" she exclaimed.
Sirius, James and Alex were laughing, ignoring Remus's confusion. "I don't…you don't…" he stuttered before looking at Alex for help.
Holding up his hands in supplication, as he tried to stop laughing, Alex shook his head, "Don't look at me."
"But I…"
"Remus you are not a monster, stop being absurd," Hermione scolded firmly. "We'll figure out something on the job front, the Ministry's stance is ridiculous."
"But..you don't have.."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'm well aware I don't have to" she cut him off, "But someone should, so why not me? Now perhaps you should consider private practice of some sort. If there were no barriers, what would you do?"
"I…I…" Remus stuttered, looking at her as if he'd never seen him before, "I ah…I don't know."
Hermione sighed impatiently, "Think about it, you've only got six months."
"Right…I….right." Remus nodded, still looking baffled by the turn the conversation had taken.
Alex laughed, "Right then, Kitten, now that we've set that in motion, shall we actually leave the children to play?"
"She can't be much older than us!" Sirius pouted, clearly sulking as he crossed his arms over his chest..
"A year and a lifetime of experience," Hermione retorted wryly.
Remus bit back a laugh, seeming to regain some of his equilibrium,"I think she's saying you're immature, Pads." he grinned
"I am not," Sirius pouted.
"Course not," Alex muttered unconvincingly. "Come on Kitten, Mother wanted to see you."
"I'm not!" Sirius protested again, as James dragged him away.
"He gets better right?" Alex murmured, missing the way Remus' frowned.
"Yes," Hermione admitted softly. "It's…like two different people."
"In what way?"
Hermione shrugged, "The man I knew was…still irreverent, and definitely still had a touch of Peter Pan about him but…he was never that carefree. He was haunted by his demons and liked to drown them in firewhiskey."
"Oh." Alex whispered as Remus frantically tried to make it make sense. "I imagine Jamie's death would have an impact. What about Remus?"
"Is as he always was," Hermione sighed.
Several hours later, Remus approached Hermione carefully. "I wondered if I could have a word?" he mumbled, ignoring Dorea's questioning look.
Hermione nodded slowly. "Ok."
"I ah…had some thoughts about our earlier conversation."
"Oh! About the job?"
"Yes. But ah…maybe I could speak to you in the library?" Hermione frowned when he shifted uncomfortably. He was lying, she was sure of it but she had no idea what about.
"Alright." she agreed, it was Remus after all.
He began pacing when they got there, looking slightly deranged. "Remus?" she asked softly, causing him to stop and stare at her before his wand slipped into his hand and he pointed it at her.
Hermione almost reared back in shock as her own wand fell into her palm. "What are you doing?" she demanded icily.
"Who are you?" he countered.
"What?"
"Who are you?" he repeated. "I'm a fucking werewolf. Our hearing's pretty good."
Hermione paled, "Fuck." she hissed, "What did you hear?"
"Enough. You've been watching us and you're planning something! You were talking about James dying! You can't be who you say you are." He froze, a look of confusion clouding his face, "Unless…are you a Seer?"
"Goddamnit," Hermione gave a mirthless laugh, startling him, "Unfortunately, I am exactly who I say I am and I am not a Seer. Sit down Remus. I'm going to send a Patronus to Alex….and maybe Saul."
"Saul?" he asked looking confused.
"Saul Croaker. Director of the Department of Mysteries." she sighed, talking as if to herself, "You were on the list, anyway."
"What list?" he demanded, more confused than before.
"My list," she retorted impatiently, "Sit the fuck down and put your wand away, I'm not going to hurt you."
"Not until you do the same." he replied with a confidence he didn't feel. He didn't think she was here to hurt them, the conversation had not sounded like that was her intention. But none of it made sense. Alex had mentioned James dying like it was an accepted fact and that put him on edge.
Hermione rolled her eyes at his stubbornness, "Let me send the damn Patronus."
"Why?" he asked, sounding baffled.
"Because it does this," she smiled, conjuring her otter to speak to it, watching as it bounced out of the room.
"Why did you talk to it?" Remus asked curiously despite his tense stance.
"Because it's taking a message to Uncle Charlus and Alex," she replied absentmindedly, sending another to Saul.
"Patronuses don't send messages!" Remus exclaimed, startling her attention back to him.
"Of course they do," she scoffed, "It's not well known, I grant you, but they do."
"What's going on?" Charlus asked, arriving at the door of the library, Alex close behind, both of them looking like they'd run.
"We have a slight situation," Hermione admitted as Charlus' eyes zeroed in on Remus' wand.
"Put that away, son," he commanded softly, moving carefully into the room.
"No! She's not who she says she is! And she might be dangerous."
Charlus hummed, standing in between Hermione and Remus, "She's definitely dangerous but she is exactly who she says she is. We checked before she was even awake. Her parentage was as big a surprise to her as it was to us. I was there, remember?"
Remus looked torn, "But earlier…it doesn't make sense!"
Hermione turned to look at Alex, "We need to be better at remembering our surroundings."
"Ah fuck." Alex muttered in response. "Lower your wand mate, if nothing else I'm hardly likely to be planning on overthrowing the entire establishment am I? She was talking to me, there's an explanation. Mum and Dad are both aware."
Remus seemed to deflate, "But…James…"
"We know," Alex soothed before he turned to Hermione, "was he on the list?"
"As a potential." she nodded, "Saul isn't going to like it, not so soon after my mother's family being brought in though."
"How dangerous is it going to be?" Alex checked.
Hermione pulled a face, "The more people that know…" she trailed off and sighed, "It's probably not ideal. But…" she turned to look at Charlus, "It potentially helps with the end of year plan."
"The end of year…" Charlus frowned before his face cleared, "Oh. Yes, perhaps. Is it a risk you want to take?"
"If it helps with the end goal, yes."
"What end of year plan?" Alex demanded.
"Received any invitations recently?" Hermione shot back.
Alex frowned before understanding dawned, "Yes." he admitted.
"You have?" Charlus yelped.
"You're part of it! So is Mum and Uncle Alastor and Kings. Why wouldn't I? I told you I wouldn't be left out!" Alex retorted.
"Have you already agreed?" Charlus asked, looking horrified.
"No," Alex sighed, "Induction's next week. "
"Please don't," Hermione begged.
"What?" Alex looked bewildered "But surely…."
"No!" she hissed, "Gods. That answers that then, doesn't it?"
Charlus sighed but nodded. "Have you contacted Croaker?"
"Yes."
"Wonderful, I'll inform Dorea we're waiting in the study, it has better wards than here. You go, I'll meet you there."
He turned and swept out of the room, leaving both Alex and Remus bewildered.
Several minutes later an exhausted-looking Saul followed Charlus into the study. Alex and Hermione were sat together on the sofa, a still wary looking Remus was watching them from where he stood next to the fireplace, every line in his body tense.
"Miss Moody, this is becoming a habit." Saul chided.
Hermione grimaced, "I know. I…we fucked up. It won't happen again."
"See that it doesn't," Saul retorted, "Your safety…."
"Remus won't compromise my safety," Hermione replied with a surety that had Remus gaping at her. "He was on the list. We had wondered if perhaps moving up the timescale isn't such a bad idea given the invitations that are surely coming. Alex got his."
Saul looked at her shrewdly, "What excuses do you intend to give?"
"I don't know," Hermione admitted, "Two can play the Auror trainee card, I think. Dad and Uncle Charlus will back it. But…we need to find a job to start with and laws being what they are…."
"The Department of Mysteries isn't subject to Ministry law."
"It's not?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"No, it is not," he replied smugly.
"Oh…" Hermione turned that over inside her head for several minutes, trying to picture Remus there. "That could work, couldn't it?"
Saul looked Remus over, "Perhaps. You think that he'd fit?"
Hermione snorted, "He is one of the most intelligent men I've ever met." she replied softly, ignoring Remus' utter confusion.
"I'll trust your judgement," Saul replied after surveying her for several long seconds, "but Hermione, please be sure you know what you're doing."
Hermione gave a mirthless laugh, "Haven't I already said? I haven't a bloody clue what I'm doing. It never mattered before, regardless of how prepared we were it always came down to sheer bloody luck."
Saul sighed, turning to Remus. "Are you sure you want to know? Truly? You are going to find things out you cannot tell your friends. You cannot tell anyone but the people we say you can speak to. This is not a secret for the faint hearted."
"What I…Gods, what are you mixed up in?" he asked desperately, turning to look at Hermione.
"Ending this war," Hermione replied gently. "We will not force this knowledge on you, Remus. You must be very, very sure."
"How bad?"
"Worse than anything you can ever imagine," Hermione admitted.
"You promise me you're not going to harm us? James is not going to die?"
Hermione looked back at him sadly, "I'll take a vow if you need it."
Remus looked around the room, "You all know?"
"Yes," Charlus agreed, "Dorea too."
"And she's… she's safe?"
"Her personally, not in the slightest," Saul retorted, making the other three men pale, "But she's no danger to you and yours."
"Fuck. right…right...I…I don't want to know, do I?"
"Probably not." Charlus smiled sadly, wrapping his arm around Hermione's shoulders as if reassuring himself that she was still there, safe for the moment. "We'll need to discuss this one day soon but it doesn't need to be today."
"Right and…," Remus exhaled shakily, "can James and Sirius ever know?"
"At the end of the school year or if you ever get an invitation from Dumbledore," Hermione responded, not looking at Saul, "Remus, promise me if any of you get an invitation, don't accept it until you've spoken to Uncle Charlus."
He looked unsure but nodded, "Right, I…I don't want to know."
"Ok." Saul nodded, "Then perhaps you and I need to go somewhere to discuss the job, Miss Moodys just volunteered you for. Come along."
"Why can't I join the Order?" Alex demanded the moment the door was closed behind them.
"Because Dumbledore is a manipulative bastard who I wouldn't trust to run a tap never mind the entire resistance," Hermione replied shortly, "He...plays with people like they're pawns not human beings and he was responsible for so many deaths. So, so many avoidable deaths. We will likely need him eventually but I intend to hold off as long as possible."
"Fuck, Kitten, seriously?"
"We're pulling back," Charlus admitted, "Not…not obviously, at the moment he's buying our excuses that we need to settle Hermione in. Alastor has cited the same reasons. We've been carefully talking to some people and they're also pulling back slightly, questioning him more. I gather he doesn't like it but for just now no ones overtly rocking the boat. We're going to ask if he knows who Voldemort is at the next meeting to see if he lies to us."
"You know who he is?" Alex asked, confused.
"Tom Riddle," Hermione supplied, "The half-blood heir of Slytherin."
"He's a halfblood," Alex gaped, standing abruptly, "but…the pureblood agenda."
"Is a bullshit excuse to manipulate his power base. Some people must know who he is, he went to Hogwarts after all, but I don't imagine many do. Some will follow him regardless, whatever you think of him, he is powerful and people like power but he is also insane and he won't spare his followers, regardless of how pure their blood is."
"Mother of Morganna." Alex muttered, "So I turn it down?"
"You stall." Hermione suggested, "Offer to help maintain their potions supplies. I imagine they'll need them, but say that things are currently too busy to invest any more time without people noticing that you're behaving unusually. Blame me if you must. It's hardly unknown that the McGonagalls are not an overly small family and it makes sense for them to be around us all while I get to know people. Don't let him guilt you. If he tries, point out that he wants his resistance to be a secret and you're doing your best to support that. Remind him that Kings can fill you in on anything pertinent as he attends most meetings, it's not like he has any contingencies that ensures secrecy anyway."
"Do you think that will work?" he asked hesitantly.
"I honestly have no idea. It's…flimsy at best but I'm hoping the fact you're still offering help is enough to prevent him being too suspicious."
"Right," Alex muttered, still looking uncomfortable.
Hermione sighed, "We can't stop you from joining," she began, ignoring the sound of disagreement Charlus made, "But I have no idea what made you a target last time and it'd be really nice if you didn't get yourself murdered following Dumbledore's questionable orders."
Alex grimaced apologetically, "I know you're right. I just hate feeling like I'm not doing anything."
"So make them as many healing potions as you have time for, and in the meantime, maybe look into one that can remove the soul from a Horcrux without destroying the host?"
The resulting conversation filled him in on more than Hermione had intended, however if it was the price of keeping him out of Dumbledore's clutches, she accepted it was worth it.