"An injustice done anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Martin Luther King

"Miss Grace, Miss Grace can you hear me?"

Hermione's eyes fluttered for a few moments and then suddenly opened, giving her an awful headache. She looked around at her surroundings, she could see a white ceiling and a figure above her. A middle-aged woman stood there with greying hair and a serious look on her face. Hermione turned her head and saw nothing but white, the white walls, the white bed, the white gown. The room was silent except for the sounds of the electrocardiograph beside her.

The movements were fixed, regular, always the same. She tried to stop them, it felt like her ears were ringing. She was seeing blurred and trying to recognize something. Her gaze fixed on the woman standing before her and Hermione checked to see if she knew her. No matter how hard she searched her memories, the face didn't look familiar, and that wasn't necessarily positive.

"Hello, I'm a mediwitch you're in St. Mungo's. There was an explosion. Do you remember?" she asked hastily."

"I don't think we should rush her, she's only just woken up from a coma. She must be a little lost" advised a man in his forties, who was sitting in the visitors' chair.

He looked exhausted, as did the woman beside him. Both had worried expressions on their faces, both had huge dark circles around their eyes, probably due to lack of sleep from recent events. They asked the doctor to step out and leave the three of them, after a few routine checks, she agreed, promising the patient to return shortly.

"Hermione, do you remember? It's 1979, we've travelled back in time, for everyone except Minerva and I, your name is Helena Grace. There's been an explosion at HQ. The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. The members are suspicious of us because we only arrived here a few months ago. I am known as Remi Lucas here."

"Yes" she said hoarsely, as if she hadn't spoken in a long time. "Yes, I remember Rem. There was an explosion. I was about to go into the house and I felt myself being pushed out. Is everyone alright? What happened?"

Hermione saw the two adults scowl. It didn't mean anything to her. She knew these expressions from having encountered them too many times before. No, there couldn't be any deaths, not yet! Not after all the effort they had put in. Remus seemed to be holding back his tears and it was Minerva who spoke with difficulty.

"Dorcas and Benjy did not survive. They were in the room where the explosion took place."

Hermione hadn't really had time to get to know Benjy Fenwick, he had joined the Order some time before her and it was partly thanks to him that she hadn't succumbed to the bloody strangling spell. She had spoken to him a few times over the last few months, but hadn't really known him. For Dorcas it was a bit different, they had been together at Hogwarts and she had been around her more. It was also thanks to her care that she hadn't died during the Battle of Oxford Street. Two members of the Order had died and Hermione owed them her life. It saddened her greatly, more deaths, but she realised that there was something else, perhaps even more serious, as she analysed her friends' faces.

"That's not all, is it?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"The explosion took place on January the 16th during the night. The aurors were warned and came. They've accused someone."

The faces of her friends showed that this was not good news at all. Hermione, who was still weak, became even more worried and asked the fateful question.

"Who, who did they accuse Rem'?" she gasped, fearing the answer.

"Sirius."

A scream came from room 394, startling a poor nurse and her patient next to her. Hermione was now fully awake and was about to leave the bed at once.

"Ah they'll hear me, I hate them! I'm going to the ministry! I'm going to the ministry now."

Her outburst cost her her balance as she staggered and fell back onto the hospital bed.

"You're not going anywhere" Remus said sternly. "You've just come out of a coma, you're still weak and then... We haven't told you everything yet."

"What's the worst that can happen?" she sighed.

"Pettigrew has disappeared. The Aurors think he died in the explosion but they haven't found his body. And we all three know what that means."

Hermione stood up abruptly, and immediately fell back down, still tired. No matter what time it was, history repeated itself over and over again. Against the advice of the wizards and her friends, she decided to leave St. Mungo's and go to the Ministry.

"I have to see Sirius. I'm going to the Ministry, they'll let me see him."

Minerva didn't know how to react to the young woman's determination. Remus knew she wouldn't give up, she was too angry, he wouldn't want to be in the shoes of the person who would incur her wrath. Their faces were serious and Hermione thought that she was in for a surprise.

"It's too late, Mione."

"No Rem'! What day is it? Minerva?"

"February the 11th. They took him to Azkaban, almost as soon as he was arrested."

"He didn't get a trial! Just like in the past, damn it! I'm going to demand a trial. Right now."

"Hermione, nobody knows you here. You won't get anything."

Minerva intervened, explaining to the young woman that it was necessary to trick her into getting the trial as well as proving that Pettigrew was guilty.

"But he can't drink veritaserum?"

"Veritaserum is very rarely used in a trial and Sirius is a Black. That's why he was locked up so quickly. His family is full of dark magic. They will accuse him of being able to resist the potion. Besides, the full moon is tonight. We'll start acting tomorrow."

The trio of friends studied the law relentlessly, seeking to free Sirius as soon as possible. However, after several hours of hard work, they took a break.

"And what about the marauders, what do they think?"

Remus turned darker, which did not bode well for Hermione. Minerva explained with a closed face, the reaction of each person. Remus was brooding all day, locked in his room and hardly eating at all. Every object that passed under his hands ended up in pieces. James was devastated to have lost his brother but he had Lily and Minerva had overheard the young man telling his girlfriend that Peter suspected Sirius of being a Death Eater.

"Oh that rat face, I'll kill him. I hate him! And James, how could he think that Sirius would betray him?"

"I thought it Hermione" Remus sighed. "I thought it as did the whole wizarding society in 1981. It's two years earlier but it's the same thing. History is repeating itself but it's happening earlier because of us. We couldn't stop it."

"But it's not the same thing, everyone thought he was the secret keeper, now there's no reason to blame Sirius. And you, Rem, how do you feel about it?" she asked, seeing her friend's expression.

He had huge dark circles around his eyes, looked like he hadn't slept in ages and looked ten years older.

"As can I. I feel like I've failed, that it's all going to start again and there's nothing we can do about it. I can't believe it happened so fast, so soon. Okay, well. We've got to find a way to get this trial."

Hermione suddenly had an epiphany and began to frantically search through the law book she had found. Minerva wanted to ask her something but Remus gave her a look that the young woman should not be disturbed when she was like this.

"I knew it, it's there. It's written in black and white. Everyone has the right to a trial, it's mandatory. Sirius' imprisonment is illegal. I'm going to the Ministry."

"A trial will take a long time to get. We have to find an argument to get them to agree to do it quickly. Nobody knows us and will help us."

Hermione's heels clicked on the floor of the Ministry. She had made an effort and practiced walking in them. Minerva had warned her that the Minister was just an idiot, some things never change no matter what time it is, but that he valued tradition and liked women to wear dresses and heels. A big macho unable to understand progress and the emancipation of women, according to Hermione. She pushed a poor woman who had the misfortune to be in her way. All the other employees moved aside as she passed. She waved to Moody as he left his office but continued on her way, before the Auror could even question her about the reason for her visit. The anger on her face left no doubt that the person she was about to talk to was going to have a bad time. What were they all doing looking at her like that! She arrived at the office of the minister's secretary and entered without knocking.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you to knock? You are?" she asked in her shrill, highly unpleasant voice.

"I request an urgent audience with the Minister for Magic."

"Sir is not available. You are?" she repeated.

"He has no choice" she said icily.

Hermione shoved the insufferable woman who had wasted enough time on her and entered the Minister's office.

"Excuse me Minister, I couldn't stop that fury from entering."

"It's nothing, Miss Stevens" replied a man in his fifties, with a prominent overweight and a jovial attitude. Just the opposite of Hermione.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit Miss?" he said, ogling Hermione from head to toe.

"I want you to give Sirius Black a trial."

The Minister looked annoyed and did not immediately know how to respond to this young woman, or fury, who had barged into his office so early in the morning. He risked an answer, but by observing the face of his interlocutor, he suspected that it was far from being the answer she wanted to hear.

"It might be complicated, Miss. Public opinion, you understand... People have read the press, I can't have them thinking that my aurors don't arrest criminals."

"I don't give a damn about public opinion. The press is full of lies. How can you know if Sirius Black is guilty without a trial? It's the law. He has a right to a trial."

"Well I'll be in touch in six months" he sighed.

"SIX MONTHS! No no no" she said in an unpleasantly sweet voice that would have made the Snape of his day pale with jealousy "If in a month's time the trial hasn't started you can be sure I'll be calling for your dismissal. And you will be in serious trouble. You may not know me, but I can be very persuasive. I won't hesitate for a moment to take you down. You have no idea of the means at my disposal. I know what kind of man you are, Harold Minchum! A man who loves power, who can't live without it, so the choice is going to be simple. Either you make sure that Sirius Black is brought to trial as quickly as possible. Or you lose everything you have. I promise you that. I always keep my promises. With that, please accept my most distinguished regards, Minister. Don't forget, dismissal."

With these fine words, the young woman left the ministry, leaving a slightly confused minister and his secretary. Although she would not admit it to anyone, she was quite proud of her little effect.

Hermione moved to Godric's Hollow and walked to Potter Manor. It was a good thing she had already come with James and Lily, otherwise she would have ended up in front of their future home, which wasn't built yet, not knowing where to find them. She entered and went straight into the hall. She felt a pang of nostalgia as she thought of Harry, who would have loved to have known this house. She took the time to admire the architecture and the decoration. Everything was simple, sober but still luxurious. A house elf appeared before her.

"A stranger in the master's house? What can Windy do for Miss?"

"I would like to speak to James please, it's very important."

Hermione didn't bother with politeness, but she had always found it important to respect house elves, in this day and age. The S.P.E.W. had been a great failure, but that was no reason not to show them some respect. The magical creature took the witch's hand and led her across to her master's room.

"This is it Miss."

Hermione thanked it and the elf disapparate once more. Hermione took a deep breath, she could feel that the conversation was not going to be easy.

"POTTER! You will open this door now!" she ordered loudly.

James nonchalantly carried out the order and let his interlocutor into his room. He was surprised to find her standing in front of him when the last he heard she was still in a deep coma at St. Mungo's.

"What are you doing here?"

"Are you alright? You're not too worried about your friends? You know, the marauders" she said, not caring about his question.

"You don't have to attack me like that! I haven't seen Remus since the explosion, Peter was buried even though his body wasn't found, and Sirius..."

His voice changed as he said the name. The name of his best friend, his brother.

"Sirius betrayed us" he continued, bowing his head like a child caught in the act.

"No, he didn't."

"What do you mean no?" the wizard questioned, sitting up sharply.

"Sirius never betrayed you" she said sternly. "Not you more than anyone else. How can you think he could even imagine betraying you? I thought you were brothers. Closer than anyone! Or was that a lie? So yes there is a traitor but it's not him! Do you really think he's capable of this? I thought you were better than this James. I thought that after all these years you'd put aside your prejudices about his family. I am very disappointed in you. And Remus! You all need to support each other through this. You didn't even spend the full moon with him when you knew it was going to be harder than the others! You haven't seen him in a MONTH! You only cared about yourself, I thought marauders were stronger than anything. I was sadly mistaken. And you, blinded by Pettigrew —Hermione put all her resentment in that name— you thought your brother could betray you! What a beautiful friendship!"

The young man had been stunned throughout Hermione's tirade. He knew that he may not have reacted very well, especially with Remus, he had almost abandoned his friend, but he had not expected Helena to say such angry things to him. He felt like he was eight years old and being scolded by his mother for doing something stupid. And what a mistake! He had left his best friend alone for a month, believed his brother to be guilty, who according to Helena was not.

"I asked the Minister to have a trial for Sirius. We haven't always seen eye to eye, but an innocent man doesn't belong in prison and since his friends can't do it for me."

Hermione advised James to think before leaving, glowering at him. She reached the boundary of the property and disapparated. Lily arrived in the room a few seconds later.

"I heard you" she said in a soft voice.

"And what do you think? I'm completely lost" he sighed wearily.

Minister, done

James, done

All that was missing was Remus. She could have cared about Dumbledore's opinion, but she didn't. She didn't trust him enough. He had let Sirius get imprisoned twice, that could be added to the (too) long list of things she blamed him for.

Hermione apparated to several places without being able to find Remus. This worried her a little, she was afraid that he had done something stupid, without anyone being there to help him. The last destination she hadn't checked turned out to be the right one. She arrived in Hogsmeade and walked to the Shrieking Shack.

She saw the naked young man in the fetal position, tear streaks were present on his cheeks and he seemed to be sleeping.

"Remus" she whispered softly.

"Helena?"

"Yes, it's me. Have you been here since the full moon? Oh, Remus I'm sorry, I should have come sooner."

"You were in a coma. What day is it?"

"Wednesday night. It's been two and a half days. Come on, get dressed, we have to talk."

The young woman looked away, to give him some privacy.

"Let's not stay here. I don't like this atmosphere or this place. Where do you want to go?"

"To Azkaban."

Hermione bit her lip, cursing herself for being so clumsy. She was usually a master of tact. A month in a coma wasn't very good for her reflexes it would seem. She took his arm and apparated, landing on a small beach.

"Where are we?"

"On the beach at Ile Vierge in France. I used to come here when I was younger. It's quite touristy but since it's February... Anyway, I needed to talk to you in the quiet and this place is relaxing. It's quite important."

Hermione didn't know how to start the subject without hurting Remus' feelings. She took a breath and began.

"It's about Sirius."

He betrayed me" he sobbed. "But at the same time I still love him. How could he? I miss him so much" the young man whispered and cried harder. "I can't believe he did this, it's so unlike him."

"Remus, calm down, he's innocent. Sirius is innocent. He would never do this. And I got him a trial. In less than a month."

"But... but how is that possible? I mean, who could have done this? And the trial. You're not saying this to make me feel better?"

"No, of course not. I'm not the kind of person who lies to make others feel better. I know who did it. I can't tell you right now, but it'll come to me soon. No one will agree to defend Sirius, so I'll do it."

"Why?"

"Because his name is Sirius Black. People have a lot of prejudice, even now, when he has turned away from his family. The Black family will always be a so-called dark family to the magical world and even those who have been disowned still belong to it. I have to prepare his defence and find witnesses."

"Why are you so adamant about getting him out of jail? You hate him."

"I've never hated Sirius. He is often unbearable but he also has a lot of courage. I defend him because it's what I think is right. I defend him because he deserves it, because he is innocent and because I don't want history to repeat itself."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't tell you. I never make promises Remus, because there are always factors to consider and you never know what might happen. But tonight, I swear to you that I will get Sirius out of jail. I swear to you."

I promise you.