DISCLAIMER. None of the characters used are a creation of mine. They belong solely to JK Rowling.
It had been more than a month and Sirius was still ever so elusive. It had taken her one entire week to realise it was the Map. Because of course he had resorted to such childishness. He was using the Map to run away from her every time she tried to corner him.
It wasn't as if they hadn't talked to each other at all. They did. In classes and in corridors but always in the presence of the other Marauders. Sirius always maintained a normal conversation with her at each time but she knew something was amiss. She knew he was hurt but she had no idea how to fix it.
She found herself sitting beside Remus once again after the full moon. It had been the boys' first night together in the Shack.
'Did everything go okay?' she asked.
James grinned, 'Wonderfully so. Moony loves Padfoot, both being canines. The size lets him okay with Prongs. As for Wormtail, other than his job at the Whomping Willow roots, he helps provide crucial entertainment.'
Peter chuckled and struck his friend's arm in fun.
Sirius whistled, 'Moony's just been lonely. Look at yourself, Remus. Hardly any scars.'
Remus nodded shyly, 'Thank you.. everyone.. I've never felt this good after a transformation. It almost seems bearable even though I lose my mind and hardly have control over myself.'
Hermione scolded herself internally, cursing herself for not having learnt how to brew the Wolfsbane Potion.
Sirius laughed, 'Perhaps we can prevent any further scars on your pretty face, after all. You might just be able to keep your youth forever. Now, of course poor Prongsie isn't so lucky. His face is already shrivelling up.'
James looked outraged and immediately sought his reflection in a mirror on the bedside table. He cried out, 'They're just laughter lines, Padfoot!'
The boys laughed and Hermione silently slipped out, letting them revel in each other's company.
She made her way to the library and seeing her usual seat being used by some young Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff, moved to look for another secluded part in the ancient hall.
Finding a perfect spot she saw the frame of an incredibly tall boy sitting on one corner of the table she was aiming at.
She cleared her throat and requested, 'Excuse me, may I please sit with you? Everywhere else is full.'
The boy looked up and Hermione gasped at the familiar dark skin and the onyx eyes that stared into hers.
The boy smiled politely and said, 'I don't mind. I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt. Sixth year.'
Hermione nodded, flabbergasted and taken completely by surprise. Breaking out of her reverie she pulled out her books from her pack and unrolled a scroll of parchment she was working on.
She settled down and introduced herself, 'It's so strange. Four years and I'd have thought I'd at least know all my housemates if not the entire student body. I believe I've never met you before.'
Kingsley nodded and continued writing in his journal, 'I understand. I'm usually ignored in the Slytherin common room. My blood status may provide me some immunity to their racism but since my views on the issue aren't synchronised with theirs they usually spare me no second glances.'
His emerald robes were certainly something she couldn't have ever imagined. 'I know what you mean. It must get lonely though. Hardly anyone in Slytherin shares a neutral opinion.'
Kingsley hummed under his breath as he worked and without taking his eyes off of his journal he replied, 'I find it rather agreeable. Of course they label me as a traitor but the isolation lets me get on with my work without any hassle. Besides there are some who sometimes make for intellectual company. However the last Zabini member passed out three years ago. Its been a little lonely since.'
Hermione grinned cheekily, 'It's alright. You've found me now.'
She heard him elicit a deep throaty chuckle and saw him shake his head, 'It's a pleasure making your acquaintance too.'
The two worked in silence as dusk fell and were interrupted hours later by the arrival of Reggie who shook Hermione's shoulder and asked her if she'd like to walk back to the dungeons with him.
Hermione waved a hand at Kingsley before she followed Reggie out.
Reggie said, 'We haven't had the opportunity to catch up in a while.'
Hermione nodded, 'You're right.' Reminded of the conversation she'd had with Sirius during the summer she commented, 'You never come visit anymore, Reggie. Papa has been asking about you.'
'Yes.. I suppose I don't.' He pondered for a while and added as an afterthought, 'Father has been training me. He understands Sirius is the heir but since he doesn't always cooperate, Father finds it befitting to teach me the ways of the family ties to the government so I could be of help to my brother one day.'
'That is if your brother decides to take up the role as the Head.'
Reggie exhaled heavily, 'You know he will have to. There's no way even a person of his intellect could break out of the most ancient magic that governs familial ties in the pureblood society.'
Hermione stayed silent, only ever so aware since that that was the sole reason Papa couldn't disown his eldest grandson.
'At least that will keep you away from the current.. politics.' Hermione hoped in vain, trying to gauge how deep he had fallen.
Smiling ruefully, he shook his head, 'Nothing will help me escape. And you know that.'
They had reached the entrance to the Common Room. Muttering the password, Reggie motioned for Hermione to enter.
As she walked towards the girls' dormitories he laid a gentle hand on her arm and muttered, 'And it's Regulus, please.'
Her brows furrowed as she saw him retreat to his own chambers. Her heart broke for the boy.
*
The next morning Hermione sought out the company of Kingsley during breakfast, breaking away from Severus involved in a heated discussion with Mulciber about the best ways possible to extract the truth from an unwilling witch or wizard. Hermione honestly had no appetite to hear children squabble over how Crucioing someone would be enough or if forceful use of Veritaserum would be required too.
She mumbled, 'Good morning. Did you finish taking your notes last night?'
Kingsley looked up in surprise, not expecting anybody to join him. Regaining his senses he nodded slightly, 'Yes, I did.'
She slipped in beside him and filled her plate with some toast and jam. Sipping her pumpkin juice, she fed treats to a Ministry owl who had just delivered the Daily Prophet to her.
She decided to read it in the evening and hurried with her breakfast, excited to get to her classes however repetitive they usually seemed to be for her. Focusing solely on her food she blinked in surprise when she felt a warm hand touch hers.
She looked up into the sympathetic eyes of Kingsley. He whispered, 'You might want to read the news, Hermione.'
Glancing around herself she saw the entirety of the other three houses staring at her with hate filled glares. The Slytherin table, on the other hand, looked at her admiringly with something akin to pride in their eyes as they smirked.
She dropped her toast and opened the newspaper to see the face of her brother looking up at her, an evil glint in his eyes as he laughed maniacally over the body of an innocent woman lying under the Dark Mark hovering above her. Bellatrix stood crushing the woman's heel under her feet.
Bile rose up her throat as she read the headline.
The Lestrange Family Openly Picks a Side.
Tipped by concerned neighbours, the Auror Department found itself facing the raging Lestrange couple wreaking havoc through a wizarding village. Mrs Berta Hopkins was found lying in a puddle of her own blood on the evening of October 19, 1975. What has turned out to be a horrifying act against the law has now managed to confirm that Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange have signed away their allegiance to He Who Must Not Be Named. It is only a matter of time before Rabastan Lestrange, currently the acting head of the Lestrange Corporation, and Hermione Lestrange, an extremely gifted witch in her fifth year at Hogwarts, take their place beside their brother and aid the advances of the Death Eaters to instil fear among the common folks and terrorise the world. The seeds of evil are, after all, sown early in the minds of a child. The faithful citizens of Britain can only hope to beg the authorities to lock these miscreants away before they find the opportunity to act on their malicious whims against the innocent. It is baffling to see the Ministry so out of control of the affairs that plague the people. It makes one wonder who really is pulling the strings.
Kingsley said, 'I knew Rabastan when he was still at school. He would never stoop to such inhumane pettiness. Besides, the Ministry can't do anything. These are unjust accusations that can never be proven.'
'I'm not worried about that.. I'm ashamed of what my brother has resorted to. It's true he was always a bigoted pureblood but to see him in the act is gruesome and thoroughly repulsive. I'm ashamed to call him family.'
Tears pooling at the base of her eyes, she heard the gentle voice of her new friend tell her, 'Your family doesn't entirely lay with your blood. You choose a part of it yourself too.'
Hesitantly, she raised her head and looked across the Hall to find a pair of stormy grey eyes seeking her out, assuring her of his unwavering faith in her.
Hermione threw away the newspaper and stormed out of the Great Hall, hundreds of enraged eyes following her movements.