DISCLAIMER. None of the characters used are a creation of mine. They belong solely to JK Rowling.

Only two days away from when she would finally be hunting the ring with Harry, Hermione found herself immersed into all the books the Hogwarts library boasted of. It would be a lie if she said she hadn't catalogued almost the entire library by now but she had hoped to find something, even an inkling of a mention of how to use the Stone.

She had failed miserably.

But that didn't keep her from training herself better for the task at hand. She remained ever so vigilant. She had gone through every defensive spell she had ever learned, sometimes even looking into a few more.

Apart from the constant worry about the upcoming weekend she had also found herself plagued by her frayed nerves when it came to Rab.

She had met with Rodolphus just days after she had returned to Hogwarts. Despite Voldemort not having called upon her so far she had been feeling extremely nervous for her brother's safety. She hadn't gone longer than a week without hearing from him ever since she had landed in this timeline.

It disconcerted her but did reaffirm how deeply she had begun to love him.

Hermione sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering under her breath.

Her steps were hurried, taking her away from the library only minutes before curfew would set in. Her feet dragged her to the dungeons. She had only just turned around the corner when she felt someone grab hold of her hand, startling her into raising her wand and pointing it at the culprit.

She looked up to find a slightly flushed looking James, not the least bit bothered about the danger he probably didn't even understand he was in. Recent events had only strengthened the war persona Hermione had never really been able to leave behind, not even with the promise of a new life.

James merely looked tired and broken. His fervent eyes sought hers.

Hermione's brows furrowed, 'What is it? What's wrong?'

James whispered, 'He won't listen to me or anybody else. He won't even open up. Please, just help me fix him.'

Hermione lowered her gaze in shame. Of course she knew what he meant. She knew who he was talking about. Even though she'd been busy with everything she had to prepare for she could never have overlooked the frail boy she had grown to love.

Sirius, ever since he had returned from the Christmas holidays, continued only to look paler day after day. His eyes looked empty deposited his booming laughter which was still heard every night at dinner in the Great Hall. But for someone who cared for him as much as Hermione did it wasn't very difficult to notice how he had only been putting up an act.

Word had it he had been disowned. Rodolphus had mentioned how Bellatrix had been extremely upset when Sirius refused to join the Death Eaters. He had also expressed how delighted torturing him had felt as punishment and a means to bend his will. It had surprised Hermione to know that Walburga had willingly allowed her son, no matter how unwanted, to be subjected to such torment at the hands of someone other than herself. She'd have though Walburga's pride would never allow such a thing. But Hermione had been wrong. Walburga had revelled in the way Bellatrix had crumbled his soul.

She vaguely remembered Sirius telling Harry how he had ran away from home when he was sixteen but she could never have imagined the severity of the situation. Walburga had certainly done a number on her children. Hermione had never not noticed the several tiny scars that marred Sirius' arms. Even his flawless face had suffered the brunt of a rather pointed end of his mother's wand that had left behind a tiny crescent shaped white scar.

She remembered Peter placating him, telling him how it could just serve as a reminder of his loyalty to Remus. The boys had laughed at such a ludicrous idea but Hermione had seen how it had helped him put up yet another facade just so he could deal with things the only way he knew how to.

By faking it.

It would have been a complete btreayal on her part not only to the friendship she harboured with Sirius but also Reggie. Although far fewer than the ones Sirius was marked with, Reggie too homed various small scars.

Hermione wouldn't lie amd say she hadn't felt cowardly at not even offering to help. But she had to maintain her distance. But she felt conflicted as she looked at the forlorn expression on James' face. She could make out just how terrible he felt. The weight of lifting Sirius' mood up must have been too much of a job for a regular sixteen year old especially one who had remained sheltered from the harsh truth if the world throughout his childhood.

Every instinct that she had told her to walk away and yet she knew she would help fix him. And then she would leave their lives for once and for all and try to make her amends if the fates ever allowed her to.

So when James begged her, she nodded her head absently, following him to the grounds and into the courtyard.

They fell upon Remus studiously practicing the Protean Charm as Peter nagged at him to help him with his homework. Sirius merely sat on one of the upturned logs, watching the scene unfurl.

Hermione cleared her throat, her voice laced with forced cheerfulness 'Boys, why don't we take the party inside?'

Sirius looked at her, shocked and a tad bit relieved. Remus merely raised his brow at her curiously while Peter just stared at her dumbfounded.

Hermione shook her head fondly, leading them to the one place she knew they wouldn't be disturbed.

Maybe it was time for them to find out another one of the castle's secret.

As the boys scrambled after her onto the seventh floor, Hermione closed her eyes requesting the Room to grant her a place she could feel at home.

She saw the boys gaping at the intricately designed door that had materialised onto the face of the wall they stood facing.

She tugged onto Sirius' hand, pulling him inside. She shouldn't have been surprised to find herself in the middle of the Burrow's living room. She really shouldn't have. But a gasp still escaped her lips as she settled into one of the sofas.

James looked around himself in wonder, the pain in his eyes having receded away a little. 'Blimey, what is this place?'

Hermione grinned, immediately falling back into the comfort of the boys' presence. It almost felt as if the last few months had never happened at all.

'This, dear, is the Room of Requirement. It takes the form of whatever you need the most at the moment.'

Remus looked thunderstruck. He took a hesitant step back when he saw a shelf of books appear into the far side of the room, an exact reproduction of what he had wished for only a second ago just so he could test the Room's abilities.

'Wicked!' Peter mumbled.

'I know, I know.'

Sirius smirked as he sidled up next to her, winking suggestively, 'You've been doing a bit of Maraudering of yourself, eh?'

Hermione blushed, 'I thought I was an honourary Marauder anyway.'

Peter chuckled, plopping down into the loveseat with James.

Remus was perusing the books as he said, 'So what are we doing here?'

Hermione looked at James. He shied away from his gaze.

Hermione decided to take the lead. 'It's been awfully long since we caught up, don't you think?'

Peter looked unsure, 'Well, you were so withdrawn all the time.. I mean, we were just scared and practically at our wit's end or we'd have been having this little gathering long ago.'

Hermione looked ashamed, feeling guilt seep into her with the realisation that she would soon be breaking their hearts yet again. This last meeting would only serve as reminder of her betrayal to them.

But she, like any other human, was a selfish creature. And so she would revel in their presence one last time before she had to give up her friendship.

She carefully drifted the conversation to where she wanted it to go, 'So what's been keeping you guys so quiet these days? Not a single prank since term began. Hell, even some of the Slytherins miss the chaos despite how you're always using us as the butt of your jokes.'

Remus and Peter looked sheepishly at each other as Sirius tensed up, his lips set in a tight line.

James muttered, 'Padfoot here has been a little force of gloom.'

Sirius looked at him sharply but Hermione deflected whatever spat they were bound to set on by taking his hand in hers. She traced the fresh scar along his fingers, touching the puckered skin gently.

She mumbled, 'Why haven't you asked someone to heal it?' He shrugged so she went on, 'When did she do this?'

'Christmas Eve. Ran away soon after.'

'Turned up at my door, drenched and bleeding. Imagine the fright he gave me,' James supplied, shivering despite the cackling fire in front of him.

'You ran away?' Hermione prodded, 'What happened?'

Peter patted Sirius' back, urging him.

Sirius loosened his tie, taking it off, 'Bella visited us that night. Mother demanded my presence. She asked me very kindly to join Bella for the evening and enter Voldemort's ranks. I said no and,' he removed his cloak, lifting the front of his shirt to reveal several bright red jagged lines running along his muscled chest, 'this happened.'

Hermione rubbed at her eyes. She shook her head and moved to sit beside him, once again taking his hand and fingering his scar. 'Tell me what happened next.'

Sirius looked reluctant. Hermione saw in him a semblance of the older Sirius she remembered. The same hollow eyes. The same emptiness within.

'I left. Reggie helped floo me to the Potters.' He said, in a montonous voice devoid of any emotions, as if the very act of speaking betrayed him, 'He cleaned away as much of my blood as he could. He healed whatever wounds he knew how to and flooed me to the Potters and .. and all I did was leave him alone in the snakepit to fend off those monsters.'

She leaned into his side, holding him as he broke into dry sobs. 'I left him all alone when all he did was finally liberate me from the shithole my life is. I was supposed to be the one to look out for him. And what did I do? I left him.'

She lay his head gently in her lap, murmuring sweet nothings. He scrunched up her robes in his fist, his whimpers unlocking a sadness within her.

He whispered, 'I was five when it began. She hit me with a simple Stinging hex. But the next morning Reggie was so upset that he purposely went and ruined all her rose bushes, you know? Just so I didn't have to suffer alone. She found out, obviously. Even though she doted on him she set after him, intent on teaching him a lesson lest he become a petulant little pest like myself. She chased him down the stairs. And when he tripped over the last step and split his lips she wrecked havoc everywhere.

'Can you imagine? She was miffed because he'd gone and gotten himself in trouble, not because he was hurt. That was the first time I pushed him away as she sent another curse hurtling at him. All ready to take the bloody Cruciatus meant for a four year old. A four year old, Mi. Just four.'

His tear stained face looked so broken in that moment as he lay in her lap, his hair in a disarray and his silver eyes in the middle of a raging storm.

'It became instinct then. I would just step up in front of him every time she came at us. I never resented him for being the better son. I was glad that he was even if it saved me at least a little of the trouble. He's my brother and I've failed him. Who will protect him now? I know what I've done. I let him become this. All these years and I saw how he was slowly convulated and twisted into their shadow and I never said a word. I never stopped stepping up to bear the brunt but I never realised I had to protect his mind too.'

Hermione muttered, 'It's not too late. You can still help him. We all can.'

He looked at her, stricken. 'And here I thought you were friends with him.'

She frowned, 'I don't understand.'

He clutched his head, tearing himself away from her embrace, 'Of course you don't.'

'What's going on?'

Peter muttered, 'He's going to be initiated next summer, Mi.'

'But we can still help him! We can help change his mind. He will listen to you, Sirius. You only have to try. Trust me, he still cares for you very much. If he didn't he wouldn't have heloed you escape.'

Sirius held up a hand, 'Please, stop. He's already decided his fate. It's too late.' He thrashed his hands, throwing away the books the Room had supplied for Remus, mumbling under his breath, 'Always spewing bullshit. His pureblood supremacy crap is too much and I'm done with it.'

Hermione bristled up. 'Have you even talked to him in the last few years? Stepping in for his punishments is not enough. Do you know how lonely he's been? You keep running away to the Potters. Who does he have? Where will he go? He's left alone with that rotting woman and her ideals. The poor bloke hasn't had a normal summer ever since you decided your brother is a snake.'

His eyes glared daggers at hers, 'Don't tell me how to be a good brother. You know nothing.'

'Oh, I happen to know enough, Sirius. If you leave him be today you're going to regret this very much. This will come haunt you someday.'

The vein in his froehead pulsed and his curled fists were almost on the brink of knocking something out. It almost seemed like he was going to push himself into another volatile bout of rage, the infamous Black insanity creeping up on him, but then something happened. Something broke and his chest deflated as his eyes softened.

'I'd have done something if there was a possibility he'd listen. I don't suppose I'm much fmaily to him anymore. Not after he's become so chummy with that dunderhead Rookwood. Don't you think I see him terrorising muggleborns in corridors? He's lost himself to the madness. But.. I .. I don't want to have to lose you too just because you decided to defend Death Eater scum.'

Hermione found herself at a loss. She looked at the three boys sitting across from them. James looked terrified and shocked. Remus kept his face neutral and Peter only stared back at her with an intensity that scared her.

She mumbled, 'Oh, Sirius.. I don't know what to say..'

He chuckled darkly, 'Say nothing.'

Hermione felt tears prick her eyes. She got up on wobbly feet and wrapped her arms around him. 'I am so sorry, Sirius. If only I knew, I'd have..'

He pushed her away gently, 'You'd have what, Hermione? What would you have done? Nobody could have helped me.' He rubbed his face anxiously. 'You've been gone for some time now. Don't you dare tell me you could have helped me.'

Remus' stern voice interrupted Hermione's cries of protest, 'Padfoot, she's been grieving. Have some respect!'

'Grieving?!', he thundered, 'Haven't we all? Hell, I was almost as close to Papa as I should have been to my own damn father. Haven't I been mourning him? Haven't I been grieving?'

Hermione covered her mouth, aghast.

She saw as Sirius threw away the china set on one of the tables. He leaned against the wall, croaking out, 'Mi, I am sorry.. but he meant something to me too.. and you know that. You, Rab and Papa have been the only family I have. Reggie and I have never felt at our home what we felt with you. I know how hard it's been for you but I only wish you'd let me help you so we could deal with this.. pain.. together.'

Hermione felt her heart break. She didn't blame him for the resentment he harboured. She had known all of that already. She had known she was hurting him but almost a decade alone had made her wither away. She'd felt so weak.

How could they expect her to carry not only herself but her brother and now Sirius too?

'Sirius, I never.. I never meant to hurt you.'

'Don't say that, please,' he begged. 'I needed you. And you needed someone too, Mi. But you shut yourself away from everyone! We were supposed to be in this together.'

She felt Peter squeeze her hand. She nodded at him gratefully but let go. She had to do this alone.

Moving to stand before Sirius, she whispered, 'It was never my intention to cause you pain. I know how tormenting it must have been for you and I am so sorry. But I'm not going to let you yell at me telling me how I should have dealt with my pain. Your anger is misplaced. You can't blame me for being human.'

Sirius threaded his fingers in his hair, 'That's not what I'm saying.. you misunderstand me. What I'm trying to tell you is that it's been so long. Hermione, we need each other. I need you.' He slid down the wall, falling down with a soft thud, 'Can we please just go back to how it was before real world got in the way?

'I don't even know who I am anymore. I was almost bloody ready to go with Bella that night just so it could all be over. But I couldn't .. not when I had you guys with me. I chose not to go. But every night before I sleep I'm haunted by how pathetic I'd felt. How weak. I was ready to give up for Reggie when he doesn't even care anymore.'

James pacified him, holding him abreast, 'Mate, you did the best you could. It's time to let go of all the anger and the resentment. Please. You're not just hurting yourself. You're hurting us too.

Peter scrambled up to him, 'That was never your family. We are.'

Hermione almost expected Remus to join them but she saw in his eyes utter heartbreak. She could take a guess, of course. After all Remus had seen first hand how Regulus had chosen not to be cruel and cowardly when armed with a secret that could potentially safeguard his position within the Slytherins better than anything else could.

In the eyes of the pureblood society ruining the life of a half breed such as himself would be the greatest pride.

Sirius took a moment to breathe in deeply. He seemed to lighten up then, his eyes crinkling with mischief once again, pushing away all the horror aside.

He smirked, 'You reckon this place can provide us with some epic rum, Prongsie?'

James laughed, 'You judt read my mind, didn't you?'

Hermione interrupted, her voice stern 'You will do no such thing.'

James pouted, 'Women. Always a buzzkill.'

Sirius leaned against the plush cushions, his arms supporting the weight of his head, 'I'd love to hear what Walburga would say when she finds out her oldest son is aiding the Light.'

Remus muttered, 'She's blasted you off the tapestry. I don't think she'd care.'

'Oh, she will,' Peter sniggered.

Hermione questioned, 'What are you talking about?'

James answered, 'Dumbledore not so subtly asked us to directly join the Order. Padfoot and I do enough eavesdropping as it is whenever the meeting's over at our place so he knows we're aware of their agendas. See, the Order is this secret organisation that..'

'I know about the Order,' Hermione snapped, suddenly enraged at the idea of Dumbledore once again hunting down children to fight an adult war.

Peter claimed, 'We will catch so many of those bastards and hurl them into Azkaban. However, if it was up to me I wouldn't bother. They ought to be killed at sight with the way they're going.'

'Ruddy buggers, aren't they? Would blow them to pieces, if it was me.'

Remus dragged himself a little ways away from the others. Hermiome followed, surprised at the moroseness in his gait.

He propped his elbows on the table, 'They're fools. Desperate for glory. This war will be the end of everything.'

'They're just children,' Hermione offered half-heartedly. 'They don't know any better. But that's no excuse.'

Remus shook his head, whispering words from a poet Hermione had all but forgotten. 'The Old Lie, dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.'

*It is sweet and honourable to die for your country. (Wilfred Owen)