A/N Hello all and welcome to my pride and joy. I've put so much into this. The outline for the story is finished so I know where this is going, all I have to do is perfect it. Aside from this first upload expect to see a new chapter each Wednesday until further notice. Upload days might change at some point but we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Some things before we start, this is AU from the end of OOTP on and characters will be OOC but there is a reason for it. Also some character's ages have been changed but its only minor side characters. The only other major thing I need to address. I know Dorea and Charlus Potter are not James's parents however this story was over halfway written when we found that out and I wasn't changing it at that point. Other than that every detail of this story has been carefully planned out, everything has an explanation however not all of them fit naturally within the story so if you run into anything that you feel needs more clarification drop it in a review and I will make sure to address it. Now on with the story!
Chapter One
Hermione watched the sun slowly rise, casting soft orange rays of light onto the street from between the houses of Grimmauld Place. She sat on the metal framed twin sized bed that had been hers for the last month after she had left her parents home in attempt to protect them from her world. She watched as muggles started exiting their houses, getting into cars, kissing each other goodbye, walking to the bus stop, completely unaware of the young witch watching them from the window of the house they didn't know existed. She envied them and their ignorance of the war that had begun in Wizarding Britain. It had only been a few months since she and her friends snuck into the Department of Mysteries and fought several Death Eaters along side the Order of the Phoenix. She brought her hand to the bandage that was wrapped around her chest, the large burn that ran from her right ribs, across her chest, and up to her left shoulder. The wound flared under the slightest pressure, even the bandage caused her pain sometimes. Madame Pomfrey had tried her best to heal it but the curse Antonin Dolohov used was unknown and resistant to healing charms and potions. Even still Hermione was taking 10 potions a day to help the healing along.
A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts, "Yes?" She called out. "Good morning, kitten" Sirius called from the doorway, using a pet name he had given her sometime since he met her. It wasn't that odd, he had pet names for everyone. Harry's was Pup, something Sirius had called him since he was born, Ginny had been dubbed Buttercup after Sirius heard the story of the breakfast when the she first met Harry. Ron still didn't have a name, Sirius apparently hadn't found a fitting thing to tease him about yet. "Breakfast is ready downstairs," He called through the door, "And you might want to hurry, Moony's about to finish off the pancakes without you." Hermione laughed lightly before walking to the door. She thought back to watching the stunner cutting through the air towards Sirius at break neck speed. Hermione knew at that moment that she was going to watch him fall through the Veil, and instinctively she knew he wouldn't come out the other side. The curse was getting closer, she closed her eyes and turned away. A thunderous crash forced her eyes open, the spot where Sirius was standing was levitating above everyone's heads. Hermione looked over and saw Tonks concentrating very hard on her juiced up 1st year spell. Sirius leapt from the floating island and immediately rejoined the fight, Hermione wondered what life would have been if Tonks hadn't been so observant that day. After that Tonks and Kingsley pushed for a retrial for Sirius, he was absolved of all crimes and was now a free man, which he was determined to make everyone's problem.
She made her way down the stairs making sure not to wake the portrait of Lady Black, not particularly wanting to be called slurs this early in the morning. She was greeted with the sight of table void of food when she walked into the dining room, glancing over at Remus she noticed that his plate was piled high with pancakes, toast, bacon, sausage, and eggs. The man was completely oblivious to the witch who just walked in, she turned to Sirius who simply smirked and waved his hand, a previously disillusioned plate appeared, he thought ahead and hid two pancakes, two pieces of toast, two pieces of bacon and some eggs for her. "Thank you, Sirius." Hermione said as she sat down. "You're welcome, I learned a long time ago to hide any food I wanted to eat around the full moon." He responded while staring down his best friend. "I'm not that bad Pads." Remus grumbled from across the table. Sirius snorted in response before vanishing the plate full of food from in front of the werewolf. Remus let out a snarl and slammed his copy of the Daily Prophet down on the table, only after doing so did he notice that Hermione had joined them. He cleared his throat, "Sorry Hermione, I didn't realize you were here." The man's faced had turned to a very deep shade of red. "It's ok, I've seen worse." She responded, poking fun at the fact he periodically forgot that he had transformed in front of her before. Sirius let out a barking laugh before bringing Remus' food back. The trio ate breakfast quietly, every now and then bringing up when the Weasley's would be joining them or which Order members would be stopping today. As she finished her plate Hermione cleared her throat and turned to Remus, "Remus, would you mind helping me change my bandages again?" The change to Remus' body language was only noticeable Sirius. He saw his friend's eyes dilate and his fingers twitched slightly. "Of course, get changed and meet me in the drawing room." He responded, Hermione thanked him and made her way back up stairs, as she left the dining room she heard a mysterious thud come from the men behind her.
Sirius watched the dining room door closely, wondering if the sound of Remus's head hitting the table was going to call Hermione back. "Mate, if it's going to be that hard for you I can do it again. I mean I did it last week while you were on that mission with Kingsley." Sirius said, Remus groaned into the table. "It's just so close to the moon. Moony's right under my skin and on a normal day he wants to sniff her out. I can't imagine what he'd be like today." he explained. "Does Hermione smell like her?" Sirius asked, the werewolf his head "Not really, but I think Moony is trying to see if he can find her smell within Hermione." Remus sighed, "I'll have to manage," He said "You remembered how she was when she thought someone was upset with her." Sirius nodded, remembering the sad look he dealt with for 9 years. Remus pushed off from the table and made his way up to the Drawing Room.
Remus pushed open the door to the Drawing Room and found Hermione waiting for him inside. She was standing at the tapestry running her hands over it. Her fingers stilled on one of the scorch marks. Remus's eyes narrowed, of course she stopped at that one. "That's Alphard Black. Sirius's uncle." He said walking up behind her. "Why was he blasted off the tree?" she asked quietly. "Honestly? I'm not entirely sure. Could have been a number of things. He wasn't like most of the others. He was more like Tonk's mom." Remus explained. "He never married?" The wolf shook his head, "No, not sure why." Hermione continued down the tapestry, she stilled on another name. "Wait, is that?" Remus chuckled, "Dorea Black-Potter, Harry's grandmother." Hermione's face was priceless. "What was she like?" She asked, Remus smiled, "She was amazing. A perfect mix between Molly Weasley and Minerva McGonagall." He said, "She was very motherly but would fight Merlin himself if given the chance." Hermione smiled. "Charlus, her husband, was pure Gryffindor. Imagine Sirius, Harry, Fred, and George all shoved into one person." Remus laughed at the slight fear in the witch's eyes. "I remember Summer before our 5th year, the four of us got in huge trouble for a prank pulled right before we left Hogwarts. Dorea just about skinned us, but that night Charlus snuck us butterbeers to celebrate a well executed prank." Hermione snorted "No wonder Harry turned out the way he did." She said with a smirk. "I lived with them for a little while, actually Sirius and I both did. Sirius moved in when he was 15 and I moved in when I was 16. Dorea and Charlus never formally adopted us but there was never any doubt that they considered us their children." Remus explained. "Did you like it there?" Hermione asked. "I loved it. I was surrounded by people who loved me despite the wolf. No one in that house ever looked at me in fear and their property was warded so well that during the full moon I was able to run free through the forest." Hermione smiled at the thought. Her chest twinged and she winced. Remus noticed and waved her to the couch, "Come on, let's get your bandages changed." Hermione walked over the couch and unbuttoned her shirt before laying down, she arranged her shirt to cover her important bits but left the wound open. Remus slowly removed the gauze from her wound, memories flashed before his eyes; Summer before 6th year, the girl on the river bank with a scar that matched this wound perfectly, smiling at a camera with her arm draped over her best friend's shoulder. Remus shook himself and focused on Hermione. The gash was bloody so he gently dabbed it with a damp cloth before applying the four healing potions that were required. Hermione tried her best not to but every so often she would flinch, every time she did Remus apologized quietly. It took him a half hour to get it fully cleaned, potions applied, and re-bandaged, "Alright, you should be good for another few days," He said as he helped her sit up, Hermione re-buttoned her shirt before getting off the couch. "Thank you, Remus." She said before placing a small, innocent kiss on his cheek. He smiled through the pain as she walked from the room. Once she was gone he turned back to the Black family tapestry, "Finite," He said, flicking his wand towards the bottom, a single line appeared, connected to the black mark where Alphard used to be. The line descended to his only child, another scorch mark, you couldn't see the face but the name was clear as day, an elegant script read: Hermione Lyra Black