Hermione and Cecilia escorted Chibuzo to daycare in Hermione's car.

"You were asleep when I got in last night," said Cecilia. "How'd they react?"

"Well, they weren't happy," she said. "But after I showed them the videos and explained that I wasn't invited back to Castelobruxo, I showed them all my rejection letters."

"Rejection letters? You got rejected?"

"Pretty soundly. Salem sent back a note that said, 'NO!' in really big letters."

"They probably don't want the liability."

"Probably. Anyway, I managed to convince them to let me go back to Hogwarts. The condition is that good, bad, or no news have to be reported twice a week and they want you or Tonks to be stationed nearby in the event something happens."

"That sounds reasonable. I'm surprised they're letting you back at all. I mean… if you were my kid, I'd assign you a private tutor."

"I know and the thought crossed my mind. Staying close, but not too close. However, I worry that if I'm right there, then Harry will keep getting groomed to accept his inevitable death. A person can die at any time, but to be raised to expect it at the hands of someone else? Like some… sacrifice?"

Cecilia shuddered. "Yeah, I get it."

Hermione pulled into the drop-off zone. "Wait here."

She got out and went around to help Chibuzo out of his car seat, then walked him into the place. It was nice. Brightly colored, lots of toys, heavily padded play areas complete with a netted arena for baby fight club. Oh wait, that was a ball pit. Chibuzo showed Hermione his cubby with his name on it so she could put his lunch in it.

"Play nice with the other kids," said Hermione. "Unless the other kids wanna fight, then you kick the other kid's butt."

"Hello, Zee!" said a volunteer.

"Hi, Miss Sammy!"

Hermione straightened up and turned around. Oh, wow, she was pretty. Long hair, dark eyes.

"Hi, I'm Samantha."

"Nia," Hermione replied. "I'm Chibuzo's sister. Our parents had early appointments, so I'm dropping him off."

"Well, it's good to meet you," said Samantha.

"Bye, Mimi!" Chibuzo hugged her tightly and ran off to go sit with the other kids who were engrossed in a show.

A demonic noise emitted from the TV while a flesh colored creature with yellow polka dots, glassy eyes, and a grimace performed shenanigans.

"Oh, that is haunting," Hermione whispered. "Is that age appropriate?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Dios mio." Hermione shook her head. "Well, good meeting you, Samantha."

Hermione stepped out and sighed heavily.

"Hermione?"

She turned and saw her old dance partner, Robbie. No dark mark, no magic around him.

"Hey, Robbie!" She hugged him and kissed his cheek. "It's been a while."

"It has."

"I'm in a no parking zone," she said. "Do you need a ride somewhere?"

"Yeah, sure, I'm on my way to the studio."

Hermione led him over. Cecilia got out and moved to the back seat so she could keep an eye on this boy she'd never met.

"Ceci, this is Robbie, he's my former dance partner," said Hermione. "Robbie, this is Cecilia, my cousin."

"Pleasure to meet you," he said. "The steering wheel is on the wrong side."

"I know. Is my blind spot clear?"

Cecilia looked over at the street. "Wait." A car passed. "Now go."

"Been dancing lately?" asked Robbie.

"Mm… just for fun," she said. "I did win second place at a competition last year with a hip-hop/salsa fusion. It was at a festival. Only my sister competed this year."

"Oh, you have a sister now?"

"That's right. I do miss the ballroom circuit. What about you? Still dominating?"

"Just barely," he scoffed. "I haven't been able to find anyone like you and those like you already have their partners. Do you still dance ballroom?"

"I was part of the salsa club at school," she said. "I didn't compete and only the samba club got to go to Carnaval, but I was a volunteer date for quinceañeras."

"Aren't quinceañeras for girls?"

"Some people like girls, Roberto."

"I suppose that's true. You can pull into that car park, the spot in front of the studio has no room."

Hermione pulled in and found a place to park. Robbie rested his hand on the door, then looked at her.

"Did you want to come in?"

Hermione looked at Cecilia who shrugged.

"Yeah, okay."

It was a nice sort of familiarity walking into the dance studio. Since this was the advanced class, everyone was left to their own devices for warm up.

"Mum, look who's here!" Robbie called.

Ms. Esparza turned around. "Hermione! It's been a while. How have you been?"

"On the brink of madness, thank you for asking."

She nodded understandingly. "Yes. The news always seems to be reporting on something awful these days. That bridge collapse, that freak hurricane, mysterious deaths… It almost seems strange to carry on doesn't it?"

"No argument there."

"Erm… Ms. Esparza?"

A girl on crutches entered the studio looking close to tears.

"No…" Robbie hurried over. "Can you put any weight on it? The competition is in three weeks!"

"I was jostled and fell down the stairs!" she replied defensively. "I'm sorry, okay? I know how important this is to you!"

"It's not just important. This is my life we're talking about!" he said. "I don't have time to get a new partner and there will be scouts at this performance! I could get signed on to a company!"

"That was a lot of exposition," said Cecilia.

Hermione shushed her.

"Where are we going to find a replacement so soon?" Ms. Esparza fretted.

She and Robbie went quiet and looked over at Hermione.

"Don't I have to be registered?" she said.

"Well, you were training with a school, right?" asked Robbie. "Where was it?"

"Castelobruxo in Brazil."

Their eyes widened and Hermione realized that there might have been more to her former instructor and partner than she realized.

"Familiar with it?" she asked.

"I've… heard of it." Ms. Esparza cleared her throat. "Hermione, if you could partner with Robbie, you'd really be a big help."

Robbie clasped his hands together. "Please, please, please!"

"My hand is broken," she said, holding up her brace.

"I seem to remember you saying that if I couldn't choreograph around a broken hand then I wasn't a good choreographer," he said.

Hermione suppressed an eye roll.

"Okay, fine, but I've got stuff of my own I'm working on. We can only have rehearsals in the morning. Five to nine. And I do mean that you can't touch this hand. I choreographed a routine with my one-armed boyfriend and we won second place with even less rehearsal time."

"As long as your feet work fine, I'll work around it," he said. "Are you still flexible?"

She slid into the splits, glad she was wearing her sporty look. "You tell me."

"Brilliant. I'll spend today rechoreographing and we will meet up every morning."

"Works for me."

"Really? You're going to get up at four every morning to get here at five?" said Cecilia.

"Four is my bedtime. I'm staying up late."

"Alright. Think you'll be okay until I get here? I am not getting up that early."

"I'll be fine." Hermione got up and turned to Robbie. "See you here, five a.m. sharp."

"You're a lifesaver, Hermione."

"Just call me Nia and buy me breakfast after each practice and we'll call it square."

"Deal!" He hugged her tightly and went to change so he could work on choreography.

Hermione followed Cecilia back to the car. "I'm too nice."

Really, it was just an excuse so she wouldn't have to think about Cedric. She could have easily said no, or not even followed Robbie in the first place.

"What's on the agenda today?" asked Cecilia.

"I'm going to Grimmauld Place."

"Okay, then I can escort you there and then go straight to work. They know I'm your chaperone for three weeks and told me to come in whenever I can."

It wasn't too difficult getting to Grimmauld since most of the traffic flow was going into London. Hermione parked and locked up Bug, bid her cousin goodbye, and walked up to No. 12. She rang the bell and waited. The door opened, Harry paled and slammed it shut. Hm… was it the outfit? She thought she was pretty recognizable. She was wearing her pink bomber, the one with the black sleeves decorated with pink and blue stars. T-shirt, pedal pushers. Even if her outfit was wild, she should still be recognizable by her eye and piebald hair. Not to mention only those who were told had access to a place under the Fidelius Charm.

Hermione kicked the door.

"I can pick the lock you know!"

The door opened again, this time by Fleur. She pulled Hermione in and kissed her cheek.

"Good morning, Nia! Cecilia! Come in. Breakfast is ready."

It was still early wasn't it? It wasn't even nine o'clock yet. Hermione followed her down into the kitchen. Ginny screamed excitedly and jumped to her feet to hug her.

"I don't know if Fleur told you yet, but…"

"She told us," Ginny confirmed. "I love what you did with your hair."

"Thanks." Hermione took a seat at the table and crossed her arms. "Why'd you slam the door in my face, Harry?"

He flushed. "Sorry, Hermione—er, Nia—I just thought…I dunno. That maybe you'd blame me for… everything that happened to Cedric."

"I don't blame you, Harry," said Hermione, tears welling up. "It's my fault this happened. If I hadn't switched schools, then I would've been able to get Umbridge out at the first stroke of the black quill. That's why I'm returning to Hogwarts. I don't know what's going to happen, but at least I'll be there to pick up the pieces when things break."

She sniffled and thunked her head against the table, wailing loudly, "Why did he leave me?!"

"You had to bring him up," said Fleur.

"I didn't say anything!" said Ron defensively.

"Ginny, why don't we take Hermione upstairs?"

"I'll take her upstairs," said Ginny with more sour in her voice than a lemon. "Why don't you… help Mum or something?"

"Perhaps I will make some tea then," said Fleur.

"You do that." Ginny supported Hermione upstairs to her room. It was definitely more her now. The tea green and pink mixture still marred the walls, but now she had up posters and the place was just… lived in.

Hermione sniffled and wiped her eyes with her shirt. "Why were you so mean to Fleur?"

Ginny spluttered indignantly. "I what?"

"You were mean. She's going to be your sister-in-law, don't you think you oughta make an effort to get along with her before deciding you don't like her?"

Ginny turned as red as her hair. "How can I when all she does is push Mum out of the way and talk to me like a child? She thinks she's so great; flouncing around like a gorgeous giraffe!"

Hermione sat down next to her, focusing on this task in an effort to gain control of her tears. "She's French, Gin, they all talk like that."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," she muttered.

"No, but you could talk to her."

"About what, skin care routines?"

"I would've thought you'd known what a badass Fleur is," Hermione scoffed. "I mean, geez, she's joining a professional dueling circuit, you could talk about fighting techniques or Quidditch. She's not as big a fan as you, but she can hold her own in a conversation. She really wants more than anything to be accepted by all of you."

"I guess…"

"Also, I'm the Maid of Honor, so it's my duty to defend her. That and she's my friend."

"You're the Maid of Honor?"

"Yes."

"You know, she did hint at me being in the wedding party."

"Then you should accept. Look, you don't have to be the best of friends, but you could at least exist in the same space. Fleur wants so much to be accepted, that's why she's trying so hard."

Ginny fiddled with her hair. "I'm… not good with feelings. I mean… I think her veela allure is getting to me. Ron acts like a big doofus around her, but me? I just feel angry and… and scared… I'm not even out. Not like George is, though Mum still doesn't know."

"You talk about it pretty easily to me and this is the first I'm hearing about it."

"Well, yeah, but you won't treat it like it's something shameful." She sighed heavily. "Dean noticed and is acting as a beard for me. Ron thinks it's only a matter of time before Harry wakes up and picks me, but the thing is? Harry started showing some interest in me and I got… scared and a little grossed out. It was easier when he was this unattainable hero."

"That's common. If you want someone to really talk to about it, there's always Cecilia and Tonks. I think George would get it too, but as your brother he might feel obligated to tease you about it."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

A soft knock came at the door and Fleur entered carrying a tray of tea. Ginny turned red again and looked down at her hands.

"I thought you would like darjeeling best," said Fleur, setting the tray on the bedside table.

"Thank you, Fleur." Hermione elbowed Ginny.

"Ow!"

She gave her a look.

"Oh. Er… Fleur, why don't you sit with us? I can't console Nia alone."

"It's a two person job," said Hermione.

Fleur lit up and nodded, sitting down on the opposite bed, which had been acting as a mediator between the closet and the laundry basket.

"Are these clean?" she asked.

"Yes."

She flicked her wand and they put themselves away.

"When I forgot to put my clothes away, Maman would spit fire at me," she said.

"I think my mum can spit fire sometimes," said Ginny.

"I can spit fire," said Hermione.

"Nuh-uh!"

"Prove it!"

Hermione grinned, putting her woes on the backburner. She inhaled deeply and spat out a bigger flame than she had intended, catching the curtains hanging over a window showing a fake field of flowers. Ginny dove for the floor while the three of them screamed. Fleur quickly put out the fire before it could spread.

"What's going on up there?" Mrs. Weasley yelled.

"Oh, Molly!" Fleur gasped, putting on a damsel in distress air. "I am frightened!"

"Frightened?" came Ron's voice followed by steps thudding up the stairs. "Are you okay, Fleur?"

She winked at Hermione and Ginny. "Help me, Ronald. There is a big, hairy spider."

The running stopped and the girls clapped their hands over their mouths.

"A spider?"

"Yes! It is as big as… as… my hand!"

"Uh… You sure you need help?"

"Hurry, Ron!" Hermione called.

Ginny ran over and hid next to the doorway. Ron ran into the room looking terrified, but puffing his chest out as if he were trying to be brave.

"Where's the—AUGHH!" He screamed shrilly as Ginny pounced and tickled his sides.

Hermione and Fleur shrieked with laughter. Ron flushed red and stomped out of the room.

"Girls are crazy!" he roared, storming upstairs.

"That was fun," said Ginny, sitting back down.

The three of them sipped tea and caught up. Thankfully, Ginny didn't bring Cedric up. While they talked, Hermione was thinking about how she was going to tell Harry. Perhaps she'd be better off breaking the news to Sirius and Professor Lupin first and then deciding where to go from there. At the very least, they could help her.

"Hey, Hermione?"

"Who's Hermione? I don't know any Hermione," said Hermione. "Hermione was a name given to me by a boy who didn't trust me enough to protect him."

"Nia, then," said Harry. "I want to talk to you about something."

"Okay."

"Here?"

"Yes."

He pursed his lips and huffed. "Fine. I think Draco Malfoy is out to get me."

"Oh, not this again," Ginny groaned. "If Malfoy was out to get you, he would've taken credit for catching you."

"Interesting," said Hermione. "What makes you think he's out to get you?"

"Okay, well, he's been acting really weird this past year," said Harry. "And then Ron and I ran into him at Madam Malkin's and he got really angry. He left when Madam Malkin touched the sleeve on his left arm. That's usually where it's tattooed, innit?"

"Actually it's on the opposite side of your dominant hand," said Hermione.

"Whatever, and then, Ron and I saw him acting suspicious and we followed him to Borgin and Burkes. We used an extendable ear and heard him talking about keeping something safe. Something he'd look silly walking down the street with."

"That does sound suspicious," Hermione conceded.

"And what's more? Sirius and Mrs. Weasley have been meeting with his mother and Tonks' mum once a week."

"No!"

"To play pinochle!"

"The horror!"

He frowned. "You think I'm mad, too, don't you?"

"Not mad, but… Harry, you've been training in Occlumency. You were intended to be at the Department of Mysteries that night. What if Voldemort…" she frowned as magic tingled on her lips. That was strange. She'd never felt that when she said the name before.

"If Voldemort what?" The magic sparked around Harry's mouth too.

She would have to tell Sirius.

"What if… our good friend Morty is gaslighting you?" she said. "He can't lure you to him, so he's putting thoughts in your head and making you go after Draco. Question your reality so that we'll think you're crazy and isolate you."

He opened his mouth and closed it.

"Has Draco attacked, insulted, or betrayed you in any way this past year?"

"Er… insults, but… there's no… bite to it."

"Then don't worry about it and keep your distance just to be safe," she said. "Nobody is asking you to trust him, but don't waste your thoughts. Okay? You have enough to worry about."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Like me going through my scrapbooks in excruciating detail." She summoned one from her purse, glitter falling from the corner onto the floor. "I have hundreds of photos of all the fun times I had with my super cool friends."

"Er, that's okay," he said, backing away. "I'll hear about it later."

"Oh, no. I insist." She brought out her video camera and started recording. "I also have hours and hours of footage. Half of it was the bus ride during my mid-semester holiday. I never could quite wrap my head around the opposite seasons. Was it autumn holiday? Or do they still call it spring break? I don't know. Shall we discuss it while admiring my shaky footage?"

"I think I hear Ron calling," said Harry.

"Oh, of course! We'll invite Ron, too!" She apparated upstairs to Harry's room where Ron was sitting on the bed reading a magazine.

He screamed and fell backwards, getting caught between his bed and the wall. His legs and arms stuck up comically. Hermione giggled.

"SERIOUSLY?!"

"Sorry, mate," she said. "Couldn't resist."

Harry ran into the room looking stunned.

"Her—Nia, you can apparate?"

"Yes. It was a required course at Castelobruxo. I also have a driver's license. My car is out front. I think Ron pulled something. We should help him."

"You think?" Ron wheezed.

Harry and Hermione moved the bed and helped drag Ron out.

"Is this gonna be a regular thing with you?" he groaned.

"Nah, it's out of my system. Come on, I think you might actually find the videos cool."

"And watch nature walks for three hours?"

"And snake milking!"

Sirius froze as he walked by and whipped his head around.

"You what?!"

"Oh, hi Sirius," said Hermione. "I thought you'd be at work."

"No, I'm on holiday."

"Well, I'm about to make everyone watch a video of my spring break and then I need to talk to you about something." She stepped towards him. "Oh, you got a cat! What's his… name…"

She knew that cat. No cat was as pretty as Belle. Of course, Cedric would give her to someone who'd take care of her.

"Hermione! Show us your videos!" said Harry. "Er, we don't have a television."

"Do you have a thirty-inch mirror?"

"I can conjure one," said Sirius.

Everyone in the house gathered in the parlor. Hermione instructed Sirius on how to set up the mirror for viewing and began the crystal labelled for the Hearthstone. She figured they would enjoy that the most. The footage opened to the Arena.

"That's a lot of trolls," Ron whispered.

"Yeah."

"Those statues are cool."

"Those are the trolls long since passed. Each one has died honorably in ceremonial and defensive combat."

"That is so metal."

Hermione watched her friends' reactions more than she watched the footage. She lived it. They all had some questions. Particularly about her friends back at Castelobruxo.

"Alejandro and I went out for a couple weeks," said Hermione. "Rebound, see. And we decided we were better off as friends. I think I could have grown to really care for him if given time. Quripuma and Cássia are really sweet together. They created a tactile sign language so they can communicate. Márcia and Bernice are really good friends. Bernice is apprenticed under my mom, and Márcia made a really cool painting of me. Remind me to show you sometime."

"Been dating a lot?" asked Ron.

"Eh, I started to, but then I decided I only want to date people I've known for a while. Saco?" She wiggled her brace. "Call it a bad experience. I didn't even want to go on a date, Kai was just too chicken to ask Márcia out on a proper date."

"Do you have any of those crystals you won?" Ginny asked.

"Not on me. You know, it'd be really cool for all of us to take a trip someday. I think you'd get on with them."

"Nia," said Sirius. "You said you had something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Mm, yes. You and Professor Lupin. Any idea when he'll be back?"

"He's back right now." Professor Lupin entered the room and smiled. "Hello, Hermione."

"Nia."

"Nia. I believe this is for you." He handed her a Hogwarts letter.

"Oh, I hope it wasn't too awkward," said Hermione. "After all, I made it seem like I was never coming back."

"Well, don't tell her I told you this, but when your application arrived, Professor McGonagall couldn't stop smiling. You will have to be re-sorted, as a formality. You'll enter with the first years."

"Okay. I'm gonna film it. I've been thinking about making an orientation video for new students. I've been thinking about a name like Nia's Declassified School Survival Guide."

"That's a dumb name," said Ginny. "Nobody would ever watch anything with a name like that."

"Maybe just Hogwarts and You." She opened her letter and nodded. "Mmkay, I qualify for all the classes. I was thinking about dropping Horticulture and Magizoology. It's kinda hard to top Castelobruxo, you know? I'll just make sure I visit Hagrid often. I think he'd love my documentary of the Vipertooth nest."

"He would," Harry agreed. "Mio—Nia—what do you need to talk to Sirius and Professor Lupin about?"

"Oh, you know. I'm back and we all know my penchant for getting involved. I wanna go over protection plans for Mum, Dad, and Chibuzo; Plus some stuff I found out at Castelobruxo."

"Does this have to do with the thing you pulled?"

"Yes, but I can't tell you yet. I promise I will soon, okay?"

"But—"

"Okay?"

Harry and Ron deflated and muttered, but didn't protest.

"Let's go down to the ballroom," said Sirius.

Hermione followed him and Professor Lupin downstairs. They closed the door and placed the impenetrable enchantments on it before bringing out the table and chairs they used for meetings. They only took up a corner of the table and Hermione brought out her research, but kept it all in the chest.

"I assume you know the prophecy," said Sirius.

"Yes. Cedric told me," she said. "At least he broke up with me to my face rather than over a letter."

"If it helps, only the W.C.U. is wasting any time looking for him," said Sirius. "And those guys are a bunch of idiots. They're still staking out your house thinking that he's going to just show up out of the blue."

"I chased them off with the sprinklers," she said. "But I'm not here to talk about him."

"Go ahead," said Professor Lupin.

Hermione brushed her hair out of her eyes and rested her hand on top of the chest.

"Sirius… what do you know of your brother's death?"

Sirius blinked. "O… kay, I wasn't expecting that… Er…" he sighed heavily. "He was killed by Vol—"

"Don't say the name," said Hermione. "There's some kind of magic tied to it that wasn't there before. It's too late to remove the fear of the name, I think."

"Taboo?" Professor Lupin murmured.

"Possible," said Sirius. "Someone within the Ministry could've been imperiused to set it. Or maybe when they attacked the Department of Mysteries."

"We'll spread the word," said Professor Lupin.

"Regulus wasn't killed by Morty," said Hermione, getting them back on track. "Last summer, I found something strange in the floorboards."

She took out the diary and slid it over. Sirius opened it up and huffed.

"Code. He always used a code to hide his secrets from Mother. She tried to make me crack it once, but I failed."

"For a Vigenere Cipher, you have to have the correct key. Most people tend to select a key that they'll remember. Some choose what they love the most." She slid over the translations from the code: KREACHER.

Sirius chuckled upon seeing the code. "I could have guessed…" He skimmed it over. "Well, at least he had no delusions about his place."

"Sirius… he was good." She directed him to the correct page and passed over the translation. "He tried to make things right. He had meant for this to be turned over to you but… well, if he entrusted it to Kreacher then maybe his directions weren't clear enough. Or Kreacher thought you wouldn't care enough to finish the last task."

Sirius read through it silently, Professor Lupin reading over his shoulder. Hermione waited patiently as they did so. Finally, Sirius hung his head in his hands.

"I should have been there for him," he said. "I just thought… I thought he was too far gone. I, of all people, should have had faith in him. I was worse than he ever was before James and Remus changed my mind."

"What's a horcrux?" asked Professor Lupin.

"It's… well… here." She gave them the notes she copied from the book, which they read in horror. "I have a video, too."

She played it for them on her compact.

"You faced one of those?" Professor Lupin whispered, pale and shaken.

"Yes, but my cousin destroyed it. I don't know how many our Good Friend Morty made, but Ginny destroyed the first and I think this might have been his second."

"If there is more than one left, what do you think they are?" asked Sirius.

"Well… I am certain of the third one," she said. "But I decided to try and find the whereabouts of the rest of the Founders items. Ravenclaw's Diadem and Hufflepuff's Cup. I was also thinking of looking into Merlin's ring and Morgan le Fay's staff. Among a few other notable items. It's very likely that he just stuck with items related to his family, so I intend to go through his tree and mark down special objects relating to his ancestors. There's not much information, but a horcrux can be made into anything. The more important the item, the stronger the horcrux. Something common like a pebble would wear away in just a few decades."

"How do we destroy it?" asked Professor Lupin.

"There are three ways," she said. "Loosen the soul from the vessel and pierce it with a powerful weapon. Preferably one imbued with Basilisk venom or Pelepele essence. You can also incinerate it with Fiendfyre, but the vessel is lost that way whereas with the first option you preserve the vessel. The third option is to drop it into the ocean and let the dark magic purify over time."

"How does that work?"

"Salt water washes away magic," said Hermione. "The problem with that option is that if the horcrux is too powerful, meaning: it's an object of great importance, or the soul has started to gain form and sentience, or it's tied to a very powerful curse, then there's the risk that it will wash up on shore and latch onto some unsuspecting treasure hunter. Really, you want to keep the ocean purification to objects with danger levels one to three out of seven. Horcruxes rank at about six or seven because the people who make them don't take the ritual lightly. Now, a pseudo-horcrux can be made and this is where things get complicated. See, nobody makes more than one or two horcruxes. Three is unthinkable, and if there are more like I fear… Well, the soul is infinite, so one could theoretically make as many as possible, halving their soul each time and each horcrux ends up a little weaker than the last. Easier to destroy, but no less deadly if it finds someone that cares for it."

"So, if we don't find and destroy the rest, Morty will just keep coming back?"

"Yes."

"Well, if you know it then let's go right now," said Sirius. "I can control fiendfyre."

"No, Sirius," said Hermione. "This horcrux is inside a living person. The horcrux was supposed to be completed that night… you were there, what state were James and Lily's bodies in? Any strange runes? A circle on the floor? Chunks of flesh missing?"

"No… God no!" Sirius realized what she was getting at. "No… You're not telling me…"

She nodded. "That's why he has that scar. That's why the dementors are always after him. They realize two souls in one person is wrong. It's why he has a connection to Morty. I want to tell him, but I'm terrified if I do that I'll be made and won't be able to hunt the rest. I have to find out how many there are or find out a way to remove it without killing him before it's too late. Tía Manola is helping with the research. She destroyed a horcrux before."

"How many of those are out there?"

"Too many," she sighed. "There are a lot of sickos out there."

"How did she, your aunt, come across one?" asked Professor Lupin. His hands were trembling and he didn't seem to actually be looking at her.

"Esperanza's… donor. Remember the Skeeter article?"

"Oh… oh that poor girl." Sirius slumped over the table. "Lily… James… I never… If there was any… I didn't see. The house was demolished from the kickback. I was concerned with getting Harry out of the rubble." He rubbed his face with his hands. "Harry… he was supposed to be the currency. Wasn't he?"

"Most likely. I think he wanted him dead before… doing any of that to him," said Hermione, gesturing to her notes. "So… the protection spells James and Lily cast with their sacrifice caused the killing curse to backfire. However, his ritual was still at least partial and therefore the soul was split too much and I think it just attached itself to the closest living thing. I think that had he had a horcrux on his person, the soul would have gone into the vessel, but as Harry was the only soul in close proximity, he got landed with it."

"That makes sense," said Professor Lupin. "What do we do?"

"Has Dumbledore told Harry the full prophecy?"

"Yes."

"So he knows that a soul will be required to defeat our good friend Morty."

"A what?"

Hermione recited the prophecy. Sirius and Professor Lupin looked dumbstruck.

"That's… that's not what Dumbledore told us," said Professor Lupin. "He didn't give us the last line."

"You're lying!" Sirius accused.

Hermione didn't take offense. "Would I lie about something like that?"

"… no, but… No! I refuse to let my only godson die!"

"He won't have to die," said Hermione. "Not if I have anything to say about it. Dumbledore has lost my trust. He knows I know, but I won't tell him more than I have to."

"I might have someone who can at least help you find where these historical items are located," said Sirius, squeezing Professor Lupin's hand. "Retrieving them would be another matter, but she's in Diagon Alley."

"What's the name of the place?"

"Antiquities and Oddities."

"Okay. Well, I need to go get my school supplies anyway. Let's go Thursday. I'm dancing again as a favor to an old friend, so five to nine in the morning I'm in rehearsal."

"We'll enter through Fred and George's," said Sirius. "We'll bring Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Let them hang around. I hate keeping them cooped up here."

"I'm worried about telling Harry," she said. "But I don't want to keep him in the dark, either."

"Well, if it helps, his scar rarely hurts," said Sirius. "And his visions have stopped entirely, but he's still been having nightmares even with the guardians. I've made sure that he's practicing his Occlumency every day."

Hermione bit her lip. "I think… I think I want to wait until I have the solution. Why scare him? Tía Manola is working diligently to find a way to remove it without harming him."

"Perhaps we should involve Dumbledore in this?" Professor Lupin suggested.

"Why? So he can tell us he has it all under control?" she said.

"He's a great man, Nia."

"Is he? He sent Cedric, Fred, and George into the Department of Mysteries. He let them do something he's supposedly capable of carrying out without breaking a sweat. He promised Cedric wouldn't be caught! He promised to tell Harry everything! He pissed away every opportunity to stop Tom Riddle. He could have vouched for Sirius and made sure Harry grew up in a loving home rather than rot underneath the Dursleys. Don't tell me it was to keep the horcrux weak, because he couldn't have known! It's become more and more clear that he has no idea what the hell he's doing. Now it's my turn to play and I'll do whatever it takes to win."

Sirius nodded. "I agree with Nia, Remus. The Order hasn't protected anyone. We've just been… observing and gathering information instead of acting. We do whatever Dumbledore tells us to! My first priority is taking care of my godson, so whatever you do, Nia, you have my support."

"Mine, too," said Professor Lupin.

"Thank you. I'll let you know what I find out." Hermione sighed. "This isn't gonna be easy. I can block against legilimency, but it will be a challenge finding out how many horcruxes are out there."

"Dumbledore is giving Harry special lessons," said Professor Lupin. "Perhaps we can convince him to let you join?"

"I can try, but somehow I get the feeling that Dumbledore won't want my input," she scoffed. "I shouldn't have to worry my pretty, little head about such matters. Best leave it to the adults. Still, he knows that I know. He wants to use me as a pawn? Fine, I'll let him think he has me in his pocket."

"And I will be there as well," said Professor Lupin. "Amazingly, my status as a werewolf has remained a secret. The only ones who know are the teachers. Your new teacher knows as well, but he won't say anything."

"Oh, right. Who's the new Defense teacher?"

Professor Lupin cringed. "Well… due to previous incidents, nobody wants the role anymore. Professor Snape is now the Defense professor and the old potion master, Horace Slughorn, has resumed his role. He will also regain his role as Head of Slytherin House. No great loss there, but Severus has always wanted the Defense Teacher position."

"Hm… this could potentially be problematic," said Hermione. "I don't trust Snape either, but surely he knows that the position is cursed. I—Hogwarts can't protect anyone else. Is this Slughorn character trustworthy?"

Sirius made a face. "I think I'll let Harry give you that assessment. I only knew him from my school days and I never cared for him, but Lily thought he was funny and harmless."

"He isn't a blood purist," said Professor Lupin. "He makes comments, but they're no different than what some good people think."

"Ignorance without malice," said Hermione.

"Exactly," he agreed. "He has his favorites, but I imagine if… if he had Cedric as a student he would have supported him. Werewolf or no, he couldn't resist someone with talent."

That was promising.

"I'll meet the man myself before making a final decision." Hermione put everything away except the diary. "Oh… is Kreacher here by any chance?"

"Yes, but why—oh." Sirius made a face. "I don't think he'd—"

"He deserves to know," said Professor Lupin.

Sirius sighed and nodded. "Kreacher!"

There was a soft pop and the miserable house-elf appeared and bowed low.

"Master has called?" he creaked and muttered under his breath, "Master is not too busy keeping secrets?"

"Hello, Kreacher," said Hermione. "How are you?"

"The mudblood speaks to Kreacher as if it is an equal."

"Kreacher!"

"It's okay," said Hermione. "I mean… it's not, but I won't let it get me down." She held up the diary. "Remember this Kreacher?"

Kreacher's buggy eyes widened.

"Master Regulus' journal," he said. "Kreacher thought Master Sirius had thrown it away along with—along with—" he choked and wrapped his hands around his throat, throwing himself down onto the floor. "Kreacher has failed!" he wailed. "Kreacher has failed Master Regulus!"

"But you didn't fail!" said Hermione, unclasping the piece from her hair. She whispered the word and it morphed back into the locket. "See?" She asked it to open and showed Kreacher the inside. "See? All clean."

Kreacher stopped wailing, but his tears hadn't subsided. He took the locket from her and studied it in wonder.

"Master Regulus instructed Kreacher to destroy it. No matter how hard Kreacher tried, he could not succeed. How did a mudblood do what a pureblood could not?"

"Maybe we're not stupid and worthless as you were led to believe." She held out her hand. "You can rest now, Kreacher. You succeeded. Regulus can rest easy now, too."

Kreacher rocked where he stood and Hermione at first thought the poor thing would keel over. Instead, he placed the locket back in her hand and patted it.

"Mistress is strong, as Kreacher's mistress once was," said Kreacher. "Mistress has done what Kreacher could not. Mistress has succeeded Master Regulus' legacy, therefore Kreacher will do whatever Mistress asks."

"You really don't have to do that."

"Kreacher insists," he said, bowing so low his nose touched the floor.

Hermione looked over at Sirius, who was gobsmacked, then back to Kreacher.

"Take care of yourself, Kreacher," she said. "Wash up, help yourself to some cream and honey, get yourself a new pillowcase. I'll let you know if I need help, okay? You're dismissed."

Kreacher bowed low again and disappeared from the room.

"Unbelievable."

"Well, maybe if you treated him nicely he'd be more receptive," said Hermione. "I know he reminds you of your childhood, but isn't that all the more reason to be kind?"

"She has a point, dear," said Professor Lupin.

Sirius heaved a big sigh. "Fine. I'll thank him once in a while."

"Good boy," said Hermione, laughing at the withering scowl he gave her, which fell away into a grin.

"You remind me of Lily," he said. "I think she would have liked you."

"I'm glad about that." Hermione turned the locket back to the hair piece and put it back in her hair. "So… I gave the locket to Cedric and he's keeping it safe, yes?"

"Hm? Oh, yes," said Professor Lupin. "What locket? I didn't see a locket, did you, dear?"

"Not at all, babe."

Hermione winked, clicking her tongue and got up. She tugged the ward that made up the impenetrable charm to cancel it and then opened the door so everyone fell over.

"Hi," she said. "Harry, Ron, your turn. Let's talk. Did you know we're getting a new Potions teacher?"

"You mean Defense teacher," said Harry.

"No, I mean potions. Snape is taking over the Defense position."

Ron sighed. "Aw, fuck."

"I know I just didn't hear that language in my house!" Mrs. Weasley yelled.

"What, he's not allowed to say, 'shucks?'" Hermione asked, climbing up the stairs. "He's just commenting on my shirt."

"Why does your shirt have a piece of corn on it?" Ginny asked.

Hermione got a shit-eating grin. "It's a crop top."