Lyall held up the vial of Veritaserum, the liquid inside shimmering faintly as it caught the ambient light. He peered around the room, addressing the gathered group. "Does anyone know what this is?" The atmosphere in the room shifted as he awaited a response. Confused glances were exchanged, and those who met his gaze shook their heads in bewilderment.
A pregnant pause lingered before Lyall pressed on, his voice cutting through the silence. "This is a vial of Veritaserum, and you are going to learn to resist its effects." The room's atmosphere tensed, the gravity of the statement sinking in. All eyes fixated on the small glass container, suspended delicately between his thumb and index finger.
Alice spoke up, her skepticism evident. "That's practically impossible. We don't even have our Occlumency barriers perfected to block the effects of Veritaserum." Many heads nodded in agreement, and the room buzzed with a quiet murmur of concern.
"Excuses don't work for me," Orion's authoritative voice resonated in the room. "You're going to do it, and that's final. By next summer, I expect you all to have mastered it. If you can't endure, you're free to walk out the door and never come back."
Worried glances were exchanged among the group. The responsibility and pressure of their impending training were beginning to show. Being a member of the Order of Cain demanded more than physical prowess; it required mental resilience.
Barty, leaning back and adjusting the strands of hair that had fallen on his forehead, questioned, "How are we going to resist the effects of Veritaserum? It's not like Slughorn is going to open his potions cabinet for us."
Lyall chuckled, an almost mischievous glint in his eye, as he took his wand and gestured it over the floor tiles. The tiles responded with a slight creak, unveiling a concealed circular column of about two meters, filled with vials of various shapes and sizes. "This is part of the Order's stock of potions, many brewed by Charlus Potter without his knowledge." Lyall carefully selected seven vials and distributed them among the group.
"As its effect is quite powerful, we'll ask you to put a drop in your drink at every meal. Your body needs to get used to it, and don't worry—you'll feel obliged to tell the truth, but not the whole truth. You'll say everything you perceive as truth, but it won't take away your autonomy."
Evan, examining the vial in his hand, asked cautiously, "What if we forget it at lunch or dinner? Should we increase the dose?"
"No," the eldest Black shook his head. "Keep the dosage the same. The point is for you to be able to control what you say, even if you are forced to ingest the potion."
"How are you doing with non-verbal spells?" Lyall asked as he sat in a chair, rolling up his sleeves. "I know it might sound silly but knowing basic non-verbal spells is crucial."
"We've almost covered all the spells from first to third. Mia is an excellent teacher," Lucy smiled towards her friend, and Hermione winked in return.
Orion, fiddling with his ring, shifted the conversation to the upcoming event. "Have you got everything ready for the opening? You're opening in a week. Are you excited?"
"We're a little nervous, to be honest," Arabella admitted, looking at the ends of her hair. "A lot of things could go wrong."
"Many of us will be camouflaged the night of the event. You won't be alone. And I noticed you have a VIP area upstairs. What's that about?"
"We've expanded the place. The VIP area is reserved for us at the moment," Hermione explained to her father. "Most muggle clubs have VIP areas and we decided we could do the same."
"Genius," Evan exclaimed, high-fiving Regulus. "It's going to be the best party of the year."
Orion inquired about security, offering more financial support if needed. Barty handed them folders containing information on hired Aurors and muggle security.
"Great, guys. This looks great," Lyall congratulated them with a warm smile. "Do you have anything else to add?" Both of them looked satisfied with the preparations. "Remember about the Veritaserum drops and keep practicing. See you in a week," he concluded. The clanking of chairs filled the room as everyone got up and left.
As the group dispersed, Orion called after Hermione before she could leave. "I want to apologize for the other day. Can we talk for a moment?" She nodded, and they began a private conversation, unaware that someone else in the room was listening attentively.
"The spell I used is called 'Memoriam Praeateri Tempus." Orion began explaining, "I perfected the spell. It's usually performed on the dead to see their last memories before they died. The Order of Cain used it during Grindelwald's rise to power. I've never tried it on someone alive before, Hermione, and for that, I want to apologize. You could have died."
"Why did I see Harry? Harry wasn't there when Giacomo attacked me," Hermione inquired, seeking more detailed answers.
"The spell also reproduces your worst fears, a bit like a boggart. It's a side effect that I have to—wait a minute, did you say Giacomo? As in your ex Giacomo?" Orion's eyebrow arched, and a subtle furrow etched itself onto his forehead as he pressed into a thin line.
Hermione sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping as she dropped into a nearby chair. "My God," she muttered, "That's not how I wanted you to find out. I already knew Giacomo from my previous life. His father was investigated for illegal Magical Creatures trafficking, bribery of senior Ministry officials and his involvement with the Dark Arts."
As she spoke, her fingers traced invisible patterns on the armrest of the chair. His eyes remained fixed on her, attentive to both her words and the unspoken nuances of her body language.
"But Luchesse Sr was a muggle," Orion interjected, his surprise evident.
"But his wife wasn't; she was a witch ,a magizoologist. He became obsessed with Magical Creatures. He bought them and then sold them to the highest muggle bidder without her knowing." Hermione elaborated, recounting what she knew.
Orion took a seat as well, his eyes fixed on Hermione as he probed further, "And your ex? How did that end up being that?"
"Giacomo's father was imprisoned in a raid while trying to buy unicorn blood, and Giacomo never forgave the Ministry for that. He became obsessed with Magical Creatures just like his father, but he didn't want to traffic in them; he wanted to kill them," Hermione continued, her frown deepening. "After all, that had been the reason his father had been imprisoned. Giacomo was not a Death Eater during the war, but he knew who Teddy was from his father's reports and from his own investigations."
Orion rubbed his temples, trying to process all the information. "How do you know all that? In your memory, you didn't seem to recognize him."
"Harry was the head of the DLME, and I worked in the Department of Magical Creatures. Luchesse Senior had a room full of photos of Remus and the place he went. Giacomo also added his own photos; Teddy with Harry, Andromeda and I were also found. Harry warned me about him, and I didn't take it seriously."
"So you wiped out his entire family and him because he attacked your godson?"
"Look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't kill Tom Riddle with your bare hands, knowing he turned Reg into a Death Eater." Hermione's voice rose in intensity, her frustration bubbling to the surface "Lie to me knowing that your son drowned all alone in a fucking cave for trying to destroy a horcrux."
"WHAT?!"
The sudden exclamation sliced through the charged atmosphere, and Orion and Hermione turned abruptly in surprise. There stood Regulus, a mix of shock and confusion on his face.
Shit.
"Reg, I—" Hermione began, but Regulus interrupted, his voice demanding an explanation. "What is this about killing Tom Riddle? And me? What the hell is happening?"
Hermione took a deep breath and beckoned him to join them, gesturing to an empty seat. "Reg, please, sit." He hesitated for a moment before taking a seat, his eyes darting between his best friend and his father.
"Regulus, what Hermione is about to tell you involves her past and, inevitably, yours. Don't blame her for not wanting to tell you." Orion spoke with a calm yet authoritative tone. "I'm going to leave you two alone. Hermione, we'll talk another day."
Hermione looked at Regulus, her eyes reflecting regret and. "Reg, I need you to understand—"
Regulus, however, was having none of it. His gaze shifted from her to the fireplace, a mix of confusion, concern, and curiosity swirling in her stormy gray eyes. "What in Merlin's name is going on? What did you mean about Tom Riddle and me being a—"
"Death Eater, Reg. That's the word." There was a profound vulnerability in her expression, a rawness that he had n't been there before. "I didn't mean for you to find out like this." Her voice, usually steady and composed, now wavered with a hint of sorrow.
Regulus tentatively grabbed her hand, his eyes never leaving Hermione's face. "Start from the beginning." His demand for her was laced with a mixture of urgency and concern, mirroring the bewildered expression etched across her features.
Hermione took a steadying breath, collecting her thoughts of her before she began to unravel the complexities of her past. "I'm not from this timeline, but I guess you already supposed it. I traveled back in time." Regulus's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. Thinking about it was different than hearing her admit it out loud.
She continued, her voice unwavering now, "My name was Hermione Granger, I was a Muggle-born and, during my years at Hogwarts, I was a Gryffindor. My best friends were Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, and as you pointed out, I have been through a war. Tom Riddle or Voldemort as he would later be known, murdered Harry's parents."
Grappling with the weight of her words, he finally spoke, his voice a low rumble filled with emotions. "When you talk about Harry, do you mean...?" She left the question hanging in the air.
Hermione solemnly acknowledged her meeting Regulus's gaze. "Yes, Harry, my best friend was the son of James Potter and Lily Evans, they both died when Harry was one year old. Voldemort died because Lily stood between him and Harry, her magic and sacrifice made it possible for Harry to survive that night. "
Regulus, overwhelmed by the revelations, ran a hand through his hair, "I imagine my brother was the godfather, where was he in all this?"
"He was wrongly accused of betraying the Potters to Voldemort, and he spent twelve years in Azkaban for a crime he did not commit."
Regulus staggered back from his chair as if physically recoiling from the weight of the revelation. "No, that can't be right," he muttered, his voice choked with a mix of denial and anguish. "Sirius wouldn't have let himself rot in Azkaban. He's always been a sneaky bastard, always finding a way out of trouble."
Hermione, her eyes filled with empathy, took a step closer to him. "Reg, your brother was hurting. He had just lost James, his best friend. The pain was too much, and the system failed him. He paid a terrible price for a crime he never committed."
Still grappling with the shock, Regulus demanded to know. "Where was I? I should have been there for him. He's my brother, my blood. He's the heir to the House of Black. Who dare they?"
A heavy silence hung in the air before she delivered the crushing blow. "Dead. You had already been dead for two years, trying to destroy a piece of Voldemort's soul."
Regulus's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening with a renewed sense of disbelief. "Dead?" he repeated, as if testing the validity of the word.
"The relationship you and Sirius have is not the same as in my old timeline." She took a moment, choosing her words carefully before continuing, "After you were sorted into Slytherin, you and Sirius stopped talking. Deep down, both of you missed each other, but circumstances led to a growing divide."
"What happened?"
"He was the rebel, you were not." Hermione sighed, the weight of unspoken regrets lingering in the air. "At the age of sixteen, you joined the Death Eaters. Sirius, having run away from Grimmauld Place, didn't know about your attempt to destroy a horcrux."
Regulus's eyes widened. "I joined the Death Eaters? But... why?" His voice held a desperate plea for answers.
Hermione met his gaze with empathy, "You believed in them. Your parents supported Voldemort, and the only way of showing you supported him was by taking the Dark Mark. When you realized how wrong it was, it was already too late to mend your relationship with Sirius. Your last attempt at redemption was going to the cave to retrieve the locket and destroy it, but you never made it out."
"So, Sirius never knew that I... that I tried to make amends?" Regulus lowered his gaze to the floor
The brunette nodded, her eyes filled with a profound sadness. "He never knew about your attempt to defy Voldemort. He thought you were so deep into the ideology your parents had instilled that he never thought you'd run away with him."
His shoulders slumped as she continued, her voice soft. "Your sacrifice didn't go unnoticed. You tried to destroy a horcrux, and in doing so, you went against everything you had been taught. You're a hero to me, Reg."
Regulus, overwhelmed by the weight of his past choices, started to sob loudly, his strength giving way. He fell to his knees, his body shaking with the force of his emotions. "I'm sorry," he choked out between sobs. "I'm so sorry, Hermione."
Hermione rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. "The Regulus I knew is not the same as you. You've got nothing to be sorry about. I love you." She enveloped him in a comforting hug.
"Merlin," Regulus finally broke the silence, his voice carrying a mixture of vulnerability and sincerity. "I love you too. I don't know what my life would have been like without you."
"Probably die and be a pompous, classist asshole with a stick up his ass," she retorted, a feeble attempt to inject humor into the heavy atmosphere. "You're my best friend, my soulmate. I'm not going to let you die."
He let out a watery laugh, reaching up to brush away a tear that escaped his eye."Crying isn't our thing. We have to learn to handle this in a healthier way, drunk if you ask me."
"You're an idiot." Hermione couldn't help but playfully shove him
"So, Harry Potter, huh?" His smirk widened. "Shall we talk about why you're avoiding his daddy ?"
"Why is this conversation suddenly about me?" She crossed her arms, feigning annoyance. "I just told you how you died a second ago, but you're focusing on that part of the conversation?"
"It's way funnier to talk about that than my alternate rich, hot dead body." Regulus couldn't resist poking her side with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Come on, cherie, spill the tea."
"There's no tea to 'spill,'" she said, her fingers forming air quotes. She stood, walking over to the refrigerators to retrieve two butterbeers.
"You had a date with him and you didn't tell me," he accused in a playful tone. "I understand that you won't tell Bart or Evan because they are fucking gossip queens, but me? I'm your best friend. I have the right to know these kinds of things."
"We didn't have a date, who told you that?" She raised an eyebrow, leaning against the counter.
"Sirius," He replied with a knowing smirk. "He came complaining to Grimmauld a few weeks ago because all Potter did was complain about you avoiding him. So ... are you going to tell me, your amazing and spectacular rich,hot best friend, what happened?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, Regulus couldn't resist the allure of gossip. "Nothing happened," she protested. "He came to drop off some of my brother's things, he 'kidnapped' me and threw me into the lake. Since he ruined my clothes, he left me a T-shirt of his, and I went home that night. It wasn't a date."
"Well, it does sound like a date to me, cherie," Regulus teased."He even gave you a shirt of his, that's a big step," he offered with feigned seriousness, earning a playful hit on the shoulder from Hermione.
"It wasn't a date, okay?" Hermione sighed in frustration, her arms slumping. "It shouldn't have happened. It was wrong. I should've known better."
Regulus looked at her with empathy, realizing the toll it had taken on her to navigate her own life. Living in the past with knowledge of the future, unable to interfere, giving up on desires because you feel like you don't really belong, and the constant fear that everything you know about the future might disappear.
"Do you like him?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
"I don't want to"
The anguish and hopelessness in her voice were palpable. Regulus set aside his beer, enveloping her in a comforting hug. She buried her face in his chest, tears staining his shirt. He whispered soothing words, placing small kisses on the top of her head.
"But do you?"
"I do," she admitted, her voice barely rising above a whisper.
"I'm telling you, she's avoiding me," James repeated for the umpteenth time already, frustration evident in his voice. It had been weeks since Hermione had spent time at Potter Manor, and she hadn't returned. His anxiety was reaching a fever pitch."Moony, have you talked to her?" Sirius and Remus exchanged exasperated glances. Even since Hermione had spent a day with James, she had become the sole topic of conversation.
"Overlooking the fact that I found your shirt in my sister's closet, causing a thousand different scenarios to run through my head," Remus drawled, a hint of annoyance in his voice, "For the last time, have you considered that maybe my sister is busy? She's got her own life. It's not like she's obligated to be at your beck and call."
"Seriously Prongs, this obsession needs to stop. It's not like you like the bird," Sirius taunted him, a sly grin on his face. He knew that his best friend had feelings for Hermione.
James blushed furiously, attempting to deflect desperately hoping that Remus hadn't caught on, "It's just... I think she needs a little Gryffindor red in her life. She's always surrounded by green, you know?"
"Are you sure it's not just about adding Gryffindor red, but adding your particular red you have in mind?" The werewolf retorted, his best friend couldn't lie for the life of him.
Before the aforementioned could answer, Sirius intervened, "Ease up, Moony. Prongs here just needs to focus on something else. Maybe something like... being named captain?"
"Your brother got named captain too," Their friend muttered dejectedly. His recent captaincy failed to lift his spirits. "It's no merit." James felt that any accomplishment on his part was overshadowed by Regulus, especially when it came to Hermione.
"You worked your arse off for it. You made me get up at five in the morning, Prongs. Fucking five in the morning, and I need my beauty sleep. If you say that again, I'm going to make you eat my beater's bat." The Black heir threatened, raising his fist half-serious, half-joking.
"I'm sick of this shit. James, do you like my sister, yes or no?" Remus asked bluntly, cutting to the chase making James gaped in surprise and Sirius cry out, looking highly offended.
"Moony, we agreed that we would treat the matter delicately."
"What—wait—you knew?" The boy sputtered, his eyes darting between his friends.
"Even Evans knows it," Sirius scoffed humorously, "you're like an open book when it comes to feelling, Prongs."
"I'm sick of hearing you complain about Regulus and seeing you be a sad shit. It physically hurts me,"
"I'm not a sad shit! You take that back, Moony. I was worried you'd murder me because I liked your sister." James protested, his cheeks reddening.
"I can still kill you, don't tempt," Remus replied with a wry smile, revealing a hint of his fangs,"But I prefer you to any arsehole. Of course, if you hurt my sister..." He playfully made a biting gesture, causing James to instinctively move away.
"Now I can sell the merch," Sirius began to ramble happily, "I can now put the stand in the common room. Where should I put it?" He tapped his chin, "I've got it." He exclaimed victoriously.
"Wait a minute," James asked, confusion etched on his face, "what merch?"
"Pads has made t-shirts, caps, and mugs with pictures of you and Hermione," Remus explained, a laugh escaping him, "Do you remember the time Mimi came furious looking for Pads?" James nodded, "I showed her the mug I had bought, and as you saw, she didn't take it very well."
"Does Hermione know about this? Does she know I like her?" James felt a sense of dread settling in.
"Mia knows about the mug, but she doesn't know that you have feelings for her," Sirius clarified as if speaking to a child, "she thinks you love Evans."
James breathed a sigh of relief but immediately squealed, "She thinks I love Lily?"
"You stupid fuck, how do you want her to think you like her? You haven't talked to her other than to ask her to help you win over Lily." Remus felt like hitting his best friend with something - preferably one of Sirius's mugs.
"Oi, stop with the bullying you two," James whined.
"What we all need is a good party," Sirius smirked wickedly, holding up a pamphlet, "and I know of a place that opens in a couple of days."
"I thought we said no to going to Pandemonium."
"Come on, Prongs, you need to de-stress about this whole thing. Now that Moony has said that he's not going to kill you because you like his little sister, we can help you." Sirius pleaded with his hands together, "Besides, it's a masquerade-themed party, and you know I've always wanted to go to one. Moony help me."
"Sounds good to me," the werewolf commented.
James sighed looking at the pamphlet, "What's the theme?" making Sirius smile like a cat that had gotten the cream.
"Saints and Sinners,"