Author's Note:
I have a majority of this story finished and it will be posted when I have time to edit it one more time.
There is a slightly graphic torture scene at the end of the chapter.
1994
"Immobulus," Hermione cast before Sirius Black could disarm them.
The three stood in shock for a moment. Harry began approaching Black.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked him.
"He killed my parents!"
"And what exactly do you want to do about that?!"
"I don't know, he doesn't know what my mum sounded like when she stopped Voldemort from killing me."
Hermione was thinking of how to respond when Professor Lupin found them in the Shrieking Shack. "Immobulus," she cast again.
"You just attacked a teacher!" Ron wailed, her actions bringing him out of his pain-induced trance.
"I would hardly call it an attack. He surprised me, it was defensive. And he's probably here to help him, not us," Hermione gestured toward the other frozen man.
"You don't trust Professor Lupin?" Ron asked.
"They were friends in Hogwarts: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew."
"He was no friend to my father," Harry argued.
"Or maybe he was."
"What do you mean?" Harry argued, his voice growing colder.
"I've done my research, Harry. It doesn't make sense. They were friends for a decade and the Potters basically adopted Sirius Black in their sixth year. It would be like you betraying Ron, and I can't see that happening."
"I researched him too, I didn't find anything more than they were in the same House and year," Harry panted out, confused.
"Well almost all of the information on Sirius Black is extremely biased," Hermione stated as if no more information was needed. "All of it since his escape from Azkaban."
"How did you get around that, 'Mione?" Ron asked.
"Well after last year, with all of the information pointed to Hagrid opening the Chamber of Secrets, I thought it was attributed to an anti-magical beings bias. I created a charm with help from Professor Flitwick that accounts for bias, and makes information into simple statements the author would have known without their biases."
"And they were friends?" Harry asked, quietly.
Hermione nodded. "I think we should hear him out, with statements he can prove to the three of us."
"Alright. How are you going to do that?"
"A freezing charm aimed directly at their feet and arms, we'll have to work together. Ron, do you think you could help?"
"I can try."
It took some time, but the two men were able to speak without moving their bodies.
"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to get through us first," Ron said from the floor.
"Only one will die tonight," Black stated.
"Sirius, you're going to scare them, phrasing things like that. We need Mr. Weasley's rat," Professor Lupin informed them fairly calmly.
"How long have you been helping him?" Hermione asked when she heard that he was on Black's side.
"I haven't. I only realized that Peter was the one to betray James and Lily when I saw the Map. Mr. Weasley's rat is the animagus form of Peter Pettigrew."
"You know how to use the Marauder's Map?" Harry asked.
"I helped write it. Moony," he pointed to himself. "It's how I knew where you were."
"It seems as though my invitation to the class reunion was misplaced, Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew," Snape sneered at Black. "Why Potters always side with you, I will never understand."
"Immobulus," this time from Harry.
"You really need a wider variety of spells, your Defense professor really needs to work on that," Black joked, making knowing eye contact with Professor Lupin.
"It can be useful to have simple, yet effective spells to use in times of crisis. I think both of you have done that successfully, though I don't exactly appreciate being frozen," Professor Lupin remarked.
Scabbers was trying to escape once the focus was off of him, but Ron made some noise when the rat attempted to leave his hold.
"Immobulus," Hermione cast at the rat. "Is there any way to force his transformation without hurting him?"
"There is a charm, it's quite painless. If you unfreeze me, I can perform it," Professor Lupin offered.
"Could you just teach it to me? It's not that I don't trust you, I just-"
"I understand." He taught her the spell in a few moments, and the rat that had been set on a table was turning into a man.
"Now if you would do me the pleasure of unfreezing me, I would like to commit one of the crimes I was sent to Azkaban for."
"If you could wait a little longer, I have an idea."
"I've done my waiting, TWELVE yEaRs of it, in AzkAbAn!"
"Then surely a few more hours should seem like nothing. I believe I can keep you out of Azkaban and the Dementor's Kiss."
"What are you proposing?" Professor Lupin asked.
"He was charged with betraying James and Lily Potter, killing Pettigrew, and the death of twelve muggles. We have proof he didn't commit one of them, he should be investigated for the others. Which his memories along with Pettigrew's will exonerate him of all charges."
The others were thinking about her ideas when Black realized that it was the full moon. "Have you taken your potion?" he asked his friend.
"Potion?" Harry asked.
"Wolfsbane," Hermione immediately responded without thinking. She immediately winced. Harry and Ron continued to look confused, while Black and Professor Lupin looked at her, surprised.
"How long have you known?" Professor Lupin asked her.
"I did the essay, the timing made me certain. Do you need us to do anything, isn't this where you normally stay?" Hermione asked.
"I haven't taken my potion yet, so you can leave me frozen or let me go right now. Neither is without its risks."
"We have about ten minutes until the moon rises, I am sorry about this. I really do trust you, I haven't told anyone. Immobulus totalus."
"I still don't get what's going on," Ron complained.
"It's the full moon," Harry realized. "He's a werewolf?" Harry asked.
"Get him away from me! You knew he was a werewolf and didn't tell us?" Ron asked, betrayed.
"It's not a big deal. He's been teaching us for a year, and I don't think he would intentionally hurt anyone. I trust him, it's just I haven't had very much interaction with the wolf and I don't want to risk anyone getting hurt."
"He could have been hurting people that you didn't hear about, 'Mione. How could you not tell us that we were being taught by a monster, he's not even human."
Black was about to yell at Ron, but Hermione commented first. "What is human, Ronald? Someone who resembles a person 100% of the time? I think a human is someone who goes out of his way to help others. Someone who, despite the pain it must bring them to see their deceased best friend's child nearly every day, makes sure he is safe. Look at the conditions he puts himself in so that no one else gets hurt. He let me freeze him in this shack that you know the dangers of coming inside. He is a human and he's the best teacher we've had at Hogwarts. Now you two take Professor Snape and limit the trouble we're getting into for this. Can you hand me the cloak, Harry?"
"Here. What do you need it for?"
"I'm going to get Sirius Black a trial."
"The ministry closed hours ago, 'Mione."
"I know that. Now, the moon is going to rise in a few minutes. Stay safe!"
"You said you had a plan?" Black asked Hermione.
"I do," Hermione said while taking her time turner out. "Can you apparate?"
"For some reason, they don't let us keep our wands in Azkaban."
"Right, I read about creatures that the school uses to carry the carriages, invisible to anyone who hasn't witnessed death. We could find those, though I'm not exactly sure where they are."
"How did you find out about the thestrals?"
"Well, I quite enjoyed Hogwarts: a History, so I read more into the castle. Are you saying you know where they are?"
"No one knows this castle quite like a Marauder."
"So the Ministry closed about two and a half hours ago, we'll go back three hours. You and Pettigrew, under the cloak."
"And I hope you have a solid plan for what to say when we're there?"
"Well, we've gotten this far without a solid plan… Stay close behind me."
It took a while for anyone in the Ministry to believe that she wanted to speak to an auror, but eventually, she was able to speak with Amelia Bones.
"So, what did you need to speak to me about?" the auror asked Hermione.
"Sirius Black didn't murder Peter Pettigrew," she explained quickly.
"I haven't heard that one in a while. I assume you have evidence?"
"Peter Pettigrew is right here," she pulled his frozen body from the cloak, careful not to show Black.
"I am not going to ask how a teenage witch found what multiple, teams of aurors were unable to. This will exonerate him of the murder of Peter Pettigrew, he does still have other charges against him."
"Surely you could get him a trial for those? Where his memories and Pettigrew's could be used to show he's not guilty."
"I'll do what I can. If he is found between now and this potential court date, he would be brought into Ministry custody," she gave a knowing look.
"Thank you."
"How can I repay you for this?" Black asked Hermione.
"Take care of Harry."
"I would do that no matter what. I am his Godfather, you know," with the first true smile Hermione had seen from him.
"Can we talk?" Remus interrupted their first conversation since moving into Grimmauld Place.
"Weren't we doing that already?" Sirius joked.
"Sirius."
"I always am."
"I'm sorry. I-"
"No, you're Remus. I've never met anyone named Sorry, but Sirius isn't that popular either. Except in my family, I am the third." Sirius was met with the slightly annoyed, but mostly loving stare of Remus.
"Thank you, Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, hugging his best friend.
"I would do anything for you, Harry."
"Why don't you check your room, Harry?" Sirius offered. Harry ran up, excited to be living with Sirius.
"I'm not quite sure if I understand why you're living here too," Sirus told Hermione once Harry went upstairs.
"Harry deserves a family, but for him to build one he'll need his friends. I'm sure if anyone can understand the importance of friendship, it would be you."
Sirius, Professor Lupin, Harry, and Hermione came back from Sirius' trial, where he was fully exonerated and was given an apology by the Minister for Magic.
"A Half-Blood and a Half-breed, in my house! Accepted by the members of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Blood Traitors, all of you!" the portrait of Walburga Black shrieked at them.
"Have you found a way to get rid of her portrait?" Sirius asked Remus, who had been researching the topic since they moved in.
"No, I believe she sealed it with special blood magic. Only the Head of House or Heir would be able to break it. Wouldn't you be able to break the charm?" Professor Lupin asked, cautiously.
"Sirius is not the Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. He is not the Heir either," Walburga Black sneered at Sirius and Professor Lupin.
1996
"Hermione, Voldemort's got Sirius."
"Where is he? Are they hurting him?"
"In the Department of Ministries, there's a room full of glass balls."
"Was the location really clear? Maybe Voldemort's trying to lure you there. It's probably a trap."
"I was kind of focusing on Voldemort threatening to kill my Godfather. It could be a trap I suppose, but I can't risk it. How can we get there?"
"The thestrals, it's how Sirius and I got there back in third year. Could we at least check at Grimmauld Place first?"
"There's no time, Hermione. He could die any moment, we have to get there as soon as possible."
"Well the two of us can't exactly defeat Voldemort and a group of Death Eaters, we need help."
"So how are we getting to the Minstry?" Neville asked Harry and Hermione.
"I thought we could use the thestrals, they move the carriages that bring us to school. I can't see them, but I know Harry and Luna can. Could you help us get on them?"
After knocking the shelves of prophecies over, everyone ran out of the room and entered the one closest to them. This happened to be the room holding the Veil. Eight of the Death Eaters had followed, but some thought the group had split up.
Then Sirius, Remus, Moody, Tonks, and Shacklebolt joined the six students.
Lucius Malfoy was still trying to get the prophecy from Harry. Who, with the help of Sirius, was fighting him. Bellatrix was torturing Neville until Ginny, Luna, and Tonks went to stop her. Moody and Shacklebolt were fighting three Death Eaters Hermione didn't know.
Hermione didn't know what she should do, but then one of the Death Eaters approached her. His mask had come off sometime in the battle, and she identified him as Antonin Dolohov. Hermione was blocking or dodging all of his attacks, but she didn't even attempt any offensive maneuvers. She was so focused on defending herself that she missed Bellatrix Lestrange threatening Sirius the first time. The second time, however, she heard and stopped the witch with an "Immobulus totalus." In doing so, she was hit by one of Dolohov's curses.
"Sirius," Harry was terrified of what nearly happened to his Godfather and in his surprise, dropped the prophecy.
Sirius took Harry and nodded at Remus to get Hermione, who had been casting protective charms whenever he could.
After Bellatrix Lestrange was frozen and the prophecy dropped, the battle soon ended and the Death Eaters escaped.
"Is she going to be okay?" Harry asked Madam Pomfrey.
"It is unlikely that she survives, not many of Dolohov's victims do."
"And the others?" Remus inquired.
"Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood had a few minor injuries, but were given a potion and sent to rest in their dorms. Mister Longbottom is staying the night and will need to take potions for the Cruciatus for the next week," she responded before leaving the room.
The next morning, Hermione woke up and asked Harry for a book she had started reading about ancient runes. He was relieved that she was awake and okay, but he still blamed himself that she was hurt.
"It seems that she has made a full recovery, you will need to come back in a week so I can see if your recover is maintained," she informed the group and then whispered to herself, "how peculiar."
1997
"So after the wedding, I'll be leaving."
"No, you won't, because you are insane if you think we aren't going with you," Hermione lightly chastised.
Ron nodded in agreement, which made Harry smile.
Hermione spent the rest of that day with her parents. As she left, she permanently removed their memories of her. She reasoned that if she could bring them back, a Death Eater could too, and didn't want to risk any blood magic on her parents.
After hearing Shacklebolt's Patronus message, the three ran to each other and Hermione apparated them.
"We can change over here, then there's a café we can sit down in."
"What are we going to change into?" Harry asked.
"I have essentials with me, for all of us. They're in my bag."
Two men came into the café, Harry gave Hermione a look and the pair tried to freeze the two men. Their attempt failed, but after a quick fight, the two Death Eaters were frozen in front of them.
"So, what do we do now?" Hermione asked.
"How about you obliviate them?" Harry suggested. Hermione nodded, Ron just stared at Dolohov.
"Ron, step aside. I'll obliviate them and we can leave."
"He killed my uncles," Ron stated.
"What are you suggesting?" Hermione asked.
"Killing them, you both know they would kill us too."
"You're not going to kill him, Ronald," Hermione argued, motioning towards Dolohov.
"He nearly killed you too, how can you not want him dead?"
"They aren't a threat to us right now, if we remove their memories we'll be as fine as possible. I would rather not become a murderer."
"How are we going to survive a war without becoming murderers, 'Mione?" Ron asked.
"We can face that moral dilemma later. Hermione," Harry pointed for her to obliviate them.
Hermione focused, placed two drops of her blood on the tip of her wand and cast obliviate intensely.
"You have to do all of that to obliviate someone?" Harry asked, knowingly.
"Not always, this one will make it unbreakable until my blood unlocks it. It also removed all of their memories until the last time we saw each other."
"You've met Rowle?" Ron and Harry both asked.
"We've interacted."
"Well, that wasn't cryptic at all," Ron muttered under his breath.
Gibbon and Jugson were sent after Dolohov and Rowle when they failed to return. "I found them," Jugson told Gibbon. "What do you reckon we do?"
Gibbon cast "finite incantatum. We take them to the Dark Lord."
"Dolohov and Rowle," the Dark Lord drawled at them in irritation. "I assume your search for Potter was unsuccessful?"
"My Lord, I thought we were trying to get the prophecy, not Potter," Dolohov responded, attempting to hide his confusion.
"The battle at the Department of Mysteries was over a year ago. Rowle, what do you remember?"
"I was going back to the Slytherin common room. I was studying for my NEWTs earlier today," Rowle explained, scared.
"It appears that you did find Potter, but your memories were obliviated by one of them… And it appears that she used blood magic, your memories will not be coming back in the near future. Nott, catch them up."
"Yes, my Lord."
That night, Rowle's screams filled Nott Manor.
"You said Dumbledore gave you one of these things?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, this ring. I don't think we should wear it though, you know because it's such a dark object."
"That's a good point, Harry. I just wanted to test some theories with it, I promise I won't put it on."
"Perhaps I should watch you, in case it has some sort of influence over you."
"If you insist, Harry."
"Have you found anything yet, Mione?"
"No, Ronald, I have not. I would bloody well tell you if I had found something," Hermione lashed out at Ron.
"Really Mione? We have had no progress in months. Every time you tinker with that Horcrux, we have to have two of us focusing on it when we could be doing something, looking somewhere," Ron fumed.
"Let's get some sleep, Ronald."
"How much food do we have left, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Enough for another week, if we ration a bit more," Hermione answered.
"Can't you just duplicate the food we have?" Ron asked.
"Only to a certain extent."
"Really, I thought the exception to Gamp's Law only applied to conjuring food from air?" Harry asked.
"Gamp's Law?"
"Of Elemental transfiguration. When I've been watching Hermione tinker on the Horcrux, I've been reading some of the textbooks she packed," Harry answered.
"You're correct, Harry. The textbooks would say that. I found a journal from Hesper Gamp, wife to Sirius Black, in Grimmauld Place that adds other restrictions to the duplication of food. No matter how much food you make through duplication, the total has the same amount of nutrition as the original."
"Sirius is married?" Ron asked.
"Sirius Black the second, not the third. Sorry for not being clear enough," helpfulness leading to passive-aggressiveness quickly.
"So how are we going to purchase more food?" Harry asked, ignoring Hermione's sarcasm.
"We can't be seen, even in the Muggle world. I think our best option is the forest."
"How are we going to get food from the forest?" Ron asked.
"You want us to hunt?" Harry asked, skeptically.
"Do you have a better idea?"
"What's hunting and what does it have to do with the forest?"
"Do wizards not have hunting? Killing animals for eating or for sport." Harry asked.
"Why would you kill animals?!"
"We do need to eat, Ronald."
"You two will have to do that. Or show me how I guess."
"I don't think you're going to catch much with your hands, Hermione."
"I know, Harry. It's not like I can just conjure a weapon," as Hermione said this a bow and its quiver of arrows appeared in her hands. "Or maybe I can."
"Harry, I think we should look for them."
"Do you have an idea where one might be, Ron?"
"What do we know about him and the Horcruxes we do know about?" Ron asked.
"He was an orphan, Half-Blood. His mother was Merope Gaunt his father Tom Riddle, he is responsible for opening the Chamber of Secrets at least twice, worked at Borgin & Burke's despite better job prospects, attempted to be employed for DADA professor twice, then vanished until the early 1960s," Hermione recited.
"So we know that Hogwarts is important to him," Harry told them.
"Do you think he got something from Borgin & Burke's?" Ron asked.
"Yes, the question is how many things," Harry responded.
"We know that two of his Horcruxes have been his diary and his family ring, so we can believe that the objects he used are important to him, right?" Ron asked.
"And we know that Hogwarts is important to him, so maybe he has something from the founders?" Hermione hypothesized.
"Except for Gryffindor, of course," Harry joked.
"The Sword of Gryffindor. What if he did make it one because of how unbelievable it would be," Ron suggested.
"You have to be a true Gryffindor to use it," Harry countered.
"Maybe we could use it then. It's how you destroyed the diary in second year, wasn't it?" Hermione asked.
"No, I used the basilisk fang for that."
"What did you do with the sword then?"
"I used it to kill the basilisk."
"Where it would have touched the venom, I vaguely remember something about the properties of the sword. We should research that."
"How are we going to get the sword anyway?" Ron asked.
"It was in the Sorting Hat last time. If nothing else, Hermione can just exclaim how impossible for her to conjure the sword is and it will be there," Harry joked.
"What's wrong, Ron?" Harry asked.
"I miss my family."
"We all do, but we have each other."
"You don't really have a family to miss, do you? And Hermione obliviated her parents the same way she obliviated Death Eaters, really screams 'my family is important to me!'"
"Hermione did that to protect them, and to protect us. We are a family."
"Sure we are," Ron rolled his eyes.
"What's a real family, Ron. Sorry, I didn't grow up in a house where I was showered in affection no matter who I was or who I became, but I never thought that made it impossible to have a family."
"You're right, it just feels like you don't understand what this is like for me."
"Well, we're all different people, everyone is different. But as long as we try to empathize with each other, we'll be doing our best. So maybe I don't understand exactly what you're going through, but I can certainly try if you let me."
"I think I need to do something on my own, hunt for the Horcruxes. I feel like I'm not contributing here. We can have a way to communicate, but I need to be alone and reflect for a bit."
"We need you here, Ron."
"I'm sorry, Harry."
"Okay, we are going to have three different code word that we write for different situations. We start with Blue means everything is safe, Red if there is danger, and Gold if there is someone else asking you to use it," Hermione explained to Ron and Harry.
"Why those colors?"
"Well, if anyone is there they wouldn't be suspicious if you used a Gryffindor color, that's the explanation."
"I figured it out, Harry."
"You figured what out, Hermione?"
"I used the ring to create a Horcrux locator! It uses the magical signature and narrows it down to certain strengths and types of magic."
"That's brilliant, Hermione."
"So, we can see that he has three Horcruxes and where they are. For now, only I can see the lines, but I could key you into them too if you want."
"That's fine, I think we should tell Ron."
"He wanted to find them on his own, but do what you want."
"Okay, let's follow the first one tomorrow, we should get some sleep now."
"It looks like one of them is in Hogwarts."
"Okay, we use the cloak and the map, and we find the Horcrux and get a few Basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets."
"Is that Gringotts?" Hermione asked?
"Yes, I think so."
"It looks like a really deep vault."
"So it's someone from an old Pureblood family. One that he trusts."
"The Lestranges? The Malfoys? The Notts, perhaps?"
"How would we get there?" Harry asked Hermione.
"I have an idea. I transfigure myself to look like Bellatrix Lestrange. We might have to imperious a goblin or something."
"That's an unforgivable," Harry stated.
"They're not currently illegal. And anyway, it's helping to stop 'him,' if I have to go to Azkaban for this, for you, eventually, then I'll go to Azkaban."
"I wasn't arguing, just stating what it was. I love you, Hermione. You know that right?"
"I love you too, Harry."
"This is a Pureblood Manor," Hermione stated.
"How do you know?"
"I read a book about them and their architecture. From the styles, it's either the from the Lestranges, the Malfoys, or the Averys. Okay, I'll go inside with the cloak and the sword, but you go back to our tent."
"I'll go with you, Hermione."
"No, Harry. You have to stay and get rid of the ring. I can handle it," she gave him a smile they both know was forced.
"I love you, Hermione."
"I love you too," she said hugging Harry.
"I'll see you soon."
Hermione nodded, but said nothing.
Hermione was unable to cast a charm to silence her movements inside of the manor, so she was as quiet as she could be while searching for the final Horcrux. Unfortunately, she was not quiet enough, and Bellatrix Lestrange found her and apparated them to a new manor with similar interior design.
"What are you doing here, Bella?" Narcissa Malfoy asked.
"I found Potter's Mudblood trying to steal something from Lestrange Manor."
"And you brought it here because?" Lucius Malfoy drawled.
"I can hardly let my sister's family be disgraced in the world the Dark Lord is building. We will gain his favor by providing him information that the Mudblood can give us."
"And how are you going to get this information?" Narcissa asked, knowing the answer.
"You'll see," Bellatrix said with a cackle.
"What were you looking for in Lestrange Manor?" Lestrange asked, standing above Hermione who just shook her head, giving no response.
"The Mudblood won't talk? Crucio."
"How about a different question? Where did you get the sword? You know what I'll do Mudblood, that is unless you like it. Do you like being tortured, Mudblood?"
"No," Hermione managed to croak out.
"The Mudblood speaks! I had wondered if you were capable. Answer my question, what were you looking for in Lestrange Manor?" When she received no response, "Crucio."
"The Cruciatus doesn't appear to be working, Accio knives." She took the cursed blade to Hermione's left forearm, carving the slur she had been calling Hermione all night. As soon as she finished carving the 'D' in the word, the entire cut disappeared.
"Was that supposed to happen?" Lucius Malfoy asked.
"The blade that Bella used doesn't lie, so when she finished the word it disappeared," Narcissa explained cautiously.
"She's a Pureblood?" Draco asked, scared of his aunt's potential reaction.
"Let's take her to the Black Family Tapestry," Bellatrix suggested after a short pause.
"Why the Black Tapestry?" Lucius Malfoy asked.
"Practically every Pureblood in the world is related to the Blacks, and our Tapestry goes back further than yours," Narcissa explained.
"Let's carry her to the floo," Bellatrix instructed of her sister.
"What are you doing here? Hermione!" Sirius exclaimed.
"She's a Pureblood," Bellatrix said in lieu of an answer.
"Hermione?… Granger?" Sirius asked skeptically.
"Yes, and we would like to use the Tapestry to see who she is. Sorry for barging in, Sirius," Narcissa apologized with faux politeness.
"I'll take care of this," Sirius insisted before using a small blade to allow a few drops of her blood to fall to the floor of the Tapestry room.
"No!" Bellatrix exclaimed.
"Oh- how did we forget?" Narcissa asked softly.
"Magic."
"Oh, I hadn't gathered that, Sirius. Thank you for explaining."
