"Hey, can we talk for a moment?" Hermione gently pushed the door to her brother's room ajar, allowing a stream of sunlight to filter through the open window and cast a warm glow. Remus, sprawled on his bed with his right arm lazily covering his eyes, emitted a noncommittal grunt, indicating he was at least aware of her presence.
"Are you gay?" The words slipped out, and she winced at her own bluntness.
Remus, without bothering to open his eyes, donned a sly smile. "Are you gay?" he shot back.
"What?! No-" she protested, the unexpected accusation prompting her brother to raise an inquisitive eyebrow. "Oh, don't look at me like that. This isn't me being homophobic; this is me denying being gay."
"Do you have any problems with gay people?" Remus hoisted himself onto an elbow, casting a languid gaze in her direction. "Why so defensive, little sister?"
"I'm straight. Could I be bi? Maybe. Who knows? But it's not me we're talking about." Hermione plopped down on her brother's bed, eliciting a complaint due to the limited space. "Stop being a big baby and answer the question."
"Is your love life so dead that now you have to get involved in mine?" A swift punch to his arm made him groan, "Too soon?"
"Too soon," she confirmed, attempting to sound stern but failing as laughter bubbled up at her brother's dark humor.
"I like girls too, just so you know." Remus sighed, his gaze fixated on the ceiling. "It's just that there's something about Sirius. The presence of him. It's like-"
"Like touching the stars," she finished the sentence, her eyes reflecting a distant understanding. "They seem unreachable, but if you get close enough, you can touch them with your fingertips."
"Have you been smoking pot?" He teased, turned his body to look at her. She raised an eyebrow. "You're being very philosophical lately, Mimi. Are you okay?"
"I have some things going on, but nothing you have to worry about. So... you're bi. Does Sirius know that?" Remus shook his head slowly. "Are you planning on telling him?"
"I have enough problems already with being a werewolf, Mimi. Don't add more to the list." Hermione hummed, looking sympathetically at her brother. "Did I just come out of the closet?" he wondered aloud, getting out of bed and rummaging through his closet.
"Where are you going?" she asked, sitting cross-legged on her brother's bed. "I wanted us to talk, you know. Big brother-little sister hang out, like old times."
Remus immediately halted his search and rushed over to her, enveloping her in a hug. "I've missed you too, little sister." After separating, he added, "So, are we going to talk about what's going on between you and Gryffindor's resident Golden Boy?"
"Golden Boy who?" Hermione feigned ignorance. "James?"
"Golden Boy who?" He mimicked her voice mockingly, earning a glare. "You know perfectly well who I'm talking about. What other guy do you know who walks around like he has sun rays coming out of his ass? Of course, I'm talking about him."
"There's nothing between James and me. He likes Lily." Hermione frowned. This couldn't be happening to her.
"Denial is not just a river in Egypt." The werewolf giggled, pointing a finger at his sister, and if looks could kill, he'd be six feet under.
"Remy, you're giggling and kicking your feet. The only thing you need to do is start twirling your hair." Annoying her further, Remus did just that. "Fuck you! It's not funny."
"It's hilarious." Her brother guffawed, handing her a mug from his nightstand. "and this more so."
Hermione's eyes widened in horror, almost dropping the mug in shock. "What the—When—Who the fuck did this?" Gripping the mug tightly, she looked at her brother with a twitching eye.
"Hey, hey, be careful. It's my favorite mug, Mimi." Remus took the cup from her before she could break it, treating it like a prized possession.
"Start explaining to me what the fuck are James and I are doing in a photo in your fucking mug. What the fuck? Who else knows about this?" Her brother winced at the volume of her voice, hiding his face behind the mug. "Oh, how brave of you. Hiding behind a mug. Weren't you supposed to be the big, bad wolf? If you don't start talking, I'm going to break that mug over your head, you hear me?"
Remus gulped, regretting showing her the Jamione mug. "Mimi, don't be mad. It's just- It's just a joke, you know how Sirius is." He scratched the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly.
"I'm going to kill your fucking idiot boyfriend." She roared, storming towards the stairs. She was going to kill Sirius the muggle way—with her bare hands.
"Mimi, he's not my boyfriend. Not yet. Don't kill him." Remus ran after his sister. "Shit," he thought, realizing the trouble he had inadvertently stirred up."Mimi, come on, it's just a silly prank," he pleaded, desperately trying to keep pace with his furious sister.
"Prank? PRANK? This is beyond a prank, Remy! Sirius crossed the is an invasion of my personal life!" Hermione fumed, her hands clenched into fists. She reached the fireplace in the living room, her brother close behind.
Remus grabbed her arm, trying to hold her back. "Mimi, think about it. Sirius just likes to mess with people. He probably thought it was amusing."
Hermione shot him a fiery look. "Amusing? I'll show him amusing." Without waiting for Remus, she stepped into the fireplace, grabbing a handful of Floo Powder. "Potter Manor!" The green flames engulfing her.
"Mimi, think about this! Violence is not the answer!" Remus hesitated for a moment, glancing at the mug in his hand and muttering to himself, "Sirius, you idiot." Then, he reluctantly followed his sister into the Floo Network.
As they tumbled out of the fireplace into the grand foyer of the Potter Manor, they were met with a startled house-elf, who squeaked in surprise. Ignoring the creature, Hermione stormed through the halls, her eyes scanning for any sign of the soon-to-be dead Sirius Black.
"Moony, what's going on?" James, who happened to be passing by, widened his eyes in surprise at the disheveled appearance of his usually composed friend.
"I'll explain later, Prongs," Remus muttered, glancing nervously in the direction his sister had gone. "Fuck," he cursed, where had his mug gone? His sister, meanwhile, burst through the back doors like a hurricane, her eyes locked onto Sirius, who was casually lounging by the lake.
"You!" she seethed. " Explain. Now." She held up the mug.
"Ah, you found my masterpiece! What do you think? A collector's item, don't you think?" He looked up, a mischievous grin playing on his lips
Hermione's glare could have melted steel. "You think this is funny? Putting me and James on a mug? Are you out of your mind?"
The shaggy wizard, however, remained unfazed. "Come on, princess. Don't be so uptight, it's just a bit of innocent fun. You and Prongsy make a cute couple, don't you think?"
Her face turned an alarming shade of red. "I am not dating James! And I am certainly not finding this amusing! I suggest you fix this immediately, or I swear I'll hex you into next week!"
She raised the mug threateningly, ready to strike Sirius with it when suddenly her brother stepped between them.
"Okay, okay, let's all calm down," he raised his voice, trying to diffuse the tension. "Breaking the mug won't solve anything, Mimi. Plus, I paid for it. Give it back."
Hermione glared at Sirius one last time before lowering the mug and shoving it in her brother's chest. "This isn't over, Black." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out.
Sirius watched her leave, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "She's cute when she's angry."
The werewolf sighed, shooting an apologetic look at Sirius. "You really know how to stir things up, don't you?"
"So I guess she didn't like it?" Sirius quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.
The werewolf rolled his eyes. "You're not asking me that right now, are you? Now, help me fix this before she decides to curse both of us into oblivion."
The Black scion chuckled. "You're her brother, Moony. I'll just stand here and look pretty."
"Looking pretty won't save you from her hexes, Pads. We need to make it up to her."
"Make it up to her? She needs to learn to appreciate good humor," Sirius retorted, but the hesitant glance Remus shot him made him reconsider. "Fine, fine. What do we do?"
The werewolf sighed. "Let's start by hiding the mug and everything you have. It's like waving a red flag in front of an angry bull."
Lily's eyes narrowed as she studied her best friend, with a mixture of disbelief and irritation. "You've got to be fucking kidding with me. I'm not going to help you do that." She crossed her arms, her red hair cascading over her shoulders.
Severus met her gaze with an intensity that bordered on obsession, "I'm telling you the truth, Lily. You have to believe me." He was on edge, his desperation palpable.
Lily couldn't help but scoff, her disbelief etched across her face. "Sev, do you really want me to believe that Remus, Hermione's brother, the calmest and most responsible boy in all of Gryffindor, is a werewolf?" She chuckled, shaking her head. "That's a load of bullshit. He's the least aggressive guy I know. Black would be more suited to being a werewolf than him.." She chuckled at her own joke.
Severus, undeterred, pressed on. "I've been observing him. It's not just a hunch. I've been doing my research. Observing him. There are patterns, signs.."
She raised an eyebrow, "Patterns? Signs? Sev, this is ridiculous, you're starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist. What exactly are you basing this on?"
Severus took a deep breath, "He disappears every full moon. I've been keeping track. And the scars – have you seen them? It's not normal, Lily. And his mood swings before the full moon, it's like he's a different person."
Lily couldn't help but scoff. "You're reading too much into this. People have bad days, and they don't turn into werewolves because of , if being grumpy was a sign of lycanthropy, you yourself would be one," she retorted, a mischievous glint in her eyes, earning a glare from him.
"It's dangerous," Severus hissed, his dark eyes flashing "For you, for me, for the entire school."
Lily held up a hand, halting his fervor. "Okay, hold on minute." She looked at him seriously. "First of all, Remus is a person, just like you and me, stop calling him 'it'.He deserves to be treated with respect. Second, whether or not he is a werewolf is none of your concern."
Severus studied her, curiosity etched across his features. "You know something I don't?" His questioning gaze probed hers, but Lily maintained her poker face.
"Nope," she replied nonchalantly. "But even if what you're saying is true, it's not your place to interfere. You can't just barge in and expose him."
Unbeknownst to Severus, Lily was privy to Remus's secret. She had discovered it during his first year, becoming the keeper of his secret and she had taken on the responsibility of assisting him with notes and homework, and even provided comfort during the lonely nights in the Hospital Wing.
At first, fear had gripped her, but seeing Remus alone and scarred in the Hospital Wing changed her perspective. Lily knew it wasn't his fault for being who he , Remus proved to be an excellent study partner, an antidote to the annoyance of Black and Potter.
Moreover, Remus proved to be an excellent study partner, an antidote to the annoyance of Black and Potter. When he had expressed concern about acceptance from his friends, Lily assured him if Black, Potter, and Pettigrew were true friends, they would accept him just as he was.
She later discovered that he had indeed confided in his friends. A visit to the Hospital Wing after a full moon revealed Potter and Black occupying a bed, while Pettigrew slept in a chair with his head resting at the foot of Remus's bed. Silently leaving a chocolate for Remus, Lily walked away, confident that her second friend was in good hands.
Severus shook his head, his frustration evident. "You don't get it, Lily, this is not about exposing him. It's about the danger. What if he loses control? What if he hurts someone? I care about you. I thought you deserved to know the truth."
Lily narrowed her eyes. "And what truth is that? The truth that you've decided on without any real evidence? You need to drop this. Now. It's not your place, and it's not fair to him."
"Lily, you have to understand. Werewolves are dangerous creatures." The Slytherin clenched his fists, his frustration turning into anger. "Fair? What about the safety of the students? What if he loses control during a transformation? What then? He is dangerous."
Lily took a step back, creating some distance between them. "Sev, the only danger I see right now is you and your obsession with this unfounded is Remus we're talking about. He's not a threat."
Severus scowled deeper, his frustration turning into anger. "I'm trying to protect you, Lily. Can't you see that?
"Protect me from what? My friends?" Lily shook her head, disappointment evident in her eyes. "I won't be a part of whatever scheme you're planning.I thought you were better than this"
"You're naïve, Lily. You don't see the danger. But fine, do what you want. Just remember, if something happens, don't say I didn't warn you." With that, Severus turned and walked away.
The faint rustle of papers and the rhythmic tap of a quill against parchment echoed in Orion's private was engrossed in reviewing documents when the approaching footsteps and the voice of his youngest son disrupted his concentration, pulling him away from the stack of papers spread across his desk.
"Father."
He looked up from the papers, his piercing gray eyes settling on Regulus, who stood by the entrance of his private study. "Tell me",he prompted as he set aside the papers.
Regulus hesitated for a moment, glancing around the room as if wary of unseen ears. "Have you noticed anything strange about her lately?"
The unspoken "her" hung in the air, an invisible presence in the room. Orion raised an eyebrow at his son, silently urging him to continue. They had an understanding – certain matters were to be discussed with caution, especially when it concerned Hermione. Her name was not to be uttered aloud, Walburga could be listening, after all.
"What do you mean?" He maintained a nonchalant facade as he continued to sift through the papers before him. "She and I only write to each other from time to time and it's just to talk about—well, you know."
"She's different, Father. I've seen her train," Regulus spoke earnestly, taking a seat. "Every curse, every spell—she executes them with incredible precision. Her reflexes are faster than mine. I've never seen anyone do what she does.I made a comment telling her that she fought like she'd been doing it for years."
The elder Black leaned back in his chair, the intrigue evident in his eyes. "And what did she say when you questioned her about it?"
Regulus replied, frustration etched on his face. "She didn't have time to answer, but I know she's hiding something from me. She fights as if she's been through a war. I dare say she could easily beat you in a duel, Father."
"Now that is certainly interesting," Tapping his fingers on the desk, his interest was now piqued . "A war, you say?"
Regulus nodded, frustration evident in his movements. "And there's something else. Her wand. She carries a holster, but it's not on her shoulder like the Aurors. It's on her right leg. She claims it's faster that way."
"And she's not wrong," Orion stood up, walking towards a shelf adorned with some large tomes. "Interesting," he mused, running his fingers over the spines. "When are you going to meet her next?"
"Next week. Gatsby's," his son replied, his hands fidgeting in his lap. "I'm worried, Father."
Orion placed a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. "It's natural to worry about your friends, son. I'll talk to her."
"You'd do that for me?" Regulus looked up at his father, hope flickering in his eyes. "Do you think someone could be manipulating or blackmailing her?"
He chuckled, a low, resonant sound. "Her? Manipulated? Blackmailed? She's a force to be reckoned with, my boy. In any case, it would be the other way around."
"She's strong, I know, but—" Regulus trailed off, clenching his fists in frustration.
"Regulus, I'll talk to her. Don't worry." Orion spoke in a surprisingly soft voice. "Anything else you'd like to tell me?"
"I—No, Father," His son stood up, gave him a small smile, and left. As the door closed behind him, Orion's gaze turned to the book he was holding."I think It's time for you and me to have a little chat, Miss Lupin" A sly smirk played on his lips as he stared at the illustration—golden chains intertwined like serpents, holding a delicate hourglass at its center.