Dumbledore decided that the safest place for them was to be away from the wizarding world for the time being, which is why the three of them now found themselves in Hermione's home. It was safe to say that her parents had been extremely confused as to why there had been such a panic and why their daughter's headmaster had urged them to keep a low profile. The boys had been politely asked to remain in the kitchen whilst the Granger family had what looked to be a heated discussion. Although the doors were closed, they could just about see through the tinted glass. Hermione sat on the sofa, unable to meet her parents' gazes as they prowled in front of her. Harry wanted to go in and help her, in order to make sure that she didn't take all the flack. His biggest fear was that Hermione's concerns about the truth getting out were becoming a reality far sooner than any of them would have liked.

Matthew could barely sit still as they waited. He kept looking towards the Tardis, where it was waiting in the garden, and fiddling with his fingers. Harry watched his behaviour for a few moments, at least because it distracted him from observing Hermione. This didn't feel right. At school, whenever one of them got in trouble, it was the three of them who would face it. Together. This time, they'd been separated. If it hadn't been the Granger's home, he would have barged into the living room to defend his friend. But he also didn't want to disrespect their privacy and hospitality.

Harry saw Matthew look to the blue box again. "You're thinking of going back there, aren't you?"

"It wouldn't be the wisest of moves but when has that ever stopped me, hey?" Matthew shot back at him.

"I can only imagine how dangerous the situation could be."

"Fear has prevented us before from acting."

"This is different. This is…unknown. We don't have the safety of Hogwarts right now." Harry ran a hand through his messy, black hair. The ride back in the box had been a chaotic one as they'd fled the scene. "What do you think happened?"

"Honestly…I don't know. I've never seen the Dark Mark before. But I think I understand what it means."

"It's for followers of Voldemort, isn't it?" Only he could cherish such a dreadful, haunted symbol.

Matthew nodded his head. "Which means that someone who wants Voldemort back was behind the attack. Or someone who wants us to think that."

"Do you think Sirius is okay?" That was his main concern at the moment. Besides Hermione.

"I think it would be impossible for anyone to get to him with the amount of security he had around him. The same goes for Pettigrew."

Harry's nose wrinkled. "I don't care about him getting hurt. The Ministry heard his testimony. That's all he was useful for." He paused, wondering if he really felt that way. "Do you think that's why this person…or these people…attacked the Ministry?"

He got a shrug in response. "There was certainly a lot of media attention on the trial. If they knew that Pettigrew was going to be there, then they might have been scared. Just imagine what he's seen. He could bring a lot of names down with him. He's got the potential to incriminate a whole host of likely powerful people."

"So they were trying to stop him from speaking…"

"Or remind him what happens if he does. Azkaban is full of dark wizards, former followers of Voldemort…I don't reckon they'll take too kindly to snitches."

"It was strange seeing Dumbledore so…scared," Harry said. "Normally, he's so unreadable and unwavering. But he saw that thing in the sky and he was nervous. I could see it in his eyes."

"Because of you. If followers of Voldemort were nearby, that made you a target. That's why he wanted us out of there as quickly as possible. I doubt he barely gave a second though to anyone else until you were gone."

"It shouldn't be like that. I'm not more important than anyone else."

"Maybe it shouldn't. But it's going to be like that for as long as his followers exist. For as long as he exists. I thought you'd be used to that by now." He perched himself against the kitchen island, giving himself a better view through the glass into the front room.

Harry followed his gaze. "They've been talking for a long time."

"It must be terrifying. For all of them. Hermione's parents have no idea what's going on. From their perspective, their only child could be in serious danger for all they know. As for Hermione…well, you know how scared she is of them finding out about the darker sides of having magic. Especially for a muggle born child like herself."

"It's not fair. She shouldn't have to contend with these things. She's smarter and more brilliant than anyone who looks down on her."

"It's exactly that intelligence and brilliance which has put her in trouble. Not just putting her in the focus of more detractors, but also giving her the impetus to follow us two idiots into dangerous scenarios time and time again."

"You sound like you're on the side of her parents…like you want them to take her away to keep her safe."

"I'd never want to lose Hermione. Maybe I haven't told her that enough. But I also understand where they're coming from. Because I also want to keep her safe. The thing is…I know Hermione…and I know that it would be an impossible task to keep her away from danger if she believed she could do something to help end it."

"She's stubborn. You both are. You'd both refuse protection if it meant you could do something to help people."

"I'm not going to change from that either. It's not as if you're any different. It's why we all work so well as a team. And why we annoy most of our professors. Especially McGonagall."

They stopped talking as the door opened, Katherine walking into the kitchen. She seemed to observe them carefully, the boys doing their best to look innocent. It wasn't something they were too good at. They were put on edge when she closed the door behind her once more, separating them further from Hermione. The parents were trying to divide and conquer. As caring and kind as Katherine appeared, they knew that she was armed with the same intelligence that fuelled her daughter. A worthy adversary. Not that Harry was viewing her as an opponent. Yet.

"I was wondering if I could speak to you two boys alone for a bit," she said with a smile, though her lips quivered at the corners, betraying her true concerns. "I don't think Hermione's telling us the entire story of what happened."

"What's she told you so far?" Matthew asked.

Katherine smirked. "That would be giving the game away, wouldn't it? I want to see if your stories match." They could tell she was nervous as she moved about. "Would you like to sit down? I'd hate to be known as a bad host."

Harry sat on one of the high chairs surrounding the island, Matthew doing the same. Katherine stayed on the opposite side of the barrier. She was steepling her fingers, clearly in thought. Harry prepared for what was coming. It felt like he was on the verge of receiving bad news.

"I understand that you both want to protect my Hermione," Katherine began tentatively. "And I know for definite that she cares a lot about you as well." For some reason, she looked at Matthew for a beat longer than necessary. "But, most importantly, it is my job to look out for her. And I can't do that if I'm not told the truth."

"Mrs Granger…" Harry didn't feel like it was the right moment to be using her first name. It was too tense, too formal. "If Hermione isn't telling you something, then I don't think it's fair that we break that trust. She must have her reasons." They, of course, already knew her reasons but they weren't about to divulge that information either.

"Fair?" Katherine laughed sardonically. "Do you think any of this is fair for myself and Peter? We're separated from our own daughter for the majority of the year and, when we do see her, we are told nothing . Absolutely nothing! We get the letters from her, of course. And we cherish them. But even those are clearly selective in what they show us. Please…we just want to know that she's safe…"

"I think if Hermione was in any real trouble, she'd tell you straight away," Matthew said.

"Do you really believe that or are you just trying to appease me? Hermione's spoken a lot about you, Matthew. She never stops detailing how clever you are. I can see your brain working away right now, trying to figure a way out of this. And there's only one way that happens…by telling me what happened today. Why was she even needed for some sort of trial? Why were you all evacuated so quickly?"

Matthew and Harry shared a look. "It was a trial for my godfather," the latter explained reluctantly. Katherine leaned back, evidently willing to hear him out. "I didn't know him before this year. I didn't know he was my godfather until much later after that. A decade ago…he was convicted of a crime…but we found evidence this year that proved his innocence. Hermione…she was just trying to help us get the right result. She was a witness…alongside me and Matthew."

"A witness? She told us that she was just going to provide moral support. She was actually involved in the trial? Why wouldn't she tell us?"

"Maybe she thought you'd think she was too young to be involved in such a thing."

"She is! And she shouldn't have been allowed to do any of this without the consent of her parents! Is this the sort of thing that happens when we're not there?"

"Hermione was never in any trouble. Like I said…she just wanted to help."

"No trouble? Then what about the evacuation? There must have been a reason for that."

"Protestors," Matthew promptly intervened. "You know how it can get. Some people don't like the way the government works and they get a bit…overzealous."

"You're lying, Matthew."

"I'm not."

"Then you're choosing your words extremely carefully to toe the line. Hermione never once mentioned protestors. Why would such a trial attract such attention, hmm?" Katherine was back leaning forward, her hands pressed together. "Please. This is my girl we're talking about here. I shouldn't be kept out of the loop. I don't…I don't want to sound awful…but you boys don't understand this. It's absolutely awful that you no longer have your parents…but it means you don't understand how much they worry endlessly about their children on a day to day basis."

"I think we understand perfectly fine just how far our parents were willing to go to look out for us," Harry said, his body tense.

It seemed to take Katherine aback. "I'm not doubting that. I'm sure your parents cherished you as much as I adore Hermione. But it's something you don't have to think about. You can do what you want, never fearing if your actions will scare the living daylights out of your mum and dad. But you could still make Hermione remember that."

"Can we speak to Hermione?" Matthew asked. His voice was oddly neutral.

Katherine nodded her head. "I didn't mean to offend either of you. It's just…I'm desperate…and…"

"I can't speak for Harry but I didn't take offence. I've repeatedly told Hermione in the past how important family is."

"I'll go get her."

They watched as Katherine left. Harry was wondering what Matthew was up to. They didn't say anything, simply waiting for their friend to appear. When she did, venturing into the kitchen on her own, her eyes appeared puffy, her expression downcast. She could barely lift her head enough to meet their gaze.

"I'm sorry that you're having to witness this," she mumbled. "What a fun Summer, hey? Dumbledore brought you here to keep you safe and, instead, you have to deal with this."

"I think you should tell them, Hermione."

Her head snapped up sharply at Matthew's words. Even Harry's neck audibly cracked as he spun to regard his friend.

"What? No!" Hermione gasped. "You can't be serious! After everything I told you about what I'm worried about…"

"You never know…they might surprise you…"

"I'm not taking that risk."

Matthew was refusing to back down, which was pretty normal behaviour for him. Harry was just worried about the fact that Hermione was equally as stubborn. It was the immovable object versus the unstoppable force. And he was about to be caught right in the middle of the storm.

"I just…don't want you to lose what me and Harry have," Matthew said, trying a different approach. There was no use going into this conversation as if it were a conflict. "You should be keeping your family close, not pushing them further away."

"I'm not. This past year, they've become more involved in my true life than ever before. But boundaries have to be set, otherwise everything will be ruined."

"Think about how happy you were when they came to Hosgmeade. Imagine if that could happen more regularly."

"It can without having to tell them about everything we've done. Do you know how insane it would sound to them if I told them? Three-headed dogs, massive serpents, mass murderers. That's just the first three years of our time at Hogwarts!"

"You're making the same mistake that I did, Hermione."

That made her pause. Even Harry was curious by his comment. "How do you mean?"

"I kept my secrets from you both, and it tore me up inside the longer it went without telling you. You'll reach a point at some unknowable time in the future, and you won't be able to look your parents in the eye because of how many lies you've told them." Matthew let out a long sigh. "I thought I could keep the act going for longer but, when you care for someone so deeply, you know that, ultimately, they deserve the truth. I trusted you to listen to what I had to say, whilst knowing that it could push you away. But you deserved to know. They deserve to know."

"My mum got to you, didn't she?" Hermione asked quietly, a soft laugh on her lips. "Who knew that you'd be the one to succumb to her pulling on your heart strings."

"It turns out I have a soft spot for Grangers…"

She gave him a shy smile before turning to look at Harry. "What do you think?"

He hadn't exactly been anticipating being drawn into the debate. "I think…we can't know what it's like to be a wizard from a Muggle family. At least a Muggle family that wants to be a part of your life. All I know is that I would have found a lot of the things we've been through easier if I'd had someone like your parents to talk to." He scratched at his chin. "Maybe that's why I'm so eager for Sirius to earn his freedom. Or why I spent so much time last year with Lupin. Because I was craving that sort of…guidance."

"But they wouldn't be able to guide me through any of this," Hermione countered. "They won't understand the complexities because how could they? Our worlds are so different."

"The trickiest part about this is making yourself believe that they will understand," Matthew said. "You managed to understand my background relatively quickly. If there's anything that we've learnt about the Granger family, it's that they're rather sharp-witted. They might react differently to what you're fearing."

"And if they don't?"

"Then we'll deal with that if it comes to it. Look…how about you start now with something they really want to know. I wouldn't go in there, throwing every little detail at them of our time at Hogwarts. But why not begin by telling them about today? Put their minds at ease."

"That'll involve telling them about Voldemort…or are you forgetting that small tidbit?"

"There are plenty of awful people in the Muggle world. Why would it surprise them that it's the same in the wizarding community?"

Hermione seemed to nod her head resolutely. "This could be the last time I see you both. As soon as I tell them, they might kick you out straight away."

They could tell she was trying to joke but also that she truly believed that was a possibility. Harry patted her on the arm. "As if they could stop us from seeing you."

"I have got a rather nifty method of getting to places undetected," Matthew pointed out. "They wouldn't even know I'm there."

"Undetected?" Hermione retorted. "That box of yours makes an ungodly racket wherever it goes."

"Well, that's you off the taxi service." Matthew tried to look stern before remembering that he still had a way of getting back at her. "Also…if this is actually the last time we'll be able to speak to one another…I have got something to bring up. Your mum happened to mention that you talk incessantly about me." He smirked at the way her eyes went wide. "I hope it was all good things?"

"She…um…told you that, did she?" Hermione practically squeaked. "Did she…go into specifics?"

"Oh, there are specifics? Pray tell…I'm curious now."

"You're making me want to have that conversation with my parents because that has to be more bearable than you gloating like this."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Maybe that's my plan."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm going to get through this, if just to be able to give you a smack afterwards."

"Whatever encourages you, Hermione."

She shook her head at just how annoying he could be (in an affectionate way, of course) before taking a deep breath. Once more, the boys had to watch Hermione go into the living room on her own, knowing that their presence would only serve to make things more difficult. They thought about moving closer to the door so that they could listen in to the conversation, but they realised that it deserved to be a private matter. So they remained in the middle of the kitchen, counting down the minutes until some sort of resolution was reached.

"You really know how to wind her up," Harry commented.

"What can I say? It's one of my special gifts."

"When you started talking about wanting to say something before we never see her again…I thought you were going to mention…you know…what we discussed in the Tardis."

"I think she's got enough on her plate at the moment to add my feelings into the mix. It'd distract her from the job at hand."

"Isn't that the same reasoning you used for not telling me about your past?"

"Old habits die hard, I suppose."

There was a duel popping sound that emanated from the garden, sending the boys momentarily on high alert. With their wands out, they quickly realised that it was Dumbledore, Sirius walking alongside him. Harry instantly ran towards his godfather, relieved more than anything to see that he'd survived the altercation.

"A distraction," Matthew commented to himself, blowing out a puff of air. "Thank god for small mercies." It had helped him get out of that tricky conversation.

Harry stopped short as he reached Sirius, still not knowing how to act around him properly. Was it too early on in their relationship to hug. He chose to play it safe with a large grin, which the other man returned. It was still an odd sight to see Sirius grin like that, unburdened by the weight of his past.

"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed. "You're okay! You're safe!"

"Why wouldn't it be?" his godfather asked, trying to maintain his ego.

"Well…the attackers…we haven't heard anything from the Ministry since we left…and you were gone for so long…I thought…that something might have happened."

Dumbeldore held up a hand to stop him from rambling too much. "As lovely as the weather is, I recommend that we have this conversation inside, away from prying ears. I'm sure the Grangers don't want to be asked any awkward questions from their neighbours."

The headmaster led them into the small conservatory that opened up into the kitchen. Matthew nodded his head in greeting, playing it much cooler than his friend. Dumbledore appeared to spy through the door the scene playing out in the living room, a questioning look on his face, but he evidently chose not to pursue it with other pressing matters to attend to.

"So…can you tell us what happened?" Harry asked eagerly. "Was it Voldemort?"

"Truthfully, there is not a lot to detail." It was a rather disappointing and anticlimactic answer. "The Dark Mark was produced by an unknown follower of Lord Voldemort, though we are pretty sure that it was not the man himself."

"Then why do it? Did they do anything else?"

"As far as we're aware, no. No one tried to gain entry to the Ministry. It is difficult to ascertain the true motives behind the display, but I must say that I've become rather good at predicting people's behaviour. I would hazard a guess and say that the sole purpose was to serve as a reminder of their existence. In a trial such as the one we were involved in, it must have brought back a lot of painful memories for those who lived through those dark years. Voldemort's former followers thrive on the fear that their mere presence can generate. The sort of fear that might convince certain witnesses and convicts not to speak out about them."

"Most of them left as soon as the Dark Mark was produced," Sirius said. "Or so I'm told. Cravens, the lot of them. Too frightened to face the consequences of their past actions. I came across many Death Eaters during my time in Azkaban, but there's still a load hiding in society, who somehow managed to wriggle their way out of convictions."

"Death Eaters?" Harry echoed.

"It's the term used for those who supported Voldemort. Lowest of the low."

"But why run away as soon as the Dark Mark was produced?" Matthew asked.

"They still have to maintain their innocence to keep their high stations in the wizarding community. With the heightened security inside the Ministry, it gave them the perfect chance to attack the outside."

"There are multiple reports of Muggles in the vicinity being harmed," Dumbledore explained. "It's entirely possible that the Death Eaters only arrived there to do that. A display of defiance right outside the Ministry, whilst highlighting the perceived weakness of the government. Perhaps one of them got over excited and produced the Dark Mark…"

"And it scared the others away," Matthew finished. "That's why they fled."

"That's certainly a hypothesis I'm contending with."

"Did…all of the Muggles survive?" Harry nervously brought up.

"No fatalities have been recorded. It was such a short attack, likely shorter than the Death Eaters would have cared for. They didn't have time to do anything serious before the Ministry Aurors were on the scene."

"The issue is that the whole of London must have seen the Dark Mark," Sirius pointed out.

"A point that Minister Fudge was hard pressed by. When I left him, he was already in a rather heated conversation with the Muggle Prime Minister. I believe the story they'll use in their media is that it was some sort of hologram, a marketing scheme. That should hopefully be enough to settle most of the concerns."

"What about the people who were attacked?" Harry was still feeling guilty about that, as if he were somehow responsible.

"Their injuries will be attended to and then their memories will be slightly modified to accommodate a fake accident. It's the best we can do for them."

"Fudge wasn't too interested in them, to be fair," Sirius said. "He'll want the entire thing swept under the rug before the day is finished."

"Which is why he was so ready to announce the verdict of the trial." Dumbledore's moustache twitched.

That took Harry by surprise. "Pardon? Did you just say that they've come to a conclusion?"

"I'm sure it'll be front page news in the Prophet tomorrow morning, in an effort to bury this PR disaster."

"Maybe we should make them wait until then to find out," Sirius proposed, but his playful smirk was all the answer Harry needed.

"Please tell me it's good news…"

Sirius couldn't contain it any longer. "For the first time in nearly thirteen years…I'm a free man. There's a lot still to contend with, including how to get some of my assets in order, as well as the reparations that I'm due. But even the Ministry couldn't deny the evidence of Pettigrew being alive. They're actually thankful that they have him, because he could decimate the surviving Death Eater contingent. Not that I accepted their thanks. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction after what they did to me."

"The attack outside the Ministry was the final push that Minister Fudge required," Dumbledore elaborated. "It convinced them to put Pettigrew away as quickly as possible, so as to avoid another repeat of today's events."

"It's going to be a long road. I'm sure that a lot of the public will be resistant to me walking the streets but…I don't give a damn!"

"And what does this mean for us?" Harry asked, thinking back on the deal they'd made.

Sirius gave him a kind look as he bent down onto one knee so that they were at the same eye level. "Don't worry, Harry. I haven't forgotten about you. My assets do include properties across London, and much further away than that. But I don't think we should be rushing into this this Summer. After all, the houses will probably be filthy and abandoned, so I'll want to make them perfect for your arrival."

"And Sirius needs to get readjusted to normal life after so long," the headmaster added.

"I…um…I understand." Harry was struggling to hide his disappointment, even if he'd expected this. But he could deal with a few more weeks with the Dursleys. Unless Matthew had a spare bed in the Tardis. There were plenty of rooms, that was for sure.

"How about Christmas, hey?" Sirius offered. "I should be ready by then. Our first proper Christmas together. How does that sound?"

"I'm already looking forward to it."

"And Matthew and Hermione will obviously be invited." He smiled up at Matthew, who grinned in response. He wanted to know Harry's friends just as much as his godson. It was the best way to find out what the boy was like.

"About that…I think Hermione's having some difficulties with her parents…after what happened today." He was speaking to Dumbledore now, the one man who Harry felt could sort this situation out.

As if on cue, the door to the living room clicked open. Katherine was first out, closely followed by Peter. They didn't seem too shocked by Dumbledore's presence, and they did well to hide their confusion at Sirius being there. After all, they had no clue who he was, unless Hermione had gone into detail about what he looked like. As for that girl, she emerged last, appearing rather shaken. Both Harry and Hermione resisted the urge to go towards her to provide comfort, waiting to see how this played out.

"Headmaster," Katherine said, a cold greeting. "You've got a lot of explaining to do."