"So you're my new cousin?" a pink-haired woman grinned as Hermione stepped cautiously out of the floo.
"I ah..apparently," she settled on.
"Tonks or Dora if you must," Tonks stuck her hand out sharply, grinning at her.
"Why Tonks?" Harry frowned, stepping out behind Hermione.
"Sweet Helga! You're…you're…"
"Harry Potter, yes." he sighed.
"Shit sorry. I imagine that gets old quickly," Tonks grimaced.
"You have no idea, " he muttered.
She pulled a sympathetic face, before returning to his earlier question, "I prefer Tonks because my mother saddled me with the ridiculous name Nymphadora."
"Wow," Harry muttered.
"Tell me about it."
"Tell me you are not complaining about your name already Nymphadora!" Andromeda exclaimed bustling into the room.
"Just getting it out the way, Mother." Tonks rolled her eyes.
Andromeda sighed, "Forgive my ridiculous daughter. How are you both?"
"Fine…ah Madam Tonks?" Harry pulled a face. "We got a bit of a crash course in polite greetings but I don't understand it. Why exactly are you Madam Tonks and Mrs Weasley is well…Mrs Weasley?"
Hermione sighed beside him as Remus bit his lip so he didn't laugh at the exasperated look on her face. He'd seen it a few times now, coupled with the sheepish look on Harry's. "Because the Weasleys are determinedly non-traditional, and despite not following the family doctrine, Madam Tonks was still raised a Black," she explained with more than a little impatience.
"And because Molly hated Arthur's mother. Cousin Cedrella was also a disowned black"
"She was?" Harry blinked, "Are you all just related to each other in this world?" Hermine hit his arm exasperatedly making him flush when he realised what he had said. "Sorry," he muttered.
Andy struggled to hide her smile. Tonks didn't bother. "Merlin, Sirius is going to love you. And to answer your question, yes, to be honest. The old families as a whole are rather insular."
"No wonder they're all insane," Hermione mumbled, making Harry snort.
"Do I get to hit you now?" he grinned.
She turned bright red, "No thank you."
Andromeda bit back a smile, before turning to Hermione teasingly, "While I have high hopes for your sanity, you are remembering that that now includes you too, product of two purebloods."
Hermione grimaced, "I'm still not used to that," she admitted.
Tonks laughed, "Your dad was really your mum, I can imagine that that takes some getting used to. Merlin, it's insane the things they play with in the DOM!"
"It's insane full stop," Hermione muttered.
"But utterly worth it when we get to shut Malfoy up," Harry grinned.
Hermione groaned as Andromeda led them into a bright sitting room, "Harry, Hermione, allow me to introduce my husband Ted."
They both smiled slightly at the tall man who seemed to command the room when he stood. He had a kind face, Hermione mused as he grinned at them, holding out his hand. "It's lovely to meet you!" he exclaimed, "I can't say I've been introduced to many members of Andy's family, well not without them trying to murder me anyway."
Harry and Hermione both grimaced, before Harry grinned, "It's fine, we're not allowed to use magic outside of school but if you need it to make you feel comfortable, we could probably come up with something muggle."
Ted's booming laughter overcame the look of utter horror on Hermione's face. "I think I'll be ok without it," he replied wryly.
Harry shrugged, "If you're sure."
Remus snorted as Hermione audibly groaned. "I'm so glad we wasted so many hours with lessons on being polite," she muttered dryly.
Harry grinned back at her unrepentantly, "You love me anyway."
"Remind me why?" she muttered before allowing Ted and Tonks to redirect her attention.
Andromeda shot Remus a look, inclining her head towards the door.
"How are you doing?" she asked without preamble when the door shut behind her.
He sighed, "I don't know," he admitted," They understandably don't really know what to make of me. But…once we got over that first night where they were almost silent, they started speaking more. Harry is…surprisingly normal. I know there are things I don't know. I know Hermione has more of a grasp on what's going on in his head than I do but outwardly, he appears to be coping reasonably well so far."
"And Hermione?"
Remus shook his head, "She's…engaging on a surface level, but there's a very clear barrier. It slips with Harry," he sighed, "I'm trying to remember it's been two days and I can't expect miracles. I…I worry more about her than Harry though. She…I don't think she is as open with Harry as he is with her, it's like he sees her as the adult in their relationship and she's adjusted her behaviour accordingly. She had a moment in the hospital where she fell apart and he's clearly protective, but it was so short-lived. Once she'd pulled her mask back into place she went back into the role he seems to expect from her."
"Well that's not healthy," Andromeda sighed.
"No," Remus inclined his head, "It's really not but I don't know what to do with it. Its…I don't have any experience of this! I haven't been around children since I was their age and…gods. What if i make it worse! Her parents just…abandoned her. After telling her that nothing she did was good enough. For years. Add in some of the things they've let slip."
"Such as?" Andromeda asked with interest.
"They had no friends, either of them before Hogwarts. But where Harry was automatically accepted once they were there. Hermione was not. I don't think she's told anyone the extent of it but she was thought to be a muggleborn, that…prejudice is hardly new. Reading between the lines, she's also never been allowed to be a child. She was expected to be perfect, but once it became clear she didn't fit her parent's expectations of beauty, they focused solely on her intelligence. It…makes things difficult with the other girls in her dorm. She quite literally has Harry and Ron, and Ron is...again reading between the lines, not the most tactful of friends. I get the impression that he's Harry's friend, and Hermione is just there. I hope I'm wrong, we are ultimately talking about a teenage boy. A young teenage boy."
"That's rather a lot of information to get in two days from two teenagers you say won't open up," Andromeda interjected.
Remus flushed, "Some of it was overhead. Some of it came from Kingsley, he sent a brief report in the hopes it would help me work out where to start. Harry mentioned a few things about school, not that I think he understood what he was saying. It's….gods I don't know if I'm qualified for this."
Andromeda snorted, "You are most assuredly not," she admitted, "But we are where we are. Are you still teaching next year?"
"Yes." he sighed, "I want to be there. It's…there are things that don't add up and I never thought I'd say it, but I'm not sure I trust Dumbledore with them."
Andromeda inclined her head in acknowledgement, exhaling sharply. "A discussion for another time, I think. I imagine they've noticed we've gone so we should probably return before they get too curious. Send Hermione here once a week, it gives you time with Harry but it also gives Hermione time with a woman that I think she'll need. We need to reset her self-esteem, and while it won't fix everything, we can look at some of the old Black family secrets that can help with the hair, grooming charms, and learning how to dress to command notice. I think we should get Dora involved. She's…lighthearted in a way I think Hermione would benefit from."
Remus nodded, exhaling with relief. "We can do that," he agreed.
Andromeda looked at him shrewdly, "However, you are going to have to find an in with her. Harry sounds, on the surface, as if he'll be easier, but that doesn't mean you can take the easy route."
"I know that Andromeda!" he protested.
"Do you? Harry is James' son. Sirius is going to adore him for that alone. Hermione is his niece, he had a complicated relationship with Regulus and you know it. Don't…she is going to be resistant, she is going to want to protect herself from getting hurt again, it is not going to be easy. Don't prove her right. I can almost guarantee she is already thinking of herself as a burden, that she already believes she needs to behave a certain way to be worthy of being loved. If you and Sirius show that Harry is your favourite, even if it's true, you'll just be confirming every lesson she has ever been taught about her worth."
Remus blanched. "I am so fucking out of my depth," he muttered.
"Welcome to parenthood," Andromeda sighed, "You're just starting with a few more issues than the rest of us."
"Fucking wonderful." Remus muttered before he reached for the door handle."Come on let's go and see if they're still in one piece."
Andromeda hummed, "Mondays, I think, for Hermione. I don't work then. Not next Monday, obviously, you'll be organising things for Sirius coming home, but after that. We'll need to discuss allowing them time when they're back at school. Minerva will agree. And if you're already there it makes sense for Sirius to be too, and for me to drop in."
Remus' jaw dropped, "Right…I…right."
"Good," Andromeda nodded, placing her hand over his on the handle, pushing it down, "Shall we?"
"So Andy said that Sirius gets home on Tuesday?"
Remus hummed as he surveyed Ted across the dinner table. At his side, Harry and Hermione were watching with rapt attention as Tonks shifted her features for their entertainment while doing impressions of Alastor Moody that had even Hermione giggling.
"Yes, hopefully anyway. We should know by Saturday whether he's well enough."
"There's a chance he won't be?" Ted's eyebrows rose.
"I don't think so," Remus admitted, "He's keen to get home and I don't think he'll do anything to jeopardise it."
Ted hummed, shooting a look at Andy, "We've already discussed Hermione coming here one day a week," she replied to his unspoken question.
"You have?" Hermione asked, her face utterly blank but her posture tense.
Remus barely bit back a wince as he realised exactly how that sounded. "Yes," Andromeda smiled serenely, "I know things Sirius doesn't that will be beneficial for you to know."
Hermione's shoulders dropped fractionally and Remus let out a slow breath of relief "Oh?"
"Like where to get the only hair potion that works on Black curls." Andromeda grinned. "I thought you'd appreciate a crash course in some of the things Sirius deems unimportant but which, as a female, you'll want in your arsenal. Etiquette, deportment, and the ability to manipulate without people realising it. You are…there is going to be immense scrutiny and people will be gleefully waiting on you to trip up. I intend to ensure you don't. Sirius…has always been less than fond of the rules. However, I believe that when used properly, they're weapons."
Hermione hummed, nodding slowly. "I see."
"Good. Then you'll indulge me on a Monday for the foreseeable future. I intend to petition Minerva to allow me to continue once you're back at school.
"You think she'll let you?" Hermione asked, the surprise clear on her face.
"Yes." Andromeda nodded looking completely sure of her answer. "She adored Sirius at school and Remus will be teaching."
"He will?" Harry cut in.
"Ah sorry, you…hadn't had that conversation?" Remus sighed, shaking his head in response. "No matter," Andromeda dismissed, "Yes, Remus will be teaching. I imagine Sirius will use it as an excuse to have a base at school and I will then be able to visit."
"You'll be the next Defense professor?" Harry asked with interest.
"Yes," Remus agreed hesitantly trying to read the look Harry shot Hermione.
She shrugged her shoulders minutely but gave him no verbal response, "Are we doing something cool this year then?" Harry grinned impishly, "Or do you have a complete list of fiction you want to reenact with yourself as the hero?"
"Not the example I'd have gone for," Hermione muttered.
"Oh?" Harry frowned, "What would you have asked instead then?
"Oh, I don't know, perhaps if he intended to start wearing a turban and hosting a murderous madman on the back of his head?"
Harry looked at her for several long moments before he smiled sheepishly, "Fair point."
"What in the name of all the gods are you two talking about?" Ted demanded.
"Oh. Lockheart was last year, all his books were fiction."
"They were?" Tonks gasped, "All of them?"
"Every last one," Hermione sighed, "He obliviated the real people and took credit."
"Mother of sodding Christ." Ted muttered, "Who knows?"
Hermione shrugged turning to look at Harry, "Professor Dumbledore knows doesn't he?"
Harry frowned, "I..ah…yes?"
"You don't sound sure," Remus commented lightly.
"In my defence, there was quite a bit going on the night he tried to obliviate me and Ron but I think I told him."
"Why would he do that?" Andromeda asked with unnatural calm,
"Because he didn't want to go down the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry replied, sounding unsure.
"Right," Andromeda nodded like that made sense. "Any why exactly were you in the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Oh…to get Ginny Weasely," Harry replied.
Andromeda closed her eyes, her posture rigid as the entire table took a collective intake of breath. "Explain," she commanded.
"There was a Basilisk petrifying people," Harry began shooting Hermione a look of panic. She took his hand under the table.
"Lucius Malfoy hid a diary belonging to Voldemort in Ginny Weasley's school things," she took over, ignoring the flinches, "It turned out to be a sentient diary which led to her being possessed and opening the Chamber of Secrets and unleashing Salazar Slytherin's basilisk. Several people and ah Sir Nick and Mrs Norris were petrified. Harry took Lockheart and Ron down to the Chamber when a message appeared saying the body of a student would remain in the chamber forever. I obviously wasn't there but from what Harry said, Voldemort as a student came from the diary after pulling on Ginny's life-force, Fawkes blinded the basilisk….Harry stabbed it with the sword of Gryffindor and stuck a basilisk fang through the diary…killing? Can you kill something not living? Anyway, Tom Riddle died."
There was utter silence for several minutes, all of the adults staring at her in horror. "Why weren't you there?" Tonks asked suddenly.
"Oh. I was petrified."
"You were what?" Remus demanded, "Why wasn't this mentioned?"
Hermione shrugged. "I don't know."
"And you!" he rounded on Harry, "What on Earth were you thinking?"
"That Ginny was going to die?" he muttered, "I took a teacher this time! Not that he was any use but it's not like I knew that at the time!"
Remus blew out a slow breath, "We are going to discuss this. Soon. Once I've figured out what to bloody say."
"I'd start with why in the name of all the gods did you think you needed to go with the teacher in the first place?" Andromeda cut in.
Harry flushed, "Well he wasn't overly willing," he muttered.
"So why not get another one?" Remus exploded, looking repentant when both Harry and Hermione visibly flinched.
"We'll McGonagall doesn't tend to believe us, Snape would have probably hexed me for daring to approach him, and I didn't have time to chase down the rest!" Harry retorted, his face flushed.
Remus groaned, burying his head in his hands, "What do you mean Minerva doesn't tend to believe you?" Andromeda demanded.
"Well there was an issue with the philosopher's stone," Harry muttered, "And we were…almost right."
"What issue with the philosopher's stone?" Ted demanded with a flat voice.
Harry shot a look at Hermione, "Ah, Voldemort was living inside?" she shrugged looking confused, "on the back of Professor Quirrell's head anyway, and the Philosopher's Stone was being stored at Hogwarts and we might have…gone to retrieve it?"
"Why?"
"Well, we thought Professor Snape was going to steal it. And we did speak to McGonagall but ah, she didn't really believe us so we…went anyway."
"Why?"
"So he couldn't steal it?" Hermione offered not sounding sure.
"Right," Remus muttered, "Actual chat. Long, long, very truthful chat. Soon. Am I clear?"
"Yes," Harry and Hermione muttered, looking at their laps.
"I love it when someone else is getting a row," Tonks crowed, yelping when her father sent a stinging hex at her leg.
Saul fidgeted nervously, he wasn't sure what to do with this. How did one greet their newly found daughter? He knocked on the door of the cottage he'd been informed she was currently staying at.
A tired-looking Remus opened the door. "Come in," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
"Is everything alright?"
Rolling his eyes, Remus sighed, "They're in the living room. We've had an…illuminating discussion about their school years and I'm relatively certain they're trying to kill me off."
"Ah." Saul nodded, "Is this about the basilisk?"
"You knew?" Remus demanded
"Not until recently." Saul admitted, "Although that appears to be my failing. I had my Deputy Director explain it all to me and I think it's time I paid Albus a visit. Why no one has until now is beyond me."
Remus nodded, "Me too. What the fuck was he thinking?"
"Why the fuck did no one intervene?" Saul countered.
"I have no idea." Remus muttered, "You said the Unspeakables knew?"
"Apparently. Not officially, or not originally, a couple of them are friends with some of the professors and you know how they like to talk. However, after some of the basilisk was donated to us by Hogwart's resident potions master, I have to wonder why no one thought to check up."
"Severus donated the basilisk?"
"Yes, that was his name. Severus Snape. We've had our eye on him so he has contacts in the department. Genius at potions but terrible with people," Saul shrugged, "Still, we'd quite like him but he won't leave Hogwarts. I don't quite understand it given how much the man appears to detest children."
Remus frowned, turning that over in his head. From what he remembered of Severus, becoming an Unspeakable surely would suit him better. "A mystery for another day," he shrugged. "But you're right it doesn't make sense."
Saul hummed, "I don't suppose they told you what exactly was possessing the professor in their first year? Albus apparently speculated it was a demon. And of course, there's the mystery of how the basilisk managed to coerce the girl."
"Pardon?"
"What was unclear?" Saul asked idly, his eyes roaming the hallway for clues about the man in front of him.
"Albus knows what was possessing the professor and the basilisk didn't coerce Ginny."
Saul blinked, forcibly dragging his attention back to Remus, "pardon?"
"Voldemort was possessing Quirrell, and there was a ...sentient diary? It belonged to a Tom Riddle, who, if they are correct, was Voldemort's original name. He was apparently using Ginny's life force to fuel him. It would have killed her and let him…manifest? Live? I don't know. Harry put a basilisk fang through it and stopped the connection though."
Saul froze, looking at him in horror. "That's not possible," he murmured. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"That's what they said," Remus frowned.
"Fuck," Saul hissed, "That's…Please excuse me, I'll be back in half an hour I just need to confirm some things."
Remus gaped as he disapparated with an agitated crack.
"What was that?" Harry demanded, coming into the hall.
"Professor Croaker," Remus replied faintly, "He'll be back shortly."
"What?"
"I have no idea," Remus muttered, steering him back into the room.
"Isaac! Isaac!" Saul called hurrying through the rooms, he found him eventually in the Thought Room, analysing something the brains were doing.
"Professor! Shouldn't you be…"
"No time for that, come with me. Immediately!"
With wide eyes, Isaac passed hasty instructions to the Unspeakable next to him and hurried out of the room in the direction of Saul's office.
"What's going on?" he demanded as he sat down. Saul looked…manic. It wasn't a look he had ever associated with him before.
"Did you know that Voldemort was apparently living on the back of a Hogwarts defence professor's head?" Saul countered.
"What? No! That's…absolutely absurd! And…and impossible!" he stammered, having not expected anything like that.
"Is it?" Saul demanded, "Did you know that the basilisk was controlled by a sentient diary?"
"A sentient…what?" Isaac asked bewildered.
"Dairy!" Saul roared, "Voldemort's Diary! Mother of fucking Merlin! What did Snape say when he gave us the basilisk?"
"Nothing!" Isaac cried, "Just…just it had come from Hogwarts. That they'd found the Chamber of Secrets. I put in a request to the Headmaster to send a team."
"And have you heard back?"
"No," Isaac replied reluctantly, "But in his defence, I only sent it last week."
"We need to see Snape. Now."
"Why?" Isaac demanded.
"Because Lord sodding Voldemort was living on the back of a professor's head!" Saul exclaimed, "Don't you think it's strange that Snape just dropped off some basilisk? That we'd heard nothing up to that point? That no one called us, the Ministry, anyone in?"
Isaac stilled, "Do we know they didn't?"
"If they had Amelia would be right down here demanding assistance." Saul retorted, before he paused, something seeming to occur to him "So…did she?" he checked.
"Not that I know of," Isaac admitted.
"Right Amelia first," Saul commanded, "Move!" he roared when a still-stunned Isaac failed to stand. "I'm on a bloody deadline! I am supposed to be having an actual conversation with my daughter right now, instead, I'm bloody here and I have no idea what Lupin told her!"
Isaac squeaked, hurrying after him as he all but sprinted to the DMLE, throwing open the door, and startling the milling workers.
"Oi!" a voice growled, "What do you think you're doing?"
Saul looked Moody over, "None of your bloody business, I need Amelia Bones. Urgently."
Moody blinked, taking in the man in front of him, he was almost vibrating, a tall, gangly man behind him bouncing on his feet. "Prove you are who you are impersonating," he growled.
"Oh for fucks sake," Saul cursed, barging past him and throwing open the door to Amelia Bone's office. Both Amelia and Barty Crouch blinked back at him.
"Professor Croaker!"
"I need a word. Urgently. Get Moody in here if it'll stop him harassing my deputy."
"Alright," Amelia agreed slowly, "Barty, can we discuss this another time?"
Barty looked like he wanted to say no but thought better of it. "Very well, Madam Bones." he nodded as he stood, "Aurour Moody appears to be strangling your deputy by his robes, you know?"
Amelia groaned, "Alastor!" she shouted, "Put him bloody down and get in here!
Isaac slumped, gasping. Sighing, Saul marched over and hauled him to his feet, dragging him into the office in enough time to hear Amelia berating Alastor. Had he been less frazzled, he might actually have enjoyed it, as it was, the entire day was pushing his patience to the limits.
"You can shout at him another time," he growled, depositing Isaac into a seat. "Sit the fuck down and listen."
Amelia blinked, "Professor…is everything alright?"
"No!" he howled. "Were you called in to investigate Hogwarts last year?"
Amelia's face registered her confusion, "What? No! Why would we be!"
"Because there was a bloody basilisk!"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"A basilisk! Snape dropped some off with no explanation! Apparently, they found the Chamber of Secrets. Now, if you didn't know about it and I certainly didn't fucking know about it, then what the fuck is Albus playing at!"
Amelia stared back at him like a rabbit caught in headlights for a moment, before turning to Moody, "Get Snape here. Now." she paused, " nicely ."
"I don't do nicely," Alastor sneered.
"You do unless you want to put out to retire, old man." she shot back.
He glowered and stomped out of the room. Once the door was closed she drew in a long breath, forcing her shoulders down, "Start at the beginning if you please."
"According to Remus Lupin, Voldemort was casually hanging out on the back of '91's defence professor's head," Saul began.
By the time he'd explained what little Remus had told him, Amelia was vibrating with fury and Moody had returned with a visibly annoyed Snape.
"Severus," Amelia breathed with such relief that it startled him out of his glower.
"Madam Bones," he returned warily.
"Sit down, and for the love of Merlin please tell me that these two are talking complete bollocks," she begged, gesturing to Saul and Isaac.
With a wary look, he complied in sitting down, "What bollocks are they talking?" he enquired lightly.
"They're trying to tell me that whoever your Defence professor was in '91, they were hosting You-Know-Who on the back of his head, they're also trying to convince me that the Chamber of Secrets was found and that a twelve year old killed a bloody basilisk."
"Ah," Snape replied and then promptly shut his mouth again. Amelia's eyes went wide.
"Fuck. No. No please, I need you to tell me this is bollocks or I'm going to be forced to remove ALbus for being an utter fucking arsehole. So please." Snape snorted but remained silent. Amelia hissed through her teeth, her face going through an alarming series of expressions before settling on furry.
"Might I also suggest seeking clarification on the protections around the philosopher's stone?" Saul interjected, "They were beaten by three first years. And while I'm told my daughter is intelligent, that still seems far-fetched!"
"Your daughter?" Snape frowned.
Saul rolled his eyes, waving him off, "It'll come out shortly I imagine. Hermione Granger is really Hermione Black. Mine and Regulus Blacks through ah ... .we'll go with magical advancement."
"Magical advancement," Severus mouthed silently before he stilled, "She's Regulus Blacks?"
"Ah yes. Her mother."
"Her…What?" he demanded.
"Mother," Saul repeated, "It came as rather a shock to us all."
Severus closed his eyes for several seconds before reopening them as if expecting the world would be back to normal. "You're serious?"
"Oh yes. Deadly serious. It's where I'm meant to be right now, so if we could have some clarification," he looked at Severus expectantly.
"That's why she agitates me," he muttered ignoring Saul.
"Pardon?" Saul asked sharply.
Severus waved a hand, "Regulus and I…gods we were stupid and young. And in over our heads."
"Make sense," Amelia demanded.
Severus sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, "We vowed we'd always be family. I was…drowning, he was drowning, we were friends. His mother was insane, his brother had abandoned him, I'd fucked things up with my oldest friend, my parents were...not ideal. We were…attempting to give ourselves something. But that sodding little witch has niggled at my magic since she started and I couldn't bloody figure out why!"
"Huh," Saul paused, considering that, "You don't fancy godfather? It'd take care of that."
Severus groaned, "No! You know what she gets up to! No! My blood pressure would never survive it."
"All the more reason to have someone instil some self preservation into her." Saul eyed him, "You're talented, if rumours are to be believed deadly, and you live in the castle with her. I think it's a wonderful idea."
"I think you're insane," Severus muttered.
"Back to the protections," Amelia interjected.
"What about them? There are...limits on what I can say."
"Magical limits," Amelia checked, wincing when Severus raised his wrist pointedly. "For the love of Merlin," she muttered "Albus?" he didn't respond. "Right," she sighed, "How do we work around that then?"
"We might have a solution," Isaac piped up nervously.
"Oh?"
"Well we can break them. But only for Unspeakables. There's a contract and limits and well…it's a whole thing."
They all turned to look at Severus, who waved his wrist again, remaining silent. "Are you allowed a job as well as teaching?" Saul murmured.
Severus paused, "I don't know," he admitted slowly.
"Let's find out," Amelia sighed. "Today. Now. And once they are broken I want another chat."
"Right well, I'll leave you in Isaac's capable hands," Saul stood, "I really should go and apologise to my daughter for running out on her."